Northwest Indiana Discussion

Obama Abolishes the Press Conference

by Keith Koffler on May 4, 2012, 11:07 am

President Obama has held just one full length, multi-topic, solo press conference in the last six months, effectively abolishing the most accessible venue for American citizens to observe the thinking and learn the views of their leader.

It’s May, and the president has stood for only a single such news conference this year, a March 6 event in the briefing room. He’s had only three since last June, counting a November press conference in Hawaii that was supposed to be devoted to the just-held Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit but which veered off into other issues.

Nor does Obama generally allow questioning during brief appearances at the White House, such as when he makes statements with foreign leaders. Previous presidents, including George W. Bush, routinely took a couple of questions on the topic of the day at such gatherings.

Obama doing what he loves best at a press conference.

Bush also held fewer press conferences than he should have. But this doesn’t excuse Obama, who would seem especially obligated to appear before the press given his pledges to maintain an “openness” administration.

My total assessment for my home and the adjacent lot jumped from $85,000 to $97,000. But the houses in my neighborhood have sold for $10,000-$40,000. There is no way I can get $97,000 in my neighborhood for my property. I would be lucky as heck to get 1/2 of that amount.

With all your exemptions, the annual property tax bill on your home is only $318/yr. It's no wonder Hammond has budget trouble with tax bills like this. IMO, there needs to be a minimum tax level of at least $1,000 per home so that everyone is paying their fair share of taxes.

If your city officials were worth 1/4 of what you paid them. If semi-literate recycling "supervisors" and assistant deputy parks department employees weren't driving around in taxpayer-funded vehicles. If your Mayor wasn't giving senior citizens $500 tax breaks as a thank you for underpaying their taxes for decades on the backs of heavy industry. If loudmouths who chomp at the bit to pay more taxes (well, for everyone else to pay more taxes) weren't standing in line with their hands out for $30,000 municipal subsidies so their offspring could go to college to "study" communications, African-American history, feminist theory, and 18th-Century Latin-American literature. If the Mayor didn't waste taxpayer money to throw a ego-stroking party for his friends every summer. If fireman and city council members weren't given raises at will. IF more of your city officials and employees weren't related to each other. IF more than a handful of those same officials and employees had educational backgrounds beyond worthless Hammond high school diplomas. IF more of those same officials and employees had work experience outside of wasteful, redundant, do-nothing municipal employment. If, if, if, if....

Then MAYBE the city wouldn't be in the financial situation in which it currently finds itself. Then MAYBE your decrepit homes would be worth 1/4 to 1/2 of their assessed valuation. Then, MAYBE businesses other than low-end retail and bars would consider relocating to your berg. THEN maybe the tax burden would be spread around a larger population. It ain't gonna happen. The only people dumb enough to think outsiders will invest substantially in Hammond are the dopes who didn't get out in time. No one else is being fooled.

I will send you a PM with her address so you can see for yourself how low her tax bill is. However, since her income comes from social security disability, the meager bill is paid for by the taxpayers.

From who or where will the College Bound money for your daughter's tuition be coming? Does Tom McDermott pick it like lettuce in his backyard garden?

Oh, and when you're patting yourself on your chubby little back for all the charities you say you support, do you account for the fact that you would not be able to do so if you weren't literally taking money (to the tune of $30,000) out of the mouths of Hammond's poorest residents, widows, orphans, and disabled veterans so you don't have to pay your own kid's college tuition?