RWNJ Conservative Views from Cincinnati

According to The Nation, the U.S. Government is going to give $8 billion this year to the nation’s 10 largest paper companies. The reason is an odd bit of green legislation that gives a 50 cent a gallon tax credit for using fuel mixtures that are a combination of taxable fuels (such as diesel) with alternative fuels.

The process of making paper involves placing wood into a chemical mixture to separate out the cellulose fibers. The leftover material forms what is termed black liquor and it is a good fuel due to its large carbon content. Paper companies use black liquor to produce the heat and energy they need to manufacture paper.

They discovered that they can take advantage of this tax credit by simply adding diesel fuel to the mixture. It is totally unnecessary and far from green, but it allows them to make a  handsome profit off of the tax credit. The  attempt to engineer green behaviour has actually resulted in the exact opposite. It is amazing how every year our tax code continues to get more complex yet continues to get less and less effective.

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Posted under Climate

Ohio is in preparation to start loosening its voting laws.  The AP is reporting that consensus is growing for adding early voting locations and easing voter identification laws.

Personally, I have never been a fan of early voting. Elections are dynamic and things often will come to light shortly before election day. Picture voting for a candidate early only to find out a large scandal about that candidate the day before election day. We have an election DAY, not an election week or election month.

I do not take issue with voter ID laws. You should be able to prove you are who you claim to be. It is not difficult to get identification. Everyone should have identification, even if they are not voting. It’s common sense! I know when I lived in Indiana that you could get free ID once the voter ID law passed. Transportation was even provided by many groups close to election day. If you cannot be bothered to get an ID, why are you bothering to vote?

It doesn’t matter how much effort is put towards stopping voter fraud, it will happen. A report from Wisconsin just today tells the story of a man who voted on behalf of his late wife. People like to claim that fraud never happens, but it does. Loosening laws put into place to protect the integrity of the vote will only make the issue worse.

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Posted under Election

At no real surprise to anyone, North Korea has launched a long-range missile. They claim it was a successful attempt to launch a propaganda satellite into orbit. There has been no evidence that a satellite made it into orbit.

This launch is in direct defiance of a 2006 UN Resolution barring North Korea from developing ballistic missiles. The UN is holding an emergency session to come up with any possible response, however China and Russia have jumped to the defense of North Korea saying that no punishment or action is needed.

North Korea lost its financial support from South Korea when President Lee Myung-bak was elected in 2008. North Korea has little leverage left to get aid now aside from their missle and nuclear programs. They offer to stop development in return for aid and, like a tempermental child, flaunt their defiance when they don’t get their way. It will be interesting to see how the Obama administration responds.

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Posted under Foreign Affairs

Came across this youtube video and the data it presents is pretty amazing. The world is changing fast and that change keeps accelerating. It just goes to show how important it is that we elect competent leadership every election. At the rate things change I can’t begin to fathom what the world will be like when my children reach my age!

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Posted under Misc

Brietbart reports that the House and Senate have passed $3.6 Trillion budget bills. These bills will have to be reconsiled, but the two bills appear to be very similar. Next  year alone, each of these bills will create $1.2 Trillion of debt.

Nancy Pelosi is quote as saying “we have come here to make a difference.” I suppose a record increase in debt could be considered a differece. Adding taxes on those who create jobs during a floundering economy is another difference. It seems that change for change’s sake trumps change for the betterment of the country with the current leadership. These budgets are a move towards more Government spending, more generational debt, and handcuffing job growth.

On a positive note, chairities can breathe a sigh of relief as the Senate denied the option of cutting tax breaks on donations to charity.

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Posted under Economy