Sunday, October 18, 2009

Stimulus, Clean Energy, TARP, etc., Now VAT - Good for America?

So, you think what you don't know won't hurt you? That's what the far-left legislators want you to believe as they "fundamentally change America".

The American people are being treated like lambs led to the slaughter - or rather, the American way of life is being pushed and shoved toward the slaughter. And in preparation for the finality of it all, everything that has made the United States unique as a nation is being quickly and systematically stripped from it. Concerned citizens are organizing Tea Parties, some are writing blogs, some are talking to their neighbors and friends, and all are expressing their opinions under the same rights that PETA, an ultra far-left organization, uses against the poultry and beef industries - only without smearing fake blood or red paint on things and scaring small children who only want their Happy Meals.

Conservative Americans, both morally and fiscally, are beginning to express their concern over the future of America. They're holding peaceful rallies of protest, carrying banners and handmade signs, and they're contacting their representatives about their concerns on the issues that are reshaping or restructured our country toward the leftist's position. These citizens are voicing their objections to the unethical practices of their own elected officials in Washington. Those unethical actions include, in part, pushing huge laws (literally and conceptually) through the legislative process in the most obscure and unprecedented ways possible, and often under the cloak of darkness, with the full intent of keeping the American people ignorant while this takes place. What happened to the very detailed promise of transparency of the Obama Administration?

Even the majority of the legislators don't know exactly what are in the bills because most of them refuse to read them. For example, a bill may be called a stimulus package, but within that bill are many amendments or sections that do not pertain to stimulating economy in any way, shape, or form. And sometimes those inserted amendments have restrictions on certain freedoms we have enjoyed or they may impose a new tax or cost to the taxpayer, or they may send millions of tax dollars to a particular lawmaker's state or district for special projects to garner votes and political support.

Let's take the $787 Billion Economic Stimulus Package. In it was money for Sen. John Murtha's (D-PA) airport renovation, which is an abomination! The airport was given $800,000 of stimulus money for a new cross-wind runway. (Three passengers a day! And all to Washington DC! How many new jobs did that create, and just who does that benefit?) That's just one example of the waste and little political favors payoffs that occur! It's our tax money and as taxpayers we should have a say on where our money goes; after all, that's what our representatives and senators are for - to protect our interests.

We, the people, have sent our representatives to Washington to look out for our interests. However, they have forgotten their campaign promises and are no longer representing their constituency. Instead they put party interests, pet projects, political favors, and partisan politics above the best interest of the American people and do not consider themselves accountable even to the people who elected them. They have their own personal crusade to gain power, influence, and wealth as they continue the "Washington as usual" politics and the American Democracy is falling down around our ears.

America is at an important crossroad at this point in its history. It's reputation is being quickly dissolved in the opinion of other nations because there is no integrity and no honor in our President's words any more. If we do nothing to change what's happening in Washington, the great nation of the United States will be unrecognizable before the passing of this generation. The jury is still out until November 2010 during which time we will see if the recent voices of the American people at the town hall meetings and at Tea Party rallies have been heard. But the pressure on our representatives needs to be maintained, because there's still a lot of time for more wholesale slaughter between now and then -- just look at what has happened over the past year. Think about these things:

» The House energy and global warming bill HR2454 was passed June 26, 2009. It consisted of more than 1,400 pages and was available online only 15 hours before being vote upon. This bill is presently before the Senate and is projected to cost taxpayers up to $200 million per year.

» The $789 billion stimulus bill was passed Feb. 14, 2009 and had over 400 pages. It was available online only 13 hours before debate.

» $700 billion financial sector rescue package, known as TARP 1, was passed Oct. 3, 2008. It has 169 pages and was available online only 29 hours before voting took place.

» The Baucus Bill on health care reform is reported to impose nearly $2,000 per family annually just to cover the mandated cost. And if you don't take out insurance, you'll pay nearly that amount in an imposed penalty. It is presently being re-worked to include a version of public option - and this is being done BEHIND CLOSED DOORS! So, we won't even see what they come up with before it goes to the House.

So, if you're not sure how those bills that were passed in such a rush earlier this year will impact your life, you need to become aware - fully aware! Even if the rich and the not so rich ponied up all their wealth, they wouldn't have enough money to pay for those bills that have already passed. And we're still awaiting the outcome of the Clean Energy/Global Warming bill in the Senate and the Healthcare Reform Act to pass.

If that wasn't enough, Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, has gone on record as saying that a new tax is on the table to help America address these fiscal responsibilities. (She is assuming that the healthcare bill will pass and that manufacturers will be required to include healthcare in their operating costs.) Her proposal is "a tax" called a VAT, a value added tax, to foreign manufacturing to level the playing field. Only it doesn't really. The value added tax is a tax put on manufacturers at each stage of production and is based upon the amount of value another producer may add to a product. Think about this: most of what the US consumes is imported these days - produced elsewhere. So those taxes on foreign companies will have costs that are directly passed on to you and to me. The VAT on manufacturing and services will only drive up the costs on all consumer goods. Critics of VAT say that this tax disproportionately affects the middle- and low-income customers. Whoa! No taxes on middle class? What happened to that promise?

Just so you know, it's politi-speak. That's how they're going to end up taking money out of your pocket even if you're not among those who make more than $250,000. No, it won't be a straight forward "tax" on the individuals of the middle class, but by such taxes and restrictions on the manufacturing and producer of goods (and services) they take money straight out of your pocket at the consumer end. It will also give the government more regulatory control over the manufacturers.

So, get ready. You're going to have to spend a whole lot more for goods and services - and real soon!

No comments:

Post a Comment