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Bill USA
Bill USA's Journal
Bill USA's Journal
October 26, 2012
Unemployment claims down 23,000 and Durable Goods orders surged 9.9%. Any mentions on Corporate-TV?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/111624763
October 26, 2012
USA Today (internet) has an article which was posted thurs on this but I don't recall seeing anything in today's hard-copy USA Today about it.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2012/10/25/unemployment-benefits-claims/1656561/
10:24AM EDT October 25. 2012 - WASHINGTON (AP) -- The number of first-time claims for unemployment benefits fell 23,000 to a seasonally adjusted 369,000 the week ended Oct. 20, the Labor Department said Thursday, reflecting an improving labor market .
In a separate report, the government said orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods surged 9.9% in September by the largest amount in nearly three years, largely due to a rebound in aircraft orders. In August, orders had dropped 13.1%.
(more)
Did anybody see any mention on M$M of Unemployment claims dropping 23,000 & Durable Goods up 9.9%???
see below DoL Press release of a substantial drop, -23,000, in Unemployment insurance claims out Thursday at 8:30 AM.
USA Today on line, had an article later that day which also mentioned that the Commerce Dept indicated that Durable Goods Orders "surged 9.9% in September by the largest amount in nearly three years".
Just curious as to whether this got any coverage on Televised Corporate Media. I didn't catch anything but I can only see one network infotainment news at a time.
http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/current.htm
8:30 A.M. (EDT), THURSDAY
October 25, 2012
In the week ending October 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 369,000, a decrease of 23,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 392,000. The 4-week moving average was 368,000, an increase of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average of 366,500.
(more)
October 25, 2012
In the week ending October 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 369,000, a decrease of 23,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 392,000. The 4-week moving average was 368,000, an increase of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average of 366,500.
(more)
USA Today (internet) has an article which was posted thurs on this but I don't recall seeing anything in today's hard-copy USA Today about it.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2012/10/25/unemployment-benefits-claims/1656561/
10:24AM EDT October 25. 2012 - WASHINGTON (AP) -- The number of first-time claims for unemployment benefits fell 23,000 to a seasonally adjusted 369,000 the week ended Oct. 20, the Labor Department said Thursday, reflecting an improving labor market .
In a separate report, the government said orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods surged 9.9% in September by the largest amount in nearly three years, largely due to a rebound in aircraft orders. In August, orders had dropped 13.1%.
(more)
October 26, 2012
A Pennsylvania House bill seeks to limit the amount of TANF assistance that low-income women receive based on the amount of children they give birth to while covered under the program.
Despite the fact that low-income women who give birth to children would logically need increased assistance to care for their larger family, Pennsylvania lawmakers — State Reps. RoseMarie Swanger (R), Tom Caltagirone (D), Mark Gillen (R), Keith Gillespie (R), Adam Harris (R), and Mike Tobash (R) — don’t want their state’s welfare program to provide additional benefits for that newborn. If a woman gives birth to a child who was conceived from rape, she may seek an exception to this rule so that her welfare benefits aren’t slashed, but only if she can provide proof that she reported her sexual assault and her abuser’s identity to the police:
The language of the bill goes on to note that a sexual assault victim applying for an exemption will be required to sign a statement affirming she understands that “false reports to law enforcement authorities are punishable by law,” and stipulates that Pennsylvania will report any “evidence of false statements or fraud” to the correct department, all the way up to the Attorney General’s office.
Aside from punishing women who have children — particularly low-income women who may not have reliable access to affordable contraception — the proposed bill perpetrates a dangerous attitude toward survivors of sexual assault. Forcing women to prove the legitimacy of their sexual assault, and warning them about the serious consequences of “crying rape” to cheat the system, puts forth the misguided assumption that victims of sexual violence are not to be believed. Furthermore, countless women choose not to report their rapists to the police because they fear repercussions from their abusers, who could threaten their lives. An estimated 54 percent of sexual assaults are not reported to the authorities.
(more)
Pennsylvania Bill Would Reduce Welfare Benefits For Women Who Cannot Prove They Were Raped
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/10/24/1083101/proposed-bill-food-stamp-benefits-raped/A Pennsylvania House bill seeks to limit the amount of TANF assistance that low-income women receive based on the amount of children they give birth to while covered under the program.
Despite the fact that low-income women who give birth to children would logically need increased assistance to care for their larger family, Pennsylvania lawmakers — State Reps. RoseMarie Swanger (R), Tom Caltagirone (D), Mark Gillen (R), Keith Gillespie (R), Adam Harris (R), and Mike Tobash (R) — don’t want their state’s welfare program to provide additional benefits for that newborn. If a woman gives birth to a child who was conceived from rape, she may seek an exception to this rule so that her welfare benefits aren’t slashed, but only if she can provide proof that she reported her sexual assault and her abuser’s identity to the police:
In determining the amount of assistance payments to a recipient family of benefits under the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Program, the department shall revise the schedule of benefits to be paid to the recipient family by eliminating the increment in benefits under the program for which that family would otherwise be eligible as a result of the birth of a child conceived during the period in which the family is eligible for benefits under the TANF Program. [...]
Elimination of benefits under subsection (d) shall not apply to any child conceived as a result of rape or incest if the department: (1) receives a non-notarized, signed statement from the pregnant woman stating that she was a victim of rape or incest, as the case may be, and that she reported the crime, including the identity of the offender, if known, to a law enforcement agency having the requisite jurisdiction or, in the case of incest where a pregnant minor is the victim, to the county child protective service agency and stating the name of the law enforcement agency or child protective service agency to which the report was made and the date such report was made.
The language of the bill goes on to note that a sexual assault victim applying for an exemption will be required to sign a statement affirming she understands that “false reports to law enforcement authorities are punishable by law,” and stipulates that Pennsylvania will report any “evidence of false statements or fraud” to the correct department, all the way up to the Attorney General’s office.
Aside from punishing women who have children — particularly low-income women who may not have reliable access to affordable contraception — the proposed bill perpetrates a dangerous attitude toward survivors of sexual assault. Forcing women to prove the legitimacy of their sexual assault, and warning them about the serious consequences of “crying rape” to cheat the system, puts forth the misguided assumption that victims of sexual violence are not to be believed. Furthermore, countless women choose not to report their rapists to the police because they fear repercussions from their abusers, who could threaten their lives. An estimated 54 percent of sexual assaults are not reported to the authorities.
(more)
October 25, 2012
(emphasis my own)
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/10/greg_abbott_un_poll_watchers.php?ref=fpa
In a letter dated Tuesday to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Abbott threatened to prosecute any of its monitors who step within 100 feet of a Texas polling place on Election Day. The threat came even though U.S. State Department officials earlier this year had invited the monitors to observe the election.
“If OSCE members want to learn more about our elections processes so they can improve their own democratic systems, we welcome the opportunity to discuss the measures Texas has implemented to protect the integrity of the elections,” Abbott wrote. “However, groups and individuals from outside the United States are not allowed to influence or interfere with the election process in Texas.”
The letter provoked a swift response on Wednesday from Janez Lenarcic, the head of the international group’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, who wrote a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressing his concern that the threat of prosecution was contrary to the U.S.’s obligations as an OSCE participant.
“The threat of criminal sanctions against OSCE/ODIHR observers is unacceptable,” Lenarcic said in a news release about the letter. “The United States, like all countries in the OSCE, has an obligation to invite ODIHR observers to observe its elections.”
(more)
Texas Attorney General Threatens Foreign Poll Watchers
(emphasis my own)
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/10/greg_abbott_un_poll_watchers.php?ref=fpa
In a letter dated Tuesday to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Abbott threatened to prosecute any of its monitors who step within 100 feet of a Texas polling place on Election Day. The threat came even though U.S. State Department officials earlier this year had invited the monitors to observe the election.
“If OSCE members want to learn more about our elections processes so they can improve their own democratic systems, we welcome the opportunity to discuss the measures Texas has implemented to protect the integrity of the elections,” Abbott wrote. “However, groups and individuals from outside the United States are not allowed to influence or interfere with the election process in Texas.”
The letter provoked a swift response on Wednesday from Janez Lenarcic, the head of the international group’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, who wrote a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressing his concern that the threat of prosecution was contrary to the U.S.’s obligations as an OSCE participant.
“The threat of criminal sanctions against OSCE/ODIHR observers is unacceptable,” Lenarcic said in a news release about the letter. “The United States, like all countries in the OSCE, has an obligation to invite ODIHR observers to observe its elections.”
(more)
October 25, 2012
WASHINGTON -- New polls released on Wednesday and Thursday continue to show President Barack Obama holding narrow leads in a handful of critical battleground states, but running within a whisker of Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney nationwide.
While Romney gained significantly in the wake of the first presidential debate in early October, the lack of a continuing trend over the past two weeks helps counter a theme in some campaign coverage that Romney's support continues to "surge" nationwide.
The most recent updates of the seven daily national tracking polls continue to split in terms of which candidate holds the nominal lead, ranging from a 4 percentage-point lead for Romney on the Rasmussen Reports automated tracking to a 3 point Obama advantage on the Investor's Business Daily/TIPP poll.
Separately, a new Associated Press/GfK survey released on Thursday morning showed Romney with a 2 percentage-point edge over Obama (47 to 45 percent).
(more)
Polls bust Romney Momentum Myth
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/25/presidential-polls-romney-surge_n_2016066.html?utm_hp_ref=politics&utm_hp_ref=politicsWASHINGTON -- New polls released on Wednesday and Thursday continue to show President Barack Obama holding narrow leads in a handful of critical battleground states, but running within a whisker of Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney nationwide.
While Romney gained significantly in the wake of the first presidential debate in early October, the lack of a continuing trend over the past two weeks helps counter a theme in some campaign coverage that Romney's support continues to "surge" nationwide.
The most recent updates of the seven daily national tracking polls continue to split in terms of which candidate holds the nominal lead, ranging from a 4 percentage-point lead for Romney on the Rasmussen Reports automated tracking to a 3 point Obama advantage on the Investor's Business Daily/TIPP poll.
Separately, a new Associated Press/GfK survey released on Thursday morning showed Romney with a 2 percentage-point edge over Obama (47 to 45 percent).
(more)
October 25, 2012
Though there wasn't too much talk of specific politicians last night, the election certainly hung in air as the two most cited economists in the world met on stage in New York City to discuss where the economy is headed.
The event was hosted by the Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET), Shakespeare & Company Booksellers, and the Fashion Institute of Technology, which, as president Joyce F. Brown reminded the audience, is a premier public institution that has suffered from budget cuts in a shaky economy. She stressed that she worries each day about the economic conditions students will face when they graduate.
Robert Johnson, Executive Director of INET, served as moderator, and kicked off the evening praising Krguman and Stiglitz as his nominees should the prize of Most Courageous Economist ever be offerred. Johnson himself is an economist who has not shied away from tough criticism of the field and policies that hurt the 99 percent. (Stiglitz and Johnson were both contributers to the AlterNet book I co-edited, The 99%: How the Occupy Movement is Changing America ).
The discussion touched on many themes, but the increasing need for economists -- and politicians -- to learn the lessons of history was a key point. Both Krugman and Stigtliz appeared troubled that much of our economic misery is not the result of uncontrollable forces, but self-inflicted pain springing from a failure to appreciate the lessons learned in past crises and to understand the role of government in creating and maintaining a strong economy.
(more)
Krugman and Stiglitz: Crazy Austerity Policies Inflict Untold Damage on Economy
Two Nobel laureates, an election, and a shaky economy. The message? We can do a whole lot better.Though there wasn't too much talk of specific politicians last night, the election certainly hung in air as the two most cited economists in the world met on stage in New York City to discuss where the economy is headed.
The event was hosted by the Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET), Shakespeare & Company Booksellers, and the Fashion Institute of Technology, which, as president Joyce F. Brown reminded the audience, is a premier public institution that has suffered from budget cuts in a shaky economy. She stressed that she worries each day about the economic conditions students will face when they graduate.
Robert Johnson, Executive Director of INET, served as moderator, and kicked off the evening praising Krguman and Stiglitz as his nominees should the prize of Most Courageous Economist ever be offerred. Johnson himself is an economist who has not shied away from tough criticism of the field and policies that hurt the 99 percent. (Stiglitz and Johnson were both contributers to the AlterNet book I co-edited, The 99%: How the Occupy Movement is Changing America ).
The discussion touched on many themes, but the increasing need for economists -- and politicians -- to learn the lessons of history was a key point. Both Krugman and Stigtliz appeared troubled that much of our economic misery is not the result of uncontrollable forces, but self-inflicted pain springing from a failure to appreciate the lessons learned in past crises and to understand the role of government in creating and maintaining a strong economy.
(more)
October 24, 2012
A column I wrote more than a month ago discussed the fact that the attack on our consulate in Benghazi, Libya is unfortunately not a unique event. More than 90 diplomats have died in the line of duty over the last 32 years. Libya is only one of many dangerous diplomatic duty stations among the more than 270 diplomatic missions we maintain around the world.
I also mentioned that Congress has failed to recognize that threat. Under pressure from Republicans in the House of Representatives, Congress actually cut the Obama administration’s request for improving the physical security of our embassies by nearly $300 million in the past two fiscal years.
That figure gained a good deal of attention and a lot of requests for more detail and background on the State Department security budget. After spending some time culling through the numbers and reading old General Accountability Office reports and State Department budget justifications, I concluded that the picture that emerges adds significant perspective on the tragedy in Benghazi; the role Congress played in determining the current preparedness of the State Department to cope with such tragedies; and the continuing challenge we face in reducing the threat posed to our diplomats—particularly in those nations that are struggling to build stable, nonviolent societies.
(more)
from the article he mentioned in first sentence above...(emphases my own)
Diplomats, National Security, and the House Budget
The deaths last week of Stevens, Smith, Doherty, and Woods should remind all of us of the extreme risks and daily discomforts that are taken by a great many of the thousands of men and women who staff the more than 260 embassies, consulates, and missions we maintain in 180 separate countries. We should also recognize that our national security is as dependent on men like Christopher Stevens and the work they do in weaving together alliances and bringing stability to strife-torn regions of the world as by our investments in military hardware or our deployment of military personnel. It is a tough, often dirty business—it deserves our respect and appreciation.
It also deserves resources. In each of the last two years, Congress has cut President Obama’s request for U.S. Foreign Service and U.S. Agency for International Development staffing levels despite repeated analysis by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, indicating that our embassies are critically understaffed.
But even more inexcusable are the repeated and deep cuts made to embassy security and construction. Thousands of our diplomatic personnel are serving overseas in facilities that do not come close to meeting the minimal requirements for security established by the so-called Inman commission’s report on overseas diplomatic security to President Ronald Reagan’s secretary of state more than two decades ago.
Nor is it likely to change anytime soon. In the 2011 continuing resolution, Congress, at the insistence of the House of Representatives, slashed the president’s request for embassy security and construction and forced another cut in fiscal year 2012. [font color="red"]Altogether Congress has eliminated $296 million from embassy security and construction in the last two years[/font] with additional cuts in other State Department security accounts.
(more)
Here's some more specifics from The Hill...(looks like $200 million but there is probably another program which impacts embassy security which the Republicans in across the board, Meat Axe, cuts fashion wanted to cut bringing it up to the $300 million. (note: this is not addressing the cuts required by the so-called "Ryan" proposed budget. Those involved 19% across the board cuts to everything - bigger percentage than demanded cuts below.)
GOP cuts to embassy security draw scrutiny, jabs from Democrats - The Hill
Democrats enacted $1.803 billion for embassy security, construction and maintenance for fiscal 2010, when they still controlled the Senate and House. After Republicans took control of the House and picked up six Senate seats, Congress reduced the enacted budget to $1.616 billion in fiscal 2011, and to $1.537 billion for 2012.
The administration requested $1.801 billion for security, construction and maintenance for fiscal 2012; House Republicans countered with a proposal to cut spending to $1.425 billion. The House agreed to increase it to $1.537 billion after negotiations with the Senate.
The administration requested $1.654 billion for the State Department’s Worldwide Security Protection program for fiscal 2012. House Republicans proposed funding the program at $1.557 billion. Congress eventually enacted $1.591 billion after the Senate weighed in.
For fiscal 2013, the administration requested $2.15 billion in funding for the worldwide security protection program, a larger increase from the previous year. The House countered with a proposal to increase the program to $1.934 billion.
(more)
House Republicans Persist in Putting Our Foreign Service Officers at Risk
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/security/news/2012/10/22/42376/house-republicans-persist-in-putting-our-foreign-service-officers-at-risk-2/A column I wrote more than a month ago discussed the fact that the attack on our consulate in Benghazi, Libya is unfortunately not a unique event. More than 90 diplomats have died in the line of duty over the last 32 years. Libya is only one of many dangerous diplomatic duty stations among the more than 270 diplomatic missions we maintain around the world.
I also mentioned that Congress has failed to recognize that threat. Under pressure from Republicans in the House of Representatives, Congress actually cut the Obama administration’s request for improving the physical security of our embassies by nearly $300 million in the past two fiscal years.
That figure gained a good deal of attention and a lot of requests for more detail and background on the State Department security budget. After spending some time culling through the numbers and reading old General Accountability Office reports and State Department budget justifications, I concluded that the picture that emerges adds significant perspective on the tragedy in Benghazi; the role Congress played in determining the current preparedness of the State Department to cope with such tragedies; and the continuing challenge we face in reducing the threat posed to our diplomats—particularly in those nations that are struggling to build stable, nonviolent societies.
(more)
from the article he mentioned in first sentence above...(emphases my own)
Diplomats, National Security, and the House Budget
The deaths last week of Stevens, Smith, Doherty, and Woods should remind all of us of the extreme risks and daily discomforts that are taken by a great many of the thousands of men and women who staff the more than 260 embassies, consulates, and missions we maintain in 180 separate countries. We should also recognize that our national security is as dependent on men like Christopher Stevens and the work they do in weaving together alliances and bringing stability to strife-torn regions of the world as by our investments in military hardware or our deployment of military personnel. It is a tough, often dirty business—it deserves our respect and appreciation.
It also deserves resources. In each of the last two years, Congress has cut President Obama’s request for U.S. Foreign Service and U.S. Agency for International Development staffing levels despite repeated analysis by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, indicating that our embassies are critically understaffed.
But even more inexcusable are the repeated and deep cuts made to embassy security and construction. Thousands of our diplomatic personnel are serving overseas in facilities that do not come close to meeting the minimal requirements for security established by the so-called Inman commission’s report on overseas diplomatic security to President Ronald Reagan’s secretary of state more than two decades ago.
Nor is it likely to change anytime soon. In the 2011 continuing resolution, Congress, at the insistence of the House of Representatives, slashed the president’s request for embassy security and construction and forced another cut in fiscal year 2012. [font color="red"]Altogether Congress has eliminated $296 million from embassy security and construction in the last two years[/font] with additional cuts in other State Department security accounts.
(more)
Here's some more specifics from The Hill...(looks like $200 million but there is probably another program which impacts embassy security which the Republicans in across the board, Meat Axe, cuts fashion wanted to cut bringing it up to the $300 million. (note: this is not addressing the cuts required by the so-called "Ryan" proposed budget. Those involved 19% across the board cuts to everything - bigger percentage than demanded cuts below.)
GOP cuts to embassy security draw scrutiny, jabs from Democrats - The Hill
Democrats enacted $1.803 billion for embassy security, construction and maintenance for fiscal 2010, when they still controlled the Senate and House. After Republicans took control of the House and picked up six Senate seats, Congress reduced the enacted budget to $1.616 billion in fiscal 2011, and to $1.537 billion for 2012.
The administration requested $1.801 billion for security, construction and maintenance for fiscal 2012; House Republicans countered with a proposal to cut spending to $1.425 billion. The House agreed to increase it to $1.537 billion after negotiations with the Senate.
The administration requested $1.654 billion for the State Department’s Worldwide Security Protection program for fiscal 2012. House Republicans proposed funding the program at $1.557 billion. Congress eventually enacted $1.591 billion after the Senate weighed in.
For fiscal 2013, the administration requested $2.15 billion in funding for the worldwide security protection program, a larger increase from the previous year. The House countered with a proposal to increase the program to $1.934 billion.
(more)
October 18, 2012
Romney’s economic program has three basic elements that he says will produce those 12 million jobs, as outlined in a TV ad quoted by Kessler:
First, my energy independence policy means more than 3 million new jobs, many of them in manufacturing. My tax reform plan to lower rates for the middle class and for small business creates 7 million more. And expanding trade, cracking down on China and improving job training takes us to over 12 million new jobs.”
In the studies cited by the Romney campaign, however, those figures practically debunked themselves.
The study that supposedly justifies the 7 million jobs produced by tax reform, written by a Rice University professor, covers a 10-year period—not four years. The study supposedly proving that his energy program will produce 3 million jobs is a Citigroup report that doesn’t even examine Romney’s plan; it includes fuel-economy requirements he has criticized and projects an 8-year timeline. And the International Trade Commission report that supposedly shows how an intellectual property crackdown on China will produce those final 2 million jobs is similarly distorted, using outdated employment figures and ridiculous speculation to reach a conclusion that even its authors warn is “unclear.”
For the coup de grace, Kessler quoted an email from Romney economic advisor R. Glenn Hubbard confessing that “the 3+7+2 does not make up the 12 million jobs in the first four years (different source of growth and different time period).”
<more>
Maybe Romney's working with what mathematicians call imaginary numbers (like the square root of minus one... with imaginary numbers, and somthing you might call 'anti-math' (cf. antimatter), you can do things you can't do with real numbers (colloguial usage, not 'real' by the formal, mathematical definition) the rest of us are familiar with.
Bad Arithmetic: Romney's Jobs Plan numbers Don't Compute - Joe Conason
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/bad_arithmetic_top_romney_economist_admits_jobs_plan_numbers_dont_compute_2/Romney’s economic program has three basic elements that he says will produce those 12 million jobs, as outlined in a TV ad quoted by Kessler:
First, my energy independence policy means more than 3 million new jobs, many of them in manufacturing. My tax reform plan to lower rates for the middle class and for small business creates 7 million more. And expanding trade, cracking down on China and improving job training takes us to over 12 million new jobs.”
In the studies cited by the Romney campaign, however, those figures practically debunked themselves.
The study that supposedly justifies the 7 million jobs produced by tax reform, written by a Rice University professor, covers a 10-year period—not four years. The study supposedly proving that his energy program will produce 3 million jobs is a Citigroup report that doesn’t even examine Romney’s plan; it includes fuel-economy requirements he has criticized and projects an 8-year timeline. And the International Trade Commission report that supposedly shows how an intellectual property crackdown on China will produce those final 2 million jobs is similarly distorted, using outdated employment figures and ridiculous speculation to reach a conclusion that even its authors warn is “unclear.”
For the coup de grace, Kessler quoted an email from Romney economic advisor R. Glenn Hubbard confessing that “the 3+7+2 does not make up the 12 million jobs in the first four years (different source of growth and different time period).”
<more>
Maybe Romney's working with what mathematicians call imaginary numbers (like the square root of minus one... with imaginary numbers, and somthing you might call 'anti-math' (cf. antimatter), you can do things you can't do with real numbers (colloguial usage, not 'real' by the formal, mathematical definition) the rest of us are familiar with.
October 18, 2012
also, for referencing in posts, here's a very good critique of Romney's tax plan bull - from Factcheck.org:
(emphasis my own)
Romney's Impossible Tax Promise - Factcheck.org
[font size="+1"]Tax experts — including one who supports Romney’s plan — say the Republican presidential candidate’s promise to cut individual income tax rates without either favoring the wealthy or losing revenue isn’t mathematically possible.[/font]
That’s the conclusion of the Tax Policy Center in a report the Romney campaign attacked as “biased” (although the campaign previously praised the TPC as “objective,” when it issued a report critical of a rival’s tax plan).
And it’s also the conclusion of an expert from the pro-business Tax Foundation, who states that the Tax Policy Center analysis “correctly identified the Romney plan as a tax cut, at least in static terms, that accrues mainly to high-income earners.”
Romney has proposed very specific tax cuts. He would make the Bush-era income tax cuts and capital gains tax cuts permanent, then cut all income tax rates by an additional 20 percent across the board, repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax (which hits primarily upper-income taxpayers), and permanently repeal the estate tax (which currently applies only to estates valued at $5 million or more).
<more>
Romney's seven biggest debate lies - The Nation
This is a good summary of the major lies. (look,if you try to keep track of all the lies and all their permutations you'd go crazy)
http://www.thenation.com/blog/170623/romneys-seven-biggest-debate-lies
~~
~~
ROMNEY: “As a matter of fact, oil production is down 14 percent this year on federal land.”
Obama immediately challenged this point, leading to the first of many back-and-forths between the president and Romney. But Obama was right. It’s true that drilling on public lands dropped 14 percent in 2011, but it went up 15 percent the year before. Overall oil production on federal lands is up under Obama—and Romney is being extremely dishonest in singling out the one year that it dropped.
We must pause here to note that—since the oil drilled on federal land in the United States has zero impact on global gas prices, since it’s such a trivial amount—it’s not such a hot idea, and not one Obama should be particularly proud of increasing. But he did increase it.
Also, it should be noted that Romney plainly said later in the debate that “coal jobs are not up.” In fact, 1,500 jobs in the coal industry have been created since Obama took office.
<more>
~~
ROMNEY: “As a matter of fact, oil production is down 14 percent this year on federal land.”
Obama immediately challenged this point, leading to the first of many back-and-forths between the president and Romney. But Obama was right. It’s true that drilling on public lands dropped 14 percent in 2011, but it went up 15 percent the year before. Overall oil production on federal lands is up under Obama—and Romney is being extremely dishonest in singling out the one year that it dropped.
We must pause here to note that—since the oil drilled on federal land in the United States has zero impact on global gas prices, since it’s such a trivial amount—it’s not such a hot idea, and not one Obama should be particularly proud of increasing. But he did increase it.
Also, it should be noted that Romney plainly said later in the debate that “coal jobs are not up.” In fact, 1,500 jobs in the coal industry have been created since Obama took office.
<more>
also, for referencing in posts, here's a very good critique of Romney's tax plan bull - from Factcheck.org:
(emphasis my own)
Romney's Impossible Tax Promise - Factcheck.org
[font size="+1"]Tax experts — including one who supports Romney’s plan — say the Republican presidential candidate’s promise to cut individual income tax rates without either favoring the wealthy or losing revenue isn’t mathematically possible.[/font]
That’s the conclusion of the Tax Policy Center in a report the Romney campaign attacked as “biased” (although the campaign previously praised the TPC as “objective,” when it issued a report critical of a rival’s tax plan).
And it’s also the conclusion of an expert from the pro-business Tax Foundation, who states that the Tax Policy Center analysis “correctly identified the Romney plan as a tax cut, at least in static terms, that accrues mainly to high-income earners.”
Romney has proposed very specific tax cuts. He would make the Bush-era income tax cuts and capital gains tax cuts permanent, then cut all income tax rates by an additional 20 percent across the board, repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax (which hits primarily upper-income taxpayers), and permanently repeal the estate tax (which currently applies only to estates valued at $5 million or more).
<more>
October 17, 2012
Hacktivist group Anonymous has reportedly tracked down the man who bullied Amanda Todd, a 15-year-old Canadian girl who committed suicide after suffering torment that led to depression and anxiety.
Anonymous named Todd's alleged bully on Monday in a post on Pastebin.com. The accusers allege that the man who targeted Todd, made her flash him and then turned her life into a living nightmare is a 30-year-old from New Westminster, British Columbia. The post describes him as the man who "extorted amanda todd for pictures. This is the pedophile that social engineered Amanda Todd into supplying him nude pictures."
Anonymous also revealed his address.
Vice magazine posted information that reportedly further links Todd to the alleged bully, including Google Map screenshots of his house, his Facebook profile, chat conversations and screenshots from a "jailbait" website account supposedly tied to the man.
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Amanda Todd's Alleged Bully Named By Anonymous After Teen's Tragic Suicide
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/16/amanda-todd-bully-anonymous-suicide_n_1969792.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopularHacktivist group Anonymous has reportedly tracked down the man who bullied Amanda Todd, a 15-year-old Canadian girl who committed suicide after suffering torment that led to depression and anxiety.
Anonymous named Todd's alleged bully on Monday in a post on Pastebin.com. The accusers allege that the man who targeted Todd, made her flash him and then turned her life into a living nightmare is a 30-year-old from New Westminster, British Columbia. The post describes him as the man who "extorted amanda todd for pictures. This is the pedophile that social engineered Amanda Todd into supplying him nude pictures."
Anonymous also revealed his address.
Vice magazine posted information that reportedly further links Todd to the alleged bully, including Google Map screenshots of his house, his Facebook profile, chat conversations and screenshots from a "jailbait" website account supposedly tied to the man.
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