Archive for October 30th, 2008

Secretary of State Todd Rokita’s staff has the statewide early/absentee voting numbers posted HERE. As of today, about 366,000 early/absentee ballots are received by County Clerks and Election Boards across the State of Indiana.

Of that 36,000 (almost 10%) early votes are from Marion County alone, or about 60 votes per precinct.

UPDATE 10/30: The early vote number is now 51,094 with today’s update. We’re rapidly approaching the 100 early votes per precinct average.

As a sidenote, Secretary Rokita will be a guest this weekend, Saturday at 3 PM Eastern on Hoosier Access Live

A major theme in Obama ads is the accusation that McCain support “tax breaks for shipping jobs overseas” and that Obama will “end them”. What exactly is this tax break? To listen to the Obama campaign you would think that there is a line on the corporate tax forms labeled “How many jobs have you shipped overseas” with a multiplier to make a tax break.

You will not see that line on a corporate tax form. What the Obama campaign is referring to is a policy called “deferral”. Deferral allows corporations to defer paying taxes on profits earned and being used overseas. Taxes are paid when (sometimes if) those profits are “repatriated”—i.e. brought back to the United States. If I read the information correctly, this provision has been around since the early 1960’s.

Obama is simplifying here. This is understandable, but we really need to know a couple of things. First, are these “tax breaks” actually causing jobs to go overseas? Second, what does he mean by ending these “tax breaks”? Third, what would be the implications of ending these “tax breaks”?

The answers below the fold: (more…)

“Southern Indiana showed up for Governor Palin. The crowd of over 20,000 was loud and energized. According to the News and Tribune, 2,000 people showed up in Jeffersonville for Senator Biden last month and I know that number is a stretch. I believe that this strong turnout is indicative of the fact that the McCain/Palin ticket is more compatible with Hoosier values and beliefs.”

Just some assorted links and such for your Thursday Reading:

• Rush’s “prebuttal” to That One’s 30 minute infomercial aired last night (for Windows Media Player)

• In a shocking turn of events, the AP (!!) has an article by Calvin Woodward critical of That One:

“Barack Obama was less than upfront in his half-hour commercial Wednesday night about the costs of his programs and the crushing budget pressures he would face in office.”

• The Columbus (OH) Dispatch has more information on the dumpster diving by Democrat operatives employed within Ohio Government looking for information on “Joe the Plumber”. Ohio Democrat department head and Gov. Ted Strickland are circling the wagons.

• Sarasota, Florida GOP warns of imposters claiming to collect votes for John McCain

• Ted Nugent isn’t the only Right Wing rocker - Walk this way, baby! Aerosmith’s Joe Perry backs John McCain.

And finally (after the leap):

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Published in the Indiana Daily Student, October 30, 2008

To the Editor:

In your editorial of October 29, you write “neither Jill Long Thompson nor (Mitch) Daniels is running on a platform of serious change or upheaval.”

Where has the IDS Editorial Board been for the last four years? Governor Daniels has pushed through a number of major public policy initiatives, including the “Major Moves” plan to upgrade infrastructure throughout the state, Daylight Savings Time, leasing the Toll Road (which provided a huge sum of money for infrastructure improvements), privatizing aid to the poor, major property tax reform, and a balanced budget. Students should pay attention to property taxes because property taxes are a cost of doing business for landlords and are therefore reflected in your rent.

(Read more after the leap) (more…)