An Idea Whose Time Has Come?

It appears that the "no tax" Republicans in charge of state governments are "no tax" only to the benefit of the richest in their states.  Here's a link to a report on the situation and recommendations for how to fix it.

http://keystoneresearch.org/taxfairness

Taxing Top Incomes at the Same Rate as the Middle Class Could Fund Critical State Priorities, Including Education, Infrastructure, and Public Pensions

Beware the Last Minute Political Ad Blitz - Follow the Money!

Use your vote to show that our country is NOT for sale. Watch for and disregard ads sponsored by these groups.  They have a hidden (or perhaps, not-so-hidden) agenda.

• Americans for Prosperity, 
• the American Energy Alliance, 
• Concerned Veterans for America, 
• the Freedom Partners 
• Chamber of Commerce, 
• Generation Opportunity and 
• the 60 Plus Association

     (Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/09/04/one-out-of-every-10-ads-run-in-the-2014-election-have-ties-to-the-koch-brothers/)

These groups are heavily funded by the Koch brothers who are notorious for selecting politicians who will vote in ways that disregard the public interest and promote the Kochs' business interests.

The Koch brothers have made their fortunes in industries that pollute. (Source: http://www.inspirationgreen.com/koch-brothers-products.html)

University of Massachusetts at Amherst’s Political Economy Research Institute, shows Koch Industries as the nation’s 14th largest polluter/emitter. But with their 2013 purchase of Molex, Inc they will slide closer to the top. See detailed emissions breakdowns - www.peri.umass.edu/toxic_index 

Koch Industries spent a total of $37.9 million on oil and gas lobbying during 2006 to 2009. www.sourcewatch.org

According to the International Forum on Globalization, Charles and David Koch are America’s single largest source of private money for attacks against environmental protections. They have spent over $643 million to block or rollback legal protections for clean air, clean energy, clean water, and other environmental issues through sketchy scientific research, lobbying lawmakers, contributing to electoral candidates’ campaigns, media manipulation, etc. kochcash.files.wordpress.com 

Petroleum coke (a byproduct of tar sands refining) has been irritating numerous residents in both Chicago and Detroit. Koch Carbon is storing enormous quantities of petroleum coke on the banks of Chicago’s Calumet River and Michigan's Detroit River. The ever growing piles await processing, but refineries cannot keep up with the quantity. thinkprogress.org

A routine aerial inspection found Koch Pipeline Co. spilled 400 gallons of crude oil in Texas in late October, 2013.

I repeat: Use your vote to show that our country is NOT for sale.

Is the US No Longer a Democracy?

Severe financial inequality and "money as speech" = US oligarchy (rule by the richest few).

Among the blog posts worth taking time to read are:

Erza Klein's: http://www.vox.com/2014/4/11/5581272/doom-loop-oligarchy

Matthew Yglesias': http://www.vox.com/2014/10/2/6889147/winship-tcherneva-inequality-debate

Kevin Drum's: http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2014/09/rich-are-getting-richer-part-millionth

The only way to maintain our democracy is for ALL eligible voters to get informed and VOTE.

When Corporations Abandon Their Corporate Citizenship

Talk about not paying a fair share of taxes for the benefits received.  Some corporations who do most of their business in the US are scheming to "locate" in other countries to avoid taxes.

Norm Ornstein explains how in this piece from The Atlantic:

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/07/corporations-still-not-people/373889/

Condensed Guides to Inequality in the US

You might be one of the many who haven't the time or the inclination to read the latest best seller on the topic of how the economics game in the US is rigged in favor of the super rich.  If so, you might want to check out this summary by Nicholas Kristof:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/24/opinion/nicholas-kristof-idiots-guide-to-inequality-piketty-capital.html

And if you prefer a humorous approach to the topic, John Oliver has just the thing for you in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfgSEwjAeno

John Oliver Explains How the Wealth Game is Rigged

Here's a great post from Vox.com with a video from John Oliver's "Last Week Tonight".

http://www.vox.com/2014/7/14/5897797/john-oliver-explains-wealth-gap

Is false optimism shaping your view of what's fair when it comes to taxation?

Because They Believe Our Country is More Important than Their Money

Did you know there's a group called Patriotic Millionaires?

They recently sponsored a lively discussion between economist and author Thomas Piketty and Senator Elizabeth Warren.  It's definitely worth watching.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEYAS5U5Wuk

I agree with Senator Warren: Inequality is not inevitable.  Right now the game is rigged for and by the super-rich.  But, we have our voices and our votes as leverage for change.