Wednesday, June 11, 2003

Class Voodoo Warfare QUOTE  OF THE DAY "It doesn't bother me one bit. As a matter of fact, I go to bed and sleep like a baby." - - George Walker Bush  (When as Governor of Texas he was asked how it felt to oversee the execution of over 100 people)   JUNE 11th IN HISTORY: 1963 -- Governor George Wallace tries to prevent desegregation by blocking entrance of 2 black students to University of Alabama. Confronted by Alabama National Guard, placed under Federal control by Kennedy, the 2 Negro students quietly register. Anti-segregation demonstrations occur across the country. Kennedy gives a TV speech, promises a Civil Rights bill, which Southern Democrats vow to block. 1971 -- Nineteen-month occupation of Alcatraz by American Indian protesters ends. A TIP FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS Congressman (& presidential candidate) Dennis Kucinich will speak  this Saturday at noon at the home of Mimi Kennedy (Dharma's Mom from "Dharma & Greg") in Van Nuys. For more info phone (323) 655 6617 RHINO HERE: RHINO'S BOTTOM LINE is written by one of the world's richest men; Warren Buffett, who is chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., a diversified holding company, & a director of The Washington Post Co., which has an investment in Berkshire Hathaway. This op-ed piece appeared in The Washington Post and makes the case that Bush the Lesser is pushing financial policies which Bush the Spy not long ago called, "voodoo economics." But first, some juicy tidbits. The reports from the "Take Back America" conference held last weekend in Chicago continue to roll in. Many of the presidential hopefuls addressed the crowd but all reports say Dennis Kucinich  topped the applause meters with 9 standing ovations. But John Nichols of The Nation reports  there was one speaker who wasn't a candidate (so far) that topped even Dennis; Bill Moyers. Check  Nichols' THE ONLINE BEAT column entitled "Bill Moyers's Presidential Address" http://www.thenation.com/thebeat/index.mhtml?bid=1&;pid=739 Congressman Dennis Kucinich Prepares To Kick Ass & Take Names Meanwhile Kucinich took to the House floor Tuesday continuing to press for the truth about the shrub gang's  push to war. here are a few excerpts of his comments: "The credibility gap is growing. First the Administration said the US had to sweep aside the UN inspections and the UN Security Council because Iraq had  weapons of mass destruction that were an imminent threat. Now, Paul Wolfowitz says: 'The truth is that for reasons that have a lot to do with the US government bureaucracy, we settled on the one issue that everyone could agree on, which was weapons of mass destruction as the core reason.' "Now their story is changing: Iraq had a weapons 'program,' they say. No longer weapons of mass destruction, but a program. If this Administration can fabricate reasons for war after the fact, where will America be headed for war next? "Congress must demand accountability for the wanton exercise of war power, for the loss of life, the destruction of property, the waste of tax dollars and the damage to America's reputation. Thirty-three members of the House have now signed the Resolution of Inquiry to demand the White House tell the truth." Kucinich's Resolution of Inquiry, demanding the Administration turn over intelligence to back its pre-war claims about Iraq, was introduced Thursday and has growing support. It is a privileged resolution and must be voted on in Committee within 14 legislative days of being introduced. If you haven't heard him speak yet, Rhino thinks you're really missing out. His recent speech in Iowa is downloadable in Real Player format at: http://www.corvusworld.com/kwins.htm To see DesMoines Register coverage of his visit to Iowa, go to: http://desmoinesregister.com/news/stories/c4789004/21449193.html In case any Rhino's Blog readers aren't familiar with the Congressman from Ohio, (you must either be a new reader of just reading the daily quote & movin on), having led Congressional opposition to the Iraq war & Bush foreign policy since last summer, Dennis is now campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination on a platform of peace, justice, equal rights and sustainability. For a quick view of his platform: http://www.kucinich.us/issues/issue_10key.htm To donate to the campaign to amplify his  message, go to: https://www.kucinich.us/contribute.php 7:07:54 AM    comment

RHINO'S BOTTOM LINE - Dividend Voodoo RHINO'S BOTTOM LINE Dividend Voodoo By Warren Buffett, The Washington Post, 5/19/03 The annual Forbes 400 lists prove that -- with occasional blips -- the rich do indeed get richer. Nonetheless, the Senate voted last week to supply major aid to the rich in their pursuit of even greater wealth. The Senate decided that the dividends an individual receives should be 50 percent free of tax in 2003, 100 percent tax-free in 2004 through 2006 and then again fully taxable in 2007. The mental flexibility the Senate demonstrated in crafting these zigzags is breathtaking. What it has put in motion, though, is clear: If enacted, these changes would further tilt the tax scales toward the rich. Let me, as a member of that non-endangered species, give you an example of how the scales are currently balanced. The taxes I pay to the federal government, including the payroll tax that is paid for me by my employer, Berkshire Hathaway, are roughly the same proportion of my income -- about 30 percent -- as that paid by the receptionist in our office. My case is not atypical -- my earnings, like those of many rich people, are a mix of capital gains and ordinary income -- nor is it affected by tax shelters (I've never used any). As it works out, I pay a somewhat higher rate for my combination of salary, investment and capital gain income than our receptionist does. But she pays a far higher portion of her income in payroll taxes than I do. She's not complaining: Both of us know we were lucky to be born in America. But I was luckier in that I came wired at birth with a talent for capital allocation -- a valuable ability to have had in this country during the past half-century. Credit America for most of this value, not me. If the receptionist and I had both been born in, say, Bangladesh, the story would have been far different. There, the market value of our respective talents would not have varied greatly.... ...Supporters of making dividends tax-free like to paint critics as promoters of class warfare. The fact is, however, that their proposal promotes class welfare. For my class. VIEW THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT: Divident Voodoo "RHINO'S BLOG" is the responsibility of Gary Rhine. (rhino@kifaru.com) Feedback, and requests to be added or deleted from the list are encouraged. SEARCH BLOG ARCHIVES / SURF RHINO'S LINKS, AT: http://www.rhinosblog.info RHINO'S OTHER WEB SITES: http://www.dreamcatchers.org (INDIGENOUS ASSISTANCE & INTERCULTURAL DIALOG) http://www.kifaru.com (NATIVE AMERICAN RELATIONS VIDEO DOCUMENTARIES) Articles are reprinted under Fair Use Doctrine of international copyright law. http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html All copyrights belong to original publisher. 6:07:29 AM    comment

© Copyright 2005 Gary Rhine.