Taxpayers face heavy losses on auto bailout

Taxpayers face heavy losses on auto bailout
"Taxpayers face losses on a significant portion of the $81 billion in government aid provided to the auto industry, an oversight panel said in a report to be released Wednesday.
The Congressional Oversight Panel did not provide an estimate of the projected loss in its latest monthly report on the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program. But it said most of the $23 billion initially provided to General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC late last year is unlikely to be repaid."

That's cuz the unions took ALL the money!

Passengers face new tax to halt rise in air travel

Passengers face new tax to halt rise in air travel
"Tens of billions of pounds will have to be raised through flight taxes to compensate developing countries for the damage air travel does to the environment, according to the Government’s advisory body on climate change.
Ticket prices should rise steadily over time to deter air travel and ensure that carbon dioxide emissions from aviation fall back to 2005 levels"

And who will manage those $billions intended to compensate "developing countries"?
And just which "developing countries" will get this bonanza from the euro-weenies?

Sun-Caused Warming

Sun-Caused Warming
"The Aug. 28 issue of the journal Science details how the scientific team led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), using a century's worth of data and three powerful computer models, figured out just how small changes in solar activity can trigger great changes in earth's climate"

The Sorry Tale of America’s Out-of-control Spending

Debt Be Not Proud: The Sorry Tale of America’s Out-of-control Spending
"At the end of fiscal 2008, which came on September 30 of last year, the American national debt stood at $9.6 trillion.
That sum is, perhaps, quite beyond the imagining of most people.
It is, after all, 250 million times the average per capita income.
Even the total fortunes of the entire Forbes 400 list add up to less than 15 percent of it.
To use a journalistic measure that dates back to the late 18th century—when the British national debt had become a major political issue in that country—if you laid 9.6 trillion silver dollars end to end, they would reach to the sun and back, with enough left over to wrap around the Earth more than 1,700 times."

83% Say Proof of Citizenship Should Be Required to Get Government Health Aid - Rasmussen Reports™

83% Say Proof of Citizenship Should Be Required to Get Government Health Aid - Rasmussen Reports™: "The health care plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats contains many controversial items that divide the general public. However, one area of consensus among the public is the desire to restrict government health care benefits to U.S. citizens only.
Eighty-three percent (83%) of voters nationwide say that people should be required to prove they are a citizen of the United States before receiving government health care subsidies. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 12% disagree and five percent (5%) are not sure."

CARPE DIEM: College Tuition 2009-2010

CARPE DIEM:
College Tuition 2009-2010:

Brown Tuition, room and board, and all fees: $51,476

Cornell Tuition, and room and board (non-resident): $50,114

Yale Tuition, and room and board: $47,500

Pennsylvania: Tuition, room and board, books, personal: $53,250

Mott Community College: Tuition $2,743.50"

Business groups argue against Mich. tax increases

Business groups argue against Mich. tax increases
"Organizations representing Michigan's business community are urging lawmakers to solve the state's budget crisis without raising taxes.
Michigan faces a projected budget shortfall of at least $2.7 billion for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1. Money from the federal stimulus package won't erase the entire deficit.
The Michigan Chamber of Commerce and affiliated groups scheduled press conferences across the state Tuesday to say government should cut spending and become more efficient rather than raise taxes.
A coalition of social service, education and labor groups wants the state to raise taxes to avoid cutting services. The coalition advocates expanding the sales tax to nonessential services, switching to a graduated income tax and ending some tax exemptions."

Going down: Detroit isn't the only Michigan city on the fiscal skids - MLive.com

Going down: Detroit isn't the only Michigan city on the fiscal skids
"Below the radar of a lot of people, though, is another layer of trouble that is only now becoming apparent, and is only going to get worse, experts say.
We're talking about local units of government -- counties, cities, townships and school districts across the state that are facing the harsh reality of severe budget cuts as the result of the housing market collapse.
'People believe it can't get worse, but we haven't even seen the worse yet,' says Bob Daddow, deputy county executive for Oakland County.
His is just one voice among many sounding the alarm over the dark fiscal times ahead for many officials"

Here's his video from 2008!
http://muskegonpundit.blogspot.com/2008/10/perfect-storm-economic-presentation.html

The amazing fact is this isn't "new" news.
It's been out there for years.
Gotta love the MSM!

Will we NEVER learn?

Senate must raise debt ceiling above $12T

Senate must raise debt ceiling above $12T
“The Senate must move legislation to raise the federal debt limit beyond $12.1 trillion by mid-October, a move viewed as necessary despite protests about the record levels of red ink.
The move will highlight the nation’s record debt, which has been central to Republican attacks against Democratic congressional leaders and President Barack Obama. The year’s deficit is expected to hit a record $1.6 trillion.”
So what happens if they don’t? After all, Obama voted against raising the debt limit when he was in the Senate"

When Bush spoke to students, Democrats investigated, held hearings

When Bush spoke to students, Democrats investigated, held hearings
"when President George H.W. Bush delivered a similar speech on October 1, 1991, from Alice Deal Junior High School in Washington DC, the controversy was just beginning. Democrats, then the majority party in Congress, not only denounced Bush's speech -- they also ordered the General Accounting Office to investigate its production and later summoned top Bush administration officials to Capitol Hill for an extensive hearing on the issue."

So who is Ron Bloom

So who is Ron Bloom
"Former SEIU principal Ron Bloom becomes the Obama 'Manufacturing Czar.'
Jake Tapper reported this on Sunday:
In Cincinnati tomorrow, President Obama will announce that he's appointing Ron Bloom his Senior Counselor for Manufacturing Policy, White House sources tell ABC News.

Bloom is currently Senior Advisor to Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner as a member of the President’s Task Force on the Automotive Industry, named to that position in February. He will remain in that position even while he takes on his new task.

So who is Ron Bloom?
Jammie Wearing Fool has this:
The name Ron Bloom is one that we need to start paying attention to. He has a long history of being the negotiating face of unions in a suit. He is a Harvard Business School graduate who has worked for the unions beginning with SEIU for decades. The most recent union he represented was the United Steel Workers (USW) before becoming a part of the automotive team that Obama put together. You know the one that had the head Steven Rattner having to resign over some questions about his personal finances mixed in with a little fraudulent money gifts.Rattner was replaced by Ron Bloom, and voila the United Auto Workers (UAW), got a sweetheart deal backed up by the power of the federal government to try and stave off bankruptcy.
This is just further proof that Barack Obama knows nothing about economics but is an expert on radicalism."

EU warns on proposed US travel fees - Yahoo! News

EU warns on proposed US travel fees
The European Union is strongly criticizing a congressional proposal to charge a $10 fee to some visitors to the United States and suggesting it may carry a price for U.S. travelers.
If it passes, the EU says, some U.S. travelers to Europe could face retaliation.
The fee now under consideration in Congress would finance a new U.S. program to promote travel, a burden that the EU believes Americans should bear."

Porker of the month

Porker of the month
"Rep. Abercrombie’s latest outrage is to slip a provision (Sec. 2833) into the House version of the 2010 Defense Authorization Act that would double the construction costs of relocating 11,600 U.S. troops from Japan to Guam.
The original cost estimate was $15 billion, $10 billion of which is associated with construction of living quarters for military personnel and their families.
However, Sec. 2833 requires that the wages paid to construction workers match the “prevailing” wages in Hawaii, which are 250 percent higher than those on Guam. The Congressional Budget Office estimates this “would increase the need for discretionary appropriations by about $10 billion over the 2010-2014 period.”"

French healthcare is 'badly run'

French healthcare is 'badly run'
"France must make big changes to its health system in order to cut waste and increase efficiency, a government-commissioned report is warning."

A day—and a death—to remember

A day—and a death—to remember
"On June 25, Michael Jackson’s death dominated the headlines.
It was a sad day for his family, friends and fans.
But another death went nearly unnoticed.
Lt. Brian Bradshaw was killed by an explosive device in Afghanistan.
Bradshaw didn’t make headlines around the world.
But nearly everyone in his hometown came out to mourn.
Martha Gillis is Bradshaw’s aunt.
She’s worried that a soldier’s death is often invisible to the public.
She hopes his nation will remember him."

The Founding Fathers Could Never Have Foreseen Obama

The Founding Fathers Could Never Have Foreseen Obama
"Now that the majority of Americans are finally realizing what kind of a Dufus they’ve elected to the Presidency, and those who know it but will NEVER admit they know it, what happens in the next three and a half years?

How can the world deal with a LAME DUCK Presidency just six months into office?

Everything this President has touched has turned into crap.

In less than 6 months he’s spent more money than ALL PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS COMBINED from the time of George W Washington, indebting the USA to the tune of TRILLIONS of dollars and still counting."

David Sirota: Glenn Beck Is A 'Right-Wing Political Terrorist'; Van Jones Is 'A National Hero' | NewsBusters.org

David Sirota: Glenn Beck Is A 'Right-Wing Political Terrorist'; Van Jones Is 'A National Hero'
"what I think what's going on here is that the White House is listening to the right-wing's political terrorists, people like Glenn Beck, people like conservative activists who have targeted Van Jones because Van Jones is an African-American"

Whitehall wants $22 million bond issue

White Lake Beacon
"Whitehall District Schools is once again investigating the possibility of going to voters with a bond vote for facility improvements.
Last May voters decidedly defeated a $22 million bond issue. "

Be afraid...very afraid!

Largest U.S. brewers say beer prices will take a hop up

Largest U.S. brewers say beer prices will take a hop up
"Drink up! Beer prices are going up.
The two largest U.S. beer sellers say they plan to raise prices,"

Jobless press benefit extension

Jobless press benefit extension
"Since June 2008, Congress has extended jobless benefits three times.
Unemployed workers initially qualify for up to 26 weeks.
But with the extensions, Michiganians are eligible for 79 weeks of benefits -- or 1 1/2 years.
The proposed extension would boost the number of weeks to 92 -- a year and nine months."

Because of high unemployment, Michigan's unemployment insurance trust fund -- which is paid for by a tax on employers laying off workers -- is depleted, forcing the state to borrow $2 billion from the federal government