Tax-Hating States Totally Fine With Taxing The Poor

As everyone knows, Southern politicians despise taxes more than just about anything -- except perhaps cornbread with sugar, or iced tea without. This established rule of the universe makes a new report by the Tax Foundation especially curious, at least at first look. The group, which typically takes an anti-tax stance, combined each state's sales tax rate with the average local sales tax rate, as of Jan. 1. The group found that the five states with the highest average combined state-local tax rates are mostly Southern-fried: Tennessee (9.45 percent), Arkansas (9.19 percent), Louisiana (8.89 percent), Washington (8.88 percent), and Oklahoma (8.72 percent). The combined sales tax rate is also high in New York (8.47 percent) and California (8.40). Four states, Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire and Delaware, collect no sales taxes at all. (Story continues after chart.) Not mentioned in the report are some of the factors that play into high sales tax rates. In the South, especially, property taxes are very low, and voters have historically rejected attempts to raise them. The region also has a history of handing out huge tax breaks to large manufactures in order to persuade them to move there. Alabama, for example, handed out a sweet package of $253 million in tax breaks and other incentives in order to woo a Mercedes-Benz plant to the state in 1993. A decade later, the plant reaped an additional $11.5 million in tax breaks for an expansion that didn't create any new jobs. Washington, number four on the list, passed a package of $9 billion in tax breaks in November in order to keep Boeing to locate production of its newest jet in Seattle. So with few other options available to pay for things like roads and schools, states have been forced to boost sales taxes, a form of revenue generation generally considered regressive -- meaning it hurts poor people the most. That's because the cost of food, clothing and other purchased goods tend to make up a higher percentage of a low income consumer's budget than for people with higher incomes. The poor are also less likely to own property, and thus less likely to benefit from lower tax rates for homes and land.

Arizona GOP congressional candidate: Slavery wasn't so bad, ‘kept business rolling’

An Arizona Republican who is running to represent the state’s 2nd District in Congress wrote on Facebook that the institution of slavery wasn’t really so hard on slaves and was actually good for the economy. According to the Root’s Keli Goff, Arizona congressional hopeful Jim Brown was trying to make a statement about federal spending and the nature of “entitlements” when he veered off course into racially offensive territory. “Back in the day of slavery, slaves were kept in slavery by denying them education and opportunity while providing them with their basic needs,” wrote Brown. “Not by beating them and starving them,” he said, adding “Although there were isolated cases, of course.” “Basically slave owners took pretty good care of their slaves and livestock and this kept business rolling along,” he said. As Goff noted, “This flies in the face of all credible historical accounts.” Brown began his congressional run earlier this year, running to represent Arizona’s District 1, then abruptly switching to District 2. In both districts, he faced vulnerable Democratic opponents. In District 2, he would run against Democratic Rep. Ron Barber. First, however, he has to win the Republican primary in August. He apologized for the remarks and took down the Facebook post on Friday. “Some people read this to mean that I didn’t think slavery was that bad. I believe that slavery is worse than death — yesterday, today and tomorrow. I apologize to anyone I offended,” he wrote.

CA GOP Alienates Own Black Members With Racist Image

The latest newsletter by an Inland Republican women's group depicts Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama surrounded by a watermelon, ribs and a bucket of fried chicken, prompting outrage in political circles.

The October newsletter by the Chaffey Community Republican Women, Federated says if Obama is elected his image will appear on food stamps -- instead of dollar bills like other presidents. The statement is followed by an illustration of "Obama Bucks" -- a phony $10 bill featuring Obama's face on a donkey's body, labeled "United States Food Stamps."

This offensive image even alienated the African-American members of the Inland Republican Women's Group, and prompted outcries from other politicians, elected leaders, and other officials.

Sheila Raines, an African-American member of the club, was the first person to complain to Fedele about the newsletter. Raines, of San Bernardino, said she has worked hard to try to convince other minorities to join the Republican Party and now she feels betrayed.

"This is what keeps African-Americans from joining the Republican Party," she said. "I'm really hurt. I cried for 45 minutes."

And here's Diane Fedele's lame-ass excuse. Btw, she's the President of this organization:

"It was strictly an attempt to point out the outrageousness of his statement. I really don't want to go into it any further," Fedele said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "I absolutely apologize to anyone who was offended. That clearly wasn't my attempt."

She said she doesn't think in racist terms, pointing out she once supported Republican Alan Keyes, an African-American who previously ran for president.

"I didn't see it the way that it's being taken. I never connected," she said. "It was just food to me. It didn't mean anything else."

She said she also wasn't trying to make a statement linking Obama and food stamps, although her introductory text to the illustration connects the two: "Obama talks about all those presidents that got their names on bills. If elected, what bill would he be on????? Food Stamps, what else!"

Lets not go there, shall we

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - The leader of a statewide group of college Republicans has been forced to resign after posting racially insensitive comments about Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama on the Internet.

Adam LaDuca, 21, the former executive director of the Pennsylvania Federation of College Republicans, wrote on his Facebook page in late July that Obama has "a pair of lips so large he could float half of Cuba to the shores of Miami (and probably would.)"

LaDuca, who previously had called Martin Luther King Jr. a "pariah" and a "fraud," also wrote: "And man, if sayin' someone has large lips is a racial slur, then we're ALL in trouble."

The College Republicans asked LaDuca to resign after his remarks were publicized by the Pennsylvania Progressive, a blog written by a Democratic committeeman from Berks County. The group announced LaDuca's resignation on its Web site Friday.

"The comments were completely uncalled for and very offensive," said Anthony Pugliese, 22, a senior at West Chester University and chairman of the College Republicans, an umbrella group with more than 50 chapters statewide. "The P-A College Republicans do not accept or tolerate racism in any way."

LaDuca said Monday that he regrets posting the comments and understands how they can be construed as racist. "In hindsight, when you read it a second time, it's like, 'oops,'" he said. "It was just a dumb move on my part to make a statement like that public."

He said he is not a racist and that he admires prominent blacks such as economist and author Thomas Sowell and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. He compared the comment about Obama to jokes about Republican presidential nominee John McCain's thinning hair or President Bush's large ears.

LaDuca is a senior at Kutztown University. Two years ago, Kutztown's College Republicans chapter was heavily criticized for holding a "bake sale" to protest affirmative action in which whites were charged more for cookies than blacks. LaDuca, then the group's spokesman, made a public apology on the group's behalf.

OK, lets see,he compared his comments to jokes John McCain's thinning hair.The only person I've heard of making such comments, was Cindy MCcain,after which John MCcain replied " "At least I don't plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you cunt."

In Regard to Bush's ears,I've never heard anyone even mention his ears.However I have seen many political cartoons where Obama was shown with large ears,and by the way Obama's lips are not that large, probably because he is bi-racial.(racist tend to overlook this fact)

Notable College Republicans have included Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove, prominent Republican strategist Lee Atwater, Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist, former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum, North Carolina Congressman Patrick McHenry, lobbyist Jack Abramoff .Need I say more ?

Its not a lies if a republican tells it ? WTF

Why are people ignoring that Palin outright lied about Obama's legislative career during her RNC speech.

"But listening to him speak, it's easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or even a reform, not even in the state senate." (Cheers, applause.) - Sarah Palin.

820 is the number of laws Obama sponsored in the Illinois State Senate.

427 is the current count of the number of bills Obama has co-sponsored in the U.S. Senate.

And the final number, 152, is the most recent tally of the number of bills that Senator Obama has authored.

He passed two of the most sweeping ethics reforms since the 1960s. Why isn't the mainstream media mentioning that.

Maybe it was accidental. yeah, right

During the campaign season, scores of such stories come to light. Some stick, some don't. Many are, of course, pure fabrications. Others are only half lies. And still others merely fudge the truth around the edges in the interests of creating a solid applause line.

Let's talk talk about that Damn plane(the eBay jet).

That would be the used Westwind II 10-seat jet bought by the state of Alaska in late 2005. The jet that played a prominent role as object and symbol of what Sarah S. Palin called the state's culture of corruption in her successful 2006 primary campaign against Governor Frank Murkowski.

As she said in her speech to the Republican National Committee Wednesday night to a roar of cheers: "That luxury jet was over the top. I put it on eBay."

But as Adam Raymond at Radar's Fresh Intelligence pointed out Thursday, Palin failed to mention that the plane didn't sell on eBay.

After going unsold for months, the jet was put into the hands of Turbo North Aviation, an Anchorage aircraft broker, which put an asking price of $2.45 million on the nearly $2.7 million jet. It quickly sold to Alaska businessman Larry Reynolds for $2.1 million ($31,000 of which went to Turbo Aviation). Today the Westwind II jet spends its days ushering wealthy hunters around Alaska and Russia.

Palin's statement implied the plane was sold through the online auction site revered for empowering millions of small entrepreneurs, and Palin's spokeswoman insisted Thursday that the transaction occurred. But the plane failed to sell on eBay. ...

While Palin only fudged the truth by omission, John McCain is working heartily on embedding a falsehood derived from that omission: "You know what I enjoyed the most? She took the luxury jet that was acquired by her predecessor and sold it on eBay -- made a profit," he said, introducing Palin.

Rachel Maddow of Airamerica and MSNBC,said it all; *"They are lying"*.

Every time they lie we have to call them on it. AMEN!!!!!!!!!