Saturday, May 23, 2009

We're mad as hell and we're not going to take this anymore

In the last 10 years the size of government has doubled in the state of California, as well as going from a $75 billion, to a $145 billion "budget".
The rate of expansion between 1997 to 2007, was like hiring 48 people EVERY day, for a straight 10 years. There are over 235,000 California state employees. Los Angeles has 22,000 unionized city workers, alone.

Add the fact our elected officials have created one of the worst business climates in the country, as California has the highest corporate income taxes in the West.
In February, the liars and thieves in Sacramento decided to dump a higher tax burden on the California taxpayer. Schwarzenegger and his buddies forced on us the largest state tax increase in the history of the United States, including:
  • 1% sales tax increase, (up to 10.25%, depending on the city)
  • a boost in vehicle license fees that nearly doubles
  • additional 5% surcharge on state income tax

It's fascinating about psychopathic liars. They don't understand that when they lie, it pisses people off. That's why 5 of 6 propositions were defeated at the May 19th special election in California. What did our leaders in Sacramento propose?:

  • Prop 1A, was nothing more than a two year extension of the taxes that were just imposed on the citizens of California. This was explained off by the designers as a "rainy day fund". This lost 66% to 34%
  • Prop 1B, was nothing more than a bribe to the teachers union. This lost 63% to 37%
  • Prop 1C, was nothing more than a borrowing scheme to borrow from future lottery revenue. This lost 65% to 35%
  • Prop 1D, was nothing more than taking money from Children's Services Funding. This lost 66% to 34%
  • Prop 1E was nothing more than taking money from Mental Health Funding. This lost 66% to 34%
  • Prop 1F prevents elected Members of the Legislature and statewide constitutional officers, from receiving pay raises in years when the state is running a deficit. This won 74% to 26%
This is the post election message California state Assembly Speaker Karen Bass wants to spin in the media. She said:
  • "It was pretty clear that voters were giving us a very specific message. This is too complicated, we don't want to vote on it, we are fatigued with the number of elections we've had, especially special elections".
I'm never fatigued to vote down a tax increase. It seems to me the people who cared, voted. Is Karen Bass just out of touch with her constituents? The message from the people who voted was no more taxes, no more borrowing, no more money laundering, no more spending. That's what the propositions proposed and they were voted down. The message was simple.

The California voter defeated a huge power structure designed to financially suppress the people. The political hacks pushing the tax increases spent nearly $30 million, while those opposed had less than $4 million to get the truth out.
Who supported this atrocity?:
  • Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senator Darrell Steinberg, state Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, Assemblyman Mike Villines, Senator Dave Cogdill
  • the Republicans (donated $650,000)
  • the Democrats
  • big oil
  • hollywood
  • the prison guards union
  • the teachers union (donated over $1,000,000)
  • the state workers union
  • liquor industry representatives
It's time to take our government back. A total restructure on how money is spent. They took simple government services and they turned it into some sort of gold plated employees package with unions.

For example much of our taxpayer money doesn't go to the classroom. For instance, why do California teachers get a 25% higher salary and benefits, than than the national average? And there is a 50% drop out rate in Los Angeles.
Also, California spends $43,000 a year for each prisoner. Florida, spends $18000, per prisoner.
Both Democratic and Republican legislators conspired to pass this insane tax increase. Let's get them out of office one at a time.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has betrayed the people of California for the last time.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Obama's pro-war agenda escalates in Afghanistan










Congressman Ron Paul (R,TX-14)
May, 11, 2009

While much of the country’s attention is on other issues, a serious situation is developing in Pakistan that threatens to plunge us into another fruitless and bloody war. It is very frustrating to see that many who were so vehemently against the wars of the last administration have suddenly lost interest in foreign policy simply because we were promised change.

Those still paying attention know that nothing could be further from the truth. Very little has changed, except perhaps rhetoric, but what does that matter when the bombing missions are only getting deadlier? Rather than drawing down violent military interventions into the affairs of other countries, the new administration is escalating the foreign policy of the previous administration.

In Pakistan that entails the continuation and even escalation of military interventionism just across the border with Afghanistan. The targets are believed to be enclaves of Taliban militants, however, many innocent civilians have been caught in the deadly crossfire, severely damaging our image in the region. Many ordinary Afghanis and Pakistanis that never had cause to take up arms against us are being provided with motivation as family and friends are killed and maimed by our clumsy and indiscriminate bombs. Is it worth it for us to be involved in this way at such a high cost of blood, treasure and goodwill? Is there anything to be gained by this policy?

We are helping the Taliban and other enemies to actually gain numbers and strength, while driving them down from the mountains in the border regions deeper into Pakistan, where they have been making a menace of themselves. As our bombings follow them, beleaguered villagers have little choice but to leave their homes and join the swelling numbers of refugees or take up arms and join the fight against us.

Nonetheless, instead of recognizing the cascading unintended consequences of trying to deal with Pakistan’s problems, all signs in Washington point to further escalation. Both the House and Senate have newly introduced bills to triple foreign aid to Pakistan, from $500 million to $1.5 billion, with every indication that the leadership in Pakistan is taking advantage of the situation with the Taliban to milk more aid from the US taxpayer. We are broke. This is money we don’t have, and it is an insult to the American people to run up the national credit card for this type of military adventurism after many Americans thought they were voting for peace.

The bottom line is our involvement in Pakistan’s internal problems is not making us safer. In fact, we are adding to the numbers of our enemies and increasing the threats to our security here at home. We are inciting the very terrorism and extremism we are trying to stop. Every dollar we send, even if it is for humanitarian purposes, frees up resources to make war and potentially prop up unpopular leaders. The factions and politics of the Middle East are irrational and dangerous. We play with fire when we meddle in their affairs, and we isolate ourselves diplomatically by making more enemies than friends. We need to bring our troops home, end all foreign aid, and maintain a neutral stance on the world stage. It, in fact, is the only foreign policy we can afford right now, and it would gain us more friends and trading partners than our bombs ever could. Besides, that’s what the Constitution permits and our founders strongly advised.
"Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build the big bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know I can see through your masks."
-- Bob Dylan