Post Scripts

Posted by Tina

It’s no secret that I don’t like the US tax code. I think it is too complicated and much too progressive and, because of this it’s completely unfair to every citizen and business in America. Yesterday I read that the President released his tax return and will pay an effective tax rate of 18%. Is that a fair share?

The President has done everything in his power to grab and redistribute wealth using the phony tax slogan, “…pay their fair share”. This is a man who believes in the depths of his being that the rich can never pay enough so that “economic fairness” can be arranged and implemented by him. This is the very same man who ran against Mitt Romney, demonizing him for using the tax code, as the Obama’s used the tax code, to “avoid paying his fair share.” This is a man that produces a budget to spend taxpayer money without regard to the added debt it will produce or the effect it will have on jobs and the economy.

I don’t expect the President and First Lady to figure their taxes any differently than any other tax payer. I do expect them to use every advantage legally available in the code to lower their effective tax rate. But I also expect them to be honest with the American people about taxes, tax rates, and about what constitutes fairness.

I expect the President to serve all of the people in his capacity as president.

There is nothing “fair” about policies that destroy the economy and jobs or that is used just to funnel money to special interest groups and the poor. There is nothing “fair” about “taxing the rich” at higher rates when they already pay nearly all of federal income taxes:

The top 10 percent of taxpayers paid over 70% of the total amount collected in federal income taxes in 2010, the latest year figures are available, according to the Tax Foundation, a think tank that advocates for lower taxes. That’s up from 55% in 1986.

The remaining 90% bore just under 30% of the tax burden.

Speaking of fairness, how about fairness to every American that is striving to put away a nest egg for his retirement? Guess what? There is nothing “fair” about a presidential budget that proposes placing a limit on what workers can save for their retirement years. As the WSJ article correctly sneers, “Thus do our political betters now feel free to define for everyone what is “needed” for a “reasonable” retirement. Not to be impertinent, but does this White House definition include being able to afford summers at age 70 at Martha’s Vineyard near the Obamas?”

President Obama is a man that has been promoted to the highest office in the land and given extreme power and wealth. His policies as president have come down hard on the middle and poor classes and diminished their chances for a brighter future. Is that fair? A low tax rate does little to comfort when food and gas prices are rising and jobs are nearly impossible to find. Speeches about tax fairness do little for a family trying to save when interest rates are being kept artificially low. I reconciled my check book the other day and dutifully noted the $.01 in interest that my meager account had earned for the month.

To answer my own question I say most emphatically, “No! The Obama’s have not paid their ‘fair share’ in taxes.” Here’s another question: Who will hold President Obama accountable for the unfair losses his progressive, redistribution policies have caused for the American people?

Posted by Tina

The latest on the worst piece of legislation to ever be passed in secret through bribery and intimidation…Breitbart, Big Government quoting Jay Rockefeller, one of the architects of Obamacare, and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius:

Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), one of the architects of the Affordable Care Act, said on Tuesday that the healthcare law, set to go into full effect in less than eight months, is “probably the most complex piece of legislation ever passed by the United States Congress” and “is just beyond comprehension.”

Rockefeller said he is concerned that early missteps with implementing the healthcare overhaul may cascade into confusion and chaos. The law, said Rockefeller, is “so complicated and if it isn’t done right the first time, it will just simply get worse.”

Rockefeller’s consternation echoes comments made earlier this week by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who groused that “no one fully anticipated” all the complexities of the federal government’s deep penetration into an industry that represents one-fifth of the U.S. economy.

HHS also acknowledged that the Obamacare government healthcare exchanges will cost $4.4 billion to implement, a figure more than double the Obama Administration’s original $2 billion estimate.

Even if the grand opening of Obamacare goes smoothly, experts say insurance claims are set to skyrocket. A recently released report by the nonpartisan Society of Actuaries found that once Obamacare is fully implemented, medical claims costs will increase an average of 32%.

If we think that other Obama policies have ended up hurting the middle and lower classes wait until this piece of garbage is implemented. Why are progressives so determined they are right and so totally unable/unwilling to learn from history, evidence, facts, numbers? I’m not talking about the extremist leadership and activists, I’m talking about the true victims of progressive politics and activism…the poor who vote for them over…and over…again!

Sorry about the lousy photography. This knocks the quality of what you see by at least 50%, but you can still get an idea. The colors are much more vibrant in person. All comments are welcome.

I really liked the old shed theme, so I did it in twice, but different enough to make each unique. The Japanese painting was finished today and is one of my favorites. The Japanese you see in the lower right is only partially visible, but if you could see the whole thing it reads simply, “Destiny” and it has thumbprint in red that overlaps the left hand side of the word. The red ball is very 3-D, again, sorry you can’t tell that from the photo.

I learn by what you see, so feel free to comment. Please click on thumbs to see them a little better.

-Jack

Posted by Tina

I went to see the movie “42” today thinking that I was going to see the Jackie Robinson story. It was that and so much more. All of the elements I would expect to see in a movie about the first black player to play in the majors were present, Branch Rickey, the man who initially chose to bring Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers, the resistance of team members, the other teams, the coaches the fans, the racism and danger of the times. But it also brilliantly included the full spectrum of human emotions involved in the everyday struggles that people living in those times experienced. In the end I was left with the realization that what I have always believed is absolutely true. Human beings, left to work things out on their own do struggle and fight, but they work things out. Real and lasting change happens when individuals stick their necks out, reach for something greater than themselves and hang tough when the fireworks start. Real transformation happens when people remain strong within and yet are able to humble themselves to carry the necessary burdens that naturally fall on their shoulders. Jackie Robinson’s trials and victory are at the center of this story but he shares the spotlight with his wife and child, the black community, the white community, Branch Rickey and his staff, religious faith, boys and girls of all ages who were inspired by his playing and his dignity, the sportswriters and fans…and of course, America, founded on the notion of freedom for all.

One of the more riveting scenes in “42” involves racist heckling by the coach of the Philadelphia Phillies, Ben Chapman, as Robinson is at bat. Another involves a child in the stands whose father is yelling racial slurs and booing at Robinson. He doesn’t speak but his face is quite revealing. In another touching scene, Pee Wee Reece shares a touching moment on the field of play.

While no movie can adequately portray the many days of grinding grief that Robinson endured, the slow transition of the people involved and the depth of everyone’s emotions, this movie manages to hit the mark again and again to give the audience a taste of the times and our shared history. Over the course of 128 minutes “42” succeeds brilliantly in portraying both the difficulties and the victories that played out as America began to resolve its prejudices.

Struggle and triumph are the stuff of everyday life. Challenges may differ in intensity and depth but we are all people attempting to climb that mountain to realize our better selves and find out who we are.

The Jackie Robinson story is a personal story about one brave man but it is also a wonderful American story of good triumphing over evil. Through toughness, bravery, frustration, anger, laughter, faith and tears this is a story that touched many lives back in 1947 and it’s a story that touched many lives for years thereafter. Forty-five years later it’s a story that will continue to heal…if we’ll let it.

Great work by all involved! I hope you get a chance to see, “42”…and take your kids!

From John Salyer, Chico, CA

At the Chico City Council meeting on 4/2/13 the big government progressives who make up the majority on the council did another great job of weaseling out of what was asked of them. Simply affirm our right to bear arms.  Nothing like politicians 🙁

One of the surprising comments that came from the majority of the progressive council was from Councilman Gruendl about how he wished the Chico Taxpayer’s Association would stand up for his tax injustice. I am not exactly sure what injustice he is talking about but I will put in a good word for him with the CTA as well as the BTA. I would imagine both organizations in addition to many others want a change to our current progressive tax code that will hopefully someday treat everyone fairly with some sort of flat tax, etc.

Isn’t it sad when big government progressives complain about how other big government progressives tell them what is best for them? I guess it is ok for Councilman Gruendl to tell people what is best for them and not see a problem with his Nanny State ways until the power grab table is turned on him. We should all start thinking more about individual freedom instead of trying to control people’s lives thru regulations and laws!

Search “FreedomWorks explaining The New Fair Deal” on YouTube for more info regarding a new tax plan proposal.    Also check out the April 6th blog at chicotaxpayers.wordpress.com regarding our very constitutionally minded council.

Posted by Tina

I haven’t posted on the McConnell story before because the reports about it were filled with uncertainties. Now it seems we might at least have the “who done it” answered in a tale that’s been likened to Watergate:

According to WFPL News, a member of the local Democratic County Committee is claiming that two members of Progress Kentucky—the group that has targeted McConnell before and which he claimed might be responsible for the incident—bragged to him that they were the ones who made the recording. Jacob Conway said Shawn Reilly and Curtis Morrison, the founders of Progress Kentucky, managed to get into the building where McConnell’s office is located and then taped the campaign meeting from the hallway, perhaps by putting a recording device at the door. The Democrat, who repeated his accusations on Fox News this afternoon, says he is speaking about the group because he feared their activities would be associated with his party.

If true, and reports are now also saying that FBI are pulling surveillance tapes of the building, then what we are talking about here is nothing less than a crime. Far from McConnell crying wolf, as Chris Matthews claimed yesterday, the Watergate analogy may actually turn out to be entirely accurate.

Apparently this is the same group that also made offensive and racist remarks about McConnell’s wife, Elain Chao. See also here.

An update on this link informs that the treasurer of Progress Kentucky’s Super Pac has resigned over the Watergate style incident.

US has evaluated North Korea’s Military Rulers and decided they could be easily defeated… with a GIANT MAGNET! lol

Posted by Tina

PJ Media and Campus Reform give us indication that college professors are to often not much more than mouthpieces for the progressive left. A USC campus professor rant (video) will give you some idea of the quality of education in America’s colleges:

In a 15 min. video secretly captured by USC student Tyler Talgo, political science Professor Darry Sragow also appears to endorse the illegal suppression of Republican votes.

“You lose their information on the election in the mail,” he suggested when a student asked him how to keep Republicans from voting. “I mean there is lots of ways to do it [SIC].”

A teaching assistant (TA), who also appeared to work for the university, then seemed to suggest Black Panthers could be placed at polling stations to intimidate Republican voters.

Rather than rebuking the TA, Sragow appeared to confirm the suggestion.

“Yeah, yeah,” he said. “You can do that.”

See also (larger video) at Campus Reform that reported the professor characterized California Republicans as:

…”losers” and stupid and racist.

“California Republicans I just showed you are 30 percent registration in this state because they are really stupid and racist,” he said.” [T]he republican party in California as I say all the time on the record in print on the radio and on tv is the last vestige of angry old white people.”

“Old white guys are stubborn sons of bitches,” he added.

This jerk should lose his job!

Posted by Tina

Citizens of America have a right to presume the Department of Justice is keeping a close watch on legal issues and justice for all Americans. The AG is appointed by the President
and, according to Wikipedia the “…original duties of this officer were “to prosecute and conduct all suits in the Supreme Court in which the United States shall be concerned, and to give his advice and opinion upon questions of law when required by the president of the United States, or when requested by the heads of any of the departments.” So, why does Eric Holder spend so much time meeting with groups concerned with promoting or furthering the interests of minority populations in America? Is that what we pay him to do? Is that his job?

PJMedia has posted a sample of his itinerary and asserts his activity suggests a problem:

…seeing whom Holder is giving access to raises serious questions about our nation’s primary law enforcer’s commitment to race-neutral enforcement. This is especially a concern given the Holder-led DOJ’s intrusions into employment law, voting law, discrimination law, and onto college campuses.

A Sampling of Holders (redacted) schedule for one month, March 2009:

Selma-to-Montgomery march commemoration (page 13)
Civil Rights Summit — AG’s Conference Room (page 16)
Attendees: NAACP LFD, Asian American Justice Center, ACLU, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, MALDEF, Ben Jealous, Hilary Shelton NAACP

Meeting with L.A. Mayor Villaraigosa (illegal immigrant advocate) (page 20)

National Conference of Black Mayors (page 32)

Meeting with National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (page 35)

National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters Awards Dinner (page 36)

Meeting with BET founder Russell Simmons (page 49)

This is yet another indication of the Presidents intention and plan to fundamentally transform America. Eric Holder is free to associate with anyone he pleases but as Attorney General of the United States of America he has an obligation to serve according to the duties of his office. Racial activism is not in his job description.