Occupy Everywhere

Has anyone besides me noticed that this whole Occupy Wall Street, and nearly everywhere else it seems, protest movement started just about a nanosecond after our Campaigner-in-Chief decided that engaging in class warfare was his one and only chance at reelection? With 9% unemployment, GDP growth stagnated, housing in the dumper and the Federal debt in the stratosphere, he realized running for reelection on his record obviously wouldn't work. So he fired up his TelePrompTer and started blaming Wall Street "fat cats" and banks and Congress and Republicans for his troubles, pitting Americans against Americans to cover for his own shortcomings. And to assist him in this effort he enlisted MoveOn.org, the Center for American Progress, SEIU, ACORN, the AFL-CIO and Congressional Democrats to join with him in a carefully orchestrated effort to retain power. Their bought-and-paid-for "Occupy" movements, which began in NYC, have now spread across the country. By their actions they hope to change the subject away from the abject failure in leadership that Obama and his Chicago crowd have visited upon America.

Unlike the Tea Party, which spontaneously rallied against unfettered government spending, massively increasing Federal debt and unwanted healthcare legislation, the "Occupiers" are protesting against something or other as yet undefined. My favorite Occupy Wall Street sign thus far stated: "We demand an immediate and unconditional change in a whole bunch of unspecified things!" And unlike the Tea Party, which was calm, considerate and clean, the Occupy movement is messy, dirty, anarchic and dangerous.

Since Obama cannot use success in the job as his platform for reelection, vilifying the so-called "rich" has become his default campaign strategy. You know, forcing the so-called "1%" to "spread the wealth around." Even though the top 1% pays more than 40% of all Federal income taxes, he says "They need to pay their fair share." Huh?

I just love these protesters. Beating drums all day and night, smoking dope, defecating on police cars, raping and pillaging and setting fires and blocking entrances to businesses, they have been led to believe by their keepers that the rich have somehow stolen their money and their future. They are making their lefty supporters truly proud.

The Occupiers have trashed NYC, Atlanta, D.C. and now Oakland. There have been thousands of arrests, serious property damage, numerous assaults, untold economic costs, a severe disruption to the residents and businesses around the encampments and every reason to believe it will get far worse. And who has publicly endorsed the Occupy movement? Here's a short list: President Obama; the Republic of North Korea; the American Nazi Party; Louis Farrakhan, Nation of Islam; Revolutionary Guards of Iran; Communist Party of China; Michael Bloomburg, Mayor of New York City; Industrial Workers of the World; V.P. Joe Biden; David Duke; Hugo Chavez; the Black Panthers (original); Nancy Pelosi; Hezbollah and the Socialist Party USA (various sources).

If an organization is known by the company it keeps, or by those which endorse it, the above list of supporters says more about the Occupy movement than anything else I could mention.

Open Carry

We can all thank God that the silly season is finally over in Sacramento. Yep, 760 new laws were passed by those otherwise unemployable legislators up there and now they've all gone home. Did you really need 760 new laws? 760? Didn't think so. And now our perennial civil servant, Gov. Jerry Brown, a man who will hopefully soon retire after an entire career completely devoid of ever having held a real, private sector job, has gone about approving some and vetoing others. And, like in previous years, many if not most of these laws were laughably ludicrous, especially when fixing our State's broken fiscal condition should have been those politicians' primary, if not only, focus.

But one of those that was passed, and then signed into law by the Guv, attracted my special attention. Assembly Bill 144 bans the open carrying of an unloaded handgun. Now we know that the open carrying of firearms by law-abiding citizens has been necessitated and provoked by California's unfair concealed carry laws, which allow citizens from one county to apply for and receive a permit while neighbors in the next county over are denied that same basic Constitutional right in an arbitrary and capricious manner. Kind of like the difference between Riverside and Orange counties, as an example.

Let me say that again. Apply for a concealed carry permit in Orange County and the Sheriff will issue a polite rejection. She came to us from up there in that vast wasteland toilet called Los Angeles, where packing hidden heat is verboten. Of course the Crips and the Bloods and every other gangbanger there is armed to the teeth, but allowing the average taxpaying citizen a means of self-protection? No way. And then there's Riverside County, just a short drive away. Make an application to the Sheriff and, assuming you're an upstanding citizen devoid of any felony convictions, you'll walk with a permit. So now, with the passage of AB 144, no more open carry in our once-Golden state. Why is this a problem?

27 little words comprise the 2^nd Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. I'll hereby cut to the 14 meaningful words writ therein: "…the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." Hmmm. According to my handy dandy little dictionary, "bear" is defined as: "To shoulder, carry, take, have, show, display, exhibit and present." I'm guessing the majority party miscreants in Sacto either do not have access to a dictionary, or can't read, or, more likely, simply do not care that by their action they have willfully ignored – more accurately, shot the bird – to a rather important part of the document under which our nation was founded and is supposed to operate. And the consequences? I predict not too many days will pass before the National Rifle Association, perhaps backed with amicus briefs from the Attorneys General of the more than 40 states which shall issue concealed carry permits to law-abiding citizens (no option, political or otherwise) when requested, will file suit to overturn this stupid law. And they will win. And California will waste tens of millions of dollars in legal fees in a misguided effort to defend a piece of legislation that should never have been conceived, much less passed and signed. Of course, there will be one contingent of our population overjoyed at this bill's passage: Lawyers. In fact, I predict that this piece of legislation will come to be known as "The Attorneys' Full Employment Act of 2011."

Maybe it would be simpler if we just went straight from the 1^st Amendment directly to the 3^rd. Oh, and the 4^th and the 10^th have been causing a lot of trouble lately. Maybe we could get rid of those also…

Venture Socialism

As a member of that minority group of Americans which actually pays Federal income taxes, I have a question: Can I deduct my portion of the Country's losses on the Obama Administration's venture socialism investment in Solyndra, Inc., from my income taxes? Or from losses on any of the other $38 Billion in "green energy" loan guarantees issued by the White House?

For those too busy earning a living to follow this shocking travesty as it unfolds, the Obama folks chose to guarantee with our money a $535 million dollar loan to this Silicon Valley solar chip manufacturer, even though the Bush White House refused to do so and his own Treasury, Energy Department and Office of Management and Budget officials counseled against it. And that loan placed the public, you and me, in an unprecedented subordinated position behind private investors in the event Solyndra went upside down. And upside down it went, as of August 30^th, declaring bankruptcy as of that date.

Now, the half of America that pays income taxes (does that mean we're finally paying our "fair share?") has watched one half-billion of their precious dollars go "poof" in an uncoordinated partisan flurry of activity to finally produce some of those so-called "green jobs" in time to create a little bit of positivity in advance of the 2012 general election.

So, I'd like to know if I can recoup some of that loss by declaring it on my taxes. Or as one of the ever-diminishing cadre of those who are actually pulling the wagon so that others can ride for free, do I not deserve even this small consideration? Or has half-a-billion dollars become such chump change that it becomes a rounding error? Loose change Obama could find between the cushions of his Oval Office couch, perhaps? Pardon me, but I'm growing a bit weary of this whole costly charade. How about you?

I Now Pronounce You...Divorced!

Campaigner-in-Chief Barack Hussein Obama is at it again. He's such an ideologue that he just can't get away from his deep-seated, almost religious fervor to tax the "rich" into the Stone Age. Maybe that's because his mom was a devout communist, his dad a proud socialist and his step-dad a dedicated, militant Marxist. In any event, after nearly 3 years of his White House-sponsored class warfare, during which he has beaten the tax increase drum unrelentingly, he's just announced Stimulus 2 (or is it 3 or 4, or 8 or 9? I've lost count.).

After blowing nearly a trillion bucks of our money on a failed stimulus program in 2009, which created somewhere around ZERO jobs, he's asking Congress for another $447,000,000,000.00 (that's billion, with a "B"). He wants to create some jobs, knowing that if he doesn't, his own job is toast next November. And where is this money to come from? Our President, who's never managed anything except the Federal Government, if you can call that "managing," tells us $421 Billion of the total will come from a tax increase on, and the eradication of tax deductions utilized by, those nasty, evil "rich" people among us. "Rich," according to the Redistributor-in-Chief, are those individuals who make $200k or more per year as individuals, or couples making $250k combined.

Now, anyone with any sense at all knows that this level of income does not make one rich. Not even close. Especially in cities like New York or L.A. or most other large U.S. population centers. That's your average married fireperson and nurseperson. And anyone with any sense knows that more than half of the folks making this level of income own and operate small businesses, which are responsible for the creation of way more than 70% of all American jobs. And Obama has stated repeatedly that the very last thing you want to do in a recession is increase taxes on the folks who create jobs (!). And because most of these small business types file their taxes as individuals under Subchapter S of the IRS code, their wages are taxed as ordinary income just like the fireperson and nurseperson. They don't get the benefits of myriad deductions, even on money they may plow back into their businesses. So money picked from their pockets by the Feds is money not available to them to hire with, or expand their business with, or even pay their bills with. So Barry's America's Jobs Bill, if passed, will obviously result in fewer jobs, not more. But he either doesn't know this (unlikely), or doesn't care (quite probably), or is doing it on purpose so as to screw things up (almost certainly). Clearly, the Golfer-in-Chief won't stop until he's gotten his wish and hiked taxes unmercifully on those "miwwionaires and biwwionaires." You know, the ones making $200k/$250k a year.

And now we have Warren Buffett, America's second richest man and the Oracle of Omaha, joining forces with the TelePrompTer-in-Chief to convince the American People that the "rich" are under taxed. He's fond of saying that his secretary pays a higher percentage of taxes than does he. He's right. He pays 17.4% and she pays 30%. He wants his taxes raised so that he and his secretary are both hosed equally. What good ol' Warren fails to mention (an oversight, no doubt), is that his income is realized almost entirely from capital gains on investments, not from ordinary income like his secretary. And he fails to mention that the income he used to make those investments, which are now producing capital gains, was already taxed once as ordinary income, back when he first earned it. So Warren wants you to throw in with the Vacationer-in-Chief on the idea that taxing us twice and at the same rate is quite alright…once when we first earn our paycheck, and again when the pittance that's left over after we've paid our bills is invested at a risk in something that might possibly produce a return. It's called, I understand, the "Buffett Rule." Excuse me Warren, but isn't that double taxation? Do you think that's fair? And if you do, might I suggest you utilize the line provided at the bottom of your IRS Form 1040 which permits you to pay more than your tax liability would ordinarily be if the spirit moves you to do so. That might help you get over some of that Democrat guilt you're experiencing from making so damn much money.

So I, the Chuckmeister, a graduate economist, entrepreneur, humorist, gadfly, food and wine connoisseur, noted business consultant and blogger extraordinaire have a solution. I recommend all the successful married Americans who might get caught up in this commie, pinko, lefty, dumbass, progressive weenie trap proceed directly to their local shyster, bottom-feeding lawyers and file for divorce. Then, you and your significant other can earn up to $400 Grand together without getting reamed by the Speechifier-in-Chief's National Wealth Distribution Whether You Like It Or Not plan. Of course, unless America turns him out next November, he'll come back after us again and again like a rabid hamster until he's managed to trade the fruits of the labor of the productive to those who are less than in exchange for their ill-considered votes. But for the short term we can all put a "we dodged that bullet" smirk on our faces while shooting him the collective bird.

No need to thank me. That's why God put me on this Earth…

National Underachievers Day

Folks, in less than two months another anniversary will be upon us. And although we haven't up until now, it's one we as a nation should all be celebrating. Please allow me to elucidate…

As everyone unfortunately knows, the elections' over and Barack Hussein Obama won. Congratulations Mr. Obama on your historic accomplishment. In recognition, I'd like to propose that November 4^th, the date you were elected, be forever proclaimed "National Underachievers' Day." No more must those who have heretofore failed to excel be relegated to the scrap heap of mediocrity. You have a new champion! Mr. Obama, with the possible exception of Millard Fillmore, is almost certainly the least qualified candidate for President in the history of our beloved Union. He boasts no private sector employment or record of success. He has no management experience of any kind, not even so much as a running the corner 7/11. He never met a payroll. He never signed a check on its face. He never hired or fired or held executive-level authority. While serving as an Illinois State Senator and during the 143 days (only!) he served as a U.S. Senator before deciding he was worthy of becoming a candidate for POTUS, he sponsored absolutely no major legislation. In fact, most of the time he voted "present" in order to avoid taking a controversial position on legislation. And, although he is Commander in Chief, he never served in our military.

So now, all Americans who could have, and should have, but didn't, work unceasingly to gather the experience necessary to be considered qualified for the Most Important Job in the World, are hereby vindicated. If you share our new President's qualifications, or rather the lack of same, you're just as qualified as is he. You should hold your collective unqualified heads high! In fact, it's not too late for you to launch your exploratory campaign for POTUS - 2012. With Obama's breakthrough, we could have any one of 50 million or so underachievers running for President next time. All they'll need is $1 Billion or so in donations from questionable sources like the unions, a "D" behind their names, a media that chooses not to ask any questions, difficult or otherwise, and the White House could well be theirs. Is America a great place, or what?

Micromanaging Outrage

Critics of the Government's heavy-handed efforts to try and micromanage each and every aspect of our lives, including this author, are always on the lookout for ever more egregious examples of this attempt to try and sway those not as yet convinced. Well folks, I've finally found an example that will bring around to my way of thinking all but the most liberal, brain-dead, commie pinko weenies among us. And here it is…

I read the other day that the Obama Administration had produced 75 new major rules and regulations governing all or certain aspects of the way business in America is permitted to do business. And that those new rules and regs add a total of $38 Billion in additional compliance fees to the cost of doing business, for an increase of more than 138% in the past two and one-half years. Think of that. 75 major changes in just a tad over 900 days, or a new one every two weeks.

Doubt it? Remember no more drilling in the Gulf? Or in Alaska? Or off the coasts? The EPA decided that carbon dioxide is such a threat that it has mandated dozens of changes in environmental laws. Corn has doubled in price since more than one-half of all production now winds up in motorists' gas tanks. And new fuel mileage requirements of 56.5 mpg, although impossible to accomplish, are now on track for the very near future. It's now okay to be an illegal alien facing prosecution and deportation. They are now home-free with the new executive order signed by BHO just recently. No prosecution. No deportation. And even better (or worse, depending upon your political persuasion), state and Federal grants are now available to help pay for their education. And Barry's National Labor Relations Board just sued Boeing to prevent it from manufacturing the new 787 passenger jets in South Carolina. Keep making them in Washington State, the NLRB dictated, no doubt to keep its union thug backers happy. Think of that. The Government is dictating where an American business can do business. These are just a few examples. Sadly, there are many more.

The Dems couldn't get any of this stuff through Congress. But Obama decided he didn't need no stinkin' Congress. He just went around them and unconstitutionally declared these changes by fiat. Rules changes in health care and banking and farming and energy and the environment and food labeling and cancer avoidance and so on and so on and so on are now imposed on us all by a Government which knows no bounds. But even in the face of all this, I wouldn't have believed what Barry and the Chicago Boys conjured up. And I bet you'll have difficulty in believing it as well.

The Obama Administration is actually now setting new workplace regulations to assist foreign workers who fill goat herding positions in the U.S., including employee-paid cell phones and comfy beds. The Labor Department issued these new special procedures last week which must be followed by anyone who employees foreign workers to herd sheep or goats. It describes strict rules for sleeping quarters, lighting, food storage, bathing, laundry, cooking and new rules for the counters upon which food is to be prepared. It even describes in-depth what shall constitute an acceptable sleeping unit, including the comfort of the bed and the mattress. Try this, a direct quote from the new regs: "Wall surfaces next to all food preparation and cooking areas shall be of nonabsorbent, easy-to-clean material. Wall surfaces next to cooking areas shall be of fire-resistant material," the regulations say. Those who have doubted we are now firmly entrenched in a "nanny state" need to carefully consider the impact of edicts such as these. I wonder if those who currently operate herds of sheep and goats will decide that continuing to do so just isn't worth the trouble, or the additional cost.

When the Government tells you how and when and under what circumstances you can herd goats, is there anything in our lives they won't try to micromanage? Just remember this: The liberal elites just want to be left alone to live your lives. If that alarms you, keep it in mind next November. And if it doesn't, you should seek professional help. And soon...

NAALCP

W.E.T. You know what that is, right? That stands for the White Entertainment Network. Never heard of it? Well, you've heard of the Black Entertainment Network, haven't you? So why isn't there a White Entertainment Network to go along with it? I don't know either.

And why, I ask, isn't there a National Association of Lightly Colored People to co-exist peacefully alongside the NAACP? Or a Congressional White Caucus? Or a group called "The Race" for white folks so can they feel just as good about themselves as Latinos do with "La Raza?" Or the American Caucasian College Fund? In fact, why do organizations emphasizing or lauding race exist at all? Isn't that in itself racist?

Somehow or other we have evolved (some would say devolved) as a society in such a way that our differences are emphasized instead of our similarities and commonalities. And those who profit from it most are the same ones who propagate its continuance. Black people need preferences to get jobs or home and car loans or to get into colleges and universities. We know that's true because poverty pimps like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton tell us so. All the way back to The Great Society programs conjured up by LBJ and his limousine liberal buddies of the era, we have pandered to the minorities so we could, in my opinion, assuage our collective white guilt over slavery. And in the process we've thrown trillions of dollars at problems such as hunger and ignorance and education and inner-city crime and high minority unemployment and teen pregnancy and multi-generational welfare recipients without any discernable improvement. Except, of course, an improvement in the pride lefties feel at having been able to (unsuccessfully) micromanage societal unfairness. One could make the case, I believe, that had we done nothing at all as regards attempting to correct racial inequalities we would be exactly where we are now, except we'd be a whole lot better off as a society financially.

Of course, the libs have ulterior motives behind their high-profile pandering. They want votes from those to whom they pander. And they get them. We were told the fact that Blacks voted to the tune of 97% for Barry Obama the last election was because of their "racial pride." But had a similar percentage of whites voted for McCain, wouldn't the leftwing media have labeled them as racist? Wouldn't they have been? Is your brain hurting yet?

And, by the way, why don't Asians get preferences on college entrance exams or loan applications or when they apply for jobs? After all, they're minorities too, aren't they? Maybe it's because they don't need them. They work and study hard and apply themselves and succeed without extra or undue assistance from any source. No Federal preferences are asked for and none given. In fact, one could argue they succeed in spite of being vilified by Blacks and Latinos who consider them unfair competition because they're so successful. And why, therefore, aren't Asians held up as role models by Blacks and Latinos? Why, indeed.

And lastly, pray tell where, exactly, is the "Black Community?" Black leaders and TV pundits routinely speak of this mythical neighborhood, and I'd like to know where it is. Is it near Watts? Or downtown Detroit? Harlem? Maybe somewhere in the South? And I'd also like to know if white people are permitted to live there. And if not, why not? By the way, have you ever heard of the "Asian Community?" I didn't think so.

So all you Blacks and Latinos out there, how does it feel to be treated like losers? How does it feel to be pandered to? How does it feel to be kept down by those of your race who can only succeed by making sure you continue to fail? Just think, if you were to somehow magically manage to pull yourselves up by the bootstraps and no longer need Jesse and Al to speak for you, what would they do for a living? And by the way, where exactly do I find The Reverend Jesse Jackson's church?

Did I mention that I'm proudly politically incorrect?