Tax Reform
While congress should also be introducing legislation into where they are going to cut spending that is wasteful, redundant, inefficient, or not in line with our constitution, I think that the tax reform legislation that is going into reconciliation between the House and the Senate is pretty good thus far overall. First, despite our friends on the left's predictable whining on the topic, the return of some of our tax dollars is a good thing. After all, this is NOT the government's money. It is ours. If the tax reform stays pretty close to its current iteration, it will help spur the economy via corporate tax cuts that finally make the U.S. competitive on the global stage. (And it is not corporations that pay taxes anyway, but rather the consumers that do.) Further, the increase in deductions for children and in improved tax rates will help a vast majority of middle class Americans. No, my Leftist friends, the poorest half of Americans do not get a tax cut per se, as they do not currently PAY any income taxes.
Jerusalem is Israel's Capital
Duh. It has been the capital of the Jewish people since the time of King David. President Trump's official recognition of this fact along with the promise of moving our embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is long overdue. Legislation was passed and signed into law stating this was to be done all the way back in the Clinton administration. It has been waived every six months for decades now. Every nation has the sovereign right to declare its own capital. Israel has done so. President Trump did a good thing by finally officially recognizing what has always been. Kudos accordingly on this issue.
Sexual Harassment
Al Franken and John Conyers are resigning from congress for their disgusting behavior towards women. Further, Roy Moore was not elected to the senate for his behavior also. These are all good things, as our government should hold accountable those members of the House, Senate, and other federal offices to the same standards that the rest of the civilized world shares. Further, the secret "settlement account" that is funded by the Treasury Department to the tune of $17 million over the last decade should have its expenditures brought forth into the public eye so we the people can see who has had TAX PAYER money used to settle sexual harassment claims against them. If we cannot get these scum out of office via term limits, perhaps we can clean house somewhat through some more forced resignations.
Concealed Carry Reciprocity
The House of Representatives has passed a measure which now the Senate should take up that allows anyone with a valid concealed carry permit issued in a given state to travel so armed to another state legally. This removes some of the legal liabilities that anti-gun states have erected in order to circumvent our second amendment rights, which effectively legally disarms law-abiding gun owners as they travel from their home state to certain other states. This is akin to states being required to acknowledge and accept a drivers license issued in another state as legal and valid in their own state.
Planned Parenthood Investigation
The Department of Justice is finally starting an investigation into the illegal, barbaric, and ghoulishly reprehensible acts of Planned Parenthood selling body parts of aborted children. If there is truly any justice in this world then the most innocent of all people, our unborn children, will finally have our government working on their behalf to hopefully serve justice and shut down this heinous practice of Planned Parenthood's. Perhaps then we can start by removing all tax payer dollars from this vile agency next.
Hiking in Arches and Canyonlands National Parks
Last, I did manage to spend a few warm autumn days with my wife hiking in some of the red rock country in the south part of the state of Utah right before Thanksgiving. The crowds were non-existent in Canyonlands and for the first time in a long long time, I was able to look out over a magnificent landscape of desert canyons and hear... absolutely nothing! It was truly something for which I was thankful. I hope everyone had a similarly wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!
Cheers to all, as I hope to return to regular posts soon hopefully.
