Tag Archives: tax reform bill

The Constitution Bites The Dust

Posted on by under Political commentary, Social commentary

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

The above is the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States. In law, the preamble is defined as the introductory part of a statute or deed, stating its purpose, aims, and justification. The Preamble above contains just 52 words, but those 52 words are a part of the entire document and set the basic parameters.  Let us look a bit closer look at a few of the key phrases.

We the People...  Who are “We the People”?  Does it say, “We the Wealthiest People”?  I think not.  Does it say “We The Most Powerful People”?  No, it does not.  It states, simply, “We the People”.  That includes me, it includes you, and yes, it also includes Ivanka Trump, Rick Perry, Mitch McConnell, Bob Corker, and David & Charles Koch.  But it does not, anywhere in the U.S. Constitution, state that any one of those people is to be placed ahead of another, or given more importance or higher value.

Establish Justice … What, exactly, did the framers mean?  People looked forward to a nation with a level playing field, one where everybody would be treated equally and fairly.

Insure Domestic Tranquility … The federal government was tasked with keeping the peace, resolving disputes peacefully, rather than encouraging bloodshed in the streets.

Promote the General Welfare … To allow every state and every citizen of those states to benefit from what the government could provide.

Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and Our Posterity … The framers were very concerned that they were creating a nation that would resemble something of a paradise for liberty, as opposed to the tyranny of a monarchy, where citizens could look forward to being free as opposed to looking out for the interests of a king. And more than for themselves, they wanted to be sure that the future generations of Americans would enjoy the same.

trump constitution 1Each and every one of these phrases have been violated repeatedly in the eleven months since Donald Trump took office and since the 115th Congress was seated.  Time and time again they have made a mockery of not only the preamble, but of the entire U.S. Constitution. There is no more glaring example than the unconscionable “tax reform bill” that was signed into law yesterday. The man in the Oval Office and each and every member of the House of Representatives and the Senate have let We the People down and have effectively thumbed their collective noses at the idea of a democratic republic, turning our government into a plutocracy as surely as I am breathing.

Donald Trump has never read the U.S. Constitution.  It is just over 8,000 words, including amendments and takes about 2 hours to read thoroughly.  I know, for I have read it many times.  I have serious doubts that many members of the 115th Congress have read the document. And yet, each of these people have sworn to uphold the principles put forth within its articles and amendments.

We have all commented, sometimes jokingly, about “alternative facts”, “alternative vocabulary”, and “Newspeak”, comparing the Trump administration to Orwell’s 1984. Well guess what, folks, it’s no longer funny, no longer a joke. We the People has been redefined to mean “They the Wealthy”.  Establish justice now means establish a system of tiers of wealth where those in the top tiers are the privileged few.  Insure domestic tranquility now means widen the gap between right and left, republicans and democrats, in order to ensure that there will be no cohesive body of citizenry that might stage an uprising against the injustices. Promote the general welfare?  This now means cut services to the poor in order to fund the exploits of the wealthy … the general welfare?  I think not.  And lastly … secure the blessings of liberty must simply be disregarded, for we are now moving ever closer to an autocracy under the wanna-be-king, Donald Trump.

On 20 January 2017, Donald Trump took an oath, swearing to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Within eleven days, he had shredded that document with his unconstitutional Muslim ban, and ever since, he has done everything in his power to circumvent or kick aside the U.S. Constitution. Yesterday’s tax bill favouring 1% of the people of this nation and stomping on the rest of us is yet one more step away from the ideals that are enmeshed in the Constitution. 37% of the people in this nation let it happen, and the rest of us were powerless to stop it.  Those 37% deserve what is coming.  The rest of us do not.

lady liberty cries

Sold Downriver …

Posted on by under Political commentary

Once again, my friends, we are the lowest on the food chain when it comes to politics in the U.S. and once again, we have been played for a fool.  The tax bill that the two chambers of Congress quite quickly, in the grand scheme of things, given the complexity of the U.S. Tax Code, and given the fact that it is already proven to add trillions of dollars to the national debt, reconciled, has apparently the support of every damn republican in Congress.  Why?  Because it is giving We The People tax relief?  Nope.  Because their donors have told them to pass the bill or else, and because Trump is adamant, like a petulant child, that he must win at something, anything, before the end of the year.  Enter Senator Bob Corker.

corker

Senator Bob Corker, Traitor to the People of the United States of America

Tennessee Senator Bob Corker, a republican, announced his retirement from the Senate on Tuesday, 26 September, 2017, stating that he would not seek re-election next year.  Corker was one of the more ‘moderate’ republicans, not uber-right wing, but what they refer to these days as an ‘establishment republican’, whatever that is supposed to mean.  I was rather sad about his announcement in one way, for his kind, the kind that believe in bi-partisanship, in doing the right thing for the nation, are a dying breed, being squeezed out by the likes of Steve Bannon and his chosen few.  But, in another sense I was glad for two reasons: 1) it would open a seat in the 2018 mid-terms for a democrat to win, as there would be no incumbent advantage; 2) Corker now had nothing to lose … he didn’t need donor money next year and he no longer needed to pander to Trump in order to receive his endorsement.  He would be free to vote his conscience, and it appeared that perhaps he had a bit of one, after all.

I was buoyed when I heard him say, “I also believe the most important public service I have to offer our country could well occur over the next 15 months, and I want to be able to do that as thoughtfully and independently as I did the first 10 years and nine months of my Senate career.” It seemed to confirm that he would use his unique position to stand up to Trump and the “Freedom Caucus”.

And so, when the tax ‘reform’ bills of the House and Senate were said to be reconciled, I expected no less of Corker than the stance he took in late November/early December, saying he would not support any bill that would add to the federal deficit.

“At the end of the day, I am not able to cast aside my fiscal concerns and vote for legislation that I believe, based on the information I currently have, could deepen the debt burden on future generations.”

Fools that we are, we actually believed him.  And then on Friday, he went into a meeting with his “Nay” hat on, and came out with his “Yea” hat on.  What happened, my friend?  Moolah, dough, dinero, cash … that’s what happened.  There is virtually no change in the bill’s devastating effect on the federal budget deficit, yet Mr. Corker’s conscience flew out the window of that meeting room.

The conference report (reconciliation of the House and Senate versions of the bill) released last week does nothing to address Corker’s deficit concerns. But there was one small change to the bill, the incorporation of a clause that benefits owners of pass-through businesses with few employees but significant depreciable assets—such as, for example, owners of real estate LLCs. Well, now, isn’t that handy for one Donald Trump, real estate “mogul”?  But wait … it is also quite handy for soon-to-be ordinary citizen/businessman Bob Corker who is ranked the 4th wealthiest Senator in Congress.  His net worth?  $69,450,025.  Yes, my friends, $69 million and change.  Close your eyes and try to imagine seeing that on your bank statement or investment portfolio.

Under the new “tax reform” bill, I am willing to bet that Mr. Corker will pay a smaller percentage in taxes of his net income than you or I in 2018.  So, all of a sudden, it does not matter all that much after all if the federal deficit, and thus the national debt spiral out of control. Mr. Bob Corker will be sitting in his mansion, eating his steak and lobster, and saying, “So what?  I got mine.” And meanwhile, we have once again been sucker-punched, played for fools, and shown just how much conscience any of our elected officials have.

2018 is the year that we need to do some serious housecleaning, get every damn one of those cobwebs out of the dark corners, along with the abominable creatures who made them (my apologies to all the spiders in the world, for spiders are really quite benevolent as compared with the lot in Congress).

We The People need to take stock in what drives our voting habits, need to make sure that our friends on both sides of the aisle understand that at the present time, every republican member of Congress, and quite possibly many of the democrats as well, have been bought and paid for, lock, stock and barrel, by Trump’s friends, the wealthy 1%.  We all need to heed this wakeup call and understand in no uncertain terms that the United States of America is no longer a democratic republic, of the people, by the people and for the people, but rather a plutocracy: government of the rich, by the rich, and for the rich, gained by stepping on the broken backs of the poor.

We The People have been sold downriver, and we have little left to lose.  Let Us Rebel!!!

Tax Bill Reconciliation?

Posted on by under Political commentary

Members of Congress have been busy as little beavers, trying to bring the House and Senate versions of the ‘tax reform bills’ together into a single bill for Trump to sign.  They seem to be in such a rush that they do not have time for such things as facts and credible analyses.  They remind me of the rabbit in Alice in Wonderland who is looking at his pocket watch, repeatedly saying, “I’m late, I’m late …”

What’s the rush?  Well, first of all, they are under pressure from Trump and from their rich donors to “get ‘er done”.  More to the point, while the budget was extended for two weeks, that is a very short time to prepare a spending bill, get the necessary votes, reconcile the House and Senate versions, and get it signed.  Look how long the tax bill is taking, after all! Thus, a government shutdown still looms.  So, I understand the rush, but … both of these bills are so terrible that neither deserve consideration, and to completely disregard the facts, to ignore every likely outcome, is destined to do far more harm to the people of this nation than it will benefit them.  Let us take a look …

Today, the Department of Treasury, under the ‘leadership’ of Trump’s handpicked Steven Mnuchin, issued its “Analysis of Growth and Revenue Estimates Based on the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance Tax Reform Plan”. The tax bills are filled with fallacies and fantasies that are far more appropriate for children’s storybooks than for government policies.  Let us begin with the claim by Congress that the gigantic tax cuts for the wealthy will pay for themselves.  The Treasury Department report itself debunks this myth, as have a number of independent and non-partisan groups before this.  The plan will cost an estimated $1.5 trillion in lost revenue from major corporation and wealthy taxpayers, and is only projected to generate an additional $408 billion in additional revenue from growth.  Thus, the deficit would be more than a trillion dollars to add to our already astronomical national debt.

Treasury analysisBut, that isn’ even the worst of it, for that $408 billion in additional revenue is fallacy #2.  It is based on the assumption that all those large corporations that are saving all that money will reinvest it into solvent enterprises that will a) generate corporate tax dollars, and b) employ people who will pay taxes.  In short, it is based on the fantasy of ‘trickle down’ economics, which I have written about previously, and which has been de-bunked and proven wrong so many times that it should not even enter into the equation.  The Treasury report makes an assumption, based on this marvelous falsehood about trickle down economics of a sustained 2.9% growth rate per year over the next ten years.  Ain’t gonna happen, folks.

There are certain rules for the reconciliation process, one of which is called the Byrd Rule.  The Byrd Rule requires all provisions in the bill to be funded by revenues, and they cannot increase the deficit beyond the 10-year budget window. Obviously, neither version of the current bills being considered could pass either stipulation in the Byrd Bill, nor even come close.  That, in itself, should send them scurrying back to the drawing board for something more reasonable.

Thus far, most of the republicans in Congress still support basically whatever outcome the committee reconciling the bills comes up with, but there are some who are beginning to look at the deficit numbers and have concerns.  One such Senator is Susan Collins of Maine, who says she is as yet undecided, and has laid out certain conditions that would determine her vote, including assurances that federal Medicare payments will not be cut and that Republicans will support two separate health care bills aimed at reducing premium costs.  Far too little, and she does not even mention the deficit, but if it keeps her from voting in favour of the bill, then it’s a start.

While the increase to the national debt is the most important fallacy of these abominable bills, the impact on the average citizen must also play a role.  I did some quick and dirty math earlier today and determined that my own household would be left with a deficit of some $2,500 dollars at the end of next year.  Not a huge sum, perhaps, but still … I cannot call this a tax ‘cut’ by any stretch of the imagination. It means that we will be tightening our belts and spending less money next year, contributing less to the economy.

Now, putting this all together, if the Senate finds a way around the Byrd Rule, and if Susan Collins and the rest are somehow convinced to vote ‘aye’, here is what I see happening.

  • Median earners will have less disposable income, for they will be able to claim fewer deductions, thus effectively raising their tax rate. With less disposable income, they will spend less money on non-essential goods and services.  There goes that 2.9% growth rate, folks.
  • As consumers spend less and less, and fewer people have healthcare because the individual mandate will be gone, the economy will actually begin to lose ground, rather than grow. The national debt, therefore, will increase even faster than the Treasury Department predicts.
  • As the national debt increases, as the economy takes a hit, quarter after quarter, consumer confidence will wane and people who are already struggling will slow their contributions to their 401(k) plans, further reducing economic growth and further increasing the national debt. It is at this point that I look for a hug dip in the stock market.
  • The stock market increase in the past year has been unnatural and largely without a solid foundation. It was built on consumer confidence that stemmed from the lies coming from the administration.  When/if it dips very much, look for a recession.  And then, POP goes the republican bubble.

Now, my analysis is an over-simplification, and there are far too many variables to consider in this short post.  Plus, I am not an economist.  But common sense should tell us all that one cannot build a castle on a foundation of hot air, and that is precisely what Congress is trying to do.  There is no long-range view that has been taken, the immediate goal simply being to pass a bill that benefits all the ‘right’ people, for mid-terms are coming up in less than a year and members of Congress need to get those campaign donations coming in.  Besides that, the pest in the White House keeps calling and asking where the bill is, for he is sitting at his desk, pen in hand.

Thus concludes this bedtime story that is worthy of being included in the Grimm’s Book of Fairy Tales, for it is, indeed, a grim tale.

Senator Susan Collins Is The Real Reason The RNC Is Now supporting Judge Roy Moore Again

Posted on by under Political commentary, Re-blogs, Social commentary

Senator Susan Collins earned our kudos when she voted against the abominable ACA repeal bill a few months ago, but now? Not so much, since she sold her soul downriver to the big money donors and came out in support of the latest tax “reform” bill that is destined to cause nothing but grief for the 99% of us who are not wealthy. Ms. Collins current term does not end until 2021, so perhaps she believes we will forget her treason against We The People by then. Please read Gronda’s excellent post to see where Ms. Collins stands and what she is doing now. Thank you, Gronda!

Gronda Morin

Image result for images for susan collins mcconnell SENATOR COLLINS

It seems that the republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine did a major fubar by being talked into voting for the US senate tax bill in the wee morning of December 2, 2017.

Her constituents have held her to task bigly for this vote to where it is very unlikely that she will vote in favor of the final legislation.

The US Senate’s Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is aware of this fact and he needs to guarantee that 51 republicans will vote in favor of the final bill’s passage.

Image result for image of breakdown of us senate between democrats and republicans

So, the RNC Republican National Committee officials which had previously withdrawn their support for the alleged pedophile republican candidate Judge Roy Moore who is running to become the US senator from Alabama on December 12, 2017, but they have reversed their earlier decision and are now backing him because the republican senate leaders need his vote to pass their…

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The “Freedom” Caucus Strikes!

Posted on by under Political commentary

Remember when you were a child (yeah, I know, it’s been a while, but try) and your mother told you to do something you did not want to do because … “It’s for your own good”?  Eventually we all came to our own conclusions about what is actually in our best interests … sometimes right, sometimes not, but our choice to make.  And now, our mother has turned into Mark Meadows, U.S. Representative for North Carolina’s 11th congressional district and chairman of the House Freedom Caucus.

Mark-Meadows

Mark Meadows, Freedom Caucus Chairman

“This is not a new theme that comes up: [Democrats] know that Republicans want to fund the military… so what they do is they hold that hostage in trying to get things that are not in the best interest of the American taxpayer …” – Mark Meadows, Chairman of House Freedom Caucus

What, you may ask, is he talking about?  He is referring to the democrats in Congress who are pushing for increased spending in areas besides the military.  Things like the environment, healthcare, social welfare programs, education, etc. Silly little things, really, that are designed to help keep people alive and well, and give people opportunities to better their lot in life.  But the Freedom Caucus is currently willing to risk a government shutdown in order to stop any increased spending other than military spending.

This is not the first time the Freedom Caucus has reared its ugly head, nor will it be the last, I’m certain. Interestingly, there are only 31 seats held by the House Freedom Caucus, yet they often create chaos within the GOP, for their demands are uber-conservative, far-right, and they are unbending.

The republicans are trying to pass a two-week stopgap to avoid a government shutdown on Friday, and give them time to work through the spending bill.  The spending bill cannot be addressed until the tax bill reconciliation is complete, and that, my friends, has run into a few glitches, not the least of which is there are serious errors in the bill due to the last minute changes that were penciled in last Friday night without a full review, as they shoved the bill through at the last minute.  So, they need additional time to hash out a spending bill, one that will require the support of at least 8 democrats.

However, the Freedom Caucus is refusing to agree to the two-week stopgap unless Paul Ryan agrees to a commitment to refuse Senate Democrats’ demands for increased spending on non-defense programs. Ryan, understanding that ultimately he will need the support of at least some of those democrats, is not willing to make such a commitment.  This  is what drove Mark Meadows statement about what is in the best interest of the taxpayer.

When we were young and our mothers told us what was good for us, that was acceptable, for she understood things that we didn’t and she loved us, so we knew that she was acting out of love. Today, however, we have grown up, most of us are well-educated both in academics and in the ways of the world, we are thinkers and quite capable of knowing what is in our best interests.  Mark Meadows and his cohorts are not operating out of love for us, but rather out of a desire to see this nation run by a military-industrial complex.

Democratic cooperation with the stopgap measure is also challenging, as Trump foolishly put his thumbs to his tweety-machine last Tuesday morning:

“Meeting with “Chuck and Nancy” today about keeping government open and working. Problem is they want illegal immigrants flooding into our Country unchecked, are weak on Crime and want to substantially RAISE Taxes. I don’t see a deal!”

Bad move, for “Chuck and Nancy” promptly pulled out of the meeting. It must be very difficult for the few in the republican-led Congress who actually do have some common sense to operate when the buffoon in the White House undermines their every effort.

While I have very little respect for 90% of the republicans in Congress at the moment, those who are members of the House Freedom Caucus are the worst of the lot.  Rather than simply calling them the Freedom Caucus, which is rather vague, let me point them out specifically:

These are the men that think they know what is best for We The People.  These are the men who avidly sought to repeal environmental regulations, who fought hard to repeal ACA (Obamacare) without any viable replacement in sight.  These are the men who wish to cut spending on the programs that will help us live, while spending more of our hard-earned tax dollars on guns, planes, battleships, nuclear weapons, and other war toys, despite the fact that we already have by far the biggest military budget in the Western world.  It is interesting to note that these are all men … there is not a woman in the House Freedom Caucus.  Draw your own conclusions.

If there is a government shutdown at the end of the day on Friday, it is, in  part, due to the 32 men listed above, in part due to the rants of the madman in the Oval Office, and in part due to a Congress that simply have no concern for the ‘average American’.  Whose “freedom”, exactly, are they supporting? Not mine or yours, I think. Think about it.

Robbin’ the ‘hood

Posted on by under Political commentary, Re-blogs

For some time now, the big news has been centered around the abomination of the “tax reform” bill in Congress, a version of which has already passed the House and which will be coming for a vote quite soon in the Senate. Both versions cut taxes dramatically for the wealthy, increase them for the average worker, and perhaps most importantly, stand to increase our national debt astronomically, which will ultimately lead to the downfall of our economy. Just today it is reported that John McCain will vote for this bill.
Blogger-friend Kevin Brennan has written a short, sweet and to-the-point piece that I encourage you to read, then get on the phone, send that email, in one last ditch effort to ensure your Senator that he or she will lose your support if they vote for the bill. Thank you, Kevin, for your work and permission to share!

WHAT THE HELL

It sure looks like they’re going to pass that tax increase on the middle class. Oh joy.

I keep hearing that they’re doing it even though they know it’s unpopular. It’s unpopular with their constituents. But that’s a misunderstanding of the situation. The truth is that it’s extremely popular with their constituents, because their constituents are their donors. Corporations, hedge fund tycoons, the top 1%.

Whenever something doesn’t add up, it’s clear the big boys have different motives than they’re broadcasting.

Maybe you heard Lindsey Graham say that if Republicans don’t pass tax reform, “financial contributions will stop.” He doesn’t mean the $30, $50, or even $200 checks from Rush Limbaugh listeners in Flyover Country. He means the big money from the stinking rich who expect results. This tax cut (for them) is the main course.

But, frankly, I don’t believe it and I bet Lindsey doesn’t believe it…

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