Have you heard of Thomas Peterffy?

A relatively wealthy entrepreneur is reportedly spending a considerable sum of money in advance of the 2012 general election.

His message is about as blunt as an anvil: Vote against socialism.

According to wikipedia, "Thomas Peterffy is a Hungarian-born American entrepreneur. He is the founder and head of Interactive Brokers and played a key role in founding the Boston Options Exchange. Peterffy worked as an architectural draftsman after immigrating to the United States and later became a computer programmer. In the 1970s, Peterffy purchased a seat on the American Stock Exchange and played a key role in developing the electronic trading of securities."

Peterffy said he emigrated to the United States in order to escape communism.

In a self-funded political advertisement, Peterffy says: “I grew up in a socialist country and I have seen what that does to people. There is no hope, no freedom, no pride in achievement. The nation became poorer and poorer, and that’s what I see happening here (in the United States)."

The one-minute advertisement does not mention any specific politician. It’s simply a plea for an end to what Peterffy sees as the United States' ever-increasing socialist tendencies. Peterffy also tells listeners that he is voting Republican (on the national level) this year.

For those interested, there's much more information online about Thomas Peterffy. I suspect the liberals are already doing their best to discredit him. That's to be expected.

Of course, when you aren't prepared to argue the facts, it's always a matter of convenience to attack anyone with a differing opinion.

I listened to Mr. Peterffy's radio ad last week. Regardless of his personal motivations, the words ring true.

For those among us who openly admit their preference for a socialist – or communist – America, you might be careful what you wish for. Because, should that happen, you will be judged not by the freedoms of opinions that you've grown accustomed to, but by your menial worth to your new rulers. They already know you have a weak mind. You'd better hope to prove to them that you have a strong back.

* * *

A friend of mine sent the following email to me today. I thought it was worth sharing. It's probably making the Internet circuit as I type.

This cuts through all the political doublespeak and puts the nation's debt and deficit into a much better perspective.

Lesson No. 1:

• The U.S. tax revenue: equals $2,170,000,000,000.

• The U.S. federal budget equals $3,820,000,000,000.

• The nation's new debt amounts to $1,650,000,000,000.

• The U.S. national debt equals $14,271,000,000,000.

• The most recent budget cuts amount to a measly $38,500,000,000.

Let's now remove eight zeros and pretend this is your household budget:

• Annual family income: $21,700.

• Money the family spent: $38,200.

• New debt on the credit card: $16,500.

• Outstanding balance on the credit card: $142,710.

• Total budget cuts so far: $3.85.

Lesson No. 2:

Here's another way to look at the nation's debt ceiling.

Let's say, you come home from work and find there has been a sewer backup in your neighborhood and your home has raw sewage all the way up to your ceilings.

What do you think you should do?.

Raise the ceiling, or pump out the crap?

In Ohio, we're smart enough to get rid of the crap. In Washington, D.C., they'll just raise the ceiling – again and again and again.

* * *

Oh, and one more observation.

The (non-partisan when you like it and partisan when you don't) Congressional Budget Office has confirmed that Obama has contradicted himself by raising taxes on middle-income families.

Granted, the CBO and most politicians use the term "middle-class families." I refuse to use that descriptor.

Most of the middle-income families I know have more class than those in the higher income brackets. Never, never, let a government employee who purports to work for you, call you "middle class."

That is nothing more than their way of talking down to you. When such insults arise, please remind these taxpayer-funded public "servants" for whom they work.

But as I was saying, The Great One has, indeed, raised taxes on middle-income Americans – after promising four years ago that he would not do this.

His own "Obamacare," as the president likes to call it, will raise taxes on all of us who choose to exercise our constitutional rights to be left alone.

When I heard Obama talk about Obamacare in the first presidential debate, I had to laugh. After all, many of his local supporters have criticized your only local newspaper publisher for using the term Obamacare.

Hell, the president embraces the term – and the tax increases that accompany it.

It will soon be time to pay up.

Maybe Thomas Peterffy has the right idea.

Rory Ryan is publisher of The Highland County Press.