Biden: Obama Was Wrong About The Economy

So now VP Biden is saying that everyone was wrong about how bad the economy really was:

Biden tells "Meet the Press" that "everyone guessed wrong" on the impact of the stimulus, economy was worse off than anyone thought.

Backs away from the estimate that the funds could create or save 3.5 million jobs, instead promises 600,000 by the end of the summer.

So, all the geniuses like Tax Cheat Timothy Geitner, who just HAD to be confirmed because NO ONE ELSE could POSSIBLY handle the economy like he could...was wrong.

Naturally, this means that we need ANOTHER massive stimulus package.

The numbers don't lie. The Obama economic plan is a failure.

TEA Day In California

Yesterday, California voters overwhelmingly defeated massive tax increases as a way to fix the state's bugget problems.

The only measure that passed? One that bars increases in the salaries of public officials when the state's budget is in deficit.

More:

Schwarzenegger has called for cuts that would hit every corner of the state. He announced plans to lay off 5,000 of the state's 235,000 workers and has proposed slashing education by up to $5 billion, selling state properties, borrowing $2 billion from local governments and potentially reducing eligibility for healthcare programs.

Worst-case scenarios also call for the release from state prisons of up to 19,000 illegal immigrants, who would face deportation, and the transfer of up to 23,000 other prisoners to county jails.

Good. Maybe a good start on the healthcare front would be limiting access to US citizens.

Wheelchair Bound Protesters Arrested Outside White House

From the AP:

U.S. Park Police say they have arrested 91 protesters in front of the White House, including some in wheelchairs who chained themselves to a fence.

The protesters are calling on the president to support legislation that would give people with disabilities in need of long-term care alternatives to nursing homes.

No word yet on whether Obama knew about the protest or not.

Also, Keith Olberman and company at MSNBC have apparently not--as of today--resorted to crude sexual references when discussing the protesters.

Is the MSM Finally Catching On To Obama?

The venerable Associated Press had a story out Monday about Obama's plan to slash the budget. The headline: SPIN METER: Saving federal money the easy way.

It goes on to say that Obama's proposed "cuts" are the equivalent of reducing your latte intake by one or two per year. Or asking a family making $60 000 to reduce spending by $6.

Even the New York Times says that, upon hearing of Obama's budget slashing, "budget analysts promptly burst out laughing."

Former labor secretary Robert Reich even said "this is pretty small potatoes. I mean, it's the beginning. It's at least a gesture, an important gesture."

Rahm Emanuel's damage control: “This is a symbol of a new attitude and a new perspective."

Well, yes, it's all gesture and symbolism. No substance at all.

Good roundup of the reactions is at US News & World Report.

Tea Day GOP Smackdown

From Michelle Malkin.

Something hugely significant just happened here at the Sacramento Tea Party. Organizer Mark Meckler singled out GOP opportunists who wouldn’t give him the time of day weeks ago — and then wanted to hitch their wagons to the Tea Party bandwagon at the last minute.

Meckler said he heard that California GOP chair Ron Nehring was in the audience. Meckler invited him to say hi to the crowd — and then ripped him for waffling on the massive tax hike ballot measures (particularly Prop1A - $16 billion tax hikes).

Massive boos from the crowd of thousands here against the Calif. GOP establishment.

Will this make the MSM coverage? It doesn’t fit the narrative. But it’s yet another demonstration that this movement is not partisan and equal opportunity when it comes to holding politicians’ feet to the fire for fiscal irresponsibility and fecklessness.

Excellent.

Tax Season Cocktails

Found at the WLS site, some cocktails to make the tax season go by with a bit less stress:
AUDITINI
1oz Belvedere Vodka
1oz St. Germain Liqueur
Freshly squeezed Lime Juice
Pineapple Juice

1040 EASY
1 oz Absolut Mandrin <<-I would, however, recommend something besides Absolut
1 oz Apple Pucker
.5 oz Triple Sec
Splash Homemade Sweet and Sour
Splash of 7-Up

THE EXEMPTION
1oz Stoli Blueberry
.5oz Triple Sec
Homemade Sweet and Sour
.5oz Chambord

STIMULUS CHECK
1.5oz Crown Royal
1oz Peach Schnapps
.5 oz Chambord
Cranberry Juice

Tax Day Tea Party

Kira was certainly feeling better than she was early yesterday morning, so I decided around 11:30 after I picked up the van from the shop, that I'd take her down to the Tea Party downtown.

It was interesting event. Unfortunately I could barely hear anyone talking as I somehow ended up behind the stage. I could barley hear Mancow's voice, much less make out what he was saying. We did manage to sneak around a bit later on so that I could hear part of what Jonathan Hoenig said, but again, not much.

I did run into a former co-worker (from Deluxe) who is unemployed as well now. He has taken it upon himself to make his own "stimulus package," and has started a little store at cafepress.com called Truly Scriptees.

Spread his work ethic around, not his wealth.

Here are some pictures of the, naturally, peaceful and fun event.




All my pics can be found here.

Obama Makes The Case For The Flat Tax

If there's one thing Obama's cabinet picks have shown us, it is that the tax code is way too complex and confusing.

When even someone as smart as Tim Geitner can't figure it out, how are we commoners supposed to figure it out?

More "unintentional errors": Health and Human Services nominee Kathleen Sebelius.


UPDATE:
More obserevations: She paid $7,040 in back taxes and $878 in interest to amend returns from 2005 through 2007. No mention of penalties. No mention of jail time. And she "mistakenly believed" she could deduct interest for a house she no longer owned. Honest mistakes. And I always thought ignorance of the law was no excuse for breaking it.

UPDATE 2:
Dammit. Just when I think I'm making a good point all on my own, along comes Scrappleface. This is a nice bit tho:

“Tom, Tim and Kathleen are some of the smartest people on the planet,” said President Obama, “and if they can’t file an accurate tax return, it’s not a reflection on their competence or honesty, but rather on the tax code that I inherited from George W. Bush.”

The president ordered the IRS to trash more than 800 tax forms, replacing them with a simple postcard for the taxpayer to record his income, multiply it by a rate of 17 percent, and send it in. That rate will apply to all but the “very wealthy” whose rate will be 83 percent.

“The rich, meaning anyone who earns more than $40,000 per year in the private sector, will of course continue to reimburse the rest of us for the surplus blessings they have received,” the president said. “And they’ll be eager to do so out of gratitude for the simplified tax form. After all, people like Tom Daschle, Tim Geithner and Kathleen Sebelius have been wracked with guilt over filing false returns almost from the moment they were nominated.”

Iowa And Taxes

According to this story at the Des Moines Register, Iowa wants to raise taxes by eliminating the current ability to deduct federal taxes when determining state income taxes, a practice known as federal deductibility.

The proposed changes means that the state would receive an estimated additional $595 million per year. But...

Democrats have proposed a plan that would instead lower the state income tax rates and increase certain tax credits to offset the increase.

Well, if the $595 million is going to be offset by another roughly $595 million, meaning there won't be a difference in state revenue, why change the law at all?

Democrats have maintained that two-thirds of Iowans would either see a tax savings or no change at all in their taxes due to the proposal.

Specific numbers show that 49 percent of Iowans who file taxes would get a break in the current tax year, while about 18 percent would see no change.

The remainder – 450,292 people – would see a tax increase, according to the Iowa department of Revenue and Finance.

Ah. Tax the "rich" some more. More spreading around of the wealth. More "fair."

Bollocks.

I am certain that the new tax structure would allow the state to more easily shift the tax burden upwards in the future.

Obama vs The Public On Taxes

Back to Rasmussen again: 63% of U.S. voters now say tax cuts would help the economy. This is the highest level recorded since Rasmussen began tracking this issue back in the mid-1990's.

In related news, 51% of voters believe increasing taxes will hurt the economy, while only 23% say it would help the economy.

And, in news that the directly contradicts Obama's plans(1), 54% of voters what to see a tax policy that benefits the economy, rather than one that makes people pay their "fair share".

(1) In one of the Democratic primary debates, hosted by Charlie Gibson, (transcript) Obama said that he would raise the capital gains tax not for the purpose of increasing revenues to the treasury, but "for purposes of fairness."