Is it Debt or Deficit?!?

Excellent shape for exponential growth, don't you think?

Politicians and the media are once again trying to pull the wool over our eyes.  How many times when watching the news, hearing a politician speak, or reading the paper (whichever that may be) do you hear the National DEBT mentioned?  Probably not very often anymore.  What we usually hear or see is the National DEFICIT.  Now...question:  Why are we as a country focusing soooo much on cutting back our deficit?!? Shouldn't there be NO deficit? If there is any deficit, that means that we are still plunging ever further into more and more debt. Burying ourselves above our eyeballs.

Simply a warning to be careful the wording that many try to use.  Debt is how much we owe, and deficit is how much MORE we are PLANNING to owe!


Live updates for the National Debt NOT the deficit:
http://zfacts.com/p/461.html

By the way, notice how $11 trillion has been given to US, the citizens, who are now supposed to pay all of this off.

Oil Disputes and Environmentalists.

War, and more war.  That's what we hear about all the time now with the Middle East; Iraq, Afghanistan, and now more for Iran.

One big war going on is that of oil.  That isn't just in the Middle East either.  In fact, it is probably going on more here in the United States than anywhere else.  Even though the media for some reason wants us to think it's that way.  One of the biggest battles occurs between the oil companies and the environmental groups/organizations.

Right now there is a very large battle (been going on since 2007) between environmentalists and Shell oil company for drilling off the Alaskan shoreline. Shell actually just issued a lawsuit to preemptively strike at the environmentalists because it has plans for this summer and doesn't want them to be delayed by a late legal battle.  Bold move by Shell, but wise if they are prepared.  Environmentalists are very good at delaying and slowing down the drilling process.

So what's your opinion on drilling?  Messy? Necessary?

Either way...we as drivers and customers of gasoline are paying for this battle.  Shell claims to have already spent over $4 BILLION on this project already, and plans on spending much more.  As much as is necessary, according to a Shell spokesman.  Where does Shell get that money?  From the gas and oil we as consumers purchase.

Also, where do the environmentalists get their money?!  How about from Government grants, subsidies, etc.?  Or from donations, and tax write-offs.  We The People of the United States of America are paying for two sides of a war, and because of this war, we are also paying for its after-effects, aka: rising gas prices.

The only thing that can turn the tides of this war and many others like it (BP's story continues in the Gulf of Mexico also, along with many others), all that could bring good to this is our voice.  The consumer drives the demand.  We as consumers need to let our voices be heard and let these groups and companies know what we want.

What can we do about it?  Share your thoughts and comments.  Always happy to hear them!



NYT BP article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/05/business/deepwater-oil-drilling-accelerates-as-bp-disaster-fades.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

NYT Article on Shell:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/05/us/shell-files-pre-emptive-lawsuit-over-alaska-drilling.html?ref=todayspaper

Gas Prices are High...and getting higher!

Why am I paying over $350 a month on gas?! And all I drive is a small commuter car!

Despite how much people talk about oil, it is only half the story of gas pricing.  Speculators, politicians and more help to control the price whether it's up or down.  Unfortunately for the common American...that means up.

For the first time since the 1940's the United States EXPORTED more oil than it imported last year (2011).  If we can export oil, why is the price going up?  Also...why are we exporting some and importing other?! Doesn't shipping make things more expensive?

This summer, speculators say that gas will be in the mid $4 range.  Meaning $4.50.  Guess what that means? It means that it will!  Not only that, but it will probably go up to $5 because they are speculating $4.50!  Will oil prices increase that much? No.  But you can guarantee that come the end of September and October prices will drop again!  Of course not below $3.00 a gallon, but voting time means that the current administration (as seen in the past, whoever it may be) will work their way "finally" into bringing the economy back.  It won't be back as soon as voting is over.  It's a ploy to get YOUR vote!  That's all they want is to be elected (or re-elected as the case may be).

What can we do?  Voting helps, as long as we have researched and know who and what we are voting for. Any other ideas?

Basically, I am tired of seeing a week's pay disappear every month into the pump.  But a difference can only be made if people decide to BE that difference.




Check out the National gas price averages, thanks to AAA:
http://fuelgaugereport.aaa.com/?redirectto=http://fuelgaugereport.opisnet.com/index.asp

Birth control: Why should I pay for this?!

Yesterday, Thursday March 1, 2012 it was decided by the Senate that birth control (contraception or whatever they want to call it) would be given out freely to anyone that asks.  It was passed  51 votes to a mere 48.  Big shock that the majority party got the majority vote. Typical, non-representation of what people actually want.

Anyway, to continue:  Who has denied these things to women?  This case has been turned into an equality and women's rights debate and feud.  Women (according to some college women who presented in D.C. this past week) are being denied coverage and therefore are susceptible to having...(wait for it)...sex that might lead to having children!

My question is: Why is it my problem and responsibility to pay because there are women and men who want to have sex, but not have kids?!  Where is my right to keep my money that I earned?  Who will pay for my life-style?  What if I decide that gasoline is too expensive for me because I drive more than everyone else, so I want other people to have to share in my costs.  It's the same kind of example, is it not?

My spouse and I have decided to use birth control.  Some may disagree with its use, but we are using it.  That is our choice.  Yes! I agree that it is a right to have access to birth control and contraception agents or tools.  Guess how we (my spouse and I) get them?  We pay for them!  What a novel idea that is, to pay for something that we want!  It's amazing to me that people truly want others to pay for their life.  It's called work, and they don't want to do it.  Work is too hard for them.  When I see or hear of people with the "I don't care, someone else can pay for me." kind of life-style I want to say "Tough! I'm not paying!  I buy my own things, and you can buy yours."

It's sickening that something that can be good and bring us roads, sewage, water, parks, etc. thinks that they can also bring us birth control and many other forms of socialism.  Whatever you want to say, that's what making others pay for birth control is: socialism.  Not what this country was founded on.  Another note to make is forcing religions to participate in this.  FREEDOM for religion, THAT is something this country was founded on.  If you want birth control to be covered by your insurance/hospital/clinic etc. then go find one that does!  Leave your church.  They have their beliefs, and they should not be forced to change them.  If you think you believe in your church, then stop forcing it to believe what you want.  God's rules are absolute.  If a religion believe His rules to be one way, then for that religion it is that way.  That is the freedom that religion is allowed.  Some may say "But this other religion says that God has different rules than you say He does."  That's fine!  That religion has the right to believe what they want also!

In the end, rights were trampled for the greed and laziness of others.  No rights were gained, only socialism was gained.  This was and is not an idea on women's rights.  All women were already allowed access to birth control!  Sure they had to pay for it, but that's what happens when someone makes something you want, YOU pay for it!  Now my spouse and I will most likely continue paying for our own birth control and then have the expense of birth control for others be added on top of that.  Great...thanks.


A link from the New York Times that shares an article covering some of this topic:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/02/us/politics/senate-kills-gop-bill-opposing-contraception-policy.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper