BLOG #15 STOCK ACT DEBATE
Recently I have returned to watch C-SPAN 1 & 2 - 1 being the House & 2 the Senate. - and just this morning listened to the House debate on the STOCK ACT S2038 passed by the Senate. This, when passed by the House will then go to Conference between the two houses. This bill is designed to change both houses to conduct themselves under the same rules that we "peons" have too. It addresses most of the insider trading issues under Section 3 entitled "Prohibition of the use of nonpublic information for private profits." Section 4 specifically addresses the "Prohibition of Inside Trading" by members of the Congress. Section 6 requires "Prompt Reporting of Financial Transactions." Section 7 requires a "Report on Political Intelligence Act invites." And Section 8 is most interesting as it requires "Public Filing and Disclosure of Financial Disclosure Forms of Members of Congress and Congressional Staff." Other Sections covers the Executive Branch and Other Federal Officials.
I believe that the book written by Peter Schweizer, THROW THEM ALL OUT, How Politicians and Their Friends Get Rich off Insider Stock Tips, Land Deals, and Cronyism That Would Send the Rest of Us to Prison, is mainly behind forcing the members of Congress to even bring this bill to a vote. If you have NOT read this book go get it from your library or better go purchase it. Also contact your representatives in both the House and the Senate to quickly get this bill passed. This will help curb the corruption that is rampart in both the legislative and executive branches.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
BLOG #14 - What Ever Happened to a Civil Tongue?
As the Florida primary approaches tomorrow (Jan. 31st) it appears that, once again, it is coming down to a close count between Romney and Gingrich. And, the latest national poll shows that IF the election were today that there is only 1% difference between Obama and Romney. Interestingly this poll did not pit Newt against Obama. It seems that the "prevailing" wisdom by the republican establishment and the media is that it is all over but the election with Romney and Obama going head to head for the Oval Office and leader of the free world - if, in fact we, the United States, still holds this title!
But what really bothers me about Romney is what he said on FOX News this morning about Newt. He, Romney, continues to lie about Newt's so called "baggage". He referred to Newt's being kicked out of the Congress, how he was censured by the ethics committee of the House, and was fined $300,000 by the committee. These are all untrue. Newt completed his term as Speaker and did not run for reelection. He was never censured by the ethics committee as he was cleared of 83 of the 84 charges against him, and the 84th was a minor charge that was caused by his lawyer not responding adequately to the committee. The $300,000 that Newt paid was for legal charges that he incurred during the investigation.
Unfortunately in our political process candidates are not prone to keep a civil tongue and to curb themselves or their Super PACs when they step over the line with false accusations. I am not letting Newt off the hook either, as I believe that he has done his share. However, I believe that Newt's involvement was more defensive than offensive. Yes I am still hoping for Newt to win the nomination and believe that he will be able to beat Obama NOT just in debates, but at the polling booth on the first Tuesday in November 2012. Newt IS a conservative as well as a Jeffersonian Constitutionalists.
As the Florida primary approaches tomorrow (Jan. 31st) it appears that, once again, it is coming down to a close count between Romney and Gingrich. And, the latest national poll shows that IF the election were today that there is only 1% difference between Obama and Romney. Interestingly this poll did not pit Newt against Obama. It seems that the "prevailing" wisdom by the republican establishment and the media is that it is all over but the election with Romney and Obama going head to head for the Oval Office and leader of the free world - if, in fact we, the United States, still holds this title!
But what really bothers me about Romney is what he said on FOX News this morning about Newt. He, Romney, continues to lie about Newt's so called "baggage". He referred to Newt's being kicked out of the Congress, how he was censured by the ethics committee of the House, and was fined $300,000 by the committee. These are all untrue. Newt completed his term as Speaker and did not run for reelection. He was never censured by the ethics committee as he was cleared of 83 of the 84 charges against him, and the 84th was a minor charge that was caused by his lawyer not responding adequately to the committee. The $300,000 that Newt paid was for legal charges that he incurred during the investigation.
Unfortunately in our political process candidates are not prone to keep a civil tongue and to curb themselves or their Super PACs when they step over the line with false accusations. I am not letting Newt off the hook either, as I believe that he has done his share. However, I believe that Newt's involvement was more defensive than offensive. Yes I am still hoping for Newt to win the nomination and believe that he will be able to beat Obama NOT just in debates, but at the polling booth on the first Tuesday in November 2012. Newt IS a conservative as well as a Jeffersonian Constitutionalists.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
BLOG #13
In the heat of the run for the GOP nominee to defeat Obama we may be overlooking the most important element to guarantee that our great Nation can be returned to its rightful place in the 21st Century. This is the House and Senate races. In 2010 the effect of the TEA PARTY was felt with the return of the House to the Republican majority, but failing to take over the Senate. The important lesson in this 2010 turnaround proved that WE THE PEOPLE can, and will, take charge of our political lives once our backs or to the wall. In 2012, as important as it is to elect the RIGHT individual as President, it will do very little if WE THE PEOPLE do not completely change the face of the Congress. The nominee for President MUST make it his number 1 priority to promote those running for all seats in the House and those open in the Senate are true conservatives in the tradition of Thomas Jefferson's "limited federal government". If the Senate does not move more to the right it will be very difficult to scrap OmamaCare, create a balanced budget, change the tax structure, or reduce federal regulations that are making it impossible for this economy to turn around and create the millions of jobs needed. For my readers to understand what is going on in the Congress I urge you to purchase the book by Peter Schweizer entitled THROW THEM ALL OUT, How Politicians and Their Friends Get Rich off Inside Stock Tips, Land Deals, and Cronyism That Would Send the Rest of Us to Prison. Mr. Schweizer is a conservative author and a research fellow at the Stanford Hoover Institute.
In the heat of the run for the GOP nominee to defeat Obama we may be overlooking the most important element to guarantee that our great Nation can be returned to its rightful place in the 21st Century. This is the House and Senate races. In 2010 the effect of the TEA PARTY was felt with the return of the House to the Republican majority, but failing to take over the Senate. The important lesson in this 2010 turnaround proved that WE THE PEOPLE can, and will, take charge of our political lives once our backs or to the wall. In 2012, as important as it is to elect the RIGHT individual as President, it will do very little if WE THE PEOPLE do not completely change the face of the Congress. The nominee for President MUST make it his number 1 priority to promote those running for all seats in the House and those open in the Senate are true conservatives in the tradition of Thomas Jefferson's "limited federal government". If the Senate does not move more to the right it will be very difficult to scrap OmamaCare, create a balanced budget, change the tax structure, or reduce federal regulations that are making it impossible for this economy to turn around and create the millions of jobs needed. For my readers to understand what is going on in the Congress I urge you to purchase the book by Peter Schweizer entitled THROW THEM ALL OUT, How Politicians and Their Friends Get Rich off Inside Stock Tips, Land Deals, and Cronyism That Would Send the Rest of Us to Prison. Mr. Schweizer is a conservative author and a research fellow at the Stanford Hoover Institute.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
JIM'S BLOG #12
Well, here we are three days into the NEW YEAR and the IOWA caucuses will be over late tonight - THANK GOD! But will we really known which of the six major candidates will be BEST and CAN defeat Obama in November? I doubt it.
A friend of mine sent me the following URL:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/
which is a TEST prepared by USA TODAY that enable you to answer some KEY questions and relate them to which candidates agree with your answers. You most likely will be surprised at the results. I was very surprised at which candidate came closest to my answers as #1, since #2 was my personal choice and most likely continue to be. But the exercise is a very good one and I hope that each of my readers will take the TEST by clicking on the URL above.
Well, here we are three days into the NEW YEAR and the IOWA caucuses will be over late tonight - THANK GOD! But will we really known which of the six major candidates will be BEST and CAN defeat Obama in November? I doubt it.
A friend of mine sent me the following URL:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/
which is a TEST prepared by USA TODAY that enable you to answer some KEY questions and relate them to which candidates agree with your answers. You most likely will be surprised at the results. I was very surprised at which candidate came closest to my answers as #1, since #2 was my personal choice and most likely continue to be. But the exercise is a very good one and I hope that each of my readers will take the TEST by clicking on the URL above.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
BLOG # 11 Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
As we close out 2011 and begin a new year there will be some new challenges. We are in the middle of an election year where we may be facing the biggest decision of our lives as we enter the General Election in November 2012. Will we end up with another four years of higher taxes, more government spending, increase deficits, and a debt that may well exceed $16 Trillion by election day. Of course, there is no guarantee that whichever republican is nominated and will replace the current president there will be anything different. We can only hope and pray that if there is a change that a new day will begin in the way the federal government is conducted.
I recently read the the eight hour filibuster (it is also a book entitled THE SPEECH) by Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont where he blamed everything on the greed of corporate America, as well as the republicans. For those who do not know the Senator, he is listed as an Independent, but admits that he is a Progressive, and his record shows that he votes mostly with the liberal left in the Senate. After reading the speech I sent him a letter and stated that he could help cure all his concerns with eight changes and amendments to our Constitution, which are all possible IF our representative were actually interested in Constitutional governmen, rather than being re-elect by bribing us with earmarks, stimulus and tax holidays that do zero to solve the unemployment problem. In the next BLOG I will share these eight changes with you.
Until next time, I hope all of your Christmas wishes come true and that 2012 will be the happiest ever.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
BLOG #10 "FAIR SHAKE"???
On Tuesday, December 6thm 2011, President Obama delivered an "Economic" address in the Great State of Kansas. Rather than an "economic" address, it should be called the "FAIR SHAKE" address, or better still the "DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH" address. As one commentator stated, this speech was the best "crafted" speech of Obama's presidency. It was clearly a misrepresentation of what America is all about. Our Founders only guaranteed citizen the "OPPORTUNITY" to succeed in this life in order to "share" in the promise of LIBERTY and the PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS!
How does one obtain this? It comes by HARD WORK, being a productive member of your community, by being HONEST and FAIR with your family, friends and all others, and by seeking an EDUCATION to prepare for the abilities you need to succeed. However, even if you do all of these things life may not deal you with a "winning hand". But here is the other part of what our Founders gave us: It was a FREEDOM to believe in a CREATOR and seek help and guidance to overcome the setbacks of life. A government, a politician or anyone else can fully provide the inner "intestinal fortitude" to get back up and try try again.
Our current economic situation is not just a fault of the Obama administration. This trend in "fairness for everyone" had its beginning mainly at the beginning of the 20th Century with the Progressive political movement partially started and encourage by Theodore Roosevelt. Progressiveness is just another word for socialism. Socialism did not work for the Pilgrims when they came to America in the sixteen hundreds and it has NOT worked for all of the European countries who are facing dire economic bankrupt today. And, unless the PEOPLE rise up now, America will go in the same economy disaster.
On Tuesday, December 6thm 2011, President Obama delivered an "Economic" address in the Great State of Kansas. Rather than an "economic" address, it should be called the "FAIR SHAKE" address, or better still the "DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH" address. As one commentator stated, this speech was the best "crafted" speech of Obama's presidency. It was clearly a misrepresentation of what America is all about. Our Founders only guaranteed citizen the "OPPORTUNITY" to succeed in this life in order to "share" in the promise of LIBERTY and the PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS!
How does one obtain this? It comes by HARD WORK, being a productive member of your community, by being HONEST and FAIR with your family, friends and all others, and by seeking an EDUCATION to prepare for the abilities you need to succeed. However, even if you do all of these things life may not deal you with a "winning hand". But here is the other part of what our Founders gave us: It was a FREEDOM to believe in a CREATOR and seek help and guidance to overcome the setbacks of life. A government, a politician or anyone else can fully provide the inner "intestinal fortitude" to get back up and try try again.
Our current economic situation is not just a fault of the Obama administration. This trend in "fairness for everyone" had its beginning mainly at the beginning of the 20th Century with the Progressive political movement partially started and encourage by Theodore Roosevelt. Progressiveness is just another word for socialism. Socialism did not work for the Pilgrims when they came to America in the sixteen hundreds and it has NOT worked for all of the European countries who are facing dire economic bankrupt today. And, unless the PEOPLE rise up now, America will go in the same economy disaster.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
BLOG #9 EVEN IF YOU DON'T!
On a rainy Monday, Nov. 28th, in Charleston, SC, Presidential Candidate Newt Gingrich spoke to a packed audience on the campus of the College of Charleston at Rep. Tim Scott's Townhall Meeting. Np matter what your personal opinion may be about Newt, you owe it to yourself to listen to this event. Jere is the URL that will take you to the video:
On a rainy Monday, Nov. 28th, in Charleston, SC, Presidential Candidate Newt Gingrich spoke to a packed audience on the campus of the College of Charleston at Rep. Tim Scott's Townhall Meeting. Np matter what your personal opinion may be about Newt, you owe it to yourself to listen to this event. Jere is the URL that will take you to the video:
http://www.newt.org/news/video-newt-speaks-packed-house-rep-tim-scotts-townhall
There is no secret that I am a avid supporter of the former Speaker winning the Republican Nomination to defeat Obama in 2012. In the most recent poll Newt garnered 45% of likely voters against 43% for Obama. This gap will continue to increase as more likely voters really listens to his approach to how America can regain it's leadership position around the world. His entire approach to the federal government is "COMMON SENSE", and a return to Constitution government. In this Townhall appearance in the Q&A session, he answers a number of excellent questions, especially about his recent stand on immigration control. As one who does NOT believe in amnesty, Newt's explanation of how he would handle this most pressing issue is one that I can support.
Just remember that when you go to the primary in your state that we need a President not a celebrity! He must be one that understands the Constitutional powers of the office, as well as those powers given to the legislative and judicial branches of our federal government. Newt does!
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