Amazingly, there are lots of people who think this way. They like to flush money down the toilet just so they can deduct the loss. There is a very appropriate name for such people – Idiots.

A looming tax battle in Virginia

Social Security Reform: Saving the system, saving grace

Online Financial Crime Headed From Bad to Worse

Spitzer overboard – Not everyone is impressed with the NY Attorney General’s rampage against mutual funds.

Pricey House for Salvation Army Official Assailed – Not very consistent of the image most of us have of the SA.

Generalized Welfare – The terribly exploited phrase that big government fans use to justify their control over every aspect of our lives in this country.

The party of big spenders – Bush and the GOP are doing everything they can to co-opt the traditional DemonRat issues, including earning this nickname.

The Right to Shut Up and Pay Your Taxes – Removing freedom of speech from the Constitution is a very dangerous trend. It’s not just the treasonous Supreme Court that’s responsible. All of the rulers in Congress who voted for this muzzle on free speech are equally to blame, as is George W. Bush for signing it into law instead of vetoing it as he is obligated to do under his oath of office. Our founding fathers are definitely spinning in their graves over this desecration of their First Amendment. When it’s become illegal to criticize our elected officials, the American Revolution against tyranical rule by royalty sort of seems like a wasted effort.

Tax cuts may push some families into AMT trap – Actually, it would be good if more people saw what an insane tax this is and demanded that our rulers eliminate it. It seems that until the number of victims reaches a certain critical mass, it will just be perceived as a tax on the evil rich, who deserve no tax breaks according to “popular wisdom” (an oxymoron if there ever was one). Another plug for the Reform AMT group seems appropriate right here.

The bad thing about publicizing new kinds of crimes and financial hanky-panky is that it does tend to give ideas to people looking for a fast dishonest buck.

Off the Mark – More on one of my big pet peeves – how people trust the Federal budget predictions from the CBO when they are nothing more than WAGs (wild ass guesses) and they never come true. I have long said that anyone who claims to believe those numbers to be anything close to real is either a liar, an idiot or both. Any media person who quotes CBO figures as if they were authoritative also has a credibility problem.

Potomac Fever – Why term limits are the only way we can have any hope of saving the Constitution. Even the most idealistic folks become corrupted by their royal powers in DC.

Governor Arnold will face pressure to increase taxes or make cuts – If he’s smart, he’ll choose the option of cutting spending. If the people of the PRC had wanted higher taxes, they would have let Gray Davis finish out his term.

What goes up, will come back down – and then back up, and then back down.

I always thought Bush was spending far too much time with Teddy Kennedy.

Del. Sen. Proposes Internet Sales Tax – Interesting attempt to use the tax laws to maintain a sales tax advantage for one state over others.

Companies Test ‘Contactless’ Credit Cards – The concept of having all of our personal and financial information on a tiny chip that is embedded under our skin is getting closer.

Higher Virginia Taxes Soon

It Pays to Be a Star on Charity Circuit – More hypocrisy from the Hollyweirdos.

Top Democrat urges Texas Governor Perry to abandon ‘death business’ – When I first saw this headline, I thought it referred to Texas’ position as the country’s leading user of capital punishment. It’s actually about the state government doing what a lot of big corporations (such as Wally World) have been doing for several years. They have been taking out life insurance policies on current and former employees, without their knowledge, and then cashing in when those people pass away. I’m still waiting for the Hollywood movie using this as a plot point. If John DeLorean was willing to deal in drugs to save his floundering company, is it much more of a stretch to imagine a fiscally unstable company knocking off former workers for the tax free insurance benefits?