Save Amerika

This week on POPVOX

2011-03-29T06:49:00.000-07:00

POPVOX.com is a website the brings bills in congress to social media. Allowing users to vote for support or opposition of a bill and add comments explaining their decision. This information is also made available for non-profit organizations and Members of Congress. This creates a central location for constituency information that lawmakers can utilize when considering a bill or writing a future bill. The staff at POPVOX explains it this way.

POPVOX bridges the gap between the input the public wants to provide and the information Members of Congress want and need to receive.

Now on to the bills. I will list the name of the bill, some quick info, my comments on the bill, and a link to the bill on POPVOX. Have Fun!

H.R. 1002: Wireless Tax Fairness Act of 2011

To restrict any State or local jurisdiction from imposing a new discriminatory tax on cell phone services, providers, or property.

My Comments

"I support H.R. 1002: Wireless Tax Fairness Act of 2011 because...Restricting taxes to a minimum will help the flow of the cell phone market. Most people now own a cell phone and depend on it for many things. But this should not open a door for a new way to tax."

H.R. 1116: Respect for Marriage Act

To repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and ensure respect for State regulation of marriage.

My Comments

"I support H.R. 1116: Respect for Marriage Act because...We should allow states to determine their laws on marriage. Defining marriage at a federal level will prevent states from introducing bills or reversing old bills on Gay marriage. We can only move forward as a nation if we remove the barriers that lie in our path."

H.R. 96: Internet Freedom Act

To prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from further regulating the Internet.

My Comments

"I support H.R. 96: Internet Freedom Act because...I see no reason or explanation of why we should regulate the Internet in any way. There are no benefits for the people by regulating or changing the internet. Instead we should use the openness of the internet as a tool for use in community, commerce and information. We should also use it as a model for how markets and communities should work. As society progressed so quickly after the invention of the printing press, thus a much larger progression has come from the internet. If we restrict this in any way we will be restricting our future as a nation."

Bar Stool Economics and How Taxes Work

2010-12-05T21:01:00.000-08:00

Fixing the deficit is easy! Look!

2010-12-01T06:45:00.000-08:00

At the bottom of this post is a link to the solution I came up with for cutting the deficit. I used The New York Times interactive "puzzle" to find that solution.

Given the options I think it is a solid plan and I hope the Deficit Commission considers all these options. The biggest one being the cap on Medicare growth. This would make a huge difference by 2030. Saving a projected $562 Billion.

I can't justify any of the tax increases. But the page is set up to make you choose at least one tax increase. Also some of the cuts could have an even bigger impact on the economy and will affect financial issues later. Like Farm Subsidies, though I don't think that the government should be subsidizing any market in the economy, cuts to this will increase prices across the board. This ultimately leaks into other markets. When the price of food goes up, the price to deliver that food will go up. The amount of money we spend at the supermarket will decrease and will effect that business and employees. And will create another unstable situation.

I would also like to point out that this is not the peoples fault (kind of). It is the fault of the politicians in the federal government. Possibly a lack of oversight by the people. But the people will be the only ones to suffer from the situation. (Unless you vote for non-incumbents or intelligent politicians) I think there is an oxymoron joke in there. LOL

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/11/13/weekinreview/deficits-graphic.html?choices=vvttk010

Blame Liberalism

2010-11-23T14:08:00.000-08:00

Below I have posted a link to a recent article in the Columbus Dispatch by Cal Thomas titled 'Rampant Liberalism got us here". The article is a partial response to Bob Herbert's article in the New York Times, Hiding from Reality. The biggest thing that is achieved from the article is a true assessment and understanding of the political and economic issues in the United States. Pointing to rampant liberalism as the infecting virus and how culture has changed because of it. I think the most important part of fixing problems in the United States is definitely cultural change.

From the Cal Thomas article is a great description of what could be the new American Dream.

"The rules for achieving the American dream may no longer be taught in and supported by culture, but that doesn't mean they don't work. The rules are known to previous generations: studying and staying in school; achieving at least an undergraduate degree; avoiding drugs that harm your mind and body; getting married before you have children and working hard to stay married as an example to those children and to benefit society; saving and investing for retirement so as not to burden taxpayers and relatives; living within one's means; demonstrating personal honesty and professional integrity, which comes from character developed in one's youth, usually with a sense of right and wrong once imposed by parents and affirmed by culture."

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/editorials/stories/2010/11/23/rampant-liberalism-got-us-here.html

The personal impact of politics.

2010-11-01T16:50:00.001-07:00

Every political decision has several levels of impact once it has been made (sometimes even before). First politically, how it will effect future laws, elections, and politicians. Second economically, the direct or indirect effect on markets. Finally most important is the personal effect. The direct effect on the lives of citizens, emotionally, physically and economically.

The decisions that will be made on November 2nd will take a toll on all three factors. In the Gubernatorial race citizens of Ohio will either benefit from the decision or witness the failure of their decision. Governors represent the direction of a state and how it will develop in the next four years. Many issues will be on the ballot depending where you live and will effect the future on many different levels.

One is Issue 4 in Franklin County Ohio, the Columbus Metropolitan Library Levy. Most people are looking at this issue as a pure tax increase. I stand by my past and say that any tax increase (especially in bad economic times) is a bad idea. Normally this would be true, but we must be realistic. Taxes are necessary evils and should be used for essential community services. Things like Police, firefighters, transportation improvement, water and sewage, and education. Libraries are an essential part of a community and The Columbus Metropolitan Library provides many services to the community that many organizations can not. Politically this will effect future levies and endorsements. Economically this will increase property tax by "an additional $5.24 per month per $100,000 of home value."(keepcmlstrong.org) And personally it will effect the lives of the people who use the library. The thousands of books being used, computers, and services. Also the hundreds of positions that will be eliminated by the library (increase in unemployment).

I've never had to feel the inside of a political issue before. But as an employee of the Library I felt it today. A very tense atmosphere of "What if". What if it doesn't pass? Will I loose my job? Will we stay open?

I am not supporting Issue 4 because my job might be at stake, but because I believe in Libraries as an important part of society.

Please consider voting for Issue 4 and supporting your local libraries.

Joseph Nye the Political Science Guy!

2010-10-29T19:04:00.000-07:00

Me + Obama = Education Reform!!!

2010-09-27T21:21:00.000-07:00

I agree with EVERYTHING the President says about Education Reform! (In this video)

There I said it!

So much can be done to reform education across the board and these things are a great start.

Race to the Top: Competition between states for funding. The competition will drive innovation and actual reform
Eliminating poor teachers: employment of teachers based on the quality of their performance instead of their tenure.
Increasing Charter schools: This drives competition between the schools at a local level. Also gives families more choices on schools to attend.
Encourage Parents to be involved
Extending the school year: Students go to school about 36 weeks out of the year. Increase to 40 weeks and split it into 10 week quarters. With equal breaks in between.

Comment Update: We can't sit back and agree with something in our heads but not support it. It's outrageous to think that no republican will openly support these proposals simply because they're coming from the President. Most major bills pass now because just the right amount of votes get passed back and forth from side to side. A game of I'll vote now if you vote later. (yeah it's politics) But what would happen if both parties came out and said we like this bill there are some things we disagree on but we have both made EQUAL compromise.

Where's My congressman????

2010-09-26T20:54:00.000-07:00

Just a simple repost of this video. Shows the basic strategy of most politicians. "What looks good to the public?". But they could be focusing on what can I do today that will look good tomorrow, instead of saying what have I done that looks good now. This is true on both sides, Republicans and Democrats. Though this points out popular votes for Democrats you could have easily made a video like this in 2007 about Republicans. I also understand the importance of promoting one's voting history, but singling out likable events only tells half the story.

One can not erase the past but change the future by focusing on what's best for the country at all times. As a politician you can't go wrong with this attitude.

Being a politician should not be about popularity but about Leadership! This is what we lack in the Senate, this is what we lack in the House and this is what we lack in Ohio.

VOTE!!!! November 2nd

2010-09-25T21:59:00.000-07:00

My choices (so far) for the November 2nd Ohio/Franklin County elections.

Gubernatorial Race: John Kasich & Mary Taylor (See my previous post on why I support John Kasich: http://saveamerika1.blogspot.com/2010/01/three-reasons-why-im-supporting-john.html

Attorney General: Marc Allan Feldman

Auditor of the State: Dave Yost

Secretary of the State: Jon Husted

Treasurer of the State: Matthew P. Cantrell

United States Senator: Rob Portman

Representative to Congress (15th District): ??? (Tough choice)

State Representative (25th District): I'll be writing myself in (preparation for the future), if you are voting in the 25th district feel free to write me in.

Issues

#4: Yes, there are many reasons I could outline in another post of why I'm voting yes.

I'm sure I missed a few things, but these are the most important to list here. I'm not putting this online to boast about my voting knowledge or superior choosing skills. I wish to engage in conversation about why I've chosen to vote this way.

My Illegal Immigration Reform

2010-07-13T21:09:00.000-07:00

· Cut off all welfare or subsidies

o Any federal or state welfare programs should be limited to legal citizens only.

· All persons entering the United States with a purpose to become a citizen must sign a commitment to follow the path to citizenship. (Similar to a declaration of domicile)

o This will be accompanied by a list and timeline of things that should be done while living in the United States.

o This is strictly for legal immigrants. Start a tracking of immigrants as they move through the system, rather them waiting on them to file.

· Discourage hiring of illegal immigrants

o Only use companies that certify they don’t employee illegals : http://wehirealiens.com/

o Individuals and governments cannot force private companies to hire or not hire certain individuals, but society as a whole can sway the market to favor employment of only legal citizens.

o Encourage the use of the E-Verify system.

o Vote with our dollars! Only shop or spend money at places that do not employee Illegal Immigrants.

· Redirect outsourcing

o Outsourcing is inevitable; companies looking to save money will buy cheaper products, and employee cheap labor. Many technology based companies have moved their call centers, and tech centers to India and other countries. We should lobby companies that are considering outsourcing to move to Northern Mexico.

o If the jobs are going to leave this country/or state then it should move somewhere that will ultimately benefit the United States.

· Lower cost of citizenship test or provide vouchers

o Companies can also receive tax deductions if they sponsor employees for the citizenship application process. (with some limitations and caps)

· Increase the number of immigrants allowed into the military.

o This helps two issues, more people for the military and less illegal immigrants.

o Immigrants will be granted citizenship upon completion of contract.

o This will be subject to current laws and regulations of the current program.

o http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/us/15immig.html?_r=1

Sites to check out:

www.fairus.org ,

http://pewhispanic.org/

Vote NO! On Issue 2!

2010-05-03T11:01:00.000-07:00

I am a supporter of allowing gambling in Ohio. I think individuals should be allowed to make decisions of where they want to spend their money. If no one wants the Casino no one will spend their money there. After the decision made to allow 4 casinos in Ohio we need to take steps to capitalize on that decision. Whether you are against gambling/casinos or not you have to agree that if we are going make money (taxes and growth for the area) we should make the best decisions to do so.

Issue 2 wants to move the Columbus Casino to a new site on the West Side of Columbus. An area that is far from Downtown and surrounded by strip malls and small stores. (Hobby Lobby, and car dealerships) So after the Casino is built you can get some supplies and a used Cadillac while your leaving the casino. This is the exact opposite direction Columbus should be going. The city has been focusing efforts on downtown and surrounding neighborhoods. The main focus is to bring business and revenue to the downtown area(thus bringing it out of the suburbs and into the city's budget). So for city officials to support the move is outrageous.

What will be built by the casino on the West Side?
NOTHING!
One of the leaders of the group to move the casino is the owner of Haydocy car dealership. He wants the business. But I'm sure after you have spent a hundred dollars on the blackjack table you'll wonder over and buy a car. Or cross the 6 lane West Broad street to eat the fine dining of Tee Jay's country place. (Get the barnyard buster)

If we vote No! on Issue 2 it will keep the Casino in a safer area, with established entertainment and businesses. You can begin your night at a local nightclub or bar, maybe see a game at Huntington Park or Nationwide Arena. Then wonder over to the casino to spend 30 minutes to an hour having fun. (or more)

If the Casino is on the West Side the FEW people who make the long drive out there will stay for an hour or two then leave. They won't stick around to see the specials at the Westland Flea Market or the Five shops left at Westland mall.

If we want the Casino to turn into a sleezy establishment then Vote for Issue 2.
But if you want economic growth then Vote NO! on Issue 2.

Also check out the article in the Other Paper and form your own opinion.
http://theotherpaper.com/articles/2010/05/01/cover_story/doc4bd981eeb1d6b071751983.txt

Coffee Party Vs. TEA Party

2010-03-14T00:02:00.000-08:00

First thing I don't support either of these groups. I do agree with the TEA Party on the issues of taxes and small government. But I don't agree on having a party that only focuses on one issue. This ignores other very important issues in American government. But I definitely disagree with pretty much everything the Coffee Party stands for. Below I've posted a video by Lee Doren (How The World Works) about the Coffee Party. After the video I will further explain why the Coffee Party is worthless and ineffective.

I'd like to post the information from the Coffee Party's website and explain why their ideals make no sense.

"Coffee Party USA is made up of people acting independently of political parties, of corporations, and of political lobbying networks."
This is a discriminatory view in itself. Whether or not people are affiliated with these groups they still have opinions. The members of these groups play a valuable part in politics by providing accurate information to politicians, groups, and citizens. This also goes against their own ideals of promoting deliberation in order to achieve the common good and diversity.

"We demand a government that responds to the needs of the majority of its citizens as expressed by our votes and by our voices; NOT corporate interests as expressed by misleading advertisements and campaign contributions."
First part: They are asking for a direct democracy. Where whatever the majority says goes. So by their standard if your group out numbers the other than you win. This has ultimately been prevented in the United States because we are not a complete democracy, we are in fact a Republic. Simply we elect a representative to make decisions based on what is good for the people. When this doesn't happen the people of that district, state, area, etc. can elect a new Representative.
By their standard all laws would not pass unless the majority says so. Lets take Woman's suffrage for example. Only 17 States allowed full voting rights to Woman before the passing of the 19th Amendment. Meaning if the Coffee Party had its way Woman would have waited until the majority said it was okay for woman to vote. The majority in some states already saying no voting rights at all.

Thomas Jefferson once said “A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.”

Second part: Are Corporations not made up of citizens? Do they not pay taxes? If you look at the political rights of corporations and the political rights of the Coffee Party, on paper they would look the same. Except the corporation has more money (?) and can contribute less to political campaigns. This statement is also stereotyping all corporations into money grubbing liars!
Also corporations don't have a vote, only citizens. that is where the power lies.

"We want a society in which democracy is treated as sacrosanct and ordinary citizens participate out of a sense of civic duty, civic pride, and a desire to contribute to society. The Coffee Party is a call to action. Our Founding Fathers and Mothers gave us an enduring gift — Democracy — and we must use it to meet the challenges that we face as a nation."
As I mentioned before the United States is a Republic not a Democracy. So I finish with this quote "No good government but what is republican... the very definition of a republic is 'an empire of laws, and not of men." -John Adams, Founding Father

The Philosophy of Liberty

2010-02-20T08:12:00.000-08:00

The basic philosophy of liberty is the basis for all political decisions.
Or it should be.
Not all citizens or politicians base their decisions of the philosophy of liberty. This is not a one sided philosophy, it is a common sense philosophy. Its the philosophy that our country was founded on and should be the philosophy that we continue to use today.
Most individuals base their political decisions on personal values or their view on several issues. The problem is these decisions aren't based on the common sense philosophy of liberty. This is when we get the health care intrusions of the last four presidents, class based income tax or income tax in general, and the intrusions of anti-liberty laws passed by congress (patriot act). These situations continue everyday when individuals take the philosophy of liberty out of their thought process.

Jamie Laurie's letter to Congress!

2010-02-05T15:58:00.000-08:00

To Whom It May Concern,

My name is Jamie Laurie, and I am a registered voter in the state of Ohio. I recently learned that your committee, the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, was planning to hold a hearing on the Toyota recall issue on February 10, 2010. This is infuriating. Congress has no place in private business, as it would seem that that would defeat the whole purpose of the capitalistic and free market system that we pride in this great country. Americans are tired of government sticking their nose where it does not belong. They are tired of watching their tax dollars fly out the window to pay for another Wall Street bailout, another bank bailout, and another Government Motors fiasco.

This great country was founded on the principles of hard work and personal liberties. With those personal liberties come personal responsibilities. It is not the government’s job to step in and fix every private business that fails or has a mishap; it is the business’s job. Toyota has a history of being an exceptional company that prides itself on quality products and services. They have an excellent track record of fixing customer issues in the past, and, so far, they have handled the issue without any government interference. For the government to interfere now would only exacerbate the fear that Americans already have from the recall, and put millions of jobs at risk, as Toyota employs Americans in their plants across the country.

As a consumer, if the government interferes with a private business, I automatically lose confidence in that business. General Motors is a prime example. When the government stepped in and bailed the company out, consumer confidence in General Motors plummeted, leaving the American people to pay the bill. Thousands of jobs were lost as sales dropped dramatically. If the government expects the economy to rebound, we need consumer confidence in our major companies, like Toyota. If the government were to interfere, it would destroy confidence and only be a further detriment our already suffering economy.

I am requesting that you and the other members of this committee cancel the hearing, before Toyota’s reputation and consumer confidence is destroyed completely. In order for this great country to recover from the current economic crisis, we need to embrace free market policy, not stifle it. The government should allow Toyota to continue to fix the problem on their own, instead of interfering and placing thousands of jobs at risk.

Three Reasons why I’m supporting John Kasich for Governor of Ohio

2010-01-31T15:58:00.000-08:00

1. Promotion of personal responsibility. This is a simple principle that individuals should take responsibility for their actions, whether they are good or bad. If an individual is successful and makes money they shouldn’t be punished by more taxes or fees. Also if an individual fails they shouldn’t be further punished or saved by the government. They should accept responsibility and accept the consequences. Most individuals have seen hard times or times of failure. It shouldn’t be the government’s responsibility to pick and choose who to help. They cannot decide to allow one person to fail (Lehman Brothers) and save another person (everyone else). I’m not saying everyone should suffer, I’m all for non-profits, churches, and other groups helping people. But the government (local, state, and federal) doesn’t do it efficiently and focuses more on shoving money at people rather than actually helping them.

2. Belief in the free market. Over the past 100 years we have moved farther from free market economics and common sense. While moving closer to “strategically” controlling the economy through injecting capital into certain sectors. I support green jobs, environmental movements, and alternative energy. But I wouldn’t want to force everyone else in Ohio to put their lives, money, and jobs into that sector. By using government appropriations and grants (the people’s money) to influence the flow of the economy we are manipulating the choices that individuals make with their money. If the majority of Ohioans want Green products they will buy them and create a market for green products. But if no one buys those products the government should not act as our Parents and tell Ohioans what they need.

3. Principles of small government. Basically cutting taxes, making government more efficient and cutting regulations and influence on the free market. By doing these things John Kasich will ensure that more jobs and people are brought to Ohio. This is simple and needs little explanation. Lower taxes attracts more companies and people looking to save money and make money. By making government smaller and more efficient this will allow for a smaller budget and less taxes. Finally by cutting regulations and influence on the free market business (small and large) will be attracted to Ohio and will provide more jobs and revenue for the economy.

RON PAUL PLAYLIST

2009-07-28T13:34:00.000-07:00

Check out the Ron Paul Playlist. Which includes the Audit the Fed song, and a lot of other great songs.

Senator Demint speaks the TRUTH

2009-07-25T08:39:00.000-07:00

Senator Demint speaks the truth about health care and health care reform. Myself and many others believe that government run health care is a poor choice for this situation. There are less expensive and more efficient ways to reform health care. This is a lazy and irresponsible method of reform. We are basically saying take the problem out of my hands and do it for me. If we expect government, groups of people, or any other individual to run our lives or solve problems for us, that essentially is lazy. Americans need to stand up and take responsibility for their actions and situation. We need to stop relying on others to solve our problems.

DEATH AND TAXES

2009-07-22T23:31:00.000-07:00

I got this from another site. I could spend hours looking at all the numbers and images. It makes you think about taxes with a material sense. Because most people never see the money that is paid in income tax we forget that it ever exist.
Also, imagine this budget plus another few billion for health care.

The image is fully interactive and one can zoom in and out of each section.

For more personal finance images visit Mint.com's Financial Blog

2009-07-18T09:32:00.000-07:00

This is simply a repost from another site. I don't think there is anything I can add to this to make it more clear.

Socialist America sinking

Posted: July 16, 2009
8:41 pm Eastern

© 2009

After half a century of fighting encroachments upon freedom in America, journalist Garet Garrett published "The People's Pottage." A year later, in 1954, he died. "The People's Pottage" opens thus:

"There are those who still think they are holding the pass against a revolution that may be coming up the road. But they are gazing in the wrong direction. The revolution is behind them. It went by in the Night of Depression

, singing songs to freedom."

Garrett wrote of a revolution within the form. While outwardly America appeared the same, a revolution within had taken place that was now irreversible. One need only glance at where we were before the New Deal, where we are and where we are headed to see how far we are off the course the Founding Fathers set for our republic.

Taxes drove the American Revolution, for we were a taxaphobic, liberty-loving people. That government is best that governs least is an Americanism. When "Silent Cal" Coolidge went home in 1929, the U.S. government was spending 3 percent of gross domestic product.

And today? Obama's first budget will consume 28 percent of the entire GDP; state and local governments another 15 percent. While there is some overlap, in 2009, government will consume 40 percent of GDP, approaching the peak of World War II.

Tell Congress to stop spending America into the ground! Sign the WND petition demanding lawmakers stop the bailouts, stimulus bills and march toward socialism and national destruction.

The deficit for 2009 is $1.8 trillion, 13 percent of the whole economy. Obama is pushing a cap-and-trade bill to cut carbon emissions that will impose huge costs on energy production, spike consumer prices and drive production offshore to China, which is opting out of Kyoto II. The Chinese are not fools.

Obama plans to repeal the Bush tax cuts and take the income tax rate to near 40 percent. Combined state and local income tax rates can run to 10 percent. For the self-employed, payroll taxes add up to 15.2 percent on the first $106,800 for all wages of all workers. Medicare takes 2.9 percent of all wages above that. Then there are the state sales taxes that can run to 8 percent, property taxes, gas taxes, excise taxes and "sin taxes" on booze, cigarettes and, soon, hot dogs and soft drinks.

Comes now national health insurance from Nancy Pelosi's House. A surtax that runs to 5.4 percent of all earnings of the top 1 percent of Americans, who already pay 40 percent of all federal income taxes, has been sent to the Senate. Included also is an 8 percent tax on the entire payroll of small businesses that fail to provide health insurance for employees.

Other ideas on the table include taxing the health benefits that businesses provide their employees.

The D.C.-based Tax Foundation says New Yorkers could face a combined income tax rate of near 60 percent.

In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson called George III a tyrant for having "erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people and eat out their substance."

What did George III do with his Stamp Act, Townshend Acts or tea tax to compare with what is being done to this generation of Americans by their own government?

While the hardest-working and most productive are bled, a third of all wage-earners pay no U.S. income tax, and Obama plans to free almost half of all wage-earners of all income taxes. Yet, tens of millions get Medicaid, rent supplements, free education, food stamps, welfare and an annual check from Uncle Sam called an Earned Income Tax Credit, though they never paid a nickel in income taxes.

Oh, yes. Obama also promises everybody a college education.

Coming to America to feast on this cornucopia of freebies is the world. One million to 2 million immigrants, legal and illegal, arrive every year. They come with fewer skills and less education than Americans, and consume more tax dollars than they contribute by three to one.

Wise Latina women have more babies north of the border than they do in Mexico and twice as many here as American women.

As almost all immigrants are now Third World people of color, they qualify for ethnic preferences in hiring and promotions and admissions to college over the children of Americans.

All of this would have astounded and appalled the Founding Fathers, who after all, created America – as they declared loud and clear in the Constitution – "for ourselves and our posterity."

China saves, invests and grows at 8 percent. America, awash in debt, has a shrinking economy, a huge trade deficit, a gutted industrial base, an unemployment rate surging toward 10 percent and a money supply that's swollen to double its size in a year. The 20th century may have been the American Century. The 21st shows another pattern.

"The United States is declining as a nation and a world power with mostly sighs and shrugs to mark this seismic event," writes Les Gelb, president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, in CFR's Foreign Affairs magazine. "Astonishingly, some people do not appear to realize that the situation is all that serious."

Even the establishment is starting to get the message.

House Votes on Iran Resolution

2009-06-19T13:34:00.000-07:00

The House foreign affairs committee has drafted a resolution that will respond to the recent activities in Iran. The resolution is not a plan of action or a declaration of action, but rather a statement of opinion. The Congress does this often where a resolution is drafted in order to send a message to another country or entity. Below is the outline of the resolution.

Expressing support for all Iranian citizens who struggle for freedom, human rights, civil liberties, and the protection of the rule of law

Resolved, that the House of Representatives —

(1) expresses its support for all Iranian citizens who embrace the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties, and rule of law;

(2) condemns the ongoing violence against demonstrators by the Government of Iran and pro-government militias, as well as the ongoing government suppression of independent electronic communication through interference with the Internet and cellphones; and

(3) affirms the universality of individual rights and the importance of democratic and fair elections.

I am personally upset by the outcome of the elections in Iran, but I would by no means try to influence another nation in their selection of government. True some governments are not the best for the people of that nation. Also some governments do not have the best relations with the United States. The choice that the people of Iran have made is a choice they must deal with. Whether it is violence against there own people, or violence against the United States. If this action some how spirals into war with the United States, then it is the fault of the people of Iran.
Some may argue that it is the government of Iran that is committing violence and destroying its relations with the United States. But it is a government elected by the people and held together by the people.

In the Declaration of Independence it says:
"That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness."

The Iranian people have overthrown their government before and if necessary will do so again. Whether their choice is the leader they have now or to institute a new one is up to them, NOT the United States. We went through 8 years of Bush, which is very similar.

With support from both Democrats and Republicans I believe this issue is going to go a long way. But is this resolution worth the time and paper? Will it even make a difference?

Free State Project

2009-06-12T11:38:00.000-07:00

While performing by daily routine of stalking other people on Facebook I found a link in the sidebar for The Free State Project. It stated something about achieving liberty within my time.(Well isn't that what we all dream of?) Rather then boring you with the details I'll post below the explanation of the project from their site.

What the Free State Project is... The Free State Project is an effort to recruit 20,000 liberty-loving people to move to New Hampshire. We are looking for neighborly, productive, tolerant folks from all walks of life, of all ages, creeds, and colors who agree to the political philosophy expressed in our Statement of Intent, that government exists at most to protect people's rights, and should neither provide for people nor punish them for activities that interfere with no one else.

"Oh my God! It's a cult" was the first thing that I said. But after reading through some things it became more interesting.
It's really a radical idea to think that moving 20,000 people to New Hampshire will accomplish change. Well, it has. Currently 720 people have already moved there in search of personal liberty. Embarking on a pilgrimage across state lines to create some sort of Liberty Haven. Where liberty lives on, and continues to flourish. Also the group has accomplished some major initiatives. Below are some of the reasons they believe they have been successful.

Electing four Free Staters to the New Hampshire State House. With less than 1,000 movers so far, it will be exciting to see what happens when we have a few thousand moved.

Electing about 20 Free Staters to various local offices.

Getting a spending cap in various New Hampshire towns that cap the rate of spending to the rate of inflation.

Fighting and successfully killing Real ID in New Hampshire! (video here).

Engaging in commerce with real money.

Speaking to the legislature (while bearing arms!) and helping to write and pass legislation.

Protecting New Hampshire's status as the state with some of the best gun laws (or lack of laws) in the country.

This all sounds great in a personal view of liberty, when the only thing that a person cares about is there own liberty. (Which is important) But life and politics are about more than your own personal liberty. We must also consider the fulfillment of others personal liberty. Or your home State. Or the Country as a whole.

This project only benefits those involved and the state of New Hampshire. If I was to move to New Hampshire to protect my own personal liberty what would happen to the State of Ohio. What would happen to the protection of liberty in Ohio, or the Midwest, or the Nation. The ideals of personal liberty are not meant for only New Hampshirites. Personal liberty is meant for all people! It is protected in the Constitution of the United States and the Constitutions of each individual States.
If we look back on the Hippie movement of the 1960s, we see that San Francisco became the epicenter for the movement. This was ultimately beneficial to getting the public's attention but did not win over the hearts and minds of the people. Their ideals and the movement eventually fizzled out. Similarly we can not centralize liberty or the ideals of personal liberty. We must spread these ideals across the nation.

As I think that the motifs are correct the actions are not. This may be the ideal life for some and may very well fit their lives perfectly. But I think for the benefit of personal liberty within the entire Nation the Free State Project is not supporting the cause.

2008-06-21T10:27:00.000-07:00

Fareed Zakaria is a preeminent foreign affairs analyst and hosts "Fareed Zakaria: GPS" on CNN at 1 p.m. ET Sunday. He spoke to CNN about the U.S. decision not to work with Hamas.

Fareed Zakaria says the efforts to isolate Hamas are instead strengthening fundamentalism.

NEW YORK (CNN) --

CNN: Why is the American decision not to work with Hamas such an issue in the Arab world?

Zakaria: The U.S. appears hypocritical to much of the Arab world. The U.S. has been trumpeting the importance of democracy to Arab countries world and has insisted on elections in Gaza. When Hamas, a faction they did not support, won, many Arabs felt the U.S. did not accept the victory and has attempted to strangle what they see as a burgeoning democracy.
CNN: How much of a difference does this make?

Zakaria: By the U.S. isolating Hamas from commerce and contact with the outside world, we are strengthening the forces of fundamentalism and extremism in Gaza. By all accounts, Hamas is stronger now than it was six months ago.

CNN: Do you expect any progress on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process restarted in Annapolis?

Zakaria: No. With President Bush's approval rating under 30 percent and Prime Minister Olmert's at under 3 percent and President Abbas' somewhere in the middle, they don't have the public support to accomplish this. They can sign a piece of paper, but it won't mean anything and won't have the political capital needed to accomplish anything substantive.

CNN: Is Israel doing the right thing by denying visas to Gaza's Fulbright scholars?

Zakaria: No, nor do many Israelis agree with the decision. The chairman of the Israeli Knesset Education Committee remarked, "Preventing students in Gaza from studying is reminiscent of a painful point in Jewish history. We are a nation that for years was prevented from studying; how can we do the same thing to another people? Trapping hundreds of students in Gaza is immoral and unwise."

CNN: Can the U.S. do much about it?

Zakaria: When I spoke with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for this week's show, she said the U.S. was unhappy with the decision and hoped it would be resolved. She noted that these students had been granted visas by the U.S. State Department. They had gone through an extensive clearance process to be granted those visas.

What happens when you institute Public Health care!

2008-06-13T17:11:00.000-07:00

June 13, 2008

Japan, Seeking Trim Waists, Measures Millions

By NORIMITSU ONISHI

AMAGASAKI, Japan — Japan, a country not known for its overweight people, has undertaken one of the most ambitious campaigns ever by a nation to slim down its citizenry.

Summoned by the city of Amagasaki one recent morning, Minoru Nogiri, 45, a flower shop owner, found himself lining up to have his waistline measured. With no visible paunch, he seemed to run little risk of being classified as overweight, or metabo, the preferred word in Japan these days.

But because the new state-prescribed limit for male waistlines is a strict 33.5 inches, he had anxiously measured himself at home a couple of days earlier. “I’m on the border,” he said.

Under a national law that came into effect two months ago, companies and local governments must now measure the waistlines of Japanese people between the ages of 40 and 74 as part of their annual checkups. That represents more than 56 million waistlines, or about 44 percent of the entire population.

Those exceeding government limits — 33.5 inches for men and 35.4 inches for women, which are identical to thresholds established in 2005 for Japan by the International Diabetes Federation as an easy guideline for identifying health risks — and having a weight-related ailment will be given dieting guidance if after three months they do not lose weight. If necessary, those people will be steered toward further re-education after six more months.

To reach its goals of shrinking the overweight population by 10 percent over the next four years and 25 percent over the next seven years, the government will impose financial penalties on companies and local governments that fail to meet specific targets. The country’s Ministry of Health argues that the campaign will keep the spread of diseases like diabetes and strokes in check.

The ministry also says that curbing widening waistlines will rein in a rapidly aging society’s ballooning health care costs, one of the most serious and politically delicate problems facing Japan today. Most Japanese are covered under public health care or through their work. Anger over a plan that would make those 75 and older pay more for health care brought a parliamentary censure motion Wednesday against Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, the first against a prime minister in the country’s postwar history.

But critics say that the government guidelines — especially the one about male waistlines — are simply too strict and that more than half of all men will be considered overweight. The effect, they say, will be to encourage overmedication and ultimately raise health care costs.

Yoichi Ogushi, a professor at Tokai University’s School of Medicine near Tokyo and an expert on public health, said that there was “no need at all” for the Japanese to lose weight.

“I don’t think the campaign will have any positive effect. Now if you did this in the United States, there would be benefits, since there are many Americans who weigh more than 100 kilograms,” or about 220 pounds, Mr. Ogushi said. “But the Japanese are so slender that they can’t afford to lose weight.”

Mr. Ogushi was actually a little harder on Americans than they deserved. A survey by the National Center for Health Statistics found that the average waist size for Caucasian American men was 39 inches, a full inch lower than the 40-inch threshold established by the International Diabetes Federation. American women did not fare as well, with an average waist size of 36.5 inches, about two inches above their threshold of 34.6 inches. The differences in thresholds reflected variations in height and body type from Japanese men and women.

Comparable figures for the Japanese are sketchy since waistlines have not been measured officially in the past. But private research on thousands of Japanese indicates that the average male waistline falls just below the new government limit.

That fact, widely reported in the media, has heightened the anxiety in the nation’s health clinics.

In Amagasaki, a city in western Japan, officials have moved aggressively to measure waistlines in what the government calls special checkups. The city had to measure at least 65 percent of the 40- to 74-year-olds covered by public health insurance, an “extremely difficult” goal, acknowledged Midori Noguchi, a city official.

When his turn came, Mr. Nogiri, the flower shop owner, entered a booth where he bared his midriff, exposing a flat stomach with barely discernible love handles. A nurse wrapped a tape measure around his waist across his belly button: 33.6 inches, or 0.1 inch over the limit.

“Strikeout,” he said, defeat spreading across his face.

The campaign started a couple of years ago when the Health Ministry began beating the drums for a medical condition that few Japanese had ever heard of — metabolic syndrome — a collection of factors that heighten the risk of developing vascular disease and diabetes. Those include abdominal obesity, high blood pressure and high levels of blood glucose and cholesterol. In no time, the scary-sounding condition was popularly shortened to the funny-sounding metabo, and it has become the nation’s shorthand for overweight.

The mayor of one town in Mie, a prefecture near here, became so wrapped up in the anti-metabo campaign that he and six other town officials formed a weight-loss group called “The Seven Metabo Samurai.” That campaign ended abruptly after a 47-year-old member with a 39-inch waistline died of a heart attack while jogging.

Still, at a city gym in Amagasaki recently, dozens of residents — few of whom appeared overweight — danced to the city’s anti-metabo song, which warned against trouser buttons popping and flying away, “pyun-pyun-pyun!”

“Goodbye, metabolic. Let’s get our checkups together. Go! Go! Go!

Goodbye, metabolic. Don’t wait till you get sick. No! No! No!”

The word metabo has made it easier for health care providers to urge their patients to lose weight, said Dr. Yoshikuni Sakamoto, a physician in the employee health insurance union at Matsushita, which makes Panasonic products.

“Before we had to broach the issue with the word obesity, which definitely has a negative image,” Dr. Sakamoto said. “But metabo sounds much more inclusive.”

Even before Tokyo’s directives, Matsushita had focused on its employees’ weight during annual checkups. Last summer, Akio Inoue, 30, an engineer carrying 238 pounds on a 5-foot-7 frame, was told by a company doctor to lose weight or take medication for his high blood pressure. After dieting, he was down to 182 pounds, but his waistline was still more than one inch over the state-approved limit.

With the new law, Matsushita has to measure the waistlines of not only its employees but also of their families and retirees. As part of its intensifying efforts, the company has started giving its employees “metabo check” towels that double as tape measures.

“Nobody will want to be singled out as metabo,” Kimiko Shigeno, a company nurse, said of the campaign. “It’ll have the same effect as non-smoking campaigns where smokers are now looked at disapprovingly.”

Companies like Matsushita must measure the waistlines of at least 80 percent of their employees. Furthermore, they must get 10 percent of those deemed metabolic to lose weight by 2012, and 25 percent of them to lose weight by 2015.

NEC, Japan’s largest maker of personal computers, said that if it failed to meet its targets, it could incur as much as $19 million in penalties. The company has decided to nip metabo in the bud by starting to measure the waistlines of all its employees over 30 years old and by sponsoring metabo education days for the employees’ families.

Some experts say the government’s guidelines on everything from waistlines to blood pressure are so strict that meeting, or exceeding, those targets will be impossible. They say that the government’s real goal is to shift health care costs onto the private sector.

Dr. Minoru Yamakado, an official at the Japan Society of Ningen Dock, an association of doctors who administer physical exams, said he endorsed the government’s campaign and its focus on preventive medicine.

But he said that the government’s real priority should be to reduce smoking rates, which remain among the highest among advanced nations, in large part because of Japan’s powerful tobacco lobby.

“Smoking is even one of the causes of metabolic syndrome,” he said. “So if you’re worried about metabo, stopping people from smoking should be your top priority.”

Despite misgivings, though, Japan is pushing ahead.

Kizashi Ohama, an official in Matsuyama, a city that has also acted aggressively against metabo, said he would leave the debate over the campaign’s merits to experts and health officials in Tokyo.

At Matsuyama’s public health clinic, Kinichiro Ichikawa, 62, said the government-approved 33.5-inch male waistline was “severe.” He is 5-foot-4, weighs only 134 pounds and knows no one who is overweight.

“Japan shouldn’t be making such a fuss about this,” he said before going off to have his waistline measured.

But on a shopping strip here, Kenzo Nagata, 73, a toy store owner, said he had ignored a letter summoning him to a so-called special checkup. His waistline was no one’s business but his own, he said, though he volunteered that, at 32.7 inches, it fell safely below the limit. He planned to disregard the second notice that the city was scheduled to mail to the recalcitrant.

“I’m not going,” he said. “I don’t think that concerns me.”

House Republicans propose 28 percent cap on PayDay Loans

2008-05-10T17:41:00.000-07:00

As describe by the all mighty center of knowledge Wikipedia, a payday loan (also called a paycheck advance or payday advance) is a small, short-term loan that is intended to cover a borrower's expenses until his or her next payday. In my experience and my observations these loans only plague the lower class by giving them easy access to short term loans at high interest rates. These loans leave individuals with rolling debt, paying off one loan with their pay check to then get another loan the next week before the next pay check. Many people within the United States live from pay check to pay check, but these loans put those people in a position of living from interest rate to interest rate.

Many people may argue that these people make the decision to pursue these loans and they are solely responsible for their debt. While this is true we must also recognize that these Pay Day Loan companies target and prey on the weaknesses of the unintelligent lower class. Many of these problems stem back to other issues within our society that fuel the degeneration of the lower class. Such as education, drugs, addictive substances, and so on. These issues are all apart of the personal choices that these individuals make, but with a lack of education and increased stress levels from financial burdens we can not expect people to not use the resource of Pay Day Loans. We can only set standards for these type of loans in order to aid the American people in their quest of prosperity.

"(Ohio) House Bill 545, which would cap payday lending rates at 28 percent, limit borrowers to four loans per year, cut the maximum loan size from $800 to $500 and require that borrowers get at least 31 days to pay off a loan." (Dispatch.com)

"Payday lenders currently charge about $15 per $100 borrowed for a two-week loan. The bill would limit the rate to less than $2.50 per $100 on a one-month loan." (Dispatch.com)

The real question now is:
Is it the government's job to dictate what this business can do?
Or is it the duty of the government to ensure that the people are not being sold into more and more debt?

Freedom of Speech in science class

2008-04-17T06:10:00.000-07:00

By Bill Bush

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

A Mount Vernon science teacher said yesterday that he will refuse to remove a Bible from his classroom desk despite his school district's order.

"Thousands of citizens in this community have built their lives on deeply held religious convictions, and it is for them that I stand today," John Freshwater, 51, who teaches at Mount Vernon Middle School, said in a news release.

The religious activist Dave Daubenmire, Freshwater's friend, acted as his spokesman yesterday. "This is not a religion issue; this is a free-speech issue," Daubenmire said. "He didn't take the Bible to read to anybody."

"This is correct the only thing this situation pertains to is freedom. Some like to call it freedom of speech, but I say its just basic freedom. This man is not preaching or reading from the bible thus not infringing on anyones rights.

It is this over sensitized mentality that has put our society in the ridiculously immature state it is in now. We try hard to be politically correct and to force diversity because we do not actually trust the systems that we are trying to implement. Diversity is natural occurrence when two different cultures find common ground. In our society we see diversity as the ideal living environment and try to force it upon everyone.

The other side of this situation is that the school district is protecting the right of the students to have their freedom of religion. On both sides this is a 1st amendment case. But rather than taking away the teachers rights in order to protect the rights of the students the School District should ensure that the teacher is not using the bible in class."

The district later released a one-paragraph statement saying that district officials don't oppose religion but are required "under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution to protect against the establishment of religion in the schools. As a public school system the district cannot teach, promote or favor any religion or religious beliefs."

In the past, Freshwater has taught his students about the "holes in evolution" and intelligent design, the theory that a supernatural power created complex forms of life, Daubenmire said.

"Would our government ask a follower of Islam to remove her burqa in order to teach school?" Freshwater said in his written statement. "Would we ask a science teacher to remove The Origin of Species from his desk merely because the origin of man has never been proven?