Rick Santelli's Chicago Tea Party

Michigan Gov. Snyder to sign sweeping tax measure into law
Dow Jones Sues Texas Claiming Tax Code Violates First Amendment
Internet rules at center of ‘e-G8′ forum in Paris
Democrat Kathy Hochul topples Republican Jane Corwin to grab crucial upstate NY congressional seat
Tea party enlists anti-communist’s Idaho group to promote Constitution Week in public schools
NEW WORLD ORDER: US taxpayers on the hook for Strauss-Kahn’s golden parachute
Black boxes for vehicles to be compulsory by next month
Why Israel mustn’t withdraw to pre-1967 borders
Herman Cain Presidential Announcement Video
Aaron Lewis: Country Boy

Michigan Gov. Snyder to sign sweeping tax measure into law

Posted: 25 May 2011 11:19 AM PDT

By KATHY BARKS HOFFMAN, Businessweek.com

Gov. Rick Snyder will sign a sweeping tax proposal into law on Wednesday that he says is key to his efforts to improve Michigan’s economy.

The legislation cuts overall business taxes by about $1 billion in the fiscal year starting Oct. 1 and $1.7 billion the following year. It replaces the Michigan Business Tax with a 6 percent income tax on corporations with shareholders, which about two-thirds of Michigan businesses won’t have to pay.

The measure also raises more money from individual taxpayers by increasing taxes on some retirees’ pensions, shrinking tax breaks for low-income workers and eliminating many credits and deductions.

Democratic lawmakers say the business tax cuts come largely at the expense of retirees, increasing their tax bills by $300 million. Lower-income workers will see the Earned Income Tax Credit shrink from 20 percent of the federal credit to 6 percent. Some Democrats have chided Republicans for increasing taxes on seniors so they could give businesses big tax breaks. They also say the changes will hurt education, which faces deep cuts.

Snyder says revamping Michigan’s tax code will help create jobs by making Michigan a more attractive place to do business. When the bill passed the Senate last week, he called it a “huge step forward in terms of job creation.”

Overall, the bill is expected to reduce revenue by about $535.2 million in the upcoming fiscal year and by $438 million in 2012-13, with the school aid fund taking the brunt of the business tax cuts, according to the nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency.

Dow Jones Sues Texas Claiming Tax Code Violates First Amendment

Posted: 25 May 2011 11:12 AM PDT

By Eriq Gardner, Hollywoodreporter.com

How much does Ruper Murdoch hate taxes? So much so that the media baron’s Wall Street Journal has decided to go to war with the state of Texas over the state comptroller’s ruling that the WSJ is really not a “newspaper” and should thus pay sale taxes. Dow Jones & Co. has now filed a lawsuit against the state, raising objections including the argument that Texas is violating the First Amendment with its tax policy.

Last week, the WSJ says it paid $97,206.96 in taxes to Texas, but did so under protest.

The Murdoch-owned newspaper believes it is being penalized by the state for charging more than $1.50 per paper for a newsstand sale.

According to the Texas tax code, a “newspaper” is defined as being printed on newsprint, distributed in short intervals, disseminating the news, with an average sale price that doesn’t exceed $1.50.

In February, the state comptroller announced that some newspapers like the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times no longer meet the definition of a newspaper. “Because the average price of both publications is above $1.50, neither of these publications qualifies as a newspaper for Texas sales tax purposes,” wrote the comptroller.

The ramifcations of the ruling meant that it wouldn’t qualify for a “newspaper” sales tax exemption afforded to other, smaller publications.

Internet rules at center of ‘e-G8′ forum in Paris

Posted: 25 May 2011 11:08 AM PDT

By JAMEY KEATEN, Businessweek.com

France wants better regulation of the Internet. Google’s executive chairman says policymakers should tread lightly and avoid “stupid” rules.

Bridging such differences about how the Internet could or should be more regulated took center stage Tuesday at an “e-G8″ meeting aimed to parlay the digital world’s growing economic clout into a cohesive message for world leaders at the Group of Eight summit later this week in Normandy.

The two-day Paris gathering has brought together Internet and media world gurus such as Google Inc. executive chairman Eric Schmidt, News Corp. Chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch and Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. And the discussion includes issues such as protecting children from “evil stuff” on line, preventing illegal downloading of copyrighted materials and shielding Facebook users from unsolicited invitations.

The e-G8 comes amid concerns in the industry that some countries — including several in Europe such as France — have taken measures or enacted laws that could curb Internet freedoms.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, kicking off the conference, said governments need to lay down and enforce rules in the digital world — even as they need to foster creativity and economic growth with the Internet.

It’s unclear whether he’ll win over digital executives with this argument, or whether the G-8 summit — which doesn’t include countries such as China, a major source of online activity and online regulation — will agree on a single policy going forward.

Democrat Kathy Hochul topples Republican Jane Corwin to grab crucial upstate NY congressional seat

Posted: 25 May 2011 09:37 AM PDT

BY ALISON GENDAR, nydailynews.com

An upstate Democrat won a Republican congressional seat Tuesday night in one of the state’s most conservative districts that some saw as a referendum on the GOP’s plan to rejigger Medicare.

Erie County Clerk Kathy Hochul knocked off Republican Assemblywoman Jane Corwin to win the seat in the 26th Congressional District, which runs between Buffalo and Rochester.

Hochul garnered 47% of the vote to Corwin’s 43%. Jack Davis, a Tea Party candidate, pulled about 8% of the vote.

Hochul said she refused to “decimate” Medicare.

“How about ending big handouts for Big Oil?” Hochul rallied supporters during her victory speech at a union hall outside Buffalo. “How about making millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share?”

Democrats basked in her victory.

“There are two reasons we won tonight. Kathy Hochul is a great candidate and a Western New Yorker through and through. And New Yorkers of all political persuasions do not want to destroy Medicare. This election was a strong referendum on both,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer.

Tea party enlists anti-communist’s Idaho group to promote Constitution Week in public schools

Posted: 25 May 2011 09:33 AM PDT

By Associated Press, WashingtonPost.com

MALTA, Idaho — A national tea party group wants a conservative publishing house in Idaho to teach America's kids about the U.S. Constitution this coming school year.

The Tea Party Patriots, Georgia-based but claiming 1,000 chapters nationally, told members this month to remind teachers of a 2004 federal law requiring public schools to teach Constitution lessons every Sept. 17, commemorating the day the document was signed.

Critics are troubled by the push because the publisher of the materials, the National Center for Constitutional Studies, promotes the Constitution as a divinely inspired document.

A tea party official responded, saying, "they're eliminating God out of the whole political discussion 100 percent, which is going to the other extreme."

NEW WORLD ORDER: US taxpayers on the hook for Strauss-Kahn’s golden parachute

Posted: 25 May 2011 09:28 AM PDT

By Judson Berger, FOXNews.com

The former head of the International Monetary Fund accused of sexually assaulting a New York hotel maid will receive a $250,000 severance payment — paid in part courtesy of the American taxpayer — unless U.S. lawmakers can stop the “golden parachute” from landing in the French politician’s bank account.

The IMF claims it has no discretion in the matter of Dominique Strauss-Khan, who was already pulling down nearly $500,000 as managing director when he resigned after being arrested in New York. The one-time severance, along with a much smaller annual pension, was part of his contract.

But considering the heavy financial stake the United States has in the global lender, some lawmakers are trying to exert pressure on an organization that has come under increased scrutiny over how its vast international resources are being used.

“The scandal at the IMF is putting that organization in the public eye again and American taxpayers — who pay the largest share of the IMF’s bills — are raising a lot of important questions,” Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., House Republican Conference vice chairwoman, told FoxNews.com in a written statement.

“What does it say about the IMF that its managing director has a higher annual salary than the president of the United States, that he stays at $3,000-per-night hotel rooms, and that he gets a quarter of a million dollars in severance pay while awaiting charges for [attempted] rape?” McMorris Rodgers asked.

Jim Specht, spokesman for House Appropriations Committee member Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., said his boss will request hearings in the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs on the IMF directorship, and review what leverage the U.S. might have over operations. Lewis is a member of that subcommittee.

Black boxes for vehicles to be compulsory by next month

Posted: 25 May 2011 09:24 AM PDT

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

By next month, every driver in the U.S. will be required to have a black box in their vehicle.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will declare that all automobiles are required to contain the event data recorder – similar to those found in aircraft – in order to monitor driving habits and provide a snapshot of the final moment of impact if the car crashes.

The snapshot will be able to be viewed by law enforcement, insurance companies and automakers and the owner of the vehicle will not be able to turn it on or off.

Critics of the mandate see it as another Big Brother-style invasion of privacy by the government while others believe it is a way to keep tabs on drivers.

It will also make it easier for insurance companies to settle claims and have access to circumstances surrounding car crashes.

Wired cites an example, in 2002, of a car which had a black box – many who have airbags already have one – being used to implicate a driver who went on to be convicted for manslaughter.

Why Israel mustn’t withdraw to pre-1967 borders

Posted: 25 May 2011 08:42 AM PDT

Herman Cain Presidential Announcement Video

Posted: 25 May 2011 08:38 AM PDT

Aaron Lewis: Country Boy

Posted: 25 May 2011 08:35 AM PDT