Government Waste - Pelosi Burned Many Air Miles and Taxpayer Dollars

During Nancy Pelosi's reign as Speaker of the House she took advantage of, and seriously abused, her position. All at taxpayer expense.

According to documents obtained from the US Air Force, through the Freedom of Information Act, Judicial Watch discovered that during the first nine months of 2010 Pelosi flew 90,155 miles on Air Force aircraft 43 different times. That is an average of almost five flights per month.

An example of one roundtrip flight: A May 6-10, 2010, Congressional Delegation to Afganistan and Germany "to discuss issues of mutual interest in Qatar and Afghanistan, as well as conduct oversight on women’s issues (troops) in Afghanistan and to visit with US troops and meet with government officials in Germany."

The total cost of military travel was $204,135.00. Makes one wonder what other costs, aside from military, Main Street USA incurred during that trip.

A blazing question is even more basic, however. Why on Earth did Pelosi have to fly to these countries to speak to others about these topics? And a visit to US troops? What could possibly have been achieved by her appearances that would have been of great benefit to American taxpayers?

Perhaps visiting those countries were on her bucket list.

Even more evidence of her blatant disregard towards American citizens is the fact that many of the trips she took were to visit her San Franciso-area home.

Sorry, but this blogger feels that if someone runs for national office they know well in advance that they will have to live in Washington DC and if their family elects not to move then that elected person should foot the bill, through commercial air travel, to visit home. Either that or they can charter a private jet, out of their own pocket, to do so.

Afterall, it is not as if they do not earn a few dollars for talking the talk in DC for several months a year.

It is about time that Capitol Hill discovers webinars and cuts down on excessive and abusive travel, as well as other perks, that they seem to enjoy all too much.

Of note, is that during one two-year period as House Speaker Pelosi racked up military travel expenses of $2,100,744.59. Not a bad perk, Nancy. But, of course, you do feel our pain, don't you?

Over For Now.

Main Street One

Straddling Main Street USA With More Debt

An Associated Press headline today reads: "Obama to propose $300 billion to jump-start jobs."

And where does the jump-start take place?

In the public sector.

Thus, there is evidently going to be a proposal to spend $300 billion that the government does not have, increasing the national debt once again.

And, public sector employees are paid via the private sector (read Main Street USA) taxes.

Therefore, another double whammy for tax-paying citizens.

Capitol Hill needs to remove themselves from the business of trying to "generate" business and jobs. While there may be thousands of new (public sector) jobs created it comes at a cost that simply adds more debt and more burden to Americans.

Why can't those in Washington DC allow small businesses and corporations to do what they do best, ie create, manufacture and sell their products and services. Yes, regulate the unethical and throw them in prison, but let businesses do their thing.

And while our elected representatives and their appointees regulate the bad apples in the private sector it should be added that the public sector needs that type of oversight as well.

Over For Now.

Main Street One

Congress Must Be Held Accountable

Where is it that elected representatives feel that they can take their leave without finishing urgent business, causing financial loss and unemployment, two major issues facing their "people."

Only in America.

It is most disturbing that members of the House and Senate take their four week leave prior to dealing with the expired FAA taxation.

This serious lapse by Congress is estimated to cost the government approximately one billion dollars in revenue.

Isn't there a financial crisis still facing the United States?

Does Congress feel that dealing with the loss of a billion can wait?

Or, is that number too small to worry about?

The time is past due when all individuals elected to represent the people perform their jobs as professionals, not as politicians.

They (members of Congress) need to balance the budget. They need to totally eliminate earmarks as a "way of life." They need to trim their own office expenses. They need to quit spending more than is collected by the myriad sources of income they collect. They need to be held 100% accountable.

In short they need to put our house in order.

Main Street USA should not have to continue paying for the excesses and irresponsibility exhibited year after year on Capitol Hill.

America does not need more politicians. America needs leaders. America needs people who take full responsibility for their actions.

Over For now.

Main Street One

Capitol Hill Egos Dangerous to America

The egos residing at Capitol Hill, those same egos voted to hold office and act as representatives of Main Street USA, have proven to be dangerous to America.

The theater and dramatics surrounding the "historic" agreement to lift the debt ceiling have proven once again that for a person to be a part of the House, Senate or White House they must have a huge ego that does not concern itself with what is right for the people.

Their egos dictate to them that they must be right and others must be wrong and damn the consequences.

For a group of supposedly bright people to allow the "debt crisis" to roll to the 11th hour-plus, knowing full well for months that August 2, 2011, would come and go is all the proof needed to brand politicians as egotistical-to-the-extreme.

Witness, there is nothing at all historic about lifting the debt ceiling. That has been done time and again to ensure that future generations of politicians can spend freely, without regard to the damage created for future generations of Americans.

What is needed in Washington DC is not another huge ego, but a leader who leads by example. A person who can cut waste in his/her own sphere (i.e., cut foreign travel by members of Congress, cut their own salary, cut their office expenses dramatically, eliminate taxpayers footing the bill for members of Congress to visit home, etc.)

And during all the "savings" announced under the "historic" deal there has been absolutely no mention of doing away with earmarks. Cutting those pesky pieces of pork would save taxpayers between $300 and $400 billion in a decade and be an immediate expense reduction.

There is no doubt that Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, James Madison and the other Founding Fathers are disgusted at the actions (as well as inactions) by those elected officials who put themselves above the citizens of this great nation.

Capitol Hill has a short memory. Do they not remember that they are servants of the people?

Over For Now.

Main Street One

The Washington DC Finger Pointing Game Does Not Produce Viable Results

Finger-pointing, which the White House and Congress seem to enjoy, especially concerning spending or budget cuts, does not show Americans any form of responsibility or concern for Main Street USA.

It is a childish activity that does not result in any viable product. Ever.

The only end products of this adolescent behavior are minutes of airtime or inches of press and seeing themselves on prime time.

Politicians of all sizes, shapes and political affiliations are too much engaged in the blame game.

Few are willing to cut spending, especially in areas where the federal government should not be allocating dollars in the first place or to make cuts in their own backyard.

Not to mention the full elimination of earmarks. Each citizen should not have to contribute to an individual community walking path or the like that is attached to a piece of legislation to buy a vote.

Congress and the White House should lead by example.

Each member must begin making cuts in their own house. They have far too many benefits, expense accounts, overseas trips, staff and perks that are paid by taxpayers.

That is where representatives of the people should have started if they were truly serious about handling an economy that the Congressional Budget Office reports faces a $1.5 trillion budget deficit for 2011.

If the newly elected members of Congress (Nov 2010) really believed in cutting the size and shape of government they would have done so when they assumed office and slashed their own individual office budgets (pay freezes, hiring freezes, cuting perks, cutting travel expenses, eliminating waste, etc.).

That would be leading by example.

That would be the only valid time the president, a member of the Senate or House of Representatives could point fingers, telling their colleagues that they must do the same.

Those who occupy seats on Capitol Hill are not some sacred anointed masters. They are elected officials who are servants of the people, though it appears that none truly remember this, if they knew it in the first place.

Servants of the people.

Perhaps each and every one of them should intently and earnestly study the writings of our Founding Fathers and learn what it means to serve.

Over For Now.

Main Street One

Is NASA Viable? Is ANY Federal Program Viable?

Opponents of space travel argue about NASA’s cost over-runs, that it is economically unviable, dangerous to human life, etc.

Not to justify financial waste by any means, it must be pointed out that there is not a single area of any government-run program that does not waste taxpayer money, in one way or another.

While the $18 billion NASA budget is huge, as a number, it is 0.6% of the federal budget, showing anyone that government expenditures, with a budget of approximately $3 trillion, are enormous.

By way of comparison, the National Institutes of Health are funded with about $30 billion while US military and economic foreign aid is around $45 billion.

When looking at ways to cut federal spending one must look at what is most alarming in budgets: earmarks.

Yes, Capitol Hill (Democrats, Independent and Republican alike), we have your number!

This excess pork represents monies inserted into other, larger, bills, that benefit only the constituents of an elected representative with no public vote and little to no oversight. During 2006, earmarks containing $29 billion in spending were inserted into larger, almost always, unrelated bills.

One report stated that in 2005 the figure was $48 billion contained in some 16,000 earmarks.

However, when comparing NASA to other programs (but especially earmarks) one must also consider that the secondary benefits of the Shuttle program are, in many areas, extremely beneficial to society and mankind.

Although it may be argued that some or even all of the technology spinoffs would eventually have been developed in the private sector, it is noted in NASA’s Spinoff journal that technology developed and utilized in the Space Shuttle program appear in the following areas: health and medicine; transportation; public safety; consumer goods; environmental management; computer technology; and industrial productivity.

A few of these shuttle spinoffs are: an implantable heart resynchronization device, an improved form of LASIK eye surgery, environmentally friendly lubricants, advanced fireproof insulations for a variety of vehicles, video-enhancing software, infrared cameras for detecting fires, insulation for homes and clothing, biodegradable pesticides, food production, and bar coding for inventory control.

Regardless of one’s political leanings, it can easily be argued, and proven, that the Space Shuttle program, and NASA in general, do provide citizens with incredible quality of life benefits.

Not all government-run agencies can make that claim. And ear marks? Not even worth discussing.

Hopefully, the elected men and women in Washington DC will see fit to go beyond the voices and opinions of special interest groups and actually fund projects that do, indeed, have positive benefit for all.

And they need to cease and desist all earmarking of legislation.

Over For Now.

Main Street One

Does July 4th Still Stand for Freedom

For scores of years July 4th truly meant something and was a definite cause for celebration.

However, over the past several decades the personal freedoms and liberties Main Street USA was used to celebrating have been eroded.

No longer can it be said that is America is a government of the people, by the people, for the people (though that line does come from President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address).

Realistically, today our government is "of, for and by elected representatives" who care far too much about their own enhanced welfare (paid for in full "by the people").

When the states came together, when they became United, the vision of the Founding Fathers was in setting up a governing body unlike any that had been seen on Planet Earth. But as time marched on certain people saw a way to take advantage of, and pervert, the system.

Our Founding Fathers were learned men. They had read and studied about all manner of governments. They knew what made them good and what made them bad. However, the worst fears of these brave men slowly came to be.

As Thomas Jefferson pointed out, Most bad government has grown out of too much government. It cannot be denied, by any sane or rational person, that the United States has way too much government.

Patrick Henry, who led the charge to add the Bill of Rights, stated, The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government - lest it come to dominate our lives and interests.

Andrew Jackson added, The people are the government, administering it by their agents; they are the government, the sovereign power.

Perhaps James Madison summed up their worst fear with his insight, Since the general civilization of mankind, I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people, by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpations.

And thus it is that Americans have experienced those very dreaded gradual and silent encroachments by those in power, who have made politics a career where it was only supposed to be a "public service."

The concept of that service, as it had originally been envisioned, was that some citizens would give up a few years of their private sector life and "serve the people" only to return to their actual livelihood.

Never was it meant to be that politics become a career, especially one with lavish benefits at the expense of the taxpayer.

Conservative, moderate, and liberal politicians are all guilty of the erosion Americans have experienced. They have profited greatly at the expense of each and every citizen. They buy their votes filled with empty promises. They spend half their time campaigning for the next election to secure their lofty lifestyle.

There might not be a greater sin than to abuse the power entrusted to one.

Perhaps there are still those who truly believe in the ideals our Founding Fathers laid down without any thought of personal gain, operating without a secret, hidden agenda.

If there are, only then will America be able to rise once again. Not as a "global power" to dictate to other countries, but as a group of collective states who wish true freedom for all who reside within.

The closing line of the Declaration of Independence is, And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

The men who signed that document did so and meant it.

Many gave their lives and lost their fortunes. They kept in tact their honor.

There is not a politician alive today who could match the honor and integrity of those 56 delegates of the Continental Congress of July 4, 1776.

Over For Now.

Main Street One

Congress Must Lead By Example

There is a lot of ink, talk and webline space devoted to the White House/Congress budget wars. And, rightfully so.

The United States is in much too far in debt, and projected to be so for years.

Why is it so hard for Congress to understand that to lead they must do so by example.

The amount of taxpayer money spent (read: out of the pockets of Main Street USA citizens) to maintain the lifestyle they have been accustomed to is obscene.

Folks on Capitol Hill have become used to too many staff, exorbitant expense accounts, lavish (in this blogger's opinion) foreign travel (to accomplish what exactly?), and benefit and retirement plans that dwarf anything seen in the private sector.

Thus, as a very first step to balancing a budget, Democrats and Republicans (and Independents) should take the proverbial ax to their own house. Not just tiny gestures but meaningful reduction of waste.

Eliminate all foreign travel at taxpayer expense. If someone in Congress feels that they really must visit another country and observe first-hand the circumstances then they should put the tab on their personal credit card. They are, afterall, quite well-paid by any standard.

Make an across-the-board (huge) slash in "office expenses." Large and small businesses alike must do this when running in red ink or risk going out of business. Congress seems to lose sight of this fact. Their solution is simply voting to increase the amount of "legal" national debt and move on, spending as they go.

And, sorry to say this, but staff reductions are a must. Elected representatives need to get back to reality of what it means to work, not have others do their work for them.

While it is probably not the case every day, taxpayers should not be paying for the likes of this:

Members of Congress (and the White House) must lead by example by tightening their oversize (elastic) belts and show (prove to) all Americans that they are serious about cutting costs and saving money.

And one last point: elected officials should not be paid one cent for any days they spend campaigning to be re-elected. Every day away from the Hill should be docked from their paycheck. Period.

Who will be the first brave elected (or appointed) soul to stand up and declare that government waste must end and lead by example.

Over For Now.

Main Street One

Twisting Thoughts & Words for Life Insurance

It may not bother others, but this blogger gets a bit irritated at the commercials aired by Senior Life Insurance Company, whose tagline is "The Future of Final Expense."

The ad begins by asking if people are financially set for burial and related expenses because the most the government will pay is $255 in death benefits.

The issues with the ad are (at least) twofold.

First, the way it is presented the ad insinuates that government is somehow responsible for a portion of the costs involved in a person's final resting - and that the payment should be larger.

And second . . . the government?

Since when, one might ask, did it become the financial responsibility of all Americans, i.e., Main Street USA (read - each taxpaying citizen), to pay for the final resting costs of every individual?

Based upon mortuary and cemetery costs that $255 is, indeed, quite insignificant. However, it is most likely not even something that should be paid by "the government."

Perhaps one day this blogger will take the time to find the piece of legislation to which this item was tagged. In other words, it seems this may have been an earmark to a larger bill added, as is the way in Washington DC, to capture someone's vote on Capitol Hill.

Over For Now.

Main Street One

The Day After - Just A Thought

There was a lot of channel surfing during the mid-term election coverage last night in an attempt to stay on top of the results.

One particular comment caught my attention.

Unfortunately, I do not recall which Democrat was chastizing which Republican saying, basically, that the Republican candidate was "not for the people" as that person was dead-set against earmarks, defined right then and there as those funds that "bring money to states."

Two years ago candidate Obama promised Main Street USA he would not pass legislation with earmarks attached. Taxpayers very much liked that idea, but that particular promise was not kept.

To the thought...

How much money has been spent by Capitol Hill, even just during the last several years, on earmarks to buy votes for a larger piece of legislation?

If that amount of money, which surely is a rather large number, had not been attached to buy votes then would it not be safe to say that big government would not be quite as big?

In order to pay for earmarks that the Senate and House tack on to bills the federal government requires more money in order to fund those pieces of pork. The same money that, if Main Streeters did not have to send vast sums to Washington DC to cover vote-buying, would be spent bolstering the economy.

Individuals would spend that money not sent to DC on consumable goods and for services that they might need or want. Companies, large and small, would spend it on expansion of their business, which, in turn, generally means more jobs. And a healthier economy.

When firms and people spend more money states receive greater revenues through all manner of taxes and fees.

Any politician who says that not backing earmarks means that a person is not "for the people" is spouting wasteful hot air and that particular elected representative should look for other means of employment.

Earmarks are NOT for the people.

Earmarks are a means for Congress to buy votes for legislation that, quite obviously, cannot stand on its own merits.

Earmarks are wasteful spending and a continued expansion of excessive government requiring more and more funds with which to operate.

Over For Now.

Main Street One

Mid-term Election 2010

If elected officials ever wondered why many taxpaying members of Main Street USA (i.e., voters) have become (or have been) disenchanted with politics they need only view their commercials that are on the air.

The American public get bombarded with 30 and 60 second high-impact tales smearing opponents with non-stop ads blasting the opposition and few that tell the real story behind a candidate.

Who is this person? In what do they believe? What are their goals? Why should they be elected (instead of why not to vote for the other party)? Will they sign in blood not to add earmarks to legislation just to get the actual bill passed? What are their real, workable ideas to stop wasteful government spending?

Truth be told, politics has become nothing more than smoke and mirrors.

Once elected, few people seated on Capitol Hill really give a damn about what becomes of Main Street USA.

Yes, most politicans say the right words, create the proper sound bite, but each and every piece of legislation has earmarks and pork attached to buy votes.

Thus, the cycle is:

1. Politicians (and their backers) buy our votes to become our representative.

2. Politicans buy votes of other politicans with earmarks to pass legislation.

The substantial problem with point two above is that the money used to buy votes within the walls of Congress are taxpayer dollars...dollars that do not exist...dollars that simply create more and more debt.

All in order to buy a vote and where the purchased voter (i.e., senator or house member taking this bribe) may visit their people and show how they enriched the community with a new $100 million dollar hospital, or any of countless examples that earmarks provide.

Unfortunately, our elected reps at the national level have forgotten that the states created the federal government and gave that body a specific mission.

Those mission orders have been trampled and swept under the proverbial carpet.

The bigger question remains: can this mess be fixed?

It is probably not possible for anyone to answer that with certainty.

However, one thing is abundantly clear: the federal government must not be allowed unlimited and uncontrolled spending.

And, one way to curb that is completely eliminating earmarks and excessive pork on any piece of legislation. A bill should be enacted solely upon its merits, nothing more, nothing less.

Anything else masks whether or not something is actually good for the populace, good for the future generations who must attempt resolution of massive debt and obligation created in the here and now.

Over For Now.

Main Street One

Where Else But America

As much as I love America and Main Street USA, it is amazing to me that we allow our elected representatives, those who earned our treasured vote to serve us on Capitol Hill, to abandon their jobs in an attempt to gain our vote.

In other words, we, the taxpayer, are paying members of the Senate and House of Representatives to lobby Americans into keeping their comfortable job (and add to their exhorbitant benefits packages) when there is much to do on Capitol Hill.

The Associated Press just issued an article titled: "And they're out! Congress flees DC to campaign"

The first paragraph says: "Battle-weary members of Congress are coming soon to neighborhoods near you to press for re-election, more willing to campaign before angry constituents than to compromise in Washington on tax cuts, child nutrition or a federal budget."

Battle-weary?

Please.

Is someone attempting to gain sympathetic ears with Main Street USA?

It is understood that major changes and reversals in economic conditions do take some time. However, it also very much depends on how one goes about accomplishing those tasks.

From this armchair, it seems that the public sector has reaped far more benefits than those in private industry or the self-employed - from the stimulus and various other programs that have been enacted.

However, it is the private sector that has always made turn-arounds possible.

Those persons elected to do specific jobs, been granted the public's trust, would be better off had they taken historical lessons into account. Then maybe, just maybe, they would be able to be re-elected without leaving their jobs.

To pay these people, and more than likely many of their expenses, to plead their case to continue their stay in Washington DC is absurd.

Over For Now.

Main Street One

The Taxpayer Burden Grows ... And Grows

In a September 16, 2010, article from The Wall Street Journal (link below) there are some staggering - and frightening - figures discussed.

Obstacle to Deficit Cutting: A Nation on Entitlements

For instance, in discussing government benefits to individuals (of any and all types and kinds):

"Payments to individuals -- a budget category that includes all federal benefit programs plus retirement benefits for federal workers -- will cost $2.4 trillion this year, up 79%, adjusted for inflation, from a decade earlier when the economy was stronger. That represents 64.3% of all federal outlays, the highest percentage in the 70 years the government has been measuring it. The figure was 46.7% in 1990 and 26.2% in 1960."

The 64.3% figure of all federal outlays is huge, especially considering how much money flows through the federal government.

One thing to keep in mind, this is only at the federal level, not state or municipal.

A few other disturbing facts:

"Nearly half of all Americans live in a household in which someone receives government benefits, more than at any time in history.

"At the same time, the fraction of American households not paying federal income taxes has also grown -- to an estimated 45% in 2010, from 39% five years ago, according to the Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan research organization.

"A little more than half don't earn enough to be taxed; the rest take so many credits and deductions they don't owe anything. Most still get hit with Medicare and Social Security payroll taxes, but 13% of all U.S. households pay neither federal income nor payroll taxes."

The math is not good.

As pointed out by the WSJ, the U.S. entitlement programs began in 1935. They have grown since, sometimes slowly, other times by would would seem leaps and bounds.

It is very worthwhile for all members of Main Street USA to read and pass along this article.

Over For Now.

Main Street One 

Labor union activity paid by taxpayers

The video below speaks to a real issue here in Main Street USA.

Labor unions existing in the public sector.

Why these were ever allowed to come into being when one is using taxpayer money to fund wages is beyond, I believe, anything our Founding Fathers would have wanted.

The below is a direct quote from the YouCut website:

"Currently, some federal employees spend up to 100% of their workweek, paid by taxpayers, doing work for their union. Federal employees unions collect millions in revenue each year and spend significant amounts on political activities and lobbying, should they also be subsidized by the taxpayer for their official functions? In 2008 the Federal government spent $120 million paying employees for their time spent working on union activities (over five years this would total a minimum of $600 million.)"

This observation does beg the question: how is this allowed?

If it is known about, it should simply be stopped. Period.

Labor union activities are not listed in their job function. Thus, the simple way to deal with the problem is to make these federal employees cease the activity.

It is hoped that citizens of America have become so outraged at how their money is spent year after year, and how Capitol Hill can allow such (known-about) waste as the above, that votes are cast this November to elect only those fiscally responsible candidates--regardless of their party affiliation.

And to elect candidates who are not afraid to stop any form of corruption.

Over For Now.

Main Street One

Not Investigative At All

The problem with the following video, regarding the question ABC News posed, "Has the stimulus plan really made a difference?", is that it really does not answer the question.

And, perhaps more importantly, the examples provided as examples of the use of the $862 Billion fund were really insignificant in the overall scheme of things.

While the Administration states that the bill has saved or created 1.2 to 2.8 million jobs, it appears to many of those residing in Main Street USA, 70% according to the ABC News report, that the bill has not made an "economic benefit."

Consider that America still has a 9.5% unemployment rate.

More in-depth analysis of where funds have been spent and the actual benefits to ALL taxpayers (as it is taxpayer money supporting this effort) is what is needed and wanted, not some piece of "news" trying to sell voters that the stimulus package has been successful.

Over For Now.

Main Street One

National Debt and Big Government

Though President Obama signed the "Pay As You Go Act" in February 2010, Congress continues to spend money, without having the resources to cover the expenditures, at an unprecedented rate.

The following link is a short ABC news report on this calamity.
$13 TRILLION National Debt

Founding Father Thomas Jefferson had this to say about government debt:

Jefferson was a man of incredible insight.

In a letter to Judge William Johnson, in 1823, he wrote: "The States can best govern our home concerns and the general government our foreign ones. I wish, therefore... never to see all offices transferred to Washington, where, further withdrawn from the eyes of the people, they may more secretly be bought and sold at market."

And, yet, that is precisely what has been done at a substantial cost to Main Street USA.

The purchasing of votes behind closed doors on Capitol Hill has become the accepted method to pass massive legislation, costing taxpayers trillions of dollars and placing the country in debt to such a degree that it will likely never be able to pay.

And consider what Jefferson wrote in this 1824 letter to William Ludlow: "I think we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious."

Nearly 200 years ago he had that thought. What would he think today?

Food for thought.

Over For Now.

Main Stree One

Debt Is A Big Thing

On top of personal debt for a mortgage, credit cards, auto loans, etc., the additional debt of each and every U.S. taxpayer, as measured by the National Debt Clock, tops $118,000 per person. U.S. Debt

Add that amount to a study by the New York Times in 2008 comparing personal debt with a declining level of personal savings. According to the study the average annual savings per Main Street USA household in 1923 was $5,533 versus $6,219 in debt. By 2008, savings slipped to $392 versus $117,951 in total household debt.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics calculates the median earnings for all occupations (130,647,610 people) at just over $43,000 (data from May 2009). Statistics Here

It does not take a rocket scientist to calculate the fact that too much debt is not a good thing.

Yet, the U.S. budget deficit for April 2010 was $82.69 Billion, nearly four times the amount of one year prior. And, April became the 19th straight month of deficit spending, the longest such streak on record.

Will those on and in Capitol Hill reverse this trend?

The time of blaming deficit spending on other people is over. No one was elected to sit in their high-back chair, or appear in front of the news media, and blame others for our collective problems.

People are elected to perform a job. Nowhere, in any job description of any elected public official, nor any public employee for that matter, contains the clause to use deficit spending as an out.

However, that is exactly what is happening and has been for quite some time. Some of that blame (this deserves a study) undoubtedly has come about with the increase in size and scope of government and the public sector, in general.

Consider that the current administration and group of self-annointed we-know-better-than-you politicians continue to push for more government, more erosion of personal and civil rights and liberties.

Wake up America!

Over For Now.

Main Street One

And The Survey Says . . .

In the latest set of surveys from the Pew Research Center, as reported by The Associated Press, the headline reads: "4 out of 5 Americans don't trust Washington."

Prior to commenting on the specifics, it must be pointed out that there is apathy on Capitol Hiill.

The AP story carried this: Sen. Scott Brown, a Republican who won a long-held Democratic Senate seat in Massachusetts in January by seizing on public antagonism toward Washington, said: "It's clear Washington is broken. There's too much partisan bickering to be able to solve the problems people want us to solve."

Reading that quote by Senator Brown again, perhaps it is not apathy.

However, if our elected represenatives cannot get past their childish "partisan bickering" then there should be a recall election for all seats in both the Senate and House of Represntatives.

The reason? Read the polls.

Main Street USA does not want bigger, more controlling government.

The People did not want the "Health Care Rights Bill" as it was signed into law.

Taxpaying citizens do want officials to represent them, not the beauracrat's "wiser than thou" attitude reflecting how they know what is best for the "people on the street" (based on voting records).

The Pew poll findings, per AP, state; "Majorities in the survey call Washington too big and too powerful, and say it's interfering too much in state and local matters."

And there is not one political figure today who can deny that sentiment being displayed, over and over again, by Main Streeters. And, if one does, that person is vacationing (while being paid to work) and has absolutely no grasp on reality.

That the White House and Congress continue to charge ahead with an attitude that crosses public (i.e., voter) opinion, as well as matters of Constitutional Law, regarding the functions of the federal government does show, unfortunately, that the silent majority has allowed, for far too long, the usurpation of state power and individual responsibility.

The system as created by our Founding Fathers does work. That has been proven over time.

We need them back.

Minimally, we need people of the caliber of Patrick Henry, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and others like them who had integrity and spirit, who actually fought for the people.

Our founders were not concerned about their pension plan, free flights across the country anytime they wanted, huge staff with virtually unlimited budgets, all paid for by taxpaying citizens who have become more and more burdened by the national debt.

They were concerned about rights and liberties.

They knew too well, through their knowledge of history, into what a too-powerful central government would evolve.

Politicians need to remember this, above all else. The People agreed to create and form states. The states created the federal government.

The Constitution and the Bill of Rights protect those who created this country.

If those who were elected to serve do not start doing so, they deserve to be impeached with absolutely no benefits, pensions or retirement, as they have committed treason against this country.

Over For Now.

Main Street One