The third meeting began at precisely 4:55 P.M. EST, as scheduled. Complementing the hundred people who showed up for the televised conference yesterday were an additional seventy or seventy-five new individuals, all sporting bright lime green O.U.T.R.A.G.E. buttons. Behind this growing cluster of individuals, the digital signboard posted the results of yesterday's vote:

ARTICLE II. RESOLUTION: MODIFY SOCIAL SECURITY TO ENSURE MORE SOCIAL EQUALITY
TOTAL NUMBER OF VOTES CAST: 700,643
NUMBER OF "YEA" VOTES: 406,372
NUMBER OF "NAY" VOTES: 294,271

Viewing from thousands of locations across the country, everyday citizens were beginning to sense a new unity of purpose in what was going on; as reprehensible as it might seem to order wholesale killings of America's most prominent, powerful and wealthy individuals, it was also becoming clear that - perhaps - it was the only solution. Pragmatically, it was unrealistic to believe that wealthy people would just arbitrarily abandon their fortunes; powerful people would give up their power; and status-seekers would fade away into oblivion. Jefferson's "tree of liberty" had been "refreshed...with the blood of patriots and tyrants". While, necessarily, the massive death toll included many innocent people who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, the body count also included legions of those who had enriched themselves at the expense of others; lowlife con artists who had taken undue advantage of others' misery; pondscum who neglected laws of the land in order to elevate their personal power base, and cheated countless Americans out of everything from personal property to basic personal freedoms. Politicians, lawyers, professional lobbyists, government bureaucrats, corporate executives of most of America's largest companies, wealthy individuals and celebrities, doctors, and bankers were magnanimously numbered among the
dead.

Abruptly, an attractive middle-aged bartender came forward and peered into the camera. "I am here," she boisterously announced, "to present the third Third Article for a New America:

ARTICLE III. RESOLUTION: REVISE THE INCOME TAX SYSTEM TO BE MORE EQUITABLE AND LESS COMPLEX

A scrappy, take-no-shit-from-anybody kind of firey redhead, the waitress introduced herself as Lorie from Wisconsin. "We all recognize how unfair and unjust the income tax system is in this country, and we all know it's due to the manipulative ways of big business, special interests, wealthy individuals and lobbyists. These scumbags have conspired with Congress to write the tax laws to their own advantage while forcing the rest of us to carry the burden. Oh, sure, the big wigs claim they pay the largest percentage of income tax, but it's a lie. These assholes don't pay their fair share and they all know it.

All their bullshit about 'trickle-down economics' is nothing more than a shell game. The ogre that owns the bar where I work pays us the very minimum the law allows him to pay. He claims that if he had to pay more than a minimum wage, he'd have to lay people off. Hell, he runs the place with a minimal number of people now. By not having to pay us more, he just stuffs more money in his own pockets.

So, I am here to propose a more equitable tax system that is less complex. Many people believe the income tax is illegal and should be abolished. Well, the government needs to generate revenue some way, and taxes are a necessary evil. But let's tax those with excess. Here's the proposal:

Households with less than $35,000 annual incomes pay NO tax at all;
Households with annual incomes of $35,000 - $50,000 pay a flat 10% of their gross income;
Households with annual incomes of $50,000 - $75,000 pay a flat 20% of their gross income;
Households with annual incomes of $75,000 - $100,000 pay a flat 30% of their gross income;
Households with annual incomes of $100,000 - $250,000 pay a flat 40% of their gross income;
Households with annual incomes of more than $250,000 pay a flat 50% of their gross income;
Businesses with annual net earnings (after expenses) of $500,000 or less pay a tax on those profits of 25%;
Businesses with annual net earnings (after expenses) of $500,00 - $5,000,000 pay a tax on those profits of 35%;
Businesses with annual net earnings (after expenses) of $5,000,000 - $50,000,000 pay a tax on those profits of 45%;
Businesses with annual net earnings (after expenses) of $50,000,000 - $500,000,000 pay a tax on those profits of 55%;
Businesses with annual net earnings (after expenses) of more than $500,000,000.00 pay a tax on those profits of 65%

Big business will cry "Foul!" claiming that it will dilute shareholder value, yada yada yada.....
If they don't want to pay the tax, then they can increase legitimate expenses. However, part of the O.U.T.R.A.G.E. overall plan is to also restrict what qualifies as a legitimate expense (things like CEO golden parachutes; glitzy new office buildings; fleets of limousines and airplanes; excessive executive pay scales; political campaign contributions; and Cayman Island 'corporate headquarters' will all be specifically outlawed).

However, if the company wants to give its entire workforce a generous 15% pay increase, that will be acceptable. Any questionable expense will have to have advance authorization and approval from the IRS.

As with the Social Security resolution, there will be conflict and disagreement over this radical proposal. Therefore, I also am suggesting that a public committee be established to study the very best ways to make this the most fair and equitable tax system ever devised, while keeping it absolutely simple and basic. These committees will be composed of average American citizens, and will specifically not include those persons who might have an ulterior motive or special interest. In other words, if you're a billionaire wanting to protect your own income from what you believe to be excessive taxation, you won't be invited to sit on this committee. We intend to structure these committees similar to the Grace Commission that was formed during Ronald Reagan's tenure as President. While Reagan completely ignored the Grace Commissions findings and recommendations, O.U.T.R.A.G.E. and the American voters will be be fully informed of each committee's activities, conclusions and advisements prior to a formal addendum to the law.

So, guys, it's time to pick up those voting devices and punch 'Yea' or 'Nay'. Remember, what you're voting for at this time is NOT something that will automatically become law. Like our founding fathers, we will spend considerable time and energy trying to get this as perfect as possible before anything is carved in stone. We will aggressively invite and encourage the opinions and ideas of every single citizen. I'm just a red-headed floozy from the sticks, but I know this is a better way to create legislation than we've had in more than fifty years. I'm sorry our senators and representatives had to die; I'm truly sorry that the President and most of his administration had to die. But it was time to dismantle the self-serving monarchy they created, and the only way to do that was kill them all - Republicans and Democrats alike. Congress, big business, special interest groups, lobbyists, doctors, lawyers, and government bureaucrats had all turned into a cesspool of criminals, worse than any of the drug dealers, mafiaso, street-corner hookers, petty thieves, and gang killers that infest our communities. While we have ideas on how to put a stop to these lowlife individuals and their despicable activites, we had to start at the top. Because those at the top were the most evil. What we are doing is truly 'of the People, for the People, and by the People'. The 'People' were not being represented by our elected leaders; only the rich, the powerful, the special interest, the lobbyists, and big business were being served. Hopefully, all that's about to change for the better.

Please cast your vote, and encourage others to come along to tomorrow's meeting. We can't do this alone; we won't do this alone; we don't want to do this alone. We need everyone's participation and involvement."

As Lorie stared into the camera, everything once again faded to black.