Almost One Year Ago Today

[Townsend]

I saw a placard in a racing plane:

Of all the placards you see in racing planes, which one is your favorite?

[Red Arrow]

Of all the placards you see in racing planes, which one is your favorite?

Difficult to say.  Most are just boring things like landing gear up or down, water ballast dump, spoilers up or down, circuit breaker labels etc.

[Townsend]

Difficult to say.  Most are just boring things like landing gear up or down, water ballast dump, spoilers up or down, circuit breaker labels etc.

So "Dump" then?

[Hoss]

Difficult to say.  Most are just boring things like landing gear up or down, water ballast dump, spoilers up or down, circuit breaker labels etc.

Here's some funny stuff that I'm sure RA and Conan will appreciate.  Some of you other non-pilots might not get it...   Well, some of it is obvious.

[nathanm]

Just a little more serious: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/09/01/122865/regulations-taxes-arent-killing.html

Perhaps we can focus on the real problems, rather than the problems that are made up in the heads of certain people desperate to push their no-government agenda.

[Gaspar]

Just a little more serious: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/09/01/122865/regulations-taxes-arent-killing.html

Perhaps we can focus on the real problems, rather than the problems that are made up in the heads of certain people desperate to push their no-government agenda.

Whistle.

Nothing to see here.

[Conan71]

Just a little more serious: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/09/01/122865/regulations-taxes-arent-killing.html

Perhaps we can focus on the real problems, rather than the problems that are made up in the heads of certain people desperate to push their no-government agenda.

If the intent was to show that taxes and regulations don't impact business, naturally the author isn't going to cite quotes from business owners they talked to who believe taxes and regulations are deterrents to growing their business. 

Of course there are business owners out there who don't see taxes and regulation as being the biggest hurdles to business.  I don't think anyone expects 100% agreement on the issue.

[Gaspar]

If the intent was to show that taxes and regulations don't impact business, naturally the author isn't going to cite quotes from business owners they talked to who believe taxes and regulations are deterrents to growing their business. 

Of course there are business owners out there who don't see taxes and regulation as being the biggest hurdles to business.  I don't think anyone expects 100% agreement on the issue.

The business man mentioned in the article is Rip Daniels.  He owns tons of beachfront property in Mississippi, a hotel,  The Almanett Guest House, and a blues radio station that he uses as his mouthpiece. 

He has had a spectacular year!  Though none of the oil from the BP Spill actually made it to his properties, he was awarded millions in payment from BP and has been lobbying congress to require BP to pay millions more in 2012.

Mr. Daniels seems to thrive on crisis.

[nathanm]

Of course there are business owners out there who don't see taxes and regulation as being the biggest hurdles to business.  I don't think anyone expects 100% agreement on the issue.

The Tea Partyists and the "job killing regulations" brigade seems to think there is/should be 100% agreement.

And Gassy, no. Daniels is but one of seven people quoted in the article. There was absolutely no need to misrepresent the article, but you decided to do so anyway. Stay classy.

[Hoss]

The Tea Partyists and the "job killing regulations" brigade seems to think there is/should be 100% agreement.

And Gassy, no. Daniels is but one of seven people quoted in the article. There was absolutely no need to misrepresent the article, but you decided to do so anyway. Stay classy.

And you're surprised at that?

[Gaspar]

The Tea Partyists and the "job killing regulations" brigade seems to think there is/should be 100% agreement.

And Gassy, no. Daniels is but one of seven people quoted in the article. There was absolutely no need to misrepresent the article, but you decided to do so anyway. Stay classy.

Nope, just wanted to give an example of the "business owners" they scouted out for the article.

[Gaspar]

Romney released his jobs plan.  Very common sense, with several "Day One" initiatives that no one can really argue will launch job growth.

FIVE BILLS FOR DAY ONE

The American Competitiveness Act
• Reduces the corporate income tax rate to 25 percent

The Open Markets Act
• Implements the Colombia, Panama, and South Korea Free Trade Agreements

The Domestic Energy Act
• Directs the Department of the Interior to undertake a comprehensive survey of American energy reserves in partnership with exploration companies and initiates leasing in all areas currently approved for exploration

The Retraining Reform Act
• Consolidates the sprawl of federal retraining programs and returns funding and responsibility for these programs to the states

The Down Payment on Fiscal Sanity Act
• Immediately cuts non-security discretionary spending by 5 percent, reducing the annual federal budget by $20 billion


FIVE EXECUTIVE ORDERS FOR DAY ONE

An Order to Pave the Way to End Obamacare
• Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services and all relevant federal officials to return the maximum possible authority to the states to innovate and design health care solutions that work best for them

An Order to Cut Red Tape
• Directs all agencies to immediately initiate the elimination of Obama-era  regulations that unduly burden the economy or job creation, and then caps annual increases in regulatory costs at zero dollars

An Order to Boost Domestic Energy Production
• Directs the Department of the Interior to implement a process for rapid issuance of drilling permits to developers with established safety records seeking to use pre-approved techniques in pre-approved areas

An Order to Sanction China for Unfair Trade Practices
• Directs the Department of the Treasury to list China as a currency manipulator in its biannual report and directs the Department of Commerce to assess countervailing duties on Chinese imports if China does not quickly move to float its currency

An Order to Empower American Businesses and Workers
• Reverses the executive orders issued by President Obama that tilt the playing held in favor of organized labor, including the one encouraging the use of union labor on major government construction projects

TAX POLICY
Mitt Romney will push or a fundamental redesign of  our tax system.  He recognizes the need to simplify the system. He also recognizes the need both to lower rates and to broaden the tax base so that taxation becomes an instrument or promoting economic growth.  As president, Romney will hold the line on individual income tax rates and eliminate taxes on interest, dividends, and capital gains or low- and middle-income taxpayers.

He will eliminate the estate tax. And he will pursue a conservative overhaul that applies lower and  flatter rates to a broader tax base. Romney will also reform the corporate tax system. He will immediately lower the corporate income tax rate, and then explore opportunities to further lower the marginal rate while broadening the tax base. He will also begin the process of  transitioning to a territorial corporate tax system. A territorial system must be designed to encourage multinational companies to bring their profits back into the U.S. and it must avoid the creation of  incentives or outsourcing.

You can read more here http://www.mittromney.com/blogs/mitts-view/2011/09/believe-america-day-one-job-one

[RecycleMichael]

... with several "Day One" initiatives that no one can really argue will launch job growth.

I bet many people with find arguments, including other republicans.

[Conan71]

Romney released his jobs plan.  Very common sense, with several "Day One" initiatives that no one can really argue will launch job growth.

FIVE BILLS FOR DAY ONE

The American Competitiveness Act
• Reduces the corporate income tax rate to 25 percent

Fine.  Does it close all the accounting loopholes that make for an uneven collection of taxes between companies who do most of their business on-shore and those who have vast overseas operations?

The Open Markets Act
• Implements the Colombia, Panama, and South Korea Free Trade Agreements

Anyone know why the Obama Administration has sat on these?  Heritage Foundation claims U.S. GDP could gain $11 bln and 70,000 U.S. jobs would be created almost immediately with the So. Korean FTA being implemented.  Am I missing something or is it concern for abuse by our trading partners which could ensure cheap goods flowing into the U.S. much like we have with China right now?

The Domestic Energy Act
• Directs the Department of the Interior to undertake a comprehensive survey of American energy reserves in partnership with exploration companies and initiates leasing in all areas currently approved for exploration

I don't see much innovation here, they already do this today.

The Retraining Reform Act
• Consolidates the sprawl of federal retraining programs and returns funding and responsibility for these programs to the states

What sort of re-training?  Job Corps?  Most states are broke, so you could probably wave goodbye to these programs

The Down Payment on Fiscal Sanity Act
• Immediately cuts non-security discretionary spending by 5 percent, reducing the annual federal budget by $20 billion

Can't disagree with that move.  How about additional cuts on foreign aid and international policing?

FIVE EXECUTIVE ORDERS FOR DAY ONE

An Order to Pave the Way to End Obamacare
• Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services and all relevant federal officials to return the maximum possible authority to the states to innovate and design health care solutions that work best for them

Far better way to manage health care if the government must be involved.  This is where Romney gets improperly lambasted by the left.  Obamacare is too big to administer properly and efficiently.  It doesn't allow for enough competition nor choices for consumers.  State based is far preferable.  No one seems to understand that as well as he does.


An Order to Cut Red Tape
• Directs all agencies to immediately initiate the elimination of Obama-era  regulations that unduly burden the economy or job creation, and then caps annual increases in regulatory costs at zero dollars

Somewhere between platitudes and political meme's.  Meh


An Order to Boost Domestic Energy Production
• Directs the Department of the Interior to implement a process for rapid issuance of drilling permits to developers with established safety records seeking to use pre-approved techniques in pre-approved areas

We are actually drilling at a pretty rapid pace.  About as much as the drilling and production infrastructure will allow.  It would be great if we could get some more refineries built.  We also need to look for alt energy which does not require so much (or any) subsidy to be practical and feasible

An Order to Sanction China for Unfair Trade Practices
• Directs the Department of the Treasury to list China as a currency manipulator in its biannual report and directs the Department of Commerce to assess countervailing duties on Chinese imports if China does not quickly move to float its currency

Don't stop there, start erecting tariff walls to balance the advantage of their cheap labor, deplorable labor conditions, and lack of environmental initiatives.  Either that or roll back compliance issues which make it more attractive for U.S. corporations to send jobs overseas

An Order to Empower American Businesses and Workers
• Reverses the executive orders issued by President Obama that tilt the playing held in favor of organized labor, including the one encouraging the use of union labor on major government construction projects

On the one hand, non-union labor saves the government money so it looks good on the surface.  On the other, directly confronting unions and antagonizing them seems unwise to me as they are a pretty significant voting bloc.  As a political strategy, I think this one is full of FAIL.  There are a lot of union members who might vote for a moderate, unless they think a candidate is all about dismantling unions.  I may be wrong, but I don't recall any other POTUS candidate ever blatantly coming out essentially against unions in the past.  Reality is, even with such a move, I'd be willing to bet it would not significantly change the amount of work winding up in union hands  

TAX POLICY
Mitt Romney will push or a fundamental redesign of  our tax system.  He recognizes the need to simplify the system. He also recognizes the need both to lower rates and to broaden the tax base so that taxation becomes an instrument or promoting economic growth.  As president, Romney will hold the line on individual income tax rates and eliminate taxes on interest, dividends, and capital gains or low- and middle-income taxpayers.

He will eliminate the estate tax. And he will pursue a conservative overhaul that applies lower and  flatter rates to a broader tax base. Romney will also reform the corporate tax system. He will immediately lower the corporate income tax rate, and then explore opportunities to further lower the marginal rate while broadening the tax base. He will also begin the process of  transitioning to a territorial corporate tax system. A territorial system must be designed to encourage multinational companies to bring their profits back into the U.S. and it must avoid the creation of  incentives or outsourcing.

Interested to see more specifics on what broadening the tax base entails.  I honestly don't think you can come in and immediately start cutting taxes in light of the debt and deficit issues we have right now.  It's got to be done with a lot of foresight and planning, otherwise this sounds like pandering to the Tea Party base and nothing more.  If a Republican is to win, they simply can't count on distaste for Obama's job performance to win the White House.  They need to build consensus with moderates.

You can read more here http://www.mittromney.com/blogs/mitts-view/2011/09/believe-america-day-one-job-one

Overall, I give him a "B" or "B minus".  I don't see a lot of innovation here, looks like he's exploiting the most obvious Tea Party/GOP mantras.

[we vs us]

I like that he wants to give back even more to the wealthy and major corporate interests.  And he wants to do it IMMEDIATELY.  

In other words, continue doing what hasn't worked to spur job creation.  That's the definition of insanity, right?  

Good stuff, Mitt.