Economy and Business
This Economy Stinks Worse than You Think
David Kocieniewski just won the Pulitzer Prize for his in-depth reporting on the loopholes that the richest Americans and corporations routinely exploit to minimize their tax bills. Congratulations to him! But most of his counterparts covering economics and business are a bunch of lapdogs.
Pothole Nation
Overall, U.S. infrastructure spending has declined dramatically. Back in 1968, federal outlays for basic infrastructure amounted to 3.3 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product. Last year, federal infrastructure investments made up only 1.3 percent of GDP.
High-Speed Collusion
The iPad3. The Kindle Fire. The Galaxy Nexus. It seems like every few months an amazing new wireless device is unveiled. Consumers benefit from all this wireless innovation. However, the foundation for this success — a competitive market for high-speed Internet access — is in serious jeopardy.
The GOP’s Money Man
Not only is Mitt Romney the GOP’s rich-man candidate for president, but his last name actually spells “money.” Just drop the “R,” move the “m” in front of the “o” — and there it is! In fact, put the “R” in parentheses and you’ve got “(Republican) Money.”
The Poor as Collateral Damage
One of the major thorns in the side of capitalism is the persistence of the poor. Jesus warned that they would always be with us, and was He ever right. There just seems to be an endless supply of troubled citizens who can’t make a go of it.
The Lineup: Week of April 9-15, 2012
In this week’s OtherWords editorial package, we’ve got four Tax Day op-eds.
Rich Freeloaders
Like too many Americans, I’m unemployed. But in my case, the reason isn’t that I can’t find work — it’s that I don’t need it. I’m among the lucky few who can live comfortably off their wealth. And this isn’t wealth I earned through hard work. I did it the easy way: I inherited it.
Invoking Fake Job Creators to Cut Taxes on the Rich
Conservatives like House Speaker John Boehner say the government can’t raise taxes on millionaires and billionaires because they are “job creators.” Instead, House Republicans are once more calling for trillions in more tax cuts for the richest Americans.
How the Rich Welsh on Retirement Taxes
The time for mandatory tax payback is exactly when the affluent — with help from both sides of the aisle — begin to welsh on their end of the retirement bargain. New schemes are dreamt up, legislation enacted, and rules adopted to avoid, delay, and minimize taxes on withdrawals.
Chairman of the Con Man Committee
Call me a cynic, but it’s been my experience that when politicians say they’re going to lower your taxes, it’s not your taxes they’re talking about.
