It is half-official now. Mar Roxas (one of the politicians who has the most highly-developed platform among them) has stepped back to set the stage for Aquino (a politician who has a virtually non-existent platform) to run for president. Pending the results of some sort of “retreat” that the son-of-heroes will be taking to mull over the matter of his candidacy for the 2010 presidential elections, it seems that, Noynoy is set to follow his mother’s footsteps into the world of the reluctant “hero”.
Between the two candidates, the one who convincingly steps up to the challenge of Platform, plez™ is quite clear. But in terms of who has the stronger appeal to vacuous sentimentality? Well now, this is the Philippines we are talking about, last I recall. So that question is almost a no-brainer.
Indeed, vacuous is a strong word. But then help me out here, folks as we’ve really got little to work with. Ben Kritz has recently evaluated Noynoy’s “platform” and concluded that it was like multiplying any number by zero. I asked my nine-year-old son what he thinks and he basically agrees that evaluating something that lacks substance yields a null evaluation, basically.
MLQ3′s laments that:
The lesson is, the political game will degenerate into merely a contest involving guns, goons and gold, [...]
Let me add to that further by saying that Noynoy’s candidacy makes the contest not just one that involves “guns, goons and gold”, but pedigree as well. And some candidates simply have LOADS of pedigree — something that goes a long way in a society obssessed with it. It is that proverbially familiar triumph of Wowowee over The Discovery Channel in the ratings game.
But like every truly great pundit, MLQ3 routinely issues challenges to complement his laments, albeit challenges so obscured by the politics in his message as to most likely escape the average mind:
[...] unless the public can see itself capable of summoning not just leaders, but itself, to greatness.
How then do we define this over-used but scantily understood word:
Greatness.
I push The Noted One‘s challenge further by injecting my trademark crystalline clarity to that concept he brings up:
[...] true greatness does not lie merely in its superficial emulation, nor in inherited illustrious surnames or pedigrees, and certainly not in mindless display of symbollic colours and icons. True greatness lies in achievement.
Greatness = Achievement.
It’s simple, really™.
To put a fine point to my characteristic brilliance, the above lays the foundations upon which any debate as to why Noynoy Aquino should or should NOT be president should be built. And to get that started, here are some typical off-the-hip arguments as to why Noynoy is the perfect candidate of the moment:
(1) Winnability.
Indeed he is the next best thing to the godfather of winnability – Erap Estrada. Point made brilliantly in that simple comparison.
(2) Credibility.
What best way to clarify the above by citing the view of a renowned authority on argumentation:
Let’s say the platform is well written, well planned, well thought of, at least akin to Trillanes Platform with the Magdalo Agenda. But what will the platform do if the candidate is not believable, has no credibility and totally lacking in honesty?
The title of the piece from which the above was excerpted illustrates the rather quaint confusion in the mind of its author: “Credibility and not platform”.
Dude, the question does not involve a toss-up between “credibility” and “platform”. A person’s credibility is an emergent property that arises as a function of many factors about that person. In terms of the credibility of one’s intentions as a possible leader of the Filipino people, it is a function of one’s track record of achievement and the clarity of one’s vision. It’s no different to interviewing a job applicant. You ask his experience, his achievements, and what he plans to make of the job being offered.
As blogger Bong offered recently:
The purpose of the vetting process is neither to embarrass or put a candidate down, nor to further politicize the process. Rather, the purpose of the vetting process is to ensure that candidates may be trusted with the responsibilities that come with serving an elective position.
Put Noynoy side-by-side with Mar (or for that matter all the other candidates) and evaluate them even just on the basis of those two metrics.
Track record of achievement.
Clarity of vision.
Perhaps this tool might help. Or maybe this one. Both ones giving you a headache? Organs tend to hurt when they are used after years of flaccid application.
(3) Ability to unify the “Opposition”
For all we know, Noynoy may step up to the challenges put forth by the intelligent voter even as he so easily steps up to the challenges issued by vacuous ones — in the same way just about every traditional politician had in the past.
But that remains to be seen.
Who controls the machinery that churns out, backs up, and finances the bozos who’s mugs we see on TV? For that matter, who or what class of people leads the charge and controls the channels for doing so in terms of influencing public sentiment? Look no further than the sizes of the hordes such classes of people control. An ability to unify the kinds of minds that can truly influence and galvanise the masses needs to appeal to something more than the quaint symbols and platitudes that work so well on the ground.
————
For now, the challenges are quite simple. And we can’t emphasize them enough. Because in those simple principles we tirelessly emphasize lies the HOPE that the Filipino people may see an outcome that is different from the past outcome we have subjected ourselves to over the last several decades which can collectively be described using one word: failure.
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The typical inability of Cory to militate against GMA during a crucial point in the country’s history simply approximates the same anticlimactic ability of Noynoy to win over whom the GMA camp will field as administratino candidate.
On that note, Noynoy’s reluctant decision to bid for the presidency is at best seen as another ‘social experiment’ on how long the popularity of Cory and Ninoy combined can long endure in the hearts and minds of a terribly “afflicted” and “inflicted” populace.
It is worth observing how the other “chips’ will fall out of place to give way to a popular though not necessarily winnable, to a reluctant though not decided, and to an untried though not discardable.
“Between the two candidates, the one who convincingly steps up to the challenge of Platform, plez™ is quite clear. But in terms of who has the stronger appeal to vacuous sentimentality?”-benignO
You are barking up at the wrong tree, benigs. It is not the people’s fault that Roxas, your manok, is chickening out and withdrawing.
Even in chickens your platform plez is useless, heheh.
Benigno’s chook is spooked!
This might be a ploy to gain sympathy and improve his ratings. But let’s just wait and see. If eventually Noynoy announced that he’s not ready to run for president and Mar comes back in the running, then this suspicion will be confirmed. Otherwise, hats off ako sa kanyang sacrifice.
I also see this one possibly happening. Though I prefer Roxas over Aquino as LP’s standard bearer for he has solid plans for the country, Aquino is undoubtedly the “popular choice” (who knows for how long).
But then again, as PDI’s Julie Alipala reports last Saturday, Sept.5, 2009, her source said that Aquino had told him and other close associates that his plan is to announce his decision ‘either on Sept.11 or Sept.21.” This might leave Roxas permanently on the VP race. To add on Roxas said in his withdrawal speech, “Noy has made it clear to me that he wants to carry the torch of leadership.” Given this, why the need for a retreat when he’s already “decided”?
Personally, I’m close to believing what Prof.Monsod wrote that same day (Sept.5) regarding the ‘retreat’ “Is it because Noynoy’s handlers want to milk the Cory magic and show that Noynoy is doing the same thing that Cory did..” Well, this act will surely add up to “the chosen one” image of Noynoy. And by the way, how many Aquino related events are we expecting before the May 2010 elections? I’m wondering if GMA will still go with her “lengthened” weekend on these occasions.
With Mar withdrawing to give way to Noynoy on the one end of the weighing scale and Jojo Binay withdrawing to give way to Erap on the other, would there be a subsequent pattern that will follow?
Who between Noli, Gibo and Mr. Tree will give way to whom in so far as the administration ticket is concerned?
Is there a different field of opposition as represented by say, Villar?
We look forward to another converging pattern and the “spare tires’ are all waiting, anyone?
If Mr. Roxas indeed has substance but no glamour, and Mr. Aquino has glamour but no substance, Mr. Aquino only needs to know enough to lean on Mr. Roxas. If they can’t together demonstrate substance by June 2010, they will lose.
Then you are likely to have Mr. Villar in place, running things the old fashioned strong-arm way, managing obscure budgets that fund roads in interesting places and buying legislative allegiances instead of earning them on the merit of doing what is best for the people.
I favor the empty vessel, of decent character, rather than the leaky old one now dancing before an ethics hearing. One at least holds a bit of trust, the other does not . . . and is therefore the truly empty one.
Joe
Joe:
Cory Aquino had decent character – but the cabal of advisers she carried – weren’t decent.
What makes Roxas any different. He has decent character – but what about the people he will count on? That’s where vetting comes in handy.
Tell you what – the elite have money invested in all the candidates – whoever wins, it will be business as usual for the domestic economic and political elite.
In the end, you wind up voting for the least evil. And even then you have to define what is “least evil”.
BongV,
Yes, I understand.
The people need a voice, like the Civil Liberties Union. But that can’t exist in an inefficient, corrupt justice system. So round and round we go with riotous rebellion as the only expression left to the people.
Joe
It’a a landslide. Even Mar Roxas himself had concede. No need for a platform. No need to pay expensive advertisements. No need to seek endorsements from anybody because people who do not want to use their brain will just vote for Noynoy the minute he decides to announce that he is running for the top job and that’s about the majority in the Phils. All because his parents are “heroes” and everybody is fuelled by sentiments and don’t want to let go of the Aquino name.
Let’s just accept this and hope that the people who look up to him are really genuine about changing for the better. What they don’t realise is, Noynoy does not have to be the president for them to do the right thing. Each and every individual can do their share in nation building not just the president.
Not a landslide. It’s just that we get to see a lot of this Noynoy fever splashed in every news report these days. I’m hoping for more thinkers to emerge and help guide those who are currently misled back to sound reasoning.
On the lighter side, this perception might be making Villar nervous since even though he and Roxas may have already spent a sum of half-a-billion pesos on advertising, Noynoy never had to spend a dime or lift a finger to gain this kind of support. Mar might still have a backup plan though, otherwise Korina won’t have the honeymoon of her dreams. Uggh, such crocodile tears, just like Imelda.
whats the picture about?
[...] unless the public can see itself capable of summoning not just leaders, but itself, to greatness. – mlq3
Hmmm. But really now benigs, you and mlq3 sound the same with the above mouthful.
You know, about ‘its all about the people’s responsibility, and all that crap…
Actually, if there is one single biggest thing that can account for the chronic failure of Pinoy society to prosper, it would be precisely the kind of thinking people like you latch on to — that Pinoys are simply victims of circumstances beyond their control. That idea provides a nice excuse to just simply lay down and wait for the proverbial guava to fall into their gaping maw. If the guava fails to fall, some sinister power is preventing it from doing so. If it does fall and misses its target, some sinister power lay them and their gaping mouths on the wrong spot.
Whatever the reason, it is not Juan’s responsibility.
And that is why there is so much hoo-ha about who the next president is gonna be — despite a lack of any convincing evidence of a convincing causal link between the character or identity of the person sitting in Malacanang AND the prospects for prosperity of our tragic society.
Sad indeed, that hope is found in illusions — be it a yellow ribbon or L-shaped hand gesture of the idea of a nation that when pressed further actually stands for nothing — rather than in concrete bases for measuring absolute achievement with.
That’s The Pinoy Condition, Mr. “Phil Manila” — no more than an amorphous blob of misguided beliefs that underpin illusory aspirations that lead us down dead end paths.
Sad sad sad.
That’s the kind of challenge the Noynoys of our world face. Which is ironic, considering that the Noynoys of this world are a big aspect of the illusions of “hope” that we stubbornly live by, even as better ways to substantiate more robust notions of hope lie right under our noses.
Tough luck, as your mind is one that is hopelessly imprisoned by this Pinoy Condition of which the above blurb you just read describes no more than the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
:-D
“Sad indeed, that hope is found in illusions — be it a yellow ribbon or L-shaped hand gesture of the idea of a nation that when pressed further actually stands for nothing — rather than in concrete bases for measuring absolute achievement with.”
actually, hope is frequently found in “illusions”. frequently, people call them symbols.
and that’s when the thingie about equivocation comes in.
are you saying (as applied to PI) :
all illusions are symbols.
all symbols are illusions.
hope is in a symbol. therefore, hope is an illusion? :)
oh no, i used ” ” coz i was using B0s words.
he believes these are “illusions”.
i do not.
Poor Mar. He has been campaigning for years and then Cory Aquino passes away…now everyone wants NoyNoy to be the torch bearer.
Don’t they realise what they are asking someone who is not even ready to lead the country? All they are hanging on is the Aquino name and the illusion that he is just like his father when it’s so obvious that he is not.
Mar didn’t even get the chance to lose in the election…tsk,tsk.
“They” are hanging onto that Noynoy can be the President that Ninoy was, forgetting that Ninoy never led the country. “They’ are hanging onto the wish that Noynoy can be the President that Cory was, forgetting that Cory the president was not that good for the economy, for food self-sufficiency programs, for education reform, for Mindanao.
Look again and imagine how many in Pinas are like Abe seeing in Noynoy the continuation of those days of yore and the struggle against the Marcos dictatorship.
To do so — to pick Noynoy for their great white hope — is for them to believe in. They just should not be surprised if a few Pinoys-in-Pinas are not that charitable when faced with the “Walang Alam” items or when they look at the actual bills that Noynoy had submitted, much less which bills he had pushed through into laws.
In many Pinas stores is the sign — “Your credit is good but we need cash”. For noynoy (just as it is for Manny Villar, Mar Roxas, Loren Legarda, Jamby Madrigal, Chiz Escudero), the question is
“Your last name is good but what have you done when you had the chance? Sino ang umunlad because you were senator?”
Ilocos Norte average income tripled when Bongbong Marcos was governor (his mom says) … has Noynoy accomplished something of equal ?
That’s the trouble with your argumentation. You always go to the extreme.
Read my lips: did I say, it’s all the leaders’ fault? My drift was leaders lead, people follow. Now, you and your ilk always say, its all the responsibility of the people.
A great people like the Americans eventually stumble with a failed leadership like Bush but regain respect with a good leader like Obama.
Kapish? Or your too technical to understand simple logic?
leaders can only lead with the approval of those being led.
without the approval of followers, a “leader” has no one to lead.
therefore, a good leader is only as good as the ability of followers to spot a good leader.
where the american “followers” identified and voted an Obama, philippine “followers” keep on voting for the likes of an Estrada. :D
that is simple logic – nothing extreme about it.
This is the first time I’m commenting on FV because this argument is too damn flawed to pass up.
1. You’re forgetting that democracy does not begin and end with the right to vote. Democracy refers to the “rule of the people.” Voting is merely one way that we (the people, not just “followers”) exercise our rule. The other ways are through being vigilant about our elected representatives in the legislature are truly representing our interests (and passing laws that reflect this) and making sure the elected officials in the executive branch are executing/implementing the law–among other things. This is made extremely clear in the Philippine constitution.
2. Okay, assuming that the premises of your argument are valid (“leaders lead, people follow”–which, given the present social conditions, could possibly be explained by some sociologist or political scientist to be the case), you back up your argument by giving the example of the previous US (from roughly the past 8 years). Unfortunately, you made a bad choice of example to back up your claim. If anything, the last 8 years of US politics demonstrate that it is the people who are responsible for what kind of leadership they end up with. In 2000, Dubya was elected together with a Republican majority in the Congress. During the mid-term congressional/senatorial elections, their people again elected a Republican majority into power. In 2004, Dubya defeated Kerry and got reelected by the people, primarily because the economy was good and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq seemed to have a definite end. By the middle of Dubya’s second term, however, the shit hit the fan–torture in Guantanamo, the realization that the wars Afghanistan and Iraq had no end in sight, billions of dollars spent on wars–and the people elected a Democratic majority to the Senate. By the 2008 campaign, political observers noted that, for the first time in a very long time, ordinary people unaffiliated with any political organization hit the US streets to campaign against Dubya and the Republican agenda. And the people elected a leader that they perceived had the potential to change the agenda to what mattered to them.
The whole US situation of the last 8 years contradicts your point; it doesn’t support it.
(Okay, that’s the end of my comment that is long enough for an entry. I will never comment on FV again.)
“The other ways are through being vigilant about our elected representatives”
I meant “…being vigilant about HOW our elected representatives…”
Where did I say that it ends and begins with a vote? Flawed reply from a flawed comprehension. The point is people need to be more proactive than reactive. You gonna be vigilant after voting for a thief right? :D
Uh.. You forgot the years that followed the 8 years. Could have been Dubya III in McCain, but it turned otherwise. Proves the point.
We have to demand Platforms and Programs from any candidate for
political offices. You dont hire people. Throw them in the job.
Then, cross your finger for them to do well.
Most of the candidates have no plans to present to us. And to accomplish, when elected. There are no measures for us, to see, if
they are accomplishing something.
Unfortunately, as the adage goes, people get the government they deserve — nothing more and nothing less. Until and unless the Filipino electorate (and the culture underlying its thought system) get over this whole “Amo” mentality — this perpetual search for and expectation of some Presidential Messiah who will take care of them and all their needs and all their children’s needs once and for all and in perpetuity — one can’t expect much to change in the status quo. At this point, I have a feeling it’ll take no less than a cultural paradigm shift for the Filipino people to rid themselves of this debilitating condition of expectation that change, or relief, or progress are things that will inevitably come from “the outside” — from “our betters” who, out of the kindness of their hearts (and, of course, their wallets) will offer them the salvation — political, economic, what have you — which they need and expect and which will make all their lives better once and for all. Amen.
The Filipino has for too long been way too passive, to willing to sit around and wait for others (those perceived to be better, richer, more clever, more beautiful) to hand them the deliverance they feel they deserve but that they see themselves as somehow too powerless (too poor, too uneducated, etc., etc., yadda-yadda-yadda) to acquire. This was an outlook that may have served them well as colonials to the different foreign powers that have laid claim to the country but, at this point in time, this worldview is nothing so much as useless and unnecessary baggage that have kept the country and its people down.
Things will only be different and change will only come once the people realize and embrace the concepts of self-determination, initiative and dignity. Things will only be different once they reject the delusion that poverty, somehow, exempts them from these principles. Things will only be different once the people get over their reliance on the different self-imposed hierarchies (economic, intellectual, racial, political) that they have overly relied on for too long. Things will only be different once the people realize that each of them has something special to offer the society they want and deserve and that that society desperately needs.
Franc,
Nice summation. The trick is how to get change started.
Joe
On Winnability:
Erap will NOT give way to Noynoy
http://manilatimes.net/national/2009/sept/03/yehey/top_stories/20090903top1.html
so we wait for next pulse survey. Things will look bad for Liberal Party if Noynoy comes in under 14%, considering the recent Pulse had 11%-Mar, 16%-Noli, 19%-Erap, 25%-Villar, 12%-Chiz.
What was Obama’s platform?????
Just like bO’s…. Simply a slogan….
“Yes we can!” “Yes we can!” “We are not red states and blue states.” “We are the United States of America.”
He can thank Wall Street, Greenspan and Bernanke for not doing anything till the financial markets froze in late September weeks before the elections. History played a major part in his election.
He also vows to continue the rendition of prisoners. But no “torture” in the U.S. or by Americans. They will continue to outsource it.
History put Cory and GMA into power. Now we want to go back to 1986. It just won’t work this time.
We want to put in a kinder gentler feudal autocrat. We elect our feudal autocrats who come from the feudal oligarchy.
Name one who will bring down the system that they are so much a part off. You cannot reform a primitive and backward political system that is crumbling…
Ja_G: If you didn’t know, then you should — Obama’s platform was US-troops-Out-of-Iraq.
UP n,
Wellllll, it had a few more planks in it than that.
Joe
Leaving Iraq? Yes I forgot the U.S. green zone and U.S. bases are not considered Iraqi territory… Maybe you might be interested in long term employment in Iraq or Afghanistan with U.S. forces… They are presently outsourcing many functions of the U.S. military including defense of FOB’s. Forward Operating Bases. During the Vietnam war they were called forward fire bases. I can put you in touch with mercenary training.. Good pay…
UP n grad where were you born and raised? You must be a La Salle , U.P. or Ateneo graduate… The U.S. have also established a presence in Kurdistan… Formerly part of Iraq
The U.S. will have a military presence in Iraq for many many years…
A key Democrat-versus-Republican difference is on government intervention / small-versus-Big government. And USA-2008-elections history was McCain saying that Bush policies were working and “The US economy is in great shape”, to be followed a few days later with the Bush team asking for US Congress to approve government intervention because the US economy was about to grind to a halt from a credit crisis.
Assault-rifles was a non-issue for USA-elections-2008 because the Democrats walked away from that debate as they called for more discussions of “Federal Government Spying On Americans”.
Obama did make mention of Afghanistan and health care, yes he did.
“Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone.” John Maynard Keynes
“For my part I think that capitalism, wisely managed, can probably be made more efficient for attaining economic ends than any alternative system yet in sight, but that in itself it is in many ways extremely objectionable.” John Maynard Keynes
Mar Roxas is a doctrinaire practitioner of efficient market hypothesis. Limited government and a rigid believer in unfettered markets. He was trained as an investment banker and everything he does is based on a cost benefit analysis.
There is a reason why in the past the U.S. government separated commercial banking from investment banking. The recent blow up for the global financial markets was deeply rooted in Keynes warning about allowing unfettered wickedness to redound to the common good. One puny investment bank Lehman Brothers brought the world to the edge of a major depression. The state once again had to save the capitalists.
The role of government is strategically critical to the functioning of efficient market mechanisms that do redound to the common good.
Character and integrity alone won’t cut it. At this point in the history of the Philippines where fear of the retributive and distributive justice of the state is completely non-existent, a collapse of the state is in the cards.
We are down to prayers.. That is scary….
J_ag,
If you are praying, too,
we must indeed be in bad shape.
Should I shop for guns, food or plane tickets to the US?
Oops. I know. I should buy tickets to China.
Joe
In other words it is old thinking (thinking that was forged under vastly different circumstances) being applied to a new situation (which calls for, well, NEW thinking).
The challenge, therefore, is to step up and develop, propagate, and APPLY said new thinking.
But then Pinoys aren’t really renowned for their acumen in the business of thinking, are they?
There you go.
Platform, plez™
Whether you like it or not, all roads in the national “debate” leading up to Elections 2010 lead to it.
Joe’s platform:
Executive will seek the Legislature’s cooperation to enact such laws as may be necessary to pursue the following ten goals:
1) The national government’s financial information will be presented to the public in an organized, straightforward manner so that the citizens and those who represent them can understand and help oversee fiscal responsibility and achievements.
2) Government services will be weaned from applying service fees as tax policy so that courts, law enforcement and other government services are available to the public without fee-barrier. Tax policy will be to tax value creation and wealth. Land will be taxed at its true assessed market value, not the value stated by buyer and seller upon sale. VAT, property and income taxes will be the main sources of government funding. Government will be seen as serving exporters, importers, businesses, citizens and investors, not harassing them.
3) A Fair Employment Law will be introduced. This law will require that government and businesses hire and promote solely on the basis of education, skill, and achievement. It will be illegal to hire or promote on the basis of race, gender, age, or personal association. When people have genuine career aspirations, they will be less likely to accept career-ending illicit payments, and more likely to develop productive skills and manners. The highest priority is to get high-skill people into jobs that carry them to more influential positions, and to properly remunerate them for their achievements.
4) An economic solution will be found to end the fighting on Mindanao. The military will operate only to stop the spread of violence, not to impose a military solution, win or lose. No separate region or state will be created and no variances from the Constitution will be allowed. The Philippines remains whole and secular, set apart from any church or religious imperatives. The people of Mindanao are asked to speak through their legally elected representatives, and we will give these representatives ready access to the Executive branch for discussions of the best economic solution.
5) The Constitution will be revised, if warranted, only subsequent to public debate as to the purposes and gains from any proposed revision. This debate will be hosted by an independent panel of constitutional scholars, experts, and community elders. The existing constitution provides a reasonable legal foundation for now.
6) Laws will be promulgated to encourage foreign investment in the Philippines and to bar export of resources and wealth when such export would deprive Filipinos of the benefit of their land, resources, investment and production. Markets within the Philippine will be free, competitive and open, but trade and financial linkages with other national economies will be managed to the best interest of the Philippines.
7) A NASA-style government effort will be initiated to understand and prepare for impacts from global warming, that is, rising seas, intensified storms and micro-climate changes within the Philippines.
8) The alliance with the United States will be recast in its entirety, diminishing the need for military ties and elevating the need for economic ties. The Philippine military will be refocused away from police support, and armed and trained for counterterrorism missions and first-wall defense against incursions by foreign powers. Arms will be modernized as appropriate to these tasks. The Philippines is entirely capable of managing its own military affairs.
9) The rate of population growth will be slowed through education and broad availability of birth control counsel and methods. Abortion will remain illegal.
10) Major initiatives will be defined to improve education, health care, urban roads, utility services and pollution control. Improvements will be staged according to available resources; national debt reduction will be a primary goal, followed by these initiatives. English will be taught in all schools at all levels, as it is the language of economic opportunity.
Vote for Joe, or, maybe better yet, since he is an American dude,
vote for whoever Joe recommends . . .
JA
Benign0,
don’t know if you’ve seen this: http://www.pinoychannel.tv/watch/v-166743?title=TEN%20THE%20EVENING%20NEWS%209-02%202/4
starts at around 8 minutes (the segment after Conrad de Quiros)
You were quoted/mentioned by TV5 News.
Hey, yeah. You and Chuck got some airtime too! All good for the FV profile overall. :-)
I’ve been engaged in taxes for lengthier then I care to admit, both on the individualized side (all my working life history!!) and from a legal point of view since satisfying the bar and following tax law. I’ve furnished a lot of advice and righted a lot of wrongs, and I must say that what you’ve posted makes utter sense. Please continue the good work – the more individuals know the better they’ll be outfitted to handle with the tax man, and that’s what it’s all about.