1 Merry Christmas!

2 Sleeping late.

3 New thread smell!

4 It looks like 2011 will be a mash of 1914, 1929, and 1939, with a pinch of 1968. Ew.

5 So let me see if I understand this: Afghan muslims screw little boys so much, the boys grow up not understanding that that real sex involves vaginas and beat their wives for not getting anally pregnant... But muslims might have a problems with gays in the US Military? I have a hard time figuring that one out.

6 4 It looks like 2011 will be a mash of 1914, 1929, and 1939, with a pinch of 1968. Ew. Posted by: eman at December 24, 2010 09:41 AM (XXyJt) You can always add some 69.

7 It will be very interesting how the inevitable default of at least a few of our states shakes out. My personal preference is to dump every employment contract ever signed by all state and local governments and just start over, maybe with slightly less than lifetime pensions that pay 90% of the last year's salary.

Any lawyers out there who can comment on whether those contracts can be tossed by a bankruptcy court?

8 7, Safari works fine. It is otherwise shitty, but loading is not delayed.

9 I find that at times like this, the best way to get to comments is to go to the homepage and getting back in the thread. Seems like I can reboot over and over and not see the new comments, until I just get out of the thread altogether and come back in.

10 Posted by: CDR M at December 24, 2010 09:42 AM (5I8G0)

Try closing your browser instead. That sometimes works. Or swing a chicken over your head for exactly 52 revolutions. That ALWAYS works.

11 8 It will be very interesting how the inevitable default of at least a few of our states shakes out. In an entirely predictable way: frugal Red States will get shafted with the tab for California's and New York's spending. And that will be a travesty.

12 It will be very interesting how the inevitable default of at least a few of our states shakes out. My personal preference is to dump every employment contract ever signed by all state and local governments and just start over, maybe with slightly less than lifetime pensions that pay 90% of the last year's salary. Any lawyers out there who can comment on whether those contracts can be tossed by a bankruptcy court? Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo (NJConservative) at December 24, 2010 09:43 AM (LH6ir) No biggie. We'll just raise property taxes by 3000%.

13

Or swing a chicken over your head for exactly 52 revolutions.

Well, that's a nice change!

14 Banks suck.

15 No biggie. We'll just raise property taxes by 3000%.

Posted by: Typical City Official at December 24, 2010 09:46 AM (XXyJt)

Funny you should mention that....

http://tinyurl.com/23mjp4c

Cities across the nation are raising property taxes, largely citing rising pension and health-care costs for their employees and retirees.

In Pennsylvania, the township of Upper Moreland is bumping up property taxes for residents by 13.6% in 2011. Next door the city of Philadelphia this year increased the tax 9.9%. In New York, Saratoga Springs will collect 4.4% more in property taxes in 2011; Troy will increase taxes by 1.9%.

16 Hey, what's up guys?! Did y'all hear that DADT was repealed?

17 Hey Ben-
there's a reason you weren't cast as me.  Even in Hollywood, you have to be at least remotely plausible in a part.

18 Just wanted to point out a couple modern Christmas tunes you overlooked last night:

Fountains of Wayne's "I Want an Alien for Christmas."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q94yG2INI9E

And Joel Veitch's "Communist Christmas"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NKHJ64qRR8

19 Eggnog is ready!  I left some shit out of the recipe yesterday.  To recap.  Dozen eggs, Qt whole milk, quart of bourbon, cup of sugar, two pints heavy cream.

Whip egg white up, stir in yolks with sugar, pour heavy cream and milk in jug, add egg whip, stir, add bourbon, tablespoon of vanilla. sit for a day or so.

Warning, this is a heart attack in a glass!

As an EMT I have my AED next to me!

Getting second cup!  Third cup and your OUT!

Merry Christmas!

20

Even in Hollywood, you have to be at least remotely plausible in a part.

At least I got a call back.

21 Saw "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" last night. Excellent family movie and best of the Narnia series so far. In other news.... There's still time to get those Holiday decorations on! Deck Your Junk With Gonorrhea! : A TSA Holiday Hint (Possibly NSFW)

22

But muslims might have a problems with gays in the US Military?

It must be terrible to be a Liberal.  You're for gays in the military yet at the same time support complete freedom for muslims who want to kill gays and you're for complete freedom for muslims to live exactly as they want no matter what and they want to keep women veiled and barefoot and pregnant yet liberals are for women having complete freedom to do whatever they want.  Except if they are married to or related to a muslim.  Hmm.   No wonder Liberals are nuts.

23 Posted by: Kemp at December 24, 2010 09:56 AM (JpFM9)

I thought the heart attack in a glass was the Jack Daniels Bacon Grease Egg Nog posted yesterday...

24 That article on property taxes makes it seem like teeny little increases in Pa. Combined, the property taxes may total (by law) 3%. The county, township, and town all get in on the act. Think of the erosion of value when you have to pay 3% per year, and that's before you take into account the Oconomy. The only way Pa municipalities are going to squeeze more out of their turnips is to cheat on the assessments. Not that that would ever happen...

25 Hey, what's up guys?! Did y'all hear that DADT was repealed?

Who hasn't?  Obama has been patting himself on the back for days about that one (even though he has barely even mentioned it, much less do anything else about it, for the past 2 years).

26 Merry Christmas (I don't want to fight)

27

I thought the heart attack in a glass was the Jack Daniels Bacon Grease Egg Nog posted yesterday...

Did you notice on Fox yesterday, they featured a bacon house (as opposed to a gingerbread house)?

28 Well halloooo there... so this is where you all went!

I regret that I do not like eggnog.  Mr Y-not does, but eggnog in the house for one person - and that one person being someone who is not supposed to consume a lot of fatty stuff - is not a great option, so the poor dear never gets any (eggnog). 

CoolCzech, a couple of pix of our locale on last thread.

29

"...maybe with slightly less than lifetime pensions that pay 90% of the last year's salary."

What kills me is that I spend 20 years in the Marines, have a busted up body to show for it, vacations was never able to take, time spent overseas, a 20% disability rating that only ends up as a tax credit against a monthly retirement that ends up at a whopping 1800 bucks a month, but these city and state motherfucks go into retirement early and are fucking raking in the dough.

Now, I knew what I was getting into when I signed up, and I'm fine with what Uncle Sam gives me for my service, but how the FUCK do these assholes rate a cush life for doing a shitty job of flying a desk for 30 years??

30 So, what replaces DADT? The old way of dealing with gays in the Military?

31

From JWF:

Mayor Bloomberg's top deputies went to great lengths to help the developers of a planned mosque near Ground Zero - even drafting a letter to the community board for them.
...
At one point, Community Affairs Commissioner Nazli Parvizi even drafted a letter for Rauf's wife, Daisy Khan, to send to Community Board 1, which was voting on the project.

What a guy.

32 Its now pretty clear that those who criticize the TSA are the true enemies among us.

33 26 Well the reboot of the computer is working better!

Posted by: CDR M at December 24, 2010 10:03 AM (5I8G0)

So what's the scoop on how the DADT repeal is coming along?

34 Y-not, I like the Silk soy nog. And they make a pumpkin spice flavored one that I thought was yummy, too. Now real nog tastes sooo heavy since I got used to the light version.

35 @5 So let me see if I understand this: Afghan muslims screw little boys so much, the boys grow up not understanding that that real sex involves vaginas and beat their wives for not getting anally pregnant... But muslims might have a problems with gays in the US Military? I have a hard time figuring that one out. Posted by: CoolCzech at December 24, 2010 09:41 AM (tJjm/) This one of the shockers after we initially went into Afghanistan. It was reported for a while then suppressed(?) by the MSM. The Pashtuns(?), our allies, love screwing little boys and scarring them for life. The Taliban, our enemies, tried to put an end to the practice. Yeah, it's one of those "the real world sucks" moments. But as long as the Taliban supports al Qaeda, they gotta go.

36 You are now a bigot if you were against DADT.

I think it was a sensible policy.  Probably the best thing Clinton did. 

I know a lot of the guys at Blackfive were for repeal but, frankly, I didn't find their arguments convincing.  'Seems to me when the marine commandant, USAF, and Army chiefs are against repealing it, we should probably take note and leave it be. 

37 Posted by: katya, the designated driver at December 24, 2010 10:01 AM (4hF7m)

No, it's actually quite easy. Just stop being rational. And to make it truly effortless, drop a large weight on your head several times.

And here is your mantra: Post hoc ergo propter hoc

38 37 Y-not, I like the Silk soy nog.

That's a great tip.  He likes the soy milk stuff, so I bet he'd enjoy that. 

Dumb question: can you make egg nog with rum instead of bourbon?  We're not bourbon drinkers. 

39 Eggnog is ready!

Thanks, Kemp. Homemade is best!

My niece's fiance made some for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago, now it is his price of admission to family get-togethers ;-)

Try a little nutmeg sprinkled on top. Adds a bit of bit, imo.

40 Posted by: Goodwill Hunting at December 24, 2010 09:52 AM (8lSIO)

Has he ever done a better-than-mediocre job in any role? I can't think of a single movie in which wonderboy wasn't bordering on crappy.

41

but how the FUCK do these assholes rate a cush life for doing a shitty job of flying a desk for 30 years??

One thing about being a paper pusher is that you get to push your own papers.

42 Posted by: Y-not, proud bigot at December 24, 2010 10:11 AM (IDL9N)

Absolutely! They both have a bit of sweetness and should be interchangeable. Just use a golden or dark rum. I don't think that a light rum will work.

43

From CDR M's link:

But we know also that (the risks of eliminating DADT) can be managed – contained, limited. It takes education. It takes training. It takes leadership. This is what concerns me about Amos.

As if Cohen knows his ass from a hole in the ground when it comes to "training" and "leadership".  That "education" bullshit is of course the standard liberal cover-word for "indoctrination".

The purge is on.  It was never about equality or rights, it's about revenge and culture wars.  This shit makes me so fucking mad.  They could have at least waited until after Christmas for this shit.

44 OK, I watched the "Your Highness" restricted trailer.  I wouldn't pay money to watch that, even if Natalie was full-frontal naked for half the movie.

45 So, what replaces DADT? Aloha! If I may- we've replaced it with the military's policy as it existed under Bush 41! I haven't touched the strategies of Bush 43! I'm also revisiting arms control as it existed under Reagan! I've given us the most vibrant economy since Carter, but I'm closing in on FDR! The most transparent gov't since LBJ! A coming missile crisis just like JFK! Uh-oh, I see a wave coming...

46

can you make egg nog with rum instead of bourbon? 

Yeh, we have rum and it's been yummy.

47 The day after DADT was repealed, I found myself in a bar near Beaufort MCAS with 2 Marine fighter pilots, a Navy brat bartender and some raging lesbian who overheard one of the pilots say something about "weird" and jumped on it. After a discussion with the other pilot, who affirmed everything we believe about this, I left, and the first pilot was attempting to persuade the fat lesbian how wrong she was. Interesting stuff.

48 "You are now a bigot if you were against DADT."


Yup. It actually makes me glad that the gay activists are such cowardly creeps. None of them will actually enlist, so they won't be able to file complaints.

49 @43 Dumb question: can you make egg nog with rum instead of bourbon? We're not bourbon drinkers. Posted by: Y-not, proud bigot at December 24, 2010 10:11 AM (IDL9N) Yep. Dark rum is especially good. You can use brandy as well. The recipe I use has both bourbon and brandy in it. More bourb than brand tho. Don't forget the hobo fingers! They're great for dunking!

50 Posted by: Burn the Witch at December 24, 2010 10:06 AM (fLHQe)

If you can't say thank you, just shut up and write the check.

Ungrateful, bitter clinger! One more word and I'll send Janet Napoleontano to your house for a little chat.

51 @50

I lol'ed. 

Then cried. 


But I think I'd say the transparency of Nixon.

52

Shucks, I forgot to add egg nog to my coffee this morning. Love it in place of milk...

53 I've never had egg nog.

54

Dumb question: can you make egg nog with rum instead of bourbon?  We're not bourbon drinkers. 

Posted by: Y-not, proud bigot at December 24, 2010 10:11 AM (IDL9N)

Yep -- it's good. I prefer a dark or spiced rum. Sprinkled with nutmeg.

55 You are now a bigot if you were against DADT. I thought you were a bigot if you were against it, and now you're a bigot if you were against it's repeal. Kind of like the whole honor-killings-for-me-but-not-for-thee thing. You need a cheat sheet to keep track.

56 Those recipes are too complicated for before coffee. I like these: Spiced apple drink. Hot apple juice or cider, Cinnamon Schnapps. Mint hot chocolate. Add mint Schnapps to favorite hot cocoa. Higher octane hot chocolate Add rum or bourbon to favorite hot cocoa. Off to feed the equines. Back later.

57 The repeal of DADT would work if everybody had the same standards of behavior.  Men, women, gays, straights, everybody lived and worked under the same rules, etc.  But that won't work because: a) we are human and b) Liberals believe in exceptions for everybody.  Unless you're a Christian (not the Joy Behar kind).  Then you should be imprisoned and/or killed. 

58 I've never had egg nog. Posted by: katya, the designated driver at December 24, 2010 10:19 AM (4hF7m) One sip can last the whole year. One glass has enough energy in it to launch a locomotive into orbit.

59

Kind of like the whole honor-killings-for-me-but-not-for-thee thing. You need a cheat sheet to keep track.

Which is why Liberals are all so schizo.  They need a secretary to keep track of all the rules.

60

You sure he just wasn't trying for a "touch and go"?

Thought crossed my mind, but she was--gahh. I would hope a fighter pilot could do better than that. Other than that why be one?

61 So, now the Military may actively try to find out if a member is gay (ahem) and boot him/her out? How is that better for gays? DADT was installed to prevent purging gays, IIRC. Clinton wanted open acceptance and the Military said "Fuck you, Sir." So, DADT was instituted as a compromise. It's 1993 again.

62

It must be terrible to be a Liberal.  You're for gays in the military yet at the same time support complete freedom for muslims who want to kill gays and you're for complete freedom for muslims to live exactly as they want no matter what and they want to keep women veiled and barefoot and pregnant yet liberals are for women having complete freedom to do whatever they want.  Except if they are married to or related to a muslim.  Hmm.   No wonder Liberals are nuts.

The trick to keeping it straight understanding is to remember that you are superior to everyone else. You can then look kindly at people from other cultures and know they can't be as enlightened as you. Of course, other white Americans should be as enlightened as you and it's good to hate them if they aren't.

Questions?

63 "Safari works fine. It is otherwise shitty" Exactly.

64

"This gay training will be the only training that you CAN'T do online like everything else." 

Awesome.  Death by Powerpoint and brow beating down at the base theater.

And you won't be able to use the excuse of NMCI fucking up to tell the CO why you weren't able to finish the training module.

65 SnoglobeObama?...meh; I want ChiaPet Obama!

66

Economists see signs of stronger recovery

'Sustained job creation ... will finally give Americans a tangible sense of an improving economy' in 2011, expert predicts

WASHINGTON Â— Eighteen months after the recession officially ended, the governmentÂ’s latest measures to bolster the economy have led many forecasters and policy makers to express new optimism that the recovery will gain substantial momentum in 2011.

The measured optimism is reminiscent of the mood a year ago, when the economy seemed to be reviving, only to stall again in the spring amid widespread fears caused by the debt crisis in Greece and other European countries.

Even so, economists are increasingly upbeat about the outlook, saying that while the economy in 2011 will not be strong enough to drive unemployment down significantly, it should put the United States on its soundest footing since the financial crisis started an economic tailspin three years ago.



Good news comrades! Economists, (the same geniuses who unemployment going up is always unexpected) now predict that the economy is getting better. Actually it's the same old BS they've been peddling about Barry saving the economy

67 Posted by: CDR M at December 24, 2010 10:24 AM (5I8G0)

That's as close to a sure thing as anything I have read about DADT.

Slightly O/T, but care to comment about the current policy on fraternization? I am curious what actually happens. I have a good friend who was tossed out of the Navy for having a relationship with an enlisted woman (not in his command).

68 Out, damned sock!

69 I just dropped off a batch of my traditional Christmas pralines at the office. There's a couple of Type-2 diabetics I'm trying to murder.

70 Can't wait for the fallout from the first gay in the military that get's passed over for promotion or get's a set of orders they don't like.  The gay card will get played in front of all the media.  Watch and see.  It's gonna happen.

Posted by: CDR M at December 24, 2010 10:24 AM (5I8G0)

You know people are going to be beating down the door to be the command's EO rep now too. heh

Now the EO reps are all going to be black or hispanic lesbians.  Only the members of The Aggrieved my file complaints.

71 Did I tell you guys that I found a "My hovercraft is full of eels" shirt for my husband?

72 I dropped a couple of cheesecakes by my home office the day before yesterday.  You'd have thought I was Santa Claus.

73 Posted by: CDR M at December 24, 2010 10:36 AM (5I8G0)

Yes.

74 Holiday photos. 

75 83 Did I tell you guys that I found a "My hovercraft is full of eels" shirt

Cool! 

76 78 I just dropped off a batch of my traditional Christmas pralines at the office. There's a couple of Type-2 diabetics I'm trying to murder.

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at December 24, 2010 10:33 AM (LAfcH)

 

You could start an eBay store!  But what if the enemy isn't a Type II?...need to diversify the arsenal a bit....

77 The only way to prevent the gay card from being played is to document, document, and document deficient performance.   If you are doing your job correctly as a leader, this won't be a big deal, but for some they better do the paperwork or it's gonna be a painful lesson down the road.

Documentation won't save you.  Any deficient performance will be blamed on a hostile working environment, and commanders will simply order that the soldier be moved to another section or to another unit.  And the cycle will start again. 

78 Slightly O/T, but care to comment about the current policy on fraternization? I am curious what actually happens. I have a good friend who was tossed out of the Navy for having a relationship with an enlisted woman (not in his command)

Relationships between officers and enlisted are officially a no-no.  It doesn't matter whether or not they are in the same command.  There are only a few exceptions, but they are for when you have a relationship prior to commissioning.

In reality, how hard they come down on you depends a lot on where you are.  My cousing was a PFC at DLI, and she dated an Air Force major.  She said that it was common to see that happening.  I've known a few LTs who screwed around with NCOs as well.  OTOH, more than one Lt. Col or full bird has ended his career by dipping his dick in his 19 year old driver.

79 I'd like to dethong Natalie Portman for Christmas

80 It should also be noted that fraternization doesn't simply mean sex.  It means any relationship that gives the impression that it undermines the professionalism of the two people.  This means that a friendship between and officer and enlisted of the same sex could be fraternization as well, and punished if need be. 

81 I hate wrapping presents.

82 I hate wrapping presents.

Newspaper and duct tape.  They'll never ask you to wrap again.

83 Obama Disappointment Syndrome holiday shopping: Propaganda and apparel for the post-Obama era

84 Drudge is cute...all text is in green and red.

85 Yeh, two of the grandparents just give me money to shop for the kids, so I have to wrap stuff from us, Santa, and the grands for the 3 kids and the hubby. At least I started it a couple of days ago instead of leaving it all for today.

86 Yeh, two of the grandparents just give me money to shop for the kids, so I have to wrap stuff from us, Santa, and the grands for the 3 kids and the hubby. At least I started it a couple of days ago instead of leaving it all for today.

Posted by: Mama AJ at December 24, 2010 11:36 AM (XdlcF)

Gift cards to their favorite store.

87 Based on my experience working with Air Force units, fraternizing is a big problem.  I witnessed first hand a lot of enlisted-officer interactions that were way, way out of bounds by any definition of fraternization.

Not surprising.  The impression I get is that officers in the Air Force are seen more as technical professionals, and that leadership and management skills are secondary.  The view of them as a separate class is less strong in the AF than in other branches.

I've noticed it seems to happen a lot with female junior officers here in the Army.  I know of at least four LTs, all female, who dated NCOs.  One got engaged, and tried to hide it from her command.  Another had dated a few, and I got the impression from talking to her that it was now on her record and her chances for promotion were gone.  Most male company grade officers are married, or in serious long term relationships, or they are happy to play the field with local girls.  Female officers, on the other hand, have slim pickings.  Local men aren't likely to want to follow her around the country for her career at the expense of their own, and the officer pool is too small on most posts for comfort.

88 51

can you make egg nog with rum instead of bourbon? 

Yeh, we have rum and it's been yummy.

Actually, we used half Markers Mark (a waste of good bourbon, but son refuses to use Jim Beam) and half Canadian Club.  I like the Rum also, but it makes it a little sweet.

Of course, NUTMEG, I assumed that went without saying!

Think it's time for my noon nap!

89 I love wrapping, although I'm not able to do the really fancy home-made bows some chicks can make.

And I love beautifully-wrapped presents... which is unfortunate since my husband wraps like a drunken thumbless monkey. 

90 Gibbs just tweeted that Obama is reading Lou Cannon's biography of Ronalad Reagan.

I call BS on this.   Perhaps he has a flunky going through it looking for phrases they can incorporate into his speeches,  but that's as close as it will come to him actually reading it.

91 Perhaps he has a flunky going through it looking for phrases they can incorporate into his speeches

Bingo!

Prepare for two years of Obama is the Second Coming of Reagan. 

92

which is unfortunate since my husband wraps like a drunken thumbless monkey. 

Raises hand...

93 For the cat lovers here... the cartoon linked in the headlines is indeed very charming.

Merry Christmas all!

94

Christmas Eve Dump: EPA to stick fork in economy, bypass Congress with CO2 regs

Does that make every man, woman or child a point source of pollution which can be regulated?

Just when the science is obviously settled full of holes, they double down and go full speed ahead.  Why bother with democracy when you can just give orders?

I can't wait for our 50% power bill increase.  Ho-ho-ho!

95

Saw that link at Drudge.  I knew it was coming, but this truly is going to make everything cost more, just like their oil policy. 

I can no longer ascribe to mere incompetence Obama's hostility to economic growth. 

96

Raises hand...

Posted by: HH


Should you change your nic to "Eight-fingered HH" or something? 

;-)

97

Posted by: Y-not at December 24, 2010 12:33 PM (IDL9N)

(laughs)

Which explains why my hitch-hiking days are over...

98 MERRY CHRISTMAS FRIENDS!

On behalf of myself and my Brothers in arms and present VETERANS I wish you all happiness, prosperity and a very fortunate NEW YEAR.


GOD BLESS our TROOPS and their FAMILIES and most of all our REPUBLIC.

99 The Meaningless Social Security Tax Rate Cut First, what this means to my clients (who are always my first thought). To them, this means nothing. I can't use this change to reduce my team's hourly rates because I doubt the calculation will continue in the future. In fact, employees' rates -- and the matching rate paid by employers -- will probably increase in 2012. Call me cynical, but it's certainly a possibility. The uncertainty will prevent my competitors from using this tax change to reduce their hourly rates, either, so I am safe in not lowering mine. Second, to my employees. In all honesty, I have only a part-timer on payroll right now, and we don't have a salary-oriented relationship. But if I did have employees, I'd be thinking, "Hey, they will be receiving 2 percent more in their payroll in 2011 courtesy of Uncle Sam. No need to give them much of a raise in 2011." So the reduction may have the effect of letting companies retain some money that otherwise might have been paid to employees in pay raises. These retained earnings might be good for a company's ability to reinvest, or its ability to add to dividends for its shareholders (aka the rich). Beyond the temporary 2-percent spike, it doesn't really do anything for employees. Third, to the potential full-time employees in 2011. I'd probably pay them less than I otherwise would have. I don't need to do otherwise. After all, they are going to be able to retain 2 percent more of whatever salary figure we agree on. They'd be happy with that. But next year, they might want more of a raise once Uncle Sam jacks the rate back to 2010 levels and they see less in their paycheck, causing them to seek a larger raise. The anticipation now of inflated salary expectations later changes my perspective. But why hire someone full-time? I might just keep going the part-time route given my fear that I might not be able to keep anyone employed in 2012 if the government class and their media cohorts whip up a "Social Security is falling" frenzy to jack rates higher than 6.2 percent (for employer and employee!) in 2012. Read my lips: Republicans don't stick to their promises, and Democrats increase taxes whenever and wherever they can. Fourth, to myself. As a sole-prop, I have to ask, "How will this affect me?" I assume that I will pay 10.4 percent instead of 12.4 percent on my adjusted gross income (up to $106,800), but I need to get that confirmed somewhere. I'm not sure just yet how Uncle Sam will treat my self-employment. Who knows? I may still have to pay full freight. And yes, for those in government who don't know, this year, I will pay 15.65 percent of my AGI (or up to $17,622 on the $106,800 threshold) to the Uncle Sam Social Security/Medicare Ponzi scheme. Of course, this does not include the federal taxes that will be levied on my income. On a number of fronts, this 2-percent reduction may have sounded good to the feckless Republican dealmakers in Congress who fell for it, but its real-world effects will be dubious. It's expected to provide only about $613 more -- in all of 2012 -- for the average worker earning $35,000-$64,000.

100 Mythbusting the 'rich don't pay enough taxes' lie A second fatal flaw is that the large share of income reported by the upper 1% is largely a consequence of lower tax rates. In a 2010 paper on top incomes co-authored with Anthony Atkinson of Nuffield College, Messrs. Piketty and Saez note that "higher top marginal tax rates can reduce top reported earnings." They say "all studies" agree that higher "top marginal tax rates do seem to negatively affect top income shares." In other words, higher tax rates have the predictable result of causing earners to work and make less, thus actually bringing in less revenue to the government. But for the left, this is unsatisfactory because it doesn't give them that delicious sense of "sticking it to the rich" that helps assuage their rage against the productive class. So they will take less revenue as long as they can punish people for being successful. ========== Recall during the 2008 Presidential campaign, Obama was specifically asked about this and he answered that he was not concerned with revenue, he was more interested in "fairness".

101 I can't wait for our 50% power bill increase. Ho-ho-ho! Posted by: Beagle at December 24, 2010 12:25 PM Well, it's not as if he was coy about his future energy policies as President: Senator Obama, on the campaign trail: "Under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket." So, yeah, I'd say that this plan by his EPA is most definitely deliberate and not incompetence at all. Also recall that he had no problems with gas prices going up to $4 or $5/gal. He just took issue with how quickly they rose to that level in 2008. But his goal is to get them back up there slowly, so that people are forced to not drive as much, you know, to 'save the planet'. This is all deliberate.

102 112 MERRY CHRISTMAS FRIENDS!

On behalf of myself and my Brothers in arms and present VETERANS I wish you all happiness, prosperity and a very fortunate NEW YEAR.


GOD BLESS our TROOPS and their FAMILIES and most of all our REPUBLIC.

Posted by: 'Nam Grunt at December 24, 2010 01:19 PM (66dLX)

Nam!!!  It's good to 'see' you; missed you!  Merry Christmas to you too!

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