Until yesterday we had a $2000 lead over the Army and a $7-8000 lead over Air Force and Navy. But our position is being overrun. We need reinforcements!

The devices that Valour-IT funds have a profound and visible effect on users/recipients and ALL money donated for Valour-IT goes to purchase and shipping of laptops, Wiis, and GPS devices (that means ZERO OVERHEAD). Valour IT provides powerful tools that help severely wounded vets (not just those with hand problems) speed up recovery and treatment, maintain a support system, and regain a sense of independence.

Valour IT facts:

• in 4+ years Valour IT has provided 4,100 laptops, over 30 Wii systems to VA hospitals, and nearly 100 handheld GPS devices
• Total online funds collected to date: nearly 3/4 of a million dollars
• Every dollar raised goes directly to wounded vets military medical centers and VA facilities nationwide, such as:

o Balboa Naval Hospital
o Brooke Army Medical Center
o Madigan Regional Medical Center
o National Naval Medical Center (Bethesda)
o Naval Hospital, Camp Pendleton
o Robert E. Bush Naval Hospital (29 Palms)
o Walter Reed Army Medical Center

Here’s what your donation can provide:

Voice activated laptops:

1. Help wounded vets connect with still-deployed fellow service members (relieve anxiety about how their friends are doing, allow them to maintain a support system)
2. Allow vets to stay in touch with loved ones who can’t be at their bedside
3. Run therapeutic computer programs that help restore brain/vision function,
4. Can be used to research treatments, keep track of treatment regimen.
5. Retrain for post-military employment
6. Voice control makes using a computer one of the first things they can do on their own

Wii uses:

1. Physical therapists in VA hospitals and major medical centers are using Wii fit systems with their patients
2. Motivation: Wii Sports games key into natural competitive nature
3. Track progress in a fun way

GPS uses:

1. For those with very severe PTSD or TBI (memory problems, high anxiety, etc), having a GPS increases independence and restores a sense of competence. Short-term memory problems can make it hard to navigate of new locations. A GPS can mean the difference between success and failure.

Please help. These men and women have already given so much. The price of a nice six pack of beer or an inexpensive dinner seems the least we can to in return for their sacrifices.

Today I’ll be writing about my side of the brain. I have yet to meet anyone in my life who processes information as I do. – Now, I am not saying I am smarter, more intelligent, or superior to anyone; simply different. – Now, I’d like to analyze a few problems facing my country today.

I would also like to reiterate my love for my country and my contempt for it’s governors (not heads of the states, those who govern our country).

We are in debt:

This seems overly simple to me and I know most people will probably not like my solution. I know that when my check book is in the red, that means I can’t spend more money. Therefore, one would assume, a government whose check book is in the red would find a way to make money and flip the check book from red to green (or black if your an accountant).

Our government’s current plan is tax the rich, give to the poor, and slam the upper middle guy… What ever happened to balance? …and take out a loan from the country wanting to take our position as top economic dog. – ‘Cause that makes perfect sense.

Debt Solution:

Our country should be maintained like a pyramid after all it was built like one… Take a look at the back of a dollar bill, please let me explain:

At the top, in section one, we have government, ‘the all seeing eye’. Meant to look after the foundation and provide the shining light to bring others into the fold. Separate, yet stabilized by the foundation.

In section two is luxuries, anything that is not necessary costing over a given amount should absolutely be taxed by a state or county for the purpose of supplementing budget short falls.

In section three is the commercial sector, those who take a finish product and distribute/sell it. The taxes out of this sector are two fold, one set from profits of the company and the other set from sale of non-necessary amenities. This sector gets tricky as I am not suggesting a federal sales tax, I would prefer to limit federal taxes to income and import/export taxes. The sales tax purpose is to provide a substantial budget for county and/or state governments to operate. These taxes, of course, should be small enough that they do not effect the general welfare of the company or it’s employees.

In section four is industry, every industry pays a share of profits to tax, enough to provide a substantial boost to the government budget, but not enough to effect productivity, employee welfare or research and development.

In section five is the residential sector, providing property tax to the state in which it belongs. Now, the tax should, again, not be so much that it effects the individual entity’s ability to operate and/or function, but not so low as to cost more to receive the taxes than the money is worth.

At the bottom, in section six, is the populace, every resident providing a SMALL income tax. Enough to help our government govern, but not enough to effect the welfare of the individual or their family.

-Notice that I did not include local taxes in any way shape or form. This is because I believe it is the state and county’s responsibility to govern and provide for the local and the local should only ever be self-governed by it’s residents. If a municipality is so large that it requires and independent government than it should be formed into a county. That’s just my opinion though.

Now the restructuring will obviously take some time and I dare not suggest that the issues can be resolved overnight. There are also many other consequences of this type of restructuring like government employee layoffs. I believe the government should be one of the smaller employers of the populace, not the largest. The question I ask to cause you to think on the issue is this: How does a government afford itself if the largest source of it’s income is from it’s employee’s income tax?

I therefore propose the we Americans use our ‘infamous’ ingenuity and create more manufacturing jobs and focus on overseas sales. This would go a long way toward creating more jobs and pulling our great nation out of debt.

There are many more issues facing our country, but seeing as how this took all day to write I’ll send this out with promises of future posts regarding the other major problems our county faces. If you would like to see my thoughts on any specific issues please let me know. I promise I will get to it ASAP.

-Ryad

“In matters of style swim with the current, in matters of principal stand like a rock.” -Thomas Jefferson

Both unions I have worked with only take care of the people that need taken care of and themselves. They do not care about the good hard working men and women that pay their dues and show up and everything that is asked of them. My most recent union, TCU, is the worst so far. I pay my dues, 72 dollars a month, and I have to walk around worried that I am going to loose my job. Why am I even paying my dues every month. if I get laid of f then they only get me 72 dollars a day in unemployment and RRB has to pay for it.

So what am I paying union dues for anyway? What privilege does it get me? I do not know. If anybody can tell me I would love to hear what you think! I will be working on getting a Union Board Position and if anybody has any advice I would appreciate it.

Debt, BAD!

No DEBT!  Bad Congress!

Stick your hand out.  Now, Smack it!  Bad Congress!

Okay, now that I got that out…

I am tired of the frivolous spending in Washington (DC, just to be clear).  Basic Financial sense says if you bring “X” then you can only spend “X”.  I could be wrong, but that is how I manage my money.  Now, I fully understand the need to support a military (provide for the common defence) and a CIA (provide for the common defence), I can even understand the FBI, Justice Department, and much more of the necessary government operations that provide for the common defence of our 50 States and many territories. 

The problem begins when goverment meant to manage begins to control.  Federal Government exists solely to “establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.” (Quotations from the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States of America)

I will leave you to draw your own conclusions about how much wasteful spending our Congress continues to flush down the proverbial toilet.  It is really a simple concept that congress needs to get:

     Money in needs to be greater than money out.  If you ensure that this is the case then you will never have a deficit.

Another concept for our illustrious congress:

     Give a man a fish, feed him for a day.  Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.

Only to point out what I am sure nobody else noticed, Barak Obama is black. Kind of. Like 25 percent. Surprised to find that out? Me too.

This does have some relevance to what I have to say.

I was having a conversation with a good friend of mine (black) and I quote ‘I am tired of seeing the same old rich white guy in office. Maybe with somebody, like Obama, things will change.’ I don’t get what he saw. I do, however, see a president that is taking his tips from the same book that all of the other Presidents of the USA went by. Throw money at it and hope for the best. Oh, lets not forget, blame George Bush. Blame the failed policies of the previous administration. I know who to blame. The people of the U.S.. The people that used their homes as ATM machines to go buy cars and clothes. I thought the American dream was to buy a nice house, raise your children, pay off your home in enough time to retire and then enjoy the golden years. Nope, we all needed more.

The FED also really dropped the ball. BAD. Not too many people remember the  Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 that was created to regulate speculation by banks. Look it up and educate yourself a bit (www.investopedia.com). The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 repealed the Glass Steagall act and banks and investment firms didn’t know what to do. They were like kids in a candy store with somebody else’s money. Unfortunately through real estate speculation , banks were allowed to give false hope and direction on the real estate market with these now toxic assets that we as taxpayers are being forced to buy back. Look, these companies failed. Let them go away and make room for a new company that will follow the rules, not hand bad banks and insurance giants more money. Its like giving a Harvard scholarship to the kid that dropped out of High School!?!

 So what I am getting at is I want to hear what the average, every day Joe the American (no plumbers) think about how we should handle this. What would you say to Obama or the used car salesman (Joe Biden) if you had a sit down one on one with them. What would you recommend to Timothy Geithner? Or does everybody out there really believe that this was W’s fault.

I don’t like W too much either so don’t think I am siding with him. Obama wanted this mess and well, he’s got it. Congratulations.

Oh, and welcome back to downwardnation.com

Here is the call to all of my fellow disgruntled Statesmen. 

Bring forth your wisdom, words, intellect, and Spirit.  Express yourself, not with ignorance and exclusion, with acceptance and understanding.  Open your mind to the events of the world and the direction of your country.  Here is the place to free your mind and let it be known American Statesmen will no longer stand idly by to be trampled and taken advantage of.  Our voice will be heard and action will be taken.  If Congress chooses not to hear our voice it will be our duty to put them out of a job, they will be replaced with men and women of intellect, compassion, and understanding.  It is time they move to the center or be replaced by the center.

Unfortunately it has come to the point where the true Statesmen are fed up with the system and believe it is time for change.  Not the change lying politicians speak of on campaign trails.  The kind of change based in action; the kind of change that happens as people begin to believe.  The kind of change that brings hope because hope does not bring change.

These are deep beliefs beyond time immortal.  These are beliefs that start with three powerful words: We the People…

*Please read the Declaration of Independence to understand how the chains we threw off centuries ago are returning at the hands of our own government.*

I leave you with a few quotes:

“If you make peaceful revolution impossible, you make violent revolt inevitable.”  -John Fitzgerald Kennedy

“A man who will give up a little liberty for a little security deserves neither and will lose both” -Benjamin Franklin

“Talk softly, but carry a big stick” -Theodore Roosevelt

-Ryad Mere