Ford Refuses Bailout Money, Makes Profit
Jan 28, 2010 Political
Ford Motor Company was the only US big three auto maker to trun down the government’s offer of a bailout. The company was in financial trouble just as Chrysler and GM were but decided against taking taxpayer money.
GM and Chrysler took the money and their companies became government property with labor unions owning part of them. Neither has shown a profit and they both continue to bleed money. It is hard to see how they will survive and how taxpayers will ever get their money back (well, the banks will have to pay for it with a fee).
Ford showed a profit of $2.7 billion, its first annual profit in four years.
The company took action in the tough market and worked on a business plan that allowed it to make money, on its own and without politicians, (few of whom have business experience) running the show.
This is what happens when the free market is allowed to work. Ford would have failed on its own or succeeded on its own and that is how it should be. No business is too big to fail.
[note]One could argue Ford benefited from the cash for clunkers program but all auto makers had equal access to that program[/note]
I don’t think that Congress will catch on and neither will the progressives because they do not care about success, they care about control.
I love my Jeep but will not buy another. I will not buy a vehicle from a company that took my tax dollars and I really don’t care if they go belly up. I will buy from a company that was responsible and did not take tax dollars.
Looking at the financial status of the big three, it looks like I am not the only one who feels that way.
Ford makes some nice SUVs…
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Tags: bailouts, chrysler, ford, gm, government, taxpayers, unions
Its Easy When Its Isn’t Your Money
Jan 25, 2010 Political
The recent trip to Copenhagen for the summit on the hoax known as global warming cost US taxpayers about a MILLION dollars. The people who went to this event spent more per day for their rooms and food than most people sepnd a month on their mortgage.
For 15 Democratic and 6 Republican Congressmen, food and rooms for two nights cost $4,406 tax dollars each. That’s $2,200 a day – more than most Americans spend on their monthly mortgage payment.
CBS News asked members of Congress and staff about whether they’re mindful that it’s public tax dollars they’re spending. Many said they had never even seen the bills or the expense reports.
Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., is a key climate change player. He went to Copenhagen last year. Last week, we asked him about the $2,200-a-day bill for room and food.
“I can’t believe that,” Rep. Waxman said. “I can’t believe it, but I don’t know.” CBS News
Nancy Pelosi filed the disclosure and it had the names of everyone on it but that does not excuse Waxman or anyone else from not knowing how much this cost. They were spending OUR money for this trip and it is up to all of them to be fiscally responsible with our money. There is no excuse for not knowing how much of the taxpayer money was involved. They should know it before they ever embark on a trip and they should take decisions that involve the most judicious use of OUR money.
This is the attitude that one sees from people who are spending someone else’s money. If the money came out of their pockets they could tell you down to the shiny new Lincoln cent how much it was going to cost and how much it ended up costing. But since they are not paying the bills, they don’t really care.
They remind me of children whose parents have given them a credit card that is paid for, no matter how much is charged each month, by the parent. The kids do not learn responsibility and they spend frivolously because it is someone else’s money.
We need people in Congress who will look out for our interests and who will be good stewards of our money.
It is time to vote them all out and put fiscal watchdogs in there regardless of what party they claim as their own.
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Tags: copenhagen, million dollars, taxpayers, wasteful spending
So Much For Only Taxing The Rich
Aug 3, 2009 Political
Two Obama administration officials, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and National Economic Council Director Larry Summers, were on the talk shows this weekend and they were asked about tax increases. Both of them left the door open to taxing the middle class in order to reduce the deficit and to pay for the expansion of health care.
During the campaign Obama promised that 95% of earners would see no tax increase. He made it clear that he intended to pay for his follies by taxing the rich. The top 1% of earners already pay more in taxes than the bottom 95% of earners and even if they took every dollar the rich earned they could not pay the bills. Besides, once the taxes increase the wealthy will find a way to avoid them. The wealthy stopped going through Sherwood Forest when Robin Hood started robbing them. The wealthy know how to protect their money.
Anyone with common sense knew that Obama was not being accurate (I don’t say he lied because he probably believes his own rhetoric) but people voted for him anyway. The electorate was happy when the money they would be getting was coming from someone else but how will they feel when they start getting hit with tax increases to pay the bills?
Geithner and Summers would not rule out the increases and made it clear that the administration is trying to balance campaign promises with reality.
I have no doubt that the taxes will increase for everyone who actually pays them. The suckers who bought into the Obama hype will be the ones surprised when they are taking home less pay.
Let’s hope that this will be the straw that breaks Obama’s back and limits him to one term.
The Democrats have always been the party of tax and spend and this time will not be different.
Sources:
ABC News
Yahoo News
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Tags: increases, lies, middle class, taxes, taxpayers
Lawmakers Live High On Taxpayer Money
Jun 1, 2009 Political
The big scandal in Britain is the disclosure of the blatant waste of taxpayer money for things that have nothing to do with public service. Politicians submitted for reimbursement any number of things that have nothing to do with their jobs including pornographic movies. The uproar might well lead to politicians losing their positions and some were said to be so embarrassed that they considered suicide.
In America, the politicians have codified the waste of taxpayer money for their lavish lifestyles so they do not have to worry about expenses being illegal. Sure, taxpayers might be miffed about the expenses but politicians can woo enough voters who don’t pay taxes by promising them something for nothing and they will, in effect, buy the votes. As long as the non taxpaying voters are in on the rape of the taxpayers they really don’t mind too much what their politicians do.
Lawmakers in the US use taxpayer money for leased automobiles not only for themselves but for their employees back in the district. They use taxpayer money to buy digital cameras and 46 inch TVs. The report that is submitted quarterly for expenses is 3000 pages long and lists all the things politicians buy with taxpayer money. It is all legal so long as they returnt he property when they leave office.
So, they get to buy big screen TVs and use them until they leave office. They get to use a leased automobile that we pay for along with the fuel and insurance. They get to use digital cameras as long as they return them when they leave office. Isn’t it nice that they can use our money to buy these nice things and they can use them as long as they are in office? Isn’t it nice that they are so responsible with our money?
How many of you can buy items with your bosses money and use the stuff as long as you return it when you leave his employ? Maybe we can all get together and go visit the lawmaker with the big screen TVs and demand to watch the Superbowl on them. We paid for them. Maybe we can borrow the keys to the cars because we are paying for them.
The words “fat chance” come to mind when I think of these things.
It seems to me that Congress got upset with private businesses for going to Las Vegas or flying in private jets because this was not prudent use of taxpayer bailout money.
Looks like Congress is no better with our money. They are not responsible and they waste it.
Read this article and then vote them all out of office in the next election.
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Tags: autos, cameras, Congress, expenses, taxpayers, tvs, waste
Ban on HIV Positive Immigrants to be Lifted?
Jul 18, 2008 Political
The ban on people with HIV coming to this country could soon be lifted if SB 2731 is enacted. This is a very stupid idea for several reasons.
People with HIV have a disease for which there is no cure. If they come here the chance of others getting infected increases but only because they are now here and can have contact. However, the chances of infection is especially greater for health care workers who might be exposed as the person’s need for health care services increases (as the disease progresses).
If people come here with this disease they will be entering into our health care system. It is unlikely they will have health insurance or the means to pay for their care so the burden of that cost will be borne by US taxpayers.
The people with the disease will eventually become too sick to work (assuming they get a job in the first place) so they will eventually be receiving welfare checks. This will add more financial burdens to the US taxpayer.
Unless the people with HIV are engaging in risky behavior the risk to others is nearly absent except for health care workers so this is not a consideration. Diseases like Tb kept people out because they were highly contagious but with HIV there must be direct blood or body fluid contact.
However, the disease is costly to treat and the people coming here will not be paying for it. The US taxpayer will be footing the bill and that is not what our tax dollars should be paying for. People with HIV should stay in their own countries and get their treatment at the expense of their government or international organizations.
It is wrong to expect us to pay for their illness when they have contributed nothing to our society. It is bad enough we are paying for all the illegals who are here.
Source:
Corrupt
Tags: AIDS, HIV, immigrants, taxpayers