As we came out of New Hampshire, Newt Gingrich was almost back, way back in the race and devoting more time to selling his book than to campaigning. Suddenly, he surged into contention winning South Carolina. There is more than one reason this has happened. In fact there are ten million reasons, all emanating from one corporate criminal. It begs the question, “Why would anyone pay so much to elect Newt?”
Billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and his wife, Miriam, who have reportedly given a combined $10 million to Winning Our Future, the super PAC that supports and is run by former staffers of Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, were reportedly drawn to him by a shared view of the importance of the U.S. relationship to Israel.
But a review of public records by Sunlight suggests that the couple, who appears to be the former House speaker’s most generous political patrons pending the filing of Winning Our Future’s first complete financial disclosures later this month with the Federal Election Commission, have considerable financial interests involved in battles with the federal government that Gingrich is vying to head:
Adelson’s company, the Las Vegas Sands, disclosed in its most recent Securities and Exchange Commission quarterly report that it appealed the results of an Internal Revenue Service audit for the company’s 2005 to 2008 tax returns. The audit may result in as much as $23 million in additional tax payments, although the final amount, the company concedes, is "inherently uncertain." The IRS also audited Las Vegas Sands’ 2009 return, and recommended additional payments. The filings with the SEC do not list the specific issues in the returns. Forbes reports that Las Vegas Sands has "many unusual transactions between the company or its subsidiaries and entities controlled by Mr. Adelson," some of which could have tax implications… [emphasis added]
Is the reason clearer now? The only reason Gingrich is still in the race is that a corporate criminal has reason to expect quid pro quo in shutting down investigations into his tax evasion. Buying the richer Rmoney would have been far more expensive.
Yesterday I slept late and by the time I caught up my email, it was already well past noon. I’m current with replies. Today is a minor holy day in then Church of the Ellipsoid Orb.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today it took me 3:17 (average 4:26). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Yahoo News: There’s no gentle way to put it: People who give in to racism and prejudice may simply be dumb, according to a new study that is bound to stir public controversy.
The research finds that children with low intelligence are more likely to hold prejudiced attitudes as adults. These findings point to a vicious cycle, according to lead researcher Gordon Hodson, a psychologist at Brock University in Ontario. Low-intelligence adults tend to gravitate toward socially conservative ideologies, the study found. Those ideologies, in turn, stress hierarchy and resistance to change, attitudes that can contribute to prejudice, Hodson wrote in an email to LiveScience.
I can’t testify to the accuracy, but I have observed numerous examples.
From MoveOn: How To Explain Taxes And The Budget To Non-Economists
Note that taking everything away from the poor and middle classes, as Republicans are attempting to do will still not balance the budget.
From NY Times: President Nicolas Sarkozy announced on Friday that France would break with its allies in NATO and accelerate the French withdrawal from Afghanistan, pulling back combat troops a year early, by the end of 2013. Mr. Sarkozy also said that he and Afghanistan’s president, Hamid Karzai, would ask the NATO alliance for a similar speedup of the transfer of primary security responsibilities to Afghan troops.
If even the puppet Republicans appointed to betray Afghanistan’s people doesn’t want us there, we should accommodate his wishes.
You might think it bad enough that Republicans choose lies over science in order to claim global climate change dies not exist to generate more profit for criminal corporate polluters. However, they have found a way to make it far worse. They are attempting to mandate indoctrinating our school children with these lies. I bet you can guess which infamous brothers are behind this.
On January 16, the Los Angeles Times revealed that anti-science bills have been popping up over the past several years in statehouses across the U.S., mandating the teaching of climate change denial or "skepticism"as a credible "theoretical alternative" to human-caused climate change.
"Texas and Louisiana have introduced education standards that require educators to teach climate change denial as a valid scientific position. South Dakota and Utah passed resolutions denying climate change. Tennessee and Oklahoma also have introduced legislation to give climate change skeptics a place in the classroom."
What the excellent Times coverage missed is that key language in these anti-science bills all eminated [SIC] from a single source: the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC.
ALEC Exposed: No, Not Alec Baldwin*
In summer 2011, "ALEC Exposed," a project of the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD)**, taught those alarmed about the power that corporations wield in the American political sphere an important lesson: when bills with a similar DNA pop up in various statehouses nationwide, it’s no coincidence…
Few organizations are more addicted to Koch sucking than ALEC. I urge you to wander over to ALEC Exposed for more information about this Republican cancer threatening the heart of America.
Republicans have claimed that, however right-slanted the media has become, it is liberal and biased against them. In this way, they can deflect as the rare instances, when they are confronted with the truth, as liberal media attacks. Most of the time media are very helpful to Republicans, such as Newt’s John King moment. Here Wolf Blitzer let both Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich off the hook.
American homes have lost $7 trillion in value over the last five years and four million homeowners are either behind on their payments or in foreclosure, but thus far, the Republican Party’s leading presidential candidates have offered little in the way of solutions for the housing crisis that is holding back the economic recovery. Few states have been hit harder than Florida, where prices have dropped 45 percent since 2006, half of recently-sold homes are in default, and 23 percent of of homes are delinquent or in foreclosure.
That made last night’s debate, which was held in Jacksonville, the appropriate place to ask the remaining Republican candidates how they would address the crisis. Voters, in fact, were waiting to hear the candidates’ answers.
Unfortunately, the debate’s moderator, CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer, bungled his opportunity, turning to a submitted question that couldn’t have possibly led to substantive answers from the candidates. And then, after Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney gave answers littered with falsehoods and turned the discussion toward each others’ investment portfolios, Blitzer failed to press them for actual plans to deal with housing…
…Watch it:
Blitzer’s original question focused on what the candidates would do with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored mortgage firms that have been targets of Republican ire since the crisis began. But it was private industry, not Fannie and Freddie, that sparked the crisis. More than 84 percent of the subprime loans in 2006 were issued by private lenders, including 83 percent of the loans that went to low- and moderate-income borrowers… [emphasis added]
Sadly, the main stream television hosts, with a few rare exceptions, are so biased that they cover up the truth about Republicans to America, and put the burden on us to spread it.
My trip to prison on Thursday was a meeting of over 100 men. I was pleased to learn that two of the men, that I have known for over twenty years, are coming up for parole. I have absolute confidence that both have learned the skills they will need to stay free, as law abiding citizens, and the motivation to use them, if the parole board releases them. I feel intense pride in and hope for them. Yesterday I slept for most of the day. I’m current with replies. Today is a day of recovery and catching up.
Jig Zone Puzzles:
Yesterday it took me 4:32 (average 5:46). To do it, click here. Today it took me 4:49 (average 5:38). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From News OK: A state lawmaker [Oklahoma] said Tuesday he wants a serious discussion on his bill that would make it illegal in the state to manufacture or knowingly sell food or any other product intended for human consumption that contains aborted human fetuses.
This is nothing but a highly disingenuous Republican attempt to frighten voters with a totally manufactured issue. It has absolutely no basis in reality.
From Raw Story: Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul wants to abolish all income taxes — but he says he’ll have to completely destroy the “welfare system” to do it.
During CNN’s Republican debate in Florida on Thursday, moderator Wolf Blitzer asked Paul if he agreed with the tax policies that former President Ronald Reagan put in place.
“He taxed too much,” Paul replied. “My goal is to get rid of the 16th Amendment and the only way you can do that is not run a welfare system and a warfare system.”
Ronnie the Racist includes Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid in the welfare system. in addition to food stamps and other programs to aid the needy. He would replace income tax with a sales tax that would decrease taxes on the rich and increase them on everyone else.
From LA Times: But the secretary of state said Thursday that after decades of "being on the high wire of American politics," it’s about time for some R & R.
"It would be probably a good idea to just find out how tired I am," she joked. Then she teased: "Everyone always says that when they leave these jobs."
Clinton, during an event with State Department employees, had been asked, "What could we do to persuade you to run for vice president?" Clinton said she has enjoyed her time as the nation’s top diplomat and would continue to serve only as long as it takes for a replacement to be selected and confirmed after the election.
This may be a good thing, but I’m concerned. She would draw a lot of support if she becomes Obama’s running mate, but the cost would be high. She and Bill have been adept at influencing Obama to the right. I’m not optimistic about her replace, because Senate Republicans are likely to block any choice that is not a bad one.
If everything works as planned, I will be asleep when this article appears, having just returned from prison after my volunteer work. I’m writing it early in the morning of 1/26, before leaving and setting it to auto-publish so there is at least something for you at the regular time. Obviously I am not current on replies. Friday is a rest and catch up day.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
It’s not up yet, and I shall post two on the Open Thread for the 28th.
Short Takes:
From MoveOn: The Big Secret About Mitt Romney’s Tax Plan In One Chart
Talk about Rmoney!!
From Truth-Out: So what the story of Mr. Romney and the auto bailout actually shows is something we already knew from health care: He’s a smart guy who is also a moral coward. His original proposal for the auto industry, like his health-care reform law in Massachusetts, bore considerable resemblance to what Mr. Obama actually did. But when the deed took place, Mr. Romney — rather than having the courage to say that the president was actually doing something reasonable — joined the rest of his party in whining and denouncing the plan.
And now he wants to claim credit for the very policy he trashed when it hung in the balance.
That Romney lies so much that he’s a … Republican!
From Washington Post: In the end, they just didn’t have the votes.
For two legislative sessions, Indiana Democrats fought the divisive labor measure known as right-to-work. They offered amendments aimed at changing the bill. They sought to put the issue before voters in a referendum. And in their most high-profile gambit, House Democrats staged occasional boycotts to deny the Republican-dominated chamber enough members to conduct business.
But that all ended Wednesday when the minority party acceded to the mathematical reality of the Republican’s 60-40 majority in the chamber. Democrats showed up, and the Indiana House voted 54-44 to make Indiana the 23rd right-to-work state.
This is a sad day for Labor and for working people everywhere.
I missed Obama’s State of the Union address, because I was doing volunteer work in prison at the time and did not get to see it until yesterday morning, so please color this better late than never. I have the full enhanced video of the speech, followed by my own notes in raw format. I did not like everything I heard, but I did like far more than I disliked.
Here is the video:
And here are my raw notes. Boo indicates that I heard Republicans booing the President at that point.
He opened with the end of the Iraq war, the death of Osama bin Laden, the disruption of Al Qaeda, and the ability to cut forces in Afghanistan.He used the teamwork of our military as an example of the teamwork that there should be in Congress.
He stressed that everyone must get a fair shot, do their fair share, and play by the same set of the years.
He describes the onset of the financial crisis.Businesses have created more than 3 million Jobs since Obama’s policies took effect.
He accurately described the State of the Union as "getting stronger".
He said he will work with anyone, but will fight obstruction and oppose policies that would return us to the conditions thatbrought on the recession.
He praised the auto industry for their success since we saved it.He stressed insourcing to bring manufacturing jobs home.
He called for ending the tax deduction for outsourcing and creating one for insourcing.He proposeda Basic Minimum Tax on companies who move jobs and profits overseas and use the revenues generated to give tax cuts for companies that create jobs. (Boo)
He has created a Trade Enforcement group to combat unfair trade practices by foreign nations.He proposed a bold jobs training program, and called on Congress to support community colleges and reemployment programs. (Boo)
He called for support for teachers giving schools the resources to retain good teachers, pay the best ones more, and discharge those who are ineffective.Proposed that all students to be requires to stay in high school.Congress must stop the interest on student loans from doubling in July [as Republicans scheduled it to do].Funding for colleges must be contingent on their ability to hold tuition costs down.
Obama said he has increased border security, and now we need comprehensive immigration reform, and called for a dream act in the interim. (Boo)
He said women must earn equal pay for equal work.
He said to give tax relief to small businesses, to fund research,and to open more oil and gas resources. He said gas companies must disclose the chemicals they use and those must be regulated for human and environmental safety.We need an all of the above strategy, so we also need to develop green energy.End the tax subsidies for fossil fuels and give them to green energy.We need to help manufactures use less energy through conservation.
We need to repair and upgrade America’s infrastructure.Invest 50% of war savings on infrastructure. (Boo)
Allow American homeowners to refinance at lower interest rates.
We need to both remove outdated regulations and add more regulations that protect Americans.He said he has added less regulations than Bush did in his first six years.He stressed the CFPB and Richard Cordray.(Boo)
He announced a special investigation unit, made up of DOJ personnel and state Attorneys General to investigate the criminal Wall Street mortgage practices that caused the crisis.
He called for passage of the payroll tax cut without side issues and drama. (Boo)
He called for deficit reduction using the Buffet Rule where people making over $1 million must pay a minimum of 30%.It is not class warfare to say a billionaire should pay more than his secretary.It is common sense. (Boo)
Ban insider trading by members of Congress.(BIG Boo)
All judicial nominations should receive an up or down vote within 90 days.
Allow him to consolidate the federal bureaucracy.
He called on Republicans to help, as we should all work together for a smarter, more effective actions.
He returned to the success that our troops have achieved through teamwork, and listed other foreign policy successes.He said that the renewal of American leadership can be felt across the globe."America is back!""Anyone who tells you America is in decline does not know what they are talking about."He praised the troops.He said he has increased VA spending every year [over Republican opposition].
He said we all need to learn from out troops.We all need to do our jobs and get each others’ backs.
Next here is a complete detailed analysis of the Republican Response
In my opinion his outreach to Republicans is futile, as I woke up this morning to the sound of Republicans ranting and raving about class warfare on MSNBC. However, he displayed authentic patriotism, so different that the phony flag-wrapping Republicans do.
Considering the available choices there is a virtually infinite gulf between Obama and either of his Republican opponents. (Santorum has frothed out. Paul never mattered and never will.) He did an excellent job in making that gulf apparent.
91% of Americans polled said they approved of what Obama proposed. 9% opposed it. I count myself in the 91%.
As much as Barack Obama for an America is fair to all, Mitt Romney stands equally for the scions of privilege, the 1%. It is not that anyone objects to the rich having money. In Romney’s case we object to his history of enriching himself by screwing American workers and outsourcing American jobs. W also object to Romney insisting that the neediest Americans should have less, so he can have more. It that light, Mr. 13.9% is almost as good a nickname for Romney as Rmoney is.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney bowed to political pressure and cracked the books on his personal finances on Tuesday, releasing U.S. tax returns showing he pays a lower effective tax rate than many top wage-earners.
Unlike most Americans who get a paycheck, Romney earns the majority of his income from investment profits, dividends and interest. The returns showed he will pay $6.2 million in taxes on $42.5 million in combined 2010 and 2011 income.
Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, and his wife Ann paid an effective tax rate of 13.9 percent in 2010 and expect to pay a 15.4 percent effective tax rate when they file their returns for 2011.
Those rates are roughly in line with the effective tax rates paid by most Americans, but they are far below the top income tax rate levied against wages, which is 35 percent, because the U.S. tax code favors investment income over wage income.
One of the wealthiest Americans ever to run for the White House, Romney did not release returns from the years when he made his fortune buying and selling companies as a private equity financier with Bain Capital, but the returns that he did release showed Bain gave him a special tax advantage.
Romney got about $13 million in income over the past two years from "carried interest," a form of earnings that is available to private equity partners and taxed at the 15-percent investment income tax rate, not the higher wage income rate… [emphasis added]
First, we need to consider that Romney knew years ago he would have to release his returns, so he was able to plan to make it appear far less egregious than it is. The returns we should see are the ones when he was actively working for Bain Capital, but he refuses to do that. As much as this return hints at money laundering, I have no doubt that those would make it clear.
For perspective, the next 2010 tax rate above what Mr.13.9% paid is the 25% tax bracket, for couples earning over $34,000. No wonder Rmoney hates the Buffet Rule.
Billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and his wife, Miriam, who have reportedly given a combined $10 million to Winning Our Future, the super PAC that supports and is run by former staffers of Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, were reportedly drawn to him by a shared view of the importance of the U.S. relationship to Israel.
On January 16, the 
American homes have lost $7 trillion in value over the last five years and four million homeowners are either behind on their payments or in foreclosure, but thus far, the Republican Party’s leading presidential candidates have offered 
