monitoring Trump and relevant contemporary events

See the thing is, I think a majority of us are already quite embarrassed by several things, but with the chokehold lobbyists have on our government, embarrassment is about as far as it goes. Gun violence for instance. And I know a lot of us are embarrassed about the thing we have as president.

So why oppose any discussion that dwells on how the hell did he end up in that job?

A handful of Russian hackers with a 100 grand to spend on social media didn't win it for him.

I don't think that would happen. McCain would surely take another opportunity to stab a fellow Republican in the back in exchange for some temporary praise from the left, and maybe a few others would attack him, but I think most Republicans would think about it for a bit and come to the conclusion that it's no big deal.



I don't see why dictatorship is required for pardons to be successful. The power to issue pardons is part of his normal presidential authority.

Firing Mueller would be more of a headache, as then he'd have to veto legislation reinstating Mueller, and some of that legislation would be attached to things that he'd rather sign into law.

But simply issuing a dozen or so pardons, that won't cause any trouble at all.

The public option would have been an insurance company administered by the government. I am unaware of anyplace in the world that has enacted such a thing.

Is being robbed at gunpoint worse than being robbed with a knife at your throat?

Republican Tax Plan Thoughts

1) Not sure why there is a need to bump the 39.6% bracket up to income over $1MM instead of the current level of ~$500k. People would now pay 35% on income between 500k-1MM which saves them roughly $25k/yr in taxes. I don't think people making 1MM/yr need a 25k tax break here, given the budget deficit and national debt.

2) I think phasing down the mortgage interest deduction to 500k loans is a good move. If you can afford a home with more than a $500k mortgage, then you can afford to pay taxes on the interest. I think this should be eliminated entirely (and I say this as someone about to take on a 400k mortgage). Simplify the tax code.

3) I think removing the childcare tax deduction is a good thing too. It's going to hit the middle class which stinks, but I don't agree with this deduction either. Simplify the tax code.

4) Medical expenses tax deduction going away....I'm also good with this deduction going away. Simplify the tax code.

5) I like the bigger standard deduction too...as a compensation for removing some tax deductions, now everyone gets a larger standard deduction. This will help renters and people without kids who couldn't take advantage of some of the other tax credits.

6) I don't mind the tax deductions to business either. I think 20% is probably too low unless they're removing a huge number of business loopholes (which I don't think they are), but I'm ok with lower business taxes in general if it means higher taxes on individual income and/or fewer loopholes.

What I'm not happy about is that this tax plan seems to give a lot more to the rich than the middle class. Take the surgeon couple making 1MM/ year. They just got $25000 back in taxes. They don't need this to make their lives better, at least not compared to the family making 100k who just lost their childcare tax credit and their medical care expense credits. I'd much rather see lower rates for those making <60k/yr instead of lower rates for millionaires. I would have liked to see a new top tier 45% rate on income over $1MM too. Usually it's those hollywood liberals and ungrateful sports stars making that kind of salary anyway. CEOs take lower salaries and lots of stock options that get taxed at 15%.


Just some initial thoughts...I need to do more research.

Generally speaking though, I like to see a simpler tax code, higher rates on higher earners (>200k), lower rates on lower earners (<60k).

Don't like removing the inheritance tax either. Tens/hundreds of millions in wealth should not be able to be passed down in families for generations without being taxed. Especially considering that some of this generational money has been around for 100 plus years and sometimes earned in less than lawful means.

Why not?

You work your ass into the ground to gain millions and you can't leave it your kids?

Your problem is that you can't imagine anyone amassing millions honestly, and so you assume these "fat cats" cheated their way to wealth, and therefor they have to give some of their wealth, upon dying, to your kids.

Worry about what you leave your progeny and stop stealing from the progeny of the successful.

You give it to your kids while your alive. Or you simply leave your kids 5 Million tax free and whatever number of millions taxed at the estate tax.

Including, presumambly, criticism of HRC or the DNC, but hey, don't listen to me or blathm...Setana is telling you this thread is all about "President Plump" and if you don't mind him you are either a tool or a Russian Operative.

No you give it all to your kids. Why do your kids have a claim on it?

You forgot to mention hissy the fit.

I guess the board mods are also bleeding heart HRC fans, if you look at their track record here.

The "thing?"

Yet ehbeth defaults to China being more enlightened than the US or even Canada.

I bet she just loved when the WH Communication Director put a Mao ornament on the WH Christmas tree.

And you folks keep trying to tell the rest of us that you are "Centrists."

Yeah, totalitarian Chinese state!

Pathetic

It would be nice?

That's all you can muster?

You're among those greatly embarrassed about your country. What more do you want? A congressional declaration that we are a nation of shits?

If anyone thinks China is a superior country to the US (or Canada) then they should put a sock in it and move to Shanghai.

Once you get there the Chinese capitalists will send you to the lo mein food line.

You omitted the thread title, "Monitoring Trump and relevant contemporary events". Let me explain why HRC is no longer relevant. Except in one very important way.

If Democrats, led by Obama and left wing media had, over the first year of that presidency, engaged in constant and unending smears of John McCain (or Mitt Romney) in order to distract attention from revelations of broad attempts by the Cuban or Chinese regimes (regimes which many top players in Obamaworld had deep financial connections) to tip the election for Obama and to wreak havoc in US politics and to foment hatred towards the GOP, then that would have been politically notable because it would have been so fucked up and dishonest and, indeed, traitorous.

And because of what is actually happening right now on the right, that is the only way in which HRC is now made relevant here.

FLASH, FLASH, FLASH!!!!!

Carter Page met with Russian government officials during a July, 2016 trip he took to Moscow. He had advised Jeff Sessions he was going on this trip and informed tRump officials of his meetings in eMails. This was disclosed to correct previous lies he had made known in public interviews in testimony to the House Intelligence Committee on Thursday by readings of these eMails to him.

Another shoe drops, how many legs does tRump have? The noose tightens......

The reason that I always comment on attempts to divert the discussion to Clinton and the Democrats is that it is a rather obvious tactic to move the focus away from Plump. This is, by the way, the newest tactic of the internet center in St. Petersburg. Even Plump has tried to shift the focus by calling for an investigation of Clinton and the Democrats, as has already been noted here. One would have to be a complete fool not see that all right wing efforts lately have been to move the spotlight off the national embarrassment in the oval office.