November 2008 Archives

Our local politicians, both Republican and Democrat, have ignored the often tested concept that lower taxes beget a brisk economy.  In Florida and most of America, a rise in property values has netted a significant increase in real estate taxes.  The rising values were hosted by a drop in mortgage rates that occurred between the early 80s and the 2000s.  Simply put, lower rates also meant lower payments with the result that buyers could pay more for homes.  Homes once valued well below the cost of reconstruction, increased in value as the higher prices became more affordable for home buyers.  

Most people are not old enough to remember the high mortgage rates of 16.5% in 1981.  They can not perceive of the impact of rates falling to 5% by 2006.  The high rate limited a buyer who could afford a $1000 payment, to a $72,000 home purchase in 1981. While sellers were unable to move up being locked into existing homes that were priced as little as $30 per square foot versus new home prices costing nearly $100.  With a 5% rate, buyers could afford a $186,000 home and those $50,000 homes with 1500 square feet jumped to $150 per square foot and a $225,000 price tag.  Home owners rushed to cash in on their smaller homes so as to "move up" in the market. They gave up their low real taxes and paid significant increases whose outlay was left to the politician's "wisdom".[1]

During these 25 years the politicians, who fanaticize themselves as the ones responsible for the value increases, spent the bounty like busy little beavers with no thought of a fall.  Building permits went from the 100s of dollars to 10s of thousands per home and government managed costs like Workers Compensation insurance increased from 5 and 10% of an employees' wage to 50 and 60%. Since then law changes have lowered rates. Before that happened, however, many builders and construction workers went bankrupt or just left the business because buyers couldn't afford the increases and workers could no longer cut their incomes to compensate for the government's burden.

Obviously, politicians were ecstatic about the windfall from new construction and property value increases.  They spent like drunken sailors on a Paradise Island vacation.  Most have good intentions but they neglect to monitor the economic health of the private sector and hand out wage and benefit increases that are unmatched for private sector employees.  Simple inflation increases in the early 80s ran as much as 10 and 12%.  Today, wage and benefits are now 51% higher for public sector employees than in the private sector and going higher.[2]

The private sector has had to suck it up.  Small businesses and businesses whose fate is not tied to government's approval for rate increases are struggling to maintain profits and must either eliminate wage increases, cut workers, cut wages, move operations or go out of business. Meanwhile politicians are handing out inflation plus wage increases and increasing pensions and bonuses for employees who are already paid compensation and benefits above their private sector brethren. Many in the private sector are losing jobs or foregoing inflation increases. Taxes must be paid, so for private employers to pay wage increases, maintain profitability and stay in business they must first make up for the added costs of government

Politicians and government employees are never to blame for a bad economy so rather than looking for ways to cut spending they are looking for ways to raise revenue so they can party on.  We have a "VENUE" to build and those relying on government expect wage increases and "WE" don't want to "REDUCE SERVICES".  "Reduce services" being code for not cutting wage and benefit increases for government workers. Should we ask if they should share in the added cost of government and should wages and benefits be on a par with the private sector?

Besides your local government, there are private sector business and pseudo government agencies that follow and often exceed government patterns for spending. For example; government approves insurance industry rate increases which allow for inflation, the courts allow attorneys an annual increase in their $300-$400 fees and pseudo government organizations such as the local toll authority or your government owned utility raise benefits incrementally. Government impacts many daily expenses.

It may be unpopular to attack the largess handed out by politicians and these pseudo government beneficiaries to employees, however, there are serious implications.  We are currently witness to the mini-struggle in our auto industry as it fights off bankruptcy caused by its pricey payroll and the high cost to carry retired employees. It is a mini-struggle, one that is minor compared to the time when baby boomers throughout the workforce begin to receive their social security in mass along with the many double dippers who will also receive other government pensions.  It will be like Dracula meets Frankenstein as those remaining in the private sector struggle to pay the unprecedented historical costs burden. It is an occurrence that we either face up to now or fall to later, and no one, not even government workers, will avoid the anguish.  The solution lies in strengthening the private sector and limiting the burden of government and not increasing taxes.

Written by EW Dedelow

Author of soon to be published

"Why Capitalism Works and Government Doesn't"

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

For we natural born or naturalized citizens of the United States of America have been bestowed many blessings unknown to much of the world for much of recorded history.

But what makes America great is neither her wealth, natural resources, her military might, her laws nor her elected leaders.

Instead, what makes American great is her PEOPLE. You, me, our neighbors, "Joe the Plumber", heck even "Rick the Guitar Player" (doesn't have the same ring) all contribute to the whole of America. And, it is that essence that combines the sum of our individuality to a greater whole.

Happy Thanksgiving!

While the approval ratings of President George W. Bush are low, the approval ratings of Congresses are even lower still.

Within the context of being lower poll numbers than President Bush the Speaker of the House "Comrade Pelosi" is being urged by the 'Acolytes of Idiocy' in her party  to Impeach  the President  for "widespread abuses of power and potentially criminal transgressions against our Constitution".  The Detroit Free Press article can be found here:  http://www.freep.com/article/20081125/COL10/81125018 .

"For economy's sake, Pelosi needs to push for impeachment now" the acolytes proclaim; but, much of the "widespread abuse" mentioned involve the possible issue of Pardons by President  Bush. Even though he has pardon fewer than his predecessor. Possible pardoners can be found here: http://pardonpower.com/2008/11/watch-list-ryan-in-finally.html .

With a mere 55 days left before those who were put in control by the 52% "beggar vote" control the country. It is obvious that far, far left fringe is demanding retribution. And for that, you, I and the other 48% should be on "stand by".  For Change is coming  - fast and hard.

Be ready.

So, the seeds of our current economic condition were most recently sown in the 1990s during the Clintonista regime by the same cast of clowns recently charged with the investigation of same!

What's even more 'rich', is the prospect that these 'apostles of ignorance' will be recycled into the new b. Hussein Obama's rule - to continue the work they started lo those many years ago.

Hmmm, this type of jackassary - doubling down on stupidity - coupled with concerted actions by campaign donors unfriendly to laissez faire capitalism - 

(Not limited to making a fortune manipulating the stock market by shorting stocks

Read the George Soros interview in Spiegel online : http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,592268,00.html ) help create a perfect storm  - where the 52% of b. Hussein's "beggar vote" will demand an even larger endowment from the public treasury.

What should concern every American - even the beggar vote - is that inclusion of the "Acolytes of Idiocy" - many of whom have never run a business, never met a payroll and never had to match suta/futa/fica payments for their employees - into the financial team of the president elect.  And once their unsteady hand is on the tiller of our economy  there is a good chance there will be nothing left in the treasury to buy votes for 2010.

We pay a high price for ignorance in this country - I have often wondered if we could "afford the note". Now I surmise that we can't even afford the interest.

US officials flunk test of American history, economics, civics

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US elected officials scored abysmally on a test measuring their civic knowledge, with an average grade of just 44 percent, the group that organized the exam said Thursday.

- Full Story here:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081120/od_afp/ushistoryeducationoffbeat

Perhaps one of the reasons why so many of our legislators are eager to change much about the basic foundation of our country is that   - They know so little about it ! - Apparently, they know little about how precious our liberties  and rights are.

in response to comments yesterday

The Sheathed Sword

Sun Tzu said: In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy's country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good. So, too, it is better to recapture an army entire than to destroy it, to capture a regiment, a detachment or a company entire than to destroy them. 

Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.

skipping ahead  . . .

Therefore the skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field.

 

This indeed is part of the battle - convince the 48% of the producers - "the payer vote" - that the battle for ideas is over! 

But, the battle isn't over as long as your voice is also heard among the land.

'riffing' on yesterdays "Preaching to the Choir",

It is important for us to be informed yet "stay up" and positive. Sometimes our voice may be the only rational voice in the cacophonous din for our own circle of friends and influence.

Sometimes there really is a point to preaching to the choir . .

Just as one lit candle in a dark jungle - shines a light that can be seen for miles, so too is your voice among your family, friends, and acquaintances.  

It is vital among us all - to bring illumination where there is darkness, knowledge where there is ignorance and truth where there is none.

To say these are unparallel times would be quite an understatement.  But, there is "much a foot" that is either evil or  too incredible to be unplanned and uncoordinated and random.

These are but a few:

As Dick Morris wrote yesterday: 

... the seamless integration of the United States into the European economy . . . and surrendered, in toto, to the Western European model of socialism, stagnation and excessive government regulation. Sovereignty is out the window. . . .  Full story here: http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/2008/11/19/bush%e2%80%99s-legacy-european-socialism/

As Devvy Kidd wrote yesterday:

There is a ...growing crisis over Barack Hussein Obama refusing to prove he is a natural born citizen story here: http://www.newswithviews.com/Devvy/kidd415.htm

Massive influence of foreigners working on behalf of the BHO

Previous Harangue here . . . watch the video

The recent uptick in rocket attacks against Israel and

Testing of America under the new President - what does Joe Biden know that we don't? He's on the flipping committee we're not.

Marxist, Communist, Socialist - in fact "ISTs" of every variety are popping up everywhere like some global game of "whack-a-mole"

Possible US Stock Market Manipulation and Economic Terrorism

http://www.nationalterroralert.com/updates/2008/10/16/economic-terrorism-is-the-stock-market-being-manipulated/

The clarion call is clear: be informed, speak truth to unawareness and be ready.

Fantastically - the "right to vote" is conferred on every US citizen - both natural born and naturalized alike. 

Of course, there are some restrictions! I mean, they don't let children vote, non-citizens aren't allowed to vote (though some suggest they might, thanks to motor-voter bills in many states) and often, the mentally deranged are precluded from voting.

Why?

The perceived right to "universal suffrage" is indeed based on a capacitance -err I mean capacity or should say incapacity issue.  And excepting those low barriers to entry, nearly all above 18 are allowed to vote.

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind... "

                                                                        (John Donne)

Just as Donne expressed that we are all connected, so too are the consequences of our votes! No vote is cast in a vacuum; each vote either reinforces or dilutes every other vote. The consequences of each vote extend beyond the single voter to the entire voting public.

In this context, I present the following video (hat-tip Chris Casler) Please watch the entire video.

Here is the link refernced in the video: http://howobamagotelected.com/ 

Like a shark dive without the cage, our Trotskyite inspired congress is swimming through the ocean of 'red (and black) inked' businesses - jaws agape - filter feeding high and low along the corporate food chain. Swallowing whole, businesses to "big to fail" and extorting equity partner positions among the 'small fry' easy enough to bully and mollify.  Like Tony Soprano with more leverage - bada bing!

Just a few years ago - heck - even a few months ago, such a tectonic shift from a free-market to socialism seemed nigh on impossible in our beloved Republic.

Now the Bolsheviks cry:  bailout -  bailout - bailout - the revolution begins and is over without a whimper, without a shot being fired - only a sigh for what once was. If most Americans held a better appreciation for the "noble call" of commerce, this state of affairs could not be allowed to stand.

Instead, we have a population that doesn't understand or "misunderstands" the purpose of business and its role in society.

Regrettably, most workers just assume that the purpose of business - any business - is to give them a job. And if that job goes away - no big deal - they'll just get another job. And if that job goes away, well then there's always the "gov'ment" to turn to.

Just as many don't understand business; it evident that they understand the role of our government even less. Consequently, we just had 52 million Americans vote for a presidential candidate promising goodies from the public treasury.

What every American needs to know:

The government does NOT HAVE except that which it takes from others. In order for the government to give you a dollar - it MUST first take it away from someone else. . . Not fair, Not moral; but that's the way it is.

Continuing on from  . . .

Recognizing the dangers of a standing army - even a well regulated militia - the government can NOT force you to quarter soldiers in your home without your consent. Hopefully this will also apply to the new Civilian National Security Force (CNSF). (and, and . )

Citizens are protected against unreasonable searches and seizures by the Government - hopefully this too will apply to the CNSF.

Citizens have the right to NOT witness against yourself or be tried twice for the same crime and the government can't take your stuff without due process or compensation.

Citizens have the right to a speedy, PUBLIC trial by an impartial jury of your peers, the right to confront your accuser and the right to Defense Counsel in Federal Courts.

Citizens have the right to jury even in Civil trials if the amount in question is over $20.00 [how much would that be today]

Citizens are protected against excessive bail, excessive fines and cruel and unusual punishment. [of course the devil is in the detail and depends on what your definition of "is" - is or in the case what your definition of unusual is . . .]

Now for some of the best (often most over looked) bits

 "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people".  Simply instructs that power not listed in the Constitution (thereby claimed by the Government) were powers belonging to the people. Thus, this was an attempted limiting factor on the Federal Government.

Our founders often thought of their own States as distinct and Sovereign - from each other and from a centralized government. To that end, they proviced that "powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people" 

As originally intended, the "Bill of Rights" was to protect the governed from those doing the governing or protect US from the government.

The Bill of Rights simply enumerates some of our many "Blessings of Liberty"- blessing that we take for granted and blessings that disallowed in many corners of the world. The Blessings of Liberty are among the things that makes us (or US) UNIQUE in the whole history of mankind.

These are blessing worth protecting and fighting for. Blessing that must vigilantly be guarded from usurpation by the natural tendencies of government and secured from external assault   

"...

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence (sp), promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. 

..."

As I blogged yesterday in  - Circle of Trust - blessing of faith, liberty is endowed to us by God. So, what are some of those blessings of Liberty as described in the Bill of Rights?

Well . .

First and foremost - you have the right to Worship God -  ever wonder why this is first? -  You have the right to speak and write freely-  in private or public- particularly about political matters - though you are not guaranteed an audience. You also have the right to assemble peacefully and even the right to petition the Government for grievances.

[There are many places in the world today where these 'taken for granted' blessings are NOT ALLOWED. Even today there are countries that prohibit even simple things like permission to marry, permission to travel, permission to freely associate, permission to work, permission to own property, in some places you are simply aborted because you are the wrong sex, or killed because you are the wrong religion.]

Secondly, you have the right to keep and bear arms, AND a right to security from foreign danger - as secured by a well 'regulated militia'.

Pt 2 - tomorrow . . . 

And as Madison write in The Federalist 41; "Every man who loves peace, every man who loves his country, every man who loves liberty, ought to have it ever before his eyes, that he may cherish in his heart a due attachment to the Union of America, and be able to set a due value on the means of preserving it."

1. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
2. You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
3. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
4. You cannot lift the wage-earner by pulling down the wage-payer.
5. You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
6. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
7. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
8. You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
9. You cannot build character and courage by taking away men's initiative and independence.
10. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.

The 10 Cannots  while often attributed to Lincoln are the work of Reverend Wm Boetcker.

 

Our founding fathers wrote:  "...all men... are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life , Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness - That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the consent of the Governed...

Loosely paraphrasing; OUR government was created to protect Rights which we already had - Rights which were (and still are) give to each of us by God.

"In God We Trust" or so our forbearers thought. "In God We Trust", it is our national motto, "In God We Trust", it even says that on our coins and paper currency! "In God We Trust" - what an awesome imprimatur. But; what does that mean and is that of any benefit to US individually or to US as "the Governed"?

In broader context, framed by the Judeo-Christian worldview in which it was set, "In God We Trust" signifies that we hold certain concepts and moral values in common - among them The 10 Commandments summarized below:

1.      You shall have no other gods before me

2.      You shall not make for yourself an idol

3.      You shall not make wrongful use of the name of your God

4.      Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy

5.      Honor your father and mother

6.      You shall not murder

7.      You shall not commit adultery

8.      You shall not steal

9.      You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor

10.  You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor 

 But all peoples benefit - including those of other faiths, even atheists, agnostics benefit from a "Circle of Trust" implied by our national motto.

In a world or where the circle of trust is limited only to that of your family - even the simplest bargain or barter is difficult to transact with strangers. In a society where the family "circle of trust" is extended to the familiar - be that neighbors or expanded to tribesman more complex transactions are enabled including peace treaties, commerce and contracts.

Even those that don't believe in a God can find worldly comfort in dealing with those who profess that they won't - at least for starters -  murder you, steal from you, lie to you our covet that which is yours.

The "Full Faith and Credit" of the United States of America (US or us) is based - in large part - on this expanded "Circle of Trust".  So even if you don't believe "In God We Trust" you still benefit from the faith of all those that do!

Now, what happens to your "Circle of Trust" if that "trust" is broken? Even if that "trust" is only tarnished the simplest of dealings become more difficult.

In a 'po-mo' (post-modern) America, where we undermine our national motto we also weaken our "Circle of Trust". And today, as forces gleefully rally to remove God from our national lexicon we strip the very underpinnings from our "Circle of Trust".

Beware, be ready, for when the "Circle of Trust" collapses you better believe that "Change" will be upon us.

(special thanks to teacher Ron Peri of the initial "Circle of Trust" concept)

Exiled in our own country, we are like captive tribes in an 'po-mo' O'-Babylon, where the duped masses are now being wooed by counterfeit claims of:  Liberté, Equalité, Fraternité.

Instead of real Liberty: we are tendered socialism where our efforts are enslaved and dissent is shouted down; instead of real Equality -we are proffered 'political correctness', fake group-egalitarianism and anti-western thought under the guise of multiculturalism;  and instead of real Fraternity we are offered mandatory conformity, the Nation of Islam and Black Liberation Theology.

Unlike the opposition party in 2000 and in 2004,  -  Nearly all of us in political exile, do NOT want the country to fail just to advance a "party agenda". And to that extent, we do want the president elect to be successful. Most of us want America to be successful, we need America to be successful. In fact I would say the entire world needs US to be successful. Like a modern day Atlas, our shoulders - America's shoulders - are the shoulders that uphold  the world.

However, as socialists - cloaked under a progressive moniker, implement plans for radical change, we must be ever ready to speak truth to power. We must stand ready to speak out against and prepare to thwart politically:

• plans to redefine or even deny our Judeo-Christian foundation and heritage
• plans to undermine our faith
• plans to usurp our God-granted liberty and rights
• plans to inculcate our children 
• plans to redistribute income,
• plans to nationalize (steal) our 401K and pension plan.
• plans to silence an opposing voice
• plans to loose the war on Terrorism
• plans for amnesty for illegal aliens
• plans for global poverty tax

As an added bonus, I've culled this 'top ten list' from "The Communist Manifesto" it can be found in section II Proletarians and Communists (immediately preceding section III). Read this a be afraid! 

1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.
2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
3. Abolition of all rights of inheritance.
4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
5. Centralization of credit in the banks of the state, by means of a national bank with state capital and an exclusive monopoly.
6. Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the state.
7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the state; the bringing into cultivation of waste lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.
8. Equal obligation of all to work. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of all the distinction between town and country by a more equable distribution of the populace over the country.
10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children's factory labor in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production, etc.

As it is still occasionally acknowledge; "Freedom isn't free"! Freedom and Liberty come at a steep price indeed - often, our freedom is bought by the sacrifices of those we hold dear - the men and women in uniform serving our beloved republic.