Trump Campaign Messages 9-15-24

Trump has posted his recovery plan on his website. It is similar to the agenda he adopted in his first term from 2017 to 2020. He was successful in restoring the US economy to be able to grow and improve employment opportunities.  The results Trump achieved produced included an increase in household income by $6000 per year and a lowering of unemployment. Inflation was reduced to 1.4% and the US became energy independent and began reducing the US Trade Debt by exporting oil and natural gas to our allies. The increase in oil supply brought gasoline prices under $2 per gallon. Trump lowered the Corporate tax from 28% to 21% and made the US more competitive.  Trump built the wall and ended illegal immigration. Trump imposed Tariffs on China that didn’t result in higher prices. Trump imposed sanctions on Iran that reduced their revenue to reduce their funding of Terrorist groups. China stood down on taking Taiwan, North Korea stopped firing missiles and Russia paused its expansion.  

Trump also identified the failures that occurred in the Biden administration from 2021 to 2024.  When Democrats gained the House in 2022, they continued their attacks on Trump with 2 Impeachments and multiple trumped-up indictments that are now being reversed by Appeals Courts. The purpose of Trump’s reminders of this “Law-fare” is to expose Democrats’ corruption of the law to serve their Marxist political purposes. Democrats promise “free stuff” that cannot be achieved, so they can tell their voter base “At least, we tried”. Biden’s sloppy exit from Afghanistan prompted Putin to attack Ukraine. Biden’s lifting Trump’s sanctions gave Iran the revenue to resume funding of Terror Groups and resulted in the attack of Israel by Hamas.

The Democrats defend themselves by claiming that Trump is just angry about the “witch-hunts” that began with the Russian collusion hoax in 2016 and that continues in 2024. Trump is actually warning Democrats that future Presidents should not use their DOJs to attack political opponents and should not circumvent the law to suit their political bribes. 

It is clear, that when Democrats control the House and the Senate, they overspend using 4000-page Omnibus Bills and this overspending creates inflation when money printing begins after the Bills are signed by a Democrat President.  When Republicans control the house as they have since 2022, they can control s pending bills on the front end. A Democrat Senate can reject the Bill and demand a deal.

Democrats have relied on a Liberal Supreme Court to side with the Liberals. That’s how Roe v Wade was ruled “Constitutional” by the Case Law.  When Trump selected 3 Supreme Court Justices who were “Originalists”, they rightly chose to overturn Woe v Wade and voted to send the abortion issue to the States. The Supreme Court  recognized its Constitutional responsibilities are limited and that only Legislatures are allowed to pass laws.

Democrats are aware that an “Originalist” Supreme Court threatens their plans to continue the growth of the Federal government power. The current Court is more inclined to transfer Federal Agencies back to the States and limit undue government dominance over the Private Sector.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

Illegal Migrant Costs 9-15-24

In 2021, 4.2 million illegals entered the US. This includes 2.7 processed and 1.5 got-aways. By 2022, 12.8 million illegals had entered the US.

The “Fiscal Drain” is estimated at $68,000 each. The cost of admitting these 12.8 million illegals is $870 billion. Additional costs are borne by cities, counties and states.

https://budget.house.gov/imo/media/doc/the_cost_of_illegal_immigration_to_taxpayers.pdf

The numbers of illegals entering the US reported in the news and on google varies widely from 10 million but appears to be closer to 20 million to include arrivals by air, sea and borders.

Illegal Migrants who commit crimes are not deported back to their home countries, ICE is no longer permitted to do this in Sanctuary States, Counties and Cities.

Illegal Migrants who claim asylum receive benefits. US Asylum Laws permit Migrants to sign up for a court appearance to make their case for asylum. These cases are scheduled out over decades and 90% of these asylum seekers never show up to their asylum hearings.

Illegal Migrants are provided with transportation to their chosen destinations in the US.

Illegal Migrants are provided with food and shelter.

Illegal Migrants can get a Work Permit after 6 months.

States can receive federal funding for TANF, Medicaid, and CHIP..

Illegal Migrants took 1.3 million jobs from US citizens in 2024.

Illegal Migrants who entered the US from 2021 to 2024 need to be deported beginning with illegal criminals in 2025.

US Amnesty and Refugee policies need to be repealed.

 Legal immigration to the US should be based on need to fill critical shortages.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

US Inflation 9-14-24

Now we know that excessive Federal Climate Change Hoax Spending caused the global inflation with a $3.2 trillion spending bomb that took Federal Spending from $4 trillion a year to $6 trillion a year. 

The Federal Reserve needs to take a course in Austrian Free Market Economics. All US Economics courses are based on Fabian Socialist Government Managed Economics. The Fed is now trying to avoid increases in US Unemployment and are attempting to shorten the downturn that is ahead. They will likely lower the Fed Funds Rate to attempt a soft landing.

The US Private Sector retains its Free-Market Economics it developed beginning as Colonies in the 1600s. The Constitution gave Congress the power to “coin money” to get away from the paper money each Colony could print.  It was like trying to cure a virus with a cough drop. Free Market Economics allows prices to be set by the consumers based on Supply and Demand.

Before the Constitution was written, many states printed their own money, which was one of the financial problems facing the nation's founders. In 1793, the US began coining its own money. Coins with precise amounts of gold and silver were a common medium of exchange.

The history of Bank Failures in the 1800s

The Panic of 1819 led to: Widespread bankruptcies, Mass unemployment, Foreclosure of mortgages, Popular resentment against banking and business, A belief that federal government economic policy was flawed. 

Panic of 1837: This crisis led to a recession that lasted until the mid-1840s. 343 out of 850 banks closed, 62 partially failed, and many state banks were stressed. Some of the causes of this panic were speculative lending, a decline in cotton prices, and a land price bubble.

Panic of 1857: This recession led to bank failures in the United States.

Panic of 1873: This recession led to bank failures in the United States and was followed by a 4-year depression. 

Panic of 1884: This panic had a more limited impact, starting with a few financial firms in New York City. 

Panic of 1893: Roughly 575 banks failed or temporarily suspended operations during this panic. 

Some other issues that affected banking in the early 1800s included: Currency exchange: Many banks had trouble converting bank notes into coin because they didn't have the necessary reserves. 

In 1913, the US Congress created the Federal Reserve System and Congress delegated its power to “coin money” to the Federal Reserve. This did not end the plague of Bank Failures. Money Printing has created cumulative inflation since 1913 when the price of a loaf of bread was 2 cents. In 1916, the 16^th Amendment was ratified and established the US Income Tax System and the creation of the Federal Reserve.

In 1929, the Stock Market Crashed causing the Great Depression that lasted through the 1930s. US Unemployment rose to 25%. Families lost their farms in the “dust bowl”  when Banks foreclosed on their properties.  The reason this lasted so long was due to the absence of liquidity in the Banks.

Bank panics in 1930 and 1931 were regional in nature, but the financial crisis spread throughout the entire nation starting in the fall of 1931.

Since the establishment of the FDIC in 1934, there have been 3,516 bank failures in the United States. Most of them are small banks and go largely unnoticed, except if you happen to have deposits at that institution. 

In the 1970s, the bill for Johnson’s Vietnam War and Federal Welfare came due along with high oil prices and cumulative inflation doubled prices of cars, college and healthcare.

In 2008, The Great Recession was caused by banks giving mortgage loans to unqualified buyers rather than face Race Discrimination Law Suits.

In 2021, the current cumulative inflation has reached 35%.

The following is a “time capsule” and a Biblical Satire.

Pass the Gas by Norb Leahy, Kansas Business News June 1981

In the beginning the House and Senate created the 16^th Amendment, giving themselves the power to tax Income. That was 1913, the year the Federal Reserve was created to increase the money supply and cause inflation. And the House and the Senate looked at each other and said: “Let’s try it”. No more did they have to tax the people of the land. They could print all the money they wanted. And it was good.  Then in 1929 a great indigestion befell the land and there was great wailing. But the young Federal Reserve had been naughty, had fed gaseous dollars to the economy and was sent to its room. Being a obedient child it played not with its printing press that causeth the plague to worsen. It blamed the plage on the merchants and purveyors of goods. And the House and Senate said: “That was good!”.

And behold a Great King came upon the land who was called Frankiln. And kings from other lands came and bowed down before Franklin to beseech him to deliver them from the infidels. And he did, because there was nothing for the people to do in the land. And he beconed the Federal Reserve to increase and multiply the Federal Reserve notes so that the people would see that he was king. And, so it was. And he took unto himself as wife, Eleanor and they begat the Harvard class of 1941.

It soon came to pass that prices increased and a great uneasiness consumed the people. And the said: “How can this be?” And the king said “It is the merchants who are causing inflation. Chastise them. And so they did. And if someone would ask if printing too much money had something to do with inflation the king would say:”Fool, it’s far more complex than that.” And they believed. And for 20 years it was a time of plenty. The wealthy merchants were chastised and bowed down before the king.

And ther came upon the land another great king, a disciple of Franklin’s named Lyndon. And Lyndon created many laws to chastise the merchants and lent his armies to those who asked for he was benevolent. And the printing press rolled and once again the Federal Reserve fed gaseous dollars to the economy, but no indigestion befell the land. For the rulers of the land had learned that if they continue to increase the money supply, indigestion could be postponed. And so they did.

And so it came to pass in the rule of Jimmy I that a great cry came out from the people of the land in their bondage.  And they banished him to end the 40 years of spending began by Franklin And the people raised up a champion who knew economics and they called him Ronald.

A great cry came from the House and Senate beseeching Ronald not to kill the sacred cows. And Ronald heard them not for he turned off the printing press that caused the Federal Reserve to feed the gaseous dollars to the economy. And it is foretold that in the years to come a great belch will be heard throughout the land as the economy grows strong enough to pass the gaseous dollars fed to it by the late great Lyndon.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

US Debt to GDP 9-14-24

Year  Nat Debt  % to GDP

2024 35.359T   122.9

2023 33.167T   130.8 Climate Change

2022 30.928T   129.0 Climate Change

2021 28.428T   127.2

2020 26.945T   128.4 COVID

2019 22.719T   107.2

2018 21.516T   105.8

2017 20.245T   104.6

2016 19.573T   105.2

2015 18.151T   100.1

2014 17.824T   102.4

2013 16.738T   100.3

2012 16.066T   100.0

2011 14.790T  

2010 13.562T

2009 11.910T

2008 10.025T 

2007 9.008T

2006 8.507T

2005 7.933T

2004 7.379T

2003 6.783T

2002 6.228T

2001 5.807T

2000 5.674T  

https://www.investopedia.com/us-national-debt-by-year-7499291

https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/government-debt-to-gdp

Comments

The reduction in the 2024 Debt to GDP is the result of $3.2T in government overspending on the Climate Change Hoax from 2022 to 2023. This caused the 35% global inflation.  The US Federal Government needs to remove $2 trillion in government spending and move the budget from $6 trillion back to $4 trillion and reduce Imports. Increasing the global supply of oil and natural gas will lower the prices of fuel and food and begin to reverse the 35% inflation. Lowering corporate taxes from 21% to 15%

Will make US companies more competitive and allow the return of manufacturing jobs to the US. Targeted Tariffs will be needed to accomplish this.           

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

Nominal GDP by Country 9-13-24

IMF estimates by country in 2024 ranks the US 1^st in Nominal GDP with $22.3 trillion. 

19 Countries have over $1 trillion annual Nominal GDP

Country   2024 $NGDP  Per Cap $    Population

US                  28.78 T       83320         345,426,571

China             18.53 T       13057      1,419,321,278

Germany         4.59 T        54299           84,552,242

Japan              4.11 T        33215         123,753,041   

India                3.94 T         2713       1,450,935,791

UK                  3.50 T         50555           69,138,192

France            3.13 T         47033          66,548,530

Brazil              2.33 T         10997        211,998,573

Italy                2.33 T         39230          59,342,867

Canada          2.24 T         56418          39,742,430

Russia            2.06 T        14203        144,820,423

Mexico           2.02 T        15414         130,861,007

Australia        1.79 T         67021          26,713,205

S Korea         1.76 T         34049          51,717,590

Spain             1.65 T        34379          47,910,526

Indonesia      1.48 T           5205        283,487,931

Netherlands  1.14 T         62676          18,228,742

Turkey           1.11T         12730          87,473,805

S Arabia        1.11T         32566          339,62,757

 

38 Countries have GDP from $200 Billion to $999 Billion

Country          NGDP     Per Cap $    Population

Switzerland    938.46B    105185         8,921,981

Poland           844.62B      21916       38,539,201

Taiwan           802.96B     34589       23,213,962

Belgium          655.19B     55814      11,738,763

Sweden          623.05B     51892      10,606,999

Argentina       604.26B     13223       45,696,159 

Ireland           564.02B   107330         5,255,017

Thailand         548.89B      7659       71,668,011

Austria           540.89B      59302        9,120,813 

Israel             530.66B      56532        9,387,021

UAE               527.80B      47863     11,027,129

Norway          526.95B      94492       5,576,660

Singapore     525.23B      90054        5,832,387

Philippines     471.52B       4070    115,843,670

Vietnam         465.81B       4613    100,987,686

Iran                464.18B       5069      91,567,738

Bangladesh   455.16B       2622    173,562,364

Malaysia        445.52B     12529     35,557,673

Denmark       409.99B      68590      5,977,412

Hong Kong    406.77B      54859     7,414,909

Colombia      386.08B       7300      52,866,363

S Africa         373.23B       5831     64,007,187

Romania      369.97B       19457    19,015,088

Egypt            347.59B       2983   116,538,258

Chile             333.76B      16887    19,764,771

Czech R       325.88B      30354     10,735,859  

Finland         308.06B      54840      5,617,310

Portugal       298.95B       28675    10,425,292

Kazakhstan  296.74B      14410     20,592,571

Peru             282.46B        8255     34,217,848

Algeria         266.78B        5699     46,814,308

Iraq              265.89B        5775     46,042,015

N Zealand    257.63B      49411      5,213,944

Nigeria         252.74B       1086    232,679,478

Greece        250.28B      24908     10,047,817

Quatar         244.69B      80266      3,048,423

Hungary      223.41B      23089      9,679,135

Ethiopia      205.13B       1553    132,059,767

https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/by-gdp

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

 

Modern Problems 9-13-24

Government Spending 

Government spending on unnecessary things accounts for 30% of spending at all levels from Cities and Counties to State and Federal. This includes wind and solar power construction, replacing sidewalks with multi-use paths for bikers, mandating EVs and building charging stations, funding Colleges that allow pro-Hamas organizations to protest, allowing protest marches in commercial and residential areas, funding Sanctuary Cities, Counties and States, funding Cities Counties and States refusing to prosecute criminals, allowing non-citizens to vote and allowing outside money to affect elections. 

Telemarketers

Telemarketer calls are easy to spot. Often there is a delay after you say “hello”. There is often a “bloop” sound. I hang up if there is a delay or a “bloop”. Sometimes I say “hello” that there is a voice with a heavy foreign accent asking for me by my first name. I hang up then. Sometimes the voice doesn’t have an accent and they identify a company. I say “I’ll pass” and hang up.  It’s usually a phone company or internet company or cable service wanting to bundle in my internet service. Lately telemarketers ask if I want to sell my home. I say “no” and hang up. The only robo-caller that persists is Google Business Listing. I’ve tried to get off their call list, but it keeps coming back.

Scams

Some phone calls are scams. We hang up on calls claiming to be from Social Security. We had a calls from scammers claiming to be from our phone company and another claiming to be our bank. We bring our monthly bill payments directly to our local Post Office to avoid mailbox theft.

Adult-proof Packaging

Adult-proof Packaging has been a problem ever since the Tylenol Tampering decades ago. It got worse with “big box” grocery items when the food companies stiffened their boxes to strengthen them for the supply chain trick ride. All “twist-top” caps are harder to take off. I use a towel on top of the twist-top. If that doesn’t work I use a large wrench. We have 3 can openers that operate at different depths.

TV Commercials

6 TV Commercials run for every station break on some news channels. I toggle to my alternative channel when this happens. Most ads are for ailments we don’t have. Some have a long list of side effects that convince us that we wouldn’t use their product. Many are weight reduction products. I used magnesium to loose weight and lower my hunger pangs and now limit the size and contents of my meals.

TV Campaign Ads

These are “hit pieces” that look like liable and slander.

Campaign Websites

These don’t usually contain the Candidates resume or position on Issues.

PC Desktop Confusion

I use “Geek Squad” to clean up my PC. I recommend them. Windows is now so complicated I call my grandkids to find the screens I need to do what I want to do.

My 1996 Gateway PC with CorelDRAW was easy and fun to use. My old HP printer, scanner, fax machine enabled me to write text and insert pictures  Those days are done.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

Restoring Government 9-12-24

The role of government in the US has been to support the Private Sector Economy and defend the US from foreign invaders. US military action was used to prevent abuse at Sea when the Navy intervened. Support of the Private Sector was demonstrated by expanding transportation routes to enable farmers to move their goods to markets. The government constructed canals for shippers to use. Later the railroads were used to also ship goods. The US Congress kept US merchants in the loop. The US Government was expected to manage their finances. This required Candidates for Elective Office to understand how the Private Sector works. 

Candidates for political office need to have experience managing private sector businesses to gain the knowledge they need to apply revenue effectively . The US economy is dependent on maintaining a growing private sector and dealing with balancing government regulations to keep costs low and productivity high. Trump’s business experience as a real estate developer gave him the experience needed today.

The Founders had the right balance of leaders with experience in their Colonial Legislatures. Many were plantation owners who learned horticulture. Many served in Colonial Militias. Many were business owners. Some were scientists. Some were Lawyers. Some were Merchants. Each had knowledge of the Economy. Those who were wealthy enough to hire others to manage their businesses had the time to devote to winning US independence.  They were all fans of the Enlightenment Philosophers. They all made their positions on issues clear. The same model is useful today.

Those Founders who were the best known, published papers in support of US independence and gained name recognition. Their shared cause put them in contact with the other Founders. This formed a large, diverse, inter-generational team of leaders who expanded the US to the Pacific Ocean by 1948. After that, they settled the western states using the inter-continental railroad in 1869.

In 1872, Congress ignored the Constitution and established Yellowstone National Park, Congress ignored the Amendment required to expand the limited powers of the Federal Government. Our divided government began with this departure from the Constitution.

In 1895, the first Hydroelectric Power Plant was built in 1895.

New Federal Departments and Agencies were added to the Federal Government in 1902, 1913, 1935 and beyond. 

In the years between 1872 and 1920, populations moved to cities to work in factories. Water quality suffered and water-borne diseases were common. Water quality was improved using chlorine to disinfect the water. Sewer waste had been polluting the rivers and sewer systems began to form. The lack of refrigeration caused meat to be vulnerable to spoilage. The microscope was being developed to identify bacteria. The first food lab was created by government in 1906 with the passage of the Food & Drug Act. Refrigeration was invented in 1834 and was employed after 1906 to keep food from spoiling.  Refrigerated trucks and rail cars soon appeared and meat producers were establishing their own microbiology labs. Food and Water-Borne diseases were declining.

In 1928, Penicillin was discovered and led to the development of anti-biotics in 1940. This was an effective treatment against deadly bacterial inflammation and allowed wounds to heal. The ability to manufacture antibiotics was funded by government just in time for World War II.

In 1945, the Atom Bomb was perfected and ended World War II.  Nuclear Power Plants were built in the 1950s.

Our current problems include:

The need to reprocess and safely transport hazardous waste

The need to reduce government spending, eliminate inflation and pay down the National Debt

The need to re-shore US manufacturing and restore mining and forestry

The need to close US borders and eliminate drug cartels

The need to reduce crime and restore law and order

The need to become a major exporter of oil and natural gas to lower the US Trade Deficit

The need to replace war with total economic isolation of Iran, Russia, China and other Bad Actors.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader 

US Education Reform 9-12-24

The current Public School Curriculum leaves 66% of 4^th graders not reading at grade level. The Curriculum does not structure reading effectively. 

https://www.ascendlearningcenter.com/blog-highlights/howmanystudents

 33% of current US Public School students cannot do Math at grade level. Again, the Curriculum needs to be restructured.

75% of 8^th graders and 75% of 12^th graders cannot write at grade level.

In 1928, the US Public School Curriculum prepared students to function in the US economy in grades 1 through 8. The curriculum used phonics to teach reading and writing in cursive was included. Courses were basic math, reading, spelling and writing. It also included civics and history. Students who failed to pass were required to repeat the grade. Graduates went on to trade schools or went to work to learn how to apply their skills at their jobs.

Higher forms of math were taught in high school and trade school

The first American high school to be established for working-class boys was the English Classical School in Boston, Massachusetts in 1821. It was renamed the English High School in 1824. The school offered subjects such as English, history, mathematics, science, geography, philosophy, bookkeeping, and surveying. 

In the 1800s, US students were taught to read the Bible by their parents and worked on family farms and other family businesses. Many continued their self-education to learn enough to function.  Book borrowing led to Public Libraries by 1900. Those who wanted to be Physicians like my Grandfather would work and hire tutors to prepare for the Medical School Exam. Abraham Lincoln borrowed books and studied to pass the Bar Exam to become a Lawyer

The American high school movement is a term used to describe the period from 1910 to 1940 when there was a rapid increase in the number of secondary schools and the number of students attending them. This movement was driven by local communities, rather than the federal or state government. There was also a movement to end child labor.

In 1935, the Wage & Hour Law was passed and included ending Child Labor. Labor Unions gave it full support. Today Children who are age 14 are allowed to work with parental permission. Children who are age 16 are allowed to work.  

In 1965, 10% of the US population had Bachelors’ Degrees. These degrees were all either occupational or preparational for degrees at the Masters and Doctorate level.

Those who entered Medical School had BS degrees in Chemistry and Biology and Pre-Med Courses. Those who entered Law School had BS degrees in Business.  Those who entered other Masters and Doctoral programs had BS degrees in their Major fields of study.

The United States Department of Education (ED) was established by Congress in 1980, and began operating in May of that year. The ED was created by combining offices from several federal agencies into a Cabinet-level agency. 

The ED's mission is to promote student achievement and equal access to education. The ED's responsibilities include: Establishing and monitoring federal financial aid policies.  Collecting data on schools and disseminating research, Focusing attention on educational issues, and Prohibiting discrimination.

US Education began to decline with the introduction of non-occupational Majors. US Student PISA scores vs PISA scores for other countries and ACT and SAT average scores began to decline. New Math and Common Core seriously dropped US Math Scores.

In 1996, the Internet was available due to advanced computer chips.  In 1998 Google Search was introduced. In 2004, Facebook was introduced. Cell Phones were introduced in 2000. Enhanced Cell Phones were introduced in 2007 with the Apple I-Phone.

The Internet became available to PC users in 1996.

Social Activist Indoctrination began in public schools in 2000.

Social Media began with Facebook in 2004 and Twitter in 2006.

Cell phone use in the United States has increased significantly over the past two decades, with the number of smartphone users in particular growing rapidly: 

In 2002, 62% of the population owned a cell phone or smartphone, and by 2019, that number had increased to 96%. As of 2024, over 310 million people in the U.S. own a smartphone, with a penetration rate of over 96%. They can take pictures and use the internet from their phones.

Comments

We kept our land line. I officed from home and ran my Consulting Practice. I had a phone message machine. I was available to customers 24/7. I took advantage of the internet in 1996 and could use email. We used Facebook for a while, but not Twitter. We still use Photo Albums.

We watched our children and grand children become slaves to their cell phones. We can see that our grandchildren are addicted to their cell phones and can see how they could be distracted in school unless their cell phones are off. We understand that these cell phones are handy for children and parents to be able to communicate 24/7.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader 

Public v Private Sector 9-11-24

The article below gives us a time-capsule back to 1980 

Divorce Court: Business vs. Government

Who will win the custody of their child, the United States of America

By Norb Leahy, Kansas Business News, October 1980

As political campaigns build to their climax, we in business need to make our views known to our perspective legislators. Because the views of those closest to our legislators help shape the legislation that will characterize the 1980s, we in business must become those advisors.

Knowing that politicians are constantly hassled, we may be tempted not to bother the poor guy. This attitude leads to feelings of isolation, alienation and indifference. Do we, as businessmen feel indifferent about the upcoming elections? Are we unexcited and perhaps a little cynical about the process by which our legislators write and pass our laws? Do we feel betrayed and alienated from government? Do we feel helpless? Do we feel that trying to operate a business today has been made more difficult by government? Many business people say “Yes” to these questions.

A mere 20 years ago this wasn’t the case. Businesses tended to defend government.  Except for a handful of vehemently anticommunist writers, the growth and power of the federal government, as well as the social and regulatory legislation was viewed as a necessary evil at worst. Government and industry were purported to work harmoniously to build the economy.

The bottom line is that when times are bad, people need money to eat and pay their bills. When times are good, people need to save for when times are bad. How did thie supposed partnership decried in the 1960s as the “military-industrial complex” become the estranged couple of the 1980s. In the 1960s, these and all other institutions were referred to as “the establishment”. Radicals claimed that the ills of society were caused by “the system”. Today, the ills of society are caused by the lack of “ the system”. The attitudes on both sides resemble the classic adversary relationship.

Besinessmen are convinced that many government agencies are to be avoided and that they will not contribute to the well-being of their enterprise. Government people are convinced that unless business is harassed, we will not follow the regulations they’ve been hired to enforce. Over the years, many government functions have been thrust on business in the name of efficiency. Business serves government as a tax collector. Business employs people and machinery to withhold state and federal taxes from paychecks. Social Security Tax is withheld and matched. Worker’s compensation Tax, Unemployment Tax and other taxes on the business are calculated and paid to the government.

In addition, business is charged with designing and implementing procedures to ensure that other government regulations are adhered to. These include the wage-hour laws, laws ensuring equal opportunity in employment and promotion, equal pay, laws protecting employee’s rights to organize or refrain from having to join unions, laws calling for the employment of handicapped, veterans, minorities and women at all levels. There are laws prohibiting discrimination, laws governing profit sharing and retirement plans and a host of others with corresponding reports to be deciphered, completed and submitted.

When the government announces that nitrates used in meats might cause cancer, business paid the price for ensuring that no nitrites were not sold.

Published in Kansas Business News, October 1980

Comments

The top Tax Bracket from 1945 to 1963 was 91%. It was lowered by JFK and became 77% in 1964. It was lowered from 1965 to 1980 to 70%.

Inflation was high in the 1960s and 1970s. The election in 1980 ushered in Ronald Reagan. The top US income Tax Rate was 70%. He lowered it to 50% and 1988 lowered it to 28%. Clinton raised the top rate to 39.6% in 1995. Trump lowered the top rate to 17% of income over $500,000 and lowered the Corporate Tax from 35% to 21%.

If you liked this time capsule, read the posts on this Blot from March 2010 forward.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader         

Campaign Contributions 9-11-24

Campaign Contributions by Pharma by Open Secrets from 2023 to 2024: 

The pharmaceutical and health products industry — including not only drug manufacturers but also dealers of medical products and nutritional and dietary supplements — is consistently near the top of all spenders when it comes to federal campaign contributions and lobbying spending. The industry has had a boon of federal campaign contributions and lobbying expenditures due to the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination effort. Drug manufacturers, medical product dealers and those dealing with supplements have spent huge amounts of money to lobby the federal government as its products, like vaccines and new treatments that have been developed in a short period of time, have been used to try and ease the pandemic. (Pharmaceutical manufacturers are a subset of this industry and are profiled in detail within this section).

The industry's political contributions increased in the years leading up to Congress' passage in 2003 of a Medicare prescription drug benefit and soared following passage of the Affordable Care Act (aka “Obamacare”) in 2010. That year also saw contributions to super PACs and other outside spending groups grow, following the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v FEC. Contributions from the pharmaceutical and health products industry jumped in each presidential election cycle since 2012, reaching $89,091,362 in 2020 — a 170% increase from a decade prior.

Republican Conservative Leaning Pharma Companies include Abbott Labs, Farrington Rocket LLC, Starky Hearing Technologies and Amgen Inc,

Democrat Liberal Leaning Pharma Companies include DE Shaw Research, Steifel Laboratories, Pfizer Inc, Cencora Inc, and Johnson & Johnson.

https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus?cycle=2024&ind=H04

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader