Daily Topics - Tuesday July 27th, 2010
By shawnt56
Quote of the Day: The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object. -- Thomas Jefferson
Hour One: How do we stop the insanity of legalized mass murder? Plus, more money for war? Robert Greenwald will be here www.rethinkafghanistan.com; And, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky talks to Thom about her Public Option Act www.janschakowsky.org
Hour Two: What's going on with the republican right wing crazy train? One of the good guys, Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-OR, 4th District) will be here www.defazioforcongress.org
Hour Three: Why are so many commentators ready to take money from rich brats to eliminate the "rich brat tax"? Thom has a rumble with Curtis Dubay of the Heritage Foundation www.heritage.org
Comments
#2
@rladlof, your side note speaks volumes about the biggest load of BS dumped on the American public during the Health Care fiasco.
Sorry to hear that corporate America is trickling down on you at the moment.
N
#3
A man in Iraq after the "liberation" held a sign as Americans entered Baghdad: "Thank you. Now Go Away."
#4
We are all crazy if we put up with both right and left wing crazies.
www.pahrumplife.org. writes: So now the whole world knows that this BP person, to say the least, is not the kind of person for whom one would want to work, extol or offer backing. What the Faux News will not tell the world, however, is that he is one of very many and has clearly been the yes man for many positioned over him.
Wake up World, You too Nevada
Stop killing for any old jobs or government positions just because someone has any old business and wants to make money as do many of the corrupt powers that be, for example those who want to frack for gas throughout the US. With all our new energy options, we are on the threshold of gas and oil being metaphorically but hopefully not literally put to pasture. Don’t let controlling desperados completely ruin what is left of the world - our collective world including all life in the world, the ecosystem - in their frenzy for a greed addict’s fix. We all need to realize that we are all up against it, especially if you really think you can, these days, easily find fresh air and water, grow a garden, hunt, fish, or gather wild nuts, berries and herbs to survive in health. And it keeps getting worse as time and greed change everything. .
I strongly believe that the wild horses and burros here in the wild west are being rounded up - there has been great and merciless blood - for a host of fishy greed freaks in need of a fix and I believe that the round-up promoting wife of the Gas King is, perhaps knowingly perhaps not - in the guise of rescue - trying to mitigate what her old man is doing to get the wild horses and their admirers out of his hair and out of his way so he can frack the hell out of the land he wants directly over and under our pure and sacred aquifers. Can it be that he also does not know what he does? Does that make it OK? If he is investing in pure water sources would that give a hint that he might know what he is doing for a win-win situation as a profiteer?
Do we really need a whomping 6,000,000 head of cattle grazing on BLM land competing with a slight 25,000 wild and beautiful horses (some of them looking for a home) grazing on BLM land? And the horse complainers say that the wild horses are ruining the BLM. If Robert Mitchum were alive today, I think that he would rue the day he contracted to say the words in the beef ad. Beef doesn’t always have to be thought of as “it’s what’s for dinner.” Eat your organic vegetables kid and you might grow up to be a healthier cowboy and perhaps a more competitive one having a steak if and when you feel like having one.
Here are some current statistics on the Wild Horses and Burros. http://www.wildmustangcoalition.org/id43.html Nevada, the elimination of wild mustangs and burros has already come to your neighborhood; so has the fracking; and citizens, it may be coming soon to a neighborhood near you, if you let it. The prison in Pahrump if activated would profit greatly from gas and even more from easily accessible local gas. The following URL is from Grit TV about current updated impending fracking in New York and Pennsylvania. http://www.grittv.org/2010/07/22/hydrofracking-for-natural-gas/ and more:
http://www.eveningsun.com/ci_15423442
http://nofracking.com/ and http://www.savetheogallalaaquifer.com/in-the-news/ogallala-news/182-the-ogallala-aquifer-saving-a-vital-us-water-source
And some pahrumplife archives on fracking:
http://www.pahrumplife.org/2009/07/dirty-mother-earth-frackers.html and
http://www.freespeech.org/video/grittv-how-natural-natural-gas and
http://www.pahrumplife.org/2009/09/more-about-fracking.html and
#5
Thom, I don't know where you get your daily quotes, but I just Googled your Madison quote from a few minutes ago and stumbled onto a treasure trove at http://www.antiwar.com/quotes.php. They're alphabetical by authors' first names.
#6
re: #2; Maxrot, I think the pertinent part of rladof's story was "my only child was born into and lived her entire life under Cedar Sinai’s care. "
Rladof, I'm so sorry to hear that, and I feel for you so much. Anything I can do?
#7
No, it is NOT a Paris HIlton Tax. It is an Aristocracy Tax. For instance, the Walton Kids tried to be Kingmakers, despite the fact they aren't worthy of such, their father was. They ran two candidates for President in 2008, former Arkansas Governor Huckabee and former first lady of Arkansas and the US Clinton. Arkansas is the home of Wal-Mart. No one did better than Wal-Mart in the 1990's when the Clintons ran Washington's executive branch.
#8
@harry re#6 I can't disagree with that sentiment... but I wasn't trying to point out what I felt was the most important part of the comment, I was just expounding upon the one part we all have in common... which is being trickled upon by Global Corporations.
However, yes, certainly as a parent who has lost a child, rladlof has my deepest sympathies, I know of no pain more tormenting than that, if there is worse I don't think I could survive it.
N
#9
CANADIAN BACON is a Moore Film that everyone must see! Alan Alda plays the President of the United States who invades Canada to up his poll numbers. You should see how Fox News manages to get Americans to hate Canadians- hilarious.
#10
@Foodfascist #9: As the sheriff (John Candy) sez
"There's a time for thinking, and a time for acting. This is no time for thinking!"
#11
re #9: ya mean it wasn't real?!?
#12
John Kerry's brain removed. Even I was against the Kerry-Liebermann Climate Bill in its last version. It was stashed with 140 billion in subsidies for Nuclear Power. We are better off with small scale, home grown solar and wind on a local by local basis. See even Mayor Johnsons Greenwise Sacramento-
#13
Rich Brat Paris Hilton Tax By jove! Now that's great messaging. I have learned myself in my own circles that say when conservatives in the SF Bay area start ragging on liberal Santa Cruz - that all I had to say was, yeah- they are all trust fund brats from rich conservatives who never spent any time with their kids-- whoo! that shuts them up in a hurry.
#14
@Gene and @Harry-- The most hilarious part is when Fox News runs stories about how CANADIAN maple syrup can cause stains on your clothing if you get it on them, and because of the way it is so drippy- who couldn't find themselves with a mess on their hands. this is intentional no doubt those evil Knooks! :)
#15
ergo: "Buy American...don't be a drip"?
#16
Welfare Moms dont deserve their little check though do they? Baby boomers dont deserve their social security though, right- because They are self-ish, but when the rich want money, its because they are responsible.
#17
@Thom - There was one farm that was affected in 1985. Congress changed the tax code to eliminate the possibility of it happening again.
#18
Hiring an estate tax advisor (doesn't have to be a lawyer) is more expensive than losing your business? Is the guest sure of that?
#19
Paris Hilton really needs that money, how else is she going to keep buying her phony celeb status?
Geesh people, lets keep our perspective here.
N
#20
The Hilton empire will have to lay off thousands if Mr. Hilton dies? Or hundreds? Or 10? Doubtful.
#21
Ha-ha . . . You got Curtis Dubay to speak on the subject using your wording . . . You shifted the meme briefly to “Rich Brat Tax”. Neener-neener!!!
YO! Dubay! Estate Planning in corporate cases is a TAX DECUTABLE EXPENSE! Which means it is a zero sum game that stimulates the economy by funding folk doing the work. Why are you working to stop capitalism?!? (BTW this is your argument being used against you).
There is no DEATH TAX!
#22
Why is it so important that people who have built up wealth have the ability to pass it on tax free to their family anyway. Basically seems like royalty redux to me. If I make a billion in my life, why should my son profit off of that just because he's my son. Perhaps I should have enough brains to teach my child how to run the business, or trade stocks or legally steal from taxpayer (however it is I made a bazillion bucks) and seed his success with the untaxed portion of my estate.
Besides, prior to dying, I could prop my children up with transferring my assets to them in all sorts of ways.
What a load of BS that the put-on uber wealthy need their children to amass more and more of the worlds wealth, to the detriment of all.
N
#23
Conservatives get angry at the notion of the poor or sick or disabled or unemployed receiving any kind of financial aid, yet they will fight you tooth and nail to protect the vast wealth of the top few tenths of a percent of Americans. I really don't understand. It's as if they think that someday they themselves will be multi-billionaires. Except that they won't.
I bet rich people laugh and laugh when they listen to middle and lower-class people fighting to protect their money. It's sad.
#24
yeah, but the reincarnation tax is a bitch! Gets worse every time.
#25
Maxrot, in addition, it's not like your heirs would be reduced to being a greeter at Wal-Mart. They'll still get lots and lots of money. Just not all of it. It's the tradeoff for the privilege of living in this country. Would they rather live in a country that is a tax haven but has a shaky or unstable or very corrupt government?
#26
I recommend Perfectly Legal by David Cay Johnston for anyone who wants to know why the money is being redistributed to the wealthy.
#27
While Blue Shield of California is a middling level scum of the earth (there are way nastier health insurers . . . Think Anthem) . . . The real Issue is an employer (my boss) is presently choosing to stay with BSoC although there is a potential $7,800.00 annual savings from going with another company with a better written plan on the table AND he spent the morning obsessing about denying Unemployment Benefits being paid from the company’s reserves . . . With a net effect of less than $100 a month.
If I were the bitter and disaffected type, I would say that this is a case of a 3rd Gen sticking it to the smart, educated, liberal, working guy.
#28
"Perfectly legal." Second!
#29
Brat Tax -- Nothing but a dog & pony show
Dubay's arguements are pitiful -- it's obvious he has nothing to say. There is no defense for ending the so-called death tax, other than "greed rocks."
It cost my family $500 to set up a Trust that entirely shielded my parents' very small (100 thou) estate. Does it even need saying? The more assets you have, the more you can afford the legal fees, which are obviously going to increase with complexity of the estate. Anybody who has anything worth passing on to inheritors can shield their assets from this tax with the proper advice and action.
#30
@Jeanie, yes your absolutely right, in fact you're probably just going to take away about 10 to 12 ft off their yacht. (Perhaps if they named their yacht Wal-Mart they might become greeters on Wal-Mart.... when their steward or stewardess is busy with appetizers).
N
#31
And Carly was SO successful as CEO of HP, HP nearly goes belly-up and the Board of Directors FIRED her! And she's running on her 'record' - the spin without a counter-spin.
#32
Just like the Conservatives touted George W Bush as the first MBA president or CEO president (can't remember). The problem was that he failed at every business he tried. Merely being a business person is meaningless if you pretty much suck at it.
#33
The Pritzker (not "Pritzer") family founded & owns Hyatt Hotels. They're not involved with the Hilton chain.
#34
Memo to Congress: No more money for violence in Afghanistan and Iraq. I will pay for schools -- but not for more violence, nor violent contactors. We are creating our own enemies, and those that want endless war are the only winners. Every day, the Children lose.
#35
And amusingly enough, the lower RH corner of the California Driver's License reads: "This License is issued as a license to drive a motor vehicle. It does not establish eligibility fir employment, voter registration or public benefits." As I point out to my family here in California, we get pulled over in Arizona, we don't have any ID without the separate California State ID Card (it costs more too).
#36
SysBanana,
You are being logical and reasonable . . . Hallmarks of a Liberal/Progressive mindset.
“BRAT TAX” speaks to the gut, triggering mindless emotions . . . The hallmark of communicating to Recessivists, Conservatives, and Authoritarians.
Pick up George Lakoff’s ‘Don't Think of an Elephant!’ and his ‘Moral Politics' or John Dean’s ‘Conservatives Without Conscience‘.
The reason “BRAT TAX” fails to speak to you is that it designed not for you . . . BUT do not discount being able to re-write memes for folk less oriented to being logical and reasonable. Lots of folk don’t visit the factual world very often.
#37
@speedbird9: I carry my passport when I travel to Arizona.
#38
So you all understand my rambling healthcare rants:
Blue Shield of California AND Cedars Sinai Medical Group and Cedars Sinai Health Associates are in the middle of their biennial HMO Provider negotiations:
- Blue Shield of California wants to cut the reimbursement rates paid to Cedars Sinai Medical Group and Cedars Sinai Health Associates beyond the quick (dead into heart wood, keeping with the metaphor) and Cedars refuses to be screwed into the dirt (brand new metaphor).
- Blue Shield of California feels that their profit margins are sacred as it is what their Executive Bonuses are paid upon AND Blue Shield of California’s Executives feel that their Executive Bonuses are sacred . . . More sacred than providing quality healthcare to their paying customers . . . More sacred than reimbursing healthcare providers adequately . . . More sacred than allowing patients to see the healthcare provider of their choice . . . More sacred than giving my family members access to one of the largest healthcare providers in the whole State of California . . . More sacred than allowing my family to be treated by the nationally recognized medical Excellence Center of our choice.
- So the truth about the big lie that the health insurance industry purveyed during the Obamacare debate is that government will never come between me and my doctor BUT Blue Shield of California will enthusiastically do so . . . Is that government will never deny me healthcare I deserve and have paid for BUT Blue Shield of California will enthusiastically do so . . . Is that government will never ration healthcare BUT Blue Shield of California will enthusiastically do so . . . (The Death Panel thingy was also false).
- So my kid can’t see the doctor she has seen since birth . . . My wife and I can’t see our doctor . . .
Given that their Blue Shield of California totally mishandled me when I expressed my displeasure AND that they are imposing a 10.3% rate increase upon the premium that my company and I pay for coverage, I expressing my discontent in a public forum. I know that no one at Blue Shield of California experiences shame so the direct effect of my postings will be minimal BUT hopefully my rants will result in enough inquiry/work that BSoC realizes that it is in their best interest to do the ethical thing and stop dicking Cedars about AND my family can see their chosen doctors and medical staff.
#39
**Reflection of the Week** "The challenge of social justice is to evoke a sense of community that we need to make our nation a better place, just as we make it a safer place." - Marian Wright Edelman
#40
I would like to share with you two articles. I would also want to share with you two pet peeves. As you know, I love to piss off people. But, there are people who piss me off. The first people are the power elite who have no concern for the average person. The second person who is our commander-in-chief who goes to war recklessly with our all volunteer military and are placed in harm's way on a pack of lies. With an all voluteer military the commander needs to be very careful about starting a war.
Here is the first article. http://www.opednews.com/articles/Toxic-Black-Rain-Falling-I-by-Allen-L-Roland-100726-155.html
#41
Here is the second article. http://www.opednews.com/articles/Growing-Health-Crisis-in-t-by-Stephen-Lendman-100727-854.html
#42
Ocean Energy Institute Founder Matthew Simmons is another, telling Bloomberg we've killed the Gulf of Mexico - its $2.2 trillion economy by depleting oxygen, decimating aquatic life and poisoning the food chain. We've also created a public health crisis, problems showing up first in cleanup workers experiencing dizziness, fainting, nausea, nosebleeds, vomiting, coughing, headaches, stomach upset, and difficulty breathing, compounded by heat, fatigue, hydrocarbon smell, and combined toxicity of oil and dispersants.
#43
Who will pay the health care bills? It won't be the rich, elites, and corporatists. It will be suckers like you and me.
#44
More killing of God's children! America's soul is damned for eternity!!! http://news.antiwar.com/2010/07/27/house-approves-more-afghan-war-funding/
Thom's Blog Is On the Move
By webmaster
Hello All
Thom's blog in this space and moving to a new home.
Please follow us across to hartmannreport.com - this will be the only place going forward to read Thom's blog posts and articles.
Images of Thom
Mueller's favorite place to pray (written about in "Prophet's Way"), and the roof of the room where the Last Supper is reputed to have happened.
From Screwed:
"If we are going to live in a Democracy, we need to have a healthy middle class. Thom Hartmann shows us how the ‘cons’ have wronged this country, and tells us what needs to be done to reclaim what it is to be American."
From Screwed:
"I think many of us recognize that for all but the wealthiest, life in America is getting increasingly hard. Screwed explores why, showing how this is no accidental process, but rather the product of conscious political choices, choices we can change with enough courage and commitment. Like all of Thom’s great work, it helps show us the way forward."
From Screwed:
"Once again, Thom Hartmann hits the bull’s eye with a much needed exposé of the so-called ‘free market.’ Anyone concerned about the future of our nation needs to read Screwed now."
I am counting down the five days until Blue Shield of California destroys over two decades of continuity of care just to protect the executive bonus of Bruce Bodaken (Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer) . . . Who cares if Cedars Sinai actually saved my life and my only child was born into and lived her entire life under Cedar Sinai’s care.
Side Note: The government NEVER came between me and my doctors but Blue Shield of California blazes that trail with a vengeance.