The FDIC

Remember when the FDIC backed the money in a bank account for $100,000.00 and we all thought that was a large amount of money. Man, have times changed.

Now that the country is in what the President terms an Economic Crisis, when everyone is supposed to have less money, and when the President has labeled those who make more than $250,000.00 as rich; the FDIC has raised the insurable amount to that same $250,000.00.

SO, now that we aren’t supposed to have any money, the federal government has decided to insure us to the amount of someone who is rich. GOSH, I feel better already.

Now consider this. In a recent evaluation of United States Bond status, given the federal governments current record-setting pace for debt creation, U. S. Bonds are expected to lose their Triple A status in the next year or two. Those same bonds would fall to Single A status as soon as 2020 and reach Junk Bond status by 2030. AWESOME huh?

My Favorite part of this whole mess is still the motto of the FDIC, “Backed By The Full Faith and Credit of the United States Government.” Somehow, that doesn’t make me feel near as comfortable as I did when the FDIC only insured us for $100,000.00.

I’ll take my money is large bills please,
Bill

Can I See Your ID?

So the Democrats in the Texas state legislature are against a voter ID law – SHOCKING!

Okay, let me see if I can get this straight. You have to show your ID to get a fishing license, You have to show an ID to get a marriage license, you have to show an ID to cash a check, You have to show an ID to use a credit card, MY GOD, you have to show an ID to pick up tickets for an airplane flight, sporting event, or a rock concert.

So how in the world are all these people able to show a picture ID for these purposes and it is not considered biased? The Democrats says it disenfranchises people from being able to vote – HOW!

Since it doesn’t affect their ability to fish, cash a check, use a credit card, or attend a ticketed event, then how on God’s green Earth is it going to affect their ability to vote. I could understand it being a detriment if it was done under a Jim Crow law, but this is the 21st Century and Texas has had the “Motor-Voter” law for quite some time.

Let’s call it like it is, pure and simple, if you make people show their ID to vote, you make people responsible for their own vote and effectively eliminate fraudulent voting. I guess this would have too much of a negative effect on Democrat voting numbers.

I wonder if I can get copies of my ID picture?
Bill

When to Say When

Okay – the North Koreans have nukes. They have tested the missiles over and over like last 4th of July, a few weeks ago, and several other times in the last few years. All that our government has said is, “ah, there’s no worries until they get a nuclear (or is it Nucular) warhead.”

Well guess what folks, they have it and they tested it underground this last weekend – Memorial Day weekend. Get it, test the missile on the 4th of July and test the nuke on Memorial Day. Got to give it to ole Kim Jong Il, he can read an American holiday calendar.

Seriously, NO ONE has done squat on this issue since Bill Clinton was president (and yes, that did hurt to say). Well, I mean nothing significant. Now there’s been a lot of talk by Bush and letter writing by Obama, but nothing that will create any results. I think it is time for the President to stand up and DO something.

What is it he will likely do? Pressure China, no wait, we can’t do that, who would loan us the money to pay for the stimulus or the new $3.6 trillion budget. Military strike, maybe about ten years too late but what the heck. Shake our fist and rattle our chains…Ahh, the old standby.

Well this one is not above President Obama’s pay grade. Actually, nothing is above his pay grade anymore and he now has to step forward and take some action.

I’m moving into the Bunker,
Bill

Pelosi and Her Disremembering – She Thinks?

There has been a big charge with the Republicans on Capital Hill about Nancy Pelosi and what she did or did not know about water-boarding. Regardless of one’s opinion on the issue of water-boarding, the question is not what she did or did not know; the question is why she doesn’t know what she does or does not know.

Speaker Pelosi is the third in line to the Oval Office. As such, we expect – NO, we should require more from her than anyone else in the United States House of Representatives. Despite her political views, it was her job as a member of the Gang of Four at the time to stand up and say something about a concern she has since expressed great distress over.

If Speaker Pelosi felt that water-boarding was not a viable method of extracting information, then she should have said something about it at the time. To date, she has claimed to have never been briefed on the subject, then said she had forgotten about being briefed on this subject, then she said the brief only stated that water-boarding was legal, and now she claims the CIA lied to her and the entire congress about its use of water-boarding.

It is difficult to know what the truth is, but it is doubtful that Speaker Pelosi is lacking in mental capabilities so much that she doesn’t know the truth either. This comes down to a question of character and regardless of political ideology; the character demonstrated in the handling of this issue is not the sort that we, as Americans, should expect from someone in such a high office.

All Hail to the Speaker,
Bill

Smoking in Public

The public smoking debate, or the prohibition of smoking in public debate, has been killed in the Texas state legislature for this session. Thank God!

Let it be known that on occasion, I enjoy a fine cigarette; I would not classify myself as a smoker because I am not one who must have a cigarette to get by. I am simply one of those individuals who are classified as a social smoker. I enjoy a cigarette when I am in the presence of others who likewise enjoy a smoke.

On the flip side, I also do not enjoy being around people smoking while there is eating going on. Before the food arrives, or after the meal is complete, feel free to light up; however, while there is eating going on, please refrain from smoking.

Now, with all that said, let me say this; I salute the state legislature for not pursuing this issue any farther. To ban all public smoking is not a health issue, it is a freedom issue. By placing a ban on public smoking, which many cities have already done, each one of us loses a little bit more of our freedom.

It doesn’t matter what position an individual takes on this smoking issue, it is simply one more step for government to take to dictate how we live our lives. It restricts our freedom by limiting where we are and are not allowed to do those things that are perfectly legal.

This little bit of tyranny always starts with some issue like banning public smoking, and by justifying that, we allow a dangerous precedent to be set; a precedent that will allow government control over other issues.

Protect Your Freedom,
Bill

A Two State Solution

It is Monday in Washington and the president is meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. President Obama takes the stand that he believes that there should be a two state solution to the Israeli/Palestinian confrontation. He says this even though Netanyahu stated repeatedly that the greater fear to the Israeli nation is Iran and their pursuit of nuclear weapons.

President Obama made the point repeatedly that he felt that the harsh treatment of Israel toward the Palestinians must be changed and a peaceful two state solution must occur to set the tone for useful negotiations with Iran…REALLY? I think President Obama needs to do a little more research on foreign matters.

I will make this as simple as possible. First of all, there are two different factions in charge of the two areas of Palestinian control. Hamas controls the Gaza strip and Fatah controls the West Bank. So who does the Israeli government negotiate with Mr. President?

Second, every time the world cries out for a cease fire to stop Israel from defending itself against Palestinian militants, it allows those militants time to regroup, rearm, and restart their campaign of terror against Israel. Time and time again Israel has come to the table to work towards peace only to be slapped in the face by what the Obama administration has termed “Man-Caused Disasters” (commonly called terrorism) from those same Palestinians we are to show sympathy for.

I know President Obama has a large contingent of foreign policy-makers and advisors; however, I think in this instance I would have to defer to a man like Netanyahu who has been involved in this debate from the battlefield, the bargaining table and the various seats of government. You know, someone with experience. Oh yeah, I forgot, experience isn’t necessary, it is all about “Change.”

Shalom,
Bill

HealthCare, Are You Sure?

With President Obama calling for congress to give him a health care plan by July 31st, I think it is important to take a look at how some of the other public benefit programs are going.

Social Security will begin to have benefits exceed incoming taxes by 2016 and will be completely bankrupt by 2037, just in time for my retirement – Yipeeee!!!

Medicare began to have benefits exceed incoming taxes April 26, 2009 (remember that date from an earlier blog). That’s right, at this moment in time; Medicare is now working in a negative income mode, rather like the rest of the government…well except for social security, that still has a few years.

The topper is this, with events in government spending continuing on as the present administration has set out, Medicare will be completely broke by 2017. That’s it, ka-pooey, nothing left, empty, nada, rather like a bowl of ice cream after a Baptist social.

Look, I know many out there think the government is the harbinger of good hope for the health care issue in America, but it is not. To be honest, most of those hired to manage government-run agencies couldn’t manage a small ant farm. If they could, they’d be in the private sector having their pay capped by…well, that’s a different blog.

Anyway, for all those who think that government control of the health care system is the answer, let’s see if the government can first answer the question of how to fix social security and Medicare.

I think I need a new prescription,
Bill

Naming a New Justice

There are a few truths to winning a presidential election. One of these truths is the winner has the opportunity to select appointments to the Supreme Court. So as Justice Souter is retiring, President Obama will have the opportunity to nominate his replacement.

Many on the right are concerned that this will be a radical individual who will lean heavily to the left. I am not sure who the nominee will be, but if that individual is heavily Liberal, then it is Mr. Obama’s constitutional right to be allowed to nominate that individual.

With that said, I would like to see two things from President Obama in making his selection. First, avoid the Ivy League. I know the president is an Ivy Leaguer; however, so are all the justices except for John Paul Stevens. Actually, except for Justice Stevens, the other eight all come from Harvard, Yale or Columbia. And they blame us in the oil field as being to Old-Boy Network.

Second, I would like to see the new nominee come from somewhere other than the federal judiciary. All of the current members have come from the Federal Judiciary. Now is the time to get someone who comes from a state court, or a district court, or Private practice. Someone like my Grandfather who graduated from Emory and was a state circuit court judge in Georgia.

What the court needs is Common Sense and Real World Experience instead of the partisanship that has been so prevalent in the past. President Obama has the chance to make his first nomination, will he start to make a change in the federal way of thinking or will he give us someone with a background similar to what we already have?

ALL RISE,
Bill

Stopping Tax Cheats Starts in D.C.

Was that really Tim Geithner standing up there with President Obama saying how they were going to stop tax law loop-holes and tax cheats? - REALLY!

Now I applaud the notion of making people pay their taxes but shouldn’t it be just as important to lead by example. Yes I know Geithner, after being put on the spot and caught having “underpaid” his taxes, went back and made amends be repaying those taxes, kind of.

I also know that rather than leading by example and making restitution for the full amount, he took advantage of the statute of limitations and only wrote a check for those unpaid taxes that were required. Those that fell out of the statute of limitations were left unsettled. Since he is now the head of the IRS, I wonder how much in fines and interest he was charged for the portion he made good on.

I still find the funniest part was Geithner blaming his mistake on his misunderstanding of how to use Turbo-tax. I guess this year Geithner can ask for help from Tom Daschle, Charlie Rangel or one of the others who are or have served in Washington who, at various times had responsibility for some portion of the tax code, but apparently can’t understand the code that the rest of us are supposed to.

Guess we better get our ducks in a row cause the federal government is coming. Maybe they should start in Washington D.C.?

Wonder how long it will take to read the tax code?
Bill

National Debt Day - OH BOY!!

Throughout the year there are important dates that we look forward to and those that we dread. April 15th, does anyone ever look forward to this date? I mean if you have to pay. By the way, if your not paying on April 15th, then you are paying too much in with-holding the rest of the year so you’re really not getting any money back, just getting the no-interest loan you gave to the government returned to you.

There is December 25th, we all look forward to that, unless it’s December 20 and you haven’t started your Christmas shopping yet. Thanksgiving, yes the date changes but the reason to look forward to it is the same wonderful feeling each year. March 17th, it is so good to be Irish.

This year April 26th is pretty significant. That was the day that our government quit working in the black and began working in the red. That’s right, as of the 27th of April; the federal government is working on credit. Credit we will all have to pay back – eventually. Actually, to be more accurate, it is money our children and grandchildren, and their children will have to pay, unless we have to follow Chrysler’s example and file bankruptcy.

To be fair, this date has been moving forward in the year for a LONG time; however, this year it has taken a tremendous move forward, from August 5th last year to April 26th this year. According to some estimates for next year, the national debt date will probably be somewhere in late February to early March. Not a very settling forecast.

Get out you checkbooks,
Bill

Chrysler

So after all the bailout money given to Chrysler, President Obama guaranteeing Chrysler’s warrantees on their vehicles, concessions by the UAW, a major ownership stake given to the UAW, a buyout by Fiat and concessions by many of their creditors; Chrysler still filed for Bankruptcy.

I wonder where they would be right now had they just filed a few months back before they had taken all the bailout money, the bite in the rear from the UAW, and given up their independence to an organization like Fiat. I mean come on, have you ever driven a Fiat? I would rather have one of those nasty old “K” cars than a Fiat.

I know that bankruptcy is bad, but worse is bankruptcy and all the strings that are now attached by the government, the UAW and Fiat.

I’ll be on the Ford Lot,
Bill

Those Wimps in Europe

So after two world wars and multiple other conflicts in the world that we Americans have worked to help Europe out of, it seemed like it was only President Bush’s Unilateralism that kept Europe from fully supporting us in the “War on Terror.”

Then we elected (well, not all of us elected him) President Obama on a platform of Multilateralism and Europe still refuses to offer any significant help.

So, is it really the man in charge, the ideals with which we go to fight, or the fact that most of Europe is made up of appeasement-seeking goobers (yes, that is the official term)?

You make up your own mind – I have.

Lookout for the fallout,
Bill

Purpose for this blog

I am writing this blog as a sideline from my original blog (horsesense-bill.blogspot.com). The Horse Sense blog is for lengthier more thought out blogs to make you think. This one is simply a chance to make some "Quick Points" for those of you out there to ponder and think about on a daily basis (at the suggestion of one of my friends, I should point out that "Daily" is a relative term).

One of my fellow bloggers, and friends, bet me I couldn't stay non-partisan with my first blog, and to an extent he is right. So I created this blog in case I drift off into a partisan rant. Another friend, and fellow blogger, also said I shouldn’t try to stay non-partisan and he was right; however, the purpose of Horse Sense is to not offend, but make people think.

SO – I have therefore created this blog to give my dedicated followers (and you know who the two if you are) the opportunity to get some quick insight that you might not get anywhere else.

I don’t have a problem with someone who disagrees with me from a knowledgeable standpoint, only those who ignorantly bang the drum of popularistic rhetoric without knowing of that of which they speak.

If you enjoy the blog, let me know. If you disagree with me, again, let me know. If you don’t understand, you may be the problem. Better get some knowledge!

Thanks and read on,
Bill