statism

IRS Scandal: What Does the US Congress Expect?

"Obama himself is evidently thin-skinned and his administration, like others before it, obviously sees its mandate not only as implementing chosen policies but battling those in the general populace who would oppose those policies via extra-political means. Within this context, employing the IRS as a weapon against perceived enemies seems eminently logical. After all, the Obama administration would not be the first to use the awesome power to tax as a strategic advantage. Nonetheless, the fallout has been intense." Continue reading →

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Indian government now snooping on SMSs, online chats

"The government last month quietly began rolling out a project that gives it access to everything that happens over India's telecommunications network—online activities, phone calls, text messages and even social media conversations. Called the Central Monitoring System, it will be the single window from where government arms such as the National Investigation Agency or the tax authorities will be able to monitor every byte of communication. But privacy and internet freedom advocates are worried that in the name of security, the government could end up snooping on people, possibly abusing a system that does not have enough safeguards to protect ordinary citizens." Continue reading →

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TSA Pursues Administrative Trial Against Man Who Disrobed At Airport Checkpoint

"TSA was not amused by Mr. Brennan’s cooperation – it had ordered him to assume the position and endure fondling, not drop trou. In fact, it sicced the cops on this hero and is now trying to fine him. A court dismissed the charges of indecency against Mr. Brennan, but the TSA ludicrously insists that his extreme cooperation with its nonsense 'interfere[d] with screening’ (victims of its gate-rape can only hope it did). Mr. Brennan faces an administrative trial this week, which means that the TSA will hold a kangaroo hearing to decide whether he should pay it a fine of $11,000." Continue reading →

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Nevada bill would levy 8% tax on brothels, Burning Man festival

"The tax man may soon be visiting a few Nevada brothels. A bill to be introduced in the Nevada legislature on Wednesday will propose an 8% flat tax for live entertainment at business ventures in the state ranging from brothels to the annual Burning Man festival. Assembly Speaker Marilyn Kirkpatrick (D-North Las Vegas) says the bill would target events and businesses that have either been deemed exempt from state sales taxes or have simply been overlooked. Those operations include brothels, which Nevada lawmakers have been hesitant to tax out of fear that doing so would further legitimize the stigmatized, but legal trade." Continue reading →

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IRS Targeted Organizations Named With the Words “Tea Party” Or “Patriot”

"The Internal Revenue Service is apologizing for inappropriately flagging conservative political groups for additional reviews during the 2012 election to see if they were violating their tax-exempt status, reports WaPo. Lois Lerner, who heads the IRS unit that oversees tax-exempt groups, said organizations that included the words 'tea party' or 'patriot' in their applications for tax-exempt status were singled out for additional reviews." Continue reading →

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The Truth About Fake Hospital Pricing (And What To Do If You Are Uninsured)

"People without insurance, on average, are being charged 3 times what insurance companies pay. When the uninsured patients can’t or don’t pay, the balance is written off and the tax liability is reduced. Some uninsured people try to raise the funds, and it breaks my heart that they go bankrupt trying to pay these debts. If you’re ever uninsured and wind up with a huge hospital bill, go negotiate with the hospital CFO for a 66% reduction in the bill. Use the government data (link here) as leverage in negotiating with the CFO. Threaten to expose the racket and I bet the CFO will write down your bill to keep you quiet." Continue reading →

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Building superintendent mistakes tomato plants for pot, and so did cops he called

"Experts don’t know how the cops could have confused the two. Cops eventually got hip to the difference and closed the investigation, leaving the tomatoes alone. The unidentified owner of the tomato stash won’t have to deal with the cops but he will have to deal with his super, who said he’d lock the door to the roof. 'No one’s supposed to be there anyway,' Delarosa said." Continue reading →

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Argentina: Dollar price at 10.45 Pesos over two times the ‘official’ price

"The blue dollar jumped past the key psychological barrier of 10 Pesos on Tuesday in thin t rade, reflecting persistent demand for greenbacks amid tough currency controls. Meanwhile, the official rate remained unchanged at exchange offices in Buenos Aires at Pesos 5.16 (buying price) and Pesos 5.22 (selling price), with the gap between the two markets over 100%. In a context of high inflation, negative interest rates or other options to defend the value of the Argentine currency, Argentines are increasingly taking refuge in the US dollar. To this must be added an overall feeling of distrust and uncertainty which can have a greater impact that what stats can present." Continue reading →

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The Government’s Us? Not Last Time I Checked

"In a speech last month about proposed gun control legislation, President Obama decried opponents’ attempts to encourage 'suspicion about government.' 'The government’s us,' he responded. 'These officials are elected by you. They are constrained as I am constrained, by a system that our founders put in place.' But if government were 'us,' why would we have ever needed a Bill of Rights or defense attorneys? In order for the government to be 'us,' and for its elected officials to be our 'representatives' in any meaningful sense, a number of prerequisites would have to be met." Continue reading →

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Why No Construction Workers Memorial Day?

"A reader tells me that Peace Officers Memorial Day is held annually in the United States on May 15 in honor of federal, state and local officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Then he wonders why no Construction Workers Memorial Day. He says: 'According to Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS), about 140-160 officers are killed in the line of duty each year,' but 'according to stats, each year in the US about 1,100 construction workers die on the job.' Here is an article with figures." Continue reading →

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