IS IT TRUE? January 9, 2012

IS IT TRUE that for the first time in history it is now reported that the debt of the United States of America is now equal to the size of the entire American economy?…that this is all goods and services produced in the United States in a single year which is a heck of a lot more money than just the government revenue collected in taxes and fees?…that this amount is from a layman’s perspective the equivalent of having 5 years of your salary on credit cards?…that the actual number reported today is $15.23 Trillion dollars or just over $50,000 for every man, woman, and child in the country?…that if you are a family of 4 that your share of this growing burden is $200,000 but is projected to increase to about $220,000 during 2012?…that this is just the federal government and does not include any state or local government debts?

IS IT TRUE that there is a lady and her husband who were hanging out at the Hog’s Breath bar in La Quinta, California that happens to be owned by Clint Eastwood who is in the business of placing conventions in cities across America?…that this writer overheard a conversation they were having about a bad experience that they had in a city that had no smoking ordinance with a convention they had placed there?…that (listen up Evansville) this company lost a major account over the experience of the convention attendees hating being in a town without a smoking ban AND VOWED TO NEVER EVER BOOK A CONVENTION IN ANY CITY THAT ALLOWS PUBLIC SMOKING AGAIN?…that the lady and her husband to avoid a repeat performance with this costly situation have enacted a company policy to NEVER BOOK ANY CONVENTION IN A CITY THAT DOES NOT HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE SMOKING BAN?…that the leadership of Evansville would be well advised to consider the preferences and requirements of convention attendees when this issue comes before the City Council this year and the State of Indiana should too?

IS IT TRUE that the same state government that is gung ho to pass Right to Work legislation for the purpose of having a voice at the table in more attraction projects may be neglecting the passing of a tough anti-smoking law on a statewide basis that could have a similar impact on jobs if conventions pass us by for our rather archaic smoking laws?…that the lady and her husband did not have an answer for a comprehensive ban that only excludes casino boats?

IS IT TRUE that it has been reported that the recent and anticipated future increases in the electricity rates charged are threatening the future of aluminum smelters across the US?…that there are two such plants that employ many thousands of people right here in the tri-state?…that in particular the Alcan plant has stated that the Big Rivers rates are increasing to a level that is higher than the world average rate and that they may not be able to operated at a profit due to the increases?…that is corporate code for “shut down” or “big lay off”?…that we do not know what the exact rate is at Big Rivers but what we do know is that from a residential perspective that customers of Big Rivers are paying much less that customers of Vectren?

IS IT TRUE that making entire industries non-competitive may just be yet another unintended consequence of a federal administration that has gotten us into the $15.2 Trillion dollar debt with little to show for it AND now is learning that the statement by President Obama about “electricity rates will skyrocket” is not only coming true but people will be losing their livelihoods because of it?…that we will not survive as an economy if all we do is service each other as opposed to creating and making things?