BE OUR GUEST: HANCOCK II COMMITTEE LAUNCHES NEW EFFORT TO RETURN ABILITY TO TAX TO THE PEOPLE

Mel Hancock is a U.S. represenative, who spearheaded the Missouri petition drive that led to passage of the taxing limitation measure that bears his name.

United States Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall said in 1819 "that the power to tax involves the power to destroy is not to be denied." (McColloch v. Maryland)

On May 27, 1993, the United State House of Representatives passed the largest tax increase in the history of the federal government. My vote was again "No". Also on May 27, 1993, the governor of the state of Missouri signed into law SB380, which is the largest tax increase in the history of the State of Missouri. May 27, 1993, may go down in history as another "day of infamy." In my opinion, more governments have collapsed internally as a result of financial irresponsibility and moral decay, brought on by the lack of fiscal judgement by government officials in the manner they handle the public treasury.

This view of government excesses and taxation was the view of our founding fathers. Documentation of this is readily available by reading the Declaration of Independence, the birthday of which we celebrate in just a few weeks. Those same God-fearing people gave us the Constitution of the United States. I believe this document was divinely inspired. It has provided more opportunity and freedom for our society than any political document ever written.

The state of Missouri also has a Constitution. That document since 1980 has contained a requirement for a vote of the people to exceed certain taxing and spending limits.

Any time there is any question about whether or not the Constitution is being violated, and the legal remedy is to allow the voters to vote, our elected officials should take that course.

The Missouri Constitution contains an oath of office which, in part, requires our elected officials to "...support the Constitution of the United States and of the State of Missouri...," without equivocation. There is nothing in that oath that allows, through trick and device, the "arrogance of officialdom" (Cicero) that Governor Carnahan and some state legislators have demonstrated. SB380 should be placed on the ballot as promised by the governor during the 1992 campaign.

Our effort is not, in any way, against proper funding of public education. On the contrary, our effort is to try to guarantee to the graduates of public education, the economic freedom and opportunity to use their knowledge acquired in a free society.

A society where hard work, dedication to principle, and loyalty to the greatest system of government ever envisioned, allows all of us the opportunity to "...take the calculated risk; to dream and to build; to fail and succeed...", (Dean Alfange) and to be all we can individually be.

A "Hancock II Committee" is currently being formed which will, once and for all, give the citizens of Missouri the ballot opportunity to decide whether "We, the PEOPLE", are in charge of our State Government or the other way around.

The "Hancock II Committee" will bring other organized groups from all over the state under a common umbrella in a unified effort. Already several groups, including United We Stand, have joined the battle. Sandy McClure, state director of United We Stand, has agreed to serve on the advisory committee.

The "Hancock II Committee" will pursue two approaches. One, the legal alternatives available through the courts. Two, a revised constitutional amendment and an initiative petition.

An advisory committee, composed of all segments of our society, a legal research committee and a fund raising committee, are already in the mill.

There will unquestionably be people who will want to discredit the intent of our effort. However, we do not want to damage government or any segment of our society, but we know ultimately we will come to a point where government is taking so much of our productivity that we are no longer free individuals.

The only way to put an end to it is the way the founding fathers did. They took away the King's ability to tax and gave it to the people. We propose to again return that ability to the people.