Reject the OPR Stimulus Plan

The stimulus plan offered up by Congress is not that of the President-elect Obama's, but that of Obey (D-WI), Pelosi (D-CA), and Rangel (D-NY). While, Mr. Obama and his economic team have provided some broad strokes, this plan is purely a liberal democrat plan--the OPR stimulus plan. David Boehner (R-OH), House minority leader, almost had it correct in calling it the "OMG" stimulus package. Republicans would do well to reject 70% to 80% of this hodge-podge of social welfare, transfer payment and useless spending provisions of the measure. Republicans must offer a substitute measure and get a vote on it.

How is this Change???
Much of the measure, as released by David Obey's (D-WI) Appropriation committee, is the same old stale crap on a paper plate served up by the liberal cabal during the Reagan years to the tune of $825 billion dollars. Charlie Rangel's (D-NY) Ways and Means committee has offered some compelling tax cuts that actually will provide some stimulus to a weakened economy. The only aspects of the plan that will have a stimulative effect, from a Keynesian economic point of view, are the proposed $122 billion dollars of spending on roads, bridges, mass transit, waterways and the energy grid. One could throw in the $102 billion proposed for "workers" in a further strengthening of the existing safety-net during these tough economic times. The rest of the proposal reads like an appropriation measure that had not yet been met during earlier administrations going back to the Great Society of President Lyndon Johnson. How is this Change??? Unless the Obama team offers up some real change, it could become apparent that the left-wing of the democrat party will attempt to ride roughshod over the West-wing. And this mutant bird will not fly.

What Republicans Must Do!!!
Congressional Republicans must offer up a substitute measure and get a vote on it!! Think 2010.....

1. Go along with much of the democrat Ways and Means committee provisions regarding business taxation (ie: bonus depreciation, five year carry back provision, and an increase in small business expensing).
2. The Education credits and first-time home buyer provisions will have a stimulative effect as well.
3. Lower the capital gains tax to 10%. This can be strongly stimulative through incentive to take risk and create jobs.
4. Create an expensing provision that allows Research and Development expenditures to be expended at 120% of actual costs. This will reward both small and large businesses for their ingenuity and provide an incentive to risk taking that will create additional jobs.
5. Reduce the top corporate tax rate to 25%. Better to free-up capital for private-sector jobs than to create governmental employment for piggies to wallow in.
6. Reduce the payroll tax to 5%, both the employee and employer parts of this tax. This will provide a strong stimulus and also move the whole social security system re-tooling to front and center.

The OPR Stimulus plan offers very little in the way of stimulus that will create employment and economic growth. It will be far better for the Republicans to embrace a plan filled with lower taxes and other tax incentives to get capital flowing and unleash the entrepreneurial spirit of America. This is the only way out of our current economic doldrums. Press hard on these pro-growth policies. Let the young President Obama be the final arbitrator that makes the determination of what is good, bad and ugly in the overall package. And with some "audacity of hope" we might have another "seven fat years" similar to the Reagan era.

Time to Add another Illinois County

With the State of Illinois greatly embarrassed by the antics of the current Governor, as well as his impeachment trial ready to begin later this month, it is high time for the six townships of Northwest Cook County to finally secede from Cook and form a new county. The impetus for this is the continued corruption that oozes out of Cook. The six Northwest Townships (Barrington, Palatine, Wheeling, Hanover, Schaumburg and Elk Grove) should separate themselves from the conflagration of graft and theft of public confidence from a corrupt and practically bankrupt Cook County.

Should some or all of the Northern Townships wish to join them, all the better.

There are a number of reasons why it is important to give this full consideration during these tough economic times not the least of which are:

1. High taxes will continue to chase business and commerce from the Northwest Suburbs.
2. Since Cook County is dominated by the "pay to play" Chicago politicians, short shrift has always been given to the Northwest Suburbs and various public infrastructure projects.
3. Municipalities in the Northwest Suburbs may be forced to pay higher interest rates on bonds due to the Cook County corruption machine.
4. Now is the time for Northwest Suburban businesses to wake up and sever the ties to Cook County and its use of their tax dollars to fund Chicago based largess.

There will be a number of considerations to develop a new county; not the least of which would be its naming. I would suggest either Lincoln or Reagan both of which would be proud names for a county that would have the highest valuation outside of that of Chicago. Another matter that would need to be discussed would be the transfer of current Cook County assets within the six township area to the newly formed county. In order to foster growth and job creation I would recommend reducing the number of property classifications and the corresponding assessed valuation. They could be as few as five: Commercial [(office, retail, restaurants, etc.)--30%], Industrial [22%], Residential [20%], Agriculture [12%], and Vacant undeveloped land [35%]--to encourage development.

Its time for Northwest Suburbanites to wake-up and smell the Starbucks before more and more of their hard earned incomes are picked from their wallets by Chicago politicians seeking to line their own. Start the process Now to form a new county in Illinois.