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zoux posted:I dunno anything about Louisiana's tax base, how much of it is from oil/gas severance? What were the tax cuts aimed at? Looks like there was a structual deficit even before the decrease in gas/oil prices, turning a 1 billion plus surplus before Jindal came to power in 2007 to this poo poo show. quote:Severance and royalty revenues have certainly taken a hit as the price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell from a high of $107 a barrel in June to around $50 a barrel by February. But this just made an already bad situation worse. Since last May, the severance tax revenue forecast for next year has been reduced by $295 million. State royalty and rental payment forecasts have dropped another $88 million. That is a big drop, but accounts for less than one-quarter of the $1.6 billion budget shortfall. Also quote:There are two primary factors driving these deficits. The first is the repeal of the Stelly plan income tax changes in 2007 and 2008, which permanently reduced the state’s tax base. The second is the unbridled growth of spending through the state tax code through credits, exemptions and other giveaways. The annual cost of five incentive programs examined by The Advocate newspaper alone jumped from $200 million to more than $1 billion in just a decade. http://www.labudget.org/lbp/2015/02/louisianas-1-6-billion-problem-how-did-we-get-here/ EDIT: Oh, and this is the Stelly Plan quote:Under the Stelly Plan, the state sales tax on food for home consumption and the sales tax on natural gas, electricity, and water for residential use was lowered on January 1, 2003, from 3.9 cents to 2 cents per dollar. Taxes on those items were then eliminated on July 1, 2003. To replace revenue lost through Stelly, individual income tax brackets were adjusted upward. Because individual tax returns for taxable year 2003 were not filed until after January 1, 2004, the withholding tax tables were revised, and the new rates went into effect on January 1, 2003. Sales taxes were ramped up by Jindal's budgets, while income taxes on higher brackets were lowered. Ergo, a huge tax deficit. Shageletic fucked around with this message at 16:23 on Apr 23, 2015 |
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Apr 23, 2015 16:20
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Scrub-Niggurath posted:Are you trying to tell me that the American political system is influenced by the super wealthy!?!?!? So you're saying there is no bigotry, no racism in America, all of it is simply stirred up by nefarious forces beyond anyone's control or responsibility? Again, absolving the bigots of any responsibility for their beliefs and actions
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Apr 23, 2015 16:21
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icantfindaname posted:Okay, so literally everything is the fault of liberals betraying leftist values. The fact that the American middle class responded to this by voting in a borderline white supremacist who promised to destroy the left once and for all is apparently not its fault at all. This definitely checks out. The only way someone could believe what you're saying is if they completely absolve the American populace of any responsibility or agency whatsoever, like they're children who can't be held responsible for their actions if they don't have good role models Agree. Carter's presidency may have been milquetoast in terms of landmark achievements, but Reagan's 8 years were the death knell of the New Deal and set the stage for a return to Gilded Age levels of economic inequality. You can't blame Carter for that - you can blame the people who voted for Reagan's reelection and now deify him.
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Apr 23, 2015 16:24
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American and Italian hostages killed in U.S. Drone strike on AQ base
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Apr 23, 2015 16:25
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"Courageous President saves two people from brutal televised beheading"
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Apr 23, 2015 16:28
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Shageletic posted:Looks like there was a structual deficit even before the decrease in gas/oil prices, turning a 1 billion plus surplus before Jindal came to power in 2007 to this poo poo show. I miss the days where conservatives were the boring adults in the room who said you had to raise revenue to pay for things you want through tax cuts and not the "cool uncles" who are like, we can give you everything you want for free.
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Apr 23, 2015 16:30
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DACK FAYDEN posted:My secret shameful confession: I like NAFTA. People here keep saying it's the worst thing ever, but I am pro-free-trade. It could have bene executed better... but, well, I'm gonna say the same thing about the TPP once that inevitably passes, too The TPP is not really much of a trade agreement though, and does almost nothing for free trade from everything I've read? It's more a law-synchronization-and-enforcement agreement. It focuses on patents, labour rights, copyright, solidifying entrenched business interests, environmental regulations, giving corporations tools to force governments into acting the way they want, and establishing dominance over China. There's almost nothing in the deal that actually deals with free trade, from what I understand.
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Apr 23, 2015 16:33
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icantfindaname posted:So you're saying there is no bigotry, no racism in America, all of it is simply stirred up by nefarious forces beyond anyone's control or responsibility? Again, absolving the bigots of any responsibility for their beliefs and actions I never said that at all, and I honestly have no idea where you pulled all of that from. I was responding to the fact that 'the dems are acting in the interests of big business!' is not exactly a revelation
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Apr 23, 2015 16:37
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icantfindaname posted:Okay, so literally everything is the fault of liberals betraying leftist values. The fact that the American middle class responded to this by voting in a borderline white supremacist who promised to destroy the left once and for all is apparently not its fault at all. This definitely checks out. The only way someone could believe what you're saying is if they completely absolve the American populace of any responsibility or agency whatsoever, like they're children who can't be held responsible for their actions if they don't have good role models I don't know if you are doing this on purpose or if you are incapable of thinking about American politics outside of the red jersey/blue jersey crap, but I hate to be the one who breaks this to you: the soft-brained cowboy actor wasn't some evil genius who brought down the American dream by tricking people into voting for him. If Carter had won the 1980 elections, labor still would have been eventually cowed, because Capital had a boner to dismantle its power since the 1950s. In your reading of American history as the good guys vs the bad, how the gently caress do you explain Carter slashing capital gains taxes? Whose interest did that serve? My Imaginary GF posted:Reagan made us believe in America again after the boondoggle which was the Carter administration. Once people no longer believe that you have any interest in looking out for their interests, elections become referendums on personality or at best debates about wedge issues like how gross you think dudes kissing are or how much fetus scooping should be allowed to happen. icantfindaname posted:So you're saying there is no bigotry, no racism in America, all of it is simply stirred up by nefarious forces beyond anyone's control or responsibility? Again, absolving the bigots of any responsibility for their beliefs and actions No, I'm saying that those things aren't what drive the problems in our political system and you just desperately want to believe that because then all this poo poo would actually make a difference. If it was a matter of dealing with racism and bigotry, there'd be a light at the end of the tunnel, because those are problems we can deal with in our society. Maarek fucked around with this message at 16:40 on Apr 23, 2015 |
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Apr 23, 2015 16:37
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I'm pretty sure we already have favorable tariff regimes in place with all of the countries in question with the TPP. The only things the treaty does are greatly expand IP and patent protections and systematically destroy consumer rights
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Apr 23, 2015 16:39
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There's some TPP language around the same stuff some other FTAs have had regarding "you can't give advantages to local businesses over distant or foreign ones." That's all I really saw that reminded me of "free trade"
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Apr 23, 2015 16:40
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Unzip and Attack posted:Agree. Carter's presidency may have been milquetoast in terms of landmark achievements, but Reagan's 8 years were the death knell of the New Deal and set the stage for a return to Gilded Age levels of economic inequality. You can't blame Carter for that - you can blame the people who voted for Reagan's reelection and now deify him. You can blame the people who voted for Reagan in the same way that you can kick your dog after your dad beats you. It might make you feel better, but that's about all you're accomplishing.
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Apr 23, 2015 16:43
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Maarek posted:Carter's approval ratings were in the garbage largely because of something he couldn't control (Iran), but his presidency was not a shining advertisement for the Democratic party, either. Carter's approval ratings were in the low 30s in Oct 1979. Immediately after the Iran hostage crisis, his approval ratings shot up, to 58 in Jan 1980, his highest since Dec 1977, as a sort of national rallying in a time of crisis. It wasn't until April 1980, in the wake of Operation Eagle Claw, that his approval rating sank to the low 30s again. He might not have been able to control Iranian revolutionaries storming the embassy, but that didn't tank his approval rating. What killed his approval ratings was the entire affair dragging out, coupled with a failed rescue attempt, both things that he arguably had control over. If Carter had doubled the helicopters, he would've been President.
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Apr 23, 2015 16:43
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icantfindaname posted:I'm pretty sure we already have favorable tariff regimes in place with all of the countries in question with the TPP. Please tell fedex and chinese customs to stop being pains in the rear end then. gradenko_2000 posted:Carter's approval ratings were in the low 30s in Oct 1979. Immediately after the Iran hostage crisis, his approval ratings shot up, to 58 in Jan 1980, his highest since Dec 1977, as a sort of national rallying in a time of crisis. Carter had a reputation as a micromanager but didn't he just let the pentagon do what was recommended for operation eagle claw? Of course they came up with credible sport afterwards which was more  than practical... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSFjhWw4DNo hobbesmaster fucked around with this message at 16:51 on Apr 23, 2015 |
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Apr 23, 2015 16:48
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Quote of the morning, "She has my full support, I'll do everything I can to help her, and I hope you will too." ~ Evan Bayh.
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Apr 23, 2015 16:50
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DACK FAYDEN posted:My secret shameful confession: I like NAFTA. People here keep saying it's the worst thing ever, but I am pro-free-trade. It could have bene executed better... but, well, I'm gonna say the same thing about the TPP once that inevitably passes, too Do you own a factory full of Chinese children building iPods or something? Maybe you could explain why you like NAFTA in a more specific way or in what way you are 'pro-free-trade' because this doesn't tell us a whole lot.
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Apr 23, 2015 16:51
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hobbesmaster posted:Please tell fedex and chinese customs to stop being pains in the rear end then. China's not a signatory of the TPP
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Apr 23, 2015 16:55
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DACK FAYDEN posted:My secret shameful confession: I like NAFTA. People here keep saying it's the worst thing ever, but I am pro-free-trade. It could have bene executed better... but, well, I'm gonna say the same thing about the TPP once that inevitably passes, too Because nothing says 'Good for Business' like improving the right of businesses to use wage slavery.
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Apr 23, 2015 16:57
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To be fair, not only did it make Mexican farmers way poorer, it also gave corporations the right to sue our country for enacting policies that might cost them money, and led to hundreds of thousands of jobs being outsourced. What's not to like???
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Apr 23, 2015 16:59
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Maarek posted:To be fair, not only did it make Mexican farmers way poorer, it also gave corporations the right to sue our country, and led to hundreds of thousands of jobs being outsourced. What's not to like??? Three dollar 12 packs of tube socks 
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Apr 23, 2015 17:00
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Maarek posted:To be fair, not only did it make Mexican farmers way poorer, it also gave corporations the right to sue our country for enacting policies that might cost them money, and led to hundreds of thousands of jobs being outsourced. What's not to like??? All people hear is "Free Trade" and then they focus in on the "Free" portion and salivate and start shooting guns in the air and going on about their freedums!  
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Apr 23, 2015 17:03
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CommieGIR posted:All people hear is "Free Trade" and then they focus in on the "Free" portion and salivate and start shooting guns in the air and going on about their freedums! Agreed, I rue the day that President Reagan signed NAFTA into law.
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Apr 23, 2015 17:04
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icantfindaname posted:China's not a signatory of the TPP China is in negotiations regarding that now. We'll see. Just to be clear, the text and final signatories are not published yet. There is no agreement up for approval in congress.
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Apr 23, 2015 17:07
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Wasn't the whole point of the Transnational Partnership as a way to counteract Chinese economic dominance in the region?
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Apr 23, 2015 17:17
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Shageletic posted:Wasn't the whole point of the Transnational Partnership as a way to counteract Chinese economic dominance in the region?
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Apr 23, 2015 17:18
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Maarek posted:You can blame the people who voted for Reagan in the same way that you can kick your dog after your dad beats you. It might make you feel better, but that's about all you're accomplishing. This is just me spit balling here, and correct me if I'm wrong - but my dog isn't responsible for the existence of my dad in this scenario. If 50+% of the population voted for [Insert Horrible Person] it certainly would be their fault for anything bad that happened as a result. So blaming them, while not accomplishing much in the way of changing things, is at least not totally out of line.
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Apr 23, 2015 17:25
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Someone dug up emails in the Sony email hack from the state department asking the Sony Pictures CEO, who is also on the RAND corporation board, about adding anti-Russian and anti-ISIS themes in their films. He responded with a whole list of media execs who would be on board with that along with personalities who would push the agenda in the press. I am shocked by this development.
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Apr 23, 2015 17:27
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Here, have an article. Conventional employee-company relationships are so Web 1.0 and restrictive. 34% of the economy are contractors, with no protections and self-employment tax. The biggest growth in that is in jitney apps like Uber or delivery apps like Postmates, which flaunt laws and regulations in the name of progress while millions of people think they're living the ~American Dream~ by working themselves to death for below minimum wage with as many of these apps as possible either because at least it's not a regular job or because they can't find any other work. And of course you have no say in the operations of these apps, and quite often they change the rules to give you less money and the company more money in the name of efficiency. quote:It's last call for frozen yogurt on a warm, March evening, and Loving Cup, the hand-churned frozen yogurt parlor at Union and Polk streets, is packed. Evelyn and I had raced over here after delivering a mac and cheese and "decadent toast" — practically a bargain at $3.95 — to a young woman in Pacific Heights. Now we're waiting to ferry a single order of chocolate froyo with black bottom fudge, crunchy peanut butter, and pretzels to a man in the Marina.
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Apr 23, 2015 17:42
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Lindsey Graham has weighed in on the deaths of the 2 hostages (one American, one Italian) that I posted about earlier In his opinion there's no need for review of drone warfare and "The two Americans [who joined Al Qaeda] got what they deserved"
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Apr 23, 2015 17:43
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Fried Chicken posted:Lindsey Graham has weighed in on the deaths of the 2 hostages (one American, one Italian) that I posted about earlier Weren't they hostages?
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Apr 23, 2015 17:52
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Lotka Volterra posted:Weren't they hostages?
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Apr 23, 2015 17:56
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quote:FRANKFURT — Deutsche Bank will pay a $2.5 billion penalty to United States and British authorities to settle accusations that it helped manipulate the benchmarks used to set interest rates on trillions of dollars in mortgages, student loans, credit cards and other debt, officials said on Thursday. quote:“One division at Deutsche Bank had a culture of generating profits without proper regard to the integrity of the market,” Georgina Philippou, acting director of enforcement and market oversight at the Financial Conduct Authority in Britain, said in a statement. “This wasn’t limited to a few individuals but, on certain desks, it appeared deeply ingrained.” http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/24/b...&pgtype=article
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Apr 23, 2015 17:56
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Oracle posted:The two accidental deaths were hostages, but two other American citizens who had joined AQ also got hit (also unexpectedly, it turns out) Okay, that makes sense now. I was trying to figure out if Lindsey Graham was in favor of murdering hostages because 
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Apr 23, 2015 17:57
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Lotka Volterra posted:Okay, that makes sense now. I was trying to figure out if Lindsey Graham was in favor of murdering hostages because
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Apr 23, 2015 17:59
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But no, nobody should be prosecuted for literally manipulating global financial markets for profit
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Apr 23, 2015 18:00
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Maarek posted:Once people no longer believe that you have any interest in looking out for their interests, elections become referendums on personality or at best debates about wedge issues like how gross you think dudes kissing are or how much fetus scooping should be allowed to happen Bingo, and speaking of personality/individual character... http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/04/24/us/cash-flowed-to-clinton-foundation-as-russians-pressed-for-control-of-uranium-company.html?referrer= quote:As the Russians gradually assumed control of Uranium One in three separate transactions from 2009 to 2013, Canadian records show, a flow of cash made its way to the Clinton Foundation. Uranium One’s chairman used his family foundation to make four donations totaling $2.35 million. Those contributions were not publicly disclosed by the Clintons, despite an agreement Mrs. Clinton had struck with the Obama White House to publicly identify all donors. Other people with ties to the company made donations as well. This is why Clinton would be a disaster as President. Its one thing to take money to your political campaign for access; its another to take money for a foundation which materially benefits your children in exchange for access. Say what you will about the oil industry and the Bushes, they don't take oil money to benefit their children's hedge fund manger husbands. This crosses the line, and shows why Americans simply can't trust Clinton to be President.
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Apr 23, 2015 18:00
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Lotka Volterra posted:If 50+% of the population voted for [Insert Horrible Person] it certainly would be their fault for anything bad that happened as a result. So blaming them, while not accomplishing much in the way of changing things, is at least not totally out of line. So half of this forum is also to blame for drone killings and whistle-blowers being imprisoned because they voted for Obama?
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Apr 23, 2015 18:03
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TPP is about Obama making his new friend Tony Abbot mad cash, to secure the American build up, make his Chicago friends money, same way Clinton made his NY friends money in order so that his wife had a snowballs in hell chance of becoming Senator of NY. Also the TPP is about closing Kickass Torrents. gently caress free trade.
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Apr 23, 2015 18:03
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Also American elections before the Internet may as well be seen as wacky races, because it completely altered the electoral game forever.
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Apr 23, 2015 18:05
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sports chat is easily on a lower level of hell than both anime and comic chat
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Apr 23, 2015 18:06
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