KEY WEST CITIZEN FRONT PAGE HIGHLIGHTS POST IRMA PROBLEMS

A community the importance of Key West needs a daily newspaper. I repeat what I said a few days ago. I miss the Citizen! I miss reading it every day!

I am glad the Citizen has changed its mind and will return to daily publication October 7.

This weekend edition’s front page an excellent representation of problems confronting the lower Keys post Irma.

One involves the sad story of the Venture Out RV and Mobile Home Park. Horrific damage. Six hundred fifty nine units. Many ripped in two or with roofs completely blown off. All units suffering some damage. Seventy uninhabitable.

The Park is still without power. Electric wires down all over the place. Many units will have to be moved in order for work to the power structure to be done.

Day laborers unavailable to help.

Another article indicates that tempers are becoming frayed in some instances.

At the Wednesday meeting of the Monroe County Commission, debris was the major issue. Apparently Governor Scott and the FDOT decided to enter into lucrative contracts with major companies to remove debris. Many who have no experience with debris removal.

A local contractor who has a yearly contract with the County for debris removal is upset. The outside concerns are being paid more. Per his contract with the County, he cannot raise his prices.

He cannot compete with the bigger companies coming in. They pay more so additional workers are unavailable to him. He also cannot acquire additional trucks and other equipment because of cost. The bigger guys are buying/renting them up.

The article notes that debris hauling has become a statewide and national crisis.

Displaced boats a problem. Boats that have sunk totally or to some degree.

Satellite imagery indicates 1,300 displaced boats. They need to be removed. A danger to navigation and pollutants from leaking fuel  tanks.

Three hundred sixty-four have been assessed for removal so far. Only 3 removed.

I wish to compliment the Citizen also on its pictures reflecting damage caused by Irma. Right on. Rob O’Neal responsible for most. Excellent, as usual. His photos clearly and accurately show the damage and destruction.

My day yesterday was spent working on Irma and Me and watching the Syracuse/North Carolina State game. Syracuse lost 33-25.

Syracuse a come back team. They will win one of these close ones soon. Stupid errors were responsible for at least one touchdown and one three point kick. Not the first game the mistakes have occurred. Get rid of the slip ups and Syracuse will begin winning.

First the NFL, now the NBA re the National Anthem.

The NBA has a rule that requires players to stand during the playing of the National Anthem. What will the basketball players do? Interesting.

The issue has affected the NFL’s favorability rating. It was 30 percent 9/21. Seventeen percent 9/28.

Trump has crystallized the situation and made it into a problem. It should not have been one. The issue is freedom of speech/freedom of expression. Nothing else.

Many American banks and bankers are guilty of corrupt practices. They are like a teflon pan. Their wrongdoings slide off them.

My position since 2008 has been we should prosecute some bank CEO’s. Such would correct the problem.

Vietnam did.

Nguyen Xuan Son was the head of a major Vietnamese bank. He was charged with major mishandling of funds. Embezzlement, abuse of power, and economic mismanagement.

His bank lost 1.5 trillion Dong. $65 million American money.

Tried and convicted. He has been sentenced to death.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

 

SYLVANUS JOHNSON…..AFRICAN AMERICAN TREATMENT YESTERDAY AND TODAY

A story of white man’s justice as regards blacks in 1897.

The event took place in Key West. Representative of justice at the time for people of color throughout the South.

It was June 1897. Sylvanus Johnson resided in Key West. An African-American. A United States citizen. Johnson was accused of raping a white woman.

He was brought to trial immediately. The rape charge a capital crime. Death the expected sentence, if convicted.

Johnson was assigned counsel. He could not afford one on his own. A kangaroo court and an all white jury decided his fate. The judge a good old boy. He would not permit Johnson’s attorney to cross examine witnesses.

A lynch mob formed during the trial. Daytime outside the court house. Night time, outside the jail. The mob wanted white man’s justice immediately. Hang him!

Blacks formed outside the court house by day and jail by night to protect Johnson.

A confrontation.

The Sheriff panicked. Stood his ground, but knew he needed help to keep Johnson safe from the lynch mob. Asked the Governor for assistance. The Governor viewed the situation as a black insurrection. He immediately asked President McKinley for federal troops. McKinley considered the matter not worthy of assistance.

A local reporter described the African-Americans as a “tough negro element.” Portrayed them as troublemakers.

Johnson was convicted. Took the jury one hour forty minutes.

When the verdict was announced, Johnson turned to the jury and said, “If God was black and came before this jury you would find him guilty. You may take my black body, but you cannot harm my innocent soul.”

Johnson was hung within a matter of days.

There is a reason why I recall the Johnson story. It has to do with Irma and retrospectively Katrina.

African-Americans have come a long way since Johnson’s days. Not far enough, however. They have equality in name. Not in fact.

FEMA had tents erected in the public parking area behind the Key West fire station on Simonton. A place for people to seek and receive governmental assistance. I noted the people applying were all persons of color. Tan. Blacks, Cubans, etc. No whites.

Saturday evening, I drove down Duval. Somewhere in the middle of Duval was a FEMA truck. It was handing out food packages. All the people waiting for the packages were black. No tans,  no whites.

Katrina had similarities. Blacks ended up in the huge sports arena. Nary a white.

My point is African-Americans and other persons of color have come a long way since 1897. Not enough, however. Equality and opportunity not yet fully theirs.

How much longer must these people wait?

Understand what I have written here and you will understand why we continue to have turmoil in the streets involving blacks and whites.

There was a concert in Mallory Square over the weekend. A locals event. To celebrate survival and exhibit the community will come back. A huge crowd in attendance whooping it up in Key West fashion.

My yesterday quiet. Worked with Sloan in the morning. Under the weather the rest of the day. Heavy sweating and a runny nose. Stayed in bed. This morning, I feel fine.

Comcast has finally completed its responsibilities. Late last night, I got back wi-fi and hard line.

Like being reborn! Computer, wi-fi and hard line all at one time!

Consistent with most positions he takes, Trump is totally off base as regards the NFL. He fails to realize that freedom of speech includes spitting, urinating, defecating, burning, and dragging through he dirt the American flag. Constitutionally guaranteed free speech.

The United States has survived over 200 years recognizing the right.

Trump understands neither the history of this country or the Constitution. He prefers standing before a huge American flag Patton style denouncing the NFL and its players. Shouting words he is most famous for…..You’re fired!

I feel good this blog has returned to normalcy. Irma is behind us, except for recovery.

Tonight Louis will be at Aqua for Dueling Bartenders. I suspect many others will also.

Enjoy your day!

I AM OK

There is a saying that events occur in threes. I hope I have had my threes re health concerns.

The past several weeks have had their downside. First, my falling and balance problems. Then diverticulitis. Yesterday morning, surprise minor surgery.

Lord, I give up! No more please!

I am fine today. So far.

I will be 80 years old in 33 days. Yesterday morning, I was wondering if I will make it.

Time and energy prevented me doing the blog yesterday morning. My apologies.

I felt ok by evening. Like nothing had happened. Ergo, I did my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. My preparation was lacking. I did the show by merely sitting back and pontificating. I liked the show. Those of you who listened, I hope you did also.

Ally’s birthday was monday. Ten years old. Big! I told Ally she was entering womanhood. She was a young lady. She beamed! We did dinner and Happy Birthday cake.

I screwed up. Robert’s birthday was May 15. I forgot. Did not realize it till I was talking with Lisa about Ally’s birthday. I asked when Robert’s was. Two weeks earlier.

I brought a present for Robert monday night. I apologized to him several times. It was no problem from his perspective. He hugged me tight and kissed me. Robert is now 11 years old.

KONK Life hits the stands today. My column is Corruption Of Politics And Banks. Money, of course, the cause. I suggested two Louis solutions. Read the column, if you can. Guaranteed you will enjoy.

Yesterday, a light rain all day. Today, rain again. Heavier. Another rainy day. A nice break. Cools things off.

I returned to the anti-gravity treadmill monday. It had been two weeks. I took it easy at the beginning. No problem.

The NFL, Roger Goodell, and Tom Brady. Commissioner Goodell insists he is going to hear Brady’s appeal. Bad! It has been consistent law for more than 25 years that a hearing officer cannot be judge, jury and prosecutor at the same time. If Goodell rules against Brady, Brady has a sure win in a court room thereafter.

Since Goodell made the initial decision to find Brady guilty and punish him, it appears the handwriting is on the wall as to what the appeals decision will be.

Enjoy your day

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE TAX EXEMPT

The National Football League’s league office generates $9.5 billion annually in revenues. Commissioner Roger Goodell last year was paid $44 million.
The NFL does not pay taxes on the $9.5 billion. The NFL does pay taxes on its merchandising revenues and in other inconsequential areas. None of which are included in the $9.5 billion in revenue.
The NFL is not a corporation. It is a non profit trade organization. Non profit and trade organization are to be viewed separately.
Non profits are viewed as doing useful unprofitable work. Work which corporations normally will not. The Chamber of Commerce and the American Red Cross are examples of not for profit organizations. Because non profits perform useful unprofitable activities, they are afforded special treatment under the U.S.Tax Code. They are tax exempt.
For whatever reason, professional football leadership since 1942 has been viewed as non profitable. They are recognized as trade organizations. An inexplicable designation.
In 1966, serious consideration was given to the merger of the National Football League and the American Football League. Washington was involved. As was horse trading. Congress agreed to give the merged professional football league favorable tax treatment in return for the promise that a franchise would be awarded to New Orleans. One year later, the New Orleans Saints played its first professional football game..
An example of how our government works. You grease my hand, I grease yours.
Congress passed appropriate legislation in 1966 by which Section 501(c)(6) of the U.S. Tax Code was amended to specifically add professional football and trade associations as entitled to tax exempt status.
The NFL, NHL and PGA are treated alike under the 501(c)(6) provision. Major League Baseball was also until 2007. In the 2007 time frame, a regulation came out that non profits had to disclose by annual report a form 990 setting forth the salaries of top executives.
Major League Baseball was against the salary disclosures. They put knowledgeable and well paid tax attorneys to work. Major League Baseball gave up its tax exempt status after professional assurances that they would not have to pay income taxes. And they have not.
The NFL’s tax exempt status is under attack/scrutiny at the present time in Washington. The cry is that the NFL should not be accorded suchstatus. Several Congressional members have introduced legislation to deny the NFL the tax exempt status they have statutorily enjoyed since 1966.
The NFL has never been known to be generous to politicians. Additionally, their lobbying efforts over the years have been minimal. However in the last 18 months, things have changed. Significant dollars have been spent supporting political candidates and paying lobbyists.
Why all of a sudden after years of not caring? The reason is Daniel Snyder, the owner of the Washington Redskins. Native American groups for 8 years have been trying to get Snyder to stop using the term Redskins. They consider the name and also the team’s logo disparaging. Snyder has adamantly refused.
North American groups are now driving Congress crazy with the demand. Congress is reacting. Congress has reached the point of being sick and tired of the lambasting they are getting because Snyder will not change the name and logo.
As a result, horse trading time has returned between the NFL and Congress. This time it is….. Get Snyder to cooperate or your tax exemption status is gone..
It is thought that any favorable efforts to persuade Snyder and the NFL to cooperate, would effectively kill a vote on the tax exempt status. The bill introductions and clamor by Congress to get rid of the NFL’s tax status is considered by many to be more symbolic than anything else.
Other reasons come into play why any legislation to deny the NFL tax exempt status would fail.
In Washington’s present political climate, it would be difficult to get anything of substance passed. The NFL remains incredibly popular. As mentioned, the NFL is donating millions in  campaign contributions to political leaders, plus throwing an army of lobbyists at them.
The big thing however is the NFL convincing Snyder to back off and change the name and logo. The pressure is there.
An example of how government works.
I believe that any major sport does not deserve tax exempt status. Not with the kind of money involved. The NFL is no different than any highly profitable corporation. We get upset that large corporations pay little or no tax. The NFL is no different.
Everyone should pay their fair share of taxes. No person or group should be given special consideration. As Professor Lloyd used to say in Constitutional law class….. What is good for the goose, is good for the gander.