President Trump: The NEW one and only politics thread

Somebody on Twitter called Nunberg's meltdown today the white Bronco chase of the Mueller investigation.

 

If Nunberg thinks Mueller is just in this for shits and giggles, he hasn't been paying attention.

 

To which we can only hope Carter Page says, "Hold my beer."

 

At this rate, Nunberg is going to be calling local sports talk drive-time shows pretty soon.

 

You're finished! No more Delta!

 

Away from a TV, but apparently, he's determined to go down with the SS Trump (no double entendres or coffee references intended):

Former Trump aide refusing Mueller subpoena: 'Screw that' - CNNPolitics

 

I spent 21 years working for an industrial/media company as part of finance teams, coordinating with business operations to decide where to open, move, expand operations. Many projects I worked involved high tech manufacturing, some requiring FAA approvals and some requiring massive and/or highly calibrated machinery that can be difficult to move. I've worked on business segment headquarters moves, as well as a parent company corporate headquarters move. (I also worked on the site selection for the filming of Friday Night Lights.)

Any kind of operation can be moved and can be moved for any reason. As a practical matter, between the long term lease and other logistical issues, Delta isn't going to simply pick up and move overnight. Could they start shifting flights to other locations (maybe reopen Memphis), choose not to expand flights in and out of Atlanta and over time reduce the importance of Atlanta as a flight hub? Of course and without bankruptcy. Moving the headquarters could end up being a cost saver, too.

With all that being said, what Georgia did was shoot itself in the foot more than "punish" Delta. At issue was a sales tax exemption that would apply to all purchases of jet fuel by all commercial airlines in the State. As a matter of sales tax theory, it's just wrong policy to impose a sales tax on business inputs because that cost gets built into the price of the item ultimately sold to consumers and increases the price base for other taxes (such as federal ticket prices). Most states either exempt jet fuel or provide an exclusion for jet fuel used in commercial airline operation, recognizing it makes sense both as policy and practical reasons.

The sales tax on jet fuel simply makes jet fuel more expensive for Delta and every other airline flying through Georgia. It's a business cost that, just like the underlying cost of fuel, gets built into ticket prices. Everyone flying through Atlanta loses.

Governor Deal supported the exemption for that reason, stating "By removing the sales tax on jet fuel we can level the playing field for our airports and airlines to compete" and hoped that by reducing operating costs in the state, it would "encourage airlines to fly additional direct flights from Georgia to destinations around the world."

The Vice President for State Government Affairs for an airline trade association noted that there was a 4% increase in flights in NC in the first year after that state's jet fuel tax was repealed.

So, the Georgia legislature's move will result in costing Georgia residents money in increased ticket costs and could cost the state both new jobs potentially created by increased traffic or existing jobs if Delta starts shifting flights on its own or because of reduced demand if flyers start choosing out-of-state airports or airlines with non-GA hubs, with lower operating costs and lower ticket prices.

(I looked for the legislative fiscal impact statement to understand where the $38 mm or $40 mm number came from, but not hard enough to actually find it )

 

Some speculation that is might be a trial balloon to see what happens if subpoenas are ignored. That's a really, really stupid notion if it's true.

Ol' Bobby Mueller is not fucking around.

But remember guys, this investigation is over. Or so I've heard.

 

He's been a senator since 1978.

 

Her radio show was syndicated national beginning around 2008.

Now, that doesn’t mean everyone has heard of her. (I’m sure Jay Farrar hadn’t heard of her.) But, she didn’t just appear on the scene yesterday.

 

Cochran has had health issues for months.