Fiscal Insanity

In a nation of over 300 million citizens, how can the federal government justify receiving over two trillion ($2,000,000,000,000+) in tax revenue/receipts and still run a deficit of $1.58 trillion ($1,580,000,000,000.00) for the current fiscal year. The federal government has lived well beyond its means for too long. The 1970s, 80s, most of the 90s, and this decade were marked by ever growing deficits that nobody in Congress or the White House had the resolve to reduce.

We now have a president who, instead of limiting the spending in the federal government, believes that the government is the sole solution to all our problems and must spend in order for the economy to recover.

When Senator McCain called for spending freezes during the presidential debates, candidate Obama said, "The problem is you're using a hatchet where you need a scalpel." Now that he is President, Obama states that he is a man of fiscal restraint. Where has he been able to cut any money in the federal budget? The deficit has risen due to bank bail-outs and stimulus but the economy has taken a nosedive. Obama has done nothing to reduce the deficit by cutting spending. To extend the metaphor, Obama has thrown away the scalpel and pumped the patient (economy) full of blood, hoping that it will recover from a massive heart attack.

If that was not bad, now we have health care reform that will either balloon the deficit, force the Congress to raise taxes, or limit health care to those who need it. The public option, a.k.a. government-run health insurance, will be a great burden for the federal budget and a bureaucratic nightmare for the millions of people who would be on the public option to receive basic care. Is this true reform that we can afford at this time?

It is time to reconsider our fiscal priorities. We must eliminate any program that is not a priority. Washington must be able to live within the means that We, the People provide them. The “hatchet” method must be deployed to eliminate huge amounts of money that Washington does not need. Fiscal insanity has gripped Washington for too long. Our government must return to the simple concept of staying within its own budget.

http://www.aberdeennews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090830/OPINION01/908300317

Why is Moccasin Creek so polluted?

The answer is simple: COAL TAR!! Northwestern Energy is cleaning out the contaminants from an old manufacturing plant. Now we know why the water tastes bad!!

Northwest Energy's article
http://www.northwesternenergy.com/display.aspx?Page=Moccasin_Creek

Wikipedia on Coal Tar
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_tar

Article on Coal Tar
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-coal-tar.htm

Family Guy, Rove, and Limbaugh, oh my!!

Rumor has it that Karl Rove and Rush Limbaugh will be on a future episode of Family Guy. I understand Limbaugh going on the show, since he was on the Star Wars: New Hope spoof. However, Rove on FG is questionable. Will they portray him as Palpatine as they always parodies him as?

FG has gone downhill for a while. By the time this episode airs, will they still be on FOX?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/aug/14/rush-limbaugh-karl-rove-family-guy

Montana and health care

Hey everybody! I got back from Montana on a vacation that took me through southwest Montana, into places like Anaconda and Philipsburg. It was great!

Obamacare is dominating the headlines. This bill needs to be radically changed or scrapped for something that reforms health care without government stepping in to make a mess.

Here's an analysis on the bill going through the House by a Duke professor.
http://www.classicalideals.com/HR3200.htm

Book Review

Just read "National Sunday Law" by A. Jan Marcussen. The premise is that the Catholic Church messed up by making Sunday the day of worship. Something tells me this came from a person with tinfoil on their head. It also states that the Pope is evil, that Satan corrupted the Church when Constantine made Christianity the state religion, and that any attempt to enforce Sunday worship as law is the "mark of the beast." To be quite honest, I was disappointed. I expected their explanation for everything in Revelation to be more complex, with microchips and the "Left Behind" stuff included. Oh well, I guess not everything can be sensational.

Middle class taxes?! Sounds like 1993

Obama might have to break a campaign promise to get his wish of government run health care. His advisors are stating that a middle class tax hike might be necessary to fund Obama's health care legislation. How can the government target tax increases at certain people within our progressive tax systems that punishes achievement?

Obama's advisors are now worried about the budget deficit. Where was this concern when he passed the stimulus bill and everything else that was passed by Congress this year? This concern should have made a long time ago, before the government took over two auto companies, bailed-out of major banks, and everything else.

It's Clinton 1993 all over again. He promised a middle class tax cuts but raised marginal rates on the middle class in order to reduce the deficit.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/2-Obama-officials-No-apf-2491158742.html?x=0&.v=7
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090803/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_economy