If you saw the bizarre exchange on Morning Joe this morning, on MSNBC, it's pretty evident that Lawrence O'Donnell about to go the same way as Olbermann and Ratigan and Bashir. So, if you're an O'Donnell fan, or if you don't like what happened to the other liberal fire-brands that I mentioned, then you'd better start tweeting and messaging MSNBC. These campaigns of removal don't take long, so better start NOW.

Here's a link to MSNBC, if you wish to comment: [link:http://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe#|

If I understand the trade agreements to which the U.S. is bound, we can't charge tariffs on imported goods from our major trading partners and they (supposedly) can't do the same on their end with our products either.

My question: If the U.S. switched to a national sales tax -- with income tax progressively kicking in for higher earners -- and then, in return, gave tax rebates to the buyers of U.S. products, would that violate the letter of the trade agreements we've signed?

I'm sure our trading partners would institute the same practice on their end in retaliation. But it sounds like they're been doing this all along, in effect, with subsidies to their domestic companies.

Please educate me!

Thanks!

Did the intent of the secessionist episode in our history truly pass away, or was it just put on the back burner to simmer?

I wonder if the degree of obstructionism we're seeing from Republicans in recent years is actually obstruction in the traditional sense, or is it instead a way to achieve some sort of de facto secession? What better way to break up a union than to damage the ability of a union's central nexus to function?

Thoughts?

PS: This is my first attempt to start a discussion, so I apologize if it is inappropriate for the 'General' category.