So what do you call providing tax breaks to billion dollar corporations which lowers their taxes for some barely anything to some to $0 to some even getting money back, all to make sure these companies didn't make good on their threats and skip town? Sorry Junior, but any way you twist it that's a brib!
Gov Quinn knew that if any of the large corporations moved (which would have happened in droves if Quinn didn't brib them), then he was toast!
Basically Here is How It Went Down:
Gov Quinn: "Corporation, time you paid your dues, so will raise you to the 3rd highest in the world (next to NY and CA)!"
C-Corps like Caterpillar: "**** you Gov. If you do that then we will relocate to another state and write off the moving expense against our profits to lower our federal corporate taxes. Tell that to the people of IL at election time!"
Gov Quinn in a private meeting with each corporation: "Please don't go, how about this I will give you a tax break, let's call it an incentive. On paper it looks like I am getting tough with you evil corporations (and making sure no other large corp relocates here), but in reality, you guys are paying little to no State Corporate taxes. Except you poor Motorolla, since your profits are so horrible, the incentive is actually a refund, let's call that a gift."
Gov Quinn to his advisors: "I know I know I talked tough, but I really wanted to hit the middle class, who aren't going to relocate anytime soon, and the small businesses, since they don't make headlines when they complain! But I couldn't say that out loud, after all I'm a Democrat and our motto, let's call it propaganda, is we care about the little guys! Hahahahahaha!"
Translated:
"I don't know whether or not Gov Quinn cut CAT a special tax deal or not so I'll pass out a couple of neg reps and make up some bullshit story to bail Rabbi out of the mess he got himself into." It very well could have happened like that but if it did we'll never know. But you and Rabbi shouldn't be presenting it as fact that it did. Had Rabbi qualified his statement with "this is what probably happened" he wouldn't have dug the hole he got himself into and neededed someone to rescue him. Every state does that (including yours and Rabbi's), right? So you should think twice before handing out a neg rep when all you got is a made up story.
Since we're making up stories that probably happened here's mine:
Rabbi, upon seeing the hole he dug himself decided he needed help. So he sat weeping at his keyboard trying to find some help. GHook, seeing Rabbi's plight came roaring in like Mighty Mouse singing, "Here I come to save the day!!" (That cartoon is probably before your time) passing out neg reps and making up some bullshit story in a feeble attempt to save Rabbi's ass.
Message to Rabbi: It's not a weakness to back up and admit you made a mistake. In fact, it gains you respect.
I just did it not long ago when I mischaracterized Trajan's posts when I thought he was slamming teachers. I admitted I was wrong and that he didn't do that. So be careful about making statements that you can't back up and don't be afraid to admit you were wrong. All I did was call you on it because I know there were no facts behind it.
And especially be careful about slamming what other states do if Tennesse's doing the exact same thing. It all goes back to that glass house thing.
Case closed.
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