Guest op-ed: Bill Connor - "Thank you, Sixth District Republicans"
Today's guest editorial is penned by Orangeburg Republican Bill Connor, the newly-elected Chair of the Sixth Congressional District GOP, an attorney and Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves who occasionally shares his thoughts via the Blogland. You too can contribute by sending an email to earl@earlcapps.org:
Dear 6th District GOP members,
Dear 6th District GOP members,
I want to start by offering sincere thanks for entrusting me with the Chairmanship of the 6th District GOP. This is an honor and duty I won't take lightly. I pledge to you my best efforts on behalf of the counties in the 6th District.
Since the 6th District convention, I had been busy preparing for a planned military training exercise with my unit which occurred last week. As a leader in this unit (in addition to my civilian job), I have had little "spare" time. However, we redeployed on Sunday, and have dedicated much time this week to 6th District GOP business. Know that the 6th Distict leaders like Jim Pratt, Sandra Bryant, and Moye Graham are working on your behalf. I couldn't ask for a better team.
The day after my return from military duty (ironically May 1, or "May Day"), I decided to shake things up and pay a visit to a speech given by Congressman Jim Clyburn. Some of you have read what I posted on facebook about that visit, but if not here is my posting:
Took the opportunity today to throw a question at Congressman Jim Clyburn (D-SC). At Rotary Club, Pelosi's Democratic whip went on about all the spending projects we needed, all his pride in fighting for tax money and earmarks. My question to him: "Congressman Clyburn, Admiral Mike Mullen (former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff) called our national debt the greatest threat to our security. In just over ten years, we have gone from around four trillion to almost sixteen trillion in debt. In less than ten years we are projected to break 24 trillion. You have gone on and on about spending projects. What is your answer to reducing the national debt before we become another Greece?" I don't think he expected a "tough" question! Cong. Clyburn's flustered answer was that we need to tax the "rich" and "Wall Street" alot more and "amortize" our debt so it's not such an immediate problem! Wow.
I hope Mr. Clyburn is prepared to see much more of me at his gatherings, because I'm not letting up! Additionally, I hope he enjoys this secure election cycle, because it will be his last.
I plan to continue to ensure Congressman Clyburn is called out for the poor, socialist leadership he has shown for our District. Our plan is to set the conditions for a Republican to take that seat within the next four years. Some would claim that's impossible, but we know it can and will happen with hard work and planning. Additionally, we are working with Pastor Wynn to "win" Senator John Land's Senate seat. I would encourage everyone to offer support and prayers for that race. John Land, along with many other Democrats in the District, have helped bring stagnation and poverty. We, the GOP of the 6th District, offer the way out of the seeming despair. We believe it will not come through "big government", but by unleashing freedom!
I plan to attend the upcoming Executive Committee meeting and hope to see many of you there. I have made it my mandate to travel to the counties, as I have done over the past few months leading up to the convention, and not force the counties to come to me. My job is to support you, and that is what I plan to do. Please feel free to contact me at any time, and let's work together to turn our District "red". Thank you and God bless.
June
Over 20 percent of that $16 trillion is personal debt of citizens - yours, mine and some private companies. That's not government debt payable to the government by tax payers.
Close to a fifth isn't debt, but assets - money reserved in Social Security trust funds. Because we know it will eventually be paid out over time, these calculations are listed as debt (sort of like saying the $100 you put aside to pay an account in ten $10 installments, and to which you would continue making additional deposits to, is actually a negative dollar amount and not a capital asset).
Another 10 percent is also an asset - emergency funds kept aside in case of extreme emergency. But that's getting counted as debt, only because it might someday, somehow, somewhere need to be spent.
The only portion that is debt - about 1/3 of the amount - comes from trade deficit and bonds purchased by foreign countries. That's like saying I loaned you $100, and which you're carrying in your pocket, but that you have to count it as a negative because you'll have to pay me back someday.
Let's not forget that more than half of that debt comes from one Republican president, and that 80% comes from just three Republican presidents.
And here we are, in the one developed country that has the lowest taxes on wealth, and the only country on the planet that taxes poverty .... and you want to misdirect the topic to this pseudosubject of national debt, which you apparently don't understand?