WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:04.599 Station little theme song music. 2 00:00:05.080 --> 00:00:08.359 Welcome back and a Happy New Year from the Taxpayer 3 00:00:08.439 --> 00:00:11.960 Protection Alliance, which you can find online of Protecting Taxpayers 4 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:14.960 dot Org. Dave Williams, great to have you back on 5 00:00:15.039 --> 00:00:15.439 this year. 6 00:00:16.920 --> 00:00:19.199 Happy new Year, Brian, and it's good to hear my 7 00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:24.679 theme song. Good to hear the old streetcar. And I 8 00:00:25.120 --> 00:00:26.960 was talking to Joe before I came on. He was 9 00:00:27.039 --> 00:00:30.079 mentioning the big snowstorm you had, and of course that 10 00:00:30.199 --> 00:00:32.799 streetcar that was chugging along. 11 00:00:33.119 --> 00:00:35.320 It was and they actually, you know, it was kind 12 00:00:35.320 --> 00:00:40.759 of really a crazy, great illustration of the allocation of resources, 13 00:00:40.799 --> 00:00:44.039 scarce resources, I might add, given the financial situation going 14 00:00:44.079 --> 00:00:47.119 on the city of Cincinnati. They actually kept the tracks 15 00:00:47.240 --> 00:00:51.960 on the streetcar clear. They shoveled them or otherwise you know, 16 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:54.200 treated them. But there was a reporter out in the 17 00:00:54.240 --> 00:00:55.960 middle of the street with a picture of they call 18 00:00:56.000 --> 00:01:01.679 it the Connector moving along, although not a single human 19 00:01:01.799 --> 00:01:04.719 being in sight along the long stretch of roadway that 20 00:01:04.719 --> 00:01:07.840 they photographed it on. Certainly, and the which is typically 21 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:10.799 the case, no one on the streetcar when they took 22 00:01:10.840 --> 00:01:13.040 the photograph. But in spite of the fact that they 23 00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:16.000 failed to shovel a lot of roads in the city 24 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:18.799 of Cincinnati, so people could actually use them. You could 25 00:01:18.799 --> 00:01:20.680 sure get on the street car if you're able to 26 00:01:20.680 --> 00:01:21.480 make it downtown. 27 00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:26.959 It's amazing how city officials, national officials doubled down on 28 00:01:27.159 --> 00:01:31.200 bad ideas. Right, is that they just can't admit when 29 00:01:31.200 --> 00:01:34.079 they've made them, you know, the wrong mistake, and they 30 00:01:34.120 --> 00:01:35.879 just can't they can't move on with it, and they 31 00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:37.840 have to double down on their mistakes. 32 00:01:37.879 --> 00:01:39.959 It's so typical, it really is. 33 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:43.040 They get they get singular focused, and that's all they 34 00:01:43.079 --> 00:01:45.319 care about, and they don't care that everything else is 35 00:01:45.359 --> 00:01:48.000 falling apart. We regularly complain here in the city about 36 00:01:48.680 --> 00:01:53.359 the roads, just the deteriorating and and and just worsening 37 00:01:53.439 --> 00:01:55.959 state of many of the roads. They haven't been cared for. 38 00:01:56.280 --> 00:02:00.200 And every calendar year that rolls by, Dave, they all 39 00:02:00.400 --> 00:02:03.920 further behind on the Responsibility're supposed to do X number 40 00:02:03.959 --> 00:02:07.680 of roads annually and they never even meet that loan goal. 41 00:02:07.840 --> 00:02:09.000 So the amount of. 42 00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:11.680 Bryan, Bryan, think of this, So the amount of money 43 00:02:11.719 --> 00:02:15.080 they spend on the streetcar per year, how many potholes 44 00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:18.319 could that fill every year? And I'm serious about this 45 00:02:18.439 --> 00:02:20.360 is if you look at what it costs to fill 46 00:02:20.360 --> 00:02:24.039 a pothole, right, and what it costs to operate the 47 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:28.199 streetcar five millionaires. There needs to be an analysis here 48 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:30.879 of like how much the streets because you've just alluded 49 00:02:30.919 --> 00:02:32.639 to this, like how much the streets would be so 50 00:02:32.719 --> 00:02:35.680 much better and the damage to the cars would be less. 51 00:02:35.759 --> 00:02:37.800 I mean, that's what people need to realize, is that 52 00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:41.240 this money is being taken from somewhere. So when you're 53 00:02:41.360 --> 00:02:44.120 bottling out in that pothole, think about the money that's 54 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:44.960 going to the streetcar. 55 00:02:45.319 --> 00:02:45.520 Yeah. 56 00:02:45.599 --> 00:02:46.879 Really, And then we're going to get to it a 57 00:02:46.919 --> 00:02:49.240 little bit. But now they're talking about building a new 58 00:02:49.919 --> 00:02:53.719 arena here in the city, which we know you and 59 00:02:53.759 --> 00:02:54.360 I both love. 60 00:02:54.680 --> 00:02:56.800 Must have so much cash. We did, we must have 61 00:02:57.000 --> 00:03:00.039 so much money you can just spend. 62 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:05.560 Just flush with cash. Anyhow wonderful article, David McGarry. You 63 00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:07.680 can find it at protecting Taxpayers dot org where she 64 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:12.039 is the Taxpayer Protection Alliance web page. Consumer Financial Protection 65 00:03:12.159 --> 00:03:17.439 Bureaus added again targeting credit card reward programs. And this 66 00:03:17.479 --> 00:03:21.080 is actually almost I mean, if it was a Babylon 67 00:03:21.199 --> 00:03:27.120 b article, we could laugh at it. But apparently like 68 00:03:27.280 --> 00:03:31.080 two people in the world have complained about credit card 69 00:03:31.120 --> 00:03:34.400 rewards programs, even though there are hundreds and hundreds of 70 00:03:34.479 --> 00:03:40.520 thousands of cards out in the world. Consumer Financial Protection 71 00:03:40.639 --> 00:03:42.759 Bureau has decided it's going to go after credit card 72 00:03:42.759 --> 00:03:45.479 reward programs. How they're going to solve the problem that 73 00:03:45.639 --> 00:03:48.479 really doesn't exist, Dave? And what is the problem that 74 00:03:48.520 --> 00:03:50.360 they're claiming they want to address. 75 00:03:51.919 --> 00:03:54.199 Wow, this is the most baffling thing. 76 00:03:54.080 --> 00:03:57.199 That we've been talking about for the past couple of years. 77 00:03:58.159 --> 00:04:00.840 Is that a certain member of whereas this is Dick 78 00:04:00.919 --> 00:04:02.039 Durban from Illinois. 79 00:04:04.120 --> 00:04:06.439 Yeah, Dick Derbin was flying back. 80 00:04:06.280 --> 00:04:09.560 To Illinois and the flight attendants walking down and she said, 81 00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:12.360 if you sign up for uh, this credit card, you 82 00:04:12.400 --> 00:04:15.560 get fifty thousand miles and you're part of the rewards program. 83 00:04:15.520 --> 00:04:19.160 And He's like, what's going on here? Why are airlines 84 00:04:19.199 --> 00:04:22.240 doing this? And this is how it all started. I 85 00:04:22.279 --> 00:04:24.399 am not lying to you. This is how this started. 86 00:04:24.480 --> 00:04:28.040 And now he is convinced the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 87 00:04:28.360 --> 00:04:31.160 to go after credit card rewards programs. Now, mind you, 88 00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:35.720 these same rewards programs are used by millions of people 89 00:04:35.839 --> 00:04:40.839 of all income levels to travel to get discounts at 90 00:04:40.839 --> 00:04:44.240 the supermarket. You know, rewards programs cover so many things, 91 00:04:44.279 --> 00:04:46.879 but this takes one member of Congress to have an 92 00:04:46.920 --> 00:04:47.720 idiotic moment. 93 00:04:47.920 --> 00:04:50.879 So wait a second. The rewards program, like, for example, 94 00:04:50.879 --> 00:04:55.160 when I use my credit card and it's American Airline. 95 00:04:55.199 --> 00:04:56.720 I used to fly to American all the time when 96 00:04:56.720 --> 00:04:58.360 I was practicing law in Chicago and I had to 97 00:04:58.399 --> 00:05:00.639 travel a lot, and they had you know, big major 98 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:02.519 hub up there, and that was the airline of choice 99 00:05:02.519 --> 00:05:07.879 for me. So I've been collecting American Airlines points on 100 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:11.839 my credit card purchases for years and years and years, 101 00:05:11.879 --> 00:05:14.399 I mean a couple of decades worth. That's the kind 102 00:05:14.439 --> 00:05:17.199 of reward program you're talking about. Because I use those 103 00:05:17.879 --> 00:05:20.639 to help pay for my entire family and my daughter's 104 00:05:20.639 --> 00:05:23.959 fiance to fly out west to see Yellowstone National Park. 105 00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:26.600 It was awesome. It was like, I finally am going 106 00:05:26.680 --> 00:05:29.000 to get these back and I didn't have to pay 107 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:31.480 the four or five thousand dollars it was going to 108 00:05:31.560 --> 00:05:34.439 cost to buy five airline tickets. I was really happy 109 00:05:34.480 --> 00:05:38.600 about that. A lot of people are what is it? 110 00:05:38.680 --> 00:05:39.759 How is that a bad thing? 111 00:05:39.839 --> 00:05:44.279 Though, Because what Dick Durbin and others are saying now 112 00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:48.079 is that it's anti competitive, that they're hooking people into credit, 113 00:05:48.879 --> 00:05:51.519 that it's benipulative that the credit card company. And there's 114 00:05:51.519 --> 00:05:55.519 no competition with credit card companies because it's only Visa 115 00:05:55.560 --> 00:05:59.279 and MasterCard and American Express. I mean, there's a whole 116 00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:01.480 host of ration now for this, but none of them 117 00:06:01.480 --> 00:06:04.279 make any sense. First of all, credit card companies are 118 00:06:04.439 --> 00:06:07.319 very competitive because it's not the send MasterCard, it's the 119 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:11.000 different banks that are competing with the different interest rates. 120 00:06:11.000 --> 00:06:13.199 So there's a whole host of things you can choose from. 121 00:06:13.240 --> 00:06:15.399 And who cares if an airline wants to give you 122 00:06:15.480 --> 00:06:18.040 fifty thousand miles if you sign up for their credit card. 123 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:20.600 I mean, well, you know the other component. 124 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:23.600 The other component of this is does Dick have a 125 00:06:23.639 --> 00:06:26.920 problem with people getting credit cards? Because last time I checked, 126 00:06:26.920 --> 00:06:28.839 and I know this to be a fact. If you 127 00:06:28.879 --> 00:06:32.480 want a good credit score, if you're going to buy 128 00:06:32.519 --> 00:06:34.600 a house, for example, the factor in your credit score. 129 00:06:34.639 --> 00:06:36.040 You can go up to eight hundred and fifty on 130 00:06:36.079 --> 00:06:37.560 your credit score, but you need a good and the 131 00:06:37.600 --> 00:06:39.480 better your credit score, the more likely it is you're 132 00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:43.040 going to get a well good terms and conditions. You 133 00:06:43.079 --> 00:06:45.920 are considered a low risk and if you have more 134 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:51.560 credit available, the higher your credit score goes. So is 135 00:06:51.600 --> 00:06:54.360 he going to reform the entire credit score thing as well. 136 00:06:54.399 --> 00:06:56.439 Maybe that needs reform, I don't know, but I mean 137 00:06:56.480 --> 00:06:59.120 that just going to the point, it's important that you 138 00:06:59.199 --> 00:07:02.439 have available credit, not that you use it all and 139 00:07:02.480 --> 00:07:05.519 maxim out and get charged thirty percent interest rate for 140 00:07:05.600 --> 00:07:08.439 not you know, getting rid of your balance every month. 141 00:07:08.439 --> 00:07:12.000 But you need credit available and that someone's willing to 142 00:07:12.040 --> 00:07:15.800 offer you an extra fifty thousand miles. That will help 143 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:19.199 you in one respect by increasing the amount of credit 144 00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:21.720 available to you, plus you get an extra fifty thousand miles. 145 00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:23.680 It doesn't mean you have to use the damn. 146 00:07:23.519 --> 00:07:28.279 Card exactly exactly and listen, I think, yeah, the credit 147 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:31.839 card industry is under a lot of pressure from Congress 148 00:07:31.879 --> 00:07:35.600 because there's talk about capping interest rates on credit cards 149 00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:40.639 at ten percent. Now, superficially, that sounds great for consumers, 150 00:07:40.639 --> 00:07:41.600 but what's going to happen. 151 00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:42.079 It's going to. 152 00:07:42.120 --> 00:07:45.800 Squeeze credit because credit card companies are not going to 153 00:07:45.839 --> 00:07:48.839 give credit cards to people that may not have great 154 00:07:48.839 --> 00:07:51.279 credit that need to build that and establish it. 155 00:07:51.399 --> 00:07:54.279 So you're going to have people that cannot get a. 156 00:07:54.199 --> 00:07:57.720 Traditional credit card go underground and be paying twenty five 157 00:07:57.759 --> 00:08:01.720 and thirty percent. So again it's government manipulating the market. 158 00:08:02.199 --> 00:08:05.720 Let it be, Let the market be. And there's just 159 00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:07.279 there's no need for them to do this. I mean, 160 00:08:07.319 --> 00:08:10.079 there are bigger fish to fry in this country. For Congress, 161 00:08:10.120 --> 00:08:12.759 we're talking about a thirty six trillion dollar debt, We're 162 00:08:12.759 --> 00:08:16.319 talking about border security, tax cuts. This is what Congress 163 00:08:16.360 --> 00:08:20.160 needs to be laser focused on, not credit card rewards 164 00:08:20.199 --> 00:08:22.920 and whether or not we can use, you know, get 165 00:08:22.920 --> 00:08:25.759 fifty thousand miles by signing up for a credit card. 166 00:08:25.800 --> 00:08:27.720 It's just a nonsensical issue. 167 00:08:27.839 --> 00:08:31.439 Well, does the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau even have the 168 00:08:31.560 --> 00:08:33.600 authority to do this? 169 00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:39.799 They do because they have this weird authority. First of all, 170 00:08:39.879 --> 00:08:42.799 they don't have a budget like Congress doesn't set their budget. 171 00:08:43.639 --> 00:08:46.559 They determine what their budget is every year up to 172 00:08:46.600 --> 00:08:50.279 a certain amount, like twelve percent. You know, the Fed. 173 00:08:50.960 --> 00:08:53.960 The Fed determines their budget. So the Congress has nothing 174 00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:56.200 to do with this at all. So their budget, I 175 00:08:56.279 --> 00:08:59.120 believe it's about seven hundred million dollars right now and 176 00:08:59.240 --> 00:09:01.159 can grow to eight hun undred million dollars with dot 177 00:09:01.240 --> 00:09:02.519 Congress batting an eye. 178 00:09:02.799 --> 00:09:06.759 But this is controlling the terms and conditions of contractual 179 00:09:06.799 --> 00:09:10.679 relationships between credit card companies. And the individual who applies 180 00:09:10.679 --> 00:09:13.399 for the credit card. I I guess I want to 181 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:16.799 know how this independent, you know, an agency has any 182 00:09:16.840 --> 00:09:21.120 authority whatsoever to manipulate the terms of conditions between these 183 00:09:21.159 --> 00:09:24.519 two separate individuals or the company issuing it and the 184 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:28.960 person signing up for it. How under what government law under? 185 00:09:29.039 --> 00:09:31.799 I mean, that's what I'm saying here. This seems and 186 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:35.519 this seems to be like one of those extra regulatory exercises. 187 00:09:35.759 --> 00:09:38.840 Congress never gave the authority to do anything like this, 188 00:09:38.960 --> 00:09:41.759 and yet here they go doing it, and somehow we're 189 00:09:41.759 --> 00:09:43.440 supposed to comply. It sounds to me like this is 190 00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:44.519 going to result in litigation. 191 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:47.759 Oh, when we hit the nail on the head, it 192 00:09:47.799 --> 00:09:51.600 absolutely will result in litigation. And again that's going to 193 00:09:51.639 --> 00:09:54.960 take months and years, and maybe we get a court 194 00:09:55.440 --> 00:09:58.519 that sides with consumers, maybe we don't. I mean, that's 195 00:09:58.519 --> 00:10:00.960 the problem is that at some point it's a crapshoot 196 00:10:01.039 --> 00:10:04.440 right on what course the side, And if it even 197 00:10:04.519 --> 00:10:06.879 gets to the Supreme Court, who knows what happens. But 198 00:10:07.840 --> 00:10:10.159 we don't need the CSPB, we don't need the Consumer 199 00:10:10.240 --> 00:10:11.279 Financial Protection Pewer. 200 00:10:11.320 --> 00:10:13.440 It's just it's unnecessary. 201 00:10:13.000 --> 00:10:17.159 Totally unnecessary. I'm just completely baffled by this, Dave, and 202 00:10:17.159 --> 00:10:19.159 you're right, this is one of the stranger, more baffling 203 00:10:19.200 --> 00:10:20.600 things that you and I have talked about in a 204 00:10:20.600 --> 00:10:23.279 long time. Stare around. We've got more baffling things to 205 00:10:23.320 --> 00:10:25.720 talk about, including what you and I paid for through 206 00:10:25.759 --> 00:10:31.000 our labor, like trimp on treadmills and bearded transvestites on ice. 207 00:10:31.039 --> 00:10:34.879 A couple of comments about Rampau's Festus report plus taxpayer 208 00:10:34.879 --> 00:10:37.360 funded arena. It's more with Dave Williams coming up after 209 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:39.080 a Moment's even sixteen right now. If you have kc 210 00:10:39.159 --> 00:10:41.799 DE talk station, and since we're talking about money matters, 211 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:44.600 it's really important to get your home insulated properly. 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To learn more 237 00:11:53.919 --> 00:11:56.000 about the product and how it works and everything, just 238 00:11:56.039 --> 00:11:57.840 go to USA Insulation dot net. 239 00:11:58.720 --> 00:12:01.960 This is fifty five KR an iHeartRadio station. 240 00:12:02.600 --> 00:12:05.799 Run a business and not thinking about podcasting, Think again, 241 00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:07.360 More Americans listen to. 242 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:13.000 There's your nine first morning weather forecast. Uh, it's cold, 243 00:12:13.799 --> 00:12:15.240 get that out of the way. Twenty three is gonna 244 00:12:15.240 --> 00:12:17.799 be our high today. We'll have sunny skies though nine degrees. 245 00:12:17.960 --> 00:12:20.639 Overnight clouds rolled back in. We got snow likely tomorrow 246 00:12:20.759 --> 00:12:25.840 sometime around ten. They're estimating between two and five inches 247 00:12:25.919 --> 00:12:29.720 of snow. I have twenty eight twenty degrees overnight. Friday, 248 00:12:29.919 --> 00:12:32.399 snow will taper off. Slick roads are possible. Be careful 249 00:12:32.440 --> 00:12:34.480 and the partly thoty Saturday with a high of thirty 250 00:12:34.879 --> 00:12:35.399 five degrees. 251 00:12:35.480 --> 00:12:39.080 Right now, time for traffic from the UC UP Traffic 252 00:12:39.240 --> 00:12:42.720 Center you see health Weight Loss Center offers comprehensive OBC 253 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:46.000 care and advanced seargic. OH expertise called five one three 254 00:12:46.120 --> 00:12:48.799 nine three nine two two sixty three. That's nine three 255 00:12:48.919 --> 00:12:51.919 nine two two sixty three northbound seventy five, So those 256 00:12:52.120 --> 00:12:53.080 just a bit in the cut. 257 00:12:53.200 --> 00:12:54.519 Earlier accident clear. 258 00:12:54.879 --> 00:12:57.639 The ramp from Sharon to northbound seventy five is now well, 259 00:12:57.679 --> 00:13:01.480 but again after an earlier accident, South bend seventy five 260 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:04.840 slows out of Lachland. South two seventy five slows under 261 00:13:04.879 --> 00:13:08.159 the Carroll Cropper from the Lawrence burg Ram chuck Ingram 262 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:10.759 on fifty five KRE seeing Deep Talk Station. 263 00:13:12.720 --> 00:13:17.159 Seven fifty five KRC detalk station Happy Thursday Friday eight 264 00:13:17.320 --> 00:13:19.279 call it what you want, good day to be listening 265 00:13:19.320 --> 00:13:21.960 to Dave Williams from Taxpayer Protection Alliances on and I'm 266 00:13:22.000 --> 00:13:25.200 sure Dave you had a lot of fun reading what 267 00:13:25.399 --> 00:13:28.120 you labored through. I would like to express taxation in 268 00:13:28.200 --> 00:13:31.000 the form of slavery because they can take whatever they 269 00:13:31.080 --> 00:13:34.159 want by way of the taxation level, and after we 270 00:13:34.360 --> 00:13:36.559 work and slave over it and they take the percentage 271 00:13:36.600 --> 00:13:38.679 in the slice, they don't quite get enough. And that's 272 00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:41.399 why we are spending two trillion dollars more annually than 273 00:13:41.399 --> 00:13:43.879 they even take in in taxes. Then they go ahead 274 00:13:43.919 --> 00:13:47.039 and spend it on stuff like I don't know, shrimp 275 00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:50.679 on treadmills and bearded transvestites on ice, helping other countries 276 00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:52.720 with their border security. I mean, we could go on 277 00:13:52.840 --> 00:13:54.759 and on and on. It's all laid out in glorious, 278 00:13:55.000 --> 00:13:57.000 gory detail in the Festivus Report. 279 00:13:58.399 --> 00:13:59.200 It sure is. 280 00:13:59.320 --> 00:14:01.440 And this is something that Rand Paul has been doing 281 00:14:01.559 --> 00:14:04.320 for a number of years now, and we're talking and 282 00:14:04.440 --> 00:14:08.440 this year he lists a trillion dollars in wasteful and 283 00:14:08.559 --> 00:14:09.519 unnecessary spending. 284 00:14:09.559 --> 00:14:11.960 Then you talk about you know, taxation. If you make 285 00:14:12.120 --> 00:14:13.480 one small mistake. 286 00:14:13.240 --> 00:14:17.320 On your tax return, get what the IRS is that, 287 00:14:17.480 --> 00:14:18.519 take notice. 288 00:14:18.200 --> 00:14:19.320 And watch out. 289 00:14:19.559 --> 00:14:22.679 But you know, this is an insane amount of spending. 290 00:14:22.799 --> 00:14:26.519 And I mean, there's so many things that jump out 291 00:14:26.600 --> 00:14:29.519 of me. But there's one item in here, and it's 292 00:14:29.600 --> 00:14:33.919 fifteen million dollars to turn the Internal Revenue Service into 293 00:14:34.320 --> 00:14:37.519 the tax preparer. So this was supposed to be a 294 00:14:37.639 --> 00:14:40.080 study to see if the IRS should do this. The 295 00:14:40.279 --> 00:14:43.440 IRS lied to Congress, they said they were going to 296 00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:45.159 study this, and they said, oh no, here we go. 297 00:14:45.799 --> 00:14:49.320 Here's the program, here's the software that we built, and 298 00:14:49.840 --> 00:14:53.200 it is wildly unpopular. Go figure because they did a 299 00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:58.080 pilot program this past year and they said, oh, ninety 300 00:14:58.080 --> 00:15:00.960 percent of the people love direct They love for the 301 00:15:01.039 --> 00:15:04.480 IRS to do their the returns, prepare the returns. So 302 00:15:04.639 --> 00:15:07.399 what we did, Brian, is we submitted a Freedom of 303 00:15:07.480 --> 00:15:11.960 Information Act request and we got all of the responses. 304 00:15:12.360 --> 00:15:15.440 They listed all their responses. It was not ninety percent. 305 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:18.120 It was less than fifty percent of the people who 306 00:15:18.200 --> 00:15:21.159 said that they liked direct file and that it was 307 00:15:21.480 --> 00:15:22.039 it was working. 308 00:15:22.120 --> 00:15:24.399 Now here's here's the worst part of this. And we've 309 00:15:24.440 --> 00:15:25.519 heard whistleblowers. 310 00:15:25.559 --> 00:15:29.799 They've called us and said, I've been audited that IRS 311 00:15:29.919 --> 00:15:33.559 prepared my taxes. Now they're they're auditing me. 312 00:15:34.200 --> 00:15:35.039 I don't know what to do. 313 00:15:35.559 --> 00:15:37.559 So they are going back to H and R Block, 314 00:15:37.679 --> 00:15:40.639 to these other private companies saying can you help me? 315 00:15:41.679 --> 00:15:43.919 And I'm betting audited by the IRS, and H and 316 00:15:44.039 --> 00:15:46.600 R Block is saying, we didn't do your taxes, so 317 00:15:46.919 --> 00:15:49.720 we're gonna have to charge you to get you out 318 00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:50.279 of this mess. 319 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:50.559 Yeah. 320 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:55.799 So the IRS who prepared the taxes did it incorrectly, 321 00:15:55.960 --> 00:15:58.879 so now they're being they're auditing the taxpayer. I mean 322 00:15:58.960 --> 00:16:01.480 this is orwellians say the least right, I mean, this 323 00:16:01.639 --> 00:16:04.480 is just beyond Yeah. 324 00:16:04.720 --> 00:16:09.240 Well, it shocks me not that the way that they 325 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:11.559 prepared the software, that the actual. 326 00:16:11.320 --> 00:16:14.039 Federal government would have gone out and uniformly created its 327 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:17.200 own version of dealing with the tax code. But more fundamentally, 328 00:16:17.240 --> 00:16:20.480 I think there is no reason in hell the tax 329 00:16:20.519 --> 00:16:22.799 code needs to be as complex and as ridiculous as 330 00:16:22.879 --> 00:16:25.720 it is. It is the mechanism through which the government 331 00:16:25.799 --> 00:16:29.320 manipulates behavior, and that just irks me to no end. 332 00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:31.399 Let's get to a flat tax, Let's get to a 333 00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:35.480 fair something that's simple. No more ride offs, no more incentives, 334 00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:37.919 no more dangling carrots of you know, incentive from the 335 00:16:37.960 --> 00:16:40.840 federal government through the tax code. Just give me the 336 00:16:40.960 --> 00:16:45.320 damn fifteen percent and that's it. One page, single file period, 337 00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:49.320 end of story. How why is that not a great 338 00:16:49.440 --> 00:16:51.679 idea other than the fact it's going to give up 339 00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:54.159 take away their power to manipulate. 340 00:16:53.759 --> 00:16:58.399 Us and the tons of lobbyists in you know, on 341 00:16:58.559 --> 00:17:01.840 Capitol Hill that are keeping the tax code complicated because 342 00:17:01.879 --> 00:17:04.279 they want their write offs, they want their special treatment. 343 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:07.640 I mean, it's really lobbyist in government working together. It 344 00:17:07.720 --> 00:17:09.920 absolutely is, Yep, no doubt about it. 345 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:12.400 Where are the lobbyists for the tax preparers out there 346 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:16.400 fighting against the IRS taking over their role in preparing taxes? 347 00:17:16.440 --> 00:17:18.680 Don't they have enough voices out there and enough lobbying 348 00:17:18.759 --> 00:17:20.160 money to prevent that from happening. 349 00:17:21.400 --> 00:17:23.240 You would think they would, But I mean, look what 350 00:17:23.319 --> 00:17:25.839 we have now, and now the IRS wants to expand it. 351 00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:28.200 This was a pilot program for twelve states. Now they 352 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:31.519 want to expand it to all fifty states, because you know, 353 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:33.720 if you're going to fail at twelve, why not sail 354 00:17:33.720 --> 00:17:34.400 at fifty? Right? 355 00:17:36.599 --> 00:17:36.960 Amen? 356 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:41.759 Very briefly, you got to comment about taxpayer funded arena 357 00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:42.640 before we part company. 358 00:17:42.680 --> 00:17:45.920 I saw it on the list of topics, Dave, I'm sorry. 359 00:17:45.960 --> 00:17:51.200 The taxpayer funded arenas, Oh my gosh, an absolute waste 360 00:17:51.240 --> 00:17:54.319 of money. This is corporate welfare for billionaires. And there's 361 00:17:54.480 --> 00:17:57.920 no reason that taxpayers should be paying for the construction 362 00:17:58.039 --> 00:18:01.680 of any arenas. It's just it is the most ludicrous 363 00:18:01.759 --> 00:18:04.759 things that locals are spending money on these days, and 364 00:18:05.000 --> 00:18:06.319 it just keeps on happening. 365 00:18:06.839 --> 00:18:09.960 What I don't understand is that it keeps on happening. 366 00:18:10.119 --> 00:18:14.279 And we've fought these battles in Kansas City in Florida, 367 00:18:14.519 --> 00:18:16.720 and you know, we've had some success, but they just 368 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:17.880 still keep on popping up. 369 00:18:18.279 --> 00:18:20.599 Well, I think it's because people get the idea that 370 00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:25.640 they need that professional football team in their city. I 371 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:28.559 don't know for traditional reasons, or because it's a magnet 372 00:18:28.680 --> 00:18:30.960 for you know, people going to restaurants or something. But 373 00:18:31.480 --> 00:18:34.000 I mean, there's a really, very very small number of 374 00:18:34.079 --> 00:18:36.200 football teams in the grand scheme of things, and there 375 00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:39.319 are hundreds and hundreds of cities in the country that 376 00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:43.160 managed to get along fine without a professional sports team 377 00:18:43.920 --> 00:18:45.039 on the taxpayer dollars. 378 00:18:45.160 --> 00:18:46.279 I just have to observe that. 379 00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:49.200 Yeah, and Brian, so many studies have been done about 380 00:18:49.240 --> 00:18:52.880 the economic activity generated by these arenas and stadiums. 381 00:18:53.319 --> 00:18:53.839 It doesn't. 382 00:18:54.119 --> 00:18:58.039 These arenas and stadiums do not generate economic activity because 383 00:18:58.079 --> 00:19:00.960 people will spend their money elsewhere in the city. It's 384 00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:05.079 just shifting spending your money from a restaurant to an arena, 385 00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:07.480 so it doesn't bring in any new money. And so 386 00:19:07.640 --> 00:19:10.720 many studies have been done. It's been exhaustive, and almost 387 00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:15.400 every economist agrees and says no, this doesn't create economic activity. 388 00:19:15.720 --> 00:19:18.240 Plus, I enjoy watching a game at home much more 389 00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:21.000 than getting in my car, driving downtown, paying for parking, 390 00:19:21.079 --> 00:19:24.000 dealing with weather, and paying twelve fourteen to fifteen dollars 391 00:19:24.039 --> 00:19:26.160 for a beer. Dave William's tax. 392 00:19:26.039 --> 00:19:29.000 Baber, then the drunk guy next to you yelling there's 393 00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:29.559 that too. 394 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:33.880 Protecting Taxpayers dot org, check out the website, bookmarket and 395 00:19:33.960 --> 00:19:37.160 even contribute to help Dave and the team continue holding 396 00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:39.640 government accountable. Dave, I'm looking forward to having you on 397 00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:41.519 the show regularly throughout the year, as I always do. 398 00:19:41.720 --> 00:19:43.480 Have a wonderful day and a very happy New Year 399 00:19:43.480 --> 00:19:45.480 to you and everybody at the Taxpayer Protection Alliance. 400 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:47.599 Thanks Brian, Happy New Year. 401 00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:49.680