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Recently I sent an email regarding the discussions in the Senate on beverage tax. This is the response I got from one of the Senators in my state.
“As you may know, the Senate is currently crafting legislation to reform and improve our nation’s health care system. As part of this process, Congressional leaders are considering a number of proposals to minimize the effect of such reforms on our federal debt. One such proposal would create a three cent excise tax per twelve ounces of a sweetened beverage. This proposal would raise almost $52 billion over ten years to fund health care reform.
Today, American children aged 2 to 5 are twice as likely to be overweight as they were in 1970, and those aged 6 to 19 are three times as likely to be overweight. In total, more than 9 million children and adolescents are now considered overweight. Obesity contributes to morbidity and premature death. Such trends are having a devastating impact on our health care system. If we can reduce our consumption of high-sugar soft drinks, we can make some progress in fighting obesity and reigning in health care costs.”
This is typical of the Democratic Party and their condescending attitude. Rather than help people become accountable and take responsibility for their choices they want to preempt our choices.
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As I listened to the radio the other day, I was shocked by an advertisment from a mortgage company. In the ad they stated they could loan up to 125% of the value of the home. Isn’t this the kind of lending practice that got us into the economic mess we are in today? I would think this would be one of the loopholes the government would want to plug. Lending more than the value of a property puts the lender at risk and it creates an expectation in the borrower that his property is really worth more than market value. If for what ever reason he has to sell the home is he going to be looking for 100% of the homes value or 125% to ensure he can pay off his outstanding balance? I don’t know about you but I find this practice to be seriously flawed.
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A recent news story has had me thinking. What would our lives be like if suddenly we were looking a $10 a gallon gasoline? How many of us could continue to drive our kids to school, to the grocery store, to the gym, to work? What would happen to the cost of groceries, clothes, household goods? What is currently being done to ensure our lifestyle is not impacted by $10 gasoline? What is the auto industry doing, the energy industry, government? What are we doing to prepare?
Here is the link to the news story, http://cbs4denver.com/local/peak.oil.ASPO.2.1242986.html. take a look and decide what you think your world would look like with $10 gasoline.
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A lot of discussion this morning centers on news the Bush administration has been monitoring international transfers of funds in an effort to track those who may be aiding and abetting terrorists. I cannot condone the release by the media of this information and the harm it does to the efforts to track down terrorists and those sympathetic to their cause. I do believe, however, there is a positive view as well. Now that the terrorists know we have this capability they will not be able to move their funds as freely and as a result will not be able to provide funding to terrorist cells, like the one uncovered in Miami, for their activities. Disruption of terrorist financing networks has to be just as important as tracking down the terrorists.
"It is not a fishing expedition but rather a sharp harpoon aimed at the heart of terrorist activity." – Treasury Secretary John Snow
Tags: Terrorism
For a long time I have had a problem with the labels being used to describe the various participants in the ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. It really bothers me every time I hear the media or politicians or anybody for that matter refer to the terrorists as soldiers or insurgents. They cannot be considered soldiers because soldiers have always shown a modicum of respect for the enemy. They should not be elevated to insurgents because an insurgent fights against unjust authority with a view to improving conditions. How can the killing of your own innocent citizens help to improve conditions? We should always refer to these combatants by their true name. Terrorists are what they are and terrorists are what they should be called.
Soldier – somebody who serves in a military organization, a skilled and experienced fighter or military strategist
Insurgent – One who rises in revolt against established authority, especially a government, with the intent of improving conditions, rebelling against the leadership of a political party
Terrorist – somebody who uses violence, especially bombing, kidnapping and assassination, to intimidate others, often for political purposes
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Over the weekend, several oil company executives were interviewed on Meet the Press. During the interviews they expressed what I consider to be dangerous egalitarian views by stating current gasoline prices in the US are justified because in Europe and elsewhere people are paying much more. " In parts of Europe and elsewhere in the West, gasoline prices are more like $5 per gallon to $7 per gallon," said the chairman of ConocoPhillips Co., James J. Mulva.
I don’t want the US to become like other parts of the world. I would much prefer governments elsewhere provide the opportunities the US provides and other countries rise to our level rather than us slide backwards.
Tags: World, Oil, Gasoline, Economy
I have been thinking lately about something I heard Dr. David Galernter say on the Bill Bennett morning show http://www.bennettmornings.com. Over the last couple of decades we have gone from a society which believed in and taught duties, obligations and responsibilities to its young, to a society of rights and entitlement. I have to agree and believe this is a contributing factor in the problems we are experiencing with our young people. They no longer see themselves as owing anything to others, country or society but as being owed. They are entitled to whatever gratifies them.
Then, it is not hard to understand the dilemma young people face, how can they be expected to go out into the world and live on their own when today’s cost of living is so high? For example: here where I live, even a modest apartment runs $850 a month. If rent is 33% of spendable income, then you would have to be making $18.00 an hour in order to afford a place of your own. How can a young person even contemplate taking responsibility for their own life when starting wages are more like $8.00 an hour. What kind of a place can they afford? If we expect young people to take responsibility shouldn’t we ensure their entry into society as responsible beings can be a possibility the can visualize?
……… Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it. –Groucho Marx, Entertainer This comes from a friend, David Smith, who keeps me intrigued with a variety of comments. Hope you all enjoy this Memorial Day and take time to remember those who have made it possible. http://www.iwo.com/heroes.htm
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