Thursday, April 12, 2007

Senator Jim Webb (D): "And how about that Hollywood money"...

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Junior Senator Jim Webb made a guest appearance in front of Larry Sabato’s class at U.V.A. with 350 “Potential Progressives” and much fanfare from the Professor. Sabato drooled over the Junior Senators stance on the war and his continuing push of the “Class warfare” issue that Webb used during his campaign.

"The best thing we can do in the long run is get them out of there. There will be no peace and stability in Iraq as long as American soldiers are there," Webb said.

It is obvious that the junior Senator has made this a favorite plank of his platform but I had hoped the Professor might have asked the Senator to expand on his statement. Like asking what would happen to the Iraqi people if the Troops were pulled out like Webb and the “Princess” Pelosi has called for? Would it be like when the troops were pulled out of Mogadishu after the Black Hawk Down incident resulting in many innocent civilians being killed? Or maybe like Cambodia and other conflicts were many civilians were killed after troops were removed before the job was done.

Webb said countries in the region, such as Iran and Syria, need to be brought to the table to help solve the Iraqi situation. "That is the way out of this. We need to try and solve it from the outside in. Then we can move our troops out in a very expeditious way."

Here the junior Senator is referring to two countries who had known ties to Hussein and al-qaida and continue to support terrorist groups such Hammas and al-qaida. It has been proven that numerous coalition and American troops, along with many Iraqi civilians, have been killed by the explosives and IED’s that were developed, produced, and delivered by terrorists from these same two countries that the junior Senator wants to “bring to the table”… Hold hands, sing Kumbaya, make a donation to the DNC, and everything will be alright???

“Then we can move our troops out in a very expeditious way." At what point and how many lost lives do wait to happen until we respond in a “expeditious way”. Will there be a set number of “Collateral Casulties” before the junior Senator will feel it approriate to return the Troops that were removed by his Master plan?
These are just some of the questions that the noted Professor could have but chose not to ask for the benefit of his students. These are also the questions that the Mainstream media should have in the past and need to ask the junior Senator about his platform. We heard Webb’s idea of removing the troops and responding in a “Expeditious” way all during the campaign, his State of the Union response, and numerous printed news reports, but nobody has ever asked Webb about these important factors to his plan… The junior Senator was elected by just 9,000 votes and I wonder how they would have voted if Webb was required to back up his “Idea” with an actual plan of action?

The junior Senator then switched over to his other favorite campaign “talking point” and his newfound partys reliable “Race Card” which they have used so often.

"Webb said the country is breaking apart over the financial health of those at the bottom of the economic ladder.” While corporate profits are at all-time highs, blue-collar wages are at all-time lows, he said. "We're not seeing enough debate about this." Webb said the globalization of the economy and the outsourcing of jobs has hurt many American workers, including white-collar ones."

Junior, follow along here, you might learn something that the Democratic party has been ignoring and “Spinning” for decades…

Who makes up the corporations?
We do. The workers that make the products, provide the services, develop new and more efficient procedures, invest their savings in the corporation, while creating, maintaining, and improving the “Culture” of the company and the economy. The common “Blue-collar” worker that you refer to are the ones that make up the most productive workforce in the world and along with that have grown into one of the most desired countries to live in.

Junior said: "We're not seeing enough debate about this."
Well lets look at some of the facts that have recently been reported.
Bruce Bartlett reported in his column:
http://washtimes.com/commentary/20070410-101754-2621r.htm

“In 2005, the federal government took $2.4 trillion out of the pockets of the American people.” And that is just the size of our government! Not the size of our economy, the SIZE of our government.
“Only two other countries on Earth have economies as large as our federal government: Germany and Japan -- and Germany just barely makes the cut, with a gross domestic product of $2.7 trillion.“

Now about all that talk that talk of how the “Rich” are not paying their fair share.

“Contrary to popular belief, the vast bulk of federal taxes are paid by the wealthy. According to the JCT, in 2006, 53.7 percent of all federal income taxes were paid by those with incomes of more than $200,000. Those with incomes between $100,000 and $200,000 paid 28.3 percent of all individual income taxes. Thus those with incomes of more than $100,000 paid 82 percent of the total. They also paid 44.4 percent of all payroll taxes.”

And who are these people claiming that the “Rich” do not pay their fair share and taxes should be raised?

"Unsurprisingly, three-fifths of taxpayers believe their taxes are too high; only 2 percent think they are too low. About a third of taxpayers would support a cut in government services to achieve further tax cuts; just 8 percent favor bigger government financed with higher taxes."

Where are these people who feel the “Rich don’t pay their fair share”?

"Almost all taxpayers think the top federal income tax rate of 35 percent is too high. More than 90 percent of taxpayers believe the top rate should be no higher than 29 percent, with 70 percent saying 19 percent should be the maximum."

And with this there is a large sector which pay little or no taxes at all.

"Those with incomes below $40,000 paid no federal income taxes at all in the aggregate; the positive liability for those who paid anything was more than offset by tax rebates from the Earned Income Tax Credit for many more who paid nothing."

Another surprise here:

“according to the Tax Foundation, three-fifths of Americans believe it is wrong for anyone to pay no taxes at all, that everyone should pay something to finance the government.”

Maybe the fact here is that it is the leaders of the “Progressive” party who are the ones feeling the Rich do not pay their fair share for it seems most people here feel that all tax rates are too high…

Another thing.
Has anybody noticed that when the “Attack on the Rich” begins it usually is focused at the evil corporations and the CEO’s \ Top management that are in the cross-hairs? Many of these CEO’s have walked away with incredible Bonus and pay packages but in most cases they had to perform and create productive corporations to get these “Golden Packages”. Some of these high profile individuals have been caught and prosecuted for corruption but the vast majority of corporation leaders are honest hard working individuals that have worked their way up the ladder to get there. And some of them started at the “Blue-collar” level that the junior Senator talks about and many of the present “blue collar” workers strive to improve themselves and also move up the ladder. Maybe that explains why the majority feel “Almost all taxpayers think the top federal income tax rate of 35 percent is too high.”


Have you noticed that the “Progressive Democratic” party seems to ignore a sector of the very rich and never brings this group up as a group not “Paying their fair share”?

According to the Forbes list of people making impressive earnings in a year, see if you recognize any of these people and if the Democratic party has ever used them as examples of “Rich not paying their fair share”?
http://money.aol.com/forbes/general/celeb-100-2006

Earnings in a one year period:

U2 $110 million
Tiger Woods $90 million
Stephen Spielberg $332 million
Howard Stern $302 million
50 cent $41 million
The cast of the Sopranos $52 million
Tom Cruise $67 million
The Rolling Stones $90 million
Opray 225 million ie:
(Earnings estimates are for June 2005 to June 2006. Figures rounded off where appropriate. Exact figures available on Forbes.com. Includes dollars earned solely from entertainment income. Management, agent and attorney fees have not been deducted. Estimates by forbes; sources include Billboard, Pollstar, Adams Media Research, Nielsen SoundScan and Nielsen BookScan. Rankings are generated by combining earnings with other metrics: Web mentions on Google press clips compiled by LexisNexis; TV/radio mentions by Factiva; and number of times a celebrity's face appeared on the cover of 26 major consumer magazines)
Dan brown of Davinci Code $88 million
Bruce Springs teen $55 million
Donald Trump $44 million
Paul McCartney $44 million
George Lucas $235 million
Elton John $34 million
David Letterman $40 million
“Harry Potter” Author Rowling $75 million
Brad pitt $25 million
Peter Jackson $39 million
Dr, Phil $45 million
Jay leno $32 million
Celine Dion $40 million
Kobe Bryant $31 million
Michael Jordan $32 million
Johnny Depp $29 million
Jerry Seinfeld $100 million
Tom Hanks $29 million
Rush $30 million
Denzel Washington $38 million
Jennifer Anniston $18 million
The Olsen twins $40 million
Nicole Kidman $22 million

When was the last time you saw any of the above people being ridiculed for not paying “their fair share”? In fact you may have seen some of these people standing next to a Democratic candidate during the past campaign season endorsing and promoting those like the junior Senator who claim “the country is breaking apart over the financial health of those at the bottom of the economic ladder.”

Next time you stand in line to pay $12 for a movie ticket think about the “Progressive Activist” standing next to the candidate who is worried about the CEO who is “Not paying his fair share”. At least the vast majority of the CEO’s are producing corporations that allow “Blue-collar” people like us to work and live in the most advanced, productive, and desirable country in the world… That Hollywood activist?

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Gray Seal on Mannasquan Inlet Beach...

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The above Gray Seal was found stranded on the beach just South of the Mannasquan Inlet on the New Jersey coast this past Easter Sunday. The Point Pleasant Rescue Dive Team responded to assist until the staff from the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigatine were able to respond.
http://www.marinemammalstrandingcenter.org/main.htm

The Marine Mammal Stranding center will care and teach the Gray Seal to feed until it is grown enough to be released back into the marine environment. They will also maintain information and posts regarding this Seal at their website...

The Point Pleasant Rescue Dive Team has worked and trained with the Marine Mammal Stranding center to assist and monitor marinelife off the Jersey coast. This is an out standing group of volunteers who allow me to dive and train with them whenever I am in the area. They have been involved in numerous rescues and assists in the Point Pleasant \ Mannasquan area including several assists with the United States Coast Guard at base Mannasquan...

Asbury Park Press Coverage:

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070411/NEWS02/704110450/1070

http://ptrescuedive.blogspot.com/

http://www.marinemammalstrandingcenter.org/main.htm