Comments on: Right Now: The Tea Party Protests

[rednomo]

Maybe the Republicans need to reinvent themselves, from the GOP to the POG:

P!ssed Off Geezers

[cbs_tom]

Some old thoughts for the day:

" I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them". ? Thomas Jefferson

"When the government fears the people, it is liberty. When the people fear the government, it is tyranny". ? Thomas Paine
"The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases". ? Thomas Jefferson
"Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom of Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any body of regular troops that can be, on any pretense, raised in the United States". ? Noah Webster
"I am not a friend to a very energetic government. It is always oppressive". ? Thomas Jefferson

[rednomo]

As Jon Stewart rightly pointed out to the beaten and battered, furious and frothing minions of the right, "I think you might be confusing tyranny with losing."

ATTENTION all Tea Baggers

Offshore Tax Havens: A State-By-State Breakdown Of The Cost To Taxpayers

April 15, 2009

A Senate report estimated in 2008 that the United States loses up to $100 billion a year in tax revenue to offshore tax havens. In a report released Wednesday, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group offers a state-by-state breakdown of the cost to taxpayers of tax revenue lost to "shell companies and sham headquarters" in places like Switzerland and the Cayman Islands.

The practice soaks dutiful taxpayers in every state for hundreds of millions of dollars, according to U.S. PIRG. The citizens of New York and Texas shoulder over $8 billion a year, and the good people of California are on the hook for an extra $11 billion.

Click here for U.S. PIRG's table with the state-by-state breakdown of the burden shifted to taxpayers.

U.S. PIRG came up with the state numbers by dividing the $100 billion figure by the percentage of total federal revenue contributed by each state. The nonprofit released its report on tax day to drive home a message:

"This is the day when we're all working hard, rushing to the post office, filing our returns, and then to hear about these large multi-billion dollar corporations who have used gimmicks to avoid paying their fair share -- it's something that should end this year," says John Krieger, a staff attorney with U.S. PIRG.

U.S. PIRG's report, titled "Tax Shell Game," highlights some findings from a January report by the Government Accountability Office that found over 80 percent of the hundred biggest U.S. companies took advantage of tax havens. In 2008 the GAO found that one five-story building in the Cayman Islands, known as the "Ugland House," contained 18,857 registered businesses, very few of which had anything but a P.O. box there. Bailout beneficiaries Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, and Bank of America boast over 300 subsidiaries in the Cayman Islands.

The tax day release of the report coincides with protests at post offices across the country coordinated by the Campaign to Rebuild and Renew America Now, a coalition of groups supporting the president's budget priorities. Obama's budget calls for reigning in offshore tax havens.

In a speech on Tuesday, Obama talked about "shutting down loopholes and making sure everyone pays what they owe."

John Krieger says similar efforts by U.S. PIRG last year brought attention to tax evasion by major defense contractors like Kellogg, Brown & Root, ultimately leading to legislation to make sure contractors pay their share.

"The point is that we all pay for it," Krieger says. "The issues of tax havens, tax avoidance -- the reason they've had so much cover is that we all think of it as a D.C wonky issue, but in reality it has an effect on every taxpayer who has to take on this extra burden."

-just keep that in mind, these are the corporations that you are protesting FOR!

You can't make this stuff up....

[libertador111]

No more taxes
No mas impuestos
President Obama Socialista/ Comunista Agenta needs to be stop, Do not let the gobermant take over like in our old countries
Las intenciones Socilistas y Comunistas de El Precidente Obama Nesecitan parar.. Esta pasando lo que paso en nuestros paises todo a la ruina
Despertad

[dagrandma]

demkicker123: "I fired all obama voters from my company and refuse to hire any person that voted for that criminal because most people that voted for him are indeed criminals. All employers should do the same to make our points very clear. You get nothing for nothing.
GOP is on the return."

Hmmm, sounds like some of that is illegal. Did you tell your employees why you were firing them? Do you ask prospective employees whether or not they voted for Obama? Could I have your name?

[rednomo]

10 Republican Lies for Tax Day
By Jon Perr Wednesday Apr 15, 2009

The truth may set you free, but not if you're a Republican and the subject is taxes. After all, 95% of American families as promised received a tax cut from the Obama stimulus package. And while three-quarters of Americans support President Obama's proposal to roll back the Bush tax cuts for those earning over $250,000 to their Clinton-era levels, it turns out that affluent voters, too, chose Barack Obama over John McCain. Making matters worse, a Gallup poll Monday revealed that Americans' "views of income taxes among most positive since 1956."

So as their furious followers head off to their April 15th orgy of tea-bagging, the leadership of the GOP and its amen corner in the right-wing media have instead turned to tall tales on taxes.

Here, then, are 10 Republican Tax Day lies:

President Obama will raise taxes on small businesses.
The estate tax devastates small businesses and family farms.

40% of Americans pay no taxes.

Tax cuts always increase revenue.

The GOP is the party of fiscal discipline.

Ronald Reagan was the greatest tax cutter of all time.

FDR caused the Great Depression, or at least made it worse.

Obama's cap-and-trade plan will cost each American family $3,100 a year.

Obama's tax proposals will undermine charitable giving.

The rich pay too much in taxes already.

[abbe91]

"And you really believe what passes for news in this country? The news is controlled by large corporations who own the stations and basically tell you what they want you to know. Independent news reporting just doesn't happen here.
Posted by jbar116 at 6:13 AM : Apr 16, 2009"

Nope, I usually don't believe Fox News, because, like you said, it's controlled by special interests and definitively not left-leaning, to say the least.

[dagrandma]

"Speakers at a sometimes angry rally Wednesday accused Gov. Jim Doyle and lawmakers of smoking crack cocaine, said government spending was ruining the country and called for the ouster of all elected Democrats."

I just can't stop saying it -- why weren't these people whining over the billions spent in Iraq??????????

[Dave_P6]

The thing that makes me laugh about this is that these people are protesting taxes, government bailouts, and Obama's "inflated budget", right? Except these folks just received a tax CUT because of Obama. Herbert Hoover let banks fail during an economic downturn and we know how well things turned out for him. And Bush's last budget was nearly as big as Obama's, over $3 trillion.

[demkicker123]

In life there are winners and losers. If you are on crack and can't pay your rent because you won't go to work, that would make you a loser. Don't look at the winners to bail you out. Ask them for a job, oh wait a minute, Crack heads, thugs, freaks and geeks don't want a job. They want a hand out.
I fired all obama voters from my company and refuse to hire any person that voted for that criminal because most people that voted for him are indeed criminals. All employers should do the same to make our points very clear. You get nothing for nothing.
GOP is on the return.