Troubled state governments often look to raise taxes on the rich in their attempt to shore up their depleted coffers. It’s a no-brainer, right? After all, the rich can afford it, and the rest of us can’t. Plus, it appeals … Continue reading →
Back in my more peripatetic days, I used to think that house-sitting might be a good gig. Spend some time here and there in other people’s pleasant homes, paying nothing or maybe even getting paid, with hardly more responsibility than … Continue reading →
This WSJ article points out that: The private groups [who have announced their “cooperation” with Obama’s health care cost-cutting] are calculating that they can better influence this year’s bill if they’re “partners” instead of villains. They’ve no doubt seen what … Continue reading →
There’s no surprise here; Obama’s proposals for health care upheaval will come with a hefty price tag [emphasis mine]: The upfront tab could reach $1.2 trillion to $1.5 trillion over 10 years, while expected savings from wringing waste and inefficiency … Continue reading →
Remember way back when—it seems so long ago, but it’s only been about a month—the Obama administration showed GM’s CEO Rick Wagoner the door? Now it appears that certain CEOs of TARP-receiving banks are probably next on the chopping block. … Continue reading →
I keep thinking I’m cynical enough already, and can’t be surprised by politics and/or the MSM’s coverage of it any more. But I guess I still retain too much idealism, because the general lack of concern about the administration’s throwing … Continue reading →
Unions have figured prominently in the talks concerning the fates of two moribund companies in two troubled American industries: the Boston Globe and Chrysler. The first dispute is happening without intervention from the federal government, while the second is proceeding … Continue reading →
The Boston Globe reports on its own stay of execution. The decision about its fate has been postponed till midnight tomorrow. One of the Globe’s many problems is that it seems to have made an error in calculating the value … Continue reading →
Here’s a SmartMoney piece on how financial planning for one’s retirement years isn’t the science it was once cracked up to be. Well, surprise surprise—not! Even I, no financial wizard, could have told you that. But that doesn’t mean I … Continue reading →
His name is Frank DiPascali. He was in charge of the smooth operation of Madoff’s Ponzi scheme on Floor 17, a top-secret operation needing a special pass to visit , and featuring an ancient IBM computer server, a bunch of … Continue reading →
Here’s an article on the history of taxes in America. Summary: early on there were few, and the federal taxes that were levied were temporary and used to raise money to fight wars. But since the beginning of the twentieth … Continue reading →
Here’s a little tidbit you may have missed: Just nine people accounted for nearly 2,700 of the emergency room visits in the Austin area during the past six years at a cost of $3 million to taxpayers and others, according … Continue reading →