You Asked For It!

On October 24th President Obama was in my adopted hometown, Las Vegas. During his speech he said the following about his proposed jobs bill: "It's a bill that's fully paid for -- by asking those of us who make more than $1 million to pay a little more in taxes." and later said his plan would be, "...paid for by asking people who make more than $1 million to pay one-half of 1 percent in additional taxes.  For somebody making $1.1 million a year, that's an extra $500.  Five hundred bucks.  And with that, we could have saved 400,000 jobs."

I don't claim any special math abilities, but I believe one half of 1% of $1.1 million is $5,500 not $500. I'm not going to try and figure out the math in Mr. Obama's proposal, there are many people far more qualified than I to discuss that. (Here is one example).

What I have a problem with is the repeated assertion that Mr. Obama is going to "ask" for these millionaires to pay their *fair share by imposing a tax. By definition a tax is "a sum of money demanded by a government". That's right, it is demanded, and those that don't pay face penalties like fines or imprisonment. That doesn't sound like a request to me.

I hope, although I don't really expect it, that in the future Mr. Obama will stop using the rhetoric that he is going to "ask" for someone to pay more, he is going to do his best to FORCE them to pay more. That is a pretty big difference. And in my opinion it won't be long before he DEMANDS more from all of us!

So I guess in addition to getting the president a calculator we need to get him a dictionary, too. Christmas is coming, or Kwanzaa, or Hanukkah, or Ramadan (I'm trying to all inclusive), maybe we can all pitch in and Mr. Obama a gift.

That's just My Humble Yet Correct Opinion.

(*Maybe we can discuss the definition of "fair" in the future.)

Remembering September 11, 2001

Like most adults, I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing on 9/11/01. Watching the specials on TV today and reading all the posts online have brought back a flood of memories from that day. I honor those that died that day. The First Responders, the Police, the Fire Departments, and those that just showed up to work that day. The Military and Civilian employees at the Pentagon, the Airline Crews and the Passengers. All of them are victims of some the worst evil to ever show itself in this World.

I pray for their families and for our Country.

One thing that has struck me again in the days leading up to the 10th anniversary of the attacks is that the World Trade Center twin towers should have been rebuilt as soon as possible and built to look the same as they were before the attack.

The Twin Towers as they were...

I realize it's easy for me to say how billions of dollars should be spent. I'm sure somewhere there was plan to rebuild the towers, and someone decided it was better to build a memorial. I don't know if the decision was monetary or if it took into consideration the survivors and families of the victims. In the interest of full disclosure I admit I do not know anyone that was directly involved that day. No one I knew was killed, injured, or even in New York.

The Ground Zero Memorial.

My point is, I think the Towers should have been rebuilt within a couple years as a way to show the terrorists and the world that, yes, the US can be hurt, but it won't stop us. You knocked down two buildings, and we rebuilt them. It's a matter of National Pride. To me that would have been a much better memorial to honor those lost ten years ago today.

That's just My Humble Yet Correct Opinion...