Government Motors

Does that suit strutting his stuff on the GM ads disgust you as much as it does me? Notice he talks about how he has paid back the taxpayer money "in full, with interest" - - - and five years early, too? Well, I think he should tell the truth "in full."

We loaned GM what? Somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 million, wasn't it? And they've paid back what? Somewhere in the neighborhood of $8 million. Apparently that's all they are required to pay back, so perhaps he's telling the truth "in part." (The rest is in stock - did anyone ask the owners of the money if we wanted stock? No? Not me, either.)

Now here's the thing, if the gummint gave me $100 million, I could pay back $8 million "in full, with interest" - - - the very next day!

So what's the suit strutting about? What's he got to be so arrogant about? Why did he wait so long to pay back a very small portion of the taxpayers' money? Also, don't we at least deserve the truth "in full?" And a "thank you" for the gift of $80 million. But no, Mr. Arrogant Suit doesn't mention that.

No, of course not. The gummint and the suit obviously think we're too stupid to notice the little difference of about $80 million.

They have no respect for the taxpayers.

Rodney Dangerfield, move over. OofDah! A whole bunch of taxpayers are nudging you.

No New Taxes

No new taxes for the middle class? Uh huh.

First the forces-that-be try to foment divisiveness between the rich and the poor, the corporations and individuals, banks and customers, and it certainly seems they've been trying to revive the race thing, as well. Why?

You think one reason may be the tax thing?

It sounds very much like the gummint will begin innovative taxes. But this won't affect the less affluent, just the rich; that won't affect the individual, just the corporations . . .

Well, you get the idea. If it affects the group you've been led to dislike, distrust, or downright hate, you won't object to the tax.

Of course, we are not as stupid as the gummint seems to think.

We can see that taxes on the people with enough money to provide jobs reduces the number of jobs available. We can see that taxes on corporations also lead to reduction of jobs.

And the VAT tax? We know, if the manufacturers of products want to stay in business, the tax at each step of production needs to be passed down the line to the ultimate consumer - us! Of course, it will not necessarily look like tax, but will look like the item is simply more expensive.

But we'll know better. As I said, we're not as stupid as the gummint thinks we are, and contrary to their inflated opinion of themselves, they aren't as brilliant as they think.

Yep, we'll be paying more taxes - a lot more taxes.

Fortunately, gummint lies to us on such a regular basis that this is not a big surprise.

Dinosaurs and Cows

When I saw the pictures of Iceland's latest volcanic eruption, my first thought was of the extinction of dinosaurs. I think the theory that comes to mind is out of fashion these days, but still it came to mind.

The next thought that popped into that mostly vacant place between my ears was, "Wow, and some people worry about the pollution quotient of cow flatulence?"

How many cows would it take to . . .

OofDah!

Tax Day Woes and Scares

We all love Tax Day, yes? Well, 50% of us do, the other 50% of us pay taxes and find little to cheer about on April 15.

I wonder if everyone had a pleasant surprise like we did.

Weren’t we told about a year ago that our taxes would go down? Weren’t we told that we should have less deducted from each check?

Well, here we are, paying more taxes than last year! Good show that we didn’t reduce our deductions. We had to pay in plenty, anyway!

I’m thinking if many people were recipients of the kind of tax surprise we had, the Tea Parties on the 15th should be drawing record crowds!

Of course, they’ll probably be booming anyway, since a number of liberals are trying to organize to attend. Mostly the Tea Movement has been drawing Conservatives, you know, so a few Libs should help swell the crowds!

One Lib named Levin apparently even posted a web site trying to recruit liberals to disrupt the Tea Parties, and he says they have leaders in several states to organize the Lib protesters.

This kind of behavior certainly draws everyone’s attention and many are thinking, “Those Tea Party people must be on to something, if they are that much of a threat to the Libs. Especially since the Libs hold all the political power positions in DC. Maybe I should check it out.”

Can’t the Libs can’t come up with good counter arguments? Are disruption and attempts at smearing their only courses? How can they publicly call for people to go, pose as legitimate Tea Conservatives, and behave abominably and still expect thinking people to condemn the TP Movement? Do they think the media will blame the Tea Party Movement and convince J.Q. Public?

Anyway this type of behavior is scary stuff, ‘cause when Libs go out to protest, they are not well-behaved; they are destructive, throwing bricks and stuff.

Of course, that’s better than what they did back in the days of Ayers – then they threw bombs.

Still someone could get hurt.

One tea party organizer said the attempt to destroy the movement was evidence that the tea party message is resonating.

"We've been ignored, we've been ridiculed. Well, now they're coming after us," said Judy Pepenella, a co-coordinator for the New York State Tea Party."Gandhi's quote is one we understand: 'First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win.'"

Block quote from an article on Newsmax.com byline Joseph Curl

OofDah!

Term Limits

Our politicians have diminished in stature, honor, and especially in statesmanship since the inception of our republic. Why is that?

Perhaps it is allowing them to give themselves salaries and benefits unequalled in the private sector. Perhaps it is allowing them to oversee themselves without accountability for the hours, heck days, they work or don’t work.

But none of that should account for the massive corruption, cheating, and irresponsibility rampant in D.C. Striking deals, selling votes, abandoning principles – the list goes on.

I’d suggest that, apart from wresting away the ability to oversee and pay themselves, term limits would go a long way to clean up our capital.

The system was never meant to foster career politicians – people were expected to serve one or two terms if called upon and then go back to farming or blacksmithing or whatever their “real” job was.

These, then, were statesmen who were concerned about what was best for their country, rather than concerned about getting elected next time and next time and next time, making a bundle on graft or selling votes, or bringing home the pork in massive deals involving whole pigs – the pigs being not just earmarks but the deal perpetrators and benefactors.

Please. Let’s bring back the statesmen – people we and our allies and enemies can respect. Let’s insist that they relinquish control over their own pay and benefits. Let’s get an overseer until they prove they are responsible enough to show up for work. Let’s deduct from their pay if they don’t. And let’s adopt strict term limits to discourage the career politicians who care about themselves, but care not about the United States of America.

OofDah!

Answering the question?

Mr. Grayson goes to Perkins.
(Grayson is the congressman of "Die Quickly" fame.)

So many people are asking if our people in DC are comedians, corrupt, nuts, simpeltons, or just plain crazy.

My question:

Is Congressman Grayson trying to anwswer the question all on his own?

Hmm. Another question occurs to me:

Will Perkins sue? I think they have a case. I know I'd hesitate to visit a Perkins in that area. Some dopey guy may come and interrupt my meal! (Grayson crashed both the filmed meeting and another small meetings in the same Perkins in the same evening - two!

OofDah!

Child 44

Child 44, a novel by Tom Rob Smith, should be of interest to many as it is not only a political novel portraying oppression in a personal way, but a fascinating thriller, as well.

I found it interesting on several levels. It demonstrates the tendency of cruelty and brutality to rise to top levels in a totalitarian government. The 'State' is more about protecting its totalitarianism than its citizens.

Informers, even of untruths, are rewarded. Dissenters, or those perceived to be, are punished, often severely and often at the whim of the enforcers. This breeds disloyalty and betrayal of family and neighbors just to obtain the needs to survive, because the 'State' provides on the basis of acceptance and adherence to the rules.

Inevitably, the system gains a life of its own and even the enforcers may fall victim to whispers or accusations. Everyone is in fear of falling under suspicion.

But this book also illustrates love, as opposed to romance, loyalty and enmity, and survival and betrayal. It presents mysteries, family disturbances, and dogged persual of redemption.

I highly recommend this book.

Every American should read it.

OofDah, it is a good read.

Ambivalence (or something crazy like that)

A few days ago, people on TV were advocating a ban on cursing in California. Now I'm not a fan of vulgarity, but I do believe in free speech within reason.

Still without knowing the details of this proposed ban and not living in California (anymore), I will not offer an opinion on the pros and cons of making such a law, but I do have a question.

In a state that allows weinie waggers to run loose with impunity in public parks , why would a few curses bother anyone?

OofDah!

Ambivalence

Remember when people were militantly anti-smoking? Well, I guess some still are but the majority of people are now satisfied, having won in most public establishments. Rights for the non-smokers; non-rights for smokers.

No, I don't smoke.

But the point is, now people are advocating legalizing marijuana - and it seems some are the same people who were and are militantly anti-smoking. What the heck do they plan to do with their doobie? Certainly they can't be contemplating SMOKING the stuff, can they?

OofDah!

Control the Populace

It takes a long time to do the necessary administrative steps that have to be taken to put the legislation together to control the people - Rep John Dingell (D MI)

Student Loans

Why is the government grabbing education loans, bypassing the banks and causing jobs to be lost? Didn't they say they wanted to create jobs?

If it is worth jeopardizing jobs, putting education loans in the hands of government must be really important. Why? What will be the results of this move?

First, of course, students will have one source and one source only for school funds. No second choice, no shopping around - one place only. A number of questions come to mind. Are your parents in good standing with the government? Are you in a proper demographic group? Will you be required to take certain political courses because you're using government loans? Does the government think the course you've plotted for your life is in their best interests? Will they care about your best interests? Do they deem you deserving of college or will you be routed to a different life plan, like it or not?

How about payback time? More questions. At payback time will your political stance be disregarded? Will some get a better deal than others depending upon party affiliation? Will they let you to pay it off and get out from under the weight of government or will they be a monkey on your back forever? Will they control your life since they invested in it, like they moved in to control wages and policies of businesses in which they invested?

Are they planning to take over individuals as well as banks and industry?

OofDah!

Big Government

I'm reading Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith, a book I would recommend, by the way. I'd like to share a short excerpt from early in the book:

While it was easy to comfort yourself that you would never steal or rape or murder, no one could ever be sure they weren't guilty of anti-Soviet agitation, counterrevolutionary activity, and espionage, since no one, including Leo, could ever be sure exactly what these crimes were.

Importantly, Leo is not just a common guy but is an enforcer, and even he couldn't be sure of guilt because the crimes were only loosely defined, likely by design. So how could he enforce the law? Easy, just arrest or kill the suspect on the grounds that if you were a suspect you were guilty. Unfortunately, becoming a suspect was as simple as a cranky neighbor casting aspersions and even minor officials were not immune to accusations.

Since big government and government control are hotly debated issues in today's political clime, the foregoing excerpt is relevant to us. The scenario described in Child 44 is a result of out-of-control big government. This is what people fear in our government.

If government controls all, it becomes out-of-control. When they are in control, they may expect you to do things you don't wish to do. You may live in fear of your neighbor as well as your government.

"Oh," you say, "I trust our goverment to take away my concerns and make my decisions for me. They'll make everything even and fair - level the playing field. I want to grant them control."

Ah, so perhaps you trust the present administration. Fine. This administration is not forever. Who or what comes next? They will inherit control over you. You have party affiliations? Maybe the next administration will decide to interpret the control laws in a different way. Maybe they'll decide that former party affiliations are punishable by death. Who's to question it? After all, you've granted the government total control over you. And as Lord Acton, historian and moralist, said in 1887, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Make government a servant of the people, or people will be slaves of the government.

OofDah!

A Good Man

Last night I saw Harry Reid call Ben (Cornhusker) Nelson "a good man" and I thought: Now, that's like Al Capone calling Scarface Al a good man.

And here's another zinger. Old Harry actually said he negotiated that shameful deal behind closed doors so all the states could get such a deal! Yeah, right!

Spin, ya think?

How do these people look straight into a camera and lie like that without blinking an eye? How can we trust any of them? How do they sleep at night? How do WE sleep at night with them at the helm of our country?

OofDah!

Expressions and tantrums

Freedom of speech has been taken for granted in this country for all of my very, very long life. For all those many years, basically the only thing reining in our speech has been our personal morality and integrity. If everyone's morality and integrity was decently intact and utilized to govern a mature individual's speech, there should be no reason to further curb anyone's speech.

However, since morality and integrity, not to mention maturity, have been abdicated in these anything-goes, no-respect times, some restrictions must apply.

As much as I value free speech and all our liberties, I cannot argue against restrictions in certain cases, such as requiring respect at an individual's funeral. Do you want the funeral of your loved one disrupted with cursing, nasty signs, chants, and other disrespectful acts? I simply do not understand people who cannot respect the mourners at a burial.

Ya got something to say? Fine. Choose a better venue.

Actually, I do not look at this as curbing free speech; it's more a case of reining in out-of-control idiots - people who have attained not even a modicum of maturity.

A case in point: I watched a clip of an immature pink-hatted adult child disrupt a book signing recently. I'm not sure what her point was. I doubt it was to promote Dick Morris' latest book, but that's what she accomplished, in my case at least.

Yes, she promoted his work.

Although I was aware of the publication of the book, I had no plan to read it. Now, however, I plan to buy to it protest the "pink child's" behavior, and I plan to read it because I want to know what in the book is so objectionable to the tantrum-throwing juvenile.

Don't you wonder what he wrote could be important enough to warrant such an embarrassing display of childish behavior?

OOfDah! It must be pretty interesting! So go out an purchase it.

Tell them the pink-hatted child sent you.

Venlig hilsen!