President Obama, Fed Chairman Bernanke, Secretary Geithner, and the President’s economic advisers can’t understand why our economy isn’t creating jobs. It is no mystery to me or, I suspect, to anyone who has created, run, or even seriously thought about running a business. Unfortunately there is little business experience in the Obama administration.
Don
Maybe the House Got the Message
Perhaps the House of Representatives did get the message from last November‘s election and from polls indicating that Americans are serious about cutting deficit spending. On Tuesday, in a bi-partisan vote (82 Democrats, 236 Republicans) the House overwhelmingly rejected President Obama’s request to unconditionally increase the debt ceiling. Only 97 Democrats voted to continue reckless spending.
Despite alarmist claims about not raising the debt ceiling, the Secretary of the Treasury can dispense its approximately $2 trillion revenues on a priority basis. Our country need not default on our debt or fail to pay the military, seniors, the poor, or other critical obligations UNLESS OBAMA’s administration CHOOSES NOT TO MAKE THOSE PAYMENTS.
Newt at Ovide’s May 25, 2011
At Ovide Lamontagne’s home last night Newt Gingrich gave a classic Newt talk to about 75 guests and about 10 representatives of the media.
He made fairly brief introductory remarks, took about 15 – 20 questions from guests and about five from the media. Then he walked around meeting people and answering questions individually. As far as I could tell everyone had a chance to meet and ask Newt their questions.
Newt demonstrated his unparalleled knowledge of the issues, reminded us of his record of spending cuts and welfare reform as Speaker of the House, and demonstrated self confidence based on his time fighting the fight and his years of observation, investigation, and consideration of our nation’s problems.
Right-to-Work Benefits Workers
To the Editor:
In his letter of May 19 in the Laconia Daily Sun Martin Carney incorrectly claims that workers in Right-to-Work (RTW) states are worse off than those in forced unionization states. Actually they are better off.
First. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, average unemployment in the forced unionization states is 8.31%, in the 22 RTW states it is 7.95%. In addition, 13 of the 22 RTW states are significantly below the national average unemployment rate while only 13 of the 28 forced unionization states are below the national average. So, workers are more likely to find a job in a RTW state.
Support Right-to-Work
To the Editor:
Most Americans oppose forced unionization.
Forcing workers to pay tribute to earn a living is slavery, it is immoral and un-American.
Voluntary unionization makes unions compete, putting workers’ interests first.
For Repeal of RGGI
This morning NHPR had a program on RGGI. Senator Peter Bragdon spoke for keeping RGGI and Representative Jim Garrity spoke for repeal. I tried to call and comment but didn’t get on the air. They suggested that I send in my comments, so I sent the comments below. Some of my comments are reactions to Peter Bradgon’s comments supporting RGGI.
"I am for repeal of RGGI.
1. We have plenty of energy in this country in the form of coal and gas, and even oil if the government would let us get it. We do not need to import fuel from countries that want to kill us to generate the electricity we need. My understanding is that gas can be relatively easily burned in oil fired energy plants, we have lots of natural gas.
2. It is hard to believe that wood pellets burn more cleanly than oil or certainly than gas. While I understand the desire to buy locally, they should compete like other fuels.
3. If energy efficiency is beneficial to people, governments, businesses, etc., then why do the rest of us have to subsidize it for them?
Democrat Scapegoats
Following Democrat traditions, President Obama claims the rich and corporations don‘t pay enough taxes. However, the rich and corporations pay EXACTLY the taxes that Democrats desire. If the rich and corporations were under-taxed, Democrats would have raised their taxes during President Obama‘s first two years when no Republican support was needed (like Democrats passed Obamacare). But, Democrats didn’t increase taxes. Democrats didn’t even consider taxes on the rich or corporations until after last Fall’s election.
Claims that the rich and corporations are under-taxed are intended to divert attention from Democrat excessive spending and unconscionable deficits. Most Americans know that continuing trillion dollar deficits lead inevitably to financial disaster, excessive inflation, a decline in our standard of living, and/or poverty for future generations of Americans.
Recovery From Irresponsible Democrat Budgets
To the Editor:
Every child knows which parent to approach for permission to do something risky, expensive, inappropriate, or too impractical. The parent who says “No” is called “mean”, “uncaring“, “selfish”, etc.
Some marriages have problems because over-spending threatens financial disaster, e.g., eviction, inability to purchase real needs like food and health insurance. Sometimes one spouse stands up to avoid the disaster, slashes expenses, sells expensive toys, cancels unessential services, etc. Family members enjoying the excess spending may call these cuts “extreme” and the responsible parent “mean”, “uncaring“, “selfish”, etc.
Across our country city, state, and federal governments have recklessly over-spent and over-committed future spending.
Protestors of New NH House Budget
To the Editor:
Those protesting the new House budget in Concord last week have one thing in common, they want NH taxpayers to open their wallets for their personal benefit.
Most protesters were public employees demanding no changes to their cushy, secure, low stress, highly compensated (compared to similar private sector) jobs, nor to the corrupt system that maintains their great jobs, benefits, and consequently grows the cost of government .
NH Executive Council Votes to Take Obamacare Money
In response to the article at: http://www.concordmonitor.com/article/249755/councilors-take-federal-health-funds I sent the following letter:
Dear Sirs:
Obamacare was passed against the wishes of the majority of the American people who still want it repealed this includes majorities of Republicans and Independents, and a plurality of Democrats. Obamacare has been ruled unconstitutional.
Every Republican that I am aware of that ran for any national office promised to get rid of Obamacare, repeal or remove funding, and most would NOT have been elected without such a pledge. The US House of Representatives has already passed a repeal bill.
Thus, one wonders why New Hampshire would spend money, even “free” money, to help implement Obamacare.
Boehner is not listening
The republican House leadership seems to too timid to actually do what they promised and defund Obamacare. So, I sent a letter to the leadership telling them they are not doing job one.
The most leverage they will ever have to take away funding is by tieing it to the continuing resolution. They are letting a rule they created get in the way of ending Obamacare funding.
If you are as concerned as I am, you may wish to write a letter as well as make some phone calls. Perhaps my letter which I will put below will give you ideas. If it helps in anyway, that is fine with me. Yes, I cc’d Guinta.
Following the letter will be the addresses.
March 11, 2011
Dear Speaker Boehner, Leader Cantor, Congressman McCarthy, Congressman Price, and Congressman Sessions:
YOU ARE NOT LISTENING!!
Wisconsin Protesters
To the Editor:
Many of the people protesting on Saturday don’t even understand what they are doing. They talk about “Worker’s Rights” (which I support). But they have been duped into protesting for public sector “Union rights”, the right of unions to conspire with politicians against the interests of the American people.
President Franklin Roosevelt said it was wrong to unionize government workers because they are supposed to serve the public. He was right. The public sector was unionized about 50 years ago. Unionization has led to union leaders and politicians creating an increasing number of safe, easy and often low value, well paid unionized employees whose union dues are funneled back to the politicians. It is a vicious cycle. Politicians are supposed to represent the people, but they ignore the good of the people to reward their union supporters. This is corruption pure and simple.
Obama and Jobs
President Obama says he is focusing on jobs. Is that good or bad? In 2009 and 2010 he said he would “focus like a laser” on jobs. Yet we suffer from the longest high unemployment since the great depression with no end in sight.
Today’s Letter: Are Tea Partiers Extremists?
To the Editor:
Some media and political pundits describe Tea Partiers as “extremists” and “out of the mainstream”. Tea Partiers want smaller, fiscally responsible government operating within the US Constitution, the rule of law not men, and greater economic freedom. Does that sound extreme to you? It shouldn’t, many republicans and democrats promise these things when campaigning. Which Tea Party views are so different from yours?
Both Republicans and Democrats have failed to keep their promises to the American people. Both over promised, overspent, and extended government services without ensuring adequate funding. Neither party has the courage to eliminate failing and counter-productive programs. These irresponsible actions created debt (for current expenses not investments) equal to three times our annual budget, and growing. This puts our country on a collision course with bankruptcy and a dramatic loss in Americans’ standard of living.
Why are some states disenfranchising our military?
Some states are dragging their feet about getting absentee ballots to our military, especially those overseas. But, there is a federal web site that provides generic ballots that soldiers can use to at least cast their votes for US Senators and Congressmen if a soldier’s absentee ballot does not arrive in time. The web site … Read more
No, these are not Democrat values (even if a Democrat writes it)
In response to Terry Downs’s Letter to the Editor (see after the jump):
To the Editor:
Terry Downs’ letter to the Laconia Daily Sun on October 12 mostly seems right, but his conclusion is baffling. Most Americans probably share the three key values he identifies, personal freedom, equitable tax code with no one getting a “free ride at the expense of others”, and reasonable and prudent personal and government expenditures. Add “rule of law” and strict interpretation of the US Constitution and you would have the major planks in a Tea Party Platform, if there were one.
However, Downs’ conclusion that therefore people should vote for democrats is ludicrous. Contrary to their promises and claims, the evidence of their actions shows that progressives (people learned what liberals stand for, so liberals now want to be called “progressives”) such as Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, Steny Hoyer, Harry Reid and their followers like Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes prioritize these values, if they share them at all, way below their progressive big government agenda.
Some examples showing that progressives do NOT cherish personal freedoms follow. Both Shea-Porter and Hodes supported the Cap and Trade bill that will not only increase your energy costs, it will, despite the wishes of both buyer and seller, restrict the ability to sell your house unless it meets new bureaucrat established environmental standards. Also, both Shea-Porter and Hodes are co-sponsors of the misnamed Employee Free Choice Act (aka Card Check) which allows a workplace to be unionized without a secret vote by the workers. These stomp on personal freedom.
Remember the promises that Americans can keep their health insurance under Obamacare supported by Shea-Porter and Hodes? About 7 million …
Really? Summer of Recovery?
To the Editor:
Now that President Obama’s “Summer of recovery” is over, we hear that the recession ended in June of 2009. Well, bless me, I guess that makes everything just fine.
But, what about the nearly ten percent unemployed? The additional ten percent underemployed or discouraged workforce drop-outs? The record levels of Americans in poverty? The miniscule economic growth rate? The media described President Bush‘s five percent unemployment rate as a disaster. The media describes President Obama’s numbers as the “new normal”.
Unfortunately, if President Obama’s policies are continued, these numbers, and the personal disasters they represent, may be the “new normal”. Few businesses will invest and hire people when they cannot estimate their expenses because of the many unknown costs of President Obama’s agenda, e.g., Obamacare, cap and trade, card check, executive compensation limits, personnel policies, taxation, etc. What business executives will take risks when the government can declare a business “too risky and too important” and just take over the business, dismiss the executives, and wipe out investors as it did with car company investors?
As long as President Obama and the other liberals (or “progressives” as some prefer) smear business executives and investors, create a treacherous economic environment, and…
“The Lawyer Party”
A bit dated, but I never thought about it this way.
The Lawyers’ Party
By Bruce Walker
The Democratic Party has become the Lawyers Party .
- Barack Obama is a lawyer.
- Michelle Obama is a lawyer.
- Hillary Clinton is a lawyer. Bill Clinton is a lawyer.
- John Edwards is a lawyer.
- Elizabeth Edwards is a lawyer.
- Every Democrat nominee since 1984 went to law school (although Gore did not graduate).
- Every Democrat vice presidential nominee since 1976, except for Lloyd Bentsen, went to law school.
- Look at leaders of the Democrat Party in Congress:
- Harry Reid is a lawyer.
- Nancy Pelosi is a lawyer.
The Republican Party is different.
- President Bush is a businessman.
- Vice President Cheney is a businessman.
- The leaders of the Republican Revolution:
- Newt Gingrich was a history professor.
- Tom Delay was an exterminator. Dick Armey was an economist.
- House Minority Leader Boehner was a plastic manufacturer.
- The former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is a heart surgeon.
- Who was the last Republican president who was a lawyer? Gerald Ford, who left office 31 years ago and who barely won the Republican nomination as a sitting president, running against Ronald Reagan in 1976.
The Republican Party is made up of real people doing real work, who are often the targets of lawyers.
The Democrat Party is made up of lawyers. Democrats mock and scorn men who create wealth, like Bush and Cheney, or who heal the sick, like Frist, or who immerse themselves in history, like Gingrich.
The Lawyers Party sees these sorts of people, who provide goods and services that people want, as the enemies of America . And, so we have seen the procession of official enemies, in the eyes of the Lawyers Party, grow.
Against whom do…
Smaller, fiscally responsible government, the rule of law not men, and greater economic freedom – that’s extremist?
To the Editor:
The media and some political pundits describe Tea Party people as “extremists” and “out of the mainstream”. While each Tea Partier has his or her own views, most want smaller, fiscally responsible government, the rule of law not men, and greater economic freedom. Does that sound extreme to you? As a Tea Partier, I wonder which of my views, which I think are shared by most Tea Partiers, are so different from yours?
Both Republicans and Democrats have failed to keep their promises to the American people. Both have over promised and overspent. Both extended government services without ensuring adequate funding and too often into areas of questionable constitutionality. Neither party has the courage to eliminate programs that don’t work, are counter-productive, or are not worth the cost, and both have put our country onto a collision path with bankruptcy and a dramatic loss in our standard of living.
The sad thing is that we, the people, allowed our politicians to do this to us, to our Country, and to subsequent generations when we accepted their promises of “free stuff“ (or more than we pay for). Tea Partiers say…
“…Both parties accept deficit spending leaving painful debt obligations to people who don’t vote, children and future generations. This is immoral…”
To the Editor:
When did Americans decide it is OK to live comfortably at the expense of their children and future generations? Parents used to work multiple jobs and sacrifice for their children. Now Americans make future generations sacrifice for us.
Today’s national debt of $13.3 trillion saddles each new child with over $43,000 worth of our national debt and over $400,000 worth of promised, but un-funded future obligations. Even at today’s low interest rates, interest payments already are one of the biggest federal budget items. Projected budgets increase the debt by at least $1 trillion annually for the next ten years, increasing the tax burden on future generations and on ourselves. Some economists believe this much debt could be more disastrous than the current housing / credit crisis.
If these debts were incurred to save our country during a war, that would be one thing. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost $1-2 trillion, the rest of our $13.3 trillion debt was spent to make life easier for today’s Americans.
How did this debt accumulate? Did Americans decide to take advantage of their children and future generations? Or, did politicians take advantage of our trust and gullibility?