Labor Day itself didn't turn out to be anything special as rain and showers passed through the area. The sun did shine for most of the day Monday. All in all, though, I'd call it a pretty decent holiday weekend, at least here on my little spot of the world.
Now the Maine political season can begin in earnest, although there really isn't much locally happening. I still think it's a little early for the presidential and congressional races which don't face voters for another year and a quarter. Yet I did read this is the real beginning of the presidential election season.
There are local races that will be resolved this coming November and the state ballot has two, perhaps three questions facing the electorate. Two of those involve gambling facilities and the third, if petition signatures are verified, would ask voters to repeal the change in the election law that requires voter registration two business days before an election.
More on those on another day.
President Obama is going to give another of his campaign speeches to a joint session of Congress Thursday evening. He says it will be completed before the Thursday night opening of the National Football League. Since the President's only accomplishments seem to be making speeches, I'll probably skip this repeat, too.
The word is he's going to make a massive plea for another stimulus package to drive the economy further into debt. We seem to become worse off with each of his spending sprees. And just how many jobs have been created in America because of those proposals? The monthly job reports don't seem to indicate too many.
The answer seems to always be, "If we could just spend some more money . . ." Like many Americans, I've learned the hard way that one cannot spend oneself out of economic disaster. It takes a lot of discipline and huge cuts in spending to get back on a positive economic track.
We need at least two major changes to get our economy flowing once again: more money in our pockets and jobs. With the government taking more and more of our money through taxation, much of which is in the form of other names to try to fool us, we don't have as much to use to contribute to economic growth.
Government "investment," incidentally, is simply one of the other names for taxation. Call it whatever you want; but when government takes fees, investment funds, bonds, or whatever from us, it is a tax.
The best way to create jobs, I believe, is for the government to get out of the way. Let's face it, businesses are in operation for one purpose...to make a profit. Capitalism has more than four letters; it is not a dirty word. Allow the business creator to make a profit and people will be hired to help accomplish the goal.
I watched a news report over the weekend about a booming economy in North Dakota. At the time I wasn't looking at the possibility of mentioning here so didn't take notes. A search of WCSH TV where I saw the report and of CNN which I think originated it failed to find it on line. I haven't tried a Google search.
The report was about an oil field near Williston, North Dakota, that has every single business in the area begging for workers. Of course the oil field work would be the best, but the story even told of local businesses, such as a McDonald's, offering $15/hour or more to get people to work for them. The government apparently "got out of the way" of that local drilling and the economy and jobs creations are booming.
Every community in the U.S. can't develop an oil field. But most of them have something that could lead to prosperity if allowed to grow. Unfortunately, the so-called "alternate energy" craze is making loads of money for the few able to get some of the government stimulus money, but little for the common man. Have you been reading on how many of these "green" companies have gone bankrupt and shut down recently? You and I are paying for them through our taxes. I believe that if wind turbines and solar power are indeed viable sources of energy, then private industry would be investing in them and not relying on my tax money.
Oh, and a closing note, it's also said President Obama is going to offer a new housing stimulus this week. If you think the housing industry is slow now, just wait until you hear the details of this plan. And, don't forget, beginning next year, if you sell you home, you will be paying a 3.8% tax on the sale to help pay for Obamacare.
Unfortunately, I don't see the Republicans, especially the announced presidential candidates, with a plan to change anything. Sure. They tell us they agree spending must be cut, but then when it comes to the shove, they seem to do a little caving.
It has the makings of being an interesting year. I hope my worry of three years ago isn't coming to pass.
Gator
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