Toliver Disrespected as Afterthought

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

April 10, 2009

Following an appropriately positive article about Maryland Terrapin basketball star Marissa Coleman’s selection by the Washington Mystics as the number two overall pick in the WNBA’s draft on Thursday, April 9 came a most inappropriate afterthought of a single sentence about the very next pick in the draft – Terp standout Kristi Toliver.

While the Washington Post included a nice draft-day photo of the Terp teammates, it completely disrespected Toliver by relegating her number three overall pick by the Chicago Sky to the aforementioned one sentence in the “WNBA Notes” as if insignificant. Is that how the Post reports fairly about one of greatest players in Terps women’s basketball history?

In case the Post needs a refresher in Toliver 101, as a freshman in 2006, she canned a three-pointer sending the championship game into overtime – a game in the Terps would eventually defeat archrival Duke. Toliver holds the team record for free throw percentage and three-pointers made, also ranking third in the ACC in the latter category as well as second in the conference for assists.

In addition to being named an All-American in 2008, Toliver became the first Terp to win the Nancy Lieberman Award for the nation’s best point guard that same year, only to follow that up by being named ACC Player of the Year this year. Toliver led the Terps this season playing 35.1 minutes per game, in scoring 18.4 points per game and with an .857 free throw percentage. She should not be dismissed or disrespected simply because the local Mystics did not draft her.

Both Toliver and Coleman had superb careers at Maryland that won’t soon be forgotten – on the court for their play and off the court as both will graduate next month.

Sanford D. Horn, Maryland, Class of 1988, is a member of both the university’s Alumni Association and the Terrapin Club.

"In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself." -- James Madison, Federalist No. 51

Founding Fathers Spinning in Their Graves

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

April 2, 2009

Those gurgling, choking and gasping sounds followed by a loud thud you hear are James Madison, Patrick Henry, George Mason and John Adams collectively coming back to life then dropping dead all over again as they no longer recognize the out of control government that once knew its place in American society.

Where is it written in the Constitution that the government has the right to use my tax dollars and yours to prop up businesses that should either declare bankruptcy and go through reorganization or simply dissolve and fade into that good night?

None of the bailouts authorized by both the current and previous administrations should have been approved by Congress. Not for the auto industry, the banks or the insurance industry. Sweden announced last week that is would not rescue auto mainstay Saab, yet the United States is dumping good money into troubled auto manufacturers.  Sweden, Socialist for years, but now being led by a more conservative government, had its Minister of Enterprise quip “this is not a game of Monopoly.” This government should take a lesson from that simple philosophy and tell the troubled businesses not to pass “Go” or collect $200 billion.

Failure leads to success. Without a safety net, how many inventors struck out before striking gold? Think of the numerous failures by Thomas Edison and his creative brethren. Without failure, people do not have the drive to try again and succeed. If people are not buying cars made by Chrysler, Ford and General Motors, then it is time to go back to the drawing board instead of demanding the government artificially prop them up.

Where is it written in the Constitution that the government has the right to fire a corporate CEO and require one American company to merge with another company – and a foreign one to boot?

Going under the premise that the bailouts are wrong in the first place, the government is wrong to force former GM CEO Rick Wagoner to resign. That is what stockholders and a board of directors are for. That’s free enterprise. The government is just as wrong for  forcing a merger of Chrysler with Fiat – an Italian auto maker. (I have nothing against Fiat – my father drove one in the ‘70s.)

Where is it written in the Constitution that the government has the right to thrust my tax dollars and yours on states that just say no?

When South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford (R) shunned the government stimulus money; that should have been the end of the discussion. But instead, the Federal Government seemed to have forgotten about a little thing called the 10^th Amendment.

Here’s one that really grills my onions. How did the government get so arrogant that it can shun its job of actually reading the legislation it is entrusted with reading, understanding and upon which it must then vote? Compounding their own irresponsibility, Congress then gets even more stupid by forgetting the Constitution once again by attempting to tax their way out of the original mistake.

First Congress, the Democrats, grants a monster bailout of AIG to the tune of roughly $170 billion. Then, after not reading the bill they voted to approve, Congress discovers they granted bonuses to AIG to the tune of about $160 million. Sheepishly, Congress attempted to right their own wrongs by declaring a 90 percent tax on the AIG bonuses. Once again, members of Congress, mostly attorneys, seemed to have forgotten their contract law classes. Legislation passed is a contract and the bonuses, however unsavory, need to be honored. Conduct your due diligence, Congress. Read first, then vote – avoid the embarrassment and the faux indignation that follows.

The Obama administration’s interference with and in the corporate world is its attempt to derail capitalism and the freedom of business to succeed and, yes, fail, on its own. News blast, you arrogant, sycophantic Congress: just because Obama wants to charge down the slippery slope from capitalism to socialism like a bull in a china shop does not mean you need to let go of the reins. When it comes to things economic in nature, and we learned this in grade school civics, money bills begin in the House – of Representatives, that is, and not the White House.

There is plenty of blame to go around. President George W. Bush certainly got this ball rolling toward hell with the first round of stimulus last September, all but helping to seal Sen. John McCain’s fate in November. But that does not mean that Congress must placate Obama and his grand quest to redistribute wealth by sinking this once solvent nation into a debt from which my grandchildren’s grandchildren will be digging out like a Montana blizzard.

Couple the arrogance and stupidity with lies and misplaced disingenuous anger. Should Congress want to lay blame somewhere, all they need do is look inward. Sadly, we the people must also take credit for some of the blame as well, for it was we the people who put these irresponsible pinheads back in office. We have the government we deserve. This falls into the category of we get what we pay for. Incumbents, with their name recognition and fat-cat lobbyist contributors take the average voter for granted knowing that theirs is the name the voters will remember on Election Day. Greater than 95 percent of incumbents get reelected, most of whom do so without so much as breaking a sweat.

Let us be forewarned by the words of yet another Founding Father: “Arbitrary power is most easily established on the ruins of liberty abused to licentiousness,” wrote George Washington in 1753.

Clearly the words of Washington were to warn the people not to let down their guard for it is the assault from within our borders we must be mindful of – or to quote the King of Crass and the one-fingered salute, Rahm Emanuel, “you never want a serious crisis to go to waste.” This is not to praise the partisan’s partisan, but to serve as a warning that this is the kind of down in the mud street fight one gets with this administration. Kick the nation while it’s down. While the nation is watching its collective 401k turn into a 201k and struggling to put food on the table, more and more of our rights are being eroded and more and more of the former capitalistic society in which we once freely lived is decaying from the inside.

The government does not owe anyone a living or a job. The government does not owe anyone a home or an automobile. The government does not owe anyone an education or health care either. What the government owes its citizenry is the opportunity to earn those desires; and that opportunity comes in the form of protecting our borders with as strong a military as possible and using as few of our tax dollars as possible for the construction and maintenance of our roads, bridges, tunnels as well as the internal protection of the citizens from the criminal element along with taking care of those citizens who are mentally and physically incapable of caring for themselves. That’s it.

The people know better how to spend their money then the government. More and more liberties are taken by elected officials of all stripes, which in turn diminish the liberties granted the citizenry by the Constitution.

“I want the people of America to be able to work less for the government and more for themselves. I want them to have the rewards of their own industry. That is the chief meaning of freedom,” said President Calvin Coolidge in his March 4, 1925 inaugural address. He may have been nicknamed “Silent Cal,” but his few words certainly packed a wallop.

The overwhelming majority of Congress needs a refresher course in the Constitution. Considering that most of them are attorneys by trade, they seem to have forgotten most of what they supposedly learned in Con-Law, and it’s not that long a document. People like Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) should be removed from Congress for their repeated lies. There are, no doubt, many others who should follow them out the doors of the hallowed halls as well.

The body politic continues to behave in an arrogant, irresponsible manner with no regard for the citizenry or anything else for that matter, save for their own reelection. It’s high time the voters wake up, and take notice that their own member may be part of the problem. It continues to astound when surveyed, the majority of folks say they like their individual member, but have no use for the institution as a whole. I am just the opposite. The institution as a whole can be salvaged if we dump the individual members – in my case, let’s start with my representative – Jim Moran (D-VA-8) who has voted in lock step in favor of every bad bill to come down the pike.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and political consultant living in Alexandria, VA.

Omnibus Bill Proving Ominous

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

March 5, 2009

With Congress prepared to throw another 410 billion of our taxpayer dollars out the window on superfluous projects many of which had previously been rejected at the state level, a few Democrats are finally waking up to smell the Arabica beans.

Moderate Senator Evan Bayh (IN) and reliable liberal senators Russ Feingold (WI) and Robert Menendez (NJ) announced they would not vote for this pork-laden omnibus bill. This after Senator John McCain (R-AZ) took to the Senate floor to decry the multitude of nonsense plaguing the bill that will continue to drive the stock market further and further into oblivion. This is where McCain demonstrates he still has an ounce of conservatism left in him, as he and conservatives lay blame where it belongs – on all members of both parties who took part in this spending orgy – and, yes, that includes the 40 percent of the pork brought to us by GOP members.

McCain cited the following examples as some of the nuggets found in the omnibus bill: $1.7 million for pig odor research in Iowa, $6.6 million for termite research in New Orleans, $2.1 million for the Center for Great Genetics in New York, $1.7 million for a honeybee factory in Weslaco, TX, $333,333 for a school sidewalk in Franklin, TX, $143,000 for an on-line encyclopedia in NV, $951,000 for a sustainable Las Vegas – whatever the hell that means, and $207,000 for a tattoo removal program in Los Angeles – wasn’t Fantasy Island cancelled years ago? And on it goes to the tune of roughly 9,000 earmarks.

Bayh said this is business as usual and that the increases are counter-productive. Not just counter-productive, but in many cases previously rejected on the state level. Case in point, Nevada voters rejected a transportation system from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, which is now part of this omnibus bill to be paid for by all Americans, not just Nevadans, thanks to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. To contact Reid in Washington, DC, call 202-224-3542, or send an e-mail via his Senate website: www.reid.senate.gov.

Yes, there is a link between Capitol Hill and Wall Street, just as there is a link between Wall Street and Main Street, despite Barack Obama admitting just days ago that he doesn’t pay much attention to Wall Street. That is painfully obvious, as every time he opens his mouth the market takes another tumble toward hell. Clearly, this is demonstrative of a lack of confidence in Obama and his plans.

What happens on the Hill does not stay on the Hill. Look at the trends – when Obama makes a public pronouncement of some sort regarding the economy, the housing market, his continued attempts at wealth redistribution and tax increases, the stock market falls precipitously. Eventually people will stop investing causing companies to lose revenue, forcing them to lay more employees off, raising unemployment and thus the people’s dependence upon government.

Obama attempts to delineate a difference between Wall and Main streets, yet they are inexorably linked. In one way shape or form, virtually all Americans – Main Street, are linked to the stock market – Wall Street. Whether it is via an IRA, a 401(k) or some other investment instrument, the average American is touched by the stock market. When the market struggles, consumer confidence wanes, causing a drop in purchasing, and thus the inevitable layoffs.

Obama lied when he said anyone earning less than $250,000 would not see their taxes raised. By allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire, he is doing just that – causing a raise in taxes on anyone owning stock as capital gains taxes will increase. Pushing for a reduction in allowable home mortgage interest deductions will raise the taxes of anyone owning a home. By seeking to disallow charitable contributions as a legitimate deduction, people’s taxes will not only rise, but charitable contributions will fall as a result. This in turn diminishes the ability of charities to help those in the direst of need, thus forcing them to seek increased government assistance, ultimately costing the taxpayers more money.

If not raising taxes on 95 percent of Americans is an Obama goal that he believes will help jumpstart the economy, taxes should not be raised on 100 percent of Americans for the same reason. To do otherwise defies logic, but then, so too does the notion of government making things better for the American people by running them. Instead, government takes hold of something and runs it into the ground. All one needs to do is examine the DMV, US Postal Service and the dilapidated state of public education in this country. But public education is a topic for another column.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and political consultant living in Alexandria, VA.

DC – First in War, First in Peace, Never in Congress

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

February 23, 2009

“If the District of Columbia deserves a member of the House of Representatives, they deserve two senators as well,” said Senator John McCain (R-AZ) earlier in February.

I wholeheartedly agree with the former GOP presidential nominee. Now before those of you who know my staunch opposition to DC being awarded a voting member of Congress go into shock, notice the premise to the entire statement: IF – the biggest two-letter word in the English language. Yes, IF DC deserves, but DC does not deserve a voting member in Congress or two senators. Besides, every time Washington gets senators they up and leave for places like Minnesota and Texas!

And let’s not overlook a little thing called the Constitution of the United States of America.

Article I, Section 2: “The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States…”

Article I, Section 3: “The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each state…”

Article I, Sections 2 and 3 clearly outlines that only states are to be represented by members of the two houses of Congress and DC is most certainly not a state. At one time, DC consisted of land from both Maryland and Virginia; today just former Maryland land comprises the seat of the nation’s government. Perhaps that land should revert back to the Free State and the residents of DC should be citizens of Maryland. Then, upon the counting of the census in 2010, Maryland would more than likely receive an additional member of Congress and the state losing the most population would drop one of its members. It has been done that way for years.

In a Washington Post column penned by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, he opined that the residents of DC “are the successors to the People of the several states – people of my home state, Maryland, who were stripped of their voting rights.” All the more reason to return them to Maryland, not, as Hoyer supports, give them a Congressional member.

Article I, Section 2: “Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union…”

If DC residents do not get a member of Congress, they should not be required to pay federal taxes or be subject to a military draft should one be necessary in the future. This would be fair, and to some extent has legs, as Congressman Louie Gohmert (R-TX) is willing to exempt Washingtonians from “federal income tax[es] until a constitutional amendment can be passed,” according to Marc Fisher of the Washington Post. Gohmert made no mention regarding DC residents potential military service.

And, by the way, a constitutional amendment would be the proper path to take for granting a member of Congress to DC, but supporters have seen the writing on the wall in previous failed attempts. The last attempt suffered defeat in 1985 when the amendment passed both houses in 1978, but the clock expired after a seven year limit to garner three-quarters of the state legislatures approval failed with only 16 states on board. This new vote by Congress is an attempt to sneak in through the back door.

Article I, Section 8: “…The Congress shall have Power To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of Government of the United States…”

Hoyer is using this Section as his way in the front door suggesting that the House can vote to grant DC its member of Congress. Why then, has this interpretation not been used in the past? It would seem that this Section grants Congress the authority to govern over the District and write and pass its laws.

The parenthetical “not exceeding ten Miles square” is interesting as if the framers limited the size of the seat of the nation’s government, it would not want to encourage a constant burgeoning of population to overflow its borders. Instead, it would seem the framers sought to limit the size of the government and thus the number of people who served in it. The framers did not intend to have people make the District a permanent home, instead it expected members of Congress would come to DC serve a couple of terms and then return to their lives as farmers, small businessmen, clerics, doctors, etc. Likewise their staffs, small that they were to be, as well as the people in the employ of the federal government. Constant turnover would keep people from growing roots in DC and losing touch with the folks back home.

Sadly, this has not happened and the District is 69 square miles. Carve out the residential neighborhoods including perimeter shopping and non-government businesses for annexation by Maryland. Those with concerns about its shape only need to look at some of the terribly misshapen Congressional districts in the name of seat preservation. It’s enough to cause Elbridge Gerry to turn over in his grave.

Article II, Section 1: “…Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the Number of Senators and Representatives to which the state may be entitled in the Congress…”

See Article I, Sections 2 and 3.

Amendment XXIII: “The District constituting the seat of the Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct:

            A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole numbers of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State…” (Ratified March 29, 1961; all three of the District of Columbia’s electoral votes have been cast for the Democratic candidate for president in every election since 1964.)

As far as I am concerned, the 23^rd Amendment is in direct violation of the Constitution – Article II, Section 1, and the desires of the framers by awarding DC its three electoral votes. The District of Columbia was designed to be the seat of the government and not a permanent dwelling for the masses.

The notion of a compromise, as suggested by former Congressman Tom Davis (R-VA), to give a member of Congress to DC and one to Utah simply because the Beehive State would be the next state due an additional member plays fast and loose with the Constitution. Would this even be up for discussion if Utah were not such an overwhelmingly Republican state? But that it is, does not guarantee its permanence. This leads down the slippery slope which can only end up with DC being granted two federal senators. This would be two virtually permanent Democratic strongholds as voters in DC trend eight to one for the Democrats.

Bottom line is DC is not a state and should not have state status, for that same slippery slope may lead to American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Those territories and possessions are not states either, but what the hell, let’s give them statehood privileges of congressmen and senators as well. Sound silly? So does nationalization of the banks, but that frightening possible reality will have to be the subject of another column on another day.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and political consultant living in Alexandria, VA.

A Burr-is In the Dem’s Side

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

February 20, 2009

When The Washington Post and the Chicago Tribune call for a Democrat’s resignation, one can just picture the snow falling in hell. The gift that keeps on giving – Roland Burris and Illinois politics are embroiled in the continuing saga of “can anyone tell the truth in Honest Abe’s Land of Lincoln?”

Whether or not Burris perjured himself regarding his connection to former Illinois governor “Lightening” Rod Blagojevich and fundraising issues is becoming both murkier by the day and irrelevant as more and more supporters are calling for his resignation for the betterment of the people of Illinois. Governor Pat Quinn, a Democrat, called for Burris’ resignation on Friday, February 20. Two days prior, nearly three dozen ministers and pastors from black churches who have supported Burris, have also called for him to step aside, demonstrating their lack of faith in the senator.

Judge Andrew Napolitano of the Fox News Channel indicated that Burris, could escape perjury charges, but still lose his law license for providing “misleading” testimony. Sadly such behavior would not cost Burris his Senate seat, but he has still demonstrated a diminution of honesty and integrity in the eyes of non-supporters and supporters alike. That would be strong circumstance for Burris to resign his seat and allow the people of Illinois to have their faith restored in a more forthright representative.

This situation is yet another reason to call for the amendment of the United States Constitution’s 17^th Amendment which, while allowing for the direct election of federal senators, grants the governor the right to appoint a senate replacement upon a vacancy. As has been demonstrated in recent weeks, this process leaves quite a bit to be desired when witnessing the activities in Illinois, New York, Delaware and what might have been in New Hampshire. For more information on that subject, read my February 4 column entitled “Special Elections Should Trump Special Exceptions” at http://sanfordhorn.blogtownhall.com/. Such special elections would avoid the stench of impropriety and potential quid pro quo.

Although Burris continues to maintain his innocence, in the best interest of the citizens of Illinois he should resign.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and political consultant living in Alexandria, VA.

Rush to Bad Judgment

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

February 16, 2009

Congress and Barack Obama have mastered hurry up and wait to an art form; but it’s an art form that should rankle the American people to their core.

Obama wasted taxpayer dollars giving campaign-esque speeches in Elkhart, IN, East Peoria, IL and Fort Myers, FL demanding that Congress pass the so-called stimulus package as quickly as possible to meet his self-imposed deadline. The rush was no doubt to avoid having the details reach the light of day as the American people would wretch in horror if they knew how their hard-earned money was being given away, thus mortgaging their grandchildren’s futures.

The rush was such that not one member of either house of Congress could legitimately claim they actually read the 1000-plus page bill cover to cover. Any member who makes such a claim is a liar and should be removed from their cushy-tushy position for perjury. At a rate of roughly 650 words per minute, it would take 12 continuous hours to pour through the monstrosity, according to Mike Huckabee.

That a vote was taken on such a behemoth of a piece of legislation is irresponsible at the very least and perhaps even criminal. Every member who voted for this albatross should be recalled on the grounds of misconduct, misappropriation of taxpayer funds and irresponsibility. How can anyone in good conscience vote for something they have not read. Who’s to say some Congressional aide didn’t slip some language into the bill declaring war on Canada or giving voting rights to birds?

Shrieker of the House Nancy Pelosi and seven of her Democratic colleagues were in a rush to leave on their so-called working junket to Italy. Not flying a commercial airplane, the eight Democrats could have delayed their taxpayer funded flight at least a couple of days in order to actually do their jobs and read the bill prior to voting for it instead of automatically knee-jerk liberally voting blindly on the largest spending bill in the nation’s history. More irresponsibility.

And on top of all the insanity, after the rush job by Congress to get the crap package to Obama’s desk, there it sits until Tuesday, February 17 at the earliest when he will probably sign it – in Denver, using more taxpayer money. That is the epitome of irresponsibility – especially when Congress could have taken three or four more days to read the document that will irrevocably alter the economics of the United States.

Adding insult to injury, literally, were the unbelievably arrogant remarks made on the Senate floor by Charles (Chucky Schmucky) Schumer (D-NY). “And let me say this to all of the chattering class that so much focuses on those little, tiny, yes, porky amendments, the American people really don’t care.

Apparently more than 1,500 people cared, and cared enough send bags of pork rinds to Schumer’s office at the behest of Leland Conway of 630-WLAP radio in Lexington, KY. Kudos to his listeners! We the aggravated and insulted should continue this effort. Schumer’s DC office address is 313 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510. The telephone number to his office is 202-224-6542. Send pork rinds, call and express your anger and displeasure in Schumer, but be polite and take the high road. Messages must be sent and efforts to defeat these scoundrels must occur in earnest.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and political consultant living in Alexandria, VA.

Obama, La Hood-winked, Caterpillar and Canoodling

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

February 12, 2009

The oft used phrase politics makes strange bedfellows could not be more apt when examining the relationship between two Illinois politicos Barack Obama and Transportation Secretary Ray La Hood. Of all places for Obama to visit in the latest stop along his “I’ve got to shove the stimulus package down America’s throats” tour was the East Peoria plant of Caterpillar.

Obama had scheduled stops in Illinois for the same day, February 12, to commemorate the bicentennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. I don’t think Honest Abe would have looked too kindly upon Obama or La Hood. But of all places Obama could have visited, why Caterpillar?

Well, the over 80-year-old company that manufactures construction and mining equipment had planned to lay off roughly 22,000 workers according to forbes.com. Yet, one day prior, while speaking in Springfield, VA, Obama referenced Caterpillar in conjunction with upcoming construction projects and how the company would be able to rehire many of the unemployed. Obama reiterated the same thought while at Caterpillar noting that “Jim” could rehire workers upon passage of the stimulus bill.

At that point people’s crap detectors should have been working overtime. Jim, who Obama mentioned while at Caterpillar, is the beleaguered company’s CEO James W. Owens, who said there would be more layoffs before they start hiring again, also according to forbes.com.

So back to why Caterpillar for Obama’s visit. This is where La Hood comes in. La Hood is the former Republican Congressman who represented the district that includes Caterpillar’s corporate headquarters in Peoria prior to serving in Obama’s cabinet. Perhaps Caterpillar wouldn’t be in the financial straits it is currently experiencing if it hadn’t decided that a museum to itself was at the top of its “to do” list.

As I wrote on January 17 the Lakeview Museum in Peoria became possible partly due to a $330,000 earmark of La Hood’s and also due to Caterpillar’s own largesse. Oh, by the way, Caterpillar was La Hood’s biggest campaign donor. This earmark was merely the tip of the La Hood-wink pork-laden iceberg.

In 2008 alone La Hood sent up legislation calling for $60 million in earmarks, ranking him in the top 10 percent of all Congressional porkers. This was partly made possible by sitting on the highly coveted Appropriations Committee and allowed La Hood-wink to funnel larded-up legislation toward some of his more generous political donors.

And while the record is being set straight, Obama’s got a lot of ‘splainin’ to do regarding his own mathematics. During his speech-conference on Monday night February 9, Obama said his stimulus albatross would create or save four million jobs, yet two days later in Springfield, VA, at 11:18 a.m., he said his crap package would create or save three million jobs. Seems reminiscent of his campaign when each day the bar on the amount of income to be tax-increased kept dropping. Perhaps he just “misremembered.”

Additionally, Obama should be ashamed of himself for attempting to publicly embarrass freshman Representative Aaron Schock (R-IL) and shanghai his vote on the stimulus monstrosity. This Obama did during his speech at Caterpillar, which is located in the heart of the 18^th District once represented by La Hood, and now Schock. This is just the kind of arm-twisting that would make Rahm Emanuel proud.

Making matters worse is that this so-called stimulus package is due to be voted upon Friday, February 13, which violates Obama’s own campaign pledge of five days of sunshine prior to signing. The sunshine refers to the opportunity for the bill to be examined by the public in Obama’s so-called era of transparency.

As of 10:15 p.m. on Thursday, February 12 Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC) still had not received the bill, nor had his fellow legislators, he said, while being interviewed by Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren. Graham further said, “I’m embarrassed to be in a Congress that would pass this spend-fest.” Graham was then critical of the $400 million returned to the package to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and the $1 billion to NASA, calling it a “national disgrace,” and that this is not a bill to create “jobs, but to help senators get reelected.”

If the senator thinks his hands are tied, imagine how the American people must feel. This is the kind of powerlessness of which revolutions are born.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and political consultant living in Alexandria, VA.

Master of His Domain, But Little Else

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

February 9, 2009

In his first prime time press conference Barack Obama was certainly master of his domain – holding court in a campaign-like speech interrupted by the occasional question.

Obama’s goal, clearly, was to remind the American people who won in November and who’s in charge today with his continued fear mongering imploring Congress to hurry up and pass the albatross of our grandchildren’s future – the so-called stimulus package. In that, he succeeded, however, the so-called stimulus package that he optioned out to Nancy Pelosi, Harry “I can smell the tourists” Reid and their merry band of liberals is still the same spending orgy.

Obama, creeping ever closer to socialism, said that only government can solve this crisis, yet in the same breath claimed that 90 percent of the jobs to be created are in private sector, with, of course, no explanation as to how. Flashback to earlier in the same day, Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) pointed out that while small business creates 80 percent of the jobs in this country, only 3/10 of one percent of the so-called stimulus package is actually dedicated to small business.

More proof of the government boondoggle was presented by Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) during the same afternoon. Inhofe noted, that of the roughly $1.2 trillion package, including interest – yes, the money is being borrowed, as the government ‘s cupboards are bare – a mere seven percent is actual stimulant and only $27 billion is being driven toward highway construction.

Yet, with enough pork to frighten all of Mecca, Obama had the audacity to say there wasn’t a single earmark in the so-called stimulus package. Inhofe pointed to trail improvements and federal building upgrades as examples of government excess spending that has no place in a real stimulus package. Just because no specific legislator’s name is attached to the various pork projects doesn’t mean their prints haven’t been found on the pen. Then Obama added that “I would love not to have to spend money right now.” This package was his idea.

Some of the money Obama wishes he did not have to spend is being designated for electric golf carts, decried Senator John Ensign (R-NV) on the Senate floor in a plea to “start over and get this right.”

Kyl, in his continued objections to the package indicated that it is a waste to spend $300 billion on government automobiles and another billion for Amtrak. Now that Joe Biden lives in the vice president’s residence, who else rides the beleaguered transportation system? “We are not being wise in the way we are spending this money,” said Kyl.

But to Obama, it’s all about control as he edges the nation closer to socialism. His blanket criticism during his press conference of the use of “corporate jets when it’s not necessary” is yet another example. Admittedly it is not the most prudent action for a financially strapped corporation to take, but if the company is not in Washington with its hand out, it is free to make whatever decision it chooses. However, don’t come begging for a bailout when stupidity catches up to you. Free markets depend upon the people, not the government, causing the success or failure of corporate America. When government crosses that line and has a hand in the corporate world, that is one step closer toward socialism.

Obama also reiterated his mantra of “step number one” being the creation or saving of four million jobs. Economists, conservative and liberal alike determined that the cost of such job creating has a price tag of approximately $300,000 per. That’s outrageous. And how exactly does the government plan to save jobs? That’s a question that has neither been asked by the fawning sycophants in the so-called media nor explained by Obama.

Obama also added that “there’s no such thing as a free lunch” during his press conference. Not surprisingly nobody had the temerity to ask what it is called when people who do not pay taxes are given a so-called tax rebate. Sure sounds like a free lunch.

But the topper of the press conference is a tie between that doddering fossil Helen Thomas referring to the “so-called terrorists” and Obama actually taking a question from the Huffington Post and granting that outlet legitimacy.

While the Obama halo has yet to tarnish in the eyes of the so-called mainstream media, the popularity of this reckless spending travesty continues to wane with each additional light shed upon its absurd recommendations.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and political consultant living in Alexandria, VA.

"We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt." – Thomas Jefferson, letter to Samuel Kercheval, 12 July 1816

RINO Virus Striking the Senate

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

February 8, 2009

With the potential, even likely, defections of Senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe (RINO-ME) along with Arlen Specter (RINO-PA), Barack Obama’s scare tactics may succeed in garnering enough so-called Republican votes in order to secure passage of the heinous alleged stimulus proposal.

No Republican in his or her right mind should support such a pork-laden insult to the American people. Quite frankly, the Democrats should also be ashamed for supporting such an excuse for political posturing, but this is typical. Note recent comments made by Dick Durbin (D-IL) when he accused the GOP of not playing ball or being team players and for depriving poor children of the necessities of life that this bill would supposedly provide. Does anyone recall Durbin being a team player during the Bush administration?

And then there’s Obama himself taking to the bully pulpit on an almost daily basis reminding the American people that “a failure to act, and act now, will turn [this] crisis into a catastrophe,” something he said on February 4. Adding to his own audacity, Obama also suggested that to even have this debate is both “inexcusable and irresponsible.” What is irresponsible is a government that bails out the banking industry and has no idea what happened to more than $80 billion. What is also irresponsible is the role the RINOs are playing as enablers.

Well, to paraphrase Franklin Roosevelt, a man with whom Obama has been oft compared, the only thing we have to fear, is Obama’s fear mongering. His doom and gloomism is frighteningly reminiscent of the Carter years. With each passing day of debate and discovery of the actual components of this revolting pack of sewage, there is less and less support for the so-called stimulus package by the American populous themselves. As more and more pork projects are unearthed and made public it is the public that is becoming more and more outraged. Outrage over projects like redecorating the Commerce Department building, water slides, and planting grass seed around the Jefferson Memorial for example. Telephone calls have flooded senate offices in Washington, DC as well as locally across the country by concerned citizens not wanting their great-grandchildren to be the unfortunate recipients of the bills for this institutional largesse.

As we approach the bicentennial of the birth of a great leader, Abraham Lincoln, it is another Lincoln that deserves praise. Senator Blanche Lincoln, an Arkansas Democrat, yes, a Democrat, said on February 7 during an impassioned speech from the Senate floor that “we have to be patient… We have to deal with this crisis and put ourselves back on track. We can do it with timely and temporary measures.”

These measures ought to be temporary, not a permanent, perpetual boondoggle of priming the pump that will lead to almost certain permanent and perpetual dependence upon government instead of personal and corporate responsibility. This kind of behavior will ultimately manifest itself until the United States no longer is a free market economy, but one where the government runs every aspect of our lives; and judging by how they have done thus far, that is something to truly fear.

What people should not be afraid of, is failure. Thomas Edison failed hundreds of times before he achieved success. When business fails, there are reasons – poor management, poor product design, poor salesmanship – whatever the reasons, go back to the drawing board – that’s the purpose of the research and development teams. Government did not bail out the makers of the Nash, Packer or Oldsmobile – my first car, by the way. No, they went the way of the flashbulb, typewriter and dinosaur.

The problem with this bill potentially failing is that the government doesn’t have brains enough to go back to the drawing board. Instead, the party in power, the Democrats, attempts to cajole the leading team of RINOS – Collins, Snowe and Specter to stray from the rest of their pack. The Dems almost nabbed Senators George Voinovich of Ohio and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska – but not this time.

The CEOs and CFOs harping over the possibility of a “mere” $500,000 salary should be thankful they have jobs. Quite frankly, any company going to the government with hands out should relieve the CEO/CFO and the entire board of directors from duty. Clearly they have not managed their ship safely to shore. Stockholders ought to determine the salaries of those who will run the companies, after all the stockholders are the real owners of the companies. Offer a reasonable salary with bonus options relative to the success or lack of same. Salesmen work on commission, why not corporate bigwigs. If they don’t like that plan, go back to work, roll up your sleeves and don’t come to Washington hat in hand.

Democrat Congressman Gene Taylor of Mississippi, who wisely voted against the House bill said, “The nation borrowed $800 billion between the Revolutionary War through Gerald Ford’s presidency. In one vote, the nation is going to borrow another $800 billion. This is nuts.”

What Democrats like Taylor and Republicans ought to be doing is trying to convince those who wish to shove this bill down the throats of the American people how wrong it is and scrap it. Trying to nickel and dime it down is akin to the old, but applicable, adage of the bandage on the bullet hole. Have the patience implored by Blanche Lincoln and invest the taxpayers money prudently and penuriously, if at all. What’s needed are more senators like Dr. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and South Carolina’s Jim De Mint – they are the cream of the Republican crop.

Lincoln also reminded her colleagues something that all elected officials should remember – “It is our responsibility, it is our duty, and it should be our honor to come together and work these problems out.” Responsibility, duty and honor. Elected officials best remember who put them in their positions in the first place. And the voters would do well to remember how those elected officials voted to spend the taxpayers’ money. For those who don’t approve, and the mounting objections speak volumes, the vote cast in November 2010 will speak louder yet when those elected officials are fired. We hired you and we can damn well fire you.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and political consultant living in Alexandria, VA.

Special Elections Should Trump Special Exceptions

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

February 4, 2009

Hold the presses – I found something on which I agree with Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI). Following the Rod Blagojevich impeachment/Roland Burris appointment soap opera and the seemingly endless will she be or won’t she be appointed surrounding Caroline Kennedy, Feingold had enough, and he is not the only one.

We, among others, are against this concept of place-holders taking seats in the United States Senate. This is not some gentrified body akin to the British House of Lords with seats passed down through the generations. In this country members of the Senate are elected – and elected directly by the people – so sayest the 17^th Amendment of the Constitution, which was ratified April 8, 1913.

The one caveat to the direct election portion of the 17^th Amendment is in the case of a vacancy, which is then filled by an appointment made by the governor. This is the place where smoke-filled, back-room deals are forged – assuming there are still places for people to legally smoke.

Since the ascendancy to the White House by Barack Obama, himself a former member of the world’s most exclusive club, the Senate has been raided. Former Senator Joe Biden of Delaware no longer needs the services of Amtrak as the vice president has a DC residence. Former New York Senator Hillary Clinton is now Secretary of State, former Senator Ken Salazar heads up the Interior Department and New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg is on the cusp of becoming the Commerce Secretary. That’s five senators who have already moved or will move on.

Feingold has called for, and rightfully so, ending the system of filling Senate vacancies via gubernatorial appointment. Instead, holding special elections is the answer. This avoids any of the stench of impropriety that dragged the Land of Lincoln through the mud and in the year of his bicentennial, no less. This avoids the speculation as to whether or not a seemingly pre-ordained nominee would actually be nominated. This avoids the concept of the place-holder – a person appointed to fill the vacancy under the prearranged agreement that the new senator would not seek election in his or her own right because that seat “belongs” to a particular other person.

Nonsense. The seat belongs to the people of the given state and should be up to them to determine who is privileged enough to sit in that seat for six years – or longer should the people say so. If the 17^th Amendment granted the people the authority to directly elect its senators, that law should be consistent and grant the people the same authority when a vacancy occurs.

Throw it open to any qualified citizen of the state. There are but three qualifications to serve in the United State Senate: to have reached the age of 30 by the time of the swearing in, to have been a citizen of the United States for nine years and to be a resident of the state from which he or she has been elected. Nowhere in the Constitution are there any codicils granting anyone’s children a right to a vacated seat or that the new senator should be of the same political party as the former senator or any other quirky designation or stipulation regarding the filling of said vacancy. All of this can be avoided by amending the 17^th Amendment, which based upon past history, see the 18^th and 21^st amendments, would require an entirely new amendment to the Constitution.

Does Beau Biden have a right to the senate seat long held by his father, now the vice president? Based upon the above criteria, he does – provided he earns his party’s nomination and wins a general election that November. But to have Ted Kaufman appointed to “hold” the seat for the younger Biden knowing Kaufman won’t seek the seat in an election is absurd and quite frankly smacks of un-Americanism.

What right does Judd Gregg have in suggesting to New Hampshire Governor John Lynch that he will only accept the Commerce Secretary nomination if another Republican is appointed in his place? None. Lynch, a Democrat has the legal right to appoint any qualified citizen of New Hampshire based upon the above criteria. By appointing Republican Bonnie Newman to fill out Gregg’s unexpired term only to have her not seek election in her own right creates an open seat in 2010 and gives the advantage to the Democrats. After all, from south of Maine through Virginia there would be but one Republican senator on the east coast – Newman. Should Al Franken manage to steal the Minnesota senate seat, currently undergoing a recount, the Democrats are but one seat shy of a veto-proof body.

If this is a nation that believes in the people’s right to elect its leaders, let’s ensure their right to do so by allowing for special elections to fill vacancies.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and political consultant living in Alexandria, VA.

Phelps’ Faux Pot

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

February 3, 2009

From the pool to pot Olympic gold medal winner Michael Phelps should probably sign on to endorse potato chips or ding dongs. His recent activities may finally explain his 8,000-plus caloric intake on a daily basis.

It’s a joke, sort of, but it’s really not funny. What is truly not funny is the lack of outcry from the companies with which Phelps has an association. Hopefully the companies for which Phelps shills had enough brains to require him to sign a contract that included a morals clause, and if so, it should be enforced.

At age 23, and if Dara Torres is any example, Phelps could very well compete in four more Olympiad. Whether he wants to be or not, he is a role model and as one has a social responsibility to be mindful of the fact that numerous eyes are always going to be on him. This in no way excludes Phelps from having a life, but breaking the law is another story. His recent marijuana smoking escapade in South Carolina could cost him up to $570 and up to 30 days in the gray-bar hotel – a penalty that should be fully enforced to the maximum. And if it costs him some endorsements, hopefully that will fall under the category of lesson learned.

I have nothing against Michael Phelps; I have never met the young man and I did in fact enjoy watching him break record after record this past summer in Beijing. That said, he should not get a pass because he is a celebrity. In fact, it is because of his celebrity that Phelps should suffer the most severe of penalties. Yes, there is a double standard – admittedly so. That may not be right, but it is a fact. As a role model who has many admirers, Phelps has a responsibility to carry himself in such a dignified manner to set a positive example to those who do look up to him. Young people should not get the idea that if an Olympic hero can smoke dope that they can as well. It’s called dope for a reason.

Former NBA star Charles Barkley has repeatedly said both during and after his playing days that he does not want to be anyone’s role model – that the role models should be parents and teachers. Well, in theory Barkley is absolutely right, but unfortunately, nobody is plunking down $100 to watch me teach an American History class. So, as long as people’s priorities are backwards, those gifted few who have athletic, cinematic, theatric and musical talent should remember their social and moral obligations while they are reaping their great rewards from those who watch their every move and hang on their every word. Fame and adulation are short and fleeting. They should be treasured and treated as a gift from G-d. Those who have those gifts should not be ingrates.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and political consultant living in Alexandria, VA.

Daschle Dashed, and Rightfully So

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

February 3, 2009

Former South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle, the designee to serve in the cabinet as Secretary of Health and Human Services has withdrawn his name from consideration for the post even before the entire Senate could take up the confirmation vote.

Clearly, Daschle made the right move, falling on his sword for two reasons. The most publicized reason was his failure to pay more that $120,000 in back taxes. This was due in part to the former majority leader’s claim of ignorance that his driver and car service were considered income. Why the former senator continued to use such a service after leaving office is a dome-scratcher, especially in the so-called era of conservation.

But the other less discussed reason has to be the fact that Daschle’s wife is a lobbyist in the same industry, thus creating a certain conflict of interest. This is just another example of the new administration not doing their homework and hoping the good-old-boy network – the Senate – the most exclusive club in the world, would give their former colleague a pass. After all, the Senate confirmed Timothy Geithner as Treasury Secretary without breaking a sweat by a large margin, and he will be running the IRS after having tax payment issues. Geithner also had a woman in his employ whose legal immigrant status expired under his watch.

No doubt Daschle saw the writing on the wall when the New York Slimes came out against his being confirmed. Apparently they so-called paper of record is attempting to pull itself up from birdcage fodder, but don’t hold your breath. Now the Senate can go back to work and hopefully tear apart the so-called stimulus package being shoved down America’s throats.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and political consultant living in Alexandria, VA.

Steele Will Have the Mettle to Lead the RNC

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

January 30, 2009

After five ballots, I am pleased to announce that my friend and former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland Michael Steele won election to become chairman of the Republican National Committee.

Not that Michael would make an issue of this, but he becomes the first black chairman of the RNC and brings enthusiasm and a popularity that will help grow the party as well as help lead the GOP back to victory starting with support of gubernatorial candidates in Virginia and New Jersey this year, followed by retaking the House of Representatives in 2010. The GOP can retake the House when it nominates real Republican candidates who stand for fiscal conservatism and responsibility instead of handouts, bailouts and surrendering to the whims and slothful behavior of a Democratic Party who believe in womb to tomb Socialistic policies tethering a soon to be once free people to the puppet strings of government.

It is my hope as a Jewish Republican to see the tent of the GOP expand to include the fiscally and socially conservative Jews, blacks and Hispanics. These are constituencies that should have a natural affinity toward the Republican Party because of the desire to educate their children, believe in the family values of attending synagogue or church, working hard to provide for their families, support a strong military to defend this great nation, and a belief in personal responsibility, freedom and liberty.

I congratulate Michael Steele on becoming the new chairman of the RNC – to lead the party of Abraham Lincoln, Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and political consultant living in Alexandria, VA.

“The stimulus package being discussed is politically smart and economically stupid.” – Economist, Walter E. Williams

A Little More Hoover, A Lot Less FDR

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

January 28, 2009

Don’t fix the stimulus package, as some are clamoring for. Instead flush the damn thing down the crapper, because if it is passed, the nation will surely follow. While the House of Representatives voted “aye” on January 28 by a margin of 244-188, the Senate still has to take its turn at bat. Kudos to the entire roster of Republicans and the 11 Democrats smart enough to comprehend what a boondoggle this $825 billion piece of detritus is.

I seem to recall Proverbs reminding us that “haste maketh waste.” This latest rush to judgment has a typical government mantra of hurry up and wait as roughly seven percent of the so-called stimulus package will actually see the light of day before 2009 crosses the finish line. The hardcore spending on alleged economic stimulus won’t see the light of day until 2010 or even 2011.

Under Section 1 of H.R. 1 the Short Title is the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.” This 647-page document is more pork-laden than a county fair in Iowa. The oversight costs alone are egregious. The “Government Accountability Office – Salaries and expenses $25,000,000 for oversight activities relating to this Act.” (P. 11) That’s the tip of a massive iceberg, demonstrating that Al Gore hasn’t clue one about global warming, by the way. Every category and every department involved has a similar price tag for salaries and expenses – just another boondoggle to pad the cost of government paying itself to oversee itself handing out money.

The first question anyone with a pulse must ask regarding the billions in salaries is, aren’t all the people working on these projects and programs already drawing a salary being gainfully employed by the government in the fist place? If not, then the unemployment crisis is single-handedly solved with this one stimulus package. Since that clearly is not the case, why does this so-called stimulus package list salaries as part of the expenditures to the tune of billions of dollars? If you are scratching your dome wondering the same things, pick up the telephone and call the House switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for the office of your member of Congress.

Here’s just a slice of the myriad ridiculous spending orgy:

Under the national Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Operations, Research and Facilities: “$400,000,000, for habitat restoration and mitigation activities.” (P. 52) Whose habitat? Certainly not people, as housing concerns are in another section.

Same administration: Procurement, Acquisition and Construction: “$600,000,000, for accelerating satellite development and acquisition, acquiring climate sensors and climate modeling capacity, and establishing climate data records.” (P. 52) If we don’t already have this, why do we suddenly need it? And how exactly is this stimulating the economy?

Under the category of Energy and Water: “For an additional amount for ‘Regulatory Program’, [sic] $25,000,00.” (P. 61) First of all, the comma belongs inside the quotation mark a consistent error throughout the document, and more importantly, there is no explanation as to what this “Regulatory Program” is or for what the money is to be used. Again, how does this stimulate the economy?

The Department of Energy: Fossil Energy: calls for $2.4 BILLION “for necessary expenses to demonstrate carbon capture and sequestration technologies.” That’s a hell of a lot of money for a “demonstration.” This will no doubt turn into an indictment against the automobile industry, which we are already bailing out to the tune of billions of dollars. Another fine example of robbing Peter to pay Paul. But since this is government related, I shouldn’t use such a phrase because the ever-so-touchy separation of church and state people might get offended.

Here’s a dandy from “Title VI – Financial Services and General Government: Subtitle A – General Services: Energy Efficient Federal Motor Vehicle Fleet Procurement,” the government will spend $600 million for the “acquisition of motor vehicles, including plug-in and alternative fuel vehicles.” (P. 76) Let’s try and wrap our brains around this one. The government, after bailing out the automobile industry for billions of dollars, is now going to spend another $600 million of taxpayer dollars on vehicles for, um, itself? We, the taxpayers are shelling out so the government can replace government vehicles.

Billions of dollars are listed as expenditures where no explanation is provided. The powers that be, and in this case, the Congressional Democrats, are counting on the American people either not reading this document or not caring about what is in it because we are beginning to trundle down the path of the nanny state. Once the American people have fallen hook, line and sinker for alleged stimulus packages it will be too late to turn back. The cat is crawling out of the bag and she is a socialist.

Explain how giving the Smithsonian Institution $150 million for “facilities capital” will stimulate the economy. (P. 121) Taxpayers already pay for the care and feeding of the Smithsonian via tax dollars and the benefit derived there is the free of charge admissions to visit these great museums. I suggest that any non-citizen be required to pay an admissions fee. Want to see Archie Bunker’s chair? Pony up a few bucks. I’m sure whatever country you come from owes the United States a war debt or two.

Then there’s another $50 million granted to the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities, National Endowment for the Arts for the purpose of funding “art projects and activities which preserve jobs in the non-profit art sector threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support during the current economic downturn.” (P. 122)

In other words the government will fund the arts because the private sector can’t any longer? Well, if the SEC could manage to do its job and prevent Bernie Madoff from his $50 billion Ponzi scheme, the arts wouldn’t have to suffer. So, because of government incompetence in the first place – the inability of the SEC to catch a thief, (hmm, a clever name for a TV show) the government is bailing out the arts community. Wow, government logic is like no other – thank goodness for that.

Keep the government out of the arts. If an artist is successful, then he or she can make a living at it. If an artist is unsuccessful, either keep trying or find another career, but don’t ask me to shell out for your lifestyle. Find a sponsor the way artists did in Europe. Musicians did the same thing – they found sponsors or patrons to pay for them to do their creative works. If nobody visits a particular museum why should the government use tax dollars to keep it afloat.

Sadly, I am not being paid to write this column. I send it to various places in hopes of having it published and having enough readers want to read my work that someone will pay me to provide the kind of written works that will draw an increasing number of readers to a publication for it to be cost effective. Based upon the logic of the government giving grants to the NEA, they should be showing some love to SDH as well.

If the Obama administration is hell-bent on stimulating the economy of the United States, stop sending money overseas. Not letting the Bush tax cuts expire will help stimulate the economy. Permanently eliminating the death tax would stimulate the economy. Cutting taxes across the board will stimulate the economy because when people have more money in their pockets, they spend it. We, unfortunately, have proven as a nation that we are spenders and not savers.

When people are out of work, they spend less. Cutting taxes puts money in people’s hands. That money is spent on products and services – products and services that require employees to produce. These are employees that are hired by businesses small and large who in turn pay taxes – tax dollars that feed the kitty of the giant porker in Washington, DC.

Having cherry-picked some of the more egregious items and having only reached page 122 for the purposes of this column, just under 19 percent of the 647 page monstrosity, I will say more about other parts of this bill sooner rather than later. Some of the other highlights, or in this case, lowlights, include $160 billion of federal money going directly to the states – call it a bailout of states who can’t seem to manage their own fiscal houses.

Another lowlight is the unconscionable amount of $5.2 billion, yes, billion with a “b” going to ACORN – the allegedly non-profit organization currently under federal investigation for massive voter fraud. Yes, ACORN, the same organization due to receive about $100 million from the first bailout worth about $700 billion last September to which House GOP members objected. And there is also the more $300 billion in interest alone this heinous bill will cost not just us, and not just my five and eight-year-old nieces, but their grandchildren’s generation. If that is not daunting enough o make people sit up and take notice, little else will.

Sadly, economist Walter Williams was correct when he declared this so-called stimulus package “politically smart and economically stupid.” It is politically smart because all the lemmings and sheeple that put Obama into office are thrilled that their guy is taking care of them, as a review of more of the document will demonstrate. However, it is economically stupid and perhaps suicidal, as this womb to tomb mentality will plunge the economy into an irrevocable disaster from which we will not be able to emerge intact. The rich will be taxed so deeply they will cease to be rich and there will be fewer rich people from whom to fleece. When the redistribution of wealth fund well runs dry everyone will suffer from the same parched state with no water in sight.

With tax cuts and prudent, responsible economic policies the nation will recover. It seems government like to do its tweaking with a sledgehammer when one is not needed, thus doing more damage. FDR did not pull the nation out the Great Depression via his New Deal. Sure FDIC was a good idea, but it took World War II to cure this nation’s economic ills. May G-d have mercy on the United States of America. Nero is rosining up his bow.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and political consultant living in Alexandria, VA.

That’s the Way the Cookie Crumbles

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

January 28, 2009

Trouble is truly afoot in this great nation of ours. The latest group in need of a bailout is the Girl Scouts of America. Moments ago, I heard a report that in an effort to keep costs to the consumer down, there will be fewer cookies in the packages this year and in some cases the size of the cookies have shrunk. This is not an effort to fight obesity, but to combat the rising cost of sugar and other baking-related ingredients. This is not a drill, this is a real emergency. I need my Thin Mints.

I still support the Girl Scouts with my cookie purchases and encourage you to do likewise. After all, the organization still promotes good values.

This message has been brought to you by Sanford D. Horn. I now return you to your regularly scheduled bailout and/or government intervention in your life.