Monthly Archives: August 2011

Do Politics Influence Where People Choose To Live ?

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Map of USA showing states with no state income...

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Yahoo Finance posted an article yesterday entitled, “States Where No One Wants To Buy A New Home.” Since I live in one of the states on the list (Massachusetts is listed as number 7 of 10), I read the article.

The map above shows all the states with no state income tax in red and the states that tax only interest and dividend income in yellow. I am not sure how much of a factor this is in the number of housing starts. It is interesting, though, that none of the states with no state income tax are on the list of states with the lowest number of housing starts.

The article reports:

Surprisingly, our list of states where few permits have been issued recently is different from the typical list of the worst housing markets. California, Nevada and Florida are always on those lists because homes are vacant and home values continue to drop. But the three are not on this list. It may be that prices have dropped so low in these markets that home inventory has begun to move, even if only tentatively. Instead, markets where housing permits are very small in relation to total homes are markets in which builders have abandoned any hope of near-term sales.

In case all you really wanted to do was see the list, here it is:

  1. Rhode Island
  2. West Virginia
  3. Illinois
  4. Michigan
  5. Connecticut
  6. Ohio
  7. Massachusetts
  8. New York
  9. Maine
  10. Pennsylvania

What in the world do these states have in common? I suspect there are a lot of reasons for the number of building permits to decrease in these states. Michigan for instance has lost a lot of businesses due to the tax policies of recent state administrations. Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island all have state income taxes and business environments that do not necessarily encourage businesses to migrate there. New York is a very expensive place to live, although I believe the current governor is trying to ease the burden on the state’s taxpayers. It is interesting to me that these are all states in the northern areas of the country. Could it be that as the baby boomers age, they are simply looking for warmer places to live?

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More Healthcare Waivers

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The Hill reported Friday that the Health and Human Services Department (HHS) has granted another106 waivers to President Obama’s healthcare law. This brings the total number of waivers up to 1,472. The HHS has announced that it will stop granting waivers in September.

The article reports:

HHS has been approving a new batch of one-year waivers at the end of each month. The department announced it would cut off applications after September, but let companies that received one-year exemptions extend their waivers through 2014. The 106 waivers approved in July will last three years.

It seems to me that the logical thing to do at this point would be to repeal Obamacare and start over with ideas like tort reform and allowing people to buy health insurance across state lines. The idea of health insurance plans carried by an individual rather than with an employer, therefore going with a person when they changed jobs, would also be a really good idea!

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The Federal Government Did Something Right !

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Yes, the federal government did something right–they turned down Mayor Bloomberg’s request to bar New York City food stamp recipients from using their food stamps to buy soda and other sugary drinks. I appreciate the compassion that Mayor Bloomberg has for those using food stamps–but these are grown-ups–the government has no business trying to control their diets. This is another example of the government giving someone money (or the equivalent) and then trying to control the person because the money was accepted.

The article reports:

Dr. (Thomas A.) Farley (New York City’s Health Commissioner), who said he was “very upset” by the decision, said that it “ really calls into question how serious the U.S.D.A. is about addressing the nation’s most serious nutritional problem.”

In October, city and state officials proposed a two-year experiment to see if the prohibition would reduce obesity among people who buy their groceries with food stamps. Dr. Farley said that about 57 percent of adults in the city and 40 percent of the children in its public schools were overweight or obese, and that obesity was especially rampant in low-income neighborhoods. Limiting consumption of sodas and other drinks with high sugar content, he argued, could help reverse that trend. 

Just because these people are on food stamps, they shouldn’t be used as guinea pigs to confirm some bureaucrat’s theory on why people are overweight!

The article reports Mayor Bloomberg’s statement regarding the federal decision:

“We think our innovative pilot would have done more to protect people from the crippling effects of preventable illnesses like diabetes and obesity than anything else being proposed elsewhere in this country — and at little or no cost to taxpayers,” Mr. Bloomberg said in a statement. “We’re disappointed that the federal government didn’t agree, and sorry that families and children may suffer from their unwillingness to explore our proposal. New York City will continue to pursue new and unconventional ways to combat the health problems that hurt New Yorkers and Americans from coast to coast.” 

We need less government–not more!

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Why I Will Never Buy A Car Made By Government Motors (GM)

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Decorated car.jpg

Aside from the fact that I love my Ford mustang convertible, here is one more reason I will never buy a car made by General Motors–the company has broken faith with the American consumer. On Friday, Reuters reported that General Motors has refused to honor the warranty on its 2007 and 2008 Chevrolet Impalas. More than 400,000 of these cars have a suspension problem which causes excessive tire wear. An Impala owner has sued the company to get her car repaired.

The article reports:

The lawsuit, filed on June 29 by Donna Trusky of Blakely, Pennsylvania, contended that her Impala suffered from faulty rear spindle rods, causing her rear tires to wear out after just 6,000 miles. [ID:nN1E7650CT]

Seeking class-action status and alleging breach of warranty, the lawsuit demands that GM fix the rods, saying that it had done so on Impala police vehicles.

But in a recent filing with the U.S. District Court in Detroit, GM noted that the cars were made by its predecessor General Motors Corp, now called Motors Liquidation Co or “Old GM,” before its 2009 bankruptcy and federal bailout.

The current company, called “New GM,” said it did not assume responsibility under the reorganization to fix the Impala problem, but only to make repairs “subject to conditions and limitations” in express written warranties. In essence, the automaker said, Trusky sued the wrong entity.

Meanwhile, in March of 2009, Autoweek posted an article quoting President Obama:

“Let me say this as plainly as I can. If you buy a car from Chrysler or General Motors, you will be able to get your car serviced and repaired just like always,” Obama said in a speech. “Your warranty will be safe. In fact, it will be safer than it has ever been. Because starting today, the United States will stand behind your warranty.”

Maybe he should have checked with General Motors before he made that statement.

 

 

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The Beginning Of The End Of Coal-Fired Electric Plants

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William Reilly EPA Administrator

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John Ransom reported at Townhall Finance today that due to new interpretations of current rules, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be forcing about 20 percent of the coal-generated electric plants in the United States to shut down.

The article reports:

In addition to the loss of generating capacity, the Commerce Department estimates that the new rules could kill up to 60,000 jobs, says Heritage, while an industry trade group says that the rules will cost $129 billion, according to the Washington Post.

During the 2008 presidential campaign then-Senators Barack Obama and Joe Biden both claimed that if elected they would institute policies that make it cost prohibitive for coal-fired plants to operate in the United States.

Looks like this is one promise they’ll keep.

I live in an all-electric house. This is not good news.

The article further points out:

The administration is using new interpretations of long-ago passed emission standards- standards that no administration has tried to enforce- along with vague, esoteric “visibility” standards to target older, coal-fired plants. Critics say that the EPA fails to make a case that the plants present a danger to public health or visibility, as the EPA seemed to admit when they issued a stay against adoption of the rules earlier this year.

“The stringency and cost of the new regulations provoked an outpouring of protest and some 5,800 comments” writes Heritage, “citing technical and statutory errors. Some 21 governors and more than 100 Members of Congress also raised objections. Ultimately, EPA officials were forced to acknowledge their failure to ‘calculate standards that fully reflected operational reality.’”

But as Obama tries to shore up his base of support amid blistering criticism from progressive groups, look for Obama to continue to use backdoor regulatory means to enforce, ignore or otherwise interpret laws to benefit special interests that support the president’s agenda. 

I don’t know if Congress will be able to do anything to stop the runaway train that is the Obama Administration’s regulation glut, but I suspect some Congressmen from states that produce coal or have coal-fired electric plants might at least put up a fight. As usual, when there is an election coming, the American consumer gets the shaft. Hopefully, voters will be smart enough to remove this administration from office before they further harm the country.

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I Realize That I Am Old-fashioned, But What Is This ?

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This is the resources web page for the “US Day of Rage” which intends to occupy Wall Street on September 17. According to the Business Insider website, the Day of Rage is supposed to be a day of non-violent civil disobedience orchestrated by such people as Stephen Lerner (Service Employees International Union – SEIU) and Association for Community Reform Now (ACORN) founder Wade Rathke. The resources web page gives some instructions on how to nonviolently commit civil disobedience, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that there will be violence and destruction of property.

The article at Business Insider reports:

Now, the US Day of Rage protests, staged by a collective of activist groups allegedly in conjunction with Lerner and Rathke, are planning the actual “occupation” of Wall Street September 17, complete with a tent city set smack-dab in the middle of Manhattan’s financial district. Similar protests are purportedly set to take place across the nation — and even world– at the same time. Some Day of Rage organizers are even calling on activists to squat in Manhattan’s financial district for months.

What is the world are these people trying to accomplish? Wall Street did not cause our financial difficulties–the government did! When the government began pressuring banks to make more risky loans, the real estate bubble began. Wall Street traded the paper because they had to in order to remain in business.
The article further reports:

The aim, according to Lerner, is to “destabilize the folks that are in power and start to rebuild a movement.”

“How do we bring down the stock market? How do we bring down their bonuses? How do we interfere with their ability to, to be rich?” Lerner asked rhetorically in March.

It really does no good to interfere with the ability of the rich to be rich. Generally speaking, rich people hire people–if they are not hiring people to run a business they own, they are hiring people to clean their houses and mow their lawns. Rich people provide jobs. If you interfere with the ability of rich people to earn money, you interfere with the middle class’s opportunity to earn money. You are cutting your own throat.

I fear that September 17 will bring the kind of riots we saw happening recently in England. This is not a healthy thing. It can’t be stopped because protest is legal in a free society. I just hope that the amount of damage to people and property is kept to a minimum.


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Empowering Moderate Muslims

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Andrew C. McCarthy posted an article at National Review today about empowering moderate Muslims. The article opens with a quote from John Winthrop, the legendary founder of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, “Liberty must always be exercised, and may only be maintained,“in a way of subjection to authority.” Winthrop further stated, “But if you will be satisfied to enjoy such civil and lawful liberties, such as Christ allows you, then you will quietly and cheerfully submit under that authority which is set over you . . . for your good.”

This is an idea we need to keep in mind as we look at Sharia Law. Mr. McCarthy lists two thoughts on Sharia Law:

First, sharia is a useful barometer for distinguishing real Muslim moderates from Islamists. The latter seek to undermine American liberties, but some have been able to pose as moderates, because they do not employ terrorist tactics in the pursuit of their extreme ends.

Second, focusing on sharia is the most promising strategy for empowering authentic moderate Muslims. Sharia, as classically construed by authoritative scholars, is strewn with tenets that run counter to Western principles of liberty — in the areas of freedom of conscience, equality, free expression, economic liberty, the settlement of policy disputes without violence, what “cruel and unusual punishments” should be unacceptable, and so on.

He goes on to say that John Winthrop’s ideas about obeying God were widely shared in colonial America. What John Winthrop was saying was not considered unusual, as it would be today. There were things done in the early American colonies that were done in the name of Christianity that would be totally unacceptable to us today. It has taken more than two hundred years to attempt to strike a balance between the secular and the religious in America, and we don’t always get it right. Sometimes we forget that the Judeo-Christian ethic is the foundation of our laws, and we should honor that ethic. Mr. McCarthy states that we need to give moderate Muslims the chance to find a balance in Sharia Law. Mr. McCarthy also reminds us that the Muslims who will eventually moderate Sharia Law (if that is possible) are up against 14 centuries of tradition and treatises like Reliance of the Traveller. Sharia Law can be tempered, but it will be difficult.

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I’m From The Government, But I Have No Intention Of Helping You !

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This article is based on a story at Politico. I strongly suggest that you follow the link to read the entire story–it is hilarious, and I can’t do it justice here. However, here are the basics. During his tour of the midwest, President Obama was asked by a farmer about coming regulations that might make it more difficult for him to run his farm. The President suggested that the farmer contact the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), as there are often rumors about coming regulations that are not true. A reporter at Politico decided to take the President’s advice and call the USDA. When the reporter called the USDA, he was told that the matter he was inquiring about fell under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), not the USDA. So the reporter called the EPA. The article is the story of what happened next. Please follow the link and read the entire article.

The bottom line of this story is simple–if you want answers, don’t call the government!

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Governor Jan Brewer Speaks Out On Immigration

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Great Seal of the State of Arizona

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The following statement was posted on Jan Brewer’s facebook page today:

The Obama administration cannot get its amnesty schemes through Congress, so now it has resorted to implementing its plans via executive fiat. There’s simply no other description for today’s announcement that the federal government will not pursue the deportation of individuals who are in the country illegally but meet certain criteria.

This plan amounts to backdoor amnesty for hundreds of thousands – if not millions – of illegal aliens. Especially disturbing is that it comes in the wake of the Obama administration sanctioning the sale of weapons to Mexican drug cartels – even as border states such as Arizona come under threat from those same illicit organizations. With this announcement, the President is encouraging more illegal immigration at the exact moment we need federal focus on border security.

Just last month in speaking to the National Council of La Raza, President Obama rejected the idea of bypassing Congress and imposing immigration reform. He said, “Now, I know some people want me to bypass Congress and change the laws on my own. And believe me, right now dealing with Congress, the idea of doing things on my own is very tempting … But that’s not how our system works. That’s not how our democracy functions. That’s not how our Constitution is written.”

President Obama got it right last month and got it really wrong today.

Over the next 15 months, I’m certain we’ll hear a lot of talk from the Obama administration about its concern for border security. Those of us who truly care about the rule of law will remember the President’s actions of today. We need to remind President Obama that we elected a president that serves beneath the law and did not anoint a king that is above the law.

Arizona has led the fight to secure America’s borders. In the age of terrorism, our national security requires that we keep tract of the people who are entering our country. The Border Patrol uses the expression OTM’s (Other Than Mexican) to describe the illegal immigrants coming across the Mexican border from countries with close ties to terrorism.

A website called examiner.com reported in March of this year:

On Wednesday, a Washington, DC-based public interest group announced it acquired disturbing documents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection directorate detailing Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 apprehension statistics for illegal alien smugglers…

* U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended 59,017 “Other Than Mexican” illegal aliens through October 7, 2010.

* Among the nations represented in apprehension statistics are the four countries currently on the State Department’s list of “State Sponsors of Terrorism,”  Cuba (712), Iran (14), Syria (5) and Sudan (5), as well as Somalia (9), Afghanistan (9), Pakistan (37), Saudi Arabia (5) and Yemen (11).
* Overall, U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended 663 “Aliens from Special Interest Countries.”  These countries are deemed “special interest” because of their suspected ties to terrorism.
* The countries yielding the highest “Other Than Mexican” apprehensions include:  Guatemala (18,406), El Salvador (13,723), and Honduras (13,580).
Please follow the link above to read the rest of the Examiner article. Numbers don’t lie, and these numbers have not been easily available to the general public.
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The Cost Of ‘Green’ For The Consumer

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Yesterday CNS News reported that the Center for Automotive Research has released a study stating that the Obama Administration’s new fuel economy standards will result in a retail price increase for the average car of $11,000.

The article reports:

Zoe Lipman, the National Wildlife Federation’s Senior Manager for Transportation and Global Warming Solutions argued on a conference call held Thursday that the estimated fuel savings due to these standards will outweigh the “modest” motor vehicle price increases for consumers.

I pointed out in a story Tuesday that there are some valid questions as to whether or not these new fuel standards are being legally implemented. CAFE standards have been set by Congress–not by the executive branch. There are also some valid questions as to whether or not global warming is man-made. I support the idea of fuel efficient cars, but I also support the idea of America developing her natural resources and technology to make cleaner running cars.

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Some Notes On Yesterday’s Attack On Israel

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J. E. Dyer posted an article at Hot Air today listing three things about the attack on Israel that he considered significant.

The first thing to be noted about the attack is that it was mounted from Egypt. This is a change. This is the result of the “Arab Spring” revolution that happened in Egypt this past year. That revolution will not bring peace–it will lead the world closer to war.

The article points out:

It’s too early to determine where alliances and affiliations will shake out in the future.  But it’s not too early to recognize that Hezbollah and Hamas, along with their patron Iran, have reason to stake a claim in the future of Egypt.  Their orientation is no longer as solidly centered on Syria as it was six months ago.  Hamas’s horizons have traditionally been narrower than Hezbollah’s, but either one is in a position to see influence and freedom of action in the Sinai as an alternative to its traditional ties to Damascus.  That bodes ill for Egypt.

The second notable point about the attack is that it was a sustained multi-pronged attack.

The article points out:

But the 18 August attack encompassed at least two buses and a car (the vehicle carrying the two Israeli children who were killed), as well as the emergency response forces and the IDF helicopters dispatched to search for the attackers.  Nearly 7 hours after the initial attack (at almost 7:00 PM in Israel), gunfire was reportedly directed from the Egyptian side of the border at Israelis in the vicinity of Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who was conducting a press conference from the site of the attack.  That would seem to indicate that the terrorists were able to regenerate or hold forces in reserve on the Egyptian side of the border – a bad sign about both their tenacity and the security conditions in that part of the Sinai.

Again, this represents an escalation of previous attacks on Israel by its neighbors.

The third aspect of this attack is that it may create a perception that Egypt needs to increase her troop levels in the Sinai.

The article concludes:

The prospects, therefore, are for a continued, incremental expansion of the Egyptian troop presence in the peninsula.  It is well to remember why the Sinai was demilitarized in the first place: to ensure that Egypt would not be in a position to launch a surprise attack on Israel.  Establishing an ever-higher “normal” for the level of forces there will chip away at that insurance.  Is Egypt anxious to launch an attack on Israel?  Not today.  But as an Egyptian troop presence grows in the Sinai – for reasons that seem iron-clad and urgent as they crop up – that could certainly change.

Obviously, none of this is moving in the direction of peace. Since Iran is pulling the strings on much of this activity, I wonder if the purpose of this activity is to take the eyes of the world off of what is happening in Syria. Syria is a puppet state of Iran, and the unrest there is not good news for Iran. A new government in Syria might have a streak of independence that could interfere with Iran’s plan for its middle east caliphate.

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Consequences Of The Egyptian Revolution

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The revolution in Egypt did not bring in a peace-loving democracy. It ended the rule of a government that had made peace with Israel. Today’s attack on Israel from Gaza and from Egypt confirmed that fact.

Today’s Washington Examiner reported on the terrorist attacks on Israel which killed eight people. The attacks were launched from Gaza through the Sinai Peninsula.

The article reports:

Though it seemed clear the gunmen had come through Egyptian territory, Gen. Khaled Fouda, the governor of the southern Sinai district, said no shooting had come from the Egyptian side.

“The incident underscores the weak Egyptian hold on Sinai and the broadening of the activities of terrorists,” said Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak. “The real source of the terror is in Gaza, and we will act against them with full force and determination.”

The Sinai desert, dominated by Bedouin tribes and never entirely under the control of the central government, have grown more violent since a popular uprising toppled longtime Egyptian ruler Hosni Mubarak in February. Since then, assailants have repeatedly blown up a crucial pipeline carrying natural gas to Israel and Jordan.

Egypt is in transition right now. According to the Financial Times on July 13, 2011, Egyptian elections are scheduled for November, having been postponed from their original date of September. Registration and campaigns will begin in September, but the voting will not happen for about a month and a half after that.

Unfortunately the chances of a new government in Egypt being a friend of Israel (or even not participating in any military action against Israel) are very slim. Israel lives in a bad neighborhood, and Egypt and Turkey were two countries in that neighborhood that respected Israel’s right to exist. Turkey is in the process of setting up a Muslim state and I don’t believe Egypt will be far behind. There goes the neighborhood.

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NOAA And The New England Fishing Industry

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been having a negative impact on the fishing industry for a while. A website entitled Saving Seafood reported yesterday that New Bedford Mayor Scott Lang and Gloucester Mayor Carolyn Kirk have filed notice of their intent to appeal United States District Court Judge Rya Zobel’s recent ruling on Amendment 16.

Amendment 16 sets up a quota system that ignored the Magnuson-Stevens Act’s requirement for a referendum before a quote system can be imposed.

The article further reports:

The appeal is not the only avenue the mayors are pursuing to seek redress and compensation for fishermen hurt by NOAA. They are also supporting bills filed by their representatives in Congress, Massachusetts Senators Kerry and Brown and Congressman Frank, that ask for an investigation of rulemaking by the Commerce Department Inspector General. They are also supporting a Government Accountability Office inquiry now underway that was requested by Senator Brown.

The recent actions of NOAA have resulted in many fishing families losing their family businesses. I understand the need to control commercial fishing, but it has to be done with consideration of the people involved in the occupation. This is one area where I find myself in agreement with Senators Kerry and Brown and Congressman Frank. They are working on something that needs to be done.

 

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Union Violence

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Yesterday Investors.com posted the chart below to illustrate that union violence has become a part of American life.

On Wednesday an Ohio contractor was wounded by gunfire by a man uttering union threats.

The article reports on another incident:

It’s quite a different story for the Lambertville, Mich., contractor who woke up in the dead of night a week ago found a silhouetted figure on his driveway spraying “SCAB” on the side of his vehicle. The figure fired a gun at him before fleeing.

King runs a small business employing 40 people at high wages with good benefits. His success at a time when unionized contractors are failing made him the target of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), which has unsuccessfully sought to unionize his workers.

The article further reports:

At the same time as the attack against King, IBEW has also engaged in a violent strike against Verizon in New York. Union strikers have been accused of cutting phone lines, firing BB guns at nonunion workers, and picketing customers. Internet videos show them using foul language and goon tactics.

One of IBEW’s thugs put his own daughter in the path of a truck as a means of getting more money from his employer.

IBEW tactics have been so objectionable a federal judge ordered them this week to refrain from hurling and/or spreading feces in their strike, as if they should need to be told.

Leadership comes from the top.  With the stacking of the National Labor Relations Board with people who are biased toward unions, unions are engaging in behavior that is unacceptable with no fear of being held accountable. Union membership is not a bad thing, but it needs to be voluntary–not coerced. Those people in the unions need to respect the rights of those who choose not to be in unions. Unfortunately, until the administration in Washington changes, I suspect union violence and thuggery will only increase.

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The Government Gives, The Government Takes Away

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A website called fight the bias attributes the following quote to Thomas Jefferson:

“Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have … The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases.”

There are similar quotes attributed to Gerald Ford and others, but Thomas Jefferson seems to have understood the concept originally. We are seeing this statement in action in a current court battle between EXXON and the American government. Today’s Wall Street Journal reports that EXXON filed a suit against the Department of the Interior last week in Lake Charles, Louisiana. EXXON is fighting to maintain control of what is called the Julia field after a routine extension of leases was not approved.

The article reports:

The possibility that Exxon could lose this oil will likely send shock waves through the industry. “This is unprecedented,” said Amy Myers Jaffe, associate director of the Energy Program at Rice University in Houston. “The question is: Do our offshore rules allow for flexibility? You don’t want to let companies sit on a discovery…We definitely don’t want to send the industry a message that you need to be in a rush or we’ll take the oil away from you.”

Exxon’s lawsuit said the government has granted “thousands” of extensions over time. It said the government’s denial of its extension relied on legal interpretations that it “had never before applied and had never before articulated.” Statoil asserted in its lawsuit that no request for an extension for a deep-water development “had ever previously been denied.” The Interior Department couldn’t comment on this.

This is another example of how government policy impacts unemployment. The Department of Interior has changed their policies abruptly. How do businesses deal with future planning when the rules change in the middle of the game?


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The New Black Panthers Case Continues

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Alleged instance of voter intimidation in Phil...

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Yesterday Big Government posted an article about a new court ruling in the Black Panthers voter intimidation case. The Department of Justice has claimed that since the case was dismissed on May 15, 2009, all documents relating to the case, even those produced after that date were subject to the “attorney work-product privilege.” The court ruled that documents produced after May 15, 2009, were not subject to “attorney work-product privilege” and should not be withheld.

The article concludes:

We already know the Obama administration’s claim that political appointees were not involved in this decision is patently false. And now DOJ officials continue to fight tooth-and-nail to stonewall the release of additional information. What else do they have to hide? This new court ruling means that we may pry loose some additional information on this voter intimidation scandal and perhaps get to the truth in the matter.

Judicial Watch has led the fight to have the documents relating to the New Black Panthers voter intimidation incident made public. The YouTube video makes it clear that the New Black Panthers were not your ordinary poll watchers. It has been a long battle, but hopefully, if anyone obstructed justice in this matter, he will be fired.

 

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Lack Of Transparency At The National Labor Relations Board

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Today’s Daily Caller reported on recent activity at the National Labor Relations Board NLRB) in regard to unionizing companies. Current law requires that union elections be held within six weeks of the time that organizers meet the petition requirements for an election. The NLRB is moving to shorten that time to 7–10 days.

The article points out:

Another red flag that (former NLRB board member Peter) Schaumber notices with the Board’s handling of its “quickie election” proposal is the lack of transparency in the NLRB’s deliberations. Schaumber says it appears as though the Board’s members evaded the Sunshine Act, either by meeting only two at a time or by using staffers to relay information among themselves.

The unions have a reason for wanting to change this rule quickly. Right now the NLRB is totally controlled by pro-labor forces, after 2012, that may not be the case. The other reason for the urgency is the state of union pensions. As previously reported at rightwinggranny:

One of the reasons the unions are so desperate to grow membership is that their pension funds are unfunded.  I ran an article at rightwinggranny in April of 2010 based on a Big Government article which stated:

“The worst part of the Obama executive order is the real reason for it.  According to a September, 2009 report by Moody’s Investor Services, construction union pensions in 2008 were just 54% funded.  Just like Social Security, the promised union pensions were too fat.  They were built on the similar demographic flaw of social security.  The system would pay full benefits to the earliest retirees, but would only be able to continue to do that if the ratio of workers to retirees is sustainable.  So what does it mean when the ratio fails?  How do you restore the footing on a plan so underfunded when the ration of worker to retiree continues to get worse?”

The crunch point of this ponzi scheme is about to be reached.  That is why the unions are desperately trying to change to rules of unionization–to save face on their pension funds.  If more members do not join quickly, the whole pension scheme will collapse.

Workers need more than ten days to decide if they want to join a union. They need a chance to hear both sides of the story. The recent action of the NLRB does nothing to improve the process.

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The Global Warming Hoax

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On Monday, John Hinderaker at Power Line posted an article titled, “The Global Warming Hoax In Charts.” I am not scientifically inclined enough to understand exactly what the charts show, but it is obvious that climate change is not solely dependent on carbon dioxide levels.

This chart shows the relationship between ocean temperatures and the earth’s temperature:

This chart shows the relationship between carbon dioxide and temperatures:

The article concludes:

Even a casual investigation reveals that carbon dioxide levels are not the driver of global temperatures. Rather, a combination of solar activity and other earthly phenomena, most notably cycles associated with the oceans, explain the rise and fall of global temperatures that have gone on for millenia.

Even my unscientific mind tells me that the first chart shows a closer relationship than the second. My question then becomes, “Why are some scientists trying so hard to convince us that human activity is responsible for climate change?” I don’t know.

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Why The Deficit Cutting Supercommittee Won’t Work

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On Sunday, The Hill reported that Representative James Clyburn (S.C.) is vowing to use his position on the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to tackle the nation’s enormous wealth gap.

The article reports:

Clyburn said he’ll be pushing for revenue raisers – not just cuts – in the next round in order to “secure our nation’s financial future in a fair and balanced way that requires shared sacrifice and creates opportunity for all Americans.”

There is a basic problem with this statement. We will never be able to eliminate poverty. We can try to make poverty more comfortable–food stamps, housing, etc., but we will never eliminate it.  Jesus, who seemed to have a pretty good idea of what human nature was like, stated in Mark 14:7, “For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good.” Lyndon Johnson declared war on poverty more than forty years ago. We lost. What we have done has not worked, what is Representative Clyburn planning to do that is different?

What is responsible for the nation’s wealth gap? Part of it may be due to educational opportunities, but more of it is due to work ethic, ambition, attitude, values, etc. Unless you are willing to work on some of those areas, you will not change the wealth gap.

The article further reports:

While Democrats are insisting on tax-revenue increases as part of the package, Republicans are equally as adamant that they be excluded.

“We were not elected to raise taxes or take more money out of the pockets of hardworking families and business people,” House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) wrote Monday in a memo to fellow Republicans.

There is a basic philosophic difference between the statements of James Clyburn and Eric Cantor. Eric Cantor understands that people who have wealth have generally worked hard to obtain it. Taking it away from those people will not make the poor any richer–it will make everyone poorer. Shared sacrifice does not work–it is not good for anyone.

Raising taxes in a recession is not a good idea. The Democrats stated in January when they extended the Bush tax cuts that raising taxes in a fragile economy was not a good idea. What has changed? The supercommittee is political theater. The problem is that when they fail, our defense budget will be stripped and we will pay a heavy price for that in national security. The defense budget is not our problem and low taxes are not our problem–it’s the spending, stupid!

If you truly want to tackle the wealth gap, lower everyone’s taxes, cut regulations, and tell everyone on welfare that the payments will stop in three months. At that point, the economy will grow!

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This Is Not The Way To Balance The Budget–Ever!!!!!

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CBS News reported yesterday that there have been high level meetings held at the Pentagon recently discussing an overhaul of the military retirement system. In general terms, an active duty military member who retires after twenty years of active duty receives half of his pay as retirement income regardless of his age. Before you get too excited about this, I would like to point out that a level E-6 enlisted military member with 20 years of service earns $3533.40 per month. That would make his retirement approximately $1700 a month.  An senior officer at level O-8 with 20 years of service earns $12762.30 a month.  That would make his retirement roughly $6000 a month.

Now let’s look at Congress. The current salary (2011) for rank-and-file members of the House and Senate is $174,000 per year. A full pension is available to Members 62 years of age with 5 years of service; 50 years or older with 20 years of service; or 25 years of service at any age. In 2002, the average Congressional pension payment ranged from $41,000 to $55,000.

Let’s look at the military retirement system. It provides incentive for people to stay in the military for 20 years in spite of the hardships–family separations, combat tours, living away from extended family, moving every two to four years, low pay, etc. Taking away the current military retirement system would result in fewer senior officers and enlisted people who function as leaders in the military. It would negatively impact the quality of our military forces.

Unfortunately Congress sets the rules for its retirement program and the military retirement program. It is rather obvious that Congress is looking out for itself while it plans on giving our military the shaft. If Congress seriously considers changing military retirement, I will work to make sure every Congressman who votes for the change is voted out of office in 2012 or whenever he runs for re-election.

This is obscene!

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Where Our Money Went

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Monday’s Boston Herald reported that Evergreen Solar Inc., has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. It is unfortunate when any company goes bankrupt, but Evergreen Solar has received some serious financial help from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts along the way.

The article reports:

Greg Bialecki, Patrick’s economic development czar, defended the administration’s support for the once-promising Evergreen. The state is still trying to recoup about $4 million in cash from the Marlboro-based company.

As previously stated, the green energy industry will develop naturally if it is allowed to make a profit. The pioneer spirit of America is still here. What is needed is the freedom to develop a technology and the ability to profit from that technology. Government interference in the marketplace does not allow the best ideas to thrive–instead it props up inferior technology that is not cost effective and will not succeed.

The article further reports:

To cut costs, Evergreen shifted some of its production to Wuhan, China, last year. That joint venture will remain operating subject to financing talks with Chinese investors.

That is adding insult to injury. I appreciate that the state trying to promote green energy, but I don’t appreciate using taxpayers’ money to prop up businesses.

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An Interesting New Face

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Yesterday the Washington Post reported that Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell has been named chairman of the Republican Governors Association.  He replaces Rick Perry, who resigned in order to focus on his presidential campaign.

Governor McDonnell has done a good job of restoring fiscal responsibility to Virginia. Wikipedia reports:

The first budget enacted under the McDonnell administration took effect on July 1, 2010.[168] Two of McDonnell’s legislative initiatives did increase the surplus for the 2009-2010 fiscal year. First, the budget bill accelerated the payment of state sales taxes resulting in a one-time shift of revenues that would otherwise have been collected in July 2010 into the old fiscal year. Second, the budget bill deferred a $620 million payment to the Virginia Retirement System to future years.[169] The end of year surplus will trigger the payment of a 3% bonus to state employees in December 2010.[170][171] Both Republicans and Democrats responded by asking McDonnell to use the surplus to reverse the Virginia Retirement System deferral.[172]     

Appointing Governor McDonnell to this position gives him more visibility.  The Washington Post reports that his approval rating in Virginia is 62 percent favorable and 26 percent unfavorable. He is one of the most popular governors in America.

I hate to be cynical, but.. prepare for the attack pieces on Governor McDonnell.  He will be on the short list for Vice-President in 2012, and if he is interested, he would be a viable presidential candidate in 2016 or 2020.

This is a man to watch.

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Freedom Is Part Of America

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Yesterday The Hill reported on a statement made by President Obama at a town hall forum in Cannon Falls, Minnesota.

The article reports that the President stated:

“You can’t just make money on SUVs and trucks.  There is a place for SUVs and trucks, but as gas prices keep on going up, you have got to understand the market. People are going to try to save money.”

Not only is this an amazing statement in view of the freedom Americans have to drive what they want to drive, it is an amazing statement to be made by someone who is traveling the country in three totally fuel inefficient buses.

The article reports:

The White House unveiled first-ever fuel efficiency rules for heavy-duty trucks last week. The standards come after the administration ratcheted up fuel economy standards for cars and light-duty trucks.

The administration negotiated the standards in a series of high-stakes closed-door meetings with industry. In the end, the White House won the endorsement of major automakers and truck companies.

Fuel economy standards are not up to the White House–the are established by Congress. On August 11, Congressman Darrell Issa wrote a letter to Attorney Kathryn Ruemmier, Council to the President,  stating:

It has come to my attention that the new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) and EPA vehicle greenhouse gas (GHG) standards announced by President Obama and select automobile manufacturers on July 29, 2011, were negotiated in secret, outside the scope of the law, and could generate significant negative impacts for consumers. Specifically, I am concerned about the lack of transparency in the process leading up to the agreement, the expected increase in cost per vehicle, and the negative impact these standards could have on the safety of automobiles. Moreover, I remain concerned that the government’s ownership interest in General Motors and Chrysler at the time these negotiations were conducted creates a troublesome conflict-of-interest.

This letter may be an example of why the liberal press is running attack pieces on Darrell Issa. (see Rightwinggranny)  Anyway, this needs to be looked into. This is another power grab by the Obama Administration and needs to be turned back. CAFE standards were first enacted by Congress in 1975 in response to the Arab oil embargo of 1973. The auto manufacturers have been able to circumvent the CAFE standards by declaring Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV’s) to be trucks. SUV’s have been selling well, regardless of their low gas mileage, because consumers like the feeling of safety with an SUV and because SUV’s can carry more passengers.

The obvious answer here is to develop America’s fuel resources while allowing the private sector to explore alternative energy. If there is a practical fuel alternative out there, private industry will find it (if they are allowed to make a profit on it). Profit motive works–it provides incentive for progress. The answer to the transportation energy problem (as in many other problems) lies in less government involvement–not more.

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It Would Have Been Nice If They Had Bothered To Check The Facts

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Congressman Darrell Issa's Official 111th Cong...

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Today the Daily Caller posted a story explaining how the New York Times got the facts wrong when they did a recent attack piece on Congressman Darrell Issa.  Congressman Issa has been something of a problem for the Obama administration and the political left in general. Since January of this year he has served as the Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. The website for the Committee lists some of the recent investigations–the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) scandal regarding operation Fast and Furious, Obamacare waivers, foreclosure abuses against U. S. Servicemembers, etc.  You get the picture.  This is one person that President Obama and all Democrats would love to get out of Congress.  Thus the New York Times story.

Please follow the link above to the Daily Caller to see how the attack piece was done and what the real facts are. The key to the survival of a representative republic is informed voters. The New York Times is purposely misinforming voters in order to further liberal politics. The newspaper needs to be held accountable.

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