The Mob Rules

Well the pitchforks are out and the torches have been lit.  The class war has begun.  Those evil bastards of Wall Street.  Those rich sons of bitches who right now are probably home lighting cigars with hundred dollar bills.  Those undeserving employees of AIG who took all of your hard earned tax dollars and ran.  Bet they are on vacation somewhere,  laughing at how they all got over.  

Well, fear not ye good citizens of these United States of America. Your elected officials in Washington are addressing the situation and will soon have it resolved.

Members of congress have introduced a bill to tax these greedy Capitalistic pigs.  Nancy Pelosi has said that “recouping a ‘substantial portion’ through taxation is one of several viable possibilities.” Senator Reid has also confirmed that legislation is being drawn up that would levy a 90% tax on these bonuses.  
Imagine that.  Even though the United States Constitution forbids any “Bill of Attainder” or “ex post facto” law.

Republican Senator Charles Grassley is also on your side.  He has not only called for these AIG execs to give the money back, he is calling on them to commit Hari Kari. A Republican Senator.  Who said there was no bipartisanship in Washington? 

Rep. Barney Frank is there for you.  He is demanding the names of all AIG execs who received bonuses.  Rep. Frank has said that if Liddy refuses to name the names, he will subpoena them.  (I guess the ghost of McCarthy has not been exorcised.)

I have not agreed with the bailouts from the beginning.  I do not believe anyone should be rewarded for failure.  Not students, children or athletes. And especially not CEO’s of failing companies. However, legal contracts are binding.  They cannot be broken or changed without the resolution and agreement of all those involved.  Government can not and should not be in the business of violating the very laws which are bound by its Constitution.  

If in fact, these bonuses were contractual prior to the receipt of any bailout monies, they should indeed be honored.  The anger should be directed at the administration and at congress for not fully realizing or understanding where this bailout money would go.   

I cannot understand why the American people are so up in arms about these Executives getting paid. Well I kind of understand it.  Obama, Pelosi, Frank and the rest of the lot have got you all right where they want you.  They are screaming fire in the theater and watching everyone go running.  

Lets face it though, if all these AIG execs gave the bonuses back, are you all going to wake up tomorrow morning and have any more money in your pocket?  NO!
Will anyone be better off? Richer? NO!

I just don’t get it.  Athletes get paid millions of dollars. This directly affects the fans in the form of higher ticket prices.  Yet no one bats an eye.  No one calls for the athletes to give up some of their salaries.  
Citibank was given over $300 billion in bailout money and are paying millions of dollars for naming rights for the new Citi Field in New York.  Where is the outrage over that? 

It’s one big smoke screen folks.  Rally the people against the evil doers.  Create the US vs THEM mentality.  They (Obama, Pelosi, Frank and all the rest) are on your side. They are with “you.”  

This country is going to be unrecognizable in four years.  We have met the enemy………………

God Bless The United States of America.

God Help Us. 

A Lesson in Hypocrisy and The Socialization of The USA

Does anyone hear what the President is saying?  It seems that everyone is listening.  But is anyone actually hearing what is coming out of his mouth?  His speech to congress last Tuesday was a lesson in both contradiction and hypocrisy.  

Briefly, among other things, the president acknowledges the financial mess on the banks careless lending policies and the failed mortgages. Yet he  says that to get this economy going, the banks must begin to open up credit and begin lending.   Now I ask you, are we to assume that there is no lending taking place at this time?  He says, “……credit has stopped flowing the way it should…….And when there is no lending, families can’t afford to buy homes or cars.”  So, no one is getting a mortgage at this time?  No one is financing a new car?  Interesting indeed, especially when there are those that are buying homes, securing mortgages and financing new cars. Perhaps what he means is that the banks should loosen their new stringent lending policies.  

The President went on to say that, “If your family earns less than $250,000 a year — a quarter million dollars a year — you will not see your taxes increased a single dime.” He also stated that, “By 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world. That’s is a goal we can meet.”  

So let me get this straight, he wants to make sure America has the highest rate of college  graduates in the world, but is going to end up penalizing them when they secure the well off, high paying jobs.  Isn’t that why we go to college?  To get high paying jobs and better ourselves.  Over $250,000 per family?  Is it that unusual for two college graduates who marry to make say $125,000 each per year? I’m sorry but higher taxes ought not be the reward for those, who through hard work and determination, have prospered.

Now these hypocrisies are bad enough, but what is truly disturbing are the blatant socialist undertones of the entire speech.   “…….we will act with the full force of the federal government to ensure that the major banks that Americans depend on have enough confidence and enough money to lend even in more difficult times….. we will hold accountable those responsible, force the necessary adjustments……… “  Act with the full force of the government?  Force the necessary adjustments? WOW.  He goes on to say, “And I intend to hold these banks fully accountable for the assistance they receive……….”  Do you see what is happening here folks?  When the government bails out the banks, lends the money, they control the banks.  Right there in black and white.   

Want to talk “Fear Mongering?”  The President says, “Because of this [stimulus] plan, there are teachers who can now keep their jobs and educate our kids. Health care professionals can continue caring for our sick. There are 57 police officers who are still on the streets of Minneapolis tonight because this plan prevented the layoffs their department was about to make.”    

So wait a second.  Without this stimulus bill, our kids will not get an education?  The sick would  go uncared for?  Police officers would be laid off?  My god. Thank you Mr. President.  Thank you for saving us.  

There was even a promise to help discover a cure for cancer.   In discussing the new  Health Care Reforms, he said, “It will launch a new effort to conquer a disease that has touched the life of nearly every American, including me, by seeking a cure for cancer in our time.”  Who would have thought?  For years now we have been told that “they” are working to find a cure for cancer. Thank God for this President.  He is finally going to help find that cure for cancer.   Can he walk on water too?

Bottom line is this, there are many things wrong with this country.  Health care does need to be reformed.  But perhaps a good place to start would be to weed out all the corruption, fraud and frivolous law suits.  How much wasted money could be saved?

And yes everyone should get the best education they could. However, it is not your right to go to college.  If you didn’t work hard enough in high school to get a scholarship or if mommy and daddy can’t pay your tuition, GET A JOB and go to night school.  You’ll appreciate it more.  

The economy is definitely in disarray. However, in a Capitalistic society, businesses do go under.  Bad choices do result in monetary losses.  Jobs do unfortunately diminish.  But when one company closes, others open. New jobs get created. New avenues of prosperity are opened up.    

These bailouts are nothing more than corporate welfare. It will lead to a Socialist government.  Bad behavior and poor choices cannot and should not be rewarded.  Unfortunately that has become the norm of the day.  Run your company into the ground.  Don’t worry, we’ll bail you out.  Want to get pregnant and have eight kids without a job and health insurance?  Don’t worry we’ll take care of that too.  

Look, we may not all be born of equal circumstances.  Some of us may have to work harder than others.  Some will succeed and some will not.  We are all capable of choosing our own destiny. 

But, as this last election taught us, it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white, Baptist, Protestant, Catholic or maybe even Muslim…..if you know the right people, make the right friends, and have a lot of money, you too can be President of the United States. 

GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.