Friday, October 26, 2012

Legally, what are the responsibilities of the President and Congress?


This article was sent to me from my uncle in Florida.  It's a very very good read!
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READ, WEEP, AND PRINT AND KEEP!!!
This should be on the front page of every newspaper.
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Charley Reese's Final column!


A very interesting column.  COMPLETELY NEUTRAL
Be sure to Read the Poem at the end.

Charley Reese's final column for the Orlando Sentinel. He has been a journalist for 49 years.
He is retiring and this is HIS LAST COLUMN.

Be sure to read the Tax List at the end.

This is about as clear and easy to understand as it can be. The article below is completely neutral,
neither anti-republican or democrat. Charlie Reese, a retired reporter for the Orlando Sentinel,
has hit the nail directly on the head, defining clearly who it is that in the final analysis must assume responsibility for the judgments made that impact each one of us every day.
It's a short but good read. Worth the time.
Worth remembering!

545 vs. 300,000,000 People
-By Charlie Reese

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The President does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a President to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The President can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? John Boehner. He is the leader of the majority party. He and fellow House members, not the President, can approve any budget they want. If the President vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it mu st follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.

If the Army & Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan it's because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan.

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power.
Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like
"the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.

They, and they alone, have the power.

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses.

Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees.

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.

What you do with this article is up to you.
This might be funny if it weren't so true.
Be sure to read all the way to the end:


Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table,
At which he's fed.

Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.

Tax his work,
Tax his pay,
He works for
peanuts anyway!

Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.

Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries
Tax his tears.

Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his ass.

Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won't be done
Till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers;
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He's good and sore.

Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he's laid...

Put these words
Upon his tomb,
'Taxes drove me
to my doom...'

When he's gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply
The inheritance tax.
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Sales Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax


STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, & our nation was the most prosperous in the world.
We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What in the heck happened? Can you spell 'politicians?'

I hope this goes around THE USA at least 545 times!!!
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Thanks Uncle "O"!  Good Stuff!
Campy out! 

Friday, October 19, 2012

Obama and Romney (Chainsaw Art)




(Obama and Romney)


I didn't really intend for this to be anything other than two mushrooms getting along... silently... until they make my spaghetti gravy taste better. 

Then I started thinking about this election cycle, and all the stuff that goes with it, and how it connects to this piece of chainsaw art . 

I would have to say that these two mushrooms represent the Republican and Democratic political parties, in that, like mushrooms, both parties are quite effectively feeding off a rotting tree, leaching every last bit of nutrients from its once seemingly endless, now nearly dead, body of resources. 

And since mushrooms grow in the dark, usually in the wet floor of the forest, I felt that both mushrooms are the like Romney and Obama relying on the deciduously rotting flesh of life, in this case, rotten opinion polls, lobbyists, special interest groups, corporations, or anyone else who can afford to affect the political system, instead of making decisions based on what is right for the people of the United States of America.

The citizens of this great country have been emotionally and provocatively purchased by the very rich founders of the Republican Tea Party movement, (see http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Americans_for_Prosperity).

I don't mind anyone legally owning a weapon.  I don't mind where people go to pray, or worship, whether it be a church, mosque, synagogue, or cave.  I don’t care whether people want to see their doctor, or dentist, or not.  I don’t even mind if anyone reads “The Star” or “The Enquirer” magazines, or “The Bible”, “Koran”, or “Tonakh” for that matter.  But I do mind when people try to tell me that it is best for me to believe that this country is a Christian country, and that I should blindly accept laws written to serve and force their Christian Based religious views upon me.  

I support the freedom that The Constitution, The Bill of Rights, and the legal decisions of the United States Supreme Court have afforded all of us.  If anyone doesn’t want to see loving people marry without regard for gender, or quality health care for everyone (yes a woman’s right to choose is part of that system), or a system of fair taxation where everyone pays his or her fair share (corporate and private), or legalized and regulated marijuana (similar to alcohol, which would decimate the illegitimate market, and reduce the amount of people in prison), then I guess the emotional ploy of wanting more freedom, and smaller government for the people of The United States is pure Republican Tea Party rubbish! 

The fabricated strategic business plan called “the Tea Party Movement”, has an emotional hold on America, and it is appalling!  How can anyone call for any legislature to limit anyone’s Constitutionally guaranteed freedoms and stand for smaller government at the same time?  The argument can’t, and doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. 

How does LIMITING MY FREEDOM to CHOOSE what is RIGHT FOR ME, make us any different from a nation ruled by religion, a dictator, or communism?

Campy Out!

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Christian Nation???

And now...   My Rant...  My Opinion... My Thoughts....
 
Try to remember, I am not angry!  I just want to set the facts strait.
Now imagine me smoking my peace pipe while I speak this writing.  I am not angry, and I am not hurt.  I am quite peaceful, tolerant, and above all, happy to be in our country with you.  I write this quickly as I am fading to sleep, but I want to do my due diligence in setting what I feel is a fundamental error in American politics and popular thinking.
 
I'd like to correct misconception...  


WE ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN NATION!!!!!!  

We are a nation formed by people, in many cases, who came here looking for the freedom to practice religion free from persecution.  Remember Roger Williams, The Mayflower, and Jamestown Virginia?  All wanted to start fresh from persecution from the Catholic Church, the English Anglican Church, and Lutheranism.

"If the U.S. was founded on the Christian religion, the Constitution would clearly say so--but it does not. Nowhere does the Constitution say: "The United States is a Christian Nation", or anything even close to that. In fact, the words "Jesus Christ, Christianity, Bible, Creator, Divine, and God" are never mentioned in the Constitution-- not even once. Nowhere in the Constitution is religion mentioned, except in exclusionary terms. When the Founders wrote the nation's Constitution, they specified that "no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States." (Article 6, section 3)   This provision was radical in its day-- giving equal citizenship to believers and non-believers alike.  They wanted to ensure that no religion could make the claim of being the official, national religion, such as England had."  (Found at: http://freethought.mbdojo.com/foundingfathers.html)

I spent 20 years defending the document that separated Church and State because of that reason.  Our Constitutionally Guaranteed Freedom of Religion assures each and every one of us UNITED STATES CITIZENS that we may practice any religion we choose!! Or not to practice as I choose.   


Take a look at any fully Islamic country that is governed by Sharia Law.  In that country it really sucks to be Christian, or Jew, or female, or handicapped, opinionated, or weaponless for that matter.  Just ask that 14 year old girl that got shot on the bus, by a bunch of Armed, Illiterate, Intolerant, Fundamentalist, Islamist thugs parading around as Taliban.  

Do you get my point??? Religious tolerance is the key, not religious unity.

Quotes on religion: (Googled them all)


"Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity."
-Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1782

"Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because if there be one he must approve of the homage of reason more than that of blindfolded fear."
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Peter Carr, August 10, 1787

"Where the preamble declares, that coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was proposed by inserting "Jesus Christ," so that it would read "A departure from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our religion;" the insertion was rejected by the great majority, in proof that they meant to comprehend, within the mantle of its protection, the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mohammedan, the Hindoo and Infidel of every denomination."
-Thomas Jefferson, Autobiography, in reference to the Virginia Act for Religious Freedom

“The government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion”
- George Washington

“Of all religions, Christianity is without a doubt the one that should inspire tolerance most, although, up to now, the Christians have been the most intolerant of all men”
- Voltaire

“The Christian churches and Christianity have nothing in common save in name: they are utterly hostile opposites. The churches are arrogance, violence, usurpation, rigidity, death; Christianity is humility, penitence, submissiveness, progress, life.” - Leo Tolstoy

Think about this... Please!  Too many people have been killed in the name of religion.  There is no religion, that is free from this either.  Even the very supposition that someone named Jesus died for my sins makes no sense to me at all!

Good night folks!!

I love you!


Campy Out!

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

My National Financial Rant (For Today)

The wealth that this economy was built on, still resides at the top of the global economic food chain. 

This can is evidenced by me, in an anecdotal way, by my experiences at the boat shows.  Even though the housing market was crashing and people were being forced in to foreclosure, large luxury yachts continued to sell well.  And this has been happening since the crash happened on President Bush's watch.

Luxury boats, vacation houses, and upscale town homes in posh areas continue to sell well, while median home sales are still stagnant, as are new home starts.  The money that the middle class and the poor need to pay off their debt is locked up at the top of the global economic food chain, and the rich keep getting richer, while the poor continue to stay poor.  And this is what financial redistribution is all about. 

If the republicans take office in January, we can count on more of the same solid business favoring less regulation, less government, less involvement, more privatization of services, and a reduction in social services, and less federal oversight in education and health care.  This will only serve to benefit large business, and their investors, at the cost of stripping the middle class and the poor of any remaining aid, services, and educational programs that they need.

I'm not smart enough to have a suggestion as to how to correct the problem, nor can I say that Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, and other really smart "Gajillionaires" are right when they are giving away major portions of their wealth to charities, trusts, research, and foundations.

President Obama was right on when he said "America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership."  I couldn't agree with him more.  President Obama has to introduce laws the same way members of the Congress and the Senate do.  If the Senate and the Congress pass the Bill, they send it on to the President for final signature.

No Law is created in a void!!
  The President can and does create and introduce Bills, same as any other Senator and Congressman.  That Bill then gets forwarded on for review and approval, by the Senate and Congress.  How did your Representative, and Senators vote on any Bill that the President signed into Law???

Seems to me a bunch of Republicans and Democrats are to blame for this lack of leadership. 

Just think about this, Senator Mark L. Pryor (D) Arkansas stated, " You don't need to pass an IQ test to be in the Senate."  I would tend to agree with that statement as well.

Romney and Obama are smart men, surrounded by really smart people.  My fear is that if Romney gets the nod for President in November, our country will make short gains in the economy, but only as far as the lopsided world economy will support it until we suffer another economic collapse, only the next collapse will be worse due to the lack of federal aid, healthcare, and other services that were either privatized or not quite up and running at the state level when it happens.

This is a global issue, and I think we need to focus on making large and mid sized businesses help redistribute the wealth of the nation. Again, I don't have an answer, but just look at the paychecks, perks, and incentives that CEO's get each year, and the size of the profits that are being reported from the big oil, airlines, pharmacy and medical device companies. 

The republican mantra of reducing government involvement and taxation is just what big money needs to make more money... on the little guys backs.

Campy Out!

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

A Political Service Announcment. (FACT???)

And now a public service announcement (received this morning from a good friend, Thanks Mike!
 (I should fact check this stuff!   Presently, this is not fact, but may be this afternoon, or tomorrow! And NO I DON't KNOW WHO STAN IS!)

Dear Red States: 

We're ticked off at your Neanderthal attitudes and politics and we've decided we're leaving. "Legitimate rape." Sheesh!

We in New York intend to form our own country and we're taking the other Blue States with us.

In case you aren't aware that includes California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and the rest of the Northeast.

We believe this split will be beneficial to the nation and especially to the people of the new country of The Enlightened States of America (E.S.A).

To sum up briefly:

You get Texas, Oklahoma and all the slave states.

We get stem cell research and the best beaches.

We get Andrew Cuomo and Elizabeth Warren. You get Bobby Jindal and Todd Akin.

We get the Statue of Liberty. You get OpryLand.

We get Intel and Microsoft. You get WorldCom.

We get Harvard. You get Ole' Miss.

We get 85 percent of America's venture capital and entrepreneurs.

You get Alabama.

We get two-thirds of the tax revenue. You get to make the red states pay their fair share.

Since our aggregate divorce rate is 22 percent lower than the Christian Coalition's we get a bunch of happy families. You get a bunch of single moms.

Please be aware that the E.S.A. will be pro choice and anti war and we're going to want all our citizens back from Afghanistan at once. If you need people to fight, ask your evangelicals. They have kids they're apparently willing to send to their deaths for no purpose and they don't care if you don't show pictures of their children's caskets coming home.

We wish you success in Afghanistan, and possibly Iran as well, but we're not willing to spend our resources in these sorts of pursuits.

With the Blue States in hand we will have firm control of 80% of the country's fresh water, more than 90% of the pineapple and lettuce, 92% of the nation's fresh fruit, 95% of America's quality wines (you can serve French wines at state dinners) 90% of all cheese, 90 percent of the high tech industry, most of the US low sulfur coal, all living redwoods, sequoias and condors, all the Ivy and Seven Sister schools plus Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Cal Tech and MIT.

With the Red States you will have to cope with 88% of all obese Americans and their projected health care costs, 92% of all US mosquitoes, nearly 100% of the tornadoes, 90% of the hurricanes, 99% of all Southern Baptists, virtually 100% of all televangelists, Rush Limbaugh, Bob Jones University, Clemson and the University of Georgia.

We get Hollywood and Yosemite, thank you.

38% of those in the Red states believe Jonah was actually swallowed by a whale, 62% believe life is sacred unless we're discussing the death penalty or gun laws, 44% say that evolution is only a theory, 53% that Saddam was involved in 9/11 and 61% of you crazy bastards believe you are people with higher morals then we lefties.

We're taking the good weed too. You can have that crap they grow in Mexico.
Sincerely,

Stan Singer
Citizen of the Enlightened States of America



Campy Out!