There was a saying in Vietnam that, “there is no problem so big you can’t shoot it, lie about it or run away from it”, that was kind of the management approach with the Army. It is amazing I can remember that saying; but, looking at what is going on in Concord and DC brought that phrase back to me.
For example look at the LLC debacle. The progressives in Concord pushed it through in a late night meeting not knowing or caring what the LLC’s thought. Then it hits the fan the LLC’s go nuts on the democratic leadership who is now trying to talk their way out of it or soft peddling what they did. Unfortunately, the house and senate leadership can’t change their course, nor direction, because of their drunken sailor spending that has thrown us in to record setting debt. The only option they have is to try to lie their way out of it or soft peddle their involvement.
I read an article recently about Maggie the tax magnet and she said the legislature could have done a better job. Well tax magnet you are the legislature in this incident, you did it, own up to it and walk away with some respect. While she runs around the state trying to show everyone how she is a big shot and trying to draw attention to herself, she denies everything, or her involvement in all the stuff they screwed up. Tax magnet, what has gone wrong in this state in the last couple of years you had your fingers into.
The fear with the progressive leadership is that they can’t run away, they can’t shoot it so their only option is to try to lie their way out of it.
Come on tax magnet we are waiting!!
STATE OF THE STATE by Governor Turn around John!!
Well governor, you screwed the state employees, you screwed the state retirees, you and the democrats screwed the disabled state employees, you screwed the LLC’s and the campgrounds; but, now you want to increase job training. That all sounds good politically but simply shows how little you know about the problem in NH.
Job training is only good when you have jobs to go to, DUUUHHHH. I figured this out all on my own. I was talking to a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor a couple of days ago and we discussed this very topic. The person told me this was the major stumbling block for people finding jobs; there is training but no jobs. I hope someone else sees this besides just me.
If you want to create jobs stop screwing the business like the LLC’s, or the work force that keeps this state running. Encourage small business to hire and train their own work force, it is a time proven method of business expansion. Then when jobs come back you can mislead the voters on how much you have done for them, take the tax magnet with you.
OH, OH REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP!!
I have heard you are being bad. The rumor is you’re going around the state getting republicans that you like or control to run against other republicans you can’t control in republican primaries. Not good for all of you important people and king makers out there.
When it is all over, said and done, people that know about this might not stand behind the party, because they either don’t trust you or lost respect for you.
I was watching the FOX News the other day and they had some “important republicans” on the show talking about how they didn’t know how they were going to control the tea party people. I don’t think they want to admit that this movement is based on pure frustration with the progressives in politics and the republicans who lost their direction.
Only because I’m a nice guy I’ll tell you, don’t try to control them, understand their beliefs and join and guide them. OK send me my consulting fees.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Vietnam Vet's Info: GOD BLESS ALL WHO DEFENDED OUR COUNTRY!!!
From the Vietnam Veterans Association:
In case you Vietnam Veterans haven't been paying attention these past few decades after you returned from Vietnam, the clock has been ticking.
The following are some statistics that are at once depressing yet, in a larger sense, should give some a sense of pride.
"Of the 2,709,918 Americans who served in Vietnam ; less than 850,000 are estimated to be alive today, with the youngest American Vietnam veteran's age approximated to be 54 years old."
So, if you're alive and reading this, how does it feel to be among the last 1/3rd of all the U.S. Vets who served in Vietnam ? Don't know about you, but feels a little strange considering this is the kind of information we are used to reading about WWII and Korean War vets.
So the last 14 years we have been dying at a faster rate then most.. Too fast, only a few will survive by 2015...if any.
Every day, 390 Vietnam Veterans die. So in 2190 days from today you will be lucky to be alive.
These statistics were taken from a variety of sources to include: The VFW Magazine, the Public Information Office, and the HQ CP Forward Observer -1st Recon, April 12, 1997.
STATISTICS FOR IN-COUNTRY VIETNAM VETERANS:
A total of 9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the Vietnam Era (August 5, 1964 - May 7, 1975).
A total of 8,744,000 GIs were on active duty during the war (Aug 5, 1964-March 28,1973).
A total of 2,709,918 Americans served in Vietnam , this number represents 9.7% of their generation.
A total of 3,403,100 (Including 514,330 offshore) personnel served in the broader Southeast Asia Theater ( Vietnam , Laos , Cambodia , flight crews based in Thailand , and sailors in adjacent South China Sea waters).
A total of 2,594,000 personnel served within the borders of South Vietnam (Jan. 1,1965 - March 28, 1973). Another 50,000 men served in Vietnam between 1960 and 1964.
Of the 2.6 million, between 1M and 1.6 M (40-60%) either fought in combat, or provided close support or were at least fairly regularly exposed to enemy attack.
7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam .
Peak troop strength in Vietnam : 543,482 (April 30, 1968).
CASUALTIES:
The first man to die in Vietnam was James Davis, in 1958. He was with the 509th Radio Research Station. Davis Station in Saigon was named for him.
Hostile deaths: 47,378
Non-hostile deaths: 10,800
Total: 58,202 (Includes men formerly classified as MIA and Mayaguez casualties). Men who have subsequntly died of wounds account for the changing total.
8 nurses died -- 1 was KIA..
61% of the men killed were 21 or younger..11,465 of those killed were younger than 20 years old.
Of those 47,378 hostile deaths in Vietnam :
29,869 were single
17,509 were married.
Average age: 23.1 years
Enlisted Personnel: 30,274.
Officers: 6,598 28.43
Warrant Officers: ,2,724
E1(Private): 12,520.34
11B (Infantry, Rifleman) MOS: 18,465
Five men killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old.
The oldest man killed was 62 years old.
Highest State death rate: West Virginia - 84.1% (national average 58.9% for every 100,000 males in 1970).
Wounded: 303,704
153,329 hospitalized
150,375 injured requiring no hospital care.
Severely disabled: 75,000,
23,204: 100% disabled;
5,283 lost or severely impaired limbs;
1,081 sustained multiple amputations.
Amputation or crippling wounds to the lower extremities were 300% higher than in WWII and 70% higher than Korea . (Expanded use of land mines)
Multiple amputations occurred at the rate of 18.4% compared to 5.7% in WWII.
AT THE END OF THE WAR
58,338 - Missing in Action
POWs: 766 (114 died in captivity)
As of January 15, 2004, there are 1,875 Americans still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.
DRAFTEES VS.. VOLUNTEERS:
25% (648,500) of total force in country were draftees.
66% of U.S. armed forces members were drafted during WWII
Draftees accounted for 30% (17,725) of combat deaths in Vietnam .
Reservists: 5,977
National Guard: 6,140 served: 101 died.
Total draftees (1965 - 1973): 1,728,344.
Army Draft: 1,685,711
Marine Corps Draft: 42,633
Last man drafted: June 30, 1973.
RACE AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND:
88.4% of the men who actually served in Vietnam were Caucasian
10.6% (275,000) were black
1% belonged to other races.
Killed in Action
86% Caucasions
12% (7,241) were black;
2% Hispanic
1% belonged to other races.
70% of enlisted men killed were of North-west European descent.
14.6% (1,530) of non-combat death were among blacks.
34% of blacks who enlisted, volunteered for the combat arms.
Overall blacks suffered 12% of the deaths in Vietnam at a time when the percentage of blacks of military age was 13.5% of the total population.
Religion of Dead: Protastant -- 64.4%; Catholic -- 28.9%; other/none --
SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS:
Vietnam veterans have a lower unemployment rate than the same non-vet age groups.
Vietnam veterans' personal income exceeds that of our non-veteran age group by more than 18 percent.
76% of the men sent to Vietnam were from the working class
75% had family incomes above the poverty level
50% were from middle income backgrounds.
Some 23% of Vietnam vets had fathers with professional, managerial or technical occupations.
EDUCATION
79% of the men who served HAD a High School education or higher.
63% of Korean War vets
45% of WWII vets had completed High School
DEATH BY REGION
South -- 31%
West --29.9%
Midwest -- 28.4%
Northeast -- 23.5%.
DRUG USAGE & CRIME:
There is no difference in drug usage between Vietnam Veterans and non-Vietnam Veterans of the same age group. (Source: Veterans Administration Study, 1995/National Association of Chiefs of Police)
Vietnam Veterans are far less likely to be in prison - only one-half of one percent of Vietnam Veterans have been jailed for crimes.
85% of Vietnam Veterans made successful transitions to civilian life.
82% of veterans who saw heavy combat strongly believe the war was lost because of lack of political will.
75% of the public agrees it was a failure of political will, not of arms..
HONORABLE SERVICE:
97% of Vietnam-era veterans were honorably discharged.
91% of actual Vietnam War veterans
90% of those who saw combat say they were proud serve their country.
74% say they would serve again, even knowing the outcome.
87% of the public now holds Vietnam veterans in high esteem..
INTERESTING CENSUS STATISTICS
THOSE TO CLAIM TO HAVE "Been There": (Census Figures)
1,703,823 of those who served in Vietnam were still alive as of August,1995
9,492,958 Falsely claim to to have served Vietnam (Census Stats., 2000)
1995 Federal Census
Vietnam Veteran population estimate is: 1,002,511. This is hard to believe, losing nearly 711,000 between '95 and '00.
Vietnam Veterans are dying at a rate of 390 per day.
During the most recent Federal Census (yr. 2000), the number of Americans falsely claiming to have served in-country is: 13,853,227. (This means that FOUR OUT OF FIVE WHO CLAIM TO BE Vietnam vets are not.)
The Department of Defense Vietnam War Service Index officially provided by The War Library originally reported that 2,709,918 U.S. military personnel as having served in-country (Corrections and confirmations to this erred index resulted in the addition of 358 U.S. military personnel confirmed to have served in Vietnam but not originally listed by the Department of Defense. All names are currently on file and accessible day and night.)
Isolated atrocities committed by American Soldiers produced torrents of outrage from anti-war critics and the news media while Communist atrocities were so common that they received hardly any media mention at all. The United States sought to minimize and prevent attacks on civilians while North Vietnam made attacks on civilians a centerpiece of its strategy.
Americans who deliberately killed civilians received prison sentences while Communists who did so received commendations.
From 1957 to 1973, the National Liberation Front assassinated 36,725 Vietnamese and abducted another 58,499. The death squads focused on leaders at the village level and on anyone who improved the lives of the peasants such as medical personnel, social workers, and school teachers.
( Nixon Presidential Papers)
In case you Vietnam Veterans haven't been paying attention these past few decades after you returned from Vietnam, the clock has been ticking.
The following are some statistics that are at once depressing yet, in a larger sense, should give some a sense of pride.
"Of the 2,709,918 Americans who served in Vietnam ; less than 850,000 are estimated to be alive today, with the youngest American Vietnam veteran's age approximated to be 54 years old."
So, if you're alive and reading this, how does it feel to be among the last 1/3rd of all the U.S. Vets who served in Vietnam ? Don't know about you, but feels a little strange considering this is the kind of information we are used to reading about WWII and Korean War vets.
So the last 14 years we have been dying at a faster rate then most.. Too fast, only a few will survive by 2015...if any.
Every day, 390 Vietnam Veterans die. So in 2190 days from today you will be lucky to be alive.
These statistics were taken from a variety of sources to include: The VFW Magazine, the Public Information Office, and the HQ CP Forward Observer -1st Recon, April 12, 1997.
STATISTICS FOR IN-COUNTRY VIETNAM VETERANS:
A total of 9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the Vietnam Era (August 5, 1964 - May 7, 1975).
A total of 8,744,000 GIs were on active duty during the war (Aug 5, 1964-March 28,1973).
A total of 2,709,918 Americans served in Vietnam , this number represents 9.7% of their generation.
A total of 3,403,100 (Including 514,330 offshore) personnel served in the broader Southeast Asia Theater ( Vietnam , Laos , Cambodia , flight crews based in Thailand , and sailors in adjacent South China Sea waters).
A total of 2,594,000 personnel served within the borders of South Vietnam (Jan. 1,1965 - March 28, 1973). Another 50,000 men served in Vietnam between 1960 and 1964.
Of the 2.6 million, between 1M and 1.6 M (40-60%) either fought in combat, or provided close support or were at least fairly regularly exposed to enemy attack.
7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam .
Peak troop strength in Vietnam : 543,482 (April 30, 1968).
CASUALTIES:
The first man to die in Vietnam was James Davis, in 1958. He was with the 509th Radio Research Station. Davis Station in Saigon was named for him.
Hostile deaths: 47,378
Non-hostile deaths: 10,800
Total: 58,202 (Includes men formerly classified as MIA and Mayaguez casualties). Men who have subsequntly died of wounds account for the changing total.
8 nurses died -- 1 was KIA..
61% of the men killed were 21 or younger..11,465 of those killed were younger than 20 years old.
Of those 47,378 hostile deaths in Vietnam :
29,869 were single
17,509 were married.
Average age: 23.1 years
Enlisted Personnel: 30,274.
Officers: 6,598 28.43
Warrant Officers: ,2,724
E1(Private): 12,520.34
11B (Infantry, Rifleman) MOS: 18,465
Five men killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old.
The oldest man killed was 62 years old.
Highest State death rate: West Virginia - 84.1% (national average 58.9% for every 100,000 males in 1970).
Wounded: 303,704
153,329 hospitalized
150,375 injured requiring no hospital care.
Severely disabled: 75,000,
23,204: 100% disabled;
5,283 lost or severely impaired limbs;
1,081 sustained multiple amputations.
Amputation or crippling wounds to the lower extremities were 300% higher than in WWII and 70% higher than Korea . (Expanded use of land mines)
Multiple amputations occurred at the rate of 18.4% compared to 5.7% in WWII.
AT THE END OF THE WAR
58,338 - Missing in Action
POWs: 766 (114 died in captivity)
As of January 15, 2004, there are 1,875 Americans still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.
DRAFTEES VS.. VOLUNTEERS:
25% (648,500) of total force in country were draftees.
66% of U.S. armed forces members were drafted during WWII
Draftees accounted for 30% (17,725) of combat deaths in Vietnam .
Reservists: 5,977
National Guard: 6,140 served: 101 died.
Total draftees (1965 - 1973): 1,728,344.
Army Draft: 1,685,711
Marine Corps Draft: 42,633
Last man drafted: June 30, 1973.
RACE AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND:
88.4% of the men who actually served in Vietnam were Caucasian
10.6% (275,000) were black
1% belonged to other races.
Killed in Action
86% Caucasions
12% (7,241) were black;
2% Hispanic
1% belonged to other races.
70% of enlisted men killed were of North-west European descent.
14.6% (1,530) of non-combat death were among blacks.
34% of blacks who enlisted, volunteered for the combat arms.
Overall blacks suffered 12% of the deaths in Vietnam at a time when the percentage of blacks of military age was 13.5% of the total population.
Religion of Dead: Protastant -- 64.4%; Catholic -- 28.9%; other/none --
SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS:
Vietnam veterans have a lower unemployment rate than the same non-vet age groups.
Vietnam veterans' personal income exceeds that of our non-veteran age group by more than 18 percent.
76% of the men sent to Vietnam were from the working class
75% had family incomes above the poverty level
50% were from middle income backgrounds.
Some 23% of Vietnam vets had fathers with professional, managerial or technical occupations.
EDUCATION
79% of the men who served HAD a High School education or higher.
63% of Korean War vets
45% of WWII vets had completed High School
DEATH BY REGION
South -- 31%
West --29.9%
Midwest -- 28.4%
Northeast -- 23.5%.
DRUG USAGE & CRIME:
There is no difference in drug usage between Vietnam Veterans and non-Vietnam Veterans of the same age group. (Source: Veterans Administration Study, 1995/National Association of Chiefs of Police)
Vietnam Veterans are far less likely to be in prison - only one-half of one percent of Vietnam Veterans have been jailed for crimes.
85% of Vietnam Veterans made successful transitions to civilian life.
82% of veterans who saw heavy combat strongly believe the war was lost because of lack of political will.
75% of the public agrees it was a failure of political will, not of arms..
HONORABLE SERVICE:
97% of Vietnam-era veterans were honorably discharged.
91% of actual Vietnam War veterans
90% of those who saw combat say they were proud serve their country.
74% say they would serve again, even knowing the outcome.
87% of the public now holds Vietnam veterans in high esteem..
INTERESTING CENSUS STATISTICS
THOSE TO CLAIM TO HAVE "Been There": (Census Figures)
1,703,823 of those who served in Vietnam were still alive as of August,1995
9,492,958 Falsely claim to to have served Vietnam (Census Stats., 2000)
1995 Federal Census
Vietnam Veteran population estimate is: 1,002,511. This is hard to believe, losing nearly 711,000 between '95 and '00.
Vietnam Veterans are dying at a rate of 390 per day.
During the most recent Federal Census (yr. 2000), the number of Americans falsely claiming to have served in-country is: 13,853,227. (This means that FOUR OUT OF FIVE WHO CLAIM TO BE Vietnam vets are not.)
The Department of Defense Vietnam War Service Index officially provided by The War Library originally reported that 2,709,918 U.S. military personnel as having served in-country (Corrections and confirmations to this erred index resulted in the addition of 358 U.S. military personnel confirmed to have served in Vietnam but not originally listed by the Department of Defense. All names are currently on file and accessible day and night.)
Isolated atrocities committed by American Soldiers produced torrents of outrage from anti-war critics and the news media while Communist atrocities were so common that they received hardly any media mention at all. The United States sought to minimize and prevent attacks on civilians while North Vietnam made attacks on civilians a centerpiece of its strategy.
Americans who deliberately killed civilians received prison sentences while Communists who did so received commendations.
From 1957 to 1973, the National Liberation Front assassinated 36,725 Vietnamese and abducted another 58,499. The death squads focused on leaders at the village level and on anyone who improved the lives of the peasants such as medical personnel, social workers, and school teachers.
( Nixon Presidential Papers)
Thursday, January 21, 2010
“THE UNITED STATES IS NO LONGER A CHRISTIAN NATION”???
That is a quote from President Barak Husain Obama. I guess I woke up one morning and am now a Muslim. I don’t have anything against any religion, unless it is being based on preaching hate and killing, then I have a problem.
The facts are that the United States was born, because of the lack of religious freedom, by pilgrims that were deeply religious and wanting to live in an atmosphere where they could worship and practice as they wished. Our country morphed into a country that is tolerant of all religions even when they want to kill you; I know that sounds a little strange. This is true you are guaranteed freedom to preach hate and killing. The problem is when they practice it.
If we are no longer a Christian country why does the American people shell out almost a billion dollars, so far, re-assign combat troops from the middle east to dig out buried children, women and men from the rubble of Haiti; then digging out thousands of decaying bodies to give them some kind of burial.
I think we can all see it is not easy being a Christian. It might be even harder being a president who doesn’t know what he is talking about, doesn’t respect America as a nation and you and me as individuals.
The president can be a closet Muslim if he wants, that right is guaranteed him by our constitution; but, I’m still proud to be a Christian
GOD BLESS AMERICA AND ALL WHO UNDERSTAND WHAT A GREAT COUNTRY WE LIVE IN!!
The facts are that the United States was born, because of the lack of religious freedom, by pilgrims that were deeply religious and wanting to live in an atmosphere where they could worship and practice as they wished. Our country morphed into a country that is tolerant of all religions even when they want to kill you; I know that sounds a little strange. This is true you are guaranteed freedom to preach hate and killing. The problem is when they practice it.
If we are no longer a Christian country why does the American people shell out almost a billion dollars, so far, re-assign combat troops from the middle east to dig out buried children, women and men from the rubble of Haiti; then digging out thousands of decaying bodies to give them some kind of burial.
I think we can all see it is not easy being a Christian. It might be even harder being a president who doesn’t know what he is talking about, doesn’t respect America as a nation and you and me as individuals.
The president can be a closet Muslim if he wants, that right is guaranteed him by our constitution; but, I’m still proud to be a Christian
GOD BLESS AMERICA AND ALL WHO UNDERSTAND WHAT A GREAT COUNTRY WE LIVE IN!!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
AMERICAN VOTERS ARE SPEAKING ARE THE PARTIES LISTENING???
The MA voters have spoken and Scott Brown was elected a US Senator. The votes hadn’t been counted before the progressive spin machine was attacking his opponent for running a bad campaign with the usual diatribe to justify their statements. The Republican Party will be beating their chest like they are trying out for a Tarzan movie; but, none of them seem to understand what happened.
If you look at the Tea Party movement they subscribe to the traditional republican principles; less government, lower taxes, spending and traditional freedoms. If the Republican Party still promoted those ideal, there would be no tea party movement. A poll showed that if the tea partiers were a political party they would out number republicans and democrats.
There has been a void in political leadership in both parties for several years now; whenever there is a leadership void someone, or group, will fill it. If the democrats have been usurped by the progressives (socialists) and the republicans have watched their core values of republicanism watered down and pushed aside, disenfranchised members of both parties look for a new movement.
What most politicians don’t realize is this MA, VA and NJ, elections was not about parties, it was about the American voters rejecting what is going on in the federal government and a direct rebuke of the Obama Administration. Americans don’t like being lied to or manipulated by someone they believed in.
In 2010 the bloodletting will begin, we will probably lose Congressman Porter, and Hodes; we will take back the state senate and the house. What the republicans have to do is not screw up the program and lose it by 2012; we have been known to do that.
The best thing both parties can do in NH is stay out of the voters’ way; I think the voters are getting fed up with both parties. We know what we want; most understand the issues and have educated themselves on who are the special interest sponges (absorbing the special interest money for selling their votes), and those who tell us one thing to our face and do just the opposite when they get to Concord.
So if the political parties want to do something good, how about staying out of the voters’ way and watch what the voters do, maybe they’ll learn something.
If you look at the Tea Party movement they subscribe to the traditional republican principles; less government, lower taxes, spending and traditional freedoms. If the Republican Party still promoted those ideal, there would be no tea party movement. A poll showed that if the tea partiers were a political party they would out number republicans and democrats.
There has been a void in political leadership in both parties for several years now; whenever there is a leadership void someone, or group, will fill it. If the democrats have been usurped by the progressives (socialists) and the republicans have watched their core values of republicanism watered down and pushed aside, disenfranchised members of both parties look for a new movement.
What most politicians don’t realize is this MA, VA and NJ, elections was not about parties, it was about the American voters rejecting what is going on in the federal government and a direct rebuke of the Obama Administration. Americans don’t like being lied to or manipulated by someone they believed in.
In 2010 the bloodletting will begin, we will probably lose Congressman Porter, and Hodes; we will take back the state senate and the house. What the republicans have to do is not screw up the program and lose it by 2012; we have been known to do that.
The best thing both parties can do in NH is stay out of the voters’ way; I think the voters are getting fed up with both parties. We know what we want; most understand the issues and have educated themselves on who are the special interest sponges (absorbing the special interest money for selling their votes), and those who tell us one thing to our face and do just the opposite when they get to Concord.
So if the political parties want to do something good, how about staying out of the voters’ way and watch what the voters do, maybe they’ll learn something.
WELCOME TO TAXHAMPSHIRE!!
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS BRACE FOR BIG TAX HIKES
The brand new Limited Liability Company (LLC) Tax has come home to roost in Concord. After being slipped into the budget at the 23rd hour and 59th minute in the dead of night without a public hearing --- the legislators who voted for it are now flummoxed that ordinary working people are irate.
For some reason in New Hampshire, perhaps due to the character and strength of our White Mountains, we just don’t expect the abuse of the political process that would allow an income tax on small business owners to become law without a public hearing and vigorous debate and then to be applied retroactively!
What is the LLC Tax? Simply put it extends the 5% Interest and Dividends Tax (I&D) to the stream of income a business owner pays him or herself above a level of “reasonable compensation” that is determined by government officials in Concord. Setting aside for a moment that it is an upside down world when Concord officials have the power to determine what a business owner can pay themselves --- this tax is fundamentally new and specifically targets business owner income.
For example—a business owner conducting business as an LLC or partnership pays him or herself a salary of $100,000. The DRA then determines the level of “reasonable compensation” that the business owner should pay him or herself is only $50,000. The $50,000 that is allowed as compensation would not be taxed under either the Business Profits Tax (BPT) or the I&D Tax. But the second $50,000 is now taxed twice – once at the 8.5% BPT rate ($4,250) and again as an after-tax “dividend” under the 5% I&D Tax ($2,287). Total Tax Hit = $6537 per this example.
Historically, since its inception over 85 years ago, the Interest and Dividends Tax has applied only to passive forms of income – true dividends and interest. Now this fundamental tax change applies to business owner income and to add insult to injury, personnel from the DRA have stated that the tax would apply to capital gains.
How in the world did New Hampshire get here? It starts with no public hearing when legislators wrote this law in June! Generations of New Hampshire citizens of all political stripes have steadfastly opposed an income tax and this tax would probably not have seen the light of day except for the hidden stealth and secrecy of its inception.
The Department of Revenue (DRA) just completed four forums on implementing the rules for new LLC tax. At these forums, the DRA made it perfectly clear to the nearly 1000people who attended, that they were not there to discuss the merits of implementing the tax, but on how best to collect it. New Hampshire citizens turned out in droves because they are angry their voices were not heard when the legislation was voted on, and that their voices will be largely ignored now that it is law. Many are small business owners struggling to keep their doors open in this terribly difficult economy. One after another, they made a compelling case about how fearful they are that this tax will undermine their business’s ability to stay afloat.
Naturally this tax has its defenders – primarily the Democrats who voted for and signed it into law --- and their spin is in over-drive. They claim the tax merely closes a loophole, which does not pass the straight face test. Whether inadvertent or by design, the LLC tax does not apply to sole-proprietors. So if the design of the tax was to close loop-holes and provide equity why weren’t sole-proprietors also taxed?
Tax equity among business owners was debated when the Legislature created the Business Enterprise Tax in 1993. As every business owner knows, the BET is a .75% tax on the salary of every employee including the owner --- but paid exclusively by the owner not the employee. Businesses are subject to both the BET and BPT, but can credit their BET exposure against BPT obligations to prevent double taxation. When the BET was adopted it broadly spread the burden of business taxation so a few companies were not stuck with the entire tax bill. But in reality the BET is a .75% income tax on business owners. Supporters of the LLC tax took another giant leap forward --- and supporters should be honest enough to call it what it is – a narrow but hefty income tax on business owners.
As the questions mount, the problems are just beginning. If the tax is applied retroactively it is a certain lawsuit given our constitution’s prohibition on retroactive taxation. People are expected to pay the tax for all of 2009, but the compliance rules aren’t finished and are unlikely to be adopted before the end of February. The tax is due 6 short weeks later. I twice suggested to DRA they waive all penalties and fines for the first year. I have received no answer to what should be common sense. In addition, book-keeping costs are likely to be extreme – a potential cure worse than the disease.
Along with others, I have filed legislation to repeal this tax. Taxing business
owners at a time when 50,000 people are out of work and businesses are struggling sends a terrible message. If you are considering opening a business in New Hampshire—Don’t! If you are in business here already – Leave!
When the business tax climate in Massachusetts beats that of New Hampshire----we have a problem even Democratic spin won’t solve. Repeal of this tax and spending discipline maintains our tax advantage and gets New Hampshire back to work.
If we don't repeal this tax we might as well change our border welcome signs to:
Welcome to NEW TAX-SHIRE!
by JEB Bradley
The brand new Limited Liability Company (LLC) Tax has come home to roost in Concord. After being slipped into the budget at the 23rd hour and 59th minute in the dead of night without a public hearing --- the legislators who voted for it are now flummoxed that ordinary working people are irate.
For some reason in New Hampshire, perhaps due to the character and strength of our White Mountains, we just don’t expect the abuse of the political process that would allow an income tax on small business owners to become law without a public hearing and vigorous debate and then to be applied retroactively!
What is the LLC Tax? Simply put it extends the 5% Interest and Dividends Tax (I&D) to the stream of income a business owner pays him or herself above a level of “reasonable compensation” that is determined by government officials in Concord. Setting aside for a moment that it is an upside down world when Concord officials have the power to determine what a business owner can pay themselves --- this tax is fundamentally new and specifically targets business owner income.
For example—a business owner conducting business as an LLC or partnership pays him or herself a salary of $100,000. The DRA then determines the level of “reasonable compensation” that the business owner should pay him or herself is only $50,000. The $50,000 that is allowed as compensation would not be taxed under either the Business Profits Tax (BPT) or the I&D Tax. But the second $50,000 is now taxed twice – once at the 8.5% BPT rate ($4,250) and again as an after-tax “dividend” under the 5% I&D Tax ($2,287). Total Tax Hit = $6537 per this example.
Historically, since its inception over 85 years ago, the Interest and Dividends Tax has applied only to passive forms of income – true dividends and interest. Now this fundamental tax change applies to business owner income and to add insult to injury, personnel from the DRA have stated that the tax would apply to capital gains.
How in the world did New Hampshire get here? It starts with no public hearing when legislators wrote this law in June! Generations of New Hampshire citizens of all political stripes have steadfastly opposed an income tax and this tax would probably not have seen the light of day except for the hidden stealth and secrecy of its inception.
The Department of Revenue (DRA) just completed four forums on implementing the rules for new LLC tax. At these forums, the DRA made it perfectly clear to the nearly 1000people who attended, that they were not there to discuss the merits of implementing the tax, but on how best to collect it. New Hampshire citizens turned out in droves because they are angry their voices were not heard when the legislation was voted on, and that their voices will be largely ignored now that it is law. Many are small business owners struggling to keep their doors open in this terribly difficult economy. One after another, they made a compelling case about how fearful they are that this tax will undermine their business’s ability to stay afloat.
Naturally this tax has its defenders – primarily the Democrats who voted for and signed it into law --- and their spin is in over-drive. They claim the tax merely closes a loophole, which does not pass the straight face test. Whether inadvertent or by design, the LLC tax does not apply to sole-proprietors. So if the design of the tax was to close loop-holes and provide equity why weren’t sole-proprietors also taxed?
Tax equity among business owners was debated when the Legislature created the Business Enterprise Tax in 1993. As every business owner knows, the BET is a .75% tax on the salary of every employee including the owner --- but paid exclusively by the owner not the employee. Businesses are subject to both the BET and BPT, but can credit their BET exposure against BPT obligations to prevent double taxation. When the BET was adopted it broadly spread the burden of business taxation so a few companies were not stuck with the entire tax bill. But in reality the BET is a .75% income tax on business owners. Supporters of the LLC tax took another giant leap forward --- and supporters should be honest enough to call it what it is – a narrow but hefty income tax on business owners.
As the questions mount, the problems are just beginning. If the tax is applied retroactively it is a certain lawsuit given our constitution’s prohibition on retroactive taxation. People are expected to pay the tax for all of 2009, but the compliance rules aren’t finished and are unlikely to be adopted before the end of February. The tax is due 6 short weeks later. I twice suggested to DRA they waive all penalties and fines for the first year. I have received no answer to what should be common sense. In addition, book-keeping costs are likely to be extreme – a potential cure worse than the disease.
Along with others, I have filed legislation to repeal this tax. Taxing business
owners at a time when 50,000 people are out of work and businesses are struggling sends a terrible message. If you are considering opening a business in New Hampshire—Don’t! If you are in business here already – Leave!
When the business tax climate in Massachusetts beats that of New Hampshire----we have a problem even Democratic spin won’t solve. Repeal of this tax and spending discipline maintains our tax advantage and gets New Hampshire back to work.
If we don't repeal this tax we might as well change our border welcome signs to:
Welcome to NEW TAX-SHIRE!
by JEB Bradley
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
I AM THE PRODUCT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION!!
And I will not apologize for it; yes Exeter public schools grades 1-12 graduating in 1965. That was pretty much before hand held calculators, battery operated radios and battery operated TV’s; but, what I was taught was how to count and figure numbers without the everyday electronic toys.
What I have been able to figure is that when the crazy liberal democrats in the legislature and senate in Concord went nuts on a spending spree and went nuts on raising the 40 or so fees and taxes, the last two budgets by almost a billion dollars a budget and don’t forget in the huge morass of insanity, remodeling the state house ladies room, while promoting a social agenda that is not NH and showing a repressed agenda of being dumb.
Let’s look at how the democrats stuck it to the NH State retirees. The retirees who went a number of years without pay raises to keep a good health plan for their families and themselves woke up one morning to find that we had to pay $130 per month for our health care, prescription drugs at $10, $20, and $30, doctor visits up %100 and this came with no warning so there was no way to budget for it. ARE THEY THAN THE PROTECTORS OF THE WORKING CLASS???
Then the LLC mess, Maggie got us into, oh, she had her fingers in the state retirees fiasco (which is getting the state sued by our union); but I can count.
Let’s look at some numbers that have the democrats concerned, special elections and there has been a few showing republican victories of 2-3 to one against the democrats. There are, according to the Manchester Union Leader 45,000 LLC’s in NH; if all the LLC’s brings 5 votes to the table that brings about a quarter of a million votes against the dems. If you add in the 35,000 to 50,000 votes that our state employees can bring to the table we are talking almost 300,000 votes that will vote for change going in the opposite direction of where we are now.
So the democrats will have to scramble to fix the LLC that they screwed up and the state employees they stuck it to or face the anger of the electorate.
In NH you can only vote as a republican or a democrat so the swing will be back towards the republicans. Our republican leadership will beat their chest and take credit for how wonderful they are; but, the bottom line is there is a grass roots movement of not only anger but a desire to put common sense back in the political process. This movement will leave both parties in the dirt as it moves ahead. The only people who should take credit for this are the democrat state leadership that caused it; very similar to George Bush taking credit for the democratic sweep in the last election.
I am not at all excited about what I think the political changes will bring. First of all the republicans have more than enough time to screw up the program and secondly we need to be concerned about the quality of candidates we elect. I know of some very good people who will run in our district 13 and will be supporting them. I will be running for state rep again and will be running as a republican, independent of the establishment and promoting what the voters want, not what the political machine wants. I hope if any democrats run they have learned from what they have done and start showing loyalty to you the voters and not their party. As I used to tell the party leadership in the house that would “talk to me” about my positions, “I vote for you, you don’t vote for me”. Do you think that is why I was never in leadership?
What I have been able to figure is that when the crazy liberal democrats in the legislature and senate in Concord went nuts on a spending spree and went nuts on raising the 40 or so fees and taxes, the last two budgets by almost a billion dollars a budget and don’t forget in the huge morass of insanity, remodeling the state house ladies room, while promoting a social agenda that is not NH and showing a repressed agenda of being dumb.
Let’s look at how the democrats stuck it to the NH State retirees. The retirees who went a number of years without pay raises to keep a good health plan for their families and themselves woke up one morning to find that we had to pay $130 per month for our health care, prescription drugs at $10, $20, and $30, doctor visits up %100 and this came with no warning so there was no way to budget for it. ARE THEY THAN THE PROTECTORS OF THE WORKING CLASS???
Then the LLC mess, Maggie got us into, oh, she had her fingers in the state retirees fiasco (which is getting the state sued by our union); but I can count.
Let’s look at some numbers that have the democrats concerned, special elections and there has been a few showing republican victories of 2-3 to one against the democrats. There are, according to the Manchester Union Leader 45,000 LLC’s in NH; if all the LLC’s brings 5 votes to the table that brings about a quarter of a million votes against the dems. If you add in the 35,000 to 50,000 votes that our state employees can bring to the table we are talking almost 300,000 votes that will vote for change going in the opposite direction of where we are now.
So the democrats will have to scramble to fix the LLC that they screwed up and the state employees they stuck it to or face the anger of the electorate.
In NH you can only vote as a republican or a democrat so the swing will be back towards the republicans. Our republican leadership will beat their chest and take credit for how wonderful they are; but, the bottom line is there is a grass roots movement of not only anger but a desire to put common sense back in the political process. This movement will leave both parties in the dirt as it moves ahead. The only people who should take credit for this are the democrat state leadership that caused it; very similar to George Bush taking credit for the democratic sweep in the last election.
I am not at all excited about what I think the political changes will bring. First of all the republicans have more than enough time to screw up the program and secondly we need to be concerned about the quality of candidates we elect. I know of some very good people who will run in our district 13 and will be supporting them. I will be running for state rep again and will be running as a republican, independent of the establishment and promoting what the voters want, not what the political machine wants. I hope if any democrats run they have learned from what they have done and start showing loyalty to you the voters and not their party. As I used to tell the party leadership in the house that would “talk to me” about my positions, “I vote for you, you don’t vote for me”. Do you think that is why I was never in leadership?
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Consumer protection needs upgrading!!
Over the past few years consumer protection in NH has been under attack by the businesses that have the money to buy lobbyists who are paid quite handsomely to defend the businesses who pay them against consumer protection upgrades. This very issue was the focal point of a number of articles, speeches and discussion I have put forth over the years.
A number of years ago Matt and I sponsored a bill to study the consumer protection issues in NH with the hopes of figuring out the best way to enhance the overall effort. What we found was really quite interesting. At the time the NH Consumer Protection Division of the AG’s Office, was handling around 20,000 complaints yearly with 2 and ½ attorneys and a very dedicated skilled group of volunteers. Now one half of an attorney doesn’t mean someone under a certain height that person was shared, or tasked, to support another state effort. Another interesting note was the State has about seven different consumer protection operations going on in the state. For example: we have the AG’s office, the insurance department, the banking department, the public utilities commission and the various board that can discipline, fine or suspend an individual’s license to practice their trade. As a matter of fact that seemed to be one of the major criteria to get out from under the AG’s consumer protection oversight, was whether the licensing board (such as lawyers, doctors etc) had the ability to take such action against its members in response to a complaint.
That was the easy part; the hard part was fighting for legislation that would give you a better chance of being protected when you are unfairly taken advantage of. I don’t remember how many times in response to legislation that Matt and I put in to upgrade the CP effort the lobbyist came in to the Commerce Committee to fight against our efforts. Upgrades to our consumer protection efforts were met with lies, misstatements and don’t forgot attendance at fund raisers. Not many want to talk about it; but, this is the system we have to work in, or, until we get it changed. Don’t look surprised, how do you think some senators in NH raise a $100,000 a year or more in fundraising? I think we can all agree that the money goes to those who are for sale; I’ve seen enough of that to turn my stomach.
We were not the most popular amongst the special interest groups and my stock response to some of the outrageous testimony as to why we shouldn’t upgrade the effort was, “go tell your clients if they didn’t screw the consumers they needn’t worry about this”. Once or twice I might have been counseled on my straight forward, no games played style; but, oh well life is tough and our constituents got, and rightly so, a full day’s pay for the $87 a year(after taxes) that we were getting paid.
One of the last changes we tried was to get a couple more staff to increase the AG’s ability to investigate and deal with these complaints, that effort was shot down and the lobbyists reasoning was if we had more staff they would do more cases. In the insurance department we did get an upgrade in that would fine insurance companies and adjusters who purposely low balled your claim in order to give you a reduced pay out on your policy.
No matter what the issue it is not going to be resolved over night. The issue has to be investigated, the perpetrator has to be contacted, time frames for a response, negotiations bond agencies notified, information on what is owed and to whom, pay out time if the perpetrator is determined to be at fault and court time if they refuse to cooperate in fixing the problem. All the time, your roof might be leaking, your oil tank is empty etc. But don’t worry, our locally elected officials are “keeping an eye on the situation”, and it is an election year, they have to act concerned and get their pictures in the papers to look good and make you think they right out their fighting for your rights while some are sending out fundraising letters to the special interests that could care less about you.
Lee Quandt is a former state rep serving on the Commerce Committee that dealt with Insurance and Business legislation.
A number of years ago Matt and I sponsored a bill to study the consumer protection issues in NH with the hopes of figuring out the best way to enhance the overall effort. What we found was really quite interesting. At the time the NH Consumer Protection Division of the AG’s Office, was handling around 20,000 complaints yearly with 2 and ½ attorneys and a very dedicated skilled group of volunteers. Now one half of an attorney doesn’t mean someone under a certain height that person was shared, or tasked, to support another state effort. Another interesting note was the State has about seven different consumer protection operations going on in the state. For example: we have the AG’s office, the insurance department, the banking department, the public utilities commission and the various board that can discipline, fine or suspend an individual’s license to practice their trade. As a matter of fact that seemed to be one of the major criteria to get out from under the AG’s consumer protection oversight, was whether the licensing board (such as lawyers, doctors etc) had the ability to take such action against its members in response to a complaint.
That was the easy part; the hard part was fighting for legislation that would give you a better chance of being protected when you are unfairly taken advantage of. I don’t remember how many times in response to legislation that Matt and I put in to upgrade the CP effort the lobbyist came in to the Commerce Committee to fight against our efforts. Upgrades to our consumer protection efforts were met with lies, misstatements and don’t forgot attendance at fund raisers. Not many want to talk about it; but, this is the system we have to work in, or, until we get it changed. Don’t look surprised, how do you think some senators in NH raise a $100,000 a year or more in fundraising? I think we can all agree that the money goes to those who are for sale; I’ve seen enough of that to turn my stomach.
We were not the most popular amongst the special interest groups and my stock response to some of the outrageous testimony as to why we shouldn’t upgrade the effort was, “go tell your clients if they didn’t screw the consumers they needn’t worry about this”. Once or twice I might have been counseled on my straight forward, no games played style; but, oh well life is tough and our constituents got, and rightly so, a full day’s pay for the $87 a year(after taxes) that we were getting paid.
One of the last changes we tried was to get a couple more staff to increase the AG’s ability to investigate and deal with these complaints, that effort was shot down and the lobbyists reasoning was if we had more staff they would do more cases. In the insurance department we did get an upgrade in that would fine insurance companies and adjusters who purposely low balled your claim in order to give you a reduced pay out on your policy.
No matter what the issue it is not going to be resolved over night. The issue has to be investigated, the perpetrator has to be contacted, time frames for a response, negotiations bond agencies notified, information on what is owed and to whom, pay out time if the perpetrator is determined to be at fault and court time if they refuse to cooperate in fixing the problem. All the time, your roof might be leaking, your oil tank is empty etc. But don’t worry, our locally elected officials are “keeping an eye on the situation”, and it is an election year, they have to act concerned and get their pictures in the papers to look good and make you think they right out their fighting for your rights while some are sending out fundraising letters to the special interests that could care less about you.
Lee Quandt is a former state rep serving on the Commerce Committee that dealt with Insurance and Business legislation.
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