So did mine.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Behler" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 12:45 PM
Subject: Re: Unbelievable!
> Hey, Steve:
>
> Well, Phil did it first, so I guess I can't take the blame for killing
> your
> joke.
>
> Actually, I know Dan Romanchick personally, and if he came up with this,
> his
> creativity doesn't surprise me.
>
> I have to tell you, though, that, as I read it, my blood pressure rose
> steadily at least for a while! (smile)
>
> 73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Steve" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 12:30 PM
> Subject: Re: Unbelievable!
>
>
>> Ahhh, phil, you 'ol party pooper. You just spoiled all the fun.
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Phil Scovell" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 2:28 PM
>> Subject: Re: Unbelievable!
>>
>>
>>> Sounds like an April fools joke to me.
>>>
>>> Phil.
>>> K0NX
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Steve" <[log in to unmask]>
>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 10:35 AM
>>> Subject: Unbelievable!
>>>
>>>
>>>> KB6NU's Ham Radio Blog =BB Blog Archive =BB Unbelievable!
>>>> list of 1 items
>>>> . KB6NU's Ham Radio Blog=20
>>>> list end
>>>> =20
>>>> Search!=20
>>>> Rate Me on eHam.Net
>>>>
>>>> Unbelievable!
>>>> =20
>>>> This from Jim, WB8AZP, via the=20
>>>> ARROW
>>>> mailing list:
>>>>
>>>> block quote
>>>> Buried in the middle of the 1200-page Health Care Reform package is =
>>>> something that should be disturbing to all US amateur radio operators.
>>>> =
>>>> Embedded in the
>>>> funding guidelines section 415, paragraph 27, line 45, are details on =
>>>> one of the mechanisms that the government intends to employ to help pay
>>>> =
>>>> for the staggering
>>>> costs of the new plan.
>>>>
>>>> To put it simply, the new health care guidelines support the notion of
>>>> =
>>>> creative funding from untapped resources, and from other government =
>>>> agencies, like
>>>> the FCC. This puts the burden on funding on other agencies, and =
>>>> therefore the health care reform pundits can claim that "they" didn't =
>>>> introduce any new
>>>> taxes to pay for everything.
>>>>
>>>> Lurking in the depths of the new health carecare package is a time bomb
>>>> =
>>>> waiting to affect all US Amateur Radio Operators; The new Talk And Pay
>>>> =
>>>> (TAP) Tax..
>>>> What does the TAP Tax do? Well, just as it implies, it adds a tax on to
>>>> =
>>>> each amateur license, based on usage of the bands.
>>>>
>>>> The FCC knew it was going to be troublesome to enforce this kind of =
>>>> regulation, so they came up with a clever scheme - taxation by license
>>>> =
>>>> class. All Technician,
>>>> General, and Extra Class Licensees will be taxed at a different rate. =
>>>> Any holdover licenses from different classes will be taxed at the next
>>>> =
>>>> higher rate,
>>>> so novice license holders will be taxed as technicians, advanced
>>>> holders
>>>> =
>>>> as extra class licensees and so on. The logic is that higher class =
>>>> licenses can
>>>> use more of the frequencies; therefore they pay a larger percentage. =
>>>> There are even paragraphs that define taxing stations that haven't =
>>>> operated, (although
>>>> you have to prove that by filing a waiver), stations where the license
>>>> =
>>>> holder has become a silent key (a different waiver), and repeater or =
>>>> space stations
>>>> (when the license is held by a non-profit group, you can apply for a =
>>>> waiver as well). They legislators have even thought of the mechanism to
>>>> =
>>>> capture revenue
>>>> from youngsters, in their special Tax On Eventual Earnings (TOE) tax. =
>>>> So, a youngster who is not working will pay into a TOE TAP TAX account,
>>>> =
>>>> in the form
>>>> of a debit owed to the government. Even retirees do not escape this
>>>> tax,
>>>> =
>>>> as there is a provision for the SNAP TAP TAX (Sure Not Accounting for =
>>>> Productivity).
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> There does seem to be a provision for testing down to a previous
>>>> license
>>>> =
>>>> class, so you can get a tax break by forfeiting your current license =
>>>> class, (after
>>>> taking a new 50 question written exam, and paying a hefty 45 dollar =
>>>> examination fee). You'll be then required to sign BCKTP in CW or "slash
>>>> =
>>>> Back Tap" in
>>>> voice.
>>>>
>>>> This looks to be pretty well thought out. I stopped reading after
>>>> seeing
>>>> =
>>>> the FCC amateur radio entry. It appears that Cell phones and wireless =
>>>> data networks
>>>> will be next. There are 20 other government agencies listed in the =
>>>> document. Where will this insanity end? All of this is scheduled to go
>>>> =
>>>> into effect on
>>>> April 1, 2011, because there apparently wasn't enough time to implement
>>>> =
>>>> it before then.
>>>>
>>>> If this doesn't negatively impact the growth of amateur radio, I don't
>>>> =
>>>> know what will! I think it will also promote the notion of going really
>>>> =
>>>> underground,
>>>> and not using your callsign at all., actually a practice that I've =
>>>> already heard lots of people adopt, especially on VHF.
>>>>
>>>> I called my congressman after reading all of this, and he said that =
>>>> there are already proposals being filed to allow credit for amateur =
>>>> radio operators
>>>> involved in public service, and he called it the Support for
>>>> Individuals
>>>> =
>>>> Desiring to Engage in Services Training, Education, and Planning =
>>>> (SIDESTEP). That
>>>> makes me feel a little better.
>>>>
>>>> I think it just might be time to get rid of my gear, before all this
>>>> TOE
>>>> =
>>>> TAP, SNAP TAP, BACK TAP, and SIDESTEP stuff goes into affect. Once =
>>>> again, the government
>>>> is here to help you.
>>>>
>>>> block quote end
>>>>
>>>> By: Dan KB6NU |=20
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to
>>>> =
>>>> live at the expense of everybody else."=20
>>>> -Frederic Bastiat
>>>>
>>>> Steve
>>>> Lansing, MI
>>>>
>>
>
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