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Why does it seem like all of the rich guys - Buffet, Gates, Bloomberg, et al - all want to raise our taxes? Of course, they want for nothing, so it's easy to say they're willing to pay more taxes "for the greater good."
One of the implications of their push is that the government knows better how to spend and manage our money than we do. Well, if they think government does such a great job with our money, why don't THEY give their money to the government?
Seriously, the federal government has a process - now accepting Visa and Mastercard - where you can make a donation to lower the federal deficit.
Instead, these pompous asses donate great portions of their fortunes to private charities. Why not give it to Uncle Sugar? Clearly they've said that they think we all need to give more, and let some faceless bureaucrat dispense our dollars. But they are more enlightened, so they get to direct their dollars as they see fit.
Bite me.
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The Republicans are going to shoot themselves in the collective foot. They're loading up all of the new House committees with good ol' boy party-liners. They're as corrupt and bought-off as the Democrats they're replacing.
One of the guys - Rogers from Kentucky - has a background as an earmarks dude. The Prince of Pork. Nice.
They're fiscal conservatives until they get in power. Then they're just [deleted expletive] bastards.
They don't get it any better than the Democrats got it. Good luck with that strategy come November 2012.
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The Wikileaks site is the equivalent of a newspaper. They didn't commit espionage or any of the other garbage they're saying. They are publishing the data they've received. That's their job.
The soldier that stole the data is a traitor, and should be hung by his neck until dead.
Don't confuse or meld the two.
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An interesting, albeit somewhat dry, explanation of hyperinflation and currency devaluations.
Wow, print up money and your currency goes to hell? Who'd a-thunk it?
Sound like anyone you know???
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I find this disturbing as all get-out: WalMart is teaming up with the Department Of Homeland Security to encourage you to be looking for bad guys - where ever they may be. Be alert! Be suspicious! Be an agent of the state!
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today announced the expansion of the Department’s national “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign to hundreds of Walmart stores across the country—launching a new partnership between DHS and Walmart to help the American public play an active role in ensuring the safety and security of our nation.The Drudge Report article mentions "SAR's" but doesn't say what that stands for. It stands for Suspicious Activity Reports.
“Homeland security starts with hometown security, and each of us plays a critical role in keeping our country and communities safe,” said Secretary Napolitano. “I applaud Walmart for joining the ‘If You See Something, Say Something’ campaign. This partnership will help millions of shoppers across the nation identify and report indicators of terrorism, crime and other threats to law enforcement authorities.”
Banks have had to fill these things out whenever you access your own money in "suspicious" ways. Like make a large cash deposit or withdrawal. Not just over $10k, but whenever it is "out of pattern".
Yikes! Terrorist Alert!
From Wikipedia -
The report can start with any bank employee. They are generally trained to be alert for suspicious activity, such as people trying to wire money out of the country without identification, or someone with no job who starts depositing large amounts of cash into an account. Employees are trained to communicate their suspicion up their chain of command where further decisions are made about whether to file a report or not.Uhm, how would the bank know if you have a job or not? Ah, heck, just report 'em.
Unauthorized disclosure of a SAR filing is a federal criminal offense. In other words, any bank employee who has a suspicion is trained to discuss the suspicion only with their supervisors, and not anyone else, including the customer who is under suspicion and coworkers. The fact that an SAR has been filed is also supposed to be a secret.Read that whole paragraph again. If an employee tells you they have filed an SAR on you, THEY have committed a federal offense.
But wait, there's more!
An individual or organization is precluded from discovering the existence of a SAR filed that includes their name.That means that you have no ability to do a Freedom of Information Act request or contact the managing federal organization, FinCEN, to see if you've been reported.
And now, Wally World employees will be trained on how to do this. Don't piss of the mouth-breather in the auto parts aisle, or you may be reported.
As the Drudge Report article notes -
In the coming months, the Department will continue to expand the “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign nationally with public education materials and outreach tools designed to help America’s businesses, communities and citizens remain vigilant and play an active role in keeping the county safe.Let the Propaganda Campaign begin! I feel safer already...
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Now now...
ReplyDeleteLet's not go off half cocked...
Would you rather have the government doing this, or Wal-mart employees? I'm thinking Wal-mart employees - if they don't get a $$$ for each SAR turned in, my guess is that they won't. On the other hand, why Wal-mart? Why the choice, and why the acceptance? Very odd. Consider the people who shop at Wal-mart...mostly the have-nots. Lots of hispanics, in my area. Illegals? Probably. Muslims in other areas? Maybe. So why are they going to report? people they don't like? Customers? fellow employees? Is the goal to make people nervous?
Really - this is a _very_ odd alliance. Maybe a pressure move? do this or we'll demand that? I can't help but wonder. If that's the key, I expect the info to be pretty minimal. And unreliable. Probably the only thing worse for the government than no info is too much info - especially useless info that has them chasing their tails with no results.
By the way...here's an article worth your time to read. It's quite long. Completely unrelated to the topic. Well, maybe not - something in the topic brought it to mind, but I'm not sure just what or why...
http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2010/12/remembering-pearl-harbor-day-only-those.html
I hope that article lowered your blood pressure, because I wouldn't want you to read this one with your blood pressure already elevated...it might just blow sky-high!!
ReplyDeletehttp://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/12/09/moncktons-mexican-missive-3/
Sue, at least in banking, and apparently they're expanding it across the board, these employees are becoming de facto agents of the government. They are given full immunity from prosecution for any reporting they make, regardless of the accuracy or veracity of the report.
ReplyDeleteThat's horrific. There is no accountability.
What is worse, you, as an individual, have no way of finding out if a report has been made on you.
There's a difference between a good citizen reporting some behavior they deem as suspicious, and having a defined program where it becomes part of your job (as it is now with banking).
Why is Walmart doing this? I'm sure it has nothing whatsoever to do with the exemption that Walmart got for NOT having to participate in Obamacare. Naw, nothing at all.
I'll read the links this weekend. Thanks.
Wikileaks isn't just like a newspaper they are anti-American and want to destroy the country. They conpsired with the leakers and should be convited of conspiracy. They committed tewrrorist acts and should be convicted of terrorism. Given that our president is also anti-American I expect neither so I would be happy if the internet publishers are suicided or disappeared. I equate them to spies and as such spies in a war should just be shot without any legal recourse.
ReplyDeleteIt is ironic that Gates and Buffet want higher tax rates since they choose to avoid those taxes in ways that are not generally available to everyone else. Gates and Buffet give billions to charities they set up and control and when they do this they avoid all the taxes due on that money. A better system would force them to pay their full taxes before they can give to a charity.
ReplyDeleteAnon 9:30 - I see them as EXACTLY like a newspaper, albeit an anti-American one. Do you think they're the only anti-American media source in the world that has leaked information damaging to the US?
ReplyDeleteHow did they conspire with Specialist Manning?
Define their terrorist act.
Anon 9:35, you see, they're smarter than the rest of us, so THEY can be allowed to spend their own money as they see fit. Us mouth-breathing dolts need the firm hand of Nanny to guide us.