Hmm . . . seems like the recession/depression has hit EVERYWHERE, except for the hallowed halls of the “Fifth Floor” of course: Beverly Hills
iePolitics: Even in Beverly Hills
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Category Archives: Economy
iePolitics: Corporate America
I really wonder about decisions made at the corporate level at certain companies. Sometimes corporate execs can rival the worst government cubicle dweller for the “dumb idea of the day” award. The recent decision by Bank of America to charge customers $5 a month in ATM fees comes to mind. I don’t think they could have caused more ill will and negative publicity if they had tried.
Last week I went to Office Max to have a document scanned in. Both Office Max and Staples have charged .25 per page for a very long time now as long as the document can go through the feeder of their copy machine/scanner. If you haven’t seen these new machines, they can probably scan/copy 25 pages a minute or more. It literally takes about two seconds to scan a document and another 30 seconds to save it to a flash drive.
iePolitics: One of the reasons I like my attorney . . .
Is that he reads my blog and doesn’t bitch about the fact that having a blog where I tell the county “FU” is making his job all the harder. Instead, he sometimes sends me stories and links. I’ve never asked him, but I suspect he has Libertarian leanings. I do know we share some similar opinions about government corruption. Anyway, this is the latest he sent me:
National Nurses United: Nurses to Ask Southern California Legislators to Support Tax on Wall Street to Heal Main Street Communities – Local Versions of Actions by 10,000 Nurses Targeting 61 Congressional Offices in 21 States
For Immediate Release
August 31, 2011
Contact: Lucia Hwang, 510-273-2249 or Charles Idelson (510) 273-2246
Face of crisis in greater Los Angeles districts: thousands of uninsured, children and seniors in poverty, large numbers dependent on food stamps
Nurses, joined by others demanding action on the economic crisis, are visiting the local district offices of Reps. Elton Gallegly, Loretta Sanchez, Dana Rohrbacher, Buck McKeon, and David Dreier on Sept. 1 with a simple message: tax Wall Street financial speculation to pay for healing the nation. Overall, 10,000 nurses and community supporters are targeting 61 legislators, both Republicans and Democrats, in their district offices in 21 states.
Deborah Burger, RN, co-president of National Nurses United, which is sponsoring the actions, says these legislators’ districts provide a “disturbing window into the pain and suffering faced by families throughout this nation.”
From Raisuli . . .
Here’s a piece from Business Insider: http://www.businessinsider.com/us-is-in-recession-right-here-right-now-2011-8
This article reveals what we already know: we are still mired in recession (depression), and have been for a long time. Obama’s plan to get us out ain’t working. No one has ever been able to tax and spend out of recession. However, Reagan was able to pull us out of recession by removing governmental restrictions on businesses, lowering taxes, and unleashing American might. Last I heard, Obama is leaning towards Reagan’s plan. I know we can pull ourselves out of this recession if Obama gets the hell out of the way and allows American might to become competitive again.
ieNewsNow: Bring the jobs and people back to California
Earlier this year, California received some stark news about its future…its population was not increasing. This was the first time this has happened to California since the era of the Gold Rush; pre-Civil War. The immediate results are that California does not earn another Electoral vote and congressional seat and must deal with the fact its tax-paying population
From an East Coast reader . . .
Another perspective on Amazon, jobs and taxes:
I recently came across an article on your site related to the Amazon tax debate in Texas. Here in South Carolina, we are very familiar with Amazon and the promises and deals they try to influence the legislature into giving them. These tax breaks amount to an unfair advantage over their competitors and could be detrimental to the existing businesses that have been operating in their communities for decades.
I appreciate your coverage of this important issue and wanted to urge you to continue your coverage. I recently saw an update to the article about the SB1 conference committee in which Senator Deuell said that he doesn’t think the Texas Senate will approve and accept Amazon’s deal of 5,000 jobs and 300 million in investment because he is skeptical if they can really deliver on those promises. He also made a great point when he stated that Texas doesn’t have an income tax and he isn’t advocating for one, so they need to have businesses obey the law and collect sales taxes. This would create a level playing field for all businesses and make Texas a great competitive state to continue to operate a business in.
Thanks for your time and continued coverage and I look forward to hearing from you.
iePolitics: Union reform in a Dem state
Looks like Governor Christie got his way: Politico
Statesman: Amazon negotiating for sales-tax exemption in trade for 5,000 new Texas jobs
Editor’s Note: Just thought this was interesting since one of the new taxes in the budget that was vetoed was to tax Amazon.com and other online retailers doing business in California. (Yeah, I know, make them collect sales tax like other retailers.)
By Barry Harrell | Monday, June 20, 2011, 10:55 AM
Amazon.com is negotiating a deal with Texas officials that would see the online retail giant promise to bring more than 5,000 jobs and $300 million in capital investments to the state over the next three years – if in exchange lawmakers will grant Amazon a 4 1/2-year exemption from collecting tax on online sales, according to documents obtained by the American-Statesman.
The proposed deal would be implemented by attaching it to Senate Bill 1, the wide-ranging fiscal matters bill being debated in the Legislature’s special session. SB 1 is a must-pass measure essential to balancing the state’s 2012-13 budget.
A draft copy of the conference committee report that would add the language to SB 1 was obtained by the American-Statesman. Mark Miner, spokesman for Gov. Rick Perry, confirmed Monday that the governor’s office has seen the draft copy of the proposed legislative language.
“The governor is always working to create jobs in Texas, and he supports any kind of legislation that would accomplish that goal,” Miner said. “His focus has always been on the Texas economy and creating jobs in this state. He’s always talking to companies in Texas that want to expand, or companies outside of Texas who might want to locate here.”
The proposal is similar to one Amazon recently struck with South Carolina, where that state’s legislators approved a 4½-year exemption on collecting sales tax in exchange for Amazon creating at least 2,000 jobs and investing at least $125 million through the end of 2013.
To read the rest of the story, click here.
iePolitics: Two million new jobs
This is one of two very interesting articles Bill sent me today. It has to do with on-shore oil drilling in the US that is already producing results and is expected to create about two million new jobs. I think it is safe to say if this type of oil drilling is possible in California, we will not see it in our life times.
I planned to post the article here, but Bill asked me to post it to his site. So here is the link.
LATimes: The U.S.: Where Europe comes to slum
 Two families live in the back house of a Deutsche Bank property in South Los Angeles. Los Angeles prosecutors are accusing Deutsche Bank of allowing hundreds of properties it owns to fall into disrepair. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) |
By Harold MeyersonMay 15, 2011
The newest slumlord in Los Angeles is a pillar of German capitalism. Earlier this month, the city attorney’s office filed suit against Deutsche Bank, the world’s fourth-largest bank, for letting many of the more than 2,000 L.A. homes it has foreclosed on descend into squalor and decay.
A yearlong city investigation of the properties on which Deutsche Bank foreclosed turned up tenants compelled to live in crumbling apartments the bank would not fix, houses taken over by gangs, faucets from which water either wouldn’t flow or wouldn’t stop, and the occasional unidentified dead body. Nothing, in other words, that would be allowed to happen to bank holdings in Frankfurt, the neat-as-a-pin German city that is home to Deutsche Bank and much of the rest of German finance.
HJTA: Taxpayer Groups Converge on Sacramento to Talk Budget, Taxes, Pensions and a State in Crisis
More than 85 leaders from around the state stand with HJTA to announce a Declaration of Taxpayer Principles
SACRAMENTO — More than 85 leaders of taxpayer organizations from around the state gathered in Sacramento yesterday at the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association’s “Taxpayer Summit” to discuss the state budget, pensions, influence of government employee unions, and the 5-year tax increase proposed by Governor Brown this week.
iePolitics: From the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
The following column appeared in
The Wall Street Journal on January 4, 2011:
California Fleeing
Governors across the country adopt a new economic strategy: Raid California for its businesses.
By Stephen Moore
Just when you thought things couldn’t get worse on the left coast, along comes more bad news for the Golden State. Across the country, Republican state legislatures and governors are adopting a new economic development strategy: Raid California for its jobs and businesses.
At least three Republican governors have said as much in interviews. The idea is to offer lower taxes, a more business-friendly atmosphere and the right to be left alone from overzealous regulators. “We just keep inviting California businesses to look at the economic climate in Texas, where we treat businesses like assets not villains,” said Texas Governor Rick Perry.
California has some of the highest tax rates in the country, the worst bond rating and a multitude of nettlesome regulations. Chief Executive magazine just ranked California as the most antibusiness state in the nation. A new study by Joseph Vranich, a California-based business consultant, found that 144 major companies relocated plants, research facilities, headquarters or their entire operations out of California in 2010. That was more than triple the pace of job-creating firms leaving in 2009. Mr. Vranich said that the outmigration could become “a stampede” in 2011. “Business owners tell me every day that this is just not a hospitable place to do business anymore,” he said.
Other Republican governors with their sights on California include John Kasich of Ohio and Rick Scott of Florida. Mr. Scott told me in an interview that “we are going to create hundreds of thousands of jobs in Florida over the next eight years, and we will advertise our pro-growth policies to businesses in places like California that don’t share our pro-business policy orientation.” He added: “Not having an income tax is a huge advantage over a high-cost state like California.”
Mr. Kasich told Reuters earlier this month that he will try to persuade California venture capitalists to relocate high-tech firms to his state. “More of the same is not acceptable to the business community in California,” he said.
Richard Grenell: In UN Address, Obama Blames Wall Street
President Barack Obama today [Thursday] told the United Nations General Assembly that America’s financial crisis was the reason their economies were suffering and promised to not rest until people around the globe prosper.
“Two years ago this month, a financial crisis on Wall Street devastated American families on Main Street. The global economy suffered an enormous blow during the financial crisis, crippling markets and deferring the dreams of millions on every continent.”
iePolitics: Brad in a haze while hospital lays off 26
I can’t take credit for this. Someone else saw the humor in Thursday’s front page of the Daily Press.
InlandPolitics Commentary: Wells Fargo scamming Inland Empire mortgage borrowers?
- Written by Administrator
- Posted June 19, 2010 at 2:11 pm
The administration of President Barack Obama has been continuously stressing that it wants to keep Americans in their homes.
After all, the U.S. Federal Reserve System is giving the money center banks including Wells Fargo, virtually free money so the same banks can turnaround and lend it back to the U.S. Treasury keeping the interest paid by the same Treasury as profit. Isn’t it great? Borrow money from taxpayers at an interest rate of 0.00%-0.25% and then lend it back to taxpayers at a substantially higher interest rate. A practice known as making money on the spread.
Why modify mortgages when you can force the borrowers out of their homes and use taxpayer money to cushion the loss?
Now along comes Wells Fargo Bank.
A bank that is a major California mortgage lender with a large Inland Empire presence. Continue reading
Pat Gilbreath: Leading Economist Back Gilbreath
Husing Praises Redlands Mayor’s Record on Jobs
REDLANDS (05.22.10): Inland Empire Economist and President of Economics and Politics Inc., Dr. John Husing announced his endorsement of Redlands Mayor Pat Gilbreath in the 63rd State Assembly race. Husing’s endorsement centered on Conservative Republican Gilbreath’s record as a regional leader for fiscal restraint and lower tax rates.
“Jobs … Jobs … Jobs. That must become the focus of California’s next legislature. For over 20 years, I’ve seen Council Member Pat Gilbreath undertake major efforts to help create jobs and enhance the prosperity of her community and our region,” said Husing. Adding, “For that reason, I strongly recommend her to be our next Assembly Member.” Continue reading
Candidate for Sheriff Paul Schrader on the campaign trail.
I was at the county fair tonight. I have a picture of me on a hog, with some Victorville supporters.
Saturday I will be making whistle stops in San Bernardino in the Parade, back to Victorville for the fair, then to Lytle Creek for a meet and greet, making a stop in Crestline for a meet and greet, last stop in Rancho for a meet and greet.
Paul Schrader has a clear global picture for the Department. This has been part of my fresh start initiatives since day one:
Fiscal Conservative
I would like to bring a Fresh Start to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department financing and budgeting reviews. I will appoint a volunteer committee to review the audit and devise solutions to maximize the use of funds currently being spent in the Sheriff’s Department, especially to make available the maximum amount of technology and resources to the Deputies working in the field and in the jails.
I will be exploring the possibility of using resources such video cameras in high-crime areas, electronic monitoring systems, shot spotters, and an automatic license plate recognition system to identify stolen vehicles. The feasibility of adding K-9′s and volunteers into the ranks will also be explored.
Hoops was appointed and has proven he can not manage this Department. Averback has work the jail and patrol. Averback does not have the experience to be sheriff.
I have the experience of 27 years in Law Enforcement. I am a supervisor in a merger team. I have supervised audit teams, risk analysis teams, a legal unit, sheriffs headquarters operations, and I worked patrol and the jails. I have also been in federal law enforcement and the Marines. I will be able to look at this Department with a working knowledge of budgets and operations. I will use my combined vast experience and maximize the use of funds. We can not cut deputies from this Department. Continue with Hoops and the deputies will go. Averback does not have the experience.
Your choice is:
Paul Schrader vast experience in law enforcement and proven leader.
Mark averback jail and patrol deputy with no experience to be sheriff.
Rod Hoops vast experience in law enforcement and has failed as sheriff.
Elect Paul Schrader for Sheriff of San Bernardino County. www.sheriffpaul.net
LISTEN TO CANDIDATE PAUL SCHRADER FOR SHERIFF OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY ON KCAA
CLICK HERE TO HEAR PAUL: PAUL SCHRADER ON KCAA RADIO ON APRIL 8, 2010
Paul Schrader for Sheriff of San Bernardino County- Paul’s new video regarding Technology.
Paul Schrader for Sheriff of San Bernardino County. I will help the deputies bring this Department up to year 2010 standards.
Paul Schrader for Sheriff of San Bernardino County- Paul’s new video regarding Fiscal Responsibility.
I would like to bring a Fresh Start to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department financing and budgeting reviews. I will appoint a volunteer committee to review the audit and devise solutions to maximize the use of funds currently being spent in the Sheriff’s Department, especially to make available the maximum amount of technology and resources to the Deputies working in the field and in the jails.
This is the third video in my series.
Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack: Americans Need Jobs and a Healthy Economy, Not another Failed ‘Stimulus’
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack (CA-45) today issued the following statement on the one-year anniversary of when the so-called “stimulus” bill was signed into law:
“One year after the Majority’s trillion-dollar ‘stimulus’, it is clear that this bloated spending package has failed to meet the needs of every day Americans,” said Bono Mack. “Fraught with wasteful spending and big government programs, the ‘stimulus’ has left nearly 10 percent of Americans, and over 14 percent in Riverside County, without jobs and facing a record-high national deficit.
Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack: Americans Need Solutions that Create Jobs and Boost our Economy
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack (CA-45) today responded to the President’s jobs plan outlined today and emphasized her support for solutions that will create jobs and bring fiscal discipline to Washington:
“With unemployment at 10 percent nationally and over 14 percent in Riverside County, it is clear that the Administration and Congress must act on real solutions that will get Americans working again,” said Bono Mack. “I welcome this renewed focus on the economy and job creation – the $1 trillion stimulus package, with its waste and focus on government spending, has fallen far short of America’s expectations and has not produced the jobs Americans so desperately need.