State capitalism

At one time government managed socialism was locked in a conflict with market-managed capitalism. The U.S. and western Europe championed capitalism. The Soviet Union and China preached the values of socialism. The competition between socialism and capitalism was 'hot and heavy' according to all the pundits. Let's take a quick look at three rivalries within the broad scope of competition between the two systems: East Germany v. West Germany, North Korea v. South Korea, and mainland China v. Taiwan. Today we have one Germany that supports market-managed capitalism, China moving towards more market-managed capitalism, and North Korea lagging the rest of the world while South Korea is a world player.

One would have to say the capitalist victory was overwhelming. Some have said wait a minute - market-managed capitalism is not a fair system. We will tone it down and it will now be known as state capitalism. State capitalism has a larger proportion of state ownership than market-managed capitalism. State capitalism interferes much more in the market mechanism by enhancing regulations such as price controls. Golly gosh does this sound familiar? The current U.S. leadership team has invented the item now known as state capitalism.

Welcome to America!

The press

I THINK IT IS REMARKABLE THAT WITHIN A WEEK OF TIGER WOODS CRASHING HIS ESCALADE, THE PRESS FOUND EVERY WOMAN WITH WHOM TIGER HAS HAD AN AFFAIR IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, WITH PHOTOS, TEXT MESSAGES, RECORDED PHONE CALLS, ETC. AND, THEY NOT ONLY KNEW THE CAUSE OF THE FAMILY FIGHT, BUT THEY EVEN KNEW IT WAS A WEDGE FROM HIS GOLF BAG THAT HIS WIFE USED TO BREAK OUT THE WINDOWS IN THE ESCALADE. NOT ONLY THAT, THEY KNEW WHICH WEDGE! AND EACH AND EVERY DAY, THEY GAVE AMERICA MORE UPDATES ON HIS SEX-REHAB STAY, HIS WIFE'S PLANS FOR DIVORCE, AND THE DATES AND TOURNAMENTS HE WILL PLAY IN.

OBAMA HAS BEEN IN OFFICE FOR OVER A YEAR NOW, AND THIS SAME PRESS:

STILL CANNOT FIND ANY OF HIS CHILDHOOD FRIENDS OR NEIGHBORS, OR LOCATE ANY OF OBAMA'S COLLEGE PAPERS OR GRADES, OR HOW HE PAID FOR A HARVARD EDUCATION, OR WHICH COUNTRY ISSUED HIS VISA TO TRAVEL TO PAKISTAN IN THE 1980'S, OR BARRY SORETORO OR EVEN MICHELLE OBAMA'S PRINCETON THESIS ON RACISM. THEY JUST CAN'T SEEM TO FIND THEM. YET THE PUBLIC STILL TRUSTS THAT SAME PRESS TO GIVE THEM THE WHOLE TRUTH !

They call it the stealth

The stealth tax is alive and well, and it appears it is being enhanced to meet the needs of those who survive off of property tax revenue.

Who owes their existence to the gathering and spending of property taxes?

Strapped local governments are getting desperate, and some may be overstating home values to collect more taxes. Has your home been overvalued at a time when real estate prices have been declining? Granted, Texans have seen a lesser decrease in real estate values; however, values have decreased. There is only one way for the entities that live and die by the collection of property taxes to survive - either raise the tax rate or increase property values. Look out folks the taxing entities want to keep the same budget as last year and they want to do it without cutting payroll, expenses, utility costs, cutting retirement contributions, etc. To make it work they will have to increase the tax rate or raise property values.

This article will help with an understanding of the process of how they drain your pocketbook and keep you from using the money as you see fit.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Banking/HomeFinancing/home-prices-down-but-tax-assessments-up.aspx

Turn Over

At one of the local coffee shop round tables it was once again discussed that the athletic coaching staff for the PISD has once again had almost a 100% turnover in staff. Most of the members of the table remembering discussing the same issue at this time last year.

There were three schools of thought at the table being discussed:

1) The AD/Head Coach wants to produce a winner so he encourages the staff that is unable to help produce the championship to seek employment else where, and
2) The AD/Head Coach is a really bad manager and does not treat his/her staff in a fair manner, and
3) The AD/Head Coach has a really hard time getting along with the staff he hires for a various of reasons.

Whatever the reason the round table was in complete agreement that no one should be hired who is not capable of fulfilling a role in the classroom as a teacher first and coach second. This school district does not have the monetary resources to have several full time non-certified teachers working as coaches and serving as education aides. Athletics plays a role in the education process; however, it is secondary to the needs of the mind.

They found a better way in Harlem

"we must do a better job educating the millions of impoverished black children in America. For many of them, school will be the only way out from under the federal poverty line. "

This statement not only applies to black children for it applies to all children. Rural America struggles daily with preparing children for success in the classroom. The folks in Harlem have found a better way and perhaps it is time others followed their lead.

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/02/21/the-future-of-black-history.html

State Tournament

The round table discussed the value of the current youth baseball state tournament being hosted by the new county park. For the most part many around the table find this as a positive for the local community, and hope that such activities continue in order to help pay for upkeep of the county park and relieve the potential burden it could put on future taxpayers.

If you have not been by to check out the action then give it a shot. It is a wonderful site to see our youth in action.

More on the housing bust that tanked the economy

In a tid bit I caught on a CNBC program a few weeks back it reported that 7 in 10 new home buyers are home sellers. Interesting! So, before these folks can buy they require a buyer for their current house. I smell another housing generated tanking coming forth in the near future. Sooner or later the U.S. government is going to offer to bail these folks out by offering a different type of tax incentive. Don't have a clue as to the form, but keep your eyes and ears open for someone is going to get an opportunity at taxpayer expense.

60% of the 4.5 million units sold in 2009 were distressed sales in some form or fashion, and this has taxing entities upset. As values are reduced due to lower selling prices and new financial appraisal requirements and regulations in place from the last bust they will receive less in property taxes to meet the needs of government employee pay increases. They don't want to reduce valuations for they want to keep the highly inflated values they currently have on their books. Government needs a financial meltdown! Then we can start over from square one.

Remember that 7 out of 10 - it appears credit qualification standards have tightened and thus the reason no buyers for the houses they wish to rid themselves of at the moment, and first time home buyers have no money saved to put down on a house. Did not stop them before, why should it stop them now? The new American Dream - get it without earning it.

Where have all the smart people gone? Surely someone has ideas on how to get the motor cranked and running again.

Homeowners; Foreclosure; Taxing Entities

What is the common thread? Bit off more than they could chew when the 'good time were rolling'! The latest downfall in our economy per the experts was caused by folks getting more credit than they deserved. Consumers over extended and living beyond their means, i.e. getting more house than they could afford. What does all this have to do with taxing entities?

It appears that some of our taxing entities were living the good life at the expense of all those folks who ended up having a difficult time making the mortgage payment. The tax roll inflated with all the new homes being purchased by folks who in the end could not afford to keep up the payments.

I really like the story line out of Irving, Texas:

Manager's pay raise put on hold...................It's not the right time, council member's say, with $12 million shortfall, but he has done a good job. Sounds like the manager did a great job of not planning, and now there is a $12 million shortfall. It appears our taxing entities failed to plan and now they want the taxpayers to bail them out with a tax increase in order for them to keep spending the same amount of money they spent when times were good. Dang, wish my personal budget worked the same way. However, I have to tighten the belt and cut back. Taxing entities say they are cutting back; however, they are afraid they want be able to provide good customer service. What ignorance!

The story line out of Lewisville...............Tax increase eyed to close budget gap for Lewisville ISD. These folks did so well in the good times they have managed to accumulate a $100 million surplus and build a new sports stadium super complex at the expense of taxpayers. Now they want to 'hose' the taxpayers again with a tax increase. Perhaps the better option is to roll some heads and cut some programs. Get back to basics. Gosh, I forget they don't teach basic personal financial skills in the classroom these days. Guess this is something students just don't need to be successful. Has this not proven true with the housing bust? Folks biting off more than they could afford due to a lack of personal financial knowledge. However, it was really the financial institutions fault for talking them into taking the loans in the first place.

Folks I don't know about you, but I just don't know that I have any more to give. I used to have change in my pockets on a daily basis and now it is only there twice a month. If they want it all I guess we need to just cave-in and let'um have it. I can live in the woods under a tree, and fish for my meals. Wait, that is not possible for I am sure there is some law against that as well.