Dennys: News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food: Lobbyists, IRS Square Off Over New Law to Catch Rich Tax Dodgers

Dennys: News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food: Lobbyists, IRS Square Off Over New Law to Catch Rich Tax Dodgers



From Denny:  It's an election year and reeling in tax dodgers is a populist position. Americans are furious the wealthy and corporations don't pay taxes at all or very little, certainly not their fair share.



How much does the government lose to rich tax cheats? 



Did you know the Treasury Department loses as much as $100 billion each year in owed taxes because of offshore accounts? Think how that would affect the bottom line to ease the budget deficit - instead of taking away school lunch programs for needy children.



New tax dodger law 



The good news is there is a new law in town. It's called the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). Foreign financial institutions must report accounts held by American citizens to the U.S. government. The penalty if they fail to report? Not providing that information means those firms face a 30 percent withholding tax on their U.S. revenue. Ouch!



The bad news is that the law does not take effect until 2013 even though it was passed in March 2010. Worse, now enter the gang of lobbyists - yes, more than the usual 100 per lawmaker already leeching off the taxpayers in Washington - who are descending upon the capitol to reject or modify this law. Screaming for help are the foreign financiers and trade associations that have set their sights upon nasty K Street as their messiah.



*** To read more just click on the link ***

Funny 2012 Election Politics, Obama, Bin Laden Cartoons

President Obama

From Denny:  When it rains it pours, goes the proverb. It applies to weather these days from the Spring snow melt-offs flooding the American Midwest to the South to the frenetic weirdo politics of 2012 presidential campaigning.



Mississippi River flood



I live in south Louisiana in Baton Rouge, a large city just south of the Morganza Spillway. The Army Corps of Engineers let open a number of gates to flood 18,000 acres of farmland and small towns. They hoped to save two of the largest population centers that are each a large port:  the capital city of Louisiana, Baton Rouge and the largest port, New Orleans.



So far the drought conditions in Louisiana have contributed to keeping the earthen levees strong enough to hold the strong Mississippi River while it pushes to change its course. Millions of gallons of water per minute are straining to scour the river bed and the levees as the river challenges its boundaries.



At present the estimated damage economically is about $2 billion due to the flooding.  The flooding prevents planting crops that feed the nation.  The flooding prevents port traffic on the River that slows down or prevents the chemical plants, the oil refineries and farms from delivering products.



Osama Bin Laden death 



Speaking of boundaries - it's that segway thing - Bin Laden wore out his welcome on the national stage a decade ago and has been hunted ever since. Finally, this president and his intelligence community found the rat, set the trap and dealt with him and his enablers.

Dennys: News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food: Obama: Unemployed, Middle Class, Poor: Hey, Stupid, Watch Your Finances, Political Cartoons

Dennys: News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food: Obama: Unemployed, Middle Class, Poor: Hey, Stupid, Watch Your Finances, Political Cartoons: "To add insult to economic injury, completely tone deaf politically, President Obama Declares April Financial Literacy Month.  After just announcing his reelection campaign now he is urging Americans to learn more about their personal finances. You have got to be kidding me. How insensitive and downright stupid is this statement? Where have you been the past three years since the economy shed millions of jobs?



Obama: Do you even read - or better yet re-read - your own speeches over the course of a year? Or do you just parrot the words off the page or teleprompter without giving it much thought later.  Like Bush, you appear to be sleepwalking through this presidency, dancing to the tune of political handlers and Big Business."

The Lurching American Economy, Political Cartoons

Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: The world economy is a mess and about to get messier with Japan in distress from their latest earthquake, tsunami, nuclear disaster trifecta. Well, the good news is that we are all in the same boat, trying to swim the same polluted economic waters. It would help if our governments gave us accurate numbers and quit massaging them to please the financial markets.



The unemployment here in America is supposed to be at 8.8 percent. What a joke. There are millions of people who gave up looking. Those known as The 99ers, whose unemployment benefits ended after 99 weeks, have been unemployed for years now.  Even President Obama says there are hundreds of thousands of people who will never get a job again.  What kind of statement is that from a president?  Not everyone deserves a job in this country?

Obama: End Libya War Now and 14 Political Cartoons

Inauguration Day Image via Wikipedia

From Denny:  While America's war hawks and profiteers are thrilled to have spent $1 billion this week bombing Libya, it's time to complete The Hand Over to anyone else but us.  Americans did not expect to be the country spending 95 percent of the money in this police action and we are not happy about it. American taxpayers are fed up with footing the bill for everything all the time and for far too long. We spend decades in idiot unnecessary expensive wars started by previous presidents, then start "police actions" in a current administration.



It's admirable President Obama chose to help the Libyan people who are revolting against their dictator but it's now time for America to pull back, sit down and allow some other country to be the star of the international show. I vote for France.  Who cares if France wants to headquarter from Paris instead of New York?  Who cares if it's NATO or France doing the duty?  Why must American military commanders always dictate the terms?  We no longer must commit 95 percent of the money, the troops or the weapons.  The coalition partners all have robust and well equipped modern military.  There is no need for this "show boating."

Funny But True: Exorcist Chasing Demons Out of Big Bank Chase

Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: Don't you just love it? We are all outraged at the greed of America's Big Banks. Feel helpless? Feel vulnerable? No worries. Your local exorcists are here to save the day.



A bunch of New York City clergy banded together to go after JPMorgan Chase Bank. The ministers are angry at failed mortgage policies that simply don't well address the national foreclosure crisis. I've been posting about this crisis for some time on my American news blog, The Social Poets. Did you realize that over 21 million people are out of work for the past five years? Did you know that over 20 million homes are in foreclosure and more in the pipeline?



Well, these New York ministers decided they had enough of the corporate greed and plunder of America. They gathered at JPMorgan Chase today to close their accounts. They also went about their spiritual work, chasing off evil spirits inhabiting the bank.

America Is NOT Broke Wisconsin Speech: Activist Michael Moore

Image via Wikipedia

From Denny:  Sounds like Michael Moore has been listening in to the conversations at our house - or hijacked my keyboard strokes. :) Seriously though, great speech and ALL true! You can read the transcript or listen to the video he posted onto YouTube.



Moore spoke at a rally against Gov. Walker's decision to deny collective bargaining rights to the teachers he has decided to fire. First the public workers lose their rights, then the rest of us across the country watch our wages drop like a rock to ten cents an hour like in a third world country.



Women are now supposed to make exactly what men make for the same job since President Obama passed the new equal pay law when he first entered office. Since then the economy took a nose dive into another Great Depression that economists are afraid to label as such but the middle class knows it to be true. Almost 21 million people are out of work, whether long term or short term since Big Business started sending our jobs overseas. The big joke for tourism to India: "Visit India, Visit Your Old Job."

42 Obama 2011 Budget Cuts and Economy Cartoons

President Bush and President Obama Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: Well, it's unanimous - most of America hates these budget cuts. We have all figured out we are getting screwed by our corporate politicians. If we get sick, grow old, desire higher education or want any kind of stable financial future then we are just "shit outta luck" with this President and this Congress. They appear to be beyond shame and keep feeding their Greed Monster: Big Business.



To the rescue? Looks like Lady Karma will be dealing some harsh hands to the same hard hearts slapping at - and dismissing with a cavalier wave of the hand - all the vulnerable in our society. The way Big Business is going just about everyone will end up in the Vulnerable category, from what's left of the middle class down to the poor.



At some point Americans will have to riot and take to the streets to reestablish real values in this country. I wonder how long it will take before Americans understand how over the past 30 years the Republicans and Big Business have whittled away at the middle class wealth to drive us into perpetual economic slavery?





Obama and the new budget that takes from the poor and gives to the rich:

American Political Cartoons - 12 Feb 2011

Outgoing Prez Bush with Incoming Prez Obama Image via Wikipedia

From Denny:  What a whirlwind week with the peaceful people's Egypt Revolution finally winning and ousting Mubarak! America was on the periphery. President Obama was clueless as to what to do, constantly changing his position from day to day. Republican think tanks were apoplectic, frothing at the mouth trying to force Obama to their strong man line of leadership, how he was supposed to be in control of Egypt and Mubarak.  Israel, Jordan and other Middle Eastern countries were frantically calling Obama to come out and declare this or that, in other words, lead the situation.



This Egypt Revolution was of the people and no one else for a pleasant change. This was one time my father's precious damned CIA, the Pentagon and the White House were not working feverishly in sync to destabilize and topple a foreign government just to place their favorite puppet in power. When American politicians, military and intelligence finally get their egos out of The Big Picture this world will be a better place. Why does it always have to be about what's good for America? Don't they understand that what is good for that particular country ends up being good for everyone in the end?



Man up, world governments, and learn to respond and adapt to what evolves in any situation. Quite trying to control it and then cover up your mistakes when things go awry. The weak indecision of President Obama actually played in his favor in the Egypt situation. As usual, Obama is late to the party. He isn't a joiner. He isn't a people person. He isn't a leader. He's a professor who should have stayed in the classroom that he could control. Real leadership is messy because life is messy. America is a democracy, not an autocracy, contrary to what the Republicans and this White House want to create for their convenience and ease of operation.



By doing nothing Obama looked like he was not interfering in Egypt, therefore not creating a backlash onto America as the Republicans would have slammed our way.  It could have escalated into a bigger mess with Middle East anger directed at America for all the past mistakes of previous presidencies. Obama gets a gold star in my book any way.  Sometimes, it is better to stay out of the game.







George Bush weird:

Cartoons: Some Hummers to Scratch Your Head Why

From Denny:  OK, these are those wonderfully obscure type of cartoons that some people don't always "get" as to why they are funny but they sure made me grin. Yes, back in the ol' school days, I used to be the toast of the English teachers because I remembered all the obscure peanut gallery comments from those no-name characters in Shakespeare's plays. Never mind, I could care less about the main event but fortunately they rarely queried me on that account. Read that as they believed me to be brilliant, when clearly said probable brilliance was often misplaced - or happily redirected - to more interesting venues.



Yes, my poor teachers often wanted to pull their hair out and sell it to me for a Christmas gift. But, they always said they placed my essays or term papers at the top of the pile to read since I proved to be the most entertaining. Of course, they went about red-lining the hell out of said "works of art" when I refused to follow proper, OK, dull, form. Never mind it was a teaching moment for us both, right? :) Which is probably why I so appreciate the cracked minds of these cartoonists...





Hmmmm....













Check out all the detail in this one:

Taxpayers to Goldman Sachs: Give Us Back Our $3 Billion You Stole

Wall Street corruption, detailed blow by blow, in commission report - and still no one goes to jail.

Image via Wikipedia

From Denny:  Wall Street recklessness, detailed in a report released today, outrages every American - and the world that trusted them.  The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, that delivered this scathing 633-page report, warns us about this current level of regulatory negligence from our government could create a similar scenario as what happened in the 2008 financial crisis.



The hefty 633-page report



This report is no fly weight. This commission got serious and immersed themselves in a mountain of literally millions of e-mails, testimony transcripts and more documents from which they drew their conclusion. Officials at regulatory agencies, The Securities and Exchange Commission in particular, investment banks, credit rating companies and mortgage lenders were all investigated and given no quarter for their outrageous negligence and actions, or worse, inactions.

Political Discourse American Style: Cartoons - 17 Jan 2011

Check out the gun cartoons and how cartoonists view political discourse in America.

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords





From Denny:  At the moment, most politicians seem to have gotten the message that the public is not happy with the toxic political atmosphere.  Now will someone please inform the media to also tone it down?



There are calls to gun reform in America and it's about time.  How comforting is it to know that your neighbor owns 20 assault weapons and high capacity gun clips among other "goodies"?  Hunters don't require assault weapons they just need a rifle.  Taking an assault weapon to a deer hunt is like taking dynamite to a fishing party.



Why does America continue to allow Big Business and the National Rifle Association to own our politicians, compromising our everyday safety?  The NRA and Big Business are in The Business of Selling Fear in order to make billions of dollars annually, talk about depraved indifference.  The NRA and Big Business have repeatedly fought any kind of gun reform, especially in the area of selling to the mentally ill.  There should be psychological profile tests people have to take before being allowed to own guns - and periodic retesting every year or so.



There should be a national limit as to how many guns a person can own or sell.  As it is there is a brisk trade of Americans buying guns and reselling them to the million man army of drug cartels in Mexico.  Those guns are used to kill thousands of innocent Mexican citizens, police and military opposing the drug cartels.  Now those same guns are coming back over our border states and killing our police and citizens.  When will it end?  When will anyone stir up the political will and courage to address this insanity?







American style of toxic political discourse that has been going on for 30 years now, reaching a crescendo when Rep. Giffords was shot in the head at a public open-air political meeting with her constituents:

Sellout Obama and Bush Tax Cuts Firestorm Angers America

Obama continues to bully a bad tax plan down the throats of America.





 





President refuses to caucus with his own Democrats, stiff-arms them



From Denny: President Obama continues to refuse to caucus with his own Democratic Party. How illogical and insane is this? Answer: very. For some reason this President has adopted a President Nixon autocratic condescending leadership style of which the Democrats are now thoroughly in revolt.



Black Caucus refuses to support the President



Even the African-American caucus does not support him on this Bush Tax Cuts plan he tried to ram down every one's throat. Obama never consulted with any of his own party but rather this plan just suddenly appeared out of thin air via Obama and his senior advisers who met solely with Republican leadership. Increasingly, the Democratic leadership is abandoning Obama on key issues - like national security.



Democrats part ways with Obama 



Here's how the Democratic leadership have gone their own way on current legislation up for vote:

Obama Sends Thousands More Jobs Out of America: Mexico

*** Prez Obama tricked by GM to send thousands of jobs out of America and to Mexico.New GM CEO Dan Akersan is from the Carlyle Group, famous for sending American jobs overseasFrom Denny: Here's what is really happening and how the President got snookered by Big Business, namely the auto makers and, in particular, General Motors. GM just reported their best quarterly profit in six years: $33 billion. Yet they are suddenly changing out their CEO to a guy who is with the Carlyle Group. What is the reputation of the Carlyle Group? These guys are a bunch of snakes. They are known for shipping jobs overseas. As soon as this new GM CEO, Dan Akerson, was announced GM made a move to create a new plant in Mexico to the tune of a $500 million investment. Those are American jobs getting shipped out of the country yet again by Big Business. Team Obama did a lousy job and did sloppy negotiations nor did they hold Big Business to the fire to do more than save jobs. They did not get any commitments from the auto industry, namely General Motors and Chrysler, to create jobs. And, so, the American taxpayers who footed the bill for all these bailouts gets the reward of thousands of their jobs getting sent out of the country. It's time for Team Obama to step up and defend the American worker and take back those jobs - and those tax breaks for American Big Business who stiff arm us. As it is, the jobs that need to be created to get us back to a stable economy is huge: the astounding number of 22 million.

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