Here is a link to Cato Institute blog entry on the insane salary and benefit information on federal government workers.
http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2009/08/24/federal-pay-continues-rapid-ascent/
A constant theme of my postings has been the federal government's over-stepping of its bounds into areas that the Constitution does not permit. We should be eliminating these federal agencies and departments, lowering federal taxes and empowering states to solve these issues at a more local level.
As the blog above indicates, not only are these un-Constitutional agencies bloating the federal budget, but ALL federal employees are overpaid when compared to the average wage in private industry. The average federal wage is $79,197 as compared to $49,935 in private industry.
Big Government Democrats and Republicans grow the size of government, hire more employees and further strengthen the dependency of more and more Americans on the federal government for either a handout or a paycheck. In either case, it's our tax dollars being used to pay for it.
We need to elect (Libertarian) politicans who will seriously slash federal spending and bring federal employee wages more in line with private industry. My mother was a federal employee. Most federal employees do great work, but the facts show that most are grossly overpaid when compared to their peers in private industry.
People shouldn't enter public service to get rich. If that is your goal then private industry should be your calling. Our politicans have forgotten with whose money they are playing.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
A Third Way
In today's Richmond Times-Dispatch editorial pages the editorial staff comment on the sad, sad state of the Republican Party.
"The Republicans' biggest problem is not their ideology but their lack of one. Stigmatized as rightists, behaving like leftists, and ultimately standing for nothing, they're in the worst of all possible worlds," quotes the editors of another article by Christopher Caldwell, "The Southern Captivity of the GOP."
The RTD staff and Caldwell are correct. The GOP stands for nothing and everything all at the same time. The Libertarian Party literally describes itself as "The Party of Principle." What principles are those? Smaller Government. Lower Taxes. More Freedom.
Republican talk a good game, but when elected behave exactly like liberals. It is time for Amercia (and especially our media) to pay attention to America's largest third party.
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/editorials/article/ED-CALD24_20090823-165804/287875/
"The Republicans' biggest problem is not their ideology but their lack of one. Stigmatized as rightists, behaving like leftists, and ultimately standing for nothing, they're in the worst of all possible worlds," quotes the editors of another article by Christopher Caldwell, "The Southern Captivity of the GOP."
The RTD staff and Caldwell are correct. The GOP stands for nothing and everything all at the same time. The Libertarian Party literally describes itself as "The Party of Principle." What principles are those? Smaller Government. Lower Taxes. More Freedom.
Republican talk a good game, but when elected behave exactly like liberals. It is time for Amercia (and especially our media) to pay attention to America's largest third party.
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/editorials/article/ED-CALD24_20090823-165804/287875/
Saturday, August 22, 2009
A General Alarm! You gotta fight for your right to...
Without a doubt our Founding Fathers wrote our Constitution to specifically limit the powers granted to federal government and reserve them to the people and the states. Unfortunately the slow march of time has weakened the resolve of both the people and the states in defense of their liberty, thereby allowing our federal government to slowly but surely steal our freedoms.
James Madison wrote in The Federalist No. 46, “The ultimate authority, wherever the derivative may be found, resides in the people alone.” He goes on to say, “But ambitious encroachments of the federal government on the authority of the State governments would not excite the opposition of a single State, or of a few States only. They would be signals of a general alarm. Every government would espouse the common cause. A correspondence would be opened. Plans of resistance would be concerted.”
A general alarm!
Yes, a general alarm should be sounded. Correspondence should be written and spread to all the people.
“The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite….The powers reserved to the several states will extend to all the objects which…concern the lives, liberties, and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement and prosperity of the State,” wrote Madison in The Federalist No. 45.
Quite the opposite seems true today. The federal government’s scope of power has been allowed to expand well beyond the explicit restrictions of the Constitution. We must demand a return of our sovereignty, of our freedom, of our liberty.
How can you do this? Most immediately, contact your Representatives and Senators and tell them to reject a government health care option. Tell them to focus on tort reform as one effective way to reign in the cost of health care. Let’s start by trying to fix the current system before replacing it with a government “solution.”
Longer term I strongly encourage you to support liberty by voting Libertarian. Republicans are for big government and Democrats are for bigger government. We lose in both cases. The lesser of two evils is still evil. But there can be a third way. That is through a grassroots movement of the people to reclaim their liberty from an economically and personally intrusive federal government.
James Madison wrote in The Federalist No. 46, “The ultimate authority, wherever the derivative may be found, resides in the people alone.” He goes on to say, “But ambitious encroachments of the federal government on the authority of the State governments would not excite the opposition of a single State, or of a few States only. They would be signals of a general alarm. Every government would espouse the common cause. A correspondence would be opened. Plans of resistance would be concerted.”
A general alarm!
Yes, a general alarm should be sounded. Correspondence should be written and spread to all the people.
“The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite….The powers reserved to the several states will extend to all the objects which…concern the lives, liberties, and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement and prosperity of the State,” wrote Madison in The Federalist No. 45.
Quite the opposite seems true today. The federal government’s scope of power has been allowed to expand well beyond the explicit restrictions of the Constitution. We must demand a return of our sovereignty, of our freedom, of our liberty.
How can you do this? Most immediately, contact your Representatives and Senators and tell them to reject a government health care option. Tell them to focus on tort reform as one effective way to reign in the cost of health care. Let’s start by trying to fix the current system before replacing it with a government “solution.”
Longer term I strongly encourage you to support liberty by voting Libertarian. Republicans are for big government and Democrats are for bigger government. We lose in both cases. The lesser of two evils is still evil. But there can be a third way. That is through a grassroots movement of the people to reclaim their liberty from an economically and personally intrusive federal government.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Cato Institute Video on Why Big Government is Bad
Here is a great video covering why big government spending is bad for the economy. Smaller government, less taxes, more freedom. Vote Libertarian.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Virginia's False Fiscal "Crisis"
Gov. Tim Kaine and members of the Virginia General Assembly are wringing their hands worrying about the $750 million to $1.5 billion budget shortfall Kaine announced recently. "Whoa is me!" they cry.
I hate to break it to them, but there is no revenue "crisis." According to the official Commonwealth website here are tax revenues since 1997:
1997- $17,131,110,511
1998- $17,620,703,141
1999- $19,962,082,932
2000- $21,368,967,256
2001- $23,322,749,017
2002- $23,483,212,825
2003- $24,982,910,876
2004- $26,379,372,090
2005- $29,257,674,193
2006- $31,991,449,302
2007- $35,094,639,443
2008- $36,003,691,176
Budgeted:
2009- $37,634,111,885
2010- $38,321,677,698
As you can see the shortfall would take us back to 2008's $36 billion. But what is more telling is the incredible, irresponsible growth in Virginia tax revenues. Democrats and even Republicans count on us not reviewing these numbers.
Why? Because when you look at that facts you may question exactly what it is that we are getting for the extra $10 billion in tax revenue in just four years (2004 to 2008) or in the doubling of state revenue in about 10 years' time. Remember that's $10 billion in taxes from our paychecks either through income taxes or sales taxes.
The real crisis is the increase in state government spending. We need to identify the unnecessary and wasteful programs created under Governors Kaine and Warner. We need to privatize state-run liquor stores. We need to demand lower taxes and greater fiscal responsibility in the General Assembly.
Don't be fooled. The real crisis is excess government spending! Contact your delegate and state senator to demand they address the spending crisis, cut wasteful programs and lower our taxes.
Thanks to Marc Montoni for the data and thoughts behind this post.
I hate to break it to them, but there is no revenue "crisis." According to the official Commonwealth website here are tax revenues since 1997:
1997- $17,131,110,511
1998- $17,620,703,141
1999- $19,962,082,932
2000- $21,368,967,256
2001- $23,322,749,017
2002- $23,483,212,825
2003- $24,982,910,876
2004- $26,379,372,090
2005- $29,257,674,193
2006- $31,991,449,302
2007- $35,094,639,443
2008- $36,003,691,176
Budgeted:
2009- $37,634,111,885
2010- $38,321,677,698
As you can see the shortfall would take us back to 2008's $36 billion. But what is more telling is the incredible, irresponsible growth in Virginia tax revenues. Democrats and even Republicans count on us not reviewing these numbers.
Why? Because when you look at that facts you may question exactly what it is that we are getting for the extra $10 billion in tax revenue in just four years (2004 to 2008) or in the doubling of state revenue in about 10 years' time. Remember that's $10 billion in taxes from our paychecks either through income taxes or sales taxes.
The real crisis is the increase in state government spending. We need to identify the unnecessary and wasteful programs created under Governors Kaine and Warner. We need to privatize state-run liquor stores. We need to demand lower taxes and greater fiscal responsibility in the General Assembly.
Don't be fooled. The real crisis is excess government spending! Contact your delegate and state senator to demand they address the spending crisis, cut wasteful programs and lower our taxes.
Thanks to Marc Montoni for the data and thoughts behind this post.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Obama Points to Post Office for Health Care Example
Now that I'm finished rolling on the floor laughing at Obama's horrible comparison, let me share it with you in case you missed it.
At his 104th town hall meeting of the year, Obama was asked about a government run single payer health care system. Obama responded that was not what was under consideration (although he has been a proponent all his life until, um, yesterday). In fact Obama thinks a government and private system can co-exist. He pointed to the Post Office and Fed Ex as his shining case in point.
LMAO! Are you kidding me, Obama? The Post Office is your example of an effective government run agency that co-exists with the private sector????? Thanks!
The Post Office LOST $7 BILLION last year. The Post Office is going to lose another $7 BILLION this year. The Post Office is proposing to stop delivery on weekends.
If you want government run health care, do what Obama said and look to the Post Office. That is your future. Long lines, poor service and taxpayer money down the drain!
At his 104th town hall meeting of the year, Obama was asked about a government run single payer health care system. Obama responded that was not what was under consideration (although he has been a proponent all his life until, um, yesterday). In fact Obama thinks a government and private system can co-exist. He pointed to the Post Office and Fed Ex as his shining case in point.
LMAO! Are you kidding me, Obama? The Post Office is your example of an effective government run agency that co-exists with the private sector????? Thanks!
The Post Office LOST $7 BILLION last year. The Post Office is going to lose another $7 BILLION this year. The Post Office is proposing to stop delivery on weekends.
If you want government run health care, do what Obama said and look to the Post Office. That is your future. Long lines, poor service and taxpayer money down the drain!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Health Care Debate
Health care reform needs serious debate. Lawmakers need to hear from their citizens whom they are supposed to serve.
The scenes emerging are disturbing on both sides. Those against the current reform bill need to act civilly and be respectful. Lawmakers and groups like the AARP organizing community fora need to do so in a manner that is open to all and provides for citizen input.
I think what we are seeing is Democratic lawmakers, the AARP, ACORN and union groups trying to stack the deck at these meetings and shut down anyone who objects. As a result, those who do object obviously feel like their opinions are not getting heard and so the tone becomes less civil.
What is totally irresponsible is for left wing nut jobs like Nancy Pelosi to say something STUPID like, "They are carrying swastikas and symbols like that to a meeting on health care."
Or how about this comment by Washington Representative Brian Baird, another Democrat, "What we are seeing right now is close to Brown Shirt tactics. I mean that very seriously." Nazi Brown Shirts?
What is becoming increasingly clear is the the community organizer president only wants certain parts of the community to be organized- his own community of lazy union members, socialists, and the AARP machine (not the senior citizens concerned about end of life care, just the AARP political machine). Just look at the White House blog that encourages supporters to turn their fellow citizens in and the nasty, igornant language conjuring up images of Nazi Germany. That is totally unacceptable and if it were a Republican president the media would be all over him/her.
Open, respectful debate should be the order of the day on all sides of the issue.
The scenes emerging are disturbing on both sides. Those against the current reform bill need to act civilly and be respectful. Lawmakers and groups like the AARP organizing community fora need to do so in a manner that is open to all and provides for citizen input.
I think what we are seeing is Democratic lawmakers, the AARP, ACORN and union groups trying to stack the deck at these meetings and shut down anyone who objects. As a result, those who do object obviously feel like their opinions are not getting heard and so the tone becomes less civil.
What is totally irresponsible is for left wing nut jobs like Nancy Pelosi to say something STUPID like, "They are carrying swastikas and symbols like that to a meeting on health care."
Or how about this comment by Washington Representative Brian Baird, another Democrat, "What we are seeing right now is close to Brown Shirt tactics. I mean that very seriously." Nazi Brown Shirts?
What is becoming increasingly clear is the the community organizer president only wants certain parts of the community to be organized- his own community of lazy union members, socialists, and the AARP machine (not the senior citizens concerned about end of life care, just the AARP political machine). Just look at the White House blog that encourages supporters to turn their fellow citizens in and the nasty, igornant language conjuring up images of Nazi Germany. That is totally unacceptable and if it were a Republican president the media would be all over him/her.
Open, respectful debate should be the order of the day on all sides of the issue.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Chuck Cash for Clunkers
There are many reasons why Cash For Clunkers I and Cash For Clunkers II are bad ideas, but I will focus on just one. Libertarians believe in free markets without government intervention. Cash For Clunkers inserts the government into the economy and thereby gives preferential treatment to one group of private enterprise over another group.
When the government steps in to provide special incentives for cars it does so at the disadvantage of businessmen and women who have risked their hard-earned capital in alternative forms of transportation. For instance, the owners of Agee's bicycle are at a disadvantage when people are directed at buying cars over bikes. Aren't bikes a more Earth-friendly alternative? Why should they suffer to benefit Ford?
Or how about the owners of the Harley Davidson outlet off Route One in Ashland? Why aren't we giving special incentives to motorcycle buyers or RV buyers? What about Segway outlets?
Think about manufacturers of mass tranportation vehicles. Shouldn't the goal be to get people to use mass transit? If demand for mass transit is weakened by the government encouraging more cars, then these mass trans manufacturers suffer too.
Free markets work best when they are free from government interference. Cash for Clunkers should be shut down because it benefits one group over the other (and because we don't have the money to pay for it).
When the government steps in to provide special incentives for cars it does so at the disadvantage of businessmen and women who have risked their hard-earned capital in alternative forms of transportation. For instance, the owners of Agee's bicycle are at a disadvantage when people are directed at buying cars over bikes. Aren't bikes a more Earth-friendly alternative? Why should they suffer to benefit Ford?
Or how about the owners of the Harley Davidson outlet off Route One in Ashland? Why aren't we giving special incentives to motorcycle buyers or RV buyers? What about Segway outlets?
Think about manufacturers of mass tranportation vehicles. Shouldn't the goal be to get people to use mass transit? If demand for mass transit is weakened by the government encouraging more cars, then these mass trans manufacturers suffer too.
Free markets work best when they are free from government interference. Cash for Clunkers should be shut down because it benefits one group over the other (and because we don't have the money to pay for it).
Monday, August 3, 2009
Sunday, August 2, 2009
"We will do what it takes"
So says the Secretary of Debt/Treasury Tim Geithner. His statement was in response to George Stephanopoulos' question about whether the administration would consider raising taxes. Duh! Of course the will and they already have.
Remember the increase in the cigarette tax (perhaps you don't if you're like me and don't smoke)? Obama promised not to raise taxes on those making under $250,000. How many smokers you think make under that amount? A tax is a tax and an increase is an increase. Democrats will tax you more to support their lust for socializing our economy (health care accounts for 16% of GDP and they want the government to control our health care).
I have another idea. How about we shrink the size of the federal government? Did you know the Democratic house passed a bill mandating wild horse contraception at a cost of $700 million (House Bill 1018). Health care for horses. What a waste of our tax dollars! There are countless other useless programs that the federal government should not be funding. Let's start there!
Our federal government's spending is totally out of control and we should be considering cutting programs, not weighing potential tax increases.
Remember the increase in the cigarette tax (perhaps you don't if you're like me and don't smoke)? Obama promised not to raise taxes on those making under $250,000. How many smokers you think make under that amount? A tax is a tax and an increase is an increase. Democrats will tax you more to support their lust for socializing our economy (health care accounts for 16% of GDP and they want the government to control our health care).
I have another idea. How about we shrink the size of the federal government? Did you know the Democratic house passed a bill mandating wild horse contraception at a cost of $700 million (House Bill 1018). Health care for horses. What a waste of our tax dollars! There are countless other useless programs that the federal government should not be funding. Let's start there!
Our federal government's spending is totally out of control and we should be considering cutting programs, not weighing potential tax increases.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)