GREEN: Glitter of fool's gold

In the Friday edition of the Coeur d’Alene Press, there was a letter to the editor written by Brent Regan (presumably the same Brent Regan who is chairman of the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee) defending the actions of the just convicted John Green. Mr. Regan’s arguments were beyond belief. In a nutshell, he stated that a $50 gold coin was worth $50.

Everyone knows that gold and silver coins are now minted only for collection or investment. You have probably seen the ads in magazines, television and the newspaper. A recent ad I saw was advertising a $5 gold coin, “at the incredible at-cost price of only $153.” A new silver dollar sells for about $21.

So to take this scenario to a possible tax fraud example; let’s say that a provider requested to be paid in gold or silver coins. The provider is owed $2,000 and wants to be paid with about $65 in face value gold coins. As a customer you could agree because it is the same cost to you.

The tax cheat provider, according to Mr. Regan, could then claim that he received only $65 in income and would owe taxes on only that income.

To justify this obvious scam is in my opinion immoral, unethical and criminal and the person who perpetrates this crime should go to jail. In fact, they should look up prisons.com and reserve a cell immediately. If the writer of the letter to the editor is in fact the chairman of our Kootenai County Republican Central Committee, we as Republicans are in real trouble. Everyone is known by the company they keep and I for one don’t want to be associated with this entity. I strongly suggest that the committee get another chairperson as soon as possible. Please pick someone with integrity and common sense.

GLEN SEELY

Coeur d’Alene