GABY

What is your Opinion? Water Boarding does no physical harm, but it does scare terrorists so bad they may talk. Why do people get so mad when someone says they don't mind using this tool, but then support actually killing the same terrorists along with their family and friends if necessary. I personally believe we have to kill those bastards that try to kill us, but I cannot understand why "Enhanced Interrogation" is so horrible.

from LA Times

"Reporting from Washington— Over the last year, the Obama administration has aggressively pushed a $433-million plan to buy an experimental smallpox drug, despite uncertainty over whether it is needed or will work.

Senior officials have taken unusual steps to secure the contract for New York-based Siga Technologies Inc., whose controlling shareholder is billionaire Ronald O. Perelman, one of the world's richest men and a longtime Democratic Party donor."

Do they think we are not observing, or do they just think we are stupid?

From Washington paper - "Finding a rare piece of common ground when it comes to spending limits, Republicans and Democrats in the Senate voted overwhelmingly Friday morning to cut off federal farm payment handouts to farmers who already make more than $1 million a year.

The 84-15 vote was stunning not just for the size of support, but also for the coalition it assembled — liberal Democrats eager to target millionaires, and conservative Republicans who want to see federal spending trimmed."

Lets stop all taxpayer subsidies, grants, tax loop holes, and bail outs until we get our financial house in order. We are taking our hard-earned tax dollars to help wealthy people and other "Favorites" to buy Cadillacs, Buy Wind Mill Farms, Buy Solar companies, Not farm land, Farm other lands, Etc. Etc..Sometime we just have to say "We are Broke". We can't afford all this right now!

I have no problem with raising taxes, after all the pork and political favoritism spending is stopped! How about you??

How did a failing California solar company, buffeted by short sellers and shareholder lawsuits, receive a $1.2 billion federal loan guarantee for a photovoltaic electricity ranch project—three weeks after it announced it was building new manufacturing plant in Mexicali, Mexico, to build the panels for the project.

The company, SunPower (SPWR-NASDAQ), now carries $820 million in debt, an amount $20 million greater than its market capitalization. If SunPower was a bank, the feds would shut it down. Instead, it received a lifeline twice the size of the money sent down the Solyndra drain.

Two men with insight into the process are SunPower rooter Rep. George R. Miller III, (D.-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the House Education and Workforce Committee and the co-chairman of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, and his SunPower lobbyist son, George Miller IV.

Just read an article on this event. Many universities were given $100,000 grants to compete in building new innovative solar home projects. They also received other money from private companies and organizations. The houses are great, but way too expensive unless you are a millionaire and have money to blow. Why would they even do this? Shouldn't the goal of the project be to produce something reasonable and cost-effective that will save energy? Why do they keep supporting these cost-inneffective ideas? I understand the desire, but not the practicality of wasting money on losing technology. This is old science and engineering. It is this kind of "Build It and They Will Come" investing of our money (Tax Dollars) that results in failures like the Solar Panel companies. If we have it to throw away, maybe OK, but now we just don't have it. What do you think?

From LA TImes - "Obama's urgent jobs plan: Right now, 'right now' means sometime next month maybe" Seems Democrats will not have the bill even ready to discuss for over a month. They are very busy, and have a vacation coming up! Is this administration and Senate Dem's a ZOO?

I think it is all talk and political marketing with zero substance. All the "Urgent" "Right Now" yak yak is just so they can blame Re-pubs for holding them up later. What do you think?

Undocumented workers received refundable tax credits totaling $4.2 billion in 2010, a dramatic rise from less than $1 billion in 2005, according to a report released on Thursday by the Treasury Department's inspector general for tax administration. The Internal Revenue Service, however, said it lacks the authority to disallow claims for the credit and a clarification of oftentimes controversial immigration policy might be needed.

At issue is use of a tax break based on earned income called the additional child tax credit, which taxpayers can claim to reduce their taxes owed, sometimes gaining them a check from Uncle Sam if their tax obligation goes below zero.

Wage earners who are not authorized to work in the United States and lack Social Security numbers can use what IRS calls individual taxpayer identification numbers, which, data show, are associated with a higher proportion of fraudulent claims on tax returns. "The payment of federal funds through this tax benefit appears to provide an additional incentive for aliens to enter, reside, and work in the United States without authorization, which contradicts federal law and policy," stated the report, dated July 7.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/budget/irs-allowed-...

"There's no doubt federal spending has exploded in recent years. In fiscal 2007, the last year before things went haywire, the government took in $2.568 trillion in revenues and spent $2.728 trillion, for a deficit of $160 billion. In 2011, according to Congressional Budget Office estimates, the government will take in $2.230 trillion and spend $3.629 trillion, for a deficit of $1.399 trillion.

That's an increase of $901 billion in spending and a decrease of $338 billion in revenue in a very short time. Put them together, and that's how you go from a $160 billion deficit to a $1.399 trillion deficit.

But how, precisely, did that happen? Was there a steep rise in entitlement spending? Did everyone suddenly turn 65 and begin collecting Social Security and using Medicare? No: The deficits are largely the result not of entitlements but of an explosion in spending related to the economic downturn and the rise of Democrats to power in Washington. While entitlements must be controlled in the long run, Washington's current spending problem lies elsewhere.

A lot of the higher spending has stemmed directly from the downturn. There is, for example, spending on what is called "income security" -- that is, for unemployment compensation, food stamps and related programs. In 2007, the government spent $365 billion on income security. In 2011, it's estimated to spend $622 billion. That's an increase of $257 billion.

Then there is Medicaid, the health care program for lower-income Americans. A lot of people had lower incomes due to the economic downturn, and federal expenditures on Medicaid -- its costs are shared with the states -- went from $190 billion in 2007 to an estimated $276 billion in 2011, an increase of $86 billion. Put that together with the $257 billion increase in income security spending, and you have $343 billion.

Add to that the $338 billion in decreased revenues, and you get $681 billion -- which means nearly half of the current deficit can be clearly attributed to the downturn.

That's a deficit increase that would have happened in an economic crisis whether Republicans or Democrats controlled Washington. But it was the specific spending excesses of President Obama and the Democrats that shot the deficit into the stratosphere.

There is no line in the federal budget that says "stimulus," but Obama's massive $814 billion stimulus increased spending in virtually every part of the federal government. "It's spread all through the budget," says former Congressional Budget Office chief Douglas Holtz-Eakin. "It was essentially a down payment on the Obama domestic agenda." Green jobs, infrastructure, health information technology, aid to states -- it's all in there, billions in increased spending."

Washington Examiner article - interesting.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- "The Obama administration may turn thousands of government-owned foreclosures into rental properties to help boost falling home prices.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency said Wednesday it is seeking input from investors on how to rent homes owned by government-controlled mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the Federal Housing Administration.

The U.S. government rescued Fannie and Freddie in September 2008 and has funded them since the financial crisis. The mortgage giants own or guarantee about half of the nation's mortgages and nearly all new mortgages."

Freddy and Fannie have proved to be a major fubar. Can't we just let them fail and get on with it? The homes are still there. The market will decide what their value is and they will sell eventually. If the people can't or will not make house payments, then they probably can't or won't pay rent. Keep the government out of it. Fire all the high paid execs at Fanny and Freddy that made these bad deals IN OUR NAME!

This administration is borrowing over 100 BILLION dollars a month and we taxpayers and our children's name is on the loan papers as the borrower. Our national debt interest payment is now the third largest expenditure we have. How do you feel about this? What should be done?

"If the Democrats' millionaire surtax were to happen—and were added to other tax increases already enacted last year and other leading tax hike ideas on the table this year—this could leave the U.S. with a combined federal and state top tax rate on earnings of 62%. That's more than double the highest federal marginal rate of 28% when President Reagan left office in 1989. Welcome back to the 1970s. " WSJ 5/2011

US giant General Motors will invest $540 million to produce two low-emission motors in central Mexico, the company announced here Thursday, accompanied by President Felipe Calderon......Hey, How about taking some of the Bailout $ and investing it in THIS COUNTRY?

I also read that we were selling our stock in GM and the American taxpayer was losing 11 BILLION dollars on it.

We the taxpayers must support millions of Illegals from Mexico, Support the Auto Unions and Big Corporations with bailouts, and they ship more jobs to Mexico. How is this good for the U.S.?

Will we ever learn? I think Politicians are just lying vote buyers that could care less about us. What do you think?

I just saw the Presidents economic adviser spin the new unemployment rise into "We are heading in the right direction" I guess my engineering degree math was wrong. I should have gotten a degree in political science, so I could understand this administrations economics. Where did I go wrong?

President Barack Obama says one answer to high gasoline prices is to spend money developing renewable energy sources.

"That's the key to helping families at the pump and reducing our dependence on foreign oil" in the long term, he said Saturday in his weekly radio and Internet address.

Is it Electric cars? - no one wants them. Even with subsidies using our tax dollars they don't sell well.

Is it more Ethanol? -I thought it just drives up food cost and uses to much conventional energy to produce.

Is it H2 fuel? - I understand it takes to much energy to produce also.

Is it Diesel cars like they have in Europe? - I thought our regulations would not allow them.

What is it? What is this Alternative energy source that will drive down the cost of oil and gasoline?

I see in the news that many unions, corporations, congress, and other special interests are getting special permission to NOT use the new Obama Care Program. It seems they all complain that their costs would go up to much. What about me? Mine are going up. How do I get this deal???

If It is, then why must they take our tax dollars and subsidize it. If you have money to burn and you want to feel good about reducing CO2, then go for it, but send us poorer tax payers a thank you note, eh!

Here is an actual basic solar system cost/savings estimated analysis for a 2000 sq ft home in Phoenix Arizona (From our Utility company):

Note-this system is designed to supply 75% of my annual electric needs. System is designed to produce 15,553 KWH annually. Estimated savings is $1770 per year.

Total system cost installed $52,780

Utility company rebate $16,800

Federal Tax Credit $15,830

State Tax Credit $1,000

My out of pocket cash $19,140

I need to borrow the money because I am just a working man paying taxes so the government will have more to give to rich people so they can buy these systems. I don’t have $20,000 laying around I don’t need.

With time value of the money (Interest paid), the break even payback point is about 13-15 years. Sounds ok? Well the inverter is only guaranteed for 5 years ($3500), and even though the panels have a longer warranty (most about 20 years) I find out that the panels loose efficiency over time and exposure. I am not really sure it will ever pay for itself before replacement is required. Remember this is WITH using our taxpayers dollars, AND in Phoenix which ideal. Most parts of the country will not be this good.

The Chevy Volt cost $41,000 and Taxpayers money, but fuel economy is terrible, but the government still wants our money to support it??? WTF? Just like Solar and Wind, the government takes our hard-earned money and gives it to big companies to build projects that will not stand on their own when honestly evaluated.

From Investors.com article.

"So it's not an all-electric car, but rather a pricey $41,000 hybrid that requires a taxpayer-funded $7,500 subsidy to get car shoppers to look at it. But gee, even despite the false advertising about the powertrain, isn't a car that gets 230 miles per gallon of gas worth it?

We heard GM's then-CEO Fritz Henderson claim the Volt would get 230 miles per gallon in city conditions. Popular Mechanics found the Volt to get about 37.5 mpg in city driving, and Motor Trend reports: "Without any plugging in, (a weeklong trip to Grandma's house) should return fuel economy in the high 30s to low 40s."

Car and Driver reported that "getting on the nearest highway and commuting with the 80-mph flow of traffic — basically the worst-case scenario — yielded 26 miles; a fairly spirited backroad loop netted 31; and a carefully modulated cruise below 60 mph pushed the figure into the upper 30s."

A $16,000 Ford or Toyota will do much better than this! Why does our governrnent and our "Environmentalists" keep lieing to us??? What is the purpose?

Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN, Texas – Service Employees International Union (SEIU) member Steve Caddle of Houston, Texas has been caught registering 23,207 fake voters in Harris County alone due to the hard detective work of Catherine Engelbrecht and her “True the Vote” project.

This is one of the best examples of what good citizen activism inspired by Tea Party principles can do for their community.

Catherine Engelbrecht was sick and tired of the vote fraud perpetrated by unions and Democrats and set out to expose it herself. Along with many friends who donated their time, computers, and sweat, they’ve uncovered thousands upon thousands of illegal Democrat “voters” in Texas.

“The integrity of the voting rolls in Harris County, Texas, appears to be under an organized & systematic attack by the group operating under the name Houston Votes,” the Harris voter registrar, Leo Vasquez, charged as he passed on the documentation to the district attorney.

A spokesman for the DA’s office declined to discuss the case. And a spokesman for Vasquez said that the DA has asked them to refrain from commenting on the case.

Wasn't it the head of this organization that visits the white house more than any other? This administration is soooooo busted.

This article says they are all going up. What happened to Obama caree?

http://www.ctnow.com/health/hc-health-insurance-ra...

He promised me my family would save $2500 on health insurance. What happened?

There is a lot of discussion about letting the Bush tax cuts expire. Obama wants to let it expire for the top 2-3% income levels only, but many economists are worried that may hurt the economy because a lot of these are the business people that hire most of us. Why not just raise everyone a very small amount like 1%, or a half percent. Almost 50% do not pay ANY tax. Everyone should pay a little to help. By raising everyone a very small amount, no one gets hurt much, and we can get more money to help pay down our massive debt. What do you think?