Read it and Weep – Sen. Coburn (R-OK) Wastebook for 2013 shows 30 Billion in Government Waste – Yet Military Pensions are Cut? – Time to Reboot Washingto

From CBS News the Waste book is here, and it is, as usual, chock full of idiocy when it comes to delving out taxpayer dollars in D.C. The full report is embedded below. Suffice it to say, the Federal government who cannot handle a simple taxpayer disbursement to various departments without going over the top in spending, surely is not capable of handling a nationwide health care exchange, or for that matter, anything other than what they were originally designed by the Constitution to do – manage coining of money, secure the borders and meet on occasion to write a law or two. Time for change indeed, of a fiscal and sane nature, with the best options at hand - to get those most comfortable in D.C. a ticket home via the voting booth.

Understanding that the Federal Government is clueless as to spending and allocations, they recently cut the budget (to show fiscal restraint), but not their favorite pet projects, but the pensions to retired and disabled military personnel This was much to the objections of one party over another – the party who cut the pensions – those Democrats.

It is not without a bit of irony that the lot of them, both with a D or an R – have done little in the way of helping the general working family, rather spend most of their time, vested in their own re-election. What’s a billion dollars here and there amongst friends? Ridiculous and expensive spending could be used as a means to cut the budget down, rather than to bring it to new heights, and mandatory pencil counting should be installed in every department with the warning: If you fail to bring that department in under budget and show savings, you’ll be see a budget cut next year. That is not the current system. Under the current system, if one is in the position to work with a department budget, it is a requirement to spend the lot of it, or they will be in peril of reduced funding for the following year. Reversing that budgeting process would keep DC in buckets of cash, and the taxpayer seeing a reduction of or no taxes. The Federal government could revert back to their original money making option of tariff’s.

The Book

Wastebook 2013FINAL

President Pitches Tax Rates – Highest for Small Businesses – the Rock, the Hard Place, and the only way out – Tax - We the People Need a Third Party.

From the Weekly Standard reporting on a New York Times article one finds the Presidents new tax plan that may be the next great idea to find funds, involved a corporate tax rate of 28 percent, and a small business tax rate of 40%. What one wonders is why there is not a flat tax rate across the board, which would be simple, and insure that everyone had some “skin in the game”, so to speak.

The fact that, despite tax hike after tax hike, whether on a federal or state level (See Massachusetts!), it appears there is never enough at the end of the day to prevent yet another tax hike. This is despite the fraud, abuse, and blatant mismanagement of funds, regardless of the political entity involved. At this point in his tenure as President and considering there is no step up (as we don’t, as of yet, have a Supreme Leader), the President can pitch anything that sounds good to him, and to the crazy progressives, and the rest – be dammed.

If he were truly interested in the historical aspect of his legacy, perhaps a stab at doing something novel would work – instituting a no-tax-loophole, across the board business tax and an across the board individual tax – one tax, not 20 taxes, or fees, or call it what you want that takes money out of the pockets of those who work for a living, regardless of income. A reasonable tax rate that would ensure the government has a supply of money to throw away, while the balance continues to prosper and give them – more money.

Massachusetts recently passed a transportation bill which included taxes on Cigarettes, gasoline, and computer software services. One can get a grip on the Cigarette Tax, with 19% of all adults smoking (CDC) that additional $1.00 tax per pack should generate some income for the State; the gasoline tax is now one of the highest in the nation at 24 cents per gallon, the cigarette tax (an excise tax, which has been taxed, is at $3.51 per pack), and they added a computer software tax. This tax is on IT services, as far as anyone can tell. The Mass. Legislature passed the tax, without fully spelling it out, giving it to the Department of Revenue instead, so they might right the rules (Miami Herald).

The transportation bill, or yet another transportation bill, is one which is vested in the never-ending Big Dig, the upkeep of those toll-takers on the Mass. Pike, and well, allegedly a high speed rail at some point in the future.

These latest MA taxes are on top of increases in the state sales, and income taxes, as well as fee hikes on everything you can image, including telecommunications, cables, cell phones, the family dog. It’s Deval Patrick on tax-steroids, aided by a willing legislature.

Deval Patrick, if one needs to be reminded, was the “test” for Barack Obama, both were mentored by David Axelrod, which, that should speak volumes as to the level of incompetence that has been unleashed on the nation.

Of course they mean well, they just don’t have a clue as to how to actually run the country, or a state, but who does? Surely the American Public can do better than it has in the past several decades. Not since Reagan has there truly been a bi-partisan leader, who was more concerned with how things would get accomplished rather than lining the pockets of his corporate friends. It is one of those rare individuals that one is hoping comes out of the woodwork. Someone who is smart enough to hire the right people to help them.

Until then, the lunatics will continue to run the asylums and the rest of us will be in continual awe of the incompetence – well, those that are not considered low-information voters. Between the State and Federal burden, families are struggling like never before, those on fixed incomes such as pensions/social security are feeling more than a pinch- the poor got poorer, and the middle class has almost evaporated. It is, the second coming of Jimmy Carter, and what is most disturbing, is that the general public, decided to give that style of government one more term!

Go figure – one has to love this country, despite the ups, and the downs, as there is always hope that the next time, we’ll get it right – as of yet, there’s not a single individual on the horizon from either party that offers much hope. Perhaps a third party is what is truly in order, one that has no friends on K Street (lobbyists), or family at the same address, one who’s sole intent is to manage the nation, rationally. Holding one’s breath is not advised.

The University of Massachusetts and Communist China
(A marragie made in Amherst)
A Fee, A Tax, A gallon of Gas - Giving to go Green in L.A. County
It's a Man's World (the New DNC or Disney's next thrill ride)

Tuesday Tidbits



UMass becomes the first “foreign” university to offer classes in a communist country (from the Boston Globe) Is it any wonder that a university centered in the heart of Amherst, MA has struck such an accord with a communist country? Locals refer to this section of the state as “the People’s Republic of Amherst”. Although, one might argue, offering China’s students an opportunity to learn and communicate with a free society would be a service to the global community. On the other hand, the proponents of Communism and Socialism (closely linked to Fascism), that are often found teaching at America’s colleges and universities must be elated to have this opportunity to form young minds that have already been so indoctrinated in the Communist/Socialist world, or is it old hat and just another day at the office – see: Social Studies replaces history, civics, geography in most US schools.




From the “other left coast” – Green fees proposed on gasoline in L.A. county (from the Los Angeles Times). It often boggles the mind states and municipalities will attempt to pull the wool over the public’s eyes by calling a tax a fee. A suggested .09 cents per gallon fee (tax) has been proposed to aid motorists in the fight against global warming. Considering that California has some of the highest per gallon gas prices in the country, adding a feel-good fee (tax) makes perfect sense – in Los Angeles.






Did She or Didn’t She? Hillary Clinton compares Patrick Leahy and cronies to “Bully Boys” (from ABC News). Although Mrs. Clinton is denying that she called the left of left Senator from the State of Vermont (the other Massachusetts), does it really matter in the greater scheme of things. She could have and probably should have called him names that are unfit to print. One thing is certain, telling a strong-willed woman to step-down from a life-goal, in order to make way for man, seems a bit – unrealistic. DNC party infighting aside, Hillary Clinton has every right to stay in the race and bring it to the convention. Other things to consider when suggesting Clinton stay in until the bitter end: she may be the most moderate/conservative candidate on any ticket, who isn’t completely boring. As the media salivates over details of conservations and quotes she made or didn’t make to prove that she might have stretched a truth her or there, or in order to comment on her laugh, hair, outfit (all critical in a presidential race), it goes without saying that some might prefer to have a ditzy female in the head office, rather than the lackluster McCain or the Messianic Obama. For all intents and purposes, she is the most down-to-earth candidate left on the field. That alone should give everyone, regardless of party affiliation - pause.