-By Warner Todd Huston
So let’s review: what happens when you are an average citizen that skips out on paying late fees? You get your car repossessed, your home foreclosed upon, or your utilities shut off. If it is a government fee you refuse to pay, you will likely end up in jail for not paying. But, whatever late fee you aren’t paying, it bodes major trouble if you’re a regular citizen.
Now what happens if you are a Democrat politician that finds a late fee assessed to you for whatever reason? Naturally, you decide you are exempt from paying such piffle because, after all, YOU are an important politician. Even if you are just a local state perfunctory, you are above being bothered by having to pay a late fee on anything. What do people think you are, anyway? A lowly VOTER!? Perish the thought.
To serve as just another example of this truism, we present to you Colorado Representative Jack Pommer of the 11th District who has run up a two-year-long, $20,000 late fee tab for refusing to file his campaign-finance report.
What is Pommer’s excuse?
“I screwed up a lot of paperwork.”
And, worse, he already had his pals at the state house forgive his first few violations as soon as he was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives.
But, see, Pommer has even more excuses. “I had a great business partner, who was really good at paperwork, which is why we didn’t go out of business.”
Well iddn’t that nice? I mean, it explains everything! So, gosh Representative Pommer, I guess all is forgiven, then!
So this got me to thinking, where do I call the IRS and let them know that I am “bad at paperwork” and should not be assessed any late fees? Maybe I can get my electric provider to waive any future late fees because I don’t have a good “paperwork guy” in my employ? Perhaps my mortgage and car-loan guys can forget any late fees because I just suck at paperwork?
Oh, but wait. I am not a self-important, low-level politician of the Democratic Party. I am actually expected to PAY my obligations!
Sorry. I forgot.
Well, there is one consolation for our pal Rep. Pommer. At least with all his problems living up to his legal obligations he now qualifies for a spot in the Obama administration!
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Warner Todd Huston is a Chicago based freelance writer, has been writing opinion editorials and social criticism since early 2001 and is featured on many websites such as newsbusters.org, RedState.com, Human Events Magazine, AmericanDailyReview.com, townhall.com, New Media Journal, Men’s News Daily and the New Media Alliance among many, many others. Additionally, he has been a frequent guest on talk-radio programs to discuss his opinion editorials and current events and is currently the co-host of “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Conservatism” heard on BlogTalkRadio. He has also written for several history magazines and appears in the new book “Americans on Politics, Policy and Pop Culture” which can be purchased on amazon.com. He is also the owner and operator of publiusforum.com. Feel free to contact him with any comments or questions : EMAIL Warner Todd Huston
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