Who Do Tax Cuts Help?
Mar 25, 2007 Uncategorized
We have all heard the mindless prattle that comes from the left about Bush’s tax cuts. They only help the rich and are of no benefit to the poor. The Liberals continually tell us how the lower income families are shouldering the burden because of evil rich Republicans. There is a new report out from the tax foundation that looks not only at taxes paid in but the benefits received. The report indicates:
Overall, we find that America’s lowest-earning one-fifth of households received roughly $8.21 in government spending for each dollar of taxes paid in 2004. Households with middle-incomes received $1.30 per tax dollar, and America’s highest-earning households received $0.41. Government spending targeted at the lowest-earning 60 percent of U.S. households is larger than what they paid in federal, state and local taxes. In 2004, between $1.03 trillion and $1.53 trillion was redistributed downward from the two highest income quintiles to the three lowest income quintiles through government taxes and spending policy. The Tax Foundation
Look at what it shows. The lowest earners get 20 times more in government spending than the highest earners and those in the lowest 60% received more than they paid in federal, state, and local taxes. Then, the real kicker is that 1.03 to 1.53 TRILLION dollars was redistributed from the two highest income quintiles to the lowest three. This means the rich had over a TRILLION dollars taken from them to pay for 60% of the US households.
So can some bleeding heart liberal please tell me how the tax cuts are only helping rich people? Can one of these geniuses please tell me how the burden is on the middle and lower classes? Could they just spell out for me how it is that reducing the tax rate helps the people who are footing the lion’s share of the bills? The fact is those who pay the least get the most and those who pay the most get the least. I personally don’t want anything from the government and would prefer that they keep their hands out of my pockets.
Please remember this when they talk about how easy the rich people have it.
Tags: Commentary
Congressman Gilchrest Lacks Backbone
Mar 25, 2007 Political
I wrote a letter to Congressman Gilchrest (actually a contact from his web site) and I chided him for his vote against the troop surge in Iraq. I was very clear in my dissatisfaction and made it clear that neither I nor any of my family and friends who live in his district intend to support him in the next election. Fortunately for him, he will probably run unopposed. Congressman Gilchrest wrote me a letter to justify his position and it described his service in Vietnam and how he hoped leaders back home would find a way to end the war. Congressman, the way to end a war is to WIN it. Unfortunately, too many members of Congress only care about winning their next election. Perhaps if they put as much effort into winning the war as they do winning their seats, we could end this quickly and be done with it.
I was not satisfied with his letter which he claims provided support for the troops. Now Congressman Gilchrest voted, just this past week, to set time lines for the phased withdrawal of our troops. His web site explains his position and he places heavy emphasis on the fact that the vote provides funding for the troops. In essence, he is right. The bill does provide our troops with funding but it also adds a ton of things that have nothing to do with the war. Additionally, the bill ties the hands of our Commander in Chief by setting time lines. Gilchrest was one of only two Republicans who voted for this bill. Is he and the others who voted for it so dense that they do not understand that the enemy is a patient group of people who will wait us out and then reign more terror on the region? Does he think that tying the hands of the President will allow us to effectively fight and WIN?
Gilchrest can rationalize all he wants on his web site. The fact of the matter is that he and the rest of the House voted on a bill that is loaded with pork. The bill provides money for a lot of things that have nothing to do with the war. There are lots of presents for friends of Congress. This is immoral and unethical and does nothing to help the troops. The bill, because of the time lines and pork, will surely be vetoed by the President. That means the whole process will have to start over and these so called leaders will have to provide money for the troops or risk feeling the wrath of constituents. I want someone to explain this (from Gilchrest’s web site):
This funding was critical to the safety and security of our troops and I would find it unconscionable to vote against this funding.
Wayne, explain to me and my readers how it is unconscionable to vote against funding but it is perfectly OK (and therefore conscionable) to vote in favor of time lines and PORK! Have you no sense of right and wrong? It is wrong to load a bill for military funding with pork and time lines. That sir, is unconscionable and you should be ashamed.
The troops on the ground understand quite clearly what these unethical and immoral boneheads in Congress are doing. The members of the House are well aware that President Bush will veto this bill so why did they waste so much time on it when it had no chance of becoming law?
Perhaps it is because they wanted to shout from the mountain tops that Bush does not support the troops. When the bill is vetoed the members of the House will trumpet the fact that Bush vetoed funding and they will ignore the fact that he vetoed the bill because of the pork and the time lines. The line item veto never looked so good as it does right now. It is my hope that the President will make a big deal out of the veto and explain to America that he could not sign a bill that ties his and our troops’ hands and is laden with non-war related pork.
Wayne Gilchrest is obviously proud of his vote and his web site spells out his opinion. That opinion was held by him and one other Republican. Obviously, Gilchrest thinks he knows more than the others and he is willing to cut and run with the Democrats. I would think that he would have learned from the fiasco in Vietnam. That defeat was handed to this country by Congress and it cost millions of Vietnamese their lives.
Wayne, I want you to understand this and understand it clearly. We must win this war no matter what it takes. We must send a clear message to our enemies and our potential enemies that we will fight when needed and we will stay until the job is done. Don’t be fooled by the results of the last election because Americans did not change direction to end the war. They changed because Republicans failed to lead. Americans want our troops to come home, that is a given but they want to bring them home as a result of a win. By voting to cut and run you have demonstrated that you are not willing to give the troops what they need to win, despite your claims to the contrary.
You are a disgrace and I look forward to removing you from your job in the next election. Like I told you in my first letter, I am your employer and you would do well to remember that.
If you would like to write to Wayne, here is his contact form and this is a link to his snail mail addresses. If the site rejects your email based on address and zip code, use one of his local office addresses to get through.
Tags: Commentary, Political
Negotiate Part II
Mar 24, 2007 Uncategorized
I wrote earlier about the British warriors taken hostage by Iran. Now, the Iranian Commander is saying this:
Fifteen British sailors and marines detained off Iraq by the Iranian navy have admitted illegally entering Iranian waters, senior Iranian commander General Alireza Afshar said Saturday. Breitbart
As if you can trust anything this Arab bastard says. The Muslim world is full of liars and his saying that this took place does not make it so. Sounds like propaganda to justify their acts of aggression. The reality is, the British Navy is saying they were in Iraqi waters therefore only two possibilities exist:
1. The Muslim bastard is lying.
2. The British sailors and Marines were tortured until they confessed.
If I were in charge I would be telling Tehran that time is short and we will start indiscriminately bombing them until the warriors are released, unharmed, and with all their equipment. If there is no release or they are injured or killed then I would not stop until there was no life left in Iran.
That ladies and gentlemen is how you deal with rogue nations and their lunatic leaders.
Tags: Commentary
Sixth Graders Smarter than Congress
Mar 23, 2007 Uncategorized
A sixth grade class held a mock court and the two opposing sides argued whether or not humans caused global warming. The children were required to do their own research and then present their case to the class where some of the students acted as jurors.
After the trial and closing arguments were completed the jury deliberated and found that humans do not cause global warming. This in and of itself is no big deal and it could have gone the other way. What makes these children smarter than Congress is that they used science and research in order to debate the issue. One side was not allowed to walk in and say that it was a foregone conclusion so now let’s debate how to fix it.
Instead, they were able to look up information and use that information to present a case and to counter the claims made by the other side. This is how science is supposed to work. A group of scientists get together with a hypothesis and they set up experiments and gather data that either supports the hypothesis or refutes it. Based upon how those things come out, they can conduct more experiments and use the results to form a conclusion. The children were able to accomplish this where as the people who are involved in this debate in the real world mold facts to prove an already predetermined conclusion.
Bravo to these kids for doing things the right way and bravo to the teacher for expanding their minds with challenging and fun teaching methods.
Source:
Longmont FYI
Tags: Commentary
Big Dog Will Negotiate with Iran
Mar 23, 2007 Uncategorized
Iran has illegally taken captive 15 members of the British military. The 15 were patrolling in Iraqi waters when they were abducted by the Iranians who have taken them to Iran. The Iranians claim that the British warriors were in Iranian waters and were arrested by the border patrol [note to President Bush: This is how you police a border]. The British claim they were in Iraqi waters and are demanding that their fighters be released. President Ahmadinejad of Iran canceled his trip to the USA where he was to speak at the UN. Perhaps he was afraid he would be abducted here and decided to have some insurance. In any event, this is not good and will not help calm tensions in the region. Big Dog is here to negotiate.
Memo to Iranian President:
Mr. Ahmadinejad,
Your Navy has taken 15 members of the British military captive and are holding them illegally. Your claim that they were violating your border is rejected and we demand the immediate release of the 15. We expect they will be unharmed and all of their equipment will be returned with them. Given your propensity for thumbing your nose at other countries, the following information is presented:At this very moment Cruise missiles are being programmed to target 25 areas in Iran. We have selected the largest population centers and we are preparing to eliminate you from the face of the Earth (or, as you would say, wipe you off the map). You have six (6) hours to release the British service members you are holding illegally. They shall be released unharmed and with every item they had on them when captured.
In six hours and one minute, we will launch all 20 Cruise missiles. The combined air forces of the US and Britain will invade your airspace and destroy any air defense system that is powered up and actively searching for airborne items. Once all air defenses have been destroyed the aircraft will leave Iranian airspace and prepare for a second assault. That assault will commence when the Cruise missiles begin hitting the ground and will not end until you surrender the hostages to our control. Please be advised Mr. President, that we consider you a high value target and will be bombing places we believe you are occupying.
Please do not attempt to whip the world into a furor over perceived human rights violations because you have been given ample warning about the destruction of your country should you fail to comply.
We do not negotiate with terrorists.
You now have five hours and fifty-six minutes.
Cordially,
Big Dog
This is the diplomacy required to deal with these people.
Source:
Times on line
Tags: Commentary