Category Archives: Obama taxes

Obama Vs Romney, What This Election Means For Investors, Companies do not pay taxes consumers do, Obama taxing and spending has ruined economy

Obama Vs Romney, What This Election Means For Investors, Companies do not pay taxes consumers do, Obama taxing and spending has ruined economy

“We tried our plan—and it worked. That’s the difference. That’s the choice in this election. That’s why I’m running for a second term.”…Barack Obama

“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. His heart sank as he thought of the enormous power arrayed against him, the ease with which any Party intellectual would overthrow him in debate, the subtle arguments which he would not be able to understand, much less answer. And yet he was in the right! They were wrong and he was right. The obvious, the silly, and the true had got to be defended. Truisms are true, hold on to that! The solid world exists, its laws do not change. Stones are hard, water is wet, objects unsupported fall towards the earth’s centre. With the feeling that he was speaking to O’Brien, and also that he was setting forth an important axiom, he wrote:

Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.”…George Orwell, “1984″

“And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed
–if all records told the same tale–then the lie passed into
history and became truth. “Who controls the past,” ran the
Party slogan, “controls the future: who controls the present
controls the past.”…George Orwell, “1984″

Here is your assignment:

For all the clueless, Obot, left wing, liberal friends in your sphere of influence.

Explain to them simply that companies, corporations, do not pay taxes. Consumers do.

Explain to them that the profit margin for oil companies is one of the lowest and not guaranteed.

Ask them if they drive a car.

Then ask them if they want to continue driving and eat. Remind them that high gas prices affect the price of many goods and services.

Intelligent people want the oil companies to succeed and make a profit.

From Forbes August 22, 2012.
“Obama Vs. Romney: What This Election Means For Investors”

“Campaign season is in full swing, and by tapping Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate, Republican candidate Mitt Romney has made clear that his campaign will try to hit President Obama where he appears weakest: on the economy and the need for drastic fiscal reform.

For voters, the tepid recovery and high unemployment rate will be points of focus in the two months and change before Election Day Nov. 6, but for investors of every stripe – from those managing retirement portfolios to amateur stockpickers – there are plenty of differences between the candidates that are worth diving into.

That was what struck Tim Steffen, director of financial planning in Robert W. Baird’s wealth management business, and it’s why he put together a handy guide explaining where each candidate stands on issues ranging from income taxes and health care to just how big a cut Uncle Sam will take out of dividends and capital gains.

The latter points are critical for investors, and Steffen explains that the dividend debate will be particularly interesting to watch. Many investors play the income game by purchasing shares of companies that deliver profits back to shareholders in the form of dividends.

President Barack Obama has proposed raising taxes on dividend income for Americans that make more than $200,000 per year ($250,000 for couples), and keeping the current rates steady (0% on qualified dividends and 15% on carried interest) for those below that threshold.

Republican challenger Mitt Romney would maintain the current rates for those making more than $200,000 annually, and completely eliminate taxes on capital gains, dividends and interest income for any taxpayer with less than that in adjusted gross income.

“Dividends are a big [issue], both on the tax rates and what will happen to companies’ willingness to pay,” Steffen says. If the tax rate changes, some worry fewer companies will follow the lead of those like Apple, which initiated a quarterly dividend this year, or Cisco Systems, which recently hiked its payout by 75%, opting instead to buy back shares. “It’s a concern,” Steffen adds.

He argues that Obama’s plan would increase the cost to all taxpayers on investment income, and triple dividend taxes, but notes that there are likely to be differences between what the president proposes and what ultimately gets through Congress. For instance, the proposal to treat dividends as ordinary income has met resistance in a Senate bill passed that would call to raise such rate to just 20% on higher-income taxpayers, well short of the

While tax issues in the campaign may not be at the fore yet, Steffen believes they will crystallize if no action is taken by a lame duck Congress to extend the Bush tax cuts in some form. Americans will start to see bigger withholdings taken out of their paychecks, he says. “When that happens, people start noticing.”

Corporate taxes are another battleground for Obama and Romney. The President has said that the fat profits of oil giants like Exxon Mobil and Chevron warrant the elimination of subsidies for such companies, and would attempt to lower the overall corporate rate by eliminating many deductions. Romney would seek to drop the corporate rate and cease taxing corporations on income earned overseas, which some argue would eliminate the quandary posed by foreign profits being locked up abroad.”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/steveschaefer/2012/08/22/obama-vs-romney-what-this-election-means-for-investors/

Capital is the engine of this economy and that is mostly money invested by small investors like the little old lady down the street depending on dividends for retirement income.

Raising taxes cripples the economy, as any lucid person has noticed and kills job growth.

Obama has stated:

“And when the price of oil goes up, prices at the pump go up, and so do these companies’ profits,”
“Meanwhile, these companies pay a lower tax rate than most other companies on their investments — partly because we’re giving them billions in tax giveaways every year.”

From Citizen Wells April 3, 2012.

“Let’s begin with profits.

Combined, US oil companies are huge and employ millions of employees. Of course their profits will be large numbers.

Also, we want them to make a profit so that they can keep the gasoline and other petroleum products flowing and people working. If they fail, so does our economy.

And how big are the oil company profits?

Net profit margins:

Oil & Gas Refining & Marketing 3.00 %

Oil & Gas Pipelines 6.00 %

Compare these profit margins to other industries.

http://biz.yahoo.com/p/sum_qpmd.html

What about taxes?

First, the corporate tax rate in the US is near or at the top in the world.

US oil companies pay enormous amounts of taxes. How does this compare to one of Obama’s pay to play buddies GE? Check this out for yourself.

Here is the really important point about raising taxes on oil companies and other companies.

Companies (corporations, LLC’s, partnerships, sole proprietors) do not paytaxes!

Consumers pay for the tax increases.

Taxes are part of the cost of doing business.

A tax increase to a company results in some combination of the following:

Product and service price increases.

Employee and hours cutbacks.

Reduced hiring.

Does any of this sound familiar?

The Obama administration has been responsible for rising gas prices and they are now trying to raise them more.

Of course this has impacted food prices and jobs.

Sound familiar?”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2012/04/03/obama-lies-on-oil-companies-taxes-profits-and-impact-on-consumers-obama-energy-policy-based-on-chicago-pay-to-play-politics-truth-team-notification/

Obama NC college economy in ruins, Tuition up, Healthcare almost doubled, Unemployment up, UNCG and A&T student cancellations, No college & no jobs

Obama NC college economy in ruins, Tuition up, Healthcare almost doubled, Unemployment up, UNCG and A&T student cancellations, No college & no jobs

“The hikes have forced more students to take on extra jobs to pay for school, or drop out altogether.”

“The state mandates that at least 25 percent of the money from the tuition dollars go toward financial aid for needy students. Some board members recently have spoken out about that requirement, saying it essentially calls for students, who themselves may be struggling, to subsidize the education of other students.”…Greensboro News record February 11, 2012

“The cost of health insurance will climb from a range of $61 to $77 monthly to a range of $118 to $133 monthly, according to a memo sent from UNC President Tom Ross to the UNC Board of Governors. On an annual basis, most students will pay about $500 to $700 more in 2012-13, depending on the campus.”

“Mallette said the insurance increases are due to the health care usage of UNC system students during the past couple of years, plus federal regulations on preventive care and pharmacy services issued in March. The process is complicated, he said, by the new provisions of the Affordable Care Act.”…Charlotte Observer May 1, 2012

“Guilford (Large NC County) appears on it’s way to a third consecutive year with annual jobless rates in double digits. Economists say that likely hasn’t happened since the Great Depression.”…Greensboro News Record December 2, 2011

Michelle Obama spoke at UNCG a few weeks ago.

“It means all of our kids should be able to go to college without a mountain of debt.”

“Because of this reform, our children can stay on our insurance until they’re 26 years old. (Applause.) So they don’t have to lose their health care when they graduate and they’re out there looking for a job, trying to build their lives.”

“I want you to tell them how many jobs he created. Tell them how much money he’s put back in the pockets of American people. You can tell them that more of our kids can afford college;”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2012/08/02/michelle-obama-uncg-speech-august-1-2012-obama-lies-job-lies-tax-lies-college-tuition-lies-health-care-lies-student-loans-and-records-hidden/

Obama lies versus Obama reality.

From the front page of the Greensboro News & Record August 20, 2012.

“Registration cancellations rising at UNCG, A&T”

“UNCG about two weeks ago canceled the registrations of about 1,300 students because they had yet to pay their tuition bills — the highest number of cancellations since fall 2009, university officials said.

N.C. A&T is also seeing an increase in the number of students facing cancellation. The schools’ officials attribute their numbers to a variety of factors, including tuition increases and cuts and other changes in state and federal financial aid programs.

“Every lost soul is unacceptable to me, and it really hurts when we have to cancel that many registrations,” said Steve Roberson, UNCG dean of undergraduate studies.

By Friday, UNCG had managed to whittle that number to just 500, according to preliminary data.

But administrators are concerned about the large number of students who are having trouble paying this year.

UNCG Vice Provost Alan Boyette said recently that some students ran into problems because they did not apply for financial aid on time, or their financial aid had not yet been packaged. So, he expected that initial number would be reduced.

He said enrollment this year is “really unpredictable.” The university is gauging payments and registration on a near daily basis to get a feel for what the final number will be, he said.

“We think the timing is clearly related to the current economy,” Boyette said of the number of students paying late.

Sarah Carrigan, UNCG director of institutional research, said Friday that UNCG canceled 1,300 student registrations between July 31 and Aug. 8.

That’s an increase of about 500 over last year at that same time, she said.

As of Friday, about 800 of those students had paid to register again, Carrigan said.

A&T has also had a slight increase in the number of students who risk having their registrations canceled, said Akua Matherson, the university interim associate vice chancellor for enrollment management.

As of late Friday afternoon, the university was scheduled to cancel the registrations of 541 students, Matherson said.

That’s a 2.5 percent increase from last year, she said.

Those students had until the close of business Friday to make some kind of arrangement to keep their registration.

Staff from both universities spent much of the summer reaching out to students who were eligible to return to school but had not registered to find out what their problems are and to offer solutions.

More than 80 percent of A&T students qualify for need-based aid. Staff members have talked to families whose financial situations have changed, such as one parent losing a job.

“Some of our students are looking at some real challenges,” Matherson said.

Deborah Tollefson, UNCG financial aid director, has heard similar stories of parents’ stretched incomes.

She said that counselors steer students away from private loans.

Instead, they inform them of such options as federal loans, part-time campus employment and tuition payment plans if they are having trouble paying.

Tollefson said that UNCG has received a lot of late financial aid applications this year. Students who didn’t have to take out loans two or three years ago are now having to but are unfamiliar with the process, she said.

A&T had 10,590 students enrolled as of Wednesday, the first day of classes.

UNCG’s latest enrollment figures showed an enrollment of 17,800. Students there start classes today.”

http://www.news-record.com/content/2012/08/20/article/registration_cancellations_rising_at_uncg_at

With the Obama economic plan we get higher tuition, much higher health care costs and higher unemployment.

From Citizen Wells February 12, 2012.

“Amid chants of protest from about 100 students, the UNC Board of Governors this morning approved President Tom Ross’ proposal for tuition and
fee hikes over the next two years.

Ross’ plan would raise tuition by an average of 8.8 percent across the system and keeps increases below 10 percent on every campus.”

“Today’s vote caps months of intense debate over tuition, which the system has used in recent years to help make up for legislative cuts to its budget. The
hikes have forced more students to take on extra jobs to pay for school, or drop out altogether.”

“The state mandates that at least 25 percent of the money from the tuition dollars go toward financial aid for needy students. Some board members recently have spoken out about that requirement, saying it essentially calls for students, who themselves may be struggling, to subsidize the education of other students.”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2012/02/12/unc-tuition-hikes-university-of-nc-system-raises-tuition-costs-in-dismal-economy-working-students-and-families-pay-others-tuition-income-redistribution-unc-tuition-hikes-university-of-nc-system/

I have met and talked with many college students. Recently a UNCG student, who is struggling to support his family and attend school, confided in me that the recent tuition and health care increases (mandatory health care insurance almost doubled) could force him to leave school.

From Citizen Wells May 2, 2012.

“The UNC system began requiring students to be covered by health insurance in the fall of 2010. Students must either prove that they have their own insurance or buy a plan offered by the UNC system. Before that, 11 campuses required insurance; rates and coverage varied significantly among the schools.

On top of rising tuition and fees, those UNC system students who buy the university-sponsored health insurance plan will face steep premium increases in the next academic year.

The cost of health insurance will climb from a range of $61 to $77 monthly to a range of $118 to $133 monthly, according to a memo sent from UNC President Tom Ross to the UNC Board of Governors. On an annual basis, most students will pay about $500 to $700 more in 2012-13, depending on the campus.”

“Mallette said the insurance increases are due to the health care usage of UNC system students during the past couple of years, plus federal regulations on preventive care and pharmacy services issued in March. The process is complicated, he said, by the new provisions of the Affordable Care Act.”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2012/05/02/obama-lies-work-on-unc-students-unc-student-health-care-increase-tuition-increase-high-unemployment-obama-uses-orwellian-language-to-sway-students-occupy-white-house/

From Citizen Wells July 27, 2012.

“Unemployment Rates Increase in 84 Counties in June”

“North Carolina’s statewide unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) was 9.9 percent in June. This was a 0.4 of a percentage-point increase from May’s revised rate of 9.5 percent, and a 1.0 percentage-point decrease over the year.

Over the month, the unemployment rate increased in 84 counties, decreased in 11 and remained the same in five. Thirty-nine counties had unemployment rates at or below the state’s 9.9 percent rate.”

“Guilford County, containing both Greensboro and High Point had an increase from 9.6 to 10.3 percent.”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2012/07/27/nc-unemployment-rate-9-9-percent-june-data-unemployment-rates-rose-in-84-of-100-counties-mecklenburg-home-of-democrat-convention-rises-3-percent-to-9-9/

What evidence do we have that Obama had any student loans?

Romney 2011 tax return released by October 15, 2012, Obama college records to be released?, Estimated tax liability $3.2 million, Not paying taxes ??

Romney 2011 tax return released by October 15, 2012, Obama college records to be released?, Estimated tax liability $3.2 million, Not paying taxes ??

“Why has Obama, since taking the White House, used Justice Department Attorneys, at taxpayer expense,  to avoid presenting a legitimate birth certificate and college records?”…Citizen Wells

“Why did Obama switch to Harvey Wineberg’s firm to have his 2005 tax return prepared?”…Citizen Wells

“Illinois ethics disclosure forms are designed to reveal possible financial conflicts by lawmakers. On disclosure forms for 2001 and 2002, Obama did not specify that EKI provided him with the bulk of the private-sector compensation he received. As was his custom, he attached a multi-page list of all the law firm’s clients, which included EKI among hundreds. Illinois law does not require more specific disclosure.

Stanley Brand, a Washington lawyer who counsels members of Congress and others on ethics rules, said he would have advised a lawmaker in Obama’s circumstances to separately disclose such a singularly important client and not simply include it on a list of hundreds of firm clients, even if the law does not explicitly require it. “I would say you should disclose that to protect and insulate yourself against the charge that you are concealing it,” Brand said.”…LA Times April 27, 2008

$3.2 million in estimated tax liability is not paying taxes?

Where are Obama’s college records?

From the Chicago Tribune August 19, 2012.
“Adviser says Romney to release 2011 tax return by October 15”

“Republican U.S. presidential challenger Mitt Romney plans to make public his 2011 tax return by October 15, a senior campaign adviser said on Sunday, as President Barack Obama’s re-election team pressed its criticism of Romney’s decision not to disclose more about his personal taxes.

Romney, a former private equity executive who is one of the richest men ever to run for president, has come under pressure for months from the Obama campaign to release more years of tax returns.

He has released his 2010 tax return and estimates for 2011 but does not plan to reveal more years of returns. In April, he requested an extension from the Internal Revenue Service to file his 2011 tax forms, while estimating his tax liability at $3.2 million for last year.

Ed Gillespie, a senior Romney adviser, indicated the former Massachusetts governor would release the 2011 return by October 15, about three weeks before the November 6 election, but refused to say exactly when.

“Look, October 15 is the deadline for the IRS on an extension. We have said as soon as they’re ready we’re going to release them. And I believe they’ll be ready before that,” Gillespie told the “Fox News Sunday” program.

“They’re being finalized. There’s a lot of forms that have to come in from other entities that the governor doesn’t have control over,” Gillespie added.

He said Americans will have “ample information” about Romney’s taxes with the disclosure of the 2010 return and the planned release of the 2011 return.

The Obama campaign and its Democratic allies have targeted Romney’s wealth and refusal to release more tax returns in ads that paint him as out of touch with ordinary Americans. Romney has an estimated net worth of up to $250 million.”

“”Look, Mitt Romney is a highly educated man. And he has clearly made a decision that what is in those tax returns is far more damaging to him than to do what every presidential candidate has done, which is show the American people your personal finances,” Obama campaign senior adviser Robert Gibbs told “Fox News Sunday.””

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/sns-rt-us-usa-campaign-taxesbre87g0rn-20120817,0,3318119.story

From above:

“Look, Mitt Romney is a highly educated man. And he has clearly made a decision that what is in those tax returns is far more damaging to him than to do what every presidential candidate has done, which is show the American people your personal finances,” Obama campaign senior adviser Robert Gibbs told “Fox News Sunday.”

Oh really?

Here are some of the things we know about Obama’s “finances” from the tax returns they provided.

From Citizen Wells August 13, 2012.

Obama 2001 tax return.

“The Times details how Obama was still “of counsel” to his former law firm, but that he was not providing any services to that entity. Then Obama made a deal with Blackwell, and wanted to conceal that Blackwell was supporting him. So Obama “laundered” the “legal fees” by running them through the law firm and then issuing a list of the law firm’s clients-none of which had anything to do with Obama–to disguise the Blackwell money in a laundry list of hundreds of unrelated “clients.” This was a classic case of money laundering and business fraud. Obama wanted to conceal the large sum he was receiving from Blackwell, so he concealed that Blackwell was the source of his income by pretending he was providing services to the law firm’s other clients. Utter fraud. “Barry O” ain’t stupid, he’s slicky and tricky, and he’s a ticking time bomb for the Democratic Party.”

“….Not to mention the fact that Obama and Michelle did their own tax return preparation and provided no W2′s.”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2012/08/13/obama-tax-returns-hide-and-reveal-problems-obama-reveals-attorney-income-but-hides-details-how-you-hide-a-bribe-on-tax-return-robert-blackwell-killerspin/

From Citizen Wells August 14, 2012.

Obama 2001 tax return.

“Lawrence A. Horwich & Associates prepared the Obama’s 2004 tax return.”

“June 15, 2005: Obama purchases home next door to Rezko for $1.65 million, $300,000 less than the asking price.

June 15, 2005: Rita Rezko, Tony’s wife purchased plot next door for $625,000 asking price.

Late 2005 early 2006: From the Kenneth J. Conner complaint against Mutual Bank filed Oct. 16, 2008. The lawsuit is still active.”

“Conner later told World Net daily when he initially was fired, that the bank and the Rezkos were engaged in “fraud, bribes or kickbacks, use whatever term you want,” to benefit the Obamas.

Soon after the Blagojevich arrest, Conner was interviewed by investigators from Fitzgerald’s office.
Jan. 2006: Rita Rezko sells the Obamas one-sixth of her lot for $104,500.

Harvey Wineberg’s firm prepared the Obama’s 2005 tax return.”

“Now, a search of records shows that, in addition to Miceli, the Obama mansion is owned by Chicago Probate Judge Jane L. Stuart and Obama accountant Harvey Wineberg, both of whom are paying taxes on the property.”

“The President also announced his intent to appoint Harvey S. Wineberg as a Member of the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability.  His biography is below.”

“By the way,  Harvey Wineberg was the Treasurer of Obama’s 2004 Senate campaign and a bundler for Obama’s 2008 campaign.”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2012/08/14/obama-tax-returns-for-2004-and-2005-rezko-deals-why-did-obama-have-harvey-wineberg-prepare-2005-tax-return-why-is-wineberg-on-deed-why-did-wineberg-get-administration-post/

From Citizen Wells August 16, 2012.

Obama 2000 tax return.

“Obama stated that he was “more or less broke” in 2000.

The Obamas had an adjusted gross income of over $ 240,000 in 2000.

Something doesn’t add up.”

“As a member of the Choom Gang,” Maraniss writes, “Barry Obama was known for starting a few pot-smoking trends.”

“Maraniss also says Obama was known for his “Interceptions”: “When a joint was making the rounds, he often elbowed his way in, out of turn, shouted
‘Intercepted!,’ and took an extra hit.””

“Obama has admitted to cocaine use as well.

“maybe a little blow when you could afford it.””

“I reported many weeks ago, after reading the allegations by Larry Sinclair that he and Obama used drugs and engaged in gay sex in November 1999, that Obama was absent from the Illinois Senate on November 4, 1999. We have proof that Larry Sinclair was in Chicago from November 3 to November 8, 1999. We now know that Obama was in Chicago on November 8, 1999. We also know that the Illinois Senate was not in session again until November 16, 1999.

Obama was in Chicago at least by November 8, 1999 to speak at Public Interest Law Week at Northwestern University School of Law. Obama was a speaker at the 12:00 Noon Keynote Address on Monday, November 8, 1999.

So now we know that both Larry Sinclair and Obama were in Chicago at the same time.”

“Stuart Levine did not give his testimony in the Rezko Trial until 2008.

Larry Sinclair first went public with his allegations in January 2008.

Was Obama one of the male buddies who partied with Stuart Levine?”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2012/08/16/obama-2000-tax-return-raises-questions-obama-drug-use-left-him-more-or-less-broke-obamas-adjusted-gross-income-over-240k-obama-larry-sinclair-stuart-levine/

 

Obama truth reported in NC by Rhino Times, August 16, 2012, Obama dismal failures result in negative campaigning, Mainstream media criticizes Romney in elect Obama mode

Obama truth reported in NC by Rhino Times, August 16, 2012, Obama dismal failures result in negative campaigning, Mainstream media criticizes Romney in elect Obama mode

“North Carolina currently has the fourth-highest unemployment rate in the country and has stayed well above the national average through 2012.”…WRAL, August 17, 2012

“Guilford (Large NC County) appears on it’s way to a third consecutive year with annual jobless rates in double digits. Economists say that likely hasn’t happened since the Great Depression.”…Greensboro News Record December 2, 2011

“Why did Obama switch to Harvey Wineberg’s firm to have his 2005 tax return prepared?”…Citizen Wells

The truth about Obama.

In print in NC from the Rhino Times, August 16, 2012.

“Four years ago President Barack Hussein Obama ran on “Hope” and “Change.” These are not policies and hardly qualify as slogans. When Obama was asked to flesh out the Change aspect of his campaign he provided the explanation, “Change you can believe in.”

In other words, Obama ran on pure charisma and won. If the economy had turned around, or if Obamacare were a popular program, Obama could run on his record. But the economy is still in the toilet and Obamacare is not popular with the majority of the American people.

It is such a radical program that Obama had a huge problem getting it through the Senate even though he didn’t need a single Republican vote.

And his new word, “Forward,” just doesn’t seem to be resonating with the American people.

Obama’s record of Change led to the Tea Party. And in the election of 2010 the Republicans beat the Democrats over the head with Obamacare, and the stimulus package with its shovel-ready sites. The results were a disaster for the Democratic Party. The Republicans won control of the House and came close in the Senate, which was a huge turnaround from the Hope and Change election of 2008, when Obama won a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate.

Obama also managed to do something that no politician of either party had been able to do for 140 years. Obama’s policies resulted in the Republicans winning control of the North Carolina state House and state Senate.

Obama can’t run on his record, which is a dismal failure, so he has to go negative, and he has certainly done that. The ad where Mitt Romney is implicated in the death of a woman because her husband lost his job and his health care is over the top; but it’s going to get worse. That, of course, is not technically a campaign ad, but the campaign knew about it and it went forward.

It is incredible, but many of those who support Obama don’t seem to understand business any better than he does. If you are buying companies in distress and hoping to turn them around, sometimes it isn’t going to work. Bain Capital had some huge successes, which is why Romney is worth a couple hundred million dollars; but they also had failures.

If every company was a guaranteed winner, we would all be buying companies and making money hand over fist. There is a lot of risk involved. Sometimes a company’s assets are worth more than the company itself. In that case you split it up and sell off the pieces. The reason some companies are not making money is that they have too many employees. In his successful ventures Romney created a lot of jobs, look at all the people that Staples employs, just to name one company. But companies also fail and people lose their jobs. That is business.

Obama, evidently having virtually no business experience, thinks that business is like government. Once you get hired, you have a job for life, even if you never do anything useful. As long as you don’t get caught using drugs at work or assaulting a fellow employee you have a job until you finally accept the unbelievably lucrative retirement that is being offered. The private sector just isn’t like that.”
“Romney is a serious guy. It’s one of the reasons he didn’t do better in the Republican primary debates. The pick of Ryan as his vice presidential running mate is a serious one. By choosing Ryan, Romney is saying he believes this race is about the economic future of the country. It’s the last thing Obama wanted to hear because the one area where he is weakest is in the area of the economy – unless you consider his disastrous foreign policy, or perhaps his health care plan that even hard-core Democrats don’t like. What about Obama’s plan for Afghanistan? It’s the war he said we should be fighting. How is that going?

Well, of all the areas in which Obama is weak, the economy is one of them.

Ryan has thick skin, has a lot of experience articulating his ideas and, according to a colleague in the House, knows more about the budget than the congressional staffers whose only job is to know the budget.

Even Erskine Bowles, who was President William Jefferson Blythe Clinton’s White House chief of staff, had nothing but wonderful things to say about Ryan before he became the vice presidential nominee. Of course, Bowles can’t be too pleased with Obama right now. Bowles took the job of developing a long-range budget plan, did the job he was asked to do and Obama has ignored it.

For Obama to attack Ryan, Obama has to talk about the budget, about Obamacare, about the Obama plan to cut $700 billion from Medicare. Ryan is going to be running all over the country giving articulate speeches that people can understand about what he believes needs to be done to get us out of the economy we are in and what to do long term to solve the budget crisis. The country cannot borrow money endlessly.

Obama can’t talk about Romney’s income taxes forever, or maybe he can.”

“I heard Obama speaking about all the jobs that he has created while president. I guess small business owners who paid employees out of their own pockets to get through the rough spots of this so-called recovery didn’t create those jobs, the government did.

But jobs have been created during Obama’s term in the White House. Obama can claim any number he wants because the answer to the question how many jobs is, “not nearly enough.” The 8.3 percent nationwide who are unemployed and still looking for work know that not enough jobs were created. Here in North Carolina the 9.4 percent who are unemployed and still looking for work know that Obama has not created enough jobs.

The problem is that given four more years, or 24 more years, Obama is not going to be able to create enough jobs. It takes entrepreneurs to create jobs, and those guys who put everything they have on the line for an idea deserve to be rewarded. Some entrepreneurs lose money for years, and if Obama gets his way when they start making money it will get taxed to the point where there isn’t much reason to make money.

Obama doesn’t understand that. He doesn’t understand that some small business owners make a lot of money one year – they may make well over $250,000 – but they also may not have made any money for the previous five years, or made far below minimum wage. Obama has no idea how business works. He thinks the government creates businesses.

But it’s not Obama’s fault. How would he know anything about business? He has no experience. He has been a community organizer, a US senator and now president. There just isn’t much business experience there.”

“The New York Times from cover to cover is in elect-Obama mode. Look at the so-called articles, actually editorials in sheep’s clothing, about the economy. Between now and the election the business section of The New York Times is evidently charged with finding the good news in every economic announcement or indicator. I liked this one: “A Hopeful Sign: Job Openings Rise.” Of course unemployment is up, not down. But The New York Times is going to be looking past the horse manure all over the place and desperately trying to find the pony in this economy.

It is reminiscent of the 1992 presidential race between George Herbert Walker Bush, who was the sitting president, and that upstart from Arkansas, Clinton. The recession actually ended in the spring, months before the election, but it didn’t get reported in the mainstream media until November, after the election.

The news media is extremely powerful, and with the notable exception of Fox and a few conservative newspapers, it is going to be an all out push for Obama.

It is another area in which Ryan helps Romney. Ryan is just a much better communicator and he has the ability to go past the mainstream media. He can do it with local stations and the morning talk shows. Ryan has no problem handling a room full of rabid journalists out to get his throat. In fact, it appears he enjoys it, which is not a surprise because it also appears he comes out on the winning end of those debates.”

Read more:

http://greensboro.rhinotimes.com/Articles-Columns-c-2012-08-15-212867.112113-Under-the-Hammer.html

** Note **

From above:

“Here in North Carolina the 9.4 percent who are unemployed”

Yesterday the number was reported as 9.6 percent. This, also, is a “smoothed seasonally adjusted rate.”

Obama tax returns for 2004 and 2005, Rezko deals, Why did Obama have Harvey Wineberg prepare 2005 tax return?, Why is Wineberg on deed?, Why did Wineberg get Administration post?

Obama tax returns for 2004 and 2005, Rezko deals, Why did Obama have Harvey Wineberg prepare 2005 tax return?, Why is Wineberg on deed?, Why did Wineberg get Administration post?

“Why has Obama, since taking the White House, used Justice Department Attorneys, at taxpayer expense,  to avoid presenting a legitimate birth certificate and college records?”…Citizen Wells

“Why did Obama switch to Harvey Wineberg’s firm to have his 2005 tax return prepared?”…Citizen Wells

“Why did Mutual Bank fire whistleblower Kenneth J Connor after he challenged the appraisal on the land purchased by Rita Rezko, just prior to the land sale to Obama?”…Citizen Wells

Harry Reid and the other eighth wits from the left are screaming about mythological issues with Mitt Romney’s tax returns. Where is the mainstream media on Obama’s tax returns.

Yesterday at Citizen Wells, we revealed Obama reporting a bribe from Robert Blackwell on his 2001 tax return.

“The Times details how Obama was still “of counsel” to his former law firm, but that he was not providing any services to that entity. Then Obama made a deal with Blackwell, and wanted to conceal that Blackwell was supporting him. So Obama “laundered” the “legal fees” by running them through the law firm and then issuing a list of the law firm’s clients-none of which had anything to do with Obama–to disguise the Blackwell money in a laundry list of hundreds of unrelated “clients.” This was a classic case of money laundering and business fraud. Obama wanted to conceal the large sum he was receiving from Blackwell, so he concealed that Blackwell was the source of his income by pretending he was providing services to the law firm’s other clients. Utter fraud. “Barry O” ain’t stupid, he’s slicky and tricky, and he’s a ticking time bomb for the Democratic Party.”

“Now that you know more about the money that Obama received from Robert Blackwell and his companies, you tell me if you believe that Obama was transparent and open with the presentation of this tax form.”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2012/08/13/obama-tax-returns-hide-and-reveal-problems-obama-reveals-attorney-income-but-hides-details-how-you-hide-a-bribe-on-tax-return-robert-blackwell-killerspin/

Read the following sequence of events and decide for yourself if it looks suspicious.

Lawrence A. Horwich & Associates prepared the Obama’s 2004 tax return.

June 15, 2005: Obama purchases home next door to Rezko for $1.65 million, $300,000 less than the asking price.

June 15, 2005: Rita Rezko, Tony’s wife purchased plot next door for $625,000 asking price.

Late 2005 early 2006: From the Kenneth J. Conner complaint against Mutual Bank filed Oct. 16, 2008. The lawsuit is still active.

“11. In late 2005 or early 2006, Conner performed an appraisal review of the Adams Appraisal (Exhibit C) per the directive of Richard Barth and James Murphy. Conner prepared a written Appraisal Review report (ARR) opining that the Adams Appraisal overvalued the Greenwood lot by a minimum of $ 125,000.00″

“18. On October 23, 2007, eight days after Conner’s October 15, 2007 email to Schlabach attached as Exhibit J, Mutual Bank terminated Conner’s employment for pretextual reasons.”

Conner later told World Net daily when he initially was fired, that the bank and the Rezkos were engaged in “fraud, bribes or kickbacks, use whatever term you want,” to benefit the Obamas.

Soon after the Blagojevich arrest, Conner was interviewed by investigators from Fitzgerald’s office.
Jan. 2006: Rita Rezko sells the Obamas one-sixth of her lot for $104,500.

Harvey Wineberg’s firm prepared the Obama’s 2005 tax return.

Harvey Wineberg is on the Obama house deed.

“WND reported in December 2008 that William Miceli, the attorney for convicted political operative Tony Rezko and a fundraiser for Obama, owns the Obama home at 5046 S. Greenwood.

Miceli is a lawyer at the Chicago law firm Miner, Barnhill & Galland, which employed Obama when he did legal work for Rezko.”

“Now, a search of records shows that, in addition to Miceli, the Obama mansion is owned by Chicago Probate Judge Jane L. Stuart and Obama accountant Harvey Wineberg, both of whom are paying taxes on the property.”

http://www.wnd.com/2011/04/289501/

December 09, 2010

The President also announced his intent to appoint Harvey S. Wineberg as a Member of the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability.  His biography is below.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/12/09/president-obama-announces-more-key-administration-posts

By the way,  Harvey Wineberg was the Treasurer of Obama’s 2004 Senate campaign and a bundler for Obama’s 2008 campaign.

Obama tax returns hide and reveal problems, Obama reveals attorney income but hides details, How you hide a bribe on tax return, Robert Blackwell Killerspin

Obama tax returns hide and reveal problems, Obama reveals attorney income but hides details, How you hide a bribe on tax return, Robert Blackwell Killerspin

“Why has Obama, since taking the White House, used Justice Department Attorneys, at taxpayer expense,  to avoid presenting a legitimate birth certificate and college records?”…Citizen Wells

“Birth Certificate, College Records, Tax Returns. Obama has engaged in a consistent pattern of lies and deception.”…Citizen Wells

“Illinois ethics disclosure forms are designed to reveal possible financial conflicts by lawmakers. On disclosure forms for 2001 and 2002, Obama did not specify that EKI provided him with the bulk of the private-sector compensation he received. As was his custom, he attached a multi-page list of all the law firm’s clients, which included EKI among hundreds. Illinois law does not require more specific disclosure.

Stanley Brand, a Washington lawyer who counsels members of Congress and others on ethics rules, said he would have advised a lawmaker in Obama’s circumstances to separately disclose such a singularly important client and not simply include it on a list of hundreds of firm clients, even if the law does not explicitly require it. “I would say you should disclose that to protect and insulate yourself against the charge that you are concealing it,” Brand said.”…LA Times April 27, 2008

I was researching and preparing more articles on Obama’s hidden college records and benefactors when, as usual, one Obama puzzle piece led to another. I was examining Obama’s tax returns, dug a little deeper and was reminded of a series of events around the year 2000. Aside from the Larry Sinclair and Obama drug and sex encounter in 1999, there was another damning interaction.

From the LA Times April 27, 2008.

“After an unsuccessful campaign for Congress in 2000, Illinois state Sen. Barack Obama faced serious financial pressure: numerous debts, limited cash and a law practice he had neglected for a year. Help arrived in early 2001 from a significant new legal client — a longtime political supporter.

Chicago entrepreneur Robert Blackwell Jr. paid Obama an $8,000-a-month retainer to give legal advice to his growing technology firm, Electronic Knowledge Interchange. It allowed Obama to supplement his $58,000 part-time state Senate salary for over a year with regular payments from Blackwell’s firm that eventually totaled $112,000.
A few months after receiving his final payment from EKI, Obama sent a request on state Senate letterhead urging Illinois officials to provide a $50,000 tourism promotion grant to another Blackwell company, Killerspin.

Killerspin specializes in table tennis, running tournaments nationwide and selling its own line of equipment and apparel and DVD recordings of the competitions. With support from Obama, other state officials and an Obama aide who went to work part time for Killerspin, the company eventually obtained $320,000 in state grants between 2002 and 2004 to subsidize its tournaments.

Obama’s staff said the senator advocated only for the first year’s grant — which ended up being $20,000, not $50,000. The day after Obama wrote his letter urging the awarding of the state funds, Obama’s U.S. Senate campaign received a $1,000 donation from Blackwell.”

In his book “The Audacity of Hope,” Obama tells how his finances had deteriorated to such a point that his credit card was initially rejected when he tried to rent a car at the 2000 Democratic convention in Los Angeles. He said he had originally planned to dedicate that summer “to catching up on work at the law practice that I’d left unattended during the campaign (a neglect that had left me more or less broke).”

“Six months later Blackwell hired Obama to serve as general counsel for his tech company, EKI, which had been launched a few years earlier.

The monthly retainer paid by EKI was sent to the law firm that Obama was affiliated with at the time, currently known as Miner, Barnhill & Galland, where he worked part time when he wasn’t tending to legislative duties. The business arrived at an especially fortuitous time because, as the law firm’s senior partner, Judson Miner, put it, “it was a very dry period here,” meaning that the ebb and flow of cases left little work for Obama and cash was tight.

The entire EKI retainer went to Obama, who was considered “of counsel” to the firm, according to details provided to The Times by the Obama campaign and confirmed by Miner. Blackwell said he had no knowledge of Obama’s finances and hired Obama solely based on his abilities. “His personal financial situation was not and is not my concern,” Blackwell said. “I hired Barack because he is a brilliant person and a lawyer with great insight and judgment.”

Obama’s tax returns show that he made no money from his law practice in 2000, the year of his unsuccessful run for a congressional seat. But that changed in 2001, when Obama reported $98,158 income for providing legal services. Of that, $80,000 was from Blackwell’s company.

In 2002, the state senator reported $34,491 from legal services and speeches. Of that, $32,000 came from the EKI legal assignment, which ended in April 2002 by mutual agreement, as Obama ceased the practice of law and looked ahead to the possibility of running for the U.S. Senate. .”

“Illinois ethics disclosure forms are designed to reveal possible financial conflicts by lawmakers. On disclosure forms for 2001 and 2002, Obama did not specify that EKI provided him with the bulk of the private-sector compensation he received. As was his custom, he attached a multi-page list of all the law firm’s clients, which included EKI among hundreds. Illinois law does not require more specific disclosure.

Stanley Brand, a Washington lawyer who counsels members of Congress and others on ethics rules, said he would have advised a lawmaker in Obama’s circumstances to separately disclose such a singularly important client and not simply include it on a list of hundreds of firm clients, even if the law does not explicitly require it. “I would say you should disclose that to protect and insulate yourself against the charge that you are concealing it,” Brand said.”

“Shomon, working part time for Obama’s campaign and for Killerspin, helped prepare Killerspin’s initial grant application in 2002. Still working part time with Obama, Shomon helped Killerspin secure a $200,000 grant for its 2003 tournament and a $100,000 grant for its 2004 tournament.”

 http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-killerspin27apr27,0,2875554.story

From Contrarian Commentary April 27, 2008.

“The disclosure today in the Los Angeles Times that Barack Obama laundered money through a law firm to conceal the source of his income while an Illinois state senator is the “smoking gun” that is going to doom his candidacy.”

“The Times details how Obama was still “of counsel” to his former law firm, but that he was not providing any services to that entity. Then Obama made a deal with Blackwell, and wanted to conceal that Blackwell was supporting him. So Obama “laundered” the “legal fees” by running them through the law firm and then issuing a list of the law firm’s clients-none of which had anything to do with Obama–to disguise the Blackwell money in a laundry list of hundreds of unrelated “clients.” This was a classic case of money laundering and business fraud. Obama wanted to conceal the large sum he was receiving from Blackwell, so he concealed that Blackwell was the source of his income by pretending he was providing services to the law firm’s other clients. Utter fraud. “Barry O” ain’t stupid, he’s slicky and tricky, and he’s a ticking time bomb for the Democratic Party.”

http://www.contrariancommentary.com/community/Home/tabid/36/mid/363/newsid363/196/Default.aspx

There is more to this story.

From Citizen Wells May 14, 2008.

Obama and his supporters have downplayed the legal retainer and grant
request. The MSM is barely touching this story. Even the LA Times,
that broke this story, downplays the significance of Dan Shomon and
refers to him as an Obama aide. Dan Shomon was much more than just
an Obama aide. Consider the following facts about Shomon and his
relation with Obama and other politicians and businessmen.

Here are the facts about Dan Shomon, Robert Blackwell, Alexi Giannoulias and Obama’s ties to Shomon, Blackwell, Alexi Giannoulias and Chicago and Illinois corruption:

Dan Shomon was a long time employee of Robert Blackwell and Barack Obama as well as main political advisor to Obama.

Obama initiated the request for Robert Blackwell company Killerspin to receive a grant from Illinois and made the request on official Illinois Senate stationery.

Shoman, while an employee of both Blackwell and Obama secured grants for Blackwell company Killerspin:
$200,000 grant for its 2003 tournament
$100,000 grant for its 2004 tournament

Robert Blackwell had strong ties to Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich who has been mentioned many times during the Tony Rezko corruption trial.
The following is from a news release by EKI Consulting:
“BLACKWELL JR. NAMED TO ILLINOIS GOVERNOR’S TRANSITION TEAM”
The top of the press release reads:
For Immediate Release
Contact: Dan Shomon, (312) 578-0450
(* reference 1)

Obama supported the re-election of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, whose administration is embroiled in corruption probes.

EKI, a Blackwell company, gave $20,000 to Blagojevich.
Electronic Knowledge Interchange won $6 million in technology consulting and software development contracts. EKI did no state
work until after Blagojevich took office.
(* reference 2)

Robert Blackwell Companies gave the following to Obama’s campaign in 2007:

BLACKWELL CONSULTING SERVICES $9,200.00
EKI  $6,925.00
KILLERSPIN  $16,500.00
(* reference 3)

Dan Shoman was referred to as an Obama aide in the LA Times article but he was much more than that:
October 2002
“He (Obama) consulted with Shoman, still his main political adviser”
(* reference 4)

April 13, 2006

“Like the ill-advised connection to Obama in Aurora, thanks to Dan Shomon, Obama is mentioned in the same discusion with all these problems with Giannoulias.”
“Shomon’s main activities are political campaigns and helping Obama and his friends like Alexi Giannoulias who is now the Treasurer for the State of Illinois.”
“We think it’s HIGHLY unethical of Dan Shomon or Tom Weisner to exploit the taxpayers of Aurora for political purpose. Barack Obama’s credibility is also risked in the process of Shomon and Weisner’s games at the expense of taxpayers.
“Aurora Mayor Thomas J. Weisner gave Shomon the lobbying gig in exchange for political work, including getting the endorsement of Barack Obama back in 2005 when Obama first said he would remain “neutral” in the heated mayoral race.”
“In the 2006 Democratic primary, for example, Obama endorsed first-time candidate Alexi Giannoulias for state treasurer despite reports about loans Giannoulias’ family-owned Broadway Bank made to crime figures. Records show Giannoulias and his family had given more than $10,000 to Obama’s campaign, which banked at Broadway.”
(* reference 5)
“Andy Martin says ‘retainer’ by Robert Blackwell, Jr. was classic Illinois ‘pay to play’ and may have been criminal behavior.”
(* reference 6)

From Obama’s website. Reveals connection to Shomon:
“”She is as strong and stubborn as he is,” said Dan Shomon, an aide to Obama during his unsuccessful challenge to U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) eight years ago.”

http://www.barackobama.com/2007/04/22/michelle_obama_baracks_rock.php
“After just a few years, Obama was talking about running for Congress, and thought he saw an opportunity. In 1999, black congressman Bobby Rush had challenged Richard M. Daley for mayor, and lost. Obama conducted a poll, says then-campaign manager Dan Shomon, and it suggested that some voters, particularly white ones, were looking for an alternative to Rush.”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2008/05/14/dan-shomon-obama-robert-blackwell-illinois-state-grants-obama-retainer-killerspin-blagojevich-rezko-alexi-giannoulias-not-on-msm-msm-being-bought/

Now that you know more about the money that Obama received from Robert Blackwell and his companies, you tell me if you believe that Obama was transparent and open with the presentation of this tax form.

Obama tax returns.

http://www.barackobama.com/tax-returns/

….Not to mention the fact that Obama and Michelle did their own tax return preparation and provided no W2’s.

Obama job facts August 5, 2012, Obama lies about jobs created, Fewer jobs since Obama and Democrats took control, Higher unemployment, Lower labor force participation

Obama job facts August 5, 2012, Obama lies about jobs created, Fewer jobs since Obama and Democrats took control, Higher unemployment, Lower labor force participation

“The United States economy has lost more jobs than it has added since the recovery began over a year ago.”…NY Times Sept. 20, 2010.

“Guilford (Large NC County) appears on it’s way to a third consecutive year with annual jobless rates in double digits. Economists say that likely hasn’t happened since the Great Depression.”…Greensboro News Record December 2, 2011

“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. His heart sank as he thought of the enormous power arrayed against him, the ease with which any Party intellectual would overthrow him in debate, the subtle arguments which he would not be able to understand, much less answer. And yet he was in the right! They were wrong and he was right. The obvious, the silly, and the true had got to be defended. Truisms are true, hold on to that! The solid world exists, its laws do not change. Stones are hard, water is wet, objects unsupported fall towards the earth’s centre. With the feeling that he was speaking to O’Brien, and also that he was setting forth an important axiom, he wrote:

Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.”…George Orwell, “1984”

Obama is the biggest liar to ever occupy the Oval Office. One of his big lies is misleading the American Public on job creation. He only touts the jobs created, not the net impact of his policies. Not the jobs lost. Not the people dropping out of the labor force.

Here is a simplified example that explains what is happening.

Smallville USA, a fictional town, has five companies.

During the last month company A hires 2 people and company B hires 3. The mayor, interviewed by the local newspaper, brags about job growth in the town and states that 5 jobs were added.

What the mayor fails to mention is that company C dismisses 7, company D dismisses 5 and company E dismisses 3.

Smallville has a net loss of 10 jobs. The local economy is impacted. The mayor failed to mention that. So has Obama.

The misleading information, the lie, that Obama has been touting in his speeches can be found at BarackObama.com. Everything about the presentation of job creation leaves one with the impression that Obama has netted job gains.

For example:

4.5 million private sector jobs added in past 29 months.

The graph indicates many jobs lost prior to Obama taking office and the Recovery Act being signed.

The net jobs gained is not provided and no mention of the fact that the Democrats controlled congress beginning in January of 2007 until the Republicans took the House in 2011.

http://www.barackobama.com/jobsrecord?source=om2012_PR_G_gm-jobs-bg-search_core_&omtype=ofa&subsource=mkwid%7CXWIcSPIC%7Ckw%7C%5Bobama%20jobs%5D%7Cmatchtype%7Ce%7Cpcrid%7C15823272973%7Cpl%7C%7C&gclid=CN2Z5dLT0LECFW1j7Aod-SMAnw

Here is the acid test, the bottom line on Obama and the Democrats impact on jobs.

When the Democrats took control of congress in January 2007, the unemployment rate was 4.6 percent.

When Obama  took control of the White House in January 2009, the unemployment rate was 7.8 percent.

The stated current unemployment rate is 8.3 percent.

That is job creation???

http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000

And that is not all.

The Labor Force Participation Rate has dropped. If that rate had not dropped, the unemployment rate would have been significantly higher.

When the Democrats took control of congress in January 2007, the Labor Force Participation Rate 66.4 percent.

When Obama took control of the White House in January 2009, the Labor Force Participation Rate was 65.7 percent.

The Labor Force Participation Rate currently is 63.7 percent.

http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS11300000/

My reason for quoting Orwell’s “1984” should be crystal clear.


Ben Bernanke Federal Reserve gloomy forecast, August 1, 2012, US economy decelerated, Disappointing jobs reports and sharp slowdown in US growth

Ben Bernanke Federal Reserve gloomy forecast, August 1, 2012, US economy decelerated, Disappointing jobs reports and sharp slowdown in US growth

“The United States economy has lost more jobs than it has added since the recovery began over a year ago.”…NY Times Sept. 20, 2010.

“We tried our plan—and it worked. That’s the difference. That’s the choice in this election. That’s why I’m running for a second term.”…Barack Obama

“Because I’m capping greenhouse gases, coal power plants, you know, natural gas, you name it — whatever the plants were, whatever the industry was, uh, they would have to retrofit their operations. That will cost money. They will pass that money on to consumers.”…Barack Obama

From the Guardian August 1, 2012.

“Fed gives gloomy forecast on US recovery but no new stimulus yet”

“Fed chairman Ben Bernanke has consistently said that he is not ruling out direct action in the event of a stalling economy. Photograph: Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images
The US Federal Reserve signalled on Wednesday that it is increasingly worried about America’s fragile economic recovery – but once more stopped short of taking direct action.

After a two-day meeting, Fed officials said the economy had “decelerated somewhat” over the first half of the year, and gave a stronger signals they may take further action as they keep a close watch on the US recovery.

Weakness in the US economy has been underlined since the last Fed meeting by disappointing jobs reports and a sharp slowdown in US growth, which had led to speculation that the Fed might act. After two days of falls US stock markets had rallied ahead of the statement as investors expected action. But the Dow Jones turned negative when it became clear no action would be forthcoming.

“The committee will closely monitor incoming information on economic and financial developments, and will provide additional accommodation as needed to promote a stronger economic recovery and sustained improvement in labor market conditions in a context of price stability,” the central bank said in a statement issued at the end of the Federal open market committee’s (FOMC) two-day policy meeting.

Fed chairman Ben Bernanke has consistently stated that the Fed is considering further action should the recovery appear to be stalling.

There were fresh signs of weakness on Wednesday as a key poll showed economic activity in the manufacturing sector contracted in July for the second month in a row after 34 consecutive months of expansion. The Institute of Supply Management’s purchasing managers index (PMI) – which measures the acquisition of goods and services – stood at 49.8% in July, barely moving from June’s reading of 49.7%. The index must be above 50% to indicate growth.

Dan Greenhaus, chief global strategist at BTIG, said the Fed was “clearly on a knife’s edge with respect to providing additional stimulus”. Fed statements are parsed line by line for indications of change in policy.

In a note to clients, Greenhaus wrote: “Importantly, the first sentence in the FOMC statement, which noted in June that ‘the economy has been expanding moderately this year’ now says that ‘economic activity decelerated somewhat over the first half of this year.’

“They note that ‘household spending has been rising at a somewhat slower pace than earlier in the year’ while ‘inflation has declined since earlier this year.’ All told, the Fed clearly took down its assessment of the current economic situation.”

Ken Goldstein, an economist at the Conference Board in New York, said the Fed was in a fix. Republicans have already criticised the Fed’s actions and are likely to pounce on any action from the Fed ahead of November’s election.
“This is going to get increasingly political as the election approaches,” Goldstein said.

Goldstein said the economy seemed to be “muddling along rather than falling off a cliff,” and that he believed the Fed was unlikely to act unless evidence of a severe weakening in the US economy emerged.

With economy emerging as the key battleground of the 2012 election, economic indicators have seldom been more closely watched. Last week the commerce department announced that US gross domestic product (GDP) – the broadest measure of an economy’s health – stood at 1.5% in the second quarter, down from 2% in the prior three months, and 4.1% in the fourth quarter of 2011.”

Read more:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/aug/01/fed-us-recovery-stimulus?newsfeed=true

NC unemployment rate 9.9 percent, June data, Unemployment rates rose in 84 of 100 counties, Mecklenburg home of Democrat Convention rises .3 percent to 9.9

NC unemployment rate 9.9 percent, June data, Unemployment rates rose in 84 of 100 counties, Mecklenburg home of Democrat Convention rises .3 percent to 9.9

“The United States economy has lost more jobs than it has added since the recovery began over a year ago.”…NY Times Sept. 20, 2010.

“Guilford (Large NC County) appears on it’s way to a third consecutive year with annual jobless rates in double digits. Economists say that likely hasn’t happened since the Great Depression.”…Greensboro News Record December 2, 2011

“We tried our plan—and it worked. That’s the difference. That’s the choice in this election. That’s why I’m running for a second term.”…Barack Obama

Yesterday, July 26, 2012, we learned that NC had the second largest  initial claims for unemployment in the nation.

“The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending July 14 were in California (+26,244), North Carolina (+11,948), Georgia (+8,372), Alabama (+4,148), and Oregon (+3,019)”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2012/07/26/nc-unemployment-claims-second-highest-in-nation-july-26-2012-11948-claims-second-only-to-ca-nc-labor-force-decreased-and-jobs-lost/

Today the news is even bleaker.

From the NC Dept. of Commerce July 27, 2012.

“Unemployment Rates Increase in 84 Counties in June”

“North Carolina’s statewide unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) was 9.9 percent in June. This was a 0.4 of a percentage-point increase from May’s revised rate of 9.5 percent, and a 1.0 percentage-point decrease over the year.

Over the month, the unemployment rate increased in 84 counties, decreased in 11 and remained the same in five. Thirty-nine counties had unemployment rates at or below the state’s 9.9 percent rate.

Scotland County recorded June’s highest unemployment rate at 17.6 percent, 0.6 of a percentage point higher than last month. Graham County had the second-highest rate at 15.2 percent. Currituck County had the lowest unemployment rate at 5.3 percent, followed by Orange, 7.1 percent; and Chatham & Henderson,
7.3 percent.

The unemployment rates increased in all 14 of the state’s Metropolitan Statistical Areas (Metros). The Rocky Mount Metro had the highest unemployment rate in June at 13.2 percent. The Asheville & Durham/Chapel Hill Metros reported the month’s lowest unemployment rates at 7.9 percent, which increased 0.3 of a percentage point for Asheville and 0.5 of a percentage point for Durham/Chapel Hill. Raleigh/Cary followed at 8.0 percent.”

http://www.ncesc1.com/pmi/rates/PressReleases/County/NR_June2012CountyRateRelease_M.pdf

Mecklenburg County, mostly consisting of Charlotte, NC, the site of the 2012 Democrat Convention, had an unemployment rate increase from May to June of .3 to a rate of 9.9 percent. Adjacent county to the west, Gaston, went from 10.2 to 10.9 percent.  Guilford County, containing both Greensboro and High Point had an increase from 9.6 to 10.3 percent.

I am certain that Obama will portray this as utopian conditions.

July 21, 2012 Obama economy and jobs bleak, 27 states recorded unemployment rate increases, Black unemployment up 1.4 percent in 2 months, NC rate suspect

July 21, 2012 Obama economy and jobs bleak, 27 states recorded unemployment rate increases, Black unemployment up 1.4 percent in 2 months, NC rate suspect

“The United States economy has lost more jobs than it has added since the recovery began over a year ago.”…NY Times Sept. 20, 2010.

“Guilford (Large NC County) appears on it’s way to a third consecutive year with annual jobless rates in double digits. Economists say that likely hasn’t happened since the Great Depression.”…Greensboro News Record December 2, 2011

Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.”…George Orwell, “1984″

The Obama camp is using every opportunity to divert attention away from the dismal economy and jobs situation. Even the mainstream media has made note of the lies Obama has told about Mitt Romney. The stated unemployment rate in NC is 9.4 percent and that looks suspect, even accounting for historic low labor participation rates.

Doug Clark of the Greensboro News Record of the Greensboro News Record stated yesterday:

“North Carolina loses or gains jobs in June, depending on which state numbers you believe, if any”

“North Carolina lost nearly 8,000 jobs in June from the previous month, the state’s Commerce Department reports this morning.”

“The unemployment rate held at 9.4 percent, but that was because the labor force decreased.”

“Here’s a BLS explanation (sort of) of smoothing. Obviously, this statistical maneuvering makes a significant difference. In the state’s numbers, we either have fewer people working but are gaining jobs, or have more people working but are losing jobs.

Please weigh in on the credibility of these numbers.”

https://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/north-carolina-loses-or-gains-jobs-in-june-depending-on-which-state-numbers-you-believe-if-any-july-20-2012-greensboro-news-record-doug-clark/

On Thursday, July 19, 2012, the US Labor Department reported initial claims were up 34,000 from the prior week to  386,000. 20 states had an increase of 1,000 or more. NC was one of those states.

http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/current.htm

On Friday, July 20, 2012, the US Labor Department Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Summary reported:

The national jobless rate, at 8.2 percent.

Twenty-seven states recorded unemployment rate increases.

“In June 2012, 11 states recorded statistically significant over-the-month changes in employment, 8 of which were increases and 3 of which were decreases. The largest statistically significant job gains occurred in California (+38,300), Ohio (+18,400), and North Carolina (+16,900).”

Note from the Greensboro News Record report:

“North Carolina lost nearly 8,000 jobs in June from the previous month, the state’s Commerce Department reports this morning.”

Citizen Wells: I smell a rat. A NC Democrat Convention rat.

Also significant from the report are the following unemployment increases from April to June 2012.

Blacks: From 13.0 to 14.4 percent.

Asians: From 5.2 to 6.3 percent.

Hispanics: From 10.3 to 11.0 percent.