Funding Federal Government Operations

Open letter to Representative Neugebauer:

I have read your latest newsletter.

You have said that the present lame-duck Congress will likely pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund continued operation of the federal government in the absence of a budget. That resolution will likely extend funding of government operations for only a few weeks. The lame-duck Congress will pass this CR, because they have the votes in the present session.

The House of Representatives holds the purse strings. In the present session, that is in the hands of the big spending Democrats. Starting in January, it will be in the hands of the Republicans, who have claimed fiscal conservatism. We will see what they do.

I suggest that you immediately start preparation of a bill, which will become effective when the House votes on it in January. That bill should not be an attempt to establish a budget, but should contain provisions to fund only those departments and segments of the federal government, which are deemed necessary for continued reasonable operation. For starters, approve funding for the military, but let's have a 10% reduction. Fund the IRS, because we need to collect tax money to pay for operations which we approve. Stop all funding for the EPA, National Science Foundation's, and other government segments which have become political footballs. Continue funding the Justice Department, since we must maintain law enforcement at the federal level. Maintain the CIA and the FBI. Drop the Department of Energy. Cut funding for Homeland Security. Eliminate all subsidies and grants for research and development, which will quickly lead to the death of dire catastrophic claims from climate change. I am sure that your staff can come up with an appropriate list with cuts to the bone and funding maintenance for only those operations which are considered significant to avoid society collapse.

We are familiar with the above technique from private industry. This technique is called zero budgeting. It requires that anyone who claims to need even one dollar must submit a compelling need for that dollar. Notice it does not start with an existing budget, which would then be considered for either percentage increase or percentage decrease.

President Obama has suggested freezing federal salaries. Immediately jump on that, but be sure that you leave yourself an opening for future cuts. Freezing does nothing to equalize private industry and federal salaries, of which the latter are considerably higher and have given us our bloated government.

We Have Had Enough Class Division on Income Taxes. Equality for All.

Open letter to Representative Randy Neugebauer:


I have read your latest newsletter. Happy Thanksgiving to you too. We have been properly thankful today for the country in which we live, but there are many aspects which could be better, and we are concerned about continuing deterioration.

With respect to the lame-duck Congress not extending the tax decrease into 2011 and beyond, we can understand that you may not have the power in the House to force through the extension. In that case, we will expect the House to make appropriate adjustment when it has full Republican support in the January session opening. At that time, we expect you to forcefully undo anything with respect to income tax that the lame-duck Congress has done.

Income taxes must be reduced for all citizens and not just for a chosen group. We have had enough of this class division in the country. Rich people and poor people are equal citizens and deserve the same benefits and rights.. They should also be allowed to distribute their assets obtained from their personal efforts and not be forced to grant some of those assets to the government for expenditure as it sees fit. Let's concentrate on equality for all.

If you have difficulty with a Democratic Senate and a Democratic President, who are in fact socialists, let it be known to the people, who can then appropriately apply judgment in upcoming elections in 2012. You have no obligation to support Senatorial Associates and the President when their policies are significantly different from those which you know are necessary to benefit the American public.

Eliminate Taxpayer Funding for NPR and PBS

I sent the following message to Representative Neugebauer:

As you know, spending bills and the killing of same originate in the House. That's you.

The firing of Juan Williams from NPR is a matter of considerable controversy in the news. However more importantly, it has brought to light a subsidy abuse.

Taxpayer funds are being used to subsidize radio station NPR and television station PBS. I am sure you are aware that there are a great many radio stations and television stations, such that there seems no justification for any taxpayer subsidization for either of these areas. I suggest that you take up the matter of eliminating taxpayer subsidies to these two communication centers.

While you may say that the amount of funding that goes to these two operations is rather small and insignificant, I say it's an important aspect of the whole program to reduce federal government expenditures. The innate amount of money may be small, but it is a reflection of mental attitude, which has gotten us into the precarious financial situation we are now in. If this is small and that is small, and we continue spending and spending, it becomes a habit which then leads to spending out of control. This has happened with both the federal government and with the public at large. It is past time to change the habit.

Federal Income Tax Increase

In his recent newsletter, Rep. Randy Neugebauer said that Congress is creating uncertainty with respect to taxes by leaving Washington without any action.

This is my response:

Randy,

I read your newsletter. I think you missed a major point.

The Democrats know exactly what they're doing. In taking no action before leaving for recess, there is an automatic federal tax increase, which is exactly what Democrats want. This is a very subtle way of sucking in the majority of people to think that Democrats have not raised taxes, when in fact they have by their inaction.

You also talk about uncertainty in federal income taxes. There is no uncertainty. It is certain that federal income taxes will go up at the end of the year.

How are you "pushing" to change this?

Mortgage Payment Giveaways

E-mail to Congress:

I heard on TV about the Administration's proposal of a $50,000 interest-free loan for people unemployed and unable to meet their home mortgage payments. I believe it is supposed to be for five years.

It sounds to me like another vote-buying technique of Obama and his Democratic-Socialist cohorts. I believe if I were unemployed and could not meet my mortgage payments, I would likely vote Democratic to be sure that this $50,000 "grant" goes through.

What is unemployment insurance for? You folks in Congress have at least once voted to extend the payment period. I thought that was supposed to tide people over until they could get jobs and/or or revise their financial positions by generally reducing expenses.

What happens at the end of five years when most of these people are unable to repay the $50,000 loan? Extend it for another five years? Since many of then would have then had five years of training on a $10,000 per year subsidy on their living expenses, they will certainly be unable to continue without the subsidy. Are you planning another $50,000 interest-free loan/grant?

It is my understanding that all government spending must be approved by the House and Senate. Do you and your associates plan to support this program by allocating funds? If you do, you may pick up a few socialist votes, but I know you will lose mine and probably quite a few others. Or perhaps, the House and Senate have may have already signed enough blank checks, such that the Administration doesn't even need your approval and additional funding. I'm not up on all the details of the financial maneuverings. I suppose you'll have to decide about that.

This is likely a good topic to concentrate on, as opposed to considering whether we should be celebrating a National Bulgarian day.

Starve the Socialistic Agenda

E-mail to Rep. Neugebauer:

I have read your latest Newsletter. It continues to enumerate the various items that the Obama Administration continues to pursue to the disadvantage of economic growth and the condition of the country in general.

I repeat that we all know this, and the question is what are you doing about it. You have partially answered this by saying that you and your colleagues have called on the Speaker to let us vote on the issue of giving taxpayers certainty about how much they will owe next year. May I suggest that this is a very weak proposal? Do you really believe that the Speaker will allow any vote which is detrimental to high taxes and big government? Secondly, people already know from the TV and radio news that taxes will increase with expiration of the Bush tax cuts. They already have a fair idea of how much it will cost them individually.

Randy, I believe you must get much more innovative in your approach to leadership toward the country's best interests. One proposal that I've recently heard, which seems to have some merit is that Congress must "starve" the Obama socialistic agenda by denying funding. That seems like a program which could work. Please solicit a bunch of Democrats in the House and Senate to support it. Many Democratic Representatives and Senators are already leaving the Obama bandwagon, as they see the disadvantages of humongous spending. Let's also remember that the humongous spending came about through Congressional approval. It was a mistake, but it can be rectified, at least in part.

Keeping the Elephants off Fifth Avenue

E-Mail to Congress:

Pres. Obama just said that the stimulus plan is working.

It reminds me of the man who was sitting on the top level of the Fifth Avenue bus in New York City. He was throwing little pieces of paper onto the street. Someone asked him why he was doing that. He replied that he was keeping the elephants off Fifth Avenue.