The taxpayer, the Falcons and the question of priorities

I’m going to be fairly bold and say that this shouldn’t be subsidized because in ~10 years, the NFL is not going to be the going concern it is now. Sufficient information about those “concussions, the crippling injuries, the long-term brain damage and shortened lifespans of football” will likely relegate it to what pro boxing is today.

There’ll be people who continue to follow it rabidly, but a lot more people–a tipping point, if you will–think it’s gross and uncivilized.

(I might have the timeline wrong, however, in which case g’head and raise that thar debt limit–it’s football, which is still Gawdz sport!)

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Don’t do it! We built the marlins a stadium down here and after one year, they promptly sold off all their best players. Miami dade county is on the hook for half a billion dollars for 30 years. Corporate welfare indeed…

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“Get you popcorn… your peanuts… here,” cried out the former teacher as she made her way through the stadium crowd during the opening Falcons game.

Football, baseball and basketball are excellent ways to teach our children physics and the cost of admission is a win-win for all. The owners profit while the attendees also get a lesson in the ways of the free market. It’s the Republican/Libertarian way.

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I’m a Falcon fan and have been one since Tommy Nobis, but I disagree greatly with the new stadium deal. We don’t need it. Let that allocated money do better work for the people of Georgia. Use it for education, or as Granny said, Medicaid. let’s, just for once, take care of our fellow Georgians first.

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Build! Build anything so long as jobs are created and tangible value is likely. Georgia voters rejected infrastructure improvement. The Georgia state government has never, and will never, do anything useful toward creating jobs and future value.

So, let the NFL and Aurthur Blank work with the city of Atlanta to create jobs and future value. There’s no one else to turn to.

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by a simple act of the Legislature could be diverted to purposes more crucial than subsidizing a quite profitable sports franchise.

Continuing my “why America’s left wing sucks” rant–our think tanks would be directing media to write scathing exposes of shocking right wing hypocrisy; the elected Democrats would be using this as a club to beat Deal and company senseless over their Medicaid expansion stupidity.

Instead–”ooh, shiny object!”

by the way, I’ll link to this page, which is always a useful resource re: stadia scammery, wherever you sit on the political spectrum:

http://www.fieldofschemes.com/

…I see they’ve got GA’s little dillemma as their latest post. Good.

Meanwhile, there’s still that little problem of the GWCCA needing its debt limit raised if it wants to sell stadium bonds, something that would take a vote of the state legislature.

Raise a debt limit? Why that’s a crime against nature, innit?

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Hotel Tax? Why would anyone book a room in Atlanta?

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This money sure could feed and educate a lot of uneducated colored kids in City of Atlanta schools.

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there are better and higher uses of those monies; if falcons willing to spend 700m, why not the remainder? but i have asked in other forums, where is the cost benefit analysis? did they do one for the aquarium? football hall of fame? nascar? what was the deal on the braves stadium? just seems like all we are doing is increasing blanks’s net worth so he can compete with jerry jones. but football seems to be king in the south, except tech.

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Subsidize victory? Get a load of the falcon cheerleaders. One billion is a bargain. The more fans boo subsidies, the more they jinx our playoff hopes. Yes, they could put a couple of new sewer lines in cabbage town, or add another lane to the connector, but that don’t win no superbowls, now does it. Some of the money should be used to study just how Mike Smith is winning these games, cause nobody can figure it out..

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I’ve started to feel some qualms of [conscience] when attending a football game

Multiply that times scores of millions today. Those qualms will only grow over the years to come.

I’ll point out that boxing used to be the most popular spectator sport in America; its stars were the most feted. These days, I daresay 95% of Americans couldn’t tell you who the current heavyweight champion is.

“All things must pass. All things must pass away,” as a wise man once put it.

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Hey whatever hurts the Falcons is good for me. I’m a Saints fan. Despite their record this year. I still remember when they sucked way worse.

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but in many cases we can’t afford to keep our kids in school for the once-standard 180 days a year.

If any other line of work inflicted the concussions, the crippling injuries, the long-term brain damage and shortened lifespans of football, for example, it would have been legislated out of existence long ago.

Bread and circus. When social tensions are escalating due to the savage attacks on working people being carried out by the very same class of people from which the owners of these franchises come (except for the Packers), it’s not surprising that the people would be seeking escape in traditions such as professional football, which provides some sense of continuity and tradition amidst a world of things that is eroding under an assault of global capitalism. It’s also thus not surprising that the owners of these sports teams act like owners everywhere else: infinitely self-important, entitled, preening, demanding of tribute in return for the privilege of letting you give them ever more lavish fees for the benefits they claim to bring. While teachers get pink slips and infrastructure creaks, the gods of the NFL — and baseball and basketball, too — strut around like an upstart noble class.

Yep, perfectly typical of the time we’re living in.

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Total waste of money on a bunch of overpaid crybabies and their billionaire owner! Think if the old Fulton County Stadium were not torn down in 1997 -we could easily renovate it and give the Falcons their open air stadium -back. Oh I forgot some of the paint on the dome will be faded amd a few o fthe seats will need to be replaced on the Georgia Dome by 2017 making it obsolete. How soon after this expensive corporate boondoggle is built will the crybabies be asking for a domed stadium because they do not want to play in the wet and cold when the roof won’t close?
Win a superbowl first and we can begin the discussion otherwise 300 million dollars could go for a lot 9of other things in this city. How about more police to protect the tourists and fans?

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In fairness, the revenue from a Super Bowl & National Championship games being hosted here will be significant.

And the NFL has been pretty clear. Build a new stadium, you’re getting a Super Bowl. Atlanta is already in the running for college championship games, a new stadium would seal that deal for years to come. Same with Final Four in college basketball — think Ford Field.

I get the point here — I won’t particularly like swallowing this pill. But there is another side.

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stands for decibels

December 12th, 2012
8:05 am

The concussion problem could be solved tomorrow by removing the facemasks from the helmets. I can promise you that players would not lead with their helmets anymore.

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Dogfights are outlawed. Cockfights are outlawed. Human fights are great, though.

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Another fine example of a “public-private” partnership (aka Crony Capitalism). That same distortion of free market capitalism allows the NFL to operate as a “non-profit” for tax purposes.

http://tracking.si.com/2012/10/18/nfl-non-profit-tax-status-senator/

The Falcons should pay the full freight if they think they need a new stadium.

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So we’ll spend $300 million for Arthur to increase his profit margin and the politicians will get skybox tickets.

and bragging rights for the mayor (I built that). He scores no points for fixing potholes, hiring teachers, or expanding health care.

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NFL’s billionaire owners.

http://www.forbes.com/pictures/eddf45hmlk/nfl-billionaire-owners/?utm_source=sports.yahoo.com&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=nfl%2Bbillionaire%2Bowners&partner=yahoosports

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The New Orleans Saints had their Superdome remodeled after Hurricane Katrina. They were able to win a Super Bowl after the renovations and still play there. As a matter of fact, the next Super Bowl (2013) will be held there. If the Falcons would like a new dome, it should be up to Arthur Blank to do the funding. Will the new dome create some kind of magic power and enable the Falcons to capture a Super Bowl title?

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Well, I hate taxes but if we’re going to have them then they might as well go for something most of us like, rather than that dang edumacation. Who wants to pay for some schoolmarm to drone on about about history when we can have real big people trying to knock each others brains out and break legs and arms?

As for these sissy people whining about violence, I say, I got your violence right here, pal. It’s folks like you that’s turning us into Socialist Europe.

Besides, I got 10 bucks on the Falcons to make it to the Super Bowl.

Have a good Hump Day everybody.

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stands: You are more optimistic about the progress of civilization than I. Your prediction may come true but I think it will be decades, not years. In the meantime, GO FALCONS!

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Another fine example of a “public-private” partnership (aka Crony Capitalism).

——–

Another word for that is socialism.

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“Another word for that is socialism.”

oh, FFS … no it’s not.

fercryingoutLOUD.

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“GO FALCONS!” Yes. If I have to pay for this stadium, then GO FALCONS…GO ELSEWHERE!!

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If the Falcons want to play a few games outdoors in the early fall, they could play at Turner Field. Should be able to work out a deal for the right price.

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JAY

I’ve been watching this develop for some time. The dome is only 20 years old…and we finally have a team that can fill the seats and make the dome an annoying place for opposing teams. The real travesty beyond what you mentioned is the dry screwing the faithful seat holders will get. This happened in Dallas as you know and ticket holders had to come up 50K (for one of my colleagues), had to purchase all preseason tickets at $375 a piece..the average fan holding seats for years will not be able to afford this or will be relegated to subpar seats.

What you left out is that the city gets 11 billion revenue from conventions which may or may not be favorably impacted. Instead of coming from current hotel tax revenue, I hope this dopes downtown increase the hotel/rental car and possibly airport taxes so the net to city is close to zero as possible.
I also understand the bonding capacity of the WCCA will be increased from 200 to 300 million…

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I’ll keep it short

Agreed

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I don’t think the thug players of the NFL represent this city the way I would like it represented.

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Jay, you are 101% correct. If only we all had our priorities in order. It is a crying shame that children are hungry and education is on the back burner. Selfish individuals,we are!

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Jay,
The next to the last sentence of the second full paragraph sounds kinda wierd. The sentence begins with “And because…..”

Then again it may be just me.

HM

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Stevie _ I forgot to mark that comment as sarcasm. Sorry.

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Arthur is buddies with Barack, enough said. NO new stadium.

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The next to the last sentence of the second full paragraph sounds kinda wierd. The sentence begins with “And because…..”

____

Also used the word planet in two consecutive sentences.

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A new stadium is fine…as long as Blank pays for it. There’s no need to drag taxpayers into this.

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Wow. Jay didn’t default to his usual state and blame the Republicans. I foresee a follow up correction to his post….

But I agree with Jay on this. The stadium is a waste of money. When you’re in debt, you don’t buy new toys.

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I so hope the governor and legislature support this idiot idea, it’ll serve to rally the masses to unelect the crooks in November 2014

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The Falcons and their ownership, both wealthy job creators, should be given the incentives needed that are essential to grow our economy with sports entertainment and the sale of beautiful red and memorabilia and tchotchkes.

If these taxes are given to government, it will be wasted on moochers and their healthcare. The brain injuries and long-term damage of playing a bloodsport will also help our economy. The private insurance policies (not government healthcare) is good for the economy. An additional benefit of the NFL is that players die young and thus are always producers and job creators.

Not elderly moochers.

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Scott

December 12th, 2012
8:35 am

Arthur is buddies with Barack, enough said. NO new stadium.
+++++++++++++++

Wow, here is a dude with his wires crossed lol.

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The Falcons need to stay. The city has nothing worth seeing, accept the Braves, if the Falcons leave. Only suckers pay the hotel tax.

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Been waiting since 1966 for the Falcons to win a Super Bowl ….. instead of a new stadium – how about getting an offensive line that can block.

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Oscar

December 12th, 2012
8:34 am

Not sure which comment you are referring to…but I am generally pretty good at between the line reading..most of the time…regardless..no worries..

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The next new stadium should come the year AFTER th Falcons win a Super Bowl – and it should be moved NORTH of the ghetto.

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Arthur needs to refill his Viagra prescription and find himself another trophy wife. If tax payers are forced to foot the bill to bolster his ego, and the elected officials go along with this, I hope people remember this well come election time. and NOBODY buy tickets to watch Blanks stupid team play in that facility.

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Morality?

December 12th, 2012
8:44 am

Thanks! I started going to those games in 66 as well as a 5 year old..for years, rain, blazing heat, snow, etcetera…we went out and watched them lose…the only thing worth looking forward to was the Saints game and the bi-annual brawl always started by Abramowitz and our DB Kenny Reeves (i think that was him..)

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Once you accept the premise that the State can coerce (at gunpoint) wealth from private individuals …………. to finance what someone “thinks” is a progressive idea………………..then Stadiums and/or Trolly-cars and/or Climate management or other such ridiculous schemes will always be the end result.
.
Get over it Bookman……….it’s for the collective.
.
Forward Soviet.

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how about getting an offensive line that can block.

____

Or better yet, a defense that can stop the run. Falcons have scored enough points to win, but give up to many to reach the Super Bowl.

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Brad Steel: “The Falcons and their ownership, both wealthy job creators, should be given the incentives needed that are essential to grow our economy with sports entertainment and the sale of beautiful red and memorabilia and tchotchkes”

Speaking of that, on a grim note, I’m reminded that last night while watching a news clip from the Oregon mall that was site of the shooting yesterday, there was a store called the “Duck Store” with Oregon Ducks paraphernalia, right next to an ambulance to care for the wounded.

A perfect fusion of images: late-state global capitalism.

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Once you accept the premise that the State can coerce (at gunpoint) wealth from private individuals
_____

You can’t have a government without the ability to raise taxes to pay the expense to run it.

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I don’t want a new stadium until this recession/depression is over – and then build it NORTH of the ghetto…. however I do appreciate Arthur Blank buying the Falcons and making them competitive. For years Rankin Smith was the worst owner in the NFL and the Falcons were a joke.

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Debbie – If the new stadium is buitl, the Dome will be torn down for parking and some other things.

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What a waste of taxes!!! No Super Bowl….No New Dome….

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Thomas Heyward: “Once you accept the premise that the State can coerce (at gunpoint) wealth from private individuals”

Funny you say that. The private individuals of course acquired their wealth — always, every single time — through a strategic and clever manipulation of the state’s resources, which are just the resources of the people. The private individuals with their wealth are the true usurpers.

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Not that I’m talking to you Jay, ( ) but I was curious……. and I was also apparently THE ONLY PERSON who both read every word of the article AND watched the video……..

I always thought most people just clicked over here, read the headline and started arguing without reading a damn thing. I think I just got proof……….

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Andy: I’m with you Bro. You ever run for office, you got my vote.

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Alright then. I got my answer to the video question and made contact with the chef blog chick so my mission here is done. Time to resume my poutrage and boycott………

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I know!

Divert Obamaphone funds to the stadium.

Problem solved!

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If this is a done deal then let’s somehow get the infrastructure tied in as well so at least we can get to a game.

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As mentioned above, the NFL is a dying market. Not as quickly declining as, say, NASCAR, but declining it is. Just look at the changing demographics of the USA. If the State of Georgia was led by smart people (which it is not), and they really, really wanted to spend $300 million on a stadium, they would build a Soccer-only complex and lure an MLS team to Atlanta (preferably one that would then be associated with Deportivo Toluca FC).

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It’s not too far a leap from today’s NFL to the Arnold sci-fi Running Man. Come to think of it, society is headed in the film’s direction also, but that’s a different subject.

It’s rare that I totally agree with Jay, but yes on this one.

And, only dumb ass politicians would agree to a plan with a 30 year pay back when in plain sight is evidence they won’t be happy when it’s 10 years old (if they still have an audience).

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Fly – It’s not a done deal. The legislature has to approve it.

AFTER they’re guaranteed their skyboxes and 50 yard line seats for ALL major games………

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This is supposed to be a democracy. Put it up for a vote by the public. See what the public wants.

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Stop the corporate welfare! If Blank wants a new stadium then do what any other business would do, get an estimate for your project, find funding and build.

Unfortunately cities and states have been played by corporate interests against each other. Georgia and other states use tax and other incentives to lure and retain businesses. This practice is now widespread and many businesses demand it.

Sports teams are probably the worst because if a plastics manufacturer doesn’t move to town with its promise of 200 new jobs, no one is emotionally tied to the loss. But if a city wants to lure a sports team or, heaven forbid, fend off threats to move somewhere else, the public is in a total panic. They have emotions tied to the team or the idea of landing a franchise.

Sports teams are businesses. There is absolutely nothing of Atlanta or Georgia in the Falcons. They are a business. They conduct training and some of their business here when they play games here. But they are a business, a for-profit business. They should be treated as such.

If cities would refuse to play the tax and other incentives game to lure sports franchises or the same to retain them, this stuff would stop. But as long as there are cities out there willing to play the game, owners will blackmail cities (and fans).

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That stadium? You didn’t build that.

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Fred – check your email!

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Bhorsoft – we are a republic, not a democracy. You know, where we elect our representatives to make the decisions instead of us voting on every matter. Chose wisely, on more than just beer.

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So anyone want to give their take on how long it will be until our Governor and some legislators to be found handing out sweetheart deals to their cronies? Oh, and our $300M part of the price tag goes much higher due to this corruption.

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What % of the stadium funding will go to the cartel that runs Atlanta?

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Simple Truth, Yes,when you are in debt up to your eyeballs,you don’t buy new toys. Neither do you only cut the rate of spending,you slash it to the bone.It will hurt for awhile but it’s the only way to run a country or a business! That’s where we are today. No, the Falcons need to pay for their own stadium!

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Will the seats vibrate at the DealDome?

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now don’t go stirring up our base, mr muckraking-journalist-man –
Damn, we just got em fooled that its OK for big gubmint welfare
to trickle up, but not down to the people that need it.
(we sold em on bootstraps, hahahahaha)

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Oscar – good one!

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white liberal racism at work

not wanting inner city residents to have jobs to feed their children with income from the new stadium

new stadium haters who want it built in their suburbs so they dont have to drive the global warming causing SUV downtown

and even if the stadium is built with revenue from out of towners

shame on the white liberal hypocrisy

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here’s the only way this should’ve been financed with public money

a parking space tax of $10 per space on all parking within a 1 mile radius of the stadium on game days and any other major stadium events

whatever bondable revenue that would produce should be the amount the city would pitch in

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Usink: the nfl should hold a frickin BAKE SALE if they want a new stadium – not ask the taxpayers to subsidize it.

That’s what public schools have to do to raise money for things like band instruments/uniforms/trips; football boosters raise money for the football team, and girl scouts go do to door selling cookies to raise money for their troop/organization.

Everyone in America is tightening their belts and doing without — yet we are supposed to hold our nose and dish our pride for the advent of a new stadium that the majority of people in Atlanta, (since its ATLANTA’s hotel/motel taxes that are being used and NOT any other region, its’ only fitting that ATLANTA should be where the new stadium is built — duh! to anyone who thinks otherwise), don’t want and AREN’T interested in!

I wonder, have politicians ALWAYS been this obtuse?

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The former GM plant in Doraville would have been a perfect site for Arthur’s Folly. Add my vote to no taxpayer subsidy for Arthur’s stadium.

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1) “Given those realities, why should the Falcons demand that the public subsidize their new stadium, particularly when the publicly funded Georgia Dome continues to serve that purpose admirably?”

One of the RARE times we agree.

2) “If any other line of work inflicted the concussions, the crippling injuries, the long-term brain damage and shortened lifespans of football, for example, it would have been legislated out of existence long ago.”

Except for our military.

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Put it somewhere in Cobb like they did with the Cobb Center – right off the highway – and maybe some naysayers would be more interested.

You think they build stadiums for local middle-class folks? BWAH! Hey, you want to buy a bridge real cheap?

There’s no infrastructure (like hotels and communist-marxist transit full of scary dark people) to handle a stadium in your beloved suburbs. Keep your terrified self out there, apparently you haven’t realized nobody cares about your fee-fees. I hear there’s a real nice baseball stadium y’all suckers funded though.

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There are so many things that need to be done in Atlanta.

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Arthur Blank should just take one of his billions and build the stadium himself…Heck, he can get the supplies at Home Depot at cost!!

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Why would the Super Bowl come to ATL more than one token time?

Have you been anywhere on foot at night near the Dome? There’s nothing there to do to satisfy 100,000+++ people 18hrs a day for a week. Buckhood is long gone. Midtown is too far of a hike.

Not to mention who wants to pay 1000’s of dollars per person to hang out in ATL in February on overcast 35 degree days?

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“……. democratic republic – which IS a democracy.”

Our Republic (”and to the REPUBLIC for which it stands”) is a “form” of democracy but not a “pure democracy”. A pure democracy means majority rule on everything. That was something our founding fathers feared greatly and rightfully so.

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Williebkind — “Yeah send the liberals back north or to the east or west coast.”

What makes you think we’re not FROM here, buckaroo?

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U. Samantha — “DOG needs to go to a charter school”

On the contrary. Nobody *needs* to go to a charter school.

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Hiya Joe!

Joe: Just out of curiosity, is there ANY other American city that’s in a position to lure the Falcons away AND has the financial wherewithal to satisfy Blank’s demands?

who else would want them? Maybe if they’d WIN something people would be more apt to do them a solid; but the Falcons are KNOWN to be a “choke” team. I mean when the New Orleans Saints won a Superbowl before the Falcons, I was thinking that the end of the world HAD to be nearer in time!

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“we are a representative republic”

aka: a democratic republic

re·pub·lic
[ri-puhb-lik] Show IPA

noun
1. a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by representatives chosen directly or indirectly by them.

2. any body of persons viewed as a commonwealth.

3. a state in which the head of government is not a monarch or other hereditary head of state.

de·moc·ra·cy
[dih-mok-ruh-see] Show IPA

noun, plural de·moc·ra·cies.
1. government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.

2. a state having such a form of government: The United States and Canada are democracies.

Somebody needs to open a dictionary now and then to avoid making a public fool of themselves

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Haven’t said this in awhile, but…

And, only dumb ass politicians would agree to a plan with a 30 year pay back when in plain sight is evidence they won’t be happy when it’s 10 years old (if they still have an audience).

Sometimes, JohnnyReb, you’re all right.

/drive-by

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The City of Atlanta should look at other NFL cities (DC,NY,etc.) who have either caved in and built a new football stadium or watched their football team go to another part of the State or a new State.

Other cities in the State of GA are already planning to meet this need. Would Falcon’s fans travel to Roswell/Milton/Alpharetta to watch their football team? Yes they will. Can these cites put together the financing plan? Yes they can.

The City of Atlanta really has no leverage in this case.

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And just what % of downtown residence buy tickets to Falcon’s games and what % of downtown residents pay motel taxes? Makes sense to move the stadium out of the ghetto – NORTH of downtown. Build it once this recession/depression is over – say in about 10/20 years if we are lucky.

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“doesnt know how to distinguish a FORM of government from a TYPE of government”

Yep, I do. We have a democratic republic. *I* can read the dictionary and actually UNDERSTAND what it says.

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i think BHO should wave his magic obama messiah wand and make a stadium appear for free. LOL

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williebkind
As per normal, just go away please.

JDW
Regarding your 9:15 here, you really ought to get out more.
The “few rich blocks” in Atlanta comment is priceless. Thanks for the laugh!

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Obama is doing a stellar job on national security and defense

North Korea just launched a missile that can hit the US

Good job Obama

What a retard he is

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Jay, let’s move on from this one…

Bottom line, it doesn’t matter to the work for wages man. he can’t afford to go to the stadium, new or old, on what he makes. All he has is his TV and is only if the game comes on Sunday at 1PM, otherwise he can’t watch the Thursday or Sunday night games because he has to get up early to go to work. Professional football caters to the rich man and the West Coast Set. Why else show two eastern teams playing at 830 at night? And don’t get me started about kids…they too are part of the “working class” with school. Nope…it’s not a working man’s game anymore. College bowl games are the same way, corporate games played too late for the kids and working class. Alabama and Notre dame being the worst. To the working class, night time games have become games of next day highlights.

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wonder what they’ll do with the GA dome?

dynamite?

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Just put the proposed $300M public “investment” in Arthur Blank’s ego and greed to a public vote. That our politicians refuse to let that happen tells us everything that we need to know.

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We’re still a domocratic republic. It’s not my fault that writer of that post can’t tell the difference between a philosophy of governing (democracy) and a FORM that governing takes (republic)

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Say NOPE to the DOPES running this city. Public funds + PSLs = disaster. ATL can’t support PSLs for the Falcons.

How about this.. Instead of cities being held hostage by the NFL to “win” the right to host a Super Bowl, how about rewarding the highest seed team/city to host the game. Or, alternate between leagues each year. Works in ALL other pro sports.

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Minuses: It isn’t needed. Atlanta Fulton County Stadium is perfectly adequate for the Braves and the Falcons. The Omni is adequate for the Hawks. Why have MARTA when the rails for the old streetcar system are buried under the asphalt. We can’t outdo Jerry Jones in Dallas when it comes to absolute extravagant spending of moola for no reason.
Pluses: It will provide shovel ready jobs. It will enable Atlanta to land future Super Bowls which generate revenue. But the biggest plus of all it will irritate Jay Bookman and his Midtown Moonbats.

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New piece by Jonathan Chait confirming everything I’ve been saying about the BI-PARTISAN elite that is tyrannizing the people in this country.

Without realizing it, Politico reporters have hit on a brilliant depiction of Washington elite insularity:

The piece reads as if it were written by Upton Sinclair, if he were taken prisoner and trying to smuggle messages out to the world past a particularly literal-minded group of censors.

The subject of the piece is Allen and VandeHei’s report that broad agreement exists on the correct policy agenda, as revealed to them through “conversations we have had over the past three months with top lawmakers, officials, their senior aides and the CEOs who advise and lobby all of them.” The story proceeds to describe the obviously sensible agenda agreed upon by these sources: It is vital to reduce the deficit through tax reform and stingier entitlements, along with more free trade, resource extraction, and liberalized immigration. ….

What makes the consensus so astonishing, and even nauseating, is the degree to which those who share it show no awareness of their own insularity. Their shared sense of a smart economic growth strategy excludes any monetary or fiscal plan to bring down unemployment through higher consumer demand, a position that commands strong support among economists. Their list of ailments also excludes skyrocketing income inequality and out-of-control carbon emissions.

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2012/12/politico-accidentally-exposes-beltway-elite.html

Sounds like a ruling elite even ol’ Scout could get behind don’t it? Ooops, except lots of them have that pesky “Democrat” label by their names, which has Scout and other rubes shrieking socialism.

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Depression babies kept it real because of their experiences of doing without. Doc in the box for minor medical would have never been dreamed of; these people went to doctors when they were really sick. The baby boomer generation kept the posters that pushed war bonds, kept the conservative lip service but lost in the translation conservative life style. Much of our problems today are produced by a generation of excess and not being truthful to ourselves of who we really are. We want to blame government or heathens or people “not like us” for our failures instead of our greed and personal spending habits that have among other things made us the fattest nation on earth. Our worship of celebrity plays right into this out of control private sector and the dangling of worthless pastimes which have no benefit to the recipe of our success, even diminishes it with very poor role models for the next generation is not where our forefathers were heading. This is our trip along to fools gold and values. Even our churches are on our journey as they become more like us than us. My father stopped to pull people out of burning buildings and wreaked cars today it is seen every day people turning their heads. But you put a semi celebrity into a crowd and the energy picks up as people are trying to be like Mike.

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The 4 proposed mega-developments around town (the Gulch/Underground, Doraville, Norcross, and Hapeville) would have been ideal locations to include a stadium, with highway and transit links already there or currently under construction). That would have been a better deal to say to Mr Blank and those developers that if they wan’t what they want, the respective cities/counties would allow it in conjunction with the stadium going in there, at their own expense of course. But then the people closet to the deal makers wouldn’t be making out like bandits.

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@Morality? You DO realize that all the infrastructure you use “NORTH of downtown” was funded by the tax revenue OF downtown? Unless, of course, you live in a house that has the same value of any of the downtown buildings. SO, if by your logic, we should move everything “out of the ghetto” then prepare yourself for a HUGE tax increase to fund your suburban dream. Even Blank’s mansion is worth maybe the lobby of the Westin downtown….with that said, a new stadium is a JOKE. Just trying to show the importance of a strong, vibrant downtown!

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“What has ever stopped people from making a public fool of themselves before on this blog? Reading a dictionary, won’t help when it’s already been demonstrated they don’t read posts here”

amen to that! but it’s lots of fun watching them try to defend their foolishness!

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Just raise more taxes on the rich. They can afford it, and it’s only right to require more of their fair share. It’s the magic cure-all for everything according to you stooges. The rich won’t miss it and it gives the deserving middle class and poor some wonderful professional football to watch. Soak the rich some more. They owe us. They didn’t earn all that money they have. They’re unpatriotic and greedy.

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I don’t like it. Are they going to use a Hotel/Motel tax? Let’s be honest, Atlanta is not the hottest attraction in the USA. If we raise our hotel taxes too much, we may lose the visitors and conventioneers that we do have.

Let the Falcons and the NFL figure out a way to fund it, or learn to be happy with the stadium they already have.

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“Nope”

Didn’t really think so. Could you elucidate?

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oops using the r word is more than a little ironic, huh?

Here is his family’s web page…

http://tinyurl.com/7d7t6jy

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“it’s funny how the libs. “tout” PURE democracy until the vote goes against them.”

wow.

your posts really are nothing more than a$$ gravy.

seriously – you never cease to amaze me with the crap that you spew.

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Thank you ……….. it’s funny how the libs. “tout” PURE democracy until the vote goes against them.

Then they really don’t like that system.

Kinda like how those libs have been whining since the first Tuesday in November, right? Oh wait… nevermind

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0311/8541/5811/1811/1801

your welcome!

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“Could you elucidate?”

I already did. I refer you to the dictionary definitions I posted, and pay CLOSE attention to where the words “representatives” and “elected agents”(aka: representatives) occurs

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Professional Football is warfare among autonomous city-states, pursued by other means. Unless you want to be mired in an actual shooting war with, say, New Orleans, and have our city bombed to the ground by jets sporting the fleur-de-lis, better cough up the bucks. It’s in our own defense,

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your posts really are nothing more than a$$ gravy.

Thanks for that one. Now people in the service center here are looking at me like I am nuts for laughing out loud!!! I’m glad that I didn’t lose that mouthful of coffee.

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Nero: “Soak the rich some more. They owe us. They didn’t earn all that money they have. They’re unpatriotic and greedy”

You know sometimes the truth speaks even through the mouths of trolls.

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“Oh wait… nevermind”

Never mind? Why? Oh that’s right, it’s the Republicans that are throwing the tantrum, like the 43% of “patriotic” Georgia Republicans who now want to secede because their guy lost.

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in 2006 Blank renovated the GA Dome to tune the of $300M out of HIS pocket to the benefit of a dome owned by the city…what a greedy rich b@astard…

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INCORRECT : “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the DEMOCRACY for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

CORRECT: “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the REPUBLIC for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

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“When I use a word, it means exactly what I mean it to mean, no more and no less ” – H. Dumpty

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Coming from dirty wannabe hippies who drop deuces on police cars and steal from churches who open their doors to you, I’ll take that as a compliment.

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USinner

You do realize that you’re my #1 redhead, and that baby video is just another of the many ways that you ROCK!!!!!

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“The thing we should take from that is our founders were wise enough to know their stations in life. Webster focused on the dictionaries, and Franklin stuck with almanacs”

Thanks, Bro – that works.

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chuck – We wouldn’t see our return in over 100 years!>/i>

BS…you’ll have no investment in it in the first place…thank a tourist

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I like the Cobb County stadium location idea! It may take two hours to park and three hours to get home but so what. The traffic jams would be worse than the Atlanta Speedway traffic but traffic jams are fun.

To fund the new stadium they can start a motel bed tax in Cobb. It will generate about $50,000 a year which will leave the public part of the cost of the new stadium about $299 million short. They will probably need a drive-thru window tax in Cobb County to supplement the motel tax, that should do it.

Can’t wait for the Cobb McRibs to start playing football in 2017!

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“you’ll have no investment in it in the first place…thank a tourist”

I’d rather thank a tourist for educated young adults, paved roads, clean water, police protection, etc.

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USinner

The beard skipped red. It’s going from black to white now. I’ve always had a thing for redheads though. I was near drooling when I met the actress that plays Phyllis on The Young and the Restless. I could be her bodyguard anytime.

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Given those realities, why should the Falcons demand that the public subsidize their new stadium, particularly when the publicly funded Georgia Dome continues to serve that purpose admirably?

They shouldn’t!

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Mark in Midtown
It’s not if it makes sense or whether it will be an economic engine and will fuel jobs

It’s just that a rich guy is involved…and we all know he didn’t earn any of that money in the first place and is just a greedy rich CEO type

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Those taxes sure as hell add up.

and yet people still pay them…of that 100 how much of it was for the dome?

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E. Cat — “It’s not if it makes sense or whether it will be an economic engine and will fuel jobs”

So if the new stadium isn’t built, then none of those putative future jobs will happen? Is that what you’re saying?

Huh. Guess they *didn’t* build that by themselves. Looks like you and Mark are admitting that they’ll *need* government funding to build the stadium so that ‘entrepreneurs’ can come in, build businesses and then slap themselves on the back for having done it all on their own.

ZOMG SOSHULIZUM

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“more on the Hostess debacle (debacle to the workers, not senior mgmt):”

but you’ll still get a chorus of “the unions killed Twinkie”

oy to the stupid.

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Let’s ask Los Angeles about not having a football team and all of this stadium fuss…..

They’ll probably ask, whats football………….. oh yeah, that sport they play in college.

Funny, Georgia has been in Sanford Stadium since 1929 and GT has been in Grant Field since……….

I dont know

They seem to be doing well.

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Just keep raising the motel/hotel taxes….. they are absurdly high NOW.

Just in case anyone is foolish enough to EVER trust something that gets posted here by “Morality?”–

The ATL room tax is 13%. That’s pretty run-of-the-mill, apparently:

[from 2008]

http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4036511.html

Room taxes average 12.62 percent, about $12.39 per night nationwide, in addition to the average room rate of about $94.69 for 2008. The national average of these combined bed taxes is up from an average of 12.4 percent in 2003

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We need to concentrate on education and transportation ………. those issues that bring jobs to this state………

The Georgia Dome is just fine.

Besides, Nathan said the state’s expenses are in a dire straits right now. So we can’t afford it.

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“Morality” — “There are plenty of corporations that vote”

Do tell.

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I said back in ‘97 that they should keep Fulton County Stadium up, because they will be wanting an open air stadium in the future. Plus , it was a historic building.

They could have put a retractable roof on it and waaaaaaala, we have our stadium.

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Curtis Rivers: ” Mr. Blank should secure the funding elsewhere…after all, football is lucrative”

Ah but that’s not the way a kleptocratic oligarchy works. In such a system, which has now consolidated its hold on virtually every aspect of our society, the more privilege and wealth an entity or individual enjoys the more wealth and privilege he can demand, and get, in the future.

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Erwin’s cat: “a rich guy is involved…and we all know he didn’t earn any of that money in the first place and is just a greedy rich CEO type..”

Yep, you’ve just about got it.

So, what of it?

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Horsepoop…there is no justification for helping “helpless deadbeats” build a new stadium.

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Let’s also remember that money doesn’t just get spent once. The same money cyles through the economy over and over again.

Interesting argument. Funny how that same line of thinking is rejected whenever it’s applied to other forms of subsidized government spending.

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My bad you do support civil rights, good for you. The country is better off playing a full deck even if it put some of us back in the bush leagues where we belong, it makes the team better.

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““Morality” — “There are plenty of corporations that vote””

did they show their drivers license??

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Welcome – So, what of it?

He was able to, and did donate $300M of HIS money to renovate a city facility in 2006…the greedy rich thug

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Morality is a people, my friends.

One of the recent great lines about the latest GOP loser…

Essentially, Mitt Romney is a corporation running for president masquerading as an individual. ~Ralph Nader

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@ Jamvet, yes you’re doing your part to push the pendulum back and that will occur faster IF the Dems overreach like the Gingrich repubs did

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did they show their drivers license??

Shouldn’t we pass some legislation to prevent corporate voter fraud? Just in case? You can’t prove it doesn’t happen, after all.

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This train is being driven by the city of Atlanta not by the state. If we say no( which would be great with me) the city will whine about not being supported by the state. Maybe we can be treated to another dishonest diatribe about racism in Georgia. I don’t care anymore. I will make it clear to my representatives that I would want want one cent of my money going to fund a new stadium for the Falcons or any other such venture.

There are two questions.
First is this kind of guarantee a wise and legitimate function of government. I say no!
Second, can we afford it? Obviously not!

Bonus round:
Do you trust the people who are crafting this deal? O dang no!

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larry – Funny, Georgia has been in Sanford Stadium since 1929 and GT has been in Grant Field since……….

They seem to be doing well.

and how many Super bowls, final fours, and other events did they host for the financial benefit of Atlanta?

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@Patricia…LOL!!!!

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“Shouldn’t we pass some legislation to prevent corporate voter fraud? Just in case? ”

frankly, I think there are a LOT of dead companies voting (I could have sworn I saw the dog from Pets.com behind a voting booth)

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Grant Field:

“in rudimentary form since 1905 and as a complete stadium since 1913.”

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All 32 of its teams are included in Forbes’ magazine’s list of the 50 most valuable sports franchises on the planet.

My Raiders can’t be on there.
Teh suckage. It burns.

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“Are you saying the city won’t benefit from a new dome?”

Well, compared to the existing stadium…how many MORE jobs will a new one create, if any?

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alex, cling to that if it makes you feel better.

Look at you pals here like “Nero”; with friends like them, who needs enemies?!

The nation is sick of you fascist coddlers. So my recommendation is to just prepare yourselves for more electoral butt whippings.

Occupy that.

OK, thanks to the Obama Recovery from the Bush Depression, duty calls and I’ve got to go do my share to keep the handouts coming to our Republican takers in the 47%. LOL.

Later, peeps…

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Has Mr. Blank said anything about what will happen if this doesn’t go through afterall?

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E. Cat — “He can build it on his own!”

Good. Then let him do so and let’s be done with this discussion.

“Are you saying the city won’t benefit from a new dome?”

You pretty clearly didn’t read Jay’s piece. It’s quite clear that the Falcons would rake in cash even from non-football events, DESPITE the fact that the city & county would foot most of the bill.

If the city feels it needs a new stadium, paid for by local funds, then the city can darn well build one when it feels the time is right and money’s not so tight. Until then, if Mr. Blank wants his new stadium so bad, then he can man up and build it himself.

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Well, compared to the existing stadium…how many MORE jobs will a new one create, if any?

in part it will keep jobs..because the Super Bowl and Final four conventions etc etc will go to other cities with shiny new domes which is lost revenue for the city.
The construction will make for a few hundred if not thousands of jobs

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“Without projects like these Atlanta will become obsolete”

I think we need to build a new capital building. Heck, the current one is WAY, WAY out of date…it’s 123 years old! Time for a new one!

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“The construction will make for a few hundred if not thousands of jobs”

But those are not permanent jobs. They won’t go on building it forever. And I know it will KEEP jobs, I’m curious as to how many it will ADD

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E. Cat — “Mr Blank hosted none of those Joe…the city did”

I know that. I’m pointing out that it’s hypocritical of you to ask how many such events college facilities hosted while not holding Blank to the same standard.

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Mr. Blank wants his new stadium so bad, then he can man up and build it himself.

and if he built it out side of downtown…you’d all be screaming about it

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Speaking of obsolete, what’s the current condition of the city’s sewer and water system? Still sucktastic?

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E. Cat — “and if he built it out side of downtown…you’d all be screaming about it”

I don’t know what anyone else would think about that, but *I* certainly wouldn’t be screaming about it and I don’t think you can speak for me.

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Hey! They want to raise the borrowing cap for GWCC to help finance this! We can’t HAVE THAT, now can we?

“Legislative support has emerged as a key issue because the GWCCA needs its borrowing cap raised in order to issue the roughly $300 million in bonds that would represent the public financing component”
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/key-details-still-lacking-in-stadium-dealdeal-for-/nTS5z/

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The Sun newspaper is reporting that Paul McCartney will replace Kurt Cobain and lead a Nirvana reunion this evening at the Hurricane Sandy benefit concert in New York.

I think my head just exploded….

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Alex,

You have to forgive Jammie. His mommy didn’t hug him enough when he was little.

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The Atlanta moochers got crushed by Cam Newton.

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Where else are they going to make $200,000/week?

And where are they going to use the money if they are dead or brain-dead? On hospital bills?

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Over on Galloway. Deal tells legislators money is tight?

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I wasn’t special anymore.

With a moniker like that? i beg to differ.

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This BS has been going on quite a while with club owners extorting the taxpayers for a new stadium usually with the threat of an exit. I have great admiration for Blank but there is no effing way we should be building a whole new stadium. The Georgia Dome is fantastic. There is not a damn thing wrong with it. Its beautiful, structurally sound, and still fairly new. Enough with this crap of subsidizing a monopoly and a billionaire to boot.

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Paul McCartney will replace Kurt Cobain

Cool. Wouldn’t be right to have some right-handed guitarist in that slot, after all.

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doomy,

I agree.

Why do they need a new stadium?

They don’t.

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“some welfare leach”

yep … sounds (and spells) like a Conservative Christian to me …

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Awww, getalife brought his Ain’ts butt hurt to the blog.

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gah. McCartney needs to RETIRE already.

his performances at the Jubilee and the Olympics were DIRE

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Realist: The top 10% of income earners pay 71% of all federal income taxes–even though the top 10% earn 43% of the country’s total income. The bottom 50% of income earners pay 2% of all federal income taxes, yet they earn 13% of the income… I know I have, and I will continue to–but when will the 47% start contributing their “fair share”?

Geez, not this sh*t again….

Why not be a true “realist” and take ALL TAXES into account that people pay. Then, you’d realize that most everybody pays between 20% to 30% of their total income in taxes of some kind. Federal income tax is not the only revenue stream for government. You’ve swallowed the right wing rhetoric hook, line, and sinker. Only a half brain will use half the facts to attempt to make a point. Sad thing is, you’re only making a half point that isn’t even true when all facts are taken into account.

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“I didn’t bring that up. I’m simply pointing out what was already observed; that Tech and UGA are doing JUST FINE in their decades-old facilities”- JHM

As a matter of fact most college stadiums are doing fine in stadiums that are a lot older than a few decades. I believe Tech has the oldest or one of the oldest stadiums in the country dating to something like 1910 if I remember correctly. Sanford stadium has been around for 50 plus years I think. Alabama’s stadium opened in 1923 and every since then they upgrade, expand, and modernize and renovate it. Its now 102,000 capacity and the biggest stadium in the south.Its a glimmering, shiny, beautiful palace that is visually stunning. The nicest one too in my completely unbiased crimson opinion. And they’re talking about asking the taxpayer to chip on a billion dollar stadium when we already have the fantastic Georgia dome??? Hell no!!!

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If the new stadium would bring in more money than it costs (in other words, a comparison of net present values with and without building the stadium, accounting for risk, loss of hotel customers due to higher prices, cost of building the new stadium, etc), then build it. I wouldn’t trust a cost-benefit analysis commissioned by anyone with a stake in the outcome, however.

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Erwin- sure but they wont want to come to our 20 yr old facilities…when they can go someplace newer
————————————————————-

Where are they playing the Super Bowl this year? Final Four next year?

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Getalife cares.

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I saw Nirvana at the Omni.

I *could’ve* seen Nirvana in some teeny club c. 1990, but I was pretty sure this Sub-Pop grunge thing was just a flash in the pan so I didn’t bother.

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Bookman has finally shown some common sense concerning who should fund the proposed new stadium.
If only that common sense would have surfaced when Obama decided to spend our tax money on private sector “investments” like bankrupt alternative energy company Solyndra,along with a growing list of assorted Battery and Wind Power companies.

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E. Cat — “sure but they wont want to come to our 20 yr old facilities…when they can go someplace newer”

I thought the reason they wont come was because of the ice storm that happened, i didnt hear anything about the Dome.

So, they will come, despite the crappy weather, if we build this ? I dont think so.

They keep going to New Orleans and their Dome is 35 years old.

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“They keep going to New Orleans and their Dome is 35 years old.”

We have Bourbon Street.

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“We have Bourbon Street”

We have the Cheetah. Pink Pony too.

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That is a rather hilarious statement. Football no longer relevant in 10 years?

Try reading what I actually wrote, rather than how some guy took it upon himself interpret it, TD.

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Getalife Googled Nirvana lyrics.

Appreciate your concern
You’ll always stink and burn.

(I didn’t have to google that.)

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Nero,

No, I know the words.

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getalife — “shacked up with a stripper”

The things you hear on this blog.

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Bookman is treading on thin ice here since Arthur Blank sits on the board at Cox Media. He is also a flaming Liberal like Bookman. That justifies Arthur’s ridiculous request for a new stadium when it’s not needed! You got to love those Liberals!

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Americans For Prosperity is the Westboro Baptist Church of the anti-union movement

Heh, heh, heh.

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My Godson shacked up with a stripper from the Pony and had a baby.

Somewhere, somehow, there is a country song in that statement.

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“Their capacity is listed at 102,455 while Bryant-Denny is 101,821″

Nope. Not really. Here’s what happened. UT had downsized its stadium to make room for luxury boxes and the extra money and their seating capacity was just over 100,000. When Bama completed construction of that last deck it raised it to 101,821. I just rounded it off at 102.

The very next day Tennessee announced its official capacity as the new number of 102.455 and that new number includes “standing room only”. In other words they just tried to one up Bama by adding “standing room only” in the aisles so that they could say their seating is bigger- they did not actually add any new seats. As for actual seating capacity Bama is bigger.

We’re just not going to play that game of one upmanship by claiming more seating through “standing room only” to boost official capacity.

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larry,

No country, rock song.

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Nero — “Joe, Single moms need love too.”

Indeed. How else are they to become moms?

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The very next day Tennessee announced its official capacity as the new number of 102.455 and that new number includes “standing room only”.

It depends how many of those big “oranges” look like Philip Fulmer.

Talk about your standing “room” only.

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getalife likes to make it rain up in tha club.

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Off topic, but I’m guessing Jay’s probably gonna hit it later on…

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/12/12/dem-source-gop-calling-for-permanent-extension-of-cuts-for-wealthiest-2/

Washington (CNN) – One of the reasons Tuesday night’s conversation between President Barack Obama and John Boehner did not go well was because the GOP House speaker sent the White House a fiscal cliff proposal calling for a permanent extension of Bush-era tax cuts for all Americans, including for incomes in the top 2%, a Democratic source said Wednesday.

Democrats took the GOP counter offer to mean that tax reform cannot result in any marginal rates higher than current law, according to the source, who said Boehner’s proposal was a “sign” to Democrats that “Boehner and the GOP are unwilling or unable to do any sort of deal that can pass the Senate or be signed by the president.”

I hope y’all have your fiscal affairs in order. Seems as though we’re all gonna have a tax increase next year.

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The new marlins stadium is state of the art, aesthetically perfect but should have not been built by taxpayers for a MLB team.
Now that being said, it would be the perfect venue for a pink floyd reunion concert!!!

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dearth…BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!

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“My Godson shacked up with a stripper from the Pony and had a baby”

I bet his doctor was AMAZED

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“Two democratic lawmakers want miners to pay the same 12.5 percent in royalties as oil companies, a move that could bring hundreds of millions of dollars in new annual revenue.”

they’re mining on federal land.

why should we NOT get royalties from them?

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larry

True, but I would suggest john paul jones filling in for rick wright. Syd barret wasn’t really part of their best work…

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Hey ……….. how about the lack of mainstream media coverage of the latest union thuggery/assault in Michigan.

Not surprising …………… just imagine if a “Tea Partier” had assaulted someone from CNN.

It would be non-stop on the news !!

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Fred ™

December 12th, 2012
8:51 am
Moderate Line

December 12th, 2012
7:43 am

I have no problem with the article other than your assuming value has something to do with profit. That is not the case especially when it comes to sports teams. A good book to read is “Soccernomics” by Stefan Szymanski.
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Really? So if Brother Artie sold the team for the reported 831 MILLION dollars he wouldn’t make a nice 286 MILLION DOLLAR PROFIT?
++++
Technically it is not a profit.

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Republic vs. Democracy

“Notice that in a Democracy, the sovereignty is in the whole body of the free citizens. The sovereignty is not divided to smaller units such as individual citizens. To solve a problem, only the whole body politic is authorized to act. Also, being citizens, individuals have duties and obligations to the government. The government’s only obligations to the citizens are those legislatively pre-defined for it by the whole body politic.

In a Republic, the sovereignty resides in the people themselves, whether one or many. In a Republic, one may act on his own or through his representatives as he chooses to solve a problem. Further, the people have no obligation to the government; instead, the government being hired by the people, is obliged to its owner, the people.”

http://www.1215.org/lawnotes/lawnotes/repvsdem.htm

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dB

Jay’s gotta get in line behind the brother for that one.

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Realist,
I’ve seen your stats numerous times. I’m reminded of the DA who said in court, “The Law applies equally to the rich and poor! The Law prevents the rich man from sleeping under a bridge just like it prevents the poor man!”

There is a simple reason the rich pay more. The rich have a greater stake in the continuation of the republic. The police doesn’t protect the poor people (or the middle-class) as well as it protects the rich man. The rich man has more “stuff” and needs more protection to keep from losing it. The rich should pay the majority of the costs. The roads are necessary for their products to be moved from town to town. They should pay the majority of that cost. The analogy about the Bush tax cuts to a lunch is in error. The rich guy is eating steak with expensive wine. The poor guy is eating mush and barely surviving. The “cut” of the “discount” should not be equal – and wasn’t for the above reason. And by the way, my taxes (and I pay a chunk!) will go up too because I’m in the upper 5%, and I didn’t make it being a school teacher! A rising tide (middle-class) raises ALL boats. Something the 1% have forgotten in the “I’ve got mine; “blank” you!” mind set.

And on the subject of Jay’s topic, I agree with most of the posters that Arthur should absorb the total cost of the new stadium. That ain’t gonna happen though. The gorilla in the room can set where he darn well pleases. I hate that the rich get richer, but… the man started a business with the equity difference between his home in CA and the one he bought in GA, plus the shirt off his back and gambled big-time he was going to win. He turned that into mega millions. He is a top-notch businessman. He’s going to get his new stadium and make even more money. Hopefully, enough “furriners” (SC, AL, MS, et al) will come to Atlanta and spend a ton of money supporting their “foreign” teams. Arthur will pay the taxes WE require him to pay, and not one cent more. That’s his right to try to minimize them. We have an obligation to make sure his portion is “equitable and fair” to the benefits we get from his team.

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“Motive a mystery in Oregon mall shooting”

Ah ………………………… he was crazy ? !

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Not intended to be a factual statement.

Intended to be a douchebaggical statement.

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andy

Getting section 8 housing is not a rubber stamp, actually it is very difficult, as it should be. Collecting unemployment is not possible if you haven’t paid into it.
I really don’t know about this obama phone deal, is it a myth or true???

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Spit it out, Andy. Stop hiding behind all that PC crap and tell us what you REALLY mean.

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Sorry I never read the Washington Puke.

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cat
**i’m guessin**

That’s why I’m asking…

**

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Since I’ve been furloughed about 25 days since 2009, I guess I’ve made my contribution to the fund. Bet I won’t get a club level ticket for it though…

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Atlanta is awash in problems that will require a large amount of money to fix. So, why will we build a new stadium instead, you ask?

Because those who have the power and the money decide what we need and don’t need. (you didn’t really think your voice counted, did you?)

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Mick;

You dont pay into unemployment. You only receive free money. The unemployment is a tax paid by the employer.

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Brocephus – 1:05

no. that gets reserved for Donovan’s epic whines …

Scoutty Scout gets … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3FnpaWQJO0

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“Obana phone” started under Ronnie Raygun, funded by the phone companys.

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“that kind of union thuggery/violence is just starting. It’s the way they operate.”

I love you guys and your predictive skills … they’re about as accurate as the predictive text on my iPhone.

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willie

Yes, you are correct, if no one pays in then you get nothing and don’t qualify.

scout

Too bad YOUR union experience has tainted your views, but then, a closed mind is hard to open…

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that kind of union thuggery/violence is just starting. It’s the way they operate

Versus your buddies with the rubber hoses that you tolerate and that taint the names and reputations of good law enforcement officers. Perhaps you can have some more agitators planted in the crowd, encourage more crimes against peaceful people, pepper spray more peaceful protesters. Who’s the real thugs?

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I really don’t know about this obama phone deal

some background–short answer is it pre-dates Obama and per usual those who bitch about it are clueless:

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/11_04/b4212019667595.htm

The Universal Service Administrative Co. (USAC)—which manages a federal fund to which U.S. telecom companies are required to contribute fees—pays carriers up to $10 per subscriber per month. While that amount may sound meager, it translates into roughly the same per-minute rate spent by the average paying U.S. wireless user. Meanwhile, Sprint’s costs of recruiting and keeping these customers are likely lower: Although more than half of regular prepaid wireless subscribers drop their service every year, Assurance users stay put. “We’ve seen very, very low churn,” Boehm says.

A staffer at the Federal Communications Commision, which oversees carriers, says the agency may consider tightening oversight and cost management of the fast-growing program. Still, agencies that promote the free phones see growth continuing. “Anytime the boss tells you not to come back to work, the home phone is the first to go,” says Sharon Goodson, executive director of North Carolina Community Action Assn., which has helped thousands apply for Assurance phones.

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“in a business model (makes money) and government run (money pit).”

holy moses.

the stupid runs deep AND wide with you.

since when is government supposed to show a flipping PROFIT??? (here’s a hint: it’s not)

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That’s all good and well but how do you define “majority” of tax burden?

Not directed at me, but I’d define that as whatever percentage necessary to equalize TOTAL tax rates across the income classifications. That’s what progressive taxation is supposed to do, and that’s why federal income tax rates are set up to be progressive. Carried interest, dividends, and other income sources that the top 10% primarily use do not get taxed the same as income earned from labor. If you apply all taxes equal across all forms of income, then you don’t need a progressive federal tax rate. That would mean, though, you would have to apply ALL taxes, including payroll taxes to those other incomes.

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Brosephus™

December 12th, 2012
1:02 pm
If you’re working for a living and paying net taxes you’re doing it wrong.

The cool new thing for half the population is…

Now, I understand where the mentality comes from where people actually believe you can purposefully cut your income and still be able to pay for the same things that you did before. Anytime a candidate shows any remote belief in such crap, they should be disqualified for holding any elected office whatsoever. That is beyond stooopid..
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I guess you would also have to disquailify the ones who claim they are going to increase entitlements and they are NOT going to increase the tax burden.

Now, we just eliminted every canidate.

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I have to punctuate my work with blogging. I think some of you guys its the other way around.

I have to do some homework before debatting the democracy vs republic thing further but the “… and to the Republic for which it stands…” is pretty telling thanks to Scout.

I see some are still rubbing in the Obama win. Yea, they think less than 51% of the vote is a mandate.

I’m a little hesitatant to point this out but most of the Moonbats here are smarter than the average bear and have figured it out on their own, plus a Conservative ego boost is in order.

While Libs are celebrating, Repubs are winning the long war. Look no further than the mid-term fall out for proof. Direct your attention to yesterday’s Right To Work law in Michigan. The Democratic machine is shaking. There goes the Union dues; there goes the Union contributions to the machine.

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Brocephus,

Yes. But they went way back down under that 102,000 after 06 because they had taken out seats due to the expansion. They were just over 100k for 1 or 2 seasons and then announced the new number literally the day after Bama announced its seats.

Not that it matters to anyone except UT fans. They were in the same peeing contest with Michigan for years and we used to joke about it on the sports blogs because every time UT wanted to expand to catch UM they would repaint the seats and take a few inches off the width of the seat to cram in more people.

You ever notice how crammed in their fans look when you watch a game? Years back their seat width was something like 27 inches, then they moved them to maybe 24, then 21 to squeeze in ever more bodies. I think they finally just gave up on catching Michigan and then downgraded in size to get some of that bigtime luxury box money but still try and be the biggest in the sec.

That’s the whole impetus behind why Blank wants a new stadium- luxury boxes. They bring in a lot more money per square foot than a regular seat. Its all about the money, money, money.

Speaking of stadiums have you had a chance to go back to ASU to check out their new stadium? When I went home for Thanksgiving I was coming back on the interstate just as the turkey day classic was ending. It was beautiful. The lights from the stadium stand out and look down on the interstate. It makes the stadium look grander and stand out more. I saw the pics of the whole stadium the next day in the paper. Very nice facility for the folks to be proud of.

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J. Reb — “I see some are still rubbing in the Obama win. Yea, they think less than 51% of the vote is a mandate.”

You’ve already been corrected on this point several times, Johnny.

Your point’s been made. Now go cry into your beer some more.

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no one is paying attention to the all-out assault on women’s access to health care

That’s one highly principled lame-duck legislative body, eh?

didn’t read the whole thing–are they going to make this one referendum-proof as well? Can’t have the filthy governed actually able to govern themselves, now can we.

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I was looking on the AJC site for a link to the story about the reporter who was attacked by the pro-union protesters yesterday.

Steven Crowder is a “reporter” the same way that Ron Jeremy is an “actor.”

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reb

I bet they clean house in michigan in the next election. A lot of snakes got in with the midterm elections. I don’t think you’ll be catching the dems lying down this time around.
First mistake out the door will be gov. rick “the disaster” scott in florida…

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build this stadium, you rabble. And deepen our hahhhbor, how can

we get our new boat in heah and maintain our lifestyle if you

don’t sacrifice, peasants. yall are gettin so uppity these days

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steve got slapped but back in the fifties they busted heads.

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Doom

I’ve seen photos of ASU’s stadium, but I haven’t been inside yet. They even put suites in that one. A few of my brothers and I were trying to get our hands on one since they will accomodate 20 with catered food and permitted parking. At $19,500 a pop, they went quick.

As for Blanks, that’s the reason for wanting a new stadium. If I remember correctly, he’s even stated that a while back in an interview. If he wants that, I see no reason for him to build it himself. After forking over more than a Benjamin for each ticket for my family to see a game with decent seats, those were the last Falcon tickets I’m buying for a long time.

—————————

Keep

I haven’t seen that story yet, but the stories that I could tell from what I’ve personally seen…. Suffice to say that nothing much surprises me anymore.

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“Obama’s America Will Become Detroit”

http://cnsnews.com/blog/terence-p-jeffrey/obamas-america-will-become-detroit

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getalife:

You know who tried to bust Zimmerman’s head.

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RB:

Careful or he will call you “sport”.

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The elimination of the requirements that non-union folks can get bullied around by unions is a great development. If union members blew all the smoke and emotion out of the puzzle, they’d see that the unions have hurt them over time more than help them….hope the trend continues..

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Scout,

Just the threat of the dreaded “sport” card is scary indeed.

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cons are scabs.

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stands for decibels

I’m going to be fairly bold and say that this shouldn’t be subsidized because in ~10 years, the NFL is not going to be the going concern it is now. Sufficient information about those “concussions, the crippling injuries, the long-term brain damage and shortened lifespans of football” will likely relegate it to what pro boxing is today. – -Pro boxing suffers because of a lack of marketable boxers, not because of the level of violence. The Klitschko brothers have held the HW titles in a deathgrip for years. Mayweather holds his weight classes the same way. Pacquiao just got beat by someone’s grand dad. There are no marquee names out there right now. Also, Pro boxing has been overshadowed by MMA (UFC in patricular), and it is MUCH more violent.

Also, didn’t a soccer player recently have one of his knuts SHATTERED? Most sports have a level of violence.

On Topic;

I love football. Went to Tampa last weekend for the Bucs/Eagles game and will be going this weekend to the Giants/Falcons game (go Giants).

The Falcons do not need a new stadium. I went to the very first game at the dome and loved it. There are no “bad” seats in the place. Easy to get to on MARTA.

If Art wants a new crib, he should pay for it.

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Stevie: I still don’t know if your answer is that the “rich” should pay…for example, the top 20% pay 80% give or take of total taxes…should this aggregate amount be increased?

My answer is this. As long as the lower class people get screwed over on taxes, or fees as they are here in GA, and lose more of their income in that manner, the people who don’t get hit by those should share a larger portion of the federal incomes to equal out the entire tax spectrum. Therefore, if the bottom 25% pays 30% of their total income in all taxes, then the top 1% should have a total tax liability of 30%, regardless to what individual taxes they pay that need to be jacked up to get to that total 30% mark.

If someone who’s earning $25,000 is paying out 20% of that in taxes for the year, why should someone earning $25B in that same year not be paying 20% of their income in taxes?

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Speaking of Ron Jeremy, is he still a fixture in the Virginia Highlands bar scene like he was in the early 00’s?

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Kamchak @ 1:20

I had no idea of who the dude was, but you nailed it.

http://stevencrowder.net/

As “FoxNews’ brightest, funniest young Conservative mind,” Steven Crowder is a mainstay in the worlds of television, comedy and writing.

Before being brought in as one of FoxNews’ youngest contributors on record, Steven began his career in entertainment starting with voicework in children’s cartoons (most notably voicing the character of “The Brain” on the hit series “Arthur”) along with acting in both television and film.

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Hmmm.. RB dodges the questions about his proof that Obamacare was going to create a $25 pizza from Papa Johns. Seems he is getting a lot of whine from that pizza. And of course the fellow clown car riders join in with garbage.

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getalife

Don’t forget the biggest loser of them all – mitch “the filibusterer” Mcconnell. Ditch mitch in 14…

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As for Blanks, that’s the reason for wanting a new stadium. If I remember correctly, he’s even stated that a while back in an interview..

It’s actually more than that. the dome is leased to the falcons just for the games…everything else goes to the GWCC. The new arrangement would give all the events to the Falcons to lease out..ie more money to the Falcons…My opinions on this are motivated as a Falcons fan and not politics…Blanks income on from the team is one of the lowest in the league, so he needs the cash to compete…the cap is still the cap, but signing bonuses etc…I still see it a bonus for the city though

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(most notably voicing the character of “The Brain” on the hit series “Arthur”)

It must have KILLED him when his character had to say his family celebrated Kwanzaa.

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Brocephus,

$19,500 for a luxury box is a damn good deal. If you’re a small busiessman or just want a place and time to entertain groups its worth it and for a small businessman I’m sure it would pay for itself.

As I recall that is exactly the reason Blank said he wanted a new stadium- luxury boxes. He wants more of them and he flat out said that the reason he wants more of them is because because they make it that much more profitable.

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rb was a huge cheerleader for w’s destruction of our country.

He dressed up in a Yale cheerleader outfit too.

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EC @ 1:38

I appreciate your candor on that. I wish I could share your view, but I see it as a waste of money. Why not re-negotiate the current lease to get that added revenue? Couldn’t the dome be upgraded to add additional suites as well? It seems that building a brand new stadium is the least efficient method to get to the goals that Blank desires. That’s just my view on things though. Maybe if I were in Blank’s shoes, I’d see things differently.

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He dressed up in a Yale cheerleader outfit too.

Skull and bones,
Skull and bones,
Sis, boom, bah

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cat,

You are shooting blanks.

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“What’s to dodge? The douchebag went looking for a fight and he got one. He’s a notch at best above those “God Hates F@gs” inbreeds.”

I’d check the story out for myself if it was covered by the “news”paper here in the ATL. It’s not. Just another in a long line of the AJC bringing you all the news the DNC wants you to hear about! Utterly Pathetic!!