patrick.net

We do need to scale down.

Troy says

Only if you’re a moron and/or didn’t know that the recession started March 2001.

Ok, so you first deny that Bush was responsible for the 2001 recession after I point out that he didn't have time to start it, then you call me a moron because you think I'm denying that it started after he was elected.

I totally understand what you are saying: Conservative Republican = Bad, Any and all Democrats = Good. Gotcha.

Troy says

It is true that government is structured to benefit the very poor and the very rich, and the vast middle class is stuck with the bill.

You are completely correct here. With rates over 30% and people paying Troy says

We need a better progressive tax rate structure to fix this — there used to be many more income tax brackets but the very rich jiggered the process to hide behind the merely upper middle class by having the brackets top out at ~$200,000.

I think this is where you are wrong. We have some semblance of a progressive structure but the brackets aren't the problem. Obama actually hit the mark correctly in stating that the deductions are the real problem. Hopefully he has opened his eyes to see where the problem is. I'm starting to actually have some hope that Barry will let his pragmatic side show. You can game the rates up and down all over the place but if people aren't paying those rates because of the loopholes it doesn't really matter. Also, I think having levels set nationally are screwey because it is more expensive to live in some parts of the country than others. A $100k income in most of the midwest, for example, means something far different than $100k in the west or northeast. If we REALLY wanted to stick it to the rich, the tax code needs to be simplified (i.e. fewer loopholes) not more progressive. Breaking SSI into a different bucket further sticks it to the middle that is paying the highest amount possible based on the current limits. I remember the SSI "holiday" starting in July-September timeframe - now for middle income earners it has either completely disappeared or only shows up for the Christmas holiday.

From your article:

Some ingredients mixed into the hydraulic fracturing fluids were common and generally harmless, like salt and citric acid. Others were unexpected, like instant coffee and walnut hulls, the report said. Many ingredients were “extremely toxic,” including benzene, a known human carcinogen, and lead.

What's the big deal? Instant coffee with benzene is DELICIOUS!

EightBall says

Conservative Republican = Bad, Any and all Democrats = Good. Gotcha.

No, I wouldn't say that. Conservatives are largely full of shit on everything -- climate change denialism, creationism, discrimination against gays, integrating religion into schools, low taxes on wealth, support for the wars and the overall pro-Israel bias. I really can't think of a single conservative position at the moment that's worth a damn -- most of the above bullshit comes from having to pander to the fundie muppets that are about half their base.

Most democrats suck, too, for different reasons. Most of them are also too "conservative", and many of the rest are pretty unintelligent or just rabble-rousers. Feingold is about the only Dem I actually respect. Kohl, too, I guess. Obama, partially, I probably couldn't do any better job than he's doing at least.

If we REALLY wanted to stick it to the rich, the tax code needs to be simplified (i.e. fewer loopholes) not more progressive.

We need to stick it to the rent-seeking. I'd like to think that would be enough to fix things, without having to uptax actual productive rich people (doctors, pro athletes, etc). Perhaps not, but without trying we can't know.

I recently calculated the total land value of the Tokyo area to be THREE times their national debt, yet Japan has lower property taxes than here (actually, these two facts are in a causal relationship).

Letting the working class skate on taxes just allows rents & land values to escalate. I think everyone should have lifelong access to good schools, medical care, etc but don't think the "rich" should have to pay for it all.

I don't think the low estate tax is a big deal. It's trying to fix the wrong kind of problem.

Tax the income flows, not the capital wealth itself. And tax rent flows more, and actual productive enterprise less.

This really seems obvious, but more than half the country doesn't want anything to do with "property" taxes, for good reason, LOL.

If it came down to a popular vote even the renters themselves would get buffaloed into believing the LLs would just pass rent taxes onto their tenants. . .

we already have progressive tax. i pay a lot more than someone making less than me.

ChrisLA says

we already have progressive tax. i pay a lot more than someone making less than me.

I think you are trying to be funny, but we do have a progressive tax structure. Just not nearly progressive enough.... The rapidly increasing wealth disparity proves it.

You're right .... this is an old thread. Now it's time for an update. It must be awful difficult if you're a liberal and continue to support Obama.
You fell (admit it) for all that "Hope & Change" junk and really believed things would be vastly different. You didn't want McCain because he was going to be "Bush's third term." Little did you know Obama would be as well, only with a lot more spending and more war. Oh well, at least he has a photogenic family and Michelle is against fat. That's a good thing, isn't it?

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/04/18/112346/obama-ran-against-bush-but-now.html

RayAmerica says

Comments?

"I like cheese" - Natalie Portman

It is delicious and aromatic, all at once.

They must have been importing water from New York, Cleveland, or Detroit for their fracking...

About to close on $44

I don't like some promises he failed to deliver on. But...

I think I am content about the fact that Congress is Republican and president is Democrat making government constantly slow down to bicker and fight holding off hand outs.

IMO every time a single party controls both sides government starts growing too big and picking winners and losers by giving handouts to the new friends (the winners) by taking away from the others (the losers). With partisan bickering they don't get to do it as much, since both sides aim for each others throat politically if they see special interest handout coming.

Obama gave away a lot of money, I really really did not like that. That wasn't even socialism, to me that was Bush/Clinton type of cronyism all over again.

There isn't accumulation of capital though. Simply put, capital itself isn't worth much unless it is reinvested, and therefore it is constantly spent. (That's the positive aspect of not having gold as currency backing) Velocity of money is pretty high.

Our economy is bound to slow down. Because right now, government is just keeping bad businesses afloat with constant bailouts and stimulus, which is in my opinion bad for economy and capitalism. It's inefficient and is a drain (since they take from good business and hand it out to bad business). Once these bad businesses fail or get a clue (one or the other) and cleanse the system then business cycle will go back up into growth mode.

When a corporation (lets assume American International Group) or a union (lets assume California Teachers Union) need constant bailouts, than they need to be allowed to fail in order to stop draining society in their inefficient ways and allow capitalism to flourish.

errc says

now its hard to get out when it goes up 1% per day

Just like housing - just have to know when to get out, or at least collect your profits.

I do wonder what local regulatory structure was in place to monitor this stuff at state levels...

Let them burn coal...

RayAmerica says

Total, complete, utter nonsense. The Federal EPA is about as autonomous as a government department can get. Literally, no one tells them what to do. To imply that Bush was some type of dictator of the EPA in which he gave out orders to look the other way is about as childish as it gets. When I read this kind of junk, I’m back to wondering why I waste my time on this site.

How can you say that when the President gets to appoint the head of the EPA without even needing Congressional approval?

ch_tah says

How can you say that when the President gets to appoint the head of the EPA without even needing Congressional approval?

So you agree with this silly premise that Bush set the agenda for the EPA to look the other way when it was known by the EPA that the oil companies were polluting, etc.?

Who drinks tapwater?

RayAmerica says

ch_tah says

How can you say that when the President gets to appoint the head of the EPA without even needing Congressional approval?

So you agree with this silly premise that Bush set the agenda for the EPA to look the other way when it was known by the EPA that the oil companies were polluting, etc.?

Why is it silly? Bush was anti-environment in just about every way. He's an oil man, comes from an oil family, why would you think he would do anything contradictory to the oil companies' desires?

ch_tah says

Bush was anti-environment in just about every way.

Give me some specific examples to back up your claim, in particular, his "anti-environment" policies that actually amounted to actionable policies.

kent do you have the title of the book? it sounds very interesting.

I think there is also a lot of simple fraud in government, which is very apparent at the state level and takes a lot of money out of the private sector.
For example earlier today I was listening to some radio news. Apparently Jerry Brown is proposing a union contract with prison guards where they get paid 8 weeks of vacation every year and can save these permanently. All that money to be paid to government workers do have to come from taxes, which is money coming out of the private sector. I'm sure that has a very significant impact on the wages in the private sector, after all thats who gets to subsidize the lavishness of all the Robert Rizos out there.

It just seems like in our nation lately it became a popular way to make it, by living off at the expense to others. If one runs a business, that individual can make some money. But if that same person can get taxpayer handouts through union or corporate lobbying thats where the gold is.

clambo says

Who drinks tapwater?

Only poor people in Texas, so don't worry about it! Oh... wait... they DO use tap water to make food in restaurants. Even the yuppie ones in coastal CA.

ChrisLA says

Apparently Jerry Brown is proposing a union contract with prison guards where they get paid 8 weeks of vacation every year and can save these permanently.

My cousin works at a prison - 8 weeks doesn't seem like enough for what he endures on a daily basis. But hey, teachers get the summer off why can't everyone get 8 weeks ;)

I hate Obama even more than 18 months ago. If anything, he proven time and time again to do the wrong thing. He's definately the proberbial limousine liberal elitist I suspected he was. He cares nothing for the taxpayers, only for his extreme soliclist agenda. He has done nothing to reduce unemployment, even though it would be pretty easy to reduce it susbtantially if one wanted to, via banning immigration, sealing the border with Mexico, throwing out illegal aliens, and sending foreign guest workers home.

The only people Obama genuinely cares for are union members, and anyone on any public assistance program. Any who is actually a responsible, law abiding person Obama seems to disdain, like most liberal politicians.

RayAmerica says

Give me some specific examples to back up your claim, in particular, his “anti-environment” policies that actually amounted to actionable policies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clear_Skies_Act_of_2003

terriDeaner says

clambo says

Who drinks tapwater?

Only poor people in Texas, so don’t worry about it! Oh… wait… they DO use tap water to make food in restaurants. Even the yuppie ones in coastal CA.

And a lot of bottled water is tap water.

I just found the secret transcript of Bush's conversation with the head of the EPA:

Bush: "Is that you EPAzer?"
EPA: "Yes sir. How can I help you?"
Bush: "It's like this. I'm the Decider and I just decided to back off on the oil companies. What I'm sayin is, if you see pollutin goin on ... just back off ... go play golf ... do anything ... but don't do nothin ... got it?"
EPA: "Oh yes sir. Thanks for the call and have a great day sir."
Bush: "You all welcome and you be sure to give my love to the little lady."

RayAmerica says

Bush: “Is that you EPAzer?”

Bush comes up with way better nick names that this. It is after all his greatest talent.

Nomo ... I'm concerned for you. I seriously doubt your sanity. Please, turn yourself in before you do harm to yourself or to others. Do it now before it's too late and we all end up reading about you in the news.

Nomograph says

Health care reform

Finance reform

OK Doctor, start listing the finer bullet points of your outlandish claims, or I'm fetching the straight jacket.

Nomograph says

U.S. Manufacturing growing at historical levels

OK this is not Obamas fault or his own doing. This is only because McDonalds was reclassified as Manufacturing under Bush Jr's administration.

http://www.wsvn.com/features/articles/carmelcase/MI91705/

"Commissioner Bell thinks DERMs enforcement practices should be investigated.

Commissioner Lynda Bell, Miami-Dade County, District 8: "I like the idea of a task force. I like the idea of looking into these cases. Is there a theme here? Is something going on? Is there something more than meets the eye?"

Carmel Cafiero, Investigative Reporter: "And now, it looks like property owners will get what they were hoping for. Carlos Espinosa is stepping down, saying he will retire next month, something DERM says he's been considering for quite some time.""

The EPA is the land Developers tool to grab land from those who have it.

RayAmerica says

ch_tah says

Bush was anti-environment in just about every way.

Give me some specific examples to back up your claim, in particular, his “anti-environment” policies that actually amounted to actionable policies.

Look at enforcement. Enforcement actions by the EPA dropped off the face of the earth under Bush. It's public record, look it up. Stripping enforcement departments and removing enforcement budgets was Bush's tool of choice across the entire spectrum of regulatory agencies. It's easy to do, doesn't require any changes in the laws, doesn't show up in the press. A nice quiet backdoor way to change policy.

Nomograph says

Obama has scored one victory after another despite massive political and economic headwinds:

Health care reform

Finance reform

Pitch perfect foreign policy (i.e. Egypt, Somali pirate takedowns, Iraq drawdown, Libya surgical strike, etc.)

Nuclear arms treaty w/ Russia

Key Supreme Court appointments sail through the Senate

Budget approval

U.S. Manufacturing growing at historical levels

Private sector job creation growing at historical levels

I'm probably the only American alive who is not for or against Obama. I didn't vote for him (or McCain) and I think he's at best a middle of the road president, who came into a disaster and has done a very so so job dealing with it.

Anyway I think your list is pretty silly. I'm glad that you consider Obama the best thing since the invention of ice cream. It's wonderful to have an idol, but a little more objectivity is in order.

Neither financial or health care "reform" actually reform anything. They don't address the problems, they just paper over the symptoms and kick the can down the road.

Foreign policy is a mixed bag at best. Some very good, some very bad.

You really need to look of the definition of the word historical. Manufacturing and job creation are anemic at best, even with some very tortured and creative statistical reporting.

There's a couple of choices here:

1) You can think Jesse Jackson Jr. really believed what he said.

2) You can wonder if JJ Jr. will shut up about the iPad if he gets some campaign contributions or if he gets more minority, i.e. crony, involvement with Apple.

For what it's worth, I do not think Jesse Jackson Jr. is an idiot.

EightBall says

ChrisLA says

Apparently Jerry Brown is proposing a union contract with prison guards where they get paid 8 weeks of vacation every year and can save these permanently.

My cousin works at a prison - 8 weeks doesn’t seem like enough for what he endures on a daily basis. But hey, teachers get the summer off why can’t everyone get 8 weeks

They can, just move to Europe where they consider the two weeks vacation thing insanity.

You and Ray really need hobbies other than fixating about Obama 24/7

Which school did Corsi get his PhD from? They should ask for it back.

TOT Grabs popcorn and lawn chair.