Return2republic's Blog

Breathing room in Quicksand

return2republic — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:05:15 +0000

Why do we even have a Franchise Tax? Does this not inhibit economic growth? We should be limiting, if not completely rid our State of, this tax. However, there are some in Austin the want to only limit the tax to $1000 and $300,000 annual profit. In H.B. No. 4765 the allowed exemption status is changed from $150 to $1000 and from $150,000 to $300,000. I think it is sad that in our State, the leader in economic growth for the US, is still hampering but not getting rid of this tax. I say that if a business wants to grow, let them grow. They provide much needed jobs as well as an economic boost for the locality and the State as whole. Headed in the right direction, but not quite there yet.

How the Executive Branch should look

return2republic — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:28:59 +0000

I would like to do to shrink the size of our government to reduce the Executive Branch to five offices. These would be the Advisory to the President (AoP), the Department of the Interior (DoI), the Department of State (DoS), the Department of Defense(DoD), and the Department of Intelligence(INT). My desire with this is to streamline the bureaucracy, paperwork, manpower, and expenditures of the current breakdown. I have divided the hierarchy into the new Departments as I would like it. The responsibilities would be very much the same as they are today, with a few minor difference. The main purpose behind this idea is that much of what is done is repeated in the other branches. So, all things Domestic, Foreign, Militarily, and within the Intelligence Community have been grouped together with their respective counter parts.

Department of the Interior (DoI): All Domestic Policies that do not belong to the States

* National Resource Service (NRS):Agricultural Services; National Park Services,;Land and Minerals Management, Fish and Wildlife Service; U.S. Geological Survey (USGS); National Weather Service; Patent and Trademark Office Databases; Office of Electric Delivery, Reliability, Efficiency, and Renewability; Office of Environmental Management; U.S. Mint

* National Justice Service (NJS): Office of Indian Affairs, United States Marshal Service (USMS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), United States Coast Guard (USCG), Office of Legal Policy

* Federal Labor Service (FLS): Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Occupational Safety Administration (OSA), Veterans’ Employment & Training Service (VETS), Employment Standards Administration (ESA), Benefits Review Board (BRB)

* Health and Human Services (HHS): Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ), Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

* National Transportation Service (NTS): FAAFederal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Maritime Administration (MARAD)

* National Guard Bureau

Department of State (DoS): International Relations

Department of Defense (DoD): All aspects of the Military

* Department of the Army (DoA):All land based

* Department of the Navy (DoN): All maritime based

* Department of the Air Force (DoAF): All air, space, and cyber space based

* Veterans Affairs Agency (VA): Our goal is to provide excellence in patient care, veterans’ benefits and customer satisfaction.

* United States Coast Guard (USGS)

* National Guard Bureau (NGB)

Department of Intelligence (INT): Intelligence Community

* Central Intelligence Agency (CIA): Human Intelligence

* National Security Agency (NSA): Cyber Intelligence

* In co-operation with:Air Force Intelligence, Army Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency, Coast Guard Intelligence, Defense Intelligence Agency,Federal Bureau of Investigation, Marine Corps Intelligence, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, Navy Intelligence

One Key thing that I am reminding myself of is that the government is here to serve, thus all the divisions of the DoI are now Services not Agencies or Bureaus, being that their primary purpose is to Serve!

All the Law enforcement aspects of the Federal Government would be combined into the USMS or FBI. There are to many instances in they wind up walking all over each other. They would have a purely Enforcement (USMS) or Investigative (FBI) aspect, much like it is with Texas with the Highway Patrol (USMS) and Rangers (FBI).

The reason the Coast Guard and National Guard Bureau are in two Departments is because they serve dual roles, that of Homeland Security as well as a Military Role. Concerning the Coast Guard, I would also Promote the creation of a militia aspect of it, as like that of the National Guard, to be run by the States as is the National Guard. I would also request that Congress reinstate the Militia Act of 1792, with a couple of modifications.

American Political Parties

return2republic — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:27:45 +0000

I am of the opinion, correct me if I am wrong and I will amend this note, that there are really only four parties within the United States.

* The Conservative Constitutionalist (Republican) Party: Those that think that the United States should have a small Federal Government, the Federal Government should be restricted to the Constitution, that the purpose of the Federal Government’s primary purpose is to regulate Inter-State and International relations, and believe that Judeo-Christian values should be the basis of law.

* The Libertarian (Democratic) Party : Much like that of above (i.e. small federal government, restricted to the Constitution, and Inter-State/International Relations), but also believe that all things (defense of rights, morals, values, etc.) should be relegated to the people for their own decisions.

* The Statist Party: Those that believe that there should be a strong Federal Government to ensure that the rights of the people are defended and that the institutions that are established by the government are available to all.

* The Communist Party: Those that, like above, believe strong Federal Government, but desire that all people should have equal availability to all things in equal amounts and sizes.

There are also degrees in between, and within, these parties, but I think that this is a general idea. Again, I may be wrong, and if I am please correct me, but as I can see it, this is the way things are broken down within our political spectrum.

A Railroad to Freedom

return2republic — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:26:55 +0000

So here is a great thought. Lets use the Tax Payers Money to build a rail line on the border with Louisiana for a private company. I don’t have problems with that. Sarcasm, people. I am not in favor in any way of the government; whether federal, state, or local; using tax dollars for private gain. There is a couple of kickers to this. They are going to use eminent domain for this little pet project. Here is text straight from HB 3650:

(f) An authority has the right of eminent domain to acquire real property in fee simple or an interest in real property less than fee simple in, on, under, or above land, including an easement, right-of-way, or right of use of airspace or subsurface space. The power of eminent domain under this section does not apply to land under the jurisdiction of the department or a rail line owned by a common carrier or municipality. An authority shall, to the extent possible, use existing rail or intermodal transportation corridors for the alignment of its system. A proceeding for the exercise of the power of eminent domain is begun by the adoption by the board of a resolution declaring the public necessity for the acquisition by an authority of the property or interest described in the resolution and that the acquisition is necessary and proper for the construction, extension, improvement, or development of high-speed rail facilities and is in the public interest. The resolution of an authority is conclusive evidence of the public necessity of the proposed acquisition and that the real or personal property or interest in property is necessary for public use.

But that’s not the best part. They’re also wanting to do the same thing with the Texas border with Mexico.

An Act relating to the creation, administration, powers, duties, operations, and financing of a border region high-speed rail authority for the Texas-Louisiana and the Texas-Mexico border regions; granting the power to issue bonds; imposing a tax; granting the power of eminent domain.

Do you doubt me on this? And I wonder…who is the genus who came up with this bill? None other the Texas State Representative from District 7.

Why Can’t They Run?

return2republic — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:25:22 +0000

What is wrong with with Michael Williams or Elizabeth Jones? Is it that they are Republicans? No, the person that wrote HB 3651 is a Republican. Is it that they are Conservatives? I don't think so. On his campaign page, the representative touts himself as though he is a Conservative. So what is it? What does is matter if we have to potential candidates that are running for US Senate that are sitting on the Railroad Commission? If they thing that they can better serve the State there than they can on the Railroad Commission, who are you to stop them? Why is it a problem that they want to serve us, theirs and his constituents in Washington DC? There is a seat opening up and we need qualified a qualified person to fill that seat who will serve us better. So why do you want to change the law it illegal for them to continue working in their capacity as a Commissioner as well as run for another office? Is it the same case with every other office? Maybe? Possibly? I don't think so. We aren't stopping anyone else from doing it, why should we stop those two? I say that we let them run! I say that if anyone wants to run that they should be able to!" target="_blank">HB 3651 is a Republican. Is it that they are Conservatives? I don’t think so. On his campaign page, the representative touts himself as though he is a Conservative. So what is it? What does is matter if we have to potential candidates that are running for US Senate that are sitting on the Railroad Commission? If they thing that they can better serve the State there than they can on the Railroad Commission, who are we to stop them? Why is it a problem that they want to serve us, theirs and his constituents in Washington DC? There is a seat opening up and we need qualified a qualified person to fill that seat who will serve us better. So why do you want to change the law it illegal for them to continue working in their capacity as a Commissioner as well as run for another office? Is it the same case with every other office? Maybe? Possibly? I don’t think so. We aren’t stopping anyone else from doing it, why should we stop those two? I say that we let them run! I say that if anyone wants to run that they should be able to!