Ban on “Earmarks” Called “Power Grab”
A Semi-News/Semi-Satire from AzConservative ^ | 29 Jan 2011 | John Semmens
President Barack Obama’s pledge to veto legislation containing so-called “earmarks” has so rankled Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) that he has vowed “to fight to my last breath against this power grab.”
“The President isn’t the only one who gets to say who will be on the receiving end of government spending,” Reid said. “All of us who must face the voters need campaign donations if we’re to be reelected. Channeling federal dollars to the businesses and interest groups who fill our campaign coffers is the payback that’s expected from these donors.
Without it their incentive to give will dry up.”
Reid said he wasn’t entirely unsympathetic to “the President’s desire to focus the gratitude of potential donors on his own bid for reelection in 2012. I mean, raising a billion dollar campaign fund is a huge task. But trying to hog it all for himself overlooks the fact that he needs Congress’ support to govern.
He’s not going to get that support from a body comprised of legislators who are forced to run on their merits alone.”
“Without the quid pro quo of earmarks we’ll likely end up with a Congress controlled by Tea Party fanatics,” Reid warned. “Which, I would think is about the last thing we all want to have happen.”
Alan note: Speak for yourself Harry! Many wouldn't mind at all.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
OBAMA 5-YEAR SPENDING FREEZE IS DEFICIT PRESERVATION!
Fox News ^ | January 26, 2011
President Obama's pledge to freeze some federal spending for five years was met with yawns Wednesday from a slew of fiscally minded Republicans who say that if the president is serious about tackling the national debt, he'll have to do a lot better than that.
Congressional Republicans want to see deep cuts in the budget, as demonstrated by a GOP proposal last week to slash $2.5 trillion over the next decade and a proposal Tuesday from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., to cut $500 billion in one year.
Their calls to dismantle entire agencies and departments might not get much bipartisan support. But by comparison, the president's call to freeze domestic spending for five years, yielding a projected savings of $400 billion over a decade, looked too tame to many lawmakers.
"We're continuing to spend at a deficit level, so if we do that for the next five years, we'll continue to add to our debt," Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., told Fox News. "The reality of his speech last night is very difficult to imagine."
President Obama's pledge to freeze some federal spending for five years was met with yawns Wednesday from a slew of fiscally minded Republicans who say that if the president is serious about tackling the national debt, he'll have to do a lot better than that.
Congressional Republicans want to see deep cuts in the budget, as demonstrated by a GOP proposal last week to slash $2.5 trillion over the next decade and a proposal Tuesday from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., to cut $500 billion in one year.
Their calls to dismantle entire agencies and departments might not get much bipartisan support. But by comparison, the president's call to freeze domestic spending for five years, yielding a projected savings of $400 billion over a decade, looked too tame to many lawmakers.
"We're continuing to spend at a deficit level, so if we do that for the next five years, we'll continue to add to our debt," Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., told Fox News. "The reality of his speech last night is very difficult to imagine."
Friday, January 14, 2011
DRIVE SAFELY AND OBEY THE RULES
Having noticed a huge increase in the police presence in the streets and lots of traffic stops - including of pedestrians, it i interesting to note the cost of fines.
California needs money, so pay close attention to the rules of the road!
HUGE California Traffic Tickets Fines
California State
Effective 01/06/2011
Please be extremely careful in your driving and car registration/ insurance matters. State of California is broke and they are trying hard to squeeze all of us hard to collect money.
Effective immediately, if you do not stop at the red light, be ready to pay $436 in fines or if you pass a school bus with flashing red signals, you will be charged $616. The state of California is going for blood, so be extra careful in driving, You cannot afford messing with them. I have been hearing that Highway Patrols are under pressure to issue a lot more tickets than last year with at least 30% increase in fines over 2009, so beware of radar guns, highway and traffic cameras installed everywhere and the tougher enforcement of parking rules.
Just for your info, the next time you park in the handicapped zone, even for a minute, you will be looking at almost $ 1000 in parking tickets , so it'd better be worth it.
California needs money, so pay close attention to the rules of the road!
Traffic Ticket Fines (Effective 01/06/2011)
VC 12814.6 $214 Failure to obey license provisions.
VC 14600(A) $214 Failure to notify DMV of address change within 10 days
Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction.
VC 16028(A) $796 Failure to provide evidence of financial responsibility (insurance)
Note: This fine may be reduced with proof of insurance on or after the violation date.
VC 21453(A) $436 Failure to stop at a red signal.
VC 22349 $214 Unsafe speed, 1 to 15 miles over the limit.
VC 22350 $328 Unsafe speed, 16 to 25 miles over the limit.
VC 22450 $214 Failure to stop at a stop sign.
VC 22454(A) $616 Passing a school bus with flashing red signals.
VC 23123(A) $148 Driving while using a wireless phone not hands free, first offense .
I know someone who got this and it ending up being $274
VC 23123(B) $256 Driving while using a wireless phone not hands free, each subsequent offense.
VC 23123.5 $148 Driving while using a wireless device to send, read or write text.
VC 23124 $148 Minor driving while using a wireless phone.
VC 22500 $976 Parking in a bus loading area.
VC 22507(A) $976 Violation of disabled parking provisions, first offense.
VC 22507(B) $1876 Violation of disabled parking provisions, second offense.
VC 26708 $178 Unlawful material on vehicle windows.
VC 27150 $178 Adequate muffler required.
VC 27315 $148 Mandatory use of seat belts.
VC 27360 $436 Mandatory use of passenger child restraints.
Note: This fine may be reduced by completing a court authorized child seat diversion program .
VC 27400 $178 Headsets or Earplugs covering both ears.
VC 27803 $178 Violation of motorcycle safety helmet requirements.
VC 34506 $616 Commercial Driver - Log book violation.
VC 4000 $256 No evidence of current registration.
Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction.
VC 4159 $178 Notify DMV of change of address within 10 days.
Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction.
VC 5200 $178 Proper display of license plates.
Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction.
.
VC 9400 $178 Commercial weight fees due.
Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction
Look out for the money grabbers in Sacramento but don‘t always blame the cops. They don’t set the fines or collect them BUT they can use "selective/biased" judgment - not usually in your favor - in writing the tickets! There are a few bad apples among the otherwise dedicated forces and the most prominent "hardliners" are the motorcycle ones. Their total reason for being is traffic, so there is no offset in their duty mindsets and what denotes doing their job well.
One very common habit is to write up speed ticket swith a speed of more than 15 miles over the posted limit - for instance claiming the radar gun showed a speed of 51 repeat 51 miles in a 35 mile zone to hike the fine amount.
VC 22349 $214 Unsafe speed, 1 to 15 miles over the limit.
VC 22350 $328 Unsafe speed, 16 to 25 miles over the limit.
They have no obligation to show you any proof of the speed registered on their radar or similar instrument at the stop so it is what they say it is. If urged to meet a "quota" or a minimum number of stops during their shift by their city or superiors, they often behave as we fallible humans do.
A survey of speeding traffic tickets issued across California would probably amaze the researcher as to how high this "over 15" percentage proves to be! And the huge difference in revenue this engenders. (With less work for the pressured officers, who after all are human beings not saints).
California needs money, so pay close attention to the rules of the road!
HUGE California Traffic Tickets Fines
California State
Effective 01/06/2011
Please be extremely careful in your driving and car registration/ insurance matters. State of California is broke and they are trying hard to squeeze all of us hard to collect money.
Effective immediately, if you do not stop at the red light, be ready to pay $436 in fines or if you pass a school bus with flashing red signals, you will be charged $616. The state of California is going for blood, so be extra careful in driving, You cannot afford messing with them. I have been hearing that Highway Patrols are under pressure to issue a lot more tickets than last year with at least 30% increase in fines over 2009, so beware of radar guns, highway and traffic cameras installed everywhere and the tougher enforcement of parking rules.
Just for your info, the next time you park in the handicapped zone, even for a minute, you will be looking at almost $ 1000 in parking tickets , so it'd better be worth it.
California needs money, so pay close attention to the rules of the road!
Traffic Ticket Fines (Effective 01/06/2011)
VC 12814.6 $214 Failure to obey license provisions.
VC 14600(A) $214 Failure to notify DMV of address change within 10 days
Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction.
VC 16028(A) $796 Failure to provide evidence of financial responsibility (insurance)
Note: This fine may be reduced with proof of insurance on or after the violation date.
VC 21453(A) $436 Failure to stop at a red signal.
VC 22349 $214 Unsafe speed, 1 to 15 miles over the limit.
VC 22350 $328 Unsafe speed, 16 to 25 miles over the limit.
VC 22450 $214 Failure to stop at a stop sign.
VC 22454(A) $616 Passing a school bus with flashing red signals.
VC 23123(A) $148 Driving while using a wireless phone not hands free, first offense .
I know someone who got this and it ending up being $274
VC 23123(B) $256 Driving while using a wireless phone not hands free, each subsequent offense.
VC 23123.5 $148 Driving while using a wireless device to send, read or write text.
VC 23124 $148 Minor driving while using a wireless phone.
VC 22500 $976 Parking in a bus loading area.
VC 22507(A) $976 Violation of disabled parking provisions, first offense.
VC 22507(B) $1876 Violation of disabled parking provisions, second offense.
VC 26708 $178 Unlawful material on vehicle windows.
VC 27150 $178 Adequate muffler required.
VC 27315 $148 Mandatory use of seat belts.
VC 27360 $436 Mandatory use of passenger child restraints.
Note: This fine may be reduced by completing a court authorized child seat diversion program .
VC 27400 $178 Headsets or Earplugs covering both ears.
VC 27803 $178 Violation of motorcycle safety helmet requirements.
VC 34506 $616 Commercial Driver - Log book violation.
VC 4000 $256 No evidence of current registration.
Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction.
VC 4159 $178 Notify DMV of change of address within 10 days.
Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction.
VC 5200 $178 Proper display of license plates.
Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction.
.
VC 9400 $178 Commercial weight fees due.
Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction
Look out for the money grabbers in Sacramento but don‘t always blame the cops. They don’t set the fines or collect them BUT they can use "selective/biased" judgment - not usually in your favor - in writing the tickets! There are a few bad apples among the otherwise dedicated forces and the most prominent "hardliners" are the motorcycle ones. Their total reason for being is traffic, so there is no offset in their duty mindsets and what denotes doing their job well.
One very common habit is to write up speed ticket swith a speed of more than 15 miles over the posted limit - for instance claiming the radar gun showed a speed of 51 repeat 51 miles in a 35 mile zone to hike the fine amount.
VC 22349 $214 Unsafe speed, 1 to 15 miles over the limit.
VC 22350 $328 Unsafe speed, 16 to 25 miles over the limit.
They have no obligation to show you any proof of the speed registered on their radar or similar instrument at the stop so it is what they say it is. If urged to meet a "quota" or a minimum number of stops during their shift by their city or superiors, they often behave as we fallible humans do.
A survey of speeding traffic tickets issued across California would probably amaze the researcher as to how high this "over 15" percentage proves to be! And the huge difference in revenue this engenders. (With less work for the pressured officers, who after all are human beings not saints).
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