Voters Are Angry – From MA to CA – Pelosi Begs for Cash as Rome Burns – Rand Paul in 30 States Supporting Candidates - Small tsunami or Armageddon?

According to CNN voters are somewhat miffed, to say the least, a full 60% or greater are angry at the direction of the country – that type of anger, the pollster suggests, is exactly what drove the wave of 2010 – the U.S. House takeover by the GOP. (CNN). What’s more, Nancy Pelosi is reported to be asking for cash from her minions in the Congress as the situation in House races is dicey again this mid-term. (Politico).

If that’s not bad enough, that rascally Rand Paul (KY-R) is running ads in Kansas of all places, to support the Senate candidate in that state. In addition, Rand’s PAC has been busy this mid-term, in other states where there is a need of support. Revealed by ABC news Rand has visit 30 states in this mid-term. (ABS News).

The standard GOP team for 2016 must be having conniption fits – Rand, not the ideal GOP candidate due to his many faults, such as voter outreach in groups largely ignored by the Party due to “belonging to the other party”, and darn it, a different approach to tax payers money (not spending it), and foreign policy (let ‘s not get overly involved) – yet he’s got the Reagan mojo going, and is undoubtedly the only candidate they have, or more precisely the nation has, that is a) willing and b) capable of reining in the insanity. That’s this opinion of course, however, historical patterns do play out – it is time for change in a positive direction – a candidate that will appeal to a large cross-section of the populace.

Massachusetts is seeing an anomaly as the GOP Candidate for Governor, Charley Baker, has been endorsed by almost every paper in the state, including the Boston Globe(Boston Globe) and the Springfield Republican.(Masslive) This is just the icing on the cake with Martha Coakley's 9 point deficit in the Boston Globe poll.

Two competitive Congressional Races are shaping up in MA – John Chapman against Incumbent Keating in the 9th district, and Richard Tisea versus newcomer Seth Mouton, standing in for defeated former 6th district rep, Tierney.

In New Hampshire, Scott Brown has taken the lead slightly over Jean Shaheen, whose supporters are sticking yard signs everywhere about the state touting her close relationship with the President – they will receive thank you notes from Brown’s campaign come that Wed. Morning in Nov.

The theory goes as follows, if Massachusetts has suddenly gone slightly purple, and then what of the rest of the nation where blue is not normally the flavor of the month?

Never mind the Tsunami – Armageddon is upon the Democrat party, and they know it. It is time for new leadership of the JFK ilk to pull my father’s party out of the ditch – not one capable person on the horizon that fits the bill.

Did the President Lie About Obama Care – The Affordable Health Care Act? If He Did Lie, Who Else Knew That You Could Not Keep Your Plan or Doctor?

The South Florida Sun Sentinel asks the question this morning: “Did Obama Blatantly Lie About Keeping Your Doctor Under Obama Care?” – and the answer from the paper’s, Gary Stein, is a resounding – yes.. One might also turn to the national NBC News article where it is revealed that the administration knew “millions could not keep their health insurance” – for three years prior to its implementation.” For those who understand the President has said, on numerous occasions, that one would not lose their insurance plan nor their doctor, it does appear as if he did, indeed, lie to the American People, however, the question should be asked: “Who else knew that one might not keep their insurance plan, or that their doctor was not about to accept patients under Obama Care? “: -

That answer is: every Congressional Representative, and every Senator – they had the bill, they had oodles of time to read the bill and should have been screaming from the rooftops in each and every hamlet that this plan was going to tug at the emotions, finances and general trust in government by those millions and millions who now find that they are losing both.

As the President’s team starts to go into “damage control”, the line is that one might not keep their “sub-standard” plan. The term sub-standard applies to any plan that does not meet the minimum requirements of additional mandates added to the program. For example, living in Massachusetts under “Romney Care”, one is obliged to carry infertility benefits in their plan, regardless of gender or age. The reason: the increase in insurance premiums that are collected by the insurance carriers (big business), on plans for individuals who do not need the coverage, pays for those who do! Some of the benefits mandated may seem medically unnecessary – however, in an attempt to please everyone, those who are socially liberal will mandate just about anything imaginable. – It is simply not fair. The nations workers already pay taxes for Medicaid – which is for coverage of those who cannot afford it, this type of mandate becomes a second or hidden tax.

Every single one of those Senators and Congressmen and women who supported this bill, or who allowed it to go through the last budget standoff (otherwise known as the government shut-down) knew about this – Those who were screaming to Defund Obama Care knew about it – Ted Cruz warned, Mike Lee warned, and their “Tea Party” crazy friends and allies – they knew too – they just wanted to let the America People know.

Now we know.

Did we expect a President to lie to the American People? If the answer to that is no, then one has a short memory – or has no reference in history. Nixon famously said “I am not a crook”, Bill Clinton “Did not have sexual intercourse with that woman”, Republican and Democrat alike, they both lied to the public. They both were chastised; Nixon resigned in disgrace and Bill Clinton was impeached, but forgiven in the long run. Assuming that all things are equal, then one would understand that this should be an impeachable offence, however, one would have to impeach: Harry Reid, Democrat Senate Majority Leader, Nancy Pelosi, Democrat Congresswoman from San Francisco’s district, John Boehner, Republican Speaker of the House, John McCain, former Republican Presidential Candidate, and so on and so on.

Since that’s not quite possible, one might also take their angst out at the voting booth – One might ask the important question of their Congressman or Senator, or Presidential Candidate, if they voted for either Obama Care outright, or if they voted to fund the government, and then Obama Care – if the answer is yea, then vote for the other candidate, Republican or Democrat, Tea Party or Progressive, Independent or Green Party – replace the incumbent who knew exactly what they were doing to a huge segment of the American People.

One cannot vote President Obama out of office, he’s a “lame duck” or in his final term and cannot run again (regardless of the conspiracy theorists). He may lose the trust of the American People (some of them) – but vote for the individual who might have wanted to fix the plan, start over and keep segments in place, but not fund the darn thing. Those that think that Ted Cruz was wrong to point out that the plan was a problem for millions, like potential 2016 presidential candidate and former 2012 Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum, or Senator Elizabeth Warren of MA who clearly voted to fund the program, or anyone of their ilk, should not be given a glance – it should be the individuals who stood to uphold the Constitution, those crazy people who would rather have millions enjoy the freedom to choose their own plans, while funding a plan for those who could not afford one – a system that is already in place.

The media is already being clearly careful in its reporting on the issues (See the analysis here by Reuters this morning. Therefore, which suggests thousands might be affected, rather than millions, but does it really matter? It was the fact that from the President on down, throughout the hallowed halls of the Senate and the Congress, they knew – and they all lied to the public.

Pope Benedict XVI To Step Down –The Firebrand of the Holy See

Benedict meets with Fidel Castro, March of 2012 - Reuters

Reuters: The following is the text of the resignation of Pope Benedict

"Dear Brothers,

I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today's world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me. For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.

"Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer."

The announcement is dubbed a “shock” by the BBC, as it was “entirely unexpected” Generally, it is rare that a Pope resign, according to CBBC Newsround, the last Pope to resign was in the 1400’s, was Gregory XII, on July 4, 1415; prior to that Celestine V, abdicated in 1294. (popes and papacy).

Pope Benedict cites his age, and the global nature of the papacy in today’s world, as reasoning for his resignation. Benedict was relentless in his anti-abortion – pro-life message (Catholic News Service). In a meeting with then, Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi a Pro-Choice, Pro-Abortion, Democrat, the pope instructed Ms. Pelosi on the duty to protect all human life (politicalvelcraft.org), a rarity for a Pope in recent years to speak out privately or publicly to leaders of the U.S. on the subject.

Most recently, the Pope had traveled to the Island of Cuba (and other nations), calling for an end to the U.S. embargo on that island as well as promoting Democracy in the dictator-state.

He was outspoken, modern, (his twitter account), and steadfast in his ministry. It remains to be seen if the next Pope chosen by the College of Cardinal will be another leader in the vein of Benedict. One might think, however that Benedict would have some input into the choice.

“Fiscal Cliff” Impasse – Pelosi, Boehner, Obama, Reid – What Compromise? Tax Hikes Certain, No Cuts Likely; Debt has No Ceiling, Nothing but Political Chicanery

The Impossible Task: Getting anything accomplished - image Al.com

One might come to the conclusion that the whole lot of those who “we the people” elected to make decisions on our behalf are, for lack of a better set of phrases, “out to lunch” and “out of touch”. The last three weeks or so, the big deal on the horizon has been the “Fiscal Cliff” – or where the government must act to prevent a slew of tax increases from occurring, while cutting the budget, and keeping both businesses happy, in order to continue recovery, and sustaining or increasing entitlement spending in order to please “everyone”. It’s all about the body politic and has little to do with reality.

The basic concept of spending money is not unique to this current crop in Washington; it is a lifestyle that has proliferated since the “temporary” income tax (to cover costs to fight WWII) morphed into a permanent stream of income for the Federal Government. The problem occurs when the Federal Government has fewer “taxpayers” and more programs than one can shake a stick at. The fact remains that without taxpayers, the government has no income- does not produce a product, does not offer a commercial service, does not have an unlimited trust fund from an old rich aunt or uncle. When, late in 2008 it appeared as though the world would end due to the burst of the housing bubble, and banks bad business decisions (some due to government regulations), with the prospects of a dire economic collapse on the horizon, President George W. Bush called the troops to Washington and they all agreed to bail out the banks. When President Obama took office in 2009, he decided to stave off more layoffs and underwater mortgages by jump starting the economy with a “Stimulus” in the billion. That tactic did not works as most of the money either went unspent or went to those who worked for a government – teachers, for example, we hired more teachers. We (as a nation) also bailed out and took ownership of “GM”, which was nearing bankruptcy, in order to “save jobs”. Apparently that didn’t work as, one has to have a stream of tax income from the private sector in order to pay for those teachers, and government employees of various skills, as again, the Government makes no money of its own.

How difficult is that to grasp? The government has two choices, increase revenue by raising taxes, and cutting unnecessary items from the budget – the only way that we, as a nation will get our house in order. The problem lays in the fact that the GOP would rather stick a fork in their collective eye than raise taxes, and the DNC (with the President at the head), would rather do the same than to cut one duplicate or totally unnecessary budget item and delete it from the budget. We appear to have an impasse and the press is screaming “Fiscal Cliff!

Apparently, no one in Washington is smarter than a 5th, 4th or 3rd grader (who is in a private school setting); otherwise, this debate would not even be occurring. The alleged debate has turned into name calling and avoidance.

Last week, as the specter of the Cliff loomed, Republican John Boehner, Speaker of the House, came up with a plan that mirrored, former speaker of the House, Democrat Nancy Pelosi’s plan as to tax increases and limited to no cuts (and throwing those down the road a bit) Conservatives were (and still are) ready to throw Boehner to the proverbial wolves, so anti-tax, and anti-spend a group has never graced the halls of congress since, the 1990’s.(Human Events). The plan was immediately rejected by the President. One might recall that the President and Nancy Pelosi play on the same team. It was John Boehner reaching across the aisle and giving an opening to the “other team” in an attempt to be bi-partisan. Suddenly, Boehner is under fire, for his “Plan B” (the Pelosi Plan) from and Harry Reid, Democrat, Senate Majority Leader got into a “pithing” match with Mitch McConnell (Republican) - over the whole shenanigans. Reid would not sign any bill that came from the house offering only taxes on those earning 1 million or more (the Pelosi-Boehner plan), and McConnell filibustered over Reid’s insistence that we raise the debt ceiling (increase the already limitless ability of the U.S. to borrow money (or print money that doesn’t exist). (Huffington Post).

The latest gambit is that the President is going to veto Plan B, and will not sign a bill unless the tax hikes go towards those earning $250,000 or $400,000, and he has put Social Security on the table, in return. (Reuters)

This was followed by the President, saying ”Take me out of it” (NBC News) and the GOP calling the President: “Irrational” (NRP)

Something the collective “we” should remember – we pay these people.

That‘s why we pay taxes, to pay for these collective idiots to screw around like 10 year olds at the playground.

Meanwhile, Rome is burning.

Here’s the most likely outcome: we, the collective, will all pay more taxes, either through income tax increases, or elimination of child tax credits, mortgage deductions, and bear the brunt of the new taxes on the Affordable Health Care Act (Obama-care) including the $53 tax on every insurance policy in order to build a “pool” to cover those who have pre-existing conditions, and the tax on medical equipment (which includes everything you may need from a crutch to a pacemaker). The debt ceiling will no longer exist as there will continue to be a need to feed the collective trough, and those left with any taxable income will have a little bit less income and make due. Unlike those we sent to Washington, who will continue to live in la la land, and refusing to craft a reasonable budget and make some hard decisions – such as cutting duplicate programs. We’ve paid higher taxes before (before George W. Bush), and so it’s not the end of the world. Who doesn’t like eating more pasta? Or carpooling if possible? What is incompressible is that this is occurring at all.

It’s time to pay the piper, the American taxpayer saw this coming from a mile away (ok, Tea Party Members), and the idiots on the hill, are putting their heads in the sand. There will be, by the way, no cuts to government programs, only increases in government programs.

Will it be the “end” of the way the U.S. does business? Will we be “Greece”? – Hardly, what we will be are the people paying for the mistakes of those we hired. We have an opportunity coming up every 2 years to change the situation. If one thinks its one party alone, then one is as out of touch with reality as the entire lot in Washington – it’s both parties. Whatever can we do? Vote out incumbents; bring in a bunch of individuals who have no ties to Washington in any previous life, and hope for the best. One can hazard to guess if tomorrow, the Congress and the Senate, was composed of Doctors, Lawyers, Teachers, Handymen, Construction Workers, and name a career path other than professional politician, things would move forward as all of the aforementioned have to balance budgets, make cuts and care for those less fortunate, and manage to do it, day in and day out. – Therein lays the solution, the problem is finding anyone who is willing to take on the job for starters, and then getting those so used to pulling a lever for an R or a D to do the opposite.

For now and the foreseeable future we will be “paying Caesar”, no matter which party, no matter how ridiculous the debate becomes and no matter who blames who.

Additional Reading: Opportunity to step away from ‘fiscal cliff’ dissolves into one-upsmanship” (Las Vegas Sun

The “Vetting” of Newt Gingrich – From Pelosi to Axelrod to a a Few Select Peers to The Media – Fear Drives The Ridiculous Into Action

The Targets: Gingrich, Pual and Romney - image allvoices.com

Of all the GOP Presidential Candidates, Newt Gingrich has one of, if not the most, public record available. For that matter, his public record exceeds that of the current occupant of the White House, President Barack Obama, and other GOP front runners has risen to the top, they were also picked apart, accused, assessed by the opposition, only to be dismissed (or put on hold) by those who are watching the debate process. If credit were to be given to the press and those pundits who can’t pick a fish out of a barrel of one, then the entire process would have been wrapped up long ago – but the nominating process is a slow one, and rightly so, it gives times for those interested in the candidates who may be President of these United States, the opportunity to either succeed to fail, according to what they do in their public appearances, generally the debate arena.

Herman Cain, who now is allegedly a “footnote”, which the media would have one believe was due to the many “women” who came forward to accuse the man of everything from sexual misconduct to assault, to a thirteen year affair, has suspended his campaign, yet will continue to be involved in the process – one need only go to the http://thecainsolutions.com to understand that Herman Cain intends to remain a force in national politics. There is, of course, Mitt Romney, the one who is preferred by the Beltway, political class, and, as a moderate, the one who is least likely to achieve his goal – if the polls are any indication (and at this stage, they tend to be the winnowing of the wheat from the chaff, Romney will see a repeat of the 2008 primary process. There is Dr. Ron Paul, who is rising above Romney is Iowa now, a staunch Libertarian, running on the Republican ticket, who has the financial credentials, as well as time spent in the Legislator and the ability to appeal to the youth and more over, a wide spectrum of the political process. If anyone had predicted that going into the home stretch of the beginning of the primary process that the two candidates to rise to the top would be former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and Dr. Ron Paul, the Libertarian from Texas, would be at the top of the “heap”, they would have been summarily dismissed.

Why? It was a 24/7 Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin show on the media, beginning with appearances in late 2010 (immediately following the mid-terms) on late night talk shows (Letterman and Leno) and the daytime crew (The View) – it was expected, or implied more to the point, that one or the other would be at the top, and stay there. However, time and the ups and downs of politics, with a little help from the left and those who would see a different candidate in place, resulted in a front-runner that is a bigger thorn in the side of the DNC than any candidate in decades. The idea man, the guy on the bench in Congress who, while writing a ton of legislation and getting his legislation passed, also became a back-bench whip, insuring that GOP congressional leadership, at the time, got the votes they needed. The man rose to the position of the Speaker of the House, worked with one of the most moderate of modern Democrat President (William Jefferson Clinton), and together, they balanced the budget, and pushed through health care reform. During his entire tenure, he continued to write legislation, some which passed, and some which never made it out of committee. He was, and continues to be a man of ideas, as well as a man who puts those ideas into action – all of this information is available in the Congressional Record, which is online, and involved a bit of research on the part of anyone who really wants to know what their Congressperson, or Senator has accomplished. It was during Newt Gingrich’s rise as the Speaker, that the problems began, those problems are known as opposition ethics charges. Charges that are based on theory, rumor, and some facts, and are played out in “secret committees” (according to Nancy Pelosi), and the subject is generally censored if found guilty of say fifteen or so charges of income tax evasion (See Charles Rangel, Barney Frank, or any number of high profile Democrats that committed crimes, and then were “chastised” by a group of their peers.) The process for the truly guilty is to stand in the well of the Congress and say “I’m sorry” to the members of Congress – all is then forgiven and life goes on as normal. Problematically, when Newt Gingrich was being “investigated by Nancy Pelosi (say that carefully and then think about it carefully), he did what most Republican members of the Congress or Senate had been known to do – resign. Although Gingrich was cleared of every charge but one (something to do with forgetting to sign a Congressional document – that is not a joke). Therefore, as far as records go, the man came up with great ideas for the country, implemented a good percentage of those ideas through legislation he wrote, and then rose to the Speakership and worked across the aisle, and he also bullied those in the GOP who were not overly happy with that situation (Those you can find on talk shows noting Newt Gingrich’s lack of leadership skills – in other words, someone who refuses to tow the party line, and “just say no” rather than get something done.

However, one did not get the impression that Newt was pure as the driven snow, he was of an age, and he was in Washington, and let’s face it, from a women’s perspective, he’s a man – all of which leads to some moral and or ethical issues that, in the world of Democrats would lead to impeachment, and a bump in the polls, but which is now considered, unforgivable by the same – go figure. People make mistakes, people change their mind – over a period of two decades, Gingrich came to a new place, with the same intellect and the same political drive, minus the ethics and moral issues not generally associated with the GOP – which is considered to be made of rapid right wing Christian’s who carry bibles in one hand and guns in the other. In reality –however, that is hardly the case, those who are Christian, look at the mettle of the man or woman, and if decades have passed, forgive and move on.

The GOP has taken a different mold, their members are varied, from young and old libertarians, to former Democrats, to the hard –right, it’s a mixed bag – and that is driving the Progressive Democrats to distraction.

Enter Nancy Pelosi, former Speaker of the House, and Mistress of the Closet of Skeletons, who was reported as saying: Hill.com (blog from the Nation’s Capital)

One of these days we’ll have a conversation about Newt Gingrich,” Pelosi told Talking Points Memo. “When the time is right. … I know a lot about him. I served on the investigative committee that investigated him, four of us locked in a room in an undisclosed location for a year. A thousand pages of his stuff."

Thousands of pages of distraction is more like it, with baseless nonsense designed to embarrass and stymie and stop the forward march of then Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich – the aforementioned charges that were dropped, except for that horrid neglect to sign a “document” charge. Three words for Miss Pelosi: “Freedom of Information”. If Pelosi had anything on Mr. Gingrich, she would have been spouting it from the rooftops, however, she appears to have nothing more than innuendo – and why?
Newt has risen 20 points in the polls and he is four weeks out from Iowa, and in a statistical tie with Obama.
Plus, face it, Nancy likes the press, the limelight and she says the darndest things- all taken with a grain of salt.
The “Old Newt” as a Republican would have hidden under a rock and exited the race in shame”, (theoretically mind you), however now - not so much.

The very same Blog of the Beltway (Can that really be a good thing?): offered Newt’s response: in true Gingrich style:

Newt Gingrich said that a threat from ex-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to disclose information she learned while serving on an ethics committee investigating him during his time as Speaker of the House would "totally abuse the ethics process" and violate rules of the House of Representatives.
"I want to thank Speaker Pelosi for what I regard as an early Christmas gift," Gingrich said at a press conference in Manhattan Monday.

If Newt were able to publicly humiliate Nancy Pelosi, (and even an attempt may count), he would be a national hero and one could just skip the primary. Outside of Washington, the media, and per made for Nancy District #8 (only San Francisco – they broke up the 8th district, taking the more conservative San Mateo County out, in order to allow Nancy to have her own Kingdome that would actually elect her – the 8th District of California includes only one city - San Francisco) Frankly, the only way to get rid of Nancy is for someone who is a more ridiculous a figure , to challenge her in a primary and win, otherwise, she will be the Robert Byrd of California’s 8th. – We’re stuck with Nancy – safe in her made for lunacy 8th District – for now. That would be a Christmas Present, Mr. Speaker, for the entire country.

David Axelrod, chief engineer of “How to Elect Barack Obama” an obscure state senator with zero experience to the office of the presidency, while basing every move on an even more Obscure figure, the Governor of Massachusetts as a model (Yes – we can (do what?!) – is now chatting on about Newt Gingrich. Axelrod, a Chicago Political Consultant, is on talk shows (usually MSNBC or somewhere on a blog) has now, according to “Polticifact” coined a phrase for Gingrich: “The Godfather of Gridlock”. Interesting in that the phrase has little to do with the amount of legislation Gingrich managed to get passed in his lengthily tenure in the House, but none-the-less, a sign that Gingrich is now the guy that worries the Obama Campaign more than any other. Axelrod is the Obama Campaign, and if he’s looking for a “Yes we can” slogan for his “masses”, that will fire up the base against Candidate for President Newt Gingrich – “The Godfather of Gridlock” is snappy, but easily dismissed as ridiculous. Is Axelrod losing his touch – or did he run out of really pithy slogans like “yes, we can”.

Finally, the media has joined with Axelrod and Nancy to do its due diligence to keep any Republican out of the White House, and therefore, are picking up on anything Gingrich has to say (and that man has to say a lot, as he has a lot of suggestions to make, probably more that one can imagine, as there are more things just wrong enough with this country, that could be so easily made right, with a bit of tweaking, a la Newt, that in his multiple books, appearance and now on the campaign trail, sound bites a plenty appear on an almost second by second basis.

Over at CBS the media has taken some umbrage at the fact that Gingrich, in a debate, suggested that youth be taught the value of working for a dollar, to build a sense of accomplishment, and teach youngsters how to get a job, keep a job, and save some cash in the process, thereby becoming, eventually, upstanding citizens, rather than gang members about to shoot at the White House. The key words here are “youth” and “work”. This somehow translates into “horror of horrors – breaking the “child labor laws”. Under the current systems, millions and millions of today’s youth cannot work until they are sixteen (and must obtain a permit) (Massachusetts state law). If they want to be newspapers carriers (that time tested, 50’s model of earning a few bucks), their parents must take on the job, and be hopeful they don’t’ get caught letting their kids deliver the Sunday paper. The Child Labor Laws were originally designed to avoid putting an under aged youth into a factory setting that involved twelve hour shifts, and since has morphed into the ridiculous – which may account for the high rate of unemployment among today’s youngsters, who may even want to work. His plan which involved pretty much the paper route, and or community service route, for these youngsters, especially in inner cities, to earn and appreciate the value of a dollar, to have some self-respect, and to become more vested in their futures, is a bad thing? This coming from one who as a child, picked beans for 25 cents a bushel in a farm down the road, moved to the paper route, as soon as one was available, and at the age of sixteen, was working in retail looking forward to saving enough money to go to college and of course, buy a car. Then Jimmy Carter came along and blew that up. But, this adult now has no fear of work, and understands the value of a dollar, and as soon as able, pushed her sixteen year old (the age of the “work permit”) into finding a job, keeping the job, keeping up her grades, and learning to manage her finance. When that child saw her first paycheck, one has to wonder who was most proud, the child or the parent?

This is one of Newt Gingrich’s ideas, one which has been summarily dismissed by the lot of idiots who are currently in charge of the way we are supposed to think and our government. Is it any wonder that he is being attacked form the left and the left in order to stop him from going back to Washington, as a President who might work with the speaker (regardless of the party in power), and the Senate (again the same), and who might actually get the nation on the right track economically and get a few kids off the street at the same time?
It makes sense, so it must be dangerous to Axelrod and Company, because if the moderate voter thinks Gingrich is ok, then there is trouble in Chicago.

Should, and as those who follow politics know, another candidate take the lead in these last weeks before the primary/caucus begins (say Ron Paul, who is next in line by the polls), then what can those in Chicago and San Francisco, due to the Good Doctor? Stay tuned. The problem that Team Obama has is that every one of the candidates, including Herman Cain, are perceived as being able to do a better job at managing the affairs of the country – specifically by the GOP and those who vote in those primaries, and those who vote in those primaries are, sometimes moderate Conservative Feminist, former Democrats, newly minted Republicans, all with the notion that there just has to be a better alternative. It will not be an easy race, by any means, the race to the GOP nomination and the race to the White House, but a race that is clearly competitive on the side of the GOP and the eventual nominee, be it Gingrich or Ron Paul or Jon Huntsman or Michele Bachmann’s to win.

Rick Perry’s Tax Plan – Brilliant in Budget Reform – and “Optional” – A short tutorial on Government and Taxes – Congress will be the Key

Rick Perry, Tax and Budget Plan Worth Second Look - photo: borowitz report dot com


With all the hoopla and horror surrounding the various tax plans that GOP Presidential Candidates have proposed, the single biggest misconception is that any “plan” proposed will be written immediately into law. Taxes are essentially subject to the will of the Congress and its Ways and Means Committee. Simply put, the Ways and Means Committee oversees Social Security, and Revenue, two of the largest targets of both political parties. The Subcommittee of Select Revenue Measures is especially important and who is on that Committee, makes the calls regarding our current tax structure. Currently, Congressman Richard Neal (D-MA) is the ranking member. Neal’s approach to taxes has earned him the moniker of ”Nancy Pelosi’s and Ireland’s Tax Man”. Neal, a staunch, straight party line voting, Progressive Democrat, is able, regardless of which party in currently “power” to influence taxes across the board – from individual to corporate.

It is true that when Congress is “flipped”, and either the Republicans or Democrats are in control, that influence is either enhanced or capped, however, the fact is that the individual sitting in the Oval Office has less input than a strong Speaker of the House when it comes to one’s income. It is a strong leader in the Oval Office in concert and more media savvy than a Speaker that will get the job of tax reform accomplished, if, and only if, that speaker has control of the Ways and Means Committee.
If Perry or any other GOP candidate can exert that kind of influence, then and only then, will change occur.

Perry’s plan is simple, in so far as it eliminates a load of paperwork and places a flat tax into place, with standard individual deductions, deductions for state and local taxes, capital gains, mortgage interest and charitable contributions. The key words are ”choice” (see Business Week article here, and “optional”. From the Rick Perry campaign website:

By implementing a simple and optional flat tax that will allow Americans to file their taxes on a postcard, up to $483 billion a year could be saved by American families and businesses in reduced compliance costs alone.13 A simpler, flatter tax code – free from the dozens of individual carve-outs that make the code so incomprehensible – will remove the disincentives to work, entrepreneurial risk-taking, and investment that form the foundation of a strong and vibrant economy.

Lower- and middle-income families will be able to take advantage of an optional 20% flat tax rate that includes generous standard exemptions of $12,500 for individuals and their dependents, as well as deductions for mortgage interest, charitable contributions, and state and local taxes.

.

Not, unlike Cain’s 9-9-9 plan, Perry’s approach is Reaganesque, putting tax cuts in place that would encourage corporate growth and job creation, however, the option to revert to the current code is included in Perry’s.

The key however, in Perry’s plan is a moratorium on regulations that affect the tax code, a review of all regulations that are obsolete, and a mandatory review of each government agency’s annual budget. The agency budget review and mandatory approval by Congress for additional funds measure, would be a vast improvement over the current system, and one for which Perry and his Economic Team should get high praise.

Overall, there are elements of both Perry and Cain’s plan that are commendable, and either would be an improvement on the current system, however, Perry’s addition of specific tax cuts and Departmental Budgetary regulations is superb. Under the current systems, each Department is awarded an annual budget, a budget that if not spent in its entirety results in a cut in budget funds for the following year. Departments are literally forced to overspend, by millions of dollars, in order to receive future funding – a change in this ridiculous system, would eliminate waste, and go a long way towards balancing the budget.
Finally, Social Security would be treated to an overview, a repeal of the current tax on Social Security benefits, and a charge to Congress to stop “raiding” Social Security Funds. It does not change the way benefits are delivered to those who are now receiving or near receiving Social Security.

Therefore, Perry’s plan should receive an A+ from the public, and although the Governor noted that the plan would reduce government income, when queried by news agencies, apparently no-one took into account the provisions for departmental budgetary controls. That is especially true of two strange bedfellows: Fox and CBS, who alternately called the plan a “disaster for America” (Fox), and a “substantial revenue loss for the U.S. government”(CBS).

The one individual, who ends up taking on the task of the President of the United States, will have to be a strong enough leader to work with and encourage tax code changes through the Congress and specifically its Ways and Means Committee. Ronald Reagan was the last President to achieve that goal, and the economy, under Reagan’s plan, improved vastly within the span of a few short years. Rick Perry, to his credit, notes that this is not an overnight solution, and any one candidate, who offers a solution suggesting change would be immediate, is simply playing with fire. Consider Obama’s plan for Health Care Reform, a plan that was crafted in the House, by Senior Democrats, and Nancy Pelosi at the helm, in haste – and pushed through Congress (one must give that woman credit, she ruled with a whip – whether on agrees with her politically or no.) It is now one of the least popular plans to come out of a White House, and it is doubtful that the Act will stand as waivers are granted, and challenges to the Constitutionality are brought by States are won in the Supreme Court. It was the promise of immediate Hope and Change, lack of experience and a Congress packed with Progressive (Socialist) Democrats in complete power, which led to this horrific mess we now face. (Include in that equation the Republican controlled Congress spending spree going back through he Bush administration.)

Tax reform is essential, but more essential is the reform of the budget regulations for each Department of the U.S. Government.

Now "Occupy" is in a City Near You – Pelosi (D-CA8 -Up for reelection in 2012) Condones Bizarre Cult Behavior by Protestors – Bring on the "Koodaid"!

Occupy Wall Street Jazzercize - image NY Daily News

versus


Serious Protestors 1972 - image flker from pieman424


The video below, “Occupy Amherst – Take 1” shows a small contingent of purportedly UMASS students, and most likely professors, merrily skipping up the side walk to overthrow the “lobbyists, bankers, and others who are apparently responsible for a bevy of complaints: They want their country back – the protestors seem apparently normal at first, yet it is not long before they break into a repetitive cult like speak (similar to all “Occupy Wall Street protests): The “leader” makes a statement, the entire group, “parrots” every single word, throughout the entire “protest”.

The question is: what is the purpose of “Occupying Amherst, of all places, where no one there, or hardly anyone, would not be simpatico with the protestors, no matter how bizarre their behavior appears? The City itself has the moniker “The People’s Republic of Amherst”, from the western foot hills of the state, to the north and south shores – it is the open communist, progressive bent of the occupants (much like Vermont), that gives the name some credence.

One might tolerate these protests, in a matter of fact, one should tolerate the protestors, if one does not agree with them politically, and that is not the point. However, this blogger having been of an age to have attended protests in the past, where one hundred thousand youth would find their way halfway across the country in order to be heard, makes this look at this “movement” as ineffective, lazy and frankly bizarre. If they were to “Occupy Wall Street”, then they should head there en masse, and now allow 700 of their compatriots sit out (or in) on the Brooklyn Bridge – that’s hardly a number worth getting hyped up about.

The support of the unions, specifically the SEIU (see clip from the Occupy Atlanta video), has greatly helped the numbers grow – and perhaps, just perhaps, this will last through the 2012 elections. The repetitive speak is also accompanied by non noisome clapping – whereas the participants “raise their arms and wiggle their fingers” instead of clapping – to show respect.

It is, in a word, both hysterically funny and alternately sad, that these individuals are seriously participating in a protest that has “no meat” to it – and a message: generally government cronyism, that is particularly resonant with the members of the Tea Party (where one won’t find waving of fingers, but boisterous cheering, music, and a lot of picking up after themselves.)

The media: Outside of video’s being posted to You Tube and Face book (and other social network mediums), there is no media coverage of these protests: other than short clips where the protestors appear somewhat normal – every day students running or sitting in – (accompanied of course, by 700 pound gorillas in SEIU t-shirts) – but there have been, to this blogs knowledge, any reports on the evening news showing repetitive speak and the twinkling fingers of these focused, apparently brainwashed, and about to down the Kool-Aid, protestors. Why is that? Is it out of a sense of embarrassment that the left would not show the world how “Effective” their protests are - the strikers that in solidarity with the unions and MSNBC, are truly “focused” – is it embarrassment, it is in concert with the powers behind the protests (If one believes, these clueless chanter’s thought this one up on their own, think again – specifically one that is “nationwide”). There is coverage, but selective, and therefore, taking the heat off someone, somewhere (most likely Obama, whom the protestors support, so why not show them as they truly are? After all, they have Nancy Pelosi’s blessing, and they allow zero speech from anyone, even those who may be sympathetic. Take the time to watch the “Occupy Atlanta Video”: it is not without some amusement and absolute astonishment on the faces of the member of Congress and apparent aids, that tells the story – “These people may be here to: (pick one: cover for, support, or otherwise take the heat off: Obama) but their nuts!

"Occupy Amherst"


Pelosi on Occupy and Eric Cantors support for Tea Party Protests


Pelosi: (paraphrased from video above) “God Bless the Occupy Wall Street Protestors, they’re young, focused and it’s going to be effective”


Pelosi on Cantor’s: (Paraphrased from video above) “Protestors are of growing concern, pitting American’s against American’s” – Response from Pelosi (again Paraphrased): “I didn’t see him or his colleagues complain when the Tea Party was spitting on members of Congress (she is referring to the alleged incident of which there is zero proof, of Congressman John Lewis, a Civil Rights Leader, being spit upon by a Tea Party member).

In this opinion: Whether it be Tea Party, Democrat, Green Party or any political individual who uses that black, white, yellow or green, who uses that particular slur, they need to have their knuckles slapped with a ruler – the class/racial rhetoric, which has been escalated by individuals such as Pelosi, has taken this nation twenty steps backward from where the U.S. was only five years ago – Was their bigotry and intolerance, absolutely, but it was in small isolated pockets – there was no open “us versus them” when it came to black, white, Hispanic - there were the elitists bigots, there were the usual caricatures of bigotry, but either one lives in a bubble, (which is hardly the case), or is an ideologue (again, hardly the case), then one understands that there has been increase in the way American’s view one another by “class” (i.e. Race and education), and it is a particularly “Progressive” point of view, split the nation in order to “win politically” – it is disgusting. However, it did not go the way staunch Progressives had hoped:
Example: Occupy Atlanta – Video Below: where the same Congressman, John Lewis, of whom Nancy Pelosi Speaks was prevented from speaking by these “focused” young people. She was right, they were “effective” in not allowing the Congressman to Speak:

Occupy Atlanta


In closing, there are few protests that one should not support, the only ones that come to mind are the ones involving anarchist who prefer to break, smash, and otherwise destroy property, just for the fun of it. Any other protests, such as the Occupy Wall Street (bizarre behavior aside), should take place, in peace – it is our U.S. Constitution in all its glory – whereby groups, no matter what political ideology, may assemble and protest. It is this opinion, having participated in the past from Democrat Anti-War (slogans: “Dump the Hump” - anyone recall that one?), to the current day Tea Party rally (which is similar in scope to the rally’s of the 1960’s, however, participants, pick up after themselves, are peaceful and on-time – and contrary to the constant drumbeat of the media that doesn’t go there (but reports from afar), is a diverse crowd, both young and old, black, white, Hispanic, Muslim, Asian – these protests are against heavy taxation and government intrusion into daily life, the points are clear, and the speakers are precise, cheered and not parroted. The 1960’s to early 1970’s anti-war demonstrations were basically the same: peaceful, less concerned, granted, with pickup of after oneself, but overall the message was clear, and the protestors were individually driven, versus the concerted, contained and staged appearance of those who Occupy Wall Street from afar.

As a child, at my Austrian grandmothers knee, it was the stories of the evils of the Communists and the Socialists, (and the NAZI’s were lumped in that group, as they are all groups that have a top heavy elite, and the balance are basically “slaves to ideology and in reality”), that were imparted to this blogger, that made the impression, from the old footage of demonstrations, to the books by the various leaders that were read together with this woman who had seen the devastation of a family by those who would change the world, that formed the suspicion in the mind of a child against any group that promised the impossible, and required a class structure. That is the point: In America there is no class structure, which is not in keeping with the Progressive/Communist/Socialist Plan. The premise is that everyone, regardless of socio-economic background, race, or religion, has an equal opportunity to be whatever they choose, to advance, to achieve a dream, to have goals, to even, one day, become the President of these United States, does not sit well with those who want, not power for the people, but power over the people.
It is not wonder then that Ms. Pelosi, an avowed Progressive, would feel so strongly proud of these “Occupy Wall Street” protestors.

On the “Debt Crisis” – Boston Globe Blames Republicans, Reuters decries “Rebel” Tea Party, while Obama, Pelosi and Reid, Still Playing the “Bush Card”

The Original Rebels of 1773 - Tea Party - image from CRWflags.com

The Boston Globemakes no pretence of lack of objectivity in their article on the Debt Ceiling “alleged” crisis (alleged as the date continues to move at the whim of Tim Geithner and the Democrat Controlled House, up to the elections in 2010 either had no budget or blocked any attempts at a reasonable budget under Pelosi and Reid’s watch – 2006 bears repeating). The article begins:

Inflexible House Republicans forced Speaker John Boehner late last night to put off an expected vote on legislation to raise the country’s borrowing limit, dealing a stunning blow to the GOP leader’s authority just days before the country is set to run out of money.

Read that twice. In the real world, Boehner did have a plan that compromised more with President Obama’s plan to spend through the roof, and cuts to the budget were dramatically reduced to billions. The House Republican’s that are considered “Tea Party” are fiscally conservative and were perhaps looking for something with more “Teeth” in it, as regards any chance of getting the debt under control.

The last bill that the House put together (to solve this very same crisis) was rejected by the Democrats in the Senate, not even making it to the floor for a vote! Obama insisted he would veto legislation that called for cuts to the budget, a onetime rise in the debt ceiling, and a start to a balanced budget amendment to the constitution. (Bill Clinton with a Republican Congress led by Newt Gingrich balanced the budget - therefore, it can be done.)The President’s preference is obviously to run without a clear budget, continue to spend, and continue to raise the debt ceiling, which effectively lowers the US dollars worth. Go figure.

The Tea Party, fiscally sane conservatives, want to effect positive change in the way those juvenile delinquents that are currently entrenched in Congress spend other people’s money. It is, in effect, a log-jam.

Obama won’t sign a bill unless it includes limited cuts to spending, while allowing him to raise the debt ceiling enough through 2012 so that he can comfortably get back on the campaign trail.

The Republican’s led by Boehner, are trying desperately to come up with a compromise and have presented several bills, all of which the President refuses to sign if they pass the Congress anyhow.

Tea Party members, see this happening, and figure, they might as well just stand firm and continue to give their constituents full attention, and do exactly what they were sent to Washington to do – stand up against insanity regardless of which Party happens to be involved in the lasted mess.

Reuters, is now calling those members of the Tea Party Caucus Rebels! It is as if those members elected in 2010, because of the financial crisis, sent to Washington to stop the spending, are somehow out of touch with reality. More to the point, they are in touch with their constituents, and it is Washington, the Beltway Pundits and their media cheerleaders, who clearly don’t understand jack (you know what.)

It is the word Rebels, being used by Reuters, which calls to mind the original intent of the Tea Party, and the original Tea Party Rebels of in the year 1773, were also called rebels, and later revolutionaries a point that should not be missed by those who live within the safe confines of Washington Think! It was about taxes then, and it is about taxes now. Overburden the people, and the people “rebel”, It might be predicted that at this point, the more the media maligns the Tea Party, and lays blame, that they are, in effect, creating a notoriety which a good percentage of thinking American’s (and they exist) find appealing.

Meanwhile, the Democrats and their leaders Pelosi, Reid and President Obama, continue to cry “Bush!” as they lay blame for the current conditions on the past. As Bush left office with a crumbling real estate fiasco (caused by whom in Congress? Who controlled Congress in 2006?), and ran with the limited TARP program (which was, incidentally opposed by most Conservatives), he put into effect a stop gap, that should have been enough of a rise in the debt crisis of 2008, to set up a lovely and easy to manage scenario for incoming Obama – had Obama not followed former President Carter’s economic and foreign policy to the letter. Unfortunately, he did, growing government, increasing the payroll for an ever-growing crop of government employees (through the Stimulus), and wondering why the private sector was not hiring? Additional large scale social programs also insured that businesses would be wary of hiring, there was no fix to the housing crisis (see Fanny and Freddy) rather, the administration and Happy Nancy just threw more money at the problem, hoping for a correction. It kept going; one spending project after the next, all without a budget, no budget, not one budget during the entire time the Democrats and President Obama had the reigns of government.

Now, these much maligned “inflexible” and “rebellious” members of Congress, sent by and for the people, are taking heat for doing the job that all Republicans and heck all Democrats should have done, but not unlike a herd of Ostrich, stuck their heads in the sand.
Also, just a note to the media: Globe in particular, although it appears that Boehner did not have the support for yet another bill that he came up with versus, one very shady backroom deal under Reid, which would have been vote now, we’ll let you know what’s it in later (recall the Health Care disaster), and they call is position “weakened”. Give us the proverbial break. Recall the deals, begging, pleading, midnight votes and calls to the White House to those poor “Blue Dog” Democrats who finally jumped on the Obama Health Care vote, a midnight vote to nowhere. It was not as if they had control, they had a plan (that no one could read), they wanted it done, and they held Congress in chains, until the vote passed, on straight party lines. The Democrats have their divisions, which are rarely spoken of in the media, their Progressive arm (i.e. Socialists who have taken control of the party) and the “moderate democrat” – who looks more like John McCain every day –or vice versa.

It is refreshing to see debate, and it is refreshing that some of those sent to Congress have a clue, it is refreshing that, although, yet another crisis looms (see Obama under Boy Cries Wolf), that some members, regardless of being called names, are standing up to principal, while, Beltway Republican’s attempt to play nice with Obama, and Obama pouts and refuses to move away from his Progressive roots, thinking there is no way out but tax increases across the board, and a continued rise in the nation’s debt ceiling.
If one thought that 1793 was a bad year for Progressives, as was 2010, just wait. The majority of Tea Party Members are not, repeat, not Republican’s (although they vote with them and run as Republicans due to the allege fiscal conservatism that party represents), but Independents and, get this, Democrats, as well as some disenfranchised Republicans. Rebels yes, a Revolution yes, at the ballot box in 2012, which, if this continues to be a pre-school scenario (or high school, hard to tell the difference and with the decline in education in the nation, between a 3year olds knowledge and that of one about to graduate high school, and God Help us! vote!!!) of Congress and the White House, it will be a rout across the board. It is not, therefore, unthinkable, that a third party candidate, would put themselves forth, should the Republican party nominate one more McCain like Republican (one who wants to be a conservative, while assuaging every Democrat they meet, and of course, retain their popularity with the press.)

Therefore, when the sky doesn’t’ fall on the 2nd of August, and the Wolf never arrives at the door, and yet another plan is proposed in Congress, which will be vetoed by Progressive of the Year, President Obama, life, will go on – The blame for all of this lies with those in Washington despite acting like a bunch of 17 year old girls (and any parent with a 17 year old girl understands what that means), even despite Party, being unable to get their act together. It is the job of Congress to take charge of the nations purse strings (See U.S. Constitution), it is the Presidents job to create a budget (which he has consistently failed to do, since the Brilliant Obama took office), and it is the peoples job to vote.

Does it really matter if the only checks being cut in Washington got to Social Security, and Medicare? Does it really matter if the Parks department, the EPA, the TSA cannot pay their employees? Will the people miss the pat down and lack of profiling done unless one is an aging grandmother or 4 year old boy? One might call this naive, however, with the focus on one’s own declining revenue of what little paycheck is left for those working in the private sector, focus on Obama’s difficulties in getting another rise in the debt ceiling and Boehner’s’ inability to control members of Congress who are, literally, more Republican than those incumbents who sit in that August body. The personal pocketbook, or lack thereof, will place the blame where it belongs – and that will be on those who were supposed to have gotten “the message” but refused to listen. In other words, the Tea Party has a point, and as one of those who is sick of Party politics as usual, and looking at the Unenrolled status as a badge of pride, it is only disgust one must feel, for the continued one-sidedness of the media, and the same old crap coming out of DC for the past eight plus years.

Massive Earmark Budget Killed in Senate – Obama-GOP Tax Cut Package Passes at Midnight Hour - Analysis

Obama and Republican Leaders Put American on Road to Recovery - image csmonitor

The Senate effectively squashed a 1.3 trillion dollar “budget” that was laden with earmarks after Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell (R-KY) handed Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid (D-NV) the option of continuing operations until the Senate reconvenes in January . The government has run on this type of spending measure since early this year, as Democrats have failed to put together a budget. The Omnibus Bill that Senate Democrats had attempted to ram through in a lame-duck session, included 1900 plus pages and $1.3 trillion dollars in spending, which lawmakers would not have had time to read or debate before the end of this session. Massachusetts Senator John Kerry (D), yesterday asked why lawmakers in the Senate would need to read the bill (video of Kerry included:source Real Clear Politicts) – a comment that was earnest in his support for earmarks and spending projects hoped for by Democrats and some Republicans prior to the Congress changing hands with a fiscally restrained Republican Majority in January. Of import to Kerry were several items in the bill, including $8 million in spending for the Kennedy Institute in DC as well as $600,000 to study scallops! When the nation’s taxpayers are tightening their belts, and doing without, these types of debt heavy projects, adding to future individual tax burdens, are a slap in the face of Kerry’s and like-minded Lawmakers on Capitol Hill’s constituents.

After dropping the budget, the Senate and Congress agreed in a show of bipartisanship rarely seen in Washington since 2006 when the Democrats took control of both Houses, a bill to extend the Bush tax cuts, and additional tax cuts proposed by President Obama, was passed at midnight and sent to President Obama for his signature. The bill, worked out between the Obama administration and Republican members of the House and Senate, includes an extension of unemployment benefits in 26 states that participate in the Federal program for up to 13 months at a time when the unemployment rates is near 10%. With the tax cuts extended for two years, businesses that have been holding back on hiring, should begin to hire, incentives are included for new businesses that would add additional private sector jobs badly needed to support the government in new tax revenue. The tax cuts combined with the unemployment benefits are projected to add $800 billion to the deficit, however, that projection may change as entrepreneurs and small businesses develop (and pay taxes) and all businesses hire employees (more taxes from employees), effectively reducing the unemployment rolls (reduction in Federal Spending).

One cannot anticipate an overnight “fix”, however, as with previous tax cuts, the unemployment rate and increase in Federal and State Revenues were realized within a one to two year time frame. That said, with the elimination of a pork laden budget, which will be revised with the Congress reconvenes in January under new Republican leadership, with promises from Speaker Boehner (D-OH), to introduce spending cuts by the week, while producing a budget that is fiscally responsible, coupled with tax cuts designed to boost hiring on the parts of business and spending on the part of consumers with more money in their pocket, the process of recovery may be expedited.

The following year should be one which keeps those watching the Capitol on their toes, as Obama appears to be more than willing to work with the new majority who has indicated they will do the same, running the government as it should be, on compromise and openness with the American Public. However, once the 2012 campaign season kicks off – it may be difficult for those who will be on the campaign trail (including the President, all members of Congress, and over half of the Senate) to maintain this level of bipartisanship, or have the time to accomplish much while the various members are on recess to campaign. In that wise, the American taxpayer receives a double bonus, as a government that is run on a premise of fiscal responsibility for a year, will have the same cast of characters in 2012 that are adverse to passing bills without a thorough reading and debate.

The healing has begun and will continue with the new Congress in the first week of January 2011. That said, one issuer to see headlines regarding Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Reid, espousing the “tax the rich” dogma, and attempting to stymie the Republicans from effectively downsizing government at every turn. It is, without the majority Democrats enjoyed for four years, akin to making a lot of noise and spitting into the wind while the Republicans and those likeminded Democrats govern with the President. It will be interesting to see which side the press of the nation takes, as this unfolds, one would have to lay odds against the President and the Republican controlled Congress – chances are that Pelosi and Reid will receive a great deal more airtime complaining about everything and anything. Not exactly the best strategy for winning hearts and minds for the “Progressive” cause of big government.

Neal(D-MA2) Wrangles for Rangel’s Chair of Ways & Means – Rangel Faces Stern Reprimand for Ethics Violations - Down Not Out.

Pelosi with Rangel and Neal - Decisions, Decisions - image Washington Post

Charles Rangel, the New York 15th District’s Newly Reelected Congressional Representative will most likely face a body of his peers publicly expressing (within the Halls of Congress), their displeasure over Congressman Rangel’s behavior. The Boston Globe reporting on Rangel’s “punishment”, suggests that Congress may “vote to censure Rangel for fundraising and financial misdeeds that violated congressional rules. Other possibilities are less serious. They include a reprimand, a fine or a report deploring his conduct.” There is no suggestion that the crimes committed by Rangel would end in his expulsion from Congress as outlined in the rules governing House Ethics for the 11th Congress (http://ethics.house.gov). In other words, Rangel is facing a slap on the wrist for breaking 11 of 13 Ethics rules.

Rangel, who chaired the House Ways and Means Committee (which writes our tax policy), stepped down when gently pushed by then Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, and replaced by senior member Sander Levin of Michigan. Levin, for all appearances was keeping the seat warm for Rangel, however, as time went by, Congressional egos came into play and other members began to eye the Top Job.

Enter Richard Neal - the Massachusetts 2nd District Congressional Representative, who faced a rather tough reelection in 2010 (having gone unchallenged for decades), defended his seat against newcomer Tom Wesley (Republican), and spent millions to hold onto the district seat. Neal who has been vying for the Top Spot on the Committee for years, still managed to support other Democrat members of Congress during the 2010 midterms to a paltry tune of of $70,000 (Politico). Apparently, when one wants a Chair on a Committee one literally “buys” the votes of a peer by donating to his or her campaign. Unfortunately, due the challenge Neal faced in his district (Wesley received 40 plus% of the vote); he had little opportunity to spread the wealth – even though he has a considerable war chest.

Although Neal won the election, the Chair of the Committee will go to a Republican as that party has the majority in the House. Therefore, Neal is seeking to become the Highest Ranking Democrat on the committee – a vantage point from which, others have had a great impact on U.S. policy including one Barney Frank, (MA4). Frank, who while a ranking Committee member for the Democrats managed to make decisions affecting Mortgage giants Freddie and Fannie.

Neal, not deterred, has announced he will challenge Rangel’s replacement, Sander Levin, for the top spot. An article in Business Weekconfirmed his intentions yesterday. Neal, who’s backing comes from big business, is a frequent guest of the non-partisan Tax Counsel Policy Institute whose board members include representatives from major insurers and pharmaceutical companies.

Neal may be in the best jockeying position for the seat in question, due to his straight party line votes with Nancy Pelosi in the 111th Congress, including support of the Health Care Reform Act. Neal even went a step further to please Pelosi and also supported including illegal immigrants in entitlement programs. Therefore, Neal may be the new House Minority Leaders’ (Nancy Pelosi) choice to move into what would have been Rangel’s spot on the Committee, a step down for Rangel, a step up for Neal somewhat.

However, all that lobbying on Neal’s part may come to naught, as Rangel is, in all likelihood, not facing an expulsion from Congress, rather a “stiff reprimand” via censure. Another member of the Massachusetts Democrat Congressional Congress also faced a similar “fate” and managed to parlay that misfortune into the Chair of the House Finance Committee – one Barney Frank. Granted in Frank’s case, there was some time that passed between his “trial by peers”, (which resulted in a Congressional “shame on you”, and then a pat on the back) eventually leading (when Democrats regained control of the House) to the top spot. Therefore, unless Rangel himself relinquishes the power he perceives he has, and maintains Nancy's blessing with by a mere reprimanded, should the Democrats gain the House in 2014 or 2016 (historically appropriate) he may find himself in the Top Job again. This of course, hinges on all three - Rangel, Neal and Levin – still holding seats by that time (retirement by either the electors or a personal decision).

In any regard, the final decision will rest with the Minority Leader, Nancy Pelosi – whose charges against Rangel in the first place were based on politics at that time - now that Progressives believe that they will regain the House in 2012, she may decide to bump Neal for Rangel. Of course, Pelosi, Neal, Frank, Rangel and Levin are all up for reelection in 2012, and Neal will again face opposition, as Republican’s and Independents are now in the process of vying for position to take on Neal after this particular election confirmed he was vulnerable. (An election return which, one can be sure, the new Minority Whip is well aware.

Tax Hike! Reduction In Income Coming to Your Paycheck in January - Courtesy of Nancy Pelosi – Roll Call of Dem Voting No

Every single person working in the United States, regardless of income level, will be bringing home less in their paychecks this January as Federal Taxes increase this January. Both the House and the Senate, by voice vote, passed a motion to take a break in order to return to their home districts and states to campaign for re-election – it is what was not taken up for a vote in either chamber of the Congress that will impact every single taxpayer – the Bush Tax Cuts. Cutting through the rhetoric for a moment, the Bush Tax cuts known primarily as a rallying cry for the Democrats to insure that the “wealthy” fork over more of their income, actually was an across the board tax cut – meaning people making minimum wage received an increase in their income when the Bush Tax Cuts were implemented. Therefore, letting these tax cuts expire, is a reverse tax increase.

How much will your income be reduced depends upon several factors; married couples with children will feel the impact more than someone who is single with no children, however all income will be reduced by at least 5%. To find out how much your taxes will increase, The Tax Foundation has a calculator at mytaxburdon.org that will give you a clear picture of the immediate impact through payroll deductions. Also included in the Bush Tax Cuts were a reduction in the marriage penalty and a increase in the child tax credit – those will no longer be available. It may seem like a pittance, at first, that $5, $10, or $50 missing from a weekly check, but consider that in this economy, it means struggling just a bit harder to make ends meet. Also, those who look forward to a nice refund from the I.R.S. at tax time, may find no refund at all, once those standard child and marriage deductions are no longer available. In fact, some middle class families may find themselves writing checks to the Federal Government.

Someone has to foot the bill, and that someone is you – regardless of how much you earn. Every single member of the House of Representatives (your congressional representative) and Senator knew that allowing the Bush Tax cuts to expire would mean your income would decrease, yet the people we hired decided their income was more important – they needed to get back to their districts to campaign. Was it each and every single Congressional Representative or Senator – hardly. In fact, the House of Representatives passed the motion to adjourn and not vote on the Bush Tax Cuts by one vote – the tie breaker - Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.

That means that thirty nine Democrats joined all Congressional Republicans in voting to stay in session and vote on your income. Those Democrats who joined all Republicans and voted no are:

AL- Bright
AZ- Giffords
AZ- Kirkpatrick
AZ- Mitchell
CA- McNerney
CO- Markey
GA- Marshall
ID- Minnick
IL- Bean
IL- Foster
IN- Donnelly
IN- Ellsworth
LA- MeLancon
MD- Kratovil
ME- Michaud
MI- Peters
MI- Schauer
MS- Childers
MS- Taylor
NC- McIntyre
NC- Shuler
NH- Arcuri
NJ- Adler
NM- Heinrich
NV- Titus
NY- Bishop
NY- McMahon
OH- Driehaus
OH- Kilroy
OH- Space
PA- Altmire
PA- Carney
PA- Murphy
PA- Perriello
PA- Sestak
SD- Sandlin
TX- Edwards
VA- Connolly
VA- Nye

If your Democrat Congressman or Congresswoman is not on the above list, they are responsible for increasing your income.
The plan, to save one’s political future and hide, may have miscalculated the fact that voters would eventually find out that they were directly responsible for one of the largest tax hikes and job killers in U.S. History. On jobs and a government check, it does not take a rocket scientist to understand that Corporations and Small Businesses who are left standing and are necessary to insure that those who collect government checks, whether through entitlement programs or payroll are directly related. Corporations have been fleeing the United States (or states and Commonwealths within the United States) for years to dodge increasing tax hikes, the Bush Tax Cuts ensured that these employers would stick around and hire people. When it became evident that many of the programs that passed under the Obama administration would involve a round of new taxes and regulations to these corporations, they were concerned enough to stop hiring. Google hiring freeze for the heck of it, and one will reference after reference in news articles nationwide of continued hiring freezes. When taxes go up for corporations, they have less money to spend on employees, which includes hiring new employees as well as paying out benefits to current employees. Those in the northeast, where manufacturing was a staple prior to the Civil War, watched factories and corporations flee to the “sun belt” (Southern U.S.) during tax hikes under the Carter administration – what’s left may soon be leaving for climates where there are fewer taxes and, no kidding, no labor unions with ridiculous pensions and hourly wages (see Auto Workers).

Therefore, there will be fewer jobs, and fewer corporations, meaning a significant drop in revenue to the Federal Government (and State Governments who rely on your job and the corporation that hired you) which will mean the Administration will have to try and borrow more money to cover those entitlement programs, from welfare to extended unemployment benefits. What happens when the government simply runs out of enough tax payers and cannot borrow another red cent to meet these obligations? The aforementioned scenario sounds a bit far-fetched; however, when one considers what has taken place over time, the potential exists. Surely, Nancy Pelosi and those Democrats who voted to head home to campaign were smart enough to know that the above scenario is possible.

One has to examine the motives of those who vote against deeply entrenched, long-term Congressional Representatives and Senators with a new focus after yesterday’s vote. Those that put their power and position over the livelihood of the lowest of their constituents, are not preferable to the unknown Republican, Tea Party, Green Party or Independent running against an incumbent who has, in many cases, been in office for decades.
Side Note: Nancy Pelosi, who is up for reelection herself, is facing one John Dennis www.johndennis2010.com, those living in the San Francisco 8th district may want to consider an alternative to Ms. Pelosi.

Obama Calls for 50 Billion Dollar Transportation Bill to Create Jobs: Flashback 2009 Stimulus Needed for Road and Bridge Jobs

President Obamais asking his Democrat controlled Congress to spend another fifty billion dollars on a “Transportation Bill” to create jobs before the November mid-term elections. Insisting the additional debt added to the taxpayers already ridiculous $120,905 per taxpayer current deficit payoff (subject to change – source national debt clock) is needed to create “transportation jobs”, the President’s plan – create a Federal Bank which will be a “Transportation Bank". This is an idea that Obama thought might work when he was a one-term junior senator from Illinois (prior to being elected President).

The problem President Obama faces, according to Obama, are those pesky Republican’s – who he recently dubbed , for the umpteenth time, the “party of no” at a Milwaukee AFLCIO union “Labor Day “function.

Of course, stimulus dollars in 2009 were needed to create jobs for road and bridge projects, which, unless the English language has changed dramatically are considered to fall under the transportation heading. Of course, the massive stimulus bill which was subsequently passed by Pelosi and Reid’s combined congress and Senate (with the Republican’s noting it would not work and, for the most part declining to participate – thus the “party of no”) did not work.

In fact, the unemployment rate remains a 9.6% - helping those who may be thinking Obama has a point, that obviously the Stimulus I did not work. The President’s plan to create a “government run bank” is a stretch at best. The obvious question, what makes Obama seriously think that a Government run bank would work? (One that involves a combination of private and Federal input) We already have the government run student loan industry (see bills tacked onto the Health Care Reform Bill no one read), and Freddie and Fannie, who are the prime example, of what happens when the government and private sector collide to play with taxpayer money.

Anyone believing that this administration and this Congress can “create private sector” jobs through another stimulus has got to be smoking something – make that opium. All one needs to do is take a look at the national debt clock here at www.usdebtclock.org to get a real feel for what Obama and his Congress have done to the American people. (Thanks to Dr. Jay Fleitman for the tip) Which is why those who oppose passing on this huge burden to their children, whether they are Republican, Independent, Tea Party, and yes, even Democrats, are voting Republican, many of them for the first time.

How bad is it? Barney Frank (D-MA) of Freddie and Fannie Fame, is facing his own primary race on Tuesday September 14th, against a woman, Rachel Brown, who called him out on the first stimulus, and was subsequently subjected to Frank’s famous tirades. Brown a Democrat has met Frank for one debate where, Ms. Brown made more sense than Frank. ( See Rachel for Congress.com) On the other side of the 4th District Aisle, meet Sean Bielat at Sean Bielat.org, who was a Democrat up until 2007 when he realized the party was heading in the wrong direction (he was a Congressional page and therefore understood that the Congress under Democrat control was a problem), Mr. Beilat is challenging Barney Frank from the Republican side.

Other high profile Democrats who are facing serious challenges this November are:

Richard, “rubber stamp” Neal, who hasn’t met a stimulus bill or tax he doesn’t like – will face a stiff challenge from Dr. Jay Flietman www.jayfleitman.com who has a few outstanding ideas to get the debt udder control (see You tube video below)

Nancy Pelosi, ringmaster of the circus, is facing John Dennis John Dennis, www.johndennis2010.com who stands a better than even chance of taking the 8th district.

Even Harry Reid is facing competition for his seat from one Sharron Angle a women he describes in less than stellar terms (spending millions to do so) who may have made a gaffe here or there, but is simply – not Harry Reid, (nor is she as out there as say Deniss Kuchinich) and won’t spend your great-great-grandchild’s last red cent.

Therefore, it is strongly suggested to support all of the above, in an effort to stop Obama and Company from being continually economically clueless.

Of course, this blog endorses Dr. Jay Fleitman who is running against Richard Neal in the Hampden 2nd District of Massachusetts. Dr. Fleitman makes sense and has the experience necessary to be able to put aside Party politics and make an informed decision. He’s had to do so; given the fact that he was an elected official in the city of Northampton, MA (think Cambridge, Los Angeles City Council, etc.)who recently stepped down to run against Neal.

Since we the people cannot do anything about the man on the self-made throne of the U.S. Government (i.e.: Obama) until 2012, it is suggested that incumbents who have supported this pell-mell rush into penury, (again without taking the time to either read or understand the consequences), be given the boot. There are plenty of alternatives to support nationwide: A good list of races taking shape across the country (not all are included, specifically Massachusetts) can be found at Battle for the House Real Clear Politics”> or Battle for the Senate Real Clear Politics” and finally, Battle for the Governors 2010 Real Clear Politics.

Although it appears as though the Republicans’ are headed towards giving the Democrats (who are begging party members for cash) a thrashing, nothing in politics are certain, therefore, no matter the amount, a spare $1.00 or spare $10.00, give to an opposition candidate above, if you cannot, as a card carrying member of the DNC find your way to giving to or voting for a Republican, then give to Ms. Brown or any one that has not been a part of the 2006 Democrat’s destroy America program.

Dr. Fleitman’s Plan:


Personal Note: One might think reading this that it is partisan in nature (given the title of the blog, etc.) therefore, some background about why it is essential, personally, to stop this Progression. I am a daughter of an AFLCIO Treasurer (deceased) who was a staunch Democrat and believed in the little guy and especially in Democracy. He abhorred Socialism and Progressives as if they were the plague. This is not my father’s Party any longer, and those Democrats who have an ounce of sense, (and there were some notably obvious in every bill taken) and voted no against stimulus, health care, etc., should be given a fair shake.) Roll calls are available on all bills at Roll call votes at Thomas.loc.gov” It takes some time but one can find their congressional representative and senator and decide whether or not they deserve to keep their job, as they work, not for a party, as is currently the plan, but for the people, (the original plan of the Republic.) Therefore, do your homework, and be an informed voter. For those living in Massachusetts: if you are an Independent you can vote in the primary, merely ask for a Republican or Democrat ballot and then you change your designation back after you vote. For those in other states, check your Secretary of State’s office for instructions (website or call). One myth that requires debunking – once you head into the voting booth, if you are a registered Democrat in the general election, you can vote for a Republican, your vote is recorded in secret. (A frequent search on this blog.)