Germany said on Wednesday that it wants a financial transaction tax outlined by Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy to apply to the whole European Union, not just the 17 euro zone states.
With euro zone banks and exchanges worried about being put at a disadvantage to EU financial centres outside the currency zone, notably London, Merkel's spokesman made clear that the intention was to make the tax apply to all 27 EU members. If the tax is harmful then they shouldn't apply it ANYWHERE. Worst political class ever. Makes The Zero look proficient
CBS Evening News reported that the Pentagon is studying replacing the Governments pension plan for veterans with a more common 401(k) plan CBS News investigative journalist Sharyl Atkisson reports that the Pentagon is studying the possible savings of $250 billion over the next 20 years..
It is a distortion to say a 401(k) plan is a pension plan. 401(k)'s and their likes are savings plans only. Military pensions should be the last things to consider for cuts. First, eliminate defined benefit plans for all other members of the federal executive, legislative and judicial branches. None of those members deserve the gold-plated benefits they are scheduled to receive, this is just judging from their past & current performance and lack of same. Cancel unnecessary and harmful federal expenditures, everything from Obamacare, a billion for deadbeat homeloaners, to rabbit inspectors and Dept. of Education SWAT teams before coming to this point. (I am not a veteran.)
They say that perception is important, especially in politics. So even though Obamas new, tricked-out bus for his three-day, Midwest bus tour was purchased through a U.S. retailer, the fact that it was made in Canada will surely raise some eyebrows.
Rumors started swirling this week on blogs and in comment sections that Obamas bus nicknamed Greyhound One was not American-made, which is ironic considering part of the presidents goal on the tour has been to talk about jobs and getting Americans back to work. The New York Post reveals the large vehicles were originally built in Canada by luxury bus-maker Prevost:
President Obama is barnstorming the heartland to boost US jobs in a taxpayer-financed luxury bus the government had custom built in Canada, The Post has learned.
The $1.1 million vehicle, one of two that Quebec-based Prevost sold the government, has been tricked out by the Secret Service with state-of-the-art security features and creature comforts.
Its a VIP H3-45 model, the companys top of the line, and is used by major traveling rock bands.
Thats the more luxurious model, Christine Garant of Prevost told The Post.
The luxury liner apparently has electronic equipment allowing him to communicate worldwide, armored doors, flat-screen TVs, and comfy couches. But while it has a bathroom, it doesnt have a sleeping area.
Despite being made in Canada, the Post says, the Government purchased the bus (plus an additional one) for $2.2 million from retailer Hemphill Brothers Coach, based in Tennessee.
Still, the contract allegedly made clear where the buses were made: The contract lists the country of origin as Canada and place of manufacture as outside U.S. Trade Agreements, a possible reference to the North American Free Trade Agreement.
So, should the president be blasted for buying buses not made in America? During times of fiscal restraint, it could be that the government got the best deal by buying foreign buses, so we cant say for sure. But then again, perception is everything.
#1
What do you think? This is really not much of an issue. I saw W give a campaign speech in 2004, saw his rented bus & thought at the time trusting presidential security to such a means was a piss poor idea after 9/11.
However, the new bus's black, armored & high tech appearance really matches Obama's approach to his attempt at governing. Another nice touch would be to make it bristle with 50 cal gun barrels and signs warning of deadly force being applied to anyone approaching to less than 50 yards.
#2
$6 Million for the busses made in Canada, and one heck of a convoy. All for a campaign and all with tax payer money. A colossal waste of time and money.
#5
Do you think the bus has a small thermal vent above the main reactor vent?
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
08/17/2011 13:25 Comments ||
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#6
Union bosses and local memberships take note.
They never do. You think they would have noticed that voting to deindustrialize the country ISN'T IN THEIR MEMBERSHIPS' BEST INTEREST but it hasn't stopped them from cleaving to the democrats before.
#9
"Best comment I've read so far is that it's a "funeral procession for the economy"."
Yee-ouch, Pappy.
Posted by: Barbara ||
08/17/2011 14:43 Comments ||
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#10
Despite the possible metaphors and symbolism it is a sleek looking bus worthy of a rock group. I'm amazed there is no marketing on the outside, perhaps that is an attempt to slip through the campaign laws or something.
[An Nahar] Starbucks coffee chain chief Howard Schultz has brewed up a plan to force polarized U.S. politicians to compromise on a way to reduce the swollen U.S. deficit: Dry up their campaign donations.
Think of it as a variation on the Lysistrata tactic.
Schultz cited the recent political crisis over the U.S. debt limit as grounds for the unorthodox boycott, charging in an email to fellow business leaders and obtained by Agence La Belle France Presse that elected officials "have failed to lead."
"Our country is better than this," he said in the appeal, accusing politicians of having squandered "our collective confidence in each other, in the future, and in our ability to solve problems together."
Schultz looked ahead to the next phase of the bitter battling over the debt, with a December 23 deadline for the U.S. Congress to approve at least 1.2 trillion dollars over ten years in deficit-cutting measures.
"We aim to push our elected leaders to face the nation's long-term fiscal challenges with civility, honesty, and a willingness to sacrifice their own re-election," he said.
Schultz said Americans want to see their representatives reach a deal "long before the deadline arrives" and consider "all options" from cuts to cherished social safety net programs to increases in taxes.
"That is why we today pledge to withhold any further campaign contributions to the President and all members of Congress until a fair, bipartisan deal is reached that sets our nation on stronger long-term fiscal footing," he said.
Which means that only the unions and Hollyweird will be putting cash into campaigns. Shrewd, Mr. Schultz, shrewd...
At the same time, he said, major U.S. firms now hoarding cash out of fear about the sour economy must "set in motion an upward spiral of confidence" and growth by tackling stubbornly high unemployment.
"Our companies are going to hire. We are going to accelerate growth, employment, and investment in jobs," he said. "Confidence is contagious. The best thing we can do now is to spread it."
"We don't pretend that our two pledges are quick fixes. We just believe that in this moment of great uncertainty, the government needs discipline, the people need jobs -- and leaders need to lead," said Schultz.
Business leaders should indeed lead, and good luck with spreading confidence, though it will take more than some coffee barristas to reignite the economy.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/17/2011 00:00 ||
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#2
What he says is truth. If only he others would follow these words.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
08/17/2011 7:33 Comments ||
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#3
..the government needs discipline..
Haven't seen either fiscal restraint or restraint from regulatory self empowerment in decades by either party, what has changed to altered that behavior now? /rhet question
#4
This rings as hollow as Warren Buffett's bloviation the other day, which pleasantly enough, was greeted with a tidal wave of cynicism by the peanut gallery. People are wising up to such bulldada.
#6
"Think of it as a variation on the Lysistrata tactic."
TW for Snarkess of the Day
Posted by: Chaque Sproing8625 ||
08/17/2011 11:37 Comments ||
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#7
"Our companies are going to hire. We are going to accelerate growth, employment, and investment in jobs," he said. "Confidence is contagious. The best thing we can do now is to spread it."
"of course the tax breaks and favorable treatment gained through political influence will help..."
#8
"Our companies are going to hire. We are going to accelerate growth, employment, and investment in jobs," he said. "Confidence is contagious. The best thing we can do now is to spread it."
What am I missing? Spread "confidence" by ending private participation in the process and donations?
#10
If I go back and look, will I find that Mr. "All those politicians are rotten" was donating predominantly to democrats? Oh, look, an already filled out link to Open Secrets...
Patty Murray, John Edwards, Barack Obama, Max Baucus, and some other democrats. No republicans.
While there are a lot of republicans I _don't_ like, I can at least find some I do, which is more than I can say for the democrats.
Posted by: Shakey Steve ||
08/17/2011 14:52 Comments ||
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#13
If they're looking for that, shouldn't they be donating to the TEA party folks
Indeed. With their ability to cause economic disruption not only at home, but throughout Europe too, the Tea Party is the most powerful force on the planet and a danger to all carbon-based life. The only hope is to try and buy them off.
Posted by: Barbara ||
08/17/2011 17:24 Comments ||
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#15
Nope. Not me. I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but even I wouldn't name a sock-puppet 'SteveS' LOLs
Posted by: Shakey Steve ||
08/17/2011 17:37 Comments ||
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#16
That was me, Barbara. Just channeling some Democratic Party talking-point spouting media weasel I heard on the news yesterday. I figure the sark tags are implicit here at the 'Burg. Maybe they are in the news media too, since I can't for the life of me imagine how the Tea Party's influence reaches across the Atlantic.
#17
since I can't for the life of me imagine how the Tea Party's influence reaches across the Atlantic.
SteveS, I've read that there are independently self-organized TEA (taxed enough already) party groups in England, and somewhere in Europe -- Germany, perhaps? google it, no doubt the answer will pop up. We always have been a subversive influence; there are those who claim the French Revolution was a response to the success of the American one...but of course they put their own stamp on it.
#18
I read an article by a British columnist who thought they had done a good job addressing their spending problems, until witnessing how the House Pubs were doing/did this summer, and felt how little they had done.
Also, talking heads mentioned something about a balanced budget ammendment, likely to innoculate themselves from being forced to pick the EU tab.
Both of which are fiscal responsibility, which the TEA Party advocates.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
