Internet Ad Placement Is The New Mockery

Perhaps he shouldve gone with turbotax his accountant was clearly overpaid.

unless of course his accountant used turbo tax.

It’s the comedic equivalent of automatic writing!

Is there any truth to the rumor that the ad agency paid extra to have their ads placed next to negative tax stories? l’ve heard it referred to as an ad multiplier or amplification fee.

KT: Why did you have to post this? Here’s some possible pairings:
Palin’s PAC committee-Birth control pills.
Republican voter drives-Viagra
Monica Lewinski-Got Milk?
Al Jefferson-Freezers
McCain-Ensure
John Boehner-Preparation H
Barney Frank-KY

sacred: i posted it because it happened this morning. also, because it was funny. also, because it really happened.

FT: spellcheck comes up with some funny ones too.

I do like the weekend threads because of their less serious nature. Thanks for working on the weekend.

sacredh:
Careful!
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You are edging toward the Hulagate’s modus operendi…

Oh I get it– this is like having Scherer’s picture and bio, white house correspondent aside his they all have names porn stars, mayor in Oregon lied about sex with boys story he used to illustrate good journalism.

Ouch! That hurt. Can’t I be the Anti-Hulagate? When I used to post on Fox, I was the troll.

sacredh:
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They let you post on FOX? My hat is off to you!
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How often did they let you out? Did they at least let you pee in the yard? How often did they toss you a bone?
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Comment withdrawn and apology extended!

Would I be spoiling the fun if I point out that people who happily pay all the taxes they owe rarely end up in news articles, rendering this sort of juxtaposition almost inevitable?

I put a funny one up on my blog a few months back.
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Hadn’t visited that site in quite some time. It appears not to have been updated since November 1st. I guess nothing has really gone on since then.

53_3: I used to go on Fox and post the most inane comments deriding Hillary, Pelosi, Frank, Obama, Reid et al that I could think of. They were so outrageous that no one could possibly take them seriously (or so I thought). It’s amazing how much some people WANT to believe the unbelievable. The comments were often swallowed hook, line and sinker. I kept trying to cross the line but it took quite awhile. Once their braintrust figured it out, my comments had about the same chances of getting posted as a snowball in hell. It was fun while it lasted.

KT- how about a story on disgraced Daschle, I know you are not supposed to write anything negative about the annointed one, but maybe go out on a limb and be objective

nice appointment of Tom Daschle by dumbo obumo who promised not to have any lobbyists in his administration and he picks for HHS a guy who has been working the system for years. This is just disgusting that will be “white washed” as an honest mistake by the dems and the lib media. Hypocrisy, hypocrisy. So similar to Dumbo being outraged by the wall street bonuses while sitting next to his treasury secretary who not only evaded taxes but recently recieved a substantial severance of over half a mil from his previous WALL STREET position. This administration is going to smell so bad as time goes on, taking it s stink from its head, a Chicago thug and lying crook and the VP, a liar and a fool. 2010 cannot come soon enough when the GOP takes back. Can you only imagine how the MSM would have covered this if it were Republicans. It would be 24/7 coverage of ” GOP in trouble”. No fear the Obama loving media will run interference and protect him every step of the way.

Hey, look! Texte got a new pen name! frito or something…

Actually chips sorta has a point. Of course a link to the original WaPo article in addition to the screenshot would have covered KT’s obligation.
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As Patrick Fitzgerald knows well, neither party has a monopoly on self-dealing.

KT: I’m really sorry but I have to post this one. I realize I’m treading very close to troll status but…

George Bush: Rid-X

[...] From M. Turk via Time’s Swampland. [...]

“I kept trying to cross the line but it took quite awhile. Once their braintrust figured it out, my comments had about the same chances of getting posted as a snowball in hell. It was fun while it lasted.”
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They had a braintrust? Sh!t! Out-stupiding the stoopid wasn’t one of the things I had considered, but if it works, it works.
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I think that FOX and the Republican party is very, very, very fertile ground for psychiatric and psychologic studies. Maybe you should consider writing up an article in Nature.

After the enjoyment one must be concerned about Daschle’s tax problems. He remained in Washington after his defeat and became an influential insider – even in Bush Washington. After the Treasury Secretary’s tax jinks this makes depressing reading. What is with these people: they make tons of money yet have tax problems; and they take freebies as a sort of entitlement. I am disappointed with Daschle. The Senate Committee gave him a pass: one their own. Disgusting.

53_3: They had a braintrust?
I think they brought in an outsider. I thought about writing an article for Nature, but Nature is a scientific magazine. It might be best to go for a magazine that both parties would read. Let’s start a magazine that combines religion and rock music. We’ll call it All Along the WatchTower.

sacredh: Did you mean Bill Jefferson-freezers?

I want to know who’s vetting these candidates and why aren’t they paying their stupid taxes?

KT -
 
Do you have any pictures of Daschle in Dame Edna glasses?
 

formerlyrainbow68: The Lousiana congressman? Then yes. There are so many crooks it’s hard for me to keep their names straight. It’s occurred to me that the vetting process is thorough but that most, if not all, have skeletons in their closets. The older I get the more jaded I’ve become. Sometimes I think that if they haven’t committed murder, rape or arson that we have to settle for that.

“It might be best to go for a magazine that both parties would read.”
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That means you’d have to go for the lowest common denominator. I’m not sure they could even read the the title you suggest. We would be starting at what, maybe a 4 year old reading level?
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One way out might be to have one of those talking books. With religious pictures and rock music. That way, you wouldn’t be taking up too much of their limited cognative capacity…

@KT,
If you ever get a chance to get out for live music around DC, seek out “The Grandsons” They have a song called “Sock Drawer Millionaire” which rather handily addresses this topic. It was inspired by the Jefferson situiation but is almost universally applicable!

I was thinking about that too, r68 and sacred, but regardless of Obama’s intentions, he’s swimming in dirty water and it’s almost impossible to stay clean.

53_3: Pop-ups might get their attention. Since many of our elected representatives are horn dogs, combine a pop-up of a beautiful woman with an ad for bulemia. You open the page and a cake pops out of the woman.

Isn’t it time for Time magazine to write another press release filled with the same boilerplate euphemisms defending the latest serial tax cheat in the thoroughly unqualified, terrorist fraternizing, community organizer’s “administration”? 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, ….

This phenomenon is not only with politicians. My husband’s and my favorite juxtaposition was an ad for somebody’s Baby Back Ribs with a fairly graphic description of the Moche’ peoples method of hacking up their victims for feasts…. We reacted in unison on that one….

Greenwald has been writing at length lately about how we have a two-tiered system of justice in this country. He’s usually talking about the relative safety that Rove, Gonzales, Addington and Yoo enjoy even though they engaged in behavior which can only be refered to a a full-flegded conspiracy. But certainly Daschle’s situation is an example of the same force at work. Does anyone doubt that it was only a pending confirmation hearing that forced him to address this issue and that if it were simply up to the IRS he’s have been able to ride an additional ten years?

P.D.: Glenn G has pissed of lots of the Beltways establishmentarians: there is one law for us and another for them. Even if they get caught they pay interest; we will be required to pay with time served.

Just the name baby-back ribs always makes me a little queasy. I mean, what do they do with the rest of the baby.
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As for Daschle, let’s look at the known details: It’s not like he wasn’t filing a return for three years.
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Whether Daschle thought the car and driver were a perq or wasn’t aware it counted as income, he needs a new accountant. Or at least be more communicative with his supporter and sometime client.
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But he wasn’t caught in an IRS sting. Daschle apparently raised the issue with Obama’s team, paid the back taxes and penalties Jan. 2 and life went on. You and I – and even textee – could do the same if we found we’d messed up on our taxes. Though I can assure you the davemc321 household wouldn’t have a $140,000 error.
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As for KT’s post, I thought it was hilarious. There’s more ways to discuss ‘serious’ topics than sitting around reading Foreign Affairs aloud to one another.

davemc321: had this been a Republican pol would you respond so calmly. The Treasury Sec story was bad enough. Now he heads the IRS overall. Daschle is the consummate insider, making tons of money with a very dollar productive lobbyist. How come they only find these things out when they are being scrutinised for a Cabinet post?

7oaks: Bob Woodward alluded to this: “scandals” in the year ahead. Very disappointing. It is embarrassing and not the kind of change I am looking for.

Oops, did not mean to speak to myself.

Anyone want to guess why former government officials can’t seem to pay their taxes, hire legal nannies or pay the taxes on the legal ones? Is this some kind of sickness? Is it because they are the elite and think and are treated as if they are above the law.
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I bet if any of us posting here today did some of the crap these people constantly get away with a new government job wouldn’t be offered.
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I can see how after 8 years of the Bush administration breaking every law of the books and not being held accountable we are going to have a hard time getting people worked up over a little tax evasion. But too me. This is not funny.

I say let’s check every elected officials tax reports. If any of them have missed or not paid taxes, they need to be out.

How many do ya’ll think we would have left though???

Gunny: one has to ask this question. How did Daschle do so well in a city that was locked up by the Republican machine for 8 years? Look at the law firms and lobbyists: they have both Dems and Repubs. For these people it does not matter which party is in power. They have the players ready for business at all times.

“They have the players ready for business at all times.”
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Of course they do. They are our rulers. That’s why they get away with crimes and we the “rubes” are told that we should just not worry about it.
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I always thought Daschle was just soft. Now I know all too well that he was being soft on purpose. Just like his twin Reid.

sacredh: I’m from LA, the land of Jefferson and David Vitter(who should’ve resigned. I hope he won’t run again.)

I’m disappointed in Daschle. He came out early for Obama and should be part of his administration, but now this. Do they think that: a) this won’t come out, or b) we’ll look the other way? Of course there’s always c) It was an oversight.

I agree with MYDD, Daschle should be dumped and Howard Dean be nominated for HHS. After all Obama owes Dean a lot for helping the Dems gain control of Congress. Additionally, Dean would drive the rethugs nuts while getting Obama’s health care plan passed.

“I want to know who’s vetting these candidates and why aren’t they paying their stupid taxes?”
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If you have to ask, it’s above your pay-grade. Seriously, I see no intent on Daschle’s part (or Geitner, for that matter) – he basically outed himself. But can you imagine having it dawn on you one day that the car and driver you’ve been using for the past three years might be considered some sort of income? It must be tough being so rich you can’t keep track of it all.

fomerlyrainbow68: I spent a week in New Orleans a few years before Katrina. I thought it was a truly beautiful city. I’m also disappointed in Daschle. Not surprised, just disappointed. Occasionally I get my hopes raised up about a change in Washington, but it doesn’t last. This time my hopes are still high, but I expect much more of this sort of thing to come out. I think most members of both parties are less than squeaky clean. That was both generous and a snark. I think that if we would give every senator and congressman in Washington a real vetting, we’d have less than 100 members come out of it looking honest. 100 is probably far too high. I’m pessimistic about both the honesty and integrity of our elected officials. For me, I’d just rather have the crooks from my party running things than the crooks from the other party. That’s cynical, but I think it’s also realistic. As for the last part of your post, the answer is (b). The republicans will get all indignant and bluster, but Daschle will get confirmed. The demos will feign reservations, but they’ll vote yes because they are probably doing the same thing.

sacredh, I say amen unto thee. If Daschle in his wildest dreams thought the tax issue was a minor oversight of no significance, he might be surprised at the seeming overwhelming condemnation by hard core Obama supporters. I pay every penny of my taxes even when it hurts. I have never had an audit and for good reason.
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Obama might also want to canvas his most vehement supporters on their view of faith initiatives by the government. If he cares about them.

“If Daschle in his wildest dreams thought the tax issue was a minor oversight of no significance, he might be surprised at the seeming overwhelming condemnation by hard core Obama supporters.”
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Obviously, he’d like to see that be the case now but never saw it coming in the first place, which is the whole point. We keep trying to look at it from our own perspectives, which are wholly inadequate to try to analyze the issues and behaviors of millionaires. They generally don’t sweat the details we do because they always have other people to clean up after them and they need people to do that because their lives are a just a little more complex:

“Some members of the staff have also been asking whether Mr. Daschle should have registered as a lobbyist while working at the law firm Alston & Bird, which itself was registered as a lobbyist for EduCap and for many health care companies.
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In his financial disclosure report, Mr. Daschle said he received compensation of more than $5,000 for providing “policy advice” to EduCap. The exact amount was not disclosed.
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In reports to the Internal Revenue Service, EduCap says it does business as the Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation. The foundation is the principal underwriter of annual meetings held by the American Academy of Achievement, which has honored Mr. Daschle on several occasions.
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In its report, the Finance Committee said its staff was still reviewing “whether travel and entertainment services provided to the Daschles by EduCap Inc., Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation” and the Academy of Achievement “should be reported as income.”
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In his financial disclosure statement, Mr. Daschle said he had received $2.1 million in “wages and bonuses” from Alston & Bird and more than $390,000 for speeches to groups like America’s Health Insurance Plans. He also said he had received more than $5,000 for giving “policy advice” to the insurer UnitedHealth.
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An aide to Mr. Daschle said he had been preoccupied in recent days with the need to help a brother who was being treated for a brain tumor. “

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If you want to be outraged, it should be at the entire class oligarchy we have constructed, where most of our leaders haven’t a clue how the other 99.9% of us think and live, and they’re working full time every day trying to suck down a fire hose of money and perks. I believe that basic disconnect explains much of the sh*tstorm we’re experiencing, whether from government, industry or the corporate media. These folks live in a complete bubble and you would be shocked to discover how clueless they are on a whole host of “real life” matters. And, it’s easy to understand why: the rules for the rest of us literally don’t apply to them:

“…most people in America understand that the rich people hire good accountants and figure out how not to necessarily pay all the taxes and the middle class gets stuck…That’s not the way it works in the tax code. The big rich dodge taxes, anyway…A lot of the rich are able to get accountants, so they don’t — they’re able to dodge. You’ve seen it before…We’re going to tax the rich, and then they figure out how not to get taxed…Something else about taxing the rich — the rich hire lawyers and accountants for a reason, to dodge the tax bill and stick you with it.”
– George W. Bush

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Anyway, it’s impossible for me to believe that Daschle, who was being paid more than a million a year, would risk anything at all to save $128K on his taxes. I’m no fan of Daschle – he’s a “centrist” – but William of Ockham tells me it was an oversight, however stupid and costly.

sheppherd, I am in awe. Thank you. I hope a lot of people besides my humble ass in the choir pays attention.

If you want to be outraged, it should be at the entire class oligarchy we have constructed, where most of our leaders haven’t a clue how the other 99.9% of us think and live, and they’re working full time every day trying to suck down a fire hose of money and perks.

Let me add a hallelujah and amen. Nicely said. It’s not so much these folks are Republican or Democrat/liberal or conservative. It’s that they gravitate to money and power – and keeping it – like hogs to slop.

dave, yeah, sheppherd hit it.

“It’s not so much these folks are Republican or Democrat/liberal or conservative. It’s that they gravitate to money and power – and keeping it – like hogs to slop.”
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Yes, indeedy, and I’d add personal ambition, the egocentric drive to be heard, to be deemed as important as they think they are, to earn the starry eyed praise of serious men like Joe Klein & David Brooks, our media idolators. I’m thinking of the preacher, Eli, in There Will Be Blood–his ambition is no diff than that of the oligarch Daniel Plainview or, sadly, our modern day prophets, pols. When did the politician cross the line? The moment he considered running for office. Why do boys join frats, to meet girls, men the priesthood, to meet boys, citizens congress, to get rich and powerful (and maybe meet boys and girls along the way). The better human beings, they’d not be caught dead running for office. They’re doing humanitarian work in Africa, teaching kids for crap wages et al.

[...] of our own commenters, Shepherdwong, summed up the real issue here, in a comment he wrote yesterday to an earlier post: If you want to be outraged, it should be at the entire class [...]