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Use new year for a political fresh start
Happy New Year! It’s a great opportunity for a fresh start.
Wouldn’t it be nice if Republicans and Democrats could hit the refresh button?
In many ways, 2022 was a year of political gridlock. Republicans are leery of moving on from Donald Trump and Democrats are reluctant to say goodbye to incumbent Joe Biden. Yet there are legitimate concerns about Trump’s legal troubles and Biden’s age and health.
Imagine what would happen if these men graciously stepped aside. I believe both parties would be reinvigorated with new political leaders and ideas.
Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Mike Pence, Mike Pompeo and others would compete for the Republican nomination. Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, Gretchen Whitmer, and Gavin Newsom and more would challenge for the Democratic choice.
With almost two years to go before the next presidential election, this election cycle could be very healthy for our country.
I’m hopeful that in 2023, the country will move beyond the polarization and divisiveness of the last several years and chart a new, healthier political future.
Raymond LeBel
Charlton
Developed sites are best for solar arrays
A consensus has emerged that the planet is warming.
Increases in carbon dioxide caused by the burning of fossil fuels, combined with the loss of vast tracts of forest, has upset the earth’s natural balance.
One response has been an effort to reduce the removal of forest and encourage the planting of trees and other carbon-absorbing plants.
At the same time, solar panels have developed as a clean energy source. The efficient production of these panels, plus generous tax and financial incentives, has reduced the cost of creating solar arrays.
Solar arrays need space, and sometimes the most cost effective space is forested land.
The clear-cutting of forests to erect solar arrays is common. Conservationists remind us, though, that in addition to functioning as carbon-absorbing sponges, forests play a major role in maintaining healthy ecosystems, providing habitat for plants and animals. They filter air and absorb water, protecting against erosion and flooding. Forests provide us with recreational space.
Solar arrays are an important source of clean energy. However, the amount of forested land has been shrinking rapidly due to robust development.
We should minimize the loss of forests, wildlife habitat, and wetlands that sequester carbon and provide other functions and values. These lands are an important part of the resilience of people and nature. Every effort should be made to site solar arrays on developed properties, including commercial and industrial sites, parking lots, commercial and industrial roof tops, capped landfills and developed municipal-owned properties.
Ray O’Conor
Wilton
Change attitudes about immigration
Republicans and Democrats agree on one thing: that our borders are in crisis due to the swelling masses of immigrants seeking entry into our country.
As a former San Diego sector Border Patrol agent (not “guard”), it ain’t.
While the metastasizing crowds seem alarming, it is nothing new. But it seems new to most of the country because this is the first time they have seen what the southern border is like, and has been like, for half a century.
There is a simple solution: Legalize them. I am not suggesting open borders or a free ride to citizenship; I am saying that our quotas cause millions to cross as illegal immigrants.
If we gave them freedom to cross the border legally, there would be no more hemorrhaging of bodies, and we could deal with them administratively.
But there is one problem: Americans cannot come to terms with the issue without looking like shameless hypocrites.
Americans are not anti-immigration, but we view illegal immigration as such a disrespectful slap in our national face that myopia sets in and blinds us to simple solutions.
We eat at Chipotle and celebrate Cinco de Mayo as if we might someday learn more Spanish than just “mas cervezas,” but no one wants a Spanish-speaking neighbor who might have chickens in the front yard. We constantly portray our country as the land of freedom and opportunity, but then recoil when opportunists and dreamers knock at our door.
Lora Como
Scotia
Pay raise ignores people’s finances
I cannot believe the audacity of Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins to say that the legislature “deserved a raise to cover the increased cost of living.” in the Dec. 23 Gazette (“State lawmakers vote to give themselves a 29% raise.”)
The substantial 29%/$32,000 raise equates to making a little over minimum wage.
Don’t they realize that their constituents are deciding how they are going to pay their monthly bills and put food on the table? Especially with higher costs of everything, people are struggling.
There were two letters to the editor recently that caught my eye, one asking for people to donate to local animal shelters so people don’t have to give up their pets because they can’t afford to feed them, and that Schenectady County food bank fed roughly 8,000 people this Thanksgiving.
It’s disgusting that people can’t afford a turkey or have to get rid of their beloved pet because they don’t have the money. Yet our legislators just say they need a raise. We can’t do that. Imagine demanding a 29% raise from your boss.
I don’t know how these legislators look in the mirror. They are living in expensive houses and driving expensive foreign cars. I would suggest that any legislator that voted against the pay raise not take it. You could also donate to a food bank or local animal shelter. But then it’s still a win-win as you now have a $32,000 taxable donation. And to make matters even worse, legislators are only in session January-June (three days a week) for a total of 60 days. I should have gone into politics.
Valerie Bloomer
Scotia
Finish repaving of Union by summer
Though living near Ellis Hospital, my wife and I take daily trips down Union Street to beyond Union College.
Sometime soon, we hope Union Street will be completely repaved from the Crosstown to the College. Hopefully this work will be done before summer.
Bill Poppino
Niskayuna
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Categories: Letters to the Editor, Opinion, Opinion, Saratoga Springs, Scotia Glenville, Your Niskayuna
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Terrific letters to the editor by Mr. LeBel. Mr. O’Conor, and Ms. Como. Each contains an important point of view, common sense, and keen insights. Imagine if all Americans looked at the issues they address in the way they do. Could anyone argue we wouldn’t be better off?
Regarding immigration, the issue was brought up about quota’s for the amount of immigrants coming into the country. The reason is for the immigrants can assimilate to the country they wish to become a part of not the country to assimilate to the immigrants like learn Spanish. The problem is that the process takes time to vet, and make sure they will be an asset to the overall good of the country. The question is can they contribute to the society they wish to be a part of. Will they be able to support themselves and their family. Are they connected to a criminal element in their native country.The southern border is not the only way immigrants come into the country.These are important credentials to consider when vetting the immigrant. I am all for bringing immigrants into the country but legally not just walk across the border at will. There are legitimate immigrants that want to enjoy the America dream. But the reason we have this is because we were a country that was ruled by laws and process. But because of corrupt political figures in government on both sides it has degenerated into what is going on today.
Border Patrol just announced that El Paso is rounding up illegals before Biden comes to visit border. Why now, so Biden can say I was at the border there was no issues?
As for the comment about Cinco-DeMayo most Americans know it as a day to drink Corona and Tequila which no different than St. Patricks day because the big corporation appropriate and merchandise holidays. Removing any meaning for the day except what product they are pushing. The Chipotle comment is right there with Jill Biden’s comments about taco’s.
Yes allow immigrants but follow due process and if the laws are unfair then let Congress change them. You offer a specific bill to be debated, with no additions to water it down. If it is constitutional then pass it.
Raymond is right but the process for a nomination is done by caucus and primaries. If the person at the end of the process is the canidate the particular party wants. Regardless if it is Trump, Biden, Joe the plumber, Sally the singer. The issue is decided through process. There are arguments on both sides about Trump and Biden. But the political primaries and caucus should be the ones who decides.
The other point is to get special interest money from both sides out of the process as well. The RNC and DNC is filthy with endless amounts of cash to control the narrative and potential candidate.
I remember a quote from a wealthy contributor saying. You can vote for whom ever you want as long as we pick the canidate.
Ms Como refreshing letter immigration has become unfortunately an ugly political tool. As we look at a major nursing strike in NYC a veterinarian shortage as two examples we have to recognize immigration is not a bad thing. It’s time to stop the lying and address the issue put the white supremacy aside and act like human beings instead of expressing the ‘not before me braying.
Before any Republican can become a viable candidate for President. They must oust the Election Deniers and Trump from their party. All those people listed have a connection to Trump. The one viable candidate left off that list is Ex-Governor of Maryland Larry Hogan….Just yesterday Steve Bannon tweeted he backed the insurrection in Brazil and praised the insurrectionist there. People like him and Alex Jones et al must be washed away before the Republicans can be a viable choice again.
Biden is going to focus on the border and comprehensive immigration reform these next two years and we’ll see if the Republican house is interested in solutions and compromise or simple virtue signaling about the border. It’s Congress’ issue to fix with legislation, not the President as king.
Mr. Varoma spot on the stench of treason must be washed off future candidate’s Q anon believers who claim to have been tricked by Yahoo and sex traffickers aren’t leaders our democracy needs once a liar always a liar bray on. I’m sticking with Biden.
In the case of Elon Musk and Twitter the conservatives stand four square behind absolutism in free speech. However, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants to end tenure for professors at Texas colleges. In the first case the motive is to permit the free flow of misinformation which is used by the far right to control the susceptible and gullible core of the GOP. Its effectiveness is revealed daily on this site. In the second case, the far right wants to end academic freedom by gaining the ability to fire professors for discussing issues and views unacceptable to right wing extremists. Specifically they want “Texas colleges to disavow critical race theory. (DG p. A4 “Conservatives…”) In short, they want to create a system in which all are free to act and believe in the way the far right wants them to.
“Max McCoy, Emporia State’s sole journalism professor, penned a column that began, ‘I may be fired for writing this’— before learning this would be his last year teaching at the school. ‘This is a purge,’ he said…all the fired were ‘Democrats or liberal in our thinking'” (Ibid.)
“The share of Republicans and independent-leaning Republicans who said higher education was having a negative effect on the country grew from 37% to 59% from 2015 to 2019 in Pew Research Center polling.” (Ibid.)
Keep them dumb and thoughtless… the agenda of the MAGA elite. Welcome to Amerika.
“The other point is to get special interest money from both sides out of the process as well. The RNC and DNC is filthy with endless amounts of cash to control the narrative and potential candidate.” lgb
Are you in favor of legislation to fund campaigns with public money? I am. We may agree on something. Any person getting the qualifying number of signatures could run for Congress or any other elected position. The government would require all TV networks to broadcast debates among the qualifying candidates at predetermined times and dates. This would end the corrupt system of PACS and the influence of right and left-wing lobbyists, including Big Pharm, the gun lobby AND environmental lobbyists. From a google search, a summary of how public funding could work:
“The public funding program was designed to use tax dollars to match the first $250 of each contribution from individuals that an eligible presidential candidate receives during the primary campaign and fund the major party nominees’ general election campaigns (and assist eligible minor party nominees).”
Forbes:
“In 2021, immigrants have kept doing what they have done for years—winning Nobel Prizes. Three of the four American winners of the 2021 Nobel Prizes in physics, medicine and chemistry were immigrants to the United States. New research shows immigrants have played a remarkable role in scientific achievement in America.”
“Immigrants have been awarded 38%, or 40 of 104, of the Nobel Prizes won by Americans in chemistry, medicine and physics since 2000,” according to a new analysis by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP). “Between 1901 and 2021, immigrants have been awarded 35%, or 109 of 311, of the Nobel Prizes won by Americans in chemistry, medicine and physics.”
“The three immigrants to the United States who won a Nobel Prize this year in physics, chemistry and medicine arrived here through different paths. One came for work, another as an international student and the third fled violence in the Middle East.”
The only other category of people that came close to those numbers regarding winning Nobel Prizes were MAGA trump supporters, 3 of which will receive their awards while in prison for having stormed the Capital on 1-6-21. Additional marjorie Taylor Greene is expected to win the Nobel Prize award in psychology, for having a mind that is unparalleled by any other human being.
Lora Como, I lived in a border state for years and I also lived in El Paso, I have never seen the number of illegals crossing our borders as they have under Biden. The White House said it was a coincidence that there were no illegal crossings while Biden was there but 15 minutes after he left there were all of a sudden 50 or more, now if you believe that’s a coincidence I have an oceanfront estate to sell you in Kansas.
As far as the lefties saying that inflation is a global problem probably have no idea that the US has 4% of the world’s population but 60% in the world’s stock markets. When the US has an inflation problem because of bad policies it causes inflation problems throughout the world.
Santo, stop with your crap, Texas wants information from all sides to be out not just liberal LaLa land. How many Black parents need to tell you that CRT hurts their kids and it’s a bad plan? Thank God you no longer teach.
Whoville, I agree it is Congress that needs to fix it. Why then did Biden cancel Title 42, why did Biden cancel remain in Mexico policy, why did Biden stop building the wall, and why is Biden suing Arizona to take down their container wall? I’ll wait for your answer.
Lou, you left out the all-important answer, were they all legal or illegal immigrants? The next question is how many of those Nobel prize winners are illegals from Mexico or Guatamala? I’ll wait.
Here Lou I’ll answer for you. It seems like you forgot the part that they are all legal immigrants and that the story goes on to say that the key to success is legal immigration. Thanks for making my point.
David W.C. MacMillan was born in Scotland and arrived in America as an international student. He earned a Ph.D. at the University of California-Irvine. Today, MacMillan is a professor of chemistry at Princeton. He shared the 2021 Nobel Prize in chemistry with Benjamin List, director of the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research in Germany.
“Dr. Patapoutian, who is of Armenian origin, grew up in Lebanon during the country’s long and calamitous civil war before fleeing to the United States with his brother in 1986 at age 18,” reported the New York Times. “Needing to establish residency in California so that he could afford college, Dr. Patapoutian worked eclectic jobs for a year, delivering pizzas and writing the weekly horoscopes for an Armenian newspaper. At UCLA, in the course of preparing to apply to medical school, he joined a research laboratory so that the professor would write him a good recommendation.” – “The proper immigration laws matter, particularly in determining whether the United States gains from increased globalization and rising educational achievement in the world. The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 eliminated the discriminatory national origin quotas and opened the door to Asian immigrants, while the Immigration Act of 1990 increased employment-based green card numbers. Those two pieces of legislation have been essential factors in drawing international students to the country and enhancing the ability of America to assimilate talented individuals into our culture and economy.
In 1958, after earning a Ph.D. at the University of Tokyo, Syukuro Manabe came to America to work as a research meteorologist at the U.S. Weather Bureau “to use physics to model weather systems.” He joined the Princeton University faculty in 1968 and today is a senior meteorologist at the school. Syukuro Manabe and Klaus Hasselmann of the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, in Germany, shared the 2021 Nobel Prize for physics “for the physical modelling of Earth’s climate, quantifying variability and reliably predicting global warming.” (Giorgio Parisi at the Sapienza University of Rome, in Italy, received half of the 2021 physics award.)
BM, I am not dishing out “crap.” Point out even one point of misinformation I posted today. When you stopped posting your vitriolic comments yesterday the exchanges became more polite and issue oriented. Please stop as soon as you can today.
Earlier, BM posted this comment, “how many of those Nobel prize winners are illegals from Mexico or Guatamala? I’ll wait.” The most dangerous racist is the one who doesn’t know he IS a racist. He also states, “How many Black parents need to tell you that CRT hurts their kids and it’s a bad plan? Thank God you no longer teach.” I wonder if any Black parents have told him their kids were hurt by the honest teaching of American history. Does he understand that slavery, Jim Crow, segregation, discrimination and their consequences have hurt Blacks in this country? Ignorance interferes with problem solving. BM exemplifies and does his best to further the ignorance that impedes movement to a more equitable and productive society, ignorance which supports the fascist movement labeled MAGA in the United States today.
Bill Marincic
January 9th, 2023
“Lora Como, I lived in a border state for years and I also lived in El Paso”
AND YOU MOVED TO NYS!!!!! YOU MOVED FROM WHERE YOU WANT TO BE TO WHERE YOU DON’T WANT TO BE?
Typical nonanswer Lou, you tried to make it look like illegals got 3 Nobel prizes, they have all been here for decades legally. You got caught, you will never get it.
No Lou was born here and went to visit my Brother at the time in the Southwest and met a girl and left after my divorce. I still have a daughter and two grandkids I see there every year.
Sorry I meant Santo, I know you will never understand being a far-left liberal but I and others have no problem teaching the real history of what happened. The real history of the Democratic KKK and the start of the republican party to stop slavery. What we don’t need is telling a POC that they will never succeed due to their color and the fact that Whites control the world that’s why things are so tough for them. My best friend is graduating from school to be an RN he said he was told by the people around him that it’s up to him to be successful and that depends on only himself if he succeeds or fails. He was given support and hope not excuses to fail.
Loubig Bm has mentioned you more today than Mr Santo lol you really bug him! Big bm Bray on and lie donkey boy.
Lou sorry that you got caught with your copy-and-paste job, maybe you should have read the whole thing first and you wouldn’t have looked so foolish, not that that is possible.
As reported on NPR this morning the Rebublican majority is going to get right on to business. First up de fund the monies in Biden’s proposal to increase the IRS for
updating there 1990’s computer system and add agents to increase audits on those making over $400,000. No word on when immigration discussion will begin. Fortunately Democrats have the majority in the Senate so most of these bills passed will only be to show the “base” they are on the job.
Hey Stalker, I see you posted your everyday blockbuster of a comment. It must take you hours to come up with such profound statements. The other 7th graders must be in awe of you.
Florida, as far as the IRS agents, who do you think those 80,000 agents will be coming after? BTW, Congress has the power of the purse, and BTW, rather than a 5000-page appropriation Bill like Pelosi use to give Congress an hour before the vote there will now be 12 separate Bills 72 hours before a vote so it is available to read. If you are against that you are just a typical lefty naysayer.
Also, just that alone should help bring the cost of inflation down, and hopefully, the Fed won’t raise interest rates again.
BM, a definition and a statement of the purpose of CRT proves your statement, “What we don’t need is telling a POC that they will never succeed due to their color and the fact that Whites control the world…” is misinformation, untrue:
“Critical Race Theory, or CRT, is an academic and legal framework that denotes that systemic racism is part of American society — from education and housing to employment and healthcare. Critical Race Theory recognizes that racism is more than the result of individual bias and prejudice.” Legal Defense Fund
“The goal of CRT is to equip students with the ability to change the systems, structures and institutions that maintain racial inequities.”
If you can’t see that discrepancies between White and Black Americans in housing, net worth, incarceration, annual income, life expectancy etc. are due to institutional racism, redlining in real estate and the different treatment of powder and crack cocaine addicts and distributors, for example, you are a racist. If racism isn’t responsible for Black disadvantages, it follows that the cause is inherent to being Black, which is an absurd racist point of view.
A loan officer in a bank told not to loan money to people in a certain neighborhood may not be racist himself but is required to follow racist policies to keep his job. A judge handing out a far longer prison sentence to a Black defendant convicted of selling crack cocaine than to a White man selling a larger quantity of powder cocaine may not be individually racist but required to impose racist prison sentences. People posting racist comments on a public forum may not see themselves as racist but they are kidding themselves. Victims of individual and institutional racism have a right to study the origins of the problem and we all should try to put an end to racism and the horrors it has caused.
Bill, actually there’s no need to read anything you write because all roads lead to the exact same place.
BM, Biden ended Title 42 because it was predicated on COVID-19 which is not as imminent a threat as it was when it was enacted. Again, congresspeople are complaining about him ending it because they’d rather be against something than actually try and fix the broken immigration system. It was never meant to be a permanent solution to the border crisis, it was a workaround for Trump to keep out immigrants. Biden ended Remain in Mexico because we’re a compassionate country that believes it’s safer to allow immigrants to stay with a known sponsor in the US while awaiting their immigration hearing than to relegate them to the Mexican border amongst the smugglers and gangs who will try to exploit their situation. Biden actually authorized completion of sections of Trump’s wall so not sure what you’re saying and as far as Ducey goes, he wasted $100M of taxpayer money as a political stunt to put up ineffective containers on federal land without permission, akin to dumping unwanted furniture on the side of the road. Again, let Congress work out a compromise deal to set numbers on the amount of immigrants allowed on a yearly basis, increase the number of immigration judges, and address the problem like adults in search of a solution and not a political wedge.
Next Mr. Bill 🤡 was speaker of the house in Texas…..I can’t stop laughing 😂😂😂😂😂
Thanks for the logical explanation Whoville
Big BM isnt it time to crap on somoe else ? its been 2 minutes dude… liars do gotta rage
sorry someone dont want to set his highness off rage on dude
i dont understand why anybody who pays their taxes is so afraid of a funded and improved IRS. Seems kind of strange but maybe its a Repubic thing
rage on Big BM.
Its been a day and I can already sense things getting soooo much better must be that red ripple . liars do gotta rage donkey boy
Bob “fake name” Garrett another keyboard warrior brings zer0 to the discussion. DISMISSED!!!!!
“The Mad Hatter,” aka Donald Trump, is bound to widen the schism in the GOP with this post to “Truth Social”:
Posted today to Trump’s Truth Social account:
Great job Kevin! We must now stop Mitch McConnell and his China flagrant boss, Coco Chow. It’s as though he just doesn’t care anymore, he pushes through anything the Democrats want. The $1.7 TRILLION quickly approved Bill of the week before was HORRIBLE. Zero for USA Border Security. If he waited just ten days, the now “United Republican Congress” could have made it MUCH BETTER, or KILLED IT. Something is wrong with McConnell, and those Republican Senators that Vote with him. PRIMARY THEM ALL!!!
The list includes some surprises for devoted MAGA-ites: Blunt, Boozman, Capito, Collins, Cornyn, Cotton, Graham, Inhofe, McConnell, Moran, Murkowski, Portman, Romney, Rounds, Shelby, Thune, Wicker, and Young.
He belongs in “Wonderland” with Alice and the rest of the characters.
Whoville for once I kind of agree with you except Title 42 should have stayed in play because we are now seeing another disease that was eradicated, measles, we saw Polio a few months ago. There is a thing regardless of your job or position when you work you are supposed to do what’s best for the company as long as it is legal, sometimes that means cutting jobs or adding more work to employees. Doing what is best for the country is not adding five million more people to the fourteen million already here illegally, and it’s probably five million more than that actually. Americans have a right to reap the benefits of citizenship, we shouldn’t be forced to give up our jobs and our good education, etc. for people that forced themselves to the front of the line illegally.
Marincic, so why is it a problem that the IRS be better funded and staffed, when it’s been shown they desperately need both?
Krazi kari lake continues to refer to herself as the duly elected governor of Arizona. This after a visit to damsel donnie. On a related matter George Santos seems to have bonded with x Q anon queen and current Repubiclican queen mad madge greene . No one in this group upstanding of winners has expressed an inexplicable fear of the IRS yet. Bray on lying donkey boy bray on
Bill Marincic
January 9th, 2023
Bob “fake name” Garrett another keyboard warrior brings zer0 to the discussion. DISMISSED!!!!!
Ponder this, BM, as your poisonous prideful words spill from the depths of your polluted mind:
“God opposeth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.” James 4:6
Actually what he said is true, Mitch is owned by China, his wife’s family is there, and their shipping company worth Billions is in China, if you don’t believe that her family is at risk for a reeducation camp if Mitch doesn’t toe the line you are naive about China and Chi Jiping.
Chuck D, I have a better solution, let’s fix the tax code so that is fair to everyone and add new computer and security systems and as people retire don’t hire more. That way we cut the budget increase revenue and make government work a little better.
Mitch McConnell’s wife, Elaine Chao was born in Taiwan. Attended high school and college in the US when her family migrated here.
Marincic, you do know there’s a difference between Taiwan (ROC) and China (PRC) right? Having been to Taiwan several times and driven nearly the entire island, I can assure you the Taiwanese would be too gracious to laugh in your face, but the sentiment would be real. Ever been there? Ever been outside the US at all?
You’re a real half-baked piece of work, you are.
By the way, have you seen the new IRS rules when it comes to paying apps like Paypal, Cash App, and Venmo? They must now keep tabs on everyone’s account and send the information to the IRS, the IRS says even if you are giving a family member money it must be reported by the family member. So when I send $1000 to my daughter for Christmas for them and the kids she now has to report it as a gift. And so I don’t get taxed on it I have to prove it went to a family member as a gift otherwise the tax has to be paid. Does that sound like they are going after people that make more than $400,000 a year?
Marincic, you have no source to back up your assertions. The funding for the IRS goes mostly to “operations” which does not mean armed agents banging on your door as you Republican handlers/screachers would tell you.
The funding is focused on the top earners whose returns have been overwhelming for the current staff levels to process. Like Donald Trump.
You have a problem with that? Have you actually looked at the package, or just trusted what the Republicans say?
Seems fair send your daughter a check with gift on the memo line if it bothers you that much. Awful lot of scammers stick to PayPal and the like bray on liars bray on. Doesn’t seem like that big a tragedy
Still waiting for your proof that McConnell is ‘owned by the Chinese’.
Still waiting….
Chuck you do know that there is a One China policy and that Taiwan is for all intents and purposes Chinese. Just like a few years ago they went there and arrested hundreds of people.
Through interviews, industry filings and government documents from both countries, The New York Times found that the Chaos, and by extension Mr. McConnell, prospered as the family’s shipping company developed deeper business ties in China. Along the way, one of the company’s boosters was Ms. Chao, who now oversees efforts to promote America’s own maritime industry, which is in steep decline as China’s shipping sector rises in global dominance. Here are five takeaways.
As China was emerging from decades of turmoil in 1984, the Chao family took a stake in a state-owned Chinese manufacturer of marine electronic equipment, documents show. The company targeted sales to China’s military, among other sectors, and was closely affiliated with a ministry run by Mr. Jiang. After Mr. Jiang came to lead the Communist Party a few years later, Mr. Chao met with him at least six times, including in August 1989 in Beijing — inside the party’s secretive leadership compound. Chao family members said they could not recall this investment.
As transportation secretary, she attended a Foremost contract-signing ceremony in New York in 2017. The other party to the contract, the Sumitomo Group of Japan, was subject to Transportation Department oversight for transit projects. Two months later, she canceled a China trip after officials at the American embassy in Beijing raised ethical concerns when her office asked to have family members from the shipping company participate in events.
The Transportation Department provided no reason for the trip’s cancellation, though a spokesman later cited a cabinet meeting President Trump had called at the time.
At her confirmation hearing, Ms. Chao did not mention her family’s extensive ties to the Chinese maritime industry. She also did not disclose several accolades she had received in China — including a role as an international adviser to the city of Wuhan — though the Senate questionnaire requires nominees to list all honorary positions. An agency official described that as an oversight.
Foremost Group, the New York-based shipping company founded by Mr. Chao in 1964, landed its first big contract with the United States government, shipping rice to Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War.
Now, it builds most of its ships in state-owned shipyards in China, with some financed by Chinese government loans. In at least two instances, those Chinese-backed, Chinese-built ships entered long-term contracts to deliver iron ore for a state-owned steel maker.
More than 70 percent of Foremost’s freight goes to China, and most of that is iron ore, according to recent shipping data. The cargo helps feed China’s industrial machine, which manufactures steel products that are a point of dispute in the deepening trade war between China and the United States. The company describes itself as a small international business and says it does not have a particular focus on China, beyond what most dry bulk carriers have in a world dominated by Chinese manufacturing.
here you go Chuck, I will make the last sentence first in case you cant read,
When Elaine Chao became the transportation secretary – when she took official delegations to China, she planned to and intended to bring her sister and her father on those trips,” he said.
In addition, receiving millions of dollars in political contributions from members of the Chao family, McConnell received a massive gift from his father-in-law, he said.
“When it comes to Mitch McConnell, it’s pretty clear his financial fortunes are fused with those of the Chao family; in fact, James Chao gave him a gift of—more than a decade ago—of between $5 million and $25 million,” he said. “That basically quadrupled his net worth overnight.”
Schweizer said the McConnell-Chao family is a situation that fosters divided loyalties.
“You have this fusing of the Chao family and Mitch McConnell to the Chinese state, and it creates a circumstance, if McConnell were to do something that Beijing didn’t like, they could literally destroy the business overnight.”
Investigative journalist Peter Schweizer, author of the new book “Red Handed: How American Elites Get Rich Helping China Win,” told The Star News Network that the leader of Senate Republicans, Kentucky’s Sen. A. Mitchell “Mitch” McConnell, is tied to the top leadership of the Chinese Communist Party through his wife’s family.
“When Mitch McConnell married Elaine Chao, he married into a family with very substantial connections on mainland China and the Chinese Communist Party,” said Schweizer, who is also the president of The Government Accountability Institute.
James Chao, who is Elaine Chao’s father, that would be Sen. Mitch McConnell’s father-in-law, grew up with Jiang Zemin, who was the premier of China in the 1990s,” Schweizer said.
Schweizer said a government report detailed how McConnell’s wife used her position as the transportation secretary to benefit her family.
Chao’s father’s company, Foremost Group, owns some of the largest cargo ships in the world, moving goods from China to ports across the globe, and it has benefited from contracts from the Chinese military.
Angela Chao, now the Foremost Group CEO, also sat on the board of directors of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, which builds ships for the People’s Liberation Army Navy.
When Elaine Chao became the transportation secretary – when she took official delegations to China, she planned to and intended to bring her sister and her father on those trips,” he said.
In addition, receiving millions of dollars in political contributions from members of the Chao family, McConnell received a massive gift from his father-in-law, he said.
“When it comes to Mitch McConnell, it’s pretty clear his financial fortunes are fused with those of the Chao family; in fact, James Chao gave him a gift of—more than a decade ago—of between $5 million and $25 million,” he said. “That basically quadrupled his net worth overnight.”
Schweizer said the McConnell-Chao family is a situation that fosters divided loyalties.
When Elaine Chao became the transportation secretary – when she took official delegations to China, she planned to and intended to bring her sister and her father on those trips,” he said.
In addition, receiving millions of dollars in political contributions from members of the Chao family, McConnell received a massive gift from his father-in-law, he said.
“When it comes to Mitch McConnell, it’s pretty clear his financial fortunes are fused with those of the Chao family; in fact, James Chao gave him a gift of—more than a decade ago—of between $5 million and $25 million,” he said. “That basically quadrupled his net worth overnight.”
Schweizer said the McConnell-Chao family is a situation that fosters divided loyalties.
“You have this fusing of the Chao family and Mitch McConnell to the Chinese state, and it creates a circumstance, if McConnell were to do something that Beijing didn’t like, they could literally destroy the business overnight.”
“You have this fusing of the Chao family and Mitch McConnell to the Chinese state, and it creates a circumstance, if McConnell were to do something that Beijing didn’t like, they could literally destroy the business overnight.”
MS Chao seems to be the new Hunter Biden how has this country survived her duplicitous scheming? Get a grip dude the spinning is getting out of control. Funny when Dsmsel Donnie needed her she was blessed you love to spew. And lie.
Do you own an iPhone? Do you know what Foxconn is?
Thank you for that lovely cut and paste, and I don’t dispute any of it. I’m not proclaiming her innocence.
I do have a problem with Americans too stupid to distinguish between China and Taiwan (and any other “Oriental” nationality). And your source for your angst over her comes from a man who mocks her Chinese heritage like a child.
Now how about your IRS issues? How is bolstering the IRS with staff and funding a problem?
BIG g bm hittng the fox News Facebook page big time. Let’s just hope any of the new repub decision makers use more reliable sources. I mean what would Elon think. Is there an Elaine Chao Twitter dump coming. MUST BE THE liars demand it
I say let them continue to eat their own. No need to defend Mitch McConnell’s wife here. Let them destroy the man who single handedly helped to elect Conservative members of Congress, fill the Supreme Court with Heritage Foundation lackeys, thwart Obama’s legislative agenda and block Democratic nominations. Let the MAGA crowd nominate Ted Cruz to that position and see how well they do going forward lol.
Actually Stalker it was the New York Times. As far as IRS agents Chuckie, do you really think we need 80,000 more? I’m pretty sure as well that I know the Far East, as well as you, Chuckie, I know the difference between the nationalities so you Boo Hoo the NYT article if you want I couldn’t find a more lefty site do dispel your ignorance.
Chuck D the Far East expert how about this?
As the BBC reports(Opens in a new window), the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of the People’s Republic of China posted an open letter on WeChat telling military veterans to “answer the government’s call” and help out with production. In other words, veterans should go and help make iPhones. The Bureau also points out in the letter that veterans remain “under the command of the Communist Party,” suggesting this isn’t simply a suggestion being made to those who served.
The world’s largest iPhone factory is owned and operated by Foxconn and located in the city of Zhengzhou. Back in May it was forced to suspend recruitment due to new COVID-19 cases, then last month the factory braced for a fresh outbreak. Subsequently, the strict restrictions imposed to try and limit the spread of the virus resulted in thousands of workers fleeing the campus.
I know I know Chuck D, the Chinese communist party are such great people that they just want to help this independent company in Taiwan are the goodness of their heart. What a fool to think that China is not controlling everything one way or another in Taiwan. Because you went there you think you believe and know everything that’s happening in that country. You’re now a Chinese expert with inside information? You get more ridiculous every day.
Mr. Bill 🤡 did you get all this knowledge when you lived in El Paso? Also it’s funny when each person leaves the Trump’s administration or his inner circle. Only then do they become criminals. Trump says the word and his cult following attacks Bravo ! 🎈
Mr varoma it is strange Mr. Mitch is on the big Bm list with the damsel his wife is suddenly Mata hari! Crap changes quick in the big Bm world. Of course damsel will find out shortly if he’s going to be indicted for criminal activity in GA. FOLKS ACCEPT IT only big BM knows! Bray on liar! Bray on
“So when I send $1000 to my daughter for Christmas for them and the kids she now has to report it as a gift. And so I don’t get taxed on it I have to prove it went to a family member as a gift otherwise the tax has to be paid.” Posted by BM earlier today.
I hope the IRS reads this and goes after you for tax evasion. Gifts given to individuals, including children are NOT tax-deductible. In fact, there is a tax (You never heard of the gift tax?) on gifts in excess of $16,000. Only gifts to qualifying charities are tax deductible.
Any whistleblower reporting a tax-evader (thief) is rewarded with 15-30% of the money the government recovers.
BM, this is just more evidence that you make things up as you go along, or, that you evade paying your fair share of taxes. No wonder you don’t want more IRS agents.
“Mitch is owned by China, his wife’s family is there, and their shipping company worth Billions is in China.” Another one of BM’s well thought out posts today. I think Forbes knows more about McConnell’s finances than BM:
Forbes, 9/1/21:
“Today, McConnell and Chao—who own homes in Louisville, Kentucky, and Washington, D.C., along with a large portfolio of stocks, bonds and money market funds—are worth an estimated $30 million.”
Got to say I’m surprised the Nyt is reprinting word for word a pile of crap off Fox news either they are slipping or we are all getting real stupid I’m thinking Big Bm got caught up to his neck in dodoo again. Lying as usual
I must point out, that in no way am I attempting to defend McConnell. I’m offering evidence that BM’s posts are not reliable and based on what he makes up and wants to believe.
McConnell, now reviled by the Trump butt-k—–s, is the man they praised for abusing his power as Senate leader to deny Garland, Obama’s SCOTUS appointee, the hearing he was entitled to. So we have Gorsuch on the highest court in the land, a right-wing doctrinaire, instead of a level-headed moderate jurist who respects precedent.
NPR: 12/6/22:
“A jury in Manhattan has found former President Donald Trump’s company guilty of a long-running criminal tax fraud scheme that lasted into his presidency.
Though Trump and his company have repeatedly faced criminal investigations, this case marks the first time his company has been charged, tried, and convicted on criminal charges.
Trump built his political brand, in large part, on his claim that he was an aggressive and successful businessman.
In all, the jury found two entities controlled by Trump guilty on 17 counts of criminal tax fraud and falsifying business records. The maximum penalty is $1.6 million.
“This was a case about lying and cheating, false documents to the aid of evading taxes for the benefit of individuals and the corporation,” Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg said, speaking with reporters after the verdict was delivered.”
But, I guess this is ok with BM; whatever the “Chosen One” does is sanctioned by heavenly powers. After all, his divine mission is to make America what it should be, Amerika, a totalitarian White “Christian” State under MAGA’s thumb.
What a bunch of gullible fanatics Trump has gobbling up every word he craps out. Unbelievable.
M r . Santo as the Big BM christened key board warrior I feel especially qualified to confirm your assessment that Big BM is a big liar. nothing he blathers should be taken at face value he tries to intimidate by name calling I on the other hand simply state the truth when I point out his lying
In reference to ChuckD, BM posts, “You get more ridiculous every day.”
Two observations:
-ChuckD has never posted anything ridiculous.
-BM couldn’t be more ridiculous than he is, therefore, he can not become more ridiculous; he has hit bottom.
More on the IRS. This is math in the MAGA world according to COB.
There’s just one problem: Cutting out that IRS funding would actually weigh on the national debt. According to an analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the GOP bill to rescind IRS funding would reduce revenue by about $186 billion over the next decade — while cutting just $71 billion in spending.
All told, that would add a net $114 billion to the deficit.
The IRS funding was meant to relieve an overburdened agency and beef up enforcement on some of the wealthiest Americans. Of the $80 billion, $45.6 billion is directed towards tax enforcement, specifically targeting areas that have been challenging for the IRS, like global high-net-worth filers. The tax gap, which measures the chasm between taxes owed and actually paid, is likely over $1 trillion. At the same time, according to a 2021 study from IRS researchers and economists, the top 1% of Americans don’t report 21% of their income — and under-reporting is nearly twice as large for the top 0.1%.
The Congressional Budget Office previously found that the enforcement funding would bring in $204 billion over the next 10 years.
But I can hear the BM’s of the MAGA world, ya cut the funding, Ya cut the funding. I wont have to report that gift to my grand kids and daughter.
Any thoughts on some of the concessions McCarthy made to the Republican “Squad”:
*One member motion threshold to force vote ousting a speaker.
*More house freedom caucus members on House Rules Committee.
*Hold votes on law maker term limits, border security bills.
*Changes to appropriations by letting any lawmaker offer floor amendments.
*McCarthy aligned Super-Pac pledged to not spend $$$ in primary races against GOP candidates.
They ended up getting what they wanted. I remember when Nancy put AOC in her place when the progressive squad started making demands with her. She minimized them down to saying they had no followers and that they were out of line, she ended up getting what she wanted. Kevin had no leverage and the Republican squad pounced. Poker 101.
Bill Marincic
January 9th, 2023
Bob “fake name” Garrett another keyboard warrior brings zer0 to the discussion. DISMISSED!!!!!
You damn hypocrite. Never once have you mentioned let’s-go-no-brain-don for not using a real name.
Mr. Restifo
i would change my name to Hunter Biden but I prefer using my real name at this time just another Big BM stretch. liars gotta lie and the herd does
” I remember when Nancy put AOC in her place when the progressive squad started making demands with her. She minimized them down to saying they had no followers and that they were out of line, she ended up getting what she wanted”
Which is a Republican mischaracterization of what really happened (just like we’re now hearing last week’s Rep rumble in the House was all just healthy democracy in action. BS). Why do all the white right-wingers bizarrely fixate on AOC? She’s just not into you.
How about the fact that Bernie Sanders and Progressive agenda items have been very much incorporated by the Biden administration? Or aren’t you into Bernie so much?
Chuck. Why do you sound so angry?
Marincic: Every. single. word. you utter against the Chinese is a deflection and a distraction from the leverage the Russians have over your Donald Trump.
Taiwan is a separate and distinct entity from China.
China is an oppressive dictatorship guilty of many horrific human rights abuses, not even including their botched response to COVID. But China has every bit as much economic leverage over us as it does over Taiwan.
Your fixation on China and not on Russia rings with the dog whistles of racism.
Flynn, if being called out causes you stress maybe you should just sit it out here and find another home for your …uh… thoughts.
Called me out for what? You made a comment that sounds like every liberal comment on Twitter. I’m missing the called out part.
Marincic:
“So when I send $1000 to my daughter for Christmas for them and the kids she now has to report it as a gift. And so I don’t get taxed on it I have to prove it went to a family member as a gift otherwise the tax has to be paid.”
You’re a Moron bill, now tell us you have another imaginary best friend who is an accountant.
There is an 11 million (now may be 12) lifetime federal gift tax exclusion. (But before you give it away you better have pay the taxes on it)
“and if I don’t get taxed on it” what the name of God are you talking about?
Regardless of anything, If you’re giving your daughter $1000 you better have already paid takes on that money prior to giving it to her.
You can give anyone up to 17k per year,( tax free gift) as long as you’ve already paid the taxes on it. If you give your daughter more than 17k, the amount above that gets subtracted from your 11 million lifetime cap.
Yes, it’s prudent for your daughter to fill out a simple form indicating the money was a legitimate gift, not laundered money.
Furthermore, this gifted money has absolutely nothing to do with anyone’s income.
Tony, I didn’t realize you put up a similar post. – I actually do have a close friend that’s an accountant, and I’ve been giving my children money for years.
Especially for Bill:
“You’re like a ghost, pointing an empty sleeve, and smirking at everything that people, feel or want, or struggle for, I pity you” – Henry Drummond ‘Inherit the Wind’
Yep Bill, another copy paste (beat you to it), but you can’t read it enough.
Let’s get this out of the way so we don’t have to endure more right-wing howler monkeys flinging poo about it:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
National security lawyer Bradley Moss took to Twitter to note that the story is drawing a stark contrast with Trump.
In particular, he cited a statement from Richard Sauber, special counsel to the president, who said that “that on the same day the material was discovered, Nov. 2, the White House counsel’s office notified the National Archives, which took possession of the materials the following morning.”
“This right here is the difference. They immediately cooperated,” Moss explained.
In fact, the CNN story reveals that the documents have been locked up for five years, there was no request for them from he National Archives, and no flaunting of the documents by Biden. Trump’s documents were stored in a pool storage room and there is evidence that he defied multiple requests to return them.
Mr. Flynn 🤡 are you a election denier? You seem to never answer this question
An official from the U.S. Treasury Department confirmed Friday that, contrary to the unrelenting barrage of lies repeated by GOP operatives for over a week, the Internal Revenue Service is not going to hire 87,000 new agents to harass working people at their homes.
Not a single Republican in the House or Senate voted for the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that was passed through the filibuster-proof budget reconciliation process last week and signed into law by President Joe Biden on Tuesday, choosing instead to condemn the package’s relatively modest but popular tax reforms.
Despite analysts’ predictions that the 98.2% of U.S. households with annual incomes of $400,000 or less will receive the same tax bill or a slight cut as a result of the IRA, far-right lawmakers have sown disinformation about how the law’s provision of roughly $80 billion in new IRS funding over 10 years–money intended to help the agency crack down on rich tax cheats–poses a threat to every American.
-Commondreams.com
Lou, no apology is necessary. I think we ought to put both posts back up tomorrow and try to force BM into acknowledging that post like all of his others is rank BS.
You people are so ignorant thinking you know it all. Maybe you should check with the payment services like I said PayPal Venmo cash app, those are the ones that report, they don’t have an option that says it’s a gift to a family member. They don’t know if you’re buying something from someone and that’s payment. Maybe you better do a little research before you run your big mouth because really, you don’t know a whole lot of anything except insults and ignorance. You guys are big on ignorance your own of course,what a bunch of clowns.
You’re all like a pack of hyenas, none of you have a single thought of your own, one of you blind mice donkey clowns doesn’t like something that said, and then the rest of you all jump on an attack like hyenas. You’re hyenas and I’m the one laughing. Just like Ronald Reagan said it’s not the Democrats are stupid. It’s just that they know so many things that aren’t true.
Come on donkey clowns explain this I have no clue what I’m talking about. Thank God you liberal lefties know everything.
Published: 5:29 PM EST December 23, 2022
Updated: 5:29 PM EST December 23, 2022
UPDATE: On Friday, Dec. 23, the IRS announced it is delaying a rule by one year that would require payment apps such as Venmo, PayPal and Cash App to report certain transactions of more than $600 to the IRS. The original story continues as published below:
As of Jan. 1, 2022, people who use payment apps like Venmo, PayPal and Cash App are required to report certain transactions that total more than $600 to the Internal Revenue Service.
No, not all payment app transactions over $600 need to be reported to the IRS. Income is required to be reported, but you might have to prove a transaction was not income if you receive a 1099-K form.
I stand by what I said Bill, you’re a moron!
You claim to work in finance, what a joke!
With apps like Venmo, PayPal and Cash App reporting to the IRS, I assume it’s just a check system to make sure you’re working within the parameters of the law as stated below. Similar to banks having to report deposits over 10 k In cash. If the money is clean you have no problem.
You can give your daughter up to 12.92 million with zero tax penalties. That is your lifetime gift and estate tax exclusion amount. You can give her $17,000 per year without eating into your exclusion. Moron!
“The Internal Revenue Service Today announced new inflation-adjusted limits for 2023 that will allow well-off folks to transfer much more to their heirs tax free during life—or at death.
One key gifting change is to the annual exclusion: you will be able to give anyone else (and as many people as you want) $17,000 in gifts in 2023, without worrying about using up your lifetime gift and estate tax exclusion or paying gift tax. That’s up from $16,000 in 2022 and $15,000 in 2021, where it had been stuck since 2018.
The other big change: the lifetime estate and gift tax exemption (also known as the unified credit), will jump to $12.92 million in 2023, up from $12.06 million in 2022. Since couples share their exemptions, it means a wealthy couple that starts making gifts in 2023 can pass on $25.84 million.
Another way to look at it: if they have already maxed out their nontaxable gifts, they can give an extra $1.72 million to their heirs in 2023. That’s in addition to making $34,000 per couple (two times $17,000) in annual gifts to each child, grandchild, sister, brother, niece, nephew, neighbor and friend they’re feeling generous towards.
In addition to making annual $17,000 gifts, you can also pay unlimited amounts for anyone’s tuition or medical expenses, without eating into your lifetime exemption, so long as you make those payments directly to the school or medical provider”…..
This is not money transfer apps, it about paying gift taxes, and you don’t have to. That was the whole point.
I can hardly wait to see how the Rep party forms the scathing talking points on the continued criminal behavior of the traitor Biden for their one-eyed head-nodding minions to recite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A central question in the Mar-a-Lago espionage and stolen documents investigation involves former President Donald Trump’s knowledge and involvement in retaining government records. We have compiled a comprehensive account of the publicly available information that addresses that question. Especially significant findings are highlighted in red text. Readers should decide for themselves what conclusions they reach based on the record below. On our view, the record as a whole points to Trump’s culpability based on evidence that
– Trump was warned in late 2021 by his former White House lawyer that it was unlawful to retain the documents, especially classified information;
– Trump personally sorted through the documents in late 2021;
– Trump’s personal knowledge and possession, access, and control of the documents is indicated by the quantity, content, and location of documents with classified markings (including intermingled with personal belongings) and by his admissions on Truth Social;
– Trump repeatedly stated privately that the documents were his to possess and he was not willing to deliver them to the government;
– Trump aides repeatedly tried to get him to return the documents to the government;
– Trump was repeatedly put on notice by Archives and Justice Department that his retention of the documents was unlawful and a potential threat to national security;
– Trump was apparently involved in obstructive acts of trying to conceal documents from the government after receiving a subpoena.
– justsecurity.org
No, Lou you’re the moron. If you read it, it would say it’s up to you to prove that they were gifts. Tell me how long does it take the IRS to follow up on anything? You definitely are clueless.