Thursday, December 30, 2010

Government Spending at its Finest: Studying World of Warcraft and Other Virtual Games - $2.9 Million

Yes, that is right. Our government spent $2.9 million of our taxpayer money to research the collaborative benefits of virtual games.

We have to stop this wasteful spending. When you hear about things like this, post it to Facebook, Twitter or some other social media website. Believe it or not, you do have the power to stop Washington. By getting the word out, we can shine a light on programs like this one. Hold Congress and the White House accountable.

When you look at how things work in Washington, they know that we have short-term memories. Politicians are good at helping us forget by using the "Jedi Mind Trick". They wave their hands and simply tell us to forget what we saw or heard.

NO MORE! HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE!

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Voluntary End-of-Life Planning Back!

Due to all of the issues, Congress removed this from the Affordable Healthcare Law. Now, it is back as a regulation.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Temporary Extensions of the Bush-era Tax Cuts at What Cost

President Obama and the Democrats came up with a compromise on the tax cuts. There would be a 2 year extension on the tax cuts for all. However, the Republicans must approve of a 13-month extension to the unemployment benefits. That is a 151 weeks of unemployment. Do you believe this? I know that we have to help the unemployed. I ought to know. I was laid off and could not find a job for almost 17 months. I appreciated the help, but I also realize that the benefit needs to come to an end sometime.

The big question is funding. Pelosi said that we would use deficit spending for this worthy cause of helping the unemployed. She also said a couple of days ago that for every dollar spent on the unemployed, it returns to $2 to the economy. I think she is smoking some of the wacky weed from her own state of California. In order to deal with this, I think we all need to start smoking to try to understand this and the mindset of the free-spending liberal Congress.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, this extension will cost the American taxpayer a whopping $56 billion over 10 years and since we need to fund this program, it will come from deficit spending. You know what that means. Our national debts grows again. Do you know that we already spend $31.9 billion PER MONTH on just interest payments on our debt? Think about it this way. We pay in one month to service our debt what an average government agency costs to run for 1 year. If you aren't scared yet, you have already smoking the same stuff Pelosi is smoking.

Wake up, America! I know that we are charitable to a fault and we want to help those who are in need. But, we need to do it in a better way. Give them back their dignity and put them back to work. Stimulate the economy by extending the tax breaks permanently. Slash the budgets. Yes, I advocate looking at the entitlement programs and defense. Those programs suck more money out of the budget than any others. These are hard times, ladies and gentlemen. We have to do things that we do not like doing.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Democrats Want the Bush-era Tax Cuts to Expire for ALL People

The reason for all of the Democrat ultimatums regarding the Bush-era tax breaks is quite simple if you think about it. If the tax breaks for the high income were to expire, then the government gets $700 billion in spend on whatever they want. They are not interested in lowering the national debt. With the additional money, they can afford to expand the government and pay back their union buddies for all of their work in keeping them in office.

You might be thinking, "Well, $700 billion is a lot of money." Think again. If the middle-class tax break expires, the Democrats are looking at $3 trillion is revenue back to the government. You see. They know the figures and the plan is very simple. Play games and have meetings while the clock ticks away. Let Republicans become a roadblock. Once the tax breaks expire, the Republicans look like the bad guys and the Democrats getting a major boost in the 2012 elections by pointing to the Republicans as the "bad guys who stood in the way of the middle-class tax breaks". You could not ask for more.

If Republicans and Democrats had addressed the tax breaks earlier in the year, the economy would have taken off and began to flourish as opposed to languishing. But, that's not the Democrat's plan. There are more things that they want to do to make sure that 2012 will be the year when Democrats will take back Congress.


Now, enter President Obama with his ultimatum of vetoing any bill for tax breaks that does not include extensions to the unemployed. Very sneaky, Mr. President. If the Republicans stand their ground, they will not extend unemployment benefits beyond 99 weeks. Once again, the Democrats have the Republicans right where they want them. If they do not agree to extending the unemployment, Republicans will be the bad guys once again and Democrats have something to crow about. If they do agree, then the Democrats will show them up as a pushovers.

My advice to Republicans is very easy to understand. Forget how you will look during the 2012 elections. Do the right things for the right reasons. Stand on principle and let the American people judge you for what you have done and plan to do in the future. We need men and women of iron will and focused on standing up for future generations and for this great nation.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Tax Breaks for the Wealthy: Another Democrat Party Ploy

The only reason the Democrats are forcing these votes is paint the Republicans as defenders of the wealthy. To be honest, I believe that the Democrats don't want any of the Bush-era tax cuts to pass. They want the revenue that will be generated when the tax break expires. Democrats are not interested in getting the economy back on track. They are more interested in turning our great nation into a full-blown welfare state and they do not care how they do it. They see the $700 billion in government revenue that will fund their agenda.

Look at what they are doing. If the Republicans do not vote for the President's plan, they get painted as the guardians of the wealthy. If they vote for it, the Republicans look like a bunch of political push-overs. In the end, the Democrats are looking to win 2012 by forcing the Republicans to vote no to the middle-class tax breaks. I can already see each Democrat running in 2012 snapping up all of the audio clips of Republicans saying no to the tax breaks.

Democrats time after time use the class card to divide and conquer their enemies. Take a look at their arguments against the tea parties, Republicans in general or, for that matter, anyone who has a brain and voice to speak against them.

As I have said before, I am a conservative first and foremost when it comes to politics. I believe in working together to solve problems. However, I'm not a doormat. I will speak out against both parties.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Federal Pay Freezes...NOT!

Earlier in the week, President Obama announced that there would be a pay freeze for government employees. While everyone is talking about the President's efforts, we didn't look at the fine print. This president is a master of deception.

It turns out that the federal employees will not be getting "cost of living" increases which amounts to 1.4%. However, most federal employees will still receive automatic seniority-based pay increases. These are called "step-pay" increases. They are given to employees for satisfactory job performance. Given the government's method for rating employees' performance, simply breathing constitutes satisfactory job performance.

So much for saving us money, Mr. President.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

House Passes Middle-Class Tax Cut

Once again, the Democrats are working over time to make the Republicans look bad. This vote was not for the American people. It was a political ploy to see if the Republicans would cave to the Democrat rhetoric. I think John Boehner hit the nail right on the head when he referred to this political maneuvering as "chicken crap". I would have certainly given him more points if he had used the expletive to underscore the Democrats and their ploys.

I am absolutely tired of this whole routine. If I were in Congress, I would have told the Democrats that it is all or nothing. Let it be on their head. I don't care if you are rich or poor. Everyone needs to pay their fair share. I remember when Teresa Heinz held a meeting after she had her taxes done by her accountants and lawyers. She lamented that it was sad that she didn't have to pay a lot in taxes. Warren Buffet said that the rich need to be taxed more. I say this. There is no law or IRS regulation that makes anyone take a deduction. If you enjoy paying more in taxes, please be my guest and pay more. I believe in paying for the government; however, I do not enjoy seeing it wasted on earmarks and ballooning the government with more employees especially if they are union people.

Last year, nearly 50% of the taxpayers did not pay taxes. I say that is wrong. Everyone must pay their fair and just share of taxes. If the government will retain the Bush-era tax cuts for all AND stop the binge spending by writing a budget and sticking to it, we will see our income take off.

Let us stop the rhetoric and get to work! If the Congress refuses, call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202)224-3121 and ask for your senators' and/or representative's office. Reminder your senators and representatives that you will remember their voting record in 2012. Remember, they work for you. Term limits already exist. The process is called voting.