DL Open Thread Thursday, July 29, 2021
I heard this story on WDEL the other day and almost drove off the road — a puff piece about yet another state fund to funnel money to corporations. The story actually praises Middletown’s Ken Branner for tossing zoning and planning out the window to attract business, and its whole tone proves is that the governor and the state’s leading Democrats are stuck in the 20th century. They are under the delusion that growth is always worth the cost, and from their vantage point of course it is: They are spending taxpayer money in an effort to expand the state’s revenues regardless of whether the growth will pay for itself. Spoiler alert: It never does, partly because the only tax revenue will be from the workers. And it’s all done under the delusion that we have to compete with other equally misinformed governments doing the same thing. Lesson: You don’t have to be a Trumper to fall for propaganda.
If it’s a day ending in Y, there’s yet another case of outrageous police violence. Yet another Aurora, Colo., cop has beaten the shit out of yet another black suspect. Meanwhile, a lawsuit has been filed against a former Dewey Beach officer. That one’s especially interesting because if references previous complaints of brutality against said officer — something that the Cop Cabal wants to hide from public view.
Sidney Blumenthal has few questions for Ohio Congressweasel Gym Jordan. Mine is simpler: Why isn’t this fuckwad in prison?
Why do I dislike Democratic politicians almost as much as Republican ones? Because they’re worthless and weak. Consider, for example, Rep. Scott Peters of California. He sponsored a bill to rein in runaway drug prices. Big Pharma responded with hundreds of thousands in campaign donations, and now Rep. Peters is fighting against his own bill.
Billionaires and their multi-millionaire wannabes really are under the delusion that they’re swell fellas who deserve all that money. Ken Langone, the CEO of Home Depot, fucked around and found out Sen. Elizabeth Warren has no time for that bullshit.
I’m surprised that nobody in the Republican Party American Fascist movement has come up with an official uniform for the troops — something along the lines of brown shirts, maybe. It’s such an obvious grift, and it would come in handy for people like the “election integrity committee” of York County, Pa., which is going door to door demanding to know who people voted for. As long as they don’t ask if you’re vaccinated, the GOP the Nazis are fine with it.
The Atlantic takes a look at the “time tax” we all pay in dealing with government bureaucracy. It’s true, but it fails to note that corporate America is just as bad. If you don’t believe me, try to call your cable provider to ask about the charges on your latest bill. Budget a minimum of two hours, and don’t count on getting any answers.
The floor’s yours.
The Gaetz/Greene presser that was undone in record time by a handful of protesters gets the soundtrack it cried out for.
https://twitter.com/iamgabesanchez/status/1420593295600676865
Every single empirical study shows that states throwing $$’s and incentives at companies is at best a zero-sum game.
If someone runs for Governor promising to put an end to this taxpayer-funded bribery, I’m all in with their candidacy.
” throwing $$’s and incentives at companies is at best a zero-sum game”
Chris Coons is still celebrating having done this on the Federal level:
https://www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-coons-helps-pass-bipartisan-bill-that-will-invest-in-us-innovation-and-position-us-to-compete-with-china
Some PAC is still running ads thanking Coons and Carper for this. I’m watching Internet-based TV now so I have no idea how widespread these ads or if they are just for me.
I’ve gotten either that one or similar — one that praised Coons for not waiving patent rights on COVID vaccines. As if that were praiseworthy.
Get a load of this shit:
https://futuremajority.org/thank-you-DE/
It’s a Democratic dark-money group. As always with dark-money groups, they wouldn’t hide their identities if they didn’t have something to hide.
For 30 years, maybe more, we’ve been saying we don’t have the money to compete with states with bigger budgets, so we’ve got to sell them on location, our skilled work force, our quality of life. Then we tear up our roads, skimp on our schools and raise revenue by letting fake fishermen buy permits to park SUVs on our beaches … while continuing to compete with other states by throwing money at companies.
That, right there, deserves a ‘Like’ button.
If somebody comes to my door and demands to know who I voted for, my answer is “Your mother.”
Mine is “Mr Soros”
Always suspicious of the word “Growth”, it implies an anything goes for business mentality that tramples on zoning and planing as all is sacrificed for the almighty dollar. The “revenue” part reminds me of supply side economics, perhaps the greatest something for nothing scam ever. Have you seen Middletown as of late? It’s gone from a sleepy little town to a festival of overbuilding and snarled traffic.
And they’re proud of it. Reminds me of “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”
Not sure where you pulled that out of but fitting nonetheless.
That’s what she said.
I don’t know the process, which basically exists to excuse ethical violations, but I don’t believe calling for a resignation is the same as filing an ethics complaint.