Would you like to know why the US economy is about to take a nosedive yet again? It's because people will have less to spend. A *lot* less. Check out MyTaxBurden.org. Plug in fictitious numbers if you want. Then press the "Calculate" button and see how much more in taxes you're about to spend next … Continue reading My Tax Burden
Tag: Tax
Die Quickly
I had a discussion this past week with a fairly "progressive" client on a wide variety of topics. Mostly cordial, of course. He was the client. One of his positions was that access to healthcard should be a right, not a privilege. I took the position that while I agree that individuals should be given … Continue reading Die Quickly
Conviction versus Tolerance
Image by Getty Images via DaylifeMy wife showed me an article this week; I *think* it was from the Museum of Natural History, but I can't be sure. The article was mostly well-written and talked about how by a very early age, 6 months, humans begin rational thinking. Babies know that hidden objects haven't disappeared … Continue reading Conviction versus Tolerance
State Sovereignty
Image via WikipediaThe Ninth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. The Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, … Continue reading State Sovereignty
The Next Civil Liberties Scare
Image via WikipediaI'm amazed at how fast we're moving to a system where the government controls everything. They're nationalizing banks, socializing medicine, rewriting property laws and taxing our grandchildren as we speak. Here I thought the loss of property rights from the Kelo decision were bad for America. All this coming from lefties who have … Continue reading The Next Civil Liberties Scare
Tea Party
And so the veil of deceit lifts. The news media, so eager to proclaim Obama as the messiah during the election cycle, now turns on him and begins to devour him. What changed? In one sense, nothing. Obama's promises of socialist changes are progressing. Universal health care, nationalization of manufacturers and banking, imposition of union … Continue reading Tea Party
Biggest Spending Package in the History of the World
Image via WikipediaCongress took the Stimulus package behind closed doors to prepare the final version. They've set it for a vote today.What happened to the promise of "transparency?" Why aren't we allowed to see what is in this revised package? Congress is expected to do a blind vote today. "Don't read it, just vote for … Continue reading Biggest Spending Package in the History of the World
Rejecting the Arrogance
In this morning's Washington Post, Obama wrote that the Stimulus Package (which is horrendously misleading as there is far more liberal pet socialist programs than stimulus in the package) must be passed immediately or puppies will die. No time to read it, just sign it. But then he includes this phrase - "I reject these … Continue reading Rejecting the Arrogance
"Stimulus" Bill Now Tops $900 Billion
Congress is sapping any possibility of US productivity for generations to come. Only a fraction of this so-called "stimulus" bill actually stimulates the economy. The vast majority of it is increased government oversight and additional government programs. By taking such a whopping amount from the American people, the US government is stifling productivity of the … Continue reading "Stimulus" Bill Now Tops $900 Billion
Presidential Actions, Week 1
I'm going to keep saying this so that I remember; "Obama is my President." It's important to remember we are called to be good citizens. But that doesn't mean we check our beliefs and feelings at the door and blindly follow our new Dear Leader. In one week - He reestablished federal funding for overseas … Continue reading Presidential Actions, Week 1
Congress Gives Themselves a Raise
Because they gave away billions... no wait, over a trillion dollars of taxpayer's money... ... because in order to approve %750 billion of it, they had to add $150 billion in pork... ... because they pressured banks to lend money to people to buy houses they couldn't afford... ... because the same people like Barney … Continue reading Congress Gives Themselves a Raise
What Did We Learn?
Obama beat McCain handily, 349 to 163 electoral votes. What we should have learned, I don't know that we did. What we should have learned is that we have principles and ideals and we should stick to them. Ronald Reagan knew it, and we gave him victories. The 1994 Republican House knew that, and we … Continue reading What Did We Learn?
The Loss of Conservatism
Image by Getty Images via DaylifeIf the major news media has succeeded today in discouraging conservatives from voting, the trifecta will be complete - Legislative, Executive, and Media. The blame for such a loss can be spread to many people. Let's start at the top. I like President Bush, and I threw my entire support … Continue reading The Loss of Conservatism
The Scariest Part of Tuesday's Election
It can be summed up in this little quote: Democrats are looking ahead to expanded power. New New Deal. Unfettered ability to impose government oversight, appoint activist judges, raise taxes, and spend whatever they want on whatever they want. I am so not looking forward to the next 4 years.
Rob from the Rich, Stiff the Poor, Too
I stared writing about "Joe the Plumber" yesterday based on a story at the New York Post. Little did I know how huge the story was about to become. John McCain launched Joe the Plumber into the national spotlight during last night's debate. My post was going to be about how Obama's strategy results in … Continue reading Rob from the Rich, Stiff the Poor, Too
Bailouts and Earmarks
As we all know by now, Congress failed to pass the Bailout Bill on Monday for $700 billion (a number, apparently, the US Treasury just made up). If they pass it, they saddle taxpayers with the debt and socialize the banking system. If they don't pass it, they tell us civilization will end as we … Continue reading Bailouts and Earmarks
US Government Restricts Free Speech and Expression of Religion
The "separation of church and state," such as it is, should keep the government from imposing a religion upon the people of this country. But regulations that squelch the speech of pastors? Can the US Government tell pastors what they can and cannot talk about? There is no law that I'm aware of that restricts … Continue reading US Government Restricts Free Speech and Expression of Religion
Targeting Religious Voters
I must be a target, then. U.S. presidential rivals Barack Obama and John McCain target religious voters on Saturday when as guests of one of America's foremost evangelists they discuss faith in public life, AIDS, the environment and other issues. Neither of the candidates appeal to me from a spiritual conviction. McCain can be downright … Continue reading Targeting Religious Voters
PBS and the Separation of Church and State
When the US Government funds anything remotely Christian in nature, all sorts of "separation of church and state" groups get upset. The ACLU files a lawsuit and the "offensive" Christian material is removed. So why is it ok for US tax dollars to be used to oppose Christianity? Shouldn't the same standard be used? PBS, … Continue reading PBS and the Separation of Church and State
Fruitcake Interpretation of the Bible
Go get'em, James Dobson. Obama had some very liberal interpretations of what the bible says, and simultaneously tried to minimize Christian influence in politics *and* say that all religious discussions are welcome. James is firing back against what he called a "fruitcake interpetation of the bible." I love that phrase. News sources come from here … Continue reading Fruitcake Interpretation of the Bible
FAA Strands Thousands of Passengers
You've probably read that American Airlines cancelled thousands of flights. I blame the government for a combination of ineptitude and heavyhandedness. From what I can tell, inspections of Southwest Airlines and others like American Airlines were light. Things were allowed to be "good enough." The some FAA official was criticized. Southwest Airlines had to cancel … Continue reading FAA Strands Thousands of Passengers
One Less Bad Candidate to Vote For
I think I keep hoping for some unknown conservative candidate to suddenly appear and give me somebody to vote for. Like the ghost of Ronald Reagan, perhaps. What I want is a candidate that is socially and fiscally conservative. Socially conservative because, like it or not, the President sets an example for the morals of … Continue reading One Less Bad Candidate to Vote For
Christian Carnival CLXXXVI
Christian Carnival #186 is up... here! Chasing the Wind is humbled to host the Carnival this week. Without further ado, here are this week's best Christian blogging. Oh wait, here's a little more ado. I've divided this week's post in sections with a brief description about how this relates to Christian living. Ok, *now* we're … Continue reading Christian Carnival CLXXXVI
Killing Immigration Reform
It's almost dead. Let's hope it keeps dying. The immigration "reform" bill which basically opens the door to a flood of illegal immigration is hitting some roadblocks. If it passes, US taxpayers will essentially be footing the healthcare and school bill for anybody that can get into the US by any means, and strip the … Continue reading Killing Immigration Reform
The Fine Print of the Immigration Bill
Fortunately, the Senate gagged on ramrodding (which is different than "Hillary Ramrodding") the immigration bill down The People's Throat. It'll give us more time to hoot and hollar and threaten to vote for the other party. James Lileks offers these highlights of the immigration bill this morning, and it's amazing what they thought they could … Continue reading The Fine Print of the Immigration Bill
Christian Terrorists and Public Education
What's my gripe with public education? Besides the fact they seem to be devolving into a giant secular babysitting service, it's public money - my money - being used to teach young people values that oppose my values. I don't mind being opposed, really. I *do* mind being taxed to fund my opposition. The latest … Continue reading Christian Terrorists and Public Education
A Win for Texas Taxpayers
Goodness. I never thought I'd see taxpayers win this one. One of my biggest complaints about promoting a cap on home appraisals was about my opposition, like the Texas Association of Counties or the Texas Municipal League. They use *my* tax dollars to keep *my* taxes high. It was absolutely unfair. A judge this week … Continue reading A Win for Texas Taxpayers
Compassionate Conservatism
I can't say I'm surprised. A new study shows that conservatives give more than liberals in every way possible - more money, more time, more giving blood, etc. In the book, he [Arthur C. Brooks] cites extensive data analysis to demonstrate that values advocated by conservatives -- from church attendance and two-parent families to the … Continue reading Compassionate Conservatism
Early Voting
I'm off to the polls this evening to vote early. Here is the sample ballot for Harris County. Just in case you wonder, I'm almost voting straight Republican. In most cases, I don't have a choice since the Republican nominee is running unopposed. For Governor, I'll hold my nose and vote for Rick Perry, then … Continue reading Early Voting
So Much Liberal Media Today
I've never seen so many news stories trumpeting the Democrats winning one or both seats of congress. Tonight, CNN was saying how great it was to have a divided Congress, or a President in one party and the Congress in another. The media is trying to brainwash the American people into believing this is a … Continue reading So Much Liberal Media Today
Kenya Mission, Day 7
January 2, 2006 Today's Swahili phrase: hakuna matada, which means "Disney marketing phrase." No wait, it means "no worries." I've received a lot of encouragement to continue this series - we're about halfway through - but this next day was a very important day, full of eye-opening experiences, and frankly, just hard to get a … Continue reading Kenya Mission, Day 7
News That Irritates Me
There are too many topics to blog about so I got the "deer in the headlights" frozen stare going and didn't blog about any of them. Work has been busy, sun was in my eyes, blah blah blah. Here's stuff in the news that's irritating today: Houston Police assures illegal immigrants that they don't have … Continue reading News That Irritates Me
RINOs in Texas Raise Taxes
Not enough of you called last night. Texas RINOs raised taxes last night. Not satisfied with squeezing out homeowners or the $8 billion or more surplus, RINOs wanted more. What's most disappointing is that Republicans said that it was a bipartisan bill. Yes, the RINOs needed the help of Democrats to raise taxes. Do we … Continue reading RINOs in Texas Raise Taxes
Yes, Jesus loves me….
Jesus loves me this I know, For the Bible tells me so. But the Dems all grind an axe Shut God up with higher tax. Yes Jesus Loves MEEEE. Yes Jesus Loves MEEEE Yes Jesus Loves MEEEE. The Bible tells me so. Mr. Dean can go pound sand. He and his little angry band. Makes … Continue reading Yes, Jesus loves me….
Sneaky Texas Legislature and Taxes
So, if the state has collected too much money, maybe as high as $10 billion, do you think those sneaky dogs in Austin ought to - a) refund the money because citizens are complaining about property taxes, or b) tax businesses too! Yeehaw! If you answered (b), you can be a Texas legislator, too! Those … Continue reading Sneaky Texas Legislature and Taxes
Howard Dean Speaks
And if he speaks for the Democratic Party, I know where they stand. Why should I be excluded? Just because I have faith? On religion and politics: "The religious community has to decide whether they want to be tax exempt or involved in politics."
You Can Be a Texas State Senator
All you have to do is study this simple problem and offer your solution. 1. Citizens complain their property taxes are too high. 2. The Texas Comptroller announces that oops, way too much money has been collected. $8.2 billion so far and growing. Texas State Senator Question: Where did the money come from? Your answer: … Continue reading You Can Be a Texas State Senator
Last Day to File Your Taxes
Today is the deadline; make sure your 2005 taxes are filed properly and you send in all the taxes that you legally owe. Remember, 12 million illegal aliens are depending on you.
Texas Primary Recommendations
CLOUT has made their recommendations for the Texas primary on March 7, and I agree with them. Here's a summary: Vote for Dan Patrick. He's been leading the tax reform movement for years as a citizen, and rebuffed every time by Fred Hill and his ilk. Now Dan has decided that if he can't get … Continue reading Texas Primary Recommendations
Snail Mail Spam
Capital One sends me an offer for credit by mail. Every. Single. Day. You'd think after I ignored the first 5,367 solicitations they'd figure out I'm not interested. The ones that bug me the most are the ones where they trick me by pretending to be something important. One of the offers this week was … Continue reading Snail Mail Spam
"Lost Liberty" Hotel One Step Closer
I wrote about this last year after that dreadful Supreme Court Kelo decision - that the government can confiscate private property if it can be shown taxes can be increased. Increased taxes historically haven't been considered part of the "public use" definition in the Constitution. Churches in particular have been worried since they're tax exempt. … Continue reading "Lost Liberty" Hotel One Step Closer
Inviting the Illegal Aliens
At Sand in the Gears, Tony first opined that enforcing immigration laws is not a Christian thing to do. After taking some heat for that statement, he addressed their comments and challenged Christians to rethink their position on illegal immigration. On his latter post I took the position that although I agreed with his sentiment, … Continue reading Inviting the Illegal Aliens
Intelligent Design in Public Schools
Andrew Coulson at the Cato Institute has a question - why are we fighting over Intelligent Deisgn vs Evolution? Does it matter to one parent if another parent teaches their child about God? Supporters of the theory of human origins known as "intelligent design" want it taught alongside the theory of evolution. Opponents will do … Continue reading Intelligent Design in Public Schools
The Left Hates Inequality
On the surface, that doesn't sound so bad. The Left hates inequality. Nobody need be better or worse than anybody else. Trouble is, enforced equality is socialism, communism. Instead of bringing people up from the bottom, equality is enforced by shackling the achievers. When you see a special tax on oil profits, opposition to school … Continue reading The Left Hates Inequality
Spiritual Wickedness in High Places
The Anchoress posts an email from a scared Catholic friend in France who wonders why the French media and politicians are ignoring that fanatical Muslims are burning churches in France. When we dare to grumble, when we dare to murmur that Islam is a religion of death, that we do not want to become an … Continue reading Spiritual Wickedness in High Places
Houston Election Recap
I didn't get all jazzed over this election; except for Proposition 2, there weren't any real hotbuttons. My general impression of the results are that social conservatives and fiscal liberals won; Proposition 2 won handily, but those incumbents against appraisal caps held their job. Pfft. Proposition 1 passed that authorized various grants. I think the … Continue reading Houston Election Recap
Living Beneath Your Means
Apparently, the more you make, the more in debt you are. Statistics show that the highest 20 percent of Americans -- those with a pre-tax income of $110,000 and up -- have seen their liabilities skyrocket since 2001. The net change in that group's total liabilities increased by about $40,000 on average from 2001 to … Continue reading Living Beneath Your Means
Danger Train Hotel
Why is Houston Metro using our tax dollars to build hotels? If they've run out of transportation projects, shouldn't we taxpayers get our money back instead?
Rising Property Taxes Again
The taxman cometh and the taxman taketh away. Property taxes have risen statewide in Texas 41% in 4 years. And compared to other state, Texas has no income tax, so property taxes are very high. On a $100,000 home, property taxes are $3,000 - $4,000 a year. And they're about to go up yet again. … Continue reading Rising Property Taxes Again
No Longer Giving Bush the Benefit of the Doubt
I have to admit that after nearly 5 years of being a Bush supporter, I'm having trouble recently continuing to support him. Until 9/11, I though Bush was mostly ineffectual, stymied by the Democrats whenever he tried to accomplish anything. Bush was still a far better choice than Al "Mr. Internet" Gore, though. 9/11 changed … Continue reading No Longer Giving Bush the Benefit of the Doubt
Kenya Mission Trip
God has been begun preparing me to be a part of an upcoming mission trip; I want to experience first-hand the needs of another culture and to help evangelize our lost world. Our mission group is scheduled to depart for Africa by the end of this year 2005. We have been preparing and planning for … Continue reading Kenya Mission Trip
Didn't Change Mind; Still Dislike the Left
A recent visitor took umbrage with with my Religious Linkage for Monday post last week. Part of that post was a Worldnet article called "10 Reasons I've Grown to Despise the Left." The visitor disagreed with the post and cited all sorts of things wrong with right wingers. I threw a penalty flag in my … Continue reading Didn't Change Mind; Still Dislike the Left
Lamentations of the Father
Lamentations of the Father by Ian Frazier Laws Pertaining to the Living Room Of the beasts of the field, and of the fishes of the sea, and of all foods that are acceptable in my sight you may eat, but not in the living room. Of the hoofed animals, broiled or ground into burgers, you … Continue reading Lamentations of the Father
Progressive Christianity
I'm convinced the liberal left is working on a new tactic - to claim christianity for themselves. That's right, if you believe in the right to have an abortion, they're working on scripture interpretation to support it. Gay marriage? They push a "God is Love" approach that allows homosexuality and completely skip over the "homosexuality … Continue reading Progressive Christianity
A Liberal Education
In case you wondered if our children are being given an ultra-liberal education using your tax dollars, wonder no more. The National Education Association (NEA) - or as they're known in Texas, the Texas Classroom Teachers Association (TCTA) - has called on Bush to withdraw from Iraq, give up on the Central American Free Trade … Continue reading A Liberal Education
Appraisal Cap Progress, HB 1984
Dwayne Bohac, Texas state representative and Appraisalcap.com supporter is making progress in capping appraisals. He introduced Texas House Bill HB 1984 that will show each homeowner how their property taxes have risen in the last 5 years. It's the first step to making this "taxation creep" apparent to taxpayers. It's a good first step. By … Continue reading Appraisal Cap Progress, HB 1984
The Roe Effect
OpinionJournal points out how the issue of abortion has given Republicans winning elections ever since Roe v Wade. After that decision, the Republicans took the pro-life side in 1980, and the Democrats took the pro-choice side. Every presidential and vice-presidential nomination since then has voted their party line. Since then, Republican have taken the Senate, … Continue reading The Roe Effect
Build a Hotel, Tear Down Justice Souter's Home
This is brilliant. Last week, the Supreme Court trampled the 5th Amendment, saying cities can confiscate private property if it leads to more tax revenue. In other words, anything the government wants to confiscate, it can, as long as it has a slick marketing campaign. So today, developer Logan Darrow Clements filed a request to … Continue reading Build a Hotel, Tear Down Justice Souter's Home
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Tax Revenue
The Supreme Court approved, by a 5-4 margin, to water down seriously the 5th Amendment. No longer does the government have to prove a "public use" to confiscate property. Now it just has to develop a slick marketing campaign to prove that "well, the public would have wanted this anyway." What I find interesting is … Continue reading Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Tax Revenue
Working Class
Slate.com questions whether Bush supporters are insane. They point out that the wealth of the working class is shrinking. While the Democrats run on platforms that say they will help, the working class votes Republican anyway. The working class's refusal to synchronize its politics with its economic interests is one of the enduring puzzles of … Continue reading Working Class
The Rise of Hate Radio
Satire, wit, political commentary... I am most amused this morning with the "The Rise of Hate Radio" article at "BlameBush!" Don't let the name of the website scare you away - it's fiercely conservative but full of satire, pretending to blame Bush for all the world's ills, possibly including hair loss and people who talk … Continue reading The Rise of Hate Radio
Tax-n-Spend Defeated by CLOUT
Heh. The election this weekend in Friendswood is over. Mayor Kim Brizendine endorsed his wife Kitten Brizendine and Lonnie Moffit. They were soundly defeated by nobodies John LeCour and Chris Peden, who entered the race solely on the appraisal cap issue. The nobodies, endorsed by C.L.O.U.T., handily won by a 2:1 margin. Trounced the tax-n-spenders, … Continue reading Tax-n-Spend Defeated by CLOUT
Texas Senate Squeezes More Turnips
Fresh off killing any kind of appraisal cap reform, the Texas state senate is going to raise sales tax to offset any temporary cut in the property tax. If you haven't been paying attention to this blatant ripoff of Texas taxpayers with the help of the 36 Texas R.I.N.O.s led by Fred Hill, the Senate … Continue reading Texas Senate Squeezes More Turnips
Weeeeeeeekend
I live for weekends. 🙂 I have a lot of things going on at the moment, so it'll be a full weekend. I'm pretty sure we had a thought process like, "We are getting married so soon - is there anything we can do to make our lives even more frantic before then? How about … Continue reading Weeeeeeeekend
Appraisal Tax Relief Bill Gutted
Fred Hill gutted the last remaining property tax relief bill today, removing all the teeth to make it a harmless bill. It doesn't matter now if they pass it, the bill doesn't actually do anything. They'll probably pass it and claim some sort of credit when they run for re-election. Don't fall for it. Lonestar … Continue reading Appraisal Tax Relief Bill Gutted
36 Rinos
36 Rinos (Republicans in Name Only) voted in the Texas House not to even discuss the appraisal cap. Killed it. People that signed on to a party platform that they were for lower taxes. I hear on the news today that these Republicans are nervous; killing this bill did not sit well with conservative voters. … Continue reading 36 Rinos
Appraisal Cap Defeat – The Morning After
Lone Star Times has the recap of yesterday's stunning defeat of the appraisal cap bill. 36 Republicans voted against us; the House was "whooping" with delight. Basically, instead of voting on the measure, they added an amendment that deleted all the words, then passed the amendment without debate. Here's the full transcript of the Texas … Continue reading Appraisal Cap Defeat – The Morning After
Campaigning for Fred Hill's Defeat
Texas Representative Fred Hill, R-Richardson, has killed the Appraisal Cap bill HJR-35 today before the debate even began. "The time to kill a snake is when you've got the hoe in your hand," said Rep. Fred Hill, R-Richardson, who has ardently opposed the measure to reduce the limit on how much property tax values can … Continue reading Campaigning for Fred Hill's Defeat
Dueling City Propositions
Yesterday, the 1st Court of Appeals heard arguments about Houston's conflicting Proposition 1 and Proposition 2. Here's the recap: Houston votors gethered enough petitions to force a city-wide vote on a proposition to cap the growth of city government. The city didn't like it, but eventually gave in and listed it on the ballot as … Continue reading Dueling City Propositions
Appraisal Cap inTexas House
Closer and closer... step by step... HB 784 / HJR 35 is approaching the Texas House floor for a vote, possibly on Wednesday, according to Dwayne Bohac of Appraisalcap.com. If the vote fails, then taxes will continue going up 10% a year; my taxes already exceed my mortgage payment, in a dozen years or so, … Continue reading Appraisal Cap inTexas House
Appraisal Cap for Texans
Urgent news from C.L.O.U.T. - the long-awaited appraisal cap bill is coming to the Texas house floor tomorrow. Call your representative now. The schedule has changed! HJR 35 comes to a floor vote Wednesday - March 22nd. So you have to call Austin today! Make your voice heard! Here's the bottom line: If we can … Continue reading Appraisal Cap for Texans
Scented Bowling Balls
When pressed about the toughest problems to solve in the world - the Israeli / Palestinian crisis, escalation of property taxes, paper or plastic, obviously ranked right up there is... what should your bowling ball smell like? The current scents available are black cherry, chocolate, lemonade, plum, blueberry, grape, banana, cinnamon, orange, amaretto and cherry. … Continue reading Scented Bowling Balls
Weekend Recap
What a relaxing weekend! I could use more 3-day weekends like that. 🙂 Friday I started on my taxes - that's not as bad as it sounded, I usually don't mind doing them. I finished up the Schedule "D" stuff on capital gains, and found I still haven't offset the losses from '99 through '01. … Continue reading Weekend Recap
Which is Weirder?
On the weirdness scale, which one of these two is the weirdest? On one hand, California is considering mandating that each car is outfitted with a GPS to monitor when and how much you drive so they can tax you by the mile, perhaps even charging you a surcharge for driving during rush hour. [Engineer … Continue reading Which is Weirder?
No Flu Shots For Me
I've always mistrusted the flu shot. People willing to line up by the millions to have some chemical injected into their blood stream. What if it's not a flu shot? What if it's some sort of brain-altering chemical substance that turns you into a drooling zombie? That also explains my theory on where liberals come … Continue reading No Flu Shots For Me
Stealth Tax
The Houston Chronicle did a terrible job discussing the appraisal cap issue which came up on the Texas Senate floor yesterday: Cities and counties would be the hardest hit by a lower appraisal cap because it would hamper their ability to raise revenues to pay for local services. This is absolutely false. Revenue can go … Continue reading Stealth Tax
What Do the Democrats Stand For?
OpinionJournal today asks, "What do the Democrats stand for?" Then proceeds to eloquently trash the heart of liberalism and what is stands for. Excellent reading today; while applauding the heart behind liberalism, once you recognize that liberalism has a cost, you next have to ask, "how much cost is too much?" And as soon as … Continue reading What Do the Democrats Stand For?
Mechanical Investing for February '05
All in all, a -2.9% loss for the month. Not bad considering the market's performance so far this year. Holding for another month: Ticker Bought Now Return AAPL $52.69 $77.33 +46.8% Apple Computer. I sold a little of this to pay for my Lasik this month. 🙂 ALOY $7.71 $6.96 -9.7% Media and Marketing … Continue reading Mechanical Investing for February '05
Lasered Eyeballs Update
First of all, many thanks for your thoughts and prayers. The short story is the Lasik was a complete success. Long story below. 🙂 Diane dropped me off for my appointment at 1:00pm yesterday and I got checked in for the procedure. They give me a complete examination all over again and take all the … Continue reading Lasered Eyeballs Update
Random Searches
Now that the Dale Earnhardt craze is nearly over, it's fun again to look over the search terms and see why people are coming to visit Chasing the Wind. ns.exe gaobot People still struggling with viruses and looking for solutions. john kerry daughters No pictures here, fellas. Move along. bobbie sue luthor naked Still no … Continue reading Random Searches
Gimme Your Money For Your Own Good
First, our Texas government says they have more money than ever. In fact, they have too much. [Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton] Strayhorn estimated legislators will have $64.7 billion in state revenue to spend in the upcoming two-year budget — $6.4 billion more than they had in January 2003. Then they say they need more: [Texas … Continue reading Gimme Your Money For Your Own Good
Mechanical Investing for January '05
For 2004, Mechanical Investing yielded a 37.2% return for 2004 for me. I'm going to continue following the SOS_Ancer screen primarily. Stock picks for Dec 31, 2004 can be found on the Motley Fool Mechanical Investing board, but I'm pretty sure it's subscription only to read it. Holding for another month: Ticker Bought Now Return … Continue reading Mechanical Investing for January '05
As Long as Democrats Think That, Republicans Will Win
Peggy Noonan has a great article about how the faith and politics today. It's too bad she only writes on Thursdays. The first example she had was when reporters questioned President Bush's speechwriter, Michael Gerson. The reporters wanted to know when the president refers to his "belief" whether he is speaking in "code" to evangelicals. … Continue reading As Long as Democrats Think That, Republicans Will Win
Headlines in 2029
Ozone created by electric cars now killing millions in the seventh largest country in the world, Mexifornia (formally known as California). White minorities still trying to have English recognized as Mexifornia's third language. Spotted Owl plague threatens northwest United States crops and livestock. Baby conceived naturally. Scientists stumped. Couple petitions court to reinstate heterosexual marriage. … Continue reading Headlines in 2029
One Day at a Time
I never intended to blog politically, but that's sort of the way it turned out over the last few months. I guess that's normal, given the elections. As I get older, I get more opinionated. I read many of my favorite blogs the last couple of days; some are gloating, others are purposefully not gloating. … Continue reading One Day at a Time
All My Horses Were Winners
I only stayed up till midnight last night watching the returns. It was sort of like watching a baseball game, except there were no pitchers or batters or a baseball field. Ok, it wasn't at all like a baseball game except for the numbers going up on a scoreboard. I headed to bed when it … Continue reading All My Horses Were Winners
"I Got a Passport!'
When Iraqis are excited about their freedom, it makes me excited. 🙂 From Iraq the Model: I should’ve written about this some days ago but I had to spend a week in Basra...Anyway, I feel it’s still worth writing about (at least from my point of view): last week, I crossed the borders for the … Continue reading "I Got a Passport!'
Debate, Declaim, Debacle
From a tip from my brother-in-law Joe: CHIEFFER And our first question goes to Senator Kerry. Sir, your spending plans will cost over a trillion dollars. Your combined tax plans will cost $500 billion. How are you going to balance the budget? KERRY Bob, I'm glad you asked me that question, but before I dodge … Continue reading Debate, Declaim, Debacle
American Jobs Creation Act
Good news for American taxpayers and small business owners!. The American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 passed yesterday. As a Texan, I like it because it just put 1000 bucks or so back in my pocket. See, in states that have an income tax, those people can deduct the state income tax off of their … Continue reading American Jobs Creation Act
Best Cheney Zinger
Dick Cheney, who has served under 4 U.S. Presidents, gave by far the best zinger of the night when he said to Senator John Edwards: Senator, frankly, you have a record in the Senate that's not very distinguished. You missed 33 out of 36 meetings in the Judiciary Committee. Almost 70% of the meetings of … Continue reading Best Cheney Zinger
Houstonians: Vote Yes on Proposition 2
I love what those guys at C.L.O.U.T. are doing and trying to keep our property taxes low. They're easy to listen to on the radio, but man, they need somebody to help them with their emails to make them easier to read. Ouch. Short recommendation: Vote Yes on Proposition 2. The other Proposition 1 is … Continue reading Houstonians: Vote Yes on Proposition 2
Relaxing Weekend, Back to Work
That was my first 3-day weekend since June. I'd almost forgotten how much I enjoyed my 3-day weekends every other week. Friday was a day of nothing; puttered around the house, read blogs, played some Ultima Online, and waited for Alex to show up so we could catch "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow." … Continue reading Relaxing Weekend, Back to Work
Lower Taxes. Higher Revenues. Better Economy.
NEW YORK - In the headlines this afternoon, the Congressional Budget Office will project that this year's U.S. budget deficit will be smaller than expected. The nonpartisan CBO is expected to say that the deficit will reach $422 billion. While that is a record, it is down from the $477 billion estimated for the year … Continue reading Lower Taxes. Higher Revenues. Better Economy.
Limited Government
I'm waiting for the major media to catch up on the Swift Boat Veteran stories. It's all over the conservative blogs, and just now starting to reach the liberal blogs. The left needed some time to catch up, and they're researching the background of the swift boat veterans. That's a good thing, by the way … Continue reading Limited Government
Vending Machine Wars, Part III
First they forced me to buy sunflower seeds against my will. Then they developed chemical weapons and forced me to buy pink sissy lemonade. Today, though, I declare a victory in the battle against vending machines! The Coke machine here is an odd one - it has a clear glass front with faux icicles to … Continue reading Vending Machine Wars, Part III
Houston Chronicle Finally Understands Tax Cuts
I posted another article on ChronicallyBiased. It's funny when liberal newspapers support conservative issues. 😛
Yet Another Reason to Vote Republican
The Drudge Report says that Republicans will push for the elimination of the IRS at the RNC Convention. A domestic centerpiece of the Bush/GOP agenda for a second Bush term is getting rid of the Internal Revenue Service, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned. Ah, now there's a dream come true. I spend at least 2 … Continue reading Yet Another Reason to Vote Republican
Democrats vs Republicans
SondaK knows exactly what is wrong with the Democrats. Question: How do you tell the difference between Democrats, Republicans and Southern Republicans? The answer can be found by posing the following question: You're walking down a deserted street with your wife/husband and two small children. Suddenly, a dangerous looking man with a huge knife comes … Continue reading Democrats vs Republicans
Chronicle Having Trouble Praising Kerry
In an unsigned editorial this morning, the Chronicle praises John Kerry's speech last night. Kerry's promises were especially appealing: Whatever shortcomings Kerry's well-crafted speech might have had, it contained no shortage of promises. Fulfilling even one — providing universal and affordable health care — would make Kerry a success where Bill and Hillary Clinton failed. … Continue reading Chronicle Having Trouble Praising Kerry
John Kerry's Rolls Royce
Ya know, if you're John Kerry and you're gonna give a speech in Detroit and give a speech about the plight of the American worker, perhaps toodling around in a Rolls Royce for the day might send the wrong message. Sen. John Kerry spoke about the plight of the American worker when he traveled to … Continue reading John Kerry's Rolls Royce
Chasing the Wind 
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