Time for a Revolution

Time for a Revolution

Last night, Oscar host Neil Patrick Harris noted that the gift bags that nominees and other special attendees and guests received had items in them that totaled over $100,000.00, and one of the items was a gift card for a Brinks security van to come pick the bearer up and to take him or her to safety once the Revolution comes. Well, it is time for the Revolution to come. And by revolution, I do not mean the automatic beheadings of the wealthy by us were regular Americans (although that may be the next step if the wealthy prevent, in any way, what I am about to prescribe). No, by revolution, I mean adjusting the tax code such that this country and state can function once again. David Sirota calculates that, if we just tax the wealthy at the same relative rates as we tax the middle and lower classes, we would be able to raise hundreds of billions of dollars:
Roads are crumbling, bridges require repairs, schools need upgrades and public pension systems remain underfunded. How can states and cities find the money to address any of these problems? One way could be through their tax codes. According to a new report, if the rich paid the same state and local tax rate as the middle class, states and cities would have hundreds of billions of dollars more a year in public revenue. Last month, the nonpartisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy found that the poorest 20 percent of households pay on average more than twice the effective state and local tax rate (10.9 percent) as the richest 1 percent of taxpayers (5.4 percent).
Enter the Kavipsian Progressive Tax Fairness Plan of 2015, which I demand be enacted by the General Assembly forthwith!

Monday Open Thread [2.23.15]

“I don’t question his motives. And I try not to question the president’s motives as being a good American or a bad American.” — Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), on whether President Obama loves America. Which is it? Either you try not to question the motives, or you don't question his motives. Do or do not. There is no try.
Barack Obama has been President for over 6 years now….

Barack Obama has been President for over 6 years now….

....he started running for President about 8 years ago. He burst onto the national scene nearly 11 years ago. Barack Obama, the President of the United States, is a known quantity. We know him. He is not a mystery. Thus the mere fact that promiment conservatives and Republicans are still... STILL... questioning "who is this Barack Obama?"...."Does he love America?" .... "Is he a Christian?" has everything... EVERYTHING... to do with his race, and everything... EVERYTHING.... to do with their racism.
If John Carney is a Democrat, here is a good way to prove it

If John Carney is a Democrat, here is a good way to prove it

The concept of "shareholder primacy" is a cancer that is not only undermining our democracy but is eating away at capitalism itself. While other countries like the UK have passed laws to attempt to address the pernicious effects of shareholder primacy, (requiring company directors to consider the interests of a broad range of stakeholder such as employees, customers, the environment and the community), the US has done nothing. If John Carney is looking for a way to assert his democratic credentials (and I doubt he is) he couldn't find a better issue.
If critics wrote about ‘The Imitation Game’ the way they write about ‘Selma’

If critics wrote about ‘The Imitation Game’ the way they write about ‘Selma’

“Many historians have taken issue with how Morten Tyldum, the first Norwegian man to be nominated for Best Director, chose to portray mathematical genius Alan Turing in the film The Imitation Game. Those decrying the film’s depiction of events note that the script completely rewrites history, tossing out the literally thousands of people who worked alongside Turing in breaking the Nazi code so that the Allies could win the war, and replacing them with Keira Knightley. They also point out that the efforts of the American, French and British military forces, among others, have may have had an even larger role than Turing in ending World War II. Finally, some take issue with how Turing is never shown having actual sex with another man, despite the film being entirely set in buildings where no one has ever had sex. Tyldum has been quoted as saying that ‘sometimes liberties are needed to make truer art’ but this has not satisfied the rabid nay-sayers who cannot countenance this film.”
Saturday Open Thread [2.21.15]

Saturday Open Thread [2.21.15]

Jake Miller at CBS examines how Common Core may become a primary issue for Republican presidential candidates. Eventually, I think it will become an issue in Democratic politics as well. If Kavips has his way, it already has:
Common Core federal education standards are riling the conservative base, and as the 2016 Republican presidential field takes shape, the standards -- seen by right wing activists as a federal overreach and a threat to parental rights -- are poised to play a big role in the GOP nominating process. That's doubly true in Iowa, where the kinds of Republican voters most vehemently opposed to Common Core -- evangelical Christians, home-schooling advocates, states-rights conservatives -- exert considerable influence over the state's first-in-the-nation presidential caucus.

The Weekly Addresses

In his Weekly Address, President Obama underscored the importance of continuing to grow our economy and support good-paying jobs for our workers by opening up new markets for American goods and services. In an effort that will surely please education advocates throughout the state, Governor Markell shares his weekly message with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Boy, is Markell's legacy going to be completely destroyed by his positions on education. Here is Senator Harris McDowell on Larry Mendte's Delaware Way's program, where they discuss crime in Wilmington and the Sustainable Energy Utility Program, as well as Harris' thoughts on Beau Biden, John Carney and the Delaware's Game of Thrones.
Friday Open Thread [2.20.15]

Friday Open Thread [2.20.15]

Amy Walter: “One of the biggest assets for Democrats – especially for Hillary Clinton – going into this next election is the fact that they are much more ideologically united than the GOP. From social issues to economic ones, the overwhelming majority of Democrats are on the same page. This, of course, leaves little room for a primary challenger to Hillary Clinton to expose a gap or drive a wedge.” “Not so much for Republicans who are divided on almost everything other than foreign policy and a desire to repeal Obamacare. This is will not only make it difficult for a Republican to become a ‘consensus’ candidate in the primary, but could make it difficult to unite the party post-primary as well.”