Sausages and Laws 3-28-25

“Those who like sausages and laws should never watch either of them being made” (Bismark 1930s). Lawmakers in Congress are too busy following their own protocols to be careful about what is missing in their laws. We have witnessed decades of arrogant sloppiness, purchased by special interest groups with bribes in the form of campaign contributions. 

We have allowed our Constitution to be violated, allowed government to overspend and be infested with Marxists. We allowed our fears and economic downturns to trigger Socialist Legislation and now we are paying the price.

Federal grants to states have a long history, with land grants under the Articles of Confederation as early as 1785, though the modern grants-in-aid system truly took shape in the 20th century, particularly during the New Deal and Great Society eras. 

The US National Debt is approaching $37 trillion. It was $5.6 trillion in 2000. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=us+national+debt+history

As of March 17, 2025, the debt ceiling, which had been suspended, was reinstated on January 2, 2025, at $36.1 trillion, the level of debt at the end of the suspension period. 

The US National Debt Clock reports $36.648 trillion.

The cumulative fiscal year 2025 deficit was $1.1 trillion at the end of February 2025.

The Trump Agenda promises continued automation and cost reduction in Federal Spending.

Congress is “working on” the FY2026 Budget that will contain the Corporate Tax Cuts we need to give incentives to foreign manufacturers to locate their plants to the US. It will also include the Individual Income Tax Cuts we need to off-set Biden’s Inflation. The House expects their FY2026 Budget will be voted on and passed to the Senate by May 2025. If passed, the FY2026 Budget will be in effect from October 2025 to September 2026. This Bill should include the Tax Reductions outlined in the Trump Agenda. Democrats are expected to vote NO on the FY2026 Budget. The vote will be tight, but if all Republicans vote YES, it could pass.

With slim margins in the House and larger margins in the Senate, Congress is painfully careful not to bring new laws to the “floor”. They determined that the Tax Cuts would not pass unless they were delayed to be voted on in May 2025 to become effective in October 2025 as the Budget for FY2026. This delays the Tax Cuts and the building of new factories in the US to increase manufacturing jobs and restore the US Private Sector Economy..

If by some miracle these Tax Cuts are passed, Republicans have a chance to balance the budget in FY2027 and increase their margins in the House and Senate in the Midterm Elections in November 2026. If Tariff revenues are used to begin paying down the National Debt, Republicans may have a chance to continue to control the House, Senate and Whitehouse in 2028. Trump has built a “deep bench” of qualified Republican Leaders who will continue the Trump Agenda after he retires in 2029.

Congress needs to attend to lowering inflation, lowering federal spending and lowering the cost of healthcare and colleges.

Technology should be used to automate government work and making the data more accurate. Tax laws and Tax forms need to be simplified. Technology should be used to lower the cost of single-family starter homes. AI should be used to control the money supply to avoid inflation. The US needs to return to Free Market Capitalism using Supply and Demand to control prices. Interest Rate should be reduced. War should be replaced by total economic isolation of “bad actor” countries. All Immigration should be “legal”. Foreign aid should not be paid by Taxpayer Dollars. All foreign aid should be “investments” with a return to “investors”. Labor unions should be reformed to avoid obsolescence. AI should be used by BLS to determine accurate survey pay rates and accurate jobs reports.

The history of charity in the US spans from colonial times to the present, evolving from individual acts of benevolence to organized philanthropy and social movements, with key figures like Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller shaping modern philanthropy. 

The US Federal Government got into the Charity business after 1932.

The Bonus Army was a group of 43,000 demonstrators. Many of the war veterans had been out of work since the beginning of the Great Depression ; On July 28, 1932,

"Bonus Marchers" and police battle in Washington, D.C. The marchers came to Washington, D.C., to demand their veterans "bonus" payment early from Congress. After several months of camping near the Anacostia River and after several confrontations with police, federal troops drove the marchers from the city.

World War I veterans initially received certificates for their bonuses in 1924, with full payment scheduled for 1945, but the "Bonus Army" demanded immediate payment due to the Great Depression, leading to a bill passed in 1936, which allowed veterans to exchange their certificates for bonds redeemable at any time. 

None of the House and Senate members who resisted the Bonus Marchers survived the next election. The US Federal Government entered the Charity Business.

Political Correctness began in 1942 in the Disney Movie Bambi with Thumper the Rabbit. Thumper's mother reminds him of this saying after he makes a negative comment about Bambi's clumsiness and said:. "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all". 

Virtue Signaling began around 2004. Jesus warns us to beware. When we exalt ourselves, when we signal our virtue to others, we undercut our opportunity for God to be the one to exalt us.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

Ending Lawlessness 3-27-25

Governors of States appear to be responsible for States. States with Republican Governors like Ron Disantis appear to be able to replace elected District Attorneys, Election Officials and Prosecutors and avoid violent protests. States with Republican Governors like Brian Kemp did allow violent protests in Atlanta in 2020 where the Democrat Mayor Bottoms allowed it. 

Ending Riots on US University Campuses appear to be the responsibility of the University President and Board of Directors. Trump was quick to promise the end of federal money to Universities where pro-Hamas riots are allowed.

Trump got Columbia University to ban these pro-Hamas demonstrations to get back the $400 million he was threatening to cancel to end religious discrimination and put American students first.

The Department of Education spent $268 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024.  Altogether, 658 institutions with combined endowment values of almost $874 billion. Wealthy colleges don’t need federal subsidies.

Ending Sanctuary cities, counties and states should begin with the States where State Law allows it. The loss of federal funding is the strategy.  In Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, the US federal government provided approximately $1.1 trillion in grants to state and local governments, representing 16.2% of total federal spending. Cities, Counties and States should repeal their Sanctuary Laws and Ordinances or lose their federal grants.

Ending biological males playing on women’s teams also uses the loss of federal funding as the strategy to enforce Title 9..

Ending the law suits against Trump from Democrat Federal District Judges should end with a Supreme Court Decision after it passes through the Appellate Court.

All of these issues have taken too much time.

The fire bombings at Tesla Dealers are being prosecuted by the DOJ.

The Lawlessness is funded, organized and executed by Democrats who should pay for the property damage and Terrorists who should be jailed or deported.

Protests should be confined to venues rented by their sponsors to keep them from disrupting traffic on the streets and highways. The TV cameras can cover them. This protects “free speech”. If violence or property damage occurs, the sponsors and perpetrators should be arrested and should pay for the damage.

Free Speech needs to be tightly defined to describe Free Political Speech that is consistent and compatible with the US Constitution. The US may need an Amendment to reassert Free Market Capitalism as the official economic system to avoid a Marxist takeover. The Family needs to be recognized as the basic economic unit in the US. Small government needs to be reasserted as the principle to restore individual responsibility.  

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

Deporting Illegals 3-26-25

The January 2025 CPS shows 46.8 million post-1980 immigrants (legal and illegal) in the country. If our estimate of the post-1980 legal population is correct, then there were 15.4 million illegal immigrants in the January 2025 CPS (46.8 million minus 31.4 million). 

Of the 15.4 million illegal immigrants included in this estimate, the US would need to deport 3.85 million per year for the next 4 years.

11,000 criminal illegals were admitted to the US, mostly from 2021 through 2024. Deporting 3,000 per month would be required to complete this task over the next 4 months.

WASHINGTON – In the first 50 days of the Trump Administration, Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) has made 32,809 enforcement arrests. To put this figure into perspective, in the entire fiscal year 2024, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made 33,242 of these at-large arrests. As of Tuesday, ICE has officially made more at-large arrests in the first few weeks of President Trump’s presidency than the entire last year under the previous administration.

Of the illegal aliens we’ve arrested in the past 50 days:

14,111—nearly half—were convicted criminals.

9,980—About a third— have pending criminal charges.

In total, ICE arrested 1,155 criminal gang members. That’s almost two and half times the 483 arrested during the same time period last year. 39 of these arrests were known or suspected terrorists. That’s nearly triple the 14 arrested during the same time period last year.

https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/03/13/ice-arrests-first-50-days-trump-administration

The Florida Gateway Data Shows Most Migrant Flights Landing in Gov. DeSantis’s Sunshine State

Smaller but significant numbers are landing in Texas, New York, and California By Todd Bensman on April 1, 2024.

President Joe Biden’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) refuses to publicly identify the dozens of U.S. international airports for which it has approved direct flights from abroad for certain inadmissible aliens. At least 386,000 migrants through February have been allowed to fly to interior U.S. airports as part of a legally dubious admissions program the administration launched in October 2022. The rationale for the program is to “reduce the number of individuals crossing unlawfully” over the southern border — by flying them over it directly into the interior and then releasing them on parole.

A Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) analysis of available public information on U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) website, filtered to see Office of Field Operations (OFO) airport customs officer encounters with the nationalities chosen to receive this benefit, points out the airports that might account for most of the landings from abroad, if not necessarily the final destinations.

This early evidence suggests that a great many of these inadmissible alien passengers, probably a majority, initially land at international airports in Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’s Florida. In fact, Florida turns out to be the top landing and U.S. customs processing zone for this direct-flights parole-and-release program, tallying at nearly 326,000 of the initial arrivals from inception through February.

https://cis.org/Bensman/Florida-Gateway-Data-Shows-Most-Migrant-Flights-Landing-Gov-DeSantiss-Sunshine-State

Comments

Trump;s estimate that the US has 21 million Illegals who entered from the Southern Border, Canadian Border, by Commercial Airlines, by Boat plus the Got-aways from 2021 to 2025 sounds accurate.

If non-criminal Illegals take the deal to leave on their own, the US could reduce our Illegal Population completely in the next 4 years.

90% of Asylum-seekers fail to be admitted to the US as Asylees. That’s 18.9 million of the 21 million estimated to be in the US. Congress needs to amend US Asylum laws to be workable. The US needs to eradicate all Drug Cartels.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

US National Debt 3-25-25

The US national debt has grown significantly over the years, reaching approximately $36.22 trillion as of March 5, 2025, with debt held by the public at $28.9 trillion and intergovernmental debt at $7.31 trillion.  

Here's a more detailed look at the US national debt:

Key Milestones and Trends:

1990: The US national debt was around $3.2 trillion.

2000: The debt increased to $5.6 trillion.

2010: The debt reached $13.56 trillion.

2017: The debt surpassed $20 trillion in September.

2022: The debt crossed the $30 trillion mark in February.

2023: The debt reached $33.17 trillion in September.

2024: The debt continued to rise, reaching $35.46 trillion.

2025: As of March 5th, 2025, the gross national debt is $36.22 trillion. 

Factors Contributing to Debt Growth:

Budget Deficits:

The national debt is an accumulation of past budget deficits, where government spending exceeds revenues. 

Recessions and Economic Crises: Events like the Great Recession in 2008 and the COVID-19 pandemic led to increased spending and borrowing, contributing to debt growth. 

Long-Term Structural Factors:

Factors like an aging population, rising healthcare costs, and an imbalance between spending and revenues also play a role. 

Interest Rates:

Rising interest rates increase the cost of servicing the debt, further adding to the burden. 

Debt Composition:

Debt Held by the Public: This represents the portion of the debt held by individuals, businesses, and foreign entities.

Intergovernmental Debt: This is the debt held by various government agencies and funds. 

Debt as a Percentage of GDP:

The US national debt has been greater than the annual economic output of the entire country (measured as the gross domestic product or GDP). 

In 2023, the government debt equaled 122.30% of the country's Gross Domestic Product. 

The average GDP for fiscal year 2024 was $28.83 T, which was less than the U.S. debt of $35.46 T. 

Future Projections:

·       The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that federal spending will continue to rise, while revenues are projected to increase slightly, leading to continued deficits. 

·       The US will reach $37 trillion by approximately July 28th, 2025, assuming the average daily rate of growth over the past three years continues. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=us+national+debt

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

NGOs Need to Go 3-24-25

A non-governmental organization (NGO) is defined as a non-profit organization, group or institution that operates independently from a Government and has humanitarian or development objectives. 

In 2025, the United States is estimated to have over 1.8 million 501(c) nonprofit organizations, with 501(c)(3) organizations making up the majority. 

In 2025, the United States is expected to have over 1.5 million 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, which are the most common type of tax-exempt organization in the US. These are the most common type of nonprofit, encompassing charitable and religious organizations. 

A 501(c) organization is a nonprofit organization in the federal law of the United States according to Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. § 501(c)). Such organizations are exempt from some federal income taxes.

501(c)(1)	Corporations Organized Under Act of Congress (including Federal Credit Unions)
501(c)(2)	Title Holding Corporations for Exempt Organization
501(c)(4)	Civic Leagues and Social Welfare Organizations and Local Associations of Employees
501(c)(5)	Labor, Agricultural and Horticultural Organizations
501(c)(6)	Business Leagues, etc.
501(c)(7)	Social and Recreation Clubs
501(c)(8)	Fraternal Beneficiary Societies
501(c)(9)	Voluntary Employees' Beneficiary Associations
501(c)(10)	Domestic Fraternal Societies
501(c)(11)	Teachers' Retirement Fund Associations
501(c)(12)	Benevolent Life Insurance Associations, Mutual Ditch or Irrigation Companies, Mutual or Cooperative Telephone Companies, or Like Organizations (if 85 percent or more of the organization's income consists of amounts collected from members for the sole purpose of meeting losses and expenses)
501(c)(13)	Cemetery Companies (owned and operated exclusively for the benefit of their members or which are not operated for profit)
501(c)(14)	State Chartered Credit Unions, Mutual Reserve Funds
501(c)(15)	Mutual Insurance Companies or Associations
501(c)(16)	Cooperative Organizations to Finance Crop Operations
501(c)(17)	Supplemental Unemployment Benefit Trusts
501(c)(18)	Employee Funded Pension Trusts (created before June 25, 1959)
501(c)(19)	Veterans' Organizations
501(c)(21)	Black Lung Benefit Trusts
501(c)(22)	Withdrawal Liability Payment Funds
501(c)(25)	Title Holding Corporations or Trusts with Multiple Parents
501(c)(26)	State-Sponsored High-Risk Health Coverage Organizations
501(c)(27)	State-Sponsored Worker's Compensation Reinsurance Organizations
501(c)(28)	National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust (45 U.S.C. 231n(j)
501(c)(29)	Qualified Nonprofit Health Insurance Issuers
501(d)	Religious and Apostolic Associations
501(e)	Cooperative Hospital Service Organizations
501(f)	Cooperative Service Organizations of Operating Educational Organizations
501(k)	Child Care Organizations
521(a)	Farmers' Cooperative Associations

Page Last Reviewed or Updated: 26-Feb-2025

 

Congress needs to stop federal funding grants to NGOs and review Non-Profit 501C organizations.

In 2025, the United States is estimated to have over 1.8 million 501(c) nonprofit organizations, with 501(c)(3) organizations making up the majority. 

Comments

All IRS 501C organizations need to be reviewed. Many of these appear to be old, like churches and are Farmers’ Cooperatives and may make it through the review.

Federal Funding of wealthy Universities needs to be ended except competitive bid “contracts” for research with no overhead charges.

501C Non-Profits have been found to launder money and fund illegal activity. While the Black Lives Matter movement itself is a decentralized grassroots social justice movement, the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation (BLMGNF), which is the primary organizational outgrowth of the movement, is a 501(c)(3) public charity. 

Public Schools are encouraging students to form 501C(3) Charitable Organizations and 501C(4) Social Welfare Organizations. In 2025, there are approximately 77,000 501(c)(4) organizations (social welfare organizations) active in the U.S., according to recent data and estimates. 

Besides 501(c)(4)s, there are other types of 501(c) organizations, such as 501(c)(3) charitable organizations, 501(c)(6) business leagues, and 501(c)(7) social and recreation clubs. 

All Prior US Cultural Norms supported “Charity begins at Home”. The Family is the primary economic unit, and We are responsible for ourselves.

The expansion of NGOs moves “Charity” from “Home” to encourage the continuance of “Social Activism”. This undermines Personal Responsibility and removes valid family responsibilities for their own family members.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

US Federal Spending 3-23-25

US Federal total spending was $6.8 trillion in FY2024. US Federal total Revenue was $4.9 trillion. The annual Deficit was $1.9 trillion. Balancing the US Federal Budget will require increasing revenue by lowering tax rates. If we can reduce Federal Spending by $1 trillion and increase Federal Revenue by $0.9 trillion we will have a balanced budget and will stop the rise in the US National Debt. If Tariffs are lowered to 2%, we will be able to use Tariff Revenue and reduce the National Debt by $0.7 trillion per year. 

The fiscal year is the accounting period of the federal government. It begins on October 1 and ends on September 30 of the next calendar year. Each fiscal year is identified by the calendar year in which it ends and commonly is referred to as “FY.” For example, FY2011 began October 1, 2010, and ends September 30, 2011.

In the US federal calendar year 2024, total spending reached $6.9 trillion, while revenues totaled $4.9 trillion, resulting in a deficit of $2.0 trillion. 

Using the US calendar year, the US Annual Federal deficit was $2 trillion. 

In fiscal year 2017, the U.S. federal budget deficit totaled $665 billion, which was 3.5% of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP). 

In 2018 the U.S. federal government collected $3.33 trillion in total tax revenue in 2018. Meanwhile, state governments collected a total of $1.04 trillion and local governments collected $0.44 trillion. Altogether, that means $4.81 trillion in tax revenues was collected in the U.S in 2018.

In the 2018 federal calendar year, the US government collected $3.33 trillion in revenues and spent $4.11 trillion, resulting in a deficit. 

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

Revenues:

·       Total: $3.33 trillion

·       Individual Income Tax: $1.7 trillion

·       Social Security/Payroll Tax: $35.2 trillion

·       Corporate Income Tax: $6.1 trillion

·       Other Revenue: Includes excise taxes, estate and gift taxes, customs duties, and miscellaneous receipts. 

Spending:

·       Total: $4.11 trillion

·       Mandatory Spending: $2.5 trillion, including Social Security, Medicare, and veterans benefits.

·       Discretionary Spending: $1.61 trillion, including defense and non-defense spending.

·       Defense Spending: $623 billion

·       Non-Defense Spending: $639 billion

·       Social Security: $582 billion

·       Medicare: $389 billion

·       Medicaid: $570 billion 

In 1974, Congress passed the the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act, signed by President Richard Nixon, establishing a budget process and new dates for the government’s fiscal year, moves that leaders hoped would make it easier to agree on annual federal spending plans.

Almost a half century later, consensus on federal budgets is more elusive than ever, and Congress keeps passing continuing resolutions that maintain government spending at the previous fiscal year’s levels.

Comments

The US needs to reduce Federal Spending by $2 trillion per year in order to balance the Budget. We also need Tariffs to pay down the National Debt.

Confusing methods of reporting government data has been the norm for decades. There are 44,000 Lawyers working for the Federal Government. 30% of House Members, and 51% of Senators, have law degrees and have practiced law. Lawyers are trained to “debate” and their role is adversarial. They are trained to disagree. Law Schools need to ensure that Lawyers will defend the US Constitution’s original intent.

Being successful in any endeavor requires a “common vision” as was used by the Founders who tripled the US Land Mass from 1789 to 1848. They sought advice from the merchants who were working in the US to learn the economics and needs of each industry.

The case for changing the Federal Budget Year back to Calendar Year is clear. Presidents and Congress win their elections in November and take their posts in January. They have time to learn what needs to be done.

Conditions in each State and Congressional District will differ, but common problems are not unheard of. The “Rust Belt” shared common problems and now our rural counties share common problems.

The current polarization between Democrats and Republicans reflects the movement of US voters from Socialism back to Free Enterprise and could be the beginning of the end of our conversion from Communism to Capitalism. This was our Bolshevik Moment. Communists can’t win unless the majority of their population is devastated and starving and ready to try Communism. 

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

2024 US Tax Brackets 3-22-25

2025 Tax Brackets 2023 Tax Brackets 2026 Tax Brackets

On a yearly basis, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) adjusts more than 60 tax provisions for inflation to prevent what is called “bracket creep.” Bracket creep occurs when inflation, rather than real increases in income, pushes people into higher income tax brackets or reduces the value they receive from credits and deductions. 

The IRS previously used the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as a measure of inflation prior to 2018. However, with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA), the IRS now uses the Chained Consumer Price Index (C-CPI) to adjust income thresholds, deduction amounts, and credit values accordingly.

The new inflation adjustments are for tax year 2024, for which taxpayers will file tax returns in early 2025.

2024 Federal Income Tax Brackets and Rates

In 2024, the income limits for every tax bracket and all filers will be adjusted for inflation and will be as follows (Table 1). The federal income tax has seven tax rates in 2024: 10 percent, 12 percent, 22 percent, 24 percent, 32 percent, 35 percent, and 37 percent. The top marginal income tax rate of 37 percent will hit taxpayers with taxable income above $609,350 for single filers and above $731,200 for married couples filing jointly.

2024 Federal Income Tax Brackets and Rates for Single Filers, Married Couples Filing Jointly, and Heads of Households

Tax Rate	Single Filers
10%	$0 to $11,600
12%	$11,600 to $47,150
22%	$47,150 to $100,525
24%	$100,525 to $191,950
32%	$191,950 to $243,725
35%	$243,725 to $609,350
37%	$609,350 or more

Married Filing Jointly
10%   $0 to $23,200
12%   $23,200 to $94,300
24%   $94,300 to $201,050
32%   $201,050 to $383,900
35%   $383,900 to $487,450
37%  $487,450 to $731,200
$731,200 or more

Heads of Households
10%  $0 to $16,550
12%  $16,550 to $63,100
24%  $63,100 to $100,500
32%  $100,500 to $191,950
35%  $191,950 to $243,700
37% $243,700 to $609,350
$609,350 or more

https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/federal/2024-tax-brackets/

Comments

The current lowest tax rate is too high at 10% and should be moved to 5%.

The current 2^nd lowest tax rate is too high at 12% and should be moved to 10%.

The current 3^rd lowest tax rate is too high at 22% is too high and should be moved to 12% for single incomes from $47,150 to $60,000

The current 4^th lowest tax rate at 24% should be for single incomes from $60,000 to $100,525 and reduced to 20%.

The federal minimum wage in the United States remains at $7.25 per hour and has not changed since 2009. This should remain the same to give teenagers a chance to gain work experience to bring fast food and retail prices down. . 

Confusing methods of reporting government data has been the norm for decades.

Federal and State Tax Forms need to be downsized and simplified.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader