Grapes of Wrath in Reverse

Wildfires Aren't the Only Threat to the So-Called 'California Dream':

It's too expensive to live here.

This is a great piece, at NYT, ' Quakes and Fires?

It’s the Cost of Living That Californians Can’t Stomac...

Taxes are out of control, property values are out whack with much of the country and the governors are wasting their time if they try to fight and entrenched state legislature. It is easier for governors them to join bandwagon then serve as leaders. The hispanic, I will not capitalize that word, citizens push for open borders with the support of a generally liberal population. Business is leaving and taxes are increasing, it's like the swirl in the bottom of a toilet flush.

Tom Joad would be on the way home to Oklahoma.

Frozen Skunk

A man and his wife were driving home one very cold night when the wife asks her husband to stop the car. There was a baby skunk lying at the side of the road, and she got out to see if it was still alive.
It was, and she said to her husband, "It's nearly frozen to death. Can we take it with us, get it warm, and let it go in the morning?"
He says, "O.K. Get in the car with it."
"Where shall I put it to get it warm?"
He says, "Put it in between your legs. It's nice and warm there."
"But what about the smell?"
"Just hold its little nose."

How Cold Is It?

Sheepishly ripped off from Curmudgeonly & Skeptical.

William Clay Mathews, Sr.

This past spring the Georgia Tech Alumni magazine came around and I was surprised to learn about this man. The son of a Citadel coach in Charleston, Clay came to Atlanta to play football, which he did for Bobby Dodd. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49'ers in 1949. He took a break from football to become a paratrooper during the Korean War. He then returned to the NFL for another 3 years of sporting service.
Following football Mathews entered the business world and achieved great success. He held executive positions with Bell and Howell, Hamilton Beach and Aerojet General where is was the chief executive officer.
Clay senior also had the good fortune to have two sons and four grandsons play in the NFL, two of which as still active today.
William Clay Mathews, Sr. was 88 years old.

Gunnar

The neighbors already have another grandchild after this little man.

\Have two more to do in the next year, one for Wheaton the other for Mableton.

Reciprocity Between States

Congress.org presents MEGAVOTE for December 5, 2017 and Georgia's 13th Congressional District.

Recent Congressional Votes

• Senate: Nielsen Nomination - Confirmation
• Senate:  Balash Nomination - Confirmation
• Senate: Short-Term Fiscal 2018 Continuing Appropriations
• House: Tax Overhaul – Motion to Request Conference
• House: Concealed Carry Reciprocity Between States
• House: Small Business Mergers Regulatory Exemption
• House: Short-Term Fiscal 2018 Continuing Appropriations

Upcoming Congressional Bills

• Senate: Grasz Nomination
• Senate: Willett Nomination
• Senate: Ho Nomination
• House: Mortgage Escrow Requirements
• House: Investigate Assets of Iranian Leaders
• House: Iranian Aircraft Purchases Financing
• House: Annual Financial Privacy Notices

Recent Senate Votes:

Nielsen Nomination - Confirmation Vote Confirmed (62-37, 1 Not Voting)
The Senate confirmed Kirstjen Nielsen to be secretary of Homeland Security.
Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES
Sen. David Perdue voted YES

Covered here in the last MegaVote comments.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirstjen_Nielsen 

Balash Nomination - Confirmation Vote Confirmed (61-38, 1 Not Voting)
The Senate confirmed Joseph Balash to be assistant secretary of the Interior.
Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES
Sen. David Perdue voted YES

An assistant to Ryan Zinke, I am surprised that he got any Democrat votes at all.

Short-Term Fiscal 2018 Continuing Appropriations Vote Agreed to (81-14, 5 Not Voting)
The House passed the joint resolution that would provide funding for federal government operations and services at current levels through Dec. 22, 2017, at an annualized rate of $1.23 trillion for federal departments and agencies covered by the 12 unfinished fiscal 2018 spending bills. The bill also would allow state Children's Health and Insurance Programs to receive extra redistribution funds beyond what is currently allowed, supporting the program's operations through the end of December.
Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES
Sen. David Perdue voted YES

People have to eat, politicians don't have to budget.

Recent House Votes:

Tax Overhaul – Motion to Request Conference Vote Passed (222-192, 19 Not Voting)
Brady, R-Texas, motion that the House disagree with the Senate amendment and request a conference with the Senate on the bill that would revise the federal income tax system by lowering individual and corporate tax rates, repealing various deductions through 2025.
Rep. David Scott voted NO

These politicians are full of crap, they fuck with our income, want to fuck with our savings and expect praise for for working so hard at the mess they created.

Concealed Carry Reciprocity Between States Vote Passed (231-198, 4 Not Voting)
The House passed the bill that would permit any individual authorized by their home state to carry a concealed handgun to also carry that concealed weapon in any other state that permits the carrying of concealed weapons. The bill also would require a twice-annual certification by all federal agencies, federal courts and state governments, in coordination with the Department of Justice, to verify that all relevant data has been reported and uploaded to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System regarding individuals who are not eligible to purchase firearms.
Rep. David Scott voted NO

I am entirely for this but do not expect it to make it through the Senate. 

Even so, if it passes the liberal district courts will kill it.

To a degree this smells like something that needs an amendment. Laws made by little men in Congress can be easily overturned by new little men in Congress.  Such reciprocity should be difficult to create and more difficult to remove.

Small Business Mergers Regulatory Exemption Vote Passed (426-0, 6 Not Voting)
The House passed the bill that would exempt brokers handling mergers and acquisitions from Securities and Exchange Commission registration requirements in cases in which the company being sold does not have any class of securities required to be registered with the SEC and in the prior fiscal year, the company's earnings, before interest or taxes, are less than $25 million or gross revenue is less than $250 million.
Rep. David Scott voted YES

Certainly a bill drafted by the same brokers who provide many campaign donations.

Short-Term Fiscal 2018 Continuing Appropriations Vote Passed (235-193, 5 Not Voting)
The House passed the joint resolution that would provide funding for federal government operations and services at current levels through Dec. 22, 2017, at an annualized rate of $1.23 trillion for federal departments and agencies covered by the 12 unfinished fiscal 2018 spending bills. The bill also would allow state Children's Health and Insurance Programs to receive extra redistribution funds beyond what is currently allowed, supporting the program's operations through the end of December.
Rep. David Scott voted YES

We would not have listen o all of this crap if they would just pass a real budget.

Upcoming Votes:

Grasz Nomination - PN878
The Senate is expected to vote on the nomination of Leonard Grasz to be a U.S. circuit judge for the Eight Circuit.

In what I've read, can't really get a grasp of where he stands on Conservative issues. A mid-westerner, University of Nebraska for both BS and JD.

Willett Nomination - PN1077
The Senate is expected to vote on the nomination of Don Willett to be a U.S. circuit judge for the Fifth Circuit.

Willett is more of a known Conservative, a Texan, studied at Baylor and Duke. Trump must have felt a kinship because Don Willett is busy on Twitter.

Ho Nomination - PN1108
The Senate is expected to vote on the nomination of James Ho to be a U.S. circuit judge for the Fifth Circuit.

Short for James Chiun-Yue Ho, a Stanford BA and University of Chicago JD. Ho clerked for Clarence Thomas and server as Chief Counsel to Senator John Cornyn on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Mortgage Escrow Requirements - HR3971
The bill would expand to somewhat larger companies certain exemptions from home mortgage escrow requirements under the 2010 financial regulatory overhaul law. Specifically, it would exempt lenders with assets of $25 billion or less from the law's requirement that they establish escrow accounts for the first five years of "high-priced" mortgage loans, if the lender holds the loan on its own balance sheet for three years after the loan is made.

Boring

Investigate Assets of Iranian Leaders - HR1638 
The bill would require the Treasury secretary to compile and submit to Congress a report detailing the known assets in U.S. and foreign institutions that are controlled directly or indirectly by the top political and military leaders of Iran, how those assets were acquired and for what purposes they are used.

Headline opportunity.

Iranian Aircraft Purchases Financing - HR4324 
The bill would require the Treasury secretary to regularly report to Congress on any U.S. or foreign financial institutions that are involved with the financing of Treasury-authorized purchases and export of aircraft on behalf of Iran, and to certify that the associated financial transactions pose no money laundering or terrorism financing risk to the U.S. financial system and will not benefit certain Iranian individuals and entities.

Who doesn't think the Iranians will get whatever their heart desires?

Annual Financial Privacy Notices - HR2396 
The bill would exempt any financial services company that has not changed its privacy policies — including companies that share or sell information on consumers to unaffiliated third parties — from the requirement that it provide annual written privacy notices to consumers, as long as such disclosures are available online and the availability of those notices is noted to consumers by other means, such as on billing statements.

Government pretending to serve and protect.

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Tax Me Bitch

Congress.org presents MEGAVOTE for December 5, 2017 and Georgia's 13th Congressional District.

Recent Congressional Votes

• Senate: Tax Overhaul – Motion to Proceed
• Senate: Tax Overhaul – Education Savings Accounts
• Senate: Tax Overhaul – Passage
• House: National Forest Mining
• House: Federal Workforce Probationary Period Extension
• House: EPA Brownfields Program Reauthorization
• House: Manufactured Housing Lending Regulation

Upcoming Congressional Bills

• Senate: Nielsen Nomination
• Senate: Tax Overhaul – Motion to Proceed to Conference
• Senate: Extend Federal Government Funding
• House: Tax Overhaul Conference
• House: Concealed Carry & Gun Background Checks
• House: Mortgage Escrow Requirements
• House: Merger & Acquisition Firms
• House: Extend Federal Government Funding

Recent Senate Votes:

Tax Overhaul – Motion to Proceed Vote Agreed to (52-48)

McConnell, R-Ky., motion to proceed to the bill that would revise the federal income tax system by: lowering individual and corporate tax rates; consolidating the current seven tax income rates into four rates; eliminating the deduction for state and local income taxes; limiting certain deductions for property taxes and home mortgages; and creating a new system of taxing U.S. corporations with foreign subsidiaries.

Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES

Sen. David Perdue voted YES

There are a few things that you can expect from every tax structure change. 

• The general progressive structure will not change.

• The Democrats will say it favors the rich.

• The Republicans will say it favors everybody.

• Poor people who do not pay income tax will have their cash flow increase.

• Cost and spending will be paid lip service.

Our politicians are not interested in real tax reform or growing business, they are interested in maintaining the cash flow to the government, ever increasing the benefits paid so as to create dependence and predictable votes,  and creating favorable environments for the businesses that support them with campaign donations. The rest is just bullshit smoke and mirrors.

Its all so depressing. 

Tax Overhaul - Education Savings Accounts Vote Agreed to (51-50)

Cornyn, R-Texas, for Cruz, R-Texas, amendment to the McConnell, R-Ky., for Hatch, R-Utah, substitute amendment, that would allow tuition expenses or the cost of school supplies for secondary public, private or religious school to be treated the same as higher education expenses for certain tax purposes. Vice President Mike Pence broke the tie and voted in the affirmative.

Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES

Sen. David Perdue voted YES

Whatever, lets make sure we protect carve outs, ending up with a system of mutually deterrent tax exceptions.

Tax Overhaul - Passage Vote Passed (51-49)

Passage of the bill, as amended, that would revise the federal income tax system by lowering individual and corporate tax rates, repealing various deductions through 2025, specifically by eliminating the deduction for state and local income taxes through 2025, increasing the deduction for pass-through entities and raising the child tax credit through 2025. It would also open parts of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling.

Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES

Sen. David Perdue voted YES

More of the same topic, I am tired of it and assure myself that in a year or two we may realize it was all misdirection leading to taxes that are the highest in the industrial world.

Recent House Votes:

National Forest Mining Vote Passed (216-204, 13 Not Voting)

Passage of the bill would prohibit the designation of national monuments and the withdrawal of lands in the National Forest System in the state of Minnesota from mineral and geothermal leases without the approval of Congress. It would designate any mineral leases issued within the boundaries of the National Forest System lands in Minnesota as indeterminate preference right leases.

Rep. David Scott voted NO

Democrats are not conservationists, they are environmentalists. Study the difference and it becomes clear why they resist everything and seek to avoid oversight.

Federal Workforce Probationary Period Extension Vote Passed (213-204, 16 Not Voting)

Passage of the bill would increase to two years the probationary period for newly hired federal employees, for any individuals promoted to a supervisory or managerial role, and for any individual appointed to the Senior Executive Service. It would also establish a system in which supervisors would be notified near the end of an employee's probationary period.

Rep. David Scott voted NO

Absolutely, the security of federal employees needs a little threatening.

EPA Brownfields Program Reauthorization Vote Passed (409-8, 16 Not Voting)

Passage of the bill would authorize $250 million annually, through fiscal 2022, for assistance with environmental assessment, cleanup and job training activities at the EPA's brownfields program sites, and would increase, to $500,000 per site, the amount available for remediation grants for brownfield sites.

Rep. David Scott voted YES

This is kind of a simple issue, pay to clean up the messes.

Manufactured Housing Lending Regulation Vote Passed (256-163, 14 Not Voting)

Passage of the bill would change the definitions of "mortgage originator" and "loan originator" to exempt companies that manufacture homes and sell manufactured homes from various mortgage-related regulatory requirements. It would increase the maximum allowable rates and fees that may be applied to a manufactured home loan before the loan is classified as a high-cost mortgage.

Rep. David Scott voted YES

Technical loan speak. Frankly I don't care what they charge people for buying double wides, or the interest rate they catch.

Upcoming Votes:

Nielsen Nomination - PN1095

The Senate will vote on the nomination of Kirstjen Nielsen to be secretary of Homeland Security.

Kirstjen Nielsen is a national security expert who served in the Bush administration and in the private world earned some accolades from the Obama administration. She earned a BS from Georgetown and an JD from the University of Virginia.

Tax Overhaul – Motion to Proceed to Conference - HR1 The Senate is expected to vote on a motion to proceed to a conference committee on tax legislation.

The house takes op the Senate bill, discussed enough above.

Extend Federal Government Funding - HJRes123 The Senate will vote on legislation to extend funding the federal government through Dec. 22, 2017.

Oh the difficulties of pretending like they budget anything..

Tax Overhaul Conference - HR1

The House will vote on a motion to go to conference on HR 1, Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The House passed its version of the bill on Nov. 16 by a 227-205 vote, and the Senate was set to pass its version in the early morning hours of Saturday, Dec. 2. Both versions would substantially restructure the U.S. tax code to simplify the code and provide a net $1.5 trillion tax cut, with taxes being cut for both corporations and small businesses and individuals.

I've got nothing more to say. 

Concealed Carry & Gun Background Checks - HR38 

The measure, would combine two bills reported by the Judiciary Committee last week, allows anyone authorized by their state to carry a concealed handgun to also carry that concealed weapon in any other state that allows concealed carry. It also seeks to ensure that federal agencies and state governments report relevant information to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) regarding individuals who are not eligible to purchase firearms — including by requiring federal agencies to certify twice per year that they are uploading all relevant records to the NICS.

I want to see this but think it is a pipe dream.

Mortgage Escrow Requirements - HR2971

The bill would expand to somewhat larger companies certain exemptions from home mortgage escrow requirements under the 2010 Dodd Frank law. Specifically, it exempts lenders with assets of $25 billion or less from the law's requirement that they establish escrow accounts for the first five years of "high-priced" mortgage loans, if the lender holds the loan on its own balance sheet for three years after the loan is made, and it exempts companies that service up to 30,000 mortgage loans from current loan servicing and escrow account administration requirements.

Politicians messing with loans that poor people cannot afford. 

Merger & Acquisition Firms - HR477

The measure would exempt from SEC registration requirements certain firms that broker mergers and acquisitions and assist in the transfer of ownership of small, privately owned businesses — if the transactions meet certain criteria. Republicans say that exempting those firms from SEC registration requirements will help preserve jobs since those brokers play a critical role in helping small, privately held businesses transition to new owners.

Extend Federal Government Funding - HJRes123 

The House will vote on legislation to extend funding the federal government through Dec. 22, 2017.

This must be tiring. 

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Copyright (c) 2017.

Jingle Bells

I wish I could play an instrument.