The inherent weakness in the greed and avarice of the super wealthy is that enough will never be enough.

“…One thing is certain, Madison is only the beginning…”

“…The rich have overplayed their hand…”

“…The only thing that’s broke is the moral compass of the rulers…”

“…And, and that is the thing that the rich hate the most about America. No matter how hard they try to buy the votes, no matter how hard they try to own the political process, when it comes down to it, it’s one person, one vote. And there’s a hell of a lot more of us then there are of them. And never forget that, never forget that…”

HB 61

Prohibits the state minimum wage from exceeding the federal minimum wage and specifies that every employer must pay each employee receiving gratuities as compensation a wage of $3.63 per hour

And the House passed it on March 3rd:

On motion of Representative Nolte, HCS HB 61 [pdf] was read the third time and passed by the following vote:

AYES: 092

Allen Asbury Bahr Barnes Bernskoetter Berry Brandom Brattin Brown 85 Brown 116 Burlison Cauthorn Cierpiot Conway 14 Cookson Cox Crawford Cross Curtman Davis Day Denison Dieckhaus Diehl Dugger Elmer Entlicher Faith Fisher Flanigan Fraker Franklin Franz Frederick Fuhr Funderburk Gatschenberger Gosen Grisamore Guernsey Haefner Hinson Hoskins Hough Houghton Johnson Jones 89 Keeney Kelley 126 Klippenstein Koenig Korman Lair Lant Largent Lasater Lauer Leach Loehner Long Marshall McNary Molendorp Nance Neth Nolte Parkinson Pollock Redmon Reiboldt Richardson Ruzicka Sater Schad Scharnhorst Schatz Schieber Schneider Schoeller Shumake Smith 150 Solon Stream Thomson Torpey Wallingford Wells White Wieland Wright Wyatt Mr Speaker

NOES: 060

Anders Atkins Aull Black Carlson Carter Casey Colona Conway 27 Curls Ellinger Fallert Fitzwater Hampton Harris Hodges Holsman Hummel Jones 63 Kander Kelly 24 Kirkton Kratky Lampe May McCaherty McDonald McGeoghegan McGhee McManus McNeil Meadows Montecillo Newman Nichols Oxford Pace Peters-Baker Phillips Pierson Quinn Rizzo Rowland Schieffer Schupp Shively Sifton Silvey Smith 71 Spreng Still Swearingen Swinger Talboy Taylor Walton Gray Webb Webber Weter Zerr

PRESENT: 000

ABSENT WITH LEAVE: 011

Brown 50 Higdon Hubbard Hughes Jones 117 Leara Lichtenegger McCann Beatty Nasheed Riddle Zimmerman

Speaker Tilley declared the bill passed.

Missouri workers shouldn’t make a living wage? But then again, if you make $250,000.00 a year that’s not a lot. And teachers are parasites…

March 04, 2011 05:00 PM

Crisis in the Dairyland – For Richer and Poorer

By scarce

….When will America’s teachers follow the lead of Wall Street and start making some sacrifices for the children?….

It all equals out, right?

The best prescient film review ever:

Ephemera 2009

…There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs…

Via TBogg at Firedoglake and Doug J at Balloon Juice.

Class warfare propaganda for the haves.

And to think, Leni Riefenstahl constantly complained about what she had to work with…  

Via Twitter:

@UKProgressive  DenisCampbell

Bumper sticker: “AT LEAST THE WAR ON THE MIDDLE CLASS IS GOING WELL..” 6 hours ago

That about sums it up.

Update:

Pinning the meter on maximum snark:

To the Sports Editor:

The bizarre behavior of Gil Meche, who gave up $12 million because he “felt bad” about taking money he had not earned, is a slap in the face to those toilers in the finance industry who courageously set aside their moral scruples and accept multimillion-dollar bonuses in the face of an economic crisis of their own making. It is to be hoped that Meche, in light of the example of those whose Ivy League degrees attest to a deeper understanding of this sort of moral and ethical quandary, will change his mind….

Awesome, freakin’ awesome.

Sales taxes are regressive.

regressive tax: Taxation that takes a larger percentage of a lower-income and a smaller percentage of a higher income. For example, a tax on the basic necessities (which form a larger percentage of the expenditure of the lower income population) is a regressive tax…

[emphasis added]

SJR 1 [pdf] would do away with the state income tax and institute a state sales tax. On damn near everything.

The good news, if this passes and becomes law? The extravagant mansions of the new gilded age will be built to last for generations. The bad news? There won’t be any peons around for those generations who could afford the measly price of admission to those museums of excess or have enough education to care.

Yep, this’ll surely redistribute the wealth. Upward:

FIRST REGULAR SESSION

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 1

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RIDGEWAY.

Pre-filed December 1, 2010, and ordered printed.

TERRY L. SPIELER, Secretary.0215S.01I

JOINT RESOLUTION

Submitting to the qualified voters of Missouri, an amendment repealing section 4(d)of article X of the Constitution of Missouri, and adopting one new section in lieu thereof relating to the revenue-neutral replacement of all taxes on income with an amended sales and use tax.

Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring therein:

That at the next general election to be held in the state of Missouri, on Tuesday next following the first Monday in November, 2012, or at a special election to be called by the governor for that purpose, there is hereby submitted to the qualified voters of this state, for adoption or rejection, the following amendment to article X of the Constitution of the state of Missouri: Section A. Section 4(d), article X, Constitution of Missouri, is repealed and one new section adopted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 4(d), to read as follows:

Section 4(d). 1. In enacting any law imposing a tax on or measured by income, the general assembly may define income by reference to provisions of the laws of the United States as they may be or become effective at any time or from time to time, whether retrospective or prospective in their operation. The general assembly shall in any such law set the rate or rates of such tax. The general assembly may in so defining income make exceptions, additions, or modifications to any provisions of the laws of the United States so referred to and for retrospective exceptions or modifications to those provisions which are retrospective….

…2. For all tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2013, no tax shall be imposed upon any income derived from any source within this state, and all revenues lost as a result of the prohibition on the taxation of income under this section shall be replaced by the levy and imposition of a tax upon the consumption or use in this state of taxable property or services. Taxable property or services shall mean any property (including leaseholds of any term or rents with respect to such property but excluding intangible personal property and used property) and any service consumed or used in this state, except for such property purchased to be a component part or ingredient of the new tangible personal property to be sold at retail. No tax shall be imposed under this section on any taxable property or service purchased for a business purpose in a trade or business, including agriculture, or purchased for an investment purpose and held exclusively for an investment purpose. For purposes of this section, the term “purchased for a business purpose in a trade or business” shall mean purchased by a person engaged in a trade or business and used in that trade or business for resale, to produce, provide, render, or sell taxable property or services, or in furtherance of other bona fide business purposes. For purposes of this section, the term “purchased for an investment purpose” shall mean property purchased exclusively for purposes of appreciation or the production of income, and tuition and fees paid to an accredited institution of higher education for educational services. All sales tax exemptions in place as of the effective date of this section exempting purchases other than the purchases enumerated in this article shall be void.

3. The rate of the tax levied and imposed under subsection 2 of this section shall be five and eleven one-hundredths percent. As may be recommended by the tax adjustment commission established by subsection 8 of this section, the general assembly may enact one rate adjustment, to be effective no later than the beginning of fiscal year 2014, after the imposition of such tax if the revenue lost as a result of the prohibition on the taxation of income is greater than or less than the revenue received from the tax imposed in th i s section. Notwithstanding the limitation on total state revenues as provided in article X, section 18 of this constitution, such adjustment shall be calculated to ensure that the amount of revenue received is substantially equal to the amount of revenue that would have been generated by the taxes repealed under this section averaged over the three immediately preceding fiscal years. Local political subdivisions shall recalculate their local tax rates, including local tax revenue to be deposited in the school district trust fund, affected by this section to produce the same or substantially similar revenue as collected in the immediately previous fiscal year. The general assembly may provide by law for determining the scope of taxable services and for otherwise implementing the provisions of this section. Exemptions from such tax may be provided by law upon an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the elected members of both chambers and approval by the governor.

4. Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 43(a) and 47(a) of article IV of this constitution, the rates of tax levied and imposed under those sections shall undergo a one-time recalculation, taking into account any adjustment in the tax base. This recalculation shall determine the new rates that would produce an amount of revenue for the fiscal year of recalculation substantially equal to the amount actually received in the year of recalculation under the prior rate described in those sections of the constitution. These new tax rates shall be recalculated in this same manner should the rate of tax levied under section 4(d) of article X of this constitution be readjusted.

5. The taxes that are replaced under this section are as follows: (1) Withholding taxes and individual and corporate income taxes; (2) Corporation franchise and bank franchise taxes; (3) All existing state sales and use taxes; (4) All local earnings taxes authorized by state law.

6. The department of revenue shall determine a method for providing a sales tax rebate for each duly registered qualified household of this state. The sales tax rebate shall be distributed to each qualified household beginning January 1, 2013. The monthly amount of the rebate shall be equal to the product of the rate of sales tax established under this section and one-twelfth of the annual poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the United States Department of Health and Human Services under the authority of 42 U.S.C. Section 9902(2), as amended.

7. The department of revenue shall promulgate rules as otherwise provided by law to implement the provisions of this section.

8. There is hereby created a “Tax Adjustment Commission”, whose members shall be the governor, or his or her designee, the chair of the house budget committee, and the chair of the senate appropriations committee. The purpose of the tax adjustment commission shall be to recommend a one-time adjustment to the
rate of tax established in subsection 3 of this section. The commission shall meet prior to January 1, 2014, to conduct studies of a tax rate adjustment which would provide an amount substantially equal to the amount of revenue that would have been generated by the taxes repealed under this section in fiscal year 2012. The tax rate adjustment shall only be recommended to the general assembly upon unanimous vote of the commission. If the general assembly is not in regular or special session at the time the commission’s recommendation is received, the general assembly shall automatically convene in special session within fourteen days of receipt of the recommendation. A concurrent resolution, not subject to substantive amendment in either chamber, shall be introduced in the house of representatives for approval or rejection. If approved, the concurrent resolution shall be considered by the senate for approval or rejection. If approved by both chambers, the concurrent resolution shall be presented to the governor, and, within fourteen days of such presentment, the governor shall return the concurrent resolution to the house of representatives endorsed with his or her approval or accompanied by his or her objections. If the concurrent resolution is approved by the governor, the tax rate adjustment shall become effective at the beginning of the following calendar quarter. If the concurrent resolution is not approved by the governor, the general assembly shall automatically convene in special session within fourteen days of such disapproval to reconsider the resolution as otherwise provided in section 32 of article III of this constitution. If the concurrent resolution is approved by a two-third majority in each chamber, the tax rate adjustment shall become effective at the beginning of the following calendar quarter.

9. The revisor of statutes, in conjunction with the department of revenue, the state tax commission, and other tax-related agencies and departments, shall prepare and submit to the committee on legislative research a proposed bill repealing those provisions of law which are deemed unenforceable or unnecessary under the provisions of this section.

10. The provisions of this section are severable. If any provision of this section is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unconstitutional, the remaining provisions are valid except to the extent that the court finds that the valid provisions, standing alone, are incomplete and are incapable of being executed in accordance with the will of the people.

Section B. Pursuant to chapter 116, RSMo, and other applicable constitutional provisions and laws of this state allowing the general assembly to adopt ballot language for the submission of a joint resolution to the voters of this state, the official ballot title of the amendment proposed in section A of this act shall read as follows:

“Shall the Constitution of the State of Missouri be amended to eliminate individual and corporate income tax, and state sales and use tax and to enact a single, revenue-neutral sales tax on new purchases of goods and services, and to exempt property purchased for business or investment from the sales tax?”

[emphasis in original]

As usual, the devil is in the details:

“…Taxable property or services shall mean any property (including leaseholds of any term or rents with respect to such property but excluding intangible personal property and used property) and any service consumed or used in this state…”

Uh, you know, people with lower incomes tend to rent. They’ll have to pay taxes on their rent under this bill.

But:

“…No tax shall be imposed under this section on any taxable property or service purchased for a business purpose in a trade or business, including agriculture, or purchased for an investment purpose and held exclusively for an investment purpose…”

Landlords who rent said properties will not pay the sales tax when they purchase the property.

Redistribute the wealth upward, anyone?

There’s this gem, repealing the earnings taxes in Kansas City and St. Louis:

“…5. The taxes that are replaced under this section are as follows: (1) Withholding taxes and individual and corporate income taxes; (2) Corporation franchise and bank franchise taxes; (3) All existing state sales and use taxes; (4) All local earnings taxes authorized by state law. …”

The bill sets the starting state sales tax rate at 5.11%. Adding in local taxes can bring it to over 7%. There is a one time provision to raise the tax to be revenue neutral. No sane analyst has come in under 10% to achieve that goal.

If this comes to pass invest in pitchfork and torch stocks. Buy heavily into popcorn futures. Then sit back on your couch, pass the popcorn and wait for the first average Joe to get an additional 15% tacked on for:

….And those taxes would be applied not just to goods, as most current sales taxes are, but to nearly everything you buy, including auto repair, haircuts, prescription drugs, housing rents, utilities and child care. Some proposals also would tax doctor’s visits and prescription drugs….

…Here’s the bottom line: 15 percent. On darn near everything. For a pipe dream.

[emphasis added]

(from Twitter, hat tip to our good friends at Fired Up!)

Pitchforks and torches. That’s an investment opportunity you’re not gonna want to pass up.

We are not worthy.

….conservative Dorothy Rabinowitz of the Wall Street Journal talking about a new television show:

“You have major criminality, excused as nothing. You can do anything you want, as long as you’re poor.”

That’s absolutely right, of course. Except for one word.

[emphasis added]

Well, isn’t that rich?

An explanation of the sausage making.

The vote:

U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 111th Congress – 2nd Session

Question: On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on Motion to Concur in the House Amdt. to Senate Amdt. With Amdt. No. 4727 to H.R. 4853 )

Vote Number: 258 Vote Date: December 4, 2010, 10:30 AM

Required For Majority: 3/5 Vote Result: Cloture Motion Rejected

Amendment Number: S.Amdt. 4727 to H.R. 4853 (Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2010, Part III)

Statement of Purpose: To change the enactment date.

Vote Counts: YEAs 53

NAYs 36

Not Voting 11

And they managed to do so with 11 republicans not voting. Is this a great country, or what?

The middle class tax cuts (for everyone, including millionaires and billionaires) for income up to $250,000.00 passed in the House this afternoon. All but three republicans voted “no” because they think millionaires and billionaires deserve even more money. In voting “no”, they voted against tax relief for the vast majority of working Americans and their families.

FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 604

H R 4853      YEA-AND-NAY      2-Dec-2010      3:55 PM

QUESTION:  On Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment with an Amendment

BILL TITLE: Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2010, Part III

—- YEAS    234 —

Carnahan

Clay

Cleaver

Skelton

—- NAYS    188 —

Akin

Blunt

Emerson

Graves (MO)

Luetkemeyer

[emphasis added]

Well, bless Ike Skelton (D).

I can see the ads from organized labor in the 8th Congressional District in two years attacking Jo Ann Emerson (r) for voting with Speaker Boehner 95% of the time. Yeah, right.

Here’s an explanation of the sausage making:

Today in Congress

….What the hell is going on here?

The Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2010, Part III was originated in the House and passed back in March. (And remember, if there are going to be revenue provisions in this thing, it has to have originated in the House, so that’s important.) It then went to the Senate, and sat around until September.  When it came to the floor, the Senate amended it, passed the amended version, and sent it back to the House.

Now, the House plans to take up the Senate amendment, which it does under a rule governing debate, just as it would with any bill. And if you want to, you can write the rule for the bill to disallow any amendments to it, and that’s just what they’ve done with this one. But writing a rule to disallow a motion to recommit is just not done. It could be done, but it would be a very, very serious infraction against the rights of the minority. So it’s not done.

But guess what? Because this is a bill that’s already passed and left the House, and the only changes in it are Senate-made amendments, it can’t be recommitted, which means there can’t be a motion to recommit. Why not? Well, when a motion to recommit passes, it technically sends a bill back to the committee that reported it out. But this bill has already left the custody of the House when it passed the first time. That material can’t be recommitted, and neither can the Senate material, which was never in the hands of the House committee in the first place. So by definition, it can’t be recommitted. The only thing that can happen is that the House can agree to the Senate amendment, disagree to it, or agree to it with additional amendments. That’s it. No recommittal. And only the amendments the Rules Committee allows.

And what amendment will the Rules Committee allow? An amendment to strip out the current contents of H.R. 4853, and replace it with the new, Middle Class Tax Relief Act….

Well, let’s see what the Senate does. Claire?

Maybe there’s a possibility of leaving out the tax cut extension for the top 1%? You know, comforting the comfortable. Maybe, maybe not.

House and Senate Democrats plan tax cut votes after Thanksgiving

By: CNN’s Deirdre Walsh and Dana Bash and Ted Barrett

Washington (CNN) – Democratic leaders in the House and the Senate have decided to move ahead with votes after Thanksgiving to extend the Bush tax cuts for those making $250,000 or less….

[emphasis added]

From a comment at Poltical Wire:

…I do not want mine if it means you have to give them theirs!

I’d rather have no tax cut than give the sun and the moon to the haves and have mores. You know, dubya’s base.