DC Trawler

TheDC Morning: OWS protesters refuse to Beautify Wall Street

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1.) Solyndra CEO worked in solar power, but now he’s in the wind — Well, well, well. Look who sneaked out the back way while nobody was looking, as TheDC’s Matthew Boyle reports: “Solyndra CEO Brian Harrison resigned last Friday, new court papers filed Wednesday show. He did so quietly, and it’s unclear whether the timing was related to Obama administration Justice Department officials’ request for someone other than company executives to oversee Solynra’s bankruptcy process. Since the DOJ didn’t trust Solyndra officials to be forthcoming with accurate information about the company’s finances, the administration asked a trustee to oversee its bankruptcy process. The Solyndra court filings, filed in Delaware Wednesday in response to that request, show Harrison resigned on October 7.” Which gives him a week’s head start. He could be anywhere by now. Let’s hope he went somewhere sunny. In other Solyndra news, they got a sweetheart tax-rebate deal from the IRS. Sure did a lot of good, huh? Obamanomics is going to start working any second now, everybody. Just wait.

2.) OWS protesters refuse to Beautify Wall Street — The filthy hippies squatting in Zuccotti Park won’t clean up after themselves, and they don’t want anybody else to do it either. TheDC’s Caroline May reports: “After weeks of sustained pressure from Occupy Wall Street (OWS) protesters, the owners of Zuccotti Park plan to close portions of the protest grounds for cleaning, starting at 7 a.m. Friday. They will likely face pushback. In a flyer distributed throughout the park, the proprietors, Brookfield Properties, explained that one-third of the park will be cleaned at a time. During the cleaning, members of the public — i.e. the protesters and their belongings — must leave the area. The group estimates that each section will take approximately four hours to clean… The company further highlighted the need for protestors to follow park rules, which include the prohibition of tents, sleeping bags, sidewalk obstructions, laying on benches, and the storing of private property on the grounds. All of which are activities the protestors have engaged in… OWS has not taken the coming closure lightly. On the unofficial protest website, the blog surmised that the clean up is being used to get protestors out of the park… According to the protestors, if the goal is sanitation the city should provide them with materials necessary to fulfill that end. ‘If Bloomberg truly cares about sanitation here he should support the installation of portopans and dumpsters … We won’t allow Bloomberg and the NYPD to foreclose our occupation. This is an occupation, not a permitted picnic,’ the statement continued.” Imagine if the Tea Party took over somebody’s private property for weeks on end, trashed it, promised to prevent the owners from cleaning it up, and then demanded improved facilities. The NYT would run out of ink. Every host on MSNBC would have laryngitis. Whoopi Goldberg would show up with a bucket, a mop, and a camera crew. It would be the end of the world. This, though? Oh, they love this. This is just like the ’60s, except even better because you can livetweet it.

3.) Jesse Jackson, Jr. booed for Constitution blooper — TheDC’s Steven Nelson reports: “Political firebrands hit Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. from both his left and his right Thursday afternoon, reacting to the Illinois congressman’s call for the president to bypass the Constitution to deal with the jobs crisis. During a Wednesday interview with The Daily Caller, Jackson said President Obama should ‘declare a national emergency’ and use ‘extra-constitutional’ measures to create jobs. Debbie Halvorson, his likely 2012 primary Democratic challenger, said their shared district’s residents do not want ‘a do-nothing politician who is looking to get a quick headline…’ Illinois Republican Rep. Joe Walsh issued a similarly harsh rebuke. On his Facebook page, Walsh wrote, ‘Jesse Jackson Jr., you asked Obama to declare a jobs state of emergency, bypass Congress, and take action by himself? If you want a dictator and state run jobs program, you might be happier living in North Korea with Kim Jong Il. Contact my district office if you need to expedite your passport,’ Walsh snarked.” It turns out that when you swear an oath of office to uphold the Constitution, and then you try to use the Constitution as Charmin, people start to notice. This cannot be good news for Obama.

4.) Buffett’s bluff called — Do you have a lot of money? Are you worried that not enough of it is going to the government? Great news! Caroline May: “Billionaire investor Warren Buffett revealed Wednesday that he made $62,855,038 last year, paying $6,923,494 in income taxes (or about 17 percent of his $39,814,784 taxable income) and $15,300 in payroll taxes. With Buffett concerned that he does not pay enough in taxes, congressional Republicans have introduced legislation to allow Buffett — and others who believe they are under-taxed — the easy option of voluntarily donating to the U.S. Treasury on their tax forms. South Dakota Senator John Thune and Lousiana Rep. Steve Scalise have introduced companion legislation in the Senate. Dubbed ‘The Buffett Rule Act of 2011,’ the names of the bills take a mocking swipe at President Barack Obama’s own proposed ‘Buffet Rule,’ which conversely would close tax code loopholes to ensure that Warren Buffett and those like him no longer pay a lower tax rate than their secretaries. According to Thune, there is nothing stopping Buffett from paying more in taxes, and his legislation would streamline that capability.” So the next time some rich lib complains about not paying enough taxes, just say: “After you.”

5.) The Hulkster tears off his Obama t-shirt — Hulk Hogan doesn’t like Obama anymore, you guys. TheDC’s Laura Donovan reports: “During a Thursday appearance on Fox and Friends, the burly, bandana-wearing blond explained why he no longer supports our commander-in-chief. ‘I was a big Obama supporter and kinda, like, believed everything he said he was gonna do,’ Hogan said. ‘But now that nothing’s happened,’ Hogan said he has had second thoughts about our nation’s leader. The issue goes beyond Obama’s performance as president. The Hulk was also upset that Obama entered this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner to the tough guy’s song, ‘Real American,’ without first being granted permission. ‘I kinda was a little upset that he didn’t ask me permission to use my music,’ Hogan said.” Um, Mr. Hogan? That music isn’t yours. The government built the roads the musicians took to get to the recording studio. The government paid for the police who kept anybody from robbing it and burning it down. The singer wouldn’t be able to read a lyrics sheet without government-sponsored schools. That means the whole thing is owned by the government. Obama didn’t need to ask your permission to use his intellectual property. You should be thanking him for acknowledging the effort he enabled you to make, you ingrate. (Ethical argument courtesy of Elizabeth Warren.)

6.) Today’s words of wisdom from Alec Baldwin’s Truther, er, Twitter feed — “www.AlecBaldwin.com

VIDEO: Hulk Hogan’s theme song. Wait: Make that Obama’s theme song.

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