"Clown Prince" Weekly Blather; January 30th

A Patriotic Response To The "Clown Prince" 01/30/2010 Weekly Address January 30, 2010 At this time last year, amidst headlines about banks on the verge of collapse and job losses of 700,000 a month, we received another troubling piece of news about our economy. Our economy was shrinking at an alarming rate – the largest six-month decline in 50 years. Our factories and farms were producing less; our businesses were selling less; and more job losses were on the horizon. One year later, according to numbers released this past week, this trend has reversed itself. For the past six months, our economy has been growing again. And last quarter, it grew more quickly than at any time in the past six years. This is a sign of progress. And it’s an affirmation of the difficult decisions we made last year to pull our financial system back from the brink and get our economy moving again. [What I'm not telling you: Notice how I don't routinely mention actual numbers or statistics?? I only do when they reflect positively on my plans, programs or actions. So, why didn't I mention the actual 4th quarter GDP growth numbers?? I'd have to be truthful, which goes against my policies and politics!! In actuality, the reported 4Q GDP growth of 5.7% is misleading, at best. More than half of the growth {3.39%} was merely companies replenishing their inventories which were drawn down during early parts of this on-going recession. The growth is not an affirmation of any decisions made by the administration; if it were, the indication would be that poor decisions and naivete have "carried the day."] But when so many people are still struggling – when one in ten Americans still can’t find work, and millions more are working harder and longer for less – our mission isn’t just to grow the economy. It’s to grow jobs for folks who want them, and ensure wages are rising for those who have them. It’s not just about improvements we see in quarterly statistics, but ones people feel in their daily lives – a bigger paycheck; more security; the ability to give your kids a decent shot in life and still have enough to retire one day yourself. That’s why job creation will be our number one focus in 2010. We’ll put more Americans back to work rebuilding our infrastructure all across the country. And since the true engines of job creation are America’s businesses, I’ve proposed tax credits to help them hire new workers, raise wages, and invest in new plants and equipment. I also want to eliminate all capital gains taxes on small business investment, and help small businesses get the loans they need to open their doors and expand their operations. [What I'm not telling you: I know that growing the economy requires the federal government stop taking money out of circulation for redistribution and leave it in the hands of those who know how to use and invest it for the greatest national return!! This could be done with widespread business and personal tax rate reductions. Tax credits--by definition--give the government subtle control over business decisions; whereas tax rate reductions place the decision making in the proper hands, those who have the most to lose--those who would make the best decisions for their company/business. Example: A 15% rate reduction will cover the whole range of the economic "world." A 15% tax credit for those concerns who hire "blonde, blue-eyed, females" will only apply to those companies who benefit from having that particular employee!!! To see who's the real priority in my reign, re-read this partial sentence--"It's to grow jobs for folks who want them,.." Notice there's no inclination to reduce the welfareRAT rolls, which would inturn reduce both state and federal obligations to fund the trends of laziness and of "beating the system!!"] But as we work to create jobs, it is critical that we rein in the budget deficits we’ve been accumulating for far too long – deficits that won’t just burden our children and grandchildren, but could damage our markets, drive up our interest rates, and jeopardize our recovery right now. There are certain core principles our families and businesses follow when they sit down to do their own budgets. They accept that they can’t get everything they want and focus on what they really need. They make tough decisions and sacrifice for their kids. They don’t spend what they don’t have, and they make do with what they’ve got. It’s time their government did the same. That’s why I’m pleased that the Senate has just restored the pay-as-you-go law that was in place back in the 1990s. It’s no coincidence that we ended that decade with a $236 billion surplus. But then we did away with PAYGO – and we ended the next decade with a $1.3 trillion deficit. Reinstating this law will help get us back on track, ensuring that every time we spend, we find somewhere else to cut. [What I'm not telling you: MY children and grandchildren really won't be affected by those many trillions of dollars I've pissed away--making an impression on the American KoolAid drinker and my worldwide admirers--I'm sure they'll have great wealth to support themselves through the less-than-honestly gained largess the Chin and I will leave behind!! So, the deficit that I've TRIPLED, just in the FIRST YEAR of my reign, really hasn't much meaning for me. The public has to remember; I've NEVER had a job that wasn't funded by a government paycheck or a government grant--it was a real shock to find out that "the government's money;" wasn't really "the government's money!!!" Several million "someones" have to pay taxes to provide the money that politicians piss away on a daily basis!! Remember, YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST!! PAYGO wasn't entirely responsible for "Slick-Willie" leaving a $128 Billion surplus at the end of his reign; the collapse of the former Soviet Union reduced defense spending by nearly that much, ALONE!! The politicRATS have never found a tax dollar they couldn't piss away!! The PAYGO legislation was allowed to expire in 2002. As a rule {read: We'll abide by it--IF it suits us!!}, it was reinstated in 2007, but was routinely 'waived' if we needed more cash to piss away than we actually had!! When I say "...when we did away with PAYGO...." I was just starting my 142 days of federal legislative experience and voted to do away with it to assure many millions of dollars of pork for the crooked state of Illinois among others!!] I’ve also proposed a spending freeze, so that as we increase investments in things we need, like job creation and middle class tax cuts – we cut spending on those we don’t, like tax cuts for oil companies and investment fund managers, and programs that are redundant, obsolete, or simply ineffective. Spending related to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security will not be affected – and neither will national security – but all other discretionary government programs will. Finally, I’ve called for a bi-partisan Fiscal Commission – a panel of Democrats and Republicans who would sit down and hammer out concrete deficit-reduction proposals by a certain deadline. Because we’ve heard plenty of talk and a lot of yelling on TV about deficits, and it’s now time to come together and make the painful choices we need to eliminate those deficits. This past week, 53 Democrats and Republicans voted for this commission in the Senate. But it failed when seven Republicans who had co-sponsored this idea in the first place suddenly decided to vote against it. [What I'm not telling you: There are very few sectors in which jobs can be created--the primary ones are health care and the federal government. As President Ronald Reagan once said: "The government is not the solution to the problem; the government IS the problem!!" The government has allowed the manufacturing base to slowly move off-shore with the NAFTA agreement; The government has grown it's welfareRAT base with ever increasing benefits and decreasing the criteria for admission to that "club." Notice: The NAFTA agreement--An agreement is just that an agreement, signed by whomever is the reigning fascist at the time; a treaty is similar in verbage to an agreement except a treaty has to be approved by a majority of the U.S. Senate!! NAFTA was promoted as an "agreement" because the majority of the Senate wouldn't agree to selling America "down the river!!" Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security SHOULD be affected!! During "Slick-Willie's" phony welfareRAT reform in the 1990s, he merely moved some of the RATs off the welfare rolls and onto SSI. This Supplimental Security Income system has similar--if not loser--requirements to the WelfareRAT system. How 'bout gettin' some fat asses back on someone's payroll and off the government dole?? But if I do that, I'm assured of a 25-35% drop in my voter base!! This bipartisan Fiscal Commission would have boosted employment in the District of Columbia.... do you think any politician can function without a staff of gophers?? Not no, but HELL NO!!!] Now, it’s one thing to have an honest difference of opinion about something. I will always respect those who take a principled stand for what they believe, even if I disagree with them. But what I won’t accept is changing positions because it’s good politics. What I won’t accept is opposition for opposition’s sake. We cannot have a serious discussion and take meaningful action to create jobs and control our deficits if politicians just do what’s necessary to win the next election instead of what’s best for the next generation. I’m ready and eager to work with anyone who’s serious about solving the real problems facing our people and our country. I welcome anyone who comes to the table in good faith to help get our economy moving again and fulfill this country’s promise. That’s why we were elected in the first place. That’s what the American people expect and deserve. And that’s what we must deliver. [What I'm not telling you: "....I will always {publically} respect those who....." See how conveniently left out the most important word in that sentence?? Behind the scenes; at the end of the day, the only opinion or plan or program that matters is that which I and my handlers dream up. The replubricRATs are right though, to oppose my programs.... by design, they're destroying the country's economy. Did you read that shit about controlling our deficits?? Wait til you see my budget proposal--there's enough 'red ink' to float the USS Ronald Reagan {there's that name, again!!}!! Those who "come to the table" only want to point out my many failures...... owning two auto manufacturers; owning several banks; being beholden to several unions; yadda, yadda, yadda!!!]

This'n'That; January 26th[Pissin';

"Clown Prince" Still 'Pissin' ' Yup, Fluffy obama is still pissin' your money away..... for absolutely NO GAIN!! Remember when he and 164 or so, of his closest advisors went to Copenhagen for the "Global Warming Hoax" Conference? Remember all the agreements they were able to attain....NONE!! He was accompanied by 105 congress people AND SPOUSES; 11 from the Department of the Interior; 12 from the Department of Energy; 9 from the Department of State; 14 from the Environment Protection Agency; over 60 various flunkies and marginal weinies from the WhiteOut House. With all these moronic flunkies, the room-and-board bill was $2,200 per day....EACH!! With all these moronic flunkies, the total commercial [first class??] travel bill was $408,064!! They paid "government rates" of $5,000-$10,000 per seat!! This doesn't include the $168,361 pricetag for the three military jets that went along "for the ride." This whole fiasco--inwhich absolutely nothing was accomplished-- added another $1.5MILLION to the already ballooning deficit!! Til Nex'Time....

This'n'That; January 24th[Fluffy Promises Unfulfilled]

"Clown Prince" Promises Unfulfilled

Those promises that are "0%" complete

• Add National Guard Chief To Joint Chiefs
• Address Al-Qaida Prison Recruitment Efforts
• Advocate Equal Treatment Of Same-Sex Couples Advocate Free Market
• Allow Mortgage Modification In Bankruptcy Cases Appoint Director Of Urban Policy
• Ban Racial Profiling
• Boost Teacher Mentoring Programs Broadband Coverage In Rural Areas
• Conservation of Private Lands

Adding a National Guard/Reserve chief to the Joint Chiefs of Staff would be a definite benefit to the "grunts" in the combat arms of the various branches of service. This benefit to the troops is--by definition--NO benefit to the "Clown Prince" beyond the initial photo-op, so don't look for much action here.

The "prison recruitment" promise probably won't see the light of day until Fluffy obama is forced into it!! This promise involves stemming the recruiting of American prisoners in American prisons. These are the most disenfranchised individuals who would be very suseptable to the islamic "sweet-talk." Should he go head-to-head with al-qaida, he'll not accomplish much except pissing off most of his muslim brethren!!

Again, equal treatment of same-sex couples [compared to traditional married couples] will fall to the wayside until Fluffy is forced by the howling gay-lesbian activists to do something positive FOR THEM. The Department of Justice's first attempt at defending DOMA [Defense of Marriage Act]--which it's required to do--was filled with arguments against homosexuality that are often made by the religious right. It equated gay marriage to legalizing incest and pedophilia.

Fluffy's "Campaign of Fluff" advocated for continuance of America's free market system. As with most of the fluff regurgitated by the "Clown Prince" flies in the face of his life-long fascist principles. Again, expect nothing to be done on this front until he's forced into it!!

Allowing mortgage modification in bankruptcy cases was a major item during the "Campaign of Fluff." Fluffy lobbied the morons in Congress for a "cram-down" provision which took most of his "honeymoon YEAR" to get both houses' approval. "Cram-down" is a court-ordered reduction of the secured balance due on a home mortgage loan, granted to a homeowner who has filed for personal bankruptcy. Apparently in fascism this is considered fair ot those who hold the mortgages; those who will not be made "whole" in the cram-down process.

Way back in February, 2009, obama named Adolfo Carrión Jr. as director of the new White House Office of Urban Affairs and Derek Douglas as special assistant to the president for urban affairs. Carrión was credited with improving neighborhoods and helping to guide the new Yankee Stadium project. Douglas headed New York Gov. David Paterson's Washington office. Nothing has been done since!! That's quite surprising, considering that those to be helped are primarily KoolAid drinkin' welfareRATS... a large share of his voter base.

In his Blueprint for Change, obama said he "will ban racial profiling by federal law enforcement agencies and provide federal incentives to state and local police departments to prohibit the practice." On it's face, this plan is ludicrous!! Do not most terrorists look like Fluffy's buddies, the muslims?? So why to we concentrate on little ol' ladies with walkers and wheelchairs?? Expect him to "go full-bore" with this one; he feels it necessary to placate the muslims as well as the terrorist communities at every turn!!

In presenting his new education plan, obama vowed to "treat teachers like the professionals they are while holding them more accountable." As part of this process, he said, "new teachers will be mentored by experienced ones." Don't looke for this to go much beyond the "blather' stage; Fluffy is too beholden to the unions at every level!!! He has to placate the union hierarchy-which will go against his "blather!!"

"Broadband Coverage in Rural Areas.." How many voters in rural areas compared to voters in urban areas.....?? How many KoolAid drinkers in rural areas, compared to those who support themselves WITH THEIR OWN MONEY?? This has no benefit to the "Clown Prince" so expect nothing more than the usual blather.

"Conservation of Private Lands" smacks of another version of wealth re-distribution!! “Obama will increase incentives for farmers and private landowners to conduct sustainable agriculture and protect wetlands, grasslands and forests.”-- Obama's Blueprint For Change. BUT, no mention of the punishments involved for those who opt out of participation..... Not everyone wants or needs to participate in these federal bribery schemes. If the administration will recommend jail time for those who don't buy high priced health insurance, will surely have punitive consequences for ANYONE who elects not to participate in ANY "Clown Prince" PROGRAMS!!

Til Nex'Time....

"Clown Prince" Weekly Blather; January 23rd

A Patriotic Response To The "Clown Prince" 01/23/2010 Weekly Address January 23, 2010 One of the reasons I ran for President was because I believed so strongly that the voices of everyday Americans, hardworking folks doing everything they can to stay afloat, just weren’t being heard over the powerful voices of the special interests in Washington. And the result was a national agenda too often skewed in favor of those with the power to tilt the tables. In my first year in office, we pushed back on that power by implementing historic reforms to get rid of the influence of those special interests. On my first day in office, we closed the revolving door between lobbying firms and the government so that no one in my administration would make decisions based on the interests of former or future employers. We barred gifts from federal lobbyists to executive branch officials. We imposed tough restrictions to prevent funds for our recovery from lining the pockets of the well-connected, instead of creating jobs for Americans. And for the first time in history, we have publicly disclosed the names of lobbyists and non-lobbyists alike who visit the White House every day, so that you know what’s going on in the White House – the people’s house. [What I'm not telling you: "....the voices of everyday Americans......" are THE LAST VOICES I listen to!! Why do you think--after I campaigned against the influence of lobbyists--that I've hired more than eighty lobbyists and former lobbyists to work in my administration?? Those are the very people who bought my job for me; I HAVE TO listen to them-I DON'T have to listen to you!! They provide me with untold millions of dollars with which to force my fascist plans and ideals upon the unsuspecting American public. On my first day in office I DID close the lobbyists' revolving door to the Whiteout House. What you weren't told is I--at the same time--instituted a very liberal policy of "waivers" for those I owed especially geat amounts of loyalty and legislative preferences. One thing I'll admit that I hadn't "added into the equation" is the effects of the 'Tea Party' movement!! That, my friends, really scares the Hell out of me!! They've brought my obamaCare takeover to a standstill; more importantly, they've taken away my filibuster-proof Senate majority!! This all adds up to negative accomplishments in my first year of rule: All the accomplishments have been for the American people-vs-none for fascism!!] We’ve been making steady progress. But this week, the United States Supreme Court handed a huge victory to the special interests and their lobbyists – and a powerful blow to our efforts to rein in corporate influence. This ruling strikes at our democracy itself. By a 5-4 vote, the Court overturned more than a century of law – including a bipartisan campaign finance law written by Senators John McCain and Russ Feingold that had barred corporations from using their financial clout to directly interfere with elections by running advertisements for or against candidates in the crucial closing weeks. This ruling opens the floodgates for an unlimited amount of special interest money into our democracy. It gives the special interest lobbyists new leverage to spend millions on advertising to persuade elected officials to vote their way – or to punish those who don’t. That means that any public servant who has the courage to stand up to the special interests and stand up for the American people can find himself or herself under assault come election time. Even foreign corporations may now get into the act. I can’t think of anything more devastating to the public interest. The last thing we need to do is hand more influence to the lobbyists in Washington, or more power to the special interests to tip the outcome of elections. [What I'm not telling you: Who would'da thunk it?? I engineered the approval of that moron Sotomayor as one of "The Supremes"... and what did I get....... just another idiot who goes along with the patriot view of American Democracy. During my "Campaign of Fluff" we had some clever, underhanded ways of getting millions and millions of dollars into my war chest by side-stepping or outright ignoring the existing campaign finance laws. With this latest ruling, the flood gates have opened for ANYONE to receive mega-millions in donations, not just me, Fluffy, the Clown Prince!! That "....hand more influence to lobbyists in Washington....." thingie: The influence I'm referring to is quite acceptable--SO LONG AS I CONTROL IT!!] All of us, regardless of party, should be worried that it will be that much harder to get fair, common-sense financial reforms, or close unwarranted tax loopholes that reward corporations from sheltering their income or shipping American jobs off-shore. It will make it more difficult to pass commonsense laws to promote energy independence because even foreign entities would be allowed to mix in our elections. It would give the health insurance industry even more leverage to fend off reforms that would protect patients. We don’t need to give any more voice to the powerful interests that already drown out the voices of everyday Americans. And we don’t intend to. When this ruling came down, I instructed my administration to get to work immediately with Members of Congress willing to fight for the American people to develop a forceful, bipartisan response to this decision. We have begun that work, and it will be a priority for us until we repair the damage that has been done. [What I'm not telling you: I welcome foreign influence peddlers!! The vast majority of them are fascists like myself; their help will be beneficial in promoting my one-world-government views and the re-distribution of American wealth!! My latest scheme-that of punishing banks for their logical lending rules as opposed to giving just any welfareRat a mortgage-is having equally as much force in outsourcing American jobs as NAFTA has!!! That "Brown-Coakley" fiasco pretty much ruined my hope of obfuscating any congressional moronic discussion concerning ways to circumvent the new system. Everything is such "a priority" that NOTHING GETS DONE!!] A hundred years ago, one of the great Republican Presidents, Teddy Roosevelt, fought to limit special interest spending and influence over American political campaigns and warned of the impact of unbridled, corporate spending. His message rings as true as ever today, in this age of mass communications, when the decks are too often stacked against ordinary Americans. And as long as I’m your President, I’ll never stop fighting to make sure that the most powerful voice in Washington belongs to you. [What I'm not telling you: To steal a phrase from Reba McIntyre..... Teddy Roosevelt "was a fascist when fascism wasn't cool...!!" Those "....decks stacked against the American people...??" That was my idea and a primary plank in my "Campaign of Fluff," that we first had to control the media in all it's forms; audio, video, print and internet. See how well that worked--with the millions of dollars from unions, corporations and other "KoolAid" consumers--I was able to buy my job!! Now I'm working on legislation and media influence to negate any "Tea Party" or patriotic affect on my term as ruler.]

This'n'That; January 20th[Error;

"Lion Clown Prince" Reign of 'Error!'

[I just had to steal the title; that "Reign of Error" thingie-from it's author-Michael Goodwin]

The "Clown Prince" had some low points in his first year, but it looks like we ain't seen nuttin' yet. Year two of his "reign of error" is shaping up as more of the first, only 'worst.' Much 'worst.' In just one day last week, Fluffy obama hatched two incredibly awful ideas. Either alone would be bad news for the country. Together they could create more damage to a nation already staggered by 10 percent unemployment, huge deficits and political polarization.

What iceberg? Full speed ahead!

The Thursday decisions to punish banks for making money and to exempt union workers from an onerous health-care tax appear to have little in common, but they actually share a vital link. Both are the spawn of rank politics, with Fluffy using government power to reward friends and punish enemies. First came the bank tax and, like so many other bad initiatives, his announcement was chocked full of misleading arguments. It's an ominous sign when truth is the enemy. Even the name distorts, with the tax called the

Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee. Get it? It's not a tax.

It's a fee. And it's got a moral basis -- hence "responsibility." "We want our money back, and we're going to get it," declares the greatest spendthrift ever to inhabit the White House. He was so full of self-righteous anger, I feared his teleprompter might explode.

But who does he mean by "we" and "our money"?

Certainly not "We the people." A clear majority of Americans opposes virtually every one of his policies and his disapproval ratings nearly match his approval. He responds by doubling down on partisanship as he tries to tap into the paranoid fringe that sees Wall Street as the fountain of evil.The truth is that most of the banks helped by bailouts have more than repaid taxpayers. The bailouts even turned a handsome profit, estimated at $52 billion last year.

Shhhh -- don't tell anybody. Facts don't matter.

Among other bailouts, it's Obama's to GM, Chrysler and the one started under George Bush to AIG that are still deepest in the red. So the logic of penalizing the banks that are prospering to get "our money back" doesn't pass the smell test. Even worse, the tax works against the White House goals of increasing lending and creating jobs. Because of reserve requirements, every dollar the banks pay in taxes means they have $10 less to lend to small businesses -- the engines of job growth.

And what does Obama intend to do with the $90 billion the tax would raise?

Why, spend it, of course. It won't be used to pay down the deficit or anything sensible. "Our" money will become another Chinese-financed slush fund for him.The second awful idea was the deal with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Harry Reid to exempt unions, including those in government, from the 40 percent tax on so-called "Cadillac health plans." The tax had two aims: raising money to fund coverage for the uninsured and reducing the overall national health bill. But unions objected, threatened to scuttle the legislation -- and so were spared. The tax won't kick in for them until 2018 and even then will be less onerous than on non-union workers. Others will just have to pay more.

It's a scandal that reveals the mind-boggling dimension of corruption in the health care horse trading. What the president pretends is "reform" is largely a patchwork of payoffs and bribes to favored interest groups, lawmakers and industries. Individual Americans will wonder what hit them if the package of scams ever becomes law. They sense as much, which is why only one out of three voters support the legislation. But who cares what they think? The agenda must be served.

...Maybe Not A Scam, But...

This may not constitute an actual scam, but it's at least deceptive advertising. Yesterday, I received a mailing which appeared to be from the History Channel Club. The address side had an illustration of several weathered buildings. Above the buildings: "Celebrate Hostory!" Below the buildings: "HISTORY" "The History Channel Club." Below the address panel [in VERY SMALL type]: A Service of Direct Response Decks,Inc; 4347 S. 90th St.- Omaha, Ne., 68127.

On the back was a hokey illustration of crossed rifles [for sale].

INSIDE is the kicker!!: There were four post-card sized mailers; forty-seven 1/2 post-card sized mailers for all kind of crap--none of which has any relation whatsoever with history, the History Channel or The History Channel Club!!!! On the face, this is a very deceptive mailing; the very reason I pointed out the original History Channel Club scam and the reason I cancelled my membership!!

Til Nex'Time....

This'n'That; January 18th[RetirementFunds!!]

"Clown Prince" To Render IRAs;401ks Worthless! WND MONEY Obama to meddle with your retirement account? Administration considers forcing investors into Treasury debt By Jerome R. Corsi The "Clown Prince's" administration appears to have come up with a novel way of financing trillion-dollar budget deficits – demanding IRA and 401(k) holders buy trillions of dollars in Treasury bonds. With the Treasury needing this year to see another $1 trillion in debt to finance the anticipated federal budget deficit, and the Federal Reserve about to discontinue its 2009 program of buying Treasury bonds for the Fed's asset portfolio, the Obama administration is scrambling to find ways to sell government debt without having to raise interest rates.

Bloomberg reported Friday that Assistant Labor Secretary Phyllis C. Borzi and Deputy Assistant Treasury Mark Iwry are planning to stage a public comment period before implementing regulations that would require private investors to structure IRA and 401(k) accounts into what could amount to a U.S. Treasury debt-backed government annuity.

CNBC's Rick Santelli broadcast the rumor the same day from the trading floor during CNBC's "Power Lunch" show. Spokesmen from both the U.S. Treasury and Department of Labor confirmed to WND that the federal agencies about to enter a pre-regulation public comment phase on the proposed rule change. But the agencies are getting serious pushback from the mutual fund industry, objecting to what some financial planners see as a government attempt to divert hundreds of billions of dollars of private retirement accounts into federal government debt, regardless whether the investment in Treasury bonds is in the best interest of the retirement-oriented investor.

On the Department of Labor website, the transcript of a Dec. 9 webchat with Borzi confirms the Employee Benefits Security Administration is about to issue a Request for Information on how annuity lifetime options should be structured into a wide range of defined contribution retirement plans, including 401(k)s. Under ERISA, the Department of Labor regulates approximately 700,000 private pension plans, with approximately $4.7 trillion in assets. "Lifetime Income Options," code words for annuities, are also listed in the Department of Labor's regulatory agenda for the Employee Benefits Security Administration, issued Dec. 7 and filed in the Federal Register.

The government's argument is that IRA and 401(k) investors lost principal in the stock market when the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted from a closing of 14,164.53 on Oct. 9, 2007, to 6,547.05 on March 9, 2009. For instance, Fidelity Investments reported the average fund balance on the approximately 11 million accounts Fidelity manages dropped 31 percent to $47,500 at the end of March, from $69,200 at the end of 2007.

With the stock market rally since March, Fidelity further reports 401(k) account balances increased 128 percent by the end of the third quarter 2009, to an average of $60,700, from the low at the end of the first quarter 2009 of $47,500.

While U.S. Treasury bonds have had historically lower yields than equity returns, government proponents of the idea argue Treasury bonds are safer, guaranteed by the federal government [so much for government guarantees!!!] to pay principal and interest regardless of market conditions. Furthermore, annuities as life insurance contracts have a unique investment advantage of being able to pay a specified lifetime income, regardless how long the annuitant lives. The Investment Company Institute, a national trade organization representing the mutual fund industry, argues that the distinction of the Obama administration proposal would be to require annuities funded with Treasuries to be embedded within IRAs and 401(k) programs, using the fear of loss as a reason to demand retirement investors own Treasuries.

Right now, IRA holders and investors in 401(k) plans are free to invest in Treasury bonds, if they choose.

Also, annuities are a popular settlement option for IRAs and 401(k) plans that transition from the accumulation phase to the payout phase. Annuities are an attractive payout instrument, because annuities offer the part of lifetime income and only a portion of each payout installment is considered taxable as return of investment principal. Interest or investment earnings in annuities accumulate income tax-deferred until the annuitant takes out money, either in an unscheduled withdrawal, or in a payout option extending over a specified number of years in retirement, or for the lifetime of the annuitant.

• The unusual nature of the "Clown Prince's" administration's proposal would be to place as an investment a tax-deferred instrument like an annuity within a tax-deferred retirement program. Investment advisers typically use annuities as an investment option for after-tax dollars, not as a required investment option within a retirement program like an IRA or 401(k) that is already income-tax deferred.
• A survey conducted by the Investment Company Institute showed more than 70 percent of all households disagreed with the idea of requiring retirees to buy annuities with a portion of their assets, whether the annuity is offered by an insurance company or by the government.
• Moreover, 96 percent of households in the survey responded that retirees rejected the idea that the government should mandate turning IRA or 401(k) assets into annuities, asserting instead that retirees should make their own decisions about managing retirement assets and income.
• The Investment Company Institute member companies manage some $11.62 trillion in mutual fund assets for some 90 million mutual fund shareholders, including retirement-oriented investors participating in defined contribution plans such as employer-sponsored 401(k) accounts.

Remember this article when you go to the polls in 2010 AND 2012!! This kind of "Hope and Change" we don't need!!! Til Nex'Time....

This'n'That; January 17th[Scams;"LionClownPrince"]

Another "Scam" Discovered! [I seem to have a penchant for discovering believable scams: the Stauer "free pearls" scam {this blog: Dec 8, 2008} and the History Channel Club 'lifetime membership" scam {this blog: Apr 21, 2009-entry}. Here's another to add to the list.......] A while back, "the Young Miss Lovely" had mentioned that her teeth were in need of some whitening. I spend a moderate amount of time on the internet and happened on an ad for a tooth whitening system. That system was "EVERBRIGHT SMILES-FREE [ www.everbrightsmiles.com ]." I got onto their website and filled out the questionaire and accepted their free offer, only having to pay the shipping charges [$.99].

• Within probably fifteen minutes, I received a phone call from the Everbright "Customer Service Center."
• During this call the lady service person read from her script, all the added benefits I'd receive as "a bonus" for trying the Everbright system.
• After no less than ten additional items-- all of which required additional billing to my credit card--I told the lady: "Whoa, whoa, whoa, WHOA!!!!" I told her that I had only ordered the Everbright product and had no desire or use for the additional CRAP she was trying to foist upon me [actual wording].
• I then told her to cancel my order and remove all my personal information, to include any and all credit card numbers from their system, and abruptly hung up to preclude any discussion of my options!!

About four days later, I received a small package from:

Everbright Distribution Center 15621 Blue Ash Dr, #160 Houston, Tx, 77090

The following day, I received email acknowledgment of the cancellation of my order, thus:

This is to confirm that your subscription with Everbright Smiles has been cancelled. Thank you for participating in our risk free trial. As confirmed on the call with customer care, to avoid being charged for the product, the product must be shipped back to our fulfillment center within 14 days. Should you have any questions please contact our customer service department at 1-(888)-694-9257. Your RMA number is Q- 11v69978w7.

I took "....product must be shipped back to our fulfillment center....." to mean that the fulfillment center was different than the Everbright Distribution Center. After spending a couple of hours wandering around the internet, searching for their "fulfillment center," determing that it didn't exist in print and the only way to find the address was to call the toll-free number. I'm sure the call would have subjected me to another onslaught suggesting that I stay with the Everbright system. As a result, I intend to send the package to the distribution center; at the same time cancelling the card this fiasco was charged to!!! BEWARE;BEWARE;BEWARE;BEWARE;BEWARE!!! A synopsis Of The "Clown Prince" Screwing US!! [The articles below are only partial: approximately 1/4 to 1/3 of the oringinal. The original articles can be found on www.exposeobama.com ] Another rank deal By Rich Lowry, New York Post What happens when the irresistible force of the Democratic urge to tax runs up against the immovable object of Democratic loyalty to the labor unions? Another ugly deal in a health-care bill that already was a grotesquerie of payoffs to favored politicians and interests. The levy in question is a 40 percent excise tax on high-end employer-provided insurance plans that -- typically -- has been sold as a tax on "the rich." It's called the "Cadillac tax," a name redolent of corporate executives cackling in their Escalades over their cushy benefits. The unions, which make it a point to negotiate generous insurance plans with their employers (to the point of bankrupting them), were chagrined to learn that for purposes of this tax, they're among the rich. They howled in terms that could have been drawn from Henry Hazlitt's free-market classic "Economics in One Lesson: The Shortest and Surest Way to Understand Basic Economics." The excise tax is supposed to be paid by evil insurers and employers. Except in this one case affecting their self-interest directly, the unions see through the fiction and understand that the tax will trickle down onto them. How disorienting to hear unions implicitly recognize that corporations ultimately don't pay taxes, their customers and employees do. Obama to Visit Massachusetts in Final Campaign Push for Coakley FOXNews President Obama will travel to Massachusetts Sunday to try to save Martha Coakley's flagging campaign from an upset loss to Scott Brown, the Republican whose surging candidacy has stripped away the sense of inevitability Coakley once had in the race for the late Sen. Ted Kennedy's former seat. The White House had been playing coy over the possibility of such a visit, saying it wasn't in the cards as Coakley floated hints in the press that she wanted the president to campaign for her. Former President Bill Clinton and Sen. John Kerry were holding a rally for the Democratic candidate Friday, but Coakley, the state attorney general, is looking for a last-minute push to try to keep Brown's campaign at bay. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Friday that Obama believes his visit will be "productive." "I think it's a referendum on whose side are you on," Gibbs said, dismissing suggestions the race is a referendum on the president himself. "I think the president sees a pretty clear distinction between a candidate in Martha Coakley who's going to fight for Massachusetts and a candidate on the other side who feels comfortable fighting for the insurance industry and big banks." The 'Responsibility' Tax WSJ Opinion The White House has spent months imploring banks to lend more money, so will President Obama's new proposal to extract $117 billion from bank capital encourage new bank lending? Just asking. Welcome to one more installment in Washington's year-long crusade to revive private business by assailing and soaking it. Mr. Obama's new "Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee"-please don't call it a tax-is being sold as a way to cover expected losses in the Troubled Asset Relief Program. That sounds reasonable, except that the banks designated to pay the fee aren't those responsible for the losses. With the exception of Citigroup, those banks have repaid their TARP money with interest. The real TARP losers-General Motors, Chrysler and delinquent mortgage borrowers-are exempt from the new tax. Why the auto companies? An Administration official told the Journal that the banks caused the crisis that doomed the auto companies, which apparently were innocent bystanders to their own bankruptcy. The fact that the auto companies remain wards of Washington no doubt has nothing to do with their free tax pass. Obama to try Bali Bomber in DC AP The Obama administration is considering a criminal trial in Washington for the Guantanamo Bay detainee suspected of masterminding the bombing of a Bali nightclub that killed 202 people, a plan that would bring one of the world's most notorious terrorism suspects just steps from the U.S. Capitol, The Associated Press has learned. Riduan Isamuddin, better known as Hambali, was allegedly Osama bin Laden's point man in Indonesia and, until his capture in August 2003, was believed to be the main link between al-Qaida and Jemaah Islamiyah, the terror group blamed for the 2002 bombing on the island of Bali. Other terrorism trials also may occur in Washington and New York City under a proposal being discussed within the Obama administration, according to U.S. officials briefed on the plan, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss private planning meetings. Authorities already have begun discussing the intense security measures needed to bring Hambali and others before a Washington federal judge, the officials said. Obama's alternative foreign-policy universe By David Limbaugh, WND There are definitely two Americas, but not the two that fallen former presidential candidate John Edwards had in mind. There's the real America, and there's the imaginary America President Barack Obama has boasted of creating. Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser for strategic communications, tells us on the White House's alternative universe blog that "President Obama inherited unprecedented challenges at home and abroad," including "diminished American standing in the world. ... A year later, America is stronger because of the President's leadership." How has Obama been able to perform this miraculous feat in such a short time? Well, Obama's "steady diplomacy" has made America stronger and renewed its moral authority. In his superior wisdom, he realized that our real enemy isn't all Islamic extremists dedicated to world conquest, the annihilation of all infidels and jihad, but the sole branch of that larger group, al-Qaida. So he's smartly and efficiently recalibrated our war effort against this solitary group of jihadists - though I could have sworn his people have told us it's not exactly a war. Through his myopic lenses, Obama apparently can't understand that terrorists would be virtually impotent against us without nation-state sponsors. Without that perspective, how can he possibly lead this nation in this "overseas contingency operation"? Obama's Second Stimulus : A Looming Disaster By Floyd and Mary Beth Brown, Cagle Cartoons The one-year anniversary of the inauguration of Barack Obama is upon us. After only 12 months he is struggling for political survival. The cause is his economic policies. The anniversary is a bitter pill for many unemployed workers to swallow. The jobs he promised, and many voted for, have proved to be a fleeting fantasy. The reality is that Obama's uncontrolled spending and reckless borrowing have plunged us deeper into the worst recession since the Great Depression. The dire economic situation has only been exacerbated by Obama policy. The situation is only going to get worse if his new, expanded stimulus plan goes into effect. Obama loves to blame former President Bush, claiming he inherited this horrendous recession. However, the facts show this just isn't true. While the housing bubble burst in 2008, and a slight recession began in the Bush administration's last year, it was nothing compared to the past year. Since Obama took office, the nation is distressed watching more people lose their jobs. This spiraling recession has gone from mild downturn to disaster. Obama cavalierly declared during the early days of his term, that if Congress failed to pass his economic stimulus plan, the unemployment rate would climb above 8 percent. Congress believed him, giving him all the new spending he demanded by passing the $787 billion pork-laden stimulus bill. Yet the unemployment rate then promptly climbed to over 10 percent. Obama: I Will Tax You to Punish Banks By John Stossel, Fox Business Today President Obama will propose a new tax on the nation's biggest banks, reports today's Washington Post. How will the tax work? Firms would pay a "Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee" at an annual rate of $1,500 for every $1 million borrowed to finance lending and other activities. In other words, the Obama Administration is going to punish those greedy banks by making it more expensive for you to borrow money. This is wrong on so many levels, it's hard to know where to begin. Let's start with a point made by Jamie Dimon, CEO at JP Morgan Chase: "Using tax policy to punish people is a bad idea...All businesses tend to pass their costs on to customers." Exactly. But don't worry, the Administration thought of that. They have a plan: But by imposing the tax on only the largest firms, government officials said, they hope to protect consumers. Firms that raised prices would give smaller rivals a competitive advantage, creating an incentive for companies instead to swallow the cost, potentially by reducing employee pay. Oh, now I see. They will only punish customers of big banks. If I run a small bank, this will now give me an incentive to stay small. I wonder how that will encourage lending. Beyond that nonsense is the idea that they're "constraining the industry's ability to take large risks and reap outsize rewards". The only reason that banks reaped "outsize rewards" for taking bad risks is because the government encouraged them to do that by guaranteeing mortgage loans. Risk taking got wild when government protected risk takers from feeling the consequences of a bad risk. Top Obama czar: Infiltrate all 'conspiracy theorists' By Aaron Klein, WorldNetDaily In a lengthy academic paper, President Obama's regulatory czar, Cass Sunstein, argued the U.S. government should ban "conspiracy theorizing." Among the beliefs Sunstein would ban is advocating that the theory of global warming is a deliberate fraud. Sunstein also recommended the government send agents to infiltrate "extremists who supply conspiracy theories" to disrupt the efforts of the "extremists" to propagate their theories. In a 2008 Harvard law paper, "Conspiracy Theories," Sunstein and co-author Adrian Vermeule, a Harvard law professor, ask, "What can government do about conspiracy theories?" "We can readily imagine a series of possible responses. (1) Government might ban conspiracy theorizing. (2) Government might impose some kind of tax, financial or otherwise, on those who disseminate such theories." In the 30-page paper - obtained and reviewed by WND - Sunstein argues the best government response to "conspiracy theories" is "cognitive infiltration of extremist groups." Majority Would Vote Against Obama By Reid Wilson, National Journal A year into his tenure, a majority of Americans would already vote against Pres. Obama if the '12 elections were held today, according to a new survey. The Allstate/National Journal Heartland Monitor poll shows 50% say they would probably or definitely vote for someone else. Fully 37% say they would definitely cast a ballot against Obama. Meanwhile, just 39% would vote to re-elect the pres. to a 2nd term, and only 23% say they definitely would do so. Obama's first year in office has been marked by an unemployment rate that surged to 10%, an increased commitment of troops to Afghanistan and a health care battle that has taken a serious political toll on the WH. Obama's approval rating is down to 47%, the poll showed, a 14-point drop since the April survey. 45% disapprove, up 17 points from April. Only 41% say they trust Obama more than Congressional GOPers, while 33% pick the GOP over the WH. That 8-point gap is down from a 21-point edge Obama sported as recently as Sept. Just 34% say the country is moving in the right direction, down 13 points since April, and 55% say it is off on the wrong track, up 13 points over the same period.

[I felt the following article to be important enough to re-publish in it's entirety!!]

PROMISES, PROMISES: Many Obama Pledges Unkept WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama ends his first year in office with his to-do list still long and his unfulfilled campaign promises stacked high. From winding down the war in Iraq to limiting lobbyists, Obama has made some progress. But the president has faced political reality and accepted - sometimes grudgingly - compromises that leave him exposed to criticism. Promises that have proven difficult include pledges not to raise taxes, to curb earmarks and to shut down the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba by the end of his first year. "We are moving systematically to bring about change, but change is hard," Obama told a town hall crowd in California. "Change doesn't happen overnight." That was in March. During his two-year campaign, Obama thrilled massive crowds with soaring speeches, often railing against an Iraq war that now is seldom mentioned. His presidential comments now are often sober updates on issues like terrorism and the economy, a top priority now that emerged as a major issue only in the campaign's final weeks. Obama's campaign ambition has been diluted with a pragmatism that has been the hallmark of Year One - without much of the progress he had hoped. A look at some of the promises: --- THE ECONOMY, TAXES AND DEFICITS Obama inherited an economy in severe distress that has since shown marked improvement. With the crisis developing so close to last year's election, it wasn't the focus of his earlier campaign promises. But Obama managed to craft his main anti-recession measure to address one of the top political commitments. He campaigned on a pledge to provide a $1,000 tax credit to 95 percent of all working families, and almost delivered. The $787 billion stimulus bill included an $800 tax credit for couples making up to $150,000, and a declining credit for those making up to $190,000. The Tax Policy Center estimates that 90 percent of taxpayers qualified for a tax cut under the stimulus package. In a Dover, N.H., campaign stop, Obama pledged that "no family making less than $250,000 will see their taxes increase - not your income taxes, not your payroll taxes, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes." True, unless you're a smoker. Obama, himself an occasional smoker, signed into law a 159 percent increase in the tax on a pack of cigarettes. Other tobacco products were hit with similar or much steeper increases to help pay for a children's health initiative, enabling him to keep another promise to make sure all kids have health insurance. Obama also promised to cut the federal budget deficit by more than half in his first term. That now appears unlikely, given the spending on the stimulus and the billions of dollars spent on bank and auto company bailouts. The 2009 federal budget deficit hit a record $1.42 trillion, and the red ink in the first two months of fiscal 2010 was nearly 6 percent higher than the same period in 2009. --- FOREIGN POLICY As a candidate, Obama touted his early opposition to the Iraq war and pledged to pull all U.S. combat troops out within 16 months. As president, he pushed that deadline back two months, to August 2010. Even then, he will leave 35,000 to 50,000 military personnel in Iraq through 2011 to train, equip and advise Iraqi security forces, and to help in counterterrorism missions. As a candidate, he vowed to prosecute the war against al-Qaida in Afghanistan, arguing that Iraq had distracted the U.S. from its anti-terror priorities. By the end of his first year, he had retooled the Afghan war strategy, replaced the U.S. commander there, doubled the number of U.S. troops in the country and ordered another 30,000 there by the middle of this year. He also promised to "end the use of torture without exception" in U.S. anti-terror campaigns and to close Guantanamo Bay, which he called "a recruiting tool for our enemies." He signed an executive order outlawing torture, cruelty and degrading treatment of prisoners. A companion order closing the Guantanamo prison has proven more challenging. Congress refused to fund the transfer of any Guantanamo detainees to U.S. prisons, and foreign countries are reluctant to accept them. Obama did order the purchase of an Illinois prison to house up to 100 Guantanamo detainees. Still, Guantanamo cannot be closed until the disposition of more than 200 remaining detainees is resolved. A failed attempt at bombing a Detroit-bound airliner on Christmas has made that more difficult. Obama also campaigned to restore U.S. prestige abroad by engaging allies and adversaries alike, a direct swipe at George W. Bush, his predecessor. Now, he's finding that rhetoric tough to live up to. He vowed to use "tough, direct diplomacy" to keep Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Once in office, he offered dialogue to Tehran, made direct appeals to the Iranian people and included Iran in multinational discussions, while insisting that Iran not be permitted to develop nuclear weapons. The power centers in Tehran have largely shrugged, and Obama so far has been unable to unite a coalition of countries behind new economic sanctions intended to block Iran's development of nuclear weapons. A solution for North Korea's nuclear program also remains elusive. Its envoy to the United Nations said his nation is willing to conduct talks, but only if all sanctions against it are lifted. --- TERRORISM On his 2008 campaign Web site, Obama declared that "we must redouble our efforts to determine if the measures implemented since 9/11 are adequately addressing the threats our nation continues to face from airplane-based terrorism," including screening all passengers against "a comprehensive terrorist watch list." The verdict on that promise came last month, when an alleged terrorist known to authorities boarded an airliner bound for Detroit from overseas carrying explosives in his clothes. Disaster was averted when he botched an attempt to ignite the bomb. --- HEALTH CARE During his political run, Obama said he would increase the number of people covered by health insurance and pay for it by raising taxes on families making more than $250,000 a year and by taxing companies that do not offer coverage to employees. Although lawmakers have taken steps toward the broad outline Obama promised, it remains unfinished. The House and Senate have passed versions of the plan, but major differences remain. And Obama's left flank is none too pleased with the compromises to this point, which have all but eliminated a government-run insurance option, something he called for in the campaign. Even the process has violated one campaign pledge. "We'll have the negotiations televised on C-SPAN, so that people can see who is making arguments on behalf of their constituents, and who are making arguments on behalf of the drug companies or the insurance companies," Obama said. That hasn't happened. Instead, Democrats in Congress and the White House have made multibillion-dollar deals with hospitals and pharmaceutical companies in private. C-SPAN asked to televise the negotiations between the House and Senate versions; the White House insists it hasn't seen the request. --- OTHER ISSUES On other domestic promises, from energy to education, Obama has been faced with a tight budget, a struggling economy and a deficit-conscious public that he will need to court if he seeks another term in 2012. Early on, he had to recant his pledge not to sign legislation that includes lawmakers' pet projects. "When I'm president, I will go line by line to make sure that we are not spending money unwisely," Obama had said in September. But Congress controls spending, and Obama hasn't been willing to veto bills approved by his Democratic allies on Capitol Hill. For example, he signed what he called an "imperfect" $410 billion spending bill that included 7,991 so-called "earmarks" totaling $5.5 billion. He had little choice. The measure, a holdover from the Bush presidency, was needed to keep government from shutting down. Obama also promised to require lawmakers seeking money for earmarks to justify their requests in writing 72 hours before they're voted on in Congress. That hasn't happened yet. Nor has his pledge to post legislation online for five days before acting; he broke that pledge with his first bill, a non-emergency measure giving workers more time to bring pay discrimination lawsuits. A promised ban on lobbyists serving in his administration hasn't been absolute; a few former lobbyists were granted exemptions. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs explained that by saying: "Even the toughest rules require reasonable exceptions." Til Nex'Time....

"Clown Prince" Weekly Blather; January 16th

A Patriotic Response To The "Clown Prince" 01/16/2010 Weekly Address January 16, 2010 Over the past two years, more than seven million Americans have lost their jobs. Countless businesses have been forced to shut their doors. Few families have escaped the pain of this terrible recession. Rarely does a day go by that I do not hear from folks who are hurting. That is why we have pushed so hard to rebuild this economy. But even as we work tirelessly to dig our way out of this hole, it is important that we address what led us into such a deep mess in the first place. Much of the turmoil of this recession was caused by the irresponsibility of banks and financial institutions on Wall Street. These financial firms took huge, reckless risks in pursuit of short-term profits and soaring bonuses. They gambled with borrowed money, without enough oversight or regard for the consequences. And when they lost, they lost big. Little more than a year ago, many of the largest and oldest financial firms in the world teetered on the brink of collapse, overwhelmed by the consequences of their irresponsible decisions. This financial crisis nearly pulled the entire economy into a second Great Depression. [What I'm not telling you: Between myself, members of previous obamacRATic administrations, we've been the force behind the financial devastation of the banking, real estate and mortgage sectors of the economy. "Slick-Willie" and his HUD Secretary, Andrew Cuomo 'suggested' {the word "coerced" could easily be substituted here} that FannieMae, FreddieMac, the major banks and mortgage institutions loosen their mortgage qualification requirements to put more welfareRATs into housing they couldn't afford and probably had no intention of paying for!! This method worked as a vote-buying tool for "Slick" and hopefully will for me, as well. For all his perceived faults, "Dub-ya" was smart enough to allow the mortgage industry to set their own standards, no matter who did or did not qualify. Thus explains that the "ruthless risks" were forced on the financial institutions by the fascist arm of the obamacRATic party. Sure the institutions lost big; we obamacRATs forced them into risks they knew were suicidal!! ] As a result, the American people – struggling in their own right – were placed in a deeply unfair and unsatisfying position. Even though these financial firms were largely facing a crisis of their own creation, their failure could have led to an even greater calamity for the country. That is why the previous administration started a program – the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP – to provide these financial institutions with funds to survive the turmoil they helped unleash. It was a distasteful but necessary thing to do. Many originally feared that most of the $700 billion in TARP money would be lost. But when my administration came into office, we put in place rigorous rules for accountability and transparency, which cut the cost of the bailout dramatically. We have now recovered most of the money we provided to the banks. That’s good news, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s not good enough. We want the taxpayers’ money back, and we’re going to collect every dime. That is why, this week, I proposed a new fee on major financial firms to compensate the American people for the extraordinary assistance they provided to the financial industry. And the fee would be in place until the American taxpayer is made whole. Only the largest financial firms with more than $50 billion in assets will be affected, not community banks. And the bigger the firm – and the more debt it holds – the larger the fee. Because we are not only going to recover our money and help close our deficits; we are going to attack some of the banking practices that led to the crisis. [What I'm not telling you: Even before I came into the office we bought; I whined and cried, pissed and moaned, that something must be done to bail out those banking and mortgage institutions that were laden with assets they would never collect on. Although the TARP giveaway program was written into law under the latest Bush administration, it was I who begged him to force the issue with the congress. My reasoning was that if it 'went to Hell in a hand-basket,' it would be on the Bush 'watch' not the obamacRATic 'saving grace' watch!! That "...want the taxpayers money back...." thingie?? That just so much more 'bovine feces' I'm so adept at spreading!! The vast majority of the bailout money we forced the banking industry to take; even those banks not in trouble with toxic assets, has been paid back. We're just creating another crisis to push for wealth re-distribution at an even faster rate. How it's going to work is this: banks work on a 1:10 assets-to-debt ratio. This means that the $117 billion that I want to assess on the banking industry as a whole, will remove $1.17 TRILLION from their ability to generate loan instruments!! That's a hell-uv-a hit on mortgage and general loan availibility, to say nothing of the economy in general. I realize that the banks are going to pass this fee on to the bank's patron; equating to another of the many new and increased taxes I said would never hit those with incomes of less than $250,000!! You probably believed that line about the fee would stay in place until the American taxpayer was made whole. Since when has a fee, surcharge or tax ever been rescinded after it accomplished it's pre-set goals?? I'm sure it happened once or twice, but I can't recall when!!] That’s important. The fact is, financial firms play an essential role in our economy. They provide capital and credit to families purchasing homes, students attending college, businesses looking to start up or expand. This is critical to our recovery. That is why our goal with this fee – and with the common-sense financial reforms we seek – is not to punish the financial industry. Our goal is to prevent the abuse and excess that nearly led to its collapse. Our goal is to promote fair dealings while punishing those who game the system; to encourage sustained growth while discouraging the speculative bubbles that inevitably burst. Ultimately, that is in the shared interest of the financial industry and the American people. Of course, I would like the banks to embrace this sense of mutual responsibility. So far, though, they have ferociously fought financial reform. The industry has even joined forces with the opposition party to launch a massive lobbying campaign against common-sense rules to protect consumers and prevent another crisis. Now, like clockwork, the banks and politicians who curry their favor are already trying to stop this fee from going into effect. The very same firms reaping billions of dollars in profits, and reportedly handing out more money in bonuses and compensation than ever before in history, are now pleading poverty. It’s a sight to see. Those who oppose this fee say the banks can’t afford to pay back the American people without passing on the costs to their shareholders and customers. But that’s hard to believe when there are reports that Wall Street is going to hand out more money in bonuses and compensation just this year than the cost of this fee over the next ten years. If the big financial firms can afford massive bonuses, they can afford to pay back the American people. Those who oppose this fee have also had the audacity to suggest that it is somehow unfair. That because these firms have already returned what they borrowed directly, their obligation is fulfilled. But this willfully ignores the fact that the entire industry benefited not only from the bailout, but from the assistance extended to AIG and homeowners, and from the many unprecedented emergency actions taken by the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, and others to prevent a financial collapse. And it ignores a far greater unfairness: sticking the American taxpayer with the bill. [What I'm not telling you: Can you believe this shit?!?! In one paragraph I indicate this bank fee crap is to punish the banking industry, although I don't use that word; the next paragraph, I say that "the goal is not to punish the financial industry...." If the whole program wasn't about wealth re-distribution, why wouldn't I just insist on equitable, workable regulations to insure the banking industry conforms to the accepted norms?? I know I've already "stuck it in your ass-and broke it off" so any discussion of unfairness to the American people is just another moot point. EVERYTHING I've done has "stuck it to the American people!!"] That is unacceptable to me, and to the American people. We’re not going to let Wall Street take the money and run. We’re going to pass this fee into law. And I’m going to continue to work with Congress on common-sense financial reforms to protect people and the economy from the kind of costly and painful crisis we’ve just been through. Because after a very tough two years, after a crisis that has caused so much havoc, if there is one lesson that we can learn, it’s this: we cannot return to business as usual. [What I'm not telling you: What should be unacceptable to the American peope--and justifiably so--is the way I unfairly treat one segment of the economy over another.... I'm beating the banking industry into the ground, while I give the auto industry a free ride!! As an example, GM alone, got $52Billion in bailout funds and has since paid back a measly $1.2Billion; this equates to LESS THAN 2.5 percent, while the banking industry has paid back upwards of 85%!! As the favoritism, I'll give ya three guesses and the first two don't count; it's the UAW!! The auto and other unions that helped me buy the election-I HAVE TO REWARD THEM by job security and job protection!! I've got another deal cookin' where I intend to "screw every fiscally conservative American to the wall!!" Check this out; it's ingenius; and I can get the congress to go along, just cuz it's wealth re-distribution-LITE!! Every Roth IRA, every regular IRA, every 401k, every 403b--actually every retirement financial vehicle--will be forced to invest their totality in Treasury Bills!!!! Is that ingenius or what?!?!?! See, China invested $977Billion [Nearly a TRILLION DOLLARS] in Treasury Bills. I can't even coerce them into buying more, UNLESS I raise the interest rate--which is currently ZERO-POINT-SHIT!!!!! You--the American worker who thought about retirement funding--have no choice!! That's the coolest part; you can bitch and whine all you want... If you want a retirement fund, YOU WILL put all the money in worthless T-Bills. The best you can hope for is that you'll get back what you put in.... WITH NO ACCOUNTING FOR INFLATION.... which should be "just around the corner!!" Bend-over-and-grab-your-ankles.... Prepare to kiss your financial ass good-bye!! That's all I have to screw you with so far this week!!]

This'n'That; January 12th[GunRights;Jobs]

Gun Rights On Trial

The U.S. Supreme Court will soon hear the landmark Second Amendment case of McDonald v. Chicago. The case will address the application of the Second Amendment to the states through either the Due Process clause or the Privileges or Immunities clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The case has major implications for the legality of restrictive gun laws not only in Chicago, but also in other cities and the states across the nation. The decision to hear the case gives hope to Second Amendment advocates across America, that this fundamental freedom will be protected from infringement throughout the nation from impermissible regulation at all levels, state and local, as well as federal.

This week comes the news that U.S. Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.), are joining forces with U.S. Representatives Mark Souder (R-Ind.) and Mike Ross (D-Ark.), in filing a joint, pro-Second Amendment amicus curiae (Friend of the Court) brief before the Supreme Court in the McDonald v. Chicago case. Last year, the historic case of District of Columbia v. Heller invalidated the District's ban on handguns. However, the Heller case applied only to federal enclaves, such as Washington, D.C.

A favorable ruling in the McDonald case would ensure that the individual right affirmed in Heller also applied as against state and local regulation. Newspapers Gush Over Bloomberg's Latest Gun Control Escapade: Bathed in camera flashes during a "news conference" on October 7, 2009, New York City's mayor, Michael Bloomberg was in his element in announcing "a wide?ranging undercover investigation by the City of New York into illegal gun sales" that revealed "a willful disregard of the law" by "74% of gun show sellers." Or, so he claimed. The ego-driven multi-billionaire's publicity stunt was neither "wide-ranging" nor representative of what occurs at gun shows, nor was it intended to be. And it determined nothing about "74%" of all gun show sellers.

The "Junkiest" Junk Science That Taxpayers' Money Can Buy: Now, more than at any other time in anyone's memory, the federal government is in no position to waste taxpayer dollars on gun control advocacy "research." Nevertheless, the National Institutes of Health recently gave anti-gun researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine $639,586 to conduct a survey intended to prove that possessing a gun doesn't benefit assault victims.

Polls Show Record-Low Support for Stricter Gun Laws: Results from a just-released Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that, more and more, Americans are in support of the Second Amendment and its individual guarantee of law-abiding citizens to Keep and Bear Arms, and oppose more restrictions on that right.

Another Way To Get Involved: Online Social Networking: Internet social networking has exploded in recent years. Websites such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter attract millions of users. These on-line communities foster a connection between their users, and allow distribution of user-generated content (like pictures, profiles, music, video, and text). NRA has been a part of this social technology for some time now, with a presence on each of these sites. By actively participating in these new media, we are able to reach out to more potential members and supporters than ever before.

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STATE ROUNDUP (Please note the only items listed below are those that have had recent action. For other updates on state legislation, please go to the state legislation section at www.NRAILA.org, and check each week's issue of the Grassroots Alert.")

CALIFORNIA: Two Anti-Gun Bills Still on the Governor's Desk! As previously reported, Assembly Bill 962 and Senate Bill 585 are on the desk of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) where they await his consideration. AB962 would place severe restrictions on the sale of ammunition in California. SB585 is a stepping-stone to outlawing gun shows on all publicly-owned property. Please contact the Governor immediately and respectfully urge him to veto AB962 and SB585. Time is running out and these bills will become law if not vetoed by the Governor by Sunday, October 11. The Governor can be reached by phone at 916-445-2841 or via fax at 916-558-3160. To e-mail Governor Schwarzenegger, please visit http://gov.ca.gov/interact. If you are having problems contacting Governor Schwarzenegger at the number listed above, you may also be able to leave a message for him at one of the regional offices. For contact information on a regional office, please click here.

LOUISIANA: New Orleans Ordinance Would Require Spaying and Neutering for All Dogs A proposed city ordinance in New Orleans (scheduled for a vote on Thursday, October 15), is being pushed by "animal rights" extremists and anti-hunting organizations in an effort to end dog ownership as we know it. This measure would require every dog older than six months to be spayed or neutered. The proposal would prevent hunters from continuing the tradition of occasionally breeding their favorite dogs in order to provide other hunters with good dogs, while defraying some of the costs associated with caring for their animals. It is critical that you attend the hearing scheduled for October 15, at City Hall (1300 Perdido Street, New Orleans, LA 70112). It is equally important that you contact your Council Members and urge them to oppose this overreaching and discriminatory legislation. For more information on this ordinance and contact information for the Council members please click here.

MISSISSIPPI: NRA License Plates Now Available! Support your NRA by purchasing a specialized NRA tag today! NRA license plates are now available through your county tax collector's office. The cost is $31, with $24 of that going to the NRA Foundation State Account to promote firearms training, youth hunter education, shooting range development and other programs in Mississippi. For a list of county tax collectors and office locations, please visit http://www.mstc.state.ms.us/info/offices/mvlinfo.htm.

NEW JERSEY: New Jersey Gun Law Guide to Be Launched at State Association Annual Banquet New Jersey gun rights attorney and author Evan Nappen is scheduled to be keynote speaker at the Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs (ANJRPC) combined Annual Meeting Banquet and Friends of NRA Dinner & Auction on Saturday, October 17 starting at 6:00 p.m. ANJRPC is the official NRA State Affiliate in New Jersey (www.anjrpc.org). Attorney Nappen's third book on New Jersey gun laws will be launched at the banquet, and signed, numbered copies will be available to attendees at a discount. The festivities are guaranteed to be lively as Attorney Nappen shares his unique perspective on how New Jersey's tangled web of gun laws entraps law-abiding gun owners. For more information, please click here.

NORTH CAROLINA: Tar Heel State to Start Producing NRA License Plates! In 2005, North Carolina established an NRA license plate, but we needed 300 North Carolinians to commit to purchasing them before they could be issued. We have finally reached the magic number! The applications, along with the necessary payments, have been submitted to the North Carolina DMV, and we thank everyone who has been patiently waiting for their chance to show support for NRA on their vehicle -- especially those who applied in the beginning. It has been a long road, but your patience will soon pay off. We will be sure to post further updates as soon as we can, to let you know when to expect your NRA license plate. Again, thank you for your patience! Our special thanks go out to NRA Western North Carolina Field Representative Doug Merrill, who has been handling all of the submitted applications, and fielding anxious calls looking for updates.

OHIO: Join Pro-Gun Legislators and Other Second Amendment Patriots at the Buckeye Firearms Foundation's 2009 Buckeye Bash! You are invited to attend the 2009 Buckeye Bash hosted by the Buckeye Firearms Foundation on Saturday, October 17. Don't miss this great opportunity to meet your local pro-gun legislators, enjoy a delicious meal with fellow Second Amendment supporters, and learn about the pro-gun movement in Ohio. There will also be live and silent auctions for great items like shooting packages, gift certificates, hunting gear, and more! Admission is $35 per person or $100 for sponsors. Doors open at 5:00 p.m., with the dinner and auction beginning at 6:00 p.m. A private reception for sponsors will run from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The 2009 Buckeye Bash will be held at the Cardinal Center Campground, located at 616 State Route 61, in Marengo. For more information, please visit http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/.

OREGON: Opportunity to Expand Hunting Programs in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that it will draft a plan for the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge that will guide refuge management for the next 15 years. The 187,000-acre refuge located in Harney County is one of the largest freshwater marshes in the country. Waterfowl hunting is available on approximately half of Malheur Lake and upland bird hunting is available on approximately one quarter of the refuge. One of the issues that the Service will be addressing is the adequacy of access and facilities for all of the wildlife dependent uses, like hunting and fishing, and opportunities to expand these programs. The Service is inviting comments from the public to gather suggestions and information on the scope of the issues to consider during the planning process. Comments are due by Thursday, October 15, and can be e-mailed to FW1PlanningComments@fws.gov. Include "Malheur CCP" in the subject line of the message. Public meetings will be held and announced on the refuge's website at http://www.fws.gov/malheur. For further information you may call 541-493-2612. It is important that those who hunt and fish in the refuge become active participants in the planning process to ensure that sportsmen's interests are well represented in the plan that will be drafted.

TENNESSEE: Bartlett Will Soon Vote on Whether to Opt Out of New Park Carry law! The Bartlett Board of Aldermen will soon be voting on an ordinance which would ban the possession of firearms in local parks, even by those who possess Right-to-Carry permits. If passed, this resolution would strip gun owners of their right to carry a firearm for self-defense in all Bartlett parks. The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, October 27, at 7:00 p.m., in Bartlett City Hall, located at 6400 Stage Road. Please continue to contact Mayor Keith McDonald at (901) 385-6444, and the City Aldermen at (901) 385-6444, and voice your opposition to this ordinance that would eliminate your right to self-defense in local parks.

VIRGINIA: Please join your fellow Virginia freedom-lovers at "An American Event", to be held Saturday, October 17th, at Ritchie Lake Pavilion in Bealeton. Gates open at 11:00 a.m., with events commencing at 1:00 p.m. The event will include activities for all age groups, including Colonial and World War II military encampments, vintage military air show, pony rides, moon bounce, monster trucks, live music, free food, surprise speakers and more. If you are interested in donating food, time or energy, please contact the organizers at 703-537-5445 or info@anamericanevent.org. Monetary donations will be given to aid wounded soldiers. With Virginia being one of only two states holding elections this year, your NRA-ILA Campaign Field Representative, Greg Mortensen, will be in attendance working NRA-ILA's voter registration kiosk and discussing how you can get more involved in our efforts to elect pro-gun candidates to office this year. Greg can be reached at: nranmh1@gmail.com or 571-292-4796.Get Your Bumper Stickers and Meet your CFRs! This November, Virginia's elections will be ground zero for the enemies of freedom to try and turn the tide against our gun rights in the Commonwealth, serving as a launching pad for their national gun ban crusade. Our opponents will be pulling out all the stops as a run-up to the 2010 elections. All eyes will be on us! In light of the importance of this year's elections, NRA-ILA has Campaign Field Representatives (CFRs) in place throughout the Commonwealth, who are coordinating our grassroots election activities. In addition to working to turn out the pro-gun vote on Election Day, each Campaign Field Representative has been supplied with thousands of bumper stickers. If you wish to get a free bumper sticker for your vehicle, as well as the vehicles of your family and friends, please contact the Campaign Field Representative nearest you (to see a listing of CFR regions and contact information, please click here).In addition to claiming your free sticker(s), please volunteer whatever time you are able to assist your Campaign Field Representative as he/she works to ensure Virginia's gun owners and sportsmen "Vote Freedom First!" on November 3rd!

Reloading Clinics: Are you looking for a way to beat the high prices of ammo or are you having trouble finding your favorite ammo in stock at your local gun shop? The Virginia Shooting Sports Association (VSSA), the Official State Affiliate Association of NRA, has the answer. VSSA will be hosting reloading clinics around the Commonwealth starting in September. There will be clinics for both metallic shell reloading and shotgun shell reloading. The courses are designed to enable shooters with little or no prior experience in reloading to acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and ability to produce safe, consistent, and accurate reloaded ammunition. The clinics will be held at the Gander Mountain stores in Fredericksburg, Richmond, Roanoke, and Winchester. For more information on cost and dates, go to http://www.myvssa.org/reloading.htm, or e-mail Dave Myers at Dave.Myers@myvssa.org. Class sizes are limited so register today!WASHINGTON: Local Officials Seeking to Outlaw Waterfowl Hunting at Deer Lagoon! On Monday, October 12, the Island County Commission will consider a proposal that would impose a total ban on shooting at Deer Lagoon. Hunters at Deer Lagoon have an impeccable safety record and have protected this important waterfowl habitat for decades. This prohibition would end waterfowl hunting, a popular and established tradition in Deer Lagoon. There is little doubt that anti-gun, "animal rights," and anti-hunting forces will be active in making their voices heard, so it is vital that gun owners and sportsmen speak loudly. Please contact the members of the Island County Commission TODAY and respectfully urge them to oppose this attack on our hunting heritage and Second Amendment rights. Contact information for the commissioners can be found here. If you are able, please make plans to attend this hearing.

WISCONSIN: City of Milwaukee Plans to Push Numerous Anti-Gun ProvisionsMilwaukee's Mayor, with the support of the Chief of Police, is at it once again. He is pushing several new proposals in an effort to further erode the Second Amendment rights of Milwaukee's citizens. These provisions include mandatory reporting of lost or stolen firearms, mandatory background checks for anyone who enters a business that sells firearms, and even mandatory background checks to use shooting ranges. Please contact the Mayor and urge him to stop pushing these frivolous laws. Mayor Tom Barrett can be contacted by calling (414) 286-2200 or email at mayor@milwaukee.gov.

STAND UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS!

Shovel-Ready Jobs? Shovel-Ready BULLSHIT!

With construction unemployment at 22.7% versus government employees unemployment at 3%..... Guess where the presidential slush-fund funds went?? You got it..... to those local, county, state and federal agencies with the best union participation!!! Can anyone spell "S-E-I-U??" The "Lion Clown Prince" has obligations he must 'pay off!!' Other interesting unemployment numbers:

• Mining and quarrying, oil and gas extraction.............11.8%
• General Manufacturing.........................................11.9%
• Durable Goods Manufacturing................................13.3%
• Professional and Business Services.........................10.3%
• Leisure and Hospitality........................................12.6%
• Ag and Related Private Wage and Salary Workers.....19.7%

[ref: www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t11.htm ]

I gotta tell ya.... If I didn't understand the "Lion Clown Prince's" real motives of fascist totalitarianism, I'd have to believe he's a complete moron!!