Are you American? Or a United States citizen, more specifically? Have you ever written a real paper letter to your representative in Congress? Or to a Senator? If yes, what fired you up enough to get you to write? How long ago was it? Do you ever go publicly protest, and hold a sign? Been out recently? Do you fill out petitions online? Do you vote? Where do you draw the line in your efforts to influence the course of this nation?
It appears to me that most of us do very little. I fill out a few petitions, and send a little bit of money sometimes, and put some effort into researching my votes, but that's about it. I haven't been putting any real energy into the project. I feel like congress should take care of this stuff for me, that I'm no expert and somebody more expert than me should be making the decisions. I don't really want to OWN my part in a democracy because it's a whole lot of work. But as our nation suffers increasing challenges, people are noticing, and activism seems to be on the rise. I was heartened when I heard support for Audit the Fed on an Occupy youtube video. The new activism is less party oriented than at any time in my political consciousness. There is a chance that we might be able to get something done. ( ruminationsCollapse )
In order: 1) EXXON Mobil: 2009 $19 billion in profits, paid no taxes and got a $156 million IRS rebate according to SEC 2) BANK of AMERICA: 2010 $4.4 billion in profits, nearly $1 trillion bailout, and $1.9 billion tax refund 3) GE: $26 billion in US profits past 5 years, $4.1 billion tax refund (friends work there) 4) CHEVRON: 2009 $10 billion profits, $19 million tax refund 5) BOEING: $30 billion Pentagon contract, $124 million tax refund in 2010 (plant in my hometown) 6) VALERO Energy: 2010 $68 billion in sales, $157 million tax refund, and $134 million tax break from the oil and gas manufacturing tax deduction (25th largest co in US) 7) GOLDMAN SACHS: 2008 profit $2.3 billion, $800 billion bailout, paid 1.1% of its income in taxes 8) CITIGROUP: 2010 over $4 billion in profits, $2.5 trillion bailout, paid no federal income taxes (worst credit cards I ever had, except maybe for AmEx) 9) CONOCOPHILIPS: 2007-09 made $16 billion in profits, received $451 million in tax breaks (oil & gas deduct) (#5 oil co in US) 10) CARNIVAL Cruise Lines: 2005-10 made $11 billion in profits, fed income tax rate 1.1%
Sanders suggests: --closing corporate tax loopholes --eliminating tax breaks for oil and gas companies --introduced legislation to impose a 5.4% surtax on millionaires-->$50 billion a year --spending cuts must be paired with new revenue
Nice, simple explanation here of what has happened with the federal reserve, banks, and the bailout. Spitzer gets it. This is why I still give Obama an F on the economy.
I just took the time to watch Barack Hussein Obama's Cairo speech. People disparage his "polished words" but I am overjoyed to have a president who is both educated and moral. Obama speaks for me. I agree that it is time for all peoples, all nations, all races, all individuals to cease and desist from the disrespect and violence that have poisoned our interactions. It is time to see all sides. ( moreCollapse )
The proposed bill simply requires that our Federal Reserve be transparent and accountable. Congress is coming around, seeing the value in knowing the doings of our central bank. If your congressperson isn't supporting it yet, it might be a good time to suggest they consider it. Seems like people want our congress to take a little more interest in where our money goes and what is done with it.
I felt some loneliness the first week I was here. But now, no. I have enough acquaintances to not feel lonely. The landlady, Marie, speaks English and her bf is American. And her niece, Emma, also…
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