Quote of the Day
That man that hath a tongue, I say, is no man,
Eminem, "Love the Way You Lie" ft. Rihanna
Quote of the Day
We all are imbued with the love of praise.
Katy Perry, "California Gurls" ft. Snoop Dogg
Every time I've posted on this topic for hopefully the last time, I get sucked back into it.
Early Friday morning I got up early. There's a Fox & Friends First at about 4am EDT. I don't recall the exact context of the impeachment discussion, but the hosts and discussants were incredulous how Trump/clan rated as more corrupt (e.g., 56% vs 41% in this Yahoo poll). A lot of this focused on Hunter Biden, his infamous laptop, and various alleged foreign entanglements. The discussants basically attributed this poll result that none of the mainstream media were covering the Bidens like FNC.
I don't think this discussion explained Trump's high rating. But the Biden purported influence peddling is small potatoes versus a billionaire POTUS with international hotels, golf resorts and/or residential properties. A POTUS has a constitutional duty to conduct foreign policy. Perhaps Trump's most blatant example of a conflict of interest was initially deciding to host a 2020 G-7 summit at his Doral resort. But it goes beyond that and Trump hotels charging the USG up to $600/night/room for security personnel. Any Internet search will reveal various lists of Trump conflicts of interests, e.g., this portal claims 3737 conflicts of interest:
Trump ran as the “law and order” candidate who would “drain the swamp” in Washington, D.C. Instead he did the opposite, using his power as the President to boost his own profits through frequent visits to his hotels and golf courses, relentless promotion of his properties, and countless other interactions between the Trump Organization and the government. By keeping these properties, Trump provided corporate lobbyists, foreign actors, special interests and anyone else seeking political clout a way to gain access to his administration. Trump opened the presidency up for business, and for four years, influence was for sale.
The analyst basically presented a naive summary of Trump's "perfect" phone call with Zelensky, emphasizing Trump's disingenuous talking points. I've gone into some detail in past posts and won't repeat myself here but will provide enough context for discussion.
Ukraine oligarch Mykola Zlochevsky owned half of natural gas producer Burisma. He served the Ukraine President in minister-level roles from 2010 to 2012. (Apparently at some point in this period he sold his interest,) At some point the Ukraine solicitor general (AG) started investigating Zlochevsky/Burisma over allegations of money laundering, tax evasion, and corruption. There was an early 2014 revolution pushing out of office a pro-Russia regime, which opposed popular pro-Western ties. Russia responded by seizing Crimea. Biden transitioned to a more proactive role as the US shared European concerns about rampant government corruption, including but not restricted to Zlochevsky/Burisma. And Hunter Biden took a multi-year lucrative appointment to the Burisma board.
So let me interrupt here to make a few comments. Zlochevsky was no longer part of Burisma when Hunter joined the board, and there were post-Revolution allegations of bribes to local prosecutors. But there is no connection of this misconduct to the knowledge or consent of Hunter. From the timetable I've seen, Joe Biden took on his new role over Ukraine oversight before Hunter took his place on the board. I don't know what or when Biden knew about specifics of Ukrainian corruption although assuming due diligence, one would think Biden would have been briefed fairly early relative to Hunter Biden's tenure at Burisma. At minimum, the US was aware of the Zlochevsky issue (the UK was investigating money laundering charges) and the 2014 bribery allegations.
Here's the point: you don't want the APPEARANCE of a conflict of interest of say, that Burisma was buying Joe Biden's protection from Ukrainian prosecution of Burisma. I know if the context was that of public accounting, Hunter's compensation would be considered material and Hunter, at minimum, would need to resign. I have consistently argued Biden's failure to address Hunter's appointment was a breach of professional ethics. If Trump had focused on the conflict-of-interest issue, there would be no kerfuffle here.
Shokin was chosen as Solicitor General in 2015; he had been controversial from the get-go, opposing the prosecution of those involved in shootings of demonstrators during the recent uprising. local anti-corruption forces argued that he was slow-walking corruption charges like the above cited case against Zlochevsky and Burisma (among other things, he claimed relevant predecessor files and document had "disappeared" ("In July 2015, shortly after his appointment, reformist minority member Yehor Soboliev advanced a motion to dismiss Shokin for corruption, gaining 127 of the required 150 signatures including several members of the ruling parties.") Some of Shokin's prosecutors were found with cash, diamonds and valuables, presumably evidence of bribes/corruption:
David Sakvarelidze was five months into a new job as Ukraine’s reformist deputy chief prosecutor when a witness came forward with intelligence that would change the course of everything.
The witness, a sand producer in the Kiev region, complained of men extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars. It took a while to persuade the man to give evidence. But when he did, and the investigation began, the trail led to two of the country’s highest-placed prosecutors.
A search of the men’s apartments revealed a scene that looked like a comic heist: bags full of cash, diamonds and other precious stones. But that was not the only incriminating evidence. Documents seized at the time indicated the men appeared to have a connection to the top prosecutor in the land, Viktor Shokin.
Police found copies of Shokin’s passports, property registration certificates and even his licence to carry firearms. One of the two men, it transpired, was Shokin’s former driver who had subsequently climbed the ranks behind his boss.
Soon, [Sakvarelidze] faced a corruption investigation himself. At loggerheads with Shokin, he was pushed out of his job within the year.
Shokin cracked down on Anti-Corruption Action Center (AntAC), Deputy Prosecutor, Vitaly Kasko resigned in early 2016, arguing corruption and lawlessness in the Solicitor General's office. And the Burisma case was dormant.
The Obama Administration became increasingly impatient with Shokin; the UK's money laundering case against Zlochevsky eventually got dismissed for lack of evidence as Ukraine refused to cooperate. The US started its own case.
By late 2015 Biden specifically threatened $1B in loan guarantees to Ukraine if Shokin was not fired. He would take full credit for Shokin's eventual termination by Ukraine's parliament in late March 2016. I don't think Biden's taking full credit for the dismissal was justifiable. For one thing, far bigger loan guarantees lesewhere were also at stake ("International Monetary Fund threatened to delay $40 billion in aid"). Other partners joined in the calls to oust Shokin (the IMF, the EU, and the EBRD among others, including local anti-corruption groups).
Shokin, in response, self-servingly claimed that he had been rolling out a case against Burisma, and that was the motivation for his dismissal. with Biden motivated to protect Hunter's lucrative board appointment. This is utterly transparent. There was no carveout of Burisma from ongoing post-Shokin prosecution, and the charges in question predated Biden's appointment.
During Shokin’s 13 months in office, not one major figure was convicted. No oligarch. No politician. No ranking bureaucrat. It would appear unlikely he was in the middle of breaking the habit with the Bidens.
So, now, let us review the context of Trump's infamous "perfect" phone call with Zelensky, which the FNC analyst recites at face value. Trump makes obvious reference to Shokin as a "very good" man. He is clearly incompetent on the recent history of Ukraine.
Trump is putting a squeeze on Zelensky, arguing that the US has given much to Ukraine and not gotten much in return. He points out that Europe hasn't been a dependable ally to Ukraine. Now he wants a favor: an investigation into the Bidens, and he has a point of contact (Giuliani).
Now there were checks on anti-corruption moves tied to the aid Trump had signed into the law. But there were a couple of checks by DoD on compliance; nevertheless, Trump had frozen the aid, which alarmed some in Congress, and the funding was shortly released without Zelensky delivering on Trump's extortion.
Trump's desire to have a Ukrainian investigation of Biden was clearly a politically motivated attack. He was abusing foreign relations authority not for the national interest but for purely personal, partisan reasons, a clearly impeachable crime.
Quote of the Day
It is only as a man puts off from himself all external support,
Usher, "OMG" ft. will.i.am
Ask all the police cops who were injured on J6 at the hands of "peaceful" Trumpkin protestors.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 21, 2023
Byron Donalds https://t.co/yqi4opzcg4
The Dotard-in-Chief has lost touch with reality over the 14th Amendment. The fool needs to stop playing games. He has the authority to prioritize debt service. A number of Americans have to juggle bills to keep up with BidInflation.https://t.co/UkjwTTa0R9
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 22, 2023
This will be an unpopular tweet. American Idol finalist Megan Danielle's performance of Journey's "Faithfully", a personal favorite, didn't work. I thought her raspy intro was interesting, but I didn't care for her chorus work.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 22, 2023
I think Colin Stough is the easy, clear winner of American Idol tonight.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 22, 2023
Wow, this is the third of the top 5 contestants I've chosen who have gone down. I now think it will be Iam. https://t.co/BTfSTcZRax
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 22, 2023
OMG, Lionel Richie in the American Idol finale reprised perhaps my favorite of his The Commodores' hits: Sail On.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 22, 2023
Constitutionally incompetent. Teacher and police jobs are state/local, not federal responsibilities. https://t.co/8pjTMiAlzK
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 22, 2023
More evidence that market-based reforms initiated during the Trump Administration did far more to make insulin and other meds more affordable than economically illiterate megalomaniac IRA policies.https://t.co/YtowuHPnNy
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 22, 2023
Yeah, we boomers are the source of all evil. While I was growing up, young men were drafted to fight and die in countries like Vietnam, which did not pose a military threat to the US. https://t.co/Ta3AzHwW2C
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 22, 2023
What I like about "Tim Scott" is his positive leadership as a principled conservative. My primary concern is his lack of public sector executive experience, The last 3 Presidents, all failed, had no such experience.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 22, 2023
I'm sure "Brad Raffensperger" is sad that unlike Comrade Bernie, he won't get to honeymoon in Russia.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 22, 2023
Watching Trump go after DeSantis is humorous since Trump changes his views more often than the weather. Remember when he ran for POTUS on the Reform Party ticket back in 2000? "A firm limit at age seventy makes sense for people now under forty."https://t.co/yy5FnGUGYV
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 22, 2023
Partisan rubbish. Dotard-in-Chief Biden should do what everyone else would do, which is to prioritize debt service payment and defer funding on other budgetary priorities. The House already passed a debt bill without program cuts, simply holding the line on budget increases. https://t.co/2nQASqnKce
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 22, 2023
Economically illiterate leftist trolls are fear-mongering, lying fools. Dotard Biden is playing Russian roulette with the US economy. US debt is unsustainable; no doubt leftists will eventually realize this when interest expenses cut into domestic spending programs. https://t.co/OdDQOsmhTt
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 22, 2023
I would have thought the homeless in LA would have done something worse to Trump's star by now
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 22, 2023
"George Lopez" https://t.co/FGKBraPM2T
I remember Picanha. I haven't been to a churrascaria in years. I miss my visits to Brazil.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 23, 2023
ribeye https://t.co/R2URYUwJr9
Just a reminder (Tax Foundation): "Data from the Internal Revenue Service indicates that the top 1 percent of taxpayers paid an average federal income tax rate of 25.4 percent in 2018—seven times higher than the 3.4 percent average rate paid by the bottom half of taxpayers." https://t.co/iJ6kXKT9aX
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 23, 2023
Biden doesn't know how to read:
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 23, 2023
14th A
S 4
The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law... shall not be questioned.
S 5
The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
How stupid is Trump's attack on DeSantis' nonbinding vote for the FAIR tax?
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 23, 2023
Note he has this popup on gasoline purchases.
How many Trumpkins realize there's an 18.4 cent federal excise tax per gallon?
My latest essay is on taxes, motivated by the economically illiterate Trump's infantile attacks on DeSantis' nonbinding votes as a former Congressman.https://t.co/TJyJUPpcY9
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 23, 2023
Musk, please do not ask him about EV tax credits and the NASA budget during the DeSantis Administration.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 23, 2023
"DeSantis and Musk"
Trump, don't you have better things to do, like getting fitted for your orange jumpsuit? Let's see: two impeachments, a lost sexual misconduct case, election tampering in Georgia. Stop playing the victim card, loser. Don't worry: you'll withdraw from the race before then.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 23, 2023
Pretending that economic actors have no choice but to pay high tax rates is a state of denial. But the troll ignores the fact that federal income has INCREASED post-reform. The exploding deficits have everything to do with spending.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 24, 2023
Progressive taxes increase the cost of doing business. Business tax rates before 2017 reforms were globally noncompetitive. Cutting rates does not imply less revenue. E.g., when eggs cost over $5 a dozen, I bought few eggs.https://t.co/hr63opOo86
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 24, 2023
In what universe does a 95-year-old woman pose a threat to police? https://t.co/Akc0Uc6OM8
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 24, 2023
The Trumpkins are fixated on Bush, Rove, and Paul Ryan. Keep in mind that Trump has never done better than 46% of the vote and lost reelection, unlike Bush.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 24, 2023
Of course, leftists don't like the 10 Commandments; they prefer the 10M of the State.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 24, 2023
"Ten Commandments"
This is Soft Rock America. Sadly, Tina Turner has passed; RIP. George Harrison once called this a "perfect record". It's on my top list of favorite hits: https://t.co/W0Kj0rnr0I
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 24, 2023
"DeSanctimonious" vs.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 24, 2023
Frumpy Grumpy Trumpie
Frumpy Grumpy Trumpie reportedly had his usual adolescent raspberry response to DeSantis's POTUS announcement. It's understandable why Gramps is so jealous; DeSantis is articulate, more knowledgeable, has far more public sector experience, 3 decades younger & served in uniform.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 25, 2023
Wow. I was on the site at 6 PM & couldn't figure out how to access a well-promoted DeSantis announcement. I'm sure I wasn't alone. Elon Musk has a major usability failure and this was before reports of his utility crashing.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 25, 2023
Trumpkin troll. Trump is a real RINO. He ran for the 2000 Reform Party nomination and spent most of the following decade as a Democrat, supporting both Clinton and Obama in 2008. Trump has zero chance of being elected again. https://t.co/gNbBsJoSWq
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 25, 2023
46% was as high as Trump could ever get. The only reason he won in 2016 is he was running against the Dems' most toxic nominee in decades, it was a change election year, and Dens were disunited after a divisive primary battle.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 25, 2023
This is exactly what I was looking for. https://t.co/ZfjJDRrqm9
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 25, 2023
No wonder Ron DeSantis broke the Internet. Frumpy Grumpy Trumpie has been recycling the same old same old shtick for 8 years. The only way I can see Trump breaking the Internet is if he starts modeling his orange prison pantsuit or posts his model wife's nude pictures.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 25, 2023
The sheer incompetence of Trump cannot be questioned. It's not just how he seemed to link disease spread with testing, but he thought it was important to point out to epidemiologists how well household chemicals worked on external surfaces.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 25, 2023
Not to mention there were this Presidential son and his VP who started 2 wars, including one his own dad had ruled out a decade earlier, tortured prisoners, and pushed the unconstitutional Patriot Act,
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 25, 2023
NYC has employed a machete-wielding female professor, earlier known for an in-your-face trashing of a pro-life exhibit, I'm sure the leftists are expressing relief at least she wasn't bearing a gun. #sarcasm
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 25, 2023
This is Soft Rock America. FNC reports there's a shortage of lifeguards this coming summer. Cue Remy Zero: https://t.co/OgZRF4yjki
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 25, 2023
SCOTUS got one right: 94yo Geraldine Tyler's $40K home was seized by Hennepin County, MN over a delinquent $15K tax debt, and the county claimed it was entitled to all proceeds under state law. SCOTUS unanimously held Ms. Tyler was owed the net proceeds of $25K.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 25, 2023
A reminder why it's necessary to get runaway USG spending under control:
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 25, 2023
"Caner, Grennes, and Koehler‐Geib the threshold level of the average debt ratio on GDP growth is 77 percent [2009], additional percentage point of debt costs 0.017 percentage point of annual real growth."
Is the "'MAGA' Supreme Court" the same one that denied Trump's 2020 election appeals?
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 26, 2023
Fauci was not a political appointee, so you're dead wrong,
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 26, 2023
"Trump workers moved Mar-a-Lago boxes a day before FBI came for documents" (WAPO)
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 26, 2023
Obstruction of Justice by Criminal Trump
"Trump workers moved Mar-a-Lago boxes a day before FBI came for documents" (WAPO)
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 26, 2023
Obstruction of Justice by Criminal Trump
FNC was running a segment on flight passengers going barefoot. I once worked on a project at Chicago Park District where a mentally ill fellow project DBA used to walk around barefoot. At one gig, I got a weird job interview question: do you wear Velcro shoes? A prior DBA did.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 26, 2023
Yes, Fauci made some mistakes; I'm sure he was aware that many laymen don't wear masks effectively, and cloth masks aren't effective against bioaerosols.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 26, 2023
But Fauci is a brilliant scientist who has served America for decades. He deserves better than this populist rubbish.
Fauci
It's amusing to hear Frumpy Grumpy Trumpie urging the GOP to let a debt default happen. The $7.8T Man also tossed aside sequestration so he could throw more money at defense & was so pissed at Massie demanding in-person voting for Trump-favored bills that he tried to primary him.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 26, 2023
The Biden crown economists are falsely arguing the USG has never defaulted on its debt. For defunking this and other lies: https://t.co/OMMgpUKUFs
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 26, 2023
Watching DeSantis hit back at a jealous Trump's personal attacks is beautiful. DeSantis is smarter, younger and quicker to the draw. I remember being bullied by another military brat in HS. He hit me on the head one day and I bloodied his nose. End of bullying.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 26, 2023
Watching DeSantis hit back at a jealous Trump's personal attacks is beautiful. DeSantis is smarter, younger and quicker to the draw. I remember being bullied by another military brat in HS. He hit me on the head one day and I bloodied his nose. End of bullying.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 26, 2023
I thought WWE had finally booked my favorite Karrion Kross & Scarlett into their NXT dominant personas, even initially teasing a Roman Reigns challenge. But since then, he's been booked into mid-card obscurity. I didn't expect Styles to job to Kross before a major PPV, but still.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 27, 2023
This is Soft Rock America. Asuka, unlike Bianca Belair, could see her way clearly to the RAW women's championship:https://t.co/pp4fmsPVrw
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 27, 2023
This is Soft Rock America. Despite Cody Rhodes weaponizing the cast of his "broken arm", Lesnar powered his way to victory: https://t.co/K5ORhWfZJa
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 27, 2023
I had to double-check someone wasn't making this quote up. Nope--Trump was in fact backing up another corrupt Republican.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 27, 2023
Probably the only thing Frumpy Grumpy Trumpie knows about Paxton is that Jeb Bush's eldest son had run against Paxton's reelection.https://t.co/FNpY9ZdLYh https://t.co/hfnVn0gYrT
"Paxton also hired a man to a high-ranking job in his office whose parent had donated $50,000 to [Paxton's legal] fund. The man was ultimately fired for showing child pornography in a meeting in an attempt to make a point." https://t.co/f82T42z8yShttps://t.co/ZT58egoxhH
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 28, 2023
This is proof of the utter stupidity of Trumpkins. This has nothing to do with Paxton's politics. This happens to be about corruption and violations of the law, Paxton asking for taxpayers' money to cover a settlement of his retaliatory firings, etc.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 28, 2023
Trump is RINO by definition. https://t.co/OB7ZwWfJww
A reminder of how incompetently the scientifically illiterate Trump botched USG response to the pandemichttps://t.co/nHjyiae5Zb pic.twitter.com/Nag26LdePy
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 28, 2023
Let's hope WWE progresses to another storyline with Owens & Zahn. I thought the Bloodline story could go with Usos costing Reigns the title belt or Reigns scapegoating Solo for the loss. I even envisioned a family dinner with the head of the table: Rikishi.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 28, 2023
"The Bloodline"
This segment is in flux. For months now I've led this segment with a WaPo-based summary. I recently saw a webpage notice that it stopped updating ths page with the end of the federal emergency a couple of weeks back. A comparable CDC weekly tracker (a source?) also ended regular updates. Some states (e.g., OH) seem to be doing it but others aren't. My initial search for national case numbers was unsuccessful. The nature and extent of stats may change with upcoming post updates.
The following updates are from CDC:
John Hopkins did a post-audit on the botches US public health policy response to the pandemic:
It looks like we'll improve over April's weak Blogger numbers this weekend but barring blowout numbers for the remaining days in May, it's unlikely we'll break 1000 pageviews, a number I used to reach within a half-month for most of the life of the blog.
The WWE PLE Night of Champions took place in Saudi Arabia Saturday early afternoon (EDT). The first thing I really noticed was the female grapplers all wore full bodysuits, which I speculate had to do with modesty standards in the kingdom. Not that I missed the gaping cleavage of Trish Stratus' enhanced breasts. I also think the Saudis had a past issue with Sami Zahn's Syrian ancestry.
I fully anticipated all the major outcomes, including the only flip being Asuka's win over Belair. I thought Belair's babyface champion run had run the gauntlet, and maybe it's time for a heel turn. I expected Rollins to win the new/updated RAW World Championship. There were some rumors that WWE might have Intercontinental Champ Gunther job to Mustafa Ali to free him up for a heavyweight champion program with Rollins or Reigns. But I remember Ultimate Warrior did challenge Hogan in a comparable scenario.
It's infuriating that Reigns wasn't booked into defending his heavyweight belt(s). Instead, Reigns, upset at his cousins, the Usos, losing and failing to regain their unified tag titles from Owens & Zayn, deciding he himself and Solo (an Uso brother) would bring the tag belts back to his faction, the Bloodline. On Twitter, I've signaled it's time for Owens/Zayn to move to a new program. This was more about advancing the foreshadowed meltdown of the Bloodline. I didn't think the Usos liked the humiliation of losing their rights to the titles within their own faction. You also had to wonder how Solo felt in the middle of Reigns and his brothers, not to mention possible individual ambitions for Reigns' own titles.
I wasn't sure how WWE would book the match; They could do something obvious like attack Owens & Zayn, which would disqualify Reigns/Sikoa. In fact, they did do that, but the referee wasn't there to make the call. And fans probably wouldn't be happy with a cheesy DQ closing the premium live event (PLE).
It's not clear how they will now book the major titles. The WWE had been signaling the Rock challenging Reigns. Reportedly, the Rock doesn't have the time to get ring-ready and doesn't want to do a half-assed effort at a top PLE. Rollins/Rhodes had a very recent program, and I don't think the WWE wants the World belt being demoted into a consolation prize. So, I think we'll see an overdue Reigns/Rhodes rematch. They're heavily promoting Reigns' 1000-day streak as Universal belt champion, and maybe they want him to surpass Morales' slightly longer streak.
Quote of the Day
Politeness is the flower of humanity.B.o.B, "Nothin' on You (feat. Bruno Mars)"
Quote of the Day
Rihanna, "Rude Boy"
Quote of the Day
When you come to the edge of all the light you know,— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 24, 2023
Taio Cruz, "Break Your Heart " ft. Ludacris
Quote of the Day
Everyone takes the limits of his own visionThe Black Eyed Peas, "Imma Be"
Quote of the Day
He who thinketh he leadeth and hath no one following him is only taking a walk. - Anonymous
Ke$ha, "TiK ToK"
Trump to date has largely attacked likely GOP 2024 POTUS rival FL Gov, Ron DeSantis on 2 policy grounds: entitlement reform and tax reform, which the latter supported as a congressman last decade. Notice that neither reform actually passed and were more symbolic in nature {"This being Congress, votes often take place for messaging bills that stand little chance of becoming law"); even more telling was WaPo Kessler headline: "Pro-Trump ads attack DeSantis for policies Trump once also embraced".("All the votes [Trumps ads have focused on] were on nonbinding budget resolutions that never become law but are used to shape fiscal policy. Even if those resolutions are adopted, as some were, they cannot alter Social Security or Medicare on their own.") Never mind the hypocrisy of Trump taking credit for a tax bill that DeSantis himself voted for.
I've written numerous tweets and/or posts on unsustainable senior entitlement reforms. We have a consolidating group of workers supporting a growing number of current beneficiaries through payroll taxes, people sometimes living decades in retirement. Both reserve funds supplementing payroll taxes are within a decade of exhaustion. Most politicians are reluctant to discuss the 15.3% (split) payroll tax. So politicians have talked about some ways to manage costs in terms of things like deferments, means-testing, COLA adjustments, etc. Nobody is really talking about cuts in benefits to existing retirees. So, Trump is hoping to scare off older voters through misleading references.
One thing is for sure: Trump never proposed a long overdue reform; no one has tried it since George W. Bush crash and burned In fact, Trump wanted a payroll tax holiday during the pandemic (and failed), which would have hastened the day of reckoning. I still think at minimum for Medicare needs to be addressed because it faces a funding problem in 2028 according to the entitlement actuaries.
In terms of income, let's start with a classic definition: the so–called Haig–Simons or comprehensive definition of income.
HS A person’s annual income is the value of what she could consume in that year, while keeping her wealth constant.
A simple example: suppose my assets/wealth at the beginning of the year are a paid off $300K house. I earn $70K. I spend $50K, save the rest, and my house is now worth $330K My HS consumption/income =$70K+30K house appreciation=$100K, not the actual consumption. I could have cleared $30K to spend by selling my house, while maintaining my initial net worth.
The are all sorts of complications relevant to our tax system. Employer benefits are fungible and really part of our income; the tax-free nature of employer healthcare id also part of our income.
Now the HS income concept explains why Cherokee Lizzie and others propose a wealth tax and you hear bogus numbers like an 8% tax rate on the wealthy. In our tax system we do treat capital gains as income but only when the asset is sold. The leftists want an interim tax revenue flow. There are all sorts of problems with mark-to-market systems, including but not restricted to the difficulty of determining the market value of an illiquid asset and problems in funding tax payments without liquidating assets. The Tax Foundation points out less than a handful of OECD countries have implemented mark-to-market or wealth tax systems. In fact, the existing US income tax system is far more "progressive" and investment taxes higher than many of our European economic rivals. ("Data from the Internal Revenue Service indicates that the top 1 percent of taxpayers paid an average federal income tax rate of 25.4 percent in 2018—seven times higher than the 3.4 percent average rate paid by the bottom half of taxpayers.")
In the above chart, we see consumption taxes play more of a role among our OECD rivals, it's mostly sales taxes in states/localities with some exceptions like excise taxes and tariffs
Economists generally see consumption taxes as more efficient than income tax systems, which have double taxation problems (companies and individuals) and unfair taxation of nominal vs real gains or interest on savings.
Interestingly, it's a Dem Senator Cardin who has promoted a progressive consumption tax, a variation on the FAIR flat tax that Trump is targeting with his "Old McDonald" ads on DeSantis. So how do you make a consumption tax "progressive"? Probably the biggest argument against a flat tais is its regressive, disparate effect on lower-income households which spend most of their income on consumption. There are policy tweaks like category (e.g., food) exclusions and/or prebates.
A couple of points here: one could also have a flat income tax rate (e.g., Russia and a few othera), and the Fair Tax would repeal other taxes (e.g., income, payroll, estate, etc.)
I'm not going to resolve this issue, but Trump, by engaging in Dem-like attacks (never mind I run inro probably at least one leftist Twitter troll daily whining about Trump's "unpaid-for" tax cut), lacks serious leadership on a key issue. Our convoluted tax laws are so complex many people end up hiring tax accountants and/or lawyers, and there are lobbyists who help write ever more incomprehensible,laws defying generality of law. The federal tax system has become an unsustainable Ptolemaic system, crying for a paradigm shift (making a personal favorite Kuhn reference). A large proportion of voters/households pay little if anything into our income tax system.
A consumption tax is far easier to implement, more economically efficient and (with some minor exceptions), largely untapped as a source of federal revenue. The VAT is a popular version of a consumption tax, already adopted in some form in nearly 140 countries. As for regressivity:
Exempting, zero rating, or excluding certain essential consumption goods from the tax base (e.g., foodstuffs, medicine, health care) can reduce the regressivity of a VAT. Giving preferential treatment to particular goods, however, is an inefficient way to make the tax less regressive because high-income households consume more of the goods in question (though less as a share of income) than low-income households do. A better approach is to provide a limited cash payment—that is, a demogrant or a refundable tax credit. That way, everyone receives the same benefit, in dollars, which translates into a larger share of low-income households’ income.
We could vastly simplify our income tax system with a large exemption and make it proportional, i.e., low and flat, exempt interest income, eliminate double taxation, and adjust capital gains for inflation.
Quote of the Day
It only stands to reason that where there's sacrifice,As I write, no fresh podcast episodes, so I may continue so embed videos I hadn't embedded
JAY-Z, "Empire State of Mind" ft. Alicia Keys. And that's a wrap on 2009.
Quote of the Day
It is never too late
Jason Derulo, "Whatcha Say"
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 14, 2023
Misleading. This was a civil, not a criminal case, without a comparable standard of guilt, one which was an exception to the statute of limitations, not to mention likely reversible judicial admissions into the record. Psaki also doesn't point out the key rape charge failed https://t.co/zkLG6IaxjH
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 14, 2023
Immigration is win-win for America. For an example you won't see on FNC, Saad Nadeem, a first-generation Pakistani-American, just earned 3 UH bachelor degrees (3 majors, 3 minors) with a 4.0 GPA and has been accepted into med school. https://t.co/VVCpyEUZDS
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 15, 2023
Iam Tongi on American Idol continues to impress; anyone who covers Yusuf/Cat Stevens' "Father & Son" has earned my respect.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 15, 2023
I'm surprised, though, on Disney Night, given the loss of his musician father at 50, Iam didn't cover "Circle of Life".
I've resumed watching American Idol for the first time since it left Fox.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 15, 2023
I strongly disagree with fan voting tonight that eliminated my top 2 choices, Zachariah Smith and We Ani.
There is a blurring of the construct of individual rights. And there are nuances, e.g., you can't abuse speech for things like fraud and libel, incite a public panic, etc., but the law cannot constrain political or scientific disputes.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 15, 2023
Biden continues to insist the risk of recession is tied with the GOP plan for a debt limit increase tied to future reduced increases in USG funding. Never mind we've had an inverted yield curve for some time now:
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 15, 2023
"has proven in the past to be a reliable indicator of a recession"
No. Government should not be Intervening in the housing market; it leads to unexpected consequences. For some people, ownership is not a viable option.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 15, 2023
To give examples I was raised as a military brat & we moved 6 times until I graduated at 16. I also worked as an untenured prof https://t.co/BmRpgsALCt
This all goes back to the law of supply and demand. You increase the cost of business; you get less of it. Did the Trump tax cuts pay for themselves? Not quite in the data I've seen. But tax revenues increased, even at lower rates. The problem was no commensurate cut in spending.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 15, 2023
The Politics of Envy is not only morally corrupt but counterproductive. Progressive tax rates penalize success, a de facto surtax passed along to consumers. Flatter rates aren't "giveaways" to the rich; high tax rates discourage economic activity which improves the living std
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 15, 2023
KJP is not that bright. Take this talking point about paying debt service (never mind college student debtors not doing it during the pandemic). I don't have issues with the USG prioritizing debt service. Guess what happens to interest expenses when you're paying higher on $31.5T
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 15, 2023
FNC is heavily rotating a NYP story about homeless vets being evicted from certain hotels who get higher rates for housing aliens. (I haven't heard them emphasize the vets have been accommodated elsewhere.) But, you know, patriotically correct socialism.https://t.co/XdhVK6lgvI
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 15, 2023
FNC continues to fear-monger the border crisis, arguing Islamic terrorists are exploiting the situation. Well, a trend of one from an alleged biometric match.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 15, 2023
This is Soft Rock America. First Chachi and now Billy Joel is moving to Florida. A classic from the Piano Man: https://t.co/PgnUvtg07Q
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 16, 2023
Government in collusion with Big Dairy goes after "milk" products not made by a cow, even after natural, unfortified skimmed milk. (Some fortified vitamins are fat-soluble.) So, they don't have an issue with milk fused with other additives, but almonds?https://t.co/ntEoSvj4Tq
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 16, 2023
This is Soft Rock America. I was a fan of Dolly Parton when she promoted a free towel in Breeze detergent. She has just released a rock protest anthem, unhappy with politicians: https://t.co/ZWMJiclgS7
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 16, 2023
The indisputable facts are Trump explicitly called for Russia to release Hillary Clinton's emails, knowing some might compromise national secrets, and Trump obstructed the investigation in question. That was an impeachable self-serving abuse of power
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 16, 2023
FNC was promoting a BBQ segment with a bottle of ketchup near grilled hotdogs. I do not get the obsession with ketchup. I have never in my life put ketchup on McDonald's shoestring French fries; I've never requested or taken ketchup packets.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 16, 2023
No, The War on Immigration is economically illiterate, anti-growth, morally contemptible, and a violation of the inalienable right of liberty. https://t.co/5YmWfkFYlr
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 16, 2023
I don't mind people recognizing the beauty of octogenarian women, but back when I subscribed to SI, I was more interested in sports entertainment, not in DEI talking points being shoved down my throat.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 16, 2023
"Sports Illustrated"
"Elon Musk told Tesla employees that he wants to approve every new hire at the company personally."
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 16, 2023
It reminds me when Adm. Rickover insisted on interviewing all officers in the Nuclear Navy, even a land-based math instructor like me.
It's stupid micromanagement.
No. Property owners deserve a fair market price for their transactions. You don't get to limit your competition in a free market. You need to reassess why you are losing bids and change your tactics, e.g., add an escalation clause,https://t.co/SRcnAMOL8N
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 17, 2023
No. This political whore is trying to launch a partisan war on conservative justices. The judiciary is an independent branch of government.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 17, 2023
"Federal law requires that justices and other federal judges disqualify themselves when impartiality could be questioned." - Bloomberg Law https://t.co/bSjaRIk4IO
Wow. MTG, Kellyanne Conway, and now Lauren Boebert have recently been divorced or are in the process. I wonder if there is a general trend among Trumpkin women. It's sad to see, especially if children are involved.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 17, 2023
Sometimes a Trumpkin troll tweet is so stupid, you have to make an example. No, Russian invasions of Georgia and Ukraine had zero to do with American politics. https://t.co/gRb7Exp4JD
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 17, 2023
OMG. I can't believe all these television ads pointed at adversely affected businesses who haven't yet claimed COVID relief for keeping FTEs on the payroll.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 17, 2023
This is Soft Rock America. Apparently, Yusuf/Cat Stevens doesn't care much for politicians:https://t.co/Rl5MnR31gF
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 17, 2023
Leftists have a weird take on Bolton. The natural criticism is why "America First" Trump selected the interventionist as a security advisor in the first place. No, they are still venting he didn't appear at the first impeachment hearings, even with Fiona Hill's testimony.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 17, 2023
No one at MAL, after Biden took office, had a need-to-know classified data. Trump knowingly maintained classified data without SCIF-like protections and/or vetting of individuals with potential access. No, Trump did not have mystical declassification authority.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 18, 2023
Trump, in trying to compare his material noncompliance with the Presidential Records Act with minor document mishandling issues by Biden and others, would be like Clinton arguing that Carter was no better than him on infidelities because he admitted to having lust in his heart.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 18, 2023
Note the 3 border states west of Texas have Dem governors.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 18, 2023
Just joking here, but I wonder what Abbott's sales pitch is: "National Guard now, or buses of migrants later?" https://t.co/mQYBwvPSgy
Like most American kids, I was brought up and taught the nuclear bombs were the alternative to a costly invasion of Japan to secure victory. Truman was wrong. There's evidence to believe Japan was ready to conditionally surrender on comparable terms some time earlier,
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 18, 2023
Hiroshima https://t.co/Il9DP58wog
Interesting to see all the speculation about what FNC will do with Carlson's primetime slot. Probably the most rumored change is Hannity's show changing timeslot. Not sure why people aren't speculating on moving proven ratings winner "The Five".
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 18, 2023
c
McCarthy should be clearer on what he means. Often the Congress votes on 10-year windows. It could be the budget is assuming senior entitlements are being supplemented out of general revenues once reserves are exhausted.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 18, 2023
The meme is incorrect. Currently, payroll taxes are inadequate to pay for senior entitlement program expenses. That doesn't mean they are supplemented by general revenues, but they are withdrawing from dwindling reserves. The sales of existing bonds are fungible and a wash.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 18, 2023
McCarthy and the GOP need to scale back work-based requirements on benefits in debt ceiling talks, especially involving retired, disabled, ill, minors or other hardship beneficiaries.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 18, 2023
I'm no Dem, and I personally loathe California.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 19, 2023
But this speculation that a Feinstein resignation would lead to a Newsom appointment of Lee, giving her an incumbent in next year's election for Feinstein's seat, seems a stretch.https://t.co/PnDIajOyLo
"Barbara Lee" pic.twitter.com/pthBtkEVHF
Gorsuch is undeniably correct when he writes " Nearly five months ago, I argued that the Court erred when it granted expedited review and issued a stay...the current border crisis is not a COVID crisis.” There is no evidence migrants initiated or exacerbated the spread of COVID.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 19, 2023
Gorsuch is being criticized for recognizing the dubiously constitutional basis of questionably effective public policy during the pandemic. Workers and businesses had to qualify as "essential", healthy people without masks found their access to public transit impeded, etc. pic.twitter.com/zFX1IMvBbq
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 19, 2023
I would, but I live in another state.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 19, 2023
Canvassing for Trump.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 19, 2023
#AnEmbarrassingWayToDie
Well, Trump's attempts to intimidate DeSantis from entering the 2024 race seem to have failed. I don't think DeSantis will repeat 2016 rivals' mistake of not attacking Trump. Expect 44 yo Ron to make Trump's age an issue. I would be amused if DeSantis calls him "Gramps".
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 19, 2023
Gaslighting rubbish from a leftist troll who is probably not crazy about a corporate exodus from blue states to begin with.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 19, 2023
I don't think that DeSantis' thin-skinned Trumpist-style corporation bashing is conservative or productive. And policy changes have consequences. https://t.co/itph9jk1Rb
Leftist trolls are freaking out that a Manchin POTUS nomination could be next year's version of Ross Perot, Ralph Nader or Jill Stein, costing Biden's reelection.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 20, 2023
The problem is Biden has governed from the left after running as a centrist, he is old & a possible recession.
I've been watching a Biden press conference from Hiroshima which included a lot of partisan soundbites in reference to the debt bill. Biden is an infuriating liar.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 21, 2023
No, Biden's attempt to negotiate Politics of Envy tax hikes is DOA. GHW Bush did a deal but Dems reneged on cuts.
We shouldn't even have to comment on the nonsense of Biden invoking the 14th Amendment. The power of the purse is vested in Congress. Second, the US has enough revenue to prioritize servicing the debt. Nobody is suggesting repudiating the debthttps://t.co/XhEfrFs3pN
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 21, 2023
Price caps don't guarantee supply. First, companies in the triopoly (e.g., Eli Lilly) can respond to public pressure. Second, government itself is part of the problem in terms of barriers to entry (e.g., patent law and FDA approvals. Free markets!https://t.co/rhX1J0GTOH.
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 21, 2023
My latest post criticizes certain Trumpkin libertarians in the aftermath of the Durham Report.https://t.co/vIqoNegF3D
— raguillemette (@raguillemette) May 21, 2023