Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Am I Misunderstanding the Situation?

There is a post explaining that the IRS can't (or, at least, has not YET) notified the TAXPAYERS with legal Social Security numbers that their identity has been stolen, primarily by illegal aliens (I refuse to dignify their actions with the term immigrant).

They claim that they have given these CRIMINALS a way to claim money from the IRS by issuing another, alternative number, i.e., the TIN:
Victims’ numbers are stolen by illegal immigrants who need to give employers a valid Social Security number in order to get a job. Employers are prohibited from probing too deeply into numbers, even when they suspect fraud.
But the IRS learns of the scam when the illegal immigrants file their taxes using a special Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) the agency doles out chiefly to illegal immigrants as a way of making sure they’re paying taxes even if they’re not supposed to be in the U.S.
Between 2011 and 2015 the agency flagged nearly 1.1 million returns where someone appeared to have stolen a valid Social Security number, the inspector general said.
But, the illegal aliens, like most of the citizens of the USA, do NOT owe money to the IRS - if they file, they get a refund.  Or, worse, a TAX CREDIT that was intended to help US Citizens with relatively low incomes, but working, raise their families.

So, why do we have to HELP THEM GET MORE MONEY?  In addition to the monies that they already receive in the form of:

  • Free school
  • Free hospitalization
  • EBT cards
  • Housing subsidies
  • Obamacare
  • etc.
Yes, I do know that "technically" the illegal alien doesn't receive the money/equivalent (wink, wink), but their American-born children do.

Same thing - the HOUSEHOLD, which contains people who should be deported, get $$$$$$$$$.


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Yes, He DOES Have the Right...

to sit during the National Anthem.  I'm referring to Colin Kaepernick, the 49er player who refuses to stand during the Anthem.

That's the logical outcome of the totally clear decision of the Supreme Court, in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, in 1943, that overturned the decision of the Board of Education that expelled two students for refusing to say the Pledge of Allegiance.  That decision, in the middle of WWII, was not popular.  It was, however, correct, as a defense of the 1st Amendment.

Later cases, involving studens' right NOT to participate, nor even stand, during the National Anthem, followed that decision.  It naturally follows that, if you can't force a minor to participate, you can't make an adult do so.

Kaepernick's refusal is upheld by law.

However, it doesn't address the issue of the public's right to disapprove of Kaepernick, nor to direct their ire at the team - i.e., refuse to buy tickets to his team's games.  That ability, and right, is also absolute.

They might call him an ungrateful jerk, impugn his motives (some are suggesting he has fallen under Muslim influences - I'm NOT saying that - I wait until a public announcement is made to take that possibility into account), or suggest that he should be grateful to this country for all that he has achieved.

Frankly, I don't care.

If someone wants to engage in a display that practically begs - Look at me!  Look at ME! - I don't have to watch.  I don't have to get my knickers in a twist, as my mother-in-law used to say.

For him, there is likely a price to be paid.  He will probably have a less stellar career, possibly a shorter one, and a loss of endorsements.

He is likely to gain in Progressive circles.  Likely, he will - briefly - become the latest darling of Leftist/Progressive attention.  Some celebrities will copy him.

So what?


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Saturday, August 20, 2016

Are Progressives and Conservatives Really THAT Far Apart?

Maybe not, in some respects.

I was thinking about this, following reading one of the Liberty's Torch posts.  This was not posted by Francis, but Scott.

There are some areas where Progressives and Conservatives share concerns.  Both want the local community (what we Old Types used to call the neighborhood) to be a place of civil, respectful behavior towards other residents.

Both groups share some skepticism about the use of force by government against its own citizens.

Both believe that the local schools need to do a better job educating students.

So, there is room for some cooperation on specific issues, if there is a willingness to NOT engage in name-calling - which BOTH sides have done, at times.

Perhaps we can begin small - with community organizations, local watch groups (in my neighborhood, we have an ice cream party in the summer, and other get-togethers).

Most importantly, focus your justifiable anger at the political leadership, not at the individuals.  Many of those individuals share many traits in common with people we already do work with.  In social media, with individuals, speak softly, and try to find common ground.

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Lies of the Left

This COULD be a lengthy post. But, I'll try to winnow it down to a reasonable length. The CA Parent Bribery 'Scandal' - the 1...