Monthly Archives: November 2011

Jon Corzine And MF Global

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Today’s Wall Street Journal (this is a subscriber only article) is reporting that MF Global Holdings Ltd. shifted hundreds of millions of dollars in customer funds to its own brokerage accounts in the days before its bankruptcy filing. That is illegal.

The article reports:

“If they used client moneys to meet house margin calls, that’s a misuse of client funds,” said Ronald Filler, a law professor at the New York Law School.

According to the Commodity Exchange Act, customer funds at futures commission merchants “shall not be commingled with the funds of such commission merchant or be used to margin or guarantee the trades or contracts…of any customer or person other than the one for whom the same are held.”

Commodity Futures Trading Commissioner Scott O’Malia said earlier this week that it “appears that MF Global failed this fundamental responsibility.” 

The New York Post posted a story yesterday with the title, “These guys want Corzine in prison.” The writer of the article talks about the impact of what was done at MF Global on four commodities traders he refers to as Eeny, Meeny, Miney, and Moe.

The article reports:

All of them were stung hard — not only because their money at MF disappeared overnight but also because they couldn’t even get on the floor of the exchange to conduct business.

Their IDs had been revoked.

Up to 30,000 of MF’s customers worldwide are said to be unable to access money they had in so-called “segregated” accounts at the company. And with the bankruptcy court and a trustee now involved, that money could be locked up for a long time.

“I want to see jail. I want to see one of these guys go to prison,” Moe said, with Eeny, Meeny and Miney nodding in agreement. “They destroyed lives because they wanted to make money. No more fines and Club Fed. People need to pay” with jail time.

Corzine, who took over the sleepy brokerage firm after being defeated for a second term in the statehouse, is the one they hold most responsible.

I think it’s time to take a good look at the way we treat ordinary people who break the law and extremely wealthy people who break the law. I am sure we will be hearing more of this story in the future.

 

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Why We Shouldn’t Let The Government Invest Our Money

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On November 14, the Detroit News reported that American taxpayers will lose $23.6 billion, up from its previous estimate of $14.33 billion, on the bailout of General Motors.

The article reports:

The Treasury now pegs the cost of the bailout of GM, Chrysler Group LLC and the auto finance companies at $79.6 billion. It no longer includes $5 billion it set aside to guarantee payments to auto suppliers in 2009.

The article goes on the chronicle the losses in the government bailout programs in various sectors of the economy.

The article reports:

The new estimate also hikes the overall cost of the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program costs to taxpayers. TARP is the emergency program approved by Congress in late 2008 at the height of the financial crisis.

In total, the government used $425 billion to bailout banks, insurance companies and automakers, and provided $45 billion in housing program assistance.

The government now expects to lose $57.33 billion, including the full cost of the housing program, up from $36.7 billion. The new estimate means the government doesn’t believe it will make an overall profit on its bailouts.

Again, the problem is that we are spending too much, not that we are taxed too little.

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The Truth Comes Out–Unfortunately It’s A Bit Late

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John Hinderaker at Power Line reported today on testimony given by Doug Elmendorf, head of the Congressional Budget Office to the Senate Budget Committee. Senator Jeff Sessions reminded Mr. Elmendorf of the CBO’s projection, made around the time the stimulus bill was enacted, that the measure would have a negative long-term impact on economic growth. Elmendorf confirmed that this is still the view of the CBO.

The article at Power Line contains a video of the testimony. So let me get this straight–we spend $800 billion-plus dollars, the unemployment rate is still at 9 percent or more, and the spending will have a long-term negative impact on economic growth. Where do we go to get our money back?

 

 

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Only In America

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The following quote is taken directly from the Politico website:

“At 1:00 PM, the Vice President will attend a meeting of the Government Accountability and Transparency Board in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. At 2:30 PM, the Vice President will meet with representatives of the National Sheriffs’ Association in the Roosevelt Room. These meetings are closed press.”

The Government Accountability and Transparency Board meeting at 1 pm is closed to the press. There is nothing I can add to that.

UPDATE: Amy Dudley, a spokeswoman for Biden, contacted POLITICO to offer this on-the-record statement: “The Government Accountability and Transparency Board has been holding regular meetings since its establishment as part of the Administration’s Campaign to Cut Waste last June. The Vice President was invited to drop by today’s meeting in anticipation of their forthcoming report. As has been the case with every meeting of the board, the minutes of the meeting will be posted online.”

If the minutes are to be posted online, why is the meeting closed to the press? Just asking.

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Received In My E-mail Tonight

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November 16, 2011

LIEBERMAN, COLLINS TO HOLD HEARING
 ON INSIDER TRADING LAWS AND CONGRESS

60 Minutes Story Sparks Examination

WASHINGTON – Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman, ID-Conn., and Ranking Member Susan Collins, R-Maine, announced Wednesday they would hold a hearing to examine how insider trading laws apply to Congress.

 The hearing, requested by Committee Member Scott Brown, R-Mass., and sparked by a 60 Minutes report, is intended to clarify the laws and rules that govern members of Congress who may profit personally from non-public information they learn in the course of their work.

“Insider trading by members of Congress – if it occurs — is a serious breach of the public trust,” said Lieberman. “No one in Congress should be enriching themselves based on information to which the general public has no access. Our hearing will set the record straight about how existing laws and ethics rules apply to Congress and whether they are sufficient to prevent unethical market trading.”

 Collins said: “Elected office is a place for public service, not personal gain. We have a duty to examine and address practices that can create the appearance of wrongdoing or undermine the public’s confidence in decisions made by Congress.

“I appreciate Senator Scott Brown’s leadership on this important issue. We need to assure the American people that the decisions we make are decisions of integrity, in which their interests are put first.”

 Senator Brown has introduced legislation intended to prevent members of Congress from profiting on information to which only they are privy. That bill has been referred to HSGAC. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., will introduce similar legislation soon. House members have introduced similar bills.
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Holiday Hope For Heros

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Holiday Hope For Heros

Sunday November 20

12 pm to 6 pm

North Attleboro VFW

50 Jefferson Street, North Attleboro

Music by DJ Tommy and The Washington Street Band

Balloons By Ciel

Donations needed:

Bar soap, Toothpaste, Toothbrushes, Floss, Baby Wipes, Wet Naps, Deodorant, Q-Tips, Eye Drops, Socks, Sunscreen, Tissues, Notepads, Pens, etc.

Money accepted to help with shipping costs.

HolidayHopeForHeros@GMAIL.COM


Rolled Again ?

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Are the Republicans about to be rolled by the Democrats on the Super Committee? The Hill reported yesterday that word has leaked out that Republicans on the super committee have put nominal tax increases on the table. This has resulted in the Tea Party circulating a petition blasting any supercommittee compromise that includes tax increases.

The article reports:

“Reports that the Republican members of the committee have agreed to a framework of tax increases to replace spending cuts is appalling,” Tea Party Express co-chairman Amy Kremer wrote in an email sent to members asking them to fight any compromise. “The election of 2010 was a total repudiation of the ‘tax and spend’ mentality that has brought America to a fiscal crisis with excessive spending and an out-of-control national debt.”

The Hill is not necessarily and objective news source and reports that the Tea Party is forcing the Republicans into an uncompromising position. That is not the whole story. The Tea Party members were elected to Congress to stop the runaway spending. Every time they have attempted to do that, they have been met head-on by the Washington establishment–both Republican and Democrat. If the Tea Party cannot stop the spending, the current rate of spending will probably bankrupt the American economy by next summer. Frankly, until the Republican leadership changes, I don’t believe we have any hope of solving our economic crisis. The other thing to remember here is that the Democrats have done very little compromising–they are letting the Republicans negotiate with themselves in the hope that the Republicans will either cave or no deal will be reached. Either way, the Republicans will have a very difficult time retaining any House of Representative seats in 2012. The Tea Party was elected to do something. If they do nothing, they will probably not be reelected.

The problem is not that our taxes are too low. The problem is that government spending, traditionally at about 18 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) are now over 20 percent. It is time to cut the spending!

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If The Stuff Is That Awful, Just Make It Illegal

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Yesterday the U.K. Guardian posted a story stating that the British Medical Association (BMA) is urging lawmakers to extend the ban on smoking in public places introduced in 2007 to all vehicles in a further effort to protect people’s health. I am not a smoker. I truly hate the smell of cigarette smoke. However, this is ridiculous.

The article reports:

The all-party parliamentary group on smoking and health is calling for ministers to hold a public consultation on how to tackle smoking in cars. While opinion polls show widespread support for banning smoking in cars carrying children, such a step would be hard to enforce and would not protect adults, the MPs and peers say.

The British Lung Foundation said it would support such a ban because children “are literally trapped in the car and have no choice but to breathe in smoke”.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health also backs more limited action.

I realize this is occurring in Britain, not in America, but I have no doubt it is headed here. Meanwhile, I believe Congress is still paying subsidies to tobacco farmers and the federal and state governments make more money on the sale of a pack of cigarettes than the manufacturers. If tobacco is that bad, make it illegal. Pay the tobacco farmers a small amount of money to convert to growing grapes for wine or some other cash crop and simply put the industry out of business. Then explain to the taxpayers why their state and federal taxes went up due to lost revenue.

The way the government (in Britain and the United States) has handled the tobacco industry is schizophrenic.

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It Wasn’t Like They Were Consuming Transfats Or Smoking

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Today’s New York Post posted a commentary on why Mayor Bloomberg in New York City finally decided to evict the Occupy Wall Street protesters who had taken over Zuccotti Park. Things had truly gotten out of hand–some of the occupiers had contracted scabies, lice and various lung ailments. It was not a healthy place. It kind of makes you appreciate the luxuries of civilization.

The article reports:

An administration source insisted that Bloomberg gave the go-ahead to roust the protesters because of “an accumulation of things” — including concerns that the park became a firetrap and that protesters were planning to build wooden structures to prepare for winter.

But sources familiar with Bloomberg’s decision said he also was concerned with public health.

The article further reports:

And Hizzoner didn’t like being called out by former Mayor Rudy Giuliani for his inactivity.

A couple of weeks ago, Giuliani said that he would never have tolerated people sleeping in the park and that the city should kick the protesters out.

I suspect a lot of New York City residents and people who work in the city miss Mayor Giuliani.
Occupy Wall Street had one valid point–the economy is in bad shape and people are having a hard time being upwardly mobile. Unfortunately, they were protesting the wrong people–they should have camped out outside the White House and Congress–that is where the regulations and tax policy that is crippling our economy is coming from. At any rate, it’s time for the protesters to go home and become productive members of society. If they don’t like the way things are, they need to find a constructive way to get involved and change things–but they should get their facts straight first.
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There Were A Few Hazards With “We Have To Pass The Bill To Find Out What’s In it” That Are Now Coming To Light

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Today’s Wall Street Journal posted an article about another problem that has surfaced as we approach the implementation of ObamaCare. The problem is major–the Obama administration is attempting to rewrite the law without the aid of Congress.

The article reports:

The law encourages states to create health-insurance exchanges, but it permits Washington to create them if states decline. So far, only 17 states have passed legislation to create an exchange.

This is where the glitch comes in: ObamaCare authorizes premium assistance in state-run exchanges (Section 1311) but not federal ones (Section 1321). In other words, states that refuse to create an exchange can block much of ObamaCare’s spending and practically force Congress to reopen the law for revisions. 

Please do not assume that I fully understand what this means–I don’t. What I do understand is the ObamaCare is bad law, ultimately very expensive law, and needs to go away.

It gets even more complicated. The article further reports:

The Obama administration wants to avoid that legislative debacle, so this summer it proposed an IRS rule to offer premium assistance in all exchanges “whether established under section 1311 or 1321.” On Nov. 17 the IRS will hold a public hearing on that proposal. According to a Treasury Department spokeswoman, the administration is “confident” that offering premium assistance where Congress has not authorized it “is consistent with the intent of the law and our ability to interpret and implement it.”

Such confidence is misplaced. The text of the law is perfectly clear. And without congressional authorization, the IRS lacks the power to dispense tax credits or spend money. 

The battle for Obamacare has just begun.

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Thank You, Scott Brown

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The article I posted this afternoon (just below this article) dealt with the fact that lawmakers exempted from the insider trading laws they impose on private traders. Evidently I was not the only one appalled by this.

CNN News reported this afternoon that Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown has introduced the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge, or STOCK Act, (S.1871) which would clarify insider trading regulations that do not clearly identify whether the use of inside government information constitutes insider trading.

The article reports:

The bill filed Tuesday by Massachusetts Republican Sen. Scott Brown would make it illegal for elected congressional officials, their staffs and executive branch employees to use information about pending bills that’s not available to the general public in making investment decisions. It would also forbid them from making such information public for personal gain.

All of this attention to insider trading follows a report aired by CBS’s “60 Minutes” on Sunday which highlighted instances in which congressional officials reportedly bought stocks around the same time Congress was discussing legislation affecting those companies or industries.

Based on recent reports on the number of Congressmen (and Congresswomen) who have drastically increased their net worth after being elected to Congress, this legislation is long overdue.

Thank you, Scott Brown.

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This Is Just Distressing

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Business Insider reported yesterday that Rham Emanuel sold up to $250,000 in Freddie Mac stock on February 21, 2003, days before it dropped by 10 percent and weeks before the announcement that it was under investigation. This is reported in Peter Schwiezer’s new book “Throw Them All Out.”

The article reports:

While by no means illegal; lawmakers are exempted from the insider trading laws they impose on private traders. But the timing of the trades is certainly suspect, especially given Emanuel’s service on the board during the time period for with the federal government was investigating the actions of Freddie Mac executives.

Why are lawmakers exempted from the insider trading laws they impose on private traders?

The beginning of cleaning up Washington, D. C., might be to make all lawmakers and office holders subject to the laws they pass. Wouldn’t that be a really good idea?

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The Tax Increase No One Is Talking About

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Yesterday Hot Air posted an article by J.E. Dyer on the tax increase scheduled for January 1. This tax increase has nothing to do with the super committee or any recent actions by Congress–it is simply the result of the expiration of the ‘Bush tax cuts.’ As you remember, the Republicans never had enough of a majority in Congress to make the Bush tax cuts permanent–they were renewed in a budget deal in December, but only for a year. Now the Clinton tax rates are set to come roaring back and totally devastate any economic growth that may be coming down the pike.

Some examples of the taxes involved show that the Bush tax cuts gave serious tax relief to middle class families. The article explains:

Bob Jennings at Fox Business ran some numbers for a young couple with two kids and combined income of $100,000.  (H/t: Lonely Conservative.)  Their tax bill would go up by nearly $3600 between 2011 and 2012, or about $300 a month.  And that’s just federal income tax:  they’re also paying property taxes (they have a mortgage), probably state income tax as well, and sales taxes and special excise taxes (e.g., federal gas tax) – plus they’re sending 13% of each of their earned incomes to Social Security and Medicare.

If you are a young family with children, $300 a month is significant. Unless Congress acts to continue the George Bush tax policies, more young families will struggle economically.

The article gives some specific examples of changes:

It’s not just rate increases for the “rich.”  The 10% bracket goes away, with the lowest rate reverting to 15%; the child tax exemption goes from $1000 per child back to $500; the “marriage penalty” comes back in terms of personal exemptions – and those are just the changes that will be felt by the most people.  Taxes on dividend income will go up as well, and all exemptions will be phased out as income rises (which will hit the small-business proprietors and professionals whose activities with their own money make an outsize contribution to economic growth and prosperity – not to mention dealing a blow to charities).

Hopefully, someone is Congress will prevent these tax increases from taking effect, but I am not optimistic. We need to constantly remind Congress–taxes are not too low–spending is too high!

 

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A Story That Made Me Smile

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Having been to a few Marine Birthday Balls, I wondered how the celebrities who went this year would enjoy the experience. On Saturday night, Justin Timberlake attended the Basic School Instructor Battalion 236th Marine Corps Birthday Ball with Marine Corporal Kelsey DeSantis. John Hinderaker at Power Line posted some notes on the ball from Mr. Timberlake’s website.

Mr. Timberlake described the presentation at the Ball:

What happened then took me by such surprise that I was almost brought to tears. In fact, our whole table was…

They started the ceremony. And, the next thing I knew I was watching a video about Pearl Harbor/WW2 and the September 11 terrorist attacks… It was a video with some first-hand accounts from some Marines who were there… Telling their stories of the sights and sounds of war and rescue. So vivid and real. So honest but, so filled with a sense of compassion and adoration for this wonderful country. They spoke with a pride that only they could have acquired through their experience as a US Marine. There was a common theme that I began to notice as well… No matter what the situation. No matter how dire…

They were there FIRST.

There on the front lines.

No questions… Just reaction.

I have been to a couple of Marine Balls in New Orleans. The most memorable moment for me was sitting next to a young enlisted man who had been in for a few years. He had a chest full of medals. I asked him what they were for, and he sort of avoided the question. After a bit, he turned to me and explained that there were two medals he was really proud of–one was for assisting victims after one of California’s earthquakes, the other was for helping people during one of the wildfires in California. The Marines fighting for our freedom are an amazing bunch.

Thank you, Marines.

 

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This Happened Because President Obama Voted “Present” On The Keystone Pipe Line

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Reuters reported yesterday that Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has stated that Canada will move to sell its energy products to Asia after President Obama delayed the Keystone Pipe Line that would bring Canadian oil to refineries in Oklahoma and Texas.

The article states:

Harper reiterated the Canadian government’s disappointment and said he remained optimistic the United States would eventually give it the green light.

“It’s important to note there has been extremely negative reaction to this decision in the United States,” Harper said ahead of a one-on-one meeting with President Barack Obama.

Meanwhile, America continues to depend on people halfway across the world who hate us to meet our energy needs.

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I Guess Occupy Wall Street Really Isn’t Like The Tea Party Movement

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I have been to a few tea party events. I went to a primary election debate hosted by the Tea Party once. The only disruptions were on the part of the paid protesters that were paid by the local unions. I have been to Tax Day Tea Party Events. I have never seen any violence or lawlessness there. At these events I have seen Tea Party members pick up after themselves and leave the area clean when they leave. That doesn’t seem to be the story of the Wall Street Occupiers.

CBS News posted a story yesterday about what is happening to the Occupy Wall Street protests in Oakland, California. Over the weekend, the Oakland police issued three eviction notices to the protesters, telling them that they do not have the right to camp out overnight in Frank Ogawa Plaza.

In Philadelphia, police arrested a man after a women was dragged into an Occupy Wall Street tent and sexually assaulted.

As you remember, many Democrats praised the Occupy Wall Street movement when it began and said that they were sympathetic to the movement. How are they going to distance themselves from those statements? Easy.

The article reports:

“Occupy Philly has changed,” Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter said today. “We’re seeing serious health and safety issues playing out on almost a daily basis. Occupy Philly is fractured, with internal disagreement and disputes. The people of Occupy Philly have also changed. And their intentions have changed. And all of this is not good for Philadelphia.” 

The only part of that statement that is true is the last sentence.

Andrew Breitbart’s Big Government website has kept a rap sheet on the Occupy Wall Street protesters since October 1. The list currently stands at 232 incidents. These are not the 99 percent. Many of them are part of the criminal element–not the working class.

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Is This A Prelude To ‘No-Go’ Zones In America ?

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No-go zones are areas in a city or country where the local authorities (police, fire department, and other emergency personnel) have lost control. In Europe there are large areas of major cities that are off-limits to non-Muslims. These areas are controlled by Sharia law–not the laws of whatever country they are actually in.

Townhall.com posted an article by Associated Press News reporting on teachings by the Muslim leadership in New York City regarding dealings with the police.

The article reports:

Muslim community leaders are openly teaching people how to identify police informants, encouraging them to always talk to a lawyer before speaking with the authorities and reminding people already working with law enforcement that they have the right to change their minds. Some members of the community have planned a demonstration for next week.

There has been a program in New York City that has involved eavesdropping on the Muslim community. Police have built databases of the members of the community.

The article reports:

A recently distributed brochure from an advocacy organization at the City University of New York Law School warns people to be wary when confronted by someone who advocates violence against the U.S., discusses terror organizations, is overly generous or is aggressive in their interactions. The brochure said that person could be a police informant.

“Be very careful about involving the police,” the brochure said. “If the individual is an informant, the police may not do anything … If the individual is not an informant and you report them, the unintended consequences could be devastating.”

Sweeping skepticism of police affects community relations at all levels of law enforcement on a wide range of issues, not just the NYPD’s counterterrorism programs. Interactions with a real terror operative could go unreported to law enforcement out of an assumption that the operative is actually working for the NYPD. A victim of domestic abuse or street violence may not trust the police enough to call for help.

This is a problem that has good arguments on both sides. No one wants to be spied upon–I understand that, but how do we deal with the risk of terrorism and the fact that recent acts of terrorism against America have been planned and executed by Muslims. It is a fact of life that we have textbooks in some Muslim schools in America teaching antisemitism. It is a fact of life that we have Muslim clerics in various mosques in America preaching hatred and violence. It is a fact of life that we have Muslim leaders on the internet encouraging violence and terrorism. What is the government’s responsibility in terms of keeping Americans safe? What are the rights of Americans to practice their religion without being observed by the government? Is it time to acknowledge that there is a political and military side of Islam that does need to be monitored?

As you can see, I have more questions than answers about the matter of spying on mosques and Muslim leaders. Unfortunately, spying on mosques and Muslim leaders may be a temporary necessity.

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Laziness Is Not An American Problem

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On Saturday, the Daily Caller reported that President Obama blamed America’s financial difficulties on laziness and stated that the cure is more central government. Huh?

He stated that America has been lazy in recent decades about attracting foreign investment.

The article reported:

In September, after saying the U.S. had lost its competitive edge, Obama also suggested the cure lies with Democratic policies. The country can recover its competitiveness, he said, because the country has “the best universities, the best scientists, and best workers in the world.” Many Democrats routinely say they support education, science and labor, and that Republicans oppose all three.

That is truly a spin on the truth. Republicans actually do support education, science, and labor–just not controlled by Washington, D.C. The cost of education was lower and SAT scores higher before the Department of Education was created. Education does better when it is controlled at the local level–less money is spent on administration and the needs of the individual community can be met much more efficiently. Science does very well when it is allowed to work under the rules of free enterprise. When government interferes in free enterprise, bad things happen (Solyndra, for example). Republicans do not oppose labor–they do oppose labor interfering with the rights of corporations to build plants and employ people wherever they choose (Boeing in South Carolina).

Americans are not lazy–they are being severely limited by over regulation. The intrusion of the federal government into the everyday lives of Americans has become totally ridiculous. The government has shut down the Central Valley in California to preserve a fish that may not even be a separate species. Because of that action, many more Californians are out of work and all Americans are paying more for groceries. The government is about to put regulations into effect that will increase the cost of electricity for every American by at least 10 per cent. The problem is not laziness on the part of Americans–the problem is government overreach.

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Would It Help To Require The Super Committee To Be Transparent ?

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One of the complaints of the voters in the last election was that Washington operates behind closed doors. There has been a lot a legislation passed by Congress in recent years that was not easily understood by the American people or that the American people were not given a chance to voice their opinion on. As Nancy Pelosi famously stated about the healthcare bill, “We have to pass the bill so you can find out what’s in it.” I wonder if even Congress had any idea what they were voting on.

Now we are faced with the same sort of situation with the super committee. Yesterday’s Washington Examiner posted an editorial suggesting that the negotiations be made public and the final product could be amended in the House and Senate rather than just voted on. Obviously these conditions are not in accordance with the original agreement, which I believe was the result of a lack of courage on the part of Congress. The editorial points out that Speaker of the House Boehner agreed to the secrecy despite having promised “the days of quickly ramming massive bills through Congress — such as the ‘stimulus’ that didn’t work and the job-killing national energy tax — are over. Under the new rules, the House will post all bills online at least three calendar days before a vote, giving lawmakers, the public and the media a chance to read each proposal and understand its impact.” 

The editorial concludes:

As the Sunlight Foundation said in a recent memo on the issue, “it doesn’t have to be this way. Super Committee members still have the opportunity to redeem some measure of integrity by letting the public in on their legislation by posting their final recommendations online 72 hours before their vote. There is even a bill — the Deficit Committee Transparency Act (HR 2860) — that would require that. But, as of yet, members of Congress have shown little appetite for mandating Super Committee transparency.”

There is always the temptation to appoint a select group of “experts,” give them extraordinary powers, and shield them from public pressure in the hope they will objectively produce a reasonable solution to a vexing problem. That temptation should always be resisted, particularly in a democratic republic. There is still time for Congress to do the right thing on the supercommittee’s transparency.

I am not sure that the super committee will actually produce a bill. Generally speaking, the members of the committee are not acting independently–they are under the control of their respective political parties. It is Washington–politics is king–party politics is more important than the well being of America. There is also the issue of the philosophical divide between the two parties–the Democrats believe that the deficit is the result of taxes that are too low and the Republicans believe that the deficit is the result of spending that is too high. Until that issue is resolved, we will have gridlock.

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Tackiness Prevented

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Jeff Jacoby at the Boston Globe posted an article today about the decision last week by US District Judge Richard Leon to block a Food And Drug Administration (FDA) rule that would require cigarette manufacturers to put graphic images on cigarette packs showing the dangers of smoking.

A few disclaimers here–I don’t smoke–never have–I hate the smell of cigarette smoke, but I don’t think smokers should be forced to stand in the freezing snow outside a restaurant to enjoy a cigarette. (However, they do need a separate section of the establishment with a separate ventilation system,)

However, required graphic images on cigarette packs is a bit much even for a non-smoker like me.

The article points out:

The FDA’s gruesome new labels are not designed to provide consumers with useful information about the hazards of smoking. After 45 years of mandatory Surgeon General’s warnings, every non-comatose American knows perfectly well that cigarettes are a noxious health risk. That’s why the share of Americans who smoke at least occasionally has fallen to an all-time low of 19.3 percent, or less than 1 in 5 — a far cry from the more than 42 percent who were smokers in 1965. No one, not even Big Tobacco, disputes Washington’s right to require cigarette makers to disclose pertinent facts about their product’s dangers. Those disclosures, it’s clear, have been effective.

The government has no power to require the cigarette companies to put graphic images on their cigarette packs. To me, the requirement that there be an anti-smoking warning is a stretch.

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Are The Republicans About To Get Rolled In Washington Again ?

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We had an election in 2010. The Republicans made historic gains. The message from the American voters was ‘we want smaller government.’ ‘get the government out of our lives and our pockets,’ and ‘get rid of professional politicians.’ That may not be exactly right, but it’s close. The Democrats have ignored that message and governed as if it never happened. If the Republicans don’t hear the message and differentiate themselves from the Democrats, the Republican Party as we know it will cease to exist.

Now we are at a point in history in Washington that will determine the survival of the Republican party. Because the Republicans did not have the intestinal fortitude to stand their ground on the budget deficit discussions, they formed a ‘super committee.’ The super committee has no guts either, and they are supposed to come up with debt solutions by November 23. That deadline is fast approaching and it doesn’t look good.

On Thursday, CNS News reported that the Democrats on the super committee have offered a deal–Democrats are proposing to match any spending cuts with new tax increases, attempting to find $1 trillion in savings to match $1 trillion in new taxes. This offer comes after Democrats turned down an offer by Republicans for $1 trillion in projected spending cuts over the next 10 years and raise taxes by $1 trillion over 10 years. Either one of these deals would be a mistake for Republicans. Spending cuts over the next ten years never happen–this present Congress does not have the power to control the actions (and spending) of any future Congress. Also, under baseline budgeting–if the $1 million budget for my department does not increase at the going rate (whatever that is), and stays the same for the coming year, that is considered a spending cut. You will note that there was no savings involved, but it was still considered a spending cut.

It’s time to put the government on a starvation diet. Unfortunately, the powers that be that are currently in Washington have no desire to do that. The election of 2010 brought many small government Tea Party types to Washington, but it did not change the leadership of the Republican Party. Until we change the leadership of both the Republican and Democrat Parties, there will be no change in how business is done in Washington.

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Holiday Hope For Heros

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If you live anywhere near North Attleboro, Massachusetts, you might want to set aside some time next Sunday (November 20, 12 pm to 6 pm) to do something special. An organization called Holiday Hope For Heros will is getting together at the North Attleboro VFW, 50 Jefferson Street, North Attleboro, to put together baskets for our military overseas. They are looking for donations of bar soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, baby wipes, wet naps, socks, nuts, trail mix, gum, etc. Money is accepted to help with shipping costs.

The organization has a facebook page at Facebook.com/HolidayHopeForHeros.  Christmas is lonely overseas. Please remember those who keep us safe.

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The Problem With RomneyCare

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Faneuil Hall circa 1890-1906

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On October 27, the Boston Herald posted an article stating that under RomneyCare, free emergency healthcare for more than 52,000 illegal aliens in Massachusetts cost the Massachusetts taxpayers $35.7 million.

An e-mail from a friend reports:

Because of Andover’s Republican Representative Jim Lyons, the Patrick administration recently divulged the startling news that 55,000 illegal aliens received over $93 million in MassHealth emergency health services last year. Representative Lyons temporarily blocked a supplemental spending bill by refusing to leave the House chamber until the tell-tale numbers were made public.

A study by the Beacon Hill Institute (BHI) study suggests that RomneyCare has not delivered the lowered health care costs we were promised. To the contrary, while extending coverage to most residents, $8 billion of new costs were imposed on the federal government, Commonwealth residents and businesses. In addition, RomneyCare has triggered the loss of 18,000 jobs, and a reduction of disposable income.

This is a difficult issue. I do not want to deny emergency medical care to anyone, whether they are here legally or not. However, we need to find a responsible, cost effective way to deliver that care. RomneyCare is not it.

 

 

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It’s Time To Repeal Obamacare

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Remember the words “If you like your health care plan, you can keep it.” Well, it hasn’t exactly worked out that way. Obamacare is not yet fully in effect, and yet it is already having a major negative impact on the average working American’s health insurance.

The Weekly Standard reported yesterday:

Now, Gallup reports that from the first quarter of 2010 (when Obama signed Obamacare into law) to the third quarter of this year, 2 percent of American adults lost their employer sponsored health insurance. In other words, about 4.5 million Americans lost their employer-sponsored insurance over a span of just 18 months. 

This is not a good thing. The article further reports:

Rather, the CBO had predicted that Obamacare would increase the number of people with employer-sponsored insurance by now.  It had predicted that, under Obamacare, 6 million more Americans would have employer-sponsored insurance in 2011 than in 2010 (see table 4, which shows the CBO’s projected increase of 3 million under (pre-Obamacare) current law and an additional 3 million under Obamacare). So the CBO’s rosy projections for Obamacare (and even these paint a frightening picture) are already proving false.  

This is one of many problems with Obamacare. I reported on September 23 (rightwinggranny) that the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act portion of Obamacare has been abandoned because its cost would spiral out of control. Unfortunately, the CLASS portion of Obamacare was the part that was supposed to make Obamacare reduce the deficit in its early years (that was done by forcing people who wanted to participate in the CLASS program to contribute to it for a number of years before actually receiving benefits). Eventually, those initial contributions would be used up and the expenses of the program would quickly spiral out of control.

How many promises does Obamacare have to break before it is repealed?

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The Problem With Scandals Is That They Grow…Fast

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We have all learned more than we wanted to know about the scandal at Penn State. The real bottom line for me is that the school officials did not carry out their responsibilities to report what they had been told to police and other authorities. Because of the Penn State coaching staff’s failure to report what Mike McQueary told Joe Paterno he saw, more children fell victim to the activities of Jerry Sandusky.

The International Business Times reported yesterday that Penn State assistant coach Mike McQueary has been placed on administrative leave indefinitely. The article explains the awkward situation the school is in regarding Mr. McQueary:

Interim coach Tom Bradley said on Thursday that the decision wasn’t up to him whether McQueary would coach, but CBS Sports’ Gregg Doyel posited that Penn State might be retaining the coach in order to not open itself up to a whistleblower lawsuit. The alluded to complexities to firing McQueary are that the coach could be protected under the whistleblower laws and the school could be found liable of violating those laws if they dismissed the coach.

It seems as if a lot of people dropped the ball in this situation. Meanwhile, the Sun Gazette reported today that the Jerry Sandusky scandal may include the Keystone Central School District.

The article at the Sun Gazette reports that after a parent of a student at the Central Mountain High School reported in 2009 that her son was sexually abused by Jerry Sandusky, she was discouraged from pursuing the matter:

* Several reputable sources say the guidance office talked to the victim and his mother, then discouraged them from contacting Children and Youth.

* Those same sources said when the family questioned that outcome, they were told by a Keystone administrator (Karen Probst) that Sandusky was a “great man” and they should go home and think about it before taking further action.

* The district only took action after the family, frustrated with the school’s response, went directly to Children and Youth Services with its complaint, and after C&Y officials told the district Sandusky should be banned from contact with students and barred from school property.

Only after the family acted, did the school take any action to protect its students. That is truly sad.

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