A Modest Proposal on Taxes

Some satiric thoughts on taxation - or are they said in jest?

Wouldn't many people prefer paying lower or no taxes if it meant giving up the right to vote? Think the honest answer to that may surprise many.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Jonathan Turley: Bill Clinton agreed to testify to Congress about Jeffrey Epstein but now wants the definition of "agreed." If the Clintons fail to appear for questioning, release the facts that are known to the public to remind folks the seriousness of the issue, then issue arrest warrants.

- 59 Super Bowl rings: 59 stories.

- Trump prods Congress to nationalize election integrity, but Supreme Court may deliver first.

- Rational Optimist: Shady stuff is happening underwater. Some undersea facts and developments to ponder.

More Linky Links

More stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- The power of constraints.

- Back military lethality - out military DEI.

- Steven Pressfield on Pericles Funeral Oration.

- Why most countries ban mail in ballots.

Don't Think This is Controversial

President Trump Aims to Get Rid of Voting Machines and Mail-in Voting

Today's Executive Orders

President Trump signed a number of EO's today. Here's some of the highlights:

- President Trump signs an EO mandating one day voting for citizens with ID's only. Reminder: Some of the countries that requite ID's to vote. 

- An EO to modernize the payment systems at the Treasury. Should have been done 20-25 years ago.

- A pardon for Devon Archer. Look for Archer to tell all soon on a podcast now that he has a pardon in hand that wasn't signed by autopen.

- An EO for the immediate release of the "Crossfire Hurricane" files (Russia Hoax) from the FBI. I hope all the names of elected officials or officials from the FBI or CIA are unredacted. We need to know who was responsible for the hoax.

None of these EO's are for Trump's benefit either - they are for the benefit of the American people.

Oh Canada

 Many celebrities and lefties (but I repeat myself) vowed to move to Canada if Donald Trump was elected. While these were mostly empty threats from people who live in a world of make believe - these people also mostly live in states that do not require ID's to vote in federal elections. Canada does.

Here are the voting requirements in Canada to vote in national elections:

• Present a government issued ID with name and address.
• Otherwise you have to show two pieces of ID - at least one must show your current address.
• If you lack proper ID you can declare your name and address in writing and someone with proper ID who lives in the polling location can vouch for you.

The hypocrisy - it burns!

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- NCAA, Power Conferences agree on $2.8 billion settlement. College sports will never be the same.

- If you can't follow these simple instructions you don't deserve a vote.

- How Apple, Google, and Microsoft can help protect children.

- Merrick Garland's ultimate test of principle. Thank God Garland was never nominated to the Supreme Court.

Sometimes When You Assume

Have to wonder why counties with sheriffs or governors who follow the law don't post personnel and signs that any illegal immigrant that tries to vote will be arrested and deported. Most legal immigrants are against illegal one's jumping the line. (Via)

Some Memes You May Enjoy

Many a truth is said in jest.

- Cut your hair hippy!

- I admit I laughed

- Heh Heh

- Sad but true

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Az judge rules that 2022 law requiring voters have ID is legal. Good!

- The ruling may have gone under the radar.

- Judges improperly over sentenced more than 100 Jan 6th protesters.

- Vcalav Smil and the value of doubt

I'd Vote for This

Even better if we made this day a national holiday so nobody had an excuse. Best if that day was also April 15th the day state and federal taxes are due. (Via)

Truth

Have seen this worded differently but the sentiment is the same. (Via)

More Linky Links

More stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Glenn Reynolds on how to fix voting in the US. Agree 100%.

- Excellent book review of Malcolm Gladwell's The Bomber Mafia. The review provides the history, background and details that gives flesh to the misgivings I had when reading the book.

- Holy crap - I bet this works!  (Via)

- This made me laugh

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- My new favorite custom jersey (and yes I have the sense of humor of a 12-year old boy)

- Matt Taibbi: Let the Apes have Wall Street

- Heh Heh

- Borepatch: Why Voting No Longer Matters. A pretty dark perspective (but not without merit) 

- Some The Wire humor

Origin of Term "Grandfathered"

Say a State changes its drinking age from 18-years old and moves it to 21-years old - people aged 18, 19, and 20 would be "grandfathered" and not subject to the new 21-year old drinking age. People 17-years of age? Well they're screwed.

The term "grandfathered" has become well known and pretty benign but the origin of the term "grandfathered" has some serious racist overtones.

After the Civil War many of the Southern States instituted some new voting restrictions aimed at making it difficult for newly freed slaves to vote. Poll taxes, literacy tests and other nefarious rules were put in place but these new requirements had to also apply to poor whites. How to get around these new rules then? Add another one that said "if your grandfather could vote so can you". Of course prior to the Civil War only whites could vote and if your grandfather could vote - that means you're white too and thus it's A-OK for you to vote. 

That's how the term "grandfathered" was born. As I said before the term is pretty benign now and at some point you have to just accept your past and move on but honestly now knowing the origin of "grandfathered" will make me second guess using the term again myself.

Linky Links

 Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Interesting look at the Master Class phenomenon

- Excellent point!

- New study finds Sweden's refusal to lock down saved the economy without sacrificing lives

- How about NO THANK YOU!

- Army V Corps HQ to be moved to Poland

- California will be paying $1,250 to people who test positive for Covid-19. The people who run California have no idea how incentives work.

- This made me laugh

Origin of Term "Grandfathered"

Say a State changes its drinking age from 18-years old and moves it to 21-years old - people aged 18, 19, and 20 would be "grandfathered" and not subject to the new 21-year old drinking age. People 17-years of age? Well they're screwed.

The term "grandfathered" has become well known and pretty benign but the origin of the term "grandfathered" has some serious racist overtones.

After the Civil War many of the Southern States instituted some new voting restrictions aimed at making it difficult for newly freed slaves to vote. Poll taxes, literacy tests and other nefarious rules were put in place but these new requirements had to also apply to poor whites. How to get around these new rules then? Add another one that said "if your grandfather could vote so can you". Of course prior to the Civil War only whites could vote and if your grandfather could vote - that means you're white too and thus it's A-OK for you to vote. 

That's how the term "grandfathered" was born. As I said before the term is pretty benign now and at some point you have to just accept your past and move on but honestly now knowing the origin of "grandfathered" will make me second guess using the term myself.

Origin of Term "Grandfathered"

Say a State changes its drinking age from 18-years old and moves it to 21-years old - people aged 18, 19, and 20 would be "grandfathered" and not subject to the new 21-year old drinking age. People 17-years of age? Well they're screwed.

The term "grandfathered" has become well known and pretty benign but the origin of the term "grandfathered" has some serious racist overtones.

After the Civil War many of the Southern States instituted some new voting restrictions aimed at making it difficult for newly freed slaves to vote. Poll taxes, literacy tests and other nefarious rules were put in place but these new requirements had to also apply to poor whites. How to get around these new rules then? Add another one that said "if your grandfather could vote so can you". Of course prior to the Civil War only whites could vote and if your grandfather could vote - that means you're white too and thus it's A-OK for you to vote.

That's how the term "grandfathered" was born. As I said before the term is pretty benign now and at some point you have to just accept your past and move on but honestly now knowing the origin of "grandfathered" will make me second guess using the term myself.

Mandatory Voting

George Will has a column about Eric Holder supposedly supporting mandatory voter registration or possibly mandatory voting. George Will does a nice job explaining why this would be a bad idea. However, I would support the notion of mandatory registration or voting if it meant candidates worth voting for. I would support three caveats to the mandatory voting idea:

1. Each candidate for Federal office would first have to pass the same test that immigrants have to pass in order to become citizens. This would accomplish two things - it would insure that the people running for office have some basic idea of what this country is all about and frankly it would also help weed out the morons.

2. Institute a hypocrisy law where if an office holder is found guilty of a crime that publicly was against - then that office holder would get ten-times the normal penalty. For example if a Congressman was advocating stricter gun laws but was caught trying to get a handgun through airport security or say a Congressman helped pass stricter IRS penalties but then was found to be cheating on his taxes - ten-times the penalty.

3. Any claim against a Congressman, Senator, Cabinet Member or President automatically gets sent to the Supreme Court for resolution.

I don't think that mandatory voting passes the common sense smell test but my three suggestions do - which means they would never get passed by Congress.