Doublespeak Doesn't Make a Lot of Sense in Plain English

by: Gary Patton

Mon Sep 27, 2010 at 15:15:06 PM EDT

"Mr. Hoodwinker says that he's going to lower government spending and reduce the deficit. Republicans always make this claim. Somehow, it doesn't necessarily turn out that way. During the George W. Bush administration, the Republican president initiated two unfunded wars and an unfunded Medicare prescription benefit. As a result, both spending and the deficit shot through the roof."

"Presently, the GOP fervently opposes the health care reform law, even though the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office affirms that the new reforms will save $143 billion over the next 10 years."

"Aha, now Mr. Hoodwinker is upping the bet; now he is saying that he will both lower your taxes and the deficit at the same time. That's going to be quite a trick. The Bush tax cuts, enacted in 2001, are designed to expire at the end of this year. President Obama wants to keep them for middle class folks; individuals earning less than $200,000 per year and couples making less than $250,000. That's 98 percent of Americans. He claims that during this economic downturn, the middle class will immediately spend the money on necessities - food, clothing, shelter, and schooling. By spending money right away, the middle class will stimulate the economy and create jobs."

"In addition, Republicans want to keep the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest 2 percent. However, wealthy people don't undertake new business ventures in a stagnant economy. They play it safe, and invest their extra money in their portfolios. No jobs are created that way. Moreover, keeping the tax cuts for the wealthy will deprive the federal government of revenue and increase the deficit by $31 billion a year."

"Don't pity the rich. Federal taxes on the wealthy are the lowest they've been in 60 years. In 1944, the top tax bracket was 94 percent, and it remained above 82 percent until 1964. Ronald Reagan cut taxes, but only to 69 percent for the top bracket. The Bush tax cuts helped lower the top rate to 35 percent, but deprived the federal government of so much revenue that the deficit exploded. Allowing the Bush tax cuts to lapse for the top 2 percent would push their rate from 35 percent to 39.5 percent, not exactly a death blow. I don't think I'll see them rummaging through dumpsters. Well, I digress. Let's go back to Mr. Hoodwinker's speech."

"Mr. Hoodwinker claims that the Republicans are long-time and true friends of small businesses. As the old saying goes, 'with friends like that, who needs enemies.' The New York Times reports that Republicans have voted against eight new tax cuts for small businesses so far this year and they called for the repeal of small-business tax cuts in the healthcare bill."

"Mr. Hoodwinker says that, if elected, Republicans will get things done. That doesn't pass muster with me. Republicans in the Senate blocked 335 bills that were first passed by the House. Republicans used the filibuster rule 223 times in the Senate to prevent legislation from coming to an up-or-down vote. Funny, that sounds like obstruction, not progress, to me. That's The Party of No bringing the legislative process to a halt."

"Now, Mr. Hoodwinker is claiming that if he is elected, he will be an independent voice for New Hampshire. No party bosses will tell him what to do. Well, in order for a minority of 178 Republicans in the House and 41 Republicans in the Senate to stop all that legislation, they often voted as a bloc. No dissenters were allowed. Everyone followed the party leader's orders or else."

"In a large number of votes, Republicans unanimously opposed bills. If they didn't play follow the leader, members were punished - bad office locations, poor parking spots, undesirable committee assignments, no monetary contributions from party sources. They went along to get along. The idea that a Republican legislator will be an independent voice in Congress, that is, is free to do as he or she pleases, is sheer nonsense."

"Oh, you're wondering why the things Mr. Hoodwinker is saying differ so much from what I say. Well, sometimes things don't translate very well from one language to another. Things Republicans say in Doublespeak just don't make a lot of sense in plain English."

This column first appeared in The Forum. It appears here with the permission of The Forum.

For the Rest of Us: Small Business Edition

by: Dean Barker

Mon Sep 20, 2010 at 19:01:58 PM EDT

Small Business Support for Clean Energy A Key to 2010 Elections?

by: NRDC Action Fund

Fri Jun 25, 2010 at 10:57:05 AM EDT

With all that in mind, a recent national survey by Al Quinlan of Greenburg Quinlan Rosner Research has potentially powerful implications for the 2010 elections, providing yet more evidence that climate legislation - despite a fallacious "mainstream media" narrative arguing otherwise - is actually good politics.  The key findings are threefold (note: the document talks about strategy for the Democratic Party, but could apply to Republicans as well):

1. Small businesses "are among America's most popular entities," with an eye-popping 44:1 favorable to unfavorable ratio ("the highest we have ever seen in our polling on any topic")
2. Generating support from small business owners, for either political party, is a key to success in the upcoming mid-term elections.
3. Small business owners strongly agree "that a move to clean energy will help restart the economy and lead to job creation by small businesses."  In fact, according to Greenburg Quinlan, "One of the most surprising findings of the survey is that despite the fact that nearly two thirds of business owners believe it would increase costs for their businesses, a majority still want to move forward on clean energy and climate policy."

As if that's not evidence enough that there's broad support out there for comprehensive, clean energy and climate legislation, how about this Benenson Survey Group survey, conducted in late May/early June 2010?  The key findings of this poll are:

*65% of "likely 2010 voters" believe that "the federal government should invest much more than it currently invests [or] somewhat more than it currently invests."  
*63% of "likely 2010 voters" support an energy bill that would "limit pollution, invest in domestic energy sources and encourage companies to use and develop clean energy...in part by charging energy companies for carbon pollution in electricity or fuels like gas."
*Among "undecided voters," "62% support the bill and just 21% oppose."

There is also strong evidence from this polling that voters - including independent voters by a 2.5:1 margin - are strongly inclined, by around a 2:1 margin, to be "more likely to re-elect" their Senator if he or she voted for a strong, comprehensive, clean energy and climate bill.

In sum, solid majorities of small businesspeople and the public at large both support comprehensive, clean energy and climate legislation.  Which is why, once again - as we pointed out yesterday - the "mainstream media" narrative, that voting for limits on carbon pollution is bad politics, is just dead wrong. To the contrary, victory this November could go to the candidates - and the party - that seizes this issue and makes it their own.  Ideally, it would be great to see both Republicans and Democrats fighting to be the "greenest" candidate, and not just in terms of how much money they raise.

UPDATE: Add another poll to the list, this one by WSJ-NBC indicating that "Respondents favored comprehensive energy and carbon pollution reduction legislation by 63 percent to 31 percent - a two to one margin."

Proposal for Small Business Job Creation

by: IrregardlessNH

Mon Feb 15, 2010 at 08:53:22 AM EST

In this economy, most businesses share the same "crisis of confidence" as consumers, so are unwilling take speculative risks by increasing their costs until demand is obvious and demonstrable.

Small businesses in today's economy are effectively barred from access to fresh capital, so they have no discretionary money to hire people and/or purchase equipment, even if they have a productive, recession-proof business model in place.  A six-percent reduction in payroll taxes, or accelerated depreciation on equipment is useless if there's little to no capital or financing available.

Especially in the North Country, small business is the primary engine of permanent job creation (as opposed to the temporary jobs created by infrastructure projects).

As written, the 'jobs' bill making its way through Congress will do little to help small businesses create jobs and grow community prosperity.  

Nothing about change here.

by: chriscollier

Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 00:29:13 AM EDT

My plan would provide small businesses that employ fewer than 50 people a tax credit of up to $1,000 annually for an individual coverage plan and up to $2,250 annually for a family coverage plan. The plan would also provide premium assistance for small business employees so that they can afford the same coverage that members of Congress have.

Lowering Health Care Costs for Small Businesses

Lowering Health Care Costs for Small Businesses by subsidizing for-profit insurance companies with tax payers money

I tried to contact his office to express my disappointment, an understatement to be sure, at his decision not to roll up his sleeves and get his hands dirty, but, after four attempts to find an e-mail site I gave up. I'll do it tomorrow. Tonight I'll do my homework and research.

I want to find as many differences as i can between single-payer health insurance, where government takes money from all taxpayers and provides access to health care, and, the free market, where government allows business to be business. Based on his e-newsletter they're becoming fewer and fewer.  

Health Care Reform: The Single Biggest Unasked/Unanswered Question

by: JillSH

Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 16:38:19 PM EDT

Whenever the discussion gets to "affordability", it always seems to be in the context of trying to get (private) insurance premiums down low enough that everybody could "afford" to buy insurance.

That thinking needs to be turned upside down.  

THANKS, CAROL !!

by: IrregardlessNH

Fri Oct 31, 2008 at 12:54:48 PM EDT

Local banks were not helpful in providing any practical advice or direction other than to just say no.
I thought perhaps there might be local, state or federal programs that could help us, as well as private organizations, and I remembered from meetings and events I attended during this election cycle that Jeb Bradley claimed to provide attentive constituency service when he was our Congressman, plus I found him personable and approachable.  I also noted that since she was elected in 2006, I'd never asked Carol Shea-Porter for help with anything, and that this was perhaps an appropriate time to do so.

So I emailed Jeb directly and Carol's District office in Manchester on the same day last July with the same message: "My North Conway based business has recently completed its development and test-marketing stages, and is preparing for full-scale launch. We are seeking investment, grants and/or financing...to support our projected growth.  If we are successful in raising this money, we'll add between 25 - 50 well-paying NH jobs over the next couple years. Can you help with this project?  Perhaps the SBA, one or more SBIC's, or other sources of investment and support?  Let me know. Thanks for any assistance you can offer."
The next day, I was contacted by Carol Shea-Porter's office and explained to the caller in more detail what I needed help with.  Later that day, another person from Carol's office called me to invite me to attend an upcoming Small Business Resources Seminar that Carol was sponsoring the following week in Laconia, as well as to refer me to a richly-detailed business resource website.  Plus she directed me to local and state finance & development agencies who I never knew existed.  Her office then followed up with me again before and after the Small Business Seminar to be sure I got what I needed and was well on my way.

They introduced me to literally a whole world of private investors, venture capital firms, investment banks, economic development councils, assistance with energy-efficient capital investment, and more. As a direct result of their help, our Company was invited to make presentations to interested investors last Tuesday in Manchester at the NH Small Business Development Center's Speed Venture Summit.

And what help did I receive from Jeb Bradley who professes to be a great support of small business in New Hampshire? Absolutely nothing!  Even though I made several contributions to his primary campaign this year, he never answered either my initial or follow-up emails, nor telephone calls to his cell phone.

This is just my individual, comparative experience with constituency service between Carol Shea-Porter and Jeb Bradley.  I don't know how either of these folks have treated anyone else.  But in this instance, Carol and her office really stepped up and helped us and our small company, and Jeb did not even reply.

Another benefit of this experience is that I now am aware of a wide range of small business financing and assistance that is available both in New Hampshire as well as throughout Northern New England. If any small business owners would like access to any of this information, it will be my pleasure to help out.  Contact me anytime:   nathaniel@hifi-trader.com

It's July: Better Start Complaining About Health Care!

by: Dean Barker

Thu Jul 10, 2008 at 20:51:32 PM EDT

With blunt pragmatism, Sen. John Sununu came to Concord last week and told economic development leaders not to waste time worrying about the cost of health care.

"This may be the most bizarre recommendation, but I am sincere," Sununu said. "I'm not saying it's not an issue or it's not important, but proportionally speaking, stop complaining about health care."

Sununu said business leaders would be better off putting their energy elsewhere. For starters, "if there was something that we could do about it that were quick or easy, it would be done," he said, predicting only marginal policy changes. "There is no solution" anytime soon, he said.

...Health care "is so darn expensive," he said, "because it's worth it."

John Sununu, 4 months, and 2 Medicare cutting votes away from election day:

"I've been an effective leader and independent voice for New Hampshire on the issue of health care.  I understand that in New Hampshire, the coverage for health care starts with small businesses. That's where most people work, where most people get their paycheck, and get their health insurance coverage," said Senator Sununu. "The real challenge in our health care system is with those that are uninsured and those who don't have access to affordable insurance. The legislation that I have announced my support for today would make great strides toward achieving this goal."

More on this shameless silly season pandering by the NHDP Coordinated Campaign's Alex Reese, as well as Zandra Hawkins, who heads up GSP.

Morning Update: John Sununu speaks for me!

"What I am highlighting today is there has been no effort in the last year and a half to address this problem," Sununu said.

Healthcare = Hillary = Success

by: gradysdad

Sat Nov 24, 2007 at 11:28:54 AM EST

In recent interviews, some of these Clinton supporters say that they have been impressed enough by her advocacy for healthcare and children to jettison their previous views of her as a brash, ambitious lawyer and politician. Some said a female president would do things not just differently, but better.

Why Small Business Needs Kucinich

by: dksupport

Wed Nov 21, 2007 at 23:53:42 PM EST

The challenge before us today is whether we can maintain a government of the people, by the people and for the people, or whether we will timidly accept the economic, social, and political consequences of a government of the corporations, by the corporations, and for the corporations.