S&P Lowers US Rating to AA+

       

You might think that the Liberals would finally get the message about the debt with the recent action of the S&P downgrade.  But NO!!!!   Harry Reid was in the news this morning blasting the Republicans and demanding higher taxes for the rich, for businesses, and especially those companies that have corporate jets.  No mention at all of decreasing spending!   There is only one solution to them and it is to increase revenue to match the increased spending.

I have several friends who are retired.  They all collect fat pensions, along with social security, have all their health costs paid for through Medicare and are living the good life.  No change in lifestyle at all.  One bought a new fishing boat, and another is buying a new and bigger house.  One has an airplane and the list goes on and on.  They clearly have more money than they did when they were working.

The state of Pennsylvania just decided that the poor in their state get free cell phones and 250 free minutes.

I have a neighbor who voted for Obama in 2008 and still proudly displays the campaign sign in his garage.

Don't these people get it?  I just don't understand.

We have an incompetent person as our president.  He is not a Christian.  He hates America, and refuses to respect the flag or our country.  He hates Israel.  He is a socialist and wants to redistribute the nation's wealth so that everyone has the same.

But he is not alone.  There are millions of Americans who believe as he does, that the poor are entitled to  cell phones, cars, TVs, homes and wealth at the expense of those Americans who work hard each day to pay the bills.

While I agree that we need to take care of our poor and the elderly and sick, it needs to be done out of love and charity.

I was listening to an audio tape of Robin Hood the other day.  Here was a hero who we always hear about who took form the rich and gave to the poor.  But then I listened to one of the scenes where Robin is taking money from a rich person.  He emptied the guy's purse and takes half and returns half to the rich man.  He claimed it was like a tax of sorts.  It is important to note that Robin took less from this man than the US government takes from me.  And I am not rich!

Why don't Harry Reid, Obama and the other liberals see what they are doing to our country?  And if they don't believe what the conservatives are telling them, why don't they simply look at what is happening in European countries like Greece, and Germany and France and even England?

It is a "No Brainer"!

    

Viewing US Flag Produces Republican Bias

Recent studies by four major universities have shown that simply viewing an American Flag tends to produce Republican Party bias.  It is important to note that it does NOT produce Democratic Party bias, only Republican Party bias.  Read more about the specific findings below as reported in the US News and World Report:


"A single exposure to an American flag resulted in a significant increase in participants' Republican voting intentions, voting behavior, political beliefs, and implicit and explicit attitudes, with some effects lasting 8 months," the study found. "These results constitute the first evidence that nonconscious priming effects from exposure to a national flag can bias the citizenry toward one political party and can have considerable durability."


"In contrast to the beliefs of the participants in the pilot study, the results from the experiments reported here show that exposure to the American flag introduces a bias toward the Republican Party over the Democratic Party. In one experiment, we tested whether subtle exposure to the American flag shifted people's beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors toward the Republican end of the political continuum. We found that a single exposure to a small American flag during deliberation about voting intentions prior to a general election led to significant and robust changes in participants' voting intentions, voting behavior, and political attitudes, all in the politically conservative direction."


"It is important to note that political ideology and party affiliation did not moderate these effects. That is, both liberal and conservative participants were influenced by the flag prime, and in the same (conservative) direction," said the study.

To prove the shocking results, the scholars in the spring of 2010 conducted another test, this time to see if exposure to an American flag produces a bias toward Republicanism, rather than the party that controls the White House. For this, they showed some pictures of buildings that included a flag, and others photos with the flag digitally erased.

That result: "Subtle exposure to the American flag significantly shifted both Democratic and Republican participants' beliefs, attitudes, and voting behavior toward Republicanism."

The three key findings of those attending July 4th celebrations:

• When done before the age of 18, it increases the likelihood of a youth identifying as a Republican by at least 2 percent.
• It raises the likelihood that parade watchers will vote for a Republican candidate by 4 percent.
• It boosts the likelihood a reveler will vote by about 1 percent and increases the chances they'll make a political contribution by 3 percent.

What's more, the impact isn't fleeting. "Surprisingly, the estimates show that the impact on political preferences is permanent, with no evidence of the effects depreciating as individuals become older,"said the Harvard report.

Finally, the report suggests that if people are looking for a super-patriotic July 4th, though should head to Republican towns. "Republican adults celebrate Fourth of July more intensively in the first place."




Now how will the findings of these studies impact our way of life in the United States?  I may be a little paranoid, but I can easily see the following changes in the not to far distant future:


- American Flags will be banned within viewing distance of voting places.
- Visual images of the American Flag will not be allowed on government documents.
- Saying the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag will be forbidden by law in the United States.


and the worst of all....


- It will be unlawful to display the American Flag in the US Capital Building when the House or Senate is in session and especially when voting.  It will also be unlawful to display the American Flag in the Supreme Court.


I suspect there will be no change with respect to what Democrats think of the American Flag, especially Mr. Obama, who has shown disdain for America and its flag even before he was elected President.

Don't Punish The Rich!

      

The Obama Administration as well as liberals everywhere continue to blame the rich for our economic problems.  


"They fly corporate jets."  


"They make too much money."


"They need to pay more in taxes."


In light of the fact that 39% of all taxes are paid by the top 1% earners....


and...


In light of the fact that 86% of all taxes are paid by the top 25% earners...


and...


In light of the fact that 97% of all taxes are paid by the top 50% earners...


It is clear that the wealthy are already carrying the heaviest tax burden in America.


What most people fail to realize is that the wealthy are the employers.  They are the ones who pay America's salaries and create America's jobs. 


If we destroy the wealthy by taxing them so much that they lose their ability to make a profit  we will destroy their incentive to form companies that create jobs and pay salaries.


When I was little I remember a story about the goose that laid the golden egg.  If we kill the goose, we will have only ourselves to blame for our mess.

Reduce Spending Like Everyone Else in America

  The Obama Administration needs to take a lesson from the rest of the regular folks in America when it tries to solve its financial problems.

When a regular family in America finds itself in a situation where it is spending more than it makes, it has the same options as the federal government.

1- It can borrow money

2- It can reduce spending

3- It can obtain more money (i.e. Get a better job with a higher salary)

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that borrowing money is not a long term solution.  Many families have tried and eventually they go bankrupt.

Reducing spending can be painful, especially if you are used to a standard of living and you have to cut back on things that are used to having.  Just take a look at what is going on in Greece and you will see how painful it can be.

Then there is the third solution; get more money.  However, unlike a regular family who can't always get a higher paying job, the government simply raises our taxes to pay for what it wants.  This is what Obama wants to do and he told us today that 80% of us agree that he should raise our taxes.

I DON'T REMEMBER TELLING ANYONE THAT I WANT TO PAY HIGHER TAXES!

Where did Obama get this silly statistic that 80% of Americans want to pay higher taxes?#!&*%@

As painful as it will be, we need to reduce our expenses.  We need to shrink the size of government, and reduce our demand for government services.  This will be painful and people will complain.

Medicare benefits may be reduced.
Social Security increases may be lower.
Kids may have to bring lunches from home instead of having the government pay for them.
Government pensions may not be as high.
The Obama family may have to cut back on international vacations.
Government officials may have to fly coach instead of flying in their own military jets.
We may have to cut back on silly government funding research projects.
Maybe women will have to pay for their own abortions.
Maybe prisoners won't get viagra or get to have their own large screen TVs.

Yes it will be painful, BUT if we are going to save America from the same fate as Greece and other European countries who are on the brink of going bankrupt, we must reduce spending.

There is really no other way to solve the problem!!!

How Does It Feel to be Unemployed?

  
Ever since my first job as a newspaper delivery boy in the 60's I have always had a job.  After the paper, I worked for McDonalds fast food and then I had a job at a bike shop in Provo, Utah.  Following my mission for the LDS Church, I returned to McDonalds where I supported my wife and two sons while I attended college.  I can't forget the short stint as a research assistant at BYU.  Then came the REAL employment after I graduated from college.  It lasted nearly four years until my first layoff in 1983.  Within a few days I got another job with a higher salary and better benefits.  I stayed with that company for over 28 years until I was laid off last week.  They told me that my position "had been eliminated" and there was no need for someone with my skills.  Part of me was angry because I did not believe what they were telling me.  However, another part of me was excited as I wondered what the future would hold for me and my family.


Now I find myself among the ranks of thousands of other unemployed citizens of the United States.  I can now say from personal experience that I know how it feels to be out of work. 


As an engineering manager for over 25 years, I have witnessed dozens of layoffs first hand.  In all cases but one, the layoff forced the employees to make decisions they normally would not have made.  They were forced to take risks outside of their comfort zone.  And in all but the one case, the employees quickly were back on their feet, with a new job, with a higher salary, better benefits and a new beginning.


And so I share that same optimism today.  My family and I are excited about the possibilities before us.    We have even discussed the possibility of moving and even changing professions.  With this layoff we begin a new chapter of our life and we are optimistic about the future.