Balta1701

QUOTE (Tex @ Dec 7, 2010 -> 02:34 PM) And what about taking 2% of individual's contributions out of social security? Nothing like having the average wage earner contribute less to their retirement. That doesn't save me any money, I am in a state pension instead. Supposedly, this decrease will be paid for entirely out of the general fund, and as such will do nothing to affect the long-term finances of OASDI. What it will do instead is, for the period of 1 year, make it substantially cheaper for businesses to employ people in good, middle and upper middle class jobs. Because it's temporary, it gives businesses that might be considering hiring a good reason to do so right now. Of course, anyone who opposes unions should oppose this, because the sorts of mcompanies that would benefit the most from this are the ones that employ a large number of middle class and upper middle class workers.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Dec 7, 2010 -> 02:14 PM) Impossible. Yeah, that's what they signed Rivera for. That forum is getting its relievers crossed up.

QUOTE (bschmaranz @ Dec 7, 2010 -> 02:04 PM) http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/matt...rs-tuesday.html This would actually be fairly smart, as it could give them a chance to work with Brandon Allen on becoming a big league hitter.

QUOTE (dmbjeff @ Dec 7, 2010 -> 02:05 PM) Plus it allows you in on next year's 1B free agent frenzy. With the Red Sox and Yanks both with top notch 1B, anything is possible in relation to getting Fielder or maybe even Pujols. Seriously, we're not going to need a FA 1b a year from now. We've got a plausible one who needs work but who already put up an .840 OPS in the big leagues last year, who we might be forced to trade if we extend Konerko.

Well, I'm impressed. Lately the only side that has gotten this fired up about anything has been the Tea Party.

Depends on what we want to do with our bullpen. If Thornton is going to be the closer, Sale, Miller, and Thornton from the LH side isn't the worst setup I've ever heard. Wonder if some team won't give him a chance to start though.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Dec 7, 2010 -> 01:22 PM) Which did they do back in September? THe Small Business tax credits.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Dec 7, 2010 -> 12:55 PM) That's true. I think Lee is the target if PK signs elsewhere but we'd still have to do our due diligence and check into Pena IMO, even if it's not an ideal fit. If PK and Lee both go off the board then there really isn't an ideal fit anyway. Hell, if PK and Lee both go off the board...I'd rather go with Viciedo. The only other obvious options are Pena (terrible fit with Dunn) and LaRoche (Less bad fit with Dunn, but still overloads that position with LH Bats).

Dodgers manager Jim Tracy collapsed while at the meetings today and has been taken for tests.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 7, 2010 -> 10:41 AM) The lower in the income level, the more of the money that gets spent. When did you turn into a hippy?

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Dec 7, 2010 -> 12:46 PM) Paulie's deal looked like fish in a barrel but maybe it's not. And maybe this is actually a blessing in disguise for the Sox. I imagine a Lee or Pena type looking for a 1-year reclamation deal would much rather sign with a contender to pad their numbers a bit more, so we'd be looking pretty good should Paulie go elsewhere. Especially if it's Lee, who could very well still be partially rooted in Chicago. Worth noting...Pena is a really bad fit in the same lineup with Dunn.

QUOTE (SoxFan562004 @ Dec 7, 2010 -> 12:40 PM) yeah, most likely option, but if other half can't raise stake to buy it, then you could add 3rd party, etc... just might freeze LAD for a little More likely the fact that there now is an official breakdown of the ownership structure will free them up quite a bit more than where they were last year.

QUOTE (SoxFan562004 @ Dec 7, 2010 -> 12:33 PM) wow, that can be insanely ugly when trying to run an MLB team I'm sure one of them will sell their stake and cash out.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 7, 2010 -> 12:17 PM) I really wish they would call his bluff and tell him to have fun playing in Baltimore. PK did not earn his money for most of his last contract, and now he wants an increase. Walk away. Shack, I have to return a favor here. PK14's last contract was for $60 million. Over the course of that deal, he earned $56 million in the fangraphs player value world. With all the same caveats you applied to Beltre, there you go.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Dec 7, 2010 -> 09:55 AM) Um. Aren't there supposed to be red pandas on this red panda webcam? Sometimes even cute things need sleep.

Join the club.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Dec 7, 2010 -> 10:49 AM) And that's not to say that the government should just stop payment and do nothing else. I still think taking that money and giving small to medium size businesses huge temporary tax breaks for every new employee hired would be big. The radio this morning said there was something about a tax credit for investment and R&D costs for small businesses. They didn't say how much though. I'm in favor of that idea as well. First point...that actually happened. The Dems finally broke a nearly-year-long filibuster on doing that back in September. Second...the payroll tax cut on the employer side is also very similar in its impact.

QUOTE (KipWellsFan @ Dec 7, 2010 -> 12:18 PM) But on the estate tax thing, would it have been zero without this deal? No. Like all the Bush tax cuts, that was passed under reconciliation rules that required it to end 10 years after passage. The law as written stated that the estate tax was 0% on all levels this year, and was to return to 50% on estates above >$4 million or so next year. This deal therefore includes an estate tax cut relative to current law. This deal also includes an estate tax rate cut relative to every year of the Bush administration's tax cuts except for this year, the final year, when it went to 0.

QUOTE (Cknolls @ Dec 7, 2010 -> 11:41 AM) Quick question. The extension of unemployment benefits: Does this cover only people whose benfits expired this past week or does it include people whose benefits expire in Jan,Feb,Mar etc? That's difficult to answer the way you've phrased it. Check the Dem thread for a different way to explain it if you don't like mine. There are currently 5 "classes" of unemployed, each who have been unemployed for different lengths. The longest class, the "99ers", have been unemployed for 99 weeks now; basically since the 2008 collapse. The 99ers WILL NOT have their unemployment benefits extended by this compromise. 2 million people had their unemployment benefits end last week. NONE of them will receive any added benefits under this compromise. The other 4 classes have been unemployed for less than 99 weeks. Currently, each of the other classes has a lower limit than 99 weeks, because that's how Congress does things. This bill will provide substantial unemployment extensions for just about all of those classes, pushing most of them up towards 99. No one will receive more than 99 weeks of unemployment benefits because of this. Most of the people who's benefits expire in January-March will also receive nothing from this compromise. By the end of March, somewhere around 6 million people will have fully exhausted their unemployment benefits.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Dec 7, 2010 -> 09:51 AM) I don't disagree that the NBA needs to be in Seattle, but the NFL doesn't need much of anything, and is doing fine without LA. The NFL currently has more than a handful of franchises that are really struggling despite large revenue sharing dollars, and they're facing a lockout next year over revenue sharing issues. Not having a team in L.A. is potential serious revenue that is not coming into the league. The NFL's elite franchises, with serious public dollar assistance in most cases, are in great shape, but places like the Florida teams, Buffalo, etc., clearly show some weaknesses.

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Dec 7, 2010 -> 09:45 AM) My feeling: if Kenny was really concerned about the rotation we would see a SP being signed. As of right now they are concentrating on the field/bullpen which makes me think rotation will be fine. Just basing this on the offseason so far. Hope I'm right. I still think KW is bluffing when he says Peavy won't be ready in April.

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Dec 7, 2010 -> 09:40 AM) It has been awfully quiet about Freddy this offseason, I'm sure we can sign a 5th starter for decent money, heck worst case scenario we bring someone from the minors and hope our offense carries the team. I'm praying Peavy is healthy to start the season. Unless that person is "Chris Sale", that's an awful option. The starters at AAA are that weak.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Dec 7, 2010 -> 09:32 AM) that's what a political analyst said on WGN this morning. If anyone else has heard a different number, let me know. I'm going on what I heard. I've read estimates of between $600 b and $900 b. I'd guess the actual number probably depends on how concentrated income growth is at the top level, which probably means that it'll be towards the high end. Certainly interesting to note that it's approximately the same amount as the horrible, budget-busting, worst thing eva wasteful stimulus package.

Hmph. This deal still ends unemployment benefits at 99 weeks.