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Buffett says taxes are too low, but doesn’t pay more himself

Echoing his comments in June, Warren Buffett is complaining about tax rates as being too low. The relevant question is: has he done anything about it or is he just being a hypocrite, again?

Let?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s see what Buffett has actually done instead of said: Buffett is giving away is fortune (http://money.cnn.com/2006/06/25/magazines/fortune/charity1.fortune/). Good for him, great choice, it is nice that he has the right and freedom to do as he sees fit with the money he has earned. Too bad Buffett doesn’t think that others should have that same freedom.

What precisely is Buffett doing? He is giving his fortune to tax-exempt foundations. So, if you REALLY want to pay more taxes, Warren, why do this? Continue reading Buffett says taxes are too low, but doesn’t pay more himself

Judge David Sentelle and life saving medicines

“I may have gotten a thin copy, but I had a hard time finding it in my copy of the Constitution.” Judge David Sentelle questioning the “right” for terminally ill patients to get life saving medicines. (March 1, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. For more, see Reason.)

It seems like Judge Sentelle is the one who missed the entire Constitution. The proper question to be asking is, if one reads the Constitution, is where the power to regulate whether terminal patients can get medicine that could save their lives in the first place? Judge Sentelle apparently missed the concept of enumerated powers in the Constitution. Judge Sentelle, please return to law school and pay attention this time.

Hillary Clinton’s Million Ideas

I have a million ideas. The country can’t afford them all. – Senator Hillary Clinton, October 11, 2007 (Boston.com)

Hey Senator Clinton, thank you for letting us know you have a million ideas. I have a million ideas too, the key difference is that I am not using force to make everyone else pay for them. I raise money voluntarily to implement my ideas. I’m not trying to get my ideas enacted at the point of a gun.

Instead of being able to strive for their own ideas, the citizens of the United States will be voting on whether to force others to support Senator Hillary Clinton’s ideas. In reality it is a million ideas on how to spend the hours of each person’s life implementing the Presidential candidate’s ideas.

It’s not charity if it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s at the point of a gun and it’s not charity if it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s someone else’s money.
Volunteering to spend someone else’s time and money to support your ideas doesn’t make you a saint.

That is completely anit-freedom and anti-liberty and completely the opposite of the morals and principles the United States was founded upon. It is totalitarianism, socialism, communism, and facism all rolled into one.

Power-hungry Univ of Florida, Gainesville Police

Power-hungry and abusive police arrest and taser a student asking John Kerry speech:

Look at those little Napoleon police. Pathetic officers.

Capt. Jeff Holcomb of the University Police Department and the officers involved should be fired.

see
http://www.gainesvillesun.com/article/20070918/NEWS/709180325/1007/NEWS
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=3ec_1190097717&p=1

McCain-Feingold limits McCain’s Campaign

One might call it ironic that the McCain campaign is faltering due to lack of funds. Ironic because he has helped to silence his own speech rights while limiting everyone else?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s. Instead of being free to donate and disclose to a candidate who shares your views, you are greatly limited. McCain suffers from that problem.

It might be that people think he has nothing worthwhile to say and won?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t donate. Or it might be that they don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t know what he has to say since they haven?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t been able to hear it to decide if they wish to donate. Either way McCain loses his chance to influence the political process because he has limited everyone else’s opportunity too. Certainly McCain?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s (theoretical) base knows many of his positions and disagrees with his anti-freedom views, however there could have been more people who agreed with him, but won?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t hear his message. He can thank himself and Senator Feingold for that.

That is the nature of free speech. You are free to speak when you want, but it costs money to get your speech out there in front of many people. That means convincing people you have something worth saying and can express it. McCain has ensured that he can?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t do that, and who knows how many other candidates he has shut out of the marketplace of ideas.

Warren Buffett attacks tax rates as being too low?

“Mr Buffett said that he was taxed at 17.7 per cent on the $46 million he made last year, without trying to avoid paying higher taxes, while his secretary, who earned $60,000, was taxed at 30 per cent.” (see Times Online article)

Sounds like Warren Buffett has a perfect argument to lower his secretary’s tax rate to 17.7% (or lower). How about that Warren? Of course, that is unlikely to happen since Buffett has made his stance clear – that he wants everyone to pay MORE taxes, not less. Continue reading Warren Buffett attacks tax rates as being too low?

Supreme Court Eases Restrictions on First Amendment Ads

The United States Supreme Court today (in a 5-4 ruling) ruled that some restrictions on speech that were contained in the McCain-Feingold Campaign finance act were un-Constitutional.

While the Supreme Court should have tossed out all restrictions on television ads airing close to elections and campaign funding as contrary to the First Amendment (among other things), the Supreme Court today did loosen restrictions on ads airing near an election.

Every small victory for freedom and freedom of speech is welcome.

Chief Justice Roberts said:

Discussion of issues cannot be suppressed simply because the issues also may be pertinent in an election. Where the First Amendment is implicated, the tie goes to the speaker, not the censor.

Commenting Mitt Romney stated: Continue reading Supreme Court Eases Restrictions on First Amendment Ads

Brian Lamb of C-SPAN and the meaning of “give”

Brian Lamb of CSPAN obviously has no idea what the meaning of the word ?¢‚Ǩ?ìgive?¢‚Ǩ¬ù is.

Politico.com quotes him as stating:

?¢‚Ǩ?ìWe are not a taxpayer organization ?¢‚Ǩ¬¶ We get no federal funds, state funds, local funds. We get our money from you. You give us a nickel a month when you pay your bills, and that’s how we operate here.?¢‚Ǩ¬ù
(See the original article here.)

Brian, to ?¢‚Ǩ?ìgive?¢‚Ǩ¬ù means FREELY transfer. Somehow I missed where I could opt out of my monthly ?¢‚Ǩ?ìgift?¢‚Ǩ¬ù to you. We may pay it in return for supposedly unbiased coverage, but we don’t “give” it. Please consider this a request to opt out and for a refund of my previous “gifts.” Continue reading Brian Lamb of C-SPAN and the meaning of “give”