Yes, it is almost as if the 35% rate was designed to punish small companies that did not have the accountants and lawyers that promote the effective lower rates, or the S-Corp style taxation where the profits are taxed at the potentially even higher personal income tax rate.

Congress used to exempt themselves from Social Security, but they have not done so since 1984. http://www.factcheck.org/2007/12/members-of-congress-pay-social-security-taxes/

Popular vote margin of 2% is not a "crushing defeat" by any objective measure -- It should be considered a comfortable margin in that no recount would overturn Obama's win though.

As long as it costs $10,000 per kg to lift payload into orbit solar power satellites are ridiculous.