Unemployed Oregonians Vote For Job Killng Taxes

by L Watchman
(Oregon)

It must be something in the Oregon water. Liberal justification for job-killing taxes passed by Oregon voters in January, 2010 is found at the Street Roots Blog. As reported in the Portland "Oregonian", proponents fancy that this tax will solve all of Oregon's economic woes, including an unemployment rate that leads the nation. This campaign was a case study in Marxist class warfare, as voters were assured that only a handful of the rich and "out-of-state corporations" would have to cough up the $3/4 Billion.

THE WORST THING IS THAT MEASURE 67 IS RETROACTIVE! Oregon businesses plan their year based on the taxes Oregon would require them to collect. THESE MEASURES BECOME EFFECTIVE January 1, 2009, more than a year prior to the vote in January 1010! Most every business owner I have talked to says business is down at least a third.

The liberal legislators want to pile a tax burden on Oregon’s fledgling businesses in the midst of a recession: An additional tax bill they could not anticipate. If we allow the legislature to retrotax now, what will keep them from doing it in the future? What message is being sent to businesses that are considering locating in Oregon?"

I completely missed 2 things from all that I heard of this measure 67, in the ads and in my ballot mailing.......

1. Gross Receipts tax on c-corps. I see now why they say businesses will flee the state. The Creator only asks 10% of increase (which He, Himself gives). Caesar is now going to take his tribute whether there is increase or not.

2. Retroactive. This totally turns law on its head. This is taxation without representation. The Creator only makes a covenant with the terms open and plain before hand, for you to agree upon, since the future is all that you can control. He has already created the past, now He rests in the perfection of that unchangeable Past. Caesar is stronger and wiser than that. He can not only control and change the future, but he even has power to improve the Past. Or is it -- that he is not wise or strong enough to do it correctly the first time, and even has to go back and revise the Past to try to correct his mistakes?

Not my country anymore. We have woken up (again) in Pottersville. Kiss your employers good-bye.

The humorous thing about it all is the confusion and contradiction it demonstrates in the male brain of this generation.

If the land (means of production--businesses) and labor belong to the workman worthy of his wage, the ox who treads out the grain, then this is wholesale theft. If God requires double restitution from those responsible for the legislation of this larceny, and from those who willingly profit from it -- isn't that going to make everyone poorer? Men will rob the productive, and God will require restitution from the masses who are robbing the productive. Everyone loses. How does this motivate the productive people that are paying for it all -- to be more productive?

You are watching the horrible, hilarious futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools judgment that God promises those who prefer to worship and serve the creature instead of the Creator.

America began in Jamestown (1607) and Plymouth (1620). Even though they were both explicitly Christian adventures, both tried "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need". Both tried "we shall all have one purse". Everybody almost died in Jamestown before... "By the end of the first year, most of the settlers had died of starvation or disease. After that disastrous first year, (Capt. John) Smith imposed order by forcing everyone to work."

It looks like "Captain Obama" and his wife have been threatening the same thing. Everybody is going to have to volunteer, knuckle-down, and work harder for the Collective. I think, eventually, in Jamestown they had to assign everybody his own land, and make each responsible for his own production and his own consumption.

The record in Plymouth, thanks to Bradford's journal, is even clearer. Because of their greater loyalty to the Scriptures, instead of tightening down the slavery aspect and increasing the pain for poor stewardship to the Collective, they returned to private stewardship directly to God.

The experience that was had in this common course and condition, tried sundry years and that amongst godly and sober men, may well evince the vanity of that conceit of Plato's and other ancients applauded by some of later times; and that the taking away of property and bringing in community into a commonwealth would make them happy and flourishing; as if they were wiser than God.

"For this community (so far as it was) was found to breed much confusion and discontent and retard much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort. For the young men, that were most able and fit for labor and service, did repine that they should spend their time and strength to work for other men's wives and children without any recompense. The strong, or man of parts, had no more in division of victuals and clothes than he that was weak and not able to do a quarter the other could; this was thought injustice.

"That "course fitter", being the happy, equal ultimacy between law and grace that commands: "the workman is worthy of his wage", "he who does not work, neither should he eat", and Eph. 4:28He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need."

I encourage you men, in whatever ways you see before you, to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for your protection, because, for "heritage of the servants of the LORD" is that "No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn".

Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and His law for your provision, and not the benefits the civil government seeks to bribe you with. The totality of Scripture promises us that those who reject His law will not be the ones that endure to take dominion over the earth. Instead, the ruling authority will end up with "able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain". I pray that God would form us and our sons into those kind of men, who will be able to build the next Reformation out of the rubble forming around us now.

You don't have to be discouraged, like the fear and anger and moral indignation of the conservative talk-show hosts. They see the deceit and theft and wickedness, at least in high places, but I don't hear any answers. Educating the maximum number of people about the wickedness going on is not the answer, if it based on vox populi, vox Dei. The majority of the (basically good) people is not the ethical authority to define crime and punishment. That is what did, and what is -- dragging us down into the death, slavery, and poverty that always accrues to expecting the authority and power of God to come from the Created Thing.

Instead, all of the answers are found in understanding what it means, that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ of God. The participation of His saints in His carrying out the offices of Prophet, Priest, and King (including lawgiver and judge), in the world, now; is what makes Him the Saviour, not just of our souls from sin to heaven when we die -- but of the family, church, and civil government -- all the actions of human culture during this, and all succeeding generations, and in every language and nation.

L Watchman
(503) 577-7189