Oregonians work hard and deserve to keep more of the money they earn. I’m sure most don’t know that their employer pays a tax on their wages. This is above and beyond the income tax the employee pays. If I’m elected Governor, I’m going to eliminate that tax for businesses and ask that in return, the businesses pay that money to the employee rather than the state. (If the business doesn’t like this deal, they can opt to pay the state instead)
Money earned by Oregonians is better spent by Oregonians rather than wasted by the state. Of course, this will work for every single employee of a private business, even top executives. It will be up to the discretion of the businesses whether or not to pass this savings on to these executives or examine other options such as dispersing this among other employees. Regardless, there will be more money to spread around to the people who actually earn it.
This is how you create economic stability.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Create, Save, Bring Back(?) Jobs
President Obama has set aside $787 billion of your money to create jobs. That’s $787,000,000,000.00. This started in February 2009. Today Oregon’s unemployment rate is around 11% and our under-employment rate is around 21%. I encourage you to look at recovery.gov to see how the money is being spent and the results. From what I see, I don’t want the federal government spending any more of my money trying to “create or save” jobs.
We can do much better in Oregon and we can do it without spending one thin dime (not literally for those of you who will one day want to pick apart every word I ever said). The President wants to “create or save” jobs. We’re going to take it one step further because we have the ability to actually have a creative thought that doesn’t involve taxing someone or spending money we don’t have.
Lets bring jobs back to Oregon. We’ll start with manufacturing jobs from China and call center jobs from India. I know, it sounds crazy, but it also sounds crazy that we send hundreds of billions of US dollars to foreign countries for these services. WE NEED THE JOBS HERE IN OREGON AND WE NEED TO KEEP THE MONEY IN OUR OWN COUNTRY. So lets start thinking like AMERICANS and figure out a way to get it done.
I have some ideas for this that do not involve paying children slave wages and working women 20 hours per day, 6 days per week. THIS CAN BE DONE. Get it out of your head that I’m crazy and it can’t. Instead, post to this blog some of your own ideas of how it CAN be done. We’re talking about a whole new industry that can be brought to Oregon, something that no one in the country has even considered.
So, on to creating or saving jobs in Oregon…
Oregon is a piss poor place to do business. Believe me, I know. I own a very small carpet cleaning business and dealing with the state on the very limited basis that I do is enough to drive me crazy. I can only imagine the headache the state causes larger businesses that have to deal with multiple state agencies on a regular basis. I hear horror stories frequently from friends and people I run in to. Based on what I hear and the opinions of these people, most, if not all of this is unnecessary. From what I’ve seen of almost every thing else the state does, I would have to agree.
Businesses, this is what I’m going to do for you. I want to make Oregon the best place in the world to have a business. I’m not going to create boards and panels to study this and that. I’m going to take action from day one.
By electing me, I’m going to consider it a referendum of the people that they want jobs and economic stability in Oregon. I’m going to enter an agreement with any private business in Oregon to release them from paying state corporate income tax, payroll tax, and measure 67 tax. This is similar to the deal Facebook received when they agreed to build their facility in central Oregon. In exchange, the businesses will agree to pay the money once paid to the state in payroll tax to their employees, essentially giving their employees a raise.
This may sound extreme but remember, when measures 66 and 67 passed, we Oregonians learned from commercials on TV and radio (tongue-in-cheek) that corporations in Oregon only pay $10 per year in corporate income tax so letting them off the hook for that isn’t going to cost very much. Payroll tax goes to pay unemployment claims which will drastically decrease when companies begin coming to Oregon and people go back to work. There will be more income from the raises employees receive so income tax revenue will increase.
We’re also going to need to cut some spending. We’re going to start by cutting 10% from the following non-essential departments. I’m betting there’s at least 10% waste so services won’t suffer one bit. If this isn’t enough, we’ll cut more. If that isn’t enough, we’ll begin to cut entire agencies within the departments. Before you freak out, ask yourself, “are jobs and our state not going bankrupt more important than some of these departments?” Also keep in mind, we’re not doing this so rich people can get more rich. We’re doing it so Oregonians can have jobs.
Total cuts of 10% from the departments below will be $2.1 billion. Measures 66 and 67 raised $733 million. Needless to say, they were not needed. Oregonians were duped. I will also do what I can do rescind measure 66.
Consumer and Business Services: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 21.9% $1,067,892,695
Economic Development: $4,733,654,135
Natural Resources: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 4.5% $1,643,646,999
Transportation: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 23.35% $4,340,034,464
Commission for the blind: $14,766,173
Administration: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 17.7% $9,659,590,181
Judicial Branch: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 23.17% $761,602,271
Legislative Branch: $89,184,923
Total: $21,548,769,570 (21.5 billion dollars)
I’m going to do everything I can to make Oregon the best state in the nation, and the best place in the world to do business. I’m going to review every single aspect of doing business in Oregon with the people who actually have to deal with the state and figure out what we have to do to make things better. We’re going to assert our rights as a sovereign state and get the federal monkey off our back so we can be more competitive on every level. This is going to be priority number one. We need to clean up the business atmosphere in Oregon right away and get people back to work.
We can do much better in Oregon and we can do it without spending one thin dime (not literally for those of you who will one day want to pick apart every word I ever said). The President wants to “create or save” jobs. We’re going to take it one step further because we have the ability to actually have a creative thought that doesn’t involve taxing someone or spending money we don’t have.
Lets bring jobs back to Oregon. We’ll start with manufacturing jobs from China and call center jobs from India. I know, it sounds crazy, but it also sounds crazy that we send hundreds of billions of US dollars to foreign countries for these services. WE NEED THE JOBS HERE IN OREGON AND WE NEED TO KEEP THE MONEY IN OUR OWN COUNTRY. So lets start thinking like AMERICANS and figure out a way to get it done.
I have some ideas for this that do not involve paying children slave wages and working women 20 hours per day, 6 days per week. THIS CAN BE DONE. Get it out of your head that I’m crazy and it can’t. Instead, post to this blog some of your own ideas of how it CAN be done. We’re talking about a whole new industry that can be brought to Oregon, something that no one in the country has even considered.
So, on to creating or saving jobs in Oregon…
Oregon is a piss poor place to do business. Believe me, I know. I own a very small carpet cleaning business and dealing with the state on the very limited basis that I do is enough to drive me crazy. I can only imagine the headache the state causes larger businesses that have to deal with multiple state agencies on a regular basis. I hear horror stories frequently from friends and people I run in to. Based on what I hear and the opinions of these people, most, if not all of this is unnecessary. From what I’ve seen of almost every thing else the state does, I would have to agree.
Businesses, this is what I’m going to do for you. I want to make Oregon the best place in the world to have a business. I’m not going to create boards and panels to study this and that. I’m going to take action from day one.
By electing me, I’m going to consider it a referendum of the people that they want jobs and economic stability in Oregon. I’m going to enter an agreement with any private business in Oregon to release them from paying state corporate income tax, payroll tax, and measure 67 tax. This is similar to the deal Facebook received when they agreed to build their facility in central Oregon. In exchange, the businesses will agree to pay the money once paid to the state in payroll tax to their employees, essentially giving their employees a raise.
This may sound extreme but remember, when measures 66 and 67 passed, we Oregonians learned from commercials on TV and radio (tongue-in-cheek) that corporations in Oregon only pay $10 per year in corporate income tax so letting them off the hook for that isn’t going to cost very much. Payroll tax goes to pay unemployment claims which will drastically decrease when companies begin coming to Oregon and people go back to work. There will be more income from the raises employees receive so income tax revenue will increase.
We’re also going to need to cut some spending. We’re going to start by cutting 10% from the following non-essential departments. I’m betting there’s at least 10% waste so services won’t suffer one bit. If this isn’t enough, we’ll cut more. If that isn’t enough, we’ll begin to cut entire agencies within the departments. Before you freak out, ask yourself, “are jobs and our state not going bankrupt more important than some of these departments?” Also keep in mind, we’re not doing this so rich people can get more rich. We’re doing it so Oregonians can have jobs.
Total cuts of 10% from the departments below will be $2.1 billion. Measures 66 and 67 raised $733 million. Needless to say, they were not needed. Oregonians were duped. I will also do what I can do rescind measure 66.
Consumer and Business Services: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 21.9% $1,067,892,695
Economic Development: $4,733,654,135
Natural Resources: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 4.5% $1,643,646,999
Transportation: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 23.35% $4,340,034,464
Commission for the blind: $14,766,173
Administration: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 17.7% $9,659,590,181
Judicial Branch: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 23.17% $761,602,271
Legislative Branch: $89,184,923
Total: $21,548,769,570 (21.5 billion dollars)
I’m going to do everything I can to make Oregon the best state in the nation, and the best place in the world to do business. I’m going to review every single aspect of doing business in Oregon with the people who actually have to deal with the state and figure out what we have to do to make things better. We’re going to assert our rights as a sovereign state and get the federal monkey off our back so we can be more competitive on every level. This is going to be priority number one. We need to clean up the business atmosphere in Oregon right away and get people back to work.
Oregonians Held Hostage
For too many years Oregon politicians at every level have held Oregonians hostage using schools and essential services. “If you don’t pass this tax measure, we the ruling elite are just going to have to cut teachers and police, we will have no choice”, It works every time. No more. Now we have a prioritized list of services the state provides. When we’re short of funds, we cut from the bottom of the list, not the top.
“Well, uh uh, we can’t do that because the funds are in different accounts and we can’t take from those accounts and use them for schools and important things like police.” (Tell that to Social Security) Well guess what? We The People are in charge and we’re going to change that. So stop holding that over our heads because it’s not going to work anymore. We’re now wise to your little games.
Here’s where we start. These agencies are less important than schools and other essential services and will be cut before teachers and police officers if I am Governor. Oregonians have been made fools of for too long. Go look at the state budget for yourself and tell me there’s no other place to cut rather than our teachers. Below is not the entire budget.
Consumer and Business Services: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 21.9%
$1,067,892,695
Economic Development:
$4,733,654,135
Natural Resources: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 4.5%
$1,643,646,999
Transportation: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 23.35%
$4,340,034,464
Commission for the blind:
$14,766,173
Administration: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 17.7%
$9,659,590,181
Judicial Branch: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 23.17%
$761,602,271
Legislative Branch:
$89,184,923
Total: $21,548,769,570 (21.5 billion dollars)
“Well, uh uh, we can’t do that because the funds are in different accounts and we can’t take from those accounts and use them for schools and important things like police.” (Tell that to Social Security) Well guess what? We The People are in charge and we’re going to change that. So stop holding that over our heads because it’s not going to work anymore. We’re now wise to your little games.
Here’s where we start. These agencies are less important than schools and other essential services and will be cut before teachers and police officers if I am Governor. Oregonians have been made fools of for too long. Go look at the state budget for yourself and tell me there’s no other place to cut rather than our teachers. Below is not the entire budget.
Consumer and Business Services: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 21.9%
$1,067,892,695
Economic Development:
$4,733,654,135
Natural Resources: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 4.5%
$1,643,646,999
Transportation: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 23.35%
$4,340,034,464
Commission for the blind:
$14,766,173
Administration: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 17.7%
$9,659,590,181
Judicial Branch: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 23.17%
$761,602,271
Legislative Branch:
$89,184,923
Total: $21,548,769,570 (21.5 billion dollars)
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Core Life Philosophy
Yesterday I sat in on my daughters college political science class and listened to students describe their utopian political philosophies. I noticed one thing in common that also rang through in all other political philosophies I see in the world today. They are all based on the premise that people are bad.
This section of my campaign is about life philosophy, not political. But I think they intertwine. So, speaking of life…
When I was at the beach, my wife and I pulled into the Seaside Post Office, which we had never been to. As we pulled in, a car was pulling out. The passenger, a young man (around 20 years old) jumped out of the car, threw his hands in the air and yelled at us. He was obviously pissed. I couldn’t hear what he was saying because my windows were rolled up but by his gestures my wife could tell he was pissed that we entered through the exit. We weren’t blocking his car or any other traffic so why was he so pissed off? Because he assumed people are bad and they just do bad things, and that pisses him off. I looked around and saw no signage saying it was one way, nothing on the pavement in the parking lot, so I pulled up next to the car and rolled down my window to apologize. The driver wouldn’t have anything to do with me. They drove off all pissed and that probably ruined their day.
The point being, they automatically assumed I was a bad person rather than assuming I was a good person making an honest mistake. I can go on and on with examples like this and it makes me sad. People didn’t use to be like this. People use to smile and say “hello” to each other when they passed on the side walk. They don’t anymore. Society has programmed us to assume people are bad THEN have them prove to us they are indeed good. It should be the other way around.
In my life, I choose not to go with what society has tried to engrain in my soul. I assume people are good until they show me otherwise. I smile and say “hi” when I walk by. Go ahead, call me a “cheese ball”. After all, thats what you’ve been programmed to do. The natural state of a human being is to be caring and compassionate to others in all aspects of life and to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. This should be reflected in individual life, and most importantly, in our government. Why most importantly? Because government is a role model. How are we as a society to be expected to assume people are good when our government is all about assuming people are bad from the get go? Our laws are based on people being bad. Our police assume people are bad. Our judges assume people are bad. Etc. Etc. Etc. “Innocent until proven guilty” is a great concept, in fact that’s what I’m talking about. But it’s not practiced.
So, my core life philosophy is, “People are good, let them be good. They’ll do it on their own. They don’t need to be pushed to do it. They don’t need the government to force them to do it.”
This section of my campaign is about life philosophy, not political. But I think they intertwine. So, speaking of life…
When I was at the beach, my wife and I pulled into the Seaside Post Office, which we had never been to. As we pulled in, a car was pulling out. The passenger, a young man (around 20 years old) jumped out of the car, threw his hands in the air and yelled at us. He was obviously pissed. I couldn’t hear what he was saying because my windows were rolled up but by his gestures my wife could tell he was pissed that we entered through the exit. We weren’t blocking his car or any other traffic so why was he so pissed off? Because he assumed people are bad and they just do bad things, and that pisses him off. I looked around and saw no signage saying it was one way, nothing on the pavement in the parking lot, so I pulled up next to the car and rolled down my window to apologize. The driver wouldn’t have anything to do with me. They drove off all pissed and that probably ruined their day.
The point being, they automatically assumed I was a bad person rather than assuming I was a good person making an honest mistake. I can go on and on with examples like this and it makes me sad. People didn’t use to be like this. People use to smile and say “hello” to each other when they passed on the side walk. They don’t anymore. Society has programmed us to assume people are bad THEN have them prove to us they are indeed good. It should be the other way around.
In my life, I choose not to go with what society has tried to engrain in my soul. I assume people are good until they show me otherwise. I smile and say “hi” when I walk by. Go ahead, call me a “cheese ball”. After all, thats what you’ve been programmed to do. The natural state of a human being is to be caring and compassionate to others in all aspects of life and to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. This should be reflected in individual life, and most importantly, in our government. Why most importantly? Because government is a role model. How are we as a society to be expected to assume people are good when our government is all about assuming people are bad from the get go? Our laws are based on people being bad. Our police assume people are bad. Our judges assume people are bad. Etc. Etc. Etc. “Innocent until proven guilty” is a great concept, in fact that’s what I’m talking about. But it’s not practiced.
So, my core life philosophy is, “People are good, let them be good. They’ll do it on their own. They don’t need to be pushed to do it. They don’t need the government to force them to do it.”
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Core Political Belief
I just got done writing about two hours of BS that sounded like a politician…*delete*
Now, I ask myself as I write this, “what is at the core of my political beliefs?”.
Answer. “Liberty.”
Things controlled by the government: The air we breath. Where we walk. What we walk on. What we sleep on. Time. What we poop in. What we drink. Who we love. Who we have sex with. What kind of pet we can have. What can and can’t save our lives. Where we travel. When we travel. And pretty much everything else. I looked up “Liberty”. This isn’t it.
I have “We The People” Tattoo’d across my back. Not because I want to impress you and get elected governor. But because I believe in it so strongly that I wanted it to be a part of me. The Constitution guarantees protection of our inalienable rights including freedom of speech, religion, assembly, press, blah blah blah. Yes, these are VERY important. I “blah blah” them because we all know these. In fact, we might know up to the Fifth Amendment only thanks to Law and Order…”I plea the Fifth!!”.
The Bill of Rights. Ten Amendments created to protect our liberty. Each as important to our liberty as the next only in different ways. If one is forgotten or neglected, we lose some of our liberty.
In this day and age, the single most important Amendment is not the First or the Second. It’s the Tenth. Yep, there really is a Tenth Amendment. Most people have no idea what it says and if they know what it says, they have no idea what it means. This is by design. The federal government and those in power don’t want you to know.
The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America -
“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.”
Let me break it down in simple terms for you. It means, the federal government has no damn right to involve itself in every stinking aspect of our lives. In fact, this is the primary reason our country is in such terrible shape today. No, it’s not all GWB’s fault. Although, he certainly didn’t help things. Because the federal government has reached sooooo far and become soooo large, we’re now basically screwed as a nation.
But, there’s still hope. Because power was given to the federal government by states with inalienable sovereign rights, the states can also take away those powers. Oregon is Sovereign and without interference of the federal government, Oregon can prosper. In fact, this is true for each and every state. Think about it, the states have the ultimate power in this country. Not the President, not the federal government.
I’m sure this all sounds crazy. After all, you’ve been conditioned your whole life to think the opposite. Try to look at it this way. If you send $1 to the federal government, what happens to it? It comes out of your pay before you see it, gets routed through some bureaucracies in the federal government, a bunch of federal employees get paid for processing paperwork, our Oregon Congressmen head to DC to fight to have it put in some piece of legislation as pork, it may or may not pass. If it does, it comes back to Oregon as a fraction of that dollar. Maybe say…$.70. So…You just invested $1 and got a $.70 return! Not only that, but it also came back with a bunch of jacked up federal rules that might not even have anything to do with the best interest of Oregonians! Woooohoooo!!! That really sucks butt for those of you who don’t get it!
Now, why did we do that? I really have no idea other than we’ve been conditioned to believe that’s the way things have to be done. Well, according to the Constitution, thats not only the way things are NOT suppose to be done, its ILLEGAL!!
Oregonians can spend that $1.00 much more efficiently here, in our own state. Imagine what we could do with our schools if we had the extra money and no federal regulations that came from the honorable Senator of Alabama? This’s why the Founders gave us the wonderful gift of guaranteed State Sovereignty. It’s our right, just like Freedom of Speech, and JUST as important.
Lets take it back. Please.
I’m sure I have some people’s panties in a bunch at this point. No, I’m not saying I’m for absolutely no government regulation. I’ll be very clear here.
I’m for:
State Sovereignty
No federal government control of anything inside the state of Oregon that is not specifically permitted by the Constitution
State regulation of every single thing the people of Oregon deem necessary to be regulated, even if I don’t personally agree with it.
Honesty, the law, efficiency, no waste, the best state we can have
Now, I ask myself as I write this, “what is at the core of my political beliefs?”.
Answer. “Liberty.”
Things controlled by the government: The air we breath. Where we walk. What we walk on. What we sleep on. Time. What we poop in. What we drink. Who we love. Who we have sex with. What kind of pet we can have. What can and can’t save our lives. Where we travel. When we travel. And pretty much everything else. I looked up “Liberty”. This isn’t it.
I have “We The People” Tattoo’d across my back. Not because I want to impress you and get elected governor. But because I believe in it so strongly that I wanted it to be a part of me. The Constitution guarantees protection of our inalienable rights including freedom of speech, religion, assembly, press, blah blah blah. Yes, these are VERY important. I “blah blah” them because we all know these. In fact, we might know up to the Fifth Amendment only thanks to Law and Order…”I plea the Fifth!!”.
The Bill of Rights. Ten Amendments created to protect our liberty. Each as important to our liberty as the next only in different ways. If one is forgotten or neglected, we lose some of our liberty.
In this day and age, the single most important Amendment is not the First or the Second. It’s the Tenth. Yep, there really is a Tenth Amendment. Most people have no idea what it says and if they know what it says, they have no idea what it means. This is by design. The federal government and those in power don’t want you to know.
The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America -
“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.”
Let me break it down in simple terms for you. It means, the federal government has no damn right to involve itself in every stinking aspect of our lives. In fact, this is the primary reason our country is in such terrible shape today. No, it’s not all GWB’s fault. Although, he certainly didn’t help things. Because the federal government has reached sooooo far and become soooo large, we’re now basically screwed as a nation.
But, there’s still hope. Because power was given to the federal government by states with inalienable sovereign rights, the states can also take away those powers. Oregon is Sovereign and without interference of the federal government, Oregon can prosper. In fact, this is true for each and every state. Think about it, the states have the ultimate power in this country. Not the President, not the federal government.
I’m sure this all sounds crazy. After all, you’ve been conditioned your whole life to think the opposite. Try to look at it this way. If you send $1 to the federal government, what happens to it? It comes out of your pay before you see it, gets routed through some bureaucracies in the federal government, a bunch of federal employees get paid for processing paperwork, our Oregon Congressmen head to DC to fight to have it put in some piece of legislation as pork, it may or may not pass. If it does, it comes back to Oregon as a fraction of that dollar. Maybe say…$.70. So…You just invested $1 and got a $.70 return! Not only that, but it also came back with a bunch of jacked up federal rules that might not even have anything to do with the best interest of Oregonians! Woooohoooo!!! That really sucks butt for those of you who don’t get it!
Now, why did we do that? I really have no idea other than we’ve been conditioned to believe that’s the way things have to be done. Well, according to the Constitution, thats not only the way things are NOT suppose to be done, its ILLEGAL!!
Oregonians can spend that $1.00 much more efficiently here, in our own state. Imagine what we could do with our schools if we had the extra money and no federal regulations that came from the honorable Senator of Alabama? This’s why the Founders gave us the wonderful gift of guaranteed State Sovereignty. It’s our right, just like Freedom of Speech, and JUST as important.
Lets take it back. Please.
I’m sure I have some people’s panties in a bunch at this point. No, I’m not saying I’m for absolutely no government regulation. I’ll be very clear here.
I’m for:
State Sovereignty
No federal government control of anything inside the state of Oregon that is not specifically permitted by the Constitution
State regulation of every single thing the people of Oregon deem necessary to be regulated, even if I don’t personally agree with it.
Honesty, the law, efficiency, no waste, the best state we can have
Monday, March 8, 2010
My Favorite Quote
This is an Apple advertising slogan from 1997.
I love it. This is why I use the word "Crazy" often.
Here’s to the crazy ones.
The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers.
The round pegs in the square holes.
The ones who see things differently.
They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo.
You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them.
About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them.
Because they change things.
They push the human race forward.
And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius.
Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
