What’s in the Wings for Democrats in the House?

What’s in the Wings for Democrats in the House?
Al Ritter

Monday morning the investigations will be underway for Charlie Rangel and Maxine Waters. After the recent ousting of the Democratic Party from the house it would in the best interest for house democrats to bring these investigations to a quick and decisive conclusion. They should want to put ethics investigations quickly behind them to isolate their party from wrong doing.

Unfortunately for house democrats the investigations will not stop with just Rangel and Waters. House republicans are poised to investigate even more prominent congressional members. I would be inclined to believe the very first congressmen to be investigated will be newly re-elected Barney Frank. Frank’s involvement in the housing crisis that led to the recession will be closely examined, as will Water’s involvement. Another key figure of investigation will be Henry Waxman and many other figures involved in TARP, the Stimulus Plan, and Healthcare Reform, unless some compromise on repeal is reached.

I think these investigations will bear fruit in the next two years, maybe not in the way you may think though. I don’t think that any of these investigations will lead to a removal of any of these members from congress, but I do think that at least one or two will receive severe admonishments. At least now we don’t have to worry about Barney Frank being the chairman of the financial services committee, thus removing him from any further damage to the country from his rogue actions.

To ignore the past dictates that the same mistakes will be made. The laws that enabled the financial collapse are STILL in place and have never been repealed, and until Barney Frank is relieved of his seat on the committee of finance, and official blame has been assessed the chance for a repeat is high.

"History by apprising [citizens] of the past will enable them to judge of the future; it will avail them of the experience of other times and other nations; it will qualify them as judges of the actions and designs of men; it will enable them to know ambition under every disguise it may assume; and knowing it, to defeat its views." --Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, Query 14, 1781

Rangel Rule Act of 2009 (Introduced in House)

Tired of the slippery slimey politicians getting preferential treatment? Then read the article below, then view the actual bill, and tell your local representative how you support the bill, and would like to see it pass, it would surely send a message to Washington about how there are two sets of rules in America!

Bill Would Eliminate IRS Penalties and Interest for All U.S. Taxpayers Thursday, January 29, 2009By Susan Jones, Associated Press

(CNSNews.com) - All U.S. taxpayers would enjoy the same immunity from IRS penalties and interest as Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner under a bill introduced Wednesday by Republican Rep. John Carter of Texas.

The bill has no chance of passing, but it makes a point: “We must show the American people that Congress is following the same law and the same legal process as we expect them to follow,” said Carter, a former Texas judge.

Under the proposed “Rangel Rule Act of 2009,” any taxpayer who wrote “Rangel Rule” on their return when paying back taxes would be immune from penalties and interest. “If we don’t hold our highest elected officials to the same standards as regular working folks, we owe it to our constituents to change those standards so everyone is abiding by the same law,” the congressman said.

Carter also said the change in tax law would provide good economic stimulus benefits, “as it would free many taxpayers from massive debts to the IRS, restoring those funds to the free market to help create jobs.”

Rangel is currently under investigation by the House ethics committee for allegedly soliciting donations to his non-profit organization in exchange for legislative favors. He has admitted he failed to pay federal taxes on rental income from his beach house in the Dominican Republic. “I never had any idea that I got any income,” he told reporters at a press conference in September.

Republicans have demanded that Rangel step down as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, which oversees the nation’s tax laws, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has refused to force him out.

Timothy Geithner was confirmed this week as U.S. Treasury Secretary despite his failure to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes from 2001 to 2004 while he worked for the International Monetary Fund. At his confirmation hearing, Geithner admitted he’d made “careless, avoidable” mistakes. He repaid his $34,000 tax debt with interest, but the I.R.S. did not impose penalties.

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Rangel Rule Act of 2009 (Introduced in House)
HR 735 IH
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 735
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide that penalties and interest will not be imposed on individuals who are citizens of the United States.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 28, 2009
Mr. CARTER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
A BILL
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide that penalties and interest will not be imposed on individuals who are citizens of the United States.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Rangel Rule Act of 2009'.
SEC. 2. PENALTIES AND INTEREST NOT IMPOSED ON INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES.
(a) In General- Chapter 77 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
`SEC. 7529. UNITED STATES CITIZENS EXEMPT FROM PENALTIES AND INTEREST.
`Any individual who is a citizen of the United States and who writes `Rangel Rule' on the top of the first page of the return of tax imposed by chapter 1 for any taxable year shall be exempt from any requirement to pay interest, and from any penalty, addition to tax, or additional amount, with respect to such return.'.
(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections for such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:
`Sec. 7529. United states citizens exempt from penalties and interest.'.