Hollywood Bowl 4th Of July

We love the Bowl on the 4th.

Great venue, Great weather, Great wine

Great music, Great company

Great fireworks

Great Fun!

Congratulations Minnesota

Political Transgressions

Does politics attract narcissistic, over sexed, risk takers with low morals and a subconscious self destruction wish or is it just that politician’s transgressions are more visible than those of your average profession? OR WHAT??

THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL

California has the highest marginal income tax rate in the U.S. and is highly dependent on the income tax to fund its government programs and projects. In 2008 the top 5% of wage earners paid about 65% of income taxes and the top 20% paid about 85%. 80% of California wage earners pay little or no California income taxes. Thus, when Californians vote on a spending initiative it almost always passes because so few voters have “skin-in-the-game”. In the last four years California voters passed $4B for stem cell research, $2B for a high speed train (down payment only), $3B in the lame attempt to stop global warming single handedly and many Billions to build new, court ordered prisons. (Well over 50% of prisoners are illegal aliens.) Income taxes are a very unstable way to fund state governments especially as fewer and fewer pay more and more taxes. Relatively small variations in the economy cause wild swings in state income. First quarter 2009 withholding was 29% lower than 1Q 2008. When the economy is good politicians and voters cannot resist the temptation to commit to long-term discretionary projects. When the economy is bad (as it is now) the state has to further raise taxes on that 5% and make painful spending cuts. The average California voter cares little about raising taxes but cries loudly about spending cuts. “Nothing is more mobile than the rich.” per Milton Freedman. Many high-income taxpayers and businesses are simply moving to low/no tax states putting more pressure on the budget. The more tax rates are raised the less income results. I believe California is in a DOWNWARD SPIRAL and the poor and middle class will suffer the most but the rich will simply leave taking their income and their jobs with them.

RACE SUPREMACY

Have you ever noticed that liberals often make race supremacist comments while accusing conservatives of racism??

“I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.”

I'M SORRY

In the spirit of contrition inspired by the BHO “apology tour” to Europe and South America for past US transgressions I am compelled to apologize for the transgressions of our generation against this years graduating class. I’m sorry we are leaving you the largest national debt in US history. I’m sorry that we are leaving you the worst economy in at least two generations with a terrible job market. I’m sorry that you will not have the quality of medical care we had. I’m sorry that you will likely pay much higher taxes then we did. I’m sorry that you will pay 3 to 5 times more for electric power then we did in a lame attempt to stem global warming. I’m sorry that you will be burdened by a larger, more intrusive government then we had. I’m sorry you will likely never receive a social security check like we do in spite of contributing all of your working life. But most of all, and most important, I’m sorry that you will not have the opportunity to succeed in the free market system that we enjoyed. Good luck. You’ll need it.

HATE

A segment of society feeling strongly about one issue or another overstates the position of those that disagree. An overused word du jour is hate. If you are against gay marriage you’re a gay hater if you did not vote for BHO you’re a race hater if you do not want to pay higher taxes you’re an America hater. I don’t believe pro-abortionists are infant haters or anti-school choice people are child haters or that politicians causing the national debt explosion are child haters they are all just badly miss-guided.