By xrepublican, a Trail Mix Contributor
As they say in the movies, here’s the deal: The rippers cut $1.3 TR!LL!ON out of the budget for health care coverage. This money is s’posed to fund the $1.5 TR!LL!ION of tax cuts for the rip-up’s B!LL!ONA!RE donor$.
Howz’about instead we divvy up the tax break equally between everyone in America? I figure that will be a payoff of about $4,500 per person, or $18,000 for the fictitious family of 4. That money could help a lot of people with their medical insurance payments, and it could help many of our ailing retailors, which means JOB$ ! JOB$ ! JOB$ !
Now, there’s something to contact your congress(wo)man or rat about.
More Posts by xrepublican
For some reason the term transfer of wealth comes to mind.
excerpt from this morning’s newsweek: Female Russian Spy Tried To Gain Access to Hillary Clinton Inner Circle By Posing As An Accountant
The female spy, who used a fake identity to get a job with a major Democratic donor, had sought to use the position to gain access to information about the State Department, but she was arrested and deported before she was able to do so.
The unsealed documents identify Cynthia Murphy as alias of the Russian spy who posed as a New Jersey accountant. She lived in New Jersey with her husband and children as part of a ten-member Russian sleeper cell that included Anna Chapman, a Russian spy who also pursued a career as a model.
The female spy, who used a fake identity to get a job with a major Democratic donor, had sought to use the position to gain access to information about the State Department, but she was arrested and deported before she was able to do so.
Nice to have xrepublican write a post.
David Letterman quoted Mark Twain recently: “Patriotism is supporting your country all of the time, and your government when it deserves it.”
back on thread subject wapo’s The great dealmaker? Lawmakers find Trump to be an untrustworthy negotiator.
President Trump campaigned as one of the world’s greatest dealmakers, but after nine months of struggling to broker agreements, lawmakers in both parties increasingly consider him an untrustworthy, chronically inconsistent and easily distracted negotiator .
As Trump prepares to visit Capitol Hill on Tuesday to unify his party ahead of a high-stakes season of votes on tax cuts and budget measures, some Republicans are openly questioning his negotiating abilities and devising strategies to keep him from changing his mind.
The president’s propensity to create diversions and follow tangents has kept him from focusing on his legislative agenda and forced lawmakers who might be natural allies on key policies into the uncomfortable position of having to answer for his behavior and outbursts.
[….continues…]
thanks for the post xrepub
tax plan tanks with public — and they haven’t even seen it yet: According to a new CNN poll, 52 percent of Americans stand in opposition to the plan being proposed by Trump and Republicans, compared to just 34 percent of respondents who support the plan.
to beat this tax plan, opponents must disprove it’s central argument — cutting taxes spurs economic growth that eventually increases government revenue and reduces the deficit
it’s fairly easy to disprove — IT HAS NEVER WORKED, despite many attempts. Most recently, Kansas just gave up on its failed attempt at trickle-down economics
The rest of the difference is in a nice little proposal to tax 401K deposits up front when they are part of much larger incomes instead of when they are withdrawn after age 50 or at retirement. This discourages savings and depletes bank holdings. So you not only pay more taxes but get the joy of higher bank fees and they scramble to make up the difference.
Who in the hell taught the GOP economics?
Thanks, xrep — these cuts hit Medicare, too. The rental society continues and the trumpence junta will funnel the rest of the wealth into the 1 % via phony tax cuts to the middle class. The 1 % spends more, gets more protection and they can afford their own health care and cosmetic surgeries. The rest of America struggles and for those of us who have to lease our health care via insurance every year? A mighty big weight to carry each year….starting over, deductibles, co-pays, while the wealthy are ‘no pays.’ As far as the ACA is concerned this year (and trump has killed it as best as possible…kicking the living shit out of the ACA), the exchange is open from Nov. 1st to Dec. 15, no longer. It cannot be accessed now for any premium info and only yearly income can be updated. If a plan is not selected by the 15th? A plan will be selected for me and if I do not want? I only have to not pay the hiked-up premium. I cannot afford the new premium of $1170.46/month and I received that news via a letter which incorrectly lead me back to the exchange for more info. As hubby and my brother tell me? I am healthy and do not take any medications. However, that can change at my tender age…a sneeze, a fall? I guess any serious diseases will have to wait until December 2018. Many citizens like to plan…do the correct thing and trump is forcing us to be like him…bankrupt and vapid.
senator McCain:
“One aspect of the [Vietnam] conflict by the way that I will never, ever countenance is that we drafted the lowest income level of America and the highest income level found a doctor that would say that they had a bone spur….That is wrong. If we are going to ask every American to serve, every American should serve,”
abc good morning America TRANSCRIPT: Widow of fallen soldier La David Johnson speaks out
Jamie, I noticed McConnell didn’t deny or confirm the possibility of a 401K restriction in the tax plan. Therefore it’s game worthy for discussion. What I don’t get about this idea is how Wall Street would put up with this — wouldn’t a decline in 401k savings caused by a lower tax deferment cap mean less money going to the stock market?
square this morning’s twit tweet:
“I had a very respectful conversation with the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson, and spoke his name from beginning, without hesitation”
with this from the good morning America transcript of Stephanopoulos (GS) interview with widow myeshia Johnson (MJ):
GS: There are also a lot of questions about the phone call you received from President Trump. I know you were in a car to the airport. Tell us what happened next. MJ: Me and my family was in the limo to receive my husband from I think it was Denver, Dover, we went to… GS: Dover. MJ: Dover, and we was literally on the airport strip gettin’ ready to get out and he called Master Sergeant Neil’s phone. I asked Master Sergeant Neil to put his phone on speaker so my aunt and uncle could hear as well. And he goes on to saying his statement as what he said was… GS: The president… MJ: Yes the President, said that he knew what he signed up for, but it hurts anyway. And it made me cry cause I was very angry at the tone of his voice and how he said he couldn’t remember my husband’s name. The only way he remembered my husband’s name is because he told me he had my husband’s report in front of him and that’s when he actually said La David. I heard him stumblin’ on trying to remember my husband’s name and that’s what hurt me the most, because if my husband is out here fighting for our country and he risked his life for our country why can’t you remember his name. And that’s what made me upset and cry even more because my husband was an awesome soldier…..
sooo, is the twit calling the widow a liar? fair game calling congress critters liars – business as usual in d.c., but widows of fallen soldiers?
craig & Jamie, ky goper gov currently is pushing proposal to require new public emp’ees to have 401Ks in place of providing established retirement benefit … not good timing on someone’s part to announce taxing same.
Abe Lincoln Tweets:
You can fool some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time.
a house divided against itself cannot stand.
(Lincoln got the 280 characters)
Hubris……do that thing you do….Time’s a’wasting.
In watching the widow of La David Johnson on abc? I really felt it in my gut when she wanted to see her husband’s body…know how he died. Many of my friends complain about taking care of their elderly parent(s) to their passing. I always tell my exhausted friends how fortunate to know how your parents died, giving them comfort and knowing that was a gift to spend time with them during their last breath. Many humans never get these moments and the Gold Star families should get answers, as it is a pain beyond physical pain.
As far as kelly and trump are concerned? It seems they think only white soldiers belong in the Gold Star Family group…racists, both of them and misogynists, too. From the attacks last year on the Kahn family to dissing the Johnson family, trump continues his disbelief that humans of color should be treated the same as white supporters. I noticed panetta mentioned kelly’s irish/Boston upbringing…another nod to hard core racist attitudes still in the WH.
graham continues to audition for a job in the admin…there are so many vacancies to be filled while pompeo and halley do the nuclear fight for tillerson’s job.
it’s walk and chew gum time America (especially for the media): As significant and interesting as the Trump / widow feud might be, let’s please not let this distract from a tight focus on the irreparable harm this tax overhaul could do
eric and junior to build a plantation hotel in Mississippi…too bad trump could not make it happen in Puerto Rico during his last go around. Perhaps he needed the Plantation design to attract the tourists with money. However, buried in the article…trump plan to revitalize America —
But the plan offers the first glimpse into how Trump’s sons will steer the company while he is in the White House. The Trump Organization is planning dozens of locations “designed to work in every city U.S.A.,” said company spokeswoman Christine Da Silva. It’s the company’s first appeal to middle America, the core of Trump’s political base.
As significant and interesting as the Trump / widow feud might be, let’s please not let this distract from a tight focus on the irreparable harm this tax overhaul could do
Craig… IMO, that’s worth a rinse and repeat.
Xrep… good job!
Thanks Molly BB for your loving note about Mom. It has been a weekend for missing and remembering her.
craig, in the regression-du-jour, there is enough abuse for everyone’s taste…not just the non-supporter bitterness taste that is left by the trumpence junta in decent citizens…who can keep up? Whose pain matters the most in this takedown by putie….we need to pressure trump on imposing those ruskie sanctions, not the jfk files or anything else. The WH has never addressed the attack by russia — the one that trump calls a hoax. It ignited the divisions, the wall building and the dissolving and draining of institutions and pocketbooks.
craig, is the short term aca fix somehow tied to the tax bill or to the threat of gov shutdown? can’t imagine the house will go along on the compromise unless they have no choice.
A shout-out to Toby for being such a wonderful human. I commented years ago that my Mom walked my mind, almost daily, after her death — much to my delight. Aging America has so much to learn.
“….let’s please not let this distract from a tight focus on the irreparable harm this tax overhaul could do”
craig, if there’s no aca fix right away, the irreparable harm will be concerning matters of life and death.
neither should we let twit & co distract us from Russia investigation which imho outranks taxes in importance since it affects the democracy/country’s foundation.
Goopers to America “Drop dead.”
Well, it is Faux News that has set-up this military kerfuffle news to be so big. The Niger situation is reported differently by Faux since trump is in the WH, same with bergdahl and benghazi. bergdahl’s parents were on Faux News weekly whining about Obama and when the Obama admin negotiated his release? bowe was dropped like a hot potato and Faux dropped the deserter at Obama’s feet. Today? He is a traitor. Same with benghazi, in December 2012, Faux news began the drumbeat…claimed clinton had the same awkward conversation with survivors family at Dover, caused the military breakdown…then the lawsuits started, the movies, the chants. The disinformation. Faux should lose their license…maybe Prett was close to that when investigating Faux News! Recent tweet by prett seems to point his attention to the ruskies these days.
trumpoison is everywhere.
kgc, from the ‘everything hurts and I am dying’ generation of older humans…I hear the repug shouts of “Hurry-up and die already!
“why would you want preventative care” Any asswipe gooper
Diabetes is on the list of things that Vietnam vets can be treated for a service-related disease but the goopers don’t think it should be covered at all.
Goopers sub-human species
Editorial: Speaker Paul Ryan should allow a vote on bipartisan health fix
Wisconsin State Journal editorial board
Congress appears to have enough votes to pass a bipartisan health care agreement, allowing more Americans to keep their insurance while giving states more flexibility with federal rules.
Just one problem: Republican leaders — including House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Janesville — don’t seem willing to allow a vote on the sensible proposal.
They should.
Ryan is operating under an informal and partisan rule in which the Republican majority in the House refuse to bring any bill to the floor for action unless most GOP House members support it.
Ryan has so far been dismissive of a proposal authored by Sens. Lamar Alexander, a Tennessee Republican, and Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat — even if their bill clears the Senate.
The proposal, which U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, and dozens of other senators from both political parties have co-sponsored, would continue subsidies to low-income Americans who otherwise couldn’t afford the health insurance they’ve been receiving under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
Republican President Donald Trump has sent conflicting signals on the proposal. But presumably he will sign just about anything that reaches his desk, allowing him to claim a rare victory in Washington.
That means Congress should start moving this responsible, short-term health care fix to the finish line.
Alexander and Murray’s proposal would keep America’s health care system functioning with some needed consistency. They propose a two-year extension of subsidies under the ACA that pay for discounted premiums for low-income people.
Trump recently ended the subsidies, creating more risk and cost for insurance companies as well as millions of Americans who receive coverage through the ACA’s individual market. Those citizens now face higher cost and fewer — if any — options for coverage if Congress fails to act.
Continuing the subsidies would deter hikes in premiums and preserve some of the insurance plans offered to individuals under the ACA. Alexander and Murray’s bill also would allow more people to buy less comprehensive insurance while speeding the process for governors to seek waivers from ACA rules.
U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, who met with the State Journal editorial board last week, guaranteed that Alexander and Murray’s bill would pass the House if Republican leaders allowed a vote.
We don’t doubt that. The bill already has enough votes to survive a filibuster and clear the Senate if all Democrats join a dozen Republicans who say they’ll vote “yes.”
Speaker Ryan should drop his fruitless effort to repeal Obamacare. Instead, he should lead the House to a pragmatic solution both political parties can support.
Can’t we just call this monstrosity of a tax plan what it really is?
Robin Hood in reverse!!!
Where was the editorial suggesting that all eligible Wisconsin residents should be allowed to vote
hmmmRobin Hood in Reverse..that would make PG the Sheriff of Nottingham
Meanwhile the big giant asshole at Brietbart published a false story saying the recent fires were started by an “illegal immigrant”
Wow someone better check Pacific Gas and Electric because they started the fire I had no idea all their employees were undocumented.
Don’t like Fox? Someone prepare a list of their network sponsors so that people can make purchasing decisions.
Don’t have anything to do with the 21st Century Fox businesses listed down below. FWIW, I think the news portions of the WSJ are untainted by the paper’s ownership, as with any publication editorial opinions are not objective news. I will not cancel my decades-old subscription; there is no cause at this time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_assets_owned_by_21st_Century_Fox
KGC,
The sheriff of Nottingham is right, but it is not Trump.
The budget and the tax plan are Paul Ryan’s fondest wet dream. If there is a single culprit here look no farther than Pauli.
Goopers…all the same to me. PG is the leader (sic) but the rest are just as bad if not worse
nbcnews:
Tony Podesta and the Podesta Group are now the subjects of a federal investigation being led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, three sources with knowledge of the matter told NBC News.
The probe of Podesta and his Democratic-leaning lobbying firm grew out of Mueller’s inquiry into the finances of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, according to the sources. As special counsel, Mueller has been tasked with investigating possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Manafort had organized a public relations campaign for a non-profit called the European Centre for a Modern Ukraine (ECMU). Podesta’s company was one of many firms that worked on the campaign, which promoted Ukraine’s image in the West.
The sources said the investigation into Podesta and his company began as more of a fact-finding mission about the ECMU and Manafort’s role in the campaign, but has now morphed into a criminal inquiry into whether the firm violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act, known as FARA.
[….]
Tony Podesta is the chairman of the Podesta Group and the brother of John Podesta, Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign chairman. John Podesta is not currently affiliated with the Podesta Group and is not part of Mueller’s investigation.
In a statement, a spokesman for the Podesta Group said the firm “is cooperating fully with the Special Counsel’s office and has taken every possible step to provide documentation that confirms timely compliance. In all of our client engagements, the Podesta Group conducts due diligence and consults with appropriate legal experts to ensure compliance with disclosure regulations at all times — and we did so in this case.”
[….]
Two of the firms, Podesta Group and Mercury LLC, worked in Washington with Manafort partner Rick Gates, according to lobbying disclosure records. Three other firms worked in Europe, the executive said. NBC News could not confirm the identity of those three.
[….continues….]
There are no good Republicans. They enabled PG in their own selfish interests
I hope Reince and Spicey are happy. I wonder if PG is paying their legal fees.
They all disgust me. Every time I look at a Republican I get a little nauseous
When are people going to wake up and realize there is going to be no medicare and no social security so pg and his cabinet can have tax breaks.
There will be nothing in the public interest- no public education or health care, no environmental regulation, no financial regulation.
I am shocked and appalled that Americans would treat other Americans this way…but look at Puerto Rico it should be a giant sign that PGdon’tcare about anything except his big fat ass
A Truly inspiring interview of John McCain by Brian on C-Span in progress now.
Medicaid vs Crime & Violence
I haven’t been able to think of a single bad thing to say about McCain for 6 weeks. Am I okay ?
Or, is he ?
Counties with improving health voted for HRC. Counties with below average health voted for the voldemort.
http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/10.2105/AJPH.2017.303945
Let me if I understand this… Goopers who are dying may have some redeeming qualities.
“Counties with below average health voted for the voldemort.”
xr, mental health included or would that have really skewed the statistics in those counties? 🙂
huffpo:
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) confirmed he’ll run for re-election next year as an independent candidate.
“I am an independent, and I have always run in Vermont as an independent, while I caucus with the Democrats in the United States Senate,” Sanders said in an interview with New Hampshire’s Concord Monitor. “That’s what I’ve been doing for a long time and that’s what I’ll continue to do.”
would be nice if he’d refund some of the party money he took…. or is that what it’s been costing to keep him in the caucus?
la times: Trump vows ‘no change’ to 401(k) rules in Republican tax bill
We used to own a lakefront camp in Vermont. Had I been eligible to vote there, I sure as hell wouldn’t have been for Bernie.
Wouldn’t it be something if the old feller being awarded the MoH in a few minutes asked SfB if he could examine his bone spur??
I would LOVE it if the old fella showed such initiative and gumption.
I don’t have a clue what happened in Niger, but something got me curious about the death of La David Johnson. His wife Myeshia was told she couldn’t see identify his body was in “full wrap”. This jogged a memory, so I went hunting.
Per Military Guide: Deaths involving mutilation of the entire body and deemed unviewable receive a dignified full wrap.
Hoping Flatus & Sturgeone are safe from the wicked weather down their way.
Pat,
Re yours of 2:42, I don’t know the answer. I do know that trump and the rip up Congress oppose mental health, except for allowing the sale of guns and ammo to certified maniacs.
Tangentially, I expect the nra to $upport a ‘civil right$’ ca$e about the $ale of gun$ and ammo to imprisoned guy$, including the criminally in$ane. It’$ a 2 M!LL!ON+ $oul market with YUUUUUUJ potential for YUUUUUUUJ $ale$.
Full wrap indicates unidentifiable except by dog tags.
Here is the Army’s power point presentation on a casualty assistance officer’s responsibilities. Long and detailed and interesting.
Glad to know Bernie will be running as an independent. That in and of itself should preclude Dems. From having to support any of his 2020 pipe dreams.
Why do I get the feeling that Bernie is such old news?