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Musings of a Senior Scribe
Our Ohio Boy, Boehner
By Mona Lease
Hi, all!! Words show up in my mind. They form themselves into columns.
I never really noticed until I read Forbes magazine. Then it "clicked."
I've written about Ozymandias. I've most recently written about the
"Mirror." Forbes Magazine credits John Boehner with "blindsiding"
Obama. While Obama was strutting around "Ozymandias style" about having
forced Republicans to raise the tax rates on "the wealthiest Americans"
- Boehner quietly made 99% of the Bush Tax cuts permanent.
Speaker of the House, John Boehner, told Wall Street Journal's Steve
Moore - "When we had a Republican House & Senate and a Republican
in the White House - we couldn't get that done (permanent Bush Tax
cuts). And Boehner reported that Obama was sure the Republicans would
call for ending the "cliff" - the 2011 Sequester. This will trim
spending for discretionary programs - defense and domestic. This
includes deep defense cuts.
The biggest plus just might be when the Alternative Minimum Tax Patch
was made permanent. We looked at that, too - back in the fall of 2012.
This is in part - No deduction for personal exemptions other than the
Alternative Minimum Tax specific exemption - Home mortgage interest
deduction is limited to interest on purchase money mortgages for first
and second residences only - (no double dipping as it were, with a
deduction for a second mortgage)- Medical expenses must exceed 10% of
the adjusted gross income - and state, local, and foreign taxes are not
deductible.
Whatever else the Bush Tax Cuts did - they put more money back into the
middle class pockets. I can't promise any of this will stay. But -
putting this together -
Someone preened and crowed about "forcing someone to do something." The
"mirror" reflected such a beautiful image - power, wealth, status,
homage, and such. As in the poem "Ozymandius - also last fall's column
- when we do a "good deed" for our own glory - build monuments to
ourselves - "Time" will make them crumble. All that will remain is a
few "crumbled words" with no one really knowing the ideal for which you
stood.
If you remember the movie Scarface - you'll remember the final scene -
Al Pacino sought all of the above. Yes - he was on the wrong side of
the "law", but the analogy is the same. He started firing his
"little friend" at the invading enemy. In the midst of the "mirror
image", bullets, and ensuing chaos - one man, one gun, one bullet, was
all that was required to take down "The King."
The little "shuffley - doo" with the debt ceiling postponed until May,
and the "spending freeze" Boehner imposed are monumental steps in the
right direction - I believe. While the debate is on about the validity
of pushing the debt ceiling decision to May 19, 2013 - this gives the
powers that be 4 months to "go crazy" with spending - maybe the
"Sequester" will be allowed to do it's work. Maybe cuts will be made
and our troops will come home - all of them. Maybe we can fix our own
problems in the "Homeland." Maybe we can be a family with the values
upon which this country was founded, again; firmly in place.
I claim no particular religion - I follow truth and try to stay away
from the cutting edge of that. And I claim no political party. I'm for
"the best man/woman for the job." Whatever else is said - Boehner is
willing to "chance the rapids and dare the tides."
Remember the kiddies and our service people. Take good care of the
furry and feathered ones out there. Be safe and healthy. See ya next
time. Ever Toodles!! MONA
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