According to Cory Booker, the poor are unpatriotic

Newark Mayor Cory Booker was explaining the Democratic Party platform in his comments last night at their convention.

He said it contains "significant" spending cuts and ...

"... a balanced deficit reduction plan where everyone, everyone - from elected officials to the wealthy and the super wealthy - pay their fair share. When your country is in a costly war with our soldiers sacrificing abroad and our nation is facing a debt crisis at home, being asked to pay your fair share isn’t class warfare – it’s patriotism."

Really? Now it's patriotic to pay taxes to the government?

I checked three on-line dictionaries and each one defined patriotism as love of, or devotion to, one's country. And here I thought money couldn't buy love.

Notice that he says "everyone" and even repeats it, but actually doesn't mean every person. He just talks about politicians, the wealthy and the super wealthy.

If paying taxes is patriotic, why do we let so many pay nothing at all?

According to the left-leaning Tax Policy Center, 46.4% of Americans paid no federal income tax for 2011. This corresponds with the right-leaning Heritage Foundation's figure of 49.% paying no federal income tax in 2009.

Note - we're only talking about federal taxes because this is the national platform for the presidential election.

TPC adds that of the 46.4%, roughly 28% do pay payroll taxes. This means that they pay Social Security withholding, Medicare withhold and income tax withholding.

Since SS and Medicare are supposed to be set-asides for future payments the individual will receive, they're not a tax that is going to support the general functions of government. (At least, they aren't supposed to be, even though politicians have raided those funds for general spending - but that a topic for another post.)

So those 28% who do have income tax withheld from their paychecks either get all of it returned to them - or more. Yes, some people end up getting more in their tax refund than they originally paid in.

So, it is accurate to say that roughly half of tax filers in recent years have paid nothing to support the general obligations of the government.

Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

How much is their "fair share"? Do they even have a 'fair share'? Surely a 'share' can't be equal to nothing - right?

If we are to believe Mayor Booker, paying your fair share is patriotic and everyone should do it.

To the dictionary, to me - and, I would hope, to 'everyone' else - the word "everyone" means every single person; all; each of us.

That's not the definition Booker is using.

He - and the Democrats - don't mean that every one of us should have some skin in the game. He just means that people who are richer should pay more than what they're paying now and the people who are paying nothing should continue to benefit.

The people who pay no federal income taxes are not helping to support the highways they travel on. They're not helping to support the military who defends them (as Booker mentions so dramatically). They're not helping to keep their food safe, their water clean and their air free from pollutants. They're not contributing to the cost of printing money, regulating banks, or even the salaries of their elected officials. They're not funding research or maintaining our national parks. They're not securing our borders or stopping drugs smugglers. They're not supporting our space efforts. They're not helping the Postal Service - and heaven knows it needs a lot of help.

To use the Democrats' own word, they're making absolutely no "investment" in their country - but they are reaping the rewards of the investments being made by others.

And, according to Booker, because they are not paying anything at all, much less their "fair share," they're unpatriotic as well.

Who knew?

Gov. Ted Strickland's Top 10 DNC talking points

It's always a good thing to be able to laugh at yourself and also to appreciate true humor, even when you're the butt of the jokes.

Somehow, I don't think Democrats or former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland will take that to heart when it comes to this Press Release from the Ohio Republican Party:

COLUMBUS - Today Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob Bennett made the following statement on Governor Ted Strickland's keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention along with a list of ten talking points he might highlight from his four years as governor.

"The Democratic National Convention is apparently so desperate for speakers they actually have Ted Strickland on the schedule. Whoever decided to give a speaking role to a fired governor responsible for 400,000 lost jobs ought to have their head examined...but then again, I've been saying that about the Democrats for years," stated Bennett.

The following is a preview of what Ted might say in tonight's speech.

10. "After John Tester, Joe Manchin, Claire McCaskill, Bernie Sanders, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers declined invites to the Convention, the DNC was looking to fill-in. And since everyone from the speaker of the New York General Assembly to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee warned all their members to stay away, -- I'm honored you asked me to be here tonight!"

9. "Representative Betty Sutton is back home in Ohio tonight. She said she didn't come to the Convention because she has 'things to do'. Lucky for me, after the Ohio voters fired me, my schedule is wide open!"

8. "For those of you who don't know me, you may recognize me from the 'Shame on you Barack Obama' commercial!"

7. "It's good to see a decent crowd here in Charlotte tonight. I spoke at the Obama campaign kick-off in Columbus this year and that place was half empty!"

6. "Under Barack Obama, fewer Americans are working today than when he took office. I'm happy to report that I contributed 400,000 lost jobs to that effort!"

5. "You know, if I just keep taking credit for the economy during the last two years before I took office and the first two years of the Kasich administration, I can say I had a fantastic four years as Governor of Ohio!"

4. "Republicans claim John Kasich cleaned up the mess I left behind as Governor. But I'm here tonight to make the case that it was Barack Obama who cleaned up the mess I left behind as Governor!"

3. "John Kasich is no Barack Obama. Kasich balanced a budget, cut taxes, and had a laser-focus on job creation. Barack Obama hasn't done a single one of those things! He's nothing like John Kasich!"

2. "I'm glad the Democrats are refusing to answer 'are you better off today than you were four years ago?' I've learned a lot watching them dodge and duck that question, and claim it's the wrong question to ask. Where the hell were these guys when I needed them in 2010?"

1. "Mitt Romney is running a scary campaign. Like John Kasich two years ago he's
smearing his opponent by pointing out facts about his record. That's bad news folks -- because it usually works!"

###

Oh the irony: DNC requires photo ID for convention

Yes, it's true. The party that says requiring photo identification to vote will disenfranchise people is requiring a photo ID in order to enter their convention.

From Examiner.com:

Far left wing Democrats scream that anyone who is for Voter identification at the polls is a racist who hates the poor and is trying to disenfranchise voters. It is beyond ironic that Democrats are requiring photo i.d. to all who enter their convention this weekend in Springfield. From their convention materials:

Registration and Credentials
A PHOTO ID WILL BE REQUIRED TO ENTER THE MASSMUTUAL CENTER

Apparently the Left got the memo that the majority of voters, including Democrats, want voter i.d. to be put into place. Or maybe they learned their lesson from the massive Caucus fraud that occurred against Clinton for their buddy in the White House.

Irony or hypocrisy? Massachusetts Democrats give all new meaning to their party's symbol.

Irony or hypocrisy? I say both!

Some Friday humor courtesy of the DNC

Face the State (Colorado) has a bit of humor I wanted to share with y'all about the upcoming Democratic National Convention. If you're looking for something on the light side for your Friday reading, this interview with a potential DNC caterer is it.

In case you're wondering, this is not a fiction piece. The complete catering RFP includes such terms as:

The criteria to be used for the proposal evaluation include but are not limited to:
...
4) Participation of Minorities, Women, and People with Disabilities is a goal in all Planning Committee related contracts. The Planning Committee will look to award 15% to minority business enterprises and no less than 15% to womenowned business enterprises. If you are not a minority and /or women-owned business, please describe how you will incorporate minority and women owned business in Section B.

5) How products and/or services provided minimize resource consumption and negative impacts on the environment.
...
No weighing or relative importance is intended or implied by this list. However, the Planning Committee encourages the submission of responses by firms who contract with persons who belong to an organized labor union as well as those firms owned by minorities, women and people with disabilities. Accordingly, please include any information regarding certification as or collaboration with minority business enterprises, women business enterprises, and/or persons with disabilities, as well as any union designations.
...
A.12 PLANNING COMMITTEE GREEN MISSION
In support of the DNC’s “green” mission to Planning an environmentally responsible convention, preference will be given to Vendors that have a proven commitment to “green” practices and that consider and minimize the life-cycle environmental impacts of catering.

The Vendor must demonstrate experience with greening events and/or willingness to support the Green priorities of the Planning Committee and Mayor’s Office by making very effort to accomplish the following:

1) Offer, highlight and promote food that meets with the Greening Initiative’s Lean and Green Criteria:

2) Lean
a) Half of the meal (or 50%) of the plate is made up of fruits and/or vegetables
b) A colorful meal - include at least three of the following five colors: red, green, yellow, blue/purple, and white. (Garnishes not included)
c) No items are to be fried

3) Green
a) 70% or more of ingredients by precooked weight are certified organic
i) and/or grown/raised in Colorado
b) 70% or more of ingredients by pre-cooked weight are fresh and (not preprocessed)

4) Use re-usable service ware such as china, porcelain, glassware, and metal flatware. Use cloth napkins and tablecloths instead of paper.

5) When absolutely necessary to use a disposable product, make sure that it is either made out of recycled and recyclable plastic or that it is compostable bioware. Be consistent in your selection so that the waste stream is easier to manage after the event.

6) Recycle or compost all trash that can be recycled or composted.

7) Donate all food waste to local food banks that can be donated. Compost all food that cannot be donated.

8) Do not serve plastic bottled water. Serve tap water in large dispensers or in pitchers to be served upon request.

9) Encourage work staff to take alternative transportation such as walking, riding a bike, carpooling, or taking public transportation. Discourage all single occupancy vehicles.

10) After your event, calculate and offset its carbon footprint using the online mechanism provided by the Planning Committee. For the purpose of this modest investment, you should factor in a line item of about to your budget

11) Communicate your green activities to your attendees creatively while generating the least amount of waste. Be sure that any necessary documents, signage or banners are made of highest content possible post-consumer recycled content are able to be re-used or re-purposed.

12) Work with the Planning Committee greening staff to document and measure your efforts.

As with any RFP, there are questions that arise, and the answers are posted on-line:

For the purpose of the RFP and until we have more specific answers, please keep in mind that the Host Committee of the Democratic National Convention is committed to making this the greenest convention possible.
Our goals are the following:
• To minimize any potentially negative environmental impacts of the 2008 Convention on our community;
• To create a new green standard for all conventions that can be reproduced in the future, here in Denver and elsewhere;
• To demonstrate the economic and community benefits of greening;
• To educate our own citizens and our guests about green and healthy choices they make in their own lives; and
• To build an enduring positive environmental legacy that will echo here and around the country long after the last delegate arrives back home.

We recognize that this initiative is the first of its kind and there are no precedents. We are asking all partners to make best efforts and explain ways/methods/business practices that you will endeavor to help us achieve our goals. Once you are selected, a member of our Greening team will specifically work with you to achieve green-oriented goals.

I have no idea if the RNC has anything similar.