The Biden Presidency - 2020

[Vegas Vic]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Most backers of a national sales tax of VAT won't grapple with the really high rate that would be required. The fact is that most of the federal budget is either mandatory, like interest payments, or popular, like SS, Medicare, and defense. There's no realistic way to get to a budget where even a 20% sales tax would come close to balanced.

30% would most likely be sufficient, and I'd be supportive of that.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Vegas Vic

This will never happen, but the corporate tax rate should be zero, the federal income tax and IRS should be abolished. Impose a national sales tax (exempting food and medicine). The poorest would not pay much annual tax at all, while those who consume the most (including corporations) would pay the majority of taxes.

How do you figure poor people wouldn't pay anything? It would be a regressive tax.

We make this shit way more complicated than it needs to be. Set an income tax and abide by it. None of these dumb loopholes or different rates for different types of income.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

How do you figure poor people wouldn't pay anything? It would be a regressive tax.

We make this shit way more complicated than it needs to be. Set an income tax and abide by it. None of these dumb loopholes or different rates for different types of income.

Yup. Greatly increase standard deductions, and eliminate all other deduction.

[Butter]

Everything has to be a fucking slippery slope with some of you people.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Most backers of a national sales tax of VAT won't grapple with the really high rate that would be required. The fact is that most of the federal budget is either mandatory, like interest payments, or popular, like SS, Medicare, and defense. There's no realistic way to get to a budget where even a 20% sales tax would come close to balanced.

Is it really different than the percentage of our income we pay in taxes? It's just a different method of collecting it.

[JPhillips]

Overall, yes, but it will fall much more heavily on the middle class and the price changes will initially be a major shock with a lot of unknown consequences. What happens when everything costs 40% more?

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Overall, yes, but it will fall much more heavily on the middle class and the price changes will initially be a major shock with a lot of unknown consequences. What happens when everything costs 40% more?

Yeah, that's why I'm mostly opposed to the VAT is the hit to the middle class.

As for what happens when everything costs 40% more? Maybe people would start to ask more questions government spending and whether or not tax dollars are being spent wisely.

[Thomkal]

Some potential good news in Israel as the coalition government says it has enough votes to oust Netanyahu

[JPhillips]

Kinda. Neftali Bennett gets the first term as PM and he's to the right of Netanyahu.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Kinda. Neftali Bennett gets the first term as PM and he's to the right of Netanyahu.

Yeah seems that way from what I read. But getting rid of a corrupt Netanyahu who maybe finally can go to jail for his corruption charges has to be a plus?

[albionmoonlight]

Veteran's audio cut when he discusses Blacks' role in Memorial Day

[albionmoonlight]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...cial-security/

Serious conservatives continue to remind us that the debt really matters until the GOP is in charge again.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

Veteran's audio cut when he discusses Blacks' role in Memorial Day

From the group of people that whines about their 1st amendment right being muted...

[molson]

Just like in Forest Gump.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by BYU 14

From the group of people that whines about their 1st amendment right being muted...

caNcEL CulTuRe

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...cial-security/

Serious conservatives continue to remind us that the debt really matters until the GOP is in charge again.

Opinion writers are so weird. Imagine being this wrong and still being taken serious by anyone.

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[albionmoonlight]

With McArdle, I think it is sheer force of will.

In an industry filled with big egos, she stands out with her quiet insistence that she, personally, is smarter than everyone else.

[RainMaker]

She's also rich and got in on the right-wing welfare train early. She knows her job is to trumpet talking points even if they are comically wrong in retrospect.

[RainMaker]

I do feel like if you were one of those people who said "everything looks good" back in 2007, you should not be given a major platform to write about economics. Or Director of the National Economic Council. But that's the world we live in.

[NobodyHere]

I think that if you voted for the Iraq War then you shouldn't be president. But we don't always get what we want.

[RainMaker]

I agree on that too.

[Brian Swartz]

What's the statue of limitations on doing things we disagree with being disqualifying? To my mind, if it didn't happen in the last 10 years I'm not particularly concerned about it. Everyone evolves over time. What's important is who our leaders are today, not who they were.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

Veteran's audio cut when he discusses Blacks' role in Memorial Day

Veteran’s microphone was turned down during Memorial Day speech

Some talk of holding people responsible. I'll believe it when I see it.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

What's the statue of limitations on doing things we disagree with being disqualifying? To my mind, if it didn't happen in the last 10 years I'm not particularly concerned about it. Everyone evolves over time. What's important is who our leaders are today, not who they were.

Doesn't it depend on what it is? "He hasn't murdered prostitutes for at least the last ten years, cut him some slack."

[tarcone]

I have a theory on why we went into Iraq and then Afghanistan. Look at a map and look at what country those 2 border on each side.
Seems like we wanted military bases close, just in case.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by tarcone

I have a theory on why we went into Iraq and then Afghanistan. Look at a map and look at what country those 2 border on each side.
Seems like we wanted military bases close, just in case.

I think that's using hindsight and doesn't really take into account what was going on. We have presence in SA and Kuwait. We have access via the water, and air access a multitude of ways. I don't think that 20 years ago we needed a plan to put military bases in place to deal with Iran. That would be such a colossal waste of a couple dozen trillion dollars someone should be shot.

[tarcone]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

I think that's using hindsight and doesn't really take into account what was going on. We have presence in SA and Kuwait. We have access via the water, and air access a multitude of ways. I don't think that 20 years ago we needed a plan to put military bases in place to deal with Iran. That would be such a colossal waste of a couple dozen trillion dollars someone should be shot.

I feel like the President 20 years ago looked at how quickly his Daddy kicked ass in Iraq and thought he would do the same. I dont think that his admin thought it would be a 20 year quagmire.
We have all those other bases, we have sea and air covered as you say, but Iraq would not have let ground troops move through their country to attack Iran and no way we can get anything from the East. Having bases with easy access for ground troops would be optimal. Logistics would be so much easier.

[JPhillips]

I don't think you need to overcomplicate things. Both now and at the time, it was pretty clear the objective was to install a friendly regime like the Saudis and then have more access to/control of the world's oil supply.

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Doesn't it depend on what it is? "He hasn't murdered prostitutes for at least the last ten years, cut him some slack."

To a degree, yes. I think a conviction for a major felony is a lifetime 'not gonna vote for you' kind of issue. But we also need to leave room for people to grow and adapt.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Doesn't it depend on what it is? "He hasn't murdered prostitutes for at least the last ten years, cut him some slack."

Yeah, people still give me shit about that.

[tarcone]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

I don't think you need to overcomplicate things. Both now and at the time, it was pretty clear the objective was to install a friendly regime like the Saudis and then have more access to/control of the world's oil supply.

Sure. But add Irans oil into the mix. You control 75% (?0 of the worlds oil if Iran does something stupid and you kick their ass.

[Vegas Vic]

Originally Posted by tarcone

I have a theory on why we went into Iraq and then Afghanistan.

We went into Afghanistan because the Al Qaeda training grounds that spawned the 9/11 hijackers and other terrorist attacks were operating unabated with complicit support from the Taliban.

We went into Iraq (a country with a secular dictator, Saddam Hussein, who was despised by Osama Bin Laden) based on manufactured intelligence promoted by Cheney and Rumsfeld. There was no terrorist presence in Iraq when Saddam was in power, but after the U.S. invasion the country went into anarchy, spawning the Al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists, and later the Isis terrorists who poured over the border from Syria.

[whomario]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

To a degree, yes. I think a conviction for a major felony is a lifetime 'not gonna vote for you' kind of issue. But we also need to leave room for people to grow and adapt.

On the other hand, especially when the "role" is at least largely about know how, a country of 330 mio should be able to find qualified individuals elsewhere without that 'history' ? Just as there are countless other avenues for them to pursue. There's a lot between "they can never say anything again" and "they need to be given some of the biggest, most influential roles".

Speaking generally though, not going to pretend to know the details of how the 2007/08 predictions came about and how much was negligence or incompetence or worse.

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by whomario

On the other hand, especially when the "role" is at least largely about know how, a country of 330 mio should be able to find qualified individuals elsewhere without that 'history' ? Just as there are countless other avenues for them to pursue. There's a lot between "they can never say anything again" and "they need to be given some of the biggest, most influential roles".

Totally agree with the last sentence, but I think it's a little more complicated than the first one indicates. 29 of 50 Democratic Senators voted for the AUMF in Iraq. If you say, based on that alone, they are disqualified, that means you are taking over half of the most qualified people off the table. The remaining 42% will generally have issues of their own. How many are electable? How many have committed other similar acts we disagree with? (we being whatever the perspective of the person in question is)

You don't have to go very far with this before there aren't many left who are both experienced and qualified.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by tarcone

I have a theory on why we went into Iraq and then Afghanistan. Look at a map and look at what country those 2 border on each side.
Seems like we wanted military bases close, just in case.

There's truth in everyone's responses, there are multiple reasons with different degrees.

Afghanistan was pretty clear cut. We went to take revenge (call it what you want) on AQ, the Taliban was complicit in sheltering them so they went also.

Iraq was faulty intelligence (I won't go as far as saying "manufactured" but there was some confirmation bias in believing Saddam had WMD, his un-cooperation etc. and of course it was personal. But really don't think oil was a top 5 factor). He was a threat to SA, Kuwait etc. but he was also a buffer to Iran.

Interesting question, is Iraq better off in present day than with Saddam (comparison is with Saddam rule, not the mess it is today)? We can talk about human lives lost etc. but interested to see a poll broken down with the Kurds, Sunnis, Shiites etc. My guess is Kurds will say better off, the Sunnis will say no. US will be a no. Unsure about the Shiites but guess they'll say yes.

[Edward64]

I heard that Biden wanting a floor of 15% but didn't realize it was a G7 thing also. A good sign that we are working with traditional allies again.

However, don't know if this really helps. Don't understand all the implications but wouldn't surprise me if multi-nationals incorporate in a more receptive country or they find loopholes. But guess its a good start

https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/05/busin...gbr/index.html

Finance ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) nations have put their support behind the Biden administration's ambitious plan to overhaul the global tax system, backing a minimum tax of at least 15% on corporate earnings.

"G7 finance ministers... after years of discussions, have reached a historic agreement to reform the global tax system to make it fit for the global digital age and, crucially, to make sure that it's fair so that the right companies pay the right tax in the right places," UK finance minister Rishi Sunak said in a video posted on Twitter Saturday.

The agreement was made during a G7 meeting of finance ministers in London, attended by US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, where she sought backing for the administration's efforts to rewrite international tax rules and discourage American companies from booking earnings abroad.

Last month, the US Treasury proposed a global minimum tax of at least 15%, aiming to tackle an unwieldy international system rife with loopholes. Establishing a minimum rate could help discourage companies from shifting their profits to countries where they would pay less tax.

"With the global corporate minimum tax functionally set at zero today, there has been a race to the bottom on corporate taxes, undermining the United States' and other countries' ability to raise the revenue needed to make critical investments," the US Treasury said in a statement on May 20.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by tarcone

I feel like the President 20 years ago looked at how quickly his Daddy kicked ass in Iraq and thought he would do the same. I dont think that his admin thought it would be a 20 year quagmire.
We have all those other bases, we have sea and air covered as you say, but Iraq would not have let ground troops move through their country to attack Iran and no way we can get anything from the East. Having bases with easy access for ground troops would be optimal. Logistics would be so much easier.

Dick Cheney knew it would be a quagmire.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

Dick Cheney knew it would be a quagmire.

Watching a GOP politician give a sober, thoughtful, knowledgeable answer to a question feels so strange.

That's a huge part of what MAGA and its enablers took from us. That kind of knowledge being valued on the right is just gone now. And that's really bad.

[Vegas Vic]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

Dick Cheney knew it would be a quagmire.

Too bad the Dick Cheney of 1994 gave way to the Dick Cheney of 2003, when he and Rummy brainwashed GWB into thinking that the U.S. troops would be welcomed with "roses in the streets" after invading Iraq.

[tarcone]

I wonder what changed in the 9 years.

And yes, I miss mature adults running this country.

[JPhillips]

A right-wing parade in Israel is being cancelled by the government because of security threats. It looks like Bibi is itching for his own Jan 6.

[whomario]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

Totally agree with the last sentence, but I think it's a little more complicated than the first one indicates. 29 of 50 Democratic Senators voted for the AUMF in Iraq. If you say, based on that alone, they are disqualified, that means you are taking over half of the most qualified people off the table. The remaining 42% will generally have issues of their own. How many are electable? How many have committed other similar acts we disagree with? (we being whatever the perspective of the person in question is)

You don't have to go very far with this before there aren't many left who are both experienced and qualified.

Politicians are, with all the caveats included (chief among them the 2 party system), elected and everybody can (again, with all the caveats) directly influence that. The way you pose the question makes it seem like it's happening too easily, but at least looking from afar the opposite seems true. Would it be a (different type of) issue if nobody got any 'forgivenes' ? Sure. But is that really the prevalent dynamic/bigger issue, even today ?

I'm not sure that's an alltogether Apples to Apples comparison either with regard to the examples given ?

[Edward64]

A little scary but do think its not a matter of if but when there will be a major attack. Oil pipelines are a precursor of stuff to come. Only hope our hackers are better than their (Russia, China, Nigeria etc.) hackers.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/06/polit...ntv/index.html

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on Sunday warned in stark terms that the US power grid is vulnerable to attacks.

Asked By CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" whether the nation's adversaries have the capability of shutting it down, Granholm said: "Yeah, they do."

"There are thousands of attacks on all aspects of the energy sector and the private sector generally," she said, adding, "It's happening all the time. This is why the private sector and the public sector have to work together."

The secretary's warning comes amid a rise in ransomware attacks in America's public and private sectors in the recent weeks, creating a sense of urgency in the Biden administration on how to confront cyber vulnerabilities. The issue will take an outsized role during President Joe Biden's first foreign trip this week, during which he is set to talk with European leaders and meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva, Switzerland.

[thesloppy]

I'm feeling especially bitter at the moment, but it's super comforting to see that aside from immediately abandoning any fight over living wages, healthcare, student loan debt, voting rights & the filibuster were actually going to move backwards in regards to gun control.

[NobodyHere]

The FBI recovered a huge chunk of the Colonial Pipeline ransom by secretly gaining access to Darkside's bitcoin wallet password

Good for the FBI.

[JPhillips]

Colonial CEO today said that the company only used single-factor authentication. There should be stricter regulations for critical industries.

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by whomario

Would it be a (different type of) issue if nobody got any 'forgivenes' ? Sure. But is that really the prevalent dynamic/bigger issue, even today ?

No, I don't think it is the case that nobody gets forgiveness. I was responding originally though to a couple of posters who thought it was evident that there shouldn't be any such forgiveness.

I used exactly the example they did intentionally, so there wasn't even any need for a comparison period, much less an apples-to-apples one .

[JPhillips]

Vaccines cause magnetism?

We should show this clip to aliens who invade our planet. Prove to them we're the dumbest species in the solar system.pic.twitter.com/OpnpLSyN0v

— Isaac (@WorldofIsaac) June 9, 2021

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

The FBI recovered a huge chunk of the Colonial Pipeline ransom by secretly gaining access to Darkside's bitcoin wallet password

Good for the FBI.

When a guy stole millions from our condo association years ago, the FBI mostly just laughed and told us we were on our own.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

When a guy stole millions from our condo association years ago, the FBI mostly just laughed and told us we were on our own.

When you are a petrochemical company in the United States, the government pretty much works for you.