How Indiana fakes lower taxes.

It’s a game in Indiana. They move items from the state to local governments and then claim to be the “State that works”.

A few years ago they put caps on property taxes so they could tell everyone how great the lower tax rates were. What actually happened, school districts started to do referendums to raise taxes, which were not limited by the caps. You see the state lowered money to the schools. Local governments started to raise fees, which were outside of the property taxes. Want a building permit, that fee went up. What about a tax on cars, its called a wheel tax so no one under stands what it is. So on and on go the local tax increases because the state that works lowered the money to make the state work.

Then they said you know people who go to jail would do better in the local sheriff jails so they can be close to family and that way they would be better able to merge back into society when they get out. The real reason, make local governments spend more money on jails so the state does not have too. This way the state did not have to spend money on jails and the counties now have overcrowding and need to spend more on jails and watch taxes at the local level go up again.

Ah, Indiana the state that doesn’t work for the real people.

Fake News vs Real News

McCain defends a free press: 'That's how dictators get started'

https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/02/18/mccain-defends-a-free-press-that-s-how-dictators-get-started/21716893/

"When you look at history," McCain said, "the first thing that dictators do is shut down the press. And I'm not saying that President Trump is trying to be a dictator. I'm just saying we need to learn the lessons of history."

I think he is trying to say it but can’t. In any case it appears that is exactly what Trump is doing. Discredit the press to where it has to be shut down.

Dan Rather blasts Trump's attack on the press as 'a deep betrayal'

https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/02/18/dan-rather-blasts-trumps-attack-on-the-press-as-a-deep-betraya/21716862/

Former CBS News anchor Dan Rather took to Facebook on Saturday and called President Donald Trump's recent attacks on the press a "deep betrayal of our national history."

Trump tweeted out "The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!"

Our nation was founded on a free press from our free press from attacking the British before 1776 to our present day. The press has been the fourth element of government. It is needed to keep in check dishonest politicians and business that believe they have the right to take what they want without any regard to the public or those they serve. Just think and you don’t have to belong to any one party to understand that abuse is from both sides. What if we didn’t have a press to investigate and to report when such abuse happens.?

Think back on the Soviet Union when their people were told we would be at war with the United States at any minutes you must work harder for the state. Or in 1933 when Hitler took over all the press in Germany and painted the Jews as the enemy of the state. Or Iran of today and any number of nations that call the US satin, etc. Senator McCain hit the nail on the head and he may be looking into what he believes Trump may want to do next get rid of the “fake” news because it is telling the truth or asking questions.

If you’re a citizen no matter what party you should be very concerned.

One more thing – most of the “fake” news of the campaign was against Hillary but then that is OK.  Are you sure?

Mike Pence to establish a new RFRA for all the USA.

Ok it was bad the State of Indiana endorsing discrimination by law. The backlash was huuuge and they had to rush a “fix’. It was the prize of Governor Pence and to date is he very upset it was fixed. So now that he is in a position of power with a crazy President guest what is coming, a national RFRA and not by law but by Executive Order so reports ABC News. You know one of those fake news networks. But this is not fake news, its real.

http://www.theindychannel.com/news/politics/first-indiana-now-the-country-trump-administration-plans-draft-of-rfra-executive-order

This is a real danger to everyone in the USA it is just another sign of NAZI German thinking at the White House.

Veterans Lottery - Thank you Mike Boland.

Mike Boland a Democrat from Hamilton County and who ran for Treasurer of the State of Indiana a few years ago first proposed a Indiana Veterans lottery game. Looks like the Republicans who never come up with an idea are stealing this one and proposing to made this happen.

http://www.theindychannel.com/news/politics/new-indiana-scratch-off-could-be-created-to-help-veterans

Thank you Mike for starting the ball rolling.

New Lego Kit takin the USA by Storm

I understand their is a run on these at the toy stores and I need one for my Lego crazy grandson. If anyone finds one of these let me know where or better yet buy it for me right away and I will pay you right back.

Our Next Recession

Are you ready for massive price increases form the hidden Trump tax proposals? Two maybe coming that will result in higher prices and most people will have no clue why the prices are going up, yet they are being told something else.

The first is the “Wall Tax” the people is being told the beautiful great wall will be paid for by Mexico, Well guess again. It will be paid b=for by the American Taxpayers and consumers. President Trump has proposed a 20% tariff on good imported form Mexico to pay for the wall. How to tariffs work. The importer and not the exporter pay tariff payments, called duties. So any goods coming into the USA the person bringing them in pays the tax.  So when the beer disturbers brings contain a truckload of Coronita the US Beer buyers pays the tax and what does he do but passes it on to the supermarket who passes it on to the consumer. Guess what it’s not a direct pass on but an increased pass on. If the tax was a $1.00 a case by the time it gets to the supermarket it may be $1.50 a case. Each hand adds its mark-up. So we the American people will pay for the wall.

Another fall out of this plan. Will be the impact on Mexico as Coronita gets to be to expensive and people switch to an American beer, unemployment will go up in Mexico and more people will figure out a way to come to the USA to work in the American Beer factory. Do you for one minute think a wall will keep them out? They will come on a visit visa and never leave.  This will happen to a lot of industries in Mexico.

Another problem parts and factory items made in Mexico will cost 20% more so we will have new factories built here. Great you say, no I say, as these will be total automated factories with few workers if any.  In fact it will hurt the rail and trucking industry, as the haul from Mexico is now a short haul from the US factories.

Instead of a wall we need to develop more of Mexican industries so people do not want to cross the border but stay home. Wouldn’t you rather stay home?

Now we come to the even more sinister tax the Border Adjustment Tax.  This is where imports would “adjust” our tax bill by no longer allowing deductions on imports. Here is how it works, when a business buy an item to resell the cost of the item is considered an expense, and then they add the cost of doing business and expenses to get a cost of goods sold. When they sell the item the difference between the selling price and cost of good sold is their profit.  Simple business 101. Now the adjustments. Under this plan the cost of the item they import is considered zero so the profit goes up and therefore taxes go up. Let take a simple example. A shirt made overseas costs the importer, store,  $10 and the cost of selling it is $5 so the initial total cost is $15 and the store sells it for $20 thus making a profit of $5 that they report on their income taxes. They then pay income tax on the $5.00. Simple except with the adjustment tax, now the cost they can claim for the shirt drops to zero, still add the cost of selling $$5.00 but now when they sell it the profit on the books jumps to $15 and they have to pay income taxes on the $15. Now do think the business owner is going to pay the extra tax and not charge you. Lets assume the President get his tax cuts and the business tax is 15% so the tax just went from 75 cents to $2.25 or an increase of $1.50. So the storekeeper has to raise the price to $21.50, wait he now has to pay more tax on that extra $1.50 so watch the price will go to $22.00. Yes you will be paying more. Will this increase shirt production in the USA, of course not. Will it cause inflation, of course it will.  Will you buy one less shirt a year or make some last a little longer before they go to Goodwill, you bet it will.  Now think about the price of a car made overseas. Just add some zeros to my examples instead of a $20 shirt how about a $20,000 or $30,000 car or that great new TV you wanted to buy that costs $1000.00. Well maybe next year.

Just watch these tax proposals cost you a lot of money and do nothing to make America Great again in fact put America into another recession.

President Donald Trump and Draining the Swamp

Today we are meeting with Fred who has lived in the swamp for about 75 years and is rather large at about 750 pounds and is about 19 feet long. While he prefers to being left alone he has consented to this rare interview.

Fred it is very nice of you to stop by for this talk today, I was rather surprised when I heard you wanted to meet a member of the press. Usually your species like to stay hidden from view and people so what brings you out today?

“Well, I am very concerned about the new President after all I have heard that he wants to “drain the swamp” and it’s my home and I don’t want it drained. Look I have been here for 75 years and my family has been in this area for about 37 million years. If he drains the swamp where would I go. The only other place where gators live is in China and don’t if you know this but my Chinese cousins are much smaller and speak a funny language. Very strange bunch. From what I hear the President does not like the Chinese either”.

Fred I think you got the story wrong the President didn’t want to drain your swamp, he was using the concept of a swamp as a figure of speech.

“Then what is he talking about – a swamp is a swamp”.

Fred he was talking about the political people in Washington DC the nation’s capital that run the government.

“Now your confusing me even more, don’t forgot we gators have a very small brain and what a you said makes no sense. I didn’t even know there was a swamp in Washington, my swamp atlas doesn’t show any swamps above Georgia. You mean he wants to get rid of Congress.”

You have an atlas?

“Of course it is the Atlas of Swamps of the World – I have the new 6^th edition”.

Fred the DC swamp is not a true swamp it’s a figure of speech meaning like a swamp with people in it not doing their job. No not Congress, the people who run the various federal agencies. The President believed that the former government was not listening to the people and not doing their job. He had a lot of voters convinced of that. What do you think?

“Well, I am very concerned that President Trump is going to drain my actual swamp to drill for oil and not his make believe swamp. Just look at the people he is hiring to be in his government. All very rich people who did not get to be rich by being nice to people or the land. Those kind of people step on people and could care less about rules that get in their way. Did I hear right the other day he stated up two pipelines to move more oil? Do you realize what a pipeline would do to my home? I also understand he has said he is going to remove rules and regulations. That will hurt even more. And that Congress for years now they have done nothing but blame the other side”.

Why do you say that? “Well as I see it a rule or regulation was put in place when someone did something wrong. Just look at the acid levels in my water”.

Ok Fred what does acid levels have to do with regulations?

“OK I said I am not very smart but I do know the acid levels have gone up over the years and it plays havoc on my skin. My dermatologist has confirmed it to me. The reason is very simple as we see an increase in pollution, that is burning fuel, more cars, etc. that pollution sends sulfur into the air, when it rains, and it rains a lot over the swamp, the rain mixes with the sulfur forming sulfuric acid and the level of acid in the swamp goes up. If he removes more regulations I see more pollution and even more acid, not good. Now he has said he is does not believe in global warming. But I do, as you know I like it to be very hot since I am cold blooded. I have noticed the temps getting warmer each year also the water level has been going up. I know in the few years I have had to move my land base three times to higher ground”. “So if he removes regulation, the pollution will increase and that is not good”. “Now about that Congress, instead of getting anything done, they just sit around and blame each other for what the other side is not doing. I don’t understand how people can keep voting in the ones that want to stop everything. I wish I could vote but the voter id laws have ruled me out since I don’t have a real address”.

Fred you have a dermatologist?
“Of course Dr. Croc is great. For years I could not afford him but a few years ago a new insurance came into being and now I see him every six months.”

Insurance?

“Yes it is run by the National Park Service and DNR. But I fear that it may be going away. You see I don’t have steady income and without it I will lose the insurance. I would have to go back to the old barter system. By that I mean I would have to bring the Doc a couple of chickens or a dozen fish for my treatments. It not as easy to catch them at my age”. “Speaking of rangers a few have told me they may be losing their jobs, something about them being moved to the border with Mexico to act as police as the President build a wall to keep Mexicans out. How dumb. So instead of walking across the border they will fly over it or come by boat. They also told me the new President is not going to set aside more land for national parks. I see more and more factories popping up, more pipelines, highways and now we are talking about real draining of my swamp”. “Sad,sad,sad”. “Then without the DNR and Rangers who is going to protect the wildlife, no one, so the hunting will be like in the 1800’s that my grandfather used to talk about, just a war on wildlife so rich women could have nicer purses and shoes”.

“Say I am getting very hungry talking to you, I heard that Big Bird is being thrown off TV, do you know where he is going to be living, he would be a tasty meal, last a few days, I love leftovers. Well talking about this has made me even more hungry so I am going to take off and swim around looking for a wild turkey or some turtles to grab a snack”.

See you later Fred, thank you for the interview, hopefully we can do this again. Next time I will bring some extra chickens.