The Goat Pen

Ocasio-Harris called for the abolition of all private insurance. Within 24 hours she retracted it. Apparently somebody told her how many billions the insurance companies donate to Democrats each year. That got her mind right.

Professor Tiger wrote:Ocasio-Harris called for the abolition of all private insurance. Within 24 hours she retracted it. Apparently somebody told her how many billions the insurance companies donate to Democrats each year. That got her mind right.

She was right. Billions of dollars a year for providing zero goods or services. Whole thing is a shell game designed to make a few folks rich off the backs of the working class. You can't say shit like that in public though. She was right to retract too.

I must say, the current crop of Democrats are saying all the loony stuff they’ve been dreaming of since those acid trips at Yasgur’s farm back in the 60’s, but were too afraid to say it in public; abolish ICE, abolish borders, Medicare for all at the cost of 32.6 trillion over the next 10 years, top tax rates in 90% range, out with capitalism in with socialism, 100% renewable energy in 10 years, legalizing third and fourth trimester abortions, criminalizing the Knights of Columbus, you know... the usual kind of things that liberals dream up during acid trips.

They certainly appear liberated and refreshed. I am happy for them. And to a Trump supporter, this is beyond fantastic. Glorious. Too exquisite too be true, but it is. Please... never.... stop....

If you really think the rich actually paid 90% in taxes back then...you're delusional.

Interesting article about taxes in the 50's. Back then it was Hollywood actors who were the super wealthy, not corporate execs or hedge fund managers.


https://www.accountingtoday.com/article ... a6a39219be

Worst. Super Bowl. Commercials. Ever.

sardis wrote:If you really think the rich actually paid 90% in taxes back then...you're delusional.

Please note the words, “but were too afraid to say it.”

Also, back in 1969 Woodstock, the Left demanded that we get out of Vietnam, where we had been fighting for around five years, because it was futile. But today’s Left is angry at Trump for pulling us out of Syria, and even Afghanistan, where we have been fighting for 18 years.

politico survey shows that roughly 60% of Americans are behind the "soak the rich" mentality of taxation right now.

I'm not surprised but the bigger issue to me is what is their end game with this? Do they think it will be a transfer of wealth either directly or by proxy thru the government?

I must say I'm also disappointed in the tax cut results. We have record employment which translates into record tax revenue yet we're still borrowing at pre-tax cut rates.

I'm actually good with cutting the military, I'm good with raising the retirement age from 67 to 69 (heh...69) as long as SS doesn't become means based

There are several ways to address tax earnings/revenue

but soaking the rich isn't going to address income inequality. Its not going to lower housing/rent prices on the coasts. Its not going to reduce the cost of a college education and its not going to raise the income of lower wage workers.

Yes, universal health care is an option - an option where 71% of the population does not get their health care currently from the government or is subsidized by the government. And if you ask them they don't *want* government health care, they just want what they have to be affordable.

At the end of the day, the people the progressives are touting to help is a relatively small number of Americans. The same level of people we saw Obamacare supposedly help by introducing inflated deductibles and monthly premiums they couldn't afford without a subsidy - yet carried over into the masses that could.

I just hope that the people on board with the Democrats tax will demand to know exactly what they will get from their government when they implement their vision. I'm willing to bet many of them will be surprised to learn they aren't the demographic the Warren's and AOC's of the world are wanting to help.

Socialism always sounds great on paper, especially to young people, who are a big part of that 60%.

They will be in for a rude shock if they are successful and bring socialism here. They won’t like standing in line for 3 hours to get their machiatto double shot extra foam decaf at Starbucks. And when they finally get to the head of the line, the choice will be “coffee.” Which they will be out of. Next shipment due in 3 weeks. Maybe.

They also won’t like the rolling power blackouts, when they won’t be able to play their video games or surf the web or get new tattoos. They won’t even be able to take refuge in psych meds. They will all be free, but out of stock. Next shipment at Christmas.

I don't buy that vision of their socialism

They say it for affect because they have to differentiate themselves from the masses

The reality is though, once they get down to it, they aren't going to help that many people. Married couples making $15 an hour working full time are hovering around the $60K a year mark

and if they suddenly decide that married couples making say $100K a year or less qualify for help that isn't prorated, they could tax the wealthy at 99% and still not bring in enough revenue to make a difference.

At the end of the day, their version of socialism is going to be very much like a Republicans version of a tax credit. They'll put about $3K in the pocket of the working poor. They aren't going to make "real" college free, they aren't going to have single payer universal health care, and they aren't going to create a boom in low cost housing in areas of high demand.

And to get whatever they are promising, we'll add another $700 billion a year on the national debt.

Professor Tiger wrote:

sardis wrote:If you really think the rich actually paid 90% in taxes back then...you're delusional.

Please note the words, “but were too afraid to say it.”

Also, back in 1969 Woodstock, the Left demanded that we get out of Vietnam, where we had been fighting for around five years, because it was futile. But today’s Left is angry at Trump for pulling us out of Syria, and even Afghanistan, where we have been fighting for 18 years.

60,000 Americans KIA in Vietnam, not even six in Syria. But it's not just the left who is angry, right prof? It's literally everyone who isn't Donnie, Junior, and Eric (nobody can pin Jared down on this move).

And I too am skeptical of the 70-90% top end brackets of the prior century. As that rich old hag succinctly put it, "only the little people pay taxes."

We have record employment which translates into record tax revenue...

Cute that you think that. How many of these new jobs do you think are decent paying ones with retirement, good healthcare and job security? I'll give you a hint. It's 0.

Tree wrote:

We have record employment which translates into record tax revenue...

Cute that you think that. How many of these new jobs do you think are decent paying ones with retirement, good healthcare and job security? I'll give you a hint. It's 0.

what how many of those points have anything to do with tax revenue?

0

we didn't create 300K burger flipping jobs last quarter

eCat wrote:

Tree wrote:

We have record employment which translates into record tax revenue...

Cute that you think that. How many of these new jobs do you think are decent paying ones with retirement, good healthcare and job security? I'll give you a hint. It's 0.

what how many of those points have anything to do with tax revenue?

0

Might want to take a second and rethink that.

it would help if you did

55,000 Education and Health Services Health care added 42,000 jobs in January with gains in ambulatory health care (+22,000) and hospitals (+19,000). Job growth in health care had averaged 29,000 per month in 2018.+52,000 ConstructionConstruction employment rose by 52,000 in January. Job gains in specialty tradecontractorswere split between the residential (+15,000) and nonresidential (+19,000) components. Residential builders added 9,000 jobs. Employment in construction grew by an average 27,000 in 2018.+27,000 Transportation and Warehousing Transportation and warehousing added 27,000 jobs in January. Warehousing and storage accounted for 15,000 of the jobs gained, followed by couriers and messengers (+7,000). In 2018, job growth in transportation and warehousing averaged 18,000 per month. 30,000 Professional and Business Services Employment continued to trend up in professional and business services in January (+30,000). Job growth had averaged 46,000 per month in 2018. 7,000 Mining and LoggingMining employment rose by 7,000 in January. Over the past 12 months, mining has added 64,000 jobs. +8,000 Government Government employment changed little in January. The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019requires federal agencies to provide back pay to employeeswho were on furlough during the reference pay period. These employees will receive pay forthe reference period;therefore, they were counted as employed in January.Federal government employment changed little in January (+1,000).

eCat wrote:it would help if you did

55,000 Education and Health Services Health care added 42,000 jobs in January with gains in ambulatory health care (+22,000) and hospitals (+19,000). Job growth in health care had averaged 29,000 per month in 2018.+52,000 ConstructionConstruction employment rose by 52,000 in January. Job gains in specialty tradecontractorswere split between the residential (+15,000) and nonresidential (+19,000) components. Residential builders added 9,000 jobs. Employment in construction grew by an average 27,000 in 2018.+27,000 Transportation and Warehousing Transportation and warehousing added 27,000 jobs in January. Warehousing and storage accounted for 15,000 of the jobs gained, followed by couriers and messengers (+7,000). In 2018, job growth in transportation and warehousing averaged 18,000 per month. 30,000 Professional and Business Services Employment continued to trend up in professional and business services in January (+30,000). Job growth had averaged 46,000 per month in 2018. 7,000 Mining and LoggingMining employment rose by 7,000 in January. Over the past 12 months, mining has added 64,000 jobs. +8,000 Government Government employment changed little in January. The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019requires federal agencies to provide back pay to employeeswho were on furlough during the reference pay period. These employees will receive pay forthe reference period;therefore, they were counted as employed in January.Federal government employment changed little in January (+1,000).

These types of job gains have been going on since the recession of 2008 when tons of them were killed. Trump's additional "record employment" jobs are based on short term smoke and mirrors. What is it that you think he's doing that is creating good paying jobs? Supply side stimulus? You'd be laughed out of the debate by any economist worth a damn saying that. So what then?

now your changing the narrative

I'm not interested nor do I care about what Trump has done in regards to jobs growth

my comment was on record employment and that should translate to record tax revenue

eCat wrote:now your changing the narrative

I'm not interested nor do I care about what Trump has done in regards to jobs growth

my comment was on record employment and that should translate to record tax revenue

Trying to get you to take a step back from your whopping 1 month of (probably manipulated anyway) stats and see the big picture is changing the narrative?

Tree wrote:

eCat wrote:now your changing the narrative

I'm not interested nor do I care about what Trump has done in regards to jobs growth

my comment was on record employment and that should translate to record tax revenue

Trying to get you to take a step back from your whopping 1 month of (probably manipulated anyway) stats and see the big picture is changing the narrative?

just quit while you are behind

I feel like I'm watching a repeat of the super bowl.