Papers, you got papers

We're sitting in front of the TV watching the news and pundits and you and I wonder is the story finally over, You say what story, well the birth question. Has it finally been settled and do we now have a President born in the US. Folks I don't have the answer to that but what I do have is a lurking question as to the media and the administration.
Are the talking heads at Fox, MSNBC, CNN and the rest doing their job. As they so politely say when a candidate appears on the horizon, 'he need not wait very long for a probing of his background to begin'. But is that the case? The world has waited two long years for the President of the United States to finally provide "the Document" that would end all question as to his qualification and right, under the Constitution, to be the POTUS.
I don't see that happening. Where are the experts and specialists on documents conducting their walk-ons to all the shows. Where is the administration authentification and subsequent inspection of the document by the respective experts providing us conclusive evidence and explanation as to the bona fides, oops, authenticity of this newly presented document. I just haven't seen that. The media has accepted this copy of an original as being valid and that's that.
This question will continue to linger and smolder along. One asks how does one establish the authenticity of a document? One sends their(the Executive Branch) expert(FBI Forensics) to Hawaii and first hand examine the original document and provide a verification of authenticity. Without this action there can never be a conclusive determination made. And guess what, that is exactly what did not happen. Instead the administration put a copy of the document out there and is letting us and the media deal with it.
This is not a very good example as to a methodology. But folks isn't that exactly what this administration has been providing to us all along, providing us an imperfect product that purports to be solving the most difficult financial, economic, and foreign policy problems of the day. The dollars value continues to fall, gas and food prices continue to rise and the middle east is in turmoil. Welcome to the new reality.

Immigration

If you've been wondering where I've been, necessity has taken me traveling again, this time to the South, South of the border that is. Today I've returned and have just gotten off the boat so to speak. Now for those of you that don't know me then you are not aware that I am also a boat person having landed in this most beautiful and generous country back in 1950 as an immigrant.
Now this trip, down Mexico way, I observed when we got to our first Port of Call, there WERE armed military standing guard. Luckily the Baja Penninsula is one of the safer places in Mexico especially Cabo & Puerto Vallarta. And Yes, of course, I spoke with the locals gathering in as much local color, news and opinion as possible. Most of the Mexicans I spoke with are not happy with the current Drug War situation between the Government , the Gangs and the local everyday folks caught in the middle.
Mexico might not have as high a level of education as we portend to have in the good old USA but there is this item called common sense. Common sense looks at a situation or problem, breaks it down to common elements and then sees what could possibly be a solution to a problem. Mexico is involved in a massive war between the government and the drug cartels. Each gang vying for control of their destiny and territory.
The gangs are merely free enterprise rascals(killers) that want to transport as much dope into the USA and then sell those very same drugs to those gringo's up north. The government on the otherhand is being coerced by the US to control these fellows and not allow the drugs north while also maintaining some semblance of control of their country and not have the gangs get into an all out war for control of the drug routes.
So sitting there, with unnamed mexicans, enjoying a cold bottle of beer one inspiring thought kept returning to our conversation. Gee, if those Gringo's to the north would just stop demanding all that dope to be moved and sold up north there wouldn't be a drug problem. The gangs would not be fighting over turf, innocent folk in the middle would not be getting caught in the cross fire, the government just might be able to apply it's resources to developing industries for the workers of Mexico. And guess what, maybe these enterprising drug guys would find some other business to get into.
Next blog, how WE help the Third world.....

Presidential Failure

The president came to us again and again we were sadly disappointed. More rhetoric and no significant substance. It continues to amaze me how both the President and Democrats in Congress continue to believe that the solution is always more taxes. They don't understand that this crisis is one of spending not income. The United States Treasury collects over two, here this Two Trillion Dollars in Taxes. The problem is that it spends over three Trillion in its Spending.
I wont belabor the point but this President doesn't even listen to his own appointed Debt commission. Even they acknowledged that this was a spending issue and proposed various solutions to bring balance back into the Federal Budget. Did the President Listen-NO? I believe that circumstances have gotten beyond this radical President of ours and drastic measures are called for such as not increasing the debt limit. Then and only then will the government be forces to CUT Back and start trimming the waste Fraud and abject abuse of what we call a Federal Beuracracy.
For those that occasionally follow these blogs-I will be gone for about a week and a half. doing research on our friends South of the Border, Hopefully new incites will be developed. Till Then Hasta la Vista.

Financial Mess

Neighbors, they are arguing over some 30 billion dollars. That's less than 1% of the total budget. While we sat and watched these supposed learned men in Washington argue over mere Billions while spending more than they were saving. It just doesn't make any sense, it's in fact bizarre.
Now comes before our legislators the question of raising the debt limit. As I'm writing this short piece I have the clock(http://www.usdebtclock.org/)rolling along. I can't keep up with the numbers they move too quickly. Lets just stop time and take a look-14.2 Trillion=National Debt, that's $45,923/person-hum, have you, your spouse, and children each got that kind of dough laying around. I don't know your family but I'd have to go into hock to come up with that amount.
Lets take a look at the clock and see where the biggest budget items are- Medicare/Medicaid-$807 Billion, Social Security- $708 Billion, Military-$695 Billion. Add them up and you roughly get $2.2 Trillion. Add some discretionary spending and our Budget sits around 3.5 Trillion of which approx. 1.2 Trillion dollars has to be borrowed. The only way out of this mess is to cut.
Alex you say, We don't want to cut money from the old , the sick, the military. Let me tell you something, there are items within each of those big budgets, SS/Medi-care-Aid, and Military. loaded with lots of Waste, Fraud and Abuse.
I am a big proponent of the military but I have come to the conclusion that the time has come to pull our troops back from all around the world and let the world worry about itself. By the way where is the UN when you need it. Just by pulling our troops out of Afghanistan, Iraq and certain European countries would save Trillions in future spending.
The Obama Regime wanted 17 thousand additional IRS guys to scrutinize the tax system. Well if you have a simplified tax system where you make x number of dollars then take a reasonable percentage, multiply and wallah you have your tax bill. No more itemizing, no more corporate welfare, just a reasonable tax structure where cheating and pseudo itemizing are a thing of the past. No need for 17 thousand new IRS employees and No more adding on to the debt.
Lets stop right here and make a statement to the world. The United States of America is going to clean up its house, stop spending beyond what we take in and put a stop to this financial mess we are in. That's the way to get out of this mess folks and a mess we are truly in.

Financial Crisis

Now I'm not a financial wizard nor a consulting guru but I do believe I have a bit of common sense. This mess we are in is not difficult to understand and I'm going to try and explain in in very simple terms.
Our government is operating in the red, period. We are spending more than we are taking in and the money printing presses are working overtime. Now if you don't understand what I've just said let me put it in down to earth terms that all can understand. You have a family budget and bills. You ran out of money several years ago and started using your Master Card as a way to tide you over. Your making payments, sometimes all but most times the minimum payment. Now your Master Card has hit the limit and you can't charge anything else on it. You turn around and do the same thing on your Discover card. Finally you go and max out that American Express card and your out of ways to pay.
Well folks, that's were the federal government is now. The Debt Limit has had to be raised three times since President Obama was inaugurated on January 29, 2009.
We are coming up on another debt limit in a very short time. The Congress just came to an agreement to not shut the government down and cut a measly $38 Billion. We are going to be in the same place again in several weeks,
If these guys in Washington don't get their act together and realize that we have a spending problem not an income problem. You just can't keep hitting up on your rich uncle any more. You've finally tapped out your options and are just going to have to start living within your means. Washington Wak -Up.

Government

Well the ship of state continues on its fall towards the abyss. Even if we get a budget deal today doesn't mean all is well and we have leveled off and can sail into the sunset. WRONG! The issue in front of us is not a revenue issue but a spending issue. All of us have heard those stories about this or that abuse. This morning I was driving to my favorite coffee place and was listening to the radio. A parol officer was talking about how persons released from jail get to go on the public doll by claiming to be disabled due to their being in jail, Now wait a minuet, they have big bulging muscels, they have had opportunities to educate themselves while in prison and finally theu were able enouight to commit crimes and now they are disabled, give me a break. This is just one small piece of the puzzle. Again I say it is a spending problem not a revenue issue. Lets hope the conservatives hold strong and make serious cuts in government spending.
As to this issue enjoy the political cartoon at the bottom of this site.