Presidential hopeful Herman Cain has jumped to the top of Republican polls thanks to a bold tax scheme called the “999 Plan.” But it’d be even bolder if Sim City hadn’t come up with the idea eight years ago.

The 999 Plan would impose a nine percent corporate tax rate, a nine percent income tax rate and a national sales tax of nine percent. Those are the exact same rates used by 2004’s Sim City for industrial, residential and commercial taxes, the Huffington Post points out.

While it’s possible that Cain’s simple and memorable tax plan drew inspiration from his years as chairman and CEO of Godfather’s Pizza, there’s no denying that Sim City 4 had the idea first.

via Herman Cain’s ’999 Plan’ Looks a Lot Like Sim City’s 999 Plan – Techland – TIME.com.

Letterman just did a nice little bit on this one (I’ll try and find the link tomorrow).  I’m giving Cain…roughly until the end of October before he fades back into the pack.  Let’s see how this plays out…

Wall Street’s long occupation of the middle class http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUS234130118420111013?irpc=932

She commuted to the protests, she said, while holding down two part-time jobs. She lived at home and helped her schoolteacher mother, who also worked two jobs, support her jobless, 60-year-old father. She asked to be identified only by her middle name –Susan –because she feared her bosses would fire her for attending protests. She didn’t talk of revolution.

She talked of correction. “Like any great nation and country, there are also hitches in the plan,” she told me. “And things that need to be changed.” Corporate America has gained the upper hand on the American middle class, she told me. A year after graduating from college, she was working as a part-time manager at two different retail chains in New Jersey.

The companies use part-time managers, she said, so they don’t have to pay benefits. “It’s their policy,” she said, “which is why I’m here.”

The sad part here is that the MBA who came up with these b.s. policies got a raise and promoted.

UPDATE:  The title reference is to this young lady.