Prepare yourselves for the Shock and Awe Obama style that is certain to come this week.
Prepare yourself for a message and bombardment of populist bullshit the likes you haven’t seen in a long time.
High gas prices.
Election season right around the corner.
A fading President.
All perfect ingredients.
Posted in Economy, Elections 2012, Government, Politics: National
Tagged Barack Obama, Oil Companies, Profit, Taxes
For a long time now I’ve been interested in “The Middle Class”, or as I call it, The Big MC™ What it is, what it means and how it’s been used over the years. My fascination comes from two sources; my own personal experience and then the use of The Big MC in today’s Liberal shaping of the term.
America’s greatest allure is that through the promise of Liberty any individual is able to achieve that goal of leaving the days of back breaking labor to the days of our fathers and giving a better life to our children. It is our birthright as a nation that our citizens are able to have a better tomorrow than a better yesterday. It’s our hope, our collective yearning, that our drive to and from the salt mines will bring better days, that has framed our national dialogue.
It is both ironic and horrifying that the same should be used as a wedge to drive us apart and serve to prevent that very dream from it’s manifest.
Posted in Economy, Middle Class, Politics: National
Tagged Budget, Democrat, Republican
I spent an awesome weekend camping with an awesome bunch of guys and their awesome daughters. 6 dads, 6 girls. Lots of fun; little sleep.
However, we did have the chance to talk loud and sound smart after the little princesses went to bed. One night, after awhile, the conversation touched, touched I tell you, on politics and specifically the housing crisis.
I need your thoughts.
The minimum wage debate is an old favorite. Another very visible and clear line of disagreement between conservatives and liberals. There are those on one side that feel we should increase the minimum wage to a level that better represents a living wage. Other, myself included, feel that wages are best left to the negotiations of the employer and the employee.
There are all kinds of debates raging about that people aren’t able to afford to raise a family on the minimum wage. Heck, it can be legitimately argued that you can’t raise YOURSELF on minimum wage. Be that as it may, I don’t wanna get into that. What I wanna look at is what the impact of the minimum wage, specifically changing it, has on the folks earning it.
Let’s look.
Posted in Economics, Economy, Politics: National
Tagged Conservative, Liberal, Minimum Wage
I’m gonna be upfront here. Don’t read this if you are faint of heart or can’t handle true things. There are gonna be things called facts strewn about and they may hurt.
I’m just sayin’.
I remember awhile back tellin’ my wife that I thought she was one of the reasons that our education system isn’t doing as well as we would like.
She looked at me and asked “Why?”
I said, “Because you are a woman.”
I had to walk home, but I have my reasons.
Posted in Economy, Education, Politics: National
Tagged Equal Opportunity, Sexism, Teachers
Maybe not the wrong wrong reason, but not the main one either. Don’t get me wrong, I love extending the school year, but I think it should be extended for other reasons:
Raleigh, N.C. — State lawmakers are considering a bill that would give local school boards more flexibility with when to start and end the school year.
House Bill 94 would repeal a 2004 law that requires districts to begin the school year after Aug. 25 and end it no later than June 10.
Under the proposed legislation, schools operating on a traditional calendar schedule would be able to open any time after Aug. 15. The bill does not apply to schools operating on a year-round calendar.
Supporters of changing the law point to issues like a high number of snow days, especially in the western part of the state, and the challenge in making those up to meet the 180 days of school mandated by state law.
They’re right. Snow days have been a massive problem here. And with Global Warming creating more and more snow days here, it’s only gonna get worse.
However, I still think that we should extend the school year because it helps kids learn and quit pandering to tourism.
The 2004 legislation was the result of a group of business owners and parents who, in part, were concerned about how extending the school calendar into the summer months could affect local tourism economies.
Businesses at North Carolina tourist destinations depend on the summer months to boost their profits, and business owners say every week of the tourism season is critical.
Teaching our kids is critical.
Posted in Economy, Education, Politics: North Carolina
Tagged Global Warming, North Carolina, North Carolina Politics, WCPSS
If there is a better way to sum up the impact and effect of Unions on their host? If so, I don’t see it.
But this just about is as close as it gets:
The Wisconsin Department of Administration estimates it could cost the state $8 million to restore the Capitol to its pre-protest condition, Wisconsin media are reporting. The estimate includes $500,000 to remove adhesive from taped posters, $1 million to repair the structure’s exterior and $6.5 million for rebuffing the interior marble.
The Unionista, while not working to protest the state has managed to cost that state $8 million American. Just for being there. Forget the cost they have incurred by missing work.
* Spit *
Posted in Economy, Education, Lobby/PAC, Politics: National, States Behaving Badly
Tagged Abuse of Power, Unionista, Unions, Wisconsin
There’s all kinds of reasons why people want to borrow money. Mostly, though, there are two:
In any case, an individual is taking current value of money in trade for some future value of money. And current money is more valuable than future money; I’d rather have $20 now than $20 later. So, to compensate for that, money lenders charge interest. While I would rather have that 20 bucks now, I might be willing to hold off if I could get 25 bucks next week.
UPDATE:
A commenter noticed that I had incorrectly said that North Carolina State Employees have collective bargaining rights.
They do not.
stand corrected.
It’s the same ‘ol story; The scorpion, needing passage across the steam, requests assistance from the frog. The frog, justifiably suspicious of the scorpion demurs only to receive the promise from the scorpion that he will not sting him.
The rest shall we say, is history.
But the story is proving to be a fantastic parallel in North Carolina in specific and the rest of the states in general.
Posted in Economy, Government, Politics: North Carolina
Tagged Dana Cope, Leftist, North Carolina, North Carolina Politics, Politics, SEANC, Unions
For better or for worse, it’s done:
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) on Friday evening introduced a revised 2011 government spending bill that the GOP said will cut at least $100 billion in spending this fiscal year, bowing to demands by Tea Party-backed House freshmen.
Kickin’ and screamin’ we’ll keep tryin’ to get this country back to where it needs to be!