The structure of the federal court system has varied a great deal throughout the history of the nation. The Constitution merely provides that the judicial power of the United States “be vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.” Thus, the only indispensable court is the Supreme Court. Congress has established and abolished other U.S. courts as national needs have changed over time.

If the federal court system is viewed as a pyramid, at the top is the Supreme Court of the United States, the highest court. On the next level are the 12 United States Courts of Appeals,  followed by the next level of courts - the 94 U.S. district courts and the specialized courts, such as the Tax Court, the Court of Federal Claims, the Court of Veterans Appeals, and the Court of International Trade. There are various routes a case may take to a federal court. Some cases may originate in a U.S. district court, while others will come from a state court or federal agency.

A person involved in a suit in a U.S. court may proceed through three levels of decision. Generally, the case will be heard and decided by one of the district courts on the first level. If a party is dissatisfied with the decision rendered, the party may have the decision reviewed in one of the courts of appeals. If dissatisfied with the decision of a court of appeals, the party may seek additional review in the Supreme Court of the United States; however, the Supreme Court primarily reviews only cases that involve a matter of great national importance and only accepts a small number of cases each term.

This pyramid-like organization of the courts serves two purposes. First, the courts of appeals can correct errors that have been made in the decisions of trial courts. Second, the Supreme Court can ensure the uniformity of decisions by reviewing cases in which constitutional issues have been decided or in which two or more lower courts have reached different results.

Courts are presided over by judicial officers. In the Supreme Court, the judicial officers are called justices. In the courts of appeals, district courts, and other courts, most of the judicial officers are called judges. Today’s justices and judges have the authority, duties, and benefits assigned to them by law, as enacted and amended by Congress.

Judges who are at least 65 years of age and have served as active judges for a minimum of 15 years often elect to take senior status. As senior judges, they may continue to hear cases, deal with administrative matters, and serve on special commissions and committees. Nearly 15 percent of the federal courts’ caseload has been handled by senior judges.

Someone recently asked me about Public Relations and where it began. In one way or another, Public Relations has been around since the beginning of time. But, who actually set the standards?

President Wilson actually set the foundation for public relations, by addressing issues and bringing out the point that building resources could strengthen the system. This later led people to see that knowledge held the power that officials needed to produce a strong public relations and orderly system.

In-spite of these facts however, many high-nosed officials think that being in office creates the power. This is why we see so much distortion, confusion, swindles and downright corrupt actions that cause the people harm.

Public relations is about serving the people, supplying the knowledge they seek. Yet many companies [and most especially, Governments] forget this basic concept, using public relations as a means to boost their own needs.

Good public relations therefore, must start with and focus on your audience’s needs, not those of your business. In the end, your business needs ARE what your audience is focused on and seeks to accomplish. The greatest value of your business is your audience, without them it would not exist.

• Learn your audience’s needs
• Serve the needs of your audience
• Empower your audience with knowledge
• Address individual issues with facts
• Earn their trust through earnest effort
• Recommend, Suggest, Offer Advice
• Present choices with proven methods
• Give them the latitude to make their own decisions
• Include THEIR needs when making your own decisions
• Remember their needs are YOUR needs

HELP I’M BEING TAXED TO DEATH … or at least it feels that way sometimes. Each day I awake anticipating the mysteries of what the day might have in store for me and while it will keep me guessing, there’s always two things I have no doubt about: God has once again blessed me with a new day - and my government will come up with a new way … to add taxes to something else.

Most of us don’t really give much thought to the amount we pay annually in taxes and we tend to think of taxes in the context of our annual Federal Income Tax Returns. Or, for those of us required to file State Income Tax Returns, we pat ourselves on the back once we have completed this task (big job) with a sigh of relief, until the next tax filing season rolls around.

Business owners don’t fall prey to this folly, they know all too well the task is a regular aspect of doing business. I won’t go into that lion’s den today though, because we are talking taxes and not Business.

Have you ever stopped to think about how much of your hard earned dollars go to taxes? Do you think you know what your ‘tax bracket’ really is? For most of us, our most generous ‘guestimate’ is probably an understatement. I’m sure there are many of us who deliberately avoid any thought on the topic, for it would depress us to death. Those are some options folks - let me see … do I want to be taxed to death or depressed to death? Decisions, decisions!

Here’s a small sample of some of the taxes we pay in our (USA) country:

• Accounts Receivable Tax
• Boating License Tax
• Building Permit Tax
• Capital Gains Tax
• CDL License Tax
• Cigarette Tax
• City Tax
• Corporate Income Tax
• County Tax
• Dividends Earned Tax
• Dog License Tax
• Excess Earnings Tax
• Federal Income Tax
• Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
• Fishing License Tax
• Food License Tax
• Fuel Permit Tax
• Gift Tax
• Gasoline Tax
• Hunting License Tax
• Inheritance Tax
• Interest Earned Tax
• Inventory Tax
• IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)
• IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
• Liquor Tax
• Local Income Tax
• Luxury Tax
• Marriage License Tax
• Medicare Tax
• Per Diem Tax
• Personal Property Tax
• Real Property Tax
• Service charge taxes
• Social Security Tax
• Road Usage Tax (Truckers)
• Sales Taxes (Alabama taxes almost everything)
• Recreational Vehicle Tax
• School Tax
• State Income Tax
• State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
• Telephone Federal Excise Tax
• Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
• Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax
• Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
• Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
• Telephone State and Local Tax
• Telephone Usage Charge Tax
• Usage Tax
• Utility Tax
• Vehicle License Registration Tax
• Vehicle Sales Tax
• Watercraft Registration Tax
• Well Permit Tax
• Workers Compensation Tax

I don’t know about you, but I want to know where all that tax money is going? For those who have fallen upon hard times, they know all too well, it can’t be going toward any type of services we can collect. If you want some of those tax dollars back via government programs to the needy, you have to lose everything you own first. And for those whom find themselves that unfortunate, if they ever manage to get back on their feet - the government is going to come knocking, to ensure they get back everything you collected from them, and then some.

So just where are all those tax dollars going? I’m sure if you polled one hundred people, you would get at least thirty different answers, with explanations that all boil down to the same basic analysis … “I don’t know, I just pay what I’m told I owe.”

If you would like to weigh-in with your own opinions, register to subscribe  and post your comments.

How much is too much when it comes to Government control?

• Should the government control our gun ownership rights?
• Does the government have an obligation to “The People” and to uphold the U.S. Constitution?
• Does the 2nd Amendment give us the right to bare arms?
• Does the U.S. Constitution prohibit our Federal Government from mandating National Healthcare?

Do you know how to contact the U. S. Senate? Or maybe you had concerns you wanted to voice, but didn’t know who to call or how to even obtain the telephone number?

Did you know each and every U. S. Senator is listed and published? Maybe you want to call the Vice President of the United States? Or your State Senator? Maybe you would like to call each and every one, to voice your concerns? Do you want a voice in health care reform? Maybe you have a suggestion regarding the Treasury Department?

Well, search no more. I think every American should have access to every U. S. Senator. So, I have decided to post this publication here, as a means of convenience - so you won’t have to waste valuable time searching for those telephone numbers. This publication, not only lists the names and telephone, but even the building each is located in; as well as other relevant information [party, etc.].

Have a wonderful day and a great weekend. Hope to see you again soon.

TELEPHONE NUMBER INDEX (left click to open or right click to download and save)

If you can’t persuade the people to support you, what then? Well, if you’re in D.C. and have a political agenda - just threaten the people!

Just when you think you have seen everything in politics - BAM - along comes something that leaves you scratching your head and saying “You have got to be joking!”

But, it’s no joke - and you better believe this situation is serious. Just as serious as - well…going to jail.

I have posted my own “open letter” so to speak, to the President of the United States on my Obama Blog. Pointed questions are asked, in addition to “exposing” some hidden aspects.

Things such as:

• Illegal Immigrants ‘automatically’ enrolled into medicaid
• $172 billion cuts to medicare
• $329 billion increase to deficit
• $1900 fine, if you don’t pay, another $25000 fine added

Chances are, if you are a U.S. Citizen, you have heard of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act [AKA ARRA] of 2009. An economic stimulus package enacted by the 111th Congress of the United States and signed into law by President Obama, on February 17th of this year. But, what’s it all about? What qualifies as “approved” and how do you benefit from this ’stimulus’ package?

ARRA is defined as, “An Act, Making supplemental appropriations for job preservation and creation, infrastructure investment, energy efficiency and science, assistance to the unemployed, and State and local fiscal stabilization, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, and for other purposes. (should I be scared about the ‘other purposes’?)

With only one week to go before the end of this fiscal year, can it be said this ‘Act’ was successful and more importantly - was it worth the cost? (Certain provisions extend through September 30, 2010)

Some experts are now saying the economy is already recovering and the housing market is driving this comeback. Even if the experts turn out to be correct, I doubt this will be of much comfort to those who have already lost their homes and or jobs. With unemployment reaching double digits in many areas across the nation [United States], just when does this “Recovery & Reinvestment Act” trickle down to the average consumer and working people?

Does the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act have an impact on other Countries? If so, how much of an effect does this have on other countries - and their economies? How does that benefit the citizens of those countries?

The world of commerce is just that - Worldwide. So, it would stand to reason the economic effects of one country could and would affect other countries [in the free world and of free trade], sometimes with a ripple effect.

The simplest of things seem to become complex once government get involved, and the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act is anything but simple. Enough time has passed since its enactment for our Representatives in Washington [as well as our home States] to know the details of ARRA. Yet I would be extremely hesitant to hold my breath on that one.

The ARRA spans over several hundred pages and while I would love to give my opinion on this entire act, that would require several hundred pages. So, rather than give my opinions, I shall ask a few questions about a few Sections and their Provisions that might trickle down closest to the average working class American:

• Job preservation and creation

  - If millions of jobs are lost, while creating 100’s of thousands new jobs, (the number of unemployed growing at a faster rate than the number of new jobs available) can we call that successful?

• Just how many of the newly created jobs are Government related positions?
• If ARRA provisions or sections have language containing “to carry out a program of grants to States” or “to cover the salaries or related expenses” - do “We the People” actually see any of that money?
• Can anyone really understand the wording of ‘contingents’ without having to created a cross-indexed database, with cross-referencing definitions of all the  ’this section or that U.S. Code”, “Subsection this or that, as pertains to - you get the picture, right?

The world will never forget the tragic, horrible events of September 11, 2001. This morning, as alleged shots rang out over the Potomac River, panic raced through the hearts of many Americans. Questions were sure to race the mind just as quickly - were we under attack again? As one suspicious vessel was detained, calls were flooding the local emergency call system.

While it didn’t take long to determine it was not a terrorist attack, none the less, a psychological impact had already been made, conjuring up all the fear and panic of past.

We are being told now that is was only a training event that occurred, no shots were fired, and there wasn’t any threat to American safety. Why would anyone schedule a training event on today of all days, on the Potomac? I, myself, can only speculate as to the thought [or lack thereof] that went into the ’scheduling’ of such an event on this tragic date’s anniversary. Obviously, someone dropped the ball somewhere to even allow such a training event to take place, on this date of all dates.

On the other hand, today’s event is sure to remind us with mental and emotional clarity - we must never forget, nor should we ever allow our guard down when it comes to our enemies. And just as important, we must always remember the heroes of September 11, 2001.

Let this be a lesson to all America: We all know what happened to the boy who cried wolf. If one thinks of this [or in future] as such an event, we allow the opportunity for our enemies to catch us at a disadvantage. We must stay alert and take all situations seriously - until we know for sure it is not a threat, we must treat each situation as an eminent threat if we wish to keep our country safe.

GOD BLESS AMERICA! Can I get an Amen?

BREAKING NEWS!

Fact or Fiction? Was President Barack H. Obama actually born in Kenya, Africa?

Tomorrow, September 08, 2009, a hearing has been set in the Central District Court of California, to determine the authenticity of the “alleged” Kenyan Certificate of Birth for President Obama, as presented and attested to by one, Lucas Smith.

I have posted a copy of the “alleged” Certificate of Birth for Barack Hussein Obama, on my Obama Political Blog. You may view that posting, along with the imaged copy of the alleged birth certificate, as filed [along with other documents] in the California Court by clicking HERE.