Category Archives: Legal/Political Columns

A collections of my popular ramblings concerning the law, Natural Law, and political issues. Enjoy!

But It’s So Convenient

20 Friday Dec 2019

Posted by in Legal/Political Columns

≈ Comments Off on But It’s So Convenient

Tags

, , ,

Get your direct deposit today?

With reports of direct deposits failing to clear still ongoing, Bloomberg reported that the Federal Reserve was investigating “the second significant disruption in 2019 of a payments service administered by the U.S. central bank.”

As we first reported earlier (see below) key transactions – most notably funding via direct deposits – were delayed after ACH – which stands for the Fed’s Automated Clearinghouse System – experienced delays, but it is now up and running.

“The FedACH service, which processes transactions for commercial banks, is currently operating normally after experiencing delays in processing yesterday afternoon and early this morning,” Jean Tate, a spokesman for the Atlanta Fed which hosts the central bank’s Retail Payments Office processing ACH transactions, said in an e-mailed statement, despite reports that some banks bank clients still had not received their monty.

“Some customers experienced delays in receiving confirmations of yesterday’s transactions. Federal Reserve technical staff continue to investigate the root cause of the issue.”

Not to worry! The sorcerors are looking into it. “Monty,” the root cause of all evil…

The Nanny State Puffs Away

19 Thursday Dec 2019

Posted by in Legal/Political Columns

≈ Comments Off on The Nanny State Puffs Away

Tags

, , , ,

18 to die for the corporations, but 21 to enjoy a cigar. Typical gubmint-think.

The US Congress voted Thursday to raise the minimum age to buy tobacco and e-cigarettes from 18 to 21 across the country, a move intended to stem the rising tide of youth vaping.

Passed by the Senate as part of a wider budgetary bill, it will take effect next year and will mean that tobacco and e-cigarettes will join alcohol as substances that are prohibited to purchase for those under the age of 21.

Nineteen of the country’s 50 states and the capital Washington, DC had already set 21 as the minimum age.

“I’m proud the Senate approved legislation today including our Tobacco-Free Youth Act to help address this urgent crisis and keep these dangerous products away from our children,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, who co-sponsored the bill along with Democratic Senator Tim Kaine.

Good, old-fashioned, bi-partisan bullshit. What are they smoking?

A Wealth of Taxes

17 Tuesday Dec 2019

Posted by in Legal/Political Columns, News and Notes

≈ Comments Off on A Wealth of Taxes

Tags

, , ,

Large corporations, those wily government entities, pay next to no taxes.

About 400 of America’s largest corporations paid an average federal tax rate of about 11% on their profits last year, roughly half the official rate established under President Donald Trump’s 2017 tax law, according to a report released Monday.

The 2017 tax law lowered the U.S. corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, but in practice large companies often pay far less than that because of deductions, tax breaks and other loopholes.

In the first year of the law, the amount corporations paid in federal taxes on their incomes – their “effective rate” – was 11.3% on average, possibly its lowest level in more than three decades, according to a report by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a left-leaning think tank.

Yeah, yeah. Whatever. This did get me thinking though. My comrades over at TPC, two of them, have of late been defending taxation with zeal. One promoted the “wealth” tax. That… How about a corporate wealth tax? One aimed primarily at private banking corporations? One in particular. This particular private bank has assets and wealth that must be imputed given the bank’s unique ability to create such out of thin air. I suggest a putative assessment of infinity. The tax could be levied accordingly. Now, since we have no need for infinite money, I think a rate (or number) sufficient to PAY OFF EVERYTHING should do it. One time. No more debt of any kind. And then, abolish said private bank and send its owners packing. Yes?

Exciting(!) New Fiction

16 Monday Dec 2019

Posted by in Legal/Political Columns

≈ Comments Off on Exciting(!) New Fiction

Tags

, , , ,

Not mine. Jerry Nadler’s. The House Impeachment Report

Using the powers of his high office, President Trump solicited the interference of
a foreign government, Ukraine, in the 2020 United States Presidential election. He
did so through a scheme or course of conduct that included soliciting the Government of Ukraine to publicly announce investigations that would benefit his reelection, harm the election prospects of a political opponent, and influence the 2020United States Presidential election to his advantage. President Trump also sought to pressure the Government of Ukraine to take these steps by conditioning official United States Government acts of significant value to Ukraine on its public announcement of the investigations. President Trump engaged in this scheme or
course of conduct for corrupt purposes in pursuit of personal political benefit. In so
doing, President Trump used the powers of the Presidency in a manner that compromised the national security of the United States and undermined the integrity of the United States democratic process. He thus ignored and injured the interests of the Nation.

Integrity…

If Only

16 Monday Dec 2019

Posted by in Legal/Political Columns

≈ Comments Off on If Only

Tags

, , ,

Every point of the following is true.

Because of all this, there are many self-evident truths that have now become obvious to the American people. Read from the point of view of the People talking to the political swamp in Washington D.C.:

We don’t believe you.
You are all dishonest crooks and horrible people who should never be trusted again.
The intelligence community is the enemy of the people and must be dismantled if any American is to ever be truly free.
We are not going to voluntarily hand over our guns. You may come try to take them by force, but we will shoot you if you try.
We are withdrawing our consent. You are now a rogue enemy government that we finally recognize as the ENEMY.
We are never going to vote for establishment candidates ever again.
We will not live as slaves, suffering under your tyranny. We would rather die as Americans, defending our liberty and our republic.
If we ever get the chance, we will arrest all of you and throw you in prison for as long as you live.
We will no longer cooperate with your sham court system, your corrupt FBI and your lawless federal regulators. They are all fraudulent, criminal cartels that have no legitimate authority. You have lost the consent of “the governed.”
Your fiat currency financial system and debt Ponzi scheme is a criminal fraud that steals money from the working class. We will no longer hold your dollars and will seek alternatives at every opportunity.

But, oddly, I doubt any of it will come true. May next year’s election prove me wrong.

Reframing the Gun Control Debate

14 Saturday Dec 2019

Posted by in Legal/Political Columns

≈ Comments Off on Reframing the Gun Control Debate

Tags

, , ,

The gun grabbers never stop, as Daisy Luther explains. Watch what happens in VA, the “laws” and the resistance, for your state’s future.

Since the above article was written, it should be noted that 2nd Amendment Sanctuary Counties are at 80 and counting. One sheriff has even vowed to deputize citizens should these unconstitutional laws pass.

After the public outcry, Governor Northam has said a provision will be added for current gun owners.

“In this case, the governor’s assault weapons ban will include a grandfather clause for individuals who already own assault weapons, with the requirement they register their weapons before the end of a designated grace period,” Northam spokeswoman Alena Yarmosky said in a statement Monday evening. (source)

Good try, but no cigar.

Gun owners aren’t going to take this lying down.

We’ve written before about Second Amendment sanctuaries popping up across the nation, and now Virginia is joining the fight. According to Gun Rights Watch, practically the entire state is saying NO.

Good and well. Read about the threats. Now, maybe it’s time to stop worrying about them taking our guns. Maybe it’s time to start planning for us to confiscate theirs.

A Chance to Save Britain

12 Thursday Dec 2019

Posted by in Legal/Political Columns

≈ Comments Off on A Chance to Save Britain

Tags

, , , ,

This may be the last chance for the UK to reverse and prevent a cultural and demographic slide of USA proportions. The British People have spoken.

BORIS Johnson is on course for the biggest Tory landslide since Margaret Thatcher tonight – after the exit polls tipped the Tories to win a whopping 368 seats.

Seconds after the polls closed at 10pm a joint poll put the Conservatives on track for a huge majority of 86, with Labour trailing behind on 191.

Boris had damned well better listen. Hard BREXIT. Now. Then, on to making Britain British again. Immediately.

The Hidden Hand of the Coup

12 Thursday Dec 2019

Posted by in Legal/Political Columns

≈ Comments Off on The Hidden Hand of the Coup

Tags

, ,

Not my words. Not Tom Ironsides’s. This, from a real CIA officer.

The essence of a coup, which some might refer to as covert action, is the hidden hand. One does not announce that a foreign power is overthrowing the government and installing a new government. One pulls strings as if from behind a curtain, making events that are all part of a carefully orchestrated plan appear disconnected, spontaneous and serendipitous.

As I read through the recently released IG report for the second time, as someone with a great deal of experience in military and intelligence matters, I see that hand everywhere.

Per the IG report, a single report is delivered to the FBI in the summer of 2016. It concerns a meeting between a cooperative contact of a foreign intelligence service and a junior level employee of the Trump campaign, George Papadopoulos. The report relates what are frankly very amorphous comments by Papadopoulos concerning the Russian government and its alleged possession of information on Hillary Clinton.

…

It’s like a combination of an evil version of Adam Smith’s Invisible Hand” and that wriggling spider hand from the Barrow-Downs. I imagine the fingers have initials like, I don’t know, “HRC” and “BHO.” Just guesses. Past time to designate the hand an enemy combatant and drone strike it.

Well, Thank God

11 Wednesday Dec 2019

Posted by in Legal/Political Columns

≈ Comments Off on Well, Thank God

Tags

, , , , ,

If there’s one thing that’s kept me up at night, it’s this.

President Trump plans to sign an executive order on Wednesday targeting what he sees as anti-Semitism on college campuses by threatening to withhold federal money from educational institutions that fail to combat discrimination, three administration officials said on Tuesday.

The order will effectively interpret Judaism as a race or nationality, not just a religion, to prompt a federal law penalizing colleges and universities deemed to be shirking their responsibility to foster an open climate for minority students. In recent years, the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions — or B.D.S. — movement against Israel has roiled some campuses, leaving some Jewish students feeling unwelcome or attacked.

In signing the order, Mr. Trump will use his executive power to take action where Congress has not, essentially replicating bipartisan legislation that has stalled on Capitol Hill for several years. Prominent Democrats have joined Republicans in promoting such a policy change to combat anti-Semitism as well as the boycott-Israel movement.

But critics complained that such a policy could be used to stifle free speech and legitimate opposition to Israel’s policies toward Palestinians in the name of fighting anti-Semitism. The definition of anti-Semitism to be used in the order matches the one used by the State Department and by other nations, but it has been criticized as too open-ended and sweeping.

Who needs free speech? That’s plainly anti-Semitic racist. Praise be to Trump for doing what he was elected to do. Israel First! The Article Zero of the CONstitution clearly give the Executive the authority to decree races or ethnicities and to allot (or withhold) money for education.

Now my concern if how this might affect the Harvard-Asian lawsuits. Maybe “Asian” is a religion? Trump, if not impeached and removed, may tell us. Glory!