I have not ever taken any of Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace classes, though I know many who have and have heard what a difference it makes. Anyway, tonight, Dave Ramsey is holding a Town Hall for Hope...basically he is broadcasting to churches all over the nation and taking questions by phone, email, twitter, facebook etc. I think this is a great event for anyone who has questions about these uncertain economic times and wants to hear a message of hope rather than discouragement.
Check it out: Town Hall for Hope
Showing posts with label economy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label economy. Show all posts
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
tax day tea parties
Back in Feb, we had a little tea party protest here in Atlanta. This nationwide movement has really gained momentum, and on Tax Day, April 15th, there will be a big tea party at the Capitol here in Atlanta, complete with an appearance by Sean Hannity. I strongly encourage you to check it out if you're in the area, and if you're not, check out the nationwide site for a party in your area. Make a clever sign & wear red! I will be there to catch the end...I actually have a volunteer orientation to attend for something completely different. But I should be able to get to the tea party for at least the last hour. I'm excited!
And here is a great, funny, yet completely serious video via my Aunt Debbie. It should get you pumped for a tea party:
Friday, March 27, 2009
links of the day
I know, I know, I have been the worst blogger. It's hard because my main motivation in starting a blog was to write about my experience training & running a marathon. Now that it's over, I've lost a lot of motivation to continue blogging. I can't even seem to finish blogging about the marathon itself! And then my other motivation was the election...and then that ended and didn't have quite the finish I was hoping for. But I'll try to catch up...
I was reading through the news today & came across 2 realllly good article about Obama's poor performance with the presidency so far. I have tried to really give him a chance, but I just don't believe he is leading this country the right way. I do give him props for opening the White House up more to technology - the online town hall was a cool idea, even if he didn't really tell us anything new through it.
Anyway, I find this article on CNN really revealing. Because now I know it's not just me that feels this way. There are so many good quotes in this article that I won't regurgitate here, you just need to read it yourself.
And here is another good article and guess what the title is? "On Spending and the Deficit, McCain was Right." My favorite part:
The point was that Obama was promising so many things that to pay for them he would eventually have to raise taxes on people making far less than $250,000. Look out, McCain warned -- someday he'll come after you.
And now that's where we appear to be headed. At some point, Obama will likely have to bow to those in his party who say he must raise taxes if he wants to pay for health care and other expensive initiatives.
Yeah, I can't WAIT til my already meager salary gets even more taxed by the govt. Yippee.
I was reading through the news today & came across 2 realllly good article about Obama's poor performance with the presidency so far. I have tried to really give him a chance, but I just don't believe he is leading this country the right way. I do give him props for opening the White House up more to technology - the online town hall was a cool idea, even if he didn't really tell us anything new through it.
Anyway, I find this article on CNN really revealing. Because now I know it's not just me that feels this way. There are so many good quotes in this article that I won't regurgitate here, you just need to read it yourself.
And here is another good article and guess what the title is? "On Spending and the Deficit, McCain was Right." My favorite part:
The point was that Obama was promising so many things that to pay for them he would eventually have to raise taxes on people making far less than $250,000. Look out, McCain warned -- someday he'll come after you.
And now that's where we appear to be headed. At some point, Obama will likely have to bow to those in his party who say he must raise taxes if he wants to pay for health care and other expensive initiatives.
Yeah, I can't WAIT til my already meager salary gets even more taxed by the govt. Yippee.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
link of the day
Check out Jon Stewart...yes you read that right...Jon Stewart ripping Obama's plan to make veterans use private health insurance. It is so worth it, just for his last 3 sentences. Check it out.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
quote of the day
"My colleagues and I are sending a letter to [AIG CEO Edward] Liddy informing him that he can go right ahead and tell the employees that are scheduled to get bonuses that they should voluntarily return them," Sen. Charles Schumer said on the Senate floor. "Because if they don't, we plan to tax virtually all of [the money] ... so it is returned to its rightful owners, the taxpayers."
via CNN
Does anyone else get the feeling that our leaders have no real clue what they're doing?
"we plan to tax...so it is returned to its rightful owners, the taxpayers"
So let me get this straight. First, the govt taxes you and me. Then, they give the money away to these AIG execs. Then, they threaten to tax the money, which in essence is already tax money. So they want to tax the taxes and give the money back to...its rightful owners? Except that it's actually going back to the government. And you and I won't see a cent of it returned to us. And to put the frosting on the cake...who's bright idea was it in the first place to give them a loan? And now they want to tax the loan?
Someone please explain to Sen. Schumer how ridiculous this is.
via CNN
Does anyone else get the feeling that our leaders have no real clue what they're doing?
"we plan to tax...so it is returned to its rightful owners, the taxpayers"
So let me get this straight. First, the govt taxes you and me. Then, they give the money away to these AIG execs. Then, they threaten to tax the money, which in essence is already tax money. So they want to tax the taxes and give the money back to...its rightful owners? Except that it's actually going back to the government. And you and I won't see a cent of it returned to us. And to put the frosting on the cake...who's bright idea was it in the first place to give them a loan? And now they want to tax the loan?
Someone please explain to Sen. Schumer how ridiculous this is.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
jefferson, washington, and chuck norris
Our President & Congress desperately need a history lesson from Thomas Jefferson & George Washington...and Chuck Norris.
To contract new debts is not the way to pay old ones.
George Washington, letter to James Welch, Apr. 7, 1799
To preserve [the] independence [of the people,] we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude. If we run into such debts as that we must be taxed in our meat and in our drink, in our necessaries and our comforts, in our labors and our amusements, for our callings and our creeds, as the people of England are, our people, like them, must come to labor sixteen hours in the twenty-four, give the earnings of fifteen of these to the government for their debts and daily expenses, and the sixteenth being insufficient to afford us bread, we must live, as they now do, on oatmeal and potatoes, have no time to think, no means of calling the mismanagers to account, but be glad to obtain subsistence by hiring ourselves to rivet their chains on the necks of our fellow-sufferers.
Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Kercheval, 1816. ME 15:39
All of this courtesy of Chuck Norris, who has compiled a great many quotes from our founding fathers in this article: I may run for president of Texas. A good, quick read if you're up for it! Maybe Chuck Norris will join the ranks for Jefferson & Washington as a great President some day, hehe.
And props to Ryan for pointing these out to me and issuing a challenge to us all - write letters/emails to the President and your elected officials and ask them what they think of what our founding fathers said!
To contract new debts is not the way to pay old ones.
George Washington, letter to James Welch, Apr. 7, 1799
To preserve [the] independence [of the people,] we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude. If we run into such debts as that we must be taxed in our meat and in our drink, in our necessaries and our comforts, in our labors and our amusements, for our callings and our creeds, as the people of England are, our people, like them, must come to labor sixteen hours in the twenty-four, give the earnings of fifteen of these to the government for their debts and daily expenses, and the sixteenth being insufficient to afford us bread, we must live, as they now do, on oatmeal and potatoes, have no time to think, no means of calling the mismanagers to account, but be glad to obtain subsistence by hiring ourselves to rivet their chains on the necks of our fellow-sufferers.
Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Kercheval, 1816. ME 15:39
All of this courtesy of Chuck Norris, who has compiled a great many quotes from our founding fathers in this article: I may run for president of Texas. A good, quick read if you're up for it! Maybe Chuck Norris will join the ranks for Jefferson & Washington as a great President some day, hehe.
And props to Ryan for pointing these out to me and issuing a challenge to us all - write letters/emails to the President and your elected officials and ask them what they think of what our founding fathers said!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
personal responsibility
I like this guy. Basically, he's a state worker who makes $93000 a year, but his cost of living raise was withheld this year. So, instead of complaining, or looking for handouts, or reneging on his promises to support charities, he took a...gasp! Low paying job at Wendy's.
My favorite part:
Stokely was asked whether he might be taking a job away from someone who needs the money. Stokely said he can't take responsibility for something like that. "I'm sure Wendy's didn't hire me just to give the solicitor a $7.25 supplement. That door is open for them to go and apply just like it was for me," he said.
Yeah dude! It sucks, but you did the right thing. And no one should say anything bad about you, because you're actually taking personal responsibility to make your life what you want it to be. And therein lies the root of my anger towards the stimulus, bailouts, new government budgets...America has forgotten personal responsibility and the power of individual freedom. I want the responsibility to make my life want I want it to be. I don't want the government to take it from me. I'm so sick of the mentality that SO many Americans have these days. That they are entitled to handouts, that they don't have to take responsibility because the govt will always be there to bail them out, that the world will end if we don't entrust our lives to the government's care. That is not the answer. Why don't we want to take our lives back, and take our freedoms back? If you want a better life, don't look to the government to make it for you, do it yourself. And do it responsibly, aka don't buy a $1 million dollar house when you only make $50000 a year.
You with me?! Ok, that is my rant for the day.
Does the Boston Tea Party of a couple hundred years ago ring a bell?
Check out our very own Atlanta Tea Party going on tomorrow at the Capitol. Our founding fathers revolted and warred with England over ridiculous taxation. Now here we are with our leaders saddling us and future generations with debts that cannot be paid back. A $3 trillion budget comes to mind. This seems like change for the worse. Time for a revolution??
and props to ryan for the Stokely article :)
My favorite part:
Stokely was asked whether he might be taking a job away from someone who needs the money. Stokely said he can't take responsibility for something like that. "I'm sure Wendy's didn't hire me just to give the solicitor a $7.25 supplement. That door is open for them to go and apply just like it was for me," he said.
Yeah dude! It sucks, but you did the right thing. And no one should say anything bad about you, because you're actually taking personal responsibility to make your life what you want it to be. And therein lies the root of my anger towards the stimulus, bailouts, new government budgets...America has forgotten personal responsibility and the power of individual freedom. I want the responsibility to make my life want I want it to be. I don't want the government to take it from me. I'm so sick of the mentality that SO many Americans have these days. That they are entitled to handouts, that they don't have to take responsibility because the govt will always be there to bail them out, that the world will end if we don't entrust our lives to the government's care. That is not the answer. Why don't we want to take our lives back, and take our freedoms back? If you want a better life, don't look to the government to make it for you, do it yourself. And do it responsibly, aka don't buy a $1 million dollar house when you only make $50000 a year.
You with me?! Ok, that is my rant for the day.
Does the Boston Tea Party of a couple hundred years ago ring a bell?
Check out our very own Atlanta Tea Party going on tomorrow at the Capitol. Our founding fathers revolted and warred with England over ridiculous taxation. Now here we are with our leaders saddling us and future generations with debts that cannot be paid back. A $3 trillion budget comes to mind. This seems like change for the worse. Time for a revolution??
and props to ryan for the Stokely article :)
Friday, February 13, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
take the time to laugh
Even in the hard economic climate...it always helps to have a laugh. thanks Ryan :) You may have to click on the image if it doesn't show up all the way, not sure why blogger isn't formatting it correctly. You should see 16 boxes in the strip.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUhGesg68djMOUCo-6R9KKcURhmsrkNSd3bSPouK4l238ikK5UGst5U6qLvZwoRhAIbCiCL6_MWhPQgVJ74Z8-LHUSX1HTaUKdVwJz21DbcE_XltjgySkWZBvaC_juJReDRVEueBVNneg/s1600/CalvinHobbs.BMP
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUhGesg68djMOUCo-6R9KKcURhmsrkNSd3bSPouK4l238ikK5UGst5U6qLvZwoRhAIbCiCL6_MWhPQgVJ74Z8-LHUSX1HTaUKdVwJz21DbcE_XltjgySkWZBvaC_juJReDRVEueBVNneg/s1600/CalvinHobbs.BMP
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
generational theft
The generational theft bill aka stimulus bill passed the Senate, which really wasn't a big surprise. But still. Disappointing. Not exactly the birthday present I was hoping for. Haha.
And a tip from Raegan, who talked to Rep.Tom Price's office today. At this point, all there is left to do is email/call/write letters to Speaker Pelosi and the White House. So do it. I just did!
Also from Raegan - good article on how the stimulus bill is literally bad for your health.
And a tip from Raegan, who talked to Rep.Tom Price's office today. At this point, all there is left to do is email/call/write letters to Speaker Pelosi and the White House. So do it. I just did!
Also from Raegan - good article on how the stimulus bill is literally bad for your health.
Friday, February 6, 2009
links of the day
MUST reads for today! Tell your senators NO on the stimulus bill.
top 10 reasons to oppose the stimulus
stimulate economy, not government - commentary on CNN by Mitt Romney
beware the politics of fear - Krauthammer in the Washington Post
top 10 reasons to oppose the stimulus
stimulate economy, not government - commentary on CNN by Mitt Romney
beware the politics of fear - Krauthammer in the Washington Post
Monday, February 2, 2009
stimulating links of the day
Man there is so much good stuff out there on how bad the stimulus package & our elected officials are.
First from CNN/Rubin Navarette Jr., commentary on the now stripped funding for birth control.
First from CNN/Rubin Navarette Jr., commentary on the now stripped funding for birth control.
"You know the nation's cupboard is bare when politicians propose limiting the number of births as a way of improving the economy. That's a conversation we shouldn't be having.
There is nothing more private -- that is, none of the government's business -- than the personal decision that a family makes about how many children to have. Besides, Pelosi's comments had an ugly ring to them."
Navarette goes on to compare Pelosi's comments to Margaret Sanger's ideas of birth control eugenics, social engineering, etc. Scary right? Good thing that funding is not in the bill any more, but it shocks me that it was even there in the first place. That we have politicans considering that kind of encroachment on the family unit as a solution to our economic crisis. Why don't we try tax cuts first? Give the American taxpayer a break.
Second, from U.S. News: Less than 25% of the bill is actually stimulus. Compare that to 40% of the bill that is actually agenda-relating.
Third, from Flip, a nice graphic that can help us grasp how much $1 trillion really is:
And last, yet another list of excessive spending and our politicians turning a blind eye:
"New York's Charles Rangel and five other Democratic members of the House enjoyed a trip to the Caribbean sponsored in part by Citigroup (see above) in November - after Congress had approved the $700 bailout for financial firms (including Citigroup)."
Anyone got some good news for me today??? Anyone?
Thursday, November 20, 2008
link of the day: black friday
In the spirit of doing my part to stimulate the economy, here is an awesome site that will help you plan your Black Friday shopping. They post Black Friday flyers as they become available, so you don't have to wait til Thanksgiving to know what's going to be on sale. You can sign up for their email list and get updates as ads come out. They also include opening times for stores and a cool personalized shopping list.
I've already got a game plan for Best Buy and I hope they get WalMart's soon!
I've already got a game plan for Best Buy and I hope they get WalMart's soon!
Romney on Friday
I heard Mitt Romney on Hugh Hewitt last night - had some really great things to say. And what do you know...Gov. Romney will be here in Georgia Friday stumping for Sen. Chambliss. And he's making not one, but two! appearances. Too bad I will miss it! If you go, let me know, take some pics, etc etc.
Please Join
Senator Saxby Chambliss
&
Governor Mitt Romney
Atlanta Victory Rally 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
10:30 am - 11:30 am
InterContinental Hotel
Venetian Ballroom
3315 Peachtree Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30326
Savannah Victory Rally 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Charles H. Morris Center
10 East Broad Street
Savannah, GA 31401
Please RSVP to RSVP-at-saxby-dot-org or call (678)589-4888
Please arrive on time.
And! I wrote our senators and such about my feelings of opposition to the bailout...got this response from Sen. Chambliss (curiously nothing from Isakson, Lewis, Bush...so Saxby gets bonus points there).
Thank you for contacting me regarding a financial rescue of the automakers. It is good to hear from you.
The automobile industry has deep seated problems that cannot only be solved by more money. Instead, a restructuring of the industry is needed. I am not in favor of using taxpayer funds to bailout the industry.
If you would like to receive timely email alerts regarding the latest congressional actions and my weekly e-newsletter, please sign up via my website at: www.chambliss.senate.gov . Please let me know whenever I may be of assistance.
Please Join
Senator Saxby Chambliss
&
Governor Mitt Romney
Atlanta Victory Rally 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
10:30 am - 11:30 am
InterContinental Hotel
Venetian Ballroom
3315 Peachtree Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30326
Savannah Victory Rally 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Charles H. Morris Center
10 East Broad Street
Savannah, GA 31401
Please RSVP to RSVP-at-saxby-dot-org or call (678)589-4888
Please arrive on time.
And! I wrote our senators and such about my feelings of opposition to the bailout...got this response from Sen. Chambliss (curiously nothing from Isakson, Lewis, Bush...so Saxby gets bonus points there).
Thank you for contacting me regarding a financial rescue of the automakers. It is good to hear from you.
The automobile industry has deep seated problems that cannot only be solved by more money. Instead, a restructuring of the industry is needed. I am not in favor of using taxpayer funds to bailout the industry.
If you would like to receive timely email alerts regarding the latest congressional actions and my weekly e-newsletter, please sign up via my website at: www.chambliss.senate.gov . Please let me know whenever I may be of assistance.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
just say no
Great!! article from Jonah Goldberg (love him) about saying no to Obama's experimental government. I could not agree more with his view.
Favorite parts:
"In fact, I want to be experimental too. So here's my idea: Just stop.
Stop talking about bailouts and stimuli. Stop pondering ever more drastic action. Give it a rest. Let it be.
One of the main reasons there's all of this "money on the sidelines" out there among private investors is that Wall Street doesn't know what the government will do next. Will it bail out the auto industry? The insurance companies? Which taxes will go up? How far will interest rates go down? How long will the federal government own stakes in the banks? Will more stimulus checks go out? If so, how big will the deficit get?"
...
"In a time of stability and growth, government can afford bold, persistent experimentation. But in a time of uncertainty, the last thing it needs is more uncertainty. Yet Obama's confident pragmatism, like FDR's, is a threat to confidence where it matters -- among consumers, credit markets and investors.
Yes, letting GM go into bankruptcy would be scary. But a GM bailout merely kicks GM's problems down the road while spreading the contagion about where Uncle Sam's big feet will land next. Besides, bankruptcy isn't the end of the world. It's the means by which bad companies restructure to fix themselves. Bailouts are the means by which governments subsidize bad companies."
Favorite parts:
"In fact, I want to be experimental too. So here's my idea: Just stop.
Stop talking about bailouts and stimuli. Stop pondering ever more drastic action. Give it a rest. Let it be.
One of the main reasons there's all of this "money on the sidelines" out there among private investors is that Wall Street doesn't know what the government will do next. Will it bail out the auto industry? The insurance companies? Which taxes will go up? How far will interest rates go down? How long will the federal government own stakes in the banks? Will more stimulus checks go out? If so, how big will the deficit get?"
...
"In a time of stability and growth, government can afford bold, persistent experimentation. But in a time of uncertainty, the last thing it needs is more uncertainty. Yet Obama's confident pragmatism, like FDR's, is a threat to confidence where it matters -- among consumers, credit markets and investors.
Yes, letting GM go into bankruptcy would be scary. But a GM bailout merely kicks GM's problems down the road while spreading the contagion about where Uncle Sam's big feet will land next. Besides, bankruptcy isn't the end of the world. It's the means by which bad companies restructure to fix themselves. Bailouts are the means by which governments subsidize bad companies."
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
links of the day
In response to the impending auto industry bailout, here is a great article from James Quinn, from the Wharton School. It's chock full of charts, graphs, numbers, history etc. and while I think it puts too much blame on Bush and not enough on Carter & Clinton, I particularly like his conclusion...
"My biggest concern is that our politician leaders and their cronies running our government will continue to try and reverse the normal capitalistic course of recession and expansion. Companies need to fail, housing needs to find its bottom based on supply, demand and price. Those who gambled must be allowed to lose and suffer the consequences. If the government attempts to shift the losses to those who lived lifestyles of thrift, an angry uprising will ensue. Government intervention in this natural process could lead to a decade long depression."
That's my biggest concern too. Why is it ok for me to budget, live responsibly, work hard, only to see my money go to someone else who hasn't done any of those things? How long until we say enough is enough? If we're going to bail out each industry, when am I going to get my student loan bailout? Hm?
And in honor of Veterans Day yesterday, here is a cool link to say thank you to those who are still serving our great nation. The goal is to record over 1 million unique thank yous, so that 1 message can appear online every 30 seconds for 1 year. Our servicemen & women can log on at any time from any where and see a new thank you every 30 seconds :) A really big project - I think it's awesome!
"My biggest concern is that our politician leaders and their cronies running our government will continue to try and reverse the normal capitalistic course of recession and expansion. Companies need to fail, housing needs to find its bottom based on supply, demand and price. Those who gambled must be allowed to lose and suffer the consequences. If the government attempts to shift the losses to those who lived lifestyles of thrift, an angry uprising will ensue. Government intervention in this natural process could lead to a decade long depression."
That's my biggest concern too. Why is it ok for me to budget, live responsibly, work hard, only to see my money go to someone else who hasn't done any of those things? How long until we say enough is enough? If we're going to bail out each industry, when am I going to get my student loan bailout? Hm?
And in honor of Veterans Day yesterday, here is a cool link to say thank you to those who are still serving our great nation. The goal is to record over 1 million unique thank yous, so that 1 message can appear online every 30 seconds for 1 year. Our servicemen & women can log on at any time from any where and see a new thank you every 30 seconds :) A really big project - I think it's awesome!
Monday, October 20, 2008
sunday morning
So, I am sitting in Goldberg's with my dad on Sunday morning (great bagels, by the way - try the sourdough! mmm), and I look up at the TV, which is on CNN. Before the break, the tease is about finances and they say, you might have all the answers in a book you already have. Ohhh interesting right? Then lo & behold, they come back from break, and I see my pastor...and then, hey that looks like the sanctuary...well wouldn't you know, CNN's Betty Nguyen interviewed my pastor about money matters. He had a lot of good stuff to say:
Friday, October 10, 2008
have we reached the bottom yet?
I saw a trader today in a breaking news "special report" as the market opened, and he said he thinks we are reaching the bottom. Apparently a violent downturn will clear out all the sellers and make room for the buyers. Makes sense. Are we really at the bottom? I hope so. I watched my tv intently as the market fell several hundred points and dropped into the 7000s this AM. yikes!
Bailout??? Talk to me about the bailout. What good has it done besides freeing up credit? Bush is going to speak soon. What is he going to say? "Don't freak out, don't sell!" Like that is going to help. What a mess. I've started looking at one-way flights outta here...also at sailboats.
Bailout??? Talk to me about the bailout. What good has it done besides freeing up credit? Bush is going to speak soon. What is he going to say? "Don't freak out, don't sell!" Like that is going to help. What a mess. I've started looking at one-way flights outta here...also at sailboats.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
i'm vomiting now
This is what the bailouts get us...AIG executives going off on a retreat at a luxurious hotel a week after the government bailed them out. Gosh, I wish I could do that on my tax money.
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