JUST SOME POSTS

Recently, I reposted on Facebook a synopsis of the votes in Congress relating to the government shutdown and funding. A co-worker/friend posted a response (which I have included below in its entirety to be fair and to make sure I addressed all points.   Here is what I posted: Here is his response in black: (I did omit a link he also posted to an article/story from CNBC going into the certainty of a government shutdown, otherwise this is all of it) My response is in RED following each of his comments.   First, Trump said, on national television, that he would own the shutdown.  Trump is owning the shutdown as much as he can. He has said what he wants in the budget and has professed to not accept or sign a budget without it. It is the Constitutional responsibility of Congress (specifically the House of Representatives, with oversite participation of the Senate and the Executive branch) to draw up and pass a spending bill. Then the President has the resp...

I am very, very dismayed at the current state of affairs in Washington, especially concerning the budget. I have posted on various other times about our need for term limits (the House of Representatives was set up with two year terms for a reason - rollover), responsible elected "leaders" that will make tough decisions, and responsibility from the elected and the electorate. If you have an interest in my thoughts on these matters, dig around the archives here. You might find a surprise or two anyway, this blog is VERY eclectic. The current issue of the budget and the idiotically named "fiscal cliff" arguments are extraordinarily annoying. First, the much touted 'fiscal cliff" was created by the politicians that are whining about it now. The great gnashing of teeth that is taking place amongst the members of congress and the news media is ridiculous. The "cliff" was created by the inability of the elected to do anything about the actual budget p...

I have put off posting for so long I thought I would do one this evening. As I have mentioned before, I have not had a lack of ideas, but too many. I was going to do politics (and some will consider this politics, but I am talking "pure" politics - this is political, but not politics), but I have done so much of it in the past that it would be redundant. I ask you to go read some of the from 2008 and 2010 if you wish to know more. They all still apply. This post is about the idiotic notion that is out there about taxing the rich, and how they are not "paying their fair share". I have done posts about this subject in the past as well, but I think this is a bit of a different take on the subject. Why "idiotic"? Here are some facts - as you should know (and again, I have posts on this prior to this) the top 5% of people based on income pay over 50% of federal income taxes. The top 1% pay over 35%. Now, they have a large percentage of the income, so maybe ...

I finally have something to say. Like a lot of the news and the news reporters, I am going to comment on the national debt, debt ceiling, and related. First - if you think the current problem is a Republican problem - you are WRONG! Second - if you think this is a Democrat problem - you are also WRONG! One thing I can say about today's politicians, for the most part they are all clueless. The only thing that appears to be motivating most of them is getting re-elected. There is enough blame to go WAY beyond party lines. One aspect of the debt ceiling/national debt discussion that bothers me is that most average Americans seem only to be concerned about the problem in relation to any monies they get from the government being cut off. This is the problem people! Remember the base rule - THERE IS NO GOVERNMENT MONEY!! It still angers me beyond words when I hear a reporter, politician, or anyone else talking about "federal funds", or "state money". (but that i...