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Hightower Lowdown
"Loyalty to country, always. Loyalty to the government when it deserves it." -- Mark Twain
In This Issue
Dressed up in their designer suits, they trade in human cargo
The new racketeers
Also in this issue:
- Zapping the beef supply
- Granny d marches on!
- Postmodern piracy
- Suffer the little children
- Hogs at the trough
- Charity begins in the house
- Bill's beer
Do Something!
February's Lowdown
How corporate money took over Washington--and created the mobs who rant against reform
Despite a constant racket from the forces of the far-out right (Fox television's yackety-yackers, just-say-no GOP know-nothings, tea-bag howlers, Sarah Palinistas, et al.), the great majority of Americans support a bold progressive agenda for our country, ranging from Medicare for all to the decentralization and re-regulation of Wall Street. Indeed, in the elections of 2006 and 2008, people voted for a fundamental break from Washington's 30-year push to enthrone a corporate kleptocracy.
[read more]
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Postmodern piracy
Ever wonder why ships from multibillion-dollar cruise lines like Carnival Corporation, Disney and Royal Caribbean all pretend to come from Liberia or Panama? The companies are based right here in the US of A, but by registering their boats offshore, they get to pay corporate taxes there instead of here. Of course, those ports don't assess any corporate taxes. What fun! Royal Caribbean, for example, made $657 million in profits over the last three years, yet paid not a dime in taxes. Because they pay zip, we pay more.
Also, by claiming to be foreign ships, these U.S.-based giants can avoid our labor laws, forcing crews to work 12-hour days, seven days a week for $400 a month. Cruise companies spent about a million dollars lobbying the last Congress to protect their sweetheart deals. When Congressman Gene Taylor (D-Miss.) tried to rein in these outlaws, he says the industry's top lobbyist offered his family a free cruise if he'd drop his bill.
Call Rep. Taylor at 202-225-5772. Let him know we support his efforts to dock these tax cheats.