Price Of Gas - Do you wonder why the price of gas keeps climbing? Are you amazed to notice that local gas prices are nearing $3 a gallon, with predictions of $5 per gallon during the summer months? If yes, then welcome to the list of troubled consumers.
With oil prices climbing to over $70 a barrel (actually higher), the price of gas at the local gas station has also steadily increased in price. In fact, even when oil prices had dropped, gas prices remained level, no drop in price.
What is the profit margin on gas by the oil company?
About 8 percent, state people who review such statistics.
Of course, gas taxes help to add to the price of gas. For example, in Florida there is a state excise tax of 14.5 cents per gallon of gas and 27.2 cents per gallon for diesel. Add the federal gas tax of 18.4 cents per gallon, and the tax charges begin to add-up. There is a water quality gas tax and so forth and so on, all taxes on a gallon of gas. However, and even with such state and local add-on taxes, the real culprit regarding the price of gas is from the oil companies, who say they are paying higher prices per barrel from the oil producers (in Saudi Arabia, etc.)
Gas prices too high?
Yes, but don't blame taxes, that add-on is the least of the gas price problem.
American Flag/Mexican Flag - A high school in California flew the Mexican flag above the American flag as a sign of protest by a majority of Mexican students.
Protest? Use of American public school property to fly other nation's flags above the American flag?
Where were the police? School administration officials? State of California officials?
Some folks care less about all of the people protesting in our country, freedom of expression and free speech granted Americans they most likely proclaim. However, even illegal immigrants are protesting in America … and that is total nonsense.
Immigrants to American must follow laws that allow for legal process. Most American families have had some distant family member follow that legal procedure when entering America. These legal immigrants took low paying jobs, learned to speak English, helped other family members, refused welfare (which did not exist in many instances), suffered when sick, and stressed education for a better future. It was called "the American Way."
Allow any flag to fly above the American flag? Good gracious, what the heck are our politicians thinking? A strong stand for America? Yes, any other stand is not American.
Protesting on American soil by placing another flag above the American flag at one of our public schools? Have them arrested. (That might end that nonsense!)
Peaceful dialog to discuss problems with non-American workers?
That is a different story.
The most ridiculous thing Jane Fonda recently said was that she would like to be a part of these protests, but she would be afraid of all her negative Vietnam baggage. Yes, Jane, the name Hanoi Jane, will not be forgotten by the folks who believed she was a traitor to America and should have been arrested when she returned from Vietnam visiting and smiling with our (then) enemy. Strangely enough, Jane Fonda compared the two protests in one of her public of-the-cuff comments. I wonder if Hillary Clinton agrees with her!
Is the 2006 election important?
Imagine electing weak, liberal leaders in Washington who cower to the Hollywood left!
Big deal? You tell me.
Newt Offers Some Good Advice - Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich offered his opinion regarding how to monitor illegal workers. "It's simple," said Gingrich, "put employers at risk for hiring illegal workers and have someone other than the social security administration handle employee security card monitoring services."
More.
Newt explained that the current social administration computer system is unable to handle security monitoring card services such as offered by American Express or Visa/Master Card. If Visa, for example, can handle daily validation of credit card users, it can handle validation of social security card use (by valid social security card number owners.) "We need to place responsibility on the employers and then have good computerized monitoring services," continued Gingrich on the illegal immigration issue.
Perhaps what Newt is not saying is that some employers do not want to cooperate. Some employers need illegal workers to take jobs the employers find difficult to fill. Of course, the hiring of illegal workers helps to drive-down hourly pay rates for such jobs. Thus, I find it difficult to see why hard-working Americans would support illegal immigration when it helps to drive down hourly wages!
Both Democrats and Republicans are afraid to confront this issue.
Why?
Votes. It is a political hot issue and incumbents wish it would just go away … without their input.
What about voters?
I'd say send the incumbents a message by voting them out of office if they avoid taking a stand on this issue. Illegal immigration is an important national issue.
Top Democrat To Step Down - Does the Democrat Party have the same problem as the Republican Party when it comes to problem legislators?
You have perhaps read the problems of Republican Tom Delay in most every news source from television to newspapers. Delay has stepped down due to alleged campaign fundraising abuses. Abuse of campaign funds is a serious allegation.
Problem legislators.
Now comes Rep. Alan Mollohan of West Virginia. Mollohan sits on the powerful House Ethics Committee where he had ridiculed the likes of Tom Delay. Clean-up the House, asserted Mollohan and Ethics Committee members.
Well it seems that the powerful Mollohan has a few issues of his own to resolve. Namely, a 500-page complaint made against him to the U.S. Attorney's Office. It seems as though Mollohan has made about $6 million in assets the past four years, taking his asset picture from about $500,000 to over $6,300,000. Further, it is alleged that he has done business with an ex-employee who helped him secure over $2,000,000 in certain North Carolina property. Of course, all of this relates to proper (or improper disclosure forms being completed.
According to Mollohan, he stepped down from his Ethics Committee post to not cloud the investigations of other House Members.
Perhaps both political parties should avoid throwing stones.
You might ask how does an elected office holder in Washington increase his personal wealth over six fold in just four years?
Just ask Mollohan; he went from $500,000 to over $6,300,000. Not bad in a tough real estate market. Of course, it pays to have powerful friends … and both political parties have them.
What amazes me about all of this abuse of power stuff is the incredible integrity of our own Rep. Bill Young. You never hear about campaign or other abuses when it comes to Bill Young. In fact, he does not live close to the capital due to the high cost of renting an apartment. Yes, we are indeed fortunate to have someone like Bill Young in elected office representing our interests. (Think about it, we could live in West Virginia and have Alan Mollohan watching the money.)