Elizabeth Moon's Blog, page 44
March 30, 2011
The Right Questions, Part One
The return of a Republican-dominated Congress at the end of 2010, along with the return to power of Republican state legislatures and governors has already led to a cascade of attacks on women, children, the poor, immigrants, and union workers. In lieu of dealing with the fallout of the severe economic collapse in the last year of Bush's Presidency, the GOP has chosen to instead to return to the fiscal policies that caused that collapse, and the regulatory policies that had steadily eroded the environmental gains of the previous thirty to forty years--cleaner water, cleaner air, awareness and treatment of toxic materials in the environment, etc.
Tax cuts and "no new taxes" are the economic foundation of GOP policy...including attempts to divest states and nations of publicly owned assets and put them in the hands of "private" ownership (quote marks because "private" often means international corporations, not the guy down the street who's always wanted to own that state park where he takes his family on weekends.) The theory the GOP promulgates--and many of its followers believe--is that taxes make it impossible for "business" (read, large corporations) to invest profits in expansion--which expansion would result in hiring more people and producing more, both of which would be good for the economy. In other words, the GOP argues that lower taxes will result in corporations investing in the country--by hiring more people (thus giving them money to live on and to spend, including to spend on their own taxes) and by producing needed goods and inventing new useful stuff. Along with that idea comes the idea that the government should spend less and avoid (or reduce) its debt load.
Demonstrably, this does not work. It does not work because corporations do not want to "invest in the country"--they want--they insist that this is their only responsibility--to make more money. Lowering taxes gives them higher profit. Hurray! If they then hired more people and expanded, they would be spending money and lowering profit. Boo! There are cheaper ways to expand than by hiring more people (moving out of the US to a third-world country, for instance, and hiring their workers, or by using robotics) and corporations have, in the past fifteen to thirty years, done exactly that. They take their profits away. Even as President Bush and a GOP Congress lowered corporate taxes, corporations were shedding employees and closing US plants.
Corporations are well aware that taxes paid ARE invested in the country: they pay for roads, bridges, schools, water systems, medical care, parks, playgrounds, and all the other publicly-funded infrastructure and personnel, including defense spending. And when they want something built, they lobby hard to get the tax money applied to their project. But they want that tax money to come from someone else. They want the government to buy their products (see Boeing, G.E., G.M, and many other large corporations) with other taxpayers' money, and they want the government to give them subsidies and bail them out when they're about to fail (like, um, Boeing, GM, Bank of American, Goldman-Sachs, Citibank) ...again with other taxpayers' money. But they are not willing to contribute out of their own profits. That's why lowering their taxes does not--and will not, under current laws--result in their "investment in the country." If they really wanted to "invest in this country"--they would pay taxes. But they not only spend millions to lobby Congress to lower taxes...they often pay no taxes, or taxes at a ridiculously low rate (that they then whine about.)
Consider that the Speaker of the House was dismissive about concerns that GOP goals would kill 750,000 jobs: a three-quarters of a million more Americans put out of work. The Texas legislature is as bad or worse: having created a budget deficit by lowering taxes and adopting a "no new taxes" stance, it created a budget deficit which it is now "fixing" by cutting state spending for schools and social services to the aged, handicapped, and children, as well as attacking the state parks (seven are expected to close.) Resulting job loss in Texas? Over 300,000. Their fake budget deficit has been passed on to every school district in the state, where tens of thousands of teachers will be out of a job and some schools are closing entirely. The prospect for children next fall is abysmal. The defunding of medical care for the poorest, including children and nursing mothers and the elderly and the disabled, is disgusting. What are they spending the money "saved" on? More security for the governor and high Texas officials, among other things. More toys for law enforcement, more prisons...and tax cuts for corporations.
We, like other states, have an increasing population of homeless, of sick who cannot afford treatment (or even get to an ER or clinic), of children who experience hunger every day. It is sickening that those with something to give have to choose between a food bank and a free clinic, a rape crisis center and a homeless shelter, between any of these and supporting a political candidate who will oppose the GOP's determination to make us all poor, ignorant, (and if women, pregnant), and powerless.
The right questions asked at the right time could prevent some of this. "So how does that work?" is one to start with, followed by more questions that dig into the reality. "How does it work that lowering corporate taxes makes corporations invest in the country? Will they hire more workers at good wagers so those workers' taxes will cover the costs of public works? Will they donate an equivalent amount to build schools and hire teachers that are not controlled by them, that do more than turn out obedient workers? Will they donate that money to build roads and bridges? Will they donate that money to provide medical care for the poor, support services for the disabled? And if you say "Yes, of course," then show me: have they ever done so? Have they done so in the past 15 years? " Because the evidence is, of course, that they have not.
Tax cuts and "no new taxes" are the economic foundation of GOP policy...including attempts to divest states and nations of publicly owned assets and put them in the hands of "private" ownership (quote marks because "private" often means international corporations, not the guy down the street who's always wanted to own that state park where he takes his family on weekends.) The theory the GOP promulgates--and many of its followers believe--is that taxes make it impossible for "business" (read, large corporations) to invest profits in expansion--which expansion would result in hiring more people and producing more, both of which would be good for the economy. In other words, the GOP argues that lower taxes will result in corporations investing in the country--by hiring more people (thus giving them money to live on and to spend, including to spend on their own taxes) and by producing needed goods and inventing new useful stuff. Along with that idea comes the idea that the government should spend less and avoid (or reduce) its debt load.
Demonstrably, this does not work. It does not work because corporations do not want to "invest in the country"--they want--they insist that this is their only responsibility--to make more money. Lowering taxes gives them higher profit. Hurray! If they then hired more people and expanded, they would be spending money and lowering profit. Boo! There are cheaper ways to expand than by hiring more people (moving out of the US to a third-world country, for instance, and hiring their workers, or by using robotics) and corporations have, in the past fifteen to thirty years, done exactly that. They take their profits away. Even as President Bush and a GOP Congress lowered corporate taxes, corporations were shedding employees and closing US plants.
Corporations are well aware that taxes paid ARE invested in the country: they pay for roads, bridges, schools, water systems, medical care, parks, playgrounds, and all the other publicly-funded infrastructure and personnel, including defense spending. And when they want something built, they lobby hard to get the tax money applied to their project. But they want that tax money to come from someone else. They want the government to buy their products (see Boeing, G.E., G.M, and many other large corporations) with other taxpayers' money, and they want the government to give them subsidies and bail them out when they're about to fail (like, um, Boeing, GM, Bank of American, Goldman-Sachs, Citibank) ...again with other taxpayers' money. But they are not willing to contribute out of their own profits. That's why lowering their taxes does not--and will not, under current laws--result in their "investment in the country." If they really wanted to "invest in this country"--they would pay taxes. But they not only spend millions to lobby Congress to lower taxes...they often pay no taxes, or taxes at a ridiculously low rate (that they then whine about.)
Consider that the Speaker of the House was dismissive about concerns that GOP goals would kill 750,000 jobs: a three-quarters of a million more Americans put out of work. The Texas legislature is as bad or worse: having created a budget deficit by lowering taxes and adopting a "no new taxes" stance, it created a budget deficit which it is now "fixing" by cutting state spending for schools and social services to the aged, handicapped, and children, as well as attacking the state parks (seven are expected to close.) Resulting job loss in Texas? Over 300,000. Their fake budget deficit has been passed on to every school district in the state, where tens of thousands of teachers will be out of a job and some schools are closing entirely. The prospect for children next fall is abysmal. The defunding of medical care for the poorest, including children and nursing mothers and the elderly and the disabled, is disgusting. What are they spending the money "saved" on? More security for the governor and high Texas officials, among other things. More toys for law enforcement, more prisons...and tax cuts for corporations.
We, like other states, have an increasing population of homeless, of sick who cannot afford treatment (or even get to an ER or clinic), of children who experience hunger every day. It is sickening that those with something to give have to choose between a food bank and a free clinic, a rape crisis center and a homeless shelter, between any of these and supporting a political candidate who will oppose the GOP's determination to make us all poor, ignorant, (and if women, pregnant), and powerless.
The right questions asked at the right time could prevent some of this. "So how does that work?" is one to start with, followed by more questions that dig into the reality. "How does it work that lowering corporate taxes makes corporations invest in the country? Will they hire more workers at good wagers so those workers' taxes will cover the costs of public works? Will they donate an equivalent amount to build schools and hire teachers that are not controlled by them, that do more than turn out obedient workers? Will they donate that money to build roads and bridges? Will they donate that money to provide medical care for the poor, support services for the disabled? And if you say "Yes, of course," then show me: have they ever done so? Have they done so in the past 15 years? " Because the evidence is, of course, that they have not.
From Twitter 03-29-2011
10:14:04: RT @NYTimeskrugman: Contraction is Contractionary http://nyti.ms/hbneZ8
10:18:25: RT @NYTimeskrugman: Road to Appomattox Blogging http://nyti.ms/ff0zge
10:43:31: RT @BL_Owens: Flying robots playing ping pong http://ow.ly/4oDMj
10:46:32: RT @NASA: New image shows all 1,235 planet candidates discovered by @NASAKepler in transit with their parent stars! http://go.nasa.gov/i ...
10:51:02: RT @NatureNews: Ants and termites increase crop yields http://ow.ly/4oQNh
15:57:24: First rattlesnake (western diamondback) of the year, only about 3 feet long, but already with Attitude. Not my favorite snake.
22:30:21: RT @robinmckinley: Yep. RT @AdviceToWriters
Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on. LOUI ...
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March 29, 2011
From Twitter 03-28-2011
07:41:19: RT @nkjemisin: Apparently "Sucker Punch" bombed. Good. Sick of seeing Hollywood profit off pedophilia and rape. Cassie's great review: h ...
12:26:39: RT @thinkprogress: BREAKING: After paying no taxes on $14 billion in profits, GE plans to ask workers for wage and benefit cuts http://t ...
15:11:08: RT @KSmithSF: Bank Of America Paid Nothing In Federal Income Taxes Last Year And Got Almost $1 Billion From Taxpay… http://t.co/YPXLhqW ...
18:03:47: RT @KSmithSF: After Paying Zero Income Taxes, GE Plans To Ask Its Union Workers To Make Wage And Benefits Concessi… http://t.co/ScoT5T8 ...
19:49:29: New post up at http://www.paksworld.com/blog/ Maps, etc, and link to new one.
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March 28, 2011
From Twitter 03-27-2011
08:02:39: RT @JonCG_novelist: UK govt overturns 90 years of academic freedom by 'redefining' the Haldane principle http://tinyurl.com/4tylg4h
11:22:37: RT @christineburns: My take on this week's @4thoughttv programmes and the challenge they illustrate: The naïve pursuit of balance http:/ ...
11:22:47: RT @BacklisteBooks: RT @DorannaDurgin: Nearly Free! .99c #backlistebook MAKING THE RULES, romantic suspense while the price lasts! #nook ...
11:23:19: RT @KSmithSF: The Republican economic plan: Higher Unemployment and lower wages--on purpose. The Washington Monthly http://t.co/cmKAT4x ...
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March 27, 2011
From Twitter 03-26-2011
08:16:15: Saddened by the death of Diana Wynne Jones, whose work I enjoy and admire.
09:03:29: RT @Richard_Kadrey: How much money did you pay in taxes year? GE didn't pay any. http://money.cnn.com/2010/04/16/news/companies/ge_7000_ ...
09:03:47: RT @eileen_gunn: Professor's email files sought by Republicans because he wrote a NYT op-ed about labor history in Wisconsin. WTF? http: ...
09:06:14: RT @eileen_gunn: This is why the Wisconsin Repubs want to intimidate Bill Cronon, not the NYT piece: http://scholarcitizen.williamcronon ...
10:53:18: Thoughts on Diana Wynne Jones, mortality, writing...http://www.paksworld.com/blog/
Because a writer can't NOT write about what happens.
22:37:52: 1500+ words today. #writing. Sometimes the worst things are the best kick in the pants.
22:38:00: RT @KSmithSF: Borders wants to pay as much as $8.3mill in bonuses to execs and board members so they stay during reorg .http://is.gd/Vr0 ...
22:38:06: RT @KSmithSF: Because the folks who got you into the mess you're in are just the folks to get you out. (2/2)
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March 26, 2011
From Twitter 03-25-2011
07:02:26: RT @KSmithSF: And VT moves up the list of states on Kris's Retirement Bucket List. Vermont House passes single-payer health care bill. h ...
07:27:21: RT @GOOD: You really don't want to crash your oil tanker on a remote island where a @NatGeoSociety photographer is on assignment http:// ...
07:27:34: RT @edyong209: Hell. Yeah. RT @j_timmer: Adding my voice to all those who've appreciated the Fukushima reporting done by @gbrumfiel .
08:12:37: More mowing today, not as long. Should complete "triangle" of greatest fire danger to houses today.
14:49:15: Bombadil had problems with the fuel supply today and sort of whuffled up and down the rpms. Also trouble draining fuel filter. Now OK.
14:50:46: Dealing with took much longer than it would have if I'd remembered the trick for lifting the "hood". Finger prying doesn't work.
14:51:41: Meanwhile other stuff landed and nobody I called in answer thereto was at his/her desk (nor have called back...) Back to tractor now.
15:25:28: Saw a bluebird while out working w/tractor earlier, and also first swallows of the year. Hot & windy.
16:46:39: Bombadil has now had fuel line bled again, but now won't start. Primer says fuel's sh'd be available to engine but...nada.
16:47:18: Back to Bach and work on the St. John Passion. If you can't shred pasture, sing.
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March 24, 2011
From Twitter 03-23-2011
07:18:45: Judge Chin is my hero: http://cnet.co/hD3rYq Court rejects Google & Authors Guild settlement.
09:26:53: RT @Joannechocolat: In spite of the march of progress, some things are worth preserving. If you agree, tweet #SaveClarkeHall and we'll t ...
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March 23, 2011
From Twitter 03-22-2011
18:07:20: Bombadil, our tractor, is home again and we got through the horse lot without an equine escape. No thanks to Mac, who tried it.
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March 22, 2011
Book Day & Spoiler Rules
Of course I'm excited about having Kings of the North out in the world today. But out of courtesy to those who are eagerly awaiting it, and don't want spoilers, please do not post spoilers in comments. We need a spoiler-free zone for those who don't get the book right away, or can't read it right away.
What counts as spoilers? Anything new about the characters or what happens. "I like the part where X deals with Y--" is a spoiler. "I like X's character development" (without specifying what that development is) is not a spoiler.
Announcements of arrivals are always welcome--I (and my agent) like to know when books become available in different places. I'm particularly interested in books found at Borders stores, in light of stores closing and open stores reportedly having fewer books.
Thanks!
What counts as spoilers? Anything new about the characters or what happens. "I like the part where X deals with Y--" is a spoiler. "I like X's character development" (without specifying what that development is) is not a spoiler.
Announcements of arrivals are always welcome--I (and my agent) like to know when books become available in different places. I'm particularly interested in books found at Borders stores, in light of stores closing and open stores reportedly having fewer books.
Thanks!
From Twitter 03-21-2011
09:27:03: New post up at http://www.paksworld.com/blog/....Mikki-kekki, the "woods sprites" of Dzordanya.
09:27:33: Tomorrow is release day for Kings of the North, so today is "highly nervous author day."
10:57:25: Fifteen minutes with a weed-stick doesn't begin to deal with the sow thistles that were not there three days ago.
11:00:51: Tractor repair place swears Bombadil will return tomorrow, all better. Sure hope so. Lots of shredding to be done in the field.
13:46:11: Two fairly long sessions of singing with practice CD trying to nail the hardest bits left to learn. Even going to piano isn't helping.
13:47:17: The problem is more getting German and the notes together than the notes per se at this point. My mouth did not grow up making those sounds
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