Government in Exile

Obama's Phony Budget Cuts

"Rook" has some thoughts on Obama's recent order to department heads to cut costs.

Yes this is very kind of them. A preemptive strike of 5% to shut up at least the wishy-washy critics.

 

White House Asks Federal Agencies to Cut Budgets | TheBlaze.com

 

HOWEVER, for a few years now, and forever into the foreseeable future, we've been and we are still on course to borrow and spend 40% more than we take in as taxes and fees.

 

So it is nice that the WH expects department heads to cut 5% and make plans for cutting 10%. That still leaves 30-35% more to go, which is not achievable without eliminating entire useless departments and agencies, of which we have way too many, plus making revisions in pension, Social Security and Medicare / Medicaid payouts, such as means testing, eliminating double-dipping, etc. 

 

And don't forget to implement severe regulatory reforms to seriously reduce administrative and compliance costs both in the public and private sector; tort reform, such as loser pays, to greatly reduce malpractice and other professional liability insurance costs; and tax reform, such as a simple retail sales tax to replace all taxes and fees; to eliminate social engineering via the tax code, and further reduce the burden on both producers and consumers, including compliance and collection costs.

 

The budgetary / fiscal formula is very simple. 

 

1. Make the worst case assumptions, not the best case assumptions -- the economy will NOT improve, unemployment will NOT decrease, tax receipts will NOT increase. Also, Congress will NOT authorize raising the debt limit, the Fed will NOT print more money out of thin air, we will NOT be able to service more debt anyway. 

2. Adjust federal outlays accordingly. 

3. Reduce the tax rates, declare a payroll tax moratorium, whatever, to get the economy going again. If initially the revenues fall, again adjust federal outlays accordingly, combined with limited borrowing under the existing debt ceiling.

4. When things DO improve, use the surplus to PAY DOWN THE DEBT.

5. After you've paid off the debt, and you are still running a surplus, then build up an emergency reserve.

6. if you are still running a surplus, then issue tax rebates and bonus checks to the welfare recipients. Whatever.

7. if you are still running a surplus, reduce the tax rates further. Watch the economy boom like a booster rocket.

 

Do these things, assuming you want to do what's right for the country. 

Do the opposite, or just continue on the present course, if you want to overload and destroy it.

 

This is not a pipe dream. It is simple economics. Steps 1-3 have been tried and proven in the administrations of Harding and Coolidge, Truman, Kennedy, Reagan, and to a limited extent even under Clinton and Bush 43. The counter-examples, the spectacular failures and the needlessly extended suffering they caused are also in the history books, in the administrations of Wilson, Hoover and FDR, Johnson, Carter, Bush 43 and now most definitely and most dangerously, Obama. The lesson could not be clearer. Maybe this time we can expand the implementation of the plan to include steps 4-7 also. I won't hold my breath...

 

Obama Gives Amnesty to Illegals

 

Obama and the Democrats are desperate to add more Democrats to the voter rolls.  He pulled off the ultimate stealth move last week when he established by fiat what he couldn’t do by legislation.  Investors’s Business Daily reports the following:

"Following a pattern of making law by regulation and executive order, the Obama administration [last week] announced it will impose a version of the Dream (development, relief and education for alien minors) Act on America through administrative fiat. This is blatant political pandering in an election cycle at the expense of American citizens. On Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told Congress she has authority to halt deportation of illegal aliens not perceived to be a criminal threat as long as they meet certain criteria, such as attending school or having family in the military. The new rules would cover up to 300,000 illegal aliens. In 2010, the government deported 200,000 with no criminal records. Under the new rules, most would now likely be allowed to stay and apply for permits. Opposed by a majority of Americans and twice defeated in Congress, the federal Dream Act essentially grants amnesty to any illegal alien in America if they agree to enlist in the military or attend a U.S. college. It's called a 'path to citizenship,' a path that leads right past the U.S. Border Patrol. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, a sponsor of the federal Dream Act, praised the DHS announcement. 'These students are the future doctors, lawyers, teachers and maybe senators who will make America stronger,' he said in a statement. So are the children of America's jobless. ... 'If you look at immigrants from Mexico, they register 3-to-1 Democrat, so the Democratic Party is for easy citizenship and allowing them to vote,' says Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. This is about making the Democratic Party, not America, strong." --Investor's Business Daily

 

Sheriff Joe to Investigate Obama's Birth Certificate

Minuteman is reporting that probably the first time in the history of our country, citizens have gone to a sheriff over a national issue.

 

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio recently met with Tea Party leaders, and Sheriff Joe will be investigating the validity of Barack Obama’s troubled long-form birth certificate.

 

Sheriff Joe plans to conduct his investigation just in time to determine whether or not Obama is in fact eligible for the county’s 2012 election ballot.  Sheriff Joe’s jurisdiction stems from the fact he can investigate whether a crime has been committed against the Arizona Secretary of State, who must decide whether or not to put Obama’s name of the ballot.

 

Sheriff Joe promised to look into the matter after a one-hour meeting with Tea Party leaders and others expressing concern that a fake birth certificate would be used to document the president’s eligibility to run in Maricopa County, where Arpaio is the chief law enforcement officer.

 

Many suspect every “official” birth document that has released by the Obama Administration has been questionable, indicating the White House has something to hide.

 

Earlier this month, Minuteman reported that the White House unknowingly linked to a forged document on their April 27, 2011 attempt to debunk the questions surrounding the birth certificate.

 

Then the file actually released as the real thing on April 27, 2011 had problems ranging from possible technical glitches in scanning to red flags indicating forgery or fraud. 

 

Minuteman further reports that Sheriff Joe will be investigating the following issues:

• Why several experts have declared the document to be a forgery.
• Why the file number may be out of sequence;
• Why "THE" appears to be misspelled as "TXE" in the State Registrar's stamp;
• Why there appears to be a "smiley face" in the "A" in the Alvin T. Onaka, State Registrar stamp;
• Why the document has computer generated, multiple layers and is not a copy of a single layered document;
• Why font types appear to vary throughout the document, reportedly, not possible with a vintage 1961 mechanical typewriter.

 

Overall, Sheriff Joe’s investigation will determine whether or not the alleged Certificate of Live Birth for Barak Hussein Obama is a forgery (and a class 6 felony was committed) or an authentic document.

 

Taking Another Look at Obama's Job Czar

"Rook" has some thoughts on Obama's new jobs czar. 

http://www.businessinsider.com/general-electric-x-ray-headquarters-china-2011-07

 

General Electric is moving its 115-year-old X-ray division from Waukesha, Wis., to Beijing. In addition to moving the headquarters, the company will invest $2 billion in China to train more than 65 engineers and  create six research centers. This is the same GE that made $5.1 billion profit in the United States last year, but paid no taxes...the same company that employs more people overseas than it  does in the united States.

 

Obama appointed GE Chairman Jeff Immelt to head his commission on job creation (job czar).

 

Immelt is supposed to help create jobs. I guess Obama forgot to tell him in which country he was supposed to be creating those jobs.

 

This shows you the total lack of leadership of this pseudo-POTUS and his intentional sabotaging of our economy!

 

 

NY Mayor Bloomberg Says We Need More Immigration

"Rook" has some thoughts on New York Mayor Bloomberg's quest to bring in more immigrants.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg Says Best Way to Create Jobs in U.S. is to Allow More Immigration | Video | TheBlaze.com

 

He did NOT say ILLEGAL immigration.

 

Forgive him because he DOES know what he is saying. He is mayor of New York, where all you have to do is go into the streets and see immigrants starting and running businesses all over the city, as they have for three hundred years. It is the first stop and first chance for most immigrants, and the best example of a Tower of Babel melting pot anywhere on Earth.

 

No, I would not want to live there. I'm just cringing at the Pavlovian reaction to his statement.

 

“Most importantly, we want to get immigrants from around the world to come to America,” Bloomberg said. “That’s the single biggest thing that the president could do with Congress, is open up the borders to those that will create jobs here.”

 

Oh yeah, that sure sounds like New World Order globalist propaganda - illegals going into the food stamp cashing business...

 

Good grief, are we getting THAT crazy...or are politician's and journalist's IQs in the same downward spiral as the economy?

 

 

Watch What Obama Does, Not What he Says

"Rook" has some thoughts on Obama's lying to the American people about their auto warranties.

GM says bankruptcy excuses it from Impala repairs | Reuters

 

"New GM's warranty obligations for vehicles sold by Old GM are limited to the express terms and conditions in the Old GM written warranties on a going-forward basis," wrote Benjamin Jeffers, a lawyer for GM. "New GM did not assume responsibility for Old GM's design choices, conduct, or alleged breaches of liability under the warranty."

 

"Plaintiff here is trying to saddle new GM with the alleged liability and conduct of old GM."

 

U.S. will guarantee GM, Chrysler warranties, Obama says - AutoWeek

 

By: Neil Roland And Richard Truett, Automotive News on 3/30/2009

 

In a bid to boost flagging auto sales, the federal government will pay for any warranty repairs on a General Motors or Chrysler vehicle if either company can't because of financial problems or a bankruptcy filing, President Barack Obama said on Monday.

 

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

 

NOTE that that Obama also was talking in the future tense, yet everyone assumed, as is common in colloquial English, that he meant the OLD warrantees will be honored... I'd love to be on that jury. Did we even know there was an OLD GM and a NEW GM? Then who got the billions in bail-outs?

 

I wonder if any Republican will have the presence of mind to use this as a campaign issue. Oh yes, Obama the Trustworthy. Obama the champion of covering pre-existing conditions. Can't wait to see what he'll do with Obamacare.

 

 

Corporate Abuses and Corporations vs. the Individual

"Rook" has some thoughts on corporations.

Google to Acquire Motorola Mobility for $12.5 Billion - Bloomberg

 

Google's Motorola Deal Will Spur Antitrust Regulators To Action - Arik Hesseldahl - Mobile - AllThingsD

 

The root of this problem is the very concept of "corporation," the creation of a fictitious "person" and assigning it property rights. Natural persons are shielded from the problems and consequences of ownership by selling shares to shareholders, which dilutes the concept of ownership; and everyone else associated with the corporation, most importantly all the decision makers, are employees, not owners. 

 

Prior to "corporations,", the functional arrangement was "company." There was no doubt about who owned the company. The owner's name was right there on the company logo. Henry Ford & Co. Sears & Roebuck, Macy's, etc. What was wrong with that?

 

Of course the invention of "corporation" lead to abuses, and abuses lead to cries for regulation. And so Congress responded and we begat the ICC, the FTC, the SEC, etc. So now the faceless owners, acting through employees hired by a fictitious "person" known as a corporation, are called on the carpet by faceless regulators, acting through employees of another kind of fictitious "person" known as a federal agency. And on both sides the natural persons who are acting on behalf of their respective fictitious persons are for the most part totally shielded from all personal responsibility for their actions, with fraud and other criminal acts being the obvious but all too rare exceptions.

 

But the biggest problem with the concept of a corporation is that it takes power away from the entrepreneur who created the business, and gives it to a new class of private "politician" who sees advancement not based on innovation, performance and achievement, but on connections, influence peddling and office politics; in fact, vigorously dismisses, discourages and if possible eliminates all traces of entrepreneurship altogether, in the name of "teamwork." In this regard, the differences are blurred and erased between government and industry, between public and private administration, and between public and private bureaucracy. Corporate recruitment switches its focus from self-starters to team players, from independence to obedience, from free thinking to group-think. Corporate ladder climbing becomes no different from a career in public "service." In short, the entrepreneur is replaced by the politician.

 

And then we wonder why the economy is in trouble.

 

Huntsman is a RINO

"Rook" has some thoughts on GOP candidate Huntsman.

Huntsman Pounds Perry on Global Warming and Fed Slams | TheBlaze.com

 

1. Climate changes constantly, without Man's help. Man-made global warming is an assertion based on computer models, not science. Writing computer models is not science, it is an art, and the best we can do is try to bring the model in conformance with science, not the other way around. When it comes to weather and climate, all we can do is observe, because it is both impractical and unethical to conduct experiments deliberately.

 

2. Carbon dioxide is not a pollutant. It is vital "food" for all vegetation. Geologic evidence shows CO2 levels had been much higher in earlier epochs, long before there was anything like factories and power plants. Deforestation, on the other hand, is man-made and therefore all it takes is political will to stop it. But you can't apply political will to prohibit breathing, in the name of putting less CO2 into the air.

 

3. If someone like The Fed are doing things that are immoral, counterproductive, destructive, etc., and do so in the face of obvious evidence and therefore knowingly, is that not criminal, or even treasonous? 

 

4. Yes there is scientific proof for evolution; that is, genetic mutation and adaptation in response to environmental changes; some of them, as in the case of fruit flies and viruses, happen fast enough to observe in the laboratory. But there are also gaps in the theory. As a matter of practical fact all we can do is speculate about a lot of things; certainly we cannot go back in time and observe with certainly how and why Man became the hairless ape, how we survived practically from pole to pole and everywhere in-between even before tools and fire and civilization, given our long gestation and maturation periods, etc. Yes, every day I find one reason or another to grouse about "intelligent design," but if as Americans we believe in freedom of conscience and scientific inquiry, without fear of being accused of blasphemy or bigotry, then we should be free to examine all ideas, without bias and rancor.

 

So, why do people assume Huntsman is a Republican? He is a poster child for RINO. And the only way he can enter a discussion is with personal attacks worthy of the lowest, stupidest Democrat tactics? Yes, that sure proves he is a good Republican! Yes, that sure is a reason to vote for him!  He is such a good Republican that he ignores Reagan's "eleventh commandment" - discuss and argue, but speak no evil about a fellow Republican, don't give Democrats easy campaign slogans.

 

And THIS guy has the gall to be wagging his finger about "some level of sensibility," and "name calling," and "finger pointing," and the "blame game" and "side shows" and "seriousness on the issues"? Precious!

 

Oh, yes, Huntsman is so serious on the issues that he thinks it is the President's or the government's job to fix the economy and create jobs. Yupp, he sure is a good Republican, all right! Gosh, I can't wait for him to claim he is a conservative, too... 

 

It's now clear why Obama gave him an important role in his administration...If he were a Democrat, what would he say and do any differently? 

 

Who is Responsible for Keeping America Great?

 

"VietVet" has some thoughts on the shared responsibility between government and its citizens.

 As many of my long time friends with whom I have discussed this issue at length do; I have for some time felt a creeping uneasiness about the attitudes of the citizenry (voters) of our country in general, and about our political direction in particular; specifically our government's exponentially increasing intrusion into our lives and the erosion of our personal freedoms.

   One of my closest long time friends who does not share my concerns, thinks my my wayward thinking is due to the simple fact that I am a registered Republican, which he asserts, make me an un-enlightened reactionary bigot with no compassion for or understanding of, the downtrodden of the world; as well as being a supporter of an effete political philosophy whose major claim to fame is it's unique (in his view) propensity to lie to the press and public in general.

   The fact that we are still friends is a tremendous tribute to the fact that he is a life-long, fighting Liberal Democrat, who can easily forgive my many sins; the forbearance for my political naivete as well as my many other character flaws, being due to his political  enlightenment and tolerance of other philosophies (which we Republicans evidently lack).

   Anyway, as I was saying, it has been difficult for me to put my feelings of uneasiness into words, at least succinctly and in one or two comprehensible sentences. But recently while reading a book by Drew Gilpin Faust (This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War), I came across a quote that struck me as so simple yet profound, that it was like a light switch being turned on; it so completely expresses my feelings, that I am compelled  to share it with those friends of mine that I think will appreciate it's relevance to our times.

   It is by Edmond B. Whitman, Chief Quartermaster of the Union Army, in the year 1866; where he was speaking of the obligations and relationships between the Federal Government and those individuals who had served in the Union Army during the (then) recent War to maintain the Union (Civil War) specifically - and to U.S. citizens in general. Allow me to share it with you all.

 

" Citizenship, as envisioned by those wise men who founded this great country is represented by a contract  in which the State and the Individual both accept responsibility for their assumed rights and duties, and for which either  could be called to account."

 

   From all my reading, I'd say that attitude fairly accurately sums up the national attitude of Americans during the first 150 years of our existence. However, it seems to me that has changed drastically over the last 30 years, and that the main problem now in both our Government and our citizenry at large, is that the feeling of responsibility half of that belief has been discarded. Most people in this country, especially the alien nationals who are crossing our borders in their millions, as well as the politicians who populate the various offices of government; care only about their "rights" and potential privileges, and have forgotten completely about the responsibilities of citizenship that go along with those rights. The accountability part is missing.

 

Republican Platform for 2012

 

"Ernie" has some thoughts on what the Republican platform should look like for 2012.

    It's time to start preparing a platform for 2012.  Following is a list of issues I'd like to see addressed by the GOP candidate.  I know few if any of these items will be debated, but if they were I firmly believe the GOP candidate would be a cinch to win.  First of all, what I wouldn't make major issues are most of the social ills.  Abortion, same-sex marriages, etc., except to argue that they should be states rights issues.  It's not that these issues aren't important, it's simply that none of them will win an election for you.   They can be addressed once we get the PC libs out of office.   I would, however, enter into the dialog the following economic and political issues.

 

1.    First and foremost, Repeal ObamaCare.  Reform the Medicare/Medicade programs through the free enterprise system.   Eliminate fraud and punish the offenders;  noncompetitive policies that are limiting insurance companies; unlimited damages from lawsuits; etc.  The health care industry (with independent oversight) is much more qualified to solve the problems ruining coverage than Pelosi and Reid. 

2.    Lift the moratorium on drilling in the Gulf and in Alaska.  Even tho Obama lifted the Gulf moratorium his black boots in the EPA have put in so many rules and regulations that it will be January 2012 before any permits will be granted.

 

3.    Demand an investigation into the passing of ObamaCare.  Were criminal laws broken, the Constitution infringed, bribes paid, or any other form of undue pressure applied?  If the answer is "yes", then guilty public officials should be removed from office and prosecuted according to the laws of the land.

 

4.    Disband costly departments of government that have proved to be ineffective, nonproductive and a waste of money.  Such departments include EPA, Education, Energy to mention a few.  For example, the EPA has instituted 35 new rules/reg under Obama.  The cost to industry is astronomical, and the benefits nothing more than "maybes".

 

5.    Encouraging industry to return to the USA.  We've lost most of our manufacturing to foreign countries and will continue to lose more if we don't get government off their backs.  That means eliminating unreasonable tax laws, frivolous lawsuits, EPA regulations, thug labor unions, and other socialist programs that are killing the economy.  It's important to realize that as we shut down worthless federal agencies, there will be tens of thousands of public employees out of jobs.  It's absolutely a must that we get American owned companies back inside our borders to create jobs.

 

6.    Cease foreign aid payments to any/all countries that are avowed enemies of the US. 

 

7.    Bring our troops back home from Europe, Korea and Japan.  (Except those intel gathering agencies that are vital to our security).   

 

8.    Once and for all, secure our borders with some of the troops we bring back.  And don't tell them all they can do is watch aliens climb over the fences.  They actually have the right to use force to stop the illegal flow.  Even deadly force if force is directed at them.

 

9.    Term limits for all congressmen, senators and Supreme Court members.  Do all you can do to get the citizens to apply unlimited pressure on public officials.

 

10.  Begin the process of investigating any/all political and/or social organizations.  Who's paying who to get friendly bills passed?  Laws should be enacted that would eliminate any lobbyist giving money, gifts or other favors to elected officials.  The "bribor" and the "bribees" should be prosecuted.  People like George Soros should not have the right to control our liberal politicians.