Land Of The Flea

Federal Government Rating Hits New Low Among Americans

"For the first time since Barack Obama became president, more Democrats say they have an unfavorable view of the federal government in Washington than a favorable view (51% unfavorable vs. 41% favorable). Favorable opinions of the federal government among Republicans, already quite low in 2012 (20% favorable), have fallen even further, to 13% currently. Notably, politically divided state governments get positive ratings from members of both parties. In the 13 states with divided governments – those in which the governor and a majority of state legislators are from different parties – majorities of both Republicans and Democrats express favorable opinions." Continue reading →

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Doug Casey on Second Passports

"It used to be that a passport was a document that a ruler of one country would give to a traveler to ask the rulers of other countries to assist him in his travels. Now, instead of a convenience, it's become a required permit for travel. It's degrading and actually runs counter to the whole idea of the thing. The original purpose of a passport has been turned upside down. But since they are necessary in today's world, you ought to have several of them, for your own convenience. If nothing else, it prevents any one government from basically placing you under house arrest by taking your passport away from you." Continue reading →

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Living the Lockdown Life

"While watching coverage of the Boston Marathon bombing and its aftermath, I couldn’t help but notice multiple uses and variations of the word 'lockdown' (e.g. 'Boston is locked down'). I’ve been hearing that word used more and more frequently over the last few years, and finding its connotations are troubling. Between 1990 and 2008, use of the term 'lockdown' in English-language books ballooned ten times. Suddenly lockdowns were no longer just a prison thing. They became a school thing, and then an area, neighborhood, city thing. As of Tuesday morning, Google News reported more than 50,000 uses of the word 'lockdown' in the news media in the previous 30 days." Continue reading →

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537 Taser-Related Deaths In The United States Since 2001

"Between 2001 and 2008, 351 people in the United States died after being shocked by police Tasers. Our blog has documented another 186 taser-related deaths in the United States in 2009-2012. That means there have been 537 documented taser-related deaths in America. I think that something is wrong in America when the police electrocute folks on a WEEKLY basis with their taser arsenal … and the public is mute in its response. Sometimes it takes a lawsuit … like the one recently settled in Ohio … to get the police to cool it. The police in Cincinnati, Ohio took the hint … they changed their taser policy!" Continue reading →

Continue Reading537 Taser-Related Deaths In The United States Since 2001

Americans in Canada can face complex tax situation

"About 1 million Canadian residents are 'U.S. persons' who are required by U.S. law to file U.S. tax returns as well as Canadian tax returns. The definition of a U.S. person includes those born in the U.S., children of American-born parents and green card holders. The problems are the punitive IRS penalties and criminal prosecution threats for failure to complete the many required annual information returns. For those who do not plan to return to live in the U.S., these extremely high penalties for not filing annual forms are encouraging U.S. persons in Canada to find out how to relinquish their U.S. citizenship." Continue reading →

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Rules Aimed at Tax Evasion Abroad Trip Up Average Americans

"Many middle- and upper-middle-class Americans have found it more and more difficult to comply with requirements on reporting the existence and value of bank accounts overseas and to reconcile the taxes of different countries. At the same time, Americans from immigrant families who have bank accounts in their home countries that they may have overlooked are being swept up by the same laws used to ferret out millionaires and billionaires stashing money in secret Swiss accounts. The Internal Revenue Service has increased its examination of such accounts, lawyers said, with serious penalties for those who have not reported them." Continue reading →

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Filmmaker: Obama’s war on whistleblowers ‘a terrible disservice to democracy’

"Appearing on CNN Sunday, documentary filmmaker Robert Greenwald said that his latest film will highlight the Obama administration’s ongoing 'war' against people who reveal the government’s embarrassing and sometimes shocking secrets. 'War on Whistleblowers: Free Press and the National Security State' documents the Obama administration’s efforts to silence and retaliate against whistleblowers, and the effect that overreaching government secrecy has on journalism." Continue reading →

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David Lewis attorney says gun confiscation no “error”

"All of this apparently stems from Governor Cuomo’s signature gun control bill, the SAFE Act, which requires mental health professionals to notify the state when they believe a patient is at risk of hurting themselves or others. State Police and the Erie County Clerk had misidentified Lewis as such a threat, confusing him with someone else with the same name. Both sides have blamed each other for the snafu. It’s not sitting well with some State Senator Michael Ranzenhofer (R-Amherst) and State Assemblyman Dennis Gabryszak (D-Cheektowaga). They are calling for an investigation of how the police are using medical records to seize guns." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDavid Lewis attorney says gun confiscation no “error”

Happy Tax Freedom Day?

"Tax Freedom Day is the day that 'the nation as a whole has earned enough money to pay its total tax bill for the year.' National Tax Freedom Day comes just a few days behind our deadline to pay up, with the exception of Texas, where residents have a lower average state and local tax burden. Tax Freedom Day for Texans began on April 10. On average, Americans nationwide will work 40 days just to pay their income tax, another 25 days for payroll taxes, 15 days for excise taxes, and 12 days for property taxes. Overall, Americans will spend more on taxes than on food, housing, and clothing combined this year." Continue reading →

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John Browne Explains the Great Game

"Of countries that have to make something, like the Swiss – the Swiss have got a heap of granite with icing on the top of it and yet they're one of the richest countries in the world. It's the people that do this stuff. It's the people and the leadership and if they believe in something they do it, and the Germans, too. They believe in hard work but what's more, they believe that the hard work of today's citizens should be kept intact so that those hard working people, when they retire, should be able to enjoy the fruits of their labor. The Anglo-Americans say the hell with the future, the hell with children, the hell with grandchildren. We want that money now." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJohn Browne Explains the Great Game