Congressional Open Letter: PPP Bankrupt!!!

By |2020-04-21T18:34:21+00:00April 21st, 2020|Economics, House & Senate, Opinion|

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
NAME AND ADDRESS REDACTED
US Representative Josh Gottheimer
Newton District Office
93 Spring Street, Suite 408
Newton, NJ 07860

April 20, 2020
Dear Congressman Gotheimer:

I received your response email to my most recent letter and am beyond shocked at your lack of care and concern to address the base issue put forth in my letter. As usual, you have ignored the main concern and slid right back into your own selfish agendas with side notes on how wonderful you are. I know about the Cares Act and the money that has already been allotted for individual Americans etc. I’m aware of the difficulties with the economy, how hard you’re working to correct certain problems and the overall concerns of the virus. I want to thank you for all of that. I know you’ve been working hard to help this situation but honestly, you’re not hitting the nail on the head. That’s not what I was addressing and you know it!

I implore you and your colleagues in Congress to stop using the virus as a step off platform to get other things passed that are NOT essential! Come on!

You elitists have no idea how the majority of Americans live financially. You’re in your own little private world of insensitivity. Step out of your safety net and try; just try to imagine not knowing where your next meal is coming from because you have no job, no business to run and a family of four to feed! Then try to imagine that there’s little hope on the horizon from the people you’ve HIRED to step up to the plate and help you in just this kind of emergency!

Your response is nonsense! You are explaining to me what congress did but you left out that the PPP is out of money. (Paycheck Protection Program for those who don’t know who read this on the website or in the paper)

You and your party led by The Honorable Nancy Pelosi refused to increase the fund for small business. Shame on you and shame on your Leader!! Disgraceful is not a strong enough word. And please stop showing off your mansions and refrigerators full of food on national TV when so many in our country are going to bed hungry. I speak of your friend, Nancy Pelosi on the news. Sickening and it sure screams selfish and insensitive. Are you all that ignorant of what’s really going on here? If not then take a stand against this lack of common sense. PLEASE!

Why don’t you and all of Congress and the US Senate give up your pay until the last COVID-19 case is gone? I am serious! Come down off your high horse and have some compassion – REAL compassion! What’s the old saying? Put your money where your mouth is!

You’ve become so uncompromising over the past several years and that’s awful on its own; but to be so stubborn and insensitive to the needs of the American people during a very serious potentially life threatening pandemic is disgusting!! There’s very little respect left for you!

Very Truly Yours,

xxxx
CC: www.WeThePeopleOfTheUnitedStates.org
CC:NJ Herald, NJ Star Ledger, Advertiser News, Warren Reporter & Star Gazette

Reader’s note
Very well put, sadly it has fallen on deaf ears! They are so caught up with trying to stay in power they could not give a good crap what truly is happening. Millions have been spent/promised to non essential expenditures and that includes there salaries.

Vote the whole lot out of office, term limits! Never happen Washington is run by lawyers that could not make a living in there own business and now they are running the PIGGEY bank for there own enrichment under the guise of representing the people that gave them there job.

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Open Letter: Rep. Patrick Maloney Makes Pitch for PRO Act

By |2020-02-16T02:10:45+00:00February 16th, 2020|Economics|

Open Letter Dated February 11, 2020

I just voted to protect Hudson Valley workers and support their right to unionize.

I am proud to represent thousands of union households here in the Hudson Valley. When my dad got out of the Navy, he and my mother were able to buy a house, raise a family, and even put 5 kids through college – all while saving up enough to retire after a lifetime of hard work.

Every family who works hard and saves up should be able to achieve this American dream, but today that kind of financial stability seems like nothing more than a fantasy. The ability to retire and live with dignity is constantly under attack by far-right politicians and corporations. They’re trying to roll back worker protections, and they’re throwing everything they’ve got at us.

I am fighting back to protect the rights of workers and help set a higher standard of living for families across our state.

That’s why I just voted to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, or PRO Act, to strengthen New Yorkers’ power to negotiate for fairer paychecks, more benefits, and safer working conditions.

It’s time for Congress to draw a clear line in the sand and stand up for hard-working families.

Your Friend Sean

 

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How Old Am I? – An Introspective on Society in Our Lifetimes

By |2019-12-24T02:55:21+00:00December 24th, 2019|Crime and Prevention, Culture Wars, Economics, History|

One evening a grandson was talking to his grandfather about current events.  He asked his grandfather what he thought about the shootings at schools, the computer age, and just things in general.

The Grandfather replied, “Well, let me think a minute, I was born before:

Television, penicillin, polio shots, frozen foods, Xerox, contact lenses, frisbees, and the pill.

There were NO credit cards, laser beams, or, ball-point pens.

Man had not invented pantyhose, air conditioners, dishwashers, clothes dryers, microwave ovens, cell phones, or fax machines.

The clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air, and space travel was only in Flash Gordon books.

Your Grandmother and I got married first,… and then lived together. Every family had a father and a mother.

Until I was 25, I called every woman older than me, “ma’am”. And after I turned 25, I still called policemen and every
man with a title, “Sir”.

We were before gay-rights, computer-dating, dual careers, daycare centers,
and group therapy.

Our lives were governed by the Bible, good judgment, and common sense. We were taught to know the difference between right and wrong, and to stand up and take responsibility for our actions.

Serving your country was a privilege; living in this country was a bigger privilege…

We thought fast food was eating half a biscuit while running to
catch the school bus.

Having a meaningful relationship meant getting along with your cousins.

Draft dodgers were those who closed front doors as the evening breeze
started.

Time-sharing meant time the family spent together in the evenings and weekends – not purchasing condominiums.

We never heard of FM radios, tape decks, CDs, electric typewriters, yogurt, or guys wearing earrings.

We listened to Big Bands, Jack Benny, and the President’s speeches on our radios. And I don’t ever remember any kid blowing his brains out listening to Tommy Dorsey.

If you saw anything with ‘Made in Japan’ on it, it was junk.

The term ‘making out’ referred to how you did on your school exam….

Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, and instant coffee were unheard of.

We had 5 & 10-cent stores where you could actually buy things for 5 and 10 cents. Or there was penny candy that actually cost a penny. Ice-cream cones, phone calls, rides on a streetcar, and a Pepsi were all a nickel. And if you didn’t want to splurge, you could spend your nickel on enough stamps to mail 1 letter and 2 postcards.

You could buy a new Ford Coupe for $600, …. but who could afford one? Too bad, because gas was 11 cents a gallon.

In my day:

  • “grass” was mowed,
  • “coke” was a cold drink
  • “pot” was something your mother cooked in
  • “rock music” was your grandmother’s lullaby
  • “Aids” were helpers in the Principal’s office
  • “chip” meant a piece of wood
  • “hardware” was found in a hardware store and “software” wasn’t even a word.

And we were the last generation to actually believe that a lady needed a husband to have a baby.

How old do you think I am?

I bet you have a very old man in mind…well, you are in for a shock!

Read on to see — pretty scary if you think about it and pretty sad at the
same time. Are you ready?????

This man would be 72 years old today.
72 years ago was 1947.

THINK ABOUT HOW FAR OFF CENTER WE HAVE BECOME – MORALLY AT LEAST.

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Things to Process Before the 2020 Election

By |2019-12-24T02:40:01+00:00December 24th, 2019|Democratic Candidates, Economics, International|

Here are some interesting points to think about prior to 2020, especially to my friends on the fence, like moderate Democrats, Libertarians and Independents and the never Trump Republicans and those thinking of “walking away” from the Democratic party.

  • Women are upset at Trump’s naughty words — they also bought 80 million copies of 50 Shades of Gray.
  • Not one feminist has defended Sarah Sanders. It seems women’s rights only matter if those women are liberal.
  • No Border Walls. No voter ID laws. Did you figure it out yet? But wait… there’s more.
  • Chelsea Clinton got out of college and got a job at NBC that paid $900,000 per year Her mom flies around the country speaking out about white privilege.
  • And just like that, they went from being against foreign interference in our elections to allowing non-citizens to vote in our elections.
  • President Trump’s wall costs less than the Obamacare website. Let that sink in, America.
  • We are one election away from open borders, socialism, gun confiscation, and full-term abortion nationally. We are fighting evil.
  • They sent more troops and armament to arrest Roger Stone than they sent to defend Benghazi.
  • 60 years ago, Venezuela was 4th on the world economic freedom index. Today, they are 179th and their citizens are dying of starvation. In only 10 years, Venezuela was destroyed by democratic socialism.
  • Russia donated $0.00 to the Trump campaign. Russia donated $145,600,000 to the Clinton Foundation. But Trump was the one investigated!
  • Nancy Pelosi invited illegal aliens to the State of the Union President Trump Invited victims of illegal aliens to the State of the Union. Let that sink in.
  • A socialist is basically a communist who doesn’t have the power to take everything from their citizens at gunpoint .. Yet!
  • How do you walk 3000 miles across Mexico without food or support and show up at our border 100 pounds overweight and with a cellphone?
  • Alexandria Ocasio Cortez wants to ban cars, ban planes, give out universal income and thinks socialism works. She calls Donald Trump crazy.
  • Bill Clinton paid $850,000 to Paula Jones To get her to go away. I don’t remember the FBI raiding his lawyer’s office.
  • I wake up every day and I am grateful that Hillary Clinton is not the president of the United States of America.
  • The same media that told me Hillary Clinton had a 95% chance of winning now tells me Trump’s approval ratings are low.
  • “The problem with socialism is that sooner or later you run out of other people’s money.”— Margaret Thatcher
  • Maxine Waters opposes voter ID laws; She thinks that they are racist. You need to have a photo ID to attend her town hall meetings.

President Trump said — “They’re not after me. They’re after you. I’m just in their way.”
Read that again.

Pass along these truths!

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California Considering a “Texting Tax”

By |2018-12-20T02:26:56+00:00December 20th, 2018|Economics|

From USA Today:

 

California’s Public Utilities Commission is considering a plan that would charge mobile phone users a fee for sending text messages, according to recent public law filings. 

The proposal is partially due to landline-era legislation coupled with the fact the people are shifting patterns away from voice calls in favor of texting.

California is determining whether surcharges and user fees on text messaging comply with Public Purpose Programs, which use tax revenue to make telecommunications services accessible to low-income residents. The programs, which date to the 1930s, were given a face-lift in the late 1990s, allowing individual states to impose requirements to preserve what’s referred to as a “universal service.”

 

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Alfredo Ortiz: Hispanics Flourishing in Trump Economy

By |2018-09-25T23:58:18+00:00September 25th, 2018|Economics|

“President Trump’s economy is the rising tide that is lifting all boats. This is especially true for Hispanics, who were among the biggest victims of the low-growth, high-regulation economy under President Obama,” Job Creators Network CEO Alfredo Ortiz writes in The Hill.

“Last week, the Census Bureau announced new household income numbers, which showed that median income for Hispanic households grew by 3.7 percent, adjusted for inflation, last year. That’s more than double the increase seen by all households . . . That’s welcome news as the nation celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month.”

Click here to read more.

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MAKE SURE YOU’RE BUYING PRODUCTS MADE IN THE USA

By |2018-08-22T21:01:10+00:00August 22nd, 2018|Economics, Infrastructure, Lifestyle|

We SHOULD be concerned where stuff is manufactured. “Assembled in the USA” does not mean that most parts – if any – were made in the USA. Too often we have no choice.

ACE HARDWARE, for example – Made in the USA – Very Encouraging

Costco sells Goodyear wiper blades for almost half the price that you will pay on the outside and they are made in
the U.S.A. Read and do the following.

Unfortunately, our politicians and top CEOs have pushed for trade to China and Mexico for years so Americans are now out of work.

Did You Know that there is no electric coffee maker made in the US and that the only kitchen appliances made in the USA is Viking? This information came from the “a report” by Diane Sawyer. Hopefully this has changed or will soon!!

I DIDN’T KNOW HALLMARK CARDS WERE MADE IN CHINA That’s why I don’t buy cards at Hallmark anymore, They are made in China and are more expensive! I buy them at Dollar Tree – 50 cents each and made in USA.

I have been looking at the blenders available on the Internet. Kitchen Aid is MADE IN THE USA. Top of my list
already…

Yesterday I was in Wal-Mart looking for a wastebasket. I found some Made In China for $6.99. I didn’t want to pay that much so I asked the lady if they had any others. She took me to another department and they had some at $2.50 made in USA. They are just as good. Same as a kitchen rug I needed. I had to look, but I found some Made in
The USA – what a concept! – and they were $3.00 cheaper.

We are being brainwashed to believe that everything that comes from China and Mexico is cheaper. Not so.

Start looking, people. In our current economic situation, every little thing we buy or do affects someone else – most often, their job.

My grandson likes Hershey’s candy. I noticed, though, that it is now marked “Made in Mexico.” I don’t buy it
anymore. MY NOTE: My Special Dark Chocolate says nothing about where made. There are plants in Brazil and Mexico and maybe Canada. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ The_Hershey_Company

My favorite toothpaste Colgate is made in Mexico …. now I have switched to Crest.

You have to read the labels on everything.

This past weekend I was at Kroger. I needed 60W light bulbs and Bounce dryer sheets. I was in the light bulb
aisle, and right next to the GE brand I normally buy — was an off-brand labeled, “Everyday Value.” I picked up both types of bulbs and compared them: they were the same except for the price .. ..the GE bulbs cost more than the Everyday Value Brand, but the thing that surprised me the most was that that GE was Made in MEXICO and the Everyday
Value brand was made in – you guessed it – the USA at a company in Cleveland, Ohio.

It’s way past time to start finding and buying products you use every day that are made right Here.

So, on to the next aisle: Bounce dryer sheets… Yep, you guessed it, Bounce cost more money and is made in Canada.

The Everyday Value Brand cost less, and was MADE IN THE USA! I did laundry yesterday and the dryer sheets performed
just like the Bounce Free I have been using for years, at almost half the price.

My challenge to you is to start reading the labels when you shop for everyday things and see what you can find that is Made In the USA – The job you save may be your own or your neighbor’s!

Let’s all start buying American, one light bulb at a time!

Stop buying from overseas companies – you’re sending the jobs there.

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NJ Farm Store Threatened by Town Government

By |2017-05-21T21:40:09+00:00May 21st, 2017|Economics, Opinion|

Save The Farm

Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Demarest Farms and our employees care deeply about the Hillsdale community. I am a longtime resident and most of our employees are Hillsdale residents too. The farm has called Hillsdale home since 1886 but sadly, Demarest Farms’ future is being threatened.
Last year, at the height of our busy season, the Borough of Hillsdale put in place some drastic parking restriction deliberately targeting our customers and our business. This includes closing all public streets around the farm to prevent anyone from parking nearby when our lots become full. We understand the town’s concerns, but despite repeated attempts to find a collaborative compromise, Hillsdale has refused to work with us. The mayor of Hillsdale is a participant of a farm protest group, exerting undue influence over the other elected officials. This protest group, including the mayor, wants to stop visitors from coming to the farm by permanently prohibiting parking on side streets during the ‘pick your own’ season.


Our busy days are limited to weekends and holidays in September and October. We have attempted to address any concerns, by offering to lease parking spots from the Board of Education at the nearby Smith School. This would provide tax relief and/or additional funds for educational programs, and we even offered to assist with snow plowing around the school during the winter months. We also covered the cost of the police needed to provide traffic control and ensure all local parking rules are abided by. Unfortunately, these solutions, along with many others, have been rejected by Hillsdale’s elected officials, demonstrating their lack of regard for the rights of the farm. Rather than work cooperatively, these officials would rather force the farm to seek a resolution of the matter through litigation.


Imagine if the law was changed to prohibit parking near a church or temple because a few people did not like parishioners parking on their street. We believe passing laws that target one specific business is equally unlawful. Suppose the mayor decided he did not like the owner of a small business or he wanted to eliminate competition for a family member or friend. Should he be allowed to put them out of business by changing parking laws near their facility and alienating their customers?


On Thursday June 8, 2017 at 7:30 in Borough Hall, the Mayor and Council will vote to make these extreme and prejudiced parking restrictions permanent. We need your help to ensure all voices are heard on this matter. It is important that elected officials recognize that the views of a small group of people do not reflect the views of the entire community.
I hope to see you at the council meeting and thank you for your support.


Sincerely,
Demarest Farms and Family

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Open Letter to the IRS

By |2016-11-11T00:14:02+00:00May 4th, 2016|Economics, Taxes|

xxx, Director
Internal Revenue Service headquarters
1111 Constitution Ave., NW;
Washington, DC 20224

Re: My Refund on 2015 return for (number redacted)

Dear Mr. xxx:

On March 23, 2016, I contacted the IRS & spoke with an Agent xxx 100323xxxx who was pleasant and switched me to a refund department in Pittsburgh under a transfer pin # (redacted). The agent that responded most rudely was Ms. xxx 10002xxxx. She started by asking my name and specifically said “don’t spell it”. Everyone gets my name wrong and usually want to reverse it, so why wouldn’t I spell it? This woman had a real attitude problem. She also put me on hold for over 20 minutes reviewing my 2015 return. She could have taken my number & called me back.

She then came on and said something about the 12 week or May 7th. I wasn’t certain what she was saying and since she was so nasty, I didn’t want to ask her to explain or repeat herself, I simply wanted to get off the phone with this evil sounding woman.

I waited until last week on April 27, & attempted to try again. The agent was Miss xxx badge # 272xxxx. The phone call began at around 10am and concluded at 1:10 pm. That alone should make anyone become frustrated and annoyed, but I proudly kept my cool although once again I had a real nasty person. Although I explained the refund that I was entitled to which was long overdue since my accountant filed my 2015 return electronically on February 27, 2016, she said it would be 9 weeks from March 28 or the end of May. I asked her to explain why & she refused to explain the reason so I requested to speak with her supervisor & Miss xxx became belligerent and hung up on me. If it was an accident she should have called me back or have had her supervisor do so.

I find it upsetting that any tax payer has to be confronted by agents that fail to be friendly & responsible to the citizen/taxpayer that is in reality paying their salary. There is no excuse for this type of behavior & there is no surprise why so many people are scared of your agency.

I’ve been told by others that their refunds took 2 weeks. I find that difficult to believe, but then maybe I was being discriminated because I dared to challenge an IRS agent on 2 occasions and was penalized for contacting the IRS on 2 different occasions.

Very truly yours,

xxx
Addresss
Phone Number

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How Trump Could Save Capitalism

By |2016-11-11T00:14:11+00:00December 29th, 2015|Companies & Products, Economics, Trump|

You hear about this all the time: Some low grade company in China makes a product and markets it to the middle class, which usually ends up worse for the wear.  Corporate greed repeats the same tired pattern over and over: Take a piece of garbage, package it up real nicely so people will buy it on looks, rather than quality. Now produce this item for pennies, and retail it for dollars. The rich get richer and the middle class goes down the drain.  It isn’t just China, either: This is what is going on all over the world and people like George Soros get ultra-rich off it and buy their politicians for their own greed.  This is the downside to Capitalism.  If the rich stop being greedy, then this system can work, however this is not always the case.

I think a guy like Donald Trump could change this.  Granted he is very wealthy, but he also is a realist and he understands that people need to be able to work and get paid fairly.  Otherwise investments won’t make their way back down to the business world.  The alternative to this is politicians like Clinton, who think they have to keep taxing the wealthy to keep the money supply moving.

Unfortunately, the greed in this country is so bad it could be our demise, no question about it.  We are going down the toilet faster than we know.  Fortunately, Trump has a personal stake in this as well:  He knows his lifetime investment in building a very successful company could vaporize.  It’s said the definition of insanity is doing the same old thing over and over expecting different results.  Corporate America is treading that line, and I think Trump knows it.

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