Comments on: Any State with a Name that Begins with the Letter “U” http://crookedtimber.org/2009/09/22/any-state-with-a-name-that-begins-with-the-letter-u/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:56:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Phillip Hallam-Baker http://crookedtimber.org/2009/09/22/any-state-with-a-name-that-begins-with-the-letter-u/comment-page-1/#comment-289409 Phillip Hallam-Baker Sat, 26 Sep 2009 15:22:45 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=13063#comment-289409 Ah but if the Hatch amendment passes, the Democrats will add one that states 'For the purposes of this act the state of Utah will be known as "The State of Utah" and its initial letter shall be considered to be the letter 'T'. Ah but if the Hatch amendment passes, the Democrats will add one that states ‘For the purposes of this act the state of Utah will be known as “The State of Utah” and its initial letter shall be considered to be the letter ‘T’.

]]> By: Salient http://crookedtimber.org/2009/09/22/any-state-with-a-name-that-begins-with-the-letter-u/comment-page-1/#comment-289251 Salient Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:18:13 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=13063#comment-289251 I'd bet even money that Hatch will later count this amendment in his next election cycle ad campaign when summing up how many times he has "written or co-sponsored legislation that would provide tax relief to Utah citizens." I’d bet even money that Hatch will later count this amendment in his next election cycle ad campaign when summing up how many times he has “written or co-sponsored legislation that would provide tax relief to Utah citizens.”

]]> By: david s http://crookedtimber.org/2009/09/22/any-state-with-a-name-that-begins-with-the-letter-u/comment-page-1/#comment-289147 david s Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:37:16 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=13063#comment-289147 I understand Senator Hatch's amendment was offered in protest, if not in jest, reacting to another--presumably serious--amendment that provided some sort of exemptions or lower tax rates for the "17 states with the highest per capita health expenditures" or some such. See also Senator Reid's comments that nothing will pass without Medicaid changes that are favorable to Nevada. I understand Senator Hatch’s amendment was offered in protest, if not in jest, reacting to another—presumably serious—amendment that provided some sort of exemptions or lower tax rates for the “17 states with the highest per capita health expenditures” or some such. See also Senator Reid’s comments that nothing will pass without Medicaid changes that are favorable to Nevada.

]]> By: Jeff http://crookedtimber.org/2009/09/22/any-state-with-a-name-that-begins-with-the-letter-u/comment-page-1/#comment-289123 Jeff Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:48:13 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=13063#comment-289123 Yes, Carol and Kenny may have identified critical loopholes in my somewhat naive draft. Is that "on behalf of" intended to cover client governments, or to refer to the "United States"? Clever. J (in Undiana) Yes, Carol and Kenny may have identified critical loopholes in my somewhat naive draft. Is that “on behalf of” intended to cover client governments, or to refer to the “United States”? Clever.

J (in Undiana)

]]> By: Richard J http://crookedtimber.org/2009/09/22/any-state-with-a-name-that-begins-with-the-letter-u/comment-page-1/#comment-289102 Richard J Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:01:42 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=13063#comment-289102 <i>like, some provision will be passed affecting corporate taxpayers with taxable revenues between X and Y, incorporated in the state of North Columbia, with features Z and W.</i> Fairly uncommon in British tax law, as far as I can tell. There's anti-avoidance legislation, which is fairly tightly drafted to catch specific marketed schemes, but the only case that leaps to mind is how exactly the windfall tax on privatised utilities was actually enacted. Actually, wait, Royal Dutch Shell is fairly explicitly referred to in the Dutch-UK tax treaty. This is not an exciting post, I appreciate. like, some provision will be passed affecting corporate taxpayers with taxable revenues between X and Y, incorporated in the state of North Columbia, with features Z and W.

Fairly uncommon in British tax law, as far as I can tell. There’s anti-avoidance legislation, which is fairly tightly drafted to catch specific marketed schemes, but the only case that leaps to mind is how exactly the windfall tax on privatised utilities was actually enacted.

Actually, wait, Royal Dutch Shell is fairly explicitly referred to in the Dutch-UK tax treaty.

This is not an exciting post, I appreciate.

]]> By: Billikin http://crookedtimber.org/2009/09/22/any-state-with-a-name-that-begins-with-the-letter-u/comment-page-1/#comment-289081 Billikin Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:59:08 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=13063#comment-289081 Uruguay! :) Uruguay! :)

]]> By: Carol Polk http://crookedtimber.org/2009/09/22/any-state-with-a-name-that-begins-with-the-letter-u/comment-page-1/#comment-289077 Carol Polk Tue, 22 Sep 2009 23:48:23 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=13063#comment-289077 #7, would you amend your amendment to say that such funds may not be used to support activities or hostilities against OR ON BEHALF OF any state" with that I in its English name? #7, would you amend your amendment to say that such funds may not be used to support activities or hostilities against OR ON BEHALF OF any state” with that I in its English name?

]]> By: Jim http://crookedtimber.org/2009/09/22/any-state-with-a-name-that-begins-with-the-letter-u/comment-page-1/#comment-289052 Jim Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:37:08 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=13063#comment-289052 If the amendment's statutory version turns out to be as loosely worded as the description in the summary, any state can get the tax relief by adopting "a name" that begins with the letter U. I hope my state picks an interesting statutory alias like "Ulysses" or "Ursula." If the amendment’s statutory version turns out to be as loosely worded as the description in the summary, any state can get the tax relief by adopting “a name” that begins with the letter U. I hope my state picks an interesting statutory alias like “Ulysses” or “Ursula.”

]]> By: Kenny Easwaran http://crookedtimber.org/2009/09/22/any-state-with-a-name-that-begins-with-the-letter-u/comment-page-1/#comment-289027 Kenny Easwaran Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:37:56 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=13063#comment-289027 Jeff - it seems that might result in Congress officially renaming certain countries as "Yraq" and "Yran". They would be nice additions to FYROM as countries whose English name was legislated by a different country. Jeff – it seems that might result in Congress officially renaming certain countries as “Yraq” and “Yran”. They would be nice additions to FYROM as countries whose English name was legislated by a different country.

]]> By: Jeff http://crookedtimber.org/2009/09/22/any-state-with-a-name-that-begins-with-the-letter-u/comment-page-1/#comment-289015 Jeff Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:02:36 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=13063#comment-289015 My amendment to the Dept. of Defense appropriations bill: "Funds appropriated under this Act may not be used to support activities or hostilities against any State or territory with the letter 'I' (i) in its English name." My amendment to the Dept. of Defense appropriations bill: “Funds appropriated under this Act may not be used to support activities or hostilities against any State or territory with the letter ‘I’ (i) in its English name.”

]]> By: LizardBreath http://crookedtimber.org/2009/09/22/any-state-with-a-name-that-begins-with-the-letter-u/comment-page-1/#comment-289013 LizardBreath Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:54:47 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=13063#comment-289013 I believe these are pretty common, and often not nearly this transparent -- like, some provision will be passed affecting corporate taxpayers with taxable revenues between X and Y, incorporated in the state of North Columbia, with features Z and W. It narrows down the provision to one company, but figuring out who, if you don't already know, is difficult. I believe these are pretty common, and often not nearly this transparent—like, some provision will be passed affecting corporate taxpayers with taxable revenues between X and Y, incorporated in the state of North Columbia, with features Z and W. It narrows down the provision to one company, but figuring out who, if you don’t already know, is difficult.

]]> By: Michael Drake http://crookedtimber.org/2009/09/22/any-state-with-a-name-that-begins-with-the-letter-u/comment-page-1/#comment-288995 Michael Drake Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:53:49 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=13063#comment-288995 That's what I call a grU amendment. That’s what I call a grU amendment.

]]> By: Salient http://crookedtimber.org/2009/09/22/any-state-with-a-name-that-begins-with-the-letter-u/comment-page-1/#comment-288945 Salient Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:46:01 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=13063#comment-288945 I can't figure out whether to be relieved or disappointed that Hatch didn't try to actually name this the Edward Kennedy Memorial Amendment. I can’t figure out whether to be relieved or disappointed that Hatch didn’t try to actually name this the Edward Kennedy Memorial Amendment.

]]> By: marcel http://crookedtimber.org/2009/09/22/any-state-with-a-name-that-begins-with-the-letter-u/comment-page-1/#comment-288939 marcel Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:20:12 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=13063#comment-288939 Like, NY, Michigan, too, has or used to have laws similar to the ones LPitkin mentions. The only thing is that these laws outlasted the presence of any cities that satisfied the condition. Like, NY, Michigan, too, has or used to have laws similar to the ones LPitkin mentions. The only thing is that these laws outlasted the presence of any cities that satisfied the condition.

]]> By: lemuel pitkin http://crookedtimber.org/2009/09/22/any-state-with-a-name-that-begins-with-the-letter-u/comment-page-1/#comment-288903 lemuel pitkin Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:20:43 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=13063#comment-288903 New York State has a bunch of laws that apply to cities with populations over 1 million. Sure, there's only one at present, but maybe they are just planning for the coming Yonkers boom... New York State has a bunch of laws that apply to cities with populations over 1 million. Sure, there’s only one at present, but maybe they are just planning for the coming Yonkers boom…

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