Open Thread for Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Harry Obama

Been busy. Eating a lot. Training the Echo Dot I got for Christmas (or perhaps Alexa is training me). And I got Call of Duty WWII for my PC, and I’ve been having a lot of trouble with this one German in the fifth bunker on Normandy Beach.

But here’s an Open Thread:

  1. Obama tells Prince Harry: leaders must stop corroding civil discourse — Meanwhile, the former president is still the most admired man in America. But Hillary is the most admired woman, so take that with a large amount of salt. This is basically a name-recognition test. And guess what? Nikki Haley’s in the top 10.
  2. I.R.S. Warns That Prepaying Property Taxes Is a Risk — What I want to know is this: Who has the cash to run out and pay their property tax for the whole next year just sitting around? If I had that, the last thing I’d be worrying about is saving a few bucks on my income taxes. Don’t people have other things to think about? Interesting things?
  3. Ryan’s ‘pro-white’ primary foe denounced by Breitbart after his anti-Semitic tweets — So apparently you can go too far for Steve Bannon. Good to know…
  4. The real greatest threat to democracy this year — It’s indifference. E. J. Dionne offers a prayer for our democracy. It can use one.

You know what? That’s it. I’m just not finding any news tonight. Y’all have any?

sh-overview

WWII — the video game, not the real thing — has been occupying a good bit of my time today…

21 thoughts on “Open Thread for Wednesday, December 27, 2017

  1. Juan Caruso

    #2
    “What I want to know is this: Who has the cash to run out and pay their property tax for the whole next year just sitting around? If I had that, the last thing I’d be worrying about is saving a few bucks on my income taxes. Don’t people have other things to think about? Interesting things?” – Brad W.

    Answer, for example:
    “In affluent Fairfax County, Va., more than 1,700 property owners came to the government center Tuesday to prepay their property taxes, while 750 people sent wire transfers and about 650 dropped off payments in a government lockbox that normally gets two or three pieces of correspondence a day, according to Scott Sizemore, director of the revenue collection division.

    The county collected nearly $16 million in tax prepayments on Tuesday alone, county spokesman Jeremy Lasich said, with more money flowing in Wednesday. He said the county would devise a reimbursement plan if it cannot accept the prepayments. ‘We don’t know the full impact of that [IRS] statement yet,’ he said. ’We’re still studying that.’” https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/tax-bill-spawns-new-holiday-ritual-waiting-in-line-to-pay-taxes/2017/12/27/1e7ea59a-eb12-11e7-b698-91d4e35920a3_story.html?utm_term=.a98a85713b0b

  2. Karen Pearson

    Of course, Breitbart dropped him; he forgot to use his dog-whistle, and spoke plainly. And Brad, the reason you don’t have all that extra cash is because you, like many of us, consider cash a means, not an end. Therefore you don’t hang on to money that can be used for some good purpose.

    1. Doug Ross

      Why would trying to save money be a bad thing? Or is it just a bad thing to have enough money saved to use for situations like this? I don’t get people who care how others spend their money. Cash is a means to do with it whatever you want. Why judge others for having it?

      1. Richard

        Besides, for most of us in SC we’re not talking about tens of thousands of dollars… I want to say mine is less than $2000 per year… and I think it’s a lot less than that. It amazes me the number of people who are working adults that don’t have at least one months income saved up. I remember working paycheck to paycheck… but I think I was in my 20’s and hitting the bars three nights a week and eating out for almost every meal.

  3. Karen Pearson

    Precisely Doug. Saving money is fine as long as you have a goal and not an end in itself. Save to invest more in the market; save for an education; save for a cruise. It’s when you save money only to save more money that saving kinda loses its point, at least in my book.

    1. Bart

      Karen, I worked for an Executive VP and in his world, a winner was the person who had the most money in the bank when the person died. Sadly, he never finished a winner after he tried to screw over some good people who believed in him and then he betrayed their trust, including mine. But with Doug, I believe it really matters how he achieves any goal he sets and he won’t accept anything that is not earned through his hard work and genuine honesty.

      My wife and I know we are fortunate and blessed to have some money in the bank and can pay our monthly expenses. I also agree with Doug and don’t judge anyone for having money but I do have problems with anyone who makes money off the backs of others, doesn’t treat them fair, and is willing to use them up and throw them away when they are of no more use to help in their quest for more and more.

      1. Barry

        I make judgments about people for all sorts of reasons including how they make their money and often how they spend it.

        So does everyone else,

        1. Doug Ross

          I’m not in the everyone camp. I defy you to tell me why you have the desire to judge other people’s spending habits other than to either appease your own jealousy or build up your own condescension for others. You must be real fun to be around at a party.

          1. Richard

            I judge people who try to keep up with their neighbors who are obviously one missed paycheck away from bankruptcy and foreclosure. People who have decent jobs, but spend twice what they bring home.

          2. Barry

            Sure you are. You make judgements about it all the time like everyone else does. The difference with you is that you deny it.

            1. Doug Ross

              I specifically was talking about spending habits which I don’t judge. Not my business. I do judge anonymous trolls though.

      2. clark surratt

        You are tough. Anyone who owns a business and turns a profit and hires workers “makes money off the backs of others.” That is the essence of American capitalism. But who wants that?

        1. Richard

          Those store owners should pay their unskilled people $15/hr. and their skilled workers even more… say $45/hr. they’ll pay for it through $18 Big Mac’s and for those trying to save some money they can order off the $6.00 menu.

        2. Bart

          Of course employers make money off the backs of others but read the rest of my comment and tie it all together the way it was meant to be interpreted.

  4. bud

    Moore later issued a defiant statement, again blaming “Democrats” and “the Washington establishment” for his loss, and claiming without evidence that “election fraud experts across the country have agreed that this was a fraudulent election.”
    -Huffpo

    https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/roy-moore-lawsuit-alabama-senate-election-results_us_5a4498dce4b025f99e199b66?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009

    Sometimes you just have to sit back and relish the moment. This disgusting piece of trash, Roy Moore, just lost in a state that was not loseable for a Republican. And Moore’s rationale for the lawsuit? Too many people voted! That is just hilarious. They voted because they saw a real shot at a Democrat winning. The fact that he blames Democrats makes this so, so sweet. Finally the good guys win one. As a Democrat, you worthless pile of poo, I accept the blame. What a sore loser. As they say it ain’t over til the fat lady sings. In this case the fat, miserable excuse for a human being has sung. Music to my ears.

    1. Bart

      Sorry bud, there is no such thing as an election that is cannot be lost. Roy Moore was defeated the moment the allegations were published about his penchant for young girls when he was in his 30s.

      Roy Moore is the poster person for someone who cannot accept defeat or the thought that he is not the greatest thing to ever walk the planet. Moore has defied the law too many times and his erratic behavior finally caught up with him.

      If the vote count difference had been maybe 100, he may have a point but over 22k? All I can say, is “c’mon man, shut up and go home”.

      Wonder if he is planning to write a book about how he lost and go on a tour to explain and promote sales? Seems like all losers are refusing to accept defeat gracefully. But, it is always the fault of everyone else, a conspiracy, voter fraud, or some other lame excuse.

  5. Burl Burlingame

    Whenever a Democrat makes good money giving a speech to people willing to pay for it, Republicans consider that a heinous crime. But I still don’t know how Republican congressmen become millionaires on their Washington salary.

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