America, Becoming the Land of the Free-loader

America, Becoming the Land of the Free-loader

This may offend some, but I am getting so sick of the path our country is on, I don't care, anymore.  Our politicians are elected by the bribes they offer, and we the citizens accept those bribes.  This has lead to a country on the path to bankruptcy, and an electorate that is either too complacent or too stupid to realize what it means.

If a family of three makes $25,400, or $12.21 an hour or less, they are eligible for food stamps.  If this family is a parent and two children they may receive up to $5,964.00 in food stamps a year.  If there is an additional income earner, not married to the parent, that persons income won't be counted.  This may explain why many food stamps are sold on Craigslist and such.

An article in the New York Post found:

"Today, the Cato institute is releasing a new study looking at the state-by-state value of welfare for a mother with two children. In the Empire State, a family receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Medicaid, food stamps, WIC, public housing, utility assistance and free commodities (like milk and cheese) would have a package of benefits worth $38,004, the seventh-highest in the nation.

While that might not sound overly generous, remember that welfare benefits aren’t taxed, while wages are. So someone in New York would have to earn more than $21 per hour to be better off than they would be on welfare.  That’s more than the average statewide entry-level salary for a teacher."

Now in the guise of offering "affordable" health care, the government is forcing those who don't want insurance to purchase it.  It forces young healthy people to pay for much more comprehensive policies than they would normally buy.  It forces older folks such as women past menopause to buy policies that cover maternity.  Even though President Obama has many times stated "If you like your policy, you can keep it", this has proven to be a bold face lie, that he has known of, for over three years.  According to NBC News:

"Four sources deeply involved in the Affordable Care Act tell NBC NEWS that 50 to 75 percent of the 14 million consumers who buy their insurance individually can expect to receive a “cancellation” letter or the equivalent over the next year because their existing policies don’t meet the standards mandated by the new health care law. One expert predicts that number could reach as high as 80 percent. And all say that many of those forced to buy pricier new policies will experience “sticker shock.” " 

On top of this in 2014 up to 75,000,000 are expected to lose their employer funded plans.  So much for "affordable.

The administration knows that as people will be unable to afford health care, many will want a one payer system "government health care" to take over.  This has been the plan all along.  As money gets tighter, we will have to decide who will get medical aid and who won't, pure economics will ensure this.  There will be long waits for medical procedures (research England's health care history), and new medical research will dry up, due to a lack of investment money.  If there is no profit, no one will invest.  On top of all this thousands of doctors are already talking for leaving the profession, due to Obamacare.

We are already borrowing over sixty cents of every dollar the government spends.  Does anyone believe that healthcare costs won't incredibly overburden an already cash strapped federal budget.

We are headed down a road where the government controls everything.  We have seen how well this worked for Cuba, the Soviet Union, East Germany, and the other Soviet satellite countries.  What is incredible to me, is that some of the president's biggest supporters, young adults, are the ones who will have to pick up the tab for all of these "free" things.

Unemployment can now be received up to two years.  To collect it, you must apply, via the web, to two jobs a week.  I was out of work for about two months.  During this time I received nearly $400.00 a week.  I went back to work at twelve dollars an hour, and several people told me I was crazy, as I was basically working for two dollars an hour more than unemployment supplied.  My pride would not let me take what I felt was charity.  We the taxpayers are funding the extended benefits.  If you can get a job making as much or more than you draw on unemployment, you should do it.

On top of the bribes given to citizens, our government gives money we don't have, to hostile countries all over the world; wastes untold billions on "pork" projects; and through underhanded contracts rewards its donors with fat contracts.

I am getting sick of the corruption that has infected our elected officials, and yes my fellow citizens, who suck at the government teet.  Unless we make huge changes, the country is headed down a path of no return.

Modern America

Modern America

John decided he needed things he didn't have the cash for.  He applied for a Visa and based on his $30,000.00 income, the bank granted him a card with a $5,000.00 limit.  After a couple of years he maxed out the credit card.

He had a low interest of ten percent, so the monthly interest came to $41.60.  John had gotten used to buying nice things so he asked the bank for an increase in his limit.  Since he had always made his payments on time, the bank granted an increase to $10,000.00. 

After a year he had maxed out the new limit.  his payment was now $83.20.  He decided that he needed a new television so he went to the local store and bought one on credit for $1000.00 at 20% interest.  Then bought a new car for $30,000.00 at 6% interest.  With these new purchases his monthly credit costs, along with principle on the car, was $700.00 a month. 

On a salary of $30,000, his monthly take home after taxes was $1,625.00.  After rent, food, utilities, and recreation he didn't have $700.00 a month; so he asked for a credit increase.  Since he continued to pay on time the bank increased his limit to $12,000.00.

Johns old furniture didn't go with the life-style he wanted to project with his new car and big screen television.  He went to the furniture store and bought a new living room, dining room, and bedroom.  He put as much as possible on a store credit, and the rest on his newly increased credit card.

Sadly, this is a story of our government, as well as much of our population.  If we don't wake up, and grow up, we will soon be facing bankruptcy as a nation, debt increase or not.

Ken Choate

The Health Care Dream

The Health Care Dream

I spent twenty years in the military.  I liked feeling that I made a difference and loved the travel.  After a certain point the idea of a pension after twenty years and free health care for my wife and I was an added bonus. 

The concept of not worrying about medical bills is very alluring.  Even though free health care is a nice idea, it must be looked at pragmatically.  We are experiencing the slowest recession recovery in American history; the government is hemorrhaging money all over the world; and we borrow sixty cents of every dollar we spend.

The current health care law was a pipe dream as written.  We were promised that if you liked your current health insurance you could keep it, you could keep your doctor, and prices for most (including middle income earners) would go down.  These have all proven to be lies.

We should not postpone the law; it should be scrapped.  It cannot function as promised.  It is pushing many doctors to retire early, driving personal costs through the roof, and if all continues, as is, could very well bankrupt the country.

If healthcare is a priority to us, let's find a way to truly pay for it, and be honest with the citizens on its ramifications.  We should first focus on getting America back on its economic feet.  We give billions to foreign governments who hate us; save that money.  We buy planes that the military doesn't want; save that money.  Our legislators spend billions on projects that benefit only small areas and are done for purely political reasons; save that money.  We fund "artists" who promote such things as the insane "Piss Christ", or studies to determine why many lesbians are over weight.  Why in the hell would we fund projects such as these?  SAVE THAT MONEY.  Do you see a theme here?

The government should run like your household budget should be run.  Don't buy things you can't afford, and budget for the true priorities.  We have to start showing some common sense as a country, or cents will be all we have left.

I Miss "Made in America"

I get angry every time I have to buy a product that is marked "Made in China", "Made in Mexico", or Made in anywhere but the USA. The trend of purchasing from other countries extends even to the government. Most of the products it buys, it does so from other countries, to save money. We have reached this state, because our country has embarked on a three-pronged attack on American manufacturing.

First, in order to supposedly open markets to other countries, we do not impose tariffs on imports. Additionally, these other countries do not have to adhere to the baseline regulations that the US does. They can pay their workers very little, do not have to follow any environmental standards, and in many cases the products are not inspected to ensure they follow American guidelines for sale (they may contain lead paint, poisons, ect.) They then ship these cheaper made items to the US to compete against goods made here, at a much higher cost.

Second we over tax our industries. The US, with an up to 35% corporate tax, is the highest in the world. Some states add up to another 10%, and some cities add up to another 9%. If you add these up a company can pay up to 54% of their profits in taxes. Of course many businesses will choose to produce in other countries. There are a few exceptions to this, such as GE, who through loopholes do not pay any taxes. Unsurprisingly, these companies were huge donors to our president's two races.

Third, in order to curb a few unscrupulous companies, the government's over regulation makes it much more expensive to manufacture here. Every industry is under a microscope by the EPA and OSHA. Why not make products where there are few if any of these regulations.

We can not continue to be a country of imports. Some of the best ideas originate here, but these innovations are sold to companies in other countries to produce. Investors must foresee a significant return on their capitol or they will not start a business. If we want to make America a profitable nation, once more, we have to make it a country in which companies can make a substantial profit.

We should level the playing field. A country that does not pay at least our minimum wage, and does not have similar environmental regulations, should pay a substantial penalty (tariff) to sell here. We should change our corporate tax structure to make it comparable to the average tax, world wide. Lastly, we should take a common sense approach with the EPA, we do need regulations, but we are regulating our home grown businesses, out of business.

I want to see America get back to work, and become the great industrial nation it once was. Continuing down the path we have been following for the last twenty plus years will do nothing but eventually bring poverty to all of us.