Creeping fascism?

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | Monday, July 7, 2003 | Ralph R. Reiland

[Willie Green]

In "The 'F'-word" (Opinion and Commentary, June 22), Colin McNickle wrote that he got some flack when he used the word "fascistic" to describe Mayor Tom Murphy's "failed policy of command economics," e.g., "threatening eminent domain," etc., and that he used the "F"-word again to describe Gov. Ed Rendell's idea that the state be given a board seat at US Airways in return for a mega-million-dollar package of financial concessions.

[Liz]

The Rat Elite throw a few crumbs to a select few of the unwashed masses every now and then just to make themselves look good and to keep the unwashed fed, sedated and on the team. Wouldn't want the masses thinking of things like revolution now, would they?

[Liz]

....two states bailing out the same company for multiple-millions, with no story in either state mentioning that **other** states were also bailing out US Air??And this isn't even the tiniest part of the **federal** bailout of the airlines. This is all local state money.

Perhaps we might more aptly dub these outrageous maneuvers signs of the Neo-Political/Industrial Complex.

[Grampa Dave]

Neo-Fascist Left Wing Political/Industrial Complex

[Liz]

Oops....cannot ever forget "fascist" and "left-wing." LOL.

[DPB101]

Nearly 7 million government workers, mostly in AFSCME and the NEA, are out of the Social Security system. Massachusetts and Ohio are the two states with the most who do not pay SS taxes. Their pension contributions are invested in the markets. Folding all of them into SS would not starve rats for the fuel they need to operate but would greatly reduce their power.

[Grampa Dave]

This is some very interesting data:

"Nearly 7 million government workers, mostly in AFSCME and the NEA, are out of the Social Security system. Massachusetts and Ohio are the two states with the most who do not pay SS taxes. Their pension contributions are invested in the markets. Folding all of them into SS would not starve rats for the fuel they need to operate but would greatly reduce their power."

[DPB101]

Many in the NEA and other government unions do pay Social Security tax and will tell you everyone does. That is not the case. All depends on the state. The facts, from Social Security, are here:

http://aspe.hhs.gov/2000gb/sec1.txt

[Liz]

Anything that reduces Rat power, I am for. I'm sure GWB is onto this as well.

[DPB101]

Don't recall ever seeing it in the media. I found out when I was wholesaling to two school teachers in Nevada who did not know they were liable for FICA taxes (they opened a little business as a tax dodge). They didn't believe me when I told them what the double bite was. Neither had paid even the employees half in their entire lives.

[Liz]

Amazing. Could be partly b/c of Byzantine tax code maybe?

[DPB101]

Think so. People in one state employed by government who pay FICA assume everyone does. Federal workers are the most vocal in denying that some in government are out of SS. They were almost all folded in years ago.

Did you see a teacher's union in Canada put in a bid for one of the largest coal mining companies in the country? I believe they got it. Someday we may all be working for the clerk down at the DMV or our kid's teacher.

Be a good issue for an investigative journalist. How much power do government teachers and other employees have over the private sector? How many Fortune 100 companies have Calpers members on the board?

[PGalt]

Very good article. Thanks for the post.

[BOBTHENAILER]

Nice post. We're onto something here. The very real threat to the republic is the Party Politics Cabal. We need to catalogue the many incidences. To name a few:

You're exactly correct, this is just the tip of the iceburg, poised to sink our fine ship.

[BOBTHENAILER]

(6) Bush - Cheney/Halliburton

Please explain the similarities to your Bush/Cheney==Hallibuton comparison to the ones listed by Liz, especially the Daschle/Linda the lobbyist for airlines.

Last I looked, Cheney became Halliburton CEO AFTER he left gov't, a natural fit for a man from an oil and gas producing state.

He had quit Halliburton BEFORE he joined the Bush Team, He also sold all of his stock and options, at a price considerably less than now, so don't even try the Halliburton/Iraq contracts for a starter.

Who would you hire to fix their oil fields....TotalElfFina......that fine French Company?

[WhiteGuy]

He had quit Halliburton BEFORE he joined the Bush Team, He also sold all of his stock and options, at a price considerably less than now, so don't even try the Halliburton/Iraq contracts for a starter.

---

Do you REALLY believe that there is NO "relationship" between the bush/cheney administration and the 12 billion tax dollars worth of "contracts"?

[BOBTHENAILER]

Do you REALLY believe that there is NO "relationship" between the bush/cheney administration and the 12 billion tax dollars worth of "contracts

When your plumbing goes bad, do you hire a friend, who happens to be a plumber that you trust, and KNOW he's a consummate professional, or do you hire a teacher, farmer, envirmentalist, or some such fool, who knows nothing about your plumbing, much less, is someone you know has an impeccable industry reord?

Does that answer your question?

By the way, I'm in the O&G business, I'm staunch Republican, obviously conservative, DOES THAT MAKE ME IN COLLUSION with the Bush/Cheney/Halliburton CABAL, everytime I use Halliburton to frac my wells?

You.ve been drinking the Clinton kool-aid a bit much, I think.

One more try, WHAT COMPANY WOULD YOU CHOOSE TO DO THAT WORK, with all your expertise in the business?

12 billion tax dollars worth of "contracts

Its my understanding, that the TAX DOLLARS you refer to, will be recouped by Iraqi payment for the services, so the American Tax Dollars, is a moot point.

[Liz]

......good issue for an investigative journalist.

(1) How much power do government teachers and other employees have over the private sector?............

Certainly the powerful NEA lobby marches in lockstep with Dems. Their agendas are identical. NEA politics has a stranglehold on Dems particularly in urban states.

(2) How many Fortune 100 companies have Calpers members on the board?....

Now that would be v-e-e-r-r-y interesting information to have.

[Liz]

I find it particularly revealing that your criticism is aimed not at the breathtakingly unethical, if not illegal, actions of Tommy and Linda Lobbysist, but at Dick Cheney.

Cheney has always made a distinct demarcation between his official duties and his former business associations.

You've proved without a doubt that the difference between Daschle and Linda Lobbyist is that the corrupt Dem duo won't be called to task for crossing the line but Dick Cheney will continually be subjected to criticism no matter how wisely he conducts himself.

[WhiteGuy]

I find it particularly revealing that your criticism is aimed not at the breathtakingly unethical, if not illegal, actions of Tommy and Linda Lobbysist, but at Dick Cheney.

Oh! sorry! the dash-holes are just as guilty and should be considered just as wrong!

I'd vote to throw both of them out.

[WhiteGuy]

Bob, I think the biggest difference betweenn us is that you have trust, and believe in our elected "leaders" (and from what you said, especially the republicans).

I do not have the same trusting nature and I do not belive these men are serving in their current capacity "for the good of the people".

I am most impressed that you are a staunch republican and are in the Oil & gas business but is is absurd to compare those statements to the dealings of the current administration.

SO you are telling us that Iraq is going to pay the taxpayers of the US back for All the money being wasted on their sewer of a country?

Please let us all know when the check arrives, and to whom it is made out......