Metaphor Madness, Markets Edition

I have no insight into the oil market but I love this:

Prices pared losses slightly on a report some OPEC countries are trying to achieve a consensus among the group and key non-members for an oil production "freeze." Sources familiar with the discussions say the freeze is an attempt to tackle the global glut without cutting supply.

Top exporter Saudi Arabia might be warming to the idea...

"Top exporter Saudi Arabia thinks a freeze is a cool idea" would be better.

In other news I am warming to the idea of a record cold wave this weekend. No I'm not.

 

Comments

[_peter]

So far, Trump has promised to get Mexico to pay for the wall, China to knock of Kim, Assad to take care of ISIS, what are Americans going to do besides eat bon-bons?

[Appalled]

We need to acknowledge that there is a great commonality between those who will ultimately support Trump and those who do not. Both groups have no idea what he will do in office, but both groups know that it will be yuuuuuuuge.

As for me -- I view Trump as a symptom of the failure of our elites, not the solution. He's probably a dangerous guy to elect after Obama's shredding of the Constitution, because the Donald will not want to agree to be bound by restraints overthrown by his predecessor.

[Stephanie]

Reposted from the previous thread:

Trump is not for common core. He misspoke and tweeted out a clarification last night. He has also got a policy paper or some such on education.

I've been touting the Trump/Cruz alignment since Trump announced and see nothing to discount that finale. It is a two pronged attack with the mouth advancing the Vanguard and Cruz implementing it through congress and assuring it is constitutional.

Cruz would also be a stabilizing influence on Trump's SC picks as he is pretty familiar with the Supremes and with those arguing in front of it. That is his wheelhouse and background.

Apparently the wall is going to be paid for by Mexico by taxing the remittances going back to Mexico. Easy peasy. And the Mexicans have no veto power over that 'takings.'

Again, the crap floating around about various candidates and the latest 'oh shiny' panties in a wad needs to be met with scrutiny and NOT just jumping on the ornament of the day as 'proof' of a flip flop or some evil plan the candidate's 'puppetmaster' is directing from behind the stage.

Crap, people, in the last week I have 'learned' that Cruz is bought and paid for by Goldman Sachs, really is for amnesty, supports the BLM and wants 'patriots' killed and that Trump is pro common core, really wants to have illegals in the country so his kids can hire them in his companies, is really a member of the Davos cabal and is in the pocket of hedge fund managers because he lives in NY.

Get a grip.

[henry]

OL etc, from our lurking unit, its all about free money at risk.

"Also, the swap (free money/low to no collateral) trade would be to own the DbK CoCo, short DbK stock, and take the coupon home over the cheaper dividend owed.

Free money at risk. That's what this is about."

[henry]

Plus Phillips selling excess oil at a loss. Third refinery to cut production.

[Dave (in MA)]

A BernieBro caller to a local talk show this morning said that he was buried under his college loan debt and that college has to be made "free to all", and to fix the economy we have to bail out people like him, and that he agrees with Bernie's idea about taxation.

When questioned about what that means, he said if somebody makes $250K they should be taxed at 75% at the federal level and 60% at the state level and corporations have to start paying "their fair share" and stop keeping these outrageous profits.
I don't think I've heard even Comrade Bernie claim that "the rich" should be taxed at 135%, but you never know.

[henry]

Dave, I take it the caller was a math major?

[Old Lurker]

Thanks Henry.

Thanks Mel.

[Captain Hate]

I view Trump as a symptom of the failure of our elites, not the solution.

I think that summarizes my take on things.

[Marlene]

Governor LePage in Maine is a micro example of Trump,he has no filter on his mouth. It doesn't bother me,in fact the response from moonbat heads exploding is always amusing. The LePage hate is strong,the media highlights his every utterance. His gruff demeanor isn't the way politics should be in the state of Maine. A politician must be moderate and politically correct.
A good example recently is LePage pulling his nomination for Dept.of Education commissioner. LePage believes his nominee would be defeated in the legislature's education committee,because of his nominee's views on transgender students. LePage said,you know what,I'm going to be the education commissioner. Mr. Beardsley will continue as acting commissioner until the end of Lepage's term in 2018.
I didn't read the comments at the Bangor Daily,because I know moonlit heads are exploding.

[Marlene]

Moonbat heads are moonlit,I guess. Autospell!

[NK]

OL-- MEL also asks whether seating on your Ledge is in Fibonacci sequence: https://mathblag.wordpress.com/2011/11/14/fibonacci-pigeons/

[DebinNC]

A little Lepage for your listening pleasure. I love that guy!

[Sandy Daze]

via Insty:

America Trumped
Trump is the anti-Obama in every way.

By Stephen Moore – 2.11.16

[Ann]

"A good plan violently executed right now is far better than a perfect plan executed next week."

"If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking."

"In case of doubt, attack."

-General George S. Patton

Just a few quotes from a winning general. You guys already know my thoughts on Trump. :)

[Beasts of England]

I wonder if the little BernieBro is mad at his Alma Mater? Is he questioning why he wasn't required to take Econ 101, 102, and Fin 101, 102? Is he mad at them for not informing him that with a degree in Pre-Columbian Pottery Feelingz he'd only make $8 per hour after graduation, and that he'd be using his SS benefits to offset his final student loan payments? Is he picketing the school? Of course not.

[henry]

per lurking unit, forget gold, invest in popcorn futres. Clinton Foundation subpoenaed.

[Beasts of England]

And lamp stocks, henry. When they're thrown across the room, they really can't be repaired...

[Marlene]

Deb,you can't believe the reaction to that comment. I guess people don't look at the mug shots that are in the paper almost every day. That isn't racist,that is a fact.
LePage was kicked into the street at the age of eleven. After a terrible beating from his abusive father which put him in the hospital,his father bribed him with a silver dollar if the young LePage kept quiet about how he got his injuries.
He is an interesting character.

[Captain Hate]

Clinton Foundation subpoenaed.

Here we go!

[DebinNC]

Marlene, I wasn't kidding. I've loved Lepage ever since he stopped the gravy train to the Somali gimmicrats who flooded into your good-hearted state en masse years ago.

[Marlene]

We love LePage too,Deb. :)

[Captain Hate]

Send LePage to Ohio if he gets term limited.

[NK]

CH-- exactly. Using tax fraud charges against Hilligula, Mills, Huma and BJ is the leverage ValJar will use to 'sell' to Dems the indictment of the whole Clinton crew. Lynch will express shock that Hilligula et al were trading classified infor to $$$ for their phony-baloney Foundacione de Clintonista. OFA will roll up all of the Clintonistas like Mike Corleone wiping out the other 4 families and Moe Green on baptism day.

[Ann]

Hey, Did you guys hear that GE is discontinuing making CFL lightbulbs!!

.. remember they're the bulbs that the Democrats tried to force us to use...

[Marlene]

OT,but an interesting story about LePage is that Peter Snowe (Olympia's first husband) helped LePage gain admittance to Husson College. LePage had grown up speaking French and by taking the exam in French,he was able to demonstrate comprehension skills. Snow's first husband died in a car crash and whatever you think of her politics,she was a widow before the age of 30. She took her husbands's seat in the Maine legislature.

[Thomas Collins]

Stephanie, one thing I can predict with 100% assurance is that, no matter who is POTUS, there is going to be no additional excise tax on money transfers to Mexico. If fees or taxes are imposed on money transfers out of the country, there will be no Mexican add-on.

But if that is Trumpster's proposal, I'm glad he's not being specific. It's one thing for Trumpster to bloviate about making Mexico pay. It's quite another to have a leading GOP contender seriously proposing a tax increase on a specific group of ethnics in the US (Mexicans sending money back home).

[Captain Hate]

I don't want to get my hopes up too high, NK, because this scummy crew has slipped the noose before, but this could be a great day for the country. One thing I know for sure: the Sunday gab shows should dust the chairs with flea powder because Lanny Davis is coming.

[Stephanie]

Tax on all remittances leaving the country, TC. Remember it isn't just the Mexicans that are remitting their cash back to the South. Some Asians are as well, but to a lesser extent. That it will hit Mexico disproportionally is a feature not a bug.

[Beasts of England]

In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

:::insert Moe Green special:::

[Captain Hate]

Boom goes the dynamite:

http://www.salon.com/2016/02/11/sexism_has_nothing_to_do_with_it_camille_paglia_on_hillary_clinton_gloria_steinem_and_why_new_hampshire_women_broke_for_bernie_sanders/

[NK]

This is all about OFA's calculations. If they want to knock off the Clintons in one shot, the Clintons' political weakness and corruption have given them their shot right now. The Clintons dirt on Obummer? they haven't used it yet, and they are now in their weakest position with Dems. IMO they're out, and in the Dem Party, like the Mafia, out is final. MORTE!

[NK]

BoE-- have you been watching the Godfather Epic on HBO this month? I am addicted.

[henry]

If this comes up in tonight's debate, ValJar has informed the press that the Clintons are delende est. I wont watch anyway, but one thing to keep an ear out for.

[Beasts of England]

Don't you think that Consigliere ValJar has already informed the Clintons that if they unleash any dirt on Ø that the full weight and power of the DoJ will eviscerate the assets of the Clinton Crime Foundation?

And while this shouldn't be interpreted to be sympathetic, can you imagine the mental gyrations that Cankles is enduring every moment of the day? She's possibly only a few months from her Holy Grail and all the power and treasure thusly associated, yet, just as possibly only a few months away from losing everything. It's wildly delicious just to contemplate her suffering.

[NK]

henry-- I won't watch, but if the media starts asking Hilligula about La Foundacione de Los Clintonistas, I agree it means ValJar has tipped off the Lefty media like Tom Hagen planting the story with friendly media of Capt McCluskey protecting narcotics king pins.

[Beasts of England]

I don't have any of those fancy tv channels like HBO, NK, but I do own all the Godfather movies on DVD. I can never get enough...

[DebinNC]

"Mutually assured destruction" seems to fit. No way the HillBillies would go out under a cloud without taking their enemies with them.

[NK]

BoE-- our silent partner in Chicago (MEL is a Hyman Roth like character) has a slightly different take. The Foundacione de Los Clintonistas won't be eviscerated, instead its assets will be turned over to the new "Presidential Family Foundation Trust" (irrevocable type) ValJar Chief Trustee--For Life. It will be like the old Central States Teamsters Pension Fund.

[Stephanie]

beasts, the Godfather Epic re-sequenced the movies so that the story is in chronological order. Makes it kinda weird when you have seen the original movies several times, but it does seem to flow better.

Did they only do the first two movies in the Epic, NK as the one I watched stopped at the end of movie two and I was kinda disappointed it didn't finish with the Opera wipeout.

[NK]

DebinNC-- ValJar will make them an offer they can't refuse.
BoE-- get the Epic, it is the best Godfather platform. Fun Fact: a cousin of mine translated NBC -owned Godfather Epic director cuts (NBC bought them from Paramount) and transferred them to RCA's 18" laser disk format. remember those?

[Beasts of England]

That's been my contention for a while, NK. The Obamas will certainly rake in yuge piles of cash immediately, but they'd live a ten-figure head start courtesy of the Arkansas gang. It would be impossible to know who to root for in that shakedown, but I'd still enjoy it!!

[Beasts of England]

Will investigate the Epic, Steph. Although I'd agree that a time-sequenced storyline would be odd at first. :)

[NK]

Stephanie-- you're a fan TU SALUD! First came "Godfather Saga" in 1977 when Coppola and NBC present the 4 part TV miniseries. The thing was a smash hit, so NBC bought the Godfather home video rights and created the "Epic" Godfather 1901-1959 with Coppola (more sex, more blood, more references to Frank Sinatra and Jack Warner) in chronological order to promote the RCA 18" laser disk which was RCA's challenge to Sony Betamax. In the end humble VHS won out in home video. I never watch III, it is an infamnia. Here's Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Godfather_Saga

[pagar a bacon, country ham and sausage supporter]

"If this comes up in tonight's debate"

Is there a debate every night if the day ends in Y?

[Dave (in MA)]

Ahem.
I have a theory that Godfather III is better than it seems, that it's only by comparison to I and II that it gets slammed. If it had been a standalone movie it would have been fairly well-regarded.

[NK]

and I think II is an infamnia to Puzo's vision.

I don't have a head for big movie theories like you DaveMa. And you won't get any truble from Frankie Five Angels Pentangalie.... Cheech a porte!

[NK]

III is an infamnia.

[Stephanie]

https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/immigration-reform

[Thomas Collins]

So Tatiana and Destiny, who came from Brazil to make $$$$$$ in champagne rooms and send some back to their families in Rio are going to be hit with a Trump excise tax, Stephanie? No way! They'll charge me more for treating lyle to a room when lyle visits me!

But seriously, I don't think making it more difficult to send money abroad for everyone is the way to go, either. The way to go is treat physical borders and our shorelines and airline terminals as a national security matter and deal with it accordingly.

[Stephanie]

III is not true to the books and neither was II. IIRC Connie is a conniving bitch and undermines Michael and all that coming home to Michael stuff is a pretext for her taking over the family upon his death which she instigates.

I need to reread those and see if my memory matches what I remember.

[NK]

Tatiana and Destiny?

Lemme guess, during daytime hours they are Zumba Instructors at Equinox.

[henry]

TC, I assume the SocSec transfer to Mexico to "make illegales tax payments go to their retirement as promised" might pay for the fence.

[Buckeye]

"And while this shouldn't be interpreted to be sympathetic, can you imagine the mental gyrations that Cankles is enduring every moment of the day? She's possibly only a few months from her Holy Grail and all the power and treasure thusly associated, yet, just as possibly only a few months away from losing everything. It's wildly delicious just to contemplate her suffering."

Even better than her having the massive stroke I have been praying for.

Of course, I will be fine with her having the stroke after she loses everything. She can then get stuck in a Medicaid flea bag nursing home and all will be well with my world.

Does this make me a bad person :)

[Old Lurker]

"I need to reread those and see if my memory matches what I remember."

That's a great idea. I'm going to download it right now.

[Stephanie]

Why shouldn't we make it expensive to send money abroad as it isn't doing a damn thing for the US if it goes overseas to third world hell holes? Remittances are just NGOs without the government taking a slice and the corruption that goes with them. I'm all for putting the 'lack of slice/corruption' piece of that pie to work in the US instead..

[Thomas Collins]

Stephanie, I think it's a fine thing for America to welcome legals who come here and contribute and send money back to the old country. Especially given the natives' birth rate, we need to encourage fertile foreigners to come here and become citizens. The problem is a lack of seriousness about our sovereignty and national security. We need a system that lets in the folks we decide to let in.

[Dave (in MA)]

My wife's been binge-watching Columbo and Bruno Kirby (played the guy who got young Vito involved in the mafia) and his father Bruce (Bruno Sr.) keep showing up.

I have no idea what's faithful to the novel. I only read the Puzo book once and I can't even recall if it was the full novel or excerpts; it was during the mid-70s and I barely remember what I had for dinner last night.

[Dave (in MA)]

On the topic of mafia movies/TV, I really liked Lillyhammer. Check it out if you have Netflix.

[Old Lurker]

Barriers to the free flow of capital are right up there with Smoot Hawley as a cancer on a country's economy.

[Miss Marple]

I have to pay a wire transfer fee when I receive those rare payments from my creep husband.

Both the outgoing bank and the incoming bank charge fees. This is not a barrier to my receiving the money.

I do not see why a 10% fee would be a barrier, particularly if it is applied to all outgoing moneys.

That capital going to Mexico and China is NOT improving our economy. It's a direct drain, as the money is taken out of circulation in the US.

[Old Lurker]

The fee you pay MM are for the convenience of using the bank's systems so you can move money more easily.

A 10% exit fee is nothing but a tax for which the US Government has done nothing. Two things will result, as has been proven in every country which has tried this: 1) Politicians will be tempted to make the tax one thing for things it approves, and another for things it does not (look only at the tax treaties countries already have between each other to see how this works.) 2) Owners of capital outside the country will all of a sudden become reluctant to bringing it into a country if that country becomes a roach motel.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

So yesterday I read a story on Elon Musk losing $3.5 billion last year on his Tesla and Solarcity investments and click a link about his Hyperloopy idea.

Today I get an invitation to get linked up at LinkedIn from;

"Zen Matoshi
Hypermaster at Hyperloop Transportation Technologies Inc
Greater New York City Area"

I don't know what a hypermaster is, or a Zen Matoshi for that matter, but I'd consider it a favor if he'd quit spying on me.

[James D]

Stephanie @ 2:00

This was probably obvious to other folks, but it just now occured to me: Connie Corleone (especially if she's as you remember her from the novel) is the model for Maerose Prizzi.

That makes a lot of sense now.

[Old Lurker]

For example, what do you think will happen if our government adds a 10% exit fee on payment to foreigners for interest on US Bonds? Or to the return of that cash when the bonds mature?

Why would a foreign investor buy a US Stock if he could not receive the dividends without giving a taste to the government?

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

I don't have a problem interfering with the free flow of capital to and from people here illegally anymore than I have a problem interfering with the free flow of panhandling to and from a fake hipster hobo trespassing on my lawn.

[henry]

Ig, did you see Chanos shorting Elon on both of those?

[Old Lurker]

Why would a foreign bank ever make a loan to a US borrower if that money going back got reduced by such a fee when similar loan to other countries did not?

[Dave (in MA)]

http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/226474/ These are real feminists. Someone telling you you're going to hell for not voting by gender, or that those voting for the 'wrong' gender are just looking for dates.

[Dave (in MA)]

(aren't)

[NK]

I agree with OL's classic economics here. Rather than taxing remissions, the better project is to get every non-citizen worker 'on the books' give them a worker visa with a Tax ID #, withhold FICA all taxes, and no eligibility for any 'welfare/medicaid' without proof of Tax ID and no earned income credit of any kind. Those who don't have TaxID, their cash paying employers are responsible for payment of any welfare/medicaid. States who don't enforce lose Federal funds. Impose Workfare for all ADC payments, or lose federal funds. None of these are new ideas, and this is all doable with modern big data. All that is needed is political will. Cruz and trump would get this done, Rubio, not so sure.

[Old Lurker]

Nor do I, Iggy, have a problem making it unfriendly for people here illegally to export untaxed cash back to another country, nor do I object to no longer sending welfare (yes including SS) to non residents.

My point is you have to use a laser to target only the bad thing you want to stop, and encouraging an invasion from an open border is at the top of my list.

[Old Lurker]

NK said it better.

[Captain Hate]

Rocket surgery in progress:

http://acecomments.mu.nu/?post=361469

[glasater]

The Saudis are gonna keep pumping oil until Iran goes TU. Throw in Russia as an entity SA wants to hit over the head until Ivan sees things their way.

Sheesh, I'm starting to sound like Narciso.. ;-)

[Old Lurker]

A must read just for the graphs:

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/02/11/is-the-us-economy-running-out-of-gas.html

[NK]

JamesD-- I like Prizzi's honor, the initial wedding scene with Ave Maria is beautifully filmed in the Maronite Cathedral in Bklyn Heights. The Easter feast service and party at that Church was fantastic at least until the 80s. Jack Nicholson was miscast though IMO.

Fun Fact: my client bought Don Prizzi's house -- excuse me 55' mansion' -- on Pierepont Place about 3 years after the movie was made.

[Stephanie]

Pish posh.

I'm just thinking of the stories (with accompanying pictures) I've read about them sending their money South and building a nice 3 BR house down there off the remittances where they formerly had a tin shanty and recognizing that their native country will then property tax the improvements (double bonus for them) all the while living 8 or 10 to a hotel room here to spend as little as possible here to build said house and have their government prosper off our labor pool both through the increase in $$ there and the increase in their tax base. Then about 7-10 years later they wander back over the border and live in their new middle class environs.

These countries are transforming their hell holes into middle class havens on the backs of our economy.

I guess I don't understand why stopping this usurpation of our industry and capital is a bad thing as it is killing our middle class at the expense of building theirs.

[Old Lurker]

Baby.

Bathwater.

[Dave (in MA)]

Typepad appears to need a cup of coffee.

[Old Lurker]

Speaking of Godfather movies...

We might be the only people who never saw it, but with my new fangled smart TV we have been able to binge watch the Sopranos. For all the hype that show got when it was running, it does not hold a candle to any of the Godfather movies.

[Captain Hate]

NK, was Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn Gotti's home turf? My older daughter used to live on the edge of it on Ninth Street, access for which was so convoluted I had to instruct the cabbies how to get there.

[Buckeye]

Since brain teasers are a way to postpone Alzheimer's, I consider Narciso's posts to be a great service.

Speaking for myself of course.

[Old Lurker]

Me too, Buckeye. And I wear out right clicking to google his words to figure out what in the world he is talking about. That sometimes leads me into about an hour learning about something obscure about which I knew nothing.

I do that to all the rest of you guys too. Amazing what I learn.

[Old Lurker]

Except the words of Cap'n and Rick rarely show up as real words or people...

:-)

[Stephanie]

And who the hell said anything about loans?

I'm talking about pure cash being "black marketed" into other countries via "legal" channels. We don't allow money to be kited to another country as cash strapped to our waists in large sums or in suitcases (try it and see) nor should we allow it via smaller recurring remittances. If it is not OK to wander through customs with $10K in a suitcase it sure as hell shouldn't be OK to wander through with $1000 10x through customs.

[Old Lurker]

MM did, Steph, when she suggested a 10% fee be applied to every wire transfer leaving the country.

And there is no limitation to strapping as much cash to your body as you want so long as you disclose it. Or to wiring a gazillion dollars to an account one might have off shore, again so long as you disclose it. The purpose of the disclosure is to confirm it was properly taxed while it was here.

[Thomas Collins]

If we want to avoid an excise tax on business payments (see OL's 2:22 PM, 2:26 PM and 2:28 PM posts), we'll limit it to personal transfers, resulting in a 10% transactions tax on payments by legals who came here in search of a better life to their families (I haven't heard of a way to limit the tax to illegals). Something tells me that tax is going to discourage people we want to come here, and is not going to shut down the illegal drug trade here or in Mexico. It won't stop the jihadists from coming in to blow us up. It's not going to make the illegals already here leave and apply for reentry to Trumpster's new bureaucracy. I just don't see this 10% excise tax as helping grow the American economy, alleviating our demand for drugs run by the El Chapos of the world to here, encouraging people who we would like to become Americans to come here, or doing much else of use. Will it factor into a foreigner's decision to come here illegally? Will a Mexican who wants to come here illegally not come because he may have to pay Trump's 10% excise tax?

[James D]

NK @ 2:38

Would you believe I saw Prizzi's Honor before I saw Godfather or Godfather II?

I liked it just on its own, but after seeing THe Godfather, a lot more of the references and satire fell into place.

[James D]

And there is no limitation to strapping as much cash to your body as you want so long as you disclose it.

Not legally, no.

As a practical matter, there are an awful lot of civil asset forfeiture cases out there that argue against the idea.

[narciso]

If you want a real view of how predator cuba, check out the lost city, directed and produced by Andy garcia, from Cabrera infante script.

[Jane]

OL,

I meant to tell you 347 threads ago that I got your "Hankmed" reference.

[Old Lurker]

Sorry James, you are wrong on that.

You can take an unlimited amount of cash out of the US so long as you disclose that you are taking more than $10,000. That might lead to further inquiry into where the cash came from, whether it was legal, and whether it was taxed. But assuming those things were done properly, you can put it all in a suitcase and take it through.

Most cash forfeitures come from suspicion of illegality and there is a tendency to assume guilt until proven right and that is indeed a civil rights problem, I agree.

But you can carry as much cash out as you like if you mind the rules.

[NK]

CaptH-- Carroll Gardens was one neighb south of where I lived for 7 years in Cobble Hill Bklyn. Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens were 'safe' neighbs because grandmothers of soldiers from all of the families lived there, Gambino, Columbo and Genovese, even independent Crazy Joe Gallo's sister and mother lived in Carroll Gardens so no violence or business was conducted in those neighbs. You'd see lots of connected guys from different families socializing, eating and having espresso at Marco Polo restaurant on Court Street and getting a brick oven pizza and bagels on Smith Street. The first mob hit ever in Carroll Gardens was after I moved in the early 90s. Gotti's crew was out of historical Gambino territory SW Bklyn and Queens, neighbs like East NY, Ozone Park and Howard Beach. They had rights to JFK which was in Gambino territory, and Carmine was THE Capo di Tutti Capo when I was a kid. Carmine was THE DON. Fun Fact: the Gambinos financed Andrew Cuomo's maternal grandfather's businesses.

[Stephanie]

The purpose of the disclosure is to confirm it was properly taxed while it was here.

And if it was paid in cash without taxes on it in the first place? Like many illegals out front of Home Depot every morning?

The remittance fee is to recapture that which was improperly non taxed while it was here...

[Captain Hate]

I always felt safe walking down Court Street at any hour of the night in the late 90s and early 00s.

[Old Lurker]

I know that's what you mean, Steph, but as NK and TC both point out above, a blanket fee is going to hurt people who did nothing wrong.

[Thomas Collins]

OK, Stephanie, I think I am beginning to understand this. Under the Trump excise tax, if an individual can show that money being transferred outside of America is attributable to employee or independent contractor income earned legally in the US, no excise tax will be due. Presumably there will be an expense report requirement, so that someone here with a legal job isn't able to use that as a front for sending money derived from illegal sources. This plan seems to me more trouble than it is worth and ultimately counterproductive in that it puts another tax and regulatory burden on all of us (or will citizens be exempt, so they can send all the illegally gained money they want), but I see that the plan has been thought out.

[NK]

CaptH-- by that time the wiseguys' grandmas and mothers were all gone, but Rudy G had been in since '94, and NYC changed dramatically for the safer. In the 80's mugging was a daily concern because of crack, and the wilding generation having come of age in the Red Hook Houses to the west and Farragut Houses to the North.The cars parked on the streets all had 'No radio' signs on the windows. I still loved the place though, my favorite place to have lived.

[Texas Liberty Gal]

This is especially for those who say Cruz can't be elected

http://www.weeklystandard.com/polls-cruz-would-fare-5-points-better-versus-clinton-than-trump-would/article/2001034