And behold! I saw before me a pale horseman....
Herman Cain has signaled that he is abandoning all hope of winning the fundagelical vote. He has proposed a tax plan called the "9-9-9" plan. President Cain (breathe, Bill, breathe) would implement a flat income tax of 9%, reduce corporate income tax to 9%, and impose a new national sales tax of 9%.
Pseudonymous Bill Clay/Hans Grüber flatulates about how wonderful Cain is for raising the issue. Clay Grüber misses the obvious: Cain's arbitrary tax percentages, turned upside down, represent the Mark of the Beast. Aaaaahhhh! How is Cain going to get any fundie votes when he makes it so obvious that he's the Anti-Christ?
But wait: maybe that's the idea. The fundies crave the End Times. Voting for a man touting a plan that clearly invokes 6-6-6 could drive fundie voters to serious Rapture. Wow: that's deep meme chess!
Oh, and did anyone else notice that his last name is Cain?
Religious references from an athiest?
The republicans have a longer list of candidates who have sabatoged themselves than I have seen in a dozen campaigns. The only one who bowed out without blundering was a Baptist preacher, Huckaby, who said he was a peace not to run. Are the Christians going to realize that it just might be God's will that Obama gets reelected.
I know that might sound a little crazy to some of you but it might be something to pray about to those who might do that. God bless.
"Wow: that’s deep meme chess!"
Where is Bill Fleming and the paranoid conspiracy of Hofstader.
http://karws.gso.uri.edu/jfk/conspiracy_theory/the_paranoid_mentality/the_paranoid_style.html
First Cory is an advocate of GOP capitalism, and now he is an advocate of the paranoid Religious Right.
I'll leave the eschatology to others.
First, I would guess this plan will gain momentum because it has a built in sound bite. It sounds simple and fair even though it won't be.
Second, I really want to hear Cain explain how he's going to enforce this plan. GE and others find ways to pay little or nothing now. I seriously doubt they will accept an enforceable 9% that will be a de facto tax increase.
Third, sales taxes are regressive. Is it really a good idea to push food and clothing prices up 9%?
If this plan goes into effect, regular folks will pay their 9% income tax, the corporate 9% through higher prices, and the 9% sales tax. That sales tax will be higher than anticipated because everything will cost 9% more.
In short, the tax rate will be 27%+ for individuals and 0% for corporations.
I hate the idea of a national sales tax. I hate it so much that, when I heard Bill O'Reilly say (and then say again and again and again) that he favors a "small national sales tax," he lost at least 75 percent of the respect I had for him.
I can hardly begin to diarrhize (violently eject by means of copious morbid quantities of Waste Type No. 2) the objections I have to any sales or value-added tax at the national level in this forum; so instead of subjecting you all to a 2000-word blant (blog rant), I'll just put a cork in my cerebral posterior and suck it up. You can read some of my illogic at the South Dakota War College under the recent post on Cain. Even that hardly serves as a prologue to my vitriol against this form of tax.
I liked Cain before, as much as any other Republican. Now I would never vote for him in the primary. I might not even vote for him in the general election. The poor would get absolutely hammered if he got his way.
Stan,
Do you want to know what the tax on the poor is really called....inflation.
Steve,
Isn't a 9% price increase topped by a 9% tax inflationary?
By the way, when did you become a disciple of Paul Volker? I would have thought he was in some socialistic masonic camp of some sort.
From, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/19/opinion/a-little-inflation-can-be-a-dangerous-thing.html
"So now we are beginning to hear murmurings about the possible invigorating effects of “just a little inflation.†Perhaps 4 or 5 percent a year would be just the thing to deal with the overhang of debt and encourage the “animal spirits†of business, or so the argument goes. . . . .
"The siren song is both alluring and predictable. Economic circumstances and the limitations on orthodox policies are indeed frustrating. After all, if 1 or 2 percent inflation is O.K. and has not raised inflationary expectations — as the Fed and most central banks believe — why not 3 or 4 or even more? Let’s try to get business to jump the gun and invest now in the expectation of higher prices later, and raise housing prices (presumably commodities and gold, too) and maybe wages will follow. If the dollar is weakened, that’s a good thing; it might even help close the trade deficit. And of course, as soon as the economy expands sufficiently, we will promptly return to price stability.
"Well, good luck. . . .
"My point is not that we are on the edge today of serious inflation, which is unlikely if the Fed remains vigilant. Rather, the danger is that if, in desperation, we turn to deliberately seeking inflation to solve real problems — our economic imbalances, sluggish productivity, and excessive leverage — we would soon find that a little inflation doesn’t work. Then the instinct will be to do a little more — a seemingly temporary and “reasonable†4 percent becomes 5, and then 6 and so on.
"What we know, or should know, from the past is that once inflation becomes anticipated and ingrained — as it eventually would — then the stimulating effects are lost. Once an independent central bank does not simply tolerate a low level of inflation as consistent with “stability,†but invokes inflation as a policy, it becomes very difficult to eliminate. "
Well there's maybe a new Italian food idea floating around here somewhere Cory.
Let's see...
• God's Father Anti-Crust? ...beastly delicious?
• Cheeses Crust, ...pizza to die and come back for?
• Rapturoni? ...a quick pick me up?
• Sheep and Goat Duo ...so you don't have to decide?
• Marynara Sauce... so good you have to wash your feet first?
(They all get the new little 999® brand on 'em of course.)
I don't know, man. How am I doin'?
Any of those sound any trumpets for ya?
Bill: tour de farce! Do you deliver?
Steve: I advocate no such thing.
Tim: Sure! Atheists have to be aware of the language and symbols that carry meaning for the other 80%+ of the population around us.
Leo and Stan: thank you for rising above my scatalogical eschatology to address the real policy issue. 9-9-9 is catchy; Cain will not be.
This "9-9-9" thing--I won't dignify it by calling it a "plan"--is obviously a ridiculous gimmick. In the real world, you can't make good policy with cheesy slogans.
Somebody tell Cain he's allegedly running for President, not late-night pitchman for a discount mattress outlet.
Yup, sure do Cory, that's the coolest part.
See, we get these 4 guys, and these 4 different colored horses and we... well, I can't tell you any more until you sign my... um...non-disclosure form.
I'll meet you somewhere. Crossroads maybe?
I used to really like the Dominoes 5-5-5 plan when I had a basement full of teenagers.
Heck of a plan, and better for everyone than Herman Cain's thoughtless non-policy.
"Steve: I advocate no such thing."
Cory, yes you have and more than once. Crony capitalism is a the fascist form of socialism that both party leaderships use (Solyndra). And you are very paranoid about a Tea Party conspiracy in the GOP, as you promote the New Age Theocracy (perhaps unkowingly, but now you have no excuse as the truth as been now given to you).
*Sigh*. Sometimes trying to work through Sibby's reasoning is like trying to untie the Gordian Knot. http://www.maa.org/devlin/devlin_9_01.html
Bill, your logic is what needs to be questioned. You jumped me for being paranoid a while back, but you refuse to hold Cory to that same standard. At least I have others who support my arguments. Cory is just making it up.
Bwaahaha!
You red state bozos won't get a chance to nominate Cain! Your earth hater will have been selected for you long before June, 2012.
South Dakotans: hold your selected noses and vote for the President!
To be clear, Steve, there is a "paranoid style" of politics. You can choose to adopt that style or not adopt that style. And yes, it is available to anyone of any political persuasion. You are now entering the (arguably delusional) territory of being paranoid of someone you think might be paranoid, and I'm having trouble following you down that rabbit hole. That's the logic of it, at least from my perspective.
Oh and don't forget Thomas Jefferson's admonition:
"Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions. Ideas must be distinct before reason can act upon them..."
I think Cory may be indulging in a little lighthearted Jeffersonial ridicule from time to time in an effort to help his readers bring more clarity to their ideas. That's what a good teacher/debate coach would do.
p.s. Sibby the fact that you have others who share your delusions doesn't make your arguments any more reasonable.
"You are now entering the (arguably delusional) territory of being paranoid of someone you think might be paranoid, and I’m having trouble following you down that rabbit hole."
Bill, just pointing out hypocrisy. Why would you call that paranoid? And were you not guilty of that in the recent past, by being paranoid about me being paranoid?
By the way, when did you become a disciple of Paul Volker?
LK, I am in favor of abolishing the Federal Reserve. Volker is a central planner. I am for free markets. That would mean a government that has a fair tax, not a "targeted" tax based on what the central planners want.
I have no paranoia of you whatsoever Stevie, sorry. When I think of Sibby, fear just doesn't come up for me, brother.
Bill, I am glad. There are those who are afraid of the truth.
Yes, and there are those who make things up to scare (and thus control) people and present their hocus-pocus conspiracy theories as though it was the truth. That's the paranoid style of politics in a nutshell.
Steve, I'm not even sure I can tell what you're accusing me of advocating. "GOP capitalism"? "the paranoid Religious Right"? Neither of those sounds like things I support, defend, or promote. But given your evolving use of the language, I'm having trouble telling just what some of your words really mean.
Small phrases:
I don't like the GOP. They advocate bad policies. They don't follow their platform.
I'm o.k. with capitalism. I like Adam Smith's capitalism. I advocate its rational moral framework. I advocate Smith's proper roles of government. The GOP doesn't.
I recognize the existence of religious right-wingers who either are paranoid or gain power by promoting paranoia. I do not advocate for them or for their fear tactics.
"Yes, and there are those who make things up to scare (and thus control) people and present their hocus-pocus conspiracy theories as though it was the truth. That’s the paranoid style of politics in a nutshell."
Bill, hacks froom both parties use the paranoid style of politics, including you.
Cory, you created a conspiracy theory with this post. You seem paranoid about the religious right and the tea party, and therefore you are wearing the same suit that Fleming says the Religous Right is wearing.
The GOP cannot implement their fascist form of socialism (what you call capitalism) without the help of big governemnt. You are an advocate of big government. Your illusion [and that of many others] is that the government will control the ones who control the government. That is illogical. The solution is to shrink the source of the capitalist's power...the intervention of government into the economy.
And this is the final nail in the coffin...the Democrats are doing the same crony capitalism. Solyndra is proof. Check out my latest post. Yesterday I pointed out that Bush and the GOP were also involved with the Solyndra scandal. The two parties have more in common than what is being let on. I have gotten tired of playing the...you did it too finger pointing that is about all we have in politics today.
If you would stop with the partisan party BS, maybe you will understand the truth instead of perpetuating the deception being put out by the political hacks of both parties. But as I said, most are afraid of the truth, and all they can do is personally attack those who have the courage to stand by the truth, even if it means the loss of popularity.
I'm with Cory, Steve, your distortion of the language makes it difficult to follow you at times. For example, what do you mean when you say "hack?" There are numerous definitions to be sure. Would you please pick one and show Cory and me how it applies to us and not to yourself as well?
Here's a little starter kit, Sibby: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/hack
Bill,
Hack: I party loyalist whose purpose is to personally attack the other side, regardless of the truth.
At least that is how I meant to use it. If you have a better word, then I will consider it.
So, do you consider calling someone a "Hack" a personal attack, similar to calling them a liar? i.e do you use the word as a pejorative?
Bill,
Then what label should I use? Perhaps it is too pejorative. I certainly should avoid directing it at a particular person.
"Cain’s arbitrary tax percentages, turned upside down, represent the Mark of the Beast."
Cory, if you understood mathematics the plan turned upside down would be:
"1/9-1/9-1/9"
I'm not a math major, but doesn't 1/9 = 11%? Cain's plan is 9%. Typical government behavior raising new taxes before the original goes into effect.
LK,
Right, so the mirrored plan should actually be:
"1/.09-1/.09-1/.09"
Not sure if that is so beastly.
Prophet Camping again chooses a date that the world will end with a whimper:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/10/15/141361159/rapture-prophet-camping-world-will-probably-end-quietly-next-friday?ft=1&f=103943429
Poor guy. Sad, actually. I hope he goes out clean with a minimum of suffering. God bless him.
yeah, dog bless him....
...either way...