An Elitist Political Class Makes Better Spending Decisions?

___The guiding premise of the Progressives is that an elitist political class can make better spending decisions than individual Americans. History demonstrates that the premise is false. The economy did quite well under Kennedy, Reagan and even George W. Bush after taxes were reduced. The “roaring 20s” were still the most prosperous for government with budget surpluses for each of Coolidge's six years. Critics would say that the “excessive exuberance” of the 1920s led to the 1929 stock market crash, but that was a small part. The isolationist tariffs and high minimum wages caused the 25% unemployment. We also had “excessive exuberance” before the “junk bond crash” in 1987, “dot.com crash” in 2000 and the “real estate/credit crash” in 2007. These followed periods of good growth.

___Corporations and the very wealthy are the villains of the Progressive century-old conspiracy. History again shows the error. The oil giant that became Standard Oil, Inc also saved the whales! Most lighting used whale oil as a fuel. Rockefeller made kerosene so cheap that whale oil sales became insignificant. U.S. Steel made it possible to build buildings with more than 3 stories. General Electric and Westinghouse lit our world and powered our appliances. Ford made the car affordable. J.P. Morgan had to bail out the United States treasury when Gould cornered the gold market.

___It is more often the government's fiscal policy that drives jobs to another city, state or country. Examples are the shortstop for the New York Yankees being a resident of Florida, and the co-founder of Facebook becoming a citizen of Singapore. States have adapted by putting a tax on income where it is earned. Athletes should boycott [Super Bowl] games in high-tax cities and states. Internet sales are now taxed. Multinational corporations pay foreign taxes on profits and U.S. taxes on the same profits if they bring them back to the United States (so the capital is left overseas stimulating our competitors). You have an absurd case of a $50 Billion U.S. corporation being “bought” by a $10 Billion Irish corporation, and the headquarters address being Ireland (for tax purposes).

___The United States became the most powerful economy with the written Constitution giving balance of power, property rights and the rule of law, and The Wealth of Nations as economic theory. Progressives say the Constitution was written by “a bunch of dead white guys,” and Karl Marx and John Maynard Keynes provide the “updated” economic theory. The 2009 “stimulus” took over $700 Billion from taxpayers, and elitist politicians spent it on solar and wind projects. Some was spent on “shovel-ready” projects which had been planned for future years and were completed earlier. Most was spent on loyal Progressive supporters.

___Most people should not go to college. The lotteries were sold as “free college education for the masses.” Basic economics says that a dramatic increase in demand (students) and a relatively static supply (colleges) will mean an increase in costs. Thatcher said pretty soon you run out of other peoples' money, so a B average was required. Thugs threatened teachers. An additional requirement of 18 on the ACT was hastily added. When costs rose rapidly, the taxpayers guaranteed student loans (currently over $1.3 Trillion with a rising default rate). The Progressives want to forgive the debt and make college tuition free. Graduates will make $15/hr even if they cannot find a job in their field! Unemployment was extended from 26 to 99 weeks years ago. Who needs to work?!

___We have a problem with entitlement programs. Dr Williams calls Social Security a Ponzi scheme with a gun. Actually, if you refuse to pay FICA payroll tax, you would be sent to prison – maybe GiTMo! The population demographics of the United States, Japan and Europe does not support a welfare state. You need a pyramid with few elderly and disabled (takers) at the top and many (workers) at the base.

Protection of Our National Security

___In the 1950s the United States under Eisenhower had several hundred military advisors in Vietnam. Kennedy raised that to several thousand. Johnson intervened in a civil war between North Vietnam and South Vietnam and increased our numbers to several hundred thousand. Over 48 thousand of my generation died in this political and military intervention. I was in college during the 1960s, and my career choices were limited to the branches of the military. In 1967 when I graduated, there were over 700,000 American military personnel in Southeast Asia. I joined the U.S. Air Force in August.

___I served in Space Systems and Missile Warning. I had a Secret security clearance, and I received classified information about our enemies and their capabilities. I had sworn to protect that information, and I have.

___In our representative form of government, we elect those who will get the security clearances and make decisions based on the classified information they receive. It is vital to the national security that we choose well. If revealed, Top Secret information can cause “exceptionally grave damage to the national security.” Our methods and key people could be revealed and intelligence could be compromised for decades. George W. Bush was criticized for using human intelligence data that indicated “weapons of mass destruction” in Iraq. By the time Iraq was invaded, these weapons had been moved or never existed. Our human intelligence is imperfect. The enemy does not post their plans and capabilities on Facebook! If our methods for obtaining human intelligence are compromised, then we will be blind, and our operatives may die.

___Hillary Clinton, the Democrat candidate, is being investigated for failure to secure classified – including Top Secret/Special Access Required – data. General Petraeus was convicted for far less. It is amazing that over 70% of my fellow South Carolinians believe that Clinton should be the next President! As if Barack Obama – surrounding himself with high-level Muslim advisors like Valerie Jarret – hasn't done enough damage already!

Who Said Anything About a Draft?

___There is no draft. The last draft was for Vietnam – over 40 years ago!

___We have a sexist law called the Selective Service Act which gathers information on males when they turn 18. Women are not included because the Biblical role of the woman is to make a home while the Biblical role of the man is to protect that home. The Bible also says that God gives each of us gifts. If I have a gift for cooking and my wife has a gift for business, then I should make the home, and my wife should work in business. The healthiest and strongest should protect the home.

___Men and women are not equal. Neither are all men equal or all women equal. I am a man, but there are many women who are stronger [and smarter] than me.

___Congress plays games with names for a law. My favorite is the Motherhood and Apple Pie Act (MAPA). If you vote against it, then you are obviously against motherhood and apple pie. Treason! So, when a law is named “selective service,” the actual law could contain a military draft, but let's assume the law is named correctly. President Kennedy said “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country!” I don't think that he wanted both young men and women to go into military combat! Both young and old were paid to help in America and around the world to teach methods to avoid and escape poverty and death.

___Women have correctly demanded equal benefits. They should also be willing to accept equal responsibilities!

The Wisdom of Justice Antonin Scalia

Justice Antonin Scalia, who died Saturday during his 29th year on the Supreme Court, was known for a sharp wit as well as a brilliant legal mind, and he expressed both with his tongue as well as his pen.

1. “What is a moderate interpretation of the text? Halfway between what it really means and what you’d like it to mean?” (Remarks at Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, D.C., 2005.)

2. “There is nothing new in the realization that the Constitution sometimes insulates the criminality of a few in order to protect the privacy of us all.” (Majority opinion, Arizona v. Hicks, 1987.)

3. “God assumed from the beginning that the wise of the world would view Christians as fools … and he has not been disappointed. … If I have brought any message today, it is this: Have the courage to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity. Be fools for Christ. And have the courage to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world.” (Speech at Living the Catholic Faith conference, 2012.)

4. “If you think aficionados of a living Constitution want to bring you flexibility, think again. You think the death penalty is a good idea? Persuade your fellow citizens to adopt it. You want a right to abortion? Persuade your fellow citizens and enact it. That’s flexibility.” (Speech, Wilson Center, 2005.)

5. “The purpose of the Federalist Society was to bring together young people who had this skepticism about what they were being taught and to let them know that there were others who shared this skepticism.” (Remarks, Federalist Society’s 20th anniversary gala, 2002.)

6. “A law can be both economic folly and constitutional.” (Concurring opinion, CTS Corp. v. Dynamics Corp of America, 1987.)

7. “If we’re picking people to draw out of their own conscience and experience a ‘new’ Constitution, we should not look principally for good lawyers. We should look to people who agree with us. When we are in that mode, you realize we have rendered the Constitution useless.” (Speech, Wilson Center, 2005.)

8. “It is one of the unhappy incidents of the federal system that a self-righteous Supreme Court, acting on its members’ personal view of what would make a ‘more perfect Union’ (a criterion only slightly more restrictive than a ‘more perfect world’) can impose its own favored social and economic dispositions nationwide.” (Dissent, United States v. Virginia, 1996.)

9. “Bear in mind that brains and learning, like muscle and physical skill, are articles of commerce. They are bought and sold. You can hire them by the year or by the hour. The only thing in the world not for sale is character.” (Commencement address, College of William and Mary, 1996.)

Bring Back Foreign Profits Already Taxed

___Multinational corporations should bring foreign profits home with no additional penalty. The taxes have been paid, and the cash sits in foreign banks stimulating foreign businesses.

___Ideally corporations should pay zero tax since taxes are an expense which must be included in the cost of the product making them uncompetitive. Foreign countries do not include the VAT on exports. This gives U.S. companies an additional disadvantage. Congress should pass a tax holiday for the foreign profits of U.S. multinationals already taxed.

___This will stimulate the economy, and the Democrats will take credit, but most Americans will be helped. This would be different than the misguided "stimulus" in 2009 which took money from taxpayers - who spend frugally - to give to the political class -who spend profligately. See 27 Jan 2016 post for more.

What Exactly is a "Natural-Born Citizen"?

___The Naturalization Act of 1790, which is actually the only U.S. statute ever to use the term “natural born citizen”, clearly qualifies Ted Cruz as a natural born citizen. 8 USC § 1401, the relevant current statute, doesn’t use the term, but in no way contradicts the 1790 Act.

___George Washington signed the Act into law. James Madison, the principal author of our Constitution, was also in agreement.

A Champion of the Constitution is Dead

___Justice Antonin Scalia has died. His dissent in last summer's same sex marriage decision should be read by every American. He reminded us that the American Revolution was over taxation without representation. The Supreme Court is practicing social transformation without represntation!

“A Constitution is not meant to facilitate change. It is meant to impede change, to make it difficult to change.” – Justice Scalia

___The tragedy is that Barack Obama will replace Justice Scalia with one who has disdain rather than respect for the Constitution.

The United Socialist States of America (USSA)

___The number of food stamp recipients has risen dramatically, from 17.2 million in 2000 to 45.8 million in 2015, and the most rapid growth in the food stamp caseload in recent years has been among childless adults able to work.

___When work requirements were established in the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program in the late 1990s, nationwide caseloads dropped by almost 80%, albeit over a few years rather than a few months. President Clinton vetoed the welfare legislation twice and then signed it the third time - and then took credit for the surplus!

___Unemployment compensation has been extended from 26 weeks (6 months) to 99 weeks (almost 2 years). This is tax-free. Who wants to work?

___The national debt is over $19 Trillion, and the unfunded liabilities are over $101 Trillion.

___I declared independence from the USSA in writing in December 2010 (see text on 4 July 2010).

Government Admits Selective Service Law is Sexist!

___On sss.gov: While there has been talk recently about women in combat, there has been NO decision to require females to register with Selective Service, or be subject to a future military draft. Selective Service continues to register only men, ages 18 through 25.

___If women want the equality granted by the Equal Pay Act of 1963, then they should accept the responsibility to the country!

Economic Freedom in 2016

___The Heritage Foundation published its 2016 Index of Economic Freedom on 1 February. The categories are:

Rule of Law: Property Rights; Freedom from Corruption

Limited Government: Government Spending; Fiscal Freedom

Regulatory Efficiency: Business Freedom; Labor Freedom; Monetary Freedom

Open Markets: Trade Freedom; Investment Freedom; Financial Freedom

___The United States moved from 12th to 11th when Denmark moved down a full point while the U.S. only moved down 0.8. You should hold the celebration and the champagne since we are still behind Chile and Estonia!

View the new Index at:

heritage.org/index

Labor Force Participation in America

___Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for adult men (4.5 percent) and Whites (4.3 percent) declined in January. The jobless rates for adult women (4.5 percent), teenagers (16.0 percent), Blacks (8.8 percent), Asians (3.7 percent), and Hispanics (5.9 percent) showed little change over the month.

___The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks to 99 weeks) was essentially unchanged in January, at 2.1 million, and has shown little movement since June. These individuals accounted for 26.9 percent of the unemployed.

___After accounting for the annual adjustments to the population controls, the civilian labor force and total employment, as measured by the household survey, were little changed in January. The labor force participation rate, at 62.7 percent, is the lowest since 1977.