Monthly Archives: April 2011

Economy, Politics

Shut It Down, If That’s What It Takes

At this point in our deficit and national debt, shutting down the government, for as much as it will actually be shut down, would be an improvement. It means they would be unable to spend more than had last been allocated under an approved budget, which was in 2010.

Since the media seems to have forgotten why Washington is haggling over CR’s (continuing resolutions), let me remind you. And no, it’s not Bush’s fault. It is Obama’s fault. And to top it off, I just heard him say today that it is irresponsible to not have a budget. What? Yes, he said that.

“At a time when you’re struggling to pay your bills and meet your responsibilities, the least we can do is meet our responsibilities to produce a budget.

“That’s not too much to ask for. That’s what the American people expect of us. That’s what they deserve. You want everybody to act like adults, quit playing games, realize it is not just my way or the highway.”

How’s that for a cup of arrogance and a pound of audacity?

Here’s where it began. Well, actually it began in a Democratic caucus somewhere in the bowels of the Capitol, but it ended in this: House Democrats Deem Faux $1.1 Trillion Budget as Passed

Adding a little perspective to the dollars and the demagoguery: Obama’s Budget Up Close

And now for the real reason that we are where we are today. The Obama administration made the political calculation NOT to have a budget in public view prior to the mid-term elections. From where I sit, Harry Reid and the rest of them have absolutely no standing whatsoever to demagogue the party that has a plan to fix the financial mess and the 2012 budget because they voted present on both. No Federal Budget for 2011.

Link: Obama calls crunch budget talks

Economy, Florida, Pensacola, Politics

Early Retiree Reinsurance Program

This is what Speaker Pelosi meant by having to pass the (health care) bill to find out what’s in it. Who knew that the ‘Affordable Health Care Act’ was going to have taxpayers paying the health insurance claims for labor union, corporations, and government union employees who choose to retire early? Before they are eligible for Medicare.

The program totals $5 billion and is supposed to last until January 1, 2014 when ‘State health insurance Exchanges’ are ‘up and running.’ But there’s a problem already. Over $2 billion has already been spent, and at this rate the program will be out of money sometime in 2012. Two years earlier than ‘planned.’

Are you feeling secure now that you know your health care will be managed by the government? Do you still believe that Obamacare will bring costs down, and make the quality of care go up? We already know that we can’t keep our plan if we want to, and that we won’t be able to keep our doctor if we want to.

At this point in time, payments to individual states are dwarfed by the payout to the auto workers union, which received more than the states of New York, California, and Texas combined.  Other unions also received government funds, including the United Food and Commercial Workers, the United Mine Workers, and the Teamsters.

Here’s a short list of government entities in our area that Obamacare is funding right now.
  • Escambia County Board of County Commissioners
  • Pensacola Junior College
  • The School District of Escambia County
  • County of Escambia
  • County of Santa Rosa Board of Public Instruction
  • Northwest Florida State College
  • Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners

Nationwide list HERE.  State of Florida list HERE. And you can do a search by Zip Code HERE.

Links: Early Retiree Reinsurance Program (ERRP) |  New $2 billion bailout in Obamacare

Florida, Organized Labor, Pensacola, Politics

‘We Are One Rally’ A Bust

Pensacola had their version of the ‘We Are One’ public union campaign We Are One Rally in Pensacolatoday. Lee Prior, the organizer of the event,  said that the pro-union movement was ‘electrifying people across America’ like it did 43 years ago when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. marched to organize black sanitation workers in Memphis, and was later assassinated.

The crowd assembled was hardly a crowd at all. There were 30 people at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza, including the speakers and sound crew. Like all such rallies there was an activist sign-up list. They garnered 15 names for that.

The keynote speaker did not attend. The organizer read a statement from him instead, saying that he had to be in Tallahassee taking care of business there. Then Jerry McIntosh, the head of the local Movement For Change group spoke.

He tried real hard to lend some relevance to the labor movement and tie it in Jerry McIntosh of Movement For Changewith Dr. King. It was labor unions that started a 40 hour work week, it was labor unions that got us sick pay, vacation pay, health insurance, retirement and pension plans, etc.. It was almost as though he was transported back to the 60’s. All of which was met with a ‘oh hum’ from the supporters. Fact is, all of what he said labor unions started are commonplace in non-union work sites today. They do deserve the credit for improving the workplace for ‘the workers.’ And because of their earlier success, all employers have learned to take care of their employees to where now, they have caused their own demise. Evidence of that is the shrinking number of union jobs in the private sector.

They were orderly and polite. But the reason they were there in the first place, the reason they were protesting, was kind of fuzzy. The CWA printed up some red signs saying ‘Stand Up for Workers’ Rights! Granted that public sector labor unions are in much disfavor with the American taxpayer now that money is tight and budget deficits are high. They have to realize, painful as it might be, that the public funds that pay them do not come from trees. And, like their private counterpart, they have to, or are being forced to, face the reality that like a private company, the government has financial limits too.

A smart parasite knows not to kill the host. Private sector unions know that they won’t have a job or a future if their company has to close its doors. Labor unions are not dumb. But they know that the government isn’t going to shut its doors. They also know that they own the Democrat Party, who will stop at nothing to repay them for their campaign contributions and street mobs. As if granting exemptions from Obamacare to labor unions isn’t enough, the latest quid pro quo revealed today is $2 Billion to unions, state public employee systems, and big corporations to subsidize health coverage costs for early retirees. Including ‘Pensacola Junior College’ and Escambia County.  The biggest single recipient of an early-retiree bailout is the United Auto Workers, which has so far received $206,798,086. They seem to be OK with that.

Their problem is that the taxpayers have reached the point, as have state budgets around the country, that things have to change if anyone is to have a future. Otherwise, they will remain One . . . boil on the butt of American taxpayers.

Links: Uncovered: New $2 billion bailout in Obamacare |  List of health care bailout recipients

Pensacola, Uncategorized

Reptile Show In Pensacola?

Who knew there was a reptile show at the Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds over the weekend? Well I didn’t. I went there to pick up a deal on a laptop, which I think I did. Turns out that ReptileCon was also there in a different building.

Curiosity getting the best of me I checked out what the heck that could be. If snakes, spiders, turtles, alligators, and lizards turn you off, you don’t want to be there. And of course, there were vendors selling food for same. From live worms and crickets to frozen mice, chicks, and rats.

If you ever wanted to buy some of these for pets, then this is the place that has a selection you probably won’t find anywhere else. All kinds of snakes, spiders, and turtles for sale, with or without tanks to house them.

Some people attending brought their pets with them to show them off.

 

All the vendors had their ‘merchandise’ out there for you to see, and hold.

There was a ‘demonstration’ area or more correctly an education area where people brought out some samples and discussed them. That was interesting and a favorite of the kids, of all ages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then there’s this 100 pound snapping turtle that could take a limb, or your whole head, in a flash.

 

 

 

 

Maybe it has something to do with the pets, but some of the people there were also free-spirited. Like this woman who showed off her tats for a picture.

Organized Labor, Politics

House Rejects Obama-Backed, Pro-Union Amendment

From the beginning, the Obama administration has made growing labor union membership one of their priorities. Since never has it been the responsibility of the federal government to grow labor unions. It’s not one of the government’s constitutional responsibilities. Like any other business or industry, BIG LABOR can rise and fall on their own.

The bill is a big push back of Obama’s quid pro quo to Big Labor for their financial support. Card Check is another. Instead of saying thank you for your contributions, the administration changed 75 years of labor law to allow a simple majority of votes cast to determine unionization in the airline and rail (like ‘high speed’ rail) industries, instead of the prior standard that required the support of a majority of all workers.

For example, if a company has 100 workers but only 80 turn out to vote in the election, it would only take 41 pro-union votes for the union to organize the company’s workers. That means a minority of workers could determine the status of the majority of the company. A community organizers wet dream.

Notice the subtleness of the two industries that the administration chose to grease for unionization. The two that are vital to the functioning of our country for the distribution of goods and the freedom of movement of our population.

One only has to remember how the economy suffered in 2001 when the airline industry came to an abrupt halt after the terrorist attack to imagine,  if given that power, what an arrogant BIG LABOR can do if they get their shorts in a wad. Just look at how they and their Democrat enablers are behaving in Wisconsin if you want a preview. Now imagine that on a national scale.

It’s way to early to think that this will stand, given that the Senate and the White House are of a different mindset. But it is a start.

Links: House shoots down pro-union amendment on FAA bill, sets up confrontation with Senate, Obama |  House Rejects Obama-Backed, Pro-Union Amendment to FAA Reauthorization Bill.

Economy, Politics, Venezuela

Hugo Chavez On A Health Kick Too!

Not to be out done by First Lady Michelle Obama‘s ‘Let’s Move’ initiative to fight obesity, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (the hemisphere’s idiot) has a health initiative of his own.

Chavez’s plan is simple. He says to avoid obesity, cut your calories. Here’s the funny part . . .

“Be careful with weight gain!” warned Chavez on Sunday, speaking during his weekly television and radio program. “We are eating better, that’s been proven. We’re leaving malnutrition behind. It no longer exists in the country, but be careful with obesity.”

Contrary to Michelle’s ‘Let’s Move’ program, which is being funded from taking food from the mouths of hungry (the Food Stamp Program), Chavez’s program depends on empty shelves in the supermarket.

Venezuelans complain of shortages of basic food items: Many residents say they often take four or five trips to various markets only to end up with bitter coffee and unbuttered bread.

When he says it’s ‘been proven’ that Venezuelans are eating better, he means they are eating maybe two meals a day, up from one and a half meals a day.

Links:

Chavez urges Venezuelans to cut calorie intake |  What’s on the shelves of Hugo Chávez’s socialist supermarket |  Dems Message For Food Stamp Recipients: Eat Less, part 2