By Joe Boyles
Guest Columnist
Editor’s note: “Stray Vectors” is the author’s byline for random thoughts on the passing scene.
I hear a lot of my friends extolling the virtue of solar energy. What I don’t hear them talking about is land use. It takes a huge amount of space (acreage) to collect enough of the sun’s energy to be useful. Until scientists can figure out how to concentrate the energy, it simply isn’t economically viable.
I read an article on retirement which named the ten worst states to live out your “golden years.” Let’s cut to the chase. They’re all in the northeast and upper Midwest where it’s cold and taxes are high. Two of Florida’s great advantages for growth have been our mild climate and zero income tax. Ya’ll come on.
The Obamamites are proud of the fact that high gas prices are leading to less use, but is that good? Aren’t higher energy expenditures tied to a booming economy?
As 2011 closed, the national debt stood at $15.22 trillion (with a “t”). Is this the road to ruin? How quick is the trip?
California retread Governor Jerry Brown has proposed to his legislature a “modest” 7 percent increase in spending … to be paid for by higher taxes. “Tax & spend” liberals (but wait; I repeat myself) like Brown can’t help themselves – it’s in their DNA.
Presidential advisor Valerie Jarrett claims that unemployment stimulates the economy because the unemployed spend their government checks on consumer goods. How ignorant is that? These are the people who are running the country … into the ground.
Is it proper to drug test welfare recipients and deny benefits if the test comes back positive? In my opinion, yeah, it makes a lot of sense! Why should we use taxpayer funds to subsidize illegal drug activity? Some argue this is demeaning. I say tough cookies. If you’re on the dole, prove that the money won’t be used to get high.
In February, there were no new jobs created in the critical construction industry. Wonder how much that situation would improve if the administration would get behind building the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to the Gulf Coast refineries?
President Obama’s main reelection campaign message is that “everyone should pay their fair share in taxes.” That’s hard to argue with … but what’s “fair?” Maybe your definition of fair and mine differ. If the top one percent pay 38 percent of all income taxes as is currently the case, is that fair? If 46 percent of the people pay no income tax at all, is that fair? What do you mean by “fair share?”
Could stepping up domestic oil exploration have a positive impact on the price of fuel? I bet it would. Just the announcement that we are: a) opening ANWR to oil and gas production; b) approving the Keystone XL pipeline; and c) expanding offshore drilling leases would have an immediate effect on speculators and the high prices they’re driving.
From all that I can gather, Cindy Vees is doing a fine job as our Chamber of Commerce executive. This is a subject I have personal experience with since I had the same job a dozen years ago. She appears to have the vision, personality, and patience to do excellent work for our community. Way to go Cindy.
Is it discriminatory to require a voter to show a photo id to prove his identity? All the law requires is for you to prove that you are who you say you are before voting? You can’t board an airplane without a photo id. There are lots of things you can’t do without proving who you are. Why should voting be any less important?
The “official” unemployment rate may be 8.3 percent, but 24 million unemployed and underemployed Americans tell a different story. If the job inventory when Obama took office was the same as today, the unemployment rate would be 10.8 percent. Maybe that’s why it doesn’t feel like much of a recovery.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) now estimates the cost of Obamacare for the ten years from 2013-22 to be $1.76 trillion, nearly double the 2010 estimate of $940 billion. Congress and the president lied to us. As Gomer Pyle said, “surprise, surprise.”
For those who are paying attention, the national debt has increased more in Obama’s three years than George Bush did in eight.
Liberal commentator Paul Krugman of the New York Times is upset because the public is “paranoid” over high gasoline prices. Typical thinking for someone who lives in a metro enclave like NYC with tons of mass transit options. Does the guy even own a car?
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