A New York Times article wonders if Oprah Winfrey, a Barack Obama supporter, hasn’t revealed her pick for first woman president in the latest issue of her O magazine. “At a minimum, Oprah seems to have a media crush on Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, the lone politician profiled in a feature in O’s pages on the virtues of female intuition and executive know-how,†the Times story goes. Sebelius conveniently lacks Hillary Clinton’s “messy back story.†Plus, “the closest Gov. Sebelius has come to a family sex scandal occurred when her son released a prison-themed board game called ‘Don’t Drop the Soap.’â€
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23 Comments
Oprah must not know ther fury that don’t drop the soap has created! She could probably get a laugh on her show by revealing that Kansas repubs. want an investigation!
Sebelius is part of the beautiful people now, anything is likely to happen.
“Sebelius conveniently lacks Hillary Clinton’s “messy back story.”
Kathy lacks a lot more than just that. Her response to bush’s last State of the Union speech is a study in vapid, feel good rhetoric. She isn’t fit to be President of the milk toast society.
Why is a message of hope and working together to solve the countries problems so distasteful to some?
It’s time to put the division that the Bush administration fostered behind us and get to work cleaning up this mess.
I liked her message and I wish we’d hear more of that ideal rather than all the mud slinging that goes on between the two parties all the time. Like I said before, some just seem to enjoy the conflict and drama…but that’s not very productive. I want a candidate who will work to clean things up, not a candidate who will waste time blaming the opposition for the fact that they’re ineffective in their position or a candidate who will just continue the same policies that got us to this horrible point in our history.
Phantom,
I wasn’t around when you posted that piece on yesterday’s Open last night. On the walk aways issue: what is happening there, IMO, is that the “service” is enabling what is called a “deed in lieu of foreclosure” process. This is a process that has been used for a period of time in appropriate circumstances, but limited in scope and application. I’m not surprised that this is happening more frequently as things are going down the way they are in the mortgage market, especially in the subprime mortgage market. The idea that there are those who have been “renting” from the bank, as expressed in the article you posted, is spot on. This, in essence, is what some did with interest only loans, looking to sell the house before the interest only period ended, counting on increasing values to enable them to walk away with no liability and perhaps a few dollars in their pocket.
I think that what has occurred to now is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg; the number of “walk aways” will increase substantially, IMO, as the band aids being offered through various counseling, etc., programs eventually do no lasting good. There will be some who will be able to take advantage of these programs, but most, after any period of forbearance or modified payments, will find themselves in the same position.
I’m not sure the proposal contained in Mr. Merritt’s column today on the Op-Ed page will gain any political traction, that is, replication of a depression-era New Deal program to buy the loans, work out alternatives including refinancing and restructuring of mortgage loans, with the same eventually being paid. The reasons for this include the increased mobility of society (an increasing number of us no longer “stay put” for 30 years) coupled with a change in the investment horizons of those in the private sector who might provide capital for such a venture to a more “short term” emphasis. Combining this with the unfortunate tendency of some to want to move to a different area when others move into the neighborhood, others whose presence is perceived as negative to values, etc., this is a much different time and place than that which existed in the 1930s to post-World War II.
VT,
Off topic…
I am opening my own business and need any tax information I can get. I will have one employee. I need to know about payrol and corporate taxes. Can you point me to some sources?
The housing market has been overvalued for years and what has happened shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. The average person can’t afford the type of house that lenders told them they could, I don’t feel sorry for any of the mortgage companies. Just like the credit card companies…giving credit too easily has turned around and bit them in the behind. They knew better, but they qualified people anyway for “creative” mortgages that their clients could ill afford.
Because of the mortage crisis, it’s now a buyers market and that’s fine by me, I plan to pick up a few deals in the near future.
The Small Business Aadministration is a good place to start…I’d suggest you also get an accountant to help you until you know the ropes and can do it yourself. Being in business can get pretty complicated come tax season.
Sol, I would point you to the IRS website to start; there are several publications available there which you might download that contain a plethora of information. On the state level, many state Departments of Revenue have similar information available. I know Kansas does, and would imagine that Michigan (IIRC) would as well.
There is information available through SBA, IIRC; and the group known as SCORE, made up of retired business execs, is another source.
I would encourage you to consult with an attorney whose practice involves business formation. I cannot give you any specific names, of course, but you might check with the local Bar Association to see if there is a referral service available. A conference with an accountant might also be helpful as well.
A note to all: my post above to Phantom should have been on the Open Thread; my apologies for it appearing here. Operator error.
As long as I’m happily posting off topic. Sol, look at Publication 15 at the IRS website for general payroll tax information at the federal level. It is not the most clearly written publication you will ever read, but there is most, if not all, the basic information you would need contained therein.
Sure appreciate it VT.
Well we will get to see what Kathy is made of in her decision about the coal plant.
I’m hoping she vetoes it.
I am betting she doesn’t. No spine.
Sol still off topic. Look at a program called Quick Books. It figures your taxes for you. Will let you print the appropriate forms, etc.. Very small business friendly.
VT,
WOW
I have been to the IRS site and downloaded several tax forms/instructions. What you just gave me is 10x what I found on my own. Much appreciated.
Ksgrm,
Yup. Thanx for the lead. I have been looking at which package would work best for the lowest price. For the payroll, they want a monthly subscriber fee that frankly this fledgling business cannot deal with right now. I will most likely get some form of QuickBooks or a related title. Thanx again.
All,
Sorry to have jacked the thread, been trying to get a hold of VT for a couple days. All done now. Promise. And my apologies for thread jacking.
Sol – no problem. Better to see some good business transacted than some of the vitriol we have seen.
An IRS comment – I think part of the new legislation is some good tax relief for situations where there has been debt relief. Normally a forgiven debt is income and thus taxed. I think that in the case of a forclosure or a ‘here is the key’ they let it go (not be income).
However – as always – consult your tax advisor …
I don’t think anyone (especially the Sebelius people) really think Kathleen will be anyone’s Veep selection. Kansas has no clout in the Electoral College and, although she’s a fairly good surrogate for 2nd and 3rd tier campaign events, she’s not gonna move anybody outside of Kansas.
A cabinent position for Sebelius makes more sense. She’s articulate, informed, and strong on issues. Tell me Sebelius would be, say, “Secretary of HEW,” and she could be an effective campaign asset.
The Obama campaign will track today’s results with Sebelius campaigning in Ohio… in 2nd and 3rd tier cities… and if she’s had an impact, *maybe* she’ll be considered as a running mate. But I doubt it.
Janet Napolitano (D-AZ) is far more likely a vice-presidential selection.
MH – it will be interestng to watch OH today. Sebelius campaigned for Obama there – if he wins then her stock just might go up.
Ohhhh, the mind-numb-robots Oprah vote. Ohhhh.
Face it, Sebelius is a tightly scripted, do nothing governor.
When faced with crisis job losses (Tyson, Emporia or Boeing, Wichita)–does nothing. When faced with Greensburg tornado–keeps partying in New Orleans, parrots party bosses and blames Bush and Iraq. When speaks spontaneously–defames Kansas wine industry.
Good riddance.
“mind-numb-robots”
I thought that was copyrighted by Limbaugh et.al.
Sol,
You might try looking into Quick Books Simple Start. It’s a free program. Only you have an idea of what you’ll need to start with, but since it’s a free download (at least it was for me through…Microsoft or HP, I can’t remember which), it might be a good basis. I think it’s mostly for tracking income and outgo, with invoices to print and other stuff.
Here’s what’s listed in the email I got to remind me to register the program:
• Track all your sales, expenses and customer information in one place.
• Get organized for tax time.
• Look more professional with easily-customized estimates and invoices.
Oprah endorses “FOOLS”. Sebelius is rewarded with “O” praise for messing up Kansas. Oprah is a “FOOL”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Herb West III, Publisher/Journalist, west.herb@yahoo.com
I hope that Obama wins the nomination & selects Sebelius as his running mate. This would ensure that there would insure extra scrutiny from out of state conservative media to expose that the SRS has been routinely committing human rights abuses undeer Sebelius’s commnad. I have heard that several Sedgwick County legislators have personally contacted Patrick Woods, Sebelius top aide, to try to get SRS to rectify the horrible mistakes and illegal actions it made in one case. Nothing can be done by Sebelius because the SRS regional office in Wichita is out of control.
Like Texas Governor George W. Bush, Sebelius is the media darling with out merit. She won reelecton by default due to an undeclared civil war in the GOP between the conservatives in the House and a clique of amoral influence peddling Senator-attorneys led by Vrtil and a few non-attorney cronies over school finance. However school finance was not the real issue. The real issue was the power of the Supreme Court, the district court judges and the Kansas Bar Association to act like bullies with out impunity.
Sebelius is not a lot of female polticians in Kansas. The are former PTA Moms who have risen up the political ladder to get elected to the school board and on to the legislature. Insurance Commissioner Sandy Prager is another example. In a power vacuum, these woman make attractive candidates when they are pimped out by the husbands. However they stand for nothing poltically other than their own political advancement. Ever since the Dan Quayle disaster, we have come to expect more from a vice president than Sebelius can offer.
Bill McKean kiakahahaha@yahoo.com
I see how oprah and governor “leadership” used their influence in Ohio for Obama’s benefit.
hehehehehehehehehheheehehehheehehehehhehehehhe!