State Senator Vi Simpson

I took a look at Vi Simpson's webpage. She has been a very busy senator. She lists 43 bills that she has authored, 18 that she co-authored, 21 that she sponsored, and 9 that she co-sponsored. Few of these bills, as far as I can tell from the titles, reduce the amount of government in our lives. They appear to be just more rules and regulations for us to follow. Some of the bills are just plan silly; a bill honoring Milred Boyle on her 100th birthday, a bill honoring Joe Tiller, a bill honoring Obama for being elected, and a bill to honor the door keeper of the senate. There are several more bills to honor people on the list. She must not have anything important to do.

Really, just looking at the long list I feel like asking her, "Why didn't you just stay home?". None of the bills seem necessary or to be an improvement to our lives. The only one that appears to reduce regulation and increase our freedom was a bill titled, "Sunday carryout by microbreweries". I support this bill, but why limit it to microbrewies?

The list is interesting. Check it out: http://www.in.gov/apps/lsa/session/billwatch/billinfo?request=getLegislationByLegislator&year=2009&id=S040

Debt - Our Leaders Putting Us in a Hole

Assume you are head of a household and you suddenly realize you are over your head in debt. If you want to get back on your feet, there are several things you need to do.

First, reduce your spending. Quit eating out. Cook your own meals. Get rid of your new car and buy a cheaper used car. There are hundreds of ways to reduce spending. They may not be fun, but they have to be done.

Second, cut up your credit cards and stop running up your debt. When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.

Third, find ways to increase your productive output so you can earn more income and further reduce your debt. Get a second, or even a third job. Find a way to bring in more money to pay down the debt.

This process is not hard to understand. It may be hard to execute, but it will work. Living the same life style that got you in trouble in the first place will take things from bad to very bad.

The worst thing you can do is borrow more money, increase your spending, and lower your productivity. No sane person would recommend this plan. Yet that is exactly what our leaders are doing. It may make things seem better in the short term, but in the long run things will be much worse.

Today our economy is in a fiscal “crisis”. How do our leaders try to solve it? Do they reduce spending? No, they increase spending, and not just by a little bit. Do they cut up their credit cards and quit borrowing. No, they are increasing the National Debt by $Trillions. Do they increase productivity? No they are discouraging productivity, by levying high taxes on the businesses that are responsible for the productive output of this country, and rewarding those that don’t produce.

In every category, spending, borrowing, & productivity, they are doing the opposite of what is required to get us back on our feet. It is not hard to understand that the results of this behavior will be bad. How bad? I am afraid to guess. It’s frightening.

I have never heard a parent say that they want to run up a huge debt and pass it along to their children, but that is exactly what you and I are doing. It’s wrong. It’s immoral.

Bayh Is Still At It

Last week I tried to give Senator Bayh some credit (See "Cap and Trade" below). This week I have more information that puts him back on Hoosier Patriot's Wall of Shame.

Here are a few headlines from press releases on Senator Bayh's website.

March 10th - Bayh Opposes Bloated Federal Spending Bill.

March 13th - Bayh Announces $32 Million for Beech Grove Amtrak Facility.

March 24th - Bayh Works to Help Build "Green" Manufacturing Base. Senator Bayh introduced this bill (S 661). This bill authorizes spending $500 million per year for 3 years on green technology.

Bayh said he was opposed to the "Bloated Spending Bill". This put him on the national news. Later when he wasn't on the news, and he thought you weren't looking, he spent $1.5 billion.

I tried to give him credit. Regrettably, I now have to take it back.

Cap and Trade

Admittedly, I am not a fan of Senator Bayh. However he did the right thing in signing the letter below. I am not real clear on Senate rules, but normally it would require 60 votes to pass a bill such as the Cap and Trade Bill. There is a procedure where a bill can pass as part of a reconciliation process with only 50 votes. This letter opposes using that process for the Cap and Trade bill. Senator Bayh deserves credit for signing this letter. Please don't forget he signed TARP and the Stimulus Package. His overall grade is still low in my grade book.

For those of you unfamiliar with Cap and Trade, it is a system where government will set a cap on carbon emissions and then issue "carbon credits". These carbon credits could be bought and sold in the open market. The cap is the issue. By setting a low cap, the government will increase the price of carbon based energy. Obama as made it very clear why he wants to do this. The goal is to make alternative energy sources competitive with fossil fuels by drivng up the price of fossil fuels.

Think back to last summer when gas was $4 or more per gallon. The impact on the economy was significant. If the price of fossil fuel generated electricity is doubled by cap and trade, the impact will be the same. Maybe worse.

In Indiana we have enough coal to last over a 1000 years. This provides a lot of local jobs for miners and provides us with the lowest electricity prices in the country. It would be foolish for a Senator from Indiana to vote to create a tax that forces us into more expensive energy sources. Cap and Trade is a very bad piece of legislation.

But I regress:

Here is the letter Senator Bayh signed:
______
March 12, 2009

Dear Chairman Conrad and Ranking Member Gregg:

We oppose using the budget reconciliation process to expedite passage of climate legislation.

Enactment of a cap-and-trade regime is likely to influence nearly every feature of the U.S. economy. Legislation so far‐reaching should be fully vetted and given appropriate time for debate, something the budget reconciliation process does not allow. Using this procedure would circumvent normal Senate practice and would be inconsistent with the Administration’s stated goals of bipartisanship, cooperation, and openness.

We commend you for holding the recent hearing, entitled “Procedures for Consideration of the Budget Resolution/Reconciliation,” which discussed important recommendations for the upcoming budget debate. Maintaining integrity in the budget process is critical to safeguarding the fiscal health of the United States in these challenging times.

Democrats - 8
Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.)
Evan Bayh (D-Ind.)
Robert Casey (D-Pa.)
Mary Landrieu (D-La.)
Carl Levin (D-Mich.)
Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.)
Ben Nelson (D-Neb.)
Mark Pryor (D-Ark.)

Republicans - 25
Mike Johanns (R-Neb.)
Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)
John Barrasso (R-Wyo.)
Kit Bond (R-Mo.)
Sam Brownback (R-Kan.)
Jim Bunning (R-Ky.)
Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.)
Tom Coburn (R-Okla.)
Thad Cochran (R-Miss.)
Susan Collins (R-Maine)
Bob Corker (R-Tenn.)
Michael Crapo (R-Idaho)
John Ensign (R-Nev.)
Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.)
Charles Grassley (R-Iowa)
Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas)
Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.)
Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.)
John McCain (R-Ariz.)
Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)
Jim Risch (R-Idaho)
Pat Roberts (R-Kan.)
David Vitter (R-La.)
George Voinovich (R-Ohio)
Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)

Congressman Hill Brings Home the Pork

Here is a press release from Congressman Hill's webpage. He is so proud of the pork he brought home! Note the part where he said, "I very pleased". Glad to see he takes pride in his work.

Write your friends and relatives in Missouri, Florida, or where ever they are, and thank them for paying for our new bus station. Don't tell them that we didn't want it bad enough to pay for it ourselves. It's so-o-o-o much easier to spend their money than our own. Surely the businesses and individuals around the country that were forced to pay for this, wouldn't have used that money for anything more productive than a bus station. You think?

Maybe we can get some local artist to paint a mural of some pigs on it. Oink, Oink!
____________________________
Friday, March 06, 2009

Hill Announces Transit Funds for Bloomington
Money comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act


(Washington, DC) - Bloomington will soon get another wave of funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Congressman Baron Hill announced today Transit Capital Assistance funds for the Bloomington Public Transportation Corporation in the amount of $1,716,658.
In response to news of the federal funds, Bloomington Public Transportation Corporation General Manager Lew May said, “The timing of the funding release couldn’t be better for Bloomington Transit. We will soon begin final design of our new downtown passenger transit facility and these funds should enable us to construct a sustainable, green facility and preferably one with a LEED certification.”
The money was released to the State yesterday and should be received by local agencies soon.
“I am very pleased that we have seen direct outputs of the recovery package money in our local communities within just weeks of it becoming law,” said Congressman Baron Hill. “This funding is critical in the joint effort to create jobs and improve infrastructure.”

Sorry Kids

Picture From Cincinnati Tea Party

The Economy is Better Now Than in September... What a Relief

 "John, 10 days ago, you said that the fundamentals of the economy are sound. . . . I just fundamentally disagree. And unless we are holding ourselves accountable day in, day out, not just when there's a crisis for folks who have power and influence and can hire lobbyists, but for the nurse, the teacher, the police officer, who, frankly, at the end of each month, they've got a little financial crisis going on."--Sen. Barack Obama, debate with Sen. John McCain, Sept. 26, 2008
 "Obama Says US Economy Sound, Reassures Investors"--headline, Associated Press, March 14, 2009

I don't believe popularity poles are a valid indication of whether or not a president is doing a good job. Doing the right thing is not always popular. However in my opinion the trends shown below indicate that people are not getting what they expected out of their president.

Source : http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll

Federal Taxpayer Supports Local Kitchen

Here is a local example of Federal Government pork.

This morning in the Bloomington IN newspaper appeared this story http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/stories/2009/03/15/business.qp-1464174.sto?1237118827 (you will need a subscription to view it).

It is regarding a kitchen incubator to focus on local food. It will, “serve as a place for incubator clients to make their products”. It is being funded in part by a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant. One client is looking to make pot pies from local ingredients. A high school student is going to make granola.

I applaud these entrepreneurs for what they are doing. I even look forward to sampling their products. They both sound wonderful. I just don’t understand why the Federal Taxpayer is funding part of it. Especially when the Federal Taxpayer debt is so large.

Some of you might argue that these small businesses will grow to create local jobs. I hope they do, but please take a moment to consider who is expected to pick up the tab. Our current federal taxing policies put most of the burden on small businesses across the nation. Thus, in our attempts to promote business here in Bloomington, we are destroying job growth all over the country. The net gain in job growth will be negative, because the private sector would have used the funds in areas where the likelihood of success is higher than funds spent based on political motivations.

Since the Federal Taxpayer is in debt, these funds will have to be borrowed. Who will receive the interest payment for this loan? China mostly. Thus we will be subsidizing factories in China who will compete with our local business and without regard to environmental concerns. Not a good plan folks.

One of the best lines in the article is, “Small farmers tend to grow more sustainably” (is that a word?). If small farms are more sustainable than large farms, why are small farms disappearing, and why do they need Federal Taxpayer help?

Baron Hill Claims He is Fiscally Conservative... You Decide

In addition to voting for TARP $700 billion, and the Stimulus Package $1.3 trillion, Congressman Hill likes to spread the pork. Below is the pork he put in the Omnibus Bill.

From an article byMaureen Groppe • Gannett News Service • March 6, 2009 (http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090306/NEWS02/903060507/1025/ARCHIVES)

Solo earmarks by Rep. Baron Hill, D-9th District: $3,009,000 total

• $957,000 to the Ohio River Greenway Development Commission for the Ohio River Greenway project.
• $500,000 to Clark County's Office of Emergency Communications for pictometry for five counties.
• $381,000 to the Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington for a math and science center.
• $380,000 for railroad bridge repairs in Perry County.
• $300,000 to Jeffersonville for a police data and communications system.
• $167,000 to the Bloomington Hospital Foundation for facilities and equipment.
• $167,000 to expand the emergency room at Bloomington Hospital of Orange County.
• $100,000 to the Clark County Sheriff's Department for radios.
• $57,000 to the Crawford County Youth Services Bureau in Marengo for educational programs for at-risk students.

Joint requests by Hill and other Indiana lawmakers: $2,254,746 total

• $950,000 for a linear park and greenway trail in Bloomington, jointly requested by Sen. Richard Lugar and Hill.
• $500,000 to North Vernon to replace waterlines, jointly requested by Lugar and Hill.
• $475,000 to Indiana University for a park and ride facility, jointly requested by Lugar and Hill.
• $234,746 to Indiana University for equipment for the Indiana Innovation Incubator, jointly requested by Lugar, Sen. Evan Bayh and Hill.
• $95,000 to the Lincoln Hills Development Corp. in Tell City to renovate the corporation's center, jointly requested by Lugar and Hill.

Hoosier Patriot's Response to Evan Bayh's Letter

I received a letter from Evan Bayh. It made me rather angry. Bayh continues to try to paint himself as a moderate with his words. However, he votes on the far left. Saying one thing and doing another doesn't sit well with me. Below are my comments about his letter.

(Bayh's words are in black. Hoosier Patriot's are in RED. )

Bayh: I opposed the second round of funding for the TARP program.
HP: Only after he voted for the first TARP of $700 Billion

Bayh: The Senate recently considered a $410 billion "omnibus" spending bill to fund the operations of the federal government for the rest of the fiscal year. I opposed this legislation because it called for substantial increases across an array of federal programs—more than twice the rate of inflation. If the federal government held spending steady, taxpayers would save an estimated $250 billion over the next 10 years. That is the right course of action.
HP: But he voted for the $1.3 Trillion Stimulus Package which is estimated to cost $3.3 Trillion in the next 10 years and is the biggest spending bill in history. I guess this is holding spending steady. No fiscally responsible person would have considered voting for that bill. He talks about saving $250 billion over ten years and he votes for a bill that is going to cost $3.3 trillion ($3300 billion) over the same period. Doesn't anyone besides me think this is a problem? Does this make sense to anyone?

Bayh: The omnibus contained nearly eight billion dollars in pork-barrel projects, commonly known as earmarks. I voted to strip out every earmark from the bill. When that effort failed, I urged President Obama to veto the legislation.
HP: Only 1 other Senator voted with him in opposition to the earmarks. Thus he knew it wouldn't pass. On the surface it appears he did the right thing. However I suspect that knowing the bill would fail and that his vote wouldn't impact the outcome, he voted for political reasons. Not because his is opposed to earmarks. Why do I feel that way? BECAUSE HE PERSONALLY PUT $10 MILLION IN EARMARKS IN THE OMNIBUS BILL!! THE VERY SAME BILL HE CLAIMS SHOULD HAVE BEEN VETOED BECAUSE EARMARKS WERE ATTACHED.

Bayh: runaway federal spending is the wrong prescription for America's economy in a deepening recession.
HP: Agreed. Then why did he vote for the TARP bill and the Stimulus Package?

Bayh: I work for you.
HP: Let's fire him!!

Bayh: Please keep your letters and emails coming.
HP: Don't worry Senator Bayh, you will be overwhelmed.
________
Here is the complete letter.

March 12, 2009
Dear Friend,
You recently contacted me to voice your concerns about fiscal irresponsibility in Washington, D.C. I am writing you today to let you know that I have heard your concerns—and I share them. Last September, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, our nation's top economic expert, told congressional leaders that if swift action was not taken to stabilize the banking system, millions of Americans would lose their jobs, life savings, and businesses. However, following the first release of federal funding for the Treasury Department's Troubled Asset Relief Program (known as "TARP"), we saw many reported abuses by major financial institutions and a lack of transparency and accountability for how taxpayer dollars were being spent. As a result, I opposed the second round of funding for the TARP program.The need for greater fiscal responsibility in Washington extends beyond the debate over how to unfreeze the credit markets. The Senate recently considered a $410 billion "omnibus" spending bill to fund the operations of the federal government for the rest of the fiscal year. I opposed this legislation because it called for substantial increases across an array of federal programs—more than twice the rate of inflation. If the federal government held spending steady, taxpayers would save an estimated $250 billion over the next 10 years. That is the right course of action.The omnibus contained nearly eight billion dollars in pork-barrel projects, commonly known as earmarks. I voted to strip out every earmark from the bill. When that effort failed, I urged President Obama to veto the legislation. Last week, I wrote an opinion column in the Wall Street Journal arguing for a return to fiscal sanity in the nation's capital. (To read, click here.) I wrote the article to send a message to Washington that runaway federal spending is the wrong prescription for America's economy in a deepening recession. As you can imagine, my vocal stance against earmarks and spending increases was not popular with many of my Senate colleagues, but I don't work for them—I work for you. In these difficult times, I value your opinions and input more than ever. Washington needs a healthy dose of Hoosier frugality. Please keep your letters and emails coming. Together, we will weather this storm and get our economy moving again.

Sincerely, Evan Bayh
United States Senator