Recently in a conversation with a conservative friend, I expressed deep concern for the managing of the federal budget. Donald Trump’s lack of awareness is again driving our budget to trillion dollar deficits and fiscal conservatives are hiding under their desks. To which my friend predictably replied, “Whatabout President Obama? He doubled the national debt… Continue reading Fiscal Conservatives Should Love Obama
Category: Economy
GOP is Returning to Trillion Dollar Deficits
Recently a friend posted a video of Rand Paul lamenting over the recent GOP budget that adds $9.7 trillion of debt over the next 10 years. He was perplexed how conservatives, who have amassed total power, would align to such a shortfall in accountability. The reason is actually quite simple. The GOP campaigns on voodoo… Continue reading GOP is Returning to Trillion Dollar Deficits
Propagandizing Public Education
Across the U.S., conservative-dominated school boards have sought to manipulate public education curricula by overruling relevant experts in subjects such as history, economics, and science, establishing requirements to teach subjects through a conservative lens, and via outright censorship. In 2010, the Texas Board of Education approved a social studies curriculum that questioned the Founding Fathers’… Continue reading Propagandizing Public Education
What Do Stalin, Mao and Obama Have in Common? Nothing.
Over the past several years, as President Barack Obama has occupied the White House, his detractors have ceaselessly labeled his policies as communist or socialist. Pundits like Glenn Beck often carefully choreographed imagery of the Soviet Union’s hammer and sickle flag, or the Nazi’s swastika when referring to Mr. Obama and his policies. The notion… Continue reading What Do Stalin, Mao and Obama Have in Common? Nothing.
The Food Stamp Surfer
As any viewer of Fox News will tell you, America has become an entitlement nation. This claim is reinforced by example after example of individuals gaming the system or dissected across Fox’s political theater. The right’s fixation on the poor has become so blatant Fox has even come up with a pseudo-correspondent that fuels the… Continue reading The Food Stamp Surfer
Our Budget Responsibility
The complexities and drivers of the federal budget are vast and intimidating to understand. However, it is very difficult to have discussions about our federal deficits and national debt unless the process is first understood. I want to initiate this discussion to help readers understand our nation’s budgetary process and to foster more informed dialogue.… Continue reading Our Budget Responsibility
Obamacare Unlocks American Innovation
America’s antiquated health care insurance system has hampered innovation and ultimately slowed economic growth for decades due to the insurance system’s perverse incentives. However, the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare, has done much to reverse those disincentives. Consider the following scenario: Imagine you work for a large company that pays an acceptable salary.… Continue reading Obamacare Unlocks American Innovation
The Tyranny of Gross Wealth Inequality
In a 2012 General Conference address, Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, expressed concern about “the ever-growing gap between the rich and poor.” Elder Ballard’s concern about gross wealth inequality has been shared by many of his predecessors. Elder Orson Pratt… Continue reading The Tyranny of Gross Wealth Inequality
Shutdown Antics Threaten Constitutional Order
The current shutdown of the federal government and upcoming showdown over the debt ceiling has caused many people to ask who is to blame for this gridlock. The media, in its effort to try to report both sides of the story, often end up giving balanced treatment to an unbalanced phenomenon. What we have is… Continue reading Shutdown Antics Threaten Constitutional Order
Stop Subsidizing Walmart: Raise the Minimum Wage
A recent study of Wisconsin’s Medicaid program revealed that Walmart ranked first on state’s list of Medicaid enrollment by employer. In other words, Walmart employees in Wisconsin comprise a plurality of the state’s Medicaid recipients. Altogether, a single Walmart Super Center costs Wisconsin taxpayers about $900,000 per year in poverty subsidies for its employees, such… Continue reading Stop Subsidizing Walmart: Raise the Minimum Wage
The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) Explained
In 2009 when President Obama first took office, America faced a serious healthcare problem that had been ignored for decades. Significant changes needed to be made to address our nation’s problems, which included rising costs and inadequate care following a trajectory to insolvency. At President Obama’s inauguration forty-five million citizens did not have access to… Continue reading The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) Explained
Political Food Stamps
A great example of our nation’s partisan politics is the careless discussion of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or food stamps. Lately there have been several measures passed by the House of Representatives which feed on misinformation or play upon voter’s perceptions. As citizens we are left to dissect rampant talking points and blatant… Continue reading Political Food Stamps
2012 Election Not a Mandate for More Gridlock
When Barack Obama was re-elected to the presidency last November, House Speaker John Boehner observed, “the American people have spoken. They have re-elected President Obama. And they have again elected a Republican majority in the House of Representatives.” Republican House Minority Leader Mitch McConnell noted that the voters, “have simply given [Obama] more time to… Continue reading 2012 Election Not a Mandate for More Gridlock
Understanding the US Budget
The United States budget can be broken into two groups, DISCRETIONARY spending and MANDATORY spending. About 7% of the budget is interest paid on our debt – which will only increase, but should also be considered mandatory as defaulting is not an option. As you can probably guess mandatory spending is outside of the President’s… Continue reading Understanding the US Budget
President Obama Endorsed by Mormon Democrats
In 2008, President Barack Obama was elected into one of the worst economic disasters since Franklin Roosevelt stepped into the Oval Office. The United States economy was shedding approximately 800,000 jobs per month. Home foreclosures were skyrocketing and the stock market plummeted. From continuing the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and the Recovery Act, to the… Continue reading President Obama Endorsed by Mormon Democrats
An Economy on the Rebound
When President Barack Obama took the oath of office on January 20, 2009, the U.S. economy was in free fall. During the preceding year and half, some of the nation’s largest and most important financial institutions went bankrupt, including Bear Stearns, Countrywide, and Lehman Brothers, as risky loans and other investments failed. Many other large… Continue reading An Economy on the Rebound
Come on Exxon, Be a Leader!
Procter and Gamble is a great American company. In 1837 two immigrant brother-in-laws combined their soap and candle business to start what would eventually become the largest consumer products company in the world. Their early beginnings are a testament to American capitalism, and just as important, patriotism. In 1860 on the brink of Civil War,… Continue reading Come on Exxon, Be a Leader!
The Case Against Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney’s nomination as the 2012 Republican candidate for President is an important and historical moment for me and many other members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the U.S. and the world. A thick glass ceiling was shattered when Romney, a prominent member of my faith, overcame anti-Mormon bigotry prevalent… Continue reading The Case Against Mitt Romney
Reagan vs. Obama on Unemployment
For those of you who read my posts on a regular basis you know I have a deep respect for President Reagan. Not the Reagan fantasized by the Tea Party today but the real Reagan that negotiated with the left instead of holding them hostage, was liberal on social platforms, and used religion only as… Continue reading Reagan vs. Obama on Unemployment
Does Romney Believe Laziness Causing High Unemployment?
Remarks that Mitt Romney made to wealthy donors back in May 2012, have put Romney in an awkward position. Romney denigrated nearly half of the population of the U.S. and erroneously claimed that Obama supporters were all dependent on government assistance. After receiving a question about how Romney would be able to win the election,… Continue reading Does Romney Believe Laziness Causing High Unemployment?