Rich at Riverhead's Polish Hall with the
wonderful people of the Suffolk 9-12 Project.
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The incumbent and his leader, Nancy Pelosi, chose to go on a wild spending spree, at your expense, $787 billion, claiming that the Government would create jobs. In truth, the only part of the economy that can create jobs is a growing business sector. When the Government spends, it is actually spending the profits (or future profits) of the business sector. Unfortunately, that leaves less money to for business to expand and hire. "Stimulus" spending has proved to be a dead end because it doesn't create real, sustainable jobs. Ironically, in its effort to create jobs, growing the Government actually prevents jobs from being created. We need to grow the economy with incentive payroll and other tax cuts. That does wonders for employment and pays for itself in an expanded tax base.
A government website, www.recovery.gov, reveals the "stimulus" money spent so far, from the bill our representative voted for. Here are the projects that were supposed to create jobs in our District:
$11,150,000 awarded to a Colorado company for a project in Port Jefferson.
$286,000 awarded to a Massachusetts company for a project in Patchogue.
$69,067 awarded to a Rhode Island company for a project in Shirley.
$414,250 awarded to a Syracuse company for a projectin Holtsville.
$485,560 awarded to a Syracuse company for a project in Shirley.
$133,351 awarded to a Massachusetts company for a project in Shirley.
$49,723 awarded to a Massachusetts company for a project in Patchogue.
$1,196,484 awarded to a South Carolina company for a project in Calverton.
$997,273 awarded to an Illinois company for a project in Shinnecock.
Since I first posted these awards, recovery.gov has changed the organization of the website, providing far less detail. Some of the awards listed above have miraculously disappeared from the site altogether. Luckily, I saved and posted screenshots before they took the information down. Please CLICK HERE to see screenshots of the awards as they were displayed on the original recovery.gov.
Dangerous Declassifying
The incumbent administration has declassified information pertaining to the interrogation of terrorist prisoners. In doing so, they expose the techniques used and other scenario details, which could seriously degrade our ability to obtain information in the future. At the very least, declassifying this material prepares future detainees for what their experience with our intelligence gatherers might be like. I, for one, am outraged at the flagrant disregard for the safety of the American people displayed by the incumbent administration. The protection of Americans is the duty and honor of every Federal official, not just the military. I call on Congress to show it's extreme displeasure with such capricious declassification, initially with a resolution, followed by more binding measures.
Do We Need ANOTHER Government Health Plan?
We're often given the impression that there's nowhere to turn for people without health insurance, yet New York State lists no less than 25 public health insurance programs whose availability is based on one's individual situation. See for yourself on their website http://www.health.state.ny.us/health_care/
Also, New York State's booklet, "Consumer Guide to Health Insurers" describes "Insurance Options for Uninsured New Yorkers" on page 41. Click Here for Richard's take on health care.
Raising taxes will create jobs;
Making oil more expensive will change the weather;
There are 47 million U.S. citizens without health insurance;
Borrowing money from China will end the recession;
Solar electricity is dependable;
Pressuring Israel will change Hamas and Hezzbolah;
Exposing CIA files makes us safer;
Awards to out-of-state companies stimulate our local economy;
Government health insurance will save money;
Saying "Please" will stop Iran’s nuclear weapons program...
Then you're just the voter the incumbent is wishing for!
But, if you know better, then you're just the person to help defeat him!
Please feel free to send your questions, comments, and advice to
richard(at)shouldirun.com
Thanks!
Rich
Why a Nobody, Who Never Held Office,
Should Run for Congress
If you’ve been following the news, you’re probably as concerned as I am. According to the Director of the Congressional Budget Office, "Under current law, the federal budget is on an unsustainable path..." Our current representative voted to fund his leaders' expensive projects, sometimes without even reading the law he was voting for. Could you imagine hiring an attorney who tells you to sign a contract without reading it? You'd fire that attorney, someone who's supposed to look out for you, but looks the other way instead. That's who we have as our representative. He's also been playing an incredibly dangerous game of, 'Buy Now, Make Our Kids Pay Later'. He's brought our government to the brink of bankruptcy. I keep thinking, there must be an organizing principle of government that could help us judge where it's reasonable to put our efforts and our money. I believe I've discovered such a principle that could guide us. I call it, 'Plan from Strength'.
What's the alternative? You could keep your perfectly good house and simply add on the rooms you need for a fraction of the cost and a fraction of the risk. In other words, you plan from the strength of what you already have and make the necessary improvements to reach your goals.
Real Energy Independence: The goal is to dependably produce electricity using American sources, without polluting the atmosphere, in quantities that will serve our needs now and in the future. Dependable is the key word here and I'll tell you why...More
Better American Transportation: The goal is to make our system of transportation cleaner and more efficient, relying as little as possible on foreign oil...More
Health Care by Numbers: Health insurance in the 1st Congressional District, the crisis that wasn't there...More
A Good Rep Can Help Commercial Fishing: Government rules need changing to save our District's commercial fishing industry...More
The bank manager is called over. "Well, how much money do you make in a year, sir?"
The man replies, "$20,000."
"That's not much income for a $120,000 loan. Don't you think you'll use up your income on food, clothing and other necessities? How could you possibly pay back that large a loan?"
The man winks and whispers, "I'm good for it." The manager asks, "How much of that $20,000 do you spend each year?"
The man tells him, "$35,000".
The manager laughs and says, "Let me get this straight. You make 20, you spend 35, and you want to borrow 120? Just who do you think you are?"
"I'm Uncle Sam!" the man proclaims.
Sounds like a bad joke, right? I'm sorry to say that, in those same proportions, the man seeking the loan really is Uncle Sam, also known as the Federal Government. Our current representative has spent so much money that, if he's not reversed, he will have effectively handcuffed the future of our country's economy. Here's what I mean. The federal government's debt is nearly $12 trillion. But, you may say, the IRS rakes in so much cash. Just look at the salary I start with versus what I actually get in my paycheck. Well, how much do you think the Government collects in a year? The sad fact is, it's only around $2 trillion a year. But wait, the Government will be spending about $3.5 trillion this year. That's right. In a whole year they collect 2, spend 3.5, and they're already almost 12 in debt, with no end in sight!
Since we have no chance of collecting enough in taxes to finance what he spends, we have to sell bonds, borrowing money from others and pay them interest for the favor. It's like he's signed you and me to a gigantic mortgage we'll never be able to pay off. China is our biggest bond customer. One of China's most important bank executives even quipped that U.S. bonds should be issued in Chinese currency, instead of dollars. Funny, huh? Worst of all, our representative has spent so much on his friends' pet projects, there's absolutely nothing left for really worthwhile programs. That's what I call a handcuffed economy.
Wait, there's more. As it becomes apparent to the world that we're unable to repay our debt, the bonds will lose their value. When that happens the interest rate goes up, regardless of what the Federal Reserve might do. On June 3rd, 2009, Bloomberg.com reported,
"Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said large U.S. budget deficits threaten financial stability and the government can't continue indefinitely to borrow at the current rate to finance the shortfall." That's the deep, deep hole our representative has dug for us.
Let's reverse this crazy credit card style of government and plan from strength instead!
We just can't watch from the sidelines anymore, hoping our representative will do the right thing for us and our children. I know he won't. I know I will. Please tell me, should I run?
