Intolerable Burdens

Currently, the Federal Tax Code covers 17,000 pages and requires over 700 different forms. The IRS estimates Americans spend over five billion hours preparing taxes annually, draining $194 billion from the U.S. economy.

The Federal Registry now exceeds 75,000 pages. The Office of Management and Budget estimates that merely complying with these regulations costs businesses $500 to $600 billion per year.

 “Over-regulation is hurting our economy, and unfortunately, the problem is only getting worse. Right now, federal agencies are at work on more than 4,200 new rules, 845 of which affect small businesses, the engine of job creation," says Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.

The problem is as old as the United States, as can be seen in this excerpt from the Declaration of Independence​ explaining the tyranny of King George, “He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat of their substance.”

Sound familiar?

Ma Deuce

Some guys dream about fancy cars or planes...........  these babies could obliterate either of those!! 

Perry's Tax Plan

I haven't had a chance to check out Rick Perry's new tax reform plan yet, but it has had a rough life so far.

His rollout was marred by reports that he was joining the birther movement.  He also is catching flak from having one of his campaign guys suggest that he might skip a few debates.

The worst part of it is that his plan doesn't eliminate the current tax code, it still allows it as an option.

I greatly prefer the plans that scuttle the current system.  If his plan is just a transition from the current code, that wouldn't be too bad.  It will be interesting to see how it holds up under scrutiny.

Deer Season

I am getting really excited about deer season coming up.  This should be a good year.

It looks like I will have an opportunity to go hunting up north by Duluth, and I am really happy about that.  I really like that terrain, and my only regret is that I don't have a lever gun yet.  That would be perfect for those kinds of rolling hills with thick woods.  I am going to have to find a cut, trail, fire break, or overwatch to position on so that my bolt guns can earn their keep.

I would also like to find someplace down closer to the Twin Cities to hunt.  I don't mind shopping around the Wildlife Management Areas, but it would be a lot nicer to find someone with some land.  Wish me luck!!!

Ponder Looks Good!!

This weekend was the first start for Christian Ponder on the Minnesota Vikings in their battle against the perenial enemy, the Green Bay Packers. 

He looked really good!!  He was able to create an air attack that the Vikings have been sorely lacking.  His numbers weren't stellar, but it looked good, and he showed a lot of potential.  It has been years since we have had a real life franchise quarterback instead of a retread or a hold over.  This makes me realize that we really have a chance to get someone locked in for years and hopefully championships!! 

Now at the end of the day, the Vikings lost to the Packers.  I don't think that Frasier and Ponder can turn this season around, but I think that they can build a strong core, pick up some new recievers, and linesmen, and next year we could be a real challenger!!

A Brutal Man meets a grisly death

Yesterday Col. Quadaffi was tracked down and cornered is his hometown.  His aggressors pinned him down, took him captive, beat him within an inch of his life, and then pulled him out to parade him around before they finally delivered the last blow. 

I don't have any sympathy for a man who sent so many others to a similar fate. 

The question is-- what comes next?  Who were these men that put him down, and what will happen in the vacuum of power after him?

A New Day

There is going to be about 4 weeks before the next Republican Debate.

This allows the candidates to hit the road, and build on their last performances.  Perry has resuscitated his campaign by tearing into Romney.  As staged and preplanned as it was, it seemed to hit the mark, as it was the first time Mitt has been ruffled.  This needs to happen a lot more.  The other candidates spent a while trying to steal Cain's thunder, but at least they took the cue, and finally started going after Romney as well. 

Romney has eluded attacks so far by simply keeping his head down, and sitting on his 25%.  Nobody really took him seriously because he doesn't have any enthusiasm behind him.  Now that he has consistently kept his support when everyone else has been gaining and loosing, it is starting to become more obvious that unless he gets pulled down into the mud a bit, he very well might get the nomination simply by being the last man standing.  This should never be the way Republicans choose their nominee, but especially in such an important situation as we have now with the most destructive President in 50+ years, we need the best candidate that we can get.  We also need to make sure that we don't allow the good to become the enemy of the perfect.  No one is perfect, and if we allow every candidate who has a flaw to lose, then we won't have a candidate.  Instead we need to concentrate on who best can turn the tide on a 80 year march to government dominance.  Warts and all. 

Romney and Perry have already come out with incredibly biting attack ads.  Those two might very well end up tearing each other down.  If both suffer, I think Cain and Gingrich benefit.  Cain is in the position of trying to consolidate and build on his recent success.  He needs to find better ways to explain his proposals.  Most of the attacks against them in this last debate were witty, and sharp, and so economically nonsensical as to be borderline stupid. 

Gingrich is the one that I feel like he has the most potential, but it's potential wasted.  He sweeps the debates, but all the pundits and media dismiss him out of hand.  By simply doing as well as he has, he has fought his way into the lower top tier.  He needs to find a way to counter media shrug offs.  He would actually learn quite a bit by asking the advice of Sarah Palin who has made a career of using the media for her own devices.  He has learned a bit about that by tearing into the moderators during the debates, but there are many other things he could be doing to get their attention, and advance his message. 

In all, it will be interesting to see how the results of this debate influence the next month of campaigning.  We are getting close to the beginning of the primaries, and it is too late for anyone else to drop in.  We are set with the group that we will have, and now it is a matter of sorting out who has what it takes, and who needs to go back to what they were doing before.

Go Wild!!!!!

The MN Wild are STILL in second place in the Northwest Division!!!

It's no suprise that we are beating Edmonton and Calgary, but I am pretty suprised that Colorado in is first by posting 5 wins already, and that we are beating Vancouver; the offensive juggernaut from last year.  I can't believe that Vancouver will stay behind us for long, but I do hope we catch up to and overtake Colorado.

Calgary always has a chance to make a comeback, but they have been on the decline for awhile and it looks like it will get worse before it gets better.  Edmonton has spent the last few years finishing last in the league and using high draft postions to stack their team with talent.  It is only a matter of time before they become a factor again, but I don't think it will be this year.

Lever Guns

I am starting to really like lever guns.  They are the lever action rifles that you usually associate with cowboy movies.  Now-a-days most people call them brush guns because they are best for hilly or heavily forested areas.
They do well in this type of terrain because they are short, they carry a lot of shells, they are light, and you can get quick follow up shots.  Most tend to be chambered in .30-.30 which is actually an outdated caliber.  It's ballistics don't make it very effective out beyond 200 yards.  But that is another reason why it works well in rough terrain.  I am thinking about buying one.  The ones I am looking at are the Marlin 336 and the Rossi Rio Grande.  I could afford some of the Winchesters, but most are really expensive now!!  Any of the old ones are collectors now and go for a high dollar value.  I really just want one as a good deer gun for the north woods.

Great Debate!!!

Great debate last night!!

I love that the candidates are finally tearing into Mitt Romney.  He really is slick and polished, but he is the kind of fake guy that exemplifies what Americans hate about politicians.  He has been all over the map, supporting abortion, then being pro-life, being anti-gun, and then being for the 2nd amendment, and he even created the forerunning program that Obama modelled Obamacare after. 

He is saying most of the right things today, but you can't help but think he is only saying them because that is what he needs to say.  You look back on his record, and notice that his strategic flip flops have occured at exactly the times he has needed them to advance himself politically.  There are plenty of other candidates that have changed their minds in the past, but none of them have done so so suspiciously, and most have legitimate change of heart stories that make sense.  In fact most other candidates' change on political positions come off as based on the merits simply because they DIDN'T come at political opportune moments!!!  

I think Romney is a polished creep.  I hope he isn't the nominee, because he is still obviously better then Obama, so I would have to hold my nose and vote for him, but thats not what I want to do!!  I want a candidate that I can get behind, and really believe in!!

Obama The Stupid Communist

Cain vs Obama - The debate Democrats dread.

Update on "9 9 9 plan" and other misc.

I have already written about how Herman Cain's 9 9 9 plan has been given the thumbs up by Art Laffer. 

As of today, it has also been given the thumbs up by the Club for Growth, and Paul Ryan as well!!!!

I am a little hesitant considering the fact that one of the best magazines in the world (National Review) has come out against it, but when you read their article, they really just argue that it isn't perfect (which we all knew already), and that there are other options that would work even better, and be better long term solutions.  Well that is wonderful, but until National Review fields a candidate, I think it is most prudent to support the best idea on the table.

Herman Cain's plan for both tax reform, and Social Security reform are unquestionably the best on the table right now.  Paul Ryan does have a more conprehensive entitlement reform package that has already passed the house, but it is dead in the water until we get a new President, and a majority in the Senate.  And it is starting to look like Cain is the man for that job!!  I can be pretty sure that Cain would be more then happy to incorporate Ryan's successful ideas into his own, because Cain has already mentioned Paul Ryan as someone he would be interested in having as his VP candidate. 

National Review did come out in favor of Rick Perry's energy plan.  I do like Perry, and would like to see him improve in the polls, but unfortunately, I don't think he will be able to improve his debating skills quickly, and effectively enough to be able to catch up.  Either way, I hope that whichever one gets the nod does include Perry's plan, or something similar to it.  Leftists have fought against energy development for decades now, and if we could get someone in the White House who could truly cut thru that red tape, the benefits to our economy would be so incredible, that it would destroy the arguements against it.  That is what needs to happen, so that those people can be discredited, and their influence can be discarded.  They have caused enough harm to us already!!

Obama Crackup

Obama's healthcare bill is crumbling.  It is falling apart on its way to the Supreme Court which will most likely strike it down as unconstitutional.

Now really is the time for conservatives to put forward a truly national movement.  We have the evidence, as so many of Obama's big ticket items are going down in flames.  We have the grassroots, as the Tea Party has proved the most legitimate populist groundswell since the 1960's.  Now is not the time to hedge our bets, or try to take the safe route.  We need the strongest, most conservative candidate we can get, and we need to support big ticket bills that will reverse the 80 year tide of leftism.  I really think this is the time, and we can get it done!!

Energy Opportunities

I am really tempted to go out to the boom towns in North Dakota.  Several guys I know are dropping out of school and going to work for the oil companies out there.

I am so impressed by how much money can be brought into an area by allowing energy resources to be opened up.  I looked into it, and Congress has fought against allowing people to produce energy for decades now.  It seems like the strongest opponents of growth are the congressmen who have been bought out by the "Green Movement".

For a long time people have been fooled by these guys, but now that the environmental movement has been exposed as a scam by the email dump, and the "Green Movement" has been exposed by the Solyndra scandal, more people are finally getting skeptical.

There is no need to drive up the price of energy just to support a few favored businesses.

Time Running Out

Herman Cain really is on the clock.

He has hit the biggest stride of his campaign and he probably won't get another one.  Right now he needs to be holding as many fundraisers as he can, and building up all the ground people to campaign in the first primaries.
Unfortunately, he is taking a tour thru Tennesee, and going on a book promotion tour.  I think that if he seized this moment and built on his support, he would have a legitimate shot at the nomination.  On the other hand, if he lets it slip away, I don't think there will be another chance.

Go Wild!!

True fans need to appreciate that the Minnesota Wild are number 2 in the Northwest Division right now!!

Now, granted we are only a few games into the season. 

That is why we should savor this moment, because as fans of Minnesota pro teams know, this probably won't last for long!!

A BIG Boost!!!

Today Art Laffer came out and endorsed Herman Cain's 9 9 9 tax reform plan.

Art Laffer is famous for creating the "Laffer Curve"; a simple demonstrative tool that allows even thick headed leftists to understand how regressive left wing taxation hurts everyone.

Laffer pointed out that Cain's plan broadens the tax base, while eliminating loopholes. 

It has come under attack from Democrats who don't understand how it works.  They say that since 50% of the country isn't paying taxes right now, that making them pay a 9% tax would be too much for them.  Cain rightly points out that even people who get all their federal taxes back (and more!) still pay a 15% payroll tax that is charged to their employer (so most people aren't aware of it.)  This would replace that, and so even people in the lowest income brackets would also be getting a tax break.

This endorsement has me liking Cain's plan quite a bit more.  I still don't like the idea of a national sales tax, but we already have thousands of taxes on the books right now, and if this one can be used to re-orient our economy to a path of prosperity, then it will be well worth it. 

Cain's 9 9 9 plan

I have been looking into Herman Cain's 9 9 9 plan, and his other solutions to the problems the Democrats created.

I do like his 9 9 9 plan, but with reservations.  It would create a strong line in the sand showing that people wanted low taxes, and successful businesses.  It's biggest weakness is that it introduces an entirely new form of taxation!!!  It includes a 9% national sales tax. 

Now the fact is, this would be a successful plan, and would help fix our economy.  We would enjoy a long period of success.  Unfortunately, after people have been successful long enough, that's when they are most vulnerable to leftists' income redistribution schemes.  And this would allow an entirely uneeded way for leftists to take more peoples' money. 

I do like the flat tax idea, and it could be successfully done with a rate of 15% on taxes that are already in existence.  Why go thru more trouble, or take bigger risks then we have to?  I want to support a candidate who would keep it simple, and keep it effective.  That was how our government was supposed to be in the first place anyway!!

The thing that I like most about Cain's plan is the Chile model for Social Security.  Democrats are such reactionaries that it has been impossible to get them to release their death grip on the current Social Security, even after it has been conclusively proven as a failure.  The fact that there is an actual real life example of a successful system out there makes it a lot harder for them to argue against progress.  More and more people are coming to the conclusion that we might as well fix it, because it is getting more and more likely that we will be the ones that it defaults on.  (because it openly says it will default on us!!)

I can't wait for this to get fixed.  The sooner we implement a system that actually works, the better it will be for me and my children.

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