ARE WE SETTING A PRECEDENT OR A PRESIDENT?

(MY PRESIDENT, MY PRESIDENT)

I’m hoping President Obama is governing from the “center” because this country needs his leadership to navigate us into calmer economic waters. Simply put, it is becoming expensive to be poor and if we don’t address this it will be a taxing time bomb waiting to explode. 

We have all heard about how the taxpayers in California rejected the most recently proposed tax increase. It’s often said, that California is a trend-setting state and if that is the case, I hope President Obama and Congress are taking a hard look at the “things to come”. I hope they are looking and listening to what the taxpayers are saying. I really do. There is a message being sent here that may well echo nationally. Are we on the verge of a forthcoming “National Boston Tea Party?”

Have taxpayers reached their point of no return? If California thinks that way, can the rest of the U.S. be far behind? It is my opinion that “America” needs a tax cut, not an increase. Until that reality hits us state-by-state and then, nationally everything will seem as though it is wonderful. So, we wait and see if this will hit us personally. When, and if it does, your prospective changes and then it really hits “home”.

It hit me. My son was laid off the other day. He is a fitness counselor and was working at a 24-hour fitness center. Obviously, if the clientele are not there working out, the attending staff are let go one-by-one. My other son worked in the publishing division of EMI Records for years and if you’ve been following EMI in the business pages, they are a complete mess both here and in the UK.

Are they laying-off top level execs at these companies? A few but the real unemployed numbers hit close to home since they are the people who make a business prosper. These numbers stagger the economy and our American family way of life. The old “work for a company” and you are “economically viable” is now becoming extinct.

Then, my daughter was laid off next. She worked for Citi Bank Corp and for me this was like being sucker punched three times in a row. It is now more than the straw that broke the bank. It is hitting home in America and it sure hit mine. I feel for my kids and although we’ve been through economic depressions before, this is one for the record books. 

One of the differences this 2009 go-round is the companies have become multi-national and they don’t seem to have “any home office spirit” any longer. If one of their companies fails, they just close up shop and move it to another country, another office. Out-sourcing has also added to the non-allegiance stance of their business operations.

AMERICA’S WEAK-END TAX AT BERNIE’S

I have a question regarding, “King Ponzi” - Bernie Madoff. He rips off his rich clients, his religion, charities, universities, retirement funds, etc. for billions of dollars collectively speaking, right? Now, the question is, wouldn’t it be prudent for the U.S. Government, who has been bailing out corporations from the auto world to the investment world, to give some financial relief to the people he victimized? 

The victims paid taxes on the money that they had “earned on their financial investments”. In truth though, these investments were actually “phantom dividends”. The documents stated that funds existed but the “money-in-the-bank” is less than a worldwide “paper chase”. Off-shore accounts, falsified reports, conspired statements, collusive investigations and basically, being smarter than the average bear, made Bernie look like a billion. His clients are paying dearly. 

What I attempting to get at is, the victims were taxed on their capital gains or their individual investment profits that they reported honestly year after year. Now, Bernie is busted and almost all of the monies invested were nothing but a ponzi scheme of grand proportions. Bernie cooked the books and then used investment money from Peter to pay Paul. I wonder what kind of returns Bernie filed and they cannot be accurate either. 

Don’t you think that it would be more than fair to re-adjust the amount of taxes Bernie’s clients paid? What I’m getting at is that the IRS taxed them on money that never existed. Please correct me if I’m wrong. Aren’t you taxed on monies you earn? In this case though, people paid taxes on money that was shuffled from one account to another. The perception was to make them seem legitimate. When Bernie’s scheme was exposed doesn’t that change their “tax code” somehow? If not, these financial victims are just being victimized again. Right or wrong – I’m taxed and confused. 

SPOKANE WE HARDLY KNEW YA

The Imperials and I just did a weekend of evening shows in Spokane with Ms. Mary Wilson. Now, I knew working with Mary would be, as it always is, a killer show. Talk about pros in the entertainment business, you had best have Mary Wilson’s name on that list. I have to say, if you have not seen Mary perform live, you are missing something. We expect to do more dates with Mary, similar to the concerts we’re planning with Deniese Williams – more on these mini-tours in an upcoming column.

Now, to the case at hand: Spokane, WA. - Northern Quest Casino – last weekend – sold out completely -- and the city is a good example of why we say, “America The Beautiful” proudly. Just to set the scene though, Spokane is the 2nd largest city in the State of Washington and it is nicknamed “The Lilac City”. It is closer to the Idaho border and its name is often mispronounced. Starting to get the picture?

I was so impressed by the beauty of the landscape – Spokane is a blow-out for your eyes to see. I contacted “aboutspokane.com” to learn more. You see, The Imperials and I always fly to our shows the night before the first date of, say a mini-tour. Call it “old school” if you will but after all these years, we know how we can make things better for ourselves. It works for us and our shows reflect it. It gives me time to spare city-by-city and state-by-state and Spokane was my new oyster.

More Spokane trivia: Did you know that Bing Crosby came from Spokane? How about character actor - “Wagon Train’s John McIntire”? Patrice Munsel, the soprano opera singer, is from Spokane and so is “L.A Law’s Blair Underwood”. Kind of makes you think differently about Spokane (pronounced Spo-CAN) doesn’t it? 

Where is Spokane? I kinda knew but I really didn’t. Now, that I spent time in there, I can’t wait to go back to perform in the new room the Northern Quest Casino has under construction. I also plan to sight-see Spokane. Sometimes with Linda, my wife, Clarence, sometimes and if no one else, I’ll hit the streets myself. I usually do. I walk everywhere and I can’t tell you how great it is. “Finding Spokane” was a result of one of my walks.

This time before heading out the hotel, I asked directions. I did a spiritual walk around the city and it is something to see. There are monuments, works of art, gothic structures, churches and a magnificent waterfall. I never knew Spokane had contributed so much and if I ever made jest of Spokane, I apologize. I am gleefully eating my words Spokane. This city is steeped in heritage and you can’t help feel it when you are there – just beautiful.

I wound up taking a walk along the Clinic (Spokane) River and that is where I experienced their waterfalls. Niagara Falls may be the king of waterfalls but, Spokane’s is awe-striking to witness. The city gets their power from these falls and that should give you some idea to how vast and thunderous it is. 

All-in-all, Spokane is one great city and I can’t wait to head back. Linda, the grandkids – we’ll have a grand time. Spokane is a vacation destination. I travel a lot and Spokane is now posted on my “high five”. Oh, before I forget, look at Spokane in your Road Atlas and you’ll begin to see why it’s been one of country’s best kept secrets. You are never too old to learn and never too old to travel America. 

DON’T SMILE FOR ME DMV

Mona Lisa made hers famous and Hall & Oates sang about “Sara Smile”. Eddie Murphy’s smile made him “Axel Foley” and Burt Lancaster’s was all teeth. Frank Sinatra sang about Nancy’s smile and Sammy Davis Jr. had a world-winning one. Elvis’ could charm you in a snarl and Cagney shouted while smiling, “Look Ma, I’m on top of the world”. How about “Smile though you heart is breaking” or The Beach Boys “Smile” album? Well, a smile is not always welcome and it is not always, memorable. Here’s why.

In 4 states, when it comes to your driver’s license photo, it is “no smiles allowed”. I guess Arkansas, Indiana, and Virginia and yes, Nevada feel a smile on your DMV license isn’t quite in character. What kind of an expression do they want? If you said, “a mug shot” you’d be almost right. Let me explain why a smile is an un-justified expression.

Well, it seems driver license fraud is rampant and the above-mentioned states are insisting on “neutral facial expression” to counteract fraud. The poses are a DMV requirement and those poses aid their existing software as it screens for “identity fraud”. A smile bites the dust in these states. A slight smile is OK in Arkansas, Indiana and good old Nevada. Virginia however is a “no smile state license” and it’s no laughing matter.

The bland photo expressions allow the scan’s software “a better comparison process” run-through. Screenings of driver’s licenses are necessary in our day and age. Here is the kicker though: there is a glitch in the technology and it’s the smile or grin that may throw off the scan. If the facial expressions differ when compared, the software may fail -- funny and not so funny. With identity theft growing alarmingly, you gotta do something to counteract it and the DMV is no exception. 

“A grin is the same as a nod to a blind horse” – an old expression (slightly changed) says. It must be the 21st century’s fault – for good and bad reasons alike. Is this modern tech at its worst? Do the states have any other options? You would think they would. That doesn’t happen on “CSI” or “NCIS” but we live in the real world, don’t we?

In closing though, in Pennsylvania, their Transportation Dept. states proudly, “you can smile here in Pennsylvania”. Why don’t they all use the same software? It seems like a better solution but what do I know? 

Someone stole my identity once but luckily he was caught fairly quickly. I have to look at my license now and see if I’m smiling or not.