Yearly Archives: 2016

Vote Today

Posted on November 8, 2016 by Michael Froomkin

It’s important.

Vote. It’s really important.

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HRC Closing Argument

Posted on November 7, 2016 by Michael Froomkin

I’ve just signed up to phonebank tomorrow afternoon. Although you have to wonder about anyone who will still need a reminder by then: my phone has been ringing off the hook all week with political robocalls, pollsters, and live phonebankers of varying degrees of skill.

Posted in 2016 Election | Comments Off on HRC Closing Argument

Nomenclature Matters

Posted on November 6, 2016 by Michael Froomkin

What you call it can determine how it is regulated. Businesses are lobbying hard to be allowed to repatriate “$2 trillion in untaxed profits outside the United States”. Seems to me they practically have won the war by labeling this money “stranded cash” when in fact it should be called “sheltered cash”.

Thus we get stuff like this:

But this much is clear: There is a growing political consensus that the time has come for change in the tax rules to encourage repatriation of the vast troves of corporate earnings held outside the country. Companies, ordinary American taxpayers and thousands of investors have substantial and sometimes conflicting stakes in the outcome.

“Everyone agrees that something is going to be done about this,” said Edward D. Kleinbard, the former chief of staff of the congressional Joint Committee on Taxation, and now a law professor at the University of Southern California. “The question, of course, is exactly what.”

Well, I don’t agree. Let’s just close the loophole going forward as a first step, so as not to make foreign investment more profitable than domestic. Then maybe we can talk about wealth taxes?

Meanwhile, please can we call this $2 trillion what it is: tax-sheltered cash stored in offshore bank accounts.

Posted in Econ & Money, Law: Tax | Comments Off on Nomenclature Matters

Trump’s Anti-Semitic Closing

Posted on November 5, 2016 by Michael Froomkin

TPM is all over it.

Posted in 2016 Election | Comments Off on Trump’s Anti-Semitic Closing

Arizona, Colorado, Florida, North Carolina

Posted on November 5, 2016 by Michael Froomkin

By my count Clinton just needs to win one of these, and she wins the electoral college, even if there is a faithless elector in Washington State (or even two), and even if Trump wins New Hampshire.

All of them are very close.

I remember thinking in 1980 that surely there was no way the US would elect Ronald Reagan. I’m never making that mistake again.

As of this writing, RCP polling averages are:

Arizona Trump +4
Colorado Clinton +2.9
Florida Clinton +1.2
North Carolina Trump +0.8

But if I’m wrong that Clinton has Nevada, then Colorado alone isn’t enough, and even taking Arizona alone makes it a 270-270 tie where the faithless elector problem becomes significant. Fortunately, perhaps, the odds of Clinton winning Arizona if she were to lose Colorado, Florida, North Carolina, and Nevada seem rather low. So maybe the key states are North Caroline and Florida: Trump needs both; Clinton wins with either.

Get your friends and right-thinking family members to vote.

Posted in 2016 Election | 1 Comment

2016 Summary Ballot Guide

Posted on November 5, 2016 by Michael Froomkin

We have a very long ballot this year. Get your personalized sample ballot here. Plan ahead so as not to hold up the line. I’ve included links below to my reasons for these suggestions.

Federal Races
11 Hillary Rodham Clinton for President (Be sure to vote in the ultimate swing state!)
17 Patrick Murphy for Senate (Hold your nose and vote for the Supreme Court)
34 Scott Furhman for Congress, District 27(great on the issues; Clinton will need every vote in the House she can get)
State Legislature
38 Jose Javier Rodriguez for State Senate, Dist. 37
60 Daisy Baez, State Rep. Dist 114 Great candidate
County Race
72 Clerk Harvey Rubin, sure go ahead, it’s uncontested
Judicial Elections:
Florida Supreme Court
74 NO – Do NOT retain Charles T. Canady
75 YES – Retain Jorge Labarga
78 NO– Do NOT retain Ricky Polston
3rd DCA
79 Retain Edwin A.Scales
81 Retain Linda Ann Wells
11th Judicial Circuit
83 Mark Blumstein
85 Carol “Jodie” Breece
More County Races
89 Modesto “Mo” Abety for School Board (this one is easy)
92 Raquel Regalado for Mayor (this one is hard, especially after a very dispiriting final week’s campaign)
State Constitutional Amendments
201 NO!!! Amend #1 Trojan horse solar amendment
202 YES Amend # 2 Medical Marijuana
204/205 No advice Amend #3Tax break for disabled first responders: bad idea, good people
206/206 No advice Amend #5 Tax break for poor seniors who own homes
County Charter Amendments
209 NO Control of Special Purpose Districts
210 YES Right to copy public records
Coral Gables Charter Amendments
222 YES Removal of Trial Board Appeals Procedure
225 NO New Procedure for Suspension of Commissioner
226 YES Appointment of Vice Mayor
229 NO Removal Procedures for Commissioners
230 YES Run-off elections for Commissioners

Posted in 2016 Election | Comments Off on 2016 Summary Ballot Guide