Kemp’s Law
Several
years back, Jack Kemp made a very wise observation. I call it Kemp’s
Law. What Jack said was this, “When you subsidize something, you get
more of it. When you tax something, you get less of it.” You’ll find
that this law is universal and immutable. There are no exceptions.
The
more you subsidize something, like non-farming, the more non-farming
you get. The more you tax something, like business success, the less
success you have.
I understand that the new Obama tax plan not
only calls for higher taxes on those who make more than $250,000 per
year, but also plans to limit tax-deductibility on mortgages for anyone
who makes $250,000 or more per year. This plan guarantees that there
will be less people making today’s equivalent of $250,000 per year.
Some may say that’s great. Ah, but there’s a big catch.
When a
government engages in massive deficit spending—think bail outs and all
sorts of crazy pork projects—it means that we have increased the number
of dollars in circulation, chasing the same number of goods and
services. The net result is Carter style inflation. But Jimmy Carter
was a piker. The kind of deficit spending being engaged in by the Obama
Administration will certainly create inflation that puts the Carter
years in the shade.
A devalued currency means you and I will be
paid more dollars that are worth less. Soon that $250,000 threshold
will be closer to everyone.
Of course, higher taxes do not
necessarily mean higher tax revenues. Taxes have a direct impact on the
health of our nation’s economy. Higher taxes rob entrepreneurs of the
capital they need to start new businesses and expand current
businesses. The net result is fewer jobs, higher unemployment, and less tax dollars. Unemployed people don’t pay taxes. This follows another law—the law of unintended consequences.
Higher
taxes, especially on businesses and those who invest in businesses,
actually drive down tax revenues because they directly hurt corporations
who employ people. Accordingly, both the corporations and the
employees pay less or no taxes.
The record shows that the Reagan tax rate reductions actually increased
tax revenues by growing the economy. That’s right. The positive
impact of tax cuts on economic growth actually created more tax
revenues.
The Obama plan is the right recipe for turning a modest
recession into a massive depression. Will this President be remembered
as the Herbert Hoover or Jimmy Carter of his era?
Fortunately,
this is not 1932. If the current economy is in a downward death spiral
due to out-of-control spending and tax increases heaped upon tax
increases, by the time the 2010 midterm elections roll around, the
misjudgments, miscalculations and misunderstandings of the Obama
Administration will be stopped in favor of common sense.
The
outcome of the 2009 off-year elections will send a clear signal as to
whether the American people are buying into the redistributionist
policies of the Obama Administration. Meanwhile, hang on!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Bait & Switch
Bait & Switch
Why is the Obama administration stumbling so badly after just a few weeks in office? Some are even saying that the administration is imploding, but I think that’s a rush to judgment. All new administrations have their challenges. Several of President Bush’s appointees had to step aside when conflicts were uncovered. Clinton’s immediate plunge into the troubled waters of homosexuals in the military turned out to be a bonehead decision that damaged his credibility. All new administrations have to get their “sea legs” and this administration is no exception.
There is, however, one huge problem that may prove to be insurmountable for our new President. As I write this, only 37% of the American people support the massive, pork laden bill that is euphemistically labeled a “stimulus package.” On the other hand, Obama’s personal popularity remains relatively high, about that of any new president at this stage of the game. The American people are good natured and generous. They want their president to succeed, but that does not mean they embrace policies that they see destructive to the economic well-being of the nation.
The President’s problem is not just the ill-conceived trillion dollar “stimulus” package. It’s a far greater problem. Democrats have learned that they cannot run for office as Mondale did, promising to raise taxes. That’s not something that will ever be popular with the vast majority of the American people. They also know they cannot successfully run for President as soft on terrorism. And they did an about face, and now proclaim themselves as supporters of the Second Amendment. Obama even publicly opposed another third rail of politics, gay marriage.
In short, Barack Obama ran on a platform that called for tax cuts, eliminating wasteful spending, against gay marriage, support for Israel, against re-imposition of the so-called “Fairness Doctrine,” against gun control, for secure borders, for defeat of the terrorists, and support for American servicemen and women. That’s a platform that Ronald Reagan could have run on.
And therein lies the rub. While Obama genuflected to the far-left on pet issues like water boarding, closing Guantanamo, and their other anti-Bush rants, he was careful to steer a course that was, with few exceptions, pretty much down the middle. He ran for the cover the mainstream media provided on his far-left affiliations with domestic terrorists Bernadine Dorn and hubby, Bill Ayres, as well as his 22 year plus affiliation with the far-left preacher from South Side Chicago, Jeremiah Wright.
Obama’s campaign message was as non-specific as possible—he was for hope, change and the future. It’s hard to disagree with those things, especially when we don’t know what kind of hope, change, or future he plans to work toward.
But now, the rubber hits the road. It’s one thing to run as a mainstream, middle-of-the road candidate, but it is something entirely else to govern from a clearly leftwing position.
What a pickle! Obama did a wonderful job (with great help from the mainstream media) selling himself to the American people as a mainstream candidate, but now the bill comes due from radical groups like moveon.org and ACORN who supplied the ground forces in his campaign.
It’s a bait and switch operation that will most surely fail. If he tries to govern from the center, his leftwing allies will drop him like a fish that’s been dead for a week. The head of the NAACP is already threatening that they will oppose him if he does toe their line. If he moves to the left, he’ll quickly lose the support of the American people. The current opposition to the massive spending bill is just the tip of the iceberg.
The self-delusion of a mandate, coupled with a far-left philosophy, is a recipe for a political shipwreck. And he’s not getting any help from his Democratic leadership in Congress. Ron Dellums wants to hold kangaroo court on George Bush as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. The far-left Congressman from Oakland has already subpoenaed Karl Rove and that’s just the beginning. Another Congressman has already introduced a bill to re-impose the Fairness Doctrine.
The American people are indeed kind-hearted and generous, but, their good-will and support will dissipate quickly if the new President starts down the path to socialism. No amount of mainstream media cover will protect him from himself. Bait and switch always fails, whether in advertising or in politics. The public is quickly turned off by false advertising. They not only refuse to buy the product, they become angry that they were deceived in the first place.
Much was made of the low popularity rating of President Bush (although the rating of the Democratic Congress was substantially lower), but this is indeed a honeymoon for President Obama. Right now he is squandering opportunities to show the American people that they made the right decision.
If he continues on the current course, his presidency is going to
look a lot more like Jimmy Carter’s, than FDR’s. No wonder the tiny Republican minority is already reinvigorated and licking its chops. No wonder the Conservative Movement is expanding rapidly. No wonder the audience of talk radio is exploding.
No matter what happens, it’s certainly going to be a wild ride. We’d better buckle up!
Why is the Obama administration stumbling so badly after just a few weeks in office? Some are even saying that the administration is imploding, but I think that’s a rush to judgment. All new administrations have their challenges. Several of President Bush’s appointees had to step aside when conflicts were uncovered. Clinton’s immediate plunge into the troubled waters of homosexuals in the military turned out to be a bonehead decision that damaged his credibility. All new administrations have to get their “sea legs” and this administration is no exception.
There is, however, one huge problem that may prove to be insurmountable for our new President. As I write this, only 37% of the American people support the massive, pork laden bill that is euphemistically labeled a “stimulus package.” On the other hand, Obama’s personal popularity remains relatively high, about that of any new president at this stage of the game. The American people are good natured and generous. They want their president to succeed, but that does not mean they embrace policies that they see destructive to the economic well-being of the nation.
The President’s problem is not just the ill-conceived trillion dollar “stimulus” package. It’s a far greater problem. Democrats have learned that they cannot run for office as Mondale did, promising to raise taxes. That’s not something that will ever be popular with the vast majority of the American people. They also know they cannot successfully run for President as soft on terrorism. And they did an about face, and now proclaim themselves as supporters of the Second Amendment. Obama even publicly opposed another third rail of politics, gay marriage.
In short, Barack Obama ran on a platform that called for tax cuts, eliminating wasteful spending, against gay marriage, support for Israel, against re-imposition of the so-called “Fairness Doctrine,” against gun control, for secure borders, for defeat of the terrorists, and support for American servicemen and women. That’s a platform that Ronald Reagan could have run on.
And therein lies the rub. While Obama genuflected to the far-left on pet issues like water boarding, closing Guantanamo, and their other anti-Bush rants, he was careful to steer a course that was, with few exceptions, pretty much down the middle. He ran for the cover the mainstream media provided on his far-left affiliations with domestic terrorists Bernadine Dorn and hubby, Bill Ayres, as well as his 22 year plus affiliation with the far-left preacher from South Side Chicago, Jeremiah Wright.
Obama’s campaign message was as non-specific as possible—he was for hope, change and the future. It’s hard to disagree with those things, especially when we don’t know what kind of hope, change, or future he plans to work toward.
But now, the rubber hits the road. It’s one thing to run as a mainstream, middle-of-the road candidate, but it is something entirely else to govern from a clearly leftwing position.
What a pickle! Obama did a wonderful job (with great help from the mainstream media) selling himself to the American people as a mainstream candidate, but now the bill comes due from radical groups like moveon.org and ACORN who supplied the ground forces in his campaign.
It’s a bait and switch operation that will most surely fail. If he tries to govern from the center, his leftwing allies will drop him like a fish that’s been dead for a week. The head of the NAACP is already threatening that they will oppose him if he does toe their line. If he moves to the left, he’ll quickly lose the support of the American people. The current opposition to the massive spending bill is just the tip of the iceberg.
The self-delusion of a mandate, coupled with a far-left philosophy, is a recipe for a political shipwreck. And he’s not getting any help from his Democratic leadership in Congress. Ron Dellums wants to hold kangaroo court on George Bush as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. The far-left Congressman from Oakland has already subpoenaed Karl Rove and that’s just the beginning. Another Congressman has already introduced a bill to re-impose the Fairness Doctrine.
The American people are indeed kind-hearted and generous, but, their good-will and support will dissipate quickly if the new President starts down the path to socialism. No amount of mainstream media cover will protect him from himself. Bait and switch always fails, whether in advertising or in politics. The public is quickly turned off by false advertising. They not only refuse to buy the product, they become angry that they were deceived in the first place.
Much was made of the low popularity rating of President Bush (although the rating of the Democratic Congress was substantially lower), but this is indeed a honeymoon for President Obama. Right now he is squandering opportunities to show the American people that they made the right decision.
If he continues on the current course, his presidency is going to
look a lot more like Jimmy Carter’s, than FDR’s. No wonder the tiny Republican minority is already reinvigorated and licking its chops. No wonder the Conservative Movement is expanding rapidly. No wonder the audience of talk radio is exploding.
No matter what happens, it’s certainly going to be a wild ride. We’d better buckle up!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Chewing Gum & Mary Jane
Chewing Gum & Mary Jane
You’ve all read the story about how the greatest problem teachers had with high school students in the 1950’s was chewing gum during class. There were, of course, other problems. I began high school in 1958 and there were stories in the local newspaper about gangs at the high school I attended—the Crew Cuts and the Duck Tails. I think the “gangs” were more imagined than real in the minds of both the newspaper reporters and the so-called “gang” members.
I’ve also been told by one of my employees that she and her 13-year-old friends frequently took the ferry from Long Island to spend a day un-chaperoned in Manhattan shopping. My wife, Kathi, talks about being dropped off by her mother when she was very young at the local roller rink in Alexandria for an afternoon of skating with her friends.
This does not, of course, happen today. My daughter and her husband would never consider letting their children out of their sight in their local neighborhood. What has happened to our society?
Drugs are rampant. Sex outside of marriage is common and accepted. The number of children born outside of marriage is nearly equal to the number born in marriage. Abortion and even infanticide are “rights.” Foul, filthy language in public abounds. Affairs outside of marriage are public knowledge, even when it involves the President of the United States. Heinous violent acts against children are common. Shame is a word that has passed from our society. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is shameful today.
What has happened? America has undergone a spiritual meltdown. God’s standards of morality have been replaced with human standards of morality. Absolute standards of virtue have been replaced by “if it feels good, do it.”
Ted Turner has put in writing what most won’t say—his own Ten Commandments. The means justifies the ends, whatever floats your boat, it’s none of my business, are today’s accepted public standards.
Commentators write about a divided America in terms of politics, but the real division in our nation is not politics, it’s our world view. Is there a God? Half say yes, half say no. Is it OK to live with someone outside of marriage? Half say yes, half say no. Is it OK to use illegal drugs? Half say yes, half say no. Is homosexuality OK? Half say yes, half say no. Is vile language in public OK? Half say yes, half say no.
The United States is a nation divided, but it’s not just a political division, it’s a moral division. As the ancient nation of Israel had to learn over and over, it is only submission to God and His will that will solve our problems. The other direction leads to chaos and eventually to destruction.
The good news is that there are signs of spiritual renewal in our land. People are turning back to God and to His standards of morality. It’s happening on college campuses and in many quarters across our land. It may be a trickle today, but with God’s blessings it can turn into a flood that sweeps our nation in the years ahead. It’s my prayer that spiritual renewal will once again make our nation not just the land of the prosperous, but the land of the virtuous.
You’ve all read the story about how the greatest problem teachers had with high school students in the 1950’s was chewing gum during class. There were, of course, other problems. I began high school in 1958 and there were stories in the local newspaper about gangs at the high school I attended—the Crew Cuts and the Duck Tails. I think the “gangs” were more imagined than real in the minds of both the newspaper reporters and the so-called “gang” members.
I’ve also been told by one of my employees that she and her 13-year-old friends frequently took the ferry from Long Island to spend a day un-chaperoned in Manhattan shopping. My wife, Kathi, talks about being dropped off by her mother when she was very young at the local roller rink in Alexandria for an afternoon of skating with her friends.
This does not, of course, happen today. My daughter and her husband would never consider letting their children out of their sight in their local neighborhood. What has happened to our society?
Drugs are rampant. Sex outside of marriage is common and accepted. The number of children born outside of marriage is nearly equal to the number born in marriage. Abortion and even infanticide are “rights.” Foul, filthy language in public abounds. Affairs outside of marriage are public knowledge, even when it involves the President of the United States. Heinous violent acts against children are common. Shame is a word that has passed from our society. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is shameful today.
What has happened? America has undergone a spiritual meltdown. God’s standards of morality have been replaced with human standards of morality. Absolute standards of virtue have been replaced by “if it feels good, do it.”
Ted Turner has put in writing what most won’t say—his own Ten Commandments. The means justifies the ends, whatever floats your boat, it’s none of my business, are today’s accepted public standards.
Commentators write about a divided America in terms of politics, but the real division in our nation is not politics, it’s our world view. Is there a God? Half say yes, half say no. Is it OK to live with someone outside of marriage? Half say yes, half say no. Is it OK to use illegal drugs? Half say yes, half say no. Is homosexuality OK? Half say yes, half say no. Is vile language in public OK? Half say yes, half say no.
The United States is a nation divided, but it’s not just a political division, it’s a moral division. As the ancient nation of Israel had to learn over and over, it is only submission to God and His will that will solve our problems. The other direction leads to chaos and eventually to destruction.
The good news is that there are signs of spiritual renewal in our land. People are turning back to God and to His standards of morality. It’s happening on college campuses and in many quarters across our land. It may be a trickle today, but with God’s blessings it can turn into a flood that sweeps our nation in the years ahead. It’s my prayer that spiritual renewal will once again make our nation not just the land of the prosperous, but the land of the virtuous.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Pork/Stimulus vs. Economic Growth
Pork/Stimulus vs. Economic Growth
I must say that it is hard to understand liberal “economists” when it comes to economic growth. The jury is not out on how to grow the economy. The verdict is clear—you grow the economy by putting more money back into the hands of the people, not into the hands of the government.
Calvin Coolidge cut tax rates and the economy soared.
John F. Kennedy cut tax rates and the economy soared.
Ronald Reagan cut tax rates and the economy soared.
George W. Bush cut tax rates and averted an economic disaster that could have been brought on by 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina.
What is it with the liberals? Can’t they figure out that two plus two equals four?
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s massive government programs, wild spending and high taxes extended the depression.
Free markets work. Government intervention, such as that promoted by Carter and Clinton into the housing market mandating loans to folks who could not afford them not only fail, but also cause long time damage to our economy.
There is no such thing as a government stimulus package. When government takes your hard earned dollars and spends them, it always hurts the economy. There are no exceptions. Sometimes government spending is unavoidable and even necessary—as the US Constitution and the Founders knew—to provide for the common defense and promote internal order. When government goes beyond these two legitimate functions it begins to reduce your freedom and mine.
When 435 members of the House of Representatives and 100 members of the Senate, along with the President, decide to spend our dollars for pork and to “stimulate” the economy, all they are saying is that they are smarter and wiser than you and I are. It’s not only foolish political arrogance, it’s dangerous to our economy and to our freedom.
When government tries (in vain) to stimulate the economy, they cause non-market driven misallocations of capital and labor resources. Bad and inefficient economic decisions are made. As Adam Smith pointed out, it is only individuals making millions of independent decisions who act like an “invisible hand” to properly allocate resources for the common good.
Liberal “economists” would say that catastrophic events like Hurricane Katrina stimulate the economy because of all the work that must be done to repair the damage. What they don’t see is what those same resources might have built or created by market demand if they were not caused to be expended on re-building and repairing. There is not expansion of economic well-being for the citizens of America when a disaster occurs. There is only contraction. There is no expanded purchase or creation of consumer goods and services when money is spent on buying a new aircraft carrier, there is only contraction. Every dollar spent by the government for defense is a dollar that you could not spend as you saw best for your own needs. Every dollar spent to build a tank is a dollar that could not be used for research and development of new consumer products and services. Every one of your dollars spent by government reduces your individual freedom.
This is not an argument against spending funds on national defense or any of a thousand wasteful and dangerous government programs, but it is an economic reality.
The best way to recharge the American and world economy is to put more money back into the hands of American citizens. A so-called government stimulus package will only drive the economy down toward a depression, as it did under FDR. If you want the stock market to recover and business to grow, freeze government spending across the board, suspend all capital gains taxes and suspend all corporate income taxes. These simple steps would get the economy back on track faster than any other action the government could possibly take. They are based on sound economics, not short-sighted, wishful thinking by power hungry politicians.
I must say that it is hard to understand liberal “economists” when it comes to economic growth. The jury is not out on how to grow the economy. The verdict is clear—you grow the economy by putting more money back into the hands of the people, not into the hands of the government.
Calvin Coolidge cut tax rates and the economy soared.
John F. Kennedy cut tax rates and the economy soared.
Ronald Reagan cut tax rates and the economy soared.
George W. Bush cut tax rates and averted an economic disaster that could have been brought on by 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina.
What is it with the liberals? Can’t they figure out that two plus two equals four?
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s massive government programs, wild spending and high taxes extended the depression.
Free markets work. Government intervention, such as that promoted by Carter and Clinton into the housing market mandating loans to folks who could not afford them not only fail, but also cause long time damage to our economy.
There is no such thing as a government stimulus package. When government takes your hard earned dollars and spends them, it always hurts the economy. There are no exceptions. Sometimes government spending is unavoidable and even necessary—as the US Constitution and the Founders knew—to provide for the common defense and promote internal order. When government goes beyond these two legitimate functions it begins to reduce your freedom and mine.
When 435 members of the House of Representatives and 100 members of the Senate, along with the President, decide to spend our dollars for pork and to “stimulate” the economy, all they are saying is that they are smarter and wiser than you and I are. It’s not only foolish political arrogance, it’s dangerous to our economy and to our freedom.
When government tries (in vain) to stimulate the economy, they cause non-market driven misallocations of capital and labor resources. Bad and inefficient economic decisions are made. As Adam Smith pointed out, it is only individuals making millions of independent decisions who act like an “invisible hand” to properly allocate resources for the common good.
Liberal “economists” would say that catastrophic events like Hurricane Katrina stimulate the economy because of all the work that must be done to repair the damage. What they don’t see is what those same resources might have built or created by market demand if they were not caused to be expended on re-building and repairing. There is not expansion of economic well-being for the citizens of America when a disaster occurs. There is only contraction. There is no expanded purchase or creation of consumer goods and services when money is spent on buying a new aircraft carrier, there is only contraction. Every dollar spent by the government for defense is a dollar that you could not spend as you saw best for your own needs. Every dollar spent to build a tank is a dollar that could not be used for research and development of new consumer products and services. Every one of your dollars spent by government reduces your individual freedom.
This is not an argument against spending funds on national defense or any of a thousand wasteful and dangerous government programs, but it is an economic reality.
The best way to recharge the American and world economy is to put more money back into the hands of American citizens. A so-called government stimulus package will only drive the economy down toward a depression, as it did under FDR. If you want the stock market to recover and business to grow, freeze government spending across the board, suspend all capital gains taxes and suspend all corporate income taxes. These simple steps would get the economy back on track faster than any other action the government could possibly take. They are based on sound economics, not short-sighted, wishful thinking by power hungry politicians.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Dereliction of Duty
Dereliction of Duty
I
am embarrassed for the so-called main stream news media. No wonder
fewer and fewer people watch ABC, CBS & NBC news each year. No
wonder The Gray Lady is insolvent, The Washington Post is hemorrhaging, and the circulation of the LA Times is in a death spiral.
There is simply no attempt at objectivity when it comes to President Obama and the Democratic Party. Where was the scrutiny of foreign gifts to the new Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton? Where was the outrage about the nominee for Treasury Secretary failing to pay his US Income Taxes? Where is the investigation into the radical positions of Eric Holder, the new Attorney General?
What an incredible double standard. Republican nominees for the Cabinet have been attacked by the news media for incidental issues, but Democrats with huge problems are given a pass.
Left-wing advocacy journalism rules the day, to the detriment of our nation. There is no attempt at objectivity. Their performance is nothing less than complete dereliction of duty to hold all public officials’ feet to the fire and to question all policies and appointments. Shame on them.
Their goal is to not only give the new President free rein, but also to shut down all opposition by either re-imposing the “un” Fairness Doctrine, or shutting down talk radio via new “localism” and “diversity ownership” rules.
Overreaching. The Democrats won nearly 54% of the vote, due to advantageous economic news and opposition from a lackluster, “me too,” Republican candidate. That still means that 46% of the American people are not on board with the far left policies being promoted by President Obama and his allies in the news media.
Overreaching leads to political defeat. Attempts to eliminate free speech and shut down talk radio will not only bring financial ruin to AM radio (costing tens of thousands of jobs), but will backfire and lead the Democrats down the road to defeat.
These are indeed interesting times. If the Democrats continue to overreach, the 2010 election will bring the Republicans, especially conservatives, roaring back. It won’t mean recapturing control of the House or the Senate in terms of actual numbers, but it will mean enough votes to stop the ill-conceived, doomed to failure polices of the far left.
Stay tuned.
There is simply no attempt at objectivity when it comes to President Obama and the Democratic Party. Where was the scrutiny of foreign gifts to the new Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton? Where was the outrage about the nominee for Treasury Secretary failing to pay his US Income Taxes? Where is the investigation into the radical positions of Eric Holder, the new Attorney General?
What an incredible double standard. Republican nominees for the Cabinet have been attacked by the news media for incidental issues, but Democrats with huge problems are given a pass.
Left-wing advocacy journalism rules the day, to the detriment of our nation. There is no attempt at objectivity. Their performance is nothing less than complete dereliction of duty to hold all public officials’ feet to the fire and to question all policies and appointments. Shame on them.
Their goal is to not only give the new President free rein, but also to shut down all opposition by either re-imposing the “un” Fairness Doctrine, or shutting down talk radio via new “localism” and “diversity ownership” rules.
Overreaching. The Democrats won nearly 54% of the vote, due to advantageous economic news and opposition from a lackluster, “me too,” Republican candidate. That still means that 46% of the American people are not on board with the far left policies being promoted by President Obama and his allies in the news media.
Overreaching leads to political defeat. Attempts to eliminate free speech and shut down talk radio will not only bring financial ruin to AM radio (costing tens of thousands of jobs), but will backfire and lead the Democrats down the road to defeat.
These are indeed interesting times. If the Democrats continue to overreach, the 2010 election will bring the Republicans, especially conservatives, roaring back. It won’t mean recapturing control of the House or the Senate in terms of actual numbers, but it will mean enough votes to stop the ill-conceived, doomed to failure polices of the far left.
Stay tuned.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Finally!
Finally!
It’s now official. After 100% opposition by the Republicans in the US House of Representatives to the incredibly wasteful and disastrous trillion dollar pork package sent to Congress by President Obama, it is now the Obama economy. He grabbed it. He bought it. It’s his.
I voted for Senator McCain for President only because the Democrat candidate was even further to the left. I identify myself as a conservative first, and a Republican second. But I must say that I was never more proud of being a Republican than when the Republicans in the US House of Representatives voted unanimously against the so-called stimulus package that the new President said was designed to create or save (whatever that means) four million jobs.
Let’s see, a trillion dollars divided by 4 million means that every job should pay $250,000 per year. Of course, that’s not true. First, it won’t create as many jobs as it destroys by devaluing the dollars that would otherwise be used to restore the economy. Second, the jobs will be of the $30 thousand to $40 thousand variety, and the rest will go to grow the government which will expand its control over your life and mine.
To put it bluntly, the Obama stimulus package is a hoax. And shortly, when the American people wake up and realize it is a hoax, as they most surely will, they cannot and will not blame it on the Republicans who voted 100% against it.
Hooray for the Republican leadership in the US House of Representatives and for each Republican member of Congress (as well as those responsible Democrats) who opposed the trillion dollar pork bill.
In 1993, the House Republicans similarly voted 100% against Bill Clinton’s budget and in 1994 they took control of the US House of Representatives for the first time in more than 40 years. That’s probably not going to happen this time, but if the Democrats continue with their wild, out-of-control spending and radical policies, the sand is going to run out on their time of control.
We all need to thank the House Republicans for holding the line. If they keep it up, the reign of Pelosi, Reid and Obama will be a short one.
It’s now official. After 100% opposition by the Republicans in the US House of Representatives to the incredibly wasteful and disastrous trillion dollar pork package sent to Congress by President Obama, it is now the Obama economy. He grabbed it. He bought it. It’s his.
I voted for Senator McCain for President only because the Democrat candidate was even further to the left. I identify myself as a conservative first, and a Republican second. But I must say that I was never more proud of being a Republican than when the Republicans in the US House of Representatives voted unanimously against the so-called stimulus package that the new President said was designed to create or save (whatever that means) four million jobs.
Let’s see, a trillion dollars divided by 4 million means that every job should pay $250,000 per year. Of course, that’s not true. First, it won’t create as many jobs as it destroys by devaluing the dollars that would otherwise be used to restore the economy. Second, the jobs will be of the $30 thousand to $40 thousand variety, and the rest will go to grow the government which will expand its control over your life and mine.
To put it bluntly, the Obama stimulus package is a hoax. And shortly, when the American people wake up and realize it is a hoax, as they most surely will, they cannot and will not blame it on the Republicans who voted 100% against it.
Hooray for the Republican leadership in the US House of Representatives and for each Republican member of Congress (as well as those responsible Democrats) who opposed the trillion dollar pork bill.
In 1993, the House Republicans similarly voted 100% against Bill Clinton’s budget and in 1994 they took control of the US House of Representatives for the first time in more than 40 years. That’s probably not going to happen this time, but if the Democrats continue with their wild, out-of-control spending and radical policies, the sand is going to run out on their time of control.
We all need to thank the House Republicans for holding the line. If they keep it up, the reign of Pelosi, Reid and Obama will be a short one.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Baseball & A Free Society
Baseball & A Free Society
With the pitchers and catchers reporting for Spring Training in just a couple of weeks, it got me to thinking about baseball and democracy, or should I say, the way a free society works.
Baseball (or most any other team sport) takes skill to succeed. In fact, baseball is based on particular skills, i.e. turning a double play, hitting an 85 mile-per-hour curve ball, etc. Basketball’s required skills include dribbling and shooting accurately. Football demands being able to catch an odd shaped ball while fending off a tackler and running quicker, smarter and faster than the defender. These sports require other skills as well, but you get the idea.
All three sports, especially baseball which is significantly more complicated and sophisticated than the others (if you don’t believe me, try to explain baseball to someone who is visiting from Germany or the UK, as I have), have rules that apply to all players. And getting on a team for any of these sports is strictly based on merit. Who you know, how much money you have, where you were raised, your sex, or the color of your skin (no longer) has any impact whatsoever on your ability to be on the starting team.
Can’t dribble? I don’t want you on my basketball team. Can’t hit? I don’t want you on my baseball team. Can’t block or catch a football? I don’t want you on my football team. It is all based on your merit.
And, by the way, it doesn’t matter if you are not blessed with good hand-to-eye coordination. Tough! It doesn’t matter if you are not tall enough. Tough! It doesn’t matter if you’re not big enough. Tough!
I know because I was never fast enough, coordinated enough, tall enough, big enough, or just good enough to make it on any of my high school’s teams. I had passion without talent.
That’s life.
In a free society, you go as far as your God-given talent, ability, drive, and God’s blessings take you. That’s a free society at its best. It’s a free society as our Founders envisioned it.
And in sports, everyone plays by the same rules. There are no exceptions for players who are shorter or smaller or slower or less skilled. The rules apply to everyone equally and they certainly can’t be changed in the middle of the game.
In society, government makes the rules, and like baseball, they should be applied to everyone equally. That is the only fair and right way for laws to apply. When laws are applied unequally (as they were to black Americans), the outcomes are not fair. Yes, Judges, like umpires, make mistakes, but again, that’s life—imperfect, difficult, challenging, sometimes disappointing, but life.
It wouldn’t be much fun to go to a baseball game and have one team start with runs on the scoreboard because it’s not as good as the other team. We would rightfully call that unfair.
The rule makers never seek to determine outcomes and government shouldn’t either. When government seeks to define outcomes, the problems begin. Problems like the current economic crisis. Subprime loans given to selected individuals who can’t afford to repay them because of government mandates, caused a financial meltdown. Good intentions without a solid understanding of the foundations of a free society make lousy law.
Baseball players, even on the sandlot level, don’t seek unfair advantages. What fun is it to win if you are cheating? How good can you feel about yourself if the rule maker gives you an unfair advantage?
Laws that are based on good intentions, but favor one group or one individual over another, hurt everyone. The loser quits trying if it’s not a level playing field. The winner loses self-respect if he or she knows that they really didn’t win on their own merit.
When we play sports we are tough and demanding when it comes to enforcing the rules fairly and equally. We should demand no less from our government.
With the pitchers and catchers reporting for Spring Training in just a couple of weeks, it got me to thinking about baseball and democracy, or should I say, the way a free society works.
Baseball (or most any other team sport) takes skill to succeed. In fact, baseball is based on particular skills, i.e. turning a double play, hitting an 85 mile-per-hour curve ball, etc. Basketball’s required skills include dribbling and shooting accurately. Football demands being able to catch an odd shaped ball while fending off a tackler and running quicker, smarter and faster than the defender. These sports require other skills as well, but you get the idea.
All three sports, especially baseball which is significantly more complicated and sophisticated than the others (if you don’t believe me, try to explain baseball to someone who is visiting from Germany or the UK, as I have), have rules that apply to all players. And getting on a team for any of these sports is strictly based on merit. Who you know, how much money you have, where you were raised, your sex, or the color of your skin (no longer) has any impact whatsoever on your ability to be on the starting team.
Can’t dribble? I don’t want you on my basketball team. Can’t hit? I don’t want you on my baseball team. Can’t block or catch a football? I don’t want you on my football team. It is all based on your merit.
And, by the way, it doesn’t matter if you are not blessed with good hand-to-eye coordination. Tough! It doesn’t matter if you are not tall enough. Tough! It doesn’t matter if you’re not big enough. Tough!
I know because I was never fast enough, coordinated enough, tall enough, big enough, or just good enough to make it on any of my high school’s teams. I had passion without talent.
That’s life.
In a free society, you go as far as your God-given talent, ability, drive, and God’s blessings take you. That’s a free society at its best. It’s a free society as our Founders envisioned it.
And in sports, everyone plays by the same rules. There are no exceptions for players who are shorter or smaller or slower or less skilled. The rules apply to everyone equally and they certainly can’t be changed in the middle of the game.
In society, government makes the rules, and like baseball, they should be applied to everyone equally. That is the only fair and right way for laws to apply. When laws are applied unequally (as they were to black Americans), the outcomes are not fair. Yes, Judges, like umpires, make mistakes, but again, that’s life—imperfect, difficult, challenging, sometimes disappointing, but life.
It wouldn’t be much fun to go to a baseball game and have one team start with runs on the scoreboard because it’s not as good as the other team. We would rightfully call that unfair.
The rule makers never seek to determine outcomes and government shouldn’t either. When government seeks to define outcomes, the problems begin. Problems like the current economic crisis. Subprime loans given to selected individuals who can’t afford to repay them because of government mandates, caused a financial meltdown. Good intentions without a solid understanding of the foundations of a free society make lousy law.
Baseball players, even on the sandlot level, don’t seek unfair advantages. What fun is it to win if you are cheating? How good can you feel about yourself if the rule maker gives you an unfair advantage?
Laws that are based on good intentions, but favor one group or one individual over another, hurt everyone. The loser quits trying if it’s not a level playing field. The winner loses self-respect if he or she knows that they really didn’t win on their own merit.
When we play sports we are tough and demanding when it comes to enforcing the rules fairly and equally. We should demand no less from our government.
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