"Don't hurt people and don't take their stuff" - Matt Kibbe

3/29/10

Jumping into the Vat


Steam Vat
When Barack Obama was running for President he kept promising that unless you were rich (an ever evolving standard of earnings) you would not have your taxes raised "even one penny." In fact, he told those with "tingles running up their legs", they would have their taxes cut.

Those greedy people with incomes over $250,000 were going to finally pay their fair share and therefore we could all enjoy buying health-care, cars and homes we couldn't afford, just like before it all came crashing down into a heap of government interference and crony capitalism.

 Forgetting for a moment that 10% of the earners are paying approx. 70% of the taxes and 43% of tax units (most of which are lower income households that may or may not file a return) will have no income tax liability or will have a negative income tax liability, meaning the government will actually pay them, it's not clear where the terminally gullible thought that money was going to come from.

I wrote a piece called "I Can't Hear The Howling Anymore" about a year ago which I hope you will re-read, but a more current essay has been written by Dr. Charles Krauthammer about his prediction of a coming VAT (value added tax) to pay for all the European (think Greece) socialism passed recently by the Bush/Obama combine. You can read it here, and I think you should.

Many think a national sales tax (instead of an income tax) is a better way for government to fund it's activities, and although the devil is in the details, I am one of them. This is not that tax, this is on top of the income tax and it taxes products and services at every single stage of the production chain. It is insidious and hidden. It has long been the political wet dream of the left.

And just as America has been the "steam control" for people from other failed countries, this scheme is the steam control for the over taxed "rich" people. It makes the gullible followers get their taxes raised like everyone else, even if their messiah promised them otherwise. Without more of your money, the currency will fail and hyperinflation will follow. The system will collapse.

Then, the tingle that ran up some legs, will become the tinkle running down.


3/25/10

Skip the Details, What's in it for Me?

When Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass first coined the phrase "The Chicago Way" in one of many quotable articles he has written for that tabloid, it was in a context which escapes my porous memory at the moment. But the concept of it encompasses a whole pattern of behavior made infamous by those who run the criminal enterprise known as "city and state government" around these parts, so it's not terribly important what the context was.

Judging from the headlines they ran the last few days however, the Tribune (a truly horrible newspaper except for Kass' terrific column) understands and even promotes the concept of the Chicago Way.
Leaving aside the inane content of the articles accompanying those headlines, let's look at them for a moment.

On the first day "Post Shame", the headline read, "House Passes Health Reform". Excusing the editorial word "reform" as understandable license, so far so good. But the "under headline" said, "Republicans unanimously reject the plan as too expensive."

If the latter is actually true, (and for some Republicans we can assume it is) we are in even deeper dung than we thought and should be terrified of the future instead of merely frightened.

The idea they are trying to impart is, if it didn't cost so much, Republicans would be on board. The Trib certainly didn't want to entertain the bizarre notion that perhaps most of them (and us) actually opposed it on principle. (There are so many principles to oppose it on that I'll leave that until another day in an effort to keep you awake long enough to finish this commentary.)

Which brings us to the "headline" of this short essay. It refers to the Tribune headline the following day. It read, "What's In It For You?" Apparently the Trib understands how most folks approach issues in this town. And the criminals who run things around here have a stranglehold on the concept that most voters have zero interest in whether a law or policy is for the good of the people at large, as long as it benefits them personally.

Recent events suggest that The Chicago Way has gone national, but it probably has always been that way. Maybe it just seemed less cynical in the past.

In either case, it's not exactly the change I had hoped for.

3/22/10

A Bad Night for Canadians

Freedom and lost futures were not the only casualties in the Shame of 2010  which occured last night.

Pre-shame America used to be the "steam control" valve for the world, a destination where anyone with some savings or grit could flee to when escaping from other formerly great or never great countries. Post-Shame America will no longer be that destination.

Have you ever heard of an American citizen who purposely traveled to Canada to take advantage of their healthcare system? How about Great Britain?

Where will the Prime Minister of Newfoundland flee to for his heart surgery when Florida hospitals are no longer an option? Danny "Millions" will be out of luck.

Do we think that California hospitals will be the destination for female Canadian politicians who find their lives in mortal peril from breast cancer? This was recently demonstrated by the departure of Liberal MP Belinda Stronach from Canada to the US for surgery. She was the biggest proponent of the government single payer system of that country. Where will they go now?

The people who were the single greatest cause of the real estate implosion are now in charge of disassembling the health insurance companies and healthcare providers. They will be replaced by a government run system. No problem if you want a mail sorter operating on your heart and a political appointee telling you what your options are.

Shame on you America, Canadians deserve better.

3/21/10

He Got His Wish

" No, no, no. Not “God Bless America”; God Damn America!"
Racist, hate America, marxist "Reverend" Jeremiah Wright celebrates today after his political protege, Barack Obama (and his comrades) succeeded in destroying the best healthcare system in the history of the world late Sunday night.

America was an experimental "operation" in freedom back in 1776. Last night, the patient died when the politicians empowered last election day voted against freedom.

Individual liberty and personal responsibility were murdered last night by a group of  progressive Dr. Mengeles and the fools who cheered them on.

        

Rest In Peace America

3/19/10

The Darkest Hour?

I have been contemplating a method for flying the flag at my home at half staff next Monday. It's got a fixed pole and there is not much room for lowering, so it might take some imagination to rig up. I hope I don't have to, but it seems it's more likely than not that the greatest country that ever existed will expire this weekend.

I'm not suggesting we surrender, ever. But in an effort to stay attached to reality, we must be prepared for what amounts to a twisted sort of coup d'état. (defined in part by Wikipedia as "the sudden unconstitutional deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment") The government "of the people, by the people and for the people" will have lost out to a permanent political class of rulers and their army of "gimmie" soldiers.

While the country waits to see what the final vote tally will be on this evil legislation, I will be waiting instead  to see if it comes to a vote. I am convinced that lame duck Pelosi will never bring it up unless she is absolutely certain she has the votes. If you hear it is going to a vote, you need not watch the tally.

The law, if allowed to stand, will signal the "end of the beginning" of the elimination of our rights and freedom. Nothing less. This battle is not about health-care reform. As John Wayne once famously said in a movie line, "If you believe anything, you believe that."

Every losing war starts with one lost battle. The end of individual liberty and personal responsibility could come rather quickly (on a relative basis) if this battle goes to the fascists. (Fascism is a system where property is privately owned but government controlled)

I wish I was just being purposely melodramatic. Although hyperbole can sometimes be a useful way to illustrate a point, it is not intentional on my part in this case.

This is truly America's darkest hour. But as we have heard before, the darkest hour is just before dawn. It's going to be a long, frightening weekend. Right now, our flag is still there.

3/18/10

No Teleprompter? Use a Stump Speech!

Who said the filibuster technique is useless now that we have a "nuclear option" and a "Slaughter rule"?

The art of filibuster is alive. But instead of the Senate using it, the President has taken over. If you have the stomach for it, you may want to watch this interview and see if you can count the times that a question is asked, but never answered.

The Presidents supporters will probably say; "Oh, it's just politics, they all do it."  Which, although true, is not OK.  So much for the most open and non-partisan administration ever.

(Extra credit if you can actually watch the whole thing.)

3/5/10

Paging Dr. Cynical, Your Injection is Ready

While taking my beautiful proof-reader out to lunch/wine the other day we were accosted by a ridiculous image on the TV over the area where we were seated. Although there was no sound enabled on the set, we could still easily figure out what was about to happen- in the same way that one understands what a mime is trying to impart to his audience.  But in this case it was like some bizarre home party version of political charades, minus the amusement. I guess my sense of humor was lessened somewhat by the consequences of this stuff because I used to find these antics hilarious instead of just mildly humorous.

The TV showed a group of people as they came marching out in single file from behind a curtain, all dressed in KKK outfits (minus the masks) in a preposterous spectacle which seemed like a re-enactment of the Von Trapp kids presenting themselves for inspection in the Sound of Music.

A reader of this blog left a comment yesterday (on my last article regarding the "nuclear option") which made the case that; "it's all theater." The point was well taken by me.

I guess the genius behind this piece of theater thought that people were so dim that they would see all these alleged doctors and heath-care workers and immediately conclude that physicians in general are all behind the President while he made his latest speech in his quest to take over one sixth of the US economy. (One of these Oscar wannabes even had a stethoscope hanging out of his pocket, a detail which should actually get the prize for "Best comedic prop in a political theater presentation"- It certainly made us giggle.)

Unfortunately, that notion is as wrong as the prop was silly. The truth is, according to a poll of actual physicians taken by the Investors Business Daily, (IBD/TIPP) a few months back, 45% said they would consider early retirement or other options if Obama-Care were enacted. If you think waiting rooms are fun now, just wait until you have to bring camping equipment to your appointment if this gets done to us.

Meanwhile, aside from having your intelligence insulted once again by the ruling party, the "doc and pony show" gave you a peek at the beta version of Obama-Care 4.0.- a fictional proposal which has never had an actual legislator put it forth and which is impossible using the "nuclear option" anyway. Apparently this magic law has all 2200 pages of the last diaper-load intact, but makes some "concessions" to Republicans.

As Charles Krauthammer reported this morning, that concession was that he might consider a "tort reform" section which would suggest "a few ridiculously insignificant demonstration projects amounting to one half of one-hundredth of 1% of the cost of Obama's health care bill."  His excellent article on this subject can be read here.  His piece ends with a quote that I would give plenty to say I wrote; "You can only be disillusioned if you were once illusioned."

As a new essay by Michael Tanner of the Cato Institute says; "Dropping a few Republican ideas into a government takeover of health care is like sterilizing the needle before a lethal injection: a nice thought, but the ultimate outcome is the same."

As my lunch (and life) companion commented concerning the "new" proposal, "a half a pile of crap is still a pile of crap." (I wish I had written that too)