Do We Want a Welfare State?

Medicaid is a program for people who can't afford health insurance. Social Security is a program to provide retirement for seniors. Medicare is a program to give health insurance to seniors. Public schools is a program providing education for kids K-12. Smaller programs help the poor with housing and other basic needs. Now, congress is trying to make healthcare the next huge entitlement. As we slide deeper into a welfare state, is this a good thing?

A welfare state is when a country assumes primary responsibility for the welfare of its citizens. At a minimum, it is a "safety net" with varying degrees of welfare. Some would say that its the middle ground between communism and capitalism.

The best example of a successful modern welfare state is Denmark. Citizens in Denmark have healthcare provided for them, retirement, education, and much more. Education is paid for all the way through graduate school. Studies reveal that Denmark people are happy with their system. They have low unemployment since 38% of the people work for the government.

The big negative to any welfare state is taxes. Denmark has the highest taxes in the world. They have a 25%VAT (Value Added Tax) tax. This is a 25% tax on everything you buy. Income tax is 40-60% depending on how much money you make. The automobile tax is 180%. Add the VAT and the taxes on a $10,000 car is over $20,000. Gas is $10 per gallon because of taxes. Not surprisingly, most people take public transportation or ride bikes to get around.

Before you think that the US can join in this fun, let me remind you of some differences between the 2 countries. Denmark is a geographically small nation with a total population equaling about half that of Chicago metro. Economically, they produce their own oil and export about 6 times more than they use. They don't spend much on military. In WWII they surrendered to Hitler in the first 2 hours of the invasion. I doubt they will be much help against any threat today.

The real cost of a welfare system is economic freedom. Most of your money will go to the government for redistribution to its citizens. People in the US want the benefits of a welfare state, but without the cost. We must be willing to sign over our checks to the government, trust them to provide good services, and submit to their decisions regarding personal issues. I oppose this and it explains why conservatives are against a national healthcare plan.

I also believe America is unique. Liberals despise that attitude. America has been the most successful capitalistic enterprise in the history of the world. Where would Europe be today without the capitalism of America? It provided the resources necessary for a victorious campaign in WWII and the Marshall Plan, paid for by Americans, to rebuild Europe after the devastation. If Hitler had won, where would Denmark be today?

We don't want any citizen to go hungry or live with inadequate healthcare. I believe the answer is capitalism. To get the full benefits of capitalism the government needs to start with tax reform. Instead of our complex, outdated, and unfair system we could do something like Denmark's VAT. Do away with all taxes and then establish one tax with no loopholes. It would be a consumption tax paid at the point of purchase of any product or service. Proponents of this "FairTax Plan" say that to pay for current government expenses it would take around 25%. As people and businesses prosper they will buy more and the government will have more money.

Honest capitalism should raise that standard of living for every citizen and even foreign business partners. Instead of traveling the world and apologizing for America, Obama needs another summit to study what made America great. Obama campaigned on the promise to grow the welfare state. Is this really what we want?

Check out Bill's blog at http://www.questionsbybill.com.

New State Laws Regarding Mortgage Broker Law May Actually Increase Foreclosures

Lenders are closing their doors left and right. Over 100 national wholesale lenders have gone out of business since the first of the year. Foreclosures are the topic de jour. What's happening out there? Jim Cramer from CNBC's Mad Money recently had a rather emotional assessment on national TV just days ago. You can search for it on the internet. Is somebody at fault? Why is this happening? What are the repercussions? Recently Bank Of America made a 2 billion dollar investment in Countrywide. You know there is a credit crisis when on of the very largest banks in the world steps in to help recapitalize one of the largest mortgage companies in the world.

"The mortgage market is in trouble". There are many reasons why we are in the current crisis situation that presents itself today. While many would like to blame the banks and brokers for the crisis, they are failing to focus on the borrower and their responsibility in the loan process. Nobody put a gun to the head of the borrowers as they possibly intentionally overstated income on certain loan products. Unfortunately, over zealous legislation by various states has sought to solve the problem by creating laws that remove certain types of financing. The states are trying to legislate the free market system of supply and demand. If certain loan products have higher default rate, the investors will eventually not buy them. If no one will buy the loan, it won't be created. Instead, the State of Minnesota as with other states has removed the ability of borrowers to get "No Documentation" and "Low Documentation" loans. There is a book call "1984" by George Orwell where "big brother" decides what is allowed by society. The new State of Minnesota mandated mortgage legislation reminds me of this." For your reference, there was a wonderful DVD produced with John Stossel called The Blame Game: Are We a Country of Victims that I would highly recommend the legislature view before making any more laws that will hurt consumers rather than help. Until we start accepting responsibility for our actions, we will be a nation that likes to point fingers at others for what we've done to ourselves. The Minnesota legislation has removed responsibility for making choices from the consumer. Unlike other states that allow these lower documentation loans, Minnesota consumers now have less choice.

As of August 28th 2007, there were over 34K homes available for sale within the Twin Cities real estate market. Any legislation that removes a potential buyer from the market because they can no longer obtain financing due to state legislation is WRONG. In addition to changes in lower documentation loans, there has been changes in Subprime lending laws too. The real estate market is dependent on first time buyers starting the "domino" effect in the housing market. Many first time buyers have no credit, limited credit, or blemished credit. These first time buyers now have limited access to mortgage products because of the new legislation that affects subprime lending. Subprime is not predatory lending. Yet it is often assumed incorrectly that the two must go hand in hand. Predatory lending is wrong. It is illegal and always has been. Subprime fills the niche for borrowers who are unable to get a traditional "A Paper" loan because of their income, job, credit or all of the above. Some areas where the foreclosures have been the worst may not be attractive to the most credit worthy buyers. By removing mortgage products from the market that could have served borrowers more likely to purchase within those areas, you are actually making the foreclosure situation worse." The credit crunch is likely to continue through 2008, according to the board of Realtors. We need credit to continue the momentum within the housing industry. Without financing, houses won't be able to be sold. There are few buyers that have the ability to pay cash for a home.

What's the solution? Let the free markets work like free markets. Have fairness among mortgage laws that apply to ALL lenders. Did you know that federally chartered banks are EXEMPT from state mortgage laws? That means the laws don't apply to everyone producing loans within a state. Is the consumer benefiting from a two tier system? How can consumers benefit when they are now given less choice and less competition? Who really benefits from these new laws-might it be federally chartered banks? Who have you heard the least amount of criticism or complaints from? This current situation is wrong and the consumer is being bamboozled by the lack of depth into the coverage by the media.

The focus has been on the borrower and portraying them as a victim. The news does not cover the stories about the home borrower who was successful in becoming a home owner using the very same programs that have been recently eliminated. The news also neglects to state that most mortgage brokers are honest hard working individuals who work on behalf of their borrower. Lastly, the articles and new programs fail to focus on all the individuals who have recently lost their jobs and careers within the mortgage business. There have been over 120 lenders that have gone out of business since January 2007. Who wants to address the hardship these families are feeling? During the third week of August alone, 13K people lost their jobs in the mortgage industry.

One proposed solution to today's current problem has been to expand FHA financing. FHA is a government insured loan. FHA is being referred to as the replacement "subprime". FHA has no published credit score standards. Shifting the risk to the government, which in essence is all of us instead of allowing the risk to be maintained in the private capital markets will be the end result. It will be interesting to review what happens over the next year. If FHA becoming the financing source of choice for borrowers with bad credit, we may be setting ourselves and borrowers up to fail once again as the root of the problem is not addressed or resolved. The root issue is personal responsibility and consequences for choices made. Not everyone is entitled to homeownership. Homeownership is a reward that is earned through demonstration of responsible use of credit.

About Venture Development Inc
Venture Development is Minnesota's Premier Mortgage Broker http://www.ventureloanapp.com. They are based in Edina, Minnesota and provide a wide range of mortgage products for purchase, refinance, investment property, and commercial loans. They have been established since 1995.

John Mazzara is a broker associate with RE/MAX Associates Plus. John has been successfully selling homes since 1986. Minneapolis Real Estate can be searched at http://www.MinneapolisStPaulHomes.com He has achieved Platinum club and Hall of Fame status within RE/MAX. John was voted as a Twin Cities Super Agent by MplsStpaul Magazine. John Mazzara CFP CLU CHFC CEBS CMB MBA MS is an independent financial planner in the Twin Cities, MN

On January 31, 2006 President George W Bush Delivered His State of the Union Address

In the speech he brought out many points he felt were of interest and utmost importance to the American people. Some of the main points that were mentioned had to do with the economy, war on terror, immigration, energy, social security, healthcare, education as well as other topics. In addition the President outlined succinctly his vision to insure the continued growth and safety of the United States.

The following are some of the highlights of what the President's plans are:

Economy - As President Bush said "Our economy is healthy and vigorous, and growing faster than other major industrialized nations."[1] Although many Americans believe that the economy is on a downward spiral, the facts just do not bear this out. While it is true that prices for oil and gasoline are at record highs, every leading economic indicator continues to show a uniquely robust sound and growing economy. Early in 2002 for example the unemployment rate was nearly 5.8%. This rate has continued to go down. The strong economy is validated by an unemployment rate of February 2006 at 4.8%.[2] Another leading economic indicator would be the stock market. For example, in October 2002 the Down Jones Industrial Average had plummeted all the way down to 7289.27 as it was still buried in the aftermath of the tragic events of 9/11/01, which had catastrophic effects on our nation's economy.[3] By 2006 the DJIA, again, despite soaring record high oil prices, reached a 4 year high level of 11,229.47.[4] This growth which shows an approximate 50% increase in the Dow Jones Average is a clear indicator of just how well our economy has recovered in such a relatively short period of time.

Immigration - President Bush said "Our nation needs orderly and secure borders..." and "We hear claims that immigrants are somehow bad for the economy -- even though this economy could not function without them. 1 Despite what most conservatives believe President Bush plans on calling for a guest-worker program that provides for automatic citizenship for illegal immigrants now living and working in the United States. As Daniel Henninger mentions in his article in the Wall Street Journal that President Bush affirms that he believes in respect for the law, as he mentioned it in a radio address: "America is a nation of immigrants, and we're also a nation of laws". The President's plan is to keep our borders strong. While believing this, however he also understands that our nation's economy has always been built up by the hard work, blood, sweat, and tears of immigrants.

Education - Also, President Bush said "Our greatest advantage in the world has always been our educated, hard-working, ambitious people - and we're going to keep that edge." Recognizing that the nations future lies in its advances in the technologies, the President called for more and precise Math and Science courses, and to help the struggling students so that they can further better themselves and we can continue to compete with other countries.1 I think this is an excellent plan because we should always strive to keep the United States of America number one in any category.

While the president spoke on many topics, there are the three issues I am mostly interested which are: Homeland Security/ War on Terror, Social Security and our national policy on energy. In my opinion these issues are important amongst other things, because we are at war; I need to worry about my social security as we are a nation growing older; and lastly we need to create new means of energy and to become less reliant on imports.

The events of September 11, 2001 highlighted the importance of home land security across the nation. It was clearly our nations pompous belief that we could not be attacked at home that led to a lax security system in the United States. Therefore, and because of the tragedy of 9/11, the United States Department of Homeland Security was created. The Department of Homeland Security (hereinafter DHS) was established November 25, 2002 but legitimately began on January 24, 2003. The plan was to merge any organization associated to "homeland security" into a single cabinet thereby making us more responsive and able to act quickly. The Department is currently headed by federal judge Michael Chertoff. [5] The reorganization plan of the DHS in November 25, 2002 consists of some of the following responsibilities and plans:

1) Transferring other existing agencies into the department such as the Department of Health and Human Services, the Coast Guard, the United States Secret Service etc.;

2) Establish the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency and Acceleration Fund for Research and Development of Homeland Security Technologies;

3) Establish Bureau of Border Security;

4) Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection - identify and scope out terrorist threats; consult with the CIA and other federal agencies, state and local governments to ensure proper exchanges of information;

5) Coordinate training in information analysis;

6) Develop emergency preparedness systems;

7) Science and Technology - develop a national policy and strategic plan for identifying chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and any other terrorists threats;

8) Detecting, preventing and protecting against terrorist attacks etc. [6]

I believe that creating the DHS on President Bush's part was a great idea because homeland security is a priority for him and the Department is in fact doing their job.

Some of the accomplishments of the Department are:

Cracking down on terrorists financing with our international partners;

Improving border screening and security through the US-Visit Entry-Exit System;

Transforming the FBI to focus on preventing terrorism;

Increasing cooperation and reform among the international partners at the front lines of the war on terror;

Strengthening transportation security etc.

DHS also worked on establishing the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO), and the Terrorist Screening Center, and National Targeting Center (NTC) etc.

In part due to all of these accomplishments and actions, not only has the United States not been attacked since 9/11, but we have taken the offensive while putting terrorists on the run.

Flying has never been any safer and the US-Visit Entry - Exist system exists in 115 airports, 14 seaports and 50 land border crossings. The NTC examines about 9 million high risk shipping containers per year. 1

President Bush says it best ..."We're living in historic times when you think about this world we're in. It is a time of challenge, and it's a time of opportunity. We've got the challenge to protect the American people. My most important duty is to protect you from harm. And we have an opportunity to lay the foundation of peace for generation to come. "

-President George W. Bush-

We must never forget the day of September 11, 2001, when all of those innocent people died because of the actions of radical terrorists. We must stop all actions of terror even if they may not on our lands. The more democracies we create, the more allies we have and the safer we are.

I know that there is this concern of our freedom and civil liberties slowly being taken away. For example, Wire Tapping is a huge issue in the news, but if you have nothing to hide, then what's wrong with trying to protect us?

The next topic I would like to mention is another important issue addressed in the State of the Union, Social Security. The Social Security Act was developed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935 during the Great Depression as part of his New Deal. It was originally created to help retirees and the unemployed by insuring an income for people as they got older or became unemployed. FICA was created in 1937 and all the employed were required to pay payroll taxes (contribute to the fund) in order to help fund the national retirement vehicle which we know as Social Security. Social Security was one of the greatest successes. [7]

Social Security faces future problems under the system today. If we do not reform Social Security there will be a high percentage in benefit cuts. The system is funded by payroll taxes and as our nations grows older and life expectancy continues to get longer fewer people will in fact be contributing to the system for more recipients. This is a tremendous problem because the government will have to come up billions of dollars in someway and eventually the system will be bankrupt. 7 Yes, Social Security is in crisis and the answer is not to raise taxes. Raising taxes would just be devastating to homes because it would just be making savings more difficult.

President Bush's plans are to allow people to put a small portion of their payroll taxes into bond and stock funds and retirement accounts. The President's goals are to strengthen the safety net for future generations; protect those who depend on Social Security; and offer every American a chance to experience the opportunity of ownership through voluntary personal retirement accounts. 1 President Bush's plans gives people a chance to save and enjoy their benefits, to put money aside and plan for their future.

The last topic I would like to discuss is energy. Before the industrial revolution we relied on the sun and burned wood for heat. For transportation we relied on horses and boats. For our machines we relied on water and wind to for energy. We went from water wheels to water turbines. Then we discovered that oil which processed into gasoline can be used for automobiles. Thomas Edison and Henry Ford were the turn of the century. Today we depend on energy to survive; therefore there is an increase in demand for the fossil fuels and the cost just keep rising. [8]

In the President's State of the Union he says

"Keeping America competitive requires affordable energy. And here we have a serious problem: America is addicted to oil, which is often imported from unstable parts of the world. The best way to break this addiction is through technology ... By applying the talent and technology of America, this country can dramatically improve our environment, move beyond petroleum- based economy, and make our dependence on Middle Eastern oil a thing of the past."

The president would like to reduce our dependency on foreign oil from 75% to 20%, which would be a lot cheaper for us. He would also like to see a 22% increase in clean coal technologies, wind technologies, clean safe nuclear energy, hybrid and hydrogen cars and a popular topic ethanol. Energy conversion is a serious issue today. A way to increase domestic energy production is by using renewable energy resources here in the United States. Renewable resources are constantly replenished and never run out. Some renewable energy technologies, such as water- and wind-driven mills, have been in use for centuries. The United States has the world's largest known coal reserves, about 275 billion short tons. There is enough coal to last over two hundred years at today's level of use. Coal can be used for electric power. Wind technologies produce electricity at low costs with minor harm to the environment.[9] In John M. Urbanchuk's article "Contribution of the Ethanol Industry to the Economy of the United States" he states that ethanol industries spent billions of dollars in raw materials to create ethanol and a large portion of their spending went to corn. He also lists the positive effects that ethanol will have on American economy such as: creating new jobs, reduces dependency on foreign oil, provides a growing and reliable domestic market for American farmers, etc.

President Bush has already acted on energy conversion even before his State of the Union address for example in August of 2005 President Bush signed the Energy Policy Act, which set a standard of 7.5 billion gallons of renewable resources such as ethanol to be used in the nations highway fuel supply by 2012. I see that there is a plan for energy conversion, but I do also understand that it will take many years for us to even see a noticeable result. As long as we continue with a plan and the technologies our domestic market will increase therefore will help the nation's economy to grow and help others individually.

President Bush has done an outstanding job overall, besides the normal issues that always face a President for example the economy. President Bush has appeared to put together a clear, concise vision for our nation's future. In addition he has enumerated a clear proactive approach in which to lay the ground work to accomplish his goals. However in my views he often times seems focused on only one topic terrorism. I speak for myself and probably for most I do not want to witness another day like 9/11 happen in my life time or any lifetime, we as a country should do anything to prevent that. I am proud that our President is concerned with the issue of terrorism but on the other hand I think he needs express his concerns for domestic issues a little more often. I don't know how soon the social security reform will take place, but hopefully soon because if so it will eventually no longer exist. President Bush's plans overall is to create affordable healthcare, save social security, reduce America's dependency on foreign oil with renewable resources, reform the immigration system, homeland security etc. I hope the next President will agree and continue with President Bush's plans for the future of this nation.

peter mangano

http://printertoner.ws/

Don't Accept Annuity Quotes That Violate State Insurance Rules

The authority of the insurance commissioner (or possibly another title) to regulate insurance business conducted within the individual states is contained in a title of state statutes usually known as the Insurance Code. There are usually corresponding rules also published to amplify the statutes. Insurance rules are often patterned after model language developed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, but they vary widely. Look for rules similar to those used below to illustrate the types of abuses that are common.

Rule: An "advertisement" includes illustrations originated by the insurer, its insurance producers or third parties.

Rule: Advertisements must contain complete information and not omit material information to be misleading or deceiving purchasers as to the extent of any benefit payable or any premium payable.

Rule: The premium shall also be shown on the annuity contract itself, according to the form filed with the Insurance Department. The name of the annuity issuer shall be clearly identified in all advertisements.

Rule: The prospective annuitant must not be misled into believing that he or she will receive some benefit not available to other persons of equal life expectancy.

Settlement offers frequently include cash components to be paid at the time of settlement plus "periodic payments" that will be funded through the purchase of an annuity. Illustration ledgers or "advertisements" presented to show the future payments being offered, but omitting the name of the proposed annuity issuer and the amount of premium required (the cost of the annuity), violate state insurance rules. When this happens, the claimant may not learn the identity of the company that will make those payments, including its strength and performance ratings by independent analysts, until after the offer is accepted.

After the terms of the settlement are agreed to by the parties, including the future payments to be made based on representations made to the claimant of their cost, the defense structured settlement broker sometimes will "shop" among several annuity issuers. If the same benefits can be purchased for less premium dollars from another company, or if the company quoted during the settlement negotiations subsequently offers a better rate, the annuity is purchased for less than represented during the negotiations. The savings are then retained by the defendant or its liability insurer and not passed on to the claimant in the form of higher future benefits or a larger cash amount paid at the time of settlement.

Unknown to the prospective annuitant, the life insurance companies will assign a "rated age" based on the assumption that the "measuring life" (annuitant) has an impaired life expectancy due to his or her overall health history. Rated ages are assigned by life insurance company medical underwriters based on medical history submitted by the structured settlement broker, often in violation of privacy regulations under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The claimant has no idea that the lifetime benefits in the settlement proposal were based on a presumed shorter life expectancy and obtained at less cost than to provide identical payments to someone with a normal life expectancy.

If neither the claimant nor the claimant's attorney is shown the cost of the annuity, in writing, the defense's purpose very likely is to deceive the claimant into believing that the present value of the periodic payments is higher than it will actual cost.

Some life insurance companies that issue annuities designed and priced specifically for structured settlements issue computer software quoting systems to their agents that have options for a "plaintiff version," omitting the cost and often the name of the annuity issuer, and a "defendant version," which shows all relevant information. The use of the "plaintiff version" annuity illustration is a product of long-standing practice developed by liability insurers that serves no justifiable purpose and violates state insurance rules.

The plaintiff's counsel should require that all future payment proposals made as a part of a settlement offer, where an annuity will serve as the funding asset, identify the name of the annuity issuer, the name and business address of the producer or insurer's authorized representative (who must be licensed to sell annuities in the state), the premium required to produce the future payments illustrated, and the mortality risk assumption (whether a rated age is being considered). The illustration should also show the funding date assumption and the rate series in effect, including any daily rate, along with the quote's expiration date.

The annuity contract, which is usually issued several weeks after the settlement, should reflect the actual premium paid, as specified on the approved policy form declaration page, not simply "valuable consideration" or "paid in full." In this way, the attorney or the annuitant can compare the actual cost with the cost represented in the settlement offer. Any significant discrepancy should be dealt with immediately.

It is not enough simply for the defendant or insurer to fulfill its promise of making periodic payments, the defense must also spend what it said it would spend to provide those payments.

The plaintiff's attorney can also be held accountable if the client is victimized by the defense.

Your best defense against such tactics is to engage your own structured settlement specialist to advise on periodic payment costs before mediation, then insist that all settlement discussions be conducted in terms of a single cash lump sum. If agreement is reached as to an amount the defense will spend to settle, you can direct that amount to be paid into a qualified settlement fund and call on your own specialist with a duty of loyalty to your client to set up the periodic payments. All tax benefits of a structured settlement are preserved when a qualified settlement fund is used for receiving settlement proceeds.

To Read more articles on structured settlements or annuity payments please visit: [http://structuredpro.com]

Insurance Marketing Agencies - Insurance State Data Information Guide to Sell Insurance

Like insurance marketing agencies, each state also has its own personality. Analyzing insurance state data information, reveals where it is easier to sell insurance. This information is a guide to where insurance marketing agencies get best results for obtaining general insurance brokers and why.

Some states have loads of agents and brokers that are very friendly and open to new insurance opportunities. Other states seem locked in a time zone 5 years behind independent thinking states. Many factors, including state date information and census bureau analysis show how hard it is to get the attention of brokers, independent agents, and general agents to respond to your mailing offer. Insurance marketing agencies must concentrate recruiting and mailing to certain states that will definitely pay off. Using this guide is a great way to maximize your marketing budget and ultimate advanced marketing production results.

On the top 3 states it is: Florida, #1, California #2, and Texas #3. The #4 through #10 top insurance product marketing states are covered below.

OHIO, Rating #4

Finally, the first state that is not on the border or coast. The same land-locked trend is true of these next states on this page. Ohio we call "the profit potential state". Our feedback from agent recruiting firms, using our lists is overwhelmingly favorable for over 20 years straight! The recruiting secret why results can be obtained almost immediately: Ohio has four distinct agent population districts instead of just one or two. This geographic factor makes it hard for a particular insurer to monopolize the entire state. The four metropolitan areas are Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Dayton. Where do you set up your recruiting operation? Wherever it is, is also the likely location of most of your recruiting effort.

Factories with unions providing employee benefit plans are rather prevalent. Nonetheless, Ohio it is still a strong state for group and work site benefit plans. The Ohio agents that are with a major career life insurance company, are much less loyal than in most states. That means to you, the recruiter, they broker business to recruiting firms properly baiting their hooks. It also means a huge need for attractive brokerage products, expanding well beyond life insurance.

GEORGIA, Rating #5

Like most southern states, debit agents used to have an enormous impact on the insurance agents. These agents sold very small life insurance policies, and have established routes, where weekly or monthly they pick up the premiums directly from their clients. These agents were employees of the company, which means that when they left, so did their renewals which were not vested. The old route was simply passed on to another rookie agent to handle. Needless to say, low-income potential, high training costs, and modern banking policies have pretty much decreased debit life insurance company presence to a minimal factor nowadays. Georgia is split in two zones, 55% of the licensed agents in the Atlanta Area, Zips 300-303, and 45% for the remainder of the state. Our Georgia advice: Stay OUT of Atlanta. These Atlanta agents are bombarded with almost daily insurance solicitations for insurance products by fax, email, telemarketing, and direct mailing. The quality selected, outside Atlanta, area agents seem excited to receive a direct mail piece offering a genuine opportunity. Make your move to reward yourself with a sweet piece of the Georgia pie

WISCONSIN, Rating #6

There is no doubt that Wisconsin is a dominant Fraternal Life Insurance Company state. Their fraternal agents offer "certificates" instead of polices to "members" instead of clients. The Fraternal Organization holds benefit events for hard stricken members, and may be formed around a common work trade, religion, or life concept. The menu of products offered by Fraternal insurance companies is rather small. This gives the secret to Wisconsin recruiting: Fraternal insurance agents are exceptionally brokerage minded. The average number of outside companies a Wisconsin "broker" is licensed with, far exceeds the national agent average. As the state of Wisconsin is somewhat overlooked, its has over 10,000 agents that have already contracted with at least one outside carrier. Your carrier should be the next one they consider.

MINNESOTA, Rating #7

The state of Minnesota possesses many of the valuable marketing characteristics that Wisconsin has. In the land of ice and snow and lakes, it also has many fraternal life insurance agents. Consider this fact. Many large insurance brokerage orientated insurance companies have regional recruiting directors. In the Midwest, this central hub is Chicago, Illinois. This means 70% of their recruiting time and budget is conveniently located in that recruiting hub, even though the region includes other states like Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, or more. Our recruiting tip - Keep your recruiting dollars outside of a recruiting 'hub'. Also giving less attention to Minneapolis/St Paul will produce more solid leads. The competition pressure is low, so your results could boil over the top.

NORTH CAROLINA, Rating #8

North Carolina agents may carry a heavy accent, but they also carry a heavy brokerage swing that can easily hit you a couple homeruns. Usually the internet interest in brokers seeking marketers is closely aligned with the number of recruiters in this insurance marketing territory seeking brokers. In North Carolina, this scale is tipped drastically in a different direction. Good North Carolina brokers are looking for insurance marketing firms! We have noticed that North Carolina gets one-third the recruiting solicitation that Georgia does, and one-half that of Tennessee. Part of this credit goes to cities like Greensboro, Charlotte, and Raleigh, that all have good agent bases. This is unlike Atlanta or Nashville with sole agent population center domination. By recruiting top-notch North Carolina agents, you have so much to gain, plus one giant bonus point. The brokers in North Carolina are more loyal to a marketing firm that treats them right than anywhere else we have seen.

MICHIGAN, Rating #9

In Michigan lets look at the negatives first. The large presence of automobile and automotive supplier unions, among others has virtually wiped out the group insurance market. Some individual major medical potential exists but with Blue Cross being so dominant, and offering such paltry commissions, it hardly makes the market worth pursuing. Another drawback is that the metro Detroit area contains over half the agents and over half the population. The plus factors include the well-off union retirees who have moved outstate, the non-presence of insurance marketing hubs. This is further enhanced by the poor job career life companies have done helping agents overcome early career obstacles. Our tip is look for agents with at least 6 years experience. The metropolitan Detroit area is very good for advanced life and annuities directed at the professional market. However, observe the constant sways and effects of the economy in this metropolitan area. The out state area is prime for long term nursing care. Don't zoom by the motor city state.

MISSOURI, Rating #10

Close to a tie with Michigan is Missouri, but still making the top ten round out. However, the state is very different, with very few unions and a median family income $3,000 below the national average. In this state, the good parts of Midwest agent personality; start to blend with some Southern Hospitality. It is surely a good show me state, where an abundance of independent and semi-independent agents know that show me a good product offer and I might be interested is a winning combination. The sufficient senior citizen base in the state would have to be rated good for long term nursing care, whereas the lower income could be a slight drawback to over sophisticated annuities. KISS - A Keep it Simple State.

Well published author, Don Yerke likes to concentrate on what you don't know or what no one else dares to print. Tell it like it is.

Watch for his new paperback book debuting on Amazon early this summer. It is loaded with great insurance marketing and recruiting information.

Come and get your FREE "Think and Grow Rich" Ebook by Napoleon Hill instantly. The website address is [http://www.agentsinsurancemarketing.com]

State Pension Increase in April

The start of the new tax-year is an important date for all of those who are wholly or partial dependent upon the State Pension to make ends meet. Traditionally the Chancellor has used the Retail Prices Index (RPI) as at the end of the previous September to set the increase. Were he to do so this year, that would result in an increase of 5%. At face value this is very good news for pensioners, given RPI currently stands at 0% and the Governments' favoured measure, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is at 3.2%.

There are however many problems looming.

Firstly, there is no obligation for the Chancellor to increase the State Pensions in line with RPI, particularly in such difficult times. However, as there is a general election looming, it is highly unlikely he will exercise fiscal prudence and have the courage to implement a more modest increase and risk alienating the 'grey vote', irrespective of the long term damage this may have on public finances.

Secondly, if we assume that RPI stays this low through until autumn, then the measure for next years increase in the State pensions would be 0%. Clearly the Chancellor is not going to make much of that at present, though it will prove very difficult sell no increase in their pensions to the 'grey vote' just before the General Election in 2010. Will he have the courage at that time not to make an arbitrary increase to placate voters, even though it is not sustainable, in the bid to secure votes.

Thirdly, it is now common knowledge the public purse is in a desperately poor state, to the point where we are again highly likely to have to go cap in hand to the International Monetary Fund, (IMF) for a large bail out. As a consequence, the financial burden of such a large increase in the cost of State pensions, may not be sustainable, particularly if the IMF impose austerity measures as part of any conditional lending.

Fourthly, we cannot rely upon the necessary funding from the IMF to meet the country's requirements, as the IMF issued a plea for further funding only a couple of months ago, stating it only had about 6 months funding left in it's coffers. Given a number of the key historical contributors are now likely to be needing its help, it is difficult to see where the money is going to come from to meet all of the demands now being placed upon it. As a result the IMF is likely to have to impose strict rationing of funds tied to very strict budgetary impositions on the borrowing nations.

Fifthly, Given the commercial money markets have openly indicated they are not confident of the Governments long term ability to meet all of the current and future borrowing requirements it needs to make, thus they are unlikely to lend except at a significant premium to reflect the additional risk they are taking. Consequently, it is highly likely all areas of public funding will face severe austerity measures over the coming years. This will may include a cap on pension increases, significant public sector redundancies and a reduction in public services across the board.

Finally, In light of all of the above, it beggars belief, the Government has committed to re instating State Pension increase link to National Average Earnings. Quite how or who is going to pay for it, given this Government has already built up a # 10, Billion unfunded deficit in their contributions to the public Sector pension scheme, is a mystery to me. Even the evidence from the report produced by UNISON's own head of pensions, in July 2008 acknowledges that had the link between the State Pension and National Average Earnings not been changed to be linked to RPI by the Conservative Government back in 1980 the state pension at the time of writing their report would have been worth #143 instead of #90.70. At face value that would be a 57% increase in the cost to the State of providing those pensions.

The above is compounded further by the forecasted increase of those on pensionable age increasing from 11Million to 14 Million by 2020, (a 27% increase in only 11 years from now). Assuming we pro rate that liability and add that to the 57% increase above, that would be a compounded 100% increase in cost to the state of providing the state pensions.

If those in power were running a company, it would long since have ceased to trade. They simply must acquire the courage and integrity to make the sad but harsh decisions that are necessary to ensure our country does not become the bankrupt basket case they are rapidly driving us toward.

By visiting the following website http://www.karl-lavery.co.uk

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Alternatively, you can also discover more about the Holistic Financial Planning service he offers by visiting his work website http://www.baxterfensham.com

Review the Registry Information For the State Do Not Call Lists

To make it ever more complicated for telemarketers or solicitors is that some states merge their data with the National Do Not Call List. Other states have chosen to maintain their independence and do not match their phone numbers with the Federal Level.

What is the fine if I call someone on the list and they turn me in? Federal FTC Fines and the state do not call list, cost up to $11,000 per occurrence. How do I avoid fines, even if I am sure my prospect names are mostly on the do not call list. You OR the telemarketing firm must FIRST register the required information with the FTC before you calling start dialing that phone. Keep in mind that checking a few thousand phone numbers against both the state and national do not call list is more than a minor pain. Plus at a yearly cost of $62 per telephone area code it can bring up your marketing costs.

You have 3 solutions. The first is to take the chance and go ahead and make some calls. Remember that state do not call lists not only apply to consumer home numbers, but to businesses and business people as well. With some sales operations having an office in their home, it is difficult to distinguish between the two. The second chance is okay if you only market products in a couple area codes or one state. Get your forms signed, follow the rules, and get started calling. The third solution is the hiring of a professional telemarketing firm.

The telemarketing firm has probably filled out most of the forms, so adding your firm will not be hard. Plus they probably have already paid the costs they incurred for each additional area code they applied for. You have to now pay more for each lead they produce for you, and pass up the big chunk of prime candidates that are on the do not call list. However nowadays some super producing marketing firms paying up to $80.00 through various methods to obtain a lead, are ending up with an excellent return on their investment of $10 profit for ever $1 spent over a 3 year timeframe.

OUR PERSONAL TEST. We recently send 250,000 agent names into a reputable firm for phone matching. As most of these were successful people at residential addresses, we expected close to a 50% match rate. In additional we took the option that all phones found on either state or national do not call lists be removed. They firm warned us that our results would not be spectacular. The returned data was shocking, about 20,000 available phone prospects on the do not call list of our 250,000! This turned out to be a relatively high cost experiment!

About 50% of the sales marketing recruiters that do not conform their current marketing ways will disappear during the next 4 years. They will find more and more, the 2 cheapest ways of obtaining leads to hire agents are losing effectiveness at an alarming rate. If you want to keep your career alive, you can either (a) purchase a quality list of prospects for your products, and then have an outside telemarketing firm call them, (b) build a website using the tactic skills of a true master to bring you direct traffic, (c) buy expensive ad word internet advertising to get traffic, (d) find one of the couple remaining Email lists with integrity, or (e) do it the proven way, get the best mailing list matching your products, and send out expertly designed mail, checked by a knowledgeable person that know what message your piece must contain and how to phrase it.

Do not stand back and see your future devoured by the national and state do not call lists!

You have heard the saying that the more you know, the more you realize you don't know. Don Yerke likes to concentrate on what you don't already know and what no one else dares to print. Tell it like it is, and more people listen. Besides writing articles, Don is the founder and adviser at Agents Insurance Marketing. The website address is [http://www.agentsinsurancemarketing.com] - You find in pages after pages of info lots of facts, tips, tricks, industry secrets, advice, insight, news, and articles. Check out the website now. If subjects such as lead quality, lead generation, agent training, recruiting, direct marketing, insurance marketing, lead sources, sales pitches, or successful sales results appeal to you, then it's a website worth bookmarking.

Number of State Foreclosures on the Rise With No Respite in Sight for Any Particular Area

With the rates of state foreclosure rising at an unprecedented pace in the U.S., there seems to be no relief whatsoever for any particular city. There has been a rise in the number of properties under foreclosure in Sioux Falls, South Dakota as compared to the 236 number of foreclosing properties in 2009.

While, due to an influx of bank induced foreclosures which includes Wells Fargo foreclosures, most American cities suffer, the real estate market of South Dakota has remained stable. But due to recession the rates of foreclosure has increased in the year 2010, mostly in the metro areas.

In July there are as many as 170 foreclosed properties in Sioux Falls in comparison to the record of 128 noted during the same month in 2009. Wachovia and other banks are starting up a pile of foreclosing procedures in the city which is badly recession-hit. The state was affected by the downturn of the economy at around late 2008, despite the fact that it had started in 2007.

The rates of bank foreclosures rose further in the state during the month of August as every one in 2126 homes got a foreclosing notice. In the terms of the rates of foreclosure in August, South Dakota has been ranked 43rd in the list of other U.S. states.

Despite the rise of the number of foreclosures in the state during the last few months, state records show that compared to states like California, Arizona and Florida, South Dakota is in a fairly good shape. Even the national record is worse than it since in every 381 households, one is in foreclosure.

The fact worrying the local analysts the most is the fact that the vast numbers of foreclosures are harming the income levels of all households, even those who earn a six-figure salary. According to the predictions of the property experts, households with higher incomes will be plagued with more foreclosures, leading to doubling of the total number of last year's number in 2010.

According to the data produced by the local housing agencies, the highest percentage in foreclosing properties in the state was recorded by the southwest Sioux Falls in July when there were as many as 69 homes in different phases of foreclosure. When compared to last year' number which was 26, this number appears considerably higher.

Though South Dakota will not be as badly hit as the other states, the market analysts expect a rise in number of foreclosed homes as the rise in the number of foreclosures in the entire nation continues.

Karen Anne, has been working on ForeclosureWarehouse.com studying the foreclosures market, helping buyers on the finer points of Ohio Foreclosures. Try to visit ForeclosureWarehouse.com and search Foreclosure Homes. 

Penn State Nittany Lions - Producing Supreme Players

The Penn State Nittany Lions is the college football team of the Pennsylvania State University. The Nittany Lions enjoy a large fan-base, attracting thousands of visitors to its campus during football season and autumn Saturdays. The Penn State has one of the largest stadiums in the country, the Beaver Stadium, which has a seating capacity of more than 107,282. The surrounding area around the stadium is aptly called the "Happy Valley."

The Best Linebackers in College Football

The Nittany Lions has a reputation for training and producing some of the best linebackers in college football and thus earning Penn State the reputation of "Linebacker U." Since 1956, the team has been under the guidance of head coach Joe Paterno, regarded to be one of the best national coaches. The Nittany Lions plays in two major football trophy games, the Governor's Victory Bell and the Land Grant Trophy, together with other member of the Big Ten.

Eastern Football Supremacy

Before Penn State joined the Big Ten, the Nittany Lions was one of the strongest teams in the college football independent schools. They played regularly with various schools such as West Virginia, Maryland, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Pitt, and Alabama. As of 2005, the Nittany Lions has won the Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy a record of twenty-six times, which is awarded for Eastern football supremacy.

The Legacy of Coach Paterno

Under coach Paterno, Penn State won the National Championships in 1982 and 1986. The 1987 Fiesta Bowl, where Penn State defeated the University of Miami, remains to be the most watched game in the history of college football. The Nittany Lions has the best winning percentage in the bowl games, more than any other university, with an unbeatable record of 25-12-2.

Producing Players Fit for the NFL

When it comes to college football players advancing to the professional level, particularly the National Football League (NFL), Penn State is among the top players. A total number of twenty-nine Nittany Lions players and coaches were included in NFL teams as of 2006, making the school as having the tenth highest placement rate in the country. In the forty-one times that the Super Bowl Championships have been played, thirty-seven of these games had at least one player in a team that came from Penn State. In a recent poll, the Penn State's college football program has been ranked twelfth in the whole country when it came to economic contributions to the program's conference, athletic department, community and university. The poll was based on sponsorships, ticket sales, expenses of the football program and athletic department, shared conference profits, and home football games county revenues. From this poll, it was shown that the Nittany Lions was worth around sixty-three million dollars.

2008 Bowl Championship Series

As of November 2008, The Nittany Lions remains number three in the recent (BCS) Bowl Championship Series and the Associate Press poll. It came number two in the Harris Interactive Polls and the USA Today Coaches. Penn State has a total of .928 trailing in the BCS trailing Alabama with only a few points at .974 as of November 2, 2008.

Rick Grantham is an avid sports fan. Most of Rick's articles focus on pro sports memorabilia [http://www.BooYahVillage.com]. Many articles are related to baseball team gear [http://www.booyahvillage.com/mlb.html] and other sports related topics. Rick is a contributing author to BooYah Village.

State of the Nation - A Different View!

MY STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS!

At this point in the evolution of our society, we find ourselves in a very disturbing position. In fact, it is the opinion of many who are much more versed in the progression of nations than I that if we don't arise out of the rubble of "dumbdownism," we will not survive as a nation.

Following is an excerpt from a book I wrote some 20 years ago. The information has been adjusted to fit even more with our present condition, but the facts are basically the same. I cannot take credit for the entire writing. I have modified it to suit our present situation.

You May Find Yourself Being Terrifyingly Familiar With Mr. And Mrs. Dumbdown!

Both Mr. and Mrs. Dumbdown must work because the socialist (almost bankrupt) economy doesn't allow for Mr. Dumbdown to support his family in a way acceptable to the social norms of today, thorough the work of his own hands. Some years ago, the media engineers of the new paradigm successfully convinced Mrs. Dumbdown and the majority of the female population that, as women, they should fight for the right to work. They didn't seem to realize that the agenda of the socialist engineers demanded productivity from every single individual in the worker class (including wives and mothers), and that the need to fight for such rights was only an illusion painted for their benefit. They didn't realize that under the Constitution women have always had the right to work. Their need to work is being disguised as a want to work, by those who are bringing about the illusion of this need.

Now that the nations of the world have succumbed to international monetary policy (and control) dictated by these same social engineers, Mr. and Mrs. Dumbdown have no model of a real free-enterprise economy with which to relate. And, because they have no standard by which to compare their present economy, they don't understand, and cannot conceive, that when the United States was really an economically free country, its citizens were essentially wealthy by today's standards.

Up until the turn of the (20th) century, the United States of America was a good example of just such an economy. One has only to drive through many small towns and examine the average home of that era to see that it was a veritable mansion by comparison to today's equivalent. Were such homes to be built today (with the inherent built-in quality common then), the average person simply couldn't afford them. Oh, you'll see a large number of homes that, to the casual observer seem to be mansions, with their vaulted roofs, multiple rooms and garages. But what about the quality of these homes? Most of what you see is veneer! Moreover, the families living there will never, in even a long lifetime, actually own their home. Compared to the quality of the homes we are referring to here, most of these homes are little more than fluff! But, Mr. and Mrs. Dumbdown, in many cases, don't have the educational background to equate the existence of such architectural wonders into the framework associated with a time that they have always been led to believe was devoid of real prosperity. This is because they believe that prosperity is a function of technology, and apply the false logic that their standard of living is related to whatever technology government can afford to sponsor. This distorted mind-set evolves into the errant belief that taxes determine the degree to which government can sponsor shifts in technology and thus produce an increased quality of life. Although nothing could be further from the truth, they believe that increasing amounts of government power and a socialist agenda whereby the government can control every aspect of life can only support their standard of living. (In light of this, consider where the present "President" and his cronies seem to be taking us).

Mr. and Mrs. Dumbdown's government sponsored educational background doesn't allow them to factor private sector technology into the equation, and they fail to realize that the non-public sector is always more efficient. In fact, up until the early 1900's, it was free enterprise and individual incentive, absent corporate and personal income taxation, which rapidly propelled this nation forward to become the most powerful nation on the face of the earth, with a personal standard of living second to none. Mr. and Mrs. Dumbdown don't realize that any analysis of the standard of living must include an adjustment for the natural evolution in technology. If they did, they would realize that their own standard of living and comparative wealth has fallen. They don't understand that real wealth is measured by and dependent upon economic solvency produced by a government properly limited in its fiscal conduct, not by spendthrift bureaucrats who are increasing debt to fatten the pockets of those who control the money supply, not to mention the blatant attempt to support the world and buy loyalty from nations who hate us and are ready to attack us at any opportunity.

Were Mr. and Mrs. Dumbdown aware of the pertinent historical statistics, they'd see significance in the fact that the average working man of today spends up to (at least) 60% of his disposable income to support the debt structure associated with owning property (the roof over his head). If that man is married and his wife works and earns roughly the same income, then together they spend about 35%, or one-third of their disposable income on housing. A study in the comparative wealth over the last 60 years shows that the average American in the 1940's spent only 10% of his disposable income to put a roof over his head. Few wives had to work in the 1940's, but had they earned an income equal to their husbands, then the amount would drop to 5%. One can easily see that our once wealthy nation became virtually impoverished over the course of the last half of the 20th century (and we will all agree that, in the nine plus years of this century, things have only gotten worse). These relationships graphically demonstrate the effects of a debauched currency and the effects that a socialist utopia has had on our real wealth.

Mr. and Mrs. Dumbdown are too young to remember, and don't realize that at the turn of the century the country was not yet strangled by the monetary grip of the Federal Reserve System (a privately owned corporation). Nevertheless, Mr. and Mrs. Dumbdown have swallowed the illusion, and somehow they think they have a higher standard of living. They've grown accustomed to their financial problems and the cause of the stress in their relationship seems to elude them. They can't quite put their finger on why they've been having marital problems, but that doesn't matter because Mr. and Mrs. Dumbdown subconsciously believe that their government will eventually solve all social problems (including theirs). Mr. Dumbdown has been watching Star Trek (the Next Generation) and believes that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. He's forgotten the most basic elements of the Constitution that he learned in school some 15 years earlier, and won't face the fact that when the needs of the many outweigh the Constitutionally secured rights of the few, that tyranny has arrived. He waves the flag vigorously whenever America wants to fight in some third world country, and attends many football games where he does the same. Still, Mr. Dumbdown gets mad at the government because he cannot understand why the economy is faltering and why his marriage is a futile exercise in diplomacy sinking in a sea of mutual dissatisfaction. His view of reality has been molded by an electronic device known as a television and he voluntarily steps into its frequency modulated, light emitted beam for an evening of relaxation to forget himself in a world of make-believe, never knowing that the time spent bathed in the crap spewing from the screen has turned his brain to mush!!

From the information sent to his soul and spirit via this "electronic beam" he becomes disturbed at the increase in crime, and personal assaults on individuals and families. But he has come to believe that it is the job of the over-worked, under-paid policemen to provide protection for him and his family. Because of that assurance, he believes that when such groups as "Handgun Inc.," tells the American public that the only way to real safety is to get rid of all handguns, so-called assault weapons, and other tools designed to allow the individual to protect himself, they're speaking with his best interest in mind. Because of his lack of understanding of such complex issues as the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, he doesn't realize that the real agenda of such groups is to disarm the law-abiding public, while affecting the criminal element not in the least. He can't conceive of the possibility that this movement, at its most basic agenda, might be to remove the possibility of any effective resistance to an out-of-control government which might someday attempt to place the general population under total social, spiritual, and financial control.

The Dumbdowns come home from work tired and aggravated. Not only must they contend with stress in the work environment, but when they get home, they must deal with their own financial worries. Increasing friction in interpersonal relationships is all too often a function of decreasing financial strength and increasing fiscal instability, but Mr. and Mrs. Dumbdown have become so accustomed to their emotional frustration that they're not even aware of the real source of these problems. The four or five hours of television programming have an hypnotic effect on the Dumbdown's, and the liberal main stream news jabber-boxes have become their magic source of all true information. They know that if something were really wrong, these guardians of the public trust would say so. Since they haven't mentioned a word, the nation must be safe, and everything is O.K. Even in this time of emergency, these talking heads spend more time giving their two cents worth of opinion (generally based on a totally liberal bias), and praising the un-American acts of a president who seems more intent on apologizing to our enemies for our freedom, rather than reporting the news from a neutral posture. When a conservative friend suggests he watch such programs as The Factor with Bill O'Rilly, he comments that he has heard somewhere that Fox News is really only entertainment, now real news. So, he just continues with life as normal, being directed in his opinions by liberal thinkers, and becoming more and more brain dead as a result.

Occasionally they recite the pledge to the flag, and pledge allegiance to the Republic for Which It Stands, but they can't remember what the difference is between a (Constitutional) Republic and a Democracy. The Constitution, they believe, is just a document that the founders used to give citizens of this country their rights. They've forgotten that their rights are the unalienable gifts of God, which the government can neither give, nor take away (at least that is what the founding fathers intended). They don't realize that what government gives, government can take back at the whelm of the particular political mindset in power at the time. They don't understand that a government granted privilege is only as secure as the political wind which blows it - to and fro. Mr. and Mrs. Dumbdown remember the phrase explaining that their rights are endowed by their creator, but can't remember what document enumerates this truth, and for some reason they find no conflict between their belief that government gives them their rights, and the fact that rights are God given. Naturally, they're unfamiliar with the prohibitions that the Constitution places on their government to enact laws that would take away those God given rights.

Since they lack a basic foundation by which to overcome their economic illiteracy, they can't understand why the Constitution would limit the power of government, for one of many reasons, to prevent the printing of paper money, and that such prohibition was made by the founders to prevent unscrupulous individuals from debauching it. They're not worried though, because they don't even realize that their currency has been debauched. To the Dumbdowns, inflation is caused by people spending too much money, rather than by excessive government printing of worthless paper. Mrs. Dumbdown doesn't even know what the word "debauched" means, and Mr. Dumbdown pretends that he does, but won't look it up in the dictionary to explain it to her. Neither has a background in political science (except what they learned in government schools) and therefore the dynamics of political power are also unfamiliar to them.

Such power revolves around control of the money supply and Mr. and Mrs. Dumbdown don't realize that the money supply is controlled by an axis of wealthy families. It was to such people that Lord Acton referred when he said, Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Baron Rothschild said Give me control of a nation's money supply and I care not who writes its laws, but Mr. and Mrs. Dumbdown have never heard, and most likely could not understand these quotes because the socialist public school system that educated them are themselves part of an agenda that was engineered, orchestrated, funded, and espoused by these elite families. Teaching the principles of freedom would only confound their dreams of a socialist utopia, and delay their bid for control over the international economy and formation of a one-world government. If they were to teach the principles upon which early America was founded, then the common people would wake up and challenge government usurpation of power. No matter...since Mr. and Mrs. Dumbdown don't even understand our form of government, they mindlessly believe that elected representatives will preserve our rights.

Let's face it...the Dumbdown's are all too average in the present American society! They're ignorant of the law and someone needs to get their attention. While the truth may be a rude awakening, it is time for the sleepers to awake. The PROBLEM is that people like the Dumbdowns are so deeply asleep, that they'll never take the first step to begin their own education. Someone needs to grab their attention with something that is dramatic, something that has immediate impact on their lives, something that will graphically demonstrate that all is not right in the kingdom, and that their future, and the future of their children and grandchildren depends on them.

Such things as an in-depth investigation into the hidden reasons for the attempts to take away the private citizens right to self-protection through pointless gun control would be too great a task. In every proposed additional legislation concerning the control of firearms, the attempts to take arms out of the hands of citizens doesn't in any way address the possession and use of weapons by criminals. Laws that would accomplish this are already on the books. Were they to be enforced by the judicial system, much of that problem would go away. However, when one takes a serious look at the language used in these attempts at new gun legislation, it must become obvious to the observer that there's a deeper agenda involved. Consider the case of a young girl who used an available handgun to commit suicide. She'd been taking drugs, and drinking alcohol. However, did those attempting to analyze the reason for this unfortunate event make any statement about the evils of drugs or easy access by teens to alcohol? No! All addressed was the evil of a handgun being available. Is it within the realm of possibility that the girl could have used a knife, or a razor blade to take her life if the handgun had not been available? No mention of that possibility! Why? Because there is a deeper agenda involved in the antigun rhetoric being espoused. As has already been stated, all these proposed new laws have little to do with control of crime.

Out of this falling away from the original concepts of our founders have arisen a number of social beliefs that are serving to destroy our culture, and subsequently, our society. Such things as moral relativism, multiculturalism, tolerance, and the bastard offspring of these ideologies, political correctness, are rapidly taking our free lifestyle the way of the dodo bird. And all these world-views are wrapped up on one fundamental view espoused by many political leaders and thinkers, Postmodernism.

It is out of these beliefs that strong resistance and condemnation has arisen toward something called profiling. The spin-merchants choose to call it racial-profiling, which, when used as the total reason for judging a person, is certainly not acceptable. However, the present description of profiling, if strictly practiced by peace officers, would render law enforcement impotent. Adherence to this concept of profiling is presently making airport security somewhat of a joke. It wasn't Donald Duck and his followers, nor some 75 year-old grandmother (the type often searched by airport security) who hijacked four airliners and launched an attack on America. It was men of Middle-Eastern descent, fitting into a certain age profile that committed this act of terrorism. Therefore, individuals who fit this profile must, in all cases, be initially suspect. Those not guilty of planned wrongdoing, or who have no past that can tie them to suspect groups, should be glad that the forces in the United States are doing everything possible to guard against any repeat events. Those who have questionable activities connected to them should be terrified.

Please don't take the statements made in this brief beginning to mean that ALL is bad in our nation. It is still by far the best place to live on the face of this planet. At least to some extent, our government (at least a few of its members) seems to have as their primary agenda, the welfare of the nation. However, most of us agree that the future does not seem to look too good if the present course continues. However, behind the scenes are the same international financiers who have been guiding the direction of nations for decades. One must wonder just how much "cooperation" might exist (at deep levels) between those who are funding our war against terrorism, and at the same time, providing aid to those same terrorists. Such has been the case during every war ever fought by the United States, and nothing has happened to change that?

The point to be made here is that the concept"presented above was true 30 years ago...and with certain modifications, is even more drastically true today.

Wolfhunter

In 1972 I wrote a book called The Abuse Of We The People. It told the story of how the Federal Reserve, IRS, and other phony agencies were created. Much of the information above was in that book. Things were bad then...they are much worse now.

Over the past 45 years I have watched as the situation continued to erode. Now...look where we are? We have a government that seems to be guiding us toward some form of socialism. Our free market system could be taken over by an out of control government. We have a president who apoligizes to governments who have proven to not be our friends. In the face of all the historical evidence, he states that our country is really not a Christian nation. That makes me wonder where he studied American History, or if he ever did. Be that as it may, we are in a lot of trouble, and things threaten to get worse. It is up to us, folks. The "thinking American" will bring change, if change ever comes. As you read this little treatsie, see how close you may fit into the profile of Mr. and Mrs. Dumbdown.

Wolfhunter