With Democrats in power doing what we all know they are doing to financially and morally ruin the country, I could just give up. Then the Republicans vote for the pork-filled budget when we have no money to support it.
Perhaps I'm just a pessimistic dinosaur, but it seems the USA is going the way of so many other proud civilizations. Permissiveness, laziness and greed are killing us. Too bad, once we had a great country.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Health Care Reform - A Fraud!
CONGRESS IS COMMITTING FRAUD! Read below to understand how.
How can Congress pass health care reform when no one knows exactly what the plan is? Really folks, most of Congress has not read the legislation or even a detailed explanation of the legislation written in standard English. And there have been through many variations and rewrites. There is a House plan. The Senate is working a different one. The White House has not helped to explain any of this.
Basically, the people are in the dark concerning health care. YET THIS SO-CALLED REFORM WILL AFFECT ALL OF US EITHER BY RAISING COSTS OR RESTRICTING CARE!
Another problem is that the reform plan will be subject to interpretation by the courts. Since the bills run 2000 pages, there is a lot of language that is open to challenge and therefore court interpretation. So when the Congress or President says that non citizens will not be covered or subsidized, do we really know that? Don't bet on it. That's just one aspect. Who knows what possibilities exist for mischief. I would not foreclose the notion that some in Congress have put some hidden bombs in the plan that will lead to complete federal control of health care.
Yet another problem is that you and I will begin paying for this reform starting when the legislation becomes law, but the actual plan doesn't start for several years. What does that mean? It means that the reform does not break even. Honest budgeting (and I bet that I have more years of experience managing major budgets than anyone in Congress) requires that you MATCH income with expenditures, year by year.
Let's explore the budget with a hypothetical that is similar to what Congress is doing. I am simplifying this analysis mostly because neither I or anyone else can know what Congress has kept secret. Assume the following based on the news we have.
How can Congress pass health care reform when no one knows exactly what the plan is? Really folks, most of Congress has not read the legislation or even a detailed explanation of the legislation written in standard English. And there have been through many variations and rewrites. There is a House plan. The Senate is working a different one. The White House has not helped to explain any of this.
Basically, the people are in the dark concerning health care. YET THIS SO-CALLED REFORM WILL AFFECT ALL OF US EITHER BY RAISING COSTS OR RESTRICTING CARE!
Another problem is that the reform plan will be subject to interpretation by the courts. Since the bills run 2000 pages, there is a lot of language that is open to challenge and therefore court interpretation. So when the Congress or President says that non citizens will not be covered or subsidized, do we really know that? Don't bet on it. That's just one aspect. Who knows what possibilities exist for mischief. I would not foreclose the notion that some in Congress have put some hidden bombs in the plan that will lead to complete federal control of health care.
Yet another problem is that you and I will begin paying for this reform starting when the legislation becomes law, but the actual plan doesn't start for several years. What does that mean? It means that the reform does not break even. Honest budgeting (and I bet that I have more years of experience managing major budgets than anyone in Congress) requires that you MATCH income with expenditures, year by year.
Let's explore the budget with a hypothetical that is similar to what Congress is doing. I am simplifying this analysis mostly because neither I or anyone else can know what Congress has kept secret. Assume the following based on the news we have.
- This is a 10 year program.
- The program is $800 billion.
- The services start in 3 years, so they are in effect for 7 years.
- Payment for the services (taxes and Medicare cuts) starts immediately; that is, cuts and taxes are in effect for 10 years.
- The program breaks even over the first 10 years.
What is the math?
- We need $800 billion of income over 10 years. It starts immediately with passage. Assuming that it is spread equally of over 10 years, that's $80 billion per year on average.
- We will spend $800 billion over 7 years. That's approximately $114 billion per year on average.
So we have a program that costs annually (on average) $114 billion but have only $80 billion to pay for it. It does not pay for itself! The only reason the proponents can say it does is because they are fudging the numbers, counting 10 years of income (cuts and taxes) but only 7 years of costs.
THAT IS FRAUD!
How can Congress and the President change all of our lives but not inform us before doing so? Inconscionable!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Obama: Incompetent, Nation-Destroyer or Just Nuts?
I'm sorry to use a pejorative term like "nuts" but look what the President is doing to this country with MASSIVE spending and MASSIVE control of our lives and our economy. He either has no sense, is incompetent or just plain wants to destroy this country. In any case it is impossible for me to respect the "I, Me, My" man who is not big enough to be President.
Are Americans asleep, or have we become lazy? Are we just too busy having fun bashing traditional values? Have we become immobile because of the assault on almost every tradition. Horrid, mind-numbing, foul language music, salacious entertainment, reality shows that display our worst sides, obsessive attention to our looks - covering ourselves in tattoos and having relentless surgery, etc. Where are our minds?
Greed and dishonesty are so prevalent. Where are the values of "the greatest generation" which endured the depression and fought a world war and then built our economy. Are we squandering that heritage? We even trash our history, and more and more our schools are accomplices.
Ignorance is colossal. How many people cannot name their congressional representative, senator, governor or even the vice president. Many know Obama simple because for them he is cool, kind of a rock star. How sad. I would prefer not to offend, but the time has come for unvarnished truth.
We certainly know that Obama keeps company or is associated with a collection of weirdos, kooks, radicals and revolutionaries. We know that he lies regularly. In his recent speech to the Brookings Institute, he mangled the truth and contradicted himself. And if you look back at the way he campaigned, you can see the bait and switch that has occurred. It's just mind boggling.
He campaigned on "change." But seriously is what we have in the way of "change" what any responsible American envisioned. Apparently we bought the Brooklyn Bridge.
You only have to look at economy-destroying actions:
Or have we just got the Manchurian Candidate? Remember the theme of that movie? I have no idea whose "candidate" Obama is, but he sure doesn't seem to be the U.S. candidate.
You need only see and hear our congressional leaders to throw up your hands in despair. Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are disgusting and at times they say things or have looks on their faces that makes you think they are crazed. See for yourself. If you haven't done this you are not paying attention to what is happening in your country.
And how about the promise of more open and transparent government? Is that how anyone sees what what has been done behind closed doors to control our health care as transparent or open?
Again apologies for the seeming hysteria on my part. but this President is a destroyer of our way of life. Coupled with the madness in the Congress, the nation is imperilled.
We need to coalesce behind the opposition and throw out the members of Congress who aid and abet this madness. Stop thinking about your congressman as a nice guy or gal who brings home the bacon. Instead look at the way he or she votes on these big, America-killing matters. That is what is important and why the federal government exists.
Are Americans asleep, or have we become lazy? Are we just too busy having fun bashing traditional values? Have we become immobile because of the assault on almost every tradition. Horrid, mind-numbing, foul language music, salacious entertainment, reality shows that display our worst sides, obsessive attention to our looks - covering ourselves in tattoos and having relentless surgery, etc. Where are our minds?
Greed and dishonesty are so prevalent. Where are the values of "the greatest generation" which endured the depression and fought a world war and then built our economy. Are we squandering that heritage? We even trash our history, and more and more our schools are accomplices.
Ignorance is colossal. How many people cannot name their congressional representative, senator, governor or even the vice president. Many know Obama simple because for them he is cool, kind of a rock star. How sad. I would prefer not to offend, but the time has come for unvarnished truth.
We certainly know that Obama keeps company or is associated with a collection of weirdos, kooks, radicals and revolutionaries. We know that he lies regularly. In his recent speech to the Brookings Institute, he mangled the truth and contradicted himself. And if you look back at the way he campaigned, you can see the bait and switch that has occurred. It's just mind boggling.
He campaigned on "change." But seriously is what we have in the way of "change" what any responsible American envisioned. Apparently we bought the Brooklyn Bridge.
You only have to look at economy-destroying actions:
- health care reform with attendant new taxes, dumping unfunded mandates on states and rationing,
- cap and trade tax increases,
- inheritance tax increases,
- income tax increases,
- wrecking the value U.S. dollar (inflation is coming),
- trying terrorists in U.S. courts,
- the recent EPA ruling (massive new job-killing regulation in the offing),
- "clunker" trade-in and other such incentive programs (they cost!),
- diversion of TARP funds,
- take-over of major industries and financial institutions,
- the nearly $800 billion economic stimulus program (mostly pork barrel spending),
- leftist judicial appointments,
- closing Guantanamo,
- card check (talk about antidemocratic),
and so on and so forth. I know I am forgetting many things, and that is the problem. He has the entire government at his disposal to keep us jumping from issue to issue, dividing people and blurring their focus. This is purposeful.
Orwell, you just got the date a little wrong. 1984 is here in 2009. Our leader is a constant presence spouting his line of propaganda.Or have we just got the Manchurian Candidate? Remember the theme of that movie? I have no idea whose "candidate" Obama is, but he sure doesn't seem to be the U.S. candidate.
You need only see and hear our congressional leaders to throw up your hands in despair. Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are disgusting and at times they say things or have looks on their faces that makes you think they are crazed. See for yourself. If you haven't done this you are not paying attention to what is happening in your country.
And how about the promise of more open and transparent government? Is that how anyone sees what what has been done behind closed doors to control our health care as transparent or open?
Again apologies for the seeming hysteria on my part. but this President is a destroyer of our way of life. Coupled with the madness in the Congress, the nation is imperilled.
We need to coalesce behind the opposition and throw out the members of Congress who aid and abet this madness. Stop thinking about your congressman as a nice guy or gal who brings home the bacon. Instead look at the way he or she votes on these big, America-killing matters. That is what is important and why the federal government exists.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
The Economy - Where Is Serious Debate?
With respect to the economy, I see people using statistics for their political objectives at a time when we can ill afford such nonsense. We should understand what has happened to our economy. It's complicated but needs understanding and action.
First, we face competition on a global basis. We lead in innovation, but our labor and environmental protection costs are much higher than are found in most of the world. Others are quickly using our technology, but have lower costs of production.
Second, we are spending (printing) too much money. This devalues the dollar and will lead to inflation and a reduction in our standard of living.
Third, we need to have perspective on this terrible recession. We must remember that these happen every so often. This recession can pass unless we do things to prolong it. No president or congress (past or present) deserves much credit for getting us out of a recession. The private enterprise activities of people are what saves us. Leave more money in the hands of the people to use or invest as they determine.
Fourth, the government basically stole the funds which should have been invested to pay for entitlement programs and infrastructure. The politicians spent these funds on projects that people in local communities would not have undertaken if they had to tax themselves. This competition for federal dollars by states and local communities has reached a level that threatens our entire society. Really this would be a zero sum endeavor if the federal government wasn't able to print money and steal from the social trust funds.
Fifth, the root of the current recession lies in actions by the Democrats in Congress and failure by Republicans to stop them. Anyone who has been an adult for more than a decade should know what happened. Democrats and activist groups intimidated banks into lending money to people who could not repay the loans. These new entrants also increased demand and ultimately prices. Enter the speculators, small and large who further drove up prices creating a kind of Ponzy scheme. The banks, being savvy, learned to profit from this growth in borrowing. They packaged loans like securities which were then traded without regard for their underlying value. Greedy Democrats buying votes, and greedy banks taking advantage of the situation have hurt us badly.
Sixth, we should know better than to involve ourselves in foreign wars unless we are attacked, and we know who the enemy is. It is not our job to police the world. It is our government's job to protect us nor roam the world looking for problems. We can't afford these adventures. Our best young men and women are asked to police the world, and they do it willingly. We owe it to these patriots to engage in war only when absolutely necessary and by act of Congress. And we owe it to our economy to use our money carefully.
Seventh, the job of the federal government is specified in the Constitution of the United States. It has far exceeded the authority granted to it. Until the federal authority is curbed, we are at great risk as a nation. We can't afford its largess.
Finally, Obama will exacerbate the problems of this country. He is inexperienced and clearly a leftist, the latter never having run a successful economy. He and an insanely liberal Democrat-controlled Congress are on a spending spree that is going to ruin us. These people need to go. We need to get them out of Congress. They are rushing pell-mell to ruin us.
First, we face competition on a global basis. We lead in innovation, but our labor and environmental protection costs are much higher than are found in most of the world. Others are quickly using our technology, but have lower costs of production.
Second, we are spending (printing) too much money. This devalues the dollar and will lead to inflation and a reduction in our standard of living.
Third, we need to have perspective on this terrible recession. We must remember that these happen every so often. This recession can pass unless we do things to prolong it. No president or congress (past or present) deserves much credit for getting us out of a recession. The private enterprise activities of people are what saves us. Leave more money in the hands of the people to use or invest as they determine.
Fourth, the government basically stole the funds which should have been invested to pay for entitlement programs and infrastructure. The politicians spent these funds on projects that people in local communities would not have undertaken if they had to tax themselves. This competition for federal dollars by states and local communities has reached a level that threatens our entire society. Really this would be a zero sum endeavor if the federal government wasn't able to print money and steal from the social trust funds.
Fifth, the root of the current recession lies in actions by the Democrats in Congress and failure by Republicans to stop them. Anyone who has been an adult for more than a decade should know what happened. Democrats and activist groups intimidated banks into lending money to people who could not repay the loans. These new entrants also increased demand and ultimately prices. Enter the speculators, small and large who further drove up prices creating a kind of Ponzy scheme. The banks, being savvy, learned to profit from this growth in borrowing. They packaged loans like securities which were then traded without regard for their underlying value. Greedy Democrats buying votes, and greedy banks taking advantage of the situation have hurt us badly.
Sixth, we should know better than to involve ourselves in foreign wars unless we are attacked, and we know who the enemy is. It is not our job to police the world. It is our government's job to protect us nor roam the world looking for problems. We can't afford these adventures. Our best young men and women are asked to police the world, and they do it willingly. We owe it to these patriots to engage in war only when absolutely necessary and by act of Congress. And we owe it to our economy to use our money carefully.
Seventh, the job of the federal government is specified in the Constitution of the United States. It has far exceeded the authority granted to it. Until the federal authority is curbed, we are at great risk as a nation. We can't afford its largess.
Finally, Obama will exacerbate the problems of this country. He is inexperienced and clearly a leftist, the latter never having run a successful economy. He and an insanely liberal Democrat-controlled Congress are on a spending spree that is going to ruin us. These people need to go. We need to get them out of Congress. They are rushing pell-mell to ruin us.
Global Warming Hypocracy
Help me out, please. How is it that these climate change people are descending on Copenhagen in private jets and using limousines. Can it be that there are special rules for them (some sort of elite), and the rest of us can take the bus?
Reminds me of communism in the former Soviet Union. Remember how the people lined up for food and clothing while the old Soviet leaders had their limos and dachaus? Isn't this a kind of communism. We have the elite leaders: the environmental millionaires (they've got theirs), movie stars, leftist politicians, scientists who feed at the government trough, bureaucrats who will have great job security, and an assortment of kooks. Yes, there are some very serious people who worry about man's impact on this planet, but unfortunately this is more of a leftist political movement than a real quest for truth. It is more of a "let's get the United States" movement that a serious world effort to improve conditions on the planet.
The observable truth is that this planet is being poluted by waste from human activities. It's resources are being consumed without regard for their import to the planet. We do need to change. Earth is changing as it always has, but we humans are now a part of the change, mostly through exess individual consumption and a geometric increase in human poplulation. With respect to the individual what is needed is personal restraint. But as long as the population increases so rapidly, hardly anything will arrest global polution and overconsumption of scarce resourses.
Anyone who doesn't understand the problem of population needs to think long and hard. Use your imagination. Take a look at a population growth curve. Think about this - doubling one hundred thousand (or a million or a ten million) people in a quarter century is nothing for the Earth. But we are doubling billions! If we have 6 billion now; imagine 12 billion in another 20 or 25 years. How about 24 billion in less than half a century. For some reason, I began worrying about this problem when I was a child. I have never gotten over it and am now more convinced than ever that the astronomical increase in population is a disaster in the making.
I am not advocating for any government policy or for abortion. I am simply saying that the problem of popultation growth is at the bottom of our environmental problems. If we want to preserve and enjoy this fantastically beautiful planet, we need to show restraint on all fronts. We don't need elites to tell us what to do.
Reminds me of communism in the former Soviet Union. Remember how the people lined up for food and clothing while the old Soviet leaders had their limos and dachaus? Isn't this a kind of communism. We have the elite leaders: the environmental millionaires (they've got theirs), movie stars, leftist politicians, scientists who feed at the government trough, bureaucrats who will have great job security, and an assortment of kooks. Yes, there are some very serious people who worry about man's impact on this planet, but unfortunately this is more of a leftist political movement than a real quest for truth. It is more of a "let's get the United States" movement that a serious world effort to improve conditions on the planet.
The observable truth is that this planet is being poluted by waste from human activities. It's resources are being consumed without regard for their import to the planet. We do need to change. Earth is changing as it always has, but we humans are now a part of the change, mostly through exess individual consumption and a geometric increase in human poplulation. With respect to the individual what is needed is personal restraint. But as long as the population increases so rapidly, hardly anything will arrest global polution and overconsumption of scarce resourses.
Anyone who doesn't understand the problem of population needs to think long and hard. Use your imagination. Take a look at a population growth curve. Think about this - doubling one hundred thousand (or a million or a ten million) people in a quarter century is nothing for the Earth. But we are doubling billions! If we have 6 billion now; imagine 12 billion in another 20 or 25 years. How about 24 billion in less than half a century. For some reason, I began worrying about this problem when I was a child. I have never gotten over it and am now more convinced than ever that the astronomical increase in population is a disaster in the making.
I am not advocating for any government policy or for abortion. I am simply saying that the problem of popultation growth is at the bottom of our environmental problems. If we want to preserve and enjoy this fantastically beautiful planet, we need to show restraint on all fronts. We don't need elites to tell us what to do.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Taxes - Who is not paying them!
Tens of millions of Americans are not paying income taxes because the tax code excludes them and even pays them at tax time. This is very, very dangerous. Why?
As more and more people are excluded from the income tax, they become beneficiaries of the government, ward of the state if you will. When people receive money from the government at tax time, then they have every incentive to vote for the elected officials who give them this gift. If the number of people in this category becomes a majority, we will have created a monster. We are almost there. Once these people become the majority, they will vote to take money from those in the minority.
If we don't stop this trend and reverse it, the republic is finished. Wake up while you can! Elect people who will reverse this trend.
As more and more people are excluded from the income tax, they become beneficiaries of the government, ward of the state if you will. When people receive money from the government at tax time, then they have every incentive to vote for the elected officials who give them this gift. If the number of people in this category becomes a majority, we will have created a monster. We are almost there. Once these people become the majority, they will vote to take money from those in the minority.
If we don't stop this trend and reverse it, the republic is finished. Wake up while you can! Elect people who will reverse this trend.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Jobs Summit?
President Obama is having a jobs summit without the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Now there is a leader and a very knowledgeable president - NOT.
I can't believe this guy. What a mess, and the amazing thing is that he was elected knowing that this train wreck would occur. Face it the people elects a man clearly without experience, clearly a fringe lefty, and clearly associated with a lot of strange and down right odious characters. Now we see what we have in the White House, a real disaster.
Oh, and we are going to have union leaders at the summit, not the Chamber, a business organization but unions. Perhaps Obama is going to persuade the unions to put jobs ahead of wage increases during this crisis. If that is so, GREAT. But who will take that bet? After all, how many jobs do unions create? We know the answer to that - they destroy them. And I can speak on that one from years of experience.
One last thought. We are going to have parallel, mini jobs summits around the country. We even have a script and templates. We can do our work, and send it to the chief. Why I can see those white boards and easels going up all over the country. And what will come of that? The answer - NOTHING. Mr. President jobs are created by people who produce things that others want. Cut taxes, regulate only when absolutely needed, curtail unnecessary government spending, stop the class warfare and get out of the way. There you have it. No charge for the advice.
I can't believe this guy. What a mess, and the amazing thing is that he was elected knowing that this train wreck would occur. Face it the people elects a man clearly without experience, clearly a fringe lefty, and clearly associated with a lot of strange and down right odious characters. Now we see what we have in the White House, a real disaster.
Oh, and we are going to have union leaders at the summit, not the Chamber, a business organization but unions. Perhaps Obama is going to persuade the unions to put jobs ahead of wage increases during this crisis. If that is so, GREAT. But who will take that bet? After all, how many jobs do unions create? We know the answer to that - they destroy them. And I can speak on that one from years of experience.
One last thought. We are going to have parallel, mini jobs summits around the country. We even have a script and templates. We can do our work, and send it to the chief. Why I can see those white boards and easels going up all over the country. And what will come of that? The answer - NOTHING. Mr. President jobs are created by people who produce things that others want. Cut taxes, regulate only when absolutely needed, curtail unnecessary government spending, stop the class warfare and get out of the way. There you have it. No charge for the advice.
Democrats Love Taxes
I guess if you are a Democrat, you must love taxes because you are represented by the all-time tax kings and queens. Let's see what is proposed.
- End of the Bush tax cuts
- Permanent estate tax
- Taxes on health insurance plans
- Taxes on medical equipment
- War tax
- New taxes on families with incomes over $250,000
- Payroll tax increases
- Possible value added tax
I'm sure I missed some proposals. But the conclusion I draw is that Democrats view all the money as theirs to distribute as they see fit. I don't think this was the principle upon which this republic was founded. But then I am old fashioned.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Obama Bombs
I feel like cheering after watching - not President Obama - but the cadets of West Point. Let me gush a bit because I feel like it tonight!
My respect (already unbounded) for the military, and tonight especially for the cadets of West Point, soared. Here was a group of young patriotic Americans displaying dignity and respect for the President and yet not going overboard because he is anything but a leader, competent, convincing or inspiring. The cadets showed respect for the office, but they know that we have a novice in the office of the presidency, someone who has never led anything beyond a campaign for public office. Watching them you could see that they saw through Obama, saw who he really is and were not impressed with the child president. What insight and how well they handled themselves! They inspire me.
Contrast this with some of my generation, represented by some generals, like the sad sack General Casey. Responding to the Fort Hood tragedy, I couldn't believe that he babbled about concern for diversity in the military. Incredible! Add generals like Wesley Clark to the this mix, and you can see the confusion that reigns in our society. We need more forceful, less PC generals. Thank God for Generals Patreaus and McChrystal. These are our leaders. These are the people we need to celebrate. If it hadn't been for their toughness and forthrightness, we would not have seen this troop increase. We are in this fight and we need to pursue it with all or might or stop alltogether.
The bottom line is that the United States should stay out of foreign wars - don't start them or join them unless they are to protect our country or countries that are clearly allies and only upon a declaration of war by Congress. But once we commit our marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen, we have a duty to wage war ruthlessly until the enemy is defeated. If we don't have the stomach to do what it takes to win, we shouldn't engage in war.
My respect (already unbounded) for the military, and tonight especially for the cadets of West Point, soared. Here was a group of young patriotic Americans displaying dignity and respect for the President and yet not going overboard because he is anything but a leader, competent, convincing or inspiring. The cadets showed respect for the office, but they know that we have a novice in the office of the presidency, someone who has never led anything beyond a campaign for public office. Watching them you could see that they saw through Obama, saw who he really is and were not impressed with the child president. What insight and how well they handled themselves! They inspire me.
Contrast this with some of my generation, represented by some generals, like the sad sack General Casey. Responding to the Fort Hood tragedy, I couldn't believe that he babbled about concern for diversity in the military. Incredible! Add generals like Wesley Clark to the this mix, and you can see the confusion that reigns in our society. We need more forceful, less PC generals. Thank God for Generals Patreaus and McChrystal. These are our leaders. These are the people we need to celebrate. If it hadn't been for their toughness and forthrightness, we would not have seen this troop increase. We are in this fight and we need to pursue it with all or might or stop alltogether.
The bottom line is that the United States should stay out of foreign wars - don't start them or join them unless they are to protect our country or countries that are clearly allies and only upon a declaration of war by Congress. But once we commit our marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen, we have a duty to wage war ruthlessly until the enemy is defeated. If we don't have the stomach to do what it takes to win, we shouldn't engage in war.
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