TAXING TAXES

It's that time of year again where my wonderful wife and I get to complain to each other about our frustration with filling out tax forms.  The filling out isn't all that bad.  It is an arduous task, but, it is the bottom lines that I really do not relish discovering.  Even with being unemployed for 1/2 the year last year, we still owe Barack over a grand!  How does THAT work?!?  Last year we received almost twice as much from the state as we did this year, so the federal taxes owed were covered.
It turns out that unemployment compensation is taxable income that, unless one specifies it to be so, does not have federal and state taxes removed from it.  Isn't it strange how income is perceived as a gift from a benevolent big brother state and not a gift.  Taxes, one would assume, are supposed to be assessed on earned income.  Therefore, how did I earn income for six months by sitting on my behind?  The same may be said for retirement payments public or private or even trusts.  A flat tax would be the most fair.  A certain amount to be paid by all, regardless of the earned income - and my definition of income should be used.  After all, isn't the present federal administration all about "fairness"?  They even have a proposed bill languishing called "The 'Fairness' Doctrine".  How about some real "fairness" - fairness for those of us paying the bills!!

RALLYING FOR THE CAUSE

Here in Wisconsin this week, we have had the opportunity to witness some of the basic principles of republican government in action. But first a little history.

For the previous twelve years the Democrat party had a stronghold on all levels of of the state government and they used their majority to the fullest. Taxes were raised, funds were raided to make up deficits for other funds, and "protests" form the opposition fell on deaf ears. Then in April of 2008, at the suggestion of a Wall Street reporter, a Tea Party rally was organized on the lawn of the State Capitol and 8,000-some non-affiliated grass roots citizens showed up to let these legislators know how they felt. Then, November of 2010 occurred and the tide turned. A Republican Governor was elected (especially after the conniving, lying incumbent decided that all his shenanigans did not warrant his obtaining a fourth term) and the State Assembly and Senate majorities switched to the Republicans as well. This was the worst news the Wisconsin liberals (read Democrats - there are no conservative Democrats in Wisconsin) could have received.

Wrongo! The latest news is the most devastating to date. Imagine the audacity of a politician actually doing what he promised during his campaign, his inaugural address and his first State-of the-State Address. This just isn't done! Our Governor, Scott Walker, promised he would call a special legislative session to address the budget hole left by the last group of despots - and he is. As I stated in my last post, nine budget-correcting bills have already been passed and signed. His latest and his most politically controversial promise is what has prompted the action referred to in the opening. He has proposed to end collective bargaining by state employees unions for benefits (only) and - horror of horrors - they will be required to pay 12.5% of their health insurance premiums and, if they wish, contribute 5.8% to their guaranteed pensions (which consist of 5% of their highest year's salary paid by the taxpayer). Also, their union dues will have to be paid by them to the union. The state will no longer extract these from their paychecks and distribute them to the respective union bosses.

This is so objectionable to the union rank-and-file that they saw fit to ignore their own work rules and spend an entire week "protesting" at the state capitol. The very people to whom they wished to air their grievances, by the way, all abdicated their duties and fled the state in order to postpone a vote on the bill in the State Senate. The Senators decided that it was better to flee, to run and hide out of state than to face the new majority and lose another vote. Cowards!
The "protesters", all paid union toadies from AFSCME, SEIU and even Teamsters as well as educators (I refuse to call them teachers because they were not teaching) ascended on Madison to yell, chant and strew garbage all over and otherwise deface the "peoples' house".

To make matters worse, all major news media are getting, as usual, only half the story half correct. Even our Constitutional Scholar President has weighed in stating that, without even calling the Governor, this is "an assult on the unions". If he were actually a believer in the U.S. Constitution, he would know to have butted out, stating states' rights as his reason. But, he is a polititian, not a leader, so he decided to take the low road. I am actually not that concerned about his medling because almost every other event or campaign in which he has inserted himself has backfired - i.e. Chicago hosting the summer Olympics in the future, campaigning for Russ Feingold, etc. So, please, Mr. President, do show up Monday (especially if we get the 10" of snow predicted) so the protesters can see first hand how to make a cause flop. Oh, and while you're at it, please charge the unions for the trip, we're tapped out!

RANDOMNESS

It is a Thursday morning and I'm at home. No, I didn't lose yet another job, though I am forced to reduce hours, thus the extra "day off". I normally like to use the Friday as the day, but, I have car trouble this morning. Even though it was about -10 degrees, this problem is most likely not cold related. The key ignition won't turn. My usual mechanic will replace the switch, so no real worries.

Also, we recently had our thirteen-year-old car serviced and we are able to take it to St. George Island this spring (mid June) to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary. Coincidentally, the friends who turned us on to this lovely place will be vacationing there the same week. We've been trying to get this done for ever, at least since we've been going down there, about 12 years or so.

Also, it's been less than a month since the Republican-majority (finally) state government has been in session and they have already prepared nine corrections of the last 10 years of Democrat rule to be signed this week. One is able to tell these legislators are doing the right thing because the state unions and their Democrat sycophants are coming out of the woodwork to shout their "grievances" from the Capitol steps with the union dinosaur, Ed Garvey, Mr. Union Lawyer from the 1970's, leading the way again. Where has old Ed been the last 10-or-so years?

And last, and most important, the Green Bay Packers are World Champions again (#13)! Man, I love how that sounds! After beating all the odds even before the end of the regular season and beating the New York Giants and the hated Chicago Bears just to enter the playoffs, they then had to go on the road to defeat three higher ranked teams for the honor to play in the Super Bowl 45 (I don't like Roman numerals) against the Pittsburgh Steelers. As usual, the Packers allowed us to assume the worst in the third quarter only to seal the victory with the game's third Packer take away for the "Super Bowl dagger" as Wayne Larravee called it.
This is truly an amazing feat as the Packers had 11 players on IR at the start of the Super Bowl, then, during the game, in the first half, the team's two emotional leaders and veteran players, CB Ron Woodson and WR Donald Driver, both went down with injuries, not to return. Thus, the lousy third quarter. So, again, backup players had to replace starters in order merely to continue playing the game. Even with all of this, the Packers manged to beat a team that has reached the Super Bowl three times in the last six years 31-25.
Now I can truly excitedly look forward to next season. They have a great shot to repeat. If that happens, it will have been at least 10 years since a team will do it. GO, PACK, GO!

HAPPY 2011!

Well, another year under the ever-expanding belt. It was a year of trials, as all are in this sin-filled world, with six months of unemployment and out-of-control federal and state governments "ruled" by Democrats (read Marxist Keynesians).

However, all of us still above the soil have real hope to look forward to in the one constant in our lives - the saving grace of our Creator in His Son, Jesus, whose birth we just celebrated. We must put our faith in Him as opposed to any earthly being whose promise(s) is (are) written in the wind. The latest earthly savior proved that by immediately ignoring almost every promise he made while begging us to put him in charge.

Let's all pray to the Triune God - the only true God - that our 2011 is better for us all than any year in the past, but to leave it all in His hands. Happy New Year!

THE CHRISTMAS MOVIE SEASON

I guess I should have entitled it "Holiday Movie Season" as I will be addressing movies, not Christmas movies, specifically, though most of those are not worth even searching to digital cable for. To what I refer is the latest state of movies coming out of Hollywood lately. There is nothing new to write about, right? The U.S. is not in a recession and run by a dictatorial Czar-loving narcissistic megalomaniac with no clue as to how to run a bake sale let alone the most powerful nation in the world, right? The federal government is not running automobile companies and financial institutions with no intention of realizing a profit and all the complications this creates, right? Housing foreclosures aren't at an all-time high and unemployment isn't at near 10%, right?

My point, Hollywood is so myopic about "their" president and his floundering administration that they have resorted to comic books, children's' fairy tales and remakes of excellent movies that don't need remaking. Cases in point, Ironman, Gulliver's Travels and True Grit, respectively. I haven't seen Ironman, Jack Black is "Gulliver", 'nough said, and True Grit will only be "quirky" and far more violent with Rooster, played by Jeff Bridges, will undoubtedly be darker and more "troubled". I will not be watching the remake of the greatest Duke movie.

A WORD ABOUT GRANDPARENTING

As awesome as being a dad has been, being a grandpa is as fun and challenging. Tonight was a especially so. Upon my arrival from a long week at work (boy, I love saying that after having not to say it for six months), I was assigned a pizza and a movie pick-up. Papa Murphy's was easy, The movie was a little more challenging. It was suggested (by Grandma) that The Little Mermaid be a choice and something else. I got a Little Mermaid, and chose a Curious George. It turns out both were good choices.

Our little one was a constant barrage of questions while watching the mermaids. She had to make sure that they had no feet and was uncertain as to the fate of a killed mermaid mom. While she was able to follow the movie, to a point, these questions continued to haunt her. As the movie progressed, it became a little too scary and Curious George replaced the mermaids in a flash. Fewer questions arose here and homemade chocolate chip cookies were shared and sleepiness began arriving. I just wish it had been from our little one. Another well-spent night with our precious one.

MORE POST ELECTION OBSERVATIONS

What a deference a week makes, well, actually, not even a week. Our state dictator, Diamond Jim Doyle, after having over forty-five Wisconsin communities vote to not fund a sales tax to pay for a train that was being forced on them had his Secretary of Transportation release a statement to the effect of stating that no more money or time is to be spent on the train until further notice. This came on Friday. And these were communities that would have been "served" by this boondoggle. Then, as is Doyle's modus operandi, a weekend press release is delivered and he has relinquished is control over all the choo-choo decisions, after having approved, all on his own, the spending of $97million the state does not have. He is letting "the next gubernatorial administration" decide how to proceed with the project. Doyle has never made me happier than by handing this over to Governor-elect Walker who vowed to stop this project in its tracks (pun intended).

The voters spoke, loudly, and for once, a dictatorial government listened. God bless America!