Thursday, August 20, 2009
Seventh Circuit on Handgun Registration
"Thus, even if we are wrong about incorporation, the Cicero ordinance which leaves law-abiding citizens free to possess guns, appears to be consistent with Heller."
Incorporation is the doctrine that The Bill of Rights also applies to the states. Whether the Second Amendment applies to the states is not settled.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Senate Vote On Thune Amendment
Thirty-eight Republicans along with twenty Democrats voted "yes". Two Republicans, Lugar of Indiana and Voinovich of Ohio voted "no".
Senators Voting "yes"
Alexander (R-TN)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Begich (D-AK)
Bennet (D-CO)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Casey (D-PA)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Feingold (D-WI)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagan (D-NC)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reid (D-NV)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Snowe (R-ME)
Tester (D-MT)
Thune (R-SD)
Udall (D-CO)
Udall (D-NM)
Vitter (R-LA)
Warner (D-VA)
Webb (D-VA)
Wicker (R-MS)
Senators Voting "no"
Akaka (D-HI)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Burris (D-IL)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Dodd (D-CT)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Franken (D-MN)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Kaufman (D-DE)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lugar (R-IN)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Merkley (D-OR)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Reed (D-RI)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Specter (D-PA)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)
Senators Not Voting
Byrd (D-WV)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sotomayor On The Second Amendment
Why are people harassing judge Sotomayor on gun rights? In Maloney v. Cuomo (Second Circuit) in a per curiam opinion, the Circuit held that the Second Amendment is only a limitation on the federal government, meaning, states are not bound by the Second Amendment. The holding is reasonable, given that the Supreme Court has never ruled that the Second Amendment applies to the states.
The Heller decision of June 2008 only held that in DC, a federal entity, the Second Amendment protects an individual right to arms.
In NRA v. Chicago, the Seventh Circuit shared the view of Second Circuit. The Ninth Circuit, in Nordyke v. Alameda County, took a view opposite to that of the Second and Seventh circuits.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Income and Taxes
Getting Richer, Paying More
Chart Data
% all US income earned by top 1% of households | % all federal taxes paid by top 1% households | |
---|---|---|
1980 | 7.7 % | 14.2 % |
1985 | 10.6 % | 14.8 % |
1990 | 11 % | 16.2 % |
1995 | 10.3 % | 20.1 % |
2000 | 15.5 % | 25.5 % |
2005 | 15.6 % | 27.6 % |
The presidential campaign has sparked debate about whether the rich are paying a fair share of taxes. Above, from a study by the Congressional Budget Office, is the percent of total after-tax income earned and percent of all federal taxes paid by the top 1% of U.S. households. The study includes taxes directly paid by individuals, such as income and payroll taxes (including taxes on dividends and capital gains), as well as estimates of the share of other taxes, such as corporate taxes, borne by each income group based on data on dividends and capital gains on income tax returns. Latest data is from 2005.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Senate Voted 62-36 To Restore Gun Rights In DC
YEAs ---62 | ||
Alexander (R-TN) Barrasso (R-WY) Baucus (D-MT) Bayh (D-IN) Begich (D-AK) Bennet (D-CO) Bennett (R-UT) Bond (R-MO) Brownback (R-KS) Bunning (R-KY) Burr (R-NC) Byrd (D-WV) Casey (D-PA) Chambliss (R-GA) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Collins (R-ME) Conrad (D-ND) Corker (R-TN) Cornyn (R-TX) Crapo (R-ID) | DeMint (R-SC) Dorgan (D-ND) Ensign (R-NV) Enzi (R-WY) Feingold (D-WI) Graham (R-SC) Grassley (R-IA) Gregg (R-NH) Hagan (D-NC) Hatch (R-UT) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Isakson (R-GA) Johanns (R-NE) Johnson (D-SD) Kyl (R-AZ) Landrieu (D-LA) Lincoln (D-AR) Martinez (R-FL) McCain (R-AZ) McCaskill (D-MO) | McConnell (R-KY) Murkowski (R-AK) Nelson (D-NE) Pryor (D-AR) Reid (D-NV) Risch (R-ID) Roberts (R-KS) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Snowe (R-ME) Specter (R-PA) Tester (D-MT) Thune (R-SD) Udall (D-CO) Udall (D-NM) Vitter (R-LA) Voinovich (R-OH) Warner (D-VA) Webb (D-VA) Wicker (R-MS) |
NAYs ---36 | ||
Akaka (D-HI) Bingaman (D-NM) Boxer (D-CA) Brown (D-OH) Burris (D-IL) Cantwell (D-WA) Cardin (D-MD) Carper (D-DE) Dodd (D-CT) Durbin (D-IL) Feinstein (D-CA) Gillibrand (D-NY) | Harkin (D-IA) Inouye (D-HI) Kaufman (D-DE) Kerry (D-MA) Klobuchar (D-MN) Kohl (D-WI) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) Lieberman (ID-CT) Lugar (R-IN) Menendez (D-NJ) | Merkley (D-OR) Mikulski (D-MD) Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) Reed (D-RI) Rockefeller (D-WV) Sanders (I-VT) Schumer (D-NY) Shaheen (D-NH) Stabenow (D-MI) Whitehouse (D-RI) Wyden (D-OR) |
Not Voting - 1 | ||
Kennedy (D-MA) |
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Tenth Circuit Ruled For Guns At The Job
On February 18, 2009, the US Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the lower court. You may read the opinion here.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Rush Limbaugh Reveals the Two Faces of President Obama
Taken from Rushlimbaugh.com on January 28, 2009
President-elect Obama at George Mason University on January 8, 2009
"Only government can provide the short-term boost necessary to lift us from a recession this deep and severe. Only government can break the cycle that are (sic -- is) crippling our economy. That's why we need to act boldly and act now, to reverse these cycles. That's why we need to restart the flow of credit and restore the rules of the road that will ensure a crisis like this never happens again."
President Obama at the White House meeting with business leaders on January 28, 2009.
"In the end! The answer to our economic troubles rests less in my hands or in the hands of our legislators than it does with
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Federal Income Tax By Income Group.
Table Taken from National Tax Payers Union.
For Tax Year 2006
Percentiles Ranked by AGI | AGI Threshold on Percentiles | Percentage of Federal Personal Income Tax Paid |
Top 1% | $388,806 | 39.89 |
Top 5% | $153,542 | 60.14 |
Top 10% | $108,904 | 70.79 |
Top 25% | $64,702 | 86.27 |
Top 50% | $31,987 | 97.01 |
Bottom 50% | <$31,987 | 2.99 |
Note: AGI is Adjusted Gross Income |
For Tax Year 2005
Percentiles Ranked by AGI | AGI Threshold on Percentiles | Percentage of Federal Personal Income Tax Paid |
Top 1% | $364,657 | 39.38 |
Top 5% | $145,283 | 59.67 |
Top 10% | $103,912 | 70.30 |
Top 25% | $62,068 | 85.99 |
Top 50% | $30,881 | 96.93 |
Bottom 50% | <$30,881 | 3.07 |
Note: AGI is Adjusted Gross Income |
For Tax Year 2004
Percentiles Ranked by AGI | AGI Threshold on Percentiles | Percentage of Federal Personal Income Tax Paid |
Top 1% | $328,049 | 36.89 |
Top 5% | $137,056 | 57.13 |
Top 10% | $99,112 | 68.19 |
Top 25% | $60,041 | 84.86 |
Top 50% | $30,122 | 96.70 |
Bottom 50% | <$30,122 | 3.30 |
Note: AGI is Adjusted Gross Income |
For Tax Year 2003
Percentiles Ranked by AGI | AGI Threshold on Percentiles | Percentage of Federal Personal Income Tax Paid |
Top 1% | $295,495 | 34.27 |
Top 5% | $130,080 | 54.36 |
Top 10% | $94,891 | 65.84 |
Top 25% | $57,343 | 83.88 |
Top 50% | $29,019 | 96.54 |
Bottom 50% | <$29,019 | 3.46 |
Note: AGI is Adjusted Gross Income |
For Tax Year 2002
Percentiles Ranked by AGI | AGI Threshold on Percentiles | Percentage of Federal Personal Income Tax Paid |
Top 1% | $285,424 | 33.71 |
Top 5% | $126,525 | 53.80 |
Top 10% | $92,663 | 65.73 |
Top 25% | $56,401 | 83.90 |
Top 50% | $28,654 | 96.50 |
Bottom 50% | <$28,654 | 3.50 |
Note: AGI is Adjusted Gross Income |
For Tax Year 2001
Percentiles Ranked by AGI | AGI Threshold on Percentiles | Percentage of Federal Personal Income Tax Paid |
Top 1% | $292,913 | 33.89 |
Top 5% | $127,904 | 53.25 |
Top 10% | $92,754 | 64.89 |
Top 25% | $56,085 | 82.90 |
Top 50% | $28,528 | 96.03 |
Bottom 50% | <$28,528 | 3.97 |
Note: AGI is Adjusted Gross Income |
For Tax Year 2000
Percentiles Ranked by AGI | AGI Threshold on Percentiles | Percentage of Federal Personal Income Tax Paid |
Top 1% | $313,469 | 37.42 |
Top 5% | $128,336 | 56.47 |
Top 10% | $92,144 | 67.33 |
Top 25% | $55,225 | 84.01 |
Top 50% | $27,682 | 96.09 |
Bottom 50% | <$27,682 | 3.91 |
Note: AGI is Adjusted Gross Income |
For Tax Year 1999
Percentiles Ranked by AGI | AGI Threshold on Percentiles | Percentage of Federal Personal Income Tax Paid |
Top 1% | $293,415 | 36.18 |
Top 5% | $120,846 | 55.45 |
Top 10% | $87,682 | 66.45 |
Top 25% | $52,965 | 83.54 |
Top 50% | $26,415 | 96.00 |
Bottom 50% | <$26,415 | 4.00 |
Note: AGI is Adjusted Gross Income |