Chris Levels's Page

Sorry not to have gotten back to you sooner. This can be so depressing sometimes, that I have to take a break. You were commenting on leaving church. I have gone back, I realized that the congregation wasn't aware and really don't have much in common the hierarchy in my denomination. No excuse for sure, but they mean well, and not going at all just doesn't work for me. I have been reading CS Lewis's "Mere Christianity" lately and it is a jewel of logic and a blessing to read. Kind of like Christianity for Dummies. (Not saying the you or me even is a dummy, but with all the dogma out there I get confused with it all sometimes)
If you haven't read it yet, please do. He explains the profound things of faith in an easy to understand, and relate manner that you'd enjoy.

Hi Chris, it's good that the day is over. It is not easy to be a little fearful about work these days. the jobs are so unstable and the ground seems shaky. It's hard not to "take no thought for tomorrow" when things seem so uncertain. I know we are to "trust in the Lord with all our heart", it has been and on going battle through my life when times have become tough. I can't help but come home feeling depressed and weighed down when I spent the day at work with people that are so scared themselves and very uncertain. I try to be the light of the world while I'm there and let them know that even though I too am afraid I know there is hope. But when i come home I want to break down and cry because my faith is weak from what I preached. I have never heard back from a Advocacy Center who is supposed to be helping me with my getting the SSDI and hopefully some rehab help, it has been so quiet and with our economy with this Obama, I fear it is even more unable to receive. If God doesn't allow it I just pray so hard that something else will fall in it's place. I'm still praying that the seizures will stay under control and I will be able to receive my license again. Thanks for your your prayers and a ear to hear. Richard

Hi Chris, I just sat down to rest for a moment after a long day. It was disappointing to have to go to work today and not able to go to Sunday School or church. It's not healthy to feel like Sunday is just another day instead of a day of worship. It makes it longer. I appreciate your note, I would like to have another prayer partner because sometimes I do feel alone it these battles, though I know I'm not, at times it does feel it. But I also feel like just seeing your letters, you have a lot more people on your shoulders and I would hate to be one more burden. Life today is hard enough. If you would like to stay in contact and I could just share at times, like I have with Emil, my email is rnddavis@earthlink.net I haven't been writing much to him any more because of that reason. He seems so active and much more to be involved with. We talked on the phone for about an hour one night just sharing and praying. It's interesting how God brings people together all across the country. I hope you like my art work, the painting on the left is one I did for a art show for people with disabilities in Washington back in 93. It sold for real good, it was a blessing from God at that time, and encouragement like I need again. Anyway take care and I'll write back again. Richard

Hi Joseph , Pres. Obama loved having our state's Gov. Jennifer Granholm around him prior to his inauguration. Why his positive impulse over someone whose ideas of leadership and fiscal discipline have been found lacking? (Maybe it's her artful rhetoric?) For too long we Michiganders have been victims of our legislators' big-spending policies made possible by an income tax code rife with poltical favor-making - enhancing their own power, but making our families and businesses poorer. Most recently, under the guise of fixing Michigan's tax system, the legislature enacted the Michigan Business Tax. Trouble is, the MBT still remains a gross receipts tax, levying a tax even if a business isn't profitable - which was the problem with the Single Business Tax it was designed to replace. The MBT continues to penalize entrepreneurship and productivity, and Michigan is rapidly losing businesses, jobs, and families - daily !

When I learned about the Michigan FairTax plan, I decided to quit feeling like a victim, and decided to do something to help change Michigan's economic environment - and I'd like to invite you to join us! Thousands of us are working hard to get the word out about a fairer, progressive consumption tax - the Michigan FairTax. Our goal is to SCRAP the Michigan income tax because the system is broken. In order to give Michigan voters the power to choose, we are laying the groundwork for a ballot drive to get the Michigan FairTax on the 2010 general election ballot.

The Michigan FairTax will both simplify, and stimulate, Michigan's business / jobs climate in a dramatic and ongoing manner. It will replace the income tax and current sales tax, with a consumption tax (sales tax at point of retail sale) while un-taxing all purchases up to poverty level - this means no more withholding of state tax from Michigan wage-earners' paychecks.

What's more, every Michigan resident-family will receive a monthly "prebate" check, in amount based on family size (.0975 x $ [ poverty level per family size] ). This will ensure that NO Michigan family will EVEN BEGIN paying the MI FairTax on goods / services unless, or until, they exceed poverty-level spending. Thus, the MI FairTax rate would effectively be 0% on all monthly family spending up to the monthly poverty level, thereafter it would be 9.75%. A reasonable average effective rate, inferred, would be about 5.5% (that's without putting anything away!) Monies placed into savings are not available to spend, and therefore would result in a further effective tax rate reduction.

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~ Become a part of this citizen-based movement! ~

(We seldom email state-wide, generally notifying members nearby to events or initiatives.)

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Under a FairTax system, points of collection will be dramatically reduced (from millions of individuals to considerably fewer retailers, many of whom are already collecting sales tax). With a Michigan FairTax, income tax-- returns, audits, interest, and penalites vanish.

Currently, goods / services prices and fees carry income / payroll tax compliance costs - "a hidden tax," ultimately paid by us. The FairTax will externalize these costs, making them visible. Michigan exporters will then be able to jettison the FairTax, prior to shipment, making Michigan products more competitive, globally. The MI FairTax is NOT applied to non-retail, business-to-business purchases, as this inseparably embeds taxation costs in prices of finished goods and services.

This plan is revenue neutral, as it-- ends "first fruit" confiscation of wages, stops the practice of hiding consumer taxes in retail prices, makes the true cost of gov't visible, and properly pays for gov't as we meet personal and family needs. Take action! - JOIN OUR TAX REFORM ARMY to bring Michigan back!

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Made popular by the federal FairTax bill (H.R. 25, which was either co-sponsored or otherwise endorsed by several 2008 presidential candidates), this approach to taxation reaches across the political spectrum

Mike Gravel (D) - Mike Huckabee (R) - Ron Paul (Libertarian R)

Why the FairTax idea is right for America's working families.

Dr. Laurence Kotlikoff believes that it will take the FairTax to reverse unfunded U.S. gov't obligations, about $53 $88 trillion and counting !!