Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

[Kepler]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

Well then. Let the gnashing of teeth begin.

* Restore high-bracket tax rates to Clinton-era levels: $1T
* Cut tax-expenditure spending through the tax code: $1T
* Cut health care spending: $0.5T
* Cut other mandatory spending by: $0.4T
* Cut security spending: $0.4T
* Cut non-security discretionary spending: $0.8T
* Those reductions will carry with them a reduction in net interest of: $1.2T

Total twelve-year deficit-reduction target of: $5.3T relative to the current-policy baseline.

 

[5mn_Major]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

What he has in the "he's a business guy" department he'll trade back the moment he says something stupid, which will likely be about 5 minutes from now.

I'm inclined to believe Trump has no serious political ambitions and is simply riffing off the populist brand in order to launch his next financial venture. He's Mountain Dew marketing to teenagers, where the teenagers are the GOP base. That actually makes his exploding neon stupidity remarks (birtherism, etc) more explicable -- "there is no such thing as bad publicity."

In large part, it depends if he starts saying stupid stuff or not (ie, like when he said its time to go to war with China).

Having said that if anyone has ambition its Trump. Who knows what he wants (commercial publicity could be it), but many other celebs have had political ambitions as the final frontier. In the end, people have lost alot by underestimating Trump and overestimating the wisdom of the electorate.

 

[Priceless]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

Well then. Let the gnashing of teeth begin.

* Restore high-bracket tax rates to Clinton-era levels: $1T

TEH SOCIALISM!
How about we restore them to Eisenhower-era levels?

 

[geezer]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

If this is true the Republicans really screwed up.

My impression of tea party people (we've got a bunch of 'em here, "rally this Saturday!") is that their usual media portrayal as an "astroturf" leg of the Republican Party couldn't be further from the truth. The Republican Party has been far too liberal for them since... Eisenhower? They're genuinely independent of the two parties.

 

[joecct]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

TEH SOCIALISM!
How about we restore them to Eisenhower-era levels?

Or Sweden?

Seriously, the tax code has, one again, gotten way out of hand. IMO, it's not the rates that are the problem, it's the deductions / exemptions. IF the code was simplified to eliminate most / all of the deductions, we could probably afford a much lower rate(s).

Then the vast majority of the US taxpayer would pay a lot less, but the ubers would pay more even with a lower rate as they should/would have more taxable income. For example, 15% on all income above $35,000. Tax:
35,000.......$0
50,000.......$2,250 effective tax rate: 4.5%
100,000......$9,750 etr 9.75%
250,000......$32,250 etr 12.9%
500,000......$69,750 etr 14.0%
22,000,000...$3,294,750 etr 14.97%

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

Well then. Let the gnashing of teeth begin.

* Restore high-bracket tax rates to Clinton-era levels: $1T
* Cut tax-expenditure spending through the tax code: $1T
* Cut health care spending: $0.5T
* Cut other mandatory spending by: $0.4T
* Cut security spending: $0.4T
* Cut non-security discretionary spending: $0.8T
* Those reductions will carry with them a reduction in net interest of: $1.2T

Total twelve-year deficit-reduction target of: $5.3T relative to the current-policy baseline.

Fail.

 

[Old Pio]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

Yeah, I immediately thought of Perot, too. I just don't know if Trump would throw that much of his own money into the election like Perot did.

Ross Perot went from being highly respected to highly suspect. Remember? He was against govmint spending, but the basis of his fortune is government contracts. He blamed Bush for sending goons to disrupt his daughter's wedding reception. And claimed he shot a Black Panther assassin in the azz/ And, my favorite, gave up his commission in the Navy "because the sailors were using bad language." Anyway, in Perot's case it was personal, he wanted to deny Bush a second term and was singularly successful. Clearly, Trump's motivation here is different. And the world is a different place now, where a guy like Trump is seen as a plausible candidate (and may be, who knows?). He's got a lot of baggage from his personal life. And as a NY player has undoubtedly done business with guys with broken noses. Some picture surfaces of Trump with his arm around Joey Bagodonuts and he'll have a lot of 'splaining to do. The "birther" issue gives him street cred with the Jesse Ventura crowd. But it may be more than that. Maybe some people want to slap back at BHO or are worn out by constant references to what a superior person he is. Anyway, my sense is some people really believe the nonsense, while others just see it as an easy way to rain on his parade. As to an independent run, I'm doubtful he'd be willing to do it. The guy has a lot going for him (money and name recognition to name two) but has some serious potential problems with his private life. I'm guessing there are some very interesting items in his various pre-nups and divorce decrees. And that personal stuff always comes out, just ask John Edwards. Bottom line, I think this is a tease.

 

[Priceless]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

Comparing the GOP plan and the Obama plan.

Total military spending would be the same as in President Obama’s 2012 budget proposal.

The proposal includes deep cuts in taxes. The top tax rate for both individuals and corporations would be cut to 25 percent from 35 percent, though most tax breaks would be eliminated.

Seriously?

 

[Kepler]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

Fail.

I don't think we were the target audience. This was to get the center from Ryan. Let's face facts: come the election, neither of us has any other place to go, so why pitch to us?

33% of likely voters on each tail will hate it but their votes are already set in stone. The fight is to get 51% of that middle 33%.

 

[geezer]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

I don't think we were the target audience. This was to get the center from Ryan. Let's face facts: come the election, neither of us has any other place to go, so why pitch to us?

33% of likely voters on each tail will hate it but their votes are already set in stone. The fight is to get 51% of that middle 33%.

This is exactly what's so irksome to me. It's all about getting elected or re-elected, for everyone involved. Is there a politician willing to sacrifice his career to actually do the right thing? (not counting governors)

 

[bronconick]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

This is exactly what's so irksome to me. It's all about getting elected or re-elected, for everyone involved. Is there a politician willing to sacrifice his career to actually do the right thing? (not counting governors)

I don't think it would matter.

Hell, Obama could come out the day after being re-elected (what career at that point?) and say "We're cutting a trillion dollars a year, half in defense spending, half in medicare/SS/medicaid/other "democrat" programs. The response would be the Republicans taking the White House and both houses of Congress and re-instituting the spending they like. The same can be said of a 2nd term Republican, just reversed.

Maybe if we moved our Capital to Nome, Alaska and hope that it scared off some lobbyists and career politicians only interested in lining their own pockets. D.C. was a hellhole until Central Air was discovered, and we've gone constantly downhill ever since.

 

[joecct]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

I don't think it would matter.

Hell, Obama could come out the day after being re-elected (what career at that point?) and say "We're cutting a trillion dollars a year, half in defense spending, half in medicare/SS/medicaid/other "democrat" programs. The response would be the Republicans taking the White House and both houses of Congress and re-instituting the spending they like. The same can be said of a 2nd term Republican, just reversed.

Maybe if we moved our Capital to Nome, Alaska and hope that it scared off some lobbyists and career politicians only interested in lining their own pockets. D.C. was a hellhole until Central Air was discovered, and we've gone constantly downhill ever since.

Nah - Potsdam, NY. First, you could not find it. Second, you can't get there.

 

[LynahFan]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

"We're cutting a trillion dollars a year, half in defense spending, half in medicare/SS/medicaid/other "democrat" programs.

Maybe I'm just a war hawk, but I think cutting $500B out of the DoD's $600B budget might be taking it a little too far...

(your larger point absolutely stands)

 

[Priceless]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

This is exactly what's so irksome to me. It's all about getting elected or re-elected, for everyone involved. Is there a politician willing to sacrifice his career to actually do the right thing? (not counting governors)

Why? It's political suicide to "do the right thing" and the next person to get elected will undo what they've done. Eventually either the Chinese will stop lending us money or we'll invent a new energy source (or perfect interstellar travel). Which seems more likely?

 

[walrus]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

Or Sweden?

Seriously, the tax code has, one again, gotten way out of hand. IMO, it's not the rates that are the problem, it's the deductions / exemptions. IF the code was simplified to eliminate most / all of the deductions, we could probably afford a much lower rate(s).

Then the vast majority of the US taxpayer would pay a lot less, but the ubers would pay more even with a lower rate as they should/would have more taxable income. For example, 15% on all income above $35,000. Tax:
35,000.......$0
50,000.......$2,250 effective tax rate: 4.5%
100,000......$9,750 etr 9.75%
250,000......$32,250 etr 12.9%
500,000......$69,750 etr 14.0%
22,000,000...$3,294,750 etr 14.97%

Forgotten about how many Accountants their are? You suppose they have much of a lobby. What would they do if it was easy?

 

[Bakunin]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

So... we have a crappy plan countered with another crappy plan?

Good job, guys.

 

[Priceless]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

So... we have a crappy plan countered with another crappy plan?

Good job, guys.

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[Kepler]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

It's all about getting elected or re-elected, for everyone involved. Is there a politician willing to sacrifice his career to actually do the right thing? (not counting governors)

No, there isn't (including governors). That's not how the system works, and it hasn't been since the professionalization of politics, which happened close upon democratization.

The parties had an interest of their own, in terms of the office-seeking goals of party activists.

And that wrapped it up for "doing the right thing."

The only way to have Cincinnatus is to have aristocracy.

 

[Bakunin]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

Wouldn't it be a lot easier to just pass the deficit commission's plan? Compared to the gigantic steaming turds floated by both sides since, I'd say it's far superior to them.

 

[joecct]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

Forgotten about how many Accountants their are? You suppose they have much of a lobby. What would they do if it was easy?

I don't know. I'm a retired accountant.

But there are more things for an accountant to do than just taxes.