I have been silent way too long!

Over the last few months, I have been a bit busy on other projects, and ranting here just felt like I would be repeating myself, but, it is time!

You may have read what I predicted in the past, and I hate to do it, but, I TOLD YA SO! Way before our glorious leader was elected to dictator in chief, I basically described him as a  Hugo Chavez wanna be, then, Herr Obama took over the car companies, the banks, health care, and so on, hopefully people are waking up, finally! Now that he has BP on the ropes, what will happen next? With the deep water drilling on hold, will he finally get a strangle-hold on our economy with the Cap & Trade bill?

If you will keep on watching what gets shoved down our throats, before the next election removes his power, it is not the actual bills that get passed that are the problem, it is what is hidden within them, things that no-one knows about, until it is too late. It is a bit like getting spy-ware on your computer, that freebie program sounds so good, you install it, then boom, all of your credit card and banking info gets stolen, only with Obama and his progressive hoods, it is more than just our personal info, it is our country that is going to be stolen!

I just hope that the Democrats have a few members with a spine, to join in with the Republicans with a spine, to tell Obama and his gang to kiss it and not pass any more of this crap! I have lived in a socialist country, and if they don’t stop these radicals in Washington, our whole way of life could go down the tubes in one big flush!

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Ignorance is bliss!

Just a day or two ago, I saw on Hannity, (Fox News), he had a panel of Democrats from New Jersey, the show was very interesting, and as usual, allowed the views from the “left” to be shared. I have to admit, I spend almost all of my day, and night, watching the news, and a limited few other programs, and reading books, but my world, my life, is basically here, on the Internet, so, I am able to keep up with what is actually going on in the world, and do not base my opinions on second or third hand information. This said, I am not judging anyone, I am just letting you know where I am coming from.

During this show, Hannity asked one guy if he liked paying taxes, and broke it down as to the facts about his state and local taxes making it that he paid more to live in a state that is in debt and has high unemployment. This guy, said he has to pay more in taxes to pay for states that don’t have state tax! Obviously, this poor uninformed man did not have a clue! State taxes go to that state, it is the federal taxes that go into the government fund and are supposed to be used to take care of the things that the Federal government is supposed to take care of, like our military, but, not the things the state is supposed to take care of like roads in that state.

You could summarize the definition of the word, “ignorance”, as, “not knowing”, thus, this man was ignorant to the facts. The type of government you have, the wasteful spending, the entitlements, the unions, and so on are what determine how much money a state needs and where they get this money. I live in the great state of Texas, we have no local or state taxes, and also have a balanced budget, unemployement is still lower than most states, and, the low taxes is at least part of the reason! Texas is a big place, has tons of roads, and no, they are not all perfect, I doubt any state is, but, we are doing pretty good. So, why do these “liberal” states have so many taxes? Ignorance! Yes, the people there, obviously, “don’t know”, that they too can have lower taxes, if, the adopt more conservative ways and move away from the fanatical fantasy of the “nanny state” that takes care of everything!

I met a guy from “up north” who was looking for a job, and couldn’t understand why here in Texas he got laughed at when looking for a job. The guy went on to explain that he just wanted to get paid about what he did “back home”, which was about $25 an hour, for a “helper” position. I couldn’t help but laugh when he said that he had been told, “we could hire three guys for that amount”, because I knew it was true. What this guy was so ignorant of, were the facts, that $25 an hour, put him in a higher tax bracket,  with the added local and state taxes, and the “Union Dues” he brought home less than the guy that got $8 an hour here! This means that three people have a job, spend money and keep the economy going. The cost of living is less here too because the business you buy your food or whatever from doesn’t have to pay those extra taxes to the city, state or union! You do the math, are you ignorant?

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Email from Congressman Michael McCaul 4-17-09

April 17, 2009

Dear Friends,

This week, millions of hard-working Americans filed their taxes and joined together to protest our nation’s tax burden, a reminder of just how much of their hard-earned money goes to Washington.

During these challenging economic times, our nation’s families and small businesses are struggling to make ends meet. As a result, Americans are paying higher taxes to offset out-of-control government spending. The American people know we can’t spend and tax our way back to a growing economy.

In order to create and maintain long-term economic growth, Congress must put politics aside and protect the American taxpayer.

I continue to support a budget that provides $1.2 trillion in tax relief. It also includes provisions to end bailouts, reduce non-defense discretionary spending, and tackle health entitlements, reducing the national debt by more than $6 trillion.

BORDER SECURITY

When I return to Washington next week I will be introducing legislation to increase funding and resources to secure the border, combat violence from Mexican drug cartels, and better enforce existing immigration laws.  I will be touring a part of the border early next week to get a first-hand account of the situation.

DISTRICT EVENTS

I’m going back to Washington energized by so many people who participated in events across the country and in the 10^th District this week.  Together we are sending a resounding message to the Obama administration that we will not tolerate record spending, debt and higher taxes. 

IN THE NEWS

Austin American-Statesman

http://www.statesman.com/search/content/news/stories/local/04/16/0416teaparties.html

Katy Times

http://www.katytimes.com/articles/2009/04/16/news/doc49e4e9b47353b860920458.txt

Banner Press

http://www.brenhambanner.com/articles/2009/04/15/news/news01.txt

Tomball Potpourri http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2009/04/15/tomball_magnolia_potpourri/news/po_as_mccaul_tea_party_4_22.txt

Sealy News

http://www.sealynews.com/articles/2009/04/17/news/news01.txt

See VIDEO from this week’s district events at

http://www.youtube.com/michaeltmccaul

It’s been great to see many of you across the district the last couple weeks.

With best regards,

Michael T. McCaul

Member of Congress

** If you would like to register to receive the McCaul Minute click here

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An email from Michael Steele 4-14

Dear David,Vice President Joe Biden said during the 2008 campaign that it is patriotic for Americans to pay more in taxes. Since taking over control of Washington, the Obama Democrats have decided we should all be more “patriotic” having passed or proposed more than $5 trillion in new spending and $1.4 trillion in new taxes.

I don’t know about you, David, but I don’t believe there is anything patriotic about giving more of your hard-earned money to the government to bankroll the liberal Democrats’ agenda to increase spending to record levels, change the tax code to redistribute the wealth of working families, and destroy the savings of millions of middle-class Americans.

So on this Tax Day, April 15, the Republican National Committee is asking you, along with hundreds of thousands of grassroots activists across our country, to assert a real patriotic act by sending a virtual tea bag to Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and the rest of the tax, spend and borrow Democrats. Let them know enough is enough and you don’t approve of their plan to pass the largest tax hike in American history.

And when you send your virtual tea bag today, I hope you will also take this opportunity to make a secure online contribution of $25, $50, $100, $500 or $1,000 to the RNC today to help fund our efforts to resist the massive tax and spending increases Barack Obama and the Pelosi-Reid Democrats are attempting to ram through Congress.

The $1.4 trillion in higher taxes is just the tip of the iceberg for the Democrats. The proposed cap and trade program on carbon emissions Obama wants would impose at least $646 billion in new energy taxes — $3,100 for every American family a year. And the President wants to raise taxes on small businesses — the very engine that provides 75% of our economic growth.

David, Americans will pay more in taxes this year than they will spend on food, clothing and housing combined and it is still not enough for Barack Obama and the liberal Democrats. Let them know you already pay enough in taxes by sending them a virtual tea bag by clicking here.

And when you do, please also make a secure online contribution of $25, $50, $100, $500 or $1,000 to the RNC today to fight the Democrats’ efforts to take advantage of America’s present economic difficulties to force through their reckless agenda.

Your participation in this project is vital to holding the Obama Democrats accountable for their destructive higher tax and spending policies. Please send your virtual tea bag today. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Michael Steele
Chairman, Republican National Committee

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An email from Michael McCaul 4/3

April 3, 2009

Dear Friends,

This week I continued to stand up for the taxpayers in my district by voting against President Obama’s and Speaker Pelosi’s $3 trillion a year budget.  Unfortunately, it passed.  Over the next five years it will double the national debt.  Over ten years it will triple our debt and raise taxes by $1.4 trillion.  I encourage you to visit my new website, where you can see how quickly our debt is adding up, and view my speech on the House floor before yesterday’s vote.

I voted for an alternative to this massive spending bill called The Path to American Prosperity.  It’s a blueprint for economic recovery that keeps spending and debt under control, keeps taxes low, and still addresses the country’s core needs.  The Republican plan:

• Spends $4.8 trillion less than the Democrats’ budget over 10 years
• Brings spending back down to 20.7% of GDP, in line with the historical average, instead of climbing to 24.5% of GDP as proposed in the Obama budget
• Freezes non-defense/non-veterans spending, instead of increasing non-defense spending by more than 9% as proposed in the Obama budget
• Borrows $3.6 trillion less than the Obama budget over 10 years
• Increases the Defense budget by $5 billion over the cuts in the Obama budget
• Increases Veterans funding by $540 million over the President’s budget
• Institutes pro-growth tax cuts instead of $1.5 trillion in tax increases on small businesses and families as proposed in the Obama budget
• Creates 2.1 million more Jobs than the Democrats’ Budget
• Suspends capital gains taxes through 2010 instead of increasing taxes on investment
• Institutes needed entitlement reforms to ensure the long-term solvency of Social Security and Medicare

Today I am heading back home for the April District Work Period.  Over the next two weeks I hope to see many of you as I travel the 10^th District to discuss our economic situation, and continue to offer solutions.

Free Taxpayer Seminars!

Congressman McCaul will be hosting Taxpayer Seminars on Tuesday, April 7, 2009. Representatives from the IRS will be available to answer your tax questions in Tomball and Pflugerville.  There will be presentations on the IRS resources available to you and an opportunity for you to get your general tax questions answered.  Please contact our Austin district office at (512) 473-2357 for more information.

Tomball 6:30-7:30pm

Community Library at Lone Star College, Building 9

30555 Tomball Parkway

Click here for a campus map.

Pflugerville 7:30-8:30pm

Pflugerville Public Library

102 S 10th St

VISIT OUR NEW WEBSITE!

The address is the same:  www.house.gov/mccaul.

We are proud of our new communication tool  The objective is to give you more ways to be in contact with me, and more ways for me to hear what’s important to you.  Government is all about serving the people, and this new technological tool we have will help us do a better job.  Our new features include:

• News stories featuring my work on big issues are more accessible
• Floor speeches and hearing video are readily available
• A Survey and Blog will give you a new opportunity to voice your opinion and generate discussions
• National Debt Clock

I wish you and your family a great weekend, and a Happy Easter and Passover.

With best regards,

Michael T. McCaul

Member of Congress

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Tax Day Coalition: Get Involved Now!

Join the Tax Day Coalition Now! These folks have put togather a beatiful website to help link us all together, so spread the word! Go to the site and submit your tea party group, or just sign up as one of us protestors! It is a very simple process, just takes a xouple of seconds, so, go there and register now! Either click this link, or the image below and it will take you there!

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New Cigarrete Tax: Who is getting hurt?

Taxes only on the Wealthy, yeah right! It is well known that the “less fortunate” are the ones that smoke the most cigarettes, so increasing the tax on them is hurting the very people that the lier of all liers, comrade Obama, had promissed would not get a tax increase. Follow this link to see how much extra you will be paying. (at the bottom of the page)

Here is a video on the subject

I personally don’t smoke, I used to a long time ago, but I am sure that everyone knows people who will be affected by this. Here is where I get confused, this is to fund SCHIP? Ok, kids need health care, but, did you have insurance when you were a kid? I didn’t, and I still grew up!

I am sorry, I am just jealous I guess. Maybe it is the thought of an even larger government? Maybe it is the government control? Maybe it is that feeling of looming oppression? I just wonder what is going to get taxed next, air? I am sorry if I sound bitter, but I believe that we each have to sink or swim on our own, yes, those that have VALID disabilities, or are really old, do need help, but it should come from a local resource, starting with the family and moving outwards to friends, then to the community, but keep government out of it, if you get something from the government, there are always strings attached, like new taxes!

Just so that you know, Glenn Beck is going to a Tea Party in San Antonio, that place is going to get packed! If you are in the area, make sure that you show up, I’ll be that fat guy with a tie dye! Hope to see you there!

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Email from Senator John Cornyn 4/2

Why I’m Voting Against The Budget

The following op-ed ran in today’s edition of the Austin American-Statesman, which can be accessed here.

This week, I will vote against the massive $3.6 trillion budget proposed by President Barrack Obama and Democrats in Congress, and Texans deserve to understand why. I believe this budget taxes too much, spends too much and borrows too much. This budget will delay economic recovery in Texas and across the nation, and it will reduce opportunities for all of us.

This budget will reduce opportunities for people looking for jobs. Nearly three-quarters of all new private sector jobs are created by small businesses. In Texas, we understand that small businesses are the employment engines of our economy, and so we have put in place policies that encourage entrepreneurs to invest in our state and create more opportunities. As ABC News reported last week, only three of the top 39 job markets in the nation gained jobs last year. All three are in Texas, and one of them is Austin.

I have worked to bring successful Texas policies to Washington, especially our policy of keeping taxes low. Once again this year I offered an amendment to make it harder for Congress to increase taxes in future budgets. Had this amendment been adopted last year, 60 votes in the Senate would be required today to increase taxes on America’s families and small businesses.

Congress chose not to make it harder to raise taxes, and so this year Obama proposed raising net taxes by $1.4 trillion over the next decade. Much of this burden will fall on our state’s most successful small businesses. He has proposed raising the top two tax brackets to a nominal rate of 36 and 39.6 percent, and by limiting deductions for state and local taxes and other expenses, the effective marginal tax rates on thousands of our small businesses will be over 40 percent.

Small businesses make a big contribution to our economy, and charitable organizations do the same for our society as a whole. More than 150 years ago, Alexis de Tocqueville marveled at the spirit of volunteerism in our country, and how quick we were to form “public associations” for the common good. Today, faith-based and community-based organizations heal the sick, feed the hungry and serve the most vulnerable among us.

Charitable organizations depend on the generosity of donors to serve our communities, and for decades we have encouraged this generosity by making charitable donations deductible. But Obama wants to limit this deduction for charitable contributions, which could cost charities nationwide anywhere from $4 billion to $9 billion.

You can see the potential impact right here in Austin. The Austin Pregnancy Resource Center is a 501c(3) organization that provides counseling and services to women who are pregnant or who may think they are pregnant. Some of their clients are students. Some are homeless. Some are victims of domestic violence and other abuse.

The center provides these confidential services at no cost to women in need. It relies completely on donations from individuals and businesses to fund its programs. Thanks to the generosity of the Austin community, the center now has two full-time employees, one part-time employee and about 60 volunteers.

The recession has made it harder for the center to raise money — even as the demand for its services increases. In just one day this month, the center received nearly 20 calls from women who could not afford to buy diapers. In the words of Executive Director Lori DeVillez, “There are many times where a bag of diapers or a can of formula truly means the difference between ‘Do I eat today, or provide for my baby?’ ”

The center works to ensure that its clients don’t have to face such a terrible choice. DeVillez estimates that up to 10 of the center’s largest donors would see their taxes go up under the president’s plan. She would like to see policies that would expand her pool of potential donors — rather than dry it up.

I believe that charitable organizations like the Austin Pregnancy Resource Center, as well as thousands of successful small businesses across our state, help make Texas a better place. They deserve our support. They do not deserve to suffer the impact of higher taxes. I will continue to bring the experience of successful Texas policies to our nation’s capital, and help more people contribute to the common good.

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Medical Marijuana:Good or Bad?

Medical Marijuana, this is one of those touchy subjects that can get you into trouble if you end up on the wrong side of the law! However, it is a big issue in this country, but why?

Well, have you ever been in pain? No, I don’t meant one of those little things like a toothache, I mean chronic pain, pain that just will not go away, pain that makes it impossible to even eat, sleep or function in any way, I have, and it is not fun.

This is one of those areas that moves me far away from the standard “conservative” viewpoint, because I have been there! We have all seen those horror movies they used to show kids, and I can tell you those propaganda films are wrong, wrong in their presentation, because all they do is make kids want to try it! However, that is not the point of this article.

The point I want to make is not about “legalizing” Pot, it is about Freedom! I guess this is a “Libertarian” thing, what else could I call it? We all have a right to our Opinions, and this is mine, “If smoking pot helps you, either deal with pain, or whatever, it is your choice, you can go get a ‘legal’ prescription, for some very potent narcotics or antidepressants that are also expensive, and addictive, or, you can smoke a joint”, but, if you get caught with weed, you get in trouble! Personally, I find this a bit strange, after all, marijuana is just a plant, and God made plants!

Opinions very wildly on this one, but, if you look at it from an open minded point of view, and think about what I am saying, maybe you will be able to understand why medical marijuana is such a big issue in this country.

We all keep hearing about the drug war, ok, why? We hear about the narco-gangs and cartels, and how evil they are, ok, true. The question is, why do they exist? Simple, it is just business, supply and demand, what the war is trying to accomplish, is to eliminate the supply, and we all know, that will never work as long as there is a demand, all it does is make the price go up! I have never heard of a stoner, robbing anyone to get weed, just crackheads and heroine addicts and the like, but not a pothead! I guess it is like oil, when we stop buying gasoline, the price goes down, the the oil companies cut down the supply and the gas prices go up!

I believe that anyone that is a “stoner” will agree with this, pot is not the problem, hard drugs are! So what is the difference? Simple, God made Pot, it is just a plant! Cocaine and heroin also come from plants, BUT, they are processed and altered, haven’t you ever had a burger with poppy seeds on the bun? Hmm, that is the plant heroin comes from, could you imagine a burger with pot seeds on it? The poor hemp plant gets a bad deal on this, it is used to make all kinds of things, just don’t smoke it! Makes you wonder who found out that smoking hemp would get you high?

I find it a bit strange, tobacco is legal, pot isn’t, tobacco causes cancer, pot doesn’t, alcohol is legal, alcohol gives you a hangover, pot doesn’t, funny huh? Remember prohibition, didn’t work did it, but, there were many a cartel that got rich from it, funny, they became famous, folklore and movies were made, moonshiners and the revenuers, hey, what was that last word? Revenuers! Why was operating a still illegal? Because the government couldn’t get their tax money! Why is it illegal to grow your own? I think, because they can’t tax it!

Think about this, food is not taxed, at least not here in Texas, but beer and booze are. We can make our own beer and wine, and yes, I have brewed a lot of beer. If it were legal to “grow your own”, what could be wrong with that? Growing your own food is not taxed, because you plant a seed and it grows and you eat it, I fail to see the difference. See where I am headed with this?

Imagine, if growing your own, would allow you to avoid buying the expensive prescription narcotics, who would that hurt? The pharmaceutical companies? No, they make plenty of different products, and those narcotics are needed for many things, so, who would it hurt? The tax man, the revenuers, thats who!

Regardless of your view on marijuana and the comparison to tobacco, beer and booze as to its effects, you are free to buy tobacco, beer and booze, but not weed, this is an issue of freedom! Hey, abortion is legal, because they say, it is about choice, but a baby must die to exercise this “choice”, if one “chooses” to smoke weed, you don’t kill anything but a brain cell or two, just like tobacco, beer and booze, so, why don’t we have that choice? I have a feeling that there will be a few “stoners” at the upcoming tea parties, why not, it is all about the same thing, telling government that we are here, and to get out of our lives, and our pocketbooks!

To sum it up, I am a firm believer in Freedom, and if burning a doobie can help you cope with pain, or another medical problem, and it hurts no one, what is the problem? Below you will find several videos, not in any particular order, but all are interesting and related to this article, so, take a look.

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Email From:Michael Steel 3/30

So our tax dollars are going to pay AIG executives millions in bonuses! Just another day of good news from Washington. Meanwhile, don’t look now, but Nancy Pelosi and the Obama Administration is busily working to build up a debt larger than our country or any country has ever seen. But back to the bonuses. It was a mystery all week how this happened. No one could seem to figure it out. But then…it leaked out that Democrat Senator Chris Dodd snuck a provision into the massive spending bill that allowed the bonuses to happen. Dodd denied it at first, then changed his story and now admits that he did it, but says he did it at the request of “Administration staffers”. Finally, the Democrats have been forced to admit that they allowed the AIG bonuses to happen. This has got to stop. Please take a minute and click on the link below to watch the RNC’s new video exposing the Democrats’ latest shell game. Send this to your friends. Ask everyone to email and call their congressmen — contact them through our Action Center. Ask people to volunteer to help their local and state Republican Parties. Make your voice heard! Michael Steele Chairman, Republican National Committee Republican National Committee | 310 First Street, SE | Washington, D.C. 20003 p: 202.863.8500 | f: 202.863.8820 | e: info@gop.com Paid for by the Republican National Committee. 310 First Street, SE – Washington, D.C. 20003 – (202) 863-8500 www.gop.com Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. Copyright 2008 Republican National Committee

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