Free Market Rebellion Dispatch #2


Individuals and the free market opposing the ever enroaching state
The site looks funky for April 1st, but the news and views are no joke.

Tea Party
Unlike many demonstrations Americans have experienced over the last few decades, the Tea Party movement is "bottom up." There is no national group or groups giving instructions. There have already been successful events in several states, most with a healthy turnout. Even if they didn't make the news, some politicos are definitely nervous.

As April 15 fast approaches, expect more protests. Expect most of the media to downplay their impact. But most importantly, watch their impact on the people who attended. These people want change, not the appearance of change.

And if you miss the fun, don't worry. Protests in some states happen on July 4th.

Inflation
Officially the various governments are keeping keeping quiet, but it's no secret that inflation is going to rise and rise fast. Most of the numbers I have been hearing are 13% by the end of December. Depending on the state you live in and the idiocy of your legislature, yours may end up even higher.

Most state governments are running a serious deficit and almost none seem willing to cut spending. Certain goods and services are already climbing in price.

Watch your insurance rates. An unsubsidized insurance company may find it impossible to stay in business.

General Motors Bailout
So if GM does declare bankruptcy and the Administration is admitting that was a possibility all along, what was the point of spending billions of your dollars? Besides protecting UAW contracts (which wouldn't have had as strong protections in bankruptcy court), the real goal was to put UAW representatives, environmentalist activists, and certain allies of the Democrat party firmly in control of what used to be the world's largest company.

The cars the "new" GM makes may not sell, but the law can be changed to fix that too.

Feets, don't fail them now
Rush Limbaugh is just one of the latest rich moving from high tax states. The radio host usually broadcasts from Florida, using New York City as a "hurricane refuge." Both New York State and NYC demand that Limbaugh prove just how many days he's in NYC so they can assess taxes. With a new "tax the rich" plan working it's way through Albany, Limbaugh has announced he's looking for a new refuge.

NYC Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has previously gone on record saying that the city depends on the income tax of approximately 50,000 citizens to bankroll almost all it's operations, and neither the state nor the city of New York could long survive if those people relocated.

Iowa legislature doesn't want to hear from protesters
In a move that will almost certainly backfire, Iowa House Speaker Pat Murphy ordered the chambers cleared after the proceedings were interrupted several times by protesters. The more than 500 citizens did not take kindly to being forcibly removed by Iowa State Troopers.

The top of the list for the Iowa house was a set of bills that would end Federal deductibility. Under existing law, Iowans could deduct the amount they paid in Federal income taxes from the state income tax.

Up in smoke
As of today, April 1st, the Federal tobacco tax went up almost 62 cents per pack of cigarettes.

During the campaign, Barack Obama repeatedly promised that families making less than $250,000 per year would not see any of their taxes increase.

"Sin taxes," such as those on tobacco, have long been recognized to impact the "poor" the most.

Carbon tax
Expect the G20 meetings to "reaffirm" support for the next proposals to control carbon and save the environment, even if the treaty has not officially be signed yet.

But when it comes to cap and trade, there's really only one word you need to remember.

Enron.

The now defunct company made the big time by trading electricity and gas throughout the United States.

One big fact that almost no one is willing to talk about is that Enron executives proposed the carbon cap and trade scheme as part of the Kyoto Protocol. Enron wasn't actually going to reduce carbon emissions, they were just going to profit selling unused carbon emission allowances to companies and governments that needed them.

Of course no one knew then (or now) how to measure carbon emissions, much less the long term effect those emissions may have on the environment.

Just remember this is the same type of accounting scheme that made Enron possible.

More dispatches as the news becomes available.

KYFHO, now and forever.

— NeoWayland

Posted: Wed - April 1, 2009 at 01:40 PM  Tag


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