Observations about trust - a short one
I have a very simple rule regarding trust for friends and family. I trust them recognizing that they, like myself, can be mistaken or fooled. It's a whole lot easier to trust those I know than to bother with doubts. I have been stung a very few times, but as I have always said, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." It simply makes sense and I don't believe I’ve ever been fooled twice.
As far as those who are not family or friends:
I believe nothing I hear on TV, radio, movies or the Internet that does not make logical sense to me or I cannot personally prove, especially if it doesn't pass a scientific test. That's the basics, math, physics, and chemistry.
I believe nothing I hear from the so called, "unbiased" main stream media that I don't personally know to be true from other sources. Their biggest lie is not reporting or minimizing news that does not promote their leftist agenda.
I believe nothing any politician says, ever. Even things that make sense to my logical mind. I always think there must be something I'm missing, usually about who is the real beneficiary and where the money is going.
Major Disappointments:
I am particularly distressed when I hear these man-on-the-street questions that stump so many Americans, particularly about our government. These interviews usually conducted by late night TV or talk radio make me wonder if those people being interviewed ever attended any school or read anything but advertising copy in their entire life.
Then there are the political fiascos like the senate race in Minnesota. How anyone could vote for that idiotic failed comedian and caricature of a human, Al Franken, for the US Senate is beyond my comprehension. Then watching the blatant vote fraud conducted by Democrats who used the recount process to "find" more than a thousand "misplaced" ballots, all for Franken, even finding more ballots for two precincts than there were voters in those precincts. Of course, as soon as they produced enough votes to push Franken over Stevens, the Democrat secretary of state certified the election and pronounced Franken the winner.
For my money the Democrat party is totally corrupt, buying and manufacturing votes with total impunity, right out of the Cook County IL Democrat machine play book. Meanwhile their coconspirators in the "unbiased" main stream media completely ignore these blatant unethical if not illegal activities and fawn over Obama and his wife. Our new President obviously was and probably still is involved up to his eyeballs in Cook County Democrat machine crooked politics. Of course the MSM (Main Stream Media) will never even breathe any of this so it has to be found from other more reliable sources.
I hate to admit it, but many Republicans are as crooked and self serving as their Democrat counterparts. Unfortunately they are amateurs at vote stealing and don't have the adoration of the MSM so they are quite unpopular.
I am amazed at how the American people seem to accept all this criminal activity as normal and acceptable. I guess the new Americans believe that the way to get what you want is to lie, cheat and steal. It’s all right as long as you don’t get caught or are a Democrat politician and get a pass. Perhaps that is the new American ethic replacing the old hard work ethic of previous generations of Americans and new immigrants. Never in our history have so many politicians become so wealthy so fast as Democrats like the Clintons, Reid, Pelosi, Raines, Obama, and others. I wonder where all that sudden new wealth came from—I mean really came from, not the conveniently opportune immediate source. The real sources are doubtless hidden by several untraceable steps. No wonder there are so many felons and criminally indicted in the halls of our nation’s federal buildings. It seems like criminal accusations and indictments are almost a testimonial for so many Democrats. There are so many it would be foolish fo me to list them here. They run continuously from Bobby Baker (remember, he took a fall for Lyndon Johnson) to Jessie Jackson’s protégée, Mel Reynolds (sent to prison for bank fraud and having sex with a minor) to William Jefferson from Louisiana (unexplained $100,000 found in his freezer - is he still in Congress?). How about Barney Frank having a male prostitution ring run from his home? (He says he knew nothing about it, snicker, snicker.) Any Republican or Conservative in these circumstances would have been hung, drawn, quartered, and boiled in oil by the main stream media.
To refresh you memories check out these websites:
Bobby Baker - . . . http://http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=4332
Mel Reynolds - . . . http://http://baic.house.gov/member-profiles/profile.html?intID=57
William Jefferson - . . . http:///theoryequalsdogma.blogspot.com/2008/12/congressman-money-in-freezer-william.html
Barney Frank - . . . http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,958598,00.html
Some interesting quotes:
* "[Karl] Marx never did a day of work in his life, and never took the trouble to find out how a worker really feels when on the job. He naturally assumed that workers were a lesser breed of intellectuals."
--Eric Hoffer
* "Natural science does not consist in ratifying what others have said, but in seeking the causes of phenomena."
--Saint Albertus Magnus
* "More tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered ones."
--St. Teresa of Avila
* "Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead."
--G. K. Chesterton.
* "You shall not go about spreading slander among your kinsmen; nor shall you stand by idly when your neighbor's life is at stake. I am the LORD."
--Leviticus Chapter 19:16 NAB.
* "Every former protester I know passionately defends the actions of the 1960s and early '70s as "exercising our First-Amendment right to criticize government policies." None seems to have read the First Amendment to the end where it speaks about "peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government." More importantly, even in their advanced years, many seem incapable to confront the reality of having served the interest of America's enemies."
--Balint Vazsonyi.
* "The sick in soul insist that it is humanity that is sick, and they are the surgeons to operate on it. They want to turn the world into a sickroom. And once they get humanity strapped to the operating table, they operate on it with an ax."
--Eric Hoffer.
* "Enlightened people seldom or never possess a sense of responsibility"
--George Orwell.
* "Where is all the knowledge we lost with information?"
--T. S. Eliot.
* "There’s no such thing as life without bloodshed. I think the notion that the species can be improved in some way, that everyone could live in harmony, is a really dangerous idea. Those who are afflicted with this notion are the first ones to give up their souls, their freedom."
--Cormac McCarthy.
* "If there were no God, there would be no atheists."
--G. K. Chesterton
* "We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution is designed only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for any other."
--John Adams
* "In children we have an innocent audience not yet hardened and brutalized and made cynical. They look to us trustingly for information and enchantment. How very few of us are worthy of such trust.”
--Sterling North
* "A trained flea can be taught to do most the things a congressman does.
--Mark Twain
* "Add a few drops of venom to a half truth and you have an absolute truth."
--Eric Hoffer
* "Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away."
--Philip K. Dick
* "With our progress we have destroyed our only weapon against tedium: that rare weakness we call imagination."
--Oriana Fallaci
* "Hollywood has unfortunately become a memory. It's nothing but a sign on the side of a hill."
--Mickey Rooney
* "The quickest way of ending a war is to lose it."
--George Orwell
* "The desire to transcend the human condition is an invitation to tyranny."
--Gertrude Himmelfarb
* "When only cops have guns, it's called a 'police state.'"
--Robert Heinlein
* "Without violence nothing is ever accomplished in history."
--Karl Marx
* “The United States will be a socialist dictatorship by 2030.”
-- Howard Johnson
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Reflections on Inauguration day
I am not very hopeful our new President will acknowledge and follow the many excellent policies and programs of the last administration in spite of the attitudes he has shown on this up to today. Once he is President with a majority in both houses of Congress and an adoring press corps he will probably take a very different course. No matter what he does, the media will proclaim his greatness to the skies even as they cursed and damned our last President. The orgasmic reaction of the media will prove a real problem once Obama faces the realities of the office. Only then will we find out what he is made of. My guess is he will be a disappointment to many of his adoring subjects who almost all have their hands out. The political money machine is currently in deep doo doo and will probably continue to decline simply because those who make it work see Obama’s “change“ as a black hole of new and oppressive taxes and are planning accordingly.
The financial realities of nations like Ireland who radically lowered taxes on business and realized huge increases in economic growth even in tax revenue, are lost on those American liberal socialists who’s mantra is “soak the rich.” There is no question but that Obama’s announced policies caused many businesses to quickly cut back on investment and employment in their plans for the years ahead. All because business must plan at least a year ahead and many plan for five or even ten years. Looking at and planning for huge new taxes and their effects on profits, investors, owners, and business managers had no choice but to cut employment and expansion to the bone in order to survive. Add that to the government created and promoted mortgage crisis and the media’s constant harping, “the worst economy since the great depression” and you have a recipe for econoomic disaster. Incidently, the Carter years were much worse than the current crisis by any measure you can use and that is something the left including their media completely ignore. Together these factors make a serious and long depression like that of the thirties an almost certain result. Incidently, government jobs will definitely exacerbate the depression. Only private sector expansion and job creation has a positive effect on the economy. I firmly believe that the policies Obama and his liberal Congress will put into effect will prevent any recovery and will lengthen and strengthen the current economic woes in our nation. At this point in time I see Nancy Pelosi and her control freak Marxist efforts as even more dangerous for America than Obama’s, but the reality of that opinion remains to be seen.
I think we can get some idea of where Obama will take us from several salient facts. First of all, this inauguration is costing tax payers more than the last four inaugurations put together. And this at a time of dire financial conditions. Second, maybe small, but indicative of things to come. Michelle Obama has spent more money on food, entertainment and clothing since her husband’s campaign began that Laura Bush spent since GW took office. Her penchant for $400 lobster “snacks” at expensive hotels is well documented. Incidently, all of those tabs were picked up by “others.” The media panned Sarah Palin for spending so much Republican money on clothes during the campaign, but they never mentioned the bills the Democrat party picked up for Michelle, and she wasn’t even a candidate. I wonder why?
On the brighter side, we had a former President who, like Obama, was the product of a corrupt political machine yet who history now sees as one of our best Presidents. Harry Truman was disdained by many of his democrat colleagues, a number of whom tried to keep him out of the Presidential race. On spite of this he won the Presidency even with pundits predicting a Republican landslide. He surprised everyone with his performance, friends and foes alike, and is now called one of the best Presidents ever. Then there was the peanut farmer who’s policies brought on interest rates in the twenties, double digit inflation and unemployment, and a recession that was far worse than the current one, at least to this point. Perhaps Obama can rise above his corrupt beginnings and become a good President for all the people. I certainly hope so.
One other prediction—the media will change their tune soon after Obama takes office and will begin commenting on how the situation is now beginning to improve. Anecdotal success stories of “ordinary Americans” will begin replacing the doom and gloom stories so common for the last few years. The media will try improving the public’s confidence rather than destroying it as they did while the Bush administration was in power. It will be a miraculous “change” brought about by “the messiah.” Don’t kid yourself, this will happen.
As a result of the sickeningly fawning media, I absolutely refuse to watch any TV on inauguration day. I will listen to his speech over the radio, but most of the media are so orgasmic over our new President and his wife that it sickens me greatly. For obvious reasons, he is receiving the exact opposite treatment from that Bush and his wife received eight years ago. The media are providing Michelle the same adoration heaped on Jackie and then Princes Di. Elitism, royalty, and pop culture rule in the current main stream media.
That a product of one of the most corrupt political machines in the country who was ushered into the political process by known mobsters and radical, hate-filled so-called "holy" men should receive such adulation is pathetic. The extremely biased reporting of the media far out shadows the really important and historic fact that America has elected a "black" man President. They are treating him and his wife much more like rock stars or Hollywood celebrities than President and first lady. He was elected our "pop culture" President by hordes of celebrity worshipers who couldn't care a rat's annie about any of his policies except maybe his promise to "soak the rich." But wait a moment, his promise to “soak the rich” applies only to businessmen and then only to those who don’t contribute to the liberal cause. That is apparent from the number of private jets that flew into Washington for his inauguration. There were so many at Dulles they had to close a runway to park them. At more than 600, twice as many as had ever been there before, this was an unprecedented turnout of the wealthy privileged few who scoffed at the environmental impact of burning all that fuel and flaunted their wealth while thousands of ordinary citizens were losing their jobs and homes. Remember the brouhaha when three auto execs flew to Washington for a handout in their corporate jets? Hmmmmm! I wonder how many who came in those 600+ jets are looking for bail-out money for themselves?
Yes, "Hollywood" has taken over and that includes the media. They have triumphed over capitalism, business, Republicans, the religious right, and common sense with hatred and bluster. These promoters of celebrity worship more and more control the thoughts and actions of those who react emotionally without thinking and refuse even to listen to any who do not toe their "politically correct" lines on anything. When an asinine and inept comedian like Al Franken can become a U. S. Senator by stuffing ballot boxes and a totally inexperienced, stammering debutante looks to be appointed the next Senator from New York simply because she has the name Kennedy in her repertoire, our government has sunk to unprecedented new lows. Both along with numerous others should be an embarrassment and an insult to the American public. But wait, we've already proven that integrity, honor, intelligence, respect, experience, and most other attributes of personal excellence do not matter to the pop culture adherents in the entertainment world. There are only two things that count, celebrity and complete submission to the emotional and hate driven agenda of the far left. I wonder but one thing. When capitalism and business are destroyed in this country, who's going to pay the taxes to support the rapidly expanding and money consuming monster our government has become?
Two years ago I responded to a scathing message from Arianna Huffington condemning George Bush and the Republicans for virtually everything including natural disasters while praising the actions of Democrats. That response never made it to the Huffington Post, but did trigger a vitriolic email response from Arriana to your’s truly. I include my response verbatim.
My dear Ariana:
As usual, you are close to being right, but are looking in precisely the wrong direction. I see your Orwellian predictions as at least equal to and probably truly more applicable to those on the liberal left than the conservative right. Of course, I am quite disappointed in Republicans who seem more intent on aping the worst behavior of the liberal Democrats than applying a steady conservative hand to the nation. Democrats are on a rampage of hate and destruction simply because they are out of complete power. Like spoiled brats who can’t have their way, they scream destruction for the very nation that serves them. Republicans, so long out of power, seem unable to handle the power they do have, falling into the trap of mostly reacting to the constant stream of charges and accusations from Democrats who have behaved even worse for decades. The whole thing would be just another comedic struggle between groups of fairly equal idiots hungry for power were it not for the vast number of Americans who really care about their country and want their leaders to do the right thing democratically. These people in the middle, and I don’t mean moderates, but the poor individuals caught in this titanic and completely indefensible warfare between politicians and their media cohorts from the two sides are the ones who will ultimately suffer as they are forced to choose between the lesser of two evils in so many elections.
Myopic, and totally adversarial gadflies like your self from both political extremes help polarize the nation into warring factions who are becoming increasingly radical in what they say and encourage. Can major violence be far behind? I don’t think so. It appears to me even our general populace has sunk to new lows in recent years.
America has apparently become a nation of hate filled, boob grabbing, irrational, bed hopping, lying and cheating men with no understanding of culture, honor, responsibility, reverence, or respect, and who adore politicians who act, talk and posture as they do. Could it be the American male has sunk so far from civilization as to be almost completely controlled by his basic instincts? Has the macho, baby making culture of the Latin American males and the killing culture of the inner city males (and of many Muslims, I might add.) taken control of our young people? How about the women? American women have become vulgar, violent, vain, vindictive, venereal, vicious and vacant in a sorry imitation of the latest version of the male of the species, indeed trying to out do most males in cursing, fighting and sexual activity. Has the self-serving, self-centered, self-righteous, sex-obsessed, cursing "anti-lady" become the new feminist icon? Have Madonna and Hillary become the idols and heros of Americas "new" women?
The most primal primate instincts seem to have risen to the fore as the controlling force for so many. Freed from the moral constraints of religion, the emotional constraints of family and the cultural constraints of community while being constantly bombarded with the unbridled promotion of sex and violence, American young people are growing in anger, animosity and activism against everyone and everything they see as opposing their absolute freedom from any moral constraints. In addition, they are increasing in hatred for those who are benefitting from the existing system. This seems true no matter how hard those they hate have worked, how positive the results, or how many people benefitted or were carried to success by their efforts. Listen to and watch the music videos that our young buy in the millions and to the adulation they express towards their chosen icons who star in them. Exempted from the outpouring of hate and venom despite promoting it are the carriers of the message: the politicians, media icons, educators, sports heros, and activists who are whipping up this violent class warfare. In their diatribes they have been very careful to grant themselves immunity from all this hate and venom.
Is this the future of America? How far are fundamentalist liberals from the killings and mob violence of fundamentalist Muslims? I don’t think that kind of violence is very far away. It is infinitely easier and quicker to get attention by violent, destructive action than by peaceful, constructive efforts. 9-11 provides us with a prime example. Eric Hoffer gave a powerful description of these sick and sorry individuals many years ago when he wrote,
"Passionate hatred can give meaning and purpose to an empty life. Thus people haunted by the purposelessness of their lives try to find a new content not only by dedicating themselves to a holy cause but also by nursing a fanatical grievance. A mass movement offers them unlimited opportunities for both."
It truly amazes me that Hoffer so accurately describes the political climate, actors and actions of today in words written during the forties, and fifties. That he so deftly describes the activist left of today, so very long ago is amazing. I shall use his quotes freely in this essay.
It is well known that intense hatred can unite people in a way nothing else can. People who dislike each other intensely will work together, even pause their own battles, to fight a common enemy, real or imagined. It is the power behind the lynch mob, the underlying force within riots, the basic motivator for war and the real enemy of peace. As is often the case, the so called, "peace movement" in our country is a movement that will lead us unerringly to hatred, violence and warfare. It is the last resort to those who have lost the legal, political, intellectual or practical battle against the other side for whatever reason. "When you can’t convince them or counter them democratically, bury them with protests and screaming hatred to silence them completely, or finally, blow them up." could well be the mantra of most protest groups. Freedom and individual independent and democratic action is the enemy of these groups that exist only because their programs or ideas do not convince the majority to adopt them. These are the sour grapes losers in democratic elections or determinations that would use any means to impose their will on the majority who did not agree with them in the first place. Once more, the prophetic words of Eric Hoffer,
"The basic test of freedom is perhaps less in what we are free to do than in what we are free not to do. People unfit for freedom - who cannot do much with it - are hungry for power. The desire for freedom is an attribute of a "have" type of self. It says: leave me alone and I shall grow, learn, and realize my capacities. The desire for power is basically an attribute of a "have not" type of self."
Believe me, there are far more "have not" types than "have" types and the percentage seems to be growing. Maybe it’s because the "have not" types breed more frequently and so expand their genes in the human pool much faster and wider than the "have" types. In spite of strong economic growth and the widening breadth of middle income types, the numbers of individuals in the lowest economic and educational groups continues to expand. The trap of birth into the lowest economic and educational level is a trap these groups have great trouble overcoming despite countless government programs designed to provide just such a lift. This trap is certainly aided and abetted by self-styled "leaders" of these groups who desperately want to keep their minions in poverty and ignorance so they can control them. Why is this and how did it come to be?
In my own perception the biggest cause is cultural bias aided and abetted by a system of education geared to the poorest students. Excellence is almost deemed an evil in so much of our present culture. That there is a concerted effort to label those who excel intellectually and in earning power in a negative light is obvious. Poor students are told that the reason they are not successful is outside of their control and is being imposed on them by others for their own benefit. People told they are not to blame for their own problems will rarely if ever make any effort to solve their problems. They have a valid and highly touted "reason" not to succeed constantly being rammed down their throats. People who assume the responsibility to solve their own problems will usually solve these problems themselves, even those few problems for which they lack complicity or responsibility. Again, the prophetic words of Eric Hoffer:
"The untalented are more at ease in a society that gives them valid alibis for not achieving than in one where opportunities are abundant. In an affluent society, the alienated who clamor for power are largely untalented people who cannot make use of the unprecedented opportunities for self-realization, and cannot escape the confrontation with an ineffectual self."
Here is a classic example from my own experience: My church as part of their outreach program sponsored a Cambodian refugee family each year. These families, often with three generations, were provided a house to live in, a program to learn to speak English, and help in obtaining employment. Few of their members had any job skills and the language barrier was another major obstacle to normal employment. Fast forward three years for the very first family. The parents and three children are now fluent in English. The grand parents speak some English, but because they stayed home to care for the children they did not have the pressing needs of the parents. All three children rank very highly in a school system known for its high achieving students. Both parents have good jobs and have advanced steadily because of hard work and good skills development. By the time of my last contact with this church, the family has paid back almost ninety percent of the down payment made by the church for their house. They would soon have the title and mortgage in their own names. They were not required to repay the church, but insisted, saying the church could use the money to sponsor another family. They had become successful, contributing, tax paying Americans with no drag on the local economy or welfare programs. Every Cambodian family our church sponsored followed this same pattern.
Why is it that many inner city families, and in particular, African American families are unable to do this? In my opinion it is the vast difference between cultures and an indictment of our own culture that so demeans the unfamilied, the poor and the uneducated. For all their pious pronouncements, so many so-called leaders of inner city communities not only blame everything under the sun except the poor themselves, but insist the poor will remain poor unless they (these leaders) are given the power and the money to dole out to them. Apparently they have never heard the old Chinese saying, "Give a man a fish and he has food for a day. Teach a man to fish and he has food from then on." In actuality, programs to educate and help the poor to pull themselves up by their bootstraps along with a great deal of individual initiative by some of these same people has brought a massive movement of the poor into the ranks of middle and even higher income folks. This in spite of being told constantly they cannot do so on their own.
Do these same "leaders" talk encouragingly about this progress and how individuals have worked hard within the system to succeed and advance themselves up the educational and economic ladder? No! They not only hammer away at absolving the poor from any culpability in their sorry state, but even condemn someone like Bill Cosby when he dared to suggest that the poor have some responsibility for helping themselves. In effect they loudly proclaim, "The enemy is the system that is deliberately denying you any opportunity to climb out of your lowly state. They owe you (lots of money) just for being poor and you should demand it now." It seems to me they are doing everything in their power to keep the poor poor and subservient to their leadership. Why do they do this? I believe it is because they know that hate unites and they use hate skillfully to get their serfs to do their bidding.
Once more I turn to Eric Hoffer for appropriate thoughts:
"All mass movements avail themselves of action as a means of unification. The conflicts a mass movement seeks and incites serve not only to down its enemies but also to strip its followers of their distinct individuality and render them more soluble in the collective medium."
"There is apparently some connection between dissatisfaction with oneself and proneness to credulity. The urge to escape our real self is also an urge to escape the rational and the obvious. The refusal to see ourselves as we are develops a distaste for facts and cold logic. There is no hope for the frustrated in the actual and the possible. Salvation can come to them only from the miraculous, which seeps through a crack in the iron wall of inexorable reality. They asked to be deceived."
Could anyone better describe those who support the liberal left?
"There are many who find a good alibi far more attractive than an achievement. For an achievement does not settle anything permanently. We still have to prove our worth anew each day: we have to prove that we are as good today as we were yesterday. But when we have a valid alibi for not achieving anything we are fixed, so to speak, for life. Moreover, when we have an alibi for not writing a book, painting a picture, and so on, we have an alibi for not writing the greatest book and not painting the greatest picture. Small wonder that the effort expended and the punishment endured in obtaining a good alibi often exceed the effort and grief requisite for the attainment of a most marked achievement."
The liberal left and their subservient gadflies have honed victimism, individual irresponsibility, hate for the productive, and envy for the successful into a high art form. They look at their own failings and evils and loudly accuse their opposition of doing the same things. Their message to their eager hate-filled mob is, "Our opposition is just as evil and conniving as we are, but we’ll take a whole lot more from the rich and successful and bring them down to your level–really make them suffer. Who cares if we destroy the country, you’ll at least get your revenge." That is indeed a powerful, motivating message and it is working.
I agree with Osama bin Laden in one of his statements. "America will soon collapse into oblivion. All we have to provide is a tiny bit of terror every year or two. It will fan their internal flames of hatred and disturb their already precarious internal power balance. They will soon destroy each other. Islam will then march triumphant over the rotting corpses of these satanic monsters. Their passion for things of the flesh and not of the spirit will surely destroy them." I pray this is not prophetic, but fear that it is.
June 15, 1858 Abraham Lincoln said, "A house divided against itself cannot stand! I believe this government cannot endure permanently..." (paraphased from this point on) half left and half right. I expect the Union to be dissolved in a massive, violent... Leaders of the liberal left are indeed doing everything in their power to divide our nation with hate and vitriol while at the same time claiming it is their opposition that is causing the division. Somehow they seem to think that by destroying the nation they will come to power, permanently as a socialist, atheist dictatorship arises from the debris and ashes of the capitalist nation that once was America. The prophetic words of the Scottish historian, Tyler will have come to pass. The "shot heard round the world" will have at last been silenced. The serfdom of the middle ages will once more prevail with all new masters–lords and ladies. Virtually all people except those in power will have been reduced to the lowest common economic, social and educational common denominator. We will then have true liberal equality?
I'm sure you get lots of emails and lots of links to blogs, but do you ever read or listen to any who disagree with your opinions? Most liberals I know of listen to or read only the words of those who agree with them. You might browse through a list of my blogs. It has links to lots of stuff you may never hear about. Click on http://hjbloglist.blogspot.com/ and see some different views about a lot of things.
Howard Johnson
The financial realities of nations like Ireland who radically lowered taxes on business and realized huge increases in economic growth even in tax revenue, are lost on those American liberal socialists who’s mantra is “soak the rich.” There is no question but that Obama’s announced policies caused many businesses to quickly cut back on investment and employment in their plans for the years ahead. All because business must plan at least a year ahead and many plan for five or even ten years. Looking at and planning for huge new taxes and their effects on profits, investors, owners, and business managers had no choice but to cut employment and expansion to the bone in order to survive. Add that to the government created and promoted mortgage crisis and the media’s constant harping, “the worst economy since the great depression” and you have a recipe for econoomic disaster. Incidently, the Carter years were much worse than the current crisis by any measure you can use and that is something the left including their media completely ignore. Together these factors make a serious and long depression like that of the thirties an almost certain result. Incidently, government jobs will definitely exacerbate the depression. Only private sector expansion and job creation has a positive effect on the economy. I firmly believe that the policies Obama and his liberal Congress will put into effect will prevent any recovery and will lengthen and strengthen the current economic woes in our nation. At this point in time I see Nancy Pelosi and her control freak Marxist efforts as even more dangerous for America than Obama’s, but the reality of that opinion remains to be seen.
I think we can get some idea of where Obama will take us from several salient facts. First of all, this inauguration is costing tax payers more than the last four inaugurations put together. And this at a time of dire financial conditions. Second, maybe small, but indicative of things to come. Michelle Obama has spent more money on food, entertainment and clothing since her husband’s campaign began that Laura Bush spent since GW took office. Her penchant for $400 lobster “snacks” at expensive hotels is well documented. Incidently, all of those tabs were picked up by “others.” The media panned Sarah Palin for spending so much Republican money on clothes during the campaign, but they never mentioned the bills the Democrat party picked up for Michelle, and she wasn’t even a candidate. I wonder why?
On the brighter side, we had a former President who, like Obama, was the product of a corrupt political machine yet who history now sees as one of our best Presidents. Harry Truman was disdained by many of his democrat colleagues, a number of whom tried to keep him out of the Presidential race. On spite of this he won the Presidency even with pundits predicting a Republican landslide. He surprised everyone with his performance, friends and foes alike, and is now called one of the best Presidents ever. Then there was the peanut farmer who’s policies brought on interest rates in the twenties, double digit inflation and unemployment, and a recession that was far worse than the current one, at least to this point. Perhaps Obama can rise above his corrupt beginnings and become a good President for all the people. I certainly hope so.
One other prediction—the media will change their tune soon after Obama takes office and will begin commenting on how the situation is now beginning to improve. Anecdotal success stories of “ordinary Americans” will begin replacing the doom and gloom stories so common for the last few years. The media will try improving the public’s confidence rather than destroying it as they did while the Bush administration was in power. It will be a miraculous “change” brought about by “the messiah.” Don’t kid yourself, this will happen.
As a result of the sickeningly fawning media, I absolutely refuse to watch any TV on inauguration day. I will listen to his speech over the radio, but most of the media are so orgasmic over our new President and his wife that it sickens me greatly. For obvious reasons, he is receiving the exact opposite treatment from that Bush and his wife received eight years ago. The media are providing Michelle the same adoration heaped on Jackie and then Princes Di. Elitism, royalty, and pop culture rule in the current main stream media.
That a product of one of the most corrupt political machines in the country who was ushered into the political process by known mobsters and radical, hate-filled so-called "holy" men should receive such adulation is pathetic. The extremely biased reporting of the media far out shadows the really important and historic fact that America has elected a "black" man President. They are treating him and his wife much more like rock stars or Hollywood celebrities than President and first lady. He was elected our "pop culture" President by hordes of celebrity worshipers who couldn't care a rat's annie about any of his policies except maybe his promise to "soak the rich." But wait a moment, his promise to “soak the rich” applies only to businessmen and then only to those who don’t contribute to the liberal cause. That is apparent from the number of private jets that flew into Washington for his inauguration. There were so many at Dulles they had to close a runway to park them. At more than 600, twice as many as had ever been there before, this was an unprecedented turnout of the wealthy privileged few who scoffed at the environmental impact of burning all that fuel and flaunted their wealth while thousands of ordinary citizens were losing their jobs and homes. Remember the brouhaha when three auto execs flew to Washington for a handout in their corporate jets? Hmmmmm! I wonder how many who came in those 600+ jets are looking for bail-out money for themselves?
Yes, "Hollywood" has taken over and that includes the media. They have triumphed over capitalism, business, Republicans, the religious right, and common sense with hatred and bluster. These promoters of celebrity worship more and more control the thoughts and actions of those who react emotionally without thinking and refuse even to listen to any who do not toe their "politically correct" lines on anything. When an asinine and inept comedian like Al Franken can become a U. S. Senator by stuffing ballot boxes and a totally inexperienced, stammering debutante looks to be appointed the next Senator from New York simply because she has the name Kennedy in her repertoire, our government has sunk to unprecedented new lows. Both along with numerous others should be an embarrassment and an insult to the American public. But wait, we've already proven that integrity, honor, intelligence, respect, experience, and most other attributes of personal excellence do not matter to the pop culture adherents in the entertainment world. There are only two things that count, celebrity and complete submission to the emotional and hate driven agenda of the far left. I wonder but one thing. When capitalism and business are destroyed in this country, who's going to pay the taxes to support the rapidly expanding and money consuming monster our government has become?
Two years ago I responded to a scathing message from Arianna Huffington condemning George Bush and the Republicans for virtually everything including natural disasters while praising the actions of Democrats. That response never made it to the Huffington Post, but did trigger a vitriolic email response from Arriana to your’s truly. I include my response verbatim.
My dear Ariana:
As usual, you are close to being right, but are looking in precisely the wrong direction. I see your Orwellian predictions as at least equal to and probably truly more applicable to those on the liberal left than the conservative right. Of course, I am quite disappointed in Republicans who seem more intent on aping the worst behavior of the liberal Democrats than applying a steady conservative hand to the nation. Democrats are on a rampage of hate and destruction simply because they are out of complete power. Like spoiled brats who can’t have their way, they scream destruction for the very nation that serves them. Republicans, so long out of power, seem unable to handle the power they do have, falling into the trap of mostly reacting to the constant stream of charges and accusations from Democrats who have behaved even worse for decades. The whole thing would be just another comedic struggle between groups of fairly equal idiots hungry for power were it not for the vast number of Americans who really care about their country and want their leaders to do the right thing democratically. These people in the middle, and I don’t mean moderates, but the poor individuals caught in this titanic and completely indefensible warfare between politicians and their media cohorts from the two sides are the ones who will ultimately suffer as they are forced to choose between the lesser of two evils in so many elections.
Myopic, and totally adversarial gadflies like your self from both political extremes help polarize the nation into warring factions who are becoming increasingly radical in what they say and encourage. Can major violence be far behind? I don’t think so. It appears to me even our general populace has sunk to new lows in recent years.
America has apparently become a nation of hate filled, boob grabbing, irrational, bed hopping, lying and cheating men with no understanding of culture, honor, responsibility, reverence, or respect, and who adore politicians who act, talk and posture as they do. Could it be the American male has sunk so far from civilization as to be almost completely controlled by his basic instincts? Has the macho, baby making culture of the Latin American males and the killing culture of the inner city males (and of many Muslims, I might add.) taken control of our young people? How about the women? American women have become vulgar, violent, vain, vindictive, venereal, vicious and vacant in a sorry imitation of the latest version of the male of the species, indeed trying to out do most males in cursing, fighting and sexual activity. Has the self-serving, self-centered, self-righteous, sex-obsessed, cursing "anti-lady" become the new feminist icon? Have Madonna and Hillary become the idols and heros of Americas "new" women?
The most primal primate instincts seem to have risen to the fore as the controlling force for so many. Freed from the moral constraints of religion, the emotional constraints of family and the cultural constraints of community while being constantly bombarded with the unbridled promotion of sex and violence, American young people are growing in anger, animosity and activism against everyone and everything they see as opposing their absolute freedom from any moral constraints. In addition, they are increasing in hatred for those who are benefitting from the existing system. This seems true no matter how hard those they hate have worked, how positive the results, or how many people benefitted or were carried to success by their efforts. Listen to and watch the music videos that our young buy in the millions and to the adulation they express towards their chosen icons who star in them. Exempted from the outpouring of hate and venom despite promoting it are the carriers of the message: the politicians, media icons, educators, sports heros, and activists who are whipping up this violent class warfare. In their diatribes they have been very careful to grant themselves immunity from all this hate and venom.
Is this the future of America? How far are fundamentalist liberals from the killings and mob violence of fundamentalist Muslims? I don’t think that kind of violence is very far away. It is infinitely easier and quicker to get attention by violent, destructive action than by peaceful, constructive efforts. 9-11 provides us with a prime example. Eric Hoffer gave a powerful description of these sick and sorry individuals many years ago when he wrote,
"Passionate hatred can give meaning and purpose to an empty life. Thus people haunted by the purposelessness of their lives try to find a new content not only by dedicating themselves to a holy cause but also by nursing a fanatical grievance. A mass movement offers them unlimited opportunities for both."
It truly amazes me that Hoffer so accurately describes the political climate, actors and actions of today in words written during the forties, and fifties. That he so deftly describes the activist left of today, so very long ago is amazing. I shall use his quotes freely in this essay.
It is well known that intense hatred can unite people in a way nothing else can. People who dislike each other intensely will work together, even pause their own battles, to fight a common enemy, real or imagined. It is the power behind the lynch mob, the underlying force within riots, the basic motivator for war and the real enemy of peace. As is often the case, the so called, "peace movement" in our country is a movement that will lead us unerringly to hatred, violence and warfare. It is the last resort to those who have lost the legal, political, intellectual or practical battle against the other side for whatever reason. "When you can’t convince them or counter them democratically, bury them with protests and screaming hatred to silence them completely, or finally, blow them up." could well be the mantra of most protest groups. Freedom and individual independent and democratic action is the enemy of these groups that exist only because their programs or ideas do not convince the majority to adopt them. These are the sour grapes losers in democratic elections or determinations that would use any means to impose their will on the majority who did not agree with them in the first place. Once more, the prophetic words of Eric Hoffer,
"The basic test of freedom is perhaps less in what we are free to do than in what we are free not to do. People unfit for freedom - who cannot do much with it - are hungry for power. The desire for freedom is an attribute of a "have" type of self. It says: leave me alone and I shall grow, learn, and realize my capacities. The desire for power is basically an attribute of a "have not" type of self."
Believe me, there are far more "have not" types than "have" types and the percentage seems to be growing. Maybe it’s because the "have not" types breed more frequently and so expand their genes in the human pool much faster and wider than the "have" types. In spite of strong economic growth and the widening breadth of middle income types, the numbers of individuals in the lowest economic and educational groups continues to expand. The trap of birth into the lowest economic and educational level is a trap these groups have great trouble overcoming despite countless government programs designed to provide just such a lift. This trap is certainly aided and abetted by self-styled "leaders" of these groups who desperately want to keep their minions in poverty and ignorance so they can control them. Why is this and how did it come to be?
In my own perception the biggest cause is cultural bias aided and abetted by a system of education geared to the poorest students. Excellence is almost deemed an evil in so much of our present culture. That there is a concerted effort to label those who excel intellectually and in earning power in a negative light is obvious. Poor students are told that the reason they are not successful is outside of their control and is being imposed on them by others for their own benefit. People told they are not to blame for their own problems will rarely if ever make any effort to solve their problems. They have a valid and highly touted "reason" not to succeed constantly being rammed down their throats. People who assume the responsibility to solve their own problems will usually solve these problems themselves, even those few problems for which they lack complicity or responsibility. Again, the prophetic words of Eric Hoffer:
"The untalented are more at ease in a society that gives them valid alibis for not achieving than in one where opportunities are abundant. In an affluent society, the alienated who clamor for power are largely untalented people who cannot make use of the unprecedented opportunities for self-realization, and cannot escape the confrontation with an ineffectual self."
Here is a classic example from my own experience: My church as part of their outreach program sponsored a Cambodian refugee family each year. These families, often with three generations, were provided a house to live in, a program to learn to speak English, and help in obtaining employment. Few of their members had any job skills and the language barrier was another major obstacle to normal employment. Fast forward three years for the very first family. The parents and three children are now fluent in English. The grand parents speak some English, but because they stayed home to care for the children they did not have the pressing needs of the parents. All three children rank very highly in a school system known for its high achieving students. Both parents have good jobs and have advanced steadily because of hard work and good skills development. By the time of my last contact with this church, the family has paid back almost ninety percent of the down payment made by the church for their house. They would soon have the title and mortgage in their own names. They were not required to repay the church, but insisted, saying the church could use the money to sponsor another family. They had become successful, contributing, tax paying Americans with no drag on the local economy or welfare programs. Every Cambodian family our church sponsored followed this same pattern.
Why is it that many inner city families, and in particular, African American families are unable to do this? In my opinion it is the vast difference between cultures and an indictment of our own culture that so demeans the unfamilied, the poor and the uneducated. For all their pious pronouncements, so many so-called leaders of inner city communities not only blame everything under the sun except the poor themselves, but insist the poor will remain poor unless they (these leaders) are given the power and the money to dole out to them. Apparently they have never heard the old Chinese saying, "Give a man a fish and he has food for a day. Teach a man to fish and he has food from then on." In actuality, programs to educate and help the poor to pull themselves up by their bootstraps along with a great deal of individual initiative by some of these same people has brought a massive movement of the poor into the ranks of middle and even higher income folks. This in spite of being told constantly they cannot do so on their own.
Do these same "leaders" talk encouragingly about this progress and how individuals have worked hard within the system to succeed and advance themselves up the educational and economic ladder? No! They not only hammer away at absolving the poor from any culpability in their sorry state, but even condemn someone like Bill Cosby when he dared to suggest that the poor have some responsibility for helping themselves. In effect they loudly proclaim, "The enemy is the system that is deliberately denying you any opportunity to climb out of your lowly state. They owe you (lots of money) just for being poor and you should demand it now." It seems to me they are doing everything in their power to keep the poor poor and subservient to their leadership. Why do they do this? I believe it is because they know that hate unites and they use hate skillfully to get their serfs to do their bidding.
Once more I turn to Eric Hoffer for appropriate thoughts:
"All mass movements avail themselves of action as a means of unification. The conflicts a mass movement seeks and incites serve not only to down its enemies but also to strip its followers of their distinct individuality and render them more soluble in the collective medium."
"There is apparently some connection between dissatisfaction with oneself and proneness to credulity. The urge to escape our real self is also an urge to escape the rational and the obvious. The refusal to see ourselves as we are develops a distaste for facts and cold logic. There is no hope for the frustrated in the actual and the possible. Salvation can come to them only from the miraculous, which seeps through a crack in the iron wall of inexorable reality. They asked to be deceived."
Could anyone better describe those who support the liberal left?
"There are many who find a good alibi far more attractive than an achievement. For an achievement does not settle anything permanently. We still have to prove our worth anew each day: we have to prove that we are as good today as we were yesterday. But when we have a valid alibi for not achieving anything we are fixed, so to speak, for life. Moreover, when we have an alibi for not writing a book, painting a picture, and so on, we have an alibi for not writing the greatest book and not painting the greatest picture. Small wonder that the effort expended and the punishment endured in obtaining a good alibi often exceed the effort and grief requisite for the attainment of a most marked achievement."
The liberal left and their subservient gadflies have honed victimism, individual irresponsibility, hate for the productive, and envy for the successful into a high art form. They look at their own failings and evils and loudly accuse their opposition of doing the same things. Their message to their eager hate-filled mob is, "Our opposition is just as evil and conniving as we are, but we’ll take a whole lot more from the rich and successful and bring them down to your level–really make them suffer. Who cares if we destroy the country, you’ll at least get your revenge." That is indeed a powerful, motivating message and it is working.
I agree with Osama bin Laden in one of his statements. "America will soon collapse into oblivion. All we have to provide is a tiny bit of terror every year or two. It will fan their internal flames of hatred and disturb their already precarious internal power balance. They will soon destroy each other. Islam will then march triumphant over the rotting corpses of these satanic monsters. Their passion for things of the flesh and not of the spirit will surely destroy them." I pray this is not prophetic, but fear that it is.
June 15, 1858 Abraham Lincoln said, "A house divided against itself cannot stand! I believe this government cannot endure permanently..." (paraphased from this point on) half left and half right. I expect the Union to be dissolved in a massive, violent... Leaders of the liberal left are indeed doing everything in their power to divide our nation with hate and vitriol while at the same time claiming it is their opposition that is causing the division. Somehow they seem to think that by destroying the nation they will come to power, permanently as a socialist, atheist dictatorship arises from the debris and ashes of the capitalist nation that once was America. The prophetic words of the Scottish historian, Tyler will have come to pass. The "shot heard round the world" will have at last been silenced. The serfdom of the middle ages will once more prevail with all new masters–lords and ladies. Virtually all people except those in power will have been reduced to the lowest common economic, social and educational common denominator. We will then have true liberal equality?
I'm sure you get lots of emails and lots of links to blogs, but do you ever read or listen to any who disagree with your opinions? Most liberals I know of listen to or read only the words of those who agree with them. You might browse through a list of my blogs. It has links to lots of stuff you may never hear about. Click on http://hjbloglist.blogspot.com/ and see some different views about a lot of things.
Howard Johnson
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Where now? The economy, down or far down?
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Most of our politicians do not seem to be about solving problems. They seem to have become more about creating them with increasing frequency and severity, and using them as clubs with which to bludgeon opponents. Now it looks as if they are going to kill off all America’s spirit and incentive to work and create by punitive taxation and wealth redistribution. Read that as take from the haves and give to the have nots. Or, as Karl Marx put it, “From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.” (taken by threat of prison and enforced by men with guns and handcuffs.)It looks like the government (who can’t manage anything and would seriously “screw up a one car parade”) will take over those failing “business that are too big to fail.” Between feuding and self-serving politicians and anal retentive government bureaucrats our economy will surely collapse in line with a quote often attributed to a Scottish Historian, Alexander Tytler or Tyler. The true origin of the quote is obscure and might have originated in the early 20th century from an unknown politician or writer. Nevertheless, this does not detract from its accuracy.
One version of the quote on why democracies always fail is:
"A Democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only last until the citizens discover they can vote themselves largesse out of the public treasury. After that, the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that the Democracy always collapses over a loose fiscal policy, to be followed by a dictatorship, and then a monarchy."
A version of the second part of the misquote, attributed in 1983 to Arnold Toynbee is:
"The release of initiative and enterprise made possible by self-government ultimately generates disintegrating forces from within. Again and again, after freedom brings opportunity and some degree of plenty, the competent become selfish, luxury-loving and complacent; the incompetent and unfortunate grow envious and covetous; and all three groups turn aside from the hard road of freedom to worship the golden calf of economic security. The historical cycle seems to be: from bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to selfishness; from selfishness to apathy; from apathy to dependency; and from dependency back to bondage once more."
But the person who appears to be the actual author is Henning Webb Prentis, Jr., President of the Armstrong Cork Company. In a speech entitled "Industrial Management in a Republic," delivered in the grand ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria at New York during the 250th meeting of the National Conference Board on March 18, 1943, and recorded on p. 22 of Industrial Management in a Republic, Prentis had this to say:
“Paradoxically enough, the release of initiative and enterprise made possible by popular self-government ultimately generates disintegrating forces from within. Again and again after freedom has brought opportunity and some degree of plenty, the competent become selfish, luxury-loving and complacent, the incompetent and the unfortunate grow envious and covetous, and all three groups turn aside from the hard road of freedom to worship the Golden Calf of economic security. The historical cycle seems to be: From bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to selfishness; from selfishness to apathy; from apathy to dependency; and from dependency back to bondage once more.
“At the stage between apathy and dependency, men always turn in fear to economic and political panaceas. New conditions, it is claimed, require new remedies. Under such circumstances, the competent citizen is certainly not a fool if he insists upon using the compass of history when forced to sail uncharted seas. Usually so-called new remedies are not new at all. Compulsory planned economy, for example, was tried by the Chinese some three milleniums ago, and by the Romans in the early centuries of the Christian era. It was applied in Germany, Italy and Russia long before the present war broke out. Yet it is being seriously advocated today as a solution of our economic problems in the United States. Its proponents confidently assert that government can successfully plan and control all major business activity in the nation, and still not interfere with our political freedom and our hard-won civil and religious liberties. The lessons of history all point in exactly the reverse direction.”
For more information about these quotes and their sources go to http://www.lorencollins.net/tytler.html
The recent election was all about money from the public treasury—money for this group or that group—lowering taxes for those who currently pay the least and raising taxes on those who now pay the most. We are among the highest taxed nations in the world and the incoming congress and administration promise more and bigger taxes. Within a year the US will have the highest overall rate of taxation of any nation. This is an indicator of economic doom. Here are the facts.
After the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debacles came the gifts of $700 billion in our tax dollars to financial institutions who, because of their own greed amplified by government interference, seriously damaged our economy costing billions of dollars in losses for a great many people. And just how many hundreds of millions did those individuals responsible for the mortgage debacle stick into their own pockets and walk away with? They should be stripped of their property and dumped in jail, but what’s really going to happen to them? Well, glory be! They are now in charge of fixing the very fiasco they orchestrated. Something is very wrong here.
Since then we have seen several other leaches with their hands out come to Washington to ask for billions to save their own sorry butts, some even flew there in their private jets. I see no reason why the big three can’t do what the airlines did by using chapter 11 to reorganize and become competitive again. I know most pilots had their pay cut in half and many lost most if not all of their pensions. With big three auto workers at about $74 per hour while foreign auto makers in America (who are not asking for a bail-out) pay their employees about $43 per hour. Gimme a break! This is more a bail out of the UAW than the auto companies. Unless they dump those ridiculous pay and benefit scales and become truly competitive, all that money will just disappear down the usual political payoff rat hole. How many more companies are waiting in the wings to dip their hands into the till? Why can’t we afford to let them fail? All that money is just sending good money after bad and will only postpone the inevitable. It’s bite the bullet now or bite a bigger bullet harder later.
At present, government creates problems because our elected officials ignore or deliberately refuse to see the realities going on all around them. Without exception in virtually all nations, the higher their taxes, the slower their economic growth. It has even been shown that virtually every time taxes are increased, total tax revenue decreases. The opposite is also true. When taxes are lowered, business thrives and grows, the economy becomes more vital, more new jobs are created, and tax revenue increases. Certainly there is a point of no return, but the result of Ireland’s drastic cut in business taxes to 12.5% including capital gains clearly demonstrates the efficacy of business taxes far lower than what we have currently. To increase business taxes is one certain way to lower tax revenue and damage an economy. It may make some people feel good to see politicians punish the “wealthy” by taking their hard earned money, but when it costs them their job things may look a bit different. It’s low tax rates and a business friendly atmosphere that makes for a successful, growing economy. There have been countless examples throughout history and all over the world. Government taxes and controls stifle creativity, productivity, satisfaction, incentive, and the creation of wealth. The less government controls and taxes the more incentive the people have to be creative and work diligently. This always results in greater creativity, productivity, satisfaction, and the creation of wealth. Even the Chinese have realized that and acted on it. I have asked numerous liberal leftists about this fact but they have no answer. They seem more interested in punishing the “wealthy” (a relative term) and bringing them down than in rewarding diligence, thrift, and inventiveness and so bringing up those on the lower income levels. At the same time they seem to want to reward those who for any reason are unable or unwilling to work to earn their keep.
A look at America’s tax systems.
US personal CGT (Capital Gains Tax) is now 15% (5% for lowest income brackets) (Obama has proposed to at least double this rate)
US corporation CGT is 35% (Obama proposed to immediately raise this to 39%)
US Corporate income tax rate is now 35% (Obama has hinted at rates as high as 55%.)
SS tax rates are 15.4% of gross income (that’s a flat tax on the first dollar earned up to $103,000,00 per year, no deductions) (Obama has proposed we tax all income at this rate.)
VAT(Value Added Tax) varies from 0% to 9% by state and municipality.
State income tax rates vary from 0% in seven states (2 states tax only dividend and interest income) to 8.14% in NY and 10.2% in CA. New York City adds a 4% city income tax.
Total state tax burden varies from a low of 6.4% in Alaska to a high of 11.9% in New Jersey. Most of the high rate states are in the north east with New York second at 11.7%. California is 4th at 10.8%
Hidden federal taxes on purchases (excise, transport, license fees, etc.) amount to between 15% and 24% of every dollar spent by every individual for everything purchased. This tax falls heaviest on those with the lowest incomes.
Federal excise taxes are 18.4¢ per gallon for gasoline and 24.4¢ per gallon for diesel. Since fuel is taxed by the gallon, when gasoline prices fall the percent taken by taxes rises and visa versa.
There are many other hidden and specific taxes and tax exemptions that transfer money from private citizens to the federal, state and municipal treasuries.
All of these taxes—all of them—are actually paid by the public, the consumer, the end user. Corporations don’t pay taxes. Professionals don’t pay taxes. Taxes levied on any private income generating entity are merely passed through to the end user in the price they pay for the goods and/or services they purchase. THEY ARE A COST OF DOING BUSINESS! Just like rent, utilities, advertising, and all other business expenses they end up on the “expense” side of any business ledger and must be balanced by income. All expenses are added into the price of goods and services supplied by the company or individual who is in any business or profession. I really don’t know why this is so difficult to understand. The result is that when taxes are raised, the total amount of that increase is passed on to the consumer.
Example: Take a hardware store that sells paint. Say that at present the paint sells for $20.00 per gallon and that the store makes a gross profit of $5.00 on each gallon of paint that yields a net profit after expenses and taxes of $2.00. That’s 10% of sales. Now comes the government and raises the tax on net profit to the tune of 50¢ on each can of paint. The store owner realizes this and in order to maintain his level of profitability and be able to support his family, he raises the price of the paint to $20.50 per gallon. He also raises the price of every other item in his store by the same percentage, 2.5%. His competitors, faced with the same tax increase, will raise their prices as well.
You can apply this rule to every business, profession, individual, and corporation in the world. All taxes are ultimately paid by the end user. You can rest assured the guy who is the head of the hardware conglomerate that supplies the paint had his taxes raised as well so his price to the hardware store has gone up another 25¢ which he passed on to the hardware store owner as a wholesale price increase. This 25¢ added to the cost of the paint means the store owner must add that in as well so the paint now sells for $20.75 per gallon. Now think about all the components that go into that one product: the pigment, the oils, even the can and label, all have added to the cost of the can of paint. Let’s say all these little increases from the raise in tax add up to another 20¢ in the wholesale cost of that paint. The store owner must now raise his selling price another 20¢ to $20.95 .
But wait just a moment. This leaves the store owner with the exact same income he had last year and because of the tax increase everything is now about 5% more expensive. He does some quick calculations and decides that in order to maintain his living standard he must raise the price of the paint (and everything else in his store)at least 5% just to stay even. Then his clerks come to him complaining their take-home-pay has dropped and in the face of rising prices for everything, they need at least a 10% raise. His landlord raises his rent and on and on until that can of paint is now selling for $21.29. So, who really pays for tax increases?
Now let’s look at one of those wealthy taxpayers who are going to get soaked by all those raises in corporate and capital gains taxes. Joe is a multi millionaire with a large stock portfolio, some real estate and a good chunk in the bank. His investment counselor called him early last year and suggested that the future didn’t look good for several reasons including specifically a drastic drop in the real estate market and a huge increase in income and capital gains taxes. It took Joe more than two months to liquidate most of his real estate and sell many of the American stocks he held. He flew to Ireland and looked into some real estate and business investments there. He lost nearly 25% of his holdings because of the declining markets, but is certain he will gain in the long run because of the vigor of the Irish economy and the Irish capital gains tax of 12.5% instead of the 39% CGT America is facing. He had started a small energy research company in California several years ago that had grown to thirty employees. In August he moved the entire operation and all but five employees to Dublin. He also moved most of his cash to the Bahamas. He will wait to see how the new administration and congress act before deciding what else he must do to maximize his asset growth. His home in Palo Alto has been put up for sale. When asked about his losses from liquidation he replied, “I will be receiving a larger after tax income from a smaller but growing investment so I should make up my losses rather quickly. Right now I am considering moving to Ireland permanently.”
The Tax Policy Center, a joint venture of the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute, two center-left think tanks, said that, "a lower corporate tax rate and a lower capital gains tax would encourage multinational corporations to invest more in the United States and, for a given amount of investment, to report a larger share of their worldwide taxable income to the United States instead of foreign treasuries." With investment capital deserting our economy in huge quantities because of punitive business taxes is it any wonder the American stock market is crumbling? It is interesting to note that as Obama’s poll numbers dropped the market gained ground and visa versa. Since the election the stock market has been in a virtual free fall. This drop is the direct result of the anticipated tax increases that are already a major factor in our failing economy.
Let’s look at some tax consequences at today’s rates:
First, take Ahmed, a resident of New York City at the lowest income level. Assuming no federal income tax look at what happens to $100.00 he earns. FICA tax takes 15.4%, State Income tax takes 8.14% and New York City takes 4%. That takes from Ahmed $27.54 reducing his after tax earnings to $72.46. Then when he spends that amount to purchase life necessities lets say these have the minimum hidden taxes of 18% or $13.04 giving him a total tax burden of $40.58 out of the original $100.00 he earned. That’s a rate of taxation of the poorest NYC wage earner of more than 40%. Who said the poor don’t pay taxes?
Second, the same earnings in December of Louise, a person in the highest tax bracket. Under the present law, state and city income taxes take the same amount, $12.14. (She pays no FICA tax because she has passed the maximum income) The highest Income tax bracket of 35% takes another $35.00 reducing her after tax earnings to $52.86. When she spends that amount, minimum hidden taxes of 18% take $9.51 for total tax burden of $56.65 out of the original $100.00 she earned. That’s a rate of taxation of the wealthiest NYC wage earner of 56.65%, just 41.65% higher than the poorest. This means that the wealthiest New Yorkers pay less than 50% higher taxes than the poorest New Yorkers. Sounds more like soak the poor than soak the rich. Like Joe in the earlier example, Louise has options Ahmed does not.
Let’s look at the third example. Louise is not a wage earner. Instead, she makes her living with investments, holding, buying and trading stocks. By holding them for more than a year and then reporting her income as capital gains she would only be liable for 15% tax on her capital gains and dividends. She would have 6.85% NY state CGT and 2.3% city CGT (capital gains tax). So, how does this shake out. Federal CGT would be $15.00, State CGT $6.85 and city would be $2.30 or a total of $24.15, a rate of taxation of 24.15%, lower than the tax rate of the poorest taxpayer. But look at it another way. Of that $100.00 earned, she would retain $75.85. If her ordinary expenses were $5.85 out of that, it would leave her with $75.00 to reinvest to grow business and create jobs for other people. The more investment capital she had, the more jobs she could create and the more the total economy would grow.
Small business owners employ the largest number of workers in the private sector. Recent interviews with many of these businessmen show their planning for the next few years has been scaled back considerably. Most have put off or cancelled expansion plans and new jobs. Some are planning facility closings and layoffs. Some that can are moving off shore while others are closing their doors and going out of business. This does not bode well for our economy and is all a direct result of promised tax increases. I know why rank and file workers are so blind to these realities, but why is it that politicians and the media refuse to recognize them?
Would any of you liberals out there tell me where my math is wrong or what should actually be done that will not destroy the American economy? Facts and logic please!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Predictions and some fummies
My favorite bumper stickerFor the last year I have been a member of a discussion group here in St Augustine. Called the Socrates Discussion Group, we have between fifteen and twenty-five members, mostly seniors of both sexes, who discuss many subjects, often controversial, for two hours every Monday afternoon. After one heated (but quite civil) discussion late last year I decided to make some predictions for the next year. Here’s what I wrote and submitted to them at our meeting on January 7.
Observations and predictions for the future, for the Socrates Discussion Group, January 5, 2008.
Howard Johnson
There are several dangerous factors promising possible economic disaster for our nation in the immediate future. That those already in play have not already precipitated an economic collapse is amazing to this writer. I will list them in chronological order.
1. The trade deficit: We continue buying more than we sell on world markets. Even as our economy grew in recent years, billions have left our shores for other nations, enriching foreign businessmen and despotic rulers in the process. This money is increasingly used to buy American businesses, stocks, and real estate. More and more foreign investors are also buying up our debt.
2. Oil, a special case: As domestic supplies of oil dwindle and limits are imposed on drilling for new oil in our lands, more and more oil must be imported at higher and higher prices to supply our hunger for fuel for our vehicles. This has become the largest exodus of dollars from our economy in our entire history. Many of those dollars go to nations whose rulers hate us and plot our demise.
3. Mounting debt: The three tiers of American debt are also growing. Our Federal debt fed by excesses of an irresponsible Congress bent on buying their way into power at any cost to the future taxpayer has doubled in the last ten years. With Social Security and Medicare costs rapidly expanding, entitlements will soon overpower federal revenue. Mortgage debt also has grown, driven by steadily increasing prices for homes and business property, often far beyond real value. People are driving the prices of property steadily upward and often assuming mortgages far beyond their ability to pay. They plan to “flip” their purchase, pay off their mortgage and pocket the difference for a tidy profit. One blip in the real estate market, actually long overdue, and these mortgages will go into default. Consumer debt for cars, appliances and credit cards is another mounting pressure on a banking system already strained to the limits and fed by the very money we send abroad. With oil sheiks, despots like Hugo Chavez, and Chinese banks supplying the capital, what happens if and when they withdraw their financial support? The likelihood of just one of these collapsing will surely precipitate the rest to do the same. Once America’s ability to pay its debts comes into question, everything will collapse and quite suddenly.
4. The political situation and the next election: It is this writer’s opinion that not only will Barack Obama be the Democrat nominee for president in the coming election, but that he will win in a landslide and will carry a large Democrat majority in Congress with him. Aided by an adoring and highly biased media, Democrats will have complete control of the Federal government.
The result: As soon as the polls show this trend and possibly before the actual election, several things will happen driven by the promise of doubled capital gains taxes along with other tax increases. The housing bubble will collapse, the stock market will crash, and consumers will default wholesale. As debt defaults multiply and investment capital flees our shores, the entire debt support system will collapse. Because we are in a world economy, investment capital will move to places like Ireland, China, India, and even Russia. The loss of the American market will bring with it the collapse of much of the world economy. The result will make the “Great Depression” look like a mild recession. It is my opinion that this is the goal of those on the far left. The chaos that will follow such a total economic collapse is precisely the opportunity they want to take control. Eugene Debs and Earl Browder almost put the Marxists in power during the great depression and I’m afraid their successors will succeed this time. I’m afraid their successors, the far left liberal Democrats led by Obama, will succeed this time and America will sink into a dull gray version of the old Soviet Union, a Socialist/communist dictatorship.
Prediction update, October 16, 2008: Unfortunately, while many of the predictions in the previous paragraphs have come true, revelations of many of the actual reasons are never even mentioned by the highly biased media as they seek to be the determining factor in making the election a liberal Democrat landslide in November. Democrats and the media have been touting a depression for most of the last eight years, repeating the left’s mantra, “The worst economy since the great depression,” an absolute untruth. In fact, until the Democrat orchestrated mortgage collapse, the economy was among the best ever with low unemployment and high wages. Another of their mantra’s, “Bush tax cuts for the wealthy” is also an absolute lie. In actuality, the Bush tax cuts increased income taxes paid by the wealthiest Americans by 2% and decreased those paid by the bottom half of wage earners by 2%. This information comes directly from government statistics. You’ll never hear those statistics mentioned by the media for obvious reasons. Incidently, whenever “the left” is used in this article it includes liberal Democrats, entertainers (actors, media personalities, sports figures, etc.) and anti-capitalists of all kinds.
As has been the case numerous times, tax cuts by the Bush administration greatly increased federal tax revenue even as the Democrats predicted a huge loss of revenue. As expected, their grossly erroneous predictions are never mentioned by the media who’s extreme bias has become obvious to all but the dimmest lightbulb. By whipping up and encouraging a very successful class hate campaign against business people—the wealthy, big business, and big oil in particular—liberal Democrat politicians and their cronies in the media have created an emotional anti-business, anti-success attitude within much of the public, particularly those ignorant of the facts. Profit has long been an evil thing in the lexicon of the left including the media. This in spite of the fact that in America, profits are the sole source of investment capital, by far the largest force in job creation, and the largest source of federal revenue. There is no question—class envy and hatred for business works, politically. Ultimately it will destroy our economy, and that is quite obviously the goal of the left.
Here are some remarks by Newt Gingerich:
“Today marks the end of one of the most dishonest, relentlessly one-sided campaigns of bias and distortion by the mainstream media in American history.
“The latest tactic in this elite media campaign has been to declare the presidential race over in an effort to discourage some voters from going to the polls. After all, if Barack Obama has already won, why should supporters of John McCain even bother to vote?
“But this election won't be decided by Keith Olbermann, or CNN, or the New York Times. It will be decided by you.
“So annoy the mainstream media. Remember 2000. Remember how close it was. Remember how every single vote counted.”
Do any of you readers ever consider the fact that only wealthy business people are included in this organized hate campaign? Many entertainers including sports figures and media talking heads earn far more than most business owners, yet the media dotes on them while ridiculing and condemning virtually everyone in business. Likewise wealthy attorneys like Edwards make millions bilking corporations by misleading courtroom actions inflaming class hatred in juries. Anyone who does not comply with their results are forced to do so by the power of men with guns. Attorneys will only go after those with “deep pockets” for purely economic reasons. Yet these types are held in high esteem by the media. Sleazebags like Edwards are virtually immune to media criticism as long as they are Democrats. Incidently, have you ever heard of a Republican trial Attorney?
While most attorneys in movies and TV shows are portrayed with adoration no matter how wealthy, business people are almost always portrayed as evil, sinister cheaters or stumble bums. There have been and now are many lawyer shows from LA Law to Boston Legal glorifying the legal profession, but have you ever heard of similar shows glorifying business people? Of course not. Those who become wealthy in movies or TV, on the professional game fields, or in the courtroom are praised and held up as role models no matter how crass, immoral, evil, or self indulgent they are. On the other hand, business people who become wealthy are universally reviled, insulted, ridiculed and portrayed as evil monsters. For decades, the evil cattle baron as the villain and the lone poor farmer or cowboy as the hero has been a staple plot for thousands of films and TV shows. This pattern has morphed into the staple of poor employee against evil business man employer in many of today’s entertainment offerings.
That many people get their economic and political information from these shows is obvious no matter how in error they are. Emotions almost always triumph over logic. Case in point, the movie The China Syndrome almost by itself convinced the American public that nuclear power was a very bad and dangerous thing and so shut down our entire nuclear power program. This in spite of the fact that nuclear power has the safest record with the least health dangers of any form of power generation. The movie, based on an actual incident at the Three Mile Island nuclear facility, was a fictional story—a fabrication. The facts of the actual incident were the direct opposite of the story. The emergency safety features and precautions built into the plant worked perfectly. The accident was confined to the facility and the safety systems worked perfectly. No dangerous radiation was released and no one was injured. Nevertheless, this Hollywood fabrication falsely convinced the American public that nuclear energy would kill or sicken us all. As a result, no nuclear power plants have been built since, a great loss to our economy.
While the left continues their hate campaign against them, Republicans seem reluctant to speak out with the truth about the root causes of our economic problems. Newt Gingerich is one who does speak out as in a recent article, “A candidate with the courage to tell the truth about Franklin Raines, Chris Dodd, Barney Frank, the Carter and Clinton-era pressures for bad loans, the ACORN pressure for bad loans (trained in Chicago by Barack Obama in his community organizer days) would have an enormous response from a country which is sick of predatory politicians, arrogant bureaucrats, and elitist reporters.” Unfortunately, the left (and especially their propagandists in the media) is very capable of personal attacks on anyone who points out these truths with ridicule, hate speech, and false accusations of racism. Together with completely ignoring any negative information about Democrats or positive information about Republicans and conservatives, this produces an extremely false impression of reality in the minds of impressionable (and usually ill informed) voters and the young in particular. Does Tom Brokaw actually expect us to believe that in all the questions submitted for the debate he managed there was not a single one about Jeremiah Wright, Bill Ayers, Father Pfloeger, or Acorn? Give me a break.
Here’s a modified quote from my unpublished non-fiction book, The Feudals:
When the 13 colonies were still part of England, Professor Alexander Tyler, a Scottish historian, wrote about the fall of the Athenian democracy over 2000 years earlier. “A democracy can not exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover they can vote themselves money from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always vote for the candidates promising them the most money from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship.”
NOTE: Since this was written I have discovered the source may not by Professor Tyler (or Tytler). For information about this goto the posting of March 3, 2009.
That is precisely what has happened to our country thanks to the efforts of liberal Democrats. Their “tax the rich and spend to buy votes” philosophy is based in this reality. By pledging more and more money to more and more people, and promising to take it away from the “rich,” the Feudals are buying votes motivated by class envy and hatred. It is easy to see that Obama’s constant mantra, “Tax reductions and government checks for most Americans while the wealthiest 5% get taxed to pay for it. I’ll punish those rich bastards for you.” No, those are not his exact words, but that’s the appeal of his message, loud and clear. At least the words of Jeremiah Wright, his spiritual mentor, “God Damn America” were an honest expression of his feelings. The liberal Democrat campaign follows the same hate driven pattern of racism, class and wealth envy, ridicule, and denigration because they have no ideas or plausible proposals and because hate campaigns work. Their main effort is to accuse Republicans of precisely what Democrats have been doing all along.
Here’s what really scares me. I believe liberal Democrats mean to do precisely what they say they intend to do. This includes: 1) Checks for the lowest half of the citizens. That’s definitely blatant vote buying right out of Tyler’s prediction. 2) Just the promise of the doubling of the capital gains tax is already causing a monstrous flight of investment capital from America. That’s what is depressing the stock market and causing job loss. 3) The so-called “fairness doctrine” will be passed to silence talk radio. This is actually an attack on our freedom of speech and numerous Democrats are already talking about it. 4) Several McCain-Palin campaign workers have been attacked. I see this violence against Republicans as growing in intensity and number. Incited by the class envy and hate speech from the left, these attacks could quickly escalate. The left doesn’t hesitate to use violence to serve their ends. Just ask Obama cohort, Bill Ayers.
A prediction: In addition to what I predicted in January, it is my opinion that given a large Democrat majority in Congress, Obama will continue the destruction of our capitalist economy that the left has worked so hard to achieve. The left will then move us down the road to socialism. Incited by all the hate speech, violence against Republicans, conservatives and those perceived as “rich” will grow in frequency and intensity. From the chaos that follows, a socialist dictatorship similar to the old Soviet Union will eventually emerge just as predicted by Professor Tyler. It will be a bloody and devastating change. As the Bolsheviks did in Russia, or the French did with the guillotine, the wealthy, then the intellectuals, educators, and idealists that started the revolution will be murdered or otherwise disposed of, and the media will be controlled. I wonder how those political satirists from the entertainment world will fare? In the Soviet world dissent was silenced with a bullet or knife. (Trotsky in Mexico for example) My specific prediction is that within the next twenty years the United States will become a socialist dictatorship much like the old Soviet Union.
Right now, during the 2008 national election, here are numerous incidents of voter intimidation like what was recorded by a CNN reporter in Philadelphia. He recorded two Black Panthers in their uniforms blocking the entry to the polling place. One was even wielding a night stick. When he spoke to them he was threatened and recorded the remark, "We are going to elect a black President and nothing is going to stop it." Numerous citizens were so intimidated they left without voting. The left does not hesitate to use intimidation and violence to gain their political ends. Once in power, the left will even use murder as a political incentive to enforce their edicts. It is my firm belief such violence is soon coming to our nation.
Now Obama announces he wants a civilian military force with equal power to the regular military. What for? Maybe he is continuing to follow another leader who brought “change.”
The Sturmabteilung (help·info), abbreviated SA, (German for "Assault detachment" or "Assault section", usually translated as "stormtroop(er)s"), functioned as a paramilitary organization of the NSDAP – the German Nazi party. They played a key role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1930s.
SA men were often called "brownshirts", for the colour of their uniforms, and to distinguish them from the Schutzstaffel (SS), who wore black and brown uniforms (compare the Italian blackshirts).
The SA was also the first Nazi paramilitary group to develop pseudo-military titles for bestowal upon its members. The SA ranks would be adopted by several other Nazi Party groups, chief among them the SS. They were very important to Hitler's rise to power until they were superseded by the SS after the Night of the Long Knives.
I wonder what color shirts Obama's civilian military will wear. Maybe the same uniform now worn by the Black Panthers as they intimidated voters in Philadelphia.
Don’t say it can’t happen here—it can.
Oh yes, who will Obama pick for his cabinet? How about Franklin Raines for Treasury Secretary, Bill Ayers as the Secretary of Education, and Tony Rezko as head of the Justice department.
Realty check: No, this didn't happen, but it still could eventually. Instead, several of his picks declined, withdrew or otherwise were chastened by gross misconduct, usually tax fraud and deliberate non payment of federal taxes, or in the case of one Republican, withdrawal because of "irreconcilable differences."
Subject: Bar Stool Economics
Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100.
If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:
The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.
The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. 'Since you are all such good customers, he said, 'I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20. Drinks for the ten now cost just $80. The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?' They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But, if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.
And so:
The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
The seventh now paid $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).
Each of the six was better off than before And the first four continued to drink for free. But, once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.
"I only got a dollar out of the $20," declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man, "but he got $10!"
"Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "I only saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got ten imes more than I!"
"That's true!!" shouted the seventh man. "Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!"
"Wait a minute," yelled the first four men in unison. "We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!"
The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.
The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!
And that, boys and girls , journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.
David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D.
Professor of Economics, University of Georgia
For those who understand, no explanation is needed.
For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.
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While walking down the street one day a US senator is tragically hit by a truck and dies. His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.
"Welcome to heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you."
"No problem, just let me in," says the senator.
"Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity.'
"Really, I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven," says the senator.
"I'm sorry, but we have our rules."
And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.
Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people.
They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and champagne. Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that before he realizes it, it is time to go.
Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises ... The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him.
"Now it's time to visit heaven."
So, 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.
"Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity."
The senator reflects for a minute, then answers: "Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell."
So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above...
The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulder. "I don't understand," stammers the senator. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?"
The devil looks at him, smiles and says......."Yesterday we were campaigning. Today you voted."
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A president's pension currently is $191,300 per year, until he is 80 years old.
Assuming the next president lives to age 80. Sen. McCain would receive ZERO pension as he would reach 80 at the end of two terms as president. Sen. Obama would be retired for 26 years after two terms and would receive $4,973,800 in pension.
Therefore it would certainly make economic sense to elect McCain in November. The results certainly indicate the economic acumen of America’s voters.
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It's not looking good for that bailout plan..... true story.
Back in 1990, the Government seized the Mustang Ranch brothel in Nevada for tax evasion and, as required by law, tried to run it.
They failed and it closed.
Now we are trusting the entire economy of our country to a pack of nit-wits who couldn't make money running a whore house and selling booze?
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NEW RULES FOR THE WORKPLACE TO ACHIEVE CHANGE AND FAIRNESS
You small business owners out there are preparing for life under a Barack Obama presidency. Here are some new rules for small businesses based on Obama's ideals of change and fairness:
As of November 5, 2008, when President Obama officially becomes president-elect, our company will instill a few new policies which are in keeping with his new, inspiring issues of change and fairness:
1. All salespeople will be pooling their sales and bonuses into a common pool that will be divided equally between all of you. This will serve to give those of you who are under-achieving a "fair shake."
2. All workers below management lavel will be pooling their wages, including overtime, into a common pool, dividing it equally amongst you. This will help those who are "too busy for overtime" to reap the rewards from those who have more spare time and can work extra hours.
3. All top management will now be referred to as "the government." We will not participate in this "pooling" experience because the law doesn't apply to us.
4. The "government" will give eloquent speeches to all employees every week, encouraging its workers to continue to work hard "for the good of all."
5. The employees will be thrilled with these new policies because it's "good to spread the wealth around". Those of you who have underachieved will finally get an opportunity; those of you who have worked hard and had success will feel more "patriotic."
6. The last few people who were hired should clean out their desks. Don't feel bad, though, because President Obama will give you free healthcare, free handouts, free oil for heating your home, free food stamps, and he'll let you stay in your home for as long as you want even if you can't pay your mortgage. If you appeal directly to our democratic congress, you might even get a free flat screen TV and a coupon for free haircuts (shouldn't all Americans be entitled to nice looking hair?)!!!
New rules for professionals in keeping with Obama's ideals of change and fairness:
Since most professionals are licensed by their states, pooling of income, fees, awards, prizes, etc. will be done on a state by state basis. For example, all New York attorneys will give all of their income, fees, awards, prizes, etc to the NY attorney pool. This pooled money will first be used to pay the federal income tax and the remainder will be divided equally between all NY attorneys. This will serve to give those attorneys who are under-achieving a "fair shake".
The same state income pooling process will also be used for physicians, dentists, football players, actors, accountants, race car drivers—anyone in any recognized profession that is not working as an hourly employee of a company. Those professionals who have underachieved will finally get an opportunity and reward; those who have worked hard and had success will feel more "patriotic."
If for any reason you are not happy with the new policies, you may want to—WELL, YOU KNOW.
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A Bit About our Probable Next President
Website about Obama - http://ahwatukeemusings.blogspot.com/2008/10/barack-obama-william-ayers-acorn.html
Now for the serious stuff, as hard as it is to take politicians seriously.
I am amazed at the responses many of my “Rants” have evoked from the far left members of my family. I have been cursed, ridiculed, called numerous unsavory names including liar and moron, denigrated by members of my family, and ordered never to send emails (that disagree with their political views). It is plain to me that their logic is so weak and their arguments so poor That all they can do is hit me with emotional clubs. It seems to me that is the sum total of arguments from the left. Like DNC chairman Howard Dean’s famous rant, “I hate Republicans. I hate Conservatives. I hate Rush Limbaugh.” all they can offer is ridicule, hate, class envy, and name calling. I challenge you liberals to list any positive proposals your politicians have made. I’ll wager that those few proposals are laced with bigger government bureaucracy, playing to class envy in most Americans, increased taxes on the “wealthy,” or vote buying.
It's an amazing time to be alive in America . We're in a year of firsts in this presidential election: the first viable woman candidate; the first viable African-American candidate; and, a candidate who is the first front running freedom fighter over 70. The next president of America will be a first.
We won't truly be in an election of firsts, however, until we judge every candidate by where they stand. We won't arrive where we should be until we no longer talk about skin color or gender. Now that Barack Obama is the Democrat candidate, we need to stop talking about his race, and start talking about his policies and his politics.
Sadly, the Hollywood left including the main stream media had a major part in selecting the candidates of both parties. This may even have been the single most important factor in terms of the results. In an age when celebrity has become by far the most important factor for any selection, the celebrity treatment afforded any candidate by the Hollywood/New York media looks to far outweigh issues and even reality. Never mind inexperience, animosity toward middle American values, or mentors shouting, “God Damn America,” Obama has the celebrity so many Americans worship, especially the young.
The reality is this: Mr. Obama is the current odds on choice to be our next President. Its time America takes a closer and deeper look at him. Some pundits are calling him the next John F. Kennedy. He's not. He's the next George Mc Govern. And it's time people learned the facts.
Because the truth is that Mr Obama is the single most liberal senator in the entire U.S. Senate. He is more liberal than Ted Kennedy, Bernie Sanders, or Mrs. Clinton. He is the presidential frontrunner whose rhetoric is so farther removed from his record than any previous candidate. Walter Mondale promised to raise our taxes, and he lost. George Mc Govern promised military weakness, and he lost. Michael Dukakis promised a liberal domestic agenda, and he lost.
Yet Mr. Obama is promising all those things, and he's not behind in the polls. Why? Because the press has dealt with him as if he were in a beauty pageant. Mr. Obama talks about getting past party, getting past red and blue, to lead the United States of America . But let's look at the more defined strokes of who he is underneath this superficial 'beauty.'
Start with national security, since the president's most important duties are as commander-in-chief. Over the summer, Mr. Obama talked about invading Pakistan, a nation armed with nuclear weapons; meeting without preconditions with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who vows to destroy Israel and create another Holocaust; and Kim Jong II, who is murdering and starving his people, but emphasized that the nuclear option was off the table against terrorists - something no president has ever taken off the table since we created nuclear weapons in the 1940s. Even Democrats who have worked in national security condemned all of those remarks. Mr. Obama is a foreign-policy novice who would put our national security at risk.
Next, consider economic policy. For all its faults, our health care system is the strongest in the world. And free trade agreements, created by Bill Clinton as well as President Bush, have made more goods more affordable so that even people of modest means can live a life that no one imagined a generation ago. Yet Mr Obama promises to raise taxes on "the rich." How to fix Social Security? Raise taxes. How to fix Medicare? Raise taxes. Prescription drugs? Raise taxes. Free college? Raise taxes. Socialize medicine? Raise taxes. His solution to everything is to have government take it over. Big Brother on steroids, funded by your paycheck.
Incidently Obama is running many ads saying he will only increase taxes on the top 5% of Americans and leave the bottom 95% alone. This “soak the rich” strategy may please many poor and middle income families with its class envy retribution, but let’s look at it realistically. What happens to the vast majority of the income of the 5% wealthiest Americans? A portion is used to buy things and build things that provide jobs and income for many other Americans. By far the largest amount is invested and most of that investment capital is used to build companies that hire employees and create jobs. This builds the economy and creates wealth. Let’s use the favorite target of liberal “Big Oil” class envy abuse. Exxon paid $28 million in taxes on about $42 million in profits for 2007. That's as much as the entire lower half of all individual American taxpayers combined. The remaining after tax profits of
Finally, look at the social issues. Mr. Obama had the audacity to open a stadium rally by saying, "All praise and glory to God!" but says that Christian leaders speaking for life and marriage have "hijacked" - hijacked - Christianity. He is pro-partial birth abortion, and promises to appoint Supreme Court justices who will rule any restriction on it unconstitutional. He espouses the abortion views of Margaret Sanger, one of the early advocates of racial cleansing. His spiritual leaders endorse homosexual marriage, and he is moving in that direction. In Illinois , he refused to vote against a statewide ban - ban - on all handguns in the state. These are radical left, Hollywood, media , and San Francisco values, not Middle America values.
The real Mr. Obama is far from what the American public want from every poll taken on the subject of socialist programs. But Mr. Obama will win if people don't start looking behind his veneer and flowery speeches. His vision of 'bringing America together' means saying that those who disagree with his agenda for America are hijackers, racists, or warmongers. Uniting the country means adopting his liberal agenda and abandoning any conflicting beliefs. Should you express any opposition to any of his words or actions the media will brand you as racist.
Other than raising taxes, what has he proposed? Change? What kind of change? Repudiation of the Bush policies? All of them? Rescind the bush tax cut “for the wealthy?” The Bush Tax “cuts” not only resulted in a huge increase in federal tax revenue but the actually resulted in an increase in taxes paid by the top 50% of taxpayers and reduced taxes on the bottom 50%. It would be generous to not say Obama is lying, just that he is grossly misinformed, but I doubt that is the case. It is quite clear to me that he knows precisely what he is doing and where it will take us.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
The T. Boone Pickens Plan
You’ve probably seen those T. Boone Pickens natural gas TV ads. Like you, I wondered why. I spent several hours of research to find out just what T. Boone was up to. As one of those evil capitalists he was obviously after increasing his wealth. Here’s what I discovered from one source, The Alternative Energy Speculator. Please read my commentary at the end of this article excerpt. It’s about a piece describing Pickens and his efforts I read in one liberal newspaper. It reveals just how wrong the entire liberal establishment is about wealth, taxes, investment, profits, and how these harm or benefit Americans.
Dear Reader,
If you follow the energy industry at all, you've undoubtedly heard of the Pickens Plan the massive effort by Texas billionaire T. Boone Pickens that calls for an estimated $1 trillion investment to displace electricity currently produced from natural gas with clean wind power. The Pickens Plan would allow the excess natural gas capacity to be used to power trucks and even cars. What's more, California has already set forth a ballot initiative that would allow the state to invest in the burgeoning market for natural gas-fueled vehicles. The measure, which currently faces no opposition, would free up $5 billion to fast-track the deployment of a million natural gas vehicles on California's roads.
That's all very interesting, yes, but why am I telling you about it today? Well, you see, T. Boone Pickens is no dummy. He may very well believe in the environmental benefits of his plan but he also stands to take enormous profits from it. And you can follow his lead.
To Your Best Days,
Paul Amos
Associate Director, HIS
“One undeniable beneficiary of the Pickens Plan would be Pickens himself. He has bet $12 billion on a massive new wind farm in rural Texas and his BP Capital hedge fund is heavily invested in the natural gas industry.”
-The Guardian, UK
How T. Boone Pickens and The “Pickens Plan” Can Make You Rich
Dear Reader,
T. Boone Pickens recently revealed a plan that he believes could be the only real solution to reducing our dependence on foreign oil. I know, that's a pretty bold statement to make. But this is T. Boone Pickens we're talking about--the former Texas oilman who's worth about $3billion...and just so happens to be the 117th richest person in the United States!
I can assure you, Pickens didn't become a self-made billionaire by being on the wrong side of the energy markets. So when he says he's found the only real solution to reducing our dependence on foreign oil, you might want to see exactly what he's talking about.
The Pickens Plan:
A $1 Trillion Transition
You may have only recently seen the ads for the Pickens Plan. But the fact is, this thing's been building momentum for a few years now. You see, Pickens Plan calls for an estimated $1 trillion investment to displace electricity currently produced from natural gas with clean wind power. This allows the excess natural gas capacity to power cars and trucks.
It's an excellent “transitional” plan that can help alleviate hundreds of billions of dollars currently spent on oil, while creating thousands of U.S. jobs.
But the truth is, this “transitional” plan didn't begin with Pickens. It actually began in California, with a little-known “Clean Air Action Plan” that Pickens capitalized on the moment it launched. Back in November of 2006--in an effort to drastically reduce pollution--the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles adopted a clean air action plan. Within three years, this action plan requires the ports to:
Achieve a 47% decrease in diesel particulate matter (PM) emissions from port-related activity (shipping AND trucking).
Cut smog-forming nitrogen oxide (NOx) by 45%
Achieve a 52% reduction of sulfur oxides (Sox).
Now understand, this is an area where more than 16,800 Class-8 tractor trailers are the only machines strong enough to transport the heavy containers to their destinations. And they transport a lot of them. In fact, combined, these two ports move more than $260 billion worth of traded goods per year. And that number is expected to reach $1.3 trillion by 2025. With that kind of money in play, you know there's a major opportunity for investors. And T. Boone Pickens was the first to the party.
You see, in order to meet the new emission-reduction requirements, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the state Air Resources Board and the EPA called for the replacement of more than 5,300 trucks with clean-burning Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) trucks.
LNG Fast Facts:
As a liquid, LNG is not explosive. LNG vapor will only explode in and enclosed space within the flammable range of 5-15%. [It must be kept in insulated or vacuum bottle containers as it is very cold. It is kept cold bythe constant vaporization of the liquid in the containers. The less highly insulated the container—the faster the LNG evaporates.]
Benefits of LNG in transportation applications:
**LNG is produced both worldwide and domestically at a relatively low cost and is cleaner burning than diesel fuel. Since LNG has a higher storage density, it is a more viable alternative to diesel fuel than compressed natural gas for heavy duty applications.
**In addition, LNG in heavy-duty natural gas engines achieves significantly lower NOx and particulate emission levels than diesel.
Essentially, they decided to go with LNG because it could help the ports meet their reduction requirements--but without having to add a hefty price tag to the transition. And guess who got an early piece of that action?
You got it! The one and only, T. Boone Pickens. Pickens owns 40% of a company called Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (NASDAQ:CLNE). This is a company that provides natural gas for vehicle fleets in the U.S. and Canada. It actually designs, builds, finances, and operates the fueling stations too.
Bck in July, 2007, the stock was trading around $13.24 a share. By October of 2007, the stock hit $19.60 a share--giving a gain of more than 48% in less than 4 months.
You see, although Clean Energy Fuels Corp. supplies the LNG, someone still has to supply the engines that run on the stuff. After all, it's not as if GM and Ford are cranking these things out. They can barely stay in business as it is. But there is a small Canadian company (of which 12 percent is actually owned by Pickens) that has designed what could be the most advanced, efficient engine on the planet. And it's powered by LNG. In fact, it's so revolutionary it was awarded the 2007 Industry Innovation Award for alternative fuel trucks.
Bottom line: This engine and this fuel source, which is cheaper and cleaner than diesel, has proved to be the best stop-gap available that can handle the heavy workload, wear and mileage required by the ports and the drivers.
It doesn't hurt that Clean Energy Fuels Corp. is already supplying the infrastructure in the way of LNG fuel and fueling stations too. But the best part is, this engine can actually be swapped with existing diesel truck engines that are already in service. So no need to purchase brand new trucks!
In fact... This Revolutionary Engine Could Actually Save Truck Drivers and Companies Over $353.8 Million per Year! Let's face it...everything comes down to the bottom line. And that's why this particular engine manufacturer is going to make investors an absolute fortune. You see, as I write this, diesel fuel in the port areas in California is already well over $4.96 a gallon...and steadily on the rise. And with the skyrocketing costs of fuel set to go even higher in the near future, truckers are desperately looking for ways to save on energy costs. For them, even a drop of $0.05 gallon would save each truck, traveling 80,000 miles per year and getting an average of six miles per gallon - over $650.
But this engine has proved even better. Once retro-fitted to a current semi, the new engine could save over $21,000 a year in fuel costs! And with more than 16,800 of them servicing the port area, companies and drivers (depending on how the fuel arrangement is met) are looking at a total savings of more than $352.8 million per year. With that kind of money staying in their pockets, it came as no surprise when, just this past January, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach approved a $1.6 billion Clean Truck Superfund.
Since the announcement of the $1.6 billion “superfund,” this little engine manufacturer has watched its share price skyrocket more than 96.2% And this is in the wake of one of the most volatile markets in recent memory! Now that the Pickens Plan is in full swing, we're expecting share prices to rise least another 143%
Check it out... Ports of Los Angeles and Long beach announcement to approve a new $1.6 billion Clean Truck Superfund. The fund will assist replacing many of the 16,800 Class 8 trucks serving the ports with LNG-powered vehicles. The ports have also introduced a new progressive ban that will remove all pre-2007 trucks by 2012. This company’s LNG fuel system is the only alternative fuel technology currently qualified for financial support under the ports’ Clean Truck program, within the next 8 to 10months.
In fact, even retail giant Wal-Mart, which operates one of the nation's largest fleets, has joined this company in their natural gas revolution... having picked up four test vehicles to measure the money saved by the switch.
While Wal-Mart, the leader in low cost providers, is claiming the move is for “Clean-Energy Purposes,”the reality is... they're looking at saving several million dollars a year in transportation costs. And as more LNG fueling stations appear across the country (thanks to the Pickens Plan), and with the proven environmental AND cost savings of the switch--investors are now lining up for their share of what this little-known company is about deliver.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here’s a revelation of just how wrong the entire liberal establishment is about wealth, taxes, investment, profits, and how these harm or benefit Americans.
I just read a full page article about T. Boone Pickens in a typical liberal newspaper. From the article’s attitude and description one would think Pickens was the worst kind of scoundrel. They wrote disparagingly of his wealth, the profits he made in oil, and how now he’s “cornering the market” on new sources of energy. These include wind and LNG. The article is just another example of the left using class envy to inflame hatred against successful entrpreneurial capitalists and make “profits” a dirty word especially when they tie it in with “excessive.” Liberals just don’t get it. They have no concept of how profits and wealth turn into jobs and economic prosperity and how taxes result in lost jobs and economic depression—“but they mean well.”
The Pacific tigers get it. The Irish get it. Even the Georgians get it. The Indians get it and the Chinese get it in spades. All have realized the fact: that “profits” and “profitability” provide job opportunities and build economic abundance, that low taxes encourage savings and investment to fund those projects that create jobs and generate more wealth, and that in the current worldwide economy, the capital to fund these projects goes where it gets the best return. This is why lowering taxes always results in economic success and higher tax revenue and raising taxes always results in a recessive economy and lower tax revenue. This is so pervasive and exceptions are so rare it is virtually axiomatic.
Why then don't the liberals get it? Why are the current liberal Democrats planning to double the capital gains tax and rescind the Bush tax cuts? I find it hard to believe they are so ignorant of reality. There are but three possibilities. 1) They know these facts, but believe voters are so stupid they would sacrifice thousands of jobs just to hurt those rascally wealthy people by electing liberals. 2) They are so ignorant or stupid that they don’t know these facts. 3) They know the truth and want to use taxes to “get even with America” and bring us to our economic knees.
The T. Boone Pickens example - While the newspaper article denigrated Pickens for his wealth in comparison with so many poor Americans (those dirty profits from oil), it never mentioned how many good jobs his companies provided, how many families his investments have fed, clothed, and housed, how many young people his enterprises have sent to college, how many seniors are enjoying retirement after working for him, or how much he paid in taxes. How about his wind farm? This was a financial risk that provided jobs for many people and environmentally favorable energy for Americans. Why didn’t the paper give him accolades for his efforts for the environment? Was it because he dares to make profits from his efforts? I wonder how long that paper would be in business if it didn’t make a profit? Newspapers are dying all over America and the reasons given include low circulation, high labor costs, loss of advertising, and the Internet. The real reason is lack of profit. None of these businesses (newspapers are a business) would go out of business if they were profitable. The reasons given for newspapers dying are actually what caused them to become unprofitable.
Profits - what do they do?
1. They enable companies (that’s organized groups of workers) to expand, grow, and create jobs.
2. They enable companies to provide their employees with better pay and benefits.
3. They enable companies to access investment and loans to expand.
4. They enable companies to pay taxes - (Exxon paid 28 million for 2007. That’s as much as the entire lower half of all individual American taxpayers combined.)
5. They provide stockholders (owners) a financial return on their investment.
This begs the question, would all you who are castigating profits work without pay? Profits are to business what a pay check is to a worker. Why isn’t a paycheck subject to the same disdain as profits.
So kudos to T. Boone and all the other successful capitalists who among other things, provide nearly all the jobs, make almost all the investments, create and develop the technologies, and build the American economy, while paying for most of our bloated, inefficient, and self-serving government. They are the ones who really build our country, not those self-serving, egotistical politicians with their strutting, posturing, and under-the-table grabbing for cash. There was much ado about the famous “bridge to nowhere” in Ketchikan, Alaska. Why didn’t Ted Kennedy’s “Big dig” in Boston bring out some of the same objections? It was certainly in the same category as it merely moved four miles of a surface freeway underground while not improving anything but the view above ground. It also cost more than 16 billion dollars, many times the cost of the “bridge to nowhere.” In spite of the comments of its detractors, the “bridge to nowhere” did have a positive result. It would have gained sorely needed access to nearby land for expansion of Ketchikan. I’ve been there and seen the possibilities first hand. T. Boone should look into funding that bridge. Under the right circumstances it could be a money maker. Maybe Sarah could convince T. Boone to get the job done.
If the Obama crowd has their way and implements their announced tax changes, the resulting flight of capital from America to elsewhere in the world will make the flight of manufacturing jobs of the past forty years look like a trickle. The resulting depression will make the Jimmy Carter years and even the great depression look like a day in the park.
Dear Reader,
If you follow the energy industry at all, you've undoubtedly heard of the Pickens Plan the massive effort by Texas billionaire T. Boone Pickens that calls for an estimated $1 trillion investment to displace electricity currently produced from natural gas with clean wind power. The Pickens Plan would allow the excess natural gas capacity to be used to power trucks and even cars. What's more, California has already set forth a ballot initiative that would allow the state to invest in the burgeoning market for natural gas-fueled vehicles. The measure, which currently faces no opposition, would free up $5 billion to fast-track the deployment of a million natural gas vehicles on California's roads.
That's all very interesting, yes, but why am I telling you about it today? Well, you see, T. Boone Pickens is no dummy. He may very well believe in the environmental benefits of his plan but he also stands to take enormous profits from it. And you can follow his lead.
To Your Best Days,
Paul Amos
Associate Director, HIS
“One undeniable beneficiary of the Pickens Plan would be Pickens himself. He has bet $12 billion on a massive new wind farm in rural Texas and his BP Capital hedge fund is heavily invested in the natural gas industry.”
-The Guardian, UK
How T. Boone Pickens and The “Pickens Plan” Can Make You Rich
Dear Reader,
T. Boone Pickens recently revealed a plan that he believes could be the only real solution to reducing our dependence on foreign oil. I know, that's a pretty bold statement to make. But this is T. Boone Pickens we're talking about--the former Texas oilman who's worth about $3billion...and just so happens to be the 117th richest person in the United States!
I can assure you, Pickens didn't become a self-made billionaire by being on the wrong side of the energy markets. So when he says he's found the only real solution to reducing our dependence on foreign oil, you might want to see exactly what he's talking about.
The Pickens Plan:
A $1 Trillion Transition
You may have only recently seen the ads for the Pickens Plan. But the fact is, this thing's been building momentum for a few years now. You see, Pickens Plan calls for an estimated $1 trillion investment to displace electricity currently produced from natural gas with clean wind power. This allows the excess natural gas capacity to power cars and trucks.
It's an excellent “transitional” plan that can help alleviate hundreds of billions of dollars currently spent on oil, while creating thousands of U.S. jobs.
But the truth is, this “transitional” plan didn't begin with Pickens. It actually began in California, with a little-known “Clean Air Action Plan” that Pickens capitalized on the moment it launched. Back in November of 2006--in an effort to drastically reduce pollution--the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles adopted a clean air action plan. Within three years, this action plan requires the ports to:
Achieve a 47% decrease in diesel particulate matter (PM) emissions from port-related activity (shipping AND trucking).
Cut smog-forming nitrogen oxide (NOx) by 45%
Achieve a 52% reduction of sulfur oxides (Sox).
Now understand, this is an area where more than 16,800 Class-8 tractor trailers are the only machines strong enough to transport the heavy containers to their destinations. And they transport a lot of them. In fact, combined, these two ports move more than $260 billion worth of traded goods per year. And that number is expected to reach $1.3 trillion by 2025. With that kind of money in play, you know there's a major opportunity for investors. And T. Boone Pickens was the first to the party.
You see, in order to meet the new emission-reduction requirements, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the state Air Resources Board and the EPA called for the replacement of more than 5,300 trucks with clean-burning Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) trucks.
LNG Fast Facts:
As a liquid, LNG is not explosive. LNG vapor will only explode in and enclosed space within the flammable range of 5-15%. [It must be kept in insulated or vacuum bottle containers as it is very cold. It is kept cold bythe constant vaporization of the liquid in the containers. The less highly insulated the container—the faster the LNG evaporates.]
Benefits of LNG in transportation applications:
**LNG is produced both worldwide and domestically at a relatively low cost and is cleaner burning than diesel fuel. Since LNG has a higher storage density, it is a more viable alternative to diesel fuel than compressed natural gas for heavy duty applications.
**In addition, LNG in heavy-duty natural gas engines achieves significantly lower NOx and particulate emission levels than diesel.
Essentially, they decided to go with LNG because it could help the ports meet their reduction requirements--but without having to add a hefty price tag to the transition. And guess who got an early piece of that action?
You got it! The one and only, T. Boone Pickens. Pickens owns 40% of a company called Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (NASDAQ:CLNE). This is a company that provides natural gas for vehicle fleets in the U.S. and Canada. It actually designs, builds, finances, and operates the fueling stations too.
Bck in July, 2007, the stock was trading around $13.24 a share. By October of 2007, the stock hit $19.60 a share--giving a gain of more than 48% in less than 4 months.
You see, although Clean Energy Fuels Corp. supplies the LNG, someone still has to supply the engines that run on the stuff. After all, it's not as if GM and Ford are cranking these things out. They can barely stay in business as it is. But there is a small Canadian company (of which 12 percent is actually owned by Pickens) that has designed what could be the most advanced, efficient engine on the planet. And it's powered by LNG. In fact, it's so revolutionary it was awarded the 2007 Industry Innovation Award for alternative fuel trucks.
Bottom line: This engine and this fuel source, which is cheaper and cleaner than diesel, has proved to be the best stop-gap available that can handle the heavy workload, wear and mileage required by the ports and the drivers.
It doesn't hurt that Clean Energy Fuels Corp. is already supplying the infrastructure in the way of LNG fuel and fueling stations too. But the best part is, this engine can actually be swapped with existing diesel truck engines that are already in service. So no need to purchase brand new trucks!
In fact... This Revolutionary Engine Could Actually Save Truck Drivers and Companies Over $353.8 Million per Year! Let's face it...everything comes down to the bottom line. And that's why this particular engine manufacturer is going to make investors an absolute fortune. You see, as I write this, diesel fuel in the port areas in California is already well over $4.96 a gallon...and steadily on the rise. And with the skyrocketing costs of fuel set to go even higher in the near future, truckers are desperately looking for ways to save on energy costs. For them, even a drop of $0.05 gallon would save each truck, traveling 80,000 miles per year and getting an average of six miles per gallon - over $650.
But this engine has proved even better. Once retro-fitted to a current semi, the new engine could save over $21,000 a year in fuel costs! And with more than 16,800 of them servicing the port area, companies and drivers (depending on how the fuel arrangement is met) are looking at a total savings of more than $352.8 million per year. With that kind of money staying in their pockets, it came as no surprise when, just this past January, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach approved a $1.6 billion Clean Truck Superfund.
Since the announcement of the $1.6 billion “superfund,” this little engine manufacturer has watched its share price skyrocket more than 96.2% And this is in the wake of one of the most volatile markets in recent memory! Now that the Pickens Plan is in full swing, we're expecting share prices to rise least another 143%
Check it out... Ports of Los Angeles and Long beach announcement to approve a new $1.6 billion Clean Truck Superfund. The fund will assist replacing many of the 16,800 Class 8 trucks serving the ports with LNG-powered vehicles. The ports have also introduced a new progressive ban that will remove all pre-2007 trucks by 2012. This company’s LNG fuel system is the only alternative fuel technology currently qualified for financial support under the ports’ Clean Truck program, within the next 8 to 10months.
In fact, even retail giant Wal-Mart, which operates one of the nation's largest fleets, has joined this company in their natural gas revolution... having picked up four test vehicles to measure the money saved by the switch.
While Wal-Mart, the leader in low cost providers, is claiming the move is for “Clean-Energy Purposes,”the reality is... they're looking at saving several million dollars a year in transportation costs. And as more LNG fueling stations appear across the country (thanks to the Pickens Plan), and with the proven environmental AND cost savings of the switch--investors are now lining up for their share of what this little-known company is about deliver.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here’s a revelation of just how wrong the entire liberal establishment is about wealth, taxes, investment, profits, and how these harm or benefit Americans.
I just read a full page article about T. Boone Pickens in a typical liberal newspaper. From the article’s attitude and description one would think Pickens was the worst kind of scoundrel. They wrote disparagingly of his wealth, the profits he made in oil, and how now he’s “cornering the market” on new sources of energy. These include wind and LNG. The article is just another example of the left using class envy to inflame hatred against successful entrpreneurial capitalists and make “profits” a dirty word especially when they tie it in with “excessive.” Liberals just don’t get it. They have no concept of how profits and wealth turn into jobs and economic prosperity and how taxes result in lost jobs and economic depression—“but they mean well.”
The Pacific tigers get it. The Irish get it. Even the Georgians get it. The Indians get it and the Chinese get it in spades. All have realized the fact: that “profits” and “profitability” provide job opportunities and build economic abundance, that low taxes encourage savings and investment to fund those projects that create jobs and generate more wealth, and that in the current worldwide economy, the capital to fund these projects goes where it gets the best return. This is why lowering taxes always results in economic success and higher tax revenue and raising taxes always results in a recessive economy and lower tax revenue. This is so pervasive and exceptions are so rare it is virtually axiomatic.
Why then don't the liberals get it? Why are the current liberal Democrats planning to double the capital gains tax and rescind the Bush tax cuts? I find it hard to believe they are so ignorant of reality. There are but three possibilities. 1) They know these facts, but believe voters are so stupid they would sacrifice thousands of jobs just to hurt those rascally wealthy people by electing liberals. 2) They are so ignorant or stupid that they don’t know these facts. 3) They know the truth and want to use taxes to “get even with America” and bring us to our economic knees.
The T. Boone Pickens example - While the newspaper article denigrated Pickens for his wealth in comparison with so many poor Americans (those dirty profits from oil), it never mentioned how many good jobs his companies provided, how many families his investments have fed, clothed, and housed, how many young people his enterprises have sent to college, how many seniors are enjoying retirement after working for him, or how much he paid in taxes. How about his wind farm? This was a financial risk that provided jobs for many people and environmentally favorable energy for Americans. Why didn’t the paper give him accolades for his efforts for the environment? Was it because he dares to make profits from his efforts? I wonder how long that paper would be in business if it didn’t make a profit? Newspapers are dying all over America and the reasons given include low circulation, high labor costs, loss of advertising, and the Internet. The real reason is lack of profit. None of these businesses (newspapers are a business) would go out of business if they were profitable. The reasons given for newspapers dying are actually what caused them to become unprofitable.
Profits - what do they do?
1. They enable companies (that’s organized groups of workers) to expand, grow, and create jobs.
2. They enable companies to provide their employees with better pay and benefits.
3. They enable companies to access investment and loans to expand.
4. They enable companies to pay taxes - (Exxon paid 28 million for 2007. That’s as much as the entire lower half of all individual American taxpayers combined.)
5. They provide stockholders (owners) a financial return on their investment.
This begs the question, would all you who are castigating profits work without pay? Profits are to business what a pay check is to a worker. Why isn’t a paycheck subject to the same disdain as profits.
So kudos to T. Boone and all the other successful capitalists who among other things, provide nearly all the jobs, make almost all the investments, create and develop the technologies, and build the American economy, while paying for most of our bloated, inefficient, and self-serving government. They are the ones who really build our country, not those self-serving, egotistical politicians with their strutting, posturing, and under-the-table grabbing for cash. There was much ado about the famous “bridge to nowhere” in Ketchikan, Alaska. Why didn’t Ted Kennedy’s “Big dig” in Boston bring out some of the same objections? It was certainly in the same category as it merely moved four miles of a surface freeway underground while not improving anything but the view above ground. It also cost more than 16 billion dollars, many times the cost of the “bridge to nowhere.” In spite of the comments of its detractors, the “bridge to nowhere” did have a positive result. It would have gained sorely needed access to nearby land for expansion of Ketchikan. I’ve been there and seen the possibilities first hand. T. Boone should look into funding that bridge. Under the right circumstances it could be a money maker. Maybe Sarah could convince T. Boone to get the job done.
If the Obama crowd has their way and implements their announced tax changes, the resulting flight of capital from America to elsewhere in the world will make the flight of manufacturing jobs of the past forty years look like a trickle. The resulting depression will make the Jimmy Carter years and even the great depression look like a day in the park.
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