Category Archives: Constitution

UAW and Unions versus the rule of law

In relation to the automobile industry (with the exception of Ford), Buy American is now un-American.  That is if you think America stands for freedom, the rule of law, and due process.  The UAW and the Obama Administration are acting like mobsters, shaking down senior secured bond-holders in order to pay-off a political constituency, the Unions.  The only difference between mobsters and their actions is that instead of having the gun visible, the gun is held by the government.

The hedge funds and other investment vehicles that own the secured debt -which, according to the LAW, gets paid before unsecured holders- have just as many “regular people” albeit one step removed, as do the UAW retirees.  But the UAW is a favored group, and a visible group Continue reading UAW and Unions versus the rule of law

Obamacare will destroy private health insurance

Schakowsky, Democrat, Illinois on getting rid of private health care.  At least she is honest about socialism:

I know many of you here today are single payer advocates and so am I … and those of us who are pushing for a public health insurance don’t disagree with this goal. This is not a principled fight. This is a fight about strategy for getting there and I believe we will.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) to a group of government-run health care supporters, April 18, 2009

Arlen Specter the Hypocrite

Copying another well known hypocrite – Jim Jeffords from Vermont – Arlen Specter abandoned his principles in order to retain power.  Well, he never really had principles except being power-hungry, so it was difficult for him to abandon them, but he choose the only route he could to try to maintain his tenuous grip on power but lost his slight remaining grip on reality in the process.

After stating he would not switch parties in a March 17, 2009 interview, today he said he would switch parties:

[Democrats] are trying very hard for the 60th vote. Got to give them credit for trying. But the answer is no. … I am staying a Republican because I think I have an important role, a more important role, to play there. The United States very desperately needs a two-party system. That’s the basis of politics in America. – March 17, 2009

You have to hand it to him, he values POWER over your lives and mine over anything else.  Hope he enjoys it for the next 18 months.  A disgraceful end to a disgraceful political career.

If you wish to read about Arlen Specter’s opponent, Pat Toomey, you can do so here.

Schakowsky calls tea parties “despicable” and “shameful.”

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) called “tea party” protests “despicable” and shameful.”

The ‘tea parties’ being held today by groups of right-wing activists, and fueled by FOX News Channel, are an effort to mislead the public about the Obama economic plan that cuts taxes for 95 percent of Americans and creates 3.5 million jobs.

It’s despicable that right-wing Republicans would attempt to cheapen a significant, honorable moment of American history with a shameful political stunt.  Not a single American household or business will be taxed at a higher rate this year. Made to look like a grassroots uprising, this is an Obama bashing party promoted by corporate interests, as well as Republican lobbyists and politicians.

Queen George Schakowsky, nice loophole with “this year.”   I am sorry that you don’t (a) know the Constitution, (b) choose to ignore it, and (c) that you don’t understand what true grassroots is, but you may want to have your life controlled by others and may want to give away your freedom, but there are many of us who do not.

Tea Party Slogans

Some of the signs from the tea parties across the United States earlier today:

Spread my Work Ethic, not my wealth!

Change…giving freeloaders some of what YOU have worked hard for!

Help me Obama, They want me to work and stuff!

Cut taxes, not deals

What part of “limited powers” do you not understand?

It’s my birthday, and all Obama got me was more debt!

It’s my birthday, and all Obama got me was more taxes!

Why make a corrupt government even BIGGER?

Why should I pay for your bad decisions?

Party like its 1773

Obamanomics – Trickle up poverty

Term Limits for Congress!

A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul. George Bernard Shaw

No tax cuts for non-taxpayers!

Cut taxes, NOT more deal$

Freedom Works! Continue reading Tea Party Slogans

Wyden says bill could have prevented AIG Bonuses

At the Huffington Post, Democrat Senator Ron Wyden is quoted as saying that had “that legislation [a large tax on bonuses] been passed it would have been a very strong disincentive to anybody paying out bonuses in the future.”  Wyden did vote against the major bailouts, but appears to have voted for the “stimulus.”

Let’s recall a few facts:

1. The “Stimulus” Bill that both Houses and the President approved included provisions authorizing the bonuses.  Perhaps if Congress READ their Bills they would not be able blame someone else when people do what Congress is authorized.

2. A large number of people have made the statement, “but it is taxpayer money.”  I agree that it is taxpayer money.

The real question though is whether we want to go down the path of controlling everyone who receives taxpayer money?

However, if we are going to do so, we need to think about the consequences in detail:

a. If you receive food stamps, shall we limit your choices to low-fat food?  Soda?

b. If you receive Medicare, how much of your life can we control?  Pretty much everything since we are footing the bill. Are you over-weight?  Get on the treadmill.  Do you drink?  Stop, we’re going to pay for your new liver.  Like chocolate?  Sorry, diabetes.  Ride a bike?  Put on a helmet!  Like to sunbathe?  Skin cancer, get inside.  It is taxpayer money paying for your vices.  Should the taxpayers be paying and not having input?

c. Are you on Social Security?  What can’t taxpayers control since we’re paying your bills.

Additions:

d. Cash for clunkers?  Hope you aren’t a lead foot!

e. ObamaCare – apply the Medicare rules to everyone!

Trading freedom for the chance to pick someone else’s pocket is a bad idea morally and fiscally.

“Quantitative Easing” and “Open Market Operations” mean “printing money”

You may hear the terms “Quantitative Easing” and “Open Market Operations” from the Federal Reserve and wonder what they are.  They sound official and complicated, but are not.  When you get down to the basics, they quite simply mean the Federal Reserve is printing money.

Quantitative easing is a type of monetary policy that increases the money in an economy when the Federal Funds Rate (overnight lending rate) is close to (or at) zero.  The Fed (or central bank) purchases financial assets from banks and other financial institutions using money it has created out of thin air (ex nihilo is the latin jargon).  It is equivalent to “printing money” although it is done electronically so no printing is needed.  Just a push of a few buttons and magically they Federal Reserve says “we now have another $1000 Billion in the bank.”  Nice bank account if you can get it.

Quantitative easing and open market operations are complicated ways of saying that the Federal Reserve (or other central bank) is printing money.  The cost is inflation, or in the worst case, hyper-inflation.  Inflation robs you of the value of your money stealthily and is a hidden tax on your savings (retirement etc) and promised obligations.  Remember that, as Milton Friedman defines inflation, it is a monetary phenomenon – too much money chasing too few goods.

So, now you know the basics of quantitative easing and open market operations, and the risks involved.  Should you trust politicians and the appointed members of the Federal Reserve to manage the value of your money?  Would you find a ruler that changed length daily useful?  When a person is managing the value of the dollar, the value varies every day with the trend down.  Down more than 95% since the Federal Reserve was created.   That is the problem with inflation, a dollar today will be only worth a nickel eventually.

The Democratic Senate Puts Heavy Restrictions on the Internet

The Democrat controlled Senate is working on a Bill that would give President Obama the authority to shut down the Internet.  This is the so-called Cybersecurity Act of 2009,  S.773 was introduced by Senators Rockefeller, Bayh, Nelson, and Snowe.

The Bill would also give the government access to the digital records from many industries including telecommunications, banking and energy.  All would be under the authority of a cybersecurity czar.

Clamp down on the free speech on the Internet in the event of a need to “protect national security” and there goes the ability to dissent.

Nice.

Asinine stress tests

Is this America — when you do what your government asks you to do and then retroactively you also have additional conditions? If we were not forced to take the TARP money, we would have been able to raise private capital at that time [and not need to cut the dividend.]  It is absolutely asinine that somebody would announce we’re going to do stress tests for banks and we’ll give you the answer in 12 weeks.

— Wells Fargo Chairman Richard Kovacevich, March 16, 2009

Welcome to the new America where the Constitution is ignored.  Which of the first Ten Amendments hasn’t been gutted or ignored?  Only the 3rd.  Talk about a disgrace.