Thursday, September 29, 2011

Obama's Crooked Deals - Who Is Going To Jail

Socialist President Obama is using money from his SwindleUS Plans I, II and III to pay off big campaign donors.  $9 billion has to be doled out by September 30 by Secretary of Energy Steven Chu to companies that create "green" jobs.  In the latest scandal, bankrupt Solyndra, one of Obama's "friends", was given $528 million even though Obama was advised that this federally guaranteed loan, turned down by the Bush Administration, should never have taken place.   Obama apparently over ruled his advisers and approved the loan anyway.   Why not?  It is just taxpayer money that Obama used in this pay off to one of his "friends". 

Now, to meet the deadline and pay off Socialist Senator Dirty Harry Reid, of my home state Nevada, Tonopah Solar, owned by SolarReserve, is being given $737 million to put a solar plant in Nevada.   It just so happens that SolarReserve is partially owned by Socialist Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi's Brother-In-Law, Ronald Pelosi.   SolarReserve is also owned by George Kaiser, who raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Obama and was connected to the Solydra deal.  This corruption is blatant and unbelievable.  GO FIGURE!! Mesquite Solar I of Phoenix, Arizona is being given $337 million taxpayer dollars to build a plant in Arizona.   I wonder which Socialist politician is connected to this deal? 

If these projects are such good investments, why isn't private capital from banks, or the private sector, sitting on trillions of dollars, lining up to fund them.   The answer is simple.   This is crony capitalism at it best.  Obama is using tax payer money as pay off's to his political supporters and friends.  That is the way crony capitalism works.   These characters, including Socialist President Obama, are all a bunch of crooks feeding at the trough. 

What this Blogger wants to know is who is going to jail as a result of the Solyndra loss to taxpayers.   No one has gone to jail related to the billions in taxpayer losses caused by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac specific to the mortgage debacle, even though President George W Bush tried to get the Socialists in Congress, at the time, to regulate Fannie and Freddie.   Socialist Congressman Barnie Frank and Senators Barack Obama, Chris Dodd and Chuckie Schummer  and other Socialists and even some Republicans refused to regulate Fannie and Freddie because they were all on the the take getting millions of dollars in campaign contributions.   Bernie Madhoff is rightfully in jail for stealing billions of dollars from investors.   Why is it that these other characters remain in government, when like Madhoff, they all should be in jail. 

We have to take back our country in 2012 and 2014 to stop Obama's crony capitalism and crooked deals.   The federal government should not be in the business of making loans to any private company because it will always be the basis corruption.   If a company has a sound business concept and plan, financing should come from banks, or venture capitalists, not the federal government and taxpayer.  If and when "green" technology makes sense, there will be a long line of investors willing to bet their money to earn a profit.   If it doesn't make sense, the taxpayer should not be asked to fund a project that will not, or cannot be funded by the private sector just to pay off Obama's campaign contributors. 

Even though Obama's SwindleUS Plans I, II and III were a dismal failure and created no jobs, Obama wants the American taxpayer to double down to fund another $447 billion "jobs plan", SwindleUS Plan IV.   This is just more borrowed money and deficit spending adding to the National Debt that will be used to support Obama's "friends".   WE THE PEOPLE must stand up and say HELL NO.   And, the very notion that Obama is calling for tax increases on the "rich" that he defines as Singles earning $200,000 or more and married couples earning $250,000 or more, is absurd.   The last thing American taxpayers should do is give the federal government and these crooks in government even more hard earned money that corrupt politicians, like Obama, will use to buy votes and elections. 

Instead, we must take back our country in 2012 and 2014 to end the economic misery caused by President Obama and his Socialist pals in government.   We must sweep all these Socialists out of office in 2012 and 2014 to restore economic growth and create jobs once again in our country.   We must elect common sense Conservatives at all levels of government that support free market capitalism, limited government, lower taxes and less regulation, a balanced budget, term limits, real education, energy, health care and entitlement reform, a strong national defense, including securing our border and fighting Terrorism, the right to bear arms, the sanctity of life and family values that are the foundation of our nation.   This is the platform supported by the majority of the American people and the only way to get our country back on track. 

We have to take back our country in 2012 and 2014.   We can do it.   We will do it to preserve our freedom, our nation and way of life for the sake of our children and grandchildren.  We must end the crony capitalism by making Obama a one term President.   We are counting the days.   We have hard work to do; but we can see the end of the story for Obama.   President Obama will go down as a failed President along with his friend Jimmy Carter.  

6 States Will Decide The 2012 Presidential Election

There are Red, Blue and Purples states when it comes to elections in the United States.   For the most part, the left wing Northeast and the Left/West Coast will vote for Obama; though it is possible that New Hampshire could vote Republican in 2012, especially if Governor Romney is the Republican nominee.   Most states in the South will vote for the Republican.   However, Socialist President Obama and his failed policies may have changed all the rules.   Effective 2010, we now have Republican Governors in New Jersey, Ohio, Wisconsin and Michigan, all traditional Socialist states.  Pennsylvania and Wisconsin elected very Conservative Republican Senators in 2010.  This is a tidal wave of change.    And, of course, the Republicans took over the House of Representatives and gained Senate seats in 2010. 

However, when push comes to shove, most likely six states will determine who wins the Presidency in 2012.   Nevada, Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania, all were carried by Obama in 2008; but that is not likely to happen in 2012.   These states are now trending Republican.  No Republican has been elected in 100 years without carrying Ohio.   If any number of these six states vote for the Republican candidate, who ever he or she turns out to be, Obama will be one term President.    Given the high unemployment rate in Michigan, it is even possible that Michigan could vote Republican, which has not happened in many years.  

In particular, Obama cannot win re-election without carrying Ohio and Florida, both states with very high unemployment and in Florida's case foreclosures.   This will put Senator Marco Rubio from Florida very high on the Vice President list for any Republican Presidential nominee, both because he comes from Florida and because of his Hispanic heritage.  Nevada has the highest unemployment and foreclosure rates in the country.   Nevadans have never forgiven Obama for telling Americans to save their money and not visit Las Vegas.   At the time, even the Democrat Mayor of Las Vegas would not meet with Obama because of his stupid remarks that were detrimental to tourism in Nevada. 

All that matters is the Electoral College vote, not necessarily the popular vote.   As of now, Socialist President Obama may not be able to reach the 270 Electoral Votes needed to win re-election, no matter how much he plays the Class Warfare card.   ObamaCare has raised medical premiums for all Americans.   Those higher bills will start to appear beginning in 2012.  Gas is around $4 a gallon in many states.   Real unemployment is at 17%, as 25 million Americans are either unemployed, underemployed working part time that want full time work, or they have just given up looking for work altogether.   The economy is a mess.   No President has ever won re-election, except Franklin Roosevelt, during the Great Depression, when unemployment was above 8%.   At this rate Obama is a goner. 

We are going to take back our country in 2012 and 2014.   We must do it to preserve our freedom, our nation and way of life for the sake of our children and grandchildren.   Socialist President Obama's goal to transform the United States into a European style Socialist nation is not playing in Peoria; nor will it play in Ohio, Florida, Nevada, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, or Virginia.   We can now begin the count down to end the Obama Presidency to restore economic growth and job creation again in America.    We still have hard work to do; but the end of the game is in sight. 

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Governor Romney - Those That Live In Glass Houses

Governor Mitt Romney, in his attack on Governor Rick Perry to secure the Republican nomination for the Presidency, has made a big issue of the fact that the people of Texas and more specifically Governor Perry supports providing in-state college tuition for illegal aliens that have spent the prior three years in a Texas high school.   This blogger questions what illegal aliens are doing in our schools anyway; but that is a broader issue and another story.   There is one big problem with Governor Romney's assertion and it is going to back fire on Romney.   It turns out that all illegal aliens in the state of Massachusetts are eligible for RomneyCare.   Score a big one for Perry. 

So the fact is that ALL illegal aliens in Massachusetts get health care, presumably at state expense, while a small number of illegal aliens in Texas can go to a Texas university, if they pay the same rate as other Texas residents.    As soon as the Perry team finds this out, if they don't already know it, this will explode on Governor Romney like a pinata over Romney's head.    Those that live in glass houses should never cast the first stone, particularly when Romney's transgression is far worse. 

Let's face it.   US taxpayers are spending billions of dollars each year to support illegal aliens in our public schools,  hospitals, jails and specific to the criminal justice system.    The United States is Mexico's welfare system.   And, though Mexicans in particular work very hard after they do enter the United States illegally, it is ridiculous to conclude that they pay in more than they take out of the system.    In fact, it is estimated that the real cost of employing an illegal alien, is not the minimum wage that they are often paid; but more than $20 an hour when all real taxpayer costs are included.   This blogger wonders, would uneducated Americans, with little or no job skills, take the jobs worked by illegal aliens if the pay was $20 an hour.    We will never know as long as we have more than 12 million illegal aliens in our country and our border is not secure.

Today, we still have drugs, illegal aliens and Terrorists entering our country because Socialist President Obama and the Obama Justice Department refuse to secure the border and enforce our immigration laws.    Remember, Obama is suing the state of Arizona for enforcing our immigration laws, which is the real story.   Governor Rick Perry and Texas taxpayers are spending about $400 million a year to secure our border; but without federal government support, it will never happen.   Perry has said unequivocally that if elected President, he will put the boots on the ground to secure our border.  

The reality is that the US Army should be on our border to shut it down.   We can do it if the will is there to make it happen.   We have to do it because cost to support illegal aliens and dealing with the crime that is the result of an open border is contributing to the bankruptcy of our country.   In addition to being a national security and sovereignty issue,  we just can't afford to be Mexico's welfare system any longer.  

Clearly, we have to figure out what we need to do with illegal aliens already in the United States.   Any illegal alien that violates our laws should not be in our jails, they should be deported and sent to Mexican prisons.   That one is a no brainer.   We have to amend our Constitution to make it absolutely clear that children born to illegal aliens are not automatically American citizens.   We are one of few countries in the world that allows this to occur and it is just plain dumb.   We then need to look at illegal aliens with American children (born prior to the Constitutional Amendment) and offer them some path to citizenship with fines.   And then, based on the number of years in the US, we should deport others in our country less than five years.   Provided there is no criminal record and there is a record of self support, those in our country more than five years should be given a path to citizenship, over some number of years, with fines.   Obviously, we need some common sense, logical, sequential approach to dealing with the illegal alien issue. 

However, none of these things should occur until we SECURE OUR BORDER.  That will never happen as long as Socialists, including President Obama, are in power, which is another good reason we must sweep these characters out of office in 2012 and 2014.   We have to take back our country in 2012 and 2014 to preserve our freedom, our nation and way of life for the sake of our children and grandchildren.    The debate between Governor Romney and Governor Perry specific to illegal aliens is a side show.   It is time to offer big ideas to solve big problems.  

Monday, September 26, 2011

Tranforming The United States - The Right Way

Socialist President Obama wants to transform the United States into a European style Socialist nation with a bigger, more intrusive government to control every aspect of daily life.   ObamaCare is the personification of the big government take over of our economy and lives, since health care represents 1/6 of our economy.  The big problem with Obama's plan is that Socialism has failed everywhere in the world it has been tried, including Europe.   We see the end result of the cradle to grave nanny state, as many countries in Europe are either bankrupt, or headed toward bankruptcy, as is the case with the United States, as a result of 100 years of Socialist creep.   

The reality is that Socialism always leads to a loss of freedom and a lower standard of living for the people it is intended to help.   In Europe, people speak of the "authorities" separate and apart from them.   There is no concept of "WE THE PEOPLE"; but rather the know all, do all, ruling elite class above everyone else.   This attitude that puts a distant government, above the people and not as part of them, may emanate from years of monarchs that ruled by divine right.   This is clearly not an American attitude. 

While we do need to transform the United States, it is not toward Socialism with big government, high taxes and more regulations and less freedom; Obama's plan, but rather toward Constitutional limited government and free market capitalism, not Obama's crooked, crony capitalism.   We have to roll back 100 years of Socialism and get back to the values of marriage, family, entrepreneurship, hard work, honesty and right from wrong.  This does not mean the idyllic images portrayed on TV in the 50's and 60's that portrayed Ozzie and Harriet, or Happy Days, but rather a United States that recognizes American exceptionalism and diversity.  

We need to go back to the Melting Pot concept,  that assumes that no matter what country, or heritage in our backgrounds,  once in the United States, we come together to form a new American personality, bonded by common values and the English language.    This means scrapping the Salad Bowl notion that is designed to celebrate our differences, rather than embrace a new identity that is uniquely American.  While this Blogger speaks three languages,  I know that national identity requires that one language, in this case English, must be our national language to bond our people.   This is not an insult to anyone speaking another language; but rather a recognition that we are one people and one country with a common culture and language, in addition to whatever other heritage we may individually possess.

Many immigrants came to the United States, with nothing, before the welfare state was devised and became successful business owners by working very hard and practicing delayed gratification for the longer term good.   Their children and grandchildren developed even further by pursuing education that their parents often never had.   The notion of going on Welfare, or accepting Food Stamps was considered disgraceful and was never viewed as an acceptable way of life until Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal and Lyndon Johnson's Great Society that created millions of Americans permanently dependent on government to buy votes.  

Today, we have millions of Americans on Welfare and about 43 million Americans receiving Food Stamps, a record number.   Welfare has destroyed the Black family as 7 out of 10 Black children are born out of wedlock.   4 out of 10 White children are also born our of wedlock.  The poverty rate has actually gone up since Obama was elected President.  25 million Americans are either unemployed, under employed working part time that want full time work, or they have just given up looking up for work altogether.   This is Obama's America.   In just three years, this is the United States created by Socialist President Obama.  

Further, it is an outright lie that the "rich", defined by Obama as singles earning $200,000 or more and married couples earning $250,000 or more do not pay their "fair share" of income taxes.   Repeat, Obama is a LIAR when he says the "rich" do not pay their "fair share".   In fact, it is these Americans that pay 70% of all income taxes paid in the United States, while nearly 50% of Americans, Obama's PEEP's, pay no income taxes at all.   If we want to talk about fairness, then all Americans need to pay at least some income taxes; but that will never happen as long as Socialists remain in government.   The reality is that we have a progressive income tax gone wild. 

Yes, we do need to "transform" America; but it is not Socialist President Obama's vision that should prevail because it will lead to poverty and misery in the United States the same as has occurred in other countries.    We have to take back our country to prevent the bankruptcy of our nation.   We don't want to end up as Greece with riots in our streets.   To save our nation, we need to elect Conservatives that support free market capitalism, limited government, lower taxes and less regulation, a balanced budget, term limits, real education, energy and health care reform, a strong national defense, including securing our border and fighting Terrorism, the right to bear arms, the sanctity of life and family values that are the foundation of our nation.    This is the platform supported by the majority of the American people and the only way to restore economic growth and jobs again in our country.  

We need to transform the United States, the right way and that is not Obama's way.   We have to take back our country in 2012 and 2014 by sweeping these Socialists, including President Obama, that are bankrupting our nation, out office.   We can do it.   We must do it to preserve our freedom, our nation and way of life for the sake of our children and grandchildren.   We have to clean out the barn to transform our nation.   We have work to do to get our country back on track.    

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Rick Perry & Mitt Romney - Play Nice Please

It is important that those seeking the Republican nomination for President of the United States not violate Ronald Reagan's 11th Commandment; thou shall not speak badly of another Republican.   Watching Rick Perry and Mitt Romney, the presumed front runners, snipe at each other during Republican debates, is painful because instead they should be totally focused on Socialist President Obama.   And, second tier Conservative candidates out to destroy Perry are only helping Mitt Romney, the more liberal Republican in the race, secure the nomination.  

Perry is wrong on his illegal alien position to provide in-state college tuition to illegal aliens; but that position represents the majority position in Texas.   Romney is very wrong on signing RomneyCare for Massachusetts because it was the basis for ObamaCare.   Romney can never live that down with Conservatives.   And, Romney is viewed as flip flopper on key issues like the right to life.  Romney is also playing the Socialist game related to criticizing Perry on Social Security.  It is what it is.   Either Perry or Romney would be far preferable to Socialist President Obama.

Specific to the debates,  this Blogger has spent 32 years in Sales and Consulting.   As such, I know how to say Yes without making any commitment and say No without offending the people across the table.   I also know how to think on my feet in a way that is smooth as glass from years of experience.   Mitt Romney has those Sales skills, not just because he has run for President before; but because of his business experience.   Clearly, Rick Perry does not have that experience and it shows during debates.   Perry is also a little to Texas hokey.   Perry should stop with all the Texas stuff.   We know where he lives.  What Rick Perry does have is significant experience at successfully governing the second largest state in the nation.   And, Texas is a microcosm of the nation in its diversity.  

Perry can take credit for not screwing up the Texas Miracle related to job creation.   Many of the suburbs that are now thriving master planned communities in North Dallas and parts of Houston did not exist 30 years ago.   There can be no question that Texas is a success story by any standard.   Romney was a successful governor by Massachusetts standards; but that is not saying too much.   Romney was more successful as a businessman than as Governor, so score one for Romney.   Either way,  Romney or Perry can beat Obama, provided Republicans, including our candidates, keep our eye on the prize.   Now is the time to build the Republican Party in each state to deliver critical states to the Republican nominee, who ever it turns out to be. 

In addition, this story will not be over until the fat lady sings because after John McCain, the Republican Party changed the rules related to the primaries, which are no longer winner take all.   That means that each candidate will go to the Republican Convention with their share of delegates.   If the front runner does not have a majority of delegates going into the Convention,  he or she, will have to cut a deal to get the votes needed to secure the nomination.   That means that the top two candidates are likely to be on the ticket, even though Marco Rubio, could be a better choice to secure Latino votes.   If that happens, it will unite the party, which is a good thing provided the top two candidates don't bludgeon each other in the primaries.   So, Republican candidates, please practice the 11th Commandment.   It is Socialist President Obama that should be the target of our disdain, not other Republican candidates. 

Friday, September 23, 2011

Solydnra - Obama's Pals Take The Fifth

CEO Brian Harrison and CFO Bill Stover of bankrupt Solyndra, the solar company Socialist President Obama gave $535 million to develop "green jobs", took the fifth 12 times during testimony before a House Committee.   The question is why?   What do these characters have to hide.  The answer is direct ties to the White House and Obama.   The fact is that the Bush Administration turned Solydra's loan request down when they came to Washington tin cup in hand because it was too risky.   But this pay off should be no surprise.   We find out now that the federal government gave out $600 million to dead federal employees in the last five years.   Our illustrious elected Socialist representatives have said this is a rounding error and should be of no concern.    So, is the government going to go after these dead man walking estates to get this $600 million back; doubt it. 

Specific to Solyndra, everything changed as soon as Obama, their pal, was elected.  This $535 million deal stinks of corruption and Obama's failed "green" economic policy.  Solyndra's business failed and taxpayers took the hit.   Obama gave away more than a half a billion dollars to his Solydnra pals, that by the way have contributed millions to Socialist campaigns.  The founders of Solyndra were known in the trade as Buddlers; that is they raised big money for Socialist campaigns.   This is just one more example of Obama's crony capitalism, much like Obama's bail outs of GM, GE, Chrysler and major US banks all of which have contributed to Socialist campaigns.   The smell coming out of the Obama Administration is just to much to take.  We have got to clean out the barn to end the smell. 

What is worse, there is another $9 billion of SwindleUS monies that is supposed to be distributed to "green" companies by the Energy Department no later than September 30.   Given this latest scandal, and the ineffectiveness of these grants to "green companies" to create jobs,  Congress should stop these taxpayer monies from going out the door.   WE THE PEOPLE have already lost $535 million in the Solyndra deal.   We don't need to waste any more money that will need to be borrowed from the Chinese and other foreign countries and added to the National Debt. 

The Obama Administration is out of control.   These corrupt characters are bankrupting our country with all their Socialist Schemes.   This has got to stop; but it will not stop until we make Obama a one term President and sweep his Socialist pals out of government, as well, in 2012 and 2014.    This Solyndra deal is symthomatic of many million and billion dollar boondoggles.   WE THE PEOPLE must take back our country in 2012 and 2014.   We can do it.   We must do it to preserve our freedom, our nation and way of life for the sake of our children and grandchildren.   Obama's pals have taken the fifth rather than reveal the corruption within the Obama Administration; but the fact that they have taken the fifth tells us the whole story, doesn't it?   These characters are all a bunch of crooks that should be in jail, not in government. 

Thursday, September 22, 2011

President Obama's Reelection Strategy

Socialist President Obama has no record of accomplishment to run on for reelection.   The majority of Americans want to see ObamaCare repealed, so the President can't bring up that topic.  Obama's trillion dollar, deficit spending SwindleUS Plans I, II and III have been a dismal failure.   Obama's proposed $470 billion SwindleUS Plan IV has no chance of being enacted into law, since even the Socialists in the Senate oppose raising taxes on anyone during a Recession/Depression.  Instead of creating jobs, Obamanistas at the EPA and NLRB have killed jobs in the last three years.  In fact, there are 25 million Americans either unemployed, underemployed working part time that want full time work, or who have just given up looking for work altogether.   This is a real unemployment rate of 17% or more.   The markets are in disarray because Obama has created so much uncertainty in our economy.   

The National Debt has grown by $4 trillion during Obama's three years in office, more than at any other time in our history.  The National Debt will grow to $16.7 trillion in the next few years with no end in sight.  Obama and his Socialist pals in Congress are bankrupting our country.   Social Security and Medicare will be bankrupt in the next 10 - 15 years with no plan to fix it.   The Post Office is already bankrupt.  Obama's Green Initiatives, which involve all kinds of crooked deals, at the expense of a real energy plan, that could make the US energy independent, are killing jobs.  There are 43 million Americans on Food Stamps, a record number.  Millions of Americans have lost their homes to foreclosure.   10 million other Americans are upside down on their mortgages.  

President Obama is viewed as weak an ineffective overseas as he " leads from behind ".   Consumer Confidence is in the toilet.   Inflation continue to rise as the Federal Reserve prints money, which is destroying the dollar.   As a political junkie, since this Blogger was 10 years old, basically for the last 51 years, I do not recall a worse time in the United States during my life time and that is after living and working through 3 or 4 recessions and the Carter disastrous years.   This is not a pretty picture.

Since Socialist President Obama is a failed President with no record of accomplishment and disastrous conditions in the United States, the only thing Obama can attempt to do in an effort to win reelection is to play the class warfare card.   Obama has to rally his PEEP's, those that pay no income taxes at all, those on the dole, illegal aliens, public employee and other union members and companies that benefit from crony capitalism that contribute to Socialist campaigns to have any hope of winning reelection.   To do so, Obama must create an enemy, in this case the "rich" that Obama defines at singles making $200,000 or more and married couples earning $250,000 or more.   The fact that these people already pay 70%, or more of the income taxes in the United States, is irrelevant as Obama seeks to intentionally divide our nation.   

Obama is a LIAR plain and simple when he says that these people do not pay their "fair share".   If not for these people paying 40% or more of their income in local, state and federal taxes,  the government would have little revenues at all.   Further, even President Clinton has said that raising taxes on the "rich" will do nothing to deal with deficit spending, or the National Debt.   In fact, if every dime was confiscated from the "rich", it still would not be enough to deal with our National Debt.   Of course, you will never hear these facts from Obama, or his Socialist pals in Congress.   We have to cut spending and deal with entitlement reform to stop deficit spending and pay off our National Debt to prevent the bankruptcy of our nation.   It will not happen any other way. 

Socialist President Obama is so desperate to win reelection that he will say anything and do anything to stay in power.    Obama is like a one man wrecking ball destroying our economy.   Obama is the most anti business President since Franklin Roosevelt, which is causing the private sector to sit on a trillion dollars in cash rather than invest in the US to create jobs.   The fact is, we will not see economic growth or job creation again in the US until Obama and his Socialist pals in Congress are swept out of office.   We have work to do.   We have to clean out the barn.  We must take back our country in 2012 and 2014.   We can do it.   We must do it to restore economic growth and jobs and to preserve our freedom, our nation and way of life for the sake of our children and grandchildren.   Obama can sing the same old Class Warfare song; but this time it is not going to play in Peoria. 

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Federal Reserve Destroying The US Dollar

The Federal Reserve will print another $400 billion to buy long term securities to reduce mortgage interest rates and long term borrowing costs.    This amounts to Quantitative Easing III and will only lead to even more inflation and higher prices for food, gas and other commodities.    And, it is just plain ridiculous.   Mortgage interest rates are as low as 4%, about the lowest in American history, yet many Americans cannot qualify for refinancing mortgages because about 10 million Americans are upside down on their mortgages and therefore cannot refinance.   And,  as a result of falling home prices, lenders are requiring higher down payments and credit scores than normal to purchase homes.    Lower mortgage interest rates are not the issue.   It's about Jobs, stupid not mortgage interest rates!! Obamanistas have been destroying jobs for the last three years.   Further, by cutting rates even further, senior citizens that depend on interest income on their savings to live are being killed. 

The banks are sitting on more than a trillion dollars that theoretically should be available for loans.   The private sector is sitting on another trillion dollars in cash rather than making investments to grow jobs because Obama's economic plan has been such a job killer.    The Federal Reserve pumping more money into the system will have no impact on economic growth or job creation, except that it will further  destroy the value of the dollar.  Upon announcement of this third round of Quantitative Easing, the stock market fell 300 points and it is continuing to fall.


It is becoming clearer by the day that the Federal Reserve, as managed by Ben Bernanke, is out of control.   As such, Congress must limit the charter of the Federal Reserve and provide more oversight to prevent activities that are counter productive.   The notion that the Federal Reserve can act without any limits is wrong.   These brainiacs in Washington DC are destroying our economy and bankrupting our country.  It has got to stop.

Banks To Big To Fail & Wall Street

The federal government, under both President George W Bush and Socialist President Obama, forced banks that were already to big to become even bigger through the acquisition of various failing financial institutions.   Bank of America, in particular, acquired both Merrill Lynch, one of the largest brokerage houses in the world and Countrywide Mortgage, formerly the largest mortgage company in the world.   Merrill Lynch has rebounded and is doing pretty well.  Countrywide, that once originated 1 out of 5 mortgages in the country and with federal government encouragement funded loans for many Americans with poor credit that could not possibly repay those loans, has been a real financial burden for B of A.   In fact, Bank of America is dealing with thousands of foreclosures that were originally Countrywide loans, resulting in major losses for B of A yet to be determined. 

Other major banks are similarly positioned; but perhaps for different reasons.   In fact, Moody's has just downgraded the credit worthiness B of A, Citibank and Wells Fargo because of the losses they face.  Ironically, the Glass Steagall Act, enacted in 1933 during the Depression, which prohibited commercial banks from diversifying into other businesses like investments, was repealed in 1999 during the Clinton years.   It was Bill Clinton that signed the repeal of Glass Steagall, which then allowed banks to get into all kinds of businesses, in addition to normal commercial retail banking.   And, while the federal government has placed more restrictions on banks,  many of the major banks are still involved in investment businesses that perhaps should be prohibited because it was that involvement that contributed to the financial collapse in 2007 - 08 and the Great Depression.   

In addition, Wall Street has become a lot like Las Vegas, with investment companies, some times owned by major banks, betting on just about everything.   So rather than just managing the sale of stocks and bonds based on some rational investment criteria, brokerage houses often participate in betting on what the market is going to do.   In addition, the ability to buy stock on margin, that is borrowing money, distorts the market.   The brainiacs on the East Coast, both in New York City and Washington have made a real mess of things, while at the same time they have personally made millions, if not billions of dollars at the expense of the American people. 

In the mean time, banks are making billions in profit off all these fancy "deals", credit card interest and numerous service charges that are now very typical.   Yet, it is now very difficult to get a mortgage without a substantial down payment and a credit score of 700 or more, which is one of the reasons the real estate market in many cities is in the toilet.   Normally, when rates are as low as 4%, the real estate market should be booming, particularly with prices so low, but many Americans that would buy homes just can't pull together the 20 or 30% down payment banks are requiring.   In fairness, since home prices are continuing to fall because of Obama's destruction of our economy and resulting job losses, banks are scared to death to fund mortgages because home values have not stabilized. 

Normally, this Blogger supports free market capitalism and as little regulation as possible; but it may be that Glass Steagall had it right.  Perhaps, banks should be prohibited from being in investment and other businesses.   And, there is too much financial power concentrated in too few major banks.  This notion of a bank that is to big to fail is a real problem for the American economy.   In a sense, we have a banking monopoly, since just a hand full of companies control the financial well being of our country.   Rather than forcing these major banks to grow even bigger, the federal government should force them to divest themselves of various investment businesses that could be a conflict of interest.  

And, we have to outlaw all the gambling on Wall Street.   Investments should be based on sound financial principles, not Las Vegas style betting, particularly since millions of Americans have money in the stock market through 401's, IRA's and other investments.    These east coast brainaics playing this game are part of the crony capitalism problem we have with companies feeding at the trough, except in this case, these Wall Street characters are often getting rich at the expense of the American people, not in a position to play these complex games. 

We do have to take back out country in 2012 and 2014 by sweeping Socialists, including President Obama out of office.   As part of our work, we need to take a hard look at banks that are to big to fail and Wall Street.   As the President of a global company, I saw first hand that our nation faced the brink of financial disaster in September of 2008.  As a result of my business, I was also exposed to the Countrywide debacle.    We can't let any of that happen again.   This is a very complex issue; but common sense tells me that the concentration of so much power in so few hands is not good for our nation.   Banks that are to big to fail and Wall Street shenanigans cannot be allowed to continue.   It is time that those of us who live and work in the heart land say Enough is Enough. 

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Cards Talk And Numbers Don't Lie & GM

Cards talk and numbers don't lie; but Socialists do lie all the time.   Socialist President Obama, as usual, is saying a big whopper when he says the "rich" do not pay their "fair share" of income taxes.   That is just plain baloney.   Upon further research and information provided by the IRS, it turns out that those earning more than $1,000,000 a year, which are probably primarily Sub Chapter S small businesses, are paying about 29.1% of their income in federal income taxes.   Of course, this does not include various state and local taxes that would probably bring this up to about 40% or more.    In fact, the top 1% of income earners pay 38% of all federal income taxes even though they only represent 20% of actual income earned.   Those earning $50,000 - $75,000, the middle class, actually only pay 15% of their income in federal income taxes.   So even in the new math, the "rich" are paying twice as much.  And, of course, Obama's PEEP's include the 50% of Americans that pay no income taxes at all.  

So, when Socialist President Obama calls his proposed $1.5 trillion tax increase the Buffet rule because Warren Buffet has used every legal means possible to avoid paying federal income taxes; yet says he should pay more, as the excuse to raise taxes,  Obama is just plain lying about the facts.   As he practices Class Warfare to please his left wing PEEP's, Obama is fast becoming the Liar and Chief.   The "rich" that Obama describes as singles earning $200,000 or more and married couples earning $250,000 or more are already paying 70% of all federal income taxes paid in the US to subsidize the 50% of Americans, Obama's PEEP's, that pay no federal income taxes at all.   Besides, raising taxes on anyone will retard the growth of our economy and destroy even more jobs.   Obama's plan might even push the US from a Recession into a Depression.   Further, raising taxes will solve no problems related to entitlements; Social Security and Medicare, that will go bankrupt in the next 10 - 15 years without serious reform, with or without tax increases. 

What this Blogger wants to know is why aren't those of us that pay all these income taxes getting a personally written Thank You note from President Obama each year.   Without us,  Obama would need to stand on a street corner with a tin cup begging for money because the government would not be able to fund all the redundant boondoggle programs, agencies, commissions and departments, or the entitlements that so badly need reform and those on the dole, illegal aliens and public employee union members getting outrageous compensation and benefits.   Further, Obama would not have the billions of dollars that he doles out to companies, benefiting from crony capitalism, that contribute to Socialist campaigns. 

On another topic, GM announced that they are moving their headquarters for their Electric Car business from Michigan, with the second highest unemployment rate in the US, to Shanghai, China.  GM is just following GE's lead because GE is also moving two of their major subsidiaries to China.   GE also got Billions in bail out money.  Go figure.  This means that GM's research and development function for electric cars will be in China and that they will also manufacture electric cars in China,  presumably as well as the United States, at least for now.    This is all very interesting since US taxpayers have provided GM $60 billion in bail out money, most of which, that remains to be paid back.   Much of the billions in bail out money that went to Chrysler/Fiat was just written off entirely.  

The fact is that GM continues to cut jobs in the US because their fully loaded cost for union workers in the US is $55 an hour compared to just $7 an hour in Mexico.   Presumably,  fully loaded cost for labor in China will be even less.   And, what is of even more concern is that China usually requires Western companies to share their technology as a condition for manufacturing in China.   This means that GM could be giving China state of the art technology to build electric cars so that 10 years from now, China will be competing with GM to sell electric cars at much lower cost.   President Obama brags that he saved GM with tax payer money.   And now, we see our return on investment with both GE, GM and Chrysler.   What chutzpa!  What is wrong with this picture. 

Card talk and numbers don't lie; but Socialists like President Obama and his pals in government do lie all the time, which is the reason we must sweep them all out of office in 2012 and 2014.   We will not see economic growth and job creation again in America unless we elect pro-business Conservatives that understand how to create jobs.   Obama is a tax, spend and regulate JOB KILLER who does not understand free market capitalism because he is a big government Socialist.    We have to make Obama a one term President to prevent the destruction of our economy and the bankruptcy of our nation.   We must take back our country in 2012 and 2014.   We can do it.   We must do it to preserve our freedom, our nation and way of life for the sake of our children and grandchildren.   President Obama is a liar, plain and simple.  I am sorry to say that it is what it is. 

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Obama's Millionaire Tax - Just More Class Warfare

Socialist President Obama is desperate to win reelection.   We all know that.   Obama figures the only way he can rally his PEEP's; those that pay no income taxes at all, those on the dole, illegal aliens, union employees and companies benefiting from crony capitalism that donate to Socialist campaigns is to play the tried and true Class Warfare card.  It is getting really old.   Obama is calling it the Buffet tax because billionaire Warren Buffet is begging to be taxed more.   What a bunch of baloney.  Warren Buffet has done everything possible to avoid income taxes by donating billions to the Gates Foundation.   It is reported that Buffet only takes a small annual salary.  That is because most of Buffet's income comes in dividends and capital gains that are currently taxed at 15%, rather than the top federal income tax rate of 35%.   Finally, it was recently reported that Buffet's company is years behind in paying corporate income tax because of disputes with the IRS that remain to be settled.   All of this makes perfect sense for someone who is a billionaire. 

However,  if Warren Buffet wants to pay more in income taxes, he can either just add what ever he wants to pay to his tax return, or stop using the tax code, as written, to avoid taxes.     This whole discussion is pretty stupid.   Americans are not taxed too little,  all levels of government spend too much.   And,  entitlements like Social Security and Medicare need to be reformed to prevent their bankruptcy.   Raising taxes on anyone will not change that reality.  Our elected representatives, of both political parties, are addicted to spending like crack addicts.  Let's face it.   The federal government has grown in scope and size well beyond anything the Founders could have ever imagined.   It is time to shrink the federal government, not give politicians even more money to buy votes to stay in power not matter how "fair" it sounds.   Taking more money out of the private sector and giving it to government only compounds the problem.    Government is not the solution; it is the problem. 

We need a hiring freeze to cut 500,000 employees from the federal government over five years, through normal attrition, not lay off's, out of the 2.65 million federal civilian workforce.   This common sense approach will help bring government spending down from Obama's 25% of GDP to around 17% of GDP and save trillions of dollars.  In the process, we should eliminate redundant programs, agencies, commissions and departments.   The last thing we need to do is give the federal government one dime more to make our lives miserable by even more government intrusion and regulation.

We need to take back our country in 2012 and 2014.  While class warfare may appeal to some people in America, it is a job killer.   And, there are many studies that show that the higher the tax rates, the less the government will earn in revenues because high tax rates depress the economy and change behaviors.  When taxes are raised, the rich don't get poorer, the poor get poorer because it is their jobs that go away.   So Obama's class warfare is a job killer. 

Socialist President Obama is stuck in a time warp.   Obama is reliving the Great Depression and the New Deal.  The only problem with the New Deal is that it was a job killer.   Unemployment from 1932 - 1939 never went below 12% and was often as high as 20% as a result of Roosevelt's Socialist Schemes that killed jobs.    Albert Einstein once said that doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.   Raising taxes on anyone during a Recession/Depression is fiscal lunacy.    It will just push more jobs overseas. 

We have to take back our country in 2012 and 2014 by making Obama a one term President and sweeping his Socialist pals out of government.   These characters are destroying our economy and bankrupting our country.   We have work to do.   We have to clean out the barn and send these Socialists packing in 2012 and 2014.   We can do it.  We must do it to preserve our freedom, our nation and way of life for the sake of our children and grandchildren.   A millionaire's tax sound nice; but it will do nothing to restore economic growth or create jobs.   In fact, it will be a feel good job killer. 

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Fixing Public Schools In The United States

The United States spends more on public schools than any other nation in the world; yet we continue to produce poor results as measured by student performance.   It is time to fix our public schools because we have too many kids that leave our schools with poor reading, writing and math skills and or no marketable job skills.  It is no coincidence that many of the 25 million people that are either unemployed, under employed working part time, or who have just given up looking for work altogether are Americans with a high school education, or who were high school drop outs.  There are 3 million job openings in the United States; yet most of these 25 million people are not qualified to take those jobs.

Clearly, the Socialist approach we have to manage public education is not working.   In fact, the government solution dominated by teacher unions is a complete failure.   It is time to replace it with a free market solution.   All parents should be given school vouchers to allow parents to choose the school that is best for their children.   Public schools that fail to achieve superior results will go out of business, which is exactly what should happen.  Private schools will emerge to replace public schools in many cases and that is OK. 

And, we need to test children in the 9th grade to determine if they are college bound, or should be given a vocational education to learn a trade.  No kid should leave school, who is either not prepared to enter college, or prepared to do a job when he or she graduates from high school.   In a worse case scenario, if a kid is given a vocational education and later turns out to be college bound, the community college system is there to pick up any late bloomers.   Of course, many will argue that this process is discriminatory because many inner city kids that cannot read and write at grade level will end up in vocational education; but is it better that they end up learning a trade than they end up on Welfare and Food Stamps.  

None of this will happen as long as Socialists are in power because they are owned lock, stock and barrel by public employee unions and the teachers union in particular.  In fact, union teachers make up the highest percentage of participants at the typical Socialist Presidential Convention every four years.   As such, President Obama and his Socialist pals in Congress will do nothing to reform public education.  The fact that millions of American kids leave high school illiterate is of no concern to Socialists.  For Socialists, it is all about bigger government and more union jobs.   

We will not see improvement in public education as long as Socialists are in power, which is another reason we must sweep them out of government in 2012 and 2014.  Sadly, it is inner city kids that suffer most under Socialist control.  These kids are nothing more than a meal ticket to union teachers.   We have got to take back our country in 2012 and 2014 to improve public education.   We can do it.   We must do it to preserve our freedom, our nation and way of life for the sake of our children and grandchildren and in particular to help inner city kids held prisoner in our public schools.  

Obama's Big Brother Web Site

Socialist President Obama's campaign operatives have set up attackwatch.com, as a website for his followers to report anyone who attacks the President's record.   So, Big Brother is watching the majority of us that disapprove of President Obama's job performance.  This Blogger regularly points out all the reasons that we must make Obama a one term President in 2012 and also sweep his Socialist pals out of government in 2012 and 2014 to take back our country.   Obamanistas want to counter all the arguments made about Obama's failures with propaganda telling us that Obama is wonderful. 

Well, cards talk and numbers don't lie; but Socialists do lie.  The economy is a mess.   We have 25 million Americans either unemployed, under employed working part time that want full time work, or who have just given up looking for work altogether.   To them we are in a Depression, not a Recession.   43 million Americans, a record number, are on Food Stamps.   Millions of Americans have lost their homes to foreclosure and the rest of us have seen the value of our homes fall by a huge percentage.  These things have happened under Obama's watch.  

Obama's trillion dollar, deficit spending SwindleUS Plans I, II and III failed to create jobs and only added to our $15 trillion National Debt.   In fact, Obama has added $4 trillion to the National Debt in just three years in office with no end in sight.  Obama and his Socialist pals in Congress are bankrupting our country.   Social Security and Medicare are headed toward bankruptcy.   The Post Office is already bankrupt.  

ObamaCare is the biggest intrusive into the lives of Americans in our history.   ObamaCare will bankrupt our country and must be repealed.  Obamanistas, the Socialists and the Communists at the EPA and NLRB are destroying jobs in America.  The Obama Administration is using more regulations to kill jobs.  The Obama Justice Department refuses to enforce our immigration laws.   None of this is a very pretty picture.  So, when this Blogger and many others points these things out, we just need to remember that Big Brother is watching.  So what.  We need to make Obama a one term President to restore economic growth and job creation again in America.   It is what it is. 

Friday, September 16, 2011

Eleven Reasons Obama Is Bad For America

There are many reasons Socialist President Obama is bad for America.   Let me count the ways:

Reason One:   Obama is a divider not a uniter.  In Obama's class warfare world, those making more than $200,000 a year if single and $250,000 a year if married are "rich".   It does not matter that these might be hard working, well educated professionals, or small business men and women who work 7/24, since these people make more than Obama's PEEP's, those that pay no income taxes at all, those on the dole, illegal aliens and some union members, though there are many union members making very good money,  the "rich" are to be milked for their wealth to redistribute their income to Obama's PEEP's in the name of "social justice".   As such, Obama is not the President of the United States, he is the President of his PEEP's, which also includes companies benefiting from Obama's crony capitalism that contribute to Socialist campaigns. 

Reason Two:   Obama is at war with the private sector.  Obama is the most anti-business President since Franklin Roosevelt.  Obama believes in big government Socialist tax and spend schemes to solve every societal problem, rather than free market capitalism.   Socialists tolerate Capitalists only because they too must be milked to redistribute the wealth they create to give to Obama's PEEP's.   And, in Obama's world, Capitalists that create jobs are evil people taking advantage of his PEEP's, that should be paid more money to work less, even though Obama's PEEP's often have no education, or job skills.   Since businessmen and women are evil in Obama's eyes, they must be regulated as the only way to control their evil, greedy tendencies and activities. 

Reason Three:  Obama practices crony Capitalism.   Green companies are given government subsidies to compete with "evil companies" particularly in the energy sector.  Obama's other friends like the big banks and GE are given bail outs.  We now see scandals emerging as Obamanistas have provided billions of dollars to their company friends in bail outs and subsidies and in return those same companies have contributed hundred of millions of dollars in a quid pro quo to Socialist campaigns.   Obama's Gestapos, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Labor Relations Board are used as enforcers to reward favored companies and punish companies that do not support Socialists.   The EPA is out to destroy the carbon and nuclear based energy sectors while rewarding "green technologies" that are not feasible today.   This is all about picking losers and winners rather than allowing free market capitalism to prevail.

Reason Four:   Obama's Energy Plan, by design, will substantially increase the cost of energy to the American people.   Since energy is included in the cost of everything, this lunacy will lead to high inflation and a lower standard of living for all Americans.   Obama supports oil drilling in Brazil with American subsidies, as a means of redistributing American income to an emerging power; but not oil drilling in the US, or the oil pipeline that should be built now between the US and Canada.   At every turn, Obama's EPA does everything possible to make it difficult for oil, coal, natural gas and nuclear energy companies to do business in the US, which is killing millions of jobs.

Reason Five:  Obama will never secure our border with Mexico, which is allowing drugs, Terrorists and more illegal aliens to enter our country.   In fact, Obama is doing everything possible to undermine our current immigration laws, fighting state efforts to enforce those laws.   The failure to secure our border is undermining our national sovereignty and contributing to the bankruptcy of our nation. 

Reason Six:  The Obama Justice Department often fails to enforce our laws related to illegal immigrants, Terrorists and various crooks, feeding at the trough, that are bankrupting our country.   Eric Holder, the Attorney General, should be fired for his involvement in providing guns to narco traffickers in Mexico that has led to the murder of our border patrol agents. 

Reason Seven:   Socialist President Obama is owned, lock, stock and barrel by public employee and other big unions.  As are result, Obama has grown the federal government to 25% of GDP, the largest level since World War II.   Obama is doing this to reward his public employee union PEEP's with jobs that pay 20 - 40% more than is typical in the private sector.   At the same time, Obama's National Labor Relations Board, run by Obama's appointed Socialists and Communists are doing every thing they can to advance labor union interests in the private sector when the NLRB is supposed to be an impartial arbiter between business and labor. 

Reason Eight:  Obama is a job killer, which is the reason unemployment continues to grow in the US.  As a result of Obama's actions and executive orders, there are now 25 million people, about 17% of our working age population, that are either unemployed, under employed working part time that want full time work, or who have just given up looking for work altogether.   Over 40% of these people have been unemployed for a year or more.  The Congressional Budget Office is projecting no change to this unemployment rate for years to come as a result of Obama's policies. 

Reason Nine:  ObamaCare is the most intrusive expansion of government in the history of the United States.  ObamaCare seeks to control one-sixth of the US economy and dictate our health care access.   ObamaCare will bankrupt the United States and it must be REPEALED. 

Reason Ten:  President Obama and his Socialist pals in Congress are bankrupting our country.   The President has contributed more than $4 trillion to the $15 trillion National Debt in just his first 3 years in office with no end in sight.   Obama's trillion dollar deficit spending SwindleUS Plans I, II and III failed to  create jobs.   And now, Obama is proposing a $450 billion SwindleUS Plan IV, to again pay off his PEEP's, that will also be a failure.  Enough is enough. 

Reason Eleven:  President Obama is viewed as weak and incompetent overseas.   Obama is leading from behind, which is no leadership at all.  Obama does not believe in American exceptionalism.   Obama sees the United States as just one more nation in the world, rather than the greatest nation in the history of the world.   In many ways, Obama actually supports the demise of the United States.   Obama is prepared to surrender our sovereignty to global government.   We can't let that happen.  We now have to depend on the Russians to support our space program as a result of Obama's decisions.  Obama and his Socialist pals in Congress would hollow out our military given the chance in order to keep their PEEP's on the dole.   There is something very wrong with this picture.   

Clearly, the eleven reasons listed by this Blogger should be enough to convince the majority of  the American people that we must make Obama a one term President in 2012 and at the same time sweep his Socialist pals at all levels of government, that are bankrupting our country, out of office.   We must take back our country in 2012 and 2014 because Socialist President Obama is bad for America.   We can do it.   We must do it to preserve our freedom, our nation and way of life for the sake of our children and grandchildren.  

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Politicians Use Credit To Buy Votes

Some where along the line, politicians of all political parties, in most countries, figured out that they could use credit to buy votes.  So rather than just selling government bonds to fund long term assets like schools, bridges, roads etc. politicians have been funding entitlements and normal government operating expenses by selling bonds, which is credit.  In other words, our illustrious elected officials have been taking out a mortgage every year to pay the government's bills.  In the United States, our government is now borrowing about 40 cents for every dollar that it spends in order to have both guns and butter.  Hence, today the US has an official National Debt of about $15 trillion dollars that will grow to $16.7 trillion in the next few years, with no end in sight.   US National Debt is now equivalent to our annual Gross Domestic Product. 

Many other countries have a similar level of debt, or even more, as a percentage of their Gross Domestic Product.   In addition, as the US government invented Social Security in the 30's and Medicare and Medicaid in the 60's and state and federal pensions, which are outside Social Security, our elected officials of both political parties failed to properly fund these programs.  In fact, they stole the money contributed for these programs and spent it on annual operating expenses, as well.  So there is another $100 trillion, or more of unfunded liability, sitting out there just waiting to explode on the American people.  Other countries have the same problem. 

So the world is sitting on a mountain of unsustainable debt that is the result of reckless government spending and politicians buying votes to win elections.  Europe is in crisis because various countries in Europe have National Debt that will be impossible to repay.   The same is true for the US.   These countries, including the US, just keep rolling over the debt, that is borrowing more money to pay the interest on the debt.  The principal itself is never repaid.   This is fiscal insanity.   The fact is that government bonds should only be used, if at all, to pay for long term assets like schools, bridges, roads etc and perhaps to fund wars that are necessary to national survival.   To use government bonds to fund annual operating expenses is a road to financial disaster.   That is where we are today. 

It is very clear that as part of the process of taking back our country in 2012 and 2014, we must amend our Constitution to make sure that this kind of reckless borrowing never happens again.   We cannot allow our elected officials to bankrupt our country just to stay in power.  We must have a Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment that prohibits long term borrowing to fund normal annual operating expenses.   And, we must cap the size of government at no more than 17 or 18% of GDP.   Under Socialist President Obama, the size of government has grown to 25% of GDP and when local and state governments are included, it is about 40% of GDP.   This level of government is inconsistent with a free market economy.   This size of government is killing jobs in the private sector, which is the reason our unemployment rate is so high. 

President Obama's answer to unemployment is to grow government even bigger when government is the problem not the solution.   Our elected representatives of both political parties have proven over and over again that they cannot be trusted to protect the interests of the American people.  The same is true in many other countries.  Many of the members of Congress, that have been feeding at the trough for years, should be in jail, not in Congress for their part in bankrupting our country.   WE THE PEOPLE cannot allow this to continue.   We must take back some of the power we have delegated to our elected officials.   We need more checks and balances on abuse of power and deficit spending to buy votes.   This has got to stop and soon. 

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Ganging Up On Governor Rick Perry

You know you are the front runner in the Republican contest for the Presidential nomination when all the other candidates gang up on you.   That is exactly what is happening to Governor Rick Perry of Texas in recent Republican candidate debates.   Governor Romney, in particular, is fighting for his political life because he was presumed to be the Republican nominee and Perry is now the front runner.   Governor Perry has said and done some controversial things related to Social Security, Illegal Immigrants and inoculation of 12 year old girls to prevent cervical cancer.  Other Republican candidates are also questioning whether Perry can take credit for creating jobs in Texas during his ten years as Governor.   

But are Perry's positions really that controversial.   Perry has said that Social Security is a Ponzi Scheme, which most assuredly is true.  Baby Boomers have contributed to Social Security their entire working lives to fund their pensions and the money is not there do so.  The money in fact has been stolen by politicians of both parties since 1965 to fund annual government operating expenses.  So, Perry is absolutely right.   Social Security is biggest Ponzi Scheme in human history. 

And, Perry clearly knows that those over 55 years old are going to get Social Security as we know it.   However, Perry is right to say that those under 55 years old should be given options.   One common sense approach would be to have the company portion of the monthly Social Security contribution go into the government program.   Employees could then choose to have their portion of the monthly contribution go into the government program, or into 401K type programs that individuals can control.   Even Socialists should be able to live with this plan, which would be highly popular among the American people to make everyone happy.   But, it is also very clear that the age for full Social Security benefits for those under 55 years old should be changed to 68 years old, since people are living so much longer.   Governor Rick Perry is just stating the obvious.   In order to save Social Security, there must be common sense reforms.   For Governor Romney to advocate saving Social Security, as we know it, is ridiculous.   Social Security, as we know it, will be bankrupt in 10 - 15 years. 

Next, Governor Perry supports providing in-state college tuition to illegal aliens.   The real issue here is not in-state tuition; but rather should illegal aliens be in our universities at all and/or be eligible for grants and scholarships, since they are not American citizens and they, or their parents entered our country illegally.   Most Conservative Republicans, including this Blogger, would say NO.   However, Perry governs a state with a high Hispanic population, like all border states and therefore illegal aliens are in our public schools, by Supreme Court dictate, whether we like it or not.  Perry is just reflecting the real world that he faces.  Ironically, this particular position will play well in November, 2012 in the general election because it will take Latino votes to win the Presidency.   The bigger issue is securing our border to stop drugs, Terrorists and illegal aliens from entering our country because it is bankrupting our border states.  The in-state tuition issue is a side show. 

As another attack, Governor Rick Perry used an executive order to require 12 year old girls to be inoculated with a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer.   This requirement did have a parental opt out.   This issue hinges on doing this by executive order, rather than by legislation and whether parents should be able to opt in, or opt out.  Again, this is a side show issue.   The fact is that there is a vaccine that prevents cervical cancer.   Yes, parents should be able do decide if their children should be vaccinated or not; but is this really any different than schools requiring a tuberculous test before a child can be registered for school.   As long as parents were able to opt out, Perry just acted in the best interest of young girls.   Should he have done this through legislation rather than executive order, Perry now says if he had it to do over, he would have done it that way.   There really isn't much there to this story. 

Finally, the issue of whether a Chief Executive, in this case the Governor, can take credit for job creation in a state is really funny.   All the Republican candidates are holding Obama, as the Chief Executive of the US, responsible for destroying jobs in the US, which really is the case.   So why now are they asserting that Perry can't take credit for creating jobs.    Romney claims that Perry was dealt four aces; a Republican legislature, a Republican Supreme Court, Oil and No state personal income tax and that those were the reasons Texas has boomed.  The fact is, what Perry did not do was just as responsible for the Texas miracle as what he may have done.  Perry did not raise taxes or impose burdensome regulations on business that are job killers during his ten years in office.   Perry attempted to make Texas government as "inconsequential" in people's lives as possible, which is his goal for the US government. 

Actually, this dust up with Perry during debates is very good because it will prepare him for the debates and campaign against Socialist President Obama.   You can bet that the Socialist propaganda machine will use all these same arguments against Perry; though it would be pretty hard for Obama to claim he is against providing benefits and services to illegal aliens since Obama supports the "Dream Act" that would do the very same thing on a national scale.  Obama will hit Perry on Social Security and the jobs issue in Texas.   Socialists are already claiming that Perry created low level jobs in Texas, not really good paying jobs.   The fact is that people with little education need low level jobs.   What else are they going to do, brain surgery?  There are now 58 of the Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Texas, which makes this argument silly and mute.   Those companies moved to Texas from high tax, high regulation blue states.   Score one for Perry that is undisputable by any standard. 

Governor Rick Perry is tough.   He will deal with his Republican opponents, one by one and in particular with Mitt Romney, who is RINO, born again Conservative.   These initial debates are just round one.   The game is not over by any means.   Expect Perry to come roaring back in the weeks and months ahead.    Most important, even the New York Times is now saying that Obama may be a one term President.   The fact that a Republican just won Anthony Wiener's Socialist House seat in New York City, in a special election, is a very ominous sign for Obama.   That special election was a referendum on Obama and the President lost big time.   Clearly, if Governor Rick Perry can hold his own, he is likely to be the next President of the United States. 

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

National Debt - Greece & The United States

The odds are now better than 50/50 that Greece will default on its National Debt.   The opposition party in Germany is now calling for an "orderly" default.   What that means is that primarily Germany, France and Britain will need to bail out their banks, rather than continue funding Greece's outrageous entitlement programs.   Thankfully US banks have minimal exposure to Greek debt, so if Greece goes down, US banks are sufficiently capitalized to take the hit. Germany, France and Britain will soon come to realize that bailing out their banks is the preferable option, since the Greek government cannot eliminate many of the cradle to grave nanny state benefits that have been in place for years without causing riots in the street. 

Even so, in an effort to keep German money coming in the door in the next few weeks, presumably to avoid default, the Socialist government in Greece just enacted a new property tax that will be administered as part of monthly electric bills.   Seems odd, except for the fact that many Greeks are notorious tax cheats, which is the reason the Greek government is making this tax a part of electric bills.   However, since the Greek government is Socialist, this new property tax will not just be based on property valuation, which is normal; but rather also family size and ability to pay in the name of "social justice".  Sound familiar.  Of course, the unions that work at the state owned electric companies have already said that they will not allow the electric company to be the government tax enforcement agency.   So we can expect to see more riots in the streets and union strikes in the next few weeks, which is what ultimately will cause the Germans to say enough. 

Ironically, two world wars were fought to prevent the Germans from controlling Europe.   Yet since he who has the gold makes the rules, the Germans whether they like it or not own Europe lock, stock and barrel.  If there ever is a United States of Europe, it will really be a United States of Germany.  Usually ownership is a good thing if an asset is worth owning; but in this case, it is a major liability.  The question is how long will German tax payers want to support Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Ireland and perhaps other Socialist countries in Europe that maintain welfare systems that are unsustainable.  These countries are all bankrupt by any standard.   In the next few weeks, Greece will simply run out of money to pay all its people on the dole.  If Greece defaults, which is likely, it will become very difficult for the other countries listed to sell bonds to fund their operating expenses.   Keep in mind, government treasury bonds were supposed to be used to build schools, bridges, roads etc. not to fund entitlements as is happening both in Europe and the United States. 

As goes Greece, goes the United States.   As of now the US has a $15 trillion National Debt, that is 15,000 billion dollars.   Our National Debt is slated to grow to $16.7 trillion in the next few years under the deal just approved by Congress with no end in sight.  This does not include another $100 trillion or more (no one knows for sure) of unfunded liability for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and federal pensions.    Since beginning in 1965, politicians of both political parties stole the Social Security contributions going to the government to pay for normal annual operating expenses, that money is not sitting in the Social Security Trust fund to pay for Baby Boomer pensions.   As such, if reform doesn't happen and soon, Social Security and Medicare face bankruptcy in the next 10 - 15 years. 


Yet President Obama and his Socialist pals in Congress, like many politicians and people in Europe don't get any of this.   They go on spending money they don't have business as usual.  The Irish Prime Minister recently rejected a suggestion from a German member of the European Central Bank that Ireland needs to cut their entitlements and civil service pay further to deal with their National Debt problem.   Clearly, the US needs to get serious about dealing with our deficit spending and entitlement programs NOW to prevent what is happening in Europe.   This Blogger has called for a hiring freeze to  eliminate of 500,000 US federal civilian jobs in the next five years, out of the 2.65 million, through normal attrition, not lay off's.   In doing so, it will lead to badly needed elimination and/or consolidation of programs, departments, agencies, and commissions etc.   In addition, federal compensation and benefits must be brought in line with what is common in the private sector to bring down costs 20 - 40% to reflect the real world.  This common sense approach to cutting expenses should be adopted immediately.   Why aren't members of Congress advocating this logical approach?

And, it is time to deal with entitlements.   Medicare should be means tested for everyone right now.   As it is now, the monthly contribution for life time Medicare only covers about 50% of the cost because people are living so much longer.   Clearly, those with assets that can afford to pay higher premiums, including this Blogger, should be asked to pay higher premiums.  This is already happening to some degree; but it needs to go further.  The retirement age for full benefits for those under 55 should be raised to 68 years old.   And, Social Security should be made actuarially sound.   If someone dies, it should end, not be paid to the spouse, or other beneficiaries.  

In addition, the Social Security system should not be used to fund Disability benefits as is apparently happening now.  More than a million people who have run out of unemployment benefits recently applied for permanent Disability benefits even though they certainly are capable of working.   The definition of Disability is much too broad.   Someone with arthuritis, high blood pressure, or Diabetes, which is a significant portion of the population, is not disabled.   They certainly can work with these diseases as many who are honest now do.   As we get older, we all have ackes and pains, so what. 

We have to get our fiscal house in order to avoid what is happening in Greece.   Greece has lost its national sovereignty.   The Germans are calling the shots in Greece.  Foreign countries, including the Chinese in particular, own about 50% of our National Debt.   When the day comes, as surely it will if we don't change our current course, it will be these countries telling the US what to do to avoid default.   When that day comes, we will lose our national sovereignty.   We can't let that happen.  

Unfortunately, President Obama and his Socialists pals in government at all levels are focused on their PEEP's, those that pay no income taxes at all, those on the dole, illegal aliens, public employee unions and companies that benefit from crony capitalism that contribute to Socialist campaigns.   Socialist are only concerned about staying in power.   They cannot win elections without the support of their PEEP's, which is the reason they cannot represent the interest of the United States, or all the American people.  The class warfare that they argue says it all.  Socialists only care about their PEEP's, to stay in office, even if it means the demise of our country. 

To prevent what is happening in Greece, we must sweep these Socialists, including President Obama out of office in 2012 and 2014.  Our nation is at stake.  It is just that simple.   We must take back our country in 2012 and 2014 to get our fiscal house in order.   We must elect rock solid Conservatives that get it and support free market capitalism, limited government, lower taxes and less regulation, a balance budget, term limits, real education, energy, health care and entitlement reform, a strong national defense, including securing our border and fighting Terrorism, the right to bear arms, the sanctity of life and family values that are the foundation of our nation.   This is the platform supported by the majority of the American people and the only way to restore economic growth and job creation again in our country. 

As goes Greece, goes the United States.   We can't let that happen.  Educate your friends, relatives and neighbors so that they recognize too that we must take back our country in 2012 and 2014, by sweeping these Socialists out of office to prevent riots on our streets, economic chaos and collapse.   We can do it.   We must do it to preserve our freedom, our nation and way of life for the sake of our children and grandchildren.  

Monday, September 12, 2011

Obama's New Mortgage Scheme

Socialist President Obama is so desperate to win re-election that he will try just about anything to reward his PEEP's.   In Obama's latest Socialist Scheme, Obama wants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the holders of millions of US mortgages, to unilaterally offer lower mortgage payments to people who have bad credit and/or who are upside down on their mortgages.   In addition, Obama is pressuring Fannie and Freddie to loosen credit requirements to refinance mortgage loans.   Of course, Obama is hoping that this will stem the tide of foreclosures while at the same time acting as stimulus money as people paying less to live in their homes will have more to spend on flat screen TV's made in Asia.  Wait a minute.  Isn't this what caused the financial crisis in the first place. 

The fact that this scheme would reward people with poor credit doesn't seem to matter to Obama.   Why should it.   This is the same President who stole General Motors from its legitimate owners and gave it to his union PEEP's for nothing.  Once again any time government intervenes in the marketplace, markets are forever distorted usually with unintended consequences.  The housing market is a mess; but it is giving young people with good jobs and credit an opportunity to buy homes that would not otherwise have been possible when real estate markets were inflated.   In addition, investors willing to risk their capital are swooping in to buy homes at bargain prices recognizing that this is a ten year play.   Lower prices mean lower rents for tenants, which in and of itself is like a tax cut.  As painful as it may be, the housing market needs to achieve equilibrium the old fashioned way.   When there are more qualified buyers than there is supply, prices will once again start to rise.   Until then, the government should mind its own business. 

We also face an imbalance as 75 million baby boomers began retiring last January at 10,000 a month.  Over time, many of these newly retired people will begin to downsize to smaller homes, or even rental apartments.   As that happens more family size homes will come on the market, which will add to pricing pressures; but that might be OK as young families will better be able to afford bigger homes at lower prices.  The real estate market, like all markets, is all about supply and demand.   Builders will not build more new homes as long as the number of older homes on the market remains high.   In the end, though it will take perhaps five years or more, balance will be achieved.  Government intervention will only delay the day of reckoning, no doubt Obama's intent until after election day in November, 2012. 

We don't need any more Socialist Schemes, or government intervention, that are prolonging a bad economy, the same way it did during the Great Depression.   We need to allow free market capitalism to work as it always does to address imbalances in our economy.   Yes it will be painful, but the sooner the government gets out of the way, the sooner we will see economic growth and job creation again in America.   The best way to deal with the housing mess in the US is through job creation.   We will not see job creation again unless corporate taxes and regulations are reduced, companies are able to repatriate profits without double taxation, environmental wackos at the EPA and Socialists at the NLRB stop killing jobs,  frivolous lawsuits are limited, crazy employment laws and ObamaCare are repealed and we finally have a President that is pro-business.  Most important, we need a 50 year energy plan designed to reduce the cost of energy and make the US energy independent once and for all.  Obviously, none of these things will happen as long as President Obama and his Socialist pals in government remain in office. 

So clearly we have to sweep these Socialists out of office in 2012 and 2014 to restore economic growth and job creation once again our country.   President Obama's SwindleUS Plan IV, the American Jobs Act, will do little to create jobs.   It is just more of the same that has failed three times before.  In order to create jobs and restore economic growth, we need more free market capitalism, limited government, lower taxes and less regulation, a balanced budget, term limits to help end the corruption in Washington and real education, energy, health care and entitlement reform.  

Socialists are focused on their PEEP's, those that pay no income taxes at all, those on the dole, illegal aliens, public and other union employees and companies that benefit from crony capitalism that contribute to Socialist campaigns.   Socialists are trapped in the class warfare argument they have been making for the last 100 years, which is the reason they can never represent the interests of all Americans.   As a result, we must make Obama a one term President and sweep his Socialist pals out of office, as well.  The fate of our nation depends on it. 

Sunday, September 11, 2011

9/11 Anniversary & Rememberance - Never Forget

This Blogger was in the New York City area, 10 years ago, when 9/11 occurred.   Just the day before on Monday of that week, we met with a client directly across the Hudson River looking out at the World Trade Center Towers.   And all but for a change in schedule, we would have been with a client in New York City in the Wall Street area at 9:00 am on that fateful Tuesday morning.   Instead, our meeting was changed to Wednesday morning at the same time so we decided to drive back out to our Connecticut office on Monday night rather than stay in the city.   However, at the precise moment that the Towers were coming down, this Blogger was on the phone speaking with the client we scheduled for our Wednesday meeting as he described what was happening in horror right outside his office window.  Finally, he was ordered to evacuate his building and the call ended.  Suffice to say, we never did have that Wednesday meeting.   I ran into this particular client contact a few years ago as we together remembered that day that will live in our memories forever. 

While President George W Bush was elected to the Presidency in November of 2000, the new century and by March of 2001, he had inherited a Recession from Clinton, it was 9/11 that defined Bush and his Presidency.   Bush was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.   Though he had some accomplishments as a businessman and Governor of Texas,  in many ways, Bush became his own man on 9/11, rather than just the son of President George Herbert Walker Bush.   George W was not supposed to be the President.   His brother Jeb, supposedly the smarter one, was in line; but Jeb lost the first time he ran for Governor of Florida and George W won, which put him four years ahead of Jeb.   And then there was that contested election with Al Gore in 2000 than went on for months with all the hanging chads.   This Blogger does not believe that history is an accident.   God's hand and the Supreme Court made George W Bush the President of the United States, in place to face the peril of 9/11. 

We all remember the moment a few days after 9/11 when President George W Bush went to New York City and stood with that fireman and a bull horn speaking to those at the 9/11 site, chanting USA, USA, USA when Bush said those infamous words, "I hear you and soon the whole world will hear all of us".   While the United States and our allies had been attacked by Terrorists in the past,  9/11 was a Pearl Harbor moment.   It was the first time a US President acknowledged that we were at war with Terrorists that had declared war on our nation.  President George W Bush knew what he had to do.  

Those that attacked our nation were given safe harbor in Afghanistan.   Bush correctly declared, "you are either with us in the fight on Terrorism, or against us" as he sent our brave military into Afghanistan to destroy the Taliban and search for Osama Bin Laden and Al Queda.   The war goes on; but thanks to our military and President Obama's decision to strike in Pakistan, justice has been done.   Bin Laden is DEAD.   And while that is no conciliation to families that lost loved ones as a result of Bin Laden's evil orders, it does say that no matter how long it takes, or who the President happens to be, the guilty cannot escape American justice.

This Blogger was at a recent event in 2010, with both Bush and Clinton present and I had a chance to thank President George W Bush personally for his actions, during and following 9/11 and for critical decisions that Bush made to save the banking system during the financial crisis in 2008 that averted a complete global financial collapse.  Bill Clinton once complained that he faced no grave crisis's that would have better defined his Presidency.   It is true that great Presidents are often defined by crisis's outside their making, or control.   Whatever anyone may think of President George W Bush, he acted with courage and determination to fight Terrorism and protect the American people.   It was black and white to him as it should have been, with no shades of gray, or situational ethics.   One can only wonder how Al Gore would have reacted under the same circumstances.  

There are lessons from 9/11 and American history in general.   Many thought we could draw down our military when the Soviet Union finally collapsed.   We looked forward to the "peace dividend" that presumably came from the end of Communism.   The reality is that there will always be tyrants and evil people in the world that would harm our nation given the chance.   Terrorism did not die with Osama Bin Laden and as such we must continue our fight against Terrorists, where ever they may be.  

Socialist President Obama is getting daily briefings on the Terrorist threat that we face, which is the reason that even the most left wing, presumably anti military President in American history sends in the drones to Pakistan to kill Terrorists.   Obama has not closed Guantanamo Bay, even though he promised to do so when he ran for the Presidency because Obama now knows that bringing Terrorists to our mainland makes no sense.  And then there are nations like Iran and North Korea, both pursing nuclear weapons and both willing to sell nuclear technology to Terrorists that are our enemies.   Finally, China and Russia will either be world powers for good, or for bad, which remains to be seen.   

Peace comes from strength, never from weakness.   Socialists in the United States are always attempting to cut the US military to spend more money on their PEEP's, those that pay no income taxes at all, those on the dole, illegal aliens, public employee union members and favored companies that benefit from crony capitalism and contribute to Socialist campaigns.   As we take back our country in 2012 and 2014, we must make sure that our military continues to be a force for good in the world.   The first job of any President is to protect and defend the United States of America, above all else.   To do so, we need a strong military.   We must never forget the lessons of history.  We must never let our defenses down.