Compared to other proposals the administration has thrown at the American people this past year, the home buyer tax credit was not bad. Unfortunately, the government could not even effectively run this program.

New home buyers would receive up to $8,000 in tax credits under the plan. The money was supposed to be available for first-time buyers who bought a primary residence after April 9, 2008, and only individuals making less than $75,000 or couples making less than $150,000 would be eligible. However, during a Ways and Means oversight subcommittee hearing yesterday, House members were informed that thousands of fraudulent claims were made.

The Treasury Department said that at least 19,000 filers who had not bought homes claimed $139 million in tax credits and were in turn reimbursed. An additional 74,000 tax-credit claims, totaling $500 million, could become invalid because of previous home ownership. Even more surprising, 500 people under the age of 18, including a 4-year-old child, had their names on applications for the credit, which has no minimum-age requirement according to federal officials. Evidently some adults used a child’s name as the purchaser of the home because they were ineligible to receive the credit due to their incomes.

Many of these fraudulent claims occurred before the IRS had updated their computer programs. If they had done this correctly, the program would have automatically checked the claims to ensure that they were valid based on the information submitted.

When added up, the total potential waste of your tax money from fraudulent home-credits could be upwards of $639 million. This is the same government that wants to take over our entire healthcare system! We have seen the government’s ineptitude in recent months with cash-for-clunkers, a behind schedule H1N1 flu vaccination and now this. When will liberals in Washington learn that government isn’t the solution to every problem? As my former boss Ronald Reagan correctly said, “Government is the problem.”

Who would have thought that the candidate who promised to transcend partisanship, who promised to unite the nation under the banner of “hope and change” and who rode into Washington with a herd of new donkeys would bear such a striking resemblance to Richard Nixon?

In recent weeks, the White House has decided to fire back against its critics and opponents. To a degree, that’s normal and expected. Politics is a contact sport, after all. But this White House and its allies – with some personnel taking inspiration from communist dictators – have gone way beyond what is normal or expected.

Calling critics “un-American,” threatening businesses with regulatory retribution and punitive taxation, literally locking committee doors and locking out the press is way beyond normal. It is, as House Republican Leader John Boehner said, “flat-out despicable.”  I’m pleased to report that in the past few days, there have been some positive developments.

Earlier this week, Tennessee’s soft-spoken senator, Lamar Alexander, went to the Senate floor and blasted the White House for compiling, as Nixon did, an “enemies list.”

This week, the White House made “pay czar” Kenneth Feinberg available to the Washington press pool for interviews regarding his plan for salary caps at bailed out banks and companies. But Fox News was locked out. The other network news chiefs were stunned. To their credit, they told the White House to let Fox in or none of them would show up. The White House backed down.

Politico reports today: “A White House effort to undermine conservative critics is generating backlash on Capitol Hill – and not just from Republicans.” Many moderate Democrats are increasingly concerned about the White House’s heavy-handed attacks on the Chamber of Commerce.

Freedom of the press and freedom of speech are essential to the survival of liberty. If every media outlet spouts the same “party line,” how is that any different than what the Soviets did with Pravda? But that seems to be exactly what this White House wants – to control the media as White House Communications Director Anita Dunn said.

We’re getting dangerously close to going down the slippery-slope toward a state-run media, the subject of my weekly Human Eventscolumn, which you can read here.

Hey!

Welcome to earfish.com!  If you’re new here, take a look around!  This is just a place to put my writings and share others writings regarding general politics.

The new EarFish website and design.

For those who’ve been around, I basically decided to move all the political posts off of my main site and on to its own website.  And this is it!  So far, this is only phase one.  Everything from my main site forwards to this domain now.  In the near future, my main site will relaunch with a new design (and a wicked logo!) as a site dedicated to web development, design, and online applications.

Speaking of web design and wicked logos, I designed this site!  Not completely, though; it’s based off of the White as Milk theme by Azeem Azeez, but any imagery you see was done by myself (including the logo!!).  This was really my first real logo and site design!

Please let me know what you think of the new design. And if there’s something you’d like to see on earfish.com, let me know in the comments.

Today’s announcement that the unemployment rate has hit a 26-year high is crushing news to millions of Americans desperately in need of employment and to those hoping that “change” was on the way. The administration promised us that the stimulus plan would hold the line on unemployment. In fact, we were told that if lawmakers didn’t waste time trying to read the bill and just voted “yes,” unemployment would go no higher than 8%. Today it stands at 9.5%, and even Obama now concedes it will hit double digits.

Twenty-six years ago, the nation was mired in a deep recession, much worse than the one we are facing today. How did we get out of it? Back then President Ronald Reagan slashed taxes and did his best to reduce spending. The world marveled at the Reagan Recovery. Today, Barack Obama is spending money we don’t have on things we don’t need. He’s also promising to raise taxes through the roof to create new programs we can’t afford. In short, he’s doing the exact opposite of what worked for Ronald Reagan, and putting America on the fast track to the “Barack Bankruptcy.”

I’ve been told by several people that the Iranian’s don’t want us to “intervene”.  My simple answer: you’re stupid.  That’s right, I’m blatantly, publicly saying that.  You will forever be able to quote me on this.  The video below features an Iranian woman who, on the phone, describes vividly a massacre she witnessed and begs CNN (and the U.S.) to “stop this” and to “help the people of Iran”.

Albert Einstein once said, “The world is a dangerous place, not [only] because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.”  In my opinion, this includes those who look, notice, mention something, and move on.  The people of Iran don’t just need us to watch and spread the news.  They need us to help them.  Step in and help.  Give them more resources to take their country.

Here’s an excellent quote from the description of the same video:

Just to be clear to all those who say, this does not involve the US. It does!  After the final verdict on the elections by the supreme ruler, he had to say … death to America, death to Israel.  So you see, if they are allowed to kill their own people, they will not stop at anything to try to attack and kill the US!  This is beyond belief!

See, there’s a lot of people saying to Iran, “the world is watching.”  Here’s the problem though: Iranians are watching us.  They’re waiting for us.  They’re watching us bicker and debate about why we shouldn’t “intrude” or “meddle” in, what some people are calling, their revolution.  My guess is that they probably don’t see much ‘hope’ coming from us, especially not coming from the ‘leader of hope’ (I’m talking about Obama, just in case your brain’s running on 56k today).  Stop bickering; stop debating.  People are dieing.  People are being brutally massacred.  And for those who think this whole thing is a hoax… you’re stupid.  Yep, I said it again.  Why would the Iranian government start censoring foreign media, the web, and blocking text services?  To serve their people?  Come on, you’re smarter than that.

Prayers and Lord’s blessings to the Iranian people.

Obama’s Energy Tax

Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced yesterday that the House of Representatives will be voting on “cap and trade” legislation this week. A recent Rasmussen poll found that only 24% of likely voters correctly understand the term, and I’d be willing to bet that an even smaller share of Congress has read the 1,200 page bill. Representative John Dingell, a Democrat from Michigan, summarized it best when he said, “Nobody in this country realizes that cap and trade is a tax, and it’s a great big one!”

Writing in the Washington Post several weeks ago, Robert Samuelson put it this way: “The centerpiece of Obama’s agenda is a ‘cap and trade’ program. This would be, in effect, a tax on fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas). The idea is to raise their prices so that households and businesses would use less or switch to costlier ‘alternative’ energy sources, such as solar. In general, we would spend more on energy and get less of it.”

Spend more and get less. That sounds like Obama’s rationed healthcare proposal too! That concept is antithetical to economic progress and rising standards of living. But it’s generally the outcome of socialism and leftwing thinking.

According to an analysis by the Heritage Foundation, the “cap and trade” bill before the House will result in a “58 percent increase in gas prices, 90 percent for electricity, and 55 percent for natural gas. Cumulative higher energy costs for a household of four from 2012-2035 would reach nearly $20,000.” The Heritage Foundation also predicts more than one million job losses as a direct result of higher energy costs.

Just think about that for a moment. Here we are in the middle of a deep recession, with the president predicting double-digit unemployment, and this White House and the liberal politicians on Capitol Hill are scheming to impose one of the biggest tax increases in history. It will affect every American who turns on a light switch, drives to work or consumes products, since just about every economic activity involves the use of fossil fuels.

Slowly Finding His Voice

As you know, we and other conservatives have been urging President Obama to speak up in support of the Iranian people who are daring to oppose the brutal Islamofascist regime that runs their country. Slowly the president is finding his voice, but it’s been a very frustrating exercise — like trying to get a two year-old to eat his vegetables. Meanwhile heads were getting cracked, dissidents were being jailed and innocent bystanders were being shot. Here is an excerpt of the president’s comments today at the White House:

“The United States and the international community have been appalled and outraged by the threats, the beatings and imprisonments of the last few days. I strongly condemn these unjust actions… I’ve made it clear that the United States respects the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran and is not interfering with Iran’s affairs. …some in the Iranian government, in particular, are … accusing the United States and others in the West of instigating protests over the elections. These accusations are patently false. They’re an obvious attempt to distract people from what is truly taking place within Iran’s borders. …

“In 2009, no iron fist is strong enough to shut off the world from bearing witness to peaceful protests of justice. …Above all, we’ve seen courageous women stand up to the brutality and threats, and we’ve experienced the searing image of a woman bleeding to death on the streets. While this loss is raw and extraordinarily painful, we also know this: those who stand up for justice are always on the right side of history.”

Much better, Mr. President. Almost Reaganesque.

I was particularly surprised to see the president so forcefully shoot down the accusations of the Iranian regime that we were interfering and instigating the protests. After all, that had been the major excuse that he and so many in the media were offering for his silence – that any critical statements or messages of support would be seized upon by the regime as proof of our “meddling.” It was absurd to begin with (as Brit Hume notes), but the mullahs made the charge anyway. It seems Mr. Obama is no longer worried about “alienating the ayatollah.” Now that he has spoken up and removed his own fig leaf, maybe we can begin to have a real debate about a serious policy toward Iran. (More on that in the next item.)

Many dissidents assumed “Mr. Hope and Change” would be one of their strongest allies. Instead, politicians from the European Union took the lead. When France is a more aggressive advocate for freedom than the United States, the world should be worried. Let’s hope that the president’s statement is not too little, too late. Having received little in the way of encouragement from Washington, while the tyrants in Tehran terrorized their own citizens for days, the protests appear to be waning. I pray that this historic opportunity to break the back of the “axis of evil” and transform a state sponsor of terrorism is not yet lost.

Mohammed to Obama: “We need your help”

This morning I received an email from our friends at National Review that contained an excerpt from a CNN interview with one of the thousands of demonstrators in Tehran. This demonstrator, Mohammed, gives his opinion on what he thinks the United States and the rest of the world should do regarding Iran. Consider this exchange and how it contrasts with President Obama’s desire for dialogue and diplomacy based on “mutual respect”:

MOHAMMED: “Americans, European Union, international community, this government is definitely not elected by the majority of Iranians. So it’s illegal. Do not recognize it. Stop trading with them. Impose much more sanctions against them. My message, to the international community, especially I’m addressing President Obama directly — how can a government that doesn’t recognize its people’s rights and represses them brutally and mercilessly have nuclear activities? This government is a huge threat to global peace. Will a wise man give a sharp dagger to an insane person? We need your help international community. Don’t leave us alone.”

Mohammed gets it. Why is it so hard for our “experts” at the State Department and the White House? Diplomacy and appeasement do not dissuade dictators. President Obama is an impressive orator, but no one — not even Barack Hussein Obama — is going to talk a Holocaust-denying madman out of his desire to “wipe Israel off the map.” Words will not stop his work to destroy the “Great Satan,” which is how the Islamic radicals in Iran refer to the United States. The West must confront the reality that Mohammed is warning against. We need a serious plan of action, not just words. And here too Mohammed has a suggestion:

REPORTER: “Mohammed, what do you think the international community should do besides sanctions?”

MOHAMMED: “This regime is really dependent on importing gasoline. More than 85% of Iran’s gasoline is imported from foreign countries. I think the international communities must sanction exporting gasoline to Iran and that might shut down the government.”
The president should also rescind his invitation for Iranian diplomats to attend July 4th parties at U.S. embassies around the world. Obama dodged a question today about his “hot dog diplomacy” when asked by Fox News reporter Major Garrett if the Iranian government representatives were still welcome. And President Obama should immediately restore the funding that he cut for pro-democracy efforts in Iran.

- Excerpt from Gary Bauer’s Daily Report (6-23-09)
Sign up for his End of Day Report here.

Despite Obama’s silence, the House passed a bi-partisan resolution today supporting the Iranian dissidents who share our values. My good friend Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) and Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA) introduced the following legislation on the House floor:

“Expressing support for all Iranian citizens who embrace the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties, and rule of law, and for other purposes. Resolved, That the House of Representatives-

(1) expresses its support for all Iranian citizens who embrace the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties, and rule of law;
(2) condemns the ongoing violence against demonstrators by the Government of Iran and pro-government militias, as well as the ongoing government suppression of independent electronic communication through interference with the Internet and cell phones; and
(3) affirms the university of individual rights and the importance of democratic and fair elections.”

The resolution passed by an overwhelming margin of 405-to-1. Who was the single representative who voted against the resolution? Nancy Pelosi? Barney Frank? No, it was none other than Republican isolationist Ron Paul of Texas. At least one of our branches of government has offered its support for the courageous Iranian citizens risking their lives in the name of freedom and democracy.

- Excerpt from Gary Bauer’s Daily Report
Sign up for his End of Day Report here.

Barack Obama has been hailed as one of the greatest orators of our day, yet he has been silent in recent days, refusing to speak up in defense of democracy in Iran. Instead, the Washington Post reported yesterday that our president is trying not to “alienate the ayatollah,” all so he can keep alive his hopes for diplomacy with the Islamofascist regime, like Neville Chamberlain seeking “peace in our time.”

While the president stays tight lipped, the media are making excuses for his silence. Isolationists on the right like Pat Buchanan to left wingers like Keith Olbermann are all saying that President Obama should keep his mouth shut so that “American meddling” doesn’t become the issue in Iran. Guess what? The tyrants in Tehran are already denouncing America for “interventionist statements.” The idea that our words matter to this regime any more than they mattered to Hitler is laughable. But this president promised us that he would restore America’s moral authority around the world. Let’s think about that for a moment.

How did America win that moral authority to begin with? We won World War II and liberated Europe and Japan from tyrannical regimes. Then we rebuilt our defeated enemies and turned them into allies. We rallied the free world in defense of liberty against the evil empire that was the Soviet Union. And our free enterprise economy, combined with the generosity of American foreign aid and individual charitable giving, did more to create wealth and lift people out of poverty than at any other time in human history.

But somewhere along the way, Mr. Obama insists we lost our moral authority. How? According to Mr. Obama, we lost it when George W. Bush invaded Iraq and freed 25 million Muslims from the brutality of Saddam Hussein’s rape rooms and child prisons. Now it is the Left’s position to talk with tyrants rather than to stand with slaves yearning for freedom.

Today, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reaffirmed the “absolute victory” of Iran’s Holocaust-denying president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. During his speech, he led the crowd in chants of “death to America,” “death to Israel” and “death to the U.K.” Thank goodness Obama avoided alienating the ayatollah!

- Excerpt from Gary Bauer’s Daily Report
Sign up for his End of Day Report here.

Every year, the federal government disperses hundreds and hundreds of billions of dollars – your tax dollars – to various projects and programs. In order to ensure that your money is not wasted, each department has an office of independent auditors known as inspectors general or IGs. Last year, Congress passed a law designed to strengthen their independence from political pressure. Then Senator Obama was one of the co-sponsors of that legislation. But now it appears as though President Obama has run afoul of that very law and a scandal is brewing that has yet to be noticed by the “mainstream media.”

In a move denounced by both Republicans and Democrats as a violation of the new protections for IGs, President Obama recently fired Americorps IG Gerald Walpin. Walpin’s work was getting very close to some very big Obama supporters and he recently received a call from the White House telling him he had one hour to resign or be fired. Walpin refused to go and was sacked. The White House responded to the controversy with wild accusations suggesting Mr. Walpin suffered from dementia. Today there is breaking news that Walpin isn’t the only IG to be fired. But there’s another story here too.

When Bush fired eight political appointees it was front page news, and, believe it or not, Congress is still investigating that. But when Obama fires not one, but now three inspectors general, just as the administration is getting ready to spend billions of stimulus dollars even faster, liberal politicians and the media are silent. As one commentator observed, “WHERE ARE THE WATCHDOGS of the establishment media? Oh, that’s right: They are no longer watchdogs but lapdogs, and particularly slobbering ones at that….”

- Excerpt from Gary Bauer’s Daily Report
Sign up for his End of Day Report here.