Tag Archives: Economy

Economy, Politics

Obama “Recovery” Hurting The Poor

Words have meanings. And the notion that there is a recovery going on in this country is simply absurd. It’s time to call it what it is. It’s not a recovery but a ‘decovery.’ Ok, I made that word up. How about we just call it a recession. We’ve had our two consecutive quarters of a shrinking GDP. So you have to just ponder if this kind of non-recovery recovery is just what The One has had in mind all along?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has two stats that point to how this so-called recovery is working. The CPI (Consumer Price Index) is going up, while average hourly earnings continue to fall. It’s a double whammy on the backs of “the poor.” No matter the color of their skin.

Most of the price increases are in foodstuffs. So the next time you hear a Democrat race baiter claim that Republicans expect Blacks to “vote against their best interest,” ask him (or her) how rising food prices and falling family incomes are in the best interest of Blacks? Or the best interest of anyone for that matter? Call it what it is. Another leg of the administration’s Poor Tax.

2014 Election, Economy, Politics

It’s A Threesome, Establishment GOP, Dems, U.S. Chamber

Gov. Palin was right to call the GOP establishment for gloating over recent primary battles. Instead, they ought to be trying to figure out what they need to do to gain their support. For without it, the Dems will prevail, and the Republican party and our country will become irrelevant in coming years. Of course, this presumes that the GOP establishment is not in bed with the Democrats on crony capitalism like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is.

Either for lack of the intestinal fortitude it takes to stand on principle, or the spigot of corporate money flowing their way has overcome them, it is the GOP establishment that has thrown away the conservative principles that they once held. The very same principles that gave them the record victory in the House and other elected positions in all 50 states.

The Chamber of Commerce, or the Chamber of Crony Capitalism as Mark Levin calls them, has made it clear whose side they are on. As if to say that the tea party is not pro-business, they are putting their money on candidates that will support the cronyism of the day. Economic freedom and the country be damned.

At the time, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce blamed tea party lawmakers for the economic damage caused by the government shutdown and vowed to pour money into campaigns to elect pro-business moderates against tea party candidates. The group said it would spend at least $50 million on campaigns to support centrist GOP candidates in 2014.

Link: Palin Scolds GOP Establishment for Gloating.

Economy, Media, Obamacare, Politics

I’m Fighting to Restore a Free Society

It’s been a few busy weeks in the news business, and a blessing to the Obama regime. The “news” has been consumed by an airplane that has gone missing somewhere in the far East with 239 people on board. The blessing to the regime is that the media wasn’t reporting on the debacle called Obamacare, aka the Affordable Care Act. Also known as the federal government growing, swallowing up 16 percent of the American economy and destroying the health insurance and health care industries, changing the role of government and its relation between it and the people.

On April 1st, President Obama had a pep rally in the Rose Garden which was characterized in the news media as a “victory lap” for Obamacare. Yes, the President is back to calling it Obamacare again. Never mind the numbers that the regime is touting as the big success. You know what they do with numbers.

If by success you mean that millions of Americans who have either had their insurance policies cancelled by the federal law, or are reacting under threat of penalty of the federal government for not buying an ACA approved insurance policy, “purchased” one. (In this context, purchased does not mean purchased.) That’s the administration’s definition of “success.” Suffice it to say that nothing the American people were promised that Obamacare would do has come to fruition, and can’t come to fruition.  So no news about the government over-stepping its constitutional boundaries is a good day for the regime.

And speaking of the government over-stepping its boundaries, below is an op-ed piece from the Wall Street Journal from an American who sees the danger, and is devoted to restoring the country to those principles (boundaries) spelled out in the Constitution. It’s a great read, in its entirety . . .

endofstory

 

I’m Fighting to Restore a Free Society

By CHARLES G. KOCH

I have devoted most of my life to understanding the principles that enable people to improve their lives. It is those principles—the principles of a free society—that have shaped my life, my family, our company and America itself. Unfortunately, the fundamental concepts of dignity, respect, equality before the law and personal freedom are under attack by the nation’s own government. That’s why, if we want to restore a free society and create greater well-being and opportunity for all Americans, we have no choice but to fight for those principles. I have been doing so for more than 50 years, primarily through educational efforts. It was only in the past decade that I realized the need to also engage in the political process.

wsj_ed

A truly free society is based on a vision of respect for people and what they value. In a truly free society, any business that disrespects its customers will fail, and deserves to do so. The same should be true of any government that disrespects its citizens. The central belief and fatal conceit of the current administration is that you are incapable of running your own life, but those in power are capable of running it for you. This is the essence of big government and collectivism.

More than 200 years ago, Thomas Jefferson warned that this could happen. “The natural progress of things,” Jefferson wrote, “is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.” He knew that no government could possibly run citizens’ lives for the better. The more government tries to control, the greater the disaster, as shown by the current health-care debacle. Collectivists (those who stand for government control of the means of production and how people live their lives) promise heaven but deliver hell. For them, the promised end justifies the means.

Instead of encouraging free and open debate, collectivists strive to discredit and intimidate opponents. They engage in character assassination. (I should know, as the almost daily target of their attacks.) This is the approach that Arthur Schopenhauer described in the 19th century, that Saul Alinsky famously advocated in the 20th, and that so many despots have infamously practiced. Such tactics are the antithesis of what is required for a free society—and a telltale sign that the collectivists do not have good answers.

Rather than try to understand my vision for a free society or accurately report the facts about Koch Industries, our critics would have you believe we’re “un-American” and trying to “rig the system,” that we’re against “environmental protection” or eager to “end workplace safety standards.” These falsehoods remind me of the late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s observation, “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.” Here are some facts about my philosophy and our company:

Koch companies employ 60,000 Americans, who make many thousands of products that Americans want and need. According to government figures, our employees and the 143,000 additional American jobs they support generate nearly $11.7 billion in compensation and benefits. About one-third of our U.S.-based employees are union members.

Koch employees have earned well over 700 awards for environmental, health and safety excellence since 2009, many of them from the Environmental Protection Agency and Occupational Safety and Health Administration. EPA officials have commended us for our “commitment to a cleaner environment” and called us “a model for other companies.”

Our refineries have consistently ranked among the best in the nation for low per-barrel emissions. In 2012, our Total Case Incident Rate (an important safety measure) was 67% better than a Bureau of Labor Statistics average for peer industries. Even so, we have never rested on our laurels. We believe there is always room for innovation and improvement.

Far from trying to rig the system, I have spent decades opposing cronyism and all political favors, including mandates, subsidies and protective tariffs—even when we benefit from them. I believe that cronyism is nothing more than welfare for the rich and powerful, and should be abolished.

Koch Industries was the only major producer in the ethanol industry to argue for the demise of the ethanol tax credit in 2011. That government handout (which cost taxpayers billions) needlessly drove up food and fuel prices as well as other costs for consumers—many of whom were poor or otherwise disadvantaged. Now the mandate needs to go, so that consumers and the marketplace are the ones who decide the future of ethanol.

Instead of fostering a system that enables people to help themselves, America is now saddled with a system that destroys value, raises costs, hinders innovation and relegates millions of citizens to a life of poverty, dependency and hopelessness. This is what happens when elected officials believe that people’s lives are better run by politicians and regulators than by the people themselves. Those in power fail to see that more government means less liberty, and liberty is the essence of what it means to be American. Love of liberty is the American ideal.

If more businesses (and elected officials) were to embrace a vision of creating real value for people in a principled way, our nation would be far better off—not just today, but for generations to come. I’m dedicated to fighting for that vision. I’m convinced most Americans believe it’s worth fighting for, too.

Mr. Koch is chairman and CEO of Koch Industries.

Link: Charles Koch: I’m Fighting to Restore a Free Society

2008 Election, 2012 Election, 2014 Election, Economy, Florida, Immigration, Media, Obamacare, Politics

Jolly (R) Wins FL13, Who Knew?

One Associated Press piece in the local paper titled Fla. House race could be warning for Democrats was all there was in the news media about the republican win in a district that voted for Obama in 2008 and 2012. In a contest that was described as a bellwether for the midterm elections in November, where Obamacare was the focus on both sides.

NBC’s Chuck Todd said . . .

Tomorrow’s race in Florida will tell us a lot about the power of the Republican Party’s health-care attacks on Democrats could have in 2014.

Jolly campaigned on a conservative platform; cutting government spending, balanced budgets and repealing Obamacare. Sink tried a new version of offense with Obamacare; mend it, don’t end it. She followed the President’s agenda with a pro-illegal alien agenda, and more government spending. ‘Cutting spending’ and ‘balanced budget’ as an objective never crossed her lips.

Republican David Jolly beat Democrat Alex Sink with 48.5 percent of the vote to Sink’s 46.7 percent. Before the returns were in, Democrats began downplaying the importance of this contest. When the results were final, DNC Chair Debbie Was-a-man Shultz tried explaining away their loss, saying “the GOP fell short of its traditional margin” in a Republican-leaning district (but trending Democrat) packed with older voters.

She’s right about that. And the mainstream media carried her message. Missing in that fact is a little perspective. What she and the news media won’t say is that in all seven of Rep. Young’s elections, he ran unopposed. In this election, Jolly had two challengers. Sink a Democrat, and Libertarian candidate Lucas Overby.

Speaking of traditional margins. Third parties traditionally have given Democrats the win by siphoning off Republican party votes. Ralph Nader and Ross Perot come to mind. But this time, the nearly 5% that Overby got wasn’t enough to hand Sink a win. Also not mentioned was the fact that Jolly’s candidacy was not taken seriously by the establishment Republicans, allowing Jolly to be outspend by Democrats 3 to 1.

On the day before the election, Todd also said this . . .

Conversely, a Jolly win on Tuesday would signal that it’s open hunting season on Democrats — even in places where Obama has been a strength for Democrats in past elections.

It’s also open season on the establishment Republicans if they don’t stand on the principles that got them elected, and if they refuse to understand that running on conservative principles, compared with the status quo of the last 6 years, is how you win elections.

2008 Election, 2012 Election, Economy, Immigration, Media, Politics, Race Relations

Obama’s War On Women, Poor, Hispanics, And Young

For better or worse, a truism of American politics is that voters vote their pocketbooks. Yet according to a new report on median household incomes by Sentier Research, in 2012 millions of American voters apparently cast ballots contrary to their economic self-interest. A testament to the power of a media devoted to their president.

Now for some economic facts

Obama’s economic policies are hurting the people who elected him more than any other demographic.

President Obama was re-elected with 51% of the vote. Five demographic groups were crucial to his victory: young voters, single women, those with only a high-school diploma or less, blacks and Hispanics. He cleaned up with 60% of the youth vote, 67% of single women, 93% of blacks, 71% of Hispanics, and 64% of those without a high-school diploma, according to exit polls.

Family income decrease from President Obama’s 5 most dedicated demographics since his “recovery” began.

  • -7% single women households, with or without children
  • -9.6% under age 25
  • -10.9% Black heads of households
  • -4.5% Hispanic heads-of-households
  • -8% incomes of workers with a high-school diploma or less fell by about 8% (-6.9% for those with less than a high-school diploma and -9.3% for those with only a high-school diploma).

To put that into dollar terms, in the four years between the time the Obama recovery began in June 2009 and June of this year, median black household income fell by just over $4,000, Hispanic households lost $2,000 and female-headed households lost $2,300.

The middle class is getting poorer.  While the minimum wage remained steady, the median family income has fallen every year since Obama’s “recovery” began.

Makes one wonder what it would take for these people to realize that what they are living is not what Obama is saying, but what he is doing? He’s not going to stop campaigning. He can’t. Because if he does, the gullible voters that elected this community organizer president twice might begin to realize that President Obama is more interested in gaining political power than making the economy, and their lives, any better.

Which reminds me of what Rand Paul said in this post . . .

Liberals don’t seem to get the point that if you’re trying something and the objective evidence shows that it’s not working, why not try something different?

Paul indirectly referred to the famous definition of insanity as trying something again and again while expecting a different result.

Link: Stephen Moore: Obama’s Economy Hits His Voters Hardest – WSJ.com.

Economy, Politics, Race Relations

A Liberal Diagnosis

An excerpt from an interview with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) over the weekend. World Net Daily’s Gina Loudon asked “What is wrong with the people who don’t understand why conservatism works, and why liberty is so important?”

Sen. Rand Paul, Gina Loudon at CPAC 2014

The “people” being referred to here is the “fair shot” crowd. The pols who prey on wealth envy and class warfare, who presume that because there is a bottom rung on the socio-economic ladder, that there is something unfair about that. 

Sen. Paul, R-Ky., had the answer to her question.

I tell people it’s the ‘big heart, small brain syndrome.’ Liberals have big hearts, but they’re not using all their brain capacity. I don’t know,” he said. “Liberals don’t seem to get the point that if you’re trying something and the objective evidence shows that it’s not working, why not try something different?”

Paul indirectly referred to the famous definition of insanity as trying something again and again while expecting a different result.

Link: RAND PAUL DIAGNOSES LIBERAL DISORDER

2014 Election, Economy, Obamacare, Organized Labor, Politics

Problem Is Median Income, Not Minimum Wage

It ought to be clear by now that nothing President Obama has done to “fix” our economy has worked. And the reason is he has it all wrong. You can’t build the private sector economy when you bleed the strength from it via taxes, over-regulation, and debt. As the government grows, the economy shrinks. And boy has the government grown.

Aside from his propensity to tax and spend, where spending is to favor contributors, labor unions, and favored special interests like environmental wackos and green energy flops, none of which builds the economy, President Obama’s economic engineering is not working because he can’t identify the problem.

The problem is not the minimum wage. That is a political strategy for hooking low information voters and the poor to vote Democratic. And to give Big Labor a raise. Raising the minimum wage will cause people to lose jobs. Just like Obamacare is causing people to lose jobs.  The middle class is getting poorer.  While the minimum wage remained steady, the median family income has fallen every year since Obama’s “recovery” began.

According to the Census report, the high point for median household income in the United States was back in 1999 ($56,080). It almost got back to that level in 2007 ($55,627), but ever since then there has been a steady decline. The following figures come directly from the report, and as you can see, median household income has fallen every single year for the past five years…

2007: $55,627
2008: $53,644
2009: $53,285
2010: $51,892
2011: $51,100
2012: $51,017

Did you know that there are six counties in America where the median income is over twice the national median?  Four of those counties are suburban Washington.

You know where President Obama’s focus is. And it is not on how to raise median family income. That’s where the middle class is. Is this because he doesn’t know how? Or is it because he doesn’t care that his social justice agenda is killing jobs and ruining the economy, especially the middle class? Which one works for you?

2012 Election, 2014 Election, 2016 Election, Economy, Obamacare, Politics

I Want My Affordable Health Care

Have you begun to notice that the Affordable Care Act, which was supposed to be the greatest thing since sliced bread, (never mind that 85% of the population were happy with the health insurance and health care they had), keeps getting delayed (illegally I might add) from implementation? Curiously, all the bad stuff, like policy cancellations and the people seeing their premiums double and deductibles quadruple, losing their doctors, hospital, and medicine, keep being pushed back to periods AFTER elections. After 2012, after 2014, and now some provisions after 2016 and long after 2016.

If this law is so good, something that Americans just couldn’t live without, then let those policy cancellation notices come out in September and October of 2014. Let’s get it on already. It wouldn’t have anything to do with the fact that Democrats totally OWN the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, would it? Or from the fact of what we’ve seen so far that it is turning out to be nothing like what was promised? Or maybe it was because the promises have been revealed to everybody, including democrats, to be not promises, but outright lies?

Ignoring the failure of Obamacare is one thing. What’s even more amazing is the democratic strategy for the 2014 mid-term election. A strategy designed to not make Democrats look like they have to run away from Obamacare. Their idea is to run on fixing it.

To a Democrat in Washington this makes perfect sense. Just like their inability to stimulate the economy with so-called stimulus spending, and wanting to spend more, while the only result is record long-term unemployment, the lowest worker participation rate since Jimmy Carter, and massive record national debt. In other words, they’ve proven that what they’re doing does not work. So let the ones who broke the economy fix the economy by doing the same thing that broke it in the first place.

It follows then that we should re-elect the people who destroyed our health care system and health insurance industry so that they can ostensibly “fix” it in however many years it will take. And that makes sense to who? Especially when there has been a private sector alternative solution to Obamacare for 4 years now. And on that topic, remember, every time you hear a Democrat say “they have no alternative,” you know they are lying to you again.

Economy, Media, Politics

Stimulus Is 5 Years Old

obama_pout_roads-rail-bridge-infrastructure
President Obama, after delivering remarks at Organizing for Action’s “National Organizing Summit” in Washington. For money for roads, rail, bridges and infrastructure.

Unemployment is higher than Obama’s worse case scenario had the stimulus not been done. Workforce participation, the number of Americans still working, is at its lowest level since Jimmy Carter. Record number of people on public welfare. Food Stamp spending has more than doubled since 2008. Median family income has fallen every year for the last five years, and is much worse for Black families than any other demographic. And the national debt went from $9 trillion to $17.3 trillion.

Yet, at every State of the Union show, you will hear President Obama cry out for “investments” for roads, rail, bridges, infrastructure. And the low information crowd, and Democrats in the chamber, cheer. Problem is, they are painfully ignorant of the fact that despite the annual appeals for more money, the Obama administration still has not spent more than 10% of the so-called stimulus money on roads, rail, bridges, and infrastructure.

And just today asks for $302 Billion more. Obama knows the media, the low information crowd, and progressive acolytes will believe what he says and won’t follow what he does. He also knows that he’ll get whatever money he wants when he says it is for roads, rail, bridges, infrastructure, and education.

An example of how the media, literally regurgitates the White House talking points as “news.”

“This vision will show how we can invest in the things we need to grow and create jobs by closing unfair tax loopholes, lowering tax rates, and making the system more fair,” the White House said in a statement previewing his speech, set for 3:05 p.m. EST.

The transfer of wealth, and the growth of government, continues.

Links:

Economy, Politics, War On Terror

‘Austerity’ Isn’t What It Appears

In what could qualify for the MRIOD award where the defense budget is concerned, if President Obama really does cut the military back to pre-WWII levels, don’t think for a second that you won’t hear how that so-called ‘saving’ is going to be spent on something other than paying down the national debt.

We heard this before. Like when the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan come to an end (win or retreat lose), we can spend that money ‘saved’ (actually borrowed) on ‘roads, bridges,  infrastructure, and schools.’ But he’s got so many more special interests to pay off now. Unions wanting relief from Obamacare, businesses wanting relief from Obamacare, people wanting relief from Obamacare, unemployment compensation fund backfilling, and of course, those green technology ‘investments.’ The list goes on. So don’t think for a New York second that whatever phony numbers this administration says it can save, it will spend, in spades.

Imagine the chutzpah of this administration to claim they’ve been austere in spending the people’s money when they’ve grown our national debt from $9 trillion to $17.3 trillion in the first six years of his term. Projected to be $26 trillion in 10 years. Then imagine the wisdom of cutting our national defenses instead of cutting the size of the government.