The Little Bill Who Cried Wolf

National, , ,

It would be a shame to see the Democratic primary race descend into the sort of food fight we‘ve lately witnessed from the GOP.

One would think that there are enough differences on policy between the candidates so that hyperbolic characterizations might be set aside. Sadly that doesn’t seem to be the case.

When the candidates begin to show a little strain, the media is right there to stir the pot, dangling ‘he said/she saids’ and hoping for a strike. All too often, they are rewarded with a juicy bite of red meat that keeps them coming back for more.

Bernie Sanders was finally provoked into suggesting something which I am sure he regrets: that Hillary Clinton might be ‘unqualified’ to be president, based on a series of regrettable decisions from her political career. He was responding to a leaked Clinton campaign plan of attack on Sanders described as “disqualify, defeat, and then reunite (the party).”

It was a war of words with a candidate who is extremely capable of dishing it out herself. Neither came out of the exchange smelling like a rose; however, it is Bill Clinton who ought now to be apologizing for his implication that somehow Bernie was being sexist in his remarks.

Of course, he was not; Bernie was simply hitting her on the issues in response to her campaign’s implication that he might not ‘qualify’ as a real Democrat.

It is an insult to women everywhere when a man such as Bill Clinton cries ‘wolf’ as he has in this case.

Sexism is a very real and pernicious obstacle that women deal with every day. It is not a false flag of political convenience to be trotted out whenever a female candidate is exposed to criticism for her policies. Most female candidates use the accusation only rarely, and even then, judiciously. They recognize the damage done to legitimate outrage when sexism is invoked without cause.

Certainly Bill Clinton should be the last man on earth to challenge Bernie Sanders on his feminist credentials. I have the impression that he still doesn’t ‘get’ that he is the very embodiment of sexism for many American women.

It is a mistake for the Clinton campaign to let Bill off the leash. He made a hash of her campaign against Obama and he may just do it again if somebody doesn’t send him on a long vacation.

The United States of 7-Eleven: Freedom of Choice

Business, National, , ,

I figured this was a late breaking April Fools story, but it isn’t. 7-Eleven stores are now an official payment location for federal taxes. If the US Post Office hadn’t been allowed to wither due to budget slashing it might have been considered for this service but you can’t get a slushy at the P.O. usa711

The agency [IRS] has teamed up with OfficialPayments.com and PayNearMe so taxpayers can make payments up to $1,000 in cash at more than 7,000 7-Eleven locations in 34 states. Most stores are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, making it even easier for Americans to pay what they owe to the federal government.

Taxpayers are given a receipt, payment should post in two business days, and 7-Eleven charges $3.99 for the service.

Official Payments Corp 7- Eleven’s partner was given a $574 million dollar contract with the US Treasury Dept. in 2015.And the other partner, tech business PayNearMe a start-up that provides services to the “un-banked”  recently laid off one third of their fifty employees but is reportedly “bullish” on this new venture.

Well, why shouldn’t we be free to pay our US Income tax at 7-Eleven if we want? They are after all as fine a symbol of patriotism as next convenience store-maybe not McDonalds. And because in fact they were  “the first convenience store retailer to give guests ‘freedom of choice’ by offering all major soft drink brands at the fountain.” that is according to their own fun-facts page.

And if that doesn’t get your flag waving or float your boat-another fun-fact: enough fountain drinks are sold at 7‑Eleven stores in a year to fill Walt Disney World’s Typhoon Lagoon twice (approx. 600,000 gallons)

In the cards: Vermont captive insurance tax break

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Vermont’s specialized captive insurance businesses just got a gift in the form of a tax break from the State legislature. Captives are registered to be run out of Vermont, a few US states, Cayman Islands, Malta and Panama. The company we keep.inthecards

Now wouldn’t you think if a legislator gave out a break it would make headlines? Well this one will get a few, but likely most of them only in the sheltered world of corporate captives.

Vermont lawmakers Friday gave final approval to legislation to clarify that certain types of captives, such as sponsored and industrial insured captives that are not writing any business be allowed to enter a dormant status, exempting the captives from Vermont’s minimum annual premium tax.

The measure, H. 538, also allows for cells to be converted from a protected cell to an incorporated cell, allows cells to be transferred or sold, and allows cells to be converted to stand-alone captives of any type.

Vermont regulators provide a host of advantages to large corporations and wealthy families that form captives for modest licensing fees a small tax on premiums. But its  tough to compete with Panama and Malta for business .So now with this “house cleaning” legislation, the state is exempting their annual premium tax in some situations–discounting revenue the state would otherwise get from the captives. 

Corporations not only lower their insurance costs by forming captives but gain tax shelters and special tax benefits for them. A year ago the IRS took notice and placed some captive insurance on their “Dirty dozen” list of abusive tax scams. Commenting on corporate tax shelter benefits, a lawyer specializing in captives said: “[…] those are the icing on the cake – the cake is the numerous other non-tax advantages of captives”

But this cozy type of regulatory accommodation – tax break and rule adjustment on request is exactly what JV at the VPO says  Republican candidates Phil Scott and Randy Brock want to promote here in Vermont.

And Phil Scott is fond of saying “Imagine if we had a governor’s office that treated every sector in the same way”

For those who may have forgotten or may not know: A captive insurance business is a specialized company set up by (and captive to) a larger business to handle their own liability risk insurance needs. Essentially, an enterprise forms and manages its own insurance company as a subsidiary, and the enterprise’s other operating subsidiaries purchase insurance from the captive. 

Nice business if you can get it or make it — and get the state legislature to “protect” its benefits from the state’s own tax laws. And who is on the hook for every dime these “captives” don’t pay in taxes? Why, of course! It’s the rest of us taxpayers.

David R. Hall goes NewVistasplaining to locals

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Utah millionaire David R. Hall answered questions from Vermonters by phone on Saturday to tell locals about his NewVista project he plans for that area.  Nicole Antal who writes for the online events and news  publication DailyUV researched and broke this story last week. She has a rundown of Saturday’s Q & A session here  and they provide an  audio file of it here. [correction note:Hall answered questions from a Tunbridge Library forum by phone. The diary was changed to reflect that, BP]

The NewVista project,as described in a planning document [link paragraph five], will be what they call “a massively scalable and sustainable community econosystem.” And it is well worth a glance at the details :

When individuals come to a NewVista community, they will deposit their intellectual assets and cash with the community capital fund (except for operating cash, which will be deposited into an account at the community’s approved bank), receiving legal instruments acknowledging the deposits. 

Hall, a Mormon, has bought hundreds of acres of land near the birth place of Mormon Church founder Joseph Smith in Sharon Vermont. Some spill-over development will occur in Tunbridge, Strafford and Royalton.

At Saturday’s meeting local residents asked thoughtful questions and Hall answered openly. It also seemed from Antal’s report Hall explained what was going to happen, not to ask what the residents might want to happen to their town.

Like some kind of 21st century utopian-engineer-colonialist, Hall is determined to plunk down his 15,000- to 20,000-resident city-state in four upper White River Valley towns. The impact shouldn’t be underestimated. The size and scale to the rest of the state is notable:  one local resident made the point that only three cities in Vermont have populations that large or larger than his NewVista city.newvistatarget

Here are a couple quick takeaways .

NewVista may, according to Hall, take upwards of half a century to complete, but it is a process, starting sooner rather than later. So heads-up.  His ideal time frame: “Within 15 years, I hope to do multiple districts throughout the US in different places.” Curiously and without explanation he mentioned at the meeting that Vermont wasn’t part of his initial plan.

One thing is clear: Hall’s NewVista dream is well funded. NewVista is “a for-profit trust, and pays taxes.”  I am not that familiar with corporate tax structure but it is likely to complicate a  small town’s existing tax structure.

And for anyone who doubts his lack of sensitivity to the local towns control I have copied part of one exchange from Antal’s DailyUV article:

Question: “You have mentioned a couple of times that you wouldn’t be interested in going forward with this if the local people weren’t interested, is that right?”

Mr. Hall: “That’s right; it’s not going to happen if people of Vermont don’t want it.”

Question: “I would suggest that instead of buying any more land that you and your family and whoever come here and meet the people and find out what we are like, and what we want, and what we don’t want

Mr. Hall: “I already know that the local people don’t want this. In time, over time, people will probably like it if they understand it. There is not one place in the United States, or even in the world where local people ever would embrace change. That’s just the logical truth.”

Question: “I assume you are local to someplace?”

Mr. Hall: “Yes I am”

Question: “What do you think about changes in your neighborhood?

Mr. Hall: “I am a much broader-thinking person than most people. Others aren’t. You can’t compare what I would think with. My neighbors hate this idea. So I can’t do anything about that.”

Question: “I might suggest that before you buy anymore properties, if you say that you are not going forward if the locals aren’t for it, then why you would continue buying more properties. What about a study?”

Mr. Hall: “I didn’t say I wouldn’t do it if the locals aren’t for it. I said I won’t do it if VERMONT is not for it. (…)  It’s not rational to expect a local person who is established, a 7th generation or something, to ever support this. That’s unreasonable. “

If I lived in Sharon or any surrounding town that exchange would sound more than a few alarms. Hall admits locals probably don’t want his city/state, but that’s because he is a “broader thinking person.”

David Hall at the wheel of a Vanderhall vehicle
David Hall at the wheel of a Vanderhall vehicle, made by a NewVista enterprise.

The locals, he says, probably will like it once they understand it. Do you suppose  this would be after they sell or after they are enlightened to his vision?

David Hall says local opposition is not rational. I’d guess he believes resistance is “feudal.”

Monroe takes the helm – with a smile!

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A tip of the hat to Michelle Monroe, newly elevated Executive Editor of the St. Albans Messenger.

The April 1 Messenger carried a banner headline: at the urging of his new wife, Peter Shumlin had decided to seek a fourth term!

If I hadn’t just launched my own April Fool’s Day post on GMD, I’d have bought it hook, line, and sinker. It was beautiful in its authenticity! The only tip off was that it was featured as an “Exclusive to the Messenger.”

If Shumlin really was going to run for a fourth term, he would certainly not give the Messenger the exclusive story!

The article explained that, after considering popular wisdom that a governor’s wife didn’t get to see much of her husband, the new Mrs. Shumlin decided that might not be such a bad thing.

Well done, Michelle!

The paper couldn’t be in better hands and I look forward to years of Messenger reporting under Monroe’s  journalistic guidance.

Do Trump and the Republicans have a Coke problem?

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Coca Cola, the maker of America’s most well known sugary obesogenic drink, isn’t donating to the Republican convention as much as it has in the past. Coke and other major brands that were once-reliable contributors are facing criticism and increasingly worried about associating with Donald J. Trump and the Republican convention.Coca-Cola Co. Products Ahead Of Earnings Figures

Kent Landers, a Coca-Cola spokesman, declined to explain the reduction in support. But officials at the company are trying to quietly defuse a campaign organized by the civil rights advocacy group Color of Change, which says it has collected more than 100,000 signatures on a petition demanding that Coca-Cola and other companies decline to sponsor the convention. Donating to the event, the petition states, is akin to endorsing Mr. Trump’s “hateful and racist rhetoric.”

And Trump’s lose talk suggesting that if he doesn’t get the nomination, “I think you’d have riots, I’m representing a tremendous many, many millions of people,” did nothing to calm nervous corporate sponsors worried about their brand on display at the Cleveland convention. The largely sugar-free corporations of Apple, Google and Wal-Mart are also rethinking sponsorship and may join Coke by capping their donations.

“These companies have a choice right now, a history-making choice,” said Rashad Robinson, the executive director of Color of Change. “Do they want riots brought to us by Coca-Cola?”

Coca-Cola’s 2016 donation of $75,000 will fall far short of the $660,000 they coughed up for the 2012 Republican convention. Coke’s puny $75,000 is hardly enough to cover the additional 2,000 sets of riot control suits, (including the robo-cob-style Elite Defender riot suits) the city of Cleveland wants to have on hand for the July convention. Maybe Donald J. will chip in ?trumpriotwater

Reports are that Cleveland city water has been tested and is okay to drink. But maybe they will have some Trump brand bottled water on hand this summer for thirsty Elite Defenders because Coca Cola is making itself scarce to Republicans.

Entergy VY impacts local retail stores

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Home Depot and Lowe’s big box stores near Brattleboro, VT, and Keane, NH, are unable to restock inventories of a favorite brand of family pools from suppliers. These are Inertex brand family pools, an inexpensive line that Entergy put into use recently at Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant.VYkidpool

The Vermont Yankee facility (although no longer producing power) faced a dilemma about the storage of thousands of gallons of water,  contaminated by low-level radioactive tritium, leaking into the plant.

The solution they settled on was to purchase a dozen different sizes and shape Inertex Swimee Poolz® from local big-box stores to serve as a stopgap water storage.

It wasn’t long before Inertex’s lawyers and insurance underwriters got word of the unique use VY found for the lightweight family pools. Alarmed by liability implications, beginning the  first of April they will impose a moratorium on shipping replacement units to retail outlets in the area around Northern Mass, and Southern Vermont to prevent VY obtaining more pools.

News of the distribution cut-back quickly leaked out to media outlets. And late Thursday, a spokesperson for the fool manufacturer provided details to a local reporter’s inquiry:

Natacio Piscina, a lawyer representing Inertex Co. Ltd., returned an official response:“It has come to our attention that Entergy Vermont Yankee in Vernon purchased and used several models of Inertex Swimee Poolz® line in a manner inconsistent with and in violation of the legally binding U.S. Swim Pool Association (USSPA) standardized agreement  and guidelines  for home recreational usage.(SPA sec.42.13)

Entergy VY management is well aware Inertex Industrial manufactures quality bladders and absorbent products specifically for leaks, overflows and toxic fluid containment. In fact VY has utilized these products in the past. Therefore it is our contention that Entergy is knowingly engaged in a willful misuse of our consumer models of Inertex Swimee Poolz®.

Our legal team has contacted Entergy officials at Vermont Yankee with our concerns and we are considering our next action. 

Piscina added an unofficial concern for Entergy VY’s sole focus on excessive cost containment, and he personally worries they were not utilizing safe solutions for occasional storage and fluid flow problems so common at nuclear facilities of this age.

Compounding problems, Vermont Yankee is struggling with criticism over a misguided goodwill community PR gesture called; VY’s April Poolz.FreeVYpoolz Once emptied of tritiated water and no longer needed, dozens Inertex Swimee Poolz® from the plant were donated to municipal parks and rec. departments in several nearby towns.

Town officials, initially pleased were soon shocked to learn the gift pools had once held gallons of low-level nuclear water. Stunned, officials in all but the small town of Linaw, NH, quickly returned VY’s tainted pools. “The April Poolz is ours now. And I… um, we are free to keep it” said Don Leacht, Linaw’s  Parks and Rec. director.

Frustrated Entergy VY officials are pressing for its return, but due to a “quirk” in NRC rules the town cannot be forced.

Reached for comment, NRC regional inspector Neal Shoehern explained the NRC does have a policy governing disposal of sanctioned Improvised Temporary Water Unit Storage (ITWUS).However, it has no authority regarding the re-use of unsanctioned improvised vessels. NRC’s  Shoehern said: “If  ITWUS not authorized it is not the NRC’s responsibility.”

Shoehern says the NRC is staying with the story that: “At Vermont Yankee there was no known danger to the public at anytime, ever from anything even remotely associated with the nuclear power industry, ever”

Milne sells majority stake in Quechee Highlands development

Business, local/regional, , ,

The Upper Valley News is reporting that Scott Milne will sign a tentative agreement today with Utah developer David R. Hall to sell his controlling interest in the Quechee Highlands development in Hartford Vermont.

Portrait of two businessmen shaking hands against white backgroundHall and Milne took questions at the Vermont Law School. (Hall was visiting VLS in South Royalton to discuss the massive new building he has proposed financing for the struggling school. It would house the  D. R. Hall Vista Center for study of experimental econo-systemic communal living.)

 

Quechee Highlands is Milne’s proposed project for a 15 acre mixed retail and residential development bordering Interstate 91 in Hartford. The project, years in the works, won a significant court case but has several permitting hurdles remaining.

The April 1st Quechee Highlands agreement with Hall may not be a surprise to Milne’s political fan. Speculation is that this is part of an ongoing plan to simplify his business interests. With an eye on a run on the Republican ticket against Democrat Senator Patrick Leahy, Milne acknowledged the need to simplify his business holdings – He explained  that the prior sale of the family travel agency freed him from obligations “should I get lucky … it gives me the ability to step back for six years.”

Motives for Utah millionaire David R. Hall’s purchase of the planned Hartford development are less clear, though it may also be part of a larger vision. Hall has quietly bought an estimated 900 acres of land in four towns in the area. He hopes to build a large contiguous plot to house 15,000 to 20,000 residents who would live in a utopian econo-systemic styled community, modeled on the Mormon teachings of Joseph Smith (who was born nearby in Sharon, VT).QuecheeVista

One local Republican office holder commented anonymously on Milne and Hall’s deal:

“At first glance it seems he[Milne] finally made a smart strategic move and freed his campaign to promote more development and rail against regulatory overreach without a blatant conflict of interest .”

However the outspoken Republican says she is worried over the municipal implications of a large retail mall near Interstates 89  and 91 interchanges, that would in her words be owned “…by a quasi- independently governed 20,000 resident tax free ‘city state’.”   

And added “It is only April 1st and heaven only knows how this will all play out for the Upper Valley. But honestly, now he looks to be more a troublesome wealthy fool than a visionary.”  It was not clear to whom she was referring.

Donald Trump Gives Us a Jingle

National, ,

We had the unexpected pleasure of speaking with Donald Trump himself this morning, when he telephoned our Wake-Up Hour host, W.S. Gilbert to give us a few thoughts. The live recording has inexplicably disappeared, but we can provide this transcript:

WSG: Thank you for calling-in, Mr. Trump…

DT: Don’t Mention it. I owe it to the little people who adore me to make myself available.
You know I’m all about the little people. I LOVE the little people…and the blacks…and the gays…they love me too.

…And women! The women…you know, the women love me best of all. That’s because I understand what they want. Men are always saying, you know, “I don’t get women…” Well, I get women. I cherish the women. Just ask Melania…I cherish Melania, I cherish Ivanka. They’re my precious jewels. They just sparkle! I get that sparkle; and they deserve to sparkle. I love to make them sparkle…

WSG:  Yes, yes, Mr. Trump…Now there are a few policy questions I know my listeners would like me to ask.

DT:   I’m all ears…no, not really. Ted Cruz, now there’s someone who’s “all ears!” Have you seen the cartoons of him with the big nose and the weird eyebrows? Mean…very mean, but ya gotta say, there is a striking resemblance there. Not the most attractive guy. Ya gotta wonder what’s goin’ on down there, if you know what I mean. Could you believe that Enquirer story?!! I said to Melania, “Melania honey, can you see it?” She couldn’t; she couldn’t see it. Five women??! Even one woman…!

WSG:  Mr. Trump, Mr. Trump about policy…?

DT:  Yeah, yeah…policy. My policies are HUGE. You’ve never seen such huge policies…and GREAT. I mean, I’ll give you policies that are so great you won’t believe your ears. Ha, ha…even Ted Cruz won’t believe his ears…ha, ha…but really. You know what I’m all about?

I’m all about making America great again. That’s right. We haven’t been great since…well, we haven’t been great in a long, LONG time. Let me tell you. I’ll change all that. We’re going to be winning again. We haven’t been winning, you know…and when you aren’t winning, what are you? You’re a loser, right? Am I right?

WSG:  Yes, well…can I ask you about your recent remarks on women and abortion…

DT:  Ya know, that’s not what people care about…they want to hear more about the wall I’m
going to build. Did you know I’m going to build a great big wall (it’ll be HUGE) along the border and it’s going to have a beautiful little door in it so we can let in the little people (I love the little people)…and you know who’s going to pay for it don’t you? Mexico…

WSG: …But, Mr. Trump my listeners want to know if you really mean to punish women who have abor…

DT:   Gilly, Gilly… you don’t mind if I call you Gilly, do you? Gilly, you know I love the women, but when they’re bad, they’ve got to be punished. Right? You know my lovely daughter Ivanka?
Isn’t she lovely. You know, I cherish Ivanka; but when she is bad she has to be punished. Right? So I punish her…out of love. That’s what a parent does…out of love.

So those girls who get knoc… uh, those girls who have the ‘misfortune’ to get caught, they just have to make the daddies marry them. It’s all about the family. I have eight grandchildren, you know. You wouldn’t believe it to look at me, would you. That says plenty about what’s going on down there! Ha, ha…Have you seen how I’m killing in the polls this morning? It’s a complete blow-out…

WSG:   Mr. Trump…Mr. Trump let’s move on. Now, I believe you said the other day that you would consider using nuclear weapons? Isn’t that a pretty extreme position to take…

DT:   Look, I’m a businessman, right? My business is a HUGE success. Ask anyone. The steaks, the water, the magazine, the university…all of it. Huge success!

That’s because I know how to manage my assets. I don’t just leave ‘em lying around doing nothing. Right? And I don’t believe in being politically correct. That’s for sissy’s.

Look, we’ve got nuclear weapons; they’re our assets. Right? Sooner or later we’re gonna use them. Right? What’s the point in having them if we say we’ll never use them? Right?

I’m not gonna say when I’ll use them. That would be telling, and we don’t want to give away the game…but, we’ve got ‘em and we can use ‘em…any time.

Look, there are a lot of real bad guys out there. Right? They hate America. If they had the nukes, you can bet your ass they’d use them against us! But we’ve got ‘em so it’s game over; but only if we use them real soon…before they get ‘em.

It’s all asset management.

WSG:   I see…but what about the worldwide nuclear devastation that would unleash?

DT:  “Worldwide nuclear devastation.” Listen to yourself! That’s a lot of whiny liberal BS.

Look, I keep reading about how there’s a population explosion and that’s the cause of all our problems. Well, I’ve got another ‘explosion” that could fix all that. Am I right?? Am I right??

Ha-ha-ha-ha…look, if we’re quick, we’ll be the ones holding all the cards. We can blow the competition away!

Hey… how big do you think that bunker is under 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue? Let’s see: me, Melania, Ivanka, that husband of hers, the boys, the grandkids, the nanny, the cook, my hairdresser, my masseuse, my tailor, my press agent, my girl…that’s nineteen right there…

WSG:  I’m sorry Mr. Trump but we’re all out of time.

Thank you, Donald Trump!

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Someone once observed that a faux pas is when someone accidentally blurts out the truth.

The short-fingered vulgarian did that today, and it caused such a reaction that he had to say he didn’t mean it.

It was a discussion of abortion, and particularly whether the extreme right could trust Trump’s commitment to the anti-abortion cause. After all, he is on record years ago being pro-choice, right? So he was being interviewed by Chris Matthews, and Matthews kept pushing the anti-abortion to the logical conclusion: if abortion is illegal, should women who get abortions be punished for it?

It makes total sense. Anti-choicers claim to believe that aborting a fetus is exactly the same as killing a living human being. If it is, then anyone who does it should be prosecuted for murder, right?

And what’s more, even if you don’t pull the trigger but you hire someone to do it you also get prosecuted for murder.

And Trump went along with the whole thing. For someone who is ” very smart, really very, very smart, believe me,” he apparently wasn’t smart enough to see where this was leading, or the likely consequences of this argument (kind of a habit with him, no?), so he plunged on ahead.

“The answer is there has to be some form of punishment,” Trump said.

“For the woman?” Matthews said.

Trump said, “Yes,” and nodded. Matthews pressed further: 10 days or 10 years? Trump said he didn’t know, and that it’s “complicated.”

“It will have to be determined,” Trump said.

Of course, by the end of the day he was walking back his statements because the anti-choicers had called him to heel. They say that they never supported punishment for the woman who obtains an abortion, and I suspect that this is true for several reasons.

First, it’s bad PR. I continue to believe that the anti-choice movement is composed primarily of people who think they don’t know anyone who has had an abortion.  Still, they realize they’re out there, and they know they would seem heartless if they were calling for women who get abortions to go to prison, so they have decided not to pursue that remedy.

Second, and this is one area in which they are actually telling the truth, they consider the women who obtain abortions to be victims. Patronizing doesn’t even cover it. What they are really saying is that women do not have moral agency, so they are not responsible for their actions. Therefore, why prosecute them?

Finally, and they will never tell you this, deep down they really don’t consider fetuses full human beings the way they claim. They say they do, but they recognize that even when it’s a painful choice it’s not the same as murder. If they did, to be morally consistent they would have to push to prosecute the women for murder, just as they would like to prosecute the doctors.

So at the end of the day we owe Trump something. It won’t happen often, but on Wednesday he blurted out the truth and exposed the malevolent core of the anti-choice movement.

So thanks, Donald. You probably won’t hear it from me again.