The (other) Picture of The Day
Over at GraniteGrok I post a ‘picture of the day. Today it was a Michael Ramirez cartoon. But after posting it I found this, which paints a different picture, about public union wages.
New Hampshire may have a chart just like this one, so with any luck someone will be kind enough to provide it. Until then this shows us what Ohio Education Association Union Employees make compared to the other suckers who “also pay taxes.” A theme repeated in every state most likley. Data is reported to be from the US Dept of Labor.
New Slogan: “Public Union Employees: suffering through more so you can have less.”
Source: M.Malkin.com
Cross Posted: http://granitegrok.com/
Twitter @nhstevemacd
Posted in Budgets, Debt/Spending, Unions
Tagged Benefits, politics, Spending, Unions, Wages
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The Right To Your Money: Nothing ‘Fair’ About It.
The Granite State Fair Tax Coalition, discovering that it’s “percentage of income model” argument against property taxes really applies to all things, and that lower income people pay a higher percentage of their income on everything, (a problem resolved through hard work and perseverance to which we apparently do not have a right) has announced that it is looking for a way to make “Rich BastardsTM” pay more for everything.
One fun example?
How about Marriage. Now that we’ve determined that Marriage is a civil right, (unless you are too young, too closely related, are already married, to uncivil to be or stay married, or want to remain single) why does a decent wedding (or any wedding) have to cost low income workers as much as 100% of their annual income while “Rich BastardsTM” only have to pay 25% to as little as 2% of theirs? The answer is of course a Statewide wedding tax on higher income wage earners to subsidize the constitutionally protected right of marriage–because you can’t help who you fall in love with.
The plan could create a State Bureau of Weddings and Funerals, staffed by at least a dozen bureaucrats, (with taxpayer supported wages, benefits, pensions, office space, paid vacations, supplies, and protest signs that actually come with sick notes attached; for days when they need to go the State House and make demands of the taxpayers elected-officials on matters of workers rights etc,). These fine individuals would be charged with handling questions and processing the paperwork and fees related to the weddings and funerals tax placed upon job creators, and the Rich Bastard population in general, (“Rich” to be defined by the collectors of the tax based on their perception of revenue needed) for the distribution of said revenues to those less fortunate seeking lavish weddings that have nothing to do with love, everything to do with impressing people whom you never see, and who are really just there for the free meal, and with any luck, an open bar.
One potential issue to the new Bureau’s mandate, however, is the rights of single people who would not benefit from the tax, or maybe this is just a rhetorical device on my part to segue into my next sarcastic rant.
Choice being the watchword of the left, the right to marriage must also create a right to not be married and not just through the right of divorce. So the right to co-habitate, to “habitate” with a co-dependent (on or off site relationship), to simply participate in the hook up culture engaging in the equivalent of pre-marital polygamy, (poly-habitate/habituate) also known as pre or post marital anti-monogamy, media sanctioned extra-marital intercourse (former democrat president), or even the rights of 40 year old adolescents with Dorito-stained lips and thumbs the size of biceps from playing video games in their moms basements (losers), must also be protected equally.
In the interests of meeting all these diverse and interrelated ‘rights’ GSFTC suggests that we also add an income tax, a bit of eminent domain taking from your labor-landscape. With an income tax the state can create an even larger bureau of unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats (wages, benefits, pensions, signs and sick notes included), to control, collect, and regulate you so as to provide state lawmakers with a much larger pool of revenues from which to determine whom is most deserving of whatever is it a majority of them can agree to is either a right or an injustice deserving your money at any given time.
This pool will not actually pay for any of that though; it will exist in terminal inadequacy, in perpetuity, to leverage debt-spending because they could never collect it fast enough with all those spending priorities, they also need it to cover the swelling interest payments on the debt as we decline into bankruptcy.
You need broad taxes to collect that kind of money; taxes that you won’t really feel, (like you feel a huge tax bill every six months). They are a critical component to building an expansive, unaffordable government that no one sees until it is too late. Just look at all the states that use them, and the Federal government as well. On the brink or over it.
This failed state model is the result of the genetic defects of left wing thinking. Misusing other peoples property is a priority. But if they have to petition the populace every single time they want more money to “fix” something, following all the stupid rules in a constitution could add months or years to the process of separating you from enough of your income, and they just don’t want to wait that long. So a failed tax structure on income, which is actually more volatile than property, has to be a cure–because it is actually less transparent; you just don’t feel it the way you do a property tax bill. And if you need more you inch up the tax rate. So all the GSFTC really wants is to make your taxes less visible and easier to abuse.
One more unfortunate problem with the plan, which GSFTC will not discuss truthfully, as if anything they have to say has any truth to it now: property taxes will not go down, the new tax will go up, and there will be more 40 year old adolescents with Dorito-stained lips and thumbs the size of biceps (from playing video games in their moms basements), exercising their “right” to live off their parents. But that’s supposed to be progress.
Posted in Culture, Democrats, Humor?, Local NH Politics, Progressives, taxes
Tagged democrats, GSFTC, New Hampshire, Progressives, taxes
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Political Incivility is Not the New Hampshire Way
“Political Incivility is Not the New Hampshire Way” is the title of Jeanne Shaheen’s Op-Ed in the Morning Sunday News. I can only assume she is not familiar with her own State Democrat Party leadership, some of the people who have helped her get elected like Kathy Sullivan, and others; people who are on the record saying any number of uncivil things. And we’re not even talking about implications of cross-walk manslaughter, nuking Japan, wishing people dead, Koch brother hate, or anything the average public sector union worker may have uttered. And what about Republican’s being like the Taliban?
Seems to me that there is a very healthy supply of political incivility in New Hampshire, so what Rodney King like, “can’t we all just get along,” paint by the talking points numbers mural is Shaheen creating?
She is setting the narrative for her next Senate race. Jeanne is trying hard to track toward the center in anticipation of a reelection battle. She is tilling the earth and planting little placebo-seeds of moderateness to sell herself as a middle of the road, small-government is just alright with me, independent-voter attracting kind of a democrat, even though she is just another spineless rubber-stamp liberal progressive. But she’d like to be able to claim to have long been orbiting safely in the event horizon–away from the gravity of left wing extremism in her party–to attract the mythological “civil center,” but her voting record (91% with Harry Reid) and her donors (Emily’s List, Lawyers, Lobbyists, leadership, and Liberals) will make it hard to take that seriously.
She need to distance herself from the debacle in Wisconsin, and left wing hate all over, despite heavy union donors to her campaign. She’s been bought out by Emily’s List so the abortion ugliness is also an albatross around her neck. And her support of Obama and the legions of uncivil, unpopular nonsense he is a part of also weigh heavy.
So she’ll have plenty of money and plenty of time, to keep the search engines filled with political platitudes. But you can bet there will be some uncivil behavior come re-elections time, sanctioned by her own democrat party, right here in New Hampshire. It’s guaranteed. Democrats can’t help themselves. Which is why this op-ed is the funniest thing you’ll find in the Sunday paper.
Posted in Around New England, Democrats, Hypocrats, Local NH Politics
Tagged Civility, democrats, Got Civility, Got Hate?, Jeanne Shaheen
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Democrats, Frat Boys, And Pimps, Oh My!
When did the vagina become the locus of all women’s health? It’s so important to democrats that they would shut down the government, force parks to close, leave millions in limbo wondering how they will be affected, and even cut off pay for active military personnel just to protect a sub-particle of the entire federal budget universe for one little niche provider of “vagina related services.”
That sounds a bit extreme to me. Extreme because Planned Parenthood (PP) has admitted publicly that it does not even need the tax dollars. Obscene because there are over 20,000 Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 99,000 family and general practitioners, and hundreds of thousands of doctors, specialists, and nurse practitioners, all of whom are qualified (more qualified?) to keep the entire woman healthy, even the sex parts the left seems obsessed with.
But hey, they are democrats, right? So this is not rally that strange a position to take.
The left wing has invested decades arguing that women are not sex objects while teaching them to be sex objects, the side effects of which can be resolved by a major democrat party donor–the abortion industry. They are also the ones who told us that Obamacare would cover all our health needs, especially those most likley to use PP’s “women’s health services,” (except for mammograms which Obamacare’s coverage delays at great risk to women’s health). But now they insist that we cannot take a few million tax dollars away from a multimillion dollar, international business that does not need it, for fear that women’s health will be forever compromised?
So the democrat view of women’s health differs little from that of a drunken frat boy. Or even a sober frat boy. And that’s an apt comparison, because Planned Parenthood is the number one provider of abortions, which have nothing to do with women’s health unless there is a medical complication. To a democrat, and a frat boy, however, pregnancy is a medical complication; the internal possession of life is a crime against the social life for which Planned Parenthood is, apparently, the only cure.
Lord knows you can’t get birth control or condoms or screenings from anywhere on the planet but Planned Parenthood right? I mean really? Oh, wait. You can just not at taxpayer expense. And premarital sex is in the constitution. Sex in general actually, you know, that whole domestic tranquility thing? Viagra for inmates and public union hacks oh, my.
Right.
So the democrats were prepared to shut it all down to defend one big, international rent seeker. To pigeonhole women’s health issues to sex parts and intercourse. And to defend a major campaign contributor (the abortion industry) at all costs? Using women’s vagina’s for cash? Doesn’t that make them a bunch of pimps?
Posted in Abortion, Budgets, Culture, Democrats, Local NH Politics
Tagged Abortion, democrats, Frat Boys, Pimps
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Republican Change In New Hampshire
H/T to Patricia Wulfson for sending me this first.
“The New Hampshire House of Representatives received a mandate from the voters of this state to cut state spending; reduce taxes and fees; return fiscal sanity to the state; promote economic development and create jobs; mend a state retirement system that was nearing insolvency; provide our children with an education based on excellence; protect the personal rights and freedoms of its citizens; and maintain transparency in state government. Listed here is a compilation of legislation passed by the 2001 New Hampshire House of Representatives in response to that message that they received in November from the voters.
Trans-formative Change:
• Passed a constitutional amendment to require a super-majority in the House and Senate to raise taxes or borrowing. (CACR 6)
• For the first time in NH history, that included more that 50 attempts in the legislature, the House passed a constitutional amendment to expand local control of education funding by returning authority to elected officials, not unelected judges. (CACR 12) Setting an example for our citizens by “living within our means:”
• Passed a fiscally responsible budget that, (1) was balanced by using realistic revenue figures; (2) did not increase taxes or fees; (3) does not downshift onto local property taxpayers; and (4) does not increase borrowing, setting New Hampshire on a financially sustainable path will allow our economy to grow and create more jobs. (HB 1 & 2)
• Passed an education funding formula that maintains existing levels of aid to communities and allows additional targeted aid to needy cities and towns. (HB 337)
• Passed a bill to allow local communities to enact tax and spending caps. (HB 341) Moving our economy forward, creating more jobs and putting out the “Open for Business sign” in New Hampshire once again.
• Passed a small business tax cut to protect reasonable compensation from the business profits tax. (HB 557)
(more on the jump…)
• Passed a cigarette tax reduction to make New Hampshire more competitive in the region and enhancing cross-border sales. (HB 156)
• Passed legislation eliminating a tax on gambling winnings that was costing the state revenue. (HB 229)
• Passed a bill to reduce electricity costs by repealing the state’s cap-and-trade program. (HB 519)
• Passed numerous bills reducing regulations on business, which in turn will help to create more jobs for New Hampshire workers. (HBs 26, 30, 95, 109, 117, 133, 136, 141, 142, 143, 155, 173, 230, 248, 262, 276, 289, 291, 322, 333, 381, 404, 441, 450, 488, 503, 540, 570, 617, 651)
• Passed Right-to-Work legislation to expand opportunities to attract employers to New Hampshire (HB 474)
• Passed legislation to create an innovation business job growth function in the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority to promote venture capital and job growth throughout the state. (HB 605) Keeping New Hampshire safe for its citizens:
• Passed a bill to expand the death penalty to cover those who commit murder during a home invasion.(HB 147) • Passed a bill to reform early release law to keep violent prisoners behind bars and restore discretion to the parole board for those who re-offend. (HB 524)
• Passed legislation allowing law abiding New Hampshire residents to carry concealed weapons without requiring a permit. (HB 330)
• Passed a bill to allow the Castle Doctrine which permits the use of deadly force in the defense of oneself. (HB 210) Returning transparency to NH state government:
• Passed a bill to open up records of annulments of crimes. (HB 82)
• Passed legislation to post agency spending information on state website. (HB 331)
• Passed a bill to allow for the recording of law enforcement officers while working. (HB 145)
• Passed a bill to allow access to accident reports involving publicly owned vehicles. (HB 347)
• Passed legislation to have state government use open source software. (HB 418) Reforming state government and changing the way we do business:
• Passed a bill to overhaul the state’s lower court system. (HB 609)
• Passed legislation to move the state pension (HB 580) and retiree health plan (HB 231) back toward financial solvency.
• Passed a reorganization of state agencies to promote streamlining of functions and easier access for our citizens. (HB 635)
• Passed a bill to enact a performance-based measurement system for state government. (HB 508)
• Passed a bill to consolidate the Racing and Gaming Commission into the Lottery Commission. (HB 348)
• Passed legislation prohibiting the use of preferences for race, sex, religion or sexual preferences in state hiring. (HB 623) Protecting the rights of New Hampshire parents:
• Passed legislation to require parental notification prior to a minor having an abortion. (HB 329)
• Passed a bill to ensure that students are not forced to attend schools teaching material which parents find objectionable. (HB 542) Making education work for our parents and students:
• Passed a bill to allow small schools more flexibility to develop staffing plans that meet their students’ needs. (HB 290)
• Passed legislation to allow school to receive accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. (HB 130)
• Passed a bill to allow teachers to protect themselves and stop disruptive students from injuring classmates. (HB 375)
• Passed a bill to allow schools more flexibility in transportation options in transporting students. (HB 172)
• Passed legislation allowing charter schools to receive support for leased space. (HB 505)”
Posted in Local NH Politics
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A Silber In The Minds Eye
The Granite State Fair Tax Coalitions (GSFTC) most recent shill is for unions and spending as usual. This months argument is an Op-Ed by Cathy Silber of GSFTC, forwarded by Mark Fernald. It’s standard pro-union, blame the economy pap. Hardly worth the bother. But Cathy did say something that got me thinking.
Let’s also remember that the unprecedented size of the budget gap we’re facing was caused by the Great Recession. Revenues plummeted. It’s a revenue problem.
I’m going to have to respectfully disagree. What this really is a democrat problem. Stupid democrats to be more precise. (OK, maybe not so respectfully.)
We are told that the Great Recession started in 2007. Looking back, who was in control of New Hampshire in 2007? Democrats. The Housing crisis reached its media zenith in the fall of 2008, banks faltered, the market dipped, employment tanked, the dollar went for a ride, consumer confidence continued downward, energy prices soared, and things generally went to hell. Wages were flat or declining (unless you were in a Public union) and people were struggling to cut corners to keep their homes and cars, and lifestyles in tact. Money was tight all around.
So in the face of this economic catastrophe, which the democrats happily sold as a disaster not unlike a Biblical plague, what did NH Democrats do? Did they target resources and manage the state to make the best use of a dwindling resource? No. They spent your money like a gold digger and added 23% to the cost of government during a recession. They demanded 13% more revenue than when times were “good or at least better. And then they went after 10% on top of that the next chance they got.
You could call that a revenue problem, if by that you mean “democrats imagined revenue to justify increased spending we could not afford during a recession.” Or how about a “democrats are selfish, ideological, tax and spend A-holes, who couldn’t be trusted to divide up a dinner check. This makes them either completely incompetent or criminally insane; neither of which gives them the moral authority to govern responsibly nor the reputation to comment intelligently about anyone else’s efforts to un-imagine that which never existed.
The new budget sees revenue in real terms, terms the democrats naturally demagogue as underestimated. Underestimated? Really? That’s your talking point? You overestimate for four years, scramble year after years to come up with some scheme to allow you to call the budget balanced, raise 100 taxes and fees, burn through one-time money, increase debt and borrowing, use accounting gimmicks that would get the average businessman tossed in jail, lie about a surplus, and then leave a $900 million dollar structural deficit in your wake, and you want us to believe that coming from you?
So yeah Silber, it is a revenue problem. You get your revenue from tax and spend progressives in exchange for carrying the broad-based, grow government, tax memes for a political party that shouldn’t be allowed to divide up the lunch check let alone run a state budget. But you keep peddling that tripe. You keep trying to plant that image of fairness and we’ll keep reminding people just how stupid it all sounds in the real world by showing them all the failed states where it’s been tried, and the facts about putting democrats in charge of your wallet.
Posted in Local NH Politics
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Body Of Proof
I watched ABC’s ‘Body of Proof’ the other night (Tuesdays at 10pm, ABC) and if you would like the worlds quickest synopsis here it is.
“House” meets “Quincy” with a touch of the Mentalist.
Dana Delany plays Dr. Megan Hunt a brilliant neurosurgeon who, after a car accident lacks sufficient feeling in her hands–they get numb–to perform brain surgery, so she relegates herself to working as a Medical Examiner where she learns from the dead instead of trying to save the living. From this ‘low’ perch she doles out genius like some Alpha-female version of Yoda, always knowing more and seeing more than anyone else in the room. But she is so closed off as to seem unapproachable. She speaks and expects to be right, and for the most part is.
The pilot addresses the key points in her back-story, car accident, divorced without custody of her daughter. Her ex-husband is a jerk to her. And she is an irascible, know it all who has no apparent respect for any authority other than her own, even when it comes from her boss, another Alpha female (there are several in the show).
There is also a great deal of focus on Delany’s calves, always visible beneath close fitting, knee length skirts, just above her black heels. I mention it because it seemed forced. Other than that, and there is nothing wrong with Dana’s calves as far as I can tell, the show was very entertaining if you need another CSI-like, medical investigation, cop-drama. Will I watch it again? Probably not, but only because I do not watch much and my limited viewing schedule just got more limited with the beginning of Baseball season.
But I would recommend it. Dr. Megan Hunt is Quincy/House etc, and its an interesting formulation of character to watch as everyone, and I mean everyone, tells her to get some friends. At this point, she’s not friend-friendly, but she is respected and that almost makes it believable.
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Want to Know A Secret?
New Hampshire Democrats and their useful idiots are lying about the state budget. Get ready to be see it all exposed. (Sorry for the tease…but the truth is coming soon to a blog and web site near you.)
Posted in Budgets, Debt/Spending, Economy/Economics, New Hampshire News
Tagged Budget, New Hampshire, New Hampshire Politics, politics, Republicans
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Picture of the day http://ow.ly/4tjH0
Picture of the day http://ow.ly/4tjH0
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The New Media Militia 