When Push Comes To Shove In The House Of Representatives

The new Speaker of the House has his House upset at him. He is trying to get the members to pay attention to what is going on in the House. It has become apparent that these Dedicated Long Serving Public Servants are pushing back.

Many have started calling him (behind his back) “Pushy” after he delivered a memo to the House entitled, “Enough with the lollygagging”.

One of the most often spoken words in the House for some time now has been “Sanctions”. Putting Sanctions on Iran is something that will certainly get their attention...Or will it?

The Speaker last week started nudging the chamber to get a bit more efficient when voting. His message must not have sunk in, because so many lawmakers missed the vote on the high-profile Iran Sanctions Legislation that the voting ended up being scrapped because of lack of interest & had to be rescheduled for later this month.

I got into my car & drove to Washington, D.C. a few days ago to see this situation played out for myself. Yes I get in my car & drive up to Washington a lot. Actually my car has started to rebel against these frequent trips. As I neared Washington on this trip a message popped up on my GPS Screen that said, “Why don’t you just move to D.C.? It would be a lot easier on me!”

I talked to many members of the House who were really upset with Pushy Ryan...

Ø Representative Leghorn was very open with his opposition to what the Speaker is trying to do. He told me that when Ryan first arrived in Congress he had gone out of his way to take him under his wing. On several occasions he took Ryan with him on Coffee Breaks & showed him how to turn a 20 minute Coffee Break into a 75 minute discussion about Football.

Ø Representative Whiplash told me how he tried to educate Ryan about how long one could sit absolutely still at his desk before cobwebs started to form between his arms & his upper body.

Ø Representative Swindle told me how he had once hoped that Ryan might have what it took to break his long-standing record of missing more votes than anyone else in the House but Ryan disappointed him by not showing any interest in going after this milestone.

Representative Igotmine (has been in up there so long that he can’t remember which State originally sent him to Congress) was not bothered in the least by what the new Speaker was trying to do. He said he intended to be present on the floor of the House whenever Pushy directed he should be there because he has developed the ability to sit at his desk with his eyes wide open while being sound asleep. He seemed particularly proud as he explained to me how he had even developed the sleep mannerism where he periodically scratched his nose while still being in Deep REM Sleep.

Would I kid u?

Smartfella

Taxation Without Representation Was Worth Fighting A Revolutionary War Over. Taxation With Representation Is A Wonderful Thing...Or Is It?

I could have modified the above Subject & written it this way...

Taxation With Representation Is A Wonderful Thing Because It Is So Easy To Understand...Or is it?

The Powerball Lottery is upon us again. Today there are a whole bunch of people in the Good Ole USofA saying to themselves...

“I’m sure glad I did not bother going to High School or College because I’m about to be rich & I did not have to bother doing all that studying stuff. I always thought that was a big waste of time & my winning this lottery is going to prove me right!”

I’m going to list for you all the problems you will face if you win the Powerball Lottery. I will do it in Bullet Format because it will be easier to understand...Or will it be?

Don’t think that this Billion Dollar Jackpot is a rare occurrence. Well it has been but it’s not going to be. The people who run the lottery recently changed how it works to prevent winning as often as in the past. This was done so that it will grow big as this one has done. This way more people will become infatuated, become greedy, become interested, etc. & more money will come rolling in.

You do not have to read each bullet to get the flavor of the chaos that will engulf you if you win. Just skim through the bullets. Actually, reading & trying to understand each bullet, is guaranteed to give you a headache.

My source for all of this confusion below...

http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/taxes/taxes-on-a-dollar14-billion-powerball-jackpot-could-be-dollar400-million/ar-CCoHkj?ocid=spartandhp

© Mike Kemp/Getty Images

The next Powerball drawing is worth an estimated $1.4 billion (it may be even higher by the time you read this), and the odds are good that there will be a winner this time.

If there’s only one winner, we will have a new member of the Billionaire Club. Right? Wrong, because your friendly tax collectors are silent partners in the deal.

Here’s the story on all the tax hits on a huge payout.

Annuity Versus Cash Option

· The Jan. 13 Powerball drawing is a whopping $1.4 billion.

· That number is based on the winner taking his or her money in the form of a 29-year annuity.

· You get the first payment right away, and then one annual payment for the next 29 years.

· On the other hand, if you choose the cash option, you get all the money right away, but you get less.

· The projected cash-option jackpot is “only” $868 million.

· What’s the biggest reason to choose one option or the other?

· You guessed it: Taxes.

· If you choose the annuity option and then die before collecting all your rightful proceeds (a distinct possibility if you are not a youngster), the present value of the remaining payments will be included in your taxable estate for federal estate tax purposes.

· The first $5.45 million (indexed for inflation in future years) will be sheltered by your federal estate tax exemption.

· Anything in excess of that amount will be taxed at a 40% rate.

· Depending on where you live, there may be a state death tax hit, too.

· Your heirs would have to figure out how to pay the tax hit(s) on money they have not yet received.

· I’m sure there are ways to borrow what’s needed to pay death taxes, but I doubt those ways are cheap.

· So if you’re not a healthy millennial, the cash option could be the better choice.

· If you’re a youngster in robust good health, and choose the annuity option — but you live in a high-tax state like New York, Massachusetts, Minnesota, or Oregon (oddly enough, California does not tax lottery winnings) — can you move to Florida or Nevada or Texas, which have no personal income taxes, and thereby avoid any state income tax hit on your future lottery annuity payments?

· It depends on the laws of the state where you currently reside.

· This is a question to be researched by your newly hired tax professional (more on that later).

Federal Income Tax

· Lottery jackpots are fully taxable.

· Big jackpots are taxed at the maximum federal rate of 39.6%.

· On an $868 million cash payout, the federal income tax hit would be about $344 million.

· Federal income tax will automatically be withheld from your prize, but only at a 25% rate.

· So on an $868 million payout; you would still owe the federal government almost $127 million.

· You have the same underpaid tax issue if you receive big lottery annuity payments, but the underpaid amount for each year is much smaller.

· In any case, failure to recognize that additional tax is still owed on lottery winnings is one big reason why some winners wind up in bankruptcy court a few years later.

State & Local Income Tax

· Here’s what could happen if a big lottery winner is “unlucky” enough to live in a state with a personal income tax.

· In most states, the tax rates on high-income individuals range from 5% to 10%.

· If the rate is 7%, the winner of an $868 million cash payout will owe the friendly state tax collector about $61 million.

· If you live in New York City, you face an 8.82% state income tax rate plus another 3.876% for city income tax.

· The state income tax rate in Massachusetts is an oppressive 12%.

· The 11% rate in Hawaii is no bargain.

· Depending on where you live, automatic withholding of state and local income taxes may or may not occur.

· This is another big reason why some lottery winners wind up bankrupt is failure to plan ahead for these tax hits.

Federal Gift Tax

· Despite having already lost many millions to the Feds (and maybe to your friendly state and city tax collectors, too), your tax situation can quickly deteriorate even further if you share your newfound wealth generously with friends and loved ones.

· That’s because you’ll owe the 40% federal gift tax after you’ve given away more than the $5.45 million federal gift tax exemption (adjusted for inflation in future years).

· If you give away $25 million to siblings, children, parents, aunts, uncles, and friends, the gift tax bill would be about $7.8 million.

· Don’t give away anything until you’ve talked to your newly hired tax pro.

Death Taxes

· Let’s assume that you don’t give away any of your $868 million cash jackpot.

· You just pay your $344 million tax bill to the Feds and your $61 million state tax bill.

· You then have $463 million left ($868 million - $344 million – $61 million).

· That should be more than enough to at least last for the rest of your life.

· However, if you massively overindulge and die of a heart attack later this year, your estate will owe a $183 million federal estate tax bill [40% x ($463 million – the $5.45 million exemption)].

· Of the $868 million you started off with, $280 million is left.

· That means almost 68% has been lost to taxes.

· If your state income tax rate is higher than 7% or if your state charges a death tax, it could be even worse.

The Bottom Line

If you’re lucky enough to become a really big lottery winner, the next day after you win, please take my advice...

· Hire a super-competent tax pro.

· Hire a super-competent attorney.

· Hire a super-competent financial adviser.

Then don’t do anything with your money until you’ve talked to all three. That way, your big jackpot will be a blessing instead of a curse...Or will it be?

Would I kid u?

Smartfella

One More Time...What Was It I Did That Was So Bad?

Years ago I latched onto a Charge that had been filed against a Vandal for spray painting a column on our local City Hall.

Did your logical mind just race ahead & say to you, “That’s Vandalism!” If so, your Racing Mind just proved that it is stuck in the Logical Past.

In Modern America, the Vandal is not a Vandal anymore. This Vandal’s crime was that he was an Interferer because he was actually charged with “Interfering with Government Property”.

This charge makes one think that the Column wanted to move around to the other side of City Hall to get out of the sun & the Interferer got in its way & prevented it from moving where it longed to go.

------------------------

All of the above is a lead-in to today’s silliness. My newspaper tells me that one of the officers who is charged with the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore is charged with “Second-Degree Depraved-Heart Murder” which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.

Making the assumption that the officer is found guilty of “Second-Degree Depraved-Heart Murder”, one almost has to feel sorry for the officer. Try & get your mind’s eye (whatever that is) to picture this scene...

The “Second-Degree Depraved-Heart Murder” Found Guilty & Incarcerated Officer is in year 27 of his 30 year sentence. He is sitting across from his attorney talking through that little hole in that bullet-proof glass in the prison’s visiting room & as he says to his attorney, “You know how I hate to be repetitious & I know I have asked this question 317 times before but can you please explain to me one more time what Second-Degree Depraved-Heart Murder is?”

Would I kid u?

Smartfella

Am I Being Too Picky...Again?

On December 7, 2015 Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson announced he was changing the National Terrorism Warning System.

I have faith that these people in Homeland Security know what they are doing...Or do I?...Or do they?

In my reading of an article about the new National Terrorism Warning System there were two parts that caught my picky eye.

Me Being Picky, Part 1:

Jeh Johnson said the changes to the system allow Homeland Security to post a bulletin that does not depend on a Specific Credible Threat.

Huh?

For years now, whenever we are being warned about a Terrorist Threat, being assured about a Terrorist Threat not really being a Terrorist Threat or lied to about a Terrorist Threat the phrase “Credible Threat” is replete throughout the Warning, the Assurance or the Lie. We expect to see the phrase “Credible Threat” to know for certain that we need to be worried.

Actually “Credible Threat” it is being used so often that is approaching the gargantuan volumes of some of our nightly news all time great Catch Phrases like...

Ø “Boots on the Ground”

Ø “Bipartisan”

Ø “Transparency”

Ø “My Good Friend” (used constantly in the Senate as a substitute for “That Complete Idiot Across the Aisle”).

My thinking is, if we are not going to depend on the use of the phrase “Credible Threat” to start worrying, what are going to depend on?

Ø Are we going to jump under the table because of Not-Credible Rumors?

Ø Are going to go back to making plans to move to New Zealand because Jeh Johnson’s barber, who was high on cocaine during Jeh’s last haircut, whispered in Jeh’s ear that his brother-in-law told him about his wild guess about a terrorist attack coming on Thursday?

Ø Are we going to despair because the New York Times took a survey of Mulberry Creek’s Fourth Grade Class during recess?

Me Being Picky, Part 2:

The Alert issued on Wednesday under the new system, which expires on 16 June, reads: “We are in a new phase in the global threat environment, which has implications on the homeland”.

My thinking is, what the heck does “Implications on the Homeland” even mean?

My confusion continues... “Expires June 16, 2016”. Why June 16? Have the Terrorists told us that June 16 is the start of their Vacation Season, so we can stop worrying for awhile?

If that’s true, I hope they will have the common decency to tell us when their Vacation Season comes to an end, so we can crank up another warning to worry about.

If it all makes sense to you, email me & tell me it makes sense to you & I will personally pay to have your head examined.

Would I kid u?

Smartfella

Old Guy Tries To Help Out The Young Guy & The Young Guy’s Response

The Old Guy Has Been Around For A Long Time & Knows Quite A Few Things

The Old Guy uses a quote from The Noticer (yea, there is another Noticer out there) to make a potentially life changing point to the Young Guy...

“Remember, young man, experience is not the best teacher. Other people's experience is the best teacher. By reading about the lives of great people, you can unlock the secrets to what made them great.”
― Andy Andrews, The Noticer: Sometimes, All a Person Needs Is a Little Perspective

The Young Guy Has Been Around For Only A Short Time & Knows Everything

The Young Guy (aka: The Dude) says to the Old Guy, “I don’t have time to do that. I’ve got a busy schedule today. I’ve got to hang out with my friends, catch up on my tweeting & take a lot of selfies. I take a lot of selfies every day.”

The Old Guy says to the Young Guy, “Is that really important?”

The Young Guy says to the Old Guy, “You bet, ya. These things are very important!”

The Old Guy thinks to himself, “That’s the problem. He really believes those things are important.”

Would I kid u?

Smartfella

Happy Birthday To Who?

Here I go again reminding you that I am a Noticer. I notice things that other non-noticing people do not notice. I know each of my dear readers is happy that I notice what I notice...Or are they?

My iPhone gives me access to over 1,500 Emoticons. I actually tried to count them but had to finally decide that a 1,500+ guess was the best I could do.

In looking through my 1,500+ Emoticons I saw that there was one of everything for anything...Or was there?

What I could not find was anything having to do with Christmas. (It must have something to do with Separation of Church & Smiley Faces.) There used to be a little Christmas Tree, but not anymore. I know some of you consider this progress but Old Fashioned Fella does not.

I was out & about in my car a couple of nights ago when I started thinking about creating this Blog Posting & I began looking at Holiday Decorations (formerly known as Christmas Decorations) as I drove along. Based on what I saw, I got to wondering about whose birthday we were celebrating. Was it...

Ø Frosty the Snowman?

Ø Charlie Brown?

Ø Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer?

Ø A Bunch of Nutcrackers?

Ø The Candy Cane?

Ø The Grinch?

To me it looked like Rudolph was the clear winner. Frosty was a strong but distant second. It is only a matter of time before we are going to be frantically scurrying around buying presents & greeting everyone we see with, “Merry Rudolphmas”.

Would I kid u?

Smartfella

Christmas Silliness

Congress ought to pass a law that says it's against the law to run Commercials and TV Shows every year about the absolutely awful time American Families have with awful relatives who visit with them for the holidays.

Usually there is an Uncle Jake &/or an Aunt Hazel that are the culprits. They have different names but they ruin everything for the rest of the relatives. Everyone dreads them coming & they come every year.

I think that such families are the exception & not the rule. However, by running so many such Commercials & TV Shows the producers make such families seem like the rule.

One thing I know for sure is my family does not have this problem. We don’t have a single Uncle Jake, Aunt Hazel or any such person by any other name. We are always glad to see each other & we enjoy being around each other.

If the depictions of these Commercials and TV Shows are actually true, I feel sorry for the families that experience such Christmas Silliness.

Would I kid u?

Smartfella

Lagniappe: Merry Christmas

When The Fella Sees Something...The Fella Says Something

I have just eaten my lunch. The whole time I was eating my lunch I was watching a TV screen full of Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles City Officials, State of California Officials and Los Angeles County Officials standing behind a podium that was occupied in turn by one of them as they said what they had to say about the Closing of the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Schools today.

Each one of them was saying the same thing as the one before them had said and the one after them was going to say.

So far you are thinking I am being critical for over-reaction or repetition or loitering behind the podium but I am not. What I am blogging about is an important issue I saw on my TV and, as usual, I do not just poke holes in the air with my finger but I am here to propose a Fix.

The Issue/Problem:

• It appears that the Chief Official for every one of these entities were on my TV screen.
• By having to appear to speak and stand in support of others who are speaking they are not doing their jobs!
• Should they not be out chasing the bad guys?
• Should they not be at, the very least, tweeting words of encouragement in support of their people who are out chasing the bad guys?
• The Bottom Line: They can’t do their jobs because they are required to be at this podium telling us how they are doing their jobs and how much they care about us and how much they feel our pain.

The Fella Fix:

• In times like these there ought to be a Federal Bunch of Official Distinguished and Responsible Looking People ready to be flown to any such happening to stand in for the real Official Distinguished and Responsible Looking People who are out doing their jobs.
• This At The Ready Stand-In Team would be there to give us Folks Back Home confidence that everything is being done by the real Official Distinguished and Responsible Looking People and how much the real Official Distinguished and Responsible Looking People care about us and how much they feel our pain.
• If they want the Fella to help, I will be glad to go to Dollar Tree and buy them a bunch of Stars for their use on their hats, collars and upper lets (Yea, there were a whole bunch of stars on all of them.)

The Fella’s Sad Closing: We are told that these Officials are the ones in charge of the Los Angeles Unified School District, the Los Angeles Police Department, the State Police Department, the Mayor’s Office, etc. Actually they are not in charge. I’m sorry to say that it appears that the Terrorist, in cahoots with Alexander Graham Bell, are calling the shots.

Can a single phone call cause all this?

Would I kid u?

Smartfella

Sudden Death & Other Bad Things

Every day I am amazed at all these Prescription Drug Commercials on Television. What’s that you say? You say you have not seen one of these commercials in the last few minutes. Let me say this about that, “Wait another minute”.

What am I amazed about? It is simple. I am amazed that products can be sold to the American Public by running commercials where 80% of the contained information imparted is made up of Warnings about the Dire Consequence of what could happen to you if you took the Advertised Drug, including Sudden Death.

The whole scenario just does not make sense but, actually the Pharmaceutical Companies are making lots of Cents by running these commercials (millions of dollars).

I’ve often told you about my Potted Plant outfit which allows me to gather information for Foolishness...Or Is It?. Another arrow in my quiver is my Fly on the Wall Outfit. I used this outfit to get into a Board of Directors Meeting of a major pharmaceutical company last week & what I heard confirmed my ongoing confusion & general lack of comprehension as to why their sales pitches work.

Here is what I heard...

• A board member: Mr. Chairman, are we ready to launch our latest Wonder Drug Zxyjrza? (Have you ever noticed how often these drugs have J or X or Y or Z in their name?) 
•  Chairman: Before I answer that question of yours, Ed, how many times have I told you that it is against Federal Law to address me as “Chairman”? You know darn good & well that my title is “Chairperson”. 
•  Chairperson: That having been said, the launch delay is that our launch commercial team is stuck at 50% Bad Effects on the huperson body. We all know that we will not get the attention of the American Drug Buying Public if we launch a commercial that is not at least 80% chock full of Dire Catastrophic Warnings. 
•  Chairperson: If we launch with less than 80% God Awful Devastating Content, we would be forced to talk about the benefits of taking this drug. You all are well aware that we have many highly successful drugs on the market for years that we have yet to come up with any good reason why they ought to be taken. 
•  Chairperson: We know from past experience that, if we don’t put at least 80% Catastrophic Content in our commercials, the American Buying Public will pay no attention to us & we all are well aware of what that can do to our bonuses.

Ever wonder why these drugs are called Wonder Drugs? That’s because, after they tell you all the bad things that can happen to you by taking them, it is a Wonder that anyone actually dares to take them.

Would I kid u?

Smartfella

The “Must Read” Requirement...Again

Years ago I took note of my local newspaper’s ongoing practice of labeling certain articles with a white on gray box that reads, “Must Read”.

I played around with this concept in two blog postings... http://forii.blogspot.com/search?q=Must+Read.

I had fun with it & I know those of you who read them had fun also...Or did u?

Today’s “Must Read” has the headline...

Scientists develop algorithm to make computers to think like people

I will finish this Posting with a Fella Assignment & a Simple Question...

Assignment:

• Go read the news in your morning newspaper or the news section of the Internet for 5 minutes.
• That ought to be long enough to come to a full realization of How People Think.

Simple Question:

• Do you still think it is a good idea for computers to Think Like People?

Would I kid u?

Smartfella

Is The Fella Smarter Than Many State Governors?

This commentary is not about Muslims or Syrian Refugees or Immigration Policy. It is about Common Sense. Do you remember Common Sense?

The Federal Government plans to bring in 10,000 Syrian Refugees into the Good Ole USofA. Many State Governors are taking a Firm Stand against any of the 10,000 coming into their particular states.

As you well know, the Fella is an expert on Silly. I am thinking that the Firm Standing Governors are being a bit Silly. To take meaningful action the Governors need to go one step further by demanding that the Federal Government ensure that, no matter what state the Refugees are brought into, their shoes are taken away from them before they enter the Country. 

Am I wrong in thinking that, once the Refugees are inside the Good Ole USofA, they can walk to any of 49 Continental States? If they were brought in without shoes, the Firm Standing Governors constituents would be safe...Or would they be?

I must be wrong again. Certainly these duly elected public servants (whatever that means) are smarter than the Fella & have thought about this possibility...Or are they?...Or have they?

Would I kid u?

Smartfella