"I'm 63 and I'm Tired"
by Robert A. Hall

I'm 63. Except for one semester in college when jobs were scarce and a six-month period when I was between jobs, but job-hunting every day, I've worked hard since I was 18. Despite some health challenges, I still put in 50-hour weeks, and haven't called in sick in seven or eight years. I make a good salary, but I didn't inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, there's no retirement in sight, and I'm tired. Very tired.

I'm tired of being told that I have to "spread the wealth" to people who don't have my work ethic. I'm tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it.

I'm tired of being told that I have to pay more taxes to "keep people in their homes." Sure, if they lost their jobs or got sick, I'm willing to help. But if they bought McMansions at three times the price of our paid-off, $250,000 condo, on one-third of my salary, then let the left-wing Congress-critters who passed Fannie and Freddie and the Community Reinvestment Act that created the bubble help them with their own money.

I'm tired of being told how bad America is by left-wing millionaires like Michael Moore, George Soros and Hollywood Entertainers who live in luxury because of the opportunities America offers. In thirty years, if they get their way, the United States will have the economy of Zimbabwe , the freedom of the press of China the crime and violence of Mexico , the tolerance for Christian people of Iran , and the freedom of speech of Venezuela .

I'm tired of being told that Islam is a "Religion of Peace," when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family "honor"; of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren't "believers"; of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for "adultery"; of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur'an and Shari'a law tells them to.

I'm tired of being told that "race doesn't matter" in the post-racial world of Obama, when it's all that matters in affirmative action jobs, lower college admission and graduation standards for minorities (harming them the most), government contract set-asides, tolerance for the ghetto culture of violence and fatherless children that hurts minorities more than anyone, and in the appointment of U.S. Senators from Illinois.

I think it's very cool that we have a black president and that a black child is doing her homework at the desk where Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation. I just wish the black president was Condi Rice, or someone who believes more in freedom and the individual and less arrogantly of an all-knowing government.

I'm tired of a news media that thinks Bush's fundraising and inaugural expenses were obscene, but thinks that Obama's, at triple the cost, were wonderful; that thinks Bush exercising daily was a waste of presidential time, but Obama exercising is a great example for the public to control weight and stress; that picked over every line of Bush's military records, but never demanded that Kerry release his; that slammed Palin, with two years as governor, for being too inexperienced for VP, but touted Obama with three years as senator as potentially the best president ever. Wonder why people are dropping their subscriptions or switching to Fox News? Get a clue. I didn't vote for Bush in 2000, but the media and Kerry drove me to his camp in 2004.

I'm tired of being told that out of "tolerance for other cultures" we must let Saudi Arabia use our oil money to fund mosques and mandrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in America , while no American group is allowed to fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia to teach love and tolerance.

I'm tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate. My wife and I live in a two-bedroom apartment and carpool together five miles to our jobs. We also own a three-bedroom condo where our daughter and granddaughter live. Our carbon footprint is about 5% of Al Gore's, and if you're greener than Gore, you're green enough.

I'm tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses while they tried to fight it off? I don't think Gay people choose to be Gay, but I #@*# sure think druggies chose to take drugs. And I'm tired of harassment from cool people treating me like a freak when I tell them I never tried marijuana.

I'm tired of illegal aliens being called "undocumented workers," especially the ones who aren't working, but are living on welfare or crime. What's next? Calling drug dealers, "Undocumented Pharmacists"? And, no, I'm not against Hispanics. Most of them are Catholic, and it's been a few hundred years since Catholics wanted to kill me for my religion. I'm willing to fast track for citizenship any Hispanic person, who can speak English, doesn't have a criminal record and who is self-supporting without family on welfare, or who serves honorably for three years in our military.... Those are the citizens we need.

I'm tired of latte liberals and journalists, who would never wear the uniform of the Republic themselves, or let their entitlement-handicapped kids near a recruiting station, trashing our military. They and their kids can sit at home, never having to make split-second decisions under life and death circumstances, and bad mouth better people than themselves. Do bad things happen in war? You bet. Do our troops sometimes misbehave? Sure. Does this compare with the atrocities that were the policy of our enemies for the last fifty years and still are? Not even close. So here's the deal. I'll let myself be subjected to all the humiliation and abuse that was heaped on terrorists at Abu Ghraib or Gitmo, and the critics can let themselves be subject to captivity by the Muslims, who tortured and beheaded Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, or the Muslims who tortured and murdered Marine Lt. Col. William Higgins in Lebanon, or the Muslims who ran the blood-spattered Al Qaeda torture rooms our troops found in Iraq, or the Muslims who cut off the heads of schoolgirls in Indonesia, because the girls were Christian. Then we'll compare notes. British and American soldiers are the only troops in history that civilians came to for help and handouts, instead of hiding from in fear.

I'm tired of people telling me that their party has a corner on virtue and the other party has a corner on corruption. Read the papers; bums are bipartisan. And I'm tired of people telling me we need bipartisanship. I live in Illinois , where the "Illinois Combine" of Democrats has worked to loot the public for years. Not to mention the tax cheats in Obama's cabinet.

I'm tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of both parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught. I'm tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.

Speaking of poor, I'm tired of hearing people with air-conditioned homes, color TVs and two cars called poor. The majority of Americans didn't have that in 1970, but we didn't know we were "poor." The poverty pimps have to keep changing the definition of poor to keep the dollars flowing.

I'm real tired of people who don't take responsibility for their lives and actions. I'm tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination or big-whatever for their problems.

Yes, I'm #@*% tired. But I'm also glad to be 63. Because, mostly, I'm not going to have to see the world these people are making. I'm just sorry for my granddaughter.

Federal deficit commission is worthless

The bipartisan federal deficit commission set up by President Obama issued a draft set of ideas on how to get rid of some of the red ink in the budget.

So let's go through some of the ideas:

* Reduce Congressional & White House budgets by 15 percent - saving $800 million
* Freeze federal salaries, bonuses, and other compensation at non-defense agencies - $42 billion
* Cut the federal workforce by 10 percent - $13.2 billion
* Eliminate 250,000 non-defense service and staff augmentee contractors - $18.4 billion
* Eliminate all earmarks - $16 billion
* Eliminate funding for commercial spaceflight - $1.2 billion
* Eliminate grants to large and medium-sized hub airports - $1.2 billion

Some of them probably make sense to you right away - but as you can see - most of these aren't truly "big ticket" items.

It's a reminder of how difficult it is to actually cut the budget.

The plan also focused on savings of $100 billion in the Pentagon as well.

* Three year salary freeze for civilian workers in the military - $5.3 billion
* Freeze non-combat military pay levels for three years - $9.2 billion
* End purchases of the V-22 Osprey
* Cut by half the planned purchases of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
* Reduce overseas deployments by one-third - $8.5 billion
* Modernize the DOD Tricare health system - $6 billion

Add up all the savings and you are just short of $222 billion. Think that is a lot than you need to watch the following video.

http://wimp.com/budgetcuts/

Now that you watched the video you understand that this is only 1/2 penny on the table. In my opinion this is nothing more than smoke and mirrors.

"D" for drive? I think not!

In a recent speech President Obama said “ You choose "D" to drive forward and "R" to drive backward” otherwise know as reverse. He was referring to the fact that his policies are moving the country forward and the Republican policies like that of President Bush was like putting the car in reverse.

Let’s look at the Bush failed policies. In 2007 when Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and then “rising star” Senator Barack Obama took over Congress. The national deficit was projected to be around 100 billion dollars. After 2 years of Democratic control the deficit was projected to be at 168 billion dollars (this was at the end of the Bush Presidency). After two years of driving forward (D for Democrat) the Obama Administration has driven us to a 1.6 trillion deficit.

The President warns about giving the car keys back to the people and failed policies that put us in the mess. May I suggest that it was President Carter who engineered the beginning of the problems by passing “The Community Renewal Act” which was to put every American in a house of their own. This is comparable to President Roosevelt’s “a chicken in every pot.

It would take nearly 30 years, but this policy along with the Democrat party ignoring several warning signs to cause the banking failure of 2008 where then President Bush signed a bailout bill to hopefully correct the problem. The financial failure was made worse by the price of oil going up to $150.00 a barrel. This caused gas to rapidly go up to $4.00 + a gallon.

I would like to correct the President. The “D” in Democrat stands more for destruction. Destroying the future of our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren by deficit spending is destruction. Every child born today has a debt rate of over $44,000.00 owed to the government. If Obamacare follows the same miscalculation that Medicare has, the 986 billion price tag will be more like 9 trillion.

I don’t see how this can be considered driving forward. In the 1930’s the Democrat party tried the same policy and failed. It took WWII to turn the country around. The Obama administration and the 111th congress have followed this same policy only spending more money at a faster rate.

May I suggest the “R” in Republican stand for Reduction and Reaganomics. Reduce the size of government. Reduce the rate of spending. Reduce the impact of government regulations. Allow the private sector to produce the jobs needed to get the economy flowing again. It would be more like resurrection. You could call it Reagan’s “morning in America” all over again. I prefer morning to sunset any day!

What is government's role?

If you are a government school teacher, maybe you should gather your students around the computer to watch this clip. It is a short excerpt from a Q&A session that took place in 1978. The speaker is Milton Friedman. He is asked by a Stanford University student the following question: "How free are the poor, how free are the unemployed, how free are the people who are disadvantaged? What is government's role?"

Milton Friedman's response is worth a listen. Amazing how it still applies today, 32 years later. Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the clip:

• "Government doesn't have any responsibility. People have responsibility."
• "There has never been a more effective machine for eliminating poverty than the free enterprise system and the free market."
• "If you look at the real problems of poverty and the denial of freedom to people in this country, almost every single one of them is the result of government action."
• "We have constructed a governmental welfare scheme, which has been a machine for producing poor people."

Toward the end of the video, a heckler from the crowd shouts out: "Have you ever been on welfare ... or been poor?" Milton Friedman shoots him down with one sentence: "Is there one of you who is going to say that you don't want a doctor to treat you for cancer unless he himself has had cancer?"

JON VOIGHT'S LETTER TO OBAMA

In one year, the American people are witnessing the greatest lie that is cleverly orchestrated by President Obama and his whole administration. The lie is a potent aggression that feeds the needs of people who either have not educated themselves enough to understand the assault upon us all or the very poor and needy who live to be taken care of.

President Obama feeds these people poison, giving them the idea that they are entitled to take from the wealthier who have lived and worked in a democracy that understands that capitalism is the only truth that keeps a nation healthy and fed. Now the lie goes very deep and President Obama has been cleverly trained in the Alinsky method and it would be very important that every American knows what that method is.

It is a socialistic, Marxist teaching and with it, little by little, he rapes this nation, taking down our defenses, making new language for the Islamic extremists. The world looked up to us as a symbol of hope and prosperity now wonders what will become of the entire world if America is losing its power.

The American people who understand exactly what is taking place have come together in the thousands, vowing to try to stay together as a unit of love and freedom for all men and women, from all walks of life, shivering to think that this once great nation will be a third world country.

This will be the first president to ever weaken the United States of America. President Obama uses his aggression and arrogance for his own agenda, against the will of the American people when he should be using his will and aggression against our enemies.

Every loving American for peace and truth and the security of our nation must come out and join the Tea Parties in their states. The opposition will continue their tactics; they will lie and plant their own bullies amongst us. Everyone must pay close attention to who stands next to them. We can weed out the liars and agitators.

Let us all stay in Gods light. Let no man put asunder. We can and we will prevail. God bless us all!

~Jon Voight, April 10th, 2010

THE DECLINE TO A MOOCHER SOCIETY

from Nealz Nuze
When April 15th rolls around next week, half of American households will reach into someone else's pocket without so much as a thank you. The only "thank you" the producers will receive will be the election of politician who promise to plunder even more. Why do I bring this up? Because in 2009, 47% of Americans will pay no federal income taxes. None. Zero. Zip. This is because they didn't earn enough income or they qualified for enough "refundable" tax credits to eliminate their liability.

French political thinker and historian Alexis DeToqueville warned us about this over 150 years ago. In his book "Democracy in America" he warned that our great new experiment in representative government and the rule of law would be over when the people of America figured out that they could use their votes to take stuff away from their fellow Americans. OK ... so he didn't exactly phrase it that way; he actually said something about "receiving largess from the public treasury," but you have to remember that we're speaking to government-educated people here. Define "largess."

While about one-half of American households are busying themselves receiving largess from the public treasury (i.e., mooching), the top 10% of earners - that would be those evil, wicked, nasty households earning $366,400 or more, paid 73% of all income taxes.

The moocher class is growing quickly. In 2007, 38% of households paid no federal income taxes. That figure jumped to 49% in 2008. There is no way that figure is going to be turning South any time soon.

Tell me what is wrong with this sentence. I lifted it from the linked story: "Obama has pushed tax cuts for low- and middle-income families and tax increases for the wealthy, arguing that wealthier taxpayers fared well in the past decade, so it's time to pay up." To a liberal, the Bush tax cuts were nothing more than a favor to the wealthy who dare to earn more money. Instead, doesn't that money belong to the wealthy people who earn it? Why is it "time to pay up" when the top 10% of earners already pay 73% in income taxes?

Now ... if you were to ask this question of a congressman at a town hall meeting you would immediately be branded a vicious, rage-filled, violent tea partier. Oh ... and probably a racist too. Maybe even a child molester who doesn't make sure his dog gets enough to ear.

The Real Racist in American History

1789 – Northwest Ordinance: Prohibited slavery in Federal Territories.
1792 – Founding of the Democratic Party.
1808 – Congress abolished the slave trade.
1820 – The Democrats won the majority.
1820 – Democrats passed the Missouri Compromise: Approved slavery in almost ½ of the Federal Territories. Several states were admitted as slave states. First time in America a Federal law promoted slavery.
1850 – Democrats passed Fugitive Slave Law: Blacks could be taken off the streets if a slave owner said they were runaways. Slave owners needed no proof to take a man, and the black man had no rights if taken.
1854 – Democrats passed Kansas-Nebraska Act: Allowed slavery in more of the Western Territories.
1854 – Many Democrats that were against slavery formed the Republican Party.
1857 – Dred Scott Decision by Democratically controlled Supreme Court: Blacks are not persons but they are only property and can never be fee.
1860 – First Republican president elected, Abraham Lincoln
1862 – Republicans abolished slavery in D.C.
1863 – Republicans passed the Emancipation Proclamation and freed all slaves.
1864 – Republicans passed many Civil Rights Bills: Repeal of Fugitive Slave Law. The 13th amendment was passed banning slavery.
1866 – Democrats attacked the Republican Convention in New Orleans that year. Killing 40 blacks, 20 whites, and wounding 150.
1866 – Democrats formed the KKK to terrorize the blacks and Republicans. Republicans were considered radicals because they allowed blacks to run for office.
1866 – Republicans (94%) passed 14th Amendment giving freed slaves full rights as citizens.
1867 – Republican Party of Texas was founded by 150 blacks and 20 whites.
1868 – Nathan Forrest, the KKK Grand Wizard, was the honored leader at the Democratic National Convention that year.
1870 – The 15th Amendment was passed to insure the right to vote for blacks. All Democrats voted against it.
1871 – Law passed giving the Federal Government the power to fight the KKK.
1876 – Democrats in power again and pushing for segregation.
1893 – Democrats had both houses and tried to repeal the 14th and 15th Amendments.
1956 – The Southern Manifesto passed by Democrats supporting segregation. Many laws were also passed to keep the blacks from voting like a poll tax, intelligence tests, Grandfather clauses (grandfather must have voted), multiple ballots, hide-and-seek voting, Jim Crow Laws (segregated areas). This caused segregation to continue for 75 more years.
1960 – Kennedy was the first Democrat to really help the blacks.
1963 - Civil Rights Laws passed. However, President Kennedy relied on Republicans to pass Civil Rights as Democrats heavily opposed it.
1964 – Poll Tax repealed.

From 1882 – 1964 we had 4,743 hangings because of the Democrats and the KKK. Of that total we had 3,446 blacks killed and 1,297 white Republicans killed.

DISPELLING MYTHS ABOUT CAPITAL GAINS

One more thing about this Katrina vanden Heuvel article on wealth for the common good. She has this line about capital gains taxes and how decreasing those taxes "most benefits those in the highest income brackets." In other words .. it only helps rich people. So I did a little research, and here for you pleasure are a few myths and facts about capital gains taxes. Don't bother bringing these facts to a liberal. They will be incapable of comprehending an argument based on logic and facts.
Myth: Lowering capital gains tax rates will not help the economy.
Fact: Cutting capital gains tax rates is the single best tax policy to improve economic growth.
Capital gains play a unique role in fostering economic activity, especially by entrepreneurs in high-technology areas.
In fact, many economists believe that the optimal tax rate on capital gains is 0 percent. Because government first takes money through corporate income taxes, taxation of capital gains (and dividends) represent double-taxation of investment returns and should be eliminated.
Myth: If there is a capital gains tax cut, it should be temporary and it should not be available to all investors.
Fact: Only a permanent capital gains cut available to all investors - include those who invested long ago -- will stimulate new investment and revive economic growth.
A temporary cut will induce people to sell assets, but it will not stimulate new investors who will face today's high rates again in the future after the temporary reduction has expired.
A temporary cut will "lock-out" new investment and will hurt economic growth. The induced selling without incentives for new investment will further depress stock and other asset prices and will not stimulate new investment. By unlocking held assets and inducing people to sell investments, a temporary cut may increase tax revenue - it may not, though, because asset prices will be lower - but it will not help stimulate economic growth.
A permanent cut will provide the incentives for people now to sell long-held unproductive assets and for people now and in the future to make new productive investments.
Myth: Cutting capital gains tax rates will cause stock markets to fall.
Fact: Cutting capital gains tax rates will, as it has in the past, cause asset values, including stock markets, to rise.
Some people claim that lowering capital gains tax rates will cause the stock market to fall, because people would sell their investments. By this silly logic, if people want to increase stock market values, then there should be an increase in capital gains tax rates, because, then investors would be less willing to sell investments.
In fact, lowering capital gains tax rates increases the prices of stocks and other assets. Stock markets reflect the collective actions of people looking forward.
Lowering the cost of capital by decreasing tax rates on investment returns will increase asset values.
For example, the 1997 cut in the top capital gains tax rate from 28 percent to 20 percent increased stock prices by approximately 8 percent.
Myth: Capital gains tax cuts benefit the "wealthy."
Fact: Capital gains tax cuts improve the entire economy.
Capital gains tax reductions stimulate economic growth, which benefits the entire country.
Capital gains taxes disproportionately hurt the elderly, low and middle-income investors who have less discretion over the timing of their capital gains.
Most people who report capital gains do not have high annual incomes.
People with high incomes are most sensitive to capital gains tax rates, because they possess the most flexibility and means to avoid high tax rates. When capital gains tax rates are high, people with high incomes do not sell their assets and realize their gains.
High-income people pay a greater percentage of capital gains taxes when capital gains tax rates are low than when capital gains tax rates are high.
High capital gains tax rates make capital scarce. When capital is scarce it goes to safe investments. Low capital gains tax rates make capital abundant. When capital is plentiful it goes to "riskier" investments - such as inner cities and disadvantaged areas.
Myth: Lowering capital gains tax rates will not lead to more investment.
Fact: Taxpayers are very responsive to capital gains tax rates. High capital gains tax rates punish and reduce investment. Low capital gains tax rates induce more investment. Taxpayers have a choice over when to realize capital gains and pay taxes. High capital gains tax rates lead people not to invest and current investors to hold assets, increasing the "lock-in" effect.
Lowering capital gains tax rates increases new investment and unlocks long-held undesirable assets, thereby increasing capital gains realizations.
High-income taxpayers, who have great discretion over the timing of their investment decisions, are particularly responsive to changes in capital gains tax rates.
Myth: Government cannot "afford" large and permanent cut in capital gains tax rates.
Fact: Improving economic growth is the proper focus of the debate regarding capital gains tax rates, and greater economic growth increases federal tax revenue from many sources. The correct goal of tax policy should be to maximize economic growth, not tax revenue. Consequently, the optimal tax rate is the rate that is best for the economy, and this rate is lower than the rate that provides the government with the most tax revenue. The government should not act like a business trying to maximize revenue. Rather, the goal of tax policy should be to enhance economic growth and raise only as much tax revenue as is needed, not as much as is possible. More investment and greater realizations caused by lower capital gains tax rates lead to increased capital gains tax revenue and more revenue from other taxes such as corporate taxes, personal income taxes, and payroll taxes. When predicting the budgetary effects of capital gains tax rate changes, it is necessary to account for behavioral responses by using "dynamic" rather than "static" scoring.
Myth: Capital gains already receive preferential treatment because they are taxed at lower rates than ordinary income.
Fact: Double-taxation of investment returns and taxing inflation cause capital gains tax rates to exceed tax rates on ordinary income.
The government taxes investment returns - dividends and capital gains - twice, first as corporate income taxes and then as personal income taxes.
This double taxation causes capital gains tax rates to exceed ordinary income tax rates. For example when a corporation earns $100 profit, the government takes $35 in corporate taxes, leaving $65 distributed to investors taxed at 20%. The government takes another $13 (20% of $65) in capital gains taxes, leaving investors with $52 and government with $48 out of the original $100 profit. Thus, an effective tax rate on capital gains of 48%. (Note: Since dividend are also subject to double taxation, but are taxed at ordinary income tax rates, the effective tax rates on dividends can approach 60%!)
The most counterproductive and unfair characteristic of the tax on capital gains is that it taxes inflation, because capital gains are not adjusted for inflation. The example above does not even include the fact that capital gains taxes include taxes on inflation, and, therefore, actually tax investors at even higher real tax rates - at times more than 100%!
For example, if an investment of $1000 rises in value to $1100, while prices generally have risen 10%, there is no real (after inflation) increase in value. However, an investor who sold this asset for $1100 would still have to pay taxes on the inflationary gain of $100. At the current top statutory rate of 20%, this investor would pay $20 in capital gains taxes on an investment that produced no real gain. The result, in this case, is a tax rate of infinity!
The policy of failing to adjust capital gains for inflation raises effective capital gains tax rates to levels substantially exceeding statutory rates and often surpassing 100 percent.
These high effective tax rates force investors to retain assets, increasing the "lock-in" effect. Moreover, the policy hurts economic growth by inhibiting new investments, because under current law inflation is a risk investors must bear.
The tax on inflation most severely punishes the elderly, low-income, middle-income, and less successful investors, because these people are less able to adjust the timing of their investment decisions than investors with higher incomes.
Indexing (adjusting) capital gains for inflation - as other countries have done - would eliminate the unfair and harmful tax on inflation.

UNIONS AND STATES

No secret here. I'm not fond of unions, and I'm particularly not fond of government unions. This country would be so much better off if FDR had managed to have his way and forbid government workers to unionize. Government employee unions are a pestilence, a plague. They're worst than the baddest locust swarm you've ever imagined ...though not nearly as smart and hard working. Oh ... and government employee unions eat taxpayer money instead of crops.

The Cato Institute did a little study on states and their rising debts. Interestingly enough, they discovered something common among states with high per-capita debts.

That something in common would be a high level of unionization of government employees. Yup, the states with the highest per-capita debt also happened to be the states with the largest government union workforces. You can see a handy little chart if you click here, but here are some of the details:

• Among states whose government workers are less than 40 percent unionized, median per capita state debt is $2,238.
• Among states with between 40 and 60 percent of their government workers in public sector unions, the average debt is $3,609.
• Among states with more than 60 percent of the government workforce unionized, the average (median) per capita debt is $6,380.

I am reminded of a wonderful column about the difference between private and government unions. The difference is quite simple but incredibly important: Government union members know that the government is not going to go out of business. The same cannot be said for unionized workers at private companies. The government unions, then, can push their demands to the absolute limit knowing that their employer will simply have to pay up eventually. The union mentality is that all the employer - the government - has to do is just simply raise taxes to cover the cost of their new contract and expensive health and pension plans.

This profound difference is the reason why states like those described above are drowning in union contracts. As I said, the states can't just "go out of business," so their solution is either renegotiate contracts - which isn't all that popular an option for politicians who want to be re-elected with the union seal of approval - or you raise taxes. You know where the story goes from there ...

THE REPUBLICANS HAVE THEIR PLATFORM

from Nealz Nuze

Forget a resurrection of the 1994 Contract With America. Forget the latest "Contract From America" version. The Republicans need only make one promise for the 2010 elections ... Repeal ObamaCare. The survival of our country as we have know it is Barack Obama said that he wanted to "fundamentally transform" the United States of America. Now we know that by "fundamentally transform" he meant that he wanted to plunge America so deep into debt that all private sector growth will come to a complete halt. Obama's "transformation" is one from a private sector economy to an economy that is centrally planned by government bureaucrats and politicians.

This is the Cloward-Piven strategy at work in an economic sense. Obama considers the private sector to be "the enemy." Those are his words. Read his books. What do you do to your enemy? You destroy it. ObamaCare will destroy our economy. The taxes, the wealth seizure and redistribution, the destruction of the private jobs market, the deficits and the debt future generations will never be able to repay. When Obama's anti-capitalist policies work their magic - when our economy seems beyond repair - Obama will be ready to move in with even more of the magic of government. His Pay Czar will be put in charge of all private-sector pay scales. The government will decide where the job growth will occur and where jobs will be abandoned. Every economic move you make will be dictated by government policy. Your pension plans and retirement savings will be confiscated to "shore-up" Social Security.

Change and A New Direction You Can Believe In?

Princess Pelosi is feeling her oats. (No, I didn't say she eats oats.) Pelosi says that Barack Obama was more excited when healthcare legislation passed the House than the night he was elected president. Perhaps that's because he knew his election was a foregone conclusion .. not so for ObamaCare. Or .. maybe that was because his election meant that he was going to realize his dream of "fundamentally transform(ing) America." Fact is the passage of ObamaCare DID "fundamentally transform America." America is being transformed from a society of independent-minded, hard-working individuals to one where government rules all aspects of life. The transformation is to government dependency where self-reliance used to be the norm. In Obama's America people actually get smokin' mad when you suggest they should be responsible for their own lives.

DeToqueville's prediction has come to pass. A huge number of Americans have figured out they can use a ballot box to take someone else's property .. and America is in decline.

Pelosi said she told Obama, "If you had not been elected president of the United States, we would not be celebrating this victory for change to take our country in a new direction."

This sounds similar to something Pelosi said just weeks ago to a roundtable of liberal bloggers. Remember this quote? Pelosi said, "Kick open that door, and there will be other legislation to follow ... We'll take the country in a new direction."

As I've already explained above, it is no secret what this "new direction" encompasses - an entitlement society, a redistributive society, a society based on some leftist idea of "fairness" rather than hard work. A society that demonizes success and honors failure.

We've seen that the moocher class is more than ready to become active in their quest for someone else's property. The question now is whether or not the productive class is ready to fight back. Our decline is apparent. If you can't see it, you aren't paying attention. Seeing it happen in front of your face is one thing ... doing something about it is another. Are you prepared to work as hard to preserve liberty as the left is to destroy it? Are you willing to work as hard to keep the wealth you produce as the moochers and looters are to seize it?

I've been alive for 55 years now. That's quite a few elections. I have never been through an election as important as this one. I've never seen an election as critical to the future of this country.

You now have a good idea what Obama meant by "fundamentally transform." He has every intention of transforming America to a European-style socialist welfare state where government is the most important single factor in the lives of every American. Obama intends to punish productivity and reward laziness to the point that we become an egalitarian society (where everyone has an equal amount of stuff) rather than a society of equal opportunity.

You've seen ObamaCare. Our country cannot survive this hideously expensive monstrosity. But there's more to come. Cap-and-Trade is on the way. Unions will become more powerful. And then there's the Value Added Tax. If we sit on our kiesters in November and leave the now-dangerous Democrat Party in charge we might not have another chance to turn this around. I know. I know. That sounds overboard - but I believe it strongly. The mid-term elections this November will be transformational. You can say "no more" to Obama and his plans to fundamental transformation, or you can say ... "What the hell, go ahead. We'll see how it works out."

Remember ... as you campaign for the defeat of Democrats this November you'll be called every name in the book. You'll be a racist, of course. But you'll also be a violent, dangerous right-winger who wants to kill anyone who works for or enables the federal government. You'll be defined as someone who wants children and old people to die. You name it .. you'll be called it. People will fight very hard and use every tactic to protect their power or their dependency status.

Are you up to it?

UNIONS AND RED INK

No doubt you know that several states out there are having financial problems. There are underfunded pensions, declining tax revenues and increased costs associated with the recession; and these problems only scratch the surface.

Forbes.com has developed some information that you might find interesting. First of all, here's a list of the five states that are in the worst financial shape:

* Illinois
* New York,
* Connecticut
* California
* New Jersey

... and the list of the five states in the best condition financially:

* Utah
* Nebraska
* Texas
* New Hampshire
* Virginia

Now ... let's look at the politics. The five states in the worst financial condition are solidly Democrat. They are the bluest of the blue. Of the three states in the best financial condition, three are solidly Republican; Utah, Nebraska and Texas. The other two lean Democrat, but only slightly.

The question, then, is why do heavily Democrat states seem to be in the poorest financial condition? According to Forbes, the problems in these Democrat-controlled states revolve around two facts ... stronger unions and more moochers. By more moochers I mean what Forbes refers to as "a stronger appetite for public programs." Stronger appetite for public programs? That means you have more people who are interested in using the government as an instrument of plunder (the moochers) than you have people who are interested in such arcane concepts as self-reliance and hard work.

Example? This from yesterday's (3/1/2010) Washing times: For the first time since the Great Depression, Americans took more aid from the government last year than they paid in taxes. Now just how long can we sustain this?

Sooner or later we're going to have to recognize that the proliferation of government sector unions and the growth of the moocher class are combining to bring this country to economic ruin. With unions you get less work for more money. With the moocher class you get no work - nothing productive - for vast sums of money. Productive American taxpayers pay the price.

Again FDR was steadfastly opposed to government-sector unions. He had that right, but where is the politician today that has the nerve to bust these unions; to cut them off at the knees. Look at Greece, where the economy is in ruins. Perhaps it's important to know that over 50 percent of people with jobs in Greece work for the government, and most of them are represented by unions. Right now the unions are marching through the streets offering up threats and rhetoric as solutions to Greece's problems. Could that scene be repeated here?

So, Let's Recap "2009".........what a year!

1. The American people inaugurate a half-black president with a total of 142 days experience as a US Senator from the most politically corrupt state (city) in America whose governors have been ousted from office.
The President's first official act is to order the close of Gitmo and make sure
terrorists civil rights are not violated.
(honest mistake?)


2. The U.S. Congress rushes to confirm a black Attorney General, Eric Holder, whose law firm we later find out represents seventeen Gitmo Terrorists..

(An honest mistake?!)

3. The CIA Boss appointee, Leon Panetta, has absolutely no experience, has a daughter Linda, we find out, who is a true radical anti-American activist and a supporter of all the Anti-American regimes in the western hemisphere. (There were socio-economic factors involved!)
4. We got the second most corrupt American woman (Pelosi is #1) as Secretary of State; bought and paid for. (You can put lipstick on a pig, but it still stinks!)


5. We got a Tax Cheat for Treasury Secretary who did not properly file his own taxes for 12 years.
(He misspoke!)


6. A Commerce Secretary nominee who withdrew due to corruption charges.
(Another honest mistake???)


7. A Tax cheat nominee for Chief Performance Officer who withdrew under charges.
(Hmmm.. another screw-up?)


8. A Labor Secretary nominee who withdrew under charges of unethical conduct.
(Ok, maybe this person was just plain stupid.)


9. A Secretary HHS nominee (Daschle) who withdrew under charges of cheating on his taxes.
(I'm running out of excuses for these idiots!!)


10. Multiple appointments of former lobbyists after an absolute campaign statement that no lobbyists would be appointed.
(Ohh, I am getting a headache!)


All this occurred just during the first three weeks. . . but who's counting?


America is being run by the modern-day Three Stooges ; Barry, Nancy and Harry and they are still trying to define stimulus..."it's spending!!!"


The congress passes the $800,000,000,000 (that's $800 billion) pork-loaded spending bill where the government gives you a smidgen of your tax dollars ($13 per week), making you feel so good about yourself [stimulated], that you want to run out to Wal-Mart and buy a new Chinese-made HDTV and go home and watch Telemundo!

Only with the Liberals...

Pray for our country. Here's the good news though - Obama took Air Force One to Denver to sign the stimulus package, wasting as much as 10,000 gallons of fuel OR 24 JOBS FOR ONE YEAR.

Don't you just love hypocrites?
Speaking of praying, Obama has now been president for a full year and yet he & wife (first lady) Michelle, the Christian family they claim to be, have not attended church since the inauguration.
He must miss Reverend Wright!

Happy Anniversary?

One year ago President Obama signed the $786 billion stimulus package into law. Currently the CBO says the true cost of the stimulus package is $862 billion and that does not include interest, which would put its true cost closer to $1.2 trillion.

The President said that he needed congress to push the package through quickly so the unemployment rate would not go over 8%. On this anniversary the unemployment rate is around 10% with the real unemployment rate is close to 17%

In 2009 there was less than 30% of the stimulus package spent, which is a little more than was designed by the law. In 2010 an election year, some 40% of the package is due to be spent. So you need to ask your Congressman why did we spend so little money when the economy needed the money in 2009? Why are we spending so much in an election year?

It would be interesting to hear the falsehood he comes up with. I am sure he would not admit to the true cost and that it was by design that they are spending the majority of the stimulus in 2010 & 2012.

Great Article

Harry Reid's Corrupt Christmas Present

By Newt Gingrich

The Democratic leaders of the House and the Senate reportedly are planning on finalizing their differing health care "reform" bills in secret.

That's right. They're kicking out the C-SPAN cameras and planning on huddling behind closed doors with a few Obama Administration power brokers to transform the American health care system.

Not that anyone should be surprised by this, of course. "Secret" and "corrupt" are the two words that best describe the process by which Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid produced his trillion-dollar government takeover of our health care system.
A First Look At Harry Reid's Corrupt Christmas Present
The American people didn't have much of a chance to get a good look at Senator Reid's corrupt Christmas present before it was passed. The legislation would dramatically expand the power and scope of the federal government – and fail to fix any of the problems we face.

That continues the course of action that Democrats have taken this entire year on health reform. Every bill that has been introduced, from the House Tri-Committee bill this summer to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee to Harry Reid's latest bill, the recipe is the same: More regulation, higher taxes, bigger government, less control for you.

Here are just a few of the Reid bill's details:
· 2,409 pages (by comparison, the legislation that created Social Security was just 82 pages long)
· $518 billion in tax increases (Joint Committee on Taxation and the Congressional Budget Office)
· $466 billion in cuts to Medicare and Medicaid (CBO)
· Many costs of the legislation won't begin until 2014, but taxes will be imposed immediately (CBO)
· Federal outlays for health care would increase by about $200 billion between 2010-2019 (CBO)
· $26 billion of unfunded mandates to states over the next 10 years that will likely result in higher taxes (CBO)
· Would increase non-group premiums by $300 per individual and $2,100 per family (CBO)
· Up to 10 million people will lose their current health insurance coverage under the bill (CBO)
· Adds a 10% tax on indoor tanning services (Section 10907)
No Christmas Miracle, Just a Lot of Washington Payoffs
As I mentioned before, Harry Reid didn't need a Christmas miracle to pass this massive bill. Instead he used an approach more appropriate for The Sopranos than for the nation's capital: payoffs. There may not have been any smoke-filled rooms, but there were plenty of shady deals.

The most egregious were those for Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska. He was the final holdout. Without his support, the bill would have been stopped. But Ben buckled under the pressure.

He was particularly pliable on his demands that no federal funding go to cover abortions. Instead he accepted a watered down compromise that allows individual states to prohibit plans that cover abortion services—a compromise that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and numerous pro-life groups denounced as paving the way for federally funded abortions.
The Nebraska Exemption to Higher Medicaid Costs
But when Harry Reid needed his vote, Sen. Nelson took the money and ran -- $100 million to be exact. Nebraska will be the only state in the country where the full costs of Medicaid expansion will be covered by the federal government. Specialty hospitals in Nebraska will be exempted from new regulations. The state's largest insurers will be shielded from new regulations. Here are the details of the Nebraska Exemption:
· Federal government fully finances Medicaid expansion for two years and then increases its matching funds (known as FMAP) thereafter to 100% -- in perpetuity (Section 10201), totaling about $100 million
· Reid bill specifically identifies Nebraska for higher federal matching funds, fully funding its expansion for an additional year
· Carve outs for physician-owned hospitals in Nebraska
· Physician self-referral exemptions within Nebraska
· Nelson's abortion compromise: a state may elect to prohibit abortion coverage in qualified health plans offered through an exchange if the state enacts a law to prohibit it
· Shields two Nebraska insurers from taxes that other plans will pay: Mutual of Omaha and Blue Cross/Blue Shield (language crafted so it only affects these two in Nebraska)
The Roll Call of Shame:
Senator Nelson Wasn't the Only Senator Bought Off
But Sen. Nelson wasn't the only senator to be bought off by Majority Leader Reid. More than a dozen other states received special goodies, including:
· Louisiana
$300 million in additional Medicaid funding
· Vermont
2.2% FMAP increase for 6 years for Vermont Medicaid program
$600 million in additional Medicaid funding (CBO)
· Massachusetts
0.5% FMAP increase for 3 years for their entire program
$500 million in additional Medicaid funding (CBO)
· Hawaii
Restores DSH funding eliminated in the past to expand Medicaid eligibility
· Michigan
Adjusts payments to hospitals according to local wage levels, which when adjusted aids Michigan Exemption for non-profit insurers in the state from large excise tax
· Connecticut
$100 million earmark for construction of a University of Connecticut hospital
· Montana
Medicare coverage for individuals exposed to environmental health hazards in or around the geographic area of Libby, Mont., subject to an emergency declaration as of 6/17/09
· South Dakota , North Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana
Adds 1% hospital wage index
Adds 1% practice index for physicians to cover geographic cost differences
A Massive Bill, Compiled in Secret and Negotiated Through Corruption, Will Now Be Finalized in Secret
And so it has come to this: A massive bill, compiled in secret, negotiated through corruption, and passed by a party-line vote, will now be finalized in secret.

Americans deserved better for Christmas.

Reports are that House and Senate Democrats will go around the normal legislative process of a formal, transparent conference to iron out their differences. (This chart written by Democratic staffers provides a good summary of both bills, though it also includes a lot of spin.) But rather than a representative group of lawmakers from each chamber negotiating in good faith in the open, House Speaker Pelosi, Senate Leader Reid, and White House officials are planning to do the work themselves, locking out the vast majority of lawmakers—from both parties.

If these secret proceedings are not stopped, the American people, through our representatives in Congress, will be presented with a done deal. If 2009 is any guide, the final vote will then be called before many members of Congress or the public has a chance to read, understand, and debate the details of the final bill. And in the end, the American people will be left to speculate as to the corrupt bargains that were required to see this monstrosity through to final passage.
Turn on the C-SPAN cameras
But this does not have to be the outcome. Americans do not want our lawmaking to be done in secret. In 2008, then-candidate Obama condemned "negotiating behind closed doors" and instead called for "bringing all parties together, and broadcasting those negotiations on C-SPAN so that the American people can see what the choices are, because part of what we have to do is enlist the American people in this process."
In this spirit of candidate Obama, C-SPAN Chairman Brian Lamb asked congressional leaders this week to let the American people have a seat at the table where decisions affecting every single American will be made and to allow C-SPAN to cover the health care negotiations among Senate, House, and White House representatives.

President Obama was right in 2008 as a candidate. Brian Lamb is right today. These health care negotiations should be held in the open and C-SPAN should be allowed to provide coverage so that all Americans can see how health legislation will affect their lives.

Open, honest government should be an American birthright. Joining Brian Lamb in requesting our elected leaders to live up to a minimum standard of openness and honesty is one New Year's resolution that every American can agree on.

Your friend,

Newt Gingrich

Who really will pay for healthcare

When it comes to who pays for healthcare, don’t believe the politicians. Both the Senate and the House bills have provisions for increasing taxes. In order to get the needed votes to pass each bill there were several un-financed goodies thrown in. All of which will cost taxpayers huge sums of money. Too many for me to discuss here.

The House proposes a 5.4 percent tax on workers earning more than $500,000 annually, or $1 million for couples. The Senate relies heavily on a hide-the-tax - excise tax on Cadillac health care plans. The Senate also would increase Medicare taxes on families earning more than $250,000.

So what’s the problem with soaking the rich to pay for a health care plan? For one this is the fastest-shrinking tax imaginable when the economy sours. If California can serve any useful function in this debate, it should be as a warning to the dangers of over-relying on taxes on the rich.

California aside, who really would pay the bill for healthcare? If you think the rich will, then I have some lake front property in the dessert I would like to sell you. The rich are a tool that left wing politicians use to get you to feel good about higher taxes. In reality the rich are merely a collection agency the government uses to empty the middle class and poor pockets. Magic it could be call because it is simple miss-direction.

The rich did not become rich by robbing banks or stealing from everyone. They became rich by selling products and services to those of us who want to buy them. Weather it is a direct sale or an in-direct sale, it is a sale to other rich, middle class or poor Americans as well as the rest of the world. You cannot purchase anything that does not add to someone else wealth.

If you believe the argument that the rich are greedy, then you must believe that their greed will not allow themselves to loose any money. That being said then there is only one conclusion that can be reached when it comes to taxing the rich. They won’t take the hit unless they can pass it on to those of us who will continue to purchase products and services from the rich.

What should that mean to you? Simply that the milk, bread, gas, cloths, cable TV and other products and services will become more expensive to buy and that is only the beginning. We are in a recession and business has not had the confidence to invest and put people on the payroll. When the healthcare bill becomes law the taxes are started immediately while the benefits don’t start for 4 years.

With taxes starting immediately businesses won’t be so willing to increase prices so they will make up the loss by not hiring and maybe laying off current employees. Now things start to snowball. Layoffs remove money from the economy as people loose disposable income. Soon to follow are increased prices to make up the losses businesses will suffer. The government will still demand the taxes be collected. All this while there is no mandate for the tax being collected to be put aside for healthcare.

To repeat myself, the rich are only a vehicle used by left wing politicians. They won’t pay for healthcare, they only collect the tax from us and hand it over to the government. We will foot the bill in more way than one. So let’s tax the rich and feel good about it. Did you say that you wanted some lake front property?

Joe Legal vs. Joe Illegal

I am using different colors to make it easier for you to follow and distinguish which is which. Joe Legal vs. Joe Illegal You have 2 families... "Joe Legal " and " Jose Illegal ". Both families have 2 parents, 2 children and live in California . " Joe Legal " works in construction, has a Social Security Number, and makes $25.00 per hour with payroll taxes deducted. " Jose Illegal " also works in construction, has "NO" Social Security Number, and gets paid $15.00 cash "under the table". Joe Legal...$25.00 per hour x 40 hours $1000.00 per week makes $52,000 per year. Now take 30% away for state federal tax. Joe Legal now has $31,231.00. Jose Illegal...$15.00 per hour x 40 hours $600.00 per week makes $31,200.00 per year. Jose Illegal pays no taxes. Jose Illegal now has $31,200.00 Joe Legal pays Medical and Dental Insurance with limited coverage ... $1000.00 per month... $12,000.00 per year. Joe Legal now has $19,231.00. Jose Illegal has full Medical and Dental coverage through the state and local clinics at a cost of $0.00 per year. Jose Illegal still has $31,200.00 Joe Legal makes too much money so he is not eligible for Food Stamps or Welfare. Joe Legal pays for food... $1,000.00 per month... $12,000.00 per year. Joe Legal now has $7,231.00 Jose Illegal has no documented income and is eligible for Food Stamps and Welfare. Jose Illegal still has $31,200.00. Joe Legal pays rent of $1,000.00 per month ... $12,000.00 per year. Joe Legal is now in the hole... minus (-) $4,769.00 Jose Illegal receives a $500 per month Federal rent subsidy. Jose Illegal pays rent of $500.00 per month... $6,000.00 per year. Jose Illegal still has $31,200.00 Joe Legal now works overtime on Saturdays or gets a part time job after work. Jose Illegal has nights and weekends off to enjoy with his family. Joe Legal 's and Jose Illegal 's children both attend the same school. Joe Legal pays for his children's lunches while Jose Illegal 's children get free government sponsored lunches. Joe Legal's children go home after school. Jose Illegal's children have an after school ESL program which, again, is provided free of charge. Joe Legal and Jose Illegal both enjoy the same Police and Fire Services, but Joe Legal paid for them and Jose Illegal did not pay. Don't vote for or support any politician that supports illegal aliens! It's PAST time to take a stand for America and Americans!

GOOOH

From the Boortz web site Dec 21, 2009

Yup. You folks have been sending me emails about this movement for weeks now. If you go to the Goooh website you'll see that this acronym stands for "Get Out Of Our House!" There's a quote on the website from Samuel Adams in 1776:

• "If ever a time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin."

So you think it possible that that time has come? Could a case be made that "vain and aspiring men" now possess the highest seats in government? How many of you think that today's Washington bears any resemblance to the type of governance envisioned by the colleagues of Samuel Adams in 1776?

The goal of GOOOH is to replace all 435 members of the House of Representatives in the next election. Our Republic can no longer survive the inattention of voters who think that 434 of the rascals ought to be replaced, but that their very own particular congressman is doing just fine, thank you very much.

I have some good friends serving in the Congress. I would hate for them to go. My own Congressman, Cornelius H. McGillicuddy, gets it. He recently reiterated the wise saying that "We can't spend our way to prosperity." Fine ... but perhaps three terms is enough.

I've signed up with GOOOH. Not donated any money yet ... but I'm ready to if it looks like they might make a good go at this thing.

THE THINGS PEOPLE BELIEVE ...

It is beyond my imagination that people actually believe ........
· That the Social Security taxes they pay are actually put into a trust fund ... an account with their name on it from which they will later draw their retirement benefits.

· That their employer actually "matches" what the government calls their "contribution" to their very own personal Social Security trust fund.

· That the founders of this nation actually wanted a system where the majority of people would decide what was and what was not to be ... with no provision for a firm set of laws that could not be breached by majority rule.

· That your average homeless bum on the streets would be enjoying a life of plenty if he had just been lucky like people with actual homes and jobs and stuff

· That it is the goal of schools owned, operated and staffed by the government to take our children and teach them to be self-sufficient so that they will not have to rely on government and politicians so much.

· That the Democrats are pushing for a health reform law because they are actually concerned about the quality, affordability and availability of health care in this country.

· That when the colonies got together and formed a federation to provide for a common defense and to oversee certain relationships between the governments and the people of the several states, it was intended for 95% of all governance to pack up and move to Washington DC.

· That our founding fathers contrived and envisioned a system where the federal government could seize money from the people of a state, and then promise to give that money back, but only if the state would pass some specific laws pleasing to the federal government.

· That there is a Constitutional right to vote in a federal election. (Well, I guess I can understand why so many people believe this; after all, this is what they're taught in the government schools.)

· That when the majority of voters figure out that they can use the ballot box to take property away from their fellow Americans, nothing bad will happen.

· That changes in the intensity of solar activity couldn't possibly have anything to do with the heating and cooling cycles we experience here on earth.

· That the evil rich don't, in fact, already pay much more than their "fair share" of all taxes, whatever that might be.
I could go on with this list for hours, but there's a show to do. No .. it isn't that these people are stupid. Stupid means you CAN'T learn. These people just HAVEN'T learned. That's ignorance.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

This quote from Alexander Frazier Tytler, published in 1776.

"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largess from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by dictatorship. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through this sequence: "from bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to great courage; From courage to liberty; From liberty to abundance; From abundance to selfishness; From selfishness to apathy; From apathy to dependence; From dependence back into bondage."