Meanwhile, Back in Tax-A-Lot

Written By D.

Once upon a time in the land of Tax-A-Lot most of the serfs were working very hard to improve their lives by growing small gardens in the back of their huts. They were also able to raise more livestock by feeding them from their gardens. Eventually, they had enough crops and livestock so they could sell or trade in the marketplace for goods and services. Life was as good as it gets for the serfs.

But the lords, seeing this success, wanted a share of this largesse so they decided that new taxes were in order. First the Lords ruled that a tax of 50% of all the garden crops and livestock be imposed. They knew this would not be popular so they gathered together the non-productive serfs who were too lazy to grow gardens and were very jealous of the success of the hard working productive serfs. They told these non-productive serfs that they were “less fortunate” and that it was “unfair” for those “rich” serfs to have more. The non-productive serfs readily agreed with this analysis.

The lords made these “less fortunate” serfs the tax collectors and gave them the power to confiscate the crops and livestock owed to the lords. Of course, the lords knew that these non-productive serfs were not to be trusted and expected that a portion of the crops and livestock collected would be stolen by the tax collectors but this was a small matter in their minds.

The goal of the lords was to enrich themselves while setting serf against serf. They posted a declaration in the village that since some of the serfs had more than others, it was only fair that they collect 50% to even the playing field. They had no intention of giving the 50% they collected to the “less fortunate” serfs but knew these serfs would be satisfied skimming off the tax collections and beating up on the “rich” serfs. The lords knew the value of “empowering” the non-productive serfs and allowing them to act out on their feelings of jealousy and hatred.

In the meantime, the productive serfs gathered together and discussed the new tax burden and the way in which it was to be collected. They decided that enough was enough and that they would resist. So they appointed a spokesman to express their grievances and they all headed to the castle to discuss the matter with the lords. But the lords ignored them and mocked their protest. This angered the serfs.

Next the serfs decided to form a group to defend their gardens and livestock from the tax collectors. But the lords sent their loyal castle guards to protect the tax collectors.

What’s a serf to do? Finally, one of the productive serfs realized that it was their productivity that drove Tax-a-Lot, he told the other serfs that without their labor, there was no Tax-a-Lot.

The serfs were willing to make sacrifices to drive home this point because they knew that if they didn’t, they would continue to be oppressed and there would be no end to the greed of the lords.

The serfs destroyed their gardens and all the crops, setting even the Tax-A-Lot fields on fire and they slaughtered all their livestock. They stopped working and Tax-A-Lot quickly ground to a halt. The marketplace closed down as there was nothing to trade. The serfs lived off of roots and rats and anything that was available. But serf’s were used to a life of just getting by and believed this hardship was worth it.

The tax collectors had nothing to collect and as they were held in distain equally by the lords and the productive serfs, they were the first to starve. They realized too late that the productivity of the majority had also kept them fed.

The lords soon realized that their plan had backfired and they had become considerably less wealthy as a result of it. They had gone too far and pushed the serfs too hard, but they still felt the need to abuse their authority because that is what lords do.

So they sent all their troops to intimidate the serfs, but the troops refused to harm the serfs because they knew that without their productivity they too would soon starve. The troops, after all, were just serfs with swords and rightly identified with the serf’s plight.

The serfs convinced the troops that the lords needed to be sent a message. They joined together and headed for the castle. They stood before the Lords and read a declaration of their own.

“Let it be known that from this day forward in the kingdom of Tax-A-Lot that the serfs, will provide the lords a reasonable portion of their labor to cover the costs of governing and defending Tax-A-Lot. The portion will be determined by a vote of all the productive serfs and the lords will have to learn to live within their means. Further, all personal gardens, possessions and accumulated wealth of the serfs will not be subject to taxation.”

The lords had no choice but to accept these terms, because as it turns out, much to everyone’s surprise, the serfs were the real power behind the success of Tax-a-Lot.

And, because this story has no stimulus package or bailouts, Tax-A-Lot became the most productive place in all of the land.

It's Terminator Time

Written By D.

The Governor of California says he will lay off 10,000 state employees in response to the failure of the legislature to pass tax increases. The total could be 20,000 employees. That is 20,000 out of a total of 2.5 million state employees. The msm usually forgets to mention the fact that California has that many government employees.

My first question is: If you can respond to not getting your way with increased taxes and layoff 10,000 people, did you really need those employees in the first place?

My second question is: Will the taxpayers of California miss them, or even realize that they are gone?

My third question: What is more important; 10,000 government jobs or the ruin more taxes will cause to California’s economy?

People and businesses have been voting with their feet in large numbers as they flee California for friendlier economic ground. Earth to California; you have a problem and tax increases will only make it worse.

When economic times are hard, government cutbacks are in order. It seems the only people expected to make sacrifices are the taxpayers. The solution to economic problems is not more taxes, it is cutbacks, and that means shrinking the size of government.

California has more idiotic rules and regulations than any other state, you could say they are the model for Socialism in this country and that is no complement. That’s why the world’s eighth largest economy is going under fast.

Now a reasonably intelligent person would say: We have gone too far and we need to revisit our idiotic policies and make changes. We need to stop listening to and appeasing every special interest “I’ve got a gripe” group of leftwing nutcases and do only what is best for the majority of California taxpayers.

It is time for states as well as the federal government to look at ways to shrink government and reduce regulations. Reality is people in the private sector face the possibility of losing their jobs in tough economic times. While no one wants to see others lose their job, do state employees deserve to be treated differently? Are they so important and special that they should be guaranteed employment for life no matter what the cost to the taxpayers?

Rather than using layoffs as a threat, use it as a part of a plan to help relieve a government that is suffering out of control bloat. Ask yourself: Exactly why is it that California taxpayers should be upset by a reduction in government employees beyond a bit of sympathy?

Prove to us that you are serious about solving the economic problems you have helped to create and you will be taken seriously. It is time to Cowboy Up and make the hard choices.

A Majority of Two

Written By D.

Do Senators Arlen Specter and Sue Collins believe they are reasonable, independent and thoughtful legislators because they support the “compromise” stimulus, which is really no compromise at all? http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/02/06/senators-reach-tentative-deal-b-economic-stimulus/

The tip-off that this is not compromise seems to be Carl Levin saying outright that they’ll just try to get the rest of their pork back in. http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NWM4ZDM2NDJlODc1MjJiMmIxMGEyMDE3NmI3ZDEyMGM=

There is no good justification for losing the compromise negotiations and caving into the Democrats while trying to make it look like they achieved something. If they stop for a moment and look around they might see that none of the other usual RINO suspects are standing closely beside them and you would think that might give them pause for concern. And if it is such a needed piece of legislation how come no one wants to be the 60th vote?

I realize that both Maine and Pennsylvania are in financial difficulty and stimulus pork will be going their way. But the stimulus package contains much that is very questionable non stimulus spending.

For instance; ACORN funding is still in the bill and I predict that money will be used for “community organizing” against Republicans through voter registration, GOTV and collection of Census data which will impact redistricting. So supporting this bill could provide government funding that is destructive to the fairness of the political process. Think of it, our tax dollars being used against us politically.

Specter and Collins in their “five minutes of fame” moment can try to spin their support anyway they want, but I don’t think it will wash with people who understand the significance of this horrible piece of socialist spending legislation.

Interesting, neither Pennsylvania nor Maine voters have the right to recall their politicians. http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Recall Voters might want to consider changing their state constitutions to include recall after they see the damage caused by this spending spree.

When the spending spree fails to deliver and the economy worsens, remember those who voted for it. Let’s make sure their five minutes of fame lives on forever in infamy.

Pelosi Next Under The Bus?

Written By D.

This story at Fox News belies any myth about Democrat unity. Would Congressman Jim Cooper be out there saying the O team encouraged him to defy Nancy on Stimulus unless they wanted it publicly known? http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,487632,00.html

Now the story seems to be that O team wanted a clean Stimulus bill but House gave them a messy bill. House Dems did not even read it? They were told to just sign it?

Well, if O Team wanted a clean bill why did they support the messy one? Why didn’t they ask that it be cleaned up? Why didn’t they urge Nancy to work with the GOP on it? Why weren’t members encouraged to read it?

Now that the pork in the bill has been exposed and it is rapidly losing favor with the voters, looks more to me like they want to find someone to blame for this terrible piece of legislation and for the failure of the bill to gain bipartisan support and Nancy drew the short straw. Of course she set herself up to be the whipping boy with her highly partisan behavior. But there is plenty of blame to go around between them.

Yet, the buck stops at the White House. Who wanted the bill in the first place? Who made the pork campaign promises? Who wanted it quickly? Who urged its passage? Who proclaimed “I won” and, while urging GOP compromise, offered none in return?

With Conservative Democrats in open rebellion, GOP criticism of her leadership and the White House calling her stimulus bill messy, Nancy may find she has few friends willing to go to bat for her. But there is plenty of blame to go around. So much for personal responsibility in “every man for himself” Washington.