Saul Anuzis is frothing at the mouth this morning over a report that the Granholm Inaugural Committee from 2003 MIGHT owe a whopping $20 grand in taxes. Like a dog with a new chew toy, he's whipping it around with his mouth, dancing with glee, and he's going to slobber all over the floor and the furniture and make obnoxious loud noises with it until we have to wrestle it from him with the truth of the situation - which is probably that they either already paid, or it was an oversight. Republicans have a track record of frivolous complaints and legal action against Granholm, and so far nothing has proved fruitful in their attempts to make the mud stick. Must be frustrating for them, thus the excitement over this new diversion.
The MI GOP is using words like "tax evasion" and says that "taxpayers ought to be outraged". Now, "tax evasion" is a pretty strong charge to make without proof that it was intentional, but I'm pretty sure the rules on libel don't apply to Saul, or he would be in jail by now.
But you have to puzzle over this next bit of hypocrisy. Michigan Republicans are promoting a visit from Vice President Dick Cheney today, here to raise money for the sinking ship SS Tim Walberg. They embrace Dick; watch them shower him with praise... well, maybe not. But they are willing to use him as a prop of acceptable GOP practices, right? Or he wouldn't be here.
Well, since Saul feels so strongly about "taxpayer outrage", I wonder if he has anything to say about this-
CAYMAN ISLANDS - Kellogg Brown & Root, the nation's top Iraq war contractor and until last year a subsidiary of Halliburton Corp., has avoided paying hundreds of millions of dollars in federal Medicare and Social Security taxes by hiring workers through shell companies based in this tropical tax haven.
They estimate that the total could be as high as $500 million. That's a half a billion, with a "b", dollars in taxes not paid to Social Security and Medicare. Wow, talk about yer tax evasion tax avoidance.
And who knew about this behavior, condoned it, and even created more of it, which is cheating taxpayers to this day? The very guy that Michigan Republicans called in to raise money for them! Say hello to the guy who takes the crown of The King of Taxpayer Outrage.
The no-bid contract it received in 2002 to rebuild Iraq's oil infrastructure and a multibillion-dollar contract to provide support services to troops have long drawn scrutiny because Vice President Dick Cheney was Halliburton's chief executive from 1995 until he joined the Republican ticket with President Bush in 2000.
The largest of the Cayman Islands shell companies - called Service Employers International Inc., which is now listed as having more than 20,000 workers in Iraq, according to KBR - was created two years before Cheney became Halliburton's chief executive. But a second Cayman Islands company called Overseas Administrative Services, which now is listed as the employer of 1,020 mostly managerial workers in Iraq, was established two months after Cheney's appointment.
Cheney's office at the White House referred questions to his personal lawyer, who did not return phone calls.
Waiting Saul's inevitable fit of outrage over Cheney and Co. I'm sure the Granholm people will pay up if they do indeed owe; Saul will insist that KBR do the same, right?
Waiting... waiting... waiting...
No? Must be "OK If You're A Republican" with an offshore tax shelter. Just ask Dick. DeVos, that is. Republican candidate for governor. You remember. We'll call him The Clown Prince of Taxpayer Outrage. He was acceptable to Saul as well.
Note to the Granholm people - just set everything up in the Cayman Islands from now on. Maybe Bermuda. The MI GOP can show you the way to do it.
So I see that now that we've passed our first goal for Mark, you're all kicking back and holding on to your coin. This is mathematically immoral. Here, let me show you.
First, you take Mark Schauer's position on issues such as the economy, Iraq, health care, etc., and plug it into our formula for universal good:
1 + 1 = 2
Then you take Tim Walberg's rubber-stamp approach to [insert any issue]:
2 + 2 = C
This is often confused with the generic Republican formula of cutting revenue while increasing spending, best represented as such:
Ok, here's where it gets a little complex. Stay with me.
When informed that the total number of donations had reached 11 as of Monday evening, the vice president chuckled, "Eleven? I had eleven bloggers arrested before noon today. We won't be hearing their keyboards clacking anytime soon. Or ever again."
Bloggers were being evaluated at an undisclosed location to determine blood type and tissue compatibility with the vice president, "just in case I need some new body parts" in the near future, Cheney explained.
"No one will miss them. We've done this before without a problem", he said, pointing to his chest.
Congressman Tim Walberg, the "least influential" member in Michigan's congressional delegation, was reached for comment at a Club for Growth revival meeting and combat training seminar. Walberg said, "I do whatever Dick and George tell me to do. That explains my bottom of the barrel ranking in Congress. Being a rubber stamp for George Bush takes its toll. They called in Dick to raise some money for me, because people in my district need some 'extra motivation' this year. They'll cough up $500 to see the vice president, or else". Walberg refused to define what "or else" means.
Sen. Mark Schauer, contacted at his Lansing office, had this to say about the Cheney fundraiser-
"Dick Cheney represents all that is wrong with the Bush administration and their policies. Their backroom deals on energy and unethical activities have lead to numerous complaints and even convictions. That's why I am asking for your help now with the "The People vs. Cheney-Walberg Challenge". I'm convinced that the grassroots -- and the netroots -- can overcome the deep pockets of Cheney and his Halliburton pals. That is why I am asking you to give $25, $100, or whatever you can afford to let Dick Cheney and Tim Walberg know that Michigan is sick of being left behind by their policies."
Bloggers are being asked to donate at Schauer's ActBlue page before Friday, or in lieu of that, they can provide their age, blood type, and a copy of the results of their latest physical to vice_president@whitehouse.gov, and someone will be in touch soon.
There must be at least 22 Republicans in Lansing who want Mark out?
Ok ok, I get it ... you need some incentive. How about this ...
In the State Senate, Mark has fought for an increase in the minimum wage, protected the earned income tax credit, and supported the bi-partisan effort that saved the Battle Creek Air National Guard Base.
Impressive, I know! That alone would be enough reason to donate, but would you believe, there's more!?!
Mark is a friend to the environment, having opposed drilling for oil in the Great Lakes and introducing bills to regulate water bottlers that siphon off Michigan groundwater.
Okaaay ... how 'bout we throw a little sugar on top ...
If you're among the next 22 donors, you'll get this beautiful commemorative Mark Schauer '08 Desktop folder.*
That's right! Those of you looking for practical, yet visually pleasing digital storage, look no further! This little beauty is like no other! With this on your desktop, you'll turn heads! You'll be the talk of the town! You'll learn to speak Spanish! You'll lose 20 pounds in a week! (Or gain 20 pounds of lean muscle. Whatever) And most importantly, you'll help send Mark Schauer to Congress!!!
In less than a week, the real President Vice President will be here to help Temmeh Walberg raise some cash. You know things are bad for Republicans when they have to call on Dick Cheney to boost their popularity. Apparently, Walberg's Wacko Club for Growth Conservatism isn't well liked in his moderate district.
Cheney will be in Marshall next Friday, to attend an invitation-only fundraiser for Walberg. To celebrate Walberg's downward mobility, the Michigan Progressivesphere is having an invitation-only fundraiser of our own for CD-07 candidate Mark Schauer.
The Prince of Darkness is coming to Marshall to scare some cash out of the locals. With friends like this...
Ed Sarpolus, vice president of the Lansing-based polling firm EPIC/MRA, said Cheney is stumping for Walberg as part of a concerted Republican effort to protect two Republican congressman: Walberg in the 7th District and Rep. Joe Knollenberg, R-Bloomfield Township, in Michigan's 9th Congressional District.
"It sounds like they're beginning to realize that Tim's going to need some money," he said. "This is one of the seats they are watching. They can't afford to lose too many seats."
Sarpolus said Cheney "likes to hang around people who are like him," and in the Republican-heavy 7th District, Cheney's visit to Walberg's fundraiser could be a much-needed boost for the congressman's campaign.
"The point is that everybody knows what they think of Dick," he said. "No matter what they think of the vice president, they're willing to pay to see him."
I think Ed just likened Dick to the freak show at the circus. He may frighten and shock you, but people are willing to pull out some bucks just to catch a glimpse.
This is a fine and fitting endorsement for Tim Walberg, don't you think? Birds of a feather and all.
Congressman John Conyers is (once again) a major player on the possible impeachment of Dick Cheney. Right now, Dennis Kucinich's Resolution to impeach is sitting in the House Judiciary Committee, of which Conyers is Chair.
I haven't seen anything on Conyers' blog about this, but Conyers' office is saying that the committee is understaffed, and the Congressman will be "thinking about it."
Well, actually it didn't start out that way. It was rather rainy and gray early this morning- I think that might have hurt the turnout a bit.
A word for Grand Rapids protesters. C'mere a sec. There is one highway from the airport. There is one main street that goes from that highway to the facilities downtown where these guys usually speak. If you want to be seen by the object of your affection, you really should position yourself somewhere along that route.
That being said, I found myself walking alone on that street when the Prince of Darkness himself went flying by. Wave hi to Dick.
Security was present, but not as prevalent as it usually is for these things. It was a calm atmosphere, probably induced by the rain.
More pics over the flip... warning, graphics intense
