Just The Facts About National Debt

The U.S. Treasury manages the U.S. debt through its Bureau of the Public Debt. The Bureau has broken out the debt into two main categories: Intragovernmental Holdings, at $5 trillion, and Debt Held by the Public, at $12 trillion (as of October 24, 2013).

Let’s look a little deeper into who we owe.

Intragovernmental Holdings – Approximately $5 Trillion of the Federal debt is held by some 230 government agencies. The largest of which is the Social Security Trust Fund which is owed $2.8 Trillion or 16 percent of the total U.S. debt. What this means is that taxpayers provided the funds necessary to fund all of these agencies including Social Security and these agencies loaned the money to our government and they spent it. All of it. This does not include more than $1.4 Trillion of the total load provided by the Federal Reserve which Treasury classifies as Public Debt.

Debt Held by the Public – The other $12 Trillion of U.S. debt is held by Foreign governments, investors, banks, mutual funds, pension funds, and treasury notes. Approximately one-fifth is held by other governmental entities, like the Federal Reserve and state and local governments. China for example is owed $1.3 Trillion or 8 percent of the total debt and Japan is owed $1.1 Trillion. Compare that to the Federal reserve who is owed $1.4 trillion. They loaned money that was printed out of thin air.

The bottom line here is that taxpayer’s  paid their taxes. The various agencies were funded from those taxpayer dollars. So much so that the agencies had the resources remaining that enabled them to loan the money to the government so they could spend more. Now that nearly all of the agencies are tapped out and facing budget cuts and the Public has lost confidence, there is nowhere else for them to borrow. That is where the Federal  Reserve comes in and prints money to buy U.S. Treasuries or debt.

We have to recognize that the vast majority of the National Debt is owed to U.S. federal government agencies and private U.S. investors. Again, other than the Federal Reserve, the agency funds which are provided to the government in the form of debt were paid or provided by taxpayers once and will now have to be paid again in some way.  The government borrowed money you already paid in taxes and now it is in the position that they will need taxpayers to pay for all of that again.  The media and others would have you believe that China and other foreign entities own America. Nothing could be further from the truth. The two largest foreign holders of debt, China and Japan only represent about 15% of the total debt load.

So, if the government defaults, it’s not foreign governments that stand to lose the most. It’s you and me baby. Taxpayer’s are on the hook for all of this and why we keep electing the idiots that put us in this position is crazy.  We have to vote for new people to breakdown the power structure. Vote NEW!

When Capitalism Meets Politics

Many of us wonder why an idea such as the Keystone Pipeline that seems to make sense gets so much political push back from the Whitehouse. Others wonder why the renowned investor Warren Buffet would seem to support the President and the many ideas coming from the inept government he controls.  Since most well informed people are puzzled by both conundrums, perhaps we should consider whether there is a connection, a common element or even quid-pro-quo.

Could it be that the EPA is nothing more than an instrument used to keep the Keystone pipeline from being developed. What if the real reason the pipeline is being met with such resistance has nothing to do with the environment.

Let’s consider a few important elements and then try to put the puzzle together. Who would benefit the most from the construction of the Keystone Pipeline? Answer; domestic oil production and imports from Canada rather the OPEC along with American consumers who would reap benefits resulting from lower energy cost.  What about the environmental impact? Well there you go. Which is safer for the environment, a pipeline or thousands of rail cars and trucks moving the oil.  The oil is going to move as long as there is demand so why not move it by pipeline since pipelines are by far the safest and most economic and environmentally friendly means of transportation when all factors are considered. There is no plausible argument to the contrary. Pipelines are safer overall.

Now, if this whole argument is really not about the environment, then what else could it be.  Well, let’s contemplate who benefits the most if the pipeline is not built. Hmmm, let see. Well you have the railroad, tank car manufacturers, trucking companies and the refiners who are processing the oil currently once transported to them by rail or truck.  Since the pipeline would move  the oil further south toward the gulf, then it seems clear that railroads, tank car manufacturers and refineries would suffer some economic harm if the pipeline were built.

So if we believe that this really is not an environmental issue, that it is more about political clout and economics for certain political benefactor’s, then we have to identify who is using the EPA as the tool to protect its political and economic interests.

Here is where the intrigue unfolds and the puzzle starts to take form. You see, the convergence of capitalism and politics often makes for strange bedfellows. Either can elicit uncharacteristic behavior in even the most accomplished and revered among us.  With all of this under consideration, add a couple more facts and you will start to see the picture. You see Warren Buffet and/or Berkshire Hathaway own Burlington Northern Railroad, Union Tank Car Company,  has a big stake in Exxon which refines much of the oil being transported and GE who builds trains. So when you wonder how a guy like Warren Buffet could ever espouse support for some of the most ridiculous policy maneuvers of the current administration, perhaps the picture becomes more clear. Buffet, like the rest of us is only protecting his interests. There are other heavyweight investors playing the game too. For example, Carl Icahn now owns American Rail Car company and there are other examples.  

While the EPA is charged by many to be the scoundrel that inhibits growth in the economy in certain sectors, did it ever occur to you that the EPA may be nothing more than a political tool used by some to protect their political and economic interests.   If you doubt that, look at what the EPA is doing to the coal industry. Is that really about the environment or more about helping the renewable energy companies that produce solar and wind energy that cannot survive without taxpayer subsidies. Now you know.

In Who Does Your Future Lie

I think it is time to ask ourselves some very important questions. There was a time when nearly  your entire future was determined predominantly by your own accomplishments. The choices you make throughout life set the tone for what your future could achieve. If you set goals and worked to achieve them with only a reasonable amount of dedication, you were likely to succeed in many ways.  If you got back up after being knocked down, if you did the right things even when nobody was looking, if you cared for others, loved your dog and stayed true to yourself, then success was yours to be had.

Now it seems that government is taking an ever increasing role in our daily lives and I for one am not comfortable with those in leadership who think they can guide my life better than I.  Do we really want people who cannot balance a budget, spend nearly 50 percent more than they bring in, lie, cheat and steal from hard working Americans to be in charge of our future? Never in the history of our great nation has government been more intrusive into our daily lives. This phenomenon appears to be growing at an exponential rate toward what seems to have moved beyond socialism and heading for a Marxist style communist government takeover.

For nearly two hundred years, the engine that drove the American economy and provided the single greatest economic superpower ever to be known, was the American people and the companies in which we all worked. Not government. Government was nothing more than a tolerable annoyance that did provide one very important service, national defense. Our military and the many who served are the reason we live in a free society.

Other than national defense, government has done little to improve the lives of the majority of the people and continues to stand in the way of economic progress. The reason seems simple. Government now has become an entity within which a life of it’s own has emerged.  It sees itself as the ultimate authority that must guide every segment of the population and economy. That is not the recipe that created the greatest society ever to exist.  The quality of life in this nation and around the world has improved at a far greater pace since the existence of the United States than at any time in history.  This is a result of American ingenuity where the American dream could be achieved if you held yourself to some very basic principles.  Get an education, work hard, be honest and take care of your family.

Government creates nothing. It has nothing except that which it took from the people and companies that employ us.  It wastes our resources and demands more. It has created class warfare to keep the focus off of them. They are the culprits, they villainize corporations because they can’t vote. Whereas corporations are nothing more than groups of people that create, employ and drive the American economy.

It is time we ask the question. Which system is likely to create the best opportunities for our future. One where government continues to adopt Marxist principles that have failed every time it was employed over the last 100 years.  Or, the peoples government where government worked for the people as it was designed for more than 200 years.

In who would you rather your future be guided? Group A or Group B below: Group A is a list of entrepreneurs who collectively employed millions of Americans and helped to make this nation great. Group B is a list of life-time politicians and media types who have created nothing but debt, deficits and lined their own pockets at the expense of the people. In no particular order, review the names and decide where yours and your children’s best future lies.

Group A                                                                                                               Group B

 

Bill Gates                                                                                            Barack Obama

JP Morgan                                                                                          Nancy Pelosi     

Andrew Carnegie                                                                              Harry Reid

Henry Ford                                                                                         Al Gore

Steve Jobs                                                                                          Rahm Emanuel

Thomas Edison                                                                                  Hillary Clinton

John D. Rockefeller                                                                           Barney Frank

Charles Merrill                                                                                   John Kerry

Aaron Montgomery Ward                                                               Eric Holder

Levi Strauss                                                                                        Dick Durbin

William Harley                                                                                   Joe Biden

Arthur Davidson                                                                                Steny Hoyer

Sam Walton                                                                                        Paul Krugman

Jeff Bezos                                                                                            Chuck Shumer

JW Marriott                                                                                        Henry Waxman

Conrad Hilton                                                                                     Valarie Garrett

Adolphus Busch                                                                                 George Soros

Ray Croc                                                                                              Peter Lewis

Richard Sears                                                                                     Dennis Kucinich

WK Kellogg                                                                                         Howard Dean

Milton Hershey                                                                                  Charles Rangel 

Walt Disney                                                                                        Maureen Dowd

 

If you think your future will be better served by the type of people in group A, then you better start voting for folks that understand free markets, free society and limited government as supported by the constitution.  If you chose group B, then I suggest you re-consider after researching the facts.  Vote new! ALL NEW!~

Time To Cut Through The Bullshit!

Some might be offended by the use of such words in a title. I apologize for breaching your sensitivities if that is the case but Bullshit is about the only thing coming out of Washington these days. By the way, I am really not sorry and I am not politically correct either. Contrary to the bullshit artist’s in Washington’s belief, I am free to say whatever I want. To express my opinion in a manner of my choosing.

So let’s cut through the bullshit and examine a few issues that are on the minds of most of us:

Affordable Healthcare Act: Catastrophe. Need to start over. This is the most ill-conceived piece of legislation imaginable and how we can accept that certain of the politician continue to defend it is nothing more than political bullshit. No body without an hidden agenda can possibility support it  the way  it is written. To continue in the effort only exemplifies the continued arrogant incompetence that plagues our government. Oh, and by the way, they exempted themselves from it. Now that is Bullshit!

Immigration: Yes, we are all for the most part immigrants or descendants thereof. We have laws on the books now to address immigration. I suggest we stop the bullshit and enforce the laws we have before trying to create new ones simply to bolster political positions. Secure the boarders, stop bringing refugees into the country that can offer little to the American way. I know some will wave the humanitarian flag, but we have US citizens that we can help first. Laws duly passed by government should be indiscriminately enforced. The administration should be held to account for not doing so.

Budget Deficit: Politicians did not have the courage to raise taxes enough over the years to fund their outrageous spending level. That would have been political suicide and caused the people to scrutinize more closely all of the activities of government.  So, they devised a plan to deceive the people into allowing them to borrow the money from Social Security and other sources so they can spend spend spend unchecked. When more normal sources of funding started to run out, they started printing money which served only to devalue what you have.  What they did not tell you is that although they did not raise taxes yet, they will be forced to at some point or the debt can’t be paid. The thought was that by then, it would be too late to do anything about it and they have already spent the money.  In the meantime, they create a series of laws so they can control the people once they figure it all out. They know it’s coming, that’s why Homeland Security has purchased more weapons and ammunition than anyone expect the military.

Trade Deficit: Foreign Oil is the largest contributor to the trade deficit and we need and have the ability to change that if government would allow it. Jobs would be created, energy prices would be lowered. There should be a push to mine more coal, drill for more oil and natural gas. All of which can be funded privately and not with taxpayer dollars. 

Economy:  Nothing would help more people in this nation more than lowering energy cost to the American people and the companies who employ us.  Lower energy cost would bring back manufacturing jobs, and the people would have more disposable income if gasoline, and other energy were more abundant from domestic sources.  To boost this effort, government should provide a mechanism to allow the nearly 2 Trillion dollars setting in foreign banks to be repatriated back into the US economy to fund energy growth and job creation. It would be simple. Instead of taxing that money upon entry into the country (keep in mind that this money was earned somewhere else), allow it to come back tax free if invested in job creation or domestic energy development.  Companies could invest in anything they want from green or renewable energy sources to coal, oil, natural gas or any industry that relies on energy at an affordable price to survive.  The alternative is to continue the war on coal and other fossil fuels and watch exorbitant energy prices continue to shutter more and more business and consume even more of our income.

 

Foreign relations: What relations? In the last 5 years,  we have managed to piss off nearly every nation with our spying techniques, drone killings and cut backs in foreign aid (which I am ok with). This is not to mention the state department being guided by partisan hacks who have no idea what they are doing. Hide and watch Iran manipulate them long enough to secure nuclear weapon capabilities. The problem is we are kidding ourselves if we think there is a nation out there that gives a shit about us.  The only thing other nations are interested in from the US is what we can do for them. Whether it’s financial aid, military support or trade subsidies, that is all they care about.  This nation takes care of itself and should strengthen that position by reducing our dependence on foreign oil and barrowed money.  In addition, we should be happy to defend Saudi Arabia’s and other nations in the region’s oil empire in the Persian Gulf, but only if they pay for our aircraft carriers and warplanes to be there. Then once we become energy independent, the price for protection goes up.
 

Political Correctness:  Bullshit. If you hear something that you do not like. Get over it. Rub some dirt on it and move on. Do you really think people working hard to make ends meet care what we call the Washington Redskins? If they are going to change the name to be more fitting of the goofballs in Washington, perhaps they should consider: Washington Royals. After all , our leadership thinks we have a monarchial government within which they stand as Royalty and we are their subjects. The ruling class needs a lesson in constitutional limitation.  Ok, I digressed, moving on. Political Correctness is like a parasite roaming around inside and eating away at small pieces of our internal fortitude. Too many have become afraid to stand on principle and succumb to the wishes of fringe elements seeking only to further an agenda. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind. Just do so in manner that shows respect for your opposition, but stand your ground and don’t let words be manipulated to mean something other than that which you intended.

Taxes:  Harry Ried suggesting that everyone wants to pay more tax is, well bullshit. Nobody wants to pay more tax. Taxes can be considered in some ways as an investment in the country. When you make an investment, you rightfully expect something in return. It is your money not the government’s. You earned it and although taxes are compulsory, you should feel like you are getting something for your investment.  What you expect is military protection against enemies of the state, reasonable regulatory oversight of certain elements of commerce, roads and highways and reasonable programs that help those who are unable to help themselves. What Reid and other likeminded public officials don’t seem to get is that none of us would make a voluntary investment into any company that can’t balance a budget, spends nearly 50 percent more than it brings in, provides special rules and exemptions for the certain stockholders that support leadership but not to others and barrows money far in excess of what it will be able to repay in the foreseeable future.  If government were more efficient, less wasteful and not plagued with corruption and cronyism, the need to raise taxes would not be present. Instead of taking from the people more of their hard earned money, try creating efficiencies where they do not currently exist. Learn to prioritize spending and stop using taxpayer dollars to buy votes.  Apply all laws equally to all citizens including all branches of government. Streamline the tax code. Make certain everyone who enjoys the benefits of living in America (still the greatest country ever to exist) contributes something to the system.  Everyone should have skin in the game.  If you put nothing in, you should expect nothing in return.  Now Mr. Reid, if government were to become efficient, stop unnecessary and imprudent spending and empirical evidence suggested that leaders where doing all they can do to manage spending effectively, then the people should consider whether more tax should be paid or which service should not be provided. Not until then.

Incompetence In Charge

You would have to be living under a rock not to know that the Affordable Healthcare Act (AHA)is a colossal catastrophe.  The substantiation of just how failed this law is has become apparent from nearly every aspect.  The question is: are we really surprised?  The government that was controlled by ideology that often leans towards socialism at the time of passage allowed a law and the resulting rules to pass that contain more than one billion words. Contrast that with the entire Constitution of the United States that contains a mere 4500 words.

The problem is that we the people have elected folks to congress and the presidency that have two very difficult characteristics to overcome.  Two words: ineptitude and arrogance. That’s right, they are incompetent, unqualified, uninformed and too arrogant to realize their inadequacies.  So these so called leaders surrounded themselves with staff that often suffer from the same ideological predispositions and they began the process of designing a square peg to fit nicely into a round hole.  Who did not know this was not going to work? After all, they voted for it without reading it. Is that leadership? I think not. Who and why would legislators vote for something that would change life for every American without reading it. If that is not incompetent, I don’t know what is.

Do not mistake anyone who consistently opposed the AHA as those who are against providing healthcare to Americans. Everyone wants healthcare coverage and everyone wants every American to have it.  The real debate begins with how is it funded and who will pay for it.  The opposition to the AHA is simply that the bill and resulting rules are a colossal overreach  of government into our daily lives and our pocketbooks. It is a system designed more to give the government additional power and authority over the people than it is about providing healthcare to anyone. Some think this was by design, but I think it is simply an unintended consequence that nearly always shows up when incompetence is present.

The AHA act needs to be scraped. We need to elect more competent folks who understand the role of government as defined in the constitution. They then need to go to work and fix the many calamities created by previous Administrations and Congresses.  While this seems like an impossible task for the American people to accomplish, it really is our only chance of preserving the American way.

Not only should every single one of them be voted out of office, they should be punished for breaching the public trust and jeopardizing the future of America.  It is appalling that our government has put us in the position we are in and we are fools if we continue to elect the same people and expect something to change for the better. Vote New!

How You Frame The Story

We never hear or see news headlines slanted in a favorable light. Here are a few examples:

 

Employment Reaches 93 Percent,  Nearly 93 percent of Americans are gainfully employed according to the latest Dept. of Labor Statistics.  Sadly, there are some still unemployed, but something is positive about 93 present of us being employed.

 

Percent Of Americans Covered By Insurance At 86 Percent. (Pre Affordable Healthcare Act) So, somebody decided to change healthcare for everyone although a vast majority of Americans were happy with their healthcare. The best answer inept politicians could come up with was to destroy the healthcare system that 86 percent were happy with to accommodate the 14 percent who were uninsured, (most by choice). Wonderful idea. Don’t forget that these same politicians exempted themselves from the law.

Global Warming Shift to Global Cooling. While so called experts point to CO2 as the reason for global warming, there is no evidence that supports that theory. The concept is based on a computer model developed 25 years ago that has proven to be wrong. Yet, they keep the fight going to get funding. Volcanic eruptions spews more CO2 than anything man does. Oh, by the way, CO2 is what plant life requires to survive. Why are not the environmental folks supporting CO2 emissions? Answer: there is no financial or political gain to be had with that position. Oh, and there are traders out there licking their lips for the opportunity to force trade CO2 credits. It’s a scam. Do the math. Our atmosphere consists of approximately 78% Nitrogen (N2), 21 percent Oxygen (O2), and 1% everything else such as Argon (.93%), carbon dioxide (.039%), neon (.0018), helium (.000524) and minute amounts of several other gases.

 

Antarctic Ice Growing to Record Levels. It’s true. While we have all heard about ice retreating in the northern hemisphere, they don’t tell you that ice is growing in the southern hemisphere at record rates.  There are cyclical weather patterns that mother nature controls, man has no significant effect on global climate. Perhaps one could argue that concrete and steel concentrated in relatively  small areas like Manhattan can influence local temperatures in that vary defined space, but those are insignificant on a global basis.

Crime Rates Higher In Gun Free Zones. Check it out yourself. Cities with the strictest and most unconstitutional gun laws have the highest crime rates. Nearly every mass shooting occurred in a gun free zone. Look at Mexico, banning guns in Mexico made life easy for the drug cartels and citizens are murdered every day. Closer to home, look at Chicago and Washington D.C., violent crime increased as a result of gun bans. So why does government want to band guns when it is clear that gun control does not limit crime. The answer can only be to subjugate those who would stand in the way of absolute supremacy.  Gun free zones create a false sense of security because a sign does not prevent guns from being within the zone. Here is the best analogy, instead of locking your doors at night, just put a sign out that says “do not enter”. It will have the same affect.

A Good Education Achievable In US. The majority of students in America are getting a good education. The education possibilities in the US are enormous if you are willing to do what is necessary to achieve your educational goals.  Yes, there are problems within the education system and improvements are necessary to make getting a good education more accessible to more young people. The bottom line is that if parents and students want good educational opportunities, they are out there to be had. We can’t always talk about the things that are not working without considering the elements that are. Focus on the areas where we are having success and try to expand the elements that lead to achievement into areas where they do not exist.

 

The biggest problem we face in the US is that government has taken on too large a role in our daily lives and the people we have elected to run the nation are proving to be incompetent as a whole.  Nearly everything the government does is inefficient and or produces inadequate results. In the real world, businesses and individuals make  necessary changes when something is not working as it was designed. Government on the other hand has the propensity to continue failed programs regardless of the result achieved. It seems the only solutions politicians can come up with is to throw more money at issues that have already demonstrated a lack of success. The problem is that they have to get the money from the people. We the people are tapped out. They have overspent and their ideas do not work. We need new leadership from top to bottom.  Vote new!

Principle or Politics

If you are employed in the private sector, then you know all too well that your continued performance and reliability are key to being successful in the workplace. In fact, if you make serious errors in judgment and do not learn from your mistakes, then your job will be in jeopardy.  If you breach the trust of your employer or your employer’s customers, you are likely to be seeking employment elsewhere. That’s right, if you lie, cheat, steal , misappropriate funds or intentionally mislead or if you provide benefits to friends, family or supporters that are clear conflicts of interest, you will likely be terminated in the real world.

 

Not so if you are employed by the US government in upper management or are an elected official.  You see, the ruling class sees themselves as exempt from the normally expected codes of conduct and that they are not accountable to the lower class which includes every non-elected person or non-management government employee.  Never has it been more clear than today that government leadership and the government regulators in leadership positions feel they are entitled to exhibit behavior that would never be accepted in the private sector.

 

Nearly every agency under the Obama administration has been involved in a scandal of some sort and there appears to be a different set of rules applied to those situations than would be applicable to everyday citizens.  I have listed 20 of just such scandals in previous comments and won’t belabor them here again, but at some point, the media and the American people need to face the reality that our dysfunctional government is the result of electing people who are more concerned about their ability to maintain control and power than anything else.

 

Overwhelmingly, the American people do not want the government to control Healthcare. Yet, the government is determined to force that situation upon us. How did “we the people” suddenly turn to “we the government”. We as Americans can take our country back. All we need do is elect folks who will behave and vote on principle and not politics. Vote new!

Taxpayer's Barrow More to Give Away

Since the government now borrows some 40 plus percent of what it spends, then one must understand that any  amount beyond that which has been factored into the current budget is 100 percent borrowed money. It really is a simple concept to understand. Of the approximately $3.4 trillion dollar budget, more than 40 percent is borrowed which will require taxpayer repayment into the future. So, anytime the government agrees to give more financial aid to countries or other special interests at home and around the world, it must first borrow the money before it can give it away. Need a few billion? The government has to borrow all of it which goes directly to the national debt that will someday have to be repaid by taxpayers.

 

This concept seems absolutely ridiculous that anyone can find wisdom in a theory that borrows money to give away when our nation is already financially strapped.  This among other boneheaded ideas coming from the nation’s leaders  should give the American people a glimpse into the absolute ineptitude plaguing our government at every level.  At what point does America finally get it and move to do something about it. 

 

Think about this whole concept, then think about the fact that the Affordable Healthcare Act (AHA)was passed without any legislator reading it.  As predicted by those few who opposed the AHA, it is a colossal failure in nearly every respect. The American people don’t want it, but government knows best so they are going to cram it down our throats. This is more evidence that Washington is out of touch with the American people and they are too incompetent to rule the masses. 

 

More examples exist at nearly every turn. Our current leadership has managed to worsen American’s standing from nearly every prospective. Financially, worse. Debt, worse. Global presents, worse. Economy, worse. Medicare, worse. Social Security, worse and list goes on.

 

When does the American people discover that they have had enough and are willing to boot the leadership out and vote new people into office that will represent the will of the people?

Kill or Drill

Why has there been so much American blood shed in the middle east? The answer is simple. The oil that flows from that region is the life blood of our economy. Politicians have for decades done whatever is necessary to protect the flow of that oil because without it being available at a moderate price to American consumers, our economy would crumble. However, the cost of having that oil is far more expensive than most fully understand.  

When you consider the indirect cost of American blood and money to provide security for the region and to participate in the various wars , the real price of a barrel of oil is perhaps some multiple of the published price. In reality, the real cost of oil to Americans is more like hundreds or even thousands of dollars per barrel. We will continue to pay for this oil in a number of ways into the future even if we managed to achieve energy independence.  For example; Thousands of military veterans and their families will require taxpayer assistance which they have earned for decades to come. They were sent to far away lands to protect American interests. Oil.

 

Some will argue that we do what we do for humanitarian reasons. While that may make those who make the decisions to send troops into harms way feel better about the actions they take, if it were not for our appetite for oil, I doubt we would have been as active in the middle east over the last 50 years. 

We now have other options. For the first time in a long time, the native oil and gas industry has improved our domestic oil production and now has energy independence within the realm of possibility. New technology and new discoveries have provided hope that energy independence is achievable. Obstacles from government and environmental groups should be removed and American ingenuity should be allowed to progress. 

 

The economic benefits from a more aggressive domestic energy development program would benefit the most people in the shortest period of time. Such a move toward energy independence would restart the economy and make this nation the proud economic powerhouse it once was.

This could  all be accomplished in an environmentally friendly manner and create more opportunity for American workers than any other idea out there. And consider this: Bombs and missiles do more harm to the earth and its inhabitants than the oil and gas industry ever could. The human and environmental impact of war far exceeds any harm presented by industry. The time has come for Americans to shift its focus to doing what is best for Americans. I think most people would rather drill for oil than kill for it.

Truth or Hide

Your President once said, “those who do not want the truth to be known are the ones with something to hide”. For once, I agree with him. This President and the folks he has surrounded himself with are the most counterfeit Americans ever elected or appointed to govern ever. The Administration now refers to the various scandals as being “phony”. Instead of telling the truth about the mistakes made by this administration that would clearly display the incompetence plaguing this government, they chose to confuse the issues with cover-ups to hide the fact that they know not what they do.

In addition, it seems clear that this administration does not care for the traditional American way of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It wants to change America in ways that do not resemble the intent of our forefathers or the fundamentals that have made America the most successful society ever to exist on the planet. 

They do the things they do by hiding behind hidden agendas, false pretense and smokescreens to disguise the real schemes necessary to change America to resemble something more like Europe or worse.  

Most of the scandals started out as nothing more than ideological theory put in motion by ineffectual  planning and execution or were the result of unconstitutional or illegal motives. The results of such often turned to failure or there was a poorly conceived attempt to conceal the ineptitude of the administration, which resulted in cover-up that became necessary to maintain credibility. 

Let’s take a look at just some of the scandals and ask ourselves. If these are phony scandals, why does the Obama administration try so hard to hide the facts surrounding them? In no particular order: 

1.       The IRS targeted conservative and pro-Israel groups prior to the 2012 election. Is there any real doubt that this Administration has organized government employees who are part of the ruling class to protect them. I think not.

2.       Benghazi, This is actually four scandals in one: The failure of administration to protect the Benghazi mission in the first instance; failure to send help to Americans in in harm’s way that resulted in four deaths; changes made to the talking points in order to suggest the attack was motivated by an anti-Muslim video; and the refusal of the White House to say what President Obama did the night of the attack. Hiding the truth is what this administration does best. 

3.       The Associated Press was subject to the illegal taping of phone records by the Justice Department and somehow the media must think this is ok if Obama did it. 

4.       The Justice Department suggested that Fox News reporter James Rosen is a criminal for reporting about classified information and subsequently monitored his phones and emails. The Attorney General in essence lied to a judge to get the warrant. This is criminal. 

5.       Attorney General Eric Holder told Congress he had never been associated with "potential prosecution" of a journalist for perjury when in fact he signed the affidavit that termed Rosen a potential criminal. More lies and deception. 

6.       Federal agencies allowed weapons from U.S. gun dealers to "walk" across the border into the hands of Mexican drug dealers. The ATF summarily lost track of scores of those weapons, many of which were used in crimes, including the December 2010 killing of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. Under what scenario does this even begin to make sence?  

7.       AG Holder told Congress in May 2011 that he had just recently heard about the Fast and Furious gun walking scheme when there is evidence he knew much earlier and made efforts to cover it all up. 

8.       HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius solicited donations from companies HHS might regulate. The money would be used to help her sign up uninsured Americans for Obamacare. This is illegal and they continue to get away with it because the rules do not apply to them. 

9.       The Pigford scandal: An Agriculture Department effort that started as an attempt to compensate black farmers who had been discriminated against by the agency but evolved into a gravy train delivering several billion dollars in cash to thousands of additional minority and female farmers who probably didn't face discrimination. 

10.   GSA gone wild: The General Services Administration in 2010 held an $823,000 training conference in Las Vegas, featuring a clown and a mind readers. Resulted in the resignation of the GSA administrator. 

11.   Veterans Affairs in Disney World: The agency wasted more than $6 million on two conferences in Orlando. An assistant secretary was fired. 

12.   A U.S. special counsel determined that Sebelius violated the Hatch Act when she made "extemporaneous partisan remarks" during a speech in her official capacity last year. During the remarks, Sebelius called for the election of the Democratic candidate for governor of North Carolina. 

13.   The Obama Administration funded and promoted its poster boy for green energy despite warning signs the company was headed for bankruptcy. The administration also allegedly pressed Solyndra to delay layoff announcements until after the 2010 midterm elections. 

14.   Former EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson used the name "Richard Windsor" when corresponding by email with other government officials, drawing charges she was trying to evade scrutiny. 

15.   The Justice Department was accused of using a racial double standard in failing to pursue a voter intimidation case against Black Panthers who appeared to be menacing voters at a polling place in 2008 in Philadelphia. 

16.   Obama may have violated the Constitution and both the letter and the spirit of the War Powers Resolution by attacking Libya without Congressional approval. 

17.   Vice President Biden's office has repeatedly interfered with coverage, including forcing a reporter to wait in a closet, making a reporter delete photos, and editing pool reports. 

18.   The administration paid millions to the former firm of then-White House adviser David Axelrod, AKPD Message and Media, to promote passage of Obamacare. Some questioned whether the firm was hired to help pay Axelrod $2 million AKPD owed him. 

19.   Former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel used Bill Clinton as an intermediary to probe whether former Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.) would accept a prominent, unpaid White House advisory position in exchange for dropping out of the 2010 primary against former Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.). 

20.   Obama has repeatedly been accused of making end runs around Congress by deciding which laws to enforce, including the decision not to deport illegal immigrants who may have been allowed to stay in the United States had Congress passed the "Dream Act." 

The majority of Americans want the government to adhere to the Constitution, secure the borders, balance the budget, make all laws applicable to all Americans including Congress and fair treatment for all America Citizens. Our government ignores the will of the people because we let them. That needs to stop. We need to elect new people who understand the role of government as defined by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  Vote new!

Uncle Sam's Watching

Let me see if I understand. Now the federal government lies in wait to see how state courts handle cases and if they do not like the outcome, they simply launch an investigation and potentially file charges of their own. It seems that if the government wants you, they will find a way to get you. Yes, I am referring to the Zimmerman/Martin case which clearly has become more about politics than figuring out what is right and just. 

The bottom line seems simple. Our government is completely out of control and does not appreciate any control being in the hands of the people. A jury has spoken and the evidence seems clear, yet allowing a jury made up of the people is not good enough for the Fed’s. They want to control the outcome. That should scare all of us. 

Based on what we have learned from the national broadcast of the case in all of its details, it is still questionable as to why charges were filed in the first place. Although tragic, young Mr. Martin died because he chose to confront Zimmerman when he had other options. One option for him was as simple as to just walk away and go home. This appears to be an example of government stretching the limits of its authority and its moral  and good faith obligation to protect the civil rights of all Americans.  

The irony is that the federal investigation is said to be based on whether a civil rights violation has occurred. What about Zimmerman’s civil rights? Some evidence suggests that had it not been for federal government intervention, the state would not have charged Zimmerman as the initial results of the investigation indicated that there was no evidence that a crime had been committed. The trial exposed the facts of the case and some, including the federal government, refuse to accept the results and are looking for other means to punish Zimmerman and some appear willing to punish the general public indiscriminately.  

There is only one way to reel in this overreaching government. We must elect new people that understand the limits placed on government by the Constitution of the United States of America.

Bad Times A Comin'

When it will happen is unknown, if it will happen is certain. What? Unrest, the likes of which most would never have imagined. How certain is it that turmoil is in our future? One only need to consider the facts that spell the certain cataclysm of our economy and life as we have come to know it.

 

Consider the following and I mean think about the effects these basic facts will have on our countries ability to overcome the calamity created by our monarchical government. First let’s consider that 47 million people are on some sort of government assistance. This equates to 15% of the population and that does not include unemployment which is closer to 14% rather than the advertised 7%. Then contemplate the effects of nearly $140 Trillion in unfunded liabilities to repay Social Security the monies borrowed to fund government spending and the promises made to various government employees. The government owes nearly $400,000 for every man woman and child in the US. Ask yourself, where is that money going to come from?  The answer is: it’s not going to be available, period.

 

The economic devastation in our future would have already been prevalent if not for the Federal Reserve (Fed) creating money out of thin air by printing what it needed to shore up the government bond market. You see the government borrows 40 cents of every dollar it spends. For a period of time, other governments like Japan, China and others have purchased government bonds that provided the funding necessary to support all of the government spending. Those counties now have their own economic problems and their financial ability to purchase US debt has all but disappeared. That is when the Federal Reserve began what has been called "Quantitative Easing". That simply means, that they will print money in order to purchase US debt. That process is like saying that from now on, all of your monopoly money is now valid currency and holds the same value as the real US currency. Now with all of that monopoly money put into circulation which has no underlying value, then the value of your US currency is diminished.

 

This too will come to an end. The Fed cannot print money forever without a significant devaluation of the dollar. That means that at some point in the future, what you purchase for a dollar now will take many more dollars to purchase.  Once all of this starts to take effect, the government will be unable to meet is obligations. What happens then? Austerity. Yes, like Greece and other nations austerity will be necessary.  How will that effect you? Well, promises made for retirement benefits will go unpaid at worst and underpaid at best. Medical benefits will be cut to the bone or eliminated. Financial markets will crumble and the government in its ever increasing effort toward self-preservation will begin to look at the assets of its citizens for relief.

 

Executive Order 13603 provides that the government has the power and authority to confiscate whatever it deems necessary to protect itself. Remember Cypress? The government there went broke because of government spending and they ultimately lost the ability to borrow. Once that happened, they turned to the private assets of its citizens and confiscated 35% of the savings of the people. You think that can’t  happen here? Then you have far more confidence in our politicians than do I.

 

The bottom line is this. Our government has become a monarchy and the only thing they care about is preserving their power. They see us as their subjects with the responsibility to provide them with the resources necessary for them to maintain control. If that means they need to take what is yours, they will. Our only chance is to stop electing the same people and start with new people who understand the fundamentals on which this country was founded.  Vote new is our only chance.

Monarchy or Myth

 

If you have ever doubted my previous assertions that our country is becoming a monarchy reigned over by the ruling class who will stop at nothing to maintain power and control over the governed, then consider that which is taking place at the IRS, DOJ and other agencies. My proclamations regarding the ruling class concept are not limited to only the executive branch and those appointees placed in leadership roles in support of the president, but recent examples of the perception of unaccountability point squarely at the President and his sycophants.

 

Hearings this week and last that were held in the peoples house provide insight into the length some will go to prove they are not accountable to the people, congress or anyone else. The answers provided by IRS leaders were clearly evasive and intended to deceive, cover up and hide the facts necessary for representatives of the people to get to the truth. One IRS leader who while employed by taxpayers felt that although her job requires her to represent the people fairly and within the constraints of the constitution, that she simply did not have to answer any questions about whether she provided representation as required. How a government employ can refuse to answer to the folks charged with oversight and still maintain a job is a perfect example of public officials who believe that they are not accountable to the people.

 

When you have top executives refusing to answer simple questions about the facts, there must be something to hide and/or someone to protect. The water coolers in all government offices should be checked for the existence of a pathogen or other microorganism that causes memory loss particularly that which appear to be very selective. How top official cannot remember facts as so many have claimed suggests that something is very wrong and the CDC should investigate what could possibly create what appears to be a pandemic with memory loss being the predominate symptom.

 

There are really only two possible explanations for what we are seeing taking place within our government today. One is that the President is a socialist and is intent on destroying the American way of life as we have become to expect it, or the President is so under qualified for his position that the administration is riddled with mistakes compounded by more errors in judgment designed to hide their ineptitude.  I think both are in play. The President was not qualified when first elected and has not risen to the occasion as some had hoped he would. He has surrounded himself with likeminded people who also are not qualified for leadership positions. The result is chaos, cover-up and deception.

 

Congress as a whole on the other hand, while only slightly more qualified to lead than the Administration, makes far too many decisions based on popularity and to attract votes. All the while the single most important thing on their individual minds is to protect themselves at all cost.  To hold themselves above the people with laws to which they themselves are not required to adhere.

 

Yes, we are becoming a monarchy. It is the entire government, not just elected officials that think they can do as they please and we the people are forced to adhere and fund their every desire.

Unaffordable Healthcare Act

Today I have to write about health care cost. The reason is simple. I received the renewal package for my families healthcare plan and although no member of the family had any significant claims and none are on any medicine, we still are required to absorb a nearly 10% increase in premiums. 

 

We hear all of the rhetoric coming out of Washington on both sides of the debate as to whether the “Affordable Healthcare Act” (AHA) will cause insurance rates to rise or fall. I now know the answer. Rates have risen significantly each year since the passage of AHA and adding forty-four million more people to the program will continue to add more cost for which there is no guarantee for offsetting income into the program. Unfortunately, subsidies imbedded in the system are designed to force tax payers to pick up any slack.

 

If you think your insurance premiums are the only cost you will incur for nationalized healthcare, think again.  What they are unable to collect from the system, they will either include in your tax bill or reduce the services you would otherwise be able to acquire.

 

Let’s think about this whole concept for a minute. We were told that forty-four million people are without insurance and that is who the AHA was designed to capture. Now that equates to approximately 14% of the US population.  So a system that was working for the other 86% who followed the rules and placed themselves in a position to provide healthcare coverage to their families must now be punished so as to accommodate those who for various reasons, including choice, have no insurance.  We all want Americans to have access to healthcare. The trouble is, we seem to have lost sight of the fact that healthcare is like any other service, if you want it, you need to be willing pay for it and not feel entitled to it.

 

While I do not think the cataclysmic results of AHA will be fully realized until full implementation of the Act, it is clear that insurance rates are on the rise and much of the reason is AHA. A concept that was devised in the back rooms of our government and signed into law without anyone reading it. I ask, how on earth could anyone think this procedure would yield positive results? The answer will become abundantly clear in the not too distant future, but all preliminary results indicate that this will be a catastrophic failure of the first order.

 

So what do we do? The only think I can think of that might change the course we are on is to un-elect anyone who supported this legislation and hope that those who replace them have the courage to substitute it with something that is not orchestrated in the back rooms, is fully vetted and is based on the merits of the concept and not politics.

 

Americans will have the opportunity to vote for change next year. Let’s hope that is not too late.