Comments for Of Thee I Sing 1776 http://www.oftheeising1776.com Ideas and commentary with allegiance to neither the left nor the right, but only to this sweet land of liberty. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:55:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on The Taxes Candidates Pay: Should That Be A Factor? by Elliott Cohen http://www.oftheeising1776.com/the-taxes-candidates-pay-should-that-be-a-factor/comment-page-1#comment-1036 Elliott Cohen Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:55:00 +0000 http://www.oftheeising1776.com/?p=1487#comment-1036 In my opinion, one should not be criticized for following the Internal Revenue Code and paying the resulting taxes. The problem is with the Code itself, not the taxpayer. Most provisions of the Code have, historically, been based on social decisions--egs, charitable contributions are good, thus, a charitable deduction; home ownership is good, thus, a mortgage deduction, etc. The current Code (as amended) is almost a Century old, and many provisions do not represent today's economic environment. Many forms of capital and income generation have not existed until recently and the Congress has not adequately addressed the social decisions which should be the foundation of their taxation. Unless and until an independent commission is appointed to rewrite the Code and both parties agree in advance to accept the commission's recommendations (unlike with Simpson-B0wles), we shall be faced with this pointless conflict of who pays how much for what. In my opinion, one should not be criticized for following the Internal Revenue Code and paying the resulting taxes. The problem is with the Code itself, not the taxpayer. Most provisions of the Code have, historically, been based on social decisions–egs, charitable contributions are good, thus, a charitable deduction; home ownership is good, thus, a mortgage deduction, etc. The current Code (as amended) is almost a Century old, and many provisions do not represent today’s economic environment. Many forms of capital and income generation have not existed until recently and the Congress has not adequately addressed the social decisions which should be the foundation of their taxation. Unless and until an independent commission is appointed to rewrite the Code and both parties agree in advance to accept the commission’s recommendations (unlike with Simpson-B0wles), we shall be faced with this pointless conflict of who pays how much for what.

]]> Comment on The Taxes Candidates Pay: Should That Be A Factor? by mark levick http://www.oftheeising1776.com/the-taxes-candidates-pay-should-that-be-a-factor/comment-page-1#comment-1035 mark levick Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:21:41 +0000 http://www.oftheeising1776.com/?p=1487#comment-1035 The politics of class division and the doctrine of fairness takes attention from the question of what is done with tax dollars. If the 1% paid a 100% tax would we still have enormous deficits and need to rely on both the Government's printing press and the sub rosa tax on savings which pay no interest so the Banks which are too large to fail can maintain the fiction of fiscal health? Of course we would. Clearly taxes are insufficient to pay for the entitlements of the armies of unproductive citizens and illegals who have become entitled and the pensions of the dedicated public servants whose primary object in life is seemingly the pursuit of more money for less work. Thus Messrs Obama and Gingrich who never made a payroll can point to the greedy Mitt Romneys of this world who pay millions in taxes at the rates imposed by law. Class warefare is alive and well and now has a presence on the right. Orwell may have missed it by 30 years as 2016 is looking like a great year for Big Brother. The politics of class division and the doctrine of fairness takes attention from the question of what is done with tax dollars. If the 1% paid a 100% tax would we still have enormous deficits and need to rely on both the Government’s printing press and the sub rosa tax on savings which pay no interest so the Banks which are too large to fail can maintain the fiction of fiscal health? Of course we would. Clearly taxes are insufficient to pay for the entitlements of the armies of unproductive citizens and illegals who have become entitled and the pensions of the dedicated public servants whose primary object in life is seemingly the pursuit of more money for less work. Thus Messrs Obama and Gingrich who never made a payroll can point to the greedy Mitt Romneys of this world who pay millions in taxes at the rates imposed by law. Class warefare is alive and well and now has a presence on the right. Orwell may have missed it by 30 years as 2016 is looking like a great year for Big Brother.

]]> Comment on Let’s Recognize The Attacks On Bain Capital For What They Are. Absurd and Dishonest! by judy http://www.oftheeising1776.com/let%e2%80%99s-recognize-the-attacks-on-bain-capital-for-what-they-are-absurd-and-dishonest/comment-page-1#comment-1033 judy Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:55:07 +0000 http://www.oftheeising1776.com/?p=1482#comment-1033 Newt is expressing the anger of the public........large portion of population feeling "madder than hell and not gonna take it any more" are loving him taking on any one and everything I question how long can one listen to attacks, shouting and arguing before it grows old and folks feel the need to return to a more calm debate where Independents are more comfortable....... Newt is expressing the anger of the public……..large portion of population feeling “madder than hell and not gonna take it any more” are loving him taking on any one and everything I question how long can one listen to attacks, shouting and arguing before it grows old and folks feel the need to return to a more calm debate where Independents are more comfortable…….

]]> Comment on Let’s Recognize The Attacks On Bain Capital For What They Are. Absurd and Dishonest! by Mark J Levick http://www.oftheeising1776.com/let%e2%80%99s-recognize-the-attacks-on-bain-capital-for-what-they-are-absurd-and-dishonest/comment-page-1#comment-1032 Mark J Levick Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:51:06 +0000 http://www.oftheeising1776.com/?p=1482#comment-1032 Apparently the Republican nomination is more important to those on the right than support of the principles that made America great. As you have illustrated hard work, entrepreneurial genius and marketable goods or services need capital to bear fruit. Government never fires anyone and the laws and regulations it has enacted make it increasingly difficult to do so. The American consumer sent jobs overseas when American business could no longer compete in the global market. If the right is the heart and soul of the Republican Party because it supports job entitlement over job creation we are doomed to the continuation of the creeping socialism whereby big Government, big Labor and big Business are allies and the entitled rule the industrious. Newt Gingrich loves Barry Goldwater and his nomination will produce the same election result. Apparently the Republican nomination is more important to those on the right than support of the principles that made America great. As you have illustrated hard work, entrepreneurial genius and marketable goods or services need capital to bear fruit. Government never fires anyone and the laws and regulations it has enacted make it increasingly difficult to do so. The American consumer sent jobs overseas when American business could no longer compete in the global market. If the right is the heart and soul of the Republican Party because it supports job entitlement over job creation we are doomed to the continuation of the creeping socialism whereby big Government, big Labor and big Business are allies and the entitled rule the industrious. Newt Gingrich loves Barry Goldwater and his nomination will produce the same election result.

]]> Comment on Let’s Recognize The Attacks On Bain Capital For What They Are. Absurd and Dishonest! by Dan Newell http://www.oftheeising1776.com/let%e2%80%99s-recognize-the-attacks-on-bain-capital-for-what-they-are-absurd-and-dishonest/comment-page-1#comment-1031 Dan Newell Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:14:46 +0000 http://www.oftheeising1776.com/?p=1482#comment-1031 I heard an interesting comment by Tom Friedman on CSPAN at the recent mayor's conference about how negative talk from our politicians have poisoned the well of national politics. He quotes Mike Murphy, campaign manager for John McCain. Here is the gist: "Question- Why does Burger King not attack McDonalds with negative ads? Answer- Because the attacks would kill the category of fast food." For the whole answer, go to minute 35:40 at http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/303778-2 The whole talk is interesting to hear (if you can stand moderator LA Mayor Villagairosa's few comments) - the total time is about 55 minutes. I heard an interesting comment by Tom Friedman on CSPAN at the recent mayor’s conference about how negative talk from our politicians have poisoned the well of national politics. He quotes Mike Murphy, campaign manager for John McCain. Here is the gist: “Question- Why does Burger King not attack McDonalds with negative ads? Answer- Because the attacks would kill the category of fast food.” For the whole answer, go to minute 35:40 at

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/303778-2

The whole talk is interesting to hear (if you can stand moderator LA Mayor Villagairosa’s few comments) – the total time is about 55 minutes.

]]> Comment on Let’s Recognize The Attacks On Bain Capital For What They Are. Absurd and Dishonest! by Walter Green http://www.oftheeising1776.com/let%e2%80%99s-recognize-the-attacks-on-bain-capital-for-what-they-are-absurd-and-dishonest/comment-page-1#comment-1030 Walter Green Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:23:30 +0000 http://www.oftheeising1776.com/?p=1482#comment-1030 It is unfortunate that Mitt Romney failed to explain Bain, and his role there, with the clarity of your article. It would have likely diminished the intensity of the attack. It is most unfortunate that the candidate allowed private equity firms' criteria of success to be portrayed as job creators not profit generators. It is unfortunate that Mitt Romney failed to explain Bain, and his role there, with the clarity of your article. It would have likely diminished the intensity of the attack. It is most unfortunate that the candidate allowed private equity firms’ criteria of success to be portrayed as job creators not profit generators.

]]> Comment on Let’s Recognize The Attacks On Bain Capital For What They Are. Absurd and Dishonest! by Hal Gershowitz http://www.oftheeising1776.com/let%e2%80%99s-recognize-the-attacks-on-bain-capital-for-what-they-are-absurd-and-dishonest/comment-page-1#comment-1029 Hal Gershowitz Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:11:34 +0000 http://www.oftheeising1776.com/?p=1482#comment-1029 We agree with iyablans that the 2012 presidential election will not be a pretty sight, although we suspect the $1billion the Obama campaign has vowed to raise will not be an investment in a Marquess of Queesberry campaign. We disagree with Iyablans, however, "that the current GOP has become a right wing extremist party." We think Joe Klein, liberal writer for Time Magazine, The New Republic, The New York Times, The Washington Post, LIFE and Rolling Stone, has a better understanding of the GOP when he states as he did this Sunday on network television that the Republican Party has become the populist party of the working man. We agree with iyablans that the 2012 presidential election will not be a pretty sight, although we suspect the $1billion the Obama campaign has vowed to raise will not be an investment in a Marquess of Queesberry campaign. We disagree with Iyablans, however, “that the current GOP has become a right wing extremist party.” We think Joe Klein, liberal writer for Time Magazine, The New Republic, The New York Times, The Washington Post, LIFE and Rolling Stone, has a better understanding of the GOP when he states as he did this Sunday on network television that the Republican Party has become the populist party of the working man.

]]> Comment on Let’s Recognize The Attacks On Bain Capital For What They Are. Absurd and Dishonest! by Iyablans http://www.oftheeising1776.com/let%e2%80%99s-recognize-the-attacks-on-bain-capital-for-what-they-are-absurd-and-dishonest/comment-page-1#comment-1028 Iyablans Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:53:20 +0000 http://www.oftheeising1776.com/?p=1482#comment-1028 The deplorable and unfounded vilification of Romney by his republican colleagues is a preview of the venom that will be spewed at Obama in the coming months..... Ever since the shameless attempt to impeach clinton,the bar has been lowered with each successive election and no tactics are below politicians on both sides. It is obvious to any reasonable viewer of the recent debates that the current GOP has become a right wing extremest party. The deplorable and unfounded vilification of Romney by his republican colleagues is a preview of the venom that will be spewed at Obama in the coming months…..
Ever since the shameless attempt to impeach clinton,the bar has been lowered with each successive election and no tactics are below politicians on both sides.
It is obvious to any reasonable viewer of the recent debates that the current GOP has become a right wing extremest party.

]]> Comment on Let’s Recognize The Attacks On Bain Capital For What They Are. Absurd and Dishonest! by Carol Frankel http://www.oftheeising1776.com/let%e2%80%99s-recognize-the-attacks-on-bain-capital-for-what-they-are-absurd-and-dishonest/comment-page-1#comment-1027 Carol Frankel Mon, 23 Jan 2012 04:26:36 +0000 http://www.oftheeising1776.com/?p=1482#comment-1027 Wouldn't it be wonderful if unfounded and untrue political attack rhetoric had an IMMEDIATE response cartoon bubble above the attacker's head on video, or in a homunculus at the top of a blogger's screen or print byline that said, "Could not be verified by Fact Check?" Wouldn’t it be wonderful if unfounded and untrue political attack rhetoric had an IMMEDIATE response cartoon bubble above the attacker’s head on video, or in a homunculus at the top of a blogger’s screen or print byline that said, “Could not be verified by Fact Check?”

]]> Comment on Let’s Not Give Up On Our Primary Election Process. It Can And Should Be Improved. by Mark J Levick http://www.oftheeising1776.com/let%e2%80%99s-not-give-up-on-our-primary-election-process-it-can-and-should-be-improved/comment-page-1#comment-1024 Mark J Levick Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:05:10 +0000 http://www.oftheeising1776.com/?p=1476#comment-1024 Your proposal is a step in the right direction but the electorate will still be confronted with an array of candidates who either have no resume of qualifying accomplishments as was the case with Obama or are members of the professional politician corps that have placed party above principles to the point that we are broke with little to show for it. Since both political parties have failed us perhaps the time is ripe for parties of people who are unaffiliated with special interest groups to participate in the process. Facilitating write in voting or providing a "None of the Above" box will send a message to the party pros. Your proposal is a step in the right direction but the electorate will still be confronted with an array of candidates who either have no resume of qualifying accomplishments as was the case with Obama or are members of the professional politician corps that have placed party above principles to the point that we are broke with little to show for it. Since both political parties have failed us perhaps the time is ripe for parties of people who are unaffiliated with special interest groups to participate in the process. Facilitating write in voting or providing a “None of the Above” box will send a message to the party pros.

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