Taxing the Rich Will Not Make Us Prosperous!

Arthur Laffer's op-ed in the Wall Street Journal is a must-read. He makes the case, using historical data, that we simply cannot tax ourselves into prosperity. To hear the liberal politicians and pundits talk, allowing the wealthy in America to keep more of the money they earn is tantamount to willfully starving babies. Nothing could be farther from the truth. High taxation brings about less work, less prosperity and poverty for more people. It's the opposite of spreading the wealth around, because tax receipts to the government actually decrease when tax rates are raised. The super-wealthy know how to get around paying those high taxes - they can afford expensive lawyers and accountants that most of us cannot.

Here's a sampling of what high tax rates for the rich has led to in the past.

Or perhaps you'd like to see how the rich paid less in taxes under the bipartisan tax rate increases of Presidents Johnson, Nixon, Ford and Carter? Between 1968 and 1981 the top 1% of income earners reduced their total income tax payments to 1.5% of GDP from 1.9% of GDP.

And then there's the Hoover/Roosevelt Great Depression. The Great Depression was precipitated by President Hoover in early 1930, when he signed into law the largest ever U.S. tax increase on traded products—the Smoot-Hawley Tariff. President Hoover then thought it would be clever to try to tax America into prosperity. Using many of the same arguments that Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are using today, President Hoover raised the highest personal income tax rate to 63% from 24% on Jan. 1, 1932. He raised many other taxes as well.

President Roosevelt then debauched the dollar with the 1933 Bank Holiday Act and his soak-the-rich tax increase on Jan. 1, 1936. He raised the highest personal income tax rate to 79% from 63% along with a whole host of other corporate and personal tax rates as well. The U.S. economy went into a double dip depression, with unemployment rates rising again to 20% in 1938. Over the course of the Great Depression, the government raised the top marginal personal income tax rate to 83% from 24%.

Is it any wonder that the Great Depression was as long and deep as it was? Whoever heard of a country taxing itself into prosperity? Not only did taxes as a share of GDP fall, but GDP fell as well. It was a double whammy. Tax receipts from the top 1% of income earners stayed flat as a share of GDP, going to 1% in 1940 from 1.1% in 1928, but at what cost?

We all know that there are lots of factors influencing tax revenues from the rich, but the number one factor has to be the statutory tax rates government tells the rich they have to pay. Not only do the direct income tax consequences of higher tax rates on those in the highest brackets lead to higher deficits, the indirect effects magnify the tax revenue losses many fold.

The intellectual dishonesty and hypocrisy of the advocates for soaking the rich would be startling, if it weren't so prevalent. Laffer also pointed out how people like John Kerry and the late Howard Metzbaum have gone out of their way to avoid paying the taxes they advocate for everyone else.

Look at what just the talk of raising taxes is doing to the economy - the recession keeps hanging on and unemployment remains high. What's going to happen if they go and raise taxes on the very people they need to get us out of this? What they ought to do is make those tax cuts permanent, but there's no chance of that with this gang of class warriors running the show.

I don't know about you, but no poor person has ever given me a job.

Workers No Longer Seeking Jobs at 625,000

Going into the Independence Day holiday, it is apparent we desperately need independence form Democrats, Liberals and Progressives.

Barack Obama

On June 29th Obama said "the economy is strengthening" and "we are into recovery...." Neither is true. "We worked exceptionally hard to restore growth..." which brought about no growth. Today we read that the jobless rate fell to 9.5% but it didn't really. In addition to the 125,00 jobs lost in June, 625,000 gave up and are no longer seeking work. Census workers completed their "assignments" to document every illegal they could find, and 225,000 census takers, that cost the US taxpayer a tidy sum, are now unemployed.

Here's a stat that will astound you. The Flint Journal reports that in one Michigan country, those not returning their census forms cost country tax forms "about $2.4 million" for census workers to track you down - or $57 per person in the county.


Even though the loss of census jobs were expected, new jobs in private sector were lower than expected.

In fact, the percentage of overall working-age population that is in the labor force fell last month to 64.7% --near a 25-year-low

At the Toronto G-20, Obama said we have pulled back from the brink, stood his ground and called for more spending around the world. Country after country gave him the bird - said been there, done that with you, and we're over it.

To drawout Obama's own version of a pleasant pipedream, he says the economy is "strengthening" despite the weak data.  " The weak data showed a 2.7% growth, less than expected growth for the first quarter.

From Forbes on Obama's speech today from Andrews AFB:

Obama: We are headed in the right direction

To that end, Obama announced the latest burst of taxpayer-financed stimulus spending, a nationwide project to expand broadband access in places with little or no reliable internet service. 

Before Obama spoke today, the market was up slightly. The minute he stopped talking, it lost its gains, as it does every time this man speaks. At this time, the DOW is still down.

Today the Wall Street Journal announced Consumer bankruptcy filings are at the highest level since 2005.

Bloomberg Investors: Obama Anti-Business

A quarterly poll of Bloomberg investors finds that 77 percent believe Barack Obama is anti-business, and they question, one year out, his ability to handle the financial crisis. The poll also shows that his favorability among the same investors has dropped from 32 percent to 27 percent.

We've watched the Dow plunge the past couple of days. No surprise. What is a surprise, is that very smart people like Bloomberg investors, ever had confidence in this president.

Investors no longer feel they can trust their instincts to take risks,” said poll respondent David Young, a managing director for a broker dealer in New York. Young cited Obama’s efforts to trim bonuses and earnings, make health care his top priority over jobs and plans to tax “the rich or advantaged.

The poll also stated their concern that Obama has not appointed "a leading business executive for his cabinet or a top advisory role. In other words, Obama is not vested in private business. He WANTS YOU on his government payroll.

Wall Street Rally with Coakely Loss? Cramer Predicts Pelosi Politburo Emasculation

Cramer predicts a gigantic rally off a Coakley loss. Hilarious video. Pelosi Politburo emasculation coming Tuesday night...maybe.

h/t BreitbartTV

Wall Street Rally with Coakley Loss? (video)

Rosarno Italy Race Riots or Mafia or Fed-up with Foreign Migrants?

Have your heard about "race riots" in the town of Rosarno, Italy? But is this about race riots or the mafia or immigration? Immigrant homes have been bulldozed, and buses loaded with rioters sent on their way somewhere. Residents of the town are staying inside. Cars have been torched, at least one pushed into a wall with a mother and her children inside. Schools and businesses are closed. Here are a few reports to compare and contrast.

Woman stands her ground in Rosarno, Italy

This from the UK's MailOnline with this headline: Miigrant riot in Italy leaves 37 injured after series of beatings by white youths.

Violence broke out in southern Italy yesterday as hundreds of migrant workers, most of them Africans, went on a rampage in retaliation to two of their number being shot and three more beaten with iron bars by white youths.


Authorities reporting at least 37 were wounded in the ensuing clashes, including 18 police officers and five migrants, as the violence reached its second day in the coastal town of Rosarno in Calabria. 


The riots in the region were sparked off when when two migrants were wounded by pellet fire two days ago, starting the cycle of violence, said a top police official, Renato Cortese, in the regional capital.

A report from the Telegraph, published one day later than the MailOnline article says "nearly 70 people, including 30 immigrants, 19 police and 17 Italians were injured. "...two Africans from Togo and Nigeria were shot at with air rifles by locals.

On Thursday, hundreds of immigrants, most of them from sub-Saharan Africa, staged an angry demonstration against the shooting, setting fire to cars and rubbish bins, smashing shop windows and throwing rocks at police.

They carried placards which read "We are not animals" and "Italians are racist".

In a report filed from Rome, ChinaView says an "extraordinary summit was held today in an attempt to dientify Mafia connections in the "outbreak of racial riots" in Rosarno.

An inquiry is under way to identify possible Mafia responsibilities in the riots and exploitation of immigrant work in Rosarno. At least one clan-linked man was among those arrested for the attacks. 

According to the police, the Mafia may have taken advantage of the riots in order to distort attention from a recent failed bomb explosion at the prosecutor's office. 

The situation in Rosarno is now under control. More than 1,000 immigrants, mainly farm laborers from sub-Saharan Africa, either fled the area or were transferred to migrant centers during the weekend. Their dwellings have been bulldozed by the authorities. 

The government aims to move immigrants out of other high-crime areas near Naples and in Sicily. 

The Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said on Monday that all illegal refugees will be expelled from the country. In his view Rosarno's riots were the product of Italy's far too lenient immigration policy.

 Here is the view of Gates of Vienna:

Race riots have intensified in the town of Rosarno, Italy, where locals have attacked and even shot some of the illegal African immigrants in the area. The government blames the events on the excessive “tolerance” of recent years, but the Italian left sees evidence of Mafia control, poverty, intolerance, and racism.

Surprising that there is a government anywhere in the world today who believes excessive "tolerance" may breed problems, as Gates of Vienna mentioned, but the Interior Minister, Roberto Maroni said:

"In all these years illegal immigration has been tolerated without doing anything effective, an immigration that on the one hand has fed crime and on the other has led to situations of extreme squalor such as that at Rosarno."

Rosarno, located in Calabria near the top of the western edge of the toe of the boot of Italy, is the base of Ndrangheta, an international crime syndicate. Rosarno is a citrus-growing area, middle-class, and is experiencing its own economic crisis. This insight from The New York Times:

Both the official and underground economies increasingly rely on immigrants, while Italy remains torn between acceptance and xenophobia.

So, it is reasonable to assume that when mixing economic strife with a town with many foreign migrants - where there are no jobs for the locals - remember those "white youths," - no jobs for them, tensions are taunt. But this is Italy, so we have to add the Mafia to the mix.

Risk Double-Dipping Recession

There is the V-shaped recovery and the U-shaped recovery, and the mixing of green shoots and weeds. Will the recession double-dip itself? Is there a risk of double-dipping? Here's a snippet from a Financial Times op-ed:

Risk of Double-Dipping Recession

By Nouriel Roubini - Published: August 23 2009

There are three open questions now on the outlook.

When will the global recession be over? What will be the shape of the economic recovery? Are there risks of a relapse?

On the first question it looks like the global economy will bottom out in the second half of 2009. In many advanced economies (the US, UK, Spain, Italy and other eurozone members) and some emerging market economies (mostly in Europe) the recession will not be formally over before the end of the year, as green shoots are still mixed with weeds. In some other advanced economies (Australia, Germany, France and Japan) and most emerging markets (China, India, Brazil and other parts of Asia and Latin America) the recovery has already started.

On the second issue the debate is between those – most of the economic consensus – who expect a V-shaped recovery with a rapid return to growth and those – like myself – who believe it will be U-shaped, anaemic and below trend for at least a couple of years, after a couple of quarters of rapid growth driven by the restocking of inventories and a recovery of production from near Depression levels.

There are several arguments for a weak U-shaped recovery . Employment is still falling sharply in the US and elsewhere – in advanced economies, unemployment will be above 10 per cent by 2010. This is bad news for demand and bank losses, but also for workers’ skills, a key factor behind long-term labour productivity growth.

Read more

Stimulus Brings Worst Unemployment in Central New York Since 1990

By Lonely Conservative

The Syracuse Post Standard reports that unemployment in Central New York is higher than it has been since 1990. See video below.

Unemployment in the area was 8.6 percent in June, higher than it has been in any June since at least 1990, when the Labor Department changed its methodology for calculating the rate.

“Right now, we’re feeling the full effects of the recession because the job losses have spread from manufacturing to the other sectors,” said Karen Knapik-Scalzo, an economist with the department. “It’s become more widespread now.”

The jobless rate was up from 8 percent in May and 5.4 percent in June of last year. It matched that of the state but was below the nation’s unemployment rate of 9.7%”

Not only has Central New York lost 4,900 jobs since last June, the government added 700 jobs, so the net loss to the private sector is even worse than it seems. We, the taxpayers, have to pay for those 700 new government jobs somehow.

And we’re the lucky ones. Michigan’s unemployment rate is higher than 15%! Wasn’t Porkulus – aka the Generational Theft Act – supposed to stimulate the economy to keep people from losing their jobs? That’s what Barack Obama told us, over and over again. Now he’s singing a different tune, and his penchant for constantly appearing in front of cameras is starting to hurt him. The GOP is capitalizing on his vanity. Good for them.

Keep talking Obama, keep talking.

Pentagon Refuses Military FlyOver: Christianity the Problem

An organization in Idaho filed for permits for a military flyover, as they have done for 42 years. For 42 years the request was approved. In The Time of Obama, however, the Pentagon denied the God and Country Family Festival their ceremonial flyover.

Military FlyOver

Nampa, Idaho's 43rd Annual Treasure Valley God and Country Festival applied for the FAA permit, which was approved. The next step was the Pentagon application, which was denied. The denial came because the event was "Christian in nature," said the Pentagon, according to Reverend Patrick Mahoney on FOX News this morning, with Gretchen Carlson. Spokespersons for the God and Country Family Festival say while their organization is definitely "Christian in nature," but the flyover is a tribute "to the military and the freedoms that they stand for.

...we're honoring the military when we do that flyover, and that's why we do it. I think they made a bad decision.

Pam Baldwin, the executive director of The Interfaith Alliance of Idaho weighed in:

Everything is not about whether folks are Jews or Christians or Muslims," she said. "If people are saying that, they're probably looking for media attention or looking to disparage other faiths."

Baldwin questioned whether a flyover of the event would have been a prudent use of public resources, especially in light of the deep recession.

You know America, we must deal with this issue. The Constitution guarantees all Americans the freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. Non-believers and believers in other faiths are not free to take Christianity from us, or free to remove or deny the Christian principals that were integral to the founding of the United States and all of the history that brings us to today. The mountain of evidence cannot be shoved under the rug, or worse yet, be overturned (amended) within our founding documents unless we allow it. This is not the time and place to reiterate such evidence, but perhaps we should define just what being a Christian nation means, since President Obama has denied our Christianity as he has traveled around the world. I'll quote a Supreme Court justice from the best essay I have found on America's "Christian nature." The quote from WallBuilders is just a snippet of the documentation. I urge you to read the entire article, bookmark it for future reference and quote from it often:

Contemporary post-modern critics (including President Obama) who assert that America is not a Christian nation always refrain from offering any definition of what the term “Christian nation” means. So what is an accurate definition of that term as demonstrated by the American experience?

Contrary to what critics imply, a Christian nation is not one in which all citizens are Christians, or the laws require everyone to adhere to Christian theology, or all leaders are Christians, or any other such superficial measurement. As Supreme Court Justice David Brewer (1837-1910) explained:

[I]n what sense can [America] be called a Christian nation? Not in the sense that Christianity is the established religion or that the people are in any manner compelled to support it. On the contrary, the Constitution specifically provides that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Neither is it Christian in the sense that all its citizens are either in fact or name Christians. On the contrary, all religions have free scope within our borders. Numbers of our people profess other religions, and many reject all. Nor is it Christian in the sense that a profession of Christianity is a condition of holding office or otherwise engaging in public service, or essential to recognition either politically or socially. In fact, the government as a legal organization is independent of all religions. Nevertheless, we constantly speak of this republic as a Christian nation – in fact, as the leading Christian nation of the world. ⁸

So, if being a Christian nation is not based on any of the above criterion, then what makes America a Christian nation? According to Justice Brewer, America was “of all the nations in the world . . . most justly called a Christian nation” because Christianity “has so largely shaped and molded it.” ⁹

Back to the Treasure Valley God and Country Family Festival, no doubt we will begin hearing that the Pentagon doesn't have the funds for the flyovers. Since Pentagon flyovers are always intended to salute our military and patriotism, and are usually accompanied by the National Anthem, I suggest we pull all the pork necessary from earmarks out of the budget and the stimulus to fund legitimate flyovers. Or cancel the Obama's Wednesday night cocktail parties.

Boehner and Hoyer on Fox News Sunday: Boehner: Defending the Simulus (Video)

Listen to Boehner tell Hoyer that Republicans were not opposed to a stimulus, they were opposed to the Democrat's stimulus. Saying that jobs should have been created by small businesses as Republicans proposed, Obama and Hoyer bray about th teachers and firefighters who have not lost their jobs. The fact is, few jobs have been created, basically no sustainable jobs have been created, but...well one job created by stimulus funds is...innovative??? The show opens with this video within the video, of how a town used their stimulus windfall. Rep. John Boehner key quote: "Trust small business and the American people to invest their own money." In response to Rep. Steny Hoyer's whine that the Democrats inherited this terrible economy, my hubby points out that the Democrats had been in power for two years before Barack Obama came to the Oval Office, and sat in the Senate those two years.

Boehner and Hoyer on Fox News Sunday

Peggy Noonan Figures Out How Most Americans Already Live

Cross posted from The Lonely Conservative

There are times I read Peggy Noonan’s columns and can barely believe she once worked for Ronald Reagan. It’s as if she’s been living in a bubble for far too long. She’s not the only one. I think the entire political class has been in that bubble with her.

Ms. Noonan’s column in this morning’s Wall Street Journal was a bit depressing when I read it.

More predictions. The cities and suburbs of America are about to get rougher-looking. This will not be all bad. There will be a certain authenticity chic. Storefronts, pristine buildings—all will spend less on upkeep, and gleam less. So will humans. People will be allowed to grow old again. There will be a certain liberation in this. There will be fewer facelifts and browlifts, less Botox, less dyed hair among both men and women.

They will look more like people used to look, before perfection came in. Middle-aged bodies will be thicker and softer, with more maternal and paternal give. There will be fewer gyms and fewer trainers, but more walking. Gym machines produced the pumped and cut look. They won’t be so affordable now.

I forgot about the column while I went about my day. We took the kids to a Syracuse Chiefs baseball game. We sat next to the man my son nicknamed “Robbie the Trash Talker.” My husband, his friends and my son started with the cat calls. It was such fun!

We talked to a guy who served in Afghanistan. He heard me say I was going to use my birthday money to buy a blackberry. He showed me his blackberry and somehow I found out it cost his girlfriend $600 to call him on Christmas Eve while he was in Afghanistan. If I had $600 in my pocket I probably would have given it to them.

Regardless, we had some laughs and I was thrilled to be sitting with someone who served our country. We always have a blast at the Chiefs games. The stadium is easy to get to and never too crowded. I prefer it over the big ball parks in New York City and Philadelphia. Other than paying $4 for a Diet Coke there were no complaints. Even our four year old, who normally has plenty of complaints, was all smiles all afternoon.

Which brings me back to Peggy Noonan. My family is a middle class family. Years ago we decided to stop vacationing if it meant incurring more debt. If we wanted to really stretch our budget we could probably afford a larger house, fancier cars and nicer clothes. But those things really don’t mean that much to us. An afternoon watching a farm team play baseball is good enough for us. Always has been and always will be. Welcome to America, Ms. Noonan. (By the way - the Chiefs won!)

Mexico Retaliates - Higher Tariffs for U.S. = Higher Prices for U.S.

The Obama administration thumbed it's nose at the U.S.'s third largest trading partner, closed the southern border to Mexican trucking and violated the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)...and Mexico didn't take it lightly.

Higher Tariffs thanks to Unions

Continuing payback to the Unions (Teamsters in this case) who brought him and all Democrats to the dance, The Wall Street Journal reports that Congress "killed" the NAFTA pilot program.

Trade wars are never pretty. But given the downturn in demand that already exists in the U.S. economy, this one could be ugly, and dangerous. Mexico is the U.S.'s third largest trading partner and the new tariffs will affect some $2.4 billion in goods across 40 states.

California, an important supplier of fresh fruits, dried fruits and nuts to Mexico, will be hit hard. Table grapes will face a 45% duty at the Mexican border; wine, almonds and juices among other agricultural products will pay 20%. Some 90% of Christmas-tree exports from California and 65% from Oregon go to Mexico. It's doubtful volumes will hold up beneath a 20% tariff. Alongside Oregon, Washington state will pay dearly to protect the Teamsters. Four out of 10 pears that the U.S. exports go to Mexico and half of those come from Washington. Under the new rules, American pears now face a 20% tariff, as do a host of paper products from the Pacific Northwest and Wisconsin. Wisconsin's scrap battery industry, which exports $128 million annually to Mexico, won't be as competitive after it pays a 20% tariff. Nor will New York's $24 million annual exports in personal hygiene products or its exports of $250 million in precious-metals jewelry. President Obama's home state of Illinois can't be happy to learn it will lose competitiveness under a 20% tariff on its plastic tableware and kitchenware exports to Mexico ($57 million annually) and on its printed leaflets and brochures ($68.7 million). North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan sponsored the amendment that closed the border and his constituents will pay. North Dakota only exports $1 million in oil seeds annually but 80% of that goes to Mexico. They now face a 15% tariff. With the cost of imported U.S. products now higher, Mexicans will substitute these U.S. brands with products from Europe, Canada and Latin America. The retaliation appears to take care not to punish Mexican consumers or producers nor give new protection to any special interest in the domestic market. Its purpose is to focus Washington on its Nafta commitments. While Americans wait for that moment, U.S. exporters will lose market share. That will put more American jobs, household incomes, and, yes, even mortgage payments at risk. President Obama said earlier this week that he wants to work with Congress to see if he can reopen the border. When he sees how much banning trucks is going to cost the flat U.S. economy, he may want to step on it

What is this President thinking? Now he wants to reopen the border??? Is this what Biden meant when he said Obama would be tested in his first six months of office...bring change, stick your finger in the air - test the populace winds, test fails, bring change again by changing it all back.

Tariffs, tax hikes - check this out. Graphic credit

Puzzled In Gaza

By Findalis The world has been screaming about the horror that Gaza has become due to Operation Cast Lead. That it is all in shambles, thousands of innocent civilians were wounded, hundreds of innocent civilians were killed. That the Israelis are the worse people on Earth since the Nazis. This sentiment has been echoed from the highest levels of many governments. Voices like Tony Blair, Hillary Clinton and President Obama. Congressmen Ellison and Baird plus that perennial loser John Kerry, have echoed these remarks, shouting that the time has come to cut off all funding from Israel. But they did not see the real picture that is Gaza. Only the Pallywood version that they were allowed to be shown.

What I saw was that there had been precision attacks made on all of Hamas' infrastructure. Does UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon criticize the surgical destruction of the explosives cache in the Imad Akhel Mosque, of the National Forces compound, of the Shi Jaya police station, of the Ministry of Prisoners? The Gazans I met weren't mourning the police state. Neither were they radicalized. As Hamas blackshirts menaced the street corners, I witnessed how passersby ignored them. THERE WERE empty beds at Shifa Hospital and a threatening atmosphere. Hamas is reduced to wielding its unchallengeable authority from extensive air raid shelters which, together with the hospital, were built by Israel 30 years ago. Terrorized Gazans used doublespeak when they told me most of the alleged 5,500 wounded were being treated in Egypt and Jordan. They want it known that the figure is a lie, and showed me that the wounded weren't in Gaza. No evidence exists of their presence in foreign hospitals, or of how they might have gotten there. From the mansions of the Abu Ayida family at Jebala Rayes to Tallel Howa (Gaza City's densest residential area), Gazans contradicted allegations that Israel had murderously attacked civilians. They told me again and again that both civilians and Hamas fighters had evacuated safely from areas of Hamas activity in response to Israeli telephone calls, leaflets and megaphone warnings. Seeing Al-Fakhora made it impossible to understand how UN and press reports could ever have alleged that the UNWRA school had been hit by Israeli shells. The school, like most of Gaza, was visibly intact. I was shown where Hamas had been firing from nearby, and the Israeli missile's marks on the road outside the school were unmistakable. When I met Mona al-Ashkor, one of the 40 people injured running toward Al-Fakhora - rather than inside it as widely and persistently reported - I was told that Israel had warned people not to take shelter in the school because Hamas was operating in the area, and that some people had ignored the warning because UNWRA previously told them that the school would be safe. Press reports that fatalities numbered 40 were denied. I WAS TOLD stories at Samouni Street which contradicted each other, what I saw and later media accounts. Examples of these inconsistencies are that 24, 31, 34 or more members of the Fatah Samouni family had died. That all the deaths occurred when Israel bombed the safe building it had told 160 family members to shelter in; the safe building was pointed out to me but looked externally intact and washing was still hanging on a line on one of its balconies. That some left the safe building and were shot in another house. That one was shot when outside collecting firewood. That there was no resistance - but the top right hand window of the safe building (which appears in a BBC Panorama film Out of the Ruins" aired February 8) has a black mark above it - a sign I was shown all day of weaponry having been fired from inside. That victims were left bleeding for two or three days. The media have manufactured and examined allegations that Israel committed a war crime against the Samounis without mentioning that the family are Fatah and that some of its members are still missing. They have not considered what might flow from those facts: that Hamas might have been active not only in the Samouni killings but in the exertion of force on the Samounis to accuse Israel. THE GAZA I saw was societally intact. There were no homeless, walking wounded, hungry or underdressed people. The streets were busy, shops were hung with embroidered dresses and gigantic cooking pots, the markets were full of fresh meat and beautiful produce - the red radishes were bigger than grapefruits. Mothers accompanied by a 13-year-old boy told me they were bored of leaving home to sit on rubble all day to tell the press how they'd survived. Women graduates I met in Shijaya spoke of education as power as old men watched over them. No one praised their government as they showed me the sites of tunnels where fighters had melted away. No one declared Hamas victorious for creating a forced civilian front line as they showed me the remains of booby trapped homes and schools. From what I saw and was told in Gaza, Operation Cast Lead pinpointed a totalitarian regime's power bases and largely neutralized Hamas's plans to make Israel its tool for the sacrifice of civilian life.

What the writer saw and heard was the truth. Not what Hamas wanted the world to see, but the actual truth behind what happened. But the Moonbats in the world will only listen to Hamas' lies and scream out that there was an atrocity committed in Gaza by the Israelis. And what does the US government do? The allocate $900 million for Gaza reconstruction. Almost a Billion Dollars to flow into the hands of Hamas. A Billion Dollars for weapons, for rockets, for terrorizing innocent Israelis. A Billion Dollars to steal and put in their personal Swiss Bank Accounts. And yet, this same administration cannot find a single dollar to help rebuild the City of New Orleans, especially the lower 9th Ward. And where does the US get this money from? You guess it. The American Tax Payer. Congratulations America! You have a new partner in the world: Hamas! I am sure you are all very happy with this idea and will take them into your bosom. After all, they will now be your biggest partners in your War against Terror, War against Islamic Fascism, War on Israel. How wonderful for you!

Obamas Wall Street War Declaration: Cavuto and Payne

Neil Cavuto and Charles Payne, from Fox Business Network, discuss the realities of President Obama's message in his February 24th address to the nation. See the video below.

Charles Payne (Photo)

Listen to Payne and see what Obama said that made Payne respond with this:

He [Obama] knows when he is harming someone, or something, deliberately - that was a low vicious blow and so off the mark.

Neil Cavuto and Charles Payne (Video)

Read the text of President Obama's address to the Joint Session of Congress here.

America Acting Like Wild Pigs

I read the following on a new friend's Facebook page. It's all too familiar. While Conservatives gritch about Bobby Jindal's performance after Obama's major, nationwide rehash, we are ignoring the gate closing on all that we know to be American.

Pigs Penned-in (Photo)

America Acting Like Pigs

A chemistry professor in a large college had some exchange students in the class. One day while the class was in the lab, the professor noticed one young man (exchange student) who kept rubbing his back and stretching as if his back hurt. The professor asked the young man what was the matter. The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country's government and install a new communist government. In the midst of his story he looked at the professor and asked a strange question. He asked, 'Do you know how to catch wild pigs?'

The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line. The young man said this was no joke. 'You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again and you put up another side of the fence. They get used to that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in the last side.

The pigs, who are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat, you slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd. Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity.

The young man then told the professor that is exactly what he sees happening to America. The government keeps pushing us toward socialism and keeps spreading the free corn out in the form of programs such as supplemental income, tax credit for unearned income, tobacco subsidies, dairy subsidies, payments not to plant crops (CRP), welfare, medicine, drugs, etc.. While we continually lose our freedoms -- just a little at a time.

One should always remember: There is no such thing as a free lunch! Also, a politician will never provide a service for you cheaper than you can do it yourself. Also, if you see that all of this wonderful government 'help' is a problem confronting the future of democracy in America, you might want to send this on to your friends. If you think the free ride is essential to your way of life, then you will probably delete this email, but God help you when the gate slams shut! Keep your eyes on the newly elected politicians who are about to slam the gate on America. "A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have" Thomas Jefferson

Article End

Jim Inhofe: America Loses Economic Freedoms

Senator Jim Inhofe (D-OK) talks about what passing President Obama's stimulus means to America. Photos and video below.

Senator Jim Inhofe (Video)

This video is a "must" watch. As always, Inhofe is bluntly honest. He talks about what history should have taught America, but obviously did not. Read a list of the stimulus pork here.

Tom Coburn: Final Stimulus Pork (Video)

Senator Tom Coburn has been a champion for America by fighting President Obama's stimulus bill to the bitter end. He is considered the only person in Congress to actually have read the entire bill. Please send a "thank you" email to Senator Coburn if you have time. He attempted to protect all Americans, not just his Oklahoma constituents. Photos and video below.

Senator Tom Coburn

Another Oklahoma Senator, Jim Inhofe, has fought this fight for America also. Please watch his frank and honest video talking about the final stimulus bill, and how America lost her economic freedom. The following "details" the the fat, the pork, and yes...the unnamed earmarks. From Senator Tom Coburn on the "waste" in the Stimulus Bill - February 13, 2009 Waste: • INCLUDES a $1 billion earmark for the “FutureGen” near zero emission sci-fi plant in Matoon, Illinois that is a pet project of Senator Durbin and disgraced former governor Rod Blagojevich. The Washington Post has called the project “prohibitively expense” and scientists at MIT oppose the project. See February 13, 2009 Washington Post story “Despite Pledges, Package Has Some Pork” • INCLUDES House language that funds a back-door effort to socialize medicine and set up UK-style health care rationing in the United States. The $1.1 billion in the bill for “comparative effectiveness research” will help establish a government board that will make life and death medical decisions about health care cost and treatments. (Page 52 of House Conference Report) • SCALES BACK Coburn amendment 309 (accepted by the Senate 73-24) that prohibited stimulus money to be spent on casinos, zoos, golf courses, swimming pools, parks, museums, theaters, or highways beautification projects. The final bill RETAINS language excluding funding for any casino or other gambling establishment, aquarium, zoo, golf course, or swimming pool. The final bill NOW ALLOWS funds to go to a museum, stadium, arts center, theater, park, or highway beautification project. This opens the back door to fund the notorious Mob Museum in Las Vegas, which would otherwise had not be able to receive stimulus money. (SEC. 1604) • GUTS Coburn amendment 176 (accepted by the Senate 97-0) that required all contracts, grants and cooperative agreements awarded under this Act to be competitively bid. The final bill merely says contracts should be awarded with competitive procedures "to the maximum extent possible." This will allow lawmakers to simply “phonemark” billions in spending to pet projects with zero transparency and accountability. (SEC. 1554-1555) The “good” news. The final bill: • RETAINS Coburn amendment 109 striking the $246 million earmark for Hollywood movie producers. • RETAINS Coburn amendment 109 striking the $246 million earmark for Hollywood movie producers. Wasteful and Non-Stimulative Spending in the House-Senate Conference Report (Note: Many of these items are typically debated and funded through the regular budget process. Including these items in an emergency “stimulus” spending bill plays an Enron-style shell game with taxpayer dollars. We’re borrowing from the next generation to avoid tough budget choices today.) • $8 billion for high-speed railway (including an earmark for an Los Angeles to Las Vegas MagLev) • $1 billion for the “FutureGen” not-ready-for-primetime near zero emission plant in Illinois • $53.6 billion for the “state stabilization” slush fund • $1.3 billion for Amtrak... • $24 million for USDA buildings and rent • $176 million for renovating Agricultural Research Service buildings • $290 million for flood prevention activities • $50 million for watershed rehabilitation • $1.4 billion for wastewater disposal programs • $295 million for administrative expenses associated with food stamp program • $1 billion for the 2010 Census • $200 million for public computer centers at community colleges and libraries • $650 million for the DTV converter box coupon program • $360 million for construction of NIST buildings • $830 million for NOAA research and facilities • $2 billion for Byrne JAG program • $10 million to combat Mexican gunrunners • $125 million for rural communities to combat drug crimes • $1 billion for the COPS program • $1 billion for NASA • $300 million to purchase scientific instruments for colleges and museums • $400 million for equipment and facilities at the NSF • $3.7 billion to conduct "green" renovations on military bases • $375 million for Mississippi River projects • $10 million for urban canals • $5 billion for weatherizing buildings • $2 billion to develop advanced batteries for hybrid cars • $3.4 billion for fossil energy research (possibly including an earmark for FutureGen) • $5.1 billion for environmental cleanup around military bases • $5.5 billion for "green" federal buildings • $300 million for "green" cars for federal employees • $20 million for IT upgrades at the Small Business Administration • $200 million to design and furnish DHS headquarters • $210 million for State and local fire stations • $125 million to restore trails and abandoned mines • $146 million for trail maintenance at National Park Service sites • $140 million for volcano monitoring systems • $600 million for the EPA Superfund environmental cleanup program • $200 million to clean up leaking underground storage tanks • $500 million for forest health and wildfire prevention • $25 million for the Smithsonian Institution • $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts • $1.2 billion for "youth activities" (for "youth" up to 24 years old) • $500 million earmark for NIH facilities in Bethesda, MD • $1 billion for Head Start • $32 million for home-delivered nutrition services • $160 million for volunteer programs at the Corporation for National and Community Service • $500 million earmark for the SSA National Computer Center in MD • $220 million for the International Boundary and Water Commission, U.S. and Mexico The links below are to the House version of the stimulus bill. As soon as the Senate version is available, and the final compromise, I'll link it here. House Stimulus Conference: Text of the Conference Report - Division A

Text of the Conference Report - Division B

Joint Explanatory Statement - Division A

Joint Explanatory Statement - Division B

Read more about the final stimulus bill vote

Who Ran on America's Money Markets? Is this How Obama got Elected?

This week I posted on Representative Paul Kanjorski's comments on a C-SPAN program on January 27th. He made some extraordinary claims which in summary and paraphrase were that on September 15th, 2008 someone began a drain of America's money market system.

Representative Paul Kanjorski (Photo)

According to Kanjorski in less than two hours, $550 billion disappeared from money market accounts across America. The Treasury deposited $150 billion into the system, and realized that they could not stop the drain, so they shut down all money market transactions. According to Kanjorski, if the Feds had not taken action, we would have lost $5.5 trillion dollars in a three hour time period - which he said would have caused political and financial collapse in America and around the world. Let that sink in.

Financial collapse, of a sort, we are dealing with currently, and anything worse would be unthinkable...but political collapse - perhaps losing our freedom and our country to...some petty, wealthy dictator, perhaps? I haven't a clue but it is worth mulling over. Rush Limbaugh discussed this a couple of days ago. He speculated on who would want to destroy the American economy. He theorized George Soros and/or other foreign countries - just his speculation. He also theorized that it all happened to bring down the economy and get Barack Obama elected.

George Soros (Photo)

Here's a quote from Soros from late January 2009:

The Independent - January 29, 2009 One of the world's leading investors and the man famed for "breaking the Bank of England" in 1992, George Soros, told the World Economic Forum yesterday that the current financial crisis is even worse than what was experienced during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Mr Soros also revealed that he has once again been selling sterling short, though he has now stopped betting against the pound. In a pessimistic tour d'horizon of global prospects, Mr Soros added that he did not think that America would return to robust 3 per cent growth for a decade.

No one in an official capacity is talking about this. That, in itself is astonishing. We have no one denying it or confirming it. When the few pieces we have are put together, things get, as blogger Pat Dollard said, "creepy." Creepy and terrifying. Dollard has had a few busy days. He has culled some press reports that relate the story behind the fall of the Bank of England, and George Soros is known as The Guy Who Broke the Bank of England. As Dollard's news pieces come together, we are reminded of the rumors of George Soros' hand in the Georgia-Russia War. Here are a few snippets:

In 2004, Soros, using his “Democracy Alliance,” which represented nothing more than a hostile takeover of the Democratic Party by globalist forces represented by Soros and his friends, pooled and bundled campaign contributions for a number of Democratic candidates, earning him the same loyalty that similar bribes bought him in Georgia.

In the above snippet, it goes on to detail how the anti-Halliburton campaign was launched and how Soros benefitted by the company's stock downturn.

As the result of the Soros effort against Halliburton, the company’s stock plummeted from $40 a share to $26 a share. Soros, a longtime hedge fund and currency speculator who profits from crises and financial collapses, bought 2 million shares of Halliburton at its low share price of $26 per share.

Don't you know he took great joy at the misery he caused many people involved with Halliburton. How many times, with how many companies has this happened? What else do we not know? When did the Treasury open the system again? Can it happen again? I think we should know.

Then there's the part about Soros and "democracy manipulation." If you are not afraid of being called a "conspiracy theorist," or a "truther," then you should read Pat Dollards work on this. I'm adding Kanjorski's C-SPAN video here for your convenience. Give this some thought: someone tried to empty money market funds. And no one is talking. Are you as concerned as I? There was a time when we knew we could demand answers, and we would probably get them. Today we are far from that place. We are living in a time of secrecy and darkness and I think nothing is really as it seems. Thanks to Holger Awakens who emailed the links and participated in some brainstorming with me. Read the whole story, including some interesting information about Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), at Pat Dollard.com. Please visit Pat for the full story. He has done some amazing work. Note: Limbaugh mentioned that Kanjorski may be exaggerating. We need to remember that this is C-SPAN, not some morning talk show. I believe we should take this seriously. If Kanjorski is making this up, someone would be crying foul.

Representative Kanjorski on C-SPAN (Video)

Obama Administration: Senate Charges of "Mumbo Jumbo"

Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) is quoted in The Hill as saying Obama's incoming OMB (Office of Management and Budget) director, Peter Orszag, was speaking "mumbo jumbo" during his Senate Budget Committee confirmation hearing.

Orszag had little to say during Tuesday’s hearing on how the incoming administration would spend the second half of the $700 billion financial rescue package, known as the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), or specifics regarding the economic stimulus package being drafted. “We’ll have much more to say in mid-to-late February when the economic and budget overview is released,” Orszag told the panel. Nelson went even further, blasting Obama’s senior economic adviser, Lawrence Summers, for also failing to divulge the administration’s plans during a meeting over the weekend with Democrats. The discussion on Sunday was devoid of details with Mr. Summers. When are we going to get those details?” said Nelson.

Orszag laid out the administration's priorities in order of importance: healthcare, energy, education, and support for the middle class, saying that Obama "would like to dramatically expand health coverage to a universal status. Orszag acknowledged that Obama's plans are a "threat" to the country's long-term fiscal health.

"Over the long term, Orszag warned, the federal budget is on an unsustainable path."

Well, we see nothing of this administration attempting to cut spending. The last Congress was accused of spending money like a drunken sailor - and G.W. bore the weight of the charge. I'm thinking that Bush will continue to bear the brunt of our country's abuse of "the people's money" even as a private citizen living somewhere in Texas.

What is He Thinking?

 Here's a first-class rant cross-posted from The Lonely Conservative

Barack Obama

As I watched Barack Obama’s latest press conference I kept going back to my impressions of him during the campaign - he looks like a student. Not exactly a big confidence builder. I was reminded of a piece Allen wrote a while ago - He’s not a bad man, he’s just stupid.

No, I don’t think Barack Obama is a bad man. I think he really believes he can build a perpetual motion machine. I hear in his voice the faith that he can overcome the laws of economics, and physics, and human nature. This naiveté is great for philosophers but dangerous in politicians. It’s dangerous because we expect our leaders to protect us from rain makers, snake oil salesmen, and faith healers. We don’t expect them to be of that ilk.

Sadly, it seems Mr. Obama is worse than the old snake oil salesman. He’s even worse than Bernard Madoff. At least Madoff’s victims all willingly signed up for the too-good-to-be-true. Fifty-seven million Americans didn’t sign up for Mr. Obama’s programs, nor did our children or grandchildren, but we will all be stuck paying the tab for decades to come. Michelle Malkin nailed it when she called his proposed stimulus package The Generational Theft Act of 2009. Obama’s line about seeking out Marxist professors also sticks in my mind.

I’ve never heard a quote where he said to balance the Marxists he sought out supply-side economics professors, of the FA Hayek ilk. While dreaming up his grand plans to control the economy, does he ever take the time to read economic theory that’s counter to the Marxists?  
 He made sure he mentioned that he inherited the $1.2 trillion deficit. No reporter thought to ask him why he didn’t do something about that while he was a voting member of the US Senate. The last time I checked Congress controls the purse strings, the President just signs spending bills when they land on his desk. It also would have been nice if a reporter had asked whether the $700 billion TARP program is included in the $1.2 trillion deficit, and if it’s included, whether they’re accounting for the revenue to the Treasury that program is generating. They’ve already realized a gain of $8 billion or 4%. According to the Wall Street Journal “if you annualize TARP’s return on the assumption that it will continue to succeed, it would add up to a roughly 16% return on that initial $200 billion investment a year.” Sure, Obama’s promising more “investment”.

But what will he invest in? Unproven green technology that may be more expensive than current technology? 600,000 government jobs? He said the deficit will expand into the trillions (note this is plural of trillion) in the months to come. From what I’ve heard, it sounds more like he plans to just spend, not invest, a great deal of our money.

Finally, the media could have redeemed themselves by asking whether his constant attacks on the US economy over the past year or two could possibly have had anything at all to do with the current situation. Think about it. Americans were hearing for months and months that our economy was failing. Responsible Americans stopped spending money and started saving. What happens when we stop spending our money on goods and services?

What Mr. Obama doesn’t seem to understand is that the more money Americans have in our pockets the more we spend. In other words, when we use the fruits of our labor to purchase things we desire we are ”spreading the wealth around.” What happens when politicians promise small business owners that their taxes are going to increase? They lay people off. They stop “spreading the wealth around.” Unless Mr. Obama starts to understand these simple principles we, our children and the children who are yet to be born are in for a world of hurt.

Herman Cain's Intelligent Thinkers Movement: Where's the Defending Fathers?

"We the people" get one day every two years to change Congress - Election Day. We get three days every six years to change one-third of the Senate. And we get one day every four years to change presidents. The rest of the time the people's influence is pimped by silly and self-serving polls,...

Herman Cain is one of the fiesty "talkers" that says what he means and means what he says. He says he is starting a new initiative to Take our Country Back, and he's willing to do far fewer opinion columns to make this new grassroots initiative work. So one more initiative. Well, that's okay by me because I believe Herman Cain will work it and work it hard. I was energized when I read that Herman Cain reiterated his support of the Fair Tax. Now that's intelligent thinking, and not only does this initiative include passage of the Fair Tax, but also "no new or higher taxes." Here are a few details: The name: The Intelligent Thinkers Movement (HITM - Herman's Intelligent Thinkers Movement) or (hermanator's Intelligent Thinker Movement). What HITM is not: . This is NOT a republican, democrat, libertarian, conservative, liberal, or progressives movement. This is a “we the people” movement. I understand that this is a "we the people" movement, but I doubt we'll get much help from liberals or progressives. KEY ISSUES (NEET): National Security, Economy, Energy Independence, Tsunami Spending, Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness I would like to see the letter "T" in the acronym, specifically for taxes - maybe make it NEETS. Let the "T" stand for taxes, and an "S" for spending.

Few legislative proposals move through Congress “clean”. They are usually a hodgepodge of proposals attached to major proposals using a procedural mechanism called earmarks. “We the people” never hear about most of these until after the fact, because they can not be easily explained in a media sound-bite.

This is why bad laws continue to get passed and federal spending has only an upward momentum.

C.A.I.N. Alerts - Citizen Activists Informed Network:

We will keep the Alerts simple, which is the exact opposite of the legislative process. The Alerts will be activated at critical times in the legislative process, and on HITM key issues or related pieces

I like the idea of legislative alerts that pertain only to the issues: homeland security, the economy, energy and government spending. Again, I would like to see the letter "T" in the acronym specifically for taxes. I have been swamped by alerts that seem hopeless to keep up with. Perhaps this will tame the tiger and give better and more focused direction. A part of this Movement is:

The fight against Islamic Fascism is global. Fight it wherever it is a threat to the United States of America. Let our intelligence agencies do their jobs

And to accomplish this:

A strong military – Defense spending should be used more effectively, but never cut below 4% of GDP.

Here is Cain's assessment of why he thinks we have a chance to Take Our Country Back:

We don’t need all 306 million citizens to be successful. We only need 100,000 voters per Congressional district for them to “see the light”.

The nice people at North Star Writers Group syndicate Mr. Cain's column. Here's a portion of his column. You can read it all at North Star Writer's Group.

The voice of “we the people” has been hijacked by partisan politics, government bureaucrats and the influence of money on elections and legislation. To take back our government, we must be able to un-elect members of Congress on a timely basis, and dramatically influence their decisions while they are in office. Because of the proliferation of biased media reporting, gullible voters and too many in Congress who willingly and intentionally mislead the public, “we the people” must be able to provide succinct and intelligent feedback to specific members of Congress frequently and persistently. Then, we can hold them accountable intelligently at election time, which is our only leverage for holding their feet to the fire.

Cain says that "the Founding Fathers did their job. They founded this nation. And most of us have benefited from the constitutional architecture they created." A caller to his radio show asked: "Where are the Defending Fathers?" My answer is that we have none. What we have are Democrats in both Houses defending against our Constitution, and that makes this a perilous time in America's history. Take a look at Cain's Movement and let me know what you think. There are no fees to join.

JOIN Hermanator’s Intelligent Thinkers Movement (HITM)

You must know your nine digit postal zip code. Those 9-digits can be found on incoming mail to your home or business. This information will allow you to correctly identify your U.S. Representative and Senators. JOIN NOW!

“Them that’s going get on the wagon. Them that ain’t get out of the way.”

I'm fighting the urge to feel hopeless about this battle. I'll give this a try.