About: Mike Sylvester
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Posts by Mike Sylvester:
Housing Bailout summary, part 1, the Democrats lied…
7/23/08 @ 10:05 pm
HB 3221 is a 700 page law that passed the House today and is likely to pass the Senate this week. The bill is not in its final form yet; therefore, some of the items in this post may change when the bill becomes law.
Over 99% of the Congressional Democrats support this bill. Between 1/3 and 1/4 of the Congressional Republicans support this bill.
Mark Souder, our Republican Congressman in Indiana’s 3rd Congressional District did vote correctly on this bill; he voted against it.
I disagree with this bill; however, after analyzing it I have to say it is not as bad as I originally thought it would be. I do oppose it; however, I have calmed down quite a bit after two or three hours of research. HB 3221 is a bill that should not have been passed; however, it is not as crippling as I first thought.
The worst thing about HB 3221 is that it once again illustrates how the Congressional Democrats are completely shattering their 2006 campaign promise to restore fiscal sanity to Washington. In 2006 Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and the vast majority of Congressional Democrats ran on a platform that included “Pay-as-you-go-rules.” “Pay-as-you-go-rules” require that you designate new sources of revenue to pay for all new spending. HB 3221 is estimated to cost the US taxpayers 25 billion dollars. The Democrats decided to suspend the “Pay-as-you-go-rules” again and they decided to just add the costs of this bill directly to the Federal Debt (Which is currently just over 9.5 trillion dollars on a cash basis).
This is shameful and Nancy Pelosi and all of the Congressional Democrats who voted for this bill should be ashamed of themselves for passing the cost of this bill (with interest) onto future generations of Americans.
The second thing about this bill that angers me is that it raises the National Debt limit from 9.8 trillion dollars on a cash basis to 10.6 trillion dollars on a cash basis. This further shows that the Democrats have absolutely no intention of restoring fiscal discipline. IN fact, they are already saying that they will add at last another 1.1 trillion dollars to the National Debt.
The Democrats absolutely lied and have completely broken their campaign promise to restore fiscal discipline in Washington DC.
Part 2 of this post will analyze HB 3221 and its effect on America.
Mike Sylvester
Filed Under National Politics | Leave a Comment
Nancy Pelosi is at it again
7/15/08 @ 6:13 pm
Well it did not take her long; the Democrats in Congress are considering another wasteful economic stimulus package!
The last wasteful economic stimulus package was passed in a bi-partisan fashion and served to increase the annual budget deficit even further and hence will increase the national debt to even higher levels.
The last economic stimulus package has mostly been distributed to taxpayers; however, some taxpayers are still waiting for their checks due to not filing their tax returns in a timely manner.
As expected the first economic stimulus package has not had a noticeable effect on the economy; however, before it is even entirely distributed the Democrats want to borrow even more money we do not have and spend it.
Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats ran on a platform of fiscal sanity. They promised to institute Pay-as-you-go rules which would prevent the budget deficit from increasing even higher. The Democrats have suspended their Pay-as-you-go rules several times on issues that are “too important” for Pay-as-you-go. Every single time they suspend the “paygo” rules they are violating their campaign promise and they are passing more debt on to future taxpayers.
For example the Democrats suspended the Pay-as-you-go rules when they passed another economic stimulus package earlier this year.
The press is reporting that Nancy Pelosi and her Democratic allies are considering a second economic stimulus package that would likely be centered around the following four points:
1. Increased spending on roads and other infrastructure. Out of their four ideas this has the highest chance of success; however, Federal spending on infrastructure and roads is already at an all time high without increasing it further. Needless to say, I am against this.
2. Expanding unemployment benefits even further. I have discussed this in earlier posts; however, Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats seem determined to create an unemployment system that will discourage workers from finding new jobs and will allow unemployed workers to draw money for even longer. Needless to say, I am against this.
3. Ensuring even more money is spent on home-heating assistance for the poor. The Federal government is already slated to spend over 3 billion dollars to subsidize home heating. Apparently this is not enough for Nancy Pelosi. Needless to say, I am against this.
4. And the worst idea is to slate some Federal money for States who are struggling with budget problems. This is a terrible idea and I am not surprised that it is supported by Nancy Pelosi. California has created a fiscal mess for itself and I imagine Nancy Pelosi wants to take money from the fifty states and redirect it to those states who have made poor financial decisions. Needless to say, I am against this.
Unfortunately I imagine the Republicans will join with the Democrats and they will create a re-election stimulus package in an effort to ensure most of the incumbents are re-elected.
This economic stimulus package is an awful idea and the Democrats have completely abandoned their 2006 Campaign promise to restore fiscal sanity in Washington DC.
Filed Under 2008 National Elections, National Politics | 4 Comments
My predictions for the Presidential Election
7/12/08 @ 12:30 pm
I feel that Barrack Obama will be the next President of the United States. I think he will beat McCain in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Michigan and that he will win enough other battleground states to win a relatively close election (Close per Electoral Votes).
I think he will choose Bill Richardson, the current Governor of New Mexico as his running mate.
I think that Barrack Obama will serve for one term and then be defeated in 2012. I think he will be defeated because I think the US economy is going to struggle over the next four years, because the media will turn on him and he will not be seen as “The Messiah” anymore, and because he will do at least of few of the things on the below list:
1. We will still have troops in Iraq past the 18 months he has promised; this will infuriate the Democratic base.
2. He will try to nationalize health care (Though he will fail).
3. He will let many of the Bush tax cuts expire and he will likely raise taxes. I prepare taxes for a living; almost all of the people I prepare taxes for feel that they pay too much in taxes; even those who pay no Federal income tax and even those who get more back from the Federal Government in various tax credits than they paid in!
4. He will pass some Global Warming tax that will hurt American manufacturers and force even more jobs overseas. This will not be popular with unions and will be a factor that will cause the economy to continue to falter.
5. The National Debt will increase markedly. He will spend even more money and the National Debt will increase.
6. He will grant amnesty to millions of illegal aliens. This will infuriate many Americans.
7. He will not have a comprehensive energy policy. He will not allow more domestic drilling and he will not increase nuclear power to the extent it should be increased.
I think that Barrack OBama is going to spend a lot of money in Indiana and he is going to campaign in Indiana. In past years Indiana has been a solidly Republican state; however, I think it is going to be much closer this year. I think McCain will win Indiana; however, by a relatively small margin. I think Barrack Obama will help the Indiana Democratic Party gain some more ground in Indiana; however, I think Mitch Daniels will be re-elected as Governor.
What are your predictions?
Mike Sylvester
Filed Under 2008 National Elections, National Politics | 8 Comments
Obama wrong on his views concerning “English only”
7/9/08 @ 8:46 pm
You really should take the time to follow this link and learn more about Barrack Obama’s views on whether or whether or not we should pass “English-only” laws and his views concerning bilingualism.
One part of his speech is dead wrong.
He states and I quote “Now, I agree that immigrants should learn English. I agree with that. But understand this. Instead of worrying about whether immigrants can learn English — they’ll learn English — you need to make sure your child can speak Spanish. You should be thinking about, how can your child become bilingual. We should have every child speaking more than one language.”
The part that is wrong is when he says that “they’ll learn English.”
Many immigrants are not learning English anymore because they do not have to. Most products now have instructions in Spanish and English. Most parts of the US have many Spanish speaking radio stations. We have Spanish speaking TV stations.
A few years ago I worked at a factory near Hamilton, Indiana. A large percentage of our workforce was from Mexico. We had to have at least one interpreter on each shift so that we could communicate with the Mexican workers we had that spoke no English.
We desperately need “English-only” laws in the US. English is the language that holds us together and binds us as a nation. The US Government should do all business in “English-only.”
From a political standpoint Barrack Obama should pay attention to The Rasmussen Reports.
Per Rasmussen Reports: Eighty-three percent (83%) place a higher priority on encouraging immigrants to speak English as their primary language. Just 13% take the opposite view and say it is more important for Americans to learn other languages.
It is frightening that only 83% of those polled think that we should have a higher priority on encouraging immigrants to speak English as their primary language.
There are parts of what Barrack Obama said that I agree with. We should emphasize foreign languages more in our schools and I do wish more Americans spoke more than one language.
Mike Sylvester
Filed Under 2008 National Elections, Featured, National Politics | 14 Comments
Congressional approval ratings reach a historic low
7/8/08 @ 9:40 pm
According to the Rasmussen Reports those people who feel Congress is going a good or excellent job feel to a historic low of 9%.
9% of Americans polled feel that Congress (House and Senate, Democrat, Independent, and Republican) are doing a good or excellent job.
You can read the report here:
13% of self identified Democrats think Congress is doing a good or excellent job.
8% of self identified Republicans think Congress is doing a good or excellent job.
3% of those for do not self identify with either Republicans or Democrats think Congress is doing a good or excellent job.
So much for Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid and their various campaign promises… So much for the Republican minority as well.
Congress is doing a pitiful job (Both Democrats and Republicans) and just about everyone knows it…
Mike Sylvester
Filed Under 2008 National Elections, National Politics | 5 Comments
Fort Wayne on wrong track, again…
7/2/08 @ 7:21 pm
I was not able to attend the City Council meeting last night so I am forced to accept the newspapers version of events.
Both reporters witnessing the City Council meeting infer or state that the City Council seems to favor the creation of an additional five “Economic Development Target Areas” in southeast Fort Wayne. You can read the newspaper reports here:
From the JG:
http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080702/LOCAL/807020345
From the NS:
http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080702/NEWS/807020310
Creating an additional five districts in Southeast Fort Wayne in order to grant tax abatements to restaurants and retail establishments will just shift the tax burden and create a “playing field” for businesses that is not level.
This will allow City Council to grant tax abatements to more fast food restaurants (Those in Economic Development Target Areas) at the expense of fast food restaurants in the portion of the City that are not “Economic Development Target Areas.”
I am extremely disappointed that this proposal to establish five more “Economic Development Target Areas” was not laughed out of the Council chambers.
Please realize that I cannot understand how any City Council member could support granting tax abatements to retail establishments and fast food restaurants in the first place.
If City Council expands the “Economic Development Target Areas” they will once again prove that they, along with the City administration, support policies that encourage “Economic Re-arrangement” rather than “Economic Development.”
Mike Sylvester
Filed Under City Council, Featured, Local Politics | 4 Comments
Culture of corruption continued by Democrats
6/22/08 @ 3:05 pm
Everyone remembers how the Democrats promised to clean up the “culture of corruption” in Washington DC. Nancy Pelosi famously promised that she would “Drain the Swamp” when she took over as the Speaker of the House.
I have written several posts expressing my anger at the Democrats for failing to follow through on their promises. Here are some of the promises Democrats need to answer for:
1. We have more troops in Iraq today then when the Democrats swept to power in November of 2006. When the Democrats were running in 2006 they repeatedly promised to draw down troop levels in Iraq. As the readers of this blog know I opposed going into Iraq in 2003 and I think we need to start pulling our troops out of Iraq today. I also do not want us to continue wasting American taxpayer dollars rebuilding Iraq. We are the largest debtor nation in the world and have no business going further in debt to rebuild Iraq.
2. The Democrats just caved in and not only extended the unconstitutional wiretapping powers granted by the Patriot Act; they expanded those powers while granting immunity to the telecommunications companies at the same time. (Note the Republicans have always been wrong on this issue; however, almost half of the Democrats joined with the Republicans to expand the wiretapping program.)
3. The Democrats promised a new energy policy. Since they have taken power oil and gas have increased in price and we still do not have a reasonable comprehensive energy policy (The only thing the Democrats have done right on the energy front is that they increased the CAFE standards which was a good idea).
The Democrats still oppose expanding domestic drilling and they have failed to join President Bush in his desire to expand nuclear power.
4. Currently the Democrats are trying to push through a housing bill that will bail out lenders like Countrywide who got greedy and made questionable loans to homeowners. This bill will likely bail out some homeowners and will put the taxpayers on the hook for these bad loans. It is shameful that the Democrats want to make the US taxpayer subsidize large lending companies and people who bought more house then they should have bought.
My real anger right now is directed at Democratic Senator Kent Conrad and Democratic Senator Chris Dodd. You really should take the time to read the below article at National Review Online:
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MmEwYzQ1NmY2NDc1ZGIzNTIzZDVkMTRhMzg4ZTA5ZGY=#more
The two Democratic Senators received loans at below market rates from Countrywide since they are V.I.P’s. This is shameful and should be investigated.
The Senate recently voted not to investigate Dodd or Conrad. All of the Democrats voted to not investigate Dodd and Conrad… Not a single Democrat who voted saw a problem with these below market loans.
The Democrats are no different than the Republicans they replaced. They prove it on issue after issue.
We need to elect a lot of new people to Congress…
Mike Sylvester
Filed Under Featured | 13 Comments
Election Board complaint
6/16/08 @ 3:33 pm
While I was out of town Saturday I received a letter from the Allen County Election Board informing me of their meeting to discuss my complaint.
They will be meeting on Tuesday, June 17th at 2 PM in Conference Room #1 on the 2nd floor.
Unfortunately I will not be able to sttend this meeting.
Maybe somone reading this blog can go and tell me how it went?
The Allen County Democratic Party already amended the Campaign Finance report that my complaint concerned. Clearly they did file it erroneously as my complaint stated.
I hope that the Allen County Election Board comes out and defines what a debt is.
My expectation is that they will state that bills should be listed as debts if they are past due.
Mike Sylvester
Filed Under Featured, Local Politics | 3 Comments
Fathers Day Camping
6/15/08 @ 5:36 pm
We went camping Friday, Saturday, and today. We is my lovely wife Karena, both of my kids (Kayla who is 7 and Graydon who is 5) and Uncle Jeff (Karena’s brother).
We went to Potato Creek (About 100 miles from Fort Wayne, near South Bend) and had a great time. We pitched two small tents and enjoyed the great out of doors. The tent my wife and I stayed in is one she bought me for Valentines Day fifteen years ago when we lived in Hawaii.
Two things of note happened. The first is that the raccoons were very, very aggressive. We accidentally left out a large plastic container of trail mix. It was a large plastic container with a screw on lid. A raccoon actually dragged it into the nearby woods and spent all night getting into it. My wife slept very little since the raccoon made a lot noise while trying to chew his way into the trail mix.
This morning the area has a T-storm warning and we were warned of 60 mile an hour winds, so we bailed a little early.
All in all it was a great camping trip!
A highly recommend Potato Creek State Park!
Mike Sylvester
Filed Under Featured | 2 Comments
Congressional Democrats do not understand Unemployment Insurance
6/7/08 @ 12:13 pm
Democrats in Congress are once again trying to expand unemployment benefits in an effort to gain more votes during an election year. Consider the following facts:
Unemployment has ranged between 3.9% and 7.6% over the last 20 years.
The Federal Government has an unemployment program as does each of the fifty states and three US Territories. Each State runs its own program with its own rules. The Federal Government provides matching funds to the States as long as the States structure their programs to meet certain Federal Guidelines.
The program is funded by a tax on almost all employers who pay their employees payroll. The entire cost of the program is born by employers; employees pay nothing.
The program was started about 70 years ago as part of the New Deal.
97% of all of the workers who are paid a paycheck are covered by unemployment insurance.
Most states allow a worker to draw up to 26 weeks of benefits, Massachusetts and Washington allow 30 weeks.
There is a provision that allows workers to draw an additional 13 weeks of benefits if unemployment rates are relatively high. (We are not there yet nor are we even close)
Seven states allow an additional 7 weeks under certain circumstances.
Enough of the facts and on to analysis:
The unemployment rate has been relatively low for the past several years. The unemployment rate has risen to 5.5% which is near the average unemployment rate over the last twenty years.
The unemployment insurance program is 100% funded by taxes on employers; there is no cost to employees.
Each State has its own tax rates and I will use Indiana as an example. A new business in Indiana will pay a 2.7% tax on each employee for the first $7000 of wages paid to an employee and an additional .8% to the Federal program on each employee for the first $7000 in wages paid. A companies rate will change once per year depending on how many of their employees claim unemployment benefits. An Indiana companies rate will vary between 1.1% and 5.6% under the current Indiana laws. (Note Indiana is operating at a deficit and is spending down its fund currently; expect these rates to increase early next year.)
So an Indiana company will have a total (Federal + Indiana) tax rate of between 1.9% and 6.4% of each employees first $7000 in wages. In other words almost every employer in Indiana will pay between $133 and $448 in unemployment taxes for each employee who makes $7000 or more per year. They will pay a lessor amount for those emplyees who earn less then $7000 per year. Companies who have a higher percentage of employees who claim unemployment benefits will tend to pay a higher rate then those companies who have fewer claims.
The Democrats in Congress want to expand benefits and allow employees to draw an additional 13 weeks of unemployment. I am against this for many reasons:
1. I am against the entire unemployment insurance program in the first place. I believe in individual responsibility and I think the entire program should be abolished. It is Socialist to force employers to 100% fund a program that allows their employees to draw benefits if they are laid off or work seasonally. I think individuals should put back a portion of their salary to deal with layoffs. I have always done this and so should everyone…
2. If the Democrats expand the length of time workers can draw unemployment benefits then the unemployment programs will have to pay out more money and hence they will have to raise the unemployment insurance rates employers have to pay. This increases the cost of doing business and encourages companies to move overseas or lay off even more workers.
3. Increasing the amount of time workers can draw unemployment benefits actually discourages workers from finding new employment. When you are drawing a government check you will not look as hard for a new job.
4. The Democrats last tried to extend benefits as part of the Iraq war funding bill. I hate it when our politicians (And BOTH parties regularly do this) put a bunch of unrelated things together in one big bill. It is wrong.
Does anyone reading this post support expanding unemployment benefits another 13 weeks?
Mike Sylvester
