Investigative Reporting Non Existant

No such thing as investigative reporting. There are so many issues out there that are real  and will affect "we the people" that nobody is reporting on them in sufficient enough detail that the average American can understand them or how they will impact individuals. I will begin a series posts to address such issues in the simplest of terms in an effort to help folks see through the smoke and mirrors that politicians create and media support.

 

First, let’s consider the health care bill. One element is a new tax on medical equipment manufacturers. At implementation, this new tax will be 2.3 percent of gross revenue on the sales of medical equipment.  This tax is on  gross revenue and not profit. Never mind that this should be unconstitutional to discriminated against a single industry and apply  a tax on one and not the others. Does not seem fair.

 

Let’s do some math. Let’s assume the average profit margin among medical manufacturers is 7 percent.  I researched this and discovered that the profit margins ranged significantly including some with losses already, so I believe 7 percent is a fair starting point. Now with $10 million in gross sales that means the new tax applied equates to a tax liability of $230 thousand that must be paid to the government. In this example, the company would earn $700 thousand in profit but must pay $230 thousand in the new tax.  That is 32 percent of their profit.  The question  then becomes how do they make that up. It’s simple, they will have to raise prices paid by the  consumer to offset the  tax. How much you wonder? A staggering 5 percent increase in the price of medical equipment will be necessary just to pay the tax and maintain normal and reasonable  profit margins. Does this help the consumer or does it lower medical costs. I think  not and wonder why anyone thought this was a good idea.

 

It is clear that no media outlet is taking the time or energy to research these issues and report them to the American people. More questions are: Will this tax apply to  imported medical  equipment manufacturers. That is not  clear since the tax is applied at the manufacturing level it is not understood if the tax would apply to imports which seems like another reason for jobs to leave this country and go where the tax would not be applied. At the very least, American manufactures will have yet another disadvantage in the market. Who pays this tax ultimately? We do.  This is a tax on Middle America and everyone else.

 

Wake up people. We can't afford the current government and better plan to change it as soon as possible. Anyone who thought this was a good idea is an idiot. This is what happens when you vote on the bill before you  see what is in it.

Sad Day In America

 

As the realization of the election results sink in, the feeling that we as a nation are in deep trouble overwhelms my every thought. My confidence in the American Dream continuing to survive and flourish has been shattered.  How the majority of the American people could be deceived into believing that more of the policies of the last 4 years is better than those pledged for a better future is beyond my comprehension.

 

The President’s record means something. The results are in and the record is dismal, yet the people gave him yet another chance. The sad part is, that those who supported the President’s second chance will likely be those who are hurt the most in the long term. They may think they are gaining some short term benefit, but the direction the President is taking this country will do nothing but harm us in nearly every measureable way in the long term.

 

The President will soon understand that the divisive class war that he created, supported and promoted will come back to haunt his second term.  His propensity to divide the American people into “haves and have not’s”, “ one percenter’s and nintynine percenter”s”, “rich and poor” and “black or brown and white”  will continue to divide a nation in need of something more common among them for which to rally and support.  It is difficult to imagine assembly with those or join a group that your President has lead you to believe is, in part, responsible for any negative circumstances in which you find yourself immersed.

 

In reality, politics has become so counterfeit that truth, fact and trust are nowhere to be found in the political arena.  Politicians and their surrogates can say anything without repercussion regardless of how false or disingenuous the presentation may be.  The mainstream media is culpable and serve as accomplice’s in the delivery and protection of the message generated by groups they validate and protect.

 

Yes, we have become a “nation of the government” and no longer “of the people”. Government leaders are taking ever more control of everything in our lives yet they feed the people just enough to keep them poor, uneducated and dependent in order to maintain control.

 

Politicians fear more than anything, people or assemblies of Americans who have the courage, self-reliance,  will and resources to challenge them.  They must choose from one of two options, the first of which is to adopt the policies to which a particular group sanctions.  If that is not of their liking or they are supported primarily by those opposed, then they must demonize the opposition at all cost.  Sometimes demonization tends to make some think that one’s difficult situations are the result of someone else’s gain.  They won’t tell you the truth, that is that your situation is most likely determined by your own actions and decisions made through life.

 

The bottom line is this: Until the American people have the courage to vote the politicians out of office who helped to create the mess this country is in, it will only get worse. Unfortunately, the next four years appear bleak.