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WhaTHellsgoingonhere

WhaTHellsgoingonhere's Journal
WhaTHellsgoingonhere's Journal
March 31, 2016

In name only, MM, not in fact

We learned 2007-2008 was a charade by early 2009 with the appointments of Summers, Geithner, Holder, the bailout of WS, and straight through to today, with the TPP and nomination of Garland. Third Way is alive and well.

March 31, 2016

Has the typical Clinton supporter ever heard of the DLC or Third Way?

No. Of course not. In a primary that has spent so much time scrutinizing Democratic Socialism, the Third Way has gotten a free pass. The name Clinton is synonymous with the Party's break from labor and toward Reaganomics. There is a small Progressive caucus within the Dem Party, today, but unless you live in one of a very few congressional districts, Dems don't have real choice. For the most part, Bernie's candidacy is the first time many Dems have been presented with a real choice. People have lost interest in the process and they have told us why: the parties are the same. Dems get all uppity when they hear this, and start rattling off social issue after social issue, but to no avail. Why? Because they're not listening. The people who are dropping out are angered about how the parties have colluded to enrich the wealthy at the expense of the middle class. Bernie's candidacy would have benefited by pinning this trend on the Clintons, DLC, and Third Way.

March 25, 2016

This is really going to happen! It will be Kasich vs Clinton, because he's clobbering her!

Of course the Rs will choose Kasich at the "open" (notice, it's not going to be "brokered&quot convention.

March 19, 2016

Uber, Lyft owe Chicago $15 million, other Chicagoland entities millions more

Backstory (Thom Hatmann tagged)

Rahm Emanuel's pitch that his family business, Uber, would generate millions in additional revenue for the city. The city council killed the mayor's first two budget proposals opening the airports to Uber, but he managed to get it approved on his third attempt when it was passed because he was holding other funding hostage. That was how pre-video tape Mayor 1% used to roll: nothing was negotiable for the Mayor of the multi-millionaire and billionaire class.

When the ordinance passed in late October, the airports were to be given time to figure out the logistics, in particular, how would the airports collect the big revenue generating $4 airport departure tax; would the airports collect it like they do from taxis (how would they do that?) or would they rely on Uber to collect it then reimburse the amounts owed? Who knows? But Mayor 1% played his hand and rushed to open the airports ASAP. Good for the family business and its multi-millionaire and billionaire investors like Jeff Bezos and brother Ari Emanuel; lower fares is a competitive advantage. "Technology provides a competitive advantage" is a sexy meme, but its real competitive advantage is tax avoidance. The Uber tech bros aren't all that clever as portrayed in the media, they've simply built on the Libertaian business models before them. Jeff Bezos took advantage of an obscure ruling that made internet sales exempt from taxes. Uber then structured its business on the Wal-Mart model: avoid employer taxes by claiming you're not an employer. And finally, hide all of your revenue in tax free, off shore tax havens in the Netherlands and Bahamas. Amazon, Wal-Mart, Uber -- they're all job killing, tax payer subsidized behemoths and media darlings.

"Two local tourism agencies and a northwest suburb filed suit Friday against Uber and Lyft, claiming the ride-hailing services have refused to pay a tax imposed on all persons providing transportation from O’Hare and Midway airports.


The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, commonly known as McPier, along with the Choose Chicago, the city’s tourism bureau, and the village of Rosemont filed the lawsuit, claiming the ride-hailing companies have neither collected nor paid the fee, called the Airport Departure Tax, since the city allowed them to pickup passengers at the airports in November 2015.

ax pays for McPier’s capital improvement projects and funds Choose Chicago and the maintenance and improvement of the Donald E. Stephen Convention Center, according to the lawsuit. McPier manages McCormick Place convention center and Navy Pier.

McPier is allowed to impose the tax “on all persons, other than a governmental agency, engaged in the business of ground transportation for hire to passengers in the metropolitan area at a rate of $4 per [vehicle]…from commercial service airports in the metropolitan area,” the suit said.

On Jan. 7, McPier notified Uber and Lyft of their obligation to pay the tax, no payments have been received, according to the lawsuit.

The Chicago-Sun Times has reported that Uber and Lyft owe Chicago taxpayers $15 million in unpaid parking tickets, red-light and speed camera fines and overdue water bills, which has fueled demands for them to get chauffeur’s licenses.

Ald. Anthony Beale also alleged that Uber and Lyft owed “millions” more because they’re not collecting the $4-a-ride departure tax, the Sun-Times reported.

“If any company owed that kind of money to the city of Chicago, they could not renew their license,” Beale said at the time.

In response to the lawsuit, spokeswomen for Uber and Lyft both said MPEA does not have the authority to levy the tax since their drivers are not operating for-hire vehicles like taxis and liveries. They also said the $4-a-ride tax, if imposed, would be passed on to consumers.

Besides the unpaid taxes, the lawsuit asks for interest and penalties."

http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/uber-lyft-sued-mcpier-others-say-taxes-owed-on-airport-pickups/

March 18, 2016

Do you think Obama will use the recess appointment to get Garland to the SC?

Maybe that's part of the R calculation: "Hey, we're really not stopping you. You want him, you can get him...tyrannical dictator"

March 18, 2016

I'll say this much, Bernie would be beating a white DLC/Third Way candidate

That is, a white *man.*

So the Third Way apparatus can always run the next "historic" candidate. I suspect Hillary will select an Hispanic running mate, not so much to beat Trump, but to beat the the next run against the DLC from the left. Hopefully, by 2020, the Left will have the correct, historic combination to seize power from the Third Way and ReEmbrace Party values.

But more importantly, we have to elect Progressives at all levels of government. We've been picking Third Way candidates against Progressives and watching them get their clocks cleaned.

How much evidence does one need before they realize the Third Way bottomed out in 2010?

March 17, 2016

Look at her resume. It screams "Republican!" So WTF?

War, Wall Street, banksters, trade, prision industry.

"It was a mistake" ad infinitum. Somehow, she doesn't have to defend all of her mistakes but every other candidate did, even Fiorina. An impressive resume on paper, but comes undone once you delve into the results and outcomes. And yes, I chose a woman, because everyone except Hillary's supporters think women are fair game. Hillary is a 24 year policy gaffe factory.

You're arguing with the wrong person.

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