One of the problems of getting older is that our friends age as well. Since I became associated with Americans For Fair Taxation (AFFT), many wonderful people who made great contributions to our efforts have passed away.
Early last Wednesday morning, Tom Wright, another early supporter and tireless worker for the FAIRtax passed away. Tom was from Houston and worked to first promote the Schaefer/Tauzin retail sales tax and then, when the FAIRtax was introduced, to promote the FAIRtax.
Tom had a successful marketing company in Houston and used these skills to “market” the FAIRtax. In 2002, Tom took on the role of executive director of AFFT and, until he left in 2005 because of some medical problems in his family, traveled around the country promoting the FAIRtax. Tom was never paid a salary.
He told me that he was happy to do this because replacing the income tax with the FAIRtax would ensure that his family and everyone else would have the chance to live in a prosperous and free country. Some people may say this is just a platitude but Tom really meant it.
Here is a clip of Tom giving testimony about the FAIRtax.
Tom just liked people and always saw the best in people. Many active FAIRtax leaders have related stories about how Tom was always helpful. They have also remarked that Tom made them smile. He was unflappable and met each challenge with that cheerful attitude that made nothing seem very complicated.
Tom didn’t just run his business and work on FAIRtax. He also was very involved as a Boy Scout leader and was credited with helping dozens of young men become Eagle scouts. He leaves behind Christine, his wife, and five wonderful children. He worked hard to ensure that everything that could be done to handle things after his passing was done so that his family would not be confronted with a mess.
Tom always reminded me of the neighbor that was always happy to help. I can’t remember a single time that I asked Tom to do something that he declined. I also have spoken with people who knew or worked with Tom. It seems that all of them smile when they think of Tom.
Tom was proud of his Irish heritage and the email he composed that was sent the morning after he passed reminded me of this letter written by an Irish revolutionary to his wife the night before his execution for his part in the Easter Rebellion—a failed attempt to win freedom for Ireland.
Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there … I do not sleep.
I am the thousand winds that blow…
I am the diamond glints on snow …
I am the sunlight on ripened grain…
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of gentle birds in circling flight …
I am the soft star that shines at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry—
I am not there… I did not die…
Conclusion
Although, the impetus for this article was Tom’s passing, all of us owe a huge debt of gratitude to all of our friends who have sacrificed and continue to sacrifice time with their family and spend their own money to further the goal of enacting the FAIRtax.
Another Irish blessing that my Irish dad used to love seems to apply to all of those patriots who have and who continue to work hard for the FAIRtax.
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And may you be in heaven a half-hour before the devil knows you are dead.
Planes, Steak and Water
Autry Pruitt, one of our directors, has written an entertaining and informative book discussing how he became a supporter of Donald Trump—although he didn’t start as one. AFFT does not endorse either presidential candidate and notes that neither is proposing the FAIRtax as their tax plan.
We include this note because it is important that your vote in November be an informed vote. This book may not make you a Trump supporter, but it will provide accurate information. Autry concludes that he thinks one of the bold ideas that Trump will consider, if elected, is the FAIRtax and explains this.
Finally, he is offering to make a 20% donation to AFFT of the price of each person purchasing a book by hitting this link.
Time to Invest in the FAIRtax and Save America
As, noted above, the longer it takes to replace the income tax/payroll tax system, the harder it will be to save our great country from going the way of other great civilizations and rapidly declining.
When you make a donation to Americans For Fair Taxation “(AFFT”), you are making an investment. You could be investing the money in something else. All of us want to see a return on our investment. We want to see the investment used wisely and that the organization provides what it promises.
AFFT has been working for a long time to educate people about the FAIRtax. We are still running into people who have not heard about the FAIRtax, but what a difference it is from even five years ago. The biggest fear of the D.C. Elites is if the American people realize that they have been “had” and demand common sense reform like the FAIRtax. The Elites know that their “friends” in Congress will desert them if threatened with being thrown out of office.
There is going to be some sort of change in the income tax code in 2017. If AFFT is not demanding, on behalf of you, that Congress not just make a few changes but make real reform, then there will be more of the same and America will continue to lose jobs and more of our children will be living with their parents because they cannot find jobs.
By contributing (investing) $10.40 per month, you help provide a financial base to AFFT. If you can make larger contributions (investments) these will be used not for salaries, as we are all volunteers, but for the needed updates to our economic studies which will be vital in 2017.
Please go to this link to invest in AFFT and in your and your family’s future.
New FAIRtax Book
Do you know of someone who would like to learn the basics of the FAIRtax but is not an avid user of social media? Perhaps someone who would prefer to read a booklet either in print or electronic form? If so, we have just what they need. The title is America’s Big Solution which is available in both print and electronic formats. America’s Big Solution was written by Florida volunteer Terry Tibbetts in an effort to reach people who lean toward getting more information than you can fit into a 140 character “tweet" or a Facebook post. America’s Big Solution will take the reader through a brief but thorough introduction to the FAIRtax and give suggestions for further study.
You can find America’s Big Solution on the three most popular platforms -- Amazon, Barnes & Noble and the Apple iBook Store. To purchase the electronic form for the Amazon Kindle or the print form, go to this website. To find it for your Barnes & Noble Nook, go here. And if you’re an Apple user, go to the iBook store at this site. The print version (only available at Amazon) is $9.25 whereas the electronic versions are all priced at $2.99. (Apparently electrons are less expensive than paper and ink!) All royalties go to Americans For Fair Taxation.
Please share this information with everyone you know. The more people know about the FAIRtax, the easier it will be to steer Congress into the only REAL tax reform proposal on the table at this time.
AFFT National LOGO Store
THE FAIRTAX® LOGO STORE
SUPPLYING EDUCATIONAL/PROMOTIONAL ITEMS
BOGO's EXTENDED THRU OCTOBER 31st
25% discount on all event banners
Now is the time to get the FAIRtax℠ word and logo in public’s eye. Therefore, we will be offering numerous BOGO’s ( buy one get one free ) though October 31st. Also, we will continue to offer all FAIRtax℠ banners at a 25% discount during the month of September and October. Take a look at our FAIRtax banners, we currently offer four event banner designs.
Presently, BOGO’s are available on the following promo items:
Palm Cards, Business Cards, Adhesive Bumper Stickers, Magnetic Bumper Stickers, Event Stickers, Scrolling Banners, Pens, Notepads, Pocket Calendars
Your FAIRtax℠ Store is ready for the September/October national election time period with GREAT DEALS so you can present the FAIRtax℠ concept and logo at all Presidential campaign stops, at elected representative town halls/events, and all other political meetings plus your own FAIRtax℠ educational meetings.
WWW.FAIRTAXLOGOSTORE.ORG
When visiting the Store, don’t forget to order a supply of FAIRtax palm cards. Besides handing out palm cards at meetings and events, whenever you send mail through the post office, including at least one FAIRtax informational palm card in your envelope. And remember, many entities send you postage paid envelopes for whatever reason. So, why not send them back with an enclosed palm card and a FAIRtax sticker on the outside for all to see - keep spreading the word.
Please take a moment and visit our store by clicking here.
FAIRtax Power Radio
FAIRtax Power Radio is the brainchild of Bob Paxton, a Florida volunteer with previous radio experience and someone who is devoted to getting the FAIRtax passed into law as soon as possible. He invited Ron Maiellaro, another Florida volunteer, to join him. Together they are “The FAIRtax Guys” and they have created a series of podcasts that not only introduce the listeners to the FAIRtax but also discuss the many different aspects of the FAIRtax as it relates to the economy, our Constitutional rights, politics, business and anything else that comes to mind. After all, the FAIRtax will affect and be affected by every aspect of American life.
FAIRtax Power Radio has been around for almost two years, but a few months ago, we had a new beginning. We moved our main distribution platform to Spreaker where you can listen to and download our 30 minute podcasts for free.
Last April, when we moved to Spreaker, we decided to start from scratch and reintroduce the FAIRtax from the beginning to our listeners. In the first few episodes, you will hear details of the immense problems with the current income tax system and why it cannot be fixed. In fact, it’s so serious that even Thomas Jefferson gets involved in the discussion in episode 3. Then you’ll hear the most important aspects of the FAIRtax explained by Bob “Paxworthy” using his “You Might Be A FAIRtax Fan!” routine. We have interviews with various people such as a local business man, a Congressman and a member of the Board of Directors of Americans For Fair Taxation. We have examples of some of the wackiest tax deductions allowed by the IRS and the tax courts. We have analyzed the proposed tax reforms that the House Ways & Means Committee titled “A Better Way” and explained why it’s not “the best way.” In episode 18, Thomas Jefferson returns five years after his first visit however this time, the FAIRtax is the law of the land. A new episode is posted every Friday morning but you can tune in at anytime that is convenient to you.
If you’re an iTunes user, you can find FAIRtax Power Radio in the podcasts section of the iTunes store. Again, it is free and you can listen and/or download the podcasts at any time.
Both Spreaker and iTunes are available for your smartphones using the free apps. We are also working to get FTPR on other platforms such as iHeart Radio and TuneIn; more on those efforts at a later date.
Since our move to Spreaker and iTunes, we have increased our listenership but we need more, many more people to listen to FAIRtax Power Radio if we are going to force Congress to adopt the only REAL tax reform in front of them. YOU can help to inform the American people by not only listening to FTPR but also by sharing this information and these links with everyone in your contact list.
As The FAIRtax Guys say in every episode, When You Understand It, You’ll Demand It!
Thank You For Opening The FAIRtax Chronicles, Our Sponsored Mailings
We plan to do several of these mailings each month. If you take a minute to open the sponsored emails and click through to the website, you are making an in kind contribution to AFFT. It is not required to actually make a purchase, but your minute of time will ensure that AFFT is paid ever larger amounts from people paying for us to send their offers to our supporters.
Again, we are making every effort to ensure that we work with only reputable companies. If you feel that any FAIRtax-sponsored email is objectionable, please email us at info@fairtax.org and tell us why. You can also opt to not receive these sponsored email messages but still receive FAIRtax emails.
Thank you for staying FAIRtax strong!
