Stephen Colbert cannot be on the South Carolina ballot. Therefore he will run as Herman Cain. 9-9-9
What else is new? Mitt has money problems and cheating on your wife if you are Newt is the new virtue where righteous indignation can rear its ugly head.
So….correct me if I’m wrong. Arizona strengthened its laws against illegal aliens, mapping their laws to copy the Feds. They get sued.
Alabama’s laws are strengthened. They get sued.
Both states will bend over backwards to assist ICE to handle the illegal alien presence and deportation. The Feds freak and state that the states need to butt out.
So, when a locale ignores the law, ignores criminal activity, and prevents ICE from enforcing said immigration laws….the reaction by the Feds are …..?
(crickets)
http://www.wnd.com/2012/01/dems-refuse-to-rein-in-illegal-alien-suspects/
If there WAS justice in the world, the Feds would be all over them.
So, where’s the outrage by Holder’s DOJ?
Do you have this story from a more neutral source, Cargo?
Cuccinelli got the pants on fire distinction for lying about the rats in DC.
http://www.politifact.com/virginia/statements/2012/jan/23/ken-cuccinelli/cuccinelli-says-dc-council-has-banned-lethal-trapp/
Where is Pokie? Are you still at Fort Scott?
Apparently Mitt has been reading our exchanges. He mentioned self-deporation in the debate. apparently it is the word of the week. Take a bow and so will I.
@Moon-howler
http://cis.org/reasoner/looking-to-ones-own-backyard
“No jurisdiction refusing to honor ICE detainers (Cook County isn’t the only place determined to poke a sharp stick in the eye of federal immigration authorities) has yet experienced sanctions, or any adverse reaction whatever, from DHS or the Department of Justice (DOJ).”
DC wants to “stand up to ICE” too.
http://www.constitutioncampaign.org/blog/?p=5594#.Tx6kEflZ9e4
GOOD NEWS!
The final “Haditha” Marine cleared of war crimes, pleads guilty to misdemeanor.
Can we PLEASE rename the USS Murtha for someone OTHER THAN a disgraceful EX-Marine? And yes, Murtha is an EX-Marine, not a former Marine.
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/01/breaking-final-haditha-marine-exonerated-wuterich-reaches-plea-deal-for-misdemeanor/
Post link THEN hit submit….
That’s a pretty serious mistake to make when you are in command. Shoot first and then ask questions takes on a new importance if you are on the receiving end of the shoot order. 24 people killed?
Murtha is dead now. RIP whether you agree with him or disagree. He was a decorated marine. It seems that the thing to do nowadays if you politically disagree with someone is to question their war decorations. Murtha, Kerry, etc. That’s cruddy politics. Blame the military, not the recipient. They don’t award themselves medals.
Del. Dave Ramadan wants legislation to allow advertizing along the Greenway.
Why is it that politicians always want to crap up something? Road advertizing is just flat out ugly.
As much as I don’t think Senators should be treated any differently than other folks, it appears that in lieu of a full patdown which many object to, he asked to be rescreened. I agree with him that he should have been given the opportunity for rescreening instead of full patdown. He apparently didn’t “hold things up” but he has as much right as we do to protest government actions.
I am more concerned about TSA supervisors who should have intervened for what appears to be a reasonable request. It turns out that he was permitted 2 hours later to go through the scanner again and did not have the patdown. I wonder what enlightenment happened in the 2 hours.
@Clinton
I don’t know all the details. However, I have been behind people who wanted to excercise their right to protest and it was incredibly obnoxious. He held up the line and we were all treated to how much he knew.
Write your congressman. Why doesn’t Sen. Paul want to be patted down? Is he special? I have been and it I survived. If its good enough for me, its good enough for him.
@Moon-howler
Oh, no….I’m not questioning his service. I’m questioning his faithfulness to the Marine Corps. He declared these Marines to be guilty of war crimes prior to their courts martial. I’m joining my Marine Corps buddies in declaring him an Ex-Marine. His career AS A MARINE was apparently exemplary. My statement comes from the phrase that there are no “ex” Marines, only former Marines. Other Marines declared Murtha to be an EX because of his actions as a Senator.
I don’t mean to be controversial but, if a commanding officer says shoot first and then ask questions, and them limps out saying someone took him literally, now who is at fault?
I agree that Murtha was a mouth flasher and he hated the Iraq War. However his outrage over this incident was shared by many.
And we all know the military would never cover up any wrong doing on its part…..NOT!
You know, as long as the millions of other Americans are subjected to pat downs, then Ran Paul has a responsibility to lead by example. What if every American gave TSA a ration of crap?
There are ways to handle it when TSA does the wrong thing. Paul didn’t chose the best approach. He got more ATTENTION doing attention seeking behaviors rather than handling it effectively and quietly behind the scenes.
In my opinion, he has had too many cases of attention seeking behaviors out there….
@Moon-howler
He does not wish to be patted down because it is a violation of the 4th Amendment. Furthermore, he was detained. And, in addition to that…as a Senator on the way to Congress, the TSA broke the law. If they had allowed him to either leave, re-screen, or board a plane…..they would have been fine.
It sounds to me like he has special privileges that other Americans don’t have. Typical.
I love how some of you all declare that something is a violation of this and that? Where is your Constitutional law degree? How about at least prefacing that with ‘It is my opinion that…”
What do you think of drunk driving check-points? If those hold up Constitutionally, almost anything can.
He does have special privileges that other Americans don’t have. He is a Senator. Its in the Constitution that Congressmen on the way to Congress, to serve, cannot be detained or subject to arrest.
” They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same;”
4th Amendment. Is this unclear?
“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
Furthermore, this repeated, “you need to put in “in my opinion” Is it not understood that statements written here are opinions? I seem to be the ONLY one you say that to, but I see a whole lot of statements on here without that preface. I’ve even stated that these are opinions and arguments. What’s the deal?
Driving checkpoints….. are useless and should be stopped. They should be considered unconstitutional, if they have not been. There is no need for a policeman to interact with me if I have not broken a law. Period. If stopped, I comply with orders and unless I’m ticketed or arrested, I am free to go. Period. If requested to allow a search, I ask for a warrant. And if not arrested, I will continue to ask if I am free to go.
Then they should all be allowed to drive 90 miles per hour down the highway and avoid red lights and stop signs. That makes about as much sense. Congressmen and senators should not have privileges the rest of us don’t have. That is the effen problem. They think they are kings and queens and don’t give a rat’s ass about the people they serve. All they want is our votes and many will do anything or say anything to get said vote.
Sorry, Ran Paul is being a cry baby and should do what every other American has to do to board a plane. He is special only in his own mind. I bet if it were Harry Reid, your other hero, (snark) that you would be blasting him all over the place. But no, it is one of your sacred libertarian cows. How about Pelosi? You would be out there hi fiving the TSA agent. I can see it now.
As for ‘in my opinion,’ most people don’t rule on Constitutional law. You do. I didn’t realize you had passed the Virginia bar.
I just find people who have to challenge everything and make a point out of their beliefs to be time consuming. I actually agree with you about the check points. However, the Supremes have ruled it legal so obviously I got overruled. If I continue to go on about it, I just become a rank and file pain in the ass.
How about cops stopping you for a broken tail light. That is just as obnoxious to me but it also is legal, I am sorry to say.
@Moon-howler
“I just find people who have to challenge everything and make a point out of their beliefs to be time consuming.”
Yes, and damn Susan B. Anthony, Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King for being non-agreeable to the establishment.
“Then they should all be allowed to drive 90 miles per hour down the highway and avoid red lights and stop signs.”
Doesn’t that sound like a Presidential motorcade?
“They think they are kings and queens and don’t give a rat’s ass about the people they serve.”
That sums up what I think of govt. Thank you.
“Sorry, Ran Paul is being a cry baby and should do what every other American has to do to board a plane.”
…cept of course non-commercial private planes like the ones owned by Corporate CEOs and rappers. No security whatsoever.
“However, the Supremes have ruled it legal so obviously I got overruled. If I continue to go on about it, I just become a rank and file pain in the ass. ”
Hooray for Citizens United!! ..too soon?
Now I agree with Senator Paul on this — TSA is a joke. I am also troubled that my friends here on the left aren’t troubled by an arbitrary system where people are picked for secondary screening. If it was a human doing it — we’d call it discriminatory. Because a computer/machine did it we call it a programming error.
@Marin, do you recall what it was like before we had TSA? Unprofessional hourly workers, many who could not speak English. Often they were not citizens, probably not even here legally.
I don’t like everything TSA does for sure. I see it as a necessary evil however. No one has a right to fly. If I don’t like what happens, I can stay home which I pretty much do and for that very reason.
I think we need to make a distinction between the powered vs the unimpowered. before we start talking about pains in the ass. Rosa Parks, Susan B. Anthony, and MLK were unempowered because of their gender or race. I don’t think Senator Ran Paul, son of a millionaire can make that claim. He has other avenues open to him to establish change.
I don’t think that the presidential motorcade goes 90 mph. The route has been cleared before they ignore traffic signals.
Some govt is needed. Think what anarchy would be like.
Why are you cheering for Citizen’s United?
You probably wouldn’t do too well in Israel where security is far more serious and intrusive than here.
@Cargosquid
I also believe that getting patted down should be viewed as a violation of the 4th Amendment. However, the Courts have ruled that a search like that done by the TSA is an “administrative search” in that it is applied to everyone equally and does not focus on anyone personally. This interpretation therefore allows for searches at checkpoints, airline gates, courts, etc, as opposed to those in which an individual or his home is personally targeted.
I would like to see this interpretation overturned. It represents one of the few things that I agree with Ron Paul on.
@Moon-howler
Mind you this is just one example. http://www.wjla.com/articles/2011/11/harold-rodman-tsa-worker-arrested-for-sexual-assault-69420.html
TSA is not this highly disciplined law enforcement agency that you think it is. They’re one step up from mall security. It’s amusing to hear stories of airport cops running into jurisdiction issues with TSA.
“No one has a right to fly.”
You are right. And as you say you exercise your right to just stay home and avoid it. Which is another way of saying your ok for everyone else having to be detained and scanned because you don’t.
Does a persons bank account balance really matter to you when looking at what change they can make? Shouldn’t we look at the merit of his case for the issue and less on the person? Another way of saying this — why throw stones at Obama when we should just argue his positions? Just saying…
“I don’t think that the presidential motorcade goes 90 mph. The route has been cleared before they ignore traffic signals.”
I guess your right. If he’s only going 89 my point is moot.
“Some govt is needed.”
I’m OK with some govt. As I’ve said before. I need govt to keep the poor people off my yard. Some govt. Not BIG GOVERNMENT.
Citizens United was a win for the 1A. It was a win for free speech.
I probably wouldn’t do well in Israel? Why not? Hey… how do THEY do airport security?? 🙂
Kelly, some CP searches aren’t legal. For example here in DC they had a neighborhood called ‘Trinidad’. MPD tried to restrict who could go into that area by stopping all vehicles. That got tossed quickly with a nice FU to Chief Lanier.
Checkpoints are an interesting thing (as well as any time you are detained or otherwise not free to leave). For example, this citizen knew and flexed his rights. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4zYizaMmDo
Is he obnoxious?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=fvwp&v=nyokKFIecIo
How about this guy?
@marin, where does money enter in to this? Is this part of the Susan B, Rosa P and MLK conversation? They weren’t unempowered because they were poor. They had other attributes.
TSA- there are bad people in all professions. In the past few months I have read about a bad teacher, a bad doctor, and a bad football coach named Sandusky. I have read about bad soldiers and a bad sea captain. There are bad cops, bad grocery clerks, and bad politicians who cheat on their wives. That doesn’t make TSA any less trained or less professional. As for the airport cops, everyone has to have someone to look down on. Its the nature of the beast. It doesn’t mean its so…only in the airport cops’ minds.
You will have to research it. re Israeli airport security. They don’t take no for an answer.
Yes, I got tired of dealing with crowded planes and airports so I bought dogs and stay closer to home. My choice.
Great line in Republican response to President Obama’s State of the Union: “The President did not cause the economic and fiscal crises that continue in America tonight.”
@Moe, that’s the first time that has been publically admitted.
@Mo is correct.
“The President did not cause the economic and fiscal crises that continue in America tonight. But he was elected on a promise to fix them, and he cannot claim that the last three years have made things anything but worse: the percentage of Americans with a job is at the lowest in decades. One in five men of prime working age, and nearly half of all persons under 30, did not go to work today.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/mitch-danielss-response-state-union_618456.html
I don’t remember a promise. What idiot running for president wouldn’t say they were going to restore the country. McCain said the same thing. Do you think he would have done a bit better, even with Wonder Girl by his side? The Crash was a storm that had to be weathered to some degree.
I don’t think things are a bit worse now than they were in 2008, 2009. Many things are a lot better. I am not sure I agree with the stat that half under 30 didn’t go to work today. Does that include children? Probably lots of high school and college kids didn’t go to work because they don’t have jobs.
I’m just holding him at his word.
“I will be held accountable,” Obama said. “I’ve got four years and … A year form now, I think people are going to see that we’re starting to make some progress, but there’s still going to be some pain out there … If I don’t have this done in three years, then there’s going to be a one-term proposition.”
Seems like progress has been made to me. Of course, I am not looking for failure. When the benchmarks aren’t defined though, I guess anything goes. @ cargo
President Obama was still getting the blame for the incandescent light bulb ban. He wasn’t in office in 2007 when that legislation was passed. Blame Obama.
When you got Mitt Romney paying only a 15 percent income tax whilst working folks pay a third of their income in taxes, there is definitely something wrong. The Prez highlighted that tonight in his speech and it will be a major issue in this year’s presidential campaign. I think that the old rep. cutting-taxes-to-spur-growth argument is going to be a very difficult sell this year.
@Starryflights
“When you got Mitt Romney paying only a 15 percent income tax whilst working folks pay a third of their income in taxes, there is definitely something wrong.”
Capital Gains: the difference between an investment’s current value, and the value of it at the time it was acquired.
What is wrong, Starry, is that you fail to differentiate between “income tax” and “capital gains”. What is even more wrong is if you actually understand the difference, and choose to perpetuate a lie, for the purposes of engaging in class warfare. So, should retirees, who are living off of their investements, money they were taxed at the “income” rate once already, be taxed again at an even higher rate on the capital gains?
@Steve,@Starry
Let’s talk about capital gains. I agree somewhat with Starry and I have no problem stepping up to the plate because I am a poor person who also receives dividends , whiich are taxed at a capital gains rate. I am tired of the term ‘class warfare.’ It is a made up term to further political division and frankly, I resent it.
Steve, most people fail to differentiate between income and capital gains because the tax system is so screwed up. I pay someone to do mine for that very reason.
In the first place,many middle class retirees who live off their investments usually have IRA’s and 401ks. When those assets are distributed, they are taxed just like normal income. A 401K has mandatory tax witheld. Your portfolio is really only worth about 75% of its face value. If you get a pension, social security or income from a job, you are taxed at the regular income tax rate.
If someone has stocks in the stock market that pay dividends, then they are taxed at a capital gains rate for those dividends. For a person like me who only receives a couple thousand a year from dividends, the 15% rate seems god sent. However, if I had a portfolio worth millions, which I don’t…not even remotely close I am so sorry to say, I am not so sure it would be fair for me to only be taxed that little.
Selling stocks is as Steve said. You are taxed at the capital gains rate , IF and only IF you have held the stocks for more than a year, on the difference between what you paid and what you sold for. Those are capital gains and you only pay 15%. Again, for the small time investor, this is a tax break. If you hold the stock for less than a year, you pay regular income tax on the profit.
The multimillionaires live off these same tax rules. If they aren’t earning a salary like your CEO (who often gets pay in the form of stocks so we ware right back to reducing taxes) then their tax rate will be lower…around 15%
I have no idea how to differentiate between the small time investor and retiree and the multimillionaire who pays at half the rate as a working person. In Mitt’s case, he will be 65 in 2 months so I will cut him a break. He shouldn’t get fleeced any more than anyone else that age.
I think that at some point a millionaire, especially one many times over, should get a surtax of sorts. I know that most of the taxes I pay are at the regular rate. The capital gains rate is only a very small portion and I am grateful for that. It is possible to retain capital gains for the small time investor and not give away the ranch to the person who gets to live totally off dividends.
If that is class warfare to think that the extremely rich can afford to pay at a higher tax rate than someone out working or someone on social security, then sign me up!
Many people on this blog must be very wealthy. Why else would you want to protect multimillionaires at the expense of the rest of us blokes who pay taxes in our regular tax bracket? Let’s let the middle class workers toil for the rich. Let’s let the retirees on social security pay at the normal rate so the rich aren’t over burdedn!!! No class warfare. No class warfare. Oh Bull Puckey!
@Steve, I am trying to figure out what you are talking about. As a person who might fit into your profile, I am clueless:
” So, should retirees, who are living off of their investements, money they were taxed at the “income” rate once already, be taxed again at an even higher rate on the capital gains?
Huh???? why would they be paying capital gains at a higher rate? I am assuming people have a diversified portfolio and different types of investments. Examples please.
FTR (for the record) I am willing to let millionaires have the first million earned on capital gains at that rate, then after that, they get a surtax of 10%. The gravy train has to end somewhere.
@Moon-howler
“I don’t remember a promise.”
I do. Alot of Americans do as well. As much as Obama would like to make this a “choice election”, folks are going to measure results. Results matter. Executives are judged on the results they achieve. In this executives case, the results have been dismal. In sales, we call this “Over-promising, under-delivering”. Obama had both houses of Congress for the first two years of his term. Had he been producing results/delivering on his promises/meeting the expectations he set for himself with his high-sounding rhetoric, with a “friendly” congress, the voters wouldn’t have rejected his agenda at the earliest opportunity (2010 mid-terms). Instead of learning from history, and pivoting as Bill Clinton did, he chose to turn up the rhetoric, and engage in class warfare. He’s demonized success, while perpetuating a message of mediocrity, and has rejected American Exceptionalism. He will pay the price in November. I am not saying it will be a landslide. I am saying he will be defeated.
@Steve, I suppose it depends on whether or not your goals and his were compatible. Health care and overturning DADT are pretty high ticket items for some folks.
Was there a super majority in the Senate? I can’t even remember and I am too lazy to look it up.
I remember stated goals. I don’t remember a sworn promise. He seemed to do the stand and deliver think about like other presidents before him. Back to class warfare again….tsk tsk…I do not think he has demonized success at all. I think he is calling out income tax disparity as it should be called out. Its fine to be successful but successful people shouldn’t be rewarded by having a lower tax bracket than their working brothers and sisters in equality.
All the super wealthy people I know let you know about how different they are from me real quickly. This warfare crap is..crap. You think I am going to go to bat for them so I can pay more taxes and they can pay less. Not on your life.
I am saying you are counting your chicks before they hatch, my fine friend. You don’t even have a candidate. You have a guy no one really warms up to and a person with the pesonal ethics of an alley cat. Keep thinking what you want and puffing out feathers.
@Steve Thomas
Steve said: “So, should retirees, who are living off of their investments, money they were taxed at the “income” rate once already, be taxed again at an even higher rate on the capital gains?”
I admire the way you guys come with misleading slogans like “class warfare, death panels, death tax, liberal media elite, etc…” Class warfare appears to be code to help sell the message for those that pander for malingering millionaires.
And just to be clear about the quoted language above, the money that has already been taxed (the basis) is not taxed a second time, it’s only the revenue (the gain) it generates that is taxed for the first and only time (and then rolls into the basis unless it is withdrawn).
Morris,
When you have half the country not paying a dime in Federal income tax, with some even getting direct “income credits”, as well as relying on all the other Federal assistance programs, attacking the other 50% who pay all of the personal income taxes, capital gains, etc. etc. IS class warfare.
Jesus said it best: “The poor will always be with us.” The job of taking care of the poor falls on the individual, through charity, not the government taking from one, to give to another. The governments job is to build roads, protect our borders, preserve the peace, and punish criminals. Not to ensure “equal results”.
@Steve, It isn’t the lower 47% warring against the upper 50%. Its the bottom 90% warring against the upper 10% regarding how they get to pay taxes.
I agree with you about the income credits. I also think everyone should pay something to the feds, even if it is one dollar. That would be symbolic but a good gesture.
Here’s a link to an article in Forbes explaining how 46 percent pay no federal income tax. Click on the link in the article to access a Tax Policy Center paper that gives a more detailed explanation.
I don’t know anyone arguing for “equal results” for everyone. I do know people … including me … who argue against unfair advantages for an elite few and for some minimum standard of basic human decency for all.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/beltway/2011/07/27/why-do-some-people-pay-no-federal-income-tax/
So lets have a fair tax. Obama wants people to pay their “fair share” as determined by liberals and socialists. The only fair tax is one that is the same tax for everyone. A flat tax. We are all equal under the law. There is no “fair tax” if one pays a greater percentage than another. The purpose of a tax is to raise revenue and the goal is to match revenue to spending. Since we cannot tax enough to match current spending and higher taxes are a drain on economic activity, we need to streamline and lower taxes to grow the economy. Since 46% don’t seem to pay taxes, lets tax them. Everyone, right? Only fair.
@Moon-howler
“@Steve, It isn’t the lower 47% warring against the upper 50%. Its the bottom 90% warring against the upper 10% regarding how they get to pay taxes. ”
In 2011, Mitt Romney gave more to charity, than I will most likely make in my working life-time. If you subtract the amount he gave to his church in tithes and offerings (I too tithe and make offerings), he gave away as much as I expect to make in my remaining working lifetime…in a single year. When you also factor in what he pays annually in Federal taxes, not to mention the state taxes he pays in “Taxachusetts”, I am very, very thankful that we have successful people like Mitt Romney in this country: He is either giving, or being taxed what 6-7 of me, and people like me will make in their entire working lives. That’s what he willingly gives in charity, and what he lawfully pays under US tax code. Let’s not forget the real jobs that were created or saved by him during his time in the private-sector. Instead of tearing Mitt Romney down, demonizing him and people like him, we should be trying to figure out how this country can make bunches more like him. The Obama strategy is to use rhetorical bellows to blow the embers of class-envy into full-out class warfare. Do you know who else used these rhetorical tactics? Lenin. Marx. Pol-Pot. Kim Jong Il. Ho Chi Min. Fidel Castro. Hugo Chavez. Che’ Guverra. That’s how they started.
Actually I have been supportive of Mitt Romney. Have you confused me with someone else? I also gave him a pass because he is turning 65 in March.
My suggestion was to let him have the first million as capital gains and then let him treat the rest as income or even a better deal, just put a 5 or 10% surtax on capital gains over a million. Not even him, someone younger than him. There is something wrong when the working class is paying at a higher rate than the ultra wealthy. It causes resentment.
Even those poor slobs on unemployment are probably paying at a higher tax rate if a spouse is working.
Would you have a problem with putting a surtax on all capital gaines over a million dollars? Do you have a problem taxing social security and unemployment at 28%?
Why was Newt Gingrich’s name left off the list of those pols employing “class warfare” as a weapon?
“When those assets are distributed, they are taxed just like normal income.”
I believe this is incorrect. IRA’s are post-tax investments, in that you have already been taxed on the principle The distributed funds are capital gains. 401K investements are pre-tax, so the distribution is taxed as income.