When you have political ambitions, you can either take a stand on issues and remain true to who you say you are, or you can go with the flow of public opinion and only say things that will be popular and non-controversial. I am at that point right now and what I am about to say will not be popular, and will not be prudent concerning my ambitions for both political office and possible career paths, but saying nothing would be pandering to the lowest common denominator simply to avoid losing face. Saying nothing would be a politically wiser move, but then by saying nothing, I become a part of the problem.

Hoku Corporation is poised to be a major employer in Pocatello, and many privileges, as well as outright gifts in the form of land, access, and revised zoning to accommodate have been afforded to the company to bring them here. They have been given major breaks, and have also already gone through a round of lay-offs because construction and production have been delayed. Now, unable to meet their utility bill with Idaho Power (a private, for profit company; just like Hoku,) they have gone to government through the Idaho Public Utilities Commission to keep the power on through use of a temporary injunction. Here is where it gets tricky and controversial: If government is used to coerce (force) one company to provide a product or service to another company in the name of "public good," where does it stop? This is purely socialism at its finest, and I am disgusted that it has happened here in Idaho.

The power of government has been used, right here, in our back yard, to steal from one company and give to another. If you just do simple math, at the standard rate of 18% for a late bill payment, and the 41 day late bill, the government just allowed Hoku to steal $38,416 from Idaho Power. This is just from the November bill, this doesn’t count what accrued in December, or what has already been used this year. We will all be paying for this through higher utilities, and it is courtesy of your government. If they can steal from one company, one with many many employees, and their own legal department to protect them from things like this, what is to stop them from stealing in the name of public good from a much smaller business that doesn’t have the legal defense ability that a company the size of Idaho Power has. If you are a small business owner, you need to be concerned about this. The government has turned socialist right in front of our eyes, and NOTHING was done to stop them.

See article:

www.journalnet.com/news/local/article_50cefad6-365….html

#corporate-welfare; #Idaho; #Brian-Nugent; #Hoku; #Pocatello

I respect and admire home schoolers, and every home schooled child I’ve ever seen has been more mature, and more able to hold an intelligent conversation than were his or her peers that were not home schooled. Here is a good article about why that may be…

Homeschooling: Parenting from Galt’s Gulch « Undoctrination.org: undoctrination.org/2011/10/21/homeschooling-parent…gulch

#home-cschool; #Idaho; #conservative; #family; #Brian-Nugent

Survey says

Hmmm, quit TV or quit smoking… I pay more for cable per month than I do for tobacco, looks like I’m giving up TV.

Study: 1 hour of TV can shorten life by 22 minutes – Health – msnbc.com: www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44156412/ns/health-fitness/?g…NSmSo

#health-care; #Idaho; #Brian-Nugent

Here we go. This won’t be the last one folks. Hang on tight it’s going to be a wild ride.

Dow falls more than 400; 2011 gains are wiped out – Market Dispatches – MSN Money: money.msn.com/investing/dow-plummets-market-dispat…33002

#crash; #democrat; #liberal; #progressive; #conservative; #republican; #Brian-Nugent; #Idaho

Social Security

Copied and pasted from another conservative site:
Our Social Security

Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, introduced the Social Security (FICA) Program. He promised:

1.) That participation in the Program would be Completely voluntary,

No longer Voluntary

2.) That the participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1,400 of their annual
Incomes into the Program,

Now 7.65% on the first $90,000

3.) That the money the participants elected to put
into the Program would be deductible from their income for tax purposes each year,

No longer tax deductible

4.) That the money the participants put into the independent ‘Trust Fund’ rather than into the
general operating fund, and therefore, would only be used to fund the Social Security Retirement Program, and no other
Government program, and,

Under Johnson the money was moved to The General Fund and Spent

5.) That the annuity payments to the retirees would never be taxed as income.

Under Clinton & Gore Up to 85% of your Social Security can be Taxed

Since many of us have paid into FICA for years and are now receiving a Social Security check every month –
and then finding that we are getting taxed on 85% of the money we paid to the Federal government to ‘put
away’ — you may be interested in the following:

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —-

Q: Which Political Party took Social Security from the independent ‘Trust Fund’ and put it into the
general fund so that Congress could spend it?

A: It was Lyndon Johnson and the Democratically controlled House and Senate.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— –

Q: Which Political Party eliminated the income tax deduction for Social Security (FICA) withholding?

A: The Democratic Party.

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— —–

Q: Which Political Party started taxing Social
Security annuities?

A: The Democratic Party, with Al Gore casting the ‘tie-breaking’ deciding vote as President of the
Senate, while he was Vice President of the US

———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— -

Q: Which Political Party decided to start giving annuity payments to immigrants?

AND MY FAVORITE:

A: That’s right!

Jimmy Carter and the Democratic Party. Immigrants moved into this country, and at age 65, began to receive Social Security payments! The Democratic Party gave these payments to them, even though they never paid a dime into it!

———— — ———— ——— —– ———— ——— ———

Then, after violating the original contract (FICA),
the Democrats turn around and tell you that the Republicans want to take your Social Security away!

And the worst part about it is uninformed citizens believe it!!!!!!!

#Social-Security; #Democrat; #Progressive: #Liberal; #Republican; #COnservative; #Brian-Nugent; #Idaho;

State vs. Federal Government: What’s the Difference Anymore? – Nullify Now!: www.nullifynow.com/2011/06/state-vs-federal-govern…ymore

I’ve said before, to turn the government around, it will have to be done at the state level and on a state by state basis. This article reaffirms what I have said.

#election #Idaho #progressive #democrat #liberal #conservative #republican #brian-nugent

Why do you need to elect good common sense people to the legislature? To keep idiotic bills like this from getting made into law. Really looking out for your constituents there Rexburg. Shame on you.

$50 fine: Texting while walking- MSN Money: money.msn.com/auto-insurance/article.aspx?post=a8b…33033

#Idaho; #Elections; #common-sense; #nanny-state; #Brian-Nugent; #Democrat; #Liberal; #progressive; #conservative; #Republican

Think the Nanny state doesn’t apply to safe small-town life? Think again. How does this law apply to all the missionaries, JW’s and other witnesses walking door to door? Sounds like a blatant violation of first amendment rights to me.

PPD_door_to_door_51211.pdf (application/pdf Object): www.pocatello.us/news/releases/2011/PPD_door_to_do…1.pdf

#first-amendment; #big-brother; #nanny-state; #Pocatello; #Idaho; #election

You never know where someone is trying to find you, so to be effective, you have to post everywhere. Takes a ton of time to do it right. If only there were some sort of tool that helped you be everywhere at once, that would let you post one time and cover all of the most trendy social media sites. (contact me privately and let me tell you my secret.)

Internet politics: Social media a defining force in presidential campaigns – www.latimes.com: www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-soci…story

#solcail #media; #politics; #trends; #cutting #edge; #Idaho

Fired up the motorcycle for the first time this season. The ride was invigorating, and despite being parked outside all winter and being dumped twice by punks in the night, she purred like a kitten. Was a little chilly, good thing I had my helmet and my leather on. Cycling season is here. Take extra caution too look for cyclists, the life you save could be someone you care about.

#motorcycle; #safety; #economy; #Idaho