Democrats: People Who Have Swiss Bank Accounts Totally Make Hurricane Katrina Worse

In my column of this morning, I left out two choice Democratic swipes at Mitt Romney's Swiss bank accounts. First up, the governor of Maryland plays the Hurricane Katrina card:

Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) on Sunday lambasted Mitt Romney for his Swiss bank account and other overseas financial activities, saying the presumptive Republican presidential nominee had "bet against America."

"I've never known a Swiss bank account to build an American bridge, a Swiss bank account to create American jobs or Swiss bank accounts to build the levies to protect the people of New Orleans," O'Malley said on ABC News's "This Week."

Then there was former Ohio governor (and current Obama campaign co-chair) Ted Strickland:

"[W]hy would he take his wealth and put it in a Swiss bank account?" Mr. Strickland said recently in New Philadelphia, in eastern Ohio.

"I mean that says something about his judgment as well as his values. What if all Americans did that? What if you and I took our meager resources out of the local bank here and decided to send them to Switzerland, what would that do to our economy?"

Next time a Democrat claims to be from the party of rationality, science, and sweet reason, please fart on him.

Comments

[Invisible Finger]

The scary part is these idiots got to vote on Dodd-Frank.

[Fluffy]

If enough Americans did it, it would force the political class to govern better to induce that capital to return.

[o3]

its a disqualifier in the swing states

[Drake]

inducing capital? Are you sure?

[HazelMeade]

Please. You're being naive. Democrats don't understand financial incentives. They only understand passing laws to make things illegal (or mandatory).

[o3]

oh please

incentives = the govt just made me do it...MADE me i say !!1!111!!

[BakedPenguin]

Yes. They should pass a law to make financial growth mandatory! They can use their magical lawyer powers.

[MP]

Minimum Wage!

[Brett L]

"Heeya!"
**Whipcrack**

[Ska]

Needs more super market Muzak.

[Mr. FIFY]

I got the They Might Be Giants reference, Brett. Good on ya.

[Rhino]

They wouldn't govern better. They would institute the Expatriot Tax to force you to keep your money here.

[Loki]

I have little doubt that this is exactly what all this is leading up to. The chance to tar Mittens over being one of those EVUL 1%ER KOCHSUCKERZ!!!!1!!!11! is just icing on the cake.

In a couple of months one of the mouth breathers will introduce just such a tax bill to "punish" anyone unpatriotic and EVUL enough to invest or open an overseas bank account.

[Brutus]

Can anyone remind me of what bullet point #4 in the Communist Manifesto?

[GILMORE]

They would institute the Expatriot Tax

mmm. Shouldn't that be more like, "The Repatriate-Act".....or, "Expropriate-Act"?

'Expatriate' would suggest the person themselves was leaving the country, not just their funds. I think the latter two nail the "your monies is our monies!"-theme better.

[Citizen Nothing]

I've had several chances to fart on Ted Strickland but chose not to. I now regret my decision.

[Bobarian]

please fart on him.

What about her?

SEXIST!

[Brett L]

This is why I have Panamanian bank accounts. Similar privacy laws, less exposure.

[Tulpa the White]

Ask Noriega about that.

[R C Dean]

Given the way Panamanian corporate law works (I believe, after a very cursory look at it a few years ago), a privacy-minded fella has a lot of ways to set up blinds and blinds within blinds.

[Ice Nine]

Similar in that since Martinelli rolled over to the US, Panamanian bank privacy is also a thing of the past. Just as much exposure now as anywhere else and if you think the US doesn't know about your Panamanian accounts you are very likely going to be getting some surprises..

[Brett L]

Well, shit.

[Ice Nine]

I'll say! - especially if you haven't declared them. Keep an eye out for the next amnesty - hope there is one - and get your FBAR in. This ain't beanbag no more.

(Seriously, if you weren't aware of this you might want to have a chat with your lawyer.)

[ChrisO]

"Gov. Martin O'Malley Tommy Carcetti (D) on Sunday lambasted Mitt Romney for his Swiss bank account and other overseas financial activities..."

Sorry, I had to correct that.

BTW, I'm going to assume that anyone who was the mayor of Baltimore has some pretty skeezy shit going on somewhere. It's pretty much a job requirement.

[Episiarch]

Careful, Matt. joe might take offence to your shitting on a TEAM BLUE politician and come in and anonypussy you.

[Warty]

Offence? What are you, a Limey? Stop monkeying around with spelling.

[Brett L]

Should have known after the Playboy visa thread that he was Canadian.

[Episiarch]

Can you even reach the keyboard, Warty? Don't you need a stool or something?

[Warty]

There you go being all hysterical again. Hugo Chavez was democratically elected, whether you like it or not.

[Episiarch]

Do you get your gorilla suits dry cleaned, Warty?

[JW]

That's his pelt, you speciesist oaf.

[Warty]

Minstrel humor. Disgraceful. Look, Foghorn Leghorn, you have to trust democracy, whether you like where it leads you or not.

[SugarFree]

Monkey jokes?

[Ska]

Just imagine how he pronounces aluminum and methane.

[robc]

And perambulator. Which shouldnt be pronounced at all. Ever.

[Emmerson Biggins]

"Schedule" is my favorite one. I laugh out loud every time I attempt to reproduce the pronunciation of that one.

[Voros McCracken]

shed-jewel

[JW]

Odds are is that he'll go completely apeshit.

[Warty]

Did you hear what month it was when the chimpanzee ripped the woman's face off? Ape-ril!

[Brett L]

Completely OT: North Korean leader no longer ronery.

[T]

I bet it's cheap to get hookers in North Korea. Food would do the trick, wouldn't it?

[Invisible Finger]

Sorta like the 10-cent whores in Deadwood.

[o3]

the mostest greatest leader has disguisting plebian needs eh? whodda thunk it...

[Mr. FIFY]

Al Gore hires hookers?

[Brett L]

He tries, bless his heart. Nobody told him that not all masseuses offer full service in this day and age.

[Mr. FIFY]

Shit, he should hang with Bill Maher, who I hear is blacker than Wayne Brady.

[Bardas Phocas]

"South Korean intelligence sources" say the woman is Hyon Song Wol, a singer "who used to front the Bochonbo Electronic Music Band" and "responsible for a string of hits that included 'Footsteps of Soldiers,' 'I Love Pyongyang,' 'She is a Discharged Soldier' and 'We are Troops of the Party.'"

Her popularity "peaked in 2005 with the song 'Excellent Horse-Like Lady,'"

"Excellent Horse-Like Lady" is an electronic cover of 'Mustang Sally.'

[Mr. FIFY]

I'll bet she sang those songs from the heart, not from having a rifle tip jammed into her ribs.

[Bardas Phocas]

I should of added some of her music.
For you working slobs at the Heroic Workers' Factory:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....re=related

[Abdul]

I'll thread her bobbin. If you know what I mean.

[EDG reppin' LBC]

Or the theme song to the latest Sarah Jessica Parker rom-com.

[Brutus]

I'm reading "Nothing to Envy" right now. I can't even imagine what this poor woman has been through to be standing there.

[HazelMeade]

Yeah, let's ban "taking your money out of the country." Let make putting money in a foreign bank account illegal.

While we're at it, perhaps we should just ban all foreign currency exchanges.

We can't have these speculators and traitorous counterrevolutionaries undermining our economic programs by sending their money abroad.

[o3]

romney's gonna pay in swing states. hope his tax dodge was worth it.

[Rasilio]

You keep saying that, repeating it over and over like you're trying to convince yourself it is true.

Got news for you, it ain't.

Oh I suppose there might be a few dozen voters around the country for whom this is the issue that makes up their minds but in reality this is gonna mean just about exactly as much to the election in November as what Color Dress Michelle wore on the 4th of July.

fact is that unless there is something really substantial that comes out on either Obama or Romney between now and then all thos politicking and campaigning is going to be largely meaningless, 30% were always going to be vote for Obama, 30% were always going to vote for Romney, and the 40% in the middle will make up their minds on basically 1 issue, how bad is the economy and do they think it is getting better or worse.

Really pretty much nothing else matters at this point. if things are getting better or are at least percieved to be, Obama wins, if not then are Romney wins. It really is that simple.

[o3]

3-5% makes the diff in the swing states where dodging taxes and outsourcing [JOBS] is hurting romney

[R C Dean]

Sadly, I suspect that there are enough cretinous voters in the swing states to fall for these lies.

[Rasilio]

Lol yeah and I'm telling you this particular issue might mean a swing of 3 - 5 dozen votes, not percent of votes.

Sure "outsourcing" might cost him a percent or two but really even that is rather irrelivant because this election is not about Romney, it will be purely about Obama.

As bad as it sounded for him to say it Boehner was right, almost no one besides friends, family, and Mormons will be voting FOR Romney, nearly all of his votes will come from people voting against Obama with Romney being the mainstream option over whatever 3rd party candidates are on the ballot.

[HazelMeade]

There will be two issues this election year.

1. The economy.
2. the health care bill.

Neither of these issues plays in Obama's favor.

[Anonymous Coward]

hope his tax dodge was worth it.

[Citation needed]

[Loki]

Anyone stupid enough to vote against Romney because OMG SWISZ BANK ACCOWNTZ!!!!111!!!! 1%ER!!111!!!!!!11!! should be dragged out into the street and executed by gun shot to the head in public for all to see. So he's filthy rich, who the fuck cares?

[o3]

pilloried maybe, but not moar rightwing violence please.

[HazelMeade]

I'm sure Romney will be first against the wall when the Revolution comes.

[DesigNate]

How many times do you have to be reminded that the Swiss bank accounts are known about BECAUSE HE DISCLOSED THEM IN HIS TAX FORMS.

I know you're an idiot, but do try to keep up when you start saying things like "tax dodge".

[mauricegirodias]

By the new law, passed under Obama I think, you have to diclose the existence of said accounts.

Although, really, it's not that hard to get an account in the Isle of Man. I'm not trying to hide anything, just make sure that payments received from the UK/EU/Australia... kinda stay there.

[robc]

What ever happened to the right to privacy?

[Paul.]

That's for abortion only.

[Mr. FIFY]

And being gay, Paul. Everything else is the business of the Teams.

[Paul.]

News from abroad.

*ducks*

[Mr. FIFY]

Expect a Feministing SWAT team anytime now, Paul.

[Randian]

You keep using that word. It does not mean what you think it means.

[Suthenboy]

Be more specific next time as to which broad so that I can avoid clicking the link. Seeing that broad's face makes my breakfast come up in the back of my throat.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"I've never known a Swiss bank account to build an American bridge, a Swiss bank account to create American jobs or Swiss bank accounts to build the levies to protect the people of New Orleans," O'Malley said on ABC News's "This Week."

I've never known a governor to do those things, either. And is that the plural of levee?

[robc]

When the levee breaks, Mama, you got to move.

[nicole]

And when the levies break, mama, you gotta move your money into Swiss bank accounts.

[?Ex Nihilo?]

"I've never known ..., a Swiss bank account to create American jobs ...," O'Malley said on ABC News's "This Week."

Strange but I have seen Swiss bank accounts create American jobs. I used to work as a consultant for private investors. Their money was kept in Swiss accounts. If I needed money, I called and had the bank wire money. Obviously O'Malley doesn't understand finance or the private sector.

[Loki]

You mean a politician was talking out of his ass about something he knows absolutely nothing about? Let me show you my shocked face.

[GILMORE]

I worked for a Swiss bank in the US. They created *my* job at least. (and I uncreated it! Creative destruction!)

[KDN]

No, it's the plural of levy. Everyone knows that only taxes can protect the Crescent City.

[Suthenboy]

Then please un-levy them.

[Raston Bot]

More Tales of the Deranged from the Stroke-Addled. It's a long running series and mostly stale regurgitation but the latest episode is hilarious.

Also, is there some sort of foreign exchange capital preservation strategy to moving your currency to a Swiss account? I assume you convert to francs first, no? I invested everything in cocaine in the early eighties and in real terms my portfolio has seen quite a depreciation.

[Brett L]

I hear prices are off by almost 70% from their high.

[R C Dean]

Also, is there some sort of foreign exchange capital preservation strategy to moving your currency to a Swiss account?

Assuming you aren't going to fudge on your taxes (which doesn't work in Switzerland anymore anyway, as they are now in full cooperation mode with the IRS), there are a couple of reasons to do so:

(1) The forex play: you think the franc will continue to outperform the dollar. But you can do that without a Swiss bank account.

(2) The banking safety play: you think there is a nonzero chance that a banking collapse in the US could take down your deposit account, and it would be safer in Switzerland.

The only problem, of course, is that the US has made such an asshole of itself on overseas banking that most Swiss banks won't take American customers anymore.

[Tulpa the White]

What if you and I took our meager resources

I seriously doubt Strickland's resources are "meager".

More vomit from the guys tarring one millionaire to support another.

[Mr. FIFY]

It's only okay to be wealthy if you're a leftist.

Just ask shrike.

[Hugh Akston]

"I've never known a Swiss bank account to build an American bridge, a Swiss bank account to create American jobs or Swiss bank accounts to build the levies to protect the people of New Orleans," O'Malley said on ABC News's "This Week."

Yeah, only Chinese bank accounts do that.

[R C Dean]

I've never known a Swiss bank account to build an American bridge, a Swiss bank account to create American jobs or Swiss bank accounts to build the levies to protect the people of New Orleans

What a moron. UBS (a Swiss bank) has a huge presence in the US, and makes all kinds of loans here. Deposit accounts, of course, don't build anything, regardless of where the bank is located. The banks they are in, however, do.

[NoVAHockey]

There's a USB branch in a huge glass building on Baltimore's inner harbor.

[Tman]

I've also never known a FUCKING POLITICIAN that created a job, built a bridge or a levee to protect the people of New Orleans.

[Night Elf Mohawk]

I mean that says something about his judgment as well as his values. What if all Americans invested only in AAPL? What if you and I took our meager resources out of the local bank here and decided to send them to Cupertino, what would that do to our economy?

[Loki]

Next time a Democrat claims to be from the party of rationality, science, and sweet reason, please fart on him.

They'd probably enjoy that. But then again probably not. They only enjoy the smell of their own farts, not other people's. Especially us simple minded rubes.

[Enjoy Every Sandwich]

Wankers like O'Malley think that investment only occurs when the U.S. government spends money.

[Brutus]

Why would coastal villages move inland where Viking raiders were less likely to plunder them? Why, why why???

[Raston Bot]

Some of those ACA testimonials are maddening. Lots of fuckers just now getting around to the whole tyrrany thing... but they'll pipe down if the govt just focuses on those other people and not them. Well fuck you.

http://bsmlegal.com/PDFs/American Citizens Abroad.pdf

[LimpoSimpo]

Well now that jsut makes all kinds of sense dude.

http://www.Big-Privacy.tk

[DesigNate]

"[W]hy would he take his wealth and put it in a Swiss bank account?" Mr. Strickland said recently in New Philadelphia, in eastern Ohio.

Because the Swiss account gave him a better interest rate than those banks that were eventually bailed out by Bush/Obama?

[SKR]

Yeah, probably not. It's my understanding that those accounts charge a negative interest rate to non citizens.

[DesigNate]

Well, I thought it was a plausible explanation, even if it turned out to be factually inaccurate. Of course, I wouldn't expect the msm to know such facts.

[SKR]

What if everyone did that? Yeah, not going to happen unless everyone is a Swiss citizen and don't get hit with the non-swiss negatve interest rate.

[joshua corning]

"[W]hy would he take his wealth and put it in a Swiss bank account?"

Gee i don't know.

Maybe so he can do business outside the US.

Of course the US is not the biggest trading nation the world has ever seen...and doing bushiness as an American outside of the US is immoral and steals union jobs.

[BarryD]

Why is it a bad thing that he "bet against America"?

If he did that while he was the President, that would be a big deal, because he's betting against himself. But if he bet against someone else, that would mean he was putting his money where his mouth is, when he campaigns saying he can do better.

[Jose Chung]

The huge amount flatulence you propose is bound to have an impact on the climate.