After months of listening to news media totally in the tank for Obama, we finally see a little truth. One can’t help but wonder why it took them this long? Any thinking person must have questioned all the promises coming from BO. After all, we balance budgets all the time and we know you can’t make major purchases without finding extra money. Part of the problem with the US economy is that we (individually and corporately) find that extra money by borrowing. And we as individuals are experiencing the results of over-borrowing, not just our own, but of others who now need to be bailed out.
Following Obama’s extravagant informercial, CBS News did a Reality Check. I doubt that it will get much traction, but really … why couldn’t we think this through for ourselves. Is there any wonder why we are in this economic situation? Instead of pointing fingers at Democrats and Republicans and Congress and Wall Street greed, shouldn’t we be looking in the mirror?
Our pastor commented a few weeks ago that we need to think about the words we use and how we use them. In particular, he pointed to the use of “awesome” to describe everything from tennis shoes to cars to jobs. He said that we should use the word as defined for things that inspire awe … like God.
I heard another such word used in a political context recently when a Barack Obama told a rally in Virginia: “I feel like we got a righteous wind at our backs here.” There is nothing righteous about politics. There is nothing righteous about mankind.
“None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” Romans 3.10-12
Not a founding father, but the son of one, John Quincy Adams knew personally the struggle for independence and to birth a new nation, which he served as our 6th President. His life story is interesting and inspiring, although probably not well known today. Today I read a quote from JQA and it made me look for a few more … here are a few samples:
Nip the shoots of arbitrary power in the bud, is the only maxim which can ever preserve the liberties of any people.
Posterity: you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it.
Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.
The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.
I had hoped we were done with the Fairness Doctrine after Dennis Kucinich didn’t get any traction in the primaries. Most Democrats have insisted that it was not under consideration at all, so I’m not happy to see it being promoted.
Enactment of this legislation would seriously impinge on talk radio, but perhaps the place where it would have the most disastrous effect is Christian radio. I choose to listed to Christian music and the station I listen to is funded by donations. But they broadcast over public airways and would be subject to the Fairness Doctrine if enacted.
Here’s my version of the Fairness Doctrine: Change the Channel! That’s what I do to news stations that exhibit obvious bias. It is what I do to stations that constantly advertise for products I don’t think should be advertised. It’s what I do so I can listen to the kind of music I prefer.
Interesting argument that if Joe had been working the last ten years under the Obama plan he would have gotten to keep more of his money, so now it is fair that he pay more. *sigh* And also interesting that Obama doesn’t seem to understand the flat tax, confusing it with the Fair Tax.
My ESV Study Bible was delivered today! I wasn’t expecting to have it on release day! I am excited and am already loving this version. I had the ESV Reformation Study Bible, but this one is so much more complete. It has lots of great articles, color maps, excellent notes. The font size is nice … not too small and very crisp.
I’ve been challenged numerous times to justify my belief that Barack Obama’s proposed tax plan is not what he is advertising. For example: his statement that 95% will pay lower taxes. So today I downloaded and read his tax plan AGAIN. Yes, I had previously reviewed the material he had online. Today I took a longer look. Here are some of the things that jumped out immediately:
“Obama’s plan will cut taxes overall, reducing revenues to below the levels that prevailed under Ronald Reagan”. Reagan????? Why on earth are we comparing anything with Reagan. The man left office 20 years ago and our tax code has undergone numerous changes since then. Most of the people Obama is promoting this tax plan to were not even part of the workforce when Reagan was in office. Smoke & Mirrors
Tax credits
“Making Work Pay” Tax Credit: a refundable tax credit of $500 or $1,000 for working couples … no details provided, said to be for low income. My question is whether they get this credit if they are already paying no income tax, as is the case for most low income taxpayers.
American Opportunity Tax Credit: A credit for the first $4,000 of college tuition. Again, no details. Who gets it? Parents or student? What about college loans? How does this impact them? Does the student still get the credit if tuition was covered by loans?
Universal 10% Mortgage Interest Tax Credit: Really smoky mirrors … you only get this if you DO NOT itemize deductions. They estimate this will give the average taxpayer a credit of $500. Someone get a fire extinguisher!
There were more credits listed, but I was getting a little sick. The bottom line is that it all sounds fine but isn’t what it is advertised to be, as well as I could tell with the sketchy information they provided.
This statement simply boggled the mind: “Simplify Tax System So 40 Million Americans Can Do Their Taxes in Less Than Five Minutes. Obama will reform our tax system to greatly reduce its complexity, consolidating several credits and giving taxpayers the option of pre-filled tax forms to verify, sign and return. Under the Obama tax plan, 40 million Americans who take the standard deduction will be able to do their taxes in less than five minutes and will not have to hire an accountant. This will save Americans more than $2 billion in tax preparer fees and more than 200 million hours of work.” You bet … I will certainly let the government fill out my tax form … when pigs fly. And what is this all going to cost?
Since when do tax credits and tax rates equate? Most people would expect a tax reduction to mean a reduction in the total taxes taken from their check each pay period. It doesn’t sound like that is the case. Instead of reducing payroll taxes, Obama has structured a bunch of tax credits you may or may not qualify for and billed them as tax reductions. Instead of more money in your pay envelope, you get to give the government an interest free loan and they will “give” you a tax credit.
I would laugh, but that might be misconstrued.
I am being challenged for possession of my patio … and not just me, but every gray squirrel that thinks they can step on it. The challenger is a little red squirrel who thinks ownership of the patio, along with every walnut that falls thereon, is his. He also thinks the small plot of grass inside the privacy fence is his and has mined it with caches of walnuts.
It’s funny watching those silly squirrels. The gray ones eat every walnut they can get their paw on and they are all looking a little portly. The little red one squirrels away nuts at a furious pace. I am thinking he will go into a den when the snow flies and feast the winter away. The grays will just have to keep looking for food. (I know they are active in winter because of their raids on my bird feeder.)
Whenever a gray tried to forage on the patio, the little red squirrel chases him off. Red will even tackle the gray, not deterred in the least that the grays are two to three times his size. When I go out there, he chatters at me, trying to scare me off. Silly animal.
What is happening in our economy? What craziness has taken hold in DC? I’m getting pretty nervous. John Mark Reynolds states it much better than I can. What if, indeed?
In light of previous discussions on forgiveness, I was interested to test my understanding. You might want to try it too. This quiz comes with an offer for a free book, which ends at noon tomorrow. Chop, chop … don’t wait too long. And the answers will give you some good insights as well.
