Not Your Money

The question is who should be saying this? It seems that Obama and the Democrats have been saying this over the last couple of years. It seems the harder the American people work the more the government takes. They act and sometimes even claim that they have a right to your pay check. They argue over how much is really theirs and how much they will allow you to have. How did we get ourselves into this?

The history of our federal income tax withholding system is instructive. The federal income tax was increased substantially during World War II as a temporary, emergency measure to fund the war effort. Between 1939 and 1944, the top rate was raised from 79 percent on income over $5 million to 94 percent on income over $200,000. The lowest rate was increased from 4 percent on incomes as low as $4,000 to 23 percent on incomes as low as $2,000. The latter measure served to accelerate the broadening of the income tax from one previously paid only by the rich to one paid by virtually everyone. The number of income tax returns filed grew from 7.6 million in 1939 to 47.1 million in 1944.

To make that income tax increase more palatable, Congress passed the Current Tax Payment Act of 1943. That act ended the practice of paying federal income tax liability in one annual lump sum and instituted the practice of withholding money from employees' paychecks throughout the year. The goal of reducing opposition to the tax increase, by reducing the visibility of the tax burden, was made clear in congressional debates. For example, the following exchange between Sen. Bennett Champ Clark (DMo.) and Randolph Paul of the Treasury Department took place in a 1942 congressional hearing on withholding.

Senator Clark: Psychology almost certainly ought to be considered in the tax year. Some British Chancellor of the Exchequer once said: "Taxation consists of getting the greatest amount of money with the least amount of squawks."
Mr. Paul: Do you think if we cut down the squawking under this method we could raise the individual tax rates?
Senator Clark: That is what I am trying to find out: How we can raise the greatest amount of money with the least amount of hardship on the taxpayer.

Our system of federal income tax withholding was instituted during a period of crisis, to help fund the war effort. Nevertheless, when the war ended, withholding did not. It is still with us today, and it has been adopted at the state level as well. By making the tax burden less visible, withholding has made it easier for our elected officials to expand the reaches of government well beyond what was once considered its proper role. After the adoption of income tax withholding, the federal income tax burden rose quickly from only 0.9 percent of gross domestic product in 1940 to 5.8 percent by 1950. Today(4/1998) it stands at 9.3 percent of GDP.(9.6% 4/2006) It seems unlikely that the tax burden would have expanded so dramatically if Americans had continued to pay their federal and state income tax bills in one lump sum every year.

Yet, with all this review of taxation, few people actually sit down and look at the complete tax burden after payroll based taxes. The government has further drawn down your income with hidden taxes and fees. These taxes include; property, fuel, tobacco, alcohol, utility, consumption of goods and services, hospitality, the list continues.... We see new regulations and rules that further reduce income through compliance. Having to report or process paperwork can use up time and energy that can translate to dollars lost.

What is the real cost of government? With all its power to tax and take in so many ways, how are we going to put the glutenous government on a diet? Ultimately, saving our nation will depend on getting our governments spending at or under its income. The Obama solution is to take more money from you to fill the gap. The new House members are vocalizing the key point "We The People" have been trying to make, "Spend Less!"

References:
THE HIDDEN BURDEN OF TAXATION

Fixing The Economy

Yesterday, Fox News put out a poll asking:
Can Anything Be Done to Fix America’s Economy?
I was not impressed with the article that stimulated the poll. Nor was I impressed with the options they offered. I couldn't help but add some comments. Below is the two comments I added. Go Check out the poll and add yours as well, or offer up yours here.

Comment 1
The problem in America comes down to people wanting somebody else to pay for their problem. The politician taking advantage of this human weakness, offers to do just that. We don't ask how. They then create a law giving someone special status over someone else. Slowly, we steal the life blood from everyone resulting in nothing.

We need to cut business taxes down to the level of Ireland, 11%.
We need to eliminate the death tax, Pulling this money out of the system on a persons death robs everyone of the investments.
We need to reduce government and the layers of bureaucracy that have been created. Are entire constitutional government ran on less then 5% for over 150 years. Why do we need, including fees and misc revenue items, 30%?
Change the Capital investment deduction to the following: A business can write off up to 100% of the percentage of the investment made in America on the first year of implementation. This would bolster business growth and American business opportunities at the same time. All other investments, and the percentage not American, would use the current tax deduction schedule.

This is my short list I could go on.


Comment 2
What do we as citizens need to do to turn this nation around?

Vote - I don't mean show up and pick at random. I mean educate yourself on the issues and the people. Know what it is you are authorizing and who. I don't care if they have a D or an R by their name. Are they a person of character? Will they adhere to the constitution and the limits as written? Have they ever ran a business or been in charge of a group of people? Have they ever had to maintain a budget or make a payroll? Do they willingly admit to past mistakes and yet rise above and move forward? These are the ones to vote for.

Write - Keep your representatives informed of your wishes. Don't put them out there alone. Let them know how you feel about the bills and issues at hand.

Learn - know your history. Look over American history seeking as many first sources as possible. Understand where we have been and what it took to get here. Help those you know gain in this knowledge as well. It wasn't that long ago when issues of the constitution were common items of discussion across the table with friends and family. Bring back those days.

Strength - Stand for something. Don't just buy into the person next to you's bit. Learn and claim your own standards. Boldly hoist them as a banner in your life and defend them in the battle of ideas. This will prove to sharpen your character while you do so with others.

Honesty - Hold the truth as sacred. Don't settle for lies and half-lies (half-truths). Don't accept fence sitters. Stand for something so you don't fall for anything.

Selfless - Think of the future and those who will follow. Leave something better behind.

If we as citizens would do these things, our nation would be transformed to greatness again.

Why We Can Say NO to Higher Taxes

Let me First Thank Joe for Pointing out this video.



In multiple blog entries I have discussed the fact that the tax burden on American business and its citizens has been too high. No one seems to want to discuss the fact that the average tax rate prior to 1905 was 5%. Could you imagine your family's condition if your tax burden was back at that level? Can you imagine the growth and expansion of business and industry? We as a nation would be the most desirable place on the planet to locate a business. Rather then companies bolting from our shores, they would be lining up to enter. No longer would employment be a problem of finding a job. It would instead be finding enough employees to fill all the available jobs. (current combined state and federal taxes on business average 42%.)

Don't let the democrats and the ruling elites try to further stifle you and your efforts as a free people. Don't make the assumption that the republicans are looking out for you either. Choose the most conservative, constitution loving candidate who knows what it takes to meet a payroll in a business setting. Stay after them and keep them focuses on serving their constituents and restoring our nation.

If you thought you weren't needed after November, think again. This is going to take four or five election cycles and a lot of input from you and I as citizens, to start seeing things turn around. We can't let them govern without input again.

Are You Thinking About Starting a Business

I am always on the lookout for things that need to be said. I found this over at Tom's Place. It clearly portrays the uphill battle, that every business must face.

This Is Why There Are No Jobs in America
By Porter Stansberry
Saturday, August 21, 2010

I'd like to make you a business offer.

Seriously. This is a real offer. In fact, you really can't turn me down, as you'll come to understand in a moment...

Here's the deal. You're going to start a business or expand the one you've got now. It doesn't really matter what you do or what you're going to do. I'll partner with you no matter what business you're in – as long as it's legal.

But I can't give you any capital – you have to come up with that on your own. I won't give you any labor – that's definitely up to you. What I will do, however, is demand you follow all sorts of rules about what products and services you can offer, how much (and how often) you pay your employees, and where and when you're allowed to operate your business. That's my role in the affair: to tell you what to do.

Now in return for my rules, I'm going to take roughly half of whatever you make in the business each year. Half seems fair, doesn't it? I think so. Of course, that's half of your profits.

You're also going to have to pay me about 12% of whatever you decide to pay your employees because you've got to cover my expenses for promulgating all of the rules about who you can employ, when, where, and how. Come on, you're my partner. It's only "fair."

Now... after you've put your hard-earned savings at risk to start this business, and after you've worked hard at it for a few decades (paying me my 50% or a bit more along the way each year), you might decide you'd like to cash out – to finally live the good life.

Whether or not this is "fair" – some people never can afford to retire – is a different argument. As your partner, I'm happy for you to sell whenever you'd like... because our agreement says, if you sell, you have to pay me an additional 20% of whatever the capitalized value of the business is at that time.

I know... I know... you put up all the original capital. You took all the risks. You put in all of the labor. That's all true. But I've done my part, too. I've collected 50% of the profits each year. And I've always come up with more rules for you to follow each year. Therefore, I deserve another, final 20% slice of the business.

Oh... and one more thing...

Even after you've sold the business and paid all of my fees... I'd recommend buying lots of life insurance. You see, even after you've been retired for years, when you die, you'll have to pay me 50% of whatever your estate is worth.

After all, I've got lots of partners and not all of them are as successful as you and your family. We don't think it's "fair" for your kids to have such a big advantage. But if you buy enough life insurance, you can finance this expense for your children.

All in all, if you're a very successful entrepreneur... if you're one of the rare, lucky, and hard-working people who can create a new company, employ lots of people, and satisfy the public... you'll end up paying me more than 75% of your income over your life. Thanks so much.

I'm sure you'll think my offer is reasonable and happily partner with me... but it doesn't really matter how you feel about it because if you ever try to stiff me – or cheat me on any of my fees or rules – I'll break down your door in the middle of the night, threaten you and your family with heavy, automatic weapons, and throw you in jail.

That's how civil society is supposed to work, right? This is Amerika, isn't it?

That's the offer Amerika gives its entrepreneurs. And the idiots in Washington wonder why there are no new jobs...

Regards,

Porter Stansberry

The author captured the plight of American business. No longer are we free to enjoy Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. We pay dearly for each one even though the price has been paid in full with the death of many a patriot. The freedoms once guaranteed by our constitution have been so watered down that when one drinks in, expecting to taste freedom, they are left with a bitter, dry mouth.

Bernanke Knows What We Need

With the Obama Administration passing mega bill after mega bill, everyone wonders what they will have left. The Bush Tax Cuts will expire and the Obama tax burdens are still being tabulated, will business have any money left to actually do business?

Bernanke Urges Congress to Renew Bush Tax Cuts

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke dropped a major bombshell on Democrats seeking massive new revenues to narrow the deficit, announcing Thursday that he favors preserving the Bush administration tax cuts in order to help a faltering U.S. economy.

“In the short term I would believe that we ought to maintain a reasonable degree of fiscal support, stimulus for the economy,” Bernanke told the House Financial Services Committee. “There are many ways to do that. This is one way.”

Bernanke's statement put him directly at odds with White House officials and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who favors raising taxes on wealthy Americans by letting the tax cuts the Bush administration passed in 2001 and 2003 expire.

Bernanke's views also conflict with those of his predecessor, Alan Greenspan, who just last week told Bloomberg TV's Judy Woodruff that lawmakers should allow the Bush tax cuts to expire as scheduled at year's end.

Greenspan conceded however that doing so probably would slow growth.

Bernanke emphasized the importance of giving the economy a boost. But he also told the House that dealing with the deficit, which has ballooned during the Obama administration, remains a major consideration.

“We need to be taking steps to reassure the American people and the markets that our fiscal situation is going to be well controlled,” Bernanke told the committee members. “That means that if you extend the tax cuts, you need to find other ways to offset them.”

Bernanke's comments came on a day when the Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 201 points, in part on reports of strong corporate profits.

But the markets were also encouraged by the news that two more Senate Democrats — Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., and Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb. — are joining the growing number of voices urging an extension of the tax breaks enacted under the Bush administration, in order to stave off the possibility of a double dip recession.

Read More Here

My Favorite Quote From the Article:

Neil Cavuto said the market's reaction was telling. "Don't you find it a tad odd that among the many reasons the Dow soared more than 200 points today was this talk that some Democrats want to delay the tax hike for the rich. Telling, don't you think? Government stands down," he said, "stocks shoot up."

Doing what will work seems to still escape the great one.

How Do You Rate

Does your state offer a good business environment?




Bringing or keeping business alive in your state can make all the difference. Not everyone can be in the top ten. You may also want to look at the biggest losers and winners of the year.

Oregon Lost fourteen spots. Nothing like new taxes to drive away business.
Washington gained ten spots. They really didn't do much.

How did your state due?

You Need to Read This

These are possibly the 5 best sentences you'll ever read:

1.You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.

2.What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.

3.The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

4.When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation.

5.You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.

Should They Decide When

Anyone remember Logan's Run? This was a movie from the 70's that got a TV series. Set in the 23 century, an ideal society is created and maintained by a government. Here is a quick view of the movie.




Are we heading for this? Perhaps Thomas Sorwell has a better perspective of our current situation.

A 'Duty to Die'?
By Thomas Sowell
May 11, 2010

One of the many fashionable notions that have caught on among some of the intelligentsia is that old people have "a duty to die," rather than become a burden to others.

This is more than just an idea discussed around a seminar table. Already the government-run medical system in Britain is restricting what medications or treatments it will authorize for the elderly. Moreover, it seems almost certain that similar attempts to contain runaway costs will lead to similar policies when American medical care is taken over by the government.

Make no mistake about it, letting old people die is a lot cheaper than spending the kind of money required to keep them alive and well. If a government-run medical system is going to save any serious amount of money, it is almost certain to do so by sacrificing the elderly.

There was a time-- fortunately, now long past-- when some desperately poor societies had to abandon old people to their fate, because there was just not enough margin for everyone to survive. Sometimes the elderly themselves would simply go off from their family and community to face their fate alone.

But is that where we are today?

Read The Rest Here

Who should decide when your day has come? In Logan's Run the magic day was your thirtieth birthday. Will the current line be drawn at 65 or 70? Maybe the available cash after the government siphons off their unfair share would be more like 50 or 55.

Is it the duty of the old to die to spare the expense for the young? Who will decide when they have spent enough on you?

Calculating the Suffrage of Taxes

If you came looking for someone to argue with over the value of our government, today is not the day. I have been robbed and beaten by the ever hungry government. Once again I have given my all to support the needs of my family and to help those who I choose. Yes, I believe it should be a choice. Charity would feed and cloths far more of the needy then our government with its bloated baggage could.

Taxation is a tool used by government to take power from the people. Your money is your vote. Every time you buy something you are voting for that product or service. You are saying I want more of it and I am willing to pay for it. When the government taxes you they are limiting your ability to vote and promote that which you find of value. Often the government takes your money and does things with it that are in direct contrast to your values and interests. We have often seem our money sent to foreign leaders to be wasted as an example. We see government programs that serve to limit and reduce our every effort.

Have you ever sat back and considered how much different this nation would be if you controlled more of what you earned? The government by way of direct and indirect taxes, fees and sir charges removes about 42% of your power. Most American families are so drained by this burden that they need an additional income just to take care of the basic needs.

The awkward side is that so many people have been brought up on the milk of government programs they no longer no how to take care of themselves. This life on the dole serves to further strengthen the power of government over us.

The excerpt below is from pgs 19-20, Annual Report of the Secretary of the Treasury on the State of Finances for 1921:

"But the direct effect of these very high taxes is to hinder and prevent business transactions which would otherwise take place. A man may have property which he has held for years and which has greatly increased in value, and he would like to sell it, but if he does a large part of the gain would have to be paid out in taxes. He would rather keep the property than sell it, pay the tax, and invest what is left in something else. At the same time the party desiring to buy this property, if he obtained it, would improve it with buildings.

What is the result? The transaction does not take place, and the community loses the advantage which would come in the stimulation that would arise from the transactions resulting from the buyer's improvement of the property, and it also loses the advantage of the seller's putting his money into some other form of investment, which in turn would give rise to business transactions. The same thing on a much greater scale is true in manufacturing and mercantile lines. Men have built up enterprises to the point where they are highly successful. They would like to take their profit and turn the business over to younger men to carry on.

These transactions are highly desirable not only for the parties but for the community, yet they are absolutely stopped, because if made the seller would have to pay in one year a tax on a gain which has been the result of perhaps the better part of a lifetime of effort. And in all such cases the Government gets no tax, whereas if the rates were reasonable the transactions would take place and the Government's revenues would benefit accordingly.

The free interchange of property in business transactions is essential to the normal prosperity of the country, and each such transaction has a direct tendency to bring about others of like character with the result of increasing the amount of gain or income available for taxation; but when the tax is so high as to act as a deterrent against usual and desirable business transactions, and the volume of such transactions is thereby lessened, the inevitable result is for the tax to become less and less productive.

It is for these reasons that, particularly in the higher brackets, a lower tax rate will produce more revenue in the long run than excessive rates. So long as the high rate stands in the way of accomplishing bargains and sales, the Government receives no tax; but at a lower rate the transactions proceed and the Government shares in the profits."

It has been obvious for years and yet we are still sitting here taking it. Now we have even greedier government with an even more ravenous appetite for your money. Now is the time to seek out candidates at every level who want to restore our constitution and reduce our obese government. Don't wait till the polls open come November. Get out there and make it happen. Don't forget to vote with a few of the dollars you have left before they come for those as well. Find a good candidate with the right perspective and help them win the election.

Let's Talk Taxes

We are almost to the end of the year and although we are preparing for the merriment of Christmas some are looking at their tax situation. Making adjustments to your 401k and donations to adjust your year end tax exposure are on the minds of many. You will notice the heavy holiday push for donations. Many charities make the bulk of their income during the last month of the year.

I have been thinking about government spending and our obligation to the debt our government places us under. Most of us are aware of Tax Freedom Day, that is generally celebrated around the middle of April. This year Tax Freedom Day was generally recognized on April 13th even though each state has its own tax variations. This was eight days sooner then 2008 with April 22 being the recognized day. This is a little misleading because it doesn't include many taxes and fees that we pay. This event is directly attributed to income taxes while failing to recognize various user taxes like phone, cable, electricity. It even fails to account for property taxes and licencing fees. We also don't see any allowance for the vast debt our government has racked up and expect us to pay.
If we were to change the name to No Longer Paying Government Obligations day, what day would we actually start working for ourselves?



We can now see taxation holding our wages until June.

In doing my research and reading I ran across a section that gave me great pause.

Nevertheless, in 2009, Americans will pay more in taxes than they will spend on food, clothing and housing combined.

Go back and read that again. Americans will pay more in taxes than they will spend on food, clothing and housing combined.

People are often asking why we have to have two incomes to survive. I hear people wishing to spend more time with their family but we are seeing government mismanagement of our money forcing these things upon us. It is time for there to be a change in philosophy in every government office across the land. We need leaders who are willing to review and judge each program as worthy or worthless. We need a serious look at downsizing government.

Let's look at tax history. Here is the tax obligation broken down in ten year cycles. I will include all years since 2000.
1900 5.9%
1910 5.0%
1920 12.0%
1930 11.7%
1940 17.9%
1950 24.6%
1960 27.7%
1970 29.6%
1980 30.4%
1990 30.4%
2000 33.6%
2001 32.6%
2002 29.8%
2003 29.0%
2004 29.3%
2005 31.1%
2006 31.7%
2007 31.8%
2008 30.4%
2009 28.2%

We no longer have a government that reflects our founders mistrust of the government and the original intent of keeping government small with the power base held by the people. We have a continuously growing government that seems to have a ravenous appetite for taxation. The first 150 years we had a government who taxed at less then 5% allowing for the growth and incredible innovation that made America great. We now have a stifling government with business taxes that average 42% and personal taxes that hover near 30%.
Even with these facts easily obtainable people are still acting as if businesses pay nothing.

If we want to return to prosperity and bring back jobs to America perhaps changing our obese government is the starting place. It's time to put congress on a diet.

Not Your Father's Union

Unions have changed a lot since my father and grandfather entered the work force. We now see unions actually attacking the traditional values they once were instituted to secure.

Big Labor and Big Government Are Officially the Same Thing

Who do the words “union members” bring to mind? United Auto Workers building cars in Detroit? Teamsters truckers hauling freight? Steel workers in Pennsylvania?
Not any more. Newly released numbers show that the actual face of today’s union movement is the teller at your local Department of Motorized Vehicles.
Preliminary estimates of union membership this year show that most union members now work for the government. The overall unionization rate between January and September 2009 stood at 12.4%, unchanged from last year. However, this difference masks a large difference between unions in the private and public sectors.
Union membership has fallen to 7.3% of private sector workers – the lowest rate since Roosevelt signed the National Labor Relations Act into law. But it is a completely different story in the public sector: 37.6% of government employees belong to unions, up almost a percentage point since last year. Those 7.9 million unionized government employees are 51% of all union members nationwide. Most union members today now work for Uncle Sam.
So when unions start lobbying, taxpayers should hold onto their wallet. Government employees don’t strike to get higher wages from a private business – they strike to get higher wages from you. Their pay is funded through your tax dollars. For government employee union members to get more your taxes need to go up. So that is what unions now lobby for. Just take a look at what the labor movement is doing to taxpayers on the Pacific Coast:
In Oregon the labor movement is donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund two ballot initiative campaigns to raise personal income and business taxes. The unions want tax hikes instead of cuts in the gold-plated medical benefits for state workers.
In California the Service Employees International Union spent $1 million on a television ad campaign pressing for higher oil, gas, and liquor taxes instead of spending reductions.
Washington State Democrats, however, have so far resisted the labor movement’s call for higher taxes. In response labor unions are threatening to fund primary campaigns against the Democrats who oppose the tax hikes.
This is not your father’s labor movement. Unions today want higher taxes and bigger government because they are the government.

What once saved middle America now wishes to rob her.

Continued Government Failure

To President Obama and all 535 voting members of the Legislature, It is now official you are ALL corrupt morons: The U.S. Post Service was established in 1775 You have had 234 years to get it right and it is broke. Social Security was established in 1935. You have had 74 years to get it right and it is broke. Fannie Mae was established in 1938. You have had 71 years to get it right and it is broke. War on Poverty started in 1964. You have had 45 years to get it right; $1 trillion of our money is confiscated each year and transferred to "the poor" and they only want more. Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965. You have had 44 years to get it right and they are broke. Freddie Mac was established in 1970. You have had 39 years to get it right and it is broke. The Department of Energy was created in 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. It has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion a year and we import more oil than ever before.. You had 32 years to get it right and it is an abysmal failure. You have FAILED in every "government service" you have shoved down our throats while overspending our tax dollars AND YOU WANT AMERICANS TO BELIEVE YOU CAN BE TRUSTED WITH A GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM??

America Needs Jobs

I have talked about business and the various factors that keep it going. Today I want to point you to a petition that demands real change to put America back to work. Americans are suffering today and by all signs it will be quite a while before the job market can restore the losses. There is a solution. So far our fearless leader hasn't stumbled across it, so I would like your help pointing it out to him and the congress critters who can do something about it.

American Solutions has proposed a four step plan that could turn our unemployment numbers around. It could turn our business activity around. It could put America back to work and Americans back on the road to recovery.
1. Cut the Payroll Tax in Half for 2 Years.
2. Abolish Taxes on Capital Gains.
3. Reduce the Corporate Tax Rate.
4. Abolish the Death Tax.
Go read the details and sign the petition. Let's put America back to work.

It Is Still Stealing

Oh, they will paint a pretty picture or tell you a story of doom and gloom, but at the end of the day all they really did was take your money. That is what has been going on in DC for decades. They no longer do the job that we the people sent them there for. Our political system is all about power and wealth. It is about placing yourself in a position to gain more power and wealth. Cap and Tax, I mean, Trade, is all about doing nothing for the purpose claimed but reeling in a ton of doe. More money means more power and this is how they plan on doing it.

Here is a great article that will spell it out pretty clear for you.
H/T to HeavyHanded for pointing it out.

More tax oppression

Why did a bare majority (219-212) of the members of the U.S. Congress vote for the largest tax increase in American history this past Friday, under the claim it was a vote to save the climate?

Before you answer the question, consider the following facts. The proponents claim this tax bill will reduce U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, which are purported to cause global warming. First, despite the claims of President Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and many in the media, there is no consensus in the scientific community about how much climate change, other than the normal cycles, is taking place, nor how severe it will be, and how much man-made CO2 is responsible. None of the climate models predicted the unexpected global cooling of the last decade.

It is known that the legislation will have a negligible effect on global CO2 emissions, particularly since the big polluters, such as China and India, are not playing ball. It is also known that the "cap and trade" system that the legislation calls for has been a failure in Europe, where it has been in operation for the last few years, in that it has proven to be far more costly than envisioned, has not met the CO2 reduction targets, and has been highly susceptible to corruption and abuse.

In addition, because the legislation requires Americans to use more inefficient energy (wind and solar) sources, it cannot help but raise costs for American businesses and citizens, and hence will kill jobs rather than create them (as contrasted to what Mr. Obama and Mrs. Pelosi have incorrectly claimed).

In sum, serious people understand the legislation will hurt the U.S. economy, reduce the standard of living and yet not accomplish its claimed intent; therefore, why were so many members of Congress willing to vote for it?

Are they idiots, or do they have another agenda?

You may want to read the rest.

Once again we are trying out things that don't work. Correction, things that have clearly been proven to not work. Our leadership is busy wasting time and money at our expense. I hope you are making yourself heard. I know I am writing regularly to my Representatives. I feel like I am pounding my head against a post, but it is high time that we as citizens step forward and make ourselves heard. Don't allow them to do business as usual politics. Take back our nation as our Constitution clearly lays before we the people.

Cap and TAX

Once again, We the People have been trampled on. Those we have elected to represent us have put on golf cleats and stomped on us hard. We are bleeding and suffering from a non-stop socialist take over of America. They have taken over our financial industries, our major manufacturing and now they have taken the energy that runs our nation. The US House has fully depleted us and they have only just begun.

While the economy continues to fall and the employment rate continues to rise, our leaders take steps to increase this trend. The whole time they are patting themselves on the back for saving the world.

CO2 is a post curser to global warming. If you look at the vast number of charts and graphs you will notice that CO2 rises after temperature. So our brain trust in DC are chasing the tail of global temperature. The interesting thing that no one wants to notice in the charts is the global cooling that follows the rise in CO2. (Chart)

The biggest player in the atmosphere game is water vapor and nobody will even report that it is out on the field. Water vapor makes up 95% of our atmosphere and nobody talks about it. Almost all climate models ignore clouds. (Charts and Info)

The biggest player by far, with out this player none of this is possible, the sun. No one in the Global Warming religious movement is willing to recognize the sun as the key player. It is the dominate player in the solar system and these crazy people ignore it. The sun has energy output variations that play a far greater roll in our global environment. (Sun effects)

Since congress never reads any of the bills it signs into law. You can bet that none of them have read any of the science that goes into it either. Let me offer you a few quotes to emphasis the religion and dogged determination of the Global Warming Industry.

"We have to offer up scary scenarios, make simplified, dramatic statements, and make little mention of any doubts we may have. Each of us has to decide what the right balance is between being effective and being honest."

Stephen Schneider (leading advocate of the global warming theory)
(in interview for Discover magazine, Oct 1989)

Nobody is interested in solutions if they don't think there's a problem. Given that starting point, I believe it is appropriate to have an over-representation of factual presentations on how dangerous (global warming) is, as a predicate for opening up the audience to listen to what the solutions are...

former Vice President Al Gore
(now, chairman and co-founder of Generation Investment Management--
a London-based business that sells carbon credits)
(in interview with Grist Magazine May 9, 2006, concerning his book, An Inconvenient Truth)

"Researchers pound the global-warming drum because they know there is politics and, therefore, money behind it. . . I've been critical of global warming and am persona non grata."

Dr. William Gray
(Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado and leading expert of hurricane prediction )
(in an interview for the Denver Rocky Mountain News, November 28, 1999)

"Scientists who want to attract attention to themselves, who want to attract great funding to themselves, have to (find a) way to scare the public . . . and this you can achieve only by making things bigger and more dangerous than they really are."

Petr Chylek
(Professor of Physics and Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia)
Commenting on reports by other researchers that Greenland's glaciers are melting.
(Halifax Chronicle-Herald, August 22, 2001) (8)

Do you like being lied to? You better start calling the senate and shaking this thing loose or we are all going to pay big for nothing.

If you would like to look at the list of those who voted for this killer of the American taxpayer and economy go Here.

Other Articles of interest:
Cap and Trade Vote Results Have Republicans Upset with Their Representatives
Pelosi Herds Caucus to Narrow Win on Climate

They Plan a Tax Increase

The last thing we need is another tax increase. The last thing our government needs is more access to our money. The last thing I want to give them is more power. They can't do what is required of them by the constitution. Help spread the word and write your leaders. They need to know how you feel about their theft of your hard work.

Get Out The Microscope

Obama just laid plans to cut $100 Million from the budget. It wasn't a joke. Really!




Did You see the dot?

Brian Riedl painted a very clear picture for us with the following:

Today, President Obama called for $100 million in budget cuts. Out of a $4 trillion in spending this year, this is the rounding error of a rounding error:

· It is 1/40,000 of the federal budget;

· It is 1/7,830 the size of the recent “stimulus” bill;

· It would close 1/1,845 of this year’s budget deficit;

· It is the amount the federal government spends every 13 minutes; and

· For a family earning $40,000 annually, it is the equivalent of cutting $1 from their family budget.

So why bother?

Common Sense Budgeting

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

It is high time we find someone to put the brakes on this fast moving express train to bankruptsy and offer a plan that will restore America.

Taking the Death Tax Too Far

Oregon has a bill circling the legislature that has a number of people really upset. The bill is designed to tax widows and orphans at their neediest hour. That's right a loved one dies who may even be the bread winner of the family and you are left with all the final decisions, casket, burial and paying taxes on the insurance and annuities that were left to support you.

This is a heartless proposal by the democrats to attempt to shore up a budget that has gross overspending in many categories. Instead of cutting wasteful spending the Oregon House is looking to steal more money from the citizens of the state.

House Bill 2854 adds life insurance payouts and savings within policies and annuities to the list of what qualifies as taxable income in Oregon these benefits would be taxed at Oregon's highest rate. Value accrual within a policy that is tax-deferred until withdrawal will now be subject to tax collection each year. No state has ever introduced the repeal of these exemptions. More than 2 million Oregonians from every walk of life hold life insurance policies. All would be taxed.

At a time when you need it the most, when your survival may depend on it, count on the Oregon Legislature to take it away from you. You and Your family aren't really important to them. The state has needs you know.

How Low Can You Go As A Democrat?

Obama the Illusionist, Watch Carefully........

We have all heard it. He keeps repeating it. Yet the gullible are buying it hook line and sinker without so much as a peak at the possibilities.

The 2% Illusion
Take everything they earn, and it still won't be enough.


President Obama has laid out the most ambitious and expensive domestic agenda since LBJ, and now all he has to do is figure out how to pay for it. On Tuesday, he left the impression that we need merely end "tax breaks for the wealthiest 2% of Americans," and he promised that households earning less than $250,000 won't see their taxes increased by "one single dime."

This is going to be some trick. Even the most basic inspection of the IRS income tax statistics shows that raising taxes on the salaries, dividends and capital gains of those making more than $250,000 can't possibly raise enough revenue to fund Mr. Obama's new spending ambitions.

Consider the IRS data for 2006, the most recent year that such tax data are available and a good year for the economy and "the wealthiest 2%." Roughly 3.8 million filers had adjusted gross incomes above $200,000 in 2006. (That's about 7% of all returns; the data aren't broken down at the $250,000 point.) These people paid about $522 billion in income taxes, or roughly 62% of all federal individual income receipts. The richest 1% -- about 1.65 million filers making above $388,806 -- paid some $408 billion, or 39.9% of all income tax revenues, while earning about 22% of all reported U.S. income.

Note that federal income taxes are already "progressive" with a 35% top marginal rate, and that Mr. Obama is (so far) proposing to raise it only to 39.6%, plus another two percentage points in hidden deduction phase-outs. He'd also raise capital gains and dividend rates, but those both yield far less revenue than the income tax. These combined increases won't come close to raising the hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue that Mr. Obama is going to need.

But let's not stop at a 42% top rate; as a thought experiment, let's go all the way. A tax policy that confiscated 100% of the taxable income of everyone in America earning over $500,000 in 2006 would only have given Congress an extra $1.3 trillion in revenue. That's less than half the 2006 federal budget of $2.7 trillion and looks tiny compared to the more than $4 trillion Congress will spend in fiscal 2010. Even taking every taxable "dime" of everyone earning more than $75,000 in 2006 would have barely yielded enough to cover that $4 trillion.

Go read the rest of the 2% illusion