Change Changed the Changing Changer

I haven't blogged in a while. Maybe I was saving my breath, or simply waiting until I felt like I had something necessary to say. Well, here I am, and this is long winded, but if you have some spare time, lets talk about ‘Change’ for a moment.

George Bush has been in office just over 7 1/2 years. The first six the economy was fine.

A little over one year ago in July 2007:

1. Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high;
2. Regular gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon;
3. The unemployment rate was 4.5%.
4. The DOW JONES hit a record high --14,000 +
5. American's were buying new cars, taking cruises and vacations overseas… living large!
6. Everything was trending upward

But American's wanted 'CHANGE'!

So, in 2006 they voted in a Democrat majority Congress and yes--we got 'CHANGE' all right.

In the PAST YEAR:

1. Consumer confidence has plummeted;
2. Gasoline pushed over $4 a gallon! (Thank God it’s coming down… at least until OPEC reduces production again)
3. Unemployment is up to 5.5% (a 10% increase);
4. American home equity dropped by $12 TRILLION DOLLARS, and prices are still dropping;
5. 1% of American homes are in foreclosure.
6. As I write, THE DOW is looking like it will hit another low – 8,000

$2.5 TRILLION DOLLARS HAS EVAPORATED FROM OUR STOCKS, BONDS & MUTUAL FUND’S INVESTMENT PORTFOLIOS SINCE THE DEMOCRATS GAINED A MAJORITY IN CONGRESS.

Yes, in 2006 America voted for CHANGE, and we sure got it.

Remember, the President has influence, but not direct executive control over these issues, only Congress. Watch the videos in the links below, and you’ll see a surprise from one president talking about how the Democrats resisted even HIS efforts to reign in Freddie and Fannie!

And what has the Democrat majority Congress done in the last two years to CHANGE things for the better? Absolutely nothing.

Now the Democrat candidate for president claims he is going to really give us CHANGE along with a Democrat controlled congress. More on him in a minute, but just how much more of their kind of CHANGE can we stand?

Who’s a better choice for President when we’re talking about the economy? Obama? McCain? What about Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac, where do they fit into all this? Let’s go back in time, and put back into perspective who it was that was pushing for reform and regulatory control over these out-of-control behemoths all the way back to 2004!!! …John McCain and the Republican party! Who was it that stopped them? Democrats.

Don’t believe me? Look here to see how in 2004 the Dem’s verbally trashed the regulator, in very abusive fashion… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs, and how Republicans were already calling for more and stricter regulations to prevent exactly what has happened now. And just wait until you get to the very end. Wait until you see who shows up at 8:15 and names the group responsible for our current Freddie/Fannie Sub-Prime Crisis which is now rocking the entire world’s markets.

If that video isn’t enough to show you the maliciousness with which the Democrats treated concerned regulators of the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO), the group who warned about irregularities, and wanted to correct things before the crash that was coming (which has hit us now) then try this one… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usvG-s_Ssb0

I’m asking you all to PLEASE watch it. If you can make it all the way to 2:45 you’ll see that it’s actually true. Even if you don’t like the FOX (Fix) News Network, you can’t deny facts that are derived from a non-partisan source.

Did you watch it? Did you see that Barak Obama is actually the NUMBER 2 recipient of donations from Fannie and Freddie!!! That the failure of Lehman Bros. on Wall Street is directly attributable to Fannie and Freddie. The global financial crisis we are in right now is directly attributable to the Sub-Prime loan programs conceived and promoted by the Democrats at the begining of the Clinton administration, and not Bush administration policies.

If you need me to walk through the credit food-chain from Freddie/Fannie to the 1) major financial institutions, the 2) Democrat resistance and stonewalling of regulatory oversight, the 3) Republican distress that Sarbanes-Oxley wouldn't apply to Freddie/Fannie, and 4) how the Sub-Prime programs spread like cancer throughout our banking system as domestic and international investment companies and banks bought the loans from Freddie/Fannie, I can do that... but I think I just summed it up pretty neatly.

A lot of people don’t realize, ‘Sub-Prime’ loans are not loans below the Prime Interest Rate. No, they are loans to people with Sub-Prime credit scores. These were programs of high-risk, low-return mortgages for ‘under-served individuals’. Under-served, or is it Undeserved?

Okay, so I’m ranting again, but come on… how can anyone vote for Barak Obama when this kind of material is out there and verifiable. Even if you don’t like McCain/Palin, they are certainly better than what this information show’s about Obama and the Democrats in general. The same Democrats who blocked reform and are now blaming the Bush administration and McCain for the Fannie/Freddie disaster!!!

Well, I say, “Liar liar pants on fire!”


My next post is going to deal with the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and it’s going all the way back to 1928… just letting you know ahead of time.

Taxes - Clarification

My friend Raleigh has inspired me to do additional research on some of the items I posted previously regarding McCain and Obama's tax plans. As a result I find a need to post some clarification info.

Some interesting additional background: John D. Dingell (D-Mich.), the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, will likely introduce the “carbon tax” bill when Congress returns next month. Harney writes, “Besides imposing hefty new federal taxes on gasoline, the forthcoming bill would, in Dingell’s words, seek to ‘remove the mortgage interest deduction on McMansions — homes over 3,000 square feet.’ Dingell said he recognizes that such a proposal will spark much criticism, but he also said it is essential to reducing carbon emissions by 60 percent to 80 percent by 2050.”

I have been able to do some real research on the home sale item though. And what I blogged before is technically incorrect - there seems to be a mixup between Rep. Dingell's "McMansion" suggestion, and Obama's capital gains plan. Here's the real deal...

For a primary residence only, if you own a home and sell it for a profit you are not taxed on the first $250k of profit (single) or $500k (married). Obama is keeping that exemption just like McCain, but he's increasing the Capital Gains tax for profits beyond those amounts.

The true difference lies in the Capital Gains tax plans of both candidates. Capital gains affects EVERY investment in which you make a profit - whether that is house, stock, IRA, dividend payments, etc. HOWEVER, in a related Democrat policy initiative, Nancy Pelosi definitely HAS stated publicly her desire to place additional taxes on gains which would affect retirement fund earnings:

Madam Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, wants to put a Windfall Tax on all stock market profits. This by definition includes, Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA), 401Ks and Mutual Funds (We already are taxed on Savings Accounts Interest and Investment Dividend Income).

I quote her,"We need to work toward the goal of equalizing income in our country and at the same time limiting the amount the rich can invest." When asked how these new tax dollars would be spent, she replied, "We need to raise the standard of living of our poor, unemployed and minorities." She continues, "For example, we have an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in our country who need our help along with millions of unemployed minorities. Stock market windfall profit taxes could go a long ways to guarantee these people the standard of living they would like to have as 'Americans'." (Wow! What about the standard of living I would like to have as a law-abiding, hard-working, tax paying citizen???)

Now please keep in mind, I am not perpetuating the myth/hoax about a tax specifically on retirement. No. I'm referring again to CAPITAL GAINS taxes. The gains your retirement accounts make based on the reinvestment of dividends earned, and any profit gained by the fund managers through their buy/sell activities, can be taxed for Capital Gains beyond just normal income tax after you retire and begin taking disbursements from it. So, assuming your 401k and IRA exceed $250k in profits/gains by the time you retire (and I certainly hope they do or you probably won't be retiring), the Dems want to add about 13% more capital gains tax on top of the 15% you are already obligated to pay under current legislation.

McCain intends to leave the long-term capital gains tax at 15%. Obama intends to raise it to 25% to 28% for taxpayers reporting income of $250k or more per year. I'm sorry, I've been unable to find out if that's the rate for single income or a couples combined income.

HERE & NOW!

If you haven't already seen it, check out the following article from the Sacramento Union newspaper last month. Some very poignant remarks in the later half of the column.

http://www.sacunion.com/pages/columns/print/9951/

I say, “Drill Here, Drill Now”. If the estimates are even close to accurate for the amounts of natural resources available to us within our own territory, the USA could become a net exporter in 6 to 7 years once ANWR drilling, continental shelf oil and natural gas drilling, and shale-oil recovery are fully online. If the liberal knuckleheads will wake up to reality.

What about alternative fuels you ask?

Does ethanol cost less at the pump that standard gasoline/petrol? Nope. The stations I've purchased it at charge exactly the same price for each.

We need electric and hybrid cars you say... Great! :-) I've been to my local dealers... they don't have any to sell. :-( They are all going to the big 8 emissions control states like California. So I'm stuck with good 'ol fossil fuels.

The money the oil companies would spend to develop those drilling and recovery sites should be put into development of alternative power you say? Great. Build more nuclear power plants. "OH NO! We couldn't do that!" the tree hugger cries out in reply. "They aren't safe! What about 3 mile island?!?" Dude, Three Mile Island happened in 1979. That's almost 30 years ago! The Commodore-64 didn't even exist then. Technology has changed and improved. We have safe nuclear power operating in the USA already, why not build more?

What about wind-power and hydro-electric you ask? Wind-power isn't cost effective. The cost of the amount of land needed to build enough windmill operations to provide any significant power output, combined with the cost to maintain the giant machines far outweighs any benefit. The studies have been done... it just doesn't add up to an effective use of resources.

And hydro? We've got it where we can... but again, tree huggers prevent the building of additional dams for power generation. Because the resevoirs created behind the dams disrupt the natural surroundings. So what can we do?

Only by fully utilizing our available natural resources can we supplement alternative power and fuel methods and become independent of foreign interests! It's that word "supplement" that's the key. We need to drill now! The Democrats say 'it will take 6+ years to realize the benefit if we start drilling now'...? Okay. And your point is??? Doesn't that mean we should START NOW!?!

And what about the Democrat's poster child for ecological affairs, the inventor of the internet, Mr. Al Gore? Did you know, in his 2000 book “Earth in the Balance,” former Vice President Al Gore advocated increasing energy taxes on consumers to decrease the incentive to pollute. Seven years earlier, in 1993, Gore cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate to increase the federal gas tax to 18.4 cents, where it stands today.

Good ‘ol Al is laughing all the way to the bank… As seen on CapitalResearch.Org, Noel Sheppard of NewsBusters reports that Al Gore’s investment firm, Generation Investment Management (GIM) has acquired a significant stake in a firm that deals in carbon credits, confirming once again that Al Gore is a global warming profiteer. According to Thomson Financial, GIM acquired a 9.5% interest in Camco International Ltd., a carbon asset developer.

Can you spell "Hypocrite"??? I know you can.

I think I'll vote for a Republican and take my chances.

Social (in)Security System

Just in case some of you young whippersnappers (& some older ones) didn't know this.

It's easy to check out, if you don't believe it.. Facts are Facts!!!

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Our Social Security system

President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat, introduced the Social Security (FICA) Program.

He promised:

1.) That participation in the Program would be Completely voluntary,

2.) That the participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1,400 of their annual incomes into the Program,

3.) That the money the participants elected to put into the Program would be deductible from their income for tax purposes each year,

4.) That the money the participants put into the independent 'Trust Fund' rather than into the
General operating fund, and therefore, would Only be used to fund the Social Security Retirement Program, and no other Government program, and,

5.) That the annuity payments to the retirees Would never be taxed as income.



((Keep reading))



Since many Americans have paid into FICA for years and are Now receiving a Social Security check every month -- And then finding they are getting taxed on 85% of the money they paid to the Federal government to 'put away' -- you may be interested in the following:

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Q: Which Political Party took Social Security from the Independent 'Trust Fund' and put it into the General fund so that Congress could spend it?

A: It was Lyndon Johnson and the Democrat controlled Congress.

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Q: Which Political Party eliminated the income tax Deduction for Social Security (FICA) withholding?

A: The Democrat Party.

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Q: Which Political Party started taxing Social Security annuities?

A: The Democrat Party, with Al Gore casting the 'tie-breaking' deciding vote as President of the Senate, while he was Vice President of the US .

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Q: Which Political Party decided to start giving Annuity payments to immigrants who had not contributed to the fund?

A: That's right! Jimmy Carter and the Democrat Party did.

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Then, after violating the original contract (FICA), the Democrats now turn around and tell you the Republicans want to take your Social Security away!

What a load of horse droppings!

Death & Taxes

The Mantra of the Tax-and-Spend Democrats

Tax his land, Tax his wage, Tax the bed in which he lays.

Tax his tractor, Tax his mule, Teach him taxes are the rule.

Tax his cow, Tax his goat, Tax his pants, then Tax his coat.

Tax his ties, Tax his shirts, Tax his work, and Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco, Tax his drink, Tax him if he tries to think.

Tax his booze, Tax his beers, If he cries, then Tax his tears.

Tax his bills, Tax his gas, Tax his notes, and Tax his cash.

Tax him good and let him know That after taxes, he has no dough.

If he hollers, Tax him more, Tax him 'til he's good and sore.

Tax his coffin, Tax his grave, Tax the sod in which he lays.

Put these words upon his tomb,'Taxes drove me to my doom!'

And when he's gone,We won't relax,We'll still be after the inheritance TAX!!!

TAXES:
Accounts Receivable TaxBuilding Permit TaxCDL License TaxCigarette TaxCorporate Income TaxDog License TaxFederal Income TaxFederal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)Fishing License TaxFood License TaxFuel Perm it TaxGasoline TaxHunting License TaxInheritance TaxInventory TaxIRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax),IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax),Liquor Tax,Luxury Tax,Marriage License Tax,Medicare Tax,Property Tax,Real Estate Tax,Service charge taxes,Social Security Tax,Road Usage Tax (Truckers),Sales Taxes, Recreational Vehicle Tax,School Tax,State Income Tax,State Unemployment Tax (SUTA),Telephone Federal Excise Tax,Telephone Federal Universal Service Fe e Tax,Telephone Federal, State and Local Su rcharge Tax,Telephone Minimum Usage Su rcharge Tax,Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax,Telephone State and Local Tax,Telephone Usage Charge Tax,Utility Tax,Vehicle License Registration Tax,Vehicle Sales Tax,Watercraft Registration Tax,Well Permit Tax,Workers Compensation Tax.

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids. What happened? Can you spell 'politicians'??? What the heck happened?????

Eloquent...?

People from all sides of the political arena very consistently comment on Barrack Obama's eloquence, his erudite elocution, his as President Bush might put it, “his abilitousness for good speachification.”

He should be giving his wife lessons in proper “speachification” to avoid the openly ignorant revelation that she has never been proud to be an American before. Or at least get her hooked up with a better speech writer! That was just plain dumb.

I’m sure also, almost everyone has seen bits and pieces, if not the entire event, of Senator Obama’s recent speech to address racial issues, and his stance on comments made by the pastor of the church he is a member of.

Well, did anyone else catch this line from Senator Obama’s speech?...

"My friends, we live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. I hope you'll join with me as we try to change it."

WTF?

In case you didn’t catch it the first time, that was, "My friends, we live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. I hope you'll join with me as we try to change it."

Say what???

I told you, he said, "My friends, we live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. I hope you'll join with me as we try to change it."

Oh. That’s what I thought he said. Well, all I can think of to say in response to Senator Obama is…

There was also a recent policy question posed to Senator Obama regarding how he would progress the US Military’s mission in Iraq. Senator Obama replied his first act as President of the United States would be to initiate the complete withdrawal of all US forces from Iraq.

A follow-up question was asked about, what then would he do about Al Qaida? Senator Obama, put forward an obviously well informed and wise policy type response that, if after complete withdrawal of US Forces from Iraq it was discovered that Al Qaida was operating there, we would send troops back to deal with them.

Exsqueeze me? Uh… HELLO? Houston, we have a problem! Pardon me sir, but Al Qaida is ALREADY IN IRAQ!!! WTF?

So basically, it seems to me the Distinguished Gentlemen from Illinois, is an incredibly eloquent, yet badly misinformed, ...fool?


fool : noun
Text: 1 a person who lacks good sense or judgment
Synonyms: boob, half-wit, jackass, lunatic, nincompoop, ninny, nitwit, nut, simpleton, turkey, yo-yo

A lack of good sense? Yep. That sums it up pretty well.

A Father Daughter Talk

This is for all my friends (and everyone else) who is thinking about voting for Obama or Clinton in the upcoming U.S. Presidential Election.

*****

A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many others her age, she considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat, and among other liberal ideals, she was very much in favor of higher taxes to support more government programs, in other words redistribution of wealth. She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch Republican - a feeling she openly expressed.

Based on the lectures she had participated in, and the occasional chat with a professor, she felt her father had for years harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his. One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on the rich and the need for more government programs.

The self-professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she indicated so to her father. He responded by asking how she was doing in school. Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to go out and party like other people she knew. She didn't even have time for a boyfriend, and didn't really have many college friends because she spent all her time studying.

Her father listened and then asked, 'How is your friend Audrey doing?' She replied, 'Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is so popular on campus; college for her is a blast. She's always invited to all the parties and lots of times she doesn't even show up for classes because she's too hung over.'

Her wise father asked his daughter, 'Why don't you go to the Dean's office and ask him to deduct 1.0 off your GPA and give it to your friend who only has a 2.0. That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPA.'

The daughter, visibly shocked by her father's suggestion, angrily fired back, 'That's a crazy idea, and how would that be fair! I've worked really hard for my grades! I've invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work! Audrey has done next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked my tail off!'

The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, 'Welcome to the Republican party.'

*****

If anyone has a better explanation of the difference between Republican and Democrat I'm all ears.

There's no question we have issues to deal with in the U.S.A. There's no question we need more focus on social programs, but not by rewarding people for their lack of motivation to become self-supporting (i.e. off welfare). The Democrat's socialized healthcare program funded by governement subsidy won't work. or let me rephrase that... it will be a failure in quality.

Canada and countries in Europe and Asia already have government provided healthcare. I've been there, and I and friends and family have been through them. The quality of care is low, the ability to access care is low, the motivation of the government funded staff to provide good care and customer service is almost non-existant.

A friend in Canada with cancer needed an MRI, his local government subsidized doctor scheduled him for the first available appointment at the closest government funded hospital. He had to wait 7 months for his appointment!!! He got himself an appointment at a facility in the USA, had it done within 2 weeks, found out the cancer was stage 3, and then had to fight a legal battle with the Canadian healthcare beauracracy to get him into treatment immediately without a Canadian MRI.

I have a cousin in Thailand with a birth-defect in his heart - a hole between the two atrium's. He was scheduled for surgery 5 months into the future. On the day of the surgery, he and his parents sat in the lobby waiting to be admitted from 0600 until 1300. The surgery had been scheduled for 0830. In a normal hospital, invasive heart surgery would require an overnight stay the night before for preparation. Government funded hospitals are so overworked, overcrowded and underfunded they have to bypass certain types of procedures.

I have a friend who was traveling in Europe when his wife broke her arm. They went to the Emergency Room at the local international hospital. They both said it was like walking into a scene from the 1950's - just like Thailand they sat and sat and sat. When finally treated they wanted to insert a metal plate and screws and keep her in the hospital for a full week. They needed to be back in the USA in 4 days. So she got a shoulder to wrist cast put on, got back to the USA, had outpatient surgery the next day at a regular hospital, paid for by her HMO, and was back at work the following week.

Without even getting into talking about how Democrats would pay for it... subsidized health care doesn't work. It's inefficient, and unmotivated. It creates beauracy just like the civil service, and in many cases it endangers patients with that inefficiency!