Taxes

The number one rule every student learns in Econ 101 or Political Science 101 is this:

PEOPLE PAY TAXES.

Corporations don't pay taxes, businesses don't pay taxes, dead people don't pay taxes, nor do Coops.

So the next time there are tax questions on ballots, forget all the arguments pro and con.  If the tax is on inheritance, businesses, non-profits, corporations, etc.;  you can bet that people will pay it.  It will always be passed on through price increases or some other means to the guy at the bottom who is still breathing.  The businesses and corporations will not asorb the cost, it will always be passed on to a person somewhere.

The Unions again.

The more I think of union mentality, it doesn't deviate much from the old protection racket in many immigrant communities.  The big difference is it has been made legal, placed on automatic withdrawal and tax deductable.  Here's how it works:
"Ya wants to work here?"
"Yes"
"Then we are gonna protect ya.  Ya give us 50 bucks a month and we make sure nobody messes with ya."
"Nobody's messing wit me now."
"Yeah, dat's cuz yas a new kid.  Dat's ok, ya gots thirty days to think it over.  Make sure ya don't do anything stupid, cuz you could get hurt or lose y'alls job.  Understand?"
After 30 days, the new worker finds his car vandalized in the parking lot, his tools messed with, his acceptance in the work force denied, or subtle pressure from union co-workers.
"We hear ya's been having trouble in your job.  We want to help ya.  Sign up wit the union and you'll never miss the dues cuz they be taken out each month and you get a tax break.  Besides, when ya's one of us, we got your back."
"Where do I sign?  And you promise to leave me alone, and protect my back?"
"Hey, what are friends for?"
They don't have to make the rounds each month to collect, the guy gets a tax break, the management takes care of all the paperwork, and everyone's happy, except the guy's wife who misses the 50 bucks in her grocery budget each month.

The theft of my language

They have stolen so many great words and assigned them to the garbage dump and totally corrupted my language.  A few that come to mind are:
Gay.  Used to be a great word to describe happiness.
Nigger.  That was anybody regardless of color who bugged you.
Marriage.  That was a union of a man and a woman.  Period.
Crap.  Growing up in Vegas, it was a dice game and meant you lost if you said it.
Hoe.  I weeded the garden with it.  The homophone is now HO, which is what Santa said.
Queer.  Was anyone who was odd, didn't have to be attached to sexual preference.
Ass.  Was a great work animal and could be said in polite society.  "He works like an ass."
Jumping Jehosophat.  It was just a great word to express surprise.  Don't know where it went, but no one            knows it now.

American Security

Has it hit any of you yet that while the government talks about increasing security at the airports and keeping America safe, all of the real security measures were accomplished by ordinary citizens like you and me.
9/11. The terrorists accomplished their goals while the US Military watched with one exception: Flight 93. Who saved that terrorist from flying his hijacked plane into its intended target? Yup, it was the passengers on board. Anyone who had bought a ticket and was on the plane (plain Joe and Jane), by a quirk of fate did more than the US military could accomplish with the three other planes.

The Shoe bomber. He was first noticed by both passengers and a stewardess who secured him before he could light his bomb. Again it was people without training who just acted according to common sense.

The underpants bomber. Again, passengers took him out before he could accomplish his deed and bring down the plane. The flight landed safely, the President enjoyed Hawaii, and the reporters had a feeding frenzy while common citizens used common sense.

If the Government, whose solution to protect us is to throw billions of dollars at TSA and airport security (who have accomplished nothing except slow down our travel time while increasing both our flying costs and taxes), would simply pass a law that would protect well intended citizens acting in extreme situations to protect life and property, we might accomplish more than has been accomplished in the last decade to 'protect' America.

Politics 3A

I think I left off an important comparison between unions and political parties. The solution is always more money! I have never heard either one ever say:
"Perhaps we could do without more and just cut back. We are willing to trim our expenses and try to live within our means instead of asking for a raise or tax increase."

Politics 3

Can anyone else see the similarity between Unions and Congress under the Democratic leadership. It began during Bush's term when the Democrats walked out in unison. Now that they are in power, they use the same tactics I have seen union bosses use to keep their minions in subjection. This kind of power removes the elected officials from the sworn duty to represent their constituents and the constitution and places them in lockstep agreement to party leadership. What union tactics are brought to mind? Well my brief sojourn with unions allows me to include the following observed tactics, remembering that the list is not inclusive.
1. Threats
2. Friendship
3. Inclusion in the crowd
4. Isolation
5. Destruction of property
6. Endorsements
7. Down playing mistakes, indiscretions, lies, blunders
8. Money
9. Power
10. Name calling
11. Selling of positions
12. Pressure against family or values

Politics 2

I have been disturbed lately that we no longer have a system of checks and balances. It used to be that the Presidency was balanced by the Congress and they were checked by the Supreme Court. It seems we have drifted to the pits of a combined presidency and congress! How are we to have checks or balances when one branch strong arms the other to get their way. This is not a slam on the Democrats or Republicans, but both. Although the Democrats seem to be stronger armed in getting their way! In fact their tactics lead me to Politics 3.