Daytona's economic stimulus

photo of me with my Dad & brother TJ at Dirty Harry's on Main Street Daytona!

I love Bike Week!

This time each winter hundreds of thousands of people meet in Daytona to share common interests of riding motorcycles and enjoying life. There's little more American than riding a bike on the open roads!

It's reported that the 69th Annual Bike Week will bring in a projected $300,000,000 to our local economy! We're only on day 2 of the 10 day festival and everyone I talked to on Main Street yesterday is elated with the business so far.

Hey locals - enjoy the stimulus! And appreciate that Bike Week embodies the American spirit of freedom.

History of Bike Week. Happy 69th Birthday!!

2nd Freedom Ride

Help us raise awareness for FairTax! We're bringing FairTax to the Freedom Rally as the SOLUTION to our economic problems. Join us - with our without a bike!! FairTax will also have a table at the event all day.

Second Freedom Ride presented by FairTax

Meet 11:30am @ Daytona City Island (355 N. Beach St.)

Leave noon for Freedom Rally @ Volusia Fairgrounds

If it rains, the plan is still on - in our cars!!

If you're not interested in joining the ride or visiting the Freedom Rally, you can still swing by City Island to get some FairTax gear! (stickers, car flags, t-shirts, FairTax books...)

I'm looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!

Kristina

P.S. FairTax is a national movement to replace the Federal Income & Payroll Tax with a retail sales tax. Instead of paying taxes when we earn or invest our money, we will pay taxes when we spend our money. Everyone in America will pay taxes, not just those of us who legally report our income.

Profits are American

I've said it before and I'll say it again: business in America are here to make a profit.

No one goes into business hoping to just break even or worse yet, borrow government stimulus dollars just to make payroll. Most small business owners start out with a big dream to provide a product or service and make loads of money doing it! It's the American dream, right?

There's a lot of public outcry to "tax the rich", "tax the evil corporations" or to make them "pay their fair share". Before 1913, our federal government was fully funded through excises taxes apportioned throughout the United States (meaning there were no direct taxes punishing particular sets of people; to distribute taxes proportionally). Taxes were meant to be voluntary and people paid them when they purchased certain items or services. In 1909, Congress passed income taxes on corporations and just 4 years later, our personal income tax system was born.

Do you know how it was passed? Politicians promised that only the RICH would pay income taxes! At the time, several states in the Union, including Missouri & Georgia, had zero residents who qualified for the income tax.

So anyway, back to business taxation and profits. Businesses are not only taxed on income, but they're taxed on every single employee through a payroll tax. So when we hire someone, we must pay 7.65% on top of every dollar we pay them. That's an exclusive tax (tax on-top of the cost). Then, the employee also pays 7.65% of every dollar they earn - an inclusive tax because it's taken from the earnings, not added to it.

That additional 7.65% on top every dollar paid to an employee literally removes profit from the business owner's bottom line. Since we're all in business to make money, we must adjust the price of our goods and services to remain profitable every single time we have a tax increase.

I know I'm going in a few different directions here, but it's all so important!

Not only do businesses pay payroll taxes on their own employees and income tax on profit, when we purchase goods from another company (like chicken wings in my case), we are paying the payroll taxes and income taxes that the seller has calculated into the cost of their goods. These taxes are embedded into the cost of everything we purchase. And remember, because of payroll and income taxes, we don't even get to keep our whole paycheck! We're buying these things with after tax money and paying the taxes that are rolled into the product or service.

Okay, back to profit. Profit is not how much I sell a chicken wing for - I don't get to keep all that money! Profit is how much I keep after I pay for that chicken wing, the wing sauce, ranch dressing, the container, the wet nap, the napkins, the insurance on my establishment, drivers insurance, natural gas and electricity, cleaning products, cooking oil, uniforms, printer ink, employee pay and payroll taxes... and more. Profit margin is the difference between what I cumulatively pay and what I sell it for. For most industries, profit margins are slim. We're working hard each week to pay all the bills and hopefully save some money to pay forward towards expansions or replacement equipment.

Here's where we get back to "taxing corporations". In order to be successful and to continually grow and change, companies must make a profit. When we increase taxes on corporations (small and large), they must adjust costs in order to stay in business. Profit margin is a percentage, so if you sell a million dollars a year, your 5% profit margin is $50,000. If you're a $10,000,000 company, your profit margin is $500,000. So, the more we tax a business, the less they have to invest in growth and the more inclined they are to raise taxes or fire employees - or gosh forbid - leave the United States.

Here's a diagram listing profit margins for different industries.

Are you one of those people who claim insurance companies make "obscene profits"? Well, look at their profit margin! (It's 3.3%; hospitals make 3.6%) Insurance companies run at very low profit margins. Profits matter less than profit margin. The more money you generate at the very same profit margin will automatically result in higher profit dollars. Often times, the larger a company gets, the lower the profit margin.

Seriously, look at all the industries making more than 10% profit margin. Where's the outcry? Where's the screaming and taxing?

If nothing else, remember two things: (1) businesses are here to make a profit; (2) only people pay taxes. Raise taxes on businesses and it rolls downhill (or floats overseas).

I like this guy.

Check out Zo's website at www.machosauceproductions.com. I completely agree with him on hyphenated-Americanism and color-blindness. Yes, I can see the color of your skin. No, it doesn't matter to me.

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." -MLK

Over control

Are you kidding me?? Check out this article and let me know what you think.

Okay, I can't keep my opinion inside... the article says that doctors in America want stricter regulations on HOT DOGS. That's right, hot-freakin'-dogs. Oscar Mayer already puts warnings on their dogs about choking hazards, but that's not enough! The regulation isn't about the nastiness that children are ingesting with a wiener, it's about the choking hazard.

Do these jacks really think that more government sanctioned labeling will create some sort of parental responsibility? It's not going to happen! Seriously, every parent on the freakin' planet knows that kids can choke (so can adults but whatcha gonna do about that?). We know that "children eating" is an activity that needs supervision.

How about parents taking responsibility for their offspring by watching WHAT they eat and WATCH them when they eat it?! It's vital that we parents show the doctors and the government jacks that we can take care of our own. We can make good food choices for our kids, which in my case means: (1) hang out with my toddler while he's eating; (2) feed my child healthy foods; (3) absolutely limit junk food like hot dogs, candy & other junk foods (choking hazards listed in the article).

The American Academy of Pediatrics would like to see recalls on food that have a higher incidence of choking. What I'd like to see is parents sitting down with their kids at each and every meal so that the adult is there to make the situation right when they don't chew their food properly or when they accidently inhale a pretzel. That's what parents do: we make sure our kids eat safely.

It's an issue of parental responsibility, not governmental control. Come on, parents! Our kids matter! Be aware of your choices, and have a bigger awareness of government control of our simplest responsibilities. WE CAN DO IT!!

Online Tax Revolt

Have you heard about this yet? With millions of Americans fed up with our tax system, it's no wonder that creative avenues of protest are rising. You can join the Online Tax Revolt at no cost and virtually be there to protest our current tax system.

I am trying to find figures siting how many Americans have been to Washington D.C. I'd guess that not even 50% of us have visited our nation's capital... Surely Americans want to visit D.C., but it's a matter of money & convenience. I mean, this is a big country!! My relatives in California would have to fly for 4 hours and invest some $$ or drive for 4 days just to get there.

So, if you're fed up with the system and aren't sure that you can make it to the April 15 Tax Rally in the Capital, go ahead and sign up online! Create your avatar and be there virtually. Goooo America!!

www.OnlineTaxRevolt.com

Fluoride is poison

This is a report by Dr. William Campbell Douglass outlining the dangers of fluoridation I feel is worth sharing.

It's pretty scary but what's even more freaky is the overall misinformation and denial by government officials and the American public. Just think, how would swallowing fluoride help strengthen your teeth?? You don't swallow Bactine to heal a cut. And now the ADA says absolutely never give babies tap water because of fluoride!!

Visit us at www.DouglassReport.com Learn more about William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.

The fluoride myth busted!

Back in the 40s, when fluoride was first added to the water supply, most dentists believed that you had to swallow the stuff in order for it to work. It hadn’t been proven, mind you. But that didn’t stop the government from including it in the chemical cocktail that’s routinely added to your tap water.

A lot has changed since then, though. Now, more than 50 years of research has proven, beyond a doubt, that fluoride is NOT suitable for human consumption. Period. You may also be surprised to learn fluoride is AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED POISON!!

That’s right. For years fluoride was classified as a toxic waste in this country. In fact, not too long ago its only approved uses were as an insecticide and a RAT POISON! Most nations have wisely abandoned fluoridation, realizing that it was a horrible mistake and was responsible for bad health and death in millions of innocent people. Most nations, except, of course, for the good ol’ U.S. of A.

Now, those people who have been exposed to a lifetime of poisoning... er, I mean fluoridation... are suffering the consequences. Fluoride poisoning plays a role, in my opinion, in practically every disease that we see. Why? Because fluoride is an enzyme inhibitor, and that means not one single cell in your body escapes its toxic effects.

Is the idea of having healthy teeth really worth risking your life?

Millions of people in America are being forced to ingest a toxin that’s been linked to a whole host of diseases. Take a look:

Immune system alteration—Fluoride causes the immune system to fail to distinguish

between the body’s own proteins and disease, which can lead to autoimmune condi-

tions, like asthma and Graves’ disease.

Musculoskeletal harm—Fluoride-caused enzyme toxicity damages the collagens and other substances that make up muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, and even tooth enamel. Rheumatoid illnesses such as arthritis and osteoporosis are aggravated as a result.

Genetic damage—Fluoride’s enzyme poisoning effects penetrate the body’s chromosomes, causing permanent genetic changes that can lead to damage to the genitalia, and has even been linked to an increased incidence of birth defects like Down Syndrome.

Cancer—Because fluoride is a mutagen, it can cause the uncontrolled spread of certain types of cells—including cancer. One report from San Francisco in 1950 showed a 400% increase in one type of cancer during the period in which their water supply was initially fluoridated.

Thyroid dysfunction—Fluoride causes damage to the thyroid gland in multiple ways, which can play havoc on your body’s hormonal balance and ultimately lead to hypothyroidism, an increasingly common condition in most all civilized nations.

As if these things aren’t bad enough, because your body can only eliminate about half the fluoride you ingest, this toxin builds up in your system over time. So the older you get, the more likely you are to suffer from fluoride’s toxic effects.

That doesn’t mean it can only harm adults. Plenty of children have had to suffer the consequences of fluoridation as well.

Fluoride’s attack on children:

Lead poisoning, bone cancer, dental fluorosis, and brain damage

Dr. Roger D. Masters, Research Professor Emeritus at Dartmouth College, and president of the Foundation for Neuroscience & Society, has uncovered a surprising and shocking relationship between fluoride ingestion and lead toxicity. Masters and his group of researchers compared children’s blood lead levels in communities using fluoride-treated water with communities using non-fluoridated water. In three separate samples, totaling over 400,000 children, fluoride-treated municipal water was ALWAYS significantly associated with increased blood lead levels in children. This is chronic lead poisoning, which can lead to a myriad of other terrible diseases.

Another study found a direct link between fluoride in tap water and bone cancer in young boys. It’s no wonder: About 90 percent of the fluoride that is stored in the body is taken into the bones. One of fluoride’s effects is to stimulate bone growth in the growing ends of the bones, places where a type of bone cancer, called osteosarcoma, occurs, according to Dr. Vyvyan Howard, senior lecturer in toxico-pathology at the University of Liverpool.

Recently, the American Dental Association advised that fluoridated water should not be given to infants because it put them at a high risk of developing dental fluorosis. Dental fluorosis!! In case you’re not familiar with the term, it’s a problem that occurs when excess fluoride intake at a young age (namely six months to five years old) damages developing teeth, leaving these unfortunate children with yellow teeth, white spots, or damaged enamel.

But that’s nothing compared to what was published in my favorite medical journal, the Lancet: a study showing that fluoride can damage developing brains!

Fluoride doesn’t prevent cavities!

Here’s the real irony, though: Fluoride may not even be good for your teeth!

In one of the biggest studies ever undertaken on the subject (using data from 39,000 school children in 84 metropolitan areas around the U.S.), there was no statistically significant difference in rates of tooth decay between fluoridated and non-fluoridated water supplies. That’s right: fluoride doesn’t prevent cavities.

Here are a few more stats for you to mull over:

• In New York, findings show that there is no noticeable difference in decay rates between people who drink fluoridated water and those who don’t (http://www.freewebs.com/fluoridation/chart.htm)
• In Illinois, more than half of the state’s third graders have tooth decay, and that percentage is even higher in low-income families, where fluoridated tap water is more consumed (http://www.voices4kids.org/KC07chap1.pdf)
• A study of Detroit’s low-income African American children five years old and younger found that almost 100% of the children exposed to fluoridated water have cavities by age 5 (http://iadr.confex.com/iadr/2006Orld/techprogram/abstract_73168.htm)

Actions to take:

(1) Protect yourself and your family from fluoride’s toxic effects by investing in a good filtra-

tion system for the main pipe coming into your house. The only filter I recommend is the Doulton

Water Filter Plus. Go to www.cwrenviro.com/intro2.htm for more information. Or to order, you can

call (800)444-3563 and ask for order code I6RDFN.

(2) Don’t buy toothpastes that contain fluoride. Better yet, don’t buy toothpaste at all. Plain old

baking soda and peroxide will give you the same, if not better, results. Sure, many brands of toothpaste now boast “baking soda and peroxide” as added ingredients. But why spend over $3.00 when you can make your own for pennies.

The procedure couldn’t be easier: Just mix a little bit of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide and bak-

ing soda together to form a paste and then rub it into your gums. If you do this two or three times a day, you’ll keep your teeth––and the rest of you––safe and fluoride-free.

(3) Once you’ve taken steps to protect yourself and your family, contact the Fluoride Action Network (www.fluoridealert.org) to find out more about how you can participate in the antifluoridation campaigns in your state.

Visit us at www.DouglassReport.com Learn more about William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.

©Copyright 2007 The Douglass Report 819 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21201. All rights reserved. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means or for any reason without the consent of the publisher.

This information is provided as information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken based solely on the contents of this publication. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being. The information and opinions provided in this publication are believed to be accurate and sound, based on the best judgment available to the authors, but readers who fail to consult appropriate health authorities assume the risk of any injuries. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions.

TDR_SEO0607_Flouride:TDR_SEO0607_Flouride 6/8/07 3:03 PM Page 3

Media Bias

And we wonder why average Americans think Obama is doing a good job? For over 30 years, the Media Research Center has found that journalists are overwhelmingly liberal compared to the general public. They are more likely to vote liberal, support liberal agendas and report with a liberal skew.

I was reading a string of comments on a friend's face book page that were spurred by her posting a countdown to when Obama is out of office. One of the comments was "I think he's doing a good job, he had a very hard take over from the last administration and has a lot of cleaning up to do. At least he's trying!"

At least he's trying, eh? That's why we elect a Commander in Chief - to "try" to help clean up the mess of the last president?! What about looking forward and fixing what needs to be fixed rather than making things worse?

Here's where mainstream media bias comes in.

• Do you think this woman knows that Obama has since quadrupled the debt passed-down to him from George W?
• Has her media source shared with her that the stimulus package is not working?
• That unemployment is over 10%?
• That we're paying on-average $40,000 per person just in interest payments on government loans?
• What about the fact that the average wage of a government worker is $70,000 and a private sector worker is $40,000?
• Does she know that the government sector is the only sector of our economy that is growing?

How's that for "trying", Mr. President? Seems that he has a goal which is to grow the government and dependence upon it - and he's succeeding!

Here's a little tidbit from the Media Research Center's findings on our journalists:

WHAT JOURNALISTS THINK

■ The American Society of Newspaper Editors found self-identified liberals outnumbered conservatives in newsrooms by a four-to-one margin, 61% vs. 15%.

■ Most newspaper editors (71%) admit journalists’ opinions “sometimes” or “often” influence coverage, vs. just one percent who say that “never” happens.

■ A 1995 Pew Research Center survey of journalists found 48% thought there had been “too little” coverage of Bill Clinton’s achievements, vs. two percent who saw “too much” coverage. The same survey in 2004 found most national journalists (55%) thought the media were “not critical enough” of George W. Bush, vs. just 8% who thought the media were “too critical” of Bush.

■ When asked about the Bill of Rights in a 2005 University of Connecticut study, nearly all journalists deemed “essential” the right of a fair trial (97%), a free press (96%), freedom of religion (95%) and free speech (92%), and 80 percent called “essential” the judicially-derived “right to privacy.” But only 25 percent of the journalists termed the “right to own firearms” essential, while 42 percent called that right “important but not essential,” and 31 percent of journalists rejected the Second Amendment as “not important.”

When I was in school, it was taught that reporting take on no bias - left right or center. We weren't supposed to write or speak using personal pronouns (I or me) or personal opinions if we were REPORTING on something.

Opinion pieces are something totally different. That's this blog and O'Reilly, Beck, Boortz, Hannity, Colbert, Stewart & Stossel... - they are opinion shows.

When we read a newspaper or watch the evening news, it's supposed to be just that: NEWS, not opinion (except for that great section called "opinion").

Come on, America. Wake up and smell the bias. If we want our country to return to greatness, we must go back to our Constitution. We must fire reporters who can't help but insert their personal opinion. Report the facts and allow us to come to our own conclusions. We're really not that dumb.

NoShowNoVote.com

I am green, I swear!

What is "being green" to you?

If you're from my generation (child of the late '70s), you've been green most of your life. Cleaning up after ourselves and not being a "litterbug" is ingrained in our psyche. We've known about overflowing landfills, low-flow toilets, smog and oil spills since we can remember. Most of us have been recycling since the dawn of aluminum cans. We know that composting is good for our planet as well as our plants. Sometimes, we second guess an aerosol can by checking for the "CFCs". Our entire lives, we've been aware of the hormones in dairy & meat as well as the methane released by cows! The rain-forests matter and we better keep our water clean! Some winters were extra cold, and some summers the hottest on record. Warm winters were appreciated and cool summers enjoyed, and either way, we enjoyed our environment.

But being green has sure evolved since I was a kid. It's less of a choice and more of a mandate. I mean, it's socially unacceptable to not recycle! We've learned that taking care of our planet is important; most of us respect and appreciate our environment without thinking twice about it. But now, in 2010, being green can turn into the biggest shift of wealth the world has ever seen.

Through the evolving "green movement", the government has funded studies proving that global warming is man-made. Non-governmental scientists who challenged the data through the years have been silenced. Peer-review studies are only done by those who agree with the global warming agenda - those who are paid to prove it's true.

Our planet goes through ebbs & flows of weather patterns. Two big indicators of weather are El Niño and La Niña. El Niño has warm oceanic temperatures which cause excessive rainfall & flooding in the southern United States and Peru. The flooding is caused by drought in the West Pacific. The drought can be associated with Australia brush fires, too. El Niño happens every 3-7 years. A study from Florida State University proved some positive effects of El Niño: reduces the intensity and number of Atlantic hurricanes and reduces the number of tornadoes in the central United States. La Niña has cold oceanic temperatures and causes the opposite of El Niño.

This bit of oceanic science goes a long way to showing how our earth works in cycles. You may remember the "hockey stick graph" that Al Gore used in his movie, The Inconvenient Truth, that showed a temperature spike in current times, which has fueled the "carbon footprint" movement. Before the movie hit the main screen, scientists around the world were challenging the science behind it and proved the numbers were skewed. I found this in-depth research article titled The Hockey Stick: A New Low in Climate Science, from the early 2000s.

Using evidence from different oceans and glaciers around the world where marine organisms were radiocarbon dated and studied. The real temperature graph should look like this:

It's actually a little cooler today than it was 500 years ago! These results are congruent with studies from other oceans and glaciers. And on top of it, a story finally came out today in the BBC supporting the fact that many temperature gages around the planet have been recording higher temperatures because of artificial causes - like airplane engines, development and urbanism.

Is it as frightening to you as it is to me that our government and other world governments are legislating taxes and regulations on man-made global warming when there's proof showing otherwise? Are you starting to understand how "being green" has less to do with the environment and more to do with power and money?

Obama's joke during the State of the Union about global warming deniers not believing in "real science" was particularly offensive. Obama and the other "climate change believers" must know about the skewed data. These people are so powerful and connected that there's no way the information hasn't been presented. I believe that they are ignoring it and purposely demonizing anyone who doesn't believe to achieve a specific agenda: strengthening of US government control and transfers of wealth.

Just think "carbon credits", a topic deserving its own post.

It's a scam, folks. There's everything right with loving our planet and our environment and everything wrong with legislating fake science.

I'm green - I swear!!

SSN Conspiracy

This morning on The Roland Via Show, a man called in and shared a story about Social Security Numbers and the early concern over national ID numbers. He remembered as a child that adults were vocal about their dislike of the idea of having a national identification number.

Back in the '50s, he said, one would apply for a social security number just before their 18th birthday! They had no use for it until then.

Fast forward 50 years and a child can't leave the hospital without applying for one. Not only is a number attached to us at birth, it's a number digitally ingrained in other items we carry such as a passport or military ID. We are a number - and in the name of safety and security, we can be tracked through scanners and satellites throughout the world.

Andrew Schulman of the Privacy Foundation wrote an interesting piece regarding the SSN conspiracy.

But even someone who can laugh at the fears and conspiracy theories that met the introduction of the SSN has to admit today that "the early critics were at least close to being correct in their predictions that the numbers would become all-purpose identifiers, despite the assurances of the supporters that it would not happen" (Max Skidmore, Social Security and Its Enemies, 1999, p. 48). The SSN has become an all-purpose identifier.

Whoops! Life caught up with me... I owe the blog a note about gerrymandering.

In the meantime, this is a cute video by Tim Hawkins. It's as cute as stark reality can be.

Census catch 22

Here's the one line in our Constitution that outlays the census requirement: "[An] Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct."

Yep! That's the sentence that has transformed the beginning of each decade into a mass advertising frenzy by our local and federal governments for us to participate in the process. Here in Daytona Beach, our buses, benches & billboards are plastered with 2010 Census ads. Television & radio commercials have celebrities touting the importance of the census - through humor and plain information. The basic message is "participate in the census so we get our 'fair share' of federal funds".

Our fair share? This idea has spurred some colorful debate in states with high illegal immigrant residents. Should or shouldn't illegals be counted?

There is a major drain on our society because of the "free" benefits given to illegal immigrants - from Social Security to welfare to emergency healthcare. Until we exclude non-tax-paying residents from our social programs, we must include them in the census. Americans already pay a significant amount of taxes and artificially high prices because of the "free" benefits given to non-tax-payers.

We must reform our social systems before worrying about the enumeration of illegals.

Follow up tomorrow: the current controversy with the census - gerrymandering.

government spending = more jobs??

NO! Government spending does not create jobs. We must remember that the government raises revenue by taxing its productive citizens. The more we're taxed, the less incentive we have to work. Just think about what they do to over-time pay and bonus; more work = higher taxes.

I came across this graph that actually shows a correlation between government spending and joblessness. Finally some proof to the puddin'!

The craziest part of it all is that a significant amount of Americans have fallen for the trick. Government spending grows the government; government programs increase dependency.

Let's take the extended unemployment benefits for instance. On the radio show the other day, someone called in and shared an example of their friend's son who is in IT and "can't find a job" and is "forced to remain on unemployment" because there are no good jobs out there. Am I the only one who remembers when people worked 2 or 3 jobs just to make ends meet?

My husband and I own a delivery restaurant and WE'RE HIRING!! You'd think that the talent pool would be incredible and we'd have the cream of the crop applying. You know, there aren't any jobs out there, so the stack of applications should be huge, right? WRONG. Because our government has extended unemployment benefits, potential employees are staying with the unemployment check rather than working a job that is "beneath" their skill level.

Wake up, America! This is part of the scheme of creating government dependence.

The Cycle of Societies.
1. From bondage to spiritual faith;
2. From spiritual faith to great courage;
3. From courage to liberty;
4. From liberty to abundance;
5. From abundance to complacency;
6. From complacency to apathy;
7. From apathy to dependence;
8. From dependence back into bondage

Letter to FairTax supporters in Volusia County

Does anyone else feel the jolt our local economy is getting right now? With the advent of Speed Week and the anticipation of Bike Week, Volusia County is hopping!!

This email is lengthy but to the point. Thanks in advance for reading all the way through it!!

I’m asking again because we really need help over the next few weeks: please volunteer for FairTax!

So far, we have openings for every volunteer spot over the next month. We know time is short and valuable. Rest assured that your time donation to the FairTax movement is worth every minute.

Please email me directly or call Susan (788-8083) to volunteer for any event, any time frame. We’ll work with you! Children welcome. As you may know, my toddler Jake is a FairTax veteran! (When he grows up, he’s brining home his entire paycheck!)

Tuesday, February 9 • 3pm-11pm • Race & Rock Festival
Beach Street, Downtown Daytona Beach (near Harley)
Get raffle tickets for the Truck Race!!

Wednesday, February 10 • 3pm-11pm • Race & Rock Festival
Beach Street, Downtown Daytona Beach (near Harley)
Get raffle tickets for the Truck Race!!
Port Orange meeting CANCELLED. Meet us at Race & Rock!

Thursday, February 11 • 6pm-7pm • monthly Ormond meeting
Come with questions & ideas.
Candidates welcome.
Will discuss Freedom Ride, March events, Tax Day Rallies

Sunday, February 28 • 11am • Freedom Ride

Freedom Ride presented by FairTax Volusia County Meet in City Island parking lot between 11-11:45
Ride leaves at NOON
Destination Fairgrounds for Freedom Rally
In conjunction with the GrassRootsFreedomRiders.com
Need organizers, promoters, riders… everyone can help with this – with or without a motorcycle!!

Sunday, February 28 • 9:30am – 6pm • Freedom Rally
www.BikeWeekFreedomRally.com need volunteers to man the table; sign wavers for the rally

As much as we need volunteers, we also need supporters out there rallying for the cause. Please come by and check out what we’re doing. Get as involved as you want to be.

Don’t have time but maybe you have a few bucks? Buy some raffle tickets!! We have 2 great seats to the NextEra Camping World Truck Race on Feb. 12 worth $78. Buy one chance for only $2; 3 chances for $5. Come by Wing Zone (on the corner of Nova & 3rd in Holly Hill – 257-5949) before Wednesday to get your tickets. If you would like to sell tickets to raise funds, email me back and I’ll get you the paperwork.

Please tell your friends about these exciting events! I really look forward to seeing you soon!

Sincerely,

Kristina Bouterse

FairTax East Volusia Volunteer Coordinator

Small business owner: Wing Zone & Red Line

Guest Contributor: The Doug Kosarek Show, Mondays from 1pm-4pm 1520am

Co-host: The Roland Via Show, Tuesdays 7am-8:30am 1150am

Sneaky tax hike in Florida

This is a great article: 8 Sneaky Ways to Raise Taxes. It reminds me of what happened in Florida this past September 1.

The State of Florida raises most of its revenue from a sales tax. Sales tax, though, is extremely transparent and is difficult to increase, which makes it less favored by the politicians. Instead of working within a budget, our politicians have created more sneaky taxes over the years to avoid the open request for more $$ through sales tax. We've added home property taxes and ad velorem taxes on our vehicles, trailers, motorcycles... that can easily hide other taxes - like a hospital tax in our land property taxes.

Over the summer, we found ourselves in debt and apparently nowhere to cut expenses (government employees got raises, though!). Our wise State government decided it was time for new revenue but knew that Florida citizens would protest a sales tax hike. What did they do instead?

Instead of raising our Florida sales tax by just a penny or so, they increased our ad velorem taxes! It now costs nearly DOUBLE to renew tags on anything from an SUV to a motor-home, from a motorcycle to a hybrid, from a landscaping trailer to a boat. Anyone in Florida who owns a car, truck, trailer, boat, motorcycle or just wants a drivers license, now pays nearly double for the "privilege". Rather than slightly increase EVERYONE'S taxes through purchases, our State chose who would pay more. This is blatant tax punishment on property owners of this state. We could have spread the tax through the entire state and our visitors! It would have been negligible for an individual!

On a related-note, specialty license plate renewals have fallen more than 40% since the new tax was installed. Talk about unintended consequences! Lower revenue for state universities & non-profits because our sneaky politicians tried to pull a fast one.

Social Security - a bust

"When Social Security was implemented in 1935, the amount of earnings subject to tax was $3,000. The tax rate was 1%. As the Exhibit indicates, in 1966 the Medicare tax rate was split from the Old Age, Survivor, and Disability (OASDI) rate. By 2005 the OASDI rate is 6.2% for both employer and employee on earnings up to $90,000; the Medicare rate is 1.45% with no cap on earnings." Quote taken from an article in the CPA Journal. I recommend reading the entire article; it's a non-biased analysis of the major changes in Social Security over the years.

Apparently, when FDR instituted Social Security, it was meant to be an insurance program for working Americans to pay into to protect against disability and old age. As noted above, it was only a 1% tax on the first $3,000 of income! Through about 20 different changes, today we're at a 6.2% withholding up to $106,800 ($66,000 more than the average American income) plus a 6.2% contribution from the employer. No longer is Social Security an insurance program; it is now a social welfare program. The more you make, the more both you and your employer pay and the more it's spread around to all beneficiaries. (Withholding & employer taxes are 7.5% each including Medicare - a whopping 15%!!)

When the CPA Journal article was written in 2006, it was projected that Social Security would be up-side-down by 2018. SURPRISE! We're already there! The United States Social Security program will be $28 billion in the red by September 2010 (end of fiscal year). With rising unemployment, falling wages and increasing retirement, it's no wonder that the Social Security system is failing. But that's not the only reason it's failing...

Since its inception, our government has been using SS money to fund other projects. All that's left in the coffers are worthless IOUs and interest notes. Social Security has been mis-handled since the beginning 70 years ago. It's another tax that makes no sense because it literally thwarts workers from achieving their full potential. If Americans could keep their entire paycheck, maybe they would invest more money! Maybe they could plan their own retirement! If employers could scrap payroll taxes, maybe they would raise wages, lower the cost of goods, offer more benefits or expand their businesses.

The idea of Social Security insurance was a good thought. But anything handled by politicians working for power - not the people - has a short life before corruption takes over. Social Security welfare is another example of why we need to scrap our current income tax system and enact the FairTax. Let's fund our programs through prosperity rather than income theft and make taxation transparent. www.FairTax.org

what did you take home?

This past Monday, I was a guest on Wake Up! with Doug Kosarek, an Orlando-based talk radio show. His question of the day was, "when did you wake up to your conservative values?" almost comparing it to when Christians are born-again. There's no doubt that many people have distinctive memories of when they finally realized that the government was not on their side! Was it a traffic ticket? Or a dispute with a neighbor? Or when you received your property tax bill? How about the first paycheck you got and the shock of what you took home versus what you calculated based on hourly pay?

Well, I'm one lucky chick because I grew up in a household that seemed very aware of the invaluable freedoms we have in America. I'm a second generation Army brat from both sides of my family. You could say that pride in America flows through my veins! My grandfathers, my father & my uncle all fought to keep American values and principles alive, not to strengthen our government.

Growing up, it was always a joke about how much we "got paid" compared to what we actually "took home". "Just wait and see," my older brothers would warn. My mom was an entrepreneur who started several successful businesses throughout the years. After a career in the Army as Finance Officer, my dad moved onto business management at the University of Florida. Our household understood how taxation discouraged work, growth, spending, saving and caused huge headaches for about 4 months out of the year.

In the 1943, our government enacted the income withholding tax. This single act of taxation changed the landscape of our great country and literally shackled Americans to the Federal Government. In one stroke of the pen, no honest, hard-working American will ever bring home an entire paycheck again (until we enact The FairTax). We can fill out cumbersome forms and look for any deduction in hopes that we recover some of the taxes paid come April 15. Little do most Americans know is that we don't get back our entire tax spending! On top of it, we pay corporations taxes with our own post-tax dollars! We're completely getting the shaft and we've become too lazy to worry about it.

Wake up, people! NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!!

To get back to the original question, I was born thinking the way I do but it's always being refined. Refer back to my post on the 2-party system and understand that while I was born with conservative principles, my freedom is valued most - which includes freedom of speech, the right to bare arms, freedom to marry, choice of abortion or freedom invest money without penalty of taxation. (Oh, and I love the Constitution and the entire Bill of Rights) Conservative, to me, is fiscally related, not socially.

This email forward is worth the read:

He was getting old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion,
Telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he once fought in
And the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies;
They were heroes, every one.

And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors
His tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened quietly
For they knew where of he spoke.

But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For ol' Bob has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer
For a Soldier died today.

He won't be mourned by many,
Just his children and his wife.
For he lived an ordinary,
Very quiet sort of life.

He held a job and raised a family,
Going quietly on his way;
And the world won't note his passing,
'Tho a Soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing,
And proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell of their life stories
From the time that they were young
But the passing of a Soldier
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution
To the welfare of our land,
Some jerk who breaks his promise
And cons his fellow man?

Or the ordinary fellow
Who in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country
And offers up his life?

The politician's stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are often disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.

While the ordinary Soldier,
Who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal
And perhaps a pension, small.

It's so easy to forget them,
For it is so many times
That our Bobs and Jims and Johnnys,
Went to battle, but we know,

It is not the politicians
With their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom
That our country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger,
With your enemies at hand,
Would you really want some cop-out,
With his ever waffling stand?

Or would you want a Soldier--
His home, his country, his kin,
Just a common Soldier,
Who would fight until the end.

He was just a common Soldier,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his like again.

For when countries are in conflict,
We find the Soldier's part
Is to clean up all the troubles
That the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor
While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage
At the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline
In the paper that might say:
"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."

a true comparison? conservative vs. liberal

This message came as an email forward from a friend. Good thinking points that can be argued in many different directions! What are your thoughts?

If a conservative doesn't like guns, he doesn`t buy one.
If a liberal doesn't like guns, he wants all guns outlawed.

If a conservative is a vegetarian, he doesn`t eat meat.
If a liberal is a vegetarian, he wants all meat products banned for everyone.

If a conservative is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his situation.
A liberal wonders who is going to take care of him.

If a conservative doesn't like a talk show host, he switches channels.
Liberals demand that those they don't like be shut down.

If a conservative is a non-believer, he doesn't go to church.
A liberal non-believer wants any mention of god and religion silenced.

If a conservative decides he needs health care, he goes about shopping for it, or may choose a job that provides it.
A liberal demands that the rest of us pay for his.

What stands out to me in this goofy analysis is the difference between self-reliance and dependence. We've hit a point of government dependence in our great nation where about 50% of Americans pay no income/payroll taxes yet have the ability to vote themselves benefits. All the while, they don't understand that when they punish the corporations or small business job creators, they're voting to ship jobs overseas, to lower wages and to raise the cost of American goods.

Only 2 choices in America? That's un-American!

The 2 party system in America is a sham!

We're the melting pot of the world with millions of people of different heritages, ethnicities, backgrounds & beliefs. And when it comes to politics, we settle for 2 parties with vastly different stances on nearly every issue. Is there any way to really divide our diverse culture into two trains of thought? (no)

I've been a registered Independent my entire voting life. Even as a kid, I felt alienated by both the Democrat & Republican parties. I surely didn't fall into either category. I've been assumed and labeled a liberal when it comes to gay marriage rights or the legalization of marijuana and a right winger when discussing fiscal policy. It's almost like I'm not worthy of either club because I have an opinion of my own!

Think about the election process in the State of Florida. We are a 2-party state down to the wire. While I registered as an Independent in Florida 14 years ago, I have never voted in a primary. In Florida, you must be registered Republican or Democrat to vote in a primary for each particular party. As an Independent, I am excluded from primary voting. From the get-go voters are divided; candidates who don't necessarily fit into one party don't have the luxury of their supporters voting for them! Instead of finding the right candidate for all the people, it's first an internal party contest ending in a 2-party face off.

For the first time in my life, I'm considering switching to Republican just to vote in the primary to help Marco Rubio get the Senate nomination. I mean, how messed up is that? On the other end of the spectrum, there are professional voters and spin-doctors who register for the opposing party in order to vote the weaker candidate into the nomination! Either way, the system is wrought with failures and ultimately denying Florida residents the best candidates.

People running for office in Florida, from what I understand, must choose either a D or an R when registering their candidacy. They are required to join one of 2 parties, whether or not their ideals & ideas conform to the existing structure. This causes its own backlash when the Parties endorse a particular candidate. You're either with them or against them! You either choose the candidate that they have endorsed or they are going to take you down. If you're not left enough for the Dems, you're in trouble. If you're not right enough for the GOP, more trouble.

I have been an Independent because I don't make decisions down party lines. After learning more and taking the World's Smallest Political Quiz, I realized that there is a party for me! Growing up, I never heard much talk about the Libertarian Party - we only had 2 choices. I went to government schools for goodness sakes! When I started hearing about the Libertarians, I assumed that it was just another conformist political group that I wanted nothing to do with.

LIBERTARIANS support maximum liberty in both personal and

economic matters. They advocate a much smaller government; one

that is limited to protecting individuals from coercion and violence.

Libertarians tend to embrace individual responsibility, oppose

government bureaucracy and taxes, promote private charity, tolerate

diverse lifestyles, support the free market, and defend civil liberties.

What's so bad about this ideology? I do not believe that government makes our lives better. To the contrary, government intervention in anything turns into deficits and inflation. I believe our country was based on these Libertarian principles (Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness).

I've begun seeing life through my Constitution colored glasses. Too many political decisions have more to do with power and special-interest than they do for the interest of our Republic. We must preserve this Great Country by getting back to our roots. It's time for a Libertarian uprising to validate a 3rd party with the Constitution at its soul!!