Strike The Root Blog

Moving between states is an exercise in getting nickled-and-dimed to death. While most businesses give you a pro-rated refund when you pay for something up front that you can no longer completely use, that money is gone once the state gets hold of it. For example, you typically pay for an auto registration or a nursing license in advance of the year it’s good for. If you move away the next day, you’re not getting any of that money back. Too bad. I chalk it up to typical government greed.

Here’s a new wrinkle: my son Tim obtained his learner’s permit in Colorado. Unfortunately, he hadn’t kept it long enough, and thus was unable to get his driver’s license in Colorado. Upon moving down to Texas, we found out that (a) he had to start all over, i.e. get his permit and wait another 6 months. And worse, (b) he would have to attend a driving school (and pay a large chunk of money). We would not be able to teach Tim ourselves–apparently you have to be a resident of the state of Texas (and driving) for at least three years before you’re qualified enough to instruct your children in driving.

I have no clue what the point of this law is. Maybe driving is just that much more difficult here for some reason, and I’ll find out in the next three years.

Everyone knows we’re in a depreciating housing market. I’ve just realized something that is bound to make it worse for a lot of families.

I have a friend who bought a house six years ago for $223k with ten percent down, bringing her mortgage balance to about 200k. Two years ago she had it appraised for $250k and the bank removed the pmi requirement (private mortgage insurance typically required for mortgage balances over 80%.) Her neighbor, with basically the same home only updated, has had her house on the market for year at $236k and can’t sell it, even though she has three people a week come through to look at it.

That says to me that my friend no longer has 80% equity in her home, not even close. The questions are: when will the bank come back and demand the pmi again, how many families will this be happening to, and how many will be able to afford to add that fee back into their monthly budget with everything else costing more? Most probably started spending the money on something else quicker than you can say “car payment.”

It sounds to me like this will force a few thousand more families to fall over the edge of foreclosure, adding to the already burgeoning housing inventory. Where she stops nobody knows.

Don’t miss this special report from WFAA in Dallas about a local, Palestinian family being held for deportation. Not just the husband, but the wife and young children are being held in 8 foot jail cells in a Homeland Security gulag.

Make sure to click the “Brett Shipp reports” video as well as his video blog about the hate mail he has received from the boobeoisie. The Kansas City Star has a worthy article about this atrocity, as well.

Heard this one? I’ve heard it almost every time that I say I no longer vote. My answer so far has been, “Who would you vote for, Stalin or Hitler?” (Occasionally I’ll offer a softer comparison for a Republican, such as “Hillary or Tipper?” Or for a Democrat, “Bush or Cheney?”)

“That’s a ridiculous comparison” is their typical response. I explain that it’s how I view things, and insist that they have to vote for one. Otherwise, they can’t complain. Some people get the point.

Of course, most people then suggest that I should leave. “If you don’t like it go live elsewhere.”

I’m soliciting suggestions for a better response to the bogus notion of not being able to complain if you don’t vote.

A credit card scandal in Dallas public schools has been in the news recently, with reports of millions of dollars flagrantly charged up on credit cards issued to principals and others in the school district.

“I think for the most part they have to satisfy the public, and somebody big has got to go,” says one arrogant principal who managed to charge up close to a quarter million dollars, with purchases including several flat screen TVs. Another scam-artist principal managed to charge up even more, including purchases for wedding ribbons.

Even if all of these purchases were for legitimate in-school use (doubtful), it’s very questionable to give people a free rein to buy whatever they deem prudent. It’s idiotic, once you’ve put such a program in place, to not track what’s really going on. I think most sensible businesses establish some notion of a “budget” to control this sort of fraud and abuse.

At least in the private sector, these schmucks would likely be out of a job, and would probably be required to pay back the money. But one woman who admitted guilt was only placed on administrative leave–not even fired (yet)!

I’ve seen nothing in the various stories that suggest this money will ever be paid back (I might have missed it). My suspicion is that taxpayers, as usual, will be forced to foot the bill for the theft, waste, and fraud perpetrated by government employees.

Marines from Camp Lejeune are prowling local neighborhoods “as a part of the civil affairs battalion’s training for an upcoming deployment to Iraq in March.”

 ”It’s important to interact with the man on the street because it forces Marines out of their comfort zone and helps establish a rapport with the locals,” says Maj. Andrew L. Dietz.  Perhaps their purpose is twofold- preparing to be effective, brutal occupiers in Iraq as well as getting the local population used to the idea of armed federal thugs wandering the streets while asking questions and barking orders in the coming age of U.S. marshall law.

“A Republican state lawmaker from Baytown, Texas has filed a bill that would charge parents of public school students with a Class C misdemeanor and fine them for playing hooky from a scheduled parent-teacher conference.”