http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2009/03/mon_holy_smokes_taxes_on_rolli.html
From $1.09 to $24.78, that’s an impressive jump.
I hate smoking about as much as the next guy. But wise up, fellow US slaves. Your vice is next.
Most people would agree that the government giving gifts to a small number of corporations is wrong. It falls outside the powers and thus the rights of the US federal government, and thus it is also unconstitutional, for those who think there’s any value left in that document.
The problem with doing something wrong is that it often generates even more wrongs. Now that my money has been stolen to reward AIG’s failure, the US house of representatives has felt the need to selectively punish the same corporation it wrongly gifted. In passing the bill that taxes select AIG bonus recipients at a confiscatory 90% rate, 328 ignorant congressmen violated Article I of the constitution twice.
Most people need to be reminded what section 9 of article 1 says: “No bill of attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.” A bill of attainder is, per Wikipedia, “an act of legislature declaring a person or group of persons guilty of some crime and punishing them without benefit of a trial.” An ex post facto law is a law that “retroactively changes the legal consequences of acts committed or the legal status of facts and relationships that existed prior to the enactment of the law” (per the same source).
Ex post facto, really? Yes, the bill would make the 90% tax on AIG retroactive to December 31, 2008.
This is a solution that pleases a very angry and very dangerous president. For those willing to defend Obama’s actions, imagine the havoc for which this precedent paves the way. Think about a Bush-like predecessor, perhaps. Do you want this person arbitrarily gifting favorite companies, or arbitrarily punishing companies that have fallen out of political favor?
There is no justifying either the bailout or the punishment. “But, we had to bail out AIG and these companies…” Well, no. By allowing AIG to succeed, we reward failure, and instill a system that will create larger and larger corporations. That should be frightening to even the socialist left who likes the idea of government control over corporations.
Instead, AIG and ilk should have been allowed to fail, or better, do whatever it had to in order to figure out how to survive. The outcome? Lots of people would probably have suffered. Better “lots” than “all.” But what positive might have come out of this? Perhaps ingenuity from some of the bailed out companies, cleverness that would have enabled their survival and advanced our survival skills in the face of severe economic problems. Perhaps the failures might even have signalled the end of monstrous corporations like AIG, begat by a widespread lack of trust in them; this failure might have led to the rebirth of small, competitive financial firms with little political power. I know who would be happy with that!
The cynical, conspiracy-theory side in me says that all of these events are scripted. From failure (long predicted by sensible economists) to bailout to revenge, it’s all about granting the monstrously bloated US federal government even more power over you.
Too bad for all of us that a petulant Obama will likely get his way for a while.
Genocide in Gaza, but “No comment”:
Future terrorists to keep the show going, forever and forever:
Accidental illustration- Palestinians hopelessly entangled by Zionist Israel:
The kids turn to Johnny Law for guidance….
…..and are rewarded for obedience to the state:
After all the bailouts and stimulus programs are complete, the lowly tax serf carves up what’s left:
Stand by your man. Let history be the judge:
Shaman rituals for the Magic Negro:
The state is melting, melting:
On the lookout for terrorist coyotes. The Ex-Emperor-To-Be seems to have fewer and fewer friends:
The sky darkens as the coronation approaches (“From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.”):
Just a reminder- Homeland Security is diligently protecting our shores:
Just a party girl. Please ignore the trail of bodies behind her….
Wouldn’t a dunce cap be a more appropriate product (Keepin’ America Stupid)?:
An idle GM assembly line awaits more bailouts and cheap credit:
Joe the Plumber has had enough:
Some jackboots try a more folksy approach….
….to keep tyranny from becoming tiresome:
Three smiling gangsters:
Wall Street’s new rallying cry- “Ain’t too proud to beg:”
Lined up for the firing squad? Not yet, but be patient:
B.O. collars a female to draft:
Cheney gets fixed up at a special hospital:
Some folks out there have a clue:
Even busy tyrant wanna-be’s take the time for a booty call:
Despite the shepherd’s record of failure, there’s still plenty of sheep to shear in Your America….
….Watch the Free Lunch Crowd sidle up to the always giving Federal teat:
What I would rather do than vote:
The Gang(sters) of Eight practice digging graves (The Erect One doesn’t need any practice)….
….while Sar-krazy points out room for more:
Rapidly deployed goons. Yea, I like this idea:
Killing for the state can be stressful:
Entrepreneurship knows no limits:
B.O.-bama is happy that the family jewels are safe- for now:
Global warming “science” gets even goofier:
Since wedding parties are confirmed legitimate targets for US Crusaders, can foosball games be next on the list?
Whoop-dee-doo. The people are plundered to give us panoramic pics of dirt. Listen to the sheeple ooh and ahh. Ain’t Amurrica great?
Costumes, as are uniforms, are for clowns:
Bomb Them! They Photoshopped a Missile!
JoMac smiles about killing Iranians and his upcoming meeting with good buddies:
A “lifeguard” gazing into the fog- kind of like the US military on 9/11….
….But rest easy, there’s always a doofus on patrol:
The Regime insists on playing with lightning:
Johnny Law shows off his newest toy- proudly stolen from a productive businessman:
Ever get that “boxed in” feeling?……
…….surrounded on all sides by hostile forces……
….yet sometimes fate allows you to turn the tables:
How appropriate- A Yankee War Rag filled with hot air:
How to protect your home from being foreclosed:
US Crusaders dine on freedom fries in a free, democratic Iraq. Support The Troops!:
Boobus americanus finds a cleaner alternative to keeping his head in the sand:
The Master gives more trinkets to the maimed….
….while breaking ground on a new location to warehouse the disfigured:
Extreme yard art for the extreme nationalist:
JoMac turns to head massage to relieve his confusion……
….about how 1200+ lost souls have not yet tired of killing:
You might as well relax as you watch your stolen, hard earned dollars blasted into oblivion:
The Anointed One submits to numerical defeat so,…..
……it’s time to turn to Plan B….
……and to make some arrangements:
Just a fist bump for the wife……
….but hugs all around for the masses:
Aquatic redundancy:
Helicopter Ben turns to a different type of aircraft to carry out the Fed’s monetary policy:
Home sellers are getting desparate:
Lady Laura plays “catapault the propaganda” with the Afghans:
Recruitment starts early in life:
Always a refreshing sight- youths challenging the state:
The Emperor meets with a believer:
He’s back! No doubt, to “assist” those returning from Iraq:
A reasonable alternative to war:
Where’s Daddy? Perhaps, here……….
Will the Empire drown in its debt?
Slick just can’t get enough attention:
Whoa- Big surprise! Social Security is broke!
The Emperor reminds all to be good, obedient tax slaves:
Crusaders-to-be get some practice killin’ Hadjis:
Guess who got the raw deal in this exchange? The life of a loved one is exchanged for arms full pretty rags and a hand full of trinkets:
Warming wackos freak out over a crack in the ice:
Obama supporters are ecstatic to be promised heaven on earth:
An appropriate way to pay taxes:
El Diablo’s earth-bound warriors sing praises to Lucifer:
The Exalted One gets the red carpet treatment- or is that the sea of blood he has produced:
A Dallas police officer was killed on his motorcycle as he helped escort Her Highness to a rally.
Officer Victor Lozada , who had spent 20 years bullying people, apparently thought he could do the same with a concrete railing- and lost. Physics always wins out. Perhaps he mistook the railing for a kid with a skate board.
No doubt he’ll be eulogized as one who died “serving his community.” The Anointed One has already made the cliché statement: “This reminds us once again of what our men and women in law enforcement do every single day, and it is important that we respect and appreciate their service.”
Monkey manure.
Does anyone else find it annoying how these gorillas on motorcycles tear down the street, literally plowing the commoner traffic out of the way- just so some political gangster can move, unhindered, by the nuisance of traffic and stop lights?
Does anyone else then find it ironic that this particular political gangster is rushing to make a speech on how she will work tirelessly to protect and improve the lives of the same common man?
The young and clueless look to B.O. for change. Is he the Black Kennedy? Is the claim of “change” a Zbig lie?
Government produces NOTHING, except poverty, inflation……..and grieving mothers:
The State never sleeps- except when it’s on duty:
Make yourself at home. What are the odds these clucks were invited?
Ain’t too proud to beg. The Temps are tarnished by association:
Watch the slave choose between Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-Dumber. Which makes a better master?
How you’ll be commuting to work if the warming wackos have their way:
Bad news for the Hell Bitch. What was meant to be appears to be in danger of not happenin’. In the weeks ahead, watch the corporate media work overtime to rescue the anointed one.
Jo-Mac is feeling anxious and Rush-ed- there’s more killin’ to be done:
Time to escape the FEMA fumes. Just another reason why this agency stinks to high heaven:
The Dry Drunk Decider vents his rage toward indifferent children:
