The latest negotiations between the White House and Congress to avoid the fiscal cliff centers around the "balanced approach" supported by President Barack Obama during the recent campaign.
Now, the President seems to be focused almost entirely on raising taxes for the most successful Americans, while the Republicans seem to be touting the approach once favored but now seemingly abandoned by the President -- increasing revenue and making spending cuts. Without significant spending cuts, though, the Republican-controlled House simply will not agree to raise taxes on the highest-earning Americans. In contrast, the President has outlined a specific plan for raising taxes on Americans earning over $200,000 as individuals or for married couples earning over $250,000, but has avoided any details whatsoever on how he would cut the federal budget.
But does America have a revenue problem, or does it have a spending problem? If you're like me, once people begin talking about trillions upon trillions of dollars, it's nearly impossible to fathom. But once you put the debt into context in numbers that people can understand, you begin to see a much clearer picture.
If America were a household, and we took away five zeros to make the numbers manageable, we would be earning about $25,000 per year (total annual government revenue). This year, however, we will spend about $38,000 (national budget), which means that we had to put about $13,000 on our credit card (annual deficit), bringing our total credit card debt to about $164,000 (total national debt). This year, the interest alone on that debt will cost us about $4,500, nearly one-fifth of what we took in.
By taxing the most successful Americans more, the President will add about $16,000 to our household income over the next 10 years, which equates to a paltry $1,600 per year. However, his most recent budget projections show a deficit of at least $10,000 per year which will be added to our credit card debt. This means that by the end of his second term our total household debt will be well over $200,000. In just eight years, this President will have added about half -- $100,000 -- of our nation's total credit card debt. The interest alone on our debt will cost our household around $6,000 per year by 2016, if interest rates remain low.
Adding to this national financial mess is the fact that our entitlement programs are growing much faster than any increases in our revenue. Within two decades, the entitlement programs of Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare will consume 100% of annual revenue, leaving nothing for education, defense or anything else. If the trend of spending more than we take in continues, couple of decades the interest alone on our national debt will consume 100% of our annual revenue.
America is facing a fiscal cliff of increased taxes for nearly all Americans on January 1, 2013, if Congress and the President can't agree on a plan to extend the Bush-era tax cuts. Our nation faces a much bigger precipice -- a Grand Canyon-like cliff -- if we don't address the debt problem and growing entitlement programs that will bankrupt this country and send the entire world into a deep depression.
As one can see, America does not have a revenue problem. We simply have been spending, and continue to spend, money we just don't have.
This President has done more to bankrupt this country than any other President before him.
One way or another, though, this spending will stop -- either through managed budget cuts and a well-defined plan to cut our debt -- or through a bankruptcy and deep depression that will be much more painful for all Americans.
Showing posts with label debt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label debt. Show all posts
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Sunday, September 9, 2012
The Voice of Reason: Could These Be the Last Days of America?
The statistics are sobering.
More than 23 million Americans are unemployed, underemployed or have simply given up looking for work. The number of Americans on food stamps has increased by more than 14 million since President Barack Obama first took office, and the number on social security disability has increased 10 percent in that same time period.
Since President Obama was inaugurated, the amount of money the federal government gives to households has increased by a third, to the point that nearly one-half of all households in the country now receive a check of some kind from the government.
http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/16-statistics-which-show-that-the-number-of-americans-dependent-on-the-government-is-at-an-all-time-high
Our debt is now over $16 trillion, increasing by more than 50% since our current President took the reins.
“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years.”
What Tocqueville predicted nearly two full centuries ago appears to have a good chance of coming true. With a near-majority of Americans receiving assistance from the government, will they vote for the candidate promising the most benefits, President Obama, or will they vote for Romney, a candidate who promises to control spending in order to save America from financial insolvency?
If what Tocqueville predicts comes true, our nation will collapse financially and then become a dictatorship.
Interestingly, President Obama has not proposed any plan whatsoever to rein in entitlement programs or to slow the growth of our debt that threatens to implode this country financially. He hasn't proposed anything in four years as President, and he certainly didn't propose any plan in his convention speech.
Without a change of direction, our country is racing towards a financial collapse. And yet, nearly one-half of Americans indicate that they will vote for President Obama on November 6?
With all of the campaigning during the past several months, few noticed that our President issued an executive order that directs border control agents to ignore immigration laws passed by Congress and signed by a former President. More noticed when he passed health care legislation to take over one-sixth of our economy, but very few paid attention when Health and Human Services directed Catholic institutions to provide free birth control, stomping on the religious rights of Americans. Even fewer paid attention when the New York Times reported that President Obama has a "kill list" that includes American citizens as primary targets without any judicial or Congressional review. President Obama alone decides who lives and who dies. Are these the actions of a President in a democracy or a dictator?
Tocqueville predicted that a dictatorship follows the financial collapse. Based on our current President's actions, we're already halfway there.
As I wrote in an earlier blog, this election will be the second most important one in our nation's history. The most important election was the first, when our country elected a leader, George Washington, who established the model for sharing power among the three branches of government, instead of grabbing the near-unlimited power that could have been his.
I fervently believe that this election will determine if America continues being a democracy or if it transforms into a socialist nation or worse, a dictatorship; if America will regain financial stability or drown in its debt; and if America will continue to be the land of opportunity or a country where the government determines how successful one will become.
In short, this election will determine if these will be the last days of the shining beacon of freedom. Will we become the nation they once called America, or the nation that continues to beckon those yearning to be free?
It will be up to us on November 6.
More than 23 million Americans are unemployed, underemployed or have simply given up looking for work. The number of Americans on food stamps has increased by more than 14 million since President Barack Obama first took office, and the number on social security disability has increased 10 percent in that same time period.
Since President Obama was inaugurated, the amount of money the federal government gives to households has increased by a third, to the point that nearly one-half of all households in the country now receive a check of some kind from the government.
http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/16-statistics-which-show-that-the-number-of-americans-dependent-on-the-government-is-at-an-all-time-high
Our debt is now over $16 trillion, increasing by more than 50% since our current President took the reins.
And yet, the latest polls show President Obama with a slight lead over Republican nominee Mitt Romney. Given the economic condition of our country, which has been made precipitously worse by our current President, how can this be?
I believe that this nearly 200-year-old quote from French historian Alexis de Tocqueville can perhaps provide the best explanation:
“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years.”
What Tocqueville predicted nearly two full centuries ago appears to have a good chance of coming true. With a near-majority of Americans receiving assistance from the government, will they vote for the candidate promising the most benefits, President Obama, or will they vote for Romney, a candidate who promises to control spending in order to save America from financial insolvency?
If what Tocqueville predicts comes true, our nation will collapse financially and then become a dictatorship.
Interestingly, President Obama has not proposed any plan whatsoever to rein in entitlement programs or to slow the growth of our debt that threatens to implode this country financially. He hasn't proposed anything in four years as President, and he certainly didn't propose any plan in his convention speech.
Without a change of direction, our country is racing towards a financial collapse. And yet, nearly one-half of Americans indicate that they will vote for President Obama on November 6?
With all of the campaigning during the past several months, few noticed that our President issued an executive order that directs border control agents to ignore immigration laws passed by Congress and signed by a former President. More noticed when he passed health care legislation to take over one-sixth of our economy, but very few paid attention when Health and Human Services directed Catholic institutions to provide free birth control, stomping on the religious rights of Americans. Even fewer paid attention when the New York Times reported that President Obama has a "kill list" that includes American citizens as primary targets without any judicial or Congressional review. President Obama alone decides who lives and who dies. Are these the actions of a President in a democracy or a dictator?
Tocqueville predicted that a dictatorship follows the financial collapse. Based on our current President's actions, we're already halfway there.
As I wrote in an earlier blog, this election will be the second most important one in our nation's history. The most important election was the first, when our country elected a leader, George Washington, who established the model for sharing power among the three branches of government, instead of grabbing the near-unlimited power that could have been his.
I fervently believe that this election will determine if America continues being a democracy or if it transforms into a socialist nation or worse, a dictatorship; if America will regain financial stability or drown in its debt; and if America will continue to be the land of opportunity or a country where the government determines how successful one will become.
In short, this election will determine if these will be the last days of the shining beacon of freedom. Will we become the nation they once called America, or the nation that continues to beckon those yearning to be free?
It will be up to us on November 6.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
The Voice of Reason: Why Recent College Graduates Don't Have a Job
So, you studied hard and graduated from college. Maybe you graduated with honors and perhaps even finished among the best in your class. You did what everyone said you needed to do in order to get a good job -- you graduated from college. After graduation you've seen advertisements for very few openings in your field, and you've submitted resume after resume. Maybe you've had an interview or two, but haven't been offered a job. You've had to move back with your parents and have had to settle for a job that doesn't require a college degree. You're making minimum wage or maybe a few cents more per hour. You don't earn enough to even think about buying a house, let alone a car.
Or maybe you graduated from college a couple of years ago, lost a job during the recession and have been looking for another job. You have some experience in your field and you thought that surely you would be able to find a good job after going without work for a couple of weeks. But the weeks turned into months, and the months turned into a couple of years. You're wondering if you will ever find a job in your field that pays enough for you to buy a house or car or to support a family -- or to have any of the things normally associated with being a member of the middle class.
Do either of these scenarios describe the difficulty you've faced in finding a job -- a good job -- in your field of study?
If so, you're not alone. About one-half of recent college graduates have been unable to find a job in their field of study. The job market for recent graduates is the worst it's been since the Great Depression at the start of the last century. Tens of thousands of your classmates are also out of work, and things don't appear to be getting any better.
So, why haven't you been able to find a job? It's complicated, but let me try to explain.
The recession officially ended in June 2009. Since then, our economy has been in a "recovery." Unfortunately, this recovery has been the worst since the Great Depression.
The reason this slow recovery is that businesses -- small. medium and large -- are faced with an uncertain future. The policies of the Obama Administration have created this uncertainty in terms of environmental regulations, taxes on income and healthcare costs. This uncertainty has resulted in businesses curtailing new hiring and halting any expansion or investment in capital projects.
In short, as a result of this uncertainty created by the Obama Administration, you don't have a good job.
Let's take a look at each of the areas of uncertainty for business and industry.
President Obama's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is clearly out of control. Just as businesses invest funds to meet one new environmental regulation, another, stricter one is enacted. In some cases, the EPA seems to be more intent on closing entire industries than protecting the environment. Business and industry don't know what these new regulations will cost or even when they will be enacted, so they are leery of expanding or hiring new people when one unreasonable regulation could close their doors.
As for taxes, President Obama has made it clear he wants affluent people and businesses to pay what he describes as their "fair share." The affluent people he's talking about are mostly the small business owners, the people who create the majority of jobs in America. They don't know how much more in taxes they will pay, so they're afraid to hire new people or to expand their business because they don't know what their profit margins will be -- or even if they will be able to operate profitably when these new taxes are enacted.
The costs of healthcare seem to increase every year, but another monkey wrench has been thown into the equation -- Obamacare -- that has created even more uncertainty. Most of the new healthcare law will not be enacted until 2013 and 2014, so businesses don't know how this new law will fully impact them. In just the past year, the average cost of healthcare insurance for their employees has increased by $2,500, although the President said that Obamacare would decrease by $2,500 this year. Clearly, this new law will cost a lot more than the President said, and businesses know that the majority of those increased costs will ultimately be passed on to them in taxes and/or penalties. They're afraid to hire more employes or to expand because they simply don't know what the affect will be on their bottom lines.
This uncertainty is why so few jobs have been created. This uncertainty is also why you and so many of your classmates have been unable to find a job in their fields of study.
To put this uncertainty in terms anyone can understand, imagine that you save up just enough money for an Ipad. But as soon as you have the money saved and are ready to buy your Ipad, your car breaks down and you take it to the mechanic. Do you buy the Ipad until you know how much it will cost to fix your car? Of course not. Uncertainty causes you to move cautiously with your money. Businesses operate the same way. Until they know what things will cost, they are reluctant to spend.
Remember then-candidate Barack Obama, who promised you Hope and Change? As a result of his policies, you Hope you will be able to find a job in your field and you're essentially earning pocket Change for doing a job well below your talents and abilities. If President Obama is reelected for four more years, he will undoubtedly continue the same policies that created the uncertainty that has left millions of Americans unemployed or underemployed.
There's are two other major factors to consider during this election: debt and entitlement programs. Under President Obama, our national debt has increased by 50% in just three and one-half years. It now stands at $16 trillion. To put this debt in perspective, the amount owed by the United States equates to over $533,000 for every household in America. Unfortunately, President Obama has not offered any serious proposal to cut this debt, which threatens the security and standard of living for every citizen, especially younger Americans. Although Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are all racing toward insolvency, President Obama not made a serious proposal to rein in their costs so that future generations of Americans -- your generation -- has access to these vital programs.
In short, President Obama is mortgaging your future for his reelection. President Obama has said that the proposals by Republican nominee Mitt Romney and his running mate, Paul Ryan, to cut the debt and slow the growth of entitlements are "extreme" and "radical." The truth is that not doing anything, as President Obama has done, is what is truly extreme and radical.
Fortunately, you have a choice this election. In Romney and Ryan, you have two people with unique qualifications that will allow them to tackle the serious issues facing our nation. Romney has a "stellar" business record, even according to former President Bill Clinton. Romney clearly knows what businesses require in order to expand and hire more people. He also was an effective governor, turning a debt into a surplus without raising taxes and cutting Massachusetts' unemployment rate to under 5%. Ryan, 42, is closest in age to your generation of any of the candidates, and he is considered to be the most knowledgeable budget expert in Congress. He knows that unless something is done soon to cut the debt and slow the growth of the entitlement programs, your generation and his children's generation will be faced with a standard of living below that of previous generations and without the benefit of entitlement programs that have served generation after generation of Americans.
Millions of Americans were truly inspired by then-candidate Obama in 2008 with his soaring rhetoric and his promises to unite a divided country. But four years later, the economy has not improved and our country is still divided. In fact, things have gotten much worse.
Of all Americans voting in the election of 2012, college graduates in their 20s should understand better than anyone else that President Obama's policies just haven't worked. But will they be persuaded by more the President's inspiring rhetoric, or his pathetic record creating jobs for people in their age group?
Or maybe you graduated from college a couple of years ago, lost a job during the recession and have been looking for another job. You have some experience in your field and you thought that surely you would be able to find a good job after going without work for a couple of weeks. But the weeks turned into months, and the months turned into a couple of years. You're wondering if you will ever find a job in your field that pays enough for you to buy a house or car or to support a family -- or to have any of the things normally associated with being a member of the middle class.
Do either of these scenarios describe the difficulty you've faced in finding a job -- a good job -- in your field of study?
If so, you're not alone. About one-half of recent college graduates have been unable to find a job in their field of study. The job market for recent graduates is the worst it's been since the Great Depression at the start of the last century. Tens of thousands of your classmates are also out of work, and things don't appear to be getting any better.
So, why haven't you been able to find a job? It's complicated, but let me try to explain.
The recession officially ended in June 2009. Since then, our economy has been in a "recovery." Unfortunately, this recovery has been the worst since the Great Depression.
The reason this slow recovery is that businesses -- small. medium and large -- are faced with an uncertain future. The policies of the Obama Administration have created this uncertainty in terms of environmental regulations, taxes on income and healthcare costs. This uncertainty has resulted in businesses curtailing new hiring and halting any expansion or investment in capital projects.
In short, as a result of this uncertainty created by the Obama Administration, you don't have a good job.
Let's take a look at each of the areas of uncertainty for business and industry.
President Obama's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is clearly out of control. Just as businesses invest funds to meet one new environmental regulation, another, stricter one is enacted. In some cases, the EPA seems to be more intent on closing entire industries than protecting the environment. Business and industry don't know what these new regulations will cost or even when they will be enacted, so they are leery of expanding or hiring new people when one unreasonable regulation could close their doors.
As for taxes, President Obama has made it clear he wants affluent people and businesses to pay what he describes as their "fair share." The affluent people he's talking about are mostly the small business owners, the people who create the majority of jobs in America. They don't know how much more in taxes they will pay, so they're afraid to hire new people or to expand their business because they don't know what their profit margins will be -- or even if they will be able to operate profitably when these new taxes are enacted.
The costs of healthcare seem to increase every year, but another monkey wrench has been thown into the equation -- Obamacare -- that has created even more uncertainty. Most of the new healthcare law will not be enacted until 2013 and 2014, so businesses don't know how this new law will fully impact them. In just the past year, the average cost of healthcare insurance for their employees has increased by $2,500, although the President said that Obamacare would decrease by $2,500 this year. Clearly, this new law will cost a lot more than the President said, and businesses know that the majority of those increased costs will ultimately be passed on to them in taxes and/or penalties. They're afraid to hire more employes or to expand because they simply don't know what the affect will be on their bottom lines.
This uncertainty is why so few jobs have been created. This uncertainty is also why you and so many of your classmates have been unable to find a job in their fields of study.
To put this uncertainty in terms anyone can understand, imagine that you save up just enough money for an Ipad. But as soon as you have the money saved and are ready to buy your Ipad, your car breaks down and you take it to the mechanic. Do you buy the Ipad until you know how much it will cost to fix your car? Of course not. Uncertainty causes you to move cautiously with your money. Businesses operate the same way. Until they know what things will cost, they are reluctant to spend.
Remember then-candidate Barack Obama, who promised you Hope and Change? As a result of his policies, you Hope you will be able to find a job in your field and you're essentially earning pocket Change for doing a job well below your talents and abilities. If President Obama is reelected for four more years, he will undoubtedly continue the same policies that created the uncertainty that has left millions of Americans unemployed or underemployed.
There's are two other major factors to consider during this election: debt and entitlement programs. Under President Obama, our national debt has increased by 50% in just three and one-half years. It now stands at $16 trillion. To put this debt in perspective, the amount owed by the United States equates to over $533,000 for every household in America. Unfortunately, President Obama has not offered any serious proposal to cut this debt, which threatens the security and standard of living for every citizen, especially younger Americans. Although Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are all racing toward insolvency, President Obama not made a serious proposal to rein in their costs so that future generations of Americans -- your generation -- has access to these vital programs.
In short, President Obama is mortgaging your future for his reelection. President Obama has said that the proposals by Republican nominee Mitt Romney and his running mate, Paul Ryan, to cut the debt and slow the growth of entitlements are "extreme" and "radical." The truth is that not doing anything, as President Obama has done, is what is truly extreme and radical.
Fortunately, you have a choice this election. In Romney and Ryan, you have two people with unique qualifications that will allow them to tackle the serious issues facing our nation. Romney has a "stellar" business record, even according to former President Bill Clinton. Romney clearly knows what businesses require in order to expand and hire more people. He also was an effective governor, turning a debt into a surplus without raising taxes and cutting Massachusetts' unemployment rate to under 5%. Ryan, 42, is closest in age to your generation of any of the candidates, and he is considered to be the most knowledgeable budget expert in Congress. He knows that unless something is done soon to cut the debt and slow the growth of the entitlement programs, your generation and his children's generation will be faced with a standard of living below that of previous generations and without the benefit of entitlement programs that have served generation after generation of Americans.
Millions of Americans were truly inspired by then-candidate Obama in 2008 with his soaring rhetoric and his promises to unite a divided country. But four years later, the economy has not improved and our country is still divided. In fact, things have gotten much worse.
Of all Americans voting in the election of 2012, college graduates in their 20s should understand better than anyone else that President Obama's policies just haven't worked. But will they be persuaded by more the President's inspiring rhetoric, or his pathetic record creating jobs for people in their age group?
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
The Voice of Reason: President Obama Interviews for Job as CEO of America
HELP WANTED
President of the United States
Searching for leader with proven experience as a chief executive officer and significant record of accomplishments. Must have experience growing revenue in the private or public sectors and promoting policies that create jobs. Must also have proven experience reaching across party lines in order to pass legislation into law. Needs to have proven experience addressing challenging budgetary issues, turning deficits into surpluses, and making tough budgetary choices. Also needs to inspire, communicate and lead a nation to prosperity. Job will be available January 2013. Must be able to start work immediately.
President of the United States
Searching for leader with proven experience as a chief executive officer and significant record of accomplishments. Must have experience growing revenue in the private or public sectors and promoting policies that create jobs. Must also have proven experience reaching across party lines in order to pass legislation into law. Needs to have proven experience addressing challenging budgetary issues, turning deficits into surpluses, and making tough budgetary choices. Also needs to inspire, communicate and lead a nation to prosperity. Job will be available January 2013. Must be able to start work immediately.
An election is nothing more than lengthy job interview, with each candidate communicating his or her experience, record of accomplishments and vision for the future to the ultimate selection committee -- the voters -- in speeches, advertisements, appearances at events and a party convention.
In the election of 2012, our incumbent President, Barack Obama, is facing a serious challenge from presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney because the President has not improved the standard of living for most Americans in his three and one-half years on the jobs. Members of the selection committee -- voters -- have essentially reopened the job because the President’s performance has not lived up to the expectations of the people who selected him for the job in 2008.
Given the current state of our country, what would an interview entail for President Obama (BO), as he explains his experience and record of accomplishments to the head of our selection Committee, a fictional person named John Q. Public (JP)? Let’s take a look at how this interview might proceed:
JP: Thank you for meeting with us today, President Obama.
BO: It’s a pleasure to be here today. I just finished a round of golf and am heading to another fundraiser, so let’s make this quick.
JP: I know that you're currently serving in this position. The selection committee has decided to repost the job, but have given you a chance to re-apply. That's why I'm interviewing you today -- to determine if you should be hired for another four years, or if we should go in another direction.
BO: I understand, but I think I've done a very good job. The private sector is doing very well under my leadership and my economic plan has worked.
JP: Your plan has worked? I'll get to that in a few minutes. You'll have the opportunity to tell me about your record, but let's move through the interview questions. Tell me about your experience as a chief executive officer.
BO: Well, I’ve been President of the United States for three and one-half years now.
JP: Prior to that, did you have CEO experience?
BO: I was a community organizer, state legislator and U.S. Senator.
JP: Had you led anything prior to becoming President, such as a major Senate Committee?
BO: No.
JP: Were you the CEO of a business or even a nonprofit organization?
BO: No.
JP: Have you even led a Cub Scout Troop?
BO: No.
JP: So, you essentially had no leadership experience prior to becoming President?
BO: In college, I was president of the Harvard Law Review, and I was kind of the leader of a group in high school. We smoked a lot of. . .but that’s another story.
JP: Well, tell me about your record of accomplishments as President.
BO: I was able to pass healthcare reform legislation and I shot Osama Bin Laden. I’ve also shot well over 100 rounds of golf and have attended more fundraisers than the last four Presidents combined at this point in their first term. As you can see, I’ve worked extremely hard and have accomplished great things. Other than a couple of Presidents, including Abraham Lincoln, I would put our legislative accomplishments up against any President.
JP: Let’s take a look at these accomplishments one at a time. Part of the job description is being able to work across party lines in order to pass legislation. How many Republican members of Congress voted for your healthcare plan?
BO: None.
JP: None?
BO: Zero.
JP: So not one member of the opposition party voted to support your landmark legislation?
BO: Not a one.
JP: And isn’t it true that the majority of the American public wants this law repealed?
BO: They just haven’t had time to read it. Even I haven’t had time to read it. We're just learning what all Nancy Pelosi and the lobbyists put into the law.
JP: You also mentioned that you shot Osama Bin Laden?
BO: I didn’t actually shoot him as in pulling the trigger, but I made the decision to have him killed after obtaining intelligence where he was hiding. I did the tough part, making the decision. I thought about this decision for months. Valerie Jarrett told me that I should hold off, but after a few months of thinking about it, I decided to move forward. That was a tough decision.
JP: You did the tough part? Given Bin Laden's atrocities against the U.S., wouldn’t any President have made that decision?
BO: I don’t know. I don’t think that any Republican would have made that decision.
JP: Any President would have made that decision. Even Jimmy Carter would have ordered that raid on Bin Laden’s compound. Let’s talk about your other accomplishments. You’ve played golf and attended fundraisers?
BO: Yes, I’ve worked very hard. Some days I play a round of golf and then attend two fundraisers. It’s arduous work, but I love it.
JP: Have you met with your Jobs Council or Cabinet in the past six months?
BO: There hasn’t been a lot of time for that. I’ve had a lot on my plate with the golf and fundraisers. I think I've met with my Cabinet once, and my Jobs Council? No so much.
JP: I’m sure you've been very busy. You mentioned that your legislative accomplishments have been among the most impressive in American history. What other legislative accomplishments have you and your administration achieved?
BO: I can't think of anything right now, but I'll get back to you later if I think of something.
JP: Let's move on to another topic. Tell me about your experience growing revenues and adding jobs.
JP: I’m sure you've been very busy. You mentioned that your legislative accomplishments have been among the most impressive in American history. What other legislative accomplishments have you and your administration achieved?
BO: I can't think of anything right now, but I'll get back to you later if I think of something.
JP: Let's move on to another topic. Tell me about your experience growing revenues and adding jobs.
BO: In my first term, 4.5 million jobs have been created.
JP: But aren’t there fewer Americans working than when you were elected?
BO: Yes, but you have to look at how many jobs we’ve created. After all, George Bush. . .
JP: President Obama, this interview is about you. You’ve been on the job nearly four years now and have had enough time to show us what you can do. Hasn't the unemployment rate increased since you took office?
BO: Yes, it has, but 4.5 million jobs have been created.
JP: But how many jobs have been lost and how many new people have entered the workforce? You do know that America needs to add up to 200,000 jobs a month just to break even, don't you?
BO: Yes, but we've created 4.5 million jobs.
JP: I heard that the first time you said it, but that statistic doesn't tell whether we're gaining ground, treading water or losing ground. If my numbers are correct, we have nearly 500,000 fewer jobs than the day you were inaugurated. The recent jobs report was also a downer. Only 96,000 jobs were created and nearly 375,000 people stopped looking for work, but let's move on. Let’s talk about the budget. Have you been able to balance the budget or at least slow down the growing debt?
BO: Yes, it has, but 4.5 million jobs have been created.
JP: But how many jobs have been lost and how many new people have entered the workforce? You do know that America needs to add up to 200,000 jobs a month just to break even, don't you?
BO: Yes, but we've created 4.5 million jobs.
JP: I heard that the first time you said it, but that statistic doesn't tell whether we're gaining ground, treading water or losing ground. If my numbers are correct, we have nearly 500,000 fewer jobs than the day you were inaugurated. The recent jobs report was also a downer. Only 96,000 jobs were created and nearly 375,000 people stopped looking for work, but let's move on. Let’s talk about the budget. Have you been able to balance the budget or at least slow down the growing debt?
BO. No. The debt has increased by 50%.
JP: Fifty percent? Are you kidding? Did I hear you correctly?
BO: The debt has increased by 50% since I took office. It's now at $16 trillion. But we had to spend a lot of money to get the economy going. That's the job of government. We would have made more progress on jobs but the shovel ready projects we thought we were paying for weren't quite shovel ready. After all, government, not entrepreneurs, build businesses.
JP: What? I don't believe what I'm hearing.
BO: Those business owners, they didn't build those businesses.
JP: So who built them?
BO: They got a lot of help from the government.
JP: Let's get back to the stimulus. So, essentially, nearly a trillion dollars in stimulus dollars was wasted? Is that what you're saying?
BO: It wasn't all wasted.
JP: What about the debt? So you haven't cut the debt even one cent?
BO: Those business owners, they didn't build those businesses.
JP: So who built them?
BO: They got a lot of help from the government.
JP: Let's get back to the stimulus. So, essentially, nearly a trillion dollars in stimulus dollars was wasted? Is that what you're saying?
BO: It wasn't all wasted.
JP: What about the debt? So you haven't cut the debt even one cent?
BO: Well, George Bush. . .
JP: Again, Mr. President, this interview is about you. Every President faces issues left over from his predecessor when he takes office. You didn’t hear George Bush complain that he had to face the terrorist attacks on 9/11 because Bill Clinton didn’t have Bin Laden killed when he had the chance. But let’s move on. Tell me about your last two budgets.
BO: I really haven’t had one. But it's the responsibility of Congress to. . .
JP: What do you mean you haven’t had one?
BO: Well, Congress never got around to passing mine or one of their own.
JP: Didn’t you propose budgets in 2011 and 2012?
BO: Yes.
JP: Well, what happened? Why didn’t Congress pass your budgets?
BO: The Senate voted them down.
JP: They voted them down in the Senate? What was the tally of the votes?
BO: 97-0 and 99-0.
JP: But didn’t your party control the Senate both of those years?
BO: That’s right, but the Republicans. . .
JP: So, you couldn’t get a single vote for your proposed budgets even though your own party controlled the Senate?
BO: That’s right.
JP: Doesn’t that seem to indicate that even your own party won’t follow you? Doesn’t that also show a lack of leadership on your part as a CEO, not pressing Congress to actually do its job? This is basic stuff. No organization should operate without a budget.
BO: Well, the Republicans. . .
JP: But your party controlled the Senate. So, you’re operating without a budget passed by Congress?
BO: That’s right.
JP: Well, let’s get to the last part of the job. Are you an inspiring person, President Obama?
BO: Yes, I am. MSNBC's Chris Matthews even said that he gets tingles up his leg when I speak.
JP: Chris Matthews is an absolute idiot. I think he just has a bladder problem. He probably meant he tingles down his own leg.
BO: In 2008 people were fainting when I spoke and I inspired thousands of young people to vote for the first time. Hope and Change. Hope and Change.
JP: That’s great, but inspiration is one thing, and slogans are another. Actually getting something accomplished is the role of the President. What is the level of excitement for you now among the American people?
BO: It's kind of waning. I don't understand.
JP: Let’s review to make sure I have this information right. Other than your experience as President, you have zero CEO experience. You made the deficit worse, and you've been unable to get Americans back to work. You've been unable to reach across party lines to get legislation passed, even a budget when your party controlled the Senate. You were able to pass healthcare legislation, but the majority of Americans don't want it. Under your watch, Navy Seals were able to kill Osama Bin Laden, and you’re a great speaker who makes Chris Matthews all tingly. Does that pretty much sum it up?
BO: I think you’ve covered it.
JP: President Obama, I have to say that I’m disappointed in your performance.
BO: Well, the Republicans, and George Bush. . .
JP: Mr. President, a true leader inspires and cajoles the other party to move to his side of the fence, or he meets them somewhere in the middle. You haven't done either.
BO: But I promise I’ll compromise more if I’m just given another chance. I need more time.
JP: About that other chance. I’m not so sure you will be given another chance.
BO: When will I find out if I’ve got the job again? Michelle is planning a few vacations for us and the kids in 2013. We're planning to travel to all 57 states, as well as Australia, New Zealand, Russia, China, South Korea, England, Ireland. . .
JP: November 6, Mr. President. We'll make our decision on that day. That day can’t come fast enough, as far as I’m concerned. Thanks for interviewing again for the job. But, please, please, don’t call us, we’ll call you.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
The Voice of Reason: Headlines We'll See if Obama is Reelected
If you're a news junkie like I am, you read newspapers, watch television, listen to radio and browse the internet trying to keep up with what's going on in our country and the world.
During the past three and a half years, we've seen thousands of headlines in the newspaper about the current administration. But I wonder, what would the headlines in American newspapers be like if President Obama is given another four years? Here are a few headlines I strongly believe we'll see, given the radical political views of our current President and the current direction of our country:
The sad part is that not even one of these headlines is out of the realm of possibility. In fact, given the direction this country is headed and our President's policies, I believe that the vast majority of these headlines have a high probability of being seen in our newspapers in the coming four years.
Do I see the unemployment rate remaining above 8%? Yes. Do I see the unemployment rate heading above even 10%. Yes, I do, especially if the President continues his anti-business, anti-growth policies, which he'll do if he's reelected.
Do I truly see coal being phased out as an energy source? Absolutely. Millions of Americas employed by coal directly and indirectly will be out of jobs.
Do I foresee America's power grid in grave danger? Yes, I do. With so many coal plants being shut down and even tougher EPA regulations on the drawing board -- with politics now driving America's energy policy -- our nation's reliable supply of electricity is at risk.
Do I see the EPA turning its attention to natural gas and oil after it has destroyed coal? Absolutely. The Obama Administration is against all fossil fuels that are extracted from the earth. The Obama Administration wouldn't even approve the Keystone Pipeline, which would have provided millions of barrels of oil from our neighbor to the north, Canada.
Do I see gasoline at over $8 a gallon? Any conflict in the Middle East, coupled with our President's "head in the sand" energy policy, could cause gas prices to top $10 a gallon.
Do I think that the President and Congress will raise taxes on all working Americans to fund their social programs? Absolutely. Raising taxes on only the wealthiest Americans won't raise enough revenue. The math just doesn't add up.
Do I see mass protests and a standard of living for Americans close to what we faced during the Great Depression? Without a doubt. We are heading towards a financial cliff with soaring debt, economic stagnation and millions more on various government programs. Again, the math just doesn't add up.
Some may think I'm being an alarmist. I happen to think that I'm being a realist. Knowing that he won't have to run again, our President will be free to do what he wants in a second term, which will result in an expansion of the policies he enacted in his first term.
We have a choice this election, and I believe that choice is crystal clear.
EPA Orders All Remaining Coal Plants to Close
Unemployment Tops 8% for 60th Straight Month
National Debt Increases to $22 Trillion
Unemployment Tops 10% for 10th Straight Month
Unemployment for Blacks Tops 30%
More Americans Now on Disability, Unemployment than Working
Average American Sees 75% Increase in Electricity
Power Grid at Breaking Point: Not Enough Power Plants to Power America
Half of America Dark During Week-long Blackout
Americans Turn Violent without Jobs, Power
EPA Turns Attention to Natural Gas, Oil
Americans Paying $8.25 for Gasoline; Prices Headed Higher
Obamacare Produces Three Month Wait for Office Visit
President, Congress Raise Taxes on All Americans to Pay for Programs
Millions Take to Streets to Protest President's Policies
Standard of Living for Americans Lowest Since Great Depression
Friday, July 20, 2012
The Voice of Reason: Golfer, Vacationer or Bloviator in Chief?
The President of the United States is our nation's "Commander in Chief."
Sadly, our current President seems more intent on golfing, vacationing, campaigning, hearing his own voice, lying, blaming anyone and anything but himself, wasting our hard-earned tax dollars, saying things that divide our country and using the word "I" than actually commanding anything. While millions of Americans are out of work, underemployed or have quit looking for a job, and our country dives into debt faster than ever before in our nation's history, our President seems oblivious to the enormous challenges facing our country on the homefront.
So, if our President isn't acting like a Commander in Chief, of what is he our "Chief?"
Please take the survey at the bottom of the page. Scroll down on the survey to see all of the possible answers and results. Click "Done" to enter your answer.
Golfer in Chief
Our President recently completed his 100th round of golf in the three and a half years he's been in office.
http://www.theblaze.com/blog/2012/06/05/obamas-presidential-record-3-years-100-rounds-of-golf/
http://www.whitehousedossier.com/2012/06/17/obama-plays-golf-100th-time-presidency/
Vacationer in Chief
The Obama family has taken 16 vacations in 42 months, costing taxpayers millions.
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/obama-vacation-taxpayer-cost/2012/07/19/id/445913
Campaigner in Chief
Through July 9, our President had attended 174 fundraisers since he began his reelection campaign last year, more than his past five predecessors combined. http://www.mercurynews.com/presidentelect/ci_21040675/obama-continues-trail-romney-fundraising
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/238951.html
Bloviator in Chief
The President seemingly comments on anything and everything, almost as if he loves hearing his own voice.
http://factsnotfantasy.blogspot.com/2011/01/great-bloviator.html
Liar in Chief
What campaign promise hasn't our President broken? He promised to close Gitmo, he told Americans he wouldn't raise taxes on anyone earning less than $250,000 and he promised to cut our debt in half, just to name three of his whoppers.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/rulings/promise-broken/
Blamer in Chief
Our President has blamed his predecessor, George W. Bush, the Japanese tsunami, ATMs, automation and the Arab Spring four our stagnate economy. After three and a half years in office, he still can't bring himself to take any responsibility for an economy that is clearly stuck in park.
http://townhall.com/video/george-will-obama-blames-everyone-but-james-madison-for-economy
Debtor in Chief
Under President Obama's leadership, our national debt has increased by 50%.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57400369-503544/national-debt-has-increased-more-under-obama-than-under-bush/
Divider in Chief
No other President in our country's history has tried to promote class warfare as much as our current President. "Tax the Rich," is seemingly his campaign platform and he continues to talk about how wealthy Americans should pay their "fair share" at the same time that nearly 50% of Americans pay no federal income tax at all.
http://www.wnyc.org/blogs/its-free-blog/2012/jul/20/opinion-obama-class-warrior-over-you-didnt-build/
"Me" in Chief
Has anyone else noticed how many times our President uses the word, "I?" It seems that every speech he gives is peppered with "I did this," or "I'll do this." When Osama bin Laden was killed, you would have thought that our President pulled the trigger himself, given the number of times he's talked about how "I" made the "tough call" to kill the terrorist.
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/i-me-obama-uses-first-person-pronoun-117-times-1-speech
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2137636/Osama-bin-Laden-death-SEALs-slam-Obama-using-ammunition-bid-credit.html
Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.
Sadly, our current President seems more intent on golfing, vacationing, campaigning, hearing his own voice, lying, blaming anyone and anything but himself, wasting our hard-earned tax dollars, saying things that divide our country and using the word "I" than actually commanding anything. While millions of Americans are out of work, underemployed or have quit looking for a job, and our country dives into debt faster than ever before in our nation's history, our President seems oblivious to the enormous challenges facing our country on the homefront.
So, if our President isn't acting like a Commander in Chief, of what is he our "Chief?"
Please take the survey at the bottom of the page. Scroll down on the survey to see all of the possible answers and results. Click "Done" to enter your answer.
Golfer in Chief
Our President recently completed his 100th round of golf in the three and a half years he's been in office.
http://www.theblaze.com/blog/2012/06/05/obamas-presidential-record-3-years-100-rounds-of-golf/
http://www.whitehousedossier.com/2012/06/17/obama-plays-golf-100th-time-presidency/
Vacationer in Chief
The Obama family has taken 16 vacations in 42 months, costing taxpayers millions.
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/obama-vacation-taxpayer-cost/2012/07/19/id/445913
Campaigner in Chief
Through July 9, our President had attended 174 fundraisers since he began his reelection campaign last year, more than his past five predecessors combined. http://www.mercurynews.com/presidentelect/ci_21040675/obama-continues-trail-romney-fundraising
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/238951.html
Bloviator in Chief
The President seemingly comments on anything and everything, almost as if he loves hearing his own voice.
http://factsnotfantasy.blogspot.com/2011/01/great-bloviator.html
Liar in Chief
What campaign promise hasn't our President broken? He promised to close Gitmo, he told Americans he wouldn't raise taxes on anyone earning less than $250,000 and he promised to cut our debt in half, just to name three of his whoppers.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/rulings/promise-broken/
Blamer in Chief
Our President has blamed his predecessor, George W. Bush, the Japanese tsunami, ATMs, automation and the Arab Spring four our stagnate economy. After three and a half years in office, he still can't bring himself to take any responsibility for an economy that is clearly stuck in park.
http://townhall.com/video/george-will-obama-blames-everyone-but-james-madison-for-economy
Debtor in Chief
Under President Obama's leadership, our national debt has increased by 50%.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57400369-503544/national-debt-has-increased-more-under-obama-than-under-bush/
Divider in Chief
No other President in our country's history has tried to promote class warfare as much as our current President. "Tax the Rich," is seemingly his campaign platform and he continues to talk about how wealthy Americans should pay their "fair share" at the same time that nearly 50% of Americans pay no federal income tax at all.
http://www.wnyc.org/blogs/its-free-blog/2012/jul/20/opinion-obama-class-warrior-over-you-didnt-build/
"Me" in Chief
Has anyone else noticed how many times our President uses the word, "I?" It seems that every speech he gives is peppered with "I did this," or "I'll do this." When Osama bin Laden was killed, you would have thought that our President pulled the trigger himself, given the number of times he's talked about how "I" made the "tough call" to kill the terrorist.
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/i-me-obama-uses-first-person-pronoun-117-times-1-speech
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2137636/Osama-bin-Laden-death-SEALs-slam-Obama-using-ammunition-bid-credit.html
Saturday, July 14, 2012
The Voice of Reason: Even Left-Leaning News Organizations Report Obama Allegations Are BS
Predicted by many political experts for months, President Barack Obama and his campaign have begun a smear campaign of Republican nominee Mitt Rommey using what any reasonable person would call old school "dirty politics."
Sadly, the President has resorted to Chicago-style politics -- throw a bunch of crap at the wall and hope that some of it sticks.
The President and his Chicago mob have attacked Romney on two issues: 1) His firm, Bain Capital, outsourced jobs overseas, and 2) Romney was disingenuous with either the American people or the SEC when he was listed on Bain Capital documents as a principal at a time he was off running the Olympics.
Although many in the lamestream news media contiue to follow this story, because the President and his campaign allies continue to make these assertions during interviews, even left-leaning news media outlets taking the time to research the story have reported that the allegations by the Obama camp have no merit.
Here's from a story on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/12/politics/john-king-bain/index.html
Here's from another story on the CNN website: http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/16/opinion/gergen-bain-romney/index.html?hpt=hp_c1
FactCheck.org, a respected website that nails candidates for inaccuracies, earlier investigated the whole issue of Romney's departure and reached a conclusion that he was telling the truth. Last week, little noticed by Romney's critics, FactCheck went back, reviewed the evidence again, and based on what we know so far, reaffirmed its earlier conclusion. FactCheck's recent article was co-written by a man who was once a top investigative journalist for CNN. (The piece last week also recalled an Associated Press report on the Olympics that said in his early tenure at the Olympics, Romney was working 112-hour weeks to save the Salt Lake City games. Does this sound like a man who was also managing a private equity firm on the East Coast?)
As long as fairness is the standard, it would be reassuring if some of the harshest critics of Romney and Bain would acknowledge their own biases. And for goodness sake, will the Obama campaign please withdraw its heavy suggestion that Mitt Romney could well have committed a felony? That was an injustice to both Romney and the president.
The Obama campaign suggested that Romney might have been lying to the SEC,
but several experts told us not so.
"Putting that information on that form does not necessarily mean that you're
an active manager of the company," said Tom Sporkin, a former SEC investigator
and enforcement attorney. He acknowledged that that it was entirely possible
Romney owned the company but didn't run the company.
"He could have been on a leave of absence," said Sporkin.
Romney would have made money if the companies doing that outsourcing sold at
a profit. But the SEC documents don't prove that Romney ran Bain after 1999 or
that he personally shipped jobs overseas.
Sadly, the President has resorted to Chicago-style politics -- throw a bunch of crap at the wall and hope that some of it sticks.
The President and his Chicago mob have attacked Romney on two issues: 1) His firm, Bain Capital, outsourced jobs overseas, and 2) Romney was disingenuous with either the American people or the SEC when he was listed on Bain Capital documents as a principal at a time he was off running the Olympics.
Although many in the lamestream news media contiue to follow this story, because the President and his campaign allies continue to make these assertions during interviews, even left-leaning news media outlets taking the time to research the story have reported that the allegations by the Obama camp have no merit.
Here's from a story on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/12/politics/john-king-bain/index.html
But first, is there anything other than the SEC filings to suggest a hands-on Romney role at Bain post-February 1999?
No is the word from four sources who communicated with CNN on Thursday -- all of whom have firsthand knowledge of Bain's operations at the time in question. Three of the four are Democrats, and two of the four are active Obama supporters in Campaign 2012.
All four told me Romney is telling the truth.Only one, Bain Managing Director Steve Pagliuca, would talk on the record. The others spoke only on condition of anonymity, citing either Bain's low-key culture or the desire not to anger friends in the Obama campaign.
Pagliuca, a Democrat who unsuccessfully ran for Senate in 2010, told CNN: "Mitt Romney left Bain Capital in February 1999 to run the Olympics and has had absolutely no involvement with the management or investment activities of the firm or with any of its portfolio companies since the day of his departure."
Here's from another story on the CNN website: http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/16/opinion/gergen-bain-romney/index.html?hpt=hp_c1
FactCheck.org, a respected website that nails candidates for inaccuracies, earlier investigated the whole issue of Romney's departure and reached a conclusion that he was telling the truth. Last week, little noticed by Romney's critics, FactCheck went back, reviewed the evidence again, and based on what we know so far, reaffirmed its earlier conclusion. FactCheck's recent article was co-written by a man who was once a top investigative journalist for CNN. (The piece last week also recalled an Associated Press report on the Olympics that said in his early tenure at the Olympics, Romney was working 112-hour weeks to save the Salt Lake City games. Does this sound like a man who was also managing a private equity firm on the East Coast?)
As long as fairness is the standard, it would be reassuring if some of the harshest critics of Romney and Bain would acknowledge their own biases. And for goodness sake, will the Obama campaign please withdraw its heavy suggestion that Mitt Romney could well have committed a felony? That was an injustice to both Romney and the president.
Even the news outlet that probably leans the farthest to the left, CBS News, says there's nothing to the allegations of the Obama campaign: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57472228/what-was-romneys-role-at-bain-during-outsourcing/
President Obama is resorting to these types of attacks because he simply cannot run on his horrendous record. Sadly, in an election that should be about the serious issues facing our country -- our soaring debt, a stagnate economy and millions of Americans unemployed -- our President is playing games with the truth.
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