Don Obama: Is the Administration Shaking Down America

A recent report from MSNBC anchor Melissa Harris-Perry proudly draws out the comparison between President Obama and Francis Ford Coppola's Don Corleone when it comes to talks about the "Fiscal Cliff". President Obama is making no bones about his offer, concerning America's debt crisis, and he's making it one that Republicans ostensibly can't refuse. 

They could really be on to something here. As Obama shores up his partisan-overspending "family" of Democrats, Melissa Harris-Perry of MSNBC walks us through the similarities and contrasts of OUR PRESIDENT BEING A GANGSTER; and makes a pretty convincing case. 

Give that a second to sink in before continuing.

The similarities are astounding, though. “You just know that Leader Pelosi is letting the House Democrats know that they better not  pull a Fredo,” Harris-Perry said, referring to any House Dems who might be willing to negotiate with Republicans on a bi-partisan deal. 

She goes on to outline President Obama's idea of an offer of compromise; which is closer to  Michael Corleone's "My offer is nothing," statement in The Godfather Part II than actual conciliation. Is the President shoring up the support of his gang of Congressional thugs in an effort to muscle out Republican opposition to his plans? 

                            

can you see the resemblance?

Obama's plan going forward (now that the election is over) is not to compromise; it is to move his suicidal spending plan forward regardless of whether he promised to negotiate or not. Heck, or whether even people in his own party have doubts over it. This smells a lot like political strong-arm-ing to push through an unproven and concerning agenda. 

With the country rolling towards the cliff, with a dire need to rein in the abhorrent amount of spending that his administration is doing, Barack wants to INCREASE spending. He is proposing a 50 Billion dollar stimulus; and he is not looking like he wants to meet in the middle on this. 

                   

How about in this one?

In another appropriate analogy, Harris-Perry compares Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner to Don Corleone's counselor Tom Hagen in the films. It is an apt metaphor; in the movies Hagen serves as a messenger, and as an advisor. Geithner has been sent to the Hill with his and the administration's plan to raise taxes AND spending. 

Though usually we would bash MSNBC here, this time they have brought some important issues to America's attention. It is too late to tell you, "Don't let Barack Obama fool you into thinking he will compromise when it comes to debt." Now I tell you, don't let President Obama act like Don Obama. Stop the shakedown of our financial future. 

VA GOP Caucus

vagopcaucus.blogspot.com

Dem-Backed Tax Hikes are Useless

Congress is struggling, to say the least, to trim America's deficit. But there is a huge disconnect between what Congressional Democrats and the White house want and what they are asking for. What they want is ostensibly a larger government, taking in more taxes, in order to reach into more parts of our lives. What they're asking for is a useless tax hike that not only detriments American entrepeneurs, it doesn't accomplish much.

Allow me an explanatory metaphor: Let's suppose a super-tanker is springing a leak, and taking on a lot of water. That tanker is our (now bloated) government, and the leak is our (rapidly) rising deficit.

The Democrat plan is to go at the problem with a bucket and start bailing water. Their plan to raise taxes for families earning $250,000 or more would bring in new revenue, but the revenue raised by that tax increase pales in comparison to the massive deficit that we have sunk ourselves into (pun intended). Mathematically pertaining to our deficit, spending, and costs, these hikes are useless.

Without a concerted effort to rein in the absurd amount of spending going on, as well as entitlement reform, this tax hike on the wealthy is one tiny, miniscule drop in the bucket when it comes to the deficit. The Democrat plan could run the United States Government for a grand total of 8 days. When we are facing a 16 trillion dollar bill and a habit of spending even more, there is no amount of tax increase that could help us.

The GOP is fighting against determined and stubborn opposition, but the Republican plan makes more sense. Spending cuts and serious entitlement reform, are parts of a plan that fixes the leak. This affects every American, whether they earn $250,000 or not. The Fiscal Cliff, and the national debt will inevitably hit every demographic. The precious little revenue that they could raise would power us for barely more than a week before the fiscal pendulum would swing us back into a pit of spending despair.

John Stossel frames the argument differently but succinctly...

"The problem is that the rich don't have enough money to put so much as a dent in America's $16 trillion national debt. "If the IRS grabbed 100 percent of income over $1 million, the take would be just $616 billion," writes John Stossel. "That’s only a third of this year’s deficit. Our national debt would continue to explode."

Don't let the liberal media sell these tax hikes to you as a solution, when they are not even a band-aid on the larger issue.

VA GOP Caucus

vagopcaucus.blogspot.com

The Impact of the 'Fiscal Cliff': How Will Virginia Land?

Even as employers in Utah and Nevada are laying off employees in the wake of the election and its implications, here in Virginia we too are sitting under the gun of the 'Fiscal Cliff'. With a pro-business economic climate, a huge stake in the Defense Department, and a large rural population, the Commonwealth stands to lose in a big way if these crippling cuts are allowed to take effect.

The specific impact to Virginia? Well, if legislators allow it to pass, the numbers associated with the 'Fiscal Cliff' are staggering. Virginia alone could lose up to 270,000 jobs; a report from George Mason University predicts 207,000. The Defense Department would be cut by $110 Billion in total, payroll taxes would increase 2%, the list goes on and on.

Why Us? One third of Virginia's economy depends on federal spending, 20% on Defense spending. Northern Virginia is inextricably tied to federal contracting. Fairfax County is home to more federal contractors than any county in the nation, and 75% of all of Virginia's jobs that depend on federal spending are Northern Virginian. Fairfax itself is bracing to lose roughly 80,000 jobs.

Virginia is also hugely important to the military. Quantico, Langley, the Pentagon, Fort A.P. Hill and Norfolk Naval Base all lie within our borders. The active duty populations of those bases alone is roughly 128,000, and there are 22 more military bases in Virginia as well. Add the families supported by these installations, and the sweeping effects of these spending cuts and it is clear that Virginia military families would be devastated. Our veteran population is over 822,000, one of the highest in the nation.

So what are we doing about it? Governor McDonnell, and the General Assembly have been aware of this threat, and taken steps to soften the blow that Virginians could feel. Gov. McDonnell is working with state agencies to make an overall 4% cut to help weather the storm. Thanks to the Governor's policies of responsible spending and a healthy business community we have posted a surplus in each of the last 3 years, the most recent of which amounts to nearly $450 million. We have a $30 Million Federal Action Contingency Trust (FACT) to help bridge the budget divides that would emerge in the case that the cuts take effect.

While those efforts are admirable, and while Virginia is a healthy business state braced for the blow, the hit is still going to be significant. Our Governor and legislature have done what they can to help Virginians prepare. These tax hikes and spending cuts combined are looming over us, and they threaten the livelihood and the quality of life of hundreds of thousands of our friends, our families, and of our fellow Virginians.

VA GOP Caucus

vagopcaucus.blogspot.com

"Fiscal Cliff"-hanger for 90% of Americans

Photo Credit to PA Pundits - International

On January 2nd, many sleepy eyed middle class families in America will not see only the Sun rise, but their taxes as well. This hike isn't going to be some inconsequential few pennies, either. The average household is going in the hole for $3,500.

This action is known as "The Fiscal Cliff". Not the most heartening moniker, but that will be the day that many tax cuts, including those that took place under George W. Bush, will expire, forcing higher tax rates on middle class families in both income and capital gains.

President Obama is in a staring contest with Congress, and with the American populous. Should all of these provisions expire, and on January 2nd, 2013 they will, the total extra money owed to the Federal government would come to $536 billion. These findings come from the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center.

For all of the rhetoric about this administration "protecting" the middle class, they are about to stick their hands deep in their pockets. Tax rates are going to rise across the board, hitting low earners and high earners. Some Americans could see their after-tax income cut by as much as 10 percent.

Barack Obama has to realize that he is not a Washington Redskin, and that he cannot just keep punting America's problems down the field. This problem is looming and it is serious, the time has come to stop stalling, Mr. President.

VA GOP Caucus

vagopcaucus.blogspot.com