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September 2001
Our Tex Refund, Where Is It Going?
To Our Beloved Readers:
We finally received a check from President Bush for $600. While
we still plan on giving the money to 12 deserving charities, neither
of us has taken the time to endorse the check.
I cannot speak for Bigfoot, but I feel dirty accepting the check.
In theory, the money is mine, but not like a real refund check.
When I get money back from my annual returns, it is for overpayment.
I know that money is mine.
I cannot speak for Grandpa, but I am shocked that any of us are
getting these checks in the first place. The money we are being
given was 100% stolen from Social Security…that is the only
surplus the budget has seen in years. And Social Security is only
a surplus because it's prepaid. I also do feel a bit dirty accepting
it, but I can't refuse the opportunity to counter the lousy presidential
policy and budget decisions. If I'm not going to invest it back
into my retirement where they stole it from, I may as well work
on making the world better than Dubya would like. (Funny note: At
least one American's $300 tax rebate check bounced. He complained
to the IRS and they found it rather funny. I guess Ma and Pa IRS
wrote some checks they forgot to log in their bank book. Some surplus,
huh?)
The dollar amount is arbitrary. They could have given us $650 or
$550 for all I care. No matter what the size of the check, I feel
like I am being bribed by the President. While he was out on vacation
in the 'heartland' visiting 'real Americans', his people sent millions
of Americans money in an attempt to justify his existence to the
American people.
I saw him on the tee-vee in his cowboy boots and denim jeans talking
and walking with Laura from one photo-opportunity to another. I
saw him eating food with friends. I occasionally read a quote in
the paper urging peace in the Middle East, or something. And just
this week, I saw him scare the crap out of DC residents by setting
off 700 fireworks over the White House in an unannounced party for
his Mexican brother, Vincente Fox.
Ole George Bush is no fool. Neither am I. While my President was
relaxing with those 'real Americans' in the 'heartland' (in truth,
small-town mid-western Christians), I was devising a plan to clean
his dirty money.
- House of Ruth, Baltimore, MD -Advocates for victims of
domestic violence. (Their website is under construction, but will
provide some information. www.hruth.org)
- Madre: An International Women's Human Rights Organization
(For more information, go to www.madre.org)
- Our Daily Bread, Baltimore, MD -Food kitchen that feeds
hundreds of Baltimore's poor every day. (For more information,
go to http://www.catholiccharities-md.org/Community/ourdailybread.html
l)
- St. Ann's Infant and Maternity Home, Hyattsville, MD
- "Provides residential emergency placement care for abused,
abandoned or neglected infants and children, and for pregnant
and parenting adolescents." (in name of Mary Brady, a friend's
mother who died recently) (For more information, go to www.saint-anns.com)
- Moratorium Now! Campaign -To help the fight to end the
use of the death penalty in the United States. (For more information,
go to www.quixote.org)
- Community Law Center, Baltimore, MD - Using the law to
help communities in Baltimore reduce crime, strengthen their economy
and enhance their quality of life. (For more information, go to
www.communitylaw.org)
- Sierra Club - For grassroots advocacy of environmental
issues. (For more information, go to (www.sierraclub.org)
- Texans for Public Justice - To help end the corruption
of big money in President Bush's 'home' state. (for more information,
go to www.tpj.org)
- Citizens Planning and Housing Association (CPHA), Baltimore,
MD - An organization that "envisions a well-planned Baltimore
region with equity among jurisdictions, where citizens respect
diversity and have access to responsive government and quality
housing in vibrant neighborhoods." (For more information,
go to www.cphabaltimore.org)
- Nuclear Information & Resource Service - A center
for citizens and environmental organizations concerned about nuclear
power, radioactive waste, radiation, and sustainable energy issues.
(For more information, go to www.nirs.org)
- Free State Justice, MD - A staunch defender of equal
rights for gays, lesbians and transsexuals in Maryland. (For more
information, go to www.freestatejustice.org)
- Sweatshop Watch - A coalition serving "low wage
workers, with a focus on garment workers in California, as well
as nationally and globally." They fight for living wages
and a good working environment for all workers, with particular
emphasis on the exploitation of immigrants in California. (For
more information, go to www.sweatshopwatch.org)
Please feel free to read about these wonderful organizations.
As you can see, the groups we chose lean a little to the left, but
what good is it to give our money to President Bush's friends? And
we still have a bit of time to recreate our retirement funds…
With Peace and Joy in our hearts, and a grin on our faces,
Bigfoot and Grandpa
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