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Friday, November 23, 2007

More MD Fascism

Casey Foundation Fights Md. Over Land Seized for Highway - washingtonpost.com:
"The bigger issue: The foundation, its attorney said, doesn't want to sell and thinks the state has no right to the property.

Bethesda lawyer Robert Park said the foundation wants to keep the property along Schaeffer Road, west of the South Germantown Recreational Park, as one of its many real estate investments. The state's powers of eminent domain, which allow it to seize private land for public use, he said, don't extend to taking property to mitigate a highway's environmental harm.

"They don't want to sell the property," Park said of Betty B. Casey and other trustees. "The state doesn't have the right to take this property."

The Maryland Political Backroom - Why I Despise Them

O'Malley Increases Influence With Wins on Taxes and Slots - washingtonpost.com:

Less clear, as O'Malley (D) and bleary-eyed legislators celebrated at a bill-signing ceremony yesterday, were the wider political ramifications of pushing through $1.4 billion a year in tax increases during a frantic three-week session called to solve the state's chronic budget problems.



"How it plays politically is still up in the air," said Sen. Brian E. Frosh (D-Montgomery). "Will people recognize it as hard choices that had to be made or as government run amok? But by any measure, the governor did an incredible job pulling it together. He was buttonholing people. He was schmoozing people. I don't know if he was threatening people. At points, it was ugly, but it was certainly an impressive effort overall."

By the time they adjourned shortly after 2:30 a.m. yesterday, lawmakers had raised the state's sales, corporate income, tobacco and vehicle titling taxes. And they had overhauled the personal income tax system, which will result in high-end earners paying more.

The legislature also embraced O'Malley's proposal to hold a referendum on legalizing 15,000 slot machines, a truce on an issue that had poisoned the relationship of the legislature's two Democratic presiding officers and had ended in stalemates when Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) was governor.

Lawmakers voted to ... expand access to government-subsidized health care and to raise an additional $400 million a year for transportation priorities.

[Lawmakers said] little was explicitly promised in exchange for legislators' votes. Rather, they said, O'Malley and other administration officials would outline what programs and projects would be possible with new revenue from slots and tax increases as well as the consequences of budget cuts as an alternative. Lawmakers said they were also left with the general impression that administration officials would remember who helped them.

In some cases, inducements were offered. The Prince George's County delegation secured the promise of state funding for its hospital system.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

More Spending Rather than Cutting: Another Reason Why YOU should vote them all OUT!

They were supposed to be working on the budget, but the black caucus (racist by any measure, because by its definition white lawmakers aren't allowed in) managed to get public funding for their political fundraiser. I think that's illegal.

What a a mess; vote them all OUT!

House OKs slots companion bill in early morning -- baltimoresun.com:
"Tension and frustration built throughout the day as a series of delays -- including a break for the Legislative Black Caucus to attend a long-planned fundraiser -- pushed debate off for hours."

Friday, November 16, 2007

Universal Health Care: Hand Out, or Hand Up?

I was thinking about last night night's Democratic debate, and the Democratic candidates in general, and Hillary Clinton in particular, and her views on health care. She's been after some form of universal health care since forever, and if anyone recalls 1993, they will remember her closed-door sessions where even physicians were not allowed in.

Considering the impact universal health care will have on the economy as a whole, I have decided that this is not only a bad idea for the country, but a policy that will keep people enslaved to poverty forever. Here's why:

Universal health care is an idea based on compassion. Not that Clinton is compassionate, she's not; this kind of talk is simply her stock and trade to accomplish her ambitions. But to think that everyone living in an advanced industrialized country should have free access to the health care system irrespective of their wealth is a noble idea.

On the other side is what we have today: that one works for their health care; that, through their employment, they have health insurance as a benefit of their employment.

Note that, under Federal law, no one can be turned away from health care. Presenting one's self to an emergency room with any form of injury or sickness will result in being seen by a doctor. If you've ever spent any time in ERs, as I have, you'll quickly see that many people in urban areas use emergency rooms as their primary care facilities. I recall one individual who took up the doctor's time with a pain in his knee which had persisted for over a year. He was treated, gratis, under Federal law.

Anecdotes aside, in consideration of what is in the best interests of the economy, and the people as a whole, which is better, supplying your own health insurance, or letting the government give you their version of it?

We have many people who persist to live in poverty, for one reason or another, either lack of ambition, or infirmity, or laziness; pick a reason, there are many. Under Clinton's plan, all these will receive health care gratis, paid for by those who work (while we all pay for our own health care to boot). Remember, health insurance through one's employment is seldom 100% free; one must pay something.

Should universal health care become official policy, what is the impetus for one to get employment, or get a better job, or rise within the social ranks?

There are many other things that come with having the kind of employment that give one health insurance. Personal satisfaction and the good mental health associated with it is one, but in economic terms one will see an immediate emergence from poverty, with (hopefully) no need to use drugs nor commit crimes that support them, nor any of the other negative things associated with poverty. Oh, and did I mention that tax revenue will increase, as well, because these folks are now paying income tax? That should interest the Democrats to no end.

I think it's easy to see that the negative impacts of poverty, and indeed poverty itself, is supported through universal health care, simply because the requirement to work for one's own good is removed.

Consider also the concept of opportunity. There's no question that poverty is a persistent problem; what to do about it? It's not government's job to hand things out to people, but it is certainly good economic policy to see that a playing field rich with opportunity exists. These opportunities translate into wealth for all concerned, including health care for the worker, and an expansion of the health care industry itself, creating new opportunities within that field as well. It's a snowballing effect.

But to a politician, nothing sounds as good as, "here you go, here's something for free."

We just never seem to learn that "free" ain't free.

Monday, November 12, 2007

They're still spending!

House panel votes on budget cuts -- baltimoresun.com: "...The House also has put off voting on a health care bill that appears to have strong support. The $600 million plan, which could reach the full House floor on Tuesday, would expand Medicaid eligibility to reduce the number of uninsured people in Maryland -- up to 800,000 by some counts. The measure also includes about $20 million a year in subsidies for small businesses that aren't currently offering insurance to their employees.

So let me get this - in a time when we're 1.7 BILLION in the hole, the sitting Legislature is going to spend $600 MILLION - or 35% of that deficit - to insure people now not insured? Wrong time to do that, guys. It's nice to know that, without asking any constituents, elected reps have decided to increase the state sales tax by 20%, when they could have reduced the deficit by 35% in one felled swoop by voting against this plan.

"...The House already has voted for the revenue part of the budget deficit plan. House members worked into Sunday morning to approve a tax plan that would raise about $1.4 billion. About $1 billion was approved to pay for the deficit and roughly $450 million was set aside for transportation projects."

So they decided to increase taxes by $1.4 BILLION to pay for the deficit, while at the same time increasing spending by 35% of the very deficit that the special session is supposed to control. And forgetting to ask the constituents as well. How about some legislation control?

How Democratic, how Maryland!

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Who's looking out for you?

I just saw the latest news concerning the debacle that is the Maryland Special Session 2007. Here are excerpts from the article, reprinted without permission, with comments below each interesting point:

From Saturday's Sun

Lawmakers craft competing tax plans

House, Senate divided on individual, corporate levies

By Laura Smitherman and Andrew A. Green

Sun Reporters

9:54 PM EST, November 9, 2007

...Nine Democrats joined all 14 Senate Republicans in voting against the plan. Critics decried the tax proposals and called for more spending cuts. They said the tax measures would be a burden on lower-income and middle-class families, and would drastically affect spending habits, inhibit business and even discourage people from living in the state.


The next time you think only Democrats have the bests interests of the working people at heart, remember this.


"It's clear that every Marylander is going to pay more, significantly more," said Sen. David R. Brinkley, the minority leader from Frederick County.

"Sen. Bobby A. Zirkin, a Baltimore County Democrat who voted against the tax bill, said many elements did not seem well thought-out. "To throw things against the wall and see if they stick is not the way to do this," he said.

"But the Democratic-controlled chamber voted to limit debate, ending any hopes for a lengthy filibuster, and the legislature appears headed toward compromise on a package that raises taxes, curtails some spending and boosts health care programs and transportation projects.

"...A late addition to the bill was the so-called "snowbird" provision. It would define a Maryland resident as someone who lives in the state for more than three months, instead of six months under current law, and subject them to the state income tax.

Do you realize that this subjects these people to the income tax of two states - say, Florida and Maryland? That's just not fair. And I'm not sure it's Constitutional, either.


Supporters say that it would ensure that residents who spend most of the year outside of Maryland in lower-tax locales, mostly in the Sun Belt, carry their share of the tax burden. They contend it could raise as much as $60 million. Opponents, however, say the bill unfairly targets retirees, including some on fixed incomes, and would prompt residents to abandon Maryland entirely.

Once again, the Republicans have it right.


"The House and Senate also are at odds over proposed changes to corporate taxes.

"A House committee endorsed increasing the corporate income tax to 8.75 percent, and the House included in its legislation a corporate tax law change known as "combined reporting" aimed at preventing big companies from hiding profits out of state.

"Business leaders quickly criticized the corporate tax measures. A study commissioned by the Maryland Chamber of Commerce and other groups found that increasing the corporate income tax to 8 percent and implementing combined reporting would cost more jobs than any other tax changes the legislature is considering. Business groups point out that Virginia's rate is 6 percent and North Carolina's is 6.9 percent.

"Karen Syrylo, a tax consultant for the chamber, said combining the two -- and increasing the corporate tax rate to 8.75 percent -- would be "very, very, bad." She added: "Underline 'very.'"

"It's a huge detriment," Syrylo said. "Our biggest competitors are Virginia and North Carolina."

See my previous post on how this is a bad thing for the working people of Maryland, and why it will increase crime.


"But Sean Dobson, the director of Progressive Maryland, said the House is moving in the right direction. "The corporate income tax has not nearly kept pace with robust corporate profits, so it seems to us the corporate community can do more to help us get out of this deficit," he said."

The thing that politicians never seem to get is that it's a percentage! That means that as the profits increase, so do the taxes - percentage, remember? Maryland democrats simply won't be happy until they get it all. But they'll end up with none; their stupidity will drive these businesses to other states.



"The Senate would extend the sales tax to computer services and arcade games, while dropping a proposal to add landscaping services. The House would extend the sales tax to auto repair and to parking garages, while doubling the hotel tax."

The inner harbor has already lost considerable convention business to high room rates. This exacerbates the problem. What are they doing down there?


"...We seem to be so concerned about, as the governor calls them, the working poor, and it seems to me they're going to be the people who are going to own cars that are 10 or 12 years old and break down more often," said Del. D. Page Elmore, an Eastern Shore Republican. "This will be a tax on the working poor."

And again, the opposition has it right. Who's more compassionate?


"...But Republicans said the bill was a hollow gesture because the governor is not required to follow the spending guidelines. "We're pretending that we're making significant cuts in the budget to set up the tax increases," said Sen. E.J. Pipkin, an Eastern Shore Republican.

"On Thursday, the Senate approved a plan to hold a referendum in November 2008 on whether to allow up to 15,000 slot machines at five locations around the state, which now also goes to the House for consideration."

Can we hold a referendum on whether or not they all - especially the Governor - keep their jobs?

Please have a look at the original article and decide for yourself.



UPDATED: How Maryland Legislators are Increasing Crime, or Why our Lawmakers are IDIOTS!

As we speak, Maryland lawmakers are locked in debate over not whether to, but which and how much to raise various taxes on all people in MD. This comes with the backdrop of an energy cost increase of 50% several months ago, with the balance of a 72% increase on the way. And another bump in that rate was approved just this week. Gasoline is up by approximately 50% in the last 3 or so years, with more increases on the way; $4.00 per gallon by January is not out of the question (check gasoline prices at AAA and trends). Natural gas is expected to cost homeowners an additional 25% this year. Housing prices continue to spiral downward, so the option of selling one's house to "downsize" is not an option. Many people will be lucky to escape foreclosure as it is (article2). Tax revenues are down, as are all economic indicators for the health of the state's economy. Retail sales are way off. Clearly, all Marylanders, especially those at the bottom of the income scale, are feeling the squeeze.

The MD Legislature is currently aiming its sights at the Democrats' most beloved target, the Evil Corporations. How naive. These companies are the engine that provide the power for an energetic economy. That Democrats in Maryland don't understand this is very telling of their rank ignorance of basic principles of economics. So let me lay it all out:

One of two things, or maybe both, will come of the Democratic Legislature's actions:

Corporations operating in Maryland will be forced to raise their prices to offset the new taxes (you didn't think they'd simply absorb them, did you?). This in turn will cause fewer of their items or services to be sold, because those goods are then less price-competitive. Marylanders, also, can less afford them, because they are paying higher taxes and fees across the board as directed by the new taxes coming from this special session. The decrease in business will cause these businesses to need fewer of the widgets they make, which will mean they require fewer workers, who must then be laid off or fired. Unemployed people don't pay taxes, so this in turn will result in less taxes paid to the government; in fact, more money will be paid out from the government in the form of unemployment, welfare and tax credits. And the budget deficit that the taxes were supposed to fix will only get deeper, but with it will go the depth and breadth of the poverty of Marylanders.

Alternatively, corporations will move to other locales with a more favorable tax structure. They will close their doors, fire Maryland workers, and move on to more prosperous (shall we say, "greener?") fields. The ultimate results of which are outlined above.

Now consider this: we discuss incessantly that the major causes of crime are poverty and lack of opportunity. So if there are fewer jobs and higher costs of living, how are people going to survive? It's easy: they'll be forced to steal, or rob, or sell drugs, or do other sorts of crimes just to get by.

Do you think this is far-fetched? It's happened before. Quoted from a study on crime and poverty in Antebellum Boston (Morse. African Americans In Antebellum Boston. :

  • Crimes such as theft, robbery, assault, and murder should merit some attention in matters of linking poverty and crime. These crimes are potentially fueled by the lack of goods and the need to obtain those goods. Theft and robbery are directly related to poverty for obvious reasons. Assault and murder can only be linked when there is an intention to rob.

Read this article on how those in poverty use crime as a risk-coping strategy. And, there's other thought that crime causes poverty, making it all a vicious circle.

In short, civilization decreases as a factor of opportunity and hope, plain and simple. Too bad Americans don't do revolutions, like the Russians in 1917. One of those in Annapolis would be interesting...

We live in a time when our economy as a whole is perched in a very precarious position. Governor Oaf'Malley and the rest of the Maryland Legislature who follow him have a very good opportunity to push our local economy well into a recession, if not a flat-out depression. At the least, we can expect crime numbers to go up across the board. We can also expect many families' lives to be ruined by these retarded tax-and-spend policies by the Oaf"Malley Administration.

How that benefits anyone (other than the Governor being able to say, "I balanced the budget") will have to be explained to me.

Protesting the Maryland Sales Tax Increase with my Wallet

The dust hasn't settled on this yet, but I'm madder'n a wet hen over the mere thought of raising taxes in Maryland. Mostly, I'm angry because no one in the capital listened to the voters.

As a protest, I plan to make as few purchases in-state as possible. I will be doing all of my Christmas shopping online, and plan to buy anything else that I need online, outside of Maryland and with companies that do not charge MD tax. I hope others will do the same. Remember, MD is a small state, and trips to PA and DE are not all that long.

If you're making purchases for computers and electronics, I highly recommend Newegg.com. They offer excellent prices, and very fast processing and shipping. In some cases, I've had my purchase within 24 hours. And, they are reasonable about returns.

Let's see how they like that in Annapolis.

Friday, November 9, 2007

Vote them ALL OUT

To use a medical metaphor, when one has a deadly cancer, all of it must be cut out or it will return to infect more.

I am urging all Marylanders to vote out ALL incumbents in the next election, bar none. I, for one, am sick of them refusing to listen to us. We put them there. And if we leave even one incumbent behind, I fear he or she will poison the new crop with the same cancer that we have come to accept as government.

Considering the budget for state government, it's simple arithmetic: the more the Maryland state government gets, the more it will spend. I was discussing the matter with my state delegate yesterday, and he told me his interest was in efficiencies in government. That's a nice thought, but if that's so, how can government become more efficient if they are constantly rewarded with ever-higher funding, stemming from ever-increasing taxes? The way to force government to be efficient is to cut their funding, and then let's watch them do the same job with less money. You know, I'll bet we'll all be surprised at how well a job they do.

I am sick of politicians taking political credit for doing a "good" job when they take the people's money and spend it. You guys want credit for doing something good? Then take credit for doing as you were directed to do, in our representative government.

I believe that anyone with even a modicum of common sense can do a better job than these career politicians that we have now. Therefore, I will not vote for any incumbent. I want fresh blood down there in Annapolis. I hope you agree.

________________________________________________

Senate passes tax plan -- baltimoresun.com: "'It's clear that every Marylander is going to pay more, significantly more,' said Sen. David R. Brinkley, the minority leader from Frederick County.

Senate Republicans and some Democrats railed against the tax proposals and called for more spending cuts. But the Democratic-controlled chamber voted to limit debate, ending any hopes for a lengthy filibuster.

Under the Senate bill, the sales tax would rise from 5 percent to 6 percent, the tobacco tax would double to $2 per pack of cigarettes and the corporate income tax would increase from 7 percent to 8 percent. The chamber jettisoned O'Malley's proposed reduction of the state property tax, and largely rejected his proposals for making the personal income tax structure more progressive."

Hillary in Drag? by Thomas DiLorenzo

Read this awesome article on the motives and reasons behind the taxes of the Teflon Leprechaun, Governor Martin O'Malley. The article is written By Thomas DiLorenzo, Economics Professor at Loyola College in Maryland.

Hillary in Drag? by Thomas DiLorenzo:

"...But that was not nearly enough for the Teflon Leprechan, whose inaugural address was filled with 1930s-era class warfare talk about the undeserving rich in the state, the haves and have-nots, the evils of corporations, bla, bla, bla. And all of a sudden, out of the blue, the state bureaucracy announced that, lo and behold, they are 'projecting' a $1.7 billion budget deficit. 'Huh? Where did that come from?', was the initial response of almost everyone.

"It came from 'projected' massive spending increases on the black hole of government-run school monopolies, which is essentially a giant payoff to the teachers’ unions that were instrumental in getting O’Malley elected and has nothing to do with 'education' per se. Like all other states, the more Maryland spends on its rotten government schools, the worse they get in terms of student performance."

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Why Baltimore is the Crime capital

Low turnout, no surprises expected in city elections - Topix: "Theodore R. McKeldin, elected in 1963, was the last Republican Baltimore voters sent to the mayor's office. The last Republican elected to the City Council was in 1939, the year the classic film The Wizard of Oz premiered."