What is the biggest centrally planned US market? Housing of course. Fannie and Freddie are New Deal era companies born out of "necessity" only to become behemoth bureaucracies.
So, what is the solution to fixing the ever evolving housing problem? Simple, let the market work and get the bureaucracies out of the way.
Showing posts with label FedGov Fail. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FedGov Fail. Show all posts
15 April 2011
25 March 2011
USA Screwed & FedGov Budget
Next time you debate someone on military spending versus entitlement programs and how the former instead of the latter is bankrupting us, make sure they see this chart.
Yep, that's right, 58% of all Tax Revenue AND federal borrowings go to fund social security, medicare/medicaid, and unemployment insurance / other entitlements. Defense, a mere 20% of the total budget (or roughly $700 billion) amounts to only 32% of total tax revenues. This shows that defense spending, though large and impressive and still as much or more than all other countries' combined spending, is NOT a large number when compared to social programs. Defense budget moaners and code pink members please take note that building planes, manning ships, and fighting foreign wars of aggression would be fully funded and met without sending us further into debt all by itself. Unfortunately propping up failing social programs that rely upon an ever growing society just can't make that argument. Further, this graphic shows just how large and damaging Obama's budget deficits truly are.
Once the morons whom get this education via these pie charts, I urge them to take the full crash course found here (or here).
Last, just for the record to all those enviro-wackos out there...please realize that since you champion reduced populations the world over, you need to make a sacrifice of a reduction in people or a reduction in welfare. Returning to a popular theme around the globe, It's ALL ABOUT Demo(graphic)s! The USA currently produces about 2.1 children per adult, which is the bare minimum for population growth. (Actually, it is the threshold for population maintenance / growth). Since most of the social programs are funded via taking revenues from working and young people (those paying into the system), an aging and or stagnant population trend turns the traditional pyramid scheme upside down (since the tax base will be the same at best or declining at worst).
Obama has gotten one thing of his presidency right, he has certainly brought us change.
Yep, that's right, 58% of all Tax Revenue AND federal borrowings go to fund social security, medicare/medicaid, and unemployment insurance / other entitlements. Defense, a mere 20% of the total budget (or roughly $700 billion) amounts to only 32% of total tax revenues. This shows that defense spending, though large and impressive and still as much or more than all other countries' combined spending, is NOT a large number when compared to social programs. Defense budget moaners and code pink members please take note that building planes, manning ships, and fighting foreign wars of aggression would be fully funded and met without sending us further into debt all by itself. Unfortunately propping up failing social programs that rely upon an ever growing society just can't make that argument. Further, this graphic shows just how large and damaging Obama's budget deficits truly are.
Once the morons whom get this education via these pie charts, I urge them to take the full crash course found here (or here).
Last, just for the record to all those enviro-wackos out there...please realize that since you champion reduced populations the world over, you need to make a sacrifice of a reduction in people or a reduction in welfare. Returning to a popular theme around the globe, It's ALL ABOUT Demo(graphic)s! The USA currently produces about 2.1 children per adult, which is the bare minimum for population growth. (Actually, it is the threshold for population maintenance / growth). Since most of the social programs are funded via taking revenues from working and young people (those paying into the system), an aging and or stagnant population trend turns the traditional pyramid scheme upside down (since the tax base will be the same at best or declining at worst).
Fed, FedGov Budget, Purchase Power of the Dollar: Three Things that Need Fixing
Yesterday I read this detailing two major things (discounting the The Mogambo Guru ranting style). First, the value of the dollar today, is less than what a quarter dollar would purchase 40 years ago in 1971. Second, the US government spent a cumulative $15 billion from 1789 until 1900 (not adjusting for inflation, but you see the idea).
Yikes! Those are small numbers when compared to today's debt. Running the numbers, you get roughly .11% of the current country debt, was accumulated in the first 100 years of the Republic. YOWSA!
Which leads me to this posting over at BigGovernment.com, which details the history of money in the first of a several part series.
Click through, watch the video, get educated, and I'll post up the next part of the series when I see it.
Yikes! Those are small numbers when compared to today's debt. Running the numbers, you get roughly .11% of the current country debt, was accumulated in the first 100 years of the Republic. YOWSA!
Which leads me to this posting over at BigGovernment.com, which details the history of money in the first of a several part series.
Click through, watch the video, get educated, and I'll post up the next part of the series when I see it.
Inflation; The Real Tail that Wags the Dog
While it is no shock that the news has been fairly down trodden this week, an excellent analogy from the guys over at the Daily Reckoning on how inflation is the "bad dog" on the street.
Unfortunately, inflation is the politically expedient way for the US government (and Federal Reserve) to reduce the burden of the budget and trade deficits. In effect, monetary inflation to decrease debt burden in real terms is defacto debt default.
Unfortunately, inflation is the politically expedient way for the US government (and Federal Reserve) to reduce the burden of the budget and trade deficits. In effect, monetary inflation to decrease debt burden in real terms is defacto debt default.
18 November 2010
Food Police are Here for Your Alcoholic Energy Drinks
As usual, when there are not enough criminals, the police state will always legislate more criminals (or in this case the usurping bureaucracy will arbitrarily make a rule to regulate something). On Tuesday, we talked about Baltimore making illegal carry a felony but now, something far worse is rearing it's ugly head. The FDA is coming for your alcoholic energy drinks.
That's right, caffeine is now being labeled an "unsafe" additive to alcoholic beverages, and the manufactures of these drinks better cough them up, else the FDA Food Nazis will come looking for them! A rash of teenage drinking and driving (already illegal) accidents related to these alcoholic energy drinks has spurn some sort of manufactured outrage on behalf of the government overlords. It would seem that the social ills that follow drinking are now more dangerous when the caffeine is added directly to the adult beverage. Making drunks more awake, enables them to have more bar brawls and engage in destructive behaviors that are never associated with passed out drunks. Oh snap, don't tell the college age kids that they will have to lay off their Jager Bombs because they are now creating an illegal and dangerous drink!
Apparently a good cup of coffee after pounding down some happy hour beers never caused a drunk to be wide awake? Isn't this one of the first things they teach you in driver's education classes? That, if you have been drinking, nothing but time will allow the effects of alcohol to subside? The whole cold shower and a cup of coffee to "sober" up has been the time tested urban legend that we have all heard preached to us, yet how many bars serve coffee and stock Red Bull? All I know is that Drew Carey would be extremely disappointed with this decision.
Simply more unintended consequences from micromanaging as John Lott points out. I have to wonder what Mike W. will say over at Another Gun Blog, since he is the resident beer blogger of the mid-Atlantic. I wonder how this will impact producers of craft beers that tend to mix coffee malts into their brew kettles?
You can have my SPARKS when you pry it from my cold dead, tall and frosty, hands!
That's right, caffeine is now being labeled an "unsafe" additive to alcoholic beverages, and the manufactures of these drinks better cough them up, else the FDA Food Nazis will come looking for them! A rash of teenage drinking and driving (already illegal) accidents related to these alcoholic energy drinks has spurn some sort of manufactured outrage on behalf of the government overlords. It would seem that the social ills that follow drinking are now more dangerous when the caffeine is added directly to the adult beverage. Making drunks more awake, enables them to have more bar brawls and engage in destructive behaviors that are never associated with passed out drunks. Oh snap, don't tell the college age kids that they will have to lay off their Jager Bombs because they are now creating an illegal and dangerous drink!
Apparently a good cup of coffee after pounding down some happy hour beers never caused a drunk to be wide awake? Isn't this one of the first things they teach you in driver's education classes? That, if you have been drinking, nothing but time will allow the effects of alcohol to subside? The whole cold shower and a cup of coffee to "sober" up has been the time tested urban legend that we have all heard preached to us, yet how many bars serve coffee and stock Red Bull? All I know is that Drew Carey would be extremely disappointed with this decision.
Simply more unintended consequences from micromanaging as John Lott points out. I have to wonder what Mike W. will say over at Another Gun Blog, since he is the resident beer blogger of the mid-Atlantic. I wonder how this will impact producers of craft beers that tend to mix coffee malts into their brew kettles?
You can have my SPARKS when you pry it from my cold dead, tall and frosty, hands!
19 October 2010
Debt Free America Act
As tweeted last night, this was making it's rounds around Facebook and other social networks. H/T to my wife for reading it to me and her cousin (whom had posted it).
So, some quick Google Fu last night returned this bill summary:
2/23/2010--Introduced.
The summary in and of itself isn't all that obnoxious except for the one clause; "repeals AFTER 2017, the individual income tax." YAY! (not). We've seen this before in the form of social security. We pass something now, take the hit up front, and then we'll "amend" or "repeal" something later. As soon as you get used to paying the 1% tax on bank transactions AND your income tax, you'll forget by 2017 that Congress' original intent was to repeal the income tax. In substance, this is effectively a different way to implement a fair tax, though it is more VAT (value added tax) in nature. Taxing without repeal of or near 100% gutting of the IRC will do nothing to solve our debt problem or our job problem. Again, we have a spending problem. Austerity, plus sensible tax reform, including the fair tax, will restore our country to the economic engine that the world has long aspired to become.
So, some quick Google Fu last night returned this bill summary:
2/23/2010--Introduced.
As the rumor on the social networks went, this bill was "scheduled" for a lame duck vote after the election in two weeks. I haven't confirmed or denied that, but it doesn't look like it's forging ahead very quickly.Debt Free America Act - States as purposes of this Act the raising of sufficient revenue from a fee on transactions to eliminate the national debt within seven years and the phasing out of the individual income tax. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a 1% fee, offset by a corresponding nonrefundable income tax credit, on transactions that use a payment instrument, including any check, cash, credit card, transfer of stock, bonds, or other financial instrument. Defines "transaction" to include retail and wholesale sales, purchases of intermediate goods, and financial and intangible transactions. Establishes in the legislative branch the Bipartisan Task Force for Responsible Fiscal Action to review the fiscal imbalance of the federal government and make recommendations to improve such imbalance. Provides for expedited consideration by Congress of Task Force recommendations. Repeals after 2017 the individual income tax, refundable and nonrefundable personal tax credits, and the alternative minimum tax (AMT) on individuals. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) prioritize the repayment of the national debt to protect the fiscal stability of the United States; and (2) study and report to Congress on the implementation of this Act.
The summary in and of itself isn't all that obnoxious except for the one clause; "repeals AFTER 2017, the individual income tax." YAY! (not). We've seen this before in the form of social security. We pass something now, take the hit up front, and then we'll "amend" or "repeal" something later. As soon as you get used to paying the 1% tax on bank transactions AND your income tax, you'll forget by 2017 that Congress' original intent was to repeal the income tax. In substance, this is effectively a different way to implement a fair tax, though it is more VAT (value added tax) in nature. Taxing without repeal of or near 100% gutting of the IRC will do nothing to solve our debt problem or our job problem. Again, we have a spending problem. Austerity, plus sensible tax reform, including the fair tax, will restore our country to the economic engine that the world has long aspired to become.
19 August 2010
Happy Cost of Government Day!
No longer, for this year at least, will your labor go towards servicing the expenses of the government. That's right, we've slaved away for seven and one half months to pay our share of the government's bills. Sounds encouraging towards the future doesn't it?
American's for Tax Reform has the full report available here for free download in PDF format. The biggest point in the report? Simple!
American's for Tax Reform has the full report available here for free download in PDF format. The biggest point in the report? Simple!
In 2010, Cost of Government Day falls on August 19. Working people must toil 231 days out of the year just to meet all costs imposed by government - 8 days later than last year and a full 32 days longer than 2008.
In other words, in 2010 the cost of government consumes 63.41 percent of national income.Welcome to America, we need your money!
24 July 2010
TSA's Full Body Scanners
Local sports talker 105.7 The Fan in Baltimore happens to have one of the best radio personalities on in the morning, former Baltimore City Police Commissioner and State Police Chief Ed Norris. Norris always seems to use his common sense, and subscribes to the "shovel of wisdom" which attempts to whack people for their stupidity on his show.
Earlier this week, he spent a few segments covering the TSA's new full body scanners (audio from the segment here). Some of the info being provided is seriously scary as is evidenced by this article from World Culture Picotrial's blog.
The biggest standout is the fact that these new screening machines would have failed to stop the underwear bomber from Christmas of 2009. Further, several countries have deemed these machines as "pedophile, child porn producing" devices. If the concept of Airport Security is to stop people from doing things that wish to cause others harm, don't you think innocent children are on the low priority list? Further, when are we going to start training the TSA agents to act upon terrorist profiling (which is not racial) and pulling out the people who are the trouble makers. Asking every individual wearing a sundress to submit to extra screening doesn't work when you don't additionally screen someone who's wearing a burka.
Typical knee jerk reaction to a non-existent problem by the bloated Fed Gov. Last I checked, it was the free market that stopped the fruit of a loom bomber (thanks Mark Steyn for that label), not the bureaucrats.
Earlier this week, he spent a few segments covering the TSA's new full body scanners (audio from the segment here). Some of the info being provided is seriously scary as is evidenced by this article from World Culture Picotrial's blog.
The biggest standout is the fact that these new screening machines would have failed to stop the underwear bomber from Christmas of 2009. Further, several countries have deemed these machines as "pedophile, child porn producing" devices. If the concept of Airport Security is to stop people from doing things that wish to cause others harm, don't you think innocent children are on the low priority list? Further, when are we going to start training the TSA agents to act upon terrorist profiling (which is not racial) and pulling out the people who are the trouble makers. Asking every individual wearing a sundress to submit to extra screening doesn't work when you don't additionally screen someone who's wearing a burka.
Typical knee jerk reaction to a non-existent problem by the bloated Fed Gov. Last I checked, it was the free market that stopped the fruit of a loom bomber (thanks Mark Steyn for that label), not the bureaucrats.
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