Just in Case You Didn't Know

I do plan on doing a post soon about us and what we are up to but in the mean time I just had to post another(yes another) political post in case you didn't know this....We all need to know what our government is doing...

If It Ain't Broke, Keep Spending
Who needs a joke book for Christmas when there's a new report on stimulus spending? Just in time for Recovery Act 2.0, Sens. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) have unloaded an eye-popping list of the 100 worst abuses of the $787 billion stimulus. Sure, we can all sleep easier knowing that the government has invested $943,000 in "Dinner Cruise Terror Prevention," but clown ballets? Giant tube art? Costumes for "Bobber the Water Safety Dog?"
One would think this report gives Republicans all the ammunition they need to shoot down another stimulus package, but it looks like President Obama is moving full-steam ahead on a second package worth between $75 and $150 billion more. Despite the amazing mismanagement of the first plan and a rising unemployment rate, the President said, "...[W] e have a shared responsibility to meet our economic challenges on behalf of all Americans: those who elected us to make sure that we're doing the people's business." If by "the people's business," he means developing more golf courses (#5), "talking water gardens" (#64), and Alcatraz boat tours (#56), count us out. Meanwhile, Congress isn't the only one having fun with your taxpayer dollars. So is my staff. Check out The Cloakroom Blog for more highlights from the McCain-Coburn stimulus report in today's post, "My congressman went to D.C. and all I got was this stupid crab pot."

H.R. 3590: Healthcare for the Illegally Employed

In his speech to a joint session of Congress on September 9, 2009, President Obama famously said that the reforms he proposed "would not apply to those who are here illegally." A group of House Democrats who are liberal on the issue immediately fought back. The President initially stood by his remarks and then clarified that the U.S. should then move quickly to legalize the 12 million people in the country here illegally. Currently the House and Senate health care bills include mandates that are expected to help about one million illegal immigrants receive health care coverage from their employers, who are illegally employing them. This according to the Center for Immigration Studies.

Just a quick tip

If you read my second to the last post about the adorable craft cans to give as gifts and like me were excited to try it, hang on a bit. I got out my pop-top soup cans to use for dinner and thought, "Wow, I can actually try that craft now". But low and behold, if I had bothered to go to the tutorial on how to do it rather than assuming I could figure it out, I would have seen that you have to use flat bottomed pop-top cans and something called a "flat edge can opener", which I definitely do not have. I was bummed but decided to keep my eyes open for the right "tools" for the craft and do it another time. I am always wanting to craft around Christmas time. How about you?

A Fact a Day Keeps H.R. 3962 Away

President Obama says: Eat your vegetables! Believe it or not, Section 2572 of the House bill orders the federal government to regulate vending machines with nutrition labels on items in plain sight before people purchase their food. The measure would also mandate retail food establishments "part of a chain with 20 or more locations" to list calorie counts "on the menu board--including a drive-thru board."

Courtesy of Family Research Council

Neighbor Christmas Gift Idea #17 – Pop Top Treats

#17 Neighbor Christmas Gift Idea… How fun will it be for your neighbors to pop the top to some yummy Christmas treats!

You just open the original pop top can from the bottom with a can opener, use the contents, wash it out, fill with treats, glue the bottom back on, decorate, and deliver!
So clever, and oh so very GREEN!!
Thanks Not So Idle Hands for this fun idea and great tutorial on how to make it!

This came from the Fabulessly Frugal Blog that I follow very regulary.

No Insurance? Go to Jail, Do Not Pass Go

Today's fact of the day on the recently passed health care bill, H.R. 3962 is don't have insurance? Pay a fine or go directly to jail. Under the House legislation "Americans who do not maintain acceptable health insurance coverage and who choose not to pay the bill's new individual mandate tax (generally 2.5% of income), are subject to numerous civil and criminal penalties, including criminal fines of up to $250,000 and imprisonment of up to five years." This is according to the non-partisan Congressional Joint Tax Committee, which also defines the penalties as a "tax." This applies to all American citizens, thus further breaking the President's promise of "[u]nder my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase." Additionally businesses could be fined up to 8 percent of their payroll if they fail to comply with the government mandate. There are also further penalties, or taxes, for underpayment or for "taking a frivolous position" on the government mandate.

courtesty of Family Research Council

Pressing Cider

B#1 has always wanted to build a cider press but we just haven't gotten around to it so we were so excited when a family from our church offered their cider press for anyone to use. We have three apple trees and had some apples leftover from our pickings so the children went out (in the pouring rain) to pick them so we could take them to another family's house after church to make some cider.