Law 1: You cannot simultaneously satisfy the anti-tobacco groups and your revenue stream. We made Big Tobacco pay, now it's the smokers' turn. We like the money we got from the Big Tobacco settlement, but it's about gone. Now federal tobacco taxes are raised for children's health, and taxes are poised to be raised again to stabilize the state budget. When you run out of smokers, you run out of revenue. Rich people can afford those taxes, not so the poor. The question: Which is worse - government greed or nicotine addiction?

Law 2: Government will always survive. It survived the Great Depression. It must raise taxes to ensure its continued existence. It's always "We The People" who fund it, but politicians rarely seriously acknowledge that. The tragedy is that government is giving taxpayer money away to banks and corporations, and promises a "chicken in every pot" with the "Stimulus." And, not unsurprisingly, local governments across the U.S. are participants in the giveaway, and have hands outstretched. Note to Congress: If you have to "hold your nose" to vote for giving away nearly $2 trillion, perhaps it's time for a nose job. Should it be a cause of concern that the budget Congress approved more than $3 trillion, the largest in U.S. history? If you think about it, you already know where that money is going to come from. If you don't, you'll know every April 15.

Law 3: Government has never made a profit. If it buys $1,200 toilet seats; how can it expect to oversee a bank? Or a corporation? If the government runs out of money, it just raises taxes. What happens when a corporation the government is a shareholder in isn't profitable? Give them more public money? Grill them in Congress? It is interesting to note that, while millions go jobless, the federal government is hiring to expand its borders as the workforce in the private sector shrinks. What department would you like to work in?

Law 4: Government cannot take the private sector by the lapels and expect it to respond properly. See Law 3. How many government agencies are guilty of wasting taxpayer money with inefficiencies? Why can't the U.S. Postal Service learn to live within its budget, or to even be profitable? See Law 3.

Law 5: You cannot raise gasoline taxes and expect people not to buy gas elsewhere at a cheaper price, wherever possible. Why, then, should the county commission be disappointed when gas revenues aren't what they thought they would be?

Law 6: Some charities turn to government when the people don't give enough. This is, for some, a yearly ritual, and happens around budget-making time. It is a process that bypasses the taxpayer and uses government as a charity "Supreme Court." Charitable causes are worthy of consideration by the public, but government just doesn't have the money in a tough economy, nor do its citizens, and tapping into public tax monies should never be viewed as a right of any organization nor an obligation of either the government the people it serves.

Law 7: There will always be lobbyists. Lawmakers can't be expected to know everything about everything. Lobbyists help research a topic for lawmakers so politicians can appear authoritative and speak impressive statistics to the people. An insurance industry lobbyist is no different than an anti-tobacco lobbyist, a sugar industry lobbyist or a utilities lobbyist. All want legislation to benefit their "industries." What, then, is the real truth of an issue? Apparently, it is what the lobbyist and politician agree it should be. Taxes flow from that.