Jobs and the Economy a National Priority of the American People in January 2010–Pew Research.

In January, 2010, the Pew Charitable Trust did a survey of what the top priorities for the American People were and what should be the priorities for the Obama Administration.


Nineteen months later, the President is beginning to focus on the economy and jobs.


What’s that you say?  That I am wrong because the Stimulus Packages focused on the economy and job creation and the Obama Administration has already poured billions into the effort of re-starting the economy.  Therefore he has tried.


Well, then, I respond that pouring money into the economy as practiced by this administration did not work, because we now have stagnant growth or no job growth.  But we do have yet another speech from the President proposing a series of steps called  the “American Jobs Act.” 
It is a re-hash of the same failed policies.  Why should we do that again, spending another 450 Billion for a predictable outcome?


Oh, the White House will cast any resistance as “tea party” obstructionism and blame it on the Republicans.  But the President has his friends like Richard Trumka and James Hoffa, Jr. who are ready to push for quick passage of the Jobs Act.


As reported in the Los Angeles Times, here’s what Mr. Hoffa said about the Tea Party in his introduction of President Obama at a Labor Day function, September 4, 2011:


"Let's take these sons of bitches out and give America back to an America where we belong." ~~ James Hoffa, Teamster President.


Tea Party Express chairwoman Amy Kremer said Hoffa's "inexcusable" and "inappropriate and uncivil rhetoric" amount to "a call for violence on peaceful tea party members, which include many Teamster members."


ABC News' Jake Tapper and Mary Bruce asked for White House comment. You will be shocked to learn that presidential spokesmen declined to comment on the union president's call to take out tea party people, presumably not in a social dating sense.


Hoffa is clearly ignoring the President’s call for “civility” in the wake of the shooting of Arizona Congresswoman  Gabrielle Giffords and the White House will not rebuke him.  


It seems to me that resisting the onerous portions of the jobs proposals is appropriate and called for.  As Investor’s Business Daily said in an Editorial on Friday.


“Stop printing money. Stop spending money you don't have. Today, that's called ‘anti-Keynesian’ thinking. It used to be called common sense.”


Government spending of tax money to create jobs only lasts as long as the money is appropriated for that job.  When the money runs out, there is no more job.  Consequently, Governments do not create lasting jobs; only business does that.  Businesses today are frozen in fear of unknown healthcare costs, EPA regulations yet to be revealed, and higher costs of doing business. Businesses have stopped expanding – due mainly to an Administrations that seems not to know what to do about anything, except make speeches and try to get elected.


The Voice of One.

Obama Policies Encourage Companies to Outsource Jobs

This is an excerpt from an article written by Thomas Sowell, Economist, Educator, Author and Syndicated Columnist.  It seems appropriate reading as we anticipate the Jobs Speech from President Obama.

Since 2009, according to the Wall Street Journal, "the U.S. has lost more than $200 billion in investment capital." They add: "That is the equivalent of about 2 million jobs that don't exist on these shores and are now located in places like China, Germany and India."

President Barack Obama's rhetoric deplores such "outsourcing," but his administration's policies make outsourcing an ever more attractive alternative to investing in the United States and creating American jobs.

Blithely piling onto American businesses both known costs like more taxes and unknowable costs — such as the massive Obamacare mandates that are still evolving — provides more incentives for investors to send their money elsewhere to escape the hassles.

Hardly a month goes by without this administration coming up with a new anti-business policy whether directed against Boeing, banks or other private enterprises. Neither investors nor employers can know when the next one is coming or what it will be. These are unknown unknowns.

Such anti-business policies would just be businesses' problems, except that it is businesses that create jobs.

The biggest losers from creating an adverse business climate may not be businesses themselves especially not big businesses, which can readily invest more of their money overseas. The biggest losers are likely to be working people in America, who cannot just relocate to Europe or Asia to take the jobs created there by American multinational corporations.

Thomas Sowell is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. His column is distributed by Creators Syndicate. Email comments to letters@detnews.com.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110810/OPINION03/108100381/Americans-lose-with-Obama’s-policies#ixzz1XGvNzzQi

The Wisdom of Thomas Jefferson

From Thomas Jefferson:

I predict future happiness for
Americans if they can prevent the government
from wasting the labors of the people under the
pretense of taking care of them.
Thomas Jefferson

When we get piled
upon one another in large cities, as in Europe,
we shall become as corrupt as Europe .
Thomas Jefferson

The democracy will cease to exist
when you take away from those
who are willing to work and give to those who would not.
Thomas Jefferson


It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes.
A principle which if acted on would save
one-half the wars of the world.
Thomas Jefferson

My reading of history convinces me
that most bad government results from too much
government.
Thomas Jefferson

No free man shall ever be debarred
the use of arms.
Thomas Jefferson

The strongest reason for the
people to retain the right to keep and bear arms
is, as a last resort, to protect themselves
against tyranny in government. Thomas Jefferson

To compel a man to subsidize with
his taxes the propagation of ideas which he
disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.
Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson said in 1802:
'I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to
our liberties than standing armies.
If the American people ever allow
private banks to control the issue of their
currency, first by inflation, then by
deflation, the banks and corporations that will
grow up around the banks will deprive the people
of all property - until their children
wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers
conquered.'

Thomas Jefferson, 1743-1826

(A top of the hat to Scotty Hood)

How much did a ten minute speech cost us?

Ten minutes equals 600 seconds. That is how long President Obama spoke in Columbus Ohio on Friday. And that ten minute event, complete with hard hats and chartreuse safety vests standing behind him for the photo-prop, cost you and me, Dear Reader, between $500,000 and $1,000,000! For what? Where is our return on that investment?

At a time when 9.7% of our adults are out of work, when we have mortgaged our grand children's future, when the people of my home area, Southern Ohio, are facing crippling gasoline prices and further lay-offs -- at a time like that, the President is spending our money like it was his.

How about, Mr. President, cutting all of your political travel to save the taxpayer's money? Use satellites or Skype to deliver your 10 minute message, not Air Force One at $100,000 an hour, Marine One on stand-by, and all the associated planes-full of armored vehicles, secret service, press, and "dignitaries."

How much did your ten minute photo-op cost the city of Columbus in Police time, emergency workers time, and pay-roll time to make way for the motorcade to and fro? We do not have the money for this foolishness. This is not your money, Mr. President. We are in hard economic times. Act like it!

How ironic and sad that on the same day thatPresident Obama was wasting our money, Vice President Biden said this: "That's what we try to instill -- a new ethic in the federal government -- individuals, all of us being personally responsible at every level for making sure we handle the taxpayers' dollars well," Biden said.

How empty their words are. Watch what they do, not what they say and vote them out!

The Voice of One.

Leadership

Blah, Blah Blah -- BP -- Blah, Blah, Blah -- pay -- Blah, Blah Blah -- Chu, Nobel Peace Prize -- Blah, Blah, Blah -- Day One -- Blah, Blah, Blah -- their throats -- Blah, Blah, Blah -- their asses -- Blah, Blah, Blah -- fullest extent -- blah, Blah, Blah -- Chu, Nobel Peace Prize -- Blah, Blah, Blah -- New Czar -- Blah, Blah, Blah -- Not me -- Blah, Blah, Blah -- Talk -- Blah, Blah, Barf.

Leadership -- Governor Jindal proceeds without EPA approval which was taking too long and begins to build sand barriers, protecting his state and uses barges to suck up oil lapping at the wetlands; the City Council of Destin, Florida moves to place its own oil boom around the East Gate to the harbor, without approval from Federal Government; Governor Brewer and the Arizona Legislature act to secure Arizona from invasion because they were being overrun at the US Border and the Federal Government will not act.

Blah, Blah Blah -- BP -- Blah, Blah, Blah -- pay -- Blah, Blah Blah -- Chu, Nobel Peace Prize -- Blah, Blah, Blah -- Day One -- Blah, Blah, Blah -- their throats -- Blah, Blah, Blah -- their asses -- Blah, Blah, Blah -- fullest extent -- blah, Blah, Blah -- Chu, Nobel Peace Prize -- Blah, Blah, Blah -- New Czar -- Blah, Blah, Blah -- Not me -- Blah, Blah, Blah -- Talk -- Blah, Blah, Barf.

BARF!

The Oil Spill Crisis: Where are the Environmentalists?

Have you noticed, Dear Reader, how quiet it is over this Oil Spill crisis? No FEMA (apparently, this is not a national emergency), no charities buying air time soliciting funds, no churches organizing trips to help, no pictures of concerned volunteers scrubbing oil-covered sea birds with Dawn Detergent. Surprisingly, no news conferences or press releases or protests by environmentalists.

Isn't it part of every environmental organization's mission statement to value life and want to protect it? Have you seen anything from the World Wildlife Fund, Greenpeace, America's Wetlands Foundation, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the Audubon Society, the Sierra Club?
(Cue the crickets sound-effect.)

The Sierra Club's website is now promoting "Beyond Oil" (http://www.beyondoil.org/) and urging us to send President Obama an email using their suggested text:

"The BP Oil disaster in the Gulf is a wake up call. I urge you (President Obama) to develop a plan to move our nation beyond oil in the next 20 years. The time for bold, visionary leadership for a clean energy future is now." BeyondOil.org

Oh, wait -- could it be that the environmental groups have muzzled their outrage in order to play ball with the Administration for its new "comprehensive" clean energy bill? Could it be that the noisy protests they led in other environmental issues are simply "of the moment" and not really tied to principals? Is it that the well-meaning contributors to organizations like these are simply tools and volunteers are simply photo-ops in a larger political game?

The Oil Spill Crisis. the Obama Administration, the Jones Act and Unions

The Jones Act, also known as the Merchant Marine Act, was passed in 1920 and was ostensibly meant to promote US shipping interests and to provide medical benefits to merchant sailors.

Among its provisions, still in effect today is that shipping and the passenger trade in US waters must be carried on by US flagged and staffed ships, with staffed being defined as 75% crewed by US citizens. With the growth of Unionism beginning in the 1930's, those 75% staffed jobs on ships became Union jobs with the Jones Act protecting the Unions and the Unions protecting the Jones Act.

President Bush waived the Jones Act during Katrina to allow foreign ships to come into US waters to aid in the Katrina disaster. After the bulk of the Hurricane cleanup was done, the Jones Act was reimposed.

Today, many are asking why the Obama Administration does not waive the Jones Act to allow foreign vessels into our waters to help us with the oil spill cleanup.

Dear Reader: Could it be that the Obama Administration's cozy relationship with Big Unions is allowing the crisis in the Gulf to worsen by not allowing foreign ships and their experienced non-union crews to assist in the clean-up?

Is the destruction of wildlife and the ruination of the ecology of the South's water's edge being permitted by the Administration because of Big Union's contributions to the 2008 Obama Campaign?

The best Oil Skimmer Ships are from Belgium, Holland and Norway. The best cleanup of a major oil spill was by the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Aramco, in a 1991 wartime oil spill off Kuwait. Shouldn't the Obama Administration ask these knowledgeable companies to come help? What is going on here?

Obama can waive the Jones Act as President Bush did three days after Katrina hit. It is now 53 days since the oil rig explosion occurred, and the oil is beginning to pollute our Southern Shores.

Surely, Mr. President, some issues rise above politics. Waive the Jones Act and get the world's expertise in here as soon as possible. All Hands On Deck!
.

“A person may cause evil to others not only by his actions but by his inaction, and in either case he is justly accountable to them for the injury.” ~~ John Stuart Mill, Philosopher, 1806-1873

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Promise Them Anything (but give them Chicago Style Politics)

President Obama, Rahm Emanuel, Valerie Jarrett and David Axelrod -- all from Chicago and schooled in the Chicago style of politics.

The Chicago Style of Politics:

Obama: “They bring a knife…We bring a gun” June 14, 2008
Obama to his followers: “Get in Their Faces!” September 18, 2008
Obama on ACORN Mobs: “I don’t want to quell anger. I think people are right to be angry! I’m angry!” March 20, 2009
Obama to his followers: “Hit back twice as hard” August 6, 2009
Obama to BP: “We talk to these folks… so I know whose a$$ to kick.” June 8, 2010

Rob Blagojevich, former Governor of Illinois, under FBI investigation since 2005, now on trial charged (but not yet convicted of) "pay-to-play" corruption and selling Senator Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat for personal benefit.

Congressman Joe Sestak accuses Obama Administration of offering him a position in the administration (the Secretary of Navy is the most often mentioned) in return for bowing out of the primary race against fellow Pennsylvania Democrat, Arlen Specter.

Colorado Primary Senate candidate, Andrew Romanoff, discussed three positions in the administration, apparently in return for dropping out of the Democrat primary contest with sitting Senator Bob Bennett.

What should one make out of this. Well, the old saw, "actions speak louder than words" comes to mind or "promise them anything" but deliver what you want.

President Obama's rhetoric as a candidate sounded good, but now that he is in office, it is not just business as usual in the White House, as disappointing as that is. The President and his White House faction have added the in-your-face Chicago Political Style to presidential behaviour, as if there were not already enough contentiousness in our government.

Hope and Change? How's it going for you... for us?

"You don't lead by hitting people over the head -- that's assault, not leadership." ~~ Dwight David Eisenhower, 34th President, 1953-1961

Party, Golf, Party, Golf, Photo Op, Golf, Vacation

Fifteen million people, citizens of our country, are unemployed -- 9.7% of our workforce. Have you ever been unemployed through downsizing, or termination of operations, or otherwise? I have, and it is frightening to stare at your children's faces, the mortgage, car payments, orthodontist bills and credit card statements knowing that you have nothing but your ever-dwindling reserve of savings to rely upon until you can find employment.


In the Gulf of Mexico, various estimates of the the number of barrels of oil spilling into the Gulf have surfaced, but 25,000 per day seems to be a consensus among a number of people. The State Bird of Louisiana, the brown pelican, is threatened, the backwaters and wetlands of the Mississippi Delta is receiving oil, the oil slick, now the size of Vermont has stopped fishing and shrimping in that region of the Gulf, and the pristine, silicon-squeaky white beaches of the Florida Panhandle have oil balls washing up. It is day 48 of the Oil Spill Crisis.

During the first 41 days of the Crisis, President Obama played 7 rounds of golf (2 rounds of golf before making a statement on the Oil Spill on Day 14), hosted 7 parties, had two vacations, talked to sportscaster Marv Albert about basketball and also made time to speak with the entertainer Bono, for some reason.

Uhh, Mr. President, we have two very serious issues in this country right now -- the economy and the Oil Spill. How about cancelling all the items on your calendar and concentrating on those things? Wouldn't that show a concern for the American people, instead of showing us that you enjoy the perks of your Office?
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What are your priorities, President Obama -- solving serious problems plaguing this country, or enjoying the High Life?
.
Your words say one thing, but your behaviour is much more telling. Be the President of the United States of America, not the President of a College.
.

"As if you could kill time without injuring eternity."
~~ Henry David Thoreau, "Economy," Walden, 1854

Dear Senator Casey

I noted in Pittsburgh over Memorial Day, that you (Senator Bob Casey, D-PA) had proposed a Teamsters Union Pension Relief Bill, which of course, me and my Dear Readers would pay for.
You can find details at http://www.teamster.org/content/teamsters-make-progress-pension-relief-jobs

The Teamsters have twice as many retirees as they do active members and their pension fund lost 30% in the stock market thrash last year. Your bill, Senator Casey, would help restore the money that the Teamster retirees lost so that they could have a better retirement. After all, they are the "1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico."

Uhhhh, Senator Casey, excuse me, but I lost 30% also and no one is helping me. I'm having to scale back my lifestyle and I was "hardworking." How about the Teamster Retirees scale back too, rather than me pay for them, further setting me back.

I feel badly that Union Retirees are not going to have the life in retirement that they were promised. Guess what? Neither am I. Neither are millions of other retirees. Say, how about you make up my 30% loss, Bob?
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Fair is fair, Bob.

"Politicians are like diapers. They need to be changed often and for the same reasons." ~~ Mark Twain