Whe the Side-Show Becomes the Main Act

One advantage that the Democrats seem to have over the Republicans these days is an ability to control their "crazies". While the Republican Party seems to continuously get hijacked by elements such as the moral majority, the neocons, the tea party, etc., the Democrats seem to far more marginalize their crazies; the Dennis Kuciniches, the Bernie Sanderses, the Markos Moulitsises, Keith Olbermanns, Rachel Maddows, wds of the world (compare their pitiful influence with that of Mr. Limbaugh - very few, if any, Republicans EVER stand up to that stumblebum). In fact, folks, that's precisely why, if I ever did have to join a political party, it would be the Democratic party and not the Republican party; the fact that they're far better able to synthesize the moderates amongst them.

The Paul Krugman/Might Mouse Theme Song

Here they are, folks, Mr. Krugman's OWN WORDS............."To fight this recession the Fed needs more than a snapback; it needs soaring household spending to offset moribund business investment. AND TO DO THAT (my emphasis), as Paul McCulley of Pimco put it, ALAN GREENSPAN NEEDS TO CREATE A HOUSING BUBBLE TO REPLACE THE NASDAQ BUBBLE."............I mean, I suppose that we could give the guy the benefit of the doubt and all; that the fellow was more analyzing than commentating. But a) the text doesn't seem to indicate this possibility (nowhere does he say that this is a bad idea) and b) it fits quite neatly into Mr. Krugman's procrastination/kick the can down the road/one big massive, expensive, intrusive government intervention after another system of economics. I mean, seriously, the guy does seem to think that he knows how the economy should run better than the rest of us - the economy itself included!

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Bird Shit!

The Obama justice department has instructed its attorneys in North Dakota to file criminal charges against 7 oil companies. The complaint - 28 migratory birds have landed in their oil pits over a 45 day period. The problem, folks, is that many multiples of that number of birds die ALL THE TIME in windmills and no charges have ever been brought against this industry. Hey, I want green energy as much as the guy but a blatant double-standard this humongous is way outrageous. And, besides, maybe we should just stop harassing businesses over piddly stuff like this, in general, and let them go about the business of DOING their business. Just a frigging thought.

The Roosterpecked Candidate

During the last Republican Presidential debate, Byron York of the Washington Examiner asked Congresswoman Bachmann, "So, as President of the United States, will you continue to 'submit' to your husband (Bachmann had once said that she didn't want to study tax law but did so because her husband had told her to do so - and that it was her duty to submit to him)?" It was a totally legitimate question, in my opinion. But the people in the audience (may of them Bachmann enthusiasts, no doubt) booed Mr. York. They evidently thought that it was a gotcha tupe question strictly meant to embarrass the insurgent candidate/tea party favorite................................................................................................As for Mrs. Bachmann's response to the question, being that I can't exactly remember what it was that she said, couldn't have been all that eventful/cogent. I seem to recall an initial "deer in the headlights" type of look and then some absurd redefinition of terms but that's about it...................................................................................................Look, folks, I've made numerous references to the stupidity of the American public. And I'll continue to stand by these proclamations. But I don't think that we'd ever be stupid enough to elect this woman. I mean, yeah, Obama lacks competence at times. But at least the dude is a) bright and b) reasonable (he's shown a willingness to compromise, for instance). Bachmann - no and definitely no.

OOPS

Companies can make a profit in only one of two ways; either through customers or through investors. And, so, ergo, when taxes on businesses and corporations go higher, it is either the customer or the investor (i.e., the shareholder) who end up paying the burden. On the customer side, it manifests in higher prices and on the investor end, it manifests in lower stock prices and equity.............................................................................................Of course the latter scenario is no big deal, correct? I mean, it is, after all, only the rich people who are invested in the market, no? Well, no, not really. While the progressives are quick to point out (accurately in fact) that the bottom 90% of wage-earners in this country own only 19% of stock and mutual fund equity, they also leave something very important out. They leave out the fact that this same 90% also own 41% of pension value and 45% of whole-life insurance value - both of which are heavily invested in the market..............................................................................................The bottom-line, folks. When you raise (or keep high) the corporate tax rate, yeah, you might be nailing those miserable executives and managers that we all seem to despise these days, but your also hurting a lot of teachers, firemen, policemen, and many small business owners, too (collateral damage perhaps we should call it). The question is, is it worth it? I don't know. I would personally like to see the corporate income tax go away and instead raise the top individual rate back to 40% and do away with the special consideration for capital gains. That way, folks, we could have a) a truly progressive tax policy and b) a business climate in which businesses can actually focus on, you know, business!........................................................................................................P.S. If the question is whether to nix the corporate income tax without the stipulations that I've proffered , that's a much more difficult question. While I clearly have reservations about this form of taxation, it does in fact bring in 3-400 billion a year. Whether the increased economic activity that could possibly result from doing away with the corporate tax would make up for this loss in revenue, I'd have to ask somebody smarter than me. I suspect that I would want my proposal to pass in its entirety.

The Densesness of Progressivity

Under the present system of taxation, people like Warren Buffett pay a 15% tax rate on significant portions of their income. Under my tax system/proposal, these same individuals would pay a 40% rate on ALL of their income. Any damned body who sees this FACT and still says that I am a pro-rich individual has to be either one of two things, people. They either have to be stupid or delusional (I guess that they could be both and that would constitute a third possibility). I mean, I hate to be so God damned blunt about it but it is what it is, for Christ.

Miscellaneous 96

1) The progressives' solution to high unemployment - removes huge numbers of people from the labor force and pay them to stay home. Hm, yeah, that could work.............2) And, really, if having people retire at age 55 (and proceed to suck off the public teet for some 20-30 years, procuring much more in benefits than they ever put in in contributions) is such an awesome idea, then wouldn't having them retire at age 54 be even better? And 53 even better than that? What about 45? I mean, seriously, why don't we just go for the jugular and be done with it here?............3) Take 2 X amounts of money and invest one of them in Social Security for 45 years and the other in a no-load low to medium risk mutual fund for 45 years. I can guarantee you that you'd do significantly better with the latter. I mean, even if the country goes to hell, I would still put far more trust the private sector than a bunch of lard between the ears bureaucratic stumblebums in Washington.............4) The progressive vision for America; tax businesses to the point where they leave the country AND THEN put stiff tariffs on them so they can't sell their products here. The end-result; a bunch of mom and pop stores that sell a bunch of overpriced crap and a humongous, knuckle-dragging, repressive central government that can't even get out of its own damned way. I'm telling you, folks, if this collectivist (to the nth) crowd ever does take over, there WILL be an insurrection and, no, it won't be at all pretty. Pass me the ativan and gin, please.