The New Engines of Socialism?

I stumbled across an opinion piece in at the Wall Street Journal today. The article "Obama Wants to Control the Banks", by Stuart Varney tells of how repayment of TARP money is being rejected by the Obama Administration from institutions it wishes to control.

After getting over the initial shock of this, it got me thinking. Because these banks and car companies are on the hook with TARP and bailout money, the government now has unprecedented say in all of these companies' affairs. The government can dictate what cars to make, who they should merge with and soon who the banks should lend to.

I also see another reason why the Administration would want to reject repayments, they could have a possible new revenue stream for government programs. Last week, Treasury Secretary Timmy Geithner asked for outrageous new powers for the Treasury. The new powers would literally give the government direct control of all kinds of activities in companies, all in the name of managing "systemic risk" (a term still yet to be fully defined).

If given these new powers, what would stop the government from running these newly controlled companies in such a way, that they would be profitable enough to do the government's bidding and make interest payments, but never profitable enough to pay off the principle of their loans? Could the interest payments not serve as a new source of revenue? Revenue that could help pay for a massive entitlement program like a single payer health care system? One of the biggest arguments against a single payer system is the cost. But what if the cost was eased by millions in interest payments from government run companies? Would not the argument and the taxpayer outcry go away or be significantly diminished?

Now imagine such revenue becoming regular and necessary. These banks and car companies could never be "set free" without causing "systemic risk" (there is that term again) to the economy in the form of jeopardizing the health care system or massive increases to the taxpayer. Even with Republicans in full control of the government, such a knot could not be untied without major disruptions and Democrats would have a valid argument against it. In effect we would be permanently stuck with a socialist system.

Obama and the Democrats have a once in a generation chance of making their long held dreams come true. If they are successful in executing them, why would they not try to make those changes permanent?

Ok, this is getting scary. Geithner On Ousting CEOs, Reviving Economy.

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After watching Turbo Tax Timmy I got the distinct feeling I was being lied to. Did you? Maybe it is the way he tilts his head like he is looking over eye glasses that are not there. Maybe it is the way he did not answer the question about his mistakes. Maybe it was the way he rattled off a lot of meaningless bullshit that sounds good but really means nothing (like Hope & Change). Which ever way you want to slice it, he is lying!

Let us not forget this is a man who admitted he got tripped up by Turbo Tax ,a program designed to be idiot proof, yet he gets to run the Treasury during a "crisis". This is also a man who clearly cheated on his taxes too, and only came clean to get the job. To me, this makes him either an incompetent or a liar, either way, why are we considering giving this man more power?

I don't know about all of you, but there is something terribly wrong with government inserting itself into the private sector. Forcing CEO's to resign, setting salaries for everyone, guaranteeing warranties, it is just to much. Have we forgotten these are politicians? Politics are their forte. What is to stop them from shaking down companies that don't donate to their campaigns? What is to stop them from dictating what products companies should make because they want to set an agenda? Where is their experience in any of these matters? The last time I checked no elected official had any experience in building cars, yet here they are pulling the strings of GM and Chrysler! Will non government companies be allowed to compete or beat government run ones and if they beat them will they pay a political price?

These are some serious questions that no one seems to be asking. The Fourth Estate (now the Lame Steam Media) should be doing this. Unfortunately, they sold their souls to the devil to elect the president they wanted. Should he fail, then their credibility would fail as well. Don't expect any help from them.

It is time We The People take matters into our own hands. Me must exert constant pressure and tell them to STOP! Stop spending our money, stop driving us into generational debt, stop expanding their powers, stop controlling our lives. They are suppose to answer to us not the other way around.

Find a local Tea Party, attend, make your voices heard. Send tea bag or tea bag strings to your Congressmen and women. Let them know you do not like the direction the nation is going and that they must heed our words.

I leave you with the words of "Thomas Paine" (rather his modern day incarnation). Listen and be motivated.

Meet Tax Cheat #6 - Kathleen Sebelius

Today we add another member to the long parade of tax cheats in the Obama Administration, Health and Human Services nominee Kathleen Sebelius. At this rate we will need a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet just to keep track of them all!

Ms. Sebelius, "claimed" to have "discovered errors" in her 2005-2007 tax returns (how timely). Her hired accountant found almost $8,000 in taxes and interest. Ever so conveniently, Obama and his staff were not available to comment on good old #6.

Just a few short months ago, then Governor Sebelius was battling state Republicans to get them to open up the Kansas purse strings. She was holding up state tax refunds in the process, imagine that? I guess since she already took hers, why be bothered with the little people Democrats are always "fighting for".

Two things really get my goat about the tax cheats. First, several years ago, I fell behind on my own taxes. The IRS beat me like a rented mule for far less money than any of these crooks owe. Second, that sneering video of Joe "Plugs" Biden blathering on about how it is now patriotic to pay taxes. Who the hell was he talking about I wonder?

Below is the growing list of people, according to Joe Biden, should be considered as not "patriotic", not "jumping in", not "part of the deal" and "not helping to get America out of the rut".

1. Timothy Geithner Treasury Secretary - $43,000.
2. Tom Daschle Health & Human Services Nominee - $140,000.
3. Nancy Killefer Cheif Performance Officer Nominee - $1,000 + a year and a half of unpaid unemployment taxes for household staff.
4. Hilda Solis Labor Secretary Nominee - $11,000 on husband's business.
5. Ron Kirk US Trade Rep - $10,000.
6. Kathleen Sebelius Health & Human Services Nominee #2 - $8,000