Objective review of Republican candidates for President

[Todd]

Rudd was brought down because he backed away from pushing carbon trading legislation through parliament, one of the mandates he was elected on. The mining tax was one of the sticks the opposition beat him with as he retreated.

From what I've read, the MRRT is lower than the proposed RSPT that preceded it, and applies only to companies that earn over $75 million in profit, and even then is contingent upon earnings being a certain percentage over the long term Australian sovereign interest rate, or something to that effect.  True, false?  It's also my understanding that the RSPT was to be applied to all extractive industries, whereas the MRRT is, in effect, more limited.  True, false?  And some estimates I've read on the MRRT conclude that it may not raise as much revenue as feared/hoped for, depending on one's viewpoint, with some estimates at around $1.8 billion a year, though I believe the Australian government estimates are higher.  The ten year decrease in revenue as a result of adopting the MRRT instead of the RSPT is in the tens of billions of dollars per even the Australian Treasury.  So after Rudd left, for whatever reason or reasons, it appears that a tax fiercely opposed by a big industry was altered and cut back significantly before being implemented.  On the plus side, there's more revenue.  On the negative side, it sure looks like a giant industry used its muscle to get a big reduction.  So Australian politics are significantly different from the rest of the world's how again? 

[eyeresist]

So after Rudd left, for whatever reason or reasons, it appears that a tax fiercely opposed by a big industry was altered and cut back significantly before being implemented.  On the plus side, there's more revenue.  On the negative side, it sure looks like a giant industry used its muscle to get a big reduction.  So Australian politics are significantly different from the rest of the world's how again?

The above facts are correct. Nonetheless, it remains a tax on "super" profits by non-Australian mining companies. Admittedly a populist gesture (attempting to deflect criticism for failure of carbon trading bills) that backfired politically.

[Karl Henning]

But in a new Public Policy Polling (PPP) national poll of usual Republican primary voters, released Saturday, Santorum is at 38 percent to 23 percent for Romney, 17 percent for Gingrich, and 13 percent for Paul.

RTWT here.

[Todd]

The phrase "usual Republican primary voters" is of course the key.  Primary voters of both parties are often the true believers.

I can't see Santorum taking the nomination, but if he managed to, I'll bet Obama would be celebrating Christmas early.

[Karl Henning]

All good points.

[Karl Henning]

National Review to the Newt: Pack a lunch

[Todd]

Not strictly on topic, but could it be that an irate social conservative was also in the West Indies?

[eyeresist]

RTWT here.

Another weird thing about the USA: the Christian Science Monitor is, in the scheme of things, a serious news source.

[Bulldog]

Another weird thing about the USA: the Christian Science Monitor is, in the scheme of things, a serious news source.

Always has been and deserves it.

[Lethevich]

Always has been and deserves it.

[2] they seem a pretty professional outfit, and long-lived too.

[DavidW]

Their articles are well written and informative.

[jowcol]

I suspect the Washington Post used this picture because Santorum's head blocked the word "for"

[DavidW]

Haha that is hilarious jowcol!!

[Lethevich]

He is not a blockhead for nothing...

!

[Karl Henning]

Rick Santorum leads in Ohio poll

[Karl Henning]

And Santorum is "leading or matching" Romney in the polls in Michigan, at this point.

[Todd]

If Ricky gets the nod, I'm going to spend a good amount of time surfing the net to find anti-Santorum ads.  They're going to get nasty! 

Of course, if Romney gets the nod, anti-Obama ads will get nasty.  His Super PAC has the man who brought us Willie Horton!

[Superhorn]

    Rick's name should really be Rick Sanctimonioustorum. 









                                                                                                                   

[Karl Henning]

Ah, to live perpetually in the 4th grade . . . .

[Todd]

Well, here's something I find unusual.  Of course, the big question really is who James Hetfield endorses.


(I should note that the endorsement has already been denied.)