Taiwan ~ Between A Rock And A Hard Place

It has been said that California is too big to govern.  I sometimes wonder if the same isn't true of this country.  As we look back on the theater that had been going on in Congress that has netted us nothing positive, we sigh with relief that at least it has been put to rest for awhile.  I expect nothing positive to come out of the committee of twelve that will be assigned to find budget cuts.  It's rather hard to do with no budget.

Another distraction has been the hype beginning to form around the upcoming Iowa straw poll.  I watch the ground swell around Michele Bachmann and wonder if we will ever learn that personality alone does not equate presidential material.

Meanwhile, back in the rest of the world, countries are struggling with their own financial problems - and wars.  I wonder if the people of Syria are wondering where the United States is.  Doing what we seem to do best.  Posturing.

Then there is China and it's ongoing ambition to crush the independence out of Taiwan.  We have an agreement with Taiwan, the Taiwan Relations Act, to supply them with the weapons needed to defend themselves against China's aggression. They need F-16s, badly.  They have old ones, but they are no longer adequate to do the job.  We have been asked to commence the sale, but so far, as seems to be a habit with this administration, have turned a deaf ear on the request.

Admittedly, we do have a problem.  China does not want us to sell Taiwan the F-16s.  So what to do?  Risk war with China in defense of Taiwan or leave Taiwan as a sitting duck with inadequate air power?

According to The Wall Street Journal , Mr. Obama is leaning against the sale.    He doesn't want to risk irritating China.  We all understand why.  As he cuts our defense budget, the Chinese have grown theirs some 70% over the last five years!  Ouch!

The order would also provide American jobs to produce the plane, perhaps even saving the production line that's due to close down in 2013.  So what to do?  A word bandied about quite a bit that has often been empty.  Compromise?  Refurbish the old planes but don't sell any new ones.  Why do I doubt that would bring the aircraft to speed?

What does it tell the rest of the world?  That the U.S. won't stand up to a bully no matter how important it is to a friend?  Bullies.  Let me see.  Russia.  China.  The Saudis. Iran. Syria. Libya. Maybe that's the idea.  How many more need be added to the list before we won't have any friends left for which to stand?

The President's Mirror On The Wall

The debt ceiling has been raised.  What that means is the government is now able to spend more money.  Yet the country's unemployment rate still hovers just under 10%.  Future prospects remain dismal.

So what does the President do to empathize with the people he governs?  Throws a birthday bash where it costs ten grand to have a picture taken with him and over thirty five thousand to gain entry to the dinner.  Just one of many celebrations to be held around the country hosted by various insiders.  Of course it's a campaign event.  So why the heck would he want to burden the rich with more taxes?  It would mean less for him.

Him.  Him.  Him.  It's always him.  I used to think he was just uninformed when it comes to matters of protocol.  That he has a tin ear.  Returning the bust of Churchill to the Brits the day he took office.  Giving the Queen an i-Pod filled with his own speeches.  Bowing to every world leader who lacks the stature to deserve it.  Never mind that we bow to no one.

If you love the guy it makes no matter.  But one does at times wonder why he won't release his college transcripts, or the flap over his birth certificate.  If it was by design to add to the aura of mystery.  There has to be some reason why he is referred to as the 'Sun King' or the 'Annoited One' even though it's by his detractors.  It alludes to ego and arrogance.

Then I cam across an article by  Israeli psychologist Sam Vaknin who suggests Obama may have narcissistic tendencies if he isn't an outright narcissist.  Dr. Vaknin is considered an expert on personality disorders  in general and  Narcissistic Personality Disorder in particular.

If you sometimes wonder what makes our President tick, this is an interesting read and explains a lot.  It may also explain the way Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu reacts to him since it is his fellow countryman who has noted the parallels.

Many of you will totally disregard this premise, others might see a glimmer of truth in it. I found the parallels interesting and food for thought.

Do We Really Want To Soak The Rich?

Let's face it.  Everyone wants to be rich.  I find that thought rich with irony.   Let's face it.  An awful lot of us, when we're not thinking tax implications, we're playing lotto or the slots or the ponies or whatever else on which one can wager.  Always hoping.

We know the President wants wealth to be shared.  I have a problem making someone who has worked hard to earn it have to share it with those who have not.   That, however, could be a completely different post.

But let's look at it.  Those billboards that tell you what the current jackpots for Powerball and Mega Millions are.  Let's look at a recent Mega Millions jackpot worth $85,000,000.  A nice tidy sum to be sure.  How much of that would you actually get if you want the lump sum? First, because you take the lump sum you get whacked for an amount the takes it down to $56,000,000.  Whew!  Than the tax man shows up.  The Feds want 25%.  A cool $14,000,000 taking you down to $42,000,000.  Then the states want their share.  In Idaho where I live, it would be 7.8%, another $4,368,000 leaving you with $37,360,000.  Now that's nothing to sneeze at, but neither is what has been subtracted for the tax men!

At $37 million you would definitely be considered rich.  Since it's over $10million, you'd be among the 5% of taxpayers paying 50% of the taxes.  And they would tell you you're not paying your fair share.

It's also interesting to me that 231 of 535 members of Congress are millionaires and 55 of them are over that $10 million mark.  The most wealthy is a Republican, Darrell Issa, who's worth is in the vicinity of $300 million.  Rounding out the top three are  Democrats Jane Harman at $293 million, thanks to her husband's efforts and John Kerry, thanks to his wife's former husband's efforts, the late John Heinz.

If they think the wealthy aren't paying their fair share than they should write a check to the treasury!  Though it seems Kerry was reluctant to pay the taxes on his yacht, docking it in neighboring Rhode Island where taxes are less burdensome than his home state of Massachusetts.  The yacht cost a mere $7 million.  Massachusetts wanted $500,000.

Does he figure what's good for the goose isn't necessarily good for the gander?  Who knows.  I just got to wondering how it would feel if the shoe were on the other foot.  Unless I win that lottery, I'll never know.  I can't even imagine having the dollar amount of what they pay in taxes as income.

I don't resent them.  We're comfortable.  I'm  sure they have tax breaks and loopholes that I couldn't begin to name.  Some should undoubtedly be snugged up; especially if they aren't available to everyone.  But to say they don't pay their fair share.  I'm not so sure when in 2009 47% paid no federal taxes at all.

The next chapter is about to begin.  The President wants to "invest".  He has to pay for investments by raising revenue.  That means taxes.  It's only money. But whose?

  

The Country Held Hostage By One Special Interest

I'm shaking my head in bemusement as I write this. The mainstream Republican plan for getting the country out of it's financial crisis is flawed to say the least.  Better plans have been sabotaged by all sides.  Speaker Boehner could not gather the votes to pass it last night so he tweaked it today.

He added a provision that would insist on a balanced budget amendment.  It won't pass the Senate.  It's not a good idea anyway unless it makes provision for unexpected happenings like another Katrina or another Iraq or Afghanistan.  More off the books budgeting?  And what is gained?

What really makes me angry, however, is that through the past several weeks the country, no the world, has been waiting and watching to see how this little drama is going to play out.  We still don't know.  But the idea that the Club for Growth with their threats toward Tea Partiers could hold intelligent compromise hostage for an ideal that cannot be passed just baffles me.

Last night the shoe seemed on the other foot.  Tea Partier after Tea Partier appeared on camera declaring their fidelity to a plan not even on paper, not caring whether or not they were re-elected.  If true how come the Club for Growth has so much sway?  Oh my, you don't suppose there might be a tad of hypocrisy going around do you?

These who wouldn't budge because they were doing the 'peoples' bidding.  Oh?  It doesn't sound that way to me.  I don't think they are sure what they stand for but as long as their jobs are secure I don't think they care.

There's something to be said for new blood to elicit change but not when it comes to sacrificing the country in a pig headed manner, knowing full well they aren't going to win the war.  That will come later this weekend, hopefully, when the leaders of both houses sit down and hammer out the details of a compromise.

Last night one commentator remarked that the Republicans had become slaves of their own rituals.  It sounds like some spooky religion, doesn't it?  Who ever thought the sacrifice they'd offer up to those gods of rituals would be the fiscal stability and reputation of a nation.
Our nation.  And theirs.

Pelosi To The Rescue!

The current debt ceiling/deficit debate going on is important to be sure.  I've been doing a lot of ranting and raving about it for days now.  I must thank the former speaker, however, for adding some much needed levity with the comment,

"What we’re trying to do is save the world from the Republican budget . . . We’re trying to save life on this planet as we know it today."

Oh, don't I wish!  I wonder if she has a clue how idiotic that sounds.  It's right up there with her comment when health care passed; she said we could then all read it and find out what was in it!  To think this woman is one of the most powerful in the country.

Oh well, a good belly laugh now and then is good for the soul.  Forget the flaws in the Republican plan - and the Democratic plan.  Or that neither side trusts the other to keep their word. The problem is where both parties have taken us with their unlimited spending spree.

Somehow I just don't see Nancy saving us from what she herself and others like her have done to the country.  Life as it is today isn't so great when you consider the unemployment rate, the housing crunch,  the cost of gas and food and the humility thrust upon us by the TSA to mention a few.

Do us a favor Ms. Pelosi.  Don't bother.  As for the rest of the world?  Do it a favor and leave it alone.  They've managed to muck things up for themselves just as well, if not better, than we have, but the last thing they need is our help.  It would be like someone with a face full of Botox being asked to furrow their brow!