THE COST OF INCOMPETENCE

THE COST OF INCOMPETENCE
THE BOTTOM LINE
$96,977,800

The House of Representatives has 435 members: Salary
Speaker of the House…………………………………………$223,500
Majority Leader……………………………………………… 193,400
Minority Leader………………………………………………. 193,000
Tank & File Members 431 @ $174,000……………………74,994,000
Annual Total…………………………………………………………… $75,604,300

The Senate has 100 members (2 from each State)
Majority Leader……………………………………………… 194.400
Minority Leader………………………………………………. 194,400
Rank and File members 80X$174000……………………….13,920,00
Annual total…………………………………………………………………. $14,308,000

The Czars:

Franklin Roosevelt 1933-1945 appointed the first Czars
There were 11. During the George W. Bush Administration
(2001-2009) there were 33. President Obama has added 4 more
during his administration. Unable to find a database listing
the salary of each Czar, the ones I did find ranged from 98,000
to 120,000. So I will generously estimate each @ $110,000.
Estimated Annual Total 37X$110,000 .....................................................$4,070,000

Presidents Cabinet:
There are 15 Cabinet Secretaries appointed by the president: the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Attorney
General. As of January , 2011 each Secretarys’ salary was $199,700
Every president has included longtime friends — people he had known for decades — in his cabinet.It's not unusual for a president to fill a spot or two in his cabinet with campaign loyalists who've helped get him elected.
Annual Total 15 X199700……………………………………………………..............$2,995,500

A far cry From 1789 to 1855, members of Congress received only a per diem (daily payment) of $6.00 while in session, except for a period from December 1815 to March 1817, when they received $1,500 a year

Peggys Activities and Observations: OBAMA PLAYS HIDE & SEEK

Peggys Activities and Observations: OBAMA PLAYS HIDE & SEEK: "While I should be out in my garden pulling weeds and laying down mulch: Here I am bloging my thoughts on the Obama game. I suppose that I li..."

OBAMA PLAYS HIDE & SEEK

While I should be out in my garden pulling weeds and laying down mulch: Here I am bloging my thoughts on the Obama game. I suppose that I listen to so much of this farce because I am one of the Social Security recipients that rely solely on it for monthly income. Who will touch base and get home free in this game of Hide and Seek? (You remember playing this game where a solitary seeker also watches the base for a hider who might try to run and touch the base and come in home free.)

It is reported that the president has declined (perhaps rejected) every plan that has been offered, including plans offered by both the Republicans and Democrats. The most recent rejection was a plan offered by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Well, in this game I doubt that anyone will be able to make it to the base and be home free – including the American People.

I suggest that the Seeker will take the “rejection” of any plan down to the wire, wherein he will be obligated to bring forth his plan. It will more than likely not pass the house and the country will default.

In any event if any plan is offered and not rejected it will be at such a late date that no one will have had time to read the content and implications, i.e., Remember Obamas’ Health Care Plan?

On the other hand, if one of the Republican plans makes it through the house and senate…Everyones’ Social Security Incomes will be impacted, including the current recipients. Of course it has already been impacted. For the past two years cost of living increases have not been paid. My cost of living has increased. Health Insurance, car insurance, house insurance, prescription drug insurance, increased sales taxes in my area, gasoline price, grocery prices, postage, tax on services such as telephone, television and computer services.

I am personally fond of what Donald Trump has to say. Send a Bill for services to Libya and Egypt, and discontinue any subsidies to them. Let Afghanistan rebuild their own country, put those funds to work here rebuilding our own infrastructure. Close the damned tax loopholes to the large corporations and others. I think he is on the right track.

Peggys Activities and Observations: APPLE SALAD - Low carb - Low fat

Peggys Activities and Observations: APPLE SALAD - Low carb - Low fat: "APPLE SALAD (Low fat, low Carb) This receipt is close to what I have always called a Waldorf salad. A couple of the ingredients are the sam..."

APPLE SALAD - Low carb - Low fat

APPLE SALAD
(Low fat, low Carb)

This receipt is close to what I have always called a Waldorf salad. A couple of the ingredients are the same but it does not resemble the cookbook receipt. I have usually made a similar one for holiday dinners, but today didn’t have white grapes and didn’t want to use whipped cream because of the fat content. This is what I ended up with. It was not the best, but good.

1.) Diced apples 2 ½ cups. I used Gala apples, but Red Delicious would be sweeter.
2.) Stir in enough lemon juice or real lemon to avoid browning of the apples.
3.) Add ½ cup each of:
a. Baby Marshmallows
b. Chopped Walnuts
c. Raisins

Stir in enough Hellmans Light Mayonnaise to coat the ingredients. The amounts listed make just over four cups of salad. One cup will contain less than 1 gram of Saturated Fat and about 42 grams of carbohydrates, according to my calculations.

Peggys Activities and Observations: AND THE BEAT GOES ON

Peggys Activities and Observations: AND THE BEAT GOES ON: "I really shouldn’t comment anything on this subject since it can, and probably will evoke nasty comments and disagreements. It is however t..."

AND THE BEAT GOES ON

I really shouldn’t comment anything on this subject since it can, and probably will evoke nasty comments and disagreements. It is however the impressions that I am having as I watch the news. As I have stated previously, I am not a Democrat or a Republican and usually vote for the candidate with whom I agree the most.

Recently I posted my impression of who I thought won the Republican debate. I thought Michelle Bachmann was the most informed and articulate. I thought she was the winner of that debate and did gain second place by any of the polls that I have seen.

I have in previous posts questioned the sincerity, patriotism, and knowledge of issues and experience of Barack Obama who has now become our President. I have also been watching the tug of war between the parties relating to the debt our nation faces and the proposed raising of the debt ceiling. It is my opinion that there is not instant fix but I was impressed with President Obama.

I have no idea whose proposal would be best for the country but what I did notice is that President Obama seems to have lost what I believed was his arrogance. I think he has attained a high point in his learning curve. His old “elitist” attitude just doesn’t seem to be there. I believed what he said would happen if the debt ceiling is not raised and he was specific. I had not seen this specificity previously on any of the issues.

Now it is reported that the Bachmann familys’ income has been derived from her husbands counseling clinic, much of which is paid for with dollars from Medicaid. He is accused, and video confirmed that believes he can “pray away gay”. How ridiculous and how unfortunate those Medicaid dollars are being wasted to promote his religious beliefs, and are helping support his wifes’ candidacy for president. It should also be noted that the very large farm that her in-laws own may also be receiving those large government subsidies that we all hear about.

On December 22, 2009 Politico reported: “Bachmann’s financial disclosure forms indicate her stake in the Wisconsin farm is worth up to $250,000. Her income from the farm has grown from $2,000 a year a few years back to as much as $50,000 for 2008.” Candidate Bachmann has denied this but did report receiving funds on her financial disclosure in July, 2011.

In conclusion I must say that Bachmann is not on my favored list, while I’m watching President Obama to see if he continues to display the attributes I believe I have seen. I need to see more of Mitt Romney as well. If Republicans are to win my vote in the next Presidental election they will have to weed out so many of their radically conservative candidates.

Peggys Activities and Observations: NEW SALAD

Peggys Activities and Observations: NEW SALAD: "It is too hot and humid here today to even think of going outside, but I was hungry for a salad that I had found in a deli....used the close..."

NEW SALAD

It is too hot and humid here today to even think of going outside, but I was hungry for a salad that I had found in a deli....used the closest items I had in my cupboard that seemed to be somewhat the same and came up with this one:

Frozen Broccoli 1 cup diced to small pieces and left frozen
Red Kidney Beans 1 cup canned and rinsed
Raisins 1/4 cup (will use 1/2 cup next time)
Sharp shredded Cheddar cheese 1/4 cup
Chopped walnuts 1/4 cup (sill use 1/2 next time)
Chopped onion 1/4 cup
Chopped Garlic 1/4 tsp.
Chopped cucumber 1/2 cup (will omit next time)
1/4 tsp salt
Mixed with Mayo, using just enought to coat but not drench.

It was good but could have been better with the omission and increases listed above. It should be healthy, low saturated fat and low carbs, although I didn't calculate the values.

THE VERDICT * NO JUSTICE FOR CAYLEE

I watched most all of the news reports of CNN and Fox News as the Prosecutor and Defense Attorneys presented the case of Casey Marie Anthony. I posted my opinion of the anticipated outcome yesterday and today I must say "I AM SPEECHLESS", as are many other folks, in fact nearly every one.
As anyone who reads this probably already knows the defendant Casey Anthony was found "NOT GUILTY" of the most serious charges leveled against her and was found guilty ONLY of the much lesser charges of giving false information to a police officer.
The Jurors have been sequestered for nearly two months and arrived at a verdict in ONLY eleven hours. How is it possible to deliberate two months of testimony in eleven hours? I suggest that it would most likely take eleven hours to even read all the testimony, let alone to ponder the implications there in.
I AM STUNNED. The "not guilty" verdict does not allow for retrial of the accused. I accuse the jurors of not doing their job. It is sad that our justice system does not allow that the jurors be held responsible the job they are required to do.
It will be interesting to see if she walks free with time served on Thursday and how many more falsehoods will she conjure up and offer to the public.
There will be NO JUSTICE FOR CAYLEE!

Peggys Activities and Observations: Casey Anthony and Family

Peggys Activities and Observations: Casey Anthony and Family: "Well here we are at the conclusion of the Casey Anthony Murder Trial. The prosecutions rebuttal is still underway then the judge will give t..."

Casey Anthony and Family

Well here we are at the conclusion of the Casey Anthony Murder Trial. The prosecutions rebuttal is still underway then the judge will give the jurors instruction for their deliberations and finally the verdict.

Media accounts of the entire search for the missing child, Kaylee and her mothers charges and arrest were so highly publicised and viewed the trial has now been cited as being the trial of the century and has exceeded that of O.J. Simpson.

Some of the media videos accurately described public opinion, calling the mother, Casey as the villain, as "Child Murderer" were voiced and "signs" were displayed by interested citizens who continually held vigil outside the Anthony home.

And now we await the verdict. I learned something as I listened to the prosecutors rebuttal. I was under the impression that Casey did kill her daughter Kaylee, but that it was accidental. I thought that she was hiding the child in the trunk of her car taping her mouth shut to avoid the child being discovered there, and perhaps even using chloroform to sedate her. That still may very well be the case. I was under the impression that if she accidentally killed the child by trying to keep her quiet , the penalty would be second degree murder since it was not planned.
The prosecutor has advised the jurors that there are two first degree convictions that they will
will be able to deliberate. The first if Premeditated Murder and the Second is Felony Murder. Felony murder being death during the commission of a crime, in this case the crime being Child Abuse" This would be the reason for that charge having been made.

While the defense is calling the grandmother and in fact the entire family as a dysfunctional family who lie at will, and that Casey has grown up with that moral standard; I would disagree. It is apparent that the grandmother did lie under oath regarding the computer search for chloroform and it is my opinion that the grandmother was a strict mother who ruled the household, It is also my opinion that her strict rules were an effort to to guide her child and grandchild to live a life that anyone would be proud to have.

The grandparents provided well for their child and their grandchild; perhaps they overindulged both of them. They supported Casey during her pregnancy and after the birth of Kaylee. It would be very difficult to take responsibility for Casey and Kaylee all the while trying to let Casey become a productive member of society. There is a fine line there regarding their hope for the employment Casey asserted that she had, going to work every day, etc. and not interfering in her private life.

The Anthony family deserves respect and compassion. I believe that their only mistake was believing in their daughter and she is such a prolific manipulator that she even had professional police officers convinced that Kaylee had been abducted.

Casey Anthony is a spoiled brat eventually becoming the murderer of her own child to gain what she wanted. She sits at the defence table pouting because she hasn't got her way, and often showing very angry eyes at the prosecutors and their witnesses. I predict the jury will convict her of either of the two "First Degree Murder" charges. I doubt that deliberations will take less than five days. I also think there will be grounds for a retrial on the basis of incompetent representation. I hope that a motion for retrial will not be accepted and she will be sentenced to Life without Parole, although the death penalty will probably be on the table. The Anthony family needs to be able to try and put their own fractured lives back in order. I hope that they will be able to do so.