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Wednesday, January 16, 2008

No Taxation Without Representation

In our childhoods, we learned that phrase from the pre-Revolution founding fathers.

"No Taxation Without Representation" per Wikipedia, was a championed phrase of James Otis, who disliked a British Parliamentary view of "virtual representation" and Otis is said to have summarized things as "taxation without representation is tyrany."

There are several historical sites on the web where the phrase leads via Google search, including Stamp Act history [paying a fee for official approval of documents, to be stamped, not unlike paying an official fee - a very costly official fee - to be hooked to the Met Council's sewer system]. Never mind, there surely are differences. Such as Met Council not being entirely equivalent to Colonial "virtual representation" but not substantially different, either.

Interestingly, James Otis had this to say:

The origin of government has in all ages no less perplexed the heads of lawyers and politicians, than the origin of evil has embarrassed divines and philosophers: And ’tis probable the world may receive a satisfactory solution on both those points of enquiry at the same time.

[italics emphasis in original]. While rhetoric was not unknown to the founding fathers, and Otis practiced what his contempories practiced that way, even if my rhetoric is no better, may my ending be better than his.

In 1769, at the height of his popularity and influence, Otis was pulled from the public stage. He had infuriated a Boston custom-house official with a vicious newspaper attack; the official beat Otis on his head with a cane. For the remainder of his life, Otis was subject to long bouts of mental instability. He was unable to participate in public affairs and spent most of his time wandering through the streets of Boston, enduring the taunts of a populace that had quickly forgotten his contributions. Otis was struck and killed by lightning in May 1783.

It is not exactly like being struck by a thought. Luckily neither the mayor nor Elvig, nor Tinklenberg [formerly until weeks ago - official lobbyist Tinklenberg, long a canditate before "unregistering" whatever actual change that makes] nor Jim Deal carry a cane. I will avoid nearness to Dan Erhart. Writing by some at that "founding-father" time, such as Otis, is wordy, indirect and hard to follow - something I, by directness, attempt to avoid.

At any rate, the lasting hook, the unerring truth of the phrase "taxation without representation is tyrany," haunts one with the question:

When is the last time you voted for a Metropolitian Council member? Or a member of the regional rail authority - that one or the other one - whichever it is that has instigated and imposed, doubled and assessed yet new taxes upon the innocent citizenry?

My simple recollection is never having seen any such matter on a ballot.

Not even a "virtual" ballot, for "virtual representation."

Just a tax and all, a father-knows-best from Dan Erhart, Tom Yantos, somebody. A mother-knows-best from Natalie.

______________UPDATE_______________

Try this one instead. When is the last time you voted to have a palace by the tracks built that was going, according to latest budget news, going to sting everyone at around a half-million bucks a year just to keep even - to service debt?

Our esteemed council, giving us a "virtual referendum" apparently.