The VAT Cometh - by Charles Krauthammer

WASHINGTON -- As the night follows the day, the VAT cometh.
With the passage of Obamacare, creating a vast new middle-class entitlement, a national sales tax of the kind near-universal in Europe is inevitable.

We are now $8 trillion in debt. The Congressional Budget Office projects that another $12 trillion will be added over the next decade. Obamacare, when stripped of its budgetary gimmicks -- the unfunded $200 billion-plus doctor fix, the double counting of Medicare cuts, the 10-6 sleight-of-hand (counting 10 years of revenue and only 6 years of outflows) -- is at minimum a $2 trillion new entitlement.

It will vastly increase the debt. But even if it were revenue-neutral, Obamacare pre-empts and appropriates for itself the best and easiest means of reducing the existing deficit. Obamacare's $500 billion of cuts in Medicare and $600 billion in tax hikes are no longer available for deficit reduction. They are siphoned off for the new entitlement of insuring the uninsured.

This is fiscally disastrous because, as President Obama himself explained last year in unveiling his grand transformational policies, our unsustainable fiscal path requires control of entitlement spending, the most ruinous of which is out-of-control health care costs.

Obamacare was sold on the premise that, as Nancy Pelosi put it, "health care reform is entitlement reform. Our budget cannot take this upward spiral of cost." But the bill enacted on Tuesday accelerates the spiral: It radically expands Medicaid (adding 15 million new recipients/dependents) and shamelessly raids Medicare by spending on a new entitlement the $500 billion in cuts and the yield from the Medicare tax hikes.

Obama knows that the debt bomb is looming, that Moody's is warning that the Treasury's AAA rating is in jeopardy, that we are headed for a run on the dollar and/or hyperinflation if nothing is done.

Hence his deficit reduction commission. It will report (surprise!) after the November elections.
What will it recommend? What can it recommend? Sure, Social Security can be trimmed by raising the retirement age, introducing means testing and changing the indexing formula from wage growth to price inflation.

But this won't be nearly enough. As Obama has repeatedly insisted, the real money is in health care costs -- which are now locked in place by the new Obamacare mandates.

That's where the value-added tax comes in. For the politician, it has the virtue of expediency: People are used to sales taxes, and this one produces a river of revenue. Every 1 percent of VAT would yield up to $1 trillion a decade (depending on what you exclude -- if you exempt food, for example, the yield would be more like $900 billion).

It's the ultimate cash cow. Obama will need it. By introducing universal health care, he has pulled off the largest expansion of the welfare state in four decades. And the most expensive. Which is why all of the European Union has the VAT. Huge VATs. Germany: 19 percent. France and Italy: 20 percent. Most of Scandinavia: 25 percent.

American liberals have long complained that ours is the only advanced industrial country without universal health care. Well, now we shall have it. And as we approach European levels of entitlements, we will need European levels of taxation.

Obama set out to be a consequential president, on the order of Ronald Reagan. With the VAT, Obama's triumph will be complete. He will have succeeded in reversing Reaganism. Liberals have long complained that Reagan's strategy was to starve the (governmental) beast in order to shrink it: First, cut taxes -- then ultimately you have to reduce government spending.

Obama's strategy is exactly the opposite: Expand the beast, and then feed it. Spend first -- which then forces taxation. Now that, with the institution of universal health care, we are becoming the full entitlement state, the beast will have to be fed.

And the VAT is the only trough in creation large enough.
As a substitute for the income tax, the VAT would be a splendid idea. Taxing consumption makes infinitely more sense than taxing work. But to feed the liberal social-democratic project, the VAT must be added on top of the income tax.

Ultimately, even that won't be enough. As the population ages and health care becomes increasingly expensive, the only way to avoid fiscal ruin (as Britain, for example, has discovered) is health care rationing.
It will take a while to break the American populace to that idea. In the meantime, get ready for the VAT. Or start fighting it.

Nanny Calls Summit on Texting While Driving

"The Obama administration will convene a summit of experts to figure out what to do about the problem of texting while driving."

Experts? Teen-aged girls? Seriously, who is an expert on this? This kind of crap drives me insane!

The follows right in line w/ increasing taxes on tobacco, sodas, fast food, output of atmospheric gases, transportation(oil and gasoline), heating and cooling (coal). Nanny Barry wants to legislate your personal activity to control your life and dictate your activities to meet their ideological goals. Before inauguration day some pundits conjectured that Barry wanted to be loved, be a great President and get a second term. I say they are wrong; that was Billy Jeff Clinton, the glory hound. Barry is an ideologue. He wants to "transform" the country - his words, not mine.


That is why, I believe, he and Rahm and Nancy and Reid and all the other Reds in DC are rushing everything to the floor for votes. The transparency they so loudly boasted was coming under Democrat rule died before it ever saw the light of day. Not one piece of proposed legislation has been posted online for the 48 or 72 hours of review they claimed it would be. Barry and his ilk want to hurry and push through as much transformational legislation that we will have a very tough time overturning legislatively - if ever. They also know that if they get the unions more power and money they are almost ensured re-election in perpetuity. They can do this through EFCA, immigration "reform" (read: amnesty for illegals), government giveaways, control (manipulation) of the census.


They see money as power and they want both. They'll tax you into oblivion, then give you your money back as they see fit - only for doing the things they want you to do. Make no mistake, taxes are going up on everyone - indirect taxes you'll pay in the form of higher prices and income taxes. Have a great day!

See a good recap of the situation around the above posters here.

Local Idiocy = Federal Idiocy

In case you couldn’t tell, I am growing more and more fed up w/ government “leaders” at all levels. If you watch the news or listen to any talk radio outside of NPR (or its network and cable equivalents) then you know pretty much what the Fed is doing, and trying to do, these days. It is pretty sickening. Sadly, though, the BS doesn’t stop in DC.

Our local city council in their infinite wisdom, prudence and logical forethought relied on a $3M grant from the Fed to fund city police and fire services in an effort to close the $20M budget deficit. (There is also a $40M deficit projected for next year. How much do you want to bet it turns out to be bigger?) Guess what? Shocker of all shockers, the grant didn’t come through. This is the same city council that tried to close last year’s deficit in part by installing red light cameras to catch local taxpayers running red lights, then mail tickets to the car’s registered owner (maybe not the driver), to raise funds (hidden tax) instead of cutting costs. Great idea folks.

This little ploy to threaten to lay off cops and firefighters is very similar to the California legislators “worrying” that great state may have to lay off teachers and cops and open up the prison doors in order to cut costs. They still haven’t done it months later.

But back to The ‘Nati… I understand that in bad times all departments need to make sacrifices, but that is only after all unnecessary programs have been slashed and/or killed. This is definitely not the case. They found it necessary to put in $3M for a new environmental department for a 4th layer of EPA-type oversight (isn’t $3M what the supposed grant was for?), they want to give section 8 housing in a new riverfront commercial / condo development downtown, etc. and they are pursuing a trollycar / streetcar on a fixed track route. This would cost at least $100M, all for a downtown area near a part of town recently ranked #1 on deadliest neighborhoods list in the nation?! WTF?? Talk about an Epic Fail if that goes through. How many tourist and suburbanites are gonna be mugged or killed on the streetcar if they build it? We’re already claiming we can’t afford the cops and extra jail space. (The voters did turn down a wopping tax increase to build a new jail, but if they could have come up with a plan for a jail at a reasonable price, it would have gotten the votes.)

There is still a little problem of a $7M deficit that they haven’t addressed – and have gone into a summer recess. I had this very short exchange on Twitter with a member of city council. The first 3 were posted before I logged in to check the updates.

Council Member: Sigh. Another suburbanite telling Enq street car is wasteful and analysis needed. Well, we did anlysis, which is why we want to build it.
Council Member: Maybe city residents should start complaining more about the billions we spend on sprawl highways to subsidize your suburban lifestyle?
Council Member: Well, we want an urban lifestyle here--based in transit, not 3-car garages.
Me (ajh1836): @Council Member: urban life=hi pop density. you have 2 clamp dwn on crime b4 any1 agrees 2 live dwntwn & use streetcar sys. can't RiF cops.
Council Member:(By Direct message) Well, 64 percent of our budget goes to public safety--$103 mill to CPD. Obviously this Council prioritizes safety.
Me (ajh1836): (By Direct Message) Yet Council threatens 2 layoff cops & firefighters because foolishly relied on gov grant? Politcal tactic? other cuts (enviro dept) better.

And then the conversation was ended. Why didn’t he (or likely his aide) respond? Notice how “they” responded by direct message, out of the public timeline? Easier to be snarky and make misleading assertions where the public won’t see. Pathetic,but not unexpected.

So, is it any wonder people across the country are fed up with their government at all levels? When you hear threats of layoffs for cops and opening of prison doors, is it any wonder gun sales are up across the country?

Here is an article from a senior law enforcement professional in Columbus, OH. Sobering stuff. It isn’t just crazy, end of the world, folks buying up guns and ammo. Cops, grannies, working stiffs... all worried about a breakdown of government services, mainly cops and jails, riots due to loss of jobs/income, etc., general disenfranchisement and distrust of government - buying firearms and getting their concealed carry permits, if Nanny allows it. Do you see what is going on in France? Could it be coming here? Throughout history, the best way to control a people is to disarm them. A majority of the population are already mindless sheeple waiting for their feed at the Public trough. Maybe it won't be too hard for the gov to take that next step. They tried it in New Orleans after Katrina...
--- ---- - - - -- ----

Every move the Congress and President have made over the last year (obviously longer, but we’ll stick to recent events) has been about control. Not the welfare of the people or the future of the country. As the Fed amasses more power and takes oversight of, stock in, and partnerships with, private business we’re further down the fascist road. How many “leaders” move in and out of government and private sector jobs in big corporations? Goldman Sachs, Fannie/ Freddie, SEIU, AFL-CIO, ACORN, etc, etc. And the state / local level politicians, and Congressional Reps grovel for scraps of bailout and stimulus money, “sweeteners” (aka bribes), selling their states and constituents out in hopes of getting enough dollars for the next campaign and enough uninformed voters to keep them in power.

“I know of no safe repository of the ultimate power of society but people. And if we think them not enlightened enough, the remedy is not to take the power from them, but to inform them by education.” – Thomas Jefferson

TEXAS MONTHLY TALKS - TED NUGENT

More Random News from the World

Arrogant a**holes

Top Notch Security by our Nanny.gov

From the "No Sh*t Department" ... we have this.

But wait, Barney has a new plan. I'm sure THIS ONE will work out better......pure thievery.

Great QB, community servant, bad husband/father, Crazy woman. All the cheaters out there better be careful- I'm sure this story has them sweating. This story really pisses me off on so many levels.

Check the chop-shop. They may be stripping him down for parts. Can we move on from this now? Finally? Please?

And a nice long article on Leftist tactics and the mouth foaming hatred of Sarah Palin. For now, I think she made a mistake, but we'll see. I heard someone say on the radio the other day, that the problem conservatives (and libertarians, for that matter) have is that we don't see politics as our life or our religion, but the Progressives do. It is their reason for being; 24/7, everything relates to politics and nothing is sacred or off-limits. The ends just about always justify the means. How do you argue with that energy, drive, hatred, when all you want to do is enjoy your private life, family, friends, and working hard to succeed and provide a future for your kids?

If any combination of Cap N Trade, ObamaCare, Amnesty for Illegals and EFCA passes into law, I fear we are all done. Turn out the lights, the parties over.

"Economic power is exercised by means of a positive, by offering men a rewared, an incentive, a payment, a value; political power is exercised by means of a negative, by the threat of punishment, injury, imprisonment, and destruction. The businessman's tool is values; the bureaucrat's tool is fear." --- Ayn Rand

Random Thoughts on the World's Craziness

Sotomayor Wrong Again

This New Haven, CT firefighters case is ridiculous. These firefighters studied their asses off and passed a test that was created by specialty firm, hired by the city, then tested and validated to be an effective and accurate tool to determine who were the best of the bunch and who would make the best candidates for promotions. Why the hell did the city then penalize them for playing by the rules that they set? To avoid a "potential" lawsuit from civil rights groups. So they screwed one group of people to "help" another? Sounds like Barry redistributing the wealth.

Why didnt' the city stand up for itself when they were right? Unless they didn't want to be right, or they were plagued by "white guilt" like so many in government are. It is absolutely ridiculous.

I don't want people in critical positions in my own company who only got where there are through the help of a numbers game instead of on their own skill and merits. Not to mention jobs where lives can be at stake, such as police, firefighters, auto mechanics, pilots, construction workers, Supreme Court Justices....

Sotomayor is a self-admitted product of the affirmative action system. She claimed her test scores coming out of college were not the best, but she still got into a top law school. She said in the early 1990's that she is "...a product of affirmative action" and her "test scores were not comparable to my colleagues at Princeton and Yale." And now we find out this isn't the first time she's been on the side of the "oppressed." In the 1980's she helped hispanic police officers challenge a promotions exam in NYC while part of a Puerto Rican legal advocacy organization. Shocking!

Past colleagues and lawyers who have argued cases in front of her speak negatively of her professional demeanor and approach to cases, her opinions are described as short, weak, and poorly thought out. She has been accused of showing blatant disrespect to and belittling of lawyers. Her opinions lead to more centralized power with the Fed and less power for the states- exactly opposite of what the country needs now.

But alas, she will still get in because the Dems are blind to right and wrong, and the Repubs are weak and won't stand up for principle and the best for the nation. It won't change the make up of the court - Souter was no conservative or centrist. It is the next 1, 2 or 3 that Barry may get to appoint that will screw the country for decades.

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More from across the vast web of news.

Story of the day - good for this homeowner, bad for the burglar. Ouch!

Barry waits over a week to say anything about the Iran uprising against dictators, but rushes to the teleprompter to speak out against the Honduras gov and military removing their President when he tried to grab power through unconstitutional additional terms in office. He is on the same side as Castro, Ortega and Chavez. Is anyone surprised by this?

Holy cow, I hope this isn't true, but you can put the pieces together and decide. What about this one? Pamela Gellar over at Atlas Shrugs is no nonsense. She puts it all out there to read and see.

All for now. I can't read anymore tonight. Sleep tight.

Minnesota, You Idots‏

(Not Everyone, just those that voted for this guy or didn't vote)

Al Franken?!? This guy???


Hollywood gave him the money and you guys put him in (though likely with the help of ACORN and definitely with the help of the courts. Now the Socialists, err, Democrats in the Senate have a filibuster proof majority. Bend over folks, the "change" can get kicked into high gear at anytime (assuming it isn't already- I "hope" not). This guy is not qualified, has no sense of rational thought and will vote the Party line without even thinking.

Isn't the Senate supposed to be one of, if not the most, respected bodies in the nation? And no this clown is a member? Too bad it isn't funny.

Have to go scrub my eyes with a brillow pad now.

The Traitorous 8

Coming from the email link for the first time....

We knew pretty much what to expect from the Dems. But 8 House Repulicans, too?

Arlen Spector must be so proud.

These are the 8 pieces of waste politicians who should use this Congressional break, to actually talk to their constituents and find out how many really back on this horrendous capNtax bill they just let through. And then beg for forgiveness. Which they may get, but no more votes for re-election.

Bono Mack (CA)
Castle (DE)
Kirk (IL)
McHugh (NY)
LoBiondo (NJ)
Lance (NJ)
Reichert (WA)
Smith (NJ)

Don't forget about these losers when you're paying more for your electricity, natural gas, gasoline, food, clothes, cars, airline tickets, tires, building materials, fertilizer, property taxes, etc etc etc. Everything! This is an economy and job killer.

Even if you can't vote against them in 2010, donate to their opponents in the Primary.

I think I'm going to be sick.

Quick! Look Over Here....

Look, I liked the guy. He was great. He was on TV almost every weeknight for decades. Ed McMahon was so comfortable with himself playing "second" to Johnny Carson. Many think he made Johnny better, setting up his jokes, laughing at the jokes, making his own, etc. And who could forget the Publisher's Clearinghouse work he did. Classic.

Never cared for Farrah, but can't say I watched her much. Maybe she was hot in her younger days. Beauty fades and from what I saw, she turned out to be nuts. Remember her appearance on Letterman years back?

As for MJ, I can't say I care much. Nobody, including me, ever wishes for, or rejoices in someone's demise, but..... is anyone surprised? He made good music, but his personal life was nuts and he may or may not have spent "alone time" with little boys. I can't respect that and I can't pretend to get all broken up over his death. And to top it all off, he was reportedly in debt to the tune of a "measly" $400M!!!! WTF???!?? He sold 61M albums in the US alone! How many people is he screwing over via this debt? Bye bye to all his music rights, his home, cars, cash on hand, furniture, art, dishes, bath towels, toothbrush, old noses, etc.

The media fawns and crowds weep. Meanwhile, back on the Hill, our duly elected distinguished leaders in the House took another step to royally screw the country (mainly taxpayers and businesses w/ out connections) with the Crap and Tax bill. Where is the media on this? UCLA med center trying to find out what MJ's last meal was. The utter dumbing down of our society is leading to the ruination of the country. Hopefully, nobody will die when ObamaCare or EFCA come up for a vote. Or God forbid there be a rainstorm, or a celebrity cat fight.

Can we talk about the N Korean's and their nukes? Can we talk about China looking to dump the dollar and not buy our debt any longer? The trillions we're printing? Harold Koh got confirmed by the Senate - anyone hear about that? He's a bad dude and, like Barry, wants to "transform" the nation. But, we lost MJ and Farrah ON THE SAME DAY!!!! OMG! For sure! What a joke.

A Great Article and My Ramblings

Below is the full text of today's article by Thomas Sowell on Townhall.com. I thought I'd save you an extra mouse click and just post it here. Mr. Sowell always makes intellegent and timely points; this is no exception.

---------------------------------
"Burke and Obama" by Thomas Sowell
The other day I sought a respite from current events by re-reading some of the writings of 18th century British statesman Edmund Burke. But it was not nearly as big an escape as I had thought it would be.

When Burke wrote of his apprehension about "new power in new persons," I could not help think of the new powers that have been created by which a new President of the United States -- a man with zero experience in business -- can fire the head of General Motors and tell banks how to run their businesses.

Not only is Barack Obama new to the presidency, he is new to running any organization. One of Burke's fears was that "we may place our confidence in the virtue of those who have never been tried."

Neither eloquence nor zeal was a substitute for experience, according to Burke. He said, "eloquence may exist without a proportionate degree of wisdom." As for zeal, Burke said: "It is no excuse for presumptuous ignorance that it is directed by insolent passion."

The Obama administration's going back and forth on the question whether American intelligence agents who forced information out of captured terrorist leaders will be subjected to legal jeopardy, even though they were told at the time that what they were doing was not only legal but a service to the nation, came to mind when reading Burke's warning about the dangers of continuing to change the rules and values by which people lived.

Burke asked how we could expect a sense of honor to exist when "no man could know what would be the test of honour in a nation, continually varying the standard of its coin?"

The current drive to take from "the rich" for the benefit of others came to mind when reading Burke's warning against creating a situation where "any one description of citizens should be brought to regard any of the others as their proper prey."

He also warned that "those who attempt to level, never equalise." What they end up doing is concentrating power in their own hands-- and Burke saw such new powers as dangerous, even if they were used only sparingly at first.

He said, "the true danger is, when liberty is nibbled away, for expedients and by parts." He also said: "It is by lying dormant a long time, or being at first very rarely exercised, that arbitrary power steals upon a people."

People who don't like "the rich" or "big business" or the banks may be happy that President Obama is sticking it to them. But such arbitrary powers can be turned on anybody. As Robert Burns said: "Send not to know for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee." There was a lot of wisdom in the 18th century.

The Constitution of the United States set out to limit the powers of the federal government but judges have greatly eroded those limitations over the years and the dispensing of bailout money has allowed the Obama administration to exercise powers that the Constitution never gave them.

Edmund Burke understood that, no matter what form of government you had, in the end the character of those who wielded the powers of government was crucial. He said: "Constitute government how you please, infinitely the greater part of it must depend upon the exercise of the powers which are left at large to the prudence and uprightness of ministers of state."

He also said, "of all things, we ought to be the most concerned who and what sort of men they are that hold the trust of everything that is dear to us." He feared particularly the kind of man "whose whole importance has begun with his office, and is sure to end with it"-- the kind of man "who before he comes into power has no friends, or who coming into power is obliged to desert his friends." Jeremiah Wright, Bill Ayers and others came to mind.

The biggest challenge to America -- and to the world -- today is the danger of Iran with nuclear weapons. President Obama is acting as if this is something he can finesse with talks or deals. Worse yet, he may think it is something we can live with.

Burke had something to say about things like that as well: "There is no safety for honest men, but by believing all possible evil of evil men, and by acting with promptitude, decision, and steadiness on that belief." Acting -- not talking.
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Now my comments......

I am always amazed when I hear people today dismiss thinkers from history, saying that "they aren't relevant anymore" or "times have changed," or "we are more enlightened now." Alot of these comments are directed at the Constitution and anything that might be related to morals, ethics, honor, justice, etc. Activist judges, politicians and other "leaders" want us to "evolve" and see the Constitution as a "living document."

They have no problem taking rights away - from certain groups - as they see fit, and possibly turning over rights and our sovereignty to the U.N. It is incredible how far we've moved away from the original foundation of the country thus far, but there is still quite a bit they can do - and they are trying. The growth of government over the past few administrations is ridiculous (both Bush's and Clinton included). Look at all the departments and "czar" appointment positions that have been created. (I had this written out and then I saw Beck on a tape delay, and he counted 14 "czars" now! Absolutely, f--in' ridiculous.) The Fed government is amassing power to the -nth degree every year / week / day and there is no end in sight.

The whole thing is a mockery, a travesty, a sham, etc. The circus that was the "Climate Change Hearing" where Chairman Waxman hired a damn speed reader to read the BS 900+ page bill. The arrogance is amazing. I'm starting to believe we need to wipe the whole lot of them out of Washington. I could possibly think of 10-15 Reps and Senators who I trusted to stay around passed their current term.

Senators......Demint(CS), Kyl(AZ), and Sessions(AL)? Maybe....
Reps.....Flake(AZ), Hunter(CA), Pence(IN), Bachmann(MN), Shuler(NC), Paul(TX), Poe(TX), Chaffetz(UT), and Ryan(WI). For some reason I guess I trust Reps more? Or is it just that there are so many more of them? I'll have to think about this list, but at first blush, it seems to be it. The only way I think it would change is by subtraction. Pretty sad state of affairs.

One last thing that pissed me off this week, and it is related. When you talk about government taking more and more control, anyone who tries to argue this, I believe, is either completely ignorant, a total idiot, or has a job in government. "Global warming" is a prime example. They claim that the science is settled and refuse to debate the facts and data with anyone who has real knowledge on the topic. Waxman said he relied on the UN scientists to write the climate bill. What about the 30,000+ scientists who disagree w/ the UN findings and reports???

So, Crazy-eyes Pelosi ran over to China to talk about "climate change." (And of course you've noticed that they don't call it global warming anymore, since the Left using the old trick of changing the name of things to distract and divert attention and change the topic when they see they are losing. ) And for clarification, Nancy rode her private government jet to China. Did Al Gore say anything about her "carbon footprint" on this one? Did he say anything when Barry flew AF1 to Colorado to sign his bill with the solar panel folks? Not very green, guys.......

Again, I digress. Nancy said "I do see this opportunity for climate change to be ... a game-changer. It's a place where human rights — looking out for the needs of the poor in terms of climate change and healthy environment — are a human right." Then she said, "Every aspect of our lives must be subjected to an inventory ... of how we are taking responsibility." Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold on there Big Nance. Back it up. People don't want government controlling their thermostat, regulating what days you can drive, how far, what you'll eat, etc. Contrary to what Colin Powell said recently, Americans don't want more government. The GM and Chrysler take over / bankruptcies are a way to dictate what cars are made available for sale - and of course give back to the unions for all of their election support - but I've gone through that whole thing already.

Memorial Day Weekend

There is a busy weekend planned for the family this weekend. Between lunches and dinners with family and friends, there is a local food festival and some outdoor work planned. I am also hoping to get some range time in as it has been way too long since I made it out for some practice.

There is alot going on in the world these days that I wish I had time to write about. I guess it is always that way. Cheney ripping Barry's BS speech and all its faulty logic, Pelosi trying her damnedest to bury herself and her career (this woman is a trainwreck), the continuing saga of the government shutdown of GM and Chrysler- screwing those out of favor and rewarding the illegitimate, China pulling back from the Dollar and US securities (very scary stuff), State's Rights bills pending and passed across the country, the voters of Kaahlifornia giving Ahhnold and the corrupt politicians and big FU on several propositions..... and on and on and on...... I don't have the time or the energy.

I've been on a reading spree over the last 10 days. I just wrapped up Rule Number Two yesterday. It was an intense and emotional read; it really brought home the feelings of what Memorial Day is all about. I recommend it, which is why I added it to the reading list to the right, even if you think you can't handle a book set mostly in a US military hospital in Iraq. It is fairly short and easy to ready by the style it is written. The stories are moving.

So as you go through the weekend, keep in mind all those who gave everything (and those who are putting their lives on hold now to protect us) so we could indulge ourselves on bratwurst, burgers, etc.

Free Help?

Good quote I heard this week on the Dennis Prager Show, in relation to the government: "Every helping hand is a controlling hand." I was already told this week that this was very cynical, and maybe it is, but I think it is more realistic than anything, especially since it came in the context of "government help." Ever heard or read the line, "Relax, I'm from the Government. I'm here to help?" They probably aren't going to help, and they almost always want something in return.

The government doesn't give anything for free. There are usually more than tax in place or coming to cover the cost. Education isn't free, whether it's grammar school where property is generally taxed, state/Federal loans come with interest and now Barry wants the gov. to take over the whole student loan market. If you want a loan for college, you're going to have to give a few years in "public service" (read "Youth Corps" or "Brown Shirts"). Welfare and government housing aren't totally free. The gov. wants something in return or wants to tell you how to live. In most areas, guns are prohibited in public housing complexes. Can anyone explain the rationale there, let along the legality? The NRA just settled a lawsuit in January of this year with the San Francisco Housing Authority which had a inserted a clause in their lease ducments that banned guns in the public housing residences. They have agreed to remove the provisions and admited that they are not lawful. Score one for the good guys.

Personally, I think this can apply to other areas of life as well. I do not like being in debt to others, especially financially. I believe the adage that "the borrower is slave to the lender."

EFCA = "Barry and The Gang Screw the Country and American Business in Order to Pay Back Big Labor for all the Campaign Contributions....Act

The Employee Free Choice Act. Another proposed bill that is not what it says it is and doesn't do what it says it will do. It isn't about Employees; it's about unions and power. It isn't about free choice; it's about a forced choice, or no choice. It is the Grand Prize for the labor unions who donated millions of dollars from member dues to the Democrats in the past elections. And now it's time for Barry and The Gang to pay up on their part of the deal. You know what they say about payback.... but this time it’s the American Taxpayer and American businesses that will be hurt. Here is the first payment …

And the next payments are being drafted with the royal screwing of the primary stakeholders / creditors along with the American taxpayers in the proposed auto bankruptcy deals. O'bama is calling the creditors and tier 1 stakeholders "speculators" and is giving the UAW BILLIONS in cash, a major equity stake, the right to appoint a Board member, etc. It is good to have friends in high places.

So back to EFCA, aka "card check." Here's how it currently works - the short version:
A union decides to target a business. They can "Salt" the job with paid union organizers to get inside, or just hang out on the outside and get access to employees during non-working hours. The union gets enough employees to sign these cards in order to ask for recognition by the company or take a petition to the NLRB. This isn't the worst thing in the world because, as an employer, you are able to launch an information campaign to combat the lies and half-truths told by the union reps. It goes to an election WITH SECRET BALLOTS and if the union gets the votes, there is still no mandate to reach an agreement through negotiations.

Now, if/when card check is passed the unions only need to get 50% + 1 of the workforce or bargaining unit to sign the cards; and there are no expiration date on the cards. Cards signed before EFCA passes could theoretically be saved for use later on down the road. The union reps will be able to say whatever they want, or do whatever they want, to get the targeted employees to sign cards indicating that they are interested in being represented by the union. They can use intimidation, coercion, at lunch, after work, in the parking lot, at the bar, the grocery store, church, your kid's little league game, your house. Employees may sign for any reason - bad day, family problems, lies, fear, to be part of the crowd, don't want to get left out, or to get the harassment of them and their family to stop, etc. You don’t think harassment will take place? You don’t think fraud will take place?

Once the union gets the 50% +1, the game is over. No election, No Secret Ballots. No counter-campaign, no election, you are off to bargaining. Isn’t the right of casting your vote in privacy something we hold sacred in this country? Do Barry, his henchmen and all the Big Labor bosses want the poll workers to start going door to door to “ask” you to fill out your local and state ballots while a couple thugs stand behind them. The intimidation factor on this is huge! But whatever they can do to help the unions and screw business is just fine with them.

After the union gets the 50% + 1 you have 90-120 days to bargain. That might as well be a day. Nothing ever gets done that fast. If no deal is reached, both sides are subject to binding arbitration. So really, what the hell is the motivation for the union to bargain, at least with any semblance of good faith? They know Barry and his boys are waiting to set the deal in their favor! So they sit on their hands, or thumbs, and wait for the Federally mandated - and selected - arbitrator to swoop in, feign listening, and lay out the deal that will be in force for 2 YEARS! Some lawyer, or worthless bureaucrat, who has no idea about your industry, your company, your competitors, yours costs, your business hurdles, etc. will have final say on how you do business, what you pay, what you offer in benefits, time off, discipline process, etc. The companies that get hit with this first, will be at a serious disadvantage in the marketplace. Their only hope will be to hold on for dear life long enough to see all their competitors placed under the same disadvantages by this cluster of a process.
But here is the kicker – many union members don’t agree with EFCA. It is mostly the government and union leaders. Even some national politicians like Diane Feinstein and Arlen Specter have said they don’t support EFCA…. “in it’s current form.” Of course a few wording adjustments and they’ll fall right in line and claim it was changed or that it’s a new version, or even the old favorite, that it was a bi-partisan effort. Let’s all get ready to take it up the ….. again.

Recent Violence

I am sure most everyone has heard about the ambush killings in Bingamton, NY, the police officers in Pittsburgh and Oakland, family killed in Washington and Alabama, etc. Every one of these cases had different circumstances from a violent anti-social guy recently paroled, to an angry coward recently out of work, to some guys going through marital separations. Many of these cases are still too new for anyone to have all the facts and we'll never know the whole truth since (I believe) all but one of the loons are dead.

There are alot of people out in the media, blogosphere and elsewhere who will make each of these into an anti-gun example for their purposes, and there will be some who will make this a Left vs. Right issue. Anyone who does either of these is a blind zealot and anyone listening to their nonsense is an idiot. Yes, I will from time to time take to name calling when the case is so clearly obvious. Disagree if you will; you are wrong.

Each of these instances, so far as I can tell (and I am not a "trained" psychotherapist), is a case of someone feeling like they have lost or are losing control of their lives; feeling desperation and anger, and projecting the blame on others - cops, ex-spouse, boss, etc. These people were weak and lashed out. The gun is not the cause, it is a tool, as useless as a hammer or a plow if left untouched. It could as easily have been a knife, a bomb, a car, poison...... The media is not the blame - they only report the news, give opinion, spark discussion. The boss who lays someone off is not the cause, he's only doing his job and trying to survive and feed his own family. The cops aren't to be targeted as they risk their lives daily to keep the public from the very loons who attack them.

Let's focus our attention on and name the real cause of the violence - the person who can't control their emotions and becomes blinded by them.

Intro / Welcome, etc.

So, this is a first attempt at this sort of thing. I'm not sure exactly where this endevour will go, but hopefully it will at least be interesting and maybe somewhat cathartic for me. I don't have time to waste these days, so maybe there won't be many postings we'll see. I did manage to get some lists, recommendations, etc. posted to the right, so at least I was somewhat productive during the time spent staring at the screen. Here is a political cartoon from 1934 that I found today on the website of James T. Harris after seeing his appearance on The Factor. (He found it here: http://www.tommcmahon.net/) The picture details may be hard to see and the words hard to read here, so save it and enlarge it OR go the listed link to view it. It will be well worth your time.