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Monday Afternoon Open Thread

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Blog Related
Posted on Mon May 04, 2009 at 02:31:57 PM EST
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    Monday Afternoon Open Thread | 72 comments (72 topical)

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    Officials Ordered To Smoke (5.00 / 2) (#7)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon May 04, 2009 at 02:59:44 PM EST
    Staff at local government offices in Hubei province were given the order in a move intended to set an example for the rest of the nation, according to state media.

    And if they fail to smoke their way through 230,000 packs of locally-produced cigarettes, the officials could face fines.

    Brands such as Huanghelou have been earmarked as part of the official quota.

    "The regulation will boost the local economy via the cigarette tax," local official Chen Nianzu was quoted as saying in the Global Times.

    The measure may also be a ploy to boost sales of local cigarette brands, under pressure from competitors in neighbouring Hunan province.

    I'll have to stop ragging... (5.00 / 2) (#14)
    by kdog on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:11:20 PM EST
    on China...at least they are pro-tobacco:)

    [ Parent ]
    just posted that (5.00 / 1) (#16)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:13:48 PM EST
    to illustrate that Obamas economic solutions could  have been more intrusive.


    [ Parent ]
    Welcome back, my friend! (5.00 / 1) (#39)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Mon May 04, 2009 at 04:09:19 PM EST
    Was your trip pleasurable?  All tanned, rested and relaxed?

    How'd you do on the ponies Saturday?  Got to love a long-shot holding the rail on a sloppy track like that.

    [ Parent ]

    Most pleasurable.... (5.00 / 2) (#43)
    by kdog on Mon May 04, 2009 at 04:43:21 PM EST
    MileHi...see above.

    I was still unplugged Sat. and didn't even play the Derby...mi nuevo amore didn't fly out till Snunday and we went to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens for a Japanese Cherry Blossom party of some sort as the race went down.

    I never woulda picked the winner, so I saved a few bucks in another wave of good fortune.  I'm in the zone...so much so I think I might have scored a last minute ticket to see the Boss tonight at Nassau Colisem, just waiting on final confirmation...the hits keep on comin' my man!

    [ Parent ]

    The ability to speak Spanish... (none / 0) (#59)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Mon May 04, 2009 at 07:51:20 PM EST
    ...and a way with the ladies are certainly two skill sets every American pirate should possess.  Sounds like you're well on your way on both counts!

    Hope you get to go to see the Boss.  Ride that wave!

    [ Parent ]

    Falling back to earth... (none / 0) (#67)
    by kdog on Tue May 05, 2009 at 08:48:17 AM EST
    trekked all the way to the Colisuem only to have the tickets fall through...ah well, ya can't win 'em all.

    [ Parent ]
    That's too bad. (none / 0) (#69)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Tue May 05, 2009 at 10:05:13 AM EST
    Nothing ventured, nothing gained, I suppose.  I got a free ticket to see Neil Young last Monday and it was a great show--even more so since it was gratis.

    Of course, I paid for it all week in lost sleep.  Thank goodness for the weekend!

    [ Parent ]

    Neil Young.... (none / 0) (#70)
    by kdog on Tue May 05, 2009 at 10:20:26 AM EST
    that musta been a treat...one helluva show that cat puts on.

    Glad to hear I wasn't the only one tasting la vida bueno last week.

    [ Parent ]

    I kinda go along (none / 0) (#62)
    by cal1942 on Tue May 05, 2009 at 02:13:46 AM EST
    with you here also kdog.

    But here's one to warm the cockles of your heart regarding the war on drugs.

    Turns out that Oceana County in Michigan is the biggest producer of asparagus in the US.

    Enter the war on drugs.  About 4 or 5 years ago the clever strategists running the war on drugs decided that giving $60 million a year to Peru to grow esparagus would diminish the coca crop.  Peru now grows less coca but the deficit was promptly made up by increasing production in Columbia.  Have to satisfy a market after all.

    So Peruvians, paying their workers $2 per day, with US subsidy in hand, have captured the asparagus market.  Green Giant, Del Monte, etc. now have canneries there.  

    Back in Oceana County unemployment increases while asparagus farmers go out of business.

    In the meantime the coca crop is as large as ever.

    Doncha just love it?

    [ Parent ]

    Yeah... (none / 0) (#68)
    by kdog on Tue May 05, 2009 at 08:50:08 AM EST
    it warms the heart to hear of such masterful central planning...enough to make a sane person turn to anarchy.

    [ Parent ]
    I get (none / 0) (#72)
    by cal1942 on Tue May 05, 2009 at 11:53:31 AM EST
    how you feel.

    [ Parent ]
    Obama and Krugman Dinner (5.00 / 2) (#10)
    by indy in sc on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:07:30 PM EST
    I'd love to know how the conversation went.

    One of these days Paul, you are going to (none / 0) (#17)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:14:13 PM EST
    like one of my ideas.  It's going to happen.  You just watch.  You are going to say, "That Obama, he has a good idea".  Heh!  But if he listened to anything that Krugman had to say for a change, of course that is bound to happen.  I long for it to happen!!!! It must take a lot to dine with someone who hates you.....was their a diary or five up at Orange about the greatness of Obama's character for having dinner with someone who hates him :)?

    [ Parent ]
    So Paul decided to (none / 0) (#40)
    by JThomas on Mon May 04, 2009 at 04:15:58 PM EST
    accept an invite from the President to dine this time after he rejected his invite back in December? Surprised that Paul could fit him into his busy schedule. Must have been a slow weekend for Krugman.

    [ Parent ]
    Perhaps it was the spirit of the invite (none / 0) (#65)
    by Militarytracy on Tue May 05, 2009 at 06:53:53 AM EST
    Instead of being invited to support Obama on Geithner's ideas it could be that Stiglitz and Krugman were invited and went because it was an invitation to listen to what they had to say for a change?

    [ Parent ]
    Greetings Gang... (5.00 / 3) (#12)
    by kdog on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:08:00 PM EST
    Glad to see you've kept the real world semi-functional in my abscence.

    My trip to the Carribean seas was most memorable...fell head over heels for a lovely woman from Gaudalajara, the last thing my jaded in the ways of love arse expected.  A most torrid week and a half long love affair I will cherish forever...the obvious highlight:)  I miss her already.  

    The snorkeling in Turks and Caicos was obscenely beautiful, as were the beaches.  Did some kayaking/hiking/snorkeling in St. Thomas with the aid of psychedelics, the bond with nature was strong and the laughs a plenty, especially when me and my traveling buddy tipped our kayak.  Great food and drink in Old San Juan, as well as nice hit at the roulette tables at El Casino...deprived the local economy of 5 hundo there.  Between that score and doing well on the ship casino, I paid for my extensive bar bill and didn't come home busto as expected....super sweet.  Praise the gambling gods.

    On the boat, it was relax all day and party all night till sunrise spliffs on the top deck.  Good good times...reality is crashing hard around me today, but its always good to be home, and good to read from you all again.

    Now time to start working and saving for the next journey...hopefully to Guadalajara before the world ends in 2012:)

    Nice to see that creative writing course worked (5.00 / 1) (#20)
    by scribe on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:15:19 PM EST
    out for you, 'dog.

    Glad you're enjoying yourself - things can't have gone totally to hell if someone still is.

    [ Parent ]

    sounds like the kind (none / 0) (#15)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:12:05 PM EST
    of vacation everyone dreams about but never actually happens.
    Im jealous.


    [ Parent ]
    Yes sir... (5.00 / 3) (#21)
    by kdog on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:16:17 PM EST
    it was a literal dream come true...I can die of swine flu a happy man:)

    [ Parent ]
    You sound like you tried to get (none / 0) (#26)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:22:39 PM EST
    exposed or something :)

    [ Parent ]
    Tell you what Tracy... (none / 0) (#28)
    by kdog on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:26:13 PM EST
    it was well worth a little flirtation with death...I've got it bad, real bad:)

    [ Parent ]
    this was posted (none / 0) (#31)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:30:12 PM EST
    in our newsgroups this morning

    link

    [ Parent ]

    I've got my eye... (none / 0) (#35)
    by kdog on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:38:19 PM EST
    on two private islands off of St. Thomas that are on the market...only 13 million:)

    [ Parent ]
    Ya know, we could probably use one of them (none / 0) (#37)
    by easilydistracted on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:48:54 PM EST
    as a base of operations for that pirate opportunity we've kicked around over the past few months. We could call ourselves Pirates of the Carri....never mind.

    [ Parent ]
    Ahh, reminiscent of my pre-marriage (none / 0) (#19)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:14:44 PM EST
    pre-kids, pre-responsibilities, travels south o' the border.

    Great times!

    [ Parent ]

    Welcome home... (none / 0) (#22)
    by desertswine on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:16:37 PM EST
    I think.

    [ Parent ]
    Glad to see (none / 0) (#24)
    by CST on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:18:08 PM EST
    you made it back intact!

    I need a vacation...

    [ Parent ]

    Snorkled in St Thomas with (none / 0) (#25)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:21:33 PM EST
    the aid of psychedelics?  Jesus......I took my grandma.  What if I decided I could breathe water?  Torrid......you're doing torrid now too?  You are completely broken :)

    [ Parent ]
    I could swear... (5.00 / 1) (#30)
    by kdog on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:30:08 PM EST
    me and a gigantic puffer fish shared a moment down there below the surface.

    [ Parent ]
    Chump (I'm just jealous)... (none / 0) (#34)
    by easilydistracted on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:34:11 PM EST
    Welcome back, glad you had a great time.

    [ Parent ]
    society that keeps them safe, yes thats what we do (5.00 / 1) (#44)
    by joze46 on Mon May 04, 2009 at 04:48:18 PM EST
    "If they don't want to pay taxes to the structured society that keeps them safe and sound!!!!!!"

    Indeed, whole heartedly agree with military Tracey in the comment.

    For me, America we are fools that recycle idiots in our politics or in the mainstream media that screw up. For me Bush and Company at minimum should be banished for his war crimes.  

    Here is another one that has been taking America for a ride in that notion of 24x7 news telecasting has been a success. Watching Ted Turner and T Bone Pickens talk about America's destiny was laughable. These two billionaires brought America to this point, all the while creating a personal wealth of billions of dollars screwing others.

    Plus the fact that this ideal of twenty four hour of news with the same amount of time as "YIKES WE DIDNT KNOW THAT" or "HOW COULD ANY OF THIS HAPPEN" we didn't see this coming is absurd. Questions like this usually tossed out in public by CNN. Then we hear send me your email. Then Turn around with big screen data base shuffling by John King to instantaneously show mainstream America statistical numbers in high definition television about age income racial status and a host of important demographic elements tells us folks we did not see any of this coming... is an out rage...America you have to have brains as solid as a box of rocks to believe these people did not know Bush was a smuck all the time.      


    Punish Bush all you want (none / 0) (#46)
    by Iamme on Mon May 04, 2009 at 04:53:09 PM EST
    As long as Pelosi gets banised with him.  She knew all along what was happening.

    [ Parent ]
    Kent State anniversary (5.00 / 3) (#48)
    by caseyOR on Mon May 04, 2009 at 05:01:01 PM EST
    Today is the 39th anniversary of the shootings at Kent State. On that day(May 4, 1970) members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on unarmed students on the quad at Kent State University. Four students were killed. Some of the students on the quad that day were protesting the Vietnam War; others were walking to class.

    This was not the first time those in authority had attacked unarmed citizens. Any number of incidents between police departments and civil rights activists/protesters bear this out. It was the first time I was ever aware of the U.S. military firing on U.S. citizens at home.

    I know that in this PPUS day and age we are supposed to have put the battles of the '60s behind us. For me that is much easier said than done. My political self started with the 1960 presidential campaign (I was a 3rd grader); received its first major shock with the assassination of Jack Kennedy ( My mind's eye still carries the horrifying pictures of that tragic weekend); was sharpened and honed on the civil rights and anti-war movements; was nearly crushed by the massive body blows that were the killings of Dr. King and Bobby Kennedy; and staggered through Chicago '68, Richard Nixon, the invasion of Cambodia, the evil Kissinger, and Watergate. Oh, and let's not forget Stonewall and the rebirth of feminism.

    No, I have not moved beyond the battles of the 1960s because in so many ways we are still fighting those battles. Some of the names and faces have changed (some are the same), but so much is still the same.

    I never thought I would get to be this old and still be facing the same fights.

    House Dems unveil (none / 0) (#50)
    by jbindc on Mon May 04, 2009 at 05:13:28 PM EST
    $94.2 billion war spending bill:

    House Democrats unveiled a $94.2 billion wartime spending bill Monday which adds $9.3 billion to White House requests but also reflects serious doubts about the long-term viability of President Barack Obama's military commitments to Afghanistan and its neighbor Pakistan.

    "It gives the president one year to demonstrate what he can do. It gives him ample resources," said House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey. But the Wisconsin Democrat said he was "very dubious" about the chances of success and wants a "fish or cut bait" assessment in a year's time that will determine how long the United States continues on this path.



    [ Parent ]
    Sorry (none / 0) (#51)
    by jbindc on Mon May 04, 2009 at 05:14:16 PM EST
    Didn't mean to reply to your message with this.

    [ Parent ]
    The NY Times threatens ... (5.00 / 3) (#60)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon May 04, 2009 at 08:38:37 PM EST
    ... to shut down the Boston Globe, unless further wage and benefits concessions are forthcoming from the employee unions, because according to today's Washington Post:

    "[The] Times Co. itself is under strong financial pressure. It recently mortgaged its new Manhattan headquarters, borrowed $250 million from a Mexican billionaire at 14 percent interest, laid off 100 newsroom staffers and cut salaries by 5 percent." (Emphasis is mine.)

    This in and of itself is a strong argument for large media conglomerates to divest themselves of most of their holdings.

    Tempting but snide references to the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry aside, that the premier newspaper in New York can first be allowed to buy and then subsequently and unilaterally shut down the major newspaper in Boston is at once outrageous and unacceptable.

    What do (none / 0) (#1)
    by CST on Mon May 04, 2009 at 02:40:54 PM EST
    people smarter than me think of this?

    Of course, I like the headline, and it seems to make sense, but how will it play out in real life?

    The headline is:
    Obama plans corporate tax crackdown

    The multinational tax havens need to be (5.00 / 4) (#11)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:07:54 PM EST
    addressed, I find them shameful.  As far as the execs leaving the United States and taking their jobs with them instead of sticking around within the safety of the United States while they export/exploit the jobs to peoples with fewer rights and personal resources?  They're blowing such smoke and always have.  Right now, the administrations of all these huge companies choose to live in wonderful socially well structured and safe locations......that taxes paid to create and maintain. And they want to live among cared for mostly peaceful populations.  Often the multinational CEOs and lower management would never want to live in any of the locations inhabited by the people they exploit.  I'm fine with them getting the hell gone with their jobs for a change if they don't want to pay taxes to the structured society that keeps them safe and sound!!!!!! Imagine if they did leave with their jobs and began to care about the health and wellness of the region they went inhabit with their low paying jobs?  Perhaps nothing better could happen to them or the whole friggin world!!!!! And if they went to a place very socially unstable, ripe for exploiting other human beings and fell in with a dictator, hopefully they'll survive the next coup and learn to be better people in the end.

    [ Parent ]
    Now take a deeeeeep breath, Traci. (5.00 / 1) (#33)
    by easilydistracted on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:32:07 PM EST
    Good rant, by the way

    [ Parent ]
    One side two side (none / 0) (#49)
    by Iamme on Mon May 04, 2009 at 05:03:02 PM EST
    Attack the CEO's and the corporations.  They will get their money just like they do today.  They will just lay off more little guys to offset the extra taxes.  

    I thought you were for the little guys Military.  I dont see how this helps.  Enlighten me. Take GE who is is many countries and hires 40 thousand United States of America people.  Make them leave?  What do we tell the 40 thousand people? Sorry we taxed you out of a job?  We the US Government made it more expensive for them to stay? Dont think I want to hear that if I worked for GE.

    [ Parent ]

    They're already sending the jobs (5.00 / 2) (#52)
    by sallywally on Mon May 04, 2009 at 05:31:28 PM EST
    overseas. As Tracy said, if they insist, the corporate hotshots might have to move to those unstable places too and suffer the consequences. I wonder what they'd actually do in the end.

    [ Parent ]
    These taxations "threats" are such (none / 0) (#66)
    by Militarytracy on Tue May 05, 2009 at 07:11:28 AM EST
    bupkes.  I've survived one very successful teenager already......this threat is exactly the same sort.  Somehow we all pay in some way to live together.  Corporations do not feel, they are never hungry or cold or scared or lonely, they don't laugh and they don't cry.  Corporations were created to serve us, but you know what has happened?  The people who can bleed the corporate funds the most easily and have every intention of doing so, have convinced some of us with some of the most asinine arguments I've ever heard that having the corporation serve more than just those lucky few will be the undoing of us all.

    [ Parent ]
    Here is another headline (5.00 / 2) (#54)
    by MO Blue on Mon May 04, 2009 at 06:00:39 PM EST
    that might give you an indication on how it will play out in real life.

    Congress leery about Obama's plan to in tax loopholes
    link

    Obama's proposal to close tax loopholes was a reliable applause line during the presidential campaign, but it got a lukewarm response Monday from Capitol Hill.

    Sen. Max Baucus of Montana, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said the plan needed further study, even though similar ideas have been around for years.

    Shorter version: They who fund the campaign war chests get to keep their loopholes.

    [ Parent ]

    But tax policy experts (none / 0) (#2)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon May 04, 2009 at 02:46:04 PM EST
    But tax policy experts and corporate lobbyists say such measures, unless accompanied by a reduction in the corporate tax rate, will push more companies to move their operations -- and jobs -- overseas to more tax friendly countries.
    I wouldn't claim to be smarter than you, but I see no reason the above paragraph would not be accurate.

    [ Parent ]
    let's just say (5.00 / 6) (#3)
    by CST on Mon May 04, 2009 at 02:48:20 PM EST
    I don't really trust "corporate lobbyists" on this issue, and I have no idea what "tax policy experts" means.

    [ Parent ]
    let me clarify (none / 0) (#5)
    by CST on Mon May 04, 2009 at 02:52:32 PM EST
    I am not saying they are wrong, but there seem to be a lot of things being proposed, some of which might do that, and some of which might be unavaoidable for businesses who want to do business here (which is kind of unavoidable).


    [ Parent ]
    All I know is (none / 0) (#9)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:06:00 PM EST
    Canada passed some tax rebates laws on my industry - movie/TV/commercial production - about 10 years ago, maybe longer, and the results on the LA, NYC and other areas was immediate and pretty devastating.

    Production immediately, and for a number of years, fled to Canada and left Americans in a world of hurt.

    I see no reason the same wouldn't happen again, albeit at a muuuuuch greater scale.

    [ Parent ]

    fleeing film industry (5.00 / 2) (#36)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:40:37 PM EST
    interesting story about that.  I have friend who is Rolan Emmerichs usual VFX supervisor.  she did "The Day After Tomorrow", and 1"000 BC" and some others.
    he has a new film coming out called "2012"
    I asked Karen if she was working on it and she said he wanted to do it in Germany and to get the tax breaks he had to hire all German production staff.
    a few months later I spoke to Karen again and she said that the plans changed.
    before they really got into production the bottom fell out of the american dollar to such an extent that it became cheaper to do it in LA.

    I could not decide it that was good news or bad news.

    [ Parent ]

    fleeing film industry (none / 0) (#71)
    by Capt Howdy on Tue May 05, 2009 at 10:23:36 AM EST
    I didnt mention an important aspect of this.
    yes, the work did come back to LA.  it was brought to LA by the Germans, to save money.  the jobs did not really come back to the locals.  my friend Karen still got left out in the cold and Volker Engel supervised the effects.

    so, I dont know.   does this story have any silver lining for the film industry?
    hard to say.

    [ Parent ]

    Film industry (none / 0) (#18)
    by CST on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:14:34 PM EST
    is notoriously mobile.  Not so sure that's true about other industries.  The ironic part of all this is that it is being done under the premise of "punishing" companies who move assets over seas.  So in theory, it should "encourage" them to keep money here by making it more expensive to transfer assets.

    My state also passed film industry tax rebates, and we're stealing some of your movies too!

    But I don't know that this is the same thing.  It doesn't seem to increase the cost of doing business here, just increase the cost of hiding the profits (although that may amount to the same thing??)

    [ Parent ]

    Higher taxes are higher taxes. (none / 0) (#23)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:17:02 PM EST
    I respect your opinion that tax avoidance by moving the co's HQ out of the USA won't happen, but I'm not so sure...

    [ Parent ]
    perhaps other sticks (none / 0) (#4)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon May 04, 2009 at 02:49:53 PM EST
    or carrots can be used to prevent that?

    [ Parent ]
    I'm no tax expert (none / 0) (#29)
    by Bemused on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:29:38 PM EST
      but (1) taxes are only one contributing factor why operating costs abroad can be lower and often far from the main factor. Quite often it's things such as wage rates, health and safety regs, environmental regs, etc. that constitute the bulk of the difference.

      To the extent taxes are an issue, Capt is right, a system of tax credits for domestic labor costs can be established. "Sticks" might actually turn out to be an unspoken consequece of energy and environmental polices. Industries involved in the production of goods must pay to transport those goods. As fuel costs rise distance from markets become a more important consideration.

    [ Parent ]

    If they want to (none / 0) (#6)
    by eric on Mon May 04, 2009 at 02:56:00 PM EST
    move to "tax friendly countries", whatever that means, why would then not already have done so?

    [ Parent ]
    Because they're able to take advantage of the (none / 0) (#13)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:09:20 PM EST
    lower foreign tax rates now while still being "American" cos. These tax changes, apparently, will stop them from being able to get the lower, foreign, tax rates. Therefore, the argument goes, they'll just move to the foreign country that has the lower tax rates. I don't doubt it would happen.

    [ Parent ]
    Simple economics says (none / 0) (#45)
    by Iamme on Mon May 04, 2009 at 04:49:55 PM EST
    Pressure on margins created the need to find a cheaper labor force.  In my industry you can find engineers with masters degrees for $6-$8 bucks an hour in other countries.  They are moving the jobs due to profit margin pressures.  Making the corporations pay more taxes will only create more pressure on the margins and the need for more of said engineers.  Once these engineers are hired the Americans are let go and more unemployment follows.

    So the government gets more money.  The execs still make theirs and stay in America.

    Meanwhile it is the little guys that will pay not the execs.  So all the taxes you take in will be spent on the unemployed.  Great plan.  What kind of bonehead thought up taking more money from these companies will benefit the people employed by said companies.  

    Mr. Little guy your bonus would have been $600 bucks but Obama wanted to tax us more so here is your $14.99.  Dont spend it all in one place.  Oh and by the way we are paying more taxes.  You have to pay more on your insurance to make it up.  The list could go on.

    [ Parent ]

    Market is up (none / 0) (#8)
    by waldenpond on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:04:14 PM EST
    Watching the 'rally' is interesting.  The complaints haven't caught up with investors today.  I'm sure the talking heads at MSNBC will continue their screeching until the market goes down and then blame it on 'going after tax cheats.'

    Mantra from the right.... it's a tax hike!! tax, tax, tax!!!  (here's a good one... it will encourage more foreigners to buy US corporations)

    After the banks killed the mortgage cramdown, I have little faith this will work.  The cheats will pressure the politicians to write the legislation that will contain new loopholes.

    [ Parent ]

    I'm not smarter than you are (none / 0) (#63)
    by cal1942 on Tue May 05, 2009 at 02:46:07 AM EST
    but this caught my eye:

    But tax policy experts and corporate lobbyists say such measures, unless accompanied by a reduction in the corporate tax rate, will push more companies to move their operations -- and jobs -- overseas to more tax friendly countries.

    I've heard this threat before.  Basic blackmail by corporations. That whirring sound is TR spinning in his grave.

    There's a six letter word that would make that bit of blackmail go away and fast.

    Knee-jerk free traders would scream bloody murder of course but still offer NOTHING to solve the problem except to let the bleeding continue unabated.

    I think we can bet that absolutely nothing will happen and the administration won't put up a fight banking on the hope that the public will remember that he "tried."  Maybe that's the Hope in Hope and Change.

    [ Parent ]

    8-1 decision (none / 0) (#27)
    by jbindc on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:23:42 PM EST
    The Supreme Court, limits liability for the cleanup of hazardous waste sites under the federal Superfund statute, and also found that clean-up costs could be apportioned, thereby limiting the application of joint and several liability for cleanup costs.

    Interesting (none / 0) (#32)
    by CST on Mon May 04, 2009 at 03:30:19 PM EST
    I wonder what effect it may have on this.

    Although the mess has to be cleaned up somehow.

    [ Parent ]

    this is so pathetic (none / 0) (#38)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon May 04, 2009 at 04:06:00 PM EST
    I wonder how Matthew would feel about being both a poster boy and a whipping boy?

    ---

    The latest poster conservative for political-correctness-run-amok in a country careening downhill on left-wing, Democratic cruise control is Republican congresswoman Virginia Foxx.

    Mrs. Foxx's impropriety: The thought crime of arguing against "hate crime" laws by pointing out that Matthew Shepard . . . represents a salient argument against enacting them.

    The real hate crime these days is the Orwellian intimidation wielded by the left against those that don't think the way they do. It's worse than waterboarding.

    Well (none / 0) (#42)
    by jbindc on Mon May 04, 2009 at 04:40:35 PM EST
    This should not make you happy

    [ Parent ]
    honestly (none / 0) (#47)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon May 04, 2009 at 04:57:50 PM EST
    its a little confusing.  cant say what it means.
    I will wait.


    [ Parent ]
    whatever it means (5.00 / 1) (#53)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon May 04, 2009 at 05:52:01 PM EST
    we know how the new republican party feels.  pretty much the same way the old republican party felt:

    Christianity Today: In the last month, same-sex marriage has become legal in Iowa and Vermont. What do you think about same-sex marriage at a state level?

    Wurzelbacher(Joe the Plumber): At a state level, it's up to them. I don't want it to be a federal thing. I personally still think it's wrong. People don't understand the dictionary--it's called queer. Queer means strange and unusual. It's not like a slur, like you would call a white person a honky or something like that. You know, God is pretty explicit in what we're supposed to do--what man and woman are for. Now, at the same time, we're supposed to love everybody and accept people, and preach against the sins. I've had some friends that are actually homosexual. And, I mean, they know where I stand, and they know that I wouldn't have them anywhere near my children. But at the same time, they're people, and they're going to do their thing.

    ---

    personally,  I love the idea that you have "friends" you would not allow near your children.


    [ Parent ]

    may I just say (none / 0) (#41)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon May 04, 2009 at 04:39:15 PM EST
    I hope Eric Cantor catches on.  he is just so darn easy to make fun of.
    if you combine him with his new National Council for a New Misdirection, or whatever they are calling it, the jokes write themselves.

    you have to give Jeb credit when he speaks the truth:

    "You can't beat something with nothing, and the other side has something. I don't like it, but they have it. . . " Mr. Bush said.

    Do you expect anything less from them? (none / 0) (#58)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon May 04, 2009 at 07:25:14 PM EST
    Capt. Howdy: "... if you combine [Eric Cantor] with his new National Council for a New Misdirection, or whatever they are calling it, the jokes write themselves."

    I even picked out the perfect theme song for their anthem. Or, if they don't like that one, this one is also entirely appropriate for the occasion.

    Now, the artists in question might disagree with the use of their work product in this particular way, but that's never stopped the GOP before ...

    [ Parent ]

    made by folks (none / 0) (#55)
    by Capt Howdy on Mon May 04, 2009 at 06:12:13 PM EST
    with to much time on their hands for folks with to much time on their hands.

    Queen Bohemian Rhapsody Old School Computer Remix

    Cokie Roberts. (none / 0) (#56)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon May 04, 2009 at 06:49:35 PM EST
    Slate's Jack Shafer thinks she should put away her steno pad for the last time and finally retire.

    Frankly, I thought that last summer, after listening to her dismiss my adopted home state of Hawaii as "foreign and exotic" on ABC's This Week with George Stephanopolous, and urge island native son Barack Obama to instead vacation with his family like real Americans in Myrtle Beach, SC.

    Thank goodness, a lot of folks on the continent were also taken aback by her public insult, and let her know what they thought of those unnecessary and deroguatory remarks.

    Who better exemplifies the current vacuous state of political punditry as the Beltway's reigning doyenne of its chattering classes, Ms. Roberts?

    Well this "real American" (none / 0) (#57)
    by nycstray on Mon May 04, 2009 at 07:18:43 PM EST
    has never stepped foot in SC much less Myrtle Beach! And I have more than a few vacations under my belt, lol!~

    Lordy, I missed she said that.

    [ Parent ]

    Reading this (none / 0) (#64)
    by cal1942 on Tue May 05, 2009 at 03:14:01 AM EST
    I couldn't help but remember that Ross Perot suggested Cokie Roberts as his running mate.

    [ Parent ]
    This made me smile (none / 0) (#61)
    by CST on Mon May 04, 2009 at 11:32:08 PM EST
    News on the latest tax cheat in the Obama administration.

    "This is a girl who held lavish tea parties while banks across the country were failing," CFR spokesperson Linda Carlson said. "At these galas, Ms. Obama would often entertain a number of her associates, including a so-called 'Mr. Fuzzles' and a 'Professor Peanut Butter.'"

    Monday Afternoon Open Thread | 72 comments (72 topical)

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