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Real Agenda for Congress: Put Matthew Lesko Out of Business!
By Mike
Ferguson
Sometimes,
there are behaviors that are so bad, so immoral that we don't know where to
place the blame. Do we hold individuals completely responsible for their actions
or do we place at least part of the blame for destructive behavior at those who
enable and even encourage it?
Before you read the rest of this article, there is something you need to do to
prepare: take a moment and find your most recent paycheck stub. You know, the
paper attached to your paycheck that details your earnings and explains the
deductions from your money.
Look at the largest financial loss you suffer on payday. The taxes that are
taken away. Typically, taxes remove between a quarter and a third of your money
before your paycheck reaches you. Imagine what you could do with that money you
never receive, even though you have earned it. Now, consider that there is
someone making a great deal of money by instructing others on how they can get
their hands on your earnings.
Matthew Lesko, the best-selling author who acts and dresses like a cartoon
character in his television ads, has built a lucrative career on exploiting the
government's recklessness with and waste of your money. Lesko's "Free Money From
the Government" book series does nothing but show people how to apply for and
receive for themselves the money that you work for. Among the offerings the
"Guru of Government Giveaways" are the government sources and methods to apply
for:
* $100,000 in grants to start a home based business
* $75,000 housing grants to remodel your house
* $3,000 in grants to help buy a car.
One of Lesko's marketing claims is "The government grants $750 Billion in small
business grants and free government grants each year. Let Matthew Lesko help you
get your share." Free is an interesting and ignorant choice of
words, of course. This money is not free. Take a look at your paycheck stub and
you will see who pays for these "free" handouts. Lesko is merely facilitating
the exchange of money from your pocket into the pockets of others, via the
government.
Lesko's website even offers a new, updated 770-plus page book for 2003. The book
is pitched with the following statement: "Billions of dollars are given out
every year that you can use and Lesko's book will show you how to get it." In
other words, send in $30 and you learn how to pilfer the hard work of others.
Apparently, our society has become so jaded to government waste, so conditioned
to governmental theft that we not only reward someone who markets a way to get
in on the looting, we celebrate him and marvel at his resourcefulness.
Both the government's and Mr. Lesko's ethical standards are so low that the
latter is able to offer a special edition entitled Free Stuff for Pet Lovers.
Advertisements for the publication brag that you will learn how to get "free pet
day care for emergencies", "free advice from a pet lawyer", "free bird cage
cleaning" and "free pet coffins". Every time you look at the paycheck stub and
remind yourself of the 25 to 33% of your money that is taken every pay day,
remember that some of that goes to giveaways that allow Matthew Lesko to sell
books so others can find out how to obtain "$500 to pay (their) pet's
veterinarian bills."
Right now, the debate over a puny tax cut proposal is taking place in Congress.
Most Democrats and an increasing number of Republicans are furious about this
idea and claim that the cuts, regardless of how miniscule they may be, would
harm the government's ability to function. They call the plan irresponsible,
reckless and a recipe for economic disaster. Some of the Democratic candidates
for President are even campaigning - and winning support - on a platform of
repealing previous tax cuts. When you hear a politician complaining about how
much tax cuts would hurt our nation, keep in mind that those same Republicans
and Democrats continue to use the money they take from you to provide "free
government grants to put on poetry readings" and "government grants to become a
French chef" to others. If the debate is truly over "priorities", as I have
heard it argued, then the priority should be to stop stealing money from hard
working people in order to provide gifts to the lazy who want to do nothing more
than write a grant application to obtain your money.
We, as a society, are confusing "opportunistic" for "entrepreneurial",
"laziness" for "resourcefulness" and "dishonesty" for "getting your share".
Worse, we reward those, like Matthew Lesko, who encourage this degeneration of
the basic ethics that demand honest pay for honest work.
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