Taxes & Wages Under Republicans

Dims claim that Republicans have, in recent years, harmed the working person.

But, the objective, quantitative data tell another story (as usual):

1) The Truth About Tax Cuts.

2) The truth about inflation adjusted hourly compensation for working persons:


Inflation Adjusted Hourly Compensation (for the working person)
Click the image to enlarge & view the source data


Continuously Compounded Annual Rate of Change
in Inflation Adjusted Hourly Compensation (for the working person)
Click the image to enlarge & view the source data



Comparing pre-LBJ to post-LBJ, there was a slight slowdown in (continued positive) inflation adjusted wage growth from roughly 1975 to 1997. Blame the tidal wave of Federal Entitlements imposed by LBJ in the mid 1960’s, starting with Medicare and Medicaid.

But, trends have been improving since 1997 (after Republicans took control of Congress in 1996). Will the positive trends continue if Dims control both houses of Congress AND the White House. No, they won’t. But, the media will, as usual, lie and distort. And, the terminally gullible will, as usual, believe every word of it.

Insanity Defined

===========================================
5/19/2008 - Life is Better in the Red States
===========================================

Carpe Diem noted the current economic conditions in Texas.

Meantime, even the farthest of the Far Left states are already rebounding.


===========================================
5/16/2008 - Expanded to Include a Gas Tax Map
===========================================
It has been said that one definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results each time.

So-called “Liberals” do that all the time. They apply the same tired old Socialist theory, watch it fail, tweak it (or simply rename it), watch it fail again and repeat the cycle ad infinitum. After each failure, they swear the theory is good, only the implementation was bad and this time it’s going to work. But, it never does (and they never learn).

Fast forward to today and the two hot (and interrelated) topics on the campaign trail, the economy and the price of gasoline. So-called Liberals promise they will “fix” both issues. But, just one glance at the following four maps proves that anyone who believes that fits the aforementioned definition of insanity:

1) So-called Liberal voters are evident in this map of Presidential election results for 2004. Darker red denotes stronger support for Bush. Darker blue denotes stronger support for Kerry (click the image to enlarge, click here for the source image):

I use the above image merely as an indication of the national voting habits which generally translate to the state level voting habits (and the ensuing harmful state legislation).

2) The following map documents the cents per gallon in taxes paid for a gallon of gasoline in each state (blue is lower & red is higher). Note that, as is described here, there are other legislative factors which come to bear beyond direct taxation at the pump. Click the image to enlarge, click here for the source image:

3) The following map documents the price of gasoline as of 5/10/2008. Darker red denotes higher gas prices (click the image to enlarge, click here for the most recent data):

4) The following map documents the unemployment data as of March, 2008. Darker blue denotes higher unemployment (click the image to enlarge, click here for the most recent data):

Does anybody notice a general pattern among these four maps? It’s not exact, but it’s pretty darn close.

And yet, tens of millions of so-called Liberals will, in 2008, vote for more of the same that got them where they are. And they will have absolute conviction that doing so will reverse the trends that got them where they are.

Yep, that’s insanity all right!

If it Feels Good, Do it

The Woodstock generation proclaimed:
“If it Feels Good, Do it”:

Some of that generation were fortunate enough to outgrow that hedonistic, self-absorbed, self-destructive “philosophy”. Others used it as the foundation of their political ideology well beyond the point where their ponytails turned gray.

Thomas Sowell, in a three part series, has now laid bare, for all to see, exactly why so-called “Liberals” repeatedly exercise their precious liberties in such a self-destructive manner:

1) Too "Complex"?

2) Too "Complex"?: Part II

3) Too "Complex"?: Part III

Basically, so-called “Liberals” never outgrew the “philosophy” of their Woodstock days. Worse still, all too many went on to become university professors indoctrinating the next generation in their self-destructive “philosophy”.

Who Stole The American Spirit?

Folks, this is what happens when naïve individuals fall for the hysteria peddled by so-called “journalists” (and worse) who are either too ignorant to know better, are just following the herd or are looking to hand the White House to a Democrat (or, more likely, all of the above).

Quoting this excellent commentary:

“[T]here is something both startling and disturbing about the gloom that has settled over Wall Street and the country in general. In fact, looking back over the past century, it would be a stretch to rank the current problems as especially notable or dramatic. Something else is going on – namely a cultural rut of pessimism that is draining our collective energy, blinding us to possibilities, and eroding our position in the world.”

There are extremely relevant, objective and quantitative perspectives offered in that commentary which makes it well worth the short read.

Here are some additional perspectives:

1) In the prelude to the 2001 recession, the NASDAQ lost almost 70% of its value in less than 13 months.

And yet, as I documented here, the 2001 recession was the second shortest recession since World War II and arguably the least severe recession since World War II.

When somebody can document that, nationwide, the median home value declined by almost 70%, I will begin to think that we might be in for a really mild recession. Until then, it’s all just a bunch of hysteria pimping from so-called “journalists”.

2) With a giant hat tip to an excellent blog (Carpe Diem), click each of the images below to read the associated blog post:

Click the image to read the associated blog post

Click the image to read the associated blog post

Click the image to read the associated blog post

And, there’s a great deal more fine perspective on the current state of our economy at Carpe Diem.

Climate Change Videos

Each of the next four videos features IPCC scientists who question the extent of Man Made Global Warming and whether Man Made Global Warming represents a climate crisis or even anything we should be remotely concerned about.

Video
Stossel vs. An Inconvenient Truth:
(Note how children are abused by Environmental Extremist scare tactics)


Video
Government Policy -
FAR More Dangerous Than Climate Change:


Video
The Great Global Warming Swindle:


Video
Climate of Fear:


Video
Air Con - Part I:


Video
Weather Channel Founder and Meteorologist John Coleman:


And, more observations from John Coleman.

After reviewing all of this (or not), review a six step template for advancing any Environmental Extremist nonsense you like.

Now, witness how easy it is to use even one or two portions of that template to get recruits signed onto your new cause (no matter how crazy):


Video
Environmental Activists Sign a Petition to Ban Water:



Oh heck, while we’re at it, let’s take a look at eco-Imperialism. It’s all interrelated.

Return to Climate Change 101