I’ve been cranking lots of classic music from The Band lately, and thought I’d post a few of my favorites for your listening enjoyment. These are from Martin Scorsese’s classic documentary of The Band’s final concert, The Last Waltz.
Up On Cripple Creek
Stage Fright
Further On Up The Road with Eric Clapton
For some inexplicable reason, I could not find Van Morrison’s epic performance of Caravan from The Last Waltz on You Tube. That alone is worth the price of a movie rental.
So much for a “different kind of politics”. Barack Obama is just like every other politician, he ain’t new or fresh. In fact, his ideas are as old and musty as Jimmy Carter’s sweaters. As Hub Blog noted today, Obama is pushing “phony populism economics”. I’ll add that he is completely ignoring, or simply does not understand, the root cause of the current energy crisis.
Obama says he would impose oil windfall profits tax
RALEIGH, North Carolina (Reuters) – Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said on Monday he would impose a windfall profits tax on U.S. oil companies as he sought political gain from Americans’ pain over high gasoline prices.
Launching a two-week focus on the economy after clinching the Democratic presidential nomination, Obama drew a sharp contrast between his economic policies and those of John McCain, his Republican rival in the November election.
“I’ll make oil companies like Exxon pay a tax on their windfall profits, and we’ll use the money to help families pay for their skyrocketing energy costs and other bills,” the Illinois senator said.
A few inconvenient truth’s for Barack Obama panderomics proposal,
For starters, Big Oil profit margins are less than 10%. CNN Money’s Paul LaMonica puts these “windfall profits” in context,
The average net profit margin for the S&P Energy sector, according to figures from Thomson Baseline, is 9.7%. The average for the S&P 500 is 8.5%. So yes, energy companies are more profitable than many others…but not by an inordinate amount. Google, for example, reported a net profit margin of 25% in its most recent quarter. Should we have an online advertising windfall profit tax?
Government, in fact, makes SIX TIMES what Big Oil makes off a gallon of gas!
Big oil profits and taxes are already in a photo finish, without Barack Obama’s “windfall profit tax”
Exxon Mobil is the equivilent of a mom and pop store in the global oil market
With 94% of the world’s oil supply locked up by foreign governments, most of which are hostile to the United States, the relatively puny American oil companies do not have access to enough crude oil to significantly affect the market and help bring prices down. Thus, Exxon Mobil, a small oil company, buys 90% of the crude oil that it refines for the U.S. market from the big players, i.e, mostly-hostile foreign governments. The price at the U.S. pump is rising because the price the big oil companies charge Exxon Mobil and the other small American companies for crude oil is going up.
When you add this all up it is clear, either Barack Obama doesn’t understand the economics of the global energy markets, or he doesn’t care because he can score cheap points trying to fool the public. That is the old kind of politics that he claims to detest. This guy is just another shameless politician. There is nothing new or fresh about him, just more of the same.
For more on Barack Obama’s foolish, insulting, old politics, click here.
UPDATE: Powerline wonders about a windfall profit tax on authors, heh,
Think about it: it takes as much work to write a 300-page book that sells 1,000 copies as to write one that sells 1,000,000. Yet the former author is paid almost nothing, while the author who happens to write a best-seller gets rich. Where is the fairness in that? Besides, the oil companies need their profits to make huge capital investments in oil drilling equipment, ocean platforms, pipelines, and so on. What capital investment does an author need his windfall profits in order to make? A new pencil? An author could easily pay extra taxes on his windfall profits and have plenty of capital left over for his next book.
A windfall profits tax on authors seems like a no-brainer. Coincidentally, Barack Obama’s 2007 income of around $4.2 million came almost entirely from book royalties. Now, that’s what I call a windfall! If authors’ windfall profits are taxed at 90%, Obama can write a check to the Treasury for around $3.2 million. What do you say, Barack? Why not a windfall profits tax on authors?
Yes, another Haditha Marine has been charged, investigated and fully exonerated. Yes, you’ve heard that before. Six Marines have gone through the process and all six have been acquitted.
Pundit Review Radio was the first show to interview exonerated Haditha Marine Justin Sharratt,
We also spoke to Justin’s father Darryl on several occassions, inlcuding after he spoke to Congressman Murtha. You see, Congressman Murtha, who convicted these Marines in the press, is the Sharratt’s congressmen. Can you imagine. Even worse, it took the Sharratt family more than fifty phone calls before Murtha gave them the time of day.
In a second interview, we talked to Darryl about the stress this incident has put on his family,
All of our Haditha coverage can be found here.
You’ll also want to see Gary Gross’ coverage of Murtha and Haditha at Let Freedom Ring, which can be found here.
UPDATE: Gateway Pundit reminds us that Obama didn’t have a problem with Congressman Murtha actions,
Obama sided with his fellow antiwar Democratic colleague:
Colmes: Did Murtha say that in the right way?
Obama: You know, I don’t have the exact quotes in front of me. What I know is here is a guy who served our country. I would never second guess John Murtha… I think he’s somebody who knows of which he speaks.Wrong!
Isn’t Barack Obama a lawyer?
Certainly he should know about the presumption of innocence?… You’d think so, anyway.
Or, maybe this is just the typical Far Left stance on opposing the US military and might?Obama owes the Haditha Marines an apology!
A lot of poeple do.
It’s a reality TV series, ripped from the headlines ala Law & Order, that follows the antics of the out of control pols on Beacon Hill. It has all the elements for a successful reality series, from people you love to hate to sexual hijinks, an unhealthy obsession with money. They could get an entire season worth of material from just one week’s worth of news.
DA: Sen. Marzilli ‘out of control’
LOWELL – A second woman came forward this morning claiming state Sen. James Marzilli accosted her in downtown Lowell as new details emerged about what a prosecutor called “out of control†behavior by the Arlington Democrat. The veteran politician, 50, claimed he was Martin Walsh when he was grabbed by cops yesterday, the name of his colleague in the House.
Marzilli, who was mobbed by a dozen cameramen and reporters, said nothing as he left Lowell District Court with his wife, political commentator Susan Shaer, and his sister this morning, after facing charges he accosted two women in Lowell. The white Toyota Corolla he drove away in appeared to have a parking ticket on the windshield.
Marzilli was charged with disorderly conduct, assault and battery, resisting arrest, attempt to commit a crime to wit indecent assault, furnishing a false name to a police officer and lewd and lascivious behavior after allegedly trying to grope a woman on a park bench. He was charged with accosting and annoying a person of the opposite sex for the second woman’s claims.
Marzilli’s attorney proclaims his client’s innocence.
GOP rep: Dems gutted child sex offense bill
A GOP lawmaker claims a sex offender bill known as Jessica’s Law has been gutted by Beacon Hill Democrats, whose changes would allow child rapists to escape mandatory prison sentences.
“This bill is a weaker substitute,†said state Rep. Karyn Polito (R-Shrewsbury). “I take a very straightforward approach to this: You rape a child, you serve time, but this (legislation) does not guarantee that convicted child rapists will be incarcerated.â€
Hackarama and Pension Scams
This bill started out as a multi-billion kiss payoff for the state hacks, by jacking up their COLA’s (cost-of-living adjustments). The reverse-Robin Hood then added the municipal retirees to the frenzy…The solons have a very sweet pension rule for themselves. If they’re in office one day in a calendar year, they get a year’s credit on their pensions. Nice “work†if you can get it. So after 19 years, Marian’s got her 20 years in. That’s pension No. 1.
Marian’s problem in the Senate is the fact that there can be only one queen bee, and that is the president, Terry Murray. Which brings us to the judgeship. Marian was one of Gov. Deval Patrick’s early supporters, which seems to entitle her to a $130,000-a-year no-heavy-lifting state judgeship.
A couple of months ago, she was on the runway, ready for takeoff to the bench. Her would-be Senate successors were scurrying around, pulling nomination papers.
But something happened, and she withdrew her name. But I predict that sooner or later she’ll be back before the JNC, cup in hand. So let’s say Sen. Walsh eventually takes the judgeship and puts in 10 years. That would be pension No. 2 – 80 percent of what will by then be at least $150,000.
Finally, her elderly husband, Paul V. Buckley. In an amazing coincidence, this husband of a politician was handed a judgeship. Yep, another nationwide search.
And here’s a Globe news story,
Patrick discusses supporter for post
Appointment would mark shift for governor
By Frank Phillips, Globe StaffThe Patrick administration has been discussing whether to name an early campaign supporter as head of a state bonding agency, a job that pays as much as $225,000 a year, according to an e-mail written by a Walsh political adviser that outlines the plan.
By installing state Senator Marian Walsh, a West Roxbury Democrat and early supporter of Governor Deval Patrick’s 2006 campaign, as executive director of the Massachusetts Health and Educational Facilities Authority, the administration would be trading down in expertise.
A former Suffolk County prosecutor and longtime legislator, Walsh has no detailed job experience in public bonds and nonprofit debt. The current executive director, Benson T. Caswell, has an extensive background in the field.
A switch also could be expensive, creating a major hurdle for Walsh to get the job: Firing Caswell would cost the state $450,000, according to terms of his severance package.
If Patrick moves ahead with the plan, it would mark a shift for the governor, who declared after his campaign that lawmakers need not apply for administration jobs. At the time, Patrick’s statement was in keeping with his campaign promises to reform Beacon Hill culture and reduce political patronage hiring.
Insiders and Lobbyists Running Wild
DiMasi friend called to hearing before Secretary of State
BOSTON – A close friend of House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi has been ordered to appear at a hearing before Secretary of State William Galvin to explain why he failed to report lobbying income.
Richard Vitale last year helped promote legislation that would lift restrictions on price markups by ticket brokers. The bill passed the House with DiMasi’s support, but stalled in the Senate. Vitale’s company was paid $60,000 by the Massachusetts Association of Ticket Brokers.
DiMasi has said he never spoke to Vitale about the bill.
Comedic relief provided by MA GOP
Ogonowski Senate ballot effort falls short
Republican Senate hopeful Jim Ogonowski has failed to collect enough signatures to get on the September primary ballot.
Ogonowski, who hoped to challenge incumbent Democratic Sen. John Kerry, submitted 9,970 signatures to Secretary of State William Galvin’s office before the 5 p.m. deadline yesterday.
That’s 30 signatures short of the 10,000 needed.
Jun 3, 8:06 PM (ET)
Obama seals nominationWASHINGTON (AP) – Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois sealed the Democratic presidential nomination Tuesday, a historic step toward his once-improbable goal of becoming the nation’s first black president. A defeated Hillary Rodham Clinton maneuvered for the vice presidential spot on his fall ticket.
A significant and historic accomplishment tonight for Barack Obama. He not only beat Hillary, he surely defeated Bill too. It was Barack Obama’s candidicy which left Bill Clinton exposed, bitter and clinging to the past. Hilalry can rightly claim, as Huckabee did, that she stayed in the campaign until it was won. Many people may not like it, but that seems reasonable to me. Hillary probably has enough pull at this moment to push out pathetic Harry Reid as Majority Leader. Bill on the other hand, he”s finished.
He defeated history and the Clinton’s and nobody can take that away from Barack Obama. General election bickering will commence in the morning.
The good side…(grab a hankie)The bad side…
Oops he did it again, that has been the refrain lately as Barack Obama compiles an impressive list of campaign gaffe’s. It’s enough to make Dan Quayle blush. Our great producer Rob was inspired to bring Britney Spears and Barack together in this musical number that takes us through some of Obama’s greatest hits, or more accurately, misses.
Here is an exclusive look at Sen. Obama’s reaction upon hearing Rob’s clip…
