Can you believe what the media tells you?

This is a post that I received in my email.

Bloomberg: Home Prices in 20 U.S. Cities Rose 0.3% in January
Home prices in 20 U.S. cities unexpectedly rose in January, indicating the housing market is stabilizing as the economy expands. The S&P/Case-Shiller home price index climbed 0.3% from the prior month…

MarketWatch: U.S. Jan. Case-Shiller Home Prices Fall 0.4%
Home prices in 20 major U.S. cities fell a not-seasonally adjusted 0.4% in January compared with December, according to the Case-Shiller home price index released Tuesday...

Pardon our language, but it’s all BS. With enough political pressure, preconceptions, seasonal adjustments and ambiguous data, you can print whatever you want… so long as the masses don’t bother to check the source and think for themselves.

So if I want to convince you that the housing market is better, I just quote Bloomberg. However, if I want to convince you that the housing market is still bad, I just quote MarketWatch.

Why would you believe either of them? Check it out for yourself.

More taxes on the way

This article tells about yet another plan to raise taxes. It was in the Las Vegas Sun, but I couldn't find the link in the sun so I used this link.

It says that

In the scramble to find something, anything, to generate more revenue, states are considering new taxes on virtually everything: garbage pickup, dating services, bowling night, haircuts, even clowns.

This Sun article has an interested graphic showing what is proposed in Nevada.
You can see it here.
It looks like 2011 or 2012 will be the year of the biggest tax increase instead of the last biggest tax increase in history. Each tax increase gets bigger and bigger.

As long as the taxicans and taxocrats are in power, it will continue.

Miles you drive may get to be taxing

This article tells how

The Nevada Department of Transportation has quietly developed a device it could use to track vehicles and charge drivers based on distance, routes and times of day they travel the state’s roadways.

It is an absolute certainty that, unless there is a complete change in the legislature, you will have to pay a lot more taxes.

By complete change, I mean that the independent candidates get elected and the Democrats and Republicans get thrown out. It is the only way to stop the reckless spending and increased taxation.

Young adults to carry burden

This was the headline in the Review Journal on March 30, 2010. The sub headline was

Age group to pay more, older Americans less. The link I have is to The Herald which had a different headline, but the story is the same.

Since I am 70 and in the young adults age group, I don't think that the young age group should pay for the older groups reckless spending.

This article is mostly about healthcare reform, but it applies to all the out of control spending programs that the current parties have enacted. Yes, I blame both parties. After all, they have been in complete control for over 100 years.

We must not let this happen.

This cartoon was in the Las Vegas Review Journal today.

Tea Party loves liberty and freedom, brews.anger

This Review Journal article reviews the human side of the Tea Party Searchlight event. Most of you have read about the huge turnout and events, but this is a more personal article.

Thousands gathered for the Tea Party's 'Showdown in Searchlight,' officially to take their righteous stand in the name of liberty and conservative values, but also to vent their anger at the America they find themselves in these days.

The folks I talked to, to a person, were certain the current administration has made them less free. They're sure the Democrats are bankrupting the country, not fixing health care, doing nothing to improve the awful job market, and worst of all are ruining America for future generations.

They love the Constitution. (Applause.)
They love Jesus. (Bigger applause.)
They love liberty. (With due respect to the Almighty, I think liberty received bigger applause.)
They love to say the word liberty. Liberty and freedom. Freedom and liberty. Constitutionally guaranteed freedom and liberty.

The interesting thing is that there was no violence, trouble, or any disturbances.

The Vat cometh-Prepare for a big new tax.

This article was in the Review Journal, but I couldn't find a link to it on the RJ web site so I used this link.

Basically this article outlines the upcoming expenses that will cause a bigger deficit and how the vat tax will be added on top on income tax to raise revenue.

It states that

With the passage of Obamacare, creating a vast new middle-class entitlement, a national sales tax of the kind near-universal in Europe is inevitable.

Hence his(Obama's) deficit reduction commission. It will report (surprise!) after the November elections.

What will it recommend? What can it recommend? Sure, Social Security can be trimmed by raising the retirement age, introducing means testing and changing the indexing formula from wage growth to price inflation.

But this won't be nearly enough. As Obama has repeatedly insisted, the real money is in health care costs -- which are now locked in place by the new Obamacare mandates.

That's where the value-added tax comes in. For the politician, it has the virtue of expediency: People are used to sales taxes, and this one produces a river of revenue.

It is time for a new revolution. It is time to vote out both parties. They both increase taxes and spend your money. They just spend it on different things.

Please don't call it 'state socialism'

This Review Journal article points out the problems caused because our legislators have ignored the Constitution. It says that,

Thanks to thoroughly unconstitutional "bailouts," the federal government now de facto manages our major banks and/or credit card companies, along with our airlines and airports.

On the radio this week I heard Congresscritter Titus asked whether she's concerned about state lawsuits challenging the new federal mandate that everyone will have to buy "suitable" health insurance. "Oh, no," she said, "The Constitution has been interpreted all kinds of ways, so I'm not concerned about that."

This from a woman -- a supposedly well-educated college professor -- who swore a solemn oath to "protect and defend the Constitution" 14 months ago.

You may want to debate which programs are unconstitutional, but you will have to admit that some of them are.

We have to uphold the Constitution and become a nation ruled by the law of the Constitution or we will lose our nation and our freedom.

Why have Nevada students been in the educational cellar?

This Las Vegas Review Journal article compares Florida with Nevada. Here is an excerpt.

Why have Nevada students been unable to escape the educational cellar, while Florida's fourth graders -- whose test scores essentially matched ours in 1998 -- are now a full grade level ahead of ours?

The Nevada Policy Research Institute looked into that question last week. The short answers? Florida has a robust program of 350 autonomous charter schools, serving more than 100,000 students. Florida created a corporate-tuition scholarship program that allows 23,000 low-income kids to attend the school of their parents' choice.

Florida reformed teacher recruitment by creating a genuine alternative pathway for adult professionals to become state-certified. And most dramatically, Florida banned social promotion out of the third grade -- if the child cannot read, he or she repeats the grade or takes a remedial summer-school program.

Notice that Florida's corporate-tuition scholarship program is just another name for a school voucher program. They also banned social promotion out of the third grade.

It is time to for Nevada to get serious about education and stop just throwing more money at it without results. A program like the one in Florida is a good place to start.

Nevada is the 2nd worst state for unemployment.

This article states that

Unemployment in Nevada and Las Vegas set records in February, but that doesn't mean the Silver State's job market worsened significantly, experts said Friday.

I am sure that the people who have lost their jobs find that encouraging. Talk about spin.

If the people don't vote in legislators who will cut taxes and balance the budget, we will be facing more tax increases and the economy will just get worse. How can the unemployed pay more taxes? Increasing taxes will not solve our economic problems and it will not balance the budget.

Government must be reduced and wasteful and reckless spending must be stopped.

How to break two-party gridlock.

In an article in the Las Vegas Sun, Mr. Friedman says that we must

Break the oligopoly of our two-party system.

He says to adopt "alternative voting." He goes on the state that

one reason independent third-party centrist candidates cannot get elected is because if, in a three=person rate, a Democrat votes for an independent, and the independent loses, the Democrat fears his vote will have actually helped the Republican win, or vice versa. Alternative voting allows you to rank the independent candidate your No.q choice, and the Democrat or Republican No. 2. Therefor, if the independent does not win, your vote is immediately transferred to your second choice.

He says that Australia uses Alternative voting.

I think that it has possibilities.

"Clearly Unconstitutional"

Found this video about Representative Ron Paul.

Fox News: Rep. Ron Paul says president's executive order on abortion is 'blatantly wrong' because only Congress should be passing laws.

We need to get back to upholding the Constitution. We need to be a country ruled by law. Without the Constitution, we will lose our freedom and liberty.

Tea Party says Ashjian has not backing from movement.

In this Las Vegas Review Journal, it says that

The Tea Party Express plans today to launch an ad denouncing Scott Ashjian for running his U.S. Senate campaign under the Tea Party of Nevada banner without backing from local and national members of the movement, a person familiar with the ad said.

While I am in favor of having more major political parties, I think that you should have support of the party and you are trying to represent.

The Republicans and Democrats have had unchallanged control for over 100 years. It is time for a new political party to challange them. The Independent American Party is the 3rd largest party in Nevada. Support it.

ASKS WHY CORTEZ MASTOS HAS NOT YET FILED SUIT?

ATTORNEY GENERAL CANDIDATE JOEL HANSEN

ASKS WHY CORTEZ MASTOS HAS NOT YET FILED SUIT?

'Top legal officials from 14 states across the country on Tuesday filed lawsuits challenging an overhaul of the U.S.' $2.5 trillion healthcare system, minutes after President Barack Obama signed the landmark legislation. Why didn't Nevada's Attorney General join? Why is Nevada's Attorney General Mastos dragging her feet?' asked Joel Hansen, Independent American Candidate for Nevada Attorney General.

Hansen today praised Governor Gibbons for directing Attorney General Mastos to file suit against Obamacare. 'The question I have, is why hasn't Mastos already sued the federal government? Why did she remain silent and not join the 14 other states in threatening suit when the 'cornhusker kickback' deal was exposed in which Senator Reid sold out Nevada's interests and agreed to let Nebraska have a free ride on health care in order to bribe Nebraska's Senator into voting for it? And now she remains silent in face of this medical monstrosity, a frankenstein created by Congress which if left unchecked will destroy us all.'

'Mastos should have had the complaint drawn up and ready to file the moment the bill was signed,' said Hansen. 'This bill is truly an unconstitutional obamanation. If I were presently Attorney General, I would have filed suit immediately in federal court, along with these other 14 states. The federal government was not given the power under the Constitution to tell people that they must buy health insurance. Obamacare also violates the Tenth Amendment, in that health care is not a power delegated to Congress and thus must remain with the States or with the people. This law destroys America’s economic and personal freedoms as no other federal law has ever done before. It must be stopped, and as Attorney General, I will lead Nevada's legal fight against this wholesale destruction of our cherished liberties,' vowed Hansen.

'This bill will utterly destroy our privacy as the feds will have total access to everyone's entire health records. The government will have direct access to our bank accounts for electronic transfer of funds to pay medical bills. Health care for Seniors will be rationed. Doctors will be told by the government how much money they can make. All employers will be forced to enroll all employees. Even employees who do not want coverage will be forced to sign up. All doctors no matter their specialty will receive the same pay. The government will provide an approved list of end of life resources to guide you into death--i.e. the government will decide whether you should live or die. And the horrific list goes on,' stated Hansen.

'Attorney General Mastos has shown a dismal lack of courage and leadership. She has failed Nevada. Nevadans should now give her an "F" in November and elect a new Attorney General, one who will truly stand up for Nevada, instead of the interests of the liberal Eastern Democrats. Cortez Mastos and Harry Reid are destroying Nevada--together. We must stop them. Nevadans should elect an Attorney General who will stand up for Nevada and stop this madness and usurpation.'

'Nevada should join other states in a growing, nationwide fight against health care overhaul. Our governor should call a Special Session of the legislature to pass a measure requiring the state attorney general to sue the federal government if residents are forced to buy health insurance.' Hansen pointed out that similar legislation is pending in 37 other states. .

I am asking the same thing. This bill could be unconstituional on several issues.

Tea Time editorial

In this Las Vegas Review Journal editorial, it states that

Some modest procedural hurdles may make sense to keep the ballots from being festooned with hundreds of gadfly candidates. But using mere legal technicalities to reduce the voters' options reeks more of the politics of Chicago than of free-spirited Nevada.

I would agree, but then you should change the law. If it is the law, then everyone must be held to it.

The big objection to Mr. Ashjian's candidacy is that the Tea Party Movement is not a political party and is not associated with Mr Ashjian's candidacy.

Out-of-touch political leaders must be voted out.

This article in the Las Vegas Sun reminded me that our leaders must be subject to the same laws and programs that they vote to enact for us.

It states

Our so-called leaders are out of touch with us. They don’t worry about the things we have to put up with like health care and retirement; they have plans, unlike us, and we pay for them.

They won’t be part of the new health plan and they don’t have to worry if Social Security goes broke. They spend their time kowtowing to the party rhetoric and work to get re-elected. They don’t hear the will of the people nor represent that will.

It is easier to vote on programs for others when you are not affected.

Norman Mattoon Thomas - Socialist

Norman Mattoon Thomas
(November 20, 1884-December 19, 1968)
was a leading American Socialist, pacifist,
and six-time presidential candidate for the
Socialist Party of America.

The Socialist Party candidate for President
of the US, Norman Thomas, said this in a
1944 speech:
'The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism.
But, under the name of 'liberalism', they will adopt every fragment of
the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation,
without knowing how it happened'.
He went on to say: 'I no longer need to run as a Presidential Candidate
for the Socialist Party. The Democratic Party has adopted our platform'.

Just think about what has happened since 1944. Do you feel safer or more secure now? Does the government have more control of your life and finances?

It's time for voters to VETO Congress

This article says that

The end is near. The only question is, will it be the end of D.C. politics as usual, or the end of our country? I know what I will choose. It's time to throw all the bums out in a citizen revolution that will go down in history as the day the people took back their government.

It suggests that

There is only one answer, and it isn't blindly putting the GOP back in charge. Or have we already forgotten Tom DeLay, Mark Foley, Duke Cunningham, Jack Abramoff and the countless blunders and disasters of the recent GOP past?

The answer is to VETO the entire U.S. Congress -- Vote Every one of Them Out on Nov. 2.

Vote against every incumbent in the country (with a few exceptions -- Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, stands out as one of the heroes who tried to stop the insanity). Let's tell the U.S. Congress, "You're fired!" Let's aim to raise the number of unemployed by 400 or more senators and representatives on Nov. 2.

To really send the message that you have had enough and will not take it any more, you need to vote for the independent candidates. Don't vote for any Republicans or Democrats.

You don't have to risk you lives like our founding fathers. You just have give up an hour of your time on election day and risk your vote by voting independent. Take back our Country before it is to late.

Nevada's problems and elections

The Las Vegas Sun has an article about the problems facing Nevada. It says that

The stakes are huge: Address a multibillion-dollar deficit (Raise taxes? Cut spending even more?). Pursue education reform. Redraw Nevada’s political boundaries for the next decade.

It also lists the Election Races to watch. In the Clark County Senate District 9 election, the article says that

Senate incumbent Dennis Nolan has never been a favorite of conservatives.

He sometimes advocated the kinds of government regulation — primary seat-belt law, mandatory motorcycle helmet law — that can raise the ire of conservatives. But last session he guaranteed a primary challenge when he supported the Legislature’s tax increase and the bill giving same-sex couples the right to enter domestic partnerships.

Does this District really want to return an incumbent to office? They only have 2 choices. To vote for me or to vote for one of the 2 Democrats. I say 2 Democrats because one is a Republican in Democrat's clothing and the other is a Democrat.

Virginia to sue over healthcare reform.

In a Reuters article, it says that

Attorney General Kenneth Cuccinelli, a Republican, said on Monday that Congress lacks authority under its constitutional power to regulate interstate commerce to force people to buy insurance. He said the bill also conflicts with a state law that says Virginians cannot be required to buy insurance.

'If a person decides not to buy health insurance, that person by definition is not engaging in commerce,' Cuccinelli said in recorded comments. 'If you are not engaging in commerce, how can the federal government regulate you?'

Then I received an email about how 40 odd states have called for a Convention, but because they've not concerned the same matter they've not been tabulated.

It seems that this is the time to voice your concerns and to vote for a return to the Constitution. We were given a Republic by the framers of the Constitution and we need to fight to get it back. Vote for the Independent American candidates here in Nevada and the Constitution Party candidates elsewhere.

Obamacare turns IRS into secret police.

I found this site with a post that says that Obamacare will have the IRS enforce its provisions. It says that

“If the Democrats’ health care bill becomes law, the IRS could have to hire more than 16,000 additional agents, auditors and other workers just to enforce all the new taxes and penalties,” said Ways and Means Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI). It is a dangerous expansion of the IRS’s power and reach into the lives of virtually every American.

I don't know about you, but to me, this is really scary. I also don't understand how you can reduce costs by hiring 16.000 new government employees.

Is the Constitution sill the law of the land?

In this letter to the editor, the writer points out that both Republicans and Democrats are guilty of bypassing the Constitution. He points out that

Article 1, Section 7 of the Constitution states in part: 'But in all such Cases the Vote of both Houses shall be determined by Yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively.'

Although quaint, could the language be any clearer? How can Speaker Nancy Pelosi now tell us Congress can deem a bill has passed without actually voting on it?

We, as citizens, should not allow this to happen. We must demand that our elected officials obey their oath of office and follow the Constitution.

How can we continue to elect people who break their oath of office and don't obey the law of the land?

For bankruptcy and socialism

This article states that

the latest so-called "health reform" bill -- Friday it turned out the latest version would raise to 3.8 percent a new job-killing tax on investment income, meaning "overall tax rates on income from interest, annuities and royalties would rise to as much as 43.4 percent," according to Bloomberg News. The new scheme would also impose a new 10 percent excise tax on indoor tanning services!

It also states that

Court challenges both to the insurance mandates in this bill, and to the procedural trickery being used to force it through, will festoon the courts for months and years to come, even as our overseas trading partners increasingly balk at buying the promissory notes needed to fund this wobbling house of cards.

If the bill will be tied up in courts for months or years, what is the rush? Why not do it right the first time and it will be as soon as it is passed? Notice that it also includes tax increases. You can bet that you will have more tax increases in the future just to cover the cost of this bill.

30 million new patients will mean rationing by doctors.

This letter to the editor says that the new healthcare program will mean rationing by doctors because you will be adding 20 to 30 million new patients that the existing doctors will have to see. The writer, who is the director of Sunrise Hospital Rehabilitation Center, a doctor for 28 years and a life-long Nevadan states that doctors are already at the breaking point and they will have to ration health care.

He also questions the cost of the program and the methods being used to get the healthcare program passed. He also says,

Personally, I would feel much better if everyone in Congress who wants this bill to pass had to sign a commitment that if they vote for it, they would all dump their own Cadillac plan and immediately join the new plan they say is good for America. Am I wrong in thinking if it's good enough for all of us, then it should be good enough for every member of Congress?

You should read this letter because it makes a lot of sense.

Comments on our government.

A reader of one of my newsletters wrote in with this comment.

We have let the U.S. government get so enormously powerful to ostensibly protect us from every conceivable harm… while actually doing a surprising amount of harm.”

In the same newsletter, it had this comment.

A while back, Customs seized 23 ancient coins here in Baltimore, valued at $275. (You read that figure right.) Seems a handful of the coins were minted in Cyprus during the reign of Alexander the Great.

And Cyprus has a “Memorandum of Understanding” with the United States to limit the sale of antiquities. Even when the antiquities are worth an average $12 each.

Customs is demanding the collectors track down the coins’ sale history before handing them over. Which is pretty hard to do when you’re talking about coins of such little relative value. The collectors are fighting back by suing both Customs and the State Department. They say State signed the memorandum with Cyprus against the advice of its own in-house experts, at the behest of do-gooder U.S. archaeologists.

To me, this seems to be at the very least, a waste of resources.

Then I received an email about a bill to give the government more power and take away more of our Constitution and our rights.

On March 4th, Senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman introduced a bill called the "Enemy Belligerent Interrogation, Detention, and Prosecution Act of 2010" that, if passed, would set this country on a course to become a military dictatorship.

The bill is only 12 pages long, but that is plenty of room to grant the president the power to order the arrest, interrogation, and imprisonment of anyone -- including a U.S. citizen -- indefinitely, on the sole suspicion that he or she is affiliated with terrorism, and on the president's sole authority as commander in chief.

It seems that the more we ask government to save us, the more we need help from the government to save us from things the government causes.

Are we slaves to our government?

This comment recently came to my attention.

"If you check your history you will note something very compelling. Karl Marx wrote what is called the 10 planks of the communist manifesto. This plan is a design for the government to rule over the people. We currently have a legislatively enacted counterpart for each of the ten planks of the communist manifesto. The second plank is a heavy graduated income tax. We have the Internal Revenue Service to make the people fearful and hand over the fruit of their labor. As Ambassador Alan Keyes exclaimed recently, 'If the government has the power to tax even 1% of a man's labor, it has the power to tax 100% of a man's labor and that man is then a slave.' We are all salves by design, and if you doubt it you need to do your research.

These may seem harsh, but when does fear become cowardice? What if the founding fathers had been too afraid to stand against the British Troops? What if the Quakers were too afraid to stand up against slavery? What if the American troops had been too afraid to advance at Normandy? Are your golf clubs, your Lexus and your fine clothes a fair trade for the future of our children? Are you willing to be a slave in order to remain in your comfort zone? Pause and think about that."

Our founding fathers risked their lives to create a Republic with liberty and justice for all. Will you give up an hour on election day to vote and risk a vote for an independent party to send a message to the Republicans and Democrats that you will not take it any more. Send a message that you have had enough and will fight back.

Why have we tolerated this?

I just read an article about how

we've slowly learned to tolerate over the past 50 years as the Republicans and Democrats restructed America that was the symbol of freedom and liberty to all the people of the world. Immigration laws were ignored on the basis of compassion. Welfare policies encouraged irresponsibility, the fracturing of families, and a cycle of generations of dependency. Debt was regarded as a tonic to lubricate the economy. Our children left school having been taught that they are exceptional and special, while great numbers of them cannot perform basic functions of mathematics and literacy.

Legislators decided that people could not be trusted to defend their own homes, and is trying to strip citizens of their rights to own firearms. Productive members of society have been penalized with a heavy burden of taxes in order to support legions of do-nothings who loll around, reveling in their addictions, obesity, indolence, ignorance and “disabilities.” Criminals have been arrested and re-arrested, coddled and set free to pillage the citizenry yet again. Lawyers routinely extort fortunes from doctors, contractors and business people with dubious torts.

We slowly learned to tolerate these outrages, shaking our heads in disbelief, and we went on with our lives.

Why have we tolerated this? Have you had enough? It is time to fight back. Don't vote Republican or Democrat. Send the message that you will not take it any more!

Congressional Reform Act of 2010

I received this in an email. I agree with most of it except the Social Security part. Since I think that we should eliminate Social Security and replace it with a 401k program, I don't think that part applies. However, if we must have Social Security, they should participate.

"THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!!

I am sending this to virtually everybody on my e-mail list and that includes conservatives, liberals, and everybody in between. Even though we disagree on a number of issues, I count all of you as friends. My friend and neighbor wants to promote a "Congressional Reform Act of 2010".. It would contain eight provisions, all of which would probably be strongly endorsed by those who drafted the Constitution and the Bill of Rights..

I know many of you will say, "this is impossible". Let me remind you, Congress has the lowest approval of any entity in Government, now is the time when Americans will join together to reform Congress - the entity that represents us.

We need to get a Senator to introduce this bill in the US Senate and a Representative to introduce a similar bill in the US House. These people will become American heroes..

Thanks,

A Fellow American

***********************************

Congressional Reform Act of 2010

1. Term Limits: 12 years only, one of the possible options below.

A. Two Six year Senate terms
B. Six Two year House terms
C. One Six year Senate term and three Two Year House terms

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

2. No Tenure / No Pension:

A congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out office.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security:

All funds in the Congressional retirement fund moves to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, Congress participates with the American people.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, server your term(s), then go home and back to work.

4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan just as all Americans.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work..

6. Congress looses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

7. Congress must equally abide in all laws imposed on the American people.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

8. All contracts with past and present congressmen are void effective 1/1/11.

The American people did not make this contract with congressmen, congressmen made all these contracts for themselves.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.."

This Picture says a lot.

I received this image in an email. I thought that it expresses how our generation is leaving our children and grandchildren in debt



I think that this cute little girl actually owes more than she thinks.

GOP is afraid of Tea Party candidate.

This letter to the editor is about how the GOP is afraid of the Tea Party candidate. It also suggests that we need new political parties.

The Republicans and Democrats have been in control of the legislative and executive branches of government for over 100 years. I was a teenager in the fifties. I remember when one could graduate from high school get an average job and pay their rent with one weeks pay. They would be able to buy a car and live a good life.

I remember when children could play outside until after dark safely. I remember when one could board an airplane without a strip search. I remember when you didn't have to worry about losing your home and jobs were plentiful.

After all these years of Republican and Democratic government, do you feel safer, feel more secure, or have more freedom?

We need to vote for independent parties to send a message that we have had enough and we will fight back with our vote.

Interesting videos and an article about the Health Care Bill

I have just added a video to my links page that shows Congressman Mike Andres making a speech to Congress about the problems with the Health Care Bill.

Then I found these posts about how the Democrats are trying to push the Health Care Bill through without a vote. Talk about being unconstitutional. The first post is short and the second post is more detailed.

I have also found this video which is a bit long but it is more detailed about the costs of the Health Care Bill.

I would be against this even if I was for a Bill. We cannot destroy the Constitution without destroying our Country.

Soon states will be a subdivision of the Federal Government

In a Review Journal article, Mr.Chris Edwards of the Cato Institute is quoted as saying "on Jan. 22 the federal government added its 2,000th subsidy program." He also noted in a recent issue of the Heartland Institute's Budget & Tax News that "The entire nation is jumping aboard Washington's gravy train."

He also wrote that "As the federal octopus extends its tentacles even further, state governments are becoming no more than regional subdivisions of the national government, businesses and nonprofit groups are becoming tools of the state, and individualism is giving way to a more European desire for cradle-to-grave dependency."

If you do not fight back with your vote, you will lose your country, your freedom, your liberty. Many people have already lost their homes and their jobs. Vote for Independent American Party and the Constitution Party candidates. Send a message that you will not let the Democrats and Republicans ruin America.

Clark County School Board layoffs

According to this article, the school district might have to lay off as many as 1300 employees, including 130 administrators and as many as 540 teachers.

Why are we laying off teachers. We should lay off more administrators and cut administrators salaries. Almost 50% of the budget goes to not administration. We have to spend the money on teaching and not administrating.

In an article the day before, it states that 5 employees received contract extensions with extra perks that will cost the district more than $100,000. Why are they giving raises to executives when they are firing teachers?

Limiting entitlement handouts isn't heartless.

I think that the writer of this letter to the editor expresses the opinions of many Americans. Basically, he states the he works hard for his money and doesn't want to be forced to had it over to his neighbor. He feels that it should be his choice whether he helps his neighbor or not.

He says, "I have worked hard all my life and have never had anything handed to me. I wouldn't want it any other way."

Are new political parties needed

This letter to the editor in the Las Vegas Sun suggests that new political parties are needed to "provide opportunities for new ideas to be presented, discussed and either accepted or rejected by voters."

I agree with his arguments, but I think that we have enough political parties. We just need to have the independent parties get stronger and has more support so that the Republicans and Democrats will not have control.

If we had 4 strong political parties, the people's voice would be heard. We would not be ignored like now.

This is a quote from an email that I received that summarizes this video. The decision made in this video is unbelievable to me. Rules and law don't mean a thing to Congress any more.

"Beginning on page 1,000 of the measure, Section 3403 reads in part: '. it
shall not be in order in the Senate or the House of Representatives to
consider any bill, resolution, amendment or conference report that would
repeal or otherwise change this subsection.'


In other words, if President Barack Obama signs this measure into law, no
future Senate or House will be able to change a single word of Section 3403,
regardless whether future Americans or their representatives in Congress
wish otherwise!!"


Note that the subsection at issue here concerns the regulatory power of the
Independent Medicare Advisory Board (IMAB) to "reduce the per capita rate of
growth in Medicare spending."


That is precisely the kind of open-ended grant of regulatory power that
effectively establishes the IMAB as the ultimate arbiter of the cost,
quality and quantity of health care to be made available to the American
people.And Reid wants the decisions of this group of unelected federal
bureaucrats to be untouchable for all time.

Did the Legislature spend our bailout money wisely?

This is an interesting little tidbit in Vanity Fair magazine:

“While Washington poured billions into propping up the banks that brought the economy to its knees, the Chinese spent their stimulus billions on an epic 19,000 miles of new railroad track.

“Nearly half that total will go toward completing a web of more than 42 interprovince hyper-speed rail lines that will link almost every major city in the country. The fastest of the new trains travels at 220 miles per hour. That’s speedier than both Japan’s bullet and France’s TGV -- and half again faster than the quickest train in America.

“So China comes out of the economic crisis with a rail system that will be the envy of the world, and America soldiers on with an infrastructure that is resolutely last century -- or, worse, the one that preceded it.

“The crisis also crippled pension funds and the endowments of universities and arts institutions and hobbled the fortunes of cities and states, not to mention small and midsized companies. About the only industry that has recovered from the economic calamity is Wall Street itself, which, thanks to government support and a soaring stock market, regained its footing quickly…”

While I don't agree that we should even have a bailout, I certainly think that it should have been spent more wisely.

A new Contract with America?

This article states,

"Americans are tired of the same-old politics. They want real reform. Unfortunately, Republicans have shown a tendency to focus on talking points over detailed proposals. Unless the GOP is willing to engage in real debate about issues. it should spare the American public the platitudes and vague proposals."

We all know that both the Democrats and the Republicans are guilty of not only vague proposals, but also are guilty of not doing what they propose.

Rights versus Wishes

In an article by Walter E. Williams, he states,

"To argue that people have a right that imposes obligations on another is an absurd concept. A better term for new-fangled rights to health care, decent housing and food is 'wishes.' If we called them wishes, I would be in agreement with most other Americans for I, too, wish that everyone had adequate health care, decent housing and nutritious meals. However, if we called them human wishes, instead of human rights, there would be confusion and cognitive dissonance. The average American would cringe at the thought of government punishing one person because her refused to be pressed into making someone else's wish come true.

Noe of my argument is to argue against charity. Reaching into one's own pockets to assist his fellow man need is praise worthy and laudable. Reaching into someone else's pockets to do so is despicable and deserves condemnation."

Isn't this what government does with any tax like income tax, property tax, and etc.? Doesn't government take money from one person who earned it and give it to someone who hasn't earned it?

Voter Apathy

Here is a cartoon that says it all. To see a larger version, click here.



In the 1770's, Americans risked their lives, the lives of their families, and all they had to fight for freedom and founded the United States of America. You only have to take an hour of your time on election day to vote.

I suggest that you vote for Independent Parties to send a message that we are willling to fight for our country.

Please Vote.

Interesting Health Care Letter

Here is a link to an interesting letter about the proposed Health Care Legislation. It is written by a lawyer who examined it for Constitutional problems.

Check it out,

We cannot afford to rush a bill through Congress that may cause expensive legal problems later.

The 28th Amendment?

I received an email today about how your representatives voted against giving senior citizens a cost of living raise. It said that, with the increase in Medicaid premiums, it will cost you about $1600 in 2 years.

However, they voted themselves a raise of about $10000 for 2 years. I have not checked these figures, but I do know that your representatives are discussing a health care program for you that they will have NOT to use. They have their own special health care program.

This email then suggests that maybe it's time for the........

Amendment 28

"Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United
States that does not apply equally to the Senators or Representatives,
and Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators or
Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the
United States ."

I agree. Why should they make laws for us that do not apply to them?

The Health Care debate and a solution.

If the government can provide better health care at less cost than the private insurance companies, Why doesn't it just provide a voluntary insurance plan? Make it self sustaining without any tax or public support. If it can do it cheaper, then the cost to the public would be cheaper and everyone would want it to save money.

However, the legislators know that it would not be less expensive, but more expensive and it would have to have tax support. Soon, the care will dimish and taxes will be increased to sustain it. Social Security is a good example. The original bill started at 1% in 1937 and increased to until it was 3% from 1948 and after.

It didn't stay at 3% and now we pay 6.2%. We also pay 1.45% for Medicare. Many will argue that the costs have gone up do to inflation, but so have our salaries.

My solution would be to use a voucher system or even a tax deduction to help offset the cost of health insurance. The voucher system would seem to be better because it would help everyone even the unemployed. It would encourage everyone to buy health insurance because they would not get the benefit of the voucher unless they used it.

Look how well the post office is doing. It is not doing as well as FedEX and UPS and it doesn't have to show a profit. It is running on deficits.

Bottom line is to keep government small and limited.

What do we deserve as American citizens?

This article in the Las Vegas Sun is written in a liberal newspaper by a liberal author. It is basically about health care and education spending and cuts. I agree with this author on many of his statements. I absolutely believe that the Constitution is the Law of the land and should be upheld completely. The biggest problem that we face is that the Constitution is not being upheld and is being weakened by our government.

I think that we should have the best education system and the best health care system. I just do not agree that the Preamble of the Constitution guarantees to them to give everyone. The phrase used is promote general welfare, not guarantee everyone general welfare.

Sure we should help the less fortunate, but we should not be forced to support them if they do not attempt to help themselves.

Contract with America again.

The Republicans are planning on using the Contract with America idea that they used in 1994. However, the Tea Party movement has beat them to it. Read the entire article.

My problem with the Contract with America idea is that the Republicans didn't uphold it. What good is a contract if it isn't enforced? For over 100 years, the Democrats and Republicans have controlled the government.

Do you feel safer and more secure now than you were say 40 or 50 years ago? Are there less homeless now? Do you have more freedom?

If you answered no to these questions, why do you continue to vote for Republicans or Democrats?

Lawmakers get creative and maybe illegal.

This article in the Las Vegas Sun entitled "M resort not alone in questoning legality of Legislature's raid on wastewater money."

This is another example of the Legislature's failure to really face the problems of Nevada's budget. To balance the budget and save educational cuts, they tried to use easy short cuts instead of facing the problem.

The problem is unnecessary, reckless, and wasteful government spending. By reducing the administration expenses by cutting personel and salaries, the government budget can be reduced without reducing the services.

For instance, in the education budget, almost 50% goes to administration. Isn't the goal of education to teach. Shouldn't almost all of the budget go to teaching. Private schools provide a better education at less cost per student than the public schools. How do they do it? They have less administration expense and they are frugal.

We need people in congress who are willing to do what is necessary without worring about if they will get reelected.

A Supreme Court "shocking" decision.

An article in the Las Vegas Sun entitled "A chance for both parties to undo Supreme court's damage" states that The Supreme Court's ruling was "a shocking instance of judicial overreach and reflected an utter indifference to ho politics actually works.

This article is referring to the 5-4 ruling in the Citizens United case in January. The Supreme Court's ruling allows corporate spending to influence elections.

How is this an judicial overreach? Where in the constitution does it say that campaign contributions should be limited by anyone?

Just because we don't agree with a decision doesn't mean that it is not the correct decision based on law.

The United States was founded as a Republic which is ruled by law. It is becoming a socialist democracy which was feared by the founders of this country.

When Benjamin Franklin left the Constitutional Convention, he was asked by a woman, “Sir, what have you given us?” He replied, “A Republic, ma’am, if you can keep it.”

Alexander Hamilton said, “We are a Republican Government. Real liberty is never found in despotism or in the extremes of democracy.”

The Supreme Court has made some "shocking" decisions, but this isn't one of them. It is important that we are ruled by law or we will lose our freedom to the whims of whoever has control.

Progress on my election campaign.

On 3/1/2010, I filed to run for State Senator in District 9. The next day the Review Journal listed the candidates who had filed.

I have ordered signs and business cards. I will start campaigning next week. My wife, Raye, and I will be available for speaking engagements to any group who is interested.

We will discuss the Constitution, the various forms of government, and my platform.

If your group is interested, please contact me at tom@electtomjones.com.

Heartless GOP?

In a Review Journal letter to the editor titled "Heartless GOP", BB suggests that "none of us vote for any Republican in the next election".

In the last paragraph, he states, "So Republicans, take notice."

My question is why not also suggest that none of us vote for any Democrat in the next election. Just vote for the Independent American Party candidates or any other independent party candidates instead.

Fight Back. Send the Democrats and Republicans a message now before the Presidential Election. Let them know that you can vote them both out of office.

Nevada Federal Credit Union doesn't want your money.

This is an interesting article. This credit union only wants your money for a savings account if you also are willing to use their other expensive services.

"Nevada Federal Credit Union has a deal for big savers: Withdraw your money and you'll get a bonus.

The credit union, one of the largest in Nevada, figures that deposits from members who don't have a checking account, mortgage loan or any other products are expensive."

Here is the link to the entire article.

Who Poses the Greater Threat?

Walter Williams asks this question in his article by the same name. Are the rich a greater threat to our libery and freedom than the politicians?

He contends that the politicians convince us that the rich are a threat, but actually the rich cannot affect our liberty and freedom. It is the politicians who are the greater threat yet they convince us that the rich are the threat.

To read the entire article, click here.

They'll be back.

This is the first few sentences in an RJ article about the special session and the budget.

CARSON CITY -- They'll be back, Nevada's lawmakers. And next time, taxes will be on the table.

To see the entire article, click here.

A State Income Tax is mentioned along with other taxes. With either the Democrats or Republicans controlling the legislature, there will never be enough income and taxes will continue to be increased.

Opening day busy in candidate filings .

Yesterday was the first day for candidates to file and I filed early in the morning. See the RJ article in the link.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/opening-day-busy-in-candidate-filings-85938802.html

I am running for State Senator in District 9 against at least 2 other candidates. Of course, more candidates will be filing in the few days.

Why didn't they do this during the regular session?

This letter to the editor asks why wasn't they budget problem solved during the regular session if they could solve it in 6 days in the special session.

Here is a link to the letter.
http://www.lvrj.com/opinion/why-didn_t-they-do-this-during-regular-session_-85938872.html

Unless they cut government waste and reckless spending, the budget will continue to be a bigger and bigger problem.

Oklahoma is taking a stand.

Oklahome just passed a law to place the Ten Commandments on the front entrance to the state capitol.
http://newsok.com/oklahoma-state-capitol-to-display-ten-commandments/article/3370730

They also passed Hr 1804 which incarceratea all illegal immigrants, and ship them back to where they came from unless they want to get a green card and become an American citizen.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-01-09-immigcover_N.htm

In addition, they passed a law, declaring Oklahoma as a Sovereign state, not under the Federal Government directives. Joining Texas, Montana and Utah as the only states to do so. More states are likely to follow: Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, the Carolina's, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, West Virginia, Mississippi, Florida.

They also a law that ALL driver's license exams will be printed in English, and only English, and no other language. They have been called racist for doing this, but the fact is that ALL of the road signs are in English only.

It seems that Oklahoma is leading the revolt against big government.

Big Government gets Bigger!

I saw this post today. We must reduce the size of government. This trend cannot sustain itself.

“Government employment in the Greater Washington, D.C., region has jumped more than 10% during the last eight years, while retail employment has gone nowhere. And this divergence has accelerated as the recession has deepened!



”Unfortunately, the employment trends depicted in the nearby chart are not the trends that typically produce national prosperity. If government employment were to continue rising while private sector employment fell, the economy would become less productive... at least that would be our guess. (Picture the post office operating every McDonald's in the land)."

The Legislature and Taxes

An aritle in the Las Vegas Sun states. "Nonetheless, the budget crisis showed, yet again, that the state’s tax structure — which relies too heavily on the gaming and mining industries — is broken. Separately, the crisis put on display, yet again, that too many of this state’s politicians are looking for the easiest way out — and always with an eye on the upcoming election."

I agree with the statement that "this state’s politicians are looking for the easiest way out — and always with an eye on the upcoming election."

Then in another paragraph, it stateS, "We’re not suggesting that this was the time to raise taxes, but if the state had truly broadened its tax base and increased the amount of the state’s revenue when the state’s economy was roaring as far back as the mid-1990s, then today’s shortfall wouldn’t have been nearly as traumatic. Of course, part of the problem has been that too many in the private sector — particularly corporations with headquarters outside of Nevada — have previously fought reasonable increases in taxes."

Raising taxes is not the answer. We need to reduce the size and spending of government. The legislature just passed the largest tax increase in the state's history and now they want to raised taxes some more. It will never end until the government has all your money.

Fight Back Now. Don't vote for any Democrat or Republican. Send the message that you are angry and will not take it any more. Vote for the Independent American Party Candidate.

Is China more capitalistic than the United States?

Here is a quote from a newsletter that I receive.

"All of this weighs on our mind as we evaluate something we encountered on a private message board we belong to from someone who’s lived in China for 12 years. 'What people fail to grasp,' this individual writes, 'is this place is much more capitalist than the States now:

· No capital gains tax
· No property tax
· No local or state taxes
· A reasonable 35% tax rate for the highest earners
· Corporate tax rates of zero percent for 3 years and 15% per year after that.

“Also, most importantly, it’s not a casino economy like the States. China will sell 30% more vehicles this year than in the U.S. 93% of those vehicles will be purchased cash upfront.

“For a home loan, you need 30% down. As a private business, to get a loan you have to put up the assets of the company, i.e., plant and equipment. There are no leverage games here.

“It's a one-party state, but at least it is focused on its own people. We have a two-party system that has sold us down the river. All the Asian Tiger economies needed a strong central government to launch themselves out of poverty. Not a good system for our culture, but it works for them.

“High-speed train systems going on line, 50 new airports in that last five years -- you must see this place to believe it.'"

It seems that we have given up our republic for a democracy and our capitalistic ecomony for socialism.