Are Briefings, Leadership?

President Obama’s dependence on focus groups, study groups, advisors, czars, cabinet, and white house staff appears to allow him to concentrate on speeches and travel. He has managed to make more public speeches in his short time as President than any prior President. One would think he is still on the campaign trail or there is a desire to keep him away from Washington and the White House.

I believe even during TARP II, Ominous bill and budget; he was and is a puppet in the hands of his speechwriters and administration team. Is it possible, he believes them without questioning? Does he have anyone outside his close team, which points out the problems and weakness of bold statements or question “facts”?

It is obvious to many individuals that saw his recent speeches on health-care reform; he had not read the H. R. bill 3200 or he is a liar. I really want to give him the benefit of doubt and believe he is not a liar, I believe he was not completely informed on all the facts, and relied upon the speechwriters to provide a truthful and honest speech. I believe he did not know enough to even question the information given to him.

Can we call this true leadership, when one takes the position suggested through briefings? Could it be someone else, or some group of individuals are the true leadership, hidden away from the image put forth from the President?

New Taxes Include Beer Tax

A Senate Finance Committee document released Wednesday proposals new consumer taxes to help fund the national healthcare plan.

If you have a job based health care insurance, expect to pay taxes on it.

Beer taxes would be increased by 48 cents a six-pack, from the current 33 cents, a 145 percent per six-pack.


Wine taxes would raise by 49 cents per bottle, from the current 21 cents-- a 233 percent tax increase per bottle.

Hard liquor taxes would increase by 40 cents per fifth, from the current $2.14, , 19 percent per fifth.

Sugared soda drinks and other sugar added drinks will not be left out, a tax of 3 cents per 12 ounces would occur.

Also, being considered is a tax on foods and drinks that contain salt. The tax would be on added salt and table salt.

I wonder what will be next? Tax on sugar coated breakfast foods, or sugar in products.

So much for not a single penny increase in taxes for anyone making less than $200,000 a year.

Please note this proposal has yet to be approved.

Balance of Power and Bearing of Arms

I contend there is a fourth balance of power, the right to bear arms.

If one looks at history, the first freedom of the citizens taken away by a government before the lost of all other freedoms is the right to bear arms.
When citizens no longer have the right to bear arms, they are no longer a force the government has to deal with, and they can quickly eliminate the other freedoms, we in the United States enjoy. (Freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, right to keep and bear arms, freedom from quartering of soldiers in home, freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures, right of due process, freedom from false imprisonment, freedom from slavery, and etc.) After all once the freedom to bear arms is lost, how would the citizens realistically oppose unreasonable government control and elimination of other freedoms?

The Workings of The IRS

This old man just does not understand the logic of the Internal Revenue Service.

The Internal Revenue Service has the duty to collect taxes, reduce the chances for income tax evasion and yet they do not require reporting of everyone’s income.

Attorney fees are required to be reported, if the fees are paid by a partnership or corporation. However, individuals are not even allowed to report the fees they pay to attorneys. Why, this is the only source of income of many attorneys? Seems like a easy avenue to under report income to me.

Rental payments are not required or even allowed to be report when paid by individual payers.
Why this is the only source of income of many slumlords? I can not tell you how many people I have known over the years that do not all their rental income if any.

Payments of services to plumbers, air condition and heating installers/repairman, auto repairs, physicians, hospitals, CPA/accountants/tax preparers, surveyors, septic tank installation/repair, foundation repair, replaced roofing, carpet installation, wedding planners, florist, and etc. Cannot be reported even when they are over $600.00. Why, it looks like a easy avenue to under report income?

Guess I am just to old to understand.