Taxes and Fairness? Another Take [Reader Post]

The late (and IMHO great) Paul Harvey said it best: “Corporations don’t pay taxes.” By that, he went on to explain, he meant that higher tax costs are passed on to consumers. So, with that in mind, let’s look at what Obama and Democrats proposes as “fair” with respect to taxes. Let’s also examine fairness and how higher taxes effect jobs and the economy.

Increase the Debt Ceiling? [Reader Post]

Today we hear quite a lot about the U.S. debt ceiling or debt limit. So in this article I try to draw upon Internet news, political news, and economic news for sources to examine this situation. Before deciding about the politics of the debt limit, one must understand it – what it is, from where it came, and how Congress uses it.

Cut Defense Before Food Stamps [Reader Post]

or How Will Welfare Recipients Spend Benefits If There Is No Country?

Sooooooooooooooooooooo, Obama says budget cuts should favor Food Stamps at the expense of Defense. From Rebecca Kaplan at National Journal we get Obama’s statement: “I think what’s absolutely true is that core commitments that we make to the most vulnerable have to be maintained,” Obama said. “A lot of the spending cuts that we’re making should be around areas like defense spending as opposed to food stamps.” In an interview with NPR, Obama cast himself as the defender of the poor and middle class in the debt-reduction debate by calling on Congress to close tax loopholes for Big Oil and the owners of corporate jets.

When Politicians Intervene: NASA’s Budget Refocusing Ends US Space Exploration Program [Reader Post]

Some number of years ago, over twenty as I remember, the late (and IMHO great) Paul Harvey said that for every dollar spent at NASA, the return was seven dollars. So with that quote in my mind, the final Space Shuttle launch a few days ago, and Obama refocusing the NASA budget, I want to examine Obama’s NASA policy, as well as identify/review some of the daily benefits that we all derive from the NASA budget and space exploration.

Plans versus Planning and the Budget [Reader Post]

I just finished a book about General/President Dwight D. Eisenhower. One of his famous quotes was: “plans are nothing, planning is everything.” I was struck by that quote because it recognizes two facts of life in general and the military and politics in particular. The act of planning is more valuable than the plan itself. Planning makes you realize that you can’t just show up and wing it. Planning makes you think about what you are wanting to accomplish. You cannot have/put forth a plan without some planning.

The Politics of Socialism, Why it Never Works, and Lessons for the U.S. [Reader Post]

As taxpayers forked over $700 billion to bail out Wall Street and $787 billion to “stimulate” the economy, questions are now being asked about Obama’s economic policies and whether he is leading us toward socialism. The proposed 2012 budget is expected to be about 40% of this country’s GDP, very similar to European socialist states.