And now a break from tomfoolery for some serious stupidity...

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So our federal government has once again reached the mandated debt ceiling that was established...by the federal government.

Interesting...and irritating all at the same time.

Surprisingly, this threshold isn't a rare occurrence as one might think. As a matter of fact as a nation, we've been here over 70 times before this last one. During that time, Democrats have controlled both Houses and the While House, Republicans have controlled both Houses and the White House, and ever other mix in between the two scenarios.

In each case, up went the debt ceiling as if we were living in some utopian society where the GDP always grows at double digit rates and it never rains on Saturday.

So, why is it such a big issue all of a sudden? (must be Obama's fault)

Well, the answer to that $14 trillion question is because the debt itself is so huge relative to GDP. We're on the verge of that famous 90%-100% debt-to-GDP ratio where many believe a sovereign debt crisis is inevitable (see Greece and Ireland).

A vote that used to be treated as lackadaisical is now the subject of massive nervousness in Washington. Why now you say again? Because Americans are finally paying attention to the math and know if borrowing into bankruptcy is possible on a personal level...(i.e. your debt ceiling exceeds your ability to pay said debt) it's sure got to be possible on a national one too.

The time has come and gone to discuss and debate how we got to this point in our fiscal house. Such reflection may be important at some point in the future to ensure we don't repeat the mess we find ourselves in today, but right now we need bipartisan action on a major scale.

Sure massive cuts in our federal budget are going to hurt. Nobody denies that...well...no rational person denies that fact. But so much is broken in our current system of federal spending that only by making deep cuts can real changes be made to fix the system. Necessary chances. We've got to get our fiscal house in order and radical changes through spending cuts is the only feasible, viable option.

Take a second and think about the ridiculous circumstances involving waste and abuse of tax dollars that you personally are aware of involving our federal and state governments (yes, states have a claim in this also as a distributing arm of some federal government programs). Let me give you only two of the many from my list:

Just this past week, I was talking to a friend about a situation he was personally familiar with involving government entitlements. A lady living near him was trying to sell her monthly food stamps to his wife below their face value. The mother of two receives $500 a month in food stamps, but was willing to accept half for the current and following two months ($1500 for $750). Seems she had taken her federal income tax return (based solely on federal entitlements) of a little over $5000 and, among other useless things, put a down payment on a big SUV at a local Buy Here, Pay Here auto dealer. When she missed a payment, they came and got the vehicle. Now she needed several hundred dollars to get the vehicle back, oh...and get her cell phone turned back on too.

Did I mention she doesn't work and lives with her mom? Didn't mean to leave that out. She doesn't work yet receives thousands of dollars in government hand outs from our tax dollars. Makes you wonder how her kids eat. My friend's wife didn't bite on the offer by the way.

This next one is a little more risky for me to share. I work for a DoD contractor, and we sell 'widgets' directly to a number of military bases worldwide. In all honesty, our company works very hard at providing excellent pricing not just out of good stewardship but also because we are in open competition with other DoD suppliers. The problem occurs when particular 'widgets' we could sell directly to a base are systematically divided up into block contracts for large conglomerate contractors (read- who pay lobbyist), who in turn bid the 'widgets' out to other subcontractors (including us) and then often award the bids to a contractor under a special government designator (i.e. female/minority owned company, disabled vet, etc.), who then in turn buys the 'widgets' from a distributor...you guessed it...us. So something that could have been purchased by the end user at a distribution level price directly from us originally (as is often the case) is marked up not only once more by the block contractor, but again by the third different subcontractor involved as the procurement moves through the often lunatic workings of the military industrial complex on its way to the end user.

If only I were making this stuff up...

Only in an environment of unchecked funding can such absurdities exist and grow. As the debate continues to roar on about raising our national debt ceiling, take a moment and examine similar situations you personally know about like the two I've shared. Maybe one is as drastic as this situation reported just yesterday in news sources where a lottery winner of millions receives food stamps. Now multiple those cases several million times, and it's easy to see how we've gotten to where our country needs to borrow more than $14 trillion dollars just to pay the outstanding bills.

It all starts at home with anyone and everyone as crazy mad about this as I am picking up the phone or dropping a line to their elected representative, Republicans and/or Democrats, and demanding the political games stop now and necessary action be taken immediately. Yes Mr. Politician, the American public does realize there's an important election just next year. The real question is- do you?

Raise the debt ceiling to avoid a devastating default, this one last time, then balance the national budget and lock that in with a Constitutional Amendment...period.

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The federal budget is really quite simple...when you think about it.

We all know the federal budget is complex. But come on... if a bunch as diverse (I'm using nice words today) as the United States Congress can figure it all out, I feel pretty good about your average concerned citizen.



Average concerned citizen = most of us...by the way.






While large numbers can have a discombobulating effect on the easily startled person, the federal budget is really no different from your household budget for the most part. Sure, you have to cut and paste a few line tags under the four major categories of:

• What's coming in
• What's going out
• What we have
• What we owe

Say for example, that line in your home budget for landscaping the front walkway would be exchanged for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, or the home budget line allocated for miscellaneous gifts would be replaced by the Poems in Zoos Project in the federal budget.

No really...that's a federal grant to place more poetry in our nation's zoos at the tune of  $1 million. Apparently our zoo animals are not cultured enough.

So as you can see, your home budget and the federal budget are basically the same...in principle...sort of.

I use the new sophisticated Mint.com online program to help keep the family finances in order. The program pulls data directly from my 'what's going out' sources and categorizes the expense across my pre-established budget. If I spend too much on, say, eating out at lunch, I get a friendly reminder telling me this once I've exceeded my monthly budget.

Of course in the said example, Mrs. Tony C has been looking for an interface that automatically connects with ediets.com, so they can send me a far less friendly reminder that I'm obviously lying on my journal entries. Luckily, she hasn't found one to date.

But, back to the budget issue. So, I can even create an neat, easy-to-read pie chart that shows my budget, my actual expenditures (what's going out) and the shortfalls at the press of a button. I looked for an easy-to- read pie chart breaking down the proposed 2011 federal budget, and surprisingly, I just couldn't find one! Apparently...there are some significant differences between the federal budget and our personal home budgets after all. Pie just doesn't come that big!

I did find a helpful interactive 2011 federal budget chart at (of all places) the NY Times (NY Times interactive link). It's worth taking a look at...if your Monday isn't aggravating enough already that is.

Now that I actually think about it... I don't think my personal 'what I have' category could ever sustain  $1 trillion added to the 'what I owe' side. Maybe that was a stupid analogy after all.

For the sake of good taste...I'll refrain from Dolly Parton references.

No sooner had the 2011 Federal Budget proposal been released, and the crap started flying.

I keep clinging to the hope that eventually the general public will wake up and realize what fools our elected officials in Washington take us to be. The budget is released this week and immediately the spin begins on both sides. Half truths. Blatant lies. Double talk. It's all there.

As a conservative, I'm actually madder at the Republicans than I am the Democrats. We know where the liberals are coming from in this country...tax, spend, rinse, and repeat. But for mainstream Republicans to get up and start spewing President Obama this and President Obama that is just a slap in the face to informed, concerned voters. The Grand Old Party was given back control of the House for one reason...get spending and the deficit under control and do it now!

I don't want to hear about tax cuts. I don't want to hear about non-discretionary spending. I don't want to hear about taking the military budget off the table. We've heard it all before...let's see...oh that's right, just five short years ago when Republicans controlled the White House and Congress and federal spending increased nearly 4 percent in back-to-back years of 2005 and 2006. Republicans probably don't want people to know spending only increased 1.4 percent in 2010 (aka President Obama's first year in office).

To hear the newly elected Speaker of the House stand at a called budget press conference and cry about Obama adding 200,000 new federal jobs this past year is both insulting and irritating. Here's an idea... Instead of playing the politics as usual blaming game, roll up your sleeves, make some difficult choices and give us a balanced budget. That's just for starters!

The first thing Washington and those who feed off the chum of Washington start spinning is how complicated the federal budget really is and how complex and intricately related the various variables are. Really? I don't need a Masters in Economics from Harvard to understand that the country's 2010 GDP was $14.7 trillion and the total 2010 Gross Public Debt was $14.13 trillion or 96.3 percent of GDP...and that can't be good.

But alas, I have studied economics and do understand that we are in fiscal uncharted territory in this country. Sure, Public Debt has been high before, but the cocktail of economic conditions were very different in each historical case. Public Debt has proven to have an adverse affect on inflation, interest rates and economic growth. Each of those affects all of us in one way or another too. All it will take to remove the dark cloud hanging over our economic future is to exercise a little self-control. No...we're past that point. A lot of self-control. The federal government is just too big and needs to be drastically reduced. It's that simple. Shrink the size of government and Public Debt returns to a manageable level. Balance the federal budget, and we don't have to worrying about our grandchildren not living in the world's dominant economic superpower.

Back to President Obama...you didn't think he was getting a pass on here today surely?

His proposed budget adds $1 trillion to the current debt. Let me just make sure and clarify that means increases. Have we become so callused by large numbers that a trillion just doesn't seem so darn big anymore? Well let me put that into perspective...

David Schwartz, a children's book author whose How Much Is a Million? tries to wrap young minds around the concept- "One million seconds comes out to be about 11½ days. A billion seconds is 32 years. And a trillion seconds is 32,000 years. I like to say that I have a pretty good idea what I'll be doing a million seconds from now, no idea what I'll be doing a billion seconds from now, and an excellent idea of what I'll be doing a trillion seconds from now."

To me, the same analogy applies to dollars, and it ends with a bankrupt future for our country. Don't be so quick to write off the Tea Party movement and its ideas as just Chicken Little crying 'the sky is falling!' That's just the typical politics of Republicans and Democrats alike...and exactly what they want you to believe about the Tea Party while they continue their Potomac Two-Step dance of irresponsible fiscal behavior.

It's time for true elected conservatives to start acting conservative and not just using the label. Yes, I'm a little aggravated...and if you're a conservative, you should be too!

Do you truly believe what you say you believe?

Today a new day dawned...and the 112th Congress came into session.

Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) took the Speaker of the House gavel in hand today to lead a newly elected Republican majority House. He pledges to cut spending, reduce the size of the federal government, and cut taxes.

Wait....haven't we been here before?




Promises come as easy and frequent as special interest campaign contributions in Washington. In little more than 2 years, the American public has been pumped up with vows of change from this side then promises of a new way from over there. I can't help but see a mental image of Newton's Cradle sitting on a desk somewhere with the end balls in the set of five swapping turns to swing out as the kinetic energy transfers from side to side. The whole matter is annoying, frustrating, tiresome yet vaguely entertaining all at the same time.

As Bob Dylan belted out Times They Are a-Changin'  in 1964, he couldn't have been more right. Again in 1980, American politics went through a transformation as Ronald Wilson Reagan was swept into the White House along with a Republican-led Senate, the first such party led chamber of Congress since 1953.

But since those Reagan glory days, the American public has heard a lot of rhetoric, and not seen very many results. What we have witnessed is the morphing of the federal government into a grotesquely obese entity that must be continuously fed with more and more substances stripped from the citizens it supposedly serves. Time, property, money and liberties all forcefully taken from citizens behind laws of Congress to sustain a house of cards so big that collapse in not only likely...but imminent. 

Then came the great revolution of change in 2008 which was quickly squelched by the reformation on the revolution in 2010.  Click, click, click, click, click....the balls swing out and back...side to side.

Americans know what needs to be done. The bigger issue or questions is do they have the stomach for seeing it through? Federal entitlements are simply out of control. Both political parties blame each other while continuing to grow their own projects with more and more borrowed money. Most people don't even realize when they personally benefit from a federal program, and there is where the problem starts.

A good friend of mine often uses the title phrase applied to Biblical principles when teaching a class at church or even a during a theological discussion among friends. The question, if taken seriously, should be one that every individual reflects upon before, during and follow conversation about any given topic. Do you actually believe the things you feel and say, and more importantly, are you ready to put words to action?

Back to today. Republicans in Congress, under pressure to reform from the Tea Party movement, have drawn a necessary, albeit dangerous, line in the sand. A smaller government, less spending, reduced deficits and taxes simultaneously. All happening while the world's largest economy putters along in a flat recovery. The question for them is do they have the intestinal fortitude to make it happen? Is the American public ready to sacrifice to get where most of us want to be without making the instrument of true change through tough decisions the scapegoat or whipping post?

Don't be fooled by the political double speak around cutting waste and abuse. That won't get it done. We need fundamental change and every single federal government program needs to be on the table for debate...including defense spending, Social Security and Medicare. That's right...nothing should be left exempt if this is going to get done. Most people don't realize the 2010 federal budget just addressed current expenditures to meet service needs. No bailout money is included in that budget because that money was an expenditure in the 2009 budget.

So what are you willing to sacrifice? If Congress does this right, you'll give up something  I assure you. I work for a DoD contractor and expect to see changes at work. If you are crying for changes in the categories being promised by our newly elected officials...then it's gut-check time people.

I have strong opinions, as I'm sure you do, that if brought to fruition would impact my own family. I'm in the last year of the baby boomer generation, and we're getting old. As a matter of fact, the front end of my demographic is turning 65 this very year! Tough decisions are ahead if Social Security and Medicare are going to survive the enormous payout coming over the next two decades. I want those necessary changes for the benefit of my children and their children.

Our tax code is beyond absurd and needs to be completely scuttled and rebuilt. Flat tax? I think we need one or a viable alternative. The nearly 4 million word tax code of this country begs people to find ways to get out of paying taxes. If I know going into a year exactly how much in taxes I'm paying (as opposed to guesses and wishes), household budgeting becomes a lot easier. Besides, I don't need the IRS to manage my vacation fund each year...at least when I'm due a refund.

We've got to get back to being a country that manufactures. We are slowly sliding down from the top rung of the ladder as the Big Kahunas in the economic world. Why? Because we don't make great stuff like we once did in this country. Throw that quality over quantity garbage right out the proverbial window too. There was a time not so long ago we produced both quality and quantity in this country, and we need to...no we better...get back there!

The balls in play as of today members of Congress. Let's see who has the true grit to do what must be done, and don't try to distract us with the Health Care Bill recant. There are much bigger, more important issues to tackle first. You've got two years Washington...and the clock started countdown today.

Please don't make this deja vu all over again...

Don't get cocky old-school Republicans...it's not about you.

The sure way to curtail any momentum handed to the Republican party is for the party to think this past election was a glowing endorsement by America for them. I don't think so. As Americans, we only have two real choices...for now.

The election two years ago equally wasn't about the Democrats either, and their victories were numerous. Republican had the position of power, voters didn't like what they were doing with it, so a vote for change was cast. Tuesday, voters sent a clear message to Washington that things aren't changing fast enough. Change? What changes?

THAT is the question everyone in Washington should be asking and fearing! Heads are coming out of the sand all over the country. For decades now, the Washington two-step with the American public has been more akin to professional wrestling than governance of the Nation. Sure, the two sides fight and squabble in public, keep throwing out hot-button issues as rally cries, and generally force over 200 million people to pick between us or them...but a lot of people are getting it now. The only thing worse than dichotomy is no choice at all, and we're tired of being forced to pick between two sides that are basically cut from the same piece of cloth!

The crying game is coming to an end and the rats are scrambling to get off the ship. Personally, I don't care if it's Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians or the Cap'n Crunch Party. Just somebody please define and act conservative by the same criteria I use when it comes to the federal government- balance the budget, get spending under control, eliminate the huge debt hovering over my children's children, and get your nose out of every single aspect of my life. I can take care of myself thank you very much. That last one should be easy if you just send most of the bureaucrats in Washington home. Come to think of it, that would probably help with the first three too.

Don't tell me you're going to lower my or anyone else's taxes until you get this stuff done either. I helped get us in this mess, and I'll do my share to get us out. Even if it hurts a little. I just don't want my children to have to pay for the indulgences and poor decisions of my generation. This country grew, flourished and did fine for well over 150 years without massive legislations, government interference at every level, and expensive special interest bailouts.

Lose sight of that this time Republicans, like you did after 1994, and voters will seriously wonder if you understand the meaning of the word conservative. Tea Party activist will be watching...you can bet on that.

At least it's not hard to spot a liberal because they don't hide who they are...thankfully.

Face the facts...the bed is already made.

I watched David Stockman on 60 Minutes last night in utter disbelief...

Politically, I came of age under Ronald Reagan. He was the first President I had the privilege of casting a ballot. Raised in a family of Blue-Dog Democrats, I watched the party turn from one that championed the causes of the middle class to a party that pandered to society's misfits and their agenda. Conservative philosophy no longer worked or had a place among uber-liberal ideas of the social elitist. I felt like party leadership was making fun of me specifically for trying to hold to the idea of both social justice and God almighty. Bet Jimmy Carter related on a much more grandiose scale.

There were problems with the 'other' party too, but not near what Democrats imposed. Reagan Democrats somewhere became a tag for those I shared the same hopes and dreams for our country. After college, I was commissioned in the service and enjoyed some of the most prosperous times for service men and women...especially during a time of mostly peace. It wasn't until years later I fully realized that I was just another card in a gigantic house of them, and the term conservative was apparently no longer synonymous with smaller government...

Last night, I listened as former President Reagan's Budget Director said in no uncertain terms that our economy has reached a breaking point and ALL Americans needed to face the reality of higher taxes. (Gasp). Then came the moment of epiphany when I knew in my heart what he said was completely true...Mr. Stockman pointed out our government spending has reached 24 percent of our national GDP. I went immediately to my computer to confirm that number. But not true! Sources I found put it at 43 percent when you factor in the deficit! We've not seen 24 percent since 1951...but how? Why?

There have been spikes in the ratio in the past 110 years during times of global conflict, and that's to be expected. But since 1974, the percent has never fallen below 30 percent again and has steadily increased to present day dipping only during the Clinton years. Sorry folks, you can't deny the facts. That one hurts me too. Democrats and Republicans have controlled both the executive and legislative branches of government during this unprecedented era in U.S. history. Just as we watched the mortgage market bloat and overfill to a final pop that left most of the world in financial shambles, Americans are watching our government grow to a similar point of exploding and then insolvency.


It can't be ignored and won't go away.

So where do we cut? Who pays the bill?


I like to consider myself a modestly intelligent man...at least intelligent enough to know hard decisions are upon our country, and any politician who campaigns on promises of lower taxes and less government spending is either negligently naive or boldly full of bull crap. Neither reason deserves a vote.

If we, as Americans, continue to stick our heads in the sand and let our government spend uncontrollably, mortgaging the future of our children, the pop will be a lot more painful for everyone than the sting of a few less entitlements or a little higher tax bill. Haven't we learned a thing the past few years?

Somebody has to pay for the irresponsible behavior we've allowed to happen on our watch. The sooner we realize and accept that responsibility, the less painful the fix will be. We just can't afford the shenanigans of either party anymore. Something to think about not just tomorrow, but each and every time you vote until we get government spending back under control.

#100...here it comes!

I put a lot of thought into what my 100th post should be about...and I was perplexed.

Should it be humorous, have a good moral, express appreciation for someone/something? Reflect a mixture of my other 99 post? That would be impossible. A praise post? A slammer? What should number 100 be about?

How about a list?! My 100th post will be a list of the top issues important to me, and my two cents on each. If you would be so kind as to indulge me:

1. Christians are not adequately represented by either major party.

I know...I know. Let's just jump right out of the gate with this one, but it's true. History shows both parties have a steep tradition in Christian roots with Catholics traditionally aligning with Democrats and Evangelical Protestants with Republicans. But there's a twist. White Catholics have slowly migrated to the Republican party while Latinos remain mostly Catholic and mostly Democrats (see Pew Research here). The same split can be seen among Protestants with Mainline Protestants overwhelmingly Democrats and Evangelicals voting Republican. When all is said and done...it becomes a wash for both sides. So who best represents Christian principles in politics? Republicans openly tried to distance the party from Evangelical Christians in the last election, and the Democrats are so married to liberal philosophy that the mere mention of religion and politics in the same sentence somehow triggers alarms at ACLU headquarters and automatically releases the hounds.

May God forgive me for what I'm about to say because I truly understand God is bigger than any political party or any single nation. There is an unavoidable fracture about to happen in either or both parties in the near future. The two-party system is tired...fought many hard battles...but still tired. Those of us committed to Christian principles better take our heads out of the sand and pay attention. The 'de-Christianing' of our country only really started less than 50 years ago. In God We Trust became our National Motto by Act of Congress in 1956. Can you imagine that debate just 53 years later? Minority religions are both encouraged and protected by the mainstream, yet the cry of 'separation of church and state' can be heard by secularist at the first hint of a Holy Bible being present in a public forum.

Christians need a political party that puts our Christian principles first.

(sound of crickets)

There. I said it. I'm not advocating for a 'Christian only' nation, so don't try to misrepresent what I'm saying. I firmly believe in and support the constitutional principle of Freedom of Religion. But, Christians need a voice in government on issues not lumped in with other irrelevant/contradicting party platform issues before we're legislated out of any influence whatsoever within our own country.

Is that a way to start a list or what!


2. The Nation's debt is out of control.

Do I really need to elaborate here? Our current budget balance as a percentage of GDP is -13.2%. Only Great Britain is higher at -13.9%, and we're the only countries among the world's 50 largest in double digits. We are bankrupting our country in an effort to have it all now. Balance the budget today...period.

3. The health care system in our country needs reform.

A polarized issue that has been mutated in the political quagmire of Washington while insurance companies, HMO's and certain segments of the health care field rake in the cash hand over fist. Greed will eventually bring down our health care system like it did our financial institutions recently. Do we really want to wait around for that to happen? It's not a Democrat or Republican issue to champion...it's an American issue. Fix it!

4. The tax system is long overdue an overhaul.

Our current tax code is so complicated that a computer program written specifically to determine a person's tax liability (read TurboTax) is only accurate 94% of the time. The major reason for error...putting in the wrong information. I'm sure that 6% were very elated at the penalties and interest tacked on by the IRS for their mistake. Makes you wonder just how accurate the IRS really is. We need a much more fair and simpler code.

I'll expect an audit notice soon.


5. The U.S. can't adequately fight another war.

If we are provoked into a fight with North Korea, Iran or both, our current military structure and manpower levels will be unable to effectively fight and maintain ongoing campaigns. Such a scenario would leave the U.S. completely vulnerable to an attack by another country lurking in the wings waiting to topple the big dog on the block (read Russia).

Who will jump to align with us this time? For some reason, I see Europe sitting this scenario on the sidelines. Expect a draft and don't cry about it. Our fathers went through it, their fathers endured it...freedom comes with a price... as the cliche goes.


6. Term limits for Congress are an absolute must.

How many problems would this one fix right off the bat? Professional politicians are great at taking care of one group...themselves. Tocqueville was completely sold on the concept of the amateur politician in America as opposed to the life-long types in Europe (Democracy in America). Why did we turn from this?

Give both houses an 8 year limit. That's plenty of time to foul things up.

7. Our communities must find a way to better engage our young people.

I've written a number of post on this matter and still hold firm to the view that teenagers and young adults are underutilized today. The trend has slowly increased to the point complete apathy in youth people seems concrete. Community organizations, churches, local governments must find ways...creative ways...to get the younger generations involved. Not doing so will most certainly have negative, long-term consequences on our position in the world as an economic and military power.

Also, setting low expectations for our young people will only result ultimately in their achievement of low performance.

8. The media should be held more accountable for what it says/prints.

Freedom of the press does not constitute freedom to irresponsibly act. Most people distrust and are completely fed up with our infotainment style of journalism today. Want it to change? Stop buying newspapers, listening to talk radio, and watching news programs. See how fast things change. If you expect the media to suddenly change out of a collective conscience awakening to do the right thing...you're probably still washing clothes by beating them on a rock (dirty laundry pun intended).

We've got to break from the doomsday mentality the media has created in an effort to sell advertising. Oh...I'm sorry...you didn't realize that's what it's all about? Forget journalistic integrity. Every one is wanting a piece of your budget pie. Shocking headlines get attention. Attention draws more viewers. More viewers mean more ad revenues. Always follow the money...you have more control than you realize.

So, there's my list. I can't adequately express the blessing it has been to come in contact with so many great people through this little, insignificant blog. Even the comments and emails of belligerent opposition have affected me in a profound way. Thank you for reading Tony C Today. If nothing else...I hope you've laughed a little and pondered a bit.

Tea Party success...taking back America begins.

The local Tea Party yesterday was great! For a city under 100K in population, the number of people attending the 1-5 pm event had to be labeled a success by organizers. Several thousand people where in attendance at any given time during the day. Due to a work commitment followed by a church commitment, my time was limited to about 20 minutes, but I would estimate well over 600 people were there at that time.

East Tennessee is predominately Republican, but I spoke with several Democrats attending the event...emphasising the fact this was not a partisan rally. Former congressman David Davis (R) spoke to the crowd about that very subject stating the Tea Parties should have started during the Bush administration when spending started spiraling out of control. "The Republicans spent too much money. But this is not a Republican crowd. This is not a Democrat crowd. This is an American crowd. I think Americans right now are fed up with politicians,” stated Davis.

I was very encouraged by a lot of talk (and signage) about putting God back center stage in our country. Revisionist can cry all they want, but unaltered history shows we were founded a God-fearing nation...it is who we are...more on that later.

Media coverage was both fair and good for the event in our area, but national news attention has been skewed. Fox has come under tremendous scrutiny for 'promoting' the events instead of reporting on them objectively. To no surprise, CNN's website has no home page coverage of the event deferring to Susan Boyle, the YouTube singing phenom, and the race to 1 million Twitter followers between the cable news giant and Ashton Kutcher...okay then.

MSNBC pays homage by making fun of the event and referring to it as 'pointless.' Okay... I hate MSNBC and you should too. Actually, most people do because ratings put Fox scores better across the board than CNN and MSNBC...COMBINED! Who's laughing now Olbermann at your lame, snide remarks?

The most disturbing issue to transpire yesterday, however, came from the Department of Homeland Security. State and local police were warned of 'elevated threat levels' from, among several groups, right wing extremist. Does the timing of this warning seem too coincidental? One of the best signs I saw from the rally stated, 'I went to bed a conservative and woke up a threat to national security.' I will be blogging about this later too...but it warranted mention here.

One last note for now, I see a lot of momentum for congressional term limits stemming from the Tea Party. That is a very, very good thing.

Hope you were able to support a Tea Party near you. If so, tell us about it.

Tea Party time...let's make it count.

I'm both excited and anxious about tomorrow's national Tea Party event. The excitement springs from communities becoming more active concerning our political process. Apathy has draped the nation for many years now on the political front. Government 'of the people' only works when the object of the preposition decides to be involved...that being 'people.'

What I don't hope to see is just an anti-Obama rally. Republicans did as much to put us where we are today during their reign over the White House and Congress...actually more than President Obama. Both parties have become 'spend and tax' machines that show no signs of slowing down. Yes, the Obama budget is outrageous, and he should be called out on it. But please don't polarize the event by making it a 'we/they' with R's and D's pointing fingers at each other. The 'we/they' should by the people versus the elected official...regardless of political party affiliation.

Think back to the original Tea Party in Boston circa 1773 that practically gave birth to our nation. The colonist weren't mad about tea, they were mad about the British government overstepping taxation boundaries that were already established in law. Sound familiar?

I urge you to attend a Tea Party tomorrow near you. (click here for link)

Government spending is completely out of control. The very irresponsible, personal behavior that got us into the financial mess we're in today is being carried out at the government level. The madness has got to stop! Politicians in Washington must know they will be held accountable to the voters if the tax and spend craziness continues.

The absolute worst approach to take is to do nothing. Get involved. If not by going to Tea Party...write YOUR congressman and express your concerns...and I hope you have some. This event could be a turning point in our history, don't sit it out on the sidelines.

Hope to see you there tomorrow! I'll be the guy with the sign...

You can laugh if you want, but...

If you didn't see President Obama on 60 Minutes Sunday night, please take the time to watch this 10 minute excerpt. Pay particular attention to around the 3:30 mark when Steve Kroft calls the Prez out for laughing at some of the issues they are discussing.



I don't think you find any of this humorous if you've lost your job, house and/or life savings during the current economic crisis.

He comes across to me as 'in over his head'...but I'll continue to withhold opinion until the situation runs its course.

The fastest way to a man's... do you smell that?

The parking lot at the Tanger Outlet Center in the Great Smokey Mountains this past weekend.

A person would be hard pressed to find evidence of a recession where I was dragged to this past weekend. Okay, dragged may be too dramatic...with apologies to Mrs. Tony C Today. The family loaded up and made the 90 minute journey to the mecca of area shopping...Sevierville/Pigeon Forge. It doesn't take long after leaving I-40 at Exit 407 to figure out your thoughts of outstanding savings, at outlet pricing, on this day are neither original nor unique, as you sit bumper to bumper in traffic inching slowly closer to her...excuse me...your ultimate goal of over 100 brand name stores in one location. One location!

Let me predicate this post by stating I'm not a physical shopper. I'm a cyber-shopper. But, I love my wife, and she is very much a physical shopper. To her, Black Friday is an annual sporting event that requires both planning and preparation. She approaches the day after Thanksgiving with the same zeal and readiness as Hannibal did attacking the Roman Empire. So at her request, I came along for a Saturday of shopping with no pretenses...well...at least knowing I'd get to pick where we ate.

Packed. No parking. Stores thick with people...like ants on a dropped piece of Krispy Kreme glazed doughnut. Crazy. I was neither in my element nor comfort zone.

After being pummeled by more seasoned shoppers in a few different stores, I posted up on a bench outside one of the wife's favorites knowing I'd get a lengthy respite. Again, the sheer amount of people was amazing. I could see across the parking lot a line formed outside the Coach store, which limits the number of people inside at a given time. I was close to completing a mental observation when the lady sitting on the same bench broke my train of thought:

'There's sure a lot of people here.'

TC- 'Yes ma'am, hard to see the recession here.'

'We're here from South Carolina. Just got my tax refund check back, so I came shopping with money from the IRS.'

TC-(chuckling) 'Well, it's actually your money, not the IRS's.'

Now, I know what you're thinking...why'd you have to go there? Folks, it's just who I am, and for that, I'm not apologizing...although at times I probably should.

'Yes, but it's money I was expecting or needing to pay bills and stuff. Kinda like free money.'

TC- 'Yes, but you could get that money sooner, in your paychecks, by adjusting your...'

Another lady interrupted.

'I got more back this year than last year. Good thing Obama got elected.'

TC-' But what does he have to do with...'

'Come to think of it, I got more back too.'

TC-'President Obama has nothing to do with 2008 income taxes. He was elected in...'

'All I know is I got more money back from the IRS than ever before.'

TC-'But it's your money!'

At this point, I knew my line of reason was falling on deaf ears. I allowed a comfortable amount of time to pass before giving my seat up to another lady who had just arrived to join the group.

TC-'You ladies enjoy Tennessee. Now, be sure to spend all your money here before you go back to South Carolina. We're still listed behind you in educational spending...you know...and need the money more here.' I stated trying to come across light-hearted and drawing a polite giggle from each.

As my wife exited a door pushing the stroller with the 13 year old in tow, I steered us in the direction of Harry and David's and met no resistance. We strolled around the sidewalk window shopping and talking at a leisurely pace. As we approached the Coach store, I kicked back into analytical mode.

'Look at the line outside of Coach. I'm not waiting that long to go in there,' said my wife.

'I'd love to look around, but no way I'd stand in line,' piped in the teenager.

Do what? Now, I'm thinking my wife has, at a minimum, a million or so purses or pocketbooks...whatever you call them, and the teenager has more than any 13 year old deserves or has necessity. But, I also wanted to keep my position of choosing to eat at Cracker Barrel...so I remained silent and avoided the argument...for the moment. The friendly confines of Cracker Barrel seemed a more logical choice for this brewing verbal joust.

As we approached the waiting Coach shoppers, the jubilant atmosphere of money spending drastically changed and became one akin to people waiting in line to eat at a soup kitchen. It was...eerie. Heads where down, people looked tired and detached...and yet, most of them were well-dressed, blue-blooded looking folks.

'I can't believe we're waiting in line to shop at a discount, designer handbag store. This is ridiculous. Hope people are happy with Obama now!' I overheard one lady fuming to another in the line.

I remained silent and didn't stop and remark...Harry and David's was just ahead. I really love those chocolate covered Bing cherries.

If I had a dime everytime I've heard that...

I'm going to get off New Agers today (but don't worry, I'll be back) and revisit the economic crises we seem to be amidst. Specifically, let's talk federal budget deficit...again.

While reading through several articles this weekend concerning recent job loss news, more stimulus plans and a swelling budget deficit, I came across one article in particular that made me stop and think...wow, that is really scary!

President Obama has already warned - "Potentially we've got trillion-dollar deficits for years to come, even with the economic recovery that we are working on."

Trillions...years. Actually Mr. President, most analyst predict $1.2 trillion in 2009, but what's a couple of hundred billion here and there? What made my brain lock up like Windows Vista trying to multi-task, however, was the staggering analogy used to demonstrate what a trillion dollars looks like in terms we can all relate. Apparently, our minds just can't wrap around the concept of very, very large numbers. After all, it takes the same amount of time to write 1 million dollars, 1 billion dollars and 1 trillion dollars. Most people look at $1,000,000,000 when written out and initially proclaim it to be a trillion dollars. But the extra three 0's they're missing make a world of difference...and about 430 lifetimes.

David Schwartz, a children's book author whose How Much Is a Million? tries to wrap young minds around the concept- "One million seconds comes out to be about 11½ days. A billion seconds is 32 years. And a trillion seconds is 32,000 years. I like to say that I have a pretty good idea what I'll be doing a million seconds from now, no idea what I'll be doing a billion seconds from now, and an excellent idea of what I'll be doing a trillion seconds from now."

You think?

Now that you've rebooted, let's look at how the $1 trillion gets spinned by the people doing the spending. According to the Office of Budget and Management, $1 trillion divided by the 300 million people in the United States comes to $3,333 per person. Well...yes there is $99 million missing from this governmental equation...but they can't worry about amounts under $1 billion (someone needs to pass that memo to the IRS). Since the average person in our country carries a credit card balance of $3245, government debt is very similar to what the average person is doing.

Here's another good one but pertaining to the bailout. The $700 billion bailout translates into $45 per week for each American man, woman and child. Going one step further, it comes out to $6 a day. Six dollars a day is also 25 cents an hour, or less than half a penny a minute. Would you be willing to pay less than half a penny a minute to save our economy?

Well...okay... that doesn't sound too bad...but, my 1 year old and 13 year old are going to be pretty ticked when they get their $3,333 bill AND we take their credit cards away.

So much for a happy 2009.

Save my life, I'm going down for the last time.

What to do? What to do?

I'm sure it would come as no surprise to any who read my blog...I'm a free market kinda guy. Businesses are created and collapse daily in our country. We're capitalist...it's what we do!

Our big, fat government has stepped in and attempted to save not only insurance companies and investment banks in recent days but is currently working on a rescue for troubled mortgage holders. People, mind you, who took on mortgages they couldn't afford or wouldn't qualify to receive in a less covetous economic environment.

Up next? Detroit. The Big Three. The Heart of America. Today, the heads of Ford, Chrysler and GM go to Capitol Hill with hat in hand. Begging for help from the taxpayers because 'if we fail, America fails!' Baloney!

If the American auto industry fails, they have themselves to blame. Listening to talk radio on the way to work this morning, I heard caller after caller crying about Fair Trade Agreements and America First campaigns. As a nation, we need to step up and realize what made us great in the first place. It sure didn't happen because we whined for the world to buy what we made...absolutely not. We became a superpower and leader in the world markets by applying the fundamental principles of economics in a free economy. Make the best products the world wants for the best price...and they will buy them...and want more.

Detroit is in trouble because they have failed to realize and adjust to the global economy we all now live and work. Honda, Toyota and Nissan have all made moves to the U.S. and made them profitable because they build cars people want. The Big Three have become complacent and less innovative since nearly collapsing in the early 1980's. Unions have ignored the need for leaner, more productive work forces and focused on grabbing more and more of the profit share. Fundamentally, companies that don't adjust to market forces in the right directions fail...that's the way the free market works.

I personally work for a company dependent on the auto industry...it's what we do. If Detroit fails, will our company? Maybe, maybe not. We have constantly studied and updated our business plan to address the situation if the American auto industry does go under. That's all that we control in the situation. But from what I've seen from my perspective in dealing with Detroit...I'm amazed they've made it this long.

A short-term loan from American taxpayers will not fix Detroit. No, it will only delay the inevitable until their path is changed. A path that only Detroit can change. It won't be easy. It won't be quick. But if capitalism is to continue to thrive, businesses can't depend on the government to save them in tough times...that's the true path to socialism.

Bill Clinton: The Last Great Fiscal Conservative.

Here's an excellent article from yesterday's Wall Street Journal by Arthur B. Laffer:

The Age of Prosperity is Over

Bill Clinton has been the most fiscally conservative President in my lifetime. I know that makes blind-following Republicans cringe, but facts are facts. The New Democrat was able to reduce the $5.7 trillion national debt by $360 billion and create the largest federal budget surplus, as well as, the longest period of sustained economic growth in United States history. Of course, he didn't do it alone. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich lead a Republican controlled Congress that supported and passed initiatives from the White House in a bipartisan effort to get spending under control.

Unfortunately, politics eventually took over, and the finger pointing started. It's a stupid Washington rule that R's can't let D's and D's can't let R's take credit for the few good things happening there...ever.

Here's where R's are going to start insisting that Clinton just benefited from what Reagan started. Really? Twelve years worth? I love Ronnie and all that he did for our country, but getting federal spending under control was not one of those things. By the end of Reagan's second term, the national debt ballooned from 26 percent of the GDP in 1980 to 41 percent in 1989. By 1988, the debt totalled $2.6 trillion. The country owed more to foreign countries than it was owed, and the United States moved from being the world's largest international creditor to the world's largest debtor nation. That's not fiscally conservative!

Republicans are quick to wave the flag of conservatism, but it's not always a talk-the-talk, walk- the-walk label. On some issues...sure. On fiscal issues...not so much lately.

If John McCain happens to somehow pull the election off next Tuesday, I hope he will walk the walk of a fiscal conservative. It would then be time for Democrats to return the favor to the White House their President received from 1992-2000.

Wow...those sure were the good ole days.

Where have you been 'Cut Spending' McCain?

"Stop spending our money like it grows on trees."

Finally, with 8 stinking days to go, John McCain comes out and states what he should have been stating all along. Talking today about the difference between him and BO:

"We both disagree with President Bush on economic policies," McCain said. "My approach is to get spending under control. The difference between us is he thinks taxes have been too low, and I think that spending has been too high."

If Senator McCain had pounded this message on the stump for the past two months instead of the publicly indifferent issues he has been spewing, he'd be looking back out BO instead of chasing him this final week.

You've got to believe that the majority of Americans understand what our Founding Fathers understood...a big federal government isn't good for our country or for us.

Let's face it. If the Republicans didn't bring spending under control the six years they controlled the White House and Congress, you can bet the farm Democrats sure won't given the same positions.

Unless Senator McCain and the RNC dump the mudslinging campaign that's having no effect on public opinion and focus on what he stated today (clearly and concisely), 2012 won't get here fast enough.

More stimulus rebate checks? My poor great,great grandchildren...literally.

I'm sure like most average Americans, I was glad to see a little of the income taxes I payed returned to me this year. Sure, I made cracks around the office and at church about how happy China must be that the U.S. borrowed money from them to give back to the people, so they could buy more stuff from, well, from China. In the end though, I did what the President asked me to do with my money (again) and bought a sofa and a few other nice things. I didn't squirrel it away in my savings or dump it in my portfolio...it just seemed unpatriotic to spend my money, sorry, the stimulus rebate check that way.

Now, here we go again in Washington. 'What was a great idea once must be a second time.' If it works with atomic weapons (i.e. Hiroshima and Nagasaki), surely it works with economic issues. Hmmmm.

Okay, a hyperbole at best...but the result could end up about the same. 'Screaming, burning Asian people running through what was once streets?' No, but a few of the screams could come from Asian/Americans running after being burnt on Wall Street...along with everyone else...as we continue to amass more and more debt.

Hey Washington, keep the check and apply it to the National debt. While you're at it, why don't you cut federal spending about 6% or so (to start). We'll all be a lot better off in the long run if we do that instead of making a $1 trillion deficit... $1.3 trillion.

By the way, I mean no disrespect to the Japanese or Asians in general, and my sofa was from North Carolina .

Sorry... I don't carry cash.

$53 trillion. That number is absolutely staggering, and it's the old number representing our national debt plus all the unfunded promises such as Social Security and Medicare, which have no future tax revenues to cover them. In additional, the FY2008/09 projected number for a $1 trillion budget deficit equates to almost 7.5% on the Gross Domestic Product. Now before you hock-loving types start bantering about the ratio of y to z is less than k on the third Sunday stuff, let's put it into terms we 'normal' everyday simple folk can relate.

In 2006, the US Census Bureau estimated there are 111,617,402 US households (+/- 145,530), so let's round to 111,500,000 for those of us mathematically challenged. Stay with me, here come a lot of zeros.

That's 53,000,000,000,000 divided by 111,500,000 which comes to...cancel the zeros, carry the 2...and...475,386.32....okay, rounded to 475,386. That's dollars. For each household. Wow.

Can I get a bailout?

'I don't trust either of you...you dishonest politicians!' Joe the Plumber

Joe Biden, Joe Six-Pack and Joe the Plumber -
The plumber leads by 12 points in most polls.

Okay, Joe didn't really say that...but he could! Watching the debate last night was almost as painful for me as watching the Dodger lose in Game 5 of the NLCS. Almost. And poor Joe, he kept getting pulled in from both sides. 'My buddy Joe...' and 'Good ole Joe' references were used like cheap white paint trying to cover a deep red or deep blue wall. It's not working. Politics...no partisan politics painted the dark walls to start. I'm sick of hearing the D's blame the R's and the R's blame the D's and then both pandering to the few polarizing issues that divide us into D's and R's. I just don't believe either of them is willing to fix the real problems.

McCain talked out of both sides of his mouth promising to control spending and give tax cuts on one side then promising more entitlement programs on the other. How does that work John? In my house, if we act on wants and not needs, we end up spending more money. Since there's only so much money to go around each month, spending more means something gives somewhere else (i.e. food, clothes, charity giving, etc.). I can't just go to my boss and declare 'I spent more this month, so I need more pay this month.' Of course, there's always...don't say it...yes...credit cards (oh the humanity, the humanity!). More debt is definitely not the answer, and the biggest reason we're in the mess we're in today.

Then there's Mr. Debonair. Cool and sophisticated. At points in the debate, I was so enthralled by Obama's promises that I found myself opening my wallet and just throwing money at the TV. 'Take it...take it all!' Well, that's what it would pretty much be under his reign. God love 'em, Democrats are never going to give money back. No how, no way. Every answer BO gave seemed to start with 'The government...' Is that the answer to all our problems or the cause? Hmmmm.

Facts are facts. The R's had control of the White House and Congress for SIX YEARS. Did the federal government get smaller? Did the national deficit go away? Both got BIGGER. We all know the D's aren't going to make government smaller no sooner than fish are going to jump out of water everywhere and start walking to get around. It's just not going to happen.

Conservatives are being betrayed nationwide. Government has grown out of control for so many years, the obesity may be irreversible without major surgery. The surgeon needs to be us, the American voter (hey, I stay at Holiday Inn Express). What needs to be fixed is major - out of control spending, tax reform, campaign finance reform, and term limits for Congress just to name a few. It's the only option, and politicians needs to be held accountable to make it happen or be replaced... surgically removed. Washington has become too comfortable with incompetence and for incumbents.

I hate to use a Bill O'Reilly phrase (God forgive me please), but we have to stop drinking the Kool Aid...blind following. Republicans nominated the wrong guy. He can't beat Obama. He won't. Deal with it and start getting ready for the next fight. It's coming very soon. We need true conservative leadership in Washington...not big government politicians dressed up like conservatives. We have to demand the federal government not only be smaller, but also less intrusive in the free market and our free personal lives.

Let's get back to the basics of 1776, or even 1876, before we find our country being ran by only the special interest and a select few and not the 'We' in 'We the people...'

I hope we're not too late.

$700 Billion? That's all you need? No problem...

My grandfather used to tell me, "When you're hip deep in snapping turtles, it's too late to think about draining the pond." He was quite gregarious and most never subtle, and the obvious wisdoms he spewed were often lost in his happy-go-lucky demeanor. I remember this particular colloquial idiom because the words mentally echoed in the midst of a personal crisis which were, at one time, all to frequent in my life. According to my grandfather, "So what do I do now?" is best preceded by "That doesn't sound like a good idea" and can, in fact, lead to the complete unnecessity of the first statement all together.

To the subject at hand...So what do we do now? Since it's obviously and unfortunately moot for the latter of the two statements above, we (read Americans) are left anxious and near panic over the current U.S. financial crisis spirally completely out of control.

(Uncle Sam enters stage right...no left...wait, right) "I'm from the government, and I'm here to help."

There would be a pause here in the production for audience laughter. To bad this scene isn't a line from a comedy, but rather a scene playing out from a tragedy of epic proportion.

I think most of us (again, read Americans) are just plain... mad. Maybe that's not strong enough. How about...angry. The prevailing hover of political apathy in the public air has been whiffed away by a strong high pressure system located over Washington DC that seems to be impacting everyone's local weather. On a global scale.

So, what do we do now? Okay, ignoring the question doesn't seem to make it go away. I don't know the answer, and I'm pretty sure the elected people who helped get us here in the first place don't have the answer either. No, they're too business blaming it on the Bush Administration, the Democratic controlled Congress..heck, they're too business blaming each other! All while floating plans to spend nearly a trillion dollars of our money.

Republicans: "We have a plan."

Democrats: "That might work. We can't vote for that!"

"How about this plan? OUR plan."

Republicans: "That might work too. We can't support that!"

Democrats: "This is your fault!"

Republicans: "No, this is your fault!"

Democrats: "Stop touching me!"

Republican: "You stop touching me!"

Both burst into tears.

Man, I miss my grandfather.