309. Book Reviews

I am way behind with the book reviews. I'll make an attempt at remembering some:

Edge by Jeffery Deaver - Very captivating story. Never a lull in action. Not a great literary masterpiece, but keeps you on the edge of your seat. About a protection agent who not onnly has to protect his principals, but takes the entire book to understand who is after which principal. Life and death situations abound. 5 Star for the enjoyment factor alone.

Rereads all by Stephen King. Got to love King's analogies, insertion of current day events, suspense. However, I was less thrilled reading these for the 2nd/3rd time.

Tommyknockers - 4.5 Star

Talisman - 4 Star

Dream Catcher - 4 Star

From a Buick 8 - 4 Star

Misery - 4.5 Star

Thinner (Richard Bachman) - 4.2 Star

The Regulators (Richard Bachman) - 3.8 Stars

Salem's Lot - 4.8 Stars

Everythings Eventual - short stories - 4.5 Stars

Gunslinger (Dark tower Series) - 3 Star

The Bachman Books (short stories) - 3.5 Stars

George R. R. Martin's Fire and Ice Series - ALL spectacular 5 Star

Game of Thrones - If you missed the HBO series, get the DVD!

Clash of Kings

Storm of Swords

Feast of Crows

Dance with Dragons

Speaks the Nightbird by Robert McCammon - 3 Star ... just couldn't keep my interest

The following non-fiction weren't worth the trip to the library - same old stuff

Restoring the American Dream by Robert Ringer, 2 Star

You Know I'm Right by Michele Caruso-Calvera, 3.7 Stars

The Pursuit of Perfect by Tal Ben-Shakar, 2 Star

Future of Power by Joeseph Nye, 2 Star, Same "Green" garbage

As China goes, so goes the world by karl Gerth, 3.2 Stars

No Apology by Mitt Romney, 3.5 Star

Reclaim You Nest Egg by Ken Kamien, 2 Star

Presimetrics: What the Facts Tell Us About How the Presidents Measure Up On the Issues We Care About by Ken Kimel, 2.5 Stars

Shivers VI by Richard Chizmar (Short Stories), 3.8 Stars

308. Sad Night for the Rangers

OUCH! Up 2 in the 9th, the Rangers gave up 2 runs to St. Louis forcing extra innings. After getting 2 runs back in the 10th, they again gave the Cardinals 2 to go into the 11th. There the Cards were since the 9th without any bench players other than pitchers to substitute and they still came through with a HR in 11th to tie the series 3-3. Game 7 tonight. I'm afraid tonight might be the time for Pujohls, I believe 0 for about 17 his last bats, comes alive. I hope not though -- gotta root for the home team. Go Rangers.

307. Shady Obumble

"What Me Worry?" thinks Obumble re to collecting lobbyist dollars for his campaign? He thinks he can get around We the People -- like his use of executive powers to get around Congress (e.g., his latest stab at using more of our money to finance deeper mortgage refinancing help for the clueless) -- by using a third party to collect the lobbyist money and then funding his crap pot. This article explains his latest corrupt ventures!

306. Is Perry also Leading from Behind?

Perry is finally getting on board with some specific plans to get the economy rolling. However, that train left a month ago when Herman Cain and Romney both put their plans out on the Internet. This article briefly introduces Perry's plan. Unfortunately, it is just pieces of Romney's pan gone bad. Perry is offering a "postcard" submittal 20% flat tax in lieu of the burdensome IRS forms today (which accountants complete for those who don't file the simple IRS forms already). But, deductions are still valid, e.g., mortgage, charity, etc. So, what is this plan! Nonsense. Romney caps the budget at 20% GDP, so Perry goes one better to 18%. Sorry. I'm from Texas, but can't back somebody with no originality and shotgun, "political" approach to planning. I'm moving Perry into the out box along with Paul. It's getting beyond the point where we need to look at the Primaries (the trees) without looking at the General elections (the forest). Some of the candidates might be winners in the Primary, but can't win the General. Consider who will fair better across the nation to beat the anointed One!

305. If it doesn't work the 1st time, try same thing

Obumble does it again. So, the credit throughout the world crashed because of Fannie and Freddie's lenient mortgage practices instituted by Barney Frank. Despite this, the anointed One will now BYPASS Congress to do it again! His motive? Well, consider O's bus on the road approaching Las Vegas where the speculators took the housing market for a huge ride upward with speculative loans, thanks to Mr. Frank and the banks which followed suit -- need to get votes, need to get votes, need to get votes. So, he dons his Alfred E. Newman face (not hard to do) and goes crazy again at We the People's expense and promises he'll make everybody in Vegas happy. His first home refinancing program failed, why not do it again? This time, letting even more idiot consumer's participate regardless of good credit or loan qualification practices. I was too slow to bookmark the first article I read that indicated that a new appraisal could not be done and a full credit check would not be done, but that certainly sounds like the bottom line that a crazy man would propose when dying on stage. Some news people last night were saying an average of $26 per month would matter? Heck, that will be quickly gone to the casinos each month! Isn't it time to hold the dumb people and states responsible for their actions? I know I'm tired of paying for somebody else's stupidity! Isn't it time O gets impeached for his executive powers blunders? He makes Jimmy Carter look like Einstein.

304. I Like Romney's 86-page plan

If you haven't already, go to Romney's site and download his 86-page plan. He is right-on in how to get this economy roaring and allowing the low & middle classes freedom from SAVINGS taxation. Here's a few points from his plan:

1. Eliminate Capital Gains, Dividends, and Interest from being taxed for those under $200,000

2. Stop the double taxation and allow parents to pass on wealth to children tax free -- eliminate the Federal Estate Tax.

3. THEN, reform the tax codes toward a FLAT TAX eliminating the confusing, complicated, and burdensome tax process today.

4. Reduce Corporate taxes from 35% to 25%. Finally the corporations can become more competitive and expand, hiring people!

5. THEN, reform corporate taxes to a "territorial tax" system that provides benefits to the corporations to invest in jobs here.

6. Kill excessive regulations, e.g., Dodd-Frank, Obamacare, etc., and provide a structure to cap the costs of regulations, currently $1.7 T per year.

7. Restrict any regulations from creating its own "laws" re their implementation and give Congress the final say.

8. Reform the legal liability system to stop the frivolous and excessive lawsuits and the waste of taxpayer money.

9. Start promoting more free trade agreements, but take tighter controls re unfavorable and unfair trade practices, e.g., counterfeiting, currency manipulation, etc.

10. Implement an Energy Policy to both get us energy independent and promote private research competitiveness.

11. Protect rights of workers FIRST -- not unions. End taking union fees out of pay checks -- let them collect from individuals themselves.

12. Let the states do what they can do best, e.g., retraining, and reduce the federal resources

13. Raise the visa caps for HIGHLY SKILLED foreign workers. Why should we educate them only to send them back to their countries to work there?

14. CUT FEDERAL SPENDING and cap to 20% of GDP Maximum. This will allow creep and excessive government spending. A Balanced Budget Amendment is a must.

15. Cleanup how Medicaid is funded, as well as, a complete entitlement reform.

I see so much of Romney's plan that will benefit We the People AND can be implemented year 1. Unlike Herman Cain's 999 plan, it is something that can be understood by everyone. Plus, Romney's longer term plan is toward a flat tax like Cain's. The big difference is what can the people comprehend. Romney's presentation of a plan and content is a PLUS above Cain's 999 and foreign policy plans.

303. Why are we leaving Iraq?

The first news re the U.S. pulling all troops out of Iraq seemed like a big plus for the anointed One who probably already gave himself a gold star. However, this article tells a different story: Iraq told us to leave because they rejected the immunity deal. Either way, it is good -- time to exit. But, can't the Liberal media please get the complete story right at least once without always trying to credit it's Liberal leader? I will credit the administration though for designing the deal and adhering to it! Welcome home troops; or should I say we support your move to Afghanistan so you can keep an eye on Iran? Thank you O.

302. Who will be standing last?

The Republican debates continue with nothing much new, although the leaders are now starting to scoop mud and throw it. Herman Cain was again a target at the Las Vegas debate re his 999 plan. I wish people would read "The Fair Tax Book: Saying Goodbye to the Income Tax and the IRS" by Neal Boortz & John Linder. My blog #86 under the Books category summarizes it. People need to understand that built into a product's price is overhead costs based on taxes the product manufacturer needs to pay -- you and I understand that EVERYTHING gets passed onto the consumer! Thus, the premise of a flat tax is to UNDO some of these built-in tax costs by eliminating them (e.g., eliminate capital gains taxes of 35% on corporations in lieu of a 9% flat tax) and thus lowering the product price to the consumer. Will the manufacturer sell the product less when 35% of its taxes are eliminated? Of course, because they will still need to compete with their competitors -- lowest price, or fair price, will win. If the company needs on 9% profit now, will they look for 44% profit under a flat tax or try only to beat their competitors' price? Thus, because corporations' taxes are reduced, the price is reduced, which becomes a savings to you. Now another 9 in Mr. Cain's plan is to tax everybody at 9%. Sounds good for those in 10+% tax brackets, but how about the 46% or so that pay NO taxes today? If we assume they are all poor, you may say "woe is me." Well, their pay check will be reduced by their 7.5% social security tax (no longer would pay into social security), plus the products they buy will be some 10-20% lower as explained above. So, even they get a break! The flat tax is good for the individual, good for the corporations, and thus, good for the economy. Will your pay hold up or decrease? Since not as much is needed to buy products, I would expect pay will continue to increase at percentages as today. Pay is based on competitiveness. Pay is based on supply and demand for that specific job. If the percentage increases do not keep up to what we see today, we can still smile since not only are we still living better but now the U.S. companies are becoming more competitive worldwide.

So, what about the 999 plan don't you understand? 9% tax on corporations (their 35% goes away), 9% on you (your current deductions from pay for social security go away, leaving you with more to spend or to contribute to a 401K), and the 9% sales tax funds the government coffers to support the government. Btw: the rich will STILL pay considerably more despite lowering their income tax to 9%. Why? They SPEND more -- exponentially more than the poor. All those multiple houses, service people, and as George Carlin would say, "Stuff". Their "stuff" is much more, quantity and cost, than even mine. So, get over class warfare if your mind already roamed their. The Flat Tax is also a Fair Tax.

Sounds like I'm backing Mr. Cain, but in reality I am undecided. It is however very important to understand specifics about each candidates plans before dismissing them because another candidate is too illiterate to understand them. For example, Perry is clueless, despite the Fair Tax concept being devised by TEXANS and his own state actually prospering from a minor variation of sales tax + property taxes.

I am presently reviewing Romney's 86-page plan. It looks like an exceptionally well written plan -- think corporate annual report quality. The contents are what is really important though. I do like his summary -- sounds promising.

Cain's 999 plan will be a hard sell. People will NOT understand it and appreciate it without an education as offered from the referenced book above. Plus, his 999 plan is Phase 1 ONLY -- a step towards a Flat Tax.

Other candidates in the hunt? I would not throw out Gingrich at this point. He will be beneficial to the Republican party somehow. Bachmann also continues to show a positive image and guts enough to run this country.