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The Nation's Pulse
Happy Deficit Day
If you listen to President Barack Obama, you'd believe that
taxpayers are having an easy time. After all, candidate Obama
promised that most of us won't have to pay any more to Uncle Sam
and earlier this year he actually cut some levies. In fact,
so-called Tax Freedom Day -- when the average American stopped
paying government -- occurred on April 13 this year, the earliest
date in 40 years!
Alas, the federal government borrowed a little money over the last year. And big government financed by debt differs little from big government financed by taxes. Although people feel the pain of taxes directly, taxes do not reflect the full burden of government. Spending plus regulation is a more accurate measure. By that standard things have never been worse for the American people, except during war time. Today is Cost of Government Day, when we stop really paying for government.
Monika Ciesielska has produced the latest Cost of Government Day report for the Center for Fiscal Accountability, a special project of Americans for Tax Reform. Her paper makes for grim reading. While Tax Freedom Day dropped ten days over the previous year, COGD advanced nearly a month, from July 18 to August 12.
The recent peak was July 20 in 1982, shortly after Ronald Reagan took office. COGD dropped to July 2 in 1988, then rose under President George H.W. Bush, hitting July 18 in 1992. The Republican takeover of Congress and President Bill Clinton's move to the political center pushed COGD down to June 29 in 2000. Unfortunately, the George W. Bush administration plus GOP Congress promoted a steady if slightly irregular rise to July 16 last year. Now COGD has rocketed upward.
The reason is simple: wild government spending and expansive federal regulation. Explains Ciesielska: "The driving factor for this development is that all components of the cost of government -- federal spending, state and local spending, and regulations -- are now increasing faster than national income, which shrunk as a result of the financial crisis in 2008." From bailouts to alleged stimulus, government has been tossing money at just about anything that moves, and quite a few things that don't. As a result, government outlays now account for 28.5 percent of GDP, a peacetime record.
The largest share of the cost of government is attributable to federal spending. Although established as a small entity with strictly limited enumerated powers, the national government has evolved into an institution of general jurisdiction with unlimited authority. Which translates into virtually unlimited spending and regulation.
Writes Ciesielska, "The average American worker will have to labor 111 days just to pay for federal spending, which is now consuming 30.36 percent of national income. This is a considerable leap compared to last year, when the average American worker had to labor 90 days to pay for federal spending." Just think of all of the "benefits" we get for these outlays -- politicians constantly redistributing our earnings to get themselves elected and reelected. Isn't America great!
Next are state and local governments. Because most state governments are legally required to balance their budgets, there is a limit to the financial shenanigans that even the most irresponsible politicians, like those in California, can employ. As a result, Americans actually are working "only" a couple days more this year compared to last year for states and localities, 49 days. Still, that number is far too high. Notes Ciesielska: "That compares to 42.5 days in 1999, 44 days in 2004, and 47 in 2008. This means that in the last ten years alone, state and local spending has grown by almost 14 percent in relation to national income."
Total regulation comes to 65 days, up four days over 2008, "reflecting rapid growth in regulatory costs," writes Ciesielska. Regulation this year consumes 17.7 percent of national income. No doubt, some rules do some good. But even the "good" rules often are overbroad or inefficient. And far too much regulation is merely disguised looting, or what economists call "rent-seeking." Income redistribution can occur in many guises, and regulation is a favorite tool of political and bureaucratic insiders.
Unsurprisingly, Washington is responsible for the largest share of regulatory costs, 42 days worth. States and localities account for the remaining 23 days. Unnecessary regulation is particularly annoying, since we are paying for our officious nanny-state minders.
Unfortunately, August 12 is merely the COGD national average. Some Americans are luckier. Alaskans started working for themselves a month ago, on July 11. Residents of Louisiana and Mississippi stopped paying for government on July 18. South Dakota and North Dakota followed at July 20 and July 24, respectively.
In contrast, people living in particularly big spending, intrusive regulating states have weeks more of government-created pain to endure. The worst state, as always, is Connecticut: COGD won't arrive until September 7. Citizens of New Jersey have to wait until September 6 to finish their servile obligations. New Yorkers will be done on August 31. The burden on residents of the Golden State is mild in comparison, with a COGD of August 23. People in Maryland must work until August 21. In Massachusetts, Virginia, and Washington COGD falls on August 17.
Oddly, despite its reputation as a high-tax jurisdiction -- and the home of the federal government -- Washington, D.C. is just average. COGD occurs today in the District, along with five other states.
The issue is one of federal spending. Observes Ciesielska, "Between 2000 and 2008, we saw a sharp increase in the federal spending burden, but this was just a warm up for the 2009 splurge." She details how much of the spending was wasted. Many of the "stimulus" expenditures didn't stimulate anything, but were simply used to fund more of what the government already was doing, and doing badly. A lot of the money was pure redistribution, taking from taxpayers and giving to the usual Democratic-oriented interest groups and other lucky people.
Although federal outlays are likely to dip from the post-bail-out peak, they are unlikely to contract much. Certainly the 2010 Obama budget, despite being called "A New Era of Responsibility," offers little hope. Explains Ciesielska:
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Pingback| 8.12.09 @ 6:31AM
Doug Bandow » Blog Archive » Today You Finally Stopped Paying for Government links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Baume Mercier| 8.12.09 @ 7:08AM
Baume Mercier watches
Neil S.| 8.12.09 @ 7:25AM
THE US DECLINE
He's borrowing and spending like never
To lock in his doctrines forever
(And reward his supporters, in fact).
But the President will someday come to regret
That his doctrines have crushed our children
with debt.
Does a fallen Power ever come back?
William| 8.12.09 @ 6:43PM
@ Neil S - I enjoyed the poem if not the facts behind it.
In answer to your question, there was a riddle within the defunct Soviet Union addressing their own economic and social derangements which asked: "If you boil an aquarium you will have fish soup. If you let the soup cool, will you have an aquarium again?"
William| 8.12.09 @ 6:49PM
This is an excellent article. I appreciate the fact that it lays out GOP culpability alongside of the Democrats. Again I say that the Democrats and Republicans are analogous to the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks repectively. One is more radical, one is more Fabian, both are deadly poison to liberty and prosperity.
May both the GOP and the Democratic Party both sink into oblivion, and may I live long enough to see it.
Rothschild Looting| 8.12.09 @ 7:10PM
THE ANTI-CHRIST
In our study of prophecy we lay much stress on the "Second Corning of Christ," forgetting that there are two other comings of "individuals" that are just as momentous as Christ's coming. The first is that of the Antichrist, and the other is that of Satan.
In both the Old and New Testament we are told of a "Mysterious and Terrible Personage" that shall be revealed in the "Last Times." He is described under different names and aliases, and it is only by a careful examination and comparison of these names, and the Person they describe that we see that they refer to one and the same individual. These names are-
In the Old Testament.
Ezekiel 28
"Prince of Tyrus" and "King of Tyrus"
Daniel 7,8,9,11
"The Little Horn.", "A King of Fierce Countenance.", "The Prince that Shall Come.", "The Wilful King."
In the New Testament.
2 Thessalonians 2,
"The Man of Sin.", "Son of Perdition.", "That Wicked."
1 John 2:18,
"Antichrist"
Revelation 13
"The Beast."
Jesus also made a prophetic reference to him. John 5: 43 when the Jews rejected Jesus is their Messiah, when the Antichrist comes they will accept him.
43. I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
His Personality.
The Apostolic Church believed that Antichrist was to be a "person," the embodiment of human blasphemy and wickedness, but toward the close of the Twelfth Century many began to look upon the Pope as Antichrist, and this view has been largely advocated by Protestant commentators. The arguments in favour of this view are ingenious and plausible, but they are hard to reconcile with the Word of God. This view makes Antichrist a "System" rather than a Person, and would see in the "Papal System" the Antichrist. But this is disproved by the Word of God. The Papal System although it plays a major part in bringing the Anti-Christ to power, is NOT the Anti-Christ.
The Apostle John says in 1 John 2:22 and 1 John 4:3;
22. Who is a liar, but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is Antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
3. Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in THE FLESH (His Deity) is not of God; and this is that spirit of Antichrist.
Judaism has denied that "Jesus is the Christ," and Unitarianism that He has "come in the flesh," but the Papacy never. The Church of Rome has always confessed "I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord."
All Protestant commentators insist that the "Papal System" is described in Revelation 17: 4, 5.
4. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5. And upon her forehead was a name written, mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth.
This is undoubtedly true, but this "Woman," the "Mother of Harlots," is represented as riding upon a "Beast," universally admitted to be the Antichrist. If the "Beast" is the Antichrist, the "Woman" cannot be, and that they are separate and do not signify the same thing is clear.
Again the Antichrist, as the "Man of Sin" is described in Daniel 11:36,37 and 2 Thessalonians 2:4 as follows;
36. And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
37. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
4. Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
However false and impious the claims of the Papacy, it always recognises its subordination to God, and the Pope's highest claim is that he is the "Vicar of Christ." Following on we must also look at Revelation 13:3-4.
3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
The Papal System worships the Virgin and the Saints, but it is not true that it worships the Devil. Now look at Revelation 14:9-11.
5. If any man worship the Beast and His Image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall; drink of the wine of the Wrath of God.....and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone;......and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever…and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the Beast and His Image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
If the Papal System is the Antichrist, it follows from the above that all its worshippers, instead of being saved, are doomed to eternal torment. Again, the Lord, who destroys Antichrist at His Coming, comes to Jerusalem, not to Rome, the seat of the Papal System.
While there are many things in the history of the Church of Rome, and in the conduct of her Popes that foreshadow the Antichrist, yet it is clear from the preceding scriptures that the Papal System is not the Antichrist, and that these scriptures can only be fulfilled in the person of some Individual yet to appear.
The Antichrist is not a Rival or Counterfeit Christ, he is an Opposing Christ. This is clearly seen when we compare him with Christ in a series of Contrasts.
Christ came from Above. John 6: 38
Antichrist comes from the earth. Revelation 13: 1.
Christ came in His Father's name. John 5: 43
Antichrist comes in his own name. John 5: 43.
Christ Humbled Himself. Phil. 2: 8
Antichrist Exalts himself. 2 Thessalonians 2: 4.
Christ Despised. Isaiah 53: 3; Luke 23: 18
Antichrist Admired. Revelation 13: 3, 4.
Christ Exalted. Philippians 2: 9
Antichrist cast Down to Hell. Isaiah 14: 14, 15; Rev. 19: 20.
Christ to do His Father's will. John 6: 38
Antichrist to do his Own will. Daniel 11: 36.
Christ came to save. Luke 19: 10
Antichrist comes to Destroy. Daniel 8: 24.
Christ is the Good Shepherd. John 10: 4-15
Antichrist is the Idol (evil) Shepherd. Zechariah 11: 16,17.
Christ is the "True Vine." John 15:1
Antichrist is the "Vine of the Earth." Revelation 14:18.
Christ is the "Truth." John 14: 6
Antichrist is the "Lie." 2 Thessalonians 2:11.
Christ is the "Holy One." Mark 1: 24
Antichrist is the "Wicked One." 2 Thessalonians 2: 8, (R.V. says Lawless)
Christ is the "Man of Sorrows." Isaiah 53: 3
Antichrist is the "Man of Sin." 2 Thessalonians 2: 3.
Christ is the "Son of God." Luke 1: 35
Antichrist is the "Son of Perdition." 2 Thessalonians 2: 3.
Christ, "The Mystery of Godliness," is God manifest in the flesh. 1 Timothy 3: 16
Antichrist, "The Mystery of Iniquity," will be Satan manifest in the flesh. 2 Thessalonians 2:7.
The Jewish Assassins in USA| 8.12.09 @ 7:38PM
David Duke on the Barack Hussein Obama assassination threat
David Duke correctly states that Obama’s assassination would be disastrous for white America. He also correctly cites examples of anti-white discrimination in America. So far so good; Duke establishes credibility with his target audience. David Duke then goes on to describe the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy:
I am old enough to remember the shock and horror of the Kennedy assassination. At the time of his death the people of the South overwhelmingly despised Kennedy. He was loved by a segment of Americans, but he was detested by just as many Americans who hated his plans to change our immigration laws and open our borders. Millions thought rightly that his proposals for forced integration and busing would eviscerate the nation’s public school systems, destroy the vitality of our inner cities and result in massive criminal victimization of Whites. His unpopularity was shown even on the day he died, for the streets of Dallas were practically empty as his fateful motorcade went past. The assassination changed all that.
Even before it was alleged that a radical communist who had traveled to Cuba and Soviet Russia had done the foul deed, newspapers headlined, “Hate killed Kennedy.”
Before his assassination, Kennedy’s immigration reform bill was dead in the water. His Immigration Reform Act was a bill that discriminated against European immigration and favored Third World immigration. Kennedy’s also sponsored forced integration initiatives, so-called “civil rights legislation.” They also languished in congress. The great majority of Congress opposed these racist, anti-White bills. Prophetic senators and congressmen said that the legislation would actually diminish the civil rights of Whites and eventually result in massive discrimination against European Americans. Time has proven them painfully correct.
After the fatal bullets were fired in Dallas, even though the alleged communist assassin supported those very same leftist policies, it was only a matter of time before all of Kennedy’s pernicious legislation passed and America was well on the road to demographic Armageddon. The Kennedy assassination also brought on the first laws in violation of the Second Amendment, our vital right to keep and bear arms. It also brought a change to American policy toward Israel. Perhaps one redeeming trait of Kennedy was his intense opposition to Israel getting the atomic bomb. My good friend Mike Piper of the Barnes Review, in his books, shows the involvement of many Israeli operatives in the very center of the conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination.
Note a few things about the JFK assassination that Duke tells us. Duke says that ‘the streets of Dallas were practically empty as his fateful motorcade went past.’ In reality, the streets were crowded, but JFK’s motorcade turned a corner and suddenly the crowd thinned. The Jews had it cleared to facilitate JFK’s assassination.
Duke tries to make it look like JFK was a key player behind the immigration reform bill and the civil rights legislation whereas Jews were the prime force behind them both.
Duke has nothing to say about Lee Harvery Oswald except that he was the alleged communist assassin and refers to another agents of the Jews, Mike Piper, who has described the involvement of ‘of many Israeli operatives in the very center of the conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination.’ In reality, the JFK assassination was entirely planned and orchestrated by the Jewish crime network.
David Duke had a good chance to show that just as the Jewish crime network killed JFK, if Obama is assassinated, rest assured, the Jewish crime network will be almost certainly behind it, but Duke misses this opportunity. Why? Because he is an agent of the Jews. He will provide us with some facts and mix it with lies his Jewish handlers want him to propagate.
Duke does allude to the possibility of Israeli involvement in Obama’s potential killing:
Revolution on the rise| 8.12.09 @ 7:43PM
They have assassinated all of American presidents who opposed the FED.
jordan 6 rings| 8.12.09 @ 8:30PM
One is more radical, one is more Fabian, both are deadly poison to liberty and prosperity. May both the GOP and the Democratic Party both sink into oblivion, and may I live long enough to see it.
supra shoes| 8.12.09 @ 8:34PM
One is more radical, one is more Fabian, both are deadly poison to liberty and prosperity.
S.L. Toddard| 8.12.09 @ 9:05PM
My my - the neoconservatives sure are "concerned" about deficits. Here's an easy way to tell whether or not they are sincere:
When George W Bush took office, Clinton handed him a $232 billion budget surplus, and the national debt stood at $5.7 trillion. George W Bush left office with an annual budget *deficit* of over $1 TRILLION dollars and the national debt stood at $10.6 TRILLION DOLLARS. That means George W Bush added almost as much to the national debt as ALL THE PRECEDING PRESIDENTS COMBINED.
Now, which pretend-enemies of "big government" and "big spending" here opposed this president while he was spending up a storm and running up the national debt as much all the American presidents in history combined? Who fought against his re-election? Who here fought against his reckless-spending party - which held both houses of congress through most of this time - and supported a Conservative instead of a Republican last election?
If you didn't - which is to say if you supported this fiscally irresponsible, wasteful, big spending party that ran up a trillion dollar budget deficit and nearly doubled the national debt - then your objections to the big government policies and fiscal irresponsibility of Barack Obama are - quite obviously - laughable and not to be taken seriously. Such people are called "opportunists" - they are inconsistent, dishonorable, dishonest, unpatriotic and - obviously and inarguably - *unconservative*. For what else can you call someone who supports reckless spending and unrestrained gov't growth when their party is responsible but a cynical liberal?
Anti Christ gains controlof US| 8.12.09 @ 9:34PM
THE ANTI-CHRIST
In our study of prophecy we lay much stress on the "Second Corning of Christ," forgetting that there are two other comings of "individuals" that are just as momentous as Christ's coming. The first is that of the Antichrist, and the other is that of Satan.
In both the Old and New Testament we are told of a "Mysterious and Terrible Personage" that shall be revealed in the "Last Times." He is described under different names and aliases, and it is only by a careful examination and comparison of these names, and the Person they describe that we see that they refer to one and the same individual. These names are-
In the Old Testament.
Ezekiel 28
"Prince of Tyrus" and "King of Tyrus"
Daniel 7,8,9,11
"The Little Horn.", "A King of Fierce Countenance.", "The Prince that Shall Come.", "The Wilful King."
In the New Testament.
2 Thessalonians 2,
"The Man of Sin.", "Son of Perdition.", "That Wicked."
1 John 2:18,
"Antichrist"
Revelation 13
"The Beast."
Jesus also made a prophetic reference to him. John 5: 43 when the Jews rejected Jesus is their Messiah, when the Antichrist comes they will accept him.
43. I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
His Personality.
The Jews Rejected Christ| 8.12.09 @ 9:37PM
The Jews rejected Christ and about to build a temple to Satan in Isreal with American taxes.
Justin Roether| 8.12.09 @ 9:56PM
S.L. - In support of your argument I suggest you view this chart http://zfacts.com/p/318.html that shows our national debt as a percentage of gross domestic product during presidency's since the depression. To the contrary I believe the difference lies in taxation on the American people considering this chart http://www.truthandpolitics.org/top-rates.php. Either way I am thankful for the right-wing perspective to provide an "other side" to our mainstream media.
William| 8.12.09 @ 11:08PM
@ S. L. Toddard - I am a paleoconservative. I realized the grassroots conservative movement had been highjacked with the inauguration of Bush Mk I - "New World Order", kinder gentler, etc. I have never supported the "Patriot Act" or DHS either, as these are yet more Statist tumors metastisizing through our system.
So, to summarize - go fuck yourself.
PS - please take the "Protocols of Zion freak with you. The freak can take pictures.
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mld| 8.18.09 @ 3:59PM
We need tax policies that preserve America’s global competitiveness, and we need to oppose policies that reduce businesses’ ability to grow. Make the tax system simple and fair. A successful economy encourages investment and rewards achievement. It would be the height of economic folly to target any group for a major tax increase. http://www.friendsoftheuschamber.com/takeaction/index.cfm?ID=42
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