July 30, 2010
Greets and Huggers. Posted the evening of July 30, 2010. Must be an election year. The “robocalls” in the evening are getting real annoying, as are the campaign mailings. The television campaign ads have turned vitriolic, with lies and half-truths the norm. I guess, every two years, the lunar cycle shifts in the month of July and the first week in August and the month of October and the first week in November. 6 weeks of a shiny full moon irradiating the brain cells of folks with a marginal intellect, causing a form of “political lunacy”. For example, I read a “Letter to the Editor” in the Kansas City Star today accusing Bush of squandering the Clinton budget surplus. A budget surplus paid for by gutting our standing military and intelligence gathering community. At the time, wasn’t it called the “Peace Dividend“: “Between 1992 and 2000, the Clinton Administration cut national defense by more than half a million personnel and $50 billion in inflation-adjusted dollars. The Army alone has lost four active divisions and two Reserve divisions. The number of total active personnel in the Air Force has decreased by nearly 30 percent. In the Navy, the total number of ships has decreased from around 393 ships in the fleet in 1992 to 316 today. Even the Marines have dropped 22,000 personnel.” The net result? Faulty, incomplete intelligence which may have contributed to 9/11 and our America currently involved in 2 shooting wars being fought by National Guard troops and Reservists. Sometimes, a penny saved is not a penny earned.
The gist of the letter blamed our national debt on the “Bush Tax Cuts to the Rich”. The “Bush Tax Cuts” will “sunset out” this year, unless renewed. If allowed to expire, this pilgrim opined, there will be enough tax revenue paid by folks making over $250,000.00 a year to pay off the deficit in no time. Really? From an article in Forbes Magazine: How Will The Expiring Bush Tax Cuts Affect You? “The two major tax-cutting bills from the Bush era were the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act (EGTRRA) of 2001, and the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. These two laws cut taxes across the board for earned income, long-term capital gains and dividends. The legislation also expanded the child tax credit and made dozens of other changes and adjustments to the tax code, involving exemptions, deductions and the marriage penalty … EGTRRA created six tax rate brackets–10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33% and 35%, based on income levels. If no extension is passed and signed into law, then the pre-2001 tax rates will go back into effect starting in tax year 2011. The 10% bracket would disappear, and those taxpayers would move up to the 15% bracket, which would apply to all incomes below $34,550. The other tax rates would increase to 28%, 31%, 36% and 39.6% for the highest earners making more than $379,650. One major provision that will expire at the end of 2010 is the child tax credit, which EGTRRA doubled from $500 to $1,000 per child. Unless Congress votes to extend the child tax credit, the maximum amount will revert back to $500 for tax year 2011, and the number of families eligible for that amount will be much less as tougher eligibility standards that existed prior to EGTRRA will go back into effect.” So folks making less than $35K get a 5% tax hike and folks making more than $380K get a 3% tax hike … in the middle of a recession? So working people, the “middle class”, the folks most hurting during this “economic downturn”, (don’t you just love Washington Speak?), take it in the shorts again. Is this the change you voted for? I didn’t mention all the other non-tax “changes” that will increase your tax load. Oh. And remember how “Healthcare Reform” was supposed to make health care more affordable? Well, it appears that will result in Susan and I having a 30% increase in our health insurance premium next year. The skinniest horse, continues to have the most flies.
As for the national debt? You can run your own numbers HERE. They show that with a Democrat President and Congress, (1992 - 1996), the debt jumped from 4.5T to 5.3T, (with “T” being a Trillion Dollars). With a Democrat President and a Republican Congress, (1996 - 2000), it jumped from 5.3T to 5.6T. And from 9/11 forward, with a Republican President and a Republican Congress, (2000 - 2006), it jumped from 5.6T - 8.6T. With a Republican President and a Democrat Congress, (2006 - 2008), it jumped from 8.6T to 10.6T … and finally, with a Democrat President and a Democrat Congress, (2008 - 7/2010, 18 months), it jumped from 10.6T to 13.2T. The only “change” I plan on voting for this election cycle, is a change in whatever Pig, Red or Blue, (the reference is to “Animal Farm“), is currently feeding at the Washington Trough.
And proof as to how Americanized the Japanese have become: Tokyo, Japan (CNN) – Tokyo’s “oldest man” may have been dead for decades. “Police have found the mummified body of a man believed to have been Tokyo’s oldest man, who may have in fact died some 30 years ago, officials at the city’s Adachi Ward said. Sogen Kato, who was born on July 22, 1899, would have been 111 years old if he were alive today. Police are still investigating the case, but officials told CNN they found newspapers in his room dating back three decades, and think he might have been dead for at least that long.” … Mr. Kato lived in a part of Tokyo known as “Little Chicago” and voted in the last three elections. He obviously was not the Eveready Bunny nor a former Toyota employee: he stopped running.
And in the news that makes me question whether we can win in Afghanistan: (CNN) – WikiLeaks founder ‘disappointed’ by Gates’ remarks. “WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said Friday that he was disappointed by criticism from Secretary of Defense Robert Gates over the release of about 76,000 pages of U.S. documents related to the war in Afghanistan. Gates said Thursday that the massive leak will have significant impact on troops and allies, revealing techniques and procedures. Assange rejected that assessment Friday, saying in a release that Gates “has overseen the killings of thousands of children and adults” in Afghanistan and Iraq.” The released documents do reveal command structure, procedures, the incompetence of some of the past leadership and most important, just how corrupt and ineffective the Afghanistan government is. This war is starting to look a great deal like our failed excursion in Vietnam. On the evening news, more lives lost.
And our tax dollars at work: Washington (CNN) – Defense officials investigated for child porn. “Several dozen current, former and contracted employees of the U.S. Defense Department may have put national security at risk by accessing and purchasing child pornography, government documents showed Friday. Several of the people identified in a series of reports released by the Defense Department were listed as having top secret or higher security clearance. They worked for groups within the department such as the National Security Agency and the National Reconnaissance Office, two of the country’s top intelligence agencies.” So how many were prosecuted for possessing “kiddie porn”? Sure didn’t see anything in the news. I suppose that’s the benefit of working for the government.
(Health.com) – Can a mother’s affection prevent anxiety in adulthood? “Babies whose mothers are attentive and caring tend to grow into happy, well-adjusted children. But the psychological benefits of having a doting mother may extend well beyond childhood, a new study suggests. According to the study, which followed nearly 500 infants into their 30s, babies who receive above-average levels of affection and attention from their mothers are less likely than other babies to grow up to be emotionally distressed, anxious, or hostile adults.” That’s the good news. The bad news? The 500 infants followed into their 30s … were still living at home … and none had Jewish mothers.
Sitting here listening to the dogs play and editing these Ramblings. A “flash flood” warning down south. Susan’s computer is now converted to WIN 7 and we are in for a quiet weekend at Ft Timmerman. It is hot and muggy outside, the air conditioners are running, and I hate to think what our electric bill will wind up being, (the TED 5000 projects over $400.00). Orsheln called yesterday and we preordered 2 tons of pellets, (at $1.75 per 40 pound bag), to be picked up in November. Good price, during the heating season, they can sell for $4.75 a bag. If you have any interest in getting a pellet stove, better order now. Nothing really interesting to watch on TV tonight, even the “Hitler Channel” has reruns I have already seen. My Epson 7500 is back up and running and this weekend, I plan on making my first 2′ x 3′ print on canvas. Cutting and making a frame, then stretching the canvas over it. Should be interesting. Time to post these Ramblings and later when I say my “Thank You’s”, the most important, a “Thank You Lord! For giving me Susan to share Your many blessing with.“ … and a prayer for the safe and soon return of our men and women in uniform, (care to join me?) It is becoming apparent to me, we can not win the war in Afghanistan, given the corruption of the existing government there, and frankly, that means a waste of lives. Makes me sick thinking about it. Be and sleep well, the best we have as a nation is on watch, so you can. If my post offends, I apologize, that is not my intent, As always …
A Warm Brotherly Hug
KarlT (the dumb old country lawyer from Holden, Missouri … and the Editorial Staff, Dinker, Willie, Karly, my L’il Buddy … and Floydius Irritatus, the copy boy.