My criticism of the system is not rhetorical.
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My criticism of the system is not rhetorical.
Tal, by rhetorical I mean it is a self answering question, the answer being apparent without comment from me.
We all want to drain the swamp, get rid of the freeloaders and fellow travellers, lobbyists and influence peddlers, as well as those who feed from the trough of corruption but so long as your system allows the White House to be filled with sycophants who have no responsibility to your electorate you are royally screwed. Trump is such a mess he can't even fill the cabinet positions
Damn! I can't dispute those allegations. We have an election tomorrow to fill a vacant senate seat in the state of Alabama. The Trump sycophant is accused of all kinds of predatory sexual behavior as well as being a stone to the bone racist. He's favored to win. Our diet cokehead president and the republican party are backing him because they need his vote to pass that monstrosity of a tax bill next year.
You guys got Netflix and popcorn in Australia? I might have to visit for a FEW YEARS!
Yes, we have all sorts of wonders including the NBN, Netflix sort of restricts content a bit, but we have Stan too, and Telstra where they give you the world for $100 a month. I'm into chocolate ginger myself. You may be interested to know that one of our Senators, who was feeding from the Chinese trough, has been forced to resign, chalk up one for the good guys.Quote:
Originally Posted by talaniman
You know among the young they use coke to mask all sorts of concoctions so who knows what Dump is drinking but with that much caffeine in his system he must be a bit shaky.
I though your tax bill already passed but then this reconciliation process confuses me. I'm a simple soul, the bill either passes or it does not, you negotiate before the vote not after
You would think that's how it was done, especially a no brainer like tax cuts. EVERYBODY loves those, but this scam NOBODY but rich guys like it. They should, they wrote the darn thing. Truth be told, repubs are scrambling for enough votes even in the house to get this done. Many conservative constituents are protesting the inequality of this sham, and giving their lawmakers an earful, so it's game on.
The democratic party is hands off and repubs in big democratic states are shaking in their boots afraid of losing their jobs. Send me some of that popcorn will ya', extra cheese no butter. It's been a long year already, and 2018 promises to be full of fireworks here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by talaniman
Don't you have any popcorn over there? This was a terrible year in many ways, let me count the ways, no, better not to. I think 2018 might not be as bad, at least the war in Iraq is over, and Syria is all but finished, even Vlad thinks so. The way things are going in the Ukraine, that problem might be solved soon too. This will bring us to China and NK, now if Dump could see his way clear to take the fleets home for Christmas
I don't think the world has found peace and it's more likely just off the attention of the mainstream news. No doubt more hotspots will erupt to help distract us and no telling what Dufus does about them, something loud and goofy as always. Not really worried about Kim getting a sucker punch in, that's been tried before, but the chances of him getting sneaky with his technology, and making the wrong type of friends, is a worrisome proposition.
Actually it's been a good year all things considered, thanks to popcorn and Netflix, and we have plenty of both here, but obviously I'm thinking of a vacation. An island paradise sounds good.
Kim is taking a nasty turn researching biological weapons. He knows he couldn't make enough nukes to make serious inroads into the US but his rockets could deliver biological weapons. I think this tells us what we should already know, his testing program has exhausted his supply for now. I think he might already have a back door to the Iranians but it must be difficult to go from one place to the other. Africa is looking like there are problems there, a lot of long festering rat holes that the remnant of IS can infiltrateQuote:
Originally Posted by talaniman
You want an island paradise, we have a number here the advantage being you are not too far from civilisation. I recommend a barrier reef cruise, sailing in pristine waters
Secretary of State Tillerson has come out and said he was willing talk with Kim with NO preconditions attached. Meaning he doesn't have to agree to giving up, or curbing his nukes just to talk. 'BOUT time, if Trump would keep his big mouth shut long enough. Bio weapons are a whole nother big headache, but the consequences of openly using, selling, such hardware is the same as with the nukes. The middle east is still the hotspot, but Africa has always been, just not widely publicized until recently. You know how it goes when colonial powers leave a big mess, it takes a long time to clean up.
Yes Talking is a plus, you are less likely to fight with someone you talk to, but Trump won't take not being the top of the pile for long and will do something to upset it
Quote:
Originally Posted by joypulv
This comment by joypulv is 100% correct. By the time I wrote it, the elimination of the charity deduction had been withdrawn and, to date, it has not been resurrected.
What charity administrators do fear, however, is that with a doubling of the standard deduction which will eliminate the requirement for many filers to itemize deductions, the tax benefit of charitable giving will diminish since these filers will no longer itemize.
The basic flaws of the tax plan remain: that the middle class tax cuts will phase out leading to a tax INCREASE for that group, and the tax cuts for the wealthy are PERMANENT. And the lie that tax cuts generate revenues that will pay for the cuts. Also known as trickle down, voodoo economics and the Laffer curve, this false economic theory (developed on a napkin in a bar by Arthur Laffer) has been proven false with Reagan, Bush2, and soon Trump.
(Thank you to another member here for bringing this charitable deduction oversight to my attention.)
Voodoo economics or not, someone will benefit over the next few years and the structure will mean the democrats won't have to increase taxes immediately. People love to pick holes in plans; not enough, benefits the wrong people, cuts the corporate rate, increases the debt, but there must be some pluses here hidden behind the rhetoric. Cutting some of the red tape, encouraging investment, lowering the burden on someone on the 50% poverty rate. What I have found over the years is that people are perverse and they don't react as expected particularly where tax is concerned. These tax cuts might mean a higher rate of dividend and they certainly mean no one can be taxed for not having health insurance, the most draconian measure in living history
Quote:
Originally Posted by paraclete
No, no, no, no, no, no, and no.
Those who benefit are the rich and the corporations. The middle class will get a small benefit (1-2K the first year, NOT the 4-9K promised by Trump). Then the middle will pay tax increases as their benefits phase out and expire while the rich will continue to receive their massive benefits PERMANENTLY.
Then Trump and his Republican allies claim the corporate windfalls will result in more jobs and higher wages. Bulls***. The corporations will declare dividends for their already wealthy shareholders and will buy back their stock. The rich will horde their windfalls as they always have done in the past. You want the economy pumped? Give it to the middle class and the poor. They'll SPEND it!
Corporations are wallowing in profits today and there is no need to pump them up in this economic climate. The plan's destruction of the health mandate is in this farce for one reason only - simply to assuage Trump's completely nutty obsession with Obama.
Then there's the deficit. Historically the Republicans screamed bloody murder when the deficit increased. What do they say this time as THEY purposely increase the deficit by a WHOPPiNG 1.5 TRILLION DOLLARS? They lie that the increased revenue coming from the non-existent corporate expansion will pay for the tax cuts. The entire world knows this is more Bull****. This plan is approved by a scant 30% of Americans. That's even less than Trump's core.
Finally, note that Trump et al want the plan approved by next week. A ONE THOUSAND page tax plan with NO time to analyze it, take it apart, discuss it, and arrive at a fair plan.
We don't know what Trump stands to gain by his plan. But we DO know that his loud public proclamation that he "and his friends" will be financially hurt by this plan is an incredible LIE! Based on what we DO know about Trump and his holdings, he and his family will gain something MORE than several hundred MILLION dollars!
Trump is raping America.
Well, relax and enjoy
Quote:
Originally Posted by paraclete
<comment deleted by Athos>
At least Trump can pay his Russian boyfriend back now! Vlad is happy and that's all he cares about.
Yes they will march in lockstep into the abyss
Unfortunately they will take us to the abyss with them. It should be official today, and becomes LAW 60 days after signing. Just in time for donors to pick sides and fund the 2018 elections.
Well Tal you will know in eleven months whether they like it or not, probably few will have had benefit by then. Think of this though, it is a positive that they could agree about something
The Republican Party can ALWAYS agrees on tax cuts, that's what they do best. It ALWAYS makes big deficits and Democrats get swept in and clean up the mess. This is the first time in my lifetime though they have so brazenly enriched themselves. Usually they TRY and hide it like good politicians. At least now they can dump Trump after he signs this monstrosity, for high crimes and misdemeanors, and conspiring with the Russians to subvert the 2016 election.
Then we can drain the swamp!
Not with the Democrats, you can't, they are just as much swamp critters as the Republicans. No, you need a good, ole, revolution, many firing squads, guillotines, gallows and general anarchy. Maybe that's what that cache of UN vehicles is for
Despite all the drug induced gloom and doom from the hysterical left about how everything belongs to the government and how unfair it is to keep anything you earn...
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/th...owe-2017-10-26
MOST people are going to keep a lot more of what they worked hard to earn.
We don't do the blood and guts stuff in our civil wars any more, not this close to an election, but draining the swamp and getting rid of some of The Dufus's greedy sycophants is in order. In modern times Dems have always cleaned up Republican messes. That's not going to change it seems, though this is the biggest mess since Nixon I have ever seen.
The lovefest that followed the passing of the Tax Bill was disgusting, but I can understand the glee at pulling off a trillions of dollars heist right in front of everyone's face. Will they get away with it? That's the real question.
Corporations already keep all of their money. Whose money are they keeping now? How much are you going to get from the pie?Quote:
Originally Posted by smoothy
Heist from WHO... The government doesn't own everything... and allow you to keep a portion. That's OUR money WE earned... not them. They aren't ENTITLED to all of it. How much over and above what you are REQUIRED to give the government do you give... you are aware you can do that, there is a line on your tax return forms for it, just give them all of it. Me I worked for it unlike the entitlement whores who leach off people like me, I want to keep what I worked for.
Personally I strongly WELFARE should end... and able bodied people scamming off disability should be kicked off it too, only those with a REAL disability should see a dime. Fat and Lazy is not a disability.
Hell almost half the people NOW aren't paying their fair share, and they don't think they should pay any at all....and those same lazy bums think the productive half should give them even more free stuff. Sorry, NO sympathy for them....get a job. work like I've had to do or go hungry.
LOL, there are not enough able bodied people on welfare to make a difference unless you count the children or their mama's who are more than half, or the disabled, or old. You loonies have been hollering about that treasure trove of slackers for decades now, while ignoring the working poor who need 3 jobs AND government assistance to buy groceries and pay rent and keep on the lights. Don't believe me? Look at the set up Walmart has that already get a tax break for building a store, and get the wages they pay subsidized by taxpayers too, AND get cheap slave labor to make their products.
You are against welfare, but FOR rich guy welfare? Give me a break with that loony logic my friend. Labor cost are cheaper in Africa than China for your president's daughters clothing line, so what does he do, try to move her sweat shops to Africa to make hi end clothes for rich people, or fashion minded want to be's. She works hard for her money...yeah right!
Daddy made sure she got the money to do it with for sure. LOL, The Dufus has a history of bankruptcies and brings that to the government and you love that too, don't you? Screw those lazy workers he stiffed! Or the banks who will never lend him a dime but Vlad will bankroll him anytime! Bet you loved his MISSION ACCOMPLISHED photo OP with his sycophants yesterday too. You don't have to answer that my friend, I understand you haven't had a lot to celebrate lately, and may be too giddy at the moment, tomake sense.
Hey, enjoy it while it lasts. Glad your finally happy after all those sourpuss years! :D You're cute when you smile in a crocodile sort of way. You are smiling aren't you? Hard to tellwith you sometimes, as it's very rare.
Tal, I grew up in a state that has far more than its share of entitled people, in the County that has the highest percentage. So I grew up knowing a LOT of welfare bums... 99% of them were able bodied enough to do major work on their own cars and trucks.. many of them held under the table jobs.
The RICH people you hate so much pay MOST of the taxes now and have for a very, very long time.. even government statistics prove it, it's the left even those who are among them that choose to be willfully ignorant of it.
This false claim about "Rich" people paying nothing? Pure bull. Ever hear of the Alternative MINIMUM tax... you can't deduct your way lower than that. And THAT is far more than 49% of the population pays now BEFORE their deductions cut that to nothing... and some of the leaches get back money they never paid to begin with.
I'm far from "rich" but I fall in the range that alternative minimum tax applies to.Attachment 48926Attachment 48927
I'm with smoothy no paying for freeloaders
Then let's teach them to fish.Quote:
Originally Posted by paraclete
By all means, should be taught in schools
How about letting them fish in a pond that has fish in it!Quote:
Originally Posted by Wondergirl
Even better idea! Maybe those getting the huge tax cuts will have extra money so they can restock the pond.Quote:
Originally Posted by talaniman
Definitely we should drop the "every kid deserves to go to college" talk, and spend time on teaching industrial arts and practical skills to encourage future plumbers, electricians, construction workers, roofers, carpenters, zoo and animal care workers, auto mechanics, etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by paraclete
A few musicians and artists wouldn't hurt the culture.
Yes how are you doing with that?
GREAT, and getting better.
No comment
No comment to what? You always have a comment, and I for one value it.
OrQuote:
Definitely we should drop the "every kid deserves to go to college" talk, and spend time on teaching industrial arts and practical skills to encourage future plumbers, electricians, construction workers, roofers, carpenters, zoo and animal care workers, auto mechanics, etc.
Which of these comments offered is it you have no comment too?Quote:
A few musicians and artists wouldn't hurt the culture.
I know you made a distinction before about trades and professions, but they are both HONEST work are they not? Or do you think that artists and musicians are a waste of human time and non productive and don't contribute to the good of the society and culture? Or do you stand with Smoothy about the VAST numbers of able bodies that don't want to work at all?
LOL, The Dufus is taking credit for turning America around in a few months, and indeed things are definitely trending up, but they were before he got here, and the finances of the whole global community have shown the same trends. So while we slobber all over the guy with praise, lets watch what the recipients of those hi end trillion of windfall dollars do with their gains.
It's really easy to take credit for a few 3% quarterly growth results, but if it's not sustained over time, or wages don't grow and create DEMAND will he also take the blame?
No comment to great and getting better, aspirations are terrific, but we really want to see improvement among your artists and musicians, we can't keep lending you ours
I really don't care about Trump, he takes credit for things that don't have a lot to do with him, but he has a few years to put runs on the board, let us see then. When he can turn in years without recession, he will have something to crow about.
Look Tal, a strong america is good in world affairs, same can be said for EU, Russia or China. Let us just have more cooperation and less argy bargy
I gotcha and concur and my apologies for past name calling as I really shouldn't be so blunt (Or mistaken) to make a point, but I guess passions can run wild, and the written word betrays intents. Argy bargy is my natural state, but debate is the desired one. Damn those personal flaws.
I will strive to do better Clete, as I much enjoy our interactions. I hope you don't mind if I don't hold my breath waiting for The Dufus to do better than he has. I have zero tolerance for lying bully con men who require his sycophant to slobber over him, as that doesn't make America great or strong. It does the opposite and I get really argy bargy about that.
Nor will I hold my breath waiting for the greedy rich capitalists to do the right things with all that loot repubs bestowed upon them with NO strings attached. I get really argy bargy about that too!
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