Thursday, February 23, 2012
Barker's Newsbites: Thursday, February 23, 2012
OK... let's see if I can actually get a few newsbites posted today!
First, though... my reaction to last night's GOP Debate:
Gingrich won.
I mean... he definitely won.
Santorum lost.
Rick Santorum definitely lost!
Ron Paul? He gave his best debate performance ever. (It's such a shame Ron Paul is unelectable,)
And Romney...???
As always, Romney had his ups and downs, but while he clearly beat Santorum overall... Santorum (and Paul, and Gingrich) did bloody Romney's nose in a few of the exchanges.
(Romney took one random shot at Gingrich... the crowd didn't react well. They thought it was a cheap shot - as it was - and Romney obviously got the message because he didn't repeat the tactic.)
Having listened to WABC radio post-debate last night and then flipping through the TV channels this morning and checking in on Drudge, I have to report that I'm disgusted (though certainly not surprised) by how blatantly the media (both "conservative" and mainstream liberal) are spinning last night's debate results as a victory for Romney while relatively ignoring and thus discounting Gingrich's winning performance.
And as usual... (*SIGH*)... these same media outlets basically use Paul's statements as "gotcha" ammo against his opponents while refusing to fairly analyze and report Paul's positions and the reasoning and historical facts which buttress them.
(By the way... for what it's worth... Paul mainly went after Santorum last night while subtly inferring that Gingrich was the candidate who most closely - relatively, at least - mirrored his views.)
(I've always said this, folks... I can't see Ron Paul ever backing a Rick Santorum candidacy. Nor, frankly, can I see him backing a Romney candidacy. I can however see him giving a "blessing" of sorts to a Gingrich candidacy with the caveat that he'd not issue Newt a "blank check" with regard to such support... or at least non-opposition.)
Anyway, kids... breaking news is that Newt Gingrich is pulling out of the Michigan contest as a tactical ploy to buttress Santorum's chances of beating Romney there.
Assuming most Michigan GOP primary voters didn't actually watch last night's debate... (*PURSED LIPS*)... Newt's gambit may well pay off.
As a Gingrich partisan I'm hoping that Santorum wins Michigan... Romney then turns all his fire on Santorum... and the two phonies destroy each to leave Newt Gingrich as the last man standing.
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http://blog.heritage.org/2012/02/23/morning-bell-obamas-crony-capitalist-trap-door/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Morning%2BBell
The Obama White House says it hates tax “loopholes,” and the American people abhor them with good reason.
* WELL... LET'S NOT OVERSTATE. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HATE LOOPHOLES THAT THEY THEMSELVES CAN'T ACCESS. THE ONE'S THEY CAN... HOME MORTGAGE INTEREST DEDUCTIBILITY FOR EXAMPLE... THEY LOVE.
(*SHRUG*)
* ME? I'M AGAINST ALL LOOPHOLES.
Yesterday, the President proposed reducing the corporate tax rate from 35% to 28%. That’s certainly a landmark moment – a liberal President calling for a lower corporate tax rate is a Nixon goes to China moment. It’s also long overdue, considering that the U.S. corporate tax rate is the second highest in the world, making it nearly impossible for American companies to compete in the global economy.
But here’s where the trouble begins:
Under the President’s “framework,” he singles out specific industries he doesn’t like — oil and gas, insurance, and small aircraft manufacturers, for example — and proposes to close what he asserts are their loopholes, thereby raising their taxes.
* READ ON... (*SIGH*)
But with his other hand, he opens a trap door and waves his friends through, cutting their tax rates to 25% “and to an even lower rate for income from advanced manufacturing activities.”
* AH... "ADVANCED" MANUFACTURING ACTIVITIES. (GE PERHAPS...???) (*RUEFUL CHUCKLE*)
The President’s best friends get access to second trap door leading to even lower rates. Who slides on through? Those who qualify for tax incentives designed to “encourage investment in clean energy.”
(*ROLLING MY EYES*) THESE FOOLS HAVE LEARNED NOTHING FROM SOLYNDRA, ET. AL.
The net effect of all this tax "reform" subterfuge will be a free pass for the “right” industries, a downfall for the “wrong” ones, and a windfall for lobbyists who can get their clients through the trap doors.
* OH... BUT IT GETS WORSE, FOLKS... (*SIGH*) (READ ON!)
Today, if a company earns money overseas, it is taxed by the foreign government, taxed again at home, and then run through some convoluted rules to prevent double taxation. Instead of eliminating that domestic double tax (like most countries have), President Obama wants to tax foreign earnings even more heavily.
(*JUST SHAKING MY HEAD*)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/23/us-afghanistan-korans-idUSTRE81K09T20120223
An Afghan soldier shot dead two NATO soldiers during a protest at a base in Nangarhar province, local officials and western military sources said.
* FOLKS... (*GRITTING MY TEETH*)... THE ABOVE LINE WAS PARAGRAPH 10 - YES... #10 - OF THIS FRIGG'N STORY.
* YOU WANNA KNOW WHERE THE EMPHASIS IS PLACED? HERE'S PARAGRAPH #1:
President Hamid Karzai on Thursday blamed a U.S. soldier for "ignorantly" burning copies of the Koran at a NATO base, an accusation that could trigger more protests across Afghanistan.
* FOLKS... AFGHANISTAN MAKES VIETNAM LOOK LIKE "THE GOOD WAR."
The Taliban...urged security forces to "turn their guns on the foreign infidel invaders," it said on its site shahamat-english.com.
* AND IN RESPONSE... (*GNASHING MY TEETH*)... TO REITERATE...
An Afghan soldier shot dead two NATO soldiers during a protest at a base in Nangarhar province, local officials and western military sources said.
* BUSH - WHILE WRONG - ACTUALLY BELIEVED STAYING IN AFGHANISTAN AFTER WE TOPPLED THE TALIBAN WAS IN OUR NATIONAL INTEREST. OBAMA COULD HAVE REMOVED OUR TROOPS THE MOMENT AFTER HE WAS SWORN IN - JAN. 2009 - BUT INSTEAD...
(*SIGH*)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2105131/HALF-Americans-dont-pay-income-tax-despite-crippling-government-debt.html
Only half of U.S. citizens pay federal income tax, according to the latest available figures.
In 2009, just 50.5%t of Americans paid any income tax to the federal government...
* FOLKS... SORRY TO BEAT A DEAD HORSE... BUT BELIEVE IT OR NOT THERE ARE EDUCATED PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO DON'T KNOW THIS... WHO DON'T BELIEVE THIS...
(*SIGH*)
And the number of people outside the tax system could have climbed even higher since as the economic downturn has continued to bite and unemployment has remained high.
* YA THINK?!
151.7 million U.S. citizens paid no federal income tax in 2009, according to figures compiled by the Heritage Foundation...
(*GNASHING MY TEETH*)
In 1984, the middle of the Reagan era, 85% of Americans paid federal income tax, meaning just 34.8million people did not.
* IS IT ANY WONDER ALL SANE PEOPLE WHO LOVE AMERICA LOVE REAGAN?
Another finding by the Heritage Foundation shows that 21.8% of U.S. citizens receive financial assistance from the federal government. This means that 67.3 million people - a record high - are "dependent on the federal government" (excluding government employees who rely on the public sector for their salaries).
http://www.chron.com/business/article/Oil-and-gas-leaders-slam-Obama-3354377.php
Oil and gas industry leaders lobbed criticism at the Obama administration Wednesday, using the stage of an annual industry conference in Houston to assert that the domestic energy boom has occurred in spite of what they call a corrosive energy strategy out of the White House.
* IN SPITE OF...!
Energy executives and other industry players...during the Winter NAPE Conference, an annual expo of oil and gas prospects, technology exhibits and industry networking...said the White House has limited the availability of federal land for drilling and created an atmosphere of uncertainty over future regulations and taxes, reinforcing the nation's tether to oil imports and keeping gasoline prices high.
"These have been the most difficult three years from a policy standpoint that I've ever seen in my career," said Bruce Vincent, president of Houston-based oil and natural gas producer Swift Energy. "They've done nothing but restrict access and delay permitting."
Former Shell executive John Hofmeister said the nation has to adopt a more aggressive domestic drilling policy as developing countries like China demand more oil. "The administration has done everything but support drilling," he said. "We are on the verge of slipping into an energy abyss."
* LISTEN, FOLKS... YOU WANNA HEAR OBAMA'S RESPONSE? GO TO WHITEHOUSE.GOV
* OR... READ THE FULL ARTICLE FOR YOURSELVES. FRANKLY, I DIDN'T BOTHER TO INCLUDE OBAMA'S SPIN BECAUSE THAT'S ALL IT IS... SPIN. OBAMA WANTS HIGH OIL PRICES FOR IDEOLOGICAL REASONS. OH, SURE, HE'D LOVE FOR GAS TO BE UNDER $2/GAL. COME THE LAST FEW WEEKS LEADING UP TO THIS COMING NOVEMBER'S ELECTION... BUT OTHER THAN THIS CAVEAT OBAMA HAS HIMSELF OUTLINED HOW "OIL PRICES WILL NECESSARILY SKYROCKET" IN LINE WITH HIS ENERGY POLICIES.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/feb/22/bonuses-given-after-raises-at-solyndra/
Several of the nearly two dozen employees at bankrupt solar panel maker Solyndra LLC who were approved for bonuses Wednesday...
* APPROVED FOR BONUSES...?!?! BONUSES...?!?! BONUSES FOR WHAT... BANKRUPTING THEIR COMPANY...?!?! BONUSES FOR COSTING THE U.S. TAXPAYER OVER HALF A BILLION DOLLARS...?!?!
...had months earlier received pay raises as high as 70%...
* WHAT...?!?! WHAT...?!?! WHAT...?!?!
...a fact the company never disclosed in its request for bonus cash.
* BULLETS IN THEIR HEADS! THAT'S THE ONLY "BONUS" THESE SCUM DESERVE!
The company’s bankruptcy attorneys sought permission for the bonuses in a court hearing, arguing that the extra cash is needed to keep key employees from fleeing...
(*JUST SHAKING MY HEAD*)
* INSANITY AT BEST... EXTORTION AT WORST.
[A]n attorney for fired Solyndra workers railed against the plan, saying several of the proposed bonus recipients had received significant salary increases even after the company went bankrupt.
Solyndra sought the bonuses weeks ago, raising the ire of Republican members of Congress who called on the Obama administration to oppose the extra payments. The Justice Department filed no opposition to the request.
* THE... OBAMA... JUSTICE... DEPARTMENT...
(*PAUSE*)
...HEADED... BY... OBAMA... APPOINTEE... ERIC... HOLDER...
(*GNASHING MY TEETH*)
(*JUST SHAKING MY HEAD*)
The disclosure drew sharp criticism from U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Mary Walrath, who called it “shocking” that the company had not disclosed the pay raises in its bonus request.
* BUT... BUT... BUT... (WAIT FOR IT...)
While disturbed at what she called a lack of disclosure, Judge Walrath approved the bonuses after learning that a creditors committee did not object after negotiating a lower payout than the nearly half-million dollars first sought.
* FOLKS... YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS SHIT UP!
She said she also took into account the testimony of a compensation specialist who said that the bonuses were in line with market rates.
* WHAT MARKET?!?! IT'S A BANKRUPT COMPANY! THESE PEOPLE LOST OVER HALF A BILLION DOLLARS IN TAXPAYER MONEY AS WELL AS PRIVATE INVESTMENT! NOW THEY'RE BEING REWARDED...??? NOW THEY'RE BEING REWARDED AFTER BEING CAUGHT COVERING UP THEIR PRIOR RAISE SCAM...?!?! THIS IS INSANE...!!!
The names of the bonus recipients were not disclosed.
(*HEADING TO THE NEAREST GUN STORE*)
In the "reduced" bonus plan, 20 employees would receive no more than $368,5000 combined.
* NO MORE THAN...??? DO THE MATH! WE'RE TALKING SOMETHING LIKE $17,000 PER CRETIN!
Fifteen of the 20 bonus recipients earned salaries of $100,000 or more.
(*BANGING MY HEAD AGAINST THE DESKTOP*)
Scott Leonhardt, a lawyer representing fired employees, said several of the employees had also received hefty bonus payments in the year before the bankruptcy.
(*BLOOD PRESSURE 190/130*)
Two others in line to receive bonuses had months earlier received pay raises - after the bankruptcy - that raised their salaries by more than 50%, Leonhardt said.
(*SILENCE*)
http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL2E8DN6Z720120223
Total U.S. four-week average demand for refined products fell to the lowest level
since April 1997, data from the U.S. Energy information Administration showed on Thursday.
The four-week average demand for refined products like gasoline and distillates fell to 18.05 million barrels-per-day - 6.7% lower than a year ago.
Four-week average gasoline demand fell 6.1% compared with a year ago while distillate demand was 5.9% lower than during the same week last year, according to the data.
Meanwhile, crude inventories were at the highest level since September 2011, rising 1.63 million barrels to 340.71 million barrels, EIA said.
Midwest refinery utilization rose 3 percentage points to 96% of capacity.
* FOLKS... I HEAR THE SAME CRAP YOU DO ABOUT SPECULATION AND FEARS OF ARMED CONFLICT WITH IRAN AND "OUR" OIL FLOWING OVERSEAS TO EUROPE AND CHINA... BUT I'VE GOTTA ADMIT.. I'M NOT BUYING IT. YES, OIL PRICES ARE OFTEN DISASSOCIATED FROM ACTUAL SUPPLY AND DEMAND REALITY, BUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IS EXTREME DISASSOCIATION.
* IF THE PROBLEM IS "THE GLOBAL MARKET" THEN BY GOD THERE NEEDS TO BE ACTION TAKEN TO FACILITATE A TWO-TIER OIL MARKET WHERE AMERICANS PAY ONE (LOW) PRICE AND THE REST OF THE WORLD CAN SUCK IT IF THEY DON'T LIKE IT.
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