In the grand state of our political discourse there is no room whatsoever for free and impartial voting within the house or senate. Politics are filled with tricks and sleazy underhanded tactics. The vote that occurred last week on the reductions in spending were no exception as republicans voted when they had a large number of democrats outside of the arena to vote. Votes are not taken from all members and this type of thing occurs as do changes and reversals of all changes.
The problem and the way these things work are simple they do not have any transparency and ideas are connected illogically to bills they have no logical connection with. Job creation bills should not be connected to piles of money spent to mix ethanol. The list goes on and on without any transparency in government and with the ability to pull these types of sleazy tactics as pulled by both sides it is unlikely that our government will ever be able to provide solutions we actualy want.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Subsidies for Oil off the table but Heating fuel is on the table BIO FUELS
I am all for the tea party ideals for the most part smaller government is a good thing it cuts the fat which makes the economy and the country slugish, and makes everything more efficient. Serious choices have to be made and everyone needs to feel some of the sacrifice. Subsidies and entitlements are usualy the same animal they are designed to solve a problem they help to create industry where there otherwise would not be one.
There are several subsidies that our nation has needed over the last fifty years that saved many businesses and created weath for comunities among them are oil subsidies and farming subsidies. These subsidies no longer offer the benefit they once did it has been a long time since the farming communitiy suffered at the hands of low food prices and oil companies definitly do not need any help with ever increasing oil prices.
The subsidy that bothers me most of all is turning corn into ethonol which is a tripple edged sword. People often see the ubsurdity of using food to create energy it has resulted in ever increasing corn prices allong with oats and grains once more heavily substituted with corn it drives up the cost of meat shortning and food oils. What many do not concider is that its effects are most heavily impacted in water. Corn is the most water intensive crop we grow it is the equivilent to trading in water with other nations. Corn requires massive irrigation and uses significant amounts of watter.
Likewise the new creation of biomass power plants show little in the way of common sense. They usualy result in increased forestry which requires large amounts of energy to create. Ethonol from corn likewise is concidered a widely questionable topic as many critics and proponents argue that it does or doesnt create efficient energy. If the numbers are that close then the benefit is minimal at best but more likely is not beneficial at all. It is a game of bait and switch much like todays politics. Gifts and donations feed hungry corporations when the benefits of every public and private dollar should be considered with the same efficiency our political masterminds care more for the game than creating lasting change.
I am confused how so many smart people are incapable of seeing the errors of their ways and looking instead of at a great big picture and the way of the game which needs to change so very badly. Washington has its own way of doing things what I don't understand is how they cannot see that the game is not working for anyone except them. Sorry I have digressed from my point it is very difficult for me to stay on topic as the status Quo continues.
Solving the problems in Washington can be as complicated as possible but effectively can be solved with a number of small changes. If you are looking at a program and deciding its merit case by case then I would say that Public Radio offers a much better bang for the dollar than ethanol subsidies. GAO has a report on bio fuels and has noted the impact not just on water and the environment but the unknown wider effects on fuel prices and the alteration of growing based on these subsidies .
Increased Bio fuels
Production Could Have a
Variety of Environmental
Effects, but the Magnitude
Is Largely Unknownhttp://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09446.pdf
I do my research I find out more and more I don't like for example did you know
Roughly 11 billion gallons of bio fuels were produced and sold in the United States in 2009, and ethanol produced from corn accounted for nearly all (about 10.8 billion gallons) of that total. Blenders of transportation fuels receive a tax credit of 45 cents for each gallon of ethanol (regardless of the feedstock, or raw material) that is combined with gasoline and sold. Although the credit is provided to blenders, most of it ultimately flows to producers of ethanol and to the farmers who grow the corn--in the form of higher prices received for their products.
From the US congressional budget office site
lets see .45 times 11 billion oh that cheep only 4.95 billion dollars that wouldn't make a dent in the budget would it by the way that's just to mix it and we have no idea where it came from. They are also selling it with the gasoline we buy at 3.00 a gallon that's another 30 cents a gallon on 11 billion gallons. If you ask me that's just crazy does it offer a benefit yes does it equal the cost I don't believe it. I am all for being green but this is just plain nuts. The effects of these rules and determinations may create jobs they also cost every American a significant sum of every dollar they earn. Everyone eats .
There are several subsidies that our nation has needed over the last fifty years that saved many businesses and created weath for comunities among them are oil subsidies and farming subsidies. These subsidies no longer offer the benefit they once did it has been a long time since the farming communitiy suffered at the hands of low food prices and oil companies definitly do not need any help with ever increasing oil prices.
The subsidy that bothers me most of all is turning corn into ethonol which is a tripple edged sword. People often see the ubsurdity of using food to create energy it has resulted in ever increasing corn prices allong with oats and grains once more heavily substituted with corn it drives up the cost of meat shortning and food oils. What many do not concider is that its effects are most heavily impacted in water. Corn is the most water intensive crop we grow it is the equivilent to trading in water with other nations. Corn requires massive irrigation and uses significant amounts of watter.
Likewise the new creation of biomass power plants show little in the way of common sense. They usualy result in increased forestry which requires large amounts of energy to create. Ethonol from corn likewise is concidered a widely questionable topic as many critics and proponents argue that it does or doesnt create efficient energy. If the numbers are that close then the benefit is minimal at best but more likely is not beneficial at all. It is a game of bait and switch much like todays politics. Gifts and donations feed hungry corporations when the benefits of every public and private dollar should be considered with the same efficiency our political masterminds care more for the game than creating lasting change.
I am confused how so many smart people are incapable of seeing the errors of their ways and looking instead of at a great big picture and the way of the game which needs to change so very badly. Washington has its own way of doing things what I don't understand is how they cannot see that the game is not working for anyone except them. Sorry I have digressed from my point it is very difficult for me to stay on topic as the status Quo continues.
Solving the problems in Washington can be as complicated as possible but effectively can be solved with a number of small changes. If you are looking at a program and deciding its merit case by case then I would say that Public Radio offers a much better bang for the dollar than ethanol subsidies. GAO has a report on bio fuels and has noted the impact not just on water and the environment but the unknown wider effects on fuel prices and the alteration of growing based on these subsidies .
Increased Bio fuels
Production Could Have a
Variety of Environmental
Effects, but the Magnitude
Is Largely Unknownhttp://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09446.pdf
I do my research I find out more and more I don't like for example did you know
Roughly 11 billion gallons of bio fuels were produced and sold in the United States in 2009, and ethanol produced from corn accounted for nearly all (about 10.8 billion gallons) of that total. Blenders of transportation fuels receive a tax credit of 45 cents for each gallon of ethanol (regardless of the feedstock, or raw material) that is combined with gasoline and sold. Although the credit is provided to blenders, most of it ultimately flows to producers of ethanol and to the farmers who grow the corn--in the form of higher prices received for their products.
From the US congressional budget office site
lets see .45 times 11 billion oh that cheep only 4.95 billion dollars that wouldn't make a dent in the budget would it by the way that's just to mix it and we have no idea where it came from. They are also selling it with the gasoline we buy at 3.00 a gallon that's another 30 cents a gallon on 11 billion gallons. If you ask me that's just crazy does it offer a benefit yes does it equal the cost I don't believe it. I am all for being green but this is just plain nuts. The effects of these rules and determinations may create jobs they also cost every American a significant sum of every dollar they earn. Everyone eats .
Credit bureaus Fico scores and rent payments
In a new chain of events Experian has taken up rental payments into account of your credit report if they provide the information to creditors. This is being promoted as a great move forward for immigrants and people who do not have credit cards or other credit accounts. I don't see it that way for two reasons first probably as many as will benefit will be hurt as many people pay their rent late. Secondly it will not be picked up yet if at all by the FICA score which is used by almost all lenders to access risk. A third issue is that while corporate renters are likely to provide this information to the credit bureau it is unlikely that the little guy will. So the benefit will only be with commercial renters renting from big conglomerates and reits. It is also likely that renters will have new problems finding a place to rent if they were late in the past. Another unfair issue will be anyone who has late payments as a result of delays with section eight and those who get payments on time will benefit for other people paying their rent on time. Realistically there are a number of problems with this for consumers as more and more of their information becomes public domain. Getting closer to 1984 every day.
Friday, February 18, 2011
If you want to pay down national debt don't focus on nickles focus on dollars
I am very surprised to hear the focus of our nation is usually so strongly opinionated about the national debt and spending. I hear about earmarks I hear about cutting spending on public television and radio I also hear about cutting aide. All of these combined amount to very little in the grand scheme of things and they all smell of politics rankly.
Earmarks may be the only spending that makes any real sense at all these projects are typically very specific and have a very specific goal. An earmark to build a museum an earmark to fix a bridge frankly earmarks make sense. Earmarks may not benefit the nation as a whole and may actually benefit only a limited number of people but they have a clear purpose they are easy to understand they create value.
The problem with our budget is simple NO ONE could possibly have any idea of what it was they just passed. The only way out of this mess that I see is that all of Congress show up to work and do the job they were sent to do. First Pass one spending initiate at a time make it clear and simple (Period). If bills were broken up into pages and the pages put together to fill the entire picture bipartisanship and dirty politics cant happen to the extent they do now. Why not find one thing after another to agree upon. One cut at a time decided on by the majority one earmark at a time decided upon by the majority. Value cannot be created by massive bills that no one can understand. Find one problem at a time and fix it with clarity and clear decisions.
Not all issues are simple but clear language which anyone can understand even if added and added to page after page limit after limit to fix as many concerns as possible will still be an improvement over ending up voting against the very legislation that you created because you no longer have any idea of what you are voting for, yes it happens all the time. This type of legislation gives the opportunity to eliminate the need for tons of committee and inward thoughts writing and rewriting of legislation's instead it moves forward. At the end of the day the oligopoly spending bill may still be needed but only after eliminating massive sections of waste; all the while creating accountability for your congresional representative.
The thing about my government that often puzzles me most of all is we have a wonderful organization called the GAO which is tasked with Government Accountability it seems however that whatever they discover falls upon deaf ears.
Earmarks may be the only spending that makes any real sense at all these projects are typically very specific and have a very specific goal. An earmark to build a museum an earmark to fix a bridge frankly earmarks make sense. Earmarks may not benefit the nation as a whole and may actually benefit only a limited number of people but they have a clear purpose they are easy to understand they create value.
The problem with our budget is simple NO ONE could possibly have any idea of what it was they just passed. The only way out of this mess that I see is that all of Congress show up to work and do the job they were sent to do. First Pass one spending initiate at a time make it clear and simple (Period). If bills were broken up into pages and the pages put together to fill the entire picture bipartisanship and dirty politics cant happen to the extent they do now. Why not find one thing after another to agree upon. One cut at a time decided on by the majority one earmark at a time decided upon by the majority. Value cannot be created by massive bills that no one can understand. Find one problem at a time and fix it with clarity and clear decisions.
Not all issues are simple but clear language which anyone can understand even if added and added to page after page limit after limit to fix as many concerns as possible will still be an improvement over ending up voting against the very legislation that you created because you no longer have any idea of what you are voting for, yes it happens all the time. This type of legislation gives the opportunity to eliminate the need for tons of committee and inward thoughts writing and rewriting of legislation's instead it moves forward. At the end of the day the oligopoly spending bill may still be needed but only after eliminating massive sections of waste; all the while creating accountability for your congresional representative.
The thing about my government that often puzzles me most of all is we have a wonderful organization called the GAO which is tasked with Government Accountability it seems however that whatever they discover falls upon deaf ears.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Welfare Tanif Unemployment and other inefficiencies
It is interesting to me the usual misinformation about being on welfare and the respective beliefs about how lazy people on welfare are as are the people on unemployment.
I was successful for quite some time before the economy royally tanked climbing the ladder in my respective field until the breaks went all on for the economy like many people I found myself with very little in the way of responses whereas before the economy tanked I had many options which I did not take as I was happy and comfortable in the job I had grown into. I found myself unemployed for the first month or so I actually enjoyed unemployment I felt I could find a better job and actually had the time to spend with my kids to do well and pay more attention to my studies at college. I had never been to college without working full time and I had never ever been on unemployment in my adult life.
All the while I was hearing about just how lazy I was I received not one answer to my resume this went on with the exception of work at home jobs and ohhh the insurance agencies who would snatch up anyone they could get their grubby little hands on. I got 6 responses to applications and tailored resumes over a two year period. The answers were nothing to brag about they were really low entry level jobs and they all had many issues. I would have taken one of them earning even less than I would have on unemployment allot less about a quarter of my prior standard income at best but the offers never ever went anywhere. I suspect I applied for about thirteen hundred different positions over a two year period and finally received a customer service position at a local home improvement retailer. All the while continuing to apply for position after position still with very limited response until I gave up I was earning less than a third of what I was and continued to do so for another ten months when I got a full time temp job. Keeping both jobs I am now finally making nearly half of what I was.
What everyone seems to forget about unemployment is that no taxes come out unless you want them to their is no Medicare or Social Security taxes. So earnings are quite a bit higher if you had a decent income than a low paying job it is not to anyone benefit to get off of unemployment with a low level position as you will take an immediate pay cut assuming you can even find a job.
Welfare or tanif is not much different you can earn the same or more being on Tanif than you can at a low level retail position working less usually twenty or so hours a week either on job searches or in a voluntary position. When used effectively this program will help struggling single parents to find a volunteer position which may lead to a full time position or the opportunity to find a position in a field of interest it also offers job training and connects recipients with training programs that will lead to an actual job.
People on Tanif show up on a daily basis usually four days a week or so but here where it gets expensive. Tanif pays a stipend of somewhere around 3-400 a month these parents qualify for day care assistance an equal or greater cost in most cases. So in the effort to make these people work we have cost ourselves twice as much as they would cost to sit at home and do nothing. Plus in most cases we also pay for mileage to and from the office or to and from a volunteer job site. Now we are likely up to around a thousand dollars a month a separated family of three with no other income will receive roughly 500 dollars a month in food stamps. If you haven't noticed this works out to about 1500.00 a month which is 18k a year a part to full time retail position will pay about the same and will disqualify the person for a number of benefits seeing this makes many want to stay on tanif, however I find it unlikely that anyone is pointing out the tax benefit that working would offer.
A single parent can make roughly 5000 in cash at tax time for working to earn about the same amount of money with several children all the while collecting food stamps being eligible for section eight and for childcare assistance.
Since this is not part of the discussion at welfare it is not part of the thoughts of people receiving benefits. They will receive all the money they would have received on Tanif with a low paying job as long as they are below the poverty line. Everyone below the poverty line will receive the same amount of money in most cases. That might change your thoughts about welfare. My thought if they want to be lazy unproductive members of society let em sit at home on the couch and be really broke, but first let them know they are not getting the most they can from the government they can and that they can make more if they want to.
I was successful for quite some time before the economy royally tanked climbing the ladder in my respective field until the breaks went all on for the economy like many people I found myself with very little in the way of responses whereas before the economy tanked I had many options which I did not take as I was happy and comfortable in the job I had grown into. I found myself unemployed for the first month or so I actually enjoyed unemployment I felt I could find a better job and actually had the time to spend with my kids to do well and pay more attention to my studies at college. I had never been to college without working full time and I had never ever been on unemployment in my adult life.
All the while I was hearing about just how lazy I was I received not one answer to my resume this went on with the exception of work at home jobs and ohhh the insurance agencies who would snatch up anyone they could get their grubby little hands on. I got 6 responses to applications and tailored resumes over a two year period. The answers were nothing to brag about they were really low entry level jobs and they all had many issues. I would have taken one of them earning even less than I would have on unemployment allot less about a quarter of my prior standard income at best but the offers never ever went anywhere. I suspect I applied for about thirteen hundred different positions over a two year period and finally received a customer service position at a local home improvement retailer. All the while continuing to apply for position after position still with very limited response until I gave up I was earning less than a third of what I was and continued to do so for another ten months when I got a full time temp job. Keeping both jobs I am now finally making nearly half of what I was.
What everyone seems to forget about unemployment is that no taxes come out unless you want them to their is no Medicare or Social Security taxes. So earnings are quite a bit higher if you had a decent income than a low paying job it is not to anyone benefit to get off of unemployment with a low level position as you will take an immediate pay cut assuming you can even find a job.
Welfare or tanif is not much different you can earn the same or more being on Tanif than you can at a low level retail position working less usually twenty or so hours a week either on job searches or in a voluntary position. When used effectively this program will help struggling single parents to find a volunteer position which may lead to a full time position or the opportunity to find a position in a field of interest it also offers job training and connects recipients with training programs that will lead to an actual job.
People on Tanif show up on a daily basis usually four days a week or so but here where it gets expensive. Tanif pays a stipend of somewhere around 3-400 a month these parents qualify for day care assistance an equal or greater cost in most cases. So in the effort to make these people work we have cost ourselves twice as much as they would cost to sit at home and do nothing. Plus in most cases we also pay for mileage to and from the office or to and from a volunteer job site. Now we are likely up to around a thousand dollars a month a separated family of three with no other income will receive roughly 500 dollars a month in food stamps. If you haven't noticed this works out to about 1500.00 a month which is 18k a year a part to full time retail position will pay about the same and will disqualify the person for a number of benefits seeing this makes many want to stay on tanif, however I find it unlikely that anyone is pointing out the tax benefit that working would offer.
A single parent can make roughly 5000 in cash at tax time for working to earn about the same amount of money with several children all the while collecting food stamps being eligible for section eight and for childcare assistance.
Since this is not part of the discussion at welfare it is not part of the thoughts of people receiving benefits. They will receive all the money they would have received on Tanif with a low paying job as long as they are below the poverty line. Everyone below the poverty line will receive the same amount of money in most cases. That might change your thoughts about welfare. My thought if they want to be lazy unproductive members of society let em sit at home on the couch and be really broke, but first let them know they are not getting the most they can from the government they can and that they can make more if they want to.
Friday, February 11, 2011
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