Hello,
Thanks to those that sent good wishes to me as I recover from surgery. Am regaining energy, walking an hour a day, and I hope to be back behind the bar around Christmas time.
This issue is a bunch of articles that I've had stashed and hadn't gotten to, so here they are.
The Bisbee Economic Luncheon....If we are going to make good decisions about our future, there is a need to proceed from common facts. Unlike some Facebook pages with threads that seem wildly unconnected to any facts (tourism, gentrification, economic development) and an ignorance of even basic civics, you will come away with a better factual understanding of where Bisbee is, economically. Presentations by Dr. Robert Carriera and City Manger Smith. Register by end of Thursday.
And finally... the Repugnicans policy makers are throwing tax break money at billionaires and corporations in an effort to entice their 'representative' senators to pass a tax bill. The words Shame and Despicable are not strong enough to describe the process of making significant tax changes without public hearings, cutting out elected democratic representatives, without even the public getting an opportunity to see the draft bill. These are craven people now representing only themselves and their rich backers.
Adding $1.2 Trillion to the deficit over 10 years, some of the revenue to pay for the giveaways come directly from middle class and working peoples' pockets by; repealing the ACA mandate, repeal state and local tax deductions and property tax deductions, increasing child tax credits in order to lower itemizing. (Currently you're allowed to claim a $4,050 personal exemption for yourself, your spouse and each of your dependents. The Senate bill eliminates that option. For families with three or more kids, that could mute if not negate any tax relief they might enjoy as a result of other provisions in the bill.)
Go here for a tax calculator under the Senate bill: http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/09/news/economy/senate-republican-tax-bill/index.html
Call out the gutless wonders here:
McCain Main: (202) 224-2235
Flake P: 202-224-4521
fred
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CIVIC EVENTS TO GO TO
Update on City Hall situation
Community Meeting at the Royale
Thursday November 30
5:30 City Hall building.
Bisbee Economic Luncheon
Thursday December 7 doors open at 11:00
Turquoise Valley Golf Restaurant
Registration deadline Novemb3er 30
fmi: 515-5437
Sustainable Agriculture producers forum
Cochise College Bnson
Wednesday December 12
8:30-4:00-
$20
458-8278 ext 2141
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NET NEUTRALITY DOOMSDAY AFFECTS EVERYONE THAT USES THE INTERNET
Unless courts intervene, by mid-december the FCC will no longer treat internet service providers as 'utilities' and hence how you are able to use internet will change. Here's the update.
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FCC RELAXING MEDIA OWNERSHIP RULES BODE WELL FOR CONSERVATIVE OWNERS
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EXTREME MEASURES PROHIBITING PLASTIC BAG USE
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THE (UN)QUALIFIED HIRES IN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
Robert Mueller brought to light a huge scandal this week, and it has nothing to do with Russia. He has introduced the world to Sam Clovis. Clovis, we now know, was the Trump campaign official who oversaw George Papadopoulos and encouraged his efforts to meet with Russian officials. But what’s more interesting than what Clovis is is what Clovis isn’t.
For those who had not heard of Clovis before (which is pretty much everybody), he has been nominated (and he now has withdrawn his name from consideration) to be the chief scientist at the Agriculture Department, a position that by law must go to “distinguished scientists,” even though he is, well, not a scientist. He is a talk-radio host, economics professor (though not actually an economist, either) and, most importantly, a Trump campaign adviser.
President Trump promised to “hire the best people.” And, as scientists go, Clovis is an excellent talk-show host. Among his scientific breakthroughs: being “extremely skeptical” of climate change, calling homosexuality “a choice,” suggesting gay rights would lead to legalized pedophilia, pushing the Obama birther allegation, and calling Eric Holder a “racist bigot” and Tom Perez a “racist Latino.”
Trump may want “extreme vetting” of immigrants, but he’s rather more lenient with his appointees. On Wednesday, he named Robin Bernstein to be ambassador to the Dominican Republic. Bernstein speaks only “basic Spanish” (it’s so hard to find Americans who speak Spanish), but she does have this — membership at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club.
A group called American Oversight had the foresight to make records requests for résumés of those hired by the Trump administration, and the group searched for those who worked on the Trump campaign. Among the “best” Trump hires American Oversight found:
●Christopher Hagan, a confidential assistant at the Agriculture Department. Before working on the Trump campaign, he was, between 2009 and 2015, a “cabana attendant” at Westchester Country Club in Rye, N.Y. According to his résumé, he “identified and addressed customer’s needs in a timely and orderly manner.” This is important, because you never know when somebody at the USDA is going to need a towel.
●Nick Brusky, also a confidential assistant at the USDA. The Trump campaign worker previously drove a truck. He was a trustee in Butler Township, Ohio, at the same time, and, as Politico noted, his résumé lists coursework but no degree
●David Matthews, yet another confidential assistant at the Agriculture Department, developed scented candles while also serving as a “legal receptionist” before joining the Trump campaign.Some of the other “best” people Trump has hired are well known. Lynne Patton, HUD regional administrator, previously arranged Trump golf tournaments and arranged Eric Trump’s wedding, among other things.
●Callista Gingrich, just confirmed as ambassador to the Vatican, prepared for this by writing children’s books, singing in a church choir — and being married to Trump ally Newt Gingrich.Others now in high office are less known: an office page, the author of an anti-Clinton book, a Christian-school librarian, a couple of real estate brokers and a landscaper. Many don’t appear to meet the educational qualifications for their positions. But they did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
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THE ADS OF RUSSIA
Examples of real ads run during the campaign now attributed to Russia. Did you click on any?
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Donald Trump campaign ramps up 2020 re-election fundraising
Raising money at a prodigious rate.
New financial disclosures President Donald Trump’s re-election committee filed Sunday with the Federal Election Commission tell a story of two Trump campaigns.
On one end, Trump, both by choice and circumstance, remains tethered to his 2016 presidential election effort. A federal investigation is probing whether he or his political aides colluded with Russians, and Trump himself frequently skewers his Democratic foil, Hillary Clinton, as if he didn’t defeat her in November. Trump’s campaign committee this summer spent more than $1 million on legal bills, disclosures show — much ostensibly stemming from the Russia controversy.
All the while, Trump is racing forward with unprecedented haste to win re-election in 2020. He’s conducting campaign rallies and raising millions of dollars in cash despite no one of stature — save, perhaps, for Rep. John Delaney, D-Md. — yet running against him.
Here’s a by-the-numbers look at some of the more intriguing, telling and odd figures the Center for Public Integrity discovered in the latest round of campaign finance filings for Trump and other federal politicos:
$10,129,336: Amount Trump’s re-election campaign committee raised from July to the end of September. A few notable donors that made contributions include majority Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder, billionaire John Catsimatidis and Ashley Furniture founder and chairman Ronald Wanek. And two corporate political action committees also got an early head start in helping Trump fundraise: CVS Health and Lending Tree LLC.
$36,469,896: How much money Trump’s campaign raised during the first nine months of 2017.
$18,004,854: How much cash Trump’s campaign committee had in the bank as of Sept. 30.
1,114: Number of days until Election Day 2020.
25: Percentage of Trump’s expenses that went to legal fees. Trump’s campaign is helping foot the bill for his fees in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Among the firms paid: Jones Day, Williams & Jensen, Liebowitz Law Firm, Belkin Burden Wenig & Goldman, Larocca Hornik Rosen Greenberg & Blaha and the Law Offices of Alan S. Futerfas. The Trump Corporation also received $25,800 for legal consulting.
$95,241: Amount Trump’s campaign spent from July 1 through Sept. 30 on businesses starting with the name “Trump.”
$167,149: Amount Trump’s campaign spent on merchandise, including hats, mugs, stickers, signs and shirts.
$9,708,151: How much money two of Trump’s joint fundraising committees raised from July 1 through September. Part of the funds raised by these joint fundraising committees go to Trump’s own campaign, while the rest goes to the Republican National Committee.
8: Minimum number of major 2016 presidential candidates still in debt, including Democrat Bernie Sanders; Republicans Marco Rubio, Scott Walker, Chris Christie, Rick Santorum, Jim Gilmore and George Pataki; and Libertarian Gary Johnson. But no presidential campaign in U.S. history still owes more than Newt Gingrich’s 2012 campaign, which remains $4.63 million in debt through September. Gingrich campaign creditors include Comcast Corp., Twitter and a company run by Herman Cain, another 2012 presidential also-ran.
<><>><><><><><><><><><>>< McSALLY RAISES MORE THAT ANY CONGRESSPERSON IN Q3There is a huge amount of data about congresspeople on this website; who gives, how much, what they spend, where they spend. www.fec.gov. Another source for all things about political funding can be found at this address: www.issueone.org Republican Martha McSally raised more than $72,000 a week, on average, during Q3 — more than any other House member in a competitive race. she'll start to really rake when she announces for Senate. <><><<><><><><><><><><><> A PRIMER ON THE FEDERAL BUDGEThttps://usafacts.org/reports/2018-budget?utm_source=EM&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=BPI-EM-100217 The federal budget is being put together in secret with no hearings and scant public information . A ludicrous process but it exemplifies the governing of the Trump administration. The Senate passed a sketchy budget resolution that allows for Repugnicans to circumvent normal congressional policy and eventually pass a budget with a majority, not 60 votes. "The President’s budget shows annual revenue increasing $1.1 trillion, or 34%, in six years. Revenue growth is forecasted to come primarily from individuals through higher income and payroll taxes. The increase in taxes paid by individuals is driven by assumed growth in their income; the budget projects that annual employee compensation will be 35% higher in 2022 than it was in 2016. Within the budget, any proposed tax reform (e.g. reductions to certain individual income tax rates) is assumed to be deficit neutral, which means that any tax reductions would be paid for by increasing tax revenue or reducing spending elsewhere. In the future, we will publish an analysis of the tax reform proposal.
Budgeted revenue increases exceed revenue decreases. The largest decrease is a $105 billion annual revenue loss associated with repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which is funded in part by tax revenue.
Though most revenue categories increase in absolute dollars, the share of total federal revenue they represent may not. The share of federal revenue coming from individual income taxes is projected to increase from a historical average of 45% of annual revenue to 51% in 2022, while the share coming from payroll taxes decreases from 36% to 33%, and the share from corporate income taxes decreases from 10% to 9%."
<><><><><><><><><>>SIGN UP HERE TO IMPEACH TRUMPTom Steyer, a very rich democrat guy, has started a campaign to impeach Trump. Not as fanciful as it seems and it is one in an arsenal of arrows to keep slinging at Trump.
<><><><><><><><>><><><>..................... WORD PLAY
From reader RC "Lexophile" describes those that have a love for words, such as "you can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish", or "To write with a broken pencil is pointless."
An annual competition is held by the New York Times see who can create the best original lexophile. No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery. If you don't pay your exorcist you can get repossessed. I’m reading a book about anti-gravity. I just can’t put it down. I didn’t like my beard at first. Then it grew on me. Did you hear about the crossed-eyed teacher who lost her job because she couldn’t control her pupils? When you get a bladder infection, urine trouble. When chemists die, they barium. I stayed up all night to see where the sun went, and then it dawned on me I changed my iPod’s name to Titanic. It’s syncing now. England has no kidney bank, but it does have a Liverpool . Haunted French pancakes give me the crepes. This girl today said she recognized me from the Vegetarians Club, but I'd swear I've never met herbivore I know a guy who's addicted to drinking brake fluid, but he says he can stop any time. A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months. When the smog lifts in Los Angeles U.C.L.A. I got some batteries that were given out free of charge. A dentist and a manicurist married. They fought tooth and nail. A will is a dead giveaway. With her marriage, she got a new name and a dress. Police were summoned to a day care center where a three-year-old was resisting a rest. Did you hear about the fellow whose entire left side was cut off? He's all right now. A bicycle can't stand alone; it's just two tired. The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine last week is now fully recovered. He had a photographic memory but it was never fully developed. When she saw her first strands of grey hair she thought she'd dye. <><><><<><><>FM<><><><><><><
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