NT 2010 Local Elections

[Corduroy Frog]

Non-tax topic, but also non-partisan commentary.

I am not only southern, but rural. This puts me in comradery with Black Bart and ChEAr$, and maybe a few more. This is what is going on down here -- if it is not the case where you live, please ignore.

It is an election year, also for state and local governments. Each local position (State Senator, County Road Commissioner, City Alderman, countless others) has traditionally had 2 or 3 competitors vying for the same job. This year, there are at least a dozen competitors for every office. Public right-of-way spots are filled with so many posters and placards that if any single party did it, they would be arrested for sign permit violations.

Hundreds of them. At every intersection. I think the same would be true in Alabama/Arkansas/Georgia but I'll let those folks speak for themselves. Why is this happening??

I have found out a common thread about many of these "candidates" -most of whom have absolutely no political experience whatsoever. These are people who used to have jobs at local plants making decent wages with decent benefits. The local plants are gone to Mexico or China, and now these people are desperate to find other jobs without working at WalMart for 20 hours/week.

The jobs for the various elected government spots are the only ones left in town that have decent benefits. Even the pay is in some cases sub-standard. The coming Obamacare does virtually nothing to assure affordable health-care, in spite of the name.

Speaking for Tennessee, the situation is even worse, because a candidate can be elected with a simple plurality rather than a majority. The Democratic nomination of our worst governor in 1978 was won with only 28% of the vote in a field of seven. The reason is the state does not want to pay for a run-off. At least in Alabama, there will be run-off elections until SOME candidate wins over 50%.

Don't know that this post deserves a lot of response, but I do consider it to be a sign of our times.

[Black Bart]

Well, shoot; it

I am not only southern, but rural. This puts me in comradery with Black Bart and ChEAr$, and maybe a few more. This is what is going on down here

It is an election year...Each local position (State Senator, County Road Commissioner, City Alderman, countless others) has traditionally had 2 or 3 competitors vying for the same job. This year, there are at least a dozen competitors for every office...I have found out a common thread about many of these "candidates" -most of whom have absolutely no political experience whatsoever. These are people who used to have jobs at local plants making decent wages with decent benefits. The local plants are gone to Mexico or China, and now these people are desperate to find other jobs without working at WalMart for 20 hours/week.

The jobs for the various elected government spots are the only ones left in town that have decent benefits. Even the pay is in some cases sub-standard...

Don't know that this post deserves a lot of response, but I do consider it to be a sign of our times.

deserves some commentary even if it's from a named comrade (i.e., me).

Good point about souls seekin' employment, my amphibian associate. There does seem to be an excess of political candidates lately, and while I wasn't swift enough to link it to unemployment, it sounds like a good theory. Have you ever seen as many people running for the Republican presidential spot as we had a few months ago? And we've got half a dozen here runnin' for ever'thang 'cept the county line. Heck, people have even stopped dodgin' jury duty since the county started payin' the equivalent of a tank of gas.

But, as a self-employed sole proprietor, I'm developin' an alternative office-profit strategy. I'm doubling my labor force. First thing Monday mornin', I'm goin' out lookin' for that "somebody else" who built this business (gonna check on/under those road/bridges) and tell him to come on back in to work. He's sure been layin' low for a while; fact is, I cain't even remember him ever showin' up on the job at all!

Wish me luck!

(P.S. Anybody else found theirs yet?)

[Snaggletooth]

Unknown Culprit

Yes, I am relieved after all these years to find out someone other than me built my business. If I had known, I guess I would have sat back and lit up a cigar and let him work.

I'm not denying that without my customers, I would have no business -- and if that's what was meant by that comment, then so be it. And government built my business too, after all without their incomprehensible tax code I wouldn't be needed. Never mind the fact that they've got their hand stuck out every 3 months for whatever I seem to have left over.

So I've really done nothing productive all these years...

And these characters with signs all over the road this election year? After fighting city hall for years and years, now I suppose they want to BE city hall.

I think I'll run for dogcatcher in 2014...

[John of PA]

Being envolved in Local Politics is very important, job well done.

[JohnH]

deserves some commentary even if it's from a named comrade (i.e., me).

Good point about souls seekin' employment, my amphibian associate. There does seem to be an excess of political candidates lately, and while I wasn't swift enough to link it to unemployment, it sounds like a good theory. Have you ever seen as many people running for the Republican presidential spot as we had a few months ago? And we've got half a dozen here runnin' for ever'thang 'cept the county line. Heck, people have even stopped dodgin' jury duty since the county started payin' the equivalent of a tank of gas.

But, as a self-employed sole proprietor, I'm developin' an alternative office-profit strategy. I'm doubling my labor force. First thing Monday mornin', I'm goin' out lookin' for that "somebody else" who built this business (gonna check on/under those road/bridges) and tell him to come on back in to work. He's sure been layin' low for a while; fact is, I cain't even remember him ever showin' up on the job at all!

Wish me luck!

(P.S. Anybody else found theirs yet?)

Bart: Your post got me started looking for mine, but I realized those people who built my business all reside in Washington (if I'm to believe what I was told). Since I can't think of a worse place to do business, I guess I'll just have to sit here and be grateful for all they did for me. And all these years I labored under the false impression that I was doing the heavy lifting. Glad somebody straightened me out on this just before I retire. Now it's up to me to figure out how to show my gratitude.

[DTS]

...Now it's up to me to figure out how to show my gratitude.

I show my gratitude every time I turn on the TV.

[Black Bart]

And

I show my gratitude every time I turn on the TV.

how do you do that, my far-western friend? Are you confessin' to being a Foxwatcher? Isn't that against the law in CA?

Being envolved in Local Politics is very important, job well done.

I do agree, John, but I can think of a couple of local aldermen who get in outta the rain and that's about it. Maybe there should be a test...

... I think I'll run for dogcatcher in 2014...

Ahem...the PC term is Animal Control Administrator (consider yourself chastized). Good luck (ours gets a token salary/good benefits/not sure if a per-varmint fee applies).

...without my customers, I would have no business -- and if that's what was meant by that comment, then so be it. And government built my business too, after all without their incomprehensible tax code I wouldn't be needed.

Another good point about government. While I've complained about it 'em too (bet we've got lots of company here), all those stimulus deals, making work pay, various credits, and assorted perks/cuts/whatever have generated for us much business because some of the stuff is a little more than the average DIYer usually wants to contend with.

Bart:...And all these years I labored under the false impression that I was doing the heavy lifting. Glad somebody straightened me out on this just before I retire...

Awww...don't quit now. Don'cha wanna stick around a while and see how much biz Obamacare (bite my tongue -- I take that back; it's ACA in PC-speak) drums up for us?

[JohnH]

Awww...don't quit now. Don'cha wanna stick around a while and see how much biz Obamacare (bite my tongue -- I take that back; it's ACA in PC-speak) drums up for us?

You make a good point. It might be worth handing out a couple of rounds of "I told you so" to a few clients with whom I've discussed politics over the past few years. (Generally a no-no in my office, but there are exceptions made)

[DTS]

Nailed

how do you do that, my far-western friend? Are you confessin' to being a Foxwatcher? Isn't that against the law in CA?

Hi Bart,

I was just saying that when I turn on TV and see that person telling me that I had help building every business I've ever owned, I feel it necessary to calmly tell him what I think of a comment like that, sort of a one-sided, heart-to-heart, if you will.

I do keep the curtains drawn and watch Fox, but not as much now. It's become too "fair and balanced" for my taste.

[taxxcpa]

Someone built my business???

Actually, the IRS built my business. If had no income tax, there would be no businesses preparing taxes and a lot fewer would want accountants.

Nevertheless, I think Obama's comment was evidence of his incompetence.

[joanmcq]

Nah, it's a comment on the infrastructure. Elizabeth Warren said it much more eloquently, but I do understand what Obama was trying to say.

For example, the internet has helped me immensely in my biz! In fact, a significant portion of my clientele would not exist except for the internet. Like the client I just emailed about his return-I've never met him. He found me on the internet, sent his docs in through my website, and I'll be able to transmit his return electronically. I was able to research the issues on his return for free, even. I didn't develop the internet, except through my tax dollars going into research.

That said, the biggest boost to my business has been Congress. Let's thank Congress again for the multitude of "Keep Tax Professionals Gainfully Employed Act"s which have made the tax code the convoluted mess it is.

[Gary2]

I didn't develop the internet, except through my tax dollars going into research.

For which I'm grateful, since I spent a fair number of years as a Computer Science graduate student, back when it was still called the Arpanet, living on a stipend that was largely from government sources. Can't say that I did any network research, but I did work on the sort of programming language research that was the academic ancestor of languages such as Java and C++.

[RitaB]

Lots of involvement here

Being envolved in Local Politics is very important, job well done.

LOL. Good one, John.

Ever notice that too many people are involved? Not counting the elected official, who is over at the donut shop spreading the carbs. There are like seven people working in there, and any one of us could handle the office by ourselves. And not because we are that good, if you know what I mean.

[JohnH]

We had a local politician over for dinner. The more loudly he proclaimed his honesty, the more earnestly we counted our silverware.