This is a funny and very apropos explanation of how much time Congress takes off and is not working.
Follow the #dontgo Movement and tell your friends. You can also sign the petition Calling Congress Back to Work as well.
The Democrats continue the farce that they are for traditional family values when in fact they support the exact opposite. They released a proclamation in support of Same-Sex marriages on June 3rd. This came from DNC Chairman Howard Dean, Massachusetts Democratic Representative Barney Frank and Wisconsin Democratic Representative Tammy Baldwin.
“Today, on behalf of Democrats across America, we join together in celebrating the contributions that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans and their families make to our society and reaffirm our Party’s commitment to promoting full equality under the law for every American.
“As leaders of the Democratic Party, we stand proudly with the LGBT community and commit ourselves to working together to build an America that is truly inclusive. Every American has the right to live in dignity, with equal rights, responsibilities and protections under the law.
These are our country’s and our Party’s core values. Across the country, at every level of government, Democrats have championed sweeping protections in the areas of employment, housing, domestic partnerships and civil unions, adoption, gender identity or expression, and hate crimes.
“Despite all we have accomplished, our work is not done. We need to fight efforts to write discrimination into our laws and constitutions.(This statement is in reference to H.J. RES. 89, the Marriage Protection Amendment, which makes marriage legal only between a man and a woman. The Democratic Party opposes the Marriage Protection Amendment because they believe it is discriminatory against homosexuals.)
At least some of the Democrats no longer pretend to be a traditional family values supporter. They are making it very clear that they will support same-sex marriage at all levels of government and will fight to keep traditional marriage amendments from passing in state constitutions. This makes the choice for Evangelical Christians and other supporters of traditional family values in the upcoming elections clearer. Don’t elect the Democrat if you support traditional family values.
While the Senators were grilling the Oil Company Execs about the high cost of gas, the revenues the government receives from the gas taxes are bringing in record revenues into their coffers. In fact in Chicago, who has the highest gas prices in the nation, taxes account for approximately 20% of the gas costs. [Emphasis mine]
Tired of seeing the price at the pump jump every time you need to buy gasoline? Well, the record-high price of gasoline in the Chicago area is linked to a record-high rate of taxation: nearly 20 percent of the Chicago price.
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“It was $4.20. I can come over here and get it for $3.93,” said Tikvah Wadley, one of the many fleeing Illinois taxes.Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin complained to oil company bosses at a hearing on Capitol Hill about Chicago having the highest gasoline prices in the United States. Largely ignored was the role taxes are playing — an astounding 10 levels of taxation.
“Does it trouble any of you when you see what you’re doing to us?” Durbin asked..
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The watchdog Civic Federation says that on a $4 gallon of gas, the total tax is 79.2 cents. That compares to 77 cents in Los Angeles and 65 cents in New York City.
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And that, of course, is exactly the point for the politicians. Gov. Blagojevich, for example, is counting on the high price of gasoline to bring at least an extra $220 million in the State Treasury in the fiscal year that begins this July. Most of that will be used to balance the way-out-of-balance budget.
Senator Durbin, does it trouble you when you see what you’re doing to us? Don’t you and your fellow Senators care about the poor and middle class working families? Why are you are forcing them to pay nearly a 20% tax rate on the gas they need to get back and forth to work?
Eventually, the majority of the taxpayers are going to find out the truth that Congress, State Legislators and local governments are to blame for the high gas prices. They will understand that you and your cohorts don’t want to fix the high gas prices. You just want the tax revenue so you can spend more of our money on your pet projects and never have to make decisions to actually cut spending.
State Sen. Chris Lauzen will be holding a property tax forum Monday, May 12 from 7 – 8:30 pm at the Yorkville Public Library, 902 Game Farm Road, Yorkville. (Hat tip: Daily Herald) [Emphasis mine]
As property tax bills begin to appear in mailboxes throughout Kane and Kendall counties, state Sen. Chris Lauzen, an Aurora Republican, wants to help area residents understand their bills and provide information on a variety of cost-saving measures.
The best cost savings will be to lower property taxes instead of the annual unending increases.
Lauzen has partnered with the supervisors of assessments and treasurers from both counties to help answer questions on local residents’ property tax bills and to help explain where their tax dollars are distributed.
The largest percentage goes to the local school districts who spend the money on the following instead of the education of the children: (This is not an all inclusive list)
Information also will be provided on a number of new homestead exemptions that have recently passed the General Assembly.
Sorry, Mr. Lauzen, but these new exemptions help only a minority of taxpayers, particularly Seniors and Veterans. Even for them, it will only slow the growth of their tax bills. If you wish, please e-mail Mr. Lauzen and ask him for real property tax reform instead of these meetings and feel good sessions.
I received an email a few days ago about Access 2008. Attached was the registration form and details for this event.
| When | May 22-23, 2008 |
|---|---|
| Where | Wingate by Wyndham Hotel 20 Sanford Drive Fredericksburg, Virgina |
| Sponsor | Virginia Coalition for Open Government |
| Registration Deadline | May 8, 2008 |
| Cost | See Registration Form |
In a case in New Mexico, a couple who refused to do business with a same sex couple for religious reasons has been fined $6,000.
A Christian law firm will appeal a ruling by the New Mexico Human Rights Commission fining a photographer who refused to take photos of a homosexual commitment ceremony.
Elaine Huguenin and her husband Jon, who co-own Elane Photography in Albuquerque, New Mexico, are both Christians. So when a lesbian couple asked them to photograph their “commitment ceremony” in Taos, the Huguenins politely refused. In response, Vanessa Willock filed a complaint with the New Mexico Human Rights Commission claiming the Huguenins discriminated against her because of her “sexual orientation.” On Wednesday, the Commission found the Christian couple guilty of discrimination under state anti-discrimination laws and ordered them to pay more than $6,000 in costs.
The decision is being appealed of course. Here is a statement from their lawyer, Jordan Lorence with the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF):
“There is a great threat to our religious liberties and our ability to speak out in favor of traditional marriage when these non-discrimination laws are interpreted in such a harsh way to censor Christians and others,” he asserts.
Lorence said Americans do not surrender their freedoms of speech or religion just because they choose to open a business. He added that the Commission’s decision is tantamount to the State of New Mexico forcing a vegetarian videographer to create a commercial for a butcher shop.
My thoughts on this are simple. This is an infringement on someone’s freedom of religion. It highlights the fact of how giving extra rights based on sexual preference will gradually criminalize religion.
What are your thoughts, is this case an infringement of freedom of religion or is it a human rights violation?
Republican Congressman John Campbell has “heard the cries” of those who feel they are undertaxed and introduced the “Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Act.” (Hat tip: Opinion Journal)
Mr. Campbell says he has heard the “cries” of those wealthy Americans – Mrs. Clinton, Warren Buffett, Barbra Streisand – who reject the lower tax rates passed in 2001 and 2003 and complain that they and their fellow rich don’t pay enough. “It’s a great injustice that citizens wishing to fulfill their dream of paying more taxes cannot simply check a box on their 1040 form to make a donation,” he says. His bill would give liberals a chance to salve their consciences without having to raise taxes on millions of Americans who already feel overtaxed as it is.
I’m sure this won’t be acceptable the Democrats who want to force us all to pay more in taxes. They think they are smarter than us already and that taxes are voluntary already.
I wonder what Warren Buffet will do? My guess is nothing, since he could have already been donating money to the government if he felt so slighted.
The Treasury already accepts voluntary donations to decrease the nation’s debt; last year it received all of $2.6 million.
Are taxes voluntary? According to Harry Reid, yes. Watch the following video and see how he tries to justify this assertion. (Hat tip: Free Liberal via Nicky Cheese)
[youtube]R7mRSI8yWwg[/youtube]
I guess Mr. Reid should explain this to the police, other governmental agencies, and the Supreme Court who still think taxes are mandatory.
Is the government smarter than the people? Government officials, especially the Democrats believe they are can make better decisions with our tax money. First, there is Minnesota State Senator Larry Pogemiller who said [Emphasis mine] (Hat tip: Eric Odom):
I think it’s simplistic and naive to say people can spend their money better than the government. And the reason is, the reason we have government is to build community assets. And I don’t care how rich you are, you can’t build a freeway system by yourself, and that’s why we have taxes. And I don’t care how rich you are, you can’t build a public education system by yourself. You can get you own child educated, but in this state we have something called universal education for all children. And so I think the notion that everybody can individually spend their money better than government I just think is trite, wrongheaded and anti-democratic.
You can watch the video of this statement as well:
[youtube]BPvqYK2JevI[/youtube]
There are some who claim that Senator Pogemiller is talking only about roads and education. Reading the entire statement though shows an attitude of arrogance. He uses examples of roads and education as examples of why government is better than individuals. The problem he has is two fold. First, the government bureaucracy build Interstate 35 and couldn’t even maintain it leading to its collapse and multiple deaths. Second, he believes you as an individual are capable of educating your child, but not every other parent is not. His logic belies his true feelings. That belief is that government is smarter than society. Mr. Pogemiller believes it is governments right to take money away from you because the government can spend it more wisely than you can as an individual. His words show a belief that it is more important for the government to slowly control your lives instead and limiting your freedom.
