In a letter to the New York Times, CPA John Carrick succinctly summarizes a governmental scheme that would send private citizens to jail if they did the same thing:
Social Security is in effect a giant Ponzi scheme. Today’s contributions are used to pay beneficiaries who contributed yesterday, and the surplus of current contributions is “lent” to the federal government and used for general spending.
The Ponzi scheme underlying the Medicare system is even more blatant. Consider the new “Medicare Contribution,” enacted as part of ObamaCare in the name of “fairness,” which extended the 3.8 percent Medicare tax to the investment income of those making more than $200,000 ($250,000 in the case of a couple). The legislation dispensed with the interim step of sending the money to the Medicare Trust Fund, to then be “lent” to the general fund and spent on non-Medicare programs. Instead, the money from the new “contribution” will go straight to the general fund; Medicare will not even get a government IOU to hold in “trust.” Privately run Ponzi schemes are generally less brazen.
Later this month, Democrats will attempt to increase the “fairness” of the most progressive income-tax system in the world (under which about half of American households pay no tax at all and the top 1 percent pay of earners pay about 40 percent of the total) by increasing taxes on the “rich” to help finance the trillion-dollar deficits Obama has made the new norm. The plan is to withdraw hundreds of billions more dollars from the private economy while assuring citizens that the economic consequences will be felt only by the targeted few. The public seems to understand that the economic effect will be somewhat broader.
It is a shame that there isn’t more money in the Social Security and Medicare trust funds to “borrow.” That is such a simpler system — and there is no pesky criminal law to prevent it, since only private Ponzi schemes are banned. But the federal government has exhausted its current Ponzi possibilities and now seems more like Adam Sandler in a tax-fairness costume.
Poor thang:
Ciara says she received the “most negative energy” as a result of her lackluster sales, with bloggers and other critics declaring her music career over. Now the 25-year-old singer, who released her fourth album, “Basic Instinct,” this month, says she’s learned not to be concerned about selling millions of records anymore. In a recent phone interview, she talked about how she’s still making waves in the entertainment realm.
The Associated Press: On the opening track of “Basic Instinct (U Got Me),” you lashed out at bloggers and critics. How important was it for you to get those things off your chest?
Ciara: I wanted to speak to all the haters. I just wanted to scream out and show how I felt. People are so easy to write you off. I live for energy like that. The harder they hate, the harder I go. I do believe I will be here for a while. I’m claiming it and no one … make me think differently.
AP: How do you feel when people say that your star as singer has fallen?
Ciara: Even though my last album didn’t do as well as my previous ones, I was still able to go out and make money and tour. Every day is not always the perfect day. Artists that I have loved and admired, who have had a long career, have not had every record or song or video that was always the right choice.
AP: With your previous album not selling well, are you concerned about what type of numbers you put up for “Basic Instinct”?
Ciara: Selling records are becoming smaller fraction of branding and building a long-lasting career. You can sell a lot of records, but can you tour. You can sell records, but where does it go beyond that? That’s a part of building a brand for yourself.
AP: So at this point of your career, going on tour has bigger precedence over album sales?
Ciara: Absolutely. If you can walk away from your career and are successful touring, you’ll always be straight. Artists like Madonna have been doing it for years. She may put out one single, do a tour and gross over $200 million.
AP: You are in the blogs almost every other day. Was there anything you read that rubbed you the wrong way?
Ciara: It used to be funny to me when people would say, “Oh, Ciara is going Hollywood.” And you know what, I have gone Hollywood. I do want to make Hollywood money. But it doesn’t mean that I’ve changed who I am as a person. I haven’t changed because of the people who I hang out with now. I’m still the same person as I was before.
Damn, CiCi…you definiely need more people, babygirl.
Source
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Cable <b>News</b> Ratings 2010: Top 30 Programs Of The Year (PHOTOS)
2010 is almost done, and the cable news ratings for the entire year are in. As always, Fox News came out on top, thoroughly dominating the competition and taking the top 12 slots on the ratings list.
The Best of 2010's Animals in the <b>News</b>
2010 produced many weird, far-out, bizarre photos of people. But let's not forget all of the animals that made headlines over the past 12 months: from a rhino cow, penguin santas and lip-syncing monkey, we offer some of the best.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
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Cable <b>News</b> Ratings 2010: Top 30 Programs Of The Year (PHOTOS)
2010 is almost done, and the cable news ratings for the entire year are in. As always, Fox News came out on top, thoroughly dominating the competition and taking the top 12 slots on the ratings list.
The Best of 2010's Animals in the <b>News</b>
2010 produced many weird, far-out, bizarre photos of people. But let's not forget all of the animals that made headlines over the past 12 months: from a rhino cow, penguin santas and lip-syncing monkey, we offer some of the best.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
bench craft company scam
Cable <b>News</b> Ratings 2010: Top 30 Programs Of The Year (PHOTOS)
2010 is almost done, and the cable news ratings for the entire year are in. As always, Fox News came out on top, thoroughly dominating the competition and taking the top 12 slots on the ratings list.
The Best of 2010's Animals in the <b>News</b>
2010 produced many weird, far-out, bizarre photos of people. But let's not forget all of the animals that made headlines over the past 12 months: from a rhino cow, penguin santas and lip-syncing monkey, we offer some of the best.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
bench craft company scam
Cable <b>News</b> Ratings 2010: Top 30 Programs Of The Year (PHOTOS)
2010 is almost done, and the cable news ratings for the entire year are in. As always, Fox News came out on top, thoroughly dominating the competition and taking the top 12 slots on the ratings list.
The Best of 2010's Animals in the <b>News</b>
2010 produced many weird, far-out, bizarre photos of people. But let's not forget all of the animals that made headlines over the past 12 months: from a rhino cow, penguin santas and lip-syncing monkey, we offer some of the best.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
bench craft company scam
Cable <b>News</b> Ratings 2010: Top 30 Programs Of The Year (PHOTOS)
2010 is almost done, and the cable news ratings for the entire year are in. As always, Fox News came out on top, thoroughly dominating the competition and taking the top 12 slots on the ratings list.
The Best of 2010's Animals in the <b>News</b>
2010 produced many weird, far-out, bizarre photos of people. But let's not forget all of the animals that made headlines over the past 12 months: from a rhino cow, penguin santas and lip-syncing monkey, we offer some of the best.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
bench craft company scam
Cable <b>News</b> Ratings 2010: Top 30 Programs Of The Year (PHOTOS)
2010 is almost done, and the cable news ratings for the entire year are in. As always, Fox News came out on top, thoroughly dominating the competition and taking the top 12 slots on the ratings list.
The Best of 2010's Animals in the <b>News</b>
2010 produced many weird, far-out, bizarre photos of people. But let's not forget all of the animals that made headlines over the past 12 months: from a rhino cow, penguin santas and lip-syncing monkey, we offer some of the best.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
bench craft company scam
Cable <b>News</b> Ratings 2010: Top 30 Programs Of The Year (PHOTOS)
2010 is almost done, and the cable news ratings for the entire year are in. As always, Fox News came out on top, thoroughly dominating the competition and taking the top 12 slots on the ratings list.
The Best of 2010's Animals in the <b>News</b>
2010 produced many weird, far-out, bizarre photos of people. But let's not forget all of the animals that made headlines over the past 12 months: from a rhino cow, penguin santas and lip-syncing monkey, we offer some of the best.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
bench craft company scam
Cable <b>News</b> Ratings 2010: Top 30 Programs Of The Year (PHOTOS)
2010 is almost done, and the cable news ratings for the entire year are in. As always, Fox News came out on top, thoroughly dominating the competition and taking the top 12 slots on the ratings list.
The Best of 2010's Animals in the <b>News</b>
2010 produced many weird, far-out, bizarre photos of people. But let's not forget all of the animals that made headlines over the past 12 months: from a rhino cow, penguin santas and lip-syncing monkey, we offer some of the best.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
bench craft company scam
Cable <b>News</b> Ratings 2010: Top 30 Programs Of The Year (PHOTOS)
2010 is almost done, and the cable news ratings for the entire year are in. As always, Fox News came out on top, thoroughly dominating the competition and taking the top 12 slots on the ratings list.
The Best of 2010's Animals in the <b>News</b>
2010 produced many weird, far-out, bizarre photos of people. But let's not forget all of the animals that made headlines over the past 12 months: from a rhino cow, penguin santas and lip-syncing monkey, we offer some of the best.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
bench craft company scam
Cable <b>News</b> Ratings 2010: Top 30 Programs Of The Year (PHOTOS)
2010 is almost done, and the cable news ratings for the entire year are in. As always, Fox News came out on top, thoroughly dominating the competition and taking the top 12 slots on the ratings list.
The Best of 2010's Animals in the <b>News</b>
2010 produced many weird, far-out, bizarre photos of people. But let's not forget all of the animals that made headlines over the past 12 months: from a rhino cow, penguin santas and lip-syncing monkey, we offer some of the best.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
bench craft company scam
Cable <b>News</b> Ratings 2010: Top 30 Programs Of The Year (PHOTOS)
2010 is almost done, and the cable news ratings for the entire year are in. As always, Fox News came out on top, thoroughly dominating the competition and taking the top 12 slots on the ratings list.
The Best of 2010's Animals in the <b>News</b>
2010 produced many weird, far-out, bizarre photos of people. But let's not forget all of the animals that made headlines over the past 12 months: from a rhino cow, penguin santas and lip-syncing monkey, we offer some of the best.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
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