Five Points for Resetting America’s Economic Foundation

Speaker Boehner addresses the American Enterprise Institute (AEI):
As reported by Newt Gingrich: Speaker Boehner began with what the House Republicans have accomplished in the last four years, despite Democrats controlling both the Senate and the presidency. Some of their record may surprise you. Republicans cut total federal spending for two straight years--the first time that's happened in half a century. They guaranteed that 98 percent of Americans would not see permanent income tax hikes. And they pushed through free trade agreements with South Korea, Columbia and Panama. These are historic accomplishments. They have real meaning for the lives of millions of Americans. And they create room for future economic growth.

Watch video or read more at www.speaker.gov Read More......

Study reveals who's really running America

To Hillary Clinton, it was a right-wing conspiracy that was causing all the problems. Barack Obama's administration got more specific, blaming the GOP and George Bush for everything. In time, the tea party became the whipping boy. But a new study suggests something far different actually is running America these days ... and it's bad news for ordinary folks …

Read more at WND

Related
Washington Free Beacon: Oligarchy in the Twenty-First Century - Think rich conservatives rule the world? Think again. Read More......

You have been fed a load of crap!

You're not supposed to be this well informed! If you agree, don't read this...
2012: The Progressive Elite vs. the American Hard Hat by By Larry Leonard, published by Oregon Magazine

April 21, 2012 — You have been fed a load of crap. It comes to you in two types. The first is in the form of a lie. Something is this, and the liars tell you that it is that. The second type of lie is more subtle, and is created by omitting information from a story. These are known as lies of co-mission and lies of omission. Used simultaneously, they throw a blanket of fantasy over reality. ✧ We’ll use energy as a model for this essay, but remember that the process works in education, campaign speeches, the presentation of history, economics — you name the topic and somewhere in each information pot you will find deception of the type described above.  

Energy and the American Economy - All this week, from all the news sources in America, you have been misinformed by both the liberal MSM and fair and balanced FOX. The MSM did it intentionally. FOX did it unintentionally. To set up this section, here’s something you’ve heard for weeks: “The president says that if he opened up government energy locations, it would not lower the price of gasoline.” ✧ That is a beautiful attempt to sidestep the key political issue today by way of what sounds like a reasonable lie about another, related subject. I’ve been waiting for weeks for FOX to pick it up. They haven’t, so it’s time Oregon Magazine did. Read more at OregonMag.com...

I particularly like Mr. Leonard's summation, "...Euro-socialism or a dynamic economic revival. It’s up to you." --bc Read More......

Ayn Rand Was Right: Wealthy Are on Strike Against Obama

By Wayne Allyn Root (Hat tip: John H. Detweiler)
The U.S. economy is crumbling. Businesses are collapsing in record numbers. Jobs have disappeared. Tax revenues are down dramatically. Coincidence? ∴ Everything happening today under Obama resembles the storyline of Ayn Rand’s famous book, Atlas Shrugged, one of the most popular books of all time, selling over 7 million copies. Now, under President Obama, Atlas Shrugged has come to life. Rand prophesized a country dominated by socialists, Marxists and statists, where looters, free loaders and poverty promoters live off the productive class. To rationalize the fleecing of innovative business owners and job creators, the looter class demonized the wealthy, just as Obama and his socialist cabal are doing in real life today. Read more at Big Government... Read More......

State Rep. Greg Smith Amends Tax Bill to Benefit Oregon Bound Companies

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2011 (via email)
SALEM- Rep. Greg Smith (R-Heppner) has asked the Joint Committee on Tax Credits to extend provisions of the Oregon Investment Advantage program. A key program that helps attract new businesses to Oregon, and more specifically hard-hit rural communities. The committee adopted Rep. Smith's amendments to HB 3672 and will be sending the measure to the House and Senate for final consideration.

"These amendments offer a 10-year income tax holiday to businesses that relocate from another state and guarantee at least five full time jobs," Rep. Smith said. “The businesses would apply for acceptance to the program and when accepted, would have to operate for two years before receiving the tax holiday. During this holiday, the new businesses are eligible for a waiver on income and excise taxes."

The Oregon Investment Advantage is available to counties that have high unemployment rates and low per capita incomes relative to other Oregon counties. Due to shifting economic data, several counties including Morrow and Umatilla Counties stood to lose eligibility. Rep. Smith's amendment to HB 3672 offers an exception to these counties so that the program can continue to serve as an economic development tool in much of rural Oregon.

"The Oregon Investment Advantage is a proven economic development tool that creates jobs where they are needed the most," said Rep. Smith. "Today's committee action is a significant accomplishment for rural Oregon, which continues to struggle during this slow economic recovery."

“This legislation helps the Port of Morrow, Morrow County and other rural areas continue to be competitive in attracting businesses to Oregon. We appreciate the hard work Representative Greg Smith continues to do to promote economic development and job creation,” said Gary Neal (Port of Morrow General Manger).

Video: Representative Greg Smith Read More......

Steve Wynn Takes On Washington

CNBC, May 29, 2010 (Hat tip: Carolyn Webb, via email on 8/3/2010, Subject: A reminder of how inept our government has become) - Steve Wynn, a casino resort/real-estate developer who has been credited with spearheading the dramatic resurgence and expansion of the Las Vegas Strip, talks about the Fall of America.

Read More......

Tax hikes create anxiety

PORTLAND BUSINESS JOURNAL, 2/12/2010 by Andy Giegerich - Barely two weeks after Oregonians increased taxes on businesses [Measure 67], some doomsday scenarios are coming true, with businesses employing hundreds of workers planning layoffs, shuttering divisions, delaying expansions or moving their businesses altogether. ∴ Among the activity: Read more at OregonRepublicanParty.com... Read More......

WSJ: Why Chicago Loves Portland

WALL STREET JOURNAL/OPINION, 2/2/2010 (Hat tip: Linda Bartcher) - Mayor Daley has his eye on jobs from high-tax Oregon: The bright idea comes from Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, who is looking to lure employers from Oregon after that state's voters approved a huge tax increase last week. The tax hike in Oregon "will help our economic development immediately. You'd better believe it," Hizzoner told the Chicago Sun Times late last week. "We'll be out in Oregon enticing corporations to relocate to Chicago." Read more at WSJ...
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Hewlett Packard Opens New Mexico Support Center

CRM DAILY, 12/4/2009 (Hat tip: Jeff Kubler) - The expected economic boost of having HP in New Mexico came with a price. New Mexico invested millions of dollars in the form of tax incentives, job training and capital outlay funds to attract the Fortune 500 company to the state. In return, HP promised to employ more than 1,300 high-wage workers by the end of 2012. Read more at CRM... Read More......

Detweiler LETTER, 11/24

11/24/2009, Pre-Publication: LETTER TO THE EDITOR, Submitted to the Corvallis Gazette-Times by John H. Detweiler - On January 26th we are going to vote on raising taxes on nasty corporations and the undeserving rich. Presumably there will be negative consequences for all sorts of groups if we don't raise taxes. On the other hand, there will be negative consequences for business if we do raise taxes.

Corporations make decisions in their best interests as they see them. Raising taxes on corporations increase their costs of doing business in Oregon. If they can, they will raise prices on their goods and services to recover those costs. If they can't raise prices, they will cut costs other ways. They may fire employees. If they have to accept reduced profits, they will do so in the short run. In the longer run, they may move out of Oregon or choose not to expand in Oregon.

The rich also make decisions in their best interests as they see them. In the short run they will pay the tax increase. In the longer run, they will change their behavior to avoid the tax increase. If they are professionals, they may reduce the amount of services they sell because they don't earn enough to make the marginal work worthwhile. If they are small business owners, they may reduce the size of their businesses firing employees and contracting the economy. They may move out of Oregon.

If we treat corporations and the rich as endless sources of funds, they will make decisions to avoid being treated as money trees.

--
John H. Detweiler; web page => www.peak.org/~detweij Read More......

Victor Davis Hanson: Obamanoia

WORKS AND DAYS, 10/21/2009: Victor Davis Hanson wrote - [Excerpt/pg. 2] "But imagine that you are a small business owner, and just consider—why expand now or rehire? since (a) I have no idea what the new taxes will be; (b) I have no idea about what all these new regulations, cap and trade, card check; etc will cost me; (c) I am beginning to think all this trash talk about bad doctors, insurance companies, the Chamber of Commerce, CEOs, the wealthy, etc. suggests this administration does not like me or what I do; (d) the government is everywhere: Ford now must compete against Government Motors; Banks against government-affiliated Citibank; Blue Cross against the public option; and so on. If I have a business, somewhere down the line there is going to be a government-run rival, sort of like your local can’t go broke PBS station in every avenue of commerce. Why insist on ensuring hustling employees when the rival, overpaid DMV-like work force can’t go broke whatever they do?"

Hanson covers much more than business in "Obamanoia." Read more at Works and Days... Read More......

Profits We Should Cheer

WASHINGTON POST, 7/30/2009 by Stephen L. Carter - The Quest for Profit Can Benefit Health Care: A specter is haunting America: the specter of profit. We have become fearful that somewhere, somehow, an evil corporation has found a way to make lots of money. ∴ Flash back three years. In 2006, Exxon Mobil announced the highest profit in the history of American corporate enterprise. Politicians and pundits stumbled over each other to call for an investigation and for some sort of confiscatory tax on the money the company earned. Profit, it seemed, was an evil, but large profit was even worse. ∴ Today, the debate on the overhaul of the health-care system sparks a shiver of deja vu. The leitmotif of the conversation about the coming shape of health insurance is that the villain is the system of private insurance. "For-profit" firms come under constant attack from activists and members of Congress. Read more at the Washington Post...

Hat tip: John Detweiler
John writes, "Something else to make you uneasy." Read More......

HB 2893: Trampling on Free-Speech

At the request of the AFL-CIO, Rep. Michael Schaufler (D-Happy Valley, Dist. 48) sponsored House Bill 2893 with 10 additional representatives (all Democrats) and 6 senators as co-sponsors . As described, the bill prohibits employers from requiring employees to attend meetings or participate in communications concerning the employer's opinion about religious or political matters (see the full bill here).

A religious group lobbying against the bill argued that, as written, it was so sweeping in scope that it could even bring about a ban on the opening prayer in the legislature. Democrats argued that this was not so thought they could not demonstrate how this tradition would not be affected. Others called the bill a blatant infringement on free-speech.

On April 18, 2007 by a straight party-line vote, 100% of the House Democrats carried the measure 31-27 with 2 Republicans excused.

Senate Schedule for HB 2893:
04/19 (S) - First reading. Referred to President's desk.
04/24 (S) - Referred to Commerce.
05/09 (S) - Public Hearing held.
05/31 (S) - Work Session scheduled cancelled.
(Check here for current status: Click House Bill, enter 2893 and then click 'search')
Update: Oregon AFL-CIO drops prayer provision in bill (See May 8, 2007 Oregonian article.)

No question the bill still faces opposition, where it's scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday. Employers argue that employees want to know how particular legislation or ballot measure could affect their business. This bill would prohibit all such communications, either through mandatory meetings or letters stuffed with payroll checks.

Besides HB 2893, the Senate committee will also hear fellow labor-friendly house bills 2891 and 2892. HB 2891 would make it easier for unions to organize by striking a second round of ballots; HB 2892 would prohibit state contractors from using public money and public buildings to promote or deter organizing efforts.

All were introduced at the request of the AFL-CIO.

Find your legislators here if you'd like to let them know what you think or have any questions about this bill. Read More......

Prescription for Bias

Networks Downplay Drug Costs, Treat Medicine as Entitlement
Business & Media Institute: Executive Summary by Ken Shepherd and Amy Menefee

Medical breakthroughs don’t grow on trees, but network news rarely admits it. In a new BMI study, nearly 80 percent of the stories on prescription drugs left out the drug companies entirely. Journalists emphasized consumers’ costs and company profits, largely ignoring companies’ investment to create life-saving medicines. Read the Special Report...

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