Lifestyles of The Rich and Wastful..

I was sent this site the other day and told here is some extra water for you. So I read on and to my astonishment this was so far fetched, I was shocked, then laughed. The reason I laughed is because here is a man that has the resources to live a lifestyle that would set an example for the rest of New York, and the country, instead what does he do? Here is an excerpt from the article: "Drexler’s $6 $10 million property in Bridgehampton used 18.4 million gallons of water in the last year — or 115 times the average for the country, reported the East Hampton Press and the Southampton Press".  Here is the link to read the... rest... of the story, http://blogs.wsj.com/deals/2011/07/07/j-crew-ceo-mickey-drexler-is-a-water-hog/ .

It's amazing to hear the elitist left, talk about how the average Americans need to conserve and reduce our footprint on the planet. I'm just curious how many other millionaires have waterbills that excede 5 to 10 times normal water consumption? How many gallons of jet fuel and gasoline they use above my minuscule 750 gal. a year, of gasoline? (Oh, I don't use jet fuel). It's nice to set these lofty ideas, and stand on a soapbox, and preach to the flock about how the poor commoners, are the burden on resources, when in fact those that preach the hardest are more often the ones that are the high consumers,( Al Gore) ring a bell.

The only way such an assertion could possiblly be true, that the less fortunate, are the wasters, is to add up all there consumption and compare to the total consumption of the elitists. Per capita, it is wrong, there are less millionaries than people that earn between $25,000/yr and $100,000/yr., but their consumption levels are 5-10 times that of a lower and middle class family. So in the end the rich end up being the wasters, along with the government itself. But hey, America, it's not enough to go to work, come home, eat dinner, go to bed get up next morning and do it again, repeat till 65. Lot of waste happening with that routine!

Good luck folks, keep drinking the kool-aid while they continue to live the American Dream.

Federal Budget, Deficit.

                                GEN – X, Deficit Reduction Plan 2011

There seems to be an understanding that criticizing one’s opinion isn’t appreciated unless the person criticizing has himself an offer of solution. Here I have a perfect opportunity   to do a lot of both. The criticism comes as an interpretation of observing the lackluster performance of the leaders of this great nation for the last several decades. What we have here is failure to communicate. We as a nation are faced with a unique moment to repair many of the problems that ail us as a family. The question is, do our leaders have the political will to do the right thing? Or maintain the current course, and letting those standards and minute few, further corrupt the integrity of the American way of life. I personally believe the time is now to draw a line in the sand.

There are two (2) major issues, of grave concern that will be addressed with my solution.

First and foremost is the fiscal dilemma to address here. This is a deep dividing concern in this country and could very well be the pre-cursor to a more long-term systemic social issue in the near future. The second is an eroded trust problem that the people have lost in their government. The approval ratings for congress over the last 20 years has never been over 30% but on a selective few moments in time, for the briefest of moments.

The fiscal issues that are weighing down the growth of America are an easy fix, so without further delay let’s begin.

(1)   To all programs, grants, loans, supplemental programs, mutual science endeavors, contributions to foreign programs, and any outlay of funds of any type that would be written, paid, or otherwise loaned or funded by money generated through the taxation of U.S. citizens, authorized by congress or the U.S Treasury, or granted to or appropriated by the Executive branch or in any way funded in conjunction with any or made part of any other type of fiscal outlay of funds. All of these said payment types that would be going to an end (final) destination, that would be or (is) where this money/financial resources are outside the borders of the United States of America, all should be cut across the board by 25%. Reductions to programs such as all expenditures to the United Nations, a 25% cut to the roughly $3 bill. of annual expenditures to Israel, as well as reduction to military aid by the same. Foreign Aid to countries individually, example Libya, $25 million, as well as any military aid, by 25%.

(2)   The overall reduction, or draw down of U.S. forces around the world, all bases that are out side the United States borders decline personnel by 25% along with future funding in equipment and to include any technology upgrades, and defensible upgrades to property. Those of the most remote out of the way bases not of strategic value would be closed completely, within 3 yrs. Bases for example: Joint Task Force East, Camp Darby, Fort Buckner, MCLB Barstow, MCAC New River, Rota Naval Station, Scott Air Force Base, and many other types of draw down if not these in particular, there are thousands around the world that can be part of the cost cutting and responsible fiscal policy.

(3)   Comes what I am going to call the “Belt-Way” tightening. Here is what the American people want to see out of our leaders, when punch lines are being used like, “we are all in this together” and “shared sacrifice”. When most Americans lost 1/3 of the equity in their homes and up to 40% of the value in their 401k’s, millions have been unemployed or under employed for years now, the words “shared sacrifice” drives people to the brink of emotional meltdown, and a bitter rage towards their leaders boils inside. So the beginning is to stop all salary pensions to former Presidents, all Secret Service protection to all former Presidents and their wives/widows, stop all payments for any member of congress after their completion of service (unless that member has served a min. of 20 years consecutive) stop all payments to Senators after their service in the Senate. Speaker of the House earns $223,500, Majority party leader earns $193,000 -Congressional pay and senate pay should be reduced by 25%.

Members of Congress receive retirement and health benefits under the same plans available to other federal employees. They become vested after five years of full participation. This when everyone else in the country has to work 25 to 30 years for a pension, if they are lucky to get one at all.

Members of the Senate and Congress, whom have a total of around 18 staffers per member, will be required to cut those staff numbers by 10%, and the pay scale for those left on payroll will see reduction in pay by 40%. The $830,000 allotment for each of the 435 members of the U.S. Congress and all reimbursements for travel along with the Senates $2.5 mill- $4.1 mill. alotments for clerical and office expenses, are excessive amounts and should receive trimming by 25%. All travel reimbursement should be by milage for all Senate and Congrssional members that are elected from states within 600 miles of Washington D.C. at a rate of .25 c per mile. These cuts in staff are also suggested for the Executive branch, a cut to the more then 400 staffers in the executive branch and a salary scale that would not be allowed to exceed $75,000 for a senior position and step down, from there based on job title and education and experience.

There would then be a 10% cut to all govermental offices across the board from Homeland Security to the C.I.A., to the U.S. Postal workers. Any and all offices that employ personel that would otherwise be paid, and are paid, as a classification of being a federal employee, would be subject to this reduction. Reform future federal pension programs to read (and grandfather) current employees whom have more than 15 years before eligible retirement time, would no longer receive a pension but instead fund their own 401k, while the government would match dollar for dollar, up to 25% contribution.  Until the point at which time the employee retired or quit.

(4)   There comes a point were we have to understand accountablity from the top down, instead of expecting the bottom tier of society to be accountable for fiscal policy issues, where they are accountable for far less of the money supply then those at the top levels of governmental control. This expectation is not only irrational, it frankly doesn’t make good fiscal sense as a policy to continue to balance the unsustainable spending habbits, we as a nation have come to participate in, on the empty notion that those without money are somehow responsible for preserving it. Programs that involve social support should receive a 10% reduction in all aspects; this would include but not be limited to all expenditures such as payroll and staff. The only 2 departaments to not receive cuts would be the Social Security benefits, and Medicare/Medicade. But a serious look in over turning the health care bill should be considered, due to the excess amount of public funding.

There comes a point to funding a specific idea that by the success of that idea is dependent on the fiscal discipline of those charged with its oversight. Moreover by being elected to office part of the expectation is to do what is in the best interest of those whom elected one to office. With that expectation it is a matter of morality to the degree in which one will either execute the office or sail the ship of hypocrisy. Taking hold of the reins of governemet after it is out of control is a far greater task than riding the wild ride till you get bucked off. However, take this notion not so lightly we are at the cusp of the point of no return, if I may share with you an observation of our course and the overlay of the past that is for sure truth:

“From the void of emptiness, comes the life for many.                      

There is a life force that grows,

and knows not its father.                                                                 

As it ages, it can not see its demise, it knows only to grow,            

Time is its unknown enemy, and history its overseer.                     

As that life dies, so die many,

When time comes to call,

History, will once again teach.”

(written by: James Owens)

We as a great nation have an opportunity to show the rest of the world what good government is, and how it works, and is not abusive and unreasonable to its people. This being a teaching moment for us also, by showing the public that they are being put first and restoring the patriotic feel that has been missing in America for some 50 years. The level of productivity and spending will once again be the machine that fuels GDP growth by the once enjoyed 3-4% rates that makes our country so desirable. Establishing corporate tax cuts and personal tax cuts to payroll would more than inspire industries to hire up the individuals that will lose jobs from the government cuts. Cutting waste and unnecessary spending, excessive waste from the top down. This will bring in more growth in the long run than trying to fix poor fiscal habits in the short run.

My name is James  and I am a Michigan resident, and very concerned with making America the industrial powerhouse for the next 100 yrs. we have been for the last 150.

Respectfully,