Priorities

The Federal Highway Administration has been hard at work updating the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices with vital changes to protect us from ourselves.  And it will only cost New York $27 million to comply.

Why is the federal government telling NYC what font to use on its street signs?  What gives them the right?  The city streets aren't federal highways.  Why do we continue to allow the government to do things like this? 

On a sidenote, how many people do you think it takes to update the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices?  I haven't been able to find a number online, but I'm betting it's more than we think it is.

Two Americas

One for those of us living without state patronage and one for those us living with it.  


As taxpayers, the parents of this cop's victims will be paying him compensation for injuries he sustained while causing the death of their children.  What a country!


What's that bumper sticker I saw a lot during the Bush years?  If you're not outraged, then you're not paying attention!

Passed Along . . .

with no further comment.  

Come On, Let's Do This

At some point, those of with like minds who have been split between the two parties for various reasons are going to need to hold hands, close our eyes and vote Libertarian together.  Let's start with John Monds for governor, shall we?

Check out the official website, too.

And I Was Just Going to Get a Netflix Subscription . . .

Netflix CEO:  Americans are "self-absorbed".

Now, what are the best alternatives to Netflix?   (Preferably run by people who aren't self-loathing Americans looking to score some street cred with our northern neighbors.)

Viva la capitalism!

Would You Like Some Regulation With That?

More government intervention.  Did you ever think about opening your own business?  Finding some niche in which you could provide a good or service to the general public?  Think again.  The government, in partnership with whichever businesses your up-start threatens, will do whatever it takes to discourage you from your endeavors.

The nexus of Big Government and Big Business is where the middle class gets screwed.  Both political parties are beholden to Big Business so that they can continue to hold their power in Big Government.  You think GE supports the environmental movement out of the goodness of its heart?  No.  As a huge corporation with influential lobbying power, they have a seat at the table when these laws are written -- and they can shoulder the light burden placed upon them by environmental restrictions in a way that small businesses cannot.

On a smaller scale, we have the food truck business in DC.  The restaurants are frustrated because people (aka the market) prefer the tasty (and probably less expensive) street food over their restaurant offerings.  Instead of competing in the marketplace, they look to even the playing field by handicapping the food trucks right out of business.  They complain that "the food trucks aren't pulling their weight in taxes" when they should be complaining about the tax burden the state has imposed on everyone!  But they have already given in.  They've had their daily dose of soma and now they simply wait at the trough like so many others in order to get their handout or favor from the government.  What has happened to the American spirit?

Dear Coach Mark Richt:

Get it together, man!  I don't know what's going on -- if the team's having a crisis of confidence or if you are (it's hard to tell with you) -- but you must get. it. together.  

Those young men should fear the consequences of your disappointment.  They do not play as if they do.  

Y'all need to start winning -- and quick.  We know the games that still loom on the horizon.  They're going to fire you if you don't!  And neither of us want that. 

So please -- go forth with confidence, spirit and a sense of purpose.  And win, win, win! 


With Love and Respect, 
Michelle


PS.  Get some double-sided tape and put it all over Washaun Ealey's butterfingers because that kid is working my last nerve.  Go Dawgs.

John Kerry, I'd Almost Forgotten About You . . .

But now you've gone and opened that sad-looking mouth of yours.  

“We have an electorate that doesn’t always pay that much attention to what’s going on so people are influenced by a simple slogan rather than the facts or the truth or what’s happening,” Kerry told reporters after touring the Boston Medical Center yesterday.

Yep, that's it.  I'm definitely angry because I haven't been paying enough attention.  

He loses me again here:

“I think a lot of the anger today - while it’s appropriate because Washington is broken - is not directed at the right people,” said Kerry. “Barney is prepared, as others are, to explain what we’re doing. I think when people hear the facts and they see what we’re doing, it frankly makes sense.” 

Right again, John.  We shouldn't focus our frustration on the people who have been running Washington for years.  That would be preposterous.  

I know Massachusetts votes for liberals (except when they don't and vote for Scott Brown), but can you all up there please vote this guy out when he's up for re-election next? Just vote for the other guy in the Democratic primary.  Please.  He's insufferable. 

I Think ...

Nancy Pelosi is losing her mind.  Honestly.  She's afflicted.

I do like it when she talks about what the American people "like".  I'm sure my parents would have loved the opportunity to keep me on their payroll until the age of 26.  Isn't that the American Dream for all parents?  One day, little Timmy will grow up to be unemployed, living in our basement and waiting for us to die, so he can really start spending our money!  And he'll have full medical until he turns 26! 

Obama's Tin Ear

Meant to post on this a couple of days ago.  


Painting the Tea Partiers as extremists is ridiculous -- these are people who want to govern and be governed by the Constitution.  The people driving the Tea Party are tax-paying, productive, law-abiding citizens.  And they are more popular than either political party.  If the Dems want to tie the GOP to the Tea Party, I have to assume the GOP would see that as a gift.  I continue to be amazed at the lack of understanding the Obama White House has regarding the mood of the country and his place in it.

Thinking Small

He just seems like such a small man.  Either don’t engage hecklers/protesters who are trying to disrupt your speech or engage and own your decisions and shortcomings in enacting policies you campaigned on.  The approach of “go protest the Republicans - they really suck!” is not leadership.  It’s whiny, small and unbecoming for the President of the United States of America.  

Georgia Attempts to Pass Law Fraught with Common Sense

Okay, I don't know why I'm surprised that they don't already do this, but I am.  Here's the kicker for me:

The committee assembled by the State Board of Regents also recommended that all Georgia colleges verify every admitted student seeking in-state tuition to determine if the student is in the country legally. Illegal immigrants are not eligible for in-state tuition.  [Emphasis mine]

Um, duh?  You mean that someone whose official permanent residence is outside of the US wouldn't qualify for in-state tuition in Georgia? 

And then there's this:

Jerry Gonzalez, director of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, said the committee's decision betrays the regents' mission to ensure access to quality higher education.

Is it the regents' mission "to ensure access to quality higher education"?  If so, then it shouldn't be.  Their mission should be to run the state's public universities effectively and ensure that quality education is provided to the students enrolled (legally). 

(Un?)Believable

I know I should be heartened by Andrew Breitbart's happy warrior swagger -- and I am -- but the absolute foolishness of these protesters is so depressing.  These people are the reason I understand Ayn Rand's "hate".

Government in Action

$111 million in stimulus funds creates 55(!) jobs in LA.  Fifty-five.  As in 5 x 11 = 55.  As in $2,018,181.82 per job. 

People, people, people -- this is what happens when the government tries to command the economy.  We can all agree that we want to be working, that we prefer employment to unemployment.  Now, liberals -- please provide me with a cogent argument for the practical successes that government has had in boosting the economy through so-called stimuli.  You can't do it because they don't exist.  And you're a dupe if you think otherwise.  You buy the politicians' lines that they're acting to help you and your fellow Americans, but it's a con -- their "help" is just a way to gain control over you and keep power for themselves.  Wake up!

I disagree in principle with most government action, but if I could be shown that it works in practicality, much of the fervor of my disagreement would subside.  But there are no practical successes!  We can help each other as private citizens much more than the government can help us.  Wake up, wake up, wake up!

Can We Please Legalize Drugs Already?

It seems as though they already are legal for those with enough money -- at least to the point where the consequences are barely felt.  If Paris Hilton were a poor black man, do you think the deal would be the same?  The only fair way to address the disparity of justice between the haves and the haves-not (or the haves-plenty and the haves-less) is to make drugs legal for everyone.  I don't think Paris Hilton should go to jail for snorting something up her nose that has no effect on me.  Nor do I think the countless others whose names we do not know should go to jail for the same offense. 

We have created a cottage industry based on the illegalization of drugs and it is funded primarily by a tax on the poorest and least-educated among us and I think it is despicable.

Pet Peeve

Dear Reader(s?), let me share a pet peeve with you (this feature may become a daily or weekly occurrence given my low threshold for irritation).  I ordered a pizza last night.  I wanted a small pizza.  When I called in my order, the girl at the pizza place told me that they didn't have a "small" size -- only medium or large.  Okay, forget the fact that it took her a few minutes to reach the logical conclusion that I wanted the smallest pizza they offered, what bothers me to no end is the lack of understanding that MEDIUM IS A RELATIVE SIZE!!!  You cannot have a medium pizza if you do not also have a small and large pizza.  I don't care if your smallest-sized pizza is larger than that of other pizzerias -- it's still your "small" pizza.  

This Makes Absolute Sense to Me

John Cornyn on the issues of the day.
  
My beliefs fall more in line with the libertarians -- personally, I'm a social conservative -- the main issues of the day (as I see them) that require political/governmental action are the economy and terrorism (I'm more gung-ho on killing and destroying terrorists than strict libertarians).  I feel that I can promote my socially conservative beliefs -- life starts at conception and traditional marriage -- in my personal life by trying to win hearts and minds, not by trying to force compliance through government fiat.  Allowing government intrusion into our personal lives on those positions with which we agree invites government intrusion into our personal lives in other ways with which we will disagree. 

Personally, I see her more as Emperor Palpatine ...

But this works, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7jJI1cfEgc

Athens, Ga. Still #1 (In My Heart)

How did Gainesville beat Athens in a rating of college towns?  It’s still in Florida, right?  With the jean short-wearing and the messes in orange and blue?  Whatever.

Why Are There Czars in America?

I just don’t even like the notion of “czars” in the United States.  Rubs me the wrong way.  In this instance, it seems as though he didn’t actually take a salary, but what a waste of time to go through getting the check, endorsing it and sending it back to the government.  Why bother?  I also love how he references the fact that he has “to pay taxes on the money I didn't keep – so it actually cost me money to be the special master."   Give Tim Geithner or any number of federal employees a call -- they don’t pay taxes on money they actually DO keep.

Dekalb County Gets a Shout-Out on Drudge

I love it when my city, county or state gets a mention from Drudge.  

Local farmer fined for growing too many crops.  The message they’re sending:  give in, succumb, it’s already too late -- you belong to the state and those things which you think belong to you actually belong to the state, too.  

On a related note, my husband used to work on a loading dock in an hourly position and he explained to me that he and his co-workers made more money when they worked 36 hours than when they worked 40 hours or more.  The difference:  the tax rate.  The government penalizes hard-working men and women in these hourly positions for trying to better their financial positions (and boost productivity for their employers) by triggering a higher tax rate when they work those extra hours.  That’s what a progressive income tax does.  Say you worked 36 hours per week and made $1000 and you get taxed at 25% -- your take-home pay is $750; but if you worked 40 hours and made  $1111 and you're taxed at 35% -- your take-home pay is $722.  Same message as above:  give in, succumb, you belong to the state.

The State of Georgia Has Defaulted on Its Loan (From Me)

Let me share my frustrations with you over my state income tax refund.  I noticed in early July that I had not received my refund check and went to the Georgia Department of Revenue website to check the status of my return via their “convenient” refund status page.  After entering my information, I was informed that my check had “been mailed or is scheduled to be mailed”.  (First issue:  those are two VERY different categories!)  


I was told to check back in 30 days if I did not get my check.  (Second issue:  there was no date associated with the 30-day time period and as I discovered on subsequent inquires 2 and 4 weeks following my initial inquiry -- the 30-day limit was meaningless because they kept telling me to check back in 30 days.  Boo.)


I finally called their hotline as instructed between 7:30AM and 5:30PM.  I called at 5:00PM.  I went through the automated system that repeated everything I did online.  When I was finally given the option of choosing to speak with a representative, I was told to call back “during normal business hours” -- the time was 5:10PM.  (If you're keeping count, that's my third issue.) 


I called back the next day at 9:00AM on the nose.  Spoke with a woman who told me they mailed my check on July 10.  After explaining again that I never received it, she confirmed with their bank that it had not been deposited.  Then she sent me a form to complete so that I could finally get my check within 10-15 business days -- I would be surprised if the government even knows what a business day is.


Here’s the thing -- I don’t believe them.  I don’t think they ever sent my check.  I know that as a state we have a budget shortfall and that last year they didn’t return my refund in a timely manner either.  I think they’re just giving taxpayers the run-around while they accrue interest and use our money as stop-gap and hope we don’t notice for awhile.  



The clock is ticking now on the 10-15 business days, we’ll see what happens.

Trivial Matters

I can’t be the only person who doesn’t find it strange that 1) Michelle Obama was out of town for the President’s birthday and 2) he was seen without his wedding band.

On the first issue -- he’s a grown man, not a child!  Is she supposed to host a party with pony rides and a clown for the guy?  I just don’t find it strange that two busy people may miss some “important” dates such as birthdays.  Then again, I’m not a birthday person.

On the second issue -- do we really think he would be so stupid as to announce problems in his marriage by taking off his wedding ring without comment?  (Okay, so given what we know of him, that could happen.)  My husband and I have gone long periods without wearing our rings for no reason other than a desire to take the jewelry off.  

There are so many curious and troubling things about this man, I just don’t think the above are worthy of mention when we have so much else to discuss.

We'd Like to Think it Couldn't Happen Here

What happens when a country goes bankrupt.

Chris Christie.

Enough said.

Really?

This is the problem with President Obama.

"Bin Laden has gone deep underground. Even Zawahiri, who is more often out there, has been much more cautious. But we have the best minds, the best intelligence officers, the best special forces, who are thinking about this day and night. And they will continue to think about it day and night as long as I'm president," Obama said. 

I understand the need to think through operations, but what he chooses to emphasize at a time when people want and expect action is mind-boggling. They're thinking about it day and night?  How about some real action words, Mr. President?  

It’s like he’s living in a different reality from the rest of us.