No Taxation Without Representation

Things don’t happen in a vacuum. Christopher Columbus began a westward expansion of European Domination when he “discovered” a giant series of land masses between Europe and Asia. Over the next couple hundred years, major European countries began colonizing these lands. By the mid 1700’s, England’s Presence in North America became a problem. People tied to the British Empire who never even visited England became disenchanted with a monarchy insistent on taxing them for his own purposes. Shouts of “No Taxation Without Representation” rang out in a rebellion that created the independent nation of the United States of America. Today, we celebrate the 250th anniversary of that declaration of independence.

July 4th isn’t a magical day where we suddenly became independent. There was an ongoing series of skirmishes and all out war between the colonists and the crown. And, the war continued until the 1783 treaty of Paris. So, that was it, right? No more hostilities? Wrong. The war of 1812 was another attempt by Britain to halt US expansion. The US tried to take over British held territory in Canada. And, The Brits aided native Americans in an attempt to prevent Westward expansion. Technically, that puts the Brits on the right side of history for helping the Natives we decimated. But, it wasn’t out of charity. It was, as has always and continues to be, in the service of self interest.

What does the phrase No Taxation Without Representation really mean

When most people say this phrase, thoughts turn to tea. But, taxation without representation goes much deeper than that.The Boston Tea Party Tea was a symptom of a larger issue. And, we see echoes of it today. The Crown and wealthy merchants used their wealth, power, and resources to control the lives of inhabitants in an expanding British Empire. Empires were all the rage at that time. Remember Columbus? His discovery resulted in a series of treaties and declarations where the major countries of Europe declared ownership of lands that weren’t theirs to take. But, the inhabitants of these new lands were naive to the machinations of these warring, technologically advanced monarchies.

So, the taking of all the lands of the Americas was a gross example of taxation and subjugation without representation. The oppressors invoked the old “God is on our side” trope to justify and implement their atrocities. It’s a time tested tactic to use religion to instill fear and submission in entire populations while the rulers profit off the blood, sweat, and tears of the masses on all sides, including their own. These tactics still thrive to this day. The United States has separation of Church and state as a central tenet of the constitution. But, that doesn’t stop politicians from perverting scripture to create fear and division resulting in increased power and riches for them and their wealthy backers.

Token Representation

We have elections that are supposed to prove that we have a government of, by, and for the people. But, that’s not entirely true. The United States started as a system designed to guard against abuse and corruption. But, that boat sailed long ago. The founding fathers used explicitly vague language to allow for application of the principles of freedom across multiple situations. But, they were smart men with noble ideas. Unfortunately, their successors didn’t have the dignity, honor, or intelligence needed to successfully run a country. Greed and consolidation of power have become the mantra of the ruling classes. They built political machines capable of bending the will of the people.

Political parties are supposed to be shorthand for what a candidate stands for. If you want smaller government and personal Freedom, vote republican. If you want charity, fair, and equitable treatment, vote democrat. But, That’s just marketing. Political parties became contradictions. Instead of uniting people, it’s a game. I’m on the blue or red team. The parties choose their voters, not the other way around. And, they use false and misleading logic to convince people of their position, while picking their pockets and enriching the donor class. Elections are won through money. And, the donor class reap the benefits. Despite leaving the British system of Monarchs, dukes, Earls, viscounts, and Barons, we still have class divisions. Bernie Sanders is right: we have an oligarchy.

It always seems impossible until it’s done

In that Clip, Bernie quotes Nelson Mandela: It always seems impossible until it’s done in an explanation of our plight. His first example is what we celebrate today. When we declared independence from England, people said, they are too powerful it’s impossible. You can never take on Britain. But, we did, and we won. But, we only replaced the ruling class of kings with a ruling class of oligarchs. Bernie, eloquently, describes the revolution facing us now. The rich and powerful have, and continue to control the masses. And, people dive into partisan politics as if that makes a difference. They only offer made up problems. The biggest problem in the world is as old as commerce itself: Rule by the wealthiest.

This should not be a partisan issue. I’ve heard people on the right argue that the billionaires provide products and services we all want and need. While there is some truth to that, it doesn’t mean they have the right to profit grossly off providing a service. Plus, a lot of what they offer aren’t actually things we need. They create a desire and then fulfill that desire. Do you really NEED a new Iphone? No. It’s planned obsolescence. When I was a kid, we had a 12 inch black and white TV that cost about $30 for the entire family. Now, we carry fully interactive computers in our pockets to the tune of about $1,000 each, plus tablets, computers, and home entertainment centers. The oligarchs created and developed the consumer class. This country was founded on life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, not of the latest gadget.

The wealthy give us taxation without representation

Bernie is right. The wealthy feel it’s their right to amass more wealth, power, and control. Elections are massive transfers of wealth. Pay attention to political news. Every election, they tell you who has more money in their “war chest”. And, there are infusions of cash from interested parties. So, the people who win the elections are usually the ones with the most money. So, money makes their message more palatable or salient? Picking a candidate should be relatively easy. Who has the most experience and ability to get the job done. And, the job isn’t owning the libs or promoting a particular group. It’s compromise. Who can look at a situation from all angles and apply solutions designed to benefit the most people.

You know who wants you fighting each other? The wealthy. It’s sport for them. Rile people up over trans rights, welfare, immigrants, and school prayer. Distract the masses with culture war issues while companies are given huge contracts and regulations slip allowing CEO’s to make multi-million dollar salaries while wages, benefits, and working conditions are deteriorated for the majority of the people. Words like Socialism and Communism are feared and reviled. But, that’s because people don’t understand the terms. They look at Russia and China and say communism/socialism is evil. No. They have the same problem. Russia is run by Oligarchs. The masses are poor. And, the ruling class live in opulence.

Promote the general welfare

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Sound familiar?

I think people confuse the word posterity with prosperity. And, what we have today is the opposite of what this says. Note, It says “to form a more perfect union”: Not to be a perfect union. They knew it was a work in progress. So, they provided the tools to adapt the country. Establish Justice? How’s that going? It’s selective at best. The current occupant of the white house was CONVICTED of 34 felony accounts. Yet, he got himself re-elected by funneling money and promising prosperity that only goes to a few. Insure domestic tranquility? Nope. It’s a constant fight between left and right with ordinary people caught in the middle. Provide for the common defence. Way too much. Our military spending outstrips the spending of the next top ten militaries in the world combined.

That excess spending on “protection” would be far better suited for the next phrase: promote the general welfare. We hate that word: welfare. it conjures images of indolent lazy people scamming the system. That’s not what welfare is. In this context, it means to help each other to live a comfortable existence with access to all the necessities of life: Food, shelter, medical care, and a safe environment. Do you know who gets the most welfare in this country? Corporations. Corporate welfare and subsidies amount to over $180 billion a year. Individual welfare plans are about $1.8 billion. Numbers shouldn’t be partisan. If we cut 1% of corporate welfare, that would cover all the individual welfare (including the fraudsters). Stop blaming the poor.

As for securing the blessings of liberty? Censorship, Increasing costs in every sector, while the wealth gap explodes means the wealthy have liberty. The rest of us have to slough through long arduous days of working just to stay aloft.

It’s time to echo the cries of No taxation without representation.

During the revolution, we fought against a king in a remote land taxing us for his own enrichment. Today, the people taking our money are right here at home. Bernie pointed out that 3 men have more wealth than the lower 50% in this country combined. When the declaration of independence was signed. The top 1% owned about 7 to 8% of the wealth. That number spiked to around 33% of the wealth during the gilded age. After the depression, the wealth gap eased, creating a burgeoning middle class. But, since the 1970’s, especially with the implementation of trickle down economics that gap has ballooned back to around 1/3 of the wealth in the hands of the top one percent. That 1% control more wealth than the lower 90% of the population. Click this link for some charts of the wealth gap explosion.

The redistribution of wealth in a reverse Robinhood is alarming. And, high earners pay a much smaller percentage in tax than the average American. So, it truly is a variation on taxation without representation. Congress, the white house, and the courts continuously rule on the side of the wealthy and corporate interests far more than they do for individual rights and freedoms. So, your tax dollars and your paychecks keep going to corporations and wealthy individuals. Oil companies like Exxon are making record profits while you pay more at the pump. Household utilities always go up, never down. Grocery prices are out of control. And, nowadays, your computer and phone advertise junk to you that you really don’t need, but buy anyway.

Feeling liberated yet?

People talk about the United states being the wealthiest nation. But, at what cost? That wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few. And, our politics are destroying the nation. The stock answer is that both parties are corrupt. There is truth to that. But, it doesn’t tell the full story. It used to be that you didn’t talk religion or politics in polite company. But, these days politics define people. Politicians, themselves, used to fight over policy on the floors of congress, then sit down to dinner and drinks together.

Now, reds and blues are “enemies”. In the immortal words of Mick Jagger at Altamont: “Why are we fighting?” We’re all on the same team. We may have different ideas on how to address issues. But, that’s what politics are supposed to be about. You take different ideas, run simulations, and decide which is the best approach. Instead, it’s like the Monty Python argument skit. Contradiction is not an argument, it’s the automatic gain saying of the other person’s statement. No it isn’t. Yes it is. This is not how the founding fathers envisioned our democracy. Yes it is. No, it isn’t. It’s not even about the issues anymore. Politicians and citizens deride each other just for their affiliation. It’s all about power, control and money.

And, who benefits from the constant discord: The oligarchs. It truly is taxation without representation. Politicians pass laws to benefit the rich, and, you’re worried about schools putting litter boxes in bathrooms for kids who identify as “furries” (which isn’t a thing). James Talarico eloquently points out the problem in recent campaign speeches: Trans are about 1% of the population. Immigrants about 1%. Billionaires are 1%. We’re focused on the wrong 1%.

Dinner is not taxation without representation

Well, actually, it still is. Have you seen the price of meat and other groceries lately. Climate change deniers blame regulations. But, that’s really the corporate interests feeding lines to people to promote their bottom line. They’ve even warped our basic needs. We need to eat. So, for now, let’s focus on that. Despite all the gloom and doom, we still have, arguably, one of the best countries in the world. Thanks to the brave men who stood up to a monied, political and militarized behemoth, we have a country with the potential for self determination. 250 years of that is worth celebrating. But, take the partisanship out of it.

To that end, we have some Independence day worthy recipes you may want to try out for this momentous occasion. I remember the bicentennial celebration in 1976. We were all proud. Today, not so much. Let’s let this one be a reminder of how great we can be when we say no to taxation without representation.

Happy Independence day!

Pistacchio crusted Sea Bass Over Cauliflower Puree with Golden beet Ginger Sauce

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 People

Ingredients

  

• 4 each 6 oz. Sea Bass portions (preferably center cut)
• 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 cup Chopped Pistacchios
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh marjoram
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Avocado oil for cooking
• For Cauliflower Puree:
• 2 cups Fresh cauliflower florets
• 2 cups Peeled yukon gold or white creamer potatoes
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• Salt and Pepper to taste (use white pepper if available)
• For Sauce:
• Avocado oil for cooking
• 1 Cup Peeled and chopped fresh golden beets
• 2 Tbsp Chopped fresh shallot
• 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Ginger
• 1 small Lemongrass stem cut in 3 inch lengths
• 2 each cardamom pods
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup orange juice
• Juice of 1 small lime
• 8 cups water
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Asparagus, Edamame, or Fava Beans for service
• Micro Greens and Lime for garnish

Instructions

 

• Make the sauce: Heat Avocado oil in a heavy gauge pot. Saute the shallots, ginger, lemongrass, and cardamom. Add in the beets and stir. Allow the flavors to blend over medium heat for a couple minutes. Then add the sugar and stir until it is melted in. Add the rest of the ingredients (except salt and pepper) and bring to a boil. Taper temperature back to a simmer and allow the beets to cook at least 20 minutes. They should be soft and falling apart. Add more liquid and continue cooking if they aren't soft enough.
• When the liquid is cooked down to barely covering the beets. And, the beets are soft enough to puree, remove the cardamom and lemongrass. Puree the Beets until a silky smooth sauce is created. Add a little orange juice if it is too thick. Season and set aside the sauce.
• make the Cauliflower puree. Boil the potatoes in salted water. At the same time, toss the cauliflower in a little oil, salt, and white pepper. Roast at 350 degrees until it becomes soft (about 10 to 15 minutes). Try not to get too much color. But, make sure it is relatively dry. Strain the potatoes well. Puree the cauliflower in a food processor until smooth. Push the potatoes through a strainer or food mill and add to the food processor. add in butter, salt, and pepper. Puree everything together until smooth. Don't let the potatoes spend too much time in the processor or they will become gummy. Set aside and keep warm for service.
• Prepare the fish: Fold the chopped nuts and herbs together. This can be done in a food processor or by hand. Be careful using a food processor, as the mixture can become too moist and clumpy. You want it to be dry enough to stick to your fish. Using the back of a teaspoon spread a very thin skim coat of dijon mustard on the fish. It should be just enough to hold the coating, not to make its own crust. Dip the fish fillets into the nut mix just to coat the top side evenly.
• Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. When it is just below the smoking point, add in the fish. Cook about 3 to 5 minutes per side. You want the Nut crust to be slightly browned. But, allow the green colors to shine through. It may take more time to cook the fish depending on the thickness of the fillets. If you want, you can sear the fish ahead of time. Leave it raw in the middle, and, finish it in a 350 degree oven. You want an internal temperature of 155 degrees. Again, cooking time depends on the thickness of the fish.
• Cook the vegetables. Heat oil in a saute pan over high heat. Add in the green vegetable of your choice. Season with salt and pepper, toss until just cooked through (about 30 seconds to 1 minute).
• Plate the dish: Make a bed of the cauliflower puree in the middle of the plate. Top with the fish. Either drizzle the sauce over the top or pool it around the puree. Or you can do a little of both. Garnish the plate with the vegetables, some microgreens, and citrus is desired.

Notes

We use Sea bass here. But, you can substitute other fish. halibut, grouper, or tile fish are all good substitutes of similar quality. You can also go more delicate with sole or turbot.

When making the potato cauliflower puree, be careful with the potato. It will get pasty in the food processor. You also want the cauliflower to be relatively dry. But, not so dry that it doesn’t puree smoothly. There needs to be enough moisture that it breaks down smoothly. One method to achieve this is to actually boil or steam it first, then pop it in the oven to dry it out. This will prevent it from becoming stringy in the pureeing process.

The sauce can be served as a soup as well. Adjust the consistency to your taste.

When it comes to the vegetables, see what is seasonal. I like a pop of green to really bring the plate to life. Asparagus, Broccolini, Fava beans, edamame, sugar snap peas, English peas all work well. The cooking process needs to be quick though. You want to preserve the color. So, cook al dente. Just get them in and out of the heat quick.

Keyword Cauliflower Puree, Ginger Sauce, Golden Beet, Pistacchio, Sea Bass

Vanilla Cherry Chambord margarita

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine American, Mexican

Servings 4 Glasses

Ingredients

  

• 8 Oz tequila (Blanco, preferably)
• 4 Oz Triple Sec or Orange Liqueur
• 4 Oz Chambord Liqueur
• 1 Small Vanilla bean
• 1 Pint Fresh Cherries, Pits and Stems removed
• 4 oz Agave Syrup
• 8 Oz Lime Juice
• Plenty of ice
• Limes and Cherries to garnish

Instructions

 

• Seed and stem the cherries and cut them up. Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds. Put the pod in sugar to give it a vanilla flavor or use it some other way. Place the vanilla seeds and cherries in a large pitcher. Muddle them with agave. Then add the rest of the ingredients and fill with ice. Mix well.
• Dip glasses in water. Then salt the rims with a mixture of sea salt and large grain sugar. Fill each glass and garnish with limes and cherries.

Keyword American, Chambord, cherry, margarita, Mexican, vanilla

The British are Coming Beef Wellington

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine British, French

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  

• 1 1/2 lb beef tenderloin trimmed center cut
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 6 inch sheets Frozen puff pastry dough
• 1 large Egg
• For duxelles
• 3 cups Assorted wild mushrooms chopped
• 1 cup diced shallot
• 1 tsp chopped fresh garlic
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh Thyme
• 1/4 cup sherry wine
• For Demi glace sauce
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh shallot
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 2 cups homemade or high quality beef or veal stock
• Butter to finish

Instructions

 

• Make the duxelles: saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium high heat until translucent. Add in the mushrooms and stir. cook until soft. Add the sherry and reduce to a glaze. Add in the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Then puree in a food processor. Set aside.
• Make demi glace: Saute shallots in oil over medium high heat until translucent. Add red wine and reduce until it is a glaze. Add half the stock and turn heat down to medium. Reduce by 1/2 volume. Then add the rest of the stock. Reduce by 1/2 again. Set aside.
• Pre heat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
• Cut the tenderloin into 4 filet mignon steaks. Oil each and season with salt and pepper, coating evenly. Sear on a grille or in a saute pan over high heat until all sides are evenly browned (about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• Lay out the puff pastry sheets and paint with whisked egg. Place a spoonful or more of the duxelles in the center of each sheet (enough to cover the top of the tenderloin. Spread to the size of the steak, but keep in the center of the puff pastry. Put the steak on top of the duxelles. Then lift the 4 corners of the puff pastry and wrap around the steak. Fold them over to seal the steak in the pastry. Repeat with all the steaks. Then put them on a parchment lined sheet pan sprayed with pan spray. Brush the tops and sides of the pastry with more egg.
• Bake the wellingtons for about 20 minutes. They should achieve a golden brown crust. Use a meat thermometer to test the internal temperature. You want it to be around 125 for medium rare.
• Heat the demi glace and whisk in a pat of butter. Adjust the seasoning of the sauce. Sauce the plate and place the wellington on top of the sauce.

Notes

If you prefer a well done steak. Cook the steak through more before wrapping in pastry.

These are individual wellingtons. If you prefer, you can leave the tenderloin whole and Wrap the entire thing, Then you can cut it to order. It will show off the medium rare center. But, be careful cutting it. The puff pastry can fall apart easily.

 

Keyword Beef WEllington, British, duxelles, Father’s day, mushroom, Tenderloin

Southern dry rubbed chicken with bourbon barbecue sauce

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

marinating time 4 hours hrs

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Southern

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  

• 2 whole grilling chickens cut into 8 to 10 pieces each (about 3 to 4# each)
• For the rub:
• 2 Tbsp Chili Powder
• 2 Tbsp Paprika
• 1 Tbsp rubbed sage or pultry seasoning
• 1 Tbsp Onion powder
• 1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Tbsp Basil flakes
• 2 Tbsp Dry Mustard powder
• 2 Tbsp Brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp Dry Thyme
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 tsp Fresh ground black pepper
• For Sauce:
• 1 Pint Good quality Barbecue sauce (either home made or store bought)
• 1/4 cup Diced fresh onion
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh garlic
• 1 each whole small chili, split
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 cup Bourbon
• 2 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• oil for cooking
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Make the dry rub by mixing all the spices well or buy a quality BBQ spice mix. Try to avoid the larger commercial spice rubs. They tend to have preservatives that you don't want, and the flavor is designed for a general audience. By making your own or buying local, you can adjust the seasonings to your taste. This rub has a good blend of sweet, spicy, and earthy.
• Cut the chicken or get a chicken cut into 8 to 10 pieces. Place the pieces in a container large enough to toss around with the dry rub. Add in the rub a little at a time. You probably won't need all of it. That's fine. Save the extra for the next time. Evenly coat the chicken pieces and refrigerate overnight.
• make the sauce: Heat oil in a heavy pot over high heat. Add in onions, chili, and garlic. Stir. Cook until translucent. Then add in the whiskey, vinegar, and OJ. Reduce by half. Add in the remaining ingredients and turn the temperature down to a low simmer. Allow to simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Add a little water if it gets too thick.
• Pre-heat a grille to high temperature. Mark the chicken on the grille, about 3 minutes per side. Then turn the temperature down to below medium (between 250 and 300 degrees). Let the chicken cook slowly for about an hour. If you have multiple levels, put the smaller pieces up away from the heat, so they cook to the same degree. Check the temperature of the chicken with a meat thermometer. It should reach 165.
• Serve with the sauce on the side or glaze the chicken with the sauce.

Notes

You can use whatever kind of grille you have. These instructions assume a gas grille that allows you to control the temperature. But, you can achieve similar results with charcoal or wood by moving the pieces in and out of hot spots. They key is, low and slow.

Keyword barbecue, Bourbon, chicken, dry rub, Memorial Day, sauce, southern