Sales taxes are the most regressive taxes that can be levied.. they hit all consumers equally, so even the minimum wage earner pays as much as the wealthiest on any item that's taxed. Did you know that there are 5 states that have no sales taxes? Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon. Georgia has 4% sales tax...my city, Columbus, GA has an additional 4% in separate Local Option and Special Local Option sales taxes. Even when the state of GA excludes taxes on food and medicine, our city still imposes those 4% in taxes. Our mayor, tells us we don't pay enough in property taxes so she's trying to remove a local tax freeze that fixes property taxes at the time of purchase that every home buyer has been given since 1982. She calls that progress. I call her Mayor TomLYINGson.

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Online story: "H&M has reportedly pulled all of its plus-size clothing from stores in New York City. * A representative for the popular retail chain told Revelist the company has expanded its product line to include home goods and beauty supplies, so 11 stores in the Big Apple no longer have room for plus-size clothing." -- Hmmm.. guess H&M has seen Hellary in Armani + and Ralph Lauren + and don't want her to be seen campaigning in NYC in its clothing...

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Online headline/story: "Scientists warn solar storm could wreak havoc in US * If such a blast strikes Earth, the wave of particles can bend and snap the magnetic field lines of our planet, trigger powerful geomagnetic storms, and randomly induce electrical currents throughout the world." -- Quick.. Where's Algore! Hey, SpaceX, send Algore to the sun to stop this!  One way ticket, of course.

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Online headline: "US city voted the most affordable for a fun getaway * With cost-friendly hotels, cheap sightseeing and delicious dining options at a great value, this major city scored with travelers on a budget." -- Wow.. it's our own Savannah, GA. How come it isn't Columbus? What's Savannah got that we don't.. Hmmm.. maybe it's what Columbus has the Savannah doesn't.... Mayor TomLYINGson...

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Online headline: "Trump suggests controversial move following bombings" -- Good grief.. look what has happened since political correctness STOPPED common sense logic of profiling... Look at any major US city and see the results of street crimes since our police officers have been handcuffed.

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With the revelation that the slashing in MN, and the bombings in NYC & NJ are acts of Islamic jihadists should dictate our government should drop the political correctness stance and go back to selective profiling...except that if we start today, ZERO-bama's administration would be profiling patriots instead of jihadists. Remember laughinng at ZERO-bama's claim that "we are winninng the war"? Well, we aren't laughing now that we understand which side is his "we".

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New Jersey needs to give its police officers more shooting training. That jihadist was captured... alive...Why? Since we can't use aggressive processes to elicit good information, so why not make sure he's killed if he challenges his arrest?

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Online headline: "BREAKING: Hillary Holds Press Conference on NY Bombing, Blames it on Trump’s Rhetoric" -- Blaming it on Trump's rhetoric"? How about blaming it on lax enforcement of immigration laws!

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With a tip of my Trump: "Make America Great Again" cap to a fellow BCer

The times are a changin'...or not..

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L-E headline: "Gov. Deal signs order prohibiting (gas price) gouging in Georgia" -- Good grief.. reminds me of the "WIN" (Whip Inflation Now) effort of President Ford back in the mid-70s..and it'll be inanely ineffective. Consumers best weapon is to remember which stations jacked up prices the most, and when the gas pipeline is reopened and prices normalize, then boycott the stations that "gouged" .

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L-E story: "Columbus State University’s Coca-Cola Space Science Center is one of four sites in a partnership that has been awarded a $1.25 million NASA Museum Alliance Grant to teach high school students how to design and manufacture vehicles that could explore Mars. *  IMEET is part of the effort to land on Mars, which SpaceX chief executive officer Elon Musk predicted will happen by 2025, said CSU astronomy Shawn Cruzen, director of the Coca-Cola Space Science Center. * CSU’s $150,000 share of the grant will enable it to instruct 25 students and 15 teachers per year during the next three years in the Muscogee County School District." -- Good grief..while I am for encouraging our high school students to enter/expand their knowledge of science and technology, this excuse for a grant seems .. no .. IS pretty artificial.. with plans to complete an exploratory landing on Mars in 8 years or less, whatever the rover will be is already far along in design and probably being tested  as we speak.

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L-E headline: "Columbus residents give input into state’s education plan" -- You know, there's only one way to improve the education system.. take the federal government out of it while making the local school board set and control the direction of the school system.. the best way to achieve this is to go back to an appointed school board. We should have 3 or 4 year terms for board members and an elected School Superintendent who is responsive to students' parents.

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From the "well, so much for gender choice public bathrooms" department - L-E headline/story: "Man accused of secretly filming woman in Barnes & Noble bathroom *  After further investigation, Roberson learned that Bramlett was arrested twice before in connection with similar incidents. One of those incidents was reported to have happened in early April at the University of Georgia. * Police said they have yet to confirm whether Bramlett took any photos or video of the woman, but the victim’s statement and his criminal history were enough evidence to charge him. Judge Michael Cielinski ordered Bramlett held in the Muscogee County Jail under bonds totaling $10,500. * He was also barred from the Barnes & Noble for one year." -- What happened to "Strike 3!.. You're outta here!"? Perhaps a better punishment would be a mandated gender transformation surgical procedure... without anesthesia... and uploaded to You Tube "live".

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From the "why doesn't the L-E have a headline proofreader anymore" department - "L-E headline: "For apathetic Dems, Obama offers himself as motivation" -- Good grief.. It should read, "For pathetic Dems, Obama offers himself as motivation".

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Another from the "why doesn't the L-E have a headline proofreader anymore" department  - L-E "headLIE": "Immigrant wanted in NY-area bombings captured in shootout" -- "Immigrant"? The (_*_) is a radical Islamic jihadist who is now a citizen of the US. The NJ police need better gun training so these (_*_)s do not survive once hey open fire on a police officer.

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From the "truth will set you free" department - L-E's "LOOKING BACK | Fifty years ago today September 20, 1966" feature: "Republican gubernatorial candidate Howard (Bo) Callaway, Republican gubernatorial candidate Howard (Bo) Callaway, Georgia’s lone GOP congressman, told 300 architects and engineers Monday the South is a stepchild of Washington and is not getting its fair share from the national government. He said the lack of a two-party system is the reason for the inadequacy. told 300 architects and engineers Monday the South is a stepchild of Washington and is not getting its fair share from the national government. He said the lack of a two-party system is the reason for the inadequacy." -- "Georgia’s lone GOP Congressperson"? Hmmm... 1966.. times of turmoil in the racial evolution era.. guess that means the rest of GA's Congressperson and Senators were DEMOCRATS! Oh, and Callaway lost the governorship, even though he captured the bulk of votes in a three way race, but was denied his victory in the GA House when the 188 Democrats (vs 17 Republicans) gave the governorship to Lester (Axe-handle) Maddox.

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From the another "won't make the print edition "Letters to the Editor" section of the L-E" department: "You promoters of the Tax Thaw seem to be all fired up about new folks not having the "freeze", yet all of you will be keeping yours. This doesn't seem fair does it? How about your groups showing your commitment, plus all "Yes" voters voluntarily give up their tax freeze effective November 9th REGARDLESS of the outcome.

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In spite of not watching any NFL games this year (week 2 just ended), it's hard not to know what's going on with the New England Patriots.. even without low-inflated footballs.. even without  Tom Brady in the line-up, the Patriots are 2 and O so far. What's the NFL and the other 31 teams excuse now?

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L-E headline: "Hotel complex to include lofts, office, restaurants * Details of the AC Hotel in the 1200 block of Broadway emerged at the Uptown Facade Board meeting on Monday." -- Hmm.. and when will the Pezold Company start whining about the sale of property next top another of its planned hotels being sold to cheaply like the lot next to it's one across from the Trade & Convention Center?

You know, we do have to wonder if Mayor TomLYINGson will admit  that the Tax Freeze hasn't prevented the growth of the hospitality industry in Columbus?