USA Today: The number of Delta passengers who bought tickets with NRA discount: 13
Mar 9, 2018, 8:56 am
#151
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL PM, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 8,414
This is classic! So a few legislators said they would vote one way or another and suddenly they are squelching free speech by imposing a tax that should rightly be imposed. I am sure all those upset about this were all up in arms when the IRS was squelching free speech a few years ago. 
Once again, this is not about tax policy (or gun policy for that matter).
I don't have an opinion on whether or not the tax policy proposal was good policy. I don't know about, or really care about, the economic policy of the state of Georgia.
What I care a whole lot about is the state taking what I see as unconstitutional punitive action in response to any person or entity making a political statement or taking political action that the government leadership disagrees with. DL is free to take a position against or for the NRA, and in a democracy where free speech and nonviolent political expression are firmly protected rights, the government is explicitly not free to respond to this political expression with any type of punishment. Citizens, on the other hand, are free to respond. This is really important for all of us, conservative and liberal alike.
When Cagle tweeted that "corporations cannot attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back” as the reason for dumping the tax break, it suddenly became a very real free speech issue. In this case Cagle was not responding as an individual using his own rights to free speech, rather, he was (and remains) a representative of the state, and proposing that the state unconstitutionally punish Delta for Delta's constitutionally protected political expression. He proposed doing this through one of the most powerful tools that the state has: taxation.
Mar 9, 2018, 10:17 am
#152
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Back in Reds Country (DAY/CVG). Previously: SEA & SAT.
Programs: DL PM 1MM, AA PLAT, UA Silver, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 10,355
Once again, this is not about tax policy (or gun policy for that matter).
I don't have an opinion on whether or not the tax policy proposal was good policy. I don't know about, or really care about, the economic policy of the state of Georgia.
What I care a whole lot about is the state taking what I see as unconstitutional punitive action in response to any person or entity making a political statement or taking political action that the government leadership disagrees with. DL is free to take a position against or for the NRA, and in a democracy where free speech and nonviolent political expression are firmly protected rights, the government is explicitly not free to respond to this political expression with any type of punishment. Citizens, on the other hand, are free to respond. This is really important for all of us, conservative and liberal alike.
When Cagle tweeted that "corporations cannot attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back” as the reason for dumping the tax break, it suddenly became a very real free speech issue. In this case Cagle was not responding as an individual using his own rights to free speech, rather, he was (and remains) a representative of the state, and proposing that the state unconstitutionally punish Delta for Delta's constitutionally protected political expression. He proposed doing this through one of the most powerful tools that the state has: taxation.
I don't have an opinion on whether or not the tax policy proposal was good policy. I don't know about, or really care about, the economic policy of the state of Georgia.
What I care a whole lot about is the state taking what I see as unconstitutional punitive action in response to any person or entity making a political statement or taking political action that the government leadership disagrees with. DL is free to take a position against or for the NRA, and in a democracy where free speech and nonviolent political expression are firmly protected rights, the government is explicitly not free to respond to this political expression with any type of punishment. Citizens, on the other hand, are free to respond. This is really important for all of us, conservative and liberal alike.
When Cagle tweeted that "corporations cannot attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back” as the reason for dumping the tax break, it suddenly became a very real free speech issue. In this case Cagle was not responding as an individual using his own rights to free speech, rather, he was (and remains) a representative of the state, and proposing that the state unconstitutionally punish Delta for Delta's constitutionally protected political expression. He proposed doing this through one of the most powerful tools that the state has: taxation.
Mar 9, 2018, 10:28 am
#153
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: Formaldehyde Medallion DL DieMiles
Posts: 12,646
All three adjectives apply in your statement about the Legislature.
But, I submit, two of them still apply to DL.
What we have here is two groups grasping for PR benefits. One group in $100 suits, and the other group in $700 suits.
Mar 9, 2018, 11:27 am
#154
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: on the path to perdition
Programs: Delta, United
Posts: 4,786
Uh no, read above the tax break expired at the end of June 2015. So for over two and half years Delta was NOT RECEIVING a tax break for fuel which changes the context of many of the posts. That was my point.
Jul 30, 2018, 2:08 pm
#155
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: ATL
Programs: AA GLD Skymiles DM MM, a+ rewards lifetime elite, AS, Marriott plat, PC plat, HH gold
Posts: 1,275
https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regi...variation-test
Delta, et al to get tax break after all. (at least until February 2019)
Delta, et al to get tax break after all. (at least until February 2019)
Jul 30, 2018, 7:46 pm
#157
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ATL
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt LT DM, Wyndham DM, Hertz PC, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,038
Jul 30, 2018, 8:57 pm
#159
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ATL
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt LT DM, Wyndham DM, Hertz PC, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,038