Here’s the deal …

Different arts groups are having financial problems as ticket sales and charitable contributions are down. In other words, they are not being supported by customers, or customers in difficult times have other priorities for their money.

The arrogant solution: steal the money if customers don’t want to pay for the arts.

According to Kim Klein of Klein and Roth Consulting in Berkeley “There is a lot of money in California; the question is how can it be so be taxed so (that) more if it is available.”

She suggests a whopping state income tax increase on the rich from 9.3% to an incredible 16.3 percent, and also taxing services with a sales tax so money could be directed to the arts.

If customers won’t pay the money then just steal it from others.

To people like Kim Klein, if you make money you should not have a say in what you spend it on. They will decide what is a good use for your money and take (tax) it from you to support their pet project.

Anyone who knows me and my family know we are a huge supporter of the arts, whether it is attending or creating. But we will decide what we do with our money and who we support.

On Kim Klein’s website she has an intentionally misleading claim that there is more economic growth and employment when the top tax rate is 90 percent or more. Basically, the Kim Kleins of the world want ALL of your money.

The courts say they need to obtain this information due to a bill passed by, big surprise, a Democrat from the San Francisco Bay Area.

This type of invasion of privacy and forced ‘gay agenda’ is the type of activity the extreme left has promised will eventually permeate California, and which was warned about by those opposing gay marriage. Because it was never ‘just’ about gay marriage.

The next likely step will be the government requiring that more people disclose their private preferences, even if they not want to, to ensure there is no discrimination in some other area of society. Maybe to make sure there are enough gay firefighters.

Do I need to mention his affair, and then after his wife was diagnosed with a disease his request for a divorce, at the same time he was pilloring Bill Clinton for the Monica Lewinsky fiasco?

One funny statement I saw online – Newt had asked why people instantly dislike him, and he was told because it saves them time.

Which is too bad. He has a sharp tongue, quick wit, and insightful understanding of many complex issues. If only the good could be isolated.

Hearing the unbelievable attacks against Mitt Romney personally this week in Florida, it seems nothing has been learned. Time has blunted the mistakes of the past, so they are to be repeated. We will see what happens. It could be a long campaign. But is there a point in destroying Romney to try and be such a tainted nominee yourself there is no hope of defeating Obama?

I was reading that Gingrich said he could not debate against someone who answered questions dishonestly in a debate. But it was Gingrich recently caught lying about hi marriage and offering witnesses to ABC News in response to questions at a CNN debate. Gingrich flat lied. (Not even a political exaggeration, just a flat lie.) Then with a straight face criticizes anyone who does that.

That is apparently what the Republican Party faces. No wonder Democrats are running ads in Florida against Romney in an attempt to help Gingrich! (If the parties were reversed the Republicans would be doing the same

His check: $49,000.

Or about .001 percent of his $40 BILLION dollar net worth.

I, for one, am not impressed.

By the time it takes you to read this, the national debt will have increased by almost $100,000. Thanks Warren. Your check will save about 25 seconds off the national debt.

A new story by Adam Clark Estes of The Atlantic Wire proclaims “The Great Martin Luther King Copyright Conundrum” in trying to explain why it costs $10 to watch Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech.

Estes says it is the fault of US copyright law and “It’s not the Martin Luther King estate’s fault….”

Really????

US Copyright law does not require that a dime be paid.

The $10 fee is the King family greedily making use of copyright law to charge, just as the family has demanded extortionist fees for just about anything else related to Dr. King, such as monuments.

To call a spade a spade, this is a media story purposefully dishonest. If you don’t like the $10 fee, lay blame where 100% of the blame lies: with the greedy Martin Luther King family.

Myself, I have saved ten bucks.

This is something I have been sure of for some time. Today, I saw an early attack on Yahoo news.

Out of the blue, an article about a Mormon teenager’s emotional problems, and a wild claim about womens use of anti-depressants in Utah.

Nothing newsworthy at all about this. A story could be made out of an emotionally troubled teenager for any religion, or non-religion for that matter.

This is to be expected of Bay area based Yahoo, where any and every pro-gay article is fit to run. (Today the story was gays make better parents than heterosexual couples!) And, by implication of the LDS Church’s opposition to Proposition 8 in California, attacks on the Church are welcome.

But assuming Romney is the candidate, I expect to see a class action lawsuit alleging sexual abuse akin to that seen against the Catholic Church. Look for attacks against the Boy Scouts, an organization heavily supported by the Church. Look for more media “stories” about the Church which are not positive.

In this hypersensitive political landscape, in depth revelations about Mormonism, critiques of religious beliefs, and ridiculous (because they are not newsworthy) stories relating to private details told to Church elders (of which Romney was one) will soon be all over the place.

Updates:

February 24th – Yahoo runs major story that a Mormon in the Dominican Republic allegedly baptized by proxy Anne Frank. The claim is from an excommunicated LDS member with an axe to grind. The story starts by saying Mormons engage in a controversial practice of baptizing Christians, Jews, and others to the faith. Not to be missed was the claim Mormons are not Christian. What’s next? Someone in Bangladesh ‘baptizes’ a Muslim and the Arab world goes nuts Oh yes. A major part of the story is that Mitt Romney is Mormon.

What? Democrats do not need to pay?

Why the contingency? Warren, just be a man and donate the money, no strings attached.

That is a pittance of the thousands of stores Sears has.

After a horrific experience buying a refrigerator, that left us over a month without a main refrigerator, let me say I’m glad to see a hundred stores closing, and may a thousand more close.

From top to bottom – literally – from the staff on the floor to local management at the company to regional management all the way up to corporate (yes, I had to deal with them all), a horrible company that deserves to die.

Of course, keep in mind that “Sears” today is not the Sears of decades ago. Kmart bought the company and renamed itself Sears.

I think Sears today is still living off that old positive image. Do yourself a favor – avoid Sears / Kmart. There really is no reason to shop there. Lower prices at Wal-Mart and better selection at big box specialty stores can be found.

According to the news story, D.C. police, police are concerned the man “may pose a threat to President Obama.”

May?

Please let the D.C. police know if you have any ideas about helping them figure out whether someone shooting a gun at the White House is a threat to the President or not!

Where was that photographic memory when he was being questioned in lawsuits, asked about sexual harassment claims, ‘bimbo eruptions’ and Monica Lewinsky?