Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
How government works
Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of adesert. Congress said, "Someone may steal from it at night." So theycreated a night watchman position and hired a person for the job.
Then Congress said, "How does the watchman do his job withoutinstruction?" So they created a planning department and hired two people,one person to write the instructions, and one person to do time studies.
Then Congress said, "How will we know the night watchman is doing the taskscorrectly?" So they created a Quality Control department and hired twopeople. One to do the studies and one to write the reports.
Then Congress said, "How are these people going to get paid?" So Theycreated the following positions, a time keeper, and a payroll officer, Thenhired two people.
Then Congress said, "Who will be accountable for all of these people?"So they created an administrative section and hired three people, anAdministrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and a LegalSecretary.
Then Congress said, "We have had this command in operation for one Year andwe are $18,000 over budget, we must cutback overall cost."
So they laid off the night watchman.
NOW slowly, let it sink in.
Quietly, we go like sheep to slaughter.
Does anybody remember the reason given for the establishment of theDEPARTMENT OF ENERGY.... during the Carter Administration?
Anybody?
Anything?
No?
Didn't think so!
Bottom line. We've spent several hundred billion dollars in support of anagency...the reason for which not one person who reads this can remember!
Ready??It was very simple...and at the time, everybody thought it veryappropriate.
The Department of Energy was instituted on 8-04-1977.TO LESSEN OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL.
Hey, pretty efficient, huh???
AND NOW IT'S 2009 -- 32 YEARS LATER -- AND THE BUDGET FOR THIS "NECESSARY"DEPARTMENT IS AT $24.2 BILLION A YEAR. THEY HAVE 16,000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEESAND APPROXIMATELY 100,000 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES; AND LOOK AT THE JOB THEY HAVEDONE! THIS IS WHERE YOU SLAP YOUR FOREHEAD AND SAY, "WHAT WAS I THINKING?"
Ah, yes -- good ole bureaucracy.
AND, NOW, WE ARE GOING TO TURN THE BANKING SYSTEM, HEALTH CARE, AND THEAUTO INDUSTRY OVER TO THE SAME GOVERNMENT?HELLOOO! Anybody Home?
Then Congress said, "How does the watchman do his job withoutinstruction?" So they created a planning department and hired two people,one person to write the instructions, and one person to do time studies.
Then Congress said, "How will we know the night watchman is doing the taskscorrectly?" So they created a Quality Control department and hired twopeople. One to do the studies and one to write the reports.
Then Congress said, "How are these people going to get paid?" So Theycreated the following positions, a time keeper, and a payroll officer, Thenhired two people.
Then Congress said, "Who will be accountable for all of these people?"So they created an administrative section and hired three people, anAdministrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and a LegalSecretary.
Then Congress said, "We have had this command in operation for one Year andwe are $18,000 over budget, we must cutback overall cost."
So they laid off the night watchman.
NOW slowly, let it sink in.
Quietly, we go like sheep to slaughter.
Does anybody remember the reason given for the establishment of theDEPARTMENT OF ENERGY.... during the Carter Administration?
Anybody?
Anything?
No?
Didn't think so!
Bottom line. We've spent several hundred billion dollars in support of anagency...the reason for which not one person who reads this can remember!
Ready??It was very simple...and at the time, everybody thought it veryappropriate.
The Department of Energy was instituted on 8-04-1977.TO LESSEN OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL.
Hey, pretty efficient, huh???
AND NOW IT'S 2009 -- 32 YEARS LATER -- AND THE BUDGET FOR THIS "NECESSARY"DEPARTMENT IS AT $24.2 BILLION A YEAR. THEY HAVE 16,000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEESAND APPROXIMATELY 100,000 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES; AND LOOK AT THE JOB THEY HAVEDONE! THIS IS WHERE YOU SLAP YOUR FOREHEAD AND SAY, "WHAT WAS I THINKING?"
Ah, yes -- good ole bureaucracy.
AND, NOW, WE ARE GOING TO TURN THE BANKING SYSTEM, HEALTH CARE, AND THEAUTO INDUSTRY OVER TO THE SAME GOVERNMENT?HELLOOO! Anybody Home?
Sunday, October 11, 2009
From greenhellblog.com
…an open letter to U.S. Chamber of Commerce president Tom Donohue about the recent defections of companies from the Chamber…
October 7, 2009
Mr. Tom Donohue
President
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
1615 H St., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20062-2000
Dear Mr. Donohue:
We urge you to continue your strong opposition to the cap-and-tax bills passed by the House and now introduced in the Senate.
Much has been made in the pro-cap-and-tax mainstream press and trade media about the relatively few companies who have quit the Chamber over “cap and tax.” We say good riddance to rent-seekers and hypocrites:
» Exelon Corp. is one of the very few utilities that are actually planning to make money off of “cap and tax” – up to $750 million annually per $10 increase in the price of CO2 – for doing nothing other than selling the free credits it gets from Congress, according to CEO John Rowe. Consumers and taxpayers are the ones who will be looted for this booty.
» Apple Corp. said it was leaving the Chamber because of its supposed concerns for the environment. If Apple was really concerned about the environment, it would stop exploiting lax-to-non-existent Chinese environmental laws in the manufacture of its products. If Apple really cared about the environment, it would pressure China to adopt the Clean Air Act for starters. For all its green posturing, Apple should quit China not the Chamber.
» Nike manufactures its shoes and clothes in sweatshops in Indonesia, paying its workers approximately $1.25 a day, while competitor New Balance manufactures its products in the U.S. So Nike wants new federal laws that place New Balance at a competitive disadvantage. Perhaps we are being too harsh. Maybe Nike is truly concerned about “global warming” increasing the temperature in its sweatshops and, thereby, decreasing the productivity of its near-slave-labor.
These are three companies out of the thousands that you represent. The Chamber has a long and proud history of being the nation’s strongest voice for American business. We are all depending on your leadership against “cap and tax,” which will do nothing but harm American businesses, families, workers, consumers and, ultimately, America itself.
Sincerely,
Steve Milloy
Publisher, JunkScience.com
October 7, 2009
Mr. Tom Donohue
President
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
1615 H St., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20062-2000
Dear Mr. Donohue:
We urge you to continue your strong opposition to the cap-and-tax bills passed by the House and now introduced in the Senate.
Much has been made in the pro-cap-and-tax mainstream press and trade media about the relatively few companies who have quit the Chamber over “cap and tax.” We say good riddance to rent-seekers and hypocrites:
» Exelon Corp. is one of the very few utilities that are actually planning to make money off of “cap and tax” – up to $750 million annually per $10 increase in the price of CO2 – for doing nothing other than selling the free credits it gets from Congress, according to CEO John Rowe. Consumers and taxpayers are the ones who will be looted for this booty.
» Apple Corp. said it was leaving the Chamber because of its supposed concerns for the environment. If Apple was really concerned about the environment, it would stop exploiting lax-to-non-existent Chinese environmental laws in the manufacture of its products. If Apple really cared about the environment, it would pressure China to adopt the Clean Air Act for starters. For all its green posturing, Apple should quit China not the Chamber.
» Nike manufactures its shoes and clothes in sweatshops in Indonesia, paying its workers approximately $1.25 a day, while competitor New Balance manufactures its products in the U.S. So Nike wants new federal laws that place New Balance at a competitive disadvantage. Perhaps we are being too harsh. Maybe Nike is truly concerned about “global warming” increasing the temperature in its sweatshops and, thereby, decreasing the productivity of its near-slave-labor.
These are three companies out of the thousands that you represent. The Chamber has a long and proud history of being the nation’s strongest voice for American business. We are all depending on your leadership against “cap and tax,” which will do nothing but harm American businesses, families, workers, consumers and, ultimately, America itself.
Sincerely,
Steve Milloy
Publisher, JunkScience.com
Thursday, October 8, 2009
A new definition of capitalism
In the U.S., both Republican and Democratic politicians define capitalism as a system with economic activity sufficient to produce campaign contributions.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
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