Find Money! Protect Yourself!

YOUR UNCLAIMED MONEY OR PROPERTY

Yes that's right! You may be entitled to money without knowing about it. In California when a financial institution looses track of you, or in other circumstances, the balance goes to the State where it is held until you claim it. It only takes a few minutes to see if California has money that belongs to you, so check it out! Here is the link, and it is a government website (if you have lived in other states, you may want to see if they offer a similar service):

California State Controllers Website:
http://scoweb.sco.ca.gov/UCP/

PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY

If you have not heard that identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the world, you have not been paying much attention to the news, or the hundreds of commercials advertising services to protect your identity.

While I cannot say much about these identity theft protection services, I can tell you that for a LOT less money you can do just about everything they do. If you are a California resident start by following the instructions on this government website, it is GREAT advice (even if you are not from California):

California Office of Privacy Protection
http://www.oispp.ca.gov/consumer_privacy/default.asp

Obama v. Lincoln

My daughter came to me this morning to tell me about an essay contest she was going to enter for “Law Day.” The subject chosen was to discuss the meaning of the lines from the Gettysburg Address, “... and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” particularly to focus on the meaning of the words, “of the people, by the people, for the people.”

I found this to be very interesting and so we looked up the Gettysburg Address and read it together. We then both recited from memory the Preamble of the Constitution, “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

I then asked my daughter why the civil war was fought and she, quite predictably, gave me the standard grammar school answer, “to free the slaves.” I told her while slavery was a symptom of the Civil War, it was NOT the reason, the real reason was the ongoing debate of the powers of the Federal Government versus the powers of the States and the people. I explained that President Lincoln did not issue the Emancipation Proclamation freeing all slaves until AFTER the war was well under way.

We then had a discussion about how this SAME issue of States Rights & Rights of the People vs. the Power of the Federal government is STILL being debated and tried TODAY in the halls of Congress, the White House, the Federal & State Courts, on radio, on TV, on the internet.

Interestingly I do not believe that ANY other country in the world has this same debate! Only the United States of America. Why? Because of the 9th and 10th Amendments to the Constitution. Yes, that’s right, THE Bill of Rights. Now everyone knows they can “take the 5th” and not answer questions that will incriminate them. And everyone knows about Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Assembly, and the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. Most know that the police (unless in “hot pursuit”) must have a warrant to enter or search your home or business, but despite the fact that the 9th and 10th amendments face challenges EVERY year since the founding of this country, most people do not know what they say. So here they are:

“Ninth Amendment – The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.” Unfortunately this amendment is often forgotten by many of my conservative friends when they are so fond of saying that there is “no right of privacy in the constitution.” Yes, my friends, ALL human rights were protected in the constitution by this amendment, “RETAINED BY THE PEOPLE” it is one source of our power.

“Tenth Amendment – The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.” Unfortunately our schools teach children about the 3 branches of the Federal Government, but rarely teach them the THREE DIVISIONS OF POWER within the United States: First The People, Second: The States and Third: The Federal Government. Why did I list them opposite of the Tenth Amendment? Because the people are the final repository of ALL rights not specifically granted to the Federal Government or the States.

The United States of America is unique among all nations. Our Government was SPECIFICALLY designed from the very beginning to protect the people FROM the government! Now, many other countries have grown into that mind set to one degree or one form or another, but ours is that way BY DESIGN. The Founding Fathers wanted to LIMIT the power of the Federal Government in order to protect the people.

People complain about how difficult our government is, how hard it is to get things done, how minority parties can prevent majority parties from accomplishing what they want. GUESS WHAT? That IS what the founding Fathers intended! They wanted the “various factions” to have a say, they knew that the more difficult the operation of government was, the less likely it would be that the rights of the people would be trampled.

So, what is my point? I go back to Mr. Lincoln in those few moving words he reminds us that the thousands who have died to protect and defend the rights of the people, all people, those soldiers, seamen, airmen and marines, civilians and military alike, who have given their “last full measure of devotion” must be remembered by US giving OUR devotion so “... that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

WE THE PEOPLE must not give up our power. We must NOT let it be usurped by the Federal Government in the guise of national emergency or anything else. We must hold our power to be sacred and guard it with our lives and our treasure. We must not let fear of the loss of comfort guile us into giving up the power the constitution guarantees us. We MUST continue to “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity” by protecting and defending the constitutional rights guaranteed to us.

It saddens me to see that using our national financial crisis as an excuse, Mr. Obama has done just that, in the mis-named “Economic Stimulus Bill” he has usurped powers from the People of the United States and from the States themselves. He is actively seeking to expand the powers of the Federal Government. That can only happen at the expense and diminution of the powers of the people and the States.

In other times of economic difficulty, Presidents have advocated reduction of taxes thereby freeing the people to do what they do best, provide for themselves and their families by using their time and talents and money to build businesses to employ others and provide goods and services needed and wanted by the people.

President Obama thinks he is smarter than you. Rather than letting you keep your money to save and invest as you think best for you and your family, he wants to take more of it and spend it for you. Mr. Obama, you swore an oath on Lincoln’s Bible, to “Protect and defend the Constitution” it is your duty to preserve the rights of the people in the 9th and 10th amendments. Do not let history find you wanting.

Think my friends, think.

"Governor" Schwarzenegger, Please Resign!

We had such high hopes for you. You were never a true conservative, I know, but you were talking the talk when it came to taxes and spending. Your campaign for Governor was full of promise... but what have you done to us? You have aided and abetted the State Legislature in spending us into oblivion and raising our taxes -- looks like mine will go up by over $1,000 - maybe YOU can afford that, but I cannot! YOU HAVE BROKEN YOUR PROMISES, you have been a WORSE governor than Gray Davis! You are a long way from being a super hero... what a disappointment you are. You are not worthy of the title of "Governor" That title is for someone who manages his stewardship wisely, you have not. You have been weak, you have given into every special interest, now leaving the truly needy (handicapped and children) with fewer resources because of your weakness. Shame on you.

TownHall.com laid out the case against you:

-- California’s state expenditures grew from $104 billion in 2003 to $145 billion in 2008.

-- California has the worst credit rating in the nation.

-- California has the fourth highest unemployment rate in the nation, 9.3 percent -- higher even than the car manufacturing state of Michigan.

-- California has the second highest home foreclosure rate.

-- California’s tax-paying middle class is leaving the state. California’s net loss last year in state-to-state migration exceeded every other state's. New York, another left-run state, was second.

-- Since 2000, California’s job growth rate -- which in the late 1970s was many times higher than the national average -- has lagged behind the national average by almost 20 percent.

-- California has lost 25 percent of its industrial work force since 2001.

California State Controller - Out of Touch

OK, most people don't even know who the CA State controller is, never mind what his job is. Well, let me tell you.

His name is John Chiang, a Democrat, elected to this office for a four year term. Mr. Chiang describes his duties on his official website as:

• Account for and control disbursement of all state funds.
• Determine legality and accuracy of every claim against the State.
• Issue warrants in payment of the State’s bills including lottery prizes.
• Administer the Uniform State Payroll System.
• Audit and process all personnel and payroll transactions for state civil service; exempt employees; state university and college system employees.
• Responsible for auditing various state and local government programs.
• Inform the public of the State’s financial condition.
• Administer the Unclaimed Property Law.
• Inform the public of financial transactions of city, county and district governments.
• Administer Property Tax Postponement Program.

So where you you Mr. Chiang when the State's finances were crashing? Did we see you on T.V. informing us? Have we seen you since rooting out excess spending? Have we heard you exposing waste? I certianly have not.

Now, to add insult to injury, during a time when taxpayers are NOT getting their refunds, he is spending millions to renovate his offices. Don't take my word for it, view the video below:

Pres. Obama: Give Money to Homeowners!

I vote for a Tax REFUND. Rather than give money to the banks, give the taxpayers a refund. Here is how it would work:

The IRS would issue a $100,000 voucher to every homeowner (one per household). The home owners can then contact their lender and in order for the lender to receive the money from the voucher, they must renegotiate their PRE-existing home loan to a new 5% 30 year fixed rate loan AT THE HOMEOWNER's option (don't want to force the homeowner to renegotiate into a worse loan).

Second, any amounts of this voucher NOT used by the homeowner for home loan (i.e. their total loan is LESS than $100,000) can be applied against Pre-existing consumer credit up to $35,000. Any amounts not used for that purpose will result in a refund check to the taxpayer of up to $10,000.

Third, if a Taxpayer is NOT a homeowner, The IRS would issue the IRS would issue a voucher for $35,000 be applied against Pre-existing consumer credit. Any amounts not used for that purpose will result in a refund check to the taxpayer of up to $10,000.

Finally, any Taxpayer who does not have consumer credit, will be eligible to receive a refund check to the taxpayer of up to $10,000.

Why should we wait to receive personal benefit from the TARP money? Give it to us NOW and help the banks in the process!

What Goes Up, Must Come Down

What Goes Up, Must Come Down

No one was complaining when their homes were skyrocketing in value. No one minded when their wealth seemed to double overnight. And yet, we knew… we knew because we had seen it before. We knew it had to end, we knew the market would adust. But somehow we pretended it wouldn’t, we ignored wisdom.

1929 - Stock Market Crash $100 Billion
1983 - S&L Junk Bond Crash $150 Billion
2002 - Dot Com Market Crash $5 Trillion
2008 - Mortgage Loan Crash $2 Trillion

All Good Things Must Come to an End
H.H. Riley (1857)

Whose fault is it? Greedy bankers? Negligent politicians? Democrats? Republicans? Congress? Presidents? Ignorant borrowers? Speculators? US?All of the above?

I am sure that will be debated for years to come, and yet the answer will not rescue us, but  hopefully it will prevent the same thing from happening again. In the meantime:

Don’t Cry over Spilt Milk
James Howell (1549-1666)

So now what do we do? Well, we need to be smart. We MUST not panic. We must be calm and implement a new plan for our futures.

A Firm Tree Does Not Fear the Storm
A Stitch in Time Saves Nine

Get a second opinion on your investment strategy. You may love your broker/investment advisor, you may think they did a great job for you “under the circumstances,” and maybe they did. But - maybe they didn’t. If you lost ANY significant investment value (other than your home), have another experienced and successful financial advisorreview your investment.

A Drowning Man Will Clutch at a Straw
Sir Thomas More (1478-1535)
Avoid a Cure That Is Worse than the Disease
Aesop (c.620-560 BC)

Be smart. “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” Don’t be afraid of the markets, just spread your investments out. NOW is the time to buy, but buy wisely, buy smart. The sky is NOT falling, things will get better.

Better the Devil You Know than the One You Don’t
R. Taverner (1539)

Invest in things you know or understand. Don’t invest in businesses you do not understand. Seek good advice and follow it. It won’t be 100% right, but it will usually be better than you will do on your own.

Even though you have ten thousand fields, you can eat but one measure of rice a day. - Chinese Proverb

Do you have what you need? Is your income comfortable? Then don’t worry. Don’t look at the stock reports every day. Enjoy your life!