Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty has endorsed the The Committee for Small Government's Small Government Act. Before you read the email they sent out though, let me show you exactly what it's going to say on your ballot. I'm an absentee voter, so I've already seen it and voted yes. I sent it off in the mail yesterday, and I hope it gets there on time.
It is my sincere belief that A YES VOTE on this law would be of great benefit to every citizen of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In fact, I believe that it would have a greater positive impact on the lives of Bay Staters than any other election or law to be decided on on this years ballot.QUESTION 1
LAW PROPOSED BY INITIATIVE PETITION
Do you approve of a law summarized below, on which no vote was taken by the Senate or the House of Representatives before May 6, 2008?
SUMMARY
This proposed law would reduce the state personal income tax rate to 2.65% for all categories of taxable income for the tax year beginning on or after January 1, 2009, and would eliminate the tax for all tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2010.
The personal income tax applies to income received or gain realized by individuals and married couples, by estates of deceased persons, by certain trustees and other fiduciaries, by persons who are partners in and receive income from partnerships, by corporate trusts, and by persons who receive income as shareholders of "S corporations" as defined under federal tax law. The proposed law would not effect the tax due on income or gain realized in a tax year beginning before January 1, 2009.
The proposed law states that if any of its parts were declared invalid, the other parts would stay in effect.
A YES VOTE would reduce the state personal income tax rate to 2.65% for the tax year beginning on January 1, 2009, and would eliminate the tax for all tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2010.
A NO VOTE would make no change in state income tax laws.
There are other questions on the ballot which are also very important, such as the presidency (Baldwin or Barr!), as well as QUESTION 2, A YES VOTE would replace criminal penalties for possession of one ounce or less of marjuana with a new system of civil penalties. However, for bay Staters anyway, QUESTION 1 would have the greatest effect, and so I will not be bothered with any further campaigning for any other political cause this voting season.
Now for a message from Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty and The Committee for Small Government.
October 24, 2008
[We wanted to pass along this email from our friends at The Committee for Small Government, who are working hard to end the state income tax in Massachusetts. —Campaign for Liberty]
Two people who share your values. About the writers of the message below:
Carla Howell and Michael Cloud are long-time Ron Paul supporters. They endorsed, campaigned for, donated to, and voted for Ron Paul for President. Carla Howell was a featured speaker at the December 6, 2007 Boston Tea Party Rally for Ron Paul for President at Faneuil Hall (on YouTube). Michael Cloud is a public speaker who has shared the stage with Dr. Paul a dozen times. Both Carla Howell and Michael Cloud joined Dr. Paul as co-plainiffs in the Supreme Court Case against the John McCain/Russ Feingold Campaign Reform Act.
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Urgent Message to You from Two Strong Ron Paul Supporters
from Carla Howell and Michael Cloud
Dear Fellow Supporters of Ron Paul,Ron Paul campaigned to Repeal the Income Tax – and dramatically shrink the size and power of government. Now you have the opportunity to take the first step to make Ron Paul's dream a reality – by helping us to repeal the income tax in Massachusetts this November 4th.
We are co-sponsors of Ballot Question 1, the legally-binding ballot measure that will END the Massachusetts state income tax.
Maybe you've read articles about our ballot initiative in the 'Wall Street Journal,' 'the New York Times,' 'the Boston Globe,' 'National Review,' 'Reason,' 'CATO,' 'the National Taxpayers Union,' or at LewRockwell.com. Or seen us on CNN or Fox News.
Do we really have a reasonable chance to win? Or is this just another fantasy?
Four different polls show us dead even. One poll shows support for ENDing the income tax at 45% -- with 45% against. 9% undecided. Two other polls show 45% For and 45% Against – with 10% undecided. One strange poll showed 37% For and 37% Against - with 26% undecided.
This is the second time we've put this END the income tax initiative on the ballot. Last time, with a few hundred volunteers - and a total advertising budget of $89,000 – we got 45.3% of the vote. 885,683 votes.
50/50 odds of repealing the state income tax. And a chance of setting in motion a series of state-by-state repeals of income taxes.
Why will Massachusetts voters vote YES – and END the income tax? What are the benefits to them?
1. Our Ballot Initiative will give back over $3,700 each to 3,400,000 Massachusetts workers and taxpayers. $3,700 average. Each worker. Not just once. Every year.
2. It will take $12.6 Billion out of the hands of Massachusetts Big Government – and put it back into the hands of the men and women who earned it. Not just once. Every year.
3. In productive, private hands this $12.6 Billion a year will create hundreds of thousands of new jobs in Massachusetts.
4. This will force the state legislature to streamline and cut the waste out of the Massachusetts state spending.
5. This will force the state legislature to get rid of the failed, flawed government programs that don't work – and often make things worse.
6. It'll make the state legislature accountable to Massachusetts workers and taxpayers – instead of the government employees, lobbyists, and special interests who profit from high government spending.
7. With less government and no income tax, Massachusetts will become a magnet to private, productive businesses and individuals. More good jobs and more good workers.
8. And with 3,400,000 Massachusetts taxpayers getting back an average of $3,700 each in their take home paychecks, this just might radically reduce home foreclosures.
Wouldn't these huge, immediate, direct benefits get you to the polls on November 4th?
But there's a huge 900 lb gorilla standing between us and victory.
Who? The Teachers Unions.
Massachusetts Teachers Association, S.E.I.U. (the government employees union), AFL-CIO (who get plush government construction pay), and the other unions who get tax-funded jobs.
Union dues have already bankrolled $2,090,100 of the NO on 1 War Chest. That's 99.93% of the anti tax-cut funding!
In addition, these unions and their allies also reported $443,437 in in-kind donations.
In addition, these unions have mobilized an estimated $1,200,000 worth of paid and unpaid union activists to stop us from ending the income tax.
Plus, with the Massachusetts Teachers Association driving this effort, the unions and their political allies are generating widespread news coverage of Ballot Question 1.
Over 53 newspaper articles and opinion pieces in just the last 10 days!
The unions are very effective. 100% of the newspaper editorials oppose our Ballot Question 1. Over 96% of opinion columns are against us. Over 83% of the newspaper articles are indisputedly against us. The remaining articles usually lean 50% to 70% against Ending the income tax.
Despite our opponents' $2,090,100 in union dues dwarfing our fundraising, despite their several thousand paid and unpaid union activists being over 100 times the number of our volunteers, and despite their overwhelming advantage in Newspaper and TV support –
WE ARE STILL DEAD EVEN IN THE POLLS.
Some polls show us and our opponents each at 45% -- with 10% undecided. One poll shows us and our opponents each at 37% -- with 26% undecided.
With everything they've thrown at us, we're still tied.
With less than three weeks left, we can beat them.
We and our team are doing media interviews, debating our opponents, appearing on talk shows – and we're reaching more and more of the 3,400,000 Massachusetts workers and taxpayers.
The Massachusetts Teachers Association and their allies have already begun as much as $5,000,000 in Negative Ads and Fear Ads in these last 2 or 3 weeks.
To win, we probably need to run $500,000 in our high-impact ads. Or as close to that amount as we can.
We have $49,816 in the bank. We need to raise $450,000 immediately – if not sooner.
Our ads can tip the scales – and give us victory for the taxpayers.
We've developed and tweaked an advertising language, message and approach that's viral. Contagious. Infectious. Persuasive and unforgettable to Massachusetts taxpayers.
Each $20,000 in advertising will produce an additional $40,000 in positive news coverage, publicity, and word of mouth.
Together, you and we CAN win if you donate as much as you can, if your donation helps us run just 10% of the advertising our opponents are running.
Join us, and be an indispensible member of the Army of Davids that ENDS the Massachusetts income tax in less than 3 weeks.
Will YOU please contribute $500 or $250 or $150 right now – so we can produce and place the first wave of advertising?
If you are successful in your career, if you have enough cash or credit to make a larger donation, you will make a huge difference. Will you please donate $10,000 or $5,000 or $2,500 or $1,000 today?
Your donation is our advertising budget – to END the income tax. It's our campaign budget.
Other Ron Paul donors are counting on YOU to give what they are giving. To join them. They need YOU to donate now. Will you please donate $85 or $65 or $45 today?
Even $5 will help.
Don't wait. Please contribute now by credit card by clicking on "Donate" at our web site:
Or please write your check today and mail it to:
The Committee For Small Government
6 Goodman Lane
Wayland, MA 01778
Make history. Make a donation today.You will remember this for many, many years. Thank you.
Small government is possible.
Your friends and allies,Carla Howell & Michael Cloud
Co-Sponsors, Ballot Question 1 to END the Income Tax
Please keep in mind that this project is not run by the Campaign for Liberty. All questions and other items of business should be taken care of by contacting those in charge through the information given on their website. Also‚ because we are not in charge of this project‚ Campaign for Liberty cannot make any guarantees about it. However‚ it is our opinion that this is a worthy cause. By participating in this project, you take full responsibility for any issues arising from that participation.
I sincerely hope that all who read this do what they can to have this bill passed. Most importantly, if you're eligible to vote, please remember to do so this Tuesday November 4th. Your vote DOES matter, especially in reguards to this closely devided issue.
