statism

Texas Comptroller Susan Combs: Debt Excess Even Lives in Texas

"As the chief financial officer of the nation's second-largest state, even I have found it hard to get a handle on how much governments are spending, and how much debt they're taking on. Every level of government is piling up incredible bills. And they're coming due, whether we like it or not. Even in low-tax Texas, property taxes have risen three times faster than the inflation rate and four times faster than our population growth since 1992. Our local governments, meanwhile, more than doubled their debt load in the last decade, to more than $7,500 in debt for every man, woman and child in the state." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTexas Comptroller Susan Combs: Debt Excess Even Lives in Texas

Texas Comptroller Susan Combs: Debt Excess Even Lives in Texas

"As the chief financial officer of the nation's second-largest state, even I have found it hard to get a handle on how much governments are spending, and how much debt they're taking on. Every level of government is piling up incredible bills. And they're coming due, whether we like it or not. Even in low-tax Texas, property taxes have risen three times faster than the inflation rate and four times faster than our population growth since 1992. Our local governments, meanwhile, more than doubled their debt load in the last decade, to more than $7,500 in debt for every man, woman and child in the state." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTexas Comptroller Susan Combs: Debt Excess Even Lives in Texas

Commodities: High metal prices can put lives in danger

"High prices for scrap metal has resulted in more than cultural vandalism such as the theft of a £500,000 Barbara Hepworth statute from Dulwich Park – it is putting innocent people's lives in danger. Last month, 80 operations, including eight for people with cancer, were cancelled at Llandough Hospital in Wales after 100m of cabling was stolen from a generator. Eight people have been killed trying to steal copper from electricity substations in the last year alone. The fact that there is a significant cash element makes metal theft an easy option for criminals – and it robs the Treasury of significant revenues." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCommodities: High metal prices can put lives in danger

UN Attacks Small Gold Miners With New Mercury Treaty – Higher Prices Seen

"The United Nations is once again making it harder for poor people to earn a living. In this case it is the small gold miners that use mercury to help them sift for gold. While the UN provides the requisite disclaimers having to do with finding 'alternatives' to mercury for small miners, we wonder how much they'll cost. Additionally, we note this latest attack on people's ability to make a living excludes Big Pharma: Mercury will continue to find its way into vaccines because there are currently 'no mercury-free alternatives.' Amazing, isn't it, the concern that the UN shows for multi-billion dollar corporations?" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUN Attacks Small Gold Miners With New Mercury Treaty – Higher Prices Seen

Obama gets power to wage pre-emptive cyber warfare

"A secret internal review has concluded that President Barack Obama can lawfully engage in pre-emptive cyber attacks in the event that the U.S. faces an imminent threat, according to The New York Times. The legal guidance was key to rules the administration hopes to adopt in the coming weeks to govern cyber warfare operations. The Times added that those rules will classified similarly to the policies governing the nation’s drone warfare program. The president is only known to have launched one cyberwar operation, against Iran." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingObama gets power to wage pre-emptive cyber warfare

Obama vows to watch U.S. financial industry to prevent ‘irresponsible behavior’

"President Barack Obama promised Saturday to watch the US financial industry to prevent what he called 'irresponsible behavior' as he defended his nominations to key financial watchdog agencies. The CFPB, set up under Obama’s 2010 financial regulatory law, has the power to protect consumers from predatory banking practices and hidden conditions on loans. It can also crack down on debt and credit agencies. 'It’s not enough to change the law — we also need cops on the beat to enforce the law,' Obama said, showcasing both nominations and urging the Senate to give both candidates a speedy approval." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingObama vows to watch U.S. financial industry to prevent ‘irresponsible behavior’

Banksters in Control: Dodd-Frank Helps JPMorgan Chase

"When President Barack Obama signed the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill into law three years ago, he promised it would encourage healthy change and competition. 'This reform will help foster innovation, not hamper it. It is designed to make sure that everybody follows the same set of rules, so that firms compete on price and quality, not on tricks and not on traps,' Obama said. How is that working out? It turns out that in the view of the head of one of the biggest banks in the United States, Dodd-Frank is helping the big banks by making the cost of regulatory compliance so high that smaller rivals cannot compete." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBanksters in Control: Dodd-Frank Helps JPMorgan Chase

How Much of a Revolving Door Crony is the New Obama Appointee for Head of the SEC?

"White's current spin through the revolving door is not her first. As I reported, White has, 3 separate times, worked at the high-powered law firm, Debevoise & Plimpton. She split those gigs up with revolving door government jobs. Translation: Total establishment revolving door operative. The unprincipled crony left doesn't mind because, and this also seems to be lost on Taibbi, with Obama as president the crushing by White, in her new SEC position, will be focused on the non-connected. It won't be the banksters. White targets will be many of others the left will love to go after." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHow Much of a Revolving Door Crony is the New Obama Appointee for Head of the SEC?

The Interior Secretary’s $222,000 Bathroom

"The personal bathroom used by the secretary of the Interior is so swanky that its renovation cost $222,000. No detail was overlooked: It has a $3,500 sub-zero refrigerator (hey, if you’re going to have a fridge in the bathroom, it might as well be a good one) and a $689 faucet. At least the 'vintage tissue holder' was cheap: just $65 bucks. The renovation was done in 2007 under President George W. Bush’s Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, but is only now coming to light, thanks to the dogged reporting by ABC News Atlanta affiliate WSB-TV, which first filed a Freedom of Information Act request on the renovation four years ago." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Interior Secretary’s $222,000 Bathroom

California Man Pays Off $13,000 Property Tax Bill in Coins, Dollar Bills

"A California man who failed to pay his property taxes for over five years has finally come up with the money — but he made local tax office workers count nearly $15,000 worth of change and dollar bills. Larry Gasper of Redding, Calif. brought in a wheelbarrow and two buckets worth of coins and cash to the Shasta County Tax Collector’s Office on Wednesday afternoon. Gasper rolled and collected the coins and bills until he had enough to clear his debt. If Gasper had not paid the bill, his property would have been auctioned off next month. He said he lost his tree business a couple of years ago." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCalifornia Man Pays Off $13,000 Property Tax Bill in Coins, Dollar Bills