Spotlight on: New Power PAC
High Gas Prices!
The rising price of gas is affecting everyone and there's no end in sight. When Obama took office, the average gas price was $1.79. On the first of May 2012, it rang in at $3.81 (Gasbuddy.com), more than double. Is this by accident; an unintended consequence - or a necessary prod to move you "forward" into the "new green economy"?
"Expert" Advice: In 2009, while visiting Chandler's Washington office, I noticed on his bookshelf a copy of Hot Flat and Crowded by Thomas Friedman. When asked about it several months later, Chandler embraced the book, rather than distance himself from it. He stated that as a non-scientist, when it comes to environmental advice, he relies on the best "experts" he can find.
Listen:
Friedman, Chandler's "expert", proposes an INCREASE in the cost of gas and oil, sustained long enough to force us into "green" energy sources. How? By keeping gas prices high, artificailly inflating them with a gas tax, if necessary, when free market prices drop. (pp. 254-264 2008 edition)
CO2 emissions would be reduced by imposition of fines and fees for using gas: "If you want fewer CO2 emitters, charge people money for emitting CO2. It works everywhere it has been tried. " (p. 234)
Attempting to appear properly outraged, Chandler always has someone to blame for high gas prices. The following list has been gleaned from postings on his website:
May 2005, Gas at $2.24: Prices hurting commuters, farmers, airlines. It's Bush's fault.
(Note: Chandler's article gives the date as May 2, 2006, but this seems to be in error. I believe the correct date would be May 2, 2005, and have listed it here as such.)
Dec. 2005, Gas at $2.62: Too many tax breaks for big oil. Exxon CEO's $3.2 million salary. Too much profit for oil companies. It's Bush's fault.
May 5, 2006, Gas at $3.00: GOP "in pocket" of big oil. It's Bush's fault.
March 2011, Gas at $3.52: Greedy oil companies. Greedy CEO's. Price gouging. Speculators. It's NOT Obama's fault!
Paying "Fair Share"? Chandler repeatedly claims that Big Oil doesn't pay enough taxes, but are his accusations well-founded?. Let's see how a Big Oil company compares to one of Chandler's favorite businesses.
Which Company Is Which?
All figures are for 2011
| Company A | Company B | |
| Profit Margin | 7.73% | 15.55% |
| CEO Salary | $5.6 Million | $1.0 Million |
| CEO Salary as
% of Revenue |
.0046% | .099% (22 times greater
than Company A) |
"Company A" operates on half the profit margin of "Company B". "A" pays their CEO a higher salary, but it is far less in proportion to revenue. "A" is "greedy" Exxon. "Company B" is Brown Forman, bourbon distiller, based in Louisville.
Different Companies Get Very Different TreatmentThere is a huge difference in the way Ben treats these two companies. Yes, one is a Kentucky company, but the other provides the fuel that absolutely every business and household in Kentucky needs. Oil not only helps us get our groceries, it helps us take out our trash! Yet Ben demonizes oil companies at every opportunity. His policies sabotage the operational capabilities of oil producers; then he turns his finger of blame on them when prices rise in response.
Big OIl Gets the "Shakedown" Treatment...
In 2008, Ben cosponsored H. R. 6256, the Responsible Ownership of Public Lands Act. He wrote that "oil companies should drill on the land they already have;" that "there is plenty of room for the oil companies to do more drilling on accessible property without opening up more federal land", including the rich oil reserves in Alaska's ANWR.
In reality, H.R. 6256 was nothing but a shakedown scheme to transfer money from oil companies to "green" energy ventures. The federal government would assess a fee for every acre, both onshore and offshore, under lease but not producing oil or natural gas. A portion of the fees would be used for low income weatherization and assistance, with the remainder being used for purchase of wind turbines, research for wind and solar energy, electric cars, and "green" building technologies.
Fortunately, this bill failed to pass.
Bourbon Industry:
The Golden Goose...
"We need to nurture the golden goose—not kill it."
Admitting that tax increases do indeed kill business, Ben sought better treatment for the bourbon industry. In October 2009, Ben declared that bourbon producers are overtaxed. A year and a half later, in May 2011, Chandler cosponsored the Aged Distilled Spirits Competitiveness Act, which proposed a more favorable tax code for the industry.
Tax Breaks Are Great...
So why can't everybody have them?
Why did Ben single out only one industry for such favorable treatment? If, as Chandler admits, tax breaks are good for business, why not give them to every industry?
The answer is in the book...the Deposit Book.
Big Booze has been very good to Ben, accounting for over $172,000 in donations to his campaign accounts since Ben first went to Washington in 2004. A little over $146,000 of that has come from Brown Forman's PAC, its executives, and the Brown family.
Other than a few employee PACs, oil companies are conspicuously absent from Ben's donor files. Surprised?
Top Obama Fundraiser Is Brown Family Member
Matthew Barzun, son-in-law of former Brown Forman chairman Owsley Brown II, is the head of Obama's billion dollar reelection fundraising effort.
He is also one of Obama's top bundlers for 2012, bringing in $882,042 to date (May 1). Barzun's fundraising successes earned him and the missus a trip to the State Dinner for David Cameron, the British Prime Minister.
Barzun was one of Obama's top fundraisers in 2008, starting "Obama University" to train volunteers to "track and bag" wealthy donors as well as bringing in new smaller givers. An ambassadorship to Sweden was Barzun's reward, but he resigned that post to head up Obama's 2012 money drive.
Barzun and his wife Brooke Brown, have donated $16,100 to Chandler since 2004.
It would be interesting to know... Did the Brown family donations enter into Chandler's choice of Obama over Hillary Clinton in the 2008 primary?
Barzun orchestrated Obama's Louisville rally in May 2008.
Our Ben, the warmup act, was really pumped!
He had finally hit the big time!!!!
By the way...
UK's Coach Calipari pulls down roughly $4.5 million per year.
Rick Pitino earns $7.5 million at U of L.
Does Ben ever complain that they are "greedy" like those nasty oil execs?
Welcome to See Ben Spend...
The DOPJ: Department of Poetic Justice
Did you know Ben Chandler himself once ran an "attack" website against an opponent? Yep! In 2003, while running against Ernie Fletcher for governor, Ben accused Fletcher of running negative ads against him . In retaliation, Ben, perennial innocent victim, put up a website to attack Fletcher. The subject came up in their Oct. 15, 2003 debate:
"And you can talk about websites all you want, but I have challenged you to take your negative ads off; you won't do it... I'll challenge you again: take your negative ads off and we won't run it." Ben Chandler to Ernie Fletcher
It's a few years down the road, and Ben is getting exactly what he dished out...!
I'm challenging Ben: come forward honestly about the spending, the half-truths, the no-truths... 'Fess up and See Ben Spend will go away!
...I have a feeling this site is here for a good long time....Sigh.
Ben Chandler Declares:
A Few People are Hoarding
Most of the Wealth in this Country
It's time for them to pay their share...
they aren't feeling enough pain.
"How can you be in favor of those people
continuing to hoard most of the wealth in this country...?"
In an appearance on WKYT's "Kentucky Newsmakers" Saturday, July 2, Ben laid out his "Share the Wealth" program, sounding like Huey Long, minus the charisma.
Ben asserted that a few are hoarding too much wealth, putting the debt unfairly on the backs of the poor and elderly.
You heard Ben, now
listen to Huey and hum along with his theme song, "Every Man a King".
"There'll be peace without end, every neighbor a friend..."
An example of why Ben is heading so hard toward the redistritutive Marxist viewpoint...UNION support. Unions are Ben's largest donor group, filling his war chest with over $850,000 career congressional total. From a United Auto Workers' publication: "Every day is a tax holiday for the rich in the United States, while the vast majority of Americans pay the price in starved public services."
It seems that Obama, the unions, and Chandler are all mischaracterizing who is paying what. However, the AP is starting to come up to speed on reporting the actual distribution of taxes:
The 10 percent of households with the highest incomes pay more than half of all federal taxes. They pay more than 70 percent of federal income taxes, according to the Congressional Budget Office.If you want to investigate raw data, here is a springboard to do so.
AP - Sept. 20, 2011
The UAW, and Chandler, claim that the Bush tax cuts were weighted too heavily toward high income earners. However, the top rate was cut by 20%, while the lowest rate enjoyed a 42% cut. The highest rate, after the cut, is 9 times higher than the lowest.
Liberals' complaining is logical if their motive is punishment of success, and completely nonsensical with regard to individual liberty, property rights, and economic reality.
DCCC Helps Ben Chandler Shake Down Lobbyists for Campaign Cash!
The DCCC has listed Ben as an endangered species to be protected with extra favors. Events hosted by the DCCC provide lobbyists access to Ben in return for donations ranging from $5,000 to $250. More about contributors and fundraisers here.
Separated at Birth?
Is it
Charles Durning or Ben Chandler...???
"Oooo, I love to dance a little sidestep..." Enjoy!!!
"What did he say?"
"Same as usual...not a dang thing!"
