Updates to a Few Things

By: Annoyed With Things

I try to keep an eye on things and to stay current.  So, periodically as new information becomes available, I will provide updates to my posts.  Today we have two such updates.

For my “Like Changing a Short” post regarding Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin renouncing his hard won U.S. citizenship ostensibly to align with his work in Asian markets, well there is new info for us to think about.  Bloomberg.com in now reporting (article here) that our ex-American Eduardo will save $67 million dollars in capital gains and other taxes.  That’s 60 Erectile dysfunction grants (see my “Money for This?” Post) or to put it in appreciable terms, that’s one thousand $67K modest family incomes.  So please explain to me again how this was not about the money – even a billionaire isn’t going to throw $67 million out the window when he doesn’t have to.  It all fits together too nicely to not be a primary consideration.  Hey Eduardo, put it all of this negative press to rest and donate the money to a good cause on your way out the door.  As a side note, typical of Congress’ reactionary vice proactive stance on things, they are proposing a revision to the tax code to account for these types of financially motivated moves (see story here).  Cleverly referred to as the ex-PATRIOT Act the pols are outraged at tax dodging mega-rich.  Well if we had a more reasonable tax climate for corporate profits and gains, maybe they wouldn’t need to move offshore in the first place, but that is a post for another day.

In another update to my “Speaking with Forked Tongue - False Heritage Claims Sting MA Pol” post, the Boston Globe reports in two articles on the subject (here and here) that Massachusetts Senatorial candidate Elizabeth Warren has a two-fold problem. According to the New England Historic Genealogical Society there are no records to substantiate her claim of Cherokee heritage.  But this did not stop her from publicly making such a claim as far back as 1984 where her recipe submissions in a faux historical “Pow Wow Chow” Cookbook were attributed to “Elizabeth Warren, Cherokee.”  Aside from not being enrolled into the Cherokee Nation as other legitimate Cherokee nationals are, participation in the cookbook shows a complete lack of understanding of her supposed heritage.  Talk about perpetuating racial stereotypes, with Warren’s “high cheekbones, like all Indians have” comment and references to powwows.  The trouble is, according to Twila Barnes, a Cherokee genealogist, “Cherokees don’t even traditionally have powwows.”  Put that in your peace pipe and smoke it!  What a fraud.