There is so much going on right now.  Some days I don’t seem to have time to form an educated opinion on one issue before we’re on to the next meltdown.  So, I’ve just collected some random thoughts…

One things that has been on my mind of late…did people who supported Obama KNOW how he intended to accomplish all his plans or did they just believe in the outcome?  The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow looks marvelous, but wouldn’t you feel differently about it if you understood that that pot of gold was stolen from your neighbor?  Or maybe they don’t…I don’t know.

Does anybody else think that Tim Geithner is spineless?  Does anyone else also think he looks a bit like Beavis of Beavis and Butthead?

Hot off the press – chipping away at the 2nd Amendment Rights…it starts: “Court blocks rule allowing guns in national park.”  Yep, even if you have a concealed handgun license, you can’t bring the gun into the park.  Of course, this only pertains to law abiding citizens.  So, if you’re a homicidal maniac, a national park is the place to do business.  No one there will be able to protect themselves from you.

A Taxing Situation – The House today approved a 90% tax on bonuses given to employees with family incomes above $250,000 at AIG and other companies that received at least $5 billion in government bailout.  This scares the heck out of me.  Don’t get me wrong.  I get think the bonuses are reprehensible.  But it was just a little bit scary how fast the House could pull off writing a tax for something they didn’t like.  Shouldn’t you be worried that you’re going to get taxed next.  Do you drink alcohol?  How about we just triple tax alcohol in order to reduce the number of DUI’s?  Do you have an SUV?  Let’s tax the extra gasoline you’re using in it.  They’ve already talked about taxing miles driven.  Do you have a gun?  Let’s tax the ammunition so you can’t afford to shoot it. 

And last….it occurs to me that the AIG debaucle isn’t really that big of a deal.  I mean we’re not talking national security here or the loss of life.  But the Democratic side of the world has fallen to pieces in the face of a pretty simple issue.  Democratic Congressman (and Republicans, but you would have expected it from them) are blaming Geithner; Geithner is blaming the Feds, Democratic Senator Chris Dodd is blaming “the administration,” David Axelrod is blaming everyone and Obama takes a road trip.  Party on, Dude!

I think in recent days it has become painfully apparent that the President needs to watch how he says things.  The nation has gotten caught up in his charisma, his intelligence, his talent as a public speaker.  And while those qualities are great, I believe his inexperience has been showing a bit.  If we travel back in time a couple of months we heard him say things like…”it’s going to get worse before it gets better” and “unprecedented crisis” and “losing a generation of potential.”  These were comments made in January and early February.  These remarks were followed by spending, spending, spending, as well as expansion of government and earmarks that were supposed to cease to exist.  And the economy and the market responded….

While stock markets plunged to their lowest levels in 20 years and unemployment continued to rise, citizens flocked to buy guns, ammunitions and emergency supplies, depleting the stock almost everywhere you looked.  Media and blogs across the Internet were abuzz with stories of worry, angst and fear. 

Now it appears that President Obama realizes the power of his words.  The message this week has changed in what seems to be an attempt to reverse the slide.  Yesterday’s message was “it’s not as bad as we think it is.”  WHAT?!?!?  Just last month we were told it was going to get worse, but now it’s not that bad.  Now Obama is the “confidence builder in chief.”  How very fraternity sounding.  And today, Larry Summers, Chairman of Obama’s National Economic Council is inferring that it’s the people who are afraid that are creating the problem, by saying that the cycle of fear has to be broken before recovery can begin.  Um….who is partially to blame for creating the fear?  And all this feel good, warm and fuzzy message came as the premier of China, Wen Jiabao expressed concern over the US economy.  Please remember, that China is our biggest creditor with abotu $1 trillion in government debt.  What happens when your creditors start losing confidence in your ability to repay?  They make you cut up your credit card.  He goes on to say that overspending (HELLO…stimulus and bailouts) would drive down the dollar. 

But the omniscient President Obama says his long term view gives him reason to remain optimistic despite a continued rise in unemployment and sharp downturn of the economy.  I sure wish he’d share the details of that view so I could feel optimistic too.

This first video is a report from Fox News Network.  I hated to have to use it because admittedly Fox has a conservative bias (but thank God something offsets the rest of the media).  But it was the best compilation I could find regarding a good explanation of Cap and Trade and what it means to your personal finances.  I actually watched the live version of Geithner speaking.  But I was suprised to never hear much about it on the news.  I’m completely amazed that they are actually verbalizing that the program will cause price increased for the consumer but no one seems real concerned about it. Click on the links below to watch the videos.

Obama Says Energy Prices Will Skyrocket

The next video is Tim Geithner testifying just this past Tuesday before the Senate and saying essentially the same thing.

Geithner Talks Cap and Trade

Listen very carefully to what they’re saying.  Basically, the little bit of a tax cut that you’ll be receiving in the next month or so as well as the Making Work Pay Program will go to offset your higher energy bills that the administration knew would be coming as a result of the Cap and Trade.  AND…as we well know from the $4.00 a gallon gas price we just got beyond, when the cost of energy goes up, so does the cost of EVERYTHING else.  So, in the next few years, there will be fewer people out of work but they won’t be able to afford to drive get to their jobs because of higher gas prices.  Or they can get to work, but can’t afford to feed their families.  And because they’re solidly in the middle income bracket, they will be receiving no assistance.  Add to this today’s headlines that indicate that many businesses will be cutting back wages in order to stay in business.  To put it simply, with this plan we’ll be no better off in 2 years (or longer) than we are today.  Quite possibly the members of the middle income bracket will probably be worse off than they are today.  Good luck out there!  We’re all gonna need it.

For those of you who are tracking, here’s the most current information from Texas Online.

HCR 50 – Affirming that the State of Texas claims sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the U.S. Constitution, serving notice to the federal government to cease and desist certain mandates, and providing that certain federal legislation be prohibited or repealed.

On February 23rd, the resolution was referred to the House Committee on State Affairs. Twenty or twenty-one other states have introduced similar resolutions.