Hi
This wee there was an article in one of the Supermarket tabloids about Michelle Obama and her travel expenditures. A perfect lead in to my take on federal travel, does any one audit these expenditures? It would seem as if this is not done. A good accounting system would require an independent audit of such expenditures and I hope we taxpayers are getting one.
Travel, and the use of cars by the elected officials must be reined in. A while back congress woman had her chauffeured car take her to work. Her office is just around the corner from her office. When Ms Pelosi was speaker of the house she got to use a large jet. I know she is from California and needs some leeway, but, should she have such a plane available for her personal use. Taxpayers pick up the tab, they should have a voice in how to spend the money.
It must be a given that the media either does not uncover these abuses or they choose to omit these stories from news coverage. Either way the taxpayer loses.
These are some of the ways we can save money, I know it, let's hope the panel selected to suggest changes recognizes the situation.
Please pray for our service people.
GOD Bless
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
The budget cuts keep coming
Hi
One of my favorite areas to cut spending is education. Not on education but rather on the Department of Education. Another vast federal department that has gotten out of hand.
The education in this country can be demonstrated by explaining how the Department of Education works. There are 3 classes of people who work in education, the educators, (teachers, aides,etc), the administrators, (principals, school board members etc), and the service people, (janitors, lunchroom monitors and school crossing guards,etc). All are needed but the more we pay for the 2 classes of non teaching roles the less money becomes available for the teachers.
Enter the federal government, The Department of Education. Rules for what to teach, schools being graded, and excessive paperwork to secure federal aid. Why, do we really need this bureaucracy?
At this point there is a question about Tenth Amendment rights. The Tenth Amendment limits the role of the federal government and education is not a function of the federal government. For the sake of this blog I will assume we want to subsidize education.
Currently the states must file a report of several thousand pages to get federal funding. What if we were to substitute this with a simple census report prepared by the schools. After the census report is prepared the state can collect and collate the school district reports. Then file with a slimmed down Department of Education, and allot funds in a per capita basis. The local schools know what they need, new schools, renovation, teacher salaries, etc. The control is now shifted to the local school away from the bureaucrats in DC. This can also be a monitor in the control of illegal aliens bleeding our school districts.
If we go the route of cutting the Department of Education then a portion of the savings can be included in the grants to the schools. The portion not sent to the states can be eliminated from our budget. A win-win situation.
Our troops need our support and prayers, please remember them.
GOD Bless
One of my favorite areas to cut spending is education. Not on education but rather on the Department of Education. Another vast federal department that has gotten out of hand.
The education in this country can be demonstrated by explaining how the Department of Education works. There are 3 classes of people who work in education, the educators, (teachers, aides,etc), the administrators, (principals, school board members etc), and the service people, (janitors, lunchroom monitors and school crossing guards,etc). All are needed but the more we pay for the 2 classes of non teaching roles the less money becomes available for the teachers.
Enter the federal government, The Department of Education. Rules for what to teach, schools being graded, and excessive paperwork to secure federal aid. Why, do we really need this bureaucracy?
At this point there is a question about Tenth Amendment rights. The Tenth Amendment limits the role of the federal government and education is not a function of the federal government. For the sake of this blog I will assume we want to subsidize education.
Currently the states must file a report of several thousand pages to get federal funding. What if we were to substitute this with a simple census report prepared by the schools. After the census report is prepared the state can collect and collate the school district reports. Then file with a slimmed down Department of Education, and allot funds in a per capita basis. The local schools know what they need, new schools, renovation, teacher salaries, etc. The control is now shifted to the local school away from the bureaucrats in DC. This can also be a monitor in the control of illegal aliens bleeding our school districts.
If we go the route of cutting the Department of Education then a portion of the savings can be included in the grants to the schools. The portion not sent to the states can be eliminated from our budget. A win-win situation.
Our troops need our support and prayers, please remember them.
GOD Bless
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Still more budget cuts
Hi
After reading this post I hope you can understand why I dedicated this blog to President Carter - the really irrelevant old geezer.
My subject is the Department of Energy. A typically liberal project, good idea, accomplish nothing but we felt good doing it. I for one am tired of paying taxes for this "feel good: policy of liberals. I want results and I suppose you want the same.
President Carter established the Department of Energy to do several missions:
First to wean America from dependence on foreign oil, second was to develop new alternative fuels, and third was to keep oil prices stable.
Today we depend more on foreign oil than when the department was formed. We are at the mercy of OPEC. Our national security is threatened because we must commit troops to protect these sources particularly in the Middle East. Ask yourselves, "DO we really need to spend our young peoples lives because we depend on an incompetent bureaucracy? This is a great tragedy and should stop.
Now look at the second part of the mission. The only new fuel developed is ethanol, and that is questionable. It has driven food prices up because the corn normally used in food processing is now used in ethanol manufacturing. To compound the stupidity, off shore oil mining in the Gulf of Mexico is virtually at a standstill. Yet, President Obama hands over a large sum of taxpayer money to an operation controlled by that "needy" individual, George Soros. A company controlled by Soros is subsidized so they may drill for oil off the coast of Brazil but our local companies are regulated by a policy which refuses drilling permits. Doesn't this government understand that we have exported jobs out of the country this way? Maybe they couldn't care.
Lastly the department was to stabilize fuel prices. Hasn't happened. Frankly without some common sense I don't see how the government could stabilize prices without expanded drilling of our own crude oil. More evidence that someone in Washington doesn't care.
With a perfect record, nothing for three, it is time to get rid of the Department of Energy. How much money have we wasted since the presidency of Carter? Stop it now, eliminate the Department of Energy.
I ask that you please remember our brave heroes who defend our liberties and remember them in your prayers.
GOD Bless
After reading this post I hope you can understand why I dedicated this blog to President Carter - the really irrelevant old geezer.
My subject is the Department of Energy. A typically liberal project, good idea, accomplish nothing but we felt good doing it. I for one am tired of paying taxes for this "feel good: policy of liberals. I want results and I suppose you want the same.
President Carter established the Department of Energy to do several missions:
First to wean America from dependence on foreign oil, second was to develop new alternative fuels, and third was to keep oil prices stable.
Today we depend more on foreign oil than when the department was formed. We are at the mercy of OPEC. Our national security is threatened because we must commit troops to protect these sources particularly in the Middle East. Ask yourselves, "DO we really need to spend our young peoples lives because we depend on an incompetent bureaucracy? This is a great tragedy and should stop.
Now look at the second part of the mission. The only new fuel developed is ethanol, and that is questionable. It has driven food prices up because the corn normally used in food processing is now used in ethanol manufacturing. To compound the stupidity, off shore oil mining in the Gulf of Mexico is virtually at a standstill. Yet, President Obama hands over a large sum of taxpayer money to an operation controlled by that "needy" individual, George Soros. A company controlled by Soros is subsidized so they may drill for oil off the coast of Brazil but our local companies are regulated by a policy which refuses drilling permits. Doesn't this government understand that we have exported jobs out of the country this way? Maybe they couldn't care.
Lastly the department was to stabilize fuel prices. Hasn't happened. Frankly without some common sense I don't see how the government could stabilize prices without expanded drilling of our own crude oil. More evidence that someone in Washington doesn't care.
With a perfect record, nothing for three, it is time to get rid of the Department of Energy. How much money have we wasted since the presidency of Carter? Stop it now, eliminate the Department of Energy.
I ask that you please remember our brave heroes who defend our liberties and remember them in your prayers.
GOD Bless
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae
Hi
This is about one area where spending cuts must be made. Not just cuts but eliminate the program(s) altogether.
As a brief explanation how this program works, they are mortgage holding, insuring and guaranteeing entities. Both were created by the person this blog is named after, President Jimmy Carter. When an individual goes to purchase a house he(she) negotiates a selling price. In almost every instance the buyer must borrow money to pay the price, hence a mortgage. The correct legal term is a Bond and Mortgage, the Bond is actually an IOU, and the Mortgage is an instrument which describes the collateral for the loan. This is filed with the keeper of records and serves as notice for the world that a lien exists on the property. The mortgage contains both the names of the lender and borrower. In order for the bank t make more money and more mortgage loans the Bond and Mortgage is then sold to a third party. Enter Fannie and Freddie, they buy the paper. this is not recorded because the bank who sold the paper to Freddie or Fannie agrees to service the loan for a fee. The borrower never knows that the paper is sold.
Here is where the problem comes in. Freddie and Fannie use the power of the government guaranty to force the bank to make what are referred to as sub-par loans. This means loans to people who probably can never pay them off. The theory was that low income people can achieve the American dream of home ownership. The whole scheme is based on a constant inflation in the value of real estate. The bubble burst, real estate did not appreciate and now people are in a financial bind. The borrower owns a house, subject to a loan, but the loan is worth more than the house. He walks away or the bank forecloses. Either way the government(read U S taxpayer) foots the bill. This is akin to a Ponzi scheme in that it must inevitably fail. Only now the taxpayer gets the bill.
Both Freddie and Fannie are operating at a loss and require more taxpayer money to keep the program working. I say, enough. Eliminate the program and cut all funds to both Freddie and Fannie. Cut taxpayer losses and privatize both. Taxpayers have had enough of this federal government butting in and trying to direct our lives. Can anyone show me where entities like Freddie and Fannie are authorized in our Constitution? This is a program which must be cut and both political parties must get serious and do what is good for America. If not, vote the bums out.
We do have good federal employees, our brave military men and women. Please remember them in your pryers.
GOD Bless
This is about one area where spending cuts must be made. Not just cuts but eliminate the program(s) altogether.
As a brief explanation how this program works, they are mortgage holding, insuring and guaranteeing entities. Both were created by the person this blog is named after, President Jimmy Carter. When an individual goes to purchase a house he(she) negotiates a selling price. In almost every instance the buyer must borrow money to pay the price, hence a mortgage. The correct legal term is a Bond and Mortgage, the Bond is actually an IOU, and the Mortgage is an instrument which describes the collateral for the loan. This is filed with the keeper of records and serves as notice for the world that a lien exists on the property. The mortgage contains both the names of the lender and borrower. In order for the bank t make more money and more mortgage loans the Bond and Mortgage is then sold to a third party. Enter Fannie and Freddie, they buy the paper. this is not recorded because the bank who sold the paper to Freddie or Fannie agrees to service the loan for a fee. The borrower never knows that the paper is sold.
Here is where the problem comes in. Freddie and Fannie use the power of the government guaranty to force the bank to make what are referred to as sub-par loans. This means loans to people who probably can never pay them off. The theory was that low income people can achieve the American dream of home ownership. The whole scheme is based on a constant inflation in the value of real estate. The bubble burst, real estate did not appreciate and now people are in a financial bind. The borrower owns a house, subject to a loan, but the loan is worth more than the house. He walks away or the bank forecloses. Either way the government(read U S taxpayer) foots the bill. This is akin to a Ponzi scheme in that it must inevitably fail. Only now the taxpayer gets the bill.
Both Freddie and Fannie are operating at a loss and require more taxpayer money to keep the program working. I say, enough. Eliminate the program and cut all funds to both Freddie and Fannie. Cut taxpayer losses and privatize both. Taxpayers have had enough of this federal government butting in and trying to direct our lives. Can anyone show me where entities like Freddie and Fannie are authorized in our Constitution? This is a program which must be cut and both political parties must get serious and do what is good for America. If not, vote the bums out.
We do have good federal employees, our brave military men and women. Please remember them in your pryers.
GOD Bless
Monday, August 22, 2011
Next area of spending cuts
Hi
In keeping up with my thoughts on budget spending cuts I offer another area where we should make cuts.
We currently subsidize several "quasi governmental agencies". AMTRAK, The Postal Service, Arts and Humanities endowments. The question is - Why?
As you listen to the media discuss our budget problems the discussion should turn to these programs. Many are outdated and are actually a failed policy. The problem is that these programs will always operate at a loss if the federal government is allowed to keep them. Sell them off and let private sector experts run them. The motivation is there for the private sector, profit. I am not "Politically Correct" so the word "profit" is not some thing bad. Let investors turn around these programs and we will see a complete change to an efficient operation. The Congress cannot even manage their own cafeteria, why should we expect that they can manage a business. More cuts to come, stay tuned.
Remember our brave service people who are defending our liberties, pray for them.
GOD Bless
In keeping up with my thoughts on budget spending cuts I offer another area where we should make cuts.
We currently subsidize several "quasi governmental agencies". AMTRAK, The Postal Service, Arts and Humanities endowments. The question is - Why?
As you listen to the media discuss our budget problems the discussion should turn to these programs. Many are outdated and are actually a failed policy. The problem is that these programs will always operate at a loss if the federal government is allowed to keep them. Sell them off and let private sector experts run them. The motivation is there for the private sector, profit. I am not "Politically Correct" so the word "profit" is not some thing bad. Let investors turn around these programs and we will see a complete change to an efficient operation. The Congress cannot even manage their own cafeteria, why should we expect that they can manage a business. More cuts to come, stay tuned.
Remember our brave service people who are defending our liberties, pray for them.
GOD Bless
Friday, August 19, 2011
More on spending cuts
Hi
Ti understand the scope of necessary spending cuts we must look at all programs and weed out those which are either too costly or do not work.
The new Republican House has proposed cuts in specific programs, the first is Public Broadcasting. Why do we taxpayers subsidize public broadcasting? I love to watch opera on TV but I should pay for it, not every other (or at least the 50% who pay income taxes) citizen. The estimated savings would be $445 million. The irony of the situation is that the liberal democrats wanted to pass a "Fairness" doctrine to balance conservative leaning talk radio. Where in our Constitution is Congress empowered to regulate speech? We must make sure we elect common sense people to run our government. Remember on election day.
In my nest blog I will enumerate additional cuts which could be made.
Meanwhile, pray for our defenders.
GOD Bless
Ti understand the scope of necessary spending cuts we must look at all programs and weed out those which are either too costly or do not work.
The new Republican House has proposed cuts in specific programs, the first is Public Broadcasting. Why do we taxpayers subsidize public broadcasting? I love to watch opera on TV but I should pay for it, not every other (or at least the 50% who pay income taxes) citizen. The estimated savings would be $445 million. The irony of the situation is that the liberal democrats wanted to pass a "Fairness" doctrine to balance conservative leaning talk radio. Where in our Constitution is Congress empowered to regulate speech? We must make sure we elect common sense people to run our government. Remember on election day.
In my nest blog I will enumerate additional cuts which could be made.
Meanwhile, pray for our defenders.
GOD Bless
Monday, August 15, 2011
Spending cuts
Hi
We as a nation face a massive decision - What direction do we want our country to go?. A panel of congress people has been selected to recommend budget cuts and the question facing us is where do we cut, and by how much.
Defining a problem is only apart of solving a problem, it is necessary to come up with a workable solution. My opinion is that this panel should start by agreeing not to let these meetings evolve into name calling and blame placing. The time for that is past, now we must go on.
My thinking is that I don't hold out much hope for this panel. It would be difficult for congress to appoint a panel that would do the wishes of the people. Washington must get the mind set of spend, tax and regulate out of their collective minds. Once, (and if) that s done then we can have a panel that makes sense. Let's pray that this panel works out.
Pray for our service people,
GOD Bless
We as a nation face a massive decision - What direction do we want our country to go?. A panel of congress people has been selected to recommend budget cuts and the question facing us is where do we cut, and by how much.
Defining a problem is only apart of solving a problem, it is necessary to come up with a workable solution. My opinion is that this panel should start by agreeing not to let these meetings evolve into name calling and blame placing. The time for that is past, now we must go on.
My thinking is that I don't hold out much hope for this panel. It would be difficult for congress to appoint a panel that would do the wishes of the people. Washington must get the mind set of spend, tax and regulate out of their collective minds. Once, (and if) that s done then we can have a panel that makes sense. Let's pray that this panel works out.
Pray for our service people,
GOD Bless
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
My return
Hi
Just writing to let you know why I have been absent for a while. I did have some medical problems but they are under control. If you missed me I will try to blog on a regular basis, and, as usual my blogs will be about the direction of our country and my opinion as to what should be done.
Thank you for your understanding.
Pray for our protectors.
Just writing to let you know why I have been absent for a while. I did have some medical problems but they are under control. If you missed me I will try to blog on a regular basis, and, as usual my blogs will be about the direction of our country and my opinion as to what should be done.
Thank you for your understanding.
Pray for our protectors.
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