Category: Business

Ethanol Mandate Repeal Sought By Toomey

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) has announced that the is working to repeal a law that drives up the cost of everything from gasoline to groceries. Ethanol Mandate Repeal Sought By Toomey

“Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and I introduced the bipartisan Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act of 2015 to abolish the corn ethanol mandate in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS),” he said.

“The RFS requires fuel suppliers to blend millions of gallons of biofuels – most often corn ethanol – into the nation’s gasoline supplies,” he said. “This results in higher gas prices, increased food costs, damage to car engines, and harm to the environment. This is nothing more than the government using corporate welfare to shower money on a favored industry and then send the bill to the general public. You deserve better.”

The mandate is strongly supported by Iowa farmers and presidential candidates notably avoid opposing the issue in that early primary state.

Guess we know Pat’s not running for president.

Ethanol Mandate Repeal Sought By Toomey

Tom Wolf Corporate Tool

Tom Wolf Corporate Tool
Tom Wolf Corporate Tool

Gov. Tom Wolf is proposing cutting Pennsylvania’s corporate tax in half — 9.99 percent to 4.99 percent on net income — by 2018.

It’s probably a good thing. Comcast will certainly appreciate it.

And what are corporations but entities created by a legal process? Good lawyers and accountants can minimize net income by creating marketing and administrative expenses  that would other otherwise not be considered. These invariably benefit the lifestyles of those running the corporation.

So good for Wolf.

But we kind of wonder about his priorities. Pennsylvania has the highest gas tax in the nation — thank you Tom Corbett. It has an extremely burdensome property tax, which puts disproportionate pain on the elderly and unemployed, which to Wolf’s credit he says he wants to address. It also has a sales tax, which,  while on the low end does not account for the reality that the most populated part of the state is a half-hour ride from tax-free Delaware.

The income tax is also on the low end, but that is something Wolf wants to raise.

Overall,  tax burden for a resident of Pennsylvania is in the nation’s to 10.

Yet, the first thing Wolf talks about is cutting the corporate tax.

The ease of living in Pennsylvania does not look like it will improve.

Unless you are a corporation.

Tom Wolf Corporate Tool

 

World Retail Sales To Reach $22 Trillion

Worldwide retail sales are exptect to reach $22.49 trillion this year reports eMarket.com, and online sales are expected to hit $1.59 trillion.

China is expected to be the world leader in internet retail sales at $315.75 billion followed by the United States at $264.28 billion and the United Kingdom at $70.39 billion.

World Retail Sales To Reach $22 Trillion

Matthew Sztubinski Takes Post

Matthew Sztubinski
Matthew Sztubinski

Kudos to Matthew Sztubinski of Lafayette Hill, PA who has been named to head the Internet Marketing Division at American Advertising Services, Philadelphia-area’s longest-established advertising and publicity firm.

Some of the firms services are Digital Promotions, Social Media, and E-Mail Marketing.

He formerly was a marketing specialist at The Philadelphia Cricket Club, Flourtown, PA.

He is a communication/public relations graduate of Millersville University, where he was a member of the Varsity Football team.

American Advertising Services is part of ACT, Inc. which also produces radio shows, publishes a business newspaper, and owns the Philadelphia Advertising & Business trade show from offices at 29 Bala Ave., Ste. 114, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004; 484-562-0060; www.PhillyBizMedia.com.

Unemployment Big Lie Says Gallup

Unemployment Big Lie Says Gallup
The Obama Administration’s 5.6 percent unemployment rate is a big lie says Gallup

Jim Clifton, the chairman and CED of the prestigious Gallup polling firm is calling the 5.6 percent unemployment rate reported by the U.S. Department of Labor “The Big Lie.”

Clifton notes that the 30 million Americans either out of work or severely underemployed are not counted. He pointed out that those who have stopped looking for work are not counted as unemployed while those who work one hour a week and are paid at least $20 are.

Further he noted that those working part time but seeking full-time work are not reflected in the numbers.

“There’s no other way to say this. The official unemployment rate, which cruelly overlooks the suffering of the long-term and often permanently unemployed as well as the depressingly underemployed, amounts to a Big Lie,” Clifton said.

Clifton said that Gallu  defines a good job as at least 30 hours per week for an organization the provides a regular paycheck and that only 44 percent of of the adult population has one.

 

Michael Gross Joins The Lapin Group

Kudos to Michael Gross who has joined the professional team at Jenkintown-base The Lapin Group, LLC.

“Mike has 15 years of experience working with nonprofits, including serving as executive director of a community organization,” said Avrum Lapin, the organization’s founder.  “His areas of expertise include government relations, fund raising, community outreach, leadership training and development, marketing, and strategic planning.  He has worked with people from many sectors including business, government, labor, faith, and community.  He has an MA in Environmental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Public Policy Studies from Duke University.”

The Lapin Group provides targeted and comprehensive fundraising consulting and management services for US-based and international nonprofits.
Michael Gross Joins The Lapin Group

Michael Gross Joins The Lapin Group

Pennsylvania Ranked Second In Emigrants

The United Van Lines 2014 National Movers Study shows that Pennsylvania was second in states from which people were leaving, reports IJReview.com.

Only Illinois ranked higher.

IJReview also notes that a Gallup survey showed Pennsylvania residents were in the second tier of those wishing to move to a different state. This indicated an above average desire to flee.

The top tier consisted of just Illinois, Connecticut and Maryland and indicated the “highest desire to move”.

Twelve other states – including New Jersey and New York — were in Pennsylvania’s tier.

Eleven states were in the below average desire to move.

The six states in which there was the lowest desire to move where Texas, Montana, Oregon, New Hampshire, Maine and, understandably, Hawaii.

Pennsylvania Ranked Second In Emigrants

Pennsylvania Ranked Second In Emigrants

Dow Wow Boom Times Now

The Dow Jones industrial average set a record, yesterday, Dec. 23, closing at 18,024.17.

It was the first time it close over 18,000.

That’s almost 2,000 points higher than it was in mid-October.

Golly, what could have happened since then?

In truth, the economy has been humming along since April driven by falling gas prices.

Thank you frackers everywhere.

Just the same, there has been a feeling of optimism through the summer that a brake is going to be put on the bizarre regulatory policies of the Obama Administration and that significant reforms (repeal?) loom for the disastrous “Affordable” Care Act.

Dow Wow Boom Times Now

Dow Wow Boom Times Now

High GPA Now Liability

It appears a high grade point average from a top school is now a liability.

At least at Google. The web goliath has spent years analyzing who succeeds at the company and have learned it isn’t the know-it-all with the pedigree, reports QZ.com

Apparently those with high grades lack the integral “intellectual humility”.

In other words, they take credit for when something good happens and blame all but themselves when something otherwise happens.

Further many schools don’t deliver on what they promise. A whole lot of money seems to be going to waste.

Google is now looking for people with learning ability — which means be able to process on the fly and pull together disparate bits of information — and the skill to argue passionately for a point yet be able to concede that someone else has a better idea.

It is turning out that often  the most exceptional people are those without college, says QZ.

High GPA Now Liability

High GPA Now Liability

 

Canada Freer Than U.S.

Elizabeth Stelle of Comonwealth Foundation published an article on Dec. 2 in which she points out that only Texas would make the top five with regard to economic freedom if one includes the provinces of Canada.

That’s heartbreakingly embarrassing.

Pennsylvania would rank 30th on the continent.

She says that more economic freedom translates to a $7,000 boost in income per person.

She says that the study shows that the most-free states averaged $55,000 per-capita in 2012 gross domestic product compared to roughly $48,000 for the least-free states.

Canada Freer Than U.S.

Canada Freer Than U.S. and freedom equals wealth