I am a TEA party advocate, and express my political convictions in articles, letters to editors, and speeches at TEA party rallies.  The recent action by the US IRS is alarming; however, that abusive issue is now compounded by the US Department of Agriculture and US Department of Commerce.  During the past winter and this spring, I have been targeted by the US Departments of Commerce and Agriculture to fill out extensive, intrusive questionnaires on my rural property in Texas.  The questionnaires arrived via regular mail, with a bold warning that stipulated I was required by law to answer every question and to return the forms to the applicable departments.

The questions included identification of every resident on my property by age, ethnicity, income, employment, social security number, gender, etc. The agriculture form tasked me to reveal all income earned by sale of specific animals, fowl, and crops.  Page-after-page pried into my personal affairs.  I tossed the forms in file 13.  A second wave of questionnaires arrived with a stern warning that I was required under penalty of law to complete the questionnaires.  I disposed of that form also.  A phone call was placed to my home; the spokesperson for the US Department of Commerce admonished me for neglecting to perform my civic duty to help the US government compile vital information to help restore our economy.

The agent then proceeded to ask the same questions that were on the printed form.  I informed the person that I would not answer her questions.  I hung up the phone.  Last week, the spokesperson showed up unannounced at my door and proceeded to ask questions.  I politely informed her that the questions were intrusive, and that all the US government needed to know about me was available on my annual federal income tax form.  She smiled and told me that the only way the USeconomy would revive would be through the US government having access to information that could be used to stimulate the economy.  I reminded her that capitalism was a proven way to restore the nation’s economy.  The spokesperson asked for my name.  I smiled and said that she did not need to know my name.  Her question was simply an attempt to get me involved in responding to the inappropriate government questionnaire.  She asked, “Are you against government?”  I did answer that question: “No, except intrusive government.”  She said, “Well, I am instructed to report you to my superiors.  I smiled and replied, “You do that.  Good day.”

I am not a conspiracy theorist; however, the intrusive questionnaires are all too similar with the questions asked by German Gestapo agents during WWII, and by Communist KGB agents in Eastern Europe after WWII.  The recent exposure of abuse by IRS agents adds to awareness that the current Washington, DC administration seems unusually interested in identifying and harassing anyone who challenges White House practices that smell like progressive socialism.   I must ask a hard question of all US citizens, “Are we being pushed into socialism while we occupy ourselves with entertainment, apathy, and tolerance of an intrusive federal government?”

Respectfully,

Ronald E. Johnson

Zephyr, Texas 76890