Taxes

Your Tax Dollars at Work

A TAXPAYER-FUNDED EXHIBIT EQUATES REPUBLICAN GOVE
RNORS WITH NAZISM, AND COINCIDENTALLY PROVES PROGRESSIVE DELUSIONS.

"Artist" Sean Michael Stimac has released his piece, "The Faces of Fascism," for display at the Marquette (Michigan) Arts and Cultural Center. In it, Republican governors Walker, Kasich, Scott, and Snyder appear on a Nazi-style propaganda poster with the visage of the Third Reich's eagle, and in its talons is not the swastika, but the Republican Party's token elephant.

First of all, I'D EXPECT A BIT MORE PROFUNDITY OR POSSIBLY A BIT OF ABSTRACTION FROM "ART" THAT HAS BEEN EXHIBITED AS HIGH-BROW STUFF AT A POPULAR CULTURAL CENTER. Instead, this piece has all the value of an unoriginal political cartoon, giving us the same baseless, in-your-face nonsense we've always gotten from the dimwitted left- you know, Bush is a Nazi, ScottWalker's a Nazi, Tea Partiers are Nazis, blah, blah, blah. But WHAT REALLY STANDS OUT HERE IS THE SHEER STUPIDITY AND INEFFECTIVENESS OF THIS PARTICULAR EFFORT. Take a look at the left.

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/07/taxpayer-funded_exhibit_slurs_gop_govs_as_nazis.html

Sigh. This is simply pathetic.

CEO of Wynn goes on anti-Obama rant

…AND I'M SAYING IT BLUNTLY, THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION IS THE GREATEST WET BLANKET TO BUSINESS, AND PROGRESS AND JOB CREATION IN MY LIFETIME. And I can prove it and I could spend the next 3 hours giving you examples of all of us in this market place that are frightened to death about all the new regulations, our healthcare costs escalate, regulations coming from left and right. A President that seems, that keeps using that word redistribution. WELL, MY CUSTOMERS AND THE COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE THE VITALITY FOR THE HOSPITALITY AND RESTAURANT INDUSTRY, IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THEY ARE FRIGHTENED OF THIS ADMINISTRATION. And it makes you slow down and not invest your money. Everybody complains about how much money is on the side in America.

You bet and until we change the tempo and the conversation from Washington, it's not going to change. And THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AND THE CAPITAL TO DO IT ARE GOING TO SIT IN FEAR OF THE PRESIDENT. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT. THEY'LL SAY, GOD, DON'T BE ATTACKING OBAMA. WELL, THIS IS OBAMA'S DEAL AND IT'S OBAMA THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS FEAR IN AMERICA….

http://www.businessinsider.com/wynn-ceo-steve-wynn-conference-call-transcript-obama-2011-7#ixzz1SYKdhFIx

And this guy is a democrat who voted for Obama in 2008.
Why The Democratic Party Is Doomed

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AS WE HAVE KNOWN IT FOR THE PAST 70 YEARS, IS NOW IN ITS LAST DAYS.

Yes, the House Republicans may raise the debt ceiling for a mix of spending cuts and revenue raisers. Yes, Barack Obama may win the 2012 presidential contest. Yes, bureaucrats and judges will continue to impose new and costly regulations on the economy.

But it doesn’t matter. THE LONG-TERM TRENDS ARE ALMOST ALL BAD NEWS FOR THE LEFT WING OF THE PARTY.

This week’s fight over raising the federal debt limit exposes a key weakness in the warfare-welfare state that has bestowed power onto the Democratic Party: WITHOUT AN EVER-GROWING SHARE OF THE ECONOMY, IT DIES. EVERY VITAL ELEMENT OF THE DEMOCRATS’ COALITION — UNIONS, GOVERNMENT WORKERS, GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS, “ENTITLEMENT” CONSUMERS — REQUIRES CONSTANT INCREASES IN PAYMENTS, GRANTS AND CONSULTING CONTRACTS. Without those payments, they don’t sign checks to re-elect Democrats.

Like it or not, OBAMA IS NOT THE NEW FDR, BUT THE NEW GORBACHEV: a man forced to preside over the demise of a political system he desperately wants to save….

http://blogs.forbes.com/richardminiter/2011/07/18/why-the-democratic-party-is-doomed/

This is a fun and hopeful read. And while the Democrats will deny it, those in the know are aware of the precarious state they are in. That’s why they hate the TEA Party so much.

The Hysterically Outdated SEIU Intimidation Manual.

BACKGROUND ON THIS: the SEIU was forced to cough up a copy of its “Contract Campaign Manual” as part of a court case – and it’s an interesting little document. The whole thing reads, as F. Vincent Vernuccio notes in the Washington Times, as A STEP-BY-STEP CHECKLIST ON HOW TO MANIPULATE… JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING, REALLY… IN THE COURSE OF FORCING FAVORABLE NEGOTIATION TERMS. Mostly because that’s what it actually is.
Lots of people are going to concentrate on passages like this:

Union members sometimes must act in the tradition of Dr. Marin Luther King and Mohatma Gandhi and disobey laws which are used to enforce injustice against working people.

or

It may be a violation of blackmail and extortion laws to threaten management officials with release of ‘dirt’ about them if they don’t settle a contract. But there is no law against union members who are angry at their employer deciding to uncover and publicize factual information about individual managers.

…as they should, frankly. But looking at the document itself tells you something interesting ABOUT SEIU: IT APPARENTLY HASN’T HAD AN ORIGINAL THOUGHT IN ITS COLLECTIVE HEAD SINCE, I DON’T KNOW, ABOUT 1985 OR SO*…..

http://moelane.com/2011/07/18/the-hysterically-outdated-seiu-intimidation-manual/

SEIU is a pillar in the Democrat Party. And like the other union pillars it is crumbling from corruption and abuse.


Hauser’s Law is in effect in the USA

Now, if Hauser’s law is as spot-on as it has been in the past and it’s going to be difficult to raise the government’s revenue level much beyond the 20% of GDP mark..."

-- John Hawkins

Welcome to Hauser's Law, a piece of economic theory that could turn out to be quite relevant in the next few decades. LONG STORY SHORT, TAX RATES GO UP AND DOWN, BUT THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE THE GOVERNMENT BRINGS IN HAS TURNED OUT TO BE FAIRLY STATIC.

The reason this is so relevant is that the Democrats, although they loathe to publicly admit it, want America to look much more like Western Europe: They want much bigger government and they want the populace paying a significantly higher tax rate to pay for it. They've been quite successful at getting the bigger government part implemented, but REPUBLICANS HAVE MANAGED TO BLOCK THE HIGHER TAXES. HAUSER'S LAW SUGGESTS THAT EVEN IF DEMOCRATS GOT THEIR HEARTS’ DESIRE AND DRAMATICALLY RAISED TAXES, IT WOULDN'T GENERATE THE REVENUES LIBERALS EXPECT. In other words, big government may be even more financially unfeasible in this country over the long term than it is in places like Greece or Spain -- which would hardly be a shocker given that OUR FOUNDING FATHERS WERE HIGHLY INDIVIDUALISTIC, TAX-HATING, SMALL GOVERNMENT FANATICS WHO CLUNG TO THEIR GUNS AND RELIGION.

http://townhall.com/columnists/johnhawkins/2011/07/19/5_american_economic_statistics_that_will_blow_your_mind/page/full/

This is the fly in the ointment when the Democrats complain that the tax rates used to be much higher. They generally couple this with “and growth was greater.” Of course the revenue collected was not larger, but the people calling for higher tax growth was greater. The world was recovering from a world war, technology was creating new wealth, and new markets were opening in former colonial possessions. The pie was getting bigger!!! Now we have more countries competing for their piece of this pie and the growth we are experiencing is helped by the lower tax rates so that money can go where it will do the most good. But the fly in the ointment I mentioned at the beginning of these comments was that tax revenue wasn’t bigger.

TAXINGCLOSING TAX LOOPHOLES CUTTING TAX EXPENDITURES ON HOLLYWOOD:

Dave Hardy emails:

Check out the Domestic Production Activities Deduction (§199), created by the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004. It classifies moviemaking as a production activity, and gives a tax credit for it (I think 9% or half of salaries paid, whichever is less). (Might PajamasTV qualify, I dunno). Hollywood thus gets a special tax credit of its own, on the theory (which Hollywood types would reject if applied to anyone else) that reducing taxes increases employment.

Plus lots of States give tax credits for the same. I know Arizona does. And often they’re transferable, so that if Disney films in AZ but doesn’t pay taxes here, it can sell the tax credit to someone who does.

http://pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/123928/

Well this is a tax loophole I could support closing.

O’Keefe’s latest sting

James O'Keefe has released A NEW STING VIDEO TARGETING THE MEDICAID PROGRAM in the spirit of his earlier attacks on Planned Parenthood and ACORN.

In this video, TWO MEN APPARENTLY PRESENT THEMSELVES AT THE OFFICES OF THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF JOB AND FAMILY SERVICES AS RUSSIAN DRUG DEALERS seeking advice on applying for benefits.

In one encounter in the heavily edited video, the men disclose their work as selling "Bob Marley pharmaceuticals" that they hide under their floorboards. THE CASE WORKER APPEARS TO COACH THEM TO CALL THEIR OCCUPATION "BABYSITTING" and informs them that they are not at risk of having their homes searched as part of their Medicaid application.

"WE'RE NOT POLICE," SHE SAYS.

She also says she "just wouldn't mention" the sports car the men say they imported for $800,000 when filling their application.

When the men disclose they need an abortion for their underage sister who performs "sexual favors" for clients when closing deals, the state employee refers them to Planned Parenthood for free abortions that do not require parental consent….

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0711/59305.html#ixzz1SYhehaW2

We have a government that pats down 95 year old cancer victims and 6 year old children while covering up for supposed drug dealers. This is the kind of government the left envisions for America.

Spend It Like Bush

WHAT IF, OVER THE NEXT DECADE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SPENDS AS IRRESPONSIBLY AS PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH DID?

Compare two things: the 2012-2021 federal budget as proposed by President Obama in February (and as scored by the Congressional Budget Office in April), and the actual average spending level from 2001 through 2008 as a fraction of Gross Domestic Product. WE'LL KEEP THE CBO'S PREDICTIONS OF REVENUES AND GDP UNTOUCHED SO THAT ONLY SPENDING DIFFERENCES ARE COMPARED.

The CBO scored Obama's proposed budget as costing $46.2 trillion over 2012-2021, or 23.5% of GDP on average. Since the CBO expects $36.7 trillion in revenues over that time frame, the 10-year CUMULATIVE DEFICIT WOULD BE $9.5 TRILLION. THAT IS THE OBAMA PLAN, AND THE ONLY ONE HE HAS PUT IN WRITING THIS YEAR.

For President Bush's numbers, we can use the White House Office of Management and Budget numbers (Table 1.2). Federal spending under Bush, from 2001 through 2008, varied between 18.2% and 20.7% of GDP, and averaged 19.6% of GDP.

Now we can do a simple ratio calculation. If we were to spend at the Bush rate (19.6% of GDP) instead of the Obama rate (23.5% of GDP), total spending over 2012-21 would be $38.5 trillion instead of $46.2 trillion.

THAT IS A $7.7 TRILLION DIFFERENCE! Here is a table, to make the comparisons easy.
2012-2021 Federal Budget Projections

Obama's Plan
(as scored by CBO) At Bush's Spending Rate (as % of GDP)
Revenues                     $36.702 T                                           $36.702 T
Spending                     $46.172 T                                            $38.509 T
Cumulative Deficit       $9.470 T                                            $1.807 T
Cumulative Deficit        4.8% of GDP                                       0.92% of GDP
Debt held by the public in 2021
                                    $20.806 T                                            $13.143 T*
Debt held by the public in 2021
                                       87.4% of GDP                                   55.2% of GDP*

http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/07/spend_it_like_bush.html

Once again we see there are 7 trillion dollars in excess spending created by this president.


E. coli's genetic code has been hacked

THE GENETIC CODE COMMON TO ALL LIFE IS NOT SET IN STONE. WE CAN CHANGE IT AT ITS MOST FUNDAMENTAL LEVEL FOR OUR OWN PURPOSES. Genetic engineers have invented a new way to quickly, precisely and thoroughly rewrite the genome of living bacteria.

The technique could make drug-producing bacteria immune to viruses, prevent laboratory engineered organisms from genetically contaminating wildlife and enable scientists to construct proteins that do not exist in nature.

FARREN ISAACS OF YALE UNIVERSITY LED THE TEAM THAT THIS WEEK PROVES IT IS POSSIBLE TO MAKE NUMEROUS AND VERY PRECISE CHANGES IN THE GENOME OF LIVING CELLS. "In the process we are recoding organisms that could have completely new functionality."…

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20694-e-colis-genetic-code-has-been-hacked.html

We are living in a “Brave New World.”

10 Job Killers That the Obama Administration is engaged in

Arthur Brooks: Top 10 ways government kills jobs in America

Our politicians all seem to agree on at least one thing: There will be no recovery unless America gets back to work.


But that’s often where the agreement ends. Once you move on to discuss how to get America back to work, opinions begin to diverge.


As we listen to the rhetoric, remember the reality. These are the Top job killers in America.


1. Uncertainty and business: What you don’t know can (and does) hurt you. Businesses plan around rules. And THEY ARE UNLIKELY TO INVEST IF THEY CAN’T BE REASONABLY SURE ABOUT WHAT THE RULES WILL BE. When things are uncertain, businesses hold back cash to protect themselves—and this kills jobs. My colleague Allan Meltzer has made this point in two recent WSJ op-eds: “High uncertainty is the enemy of investment and growth,” he declares in one . “The most important restriction on investment today is not tight monetary policy, but uncertainty about administration policy,” he argues in the other.


2. Uncertainty and the consumer: Uncertainty isn’t just bad for companies—IT’S BAD FOR CONSUMERS, TOO. If I think government policy may provoke a double dip in the economy and my job is on the line, there’s no way I’m going out to buy a new car. For that matter, even the possibility of a huge gas tax would make me less likely to make a car purchase decision. All this kills jobs.


3. High corporate taxes


4. Unhealthy health insurance costs


5. The threat of unionization


6. Inability to hire and fire


7. Trade restrictions


8. Credit


9. Increasing unemployment insurance


10. Encouraging frivolous lawsuits

It’s an interesting read and you can see the comments for number 3 through 10 here:

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columns/OpEd-Contributor/Arthur-Brooks-Top-10-ways-government-kills-jobs-in-America-105302968.html#ixzz12uRgJQld
More bad news for Democrats

Among the 10 surveys they released, ONLY TWO WILL GIVE DEMOCRATS GENUINE REASONS TO HOPE. Their polling shows Rep. Mike Arcuri, D-N.Y., leading Republican Richard Hanna by a surprisingly wide margin of 47 to 37 percent. They also show Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Pa., clinging to slim 46-43 lead over Republican Mike Fitzpatrick. Other than that, it’s bad news for Democratic sophomores like Travis Childers, Carol Shea-Porter, Bill Foster, Harry Mitchell, and Steve Kagen, who all trail. Reps. Chris Carney, Pa., and John Hall, N.Y., are tied with their GOP challengers and poll in the low 40s.


The Schilling-Hare poll’s sample of 417 likely voters backed Barack Obama in 2008, 47 to 40 percent. But this year, they disapprove of his job performance, 52 to 45 percent.

There is also a great (if you are a Republican) ad against Phil Hare on the link.
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/new-hill-poll-has-schilling-up-by-7-over-hare-105320008.html#ixzz12u9AOSuH

"All they've done is spend, spend, spend."


A new poll is out by Associated Press GfK. I’ve posted a couple of paragraphs from through out the story, but it is worthwhile reading the whole article.

WASHINGTON -- All signs point to HUGE REPUBLICAN VICTORIES IN TWO WEEKS, with the GOP now leading Democrats on virtually every measure in an Associated Press-GfK poll of people likely to vote in the first major elections of Barack Obama’s presidency.


In the final survey before Election Day, likely voters say the GOP would do a better job than Democrats on handling the economy, creating jobs and running the government….


In another worrisome sign for Democrats, WOMEN NOW SPLIT PRETTY EVENLY BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES, 49 percent favoring Democrats, 45 percent Republicans. In 2006, Democrats took over Capitol Hill in part by winning 55 percent of the female vote to 43 percent for Republicans.


Thus, women are the constituency as Democrats look to try to minimize expected losses. Obama is holding events aimed at courting them in the final homestretch, and Democratic candidates are making overtures to them across the country……


Republicans get higher marks with likely voters than Democrats on HANDLING THE ECONOMY, TAXES, THE DEFICIT, JOB CREATION, IMMIGRATION AND NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ON MANAGING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. Likely voters are evenly split on which party would best handle health care and Social Security

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/20/AR2010102004269.html

Democrats: It's not Me, It's You

It was nearly fourteen years ago. The presidential election was less than two weeks off. Bob Dole was desperate. "I WONDER SOMETIMES WHAT PEOPLE ARE THINKING ABOUT, IF PEOPLE 
ARE THINKING AT ALL," Dole said at a Florida rally. "Something's wrong in America."


Clinton's White House press secretary, Mike McCurry, responded: "In my time in politics, I think it's best not to accuse the American people of not thinking when you're trying to earn their support and trust."


It never helps to blame the voter. It's like a business criticizing consumers for not buying its product. The consumer is always right in politics, like business.


Yet here is President Obama, last weekend, at a Democratic fundraiser: "Part of the reason that our politics seems so tough right now and facts and science and argument does not seem to be winning the day all the time is because WE'RE HARDWIRED NOT TO ALWAYS THINK CLEARLY WHEN WE'RE SCARED. And the country's scared."

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/10/20/democrats_its_not_me_its_you_on_blaming_the_voter_107649.html


The New Republican Right

A fundamental change is gripping the Republican grass roots as they animate the GOP surge to a major victory in the 2010 elections. No longer do evangelical or social issues dominate the Republican ground troops. Now economic and fiscal issues prevail. THE TEA PARTY HAS MADE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY SAFE FOR LIBERTARIANS.


There is still a litmus test for admission to the Republican Party. But no longer is it dominated by abortion, guns and gays. Now, keeping the economy free of government regulation, reducing taxation and curbing spending are the chemicals that turn the paper pink

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/10/20/the_new_republican_right_107653.html


Hope and Change in  2010


What a difference two years of Progressive Policies make.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- For Republican House candidate David Schweikert, the difference in the political environment he faced when trying to unseat Democratic Rep. Harry Mitchell in 2008 and the one he enjoys in the rematch in 2010 was best encapsulated by his visits to the same south Scottsdale home in each year.


In 2008, he knocked on the independent voter's home, introduced himself as someone who grew up in the area and asked the man who greeted him to sign his nominating petition.


"You're a Republican, aren't you?" the man asked, before knocking the clipboard out of Schweikert's hands and SLAMMING THE DOOR ON HIM.


In February of this year, Schweikert said he returned to the same home and was greeted by the same man, but there was no violent reaction this time around. Instead, THE VOTER GRABBED SCHWEIKERT'S CLIPBOARD, SIGNED THE NOMINATING PETITION ALONG WITH HIS WIFE, AND ASKED IF HE COULD PUT A SIGN IN HIS YARD.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/10/20/az-05_rematch_looks_different_than_2008_race_107652.html


Since Yesterday on RCP

Since yesterday’s look at Democrats, Repubicans and toss ups, the Democrats have gain one seat to 180 while the Republicans have gained two seats to 214. There are 41 toss ups. Of those 41 toss ups, the Republicans need to win 4 to take control of the House.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2010/house/2010_elections_house_map.html


Obama Rules That SEIUs Law Breaking is OK By Him

With a recent Federal Election Commission decision, Obama’s government has ruled in favor of the SEIU’s illegal kickback scheme and decided that such law breaking it is A’OK as far as he is concerned.


Ostensibly, FEC law states that unions cannot require member locals to pay a specific amount of money into a union’s political action committee (PAC) fund. PAC contributions by the locals are supposed to be voluntary and not forced by rules from the main HQ. This year, however, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has handed down rules from its Washington HQ that locals must send $25,000 each to the SEIU political PAC or face a “fine” of $37,500 from the main office in DC. This clearly violates FEC rules.

It seems rules, laws, etc. in the Obama administration are simply guidelines they can observe or ignore. It’s time to move out this gang of crooks.

http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/28971