This is how you fix Congress!!!

A friend sent this along to me. I can't think of a reason to disagree.

The proposal is to promote a "Congressional Reform Act of 2009". It would contain eight provisions, all of which would probably be strongly endorsed by those who drafted the Constitution and bill of Rights.

I know many of you will say, "this is impossible". Let me remind you, Congress has the lowest approval of any entity in Government, now is the time when Americans will join together to reform Congress - the entity that represents us. We need to get a Senator to introduce this bill in the US Senate and a Representative to introduce a similar bill in the US House. These people will become American Heroes. Please add any ideas on how to get this done, and pass it on to all your contacts.

Thanks,
A Fellow American
*************************************************************

Congressional Reform Act of 2009

1. Term Limits: 12 years only, one of the possible options below:
A. Two Six-year Senate terms
B. Six Two-year House terms
C. One Six-year Senate term and three Two-year House terms

2. No Tenure/No Pension:
A congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security: All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system. Congress participates with the American people.

4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plans just as all Americans.

5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

7. Congress must equally abide in all laws they impose on the American people.

8. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/10.


Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators. Serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

This speaks for itself...

Sen. John McCain on terrorist trials in civilian court

November 13, 2009
Washington, D.C. ­– U.S. Senator John McCain (R AZ) issued the following statement on the Obama Administration’s decision to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM) and four other Al-Qaeda terrorists suspected of planning and executing the September 11th attacks in the United States Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York:

“I am extremely disappointed with the Obama Administration’s decision to try in U.S. civilian courts the Al-Qaeda terrorists who planned, supported, and conducted the September 11th attacks. These terrorists are not common criminals. They are war criminals, who committed acts of war against our citizens and those of dozens of other nations.

“Terrorists who have declared war against our country should be treated as war criminals and tried for their crimes through military tribunals. In a letter sent to Congress just last week, hundreds of families of victims of the September 11th attacks urged the Administration to try these terrorists in military tribunals, and I fully respect and agree with their position. I have worked tirelessly with my colleagues in Congress and with the Obama Administration to make our military tribunals system better able to dispense justice efficiently and fairly while protecting secure information. If military tribunals are suitable for the terrorists who attacked our sailors aboard the U.S.S. Cole, as the Obama Administration has decided, then military tribunals are certainly the right venue to try the Al-Qaeda terrorists, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who murdered thousands of innocent civilians on September 11, 2001.

“Today’s decision sends a mixed message about America’s resolve in the fight against terrorism. We are at war, and we must bring terrorists to justice in a manner consistent with the horrific acts of war they have committed.”

Senator Jon Kyle on upcoming Terrorist Trials in civilian court

November 13, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Whip Jon Kyl (Ariz.) today made the following statement in response to the Obama Administration’s decision to transfer 9-11 terrorist Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, among other terrorists, to the United States to stand trial in a civilian court:
“It’s an unnecessary risk to bring the self-proclaimed mastermind of the 9-11 attacks to downtown Manhattan.
“Past trials of terrorists have proven that our civilian courts are not the appropriate venue to handle international terrorism trials. As a result of the trial of Omar Abdel Rahman, also known as the ‘Blind Sheik,’ al Qaeda obtained valuable information about U.S. intelligence sources and methods, thereby making the job of fighting terrorists tougher. Military tribunals – which have been used by Presidents dating back to George Washington – are the most appropriate, and secure, forum to try those who commit acts of war against the United States.
“It is a constant amazement to me that there are some who seem more concerned about extending legal protections to terrorists than security protection to Americans.”

America... home of the FREE

OK. I THINK I GET IT
Let me see if I understand all this....
IF YOU CROSS THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET 12 YEARS HARD LABOR.IF YOU CROSS THE IRANIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU ARE DETAINED INDEFINITELY.IF YOU CROSS THE AFGHAN BORDER, YOU GET SHOT.IF YOU CROSS THE TURKISH BORDER ILLEGALLY, YOU SPEND THE REST OF YOUR LIFE IN PRISON!BUT, IF YOU CROSS THE U.S. BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET:
A DRIVERS LICENSE A SOCIAL SECURITY CARD WELFARE FOOD STAMPS AND, FREE HEALTH CARE? Oh well sure. That makes perfect sense

Wake up America, before it's too late!

Treasurer's Report

Last Thursday, I heard our State Treasurer, Dean Martin, speak at a luncheon I was attending. Dean is a very bright, articulate gentleman who knows finance like I know the inside of my closet, and he pretty much spelled out the financial dilemma our state is in. Unfortunately, I think the majority of states in our Union are in the same boat, so you might want to take a little time to listen in to Dean's presentation by clicking here.

The following editorial appeared in our local newspaper on September 2:

Tea Party tour won't fix what ails health care
OUR VIEW: Monday's rally in Flagstaff appeared to be more about TV ratings driven by controversy than mobilizing supporters around a solution. Wednesday, September 02, 2009 At their most basic, rallies are a chance to let off steam.But whether they drive a meaningful public agenda or distract us from it depends on your point of view. Rallies, of course, come in many shades.There are pep rallies to get students excited about an upcoming football game.There are campaign rallies aimed at firing up supporters on behalf of a candidate.And then there are protest rallies designed to tell elected officials that their constituents are upset with their programs and policies.The last takes on symbolic value depending on the turnout. Attract enough people to your protest and the news media take notice, thus amplifying your message far beyond the reach of your bullhorn.A generation ago, mass protests were centered on civil rights, the Vietnam War and the environment. The Baby Boom generation was coming of political age, and when politics-as-usual didn't get the results they wanted, they took to the streets.Since then, grassroots political activism has added many more tools beyond rallies, including neighborhood organizing, mass-mail fundraising and social networking. Getting everyday citizens involved in the political process is as much about marketing as about educating them, making it difficult to determine who is acting on genuine sentiment when making a campaign contribution or planting a candidate's sign on the lawn.But the gold standard in political organizing still remains how many people you can convince to get off the couch, turn off the TV and attend a rally in person. Critics of Obama's reform platform have seized on that truism through their "tea party" metaphor: The colonists took matters into their own hands, even if it was just the dumping of a couple hundred pounds of taxed tea into Boston Harbor.Monday's tea party rally in Flagstaff turned out about 1,000 people, but it appeared to raise as many questions about this protest movement as it answered.-- For starters, the event was part of a national tour, not locally organized.-- Its timing and staging during the evening hours appeared to be calibrated toward receiving prime time coverage on sympathetic cable network talk shows. As anyone who watched the Fox Cable Network Monday night could see, the protests seemed more scripted than spontaneous.-- The message, when it did come through the slogans, lacked the coherence of an "Out, Now" or "End Racial Discrimination" or "Stop Air Pollution." Do the protesters not want the federal government involved in health care at all, or do they just want the feds to run Medicare and Medicaid better? If the latter, how?At base, we are worried that such rallies seem like wasted opportunities to advance the cause of civic literacy among people who are clearly engaged with issues and their political context. There has been no line drawn in the sand yet with health care reform as there was with the Vietnam War or the Civil Rights Act. It remains fluid and subject to negotiation. A rally strategy that takes a dogmatic approach to something as complex as national health care reform ill-serves that process while failing to motivate participants to get involved in the hard work of finding solutions.That hard work is ongoing in Congress, and our representative, Ann Kirkpatrick, is in the thick of it. After a false start in Holbrook several weeks ago that saw constituents frustrated by a one-on-one meeting format in a supermarket, she has agreed to hold a town hall forum Thursday night in the high school auditorium. Rallies and the enthusiasm they generate have their place, but not at deliberative forums designed primarily for information-sharing and constructive dialogue. Protesters who have already made up their minds can take their yelling outside for the TV crews and the passing cars. The rest of us have hard work to do.

Below is my response, which was printed on September 13:

To the editor:
First off, with or without media coverage, folks who are attending the Tea Parties are there because they share grave concerns and beliefs. Folks there on the 31st were from all parties, and the common theme was we are tired of the government trying to run our lives and do our thinking for us; we are appalled at the extremes the government is going to in order to get their way. We have come together in Flagstaff three times this year, and each time our numbers grow. And we will continue to fight against the insanity of putting our nation further and further in debt to enact these bills that are designed to wrest control from the voter and force them into programs that they are against. As for assertions that we have no alternative plan to the plans that are currently being pushed by the libs, we have repeatedly pushed for tort reform to enable doctors to care for patients without having to order tests simply to protect them from liability issues.As to fostering competition in the Insurance industry, why not open up the barriers between states to allow people who are looking for coverage to compare all available coverage?Those changes could go a long way to increase coverage and reduce the cost of health care without risking the chaotic changes that could come about as a result of the current bills being considered.

545 vs 300,000,000

EVERY CITIZEN NEEDS TO READ THIS AND THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS JOURNALIST HAS SCRIPTED IN THIS MESSAGE. READ IT AND THEN REALLY THINK ABOUT OUR CURRENT POLITICAL DEBACLE.Charley Reese has been a journalist for 49 years.
545 PEOPLE
By Charlie Reese
Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does.You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.You and I don't write the tax code. Congress does.You and I don't set fiscal policy. Congress does.You and I don't control monetary policy. The Federal Reserve Bank does.One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board, because that problem was created by Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated is responsibility to a privately held bank.
I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party. What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force Congress to accept it.The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? Nancy Pelosi. She is the leader of the majority party. She and fellow House members, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the president vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist. If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.If the Army & Marines are in Iraq, it's because they want them in Iraq.
If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.There are no insoluble government problems.Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do. Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible. They, and they alone, have the power.They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses, provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees.We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess! Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper. What you do with this article now that you have read it, is up to you.

Health Care Reform - new links

In an effort to better educate myself on potential alternatives to government run health care, I am doing research to determine what proposed solutions are already out there. I came across a couple of interesting articles this morning, and I am posting links here and on the right side panel as well:
First is from the Council for Affordable Health Insurance's Issues and Answers, Sept. 2009
http://www.cahi.org/cahi_contents/resources/pdf/n156GuaranteedAccess.pdf
Next is an article from the Wall Street Journal, entitled 'McCain is right on interstate Health Insurance, October 1, 2008
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122282743245193057.html
Both articles go into detail about how interstate health insurance can help make coverage affordable for all who do not currently have coverage, and how 'high risk pools' would be paid for.
I am also doing research on Medical Malpractice Reform to see what facts are currently out there, and to get a better idea of how savings would be realized as a result of implementation of reforms, so stay tuned.

Antidote for Anger

Much has been said recently about how angry Conservatives have become, disrupting town hall meetings, shouting at Health Care forums, organizing rallies to loudly voice their opposition to Cap and Trade, the ever-growing deficit, out of control spending, ever-growing government, outrage over the ‘Czars’ that surround our President… I could go on and on, but you get it.
A couple of thoughts about anger: I have heard that anger is fear turned outward, so we must identify what we are afraid of. Usually, fear occurs when we are afraid 1) we will lose something we have, or 2) we won’t get something we want. I think we all know what we’re afraid of, so the next step is to determine what we can do to overcome the fear. Here’s my antidote: ACTION!
So… you’re thinking, ‘What can I do?”. And I understand if you think that nothing you do or say will make a difference. I, too, have felt overwhelmed when I see the magnitude of events that have occurred over the past years, especially since last year’s election. But I think the election did more to galvanize many of us than we realize.
So what action have I taken? Well, back in November of last year I started this blog, partially because I needed to take stock of what I believed in, what I stand for, and what I am dead set against. But also, I wanted to reach out to others who share my beliefs to support and encourage others to get into action. We have a lot of work ahead of us, and we need to decide what to do and how to do it.
Another thing I have done is to become a Precinct Committeewoman for our local Precinct. Each precinct has a number of positions open, and this is the most grass-roots thing you can do to become an active citizen of your county. Each precinct committee seat gives your county chair person a vote at the state level for your party. Without the bodies, your chair person has no voice at the state level. Our county had only 8 precinct committeemen at the beginning of this year… now we have over 50, thanks to our county chairman really putting out the effort to recruit new PC’s.
I have also been writing to my elected representatives to let them know how I feel about proposed legislation, and I am also actively writing letters to the editor of our local newspaper to espouse our positions on issues in the news and editorials.
I attend the meetings of our local Republican Women’s group each month where we have elected representatives, candidates for office, and others in to talk to us about issues, pending legislation, etc. I listen carefully, and do what I can to support those who I believe in.If you have watched the videos posted earlier of the August 31 TEA Party Express rally, you may remember the speech given by State Senator Russell Pearce, R-Mesa. Senator Pearce made a very strong case for being engaged in your local community. I know… believe me I know how busy we all are! I am busier now than when I still went to work 4 days a week! But I’m really not going to let the ‘Progressives’ (Progressives? Give me a break!) take over while we sleep and walk around with blinders on. I don’t think it’s too late to correct our course, but we don’t dare wait any longer to ACT! I hope you'll join me...

August 31 Flagstaff TEA party video

Okay, as promised, we have video of the August 31 TEA party held in Flagstaff, Az. It runs 3+ hours, so we have broken it up into 8 parts:
Video Part 1
Video Part 2
Video Part 3
Video Part 4
Video Part 5
Video Part 6
Video Part 7
Video Part 8

Enjoy!

August 31 Flagstaff Tea Party

Whew! I finally got the pictures uploaded and edited... over 40 of them! I won't be posting them all here, but this will give you an idea of the event.

We arrived early... before 5pm, and there were already over 100 people there. By the time the event began, the number had grown to over 1000, and they were enthusiastic, smiling even while many carried signs describing their dissatisfaction and disgust with the skull-duggery going on in our Nation's Capitol.

Several current and past office holders were on hand, both Republicans and Democrats, to urge us to keep fighting to have our voices heard by those in Washington DC:

State Treasurer Dean Martin, former Coconino County Sheriff Joe Richards, and State Senator Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, were on hand to encourage us to speak out against big government, skyrocketing deficit spending, and legislation designed to destroy our Republic.

By the way, there was a valiant little band of Health Care supporters waving signs across the road from our rally... you have to look really hard to see them! I think their numbers swelled to about 8 at one time...

I'll leave you with this image... several people in the crowd were waving the flag flown in distress mode, which is an indication that we really are serious about our concerns for the direction our government is taking, and unless we let them know that we will take action, they will continue to take us down as a nation... America, stand up and fight!

Video to follow...

August 31 Tea Party Rally

Just a quick note to say I have a bunch of pictures to post from last night's Tea Party rally... it was a raging success with over a thousand in attendance! Also, as soon as it's edited, the video my husband took will be available here as well, so stay tuned!

Alternatives to proposed changes to health care

I belong to an online forum of members of my H.S. graduating class. Recently, we have had several lively discussions going regarding potential changes to our health care system. Today, one of the members posted this, and I think it has a lot of good points which I would like to see considered by our legislators. So I am posting it here, then I plan to send it on to my elected representatives. If you agree, feel free to cut and paste into an e-mail you can forward on to your representatives... let's show them we are doing more than rejecting their proposals!

Let's solve the uninsured problem first, assuming it is as big a problem as some would have us believe?. Why don't we leave private health care and private health insurance alone? Most people have a health plan. Most people who have it like it. For those who do not, they can seek redress in the marketplace or by way of minor changes to health insurance regulation.
Why not require health insurance and require it to be reported on tax returns. For those who have qualifying insurance, great, no problem, life goes on. Qualifying insurance would have to have certain coverage and certain deductibles. For those who do not have a qualifying plan, they would pay for Medicaid through an additional tax via a means tested sliding scale. For those who do not have insurance but can afford it ( e.g. pre-existing condition), they would pay something close to market rates. For those who do not have insurance because they can't afford it, they would pay for Medicaid based upon their reported income. Obviously, some would pay nothing, others would pay something. Their care might not be the same as private insurance, they might have longer waits, but they would have some reasonable coverage. Some uninsured might even decide to buy there own private insurance. For those who oppose healthcare on religious grounds, there may be an exception. However, however, faith only goes so far when you are suffering a bleeding head wound.
There would be penalties for those who show up demanding care who do not have insurance and did not sign up for Medicare, including illegal aliens. All would be treated but would be thereafter dealt with. Illegal aliens would likely be deported. Others might face criminal penalties.
Obviously, the number of people on Medicaid would increase and the costs would increase. Everyone might need to pay an increased tax (maybe .5%) to cover the increased cost. However, this would be way less than the trillions of dollars some are asking for.
This seems to make a lot more sense than changing our entire system. Thereafter, we can look at ways to control health care costs from a market approach rather than government controlled approach. Funny, if people are required to pay for care, they might make lifestyle changes that reduce their exposure to disease.

Charles Krauthammer

A fellow conservative sent this to me, and I felt it was appropriate to post it here:

Dr. Krauthammer is on Fox News. He is an M.D. and he is paralyzed from the neck down. Be forewarned on what is happening. A friend went to hear Charles Krauthammer. He listened with 25 others in a closed room. What he says here, is NOT 2nd-hand, but 1st. You would do well to read and pass this along to EVERYBODY that loves his country. This is VERY serious for the direction of our country. The ramifications are staggering for us and our children Last Monday was a profound evening, hearing Dr. Charles Krauthammer speak to the Center for the American Experiment. He is brilliant intellectual, seasoned and articulate. He is forthright and careful in his analysis, and never resorts to emotions or personal insults. He is NOT a fear monger nor an extremist in his comments and views. He is a fiscal conservative, and has a Pulitzer Prize for writing. He is a frequent contributor to Fox News and writes weekly for the Washington Post. The entire room was held spellbound during his talk. I have shared this with many of you and several have asked me to summarize his comments, as we are living in uncharted waters economically and internationally. Even 2 Dems at my table agreed with everything he said! If you feel like forwarding this to those who are open minded and have not drunk the Kool-Aid, feel free.
Summary of his comments:
1. Mr. Obama is a very intellectual, charming individual. He is not to be underestimated. He is a cool customer who doesn't show his emotions. It's very hard to know what's behind the mask. Taking down the Clinton dynasty from a political neophyte was an amazing accomplishment. The Clintons still do not understand what hit them. Obama was in the perfect place at the perfect time.
2. Obama has political skills comparable to Reagan and Clinton. He has a way of making you think he's on your side, agreeing with your position, while doing the opposite. Pay no attention to what he SAYS; rather, watch what he DOES!
3. Obama has a ruthless quest for power. He did not come to Washington to make something out of himself, but rather to change everything, including dismantling capitalism. He can't be straightforward on his ambitions, as the public would not go along. He has a heavy hand, and wants to level the playing field with income redistribution and punishment to the achievers of society. He would like to model the USA to Great Britain or Canada .
4. His three main goals are to control ENERGY, PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND NATIONAL HEALTH CARE by the Federal government. He doesn't care about the auto or financial services industries, but got them as an early bonus. The cap and trade will add costs to everything and stifle growth. Paying for FREE college education is his goal. Most scary is his healthcare program, because if you make it FREE and add 46,000,000 people to a Medicare-type single-payer system, the costs will go through the roof. The only way to control costs is with massive RATIONING of services, like in Canada. God forbid.
5. He has surrounded himself with mostly far-left academic types. No one around him has ever even run a candy store. But they are going to try and run the auto, financial, banking and other industries. This obviously can't work in the long run. Obama is not a socialist; rather he's a far-left secular progressive bent on nothing short of revolution. He ran as a moderate, but will govern from the hard left. Again, watch what he does, not what he says.
6. Obama doesn't really see himself as President of the United States , but more as a ruler over the world. He sees himself above it all, trying to orchestrate and coordinate various countries and their agendas. He sees moral equivalency in all cultures. His apology tour in Germany and England was a prime example of how he sees America, as an imperialist nation that has been arrogant, rather than a great noble nation that has at times made errors. This is the first President ever who has chastised our allies and appeased our enemies!
7. He is now handing out goodies. He hopes that the bill (and pain) will not come due until after he is re-elected in 2012. He would like to blame all problems on Bush from the past, and hopefully his successor in the future. He has a huge ego, and Mr. Krauthammer believes he is a narcissist.
8. Republicans are in the wilderness for a while, but will emerge strong. We're pining for another Reagan, but there will never be another like him. Krauthammer believes Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty and Bobby Jindahl (except for his terrible speech in February) are the future of the party. Newt Gingrich is brilliant, but has baggage. Sarah Palin is sincere and intelligent, but needs to really be seriously boning up on facts and info if she is to be a serious candidate in the future. We need to return to the party of lower taxes, smaller government, personal responsibility, strong national defense, and states rights.
9. The current level of spending is irresponsible and outrageous. We are spending trillions that we doen't have. This could lead to hyper-inflation, depression or worse. No country has ever spent themselves into prosperity. The media is giving Obama, Reid and Pelosi a pass because they love their agenda. But eventually the bill will come due and people will realize the huge bail outs didn't work, nor will the stimulus package. These were trillion-dollar payoffs to Obama's allies, unions and the Congress to placate the left, so he can get support for #4 above.
10. The election was over in mid-September when Lehman brothers failed, fear and panic swept in, we had an unpopular President, and the war was grinding on indefinitely without a clear outcome. The people are in pain, and the mantra of change caused people to act emotionally. Any Dem would have won this election; it was surprising it was as close as it was.
11. In 2012, if the unemployment rate is over 10%, Republicans will be swept back into power. If it's under 8%, the Dems continue to roll. If it's between 8-10%, it will be a dogfight. It will all be about the economy. I hope this gets you really thinking about what's happening in Washington and Congress. There is a left-wing revolution going on, according to Krauthammer, and he encourages us to keep the faith and join the loyal resistance. The work will be hard, but we're right on most issues and can reclaim our country, before it's far too late.

Special guest

Yesterday was our 'Independence Month' BBQ, and our special guest speaker was Senator John McCain. Nice to hear from someone who spends his time at the front, fighting the good fight. They're few and hard to come by!

We were also looking for more folks to become Precinct Committe men or women... hope we got some new recruits!

Good food, good turnout, and we didn't get drenched like we have the past couple of years!

Letter to the editor re: Tea Party

The following letter was published in today's Arizona Daily Sun:
Friday, July 10, 2009 To the editor:I see that the tax haters are having another "tea party" demonstration. Here's my advice to them this Fourth of July weekend. Stay off all U.S. and interstate highways. They were paid for with tax money. Stay out of all national parks, national monuments, national forests, national wilderness areas and national wildlife refuges.Call your parents or grandparents. Wish them a happy Independence Day and tell them they should give back every dime of Social Security they have received since they retired. But don't send an e-mail. Don't even use the Internet. Your tax dollars created it.Forget about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, commonly known as the CDC, developing a vaccine or an antidote for the H1N1 flu virus. You're all rugged individualists. Have a nice flu season.And how fitting that you choose to assemble and speak out on the Fourth of July. Federal tax dollars have paid for America's military for 233 years. That's the same military that gave you the right to assemble and to speak your mind. And your tax dollars pay for the Veterans Affairs health, disability and education services for those who served so you can have your little tea party. Enjoy your holiday.

In the interest of maintaing privacy, I am withholding the name of the letter writer. I know him, and do not wish to cause any problems. But I did take exception to his letter, so I have sent the following reply to the editor:

With all due respect to the gentleman who wrote about ‘Tax Haters’, what we gathered together to demonstrate about on July 4th was our grave concern for the generations to come who have been saddled with an enslaving debt by our elected representatives. We want our voice to be heard clearly by those representatives: use Common Sense and quit spending like we are a bottomless pit of wealth! Read the bill before you vote, and if you don’t have time to read it, vote it down! Instead of the taxes you collect having to go to pay the interest on the ever-growing national debt, maybe you will be able to spend some of it on the highways, securing our borders, improving our schools and caring for those who are unable to care for themselves. And above all, remember that you took a vow to protect and defend the Constitution, not shred it through mismanagement, greed and power plays. This message is for all elected representatives, regardless of party affiliation. The American citizens are fed up, and we’re watching very carefully!

We'll see if it gets published...

July 4th Flagstaff Tea Party

We attended the "Angry Grandparents' Tea Party", as my husband refers to it, on the 4th. We had a great turnout, lots of great signs, and some good speakers. And the weather held until after we were done!

Here's what it looked like:

And here is a picture of Bradley Beauchamp, who has declared his candidacy for the Congressional race in 2010:

I have heard him speak on 3 occasions, and he's got my vote! Check him out at http://www.beauchampforcongress.com/. We need more people like him running to help restore the Constitution and rid Washington of the insanity that has been gripping it for some time.

Oh! And we were told that the National Tea Party will be coming through Flagstaff on Monday, August 31st and will be at City Hall at 6pm. Hope to see you there!

Independence Day thoughts

To remind us of what we are celebrating today, here are a few thoughts from our Founding Fathers:

"The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty, and the destiny of the republican model of government, are justly considered deeply, perhaps as finally, staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people." -George Washington

"The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil Constitution, are worth defending at all hazards." -Samuel Adams

"Wherever the standard of freedom and independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will be America's heart, her benedictions and prayers, but she goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator of her own." -John Adams

"A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor and bread it has earned -- this is the sum of good government." -Thomas Jefferson

We need to get back to basics, and remember from where we came.

Happy Independence Day!

History...

Recently, at a Conservative function, the following quotation from Abraham Lincoln was read:

" You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by encouraging class hatred. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn. You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves. "

I was struck by the timeliness of the statement, and felt it was worth sharing, in case you haven't read or heard it before. There is another one, and I forget who originated it, and this is paraphrasing: "...those who ignore history are destined to repeat it...".
Both sentiments are so pertinent to our current situation in this country, that it makes my hair stand up on end!

4th of July Tea Party!

Now that Congress is probably making your blood boil, join us on a warm summer day to make your voices heard!
We're having a TEA PARTY!

Right after the Flagstaff 4th of July Parade
Come see the fun that is the Flagstaff 4th of July Parade. This awesome event makes you proud to be an American.Join us after the parade at 12 noon in front of Flagstaff City Hall for our 2nd Tea Party! We'll make our voices heard as we work to defend the Constitution of the United States of America.Joining us again will be Constitutional Scholar Bradley Beauchamp, who will be making an exciting announcement about your future. You won't want to miss this!We'll also be making an announcement about an upcoming national event that will be held in Flagstaff that will blow you away!
WHAT: Flagstaff Tea Party
WHEN: July 4th, 12 Noon
WHERE: Flagstaff City Hall Front Lawn

MORE INFO: 928.814.2187 or 928.635.4541
Sincerely,
Flagstaff Tea Party Coordinators

Cap and Trade bill

Amazing... this bill passed 219-212, and 8 Republicans voted in favor of it. That means if they had stuck to their guns, it would have failed. Instead, our Congresswoman, Ann Kirkpatrick, was one of the 44 Democrats who voted against it! Kudos to Congresswoman Kirkpatrick! And shame on everyone who voted to pass this legislation. Having worked for a Natural Gas utility for over 34 years, I know how 'well meaning' legislation can have a devastating impact on the ability of companies to survive.
What apalls me is that as a nation, no... this is global, not national... the world is in the midst of a financial crisis for which the end is still not in sight. Our legislators have indebted us for generations, now they are forging ahead to cripple our ability to maintain Capitalism as a way of life. Just as a reminder to myself, and maybe to jog the memory of those who read this: are we for, or against, big government? Do we want Big Brother running our lives? Do we want to become a totalitarian state? Did we not elect the representatives who are now striving to destroy our way of life? Can we now pledge to do everything we can as citizens of this nation to remove those from office who put our way of life in jeopardy? Isn't it time we spoke up and let our voices be heard? I'm taking the pledge... I am going to be doing a lot of communicating with our elected representatives from now on. They will become sick of hearing from me, but I don't care. How else will they know how I want them to vote? And by the way, I am also a Precinct Committee person, and plan to do a lot of communicating with those in my Precinct who will listen. Elections keep coming up, and if we don't get some substantial results from the current crop of representatives, then let's vote 'em out and get some in there who have the sense to know you don't keep writing laws you can't afford to enact; you don't keep raising the national debt to the point of bankrupting the nation! Start screaming, America, before it's too late!

Keep yer f____n' hands OFF!

That's what I want to tell our legislators... keep your hands OFF my insurance! I have a perfectly wonderful policy, which I EARNED from my company... one of the reasons I stayed with them for 34 1/2 years... and I really, REALLY don't want the Government dickin' around with it! I know... I know, not everyone has insurance, for various reasons. And yes, I think it would be great if the INSURANCE INDUSTRY would work to make affordable insurance a reality for people who do not have coverage through their jobs or other means. What I don't want and will fight to prevent, is the government doing any thing to mess with those of us who don't want and/or need their meddling attempts to take over and force us to go with the government's 'Plan'. So to my legislators, thanks but NO THANKS! And to the Insurance companies, the time to act is now... or you'll be working for a new boss, and buying your insurance from him!

Lubbock Texas Tea Party

I received this just now, and thought it was well worth posting:

WOW! LUBBOCK TEXAS TEA PARTY.......... HIP HIP HOORAY FOR THIS GUY AT THE TEA PARTY, a black man, Dr. Donald May deliveredthis message from the courthouse steps in Lubbock . He electrified the audience like I haven't seen in a long time. His delivery was masterful. I am sorry you could not see him in action. Anyway, I thought you might enjoy his words. The news media were there, but not one word of this man’s appearance ever appeared on TV or in print, even though he completely dominated the scene.Ralph McLaughlin
Dr. May's Tea Party Speech

"Ladies and gentlemen, This is a time for courage."We are gathered here today on the Plains of West Texas incommon purpose. We are here to remind our government that this is our country, We the People are still in charge, and our government is still our servant and not our master.."Our Nation’s founding document is The Declaration of Independence. It tells us that our rights come from God and not from a small group of elite men and women."Our Constitution starts with the words “We the People.” OurConstitution was written for ordinary Americans like you and me. Our Constitution protects us from our government and from the politicians."Our President has complained that our Constitution gives ordinary people too much protection. He has ridiculed us for the high value we place on our Bibles, our guns, our personal property, and our liberty. He tells us we do not deserve to keep the money we have earned. We are told freedom has not worked. Personal responsibility, free enterprise, and Liberty have not been effective. Our government will now make more of our decisions for us. Other than our military, I can think of not one government agency I have ever found to be helpful."And speaking of our military, how about those Navy Seals blowing the heads off those three terrorist pirates? Don’t you just wish our entire government would function with such efficiency, professionalism, and courage? We watch in disbelief as our beloved United States is weakened economically, militarily, and morally by a radical President and his eager accomplices. What has taken generations to build is systematically destroyed and replaced with the same Socialist evil that brought poverty, destruction, and despair to untold hundreds of millions."The problems we face today have occurred because we have not defended our Nation from Socialism. For too long we have allowed the wrong people to make the worst possible decisions. The Bible warns us of class hatred. The radical leadership of our government daily fans the evil flames of class envy. Our European and Canadian friends beg us to not make the same Socialist mistakes they did. The President of the European Union warned our President that his Socialist economic plans are taking the world down the “road to Hell.”"The path to power for Socialists includes taking God and guns from thecitizens. Without spiritual and physical protection, people cannotdefend themselves and their liberty. They soon become slaves. We are angered that our President apologizes for the exceptionalism and heroism of the United States of America. We are deeply troubled he told others the United States is not a Christian nation. We are angered that we have been called cowards and racists because we oppose Socialism. Socialism is not racial. Socialism is an equal opportunity destroyer.We are angered that a recent Department of Homeland Security report has singled out our military men and women who are returning home as being radical threats. The report also characterizes you and me as right-wing extremists and radicals because we favor smaller government and lower taxes."You and I are average citizens who believe just like most of our fellow Americans. We want our government to leave us alone and to keep its hands off our money, our religion, or guns, our private property, and our lives. We demand that our government stop spending money it does not have."Stop confiscating our money and private property."Stop printing money."Stop subsidizing Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the other failed financial institutions and companies."Mr. President, stop appointing tax cheats to positions of power and influence."Mr. President, secure our borders."Mr. President, do not divert money from our missile defense, F-22Raptors, and other vital military equipment. This gives encouragement, aid, and comfort to our enemies.
Protecting us is your number one job."Mr. President, do not give voting rights to millions of illegal aliens and felons. You have no more right to create new voters for your benefit than you do to use our money to buy the 2010 Elections."We gather peacefully here today because there is a growing concern for what our government is doing to us and to our future. We fear for the very survival of our Republic. Yet there is much to make us hopeful and to fill our hearts with optimism and courage. This is still our Country! The Constitution of the Unites Statesbelongs to We the People. Our Constitution still protects us from our government."Call every possible elected official, including our President, Vice President, and the Speaker of the House. Demand that they stop stealing our money and giving it to ACORN and their other political supporters in order to buy votes. Call Senators Cornyn and Hutchison, and (your) Representative. Thank them. Urge them to do much more. Remind them now is a time for action and not for campaigning. "Volunteer to work on our 2010 Census. Confront ACORN. Keep our Census honest. We must not allow our President to take control of our Census for his political advantage."We must replace as much of our far left Congress as possible in 2010.Get involved. Do not let ACORN control our 2010 Election."Talk with someone every day who does not understand our Nations history and our great heritage. Tell them why the United States is a good and prosperous nation. It still remains that brightly lit city on the hill. It still is the best hope for all mankind."Talk with all of the young people you can find. They are our future. Many do not understand what they have and that their future is beingdestroyed."Encourage your elected State officials to pass legislation that will protect us from our Federal government. Governor Rick Perry and others are doing that right now for Texas. Thank them and pray for them."This is a time for strong peaceful action. Let us pray that ‘We the People’ can quickly return our government to its Constitutional responsibilities. Our President and Congress were elected to be ourservants and not our masters."May God help our President and Congress to quickly realize the error of their way s and stop their reckless and unwarranted spending, cut our taxes, and reduce the size of our Federal Bureaucracy.God grant us the courage and determination to vote them out of power next year. "May God richly bless and protect each of you, and our Constitution, as together we pursue Liberty!" Delivered at the Lubbock, Texas, TEA Party by Dr. Donald MayTax Day, 15 April 2009

Flagstaff TEA party video

Here is my hubby's video of the Wednesday Flagstaff TEA party:
http://24.121.126.182/april15rally.wmv

Flagstaff TEA party a raging success!

In spite of frigid temperatures and gusty winds, over 200 people showed up at Flagstaff City Hall yesterday to let their voices be heard. Hoisting hand made signs and American Flags, they stood on Route 66 and waved at cars driving by, receiving honks of support in return.

Speakers inspired the crowd as they stood in the cold.

Samples of the hand made signs viewed at the TEA party

State Sovereignity Under 10th Amendment

The groundswell is increasing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LHrIxc-QyE

Come to the TEA Party!

Are you fed up with a Congress and a president who:

• Vote for a $500 billion tax bill without even reading it?
  
• Are spending trillions of borrowed dollars, leaving a debt our great-grandchildren will be paying?
  
• Consistently give special interest groups billions of dollars in earmarks to help get themselves re-elected?
  
• Want to take your wealth and redistribute it to others?
  
• Punish those who practice responsible financial behavior and reward those who do not?
  
• Admit to using the financial hurt of millions as an opportunity to push their political agenda?
  
• Run up trillions of dollars of debt and then sell that debt to countries such as China?
  
• Want government controlled health care?
  
• Want to take away the right to vote with a secret ballot in union elections?
  
• Refuse to stop the flow of millions of illegal immigrants into our country?
  
• Appoint a defender of child pornography to the number two position in the Justice Department?
  
• Want to force doctors and other medical workers to perform abortions against their will?
  
• Want to impose a carbon tax on your electricity, gas and home heating fuels?
  
• Want to reduce your tax deductibility for charitable gifts?
  
• Take money from your family budget to pay for their federal budget?
  

If so, participate in the TAX Day TEA party rally, the Taxed Enough Already (TEA) party.Bring your cell phone and call Congress and the president while attending the TAX Day TEA party rally (Representative and Senators, 202-224-3121; President, 202-456-1414). Tell Every American about this effort by forwarding this invitation to your friends. Together we can make a difference.

View the Budget process

I just posted a link on the right side to a video of Arizona's Secretary of State, Ken Bennett, explaining the legislature's budget process. It runs 58 minutes, which is a long time, but it is very revealing and worth the view, I think. It clarified for me what I think is a basic flaw in their process, and I imagine that this mindset is not just limited to Arizona. Check it out...

Interesting website

I have been getting periodic e-mails from a source that apparently got my name by mistake... the name of the organization is truemajority.org. I was going to reprint some info from their website, but it's available if you want to see it. What struck me is how well they are diseminating their message. One thing I think we conservatives could use more of is well-worded messages.

Today, my hubby and I attended the monthly luncheon meeting of the Flagstaff Republican Women. We always have a speaker, and this time it was our newly appointed Secretary of State, Ken Bennett. Ken was the former leader of the State Senate until he reached his term limits. Ken put on a visual and informative presentation today explaining our state's budget, and how we went from having a 'Rainy Day' fund and ending balance to being heavily in debt and being faced with having to increase taxes and take out loans to meet our financial obligations. Absoloutely amazing how a body of 'legislators' -- and I use the term facetiously -- can project revenue, discover we came in short of projections, then turn around and project revenue increases for the next two budget years, AND increase spending! How did they balance the budget? Robbed several other funds to cover their asses... if this doesn't get the voters out, I don't know what will! But it won't, sadly... we had 30 people at the luncheon... a miniscule fraction of the registered Republicans in our community. And therein, I think, lies the problem. How to get the message out to the people who can do something about it! Well, my hubby videotaped the presentation, and as soon as he has it formatted, I will put it here for anyone who wants to spend an hour listening to a very well-done presentation. Even if you don't live in Flagstaff, you might be interested in the budget process used. I'm sure it's not too different from the process used in other states or at the federal level. And it's atrocious! So stay tuned...

Understanding the Stimulus Bill

Shortly after class, an economics student approaches his economics professor and says, "I don't understand this stimulus bill. Can you explain it to me?" The professor replied, "I don't have any time to explain it at my office, but if you come over to my house on Saturday and help me with my weekend project, I'll be glad to explain it to you." The student agreed. At the agreed-upon time, the student showed up at the professor's house. The professor stated that the weekend project involved his backyard pool. They both went out back to the pool, and the professor handed the student a bucket. Demonstrating with his own bucket, the professor said, "First, go over to the deep end, and fill your bucket with as much water as you can." The student did as he was instructed. The professor then continued, "Follow me over to the shallow end, and then dump all the water from your bucket into it." The student was naturally confused, but did as he was told. The professor then explained they were going to do this many more times, and began walking back to the deep end of the pool. The confused student asked, "Excuse me, but why are we doing this?" The professor matter-of-factly stated that he was trying to make the shallow end much deeper. The student didn't think the economics professor was serious, but figured that he would find out the real story soon enough. However, after the 6th trip between the shallow end and the deep end, the student began to become worried that his economics professor had gone mad. The student finally replied, "All we're doing is wasting valuable time and effort on unproductive pursuits. Even worse, when this process is all over, everything will be at the same level it was before, so all you'll really have accomplished is the destruction of what could have been truly productive action!" The professor put down his bucket and replied with a smile, "Congratulations. You now understand the stimulus bill."

Amnesty bill

I haven't been saying a lot on this blog lately... partly because I have been pretty overwhelmed with the goings on in Washington. I just got this video clip in the mail, and felt it was important enough to pass on, in case you didn't see it when it aired on CNN:

On the upside, I watched Rush Limbaugh give his talk at CPAC today... no matter what anyone thinks of him personally, if you believe in conservative values, he is our best spokesperson... just wish more people would actually listen to what he says!

Letter to the editor

The other day, the following opinion letter appeared in our local paper:

When dust settles, what will you do?
Friday, February 20, 2009
To the editor:Can you see it? The dust is settling around those who "have" and the ones who "don't." The greed that has run rampant through this nation continues trying to shore up crumbling walls holding together a sick room. In the meantime, the children, the aged, the jobless, those in need of vocational rehab, and generally the ones who "don't have" are caught in the settling dust.
Not that they can settle there, because many of the services they need to weather these times are being yanked away. Their voices are mere backdrop noise, as the wealthy scramble over their bodies, trying to hold onto the dream they thought they'd realized.Please don't tell me that you've worked all your life and deserve what you have. I understand. We just made different choices -- and my choices didn't involve accumulation.Instead? My family shared what we had, and my kids understand that a life well-lived isn't measured in tangible items. The sweeping societal changes require all of our immediate attention and focus. It's time to shore up our society. I know you can see it. What will you do about it?

Well, the steam built up in my head enough to go to the computer and fire off this response:

" At the risk of offending the author, you need to understand that I HAVE worked hard all my life! I was told when I was growing up 'the Lord helps those who help themselves', 'there are no free lunches', 'if you want it done, do it yourself', and other pointed but useful homilies. They taught me to stand on my own two feet, to value hard work, to share what I could, but I also grew up with a fierce love of freedom! I don't want the Government with a capital 'G' to do my thinking for me, nor do I want them to strip me of all I have worked hard for, although their incompetence and ineptitude has done a pretty good job of that in recent months. Don't you dare tell me that I don't get to reap at least some of the rewards of my hard labor! I have sacrificed a great deal over the years to keep a roof over our head, food on the table, pay the bills on time, and still try to sock some away for retirement, which I am in right now. What will I do about those who 'don't have? Ask them respectfully to work as hard as they can, scrimp, save, do without non-essentials, just like I have done! "

Apparently, I wasn't the only one who got a little peeved by this letter, as I just looked and there are a number of responses recorded on the website. I don't think the author understands that if those of us who have worked hard, put aside some money for emergencies, and didn't spend ourselves into debt, turn around and give away the money we have saved, then we will be standing in line for assistance along with those who are there already. Either that, or we will be reduced to living hand to mouth on what is left. As it is, my husband and I both drive OLD vehicles, which probably ticks off the environmentalists, but who can afford what it costs to buy a newer car these days? And we both wear old clothes, which I don't mind. We rarely eat out. But we do get the bills paid on time... that's a life-long habit. At any rate, I just couldn't turn a blind eye to the insinuation that if we aren't dirt poor, that we are evil Capitalists, without speaking up for the values I was raised to respect, and still do!

Harrison Schmitt re: global warming

I just heard a news item about former astronaut Harrison Schmitt, who stated recently that the:
"global warming scare is being used as a political tool to increase government control over American lives, incomes and decision making."
You can read the entire article here:

http://www.demingheadlight.com/ci_11712902

I am glad that more scientists are speaking out on this issue, which I feel is blown out of all proportion.

On another note, I have been trying to get my arms around the way the stimulus package is going to work for those of us who are retired, although we still pay taxes to the state and federal government for our pensions. What I heard today is that we will not be receiving lump-sum check this year like we did in 2007; instead, our taxes will be reduced by a pittance each week, on the theory that receiving smaller regular payments will encourage us to buy more, rather than pay down our debt or save for emergencies, large purchases, etc.
Why am I surprised? The powers that be have been using totally insane 'logic' so far to deal with the economic crisis, so why should I expect them to regain sanity now?
On that note, I would like to wish you all happy early Washington's Birthday, and a belated happy Lincoln's birthday... and for those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, these milestones actually used to be celebrated on the actual dates, not a generic, made-up date to make another 3-day weekend... Oh, well!

Yahoo article on the economy

I just got this off of Yahoo... would have linked to the story, but they have a way of disappearing after awhile. Also, I wanted to emphasize a few points (see sentences bolded in red... my emphasis). I have added a few thoughts after the article.

Why This Recession Seems Worse Than '70s and '80s
Friday February 13, 2009, 11:37 am EST

If you think this recession is the worst since World War II, chances are you weren't born or working during the downturns of the 1970s and '80s, you're listening to President Obama too much or you're a white-collar worker in financial services.
If all three are true, you may even think we're on the verge of another Great Depression. At this point, the only thing that may be true is your age and employment status.

"The current situation has nothing in common with the Great Depression," says economist Steve Hanke of the Cato Institute and Johns Hopkins University. "The sooner they [in Washington] stop spinning the bad news story and say nothing, the sooner we'll be more confident." Hanke is not alone in dismissing what appears to be a potent cocktail of misinformation and doom and gloom, wherein the current recession-now in its 13th month-is already considered worse than the 16-month ones of 1973-1975 and 1980-1982.
"We were pretty scared in '82; things looked horrible for awhile," says Bob Stovall of Wood Asset management and a 55-year veteran of the securities business. "I don't think you can say it's worse than then; its different. You have changed the landscape but you did that in the Midwest when you forced a lot
of rust-belt companies to the wall." "This time it's financial firms going out of business, instead of manufacturing ones, and the jobs are going with them," explains Stovall. "I do think that's part of it," says Robert Brusca, chief economist at Fact & Opinion Economics, saying that. "They're the ones making the pronouncements. People in the financial sector are getting crushed." They're not the only ones selling doom and gloom, though. "I don't remember a president talking down the economy as much as President
Obama," says economist Chris Rupkey of Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi. "The economy is very psychological. There's a herd instinct." That herd instinct kicked into overdrive after the sudden collapse of Lehman
Brothers, when many say the economy fell off a cliff and a classical cyclical downturn merged with a nasty one-of-kind credit crunch. So yes, economists agree things are bad, but they need to be put into perspective.
Employment
At this point, the current recession is worse than those of the '70s and '80s by
only one statistical yardstick, and that's the unusually quick ascent in the jobless rate-from 4.4 percent in March 2007 to 7.6 percent in January 2008. "People are reacting so adversely to this is because the job market has become so weak," explains Brusca. But even though the sharp decline in payrolls over the past three months has been stunning, it is not as bad on a percentage basis as one period in 1974-1975, according to David Resler, chief economist at Nomura International. Resler says the economy would have to lose some 767,000 jobs a month over a three-month period from the current employment level to match that miserable
performance.
During the 1973-1975 and 1980-1982 periods the unemployment rate almost doubled (4.6-9.0 percent, 5.6-10.8 percent, respectively), which means a peak of about 8.6-8.8 percent this time around. In further contrast, during a ten-month stretch in 1983-1983, the jobless rate was above 10-percent. Nevertheless, that's nothing compared to the Great Depression when the unemployment rate went from 3 percent to almost 25 percent in four years and national income was halved, notes Hanke in a recent column.
Growth
Thought it may be little consolation for the millions of unemployed, GDP is considered by economists to be the best and broadest gauge of a recession. That may seem also peculiar since the economy actually grew in the first two quarters of this recession, but some of that had to do with the Federal Reserve's early and
aggressive interest rate cutting and the federal government's first stimulus plan which quickly put money into people's pockets. Given that backdrop, GDP contraction thus far has been modest. It's down 1.1 percent vs. 3.1 percent in the 1970s period, says Chris Rupkey. And though the economy shrunk at a 3.8 percent annualized rate in the fourth quarter of 2008 and is expected to decline another 4.0-6.0 percent in the first
quarter of 2009, imagine the reaction today to the 7.8 percent plunge in the second quarter of 1980 or consecutive swoons of 4.9 percent and 6.4 percent in 1981-1982.
"Half of the workforce until now hadn't seen more than 16 months of recession-total," quips Resler. The past two short (eight months) and relatively shallow. During the 1990-1991 recession, the deepest quarterly GDP decline was 3.0 percent; in the 2000-2001 one it was 1.4 percent. "GDP hasn't been that weak because the productivity increase is one of the best," says Brusca. "You get a quarter or two that really knocks the level
down," he adds, and it looks like we're at that stage now.
This time other fundamental factors are playing a bigger role than the past. "Consumer spending will be bad," says Resler. "We haven't three consecutive quarterly declines in consumer spending since the 1950s." He's definitely expecting a repeat of that.
It's Still Bad
Comparisons aside, no one is saying the current recession isn't a painful one, and some see very little reason for optimism. "I can't identify anything than looks good," says Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic Policy And Research, adding that business investment-which appeared to be holding up-posted its sharpest decline in 50 years in the final quarter of 2008. "I'd be shocked if we have growth this year," says Baker, even though he expects the Obama administration's stimulus plan to have a sizable economic positive
impact.
So may the words of the President and his advisors, say economists. "It's not surprising that politicians exaggerate this," says Resler, who predicts "The tone of the message is going to start changing immediately; now that we have the stimulus in hand, you enhance it by saying positive things."
Tunnel Thinking
For all the comparisons with other recessions, exaggerated or not, the most meaningful one may be its duration. It is also the toughest.
Economy: Full Coverage
The consensus is this recession will end sometime between the second half of 2009 and the beginning of 2010. The pessimists say wait till next year-period. David Jones, CEO of DMJ Advisors, is among those who see "hints of stability." By that he means, the rate of decline in areas like retail appear to be slowing.
"We'll see the same thing happening on the housing side in the next couple months," says Jones.
"I'm just waiting for the shift in people's expectations," adds Rupkey.

I got some good points out of this write-up, and unfortunately some bad ones too... I think we can all agree that we have some serious economic issues going on right now... the disagreement lies in what needs to be done to resolve the issues. That's where I really disagree with the polititians and the Obama administration. If this situation arose in my home, I don't think I would ever think about GROSSLY AND OBSCENELY INDEBTING myself in order to dig out of a financial dilemma. Instead, my inclination would be to see what I could do to cut unnecessary spending, consolidate debt, and rethink my financial policies going forward in order to PREVENT a recurrance of the situation. If a member of my family came to me because they were in dire economic straits and wanted my assistance, I would not put myself in debt to help them out! Instead, I would offer whatever assistance I thought appropriate, but would also suggest they do what I would do for myself in similar circumstances. So I guess what I would really like to ask our polititians is why they don't use the sense the Good Lord gave a retarded gnat, and stop using a serious situation to further their own pet projects? We did not send them to Washington to act in a totally insane, irresponsible manner, while trying to appear as our Saviors! Fear-mongering, pork-barrel spending, power plays... do nothing to solve our economic crisis or reassure the American taxpayers and voters that a solution is at hand. Instead, it is causing a crisis of confidence among us, which is making the situation worse, not better. Listen up, Washington! Our future, the future of this nation, is in your hands... don't blow it!

Made in the USA?

I recently forwarded an e-mail I received to our son who is in the Army, stationed stateside. The gist of the e-mail was:
'So my challenge to you is to start reading the labels when you shop for everyday things and see what you can find that is made in the USA - the job you save may be your own or your neighbors!'

Here is the reply I received from him:

I have had a personal boycott on Chinese made products for over a year now. Its not about buy in the USA for me. Its about how I don't want to support a government that uses forced abortion, sterilization, political prisoner slave labor in coal mines, and the general oppresion of their population for the purpose to remain in power and advance their influence around the world. Too many US. companies have outsourced their production overseas to ever know if it is really a "Made in the USA" product. A majority of American cars are built in Canada and Mexico, while Toyota, Honda, Nissan, BMW, Mercedes, and Hyundai build more cars here than Ford, GM, or Chyrsler. VW plans on building a plant here and Fiat is considering doing the same. The difference and why they don't get credit is their labor does not come from the UAW. They also buy from the same suppliers as US companies and many of their models are considered American. The Ford Focus and all of its components are made in Mexico but is considered American due to NAFTA. I could give more examples but I have made my point. Repeal NAFTA and renegotiate labor agreements to create real American Products and services at a competitve price. Forward that message to Washington for me because they won't listen to me.

He said I could post it here... and I can't add anything to improve the message!

Reality strikes...

I have formed an impression based on the recent news that the new Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner, and former Senator Thomas Daschle both failed to pay income taxes owed. I have no factual data to prove that either of these men intentionally failed to pay taxes, and I am not going to point fingers and cast aspersions. But the impression I do have is that too many facts are not coming to light during the 'vetting' process of potential candidates until late in the process, and I'm wondering why. In the case of the cabinet nominees, if indeed they filed in good faith, thinking they were paying what they owed on their taxes, then I have to ask: is it that they are not taking the time to fill out the forms correctly? Don't they have a tax person to advise them? Or is it that our tax system is soooooooo very complex and controverted that no one can get it right? I would like to assume that the latter explanation is correct... even if either of these gentlemen purposely cheated on their income taxes, I still think it is past time for this country to scrap the tax code and come up with a simple, yet fair, method of calculating what we owe to Uncle Sam. If even the legislators get this wrong, not to mention the person who will head up the IRS, then we have a serious problem, and it should beome a top priority for this administration to solve this problem!

Sign this petition!

Last night, the $819 billion "Stimulus" Package passed a vote in the house, but the Republicans in the House of Representatives took a big step in regaining their fiscally responsible brand as all GOP members of Congress who voted said 'no' to bigger government, more debt, and wasteful giveaway programs. In addition, 11 courageous Democrats took a stand for fiscal sanity in the face of a menacing Democrat leadership.We're gearing up for a spirited fight in the Senate next week, but need your help. Go to www.nostimulus.com and join the growing army of taxpayers saying NO by signing Americans for Prosperity's petition to stop this disastrous trillion-dollar debt scheme, known as the "Stimulus Package."
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Obituary: Common Sense

I just received this from a friend who is an educator... thought it was worth passing on!

Obituary: Common Sense

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who
has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old she was
since her birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.
She will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as
knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the
worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend
more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not
children are in charge).

Her health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but
overbearing regulations were set in place.

Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for
kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash
after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student,
only worsened her condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the
job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly
children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental
consent to administer aspirin, sun lotion or a sticky plaster to a
student, but could not inform the parents when a student became
pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became
contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better
treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a
burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live after a woman failed to
realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little
in her lap, and was awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by her parents, Truth and Trust;
her husband, Discretion; her daughter, Responsibility; and her son,
Reason.

She is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know my Rights, Someone Else
is to Blame, and I'm a Victim.

Not many attended her funeral because so few realized she was gone.

If you still remember her, pass this on.

If not, join the majority and do nothing.