I am not pretty enough for this, but....

Day 2,239, 00:20 • Published in USA USA • by Trekker Tlumac

My portrait...





Please pardon the odd title. It is true, I am not pretty. That is not the reason I called you here today. It was merely a clever (or not so clever) ruse to get you, dear reader, to come read my thoughts on a matter most important to me. I wanted to be sure that people would read the following words before actually making a prejudgment on the merit of my cause. I trust everyone to read my words with an open mind, but it helps to keep an open mind if the reader is not led to a subject by the title exposing too much.




  With that said, I thank you for reading the following:


  I write to you tonight (fore it is night as I write this, 1:03 am to be exact) in hopes that I may gain your support in a goal of mine. At this time all I ask of anyone is to just consider my opinion. Consider it and make a decision on its merits later.

  This month in congress, I want us (congress members) to lower the work tax from 10% to 8%. In fact, there is already talk of this among members of congress and sides are already being drawn. There are at least two articles (from opposing sides) currently on the subject published in the past few days. This will make another one.

  The forces that oppose this lowering of the taxes are well rehearsed and have all their talking points honed from months of debate on the subject. They also know that getting to people early is key in victory. I have utmost respect for these colleagues, it is in their example I am trying to come from the opposite spectrum. I will outline my personal thoughts on the matter and hope to garner not only public support, but the support of voting members of congress.

  I am only in my second term in congress. Last month I spent most of my time reading up on the eUSA forums, reading article in-game, and watching the banter between the congressional members. It is a spectacle that all should aspire to see one day. However I am told it was a rather boring month to be in congress. This month already proves to be more interesting. We shall see. My point here being that I admit that I am not yet a seasoned legislator and I am not pretending to be.

  However I am moderately intelligent, decently articulate, excellent in observation and highly passionate. I have not spent the last month idly. I have learned a lot. I continue to learn more every day. I am not that far removed from being on the mean streets of eRepublik and am still closely representative of what it means to be an “average” citizen of eUSA. Taxes are always something I have felt strongly about and have lived with the impact of their changing. More than anything else I can cite that makes me at least as justified as anyone else in making my opinion heard.



  Now down to business:

  We should lower taxes, by 2%. I am not asking for the world, just 2%. The following paragraphs will outline why I believe this.

1) Taxes were raised to their current level after the war. The 10% rate was put in place with the exclusive reasoning that the eUSA had to replenish the treasury that was emptied fighting a losing war. This was to protect us from the next war that could wipe us. eAmericans were asked to make this sacrifice for the betterment of the country. There is merit to this. I admit that I probably would have voted for the 10% at the time myself. National defense is something that we must be ever vigilant about.

  That war is over and the global climate has settled. Today we enjoy peace. It will not last forever, nothing ever will; this is especially the case in a game that has a new cycle every 28-31 days. But it is here today. We have refilled much of this debt that we had incurred, now is the time to start thinking about lowering the taxes to a lower rate.



2) The “average” player in the game is generally irritated by the tax rates. By average I mean the mode; the average of the most common type of player. That player is largely faceless to the people who will fight over and ultimately decide the tax rates.

  These are the players that make up the bulk of the population. The low-income players that do not “pay to play” and probably never will do so. They are the two-clickers; they are the players that hop on a few days a week while at work during break; they are the guys that produce goods for the highly active players; they are the players non-involved in the meta game; they are the often silent majority of the game that is easily overlooked. And many of them are angry about the taxes.

  I know not everyone over look these players, but somehow their needs get pushed to the side as less important. These people are the bread and butter of the game. They are the future. They are leaving the eUSA or the game in general.
There is a lot of argument that this simply is not the case. They game is dying anyways and that taxes do not affect the rate at which we lose players. This is complete hogwash. It does play a role and anyone too blind to see that should look in the mirror to reevaluate their motives. Are they looking out for eUSA, its citizens or their own biases?

  It has been stated, as a reason not to lower, that the general public have no problem with the current tax rate. I disagree with this. I have a message sitting in my inbox from earlier this week that is from a citizen asking me to lower taxes. It has come up in IRC and in forum threads. To say that no one really cares about the tax rate is ignorant and arrogant. People do care and they do speak up. I would be amazed if I am the only congressional member to get a message about lowering taxes. Is that not what congress is for? To listen to the needs and want of the public and dictate law based on this? That was the fundamental function of a democracy last time it was explained to me. The masses delegate the job of running the country to the elected few, with the understanding that the few will take care of the masses. That is basic civics.
 
  It is an unfortunate happenstance that only the vocal minority get represented effectively. That is not the function of democracy, but all too often it is the sad truth of modern democracy.



3) There is discussion that lowering the taxes would not make an impact. This argument follows two trains of thought.

A ) The first being on a eGlobal level and the second on a personal level. That the exodus from the game and eUSA is unrelated to taxes. On the larger scale, this is true. The game is dying regardless to the tax rate. So by definition, the eUSA is dying without the help of the current tax rate. That is something largely out of our control.

B ) The personal level is where it really matters. It is the players that lose out on money every day with higher taxes. These are the players that either quit or move to another eCountry. It may be nickels and dimes to the active “Pay to play” players, those with government connections, or players that have their needs met elsewise. But nickels and dimes do matter to the poor of our country. It might not matter to all of them, but it makes a big difference to some. I have been in this game long enough to watch eFriends die or move away. Not all of these were due to game tax. Most of them were not. There were some though, some of my friends or comrades, that have left this country because of the taxes. They cannot be the only ones that have done so.



  These are the primary reasons behind my first argument to lower the taxes. Each of these reasons can be countered and will be. So allow me to head off some of the counters with the reasons I feel they are valid.

  One of the most common statements I hear against lowering the tax rate is that we will suddenly find ourselves undefended.

  The next war is coming, eventually. This will always be true. To suggest that 2% off our taxes will be the difference between winning and losing is silly. We have funds squirreled away. They will not be enough. That assumption can be made; defense is expensive. The cold sad fact of the matter is that we will never have enough for the next war. War is pricey, dirty, ugly, and any other negativity you can throw at it. One approach is to miser away an ever growing stack of money until our defenses are tested. That is effective and I am not arguing against that.  Defense of our homeland is important. But it does not have to be defended during peacetime at a 10% tax rate. We would still profit and continue to add to the treasury at an 8% tax rate. It would just be a slower growth.

  Cutting the taxes would however keep more money in the pocket of all the citizens. The most common argument against this ideal is that the 2% will make no difference to the players. Merely nickels and dimes to be saved by each player. I restate that to some players, such little amounts make a difference. I further state that if nickels and dimes mean so little, why should they be turned over the government via taxes?

  I have heard it stated that there is no one calling for lower taxes outside of congress. That the sheer silence exhibited by the “every-man” bears proof to an indifference on the subject. This is completely misconstrued. There are people calling for lower taxes. If there were not, this discussion would not come up every congress. Yet somehow it does. It is usually quelled quickly, but it does come up. This is not just from partisan bureaucrats that want to look good for constituents. Normal people, as in non-governing, want lower taxes and they complain to those in charge. As stated earlier, I receive such messages. I am a junior congressman. If even I get messages, surely others do to.

  Another likely rebuttal is the background of the players who do complain. It has been stated that many of them are just griping about money and are the same lot over again. This may be true for some of those who do speak out, but does their dissent not at least warrant a closer look? There are plenty of players who do not speak out and will not speak out. This is the nature of society. Some will feel apathetic even if lower taxes would benefit them. Some will believe they are not important enough to speak out, whether through lack of experience or through inference by others that they have no right. Some will just leave without saying anything. Some just fade into the darkness. It can be easy to be overwhelmed by the ideals of the more active citizens and it is not always clear to know where to turn in a game where there can be a big division between old and new. So the silence can be understood to an extent.

  It is likely the argument will be made that these citizens should have spoken up or asked for help, from one of the many programs out there to help them. These programs are great and serve a purpose, but scope is limited only to the people that directly interact with the media mechanics of the game. That is a very small percentage of the game. Or it would not be possible to get a Top 5 article with less than 30 votes.



  That is all I will address at the present. I will address further logics later on.

  So in conclusion I am not asking much. 2% off taxes will not break the bank now nor leave us glaringly unprepared to protect ourselves.

  This is a democracy. The congress is here to serve the people. Let us serve them. They call for lower taxes; we want to keep defenses up. Let us lower taxes 2%, still run a profit, and show the eAmerican people that we are listening while still preparing for the eventual day (in a distant future not yet determined) that our peace will end. Let them enjoy the peace while it lasts.

-Trekker Tlumac

Votes/Shouts/Shares Appreciated
http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/2360006/1/20
Together we can do this.

A final thought to all my fellow congressional members:


Pleas note: I edited this article to put pictures in for dividers instead of the line breaks. I chose cute baby animals because, as it was stated to me early, that if we must fight: Might as well go "awe" between our quarrels. The original content of my article remains unchanged, except for this explanation and the words "My Portrait" at the top of the article.