Today, at the YUM! Brands annual shareholder meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, company CEO David Novak was faced with the results of a new National Center for Public Policy Research poll showing the American people do not agree with recent controversial Yum! Brands decisions.

Yum! Brands, owner of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, recently blackballed a conservative organization over Voter ID and lobbied the government to allow food stamps to be used in its fast food restaurants.

At issue? The America Legislative Exchange Council and the smear campaign by leftist organizations trying to take them down.

Investor’s Business Daily writes yesterday:

The left is targeting ALEC for the simple reason that it’s been effective in promoting pro-business, free-market ideas and policies, mainly by drafting model legislation that lawmakers can use as a template in their own legislatures.

What is ALEC? ALEC is a membership organization of conservative state legislators. It’s really the conservative alternative to the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL). ALEC monitors activity in the states, releases white papers on issues, and drafts and publishes model legislation.

I know these things because I worked there for eight years.

It’s the model legislation that has the leftist panties in a wad. Never mind that it’s just proposed legislation. The legislation still has to be introduced in each respective state, approved and signed into law by that state’s governor.

Oh the horrors that some of the legislation actually passes.

In April, ALEC issued the following statement:

WASHINGTON – Alan P. Dye, legal counsel to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), issued the following statement in response to the frivolous IRS complaint by Common Cause against ALEC:

“The attacks on the American Legislative Exchange Council are based on patently false claims being made by liberal front groups that differ with ALEC on philosophical terms.

“The current complaint mostly ignores applicable law and distorts what it does not ignore. After three decades of counseling clients on nonprofit and federal disclosure requirements, it’s clear to me that this is a tired campaign to abuse the legal system, distort the facts and tarnish the reputation of ideological foes.

“Without question, Common Cause is a partisan front group masquerading as an ethics watchdog.”

What’s the method of attack on ALEC? ALEC, like many non-profits is funded by grants and contributions from the dreaded private sector.

Corporations like Yum! Brands have been targeted and in many cases convinced to drop their sponsorship of ALEC.

The National Center for Public Policy Research press release goes on to say:

“In April, YUM! discontinued its membership in the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) under pressure from a tiny fringe left-wing radical group known as Color of Change,” Danhof told Novak during the meeting. “Color of Change was founded by former Obama Administration Czar Van Jones, who was encouraged to resign after it was alleged that he is a 9-11 ‘truther.’ ALEC supported voter ID laws, which some on the fringe left falsely consider ‘racist.’”

Never mind free speech. Never mind the free exchange of ideas.

The left doesn’t want other ideas even getting to the table.

But if the polling results are accurate, it may be Yum! Brands that aren’t getting to the table.

“I’ve been [in the General Assembly] 21 years. We’ve never appointed an activist of any kind along these lines, much less somebody who has a long history of this,” the legislator said.

Pressed by CNN’s Brooke Baldwin on how he couldn’t give a gay man a chance to be a judge in an age when black people are not forced to sit in the back of the bus and women can vote, Marshall shot back, “Sodomy is not a civil right.”

“Dr. Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks never took an oath of office they broke,” he said. “Sodomy is not a civil right and there’s an effort by homosexual lobbyists to equate the two. That’s wrong. It is a pattern of behavior.”

He added, “When I was in public school … we all said, ‘Keep us from temptation.’ This was because we said the Lord’s prayer. Nobody, nobody — should go where they’ll be tempted. That includes me, that includes you, that includes you, that includes a prospective judge.”

Brian Schoeneman has written a commentary for Bearing Drift on the issue. I do not want to speak for all of our contributors, but several of us are very disappointed in the outcome of this vote and agree with Brian. I won’t repeat Brian’s reasons here.

Personally, I think Thorne-Begland should be a judge. He’s certainly qualified to mete out judgement on traffic tickets and contract disputes in General District Court.

But I am also disappointed regarding what has transpired because of another reason…how conservatives seem to so easily lose the narrative whenever there is a controversy.

Let’s face it. Republicans suck when it comes to talking about race, gender, or sexual preference. It seems no matter what is said or done on these issues, conservatives will end up losing the debate.

For liberals, casting aspersions on Republicans for bigotry is second nature. So, does someone like Marshall really have to go on a global news network and provide liberals more ammunition?

Just more self-inflicted pain for the GOP.

So, while Rasmussen polls tell us that 65 percent of people are angry at the current government’s policies, 51 percent of Americans relate the economy as poor, 56 percent favor the repeal of Obama’s healthcare law, and only 37 percent of Americans give the president favorable marks on how he handles the economy – the narrative is Bob Marshall’s homophobia.

When the President’s budget was nuked 99-0 in the U.S. Senate, Jeff Schapiro, columnist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, attempts to portray Gov. Bob McDonnell – who said exactly the right thing about this issue – as a “culture warrior.”

When state Democrats are fighting for union-only labor for Tim Kaine’s monstrous creation, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which continues to spend taxpayer money on perks and benefits, NBC12 is trying to investigate which delegates did not vote regarding the nomination vote and why.

All of this is self-inflicted by the GOP. If we truly wanted to save America and grow the economy, then these continued distractions and unforced errors wouldn’t keep happening.

Liberals are only doing what liberals do best – distract and misdirect. If conservatives want to get down to business and make this country a better place, we need to focus on what matters.

A subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, BH Media Group, will purchase all of the newspapers owned by Media General, with the exception of the Tampa group, for $142 million in cash. Media General said it is in discussions with other prospective buyers for its Tampa print assets.

Under a separate credit agreement, Berkshire Hathaway will provide Media General with a $400 million term loan and a $45 million revolving credit line. The new loan will be used to fully repay the company’s existing bank debt due March 2013 and will mature in May 2020. In conjunction with this, Media General will issue Berkshire Hathaway penny warrants for approximately 4.6 million Class A shares, which represents 19.9 percent of Media General’s existing shares outstanding. In addition, Berkshire Hathaway has the option to nominate a director to Media General’s Board of Directors.

The newspapers being purchased by BH Media Group include 63 daily and weekly titles in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama, in addition to digital assets, including websites and mobile and tablet applications. The newspapers also have a substantial commercial printing business.

In other words, Buffett got the papers for a song. Plus, he floated the parent company a loan, which it desperately needs to cover its debt obligations. It was just last fall that investors were asking Media General executives whether the company was still a going concern. It appears the loan and credit line are intended to help allay those fears.

So what does all this mean? Buffett bought his hometown newspaper, the Omaha World Herald, in late 2011, paying $200 million for the property. The early report on the sale was positive. It’s quite possible, then, that this could be a good deal for all sides and ensure that in one form or another, the print papers will continue to exist.

But one does have to wonder whether reporters will now be partially paid in Fruit of the Looms and See’s candy.

Excise taxes have their place I suppose, but I’m not going to work up a sweat trying to defend them. I’m a firm believer in equality. If a pair of Wranglers bought at Wal-Mart are taxed at one rate, how do you justify taxing a pack of Marlboro bought at Mom and Pop’s convenience store at a substantially higher rate? Especially a rate that returns to the locality the same amount or more than Mom and Pop earns on that product.

Keep in mind the tobacco tax is not earmarked for health care.

I attended the City Council meeting the evening of May 15th. This was only the first reading, so many of the City Council members could be excused for not knowing much detail. Or maybe not. This is the third time city manager Joe King’s grand idea has been presented in Danville. Councilman Adam Tomer remarked at one time he felt he was in the movie Groundhog Day.

Vice Mayor David Luther, recently defeated in his re-election bid, was either way off his game or completely clueless. At one point even claiming that point-of-sale signage could be found “on the ice cream box” in convenience stores. This was after the public comments so no one could dispute him. I’ll do so now. Sorry Vice Mayor. Can’t happen. Tobacco retailers can’t even place point of sale materials on their counter. All cigarettes must be stored and dispensed from behind the counter. Just like the stuff you buy to stock a meth lab.

Dr. Miller, another councilman and a heart doctor, kept wanting to make it a health issue, even after stating that $3 would not cause his patients to quit. And several times he mentioned having to fill your gas tank after the very short trip into Caswell County NC. Dr. Miller, I know smokers. I was one once. You don’t have to fill up every time you buy a pack.

Most shocking to all attending was the fact that City Manager Joe King and his Deputy had no idea what revenue could be expected from this new law. They could not even say, and back it up with hard math, that it would increase revenue at all. Last month godanriver.com had this;

King said his proposed 30-cent tax on a pack of cigarettes will bring the city $250,000-$300,000 a year in revenue.

Councilman Fred Shanks questioned how King arrived at that figure, asking what the tax would do to cigarette sales.

King said he could only go by what 31 of Virginia’s 39 cities that have a cigarette tax report, but admitted there is a risk of losing sales.

A month later and he was still just as uncertain. His deputy, who apparently did the research, stated that many cities have had the tax in place for some time, so there was no way to go back and see if it has enhanced revenue or not.

Not all of Virginia’s cities tax at the same rate, so I don’t know how you would compare the apple of Williamsburg to the orange of Danville.

Perhaps Danville’s City Council should reject this idea, just like they have twice before. Follow Adam Tomer’s and others lead from last year,

Councilman Adam Adam [sic] Tomer asked Danville City Manager Joe King if the budget could be balanced without new taxes, and King confirmed that was so.

“Then these three taxes (property tax, cigarette tax and meals tax) should die tonight, and balance the budget without them,” Tomer said.

Councilman Alonzo Jones noted that it is obvious what citizens want, and he wants no increases.

Councilman Buddy Rawley said this year can be balanced without an increase.

All of the small business representatives who spoke made it clear they are not defending smoking. They are only asking the City of Danville to support small business. Several mentioned the very real possibility of having to close stores and move a few miles down the road.

Mary Martin, representing PAMCO which owns Tarheel Tobacco, stated that her company had already made the decision. This tax passes and it’s off to somewhere more small business friendly.

John Marklin who, with a partner, owns the Sav-A-Lot store on Piney Forest Road, foresees “laborious and cumbersome” administrative costs with such a tax. His store just started selling cigarettes last week and he says he’ll look more carefully for future store locations.

Blue Ridge Tobacco’s Frank Armstrong hinted darkly that the lease on his in-city location was near its expiration date. He also stated it would greatly impact his company’s plans for future stores in the city.

I ask one question of any councilman who is undecided. If the tax does come to pass and several of these larger retailers close or move, what does that do to the already tenuous revenue forecast from your crackerjack city manager?

My opinion? This is an opinion piece after all. I would recommend a vote against it. Virginia Beach is large enough that a run to the border makes price chasing impractical, I still don’t like it but it probably won’t impact Mom and Pop convenience stores much. In NOVA, where a run for the border might mean a run across several borders, same thing. Every city needs to grow financially. But they need to balance the burden equally. Danville is small enough geographically to make this tax easy to escape from. No city should place such a burden on the smallest of its small business citizens.

Finally. Those of you who have read me for any time know I’m a long time admirer of O.Henry, the master of irony. His ghost was apparently in the room when the agenda for this meeting was composed. The second item on the agenda, under the heading of OLD BUSINESS was this;

Ordinance Amending the Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Appropriation Ordinance by Increasing Revenue from Japan Tobacco International US LLC (JTI) in the amount of $400,000 for the Design and Construction of a Fountain at the Entrance of the River District and Appropriating the Same.
FINAL ADOPTION

Passed unanimously.

Yep. They graciously accepted a $400,000 gift from tobacco, and the very next item on the agenda was this one, taxing tobacco. JTI, better put some ice on that.

NOTE: Nothing in this piece is to be construed as promoting tobacco use. If you don’t smoke now. don’t start. If you do smoke now, quit.