FOR decades, Texas lawyers have used the “Hobby Rule” to win the immediate release of clients arrested on DWI charges. American taxpayers now deserve similar protection under my proposed “Rangel Rule.”

First, the background: Longtime Texas Lt.-Gov Bill Hobby was locked up one night for driving under the influence, but immediately released when his attorney came down to point out the high status of the fellow.

When news of this special treatment slipped out, the court tried to defend itself by saying it was standard procedure to release a suspect into the custody of an attorney – though everyone knew any regular DWI inmate would have been held for bond or trial.

Ever since, Texas lawyers have been showing up to spring their inebriated clients by exercising this previously unknown “Hobby Rule.” It’s standard legal procedure to this day.

American taxpayers could win the same get-out-of-jail-free pass, thanks to the ongoing legal saga of my friend and colleague, Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-Harlem), and new Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.

Chairman Rangel admitted on the floor of the House that he had for years failed to pay tax on rental income from his resort property in the Caribbean. He apologized for this “oversight” and agreed to pay his back taxes – but has paid no interest or penalties.

Secretary Geithner admitted in his Senate confirmation hearings he had for years failed to pay taxes on his income from the International Monetary Fund, even though the IMF sent him checks and instructions to pay those taxes. He also called this an “oversight,” has paid no penalties and faces no charges.

As a former practicing attorney and a Texas state judge for two decades, I can tell you: If that was you or me, we’d be socked with penalties and interest many times the amount of the original tax. In a case like Geithner’s, I suspect we’d likely face criminal charges as well.

But Rep. Rangel is the powerful Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees the IRS. And Geithner is secretary of the treasury – the boss of the IRS. Just like Bill Hobby, these two high-status fellows have received a little different treatment than the common taxpayer.

We either need to hold Chairman Rangel and Secretary Geithner fully accountable under the law – or we need a national “Hobby Rule” for taxpayers.

Last week, I introduced the Rangel Rule Act of 2009 (HR 735). Under this bill, any US citizen who owes back taxes can pay them and automatically waive all interest and penalties by writing “Rangel Rule” on their return.

I believe this would restore equal treatment for working Americans – and serve as an economic stimulus by restoring millions in pending IRS penalties and interests to the free-market economy.

We all need to stay sober and pay our taxes. But if we fall short, we ought to be treated the same. In Texas, that means using the Hobby Rule after one too many. Across America, it should mean using “The Rangel Rule” after failing to pay the IRS.

“YES HE CAN”

The people who elected The Moron consider it normal behavior. In fact, if you DON”T do it, you must be a fool.

Ask yourself one simple questions. Imagine you are mugged. Who do you think your mugger supported for president? (and how many times did he vote?)

30 damn years of prior public service is NOT an acceptable excuse for blowing this off because it was a mistake and not being held big time accountable. Im a nurse and have been for 30 years, thats service to the public and probably more so than his limo riding, million dollar salary getting, mobster affliated, expensive lunch going self has ever had to deal with, but if I so much as turn a patient to the left instead of the right, I will get fired, the years of service wont matter.

According to the laws Im forced to abide by-if I dont pay my taxes Im either fined or put in jail
I would think that someone who hasnt paid some taxes to the tune of over a mil shouldnt by any means, be placed in a high office that makes legal decisions and represents other Americans – he-lllllll-oooooo

what a crook. How is he going to be respected?

You know Rush pegged the problem the other day after another person called to tell him – You have to do something. That is the problem – as long as We The People keep waiting for, wanting someone else to, insisting that only a person like Rush can – nothing will get solved or change – except to get worse.

I guess I will do my part and go cheer on Rep Carter for at least attempting to make a valid point.

Tax cheats, frauds and just plain tax idiots – Yes The One ™ Can – make America’s Economy even worse!

They started class warfare to gin up hatred and get the marxists elected.

And it isn’t about socialism. They couldn’t care less. They just want to make sure that their fiefdoms are invoilate.

The top 100,000 families in the U.S. control 25% of the wealth of the country, and contribute nothing……while hollering from the rooftops about how unfair the country is to the poor creatures who vote their poolboys into office so the aristocratic parasites can continue contributing nothing. To illustrate, if they paid taxes of 5% on their fortunes (much, much less than you and I pay), it would be about $1 trillion a year. That could help with some of our unemployment and financial problems, donchathink?

If they ran businesses, or invested in the private markets, or worked, or really gave to charity instead of calling their social lives charities, then I might feel differently.

One thing you know for ABSOLUTE sure is that they aren’t lending any money to people who can’t pay it back. And they ain’t investing in green technologies either, or letting windmills be built in their view.

And you can also be sure that they are going to do everything they can to prevent YOU from reaching their exhalted status. There isn’t much room at the top.

They are parasites. Crooked parasites.

And oh yes, these are the people instigating the demonization of CEO’s, who actually DO work and pay huge amounts of taxes.

If there is any class that deserves the invectives hurled by the Democratic leadership, it is their own parastic money-men. Evil. Very evil. They bought and paid for The Moron. You can see what is happening with that.

Having said the above, I don’t think I would want her or anyone’s nest egg to be taxed. I know, I know. It seems so unfair that the filthy rich don’t pay much income tax. But I don’t want to journey down the road where both income AND accumulated wealth is taxed. I’m middle class and have a few investments, and it pains me that I have to pay taxes on dividends, capital gains, and interest when the money I used to invest had ALREADY been taxed. It’s like paying double taxes. Any more taxes, and it would be better to stick my money under a mattress.

The answer to the above problems is CONSERVATISM.

I am doing my best to pay a tax debt. I wish I were in a position to just write a check and be done with it. My California taxes are paid and I’m dealing with the feds now.

Yet all of these Cabinet nominees just say oopsie my bad and write a check, which means they have the money to pay those taxes. I would love to have been able to just pay my taxes on time, just write a check and good to go.

They are just trying to get away with stiffing the government in more ways than just holding government jobs. That should make all of us angry, regardless of political affiliation.

She declared $5 million in income, about 1/2 of 1% of her nest egg. She must be unlucky because the stock market went up 26% in 2003.

If you made $100,000 that year, you would have paid about 20K+ in taxes. In addition, don’t forget 15K in FICA (including employer match), which the Madame did not pay….so you would have paid about 35% in taxes vs her 1/2 of 1%.

Since that was a year when The Traitor was under scrutiny, it’s safe to assume Madame paid a lot more than usual and safe to assume other rich parasites pay even less.

But they work overtime to smear CEO’s who pay taxes of 35% on their incomes (which they actually work to earn).