First Blog

New York Andrew Governor Cuomo has suggested an exit tax for all residents emigrating from New York.  He proposes all New Yorkers with a net worth of $500,000 or more are to be taxed a flat rate of 20% of net worth to exit residence from the State.  Said Cuomo, "They may move, but we'll get one last shot at their money." He added, "at least until I'm President." de Blasio and Sanders echoed support. salivating at the thought of a new form of tax revenue.  NOKO strong man Kim Jong Un concurs indicating mere taxation is not enough, muttering something about consequences to their whole family. Just kidding… ------------------- BTW, Cuomo just pardoned 61 convicted felons. What a humane fellow.  I do suggest someone would tally up the costs of arrest and prosecution of these “now good citizens.”  Perhaps the good governor should intercede for every conviction deciding those just and those unjust – saving taxpayers yet another cost – incarceratio

Why will North Korea’s strong man dictator Kim Jong Un will never permit any sort of coorperation with South Korea or inspection of his country by outsiders? It's all about the consequences of exposure.  Many of his sins are hidden because of total news blackouts.  His master state, China, may be aware of many of his sins, but for them it becomes a conviction by proxy should the sins become known. Thus Kim is indirectly protected.  Both China and Russia (thought to be Kim’s supplier of rocket engines) are aware and dread the day Kim is exposed.  Such is Kim’s buffer. Kim’s sins and secrets: Nuclear weapons – the open sin Offensive ICBM and other missiles – the delivery vehicles of choice Weapons export – to Iran and elsewhere Radiological contamination – almost a certain consequence of nuclear testing* Biological testing – e.g. possible Anthrax experimentation* Slavery – export of his own to forced labor in China and other countries Torture – of prisoners, e.g. W

Many politicians not fulfilling their election promises end up promising again to do what they haven’t done.  Or excusing what they haven’t done to evil-doers from the other party. Or stating they really have done what they haven't done.  --------------- Stove-top diplomacy.  It seems on diplomatic side of the street, President Trump has appointed two rather different personalities, Nikki  Haley (UN Ambassador) and Rex Tillerson (Secretary of State). The difference between them is simple: Haley likes to turn up the burners giving more and more heat.  Tillerson tries hard to keep the lids on all the pots.  Hmm. What’s for dinner? ------------ Nancy Pelosi, who you might admit is getting a bit long in the tooth, has called the Rep tax bill Armageddon on one day and then Frankenstein on another. Her next claim may that by supporting it you will have eaten a poison apple that will make you fall asleep forever. She also missed calling it equivalent to the black plague.  Nancy

Many of America’s news reporters have been relegated to the stable, where their sole duty is to shovel manure, hoping their viewers eat it. Well, a job is a job, and the boss decides what to do.  What is a little appalling is that quite a few of them seem to enjoy the work. 

There oughta be a law  that Congressmen should pass an exam on the exact contents of any legislative measure or  bill to be qualified to vote on it.  It can be basic, say just ten questions. It can be multiple choice.  Many would simply flunk it.  Talking point answers are not offered as options.  Just maybe some of our congressional representatives would actually study what they vote on.  (In fact, many studied more in college for a simple grade than on legislation that may cost millions or impact millions more.) Of course, a modified rule on majority (>50% if those passing) is needed.  Still dreaming on am I.   Also, there should be a waiting period before a scheduled vote on any measure.  I suggest a wait of one day for every twenty pages of legislation.  For example, a bill of 1000 pages would have a wait time of 50 days. (These rush it through super-sized bills often have super-sized flaws discovered only later.) 

Influential political philosophies created out political environment. Not just from the political "left" and "right," there's socialism, conservatism, populism, progressivism, liberalism, federalism, scientism, communism, totalitarianism, nationalism, fascism, and more. Another -ism is taking bows these days.  It is the -ism of superocracy, a globalist ideology.  Call it superism. It's scope is so grand, that individuals and most countries are powerless to oppose it.  A small-time version of this already exists in the form of the EU. In this system, individual countries and their interests are lost in the loud flush of pronouncements from Brussels.  It seems Britain may escape, but its gravitational pull is strong.  The new superocrasy will replace religion, beliefs, ideals, and progress with administrative directives.  There will be no armies but fearsome police forces.  There will be apparent redistribution of almost everything except for the elit

Euphoria and Utopia.  Similar sounding but these very different words are related.  For if you have visions of Utopia, you are imbued with a sense of euphoria.  If you have Euphoria as related to society, it may well be you have some utopia in mind. Utopias, BTW, encompass all forms of socialism including communism, even some devoid of politics.  However, did you know there were quite a number of Utopian regimes begun with Martin Luther’s Reformation? All failed. Indeed, with the demise of kingship, many utopias have emerged from time-to-time.  Utopian concepts seem not to work in practice, but that does not deter novices who cannot learn from the past.  Their default position is, “This time we’ll do it right.”  I wonder if Plato really understood with publication of his seminal “Republic,” the first entry to Utopian worlds, he had opened a Pandora’s box of perpetual conflicts.  I suspect he did, and with a smallish grin unleashed it to the world.  

Here is a situation where the President and company think Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller hired assistants completely in the tank for the destruction of Trump, while the Democrats in lock step believe he’s doing a great service, code for meaning he intends to destroy Trump.*  The sad possibility is that Mueller may have been as duped by the process as was his whole cadre of critics, falsely assuming all along his appointments would be completely impartial. Thus, could the leader of this special investigation be himself a pawn of his own staff?  After all, Mueller’s stellar reputation did not come from a history of partisanship.   If any part of this is true, Mueller finds himself in a trick box no matter what he does.  Fire the partisans and the Dems will claim he has been intimidated.  Keep them, and the Reps claim he has been bought by or is, in fact, part of the Resistance.  It is more than possible everyone involved has been duped though in variegated ways. Poor Ro

Many immigrants to the USA come in with a Visa.  Others, winning the lottery in foreign lands got their green card with the American Express program.  Thousands walking across our southern borders clearly had Discovery in mind.  Finally, the former President admitted many refugees by means of his presidential Master Card.  In sum, our public and private agencies are involved – a whole lot of credit extended in the process. Who’s going to pay the bill?  We do, of course.  But the cost of just one who goes jihad is astronomical in police services, lost productivity, future and present fear, and political divisiveness.  Also, and foremost, is the lost of human life and the maiming of citizens.   --------------------------------- The Stockholm Syndrome* has a new cousin.  The mayors of many large cities (notably London, New York, and others) enduring multiple terrorist actions have been captivated and converted.  Many now claim such acts are a way of life and we should accept

On United States foreign policy.   I long for the days when our Presidents at least listened to the advice of their foreign policy experts, and even more long for the days when our foreign policy experts were actually experts. Nowadays, contravening this chain of logic, politics seems clumsily to enter and dominate at every point. I do support our current expert, Rex Tillerson, who has decades of pragmatic experience under his belt. This supersedes most academics with only theoretical experience, politicians whose watchwords are expedience and votes, and lawyers armed with only guiding reflections coming from litigation. --------------------------------- On Judge Moore.  The Alabama Senate race pits judge Joe Moore, widely accused of sexual harassment in his past, versus Doug Jones, the Democratic challenger.  It is not clear who will win, but in the case Moore prevails, he may be first seated in the Senate, then forced to resign, then the Alabama will appoint a replacement

I would love to sit at a Trump family dinner.  We have from daughters to daughters-in-law, from sons to sons-in-law, all claiming expertise at everything, while having created their own news headlines.  I fear a lot of indigestion must result, while the whole crew retires to the “drawing room” for a break.   The President is thinking ahead of getting back to the office where only world problems, NOKO, Russia, China, Democrat issues, and Republicans controversies await.  A moment of relief this surely provides. -------------------------- I do not support public figures or anyone accused of these sexual molestation charges, but most of those charged were doing not too much less (except for assault) than what the vaunted James Bond was doing in the sixties and seventies. Just watch the movies Thunderball or Goldfinger , and you will see our super-spy doing even more than Franken is accused of – kissing, hugging, intimidating women.  At the time, this was cool; this was humor

Left and Right are Unified.  How's that?     You may think the Left represents Trump resistance while the Right represents a reversal of Obama policy.  But in the current tax bill, both sides, particularly those at the top, are true amigos .  You see, there is no mention whatever of the capital gains tax rate.  This is where the billionaires really clean up.  Roughly speaking, if you pay taxes of  $6 on earnings of $20, you will pay only $3 is that money arrived as capital gains.  This is how the billionaires make their big money. They might have no income – just capital gains. The billionaires of both extremes are funding their oppositional campaigns using money generated this way. Moreover, the government is indirectly funding all through tax relief the purely oppositional programs of both sides of the ideological debate.  The Kochs, Soros, Buffet, Stires, and hundreds more are included. Thank you, Uncle Sam. In the meantime, it really does help to have a tax-exempt foun

Whether you lean to the left or lean to the right, you constantly hear testimony from either direction of the desire to “get to the bottom of this.”  Leaving aside what the “this” actually means, or to paraphrase Bill Clinton, what “this” “is,” we note that both sides are sincere in their desire to plumb the dishonest and embarrassing depths reached by their opponents.   Now, if both sides are successful, it may well turn out that the vaunted swamp in Washington DC may be revealed as a pit , and a deep one at that. So what’s your preference and what’s easier, draining the swamp or filling in the pit?  My guess is both tasks are nearly impossible.  Making light of this matter, or is it an indictment, does not diminish its gravity, seemingly understood only through two simple metaphors, swamp vs. pit. When every side want to get to the bottom of this or that, it signals a deep dissatisfaction, not to mention a wide division.  These are troubled times.