And cjhasa, here's a Kleenex -- you're drooling
(Is the good ole "up and down" related to the good ole "in and out" in "A Clockwork Orange.? My this thread is turning positively purple and I wonder who veered it off in that direction?)
Back to Arnold. From what I know so far, he's on the same page with me on several hot-button issues. A moderate Republican. But is it real or is it smoke and mirrors? My opinion remains out.
Okay, back to dull ol' CA politics. What does anyone know about Ariana Huffington? I heard her on the radio the other day and agreed very much with what she had to say. But I also feel she's an extremely self-serving person. I'm guessing she may sense a liberal revival and wants to be in on it. Don't think she's stupid. Hope she's right. I mean left.
Imagine the reaction if Angelina wins the recall...
Hmm, I should probably invest a few bucks in Kleenex.
I don't know about politcial columnist becoming politicians. It's a dirty business and I don't believe them when they say they can clean it up. I think they will get sucked into the whirlpool of dirty water and maybe not be able to come up for air.
Angelena? She's so old everytime she smiles a piece of make-up falls off. I think Monsanto owns the patent on her boobs.
Arianna, a multi-millionaire, paid no CA taxes and only $710 in federal taxes over the past two years, due to writeoffs for losses incurred by her company.
She, by the way, is running on a platform that encourages corporate taxpaying responsibility.
She's got terrific accountants, that's for sure.
http://www.nbc4.tv/politics/2405830/detail.html
Quote:Report: Arianna Huffington Paid Little Income Tax
Candidate Says Deductions Are 'Very Conservative'
POSTED: 9:41 a.m. PDT August 14, 2003
LOS ANGELES -- The gubernatorial candidate who criticizes "corporate fat cats" for not paying enough taxes reportedly has paid little taxes herself.
The Los Angeles Times reported Thursday political commentator Arianna Huffington has paid no personal state income tax and less than $800 in personal federal taxes over the last two years.
The report, which is based on tax returns supplied by Huffington, said her corporation, Christabella, paid no federal taxes and $1,600 in state taxes during that period.
Hypocrite. I hope they nail her for that.
Here's another piece on her. I think there was a thread started about here here somewhere. If I can find it, I'll put a link to it here.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/08/06/state1502EDT0101.DTL
Quote:Arianna Huffington jumps into California's gubernatorial race
NADA EL SAWY, Associated Press Writer Wednesday, August 6, 2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(08-06) 12:22 PDT LOS ANGELES (AP) --
Campaign-spouse-turned-commentator Arianna Huffington pledged Wednesday that she will end special interest tax breaks and decrease college tuition fees if elected California's governor in October.
Huffington, 53, said she would run as an independent and would try to galvanize "people who have given up on politics."
"Today I am announcing that I'm running for governor of the great state of California," said Huffington, who spoke at a rally at a youth center announcing her candidacy. "Those are 16 words I never thought I could hear myself say."
Huffington first announced her candidacy Wednesday on the "Today" show, a few hours before a news conference and rally.
Her former husband, Michael Huffington has taken out nominating papers and also is considering entering the race. His spokesman, Bruce Nestande, said Wednesday no decision has been made.
Despite the number of people who have expressed interest in being the state's next governor, Huffington felt it was the right time to run.
"I'm not, to say the least, a conventional candidate. But these are not conventional times," said Huffington, who was surrounded by signs reading "Arianna For Governor" and "Arianna, It's Time to Clean House." "And if we keep electing the same kind of politicians who got us into the same kind of mess, funded by the same kind of special interests, we'll never get out of this mess."
Born in Greece, Huffington moved to England when she was 16 years old and graduated from Cambridge University. She married Michael Huffington in 1986 and helped him win a congressional seat in Santa Barbara. Michael Huffington attempted a bid for a Senate seat in 1994 but was defeated by current U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein. They divorced after he publicly announced he was gay.
Huffington writes a syndicated column that appears in the Los Angeles Times, the New York Daily News and the Boston Herald. She also has written nine books and has appeared on numerous talk shows.
Huffington heads a nonprofit group, The Detroit Project, that urges fuel efficiency among American drivers and less dependency on imported oil. Earlier this year, the group was criticized for two television ads that tried to link SUVs to terrorist funding. Some TV stations refused to air the ads.
On Wednesday, Huffington said she wanted all state employees to drive hybrid-fuel cars if she is elected.
As for the reported taxes paid, I know she's one of the very few Americans to have a really good accountant get her off the hook. Of course she should be nailed for such a thing.... as long as everyone else who does that is nailed too, right, Sophia?!!
Nope, no threads about her, just quotes of her columns. If anyone is interested in them, use the Search feature at the top of the A2K screen and do a search on Huffington. Half a dozen of her columns are there for your reading pleasure.
Tartarin wrote:As for the reported taxes paid, I know she's one of the very few Americans to have a really good accountant get her off the hook. Of course she should be nailed for such a thing.... as long as everyone else who does that is nailed too, right, Sophia?!!
Everybody who's running for public office on a plank pushes for tighter tax accountability for others, yes.
Not the other Republican felons? Keep them warm and safe?
Their tax returns are public record. Go for it. (But, the left side of the aisle will be just as nervous as the right.)
In the California election, it's time for all closet doors to be opened wide. She's hording her money, and demanding others pay up. That doesn't wash.
Arianna is bright/articulate, and I have agreed with her sometimes...but I think of her, myself, as slippery, that she is so smart she can advance for or defend any point of view.
Arnold, I guess I am sorry I went off talking about his height, which we all know is of no import, but I was noodling about image and the fairness, etc of coming in with a ready image machine. I would rather see arguments about his points of view, some of which I agree with.
Someone said, was it on this topic, about Grey Davis being responsible for the energy costs in CA, and I have to lean back and say, oh, really??? Maybe he didn't deal with them perfectly, but he didn't manufacture them.
Hollywood has often put its bodies on the line for beliefs, one way or the other.
Some people in hollywood are wideread and thoughtful, and some are devoted to their ego, some have emotion based opinions, some are obsessed maniacs. Which person is which depends on who you are, at least sometimes.
When a liberal star gets active in politics I see a lot of "Hollywood actors don't know anything about the real world" sort of stuff. A conservative star gets involved and we are supposed to take him seriously.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/08/15/national0359EDT0445.DTL
Excerpts. Click on link for full article.
Quote:
Arnold emerges briefly; aides says he'll be back to talk about the issues
JIM WASSERMAN, Associated Press Writer Friday, August 15, 2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(08-15) 04:25 PDT SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) --
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger made a cameo in his role as gubernatorial candidate with an announcement that another high-profile adviser was joining his campaign and a promise from aides that he would eventually tell voters where he stands on the issues.
In the former bodybuilder's first exchange with reporters since filing candidacy papers last week, Schwarzenegger said George P. Shultz, secretary of state during the first Bush administration, would join billionaire Warren Buffett on his campaign's economic team.
Adriana Huffington labeled the former bodybuilder as "a Bush Republican through and through" and criticized him for attending a meeting with former Enron Chairman Ken Lay in May 2001.
In his first public comments since Monday, Schwarzenegger said he did not remember the meeting with Lay.
"It doesn't matter what Arianna or anybody says," Schwarzenegger said. "I'm not responding to any of those things because I would be crazy if I would."
Huffington faced questions of her own over a report in the Los Angeles Times that she paid no state income taxes over the past two years and only $771 in federal taxes, which she blamed on inconsistent writing income.
Huffington lives in a $7 million home and has railed against "corporate fat cats" who get away without paying a fair share of taxes.
The effort to oust Davis has roots in the 2000-2001 energy crisis that left portions of California in the dark and forced the state to buy power at exorbitant prices.
A reminder of those dark days struck Thursday afternoon as the largest blackout in U.S. history darkened much of the Northeast and parts of Canada.
Davis told CNN's Larry King Live show that the power crisis may be an issue in the special election.
"People may try and go back and second-guess what we did, but I would like to know what they would do when Enron had manipulated the market," Davis said. "We had a problem of not enough capacity plus the energy companies were ripping us off big time."
Recall supporters have knocked Davis' handling of the crisis and blamed him for the state's record $38 billion deficit.
