In Michigan, if you receive Medicaid benefits for your child, you owe $30 a month dues to SEIU. Why? In 2006 parents of children receiving this aid were classified caregivers and as such, by default, public employees making them automatically members of the union and requiring them to pay union dues to SEIU. Talk about Medicaid Fraud!

In 2006, then Governor Granholm reached this agreement with the union resulting in $6 million or more in additional monies into the union's coffers. In 2010 she also declared that in-home daycare providers were state employees and therefore also required to pay dues. The 2010 decision has since been overturned but the state senate is blocking the overturning of the 2006 requirement.

I expect that soon some "progressive" legislator will declare that Social Security recipients are effectively government employees and required to pay dues.

The story can be found here.

In Washington D.C. a project to redevelop the City Center, which is a 100% privately funded project, will, if the unilateral decisions stands, be required to conform with the Davis-Bacon Act, which, requires "prevailing wages" to be paid. Unfortunately, prevailing wage has been effectively defined as current union wage rates for comparative occupations.

This project, around $700 million, will not use and goverment funding nor will it house any government offices. Lawers for the developers and the city of Washington D.C. declared to investors that Davis Bacon would not apply. A review by the NLRB, in 2009, declared that Davis Bacon would not apply. However, in June, an administrator in the Wage and Labor Dept. of the NLRB ruled that it does apply. Why? Here is the so-called justification.

"The District owns the land, which it is leasing to developers for 99 years; it retains “direct authority” in the form of a limited veto over aspects of construction; and it has touted the public benefits of the project, such as more jobs and tax revenue for the city. Ergo, CityCenter’s hotels and restaurants are “public works,” just like the 14th Street Bridge."

Davis Bacon costs the American taxpayers $billions every year because of the artificial use of union wages, rather than average or even median wages of local trades, in government sponsored construction projects (at all levels of government). However, never in the history of the NLRB has anyone every tried to declare a project is subject to the Davis Bacon rules for the above reasons. It has been common for developers to lease lands owned by the government and not be subject to Davis - Bacon. And never has a project been declared a "public work" merely because it will have public benefit.

If this ruling is allowed to stand, not only will this project either cost the investors more (and therefore the public), or, it could result in the scope of the project being reduced, if not canceled entirely. And future investors will be less likely to invest in future projects with the threat of Davis Bacon rules being extended to private sector projects that have public benefits, which would be virtually every similar development project.

First Boeing, and now this. Will we eventually have to pay our lawncare people Davis Bacon wages?

Full story here.

My wife and I have really enjoyed a new show this summer, Expedition Impossible. It started with 13 teams of 3 going on an expedition across Morocco, from the deserts to the snow covered mountains. The teams had to race through each stage of the expedition, walking, climbing, riding camels, riding semi-wild horses, kayaking, white water rafting, rappelling, crawling through caves, navigating narrow paths along cliff edges, swimming rivers, etc. And also solve puzzles that required dexterity, observation, and brain power. And it all relied heavily on teamwork. The teams are made up of everyday ordinary people (3 sisters), atheletes ( 3 former NFL players) cops, firemen, outdoorsmen, etc.

Our favorite team quickly became NO LIMITS (each team has their own name). They are three guys from Colorado. One of them is blind, another is his brother. The third is a 3 tour Afghanistan vet. These guys are inspiring, they were always in the top teams coming in, until the vet severely injured, or re-injured, his foot in an episode.

The blind guy has such trust in his brother and his brother always, always has his back. They rappel down cliffs (300 feet) and the blind guy follows his brothers direction unhesitatingly. They take individual kayaks and he has faith in his brothers directions to navigate the rapids and boulders. He even zip lined across a river. The most amazing example of faith and trust was when they were given the choice of jumping off of a 40 foot cliff into a river or taking a 20-30 minute detour. He put his full faith in his brother and was led to the edge (no easy feat for anyone that can see) and, holding hands, jumped when his brother gave the signal. WOW!.

With several episodes to go, the Afghan vet severely injured his foot. But, he had a cast put on it, and iced it every night, and continued the expedition every day, in agonizing pain. They have managed to successfully stave off elimination each stage since then, but admittedly, they did have some luck that one team went the wrong way (even with GPS).

There is one team that I really hope does not win, called the FAB 3. It is a woman, her gay brother AJ, and his former partner. I'm ok with the sister, although she is a whiner, also ok with the former partner, he just goes along and get's it done. But that AJ is a snake. He continues to hope that NO LIMITS and the team that will probably win, the Gypsies somehow have misfortune "take them out" of the competition as he puts it.

The Gypsies will probably win, but they are great, and truly love the competion, the tougher the better. If NO LIMITS doesn't win, I hope it is them. They do deserve it both as competitors but especially as sportsmen. They are quality guys. 

But back to the original topic, if you truly want to be inspired, watch the finale, and pay attention to those guys on NO LIMITS. It will truly inspire you and re-inforce that there are people out there who have your back.

Expedition Impossible on ABC, 9:00 PM Thursday.

We have pulled all the rabbits out of the hat, and there are no more rabbits. . . . We are a confused, bewildered group of people, and we are not delivering the goods.” Congressman Maury Maverick, D-Texas.

If you look into today's congress, you won't find Maury. He was an ardent FDR supporter and a proponent of the New Deal. And one to recognize, along with FDR's good buddy Morgenthau that all that spending wasn't working.

In September Presdident Obama will announce his latest "jobs plan" (how many more jobs will be lost by then?). Of course, will it really be a plan or another "we cannot score a speech" moment. But I fully expect proposals for more federal spending. After all the 2009 stimulus worked so well.

Expected parts of the plan include more infrastructure spending, above the $322 billion included in the original stimulus plan and tax cuts. Of course where will those tax cuts go? Much of the tax cuts included in the stimulus package were allocated to "green businesses" and look how well that is working. even the New York Times recognizes that this program has failed miserably.  SolFocus, a Silicon Valley "green company" stimulus funds recipient, produces solar panels, in China. Over 50% of the wind turbine parts subsidized by the stimulus package were made in China. Evergreen Solar, recipient of $100's of millions of government subsidies closed its American plant, eliminating 800 jobs, and moved operations to China. It is now filing for bankruptcy in the U.S.

Will this new "plan" include something different? Probably not. But there is one thing that can help kill two birds with one job stone. And, it won't cost taxpayers any money. Open up more areas, both on shore and offshore, for oil and natural gas exploration and drilling. In fact, it will generate the "revenues" that this administration wants to raise taxes on the evil rich in order to obtain (another myth). It will generate revenues in several ways: revenues from leases, revenues from permits, and, increased income tax revenues from the 1000's of jobs that will directly be created plus the thousands more that will be indirectly created.

Now that would be a real jobs bill. It won't cost the taxpayers anything. I could not only end the pending double dip but also drive real GDP up.

And, it will also result in one other big benefit for the economy. It will effectively reduce consumer prices, for fuel, and all things directly impacted by fuel costs, including food.

But I am not holding my breath.

Again, won't take too many words, just a couple of pictures:

Reasons number 1 & 2: my 1 year old grand twins Calleigh & Jackson

Reason #3, my soon to be 6 grandson Daniel

OK, I admint, I used the same pictures as in my post why I am not a liberal.

Because of and for them, I will fight against bigotry and for the freedom to associate with whom they will, to love whom they would. Because of them and for them I will fight against any abstinence only policy of sex education. Because of and for them I will against the imposition of any religious position in our laws.

And a few more reasons:

Michael Alan Weiner

Bill Cunningham

World Net Daily

While this will have few words it only takes two pictures to provide my top three reasons for not being a liberal.

The first reason is my oldest grandchild, Daniel.

Reasons 2 & 3, my latest grandchildren, Calleigh & Jackson.

Because of and for them, I cannot accept and will fight against policies that continue to increase the debt that they will inherit. Because of and for them I will fight against policies that will grant them less freedom opportunity and liberty than I had growing up. Because of and for ,them I will fight against policies that seek mediocrity rather than exceptionalism.

And, just because, reasons 4, 5, & 6 that I not a liberal are:

Keith Olbermann

Ed Schultz

Jeanine Garafalo

Before recessing, and after passing the Debt Ceiling bill, the House of Representatives passed a bill providing for another short term extension of the FAA Taxes and Trust Fund. Reid did not allow the bill to come to the floor for a vote and now there are 4000 FAA employees on furlough until after Labor Day (at the earliest), approximately 70000 construction workers off of FAA projects and a projected short fall of taxes (on the sale of airline tickets) of over $1.2 billion.

Reid, and the rest of the dems, are accusing the republicans of being anti-labor and adding anti-labor provisions to the bill. Reid is also accusing Delta Airlines for encouraging the republicans to over turn a new labor rule that would all but guarentee unionization of it flight attendants, even though in every vote, those same flight attendants have rejected unionization.

However, there is no such language in the bill!  The only provision placed in the bill is for the taxpayers to stop subsidizing ticket prices, at small regional airports, by $1000 or more. Yes, one of those airports that would lose the subsidy is here, but, why should taxpayers pay $1000 so that I can fly to Atlanta for less than $100. Unfortunately, it still provides for subsidizies that are $999.99 and lower.

So Harry and Barbara and Jay and others were willing to go on their 5 week paid break, while almost 75,000 are forced into a period even longer of non-paid unemployment, all so they could use hyperbole and demagoguery against the opposing party. And that doesn't even address the other jobs that might be affected, in stores, restaurants, etc. It doesn't consider that many might have their credit ratings damaged and be forced to pay higher interest rates. All so Harry et al can continue their attack on those that have opposing viewpoints.

Come on America. Even the most far left liberal can see that Reid is more than willing to put ideology ahead of the well being of Americans. Come on Harry. If you refuse to read, at least hire some aids that can. Or maybe have one or your senate interns read it.

And when someone asks you, Harry, where are the jobs you promised, you can take credit for losing 74,000 of them.

Catch the full story here.

The following charts show the month to month residential real estate sales volume of the Greater Athens Ga metropolitan area for the months of May 2010 through June 2011. Sales volume of residential real estate was up again in June over May marking the fifth consecutive month of rising volume. National figures showed a decrease in sales volume in Jue.  The June 2011 volume is up a whopping 21% from May 2011 and a very strong 12% over June 2010 sales volume marking the first year to year increase in over a year. This continued volume increase is probably driven by several factors including the number of bargains on the market and a slightly positive increase in perception of the economy.

Chart 1 shows the trends for both the number of residential units sold and the average number of Days on Market (D.O.M.) for residential units sold. June 2011 volume had a 32 unit increase over May. Again, if fuel and food costs have not been rising significantly this might have been higher.  Also, while there are jobs being created, the unemployment rate is not dropping significantly. And only a strong increase in employment will really be able to sustain and grow the real estate market. However, the uncertainty in the stock market due to the debt ceiling issues and the credit rating of the U.S. may have an impact on coming months sales.

Chart 1

Residential Units Sold and Days on Market in the Athens MSA

The total number of residential units sold in June 2011 was 183 units, up from the 151 units in May 2011. While Athens-Clarke County and Oconee County accounted for all of the increase in volume. Madison County was flat while Jackson and Oglethorpe Counties had decreases in sales volume.  The average days on market also showed a positive trend decreasing from 189 to 185 days. However, only Athens-Clarke County and Jackson County showed a decrease in D.O.M while the other areas had increases.

There were 202 residential properties under contract and pending closing in the area at the end of June, down from the 240 under contract at the end of May. Residential properties include single family homes, condos, townhomes, mobile homes and modular homes.

Chart 2

Residential Average & Median Sales Prices in the Athens GA MSA

Chart 2 shows an increase in the average sales price however the median sales prices did decline May 2011. Athens-Clarke County and Oglethorpe County experienced increases in sales prices while Oconee, Jackson and Madison Counties experienced decreases. Oglethorpe and Madison Counties experienced increases in median sales prices while Oconee, Jackson and Athens-Clarke Counties showed decreases.  At the risk of sounding repetitive, sales prices going forward, both average and median, continue to be dependant upon the recovery of the economy and an increase in jobs and employment and are subject to the same risks from increasing fuel prices as sales volume is. They are also going to be affected by the number of REO (bank owned foreclosures) and Short Sale properties on the market.

The Greater Athens Metropolitan area, for this report, includes Athens-Clarke County, Oconee County, Oglethorpe County, Jackson County and Madison County. All chart information is derived from data in the Athens Area Association of Realtors® multiple listing service (MLS).

Now this is a cool new tool. Would be great for on or adjacent to desks and countertops. Does not look like it has UL approval yet, at least there is no indication on the web page, so, if a fire occurred from the outlet there could be insurance ramifications. I will be emailing the company about there plans for UL review.

I totally disagree with Tony on this. Increasing taxes will affect the housing market more than cutting government spending. Lower taxes means more discretionary money available. The government has increased spending by about 40% in less than 3 years. Cutting it back by the small percentage that is being proposed will still keep the spending too high.