No, my health is not failing. I'm just sick of Congress, Republicans and Democrats alike. Yesterday I watched the Senators grill the new head of AIG over 165 million dollars worth of bonuses they paid employees with tax money. At first blush this seems preposterous. Our tax dollars are bailing AIG out of financial disaster. And they are giving some employees up to 6 million dollars for putting AIG in the position it's in.
But a little research tells a different story. Yes, AIG did pay these bonuses. But these bonuses are part of a legal, binding employment contract. Congress says they shouldn't use tax money for this purpose. Well, our illustrious congress gave AIG this money with no strings attached. They could have spent the whole 170 BILLION (the total amount of the bailout) on Hooters parties and jello shots and the congress could do nothing about it. This is what happens when you pass bills without reading them.
Rep. Olympia Snow inserted an amendment into the bill that limited bonuses to 100K but the democrats (Chris Dodd) had it removed and replaced with language that mandated bonuses in contracts signed in 2008 be honored. In effect what our brilliant representatives in Congress said to AIG was "you will pay these bonuses".
Now that the public has found out about it the congress is up in arms holding hearings looking for someone to lynch. One Senator wants the names of the people receiving the bonuses so that the government can sue to recover the money. Some of these employment contracts were signed in Maryland and subject to local law. One of the laws says that if you breech a contract you will pay double the amount in question plus attorney's fees. Naturally, these people say bring it on.
Another Senator wants to pass a law taxing these bonuses 100%. There are constitutional prohibitions to this kind of law. Exposte Facto and Bills of Attainder are terms that come to mind. These laws will never pass a court review and these senators damn well know it.
I probably don't need to point this out but the senators making these outrageous demands are all Democrats.
The bottom line is if the government had not gotten involved with private enterprise we wouldn't be facing these problems anyway. If congress is looking for a lynching they should start in the Whitehouse and work their way down.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Same Ole Thing
Rumors are bouncing all over Bullock County. There is some truth to them but I haven't taken the time to sort it out.
First up ---- Do you remember a couple of years ago a man was killed when hit by a county truck that was supposed to be parked for the weekend? County crews don't work on Fridays. The accident happened on Friday. Commission Chairman Ron Smith explained it away by stating the employees in the truck were gathering supplies for Monday morning. He wouldn't release pay records to show the employees were on the clock. It is common knowledge that employees use county equipment for personal reasons on the weekend. Of course, Smith denies this. So how will he explain a county employee getting arrested for DUI in a county truck on Hwy 110 on a Friday? He probably won't explain it. No one will ask.
Next--- It seems the Union Springs Mayor showed up for a city council meeting drunk. Rumor has it that Union Springs Herald editorialist Thomas May wrote a piece about this that the paper wouldn't print. That's par for the Herald.
There is also rumors about the county trying to slip a landfill into the county under the radar. Citizens around the proposed site at Hwy 82 and C/R 7 are protesting.
I used to blame the politicians for this kind of crap going on. But not any longer. Now I lay it at the feet of the voters. They keep on tolerating it. You get the kind of government you deserve. This also applies to the national government.
First up ---- Do you remember a couple of years ago a man was killed when hit by a county truck that was supposed to be parked for the weekend? County crews don't work on Fridays. The accident happened on Friday. Commission Chairman Ron Smith explained it away by stating the employees in the truck were gathering supplies for Monday morning. He wouldn't release pay records to show the employees were on the clock. It is common knowledge that employees use county equipment for personal reasons on the weekend. Of course, Smith denies this. So how will he explain a county employee getting arrested for DUI in a county truck on Hwy 110 on a Friday? He probably won't explain it. No one will ask.
Next--- It seems the Union Springs Mayor showed up for a city council meeting drunk. Rumor has it that Union Springs Herald editorialist Thomas May wrote a piece about this that the paper wouldn't print. That's par for the Herald.
There is also rumors about the county trying to slip a landfill into the county under the radar. Citizens around the proposed site at Hwy 82 and C/R 7 are protesting.
I used to blame the politicians for this kind of crap going on. But not any longer. Now I lay it at the feet of the voters. They keep on tolerating it. You get the kind of government you deserve. This also applies to the national government.
Monday, March 9, 2009
I HAVE MY TEA BAG ALL READY & SET TO GO~~~~~
I did not author this. It came to me in an email. But it sounds like a good idea to me.
There's a storm abrewin'. What happens when good, responsible people keep quiet? Washington has forgotten they work for us. We don't work for them. Throwing good money after bad is NOT the answer. I am sick of the midnight, closed door sessions to come up with a plan. I am sick of Congress raking CEO's over the coals while they, themselves, have defaulted on their taxes. I am sick of the bailed out companies having lavish vacations and retreats on my dollar. I am sick of being told it is MY responsibility to rescue people that, knowingly, bought more house than they could afford. I am sick of being made to feel it is my patriotic duty to pay MORE taxes. I, like all of you, am a responsible citizen. I pay my taxes. I live on a budget and I don't ask someone else to carry the burden for poor decisions I may make. I have emailed my congressmen and senators asking them to NOT vote for the stimulus package as it was written without reading it first. No one listened. They voted for it, pork and all.
O.K. folks, here it is. You may think you are just one voice and what you think won't make a difference. Well, yes it will and YES, WE CAN!! If you are disgusted and angry with the way Washington is handling our taxes. If you are fearful of the fallout from the wreckless spending of BILLIONS to bailout and "stimulate" without accountability and responsibility then we need to become ONE, LOUD VOICE THAT CAN BE HEARD FROM EVERY CITY, TOWN, SUBURB AND HOME IN AMERICA. There is a growing protest to demand that Congress, the President and his cabinet LISTEN to us, the American Citizens. What is being done in Washington is NOT the way to handle the economic free fall.
So, here's the plan. On April 1, 2009, all Americans are asked to send a TEABAG to Washington , D.C. You do not have to enclose a note or any other information unless you so desire. Just a TEABAG. Many cities are organizing protests. If you simply search, "New American Tea Party", several sites will come up. If you aren't the 'protester' type, simply make your one voice heard with a TEABAG. Your one voice will become a roar when joined with millions of others that feel the same way. Yes, something needs to be done but the lack of confidence as shown by the steady decline in the stock market speaks volumes. I will add to this that if you put it in a red envelope you can, at the same time, voice your objection to the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) which will once again allow partial birth abortions and allow abortions for minors without parental notification.
This was not my idea. I visited the sites of the 'New American Tea Pary' and an online survey showed over 90% of thousands said they would send the teabag on April 1. Why, April 1?? We want them to reach Washington by April 15. Will you do it? I will. Send it to; 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington , D.C. 20500 .
I would encourage everyone to go ahead and get the envelope ready to mail, then just drop it in the mail April 1. Can't guarantee what the postage will be by then, it is going up as we speak, but have your envelope ready. What will this cost you? A little time and a 40 something cent stamp.
What could you receive in benefits? Maybe, just maybe, our elected officials will start to listen to the people. Take out the Pork. Tell us how the money is being spent. We want TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. Remember, the money will be spent over the next 4-5 years. It is not too late.
There's a storm abrewin'. What happens when good, responsible people keep quiet? Washington has forgotten they work for us. We don't work for them. Throwing good money after bad is NOT the answer. I am sick of the midnight, closed door sessions to come up with a plan. I am sick of Congress raking CEO's over the coals while they, themselves, have defaulted on their taxes. I am sick of the bailed out companies having lavish vacations and retreats on my dollar. I am sick of being told it is MY responsibility to rescue people that, knowingly, bought more house than they could afford. I am sick of being made to feel it is my patriotic duty to pay MORE taxes. I, like all of you, am a responsible citizen. I pay my taxes. I live on a budget and I don't ask someone else to carry the burden for poor decisions I may make. I have emailed my congressmen and senators asking them to NOT vote for the stimulus package as it was written without reading it first. No one listened. They voted for it, pork and all.
O.K. folks, here it is. You may think you are just one voice and what you think won't make a difference. Well, yes it will and YES, WE CAN!! If you are disgusted and angry with the way Washington is handling our taxes. If you are fearful of the fallout from the wreckless spending of BILLIONS to bailout and "stimulate" without accountability and responsibility then we need to become ONE, LOUD VOICE THAT CAN BE HEARD FROM EVERY CITY, TOWN, SUBURB AND HOME IN AMERICA. There is a growing protest to demand that Congress, the President and his cabinet LISTEN to us, the American Citizens. What is being done in Washington is NOT the way to handle the economic free fall.
So, here's the plan. On April 1, 2009, all Americans are asked to send a TEABAG to Washington , D.C. You do not have to enclose a note or any other information unless you so desire. Just a TEABAG. Many cities are organizing protests. If you simply search, "New American Tea Party", several sites will come up. If you aren't the 'protester' type, simply make your one voice heard with a TEABAG. Your one voice will become a roar when joined with millions of others that feel the same way. Yes, something needs to be done but the lack of confidence as shown by the steady decline in the stock market speaks volumes. I will add to this that if you put it in a red envelope you can, at the same time, voice your objection to the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) which will once again allow partial birth abortions and allow abortions for minors without parental notification.
This was not my idea. I visited the sites of the 'New American Tea Pary' and an online survey showed over 90% of thousands said they would send the teabag on April 1. Why, April 1?? We want them to reach Washington by April 15. Will you do it? I will. Send it to; 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington , D.C. 20500 .
I would encourage everyone to go ahead and get the envelope ready to mail, then just drop it in the mail April 1. Can't guarantee what the postage will be by then, it is going up as we speak, but have your envelope ready. What will this cost you? A little time and a 40 something cent stamp.
What could you receive in benefits? Maybe, just maybe, our elected officials will start to listen to the people. Take out the Pork. Tell us how the money is being spent. We want TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. Remember, the money will be spent over the next 4-5 years. It is not too late.
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