No Tax Breaks For YOU!!!

It seems that no matter what election is coming up the issue of taxes is always in the hot seat, whether someone is trying to lower or raise them. I have always been intrigued by the different ways to help boost the economy, and the latest plan that I have been hearing about may just be what we need. Why not avoid lowering or raising taxes all together? And with the unemployment rate still soaring I believe it is safe to say that creating jobs has not been an easy task and that perhaps we should be looking at other ways to help our economy.   

This new plan being put forward is not going to be a walk in the park; as a matter of fact it might even be characterized as an upcoming "dogfight". Tax experts are urging Congress to rethink the almost 200 tax-breaks in place right now. Some of these 200 tax-breaks involve deductions for charitable contributions, deductions for state and local taxes and tax breaks for retirement savings. Some breaks more than others would hit closer to home, such as the mortgage interest deduction which in my opinion only promotes those with money to buy expensive homes instead of investing that money elsewhere.

Lowering these tax-breaks might seem harsh or maybe even unnecessary but it may be the final push we need to get out of this ditch. Most tax-breaks are categorized as savings, but most experts agree that in reality it is a form of spending. This "Spending" on tax breaks average almost 1 trillion dollars a YEAR!!! That's close to one-third the latest federal spending budget. Although we might have some difficulties adjusting to this new idea, I believe it is something this economy needs!

California: Say Hell No on Prop 23!!!

In the blog I read recently named California: Say Hell No on Prop 23 - Tell the Koch Brothers to keep their dirty money in Texas, John Amato sheds a light on those involved in the funding of almost 80% of the "say yes to Prop 23" campaign. As forward as the name may be, it is in my opinion clearly what anyone living in California should be thinking about and very much likely the authors intended audience.

Proposition 23 is a very deceptive initiative to try to stop all the efforts done by California in the fight to make this world a greener place. In other words if it gets passed it will abolish California's Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 which set up a timetable to bring California to compliance with a worldwide effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions named the Kyoto protocol. Anyone in this world that can willingly devote any money to do such horrible things deserve to be arrested. John Amato refers to the Koch brothers in outrage and how they are using their wealth from the Texas stronghold in oil, to not only manipulate and misguide voters but to also fund most of the "Say Yes to Prop 23" campaign. Amato is trying to motivate and urge all Californians to get out there and vote Hell No!!!

I agree with what he says 100 percent. Over a million dollars in donations from foreign-out of state donors who are obviously doing this out of greed are going to help abolish an amazing law that is doing nothing but trying to make this country better. I think this is his attempt to wake up Californians who have been out of the loop and need to get informed...quick!!!

Watching China Run

           While looking through the Opinion Pages of the New York Times I came across an article by Rob Herbert titled Watching China Run. Since I have always been intrigued about most things involving china I wonder what this super power of a country is going to do next. Rob Herbert now a columnist on politics and urban affairs for the New York Times gained much of his credibility while reporting regularly for TV shows such as the "Today Show" and NBC "Nightly News".

           Herbert claims that ever since Ronald Reagan took down the solar panels from the roof of the white house in 1982, which had been put there by Jimmy Carter mostly as a symbolic gesture, we have missed the opportunity to be the leaders in this race to a new form of energy. In this column Rob Herbert is speaking out to all those who are passionate about this subject but mainly to as he puts it "our esteemed leaders in Washington who can’t figure out how to do anything more difficult than line up for a group photo".

           His argument is that China has leaped past competitors in Denmark, Germany, Spain and the United Sates last year to become the world's largest maker of wind turbines and they are not stopping there. China also has become the world's largest manufacturer of solar panels and is pushing hard on other forms of clean energy. Herbert mentions that it is "stupid" to allow china, a country with nothing comparable to the tremendous research, industrial and economic resources of the U.S to be blowing us out of this race.

          While the U.S seems to be stuck in this "never-ending-story" that we call recession, other countries such as china are moving full speed ahead in developing new energy. Herbert makes a great point in saying that the U.S is losing a great deal of opportunities since many leaders and investors of large companies who want to be a part of this new flourishing market, are all taking their interests overseas.

           The new era of energy is coming no matter what. We in the United States have the choice of either being dragged by another country to this new generation where the world is powered by a newer/greener energy or we can take back the reigns and lead the world to a new form of energy ourselves.