Black Hawk County Republicans

A Tax on a Tax is Wrong for All Iowans

This week our state legislatures will debate HF807 which will remove Iowan's ability to deduct their federal taxes from their state taxes. Our representatives think this will reduce taxes when in fact it increases our tax burden.

 Let's look at the numbers:

Under the proposal, 50.9 percent of Iowans will either see no change or see their taxes increase in 2009. Most of these people make less then $70,000 a year. Over 10 percent of those expected to get a tax ‘decrease' make $100,000. If Democrats think this will make our state taxes fair - they are dead wrong. Still not convinced?

Let's flash forward to December 31, 2010. The federal tax relief of 2001 and 2003 will expire. This means that our federal income tax liability will drastically increase as much as $180 million.

Folks, we will be taxed on money we never see! Each time you get a paycheck, money is already taken out for federal taxes. It never hits your bank account, it didn't put food on your table and it certainly didn't send your kids to college.

It's time we take a stand against unreasonable taxation both at the local level and the federal level.

Join us for the Tax Day TEA Party on April 15, on the corner of E. 5th and Water Street, Waterloo at 6pm. Our legislatures can throw us out of the State House but they can't keep us from speaking out!

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Obama: 'Only government can break the vicious cycle'

Posted by Bobby Eberle
February 10, 2009 at 7:06 am

Remember the old joke? A guy walks up to you and says, "Hello, I'm from the government, and I'm here to help." People would chuckle because we all know what happens when government tries to "fix" things. Well, it looks like the joke's on us... except no one is laughing.

On Monday night, President Obama held his first prime time press conference. As usual, when not in a majestic setting and delivering a grand speech, he stumbled with "ums" and "ers", but was able to get out one sentence in particular that should open the eyes of all Americans. When talking about our current economic situation, Obama said, "It is only government that can break the vicious cycle."

That's right... even though the government got us into this mess with the sub-prime lending fiasco (to name only one), Obama tells us that it is time to throw capitalism and the business cycle out the window. Only government can solve the problem. Doesn't that statement send shivers down your spine? It does for me!

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A lesson in economics. The TAX System Explained In Simple Terms

Sometimes politicians, journalists and others exclaim; "It's just a tax cut for the rich!" and it is just accepted to be fact. But what does that  really mean? Just in case you are not completely clear on this issue, I  hope the following will help. Please read it carefully. Let's put tax cuts in terms everyone can understand.

Suppose that every day, ten men go out for dinner and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:

 a.. The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
 b.. The fifth would pay $1.
 c.. The sixth would pay $3.
 d.. The seventh would pay $7.
 e.. The eighth would pay $12.
 f.. The ninth would pay $18.
 g.. The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that's what they decided to do. The ten men ate dinner in the restaurant every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve.

"Since you are all such good customers," he said, "I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily meal by $20." Dinner for the ten now cost just $80."

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the  first four men were unaffected. They would still eat for free, but what about the other six men, the paying customers? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?' They realized that  $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to eat their meal. So, the restaurant owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.

And so:
 a.. The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
 b.. The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33% savings).
 c.. The seventh now paid $5 instead of $7 (28% savings).
 d.. The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings)
 e.. The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).
 f.. The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to eat for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.

"I only got a dollar out of the $20," declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man, "but he got $10!"

"Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "I only saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than me!"

"That's true!!" shouted the seventh man. "Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!"

"Wait a minute," yelled the first four men in unison. "We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!"

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up. The next night the tenth man didn't show up for dinner, so the nine sat down and ate without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start eating overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

David R. Kamerschen, PhD
Professor of Economics, University of Georgia

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Earlier this year, 12,000 people in San Francisco signed a petition in support of a proposition on a local ballot to rename an Oceanside sewage plant after George W. Bush. The proposition is only one example of the classless disrespect many Americans have shown the president.

According to recent Gallup polls, the president's average approval rating is below 30% -- down from his 90% approval in the wake of 9/11. Mr. Bush has endured relentless attacks from the left while facing abandonment from the right.

This is the price Mr. Bush is paying for trying to work with both Democrats and Republicans. During his 2004 victory speech, the president reached out to voters who supported his opponent, John Kerry, and said, "Today, I want to speak to every person who voted for my opponent. To make this nation stronger and better, I will need your support, and I will work to earn it. I will do all I can do to deserve your trust."

Those bipartisan efforts have been met with crushing resistance from both political parties.

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Socialism might be Change, but it is NOT Hope. 

Recently Barak Obama showed his true Socialist nature.  A plumber who wants to start his own business asked Mr. Obama if his tax plan would cause him to pay more taxes. Short answer,Yes.  Instead, in his own words:

"It's not that I want to punish your success. I just want to make sure that everybody who is behind you, that they've got a chance for success too," Obama responded. "My attitude is that if the economy's good for folks from the bottom up, it's gonna be good for everybody ... I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."

This was one individual’s dream of opening his own business that might gross just over the $250,000 limit of Mr. Obama’s tax plan.  The US economy is based around these small businesses and yes, it does punish success.

Why work hard?  Why strive to succeed?  The more money you make, the more an Obama government will take and “spread around” to those not willing to work hard or take risks.  That’s not America.  The more small businesses are taxed, the fewer people they can hire and the less they can afford to pay.  For those at the bottom, why work hard?  You’ll have a government that will give you other people’s money and take care of you.  They’ll have little incentive to better themselves.  Don’t believe that Obama is a Socialist?  Just check out is own words and tax plans.  There’s NEVER a good time for Socialism.

*authors note:  The response letter to the editor by liberal Bill McDermott of Cedar Falls on Oct. 26th, was it's usual attack.  Kill the messenger, don't look at the message.  Not once did he response to this letters charge, he just showed his intolerance for anything conservative, including me.

He called my letter a right wing smear attack.  You be the judge.  His cute response shows a vast imagination, but very little knowledge about this election.  May his imagination is only half vast?????

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Obama's False Medicare Claim October 20, 2008 He accuses McCain of proposing to cut benefits. Not true. Summary In a TV ad and in speeches, Obama is making bogus claims that McCain plans to cut $880 billion from Medicare spending and to reduce benefits.

The Obama-Biden campaign continues to lie to the American people about John McCain's health care plan. Their claims have failed every fact-check from CBS[1] to the Washington Post.[2] John McCain is not going to raise taxes on middle class families. Barack Obama and Joe Biden are the only candidates in this race that plan to raise taxes.


THE REAL FACTS

The McCain plan transforms the current tax code to provide all American families - including the self-employed and the uninsured - the same tax benefit, a $5,000 refundable tax credit ($2,500 for individuals) that was previously only available to those with employer coverage. Families can use this credit to purchase insurance of their choice, including keeping their current coverage.

John McCain believes that no American should be denied access to quality and affordable coverage simply because of a pre-existing condition. As President, John McCain will work with governors to develop a best practice model that states can follow - a Guaranteed Access Plan or GAP - that would reflect the best experience of the states to ensure these patients have access to health coverage. There would be reasonable limits on premiums, and assistance would be available for Americans below a certain income level.

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This Sunday's Waterloo Courier became a good home for the Local Looney Left to come to roost.  Here are a few Highlights:

 My responses are in red.  Let these letters be a wake up call to what we are up against and just who will be in power if we don't get John McCain and Sarah Palin elected.

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Here is a recent letter pushing the lies Liberals are telling about our Vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin.  Please read the entire article and see the facts shoot them down and please use them to help our cause.  They have only just begun to attack.....Greg Tagtow (my comments are in red)

Wednesday, September 10, 2008  Palin just a panderer (name withheld)
WATERLOO --- Is is essential that a vice president is someone who is capable of taking over the presidency at a moments notice should tragedy strike. Barack Obama has made a logical choice. Joe Biden has been in the senate for many years and has plenty of foreign policy experience. (it is too bad that neither Biden and Obama have any experience in leading or governing, like say, a governor does.  And what is Obamas foreign policy experience?  He has none.)  What was John McCain thinking? Choosing Sarah Palin is an obvious attempt at pandering to the far right fringes (the left's view of conservatives) of the Republican party. Palin is an anti-abortion extremist (translate that hate speech to pro-life) who opposes abortion even in cases of rape or incest, but she doesn't seem to care what happens to babies after they're born. (a lie with no factual basis)

As governor she used her line-item veto to cut funding for a shelter for teen mothers. Lie #1(see editor's note from the Courier below)

 She supported Pat Buchanan for president in 2000. (Lie, see #2)

Overall her resume is pretty skimpy, she has been governor for about a year and a half before that she was a small town mayor. She has zero national or foreign policy experience. (while on the other hand, Obama has 3 years in the Senate governing nothing, 2 of which were mostly on the campaign trail as he missed vote after vote in the senate.)

Palin's sister was married to a state trooper and went through a bitter divorce and custody battle. Later Palin fired the state police commissioner allegedly because he refused to fire her former brother-in law. Palin is currently the subject of an ethics investigation which could potentially result in her impeachment. (the left seems unfamiliar with the whole concept of innocent until proven guilty.  According to Palin, one has nothing to do with the other and the folks doing the probing are Alaska Dems)

Is McCain familiar with the vetting process potential running mates are normally subjected to? (yes, maybe the Caucus and primary dem voters should have looked at Obama closer as well)  Maybe Palin's pregnant teenage daughter can help demonstrate the failure of Bush's abstinence only program and lead to better sex education in our schools. (gee, I seem to remember all sorts of sex ed in school and the girls amazingly still got pregnant.  Hard to convince me that when people abstain from sex, they still get pregnant)

Now the facts:

1) Editor's note: According to Covenant House Alaska Executive Director Deirdre Cronin, funding to the shelter was not reduced, but funding for an expansion as funded at a level less than requested. "Our $3.9 million
appropriation is directed toward a multi-year capital project and it is our understanding that the state simply opted to phase in its support for this project over several years, rather than all at once in the current budget year." - Waterloo Courier

Factcheck.org - September 8, 2008 False Internet claims and rumors fly about McCain's running mate. We've been flooded for the past few days with queries about dubious Internet postings and mass e-mail messages making claims about McCain's running mate, Gov. Palin. We find that many are completely false, or misleading.

2) Palin never endorsed or supported Pat Buchanan for president. She once wore a Buchanan button as a "courtesy" when he visited Wasilla, but shortly afterward she was appointed to co-chair of the campaign of Steve Forbes in the state.

Here are some other Factcheck.org facts to debunk the lies of the Left.  If you hear the lies or receive them in an email, but sure to use the truth as ammo.

• Palin did not cut funding for special needs education in Alaska by 62 percent. She didn't cut it at all. In fact, she tripled per-pupil funding over just three years.
• She did not demand that books be banned from the Wasilla library. Some of the books on a widely circulated list were not even in print at the time. The librarian has said Palin asked a "What if?" question, but the librarian continued in her job through most of Palin's first term.
  
• She was never a member of the Alaskan Independence Party, a group that wants Alaskans to vote on whether they wish to secede from the United States. She's been registered as a Republican since May 1982.
• Palin has not pushed for teaching creationism in Alaska's schools. She has said that students should be allowed to "debate both sides" of the evolution question, but she also said creationism "doesn't have to be part of the curriculum."

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Republican National Convention Wrap Up

Politicians, reporters, commentators, delegates and even protestors seized upon St. Paul for four days of over the top excitement.  That's exactly what they got and then some. 

My trip to the RNC started the Friday before Labor Day.  The country waited in eager anticipation of who John McCain would announce as his running mate.  I got the news just an hour before we left Cedar Falls.  I could not have been more surprised or happy.  Many months ago, a friend of mine had mentioned he would like to see Sarah Palin be McCain's VP.  So, imagine my shock when she was chosen.  I'm taking my friend to the casino to see what his psychic abilities could do for me at the craps table.

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