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Monthly Archives: January 2009

So Tax and Spend Already

31 Saturday Jan 2009

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

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The St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Tony Messenger reported that state Republicans are calling for Governor Nixon to clarify which of his proposed budget priorities are based on funds expected from the federal stimulus package. The concern is that ongoing costs are being added or beefed up through the use of one-time federal monies.  Of course, these funds are not a sure thing in the first place–Messenger refers to the stimulus money as “Monopoly money”–but, in any case, it is probably a sure thing that they  are being used to mask a shortfall in state revenue.

Oddly enough, everybody seems to think that the problem is simply one of spending, even though budget shortfalls have plagued the past two governors–during far more prosperous times even–and one can argue that the budget cuts offered by both the Democratic and the Republican governor short-changed the citizens of Missouri in crucial ways.  For Republican Senator Scott Rupp, this dilemma is puzzling:

Nixon’s budget directors use the phrase “budget stabilization” funds. But whatever you call it, Rupp is wondering why Missouri keeps needing it.

“Half of the years I’ve been here we’ve had to go to somebody else to help us with our budget woes,” … .

Is this guy really that dim?  Even I can tell him why there is never enough money to do what the state needs to do–and it is not the current recession or wasteful spending. The problem can be laid at the failure of legislators like Rupp to do the heavy lifting they are hired to do, to levy the taxes that are needed in order to secure the goods and services that the people of the state require.  

Instead, the good ol’ boys and girls in the State legislature along with their local government partners hand out tax incentives like candy, without any real evidence that they are effective and lots of reason to suppose that they are not.  Meanwhile, the overused compensatory strategies of sales and property taxes are beginning to fail.  Not only does the recession affect sales and hence sales tax revenue, but there are actually some folks out there who realize that as long as they vote to enable regressive taxes that is all they are going to get.  

What’s the solution?  This may not be the time to talk about raising taxes per se, but what about reforming the tax system? Do taxes smarter–just imagine! There are certainly ideas about how to go about it.  For example, last April Hotflash described some interesting proposals put forward by Rep. Jeanette Mott Oxford (D-St. Louis). But how do you get constituents to raise the hue and cry?  How do you create the urgency that moves us past the Pavlovian salivating triggered by mention of “tax and spend liberals” so that we actually get what we need in an environment where business interests pay their fair share?  

Risking their entire destruction

31 Saturday Jan 2009

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Writing about the French revolution, John Kenneth Galbraith observed:

“People of privilege will always risk their entire destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage. Intellectual myopia, often called stupidity, is no doubt a reason. But the privileged feel also that their privileges, no matter how egregious they may seem to others, are a solemn, basic, God-given right. The sensitivity of the poor to injustice is a trivial thing compared with that of the rich.”

    –“The Age of Uncertainty”, p.13

With economy posting its worst growth figures since 1982, Maureen Dowd is irate at the former masters of the universe who refuse to surrender any material part of their advantage even as their universe–and ours–crumbles:

In an interview with Maria Bartiromo on CNBC, Thain used the specious, contemptible reasoning that other executives use to rationalize why they’re keeping their bonuses as profits are plunging.

“If you don’t pay your best people, you will destroy your franchise” and they’ll go elsewhere, he said.

Hello? They destroyed the franchise. Let’s call their bluff. Let’s see what a great job market it is for the geniuses of capitalism who lost $15 billion in three months and helped usher in socialism.

Then the topic arose of Thain spending a million dollars to redecorate his office even as profits were plunging:

Bartiromo pressed: What was wrong with the office of his predecessor, Stanley O’Neal?

“Well – his office was very different – than – the – the general décor of – Merrill’s offices,” Thain replied. “It really would have been – very difficult – for – me to use it in the form that it was in.”

Did it have a desk and a phone?

How are these ruthless, careless ghouls who murdered the economy still walking around (not to mention that sociopathic sadist Bernie Madoff?) – and not as perps?

Bring on the shackles. Let the show trials begin.

And the guillotine be erected.

I’d mind them risking “their entire destruction” very little, if they weren’t risking mine into the bargain.

Union! Employee Free Choice Act

31 Saturday Jan 2009

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

ad, AFL-CIO, Employee Free Choice Act

From the AFL-CIO:

…Today, American Rights at Work, the national workers’ advocacy group, launches a new ad campaign to cut through the dishonest spin about the Employee Free Choice Act, a vital bill to restore the freedom to form unions and bargain and make the economy work for everyone.

The broadcast and print ads, set to launch Sunday, will push back on a massive and misleading corporate campaign, in which anti-worker front groups are blanketing politicians, journalists and the public with falsehoods about the Employee Free Choice Act…

Union!

Interestingly enough, some people don’t like unions or the Employee Free Choice Act: “Bailout Recipients Hosted Call To Defeat Key Labor Bill”. Go. Read the whole thing. Some of the hyperbole is delicious, especially the part about “the demise of civilization.” I wonder why someone would think that?

Friday, March 7, 2008 at 11:00 AM EST

The ‘Fortunate 400?

Here’s a little something to chew on while you get your income tax files together this season. Median income in the USA is $48,000. Average annual income of the top four hundred taxpayers? Two hundred and fourteen million dollars. Yep. Two hundred and fourteen million.

Their share of the nation’s income has doubled since 1995. And the tax bill of our happy gazillionaires? Well, it’s fallen by almost half in that same period, from 30 to 18 percent.

Compare that against yours, and the national deficit…

And more recently:

JANUARY 30, 2009

For ‘Fortunate 400,’ a Tumbling Tax Rate

By JESSE DRUCKER

The nation’s top 400 taxpayers made more than $263 million on average in 2006, as the stock market was rallying, but paid income taxes at the lowest rate in the 15 years that the Internal Revenue Service has tracked such data, according to figures released Thursday…

Oh, I now understand this “demise of civilization” thing. It’s about money. That explains everything. You see, if employees unionize they might be able to negotiate an actual living wage and decent benefits – and maybe ‘almost” billionaires would just control hundreds of millions of dollars of personal wealth instead of approaching their dream of controlling billions. It all makes sense now…

New RNC Chair Michael Steele's Connection With Missouri

30 Friday Jan 2009

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Michael Steele, missouri, Peter Kinder

No, he didn’t go to Mizzou or something. I mean that Michael Steele utilized a tactic that another Republican Lieutenant Governor employed here in Missouri.

In 2006, then Maryland Lt. Governor Steele was in a tough race for US Senate, one in which his Democratic opponent would easily prevail. Since it was shaping up to be a big year for Democrats nationally, and Maryland is a Democratic-leaning state, Steele had “Sample Democratic Ballots” printed and distributed in the Baltimore area. The sample ballots featured Steele without mentioning that he was a Republican.

Missouri’s own Peter Kinder learned well, using the same tactic this year in St. Louis as part of a winning effort.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user matthewnstoller via a Creative Commons License. Yes, that Matt Stoller.

McCaskill's getting some press for Cap plan

30 Friday Jan 2009

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ 9 Comments

The McCaskill solution of a $400K cap on CEO salaries/benefits seems to be getting a lot of press (or MSNBC is really bored today).

The McCaskill Cap seems a reasonable idea (but for all the talk of how the CEOs were idiots, what should we say for Senators who didn’t put in safeguards to block this from occurring?*).

As for this plan’s ability to do much now. Eh. Depends on if there are benefits that haven’t been paid out yet.

* – not to be too mean to Senator McCaskill, but there’s a difference between audacity and idiocy. What the CEOs did by soaking taxpayers was pretty much audacious.

——

Update: And a diary on this topic is currently the top recommended diary on DailyKos.

Update – Michael Bersin – Claire McCaskill on the floor of the Senate:

Friday Public Art Blogging

30 Friday Jan 2009

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Columbia, missouri, public art

Found on a wall in Columbia:

Discuss.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user miss birdnest hair under a Creative Commons license.

Senator Ben Nelson (D – Nebraska) has some "concerns"…

30 Friday Jan 2009

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Ben Nelson, Claire McCaskill, missouri, Obama, stimulus

…and sucks Claire McCaskill (D – Missouri) in with him.

As the incomparable Digby wryly observes:

…It is after all, written into the Democratic Party bylaws that conservative Democratic Senators must put the new Dem president in his place and make sure that no one in the country ever get the idea that he is really in charge…

Influential Senate Dem Questions Party Support for Stimulus Bill

Sen. Ben Nelson told FOX News he is unsure how many Democrats will support President Obama’s $819 billion economic stimulus bill.

By Trish Turner

FOXNews.com

Friday, January 30, 2009

An influential Senate Democrat said Friday that it’s unclear whether President Obama’s $819 economic stimulus bill will win enough support to pass in the Senate.

“I don’t even know how many Democrats will vote for it, as it stands today,” Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., told FOX News…

Okay, here’s a new rule for Democrats – you can’t participate in an exercise which allows someone to go on the air at the propaganda arm of the rnc (the Faux News Channel) and trash a Democratic president’s economic stimulus plan when you voted for a republican president’s bailout of their Wall Street buddies.

Shame on you Claire McCaskill for helping to provide this fodder to right wingnuts. If you were going to attend the meeting (not a problem) you should have at least elicited a promise that your blowhard colleague wouldn’t go directly from the meeting to spout off for Roger Ailes’ propaganda network.

So much for working behind the scenes.

Uh, you do know that Ike Skelton (D – MO4) voted for the House version, right?

Penrose on Politics: Funk gets buried

30 Friday Jan 2009

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

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Brett Penrose, Funkhouser, Kansas City, missouri

Brett Penrose on the continuing adventure which is Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser.

Paper ballots – HB 499

30 Friday Jan 2009

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

2009, Election law, HB 499, Jake Zimmerman, missouri

Representative Jake Zimmerman (D – 83) introduced a bill to change Missouri election law yesterday:

HB 499 Changes the laws regarding the use of paper ballots at elections

Sponsor: Zimmerman, Jake (83) Proposed Effective Date: 08/28/2009

CoSponsor: Colona, Mike (67) ……….etal. LR Number: 1035L.01I

Last Action: 01/29/2009 – Introduced and Read First Time (H)

HB499

Next Hearing: Hearing not scheduled

House Calendar HOUSE BILLS FOR SECOND READING

The bill language is straightforward:

FIRST REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE BILL NO. 499

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES ZIMMERMAN (Sponsor), COLONA, LAMPE, McCLANAHAN, LeVOTA, SCHOELLER, HUGHES, TALBOY, WILSON (119), WETER, WELLS, SKAGGS, FALLERT, LOW, MUNZLINGER, DAY, SCHIEFFER, MORRIS, GRILL, HOLSMAN, KANDER, PACE, WALTON GRAY, SCAVUZZO, CHAPPELLE-NADAL, OXFORD, KIRKTON, ROORDA, McNEIL, YAEGER, SCHAAF, SCHUPP, ATKINS, STORCH AND WEBB (Co-sponsors).

1035L.01I                                                                                                                                                  D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk

AN ACT

To amend chapter 115, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to ballots.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

           Section A. Chapter 115, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 115.428, to read as follows:

           115.428. 1. For each election in which a state or federal office or measure is on the ballot, each individual who is eligible to cast a vote in the election shall be offered the opportunity to cast their vote using a paper ballot card. It shall be the responsibility of each election authority to provide a sufficient number of paper ballot cards to comply with this section.

           2. Any paper ballot card which is cast by an individual under this section shall be counted and otherwise treated as a regular ballot for all purposes, unless the individual casting the ballot would have otherwise been required to cast a provisional ballot.

           3. The election authority at each location where ballots are cast shall post in a conspicuous place a notice stating that paper ballot cards are available at that location and that a voter may request to use such a ballot. Such notice shall be printed by the secretary of state as part of the voting instructions required by section 115.417 and provided to the local election authorities.

           4. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 115.063, the direct cost incurred by an election authority for the actual physical printing of a sufficient number of paper ballot cards to comply with this section and section 115.247 for all elections in which a state or federal office or measure is on the ballot shall be paid by the state in the manner provided for in section 115.077.

[emphasis added]

That’s right, it would require that voters be given the right to request a paper ballot. Why is that so important (aside from the mistrust of electronic touch screen machines in the popular culture)?

First, lets take a look at an excerpt from recount procedures from the Missouri Secretary of State’s office (DRE is the terminology for a touch screen voting machine. LEA is the “local election authority”.):

…Ballot counting – DREs

NOTE: Only the LEA, LEA staff, and the bipartisan teams will conduct the recount, without additional assistance. Everyone else may observe, but may not handle the paper trails, containers, and DREs.

1. The LEA shall break the seal on the DRE component that contains the voter verified paper audit trail and retrieve the paper trail.

2. The voter verified paper trail shall be examined by the bipartisan team and the votes hand tallied for the State Representative, District 121 race using a separate tally sheet. The results will be recorded on the tally summary sheet (form provided) and added to the final results in the Report of Findings.

3. In the event that the voter verified paper trail is not usable for the recount, the LEA shall next use the audit trail* from each DRE that was created contemporaneously with the voter verified paper trail (*as defined in 15 CSR 30-10.010), and proceed with the process described in #2. The LEA shall then separately seal and secure any such DRE component for possible further inspection.

[emphasis added]

Let me spell it out for you. The Missouri Secretary of State’s office has a provision in its recount procedures which addresses the failure of the “voter verified paper trail” in an electronic device. That is, if it is not possible to use the printout that the voter used at the time they voted to verify their vote (and in a sense the direct artifact to the voter’s wishes is gone) then the recount must rely on an electronic record reproduced internally from the electronic machine. In addition, the procedures call for sealing the machine for possible future inspection if that internal audit rather than the voter verified paper trail is used.

A paper ballot is a direct artifact from the voter. We keep hearing that touchscreen machines allow us convenience. Try telling that to someone who has had to wait in line to use a machine. All you need to increase the volume of voters executing their vote at any one time on a paper ballot is more pens/pencils and a flat surface.

For the purposes of voter intent the only irrecoverable single point of failure on a paper ballot is the actual voter. They can and will sometimes screw it up, but ultimately it is their screw up. If the optical scanner fails then we still have the actual ballot which can be counted by hand.

Electronic machines can and do fail. If we have multiple points of failure and things get screwed up what would we have to do then?

From personal experience I will always chose a paper ballot if I have the option. If I ever lose that option you can bet I’ll scream bloody murder until I get it back.

Anti-payraise resolution passes House and Senate

30 Friday Jan 2009

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

By a vote of 32-1, the Senate passed HCR5. HCR5 passed the House on Monday by a vote of 129-31. The bill disapproves of the Missouri Citizens’ Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials salary recommendations. From what i’ve noticed, passing or considering such a disapproval is a relatively new tradition to start off sessions of the General Assembly.

But, Laptop computers may invade the Missouri Senate this session. So we’ll keep an eye on those developments.

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