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Celebrating America?
The heading does not indicate that I
question celebrating this country, but, as discussed later, I question
whether the leaders of our country really do celebrate America. I have just
come from a beautiful celebration of our country put on by the Jefferson
Area Tea Party in Jackson Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. On this July 4,
2009, there is much good about America to celebrate. We still have our basic
freedoms, even if they are being eroded by this current administration. We
still have outstanding fighting men who are attempting to bring peace and
freedom to others around the world. Though Memorial Day is past, this is
also a good time to remember those who founded this county and those who
have since died in its defense so that we may be free. I believe we live in
the greatest country on this earth that over time has stood for the
governing principles which provide the greatest hope for our world.
Thousands of new citizens have been or
will be sworn in today at different ceremonies around the country. People
still come to this country because of the opportunities that we have and the
welcoming attitude of most Americans.
Yet there is much about which to be
concerned. We have a President and a majority in Congress who do not seem to
be proud of this country, what it has accomplished and what it has to offer
the rest of the world. This can be seen in just about everything that Obama
does other than the hypocritical shows he puts on for the troops. Just a few
examples of the international and domestic steps will prove the point.
International
On the international front, this President
continues to apologize for past sins of this country, both real and
perceived. He falsely extols the virtues of other countries, as was done in
his Cairo speech where he falsely praised the accomplishments of Iran and
Islam and apologized for errors of this country while failing to point out
efforts made to correct the errors.
He listened to a condemnation of this
country by Daniel Ortega and provided only a personal defense by pointing
out that he could not be blamed for something done while he was a mere
child.
He has a tepid response to the calls for
freedom in Iran - until he was forced to condemn the violence out of
embarrassment - and then condemns as an unlawful coup the lawful removal
from power of a the Honduran president who was violating his country's
constitution.
Iran and North Korea are both working on
nuclear weapons and delivery systems as Obama cuts back our military and
missile defense.
Domestic
Domestically money is poured into
companies supposedly to save jobs, but the result is that the jobs which
would have been lost through normal bankruptcy proceedings are still lost.
Then, in the case of the car companies, they are taken through a
predetermined bankruptcy in which those who should be preferred gain the
least while union supporters of Obama gain the most.
Just like a third-world tinpot dictator,
those who received AIG bonuses are treated as villains and are exposed to
death threats, and those who did not initially agree to the drastic
reduction of their debt in the case of Chrysler are threatened with exposure
that would subject them to similar treatment.
A healthcare plan which in practice will
ultimately replace private health insurance is rushed through when more than
80% of the people are satisfied with their current healthcare plans.
Cap and trade is pushed through the House
when well over 50% of the people oppose it. Included in the cap and trade
bill are efforts at renewable energy supposedly to create jobs as well as to
save the environment when just the opposite has happened in Spain where such
has been tried.
Financial institutions are proposed to
have greater regulation while the real culprits, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac,
go on about their business with little change to how they are regulated and
run.
The take over of some companies and these
additional legislative proposals are an interesting combination of socialism
and economic fascism - government control of privately owned economic means
of production. Not only are the proposals opposed by most Americans and are
wrongheaded, they have been proved - both in our country during the
Depression and abroad in Communist countries and European and Canadian
socialist endeavors - to be totally unworkable and not as good as what we
currently have. At the same time, competition - that which has always worked
- is eschewed.
When I look at all of this, I can only
conclude that what Michelle Obama said during the campaign is in fact how
both she and her husband feel - they have not been proud of our country
until now when it was clear that Obama would win the Democrat nomination. My
conclusion is that they do not celebrate and do not like America, but want
to drastically change it and ruin it and us in the process. They trust only
themselves and not you and me.
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Another Class Action
Scam
Tax Cut Lies
A Western Bypass?
Geithner Essential?
Unstimulating Stimulus
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Another Class Action
Scam; 5/6/09
At the office we use Symantec's Norton's Antivirus. We
recently received notice of a proposed settlement of a class action claim
against Symantec. The claim is that the software, when upgraded, removed
remaining time on the then active subscription. The award to class members
is that they can get a $15.00 coupon for each subscription affected or $2.50
for each such subscription.
It costs more to complete the paperwork than the return to us
for completing it.
For this fine, but useless, effort on our behalf, the
wonderful attorneys looking out for us propose to receive $2,275,000. Each
of the lead plaintiffs, who do little but have their names attached to the
pleadings, will receive $5,000.
The people who make out in these sorts of suits are the
lawyers, the lead plaintiffs and, to some extent, the company since it gets
protected by having a court approved class settlement. Meanwhile, we who are
consumers and cannot take advantage of this wonderful benefit because of the
costs of doing so, only get higher prices later because of this sort of
litigation and its costs to the company.
Tax Cut Lies; 3/3/09
President Obama has proposed tax cuts for many people, some
of whom already do not pay taxes. He will take care of shortfalls primarily
through increased taxes, supposedly on others. The people who are receiving
tax cuts financed through tax increases on others, often businesses, think
they are getting a great deal. That is a lie.
Taxes are paid by individuals, not by businesses. If a
business entity has more taxes to pay, it will pass those taxes along in one
way or another: costs will be squeezed which which mean either sellers get
lower prices or workers get lower wages thus being the ones to pay taxes;
profits will go down which means the owners pay the taxes by losses in their
investments; or most likely costs will go up which means the people who were
supposedly getting tax cuts will just pay the taxes through another means.
A perfect example is the owner of rental property. Some
tenants actually believe that they do not pay real estate taxes since they
rent rather than own a home. However, in order for the landlord to make a
profit and stay in business, he has to cover his costs, including taxes.
Thus, a tax increase to the landlord is actually paid by the tenant who
believes he pays no real estate. It is only the collection agent who
is changed.
Government is unique in several respects. While the economy
can create value, the government can only use created value. Thus, it is
effectively a zero sum game - while one person wins, another loses. This is
because government is a user, not a producer. Thus, the best in the
long run for government to be able to grow its financial take is through
allowing and encouraging a vibrant economy. Shifting taxes from one segment
to another does not do this. Using money the government does not have, i.e.,
borrowing, uses credit which otherwise could be used in productive means.
Obama is pulling a slight of hand effectively telling lies to
people about his tax cuts and tax increases and the impact of all of the
spending through borrowing.
A Western Bypass?;
2/22/09
Most people in the Charlottesville/Albemarle area agree that
something needs to be done to relieve some of the problems with traffic in
this area. At a recent meeting held at the Albemarle County Office Building
on Fifth Street Extended and hosted by the Virginia Department of
Transportation the use of a Western bypass as a solution was discussed. I
suggested at the time that a bypass was a better solution than what is being
considered in the planning effort involved in Places 29. I have submitted a
comment to VDOT to that effect.
I believe a bypass is still needed and, since much of the
land has already been acquired, I suggest a Western bypass. Originally, back
in the 1980's I was recommending an Eastern bypass from the airport road
area to Interstate 64 around Shadwell. However, given current conditions, I
see no choice but to have a Western bypass, but with a slightly different
configuration. Albemarle is looking to extend Berkmar Drive up to the
Hollymead Town Center area. The planned Albemarle Place and Best Buy make
improvements anywhere along 29 meaningless because nothing can be done to
improve the congestion of vehicles trying to get on and off the Bypass at
Emmett Street. Thus, I suggest that an extension of the planned Western
bypass and a slight Westerly realignment of Berkmar Drive be combined to
provide a reasonable Western bypass which could come in arount the Airport
Road and possible even go slightly farther to North of the Research Park at
North Fork. This would likely be cheaper than the ideas currently being
considered as part of the Places 29 study and would cause less disruption
ultimately to businesses and traffic.
More on this and other plans for Albemarle is found below at Convenient Misuse of
Data.
Geithner Essential?;
2/15/09
He is a tax cheat, and it could not have been just a mistake
given all the forms he signed acknowledging his responsibility. Yet he was
passed because he was absolutely the best man for the job. We needed him in
this time of crisis. No one else could do it, and we could not wait.
So how good a job is Mr. Essential doing? All one needs
to do is look at his first press conference. He bombed.
He had no real plan, though the press conference was touted
as a major speech setting forth a plan for the remaining TARP money and
bailout of the financial sector. He spoke mostly in vague generalities. What little
he had to say was not very enlightening.
If you have any question about how well he did, just look at
what happened to the stock market - down almost 400 points.
Given his cheating and his performance to date, he obviously
is not essential. Either Obama should ask Geithner to resign, or he should
resign without being asked. He has proven that no one is irreplaceable, and
that he is not the rescuing genius that he was sold to be.
Unstimulating Stimulus;
2/1/09
Thank goodness the stimulus bill passed by the House of
Representatives is being questioned in the Senate. This bill will do little
to stimulate the economy, but will do much to further ingratiate Democrats
with their constituents.
At the beginning concerning the housing and credit problems,
the wrong approach was taken. We should not have allotted a bunch of money
to the Treasury Department to use as it saw fit. Instead, the path used by
President Bush 41 for the savings and loan crisis should have been followed.
Put together a company, in that case the Resolution Trust Corporation, which
would take over the bad assets. Then we would have known the extent of the
problem. The companies which could not succeed after having sold the bad
assets could have been handled in the normal course, either through the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or normal bankruptcy procedures for
uninsured companies.
As regards the current stimulus package and the efforts of
the Federal government to minimize the recession, the focus should be on
three things. First, expenditures should be for Federal government
projects. First should come roads and bridges which recently received a D-
as to their current conditions. Next should come projects which have a
direct relationship to matters of national interest, such as upgrading
unsatisfactory sewage treatment plants. No other projects should escape the
normal budgeting process by being placed in this stimulus package.
Second, cut taxes, especially for business to allow them to
be more competitive. However, no one should come off the tax rolls. By
taking people off the tax rolls, and especially providing them with
refundable credits, we merely place people in a position of being concerned
only what the government can provide them and not the cost. The fallacy of
not having people pay taxes directly is that they pay them indirectly
anyway, and they just do not realize it. Taxes are always paid by
individuals, either through lost profits, higher costs or lower wages and
salaries. Those people who believe they are not paying taxes when they do
not get a raise or pay more for items at the grocery store or pay higher
rent are just fooling themselves. Politicians should be ashamed of this
chicanery.
Third, reduce, and where possible eliminate, programs which
are not really appropriate for a limited central government. Cutting waste
would be easy if politicians had a real interest in doing so. However, no
politician is remembered for a bill which he did not pass or had repealed or
for a capital project which he killed. In short, our elected officials have
no real interest in helping you and me, but only themselves, and that
interest is fed by bureaucrats whose pay goes up when they have bigger
budgets and more people to supervise.
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