Monday, August 3, 2020, 10:10 am | Randy Thomasson
“Can’t you cut the waste instead?”
They’ve already hurt you, and intend to hurt you more.
You already know California state government has made you poorer. But did you know that the California Legislature has been virtually controlled by Democrats for the last 60 years? And that Democrats control three-quarters of both the State Assembly and State Senate?
This year, your Democrat-controlled state government is destroying small businesses and family livelihoods with their extremely harmful lockdown. And now, they’re coming in for the kill with AB 1253 to directly raise income taxes without a vote of the people.
As a native Californian, I can’t remember anything like this. But the over-confident, thieving Democrat politicians are drunk with power. That’s why they’re daring to massively raise taxes by government fiat, not letting the voters decide, and doing this damage the same year that state government has financially injured Californians, and in an election year too.
AB 1253 would massively raise taxes on the rich, as if California taxes punishing success weren’t already too high. As California Political Reviewexplains:
AB 1253 would add Revenue and Taxation Code Section 17044 to create three new tax rates for amounts of income above specified thresholds. As a tax levy, it would take effect immediately upon the Governor’s signature and chaptering by the Secretary of State. The bill would apply retroactively to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2020. As a tax increase measure, it would require a 2/3 vote of both houses of the Legislature pursuant to Article XIIIA, Section 3 of the California Constitution.
Specifically, AB 1253 would add a new section to the Revenue and Taxation Code to provide the following three higher tax rates (in addition to the existing ones):
A 1% tax on income above $1 million, but not over $2 million A 3% tax on income over $2 million, but not over $5 million A 3.5% tax on income over $5 million
This would make the state with the highest income taxes even more infamous about taking money from the responsible to give to the irresponsible.
Under AB 1253, the most successful earners would see their state income tax rate jump from 13.3% to 16.8%. Making things worse, this tax would be retroactive to January 2020!
Now before you breathe a sigh of relief and think, “I’m glad my taxes won’t go up — this is only a tax on the rich,” think again. Because the power to tax is the power to destroy. Taxing one group always has intended consequences, hurting other people too.
Here are four ways AB 1253’s huge new tax on the rich would hurt everybody:
Million-dollar earners will move out of state. We’ve seen this before and we’ll see it again. The wealthy already have the highest mobility in society with the greatest number of options of where to live. Expect to see an exodus of wealthy Californians, even if only to the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. That means the ruling Democrats will be more likely to raise taxes on lower earners instead. Because water always finds its way to the lowest level, doesn’t it?
In turn, you’ll experience inflation. Million-dollar earners that stay in California are smart enough not to lose money. So, because most of them own businesses, they’ll look for more ways to get more money from their customers. This means higher prices for us all. Ready to suffer more?
It’ll be easier for the ruling Democrats to directly raise taxes on you later. By accepting a huge tax hike on one “class” of Californians, then by reelecting the tax-hikers, we’re telling them we accept regular tax increases as “normal.” This will throw gasoline on the fire for more sales tax hikes, car tax hikes, and income tax hikes creeping into more tax brackets. Remember, to be a good Democrat politician today, you have to think other people’s money is yours. AB 1253 is training them to do that ever so much more so to you and your family.
AB 1253’s huge tax hike hides all the wasteful spending. Not once will the ruling Democrats say publicly there’s any waste to slash. They won’t admit there’s a mountain of waste, fraud, and abuse throughout California state government. Making it easy for them to deceive and hide waste is 60+ years of Democrats controlling the State Legislature, and no independent, out-of-state, Texas-style audit. And this year, in the midst of the destructive lockdown of Gavin Newsom and the Democrats, government workers continue to be paid, and government pensions continue to rise. AB 1253 is the equivalent of a bad employee — who’s been hurting your customers, wasting your resources, and not caring to do his job — coming to you and demanding a raise. Don’t give the ruling Democrats a raise — fire them!
TAKE ACTION NOW: Please contact your own state assemblymember and state senator, as well as Governor Gavin Newsom. Tell them, “Oppose AB 1253. No new taxes!” Enter your voter registration address here to reveal the websites of your state assemblymember and state senator. Click their links to see the telephone numbers and web contact forms for each. To contact Governor Newsom, click here.
Saturday, July 25, 2020, 12:05 pm | Randy Thomasson
Why are pastors closing up their congregation’s meeting place?
Every pastor in California or anywhere else where a Democrat governor’s administration has “ordered” a cancellation of congregational meetings needs to ask and answer these five questions:
Q: Is there a written law passed by the California State Legislature and signed by California’s governor? A: No, there isn’t. See Peggy Hall’s analysis
Q: Are police likely to barge in on a Sunday morning to warn or cite you? A: No, they’re not. Most California sheriffs and police chiefs didn’t bother churches earlier this year, and since then, several have announced they would not enforce the lockdown or masks or both.
Ultimately, the question is will pastors fear God or man. The recommended “considerations” (not a duly-approved statute) from the unelected state employees of the California Department of Public Health are easy to resist, since not many cops want to barge into a Sunday morning church service.
And what if they did? Is there no Biblical example of suffering for Jesus Christ and being loyal to Him — no matter what?
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 2 Timothy 4:2
Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. Revelation 2:4
Never before have our basic freedoms been taken away from us as Americans. And I have to tell you, I’m having “mental health issues” over the prospect of wearing a face mask.
But it doesn’t really matter how I feel about it, does it? Because what matters is whether face masks are helpful or necessary, right?
This is my study of these questions over the past 24 hours. And I’ve made my decision.
1. It’s not helpful: The last two months, I’ve learned several COVID-19 facts, including:
“People infected with COVID-19 who are asymptomatic (which is most people) do NOT spread COVID-19.”
“Emerging science shows no spread of COVID-19 in the community (shopping, restaurants, barbers, etc.).”
“Published science shows COVID-19 is NOT spread outdoors.”
“Science shows masks are ineffective to halt the spread of COVID-19, and The WHO recommends they should only be worn by healthy people if treating or living with someone with a COVID-19 infection.”
“There’s no science to support the magic of a six-foot barrier.”
What’s more, I discovered that top “authorities” spoke out against general public mask use BEFORE the political correctness set in. For example, on February 29, 2020, U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said don’t wear masks — because, unless you’re a trained expert with the best face masks and face mask protocols, face coverings don’t protect you and will actually invite infection:
“Seriously people — STOP BUYING MASKS!” Adams, an anesthesiologist who has been surgeon general since 2017, wrote on Twitter. “They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!” Adams wrote.
Adams also tweeted: “The best way to protect yourself and your community is with everyday preventive actions, like staying home when you are sick and washing hands with soap and water, to help slow the spread of respiratory illness.” He also said: “Avoid touching your [face] w/ unwashed hands, and wipe down surfaces with cleaning solution or wipes.”
With the mainstream media feeding the frenzy of fear, Americans have bought up millions of masks, even though they won’t be effective in prevention. Unless they are the right kind and fit perfectly, masks are ineffective — and Adams said they may even worsen the spread. “You can increase your risk of getting it by wearing a mask if you are not a health care provider,” Adams said during an interview on Fox & Friends on Monday morning.
And in the month of May, this study of decades of face mask studies appeared on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website, which reported, “In our systematic review, we identified 10 RCTs [randomized controlled trials] that reported estimates of the effectiveness of face masks in reducing laboratory-confirmed influenza virus infections in the community from literature published during 1946–July 27, 2018. In pooled analysis, we found no significant reduction in influenza transmission with the use of face masks … Proper use of face masks is essential because improper use might increase the risk for transmission. Thus, education on the proper use and disposal of used face masks, including hand hygiene, is also needed.”
Also this year, the World Health Organization (WHO), in a moment of candor, said face masks are NOT recommended for the general public: “If you do not have any repository symptoms such as fever, cough or runny nose, you do not need to wear a mask,” Dr. April Baller, a public health specialist for the WHO, says in a video on the world health body’s website posted in March. “Masks should only be used by health care workers, caretakers or by people who are sick with symptoms of fever and cough.”
Let’s put masks to the test.
According to a study of coronavirus particles (pre-COVID-19) published in the Journal of Virology in 2006, “Particle diameters ranged from 50 to 150 nm, excluding the spikes, with mean particle diameters of 82 to 94 nm.” (copied from above Figure 1). This year, it’s been found that the COVID-19 virus “is in the size range of 65-125 nm [nanometers]” — which is comparable to the flu virus’s common size of 100 nanometers.
And no doubt you’ve heard N95 surgical masks are among the best, if not the best, masks you can wear to protect yourself from COVID-19. But how good are N95 masks at filtering out COVID-19 particles?
“The researchers pointed that normal N95 masks currently used by most health workers can filter about 85 per cent of particles smaller than 300 nm. However, the size range of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is 65-125 nm, which means some virus particles could potentially slip through these coverings. Moreover, N95 masks are intended for single use only. But due to the shortages, many health care workers are compelled to wear the same N95 mask repeatedly.” Source
Back to the study of studies on the CDC website: “Disposable medical masks (also known as surgical masks) are loose-fitting devices that were designed to be worn by medical personnel to protect accidental contamination of patient wounds, and to protect the wearer against splashes or sprays of bodily fluids (36). There is limited evidence for their effectiveness in preventing influenza virus transmission either when worn by the infected person for source control or when worn by uninfected persons to reduce exposure. Our systematic review found no significant effect of face masks on transmission of laboratory-confirmed influenza.”
In other words, N95 masks won’t necessarily protect you and there’s hardly any reliable evidence that they will. N95 masks require individual fitting, training on proper use, and daily replacement. Cloth masks are even lower efficacy. No wonder the early voices, including the U.S. Surgeon General, the CDC, and even the WHO, all opposed general public use of face masks. Contrary to what you’re hearing now, face masks are not the solution.
Bottom line, wearing a mask doesn’t protect you against COVID-19 infection, and might even increase virus transmission. And even the best masks do better if you can acquire them, are properly trained, and use a new one every day. As for my own health, I know that wearing a mask depletes my oxygen intake, makes me inhale toxins, and inhibits my immune system from improving. Therefore, wearing a mask doesn’t help me or others.
2. It’s not required
California’s June 18, 2020 so-called “statewide mask order” is nothing of the sort. It’s not a law that’s been passed by the California State Legislature and signed by the governor. Nor is it an executive order of the governor clearly justified under the Emergency Services Act.
Already several California county sheriffs have announced they won’t enforce anything regarding face masks: Sheriffs of Sacramento County and Placer County, Yuba County, Calaveras County, Stanislaus County, Tulare County, Orange County, and Riverside County. And you can expect the anti-lockdown sheriffs of Merced and Sonoma counties to agree. In addition, we’re hearing from several city police chiefs, who’ve announced they won’t cite or arrest business owners for not requiring masks, or individuals for not wearing masks.
Now, it’s the right of individual businesses whether to require face masks on their own property. But consider using one of SaveCalifornia.com’s mask exemption forms:
Note that the “mental health condition” exemption is very broad, and could include anxiety, depression, panic, sudden rage, etc. The “obstruct breathing” exemption is also very broad, for whose breathing is not obstructed by a face mask? Confidently show your chosen form to a manager to explain you are exempt from any face mask requirement. Be prepared to argue, using the California Department of Public Health’s list of exemptions. If they let you in, you win; if not, tell them they’re violating your rights, and shop elsewhere.
3. Forced masks aren’t the mark of free Americans
As you’ve witnessed this tumultuous year, the New Communism is trying hard to take over the United States of America. And the Democrat politicians represent this tyrannical spirit, coupled with their own lust for power and attention.
They already robbed you of your God-given and constitutional rights to work, earn, own, fellowship, socialize, play, and purchase. And they looked the other way as Antifa and Black Lives Matter rioters destroyed property and targeted equal justice under the law.
Now these Democrat politicians want to force us all to wear face masks. They claim it’s because of a spike in COVID-19 cases, while failing to remind us that 97-99% of infected persons completely recover, or that hospitalization spikes in California counties are from infected Mexicans being helicoptered in, skewing the data. And they deserve your trust?
Our elected officials have lied to and seriously hurt us. First, they overly-scared us with false projections about COVID-19. Then they imposed an unnecessary, destructive lockdown, destroying our basic rights. And now they’re enjoying seeing masks on people’s faces, without scientific justification. Who are your domestic enemies, mentioned in these Democrat elected officials’ oaths of office? The very same Democrats doing this to you.
As an American, I know my constitutional rights. As a human being, I know my God-given rights. As a growing disciple of Jesus Christ, I know my life’s purpose includes supporting good and opposing evil. The New Testament informs me that I’m called to be free from the bondage of sin and the father of lies, and to live in love for God and people. I’m neither an animal nor a number, and I refuse to see others or let myself be treated as such. This is why, for the sake of love and liberty, I refuse to be masked.
“I am not afraid of Covid — I am afraid of what Covid’s creating. I am afraid of the ugliness, the distance, the anti-social, the communism. All of this — that’s what scares me. I’ve seen so many patients recover from this virus just fine. Some of these people don’t even need hospitalization. They really could have just gone home.” Registered nurse Megan Hill of Riverside County on June 18, 2020
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