No Newsbites This Weekend

Busy weekend... plus... what's there to say?

Once again the American People are betrayed by the Dempublicans and the Republicrats.

No doubt when the final shameful deal is reached between Boehner, Obama, Reid, McConnell, and Pelosi it'll put a band-aid over the pieced artery of our economic lifeblood that will have to do till...

(*SIGH*)

...you guessed it...

(*PAUSE*)

...after the 2012 Elections.

See, folks, this way both sides can keep on talking about what they're supposedly going to do while muddying the waters about what they've actually done in such a way as to (they hope) distract blame away from incumbents of both rancid parties.

Will it work?

Well... to paraphrase intern-banger and creditably accused rapist as well as presidential pardon seller William Jefferson Clinton, it all depends upon what the meaning of "work" is.

(*SHRUG*)

You folks understand that our credit rating has already been formally downgraded by China, right? Well, I wouldn't be surprised if Western raters follow China's lead - prior to the November 2012 U.S. elections that is. (Perhaps the politicians can bribe or threaten the biggest players to hold the line... to keep up the charade... but I wouldn't count on it.)

Republicans are so damned stupid...

(*SIGH*)

They had Obama and the Dems just where they wanted them... and then... they threw it all away.

They could have kept pushing the fact that the federal government borrows 42 cents out of every dollar spent. People understand that figure. It's transferable in terms of comparison... a family bringing in $58,000 a year and spending $100,000 a year... year after year... no balancing of the family finances - let alone repaying principle on the ever growing debt - in sight.

But, no... the Republican establishment - the elites - couldn't trust that the American People would reward them for telling the truth and acting upon it.

These pieces of garbage could have called the media and the Dems on the "default" lie rather than play along and thus confuse the American People into believing the federal government doesn't take in many times the amount of revenues needed to keep current on all debt and on top of that continue sending out Social Security checks and pay for our active military and veterans.

Lie after lie after lie told by the Dems and the media and by and large... the Republicans not only didn't expose the lies, but indeed, more often than not bought into the false premise by accepting the Democrat's and media's false definition of "default."

No one called for straightening out U.S. government finances over one fiscal year, but Republicans could have insisted - with just the House in their control - on a level of spending restraint that would have over the course of four or six or eight years put our country to rights with regard to spending no more than comes in as revenues while at the same time beginning to pay down the debt.

Anyway, folks... I spent all afternoon food shopping... it's off to the pool now!

God bless...

...and tomorrow we'll pick up where we left off!

Did Peggy Noonan Visit Usually Right...?

Hey, folks... here's an interesting mystery...

Yesterday I commented - on the WSJ comment pages - on Peggy Noonan's latest inane column.

Along with my comment I left this website's address/link so that Noonan/WSJ readers could avail themselves of the opportunity to... er... learn stuff.

(*WINK*)

Funny enough, I did get one reply - a reply from an unhappy camper it seems!

Justin said...

Hey, I just read your comment on Peggy Noonan's column. Tell me...what good does it do being right if you're a smarmy jerk in the process? How do you expect to convince people? HEY EVERYBODY, I'M AN OBNOXIOUS ASSHOLE, NOW LISTEN TO HOW WRONG PEGGY NOONAN IS!!!

Come on. Do a better job with all this, or you're part of the problem.

July 29, 2011 2:35 PM

Hmm... I can't help but wonder... could "Justin" have actually been good ol' Peggy herself?

Here's why I ask: Upon checking to see if "Justin" (or anyone else) had replied to my WSJ comment page commentary concerning Ms. Noonan's Friday column I found...

(*PAUSE*)

...the comment gone!

Not only was my comment gone, but...

(*ANOTHER PAUSE*)

...there were no "Justin" comments anywhere on that particular page or indeed anywhere after the point where I had posted my comment.

I mean... you'd think that if someone was going to take the time to head on over to my blog to comment on something I had written on another site that before doing so they would initially reply to me on the site in question... wouldn't you...?

Anyway... just to further respond to "Justin's" (Peggy's?) shot...

Yep. I can be obnoxious! Damn straight...!!!

I prefer to think of it as "caustic wit," but, hey... "obnoxious" is fair enough. Guilty as charged!

(*HUGE FRIGG'N GRIN*)

As to Peggy's (er... I mean "Justin's") question of "What good does it do to be right..."

Well... for me... being right is its own reward - indeed "being right" is my purpose in hosting this blog and indeed in my commentary whenever and wherever!

As to "convincing" people...

(*SMIRK*) (*SNORT*) (*LAUGHING OUT LOUD*)

Most people are fools - incapable of being "convinced."

And, hey... even if this weren't the case... "convincing" isn't my strong suit - being right is!

Listen... in my own "character" defense... you folks who know me (either in person or just via my writings) know that 9 times out of 10, if I'm actually being nasty... being "mean"... it's not simply because someone is disagreeing with me or not "getting" my point. Nope. I have plenty of patience with sincere and reasonable disagreement.

What sets me off is if someone snarks first; and I'll really go nuclear when someone tries to lie his or her way through a debate.

Folks... whether you agree with my philosophy or not... whether you enjoy my "style" or not... the one thing no one can ever accuse me of is lying in order to "win" a debate.

If only everyone played by such rules we might have a chance of saving this country. Unfortunately... entire generations of Americans have been taught that their "views" are as sacrosanct as any mere "facts."

God help this once great nation..

Yet Another Car Rant...

Folks... it's not so much that I think I'm the smartest guy in the world as it is I know that most people - including many uber-successful people - are morons.

The latest example...

I love our new (o.k., Mary's new) Hyundai Sonata 2.0T.

(Sammie the Sonata; "Sammie T." for twin-scroll turbo!)

So Sammie's due for her first oil change - the key oil changeover from factory-filled to full synthetic.

Now I don't know about you, guys, but one of the first things I do when I buy a new car is check out the grade of oil recommended. Interestingly enough, for "Sammie T." it's recommended by Hyundai (right there in the frigg'n owner's manual - page 8/4!) that, quote:

Engine Oil (2.0 TGDI) -- For improved vehicle performance, it is recommended to use the engine of a viscosity grade SAE 5W-40.

* However... (for 2.0 TGDI)... if the engine oil is not available in your country... [SAE 5W-30 may substituted.]

So... folks... here I go to the frigg'n dealership where I bought the car... a Hyundai dealership... and along with me I bring my very own new, unopened 5-quart container of SAE 5W-40 full synthetic oil which I instruct the service advisor to tell the service technician to use.

(See, folks... that $22 worth of my own synthetic oil that I brought... they would have probably charged me an extra $60 to use "their" synthetic oil.)

Anyway... time passes... I have a couple cups of coffee and read a few newspapers... and before too long I'm told my car is all set.

As I was following the young lady to the cashiers she let me know that what I thought was a (standard) 5-quart container of oil had in fact been a 4-quart container (frigg'n product shrinkage...!!!) but of course they had supplied the remaining (near) quart of oil.

Fine! Or so I initially thought...

(*GRITTING MY TEETH*)

As I was walking towards Sammie in order to leave I was going over the receipt/work order. While they didn't charge me for the "extra" quart that they supplied, on the printout it was noted as "SAE 5W-20."

5... W... frigg'n... 20...?!?!

So I head back inside to the service desk. In my calmest, most measured tones I started off by saying, "now I know this is probably just what the computer template spits out, but..." and preceded to inquire into whether their highly trained vehicle technician had actually put the WRONG FRIGG'N OIL in Sammie.

Funny enough, one of those "highly trained vehicle technicians" was up front at the time and upon hearing my questioned popped into the conversation with, "oh... for the Sonata... yeah... we use SAE 5W-20."

Of course my reply to him was, "For the 2.4 GDI... but not for my 2.0 TGDI."

His reply? "Yeah. Sure."

Anyway, the service advisor went on the floor to ask "my" mechanic which grade he had added and he assured her that yes, he had added the same viscosity synthetic oil (SAE 5W-40) which I had myself supplied.

At this point I asked the mechanic who had joined the conversation at the service desk to just come outside with me and check my owner's manual just so he could see I wasn't crazy.

(Folks... you're not gonna believe what we found next...!!!)

Before looking at my owner's manual, the mechanic asked me to pop the hood for him so that he could "check something."

I knew what he was gonna check - the oil fill cap of course!

And GUESS WHAT folks...

You JUST GUESS WHAT that oil cap said...

It said: "SAE 5W-30"

SAE... 5... W... frigg'n 30...!!!

So folks... let's cap off this tale of incompetence...

The owner's manual says SAE 5W-40 should be used...

The factory installed oil fill cap says that SAE 5W-30 should be used...

And the factory trained Hyundai mechanics as a matter of course use 5W-20...

Folks... is it me...? Is it frigg'n me...?!?!

Folks... (*SIGH*)... ya just can't make this frigg'n $hit up!

If Your Member of Congress Isn't On This List...

Here you go, folks - the 22 real Republicans who had the courage to buck John Boehner...

Justin Amash (Michigan)
Michele Bachmann (Minnesota)
Chip Cravaack (Minnesota)
Jason Chaffetz (Utah)
Scott Desjarlais (Tennessee)
Tom Graves (Georgia)
Tim Huelskamp (Kansas)
Steve King (Iowa)
Tim Johnson (Illinois)
Tom McClintock (California)
Mick Mulvaney (South Carolina)
Ron Paul (Texas)
Connie Mack (Florida)
Jim Jordan (Ohio)
Tim Scott (South Carolina)
Paul Broun (Georgia)
Tom Latham (Iowa)
Jeff Duncan (South Carolina)
Trey Gowdy (South Carolina)
Steve Southerland (Florida)
Joe Walsh (Illinois)
Joe Wilson (South Carolina)

Again, folks... if your member of the House isn't on this list, this means your member simply can't be trusted to "walk the walk" when push comes to shove.

The Connie Mack Plan

One Percent Spending Reduction Act of 2011

Congressman Connie Mack (R-FL-14) has proposed the “One Percent Spending Reduction Act of 2011” - H.R. 1848 - which he claims will achieve a balanced federal budget beginning in 2019 by bringing federal spending down to average federal revenue over the past 30 years, which is 18% of GDP.

And from what I see, folks, I support this bill. Indeed, why limit the cuts to one percent? Why not two percent...?!

Oh... I checked the co-sponsors... of course my Congresswoman - Nan Hayworth (R-NY-19) - apparently does not support this bill as her name is absent from the list of sponsors/co-sponsors.

Oh... and just to note... yes, Boehner, Cantor, and McConnell over in the Senate all know of this bill yet none are backing it. (Draw your own conclusions...)

KEY PROVISIONS:

One Percent Spending Reduction per Year:

The Mack One Percent bill cuts total spending – mandatory and discretionary – by 1% each year for six consecutive fiscal years - beginning in fiscal year 2012.

FY 2012 – $3.382 trillion* less 1% = $3.348 trillion cap

FY 2013 – $3.348 trillion less 1% = $3.315 trillion cap

FY 2014 – $3.315 trillion less 1% = $3.282 trillion cap

FY 2015 – $3.282 trillion less 1% = $3.249 trillion cap

FY 2016 – $3.249 trillion less 1% = $3.216 trillion cap

FY 2017 – $3.216 trillion less 1% = $3.184 trillion cap

(*Congressional Budget Office March 2011 Baseline for Total Outlays minus Net Interest)

Overall Spending Cap in FY 2018 -- The bill sets an overall spending cap of 18% of GDP beginning in fiscal year 2018.

The 1% spending cuts would be achieved one of two ways: either:

1) Congress and the President would work together to enact program reforms and cut federal spending by 1% each year; or 2) If Congress and the President fail to do so, the bill triggers automatic, across-the-board spending cuts to ensure the 1% reduction is realized.

Well, folks... what do you think?

Ask yourselves, folks... if this is the first you're hearing of this bill... why is that...? How could this be...?

Just a quick question...

One soundbite that I keep on hearing about the supposed "need" to raise the Federal Debt Limit is that the new borrowing isn't needed to pay for "new" spending, but rather, it's needed to pay for money Congress has already spent.

Huh...?!?!

Folks... think about that for a moment.

If the money wasn't there... and present law says it can't be borrowed...

(Because there's a legal debt limit!)

...then how could Congress "spend" this non-existent money...???

Folks... follow me here... wouldn't doing so equate to you or I writing a bad check - deliberately?

Don't people go to jail for writing bad checks?

I'm just saying, folks...

(*SHRUG*)

The politicians and their media enablers throw out so many lies that even I can't keep them straight.

I'm just posting this as a caution never to take anything you hear, see, or read via media at face value.

Each time you hear a politician (or pundit) open his or her mouth... ask yourself... "did what I just hear make any sense at all...?"

That's it. My two-cents worth.

Barker's Newsbites: Friday, July 29, 2011

More live music last night, gang - this time "Thursday night at the Lycian" which last night featured Beach Boys cover band "Still Surfin'"

As for politics...

Well... Tea Party Republicans have managed to hold off Boehner - at least so far.

Under the leadership of Jim Jordan (R-OH-4) most members of the Republican Study Committee - the "original" House conservative's caucus - have stood firm in support of their ideals, their campaign promises, and Our agenda of cutting the size of government and therefore cutting government spending.

If only Dr. Nan Hayworth (R-NY-19) was willing put country before party...

(*SIGH*)

Here's what I suggest:

Jim Jordan, Jim DeMint, and all of the other stalwart "insider" defenders of Our America must rat out each and every faux conservative - every Boehner and McConnell yes man (or yes woman).

Folks... when you read or hear that Boehner and McConnell are "twisting arms" in order to gain support for the Boehner bill, what they mean by "twisting arms" is that they're making promises... promises to either steer (borrowed!) money into a member's district or on the flip side, deny pork.

Oh, yes, folks... there's still pork coming out of Washington...

(*RUEFUL CHUCKLE*)

I say that Jordan, DeMint, and other patriot insiders use their access to find out exactly what Boehner and McConnell are promising to various wavering members of their caucus' and publicize this information!

I know that I'd like to know if my congresswoman, Dr. Nan Hayworth (R-NY-19) has gotten any concrete... er... "remuneration" from Boehner in return for turning her back upon constituents such as myself who believed in her and supported her campaign.

I'm sure other Americans would like to know what's being promised their representatives...

(*SHRUG*)

Folks... the RINOs are back. John Boehner is a Republicrat - not a Republican. Unfortunately, certain freshmen members of the House who were elected on a platform of fiscal responsibility and constitutionalism have turned on a dime in order to pursue power under the umbrella of "loyalty to the leadership."

Folks... it's disgusting...

Folks... as I noted in an earlier post... either you're going to be part of the solution... or else you're part of the problem.

Fight, people! With your voices if that's all you have... with your money if that's your style and you're able... but fight!

This is a battle for the Soul of America... for the Survival of the Republic. This is not hyperbole, my friends, this is reality... this is the reality I outline daily via newsbites.

If you love your country than in God's name engage! Don't just stand on the sidelines!

As I often impart to my best friend, being upper-middle-class or even "first rung rich" ain't gonna protect you when the $hit hits the fan.

Billionaires... yeah... they'll be fine. Folks with hundreds of millions, even "just" scores of millions... they'll be fine. As for the affluent working class...

(*SHRUG*)

Not so much.

Have you ever heard the term "high value soft target?"

A billionaire can protect his family... a multi-millionaire can protect his family... a relatively successful professional making a few hundred grand year after year with investments and savings... I'm sorry... but that's not the kind of real wealth it takes to "set up" the next generation - let alone the grandkids one day.

I know I'm largely "preaching" to an empty "church," but even so, I'll keep at it. I have a daughter I love. One day I'll have grandchildren and hopefully I'll live long enough to enjoy my great-grandchildren.

I have nieces... I have nephews... I have Godchildren...

Folks... I'm begging you... keep in mind exactly what's at stake... who's at stake...

Barker's Newsbites: Thursday, July 28, 2011

Hey... do you folks remember the Cowsills?

Here... does that help?

Or how'bout this one...?! (By the way... one of my favorite, favorite, favorite songs - "theme" or otherwise - of all time...!)

Well, Mary, Carl, and I saw them perform live at BB King's last night; they were great...!

But, hey... isn't wasn't just them... A Fragile Tomorrow (aka: "The Nephews"; "The Boys") opened for them!

It was a great night out... (expensive... but great...)!

Nor and Ryan showed - along with Ryan's cousin; Paul and Jeannie were there... in all their glory; Cupcake Girl + Sister of Cupcake Girl + Parents of Cupcake Girl made the trip down from... er... scenic Walden, NY.

(*CHUCKLE*)

See, folks... even for Bill it ain't "politics all the time."

That said...

John Boehner is a fool and a traitor. Each and every Republican member of the House who supports Boehner in today's betrayal must be primaried.

* Carl - Get ready to write some hefty checks over the next year!

* Mary - I may be calling upon you and Ted as well.

* John H. - Stand by... I know you've sacrificed a great deal over the years in support of our ideals, but if push comes to shove you're simply going to have to step into the breach yet again.

* Frank - "The Common Sense Party" won't be able to sit this one out. You disappointed me in not challenging (and beating) Eddie... the days when men of goodwill had the luxury of refusing to combat the forces of deceit and self-interest are over. You're a father; the kids... the grandkids... you can't let 'em down, buddy.

* Nan... I can't believe you're this gullible... it's either that or I'm the one who was gullible in having taken your campaign persona as genuine.

WILLIAM R. BARKER

A Response to Dr. Nan Hayworth (R-NY-19)

Today, my friends, Dr. Nan Hayworth, my member of the House representing New York's 19th Congressional District, "spoke" to her constituents via our regional newspaper, The Times Herald Record.

Please allow me to excerpt her statements and reply...

HAYWORTH: We have reached a point at which we must pay the bills our government has accumulated...

BARKER: Nan. Just off the top of my head I believe bond interest payments come to around $40 billion a month while federal revenues are in the neighborhood of $200 billion a month. Default upon debt was never in the cards. Period.

HAYWORTH: To pay the bills, we must raise the Treasury's debt ceiling...

BARKER: Again, Nan, as just demonstrated, that's simply not true. All you'd be voting for is to pile new debt upon unsustainable old debt.

HAYWORTH: I am working with my colleagues in Congress to find a solution that addresses the current debt crisis, reduces wasteful spending and preserves the full faith and credit of the United States.

BARKER: Hmm... now it's "reduces 'wasteful' spending." Not just "spending." Cute. I believe I see where this is going. As for the "full faith and credit of the United States," that's part of the problem. You people in Washington are abusing that credit and refuse to stop. Both the Executive and Legislative branches of government have been totally irresponsible and appear willing to continue dragging the country into the muck of unsustainable and ever-growing debt. By the way, Nan, monetizing the debt is just another way of screwing our international creditors and they know it; the Chinese have already downgraded U.S. credit/debt. (This was noted in a newsbites awhile back.)

HAYWORTH: ...the federal government does not create jobs...

BARKER: That's right, Nan.

HAYWORTH: ...raising taxes at a time like this would be a very bad idea.

BARKER: Depends. Markets crave stability and certainty. What needs to be done is to totally reform the U.S. tax code so as to make it flatter and fairer. By fairer, this means we don't let 51% of American families off the hook when it comes to federal income taxes. If only politicians such as yourself had the guts to echo me on this.

HAYWORTH: We can reform our tax code and close loopholes, as the president has urged, but we must do so without a net increase in the nation's tax burden. It takes time to rewrite thousands of pages of tax code.

BARKER: Again, Nan, any federal income tax which allows large numbers of American families to "ride free" off the income taxes paid by other American families is a tax code which the Founders would decry and one which I decry. Please show some courage and dare to tell people what they may not want to hear, if only because they need to hear it.

HAYWORTH: The plan that Speaker John Boehner has introduced, to allow us to raise the debt ceiling responsibly...

BARKER: Nan. You know this is bullshit. I've laid out the numbers on my blog. Simply refusing to face the math isn't governing, Nan - it's shirking your responsibility.

HAYWORTH: For years, the federal government, Republicans and Democrats alike, has lacked the discipline to stop deficit spending.

BARKER: And the Boehner-Hayworth Plan follows in this shameful pattern. Nan. You're asking for more borrowing authority to funding continuing deficit spending. Some of your statements here are quite frankly Orwellian.

HAYWORTH: We now have a responsibility to make difficult decisions...

BARKER: But that's exactly what you're refusing to do, Nan. You're simply going along to get along - just like most politicians. I am ashamed of you.

HAYWORTH: As the daughter of elderly parents, I understand how much our seniors rely on Social Security and Medicare, and I am working hard with my colleagues in Congress to protect those benefits.

BARKER: Nan. Are you familiar with the concept of... er... math? Do you know what the term "underfunding" refers to? Here's an assignment for you: Research the ratio between "contributions" made by Americans of various ages and incomes to the [looted] "lock box" and compare and contrast to the anticipated payouts. Nan... this isn't Hillary Clinton and cattle futures; in the real word - yes... even with the power of compound interest - when enough people "contribute" one-third... one-quarter... one-fifth of what they can be expected to reap from the program.. (*PAUSE*)... the math says the program will sooner or later collapse under it's own weight (dragging general government down in the process) no matter how "well intentioned" the program is.

HAYWORTH: Our most pressing obligation is to ensure that the benefits that have been promised to those receiving them today, and that are anticipated by those who will soon be eligible, will be reliably funded. As we explore common-sense reforms so that Social Security and Medicare can fulfill its mission for future generations, we know that we must preserve what our seniors rely on.

BARKER: You don't hear a word I'm saying, do you? You just mouth these same platitudes mouthed by politicians over the past seventy-something years.

HAYWORTH: While it's likely that the final plan congressional leaders will agree upon will not go as far to cut spending as I would like...

BARKER: Oh, there we go! It's not your fault... it's "their" fault. You have no choice... (*SMIRK*) Nan. Your plan doesn't cut spending at all. It simply allows further debt to be piled upon the shoulders of children without trust funds.

HAYWORTH: Our nation didn't get into this fiscal mess overnight, and we aren't going to get out of it overnight, either...

BARKER: Nan. This plan envisions deficits as far as the eye can see and something like an additional $9 trillion is debt piled on over the next decade. Again... I'm ashamed of you.

Barker's Newsbites: Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Well, folks, after a flurry of postings yesterday... nada.

Obviously no response from Nan Hayworth herself.

As for the rest of you... well... except for my buddy John Hicks I've received no emails, no phone calls, no comments. Par for the course unfortunately.

That's people for ya! People suck. (*SHRUG*) I try not to let it get me down.

If you're not part of the solution you're part of the problem - and as far as I can tell, most of you are part of the problem.

Short-sighted. Selfish. Oblivious. Lazy. That's most people.

Don't get me wrong! I'm not talking about the lack of direct response to me or this blog!

No!

I'm talking about knowing that few of you will actually push for what's right; those of you involved in politics are far more interested in the "game" aspect ("your team" vs. "their team") than in trying to prevent the filthy scumbag politicians of both parties from destroying our country.

I'm not naming names... but you each know who you are.

Those of you who have children... you should be ashamed of yourselves. But I know you're not. That's what gets to me.

Listen... it would be one thing is I thought you believed I was wrong... that I thought you believed all is well and that America is moving in the right direction... but I know you don't.

I know you folks get exactly what I'm saying! And yet... you won't do anything about it.

Oh, well... human nature is what it is. I know my "chiding" ain't gonna change that.

Hopefully the tiny minority of us who speak out, who contact our politicians directly, who attend rallies and make our voices heard will against all odds create an opportunity for the rest of you to wake up and do more than exist as pawns. (Yes... many of you very comfortable pawns... but pawns nevertheless.)

Anyway... (*SIGH*)... on to today's newsbites...