The only excuse for the existence of government is the defense of individual rights.

(And before the howls of government lapdogs begin, it is clear that the defense of such rights include protecting and defending individual rights against the cronies and criminals inside and outside our state and national borders.)

The only legal or justifiable reason for government, is the defense of individual rights.

 

The intent of any government should be to serve and protect individuals from those who would do harm to others. The only power that government has is that which it takes from or that is given to it by individuals. It can perform a fair job of protecting everyone, but it cannot guarantee happiness to any one, and should always be prohibited from promising happiness or a special anything to a favored few.

There is nothing that government can do for you that it does not take from you. So, eventually, if its power is unchecked, it will become your turn in the barrel.

When we surrender our rights to government we become a ward of the state. As such, we cheapen the human right to be identified as an individual.

As wards of the state, we become a group of victims needing the guidance of a tool we’ve invented – a construct, based on hopes, wishes, and yearnings, that somehow has become our superior in intelligence and natural rights and with greater values and principles?

The very idea that this invented and constructed thing — a thing without intelligence or an empathy for emotional considerations or a moral standard for reasonable behavior – will voluntarily and freely act in in the best interest of mankind is a stinking mess of vomit from sick minds.

Once given birth, government grows to benefit government. To achieve this end, it divides us into groups of victims which, it claims, must be protected from other groups (that it identifies as more privileged).  But . . .

. . . . privileged is created by special allowances in laws for special reasons to exclusively create advantages or questionable rights for a certain class of people, professions, corporations, etc., that are not allowed for the average individual – as shown in tax laws,  regulations, restrictions, and permissions.

Government over-rides (corrupts) individual rights by inventing “rights”, which it gives to private and public limited liability partnerships, trusts, foundations, corporations, monopolies, and conglomerates. And for “Public Service” in government. All such  entities are non-human creations, without empathy or understanding, and unable to comprehend an excuse of either good or evil in the intent of a law that allow them to exist – or of the eventual results.

Yet, in every right or special construct in the paper formation of some law or regulation that benefits a non-human entity, that is not the same as it is for an individual, there is always a way to fleece the individual.

Every government program has a way to fleece the public.

Today, under State Capitalism, the partnership between Big Business and Big Government, there is no accountability for, and no limiting of, government’s action.

We, as individuals, create the government we have . . . and we are responsibility for it.

It’s why we have a vote.

The very idea that there are limitations on the  federal government’s executive / administrative branch is all but heresy in today’s political and judicial environments. No limitations exist.

The Supreme Court, the judicial branch, has lost respect from years of ignoring and violating Constitutional limitations and the role of the states.  And non-principled rhetorical criticism by law firms and law school professors ignore centuries of established common law and limitation on government to skillfully argue for destructive decrees. Appointed Justices, more politician than supporters of Constitutional mandates and constructs, have supported, and are supporting democratic socialism.  And there are no limitations.

And no limitations exist on Congress, the legislative branch. None.

Our founders, who had first-hand experience and hard-earned knowledge knew, as did Ronald Reagan, that “government is not your friend.”

When created, government becomes an entity with a primary objective to survive – to grow, and it feeds on the lies that another project or program need a solution that only a “benevolent government” can provide.

Government creates more government.

Knowing the danger in the nature of all its existing forms, the founders limited the actions of their new government to improving “the general welfare.” The Constitution allows Congress to collect taxes to pay for the general welfare of the United States, but not for the people or the individual states.

As James Madison observed, If Congress can employ money indefinitely to the general welfare, and are the sole and supreme judges of the general welfare, they may take the care of religion into their Own hands; they may apoint teachers in every state, county, and parish, and pay them out of their public treasury; they may take into their own hands the education of children, establishing in like manner schools throughout the Union; they may assume the provision for the poor; they may undertake the regulation of all roads other than post-roads; in short, every thing, from the highest object of state legislation down to the most minute object of police, would be thrown under the power of Congress; for every object I have mentioned would admit of the application of money, and might be called, if Congress pleased, provisions for the general welfare.”

The Constitution never granted our government power to act in malevolent ways against the natural rights of the individual.

But today, however, government has obviously seized the raw power to do these things – and more – that Madison feared: Taking, annexing, the bounty from one segment of the population to give the illegal funds and / or benefits to another segment, and further dividing the nation by its hostile attitude to individual freedom.

This is plundering in its most basic form (to steal or remove something precious from something, in a way that does not consider moral laws or is more severe than it needs to be).

What is more dangerous, however, is that plundering had its beginning, and is continually permitted, by emotionally-disturbed or mentally-deranged Supreme Court Justices appointed to office by emotionally-disturbed, mentally-deranged, gutless members of the U. S. Senate, who have the power to advise and consent on any action by the executive branch.

When government declares that a particular segment or group of individuals need help, it is saying that the group or its members are either too emotionally, physically, or intellectually incompetent to act in their own interest, Through its copious flow of ‘crocodile tears’ government uses contradictory and often illegal arguments to sell an excuse that our “society” (or some group) is responsible for the circumstances. It sets groups against group to enhance a perception that they are seen and treated as a subspecies of humanity, and can only survive through the benevolence of government.

Government uses the negative perception it creates to set groups against groups.

Congress has subverted the very foundations of the nature of limited government as established by nation’s founders, The consequences from its action deserves the condemnation of all Americans. Not to do so is to surrender our birthright.

Congress routinely delegates their powers to the executive and judicial branches, so we now live in a nation where literally everything involves the federal government.

Never was such power conveyed to Congress as is now given to or assumed by them. On the contrary, it was always clearly that the old Congress was limited to the enumerated powers, and that was explained in general terms.

The founders realized that an all-powerful government – one without unchecked or limited power – is a refuge for scoundrels and plunders, who view the population as its resource and its servants. In creating a new nation, they tried to create a government with only one excuse: The defense of individual rights and the rights of the respective states (whose citizens were risking their own lives).

Government should never be the playground for plunders and crooks of every stripe.

Every action by government should be restricted to protecting every individual from enemies inside and outside our national borders. It should never interfere in our personal lives. Its sole job is to protect them –

There is no other legal or justifiable reason for government.

When the lovers of government and those in government claim that it is there to do what individuals cannot do, they lie. Its why those who know that government’s power must be limited are described as “deplorable” and “garbage” and “terrorists” by the supporters of government.

There is no word or phase too loathsome for the socialists and other totalitarian lovers of the world to use in the fight for conquest over individuality and / or control and management of resources. Truth is the enemy; facts cannot be considered.

There is nothing that government can do for you – or anyone – that it does not take from you.

We, as individuals, create the government we have . . . And deserve.

It is why we have a vote; to hold government accountable.

Every action by government should be restricted to protecting every individual from enemies inside and outside our national borders.

Government should never be the playground for plunders and crooks of every stripe.

But it is . . .

                                              return to     Paris Texas Chamber of Commerce

                                                                             Special Thanks to      The January 2025 Streetscene Newsletter

 

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Affordable Housing

Regulations, Restrictions and Fees

Plans, Snowflakes and Compromise

The nation’s largest employer . . .

How much benefit-bang for your tax dollars are you actually getting?

Do you – like the Paris Texas Chamber of Commerce – ever wonder just how much is the actual benefit from taxes? For each of the previous eight years, budgets for the City of Paris, Texas, have increased, just as they have in most communities.                               

Ultimately, clear evidence on how much money should be spent, and on what, remains elusive. And how much time can you afford to waste trying to wade through two or three hundred boring pages of government PDF filled with obscure acronyms and confusing charts?

Budgets are complicated—they take many twists and turns—and plenty of info is buried under different boxes and buckets.

The City of Paris budget grew at a compounded 3% annually rate for each of the previous 3-years. Now, it jumps to 4.28%, as Administrative costs for two non-needed assistant city managers and a public information officer, plus support personnel, must be covered. And there is a planned $128 million ($259,201,276 million w/interest) over-priced wastewater treatment plant that will be an excuse to increase the budget for years to come.

But if a city’s budget is growing as its population is decreasing, shouldn’t some benefits from spending need questioning​?

Most Texas’ communities have gained population, but the Paris population dropped from the 2000 high of 25,898 down to 24,476 in 2020, according to the U. S. Census.

This in a period when Texas gained 4.3 million new residents, the largest population increase of all 50-states: 20,851,820 (2000) to 29,145,505 (2024), a 22.8% gain. The state budget in the same time period, however, went from $99 billion (increased teacher’s pay $3,000 annually and promised a $1.7 billion tax cut) to $221 billiona 223% increase. (The 2024-25 budget increased to $321.3 billion.)

Paris’ population numbers were saved by the 1.3% increase in Lamar County growth – from 49,822 in 2010 to 50,484 in 2020.

Unfortunately, 18.2-percent of in-city Paris families live in poverty today – and the percentage is growing; thanks to government.

Making matters worse, those living in Paris, age 65-and over, have increased from 16.7% in 2010 to 19.2%.

How much actual benefit do they get in taxes?

Politicians – governments – cheat. Legislation is written so that legislative members can say they reduced taxes, while increasing taxes. Texas cities are limited to a 3% annual property tax increase, politicians claim. They lie and they know that they are lying. So, how much actual benefit to they get in taxes?

Their laws allow governmental units to create several budgets: an Original, an Amended and an Actual Budget.

Then, there is the General Fund—the main pot which includes police, public works, etc.—an Enterprise Funds (items that function like a business, such as water and sewer fees, but are part of the local government. Some of these can get confusing because some are owned by government but managed by another party, like trash pick-up and disposal).

There is a Capital fund, where you have to watch out for things like debt, which often hides in all sorts of places. And pay attention to “inter-fund transfers”— where money is moved from one bucket to another.

Generally, Paris brags about the inflation-increases in retail sales or another point added to the Hotel Occupancy Tax, and other items, which are not counted as a “property” tax, but adds to government spending.

Our city government, like most governments, spends too much on amenities, which means we’re not all benefiting from taxes as much as we should . . .

Experts” in government know that As citizens often lack experience in the public sector and finance, citizens tend to have difficulty understanding how government works.”

Ronald Reagan knew: “Government is not your friend…”

But people in government know those not in government are stupid. THEY know what’s best for us!

Government is the nation’s largest employer. How do you think those 22-million employees vote? Taxes pay their salaries, as well as retirement, health costs, and other perks. Are their decisions based on your interests or “self-interest”?

Do you really think that the law-makers, who create laws that are not in the best interest of those they were elected to serve, don’t know what they’re doing?

We’re not getting our money’s worth when it comes to taxes; however, when it comes to global socialism, we’re getting what we pay for . . .

 

return to Paris Texas Chamber of Commerce

 

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                                   You Don’t Stiff Your Customers

                                  “Figures don’t lie, but liars can figure”

                                   Plans, Snowflakes and Compromise

-sooner or later, the city of paris, texas will have to invest in people-


In 2008, and again in 2011, the Paris Texas Chamber of Commerce recommended that the City of Paris, which owns a number of houses on which taxes have not been paid for years (and hundreds of other substandard houses on which sizable tax bills exist that the city will also likely end up owning), take the lead on fixing the the problem by investing in people. The city, being an existing legal entity will have to play an enabling role sooner or later.

To this end (now, 16-wasted years later), the Paris Texas Chamber of Commerce is going to try it once more:  A city that owns housing in an Enterprise Zone can establish an urban homestead program, through which the city sells a house it owns to a private citizen for an amount not to exceed $100.

The Individual buying the property must agree to live in the house for at least seven years and to renovate or remodel the residence to meet the level of maintenance stated in a written agreement between the individual and the city.  After the family or individual lives in the house for the seven years and satisfies all the agreed upon improvements, the city deeds the house to the individual (or assigns it to a bank that may be financing additional improvements).

True, not all the folks hopping on an urban homestead program will follow thru…and the program administrator will have to reclaim the property.  But many will follow thru, improving their lives (and the City of Paris).  Investing in people means that any homes that are returned can be offered to others who will complete the terms of the homestead agreement.     

investing in people means There will never be enough Homes.

 

Yes, we understand that many local movers and shakers, who have no more idea of community and economic development than Oak Wilt fungus, see the Paris Chamber as an irritant to their schemes or beliefs; but they should know that business is business and a good idea is a good idea – no matter where it comes from. . .

Paris talks about improving Paris.  Paris talks about the need to improve and beautify. Paris talks about substandard homes with unpaid taxes, and talks about what to do with them. But not utilizing available programs to improve large parts of Paris is inexcusable!

Sure, we understand why some want to deny incentives for a large neighborhood improvement effort; especially, in an Enterprise or “Opportunity” Zone, even if such action violates warranties that have to be made in the Contract Agreement for Zone approval. We find such actions wrong, ethically repulsive, and don’t agree with it, but, considering all the parties involved, we understand it.

But to deny younger couples or retirees and others who have the energy and/or resources to own their homes – while eliminating eyesores – and improving Paris – is mind-boggling! 

THAT we do not understand . . . !

Investing in people is actually community development, so why wouldn’t we invest in ways to help people?

Talk about creating opportunities – 

The Paris Chamber’s recommendations are on record, so the Paris leadership cannot plead ignorance. 

Done right, its a program that can actually pay for itself.

Since 2008, the money the city has wasted (and is wasting) on know-little consultants would have paid for improving residential areas all over Paris, through which clean-up, fix-up, paint-up materials would be exchanged for “sweat equity” labor and . . .

 

Oh, well —
How much longer can Paris
afford to wait to invest in its people? 

                                                               return to                   The Paris Texas Chamber of Commerce

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       These Little Town Blues . . .

        A Public Information (BS) Officer