TAX CHEAT! How Alan Chartock conspired with WAMC to avoid paying IRS.
Failure to report CEO's taxable 'perks' could leave trustees liable.Read the article:
http://www.wamc.net/taxcheat.html
Post your comments.
posted by G.M.Heller at Wednesday, June 07, 2006
3 Comments:
Dear Alan Chartock
Re: "I, Publius: More stories ripped from the headlines" (A weekly column by Alan Chartock, The Berkshire Eagle, Saturday, May 19, 2007): Dr. Alan Chartock writes, "[North Adams Mayor] John [Barrett] and I share a reductionist view of mankind. Reduced to their natural essences, people can be self-serving and obstructionist. It is as simple as that." Chartock contrasts Mayor Barrett's view of human nature (bullying to get one's way) with a contrived view of Pittsfield Mayor Jim Ruberto's contrived view of human nature (inducing). How to begin to sort this all out?
First, let me provide my views of Mayors John Barrett III and Jimmy Ruberto.
(a) Both are similar because both rely more on perverse incentives to net their fair cities federally funded, state administered dollars. To illustrate, for several recent decades, North Adams was known to the northeast as "the teen pregnancy capital of the World." Now, just last year, Pittsfield's steadily increasing rates of teen pregnancies doubled the statewide average. Both communities -- Pittsfield & North Adams -- have all the power in the world to drastically lower their coterminous artificially high rates of teen pregancies, but won't provide any real solutions other than feel good canned ones. The bottom line financially is that high rates of teen pregnancies annually provides Pittsfield with tens of millions in social service, welfare, public education, and the like public dollars, and North Adams gains by the millions, too. The Mayors of Pittsfield and North Adams then take the millions of public dollars and complement them with their other revenue sources, thereby keeping their property tax rates artificially low so that they can get re-elected for many consecutive terms. Any excess municipal surplus public dollars doesn't find its way to stopping the cycle of poverty -- as that (intergenerational poverty) is what Pittsfield & North Adams both feed off of -- but rather, the surplus public money goes to SPECIAL INTERESTS!
(b) Mayor John Barrett III: He is a machine politician. Barrett does NOT have a mind of his own, but follows the Good Old Boy Network. In 1994, Pittsfield Mayor Ed Reilly, Berkshire County Sheriff Carmen C. Massimiano, Jr., and Barrett all stood on the steps of the Pittsfield City Hall and endorsed BILL WELD for Governor of Massachusetts! These are the leaders of the Berkshire area Democratic Party endorsing a guy who stood only for the CORPORATE ELITE or supply side economic public policies in a region that is anything but! Moreover, Mayor John Barrett III is a BULLY! He strong-arms anyone who doesn't go along with his public policies, including the North Adams City Council! North Adams is full of MAJOR SOCIAL PROBLEMS, including the top worst performing public schools in the commonwealth and nation, contaminated and polluted drinking water that stunts learning in children, high rates of welfare caseloads, high rates of declining population, and the like. Just try to help people and stand for GRASSROOTS governance, and your resistance is FUTILE under the heavy handed bullying in the name of leadership of John Barrett III.
(c) Mayor Jimmy Ruberto: Where to begin! My God! Pittsfield really went downhill under the Ruberto Regime. I have contributed about 50 Blog entries against Jimmy Ruberto over the past 2+ years. Things in Pittsfield center around TEEN PREGNANCIES, 1-out-of-3 public school high school students dropping out, high welfare caseloads, the poor being hit with inequitable regressive taxes and fees, and on and on. The irony here is that Jimmy Ruberto voiced concerns about Pittsfield's many SOCIAL PROBLEMS, but the only constituency he was willing to assist was the wealthy business community. Moreover, Ruberto's inducements to businesses were ineffective, AS BERKSHIRE COUNTY IS NOW THE NUMBER 1 REGION IN THE COMMONWEALTH FOR JOB LOSSES!
Second, let me provide my views of Alan Chartock.
(d) Alan Chartock is Orwellian! He lives by George Orwell's philosophy that:
"ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL, BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS!"
Time and time again, I have written to Alan Chartock about his DOUBLE STANDARDS, a paralell to my many essays of Dan Bosley's HYPOCRISIES. Never once did Alan Chartock admit that some Pols get off without even a slap on their wrists, while others are downright lambasted for lesser offenses. Alan Chartock likes to go after the CORPORATE ELITE: George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Jack Welch, Jr., and the like, yet he will support Pols like Bill Weld who only serve this same exact constituency, which makes no sense for Berkshire County where the people are the regions biggest economic and social resource (for rational incentives only, NOT perverse incentives). However, the one thing I truly admire about Dr. (Orwell/)Chartock is his commitment to HUMAN RIGHTS! Even before his politics and Orwellian favoritism, Chartock always -- and I mean always -- places HUMAN RIGHTS first. Alan Chartock brings tears of joy and happiness to my heart because he is a man committed to HUMAN RIGHTS!
Third, let me provide my view of human nature.
Human Nature is GOOD! Reduced to our natural essences, people want help and for this reason learn to help one another. If you go back to the days of Colonialism, it was the Church and State that sponsored businesses to exploit peoples by dividing them based on their differences. The Genocides of Europe and now Africa, which was colonized by European states, are rooted in the "divide and conquer" bully principles of Colonialism. When babies are born, people are reduced to their natural essences and our hearts all melt. We see God in the faces of our newborn family members. We only want to see our sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, and grandchildren receive the best the World has to offer in their future lives. Human Nature has provided us with many compassionate and worthy institutions and cultures around the World. In the aftermath of tragedy, peoples come together to atone and make our World a safer, freer and more just place for people to live in.
Human Nature is NOT bad! Rather, Human Nature is CORRUPTED by self-interests, greed and power. Peoples learn hate, to be violent and hurtful. Every War and divisive idea that has presented us with social injustice came from a group of people(s) in politics and business who have played on our insecurities to the point that we have draw artificial boundaries, such as political boundaries, walls of class and status, and one god being better than another god. Inside of Human Beings, however, is the need to unlearn the falsehoods our "corporate masters" have taught us and begin again to see people(s) for the people(s) we all are, and look past all of the man-made differences.
Fourth, let me provide my conclusion to Alan Chartock's thesis of human nature, and how one Mayor is better than the other.
In conclusion, Alan Chartock's political philosophies are WRONG! It is that simple. I would not waste my time writing this essay of DISSENT against Chartock if I did not believe so much in the wrongness of his fallacious logic. He has the Human Rights to state what he believes, and I have the Human Rights to state my differences to what he writes. I believe that Mayor John Barrett III is a failure for North Adams! His public schools are worse off than they have ever been, his drinking water is contaminated and polluted with no real long-term solutions being offered, his welfare caseloads are sky high. I believe that for Alan Chartock to compliment and praise Barrett for his long tenure as Mayor of North Adams because he is basically a dictator and bully is ORWELLIAN. Moreover, I believe to place Barrett's executive skills against Jimmy Ruberto's boils down to Chartock's Orwellian philosophy that ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL, but Mayor Barrett is more equal than Mayor Ruberto. Some believe that Chartock's praises for Barrett are due to the fact that he is looking out for his lovely wife, who does great work for HUMAN RIGHTS at the higher educational institution formerly known as North Adams State College. If so, I would probably do the same thing Alan Chartock is doing, but much more discreetly. In the end, however, Alan Chartock (& his wife's) commitment to HUMAN RIGHTS makes me proud and trumps all of my past, present and future criticisms of the man who believes that all peoples are entitled to basic rights no matter who, what, where, why, when, and how they are in the World. Alan Chartock brings warmth to my heart because he places HUMAN RIGHTS above politics! That means he is a good man!
In Truth,
Jonathan A. Melle
Re: The best of the best!
Dear Alan, Berkshire Bloggers, News Media, Pols, & the People:
My responses to your points are as follows:
Point # 1. As we sit and watch the destruction caused by his new five-judge majority that would give all power to business and erode basic human rights...we see the manifestation of evil.
Response # 1. I agree with you, Alan, that the Corporate Elite is more powerful than ever before in national politics -- and now shame on the Democratic Majority in U.S. Congress, too. "Tax Cuts with Wars" is completely Orwellian and in the favor of the Corporate Elite, especially war profiteer contractors like Dick Cheney's Halliburton! Human Rights are dramatically falling in value to big business' narrow interests supported by special interest Pols on Capitol Hill.
Point # 2. Anyone else think that George Bush has wreaked havoc with the basic right of habeas corpus in the name of "protecting us?"
Response # 2. Yes, I, too, believe that President Bush II has shredded the Constitution's Bill of Rights protections under false pretenses. We have never had such a secretive White House since the dark days of President Nixon.
Point # 3. It may start with only overseas phone calls but little by little, we get closer to George Orwell's terrifying vision of the future and Big Brother.
Response # 3. I believe Orwell's totalitarian visions of the future and Big Brother are reality. We still are fighting a never-ending war in Iraq that is illegal and for American Corporate control of Oil and military dominance in the Middle East region. It has already been reported that the federal government has illegally tapped countless numbers of American's phone and email communications.
Point # 4. We have watched Bush and Rumsfeld and Cheney move to cement their power to the point that we are on the verge of real corporate fascism.
Response # 4. The power to set, control and manipulate the political agenda is absolute power. The corporate elite does this each and every business day on Capitol Hill. It is the epitomy of corporate fascism, indeed.
Alan, your column was the best of the best that I have ever read in my entire life of reading about politics. I am impressed with your high level of intelligence and excellent analytical skills in explaining the current state of American and International politics in a concise opinion column. Good work!
Sincerely,
Jonathan A. Melle
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I Publius
Common chords in our kings
By Alan Chartock
Berkshire Eagle
Saturday, July 07, 2007
As I listened once again to the annual reading on WAMC of the Declaration of Independence, outlining the crimes of the King of England, I was struck by two things: the common chords between then and now and the fact that the King and the resident President share the same first name.
The fact that George Bush's own election is more than a little suspect gives added weight to Thomas Jefferson's impassioned words in the Declaration. Everyone who reads this revolutionary document, far more incendiary than the Constitution, will be struck by the parallels between the state of affairs then and now. And everyone will find their own gems in the list of wrongs attributed to the King in this call to revolution but there are a few beauties that literally jump off the page and smack you in the eye.
One of my favorites comes right at the top of the list of the King's wrongs: "He has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good."
Just think of it. Here we sit on the verge of huge scientific breakthroughs in stem cell research. We have the potential to help those suffering (not a word to be used lightly) with diseases like Parkinson's and diabetes. But our King George uses the threat of his veto pen to kill a bill that could potentially save millions of American lives. Why? Who knows?
Maybe he is playing to his right wing conservative base. Maybe he really believes the Almighty has commanded him to let us suffer. One thing is for sure — he is anything but a compassionate conservative. And consider the so-called signing statements in which he tells us that while he is signing the law, he will not follow it, thereby dishonoring the very Constitution he is sworn to uphold. I would remind you that he swore that oath on the Holy Bible he so venerates.
"He has made judges dependent on his will alone ..." As we sit and watch the destruction caused by his new five-judge majority that would give all power to business and erode basic human rights like a woman's right to reproductive freedom and the right to sue for basic wrongs, we see the manifestation of evil.
He has chosen judges of ill repute who will, for whatever reason, do his bidding, oppressing the American people. What difference is there between his hand picked crony judges and those of the quite insane King George?
"He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the civil power." Anyone up for a trip to Guantanamo or Abu Ghraib? Anyone else think that George Bush has wreaked havoc with the basic right of habeas corpus in the name of "protecting us?" The chickens are coming home to roost here, too.
We all know the game. Take rights away from "them" and then extend the "them" to the rest of us. Sure, tap their phones and don't even bother to go to a court that always gives permission. It may start with only overseas phone calls but little by little, we get closer to George Orwell's terrifying vision of the future and Big Brother.
To be fair, Bush's military may be independent of us civilians abut it is hardly independent of him, in much the same way King George's military wasn't separate from that despot.
If one of your agents breaks the law, commute his prison sentence for now and eventually pardon him. Proclaim that the law is wrong and the sentence is too severe. At the same time, persecute and prosecute all those who might offend you.
I don't think any right-minded American believes that we ought to rebel against the tyranny of this George. While we still have it, we can use the ballot box. And now is the time to use it, before it, too, is hopelessly corrupted. This President needs to be replaced along with the learned but flawed judges and generals who do his bidding.
The thing about power is that sooner or later, people will do whatever they must in order to maintain it and make it more absolute. We have watched Bush and Rumsfeld and Cheney move to cement their power to the point that we are on the verge of real corporate fascism. I would recommend that everyone get a copy of the Declaration of Independence and read it through. Then grab the Constitution and read the first Ten Amendments.
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On another matter, it is gratifying to see just how much culture is available to us. Roselle and I saw Tennessee Williams' classic "The Glass Menagerie" at the Berkshire Theatre Festival. It was terrific. I love the idea that talented Kate Maguire played the very pathetic and, in my mind, evil mother who so many of us will recognize in families we have seen.
As always, some people will make the mistake of fostering competition between arts organizations. Last week I wrote about Julianne Boyd and Barrington Stage's presentation of "West Side Story." Don't you know that one powerful and, I'm sure, well-meaning person, let me have it for not saying more good stuff about Kate and her troop at BTF? This seems to be an annual event and it is misguided. Folks, I love all my children..
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www.traprockpeace.org
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Dear Alan, et al,
In response to your columns of the best and worst in politics, the following is my concise view of you as a political activist in the news media:
I like that you always stand for Human Rights before either political passions or banalities. On every issue you discuss, from economic to social theories, I like that you place Human Rights for All Peoples as paramount. I believe you are a good man.
The one thing I do not like about you is your long-standing support for Andrea F. Nuciforo, Jr. (aka Luciforo)! Luciforo is a special interest, corrupted Pol whose only goal is to become a future Congressman through big corporate financial institutions campaign donations in return for special interests. Luciforo is NOT a man of the People, yet you still support him in politics.
In Truth,
Jonathan A. Melle
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