Flap's Blog – FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog

The U.S. Senate late Tuesday passed a bill by U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Ventura & Santa Barbara Counties) to honor President Ronald Reagan on the 100th anniversary of his birth.

The Senate passed the bill by unanimous consent. On March 9, the House passed it on a 371-19 vote, with one Member voting present. The bill now goes to President Obama for his signature.

The Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission Act will create an 11-member commission that will plan and carry out activities deemed fitting to honor Ronald Reagan on his 100th birthday, which will be on Feb. 6, 2011.

The commission will make recommendations and provide necessary assistance for federal, state and local governmental agencies and civic groups to honor President Reagan’s 100th birthday. Such activities could include special stamps or coins. In addition, the commission will recommend to Congress activities to honor President Reagan’s 100th birthday, including the possible convening of a Joint Session of Congress.

No federal money can be spent on the commission or its activities.

“The bipartisan support for the commission says a lot about how President Reagan’s impact on U.S. and international affairs continues to be felt today,” Gallegly said. “President Reagan inspired greatness in the nation he loved. Celebrating his life and accomplishments is a celebration of America.”

Gallegly also noted that it’s fitting that the legislation passed in time for the unveiling of President Reagan’s statue in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on June 3. Former first lady Nancy Reagan will attend the ceremony.

Flap will be looking forward to the festivities next February 6th at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.

So authorities say Staten Island resident Joseph Nativo, 47, pulled a revolver on his former business associate and took them.

Nativo, a contractor who lives on the 200 block of Shirley Avenue in Eltingville, is accused of slamming the revolver down on a desk at his business, Atec Contracting on 360 Targee St. in Stapleton on May 7, then demanding that 40-year-old Gennario Sibbio take the chompers out of his mouth and hand them over.

He also demanded Sibbio give up $1,200 in cash, two cell phones, a Bluetooth wireless device and his jacket.

Nativo tells it differently, though — sure, he demanded the teeth back, since he paid for them in the first place, but he never pulled out a gun.

Police referred to Sibbio as Nativo’s “former business partner,” but Nativo characterizes him as an ex-worker who stole from the company.

“He’s not my partner. He’s my employee,” Nativo said. “I fired him, let him go. I paid for his new teeth to be put in… I told him to leave the company. I asked for my teeth back.”

And, what the hell is he going to do with the chompers?

Good grief……

Fifty percent (50%) of Americans favor increasing taxes on beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages to help provide health insurance for every one in the country.

Forty percent (40%) are against such tax increases, and 10% are not sure in a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Fifty-nine percent (59%) of women support more taxes on alcohol, compared to 42% of men. Both men and women under the age of 40 are more supportive of higher taxes on alcoholic beverages than their elders.

Sixty-two percent (62%) of Democrats think an increase in so-called “sin taxes” on alcohol is a good idea, but 54% of Republicans disagree. Adults not affiliated with either major party are closely divided on the question.

But, the problem with sin taxes is that consumption may decrease as the taxes increase. So, overall tax revenue may remain flat. The government cannot really rally an expensive Obbamacare restructing of the American health care system based on beer and wine sales.

Then, there is the problem of bootlegging from Mexico and the soverignity of the American Indian reservations where folks won’t pay any tax at all.

Raising sin taxes to fund Obamacare or socialized medicine = FAIL.

California is currently saddled with at least a $21 Billion budget shortfall.

An angry electorate soundly defeated a slate of special election budget measures Tuesday, a decision that left Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state lawmakers holding virtually nothing but a scalpel to deal with California’s $21.3 billion shortfall.

Schwarzenegger, who dropped Election Day campaigning to attend a White House announcement on new auto fuel standards, was scheduled to return Wednesday to meet with legislators and discuss options for the budget.

Now what?

The “big five” elected leaders — Schwarzenegger and the legislative chieftains from both houses — are slated to begin closed-door meetings today upon the governor’s return from Washington, where he spent election day after casting a last-minute absentee ballot.

On Thursday a small group of Senate and Assembly members will hold the first of what’s expected to be a slew of daily public sessions to wrangle over the details of the budget.

Schwarzenegger has called for cuts that would hit every corner of the state. He announced plans to lay off 5,000 of the state’s 235,000 workers and has proposed slashing education by up to $5 billion, selling state properties, borrowing $2 billion from local governments and potentially reducing eligibility for healthcare programs.

California voters are disgusted with the Pols of both parties who have taxed and spent the state into insolvency. There can be no more tax increases and so there will be cuts in programs and layoffs. Perhaps the feds and President Obama will bailout California with some funds, but, likely state employees and the schools will take the biggest hits.

As for the political climate, voters are angry and more angry than anytime since 1978 and Proposition 13. Look for a series of initiatives reining in the Democrat dominated California Legislature for 2010 and more intense scrutiny of candidates who will replace Governor Schwarzenegger next year.

Anti-tax and spend sentiment is brewing and will intensify over the summer.

Will it spread across the country, next Fall?