Both Darcy Burner and Peter Goldmark have shared details of their internal polls (here and here,) yet their opponents, Dave Reichert and Cathy McMorris have remained silent.
Hmm. I wonder why?
Via Swing State Project, Amy Walter of Cook Political Report explains:
Publicly released polls taken in individual districts also tell a pretty ugly story for the incumbent party in Congress. Since the beginning of this year, we have seen 38 polls released by Democrats, or Democratic-related groups, while we have seen just five public polls released by Republicans or Republican-related groups. And, when you look at the individual polls, it is easy to understand why Democrats are much more willing to disclose their numbers.
Democrats have released polling taken in 27 districts held by a Republican. Of those, 22 incumbents were under 50 percent of the vote against their Democratic opponent and 10 incumbents were either behind or within the margin of error. Republicans have only released three polls in Republican held seats – two of which showed the Republican under 50 percent (one was Rep. Bob Ney who announced this week that he was not running for re-election).
And with Burner on the air early, pumping up her positives and name ID unopposed, it’s awfully unlikely Reichert’s gonna find a more flattering poll than the one he commissioned in July — and quietly sat on.
DAY THREE 8/24: WHERE’S GOLDY ???????????????????
Tim Eyman came out in opposition to the property tax that never ends. Will Goldy open up his wallet to the greed of Seattle gummint, or get on Tim’s team to oppose the largest tax hike in Seattle’s history?
All of which increases the likelihood that Reichert will unleash his hatchetman Bruce Boram to “Swift Boat” Darcy Burner after the Primary.
I sure hope Goldy has been successful in digging into the opposition research.
Don’t have to “Swift Boat” Darcy Burnout- she wasn’t a Microsoftie “executive” and heading up a community club of soccer moms is NOT experience! She’ll self-destruct soon!
Johnnycakes,
I sure hope that’s the best you fuckers can come up with.
Postman reports today in the Seattle Times that the Federal Election Commission is expected to rule that even though Safeco recently gave a 2 million dollar contribution (err, “bonus”) to Mike McGavick’s campaign, Cantwell’s contributors are still limited to giving only $4,200 apiece.
Strictly speaking, the commission ruled that because McGavick is running only in a primary, the 2 million dollars of Safeco money which McGavick contributed or loaned to his campaign only allows his Republican opponants to increase their contribution limits to $25,200 instead of the $4,200 limits. Only if he uses some of that money in the general election (after the Sept. 19th primary) would Cantwell’s limits be increased.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.c.....an24m.html
Of course this ignores the fact that McGavick is the hand-picked opponant to run against Cantwell, that his advertising is directed entirely at building name-recognition for his run against Cantwell, that he hasn’t mentioned his Republican opponants once in his campagn, while he has criticized Cantwell. McGavick has been running against Cantwell from day one, BEFORE he even left Safeco.
You’ve got to admit – Rove is pretty slick, in a demonic sort of way. Funnel campaign contributions in the form of “bonuses to the candidate, then spend it running against non-opponants. The Republican has a virtually unlimited war chest, while the Democrat is working with one hand tied behind their backs, trying to work the phones to get a lot of ordinary people to contribute a limited amount of money.
PLUTO DEMOTED; 2 MORE TO GO
Astronomers have kicked Pluto out of the planetary club; it’s now mere space debris. I can hardly wait until Reichert and McMorris are political debris.
Although I hardly ever read traitor blogs, it has come to my attention in the last few days that some of the fascist anti-Americans over at the sucky little competing blog have been known to finger their guest commenters as “Roger Rabbit” — and publish his IP address.
This is fine with me. If they want to believe Joe Liberal is Roger Rabbit … go for it! The more time they spend looking for me at Golden Gardens, Gas Works, or Marymoor, the more peaceful it will be here at Green Lake Park.
I just wonder about one thing, though. What makes Eric and the other fools over at Sucky Politics think I would ever leave tracks on their blog for them to follow? No matter how stupid they think I am, they’re stupider.
I googled “Roger Rabbit” to find out if I’m famous on the traitor blogs. Besides the fact my name is frequently taken in vain at the pathetic little competing blog (it seems they have nothing better to talk about over there), the only thing I came up with was one traitor blog I’ve never heard of where I am, apparently, “the anti-Christ.”
So McGavick giving the Safeco money to his own campaign allows his Republican “opponants” to increase their contribution levels also, before the Sept. primary election. If they are not real opponants, and are actually acting in concert, then that means ALL of them can receive much larger contribution limits, and ALL of them can use that money for adds directed primarily at Cantwell, not McGavick.
If you want to determine whether they are real opponants, or just “straw men”, then ask: how many of them have joined in the FEC complaint against the legitimacy of the 28 Million Dollar Safeco “bonus” paid to McGavick upon his resigning to run for the Senate? How many have tried to make it a campaign issue? I certainly haven’t heard any discussion of this in the news.
So: Cantwell’s supporters are still limited to contributing $4,200 each. McGavick not only gets to spend the 2 million in Safeco moneyw hich he has already put into his campaign, but he, and all three other Republican candidates, can receive contributions of $25,200 per donar? And all four can use that money to attack Cantwell, as long as they spend it before the Sept. 19th primrary?
I wonder how many Republican donars will give $25,200 to ALL FOUR REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES?
I’m curious how much the pay is for that position. Also, are there any perks, and does it come with employer-paid health insurance? I’d like some employer-paid health insurance, as I’m currently forking over a third of my pension income for health insurance, as the state government that I slaved for for 30 years is too cheap to buy health benefits for its retirees.
Rove and his buddies are snickering. They figure they’ve got it all worked out. Raise millions of dollars from rich Republicans, spread it out among the four Republican candidates in the primary, and make it all possible it all by using Safeco money which has been laundered through McGavick’s own account. They figure they can drag out the issue of the legitimacy of the Safeco money until long after the election, when it will be a moot point. He might have to give back the money, but at that point its already served its purpose as a “loan” to the campaign, hasn’t it? They figure the average voter is too dumb to figure out how they have been manipulated, anyway.
1 DAY TWO HUNDRED AND ONE
When are you gonna pay Goldy the $100 bet you owe him, welsher?
1
Hey Reddick — I replied to your question about Nickel’s property tax increase in a previous thread! Did you get that memo? I said I’m against it, and I also said Eyman and Nickels ought to get married.
1
But if Nickels isn’t available, Eyman can marry you.
1
You and Eyman have a lot in common. First of all, you’re both egocentric, selfish, dishonest, greedy bastards. Secondly, neither of you has been laid in quite a while. And last but not least, you deserve each other.
2
If they trot out Osama right before the election, we should demand an autopsy, to find out who long he’s been in the cooler and whether he died of natural causes.
“how” not “who”
3
Since when do gopers consider “experience” a requirement for public office? See resume of one Mark Brown, ex-commissar of FEMA.
3 (continued)
“Experience” wasn’t a problem for gopers when they ran Dino Rossi, a consort of known felons, for governor either. Being governor involves supervising 200+ state agencies and 100,000+ state employees. Dino’s supervisory “experience” consists of briefly overseeing the work of one part-time janitor when he was in college over three decades ago.
3 (part III)
On the other hand, when gopers do recruit someone with “experience” to run for congress, the guy’s experience is all bad. RubberStampReichert, as a case in point:
– took 20 years to catch a serial killer who was right under his nose
– mismanaged a corruption-riddled sheriff’s department
– gave criminals early retirement and lucrative pensions instead of throwing them in jail
– misuses franking privileges to mail campaign literature at taxpayer expense
– after 2 years of warming a bench in the House, still hasn’t hugged a rabbit
Just in case you don’t understand the enormity of the advantage this gives McGavick, consider the following.
McGavick’s 28 million dollar contribution (err, “bonus”) from Safeco, invested at 8%, yields $2,240,000 PER YEAR. So the 2 Million dollars in Safeco money already dumped into the campaign WON’T EVEN TOUCH THE PRINCIPLE earned by the end of the year.
Cantwell will need to find 476 individual donars making the maximum $4,200 contribution to her campaign to equal the 2 million put into McGavick’s campain by one contributer (err, “employer), (err, “ex-employer”?), Safeco.
Because the contribution limits have been raised to $25,200 for Republican candidates, but not for Democratic candidates, then Cantwell has to find SIX donars at the maximum allowed $4,200 per donar, in order to match every ONE donar giving the maximum $25,200 to the Republican campaigns. Since some of those donars may be giving the maximum to EACH Republican shill (er, “candidate”), then the math is even worse. Cantwell has to find TWENTY-FOUR donars giving the maximum to her campaign in order to match ONE Republican donar giving $100,800 divided between the four Republican “candidates”.
So – this is how it feels when the Republicans feel they can buy any election, and the voters are just schucks who wouldn’t know the difference. They are just waiting for you to unbuckle your belt and bend over, because they plan on enjoying what’s going to happen next.
But only if you let it happen. If you havne’t explained this yet to every person in your neighborhood, you better be prepared to unbuckle that belt.
I see in today’s news that a zoo has named a horse after Ann Coulter. The horse bears an uncanny resemblance to Coulter. However, the horse is better looking. Smarter, too. http://tinyurl.com/g9v5e
Face it, Coulter admirers*, your idol is an over-the-hill, 40-something, has-been spinster dishrag.
* For photo of Republican crowd waving at Ann Coulter, click here http://tinyurl.com/f6gw6
McGavick will not win in November: it’s currently impossible for the Reps to overcome the Denmocratic voting bloc of Seattle and King County. Maybe in 10 or 20 years, things will have changed, but McGavick has no chance on November 7th.
5
More proof that even Republicans don’t think they can win without cheating.
9
What do you expect from an FEC run by Bushies? Like every other federal agency, they’ve turned the FEC into a pathetic joke.
9 (continued)
Next thing you know, the FEC will rule it’s okay to use franking privileges to mail campaign literature at taxpayer expense — but only if you’re a Republican. What a bunch of fucking crooks and cheaters.
9 (continued)
Speaking of fucking, Republicans have been fucking a lot of minors lately, judging from the number of Republicans now in jail for child molesting.
Roger,
The State Supreme Court issued a ruling….
http://www.theolympian.com/app.....6/60824009
Does this mean we are responsible for our parents and grandparents crimes?
11
Doesn’t matter. The more money McGavick spends, the better voters will get to know him; and the more they know about McGavick, the bigger Cantwell’s winning margin will be.
Washington voters already know everything they need to about McGavick: He’s in favor of looting Social Security, and he’s in favor of looting the waitress tip jar.
Get bumper stickers while they last:
Mike? Who
He’s the Problem, Not the Solution
24
Yeah, in 10 or 20 years this whole neocon madness will have blown over (with perhaps as few as 30 million U.S. dead), all the surviving Republicans will be in re-education camps, and McGavick will be living above a garage in Georgetown.
The reason the righties are sitting on their polls is simple. The news is all bad for the fucking traitors! They’re gonna loooose and take all the dicksucking punk righties on this board with em! HE HE!
And that punk RubberStampReichert is afraid to debate Darcy. Just like when he was a sheriff. Hiding behind a badge and a gun then and hiding behind his seat in Congress now. Fucking coward.
29
Yeah. It means Republicans’ grandchildren can be hanged, too! As always in legal rulings, there are a few complicated technical exceptions, which you should hire a lawyer to explain to you. I charge $250 an hour, am still accepting new clients, and have a few slots left in my appointment calendar. Don’t wait, hurry and book your appointment today! Call 1-800-ROG-BAIL.
Roger Rabbit has posted 68.57% of the comments on this board. If you don’t like it, donate $1 to the “Pay Reddick’s Gambling Debt Fund.”
If Reddick’s gambling debt isn’t paid soon, he may have to go for a swim in Puget Sound wearing cement flippers. Hey just kidding! If wingers can joke about killing people, why can’t I? Why should wingers like Coulter and Robertson have a monopoly on sick jokes? Wingers want a monopoly on every fucking thing. And why should they have a monopoly on killing people? There’s lots of sick, violent, sociopathic, freeloading, rightwing welshers taking up space on this planet that would be put to better use by occupying it with MORE RABBITS!!!
The reason the righties are sitting on their polls is simple. The news is all bad for the fucking traitors! They’re gonna loooose and take all the dicksucking punk righties on this board with em! HE HE!
Commentby LeftTurn [NOV 2000, NOV 2002, NOV 2004…………hehe, JCH]
sgmmac @ 29,
I don’t think the Washington Supremem Court intends for children and grandchildren of felons to serve time for what the felons did, but if there’s money to get, the trial lawyers will have the opportunity to sue the beejeepers out of a felon’s estate via the civil side of the legal system. This looks like a little bone thrown to the trial lawyers so they’ll have another opportunity to show up in court to scam some bucks. It won’t affect the average joe.
37
Anyone else notice that now that all the polls, pundits and experts are prediciting a Democratic surge, if not sweep, in November, all John Craig can come up with is to remind of ancient history. Kind of like everytime the heat gets turned up on Bush he utters “terrorists” and “9-11”.
I will sit back now and watch John Craig insult everyone, without ever making a salient point.
Carl Grossman
Liberal, Democrat and Proud
The reason the Dems will do well in November is the Iraq debacle. Bush made the fatal post-Vietnam mistake: he got involved in a shooting match and didn’t get it over with. The day they found Saddam hiding in a hole should have been teh day the US started poacking up and heading home. (Some folks would have preferred we had stayed out entirely, and that’s a valid opinion, too.)
If a country is going to go kick somebody’s ass, then it’s best to get it over with quickly. Having a protracted mess on your hands is worse than losing from the git-go.
I just heard Mike!s latest radio ad buy. He accuses Maria Cantwell of screwing Washington families by voting against the extension of the sales tax exemption. How could she, that hard-hearted bitch! Turns out of course that extending the sales tax exemption (STE) was just another part of the poison pill tax package that Republicans crafted earlier this year that would repeal the estate tax and reduce the pay of tipped workers so that they could run against Democrats who would then have “voted against” a minmum wage increas and the extended STE.
Of course, just as with increasing the minimum wage, extending the STE has been a high priority for Maria Cantwell in this legislative sssion, so the implication of Mike!s ad is simply dishonest, but it shows you that they have to lie and smear to try to win this year.
The funniest part was a recording of Mike! saying, “If the Republican Party came to me and asked me to vote against the families of Washington state, I’d just tell them to go jump!” Hilarious stuff.
And, of course, Mike! ain’t winnin’ ANYTHING this year.
Statistics recently published by the oil cartel OPEC show that Russia is currently extracting more oil than Saudi Arabia, making it the biggest producer of “black gold” in the world, the British Financial Times reported on Wednesday, Aug. 23. […………………………If the Russians are drilling all over Siberia, why aren’t we drilling all over Alaska? And why aren’t the commie lib idiot Democrats protesting in Siberia to save the Artic foxes?? Typical idiot libs. Also note the Chicomms and Cubans are ready to drill less than 13 miles off Florida, and the dumb fuck “progressive” Democrats haven’t said one word! Typical Democrat hypocrites!!!!]
Yea, but if an Alaska Senator asked him to kiss his ass, Mike would be all puckered up…..
Who is driving the ‘Anti-Wal-Mart’ campaign?
Wal-Mart has recently been named by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the country’s top companies for diversity. The firm was also celebrated this year by Diversity Inc., Asian Enterprise Magazine, the National Association of Women, Black MBA Magazine, Careers & The Disabled Magazine and by Hispanic Magazine for similar accomplishments.
This is the company that Democrats are campaigning against?
Wal-Mart employs 1.2 million Americans, is one of the most successful companies in the country’s history, has by itself lowered the cost of living for all Americans, has inspired competitors to do the same, has improved the efficiency of American retailing and manufacturing at a time that most industries were reeling from intense foreign competition, and is currently pushing an extensive array of environmental initiatives.
This is the company that Democrats are campaigning against?
For fiscal 2006, ending in January of this year, the company recorded another year of strong income and revenue growth, and created 125,000 new jobs in America. In a store that opened near Chicago, Wal-Mart received 25,000 applications for 325 job openings.
This is the company that Democrats are campaigning against?
No drilling!! No new refineries!! No nukes! Add another Federal 50 cents a gallon on gasoline!! No pipelines!! No exploration off Florida, California!! Tax the oil companies even more!!! Oh, BTW………It’s Bush’s fault gas prices are high!!!! [Democrats: economic idiots!!!]
There is outrage in Zimbabwe after President Robert Mugabe’s government announced it had ordered six more K-8 Chinese fighter jets worth $141-million (R987-million) to equip the army. The order comes at a time when the country is experiencing a severe economic difficulties. The government ordered the first six Chinese fighter jets and other military equipment in 2004 and took delivery early last year. [……………Because Robert Mugabe is a black “progressive” running the Hillary Village of Zimbabwe, this is OK. Any questions concerning the millions of deaths in Harare would be racist, SO DON’T EVEN GO THERE!!!]
JCH, You’re becomming similar to Roger Rabbit with these numerous posts on the same thread.
Detroit, MI: The American Harare, Zimbabwe???
47, I’m soooooooooo much better!!! Like comparing a Porsche Turbo to a Yugo!!!!!!!
So, Northwest Airlines was succesful in asking a Bankruptcy Court to void its union contract with the flight attendants. It imposed a new contract with significant reductions in pay and benefits.
The flight attendants say they will not work under the new contract. Rather than an outright strike, which would cripple the airline, they are planning selected walkouts and slowdowns to force the company back to the bargaining table.
Northwest went back to Bankruptcy Court, and asked the judge to enter an order REQUIRING the workers to work under the new contract, which they have rejected in two seperate votes. The judge refused.
Now the Bush administration’s justice department is going back into Federal Court, asking a judge to ORDER THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS TO WORK under any conditions Northwest imposes. The company argues that it is entitled to the order becuase the workers are not allowed to strike under the Labor Relations Act untill federal mediation fails. But no mediator has been appointed because Northwest claims it is not yet at an “impass”, even though it has refused to schedule any bargaining sessions.
Let me get this straight. The Bush administration wants a federal judge to order people to work for a company under a contract to which they did not agree, and have actively rejected. Violation of the order by failing to show up for work under those conditions could be treated as contempt of court and subject to immediate jail terms until the flight attendants agree to comply.
This is the party of Lincoln and the Emancipation Doctrine? Isn’t the basic hallmark of slavery that you have the right not to work under conditions you have not agreed to under contract?
http://seattletimes.nwsource.c.....air24.html
Maybe when the Democrats take office, we can get an order putting all Republicans into work camps under whatever conditions we decide. What’s good for the goose…..
Former Detroit City Councilman Alonzo Bates knew it was wrong to put his yardman on the city payroll for mowing Bates’ lawn, taking out his trash and washing Bates’ cars, the yardman testified Wednesday on the second day of Bates’ federal corruption trial.
“You know, I can get in trouble for this,” Jollan Johnson, 24, of Monroeville, Ala., said Bates occasionally told him while handing Johnson a City of Detroit payroll check. Johnson said Bates also told him to put in a periodic appearance at Bates’ office at City Hall “to make things look good.”
Johnson said he tried to oblige — even to the point of lying when the FBI and a federal grand jury asked him if he performed any work for the city. Johnson said he lied because Bates had tried to help him turn his life around and he didn’t want the former councilman to get in trouble.
Bates, 66, a one-term councilman who was defeated for re-election last November, is on trial for mail fraud, theft of federal funds and bank fraud. The government says he put his brother-in-law, the mother of his child, a girlfriend’s daughter and Johnson on the city payroll in 2002-2005, while requiring them to do little or no work for the $88,174 they received.
Bates also is accused of extorting a new roof for his home, valued at $7,480, from a city contractor.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1-million fine. He has denied any wrongdoing. [………………………………………………………………Black Detroit Democrats………….Just stealing from whoever has to pay taxes!!! Detroit, MI: Harare, Zimbabwe, and not a Republican within miles!!! The perfect Hillary Village!!!!!!!]
rhp6033, The unions have driven Northwest Airlines into “BK” The “owners” [shareholders] were fucked. The stock is worthless, yet the “union hacks” are still ready to strike! Amaxing!! The correct thing to do is to kill this turkey, and fire all those “union hacks”. Too fucking bad!!!
Hey, if the government can order Northwest flight attendants to work on any terms the company imposes, lets get a court order that McGavick has to go back to work in the Safeco cafeteria until he repays the 28 million dollars in campaign contributions (err, “bonuses”) that he was paid? Since he arguably could receive “tips” for bussing the tables, we can pay him only $2.15 per hour! That means he can pay back the debt in only 6,261 years! Oh, wait, that’s assuming that he only works 40 hours per week. No reason we can’t make that 80 hours per week! Hell, we’ll even pay him time and a half for that second shift! If he works real hard, maybe he can pay it off in only 2,500 years!
Hey, and if McGavick refuses to work on those conditions, we can have the police break down the gates at that exclusive subdivision of his, and haul his ass back to work, chaining him to the sink while he washes dishes!
If he tries to file bankruptcy to get out of the debt, we can remind him of the “bankruptcy reform” legislation the Republicans passed about a year ago, which assumes that all debtors are deadbeats, and requires them to file a plan work off their debt, instead of discharging it!
Hey, if the government can order Northwest flight attendants to work on any terms the company imposes, lets get a court order that McGavick has to go back to work in the Safeco cafeteria until he repays the 28 million dollars in campaign contributions (err, “bonuses”) that he was paid? Since he arguably could receive “tips” for bussing the tables, we can pay him only $2.15 per hour! That means he can pay back the debt in only 6,261 years! Oh, wait, that’s assuming that he only works 40 hours per week. No reason we can’t make that 80 hours per week! Hell, we’ll even pay him time and a half for that second shift! If he works real hard, maybe he can pay it off in only 2,500 years!
Now that’s just silly. There’s no way he lives more than 1,500 years – probably not even 1,000.
38
“This looks like a little bone thrown to the trial lawyers so they’ll have another opportunity to show up in court to scam some bucks.” Commentby Libertarian— 8/24/06@ 12:44 pm
So? Trial lawyers have to make a living, too. Besides, they give a lot of money to Democratic candidates. :D
47
You’re just noticing that now? This has been going on for some time.
49
Your legs are longer than mine, but I have longer ears than you do. neener neener
they give a lot of money to Democratic candidates.
Commentby Roger Rabbit— 8/24/06@ 2:12 pm
=======================================
And what do the “buy” with those donations?
Answer: Power, influence, and wealth for themselves!
The “justice” system is simply a place where lawyers extort/make money.
But here’s some good news, Roger. The FDA has approved over-the-counter sales of the morning-after pill. Ain’t that grand? The only requirement is that the consumer must be 18 or older.
This is great news for teenagers who get knocked-up. Even if they’re under age, they can get an 18-year-old friend to purchase the morning-after pill for them. Less kids born out-of-wedlock is a good thing, and I applaud the FDA for finally coming around to doing the sensible thing.
JCH: Maybe Northwest SHOULD be converted to a Chapter 7 bankruptcy and liquidated.
But management is trying a different approach: they are trying to get all the workers to accept reductions in pay and benefits, while giving themselves bonuses for all the “exceptional” work they are doing while the company is in bankruptcy. When one of the union balks, they want a federal judge to “order” them to work under whatever conditions they choose to impose! The executives aren’t going to give up on the airline until they have squeezed every dollar out of it for their own benefit, and it looks like the Bush administration is planning to cooperate in that strategy.
I’ve got an idea. Maybe the federal judge should order the executives to give back every dollar they made from the company over the past five years which was above minimum wage. And force them to work at minimum wage for the next five years, under pain of imprisonment. Clearly they haven’t earned anything more than that by their performance, and it is consistent with the position they are currently taking with the flight attendants of compelling work under whatever conditions they choose to impose.
“The unions cause all he problems” is an old, tired, excuse for what is usually poor management.
In the case of Northwest Airlines, there are a lot of problems other than union contracts. Among them: failure to tie up oil supplies with contracts which protect them from price rises. Using too wide a diversity of aircraft models, which increases maintenance, parts, and training expense. Flying old planes which gulp fuel, instead of investing in new, more fuel-efficient aircraft (was that really an old DC10 I saw landing back in Amsterdam yesterday???) Raiding employee pension plan funds for cash when the stock market is good, and then abandoning them as “hopelessly underfunded” when the stock market goes down again (i.e., making the federal Pension Fund Guarantee Corp., and the taxpayers, pick up the difference). Giving their executives bonuses to make up for their stock options being “underwater” – in short, making sure they make millions regardless of how well they manage, or how well the business is doing. Sticking to the old “hub and spoke” routing system years after it has been abandoned by more profitable carriers in favor of the “city-pair” system. Using financing systems which bleed cash out of the carrier into the pockets of aircraft leasing companies who’s executives also sit on the board of directors of the airline.
The old, tired, Republican tactic of blaming the unions doesn’t hold water with someone who actually knows something about the airline business.
rhp6033,
Don’t be too harsh on the corporate defined benefit pensions. Companies weren’t required to actuarily fund the to the 100% level, and there were IRC penalties for companies that “over-funded” their defined benefit plans. The government, particularly the IRS & the tax code it enforces, share some of the blame for poor planning.
Libertarian: After the Employee Income Retirement Security Act (1976?), there were requirements that the pensions be funded adequately. Not 100% but close enough. That was the same act which set up the Pension Guarantee Corporation. It’s kind of the same deal as with the banks – if you meet government funding standards, the government will insure the fund (at a minimal level).
But the loophole was that if it appeared that the plan had more money than was needed, then the company could take it out for its own benefit. Often the “benefit” was to increase the bottom line, allowing the executives to take huge bonuses and get rich off their stock options. But since times of underfunding always occur when the company isn’t doing well, there’s no way for them to put the money back in. Is it legal? Unfortunately, yes. Is it eithicaL? No.
American companeys most are uneithical.
And unfortunately most of the worst unethical people end up being senators and congressman and presidents…..
in both partys
It’s pretty funny we defeated totalitarianism in germany and russia. Then imported it here :-/
Man I got a mess of documenters . I have been downloading them all night and most of today . off of usenet .
alt.binaries.multimedia.documentaries
alt.binaries.documentaries
I don’t have cable so I down load tv hehehehee Actualy it’s pretty neat . It is kind of like being your own tv programer
this the group I get most of my movies from alt.binaries.multimedia.horror
rhp6033, The required level was 90%, actuarily, for “adequate” funding. There were penalties for companies that “over-funded,” too, since a company got a tax write-off for income tax purposes for the plan contributions. More contributions to the plan meant less taxes due.
The biggest group likely to abuse the over-funding rule were closely-held C & S corporations and (to some extent) partnerships. This was particularly evident when there were several owner/employees and just a few non-owner employees. The owner/employees tended to run the plan for THEIR beneift and actually hurt the non-owner employee in the process. It was common to let people go as they neared vesting for the pension plan. Obviously, the owner/employees were NEVER included in this group because they ran the plan for themsleves and were never at risk of being terminated before vesting.
With all the trouble that has accompanied defined benefit plans, I’m glas to see defined contribution plans take the lead for retiremement planning. Faster vesting, OWNERSHIP, portability – all good for the average guy. It comes with an aspect of personal responsibility, however, The average joe these days has to be a lot smarter than his mom or dad was when it comes to retirement.
“The ‘justice’ system is simply a place where lawyers extort/make money.” Libertarian @ 59
I think you’re falling back on platitudes. Our justice system is far more constituent-driven and transparent than many of our other “systems”–the health care system or the banking system, for instance. Many people develop a bad taste for our legal system because it is a negative event that typically brings them there in the first place–a criminal charge, a divorce, an insurance dispute, a business deal gone bad. And, unfortunately and inevitably, a lawsuit approaches a zero sum game. While our justice system is not perfect, I would challenge you to identify a nation with a better one. Moreover, as a libertarian, I would have to think that you steadfastly support two of our justice system’s pillars, both of which draw inordinate scorn from the right–the right to due process and the right to trial by jury. C’mon, you’re a careful thinker; I’d expect more than anti-lawyer platitudes.
The average joe these days has to be a lot smarter than his mom or dad was when it comes to retirement
that is the big problem is that the average joe is a hell of a lot dumber then his mom or pa was . Plus has a hell of a lot less time to learn about this stuff because there working 3 or 4 jobs just to make it .
Socialist,
Why haven’t you posted any questions under the “Ask a Secular Jew” post for Goldy to answer. You seem to have a lot of links to antisemitic web sites you have been posting recently. So, ask away.
Libertarian are just republicans that want to smoke pot :-/
Well i didn’t know about it. That is actuily a good idea.
I would be interested in what his thought’s are about it.
It is just a documenter I download that was very disturbing becoase I couldn’t easy refute what it was saying.
Actuily the weird thing is one of the vidios was made bye a Secular Jew. :-/
this guy David Cole at Auschwitz
http://opposingdigits.com/vlog/?p=205
I can’t find the “Ask a Secular Jew” link on the web site.
were do i find it Mac?
Libertarian are just republicans that want to smoke pot :-/
Commentby The Socialist— 8/24/06@ 3:11 pm
===================================
Acutally, (un)Socialist, a Libertarian is a Democrat that believes in individual responsibility and a Republican that believes in individual rights.
never mind I see it
a Libertarian is a Democrat that believes in individual responsibility and a Republican that believes in individual rights.
rofl yeah right you just keep telling your self that.
Thats is a nice slogen but has no bases in reality
Sorry, proud leftist, I didn’t realize you were an attorney.
Libertarian;
I actually like the “defined contribution” plans also, over the defined benefit plans, for the same reasons you indicated. But they, too, are not free from abuse by the employer, as any Enron employee will tell you.
And the biggest scam in 401(k) plans currently seems to be the requirement in many companies that only “full-time” employees can participate, defined as somone who is regularly scheduled to work 35 or 38 hours per week. Of course, most of the workforce then becomes “part time”, scheduled at just an hour or so under the minimum required for benefits. So even though the company offers fully paid medical and 401(K) plans and sick leave and vacation pay, only management actually gets those benefits. Kind of ignores the “anti-discrimination” provisions of the tax code, doesn’t it?
And then there’s the tendency to declare one in five workers “management”. Hey! you’ve just been promoted to Manager of the Belts & Wallets Dept. in the local mall store! We will give you three part-time employees to work under you, but they are limited to only 15 hours per week each. You have to do everything required to keep your section running, and the rest of the store, running – shipping, inventory, reporting, bookeeping, deposits, stocking, register, and sales. Lots of overtime, but no overtime pay! If you complain, we will just say you are “underperforming” and hire somebody else!
rofl yeah right you just keep telling your self that.
Thats is a nice slogen but has no bases in reality
Commentby The Socialist— 8/24/06@ 3:23 pm
==============
What ever, (un)Socialist.
rhp6033,
I’m glad we agree on the the defined contribution plan topic. The Enron case indicates (yet again) crooks will materialize out of the ether to take advantage of people. It re-enforcs my point that workers are NOW RESPONSIBLE for their own retirement planning. Yes, social security is there, but of marginal value when it comes to surviving on it. As bad a Enron, WorldCom and others were, they at least serve as a wake-up call for working people to pay attention to their own lives.
Your comments, while understandable, don’t apply to the vast, vast majority of American businesses. I personally know of no one that is a “manager” (with three part-time employees) who is really a peon for his/her employer. A person would put up with that arrangement for just as long as it took to find another position. Employers, by and large, are employees themselves in corporate America. The supervisor of a department is an employee him/herself, and can ill-afford to mistreat fellow employees because the same treatment may be forthcoming to him or her.
Sure, there are exceptions to my statements, but I don’t think what you’ve said above is the norm in America, either.
rofl
The Democrat NEA controlled Public School system is proud to present: “The Socialist”!!!!!!!!!
you sound like a rich asshole that really has no idea what real peoples lives are like
what did you go to privite school Doctor JCH Kennedy????
If FORD goes private, the union contracts will be “voided”. Think about that, commie union hack libs!!!!!
Rich to me is anyone who makes over 25,000 a year bye the way ….
If Ford breaks the union I will sell my Ford F 150 and go buy a Toyota Tacome instead !!!!!!!!!!
Roger Rabbit, If your family has two cars, and “The Socialist” has none, shouldn’t you give him his choice of your automobiles?
Rich to me is anyone who makes over 25,000 a year bye the way ….
Commentby The Socialist […………………………………………………………………………There you have it!!! Tax at 100% MTR all income over 25 grand. Roger, I’m sure you agree!!!]
any over 50 k would be fine at 95 % :-) and anyone onder that should be tax free…..
I have a truck and a motorcycle and there both payed for buttnutz
and I don’t drive the truck much i use the motorcycle mostly wich gets 51 miles to the gallon
DAY THREE 8/24: WHERE’S GOLDY ???????????????????
Tim Eyman came out in opposition to the property tax that never ends. Will Goldy open up his wallet to the greed of Seattle gummint, or get on Tim’s team to oppose the largest tax hike in Seattle’s history?
Socialist,
Are you serious? It is right below this one.
I think we should just tear seattle down it blocks the view of MT Rainer from Everett
yeah Mac I all ready posted it there
Sure, let’s all vote for Maria Cant-tell the truth about why she voted against the minimum wage. Her video ad is just as dishonest as Darchy Burner’s
go check it out its #35
im voting for tran
Lib at 83: The arrangement I described is becoming all to common in the retail industry. It is indeed very short-sighted, in that it relies upon the frequent turnover of employees. They work for a little while, realize they are being screwed, and quit. In the long term, this is bad for business.
I remember the days when a Sears salesman really knew his or her stuff. Go to the tool dept., and you could get an education along with a tool. These guys were in it for the long haul, and planned to stay with the company until they retired. Not anymore.
I’m not anti-business. I am simply against management which manages for the short term, especially when it is done for their personal profit. It seems to me that is all too common in American business these days.
The Japanese companies tend to manage for the long term. An employee doesn’t change companies, so both employees and management tend to think in terms of the long-term bests interests of the company. Japanese companies do have other problems, however, which are more that I have time to address here today.
hey I downloade a documentery about mark the read neck and his boy friend Dr kennidy ……….
BBC WALKING WITH CAVEMEN – DVD5
all you economic wonks should go watch these set of vidios
The Money Masters – Part 1
How International Bankers gained control of America.
2 hr 1 min – Apr 21, 2005
http://video.google.com/videos.....ey+masters
Did I correctly hear that Mike McGavick just got a DUI?
107.
Still awaiting the drop of the other shoe….
Did I correctly hear that Mike McGavick just got a DUI?
Commentby proud leftist— 8/24/06@ 4:36 pm
rofl oh that would be rich har dee har har HAR!!! :-)
EGADS another BBC documentery and republicans
BBC WALKING WITH BEASTS – DVD5
oops and=about
Sven @ 100
Sven @ 100
Senator Cantwell voted against a bill which included a load of Republican goodies. They threw in the minimum wage issue so fools like you would take that piece. Another example of Republican cynical use of the legislative system.
You and Eyman have a lot in common. First of all, you’re both egocentric, selfish, dishonest, greedy bastards. Secondly, neither of you has been laid in quite a while. And last but not least, you deserve each other. Commentby Roger Rabbit— 8/24/06@ 11:35 am
But they don’t publically espouse humans fucking animals every day either, et tu Furball?
SOBER? REPUBLICAN MIKE MCGABSLICK REVEALED A DRUNK DRIVING INCIDENT :)
REPUBLICAN MIKE MCGABSLICK ALSO DISCUSSED HIS DIVORCE AND ADMITTED TO A(JUST ONE? ROVIAN PLAYBOOK) DIRTY POLITICAL TRICK AND PAYROLL SLASHING AT HIS INSURANCE COMPANY IN ORDER TO INCREASE HIS OWN PAY AND LESSEN THAT OF THE SHAREHOLDERS.
ANOTHER DRUNKEN REPUBLICAN WHY SHOULD TAXPAYERS VOTE FOR HIM?
don’t worry Mike Webb Sucks— no one is going to come drag your girl friend away baaaaabs the sheep………..
He must have figured someone else was about to reveal his DUI, so he revealed it himself. Expedience trumps principles anyday when it comes to Republicans. Maybe McGavick’s a decent guy when he’s drunk. He sure is unimpressive when he’s sober.
Appeasement: The only multisyllabic word moonbats know: http://www.examiner.com/a-2395.....peace.html
don’t worry Mike Webb Sucks— no one is going to come drag your girl friend away baaaaabs the sheep……….. Commentby The Socialist— 8/24/06@ 5:26 pm
Ummmph Ummph umph, socialist you are funny! NOT
have any of these republicans not been divorced 2 or 3 times????
Nice!
“WITH Iran confidently defying pressure to curb its nuclear programme, Israel has signed a contract with Germany to buy two more submarines capable of firing nuclear missiles, it emerged yesterday.
Israeli security sources said the submarines are needed to counter long-range threats from countries such as Iran, whose president has called for Israel to be “wiped off the map”.
Israel has been expanding its military in the light of Iran’s nuclear ambitions. It already has three Dolphin-class submarines which can fire nuclear missiles, but the newer models can remain submerged far longer.”
http://news.scotsman.com/inter.....1245602006
1 DAY TWO HUNDRED AND THREE
Where’s the $100 you owe Goldy?
77
“a Republican that believes in individual rights” Commentby Libertarian— 8/24/06@ 3:21 pm
There’s no such thing – not on this planet, anyway
70
“While our justice system is not perfect, I would challenge you to identify a nation with a better one.” Commentby proud leftist— 8/24/06@ 3:04 pm
Primitive societies that practice revenge killing have a lot less murder, rape, and stealing than ours does.
have any of these republicans not been divorced 2 or 3 times????
There’s more old Drunkards than old Doctors.
— Poor Richard’s Almanack, probably of French origin
A brilliant strategy, sew up the drunk vote.
59
“And what do the ‘buy’ with those donations? Answer: Power, influence, and wealth for themselves!” Commentby Libertarian— 8/24/06@ 2:21 pm
Got a problem with it? Why should corporations and millionaire Republican publishers be the only people allowed to buy power, influence, and wealth? The whole point of being a Democrat is so that someday we can live like Republicans.
100
“she voted against the minimum wage”
Ask your Republican friends to explain how they pulled that off.
Freedom a bitch isn’t it :-/
I thought you had to be an old drunk to vote republican?
113
“But they don’t publically espouse humans fucking animals every day either, et tu Furball?” Commentby Mike Webb Sucks— 8/24/06@ 5:14 pm
I think they should fuck animals because humans are too good for them, but they beat me to it — remember the Republican horse farm in Enumclaw?
119
“have any of these republicans not been divorced 2 or 3 times????” Commentby The Socialist— 8/24/06@ 5:32 pm
Only reason those women married them in the first place is because they lied and said they were Democrats.
yupe republicans like them there farm animals…..
YEEEEEEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ROFL
rabbit you should watch these vidios . I would really like your thoughts on them…… The Money Masters – Part 1
How International Bankers gained control of America.
2 hr 1 min – Apr 21, 2005
http://video.google.com/videos.....ey+masters
You mean MWS is from Monta-a-a-a-a-na-a-a-a-a?
oops i found Mark the red necks wedding picture :-/
http://www.pritchettcartoons.c.....rriage.jpg
You mean Monbaaana
Republicans sit on their wallets!
Lying monkeys, sons of bitches!
129 YOU MEAN TED KENNEDY IS A REPULICAN
Just watched “Judge Judy”. It’s fun to watch these loser Democrats who “have needs”, gold chains, diamond earrings, and no jobs. They “gets da “guvment” check, drive illegally, wreak other people’s cars, borrow money from friends, and never pay them back. The lesson: Stay far away from this loser “entitled” class of Democrats. Don’t hire them. Don’t live in the same community. Keep your kids away from this loser class of Democrat urban scum. Final thought: This Democrat scum all live in a public school Democrat “PC” envoronment, and are absolutely shocked when Judge Judy tells them that they are uneducated scum. Why am I reminded of “The Socialist”???
Hey Doctor Kennedey. The only welfare left is the 12 BILLION DOLLARS given out to the energy companies. You righties scream welfare, welfare like it is a disease. Wait till your job is shipped overseas. The bank takes your house the same time your kid gets sick, right after your old job’s benefits ran out. You face the choice. Buy medicine for your kid, with cash or watch him die. Your run out of room on your credit cards, and find yourself living in your car, eating out of dumpsters.
And you complain abour welfare folks, while the military industrial complex packs home 1 TRILLION DOLLARS A YEAR!!!
Welfare is a joke the GOP has been playing on retards for far too long. Personally I would rather not see Americans starving to death. You may feel differently, but since you are a rightie, how others feel probably matters nothing to you. As long as you can drop bombs on their children….. and look tough!
What is really funny, is the fact that most of the welfare money per capita goes to red states. It is the blue states that pay their way.
Fact. Sorry to bust your teeny bubble with reality. Oh by the way, have they found them WMD’s yet? You know the ones Bush knew didn’t exist. Wasn’t that Colin Powell claiming he gave knowingly misleading information at the U.N? Yes, yes it was Powell confessing he misled the world.
“TIM RUSSERT, “MEET THE PRESS”: I think that was one of your staff Mr. Secretary. I don‘t think that‘s appropriate.
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Get—Emily, get out of the way.
OLBERMANN: Powell finishes his answer, admitting that much of the information he had been given about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq was
POWELL: …inaccurate and wrong and in some cases deliberately misleading.
”
Powell told the truth. Knowingly misleading.
Kinda tough being a rightie these days ain’t it one who the truth matters nothing to right?