Today Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke in a speech to leading economists in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We have interpreted the gibberish below. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Friday that central bank policymakers will take a closer look next month on whether they should take additional short-term steps to jump-start economic growth.

In a much-anticipated speech to leading economists in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the chairman announced that a one-day meeting of the Fed, originally set for Sept. 20, is being expanded to two days “to allow a fuller discussion” of what the central bank should do to respond to “disappointing” growth.

Translation: We have run out of ideas to spin this and we need more time to think of something

“The Federal Reserve will certainly do all that it can to help restore high rates of growth and employment,” he promised at the end of the speech.

Translation: Oh yeah QE3 is on the way but we have to prime the pump first

But Bernanke also cautioned its powers are somewhat limited, and said that much of the responsibility for action will have to lay with a gridlocked Congress.

Translation : The administration asked me to say this and join in on the blame game, and said it will set a course for the re-election campaign

“Most of the economic policies that support robust economic growth in the long run are outside the province of the central bank,” he said.

Translation: I am clueless

Higher taxes anyone ?  There are those among us who think that higher taxes on the rich will do the trick to solve our economic woes, but as this article details Warren Buffett’s Proposed Tax Hikes Would Provide Insignificant Revenue. Some think its just been a run of bad luck,

“We had reversed the recession, avoided a depression, got the economy moving again. . . . But over the last six months, we’ve had a run of bad luck.”

— President Obama, Decorah, Iowa, Aug. 15

but  I think we need someone like Marco Rubio leading this country.

I am like most conservatives who follow politics. I’m still waiting for a decision by Sarah Palin on a run at the presidency. I follow Sarah Palin closely. I listen to what she says; I read what others say about her as well. More and more commentators each day venture their guesses as to what the outcome will be.

There are reasons to believe that Palin will run for president of the United States and there are reasons to believe that she won’t.

Reasons I think Sarah Palin Won’t Run For President

When asked by the media, Sarah Palin frequently alludes to the effect on her family, in particular her younger children. Make no mistake, if she decides to enter the race the media and liberals will come at her with ” nuclear type weapons” to destroy her family and her credibility. It will be relentless.

No political figure in history has had to endure the personal attacks that Sarah Palin has endured since being chosen by John McCain as a running mate. She is protective of her family and that in my opinion is the most significant issue with her decision. The Mama Grizzly moniker is not superficial.

Recently she stated, “I am still considering it and I do want to help change the world for the better,” Palin replied, “along with millions of other contentious Americans who know that America deserves better than what we’re getting out of the political bubble in Washington, D.C.”

She almost always follows this kind of comment, with something along the lines of, you don’t need to have a position or title to have an impact on the political discourse in the country. While this is true, it almost sounds as sort of a pre-disclaimer for choosing not to run.

Reason I think Sarah Palin Will Run For President

You don’t have to like Sarah Palin. You don’t have to agree with Sarah Palin. One thing you cannot argue is that she loves this country and believes that it is on the wrong track. I think it is safe to assume that the present list of Republican candidates does not satisfy what she thinks a candidate should possess to turn this country around.

Palin is fearless when it comes to expressing what she believes needs to happen in America. That “fire in the belly” as she calls it, may be too much for her to try and suppress.

I have to believe that as she follows the news and everyday doings of Republican candidates, she has to think herself, oh my.  Each of the Republican candidates that has announced has a measure of merits on their own.  I sometimes think it would be better if you could take all of them and combine the best of each to make one good candidate. Sarah Palin, if she decided to run, might be that candidate.

By all accounts, Sarah Palin is not conventional. She will not run a campaign based on the previous norms.  That being said, I really don’t know if Sarah Palin will run for POTUS.  I will say this , if she does announce, I will make a campaign contribution that day. Many in the media thought that when Rick Perry entered the race, the impact would be significant and the field of candidates would be turned upside down.

That is nothing compared to what will happen if Sarah Palin decides she wants to be a candidate.  The real choice for the Republican candidate may come from within the party itself.

You see, the race in 2012 is more than a race between Democrats and Republicans. That is important and that will be decided. More important in my opinion is the race that is occurring right now between big government Republicans and authentic conservatives. One of these two groups is going to win the right to represent America in 2012. That is the most important race.

The Republicans may or may not win the White House in 2012. Who the Republicans decide will be the candidate has a longer lasting impact on the direction of our country.

Win or lose, I would rather a constitutional conservative be the candidate. Principles cannot be compromised.  There are only a handful of politicians in this country at the moment who are willing, and able to articulate the conservative position,those who are unashamed, and will not compromise the foundational message of conservatism.  Sarah Palin is one of those. Read more of what Sarah Palin is about here.

We found these articles well worth your time to read on August 19, 2011, enjoy

Palin rips Obama ‘arrogance,’ says he should ‘quit picking’ on Perry

An Open Letter to Anyone Who Thinks Obama Should Not Go On Vacation

I Refuse to Obey the Law

Scott Walker Pushes Ryan to Run

Bad Luck? Bad Faith?

Yesterday afternoon and evening I was watching highlights from the Presidents bus tour. The president announced that yes indeed he did have a plan for the United States economy and he planned to tell America about it in early September.  President Obama told a Kansas City television station Tuesday that he wants to rein in the deficit in the long term in order to spend on jobs programs “here and now.”

Now , I am not the sharpest tack in the box, but just take a look at that statement. He wants to rein in the deficit long-term, I would think that has to do with spending cuts, at least in part, I could be wrong. He then goes on to declare to spend on jobs programs here and now. Okay I get it now, let’s rein in all these deficits, and spend more money on jobs programs. What am I missing here? it really does not matter what he says in his upcoming Labor Day speech. As the list I have provided below will clearly document, economic speeches and job related dissertations are not his strong suit. At least the results of those carefully worded speeches are not.

I’m sure that he will continue his relentless implication that the reason the economy is stalled is divided government. For those who are not aware, the Republicans took control of the House of Representatives and have been in power for eight months or so, and that’s the root problem, according to the administration. I feel better that the president is going to address the nation about our economy and jobs, don’t you?

·        President-elect Barack Obama to deliver major speech on the economy on Thursday (change.gov, January 8, 2009)

·        President Barack Obama to Give Major Speech on the Economy at Georgetown University (Whitehouse.gov, April 13, 2009)

·        Obama to give major speech about economy on Monday (AFP, November 9, 2009)

·        President Obama to Deliver Major Speech on the Financial Crisis (Whitehouse.gov, September 10, 2009)

·        Obama To Promote New Job Ideas During Tuesday Speech (AP, December 5, 2009)

·        Obama preparing new push to add jobs, tackle deficit (WaPo, December 8, 2009)

·        In key speech Obama pledges to create jobs (AP, January 27, 2010)

Much has been made of the exchange between President Obama and Tea Party Activist Ryan Rhodes. It was reported that  President Obama got into a heated back and forth with a Tea Party activist who demanded to know at the end of a town meeting. For this Ryan Rhodes will be vilified by the mainstream media, Democrats and Republicans alike. In my mind it was a simple and fair question. the president responded, “As someone who’s been called a socialist, not born here, taking away freedoms for providing health care, I’m all for lowering the rhetoric,” Obama said.

If that were true, then the president let a golden opportunity to lower the rhetoric pass by. It seems no one wants to reach out to those Americans who are interested in restoration of our country. The divisive nature of the debate taking place in this country reminds me of an era that I thought we were past. I would like to extend an open invitation for Ryan Rhodes to contribute to the conversation here anytime that he would like. It was truly inspiring to see a young man, I think he is not yet 30, stand up for what he thinks is right, for what he knows is right without fear of reprisal. It is those kinds of individuals they give us hope. You can take a look at the video here if you haven’t seen it already. Ryan Rhodes was respectful with his line of questioning. We need more like him to stand up and be counted.

Charley Reese’s final column for the Orlando Sentinel… He has been a journalist for 49 years. He is retiring and this is HIS LAST COLUMN.

This is about as clear and easy to understand as it can be. The article below is completely neutral, neither anti-republican or democrat. Charlie Reese, a retired reporter for the Orlando Sentinel, has hit the nail directly on the head, defining clearly who it is that in the final analysis must assume responsibility for the judgments made that impact each one of us every day. It’s a short but good read. Worth the time. Worth remembering!

545 vs. 300,000,000 People
-By Charlie Reese

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don’t propose a federal budget. The President does.

You and I don’t have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don’t write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don’t set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don’t control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a President to do one cotton-picking thing. I don’t care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator’s responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The President can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House now? He is the leader of the majority party. He and fellow House members, not the President, can approve any budget they want. If the President vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted — by present facts — of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can’t think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it’s because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it’s because they want it in the red.

If the Army & Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan it’s because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan …

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it’s because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like “the economy,” “inflation,” or “politics” that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.

They, and they alone, have the power.

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses. Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees…

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What you do with this article now that you have read it… is up to you. This might be funny if it weren’t so true. Be sure to read all the way to the end:

Tax his land,

Tax his bed,

Tax the table,

At which he’s fed.

Tax his tractor,

Tax his mule,

Teach him taxes

Are the rule.

Tax his work,

Tax his pay,

He works for

peanuts anyway!

Tax his cow,

Tax his goat,

Tax his pants,

Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,

Tax his shirt,

Tax his work,

Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,

Tax his drink,

Tax him if he

Tries to think.

Tax his cigars,

Tax his beers,

If he cries

Tax his tears.

Tax his car,

Tax his gas,

Find other ways

To tax his ass.

Tax all he has

Then let him know

That you won’t be done

Till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers;

Then tax him some more,

Tax him till

He’s good and sore.

Then tax his coffin,

Tax his grave,

Tax the sod in

Which he’s laid…

Put these words

Upon his tomb,

‘Taxes drove me

to my doom…’

When he’s gone,

Do not relax,

Its time to apply

The inheritance tax.

Accounts Receivable Tax

Building Permit Tax

CDL license Tax

Cigarette Tax

Corporate Income Tax

Dog License Tax

Excise Taxes

Federal Income Tax

Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)

Fishing License Tax

Food License Tax

Fuel Permit Tax

Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)

Gross Receipts(Ta:

Hunting License Tax

Inheritance Tax

Inventory Tax

IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)

Liquor Tax

Luxury Taxes

Marriage License Tax

Medicare Tax

Personal Property Tax

Property Tax

Real Estate Tax

Service Charge Tax

Social Security Tax

Road Usage Tax

Recreational Vehicle Tax

Sales Tax

School Tax

State Income Tax

State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)

Telephone Federal Excise Tax

Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax

Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes

Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax

Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax

Telephone State and Local Tax

Telephone Usage Charge Tax

Utility Taxes

Vehicle License Registration Tax

Vehicle Sales Tax

Watercraft Registration Tax

Well Permit Tax

Workers Compensation Tax

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, & our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom, if agreed, stayed home to raise the kids.

What in the heck happened? Can you spell ‘politicians?’

I hope this goes around THE USA at least 545 times!!! YOU can help it get there!!!

GO AHEAD. . . BE AN AMERICAN!!!

It probably will not come as a surprise to anyone that I am one of those crazy conservatives who believes that our country is changing for the worst. As I began to gather some thoughts in celebration of our Independence Day, I wondered to myself how long we would be celebrating Independence Day as a country. There are those among us who are focused on stealing our freedom as Americans. In fact, it is not much of a stretch to think that one day we may be celebrating dependence day. Our government is seemingly creating a culture of dependence. Dependence on the government.

Some days the odds seem overwhelming, that the tide will turn and our country will return to its former greatness. It is difficult to be inspired by the future when you think that American exceptionalism is something that our children may be reading about in a history book one day.

I stumbled across a video of Sen. Marc Rubio, United States Senator from Florida. He was making his maiden speech on the Senate floor. As disappointed as I have been about the way that our country has been run, Sen. Rubio inspired me to continue to have faith in our country. As broken as it seems, we still live in the greatest country the world has ever known. I invite you to watch the video, and make note of how he opens and closes his speech. He acknowledges God. These days, in our world, that’s not the most politically correct position to take. We have systematically extracted God from our culture, from our society, and our government. The secularization of American continues daily. Sen. Rubio reminds us where we came from, and where we could go as a country, it is our choice.

I hope Sen. Rubio inspires you the way he inspired me. Happy Fourth of July everyone, my hope, my prayer, is that we will continue celebrating Independence Day.

“Our rights as individuals do not come from our government, they come from our God” Sen. Marc Rubio

Political polls are as much a part of politics as un-kept promises and campaign speeches. Polls that are conducted well over a year in advance of an election offer a perspective for the candidate and great fodder for news sites and organization. If you are candidate and you are among the leaders, it’s all good and if the candidate is at the back of the pack, they will claim well it’s early, no worries. The news organizations and pollsters hope they can fit Sarah Palin’s name in somehow, to get a bump in web traffic.

In light of the latest poll conducted in Iowa showing Republican presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney and tea party favorite Michele Bachmann leading among the state’s likely GOP caucus-goers, Conservative Spirit is conducting a poll of our own. Who would you vote for to be nominated as the Republican candidate? We would love to know. Click your favorite candidate and let us know. Our poll is of course non-scientific and includes the following candidates.

Michele Bachman
Newt Gingrich
Herman Cain
Jon Huntsman
Gary Johnson
Tim Pawlenty
Ron Paul
Rick Santorum

It never ceases to amaze me how far people will go to advance their position. Both Republicans and Democrats are experts in hyperbole. That’s part of politics and frankly the part of politics that I dislike.

The debate that continues over global warming and our environment, call it climate change if you want, I believe that is now the politically correct term, recently reached a new level of lunacy. Al Gore, is an unabashed environmentalist, spokesman and cheerleader for the global warming argument. Everyone knows that. He has supporters and he has detractors. Recently Mr. Gore had a thought on how to help control pollution.  He said in a sit down interview.

“One of the things we could do about it is to change the technologies, to put out less of this pollution, to stabilize the population, and one of the principle ways of doing that is to empower and educate girls and women. You have to have ubiquitous availability of fertility management so women can choose how many children have, the spacing of the children.

You have to lift child survival rates so that parents feel comfortable having small families and most important — you have to educate girls and empower women. And that’s the most powerful leveraging factor, and when that happens, then the population begins to stabilize and societies begin to make better choices and more balanced choices.”

Here is the part that amazes me. There are men and women in this country who will support him, donate their time to his cause, donate their money to his cause, while he tells them that they need to be educated in the area of fertility management to help with pollution of our environment. I suppose the theory is less people, less pollution. I say, we are reaching a new level of ignorance with Al Gore.