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Nullification must never be on the table

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0700

NBC News - By Rachel Maddow - Apr. 04 (News Analysis) - some states are looking to nullify gun laws that don't yet exist; West Virginia is thinking about nullifying federal regulations on coal mining; and Mississippi, like Tennessee, is eyeing the creation of a nullification committee to pare down federal laws the state doesn't like. Let's also not forget that in North Carolina, there's pending legislation that says the First Amendment doesn't apply to the state, federal courts can't determine what's constitutional under the U.S. Constitution, and North Carolina has the right to declare its own state religion. If we broaden the context a bit, we can even look at the anti-abortion measures recently approved in North Dakota and Arkansas.

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Taxation in the United States

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Wikipedia - Sep. 30 (Special Report) - The United States is a federal republic with autonomous state and local governments. Taxes are imposed in the United States at each of these levels. These include taxes on income, property, sales, imports, payroll, estates and gifts, as well as various fees. Taxes are imposed on net income of individuals and corporations by the federal, most state, and some local governments. Residents are taxed on worldwide income and allowed a credit for foreign taxes. Income subject to tax is determined under tax rules, not accounting principles, and includes almost all income from whatever source. Most business expenses reduce taxable income, though limits apply to a few expenses. Individuals are permitted to reduce taxable income by personal allowances and certain nonbusiness expenses, including home mortgage interest, state and local taxes, charitable contributions, and medical and certain other expenses incurred above certain percentages of income. State rules for determining taxable income often differ from federal rules. Federal tax rates vary from 15% to 35% of taxable income. State and local tax rates vary by jurisdiction, and many are graduated. State taxes are generally treated as a deductible expense for federal tax computation. Certain alternative taxes may apply. Payroll taxes are imposed by the federal and all state governments. These include Social Security and Medicare taxes imposed on both employers and employees, at a combined rate of 15.3% (13.3% for 2011). Social Security tax applies only to the first $106,800 of wages in 2009 through 2011. Employers also must withhold income taxes on wages. An unemployment tax and certain other levies apply.

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What Perry Really Said About Secession

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0700

FactCheck - By Robert Farley - Aug. 24 (News) - The Obama team falsely suggests Texas Gov. Rick Perry advocated secession. Perry's actual remarks have been mischaracterized. Perry entertained a reporter's question about secession after a tea party rally in 2009, and warned that "if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what may come out of that?" [...]

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15 Conservative State Legislatures Trying to Upend the Constitution (And the Right-Wing Ideologues That Fuel Their Fringe Ideas) | Civil Liberties | AlterNet

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0700

AlterNet - By Alexander Zaitchik - Jul. 13 (Special Report) - In the extremist style that has come to typify Arizona's state legislature under the influence of Republican Senate President Russell Pearce, S.B. 1433 came down with force on the side of "states' rights." The bill proposed nothing less than the creation of a 12-person body tasked with studying federal laws and nullifying any and all of those it deemed unconstitutional.

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Closing a State? The Rules Are Tricky

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0700

New York Times - By Monica Davey - Jul. 02 (News Report) - With no sign of a budget deal in sight, Minnesota awoke on Saturday to Day 2 of a government shutdown and, if anything, more confusion — not more clarity — about how one actually carries out this sort of thing. Consider these tricky rules: the State Department of Revenue says it still expects people to pay their taxes, but it will not be sending out refunds. Residents may renew their driver’s licenses in certain locations, but no actual driver’s exams will be offered. The Minnesota Zoo is closed to visitors, but a “Music in the Zoo” concert series was to proceed (though no animals would be on display). Any questions? As Minnesota’s politicians, whose clash over how to fix the state’s deficit led to a shutdown that began Friday, took what some described as a cooling-off period without further negotiations this weekend, Minnesotans were left to navigate what it really meant to close a state — a scenario rarely undertaken in the nation and, it seemed by Saturday, one with few sure, simple rules.

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Broken deals, bitter words and a state shuts down

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Minneapolis Star Tribune - By Baird Helgeson, Mike Kaszuba, Eric Roper, Rachel E. Stassen-Berger - Jul. 01 (News Report) - GOP demanded a special session to reconcile philosophical and financial gap. The governor and legislative leaders worked into the evening in a last-ditch bid for resolution.

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Christie Loses Support for Second Term

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Bloomberg - By Elise Young - Jun. 29 (News) - More than half of New Jersey residents say they wouldn’t back Governor Chris Christie for a second term, disapproving of his choices on a range of policy and personal issues, from killing a commuter tunnel to using a state-police helicopter to attend his son’s baseball game.

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How the Same-Sex Marriage Deal Nearly Collapsed

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700

New York Times - By Michael Barbaro - Jun. 27 (News Report) - Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s deal with two lawmakers was just one of many remarkable behind-the-scenes scenes of recent weeks.

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Obama Addresses New York Marriage Equality Bill At LGBT Fundraiser: Issue Best Left To States

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Think Progress - By Igor Volsky - Jun. 24 (News) - President Obama spoke at an LGBT fundraiser this evening in New York City, just as the New York Senate prepares to take up marriage equality legislation. Obama addressed the measure directly, reiterating his position that marriage is best left to the states.

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Supreme Court reinstates collective bargaining law

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - By Patrick Marley, Don Walker - Jun. 15 (News Report) - Acting with unusual speed, the state Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the reinstatement of Gov. Scott Walker's controversial plan to end most collective bargaining for tens of thousands of public workers.

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Ariz. wildfire becomes biggest in state history

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Associated Press - Jun. 14 (News) - A massive wildfire in eastern Arizona has become the largest in state history, although some of that burned area is in New Mexico, where flare-ups that skipped along treetops Tuesday threatened a small mountain town.

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Obama administration fights to save healthcare law

Wed, 11 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Reuters - By Jeremy Pelofsky, Lisa Lambert - May. 11 (Special Report) - An appeals court on Tuesday sharply questioned whether the state of Virginia could challenge President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law, which requires Americans to buy insurance in a bid to slow healthcare costs. The Obama administration is trying to save the individual mandate after a Virginia federal judge agreed with the state it was unconstitutional and struck down that part of the law. The Obama administration has vigorously defended the measure, set to go into effect in 2014

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The Tragedy of Sarah Palin

Tue, 10 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Atlantic Monthly - By Joshua Green - May. 10 (Opinion) - From the moment Sarah Palin’s acceptance speech electrified the Republican convention, she was seen as an unbending, hard-charging, red-meat ideologue—to which soon was added “thin-skinned” and “vindictive.” But a look at what Palin did while in office in Alaska—the only record she has—shows a very different politician: one who worked with Democrats to tame Big Oil and solve the great problem at the heart of the state’s politics. That Sarah Palin might have set the nation on a different course. What went wrong?

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"Birther" bill passes in Arizona legislature

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700

CBS News - By Stephanie Condon - Apr. 15 (News) - Republican Gov. Jan Brewer has five days to decide whether to make Arizona the first state in the nation to require proof of natural-born citizenship from presidential candidates

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Blaska Blogs the smoking gun of the teachers union's illegal sick-out

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700

The Daily Page - By David Blaska - Apr. 12 (Investigative Report) - Only a fool would think that the sick out that closed down Madison schools for five days in February was anything but an illegal, union-coordinated, illegal strike.

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Janitor Justice Arrives Four Years Early

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Bloomberg - By Margaret Carlson - Apr. 07 (Opinion) - If only those in power could remember that you can do almost anything as long as you are perceived by the public as fair. Need to balance out-of-control budgets? Spread out the hurt, and let everyone who works have a decent life. Don’t lean so heavily in favor of the haves, who, after all, have the world, the tax code and the marketplace leaning heavily in their favor already.

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Supreme Court race too close to call, Kloppenburg has narrow lead over Prosser

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - By Larry Sandler, Patrick Marley, Jason Stein - Apr. 06 (News) - In a race still too close to call, Assistant Attorney General JoAnne Kloppenburg took a paper-thin lead over Justice David Prosser in the state Supreme Court race early Wednesday, capping a race marked by massive voter turnout, Gov. Scott Walker's union bargaining plan, and record spending by outside interest groups.

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Is Governor Schweitzer’s Future “Limitless”?

Sun, 03 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Fighting With Tools - Apr. 03 (Opinion) - “Cannabis technology” is all the rage, but Montana’s Governor is being asked to turn back the clock on drug law reform — patients and activists across the country wait on pins and needles for a decision from this self-styled rancher-turned-politician.

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The unbeatable Republican?

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Salon - By Steve Kornacki - Mar. 31 (News Analysis) - Massachusetts is a deeply Democratic state, one in which barely more than 15 percent of the seats in the state Legislature are held by Republicans and fewer than 15 percent of all registered voters belong to the GOP. So it's hardly surprising that national Democrats have been making noise about defeating the state's Republican senator, Scott Brown, when he stands for reelection next year.

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Judge Says Union Bargaining Bill Not In Effect

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700

channel3000.com - Mar. 31 (News) - The contentious collective bargaining law that strips most public workers of nearly all collective bargaining rights and force them to contribute more to their pension and health plans isn't in effect, according to an amended restraining order released on Thursday morning.

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Conservative Think Tank Seeks Michigan Profs' Emails About Wisconsin Union Battle ... And Maddow

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Talking Points Memo - By Evan McMorris-Santoro - Mar. 30 (News Report) - A free enterprise think tank in Michigan -- backed by some of the biggest names in national conservative donor circles -- has made a broad public records request to at least three in-state universities with departments that specialize in the study of labor relations, seeking all their emails regarding the union battle in Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) and MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, TPM has learned.

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Govs face budget blowback

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 09:06:47 -0700

The Politico - By Alexander Burns - Mar. 28 (News Analysis) - Almost every governor who’s tried to deliver a take-your-medicine message has paid a price. And widespread polling data suggests a chasm between what Americans say they want and the price they’re prepared to pay to get there.

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PJ Crowley: 'No Regrets Over Statement on Bradley Manning'

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700

readersupportednews.org - By Dominic Rushe - Mar. 28 (News Report) - 'The former US state department spokesman who resigned over the treatment of Bradley Manning has said he has no regrets about his comments criticising the manner of the soldier's detention, saying it has undermined the investigation into his role as the alleged source for WikiLeaks.'

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Collective bargaining law published despite restraining order

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - By Patrick Marley, Jason Stein - Mar. 27 (News) - In a stunning twist, Gov. Scott Walker's legislation limiting collective bargaining for public workers was published Friday despite a judge's hold on the measure, prompting a dispute over whether it takes effect Saturday.

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New Yorkers Rage Against the Cuts

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Inter Press Service - By Kanya D'Almeida - Mar. 25 (News Report) - In the shadow of towering colonial-style office buildings of the world's most powerful financial district, a crowd over 5,000-strong amassed outside Manhattan's City Hall Thursday, chanting "The people united will never be defeated!" As the contagious effects of democratic uprisings radiate from North Africa to North America, New York City's exploited workers and students are not about to let the opportunity for mass struggle pass them by.

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