Thursday, November 29, 2012

The Truth is Scary...from people who actually know

Why $16 Trillion Only Hints at the US Debt


A decade and a half ago, both of us served on President Clinton's Bipartisan Commission on Entitlement and Tax Reform, the forerunner to President Obama's recent National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. In 1994 we predicted that, unless something was done to control runaway entitlement spending, Medicare and Social Security would eventually go bankrupt or confront severe benefit cuts.

Eighteen years later, nothing has been done. Why? The usual reason is that entitlement reform is the third rail of American politics. That explanation presupposes voter demand for entitlements at any cost, even if it means bankrupting the nation.

A better explanation is that the full extent of the problem has remained hidden from policy makers and the public because of less than transparent government financial statements. How else could responsible officials claim that Medicare and Social Security have the resources they need to fulfill their commitments for years to come?

As Washington wrestles with the roughly $600 billion "fiscal cliff" and the 2013 budget, the far greater fiscal challenge of the U.S. government's unfunded pension and health-care liabilities remains offstage. The truly important figures would appear on the federal balance sheet—if the government prepared an accurate one.

But it hasn't. For years, the government has gotten by without having to produce the kind of financial statements that are required of most significant for-profit and nonprofit enterprises. The U.S. Treasury "balance sheet" does list liabilities such as Treasury debt issued to the public, federal employee pensions, and post-retirement health benefits. But it does not include the unfunded liabilities of Medicare, Social Security and other outsized and very real obligations.

As a result, fiscal policy discussions generally focus on current-year budget deficits, the accumulated national debt, and the relationships between these two items and gross domestic product. We most often hear about the alarming $15.96 trillion national debt (more than 100% of GDP), and the 2012 budget deficit of $1.1 trillion (6.97% of GDP). As dangerous as those numbers are, they do not begin to tell the story of the federal government's true liabilities.

The actual liabilities of the federal government—including Social Security, Medicare, and federal employees' future retirement benefits—already exceed $86.8 trillion, or 550% of GDP. For the year ending Dec. 31, 2011, the annual accrued expense of Medicare and Social Security was $7 trillion. Nothing like that figure is used in calculating the deficit. In reality, the reported budget deficit is less than one-fifth of the more accurate figure.

Why haven't Americans heard about the titanic $86.8 trillion liability from these programs? One reason: The actual figures do not appear in black and white on any balance sheet. But it is possible to discover them. Included in the annual Medicare Trustees' report are separate actuarial estimates of the unfunded liability for Medicare Part A (the hospital portion), Part B (medical insurance) and Part D (prescription drug coverage).

As of the most recent Trustees' report in April, the net present value of the unfunded liability of Medicare was $42.8 trillion. The comparable balance sheet liability for Social Security is $20.5 trillion.

Were American policy makers to have the benefit of transparent financial statements prepared the way public companies must report their pension liabilities, they would see clearly the magnitude of the future borrowing that these liabilities imply. Borrowing on this scale could eclipse the capacity of global capital markets—and bankrupt not only the programs themselves but the entire federal government. (Z: does anybody think entitlement seekers would care?  Do they THINK?)

These real-world impacts will be felt when currently unfunded liabilities need to be paid. In theory, the Medicare and Social Security trust funds have at least some money to pay a portion of the bills that are coming due. In actuality, the cupboard is bare: 100% of the payroll taxes for these programs were spent in the same year they were collected.

In exchange for the payroll taxes that aren't paid out in benefits to current retirees in any given year, the trust funds got nonmarketable Treasury debt. Now, as the baby boomers' promised benefits swamp the payroll-tax collections from today's workers, the government has to swap the trust funds' nonmarketable securities for marketable Treasury debt. The Treasury will then have to sell not only this debt, but far more, in order to pay the benefits as they come due.

When combined with funding the general cash deficits, these multitrillion-dollar Treasury operations will dominate the capital markets in the years ahead, particularly given China's de-emphasis of new investment in U.S. Treasurys in favor of increasing foreign direct investment, and Japan's and Europe's own sovereign-debt challenges.

When the accrued expenses of the government's entitlement programs are counted, it becomes clear that to collect enough tax revenue just to avoid going deeper into debt would require over $8 trillion in tax collections annually. That is the total of the average annual accrued liabilities of just the two largest entitlement programs, plus the annual cash deficit.

Nothing like that $8 trillion amount is available for the IRS to target. According to the most recent tax data, all individuals filing tax returns in America and earning more than $66,193 per year have a total adjusted gross income of $5.1 trillion. In 2006, when corporate taxable income peaked before the recession, all corporations in the U.S. had total income for tax purposes of $1.6 trillion. That comes to $6.7 trillion available to tax from these individuals and corporations under existing tax laws.
Z: Anybody think Romney wouldn't have at least tried to do something about this?  Is Obama?  Do tell.
Man, this is scary as hell.
 Z

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Dick Durbin says WHAAAAT?

By Matthew Larotonda | ABC OTUS News  

Medicare and Medicaid savings should be part of future debt-reduction efforts, but not on the table in talks regarding the impending " fiscal cliff," the second-highest ranking Democrat in the Senate said. In the prepared remarks of Sen. Richard Durbin's speech today to the liberal Center for American Progress, he writes that progressives cannot "pretend" the programs can "continue forever" without changes to ensure their solvency. 

But the majority whip from Illinois insists that any adjustments should come after the immediate budget is passed. "Progressives should be willing to talk about ways to ensure the long-term viability of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid," it reads. "But those conversations should not be part of a plan to avert the fiscal cliff."

 During the event, the Illinois lawmaker skipped over that section of his notes, which were released to the media, but told reporters that he stood by every word. "We can't be so naive as to believe that just taxing the rich is going to solve our problems," he told the crowd, adding that his caucus needed to be open to issues "painful and hard for us to talk about."  (Z: Dick WHO said this?)


 Durbin said he continued to be opposed to some conservative proposals, including voucher programs for Medicare and a block-grant system for Medicaid. But he also maintained he's wary of raising the eligibility age for the safety-net programs, for fear of creating coverage gaps. President Obama floated that idea last year. The statements offer a window into what might be congressional Democrats' proverbial "line in the sand" as each party sharpens their negotiating teams. Both sides must reach a budget agreement by Dec. 31, or else trigger the $607 billion in automatic tax hikes and spending cuts economists agree would plunge the economy back into recession.

 Some members of Congress see the talks as an opportunity to reduce the national debt, and it has become a central talking point as the deadline draws closer. Members of both parties discussed cuts to entitlement programs earlier this month in a meeting with Obama as a way to bring about deficit reduction. According to the Office of Management and Budget, the sum total of US entitlement programs - including Social Security - make up a projected 62.4 percent of the federal budget in 2012. 

Z:  okay...sounds pretty good.  But why can't entitlements be part of the budget?   Is he pulling something?   What do you think?  So, the Republicans give in on some tax increases and he decides he's changed his mind after the talks and says all entitlements must stay?  naaa, he wouldn't do that.  :-)
????

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Semper BRUNEI?

Is Obama Always Faithful to our Marines?  (Z: or more faithful to Brunei?)

(by Timothy Whiteman) The current political winds in Washington, DC, have dictated that less will be spent on the various Branches of the Armed Forces of the Unites States. Case in point: the Commander-in-Chief has decided to fire 20,000 of our U.S. Marines. In an article published by San Diego, California's North County Times, ironically on Thanksgiving Day, Military Affairs reporter Gretel C. Kovach cites; "The Corps is shrinking by 20,000 Marines, to 182,100." The North County Times also cited that America's premier fighting force is; "scraping to repair or replace battle-worn equipment."
In spite of the Nobel Peace Prize award winning Obama ordering a recent surge in combat troops the Afghanistan theater of war, Kovach also pointed out that America's beloved Marine Corps is still to be slashed by roughly 20 percent; "despite no sign of an enemy collapse."
So What Will The Taxpayers Money Be Spent On?
Earlier this week, Breitbart.com covered the recent agreement Barack Obama has promised billions of Yankee dollars to the oil-rich and overwhelmingly Muslim nations of Indonesia and Brunei. As reported, $6,000,000,000 worth of American taxes has been promised to the two neighboring nations to promote "green energy." Many green energy companies in the United States, such as Solyndra and About Solar have been dismal failures despite the over $1,200,000,000 infusion of tax dollars from the Obama Administration.

What do Americans think when they voted for Obama and he's giving SIX BILLION DOLLARS to extremely rich countries for 'GREEN'?   They still admire him?   Shouldn't this give anyone pause?

So, with enemies lining up and getting feistier by the minute, and our power diminished by this president, we're getting rid of twenty thousand Marines who're coming back here looking for JOBS, folks.........I'd have thought if this president loves government jobs, he'd keep them on, no?

What are your thoughts?

Z
thanks, Mustang

Monday, November 26, 2012

Susan Rice

Think she deserves A CHANCE? Or do you think she's as guilty as Obama is at having kept information from the public, particularly before the election?
And why wasn't Hillary, whose position warranted her presence as is the tradition with dealing with affairs of state and ambassadors, etc.there, on the Sunday morning shows instead of Rice? Your thoughts!? Z

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Sunday Faith Blog

Debbie has an amazing article I hope you all read..HERE. For those of you who care about businesses going under due to more and more regulations, and businesses being compromised for the fact that they are Christian people living with Christian principles, please give it a read and send it around to your email/Facebook people. Thanks from Debbie and all of us on the GeeeZ staff.

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong." 1 Corinthians 16:13

This picture is at Santa Catarina, taken yesterday off the coast of Brazil on the way down to Buenos Aires by my stepdaugher, Ms Z........ z

Saturday, November 24, 2012

The Cease Fire

What's your gut feeling about the Cease Fire over Gaza? I think it's very weird that Israel pulled back and weirder yet that only a few Arabs are making trouble. And if it's really 'rogue terrorists' who seem to break the truces from the past, and not the governments who sign, how's the cease fire sticking, even as tenuous as it seems to be?? My gut feeling is we gave both a LOT....a lot of what, I'm not sure, other than money.
Got a good guess about what Bibi's thinking here? Your thoughts? thanks, Z

Friday, November 23, 2012

Z's Thanksgiving

See my FOOD BLOG for pictures and a little text on my Thanksgiving (can't edit properly anymore, so bear with me!)  I hope you all had a fabulous day!
Blessings, Z

Monday, November 19, 2012

Thanksgiving

I need a break.......I have a week off from work and am going to make it a week away from the blog, too....if I can keep away.  There are so many stories worthy of coverage but I know I can count on all of you to do that and I'll try to come by and comment at your blogs.  Have a wonderful week and may God bless you and your family this Thanksgiving week and may He continue to bless America.  I'm so grateful for your frequenting GeeeZ.  It means a lot to me.

I know I speak for Mustang, Elmer's Brother, Pris and Kid, all of us who write for geeeZ, in wishing you the very best.....
Z
xxx

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Sunday Blog...........Worth considering?

Jack Hayford: Election Outcome Could Be Prophetic Announcement

Saturday, November 17, 2012

KID tells it like it (probably) is....your thoughts?

This is written by our friend and commenter KID.  He'd emailed me some of how he feels and I asked him to write it up and please let me put it  here at GeeeZ, not HIS BLOG :)  and he was kind enough to allow me.    Let us know what you think..............  
here's Kid:
My impression is that the democrat party has somehow gotten their act together far too well for me to believe politicians and their strategists could have done it on their own    Really they went from al gore (and someone) running in 2000, to the idiot j kerry and POS j edwards running in 2004 to somehow coming up with barack hussien obama and one big serious mess of strategy and physical execution in 2008 and again in 2012.  

I assume obama was slated for a White House run from a Long time ago.  He didn't get into college through typical academic means, not after spending the last 2 years of high school in an alcohol and drug induced haze.

He was for sure placed in the Senate where voting Present would provide little for people to polarize on.

I just have to believe the whole operation was and is being backed, planned, and financed by other than the usual idiot suspects at DNC HQ.
Some random observations...
The last thing I remember Andrew Breitbart saying in a youtube video was “FU, This is War”, then a couple days later he  is dead.  Supposedly a heart attack at night somewhere near his house.
The media And republicans literally lied about Ron Paul winning in the Iowa caucuses and then actually broke the law in a large number of local primary events to push him out in favor of Romney.  I believe democrats were heavily involved in the republican primaries and once again, like with John McCain, chose our candidate for us.  Laughing all the way no doubt.

Now consider the dems know their opponent is going to be Mitt Romney.

Mitt Romney is in the 1%.

I believe they organized, started, and financed the OWS movement in order to pocket an entire voting group by casting anyone in the 1% as evil.   Imagine all those who participated, and all the others who were  working instead but sympathetic to the ‘movement’ who no way are going to vote for a 1%er if you put a gun to their head and offered to get them laid every Friday.  Now that the election is over do you hear anything about OWS movements ?
We’re talking about a lot of money here. In addition to the 1 Billion + just for the campaign itself. Who bankrolls that?  The Commies? Muslims? the Mob/Unions? All of the above?  Actually, my favorite pick currently for who is mostly bankrolling this is the "international Community" since they have the money and the most to gain.  Global taxes and other avenues into sapping the wealth of the USA to support their own broken socialist systems.
obama is handed a Nobel Peace Prize for nothing. Another clue.
Two “republicans” running for office make idiotic comments about women’s bodies, rape and abortion in order to turn a large group of women voters against the republicans.  I believe both these guys were/are paid democrat stooges.  And if they actually did get elected by some fluke, all the better to have agents on the other side.
Then the election itself:
Virtually no one in 59 precincts Philadelphia and 9 in Cleveland voted for Romney?


Allen West is 2000 votes ahead but at he last minute, 4400 votes show up and they’re all for his opponent?

The voting machine fraud.  The fact that the democrats have been pre-accusing the republicans of what they intend to do or are already guilty of.

The fraud being reported was pretty much constrained to the “swing states”.  Makes sense to me to only cheat where you have to.
All tip of he iceberg no doubt.

This IS a war. It is not a process of parties presenting ideas and a free election ensuing. It is a war financed by some seriously heavy and behind the scenes pockets. The republicans don’t even seem to realize what they’re up against. Or maybe they do are are part of the black hat gang themselves, reaping the profits just like the dems but just not from a position of power or responsibility.  They may feel they’ve got the better end of the deal.
We are living in a Banana country now.  Elections are a waste of time and money now.  No one significant, if at all, exists in the political body that will do anything worthwhile for America.
I’ll still vote but the main purpose will be to vote No on any local tax initiatives and to vote against democrats as I've always done.

Carville thinks Dems are dumb?! :-)

 This blew my mind and I found it in my drafts....never having been published!...You've probably heard about this by now, but I just had to have it on my blog.........you can see why. enjoy!  Z
RESPECTED DEMOCRAT OPERATIVE SPILLS HIS GUTS ON WHAT HE THINKS OF HIS PARTY
James Carville, Democrat political consultant extraordinaire – and former Bill Clinton campaign manager, has astonishingly come out and said what all good Republicans have known for decades: Not only are most Democrats politically clueless; they’re easily manipulated by the puppet masters of their party as well. Wow. James Freaking Carville. Of all people. Here’s an excerpt, as quoted by Amazon.com:
“Ideologies aren’t all that important. What’s important ispsychology.
The Democratic constituency is just like a herd of cows. All you have to do is lay out enough silage and they come running. That’s why I became an operative working with Democrats. With Democrats all you have to do is make a lot of noise, lay out the hay, and be ready to use the ole cattle prod in case a few want to bolt the herd.
Eighty percent of the people who call themselves Democrats don’t have a clue as to political reality.
What amazes me is that you could take a group of people who are hard workers and convince them that they should support social programs that were the exact opposite of their own personal convictions. Put a little fear here and there and you can get people to vote any way you want.
The voter is basically dumb and lazy. The reason I became a Democratic operative instead of a Republican was because there were more Democrats that didn’t have a clue than there were Republicans.
Truth is relative. Truth is what you can make the voter believe is the truth. If you’re smart enough, truth is what you make the voter think it is. That’s why I’m a Democrat. I can make the Democratic voters think whatever I want them to.”
One thing about Carville, he’s not been afraid through the years of pointing out Democrat faults. He only consults with them for money....like the reason for Clyde Barrow’s affinity for banks. But this is different, this amounts to a total description of the strategy of the Democrat’s quintessential “political lie”:
Liberals saying things they know aren’t true for the sole purpose of exploiting the “less-than-informed” for political gain.....the Democrat Manifesto.
Bravo, James Carville – and thanks for the validation of what is obvious to so many.

Kid tells it like it (probably) is:

Here is a bunch of thinking that I believe a lot of you have had and so when Kid emailed me his thoughts on this subject, I begged him to write it up for GeeeZ instead of his blog (which you should read but better you should read him HERE!) and, brother, did he!  What do YOU THINK?
Z

 Here's Kid:

My impression is that the democrat party has somehow gotten their act together far too well for me to believe politicians and their strategists could have done it on their own    Really they went from al gore (and someone) running in 2000, to the idiot j kerry and POS j edwards running in 2004 to somehow coming up with barack hussien obama and one big serious mess of strategy and physical execution in 2008 and again in 2012.  

I assume obama was slated for a White House run a long time ago.  He didn't get into college through typical academic means, not after spending the last 2 years of high school and who knows how many hears in college in an alcohol and drug induced haze.

He was for sure placed in the Senate where voting Present would provide little for people to polarize on.  (Z:  man, that's an interesting point, isn't it, one I hadn't considered)

I just have to believe the whole operation was and is being backed, planned, and financed by other than the usual idiot suspects at DNC HQ.
Some random observations...
The last thing I remember Andrew Breitbart saying in a youtube video was “FU, This is War”, then a couple days later he  is dead.  Supposedly a heart attack at night somewhere near his house.
The media and republicans literally lied about Ron Paul winning in the Iowa caucuses and then actually broke the law in a large number of local primary events to push him out in favor of Romney.  I believe democrats were heavily involved in the republican primaries and once again, like with John McCain, chose our candidate for us.  Laughing all the way no doubt.

Now consider the dems know their opponent is going to be Mitt Romney.

Mitt Romney is in the 1%.  


I believe they organized, started, and financed the OWS movement in order to pocket an entire voting group by casting anyone in the 1% as evil.   Imagine all those who participated, and all the others who were  working but sympathetic to the ‘movement’ who no way are going to vote for a 1%er if you put a gun to their head and offered to get them laid every Friday.  Now that the election is over do you hear anything about OWS movements ?
We’re talking about a lot of money here. In addition to the 1 Billion + just for the campaign itself. Who bankrolls that?  The Commies? Muslims? the Mob/Unions? All of the above?  Actually, my favorite pick currently is the "international community" since they have the money and the most to gain.....global taxes and other avenues from sapping the wealth of the USA to support their own broken socialist systems.
obama is handed a Nobel Peace Prize for nothing. Another clue.
Two “republicans” running for office make idiotic comments about women’s bodies, rape and abortion in order to turn a large group of women voters against the republicans.  I believe both these guys were/are paid democrat stooges.  And if they actually did get elected by some fluke, all the better to have agents on the other side.  (Z: I don't want to ask Kid if he realized how clever it was to use 'fluke' here or it was accidental because I want to believe it was on purpose :-).excellent!)
Then the election itself:
Virtually no one in 59 precincts Philadelphia and 9 in Cleveland voted for Romney?


Allen West is 2000 votes ahead but at the last minute, 4400 votes show up and they’re all for his opponent?

The voting machine fraud.  The fact that the democrats have been pre-accusing the republicans of what they intend to do or are already guilty of.

The fraud being reported was pretty much constrained to the “swing states”.  Makes sense to me to only cheat where you have to.
All tip of the iceberg no doubt.

This IS a war. It is not a process of parties presenting ideas and a free election ensuing. It is a war financed by some seriously heavy and behind the scenes pockets. The republicans don’t even seem to realize what they’re up against. Or maybe they do or are part of the black hat gang themselves, reaping the profits just like the dems but just not from a position of power or responsibility.  They may feel they’ve got the better end of the deal.
We are living in a Banana republic now.  Elections are a waste of time and money now.  No one significant, if at all, exists in the political body that will do anything worthwhile for America.
I’ll still vote but the main purpose will be to vote No on any local tax initiatives and to vote against democrats as I've always done.
So........I think this was definitely a subject worth a conversation and didn't Kid present well?  
Think he's got a lot of excellent points?  WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Thanks, Kid.....
xxx

Friday, November 16, 2012

What do you think of this?

This intrigued me because I thought this principal had guts;  there's no BAN, just the calling of attention to the way young high school girls are dressing these days.  Where does it go from skin-tight leggings..showing every (and I mean EVERY) nook and cranny?  Do you advise your girls to dress more modestly and how do they comply?  And why do kids even have the right to comply OR NOT? Our folks had the last word; what happened? The worst thing we did as kids was roll our skirts up a bit the minute our mother was out of sight!  Think this guy's WRONG?  For teen aged boys today, there's no intrigue, no wonderment about a girl....she's just ALL THERE, you know?   Sad. 

here's the article:

Minnesota Principal Urges Students Not to Wear Leggings




Dave Adney, the principal of Minnetonka High School in Minnetonka, Minn., has gained a lot of attention for an email he sent to the parents of his students on Nov. 12 suggesting they support his "goal of keeping things covered up."
The email was intended to alert parents to a recent wardrobe issue the school has been dealing with during the colder months: Female students were wearing tight, spandex leggings.
"As the weather gets colder we have noticed a fashion trend with our young women," read Adney's email. "Many of them choose to wear leggings usually made of spandex or another form of tight fitting material. In past years this has not been a major problem since fashion norms called for a long sweatshirt, jersey or sweater to be worn in conjunction with the leggings. This fall another pattern has emerged and we are requesting parent support."
Janet Swiecichowski, the executive director for communications with Minnetonka Public Schools, said the principal's email was "nothing out of the blue" because he often communicates with the parents. But Swiecichowski said this one, in particular, has been receiving a lot of positive reinforcement.
"It is a cyclical communication that the principal does. As seasons change, we talk about the different expectations for student dress," Swiecichowski told ABCNews.com. "As winter was coming around, we usually see students in longer sweaters and leggings. This year, they seem to be wearing shorter tops."
And it's the shorter tops paired with the leggings that are really becoming the problem.
"This new trend doesn't seem right, it's troubling," Adney told the Star Tribune. "Cover your butts up - I'm just going to say it straight up. We're seeing too much."
The leggings are not officially banned, as of now, but the principal is urging students to practice modesty when planning their outfits.
"There is no ban," Swiecichowski said. "The email was intended to suggest to parents to talk to your teens about how they're dressing for school - what you think is appropriate - and that modesty is usually a good fall-back. When in doubt, go modest."
Adney's email concluded, "Some of our girls have chosen to wear t-shirts with the leggings, thus exposing more leg and backside area. This can be highly distracting for other students and I am asking your assistance. If your daughters choose to wear leggings or other tight fitting clothing please support our goal of keeping things covered up. We encourage students to dress modestly and this trend is definitely a move away from our general expectations."
Minnetonka High School is not the only one cracking down on clothing. Last year, Pennsylvania's Catasauqua Area School District banned skinny jeans, leggings, ripped pants, low-cut tops and hooded sweatshirts.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Electoral COLLAGE? What do you think?


    ®
    An American Cyber-Column

    Electoral Collage

    Rich Galen
    Wednesday November 14, 2012



    Z:  SOMETHING needs to change with the Electoral College;  what do you think or Rich's idea:

  • The 12th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (which superseded a large section of Article II, Section 1) suggests says that the ballots of the electors in the several states having marked their ballots for President and Vice President shall
    "transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate; -- the President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted."
  • On or about January 6, 2013 (probably January 7th or 8th as the 6th is on a Sunday) that counting will take place and Barack Obama will be declared President and Joe Biden will be declared Vice President.
  • That part we know all too well. What we don't pay much attention to is the original (and un-amended) language of Article II, Section 1 which states:
    "Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress"
  • Note, the Constitution does not prescribe that the candidate with the most votes in a given state be granted all of the Electors. It leaves the "Manner" of selection up to the State Legislatures.

  • Indeed, if the State Legislature of Upper Iguana determined that its Governor should choose the electors, then a popular vote would be unnecessary as he (or she) could pick electors for what ever candidate he (or she) desires.
  • Or, Upper Iguanians might decide to let the Legislators themselves choose the Electors.
  • Granted, either of these is unlikely in any real state except for Illinois, but it would be possible.
  • The current system is well known: 48 states and the District of Columbia award all of a states' Electors to the candidate that wins the majority of the votes in that state.
  • The other two states, Nebraska and Maine have a better plan: They award Electors by Congressional District. Nebraska has three Congressional Districts; Maine has two.
  • The winner in each CD gets that Elector and the candidate with the most votes statewide gets the Electors awarded for the two Senate seats.


  • I have no idea what the effects on the 2012 election would have been if all 50 states and DC had adopted that concept and it doesn't matter because both sides knew the rules going in.
  • It does seem, though, that awarding Electors by CD would put more than eight or nine states in play every four years.
  • In California, which has 55 EVs, Romney would have had a shot at as many as 16 Electors in Districts likely to be represented by Republicans.
  • Similarly, in Texas Obama might have picked up as many as 12 of the 38 EVs available there.
  • The direct election of the President would likely mean that all of the attention would be paid to the high population areas: New York City, LA, Chicago, Houston, Miami and so on. The smaller cities and towns would be left out in the cold.
  • There may be some very good reason that I'm missing that argues against a Congressional District selection of Electors, but I can't think of it.
  • Not every CD would go for the Presidential candidate whose party is represented by the Member of Congress, so it is not a direct one-to-one relationship.


  • I understand it would make it much harder for the networks to "call" a state the moment the polls close based upon exit polls, but the method of electing a President shouldn't be designed for the convenience of the national press corps.
  • Over the next days or weeks researchers will have voting results that are granular to be able to determine what would have happened if the CD system were in place in 2012; but it wasn't so the two campaigns didn't design their efforts to reflect it.
  • The Constitution allows State Legislatures to determine the method of choosing Electors, so this system doesn't need a Constitutional amendment; it could be done in the next few months.
  • If you didn't get around to subscribing last month, please go here .
  • On the Secret Decoder Ring page today: A short history of methods of choosing Electors, and a Mullfoto of Mullings Central.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Where would you go?

If you finally really decided to leave America, what country would you go to??



First...let's hear your dream country...............

and Second...let's hear realistically where you feel you could make a go of it!

Thanks!

Z

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

The UNunited states?

Do you support states seceding from the union?  Do you think they'll get very far?
Your thoughts on IT?

Could a state survive?  I'm curious about this...............

z

Monday, November 12, 2012

Petraeus....how much do YOU believe?



Is there anything you don't believe about the Petraeus incident? :-) 
Let's talk about the oddest situation:  how about the president didn't know the FBI was investigating Petraeus (Feinstein says it's highly unusual not to tell the pres).  How about the FBI didn't share it with her (Feinstein says that's very highly unusual, too).  How about that it's one week before he was to testify that SUDDENLY he's said to have had an affair?  Did the FBI not inform Feinstein or the President or did the FBI just find out this is the "official" story about Petraeus and they're being thrown under a bus with the CIA?   Hillary's off somewhere traveling so nobody can get close enough to ask HER, right?
Any thoughts?   
I wish Peter King was in charge of some of this stuff............

What do you think about this whole situation?  Everything kosher?

z






Sunday, November 11, 2012

Sunday Faith Blog

I can't post much anymore until my new computer;   all sorts of problems here with composing a new post...so since it's Sunday, I'll just leave you with this:   PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICA and all those who'll be in massive layoffs soon....and for Hurricane Sandy victims who seem metaphorical for the ruination Obama will have foisted upon us soon.  Please pray.Z


Saturday, November 10, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, UNITED STATES MARINES!
 We are in your debt.

The End of a Free Republic

By JB Williams Wednesday, June 11, 2008CFP

Karl Marx was right. “Democracy is the road to socialism” – in a nation hell-bent upon voting itself gifts from the public trough. Once an electorate is hooked on government solutions to personal self-induced problems, like a junkie on crack, the democratic process once used to guarantee individual freedom is perverted into a tool used to extinguish individual freedom. Democrats call it a greater good. The rest of the world calls it socialism.

It only took America 232 years to arrive at this moment…

It is in this way, that Thomas Jefferson was also right. “A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.

Our founders chose against a democracy for this very reason. They chose instead, a representative republic, whereby the will of a majority could be represented, without running roughshod over a minority in that process. The key to a representative republic, or any self-sustaining form of self-governance for that matter, is ultimate respect for the individual. Not any specific voting bloc seeking to run roughshod over another.

The inherent and unalienable right of every individual to freely determine their own destiny is at the root of self-governance. Every initiative that intrudes, impedes or attempts to circumvent and alienate this fundamental set of rights is a direct affront on freedom and liberty.

Yet this is exactly what today’s Democrats have chosen. They have bought into the ideas of Marx, Lenin and Stalin, that the “greater communal good” of the working class (proletariat) trumps individual freedom and liberty. Individuals have neither the right to fail or succeed.

As a result, the entire Democrat political platform is built upon the notion that “fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine” – in the name of a greater good, of course.

The 50% who no longer pay taxes in America (most of them Democrats) have the right to strip the other 50% of Americans (most of them Republicans) of their lawful earnings for the betterment of a communal good. Only government has the right to determine each individuals worth. Even McCain and other Republicans have fallen for this line of thinking.

The central power in Washington DC must have the power to decide how much is too much and how little is too little, for every American. This is the definition of socialism, not self-governance. It’s also the basis for today’s Democrat Party.

Self-sufficient American taxpayers are called “greedy capitalist pigs” while government dependents seeking the earnings of others are referred to as “generous patriots,” compassionate towards the welfare of their fellow Americans.

Of course, these generous patriots are only generous with the earnings of others, not their own. And those who earn and pay taxes seldom ask anything of their government or their neighbors.

Winston Churchill said it well; “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.How can a nation survive leadership by people who often can’t manage their own lives?

What do we have when those who depend upon government for their very existence outnumber those who pick up the government tab? Because, that’s where we are in America circa 2008.

For years now, national elections have been decided by 51-49 or 49-51. When those who want to be government dependent outnumber those who want to live free of government intrusion, democracy will be used to strip 49% of the population of their rights in order to pay for the wants and desires of the simple majority.

Jefferson was right about many things, among them the fact that “Information is the currency of democracy.” A democratic society will never be any better than the quality of information used to make decisions. Today, we swim in a cesspool of disinformation and our democracy is showing the corrosive results of a poorly informed electorate.

Simpler times brought forth simpler truths, which would be politically incorrect terminology today. “As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.” Lincoln put a fine point on the topic with this statement.

No man should be enslaved; therefore, no man can be master of anything more than his own destiny… This is my idea of freedom. This is the only American promise worth keeping.

Yet today’s Democrats seek dominion over the lives of others. They seek the power to decide the worth of individuals. They seek the power to “free” some by “enslaving” others. In the end, modern Democrats will enslave both. They seek the power of life and death over the most innocent and defenseless American citizens.

Just as the debtor is enslaved to the lender, the welfare recipient is enslaved to his caretaker. Government dependents vote for Democrats because they must. Democrats promise to keep them enslaved by keeping the breadcrumbs of life flowing.

The American electorate has been trained to ask what its government can do to solve personal challenges. Not so long ago, the general welfare of our nation meant simply maintaining a maximum level of freedom and liberty, which allowed every American an equal opportunity to determine their own station in life.

But today, Democrats have redefined general welfare to mean government entitlements which guarantee a big screen TV in every home, a new car in every driveway, free socialized medicine for all and equal economic status regardless of unequal economic productivity.

This is the Democrat version of Democracy and just as our founders warned, a government powerful enough to provide for all your needs is powerful enough to take everything you have earned.

Jefferson said, “I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them..." "Democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.” We have failed to stop Democrats from doing just that and this reality leaves us with two more Jefferson quotes…

Every generation needs a new revolution.”

Every citizen should be a soldier. This was the case with the Greeks and Romans, and must be that of every free state.

I wish a single Democrat were as wise and as American as Jefferson!

Until they are again, it’s up to the rest of the nation to keep them far from power.

JB Williams is a business man, a husband, a father, and a writer. A no nonsense commentator on American politics, American history, and American philosophy. He is published nationwide and in many countries around the world. JB Williams’ website is http://www.jb-williams.com JB Williams can be reached at: JB_Williams@comcast.net

We wish to thank JonBerg for reminding us of this piece written after the election of 2008.  Apparently, no one was listening then. Bill Whittle told us recently that we cannot sustain the American Republic without virtuous citizens; without them, the Republic must ultimately fail because virtue is not a trait inherent to mankind. If it is not taught to our children, they will mature into citizens without virtue.

Have we already reached this juncture? Is it even possible to save the Republic?  After reviewing this video, we don't think so.

—Mustang & Z




Friday, November 9, 2012

What SONG would you have picked for Obama?

Commenter They Say/We Say told me yesterday that Obama had "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" played just before his victory speech on Wednesday.   I was incredulous because I know the words:

Signed, Sealed, Delivered"
Like a fool I went and stayed too long
Now I'm wondering if your love's still strong
Oo, baby, here I am, signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours!

Then that time I went and said goodbye
Now I'm back and not ashamed to cry
Oo, baby, here I am, signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours!

Here I am baby
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours
(You got my future in your hands)
Here I am baby
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours
(You got my future in your hands)

I've done a lot of foolish things
That I really didn't mean, didn't I?

Seen a lot of things in this old world
When I touch them, they mean nothing, girl
Oo, baby, here I am, signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours!

Oowee baby, you set my soul on fire
That's why I know you're my heart's only desire

Here I am baby
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours
(You got my future in your hands)
Here I am baby
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours
(You got my future in your hands) 
 
Now YOU know all the words.   Is he kidding?  Or is this sung to Putin of  Russia, or Chavez of Venezuela, or to China?  WE are "Signed, sealed and delivered," folks................in their hands.

But, putting that aside, can you IMAGINE a more egomaniacal lyric to have played for your victory song?    Oh, baby..."you set my soul on fire"....does he mean WE set HIS soul on fire or does he think HE sets OUR souls on fire?   I could hurl, I swear.
 
WHAT SONG WOULD YOU PICK FOR OBAMA'S VICTORY SONG?   OO, baby...we at geeeZ can't wait to hear!
Z

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

USSA Finally Arrives

We very clearly have so much to be thankful for in this country.

To begin with, we owe a debt of gratitude to the millions of voters who are, frankly, too stupid to cast ballots, and whose balloting behavior is more dictated by what they might receive free of charge than by what is in our nation’s best interest.

We’d like to thank all the utter morons who think that voting skin color somehow evens the score for the myths of white oppression foisted upon them by progressives lo these past five decades.

We are thankful for the numb-nuts Cesar Chavez who know his brother Barack Hussein Obama better than do most voters, and of course, for our friend Vladimir Putin, who understands that the United States will be far more flexible over the next four years.

Thanks also to Valarie Jarrett, who promises revenge to anyone who ever stood up to Barack Hussein Obama and his mission to destroy the United States of America, in a very fundamental way.

We’d like to think Sandra Fluke, who shared with us parts of her body not even a drunken sailor should want to touch, if he was sober and knew what was good for him. Yes, we’re happy to pay $3,000.00 a year for your sexual toys and contraceptives.

And thank you for Obama-Care, which will benefit no one except in the fulfillment of Barack Hussein Obama’s intention to bankrupt every single American —because, you see, even the poorest American is 100 times richer than people who are living in fourth-world cesspools, and these are the people to whom Obama intends to redistribute our income. It is the dream from his father, you see.

And we should like to thank all the American voters who lined up for hours, ensuring that Mr. Obama extends our debt to more than $20 trillion in the next four years.

And please, all you folks from other countries … come on over, help yourselves to our benefits and transform America into the same crap hole where you lived before coming here. And remember, it is your right to take that, which doesn’t belong to you because you never earned it.

And we’d like to welcome everyone to the United Socialist States of America (USSA) … because that’s where you’ve decided to take America; because you think that’s where we belong. And we do hope you enjoy the ride because this country is finished.


Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Election Day

Every two years, we Americans get to participate in our government. Beyond sending letters to our elected representatives, which they routinely ignore, or if they respond at all, is accomplished on a form letter signed by a machine, Election Day is our one shot to steer our nation’s direction for the next two, four, or six years. In this context, the concept WE THE PEOPLE is somewhat diminished, but we do live in a republic, and not a direct democracy.

Conservatives are not happy with the direction Mr. Obama has taken this country. Conservatives are not exactly pleased with the choices presented to us during the general election, either. Our concern is that ever so steadily, through small bites largely ignored by almost everyone, this country is moving steadily to the left. I believe this is part of the grand strategy of progressive communists, who now hide themselves in the cloak of the Democratic Party. I am also convinced that over many years, the lethargy of parents and the brainwashing of our children in public schools have produced exactly the kinds of citizens the communists want …

In my opinion, there is nothing American about Barack Obama. I did not understand how a relatively unknown man could emerge to become president when he had not accomplished a single thing before November 2008. D’Souza’s film didn’t inform me as much as it confirmed what I have felt since the last election began in 2007. Barack Obama is a pox upon this nation, and “we the people” placed him in charge.

“Believe me, dear Sir: there is not in the British Empire a man who more cordially loves a union with Great Britain than I do. But by the God that made me, I will cease to exist before I yield to a connection on such terms as the British Parliament propose; and in this, I think, I speak the sentiments of America.” —Thomas Jefferson, 29 November 1775.


Mr. Jefferson’s was a noble sentiment; now 237 years later, we have returned to our beginning. Our choices are freedom, or government tyranny. We must not make the mistake of assuming that the politics of Barack Obama is simply a temporary shift to the left … it is far more than that; it is dangerous in the extreme to a free society. We know how our ancestors dealt with tyranny, but the question that confronts us today, Election Day, is how shall we respond to what our government has become? Our choices are two: either we accept progressivism (communism) on bended knee, or we resist tyranny with every fiber of our being and defend that which we hold sacred.

Do your duty, America. Do the right thing for your country.

By the way, Z would like you to know she is taking Barack Obama's advice and IS voting with revenge.

—Mustang Sends