Saudi National Questioned in Boston Attack was on Terror Watch List
Todd Starnes
The Saudi national who was initially detained and then ruled out as a suspect in the Boston Marathon terrorist attack had been flagged on a terror watch list and was granted a student visa without being properly vetted, sources have told me.
A source close to the investigation revealed that the Saudi national had been deemed inadmissible under the section of the Immigration and Nationality Act which declares ineligible for a visa – any alien who is engaged in or is likely to engage after entry – in terrorist activity.
At least two additional sources have confirmed to me that the Saudi national is set to be deported as early as this week, contrary to statements made by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.
The House Homeland Security Committee is now requesting a classified briefing with Napolitano to get to the bottom of the issue, according to an exclusive report from The Blaze.
Napolitano denied anyone was being deported in a heated exchange Thursday with Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) during a House hearing.
Ira Einhorn, Earth Day’s Dirty Secret
By Ken Anderson Apr 22, 2006 Magic City Morning Star
On this, the 36th anniversary of Earth Day, it is only fitting to speak of one of its founders, Ira Einhorn.
You won’t find Ira Einhorn’s name listed in any of the Earth Day promotional literature, as the organizers have taken great pains to distance themselves from this man, at least since he became better known for composting his girlfriend in a trunk in his closet for a couple of years in the late 1970s.
Earth Day organizers and publicists don’t want to have anything to do with Ira these days. Since he was convicted of murder, he hasn’t been very useful to them. But that wasn’t always the case. In 1970, during the first Earth Day event, which was televised throughout the globe, Ira Einhorn was on stage as master of ceremonies.
Or so he claims, and it seems likely that he was.
A friend and contemporary of Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin, and acquaintance of authors Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsburg, Timothy Leary, Alvin Toffler, and Isaac Asimov, Einhorn held the floor for a half hour, during the first Earth Day celebration, in Philadelphia, kissing Edmund Muskie on the lips before surrendering the microphone to the Senator from Maine. There is no evidence that Muskie rejected his advances, or that anyone associated with the event had ever voiced any disagreement with Einhorn’s place as a key organizer until after his arrest for the murder of Holly Maddux. https://www.hawaiifreepress.com/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/ID/2023/Ira-Einhorn-Earth-Days-Dirty-Secret.aspx
Major Terror plot to attack ‘railroad between US and Canada’ thwarted
Authorities thwarted a terror plot in Canada to attack a railroad between Toronto and New York City, US law enforcement and National Security sources have told Reuters.
Authorities have thwarted a plot in Canada to attack a railroad that carries a daily Amtrak passenger train between Toronto and New York City, US law enforcement and national security sources told Reuters.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation earlier reported that Canadian police and intelligence agencies will announce multiple arrests on Monday evening after an operation to thwart a “major terrorist attack.”
Two arrested and charged over Canada terror plot .Canadian police have given a news conference about a foiled terrorist attack against a passenger train on which has led to two people being arrested and charged.
The Royal Canadian Mountain Police named the two accused as Chiheb Esseghaier and Raed Jaser, from the Montreal and Toronto areas respectively.
It followed an “extensive and complex” criminal investigation called Project Smooth that began in August 2012 which found that they were conspiring to carry out an al-Qaeda supported attack.
Ridgewood YMCA Healthy Kid Day!
Sat, April 27, 2013
Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Ridgewood YMCA, 112 Oak Street, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
On Saturday, April 27, the Ridgewood YMCA is celebrating YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day® with a free community event that encourages kids to get moving and learning, and families living healthier. Healthy Kids Day, the Y’s national initiative to improve families’ health and well-being, takes place at 1,900 Ys and kick-starts healthier behaviors now and throughout the summer, a critical out-of-school time for children’s health.
The Ridgewood Y’s Healthy Kids Day takes place at 112 Oak Street in Ridgewood from 10:00am to 2:00pm and features fun, active play and educational activities, such as youth sport games, Family Zumba, healthy living and nutrition demonstrations, a magic show, karate, and much more.
The Ridgewood YMCA is proud to also host representatives from The Junior League of Bergen County (www.thejlbc.org), who will be presenting a “Kids In The Kitchen” workshop featuring healthy cooking demonstrations, fun crafts, and family-focused healthy living activities.
YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day is supported by national media partners Sprout and Lazy Town, who are committed to encouraging kids to lead a healthy lifestyle.
For more information, contact Megan Heller at 201.444.5600 x375 or visit www.ridgewoodymca.org
Reader have serious issues with Valley Engineers testimony
I have many years experience in the construction business and sat through the meeting the other night. What I would like to have asked Mr. Gouda is if he has ever heard of human error? Such as errors in explosive loading (too much!)? Terrential rains that cause wall collapses? etc?
Does Mr. Gouda realize that assuming nearby homes, particularly their foundations,were built to current NJ Uniform Construction Codes is probably wrong? Many of the homes in the neighborhood are well over 100 year old and their foundations may not be concrete, etc. with the strength is assuming.
Mr. Gouda may have thought it funny to say the Village would make a nice profit if they pumped groundwater into the sanitary sewer system but I was left thinking . . . “Since Valley is non-profit, do the actually pay if this were to happen?”
And what happens in high flow periods, when the sewage treatment facility is already on overflow?
One of my favorite statements of the night . . . “Rock will be removed by an appropriate method. That will be up to the contractore”. Really? How can I make an informed decision about this project without knowing any specifics. I should just take Valley’s word for it?
Another issue – does anyone know if the original proposal which would have resulted in 22,000 truck trips (for Phase 1) used 10 cubic yard trucks or 15 cubic yard trucks? Did they reduce the truck trips by increasing the size of the trucks? 15 cubic yard trucks are enormous.
If the sand/gravel to be removed has 10 – 12% fines (silts), then it has some significant % moisture which means it has some real weight to it. Can our roads take a 15 cy dump truck loaded with wettish silty sand? What will be the cost to our infrastructure? Will roads need to be resurfaced? Will gas lines be shifted? etc.
Mr. Gouda laughed off the notion of harmonic frequency and liquifaction . . . how but just addressing these potentially significant issue instead????
And although the amount of rock to be removed is small, it will involve blasting. The notion that overlaying soils/sediment will “dampen the impact” is to a certain degree flawed. A blast creates a certain amount of energy that energy has to go somewhere. It disperses into the surrounding soild provided those soils are completely homogeneous. Otherwise, it goes along the path of least resistance. If any of the near-site soils are stratified, there will not be equal dissipation of energy.
And I think there needs to be ALOT more information on the underground injection wells that would be proposed. One resident expressed concern about habitual flooding down near Sollas Court and ground water infiltration. Will shallow underground injection of the construction wastewater exacerbate this problem. Certainly it seems that groundwater intrusion will be increased in lower lying homes and basements.
Its funny that we may never know the exact reason why the Boston bombings took place. One suspect is dead and the other is critically injured in hospital with severe injuries to his neck and “tongue.” His ability to talk maybe infringed upon because of the injuries that he suffered. The police are saying that the injuries to the suspect may have been self inflicted in an attempt to commit suicide.
Meanwhile, the people of Boston have been placed under an illusion of safety – that everything is ok now as we caught the bombers but if you look at the facts around this case, things just don’t add up.
Five years ago, the Russian government requested assistance from the FBI to locate and question the eldest brother, who was shot dead on Friday morning. The FSB (Russian Intelligence Services) made this request because it suspected that Tamerlan Tsarnaev had connections to Islamic Chechen terrorists, who have been fighting Russian forces since 1991. These are the guys responsible for the Beslan school hostage crisis in 2004 in which 380 people (adults and children) where murdered after a three day siege when Chechen terrorists took close to 1200 people (770 children) hostage.
So here are my first questions:
1. Why would two guys of Chechen background, attack anything in the US?
a. The Chechen-based terrorist spokes people have stated that they have no issues with the US – they only have issues with the Russian Federation.
2. If these guys did not commit the bombings on behalf of the Chechen terrorists, but did so as part of an Al-Qaeda –planned attach, why did they not commit suicide, i.e. blow themselves up? They would have known that they would be caught – they were intelligent people, by all accounts. I mean, if you look at all the crazy Islamic terrorist attacks aimed against the West and those countries that support the US, you will notice that the fact that these were not suicide bombings are a little bizarre. For example, New York/DC (2001), Madrid (2004), London (2005) and countless others in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Every bombing carried out with an Al Qaeda connection has been a suicide bombing – why not these two?
a. Now, the police chief in Boston has “Speculated” that these two guys were going to carry out more bombings because of the devices that were found at the scene of the shootout in which Tamerian Tsarnaev was killed. Are there confirmed, third party, reports that such devices were found and if so, by whom?
3. Why, if the FSB in Moscow did request FBI assistance in locating and questioning Tamerian Tsarnaev five years ago, was he granted permission to enter Russia and why was he not arrested upon arrival in Moscow last year while in transit to visit his home state of Dagestan?
4. If the FBI had been given the heads up about the suspected ties that Tarnerian Tsarnaev had with suspected Chechen terrorists, why, upon his arrival back in the US was he not quizzed further about his whereabouts and activities in Russia where he stayed for six months?
a. Why was his residency status in the US not revoked?
5. Why, as his mother stated to a Russian news outlet, if the FBI were tracking Tarnerian Tsarnaev’s every move did they not know what he was planning, if he actually did plan the Boston bombing or if he was just a pawn?
So, as we are led to believe, everything is fine in Boston and everything is returning to normal across the US – no need to worry, we got the guys responsible for the Boston bombing. Or did we?
The reports are now filtering through that there is a sleeper cell, consisting of 12 people that the FBI are now hunting. A sleeper cell? That is a little drastic – I mean, come on, one minute the people are being told, “great, the city is clear, everybody can relax, go to Fenway and watch the Red Sox, etc.” now they are being told, “hey, we are looking for another 12 people blah blah blah!!!” I think this is creating a situation whereby anybody that looks or speaks different in Boston will be reported to the police. Anybody that speaks Russian will definitely be reported to the police – all this will give the police an excuse to close the city – lock people in their homes, places of work, anywhere – and for what purpose?
The lock down happened very fast – what happens when a lock down is ordered again and then again and then again until the government states that it is highly likely that the city of Boston will remain in constant lockdown – what city will be next?
We have had critics of the US government come out this week stating that the government has lost the plot when it comes to keeping the US safe – which the president has stated that the authorities are very close to bringing down Al Qaeda. The simple response to this is BOLLIX!!!!
We are constantly told that the leadership of Al Qaeda is on the brink? But who are the leadership and if they are that close to the brink, why are they not being pushed over already?
The simple answer is the fact that no-body knows what to do. How many experts have been brought on discuss all these issues so that the American people can be informed?
Every US channel has experts in all facets of experience when it comes to fighting Al Qaeda. Or do they – Dr. Jo Schmo, Director of foreign blah blah balh at Georgetown University and Dr. Bitch on Wheels, Professor of steering shit at Harvard are here to discuss the latest…” The American people are listening to these idiots as if they know what the hell is going on, but most of all, as if they have a clue what they are talking about. The truth is they don’t and everything they say comes from the US authorities. “Hey, this is what we want you to say on Fox, NBC, CBS, etc.” We want the world to know that we are on top of the situation. THEY ARE NOT and this builds another case to ask – why in his most recent State of the Union Address, did President Obama declare that:
“I am “confident” of achieving “our objective of defeating the core of al-Qaeda”. Although I acknowledged the need to pursue the “remnants” of the terrorist group and its affiliates, the overall message is clear – al-Qaeda was badly degraded, the tides of war were receding and the US was winning this fight that was no longer even officially a war.”
Who in the name of God is advising the President of the United States on this stuff???? Defeating the core of Al-Qaeda??? Do they even know what that means??? Do they understand what Al-Qaeda is??? Obviously not by the sound of things.
What most people don’t know is the fact that it was the US that gave Al-Qaeda its name. When the Afghan mujahedeen were fighting to expel the Soviet troops, the US government supplied the mujahedeen with weapons and money. The weapons were sent to the mujahedeen’s key base at Al Farouq through Pakistan– as the literal translation in Arabic from English for base is Al-Qaeda, the use of the name became common amongst CIA operatives in the area, and hence Al-Qaeda was born. It was here that the key weaponry was sent and the money was filtered through Pakistan. All this was done under the CIA’s code name Operation Cyclone.
It is known that the millions of dollars that the US government secured for use in Afghanistan were tunneled to Al Qaeda by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, whom Pakistan believed was their man in Afghanistan. The funding of the mujahedeen was initially approved by President Carter and then President Regan intensified CIA involvement. The CIA would later claim that at no stage was Al-Qaeda been funded by the US – but what was Al-Qaeda, only the base headquarters of the mujahedeen. The CIA claimed that they funded local rebel groups – but these were groups that, after the withdrawal of the last Soviet troops in 1988 went on to form the Taliban. It was Pakistani Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto that informed President George HW Bush, upon his election as President, that the US was creating a Frankenstein in Afghanistan.
And so we had, as early as the late 1980’s the development of what we now know today as Al Qaeda, a well-financed, global terror group that would become the McDonalds of the world of terrorism. It was franchised out across the world to grow the ideals and teachings of Islam, under the guise of Sunni Muslim teachings. While its global leadership and financing were headed by Osama Bin Laden, its operational procedure was based on centralized leadership and financing and decentralized operations which meant that groups in various parts of the world did not need approval from the snakes head to wiggle its tail.
Hence what President Obama said in his state of the union address pertaining to “being “confident” of achieving “our objective of defeating the core of al-Qaeda”. Bin Laden is dead – the key players are dead or in prison so how are they still able to carry out the murderous acts that they continue to commit?
The US and its allies supported the over throw of Colonel Quaddiffi in 2012. They financed the insurgents in Libya – it was the very same insurgents that killed the US ambassador in October 2012 but only now are they being called terrorists – why? They were not terrorists when they over threw Quaddaffi and hunted him and his family down. No, they were key players in making Libya a more stable democratic country (BULLSHIT). But the US and its allies have also supported the insurgents in Tunisia, Algeria, and Egypt and now in Syria – but who are the insurgents??? They are Al Qaeda backed groups that have the most extremist Islamic beliefs drawn from Wahhabism, Shafi’ism, Malikism and Hanafism. Nobody can imagine what the Middle East will look like in 20 years’ time should Syria collapse, followed by Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, etc.
The dangers posed to the US are huge – and in the strategy map of Al Qaeda its plan is working – Al Qaeda planned for the US to invest its military in numerous wars in the Middle East so that it would go broke by 2020 because it could not continue to support these wars – the US dollar would crumble and the population of the US would be crying out because the country had fallen apart – no jobs, inflation out the window, just a nightmare situation.
It is up to the great people of the US not to accept the word of the government or the law enforcement agencies anymore – they will continue to tell lie after lie after lie. It all started with Iraq and WMDs – billions of dollars and thousands of lives lost – there were no WMDs in Iraq and the government knew that before it invaded the country and committed the people of the US to years of hell.
Don’t accept the “official” line about Boston as it is much too serious to. Questions need to asked and answered and if we act like sheep and follow the official line, then we will be slaughtered like sheep and believe me, nobody wants that to happen.
National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day – Ridgewood Police -April 27
National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has scheduled another National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day which will take place at the Ridgewood Police Department, Village Hall, 131 N. Maple Avenue on Saturday, April 27, 2013, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity for those who missed the previous events, or who have subsequently accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of those medications.
In the four previous Take-Back events, DEA in conjunction with our state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners have collected more than 2 million pounds (1,018 tons) of prescription medications were removed from circulation.
The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposal, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of these medications.
This program is for household medications, needles and drugs from doctors offices will not be excepted
Nationwide Open House Weekend April 20-21
April 19, 2013 By Michael Shetler
The National Association of Realtors has declared April 20-21 to be Nationwide Open House Weekend.
Open Houses in Ridgewood, NJ
Starts: 04/21/2013 01:00 pm
Duration: 3 hours:
Ridgewood, NJ
07450
Michael Shetler is a local resident and NJAR Circle of Excellence recipient (2009, 2011) who is happy to serve you in this area. For more information about any of these local homes for sale please call Michael at 201.421.0506 cell or 201.445.4300 office.
Address List Price Bedrooms List Broker
1 258 STEILEN AVE $450,000 4 TERRIE O’CONNOR REALTORS/RIDGEWOOD
2 676 ELLINGTON RD $469,000 3 GILSENAN & CO.
3 11 E GLEN AVE $489,000 4 COLDWELL BANKER, RIDGEWOOD
4 614 ELLINGTON RD $539,000 4 COLDWELL BANKER, RIDGEWOOD
5 430 ALPINE TER $550,000 4 KELLER WILLIAMS VILLAGE SQUARE REALTY
6 296 N MAPLE AVE $599,000 4 KELLER WILLIAMS VILLAGE SQUARE REALTY
7 525 N MONROE ST $699,000 3 KELLER WILLIAMS VILLAGE SQUARE REALTY
8 695 WALL ST $725,000 4 REALMART REALTY, LLC
9 331 WALTHERY AVE $739,900 4 COLDWELL BANKER, RIDGEWOOD
10 415 OAK ST $776,000 4 WEICHERT REALTORS RIDGEWOOD
11 174 MOUNTAIN AVE $799,000 4 TARVIN REALTORS
12 339 PROSPECT ST $815,000 4 ERA/WELCOME REALTY
13 69 SHERMAN PL $819,900 5 COLDWELL BANKER, RIDGEWOOD
14 483 SPRING AVE $869,000 4 TARVIN REALTORS
15 137 COTTAGE PL $909,000 4 COLDWELL BANKER, RIDGEWOOD
16 18 KENILWORTH RD $1,079,000 5 WEICHERT REALTORS RIDGEWOOD
17 245 W RIDGEWOOD AVE $1,150,000 5 TARVIN REALTORS
18 812 NORGATE DR $1,159,000 3 TERRIE O’CONNOR REALTORS/LAKE ST.
19 279 BELLAIR RD $1,199,000 5 TARVIN REALTORS
20 776 WOODFIELD CT $1,390,000 5 TERRIE O’CONNOR REALTORS/SDLRV
21 33 MAYNARD CT $1,698,000 4 KELLER WILLIAMS VILLAGE SQUARE REALTY
22 141 WOODLAND AVE $1,749,000 5 KELLER WILLIAMS VILLAGE SQUARE REALTY
23 237 MOUNTAIN AVE $2,549,000 6 SOLUTIONS REALTY, LLC
24 41 KIRA LN $719,000 3 COLDWELL BANKER, RIDGEWOOD
Boston bombs: Obama lulled America into false confidence over terror threat
The war on terror cannot be fought at an arm’s length – and the attacks on Boston have brought uncertainty back to American streets, writes Peter Foster.
By Peter Foster, US Editor
10:59PM BST 19 Apr 2013
In his State of the Union address to the American people earlier this year, Barack Obama declared that he was “confident” of achieving “our objective of defeating the core of al-Qaeda”.
Although he acknowledged the need to pursue the “remnants” of the terrorist group and its affiliates, the overall message was clear – al-Qaeda was badly degraded, the tides of war were receding and the US was winning this fight that was no longer even officially a war.
The Boston bombings would appear to present a fundamental challenge to that assessment and once again bring the nagging uncertainty of terrorism back on to the American main street.
It is too soon to be absolutely sure the attacks were motivated by jihadist ideology, but the Islamic videos on the website of the older of the two Tsarnaev brothers point very firmly in that direction.
They bring home the complexity of the global Islamist threat and the fact that it cannot be confined to wars in distant lands, or fought at arm’s length using drones, as the Obama administration has quietly yet insistently led America to believe.
Annual RBSA Parade is still ON !!–This Saturday April 20th–Starts 9 am from Westside train station
Family Fair and “MLB – Pitch, Hit & Run Competion” …canceled…to be re-scheduled, due to uncertain weather / field conditions.
RBSA Rec & Travel games still ON..look for coaches emails for any changes by 10am Sat morning.
For the Parade, players meet at the west side of railroad station at 8:30am– Parade starts at 9:00 am sharp.
— Each player is asked to bring a ‘non-perishable’ food item to the train station to support Social Services
— National – MLB – ” Pitch, Hit & Run Competition” Registration form and Details
–RE-SCHEDULED–TBD
— RHS Varsity Home Game at Vets 90 scheduled for 11 am– TBD
— Stop by “Bookends” during or after Parade to meet the author, Ridgewood school teacher, Louisa Luisi, and get a signed copy of ” Your Best Coaches” book ! Proceeds benefit RBSA. and see Mr. Met !
Baucus warns of ‘huge train wreck’ enacting ObamaCare provisions
Guess someone should have taken the time to read the bill before they signed it
By Sam Baker – 04/17/13 12:33 PM ET
Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) said Wednesday he fears a “train wreck” as the Obama administration implements its signature healthcare law.
Baucus, the chairman of the chamber’s powerful Finance Committee and a key architect of the healthcare reform law, said he fears people do not understand how the law will work.
“I just see a huge train wreck coming down,” he told Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius at a Wednesday hearing. “You and I have discussed this many times, and I don’t see any results yet.”
Baucus pressed Sebelius for details about how the Health Department will explain the law and raise awareness of its provisions, which are supposed to take effect in just a matter of months.
“I’m very concerned that not enough is being done so far — very concerned,” Baucus said.
Gallup: Despite Media Attention Only 4% of Americans Think Gun Control is an Important Problem, its the economy stupid !
Clueless media?
Politicians out of touch?
April 16, 2013
CNSNews.com) – Only 4 percent of Americans think guns and gun control are an important problem facing the country, according to Gallup, and far more Americans are concerned about the economy, unemployment and the federal debt.
In its poll from Apr. 4-7, Gallup surveyed 1,005 adults by telephone and asked, “What do you think is the most important problem facing the country today?”
Roofers union calls for Obamacare’s repeal
April 16, 2013 | 5:31 pm | Modified: April 16, 2013 at 6:00 pm
The United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers isreportedly the first union to officially call for repeal of the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. The health care law is prompting some serious buyer’s remorse in Big Labor, which worked hard on behalf of the administration to pass it:
The union’s statement can be found here. The full text is below:
United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers International President Kinsey M. Robinson issued the following statement today calling for a repeal or complete reform of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA):
The union’s statement can be found here. The full text is below:
United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers International President Kinsey M. Robinson issued the following statement today calling for a repeal or complete reform of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA):
“Our Union and its members have supported President Obama and his Administration for both of his terms in office.
But regrettably, our concerns over certain provisions in the ACA have not been addressed, or in some instances, totally ignored. In the rush to achieve its passage, many of the Act’s provisions were not fully conceived, resulting in unintended consequences that are inconsistent with the promise that those who were satisfied with their employer sponsored coverage could keep it.
These provisions jeopardize our multi-employer health plans, have the potential to cause a loss of work for our members, create an unfair bidding advantage for those contractors who do not provide health coverage to their workers, and in the worst case, may cause our members and their families to lose the benefits they currently enjoy as participants in multi-employer health plans.
For decades, our multi-employer health and welfare plans have provided the necessary medical coverage for our members and their families to protect them in times of illness and medical needs. This collaboration between labor and management has been a model of success that should be emulated rather than ignored. I refuse to remain silent, or idly watch as the ACA destroys those protections.
I am therefore calling for repeal or complete reform of the Affordable Care Act to protect our employers, our industry, and our most important asset: our members and their families.”
photo by ArtChick (https://www.artchickphotography.com/)
Play Ball : Annual RBSA Parade & Family Day–This Saturday April 20th–Starts 9am
— Family Events at Veterans Fields immediately following Parade —
— Food & Drink Concessions–Games and Clinics—Great RBSA Merchandise—
— National – MLB – ” Pitch, Hit & Run Competition” Registration form and Details
— RHS Varsity Home Game at Vets 90 !
— Can you help for an hour ?– Parade Day volunteers needed !….contact Brendan Buckley [email protected]
— Stop by “Bookends” during or after Parade to meet the author, Ridgewood school teacher, Louisa Luisi, and get a signed copy of ” Your Best Coaches” book ! Proceeds benefit RBSA. and see Mr. Met !
Where Did Your Tax Dollar Go?
Romina Boccia and Curtis Dubay
April 15, 2013 at 6:32 am
Americans are waking up today to the worst “case of the Mondays” they’ll have all year: It’s Tax Day.
Most Americans dread Tax Day, and for good reasons. Beyond the huge tab Americans pay to the government, the tax code is so complex that it’s difficult to figure out what we owe to the IRS. This is a pain for taxpayers and a huge drain on the economy.
According to the federal Taxpayer Advocate in its 2012 report, Americans’ cost of complying with today’s complex tax code totaled $168 billion in 2010. That’s almost as large as the impact of the Obama tax hikes in fiscal year 2013, and twice the size of sequestration this year [see chart].
It takes taxpayers 6.1 billion hours—or 51 hours per household—to complete all the required filings. That’s more than six full eight-hour working days per household!
The compliance burden comes on top of the direct financial cost of $3.5 trillion in federal spending. In 2012, Washington collected $20,000 in taxes for every household in America. But Washington spent nearly $30,000 per household.
Americans pay high taxes as it is, and with the 13 tax increases that hit this year, tax revenue is growing beyond its historical average as a share of the economy. But Washington’s deficits continue, because spending keeps going up.
Future Tax Days promise to be even worse because of the tax increases from the fiscal cliff deal and from Obamacare. Taxpayers will start seeing these costs when they do their tax returns next April and in future years.
Too much taxing and spending is bad for the nation. Americans are right to be concerned about how the President and Congress allocate their hard-earned money. As the above infographic shows, 45 percent or almost half of all spending went toward paying for Social Security and health care entitlements. Without reforming these massive and growing programs, Washington will have to borrow increasing amounts of money, piling debt onto younger generations and putting the nation on a dangerous economic course.
Growing government spending threatens current and future taxpayers with higher taxes. Congress should reduce spending and prevent any more tax increases. Congress also needs to reform the tax code so it is less of a burden on the American people.
Tax day is a real drag, but it doesn’t have to be this bad. Learn more at savingthedream.org.