The Nuclear Option 
By Tom Licata

Barack Obama - given his community-based grass roots idealism - was asked by a reporter whether he was "tough enough" to endure the grueling tactics of a presidential race. Mr. Obama intimated he understood politics as ultimately about money and power. And given the enormous sums of money raised for his presidential campaign, he meant what he said.

Like Mr. Obama, our Legislature understands money wields power through our tax dollars; the more taxes our Legislature collects, the more power they wield.

Former President Gerald Ford, three days after his inauguration before a joint session of Congress, said the following: "A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have."

What if we – the taxpayer – were to turn this statement on its head to something closer to "A taxpaying citizenry big enough to give you [our Legislature] everything you have is a taxpaying citizenry big enough to take from you everything you want"?

Deterrence theory is a military strategy used throughout the Cold War and was especially relevant with regard to the use of nuclear weapons; where the mere threat of retaliation deterred aggressors from unwanted behavior.

Would the threat of thousand’s of Vermonters withholding 20% of their tax payments; to be sent to and held in trust by a local and fair-minded law firm strike enough fear in our Legislature for them to begin addressing our looming tax and economic crisis?

If our Legislature were threatened with denial of "the mother’s milk of politics", that is, a portion of our taxes – as opposed to their money - would they alter their behavior and begin to address our looming tax and economic crisis with a Long-Term Economic Plan?

Martin Luther King, Jr. said the following: "We who engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive."

Dr. King, Mr. Obama and former President Ford all understood the role of money and power in the world of politics, government and ultimately our citizenry.

Our Legislature should keep this in mind come January of 2008.

Tom Licata
Burlington, Vermont 
http://www.vermonttaxrevolt.org/