The latest tactic from the far left whackoes, the “outing” of allegedly gay Republicans (both officials and staffers), has me thinking again. A while ago I wondered what the hell was the point; it seems to be a political “temper tantrum” more than anything else.
But since it seems here to stay, I’m starting to wonder what would be an appropriate counter-tactic for Republicans to use against the Democrats. And as he so often does, Ted Kennedy has come to me in my hour of need and presented me with a shining example of hypocrisy.
One of the hardy perennial battle cries of the Democrats is that the Republicans are the party of the rich, that they are always giving tax cuts to the rich and helping their wealthy buddies avoid paying their “fair share” of taxes. So, one would think that Ted Kennedy, as one of the wealthiest Democrats in the US Senate, is always exceptionally careful to pay all the taxes he is obligated to pay, right?
Nah. You see, he’s the patriarch of the Kennedy family, the Senior Senator from Massachusetts, the Lion of the Democratic Party. He’s ABOVE such concerns.
Several years ago, the Massachusetts legislature tried to jack up the state income tax. A rather crafty anti-tax lawmaker sneaked in a provision making the higher tax rate “optional,” meaning that taxpayers would continue paying the 5.3% rate unless they chose to pay the higher 5.8% rate. Since its inception, less than one one-hundredth of one percent (0.01%) of taxpayers have chosen to give more money to the state than they absolutely had to — and that tiny percentage has NEVER included the state’s two Senators, Ted Kennedy and John Kerrey.
Last year, Ted Kennedy found he had run afoul of the law in a scandal that — technically — could have cost him his Senate seat. In order to exploit a property tax break, he declared his Washington home his “primary residence.” The problem was that if that was his primary residence, he was no longer legally a resident of Massachusetts, and could not represent them in the Senate. He ended up paying the back taxes.
Finally, when his mother, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, died in 1995, he had her will probated in Florida, which has no inheritance tax. While it is true the family owns a compound (that, I believe, is a step up from a “mansion”) there, Mrs. Kennedy died a registered voter in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts and had not left the state in about a dozen years. Nonetheless, her estate was able to avoid paying Massachusetts’ “Paris Hilton tax,” and not one official said a word.
Ted Kennedy: the drunken sot has never seen a tax hike he didnt’ like, never saw a tax cut he didn’t fiercely oppose, but over the years has done everything he can to avoid paying his “fair share” of money to the government for him to spend.
Nah. That’s not comparable to “outing” gay Republicans. Paying taxes is a public obligation, while one’s sex life is private. It’s too relevant to be a fair countermeasure.
So, if that won’t work, what would be an appropriate tactic?
And it was also a staffer, not her, who hid those billing records in her private library.
And was it a staffer, not her, who hired the WH security guy who ordered up all those FBI files on Republicans?
And it was a staffer, not her, who fired all those WH travel guys.
And it was family, not her, who did all those pardons.
And it was a staffer, not her, in charge of bimbo eruptions and the following intimidation.
HRC is an honorable, heroic moderate. It is all those people around her that are bonzo, whacked out ultra-lib slimeballs.
What unfortunate bad luck she has had hiring staff.
What is the magnitude of the Kennedy tax fraud? If the bulk of the Kennedy family fortune was held by Rose Kennedy, then the $ 1 billion (rough estimate) estate should have generated almost $100 million in MA estate taxes. A $100 million fraud is not chicken feed.
chsw
I stand in awe of Jay Tea’s ability to mix metaphors.
It’s a gift.
😉
I stand in awe of Jay Tea’s ability to mix metaphors.
Jay could mix a two by four.
Seems a lot of left wing democratic outfits had access to these emails for months and no one in democratic circles was concerned with protecting the ‘children’
And let’s not forget the right wing Republicans who had access to these emails for years, and no one in Republican circles was concerned with protecting the “children”.
Oh, and the Dems promptly turned the emails over to the FBI. When did the Republicans call the FBI?
Hmm, seems I was off by a few years. The Repubs knew they had members being inappropriate with children for 10 years and kept it quiet.
I find it wildly entertaining that the party who’s now crying about “the children!” is the same party who wants children to be able to get abortions without their parents’ consent or notification.
They’re mature enough to make medical decisions about sex, but they’re not mature enough to determine who they want to have sex with. Amazing.
Oh, and the age of consent in DC is 16. Foley’s boys were 17 and up. Cry over the “icky” factor if you want to, but then you’re just being a homophobe 🙂
Whether tragic events touch your family personally or are brought into your home via newspapers and television, you can help children cope with the anxiety that violence, death, and disasters can cause.
Listening and talking to children about their concerns can reassure them that they will be safe. Start by encouraging them to discuss how they have been affected by what is happening around them. Even young children may have specific questions about tragedies. Children react to stress at their own developmental level.
The Caring for Every Child’s Mental Health Campaign offers these pointers for parents and other caregivers:
* Encourage children to ask questions. Listen to what they say. Provide comfort and assurance that address their specific fears. It’s okay to admit you can’t answer all of their questions.
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* Pay attention. Your children’s play and drawings may give you a glimpse into their questions or concerns. Ask them to tell you what is going on in the game or the picture. It’s an opportunity to clarify any misconceptions, answer questions, and give reassurance.
* Develop a plan. Establish a family emergency plan for the future, such as a meeting place where everyone should gather if something unexpected happens in your family or neighborhood. It can help you and your children feel safer.
If you are concerned about your child’s reaction to stress or trauma, call your physician or a community mental health center.