KD, you do look good for a former fatass. Good job.

I thought I might bring to light a tax discussion. Brushaber vs Union Pacific and Pollock vs Farmers Loan and Trust Company are the two landmark decision used by tax protestors in describing the difference between direct and indirect taxes and what the income tax amendment means.

In short, the 16th amendment was designed to merely classify income taxes as excises and not direct taxes. Any income tax that could be shown to be a direct tax is void. It removed it as a tax on property and moved it to income separated from the property. Thus rent and interest no longer rest with the property, but become a transaction where it move from the property to another location. We all know in truth that income is quite often a liquidation of the property, an allowance of which is made through depreciation and amortization in the tax code.

I haven't read the healthcare case, but it appears from what little I have read Roberts seems to be confused as to taxation. There are grounds to challenge this tax on the grounds it is direct, in that it applies directly to the property of the person involved and not to his income. The exception could be that the tax is levied according to income, but clearly not on income, as there are exclusion. That this would be an income tax and successfully argued as such would make it an excise, rather than a direct tax. The link below is Brushaber vs UP. The Pollock case goes into more details, but is a long case and Brushaber is a short recap.

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/ge....

I think the questions raised have more to do with the fact the government cannot do indirectly what they are prohibited from doing direct. The other question would involve "pains and penalties", of which being penalized for not doing something clearly falls under this clause, or at least could be seen to do so.

http://www.lectlaw.com/def/b102.htm

I think the question has to arise as to how far they can take the income tax in influencing behavior. This has to be an income tax or I don't believe it can be enforced. Because it appears to be levied as a penalty for not doing something as opposed to a reduction of taxes for doing something, I think there is a defense. If this is the case, then Congress could probably remedy this problem by raising everyones tax bracket 2% and giving a 2% credit up to the maximum. Of course, the math wouldn't work out and the uniformity clause could be violated. In no case do I believe it can exist as a direct tax, other than through apportionment. As it stands at the present, I believe it can be challenged as a direct tax and the real problem with the law is that higher income people are more likely to have and afford insurance than people lower down the economic scale. The cost of insurance is clearly a generally regressive expense.

Karl, you knocked the viewers of RT dead. As stupid as the american public is, your interpretation and clarification of america's problems, should cause them to wake up and pay attention because our flag is going down.

Here is Mark Levin's commentary on this decision. If he is correct, we got knowing from this decision other than a way to kill it with 51 votes in the Senate.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/mark-levi....

"If five justices had intended for their view of the commerce clause (and necessary and proper clause) to be controlling as the majority view, they would have said so by joining or concurring in each others' parts. They didn't. So, while we can cobble them together, as a formal legal matter, it is a troubling issue. While the status quo stands re the commerce clause (and necessary and proper clause), there was no formal majority on those issues."

Karl, I'd be remiss if I didn't applaud you for the physical makeover. 110% improvement. Did Lauren hit on ya after the cameras stopped rolling?

Your presentation was outstanding too, btw. If you weren't so damned honest you'd get booked weekly on all the major cable networks.

Karl, the results are in, and the comments seem to indicate that "you were awesome" clearly overrode "Lauren is hot"

While she probably tailored the topics to your expertise, your expertise just happened to be in all the relevant areas for the timing of the interview.

I also have to hand one to RT, by foreseeing the future as to whom would be the best in studio guest for this particular moment.

So all things considered, it was an outstanding win/win for both of you and RT.

Capital Account is really one of the best programs around if you want to know what is really going on.

You know Karl, you might actually be a great candidate to run a regular segment on RT as an in house expert. They should hit you up. We could call it "Conversation with America."

Go for it.

Win/Win as Bert said, well done.

The only thing with Lauren that I wish she would notice and get under control, is her arm waving. It's a little bit counterproductive (to me anyway).

eta: I'm saying that to hopefully be helpful and not unduly critical, because it definitely detracts from what she is saying, and she is very good at what she is saying. So please take it in the spirit intended.

Bert, that would be VERY difficult, since I live close to 1,000 miles from their studio ;-)

Karl,

You mean you dont have one of these on standby in your back yard for just these kinds of situations. I thought you had all the good toys. Just kidding.

That Augusta A109 won't make it without stopping for gas.

Quote:

Ferry range: 599 mi (521 NM, 964 km)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AgustaWestl....

Yeah but the subject is your passion and most home sales occur in the summer so kids school year is not interrupted :). Sure, you might have to shed a tear saying goodbye to the BBQ where you burnt Newt's gavel, but let's face it, Florida is FLAT, and your daughter would grow up thinking the world is flat. Look how pretty that little hill was in that pic you posted.

I know what happened. You saw a hill, stopped in shock and grabbed your camera and said, "The people in Florida won't believe this".

I don't know that you could pay me enough to entice me to move to the general DC area.

West Virginia, it is a short commute, you can start with one show a week..

Bertdilbert wrote..

West Virginia

There's only one good reason to ever go to West Virginia and that's for whitewater rafting on the Gauley river.

Karl could strap on his diving gear, put a knife in his teeth and take on those rapids SCUBA style. It could become the next extreme sporting.

Karl should avoid SCUBA...and flying in small aircraft...after this performance.

"The truth will out," especially when alternative media are getting their act together like this, serving it up.

Great job KD! Thanks for spreading the truth. I only hope it is heard by more than those of us who already know it.