A lot has been written about state tax credit programs on this site and many others. I’ve produced and/or directed seven feature films that have used state tax credits as part of their financing structure. I feel it necessary to impart a little wisdom and clear up some misconceptions.

As a businessman, libertarian, and someone who understands economics let me flatly state that I am against excessive taxes. That’s a pretty simple and popular position. Lowering and eliminating onerous taxes would be ideal. My first choice would be to cut taxes across the board. Put more money into the hands of the private sector.

Film tax incentive programs are not the same as “corporate welfare.” They are, in fact, a sneaky conservative or libertarian style way to circumvent the excessive taxes that government loves to heap on us.

Let me explain how they work and why they are a good thing.

Let’s say my film has a $15 million dollar budget. Now, the critics would lead you to believe that the state (in my current situation, Connecticut) would simply cut me a check for $5 million out of the state treasury. Not so. Not so by a long shot. (more…)

The Obama White House, so filled with Harvard graduates, is obviously more interested in teaching than in learning.

“Teachable moments,” remember?

Why the Obama Nation should retain so many slow-learners, spoiled brats refusing to recognize, amidst their Marxist Mania, the reality of Islamic terrorism?

It still takes Sarah Palin to remind these Harvard Czars and their Attorney General that a Chicago, Illinois high school willing to boycott an Arizona basketball game was also willing to send its students off to Red China.

That is obviously the high school’s four-year course in Progressive treason.

The Arizona immigration bill is a human rights offense and Red China is not?!

Radical Islam’s war against America does not exist?! Might Islamic terrorism be a part of a Marxist plan to achieve the so-called Progressive New World Order?

An American, bipartisan political movement, The Progressives, who own the White House, the Congress, the Supreme Court and the Mainstream Media are being embarrassed into making a common sense decision by what would appear to be a group of backward-thinking, bourgeois Americans: Fox News, the Tea Partiers and recent popularity polls. (more…)

In politics, the crisis game works like this: pet issues are turned into national concerns, which then become the object of study for social scientists. The media then substantiate the concerns by publishing the opinions of social scientists, and thus elevate the issue to the level of a crisis. Once concerns become crises, there are demands that something be done. These demands are quickly followed by legislative action that invariably leads to higher taxes, increased government regulation, a loss of liberty, and if the past is any indication, a remarkable increase in whatever was originally identified as a problem. Repeat the cycle.

First lady Michelle Obama has made childhood obesity her pet project. The media is full of reports on the dangers of childhood obesity, and the federal government is in full crisis mode.

There really is no secret to obesity. Obesity is the result of a poor diet and lack of exercise. The people most responsible for the diet and exercise habits of children are the children’s parents. Why should this concern the federal government? The answer is that obesity is a leading driver of healthcare costs. A study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the direct costs of obesity is $147 billion annually or 10% of medical costs. Those costs are expected to more than double over the next decade. As the federal government begins to pick up the tab for more and more of those costs they will also begin to demand a greater influence in what we eat and how much we exercise. Certainly, the fiscal health of the nation demands that government do something.

Worry not. (more…)

***UPDATE: According to Texas Governor Perry’s office:  “At this time, no funds have been released to Troublemaker Studios.”

I’m assuming this statement is in reference to ”Machete.” But Rodriguez wasn’t going to to shoot “Machete” in Texas without the promise of tax incentives:

****END UPDATE

Not sure which is more revealing about our friends in Leftist Hollywood; the blatantly racist double standard at work in Robert Rodriguez’s ”Machete,” or the fact that the same industry relentlessly lobbying both behind the scenes and up on that big screen to “soak the rich for socialism” is also the biggest group of corporate welfare-whores we’ve ever seen. The Worst People In The World are fully aware tax cuts/credits help businesses to create jobs and obviously feel that they’re the only industry entitled to them.

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In the case of “Machete” the tax cuts/credits you and I pay for are being used to intentionally stoke racial tensions.

Infowars.com not only discovered that “Machete” sucked hard on the public teat for funding, but a copy of the script they managed to get their hands on confirms that the actual film is somehow more incendiary than the ”Fuck Arizona” trailer Rodriguez released last week:

Worst of all, Robert Rodriguez’ incendiary race film ‘Machete‘ was made, in part, with help from tax incentives and location access provided by the Texas Film Commission, a division of Governor Rick Perry’s Office. A spokesperson from the organization confirmed that Rodriguez has indeed applied for funding. (more…)

Vicki: Mom, I just did a Tea Party speech in Washington, D.C.  I sang my song, “There’s a Communist Living in the White House!” 

Mom: Oh No!  I don’t want you to get shot! 

Vicki: You see what you just said?  That’s the problem.  “When the people fear the Government it’s Tyranny.  When the Government fears the people, it’s Liberty.”  Thomas Jefferson             

Mom: What?! 

Vicki: When Bush was President they called him horrible names, every day on TV; they even made a movie about him getting shot.  No one was afraid.  That was America; a rude, disrespectful, mean America, but a Free one.  Now, we are actually afraid of the Government, and… 

Mom: Let me get your Dad on the phone…JJJIIIMMM!!  (more…)

Former Police frontman Gordon “Sting” Sumner has once again made news – this time with his insistence that “the people” are clamoring for big government (read: a socialist nanny state):

“Well, you can see the enthusiasm out there. And people are here to really tell big government that we want big government to make big decisions about the most important problems we face. And also to pressure our corporations to behave properly, as consumers, but we’re here to — we’re asking for big government, basically.”

First of all, who is this “we?” Don’t include me in that statement, bucko - or the readers of Big Hollywood, for that matter. And don’t include the millions of Tea Party attendees all across this still great nation of ours. Obviously someone’s too busy polishing the Grammys on his mantel to pay much attention to the news – except to watch videos of his own CNN appearances, natch.

And I have to ask the obvious question – is Mr. Sumner even an American citizen, or is he just here because the US (for now) taxes him at a lower rate than the UK? Either way, he’s a blowhard who doesn’t speak for me. (more…)

So, for this upcoming November election, here’s an idea to help restore American strength and prosperity. White middle-aged men must band together and throw the idiots out.

That’s all there is to it.

At least, if I follow President Obama’s lead. For, in his mind, his victory requires splitting the populace apart – and only these folks matter: young people, African Americans, Latinos, and women.

He says it right here, when appealing to Dems to get out the vote.

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Now, I don’t mind it, cuz he’s being honest. (more…)

The other night I saw Ship of Fools again.

Today, as what I hopefully trust is evidence of the power within Oscar Werner’s acting, I feel as tired as that great actor’s character feels near the end of the film. It is just moments before he has his unforgettably real and excruciating heart attack on the deck of that ship of exceptional performances.

The most exceptional performance, of course … at least in my humble opinion … is that of Simone Signoret.

Where do I begin to describe the mystery of her genius as one of the greatest film actresses we will ever see?

With her own description of her own towering gifts.

“I don’t know about my acting being as great as they say,” she once offered. “But I do know one thing about myself. I am transparent.”

Transparent. (more…)

“Multi-Millionaire Hispanic pop star holds fundraiser for Democratic Party!”

“OK?  And dog bites man?  So where’s the story here?”

The fundraiser at the $10 million Biscayne Bay island estate of internationally-acclaimed and multiple Grammy-winning pop-star Gloria Estefan featured a $30,400 a couple “cocktail party” that helped raise $2.5 million for the Democratic Party!

….. “OK,…. and?”

Obama’s hostess at the posh event, Gloria Estefan, is Cuban-American!

…… “OK…and?”

The Fundraiser has raised a ruckus in South Florida of such proportions that even the Associated Press and Reuters are reporting the details!

……….. “Hunnnh?…. But why?  Isn’t such behavior perfectly typical—indeed, almost obligatory—for folks in her line of work?”

OK, a little background might help. Exit polls show that Cuban-Americans voted against Obama by the highest margins—and by far—of any U.S. ethnic group, including “anglos.” We’re going on almost 50 years of their exile but not all the King’s Horses nor all the King’s Men have been able to bring Cuban-Americans around to follow the lead of the majority in their adopted country and register Democratic. Even with the third generation registering to vote, a measly 13 per cent of these incurably obtuse and unenlightened people register with America’s majority political party. This is the most diminutive Democratic registration of any ethnic group in the U.S. And 72% of these obviously incurable reactionaries are registered with America’s minority party (Republican).  This is the highest for any ethnic group in the U.S. (more…)

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We’re dumb, we’re racist… blah, blah, blah. Yawn, yawn yawn. Let’s get to the meat of it with Bill Maher parroting the latest White House talking points.

The Left, including President Obama and Maher, are laughably transparent with this new narrative-attack on the Tea Party movement. They’ve obviously all gotten together (literally, spiritually?) and decided that this week’s tactic to try and discredit everyday Americans will be to talk about Obama’s “middle class tax cut,” as if to say:

Hello? You idiots are protesting for no reason. Your taxes went down.

The economic types can go ahead and debate whether that’s in fact the case. Regardless, what the left will never understand is that we don’t care if our personal taxes went down. And this flaw in their thinking is what it frequently is when they furrow their brows disapprovingly and peer down upon us… 

They think we think like they do.

They think we’re all selfish narcissists just like they are.

MEMO TO BILL AND BARACK: (more…)

[I gave an abbreviated version of this speech at a Tea-Party in Lake Forrest, California yesterday.]

It’s so nice to be back in Orange County where I grew up.  And it’s great to be surrounded by all of my fellow racist-extremist-morons.  Oh, you didn’t hear?  That’s how the mainstream media is labeling all of us T-party participants. 

It was a bit of a surprise to find out I was a racist-extremist-moron, as I try to deal with all my fellow humans with courtesy and respect.  But if I disagree with a president of mixed race, I am a racist?  Got it.  He’s half-black and half-white…and I’m white… Not sure exactly how that works…especially since one of my most oft-quoted heroes was a Black man.  I harken to the words of Dr. King in supporting a color-blind society.  A person being ‘judged by the content of his character rather that the color of his skin’ type of thing.

And I did pretty well in school, went to college, I try to stay up on current events, I read voraciously and have published a book and written over forty articles that have been published on the Internet, so it surprised me to find out I’m a moron. 

And…like all of you ‘morons’, I believe in the American Constitution.  I believe brilliant minds put it together with built-in limits of power that were meant to safe-guard the sorts of abuses we now see coming at us on a daily basis in Washington, D.C.  (more…)

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None of these Funny or Die videos are funny. They’re on-the nose, heavy-handed, and at times so awkwardly unfunny that you kinda hafta supply your own rim-shot in order to gut your way through the worst of it. You can’t say the people behind the videos aren’t talented. They are. But this stuff is just lazy. Really, “Terminator” music over the closing PSA?

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But isn’t all celebrity masturbation lazy? No one’s trying to do anything more than feel good about themselves. So because that’s the real goal no serious thought goes into the sketch and of course no thought goes into the issue at hand.

Schools aren’t working? Throw money at them! Wow, I feel so much better about myself, so self-gratified, and look at how easy it was to show how much I care about kids. (more…)

So our nation’s top high school paper, USA Today, just published a big poll on all things political. The conclusion: Americans hate everything.

They are, in a word, hatist.

For example, the favorable rating for Democrats has dwindled to 41% – the lowest since Gallup began asking the question nearly two decades ago -and its standing has dropped 14 points since the Great One’s election. That makes us shamefully Democrat-ist.

Also, 50% say the O-man doesn’t deserve re-election. According my figures, that’s half. But I’ll double check. (Yep, it’s half). That means half of America is not simply racist, but also Obama-ist, and electionist, two words I just made up and will tattoo on my thighs.

Meanwhile, three out of four folks say they are dissatisfied with the country’s direction. Three out of four. And they aren’t even dentists – but they are directionist. They make me sick to my stomach. I hate my stomach. I am stomachist. It blocks the view when I’m standing over a mirror. (more…)

I couldn’t believe what happened in the People’s House. It was like getting socked in the gut, all the wind was knocked right out of me. We tried everything to get the Congress to hear to us: letters, emails, faxes, and phone calls, and they just wouldn’t listen.

So we surrounded the Capitol on the morning of the vote. Rather than using the secure underground private subway taxpayers have graciously provided for their security, our “Representatives” arrogantly and defiantly marched right through the protest, just daring someone to step out of line. For the first time in my life, I fear for the future of this country, the last great hope of man.

I still don’t know how the Bill passed. Perhaps it had something to do with Nancy Pelosi saying a prayer to St. Joseph. It was probably so long since he heard from her, that he moved her priority straight to the front of the line. Of course, in her anxious haste, Nancy must have forgotten that St. Joseph is the Saint you pray to when you’re trying to get rid of the House. (I think we’re ALL onboard with that prayer.) (more…)

There was much laughter following the presidents signing of the health care bill. Democrats were positively giddy over having successfully secured America’s decline. There were fist bumps and back slapping; the champagne flowed.

Democrats were not alone in their celebration. Republicans too shook hands with constituents and lapped up attention and praise for, let’s face it, having done very little. But, hey, why let that spoil a good time? My fear is that not only will Republicans not “repeal the bill” should they take control of congress after the mid-term elections, but that in the very near future Republican candidates will also be running on promises to nurture it. Such is my confidence in the current GOP.

Inasmuch as we are toasting the expansion of the administrative state (and thus the demise of our American Republic) we should perhaps also raise our glasses to Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain. All these nations are on the verge of economic collapse due to their fiscal promiscuity. They too love their entitlements and are demanding them even as the ship of state sinks. Portugal is currently running a deficit that is 9.3% of GDP with a debt that is 80% of their GDP. Greece has a deficit of 13% and a debt of 113% of GDP. Just for laughs consider that they are appealing to the United States for financial aid. The U.S. currently carries a deficit that is over 12% and debt that is 94% of GDP. (more…)

This past weekend I was proud to be part of “we the people” who came down to Washington by the thousands to voice their American rights and freedom to say “no” to what we all knew would change our great America into a socialistic America.  With this Obama health care, we will now face extreme hardships in every way and Obama is now more dangerous than ever. 

His ego has been fanned and he will stop at nothing to try to pass the cap-and-trade bill and he will force all union members to openly sign their votes.  We must never forget this blatant and dangerous arrogance by President Obama and Speaker Pelosi and every Democrat leader that voted for this destruction of our great country. 

Let us put memos everywhere to remind ourselves to vote all of these socialistic extremists out of office this coming November and thereafter. (more…)