CaliFail
August 5th, 2009CaliFail
Not A Good Plan
A Reuters report today indicates that California told to prepare massive prisoner release.
U.S. judges have told the state to prepare to release more than 40,000 of their 150,000 inmates. This is an action to address overcrowding problems.
They also indicate that many of these prisoners suffer from health problems.
So, the state will be forced to release 40,000 inmates, many with medical problems, into a cash-strapped society with high unemployment rates.
Does anyone actually expect the outcome from this to be good?
Celebrity Deaths
June 28th, 2009Celebrity Deaths
Epedemic?
Four celebrity deaths in the past seven days… Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and now Billy Mays… Yeah, the Reaper even got the OxyClean guy.
I guess with so many celebrities in the world, this shouldn’t really be that shocking. Sooner or later the planets are going to line up just right and we’re going to lose a few.
But, still… There’s something about this past week that just makes me feel old.
The Crisis Is Over
May 30th, 2009The Crisis Is Over
Because, You Were Told So
President Obama said yesterday that the economy was improving. Of course, he then went one to take most of the credit for it.
But, yeah… Which economy is it that’s improving Mr. President?
I’m not seeing any fewer For Sale signs on house. In fact, I’m seeing more just in the past week. People I know still can’t get lenders to free up any money. Most stocks are still in the crapper. The unemployment number rose again last week. And now, to top it off, both oil and inflation are rising.
I sure hope he tells us where this great economy is soon, I’m ready to move there.
American Cars
May 30th, 2009American Cars
No, REALLY American
Am I the only one not feeling all warm and fuzzy about the federal government acquiring a large stake of General Motors?
Will this result in better American cars? Will the government be able to manage GM’s finances better than GM could? Sure, they have done really well with Social Security. Oh, wait…
General Motors will survive. They’ll downsize. They’ll become more competitive. This might be the best thing that’s happened to them in decades.
And, who knows, in a few years they might even come out with a vehicle worth buying. That is, if the government can keep their hands out of the business long enough to allow that to happen.
Delta Goes American
April 18th, 2009Delta Goes American
The List Is Growing
Delta Air Lines has officially stopped using India-based call centers. While I have always been a fan of Delta, this move will firmly cement their position at the top of my list when buying tickets for air travel.
Several companies have made similar announcements over the past couple of weeks. Hopefully this will be a trend that will affect companies across the board. Nothing against India, but we need jobs for Americans.
There’s no doubt that companies can save money buy offshoring these services to Indian call centers, but at what cost when you factor in customer loyalty? I will gladly pay a bit more to a company that supports American workers. Plus, I get to talk to someone that actually speaks English when I call.
Good job Delta!
General Motors
March 5th, 2009General Motors
Do We Really Care?
Despite being handed billions of dollars just a short time ago, it’s beginning to become very apparent that GM will be heading down the bankruptcy path in the very near future.
This is something that should have already happened. The only way General Motors will survive is through bankruptcy, allowing them to restructure their debt, labor contracts, and pensions. The “bailout” was a sham from the start.
In the end though, no matter how much restructuring they incur, it’s still going to come down to the consumer. GM needs to build a car that people actually want to purchase. They need to build something that is competitive in design, cost, and reliability with their foreign counterparts.
Other than the Corvette, does GM have any vehicle in their massive line that you’d want to drive? None that I would.
Their fullsize trucks are OK, but rank behind Ford in almost every way. And the future isn’t going to be in large trucks. There’s just so many construction workers and farmers out there. The general consumer is looking for smaller vehicles with much greater fuel efficiency. Gasoline will return to $4 per gallon before you know it, and many people want to be better prepared the next time it happens.
Of course we all want to save the jobs related to GM and their suppliers, but at what cost?
Cash Cow
February 12th, 2009Cash Cow
Obama Delivers
Woohoo!!!! It’s time to celebrate!
Obama has delivered on the promise of “tax cuts”.
Yep, along with the new $789,000,000,000 spending bill, all of us hard working, tax-paying citizens will soon be able to enjoy a extra $13 per week.
Officials estimated it would mean about $13 a week more in people’s paychecks when withholding tables are adjusted in late spring. Critics say that’s unlikely to do much to boost consumption.
Oh my God – I have no idea where I’ll be able to spend this new windfall. I guess I could go to McDonald’s once a week, or buy two Starbucks coffees. Or, sadly, buy two shares of Bank of America stock.
Thanks Obama and Dems! When my children and grandchildren are paying the price for this ridiculous spending package, at least they can look back to the Golden Era of the $13 tax break.
On the bright side, only two more years of this crap…
Liberal Spending
February 4th, 2009Liberal Spending
I Don’t Find This Stimulating
More details of the “stimulus bill” proposed by Obama and House Democrats are being leaked to the public – and it’s not pretty.
There are some items in the bill that actually look pretty good, but they’re surrounded by pork. A LOT of pork. The Democrats just don’t get it. They’re looking at this huge spending bill as some type of free-for-all, and each of them have added their own little special interest spending items.
People, the is TAXPAYER money. Do you find that stimulating?
This $900,000,000,000 is a loan – A loan that your children and grandchildren will be paying back.
Where’s the job creation?
How will any of these sustain themselves once the initial funding has run dry?
Creating false jobs that only last for the duration of the government handout is not going to set our economy on the right course.
Some of the questionable items:
- $2 billion earmark to re-start FutureGen, a near-zero emissions coal power plant in Illinois that the Department of Energy defunded last year because it said the project was inefficient.
- $246 million tax break for Hollywood movie producers to buy motion picture film.
- $650 million for the digital television converter box coupon program.
- $88 million for the Coast Guard to design a new polar icebreaker (arctic ship).
- $448 million for constructing the Department of Homeland Security headquarters.
- $248 million for furniture at the new Homeland Security headquarters.
- $600 million to buy hybrid vehicles for federal employees.
- $400 million for the Centers for Disease Control to screen and prevent STD’s.
- $1.4 billion for rural waste disposal programs.
- $125 million for the Washington sewer system.
- $150 million for Smithsonian museum facilities.
- $1 billion for the 2010 Census, which has a projected cost overrun of $3 billion.
- $75 million for “smoking cessation activities.”
- $200 million for public computer centers at community colleges.
- $75 million for salaries of employees at the FBI.
- $25 million for tribal alcohol and substance abuse reduction.
- $500 million for flood reduction projects on the Mississippi River.
- $10 million to inspect canals in urban areas.
- $6 billion to turn federal buildings into “green” buildings.
- $500 million for state and local fire stations.
- $650 million for wildland fire management on forest service lands.
- $1.2 billion for “youth activities,” including youth summer job programs.
- $88 million for renovating the headquarters of the Public Health Service.
- $412 million for CDC buildings and property.
- $500 million for building and repairing National Institutes of Health facilities in Bethesda, Maryland.
- $160 million for “paid volunteers” at the Corporation for National and Community Service.
- $5.5 million for “energy efficiency initiatives” at the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration.
- $850 million for Amtrak.
- $100 million for reducing the hazard of lead-based paint.
- $75 million to construct a “security training” facility for State Department Security officers when they can be trained at existing facilities of other agencies.
- $110 million to the Farm Service Agency to upgrade computer systems.
- $200 million in funding for the lease of alternative energy vehicles for use on military installations.
You decide…
Liar
February 2nd, 2009Liar
Change? Nope. Just More Of The Same.
It only took President Obama a few days to break his first campaign promise.
Barack Obama Campaign Promise Number 234:
To reduce bills rushed through Congress and to the president before the public has the opportunity to review them, Obama “will not sign any non-emergency bill without giving the American public an opportunity to review and comment on the White House website for five days.”
January 29, 2009 – Obama signs the Lilly Leadbetter Fair Pay Act, without any public vetting. The legislation was not posted to the White House website until 2 hours after the President signed it.
Oh, rest assured, there will be MANY more broken promises from this guy.
Tax And Spend
February 2nd, 2009Tax And Spend
And Spend, And Spend, And Spend…
Have you read any of the details of the Prez Obama and House Democrats “stimulus” bill?
Oh My God, what a bunch of bullshit this $900,000,000,000+ monster contains.
Maybe I just don’t get it, but I don’t understand how House Democrats believe $350,000,000 for child care on military bases, $335,000,000 to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, and $200,000,000 for birth control will stimulate the economy. Where will the jobs be created?
And that’s just the beginning. This bill contains more pork than an Alabama pig farm.
This is NOT stimulus. This is NOT job creation. This is big-spending government creating yet bigger government.
This bill flew through the Democrat-controlled House with ZERO republican votes, by the way. Oh, rest assured, voters will remember this during the 2010 mid-term elections.
Enjoy your 2 years of control Dems. It will be short lived.
