weekend Snail update

From the West Virginia Website.

Authorities in Florida are working with the Feds to continue the ban on the importation of giant snails from East Africa. These things can grow 10 inches long and even eat drywall. In 1966, 3 snails were smuggled into Miami. They grew to a population of 18,000 in only seven years!! Meanwhile people in Miami following an African religion called Ifa Orisha are drinking Giant African Snail mucus for healing purposes. Apparently, the mucus is making some sick. The group's leader, Charles L. Stewart, has pending criminal charges for having the snails; no word yet from PETA on drinking the mucus. Hurl. Apparently, West Virginia is having Giant African Snail problems, too! They're calling for local science teachers and exotic pet traders to keep their eye out for these creatures and call the authorities if they happen upon one.

Americans give because it feels good

There's a bunch of hogwash going around implying that Americans only give to charities for the tax breaks. Do you know how you get a tax break by giving to a charity? You have to itemize your tax return and include the donation!

About 35% of Americans itemize their tax returns! If we apply that to giving, it means that only 35% of Americans who donate money to Red Cross (remember the phone text thing? did you save that record for your taxes?) or who donate clothes to Good Will or who drop $.75 in the Salvation Army bucket are actually getting the tax break on that donation.

Americans are innately giving people. We are overall optimistic and want to help our fellow man. Just check any cash register at a 7-11 and you'll find the "give a penny, take a penny" dish! We have, as citizens and by choice, given more to disaster relief efforts than any other nation.

If you are someone who itemizes their taxes, do you really just give away money to offset your tax obligation? Think of it this way... if you give $100 to a charitable organization, you get 35% tax deduction on the amount given. So, you give $100 and you get $35 off your tax liability, you are still out of pocket $65. It would make no sense in the world to donate $100 for a $35 break if you didn't WANT TO GIVE or SUPPORT the organization.

So the idea that the rich only give because of tax breaks is a silly argument. All of us give because it feels good - we give because we want to! The more money we have, the more we give. It's not about tax breaks, it's about abundance - those who have more typically give more.

There is currently a government revolution to take over the basic responsibilities of American citizens. Our government thinks that they know what's best for us and they're trying their darndest to write it into law.

Are you one of those noble Americans who have given to, say, Hospice or the American Cancer Society? We've given to these organizations because they provide a benefit that we can only find in the private, non-profit sector. The moment that our government takes over these sectors, there will be no incentive for Americans to give money to them. The more the government controls, the less we will feel obliged to donate to the cause.

When's the last time you donated to the Post Office? What about Medicare? I can personally say NEVER! We don't donate to these causes; instead, we lobby for higher taxes to cover costs. We don't require them to run efficiently because we have a "never ending pool of rich people" who can keep these failing government bureaucracies afloat.

Take a look at charitable giving in the United States versus the United Kingdom. 2.2% of our Gross Domestic Product is charitable giving (about $250 billion). In the UK, it's 1.1% (about $14 billion or $83 billion adjusted for population). What's the major difference between our two countries? I'll give you a hint, as written in American Mega-Giving: A Comparison to Global Disaster Relief:

...Americans, more than any other people in the world, maintain control over how their monies are used by donating it themselves rather than delegating this responsibility to the federal government. Every year, one can expect Americans to give gifts large and small to support the constant needs of everyday life and to respond to crisis as well.

However, philanthropy in America is not simply a function of our wealth. Rather, our wealth is a function of the basic American principles of individual freedom, moral responsibility, and decentralization that also guide our philanthropy. The American belief is that the collective outcome of individual choice is superior to that of a more systematic centralized and governmental approach. While individuals do make mistakes, the flexibility and freedom of the American system encourages a level of entrepreneurship and personal imperative unmatched by any other nation. The very same freedoms and institutions that allow Americans to maintain control over their giving are also the basis of American success and philanthropy.

If for no other reason, consider the great government takeover from a philanthropic standpoint. Americans will take care of each other, Americans will give and Americans will better themselves just so long as we have the freedom to do so.

Again, only people pay taxes!

Finally, it's not just us FairTaxers screaming "ONLY PEOPLE PAY TAXES"!! The Congressional Budget Office (a non-partisan group that basically prices out legislation) sent a letter yesterday to Senator Chuck Grassley explaining how new bank taxes will be passed down to the consumer, the employees and the investors. Here's the actual quote as stated in Mike Brownfield's Heritage Report article:

[T]he ultimate cost of a tax or fee is not necessarily borne by the entity that writes the check to the government.

The cost of the proposed fee would ultimately be borne to varying degrees by an institution’s customers, employees, and investors.

Customers would probably absorb some of the cost in the form of higher borrowing rates and other charges, although competition from financial institutions not subject to the fee would limit the extent to which the cost could be passed to borrowers. Employees might bear some of the cost by accepting some reduction in their compensation, including income from bonuses, if they did not have better employment opportunities available to them. Investors could bear some of the cost in the form of lower prices of their stock if the fee reduced the institution’s future profits.

If you're still not getting it, please go back and review my ranting post from January on the same exact topic.

We have a problem with our government that is more than just spending... it's the lack of transparency in taxation. Right now, what in the world does taxation have to do with spending or fiscal responsibility? This year alone, our federal government will spend $1.4 trillion MORE than they take in (that's called deficit spending). So if spending were attached to taxation, we wouldn't have any problem balancing our budget! We've gotten so far out of hand with spending, though, that no amount of taxation in 2010 or beyond will balance the budget, let alone catch up on the accrued debt.

We need transparency. Without knowing where the government's revenue comes from, how can we hold them accountable? We also need a common sense law that says "No spending above tax revenue". Just an idea.

Chavez will always hate us

A blip on the news scene today noted that Hugo Chavez called Hillary Clinton a "blonde Condeleezza". Apparently, despite our new progressive Presidential leadership, America's policies in Latin America remain the same as when Condoleezza Rice held the position of Secretary of State.

It's actually pretty funny when you think about it. Chavez is the dictator of Venezuela who enacted socialist policies and last enjoyed an economic inflation rate of 30% in 2008. Any way you look at it, Chavez should really hate America with our FREEDOM and all.

That's why it was so strange to anyone paying attention when President Obama sided with Chavez over the overthrow of the attempted dictator of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya. Zelaya tried to change the Constitution while in the Office of President to illegally extend his Presidency. The military in Honduras arrested Zelaya and exiled him from the country.

The Honduran Military was upholding the Constitution.

Our President stepped in and sided with the attempted-dictator along with other socialist pals like Hugo Chavez. Our government worked to restore Zelaya's presidency within hours of the arrest. Supporters of Zelaya claimed that he should stay in power for the sake of democracy. Yet the Supreme Court of Honduras found that Zelaya's "call for a referendum for his term limits to be eased" unconstitutional and the military's actions supported by law.

Despite our President siding with the socialists back in July, Hugo Chavez still hates us. He doesn't think President Obama has done enough to weaken our military, socialize our society or distribute our wealth (whatever that is being that we have a $1.4 trillion deficit on the books). Despite this administration's attempt to take-over our free-market economy, Americans have slowed the ransacking with hopes to return the old glory of this nation.

Oh, back to our blonde Condoleezza. Apparently Hillary Clinton did not only perpetuate the strategies of the Bush administration, she absolutely and completely offended the entire nation of Honduras. With the ousting of attempted-dictator Zelaya, the country has seen blood-shed, violence, arrests and torture by the government in attempts to stifle the pro-democracy movement. With all the damage to Honduras, Clinton said in a recent speech, "The Honduras crisis has been managed to a successful conclusion... it was done without violence".

So, anyway, I'm pretty okay with Hugo Cavez hating America. It means we haven't completely slipped into the depths of socialism.

...a major opportunity to distribute wealth...

There was a time in our history when unions were needed. That was back before Federal and State laws banned child labor or created workplace environment controls. One of the few things that I agree with FDR about is that he was absolutely against the unionization of government workers.

Government workers are notorious for being under-productive, lacking customer service and basically unable to be fired. Yet, they make nearly twice as much as a private sector employee (and remember - they're being paid with our tax dollars!). All the while, they tout that they are "public servants". A "public servant" would enjoy their job, would do it because they care, and would show compassion for their citizens by fighting for our Constitutional rights. Where do you see that happening in our government? WE are fighting THEM for our rights to life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness. We are fighting for our right to own land, to worship as we please, to carry a gun and to speak freely.

Have you noticed how the Federal government is quick to demonize anyone who doesn't agree with their tactics? How about that Homeland Security Threat that was issued last April 15 for those of us protesting the income tax system? Ya, I'm sure a threat! (well, a threat to the status quo, anyway)

If this next quote doesn't scare the beegeebies out of you, I don't know what will. Andy Stern, the head of Service Employees International Union and President Obama's newly added "deficit panel" member recently said this:

We now have a new metric. The president says he wants to judge the new economy whether it increases the number of people in the middle class. Whether we have shared prosperity, not just growth. Which is a fundamental different philosophy then what we've seen in this country to date. Now how do we distribute wealth in this country ... clearly government has a major opportunity to distribute wealth - from the EITC, from tax policies, from minimum wages, from living wages - the government has a role in distributing wealth and social benefits. We are at historic crossroads ... in terms of what our new president is trying to do and a different way we are going to try and evaluate the economy. And so all of sudden we are witnessing the first new American economic plan led by the government, not necessarily by the private sector.

Um, what?! He literally says that it's the government's job to spread wealth. It's the government's job, not the private sector's job, to create jobs and to determine how much people will make. Ever heard "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need"? THOSE ARE MARXIST PRINCIPLES.

It is time for Americans to wake up and understand what's going on in this great country. The socialist Democrats have been very patient over the last 100 years developing government dependence and class envy. It started with income taxes, then social security, then welfare and now a majority of Americans take more from the government than they pay in taxes. Next is our healthcare.

We are pawns in a power game and we are seriously being played. WAKE UP!! Capitalism, free market and a rule of law are what made this country great. If you don't like it, move on out! No one's stopping you.

2 reasons I'll never advertise with the News-Journal

The Daytona Beach News-Journal is filing bankruptcy and is in the midst of being sold for a ridiculously low price. I assume everyone knows that advertising is how any media outlet pays its bills. Which means that you must put out a product that businesses will support with their advertising dollars.

I will never advertise in the News-Journal. (reason #1) Check out this column by Pierre Tristam, a staff writer for the newspaper. He would rather see private businesses collapse than our economy rejuvenate. This particular article on healthcare is not out of the ordinary for him.

If the News-Journal really wanted to stay in business, they'd listen to potential advertisers! Wouldn't it be fun if they did an ongoing debate between Pierre and someone who believes in free-market economy and private business?

And then here's a little doozy by the staff editorial cartoonist that ran in the March 2nd edition (reason #2):

He's basically saying that if you're not a Republican, you have no real reason to dismiss Obama's policies. All we can do is be jealous of the messiah - reasons enough to "hate" him, right? Well, I don't "hate" Obama and I'm not a Republican, so I must just be jealous.

Oops, never mind... Florida politicians are idiots

After reading some more about the Florida Legislature session yesterday, I discovered that the State took another stimulus loan from the Federal government. Rather than making tough decisions to cut spending, they basically tricked us into believing our tax "suspension" was a economic-building move.

The more we spend in the red and the more we borrow from the Federal government (is it really borrowing when the money doesn't exactly exist??) will only help flush Florida's economy into the ocean. How does it make sense to borrow money to shore up the State budget? That does not make a balanced budget, Gov. Crist!

I'm so tired of these political games. It's no wonder people ignore politics.