Common Sense Government Blog

Rex Murphy on Climategate

Lindsey Graham Destroys Eric Holder

PR at its Worst

I recently came across a very interesting blog post from Martha Conway, President of Online Offline PR, talking about the recent tea party protests and how PR and the Department of Homeland Security was used to try to position protesters as "extremists." Very interesting article giving the PR viewpoint, and how PR can be used at its worst.

The Employee Meeting...

A friend sent me this recently. Another friend was able to determine this is a fictional account of a business owner holding a meeting with all of his staff, but it's an excellent explanation of how higher taxes on "the rich" trickle down to affect all of us.

John Eberhard

 

The Employee Meeting: I would like to start by thanking you for attending this meeting, though it's not like you had much of a choice. After all, attendance was mandatory. I'm also glad many of you accepted my invitation to your family members to be here as well. I have a few remarks to make to all of you, and then we'll retire to the ballroom for a great lunch and some employee awards.

I felt that this meeting was important enough to close all 12 of our tire and automotive shops today so that you could be here. To reassure you, everybody is being paid for the day --- except me. Since our stores are closed we're making no money. That economic loss is mine to sustain. Carrington Automotive has 157 full time employees and around 30 additional part-timers. All of you are here. I thank you for that.

When you walked into this auditorium you were handed a rather thick 78-page document. Many of you have already taken a peek. You were probably surprised to see that it's my personal tax return for 2008. Those of you who are adept at reading these tax returns will see that last year my taxable income was $534,000.00. Now I'm sure this seems rather high to many of you. So ... let's talk about this tax return.

Carrington Automotive Enterprises is what we call a Sub-S - a Subchapter S corporation. The  name comes from a particular part of our tax code. Sub-S status means that the income from all 12 of our stores is reported on my personal tax return. Businesses that report their income on the owner's personal tax return are referred to as "small businesses." So, you see now that this $534,000 is really the total taxable income - the total combined profit from all 12 of our stores. That works out to an average of a bit over $44,000 per store.

Why did I feel it important for you to see my actual 2008 tax return? Well, there's a lot of rhetoric being thrown around today about taxes, small businesses and rich people. To the people in charge in Washington right now I'm a wealthy American making over a half-million dollars a year. Most Americans would agree: I'm just another rich guy; after all ... I had over a half-million in income last year, right? In this room we know that the reality is that I'm a small business owner who runs 12 retail establishments and employs 187 people. Now here's something that shouldn't surprise you, but it will: Just under 100 percent ... make that 99.7 percent of all employers in this country are small businesses, just like ours.

Every one of these businesses reports their income on a personal income tax return. You need to understand that small businesses like ours are responsible for about 80 percent of all private sector jobs in this country, and about 70 percent of all jobs that have been created over the past year. You also need to know that when you hear some politician talking about rich people who earn over $200,000 or $500,000 a year, they're talking about the people who create the jobs.

The people who are now running the show in Washington have been talking for months about raising taxes on wealthy Americans. I already know that in two years my federal income taxes are going to go up by about 4.5 percent. That happens when Obama and the Democrats allow the Bush tax cuts to expire. When my taxes climb by 4.5 percent the Democrats will be on television saying that this really isn't a tax increase. They'll explain that the Bush tax cuts have expired .. nothing more. Here at Carrington we'll know that almost 5% has been taken right off of our bottom line. And that means it will be coming off your bottom line.

Numbers are boring, I know ... but let's talk a bit more about that $534,000. That's the money that was left last year from company revenues after I paid all of the salaries and expenses of running this business. Now I could have kept every penny of that for myself, but that would have left us with nothing to grow our business, to attract new customers and to hire new employees. You're aware that we've been talking about opening new stores in Virginia Beach and Newport News . To do that I will have to buy or lease property, construct a building and purchase inventory. I also have to hire additional people to work in those stores. These people wouldn't immediately be earning their pay. So, where do you think the money for all of this comes from? Right out of our profits .. right out of that $534,000. I need to advertise to bring customers in, especially in these tough times. Where do you think that money comes from? Oh sure, I can count it as an expense when I file my next income tax return .. but for right now that comes from either current revenues or last year's profits. Revenues right now aren't all that hot ... so do the math. A good effective advertising campaign might cost us more than $300,000.

Is this all starting to come together for you now?

Right now the Democrats are pushing a nationalized health care plan that, depending on who's doing the talking, will add anywhere from another two percent to an additional 4.6 percent to my taxes. If I add a few more stores, which I would like to do, and if the economy improves, my taxable income ... our business income ... could go over one million dollars! If that happens the Democrats have yet another tax waiting, another five percent plus! I've really lost track of all of the new government programs the Democrats and President Obama are proposing that they claim they will be able to finance with new taxes on what they call "wealthy Americans."

And while we're talking about health care, let me explain something else to you. I understand that possibly your biggest complaint with our company is that we don't provide you with health insurance. That is because as your employer I believe that it is my responsibility to provide you with a safe workplace and a fair wage and to do all that I can to preserve and grow this company that provides us all with income. I no more have a responsibility to provide you with health insurance than I do with life, auto or homeowner's insurance. As you know, I have periodically invited agents for health insurance companies here to provide you with information on private health insurance plans.

The Democrats are proposing to levy yet another tax against Carrington in the amount of 8 percent of my payroll as a penalty for not providing you with health insurance. You should know that if they do this I will be reducing every person's salary or hourly wage by that same 8 percent. This will not be done to put any more money in my pocket. It will be done to make sure that I don't suffer financially from the Democrat's efforts to place our healthcare under the control of the federal government. It is your health, not mine. It is your healthcare, not mine. These are your expenses, not mine. If you think I'm wrong about all this, I would sure love to hear your reasoning.

Try to understand what I'm telling you here. Those people that Obama and the Democrats call "wealthy Americans" are, in very large part, America 's small business owners. I'm one of them. You have the evidence, and surely you don't think that the owner of a bunch of tire stores is anything special. That $534,000 figure on my income tax return puts me squarely in Democrat crosshairs when it comes to tax increases.

Let's be clear about this ... crystal clear. Any federal tax increase on me is going to cost you money, not me. Any new taxes on Carrington Automotive will be new taxes that you, or the people I don't hire to staff the new stores I won't be building, will be paying. Do you understand what I'm telling you? You've heard about things rolling downhill, right? Fine ... then you need to know that taxes, like that other stuff, roll downhill. Now you and I may understand that you are not among those that the Democrats call "wealthy Americans," but when this "tax the rich" thing comes down you are going to be standing at the bottom of the mud slide, if you get my drift. That's life in the big city, my friends ... where elections have consequences.

You know our economy is very weak right now. I've pledged to get us through this without layoffs or cuts in your wages and benefits. It's too bad the politicians can't get us through this without attacking our profits. To insure our survival I have to take a substantial portion of that $534,000 and set it aside for unexpected expenses and a worsening economy. Trouble is, the government is eyeing that money too ... and they have the guns. If they want it, they can take it.

I don't want to make this too long. There's a great lunch waiting for us all. But you need to understand what's happening here. I've worked hard for 23 years to create this business. There were many years where I couldn't take a penny in income because every dollar was being dedicated to expanding the business. There were tough times when it took every dollar of revenues to replenish our inventory and cover your paychecks. During those times I earned nothing. If you want to see those tax returns, just let me know.

OK ... I know I'm repeating myself here. I don't hire stupid people, and you are probably getting it now. So let me just ramble for a few more minutes.Most Americans don't realize that when the Democrats talk about raising taxes on people making more than $250 thousand a year, they're talking about raising taxes on small businesses. The U.S. Treasury Department says that six out of every ten individuals in this country with incomes of more than $280,000 are actually small business owners. About one-half of the income in this country that would be subject to these increased taxes is from small businesses like ours. Depending on how many of these wonderful new taxes the Democrats manage to pass, this company could see its tax burden increase by as much as $60,000. Perhaps more.

I know a lot of you voted for President Obama. A lot of you voted for Democrats across the board. Whether you voted out of support for some specific policies, or because you liked his slogans, you need to learn one very valuable lesson from this election. Elections have consequences. You might have thought it would be cool to have a president who looks like you; or a president who is young, has a buff body, and speaks eloquently when there's a teleprompter in the neighborhood. Maybe you liked his promises to tax the rich. Maybe you believed his promise not to raise taxes on people earning less than a certain amount. Maybe you actually bought into his promise to cut taxes on millions of Americans who actually don't pay income taxes in the first place. Whatever the reason .. your vote had consequences; and here they are.

The bottom line? I'm not taking this hit alone. As soon as the Democrats manage to get their tax increases on the books, I'm going to take steps to make sure that my family isn't affected. When you own the business, that is what you're allowed to do. I built this business over a period of 23 years, and I'm not going to see my family suffer because we have a president and a congress who think that wealth is distributed rather than earned. Any additional taxes, of whatever description, that President Obama and the Democrats inflict on this business will come straight out of any funds I have set aside for expansion or pay and benefit increases. Any plans I might have had to hire additional employees for new stores will be put aside. Any plans for raises for the people I now have working for me will be shelved. Year-end bonuses might well be eliminated. That may sound rough, but that's the reality.

You're going to continue to hear a lot of anti-wealth rhetoric out there from the media and from the left. You can chose to believe what you wish .. .but when it comes to Carrington Automotive you will know the truth. The books are open to any of you at any time. I have nothing to hide. I would hope that other small business owners out there would hold meetings like this one, but I know it won't happen that often. One of the lessons to be learned here is that taxes ... all taxes ... and all regulatory costs that are placed on businesses anywhere in this country, will eventually be passed right on down to individuals; individuals such as yourself. This hasn't been about admonishing anyone and it hasn't been about issuing threats. This is part of the education you should have received in the government schools, but didn't. Class is now dismissed.

Things You Must Believe to Be a Modern-Day Democrat

A friend sent this, which was posted on Free Republic recently.

John Eberhard

THINGS YOU MUST BELIEVE TO BE A MODERN-DAY DEMOCRAT

Posted to Free Republic by Some Fat Guy In L.A.

• That a religious fanatic who screams that his god is greater than yours and proceeds to shoot 40 unarmed soldiers is not a terrorist, but that your granny, who went to a town hall meeting to protest Medicare cuts, is.

• That it is OK to force taxpayers to pay for your teenage daughter’s abortion, but it’s not OK to pay people to teach her that she shouldn’t have sex in the first place.

• That a God who taught His followers to tell everyone about Him but to walk away from those who will not listen is hateful and bigoted, but a god who teaches his followers to convert by force and to kill everyone who doesn’t believe in him is peaceful.

• That we will all die soon from global warming if we don’t stop carbon dioxide emissions, even though there is no scientific evidence that carbon dioxide hurts anything (and, in fact, the earth is cooling rather than warming).

• That it is somehow noble to trash the economy of the United States in the name of stopping a climate change that is not happening, but it would be wrong to ask China and India to do the same.

• That the freely available scientific evidence that shows that the earth warms and cools in cycles according to the energy output of the sun (and that the same phenomenon is observed on the other planets in our solar system) must be ignored – instead we must ruin the economy of the most prosperous nation on earth to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

• That it’s OK to pay Middle Eastern and South American countries that hate us for their oil, but it’s not OK to drill for our own oil (of which we have the biggest reserves in the world).

• That any word spoken against a black president or his supporters is racist and evil, but the many hateful things spoken against the previous white president were only “speaking truth to power”.

• That a Republican governor who cheated on his wife is unfit for office, but a Democrat president that cheated on his wife could not be removed from office and is now considered a hero.

• That any white person who is not a Democrat and who says anything that can be construed as racially or culturally insensitive must be removed from any public position (or even fired from a non-public position) as a result, but any white Democrat that does the same must be given a pass.

• That any white, Christian and/or heterosexual person who is not a Democrat and who says anything that can be construed as racially or culturally insensitive must be removed from any public position (or even fired from a non-public position) as a result, but that any racial, sexual or religious minority can say anything about anyone in the majority and not be punished.

• That to present both sides of an issue for discussion is somehow “not journalism”, while only allowing the Democrat point of view to be presented is fair and balanced.

• That it is evil for insurance companies to make a profit from our health care, but any organization that interferes with the profits of the company that kills all the babies must be sued.

• That insurance companies must be forced to pay for your boob job or sex change operation, but they better not raise your rates as a result.

• That insurance companies are somehow responsible for health care costs being so high, and that substituting the government for the insurance companies will fix it.

• That forcing banks to loan money to people who cannot or will not repay it is somehow good for the economy, and that the banks that made the loans are wholly responsible for the predictable result.

• That a tax cheat is the perfect guy to be in charge of the Senate committee that writes tax law.

• That Muslims must be allowed to follow the tenets of their religion, including the right to kill people as their law allows, but that Christians who follow their religion are hateful and bigoted.

• That a black person who does not support affirmative action is not really black, despite the existence of Clarence Thomas.

• That a woman who does not support abortion is not really female, despite the existence of Sarah Palin.

• That a homosexual who escapes the homosexual lifestyle was never really homosexual in the first place, even though it’s supposedly a genetic thing.

• It’s a terrible evil that Dick Cheney got rich by running a corporation. Al Gore, however, is a saint.

• Public schools are terrible because we don’t pay teachers enough money, even though the places with the best paid teachers have the worst schools.

• That an organization that is willing and happy to help a pimp set up a whorehouse using underage illegal alien whores is worthy of funding by the federal government, but an organization that tries to talk pregnant girls out of abortions should be cut off from all federal funding.

• That non-citizens who are in this country illegally should be given free health care, paid for by the folks whose jobs they are taking.

• That killing a puppy or a kitten is a crime worthy of jail, but killing a baby is to be celebrated.

• That sworn enemies of this nation must not be killed or even made uncomfortable, but our elderly citizens and those that are in comas must be killed so that the rest of us are not made uncomfortable.

• It is wrong to wiretap a terrorist’s phone, but it’s OK to publish information that allows the terrorists to avoid capture.

The Health Care Debate

By John Eberhard

There is of course quite a bit of debate right now about the health care reform that Democrats are trying to pass.

Liberals have been wanting to pass some form of national health care for 20 years or more. They want it. They want it really bad. And they had to suffer through 8 year of Reagan, 4 years of George H. W. Bush, a failed attempt under Clinton, and 8 years of George W. Bush. Because a very socialistic program like national health care runs deeply counter to conservative philosophy.

Why do liberals want it so bad? Simply because it fits with their view that to be compassionate, a society must offer free health care. Liberals concentrate their attention and priorities on the lowest members of society, who can’t afford medical care. They feel that concern for the lowest members of society should drive nearly all policy.

Liberals see other countries, like the UK and Canada, that have already passed national health care. They feel almost embarrassed that the U.S. has not done so. They search really hard to find statistics to show that somehow people are better off in other countries, and claim it is because of their national health care systems. They ignore the statistics and facts that show the long wait times, the rationing, the costs, and the higher taxes to support these systems. 

Most polls I have seen show a majority of Americans are against this national health care reform. Most of the town hall meetings in August were about the health care reform, and Americans showed up in force to voice their opinions against the legislation. Then there was the protest march in Washington, DC on September 12, where it estimated that two million people showed up. See the picture I’ve included.

Since then, liberal Democrats are in a quandary. They have a majority in both houses and have the White House, but they know that if they don’t bring about a change in public opinion, that it will be perceived, correctly, that they rammed this so-called reform down everyone’s throats. And if that happens, many fear (rightly I think) that they can kiss their offices and their majorities goodbye in the 2010 election.

So they want to be compassionate, they want to be like their socialist European counterparts, they want to be well thought of by the international liberal/socialist community, and they want to erase their decades long embarrassment. They could ram the legislation through, but they fear that they will be thrown out of town. And so some of the moderate Democrats (not the party leadership though which is anything but moderate) are having second thoughts.

So now enter the modifications. Numerous factions are trying to float new versions of the reform which will stick when they throw them up against the wall. Some have the public option. Some don’t have the public option. Some versions cost more, or cost less. One version supposedly will not increase costs. And Democrats are accusing Republicans of not having a plan of their own and just being obstructionists.

If you are paying attention to all these different variations and wondering if one of them will finally assuage your fears and make you feel good about it, and if you are wondering why Republicans haven’t come up with a good plan of their own, I think you are missing the point.

The whole point, really, is: Do you want the government to gain more control over an industry that amounts to one sixth of the U.S economy?

Do you trust the federal government to take over one sixth of the U.S. economy?

Do you believe the government is capable of running any industry (aside from things like law enforcement, military, etc.) better than the private sector? Think the Department of Motor Vehicles. Or Amtrak. Or the Post Office.

I’m glad the Republicans are acting as “obstructionists.” Because I don’t want any health care reform plan to pass. I don’t care whether there is a public option in there or not. Even if the bill seems more or less reasonable, it is an attempt to gain greater government control over our lives. It fits with power-hungry Obama’s goals and actions so far, taking over banks and the auto industry. And even if the public option isn’t in there, then this bill will just be a stepping stone to accomplish what Obama has stated in the past that he wants to do, create a single-payer, government controlled, national health care system.

So if you agree, then go to the web sites for your two Senators and your Congressman and the President, and tell them that you oppose ANY form of health care reform, and that if they vote for it you will vote AGAINST them in the next election. They have to hear from us and know we’re serious. Do it today. Thanks for your support.

You Might Be a Liberal If...

A friend just emailed me this: With apologies to Jeff Foxworthy: * If you think the same government that couldn’t run Social Security, the post office, Medicare, etc is capable of running a national health care system, you might be a liberal. * If you had no objections to Bush being depicted as Hitler but object to the recent posters depicting Obama as The Joker, you might be a liberal. * If you protested the war in Iraq when Bush was president, but are ignoring Obama’s increase of troops in Afghanistan, you might be a liberal. * If you complained about the deficit Bush ran up in eight years, but don’t say squat about Obama spending quadruple that amount in SIX MONTHS, you might be a liberal. * If you objected to Bush’s wiretapping program intended to catch terrorists, but had no problem with Obama’s recent flag@whitehouse.gov E-mail to report “fishy information” on Obamacare, you might be a liberal. * If you consider returning military veterans, and people who reject federal authority in favor of state authority or individual rights (aka people who support the 10th Amendment) right wing extremist terrorists, you might be a liberal. * If you say you want to end politics as usual, then appoint a tax cheat as the head of the IRS, you might be a liberal. * If you think disagreeing with the Bush Administration was patriotic but disagreeing with the Obama Administration is racist, you might be a liberal. * If you put the very people who caused the Fannie and Freddie mortgage crisis in the first place in charge of fixing the problem, you might be a liberal. * If you think the anti-war protesters under Bush were exercising their 1st Amendment rights, but call the people protesting Obamacare at the Town Hall meetings Nazi’s, mobsters, etc, you might be a liberal.

We The People Are Coming

The following letter, read on Glenn Beck's show, is rapidly circulating around the country. Americans everywhere identify with this 53-year-old woman. She has given us a voice. Once you read this, you will want to forward it to all of your friends...


GLENN BECK: I got a letter from a woman in Arizona. She writes an open letter to our nation's leadership:

I'm a home grown American citizen, 53, registered Democrat all my life. Before the last presidential election I registered as a Republican because I no longer felt the Democratic Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me.

Now I no longer feel the Republican Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. The fact is I no longer feel any political party or representative in Washington represents my views or works to pursue the issues important to me. There must be someone.

Please tell me who you are. Please stand up and tell me that you are there and that you're willing to fight for our Constitution as it was written. Please stand up now. You might ask yourself what my views and issues are that I would horribly feel so disenfranchised by both major political parties. What kind of nut job am I? Will you please tell me?

Well, these are briefly my views and issues for which I seek representation:

One, illegal immigration. I want you to stop coddling illegal immigrants and secure our borders. Close the underground tunnels. Stop the violence and the trafficking in drugs and people. No amnesty, not again. Been there, done that, no resolution. P.S., I'm not a racist. This isn't to be confused with legal immigration.

Two, the TARP bill, I want it repealed and I want no further funding supplied to it. We told you no, but you did it anyway. I want the remaining unfunded 95% repealed. Freeze, repeal.

Three: Czars, I want the circumvention of our checks and balances stopped immediately. Fire the czars. No more czars. Government officials answer to the process, not to the president. Stop trampling on our Constitution and honor it.

Four, cap and trade. The debate on global warming is not over. There is more to say.

Five, universal healthcare. I will not be rushed into another expensive decision. Don't you dare try to pass this in the middle of the night and then go on break. Slow down!

Six, growing government control. I want states rights and sovereignty fully restored. I want less government in my life, not more. Shrink it down. Mind your own business. You have enough to take care of with your real obligations. Why don't you start there.

Seven, ACORN. I do not want ACORN and its affiliates in charge of our 2010 census. I want them investigated. I also do not want mandatory escrow fees contributed to them every time on every real estate deal that closes. Stop the funding to ACORN and its affiliates pending impartial audits and investigations.

I do not trust them with taking the census over with our taxpayer money. I don't trust them with our taxpayer money. Face up to the allegations against them and get it resolved before taxpayers get any more involved with them. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, hello. Stop protecting your political buddies. You work for us, the people. Investigate.

Eight, redistribution of wealth. No, no, no. I work for my money. It is mine. I have always worked for people with more money than I have because they gave me jobs. That is the only redistribution of wealth that I will support. I never got a job from a poor person. Why do you want me to hate my employers? Why -- what do you have against shareholders making a profit?

Nine, charitable contributions. Although I never got a job from a poor person, I have helped many in need. Charity belongs in our local communities, where we know our needs best and can use our local talent and our local resources. Butt out, please. We want to do it ourselves.

Ten, corporate bailouts. Knock it off. Sink or swim like the rest of us. If there are hard times ahead, we'll be better off just getting into it and letting the strong survive. Quick and painful. Have you ever ripped off a Band-Aid? We will pull together. Great things happen in America under great hardship. Give us the chance to innovate. We cannot disappoint you more than you have disappointed us.

Eleven, transparency and accountability. How about it? No, really, how about it? Let's have it. Let's say we give the buzzwords a rest and have some straight honest talk. Please try -- please stop manipulating and trying to appease me with clever wording. I am not the idiot you obviously take me for. Stop sneaking around and meeting in back rooms making deals with your friends. It will only be a prelude to your criminal investigation. Stop hiding things from me.

Twelve, unprecedented quick spending. Stop it now. Take a breath. Listen to the people. Let's just slow down and get some input from some nonpoliticians on the subject. Stop making everything an emergency. Stop speed reading our bills into law.

I am not an activist. I am not a community organizer. Nor am I a terrorist, a militant or a violent person. I am a parent and a grandparent. I work. I'm busy. I am busy, and I am tired.
I thought we elected competent people to take care of the business of government so that we could work, raise our families, pay our bills, have a little recreation, complain about
taxes, endure our hardships, pursue our personal goals, cut our lawn, wash our cars on the weekends and be responsible contributing members of society and teach our children to be the same all while living in the home of the free and land of the brave.

I entrusted you with upholding the Constitution. I believed in the checks and balances to keep from getting far off course. What happened? You are very far off course. Do you really think I find humor in the hiring of a speed reader to unintelligently ramble all through a bill that you signed into law without knowing what it contained? I do not. It is a mockery of the responsibility I have entrusted to you. It is a slap in the face.

I am not laughing at your arrogance. Why is it that I feel as if you would not trust me to make a single decision about my own life and how I would live it but you should expect that I should trust you with the debt that you have laid on all of us and our children. We did not want the TARP bill. We said no. We would repeal it if we could. I am sure that we still cannot. There is such urgency and recklessness in all of the recent spending.

From my perspective, it seems that all of you have gone insane.

I also know that I am far from alone in these feelings. Do you honestly feel that your current pursuits have merit to patriotic Americans? We want it to stop. We want to put the brakes on everything that is being rushed by us and forced upon us. We want our voice back. You have forced us to put our lives on hold to straighten out the mess that you are making.

We will have to give up our vacations, our time spent with our children, any relaxation time we may have had and money we cannot afford to spend on you to bring our concerns to Washington.
Our president often knows all the right buzzword is unsustainable. Well, no kidding. How many tens of thousands of dollars did the focus group cost to come up with that word? We don't want your overpriced words. Stop treating us like we're morons.

We want all of you to stop focusing on your reelection and do the job we want done, not the job you want done or the job your party wants done. You work for us and at this rate I guarantee you not for long because we are coming. We will be heard and we will be represented. You think we're so busy with our lives that we will never come for you?

We are the formerly silent majority, all of us who quietly work, pay taxes, obey the law, vote, save money, keep our noses to the grindstone and we are now looking up at you. You have awakened us, the patriotic spirit so strong and so powerful that it had been sleeping too long. You have pushed us too far. Our numbers are great. They may surprise you.

For every one of us who will be there, there will be hundreds more that could not come. Unlike you, we have their trust. We will represent them honestly, rest assured. They will be at the polls on voting day to usher you out of office. We have cancelled vacations. We will use our last few dollars saved. We will find the representation among us and a grassroots campaign will flourish.

We didn't ask for this fight. But the gloves are coming off. We do not come in violence, but we are angry. You will represent us or you will be replaced with someone who will. There are candidates among us when he will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that you have made of our constitution.

Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don't care. Political parties are meaningless to us. Patriotic Americans are willing to do right by us and our Constitution and that is all that matters to us now. We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted you with it and you abused it.

You are dishonorable. You are dishonest. As Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us. If you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired.

Did you hear? We no longer care about your political parties. You need to be loyal to us, not to them. Because we will get you fired and they will not save you. If you do or can represent me, my issues, my views, please stand up. Make your identity known. You need to make some noise about it. Speak up. I need to know who you are.

If you do not speak up, you will be herded out with the rest of the sheep and we will replace the whole damn congress if need be one by one. We are coming. Are we coming for you? Who do you represent? What do you represent?

Listen. Because we are coming. We the people are coming.

Rasmussen Presidential Approval Index Hits -14

This is a Presidential approval rating graph from RasmussenReports.com. The green line shows the percentage of people that strongly approve of the job Obama is doing as President. The red line shows the percentage of people that strongly disapprove of the job he's doing. This is based on a survey of 1,500 people and is the most updated poll as of 8/23/09.

Rasmussen figures the number as an index with the strongly disapprove numbers subtracted from the strongly approve numbers. Today's figure at -14 is the lowest this has been.

Day by Day Cartoon

by John Eberhard

This cartoon pretty much sums up the way I feel about the Obama administration so far.

I like this web comic so far. Kind of like Doonsbury, without the tiresome knee-jerk liberal viewpoint.