Politics Thread

[Muskie in dayton]

MID: "Everything you said is factually incorrect": Yes or No: Do the massive tax cuts given to the top 2% and corporations add to the deficit or don't they? Please, a simple Yes or No.

Your question is totally irrelevant to my point. Trump’s tax cuts benefited EVERYONE. Your “tax cuts for the rich” quip is just more Democrats trash.

But I’ll answer your question too. Basic math says less income with the same amount of spending increases the deficit. Basic economics says that putting more money back to the consumer (via lower taxes) increases economic activity and thus tax revenue, thereby decreasing the deficit. Common sense is that government spending is grossly excessive, and reducing is the only way to balance the budget.

Democrats are good at basic math, terrible at economics, and totally void of common sense.

[hoopster68]

Proudly Left? Why?

XUPHAN: Thanks for the question. My response: (note that I've conflated Dems & Libs/Reps & Cons):

Libs/Dems Cons/Reps

FDR/New Deal; lead America to defeat Hitler/Tojo Smoot-Hawley Tariff of 1930; signed by Hoover; greatly contributed to depression
Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe; established NATO;
Berlin Airlift of 1948 Taft-Hartley law --- "anti-union"
Humphrey speech of '48 at Dem convention re: civil rights McCarthyism/HUAC: smeared citizens; destroyed careers
JFK - defense, space exploration; halted USSR aggression Nixon - impeached; Agnew resigned for corruption
LBJ - Great Society, Medicare, civil rights, housing, schools Opposed ERA, women's rights from 1960 - 2025
Supported women's right's, ERA Reagan tax cut, 1981. When Reagan entered office national debt was $900B;left office it
was $2.6T. "David Stockman, where are you now?"
Opposed Viet Nam war George W. Bush - added $4T to deficit; Iraq war: "weapons of mass destruction"
Rethuglicans voted 33 times to repeal Obamacare; Trump promised a better plan?
Great Recession of 2008 - financial corruption by banks/mortgage companies not
regulated/prosecuted by GWB
Carter opposed Kemp-Roth (Reagan) tax cuts 'cause of concern
over the deficit Trump - Jan. 6, massive tax cuts, corruption: see Jared Kushner; Putin's poodle;
imperialism: Greenland, Canada, Gaza
Clinton - Camp David Peace Accords; NAFTA; balanced budget Grover Norquist & fellow travelers like Musk: "burn down government"

Obama - Consumer Protection Agency; Obamacare

In my view the "conservative" positions of high tariffs, low taxes for high earners, a disregard for civil and women's rights, being anti-union gave America a mean streak. The Trumpster has taken this position to a higher, more ugly level. I fear for the country under his leadership.

[hoopster68]

XUPHAN: My comments ran together when posted. Think you'll understand my position!

[Xville]

How did they do that?

Really? When you have less money going to the government that means you either cut spending to make up for the difference or you add to the deficit. Pretty basic math. And considering trump increased spending in his first term….

How about we cut spending and keep tax cuts up to a certain income threshold? I know that’s a pipe dream, but considering the widening gap between the haves and the have nots in this country, I think that would be fair. Secure the middle class, give them the break to keep the economy flowing and cut spending at thr government levels in appropriate ways. I know it’s not that simple, and there are other factors to consider.

[Xville]

XUPHAN: Thanks for the question. My response: (note that I've conflated Dems & Libs/Reps & Cons):

Libs/Dems Cons/Reps

FDR/New Deal; lead America to defeat Hitler/Tojo Smoot-Hawley Tariff of 1930; signed by Hoover; greatly contributed to depression
Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe; established NATO;
Berlin Airlift of 1948 Taft-Hartley law --- "anti-union"
Humphrey speech of '48 at Dem convention re: civil rights McCarthyism/HUAC: smeared citizens; destroyed careers
JFK - defense, space exploration; halted USSR aggression Nixon - impeached; Agnew resigned for corruption
LBJ - Great Society, Medicare, civil rights, housing, schools Opposed ERA, women's rights from 1960 - 2025
Supported women's right's, ERA Reagan tax cut, 1981. When Reagan entered office national debt was $900B;left office it
was $2.6T. "David Stockman, where are you now?"
Opposed Viet Nam war George W. Bush - added $4T to deficit; Iraq war: "weapons of mass destruction"
Rethuglicans voted 33 times to repeal Obamacare; Trump promised a better plan?
Great Recession of 2008 - financial corruption by banks/mortgage companies not
regulated/prosecuted by GWB
Carter opposed Kemp-Roth (Reagan) tax cuts 'cause of concern
over the deficit Trump - Jan. 6, massive tax cuts, corruption: see Jared Kushner; Putin's poodle;
imperialism: Greenland, Canada, Gaza
Clinton - Camp David Peace Accords; NAFTA; balanced budget Grover Norquist & fellow travelers like Musk: "burn down government"

Obama - Consumer Protection Agency; Obamacare

In my view the "conservative" positions of high tariffs, low taxes for high earners, a disregard for civil and women's rights, being anti-union gave America a mean streak. The Trumpster has taken this position to a higher, more ugly level. I fear for the country under his leadership.

You’re pro union and worried about trump corruption? Geezus. The financial crisis was caused by democrats’ deregulation of the banking/mortgage industry and you want to blame bush? Come on man, at least be fair in your viewpoints. You sound like the opposite extreme of lou

[Strange Brew]

Really? When you have less money going to the government that means you either cut spending to make up for the difference or you add to the deficit. Pretty basic math. And considering trump increased spending in his first term….

How about we cut spending and keep tax cuts up to a certain income threshold? I know that’s a pipe dream, but considering the widening gap between the haves and the have nots in this country, I think that would be fair. Secure the middle class, give them the break to keep the economy flowing and cut spending at thr government levels in appropriate ways. I know it’s not that simple, and there are other factors to consider.

There was not less money collected.

And you can raise the top rate however it will do little for the debt and would hinder economic activity. But hey, it doesn’t have to make sense as long as it’s “fair”, right?

[Xville]

There was not less money collected.

And you can raise the top rate however it will do little for the debt and would hinder economic activity. But hey, it doesn’t have to make sense as long as it’s “fair”, right?

If you make a tax cut then yes there is less money collected. That’s why it’s called a tax cut.

As far as hindering economic activity, that’s an assumption by you, not a fact.

[Strange Brew]

If you make a tax cut then yes there is less money collected. That’s why it’s called a tax cut.

As far as hindering economic activity, that’s an assumption by you, not a fact.

It’s a rate cut. That doesn’t mean the amount collected goes down.

And the amount of money collected has increased. It’s not my fault Art was correct. By the data.

So if it’s about “fairness”, make that argument because the debt argument is seriously flawed.

[Xville]

It’s a rate cut. That doesn’t mean the amount collected goes down.

And the amount of money collected has increased. It’s not my fault Art was correct. By the data.

So if it’s about “fairness”, make that argument because the debt argument is seriously flawed.

Yes, that’s precisely what it means.

I didn’t make the fairness argument, but I already said, it just makes sense based on what I already said . Your reasoning that it would lower economic activity is just an opinion of yours. Theres zero facts to back it up.

[Strange Brew]

Yes, that’s precisely what it means.

I didn’t make the fairness argument, but I already said, it just makes sense based on what I already said . Your reasoning that it would lower economic activity is just an opinion of yours. Theres zero facts to back it up.

Well, collections didn’t go down and taxes do have a direct affect on economic activity so believe whatever you want.

I’ll stick to the data.