Monday, March 8, 2010

Gettin' Outa Dodge!

By Mr. Quarter

The news day after day is enough to send everyone in America to their doctor begging for anti-depressants. More and more often, a fantasy plays out in my mind’s eye of moving my family to some wilderness area away from television, newspapers and the internet. Tune out and get out. I envision making a home in the midst of defensible terrain, stout enough to repel an attack by roving bands of marauders. Maybe build a wall or moat.

Health care reform. Really? How can it be reform if it is going to cost you, me and everyone else more? I heard a guy being interviewed on the radio this morning, some ordinary Joe Sixpack. His take on health care reform? “Why should I pay more so someone else can have it?” Exactly right.

Basically, 70% of the American people are against the current health care reform that Obama is pushing. Polls show that lots of folks want individual issues of health care and health insurance addressed. But the majority doesn’t like the current bill. So why do Obama and the Democrats keep pushing it? Like Obama said, “That’s what elections are for.”

Debt. Every day the news gets worse. Social Security and Medicare entitlements are out of control and will subordinate to near non-existence any federal discretionary spending within the next 10 years. The rapidly approaching tsunami is the inability of the U.S. Treasury to borrow sufficient money to finance the federal government obligations. The initial warning waves will be insolvency of a number of the individual states – California, New York, New Jersey. Simultaneously or following closely will be insolvency of several major cities. The formula is simple: pay out generous benefits to state and municipal employees under union collective bargaining agreements, tax the citizens until they leave and business until lay off their employees or close. You collect less and pay more. Deficit. No place to turn.

Global warning – climate change. The data never supported the narrative. Now the truth is coming out that the data was in part made up or never existed. But don’t let that stop you, Al. Mr. Gore’s recent NYT opinion begins with a sentence warning of apocalyptic consequences. Shades of Oz - he implores us not to pay any attention to the man behind the curtain. The Cap and Trade nonsense is DOA in congress, but Obama won’t let that stop him. The majority of America won’t stand for it, but Obama won’t let that stop him. So Obama has the USEPA declare carbon dioxide to be a dangerous pollutant! Imagine that. Every exhalation is toxic! Flatulence is toxic – well actually I learned that at age 4.

Philadelphia is desperate to raise money to close their budget deficit. What do you do if you need money and you have the power to tax without limit? You find something to tax that sounds justifiable – like a sin or bad habit. You tax cigarettes or liquor. Philadelphia is taxing sugar. That is right. Two cents an ounce for sugared drinks like a Pepsi or Coke. Next up is the tax on fat. Say a nickel per Whopper. Then the tax on all carbs. Ten cents a potato. Finally water. Tax that at a dollar per drink – everyone needs water all the time.

Last week, the great world power of Brazil told the USA to pound sand. Publicly. They didn’t do us the courtesy of waiting for Hillary the Great to leave town and then issue a statement. Now they did it at the podium with Hillary the Great standing there. Great job. Next, French Guiana will tell US ships that they can’t sail within 200 miles of their coast without permission. That soft power deal doesn’t seem to be working.

Anyone want to join me in the North Woods?

1 comment:

The Deuce said...

Your Fortress of Reality shouldn't be in the north woods...too cold...short growing season. Iowa has the best farm land on the planet, plenty of wildlife suitable for eating and is lightly populated with decent folk who think like you. I'm just sayin'.