Ok – you remember my definition of “mixed emotions” — watching your mother-in-law drive your brand new car over the cliff. I’m thinking President Obama’s budget proposal might just generate a few of those same feelings in some of his most ardent supporters.

Seems his new tax plan reduces the deductions for charitable contributions for those who earn over $250,000/year. This negatively impacts the small/medium size local businesses – Blue Cross Blue Shield, Dick Anderson Construction, Van’s Thriftway, the local banks and credit unions, Power Townsend, etc., etc., etc. – that always seem to come forward to support our community’s various non-profit organizations: The Symphony, Grand Street Theatre, Helena Chamber Singers, the Myrna Loy, the Holter Museum, the Florence Crittendon Home, – the list just goes on and on. Every non-profit group and cause in town counts on the business community to donate to their events, fundraisers, productions, performances, whatever.

What happens next year when businesses profits are down because of the economy and they don’t get the same financial break to support these organizations? Do you suppose those non-profits find their funding goes down too? Yep, you betcha.

And all those arsty-fartsy, bleeding-heart, business-bashing, do-gooders who voted for Obama and support his anti-business tax policies will find their calls for help for this, that, or the other worthy cause might not receive the same positive response.

I hope the local businesses answer those requests for donations with a succinct, “I’d really like to help you out, but I already gave – to President Obama’s economic stimulus, bank bail-out, budget-busting, and universal health care fund. I thought you’d be thrilled.”

Update: Here’s another little gem to add to the mix. You know that “tax break” we’ll be getting in our paychecks in a few weeks courtesy of Barack the Magnificent? The big $13 a week? Turns out that’s a case of giving with one hand and taking away with the other too. Seems the Feds are changing the WITHOLDING SCHEDULES but not the TAX TABLES. So you’ll get a little more now, but in April 2010 you’ll end up owing another $700. Hope! Change! Depression! Pass the Prozac.

Apparently, Congress figures if they didn’t pass it, the law doesn’t exist.

Remember when the Big 3 Auto Execs were summoned to Washington and were roundly excoriated by the media and members of Congress for their wasteful ways? Remember how, next time the CEO’s traveled to Washington they flew commercial, because the hue and cry over extravagant spending on corporate jets was so loud as to drown out any voices of reason? So what do you think the message was for Corporate America? DON’T OWN YOUR OWN CORPORATE JETS!!!!

Message received. Loud and clear. Roger that.

Now we get this tidbit…

“Lawmakers who scolded executives for failing to fly commercial have now passed a tax incentive to help move more corporate aircraft. The accelerated depreciation included in the economic-stimulus bill was also used after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and helped boost sales by 43%. ‘This will sell aircraft that we wouldn’t have sold before,’ said GOP Rep. Todd Tiahrt of Kansas, where general aviation manufacturers have shed nearly 7,000 jobs.”

Huh? First destroy the industry and then throw taxpayer money to try to help build it back up? Guess that’s one way to solve the problem – create it first.

What was in that pill, Alice?

I guess this has been around for a while, but I hadn’t seen it until tonight and just had to share it.

We’ll soon learn just what Washington has dropped on us…

A rose by any other name????

The Stimulus Bill is being called a lot of things these days – mostly x-rated, but Mike Huckabee probably summed it up best in his closing remarks on his show this past weekend:

To quote that scion of intellectual verbosity, Austin Powers, “It’s crap. It’s all crap.”

At a loss for a unique Valentine? Word has it that Montana’s beloved former First Lady Betty Babcock and Governor Tim Babcock will be at Leslie’s Hallmark at the Capital Hill Mall (future site of the Montana History Center, if Betty has anything to say about it!) today from 11 to 1 signing copies of their book, Challenges Above and Beyond.

For those of us who have known these two fine people over the years, this is a welcome read and we wish them a successful launch in this latest endeavor.

Stop by Leslie’s and say hello and buy yourself a copy of Montana history seen through the eyes of two of her most dedicated citizens. It’s a true love story.

Pretty well sums up this week in Washington, huh?

A few of the talking points we’re going to hear for a while from our new president…

Lies:
“This isn’t our economy, we inherited it.” No – this one is yours. Congress appropriates funds and the Democrats have controlled Congress since 2006. Admittedly, you, Mr. President, were pretty much awol for the last year and a half, but you campaigned for this job. So – You asked for it – you got it.

Damn Lies:
“This is a bi-partisan bill.” No matter how much lipstick you put on it – this pig is yours – all yours. You may have three republican senators voting for the bill, but you lost 11 democrats in the House. Wanna bet the most popular campaign slogan in 2010 won’t be “I supported the Stimulus Bill”?

Statistics:
“A majority of Americans support the stimulus bill.” You wish. And the more they learn about it, the less they support it. Can you hear your approval rating fall? Can you hear it now?