Three Percent of What? Mr. Government Agent…

I read an article that left me with several questions. I have always thought the purpose of writing an informative news article was to in fact “inform” your readers. The author never seemed to see the basic flaw in the article, or was helping to promote propaganda and negative word association from the government.  The article in question by Chris Eger, is from June 2014 and was posted on Guns.com, here is a link:
http://www.guns.com/2014/06/10/chicago-police-atf-form-intelligence-center-to-fight-three-percenters-video/

Some background is required here or you may not see the flaw either, depending on your level of knowledge concerning history, and current events also. The opening paragraph of the article is as follows:
“The Chicago Police Department, working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and FBI, has opened the Crime Gun Intelligence Center to crackdown on illegal guns from what they call “three-percenters.”

It continues farther down:
“The target of this Crime Gun Intelligence Center: a group the ATF is referring to as “three-percenters.”

And even farther down in the article:
“It remains constant from year to year that about 40 percent of the crime guns recovered in the City of Chicago come from Illinois, and about 20 percent come from Indiana,” Carl Vasilko, ATF Special Agent in Charge, told WGN. “The core mission of the Crime Gun Center is to identify these shooters, or these ‘three percenters,’ and the traffickers that sell them guns and get them off our streets.”

In all three of these sections of the article they make sure to mention (with emphasis) what they are referring to as “Three Percenters”. They cast them in a very evil light, yet they never validate or qualify, if you will, what or who exactly is a “three percenter”. This is not by accident, this was not a simple omission in an article, by where an author later says “oh crap” I forgot to define who or what a “three percenter” is, or what behavior or actions qualifies them to be a “three percenter”.

This is a simple negative word association game being played by the federal government to give a negative, even criminal connotation to the name “three percenter”. For those of you unfamiliar with the term “three percenter”, you have to travel back to the American revolution. During the American Revolution, the active fighting forces in the field against the crown, never amounted to more than 3% of the population of the colonies.

In today’s society there are different groups of people that refer to themselves as “three percenters”, in reference to the original colonists that were fighting the tyranny of the king. The people in these 3% groups are basically just like Tea Party members, pro-constitution, pro 2nd amendment, etc… Of course the government sees them as a threat, so they are trying to make the negative association through articles such as the one I reference here. If you read the whole article at the link above, no place in there does it says what or why they are using the term “three percenters”. Quite clearly they are trying to build a negative association in the mind of the reader.

Of course the Anti-defamation league and the southern poverty law center have listed the 3%’ers since 2009 and 2010 as a radical right wing organization. But then again the SPLC lists anyone that is even mildly conservative as a radical right wing extremist. They basically are a propaganda organization, nothing more.

It is the state and federal government that bother me with their classification of the 3%’ers as an extremist organization. They know full well that they are spreading outright lies, but this administration is the most dis-honest in American history. The 3%’ers, of which I am a member, have very valid reasons to mistrust our current government, we are all aware of the NSA spying on innocent citizens who simply believe in their constitutional rights and freedoms. There is an old joke that unfortunately is not a joke with this administration, how can you tell obama is lying, his lips are moving. This used to be a joke, but the obama administration is filled with true scumbags and liars, on a scale unprecedented in our history.

Three Percenters are true Patriots concerned with the present and the future of America. We support the Constitution and the Bill of Rights as they are written, not as the liberal scumbags wish to interpret them. We believe in freedom for all Americans and understand that personal responsibility as citizens and fiscal responsibility by the government are two of the key measures needed to bring America back to it’s former glory. We are not anti-government as many wish to portray us, we support the government as a responsible entity, not in it’s current incarnation. The administration hates us as they hate any true American that can see who they really are.

I like most 3%er’s are military veterans, we took an oath, to fight all enemies foreign and domestic, my oath expires with my death, not before. As long as I breath I will bleed for America, for you, your family and your freedom!

Here is a youtube video that will help you understand what a 3%er really is!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqjlfIZLmsE&sns=fb

 

Baseline Budgeting; Washington’s Bait and Switch

The beginning of the article gives you some background on how we came to have our current budget process, leading up to the advent of baseline budgeting. You can skip the history if you like, scroll to where it says “Baseline Budgeting” and start reading from there.

Negotiating in good faith for the people.

How many of you have ever heard of Baseline Budgeting? It’s an accounting method the U.S. Government uses in a kind of a bait and switch move. It’s used primarily by the democrats, the republicans have tried to point out it’s use. It gives the democrats propaganda they can use with the voters back home. It allows them to claim they implemented or helped to implement budget cuts to benefit everyone.

Before the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921was passed, there were many departments in the Executive and Legislative branches of government that all had individual budgets that needed to be passed. The main objective of the bill was to consolidate the budgets of those departments in both branches into a single government budget. The act also created the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), their purpose was to facilitate the consolidation of multiple departmental budgets among both branches. They also assist the President in assembling the budget for presentation to and consideration by Congress.

Just as the act created the OMB in the Executive Branch, it also created the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in the Legislative Branch. It’s main purpose was to be a non-partisan audit, evaluation and investigative unit for Congress. It fulfilled part of it’s mission by submitting to Congress, upon request, reports detailing the specific costs of government programs or bills brought before Congress. They also supply annual reports on the financial condition of the government.

No real significant changes came about in the budget process until they passed the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974. The passage of this act was necessitated due to actions taken by then President Richard M. Nixon, who with held nearly 12 million dollars in funds already appropriated by Congress. The main purpose in passing this act was to give Congress a stronger and more central role in the budget process. With a secondary purpose of reducing the Presidents impoundment authority, the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921placed to much power over the budget process in the hands of the President.

The side effect of the 1974 act, was to set the stage for eventual baseline budgeting. It required the OMB to set projections of federal spending for the next fiscal year. Section II of the act also created the Congressional Budget office (CBO), it also brought about the creation of separate house and senate budget committees. The CBO was tasked with giving 5 year budget projections, which has now been extended out to 10 years.

Baseline Budgeting

Initially they start the budget process with a baseline budget, which is the budget of the current fiscal year as a starting point, with out any new legislation or spending added.

I will use the Department of Education for my example. The current budget for that department is 78 billion (real number unfortunately), the democrats will propose to hike the budget by 10%, knowing they actually want a 7% budget increase. The bill they propose will have the 10% increase in it.

Publicly and in the media they (the democrats) will boast about how they need the increased funding because they care so much about the children and education. If the republicans can’t see that, they must want to deprive the children, especially low income (liberal keyword for minorities) children from receiving a proper education.

They put up a fight over the 10% increase (with insults flying of course), but in the end they settle for a 7% increase. Now this is where the story gets interesting, because they tell the voters back home that they fought for their children and got a 7% increase for education. And, at the same time will say they are working to keep the deficit under control by cutting 3% from it. What they are not saying is they did not cut a dime. They still have an increase overall from last years budget. They cut the percentage of the increase, not the actual budget, that is the basis of baseline budgeting and politics.

They don’t actual cut the budget, they cut the percentage of the increase to the budget. So what happens is the original figure of 78 billion is increased by 5.46 billion to 83.46 billion. Then the following year the baseline budget for the Department of education will be 83.46 billion, and it starts all over again.

The Fine Print on the Race Card: Part 3 – Assimilate From the Outside

I am changing it up from here, my part 3 was going to be totally different then this post is going to be, and I had planned a part 4 also. I was trying to bring the subject to everyone from kinda different angle for multiple reasons. I don’t believe I am or can do proper justice to the subject of race relations in American using the style I was. So as I said, I’m changing it up, so here goes.

*All links in the article below open in a new window.

The Fine Print on the Race Card: Part 3 – Assimilate From the Outside

The title “Assimilate From the Outside” is in reference to what was the reality for most of the black community from the time they were freed, until recent times, starting in the sixties. They were on the outside looking in, expected to assimilate without being accepted. Having no real representation in government, on all levels, local, state and federal, denied them many opportunities. Winning the right to vote in 1870 was not the boon it was expected to be for the black community. Due to laws that were passed, along with poll taxes and literacy tests, they were still denied the right to vote. It wasn’t until several measures combined to give them the rights and protections they needed.

In 1964 the 24th Amendment (to the Constitution) was ratified, prohibiting poll taxes on federal elections. This amendment, combined with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which had language similar to that of the 15th Amendment (to the Constitution). Applied a nationwide prohibition against the denial or abridgment of the right to vote on the literacy tests on a nationwide basis. Add the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of “Harper v. Virginia State Board of Election” in 1966, which found that Virginia’s poll tax was illegal. Virginia, along with four other states still had a poll tax in place at the time. Though not perfect, some thought these measure did not go far enough, others thought they went to far (as in section 5).

As an outsider making a casual observation, it appears to me that they (the black community) are getting no return on their investment/vote. One hundred years ago the majority of blacks that were voting were voting republican, this was because the republicans were the party that supported the 13th Amendment (emancipation) and black politicians during the reconstruction era in America. The shift away from the republican party really started with the depression, FDR’s “New Deal” started the transition and by 1960 about 2/3 of the black electorate had become democrats.

In 1964 the republican nominee for president, Barry Goldwater, was labeled an extremist because of the belief that he did not support the Civil rights Act, or the Civil Rights Movement in general. This pushed a large portion of the remaining blacks in the republican party over to the democrats. His stance on limited government and states rights, which was very similar to the Tea Party of today, was the death knell for black support of the republican party which continues to this day. LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act into law less then 2 weeks before the 1964 republican convention. At this point approximately 90% of black voters had migrated to the democratic party.

Part of LBJ’s (Lyndon Baines Johnson) legacy still lives with us today. His “Great Society” and “War on Poverty” brought about programs such as:

• The Food Stamp Act of 1964
• The Social Security Amendments of 1965, this expanded on the Social Security Act signed by FDR in 1935 and created Medicare and Medicaid.
• Job Corps Program
• Teacher Corps
• Head Start Program
• National Endowment for the Arts
• National Endowment for the Humanities
• Corporation for Public Broadcasting – Public Television
• National Public Radio – NPR

These are just some of the programs started under the banner of “The war on Poverty”, not all of these programs were bad for our society. Many in fact were a benefit and did address important issues of the day. It is what many of these programs became over time, and the end result that is a concern.

Thomas Sowell, a black conservative argues (and rightfully so) that the Great Society programs only contributed to the destruction of African American families, saying “the black family, which had survived centuries of slavery and discrimination, began rapidly disintegrating in the liberal welfare state that subsidized unwed pregnancy and changed welfare from an emergency rescue to a way of life.”

Next: The Fine Print on the Race Card: Part 4 – Unintended Consequences

Still Standing, so stop Standing Still

Our society is still standing for now, but if we continue to stand still as we are that will change. I am not saying no one is getting involved, but too few seem to be stepping forward into the fray. Too many of us are content to sit behind our little window on the world (your monitor) and share our little pictures and stories and feel like we are doing something.
The time for action has already passed and still we do nothing real to re-claim our rights and our country! We don’t have time, it’s inconvenient right now, let me check my calendar.
Consider the executive orders that obama has passed, the NDAA, recently passed and pending legislation, with who knows what is coming in the future. Consider the weapons and ammunition purchases by the federal government, more ammo than the military used in Iraq to fight a war! The executive orders obama has signed gives the federal government control over all of the infrastructure in the country under martial law. Communications, utilities, food, transportation, they even gave themselves the right to come to your house and take what you need for your families safety and survival.
I am not advocating violence, what I am telling you is that without organizing and getting real about our commitment the violence will be brought to your doorstep. And the government has set themselves up so they can prevent you from fighting the violence against you and your family. If we want to avoid Americans killing Americans we can’t wait any longer to stand up and be counted.
When the shit hits the fan, not if but when, what will you do? I used to think if the shit hits the fan, now I think when! I realize there are people out there actively trying to set us up for it. Ask yourself, would other countries attack us if that happens? Will obama call in UN Troops to help him, in a heartbeat he will. So our best option is to not allow it to get to that point. So every true American that cares has to get involved, create local groups, educate each other, march in protest. We need to write, call, fax and email our representatives daily if that’s what it takes.
We have a choice to either make time now to do what needs to be done to save ourselves, or spend time later living in our nightmares!

Mind Numbing

Now that I am back to the blog I find it mind numbing in some ways trying to figure out what to post about. The sheer magnitude of things that are wrong right now makes it so difficult to find a beginning.

I can see obama is hyping the illegal immigration issue, I am guessing that is simply to distract us from the economy. I am not an economist, I have been doing a lot of reading on the subject though. My hope is to be able to bring you a somewhat informed opinion from an average joe.

My take on the immigration issue is simple, and many won’t like it. I believe the first an foremost thing we need to do is to close the border tight. We need to stop the additional illegals from coming in, it is estimated that 10,000 a day continue to enter. That equals another 1,000,000 every 100 days!

Depending on who you listen to we already have between 11,000,000 and 20,000,000 illegal aliens here.

I say send them home! With the job market the way it is already we need those jobs for Americans. Some say that the illegals do jobs Americans won’t do. All I can say to that is Americans need to toughen up then and act like our forefathers did. I picked fruit and vegetables as a kid, shoveled horse shit, pumped gas, etc…. I did half the crapy jobs out there when I was younger. It motivated me to get a trade so I could make more then minimum wage.

My point is there are already legal means of entry to this country, they are breaking the law and should be deported without question. If you or I break the law we are not just simply forgiven for it, and we are citizens! So why should someone who broke the law to get here have anymore rights then we do? Think about it, they are being extended a right we don’t even have as citizens, a get out of jail free card!

I am not going to get into the costs of having them here because the estimates are wide ranging and the accuracy is in question. But all estimates have it in the billions.

We need to get our own house in order before we open the door to anyone else!

The Fiscal Cliff

A new year has started, but it is business as usual in Washington I believe. The Senate got the fiscal cliff bill, also known as the “American Taxpayer Relief Bill of 2012”. My understanding is the Senate received the bill three minutes before voting on it. I am hoping they all are graduates of the Evelyn Wood Speed Reading School, because the bill is 154 pages.

I am going through the bill and the relevant tax code that is affected by it. I will be posting my findings here in multiple parts, please keep checking back.

I don’t know exactly what I will find on close inspection of the bill, but I have a general idea that it is not really going to be in the best interests of the people.

Who Pays What

The president wants to raise the tax rates for the rich, it actually seems to be an obsession for him. I have gotten to the point over time where I question his motivation for everything he does, so why the need to raise taxes on anyone in this economic environment. No one on public assistance has ever created a job to the best of my knowledge, most job creation is done by small businesses in America.

Why do we not hear any talk from either party about cutting costs, when we do it is just one party trying to blame the other for trying to take from the poor. A political ploy the democrats have elevated to a science (but that’s a whole other article). Our debt and deficit are out of control with over a trillion dollars in spending in each of the last 3 years, now they of course will want to raise the debt ceiling again.

So here we are looking at raising the tax rates for the rich again. Though the administration does not want you to know it, the rich already pay more in taxes then the rest of us combined. I have posted this chart from the IRS before, and I am going to share it again. I tried to get more updated information from the IRS website but they changed the format so it is harder to get the facts in an easily post-able format, I am sure that was not an accident. This chart is from 2009, still relevant because that was just a few years ago, it shows who pays what percentages of the total tax base and approximate tax rate for each group.

IRS Tax Table from 2009, showing approximate tax rates and groups.

The chart is self explanatory, but if you have any questions please let me know, I will be more then happy to answer them for you. As you can see from the chart though, the top 1% of the taxpayers pay 36.7% of all taxes paid in that tax year. The top 50% of taxpayers paid 97.7% of all taxes collected, this is according to the IRS, I don’t believe they would have any reason to lie about these figures.

So we can read the statistics or listen to the rhetoric from the politicians. You can get more updated information from the IRS if you wish, when I get the time I would like to bring you an updated and more comprehensive picture of the situation. But this gives you a little food for thought, and might make you hungry for more, that is part of the reason for this blog. My hope is to get the average American asking more questions and refusing to accept the status quo of party talking points.