While the administration continues to implode, from the growing exposure of its strong-arm tactics and inconceivable abuses of power, another arm of government demonstrated today that although it may not be crooked, its unbelievably stupid.
Senator Carl Levin, Dem from Michigan and chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, is holding hearings because he’s upset that Apple apparently sheltered $44 billion from taxes overseas.
Levin said that, “What we intend to do is to highlight that gimmick and other Apple offshore avoidance tactics so that American working families, who pay their share of taxes, understand how offshore tax loopholes raise their tax burden and how those loopholes add to the federal deficit.”
Now, even Levin was careful in what he stated because he said “avoided,” which last time I looked was perfectly legal, as opposed to “evaded” which is not.
However, the reason I mention this is because these clowns in Congress want to have it both ways. On one hand, they try to use every possible tactic to bleed every cent they can from businesses and individuals with earning power. On the other, they take what they’ve fleeced from contributors, mismanage those funds, look for new ways to redistribute the “wealth” and sit back and watch while the nation’s debt approaches $17 trillion.
What’s even worse is that taxpayer's financially support these ignoramuses in office, paying their salaries, benefits, expenses and pensions, while almost all of them contribute zip, zero, nada of any value to the nation or its citizens at all.
In Apple’s case, I’m quite sure they have covered every legal aspect of this situation thoroughly, and likely have attorneys far more competent and intelligent than any congressman. Government power though, correctly applied or not, can surely be scary, so we’ll just have to wait for the outcome to see who prevails.
Certainly adding to the government's ire is that Apple's now decided to sell $17 billion in bonds to pay dividends and buy back stock, rather than tap some of the roughly $100 billion it’s stashed overseas.
However, if it brought the funds back to the United States, "Apple would incur a 35 percent tax on those dollars — the reality that’s prompted many businesses beyond the tech industry to avoid repatriating their foreign earnings." And, who’s fault is that?
As for Levin, “his panel castigated Microsoft and Hewlett Packard just last year for their own, unique methods to allegedly lower their corporate tax payments. That hearing, however, didn’t result in any meaningful changes to the companies’ practices or U.S. laws."
In the meantime, according to William La Jeunesse of FoxNews.com, “An Office of Inspector General report showed that Dennis Burke -- the former chief of staff for Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano appointed as U.S. Attorney for Arizona by President Obama in September 2009 -- lied when asked if he leaked sensitive documents to the press meant to undermine the credibility of ATF whistle-blower John Dodson.”
So, here we have another administration misrepresentative to add to the mix, furthering proofs that the folks currently at the top aren’t politicians, public servants, or worthy of the public trust. They’re nothing but flat out liars and crooks. Which is perhaps why one of their loudest allies, seems to be going backwards. Because, according to Domenic Patten of Deadline Hollywood on-line: “Obama Scandals Bring MSNBC 7-Year Low While Fox News Rises.”
According to Mr. Patten, “The scandals of the Obama administration seem to be hurting not just the White House but MSNBC as well, while Fox News Channel has just scored its second-best week of the year. After double-digit gains during last year’s presidential election.”
He goes on to report that: “For MSNBC, last week’s total day results were down 17% in viewers and 22% among the demo from the comparable May 14 to May 18 week of last year. In primetime, the numbers were even worse as a steady decline from the beginning of the year continued. The network had 570,000 total viewers and 159,000 in the demo from 8-11 PM from May 13 to May 17, 2013. That’s the lowest-rated week of the year so far for MSNBC in terms of viewers and the third-lowest of 2013 in the demo.”
So, for today I really don’t need to add any ending whatsoever. Because the way things are presently going for the administration, it looks to me like they’re concluding themselves.
That’s it for today folks.
Adios
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