Comments on: Forbes says Phil Gramm may still be advising McCain. http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/ Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:03:14 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Connecticut Man1 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/comment-page-1/#comment-5105796 Connecticut Man1 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:24:32 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/#comment-5105796 <blockquote>NC Dem Says: When will the media or some savvy reporter connect Phil Gramm to the recent report by Carl Levin on the tax avoidance of 19,000 Americans who have accounts with UBS where Gramm serves as Vice-Chairman for US. These 19,000 Americans were advised by UBS sales agents in a planned campaign to avoid the reporting standards for income by the IRS. Estimates are as high as 100 billion annually in lost income to the US. Who are these 19,000? How many are friends of Phil Gramm? I want to see the list to see what politicians are on the list. It would be the end of the political careers for anyone connected to this scandal.</blockquote> Some of us have been trying to get the attention of sites (Like Think Progress) with more resources to dig a little more on this. It looks like a classic bait and switch that the media, and many others, have bought. (Just for disclosure: I wrote the diary referred to in comment 12) <blockquote> katy Says: i want to hear more about THIS: Saturday, July 19, 2008 The Real Reason For McCain’s Friday Night Phil Gramm Dump Stephen D reports on a Phil Gramm Friday night dump attributing Gramm’s resignation from the McSame campaign to the “Americans are whiners!” comment. I think that is just cover for the more likely real reason: UBS, LGT Helped Hide Assets, Evade Taxes, Senate Says By David Voreacos and Carlyn Kolker July 17 (Bloomberg) — UBS AG and Liechtenstein bank LGT Group aided rich U.S. clients who wanted to disguise ownership of accounts and evade taxes on hidden assets, a Senate subcommittee said. UBS, the world’s largest wealth manager, hid as much as $17.9 billion for 19,000 Americans who didn’t declare assets to the Internal Revenue Service, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations said in a report released in Washington late yesterday. LGT, owned by Liechtenstein’s ruling family, fostered a “culture of secrecy and deception” while assigning code names to U.S. clients, the panel said. Remember that Phil Gram works for and lobbies for one arm of UBS in the USA. More below… http://drinkliberal.blogspot.com/ 2008/ 07/ real-reason-for-mccains-friday-night.html</blockquote> In a previous diary on Gramm here at TP another comment linked to my diary. (Of which I am thankful! It is nice to know that even a little local Blogger occasionally has something to offer. lol) I really think that there may be some "there there" that is worth digging on. The conspicuous timing of the two parallel news stories reeks of a Rovian bait and switch. The whole story of whether or not Gramm is still working for McCain is just another sidetrack, IMHO.

NC Dem Says:

When will the media or some savvy reporter connect Phil Gramm to the recent report by Carl Levin on the tax avoidance of 19,000 Americans who have accounts with UBS where Gramm serves as Vice-Chairman for US. These 19,000 Americans were advised by UBS sales agents in a planned campaign to avoid the reporting standards for income by the IRS. Estimates are as high as 100 billion annually in lost income to the US. Who are these 19,000? How many are friends of Phil Gramm? I want to see the list to see what politicians are on the list. It would be the end of the political careers for anyone connected to this scandal.

Some of us have been trying to get the attention of sites (Like Think Progress) with more resources to dig a little more on this. It looks like a classic bait and switch that the media, and many others, have bought. (Just for disclosure: I wrote the diary referred to in comment 12)

katy Says:

i want to hear more about THIS:

Saturday, July 19, 2008
The Real Reason For McCain’s Friday Night Phil Gramm Dump

Stephen D reports on a Phil Gramm Friday night dump attributing Gramm’s resignation from the McSame campaign to the “Americans are whiners!” comment. I think that is just cover for the more likely real reason:

UBS, LGT Helped Hide Assets, Evade Taxes, Senate Says

By David Voreacos and Carlyn Kolker

July 17 (Bloomberg) — UBS AG and Liechtenstein bank LGT Group aided rich U.S. clients who wanted to disguise ownership of accounts and evade taxes on hidden assets, a Senate subcommittee said.

UBS, the world’s largest wealth manager, hid as much as $17.9 billion for 19,000 Americans who didn’t declare assets to the Internal Revenue Service, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations said in a report released in Washington late yesterday. LGT, owned by Liechtenstein’s ruling family, fostered a “culture of secrecy and deception” while assigning code names to U.S. clients, the panel said.

Remember that Phil Gram works for and lobbies for one arm of UBS in the USA. More below…

http://drinkliberal.blogspot.com/ 2008/ 07/ real-reason-for-mccains-friday-night.html

In a previous diary on Gramm here at TP another comment linked to my diary. (Of which I am thankful! It is nice to know that even a little local Blogger occasionally has something to offer. lol) I really think that there may be some “there there” that is worth digging on.

The conspicuous timing of the two parallel news stories reeks of a Rovian bait and switch. The whole story of whether or not Gramm is still working for McCain is just another sidetrack, IMHO.

]]> By: Leftside Annie http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/comment-page-1/#comment-5105090 Leftside Annie Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:58:44 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/#comment-5105090 Jebus. These mean old men need to be put out of their misery. And ours. Jebus. These mean old men need to be put out of their misery.

And ours.

]]> By: MapleStreet http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/comment-page-1/#comment-5104982 MapleStreet Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:36:31 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/#comment-5104982 25. pappa bushs economy was recovering strongly before slick was elected and was in recession before he left office. Please go to yahoo.com, Click on Finance, and click on the DJI. You can graph it out. You can even download the data to a spreadsheet and graph out how the market did for each president. Hint: the market does better under dems than repubs. Or, even easier, remember that Bush I lost under "its the economy, stupid" 25. pappa bushs economy was recovering strongly before slick was elected and was in recession before he left office.

Please go to yahoo.com, Click on Finance, and click on the DJI. You can graph it out. You can even download the data to a spreadsheet and graph out how the market did for each president. Hint: the market does better under dems than repubs.

Or, even easier, remember that Bush I lost under “its the economy, stupid”

]]> By: Buckie Boy http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/comment-page-1/#comment-5104798 Buckie Boy Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:04:12 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/#comment-5104798 FORBES: Oh, I think in terms of advice Phil Gramm will be critical, which is good because on things like trade he is absolutely right. Tell me again, how many WRONGS does it take to make a RIGHT? FORBES: Oh, I think in terms of advice Phil Gramm will be critical, which is good because on things like trade he is absolutely right.

Tell me again, how many WRONGS does it take to make a RIGHT?

]]> By: Cal Malenky http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/comment-page-1/#comment-5104768 Cal Malenky Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:59:56 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/#comment-5104768 Here's a quote about Gramm from the Ivins' article "Gramm both looks like a snapping turtle and has the personality of one. When he ran for president in 1996 and finished fifth in Iowa, all the profiles written of him included the line "Even his friends don't like him." Self-righteous and strident, Gramm demonized his opponents and used bitter, polarizing rhetoric. During a Senate debate over Social Security, a member pointed out that the proposal under consideration would hurt 80-year-old retirees. "Most people don't have the luxury of living to be 80 years old," Gramm scoffed, "so it's hard for me to feel sorry for them." Here’s a quote about Gramm from the Ivins’ article
“Gramm both looks like a snapping turtle and has the personality of one. When he ran for president in 1996 and finished fifth in Iowa, all the profiles written of him included the line “Even his friends don’t like him.” Self-righteous and strident, Gramm demonized his opponents and used bitter, polarizing rhetoric. During a Senate debate over Social Security, a member pointed out that the proposal under consideration would hurt 80-year-old retirees. “Most people don’t have the luxury of living to be 80 years old,” Gramm scoffed, “so it’s hard for me to feel sorry for them.”

]]> By: Cal Malenky http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/comment-page-1/#comment-5104742 Cal Malenky Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:54:28 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/#comment-5104742 Molly Ivins would be having a laugh She said Phil Gramm was one of the meanest people she ever met http://www.motherjones.com/commentary/power_plays/2002/03/mean.html Molly Ivins would be having a laugh
She said Phil Gramm was one of the meanest people she ever met

http://www.motherjones.com/commentary/power_plays/2002/03/mean.html

]]> By: pete http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/comment-page-1/#comment-5104716 pete Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:51:11 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/#comment-5104716 It is time, once again, to send our emails demanding better moderation of this site. Every single thread is tainted by troll dung. See you folks after the purge, or when our trolls get put down. For nappy time. It is time, once again, to send our emails demanding better moderation of this site. Every single thread is tainted by troll dung.

See you folks after the purge, or when our trolls get put down. For nappy time.

]]> By: Marie http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/comment-page-1/#comment-5104510 Marie Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:20:17 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/#comment-5104510 Did we ever doubt that Gramm and McCain would remain the BFF as always? There is way too much between them for a few words to break them up. Gramm left the campaign, symbolically, to quiet the firestorm in the press - but I suspect that Gramm is still working behind the scenes with the same zeal as before. McCain needs him -- despite that Gramm is an elite, self-serving lobbyist -- the right think he's just fine -- and McCain hasn't finished Greenspan's book yet. Did we ever doubt that Gramm and McCain would remain the BFF as always? There is way too much between them for a few words to break them up.
Gramm left the campaign, symbolically, to quiet the firestorm in the press – but I suspect that Gramm is still working behind the scenes with the same zeal as before.
McCain needs him — despite that Gramm is an elite, self-serving lobbyist — the right think he’s just fine — and McCain hasn’t finished Greenspan’s book yet.

]]> By: Zooey http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/comment-page-1/#comment-5104418 Zooey Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:03:24 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/#comment-5104418 These trolls have their own little dream world, don't they? Amazing... These trolls have their own little dream world, don’t they? Amazing…

]]> By: MapleStreet http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/comment-page-1/#comment-5104080 MapleStreet Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:33:11 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/#comment-5104080 So you're saying that graham left the McChurian candidate in an entirely pro forma move ? And that they still talk in secret ? How can this be ? If a teenage girl can manage to talk to the boyfriend (of which the parents disapprove), it can probably be done. Of course, the teenager would know how to IM also. So you’re saying that graham left the McChurian candidate in an entirely pro forma move ? And that they still talk in secret ? How can this be ?

If a teenage girl can manage to talk to the boyfriend (of which the parents disapprove), it can probably be done.

Of course, the teenager would know how to IM also.

]]> By: Zooey http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/comment-page-1/#comment-5104062 Zooey Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:29:31 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/#comment-5104062 <em>dandbrew Says: You guys are just proving Gramm’s being a “nation of whiners” comment. July 22nd, 2008 at 11:27 am </em> And you just proved you're the King of the Whiners. dandbrew Says:
You guys are just proving Gramm’s being a “nation of whiners” comment.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:27 am

And you just proved you’re the King of the Whiners.

]]> By: dandbrew http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/comment-page-1/#comment-5104052 dandbrew Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:27:19 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/#comment-5104052 McDepends, McNumbnuts, McNutzi, McSame? What grade are you guys in? You guys are just proving Gramm's being a “nation of whiners” comment. McDepends, McNumbnuts, McNutzi, McSame? What grade are you guys in?

You guys are just proving Gramm’s being a “nation of whiners” comment.

]]> By: 5th Estate http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/comment-page-1/#comment-5104028 5th Estate Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:21:32 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/#comment-5104028 <strong>misshusseinmolly</strong>: <em>I doubt anybody really gets fired or quits.</em> Yup, there's the 'loyalty' thing. Also McCain's so clueless and the GOP 'bench' is so homogeneous and hide-bound that a 'change' would be unnoticeable, so why bother? misshusseinmolly: I doubt anybody really gets fired or quits.

Yup, there’s the ‘loyalty’ thing. Also McCain’s so clueless and the GOP ‘bench’ is so homogeneous and hide-bound that a ‘change’ would be unnoticeable, so why bother?

]]> By: misshusseinmolly http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/comment-page-1/#comment-5104004 misshusseinmolly Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:08:42 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/#comment-5104004 I'm sure that McCain has two tiers of advisors -- those he parades before us and those who work under the radar. Whenever somebody in his display case becomes embarrassing, that person just shifts into the other tier. I doubt anybody really gets fired or quits. I’m sure that McCain has two tiers of advisors — those he parades before us and those who work under the radar. Whenever somebody in his display case becomes embarrassing, that person just shifts into the other tier. I doubt anybody really gets fired or quits.

]]> By: 5th Estate http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/comment-page-1/#comment-5104000 5th Estate Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:05:59 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/#comment-5104000 In related news Wachovia just announced an $18 billion loss. I can't think of the all the other bank/finance losses declared in the last six months but I'm guessing we're WAY BEYOND the losses attributed to 9-11. I should do some research on that. In related news Wachovia just announced an $18 billion loss.
I can’t think of the all the other bank/finance losses declared in the last six months but I’m guessing we’re WAY BEYOND the losses attributed to 9-11. I should do some research on that.

]]> By: tarazan http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/comment-page-1/#comment-5103976 tarazan Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:58:46 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/#comment-5103976 That's because Gramm started his experience in capitalism long time ago when he put his money in producing two soft porn movies. That’s because Gramm started his experience in capitalism long time ago when he put his money in producing two soft porn movies.

]]> By: Zooey http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/comment-page-1/#comment-5103936 Zooey Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:47:53 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/#comment-5103936 <em>5th Estate Says: “Has anyone ever noticed that we live in the only country in the world where all the poor people are fat?” —During his first Senate Campaign against Democrat Lloyd Doggett. July 22nd, 2008 at 10:40 am </em> Phil Gramm is poor? ;) 5th Estate Says:

“Has anyone ever noticed that we live in the only country in the world where all the poor people are fat?” —During his first Senate Campaign against Democrat Lloyd Doggett.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:40 am

Phil Gramm is poor? ;)

]]> By: ThomasMc http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/comment-page-1/#comment-5103934 ThomasMc Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:47:52 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/#comment-5103934 It's just kabuki theater, Gramm will still be writing McCain's economic policy. Because his ideas are exactly what the filthy rich on Wall St. want. It’s just kabuki theater, Gramm will still be writing McCain’s economic policy. Because his ideas are exactly what the filthy rich on Wall St. want.

]]> By: 5th Estate http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/comment-page-1/#comment-5103906 5th Estate Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:40:09 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/#comment-5103906 Fro Wikipedia, a sampling of Gramms philosphical musings: “<strong>Has anyone ever noticed that we live in the only country in the world where all the poor people are fat</strong>?" —During his first Senate Campaign against Democrat Lloyd Doggett. "<strong>Most people don't have the luxury of living to be 80 years old, so it's hard for me to feel sorry for them</strong>." - In response to a claim that a Social Security proposal would hurt people over 80. "<strong>We're going to keep on building the party (the Texas Republican Party) until we're hunting Democrats with dogs</strong>." — As quoted in Mother Jones, August 1995 "<strong>I have as many guns as I need, but I don't have as many guns as I want.</strong>" Fro Wikipedia, a sampling of Gramms philosphical musings:

“Has anyone ever noticed that we live in the only country in the world where all the poor people are fat?” —During his first Senate Campaign against Democrat Lloyd Doggett.

“Most people don’t have the luxury of living to be 80 years old, so it’s hard for me to feel sorry for them.” – In response to a claim that a Social Security proposal would hurt people over 80.

“We’re going to keep on building the party (the Texas Republican Party) until we’re hunting Democrats with dogs.” — As quoted in Mother Jones, August 1995

“I have as many guns as I need, but I don’t have as many guns as I want.“

]]> By: katy http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/comment-page-1/#comment-5103878 katy Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:32:10 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/07/22/forbes-on-gramm/#comment-5103878 me and NC Dem ! me and NC Dem !

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