Steve Hoffacker's Sales Quips

Papers, Please

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:42:08 -0600

Can you believe that we are living in the land of the free? Not when Chuck Schumer and Lindsay Graham are on the loose. They are meeting with Obama tomorrow to propose their progressive government watchdog registration program.

They want every worker in America - citizen or green card - to have a government issued ID card. Just to prove you are legally employable - at first. Then, it's possible for a whole host of activities that the government can foist upon us under the label of national security. Think checkpoints.

No way is this Constitutional.

We have never been subjected to the government being able to track our movements or knowing where we are. Can't happen? Wouldn't happen? You'd like to think so, but it's just a small step once everyone is registered with a scanable national ID. Depends on who wants to use the technology and data on the cards.

What about self-employed? Do we have to have one, too?

And you honestly believe that these cards can't be counterfeited? A whole new black-market enterprise.

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. You can also listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

How Big Of A Camera Do We Need?

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:01:45 -0600

The Census Bureau is sparing no expense to get the word out - Super Bowl spots and prime time commercials. Ed Begley, Jr., in one of the spots, wants to take a snapshot of America. Just exactly how big of camera would that take?

The Census is Constitutionally mandated, but I doubt the Founders saw it turning into anything like this behemoth statistical effort. It is required for apportionment - that's all.

However, it has turned into the singular data collection tool for all kinds of demographic studies and analyses - even thought the data is so out-of-date and of questionable quality when it is finally made available - often over two years after the fact.

Only the population count is needed - of citizens. No other data is needed or required, and illegals are not to be counted.

Add to this the tremendous number of unconstitutional entitlement and revenue-sharing programs that are tied to population, and the matter simply compounds - expotentially. Another TV commercial beckons people to comply so we can "can get your fair share of funding."

There is a solution, but most won't want to hear it. Have Congress return to what they are Constitutionally permitted to do and let all of the entitlement programs sunset.

Speaking of the Census, can we return to tightly compacted geographical districts - regardless of racial, potlitical party, or ethnic composition - and forget all the gerrymandering to try to insure a certain outcome?

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Election Day Gets Closer

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:49:49 -0600

As of today, Election Day is 34 weeks away - 237 days.

The Republicans are starting to show some spirit in rejecting the Dems' posturing and gameplaying, but it likley is too late to stop the machine. Some deserve to stay on, some don't.

All 435 seats in the House are up for election and 36 seats in the Senate, and we've already seen some announcements of resignations and retirement. This makes our job easier because we are assure of some new faces in the Congress.

Many of those currently serving have violated the public trust and their oath of office by ignoring the will of the people and the Constitution. Those people need to be serving their final weeks in the Congress.

It would be great to have a clean slate, but that is impractical. For one thing, two-thirds of the Senate will continue on. For another, some are going to be returned to office no matter what. That still doesn't keep us from advancing the notion that we are tired of business as usual and if we had the power we would start over with 535 new faces.

Keep up the pressure my fellow patriots and free enterprisers.

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What Ever Happened To That Drill Now Thing?

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:52:00 -0600

Remember $4.00 a gallon gas? Remember that a lot of people wanted to drill for oil here in the US or off-shore? Remember then gas dropped to under $2,00? Didn't seem so urgent or important? Now gas is climbing back to $3,00 and beyond.

Whatever happened to "drill baby drill"? To "drill here, drill now"? We could be well on our way to increased domestic production had we done something then.

Remeber Obama's threat promise that energy prices will need to "skyrocket" under his plan.

Can we just drill?

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Motivational Monday - "Keeping Up"

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:10:13 -0600

Life can be very fast moving - particularly if we aren't prepared for it. We need to keep up with the pace so we don't lose our way or get smashed into the rocks by the raging current.

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Photography displayed is original composition and artistic expression of Steve Hoffacker, and as such is copyrighted. Photos are in their original digital image state and have not been cropped, edited, or enhanced in anyway.

Hilarious -- Victoria Jackson...There's a Communist Living in the WhiteHouse

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 18:25:09 -0600

Here's a entertaining skit that Victoria Jackson apprently did on Saturday Night Live. I didn't see this either, but here is a rebroadcast of it. Quite entertaining.

Via John Mosier (Keller Williams - Prescott - AZ):

I do not usually watch Saturday Night Live, so I did not see it when it was on. I thought it to be Hilarious and just had to share it. Victoria Jackson (Saturday Night Live) laments the current wealth-redistributor-in-chief:
I will be most interested to hear other's opinions.
John Mosier Prescott's Patriot REALTOR®

Phone (928) 533-8142 Fax (800) 635-6561
My Website See all my Listings
See my results for 2009, Praise the Lord!

Speechless Sundays - "Hawkeye"

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 15:02:36 -0600

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Photography displayed is original composition and artistic expression of Steve Hoffacker, and as such is copyrighted. Photos are in their original digital image state and have not been cropped, edited, or enhanced in anyway.

Does Congress Need Tutoring?

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 14:17:55 -0600

Most of the work of Congress is illegal and unnecessary. Congress is governed by a very specific set of guidleines called the US Constitution - more specifically, Article I, Section 8. There are only 17 areas (plus an enabling clause) where Congress has any jurisdiction. Health care is not one, and amnesty for illegals is not one.

I think back to freshman political sciense in college. We had to write from memory the Bill of Rights - every capital letter, period, comma, and semi-colon. Seemed dumb at the time, but I still remember much of it verbatim.

It's time Congress be forced to memorize Article I in it's entirety, and especially Secrtion 8. Perhaps they need tutoring to get this done.

Congress last declared war on December 8, 1941. Congress has no authority to bailout private companies or take them over. It has no authority for health care. It has no authority for education. It has no authority over the arts or labor unions or baseball. It has no authority for regulating the environment except as it relates to interstate commerce. Yet, that has not stopped Congress from going into those areas or allowing the Prsident to do so.

The health care debate and cap and trade should never have happened. These are not powers of the government. The amnesty debate that is brewing needs to go away. The government is not allowed to be in the mortgage business or student loan buisness. Congress is quite limited in power - by design.

If they don't know what they're allowed to do, it's time we remind them. Someone needs to hold them accountable - and that's us.

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Separate Yourself From the Competition

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:13:48 -0600

Ross Perot names service as one of the keys to being a success in business.

Via Lou Ludwig CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC, e-PRO, (Ludwig & Associates):

Motivational Power Quote

Separate Yourself From the Competition

"Business is not just doing deals;

business is having a great products,

doing great engineering,

and providing tremendous

service to customers."

Ross Perot, entrepreneurs



As I see it. . . . . . . .

Separate yourself from the competition

The quality of our customer service will determine the degree of separation that we create between ourselves and the competition.

The greater our separation becomes the more we standout as a professional. Our customer creates a buzz about us, our business and will benefit by becoming a business and referral magnet.

By providing consistent customer service at a high level we create a consistent flow of positive customer satisfaction that will separate us from the competition and contribute to our success.

®2010, Lou Ludwig, Sales and Management Consultant Success Coach, Speaker, Trainer and Author

HERE COMES IMMIGRATION AMNESTY!

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 22:13:51 -0600

I think Simon has his pulse on the next big movement after health care - amnesty for illegals. Stop it before it gains any more traction.

Via Simon Conway (Orlando Area Real Estate Services):

You are looking at Senators Lindsey Graham and Chuck E Schumer - the authors of yet another attempt by the President to bring in illegal immigration amnesty. If you don't already know which one is the Republican and which one the Democrat, don't sweat it - it truly doesn't make much difference in this instance.

Three times under the previous President, ILLEGAL immigration amnesty was attempted and THREE times it was defeated because this is yet another thing that we - the American people - do not want. But that doesn't seem to matter to people like these two Senators and the President of the United States.

I could bore you with what's in the Bill. I could tell you that the LA Times needs a math lesson - they seem to have lost ten million illegals! - and I could tell you how the President wants the illegals to be "punished" before being placed on a path to citizenship. But I won't because truly none of it matters.

No one can accuse me of being anti-immigration - I am an immigrant who is now a proud American Citizen - but I came in through the front door and went through the seven year process. Do we need immigration reform? YES WE DO! And so below you will find my plan to change the rules.

But just before that, once again WE THE PEOPLE will need to act to make certain this latest attempt at amnesty doesn't make it to the President's desk.

OK - this is what we need to change.

1. We need to seal our borders. We need to know exactly who is crossing them and what business they have in the United States.

2. We need to make it easier for people to come here legally. It shouldn't take seven years and it shouldn't be so tough. A prime example of this would be my eldest daughter who turns 21 in about a month. Once she passes that birthday, she cannot even apply to come here legally simply because her dad is a US citizen. Clearly that is wrong.

3. You have to pass a medical now. It is designed to ensure you don't have a communicable disease. Nothing wrong with that except that my medical was three and a half years after I arrived here. If I had anything I wished to pass on I could have done so thousands of times over.

4. We only ever issue ONE green card. It lasts for ten years and after that, become a Citizen or get out. Right now once you have your Green Card you can live here forever without ever worrying about citizenship. It is a privilege to be here, not a right.

5. The "test" you currently have to pass is literally a joke. You can be asked up to ten questions from a 100 question book and you need to get seven correct - a good solid "D" to be a citizen of the greatest country the world has ever known. That has to stop. And the questions have to mean something! You need have no understanding of the Founding Fathers or exactly why this country even exists to be a citizen right now. That needs to change and the test needs to be in English with no accommodations.

6. If you are a company and get caught hiring illegals, we will fine you three years of the last year's declared profit. We will also throw the owner and the entire Board of Directors in jail for a year.

7. Finally - it is a CRIME to be here illegally. We need to make illegals understand that we will throw them in jail before we deport them if we catch them. And after that we will bill them for their stay behind bars including any medical costs they might have incurred.

So Senator Graham - if you want to push an immigration Bill that deals with all of that, then you will have my support. If you want to keep pushing Amnesty, then I will fight you all the way. And if by some chance you succeed, then I will ask you personally to reimburse me for all my legal and Government fees that I had to pay in order to be here.

Picture is a link from the LA Times - (Dennis Brack / Bloomberg News)

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(Copyright © 2010 By Simon L Conway All Rights Reserved.)

Simon Conway is the two-time winner of the FIVE STAR Best in Client Satisfaction for Real Estate Agents in the Orlando area.

Please give me a call if you have questions about the Central Florida real estate market. You can reach me on 407 876 8200. Also visit my web site at www.simonconway.net

Silent Saturday - "Sign Of The Times"

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 13:44:38 -0600

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The House Reconfiguration Continues

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:13:22 -0600

Many of us for months have been advocating a complete turnover in the membership of the House and Senate - to let people uncorrupted by the ways of Washington government have a chance at serving - regardless of political party. On November 2 - 241 days from now - we will elect 435 members to the House and 36 to the Senate. A couple of faces in both bodies already are new.

Today we learn that yet another seat will be filled by someone new. NY Congressman Eric Massa stepped down, effective Monday. He already had said he would not run again, but now we know there'll be someone new in his seat - maybe someone now and another someone in November.

On April 13th, the 19th District in Florida (mine) is electing someone new. In November, it will repeated.

We have so many opportunities to get better representation that we've had in a long time. Let's vote them out and usher in a new Congress.

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No Harry! 36000 Jobs Lost is Not Good News!

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:15:59 -0600

This post echoes the viewpoint that I expressed earlier today on the same topic. Thanks Mike.

Via Mike Saunders (Keller Williams Realty - Greater Athens):

No matter how you cut it, Harry, that's another 36000 jobs lost last month. No jobs gained, just lost. That continues an uninterrupted series of 12 months of continued job losses since the stimulus package was passed.

You remember, don't you Harry? That ultimately over a $Trillion (that's a one followed by 12 zeroes Harry) package that was guarenteed to keep unemployment below 8%. That package that did increase jobs, government jobs. You know, the kind of jobs that don't contribute to the economy but rather take away from it.

Yeah, Harry, it's only 36,000 jobs. That's a lot less than on many of the months in the last year. But it is sill continued job loss. It isn't good news Harry. At best its a "not as bad as it could have been/was/expected news.It would have been a lot more if there hadn't been 15000 hired so far for the census (why do we need 1.2 million to be hired, by the way).

We aren't dumb, Harry.

I guess our only solace is that when next January's unemployment figures get announced, you will more than likely be among those counted. Now that's good news!

Virginia ~ First State To Adopt Honor And Remember Flag

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:07:58 -0600

This is s beautiful flag as well as a fantastic tribute to the generations of men and women who have defended our freedoms. Well done, Virgina. Thanks, Bonnie.

Via Bonnie Vaughan, CNE (Century 21 Sherlock Homes,Inc):

Yesterday it was announced that the state of Virginia is the first state to adopt the Honor and Remember Flag. The flag will be the official remembrance flag flown proudly throughout the state.

We are all familiar with the POW flag from the VietNam era. While we honor our nations heroes on Memorial Day, we have not adopted a symbol to represent their service and sacrifice.

The Honor and Remember flag grew from a grass roots effort of one military family whose son was killed in Iraq.

The flag is designed to honor those who served in all US wars.

The movement to have this flag adopted as a national symbol started more than a year ago. Virginia is the first state to pass legislation.

There is currently a house bill H.R. 1034 to make this flag our national symbol of service.

Please read more about this effort, mission statement and sign the petition.

http://www.honorandremember.org/petition.php

__________________________________
Bonnie and Jayne Vaughan - Driven and Dedicated Realtors

A Real Estate partnership dedicated to our clients ~ driven by their desires

Lackawanna County and surrounding areas -

Scranton and Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania

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Take the Townhalls to Washington..... I need your help ASAP...

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:04:11 -0600

Alice is a true patriot, as are so many of the people on this forum. One way or the other find a way to contact the 66 people she identifies in this post.

Via Alice Linahan (Keller Williams):

I need your help ASAP..

Please reblog and help me spread the word!!

As people in the Real Estate Industry who are seeing exactly how the Obama Administration is "Fundamentally Changing America" it is our turn to Step Up, Speak Out and become engaged in the battle to save our Country.

The battle right now is Obamacare.

As a member of the Nationwide Tea Party I am charged with getting you to Washington DC

between March 10th and March 26th.

The Plan......

Take the Town Halls to Washington

"Despite the opposition of the vast majority of the American people to the Big Government health care takeover proposed by the Obama Administration, the President, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi are determined to ram down their socialist health care packages through the Congress."

So be it.

We are not without resources, ideas, or tactics to stop this monstrous abuse of our country's political process.

It's time to take the town halls to Washington, D.C.

For more details, please go to www.takethetownhallstowashington.com

Here's the idea:

"Speaker Pelosi fears the unfriendly reception members of Congress who support Obamacare will receive when they return home in April at the Easter recess. In order to avoid forcing members of Congress to listen to their constituents at home, which might stop the bill, Speaker Pelosi is accelerating the process. She wants to force the House to vote up or down on Obamacare before the Easter recess."

"If members of Congress won't come to their constituents, their constituents will come to them."

That is where you come into play!!

The idea is to bring a tea party town hall to the 66 members of the House of Representatives whose support of Obamacare is wavering. We want to let them know there is only one vote their constituents will support: No on Obamacare. I am asking you to become an activist and to travel to Washington during this period, and make sure that each of these 66 members is reminded every day that if they fail to vote against Obamacare, they will be voted out of office in November.

Bring your video cameras!

There will be an official war room so we can coordinate and an official videographer to record all the encounters because in the Capitol, if it isn't on video, it did not happen, as we know!

Please contact me and let me know if you can make it.

If your representative is on the below list. I need you there!!

Blessings are still abundant in America! Help me fight to keep it that way!!

Here's the list of 66 members of Congress we intend to inform of their constituents' wishes each day they are in Washington from March 9 to March 31, 2010:

Rep. Michael Arcuri, New York 24th
Rep. John Boccieri, Ohio, 16th
Rep. Allen Boyd, Florida, 2nd
Rep. Christopher Carney, Pennsylvania, 16th
Rep. Gerald "Gerry" Connolly, Virginia, 11th
Rep. Henry Cuellar, Texas 28th
Rep. Steve Driehaus, Ohio, 1st
Rep. Chet Edwards, Texas, 17th
Rep. Brad Ellsworth, Indiana, 8th
Rep. Bob Etheridge, North Carolina, 2nd
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Arizona, 8th
Rep. Deborah "Debbie" Halvorson, Illinois, 11th
Rep. Paul W. Hodes, New Hampshire, 2nd
Rep. Jay Inslee, Washington, 1st
Rep. Paul Kanjorski, Pennsylvania, 11th
Rep. Marcy Kaptur, Ohio, 9th
Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, Arizona, 1st
Rep. Ron Klein, Florida, 22nd
Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, Florida, 24th
Rep. Jim Langevin, Rhode Island, 2nd
Rep. Stephen Lynch, Massachusetts, 9th
Rep. Daniel B. Maffei, New York, 25th
Rep. Ed Markey, Massachusetts, 7th
Rep. Alan B. Mollohan, West Virginia, 1st
Rep. John Murtha, Pennsylvania, 12th
Rep. Glenn C. Nye III, Virginia, 2nd
Rep. Tom Perriello, Virginia, 5th
Rep. Gary Peters, Michigan, 9th
Rep. Nick Rahall, West Virginia, 3rd
Rep. Laura Richardson, California, 37th
Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, Texas 23rd
Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, Maryland, 2nd
Rep. Linda Sanchez, California, 39th
Rep. Kurt Schrader, Oregon, 5th
Rep. David Scott, Georgia, 13th
Rep. Adam Smith, Washington, 9th
Rep. Peter Visclosky, Indiana, 1st
Rep. David Wu, Oregon, 1st
Rep. John Adler, New Jersey 3rd
Rep. Jason Altmire, Pennsylvania 4th
Rep. Brian Baird, Washington 3rd
Rep. John Barrow, Georgia 12th
Rep. Melissa Bean, Illinois 8th
Rep. Marion Berry, Arkansas 1st
Rep. Rick Boucher, Virginia 9th
Rep. Dennis Cardoza, California 18th
Rep. Travis Childers, Mississippi 1st
Rep. Jim Costa, California 20th
Rep. Artur Davis, Alabama 7th
Rep. Joe Donnelly, Indiana 2nd
Rep. Parker Griffith, Alabama 5th
Rep. Baron Hill, Indiana 9th
Rep. Steve Kagen, Wisconsin 8th
Rep. Daniel Lipinski, Illinois 3rd
Rep. Jim Marshall, Georgia 8th
Rep. Jim Matheson, Utah 2nd
Rep. Michael E. McMahon, New York 13th
Rep. Michael Michaud, Maine 2nd
Rep. Harry Mitchell, Arizona 5th
Rep. Collin C. Peterson, Minnesota 7th
Rep. Mike Ross, Arkansas 4th
Rep. Ike Skelton, Missouri 4th
Rep. Bart Stupak, Michigan 1st
Rep. Gene Taylor, Mississippi 4th
Rep. Bart Gordon, Tennessee 6th
Rep. John Tanner, Tennessee 8th

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(Copyright © 2010 By Alice Linahan All Rights Reserved.)

Remember the biggest compliment I can receive is a referral from you!

I would love the opportunity to earn your business!

Alice Linahan Keller Williams Realtor Argyle-DFW Cell 972-322-8313

You can find me where people, homes, opportunity and a bit of imagination intersect!

Note from Alice: This is my post and my opinion and may not be the opinion of Keller Williams Corp.

A reminder: This is my public blog. Posters who leave comments that are personal attacks against the blogger or other commentators will be deleted. Debate the issue!!!! Thank you