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We Are Americans!

Dear Chamber Members:

I am delighted that you are active in the 2012 general election! Perhaps no other voice can help as much in restoring what made America great. I am pleased to support your efforts and participate with you.

America is the home of immigrants from many lands, many cultures, and many religious convictions—all of us or our ancestors except our Native Americans. Immigrants and their contributions helped make America great. America’s fabric that has united us all for 235 years and has attracted immigrants to our shores is woven by opportunity: individual enterprise, unencumbered right to work, work ethic, personal accomplishment, just rewards, and personal security for us and our families. America provides each immigrant an opportunity to become a citizen through a time-honored procedure. American efforts to shortcut that process for whatever reason demean those persons who worked so hard to become naturalized citizens.

It shocks me that capitalism has become such a dirty word in America. By contrast, indigenous small entrepreneurs in third world countries are being helped with small loans by organizations like FINCA to expand their businesses. With this money, they hire employees, buy more raw materials, or are enabled in other ways to expand their previously limited efforts. Most loans are repaid. These entrepreneurs and their families benefit, as do their communities. America was built on such commercial enterprise: businesses offering products and services that consumers want and need, made possible by insuring that both parties are financially capable—just plain capitalism!

America’s forefathers acknowledged and worshipped God as do most world religions. Yet our country is not defined by a particular religion, nor are our laws based on any religion. America’s laws are established by Federal, state, and local governments elected by individual Americans through the democratic process. America must retain this freedom, to guarantee each and every American basic human rights of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. Americans therefore expect enforcement of the rule of law and tolerance of one another of good character.

Americans have fought and died around the world to define and preserve our heritage and we expect our governments and our descendents to protect our way of life.

Sincerely,

William Pillow
9024 Admiral Bay Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46236
wfpillow@comcast.net

By William Pillow

July 27th at 1:59pm Comment (1)

1 Comments

comon lets stop give our money away to the people that don't live in the usa we should be able to keep our money and pay off our us bills so we can get the big companys to hire the people that are not working and not just give our money away to china and other countrys.

By d skare

August 30th at 6:54pm in We Are Americans!

Can States Really Create Nearly 750,000 Jobs and 50,000 New Businesses by Reducing Regulation?

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released a study earlier this year revealing that states with the most burdensome labor and employment regulation are severely sacrificing opportunities to create jobs and foster new businesses.

The study shows that if each state were to improve their regulatory climates to the level discussed in the report, the effect would be equivalent to a one-time boost of 746,462 net new jobs nationwide. The rate of new business formation would increase by 12%, resulting in the creation of 51,590 new firms nationally each year.

Reducing the burden of labor and employment regulation in the states could act as a free shot of economic stimulus — equal to approximately seven months of job creation at the current average rate.

Read more about the study here: http://www.uschamber.com/reports/impact-state-employment-policies-job-growth-50-state-review.

This sounds promising. What do you think?

By U.S. Chamber of Commerce

May 10th at 2:58pm Comment (2)

2 Comments

If more private sector jobs are created, the finacial outlook for the rest of the country will pretty much take care of it's self! More jobs mean less paid out for unemployment. Also the new jobs hopefully would include possible medical care for the new employees. This would take some of the strain off any local, state and federal medical programs. It would also mean instead of paying out on medicare, medicaid etc, money would be coming in from payroll taxes. The increase would mean more money going into the general fund from payroll taxes and more into Social Security from the new workers. We need to stop providing government funds for illegal aliens and limit them for legal ones. We cannot continue to support the rest of the world on our tax dollars! There are people here in America going hungry and sleeping in boxes. Some of which are our vets!

I decided this week to enter the race for the office of president. I am meeting with the local party next week to check the viability of it. When that happens, I will get a site up so everyone can get to know me. Thank you

The business of government is to regulate. BUT regulate equelly and fairly. Folow the constitution as it was originally written (Equel justice for all) The way this gov. legislates,today and in the past (In my lifetime) it is putting this country on a path of destruction. Like the good book said:" You reap what you sow"

Rewarding Political Donors ... With Your Tax Dollars?

How would you like your tax dollars only going to those companies or contractors that have contributed to a particular political party?

Sounds like pay-to-play, right?

Well, that's exactly what could happen if the White House, as expected, issues a new Executive Order (EO) requiring American employers seeking federal government contracts to disclose their political contributions in excess of $5,000.

According to the Washington Examiner, President Obama may be only days away from signing the order, making provisions of the failed DISCLOSE Act law by fiat. As the article says: “[N]o White House has ever issued an EO dealing with campaign finance. Signing the DISCLOSE Act EO would be an unprecedented power grab by Obama."

We understand that elections have consequences. But one of those consequences shouldn't be the ability to use your tax dollars to reward - or punish - political donors.

With America facing a severe budget crisis, your tax dollars should be closely protected. As such, government contracts should only be awarded based on qualifications and cost - just as they are in the private sector.

But this is about politics, plain and simple.

Consider the fact that the big labor unions would not be required to disclose their political spending under the proposed executive order - the same unions that spent more than $100 million in the 2010 elections.

With the executive order expected to be released soon, the Administration needs to know the American public opposes this partisan bullying to limit political spending.

By U.S. Chamber of Commerce

May 10th at 2:56pm Comment (0)

What does Free Enterprise mean to you?

Webster's Disctionary defines 'free enterprise' as:

"The freedom of private business to organize and operate for profit in a competitive system without interference by government beyond regulation necessary to protect public interest and keep the national economy in balance."

But we know there is more to it than that.

What does Free Enterprise mean to you and your family?

By U.S. Chamber of Commerce

April 15th at 1:47pm Comment (1)

1 Comments

Free enterprise means you can make a business out of any idea you might have without the government stepping and telling you wether you can or not that to me is NONE of their business as long as you pay your bills and taxes there shouldn't be a problem besides that is what this country is build on FREEDOMS of all kinds is it not.

By Carol Hill

May 11th at 4:13pm in What does Free Enterprise mean to you?

Recent poll showing people against fixing Medicare

Your recent article with poll results shows that overwhelmingly, people are against "fixing" or tinkering with Medicare. This result is easily explained. They haven't been told what changes are being discussed. As I understand it, the most prominent proposal is to leave Medicare alone for those who are now enrolled but to change it for those who will come onboard in 2024. How many of us who are on Medicare will still be alive in 2024?
My own feelings about Medicare are -- 1. Too many are covered who haven't paid into the system (Illegals, for example). Drop them. 2. It is estimated that there is rampant fraud at present with estimates ranging from $10Billion/yr to $50Billion/yr. Government estimates are usually way understated except for income projections so it is probably closer to $100Billion/yr. Hire several more investigators and start collecting back on this fraud. The costs of the new investigators will more than be offset by the reduction in Fraud. 3. Anyone, either an individual Medicare recipient or a Medicare provider, who is caught in a fraudulent endeavor should be dropped from the program and not allowed back. I understand doctors merely change their corporate names and structures and keep collecting. Thoroughly vet the new applicants. A brand new venture should be a red flag.
Finally, keep people informed in layman's language of any and all proposed changes so that they can have a solid reason to accept or reject the changes. Obviously, people already on the system will object because they do not have a clear idea of the proposed changes and they feel that they will be affected.

By tom walsh

April 13th at 11:40am Comment (1)

1 Comments

We don't need to fix Medicare we need to get people out of it that doesn't deserve it such as Cubans that didn't earn it keep out all illegals are booted out RIGHT AWAY and you would be amazed at how much money would be found.

I just have one Question what does ILLEGAL MEAN?

By Carol Hill

May 11th at 4:28pm in Recent poll showing people against fixing Medicare

Talking out of both sides of their mouth

The republicans are idiots. On one hand they talk about lowering the deficit with cuts in spending on the other hand they want tax cuts. Hey both are great but you can't do both at the same time. They are too busy trying to fool their constituency. Hey Rep.Boner...lets trying one thing at a time you might actually get somewhere. They haven't fooled me...what a bunch of con men.

By Scott Schultz

April 6th at 11:04am Comment (0)

The way its done LOL

http://img717.imageshack.us/i/sbeingdiscusedbs.jpg/

No one is listening to the speaker

By Billy Stevenson

April 5th at 11:40am Comment (1)

1 Comments

Please copy the link and you will understand what I'm talking about. while the speaker try's to explain his ideas
everyone else is playing cards, emails, doing facebook &
Twitter. Just make's me want to upchuck all over there heads.

By Billy Stevenson

April 5th at 11:51am in The way its done LOL

But, Senator Coburn, How Do You Really Feel?

Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma recently sponsored a bill that requires the General Accounting Office to provide regular reports of waste in the federal government.

The GAO has just issued their first report on waste in the federal government, and what did it show? The report revealed redundancies in more than 546 individual programs including 34 areas where agencies have the same objectives and scope of work. It’s no wonder the United States is $14 trillion in debt

Americans are rightly outraged— but the most memorable response came from Senator Coburn himself:

“We are mismanaged, misled, and incompetent, and the American public needs to hold us accountable…"
(Watch the full video here: http://bit.ly/gJDqtG)

Are you sick of government spending that works on everything but the American people and job creation? Senator Coburn told us how he really feels. What are your reactions?

By U.S. Chamber of Commerce

March 4th at 3:08pm Comment (3)

3 Comments

Guys I agree with everyone on how this country is run.
The way its run is so deeply seated even as far back as when George was voted in and has reached this point in time. There is so many laws on how it should be run and not a single one of them can recite a single one of them so they make a new one on how it should be done. Something that can be answered with a yes or no takes a (year example) and at least (10,000 example) sheets of paper and then no one reads it but someone wants to add something else "amendment" they call it and has nothing to do with the subject that started this :o}.
If you don't understand this you may be in office already

ITS JUST OUT OF HAND



By Billy Stevenson

March 21st at 7:03pm in But, Senator Coburn, How Do You Really Feel?

How about all levels of government eliminating waste and overspending before taking away from the rest of us? Do a proper and honest job in the first place before penalizing those who put you where you are!

By TERRY SOCALL

March 8th at 5:59pm in But, Senator Coburn, How Do You Really Feel?

its a sad time for america. what america stands for is a beautiful thing but how we get it done as a nation is sad because everybody wants to recieve somthing for themselfs. our polititical system is out of control and the right and the left are sandbagging us. we need improvement but due to the way we do things most people want to change it and thats is whats wrong with us as we have gone from a productive nation to a nation of intitelments.
goverment is to large and we should have less as it will cost us less and more money will be put into the private secture.

By leon mcbride

March 5th at 11:40am in But, Senator Coburn, How Do You Really Feel?

Our leaders

I wish you could see my profile picture.
It is the way our government leads our country.
Two playing cards on the computer.

Here is the text that goes with the picture..

House Minority Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr., R-Norwalk, pictured standing, far right, speaks while colleagues Rep. Barbara Lambert, D-Milford and Rep. Jack F. Hennessy, D-Bridgeport, play solitaire Monday night as the House convened to vote on a new budget. (AP)

The guy sitting in the row in front of these two....he's on Facebook, and the guy behind Hennessy is checking out the baseball scores.

These are the folks that couldn't get the budget out by Oct. 1, and are about to control your health care, cap and trade, and the list goes on and on….
Should we buy them larger screen computers - or - a ticket home, permanently?

This is one of their 3-DAY WORK WEEKS that we all pay for (salary is about $179,000 per year).

By Billy Stevenson

February 27th at 2:25am Comment (0)

Removing the Hurdles of Burdensome Regulations

At the end of January, President Obama issued an Executive Order to review excessive, inconsistent and redundant government regulations. However, the Executive Order exempted more than 13 federal agencies -- including the agencies burdened with more than 259 rulemakings mandated by the recent financial regulatory reform law.

The U.S. Chamber is reacting with aggressive efforts to hold the administration accountable those promises and beyond. For instance, Tom Donohue, the Chamber’s President, recently dispatched letters to the 13 exempt independent agencies requesting a self-imposed regulatory appraisal, “to identify those [regulations] that are overly burdensome or have little benefit, consistent with the terms of the order.”

The influx of regulations that the U.S. economy has seen in recent years is unprecedented, and has become the biggest challenge to jobs, global competitiveness, and the future of American enterprise. However, the opportunity has come to for us reexamine what has been implemented, and work to roll back some of these barriers.

We want to hear from you. Why is it necessary for a regulatory audit to be immediate and comprehensive and which types of regulations should be priority targets in order to eliminate the uncertainty standing in between business and growth?

By U.S. Chamber of Commerce

February 10th at 5:00pm Comment (2)

2 Comments

How to Creat Jobs Now!

1. Balanced Budget Amendment to be radified by the states.

2. Cut 95% of all 18,000 rules/regs on businesses.

3. Cut all DOD bases overseas except for one per continent which would be
larger but only to be left there if the countries we are protecting pay 90% of all their costs.

4. Close all of our borders to illegal immigrants immediately and enforce our current immigration laws. Cut all immigration until the current ones here can be absorbed by a legal process based on nte the number that would have normally been allowed by law. This probably will take 40 to 50 years based on numbers I have heard or long so as not to adversly impact our current social welfare systems

5. Allow immediate exploration, on and offshore, for oil, gas and coal with simplified regs to get it out ASAP and put a surchage on all of it of up to 20% to
develop alternate energy sources, sun, water, ocean, wind, geothermal, etc.

6. Allow the growing of more hemp/sugarcane for the production of ethanol.

7. Cut all government agencies/Depts, e.g, Education, DOE, IRS, EPA, etc. similar
to what the list was produced by ROP that are not needed and do not make the basic requirment of meeting af providing for food, clothing and shelter. Cut all foreign aid and subsides and other programs that are not needed and are obsolute. This requried our congressmen to be able to distinguish betwee what is a need vs a want. All wants are to be cut immediately.

8. Reform medicad, medicare, Obamacare and social security to be self sustanning with revenues being received to pay for themselves in the longrun and
that the Doctors and Hospitals get the same as Usual and Customary payments
as they got before one was 65 to stop this illegal age discrimation. 1st return the
$500 billion of our money stolen by the Federal Gov't from our medicare, these are
our dollars not your to do anything you want with. We paid these for our medical care, not someone elses.

9. Reform our tax code to be a National Sales Tax of hopefully 10% excluding housing, cars, food and medical care. This would eleminate all the loopholes in the tax code and one who make less pay much less and than the ones who make more and spend more would pay more proportinate to their income and spending.

10. Encourage our farmers to produce much more food for exports, e.g., oats,
wheat, corn, soybeans, vegetables, for we are the breadbasket to the world.

11. Close all of our borders to illegal immigrants immediately and enforce our current immigration laws. Cut all immigration until the current ones here can be absorbed by a legal process based on nte the number that would have normally been allowed by law. This probably will take 40 to 50 years based on numbers I have heard or long so as not to adversly impact our current social welfare sy
Make it a national right work law for all states and that government employees at the State, County and City levels have same union rights as Fedeal Employees and if they strike they are fired. And that all have to contribute at least 8% to their retiment funds, pay for 35% of their health insurance, that their retirement schedules are the same as FERS, sick leave can only be counted towards additional years of retirment, that retirement is based on high 5 salary and overtime does not count towards high five salary for retirement, the max carryover for annual leave is
240 hours to use or loose.

12. Let firms hire first time employees under the minimum wage and not have to provide medical insurance for up to three years so as to let first time employee gain job skills.

13. Let those that have full insurance polices in retirement be primary and medicare secondary, this would include union employees, many company employees, and gov't workers at all levels which probably make up 40 + % of all employees and have these policies no longer discriminate for age and pay the uaual and customary amount just as they did before 65 and this would go a long way towards keeeping health care costs down and save medicare!

14. All new and current initatives need to run thru the Whotorn School of Business Simulation model to what effect they have on jobs, GDP, Taxes, imports and exports, and other key indicators over the longrun to see if a good or bad bill.

I belive once all of this is done, then their would be a boom in the US Economy and we will quicly be able to pay off our national debt. Then the 1.4 trillion that we used to pay in interest could be used to invest in our infrastructure.
Additonal ideas will be added as I think of them. In the future require the CBO to run all bills thru the Wharton School of business computer simulation model to see effects on GDP, Unemployment, national sales tax, imports and exports.

I don't claim to be a budget expert. But others, such as Chris Edwards at Cato and Stuart Butler at Heritage, are. They found lots of serious cuts. My staff found a few more, and put together a list that would completely balance the budget:

Defense cut by 2/3: $475 billion (Federal Budget, pg. 58)

Medicare/Medicaid*: $441 billion (Cato Institute)

Social Security Means Testing: $170 billion (Heritage Foundation)

Eliminate Dept. of Education (includes Pell Grants): $106.9 billion (Cato Institute)

Social Security*: $85.7 billion (Cato Institute)

Eliminate Dept. of Transportation: $84.8 billion (Cato Institute)

Tax Amnesty: $80 billion (Rep. Jared Polis D-Co.)

Eliminate Dept. of Labor*: $78.6 billion (Department of Labor and White House)

Eliminate HUD: $60.8 billion (Cato Institute)

Eliminate Dept. of Agriculture*: $33 billion (Cato Institute)

Cut civilian employee compensation: $30 billion (Cato Institute)

Stop maintaining vacant federal property: $25 billion (Heritage Foundation)

Eliminate Foreign Aid: $21.2 billion (Cato Institute)

Eliminate Dept. of Energy*: $20.8 billion (Cato Institute)

Eliminate NASA: $19.6 billion (Cato Institute)

Federal Drug War: $15 billion (White House)

Earmark moratorium: $16 billion (Heritage Foundation)

Eliminate Fannie/Freddie Subsidies: $14 billion (Federal Housing Finance Agency (p. 10))

Eliminate Dept. of Commerce: $13.9 billion (Department of Commerce)

Eliminate Dept. of Interior: $12 billion (White House)

Legalize Pot, Online gambling, Immigrants: $12 billion (Rep. Jared Polis D-Co.)

Privatize Army Corps of Engineers: $10.6 billion (Cato Institute)

Cut federal employee travel budget: $10 billion (Heritage Foundation)

Eliminate National Science Foundation: $7.4 billion (National Science Foundation)

End EPA’s State and Local grants: $6.5 billion (Cato Institute)

Repeal Davis-Bacon: $6 billion (Republican Study Committee)

Privatize TSA: $5.7 billion (Federal Budget)

Cut Dept. of Justice’s State and Local grants: $5 billion (Heritage Foundation)

Privatize Post Office: $4 billion (White House)

Eliminate Small Business Administration: $1.8 billion (Small Business Administration)

Lease coastal plain of ANWR: $1.5 billion (Heritage Foundation)

Eliminate Federal Flood Insurance: $1.3 billion (CBO, pg. 3)

Abolish SEC: $1.3 billion (SEC)

Eliminate Corporation for National Community Service: $1 billion (Cato Institute)

Suspend acquisition of federal office space: $1 billion (Heritage Foundation)

End subsidies for public broadcasting: $500 million (Cato Institute)

Eliminate the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corp: $480 million (Heritage Foundation)

Eliminate the FCC: $439 million (FCC)

Eliminate the Endowments for Arts/Humanities: $332 million (NEA/NEH)

Total Cut: $1,882,619,000,000

Current deficit: $1,645,000,000,000

Surplus Achieved: $237,619,000,000
(Research by Maxim Lott and Charles Couger.)

They don't need to drive us deeper in debt. They choose to. Tune in tonight at 10pm to see how they could choose differently.
--
*Notes
Department of Energy is eliminated except for Nuclear arms maintenance
Department of Agriculture is eliminated, except for food programs for the needy
Department of Labor is eliminated, except for 26-week unemployment benefits
Defense budget would still be $243 billion, more than twice what the next highest country (China) spends
Medicare and Medicaid savings breakdown:
Block grant Medicaid and freeze spending (226)
Repeal 2010 healthcare law (87)
Increase Medicare premiums (39.8)
Cut non-Medicare premiums (37.7)
Cut Medicare payment error rate by 50% (28.6)
Increase Medicare deductibles (12.6)
Tort Reform (10)
Social Security savings breakdown:
Price index initial benefits** 41.1
Raise the normal retirement age** 31.4
Cut Social Security disability program by 10% 13.2
And the Heritage Foundation recommends the following six steps:
- Repeal Obamacare and its employer mandates

- Prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating carbon dioxide emissions

- Pass tort reform to reduce meritless lawsuits

- Expand trade agreements

- Permit more domestic energy production

- Reduce spending to avoid the likelihood of significant tax increases

By Kim Newlin

August 13th at 1:50pm in Removing the Hurdles of Burdensome Regulations

So, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is upset with Barack Hussein Obama? What did he do, FAIL TO BORROW AS MUCH AS THE CHAMBER WANTED HIM TO?????

By Don Rorschach, Sr.

April 15th at 12:06pm in Removing the Hurdles of Burdensome Regulations

President Obama Visits The Chamber

Earlier today, President Obama joined us at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to address members of the American business community. His remarks touched on topics ranging from trade and infrastructure to capital investment and healthcare concerns.

Throughout the speech the president urged the business leaders in the room to "get in the game" by boosting investing, producing new goods and services and hiring more of the Americans who have been left jobless by the recession.

On a final note he left the audience with a request; "...if there is any reason you don't share my confidence, if there is any reason you don't believe that this is the time to get off the sidelines - to hire and invest- I want to know about it. I want to fix it."

Are there reasons that you feel the current economic environment does not foster the innovation and investment that the President is proposing, or is now the ideal time to put business efforts into full gear and start driving our economy forward through the means of free enterprise?

By U.S. Chamber of Commerce

February 7th at 3:05pm Comment (5)

5 Comments

Hello people im new to this ;) bare with me

By Melissa Crandall

February 14th at 5:16am in President Obama Visits The Chamber

I find it extremely distressing that the top politician feels uniquely qualified to further distort the free market with the expectation of positive results. Government meddling in economics is done largely to carve out voting blocks for political power through redistributions- and contrary to natural market forces. Not allowing the market to correct was largely responsible for the Great Depression's length and now today's tepid business malaise could suffer the same fate. Far from Obama's speech being encouraging, it's depressing to see such disregard or ignorance of the basic role and workings of business in a market economy.

By Ron Bachman

February 9th at 11:02am in President Obama Visits The Chamber

Obama has sold out his integrity capital of trust when he delivered his state of the union address. He repudiates free market capitalism and endorses trade unionism as though only union members are the ones who deserve consideration from corporations. He is deliberately killing the "goose that laid the golden egg." He is in way over his head and is faking his position as leader by putting on a show with much hubris and chutzpa.

By Curtis Turner

February 9th at 10:44am in President Obama Visits The Chamber

You know, we discuss this guy as one who is misguided or lacks understanding. No one can be Harvard educated and not understand the reasonablre and rational points of view on business that most people he was preaching to have. It's not that he dosen't understand. All of this BS he is spouting is intentionaly wrong.

What ticks me off the most is that OBama believes he can distort the truth and get it by the American people. I guess it shouldn't make me mad but just make me sad because unfortunately its working.

By jack stevens

February 8th at 1:30pm in President Obama Visits The Chamber

I listened to part of the president's speech and found it too full of feel-good generalities to be of much interest. What it did illustrate, again, is Obama's lack of understanding of the nature of business employment.

Employment is a by-product of a successful business, not its raison d'etre. When enterprises can again be successful, employment will come naturally with or without speeches by pols.

If Obama were truly interested in boosting employment, he might look at what the federal government does to make it more costly to hire employees. When entrepreneurs see that the marginal cost of hiring decreases, they will respond with more hiring.

By Andrew Terhune

February 8th at 12:07pm in President Obama Visits The Chamber

misinformation

misinformation: Social Security and SSI
Medicare and Medicaid
We all know what Social Security and Medicare are! But everytime I see something about the costs they are grouped as the same.
Social Security has people paying into the program, and so does Medicare.
SSI and Medicaid are given to people who may have never paid one dime.
Why does the News Media (and the Government Media) always group them together as if they were one and the same thing?

By Tom Elleman

February 2nd at 11:41am Comment (2)

2 Comments

Tom, you are absolutely correct. I know a woman who never worked a day in her life and whose husband is a millionaire who totally supports her. Now she is drawing $400.00 a month Social Security and receiving Medicare. She is an absolute parasite. But you and I and the rest of the people who work are supporting this parasite.

Is it any wonder the Federal government is bankrupt?

What concerns me is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has turned socialist and demands that the debt ceiling be removed.

By Don Rorschach, Sr.

April 15th at 12:13pm in misinformation

I have to agree that Social Security (S.S.) and Supplemental Security Income (S.S.I.) are two different animals, I must add, however, that S.S.I. is a saftey net for those, whom for whatever reason, do not qualify for S.S.
I must disagree with Mr. Ellerman in that many people (myself included) have paid into the system for years, but due to the inequities within the system, some very good tax-paying Americans are beat down by the process of qualitying for S.S. Disability (S.S.D.), that they get lost. This is especially true if the applicant is in dire need of medical help.
Any person that has been through the process knows that the powers that be, that oversee the S.S.D. program, automatically deny the first application, (or so it seems) forceing the injuried party to appeal the decision within a givin amount of time. Again I must point out that if the injuried person is in need of medical attention, it turns into quite a nightmare. The person is out of work, a lot of times without any insurance, trying to keep food in their mouth, a roof over their heads and trying to find medical assistance. Time slips away quicker than most people will ever understand. Before you know it, time is up and the injuried person's file is closed - locked, never agin to be opened.
So, Mr. Ellerman, what is this person to do? The only other route left is S.S.I. Please don't be so quick to judge. Heaven forbid, an unexpected accident could happen to you, or someone you know and love.

By Keith Lee

February 6th at 6:11pm in misinformation

Mineral Rights

I'm refreshing this because I'm still waiting on an answer
Please don't tell me this is a local thing. The local and state is being paid enough
to keep it under control and not paying the people there due..

Is there nothing that can be done about the money being passed under the table???????????????????????????????????????????????????????

I'm not going anywhere until I get an answer.....





Why are we the people

Why are we the people of the Haynesville shale being raped so bad by the drilling
company's and it seems no one in the government cares. We are being told the economy is booming in Louisiana but the truth is its not. For example my last royalty
check for 3 Mo's was $9.70 for 3.7 acres. My minerals are being held by the Goodrich petroleum co. of Shreveport,La when they drilled a water well as a test well and can keep our minerals for $1.00 per year for as long as they wish. We were blind sided by the Mitchell co. before the Haynesville shale was ever heard of when we were told that a test well was going to be drilled and if we didn't sign and something was found we would not receive anything. The test well was drilled in (the water well I call it that took 5 days to setup drill and removed ) 2008. There are horizontal wells being drilled all around us that take up to 90 days are more. They are stealing our minerals from under our feet and there is nothing we the people can do about it.

Help us out Mr.Bill Miller

PS to anyone who reads this.
If a land man comes to your door wanting you to sign a lease
tell him to kiss where the sun don't shine or put $50.000.00 cash
in your hand per acre plus 50% royalties.

By Billy Stevenson

January 27th at 12:01pm Comment (3)

3 Comments

@Billy, Unfortunately, we do not have any issue experts who are well versed in your region's issue, mostly due to the fact of how specific it is to your locale, which you have already recognized. In order to get the answers that you are seeking, I would suggest contacting your member of congress, who, not only is your personal representative to the federal government, but will undoubtedly be more familiar with your district's situation.

We will continue to be on the lookout for any information pertaining to this issue, and will make sure to post as soon as any becomes availible to us. In the meantime, we would like to thank you for bringing the situation to our attention. Friends of the U.S. Chamber a forum that gives all members the chance to tell us what is going on in their community and we appreciate that you have taken the opportunity to do so.

By U.S. Chamber of Commerce

February 11th at 2:37pm in Mineral Rights

I'm so full of hate toward the government for allowing the production company's
to get away with the treatment of the people (the land owner). Theft is against
the law unless your in the government's pockets. The production company's
have had many many years learning how to steal and the people that's not involved don't give a chit but should because there is less in there pockets as well. Please is there anyone that can see this and give us some help??

This is being handled like the time when the government said AT&T was monopolizing and needed to be brought under control. In reply AT&T sold off everything and moved there corp headquarters abroad and then came back buying everything back plus more and now nothing can be done about it.. To control this is to make it a law if you own a company inside the USA your corp headquarters has to be inside also.. Is there no one out there seeing this but me? I'm off the stump now

By Billy Stevenson

February 7th at 1:22pm in Mineral Rights

@Billy. Im not that familiar with this issue which is the cause of the delay. I'll continue to look into what's happening in Haynesville and see if any of our energy experts have a better explanation.

By U.S. Chamber of Commerce

January 31st at 12:10pm in Mineral Rights

Credibility Gap

President Obama has a great talent for giving inspiring speeches. However, I am disturbed by the gap between what he says and what he does. It is apparent that political expediency has dictated that he take a much more moderate stance, even conservative, on business, yet his regulators are out in full force placing burdens on business. This month he signed an Executive Order, "Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review", which is intended to eliminate unnecessary regulation. At the same time the National Labor Relations Board, contrary to the intent of Congress in rejecting "Card Check", is pursuing pro-union regulations which would make it easier for businesses to be organized. Similarly, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, is proposing a change to the Hours of Service rules, that would reduce productivity and have little or no effect on safety. In fact, safety would likely be negatively impacted because more trucks would need to be on the road to do the same job. In spite of continually improving safety performance by the industry, the administration, in responding to the influences of organized labor and other groups, is proposing regulations that would make it more costly to transport the nations goods, a cost that would ultimatley be born by every consumer.

Mr. President, as a businessman, I have good reason to have great skepticism about the sincerety of your remarks.

By Dan England

January 26th at 11:37am Comment (0)

January 25th - State of the Union Address

This is the part President Obama left out of his State of the Union Address.

Congressional Reform Act of 2011

Our government cannot be fixed until Congress is fixed. THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS. If you agree pass it on.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The
Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(S), then go home and back to work.


If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive the message. Maybe it is time.

The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail, before cell phones, etc.

Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.

1. No member of the House of Representatives or the Senate shall accept campaign contributions from corporations or any other business entity. All contributions shall be from private, individual contributors.

2. No member of the House of Representatives or the Senate shall accept any single campaign contribution in an amount greater than $500.00.

3. Campaign contributions shall be limited to not more than $500,000. Any contributions in excess of this amount shall, be redistributed back to the contributors in accordance with the amount contributed. Reason – with the internet as a social media there is no longer any reason to spend more money than this. It is not Hollywood. It is our government

4. No member of the House of Representatives or the Senate shall employ as an aide any person who has served in the capacity of a lobbyist for any person or entity in the five years preceding their appointment to such position.

5. No person serving as an aide to any member of the House of Representatives or the Senate shall serve as a lobbyist to any person or entity for a period of five years after leaving the service of any member to the House of Representatives or the Senate.

6. No member of the House of Representatives or the Senate shall accept any sort of gratuity in any form from any person or entity during their tenure as a member of the House of Representatives or the Senate. The standard of ethics is that a member of the House of Representatives or the Senate shall avoid all conflicts of interest and all appearances of a conflict of interest.

7. No member of the House of Representatives or the Senate shall accept employment from any person or entity that has benefited from their vote on any law brought before Congress for a period of ten years after leaving office.

8. Any member of the House of Representatives or the Senate that violates these provisions shall be prosecuted criminally to the fullest extent of the law. There is no greater crime than violation of the public trust.

9. Term Limits.

12 years only, one of the possible options below..

A. Two Six-year Senate terms
B. Six Two-year House terms
C. One Six-year Senate term and three Two-Year House terms

10. No Tenure / No Pension.

A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

11. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.

All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people.

12. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

13. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

14. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

15. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

16. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/11. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves.


By Guy Magnuson

January 25th at 11:12pm Comment (0)

Monty Chandler

Monty Chandler should run for office....I couldn't have said this better......

"All of this could be avoided if we simply made it illegal for an employer in the US to hire a person who is not in this country legally with a work visa. The penalty for a willful violation of this would be to seize the assets of the business owner and implement mandatory jail terms for the hiring authority"

If businesses and individuals would not and could not make $$ off the back of illegals....there wouldn't be the "problem"!

By carol humble

January 22nd at 9:24am Comment (0)

Immigration Reform

The emotive topic of the proverbial day has been illegal immigration. States have begun to implement laws which purport to deal with the issue of illegals. Profiling people, building fences to keep them out, spending millions on deporting illegals, hiring massive numbers of border patrol people, spending tens of millions on technology all along the border to "detect" activity - all of this building the facade that the US wants to control the flood of illegals into this country.

I say facade because I don't believe that anyone - or certainly not a significant number - in our government has demonstrated the least bit of interest in reducing, controlling or curtailing the influx of illegals. Most politicians across both parties see it as an opportunity to spend money, build these programs, and expand the size of government under the guise of preserving the security of our border to the south.

All of this could be avoided if we simply made it illegal for an employer in the US to hire a person who is not in this country legally with a work visa. The penalty for a willful violation of this would be to seize the assets of the business owner and implement mandatory jail terms for the hiring authority. Precedence for these actions have already been set. We seize the assets of drug dealers who are profiting from illegal activity. We seize the assets of people who evade paying taxes. We put these people in jail too. These people who are providing jobs to these illegals are profiting from illegal activity and are avoiding paying taxes. Not to mention other labor laws within our country. They are the ones causing a drain on our economy. They are the ones to blame for the influx of illegals into our country.

If we are serious about solving the illegal immigration issue we simply need to hold accountable the Americans who are providing the jobs that incent the illegals to come here in the first place.

Wouldn't this be a much more proactive approach? It would provide jobs to Americans who are currently unemployed - it would certainly get them off unemployment and remove them as a drain on our economy. We could avoid all the expense associated with the silly activities which are currently being undertaken as a ruse toward solving the immigration problem. Illegals would be flocking back to their homes if it became certain that there were NO JOBS in America for people not authorized to be here or to work here.

The only other thing needed is to repeal the anchor baby laws.

This whole issue really isn't that complicated.

By Monty Chandler

January 19th at 12:23pm Comment (2)

2 Comments

The long & the short of this issue is, someone, somewhere, somehow, is making a bundle using illegal aliens as pawns of a corrupt business practice. Whether they provide illegal aliens at cut rate wages or whether they take a cut of the profits from the literally tons of illegal drugs entering America across that porous & virtually unprotected southern border w/ Mexico, people in power are making big bucks & they intend to block any effort or action that would cut off their lucrative illegal profits. It pains me to say that. I want to believe our elected leaders & our business leaders are honest & want what is best for all of us. However, knowing greed & having seen it at work among unscrupulous people, only a fool would turn a blind eye to the corruption that is our immigration system.
Yes, fencing is expensive, disrupts the environment, and can be breeched by those bent on doing so, However, almost any action to protect us from the problems illegal aliens bring down on us, can be overcome by those intent on doing so. Not trying to deal with this issue using any & all of the possible tools available to us, is insane. The 'virtual' fence was is & always will be a joke. Most knew it when proposed. Its an expensive boondoggle. But, one of the businesses that profit in some form from illegal aliens, proposed the virtual fence & they had the political juice to push it through to approval. The old tried & true double layered fence system with an access road between, proved it is the best alternative since its the most effective barrier employed. Where erected, it has reduced crossings by nearly 95%. In addition... we do NOT have 700 miles of fencing. There were 112 miles before the last fencing law. Now there may be up to 350 miles erected. However, less than 112 miles of the fence is double layered. The rest is vehicle barrier, chicken wire, or stand alone barrier than can be easily climbed. When told by Napolitano the border is more secure than ever, many accepted that as truth. In fact, she did not exactly lie. However, the improvement of 2%, from 18% secured to 20% secured, does not really mean our border can be considered seriously secured. DHS BP Agents issued reports in late 2010 that identified their actions capture only 18% to 20% of those illegally entering.
We do need to deal seriously w/ employers of illegal aliens. We do need to use the E-Verify system. We do need to end the motor voter laws used by many illegals to gain access to our voting booths. We do need to end birthright citizenship... a plan never intended to deal with illegals, but with former slaves. The birthright business has become extremely profitable for someone who sells illegals the idea of having a kid in America where once in, the kid can then sponsor Mom & Dad, plus a plethora of relatives. The SPP fiasco may be real or not. But to think there can be a secure North American security perimeter, is a fools errand. We will always have to secure American soil since there will always be those who will want to do us harm & would use Mexico or Canada to get into the USA to harm us.
We need to get real on this, so illegal aliens can no longer be used and abused as pawns of the greedy!

By S Ralston

January 21st at 7:11pm in Immigration Reform

A very thoughtful post. Nice to hear constructive arguements and ideas. On a semi related note, it will be announced today that the Obama administration plans to intensify a crackdown on employers of illegal immigrants with the establishment of the Employment Compliance Inspection Center. The center would be staffed with specialists who will pore over the I-9 employee files collected from companies targeted for audits. In the fiscal year that ended September 30, 2010, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted audits of more than 2,740 companies, nearly twice as many as the previous year.

By U.S. Chamber of Commerce

January 20th at 9:26am in Immigration Reform

Constitutional Convention

In Montana there is a movement to call for a Constitutional Convention. The call comes from a newly elected Republican State Senator. This call must be defeated, it's unbelievably naive to think one could make such a request and that all would be just fine. What's even more unbeilable is the fact that on the November ballot the call for a State Constitutional Convention was soundly defeated by the citizens of the state. Do you suppose the Republican politicians of the state were asleep when the vote was counted? What's the possibilities that the Republican leadership in the state decided to ignore the will of the citizens of the state and do an end run with the call for a National Constitutional Convention? In whom do you place your trust?

By Robert Starks

January 19th at 11:42am Comment (0)

Stimulus

Why are we just looking at Obama care; the stimulus package of 2007-8. It is full of things that were put in to make Obama care work. Need to defund all of this stuff that no one is talking about.

By Wendell Simmons

January 18th at 9:00pm Comment (1)

1 Comments

That's just the way its done..
Behind closed doors things are done that we never here about
until its put into effect.


By Billy Stevenson

January 19th at 12:30pm in Stimulus

China.

Why has the Leader of China come to the USA to have dinner with President Obama?

By Sherry Stevens

January 18th at 8:20pm Comment (2)

2 Comments

If you think about it China owns the U.S.A. because of the money
the U.S. has borrowed from them. Think about all the moneys collected
from the (made in china) products sold in the US. The Leader of China
can come over and have a free meal any time he feels like I guess

May the trail into tomorrow be brightly lit for your future

By Billy Stevenson

January 19th at 8:02pm in China.

Because they're both Commies?

By Ruthie Hoffman

January 19th at 1:32pm in China.

Barney Frank.

Why is Barney Frank still employed?

By Sherry Stevens

January 18th at 8:12pm Comment (4)

4 Comments

I'll bet if you check into it you will find out they didn't go belly up they just closed the doors and moved down the street and opened under a new name...

By Billy Stevenson

January 20th at 3:00pm in Barney Frank.



Remember Barney Frank was part of the team that was in chage of Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac. Also remember he and his cronies testified before congress that Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac was solvent, no need to worry and look what happened a few months later. It went belly up.

By Richard Cross

January 19th at 10:08pm in Barney Frank.

He's not employed - he was elected. Not sure he's ever actually had a job. Right or wrong, agree or disagree, he hasn't taken the last two years off. He's been in the middle of things..

Now if we can get the other half to engage in governance of the country we may make a little progress.

I'm hopeful.

By Monty Chandler

January 19th at 12:33pm in Barney Frank.

@Sherry. The recent election was actually one of Frank's closest races in his 30 year tenure! Who knows what will happen in 2012...

By Eileen G

January 19th at 12:20pm in Barney Frank.

Why are we the people

Why are we the people of the Haynesville shale being raped so bad by the drilling
company's and it seems no one in the government cares. We are being told the economy is booming in Louisiana but the truth is its not. For example my last royalty
check for 3 Mo's was $9.70 for 3.7 acres. My minerals are being held by the Goodrich petroleum co. of Shreveport,La when they drilled a water well as a test well and can keep our minerals for $1.00 per year for as long as they wish. We were blind sided by the Mitchell co. before the Haynesville shale was ever heard of when we were told that a test well was going to be drilled and if we didn't sign and something was found we would not receive anything. The test well was drilled in (the water well I call it that took 5 days to setup drill and removed ) 2008. There are horizontal wells being drilled all around us that take up to 90 days are more. They are stealing our minerals from under our feet and there is nothing we the people can do about it.

Help us out Mr.Bill Miller

PS to anyone who reads this.
If a land man comes to your door wanting you to sign a lease
tell him to kiss where the sun don't shine or put $50.000.00 cash
in your hand per acre plus 50% royalties.

By Billy Stevenson

January 18th at 6:53pm Comment (0)

State of the Union

It was announced yesterday that President Obama's annual State of the Union address will be on Tuesday, January 25th. The speech will officially be Obama's second State of the Union address, and his fourth to a joint session of Congress. But it will be his first speaking to a Republican-majority House, with Boehner replacing Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi on the dais behind the president.

Will you tune it? Do you expect any specific issues to be general themes?

We'll be live tweeting throughout the address. Follow uscmiller on Twitter for live updates and commentary.

By U.S. Chamber of Commerce

January 12th at 1:36pm Comment (1)

1 Comments

I will watch just to hear his eloquent delivery of more and more lies to the American people.

We all know he speaks well, years of free education at some of the finest learning institutions in the country. But these same institutions that have turned out some of our greatest minds, failed in the most important aspect of the president's education, ethical behavior.

Living in Illinois, I am no longer shocked when corruption and dishonesty are exposed in every level and department of government. Whether it is local, statewide or national, executive, judicial and legislative improprieties abound. And along comes Barrack Obama and says, he is the instrument of change in our national government. "No more business as usual." And, he was right. He brought a level of corruption and contempt of the American people unprecedented in our history. "The Louisiana Purchase, the Cornhusker Kickback," bills written by people outside government and unread by legislators before voting on them. Closed door deal making meetings and Nancy Peloser saying, "We have to pass this bill so we can see what is in it," not only sounds like the old politics, but some new twists brought in by the shadowy people behind the Executive.

So yes, I am going to watch his speech. I am going to watch it with the hope there will be more like Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) that call him out when he lies. He made a great speech in Arizona last week about civility. One way for him to be more civil is not to lie to the American people. If he does lie and if he is speaking, he is lying, then he should be called on it on the spot. I believe it is time for we Americans to demand better of our elected officials.

By Michael (Mike) Schindel

January 19th at 10:51am in State of the Union