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When The Majority Gets Desperate

You have never seen a majority party more desperate to take advantage of its position of power, knowing that their days are probably numbered. Democrats in your state have probably already tried:
  • Giving in to Unions with Prevailing Wage and Fair Share
  • Giving in to Populist attempts to circumvent the Constitution
  • Giving in to attempts to minimize the value of the family by elevating gay unions as marriage
  • Giving in to solutions lacking real problems, such as Worker's Compensation Physician's Choice
  • Giving in to their lust for spending, a long-term need for greed that feeds a push to raise taxes... yes, your state government is probably trying right now to raise your taxes!
If you don't believe all this, just look to Iowa. Smack dab in the middle of the country, normally expected to be a follower, Iowa politicians (that is, the Democratic majority party in the Iowa General Assembly) have been trying their darnedest to do all of these things. Iowans are watching this year. Very closely. Republicans are taking a strong stand on these and other issues, and some of the more conservative Democrats are also helping stem the tide despite the strong-arming of party leaders. Keeping these [...]
Hope for a Change

Hope for a Change

Or is it change for a hope? I admit my confusion on this issue. The American public was told during the 2008 Presidential campaign that things would be different. So far, it's more of the same, only worse. It seems like the entire country has gone stark, raving mad. To wit, as the Obama Administration's Cabinet nominees wind their way through the approval process, we find that not one, not two, not three, but four have a prior history of not paying their taxes. What is going on here? The best thing to come out of this mess is that the American taxpayer, at last count, is ahead some $176,000. Could this be President Obama's plan to fund this massive "economic stimulus" package that is being ramrodded through Congress? Just collect the back taxes owed by his nominees? I'm not sure that the IRS, Congress or the American public would be as forgiving if I were the one to not have paid my taxes. But then again, I try to live a life of integrity. I've read a lot about the economic stimulus package making its way through the bowels of Congress and I'm confused about that too. Or maybe I'm not the one who's confused. To me, economic stimuli are those things that stimulate the economy. Immediately. Not three years from now. So, as one of the conditions for accepting TARP money, The Brains in Washington [...]
Hope for a Change

Repeal the Estate Tax

The headline on the front page of yesterday's (Monday, January 12, 2009) Wall Street Journal read "Obama Plans to Keep Estate Tax". This is the opening salvo of President-Elect Obama's tax hike and wealth redisribution plan. In 2009, estates of less than $3.5 million per person and $7 million per couple are exempt from taxation. The value of estates over that are taxed at 45%. Under current tax law, signed by President Bush in 2001, there is no estate tax in 2010. As I joke with my clients, if you're going to die, do it in 2010, because under current law, in 2011 the estate tax reverts to Clinton-era levels--a $1 million exclusion, with the rest taxed at 55%. Here's why the estate tax, in and of itself is wrong. Congress has the Constitutional right to tax any and all sources of income. Sources of [...]
Congress May Have A Deal For Bailout

Congress May Have A Deal For Bailout

From the New York Times late last night: WASHINGTON — Congressional leaders and the Bush administration reached a tentative agreement early Sunday on what may become the largest financial bailout in American history, authorizing the Treasury to purchase $700 billion...

Are Treasury and Congress Doing The Right Thing?

I’m surprised there has not yet been a run on my bank.  The way that Bush, Paulson and Congressional Leaders are reacting to the liquidity angst on Wall Street would make you think there’s no money left, and we only have days or perhaps hours to get our...

Is The Crisis Abated?

On Sunday I shared some initial thoughts about the Fed take-over of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. If you read it, you know I’m not exactly happy about the outcome.  My friend Bithead shared some great thoughts Monday, and I don’t disagree that something...
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