I screwed up. Because I just received the last of the documents I needed to do my taxes, and I figured that I’d better get them done, before something else happens. It set off my back pain. I expected pain, but I thought it all would be somewhat lower. In spite of poverty, I am not a corporate criminal, so I pay taxes. Disgust over that comparison should help explain two of the Short Takes.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:31 (average 4:25). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Think Progress: Japan lowered its corporate tax rate one year ago this week, leaving the United States with the highest statutory corporate tax rate in the world. And as Washington turns its focus to corporate tax reform, groups of corporations aren’t letting lawmakers forget the anniversary.
The RATE Coalition, a group of corporations advocating for lower tax rates, sent top tax writers in the House and Senate a letter today noting the anniversary and renewing their push for lower tax rates…
…RATE isn’t alone. Business Roundtable, another corporate lobbying group that includes some of RATE’s members, announced plans to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars lobbying for lower corporate tax rates.
But while the companies are correct that America’s corporate tax rate is statutorily the highest in the world, what they aren’t noting is that few corporations actually pay the 35 percent rate. In fact, even as profits for American corporations hit a 60-year high in 2011, their effective tax rate hit a 40-year low, and the U.S. collects less in taxes as a percent of the total economy than every industrialized country in the world save Iceland. It’s been 45 years since corporations paid the full top tax rate, and 26 American companies avoided taxation altogether over the past four years…
Effectively, this exposes the Republican claim as pure deception. TC paid more than GE! 
From The Nation: States are giving unprecedented tax breaks to corporations—but unlike welfare recipients, Nation writer Greg Kaufmann says, "nobody’s talking about drug-testing them." Kaufmann joins a panel on The Melissa Harris-Perry Show to break down the hypocrisies of government largesse.
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This certainly exposes the Republican plan in action. Welfare for corporate criminals and their 1% vulture capitalists; poverty enhancement for the rest of us. Perry was spot on when she referred to the evaporated middle class.
From The New Yorker: Saying that he could “no longer keep up the punishing pace of sabre rattling seven days a week,” North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un said today that beginning this month he will take weekends off from vowing to incinerate the world…
He expects to return to 7 day BS as soon as he finishes converting his nation to the more totalitarian Republican Tea Party.
Cartoon:
9 Responses to “Open Thread–4/2/2013”
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3:22 On reflection, I didn't get thrown by the reflection too badly this time.
3:21 Me neither.
3:30 I tarried too long over the beauty of the antiquities of this thousands of years old fort on the Moroccan Atlantic coast.
Think Progress ~ They boo-hoo all the way to the off-shore banks to hide even more of their profits.
The Nation ~ The corporate welfare is in the form of the non-payment of taxes and the bailouts and the subsidies. Where do we start?
New Yorker ~ What isn't funny is that I think the Republicans are enjoying the saber-rattling.
Cartoon ~ I'll take that solar-spill any day of the week.
A solar spill is called a hot day. An oil spill is called an econlogical disaster.
That should be "ecological".
Actually Jerry if you add an "o" so it is "econological", not only have you invented a new word but it implies a link between economy and logical. And you must admit, a solar spill is that, and an oil spill is not.
Some times I wonder if there is any connection at all between economy and logic, kind of like republicans and truth, or republicans and governing.
Puzzle — 3:30 I tarried too long over the beauty of the antiquities of this thousands of years old fort on the Moroccan Atlantic coast.
Think Progress — "Statutorily" versus "Realistically" ! Corporations get their products to market, at least in part, using public roadways. They have police and fire protection. They benefit from legislators doing their bidding. Etc etc. So tell me, why shouldn't they pay taxes? As usual, they tell only part of the story. They don't acknowledge their off shore money on which they don't pay US tax. They don't acknowledge all the subsidies and loopholes that reduce their effective tax rate. So much for corporate social responsibility. Capitalism run amok!
The Nation & The Mellissa Harris-Perry Show — The definition of the welfare queen is now Corporate America!
Greg Kaufmann — ""We would like to think that for all these tax breaks, we'd be seeing some good jobs created, Instead, one in three Americans is languishing below twice the poverty line."
Steven Lerner "…a giant extortion racket — which is the richest and most powerful companies have this thing they hold over our heads called jobs. . . massive wealth redistribution machine redistributing it from us to folks who already have too much money. …"
And of course, Republican/Teabaggers are committed to ensuring that system remains, Just plain disgusting!
The New Yorker — Someone should give this guy a permanent timeout! A dangerous pudgy little boy with a ridiculous hair cut! No doubt Patty — I think that is one of several ways they get their jollies!
Cartoon — I choose solar spill with a gentle breeze so I don't over heat!