From all reports in the mainstream media again this week, it appears that Washington's priorities are once again something that needs immediate attention and review.
Instead of televising Obama's speech at the UN General Assembly once again heralding the U.S.'s unconditional support for Israel during the debate over Palestine's bid for statehood, with the new jobless and foreclosure figures in perhaps domestic concerns might take a front seat, rather than back seat, to Israel and its national security concerns which have been ongoing, after all, since World War II...
I mean, as one who was alive during the '67 war over borders and boundaries, Israel has been in the news consistently ever since...as has the Middle East and our continued involvement there...
Also, all those debates and televised campaign stops could be delayed until oh, say, at least six months before the next election, rather than a year and a half....
It occurred to me as one who has been fundamentally affected by what is wrong in Washington once again this past week, that what may be needed is an emergency pow wow of the powers that be that addresses some needed changes to Form 1040 before next April 15th in light of the ever increasing jobless and homeless Americans.
Many of those affected who no longer have jobs or homes are now living with relatives, if they have family so far that have not been impacted to such an extent.
Many of those living with extended family are now dependent on them for a roof over their heads, or food on their plate (since, of course, even food stamps are not available to people unless it is based on "household" incomes, with even the minimal Social Security payments outside the maximums in income or assets which qualify many for the program.
I have had to take residence with my elderly parents during some months since leaving my home state of Arizona five years ago, when this economic tsunami/foreclosure mess started after having owned my own home for over twenty five years.
Or, rather, it actually owned me in the end.
Both have heart disease, one in advanced stages, are in their 80's and live on their minimal social security payments, and a small pension received for forty years of work in the non-profit sector primarily. Both are on special diets due to their heart disease, but they have had added expense feeding me also as another mouth to feed, although do attempt to do some of the things both of them are unable to do at their age, and with their health issues.
I am over the age of 25, needless to say, as are many young adults also in this situation due to the dearth of jobs in their fields (although some of those degrees given today are quite unbelieveable).
Perhaps what is needed is another dependency exemption without age limits?
Forget the sums that would be provided to help under unemployment.
I was informed this week that my former employer in the State of Colorado and is licensed to do business there, whom I had worked for four months before being unilaterally "laid off" for all intents and purposes, had advised unemployment that I had, instead, "resigned." After almost eight weeks of receiving absolutely nothing while this was "pending investigation." I'm wondering if those jobless figures based on the Unemployment Claims filing have any truth to them at all, if this is what is occurring to many who have filed for their "temporary assistance."
As one who formerly worked in employment and labor law, this was no "resignation" under any true definition of the word, but an "enforced separation."
This was an employer that has been in the local newspapers in the community in which I formerly was residing for failing to pay its employees consisently week after week, and who also was giving employees unpaid time off when their call volume was down.
There were only five individuals left in my training class of 80 when they finally got to me, of course, after I questioned laying off 350 people after hiring 600 only three months prior.
I guess it was that question that sealed my eventual fate. And I suppose an employer who is having trouble meeting its payroll, is going to use every excuse imaginable in order to skirt around having to shell out for that even lesser unemployment amount...and this was a center that had a contract for a major national cell phone carrier, at that.
Try telling your landlord that you can't make the rent payment, because your employer was having several slow days that week.
I mean, if those in Washington are actually working at this point, rather than two-thirds of them attending fund raising events, and making campaign speeches, or are hard at work rewriting that tax code so that at least the instruction manual for completing a 1040 doesn't weigh more than a pound or two, rather than the ten to fifteen it does now, maybe this little problem has already been taken into account in some of those backroom meetings - what to do about those now jobless dependents?
I hope I hear something on CNN or Fox about it soon...because my elderly parents could certainly use a tax break so that at least they don't have to pay more taxes on that Social Security they had been receiving...
Which also looks as if it too is going to be reduced, for again "budgetary reasons."
While the war, of course, continues...and the insourcing and outsourcing for the "global good."
Showing posts with label taxes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label taxes. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Federal Taxpayer Monies Go To Study The Unemployed
As one who has been seeking employment in several fields for many months as are literally thousands of other Americans, especially the empty nesters now in the boomer generation, last week while visiting the local job force center I was amazed to see just where some of those stimulus monies are now going.
Posted throughout the center were advertisements from a local college requesting the jobless to be interviewed or videotaped in order to "tell their story" about their quests to seek work in this depressive U.S. economy by both the unemployed and underemployed.
The work force center, of course, was packed and every single computer was taken, even those in the overflow rooms.
Seminars on resume writing, computer skills and training, and even mock interviewing are also provided by the local communities through federal grants aimed at "getting Americans back to work." Putting many people to work or providing jobs aimed at both studying and assisting the jobless. Of course, many are jobless due to the fact that most of those jobs are taken by former state workers and teachers who are already collecting pensions or retirement from their former governmental positions, or students who go unpaid but are getting their credit hours at the unemployed's expense.
Connections with also local social services agencies or taxpayer funded special interest groups receiving federal grants aimed at assisting the jobless are also provided, along with classroom space and time.
Most of these centers also contain individuals who "market" to the unemployed, as if they had the monies to even pay for their services, rather than their rent or utilities with what little savings they have left, or their unemployment.
A changed job market (with online applications which take over an hour each to complete using "keywords" that will set your resume apart from the pack) and fewer and fewer jobs due to the tech focuses of many industries which have outsourced or computerized all those former jobs resulting in fewer middle income positions is this boomer's opinion.
With the majority of those jobs paying less than $11.00 per hour, especially those call center jobs which are nothing more than mills due to the focus on gaining those training dollars and meeting conflicting performance matrixes, rather than employee development and retention just might also be at work here. I mean most of those large cell phone companies and insurers and financial concerns which have seen better days did grab at those billions in stimulus monies, and of course big brother never gives without having at least some strings attached. Most are "temp" jobs actually due to the actual working conditions and performance standards which must be met in order for those employees to "earn back" some of their taxpayer dollars since, of course, most of those businesses would like to keep as much of those stimulus monies for corporate profits rather than providing new jobs as they can.
Recently, I saw a job posted by a local real estate company asking for an administrative assistant (with graphic design skills). The individual would be responsible for handling creating all the flyers and brochures on a weekly and monthly basis for all the agents in several publications which were used by the company each week/month to stimulate their sales, tracking the agents sales and listings, handling any and all secretarial/administrative tasks assigned and creating and maintaining spreadsheets and reports for the company.
It was represented as a part-time position of 30 hours per week paying $11.00 per hour, which "might" go to full time in a few months as "anticipated" sales increased.
A local bank just announced that it will now be charging its customers for using their ATM cards to check their balances, rather than using the internet and raising its minimum balances for free checking and upping its monthly fees for accounts under those minimums by about 40%. About the same amount Americans now face in raising gas prices throughout the nation, post Deepwater and the greed of the global oil industry during both this war, and after that disaster.
Bet those observations don't make the final cut.
Posted throughout the center were advertisements from a local college requesting the jobless to be interviewed or videotaped in order to "tell their story" about their quests to seek work in this depressive U.S. economy by both the unemployed and underemployed.
The work force center, of course, was packed and every single computer was taken, even those in the overflow rooms.
Seminars on resume writing, computer skills and training, and even mock interviewing are also provided by the local communities through federal grants aimed at "getting Americans back to work." Putting many people to work or providing jobs aimed at both studying and assisting the jobless. Of course, many are jobless due to the fact that most of those jobs are taken by former state workers and teachers who are already collecting pensions or retirement from their former governmental positions, or students who go unpaid but are getting their credit hours at the unemployed's expense.
Connections with also local social services agencies or taxpayer funded special interest groups receiving federal grants aimed at assisting the jobless are also provided, along with classroom space and time.
Most of these centers also contain individuals who "market" to the unemployed, as if they had the monies to even pay for their services, rather than their rent or utilities with what little savings they have left, or their unemployment.
A changed job market (with online applications which take over an hour each to complete using "keywords" that will set your resume apart from the pack) and fewer and fewer jobs due to the tech focuses of many industries which have outsourced or computerized all those former jobs resulting in fewer middle income positions is this boomer's opinion.
With the majority of those jobs paying less than $11.00 per hour, especially those call center jobs which are nothing more than mills due to the focus on gaining those training dollars and meeting conflicting performance matrixes, rather than employee development and retention just might also be at work here. I mean most of those large cell phone companies and insurers and financial concerns which have seen better days did grab at those billions in stimulus monies, and of course big brother never gives without having at least some strings attached. Most are "temp" jobs actually due to the actual working conditions and performance standards which must be met in order for those employees to "earn back" some of their taxpayer dollars since, of course, most of those businesses would like to keep as much of those stimulus monies for corporate profits rather than providing new jobs as they can.
Recently, I saw a job posted by a local real estate company asking for an administrative assistant (with graphic design skills). The individual would be responsible for handling creating all the flyers and brochures on a weekly and monthly basis for all the agents in several publications which were used by the company each week/month to stimulate their sales, tracking the agents sales and listings, handling any and all secretarial/administrative tasks assigned and creating and maintaining spreadsheets and reports for the company.
It was represented as a part-time position of 30 hours per week paying $11.00 per hour, which "might" go to full time in a few months as "anticipated" sales increased.
A local bank just announced that it will now be charging its customers for using their ATM cards to check their balances, rather than using the internet and raising its minimum balances for free checking and upping its monthly fees for accounts under those minimums by about 40%. About the same amount Americans now face in raising gas prices throughout the nation, post Deepwater and the greed of the global oil industry during both this war, and after that disaster.
Bet those observations don't make the final cut.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Posturing Republicans To Reverse Obamacare?
On the "high" tide of the Republican victory re-establishing themselves as the voice of the House (and, by inference, then the people although clearly those corporate special interests rather that financed that Citizens United case), it was declared that the first order of business would be to reverse that monumental Constitutional faux pas of the Democratic controlled Congress, Obamacare.
Right.
And bite the hand that actually feeds them?
Although only two Senators "officially" voted for Obamacare in order to get it through and made into "law," clearly that political move was seen by most Independents, and the non-corporate affiliated Tea Party members even for what it was.
Pure politics.
After all, Nixon was sitting in the Oval Office when the disastrous HMO concept was hatched in order to purportedly save the American people a bundle on both their insurance costs, and their out of pocket health care costs.
That, of course, didn't happen.
Instead, there is now a chain of command and numerous individuals who get a part of those insurance proceeds before you even get a diagnosis, in many cases, or treated for the malady that ails you in most of those "clinics."
With the staff of those clinics now also billing according to the amount of time each doctor spends with you, and also for filling out all those lengthy and numerous now insurance forms.
Instead of one, they now get to bill for three or four for your average physical.
Obamacare simply has increased the "corporate" control over patient care, and also the eventual costs to the public when those that are now homeless and jobless cannot pay for those even "cut rate" co-op plans that were put forth as bait in order to simply quell the outraged public and masses.
Those global and national "chains" of hospitals and health care providers have been given carte blanche over the American people's future health, especially the upcoming boomer generation, again without even a minimum of oversight or regulation other than a few "foreign" lackeys in Washington and "yes men," for their administrative decisions depending on their occupancy, budgets, and shareholders needed profit margins.
There definitely was a reason that "privatized" hospitals also were not the intent of those founders, but state and county hospitals and faith based primarily donor supported facilities.
Lower costs overall, since no shareholder profits or "advertising" expenses were needed in those budgets. And those expenses add plenty to that final bill.
And not to be a doom and gloom pessimist, but having recently experienced a three year ordeal in just how progressive and major illnesses are now treated under Medicare, can only wonder just what "cut rate" health care for the boomers will be like.
I mean, we have stepped up these death row executions within the past few years in most states throughout the nation, testing all those new lethal injection drugs on those prisoners as was recently done in Arizona using a British made drug that has been in use in this country since the 1920's (sodium pentathol), but somehow during that highly publicized event, we were "out?"
Those DNR forms also are getting attached to most admissions forms upon emergency treatment when Americans reach a certain age, so I wonder just what will happen if some of those mega-health care providers need that bed instead for a lucrative, elective plastic surgery?
And most of the boomer generation have paid far longer, and much more than the previous generations for the building of those hospitals and clinics, in both the state and federal grant monies extended to them for their building, operating and research costs through both their "income" taxes, and also their state property taxes in most states throughout the nation.
It was interesting to note a recent article that even some of the faith based hospitals are excited about ObamaCare, since it makes the value of those hospitals, built with public donations mind you, so much more valuable for them to sell to the highest "global" bidder.
Doctors are now performing for many procedures, assembly line operations for heart disease and other common degenerative diseases due to age, six and seven before even lunch.
Between ObamaCare, that carbon tax, and the foreclosure mess the Republicans certainly won't have to concern themselves much with their platform positions on the "death tax."
The boomers won't have anything left at all, when they face those DNR forms.
And this particular generation may have the shortest life span of all, for those "global" profits.
And AARP its lowest membership in their decades long history also progressively.
No wonder they start sending out those enrollment forms at 50.
Right.
And bite the hand that actually feeds them?
Although only two Senators "officially" voted for Obamacare in order to get it through and made into "law," clearly that political move was seen by most Independents, and the non-corporate affiliated Tea Party members even for what it was.
Pure politics.
After all, Nixon was sitting in the Oval Office when the disastrous HMO concept was hatched in order to purportedly save the American people a bundle on both their insurance costs, and their out of pocket health care costs.
That, of course, didn't happen.
Instead, there is now a chain of command and numerous individuals who get a part of those insurance proceeds before you even get a diagnosis, in many cases, or treated for the malady that ails you in most of those "clinics."
With the staff of those clinics now also billing according to the amount of time each doctor spends with you, and also for filling out all those lengthy and numerous now insurance forms.
Instead of one, they now get to bill for three or four for your average physical.
Obamacare simply has increased the "corporate" control over patient care, and also the eventual costs to the public when those that are now homeless and jobless cannot pay for those even "cut rate" co-op plans that were put forth as bait in order to simply quell the outraged public and masses.
Those global and national "chains" of hospitals and health care providers have been given carte blanche over the American people's future health, especially the upcoming boomer generation, again without even a minimum of oversight or regulation other than a few "foreign" lackeys in Washington and "yes men," for their administrative decisions depending on their occupancy, budgets, and shareholders needed profit margins.
There definitely was a reason that "privatized" hospitals also were not the intent of those founders, but state and county hospitals and faith based primarily donor supported facilities.
Lower costs overall, since no shareholder profits or "advertising" expenses were needed in those budgets. And those expenses add plenty to that final bill.
And not to be a doom and gloom pessimist, but having recently experienced a three year ordeal in just how progressive and major illnesses are now treated under Medicare, can only wonder just what "cut rate" health care for the boomers will be like.
I mean, we have stepped up these death row executions within the past few years in most states throughout the nation, testing all those new lethal injection drugs on those prisoners as was recently done in Arizona using a British made drug that has been in use in this country since the 1920's (sodium pentathol), but somehow during that highly publicized event, we were "out?"
Those DNR forms also are getting attached to most admissions forms upon emergency treatment when Americans reach a certain age, so I wonder just what will happen if some of those mega-health care providers need that bed instead for a lucrative, elective plastic surgery?
And most of the boomer generation have paid far longer, and much more than the previous generations for the building of those hospitals and clinics, in both the state and federal grant monies extended to them for their building, operating and research costs through both their "income" taxes, and also their state property taxes in most states throughout the nation.
It was interesting to note a recent article that even some of the faith based hospitals are excited about ObamaCare, since it makes the value of those hospitals, built with public donations mind you, so much more valuable for them to sell to the highest "global" bidder.
Doctors are now performing for many procedures, assembly line operations for heart disease and other common degenerative diseases due to age, six and seven before even lunch.
Between ObamaCare, that carbon tax, and the foreclosure mess the Republicans certainly won't have to concern themselves much with their platform positions on the "death tax."
The boomers won't have anything left at all, when they face those DNR forms.
And this particular generation may have the shortest life span of all, for those "global" profits.
And AARP its lowest membership in their decades long history also progressively.
No wonder they start sending out those enrollment forms at 50.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Proposition 100: Arizonans Victimized And Misled Once Again
As if the garbage over the "new" illegal immigrant law codifying the federal laws with respect to illegal foreigners in this country wasn't enough with all the outside agitators and backlash that has resulted, the clueless Arizonans just victimized themselves once again due to the special interest lobbying groups operating without any check or balance within that state.
Including those state employees who were behind the push to increase the sales taxes in Arizona at a time of both increasing homeless and joblessness due to the progressively regressive global agendas of both political parties at the present time.
Early returns show that the Arizona citizenry has passed an added transaction privilege tax in order to purportedly fund the deficits in the state budgets with respect to education and public services.
The only problem is that the clueless Arizona public, consisting of mostly transplanted Easterners and Californians at this point in Arizona's history, have no idea that a hike in the transaction privilege tax which is levied against the corporate interests in that state will be passed on to the Arizona citizenry, and as a general "sales" tax will simply go into the general fund for the legislature to spend at will and not for those purpose for which this added tax was promoted.
And will, of course, continue to increase the bankruptcies in that state which have increased in leaps and bounds due to just such measures as these.
Not to mention that if any of those sums do go into education, will simply stay at the top increasing the ASU president's salary from the current $700,000 to maybe $750,000 and not trickle down to those teachers in any manner whatsoever.
Or to the local law enforcement for the bogus "new" illegal immigrant law, since most of those law enforcement officials also get civic contributions from those businesses that are hiring those illegals that supplement their pay in added benefits, so the Arizona legislature will simply deny any added budgetary requests from the city and state law enforcement officials as has progressively also occurred.
So that they can continue to feed their special interest lawyer, real estate and financial sector groups for their next run for office.
Arizona is a transient state, which markets to retirees most of all in order to fleece them of their wealth in one form or another, or progressively bankrupt the longer term residents until they also eventual move in order to feed their real estate and land fraud backers.
Proposition 100 was promoted as a "temporary" increase in the sales and/or transaction privilege tax in Arizona, but if history serves, this tax will be permanent.
And the homeless and jobless in the Arizona washes will simply increase.
Since the monster must be fed, and until the Arizona residents are truly bled dry, the monster apparently is insatiable.
Beware America.
Those now "cheap" homes have a price that is far above the listed price for those foreclosed homes.
Your eventual ruin.
Including those state employees who were behind the push to increase the sales taxes in Arizona at a time of both increasing homeless and joblessness due to the progressively regressive global agendas of both political parties at the present time.
Early returns show that the Arizona citizenry has passed an added transaction privilege tax in order to purportedly fund the deficits in the state budgets with respect to education and public services.
The only problem is that the clueless Arizona public, consisting of mostly transplanted Easterners and Californians at this point in Arizona's history, have no idea that a hike in the transaction privilege tax which is levied against the corporate interests in that state will be passed on to the Arizona citizenry, and as a general "sales" tax will simply go into the general fund for the legislature to spend at will and not for those purpose for which this added tax was promoted.
And will, of course, continue to increase the bankruptcies in that state which have increased in leaps and bounds due to just such measures as these.
Not to mention that if any of those sums do go into education, will simply stay at the top increasing the ASU president's salary from the current $700,000 to maybe $750,000 and not trickle down to those teachers in any manner whatsoever.
Or to the local law enforcement for the bogus "new" illegal immigrant law, since most of those law enforcement officials also get civic contributions from those businesses that are hiring those illegals that supplement their pay in added benefits, so the Arizona legislature will simply deny any added budgetary requests from the city and state law enforcement officials as has progressively also occurred.
So that they can continue to feed their special interest lawyer, real estate and financial sector groups for their next run for office.
Arizona is a transient state, which markets to retirees most of all in order to fleece them of their wealth in one form or another, or progressively bankrupt the longer term residents until they also eventual move in order to feed their real estate and land fraud backers.
Proposition 100 was promoted as a "temporary" increase in the sales and/or transaction privilege tax in Arizona, but if history serves, this tax will be permanent.
And the homeless and jobless in the Arizona washes will simply increase.
Since the monster must be fed, and until the Arizona residents are truly bled dry, the monster apparently is insatiable.
Beware America.
Those now "cheap" homes have a price that is far above the listed price for those foreclosed homes.
Your eventual ruin.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
State, Local Tourism Taxes Keeping Americans Home?
In addition to the piss poor economy in the United States at the present time (pardon my French), it appears that the U.S. Chamber and travel and tourism industry have yet to also discover just why occupancy levels are down, and more and more Americans are staying at home during normal vacation periods.
And that would be that the taxation rates now in the travel and tourism industry in many major U.S. cities, especially those that depend on tourism for a great deal of their tax revenue, has increased in leaps and bounds during the past two decades.
Many are exceeding the benchmark taxation rates which most Americans are willing to pay of 10%.
This "passing on" of the taxation which has been levied by state and local governments on rooms, meals and assundry related taxes has hurt this industry, although appears the corporate types of most of the major U.S. chains have yet to realized just why so many are choosing "cheaper" destinations, camping or purchasing or renting RVs instead of visiting those much ballyhooed hotel discount trip planning sites.
California is the largest advertiser bar none of its tourism industry, with the Governor and Hollywood types even participating as was evident during the recent Winter Olympics.
Although it is truly unbelieveable also the liberal political mindset in this particular state.
Many of those beach communities throughout California have banned both smoking, and pets on most public beaches in the interest of safety and health concerns.
Which knocks out an entire major segment of the population insofar as choosing California as a vacation destination, rather than the mountains (those which are not suffering drought conditions) or other locales.
I wonder what will be next in the Golden State.
Banning sun bathing on the beaches (after all, skin cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer and far exceeds that of second hand smoke, thus the biggest health risk to the sun worshippers of all).
So U.S. Chamber, before wining and dining the members of Congress and local and state governments for your next hotel development project, or loss at the public's expense since it appears there continues to be literally hundreds of new hotels now in the works, you might just step back and re-evaluate your corporate policies in order to attract Mom, Dad and the kids rather than your corporate clientele.
Since it appears your economies favor the "corporate" also, and not the citizenry, since those AAA discounts don't apply to the taxes passed on to the average American family.
Avoidance of the paying of usury is one biblical precept that many, at least of the boomer generation, still practice whenever possible.
Hence the number of "tea party activists" that identify themselves also as Christian, and this is a basic tenet of that religion, and several others found in this country.
Not to mention those who, in order to reduce their household budgets to be able to afford their mortgages and necessities at this point, do not include vacations or discretionary travel outside business or necessity at all.
Since in many states this is a "transaction privilege tax" on the commercial entity which is being passed on indiscriminantly to the public, please consider this simply a heads up from one who has been amazed due to business related travel at rates approaching 15% added additional taxes for overnight stays in many cash hungry states added to those predominantly large corporate chains wishing to "capitalize" on the public in historically tourism heavy states even with higher and higher base rates such as those found California, Inc.
There are very valid reasons that most states are seeing fewer and fewer return visitors.
At least the U.S. family variety, after also factoring in those astronomically high Disney passes for your average family of four into the mix.
Which industry also in many instances has been financially subsidized by the American public through federal, state and local tax benefits, subsidies and other freebies or "give mes" both during construction, and thereafter.
And that would be that the taxation rates now in the travel and tourism industry in many major U.S. cities, especially those that depend on tourism for a great deal of their tax revenue, has increased in leaps and bounds during the past two decades.
Many are exceeding the benchmark taxation rates which most Americans are willing to pay of 10%.
This "passing on" of the taxation which has been levied by state and local governments on rooms, meals and assundry related taxes has hurt this industry, although appears the corporate types of most of the major U.S. chains have yet to realized just why so many are choosing "cheaper" destinations, camping or purchasing or renting RVs instead of visiting those much ballyhooed hotel discount trip planning sites.
California is the largest advertiser bar none of its tourism industry, with the Governor and Hollywood types even participating as was evident during the recent Winter Olympics.
Although it is truly unbelieveable also the liberal political mindset in this particular state.
Many of those beach communities throughout California have banned both smoking, and pets on most public beaches in the interest of safety and health concerns.
Which knocks out an entire major segment of the population insofar as choosing California as a vacation destination, rather than the mountains (those which are not suffering drought conditions) or other locales.
I wonder what will be next in the Golden State.
Banning sun bathing on the beaches (after all, skin cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer and far exceeds that of second hand smoke, thus the biggest health risk to the sun worshippers of all).
So U.S. Chamber, before wining and dining the members of Congress and local and state governments for your next hotel development project, or loss at the public's expense since it appears there continues to be literally hundreds of new hotels now in the works, you might just step back and re-evaluate your corporate policies in order to attract Mom, Dad and the kids rather than your corporate clientele.
Since it appears your economies favor the "corporate" also, and not the citizenry, since those AAA discounts don't apply to the taxes passed on to the average American family.
Avoidance of the paying of usury is one biblical precept that many, at least of the boomer generation, still practice whenever possible.
Hence the number of "tea party activists" that identify themselves also as Christian, and this is a basic tenet of that religion, and several others found in this country.
Not to mention those who, in order to reduce their household budgets to be able to afford their mortgages and necessities at this point, do not include vacations or discretionary travel outside business or necessity at all.
Since in many states this is a "transaction privilege tax" on the commercial entity which is being passed on indiscriminantly to the public, please consider this simply a heads up from one who has been amazed due to business related travel at rates approaching 15% added additional taxes for overnight stays in many cash hungry states added to those predominantly large corporate chains wishing to "capitalize" on the public in historically tourism heavy states even with higher and higher base rates such as those found California, Inc.
There are very valid reasons that most states are seeing fewer and fewer return visitors.
At least the U.S. family variety, after also factoring in those astronomically high Disney passes for your average family of four into the mix.
Which industry also in many instances has been financially subsidized by the American public through federal, state and local tax benefits, subsidies and other freebies or "give mes" both during construction, and thereafter.
Friday, March 12, 2010
The Unions Aren't Detroit's Only Problem
reprint from www.backupamerica.org
For Any And All American Conserve-atives
Recently due to an extended stay in one of the southern states in the U.S. due to the aging and health of elderly parents, and recurring hospitalization over the course of the last two years involving two separate surgeries for each of them, as an almost lifelong westerner it was interesting to see just how some of the others states throughout the nation are obtaining additional taxes and revenue from their state residents.
It appears the games, costs and fees are getting steeper and steeper with each and every passing year. No matter how much revenue the states and local governments seem to get, it is never enough.
Like their big brother, the federal government progressively has become.
One of my relatives had a rather minor traffic violation during my stay. This state is also one of the few that has invoked a state law requiring automobile inspections annually, and not simply for emissions but equipment also (and only Americans registering their vehicles, when many cars in this country driven on our roadways due to globalization are not Americans, but also foreigners from Mexico and Canada particularly).
The costs for these inspections, of course, is another tax shared with the auto repair shops, and while the state fee is set at one rate, those auto repair shops are free to tack on even additional profits over and above that which they are getting from the state also for this less than three minute inspection.
Of course, it costs the state nothing for these inspections other than a few cents for the cost of those stickers, and the local governments also have been given permission by the big brother state government to also add on sums for their local coffers to the base state rate.
Quite a chunk of revenue for the state, local governments and those auto repair shops.
Which has also, due to the hurricanes and such that have ocurred in the South, increased the city and state coffers tremendously in those broken headlight, tailight, and directional signal violations on a public that is still reeling from the devastation of several hurricanes, Katrina, Rita and Gustav, within the past five years.
Some of which fines, in addition to then having to prove compliance with those laws, are levied at over $150-200 per violation.
Of course, under the common law compliance with the law in and of itself is supposed to be the aim, not the state (or city) making profits off of such petty civil violations, since that is what all those other assundry taxes are supposed to pay for, particularly sales, registration and those property taxes on automobiles already assessed against drivers - law enforcement and those public services and expenses that are governmental.
Problem is, due to all the discretionary spending, more and more the city/state are privatizing the actual intended governmental functions for added revenue in these public/private partnerships transferring the costs then to the private sector, yet affording them unregulated profits in the bargain, and then using then the revenue for discretionary expenditures at a greater and greater clip.
Making, of course, the tax bite then on the public astronomical now in the process, not simply for the costs of government actually, but also the profit margins of their state actor corporate entities.
And now, added to the ever increasing fines for minor traffic tickets is another corporate practice and cost which the state and local governments have incorporated which proves the corporate mentality, rather than Constitutional one, is running rampant at all levels of government.
Service charges now, in addition to even court costs, mean that your average speeding or failure to yield violation ticket now is approaching $300 or more nationwide, plus junk fees.
This method of revenue generation has become so lucrative, that many states are now leasing those speed cams like candy from the gadget industry and that science and technology field they are so enamoured with more and more.
Many of which, of course, are manufactured overseas. Or at least their parts.
Although the mandatory auto insurance laws throughout the nation still have many detractors, since the original concept for passage of that legislation way back when (1960's) was sold to the public in order to lessen taxpayer costs for our courts for property damage claims primarily, which 90% of all accidents actually are with only 10% involving damages over $1,000 (which it hasn't done, it has increased and bogged up our courts actually more since now those cases involve insurance company defense teams at higher costs, and more lengthy trials rather than small claims actions, for the most part), some of them are even passing legislation mandating impoundment of vehicles where the driver of such vehicle does not have proof of insurance.
Even though the driver of the vehicle itself may not even be the registered owner of the automobile, in many instances.
And is, in fact, a way in which the states with such laws apparently are attempting to circumvent the "due process" clause by confiscating property even without an opportunity for those individuals to have their day in court, or offer their arguments regarding the mandatory insurance laws and their applicability based on Constitutional grounds also.
Prior to the passage of those laws, proof of financial responsibility instead provided provisions for lower cost bonds, secured with collateral or "bondability" in some states as part of the licensing process.
This law, of course, is also a law in which even though less than 10% of the automobiles driven in America are involved in any type of moving violation, and even fewer involving significant injury or property damage, the masses are being actually punished for the actions of the few.
At this point with America's economy on such a downward spiral, and most of these backdoor taxes actually contributing to the decline in the ability of most Americans to stimulate the economies by having any leftover discretionary income at this point, many who argue in favor of rescinding the mandatory auto insurance laws do have a point, in my opinion.
Requring young drivers, or those who are getting older with slower reaction times, or even those who live in major metropolitan areas who demonstrate by the number of moving violations they have been cited for in any given number of years (the former point system) to have to purchase auto insurance would be letting the punishment fit the crime in those instances.
If the automobile industry is seeing a lack of sales, it just might truly be that the ultimate costs to now drive an automobile in this country, are also getting a little too much for the American public to bear.
And that doesn't count the cost of repairs to those expensive computers, in the event of malfunction, or theft.
That bill, just to "diagnose" the problem, is now over $100 and up at most automobile repair shops.
And don't even think of attempting to change your own oil, or sparkplugs on these babies. Or even replace a light in the headlamp, since those are so delicate that it takes a professional to simply change a bulb for most.
Not to mention the terms of some of those loans and leases, with all the caveats and hidden charges now contained within them, advertising those great low interest loans, but simply packaging those loans and lease terms with junk fees and charges to make up for the lowered interest rates.
Or the costs to simply register, or come up with the sales taxes on the purchase of a car. Most of the time, equaling about a third of its purchsae price by the time most Americans drive off that lot.
So Detroit's problems are complex, and doubt that it is simply the models they are offering (except to those Americans who would not own a car with a computer at this point to begin with) or being undercut to a large extent by foreign imports although that also has had a major impact in that some of those foreign imports concentrate on making the smaller, economy models which is now what the majority of the public can afford - not those gas guzzlers, or ones with so many bells and whistles that the upkeep and maintenance on them is a constant drain and large chunk of their take home pay.
It's the whole package in the costs involved in America today in having that "privilege" which is turning more and more into a liability.
Sort of like home "non-ownership" has become.
Money pits, and revenue generators for the state most of all in double, triple and quadruple taxation in one form or another.
It appears that it just might be that the market is speaking, and holding on to those old clunkers for a very good reason.
For Any And All American Conserve-atives
Recently due to an extended stay in one of the southern states in the U.S. due to the aging and health of elderly parents, and recurring hospitalization over the course of the last two years involving two separate surgeries for each of them, as an almost lifelong westerner it was interesting to see just how some of the others states throughout the nation are obtaining additional taxes and revenue from their state residents.
It appears the games, costs and fees are getting steeper and steeper with each and every passing year. No matter how much revenue the states and local governments seem to get, it is never enough.
Like their big brother, the federal government progressively has become.
One of my relatives had a rather minor traffic violation during my stay. This state is also one of the few that has invoked a state law requiring automobile inspections annually, and not simply for emissions but equipment also (and only Americans registering their vehicles, when many cars in this country driven on our roadways due to globalization are not Americans, but also foreigners from Mexico and Canada particularly).
The costs for these inspections, of course, is another tax shared with the auto repair shops, and while the state fee is set at one rate, those auto repair shops are free to tack on even additional profits over and above that which they are getting from the state also for this less than three minute inspection.
Of course, it costs the state nothing for these inspections other than a few cents for the cost of those stickers, and the local governments also have been given permission by the big brother state government to also add on sums for their local coffers to the base state rate.
Quite a chunk of revenue for the state, local governments and those auto repair shops.
Which has also, due to the hurricanes and such that have ocurred in the South, increased the city and state coffers tremendously in those broken headlight, tailight, and directional signal violations on a public that is still reeling from the devastation of several hurricanes, Katrina, Rita and Gustav, within the past five years.
Some of which fines, in addition to then having to prove compliance with those laws, are levied at over $150-200 per violation.
Of course, under the common law compliance with the law in and of itself is supposed to be the aim, not the state (or city) making profits off of such petty civil violations, since that is what all those other assundry taxes are supposed to pay for, particularly sales, registration and those property taxes on automobiles already assessed against drivers - law enforcement and those public services and expenses that are governmental.
Problem is, due to all the discretionary spending, more and more the city/state are privatizing the actual intended governmental functions for added revenue in these public/private partnerships transferring the costs then to the private sector, yet affording them unregulated profits in the bargain, and then using then the revenue for discretionary expenditures at a greater and greater clip.
Making, of course, the tax bite then on the public astronomical now in the process, not simply for the costs of government actually, but also the profit margins of their state actor corporate entities.
And now, added to the ever increasing fines for minor traffic tickets is another corporate practice and cost which the state and local governments have incorporated which proves the corporate mentality, rather than Constitutional one, is running rampant at all levels of government.
Service charges now, in addition to even court costs, mean that your average speeding or failure to yield violation ticket now is approaching $300 or more nationwide, plus junk fees.
This method of revenue generation has become so lucrative, that many states are now leasing those speed cams like candy from the gadget industry and that science and technology field they are so enamoured with more and more.
Many of which, of course, are manufactured overseas. Or at least their parts.
Although the mandatory auto insurance laws throughout the nation still have many detractors, since the original concept for passage of that legislation way back when (1960's) was sold to the public in order to lessen taxpayer costs for our courts for property damage claims primarily, which 90% of all accidents actually are with only 10% involving damages over $1,000 (which it hasn't done, it has increased and bogged up our courts actually more since now those cases involve insurance company defense teams at higher costs, and more lengthy trials rather than small claims actions, for the most part), some of them are even passing legislation mandating impoundment of vehicles where the driver of such vehicle does not have proof of insurance.
Even though the driver of the vehicle itself may not even be the registered owner of the automobile, in many instances.
And is, in fact, a way in which the states with such laws apparently are attempting to circumvent the "due process" clause by confiscating property even without an opportunity for those individuals to have their day in court, or offer their arguments regarding the mandatory insurance laws and their applicability based on Constitutional grounds also.
Prior to the passage of those laws, proof of financial responsibility instead provided provisions for lower cost bonds, secured with collateral or "bondability" in some states as part of the licensing process.
This law, of course, is also a law in which even though less than 10% of the automobiles driven in America are involved in any type of moving violation, and even fewer involving significant injury or property damage, the masses are being actually punished for the actions of the few.
At this point with America's economy on such a downward spiral, and most of these backdoor taxes actually contributing to the decline in the ability of most Americans to stimulate the economies by having any leftover discretionary income at this point, many who argue in favor of rescinding the mandatory auto insurance laws do have a point, in my opinion.
Requring young drivers, or those who are getting older with slower reaction times, or even those who live in major metropolitan areas who demonstrate by the number of moving violations they have been cited for in any given number of years (the former point system) to have to purchase auto insurance would be letting the punishment fit the crime in those instances.
If the automobile industry is seeing a lack of sales, it just might truly be that the ultimate costs to now drive an automobile in this country, are also getting a little too much for the American public to bear.
And that doesn't count the cost of repairs to those expensive computers, in the event of malfunction, or theft.
That bill, just to "diagnose" the problem, is now over $100 and up at most automobile repair shops.
And don't even think of attempting to change your own oil, or sparkplugs on these babies. Or even replace a light in the headlamp, since those are so delicate that it takes a professional to simply change a bulb for most.
Not to mention the terms of some of those loans and leases, with all the caveats and hidden charges now contained within them, advertising those great low interest loans, but simply packaging those loans and lease terms with junk fees and charges to make up for the lowered interest rates.
Or the costs to simply register, or come up with the sales taxes on the purchase of a car. Most of the time, equaling about a third of its purchsae price by the time most Americans drive off that lot.
So Detroit's problems are complex, and doubt that it is simply the models they are offering (except to those Americans who would not own a car with a computer at this point to begin with) or being undercut to a large extent by foreign imports although that also has had a major impact in that some of those foreign imports concentrate on making the smaller, economy models which is now what the majority of the public can afford - not those gas guzzlers, or ones with so many bells and whistles that the upkeep and maintenance on them is a constant drain and large chunk of their take home pay.
It's the whole package in the costs involved in America today in having that "privilege" which is turning more and more into a liability.
Sort of like home "non-ownership" has become.
Money pits, and revenue generators for the state most of all in double, triple and quadruple taxation in one form or another.
It appears that it just might be that the market is speaking, and holding on to those old clunkers for a very good reason.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
The Austin Incident: A Desperate American Taking Desperate Measures?
In reading now all the news reports on the recent suicide crash of a man into a Texas office building housing the Internal Revenue Service, this act of desperation as is clear from his written messages prior to the incident is once again being spun by the media for public consumption.
This country is now in the worst recession/depression since the Great Depression prior to World War II. Many, many individuals are losing their homes, while watching a Congress and their state and local government continue to pass bill after bill supporting industry and the financial sector and Wall Street in additional taxation and/or an increasing deficit and its inflation taxes stripping them even more of their hard earned dollars - a dollar which is now at its lowest level ever against the foreign currency of most of the industrialized world with the exception of maybe Mexico.
Even the Southern Poverty Law Institute, that lawyer lead group that has been involved in facilitating actually more and more outsourcing of jobs and U.S. labor in focusing more and more on the "rights" of even non-Americans got into the Act, although claiming this didn't appear to be a "right wing extremist" attack, or an act of terrorism.
A group, by the way, that I wouldn't hesitate to guess is receiving federal funding and grant monies courtesy of the U.S. taxpayers as an "educational" institute, while bringing lawsuit after lawsuit against Americans protecting the "rights" of non-Americans indiscriminantly in a great many instances.
Hello? Has this group which is so left leaning it is off the map ever studied U.S. history and the amount of Americans, in their desperation, either committed suicide after they were left homeless, jobless and after losing all they had after the first banker manipulated depression in this country, or were so adversely impacted they ended up destitute and more than a few of which were institutionalized or incarcerated due to such acts of desperation?
So many are rushing to judgement, and I am not defending this individual or his actions in the slightest, although many are reaching in their judgement as far as asking such questions as:
a) Why didn't this individual file simply for bankruptcy; or
b) Why didn't he simply go to one of those corporate entities that assist Americans with heavy tax bills?
I for one, as one who has also been fundamentally affect due to the progressive policies of both Washington and my former home state's government can tell you that filing a bankruptcy in this country after the heavy lobbying once again of the financial sector is no easy matter, nor is it without cost in most instances.
And a "restructuring" due to its complications now also actually takes the assistance of a lawyers, lawyers who want to be paid in advance for their services, although the very reason such an individual would seek out their assistance is because they are "bankrupt."
Should it take paying a corporate concern to act as an intermediary in this country on tax issues in order to deal with this out of control agency, as has been the case for many an American after the "quick" and "speedy" passage of the 16th Amendment, along with the 17th and Federal Reserve Act which has progressively taken us more and more into global corporate socialism?
Due to the many complaints of the public in the past, Congress's solution was to again expand government and create another agency, the Taxpayer Advocacy office, to assist delinquent taxpayers, however, it appears this solution also was no solution at all. Instead of more closing monitoring this agency and their practices itself.
Now in addition to simply seeking payment for any and all delinquent taxes which are due, this agency has so many levels of "punishments" piled on to some of those taxes that the fines, fees and penalties many times exceed the actual tax due.
Did those founding fathers intend that the tax laws in this country were to be favorable to the government as a profit making venture, or simply in order to pay the actual costs of those duties and functions for which the federal (and state) governments were responsible?
We all know at this point that there are so many "outside" benefactors now due to special interest lobbying and greed in using our government in order to bulk up their profits and reduce their risks and losses at the public's expense after the illegal creation of "corporate person-hood" as another party to the Constitution way back when by a rogue Supreme Court ruling.
Or at least most of those even minimally political aware individuals in this country are. At least with respect to being negligent in its true duties and functions in actually regulating commerce, especially those national and global concerns, operating in the United States in order to protect those Bill of Rights protections which were meant to prohibit much of what is occurring today. Not give "property" a voice in government, or unequal "privileges or immunities" under the common law which existed when this nation was founded.
And especially not extending any Bill of Rights protections.
I don't know what lead this man to react and do what he did, but it appears due to the tenor of much of his notes and state of mind at the time, this truly was a desperate American taking a most desperate measure, and also lost his life in the process.
And I fear that as this recessionary depression, unfortunately, we just may see more and more of such occurrences happening, until our leaders start honoring their true job functions and public service positions rather than seeking re-election from the very moment that they first run for office.
Mr. Obama is now traveling the nation on behalf of those Democrats now running for office, when there are so many, many Americans still being left homeless and jobless, and while the economy in this country continues to tank.
What a tragedy, and truly appears to me could have been avoided from the rather cryptic reports at this point, and have no idea of truly just what transpired that lead this man to such lengths, but it is clear that in carrying out such a desperate act, there is something rotten in an America that such an event could ever have taken place.
We are paying untold fortunes to protect now most of our governmental officials and buildings, and since a great deal of our legislation now is actually focused more and more in removing Americans "unalienable" or "God given" rights, is it any wonder that such occurrences now are happening more and more, instead of less and less?
This country is now in the worst recession/depression since the Great Depression prior to World War II. Many, many individuals are losing their homes, while watching a Congress and their state and local government continue to pass bill after bill supporting industry and the financial sector and Wall Street in additional taxation and/or an increasing deficit and its inflation taxes stripping them even more of their hard earned dollars - a dollar which is now at its lowest level ever against the foreign currency of most of the industrialized world with the exception of maybe Mexico.
Even the Southern Poverty Law Institute, that lawyer lead group that has been involved in facilitating actually more and more outsourcing of jobs and U.S. labor in focusing more and more on the "rights" of even non-Americans got into the Act, although claiming this didn't appear to be a "right wing extremist" attack, or an act of terrorism.
A group, by the way, that I wouldn't hesitate to guess is receiving federal funding and grant monies courtesy of the U.S. taxpayers as an "educational" institute, while bringing lawsuit after lawsuit against Americans protecting the "rights" of non-Americans indiscriminantly in a great many instances.
Hello? Has this group which is so left leaning it is off the map ever studied U.S. history and the amount of Americans, in their desperation, either committed suicide after they were left homeless, jobless and after losing all they had after the first banker manipulated depression in this country, or were so adversely impacted they ended up destitute and more than a few of which were institutionalized or incarcerated due to such acts of desperation?
So many are rushing to judgement, and I am not defending this individual or his actions in the slightest, although many are reaching in their judgement as far as asking such questions as:
a) Why didn't this individual file simply for bankruptcy; or
b) Why didn't he simply go to one of those corporate entities that assist Americans with heavy tax bills?
I for one, as one who has also been fundamentally affect due to the progressive policies of both Washington and my former home state's government can tell you that filing a bankruptcy in this country after the heavy lobbying once again of the financial sector is no easy matter, nor is it without cost in most instances.
And a "restructuring" due to its complications now also actually takes the assistance of a lawyers, lawyers who want to be paid in advance for their services, although the very reason such an individual would seek out their assistance is because they are "bankrupt."
Should it take paying a corporate concern to act as an intermediary in this country on tax issues in order to deal with this out of control agency, as has been the case for many an American after the "quick" and "speedy" passage of the 16th Amendment, along with the 17th and Federal Reserve Act which has progressively taken us more and more into global corporate socialism?
Due to the many complaints of the public in the past, Congress's solution was to again expand government and create another agency, the Taxpayer Advocacy office, to assist delinquent taxpayers, however, it appears this solution also was no solution at all. Instead of more closing monitoring this agency and their practices itself.
Now in addition to simply seeking payment for any and all delinquent taxes which are due, this agency has so many levels of "punishments" piled on to some of those taxes that the fines, fees and penalties many times exceed the actual tax due.
Did those founding fathers intend that the tax laws in this country were to be favorable to the government as a profit making venture, or simply in order to pay the actual costs of those duties and functions for which the federal (and state) governments were responsible?
We all know at this point that there are so many "outside" benefactors now due to special interest lobbying and greed in using our government in order to bulk up their profits and reduce their risks and losses at the public's expense after the illegal creation of "corporate person-hood" as another party to the Constitution way back when by a rogue Supreme Court ruling.
Or at least most of those even minimally political aware individuals in this country are. At least with respect to being negligent in its true duties and functions in actually regulating commerce, especially those national and global concerns, operating in the United States in order to protect those Bill of Rights protections which were meant to prohibit much of what is occurring today. Not give "property" a voice in government, or unequal "privileges or immunities" under the common law which existed when this nation was founded.
And especially not extending any Bill of Rights protections.
I don't know what lead this man to react and do what he did, but it appears due to the tenor of much of his notes and state of mind at the time, this truly was a desperate American taking a most desperate measure, and also lost his life in the process.
And I fear that as this recessionary depression, unfortunately, we just may see more and more of such occurrences happening, until our leaders start honoring their true job functions and public service positions rather than seeking re-election from the very moment that they first run for office.
Mr. Obama is now traveling the nation on behalf of those Democrats now running for office, when there are so many, many Americans still being left homeless and jobless, and while the economy in this country continues to tank.
What a tragedy, and truly appears to me could have been avoided from the rather cryptic reports at this point, and have no idea of truly just what transpired that lead this man to such lengths, but it is clear that in carrying out such a desperate act, there is something rotten in an America that such an event could ever have taken place.
We are paying untold fortunes to protect now most of our governmental officials and buildings, and since a great deal of our legislation now is actually focused more and more in removing Americans "unalienable" or "God given" rights, is it any wonder that such occurrences now are happening more and more, instead of less and less?
Sunday, January 24, 2010
States Now Statutorily Redefining Terms Of Living Wills?
Post the Terri Schiavo case so long ago, it appears that many states throughout the nation are using both the courts, and new statutes in order to redefine the provisions of many of those "living wills" that are being marketed and sold to a great many Americans as part of their estate planning.
Recently, a story was related to me by a resident of the State of Louisiana that demonstrated just what is occuring after the death of Teri Schiavo - who died, of course, under a judicial fiat in Florida a few years ago deeming that feeding and hydration intubation also was a artificial life support, rather than the definition that had held and was understood by most Americans to be "mechanical methods" such as respirators or other devices gave little hope for a recovery without major heart/brain or other organ function damage and was or would be irreversible.
It seems this young woman's grandmother had suffered a stroke at a rather young age according to life expectancy charts, and was being fed due to her inability to swallow post the stroke and was being fed and hydrated by artificial means by feeding tubes and hydrated intravenously. She was still aware and alert although had some minimal brain damage due to the stroke, which doctors felt even could be reversed.
Apparently, one of the members of the family thought and felt differently, and hired a lawyer to challenge and remove the feeding tubes and hydration methods per what occurred with Ms. Schiavo.
The grandmother had executed a "living will," although at the time the will was executed, Louisiana law did not view hydration and feeding intubation as "artificial means" but "basic sustenance" which is needed by all humans in order to survive.
Remove hydration, especially, and the organs progressively begin to shut down one by one. In fact, this is the worse method for any human life to end since the body literally then feeds upon itself in order to survive.
After the Schiavo case, this young woman learned during the court proceedings that Louisiana law was change in order then post Schiavo to redefine and include "basic sustenance" also as "artificial means," and a judge so ruled again in that state that the feeding and hydration tubes should be removed per the terms of her grandmother's living will.
Now even included in hospital admittance forms some states are including such language as "artificial" life support, without also including upon the admittance of those patients that state laws are changing with respect to the clear definition of just what is, and what is not, "artificial life support."
And how many patients, or their closest relatives or spouses charged with signing all those lengthy forms now upon admittance have the time or even awareness in such a time of fear for their loved one or emergency to ask some of those very relevant questions prior to treatment? In the future, could not, say, an insurance company as the payor then also bring suit in order to discontinue payment for provision of such measures under these now changing laws throughout the nation?
Even now the laws regarding euthansia are being written, however, how many patients really at the time such a decision might be broached by a doctor or even relative, can make a sane, rational decision in such respect when many are even under medications that make even those "sound mind" common law provisions with respect to the execution of legal documents questionable?
Taxing not only citizens while they are living, but also now even their accumulated assets after death (upon which taxes actually have already been paid, absent the current year's assets or accumulations) does appear that greed at the state level and the commercial interests that also are involved such as those insurers and even beneficiaries without having any "legal" authority or powers of attorney "rights" given who favor death over life for personal or corporate gain are gaining legal "rights" in leaps and bound changing many of those living wills executed in years gone by fundamentally in the process.
All those boomers that are now aging to retirement age take heed.
I mean, as with the Schiavo case, whose to say that a cure for the degree of brain damage Ms. Schiavo suffered might have been found before her natural life expectancy was reached, or even due to the fact that she had never had any physical rehabilitation whatsoever and had other relatives willing and able to provide for her care absent her already "married" for all intents and purposes spouse, that the "state" or a relative with no legal authority per any executed power of attorney, should have any rights to dominion over another with respect to providing "basic sustenance" which any newborn or incapacitated person must have in order to survive.
Irreversible today, does not mean irreversible tomorrow, as research and technology strides in medicine are proving each and every day.
Nor should any third party payor have any inherent "rights" to use the states in their lobbying efforts in order to increase their profit margins, or their risk factors at the cost of human life, which is occurring more and more rapidly in each and every state across the nation.
And will increase now in leaps and bounds at the federal and state levels since the recent Supreme Court decision affording "unlimited" contributions to political office candidates from those financial industry lobbyists now undermining the First Amendment rights of all Americans now liberally and progressively in favor of the "corporate."
I hope those Supreme Court justices have a living will and are inserting a few words and redefining just what their definition of "artificial life support" is, and re-evaluating their positions to remove those "unalienable" First Amendment provisions more and more from the "people" and redistributing both the American people's wealth, and their lives, to the corporate before they find themselves in one of those federally funded corporate hospitals, or one of their nearest and dearest, after refusing to hear Schiavo.
http://biotech.law.lsu.edu/la/consent/la-living-will.htm
Recently, a story was related to me by a resident of the State of Louisiana that demonstrated just what is occuring after the death of Teri Schiavo - who died, of course, under a judicial fiat in Florida a few years ago deeming that feeding and hydration intubation also was a artificial life support, rather than the definition that had held and was understood by most Americans to be "mechanical methods" such as respirators or other devices gave little hope for a recovery without major heart/brain or other organ function damage and was or would be irreversible.
It seems this young woman's grandmother had suffered a stroke at a rather young age according to life expectancy charts, and was being fed due to her inability to swallow post the stroke and was being fed and hydrated by artificial means by feeding tubes and hydrated intravenously. She was still aware and alert although had some minimal brain damage due to the stroke, which doctors felt even could be reversed.
Apparently, one of the members of the family thought and felt differently, and hired a lawyer to challenge and remove the feeding tubes and hydration methods per what occurred with Ms. Schiavo.
The grandmother had executed a "living will," although at the time the will was executed, Louisiana law did not view hydration and feeding intubation as "artificial means" but "basic sustenance" which is needed by all humans in order to survive.
Remove hydration, especially, and the organs progressively begin to shut down one by one. In fact, this is the worse method for any human life to end since the body literally then feeds upon itself in order to survive.
After the Schiavo case, this young woman learned during the court proceedings that Louisiana law was change in order then post Schiavo to redefine and include "basic sustenance" also as "artificial means," and a judge so ruled again in that state that the feeding and hydration tubes should be removed per the terms of her grandmother's living will.
Now even included in hospital admittance forms some states are including such language as "artificial" life support, without also including upon the admittance of those patients that state laws are changing with respect to the clear definition of just what is, and what is not, "artificial life support."
And how many patients, or their closest relatives or spouses charged with signing all those lengthy forms now upon admittance have the time or even awareness in such a time of fear for their loved one or emergency to ask some of those very relevant questions prior to treatment? In the future, could not, say, an insurance company as the payor then also bring suit in order to discontinue payment for provision of such measures under these now changing laws throughout the nation?
Even now the laws regarding euthansia are being written, however, how many patients really at the time such a decision might be broached by a doctor or even relative, can make a sane, rational decision in such respect when many are even under medications that make even those "sound mind" common law provisions with respect to the execution of legal documents questionable?
Taxing not only citizens while they are living, but also now even their accumulated assets after death (upon which taxes actually have already been paid, absent the current year's assets or accumulations) does appear that greed at the state level and the commercial interests that also are involved such as those insurers and even beneficiaries without having any "legal" authority or powers of attorney "rights" given who favor death over life for personal or corporate gain are gaining legal "rights" in leaps and bound changing many of those living wills executed in years gone by fundamentally in the process.
All those boomers that are now aging to retirement age take heed.
I mean, as with the Schiavo case, whose to say that a cure for the degree of brain damage Ms. Schiavo suffered might have been found before her natural life expectancy was reached, or even due to the fact that she had never had any physical rehabilitation whatsoever and had other relatives willing and able to provide for her care absent her already "married" for all intents and purposes spouse, that the "state" or a relative with no legal authority per any executed power of attorney, should have any rights to dominion over another with respect to providing "basic sustenance" which any newborn or incapacitated person must have in order to survive.
Irreversible today, does not mean irreversible tomorrow, as research and technology strides in medicine are proving each and every day.
Nor should any third party payor have any inherent "rights" to use the states in their lobbying efforts in order to increase their profit margins, or their risk factors at the cost of human life, which is occurring more and more rapidly in each and every state across the nation.
And will increase now in leaps and bounds at the federal and state levels since the recent Supreme Court decision affording "unlimited" contributions to political office candidates from those financial industry lobbyists now undermining the First Amendment rights of all Americans now liberally and progressively in favor of the "corporate."
I hope those Supreme Court justices have a living will and are inserting a few words and redefining just what their definition of "artificial life support" is, and re-evaluating their positions to remove those "unalienable" First Amendment provisions more and more from the "people" and redistributing both the American people's wealth, and their lives, to the corporate before they find themselves in one of those federally funded corporate hospitals, or one of their nearest and dearest, after refusing to hear Schiavo.
http://biotech.law.lsu.edu/la/consent/la-living-will.htm
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Geithner States Economy Headed Toward Rebound: But For Whom?
In an interview with CNN published several days ago given by Timothy Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. Geithner stated that the economy is giving signs that it is headed for an eventual rebound.
But my question is: for whom? And just who has he spoken with recently, or what statistics is he using?
The last several months have seen the amount of foreclosures and also those jobless continue to escalate at unprecedented levels. Recently, Congress just assessed what is potentially going to be the largest increase in taxation in this country since the 16th Amendment with respect to Americans utility bills, which are already off the charts in most areas of the country: The Cap & Trade tax.
Conservative estimates have been that this new scheme for the Wall Street brokers and bankers will most likely increase Americans utility bills the first year alone over $1,400 per PERSON. Not household.
The most massive layoff ever occurred recently in Detroit, one of the cities hardest hit also with the foreclosure mess. Those middle class GM workers I'm sure are much appreciative of the anticipated extention of unemployment benefits they will receive. Most of which are less than half of their former salaries. And that $600 credit isn't going to go very far paying those utility bills either.
If Mr. Geithner's predictions are based upon the "global" market and Wall Street, then Mr. Geithner, Mr. Obama & those on the Hill have certainly insured its survival with all the legislation since the "bank bailout" fiasco, for an industry that has progressively also escalated their "junk fees" and costs in their "flex loan" offerings for those mortgages they sold to the American public and then resold on the "global" exchange.
While also lobbying for changes in the bankruptcy code precluding Americans from writing off any of their usurous fees and costs should they actually use some of that great credit and have an unexpected large expense arise, such as ballooning property taxes and insurance costs, that makes them unable to pay that double digit interest.
Of course, the Americans lost their homes, while the foreigner iinvestors recouped their investments, enough to even send their highest paid executives to a retreat at one of California's Four Star resorts. California, of course, being the home of the lenders who underwrote most of those bogus loans.
Which then turned around and pleaded bankruptcy, when Silicon Valley must be making money hands over fist due to the continuing war, and the telecom bill that just resulted in many Americans having to ditch their antennae and pay instead for cable subscriptions to "stimulate" the telecom companies profit margins even more.
Mr. Geithner must be polling the financiers who are profiting with his predictions is the only conclusion I could come to after reading the piece since it was truly difficult to pinpoint just what he is using as his crystal ball, of course at the cost of Joe the Plumber for these progressive Wall Street stimuluses, who I am sure doesn't have a lot invested in the stock market other than maybe a college fund for his kids.
Although that also won't tie him over once those "global warming" taxes also kick in, not to mention the health care he most likely will now have to fork over for his journeymen apprentice helpers under the new L. Ron Hubbard/Orwell Universal Health Care Plan.
Tell me, Mr. Geithner, just whom were your consulting for your predictions? And since a great many now are on the breadline, or the homeless shelter, just where is the investment capital going to come from with so many Americans now living hand to mouth as it is, or saving for those "global warming" taxes once they hit?
I know, the "global" community will continue to buy up most of America's industrial base, and its infrastructure at an even faster clip than it already has. I hear the French are now invested in the Grand Canyon and that new platform they just put in, and I'm sure could come up with a down payment on the rest since I do believe they still have some extra cash and some of those dollars of ours which helped during the rebuilding after World War II?
Have you arranged for the realtor and "for sale" sign for the White House yet?
Oh, heads up America. In the article Mr. Geithner did indicate that in order for this recovery to progress and have the desired result, there most likely would have to be some increases in taxes in the form of a VAT or value added tax on manufactured goods which will, of course, raise prices again for the consumers.
And he also spoke of what "success" of the Cash for Clunkers program which was funded at 1 billion and provided for $4,500 for people who traded in their older gas guzzlers for newer, fuel efficient models.
But I question whether the success of this program is as was represented, since with the average automobile now, with all the bells and whistles and computers now involved, well over $20,000 even for the lower end models, in most states that credit wouldn't even pay the license, sales tax and registration fees.
Seems another "stimulus" instead meant for the state and local coffers more than anything.
Certainly not for the auto industry, as stated in the article, since those GM plants in Mexico and China are humming right along and due to the cheap labor and with that Hummer deal thrown in to China to sweeten the deal as our major creditor at this point from the propaganda on the MSM, GM isn't hurting and had one of the fastest bankruptcy restructuring (post bailout) ever for a major U.S. corporation.
And John McCain, of course, was also interviewed. And gave credit somehow also to the "success" of the stimulus.
I wonder if he's been back to Arizona recently, or spoken with many in the Grand Canyon State, one of the top three consistently in home foreclosures? Or visited and walked through some of the wash areas in metro Phoenix or Tucson lately? Or visited the local soup kitchen because there are quite a few Joe the Plumbers there due to the amount of day laborers who have taken many of their jobs as those small businesses and construction trades do seem to be some of the primary employers in most areas of the country right now.
So cheer up, Middle Class America, Mr. Geithner has things well under control....for the "global market economy," which your are subsidizing for what is nothing more than world "economic" socialism.
As Mr. Obama said: We all must make sacrifices.
Maybe a start would be that all federal employees must also divest themselves of their taxpayer paid health care plans and benefits, and sign up for the new "government" sponsored program to help cut that deficit and be on parity with their constituents in this government initiated economic crisis. And their federal pensions contributions sliced and switched to 401(Ks) heavily invested in U.S. industries, rather than their global investment portfolios.
Isn't it time those on the Hill practiced what they preach and layoff a few of those government workers?
After all, the recently published staff budget for the White House alone is over 32 million with over 400 employees.
I think Adams had less than six, and it wasn't even done yet.
But my question is: for whom? And just who has he spoken with recently, or what statistics is he using?
The last several months have seen the amount of foreclosures and also those jobless continue to escalate at unprecedented levels. Recently, Congress just assessed what is potentially going to be the largest increase in taxation in this country since the 16th Amendment with respect to Americans utility bills, which are already off the charts in most areas of the country: The Cap & Trade tax.
Conservative estimates have been that this new scheme for the Wall Street brokers and bankers will most likely increase Americans utility bills the first year alone over $1,400 per PERSON. Not household.
The most massive layoff ever occurred recently in Detroit, one of the cities hardest hit also with the foreclosure mess. Those middle class GM workers I'm sure are much appreciative of the anticipated extention of unemployment benefits they will receive. Most of which are less than half of their former salaries. And that $600 credit isn't going to go very far paying those utility bills either.
If Mr. Geithner's predictions are based upon the "global" market and Wall Street, then Mr. Geithner, Mr. Obama & those on the Hill have certainly insured its survival with all the legislation since the "bank bailout" fiasco, for an industry that has progressively also escalated their "junk fees" and costs in their "flex loan" offerings for those mortgages they sold to the American public and then resold on the "global" exchange.
While also lobbying for changes in the bankruptcy code precluding Americans from writing off any of their usurous fees and costs should they actually use some of that great credit and have an unexpected large expense arise, such as ballooning property taxes and insurance costs, that makes them unable to pay that double digit interest.
Of course, the Americans lost their homes, while the foreigner iinvestors recouped their investments, enough to even send their highest paid executives to a retreat at one of California's Four Star resorts. California, of course, being the home of the lenders who underwrote most of those bogus loans.
Which then turned around and pleaded bankruptcy, when Silicon Valley must be making money hands over fist due to the continuing war, and the telecom bill that just resulted in many Americans having to ditch their antennae and pay instead for cable subscriptions to "stimulate" the telecom companies profit margins even more.
Mr. Geithner must be polling the financiers who are profiting with his predictions is the only conclusion I could come to after reading the piece since it was truly difficult to pinpoint just what he is using as his crystal ball, of course at the cost of Joe the Plumber for these progressive Wall Street stimuluses, who I am sure doesn't have a lot invested in the stock market other than maybe a college fund for his kids.
Although that also won't tie him over once those "global warming" taxes also kick in, not to mention the health care he most likely will now have to fork over for his journeymen apprentice helpers under the new L. Ron Hubbard/Orwell Universal Health Care Plan.
Tell me, Mr. Geithner, just whom were your consulting for your predictions? And since a great many now are on the breadline, or the homeless shelter, just where is the investment capital going to come from with so many Americans now living hand to mouth as it is, or saving for those "global warming" taxes once they hit?
I know, the "global" community will continue to buy up most of America's industrial base, and its infrastructure at an even faster clip than it already has. I hear the French are now invested in the Grand Canyon and that new platform they just put in, and I'm sure could come up with a down payment on the rest since I do believe they still have some extra cash and some of those dollars of ours which helped during the rebuilding after World War II?
Have you arranged for the realtor and "for sale" sign for the White House yet?
Oh, heads up America. In the article Mr. Geithner did indicate that in order for this recovery to progress and have the desired result, there most likely would have to be some increases in taxes in the form of a VAT or value added tax on manufactured goods which will, of course, raise prices again for the consumers.
And he also spoke of what "success" of the Cash for Clunkers program which was funded at 1 billion and provided for $4,500 for people who traded in their older gas guzzlers for newer, fuel efficient models.
But I question whether the success of this program is as was represented, since with the average automobile now, with all the bells and whistles and computers now involved, well over $20,000 even for the lower end models, in most states that credit wouldn't even pay the license, sales tax and registration fees.
Seems another "stimulus" instead meant for the state and local coffers more than anything.
Certainly not for the auto industry, as stated in the article, since those GM plants in Mexico and China are humming right along and due to the cheap labor and with that Hummer deal thrown in to China to sweeten the deal as our major creditor at this point from the propaganda on the MSM, GM isn't hurting and had one of the fastest bankruptcy restructuring (post bailout) ever for a major U.S. corporation.
And John McCain, of course, was also interviewed. And gave credit somehow also to the "success" of the stimulus.
I wonder if he's been back to Arizona recently, or spoken with many in the Grand Canyon State, one of the top three consistently in home foreclosures? Or visited and walked through some of the wash areas in metro Phoenix or Tucson lately? Or visited the local soup kitchen because there are quite a few Joe the Plumbers there due to the amount of day laborers who have taken many of their jobs as those small businesses and construction trades do seem to be some of the primary employers in most areas of the country right now.
So cheer up, Middle Class America, Mr. Geithner has things well under control....for the "global market economy," which your are subsidizing for what is nothing more than world "economic" socialism.
As Mr. Obama said: We all must make sacrifices.
Maybe a start would be that all federal employees must also divest themselves of their taxpayer paid health care plans and benefits, and sign up for the new "government" sponsored program to help cut that deficit and be on parity with their constituents in this government initiated economic crisis. And their federal pensions contributions sliced and switched to 401(Ks) heavily invested in U.S. industries, rather than their global investment portfolios.
Isn't it time those on the Hill practiced what they preach and layoff a few of those government workers?
After all, the recently published staff budget for the White House alone is over 32 million with over 400 employees.
I think Adams had less than six, and it wasn't even done yet.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
The Gates "Case": Beer Diplomacy Or Just Suds?
For Any And All Constitutional Conserve-atives:
Another story beaten to death by the mainstream media and the Obama Administration came to a conclusion Thursday at the White House with Mr. Obama, Mr. Biden, Dr. Gates and the Cambridge police officer who "arrested" Dr. Gates purportedly due to a "crime in progress" call he received at the Gates residence having a cold one for all the news cameras.
With all the spin that has been occurring in the mainstream media, much of which since 9/11 has left much to be desired in the way of factual journalism and which act more as media reps for "their" politicians due to Big Business corporate ownership and who merely play off each other with respect to political news on the Hill, even the details of this supposed "crime" have been questionable.
Starting with the fact that it has now been reported it was a "senior citizen" who made the call. I'll let that one go for now, since it appears now the seniors are going to be brought into this political circus perhaps for poor eyesight in not recognizing Dr. Gates in the middle of the afternoon, mind you.
The spins on this "story" have been just too incredible to believe at this point.
And appears at least in my educated opinion watching how this has progressed now for almost a week and a half, this was a staged event being used for political purposes most of all. Especially now that even Colin Powell was on Larry King putting in his two cents with respect to supposedly a dereliction of protocol in that an "adult supervisor" (or SWAT negotiator?) hadn't been called in to mediate.
Mr. Obama has been losing points fast with the American public, especially in light of his "solutions" which have not been solutions at all per his campaign rhetoric but simply continuations of the same agendas and even upping the civil rights violations now on the American people of the Bush Administration.
Other than calling for closing Guantanamo he is really 0-3 on his promises to end the war, look out for Joe the Plumber and the middle class (tell that one to the laid off GM workers in Detroit, I dare you), and solving the mortgage mess and crisis.
There was just something a little strange about the "convenience" of this entire incident, and the amount of press it received for my liking. And it appears a good many other Americans also. Good way to shift the pressure and heat off the Hill for the next tax scam on the American people, the L. Ron Hubbard/George Orwell "Science Based" Universal Health Care Plan.
And also keep the racial thing alive as a diversionary tactic and method to use to facilitate civil unrest since civil unrest means the government can use it also as an excuse for much of its extra-Constitutional now security measures against Americans so long as they can keep the fear factor alive.
Inciting civil unrest actually is how many communist leaders and governments came to be. And just why aren't our own borders secured, or some of these foreign individuals from Middle Eastern countries with active terrorist cells not simply deported at this point?
Or, in fact, since America is still at war (although never called Constitutionally or "legally" declared under Bush or that Congress) then why aren't all non-green card holders deported at this point until we have ended this "conflict" or "engagement" or whatever the heck it is since it appears those on the Hill have about as much clue as the American people why we are STILL now eight years later over there?
And all foreign entry visas denied until it is?
After all, I'm sure Mr. Powell is aware of this. After any attack on any military installation in this country is it not SOP that the "base" is locked down until any additional threats are addressed, and all passes then denied to any and all entering or leaving the base until the crime is solved and perpetrators brought to justice? The military bases in this country actually have far greater "common defense" provisions than our entire country - especially for those living in the border states most of all due to the criminal activity, theft and violent crimes that can be directly tied to it.
Many Americans could sure use those jobs.
I know, the finale for "So You Think You Can Dance" is next week and Nigel and that other British MC just might have to miss it and the shows producers and network would then have to get an American replacement that might result in a point or two drop in the ratings.
That health care "solution" in appointing a Health Care "God" using actuarial tables for treatment plans is looking more and more like the "science based" Cap & Trade scam which was propagandized to the hilt, and quite obviously meant to feed the Wall Street bankers for that carbon credit market that will be initiated on the backs of the American public in higher utility bills that wipe out that little crumb of a tax rebate and credit thrown out at election time.
Especially now when those inflationary taxes and utility bills start soaring off the charts, in addition to the continued loss of jobs and homes that is still escalating.
I wonder how many members of Congress are heavily invested in energy development and utility companies. Or for that matter Wall Street itself. Maybe 100%?
And then the "spins" on the Beer Summit being a "teachable moment" for America and America's children.
Please.
Does Mr. Obama and those serving now in our federal government in all three branches truly think that they are examples that America's children should use for role models? A Commander in Chief that speaks of transparency, while hiring three law firms to prevent disclosure of his birth or academic records in order to even verify that he meets the minimum qualifications of the Office of the Presidency?
A Supreme Court that has gotten increasing more and more political and sovereign favoring in its rulings with respect to Americans Bill of Rights protection, and has refused over six legal challenges to Obama's citizenship status?
And A Congress that just engaged in a "sleight of hand" in order to also circumvent all those challeges in using a bogus "Resolution" congratulating Hawaii on its 50th anniversary as a state by including a cute little sentence introducting this Resolution with respect to Mr. Obama's birth again without any clear evidence or documentation, in order to also deny the people their right to review the evidence that Obama meets those absolutely minimal requirements (although clear that his status, from the founders "intent" with respect to that provision would clearly make him a foreigner and not "natural born" or "naturalized" American at all, due to reasons behind that provision itself, and their intent in so providing).
Forget the next Beer Summit. Our taxpayer dollars would be better spent in group therapy for those holding federal office, and would assist in at least minimally reducing that federal deficit and taxpayer bite that already has left more Americans homeless and jobless than at any time since the Depression.
Do I hear "Cheers" out there in the South, West and Midwest?
Another story beaten to death by the mainstream media and the Obama Administration came to a conclusion Thursday at the White House with Mr. Obama, Mr. Biden, Dr. Gates and the Cambridge police officer who "arrested" Dr. Gates purportedly due to a "crime in progress" call he received at the Gates residence having a cold one for all the news cameras.
With all the spin that has been occurring in the mainstream media, much of which since 9/11 has left much to be desired in the way of factual journalism and which act more as media reps for "their" politicians due to Big Business corporate ownership and who merely play off each other with respect to political news on the Hill, even the details of this supposed "crime" have been questionable.
Starting with the fact that it has now been reported it was a "senior citizen" who made the call. I'll let that one go for now, since it appears now the seniors are going to be brought into this political circus perhaps for poor eyesight in not recognizing Dr. Gates in the middle of the afternoon, mind you.
The spins on this "story" have been just too incredible to believe at this point.
And appears at least in my educated opinion watching how this has progressed now for almost a week and a half, this was a staged event being used for political purposes most of all. Especially now that even Colin Powell was on Larry King putting in his two cents with respect to supposedly a dereliction of protocol in that an "adult supervisor" (or SWAT negotiator?) hadn't been called in to mediate.
Mr. Obama has been losing points fast with the American public, especially in light of his "solutions" which have not been solutions at all per his campaign rhetoric but simply continuations of the same agendas and even upping the civil rights violations now on the American people of the Bush Administration.
Other than calling for closing Guantanamo he is really 0-3 on his promises to end the war, look out for Joe the Plumber and the middle class (tell that one to the laid off GM workers in Detroit, I dare you), and solving the mortgage mess and crisis.
There was just something a little strange about the "convenience" of this entire incident, and the amount of press it received for my liking. And it appears a good many other Americans also. Good way to shift the pressure and heat off the Hill for the next tax scam on the American people, the L. Ron Hubbard/George Orwell "Science Based" Universal Health Care Plan.
And also keep the racial thing alive as a diversionary tactic and method to use to facilitate civil unrest since civil unrest means the government can use it also as an excuse for much of its extra-Constitutional now security measures against Americans so long as they can keep the fear factor alive.
Inciting civil unrest actually is how many communist leaders and governments came to be. And just why aren't our own borders secured, or some of these foreign individuals from Middle Eastern countries with active terrorist cells not simply deported at this point?
Or, in fact, since America is still at war (although never called Constitutionally or "legally" declared under Bush or that Congress) then why aren't all non-green card holders deported at this point until we have ended this "conflict" or "engagement" or whatever the heck it is since it appears those on the Hill have about as much clue as the American people why we are STILL now eight years later over there?
And all foreign entry visas denied until it is?
After all, I'm sure Mr. Powell is aware of this. After any attack on any military installation in this country is it not SOP that the "base" is locked down until any additional threats are addressed, and all passes then denied to any and all entering or leaving the base until the crime is solved and perpetrators brought to justice? The military bases in this country actually have far greater "common defense" provisions than our entire country - especially for those living in the border states most of all due to the criminal activity, theft and violent crimes that can be directly tied to it.
Many Americans could sure use those jobs.
I know, the finale for "So You Think You Can Dance" is next week and Nigel and that other British MC just might have to miss it and the shows producers and network would then have to get an American replacement that might result in a point or two drop in the ratings.
That health care "solution" in appointing a Health Care "God" using actuarial tables for treatment plans is looking more and more like the "science based" Cap & Trade scam which was propagandized to the hilt, and quite obviously meant to feed the Wall Street bankers for that carbon credit market that will be initiated on the backs of the American public in higher utility bills that wipe out that little crumb of a tax rebate and credit thrown out at election time.
Especially now when those inflationary taxes and utility bills start soaring off the charts, in addition to the continued loss of jobs and homes that is still escalating.
I wonder how many members of Congress are heavily invested in energy development and utility companies. Or for that matter Wall Street itself. Maybe 100%?
And then the "spins" on the Beer Summit being a "teachable moment" for America and America's children.
Please.
Does Mr. Obama and those serving now in our federal government in all three branches truly think that they are examples that America's children should use for role models? A Commander in Chief that speaks of transparency, while hiring three law firms to prevent disclosure of his birth or academic records in order to even verify that he meets the minimum qualifications of the Office of the Presidency?
A Supreme Court that has gotten increasing more and more political and sovereign favoring in its rulings with respect to Americans Bill of Rights protection, and has refused over six legal challenges to Obama's citizenship status?
And A Congress that just engaged in a "sleight of hand" in order to also circumvent all those challeges in using a bogus "Resolution" congratulating Hawaii on its 50th anniversary as a state by including a cute little sentence introducting this Resolution with respect to Mr. Obama's birth again without any clear evidence or documentation, in order to also deny the people their right to review the evidence that Obama meets those absolutely minimal requirements (although clear that his status, from the founders "intent" with respect to that provision would clearly make him a foreigner and not "natural born" or "naturalized" American at all, due to reasons behind that provision itself, and their intent in so providing).
Forget the next Beer Summit. Our taxpayer dollars would be better spent in group therapy for those holding federal office, and would assist in at least minimally reducing that federal deficit and taxpayer bite that already has left more Americans homeless and jobless than at any time since the Depression.
Do I hear "Cheers" out there in the South, West and Midwest?
Friday, June 12, 2009
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Gets Stimulus: Now "Educational" Institution?
Buried in the news due to the brouhaha and continuing sensationalism in reporting which has occurred due to the shooting earlier this week at the Holocaust Museum and the liberal spins on the story now being expanded and repeated without much "hard" evidence and proof on the true motivations and actions of this 89 year old apparently demented man and World War II enlistee, who has yet to be questioned himself it appears (and who knew enough about computers to have and maintain his own website at 89, and was on one source a "Nazi officer," although American enlistee?), there have been several other stories not as widely covered.
One of which is the recent announcement by the United States Chamber of Commerce that they have decided to undertake a mission at the tune of over 10 million dollars in order to "educate" the public on the economic benefits of "capitalism and free markets," over what many are labeling Mr. Obama's socialistic moves this past several months in taking over and bailing out several of our major private industries.
Such as the banks and auto manufacturers, and redistributing the wealth according to Congress and the Executive Office's priorities for global policy reasons most of all.
Global socialism, in other words.
The problem that I have with that is first the question of just where, in this struggling economy with industries across the spectrum pleading poverty, the Chamber is getting this 10 million in order to undertake their "educational focus and program?"
Since such a declaration of intent falls within the parameters of "education" and a major focus of the stimulus sums were earmarked for "educational purposes," could the U.S. Chamber now be one of those recipients of stimulus monies, another payback by both the Democrats and Republicans to their big business supporters for their 2008 election coffers?
Doesn't this simply mean that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is a social welfare recipient itself now of the U.S. taxpayers? And their agenda merely is more propaganda for their member corporate interests, i.e., convincing the public that their lobbying efforts have the American citizens and consumers in mind with their "free market" theories?
Since the U.S. Chamber does not support any "buy American" clauses in most of the Congressional legislation that has come out of the Hill for literally decades, and is a big supporter of "free trade" global agreements, open borders and global tourism is one of their primary focuses especially between the United States, Canada and Mexico, is not their idea of "free market" and "capitalism," simply "global corporate socialism," under the much rumored North American Union banner of one world government under U.N. dictates, rather than America's own Constitution?
"Corporatism" is entirely different than "free market" capitalism, an economic theory that the founders found actually compromised U.S. industry and labor. The United States Chamber of Commerce is similar in agenda to the East India Tea Company which existed prior to America's Revolutionary War in its public/private partnership with the sovereign, and dominating and monopolizing European imports and exports and the marketplace.
A "monopoly," as it were, squeezing out the independent, small business entrepreneurs, and compromising U.S. domestic production and labor in the process. While getting "tax breaks" and "privileges and immunities" at the colonialists expense for inferior products and unfair trade practices.
The U.S. Chamber may be "U.S. owned," but its agenda is clearly globally, not domestically, focused for its member corporations in supporting and promoting many U.S. interests which have moved offshore, or employment of foreigners at the cost of American labor in order to increase profits and production and skirt around U.S. minimum wage and labor laws for these multi-national corporations, while promoting and supporting a "hands off" policy with respect to regulation of executive level pay.
Although corporations, by their very nature, are the "property" of the disinterested shareholders once those corporations go public.
In my opinion the entire argument with respect to executive pay levels and government involvement could be cured by recognizing these U.S. corporations for what they are. Property. And as "public" corporations, owned by the shareholders who should have final and absolute authority with respect to compensation levels for their top level management with the caveat that all such matters as public corporations be determined by "one vote per ownership" no matter how many shares are held by an individual or corporate investor, or based on a 2/3rds majority vote in order to protect those minority shareholders from majority "block" voting.
This isn't baseball cards we are dealing with here, it is multi-billion dollar corporations, and yet our Congress and government have now even given "corporate person-hoods" privileges and immunities far greater than the American people and citizens individually.
Governmental protection, and now the American people are enforced shareholders in these major corporations, again without any voice in the huge "socialization" of these debts but left holding the bag but without any beneficial interest for their now investment, which corporations are now being brokered and sold piecemeal to foreign and global interests primarily, and giving foreign governments and industries more and more influence in the American political process, again, over and above the lawful American citizens in addition to their jobs and homes.
But with this announcement of the new nationwide "Campaign for Free Enterprise," and its education branch funded with over 10 million in stimulus monies, is it not the epitome of hypocrisy to fund a purported "free market and free enterprise" campaign with sums gained through public welfare and "socialism" at its core?
It seems that returning to our Constitution and intended form of government, if Congress was actually performing the functions for which it was lawfully charged to do, would guarantee that the larger would not snuff out the weaker in this "global corporatism" the American people are now subjected to on each and every level.
It appears the "Campaign for Free Enterprise," is simply another "job creation," and stimulus of the Bush/Obama administrations and our treasonous federal legislators for big business and global corporate interests which is now being funded by the American taxpayers - with "freedom" and "liberty" which formerly were "principles," and Constitutional directives now only to have morphed into an industry all its own and simply another government funded new job stimulus and "industry" for the Fortune 500's additional financial gain most of all, and it appears selected "freedom and liberty" focused citizens organizations and groups.
Since such groups have sprung up in abundance since the Bush years, and now "freedom" and "liberty" are being used as industries all their own in trinkets, ad revenues for websites, and fees and costs for traveling to and from freedom and liberty based paid speaker "seminars."
The "free market" global capitalist corporatists version of the opposing global social corporatists "global warming" scam.
http://www.uschamber.com/press/releases/2009/june/090610_enterprise.htm
One of which is the recent announcement by the United States Chamber of Commerce that they have decided to undertake a mission at the tune of over 10 million dollars in order to "educate" the public on the economic benefits of "capitalism and free markets," over what many are labeling Mr. Obama's socialistic moves this past several months in taking over and bailing out several of our major private industries.
Such as the banks and auto manufacturers, and redistributing the wealth according to Congress and the Executive Office's priorities for global policy reasons most of all.
Global socialism, in other words.
The problem that I have with that is first the question of just where, in this struggling economy with industries across the spectrum pleading poverty, the Chamber is getting this 10 million in order to undertake their "educational focus and program?"
Since such a declaration of intent falls within the parameters of "education" and a major focus of the stimulus sums were earmarked for "educational purposes," could the U.S. Chamber now be one of those recipients of stimulus monies, another payback by both the Democrats and Republicans to their big business supporters for their 2008 election coffers?
Doesn't this simply mean that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is a social welfare recipient itself now of the U.S. taxpayers? And their agenda merely is more propaganda for their member corporate interests, i.e., convincing the public that their lobbying efforts have the American citizens and consumers in mind with their "free market" theories?
Since the U.S. Chamber does not support any "buy American" clauses in most of the Congressional legislation that has come out of the Hill for literally decades, and is a big supporter of "free trade" global agreements, open borders and global tourism is one of their primary focuses especially between the United States, Canada and Mexico, is not their idea of "free market" and "capitalism," simply "global corporate socialism," under the much rumored North American Union banner of one world government under U.N. dictates, rather than America's own Constitution?
"Corporatism" is entirely different than "free market" capitalism, an economic theory that the founders found actually compromised U.S. industry and labor. The United States Chamber of Commerce is similar in agenda to the East India Tea Company which existed prior to America's Revolutionary War in its public/private partnership with the sovereign, and dominating and monopolizing European imports and exports and the marketplace.
A "monopoly," as it were, squeezing out the independent, small business entrepreneurs, and compromising U.S. domestic production and labor in the process. While getting "tax breaks" and "privileges and immunities" at the colonialists expense for inferior products and unfair trade practices.
The U.S. Chamber may be "U.S. owned," but its agenda is clearly globally, not domestically, focused for its member corporations in supporting and promoting many U.S. interests which have moved offshore, or employment of foreigners at the cost of American labor in order to increase profits and production and skirt around U.S. minimum wage and labor laws for these multi-national corporations, while promoting and supporting a "hands off" policy with respect to regulation of executive level pay.
Although corporations, by their very nature, are the "property" of the disinterested shareholders once those corporations go public.
In my opinion the entire argument with respect to executive pay levels and government involvement could be cured by recognizing these U.S. corporations for what they are. Property. And as "public" corporations, owned by the shareholders who should have final and absolute authority with respect to compensation levels for their top level management with the caveat that all such matters as public corporations be determined by "one vote per ownership" no matter how many shares are held by an individual or corporate investor, or based on a 2/3rds majority vote in order to protect those minority shareholders from majority "block" voting.
This isn't baseball cards we are dealing with here, it is multi-billion dollar corporations, and yet our Congress and government have now even given "corporate person-hoods" privileges and immunities far greater than the American people and citizens individually.
Governmental protection, and now the American people are enforced shareholders in these major corporations, again without any voice in the huge "socialization" of these debts but left holding the bag but without any beneficial interest for their now investment, which corporations are now being brokered and sold piecemeal to foreign and global interests primarily, and giving foreign governments and industries more and more influence in the American political process, again, over and above the lawful American citizens in addition to their jobs and homes.
But with this announcement of the new nationwide "Campaign for Free Enterprise," and its education branch funded with over 10 million in stimulus monies, is it not the epitome of hypocrisy to fund a purported "free market and free enterprise" campaign with sums gained through public welfare and "socialism" at its core?
It seems that returning to our Constitution and intended form of government, if Congress was actually performing the functions for which it was lawfully charged to do, would guarantee that the larger would not snuff out the weaker in this "global corporatism" the American people are now subjected to on each and every level.
It appears the "Campaign for Free Enterprise," is simply another "job creation," and stimulus of the Bush/Obama administrations and our treasonous federal legislators for big business and global corporate interests which is now being funded by the American taxpayers - with "freedom" and "liberty" which formerly were "principles," and Constitutional directives now only to have morphed into an industry all its own and simply another government funded new job stimulus and "industry" for the Fortune 500's additional financial gain most of all, and it appears selected "freedom and liberty" focused citizens organizations and groups.
Since such groups have sprung up in abundance since the Bush years, and now "freedom" and "liberty" are being used as industries all their own in trinkets, ad revenues for websites, and fees and costs for traveling to and from freedom and liberty based paid speaker "seminars."
The "free market" global capitalist corporatists version of the opposing global social corporatists "global warming" scam.
http://www.uschamber.com/press/releases/2009/june/090610_enterprise.htm
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
California Screaming: Golden State Needs More Than Mamas and Papas
Recently on one of the major networks it was reported that the State of California is facing a massive budget deficit, with the citizens of California screaming.
It appears Governor Schwartzenegger's solution to the catastrophy, one which again has a great deal to do with the past and current administration's governmental excesses from all reports, is now to request that the citizens of the United States bail out California much like the AIG, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bailouts (and it appears, the Big Three auto manufacturers).
California, the home of such programs as "Californication," "Beverly Hills 90210," "The OC" and the like, is hardly an innocent victim in their predicament, but a state who has built it's own reputation on fantasy and excess.
Apparently, it is those hard working Midwesterners and farmers that those in the Golden State now wish to come to their rescue, in addition to the out of work steel and auto workers, and those now homeless due to many of the practices of a number of banks who make their home also in the Golden State.
My former home state, Arizona, is now full of the refugees from California who essentially have destroyed that state with their excesses, and are working on destroying my former home in leaps and bounds with their liberal agendas.
Governor Schwartenegger, here are some suggestions for restoring economic viability in California:
1. Reduce all governmental salaries by at least 25%, in recognition that you, and all public employees of that state, also have blue ribbon health, dental, and pension plans that a good 2/3's of the private sector employees in California do not have (with the exception of Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and Nobb Hill).
Place freezes on additonal new hires until the size of government in the state can actually bear relevance to need, i.e., since the cities and local governments are state actors of the State of California, both legally and by judicial interpretation, just maybe your bicameral legislature could be parred down to a unicameral one such as Nebraska has, which is actually more in accordance with the federal Constitution, since there are only three "legal" entities within it - the federal government, the states, and the people.
And Senators rarely represent the municipalites solely in state government, but usually also large corporate interests just as the House members now do although elected through supposedly "democratic" local elections. Although those candidates merely are representatives of political party and corporate interests, by and large, and many of which funded by out of district slush money.
The U.S. Senators were actually provided to represent "the states" with the U.S. House then representing the people. The 17th Amendment somehow changed all that and is why we now have Senators courted by foreign governments and corporate lobbyists, since if elected by the state legislatures as originally provided, they were accountable to the states themselves.
Such a change in California government would result in shorter legislative sessions, less bureaucracy, and less costs to the taxpayers with greater accessibility, and would also be a great idea for the other 48 states which have yet to recognize this "double whammy, double bureaucracy" excess. What a concept!
2. Institute gaming and gambling just like the State of Arizona and so many other states across the nation have rather recently done, and then in conjunction with the new social drinking taxes, have officers wait outside the casinos to pick up the low level DUIs after the casinos have plied them with alcohol. Either they lose the money in the casinos to the state, or just in the event they win or truly do not excessively imbibe, they lose it in the DUI fines and fees after leaving.
Then put them in the privatized county court system, so that the state, counties and cities can at least get their share of the fees and fines, and federal pork pie for those expenses and incarcerations which are factored according to arrests and conviction, and which are now made by juries who are becoming increasing comprised of primarily state or municipal employees. This, of course, has become the procedure in order to insure those conviction rates stay high and those dollars continue to flow in.
Or, as is also now spreading the country due to an errant unconstitutional Supreme Court ruling, remove those jury trials for those now criminal actions entirely, so that the city or county judge can simply act as the state revenue agent instead in the interests of claimed "budgetary needs," due to having now criminalized 2/3rds the population on a Friday or Saturday night.
Oh, and also install statewide those speeding cameras so that you can gain another several billions on those progressive fines and fees for speeding violations based upon those fallible machines. That should bring in billions!!!
Alas, though I see that the State Supreme Court is going to "review" the legality this week of Proposition 8, which passed recently under a citizen's initiative restricting marriages to two sex couples.
Overturn that "people determined" decision due to budgetary needs, and of course you can look forward to all those licenses fees, and the "for profit" court costs and fees for all those divorces sometime in the future. Not to mention all those added taxes that will be necessary in order to provide those courts for at least some of those divorces if only 1/3 of them end up in the courts eventually.
And also those future campaign contributions from the California Bar Association Domestic Relations Division due to the gold mine such an action would engender for their corporate interests in state permission and licensures of personal relationships, rather than simple recordations of these oral or written personal contracts.
The above should fix your budgetary woes, although with respect to California's total tax bill to the rest of the nation, does this take into consideration the effect and costs of those wildfires of yours due to the aging 60's hippie environmentalists and their offspring, nor the "global warming" scam supported by Hollywood in order to now tax the air we breathe.
I don't think Californians should be screaming, but the rest of the nation.
It appears Governor Schwartzenegger's solution to the catastrophy, one which again has a great deal to do with the past and current administration's governmental excesses from all reports, is now to request that the citizens of the United States bail out California much like the AIG, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bailouts (and it appears, the Big Three auto manufacturers).
California, the home of such programs as "Californication," "Beverly Hills 90210," "The OC" and the like, is hardly an innocent victim in their predicament, but a state who has built it's own reputation on fantasy and excess.
Apparently, it is those hard working Midwesterners and farmers that those in the Golden State now wish to come to their rescue, in addition to the out of work steel and auto workers, and those now homeless due to many of the practices of a number of banks who make their home also in the Golden State.
My former home state, Arizona, is now full of the refugees from California who essentially have destroyed that state with their excesses, and are working on destroying my former home in leaps and bounds with their liberal agendas.
Governor Schwartenegger, here are some suggestions for restoring economic viability in California:
1. Reduce all governmental salaries by at least 25%, in recognition that you, and all public employees of that state, also have blue ribbon health, dental, and pension plans that a good 2/3's of the private sector employees in California do not have (with the exception of Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and Nobb Hill).
Place freezes on additonal new hires until the size of government in the state can actually bear relevance to need, i.e., since the cities and local governments are state actors of the State of California, both legally and by judicial interpretation, just maybe your bicameral legislature could be parred down to a unicameral one such as Nebraska has, which is actually more in accordance with the federal Constitution, since there are only three "legal" entities within it - the federal government, the states, and the people.
And Senators rarely represent the municipalites solely in state government, but usually also large corporate interests just as the House members now do although elected through supposedly "democratic" local elections. Although those candidates merely are representatives of political party and corporate interests, by and large, and many of which funded by out of district slush money.
The U.S. Senators were actually provided to represent "the states" with the U.S. House then representing the people. The 17th Amendment somehow changed all that and is why we now have Senators courted by foreign governments and corporate lobbyists, since if elected by the state legislatures as originally provided, they were accountable to the states themselves.
Such a change in California government would result in shorter legislative sessions, less bureaucracy, and less costs to the taxpayers with greater accessibility, and would also be a great idea for the other 48 states which have yet to recognize this "double whammy, double bureaucracy" excess. What a concept!
2. Institute gaming and gambling just like the State of Arizona and so many other states across the nation have rather recently done, and then in conjunction with the new social drinking taxes, have officers wait outside the casinos to pick up the low level DUIs after the casinos have plied them with alcohol. Either they lose the money in the casinos to the state, or just in the event they win or truly do not excessively imbibe, they lose it in the DUI fines and fees after leaving.
Then put them in the privatized county court system, so that the state, counties and cities can at least get their share of the fees and fines, and federal pork pie for those expenses and incarcerations which are factored according to arrests and conviction, and which are now made by juries who are becoming increasing comprised of primarily state or municipal employees. This, of course, has become the procedure in order to insure those conviction rates stay high and those dollars continue to flow in.
Or, as is also now spreading the country due to an errant unconstitutional Supreme Court ruling, remove those jury trials for those now criminal actions entirely, so that the city or county judge can simply act as the state revenue agent instead in the interests of claimed "budgetary needs," due to having now criminalized 2/3rds the population on a Friday or Saturday night.
Oh, and also install statewide those speeding cameras so that you can gain another several billions on those progressive fines and fees for speeding violations based upon those fallible machines. That should bring in billions!!!
Alas, though I see that the State Supreme Court is going to "review" the legality this week of Proposition 8, which passed recently under a citizen's initiative restricting marriages to two sex couples.
Overturn that "people determined" decision due to budgetary needs, and of course you can look forward to all those licenses fees, and the "for profit" court costs and fees for all those divorces sometime in the future. Not to mention all those added taxes that will be necessary in order to provide those courts for at least some of those divorces if only 1/3 of them end up in the courts eventually.
And also those future campaign contributions from the California Bar Association Domestic Relations Division due to the gold mine such an action would engender for their corporate interests in state permission and licensures of personal relationships, rather than simple recordations of these oral or written personal contracts.
The above should fix your budgetary woes, although with respect to California's total tax bill to the rest of the nation, does this take into consideration the effect and costs of those wildfires of yours due to the aging 60's hippie environmentalists and their offspring, nor the "global warming" scam supported by Hollywood in order to now tax the air we breathe.
I don't think Californians should be screaming, but the rest of the nation.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
An Inconvenient Truth: Global Warming Scientist Banned From Hearings
As if a tanked economy, ongoing foreign engagement, potential war in the not so distant future at our Southwestern borders, and exploding costs of government were not enough, the Washington theatrics and political power moves at the citzens' expense continue.
It was reported in several lesser known news sources that Margaret Thatcher's former science advisor, global warming expert and skeptic Lord Christopher Monckton, was prevented from testifying at the widely publicized hearings conducted by the House Energy and Commerce Committee held recently during which Al Gore ("An Inconvenient Truth") was also slated to testify.
Apparently, House Global Socialists (this time from the Democratic side of the aisle) were concerned that Mr. Gore might be upstaged by Lord Monckton's expertise with the issue.
As an American citizen I can understand, perhaps, disallowing Lord Monckton's testimony as a British and not American citizen.
However, since the subject matter was GLOBAL warming and Mr. Gore, although an enthusiastic activist, is without scientific credentials insofar as the long view on this issue, such a move smacks of a staged hearing and not a fact gathering session.
Certainly there are positives to even the worst case scenario which might occur. Development of new species in the arctic regions, for example.
Isn't it statistically more probable that the earth could be hit by a large asteroid at some point? Then this entire global warming argument won't matter one hoot, nor will Mr. Gore's Nobel Peace Prize or his contributions to this scientific debate be remembered.
Leave it to the global socialists to use the world community and earth's survival or destruction in order to up their profits, the ultimate terrorism weapon. And the one's with the largest carbon footprints by far due to their globe hopping for their various causes.
Working toward world peace and solving world hunger are not big enough bites of the apple. Now it is saving the world and all humanity, animal and plant life from ultimate destruction.
Whether apparently such fears or concerns have any factual basis or are truly warranted or not doesn't seem to be the issue.
It seems only these fortune tellers have the answer to solve that age old question: Just how long will the earth exist and/or be habitable?
At least most accredited scientists will give the most obvious answer: Only God knows.
What the science community knows is the history of climatic progressions, and it would appear we've been on a somewhat warming cycle naturally since the Ice Age. Our class, genus and species most likely would not exist now but for that warming cycle.
After all, environmentalists and their vehement advocacy has, in the past, resulted in more harm than good on more than one occasion.
The current and past serial wildfires in the West and Southwest is one which quickly comes to mind due to what is now occurring in and near Santa Barbara.
Drought conditions with only moderate to non-existent wind factors have leveled literally thousands of acres of forested land due to the density of some of our state and federal forests and parks.
"Saving the trees" end result is we have now lost more mature trees than the lumber mills and their needs for construction and other durable goods did, and also has devastated and made homeless more and more Americans with each passing year. Not to mention hit countless others in increased bank mandated home and property insurance due to the costs to cover all those disaster claims.
Except, unlike the hurricanes of the Gulf and Southeastern states, some of those disasters just might have been prevented with better stewardship rather than misguided claimed "conservation."
And Mr. Gore, after all, as a "global warming" proponent has made quite a hefty sum off his Nobel prize winning book, and his travel costs and expenses for his global speaking engagements.
Yet as an activist has left quite a carbon footprint of his own traversing the globe now publicizing both his book, and his carbon tax solution. A year ago about this time he was in Rome appearing on Italian television and conducting his lectures.
Power plays, again, at the expense of the American people since apparently Lord Monckton has also offered to debate Mr. Gore on this issue, even to his favored audience, internationally, but as of yet Mr. Gore has not responded.
I guess there hasn't been an opening yet in his travel and speaking engagement schedule.
http://www.climatedepot.com/a/429/Report-Democrats-Refuse-to-Allow-Skeptic-to-Testify-Alongside-Gore-At-Congressional-Hearing
http://faddaeart.blogspot.com/
It was reported in several lesser known news sources that Margaret Thatcher's former science advisor, global warming expert and skeptic Lord Christopher Monckton, was prevented from testifying at the widely publicized hearings conducted by the House Energy and Commerce Committee held recently during which Al Gore ("An Inconvenient Truth") was also slated to testify.
Apparently, House Global Socialists (this time from the Democratic side of the aisle) were concerned that Mr. Gore might be upstaged by Lord Monckton's expertise with the issue.
As an American citizen I can understand, perhaps, disallowing Lord Monckton's testimony as a British and not American citizen.
However, since the subject matter was GLOBAL warming and Mr. Gore, although an enthusiastic activist, is without scientific credentials insofar as the long view on this issue, such a move smacks of a staged hearing and not a fact gathering session.
Certainly there are positives to even the worst case scenario which might occur. Development of new species in the arctic regions, for example.
Isn't it statistically more probable that the earth could be hit by a large asteroid at some point? Then this entire global warming argument won't matter one hoot, nor will Mr. Gore's Nobel Peace Prize or his contributions to this scientific debate be remembered.
Leave it to the global socialists to use the world community and earth's survival or destruction in order to up their profits, the ultimate terrorism weapon. And the one's with the largest carbon footprints by far due to their globe hopping for their various causes.
Working toward world peace and solving world hunger are not big enough bites of the apple. Now it is saving the world and all humanity, animal and plant life from ultimate destruction.
Whether apparently such fears or concerns have any factual basis or are truly warranted or not doesn't seem to be the issue.
It seems only these fortune tellers have the answer to solve that age old question: Just how long will the earth exist and/or be habitable?
At least most accredited scientists will give the most obvious answer: Only God knows.
What the science community knows is the history of climatic progressions, and it would appear we've been on a somewhat warming cycle naturally since the Ice Age. Our class, genus and species most likely would not exist now but for that warming cycle.
After all, environmentalists and their vehement advocacy has, in the past, resulted in more harm than good on more than one occasion.
The current and past serial wildfires in the West and Southwest is one which quickly comes to mind due to what is now occurring in and near Santa Barbara.
Drought conditions with only moderate to non-existent wind factors have leveled literally thousands of acres of forested land due to the density of some of our state and federal forests and parks.
"Saving the trees" end result is we have now lost more mature trees than the lumber mills and their needs for construction and other durable goods did, and also has devastated and made homeless more and more Americans with each passing year. Not to mention hit countless others in increased bank mandated home and property insurance due to the costs to cover all those disaster claims.
Except, unlike the hurricanes of the Gulf and Southeastern states, some of those disasters just might have been prevented with better stewardship rather than misguided claimed "conservation."
And Mr. Gore, after all, as a "global warming" proponent has made quite a hefty sum off his Nobel prize winning book, and his travel costs and expenses for his global speaking engagements.
Yet as an activist has left quite a carbon footprint of his own traversing the globe now publicizing both his book, and his carbon tax solution. A year ago about this time he was in Rome appearing on Italian television and conducting his lectures.
Power plays, again, at the expense of the American people since apparently Lord Monckton has also offered to debate Mr. Gore on this issue, even to his favored audience, internationally, but as of yet Mr. Gore has not responded.
I guess there hasn't been an opening yet in his travel and speaking engagement schedule.
http://www.climatedepot.com/a/429/Report-Democrats-Refuse-to-Allow-Skeptic-to-Testify-Alongside-Gore-At-Congressional-Hearing
http://faddaeart.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Cap-And-Trade: Costs To Average Americans
Barack Obama is holding closed door meetings this week in order to push one of his major initiatives in order to fight "global warming."
The "Cap-and-Trade" legislation he hopes to pass as soon as possible.
The George Marshall Institute studied the proposals as now outlined by House Democrats supporting Mr. Obama's agenda. Below are the taxes which would most likely result if this legislation comes to fruition.
Don't forget, this was one of the two candidates served up to the American people last election that held himself out as one who was concerned with the tax burdens now on the average "Joe the Plumber" Americans:
"The authors find that the constraints posed by the Lieberman-Warner cap-and-trade approach is equivalent to a constant (in percentage terms) consumption decrease of about 1% each year, continuing to 2050. Put another way, the cap-and-trade approach is the equivalent of a permanent tax increase for the average American household, which was estimated to be $1,100 in 2008, would rise to $1,437 by 2015, to $1,979 in 2030, and $2,979 in 2050.
Reviewing a host of recent studies, Buckley and Mityakov show that estimates of job losses attributable to cap-and-trade range in the hundreds of thousands. The price for energy paid by the American consumer also will rise. The studies reviewed showed electricity prices jumping 5-15% by 2015, natural gas prices up 12-50% by 2015, and gasoline prices up 9-145% by 2015. As an illustration, gasoline would suffer a 16 cent price increase per gallon at the low end of the estimates to a $2.58 penalty at the high end (using the January 2009 reported retail price of $1.78 per gallon)."
So, again, as with the mortgage and financial crisis, we are not addressing the problems in a positive or meaningful way, simply either throwing money at the problems at the taxpayers expense, or passing the costs of corporate America's freewheeling ways on to the American public and socializing both the debts, and the "fines," in the way of new taxes on the public in general.
CNN and the mainstream media have been also promoting these measures for several weeks.
CNN is owned by General Electric, which would stand to gain enormous profits if such taxes were instituted both indirectly and directly.
These taxes would erase the recent reduction in the income tax rates for Americans making less than $250,000 per year.
It would also hit the average farmer in the Midwest, agricultural and mining communities the hardest. Rural America.
Why not simply give tax incentives and protections for those corporations that invest a portion of their profits in clean energy alternatives instead? Especially those investing in nuclear, wind and solar power.
These measures are so broad that farmers in the Midwest already under outrageous EPA particulate standards, now will also be slammed with fines and fees for greenhouse gases from their equipment in addition during both planting and harvesting time. It hamstrings our entire agricultural industry base in its provisions.
Only liberal Democrat-Globalists would find a way in order to actually tax now the air we breathe.
Maybe Mr. Obama, Ms. Clinton, Pelosi and Napolitano could start setting good examples by retiring Air Force One and cut their personal and business travel now in this high tech age of faxes, computers and satellite communications. Just how many trips are necessary in order to evaluate the Southwestern border issue?
Those steps would reduce the greenhouse gases emitted currently from Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska all combined.
http://www.marshall.org/article.php?id=636
The "Cap-and-Trade" legislation he hopes to pass as soon as possible.
The George Marshall Institute studied the proposals as now outlined by House Democrats supporting Mr. Obama's agenda. Below are the taxes which would most likely result if this legislation comes to fruition.
Don't forget, this was one of the two candidates served up to the American people last election that held himself out as one who was concerned with the tax burdens now on the average "Joe the Plumber" Americans:
"The authors find that the constraints posed by the Lieberman-Warner cap-and-trade approach is equivalent to a constant (in percentage terms) consumption decrease of about 1% each year, continuing to 2050. Put another way, the cap-and-trade approach is the equivalent of a permanent tax increase for the average American household, which was estimated to be $1,100 in 2008, would rise to $1,437 by 2015, to $1,979 in 2030, and $2,979 in 2050.
Reviewing a host of recent studies, Buckley and Mityakov show that estimates of job losses attributable to cap-and-trade range in the hundreds of thousands. The price for energy paid by the American consumer also will rise. The studies reviewed showed electricity prices jumping 5-15% by 2015, natural gas prices up 12-50% by 2015, and gasoline prices up 9-145% by 2015. As an illustration, gasoline would suffer a 16 cent price increase per gallon at the low end of the estimates to a $2.58 penalty at the high end (using the January 2009 reported retail price of $1.78 per gallon)."
So, again, as with the mortgage and financial crisis, we are not addressing the problems in a positive or meaningful way, simply either throwing money at the problems at the taxpayers expense, or passing the costs of corporate America's freewheeling ways on to the American public and socializing both the debts, and the "fines," in the way of new taxes on the public in general.
CNN and the mainstream media have been also promoting these measures for several weeks.
CNN is owned by General Electric, which would stand to gain enormous profits if such taxes were instituted both indirectly and directly.
These taxes would erase the recent reduction in the income tax rates for Americans making less than $250,000 per year.
It would also hit the average farmer in the Midwest, agricultural and mining communities the hardest. Rural America.
Why not simply give tax incentives and protections for those corporations that invest a portion of their profits in clean energy alternatives instead? Especially those investing in nuclear, wind and solar power.
These measures are so broad that farmers in the Midwest already under outrageous EPA particulate standards, now will also be slammed with fines and fees for greenhouse gases from their equipment in addition during both planting and harvesting time. It hamstrings our entire agricultural industry base in its provisions.
Only liberal Democrat-Globalists would find a way in order to actually tax now the air we breathe.
Maybe Mr. Obama, Ms. Clinton, Pelosi and Napolitano could start setting good examples by retiring Air Force One and cut their personal and business travel now in this high tech age of faxes, computers and satellite communications. Just how many trips are necessary in order to evaluate the Southwestern border issue?
Those steps would reduce the greenhouse gases emitted currently from Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska all combined.
http://www.marshall.org/article.php?id=636
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