Book Recommendation

"A Bound Man: Why We Are Excited About Obama and Why He Can't Win" by Shelby Steele is recommended reading for all who want to understand Barack Obama and his politics. The book gives information about Obama and his life with an absent black father and white mother. Steele also tells of Obama's support and participation in black activism.

Steele is also the son of a black father and white mother and also was a civil rights activist. His newspaper columns and books now give the message that the people of the black community need to take responsibility for their own welfare. He feels that affirmative action deprives people of their self-satisfaction in their successes.

In "A Bound Man" Steele tells of the icons in the black community, Oprah, Tiger Woods, star athletes and celebrities, and others, who will not speak out to encourage young people to be good citizens and students and to take responsibility. One former icon is the entertainer Bill Cosby who has given many speeches on the necessity for personal responsibility and citizenship. He is no longer considered and icon.

"A Bound Man" is available at Longmont Public Library and the catalog number is 328.73.

More Democratic Obstruction

Congress has closed the door to South American markets by putting aside the renewal of the Free Trade Pact with Colombia. Speaker Pelosi says it may be acted on later but she has, in effect, rejected not only Colombia but also NAFTA, an international agreement on free trade that has benefitted the economy for over a decade. Pelosi and other Congressional Democrats cater to organized labor and any others who are against Free Trade..
Tabling the Free Trade Pact with Colombia will harm workers - even the workers in Organized labor. Acting now on the Pact would allow American exports in to Colombia for no fees. Without the Free Trade Pact, American manufacturing is weakened and jobs are at risk.
Among the American products used in Colombia is the heavy equipment manufactured here and exported to Colombia. With the agreement nullified the fees are imposed and equipment costs more for Colombia. Other countries manufacture the needed equipment. If the costs are cheaper then where will Colombia go for the equipment? Farmers are caught in Pelosi's trap because farm products and beef are exported to Colombia. Having this market for American industrial and agricultural products has helped the economy and given employment to workers - even Organized labor.
Colombian products have been imported by America under the Free Trade Pact. Without the agreement Colombian products will cost more here. Americans will buy anything cheaper and there goes Colombia's market and economy.
American workers - not Congress - are the losers in Pelosi's maneuvers.
Another problem can then develop for all of us if Colombia, and other struggling economies, are denied an American market because of high import fees and higher costs.
Some backward countries around the world, denied a market in America if NAFTA is rejected, may then turn to or even expand production of illegal drugs. An extensive network can move illegal drugs in to America. Producing countries receive dollars for survival, pay no fees to enter American, and drugs flood in to our country.
Protectionist politics are equal opportunity; all Americans are penalized.

(Information comes from daily news and is my understanding of the issue.)

It's Raising Taxes

Presidential candidate Barack Obama doesn't talk about many of his political beliefs or, should he be elected,  his policies and plans.

One thing Obama does say is that he will increase taxes.

President Bush's tax cuts of 2002 set the capital gains tax at 15% and 0% for tax payers. As a result of this CUT the federal Treasury receipts rose from $49 billion in 2002 to $110 billion in 2006.

The capital gains were scheduled in 2002 to be stopped altogether in 2010 and then resumed in 2011 to previous levels with increases to 20% and 10%.

Democrats are anxious to cancel this tax cut and put your capital gains back to the levels paid before the Bush tax cuts. Income tax rates in 2011 will also revert to levels before the tax cuts.

The Democratic Congress, by continuing to do nothing about making the tax cuts permanent, will not even renew the Bush tax cuts let alone making permanent the tax-relief measures. If Democrats prevail in November elections they could even cancel the cuts before the automatic resumption in 2011. That's a tax increase by doing nothing.

You work hard for your money. Get involved in this endless campaign season. Understand what your candidates stand for and plan to do. Future Democratic tax increases will affect us all.

VOTE Republican

Vote FOR Marilyn Musgrave's re-election to House Dist. 4.

Vote FOR Bob Shaffer for Colorado Senator.

VOTE Republican

Information from daily newspapers including Wall Street Journal

Tax Increases If Congress Continues Do-Nothing Ways

The Republican Study Committee of the sitting Congress has compiled a list of taxes that are presently not being collected. These are part of the tax cuts that President Bush called for - and have worked successfully. Congress needs to act on these tax cuts, either to vote to cancel them altogether or to give them another temporary chance to benefit our economy. By taking no action, our taxes will increase.

RSC's Impending Tax Increases if Congress takes no action:

2008 - the exemptions for the Alternative Minimum Tax will decrease. 

Taxpayers will not be able to adjust their income for qualified tuition and related expenses.

Businesses will not be able to claim a tax credit for research and development.

2009 - No tax credits for some residential energy efficient property.

2011: Marginal income tax rates will increase - 35% bracket increases to 39.6%, 33% bracket increases to 36%, 25% bracket increases to 28%, 10% and 15% brackets will be at 15%. 

Capital gains rates for individuals will increase from 15% to 20%. 

Dividends will no longer be taxed at the capital gains rate for individuals and thus increase the double taxation of individuals by up to 62%.

Child tax credit will decrease from $1,000 to $500.

Inheritance tax will return with a 55% maximum rate, $1 million exemption.

Facts and figures are taken from the Republican Study Committee report as of February, 2008. 

The committee's web page:   http://www.house.gov/jct/x-l-08.pdf

Musgrave Is Against Earmarks

The House of Representatives passed a $3 trillion federal budget on March 13. Increases in earmarks, the requests by Congress for projects in home districts, would be paid for by letting the popular and successful tax cuts expire in 2010.

Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave was among the Republicans who voted against the budget bill. She also voted for last year's moratorium on earmarks. Musgrave has said "until public confidence is restored I believe we must end all earmarks."

The budget bill of March 13 was passed by the Democratic majority in Congress, and the moratorium was voted down by the same Democratic majority.

The Republicans' presidential candidate, Senator John McCain, has never voted for earmarks when that question has been presented in the Senate.

Are the Democrats, in both the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate,  looking out for you by offering gifts for their home districts and then demanding you pay more taxes for these out-of-control expenditures?