May 1, 2021

Europe officially passes 1,000,000 COVID-19 fatalities... damn.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215346354

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries

https://apnews.com/article/europe-coronavirus-pandemic-united-nations-geneva-445a05dc12e3bd86001b5e82172d966e

GENEVA (AP) — A top official from the World Health Organization says Europe has surpassed 1 million deaths from COVID-19 and the situation remains “serious,” with about 1.6 million new cases reported each week in the region.

When analyses are done in the future, it will show that widely and broadly, similar cultures and nations fared similarly. Western culture breeds this independence and desire for freedom that hurt the cause...

The US and Europe share similar cultures, economies, infrastructure, population density and medical systems... very similar C19 results.

April 30, 2021

The FBI already HAS Hunter Biden's Laptop...

Wtf with Rudy G?

The FBI subpoenaed a Laptop from a Delaware Computer shop in 2019, widely believed to belong to Hunter Biden.

CNN reported that it's unclear if the Laptop contains evidence to support the ongoing criminal investigations re: Biden's foreign business dealings... with China and Ukraine.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/02/politics/hunter-biden-laptop/index.html

April 28, 2021

Biden tax proposals too soft...

The chances for tax reform decrease the closer we get to '22

37 to 39.6? It's ok but uninspiring. The slice of the population who earns taxable regular income at that level is small.

Joe needs to explain to people that the C19 cost this country over $6T and as a great nation we must pay our debt.

Announce a set of tax proposals with a 10 year phase-out window.

Take the 37 to 50.

Per transaction Wall St. fees

Wealth Tax

And the Capital Gains increases, it's being said the limit will be $1M/yr in income. Really? That's NOT protecting senior citizens and hard working middle class families, that's protecting the RICH.

So one can ride around in the golf cart and make $1M a year and pay half the tax rate as the electrician/school teacher?

Don't get me wrong. I appreciate the direction. I'm just afraid it's too meek.

April 26, 2021

OFFICIAL Census results, Redistricting ahead... the numbers

Not as bad as feared for DEMS...

Changes House alignment by around R+6

Biden 2020 map would have lost just 3 EV's

https://twitter.com/Redistrict/status/1386760864267649032?s=20

https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1386766872612384776?s=20

April 22, 2021

We already HAVE the vaccine passport system, need to expand it.

In LA county, one of the providers for vaccinations provides one with a QR code which can be saved on your phone.

When the QR code is scanned, a page pops up with your name, age, address, date of vaccination and even who gave the shot.

No silly paper card, easy to falsify... no chip in your body lol...

Let's have the CDC set up a nationwide system, email or snail mail all recipients their own QR code or directions how to access it. It can be done.

QR scanners linked to the CDC at movie theaters, airports, cruise ships, malls, etc...

Those without a phone can carry a plastic card (like a VISA) with the QR code printed on it

April 22, 2021

Corporate Taxation vs Taxing the Rich

After reading the Bernie thread, I thought this deserved it's own thread.

I think that some people are a bit confused about Corporations and Rich People.

To put it simply, a Corporation is a business whose ownership is split into millions (billions) of tiny bits called "shares".

These shares are owned by individuals, by State and private pension funds, by ETF's, Mutual Funds, Hedge Funds and more.

There is no such thing as Mr. Apple, Mr. ExxonMobil or Mr. Google.

So is Corporate Taxation the way to "get money" from a Corporation?

No, it's not.

Let me explain. Corporate Taxation is a business expense for the Corporation, just like payroll, infrastructure, maintenance, etc.

***Fiduciary Duty of Loyalty

***Officers and directors owe a duty of loyalty to a corporation and its shareholders.

The Corporation exists to make a profit for the shareholders, the OWNERS. the Corporation will compensate and adjust expenses and seek to increase revenue to make the business profitable. And it's very competitive. In the world of the Stock Market, merely "decent" companies go out of business.

When you increase the cost of doing business for the Corporation, when the cost of raw materials, payroll or taxation increases the business will cut payroll, reduce overhead AND/OR increase the price of the product.

So WHO pays for increased Corporate Taxes?

Everyone does. The VALUE of every one of those pieces of a business called SHARES drops. State pension funds, like CALPRS depend HEAVILY on income generated by the Stock Market. When the market is in a lull, the State of California is forced to kick in BILLIONS of dollars into the pension fund.

Consumers will pay higher prices. Don't listen to people who say "the free market will adjust". It won't. They will ALL increase the price of goods to take advantage of the higher tax rate.

Corporations will fire people to maintain their profit in the face of increased taxation.

Victims:

Investors
Consumers
Employees

Remember:

***Fiduciary Duty of Loyalty

***Officers and directors owe a duty of loyalty to a corporation and its shareholders.

Back to the effect of Corporate Tax increases.

So who pays?

Answer: The retired librarian pays. Jeff Bezos pays. Mark Fuckerberg pays. Your neighbor the retired fireman pays... hell your buddy at work with a Robinhood account pays.

"So yeah, WarGamer... you're onto something. Bezos and the Billionaires WILL pay more?"

Yes, but the amount they pay is reduced because a large pool of people are also "paying the price" for the Taxes.



So, now my personal editorial:

Politicians, ALL OF THEM (possible exception Elizabeth Warren) are scared shitless of billionaires because billionaires donate to campaigns and the politicians like their companies.

We NEED vastly increased taxation to fund this nation properly. It's in Bezos pocket, fucking take it.

TAX the wealthy directly. There are options:

1) The UK Commission on Wealth Tax recommends a one-time 5% Tax on all net worth above 500k GBP. Follow it up with an annual 1% tax.

2) Tax Capital Gains as Regular Income. Why should a plumber working 50 hrs a week making 100k a year pay 40% more taxes than a guy who makes 100k in a morning while riding on his golf cart?

3) A per transaction, per share Wall Street trading fee. It's progressive. If you buy ONE share, maybe it's 10 cents, 100 shares, maybe 10 bucks. Buy 500k shares and it's 50k in fees.

Example: 69 million shares of AAPL moved today. A 10 cent per share fee would have raised $6.9M towards making the country a better place. That's just today. Just one stock.

4) Raise the top Income Tax rates. Don't go from 37.0% to 39.6%... they are laughing at you. Make it 50%.

5) Estate Taxes



Now the apologists for the filthy rich will run right along and say "The Rich will just leave the country."

Well then we confiscate property. We charge their "now offshore" companies huge tariffs. We drain their accounts. We arrest their asses for tax evasion.

The free ride is OVER.

Now it's up to our politicians. And I think nothing will ever happen.

EDIT TO ADD: Don't forget, foreign individuals and countries use the US market as a Golden Egg laying Goose. A guy from Whateveristan pays NO TAXES for profiting off of American markets. Thus... the per share Wall Street fee.

Sorry for the rant... think about it, ok?

April 21, 2021

A hat tip to Eric Nelson.

Just a reminder that in our system, everyone should be afforded a defense.

It's one of our most basic principles.

Nelson was dealt a shit sandwich and worked really hard, left it all out on the field. That closing argument was a real stemwinder...

Criminal Defense Attorneys are frequently reviled but they play a critical part in the system.

I like it when the system "works"

April 21, 2021

Walter Scott, George Floyd... maybe things are changing!!

With the advent of cell phones and concerned citizens, murderers are being sent to prison.

And note the majority-white nature of protests and juries sending bad cops to prison.

These things would NEVER happen 20 years ago.

April 20, 2021

Average Minnesota time in Prison for Murder 2... 12.5 years.

Prosecutors to seek enhancements for a longer sentence.

Prosecutors will make their argument in front of the Judge, not a jury.

No criminal record, could be less than 10 years.

For those confused about sentence:

If Chauvin is convicted on any of the charges, he faces maximum sentences of up to 10 years or up to 40 years in prison. If he is convicted on multiple counts, he will not serve consecutive sentences on them. Instead, he will be sentenced on the most serious of the counts, Moran said.

https://www.minnpost.com/metro/2021/04/explaining-the-possible-outcomes-of-jury-deliberations-in-the-derek-chauvin-trial/#:~:text=Possible%20penalties,of%20the%20counts%2C%20Moran%20said.

April 20, 2021

Will there be protests in the street tonight?

Would guilty on all 3 put the protests to rest?

Would NG on ANY of the counts produce more protests?