Passed on to me by a friend. But please don't think I am a right wing Republican. I am a reasonably conservative Independent who generally favors most Republicans and definitely want a change in Illinois and Washington.
Merle
"IN GOD WE TRUST" With YOUR help, my attainable goal is to replace every "corrupt" politician in Washington. Oklahoma is the only state that Obama did not carry one precinct in the last election. While everyone is focusing on Arizona 's new law, look what Oklahoma has been doing!!!! CITIZEN WOODMAN An update from Oklahoma: Oklahoma law passed, 37 to 9, had a few liberals in the mix, an amendment to place the Ten Commandments on the front entrance to the state capitol. The feds in D.C., along with the ACLU, said it would be a mistake. Hey this is a conservative state, based on Christian values...! HB 1330Guess what.......... Oklahoma did it anyway. Oklahoma recently passed a law in the state to incarcerate all illegal immigrants, and ship them back to where they came from unless they want to get a green card and become an American citizen. They all scattered. HB 1804. Hope we didn't send any of them to your state. This was against the advice of the Federal Government, and the ACLU, they said it would be a mistake. Guess what.......... Oklahoma did it anyway. Recently we passed a law to include DNA samples from any and all illegals to the Oklahoma database, for criminal investigative purposes. Pelosi said it was unconstitutional SB 1102.Guess what......... Oklahoma did it anyway. Several weeks ago, we passed a law, declaring Oklahoma as a Sovereign state, not under the Federal Government directives. Joining Texas, Montana and Utah as the only states to do so. More states are likely to follow: Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, West Virginia, Mississippi, Florida. Save your confederate money, it appears the South is about to rise up once again. HJR 1003The federal Government has made bold steps to take away our guns. Oklahoma, a week ago, passed a law confirming people in this state have the right to bear arms and transport them in their vehicles. I'm sure that was a set back for the criminals. The Liberals didn't like it -- But .... Guess what........... Oklahoma did it anyway. Just this month, the state has voted and passed a law that ALL driver's license exams will be printed in English, and only English, and no other language. They have been called racist for doing this, but the fact is that ALL of the road signs are in English only. If you want to drive in Oklahoma, you must read and write English. Really simple.By the way, the Liberals don't like any of this either. Guess what...who cares... Oklahoma is doing it anyway. If you like it, pass it on, if you don't then delete it.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Friday, March 09, 2012
The Senate in "Inaction"
Forwarded to me by a friend. Please read.
Merle
NOT ONE!! Democrat or Democrat-leaning Independent has any right anymore, to whine and complain about what it's costing them to fill up their vehicles!! The bleeping idiots in Congress and the idiot in OUR White House they keep electing, ARE THE ENEMIES.
March 8, 2012
By Tiffany Gabbay
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate killed Republican-backed attempts to overturn several of President Barack Obama's environmental and energy policies Thursday as lawmakers worked against a March 31 deadline to keep aid flowing to more than 100,000 transportation construction projects around the country.
The two-year, $109 billion transportation bill before the Senate has wide, bipartisan support, but has become a magnet for lawmakers' favorite causes and partisan gamesmanship. Among the amendments batted aside were GOP proposals to bypass Obama's concerns about the Keystone XL oil pipeline, to delay tougher air pollution standards for industrial boilers and to expand offshore oil drilling.
Action on those and other amendments came under an agreement between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., aimed at clearing the way for passage of the transportation bill next week.
Obama lobbied some Senate Democrats by telephone ahead of the Keystone vote, urging them to oppose an amendment by Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., that would have prevented the president from intervening in decisions related to construction of the pipeline and would have speeded its approval. Pointing to the administration's environmental concerns about the project, which would carry tar sands oil from Canada to the Texas Gulf Coast, Republicans accused Obama of standing in the way greater oil supplies at a time when Americans are coping with rising gasoline prices.
But some Democrats, especially those from oil producing states, were torn between support for the pipeline and their support for the president. The amendment was defeated 56-42, even though 11 Democrats broke ranks to support it. Sixty votes were needed for passage.
Republican leaders jumped on the White House lobbying.
"Most Americans strongly support building this pipeline and the jobs that would come with it," McConnell said in a statement.
The president's lobbying against the Keystone provision came "a week after the president signaled to me and to Sen. McConnell that he might be willing to work with us on some bipartisan steps forward on energy legislation that the American people support," House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, told reporters. "If we're going to have bipartisan action on energy, the Keystone pipeline is an obvious place to start."
White House spokesman Jay Carney said Obama felt it was "wrong to play politics" with the pipeline, especially since the company behind the project has said it still was working on a final route that might satisfy environmental concerns. He also said it was "false advertising" to suggest the amendment would have any impact on gasoline prices.
Also defeated was an amendment by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, which would have forced the Environmental Protection Agency to rewrite a rule requiring boiler operators to install modern emissions controls. Boilers are the second-largest source of toxic mercury emissions after coal-fired power plants. Collins said the EPA's rule would drive some manufacturers out of business.
And the Senate turned down an amendment to expand offshore oil drilling even though its sponsor, Sen. David Vitter D-La., contended it would increase domestic energy supplies and reduce gas prices.
The transportation bill itself would overhaul federal transportation programs, including boosting aid to highway and transit programs, streamline some environmental regulations in order to speed up approval of projects and consolidate dozens of programs.
Lawmakers are under pressure to act quickly because the government's authority to collect about $110 million a day in federal gasoline and diesel taxes and to spend money out of the trust fund that pays for highway and transit programs expires at the end of the month. Chris Bertram, a Transportation Department official, said that if Congress doesn't meet the deadline, aid to about 130,000 transportation projects around the country will be disrupted and federal workers who send that money to states will be furloughed.
The construction industry, already suffering 17.7 percent unemployment at the end of January, would be especially hurt.
House Republicans crafted their own five-year, $260 billion bill, but they've been unable to marshal the support of rank-and-file lawmakers behind it. Conservatives say it spends too much money, while moderates say it would penalize union workers and undermine environmental provisions.
Boehner conceded Thursday that for the moment the House's best option is to take up the Senate bill after it passes - "or something like it" - although GOP leaders were still talking to their members in the hope of resurrecting their bill.
The inability of House Republicans to pass a highway bill of their own is an example of a paralysis that has struck several times in the past year. Last summer, an impasse over labor issues and subsidies for rural airports led to a two-week shutdown of non-essential Federal Aviation Administration operations.
In December, Boehner overrode his own rank-and-file when he agreed to a deal to extend the Social Security payroll tax cut after most lawmakers had gone home.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/senate-blocks-keystone-pipeline-bill-11-democrats-defect/
Click Here!
Merle
NOT ONE!! Democrat or Democrat-leaning Independent has any right anymore, to whine and complain about what it's costing them to fill up their vehicles!! The bleeping idiots in Congress and the idiot in OUR White House they keep electing, ARE THE ENEMIES.
March 8, 2012
By Tiffany Gabbay
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate killed Republican-backed attempts to overturn several of President Barack Obama's environmental and energy policies Thursday as lawmakers worked against a March 31 deadline to keep aid flowing to more than 100,000 transportation construction projects around the country.
The two-year, $109 billion transportation bill before the Senate has wide, bipartisan support, but has become a magnet for lawmakers' favorite causes and partisan gamesmanship. Among the amendments batted aside were GOP proposals to bypass Obama's concerns about the Keystone XL oil pipeline, to delay tougher air pollution standards for industrial boilers and to expand offshore oil drilling.
Action on those and other amendments came under an agreement between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., aimed at clearing the way for passage of the transportation bill next week.
Obama lobbied some Senate Democrats by telephone ahead of the Keystone vote, urging them to oppose an amendment by Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., that would have prevented the president from intervening in decisions related to construction of the pipeline and would have speeded its approval. Pointing to the administration's environmental concerns about the project, which would carry tar sands oil from Canada to the Texas Gulf Coast, Republicans accused Obama of standing in the way greater oil supplies at a time when Americans are coping with rising gasoline prices.
But some Democrats, especially those from oil producing states, were torn between support for the pipeline and their support for the president. The amendment was defeated 56-42, even though 11 Democrats broke ranks to support it. Sixty votes were needed for passage.
Republican leaders jumped on the White House lobbying.
"Most Americans strongly support building this pipeline and the jobs that would come with it," McConnell said in a statement.
The president's lobbying against the Keystone provision came "a week after the president signaled to me and to Sen. McConnell that he might be willing to work with us on some bipartisan steps forward on energy legislation that the American people support," House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, told reporters. "If we're going to have bipartisan action on energy, the Keystone pipeline is an obvious place to start."
White House spokesman Jay Carney said Obama felt it was "wrong to play politics" with the pipeline, especially since the company behind the project has said it still was working on a final route that might satisfy environmental concerns. He also said it was "false advertising" to suggest the amendment would have any impact on gasoline prices.
Also defeated was an amendment by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, which would have forced the Environmental Protection Agency to rewrite a rule requiring boiler operators to install modern emissions controls. Boilers are the second-largest source of toxic mercury emissions after coal-fired power plants. Collins said the EPA's rule would drive some manufacturers out of business.
And the Senate turned down an amendment to expand offshore oil drilling even though its sponsor, Sen. David Vitter D-La., contended it would increase domestic energy supplies and reduce gas prices.
The transportation bill itself would overhaul federal transportation programs, including boosting aid to highway and transit programs, streamline some environmental regulations in order to speed up approval of projects and consolidate dozens of programs.
Lawmakers are under pressure to act quickly because the government's authority to collect about $110 million a day in federal gasoline and diesel taxes and to spend money out of the trust fund that pays for highway and transit programs expires at the end of the month. Chris Bertram, a Transportation Department official, said that if Congress doesn't meet the deadline, aid to about 130,000 transportation projects around the country will be disrupted and federal workers who send that money to states will be furloughed.
The construction industry, already suffering 17.7 percent unemployment at the end of January, would be especially hurt.
House Republicans crafted their own five-year, $260 billion bill, but they've been unable to marshal the support of rank-and-file lawmakers behind it. Conservatives say it spends too much money, while moderates say it would penalize union workers and undermine environmental provisions.
Boehner conceded Thursday that for the moment the House's best option is to take up the Senate bill after it passes - "or something like it" - although GOP leaders were still talking to their members in the hope of resurrecting their bill.
The inability of House Republicans to pass a highway bill of their own is an example of a paralysis that has struck several times in the past year. Last summer, an impasse over labor issues and subsidies for rural airports led to a two-week shutdown of non-essential Federal Aviation Administration operations.
In December, Boehner overrode his own rank-and-file when he agreed to a deal to extend the Social Security payroll tax cut after most lawmakers had gone home.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/senate-blocks-keystone-pipeline-bill-11-democrats-defect/
Click Here!
Amtrak - Buy a Ticket and Travel Twice the Distance at More Money Than an Airplane Ticket
I recently thought it might be intererting to buy a ticket from Sarasota to Bloomington, Il. Here is where I would have traveled: Bus from Sarasota to Orlando, from Orlando to Washington, D.C., from D.C. to Chicago and from Chicago to Bloomington. Time span - 2 days in coach.
Responsible for your own baggage transfer from the bus.
Cost, as a senior $326.40. Cancellation fee $32.64.
Air Trans - Sarasota to Bloomington, $220.00, Time span approximately 6 hours without the responsibility of baggage transfer.
When I called to cancel Amtrak, I was put on indefinite hold although I could hear conversations in the background,
No wonder Amtrak is a financial disaster. And our local government leaders think Amtrak in Peoria would be the greatest thing to hit Peoria since FireFly.
Responsible for your own baggage transfer from the bus.
Cost, as a senior $326.40. Cancellation fee $32.64.
Air Trans - Sarasota to Bloomington, $220.00, Time span approximately 6 hours without the responsibility of baggage transfer.
When I called to cancel Amtrak, I was put on indefinite hold although I could hear conversations in the background,
No wonder Amtrak is a financial disaster. And our local government leaders think Amtrak in Peoria would be the greatest thing to hit Peoria since FireFly.
Matthew Woodmancy's Criminal Record
Democrat political candidate Mathew Woodmancy has a lengthy record of malfeasance. It does not surprise me that the Democrats would put up a man with a startling record of theft. Go to "The Peoria Chronicle" blog site for a more complete record.
Remember that a poll taken not too long ago showed that 30% of the voters in Illinois would have voted again for Blago.
Remember that a poll taken not too long ago showed that 30% of the voters in Illinois would have voted again for Blago.
Wednesday, March 07, 2012
Governor Jan Brewer of Arizina - She is a Keeper!!
Subject: Arizona Governor vs the Pheonix Suns Owner
Regards, Bill & Bonnie
Forwarded to me by a friend.
Most politicians lack guts this close to an election.
Go Jan.
Merle
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer vs the Phoenix Suns owner
The owner of the Phoenix Suns basketball team, Robert Sarver, came out strongly opposing AZ's new immigration laws.Arizona's Governor, Jan Brewer,
released the following statement in response to Sarver's criticism of the new law: "What if the owners of the Suns discovered that hordes of people were sneaking into games without paying? What if they had a good idea who the gate-crashers are but the ushers and security personnel were not allowed to ask these folks to produce their ticket stubs, thus non-paying attendees couldn't be ejected.
Furthermore, what if Suns' ownership was expected to provide those who sneaked in with complimentary eats and drink?
And what if, on those days when a gate-crasher became ill or injured, the Suns had to provide free medical care and shelter?" Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer
=
Regards, Bill & Bonnie
Forwarded to me by a friend.
Most politicians lack guts this close to an election.
Go Jan.
Merle
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer vs the Phoenix Suns owner
The owner of the Phoenix Suns basketball team, Robert Sarver, came out strongly opposing AZ's new immigration laws.Arizona's Governor, Jan Brewer,
released the following statement in response to Sarver's criticism of the new law: "What if the owners of the Suns discovered that hordes of people were sneaking into games without paying? What if they had a good idea who the gate-crashers are but the ushers and security personnel were not allowed to ask these folks to produce their ticket stubs, thus non-paying attendees couldn't be ejected.
Furthermore, what if Suns' ownership was expected to provide those who sneaked in with complimentary eats and drink?
And what if, on those days when a gate-crasher became ill or injured, the Suns had to provide free medical care and shelter?" Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer
=
Tuesday, March 06, 2012
Peoria City Council Puts Property Taxpayers Between a "Rock and a Hard Spot"
With the stock market facing a sharp decline, properties in Peoria County overtaxed, local sales taxes near nationwide highs and the entire world economy "iffy", with more concern about the $38 million loan guaranteed by the taxpayers if the $98 million Marriott Courtyard is built, with the ballpark losing 6 figures yearly, with pressure to build and staff with public dollars, a 30,000 sq. ft. Minority Opportunity Center and the $32 million dollar library project once completed soon requiring a larger operating budget, the Civic Center losing over $4 million a year, I repeat what I wrote several years ago in a "letter to the editor" that some of those public dollar supported projects had better turn out to be golden and unless the philanthropists loosen their purses,that many Peorians may get what they suspected all along, more taxes.
When Dad said 'never borrow more than you can eventually pay back', he was talking about the private sector, not the public sector that can print more money, raise taxes, fines,and fees. etc. Note that all of the above mentioned projects, adding the zoo expansion and the new nursing home, were built or are being built with the support of many unwilling taxpayers and some of those 'willing' may encounter some unexpected consequences.
The City manager says the Marriott would break even with only a 50% occupancy during its lifetime.
Hmmm, and good luck. Never forget that the shrewd, including most politicians, make money no matter the state of the economy.
When Dad said 'never borrow more than you can eventually pay back', he was talking about the private sector, not the public sector that can print more money, raise taxes, fines,and fees. etc. Note that all of the above mentioned projects, adding the zoo expansion and the new nursing home, were built or are being built with the support of many unwilling taxpayers and some of those 'willing' may encounter some unexpected consequences.
The City manager says the Marriott would break even with only a 50% occupancy during its lifetime.
Hmmm, and good luck. Never forget that the shrewd, including most politicians, make money no matter the state of the economy.
Sunday, March 04, 2012
SS An Entitlement?
Forwarded to me by a friend. I'm passing on as written and not checking all the numbers. I do know this. I contribted to SS until I was 85. That the goverment failed to properly invest all the billions collected is a symptom of what is wrong with the politicians we send to our federal and state governments.
Don't insinuate we contributors, Republicans, Democrats, Independents and those who don't vote aren't entitled to the checks we receive now called "federal benefit payment" checks, I do not know as I am on direct deposit also.
Merle
I am passing this along, but I do have to say, with direct deposit, I am not sure what it says on the check. The unthinking ....... in Congress should recognize that WE did pay for this, and it is not a Benefit. It is the pay back that we deserve since we trusted the Federal Govt to invest this so that there would be money to pay us back when we needed it (Retirement). It was not supposed to become part of the general fund for Congress to so with as they pleased. The Congress should go back and Ask FDR how it was supposed to be used, he designed it and recgonized that the elderly would need it later in life..
Have you noticed, your Social Security check is now referred to as"federal benefit payment"? I'll be part of the one percent, to forward this, our government gets away with way too much in all areas of our lives, while they live lavishly on their grossly overpaid incomes! KEEP passing THIS AROUND UNTIL EVERY ONE HAS READ IT..... SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT *THE THING WRONG WITH THEIR CALCULATION IS THEY FORGOT TO FIGURE IN THE PEOPLE WHO DIED BEFORE THEY COLLECTED THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY!!!! WHERE DID THAT MONEY GO????????????? This was sent to me, I am forwarding it because it does touch a nerve in me. This is another example of what Rick Perry called "TREASON in high places" !!! Get angry and pass this on! Remember, not only did you contribute to Social Security but your employer did too. It totaled 15% of your income before taxes. If you averaged only $30K over your working life, that's close to $220,500. If you calculate the future value of $4,500 per year (yours & your employer's contribution) at a simple 5% (less than what the government pays on the money that it borrows), after 49 years of working you'd have $892,919.98. If you took out only 3% per year, you'd receive $26,787.60 per year and it would last better than 30 years (until you're 95 if you retire at age 65) and that's with no interest paid on that final amount on deposit! If you bought an annuity and it paid 4% per year, you'd have a lifetime income of $2,976.40 per month. The folks in Washington have pulled off a bigger Ponzi scheme than Bernie Madhoff ever had. Entitlement my butt, I paid cash for my social security insurance!!!! Just because they borrowed the money, doesn't make my benefits some kind of charity or handout!! Congressional benefits ---- free healthcare, outrageous retirement packages, 67 paid holidays, three weeks paid vacation, unlimited paid sick days, now that's welfare, and they have the nerve to call my social security retirement entitlements? We're "broke" and can't help our own Seniors, Veterans, Orphans, Homeless. In the last months we have provided aid to Haiti, Chile , and Turkey, Pakistan, the Saudi's, and the list goes on and on ...... Literally, BILLIONS of DOLLARS!!! Yearly. Our retired seniors living on a 'fixed income' receive no aid nor do they get any breaks while our government and religious organizations pour Hundreds of Billions of $$$$$$'s and Tons of Food to Foreign Countries! They call Social Security and Medicare an entitlement even though most of us have been paying for it all our working lives and now when [UTF-8?]it’s time for us to collect, the government is running out of money. Why did the government borrow from it in the first place? Imagine if the *GOVERNMENT* gave 'US' the same support they give to other countries. Sad isn't it? 99% of people won't have the guts to forward this. I'm one of the 1% -- I Just Did.
Don't insinuate we contributors, Republicans, Democrats, Independents and those who don't vote aren't entitled to the checks we receive now called "federal benefit payment" checks, I do not know as I am on direct deposit also.
Merle
I am passing this along, but I do have to say, with direct deposit, I am not sure what it says on the check. The unthinking ....... in Congress should recognize that WE did pay for this, and it is not a Benefit. It is the pay back that we deserve since we trusted the Federal Govt to invest this so that there would be money to pay us back when we needed it (Retirement). It was not supposed to become part of the general fund for Congress to so with as they pleased. The Congress should go back and Ask FDR how it was supposed to be used, he designed it and recgonized that the elderly would need it later in life..
Have you noticed, your Social Security check is now referred to as"federal benefit payment"? I'll be part of the one percent, to forward this, our government gets away with way too much in all areas of our lives, while they live lavishly on their grossly overpaid incomes! KEEP passing THIS AROUND UNTIL EVERY ONE HAS READ IT..... SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT *THE THING WRONG WITH THEIR CALCULATION IS THEY FORGOT TO FIGURE IN THE PEOPLE WHO DIED BEFORE THEY COLLECTED THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY!!!! WHERE DID THAT MONEY GO????????????? This was sent to me, I am forwarding it because it does touch a nerve in me. This is another example of what Rick Perry called "TREASON in high places" !!! Get angry and pass this on! Remember, not only did you contribute to Social Security but your employer did too. It totaled 15% of your income before taxes. If you averaged only $30K over your working life, that's close to $220,500. If you calculate the future value of $4,500 per year (yours & your employer's contribution) at a simple 5% (less than what the government pays on the money that it borrows), after 49 years of working you'd have $892,919.98. If you took out only 3% per year, you'd receive $26,787.60 per year and it would last better than 30 years (until you're 95 if you retire at age 65) and that's with no interest paid on that final amount on deposit! If you bought an annuity and it paid 4% per year, you'd have a lifetime income of $2,976.40 per month. The folks in Washington have pulled off a bigger Ponzi scheme than Bernie Madhoff ever had. Entitlement my butt, I paid cash for my social security insurance!!!! Just because they borrowed the money, doesn't make my benefits some kind of charity or handout!! Congressional benefits ---- free healthcare, outrageous retirement packages, 67 paid holidays, three weeks paid vacation, unlimited paid sick days, now that's welfare, and they have the nerve to call my social security retirement entitlements? We're "broke" and can't help our own Seniors, Veterans, Orphans, Homeless. In the last months we have provided aid to Haiti, Chile , and Turkey, Pakistan, the Saudi's, and the list goes on and on ...... Literally, BILLIONS of DOLLARS!!! Yearly. Our retired seniors living on a 'fixed income' receive no aid nor do they get any breaks while our government and religious organizations pour Hundreds of Billions of $$$$$$'s and Tons of Food to Foreign Countries! They call Social Security and Medicare an entitlement even though most of us have been paying for it all our working lives and now when [UTF-8?]it’s time for us to collect, the government is running out of money. Why did the government borrow from it in the first place? Imagine if the *GOVERNMENT* gave 'US' the same support they give to other countries. Sad isn't it? 99% of people won't have the guts to forward this. I'm one of the 1% -- I Just Did.
Frank And Dodd - Major Democrat Phonies
2010 or 2012, the story remains the same.
Merle
Dismantling America
Thomas Sowell – 2010
Cheap Political Theater
Death threats to executives at AIG, because of the bonuses they received are one more sign of the utter degeneration of politics in our time.
Congressman Barney Frank has threatened to summon these executives before his committee and force them to reveal their home addresses – which would of course put their wives and children at the mercy of whatever kooks might want to literally take a shot at them.
Whatever the political or economic issues involved, this is not the way such issues should be resolved in America. We are not yet a banana republic, though that is the direction which some of our politicians are taking us – especially those politicians who make a lot of noise about “compassion” and “social justice.”
What makes this all the more painfully ironic is that it is precisely those members of Congress who have had the most to do with creating the risks that led to the current economic crisis who are making the most noise against others, and summoning people before their committee to be brow beaten and humiliated on nationwide television.
No one pushed harder than Congressman Barney Frank to force banks and other financial institutions to reduce their mortgage lending standards, in order to meet government-set goals for more home ownership. Those lower mortgage lending standards are at the heart of the increased riskiness of the mortgage market and of the collapse of Wall Street securities based on those risky mortgages.
Senator Christopher Dodd has played the same role in the Senate as Barney Frank played in the House of Representatives. Now both are summoning government employees and the officials of financial institutions before their committees to be lambasted in front of the media.
Dodd and Frank know that the best defense is a good offense. Both know how hard it would be to defend their own roles in the housing debacle, so they go on the offensive against others who are in no position to reply in kind, given the vindictive powers of Congress.
This political theater is in one sense cheap beyond words. In another sense, it is costly beyond words.
It is cheap because the politicians who are creating this distraction from their own role also voted for the very legislation that enabled contracted bonuses to be paid by companies like AIG that received government bailout money. If members of Congress can’t be bothered to read the laws they pass, then they have no basis for whipping up lynch mob outrage against people who did read the law and acted within the law.
Just as everyone seemed to be a military expert a couple of years ago, when it was chic to say that the “surge” in Iraq would not work, so today everyone seems to be an expert on executive pay.
Whether the particular executives who received bonuses were the ones responsible for AIG’s problems, or were among those who warned against those problems, is something that those of us on the outside don’t know. That includes those in politics and the media who are making the loudest noise.
The politicians claim to be protecting the taxpayers’ money. But having politicians trying to micro-manage any business is far more likely to make those businesses lose more money, including the taxpayers’ money.
Securities based on risky mortgages are what toppled financial institutions but it was the government that made the mortgages risky in the first place, by making home-ownership statistics the holy grail, of which everything else was to be sacrificed, including commonsense standards for making home loans.
Politicians and bureaucrats micro-managing the mortgage sector of the economy is precisely how today’s economic disaster began. Why anyone would think that their micro-managing the automobile industry, or executive pay across a wide sweep of other industries, is likely to make things better in the economy is a mystery.
Their real point is to pander to envy and resentment against people who make a lot of money. Envy is always referred to by its political alias, “social justice.” But to put the lives of the wives and children of executives at risk for the sake of Beltway grandstanding shows how low our political saviors have sunk.
Merle
Dismantling America
Thomas Sowell – 2010
Cheap Political Theater
Death threats to executives at AIG, because of the bonuses they received are one more sign of the utter degeneration of politics in our time.
Congressman Barney Frank has threatened to summon these executives before his committee and force them to reveal their home addresses – which would of course put their wives and children at the mercy of whatever kooks might want to literally take a shot at them.
Whatever the political or economic issues involved, this is not the way such issues should be resolved in America. We are not yet a banana republic, though that is the direction which some of our politicians are taking us – especially those politicians who make a lot of noise about “compassion” and “social justice.”
What makes this all the more painfully ironic is that it is precisely those members of Congress who have had the most to do with creating the risks that led to the current economic crisis who are making the most noise against others, and summoning people before their committee to be brow beaten and humiliated on nationwide television.
No one pushed harder than Congressman Barney Frank to force banks and other financial institutions to reduce their mortgage lending standards, in order to meet government-set goals for more home ownership. Those lower mortgage lending standards are at the heart of the increased riskiness of the mortgage market and of the collapse of Wall Street securities based on those risky mortgages.
Senator Christopher Dodd has played the same role in the Senate as Barney Frank played in the House of Representatives. Now both are summoning government employees and the officials of financial institutions before their committees to be lambasted in front of the media.
Dodd and Frank know that the best defense is a good offense. Both know how hard it would be to defend their own roles in the housing debacle, so they go on the offensive against others who are in no position to reply in kind, given the vindictive powers of Congress.
This political theater is in one sense cheap beyond words. In another sense, it is costly beyond words.
It is cheap because the politicians who are creating this distraction from their own role also voted for the very legislation that enabled contracted bonuses to be paid by companies like AIG that received government bailout money. If members of Congress can’t be bothered to read the laws they pass, then they have no basis for whipping up lynch mob outrage against people who did read the law and acted within the law.
Just as everyone seemed to be a military expert a couple of years ago, when it was chic to say that the “surge” in Iraq would not work, so today everyone seems to be an expert on executive pay.
Whether the particular executives who received bonuses were the ones responsible for AIG’s problems, or were among those who warned against those problems, is something that those of us on the outside don’t know. That includes those in politics and the media who are making the loudest noise.
The politicians claim to be protecting the taxpayers’ money. But having politicians trying to micro-manage any business is far more likely to make those businesses lose more money, including the taxpayers’ money.
Securities based on risky mortgages are what toppled financial institutions but it was the government that made the mortgages risky in the first place, by making home-ownership statistics the holy grail, of which everything else was to be sacrificed, including commonsense standards for making home loans.
Politicians and bureaucrats micro-managing the mortgage sector of the economy is precisely how today’s economic disaster began. Why anyone would think that their micro-managing the automobile industry, or executive pay across a wide sweep of other industries, is likely to make things better in the economy is a mystery.
Their real point is to pander to envy and resentment against people who make a lot of money. Envy is always referred to by its political alias, “social justice.” But to put the lives of the wives and children of executives at risk for the sake of Beltway grandstanding shows how low our political saviors have sunk.
Saturday, March 03, 2012
Museum Folks in D.C. Begging For More Money?
So says "Dennis in Peoria" on a comment on the Peoria Chronicle blog site. These people have no regard for the average citizens pocketbook yet complain that government spending is out of control. I consistenly maintanied that those who wanted a new museum should pay for it.
Maybe some of the Cat insiders who recently sold around 250,000 Cat shares; mainly insiders like Buda, Lavin, Wunning and Rapp will kick some of their large profits into the kitty.
And don't forget, if you are a Peoria County resident, you get 15% discount on admission. Or will that promise be broken same as many other promises made like an IMAX?
Incidently, IMAX stock, some of which I own, is up about 35% in the last few months.
Spending of tax dollars up for non-priority projects, of course, it is. Both by Democrats, (mainly) and Republicans.
Maybe some of the Cat insiders who recently sold around 250,000 Cat shares; mainly insiders like Buda, Lavin, Wunning and Rapp will kick some of their large profits into the kitty.
And don't forget, if you are a Peoria County resident, you get 15% discount on admission. Or will that promise be broken same as many other promises made like an IMAX?
Incidently, IMAX stock, some of which I own, is up about 35% in the last few months.
Spending of tax dollars up for non-priority projects, of course, it is. Both by Democrats, (mainly) and Republicans.
Peoria Riverfront Museum Endowment Fund
A recent press release from the museum folks claim that all but about a million dollars has been raised to meet endowment fund goals. If you recall ex-mayor Dave Ransburg claimed that he would personally raise $10 million dollars. I believe if Ransburg did raise this money from the PRIVATE sector, announcements would have been made in our local newspaper. If big donations were made by the private sector and made public, I admit I might have missed them.
But I suspect this what happened. In December of 2010, the endowment fund showed approximately $2 million in cash and pledges. But if you recall, one of blogs about that time, reported that the county administrator was pushing a deal in which approximately $6 million could be taken out of the sales tax collections and given to the museum people to use as they wished, including funding the endowment. So add up $2 million on hand plus $6 million transferred and tranferred again; this six million taxpayer funded, makes $8 million plus the million still needed with a request again by the taxpayers to buy bricks, etc., would indicate Ransburg raised a million or so, not $10 million he promised.
Or was it more government money?
Also I might remind my readers, that the local major bank president said the endowment would need to be $16 million and with today's smaller rate of return on investments, I suggest the figure needed to be nearer $18 million.
Even with Pro-Bass and possibly a new hotel, I still stand by my predictions. Maybe with more transparency from the museum committee headed by Ransburg, we would not have to guess, even educationally, about what amount the taxpayer is funding for this yearly 360,000 visitor project. Again, a reminder, museum backers claimed that most of the money for the museum would be raised by private donations. Last figure available indicate that approximately 72% of the cost is and will be funded by the public.
A last reminder. The museum backers raised over $600,000 to support the referendum and with hardly any strong opposition still won by only 400 votes out of 30, 000 votes cast.
Hmm.
But I suspect this what happened. In December of 2010, the endowment fund showed approximately $2 million in cash and pledges. But if you recall, one of blogs about that time, reported that the county administrator was pushing a deal in which approximately $6 million could be taken out of the sales tax collections and given to the museum people to use as they wished, including funding the endowment. So add up $2 million on hand plus $6 million transferred and tranferred again; this six million taxpayer funded, makes $8 million plus the million still needed with a request again by the taxpayers to buy bricks, etc., would indicate Ransburg raised a million or so, not $10 million he promised.
Or was it more government money?
Also I might remind my readers, that the local major bank president said the endowment would need to be $16 million and with today's smaller rate of return on investments, I suggest the figure needed to be nearer $18 million.
Even with Pro-Bass and possibly a new hotel, I still stand by my predictions. Maybe with more transparency from the museum committee headed by Ransburg, we would not have to guess, even educationally, about what amount the taxpayer is funding for this yearly 360,000 visitor project. Again, a reminder, museum backers claimed that most of the money for the museum would be raised by private donations. Last figure available indicate that approximately 72% of the cost is and will be funded by the public.
A last reminder. The museum backers raised over $600,000 to support the referendum and with hardly any strong opposition still won by only 400 votes out of 30, 000 votes cast.
Hmm.
Sarasota Visitors Beware
Sarasota, as much of Florida has an unstable financial environment. In order to help replenish the city and county coffers, cops are out in force. Warnings among friends are being passed around that motorcycle cops, mass vehicle stops, unmarked cars, speed traps and cameras on every major intersection. In the last two days, I have seen over 15 vehicles pulled over including a car behind me exiting a shopping mall. Infractions include not letting the nose of your vehicle protrude more than a couple of inches past intersection white lines that are set back farther than white lines, in say, Peoria, Il.
No ticket yet for me. I heard this morning that St. Petersburg is following the same tactics. The biggest accident area is Rt. 75 between Tampa and Naples where people drive like mad people with so many deaths that only large numbers killed at one time are reported in the local newspapers. Yet, I can drive 75 hardly ever seeing a State Patrol Car. Probably out arresting marijuana users.
I am in favor of motor vehicle law enforcement but I do not like enforcement overkill, Nice city, Sarasota, but short of money apparently because of huge public pensions, entitlements and federal government mandated programs. And because politicians, once elected, love to spend taxpayer dollars.
No ticket yet for me. I heard this morning that St. Petersburg is following the same tactics. The biggest accident area is Rt. 75 between Tampa and Naples where people drive like mad people with so many deaths that only large numbers killed at one time are reported in the local newspapers. Yet, I can drive 75 hardly ever seeing a State Patrol Car. Probably out arresting marijuana users.
I am in favor of motor vehicle law enforcement but I do not like enforcement overkill, Nice city, Sarasota, but short of money apparently because of huge public pensions, entitlements and federal government mandated programs. And because politicians, once elected, love to spend taxpayer dollars.
Volts Not "Flying" Off Dealers Inventory
Another one of Obama and the radical environmentalists efforts to punish "big oil" has hit a roadblock as I and most sane people expected. "GM suspends production of its plug-in, Volt" reads today newspapers. Why, because dealers have inventories that aren't moving. If these cars are not selling except to the above mentioned buyers, maybe Obama and the Democrat unions will figure a way to force buyers to buy just like Obamacare.
Remember, all you Government Motors buyers, this company was financed with more than $80 billion of your tax dollars helping to add to the $16+ trillion of national debt.
Plug in electric vehicles, need to be plugged in places that plugs will easily fit at no cost to service stations and a wiser vehicle buyer. Remember, electric cars that supposedly need little gasoline do not contribute to financing highway upkeep.
Remember, all you Government Motors buyers, this company was financed with more than $80 billion of your tax dollars helping to add to the $16+ trillion of national debt.
Plug in electric vehicles, need to be plugged in places that plugs will easily fit at no cost to service stations and a wiser vehicle buyer. Remember, electric cars that supposedly need little gasoline do not contribute to financing highway upkeep.
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