Buffet Tax and Jobs Bill

Is President Obama on target to fix the broken finances of the U.S. Government with his two recent proposals? In one hand he is asking for a jobs bill to create jobs and in the other he is proposing a tax increase on millionaires. In some respects I think he has the right idea but needs to go further with fixing the budget and the nations ongoing debt problem.

Common sense tells you that you can’t pay all of your household bills if you have less coming in than going out. Common sense also tells you that in order to fix that problem you have to cut spending first and increase income. No matter how you look at the process the two are joined for the end result. All of the bills need to be paid and paying down the nations debt should be a prerogative for both political parties.

The “Buffet Tax” where millionaires will pay a minimum percentage is a good start at a second job income coming in for the treasury. It makes sense to tax someone like Warren Buffet that pays less tax percentage wise than someone raising three kids on a middle class paycheck. The majority of income that financially sound millionaires make is from income from investments that are taxed at 15%. If you have three kids on your middle income salary you are taxed around 23% of your total income on average. With the treasury shelling out more than it takes in then you need the extra job income from the “Buffet Tax”.

Then comes the jobs bill that is supposedly paid partially for with the above mentioned tax increase on millionaires. What jobs are going to be created is the long term question? Green jobs are good but the nation needs jobs in the manufacturing sector where products are made and goods are sold that feed more MADE IN THE USA jobs. You can not hand out checks to industries that are going to take the money and run for the border to outsource even more American jobs. Or in the case of some “Green” jobs, file bankruptcy after a couple of years. Do we really need a jobs bill? Damn straight we do! What the jobs bill needs is some meat and potatoes of long term good jobs that will be in America for more than two or three years. It can be done and it can be done in several American Made industries. One industry is where I suggest that the jobs bill should start.

When you look at jobs in this country, one of the largest is the automotive industry that has the single ability to feed growth of new jobs down the supply chain. Ergo why George W. Bush had no choice other than to bailout the industry when the economy crashed. When you build automotive plants no matter who the brand name is, it builds second stage, third stage, fourth stage, fifth stage, sixth and seventh stage and even more jobs outside of that plant in suppliers plants and the transportation industries. Thousands of small companies all across this country feed the automotive industry with parts and each widget made here is made by someone paying into the U.S. Treasury in the form of a payroll tax.

It’s time to bring the jobs back and you do that by offering incentives to overseas companies to build more automotive plants here in the United States. How do we do that? The same way local communities do by offering companies tax incentives and financing for the new plants. Every plant that is built is a win win for long term good paying American jobs. The trickle down from the automotive industry and each plant no matter where it is placed is phenomenal. Entire cities and thousands of jobs, homes, and communities are built around them and that is just common sense. Who looses?

Can we get these companies to build plants in America? Of course we can and it is a plan that both political parties can and should agree on. The President could charm any manufacturer to build their goods here in America and Speaker Bohner could sell it to his political friends in the business community. Together they could get it done. But they won’t.

It is more important for the political parties to bicker over politics rather than put bread on American workers tables. The end result is that both of them will be eating cake after a two hundred dollar dinner of good food and good drink. But you should know that they both really care about good long term jobs for America.

End of discussion is that the President wants a jobs bill but that would make him look good if it succeeded and that would make the Republican’s look bad and the only outcome that is acceptable to the GOP is no new jobs and no new taxes. How that is politically sound for a struggling economy is beyond me but they do wave the flag pretty damn good so I’m sold on it. NOT!

I guess Marie Antoinette was somewhat right. But no cake for all of you looking for a good job at a good wage. But make sure you vote Republican because that will help you get a good job at a good wage and then you can continue to pay more than millionaires in taxes percentage wise if you can find a job. It only makes sense. And pigs will fly.

First class if they are on the menu at the RNC fund raising dinner. Try applying in the food service industry. It is after all a job.

Papamoka

Renewable Energy Job Creation

Republicans are proposing slashing the DOE budget by two billion, in areas where renewable energy breakthroughs are playing a huge roll in America’s energy independence. As we all know, the republican’s are very concerned with saving money at the federal level as long as it doesn’t touch their pockets or friends with campaign donations pockets. You know the players as big oil, big coal, and mega electric industries with their more than generous checkbook to the GOP political base.

The Continuing Resolution as it stands would slice over two billion dollars from the DOE's budget alone and would have detrimental impacts on the state of American energy innovation. The budget cuts would force the layoffs of scientists and engineers, shrink the capabilities of laboratories and universities to perform the most critical cutting-edge energy research projects, and, by cutting funds for highly-leveraged loan guarantee programs, steer private sector funds away from American entrepreneurs and small businesses looking to demonstrate and deploy their innovative energy technologies on American soil. – WattHead Energy

It’s going to be hard to stop the renewable energy industry now that it is rolling along and the dividends being paid are in long term good paying Green jobs. Jobs are about to pop up in Wyoming that were born from many of the same programs the Republican’s are slashing to the bone regardless.

Gestamp has partnered with Ohio-based Worthington Industries, Inc. to create a joint venture, Gestamp Worthington Wind Steel, LLC. Together, they will produce towers for wind turbines constructed in the North American market. The initial production facility will stand on 30 acres in Cheyenne, and could employ as many as 150 people when fully operational.

The proposed facility will produce utility-scale towers for 2 to 3-MW wind turbines. The partners plan to begin shipments of 80 to 100-ft long tower sections in early 2012. – Windpower Engineering

Holy crap, who’d of thunk that renewable energy funding would have created long term jobs? How can that be possible if it’s renewable energy? Isn’t that an oxymoron? Or as some on the right side of the aisle that don’t believe in science would suggest, it takes more energy to build a solar panel than it creates in its working lifetime. WRONG!

Could it be that the American economy is broken, busted, out of money because it plays favorites with far too many old industries such as oil, coal and electric? Where are the budget cuts for those industries in the Republican money saving plan? They don’t exist is where those cuts are? The DOE budget for administering fossil fuels is cut but the subsidies are not. You know why, I know why, it’s just more of the same pretentious and shamefulness of politics and our government at work.

My good friend, a conservative at heart, is constantly telling me that the government should stay out of business peoples business. I agree to a point. I don’t agree that the monopoly that is our archaic energy system in America should be given a free ride over new technology that is beneficial to our children’s health, energy independence, and future.

Papamoka

U.S. Wind Power Breaks Record in 2009

If you have been reading this site long enough then you probably already know that I’m a renewable energy geek. I am constantly on the look out for the latest news and information on anything new and improved that will move the Green Energy industry forward even just a smidge. One of my favorites in the renewable energy field of products is wind power generation and all the news that my neurons can possibly devour. It just fascinates me that as each year passes, America is that much closer to being less dependent on foreign fossil fuels to generate electricity for our nation.

Check out this latest report from American Wind Energy Association…

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. wind industry broke all previous records by installing nearly 10,000 megawatts (MW) of new generating capacity in 2009 (enough to serve over 2.4 million homes), but still lags in manufacturing, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) said today in its Q4 report.

These new projects place wind power neck and neck with natural gas ¹ as the leading source of new electricity generation for the country. Together, the two sources account for about 80% of the new capacity added in the country last year. - AWEA

What blew me away by this report was that Texas was the leader in the nation with wind power by almost a three to one margin followed by its closest rival Iowa for MW installed wind turbines. Then there is the little factoid that wind power generation is growing by 39% per year in America. Mega Watt “Ut oh” for OPEC or anyone else that wants to try and dim the lights on America. Then I’m wondering if there are even 2.4 million homes in the entire state of Massachusetts? That leaves 49 states to go!

Hold on, it gets better…

GE gets $1.4-B contract for largest US wind farm
January 27, 2010, 3:25pm

NEW YORK – GE (NYSE:GE) said it has received a $1.4 billion contract from independent power producer Caithness Energy to supply wind turbines and provide services for an 845-megawatt (MW) wind farm project to be located in Oregon.

The wind farm, called Shepherds Flat, has received most of the necessary government permits to operate and is ready to be built. When completed, it will be larger than any wind farm currently in operation around the globe. - Mb.com.ph

THE LARGEST in the WORLD! Now that is some great news!

Every single time I see one of those monster wind turbines spinning free power out of the air I can’t help but think of energy independence and that makes me think of the American flag which ultimately stands for freedom. And that makes me feel very comfortable knowing that my children’s future will not be held energy hostage by any foreign nation.

Papamoka

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