These Republicans are under pressure to pass anything so they can say they did something this year. It is easier to go along than to be the person who stands between the Republican Party and their tax cuts.
This meeting they just had with Trump and McConnell just gives them plausible deniability. Let’s them claim that they had an understanding.
The really scary thing about politics, is sometimes personal enrichment clouds the vision of national interest. I predict Diane Feinstien crosses to vote for it.
Why?., her husband has a contract to sell surplus postal properties with a take home value to Diane of 500 million to one billion dollars.
Donald Trump can cancel that at any time.
The New York Times has become the official spokesman of the Democratic Party (yesterday's Twitter rant). Opposing voices are nowhere to be found (just look at the opinion page today). For example, there should be a conservative economist who counters Paul Krugman.
And what you don't understand is that the more biased you become, the less relevant you become. You preach to the choir, and people like me who really want to understand the issue (by reading both sides), no longer read opinions beyond the headline.
Perhaps one day you will understand this. But today is not the day.
Republicans in purple states and districts are going to get tarred with this horrible bill, no matter if they support it full-throated or not. Ever see Peter King (NY) and Darryl Issa (CA) shake so much? Sens. Colllins, McCain, Flake and Corker better grow spines before the final vote on the conference committee version. They should think about stopping Trump at any cost - a far better legacy than going down with the ship.
And, did you hear crazy Orin Hatch today? Trump is a great president, decisive and best president since he's been in the senate. Time to retire, Orin - you're as demented as Trump.
14
His supporters all seem so happy - ignorance truly is bliss.
7
Sad you were such a sucker last year for a real estate developer con man from New York. What was it he said to you that made sense? Rebuilding all those closed car plants and steel mills here in Ohio by convincing So-called American corporations to give up profits from cheap Chinese labor and spend capital and pay Americans a living wage? Too bad the media focused on other trivial things like bathrooms instead of pointing out how absurd and ridiculous his policy proposals were? And too bad his opponent was inept and had nothing for those unemployed and hopeless mid westerners besides “we sill retrain unemployed steel workers to write computer code as she got paid six figures from Wall Street firms.
5
Short and not so sweet, Trump LIES, about everything!
8
For now it looks as if the US is doomed. And almost as if the President was a Russian mole intent on destroying the US and all it stands for.
The only bright side of these sad events, is that when the american people wake up, in 2018 or any other time after, the Republican inteligencia paid for by the US oligarcs will be dicredited for decades and the common interest and not the special ones may become again the ulitimate goal of the US represntatives.
Whishfull thinking??
3
Why do we, the American public, continue to elect these morally bankrupt, self-serving, reprehensible, power hungry, greedy fraudsters to represent us? The ease in which lies roll off their tongues should be a sign to voters but apparently the dimwitted among us have yet to figure this out.
7
After JR was shot on "Dallas" episode, we find it was all a dream. I follow the news from America's Republicans and hope to find it was all a dream. Then, I wake up in the morning. I wretch.
4
It's a xmas gift to the rich and the corporations. Susan Collins knows this but I'm sure she's under a lot of pressure from her donors. If she believes Trump, she's stupid and I don't think she's stupid, so she's just playing games.
7
Anyone who takes Trump's word on anything is a chump.
I thought more of Susan Collins.....
8
... and now he's distancing himself from the Access Hollywood tape and rescussitating the birther conspiracy. The Dems should dig in here more than in the tax-scam, and not agree to anything until Trump swears in public on a bible owned by Washington and held by Gorsuch that he is the one on the tape, that Barack Obama was born in the Great State of Hawaii and that he regrets insulting the people of Great Britain and continually lying to the people of the United States. And let that be printed at his cost in all major newspapers and tweeted to all twitter accounts worldwide. NOTHING LESS!
3
Trump's bio should've been titled "The Art of the Con Artist".
2
Really? I don't think so. I think they are simply looking for cover to help their sycophantic and entitled friends in the plutocracy.
Shame on Senator McCain. Shame on Senator Collins. Shame on Senator Flake. Shame on Senator Corker.
These are supposedly smart people, but, they believe the trump-lier. Since Senator Collins will be the only one running for reelection the Democrats should make it their mission to unseat her.
9
You are still to gullible. They don't believe Trump--they simply want cover to do what their party wants
5
I guess we're all in Kansas, anymore.
1
Senator Collins: Let's talk about Medicare and Social Security. I always thought of you as one of the more intelligent people in our government, but to hear you actually say you believe McConnell about not cutting Social Security and Medicare is astoundingly stupid. For example, your pal Marco Rubio is saying just the opposite:
"I analyze this very differently than most," Rubio told the crowd. "Many argue that you can't cut taxes because it will drive up the deficit. But we have to do two things. We have to generate economic growth which generates revenue, while reducing spending. That will mean instituting structural changes to Social Security and Medicare for the future," the senator said. […]"
4
There is simply no Republican who is not an enemy of all sentient life.
6
>
If your hopes to stop this tax bill depend on these 3 or 4 "moderate" GOP Senators, you are certified delusional.
This is all but over outside of the pain.
Dems have once again done a terrible job at attacking the bill.
1
How can we be surprised that "wavering" Senators are buying Trump's "assurances." The prez has such a stellar rep for delivering on his promises. Then again, these "wavering" Senators are merely looking for political cover. Of course, they're buying what the GOP and the president are selling...they've been bought and sold over and over since they showed up in DC. Despite a majority of middle class Americans being opposed to this Billionaires Protection and Preservation Act, they're gonna ram it down our throats, erode the middle class even further, and lo and behold, their donor's checks will soon be in the mail. What a disgrace.
3
This is really and truly disconcerting but it seems all the liberals in this country are talking about is sexual harassment. Trump is laughing all the way to the bank. Giving liberal women a little candy while all the time knowing that a right wing government is not really going to do anything about it. If he does get to put more judges on the Supreme Court, then sexual harassment will indeed take a step back. Again this is indeed a chess move. Look over here. Focus liberals! Feel good moments won’t win elections.
4
Of course we are clueless: we elected them!
4
The tax bill is just the latest example of:
Anyone can fool SOME of the people SOME of the time...
Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell et al can fool ALL Republicans SOME of the time...
Trump can fool ALL Republicans (especially Republicans Senators) ALL of the time!
2
I want to know when the television journalists will start talking honestly about this tax bill instead of spending the entire day on the latest sexual harassment and Trump's diverting blathering. Isn't somebody going to wake up and call those senators to account before they wreck this country! The myth of this bill helping the middle class has to be broken. I am so disgusted and dismayed at the meanness and hypocrisy displayed. AND of course, by the continued gullibility of many who voted for Trump. I have seen a lot of lying in my 75 years, but this scenario beats it all.
5
These Senators would .....sell their country to the Russians to get what they want. Oh, wait, they already did that. Senators want power. They want to get re-elected. Just like Trump. They will tell you ANYTHING to get and keep that power. And they have clearly been willing to go along with ANYTHING Trump says to attain that goal. They have NO moral spine. The 30-40% of Americans who support this are the real enablers here. They accept child abusers, sexual abusers, and full blown, blatant liars as their leaders. And have absolutely no second thoughts. They listen to Trump tell then he will not benefit from these tax cuts. That his buddies are angry at him. And they believe him or don't care he is lying to their faces. Let the beer drinking. back slapping begin. Happy Days are here again. Rest assured Trump, his family, and all their wealthy friends will be crying all the way to the bank.
2
Make America KANSAS, again. And, it's NOT going well.
6
Doesn't this remind you about how confident a certain administration was on the eve of invasion that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction?
1
Let us be honest. Did you ever have to do something at work that made you sick but you had no choice but to go along because of the pressure to be part of the team? It is a form of abuse. I believe many of these senators must be feeling this pressure. It is vote for this tax bill regardless of who it hurts because we need a legislative victory. This is human nature at its worst!
2
Sham. Flim Flam. Joke. Cruel Joke. Now I hear even McCain is on board. Ugh... I am just glad I am financially stable enough to not need social services or social security. I hope I won't need them after the tax cuts expire and Republicans return to austerity to try to clean up their mess. Actually they don't see this as a mess. To them this is one step closer to winning. When republicans win millions at the bottom will end up loosing. What then?
2
Senator Collins, if you really believe that that man in the White House will do what he says he will do, I own a bridge that spans the Ohio River the at Cincinnati. I must sell at a great sacrifice to me so please let me know if you’re interested.
3
Now we know what MAGA really stands for:
Modern American Gilded Age
4
The Republicans might as well install Grover Norquist's claw foot bathtub in the Capitol Rotunda. That is the altar at which they worship.
Welcome to the New Gilded Age.
3
The driving force behind the falling in line of GOP senators is fear. Fear of facing a primary contender if they display the courage to stand up to a bully. They are just as egocentric as Trump. Me first. They are willing to pass a tax bill they know will hurt millions of working class people to evade the wrath of Donald. Instead if condemning Trump on so many levels, they march like lemmings to the sea.
2
I am shocked and disappointed that the bobble headed Susan Collins can be duped into voting for this atrocious tax bill.
3
Let's all hope Trump's horrific tax bill (that now includes drilling in the Arctic) will die the death of a thousand cuts that his repeal and replace Obamacare bill did.
1
It is outrageous that California only has two Senators!!!!!!! If the current political insanity continues, California either needs to separate from the United States (what other Blue states want to join us?) or break into many smaller states. We have 39 million residents. The Founding Fathers did not anticipate that the largest state (CA) would have 67 times as many people as the smallest state (Wyoming). Even the House of Representatives over-represents states with small populations. And I won't even describe the illegal gerrymandering of districts done by Republicans in many state houses. I don't know what else to say. It is time to ACT.
Let's NOT look back 3 or 8 years from now and wonder why we didn't act.
The Blue States MUST leave the United States. Look at history. Countries don't survive forever. Yes, it's a difficult decision. But let's act now!!! It is only going to get worse. Who's in?
2
Unfortunately, the republicans are taking a cue from the Roy Moore Campaign and Trump. Lie like you mean it, and your base will believe and support you.
Trump and Moore both claim all the women are lying. Are they being punished for it? Not by their base. If anything, their base is has strengthened their resolve to support their favorite charlatans. On the other hand, look what happens when you admit you did wrong. Drummed out of the business. So, why shouldn't the whole republican party tell bald faced lies? Really, why??? Their base won't hold them to anything. They don't have to confuse that many people to still win...and lies are wonderful for stoking confusion when the press is complicit.
You know, "Complicit" is the work of the year. Everyone is looking at Ivanka, as if she could do anything about her father. Let me suggest that "Complicit" should have been the word of the year in 2016 and it should have been applied to the press. So, members of the press, what did you complicity buy you? Trump's undying admiration?
2
Andrew, you reported this wrong. Johnson was not as upset with the increased deficit as he was that the pass through tax breaks were not big enough to small companies like his family plastics firm. Once he was told that companies like his family's company will get larger tax breaks, he was coming around to YES.
1
Apparently, in their stampede to prove just how critical they can be of President Trump, liberals have decided to dispense with things like fact checking or compromise.
Fact check - "The tax bill will blow a gigantic hole in the deficit, as much as $1.5 trillion, and the so-called deficit hawks, like Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, know that."
Sen Johnson is not a deficit hawk. Rather, he publicly stated that his main issue was that the reduction in corporate tax rates was more significant than those for pass-throughs (which are often used by small businesses). At present, pass-throughs can shield 17.4% of their income from taxation - and Trump is sincerely trying to accommodate this concern.
"As The Times said in an editorial on Wednesday, middle-class Americans stand to get a cut of about $1,000, or $19 a week."
Ask Americans whether they'd like to receive another $1,000 in their pocket. I suspect you will see a lot of agreement.
Yes, Senators are trying to reach a compromise with Trump. Isn't this exactly what Obama did in accommodating the Cornhusker Kickback with Senator Nelson or in removing the public option to suit Senator Lieberman ?
Bottom line - This is mainly a corporate tax cut. Our corporate tax rates are simply out of line with the rest of the world - and even Obama seemed open to fixing this. In addition, incentives within the law (such as accelerating all depreciation) will likely lead an increase in capital investment and jobs.
1
Trump is eating the Congressional Republicans from the inside out. They are becoming as dishonest, treasonous, and corrupt as the president himself. Even Collins, McCain, Corker and Flake are falling for his promises.
Though they didn't want Trump, the Congressional Republicans struck a devil's bargain with him. They would not impeach him. They would abandon their Constitutionally mandated oversight role. And Trump in turn would sign whatever they put in front of him.
In general, the Republicans appear to be getting what they wanted, which is Dickensian in its cruelty: tax cuts for the rich; no health insurance or health care for the rest of us; an evangelical Supreme Court justice; diminished civil rights for women. The list goes on and on.
Their devil's bargain has been a disaster for the nation and its democracy. The rule of law, the Constitution, the independent judiciary, and the free press, among others, are all in jeopardy. The president traffics in racism on a daily basis. An adversarial country interfered without consequence in our elections. More likely than not, the president conspired with that country.
2
Maybe they are working on a special tax cut for retired Senators. Money talks.
1
Mark my words. Any wavering GOP senator who ultimately wavers in favor of the GOP will be soundly defeated by the moral majority LEFT wing of this country. 2018 as well as 2020 are surely going to be wave elections. Anyone who was complicit in the Trump election, who somehow normalized Trump, who appeared in a photo op with Trump--celebrated some or other "victory" that depowers the American middle class majority--any GOP congressperson who does not disavow this president and disavow its own party's sickening lean to the far right and the corrupt oligarchy--you will ALL be defeated. And the history books will rightly tattoo you as traitors to American democracy.
2
Are we all going to fall for this as we did for the bank bailout? I can't believe we are looking at this massive scam that will enrich our president beyond his wildest dreams and not a single republican is willing to speak out?
3
Susan Collins, McCain, Johnson, etc., republican elected officials first, americans second.
2
The fact that these Senetors actually believe they will be given an opportunity to add amendments AFTER the vote. This is enough to declare them incompetent if they believe that.
The rest of the world can see through Trump’s charade, why can’t they? Trump is conning them out of the most leverage they will ever have in their political lives. These Senators will be laughing stocks for being played.
3
"... middle-class Americans stand to get a cut of about $1,000" - how much of a tax cut do you expect a person making 60k to get?
as we have arranged our tax system, people under 100k (which I'm firmly in), barely pay taxes as it is.
are you aware in Scandinavian countries (yours and the NYTs favorites by the way), and I imagine other European countries, they pay 30% from the FIRST dollar!!! Make 50k you're paying 30% from dollar 1. Make 200k you have two tiers one around 30% and one in the 50's.
if you want a fair tax system, make everyone share the pain and understand there is no free lunch. But your hero democrats in congress will never go for that.
Do these senators realize that Trump has no loyalty? He'll blame them if things go wrong, as they will. Bondholders are going to take a hosing when state and local finances collapse. Trump will say he listened to the senators; they wrote a bad bill.
They're ramming through an extensive rewrite of the tax code without holding a single hearing or listening to any expert opinion. They have no idea what the effects of this bill will be. And they're trying to pass this monstrosity before enough public pressure mounts to stop them.
The U.S. Capitol switchboard is 202-224-3121. Call your senators. Let them feel some heat.
What is the value of President Trump's assurances that he will fix the problems of the tax bill?
How can our Senators, who are supposed to be acting on behalf of their constituents, be this gullible? I must have the wrong premise.
If Senator Collins, Murkopwski and others really think Trump will fix it, they are a sorry excuse for being a United States Senator. Trump is nothing but a clueless snake oil carny who would sell his mother if he had the chance. Senator Collins, senator Murkowski and Senator McCain: today (11-29), the CBO came out to opine on the Alexander-Murray bill (Bipartisan Health Care Stabilization Act) that republicans wanted to introduce on the floor simultaneously with their tax plan. Alexander-Murray was intended to stabilize the Obamacare marketplaces. But the CBO said (letter from the CBO director to Murray) that with the senate bill cutting the individual mandate, the Alexander-Murray bill with the senate tax plan still would not help, as, "...the effects on the premiums and the number of people with health insurance would be similar". Eliminating the mandate means over 13 million lose insurance and premiums spike. Again, pass this along to Senators Collins, Murkowski and McCain!
2
If the tax bill becomes law it will prove those Republicans who appear to have residual moral values have no more commitment than their craven leadership. We are in dire straits and must blame those voters who believe the Republican lies about “cultural” issues. Republican leadership care nothing about guns, gays and god but use those issues to gain support of their exceptionaly gullible voters.
2
The citizens of Maine will get exactly what they deserve here.
How sad to see that saner Republican Senators may be supporting this class warfare inducing tax cut for the rich. They, like so many others probably fall for his lies because he does too. As a pure Narcissist, his reality is morphed to whatever makes him look good in the moment, and it makes it easier to sell what he wants to be seen as.
Let us hope that some of these senators who have stood up to him before will see him and this tax scam for what it is and vote against it.l
1
I can't believe that "a month and a lunch" were all it took to change Sen. Corker's mind. Surely he was able to get two scoops of ice cream into the deal!
1
The Democrats have no plan, no leadership, no proposal, no future. Why not accept this as normal?
Exactly - Trump is a the ultimate con man. He can talk to people and get them to trust him. That is how he made his money and how he got elected. No big surprise that Senators can be conned by him. The easy game in conning is to get people to believe what they want to believe - and these Senators want to believe that all their concerns will be fixed so they don't have to abandon or go against their tribe.
1
The wavering Senators should make a deal with Mitch McConnell...if they vote for the tax bill and it passes, he promises to start Impeachment proceedings. Get it in writing. At this point I'm willing to accept a terrible bill if it will get rid of a much worse problem.
1
Trump is General Custer. This tax cut is Little Bighorn for the GOP. Hubris, arrogance, falsehoods, and denials are the main talking points.
No doubts. This is a tax cut for billionaires. It's like the Republicans lost touch with fiscal responsibility. Who will pay off the government debt if not the billionaires who have benefited the most from our free market system. Oh, I see, the 1% has not benefited enough. They need more, more, more.
And the people at the lower end of the economic spectrum need less, less, little, and next to nothing. Why haven't the Republicans fallen back on their "compassionate conservatism" spin? They don't believe in compassion any longer.
1
The nation is a darn sight better off from the huge chasm left by Bush eight years ago when the economy was in freefall, leaving in its wake a record deficit of $1.3 trillion (an unprecedented unsustainable 10% of the economy) after more than doubling the national debt, and racking up trillions more in unbudgeted costs for two wars. While stablizing the economy and containing the US war footing, the Obama administration grappled fiscally with that massive deficit reducing it at a faster rate than during WW2 demoblization to a more managable $500 billion (now 2% of the economy). Now in one fell swoop so-called president trump rather than building on a sound fiscal construct is recklessly throwing caution and fiscal prudence to the wind. This is sheer lunacy. God help us.
1
I'm not sure I see why there's so much surprise and outrage that every single Republican is going to pretend that The President has given them enough (non-binding, verbal) assurances to allow them to vote to take away our social programs and our money, and shovel the proceeds into the coffers of their true constituencies: rich people and large corporations. This is what Republicans do. We've known this for several generations. They've done this a number of times, and always to disastrous effect. They are going to do it again, and there is literally nothing we can do to stop it.
And let's face it, we as a country voted for this. We voted for it by staying home in 2010 and 2014, allowing these brazen thieves to take over both houses of Congress. We voted for this in 2016, when enough people who should have known better either stayed home on Election Day out of laziness or spite, moaned about lesser-of-two-evils, and voted their precious consciences instead of realizing that we had to pull together to prevent this unmitigated disaster.
The fact is that if everyone came out to vote these guys would not be in power. I have nothing but disgust for those who could have easily prevented all of this, but didn't. They are the ones who are truly responsible for the dreadful losses we will be experiencing in the coming years.
1
Observing the ramblings of these characters in the Senate as they find ways to present themselves in a flattering and serious way, even as they fleece the middle class and the poor, is something of a long nightmare. How nice it would be to have Alice's revelation in Wonderland: "You're nothing but a pack of cards", and wake up somewhere friendly.
Is it LSD, what's in the air? Where does all this abstraction and fantasy originate? How do politicians become so removed from the simple, the wholesome and the real? How does anyone believe them? When I can't even imagine the object or reward that motivates the greed, avarice, and cowardice of these characters and their charades, my life feels weird too. Like there are too many layers of untruth to ever unravel them.
1
Tax changes clearly needed. Quit bickering, make the good ones. Do NOT go to 22% corporate instead of 20%. Why disincentiveize? Put a deadline on funds return to US. If you have to increase middle/low taxes for debt relief, do so; make sure every citizen pays something, point of pride. Just don't mainly benefit the rich; be sure to keep health care for all without going backward. Eliminate estate tax forgiveness, illogical anyway.
This just proves that Republicans are addicted to tax cuts, and they are definitely not the fiscally conservative group they always claim to be. It also points out just how disastrous the consequences of elections can be. The Republicans now completely run the government, and what we get is a failed health plan that would have done nothing to move us toward universal healthcare and a same-old-same-old tax cut plan for the wealthy. With a group of inept Democrats opposing, I doubt that anything will change soon. For moderates and progressives this is indeed a distressful time.
Are the donors in charge? Taxpayers should have access to all communication between elected officials and those trying to exercise influence. With all the leaks and hacking, why is all such communique locked in the vault? Is casino jack back in action, as though they never really left?
The Democrats and those in favor of higher taxes are seeking to "enslave" the citizenry to a government bureaucracy; it is a most insidious form of "racism." They have no interest in creating jobs and helping the poor and disenfranchised become self-sufficient. This would destroy their electoral strategy; they must keep people poor and disenfranchised so that they can PRETEND that they care. The truth is the liberals only care about power and controlling those who are less fortunate without any accountability. When was the last time you heard a liberal ask is this government program really working? Are we helping the intended beneficiaries of the program or are we just creating a bigger bureaucracy. The answer is clearly that Liberals and Progressives do not care about the plight of the poor and disenfranchised, they only care about appearing to care. Their answer to any problem is MORE SPENDING, HIGHER TAXES without questioning the efficacy of a programs failures. This can only mean their true desire is for a totalitarian state (with liberals in charge) and no accountability. Spare me the hollow rhetoric, Mr. Rosenthal.
Every one of those Senators is looking at a massive tax cut for themselves. They are deliberately professing belief in the assurances of an individual who lies every single day.
1
Given Trump's track record for lies, it is unbelievable that these senators would take "Trump's words" as assurance. I wonder if they would give up their first borns to robbers if the robbers promised their babies would be given candies.
Needless to say that this "tax cut" is not a tax cut at all, but taking money away from the poor and the middle class to enable a huge give-away to corporations, wealthy donors, and to Donald Trump.
1
This is a done deal I fear. There is no courage on the other side. They only care about their donors. I wonder how Fox will spin this after the voters see their taxes rise. Will they revolt? Doubtful. They will be told that their entitlements must be cut, that it was the dems fault and they will follow the other lemmings to their own demise.
1
One could not fail but to be alarmed if one watched the CNN debate and listened to the give and take between Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz. Senator Sanders, though many hoped he would be able to cut through the Gordion knot of Republican arguments designed to make the tax bill appear relatively benign, could not help but fail to do so. The kind of demagoguery the Republicans have now resorted to is, by design, so convoluted, so riddled with deception and artifice that it would take a graduate level course in economics and politics to unravel. Or--perhaps we could just give Nancy MacLean a couple of hours of air time to explain, as she does in her recently published "America in Chains," the "radical right's stealth plan for America." Seen from her perspective this tax bill is just the most recent battle in a civil war that this country has still not ended.
1
"I didn’t have to hear that lesson twice. Apparently some of our senators still haven’t got it."
No, Mr. Rosenthal, you STILL don't get it. This bill is exactly who the Republicans are, yes, even Susan Collins, John McCain and the rest of the phony moderates, mavericks and deficit hawks. Trump had nothing to do with drafting this bill (expect maybe the elimination of the Obamacare mandate tax penalty), it is the full wish list of GOP donors who are the only ones Republican senators care about. Putting all the blame on Trump exonerates the real culprits here.
2
Time for Maine to let Susan Collins go. Her vote is no longer centrist. She is siding with the right wing on bad policy. Not for anything she just shows that just replacing men with women may help with harassment issues but not with anything else. When it comes to policy on the Republican side, women are as bad as men. We must insure the women we vote in won’t continue the disastrous programs the men before them have foisted on us.
1
Dear Denizens of the global fossil Superorganism or Amoeba in short,
My remark may not win the NYT reader popularity contest. The global fossil Amoeba is a mental shortcut for all people living rather well in a cocoon powered mostly by oil, gas, and coal. This shortcut encompasses all people in the US, as well as me, a temporary expat. The only difference between us is that I have spent the last 30 years thinking about the Amoeba’s narrative and am inoculated to it to a certain degree.
Immersed in the fossil Amoeba’s bowels, you probably cannot notice that the Amoeba is running out of steam because her material flows are stagnating or diminishing while the human bees are exploding in numbers. The Amoeba’s slow decline is thoroughly masked by inundating it with electronic cash that makes the lasting physical solutions even less likely. Therefore, the Amoeba has to regroup and find new ways of keeping us in check.
The super-rich and their faithful public servants understand this cold fact better than the rest of us in the global Animal Farm. The super-rich are skillfully orchestrating the last grand looting inside of the global Amoeba, before it is too late and we all go into a stampede.
The Porker-in-Chief meanwhile keeps on distracting all of us so that we do not pay attention to the scale of the looting, and to the plight of lesser farm animals that voted for the Porker. So happy shouting and grimacing, but the looting must happen quickly.
3
Same way he coned the Gaming or Casino Board in Atlantic City...how dumb can these Senators be?
2
I love how liberals finally found religion regarding deficits after their anointed one doubled the entire national debt during his 8 years in office! Meanwhile, most of the whining is coming from high tax states which the rest of the US has been subsidizing for years. No one buys your sob story, folks.
The lower-tax states receive much, MUCH more in federal money than they pay out in taxes. South Carolina, for example, receives almost $8.00 in federal spending for every $1.00 it pays in taxes.
Higher-tax states like California, New Jersey, and New York all receive less than $1.00 back for each $1.00 paid out. They (along with my own state, Colorado, and 10 others) are the ones doing the subsidizing.
By the way, I'm more than happy that my tax dollars are going to (among other things) help out people in other states who are less fortunate than me. In this way, I've got their backs now, and if our fortunes were reversed, they'd be doing the same for me.
3
Wrong on two counts. The additional debt incurred under Obama is overwhelmingly due to the actions of previous administrations. You see, when your predecessors cuts taxes, you're stuck with less revenue so you have to borrow more. Our 'anointed one' added about one trillion out of the nine trillion usually attributed to him by people who don't understand anything. Here's a balanced analysis:
https://www.thebalance.com/national-debt-under-obama-3306293
Second, in the aggregate, blue states are givers and red states are takers.
1
Who's kidding whom? These Senators who supposedly are on the fence know exactly what is in this awful bill. And yet, with their political antennae up as high as possible, they are not concerned with what's in the bill but how it will play in their home state and what are the consequences for them. Well, folks, those of you who voted for fence sitters like Susan Collins need to raise your voices high. You need to let her know that on this all-important issue, your support rises or falls depending on their vote on this particular bill. If Collins, who is no dummy, attempts to sell her constituents this terrible bill of goods, she should be rejected come re-election. Politicians rely on the short-term memories of their supporters. They believe by the time they face the voters again most of them will have forgotten any egregious thing they did to the people they represent. If that is so, then the electorate deserve a government who laughs in their face for indeed the politicians are right in their estimation that most of the voters in their respective states are idiots. Well? Are they? We shall see. While we still have a democracy we will see if the voters as stupid as they're made out to be.
DD
Manhattan
3
As a resident of Manhattan, this bill is certainly not good for you and you are standing up for your self-interest, understandably. For most Americans in the middle class, however, this is a great bill. Those families get a child tax credit increase of at least 60% and their standard deduction is doubled. 84% of tax payers take the standard deduction now. With the new bill, it is estimated that over 90% will. Accordingly, you appear to be lobbying for the top 10% or less of taxpayers. Additionally, the corporate tax cut, long overdue to make us competitive globally, will result in more jobs. Lower unemployment creates pressure to raise wages, something all Americans want more than continuing to subsidize a few high tax states. Sorry.
Trump stood at the podium and repeated "Believe me ! This is going to cost me a fortune, this thing, believe me. This is not good for me,"
We also believed him when he assured us he'd show his tax returns- but even without that traditional presidential transparency- we absolutely know the elimination of taxes for estates over $11million would surely benefit him.
Does he think we are fools... stupid ?
When a man says "Trust me!" --check your silver.
4
Where are the marches? Where are the millions of people who should be demonstrating in the streets? Mobilize now! Make the Republicans afraid to go to their offices. Shut down the government. Show them their lies are stupid and venal. Stand up for our democracy. There is precious little time, march tomorrow.
3
Only a Goldman-Sachs alumni like Gary Cohn could lie through his teeth about buying a new car. Of course, once the tax cuts expire, look for the repo man.
2
Are Democratic and Liberal commentators such as this author really so clueless about how the economy works? They seem so hell bent on destroying the people who make jobs and punishing those poor and middle class workers who don't pay taxes now but need their jobs? To be clear...I didn't vote for Trump...but we need real solutions to real problems....not the tired old hate the republicans because they hate you rhetoric.
1
Don't forget Al Gore came away from a meeting with the dotard-elect convinced that he was going to look out for the environment. He tells people what they want to hear, then goes ahead and does whatever the hell he wants to. It's literally incomprehensible that the Republicans in Congress keep falling for this.
2
Senators Collins and Johnson...please look back to the past two administrations...one Republican one Democrat president. When has anything you in Congress ever gotten "fixed" later on?
You create and move from one disastrous bill to another. For once could you all please take a breath, cut the damn bill up into manageable pieces, actually become informed on the issue at hand and pass something that doesn't need a complete overhaul one second after you pass it.
Please there is a need for tax reform, even for corporate tax reform...but this is just an excuse to eliminate programs that many view as entitlements, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and many of your constituents view as life lines, to put more money into the pockets of the rich.
Please don't vote for this.
3
I thought Lincoln ended slavery but it seems the Party of Lincoln(a misnomer by any standards) has become a corporate slave. Shameful.
2
In my view, GOP US Senators do get it. The problem is collective greed, sociopathy, and a perverse desire to change the role of modern government. Americans will suffer under oppressive conditions that are a logical consequence of their agenda, as well as broad liberal democracy.
Until the racists, bigots, white supremacists, ignorant, greedy, and generally fearful feel the negative impact, their delusions will be fortified by a psychologically sick president and Ivory Tower prescriptions that ignore the needs of the governed.
2
This was the second paragraph - "Are they actually that clueless? Or do they merely think the rest of us are?" Shoulda stopped there.
1
There are 51 Republicans in the Senate and we can't even find two of them to represent Americans? Two! Republicans are an utterly disgusting lot. I truly hate them. The days of policy disagreements are over. This is war.
3
i’ve got a bridge for sale... with terms
'Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me." Our GOP senators either don't know better or don't care; I'm opting for the latter.
3
"What's good for the Koch brothers, is good for America."
-any Republican, appparently.
1
Remember, Trump LOVES THE UNEDUCATED. Low information voters keep this downward spiral circling------
2
The NY Times needs to using the terms: lie. lying, liar to describe what Trump is and doing. Until then you're aiding and abetting this lying conman.
3
Where were you when Obama was telling me I could keep my doctor and pay $2500 less for my insurance. Keep drinking the koolaid and we will soon be the paradise that is Venezuela!
there’s tax reform and then there is this con
i now announc e the death of the Republican Party
Are you listening Democrats and WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING YO DO TO BURY THESE hatchet men?
1
I fear the GOP more than ISIS or North Korea. They live among us and have embraced a mentally ill man as their leader.
5
He might not work in the WH anymore but Steve Bannon really scares the you know what out of these Repub's.
Susan Collins wants to play dumb ... Chris Collins (R-NY) knows the drill ...
“My donors are basically saying, ‘Get it done or don’t ever call me again,’ ”
1
Another fake news, hit piece by The All The Fake News That Fits The False Narrative. Everybody with any knowledge of our system knows that the legislative branch drafts legislation, not the POTUS.
The Fake News Times hit a new low with it's call for it's deluded readers to harrass GOP senators over the legislation. Proof positive that the Fake News Times isn't even pretending to be a newspaper now.
Pathetic! Really!
1
Trump is a congenital liar who now believes his own lies -- that Obama wasn't really born in the United States; that it really wasn't Trump speaking in that Access Hollywood tape; that he has accomplished more in 10 months than any other president in the history of mankind; blah, blah, blah. Now he is assuring senators that their tax plan, which he knows nothing about, will be the biggest tax cut in the history of our country. And they actually believe him! Are they really willing to destroy our nation's economy because this demented old fool wants a win?
2
(Trump’s chief economic adviser, Gary Cohn, thinks that is enough to get a new car or redo your kitchen.)
In what country? Burundi?
The only people dumber that these Senators are the voters who swallowed all the lies and accepted the bad conduct to elect the Liar-in-Chief
1
What’d he feed them? Kool-Aid?
Collins and Cocker are party hacks to start with. Corker is leaving with a nice pension no doubt. He doesn’t give a damn what kind of mess he leaves behind. Murkowski’s already been bought. Flake is fraud who’s leaving too.
We the people have been sold out. Our lives mean nothing to these people who were elected to better our lives. They are all wheeling and dealing our lives away for their own self interests. Many of these Republicans have pointed out the horors of this tax plan, and why they were in oppostion to this. Now they are willing to accept a degrading of the lives of their constituents for whatever reason or deal they made with the monster.
It is amazing, the horrible effect this beast had on this nation since his election.I as well as others knew it would be bad, but had hoped that there would be enough sensible people in govt. to offer some type of resistance. I see that was a ridiculous hope. The full realization of what is going on in this country in many varying ways has sunken in, and the rage, and utter contempt I have for these whores controllling our country knows no bounds.
Is there any way this downward spiral of our once proud nation can be halted ?
Now the monster, in his last speech in Missouri made mention of welfare reform.We all know what that means. We are becoming a vicious nation cheered on by his faithful. Just wait until the "deplorables "realize that they are going to be greatly affected by all of these changes.
The bottom line, is the people we elected to make our country better have let us down through their own greed.
1
"Apparently some of our senators still haven’t got it." No, they are simply conscious liars. They are not fooled. They are disingenuous.
These men (and perhaps Collins too, we'll see) know perfectly well that the tax bill (please, let's not call it a "reform") will among other problems produce a giant deficit. But in reality, none of the self-described "deficit hawks" give a damn about deficits. Their priorities -- served by this tax giveaway -- are enhancing the wealth of the top thousandth of Americans and undermining any social programs that benefit anyone else. They don't believe Trump's assurances -- no one with the critical mind of a junior high school student could really be tricked by Trump. They like to pretend that the fundamental problems with the bill don't exist because it's good enough for the super-rich.
1
I think we have forgotten that the few senators we hope with "stand up", do what's right for the people, the working class - we have forgotten that these same senators are conservatives. We fail to account for the "why's" of their objections, their "stand", which may be very different from what polls have shown "most people want". Most people want higher wages, better jobs, growth not for Corporations unless it also include working class growth. People want fairness. They are OK with the rich getting richer if indeed they also get rich, at least in a proportional way. Not a one sided SCAM. Conservatives' objections are not along these lines, even if they say it. I like Collins and McCain's willingness to stand up, but basically they believe in deregulation, Corporate tax breaks, and Trickle Down as a positive strategy. The Health Care bill was soooo bad, those who voted for it might lose their jobs or it had shreds of Obamacare in it. It failed, but for the wrong reasons and we rejoiced. The fact that Collins, McCain, and the others on the fence can be wooed to vote yes is proof of this and proof that America is in big trouble. Our views, hopes and dreams are not represented by our leadership in all parts of government. We are in trouble as a nation.
3
Do we need any tax reform (or tax cut)? Economy is doing well. Unemployment is low. It is time to pay down debt and increase revenue.
4
Think back to all the promises that Trump has made that have just disappeared, never to be heard of again: he'll make public his tax return, he'll go after Wall Street profiteers, he'll pull us out of Afghanistan, he'll make sure Mexico pays for his wall, he'll pull out of NATO, he'll go after China for currency manipulation, he'd prosecute Hillary Clinton, he'd freeze federal hires, he'd "drain the swamp" of cronies and lobbyists, he'd end off-shore profits, he'll balance the budget quickly, he'll offer better health care for all, he'd simplify the tax code so that you could file on a return the size of a postcard, he'd make sure the tax bill would benefit the working class most........ The list is endless. So now, Maine's Senator Collins believes that some how he'll do something positive in extending the health care safety-net, once the only for the wealthy tax bill passes? Really? When his closest adherent in Maine, Governor LePage, is still trying to undermine extending the Medicaid expansion that we voted in on a ballot initiative this November? Please, Senator Collins, do not sign on to this tax bill, especially considering how many people in Maine, a poor state, will suffer.
6
if a tax bill is passed without public hearings, testimony by experts, etc, then i will assume the republicans who vote for same are merely the worst senators serving in the senate for all time. what are the republican leaders and the President afraid of? is it a pay off to rich donors?
i suspect that there are some good features in the bill however we will never know for a number of years. is the trickle down theory correct? will corps use their windfall to pay employees more money? use for expansion? OR BUY BACK STOCK AND RAISE DIVIDENDS? the ceo's say the latter. the president says otherwise. the ceo's and the directors get to decide, not the President.
3
Would someone please explain how Trump can "fix" the bill, in light of the fact that he is in the executive branch and not the legislative branch? What can he do besides offer suggestions to Congress?
5
If the Democrats take back both houses of congress this tax bill can be turned upside down. All of Scott Pruitt's destructive policies can also be rolled back quickly.
And Gorsuch can be impeached along with Trump, not with malice, but as a lesson to Republicans that they must obey the Constitutional directives. It would be irresponsible to do any less.
10
"Lower rates of taxation will stimulate economic activity and so raise the levels of personal and corporate income as to yield within a few years an increased – not a reduced – flow of revenues to the federal government." – John F. Kennedy, Jan. 17, 1963, annual budget message to the Congress, fiscal year 1964.
The Washington Establishment must stop - at all costs - what worked when the 1964 Tax Reduction Act, 1980s Reaganomics, and 1990s Newt Gingrich's Contract With America all successfully implemented within a few years after tax reform was passed.
So cheer up Leftists - "Remember Kansas!"
And for the Right, "Buy the dip!"
When will those in Congress show some courage and insist that "45" release his tax returns to show what impact that "tax reform" has on his family finances?
Remember when he promised to deliver relief to the middle class. This is just another ploy by Norquist and the rest of the right wingers to distribute money upward.
Well voters, you know what you have to do in November, 2018. Vote for the progressive candidate in ALL local, state and national elections.
4
Americans' selective concern about the deficit is astounding. When Bernie Sanders proposed during the 2016 election to provide paid college for everyone, with a price tag of around $47 billion, everyone wailed that we could not afford it.
That proposal would have offered huge relief to middle-class families, in particular, and would have allowed young people to buy homes sooner and put money into the economy rather than student loan payments. It would have helped us create a more educated populace. But we couldn't afford it.
For tax cuts to billionaires, however, we're about to add an extra $150 billion (three times as much) to the deficit. Oh, and for good measure, we are taking away healthcare to poor and middle class people to help fund this giveaway to the wealthy. Our nation has shown a shocking unwillingness to provide its citizens with things that other developed countries take for granted (e.g. education and healthcare), but we're perfectly OK with adding to the deficit tn order to make the wealthiest Americans even wealthier.
We've become an oligarchy where the only ones who matter are corporations and he ultra-rich, and this tax package is the prime example. I wouldn't mind paying a bit more taxes for something like free tuition or healthcare for all, but when this bill passes, I will see a tax increase so that corporations, billionaires and heirs and heiresses will have a bit more money. Unconscionable.
9
SENATORS Are, for the most part, highly intelligent people who consider the impact of their actions on others through a process of careful, logical reflection. Were I in the places of the 9 senators who are wavering, I'd deflect the attention of the press by describing the facts of the communication with Trump without giving hints about their intentions to vote. Life is hard enough in DC at the moment, without opposing GOP senators placing bullseyes on thier backs. From what I've seen of the 9 potential opposed to the tax "revision," they have the integrity and determination to stand their ground.
2
You ought to go back and find the discussion Trump had on FOX some time ago where Ivanka was also present and he said, "If she wasn't my daughter I would date her." There was nervous laughter by Ivanka and other FOX presenters, all female as I remember, but in light of everything now it is definitely significant.
4
The bill will pass with all its obvious flaws with the assumption that Democrats will agree to the manifold fixes that will be required. They know the bill is a mess and that the fixes will cost trillions more but indulging the donor class is the only thing that matters for now. Maybe McCain opposes on principle; Collins and the rest will cave and hope Dems save us all in the end (at cost of exploding the debt).
1
The deficit increase of 1.5 trillion is on top of the deficit being run right now. That should be made clear.
5
What is Trump giving these folks to sign off on this Christmas gift to the wealthy? No one could possibly believe a word the man says, or believe that what he says means anything. All you have to do is wait a beat or two and what was true is not true. What happened never happened. His voice wasn't his voice.
For them to sign off on this BILL (like what you get in the mail for your utilities each month) they must have been promised something(s). Concealed carry for all states where federal law trumps state's rights? What? What do they value highly enough to sell our country down the river. And Portman, Ohioans see you supporting this thing. We'll remember.
2
I am continuously amazed at how folks outside of Maine see Susan Collins. They think she is a moderate and independent thinker. Ha! She has voted with her party almost all the time. As a long-time resident, at least part of the year, of Maine, watching Collins in this tax bill fiasco is no surprise.
What was a big surprise was her vote on the Obamacare repeal. She finally got the message about what Mainers need. Even so, I was shocked when she voted against the repeal bill. Of course, she had the cover of McCain, who finally saw how he could do something good for the average person.
In any case, if she votes against the tax bill I will probably be so shocked as to be nearly catatonic. But my health is good now and I expect it to continue....
The top 20% of earners pay 84% of all income taxes. The bottom 40% pay NOTHING. How can a tax cut be given to people that pay nothing? Simple question...
1
Oh well, arguing against a terrible bill was worth the effort.
Time to begin planning on how to mitigate the damage it will cause
1
Here's what I want out of tax reform:
Simplicity -- I want to be able to complete my tax return on a single sheet of paper (or electronic equivalent) in less than 1 hour.
Stability -- I want to know what my tax liability will be at least 5 years out, so I can make a real financial plan. 10 years would be better.
Affordability -- I want to be able to afford my government and afford living comfortably in my country. That means no more than 15% of my income. Up To 25% if government is providing 100% of our healthcare.
Accountability -- When I read that politicians are using my money to payout settlements to protect their careers from harassment (sex or workplace) suits, I want them to pay it back with interest and out of office.
I don't believe any of this is too much to ask.
3
Federal budget regulations will require massive cuts to MEDICARE over the next 10 years if this tax bill passes. Retired people of both parties, beware!!
3
The Republican donors get what they want - a tax bill that shifts huge amounts of money their way at the expense of everybody else.
And all Republicans - ALL - play along.
2
Whenever there is talk of tax reform, it is bad news for middle class. Republicans take from middle class and give it to rich. Conservative Republicans take it from poor and middle class and give to rich. Democrats take it from rich and give it to poor. Liberal Democrats will take from rich and middle class and give it to poor. In all cases it is middle class that suffers. Of course there is no consensus on middle class. Giving it to poor at least is morally correct and is consistent with Christian values. I will take it any day.
1
I travel abroad frequently, and it simply amazes me that people in Asia, Africa, South America and Europe have a better understanding of what is really going on in the United States than the citizens of our own country. It would be nice to be overseas and not have to apologize for what our hideous "government" is doing to its own people.
As long as Democrats don't show up to vote (and do some work to turn out the vote), all of the horrific things that have happened in just 10 months (trashing the environment, blowing up the debt to give money to the 0.1%, trying to rip health insurance away, targeting religious groups, turning a blind eye to gun massacres, etc. etc.) will continue to happen to our once enviable country.
1
The Republican Tax Cut Bill has one purpose only: to deliberately bankrupt the United States, so that the top 1% and corporations can transfer wage earner taxpayer assets to themselves. When the bills come due and can’t be paid, because of the documented and clearly substantiated failure of the trickle-down scam, they will go after their real target: social security (paid for by wage earner taxes), health care, medicare, medicaid, public education, privatization of public infrastructure, internet access, and wage earner pension funds or savings of every kind.
Goodbye America!
3
Why do commenters here believe that if angry constituents beat on senators’ doors complaining about this so called tax reform bill those senators would vote against it? The only constituents that matter to them are the ones who write the big checks. Besides, most of these senators will not seek re-election until 2020, by which time the angry constituents will have shifted their focus to another shiny object and likely vote for them anyway.
Sorry guys, this is a done deal and Collins, McCain, Corker, Flake and the rest of them once again have proved that Party trumps country and that power is the biggest opioid there is.
3
Again Donald says just what he thinks you want to hear. My problem with all this is none of this ruling class are listing to the little guy voters who put them there. Why are they not required to have a panel of voters from each party & a panel in each state to submit suggestions? They say they are doing what the people want but the people turn out to be the ones writing the tax bill. I keep reading about how Paul Ryan will finally accomplish his dream of a tax bill he has wanted since his election. It’s HIS tax dream not the peoples. There needs to be term limits in Congress to stop this charade.
2
At this juncture we can only hope thunderbird being quiet simply to avoid unwarranted additional public scrutiny.
Apparently the Republicans have truly sold their souls, and are trying to rationalize a vote for virtually everything many of them have spoken out against in the past - even recently. The size of the deficit. "Skinny repeal". Support for education. The secretive and rushed process. Believing Trump. In their amoral and delusional thinking they have somehow decided that "anything" will help get them with their base - despite the fact that the majority of all Americans don't support this giveaway to the wealth. It will be a disaster, and the only thing we can hope is that it becomes clear quickly enough how bad it is so that they all get voted out of office in 2018, despite what their deep pocketed donors are able to do.
2
This bill is an abomination. It serves the interests of a tiny sliver of the American population. Senators need to listen to the majority opposed to every aspect of this bill. They also need to read the fine print and how it will negatively impact the future. It has a number of "add-ons" that are particularly destructive. Give the corporations both C-corp and S-corp (the ones that actually DO create jobs) a smaller tax cut based on investment into growth (not just monetary growth), job creation and salary increases so that a clean bill passes. Leave the rest of it alone until there is serious debate and consideration of the ramifications and damage to some that many these proposals will inflict while furthering the income gap between rich and the dwindling middle class.
1
Who believes any Republican senator?
10
Trusting Trump on anything is like believing the guy who wants to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge. However, it is not trust, it is delusion.
9
There's no surprise here. To the mind of the Republican Congress the only issue more important than reducing the national debt is reducing the tax burden on the wealthy. Suddenly the burden on future generations is not all that important when there is a real chance to make life easier for the donor class.
14
Suddenly national debt is a problem?
10T increase in 8 yeas was not a problem last year.
1
Not sure what you thought you read, or how an increase from 7.4 trillion to 10.6 trillion works out to ten times or if I misread your T, ten trillion, but these Senators were all about keeping the debt in check until their campaign funds were threatened. Now they figure an increase of 1.6 to 1.8 trillion is worthwhile so that they can go on and complain about spending.
Mr Rosenthal,
Thank you. BTW - if you happen to talk to any of our GOP, ask them what they remember of The Vichy Government - you know the folks that collaborated with the Germans during WWII. It has become clear the Trump administration was turned by the Russians and the GOP is clearly collaborating with the administration. History will likely view the Vichy and Trump GOP as synonymous. See if they like that prospect.
20
First, how could anyone believe anything trump says. The country is still waiting for that wonderful health insurance plan where everyone is covered for everything at a very very low premium and co payments!
Now for the tax plan, this is a major change for the American people. I believe it should be done at a slower pace with input from all of the people, not just those represented by the GOP. From what I have read it is loaded up with special interest deals that favor wall street, big business and the rich while it seems to take away from the middle class, epically in the big blue states.
8
He'll "fix it" all right.
THIS is the ONLY thing that Trump actually cares about because it will help increase his personal wealth.
Sure, there are other things he seems to attend to because they fire up his base and he craves attention and needs votes.
But a tax fix -- i.e., rigging -- that gives him the wealth he craves is something he will actually do some work for.
16
This is all about pleasing the big bucks donors and smashing the Social Security system, Medicare and Affordable Care Act all in one bill. This is truly a GOP Christmas. Tax cuts for the rich, A Korean War to please the old Generals, no State Department and no oversight from EPA and Consumer Protections. What a deal! They have run the table in the final quarter. FDR is rolling in his grave.
34
I feel like I'm reading the Onion. How do critics portray this as a middle-class tax hike? By simply ignoring the $7,000 tax cut in the early years, assuming a full expiration after 2025, and then implying that the later tax hike is much larger. That is flat-out dishonest.
The Senate bill would repeal Obamacare’s individual mandate to buy health insurance. Those who withdrew from Obamacare’s expenses would no longer need an Obamacare reimbursement payment. Ending the individual mandate would cut taxes for the 6.5 million people who have been paying the annual tax for non-compliance.
The Senate bill would make the tax code even more progressive. The bottom 80 percent of families currently pay 33 percent of all combined federal taxes, yet would get 37 percent of the tax cuts. By contrast, the top 1 percent currently pays 27 percent of all federal taxes but would get just 18 percent of the tax cuts. The result would be wealthy families paying a larger portion of the federal tax burden.
1
The lesson here is that Donald J. Trump is an exemplary Republican. When some Republicans first observed his antics during the election they seemed to recoil in horror; others felt he was exactly what was needed. The consensus was, “We need a Republican in the White House so if this is it, this is it”.
After the election, time went by and Republicans got comfortable with Trump. “He has a few rough edges, but his heart is in the right place”, was how they regarded him, and closed ranks to defend him. “All those investigations are just partisan nonsense”, they said, and went through the motions without intention.
They wanted lower taxes and less regulation, less enforcement, and that’s what Trump wants, too. He’s never been a fan of paying for anything, least of all taxes, he doesn’t like being told what to do, and he dares you to try and make him do it. “Get out of the way and let him make things happen for us”, the Republicans said to themselves.
Trump has the soul of a Republican, he just broadcasts it at high volume. He is self- interest personified; “What’s good for me is good and its what I want!”, he says. Isn’t that what all the Republicans say, in so many words? Their program is self-interest, whether you dress it up as ‘enlightened’, or ‘kinder, gentler’, or just raw Trump. It’s all the same thing.
Trump is a Republican and Republicans are Trumps, whether or not they admit it.
26
You have a masterful way with words. You could not have been any more precise.
Bob in WV nailed it: The GOP has come up with "fixes" that are nothing more than a fig leaf to conceal the perfidy they are about to foist onto an ill-informed citizenry. I am expecting that when the GOP "traitors to America" return to their home districts they will sincerely claim that this junk tax legislation will not increase the national debt because the so called "fixes" won't let that happen.
Let's all be ready to call them out...
7
This is deja vu for Kansans ,in more ways than one.
We will fix the bill in committee. This is what Sam Brownback promised the gullible Republicans in the Kansas legislature when they passed the bill. But then he double-crossed them, signed it, and as a result the six-year holiday on taxes for small businesses like Koch Industries nearly had the state in bankruptcy by the time it was all said and done earlier this year.
I heard Sam was in the halls of the Capitol today telling everyone who would listen that the financial disaster he wreaked on Kansas had created jobs. In fact, businesses did not expand, jobs were not created, and the "experiment," as Brownback called it, was a horrific failure.
Fix the bill? Please Republicans: don't take the bait.
24
The Republican Party chose 37 years ago to make a move from democracy to plutocracy. They are so committed to that change, that they are willing to also move to autocracy if that is what is needed in order to best serve their masters.
This is America's twilight. The night will follow soon.
15
I guess the "thirty pieces of silver" approach still works.
Except the senators haven't actually collected their rewards for betraying us; and they probably never will.
8
Writing about the tax bill will only go so far. If you think it’s that bad, then you are bound by duty to not pay your taxes and go to jail for it. Complaining about something doesn’t absolve us of our duty to do something to fix it.
2
Or maybe we could all march with ONE THEME to actually force some legislation. Rather than the stupid march with everyone having their own, unactionable cause (women, science, climate, LGBT, whatever). I suggest campaign finance reform.
I'm not in favor the this bill because it's regressive, but right now the national debt is about $ 20 trillion. Increasing it by $ 1.5 trillion or 7.5 % is not that big of a deal.
Rosenthal's assertion that the tax bill will "blow a gigantic hole in the deficit" is bad arithmetic. Also, it's the debt, not the deficit, that is important here. The debt is the algebraic sum of deficits.
Levels and rates of change of levels are different things, Mr. Rosenthal.
Where was Rosenthal when Obama and his cronies in the democrat party were blowing a gigantic hole in the deficit?
The worst long-term (thirty-year, forty-year?) impact of this "reform" is to drastically restructure the distribution of the tax burden over income groups. In sum, the tens of millions with the least, and the millions with a little more, will be paying a much greater fraction of the nation's total taxes than they do now. And those individuals and corporations (people?) swimming in money will be paying a much smaller fraction. How is that fair, or even good fiscal policy, when the wealthiest have the greatest incentives and the means to evade paying their share?
10
Unfortunately you are totally wrong. Look at the facts on who pays the taxes in this country.
Trump proclaims that he will not benefit from the tax bill. Independent analysts say that doing away with the estate tax will save his family about a billion dollars.
So take Trump at his word: add a provision to the bill stating that the provisions of the bill will not apply to anyone, directly or in indirectly, currently holding a federal elected office.
22
Trump is a compulsive liar. Anybody who believes anything he says isn't thinking rationally. Trump lies. We all know it and the senators should realize it, too.
29
Does anyone else lie? Do you? No? I didn't think so.
The majority of the Republican senators lie in agreement with the Presudent.
They all lie.
Every senator has his or her price, evidently. For GOP Senators or reps, integrity is a matter of donor dollars.
22
Here we see the GOP truly acting in the interests of its key supporters: the billionaires who fund the party and who own Fox News. I suspect Collins and Corker have been told if they want the usual lucrative post-retirement "consulting" jobs they'd best vote for the single thing which is more important than any other policy to those key supporters.
23
Senators are supposed to have some intelligence and integrity. Cannot believe they betrayed both when they gave into a pathological liar and bully. They know Trump is a despicable human being yet they believe him? What's wrong with these 52 fools?
26
Stop sniveling and do something, then.
Lessons Rosenthal? The only "lesson" is that there is no daylight between Republican Senators (or the Party) and Trump. Trump may give blunter soundbites, but the underlying reality, the underlying deception and the underlying disregard for all but the wealthiest Americans, is exactly the same whether one looks at Trump or any Republican politician. Even Corker ("oh I'm so ready for a fight about principles!") is ready to toady up to Trump! National disgraces, each and every one of them (the "independent" Collins included). McCain, are you really a patriot? Let's see.
27
Putting things in their proper places, Trump's pronouncements are not lies, but myths. Politicians take these lies-as-myths as a world view. The truth no longer matters. Its ugly details don't make for good stories; truth's empiricism refuses to surrender its authority. Myths don't fight it; they only distract. Enough, in a nation where so few have courage and fewer wisdom. We are returning to times when church pews were smashed for firewood. This time it is bodies being disposed of for capital.
9
There isn't much time, but I hope that Susan Collins' constituents will beat down the doors of her orrices with concerns and complaints. Ditto McCain and all the others whose constituents are going to suffer if this disastrous bill is passed.
26
Not just a massive transfer of wealth to corporations and the rich, but a direct assault on all Americans who are not Republican donors. It's time to acknowledge the obvious: the Republicans have declared war on the rest of us. This isn't meant as hyperbole. They want to hurt us. To wound us.
Either we fight these swine tooth and nail with every tool at our disposal, or we can expect to all become indentured servants, at best, in a very short time.
36
Trump assures us,
But I refuse to believe,
They’re all thieves.
7
To many in the middle class, $1000 is a considerable sum. It can mean pizza for the family once a week, a trip to Disneyland, or a new computer. Democrats win no new votes by telling families otherwise. As an independent, I usually vote Democratic and don’t trust a word Trump says, but Democrats need to show, with SIMPLE actions (not long policy explanations) that they actually do care about regular working people or their party is a lost cause.
4
That's in the first year. Ten years from now, that $1000 will have shrunk considerably. And it will have to be spent on health insurance (going up already, as the ACA is undermined), state taxes (no longer exempt), and savings to make up for the loss of Social Security and Medicare.
$1,000 means a lot to me. Unfortunately, I don't make enough to get that break, most likely, although I won't know until it's actually tax time.
Democrats show care for regular working people all the time. Republicans cater to the rich and make a big deal about whatever they toss our way, and downplay or deny the negatives (like cutting SS and health insurance subsidies). It boggles my mind that so many people don't see that.
23
A trip to Disneyland on $1000? That is like Gary Cohn telling us we can remodel our kitchens or buy a car with our tax cut dollars. Puh-lease!!
1
A new computer? Where do you shop? A trip to Disneyland for $1000? What world do you live in? And BTW, $1000 won't buy health insurance for anybody. The Trump Chumps just keep proving their stupidity.
1
Maybe we should abolish all taxes. Congress wouldn't get paid which would be fine with me.
6
i guess you're also ok with no national defense, no environmental or consumer protections, or access to healthcare and education, too
This is hilarious! They don't believe Trump. It's not possible to have an IQ above 100 and believe Trump. They know he's lying.
But if they say they believe him, it gives them plausible deniability later on when the inevitable grotesque aftermath happens.
27
Hmmm... When it comes to tax cuts for their rich donors, nothing, repeat nothing stands in the way! Not principles, not the nation's welfare, nothing. No wonder these senators are doing what they are doing! Quite simple, really! Donors first and last and in-between!
15
These posturing senators are republicans. Plain and simple.
11
Don’t know the extent to which Mr. Rosenthal interacts with working-class and middle-class people, but speak to them and they’ll tell you that while you can’t buy a new car for $1000 you CAN buy a used one for that then improve it yourself, and that if you heavily exploit Home Depot or Lowes and do the work yourself, you can go some distance in re-doing your kitchen for that amount, as well. $1000 to a lot of people ain’t beans.
These past few weeks have seen a handful of Republican senators receive unaccustomed praise from the left because they’ve expressed caution about the Senate’s version of the tax bill. During that time I’ve smiled and commented that we’re in the middle of a sausage-making exercise whose result I predicted would be a passed bill and a send-off to a House-Senate conference committee. And where are we? On the verge of a passed Senate bill and a send-off to a House-Senate conference committee.
Those few senators, having basked momentarily in the warmth of liberal love will need to sink once again into the no-holds-barred contempt of them that is their normal state. Quel domage.
The lead that Mr. Rosenthal buries here is that despite all the contempt, the impact of Democrats on these tax bills so far has been zip. Democrats in Congress should try something other than contempt to make themselves felt in the process, and cause Americans to conclude that the left offers hope of becoming useful again in our governance.
4
... but it's OK that these cuts expire for citizens but not corporations? And what about the deficit? It's difficult for the Democrats in Congress to engage in the process when the process in question is a cabal of GOP legislators who have held no hearings on this law...
7
The $1000 dollars a middle class family will purportedly receive today (and that is absolutely not guaranteed by this bill) is going to be taken right back a few years down the road when the taxes on the middle class are raised again. That is the cheat in this bill. And the idea that a $1000 sop to buy votes for Republican candidates in the 2018 and 2020 elections is a cheap and cynical ploy. I am ashamed that this kind of chicanery is going on in American politics, and so should Richard.
Moreover, his claim that the Democrats have had no impact on these bills is gasp-producing. They have had no impact on the bill because the Republicans have blocked them at every turn. Democratic influence should be part of a bi-partisan effort, but if Republicans won't allow hearings on the bill, and block Democratic amendments, this is a clear case of the tyranny of the majority. in Congress, not in the public at large.
This bill is unsupported by the American public, but Republicans don't care.
34
You, sir, know nothing about the actual prices for even repairable used cars and even less about the costs associated with do-it-yourself kitchen remodeling projects. Your comments are incredibly patronizing and offensive. Meanwhile, sixty percent(60) of the total tax savings after the initial meager cuts for the middle class disappear will go the top one(1) percenters and above!
Of course, the majority of Americans should be grateful that, at least initially, they benefited from such compassionate Republican largesse. Whether you and your political tribe wish to admit it or not, an historically updated "Let them eat cake" has been declared, with a smug smile, to the working classes of this country.
27
To the extent that power corrupts, it corrupts not just those who wield it, but also those directly or indirectly subject to the wielders.
3
The capability to do something does not require that it be abused.
2
The capability to do something does not require that something be done.
I'm just going to state the obvious. This country will be better off when everyone in this administration is dead. Regretfully being almost as old as them I probably won't live to see it.
48
I'd settle for seeing them stripped of any power over others.
19
Watching this farce is truly heartbreaking. Deficit hawks, progressives, moderates all are smoking something if they think Trump can or wants to deliver.
This travesty is indefensible so what does Trump and McConnell and Ryan and Mulvaney and Cohen do? They don’t try to defend it! They offer up some contradictory drivel and claim it is a wonderful “tax reform” bill.
$1000 , even if real, is nothing compared to millions heading to Trump, Cohen, Koch, and their ilk.
If Collins, McCain, Flake, Corker, and any other number of Rep Senators can’t screw up the courage to shout the Emperor is naked , we are in for some tough times.
42
The Senators are supposed to be intelligent and working for the people of the entire USA. Yet they believe a pathological liar? Trump makes promises he has zero intention to keep. When the economy tanks he’ll blame the same senators who believed and voted for his lies. It’s unbelievable these senators are so clueless and most of them are not up for re-election so what’s their problem?
10
It is a myth that these people believe themselves to represent the whole US. Listen to them. Practically all of them puts issues in terms of their state's interests, not a national interest. And they are only irritated by outside people and outside money intervening in their state's elections.
5
To paraphrase Ms M. McCarthy: Everything he (Trump) says is a lie, including "and" and "the." Do these Senators have any self respect left? None of them will get anything back for themselves or their constituents.
11
Wrong. The Senators will get cushy jobs on K Street.
Senator Collins is a terrible disappointment. In opposing Senate Republican efforts to dismantle the A.C.A, she often and firmly voiced her deep concern for the working people of Maine. This clear resolve has been noticeably absent in consideration of this damaging tax legislation that would harm those very same constituents of hers. While she refers to offering floor amendments, there is no guarantee that this strategy will be effective, or even lasting when the separate Senate and House bills go to the conference committee. Sad indeed.
23
Her constituents aren't going to be hurt the way Californians, New Yorkers, New Jerseyites etc will because state taxes and property values are relatively low in Maine. She's a Republican, meaning she buys into trickle down economics. If she didn't, she's be a DEmocrat.
In a nut shell - this tax "reform" bill is asking households who earn $40,000 a year to hand a $5,000 check to households with more than $1 million in annual income. If a writer submitted this narrative to me as a fiction, I would never agree to publish it because wouldn't expect the reading population would find it credible as a possibility in an advanced economic and democratic country, including the US.
This is a bill searching for a problem. In times of deep recessions or depressions, deficit spending is a perfectly acceptable response. The belief that lowering the corporate tax rate is going to put money in the pockets of the middle class vs. the bank accounts of shareholders in the form of dividends requires so many implausible assumptions.
In my humble opinion, the global economy is suffering from excess supply and a transition to greater automation. Supply changes can move on a dime and no demand seems to create inflationary pressures. In my first class of economics, we learned that lower income families have much higher marginal propensities to save while wealthy families have much high propensities to save. In an economy with a dearth of demand, putting more money in the hands of lower income families is the best choice.
Once again with this president, it's opposite day. In for the 30-50% of people who support him! Wealthy families should take their incremental cash and invest in security services: they're going to need protection from the suckers.
18
A senator believes Trump like Trump believes Putin: out of convenience, not conviction.
24
These people. They gave their constituents lip service but cave to Trump and McConnell in half an hour meeting knowing their constituents will be getting the short end of the stick
28
Bos
It's nice to hear you know Rob Portman, Senator Cave-In Deluxe.
Lip service he delivers, exquisitely well. Cave-in is his specialty, though, and he does it with aplomb. After standing rigid and afraid for the need to address our opioid epidemic, he evaporated at voting time and supported the health care bill that would have basically defunded the whole enterprise.
Now his weekly Rob's Deep and Pregnant Thoughts offers up his sincere assessment that this bill will make America rich again, fill all our cavities, then get out of the way so President Trump can handle North Korea.
These people are not mistaken or misguided, they are unaware of the inevitable gutting of the middle class and collapse of the domestic economy, they just don't give a damn. Not about the country, not about their States or their constituents, not even about their sugar daddy donors. They care about Number 1 and their pocketbooks.
Its so nice to know Robbie has finally found a place where he fits right in. It's good to know he has that nice Susan Collins with him.
1
The idea of some "trigger" (oo-ooo, we have a clever, decisive-sounding catch-phrase, let's float it so it sounds like we're actually doing something!) is going to make higher taxes kick in in case the economy lags or slows down is a farce, and anyone with two neurons to rub together knows that. It is both politically and economically insane to raise taxes in a slowing economy - it's what you do in an expanding economy. Basically, it's a promise everyone knows will be broken because it will be catastrophic to keep it. But let's all just close our eyes and pretend because, dammit, we need this bill to pass or we're dead ducks at the polls next year.
One more albatross to hang around the necks of the GOP.
22
will someone please explain how it is that Trump voters who abhor the intellectual condesention from the left will applaud the economic condesention from the right?
18
They believe the intellectuals they despise will be as hurt as they are by Trump's policies, and that is good enough for nihilists.
6
I... I have to comment only to point out that the word you were looking for was "condescension", not "condesention", which sounds like a leak in the HVAC. I'm not being mean, just pointing out that people will give your opinions more weight when you spell words correctly.
12
After Trump visited the Times editorial board last year seeking our endorsement, I told my older brother, Dan, how moderate Trump had sounded.
Heckuvajob
2
A actual Carnival Barker is more honest, AND classier.
Thanks, GOP.
8
I'm not a mathematician, but even I can see that this 'tax cut' for all is baloney.
First lie - 'doubling' the standard deduction. No, you are not. You are doing away with the personal exemption of $4,050. So the increase is $1,600 not $6,000, and that $1600 (plus the rest of your taxable income) will be taxed at the lowest at 12% rather than 10%.
That's the simple fact for those on the bottom. Unless you have a brace of children and qualify for tax credits, the vast majority of us will see very little change in our taxes, but all of our 'assistance' disappear.
Really, I am gobsmacked that people appear to be falling for this.
38
More than Trump's terrible behavior and his vulgar tweets, it is policies like these tax cuts for the rich and dismantling of safety nets for the poor that are contributing to the erosion of America's faith in itself and its place in the world.
16
Why don't the Democrats come up with a simple chart that compares what Trump promised during his campaign and what he is actually trying to deliver so his supporters can see what he is really doing?
9
Well, that one's simple. Fox News won't show the chart. And, if they won't show it, his supporters won't see it!
9
If Senator Collins votes for this tax bill, I vote that those of us in blue states boycott the state. I'm sorry if that will hurt the people of Maine, but it won't hurt them nearly as much as this lousy tax bill will.
24
Could we the public maybe, actually hear what the changes are/were discussed at lunch that have made the questions /concerns placate these Senators concerns to change their 'concerns'.
These lunches should be made open to the public...I'm hungry for actual representation in Washington- not working to pay taxes for this tax reforming lunch that I am not invited to eat at.
12
I don't understand why people continue to Ron Johnson's "I'm pretending to care" routine. He pretended to care on the ACA repeal thing, too.
10
Why is no one calling the R's on the individual tax cut expiration? They say that they will be renewed, but the deficit will explode (if it didn't then they could make them permanent now). Lies.
Mr T said to today in Missouri that unemployment is down, corporate profits are up, stock market is booming, factories are humming. And he takes credit for it all (even though he has done exactly NOTHING to impact the economy).
So why exactly do we need tax cuts? I'm so confused. I thought you used tax cuts to help a struggling economy. What will we do when the next recession comes- and we all know it will come. Shouldn't we be keeping our bullets dry?
Why is no one saying, hit the rich with a few provisions and give the middle class a little more. How about 15% corporate rate, AMY for incomes above 1.0M and phased in estate tax? Use the money to restore SALT, Mortgage interest to 750k, Graduate tuition waivers, and Student loan deductibility.
And to prove your good intentions, include a simple test when filing. You get to choose tax regimes- no one with taxable income under 500k will pay more than they pay under current law.
If the R's refuse to even consider D proposals, then they all need to be run out of town on a rail. With Collins, Murkowski, Johnson, Corker and McCain (God I hope I'm wrong about him) at the head of the line for selling out their principles.
14
Typo- I meant:
Why is no one saying, hit the rich with a few provisions and give the middle class a little more. How about 25% corporate rate, AMT for incomes above 1.0M and phased in estate tax? Use the money to restore SALT, Mortgage interest to 750k, Graduate tuition waivers, and Student loan deductibility.
1
Obviously, they are Honor Graduates from Trump University. The Correspondence Version.
8
My first thought was to laugh, but then I saw that it was a matter of tears and the gnashing of teeth.
Oh...
3
When the changes Trump has promised don't materialize, will Senator Collins and others vote against the bill? Of course, so many senators have become rich while serving that maybe it won't make a difference.
7
The can all keep the campaign war chests for deciding to quit.
3
The Republicans have never had a President so complacent about being President that he will rubber stamp anything that they offer up, but they are missing something unusual about this man.
He continually states things that are untrue and does not seem to feel any responsibility about misleading people who rely upon him for information. Furthermore, he reverses himself often, and denies having done or said things which have been recorded and broadcasted publically. It never occurs to anyone that Trump may be have age related cognitive problems, that he is not always lying about the things but he's actually failing to recall what he's said and done more often than anyone suspects.
It's possible that Trump's lifestyle and habits have produced an aging mind that is just not working very well, anymore, and it's preventing him from learning the job well enough to meet the responsibilities of a President.
6
To the extent Trump feels any guilt about anything, it is repressed and distorted into rage.
5
pass through and the estate tax: those Senators are crazy if they allow that in the bill, whether they vote for it or not.
5
This tax bill is nothing but a deficit-funded giveaway to the wealthiest Americans.
Socialize the losses.
Privatize the profits.
Everyone knows the Republicans don't pay their bills.
19
"Apparently some of our senators still haven’t got it."
You are too kind to some senators. If we managed to elect Trump president, what is the assurance that some of the senators we elected are any better? A democracy can be destroyed by the likes of Trump, but not without the active consent of a substantial fraction of the voters.
10
Most state governments are run by local real estate magnates and their lawyers, who select drones to represent their states in Washington to make sure they get no adult supervision.
1
Hmm so these guardrails are supposed to make us feel better?
If the tax breaks for corporations do not pump up the growth that they were supposed to- we will tax the middle class more, in the face of a recession, AND we’ll cut benefits that might help them through the crisis?
Wow, so much winning it's making my head spin.
7
Wavering Senators are being threatened by electronic air rads being pumped into their homes causing widespread insomnia and potentially stupid decisions.
H>W or W used electronic harassment against the Iraqis causing bleeding from the ears. Go to www.marblehead.net r to The New York Times article Fright Night in the NBA. This is not the Twilight zone. this is real emotional and psychological abuse and harassment and mental manipulation.
Did some of this stuff wind up in Cuba aimed at the US embassy there, like the hacked NSA hacking tools?
I hope the bribes, at least, are worth the price of your principals. And then I hope he leaves like a fall in Vermont.
principals?
who said: "principals"?
not by any sane or historical definition.
these republican't senators are just as selfish and greedy as DJT.
grrrrrrr
3
Correct verb, I think: "buy" -- because this is an essentially commercial, greed-driven, power-sucking transaction. If anyone can honestly say that they believe Donald Trump's "assurances" after the whoppers he has thrown over the past 5 years, then they are a sucker. And if they believe that Trump's main concern is the well-being of our nation, they are very, very foolish. However, it looks like many members of the senate are foolish suckers, so there you go. As Pete Seeger might be singing: We are waist deep in the Big Muddy and the big fools say to push on. They are cowards.
5
The nation is without any guidance. In 2020 I'm voting for Al Franken, a natural leader, who's atoned for his improper sex acts.
10
I get the distinct impression you're a Republican.
Susan Collins, in trusting Donald Trump, is either incredibly naive or unbelievably stupid. Otherwise, she is only looking for some sort of "I was conned!" excuse to fall back on with her constituents. All in all, a failure.
24
"Trump assurances" is an oxymoron. C'mon Senators; you're insulting your own intelligence.
15
Horrible people. A pox on their lives, their souls and the progeny for a 1000 years to come.
9
Hmmm ..... let me cut your taxes today but I’ll have to tax you later. Really all I’m doing is going into debt to save you some money. Great.... where do I sign up? I trust you’ll be honest and truthful and accurate and compassionate and ........
7
Johnson, Collins and Corker must surely be drinking the Kool-Aid.
trump has clearly shown that he will say anything to get his way. He will fabricate "truths". He will lie about people he doesn't like. He will change his mind mid- sentence if he thinks that is necessary to con the stupid little people.
Rest assured, in the end he will do whatever enhances himself. All the looser suckers? Yep, that would be the American people who watch helplessly day by day as these mean and greedy sociopaths destroy our democracy and way of life. The consequences of this nightmare will last far longer than these little men.
8
As the song says "a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest". Apparently women too.
4
I have more bad news for you Mr. Rosenthal. It's not a tax bill. It's just the deficit set-up that will leave Congress no choice but to murder Medicare and Social Security. Because the billionaires don't have enough money already? As Grover Norquist infamously said, "I'm not in favor of abolishing the government. I just want to shrink it down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub." Ryan, McConnell and Trump are responsible for this and are immune to shame, as they lie about who it will benefit. But senators like Susan Collins are even worse, because they masquerade as moderates, and almost every time there's a crucial vote, she aligns with the policies of greed, injustice and inequality. Shame on Susan Collins.
17
Who needs to pay taxes in the face of nuclear annihilation? Let's not.
5
"A nation gets the government it deserves."
3
The frog is asked by the scorpion to give a ride across the stream. The frog objects saying that the scorpion might sting him and kill him. The scorpion assures that he would not sting the frog for then he would drown in the stream. So the frog agrees. Half way across, the scorpion stings the frog. While the frog is dying he says that they are both going to die, the scorpion will drown. The scorpion says that he's a scorpion and stinging is what he does.
That's a paraphrase of the tale but the Senators are the frog and Trump is the scorpion.
7
Either fools or thieves. If they aren't the latter, I am still amazed at the willingness of politicians and other "leaders" to go along with fraud and deception. If they are not fools they should no better but they never seem to. I heard a respected journalist say that he "wanted to trust the president." Really? I only want to trust an honest person and I have no obligation to extend trust in the face of contrary evidence.
6
Ugh. Between the massive, ridiculous, and obvious distractions form Trump this week (tweeting racist videos, "honoring" natives under the image of Jackson AND using Pocahontas as a pejorative for a sitting Senator - well played distracter in chief) and the utter failure of common sense and decency in the Senate we stand perilously close to a cliff.
Let's hope that voting the tax "reform" bill out of committee only means opposition to it will be shown on the floor. If not, we will be pushed over that cliff.
7
Trump is not competent to change any legislation and neither are his staff, they are all devoted to making Trump feel the greatest ever but not to do a good job for the country. The Senators are confused about what to do because they will face strong donor opposition to their candidacies for re-election if they don't deliver tax cuts but they know that the fall out from bill will produce a lot of pain, even amongst the Republicans amongst the people they represent at home, and that is going to be hard to explain. They want to think that someone will fix the parts of the bill that will cause problems, but they have no idea how that will be accomplished short of changing how the bill avoids to great a deficit. Trump is a man who will promise anyone whatever is wanted and has not problem never delivering any of what he promises. The Senators seem to think that he would never dare stiff them.
4
Trump has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy for his companies six times. "What I've done is I've used, brilliantly, the laws of the country. And not personally, just corporate. And if you look at people like myself that are at the highest levels of business, they use -- many of them have done it, many times,"
And if the new tax plan fails? "You go back and you say, guess what, the economy crashed, I'm going to give you half."
Watch! That Shining City on a Hill is just about to have its lights turned off.
13
I just re-watched "The Big Short" as we're in the anniversary era of the 2007-08 crash. Highly recommended, its good to get a refresher course in absurd blindness to fraud and double dealing.
4
Maybe this just shows that Trump, as horrible as he is, is not the real problem here, at least policywise. It's the Republican Party and its lockstep ideoñogy which never seems to advance with the times. They have supported business over all else forever. They have opposed social advances and tolerance forever.
They have opposed healthcare reform forever, except when they paid it lip service through Heritage Foundation ideas. They have supported "trickle-down economics" for 40 years with little to show for it except fuller coffers for the wealthy. All before DJT came on the scene. After all he's not really even a Republican in any real sense. So let's not be distracted by his antics while taking our eye off the ball regarding the right's agenda and their singleminded pursuit of achieving it no matter how much damage it does to our people and our democracy. If you share my analysis VOTE!
9
There's nowhere to look on this bill that is not literally unbelievable and literally awful for America and the vast majority of Americans. This reinforces my new conclusion that #45 wants the corporations and not the government to run America, and on every front he's succeeding at making it happen. Abetted by congress people who are totally fine with corporations and rich donors telling the Congress what to do. Beyond that: speechless.
5
Nah, Collins and the rest know Trump is lying, they just don’t care. They are all about giveaways to big corporations and to the wealthy at the expense of the middle class. It’s always been this way and will always be this way.
7
To be fair, other factors might be at play to account for the senators’ sudden change of attitude:
1. Family members have been taken hostage and are being held in an undisclosed location pending the final vote;
2. Trump’s mental unbalance is caused by a virus which infects those in regular close proximity to him;
3. Political or actual bribery, aka the Koch brothers’ lobbying efforts.
6
In this mad era, it's not unthinkable that Republican Senators might pass the bill to assuage the Kochs - (and other oligarchs, including the Trumps themselves,) - knowing that as soon as the beast has been fed, the GOP will be liberated from the grip of Herr Trump.
Then when the Mueller indictments come rolling in - out he goes?
Probably I'm as deluded as Trump.
But the bill will be so unpopular, it's hard to see how it could boost the popularity of any Republican candidate next year - another dubious upside.
3
Let's just hope these wavering senators' stance of plausible deniability sinks them when they seek reelection.
4
Once the logrolling starts, no Republican senator wants to step off the log and risk drowning in Trump tweets.
2
Oh, gee. A nasty tweet from President Tweet. Which will be retweeted by bots and some angry white men sitting in their pajamas late at night in their aging parents' basements. Be forewarned, if your parents still have a mortgage, they may no longer be able to afford living in that house. Courtesy of the tax bill.
2
It's a massive tax cut for the wealthy, the hedge funds, the folks who live off the interest on inherited fortunes, the corporations.
NOTHING MASSIVE for ordinary people. And even what there is will be revoked in a few years.
I understand why the wealthy plutocrats support this. But Trump's base, the working people who thought he would help all of us – don't be fooled any more.
5
Actually middle and low income families are losing more than they know. Yes they may (big if there) get a "tax cut" of $1,000 for the year. But they are losing educational assistance, dependent care, relocation and tax free bus passes. So when these items are taxable income next year employers won't offer them anymore. That is what is really going to hurt the average working person who is trying to go to school and hold down a full time job.
15
I'm more worried about my Granddaughter's legacy - what are giving them besides the downside to this deficit spending? We gotta pay up sometime!
1
We seem to have GOP senators who do not understand with whom they are dealing. It's enough for them to hear that their concerns will be addressed to state that they will vote for the bill. I'm not surprised at Corker's or Collins's switch. I think that the GOP makes life very uncomfortable for anyone who deviates from their plan to eviscerate working class Americans lives while subsidizing the uber rich. Furthermore, the GOP prefers to support the rich and powerful: there's more of a payoff for them if they do that. Having principles, morals, compassion, or even kind feelings towards working people is useless because we don't have enough money to satisfy their outsize need to be worshipped, flattered, and showered with campaign money.
We get the best politicians money can buy. Unfortunately that money doesn't select for intelligence, compassion, or humanity.
16
This tax bill will pass in one form or another, makes no difference, it will be hailed as a Trump victory which is what it will be. When it passes Trump and the Republicans will pretty much have their way in Washington. The Dems are self destructing - check the monthly fund raising numbers - the Dem leadership is geriatric and calcified leaving...who? Kieth Ellison, Tom Perez?...I don't think so. Donors and members are abandoning the Dems like rats, and it's not ending soon. The sexual harassment (assaults?) allegations and promiscuous behavior by Dem politicians and big name media leftists are giving many, many voters a way out of what they have long suspected was a fraudulent, corrupt political organization. More women will come forward with more stories (true or false, doesn't matter) and the exit will continue. The biggest challenge for Republicans will be how to handle the surge of new money and members. Many astute political observers saw this coming, even long before Trump arrived.
5
The pendulum always swings back. Count on it.
Meanwhile, unless you're one of those billionaires or CEOs who will be benefiting from this bill, I don't see any reason for you to celebrate. No Trump supporter can credibly claim to care about sexual assault.
Don Rickles gave a speech today in Missouri to promote The Trump Tax Fraud Bill. He received the usual laughs with his insulting catchphrase one-liners.
Oh...my bad. That was Donald Trump standing up on the stage delivering the worn out deceptions.
He looks like a stand-up comic. He talks like a stand-up comic. He acts like a stand-up comic. He must be a stand-up comic.
My friends, this is the President of the United States of America.
It's time to get off the stage you hockey puck. Your act is getting old, stale and out of touch with reality.
15
Everybody who voted for Don the Con without even wanting to see his tax returns has to have been brain dead, because they still aren't twitching.
24
As bad as the liar trump is, the spineless republican congress has got to go.
22
The Republican senators just want to believe what their talking points say. They want to believe Trump. They want to believe the tax bill is a tax cut for the middle class, and not just a giveaway to the corporations. They just want to believe it's all true so they can tell themselves they went to Washington and got done what the "people" wanted. If this thing passes it will be a Pyrrhic victory for the Republican Party: now the party of Trump, the rich, the corporations, Wall Street and soon to be the party calling for the end of Medicare and Social Security to reduce the national debt they themselves will just have increased by $1.5 trillion.
17
The often stated $4000 gain in family income is cribbed from the 1981 Reagan Tax Reduction Proposal. Coincidence? I think not. Plagiarism? I think yes. This "reform" is the concerted effort of second class minds.
16
A vote for Susan Collins is a vote for Mitch McConnell. She caucused with him for 8 years, while he cared more about sabotaging President Obama, than about fixing the problems that George W Bush left America. She caucused with McConnell while he and Charles Grassley conspired to steal a Supreme Court seat. When every Republican votes to advance the agenda of McConnell, Ryan, and Donald Trump, there are no good Republicans.
52
You got that right.
4
The truth of the matter is that Republican senators know that they have to pass this bill to stay in the good graces of their 'donors.' By promising fixes, Trump was giving them some political cover.
'Money doesn't talk, it swears' --B. Dylan
13
For the "wavering" among the Senate, this is just a lesson in deniability. Trump assured them that changes could be made later. As usual, Trump is leaving teh work to others. When the fabled 5% GDP growth does not appear on the horizon, Trump will say, "Congress came up with the bill, I had nothing to do with it!" And the wavering Senators will say they were duped by the Don of Con.
10
And so it goes. Republicans talk about how these "tax cuts" will help regular Americans and will stimulate the economy. Meanwhile, many corporations are boldly saying they plan to take the wealth transferred to them and use it to fund share buybacks and dividends--not to do anything to create jobs. I would say this whole thing is a scam or a ruse, except the Republicans have been very clear about the theft they plan to commit.
19
Accepting Trump's word to anyone, about anything, is the rationalization of all rationalizations. They're only saying this for one of two reasons (or both):
- They have been threatened with being "primaried" from the right when they run again; or
- Regardless of their opinion of Trump, they are still politicians first, and will dance to the tune of their donors (particularly after Citizen's United) at the expense of anything or anyone else.
12
I live in Colorado. Cory Gardner is one of my senators, sadly. He chairs the NRSC (National Republican Senatorial Committee) and is guilty of talking out of both sides of his mouth. He is trying to CON us by talking up how good a tax cut this is while his main focus is getting donations to get Republican Senators elected and re-elected. That is all he cares about.
So here are the senators who could be persuaded -- Susan Collins, John McCain (who we should not take for granted, but he is his own man), and I'm not sure who else, maybe Ron Johnson, maybe Jeff Flake, maybe Bob Corker, Lisa Murkowski, and maybe, hopefully, Doug Jones.
Therefore, if you don't live in ME, AZ, WI, TN, AK -- there is a way to call constituents in other states who are sympathetic to our cause and willing to call their Senators. It really needs to be done, because this thing is going so fast that I don't think Senators are really hearing what their constituents think.
The tax scam is TrumpCare. The tax scam literally kills graduate students. It literally kills small, independent business owners. It severely hurts people with pre-existing conditions. We MUST SPEAK UP. NOW.
18
I am struggling to understand how there aren’t three GOP senators with a conscience. I was in tears the night of 2016 election and I have not been attuned to politics in general prior to that. But I reassured myself that we have responsible senators that would stop us from going over a cliff. Now it seems this so called tax reform might pass and I am feeling the hopelessness again. The tax plan actually benefits me but I feel scared for low income people that might endure consequences of this for decades to come. I had faith that Senators Collins and McCain might come through but doesn’t seem like it now.
19
The cost of this bill is reportedly $1.5 trllion. The actual bill will cost more. There are approximately 120 million income tax payers. $1.5 trillion ÷ 120 million= $12,500 per taxpayer.
So my wife and I will be obligated to pay $25,000, plus interest, to receive a tax cut of $1,000/year for a few years to provide Donald Trump Jr. with a large tax break. In a few years our taxes will go up and we will still owe $25,000, our share of the $1.5 trillion added to the deficit.
I pay down debt during good times or address obligations or necessary repairs. Sad!
19
I cannot blame Trump for this massive redistribution of wealth to the benefit of the 1% in our country. I blame the Bernie Sander-millennial voters who is too self-centered to see this coming. Very ironic that these millennials will be paying for our large deficit into their retirement years.
14
Get over it. It’s Trumps fault now. Period.
1
Amen — voting their egos, not their consciences.
Corker is apparently "on board" because of an escape valve that Trump assured will be added to the bill: taxes will be raised if growth targets are not met. (Does that mean taxes on the rich? Restoring the AMT and estate tax? )
Does this proposed amendment make any sense? As our economy is recovering it is time to consider moderate tax increases to help reduce deficit, or fund infrastructure works or educational requirements. But if the economy is faltering an automatic tax increase is exactly what is not needed. I can see how Corker can be plowed under by a Trump snow job.
Corker just isn't very smart.
7
I’m currently reading ‘The Last Republicans,’ about George H W Bush and George W Bush. I never thought I’d see both former presidents as bastions of stability, temperance, and ethical standards. But here we are.
11
How does Trump "fix this bill"? This is a piece of legislation. He can only approve it or reject it. He doesn't have a line item veto. He doesn't get to add anything to correct its faults. The onus is on Congress to craft sensible legislation. And BTW, we're doomed.
10
"Wavering Senators Buy Trump’s Assurances on Taxes."
Why shouldn't they?
We bought, "You can keep your doctor," didn't we?
In Trump's case, there's no reason to believe he will not deliver on his promise.
1
The man has been proven to lie in public more than five times a day on average, but I guess you go with “past performance is not an indicator of future results” on this topic?
4
Your post takes the prize for false equivalence.
If you believe Trump, I have a university diploma to sell you.
I guess this is as good a venue as any to announce that a thousand acre alpine mountain valley estate with a 10,000 sq. ft log "cabin" has just come on the market only a 45-minute drive from Miami Beach. The price? An unbelievably Republican $49,999.
2
I'll take it! Where do I sign?
The only thing "massive" about this bill is the con job by Dishonest Donald, the size of the debt it will create, the increase in the already yawning gap in income inequality between the super-wealthy and everyone else, and the size of the recession it will cause as interest rates go up, imports cost more as the dollar is devalued, and disposable income due to the loss of deductions, increased medical costs, and the cost of interest on auto and mortgage loans decreases.
8
In a country that hardly produces anything: The 2008 crash served as a transference of money from middle class to the rich. This tax scam is just doing the same. The rich cannot get richer without these massive transfers since most live out of speculative gains (ie: stock market, hedge funds).
12
Trump seems to have forgotten that during the campaign he said hedge funders were "getting away with murder," and he was going to do something about it.
2
He is doing something about it. He's aiding and abetting.
Should we be surprised.
The same people who vote themselves raises, get amazing health care will ALL benefit from the changes.
4
The Republican congress has supported this vile, divisive, incoherent and incompetent president from before his inaguration. They have nothing to show for it. The nearly unanimous Russis sanctions legislation sits on the shelf unimplemented. They see any tax bill as a victory. They worry that if they pass one Trump does not like, he may not sign it. They are humans; they want a win and the see any tax bill as a win.
There is a special problem with rushing through major tax legislation. The Internal Revenue Code and its regulations are one of the largest statutory schemes in all of US legislation. The IRC itself runs to more than 10,000,000 words. To make major revisions to it in a week invites major internal conflicts, major errors and major unintended consequences. Can you imagine a large software company producing a new version of an operating system within two weeks? That is a separate scandal and should be discussed by the media. It alone justifies a much more rigorious and measured process.
13
Perfect excuse for the GOP to cut Medicare and Social Security. This is done with such purpose. We should read between the lines
8
Today, Nov 29, has been one of the most sickening days of this fake presidency. A cascade of insulting behavior from Trump and feckless Republicans unlike anything seen since the darkest days of Watergate. Where this all ends is anyone's guess, but it can not be good.
10
I think our House Democrats and Republicans all know there is enough money in this proposal to keep themselves, their friends and families sitting pretty for the next decade or two. No one can see beyond tomorrow let alone ten years down the road so they are all on safe ground. I don't trust any of them watching for more than a few decades.
Our President is just the poster boy who takes credit when things look good and turns away from his own words when it suits his narrative. Guess that is why the mouth has two sides.
1
A friend of mine used to talk to a republican senator -who shall remain anonymous- with some frequency. That senator often complained that he got into the Senate with good intentions, but found that the system was all about fooling voters and pleasing donors. "If you don't play along you get shived" by McConnell, who exercises great control over campaign money. "Who said this was supposed to be a career?" my friend asked. "Why wouldn't you do the right thing and go back to your other career if it costs you your seat?" Last conversation said friend had with said senator.
10
The “party first” crowd is systematically pulling apart our country, I believe we have reached a critical mass. Have we not moved past the daily outrage and comments? We have the full picture and it is treasonous. Is our democracy so helpless that we cannot act to stop this deepening chaos, where are the patriots, Senators?
3
The founding fathers would be embarrassed beyond belief by what our government has become.
6
I guess this is what Trump meant when he said we'd get tired of winning.
3
Do these same Senators buy Trump's assurances that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 Presidential election?
5
Trump could punch a baby in front of a camera crew, and then claim her never did. Fox News would back him up. Many Republicans and Conservatives in Congress would back him up because they hope he'll sign their bills giving tax breaks to the wealthy and corporations who give Congress campaign contributions, and because Congress wants him to sign their bills cutting programs for the middle class and poor such as early childhood education, medicare, medicaid, and social security. Many of his rank and file followers would believe him over the baby punch video footage and the baby's mother's testimony in the ER or ICU because...why?
6
Can we stop pretending anyone in the GOP has any morals? it's important to know what we're dealing with, clear eyes. Not one of them is interested in anything but greed.
6
Shame on Susan Collins! Most sickening is her reasoning (as a senator yet) that trump promises to do things that the senate ought to be doing. Neither will keep those promises. Collins is just using those promises as plausible cover for doing what she would like to do and knows she would be punished at the polls for.
9
I am sick to death of the lying - the constant, brazen lying - from Trump. I don't believe ANYTHING he says, and need proof for anything coming from the White House. He could tell me that a missile was on its way from N. Korea, and I wouldn't believe it until it was too late.
But I know this to be true because every respectable economist has told us: the "tax cuts" he has proposed are nothing of the sort for the middle class, and the plan will increase the deficit. There may be temporary small decreases in the amount of taxes we pay next year. But the deficit hits won't begin to accrue until Trump is long gone, and the Republicans (and Trump) know this, so they intend to blame the hits on future Democratic administrations because that's what they always do. They pretend to cut taxes, and then when the budget shortfalls occur, it's all the Democrats' fault. The Democrats are forced to raise taxes to pay for the folly of the Republicans, and of course, the Republicans feign shock and disappointment - "all the Democrats do is raise taxes". What a farce.
13
"Are they actually that clueless? Or do they merely think the rest of us are?"
Yes, and Yes.
6
I will never vote for any Congressmen or women for any office they ever run for if they vote to approve this Highway Robbery of a tax bill. I will also work against you in any manner I can......donating to your opposition, writing letters and editorials, volunteering for your oppositions campaign and organize nation wide against everyone of you. Have you no sense of decency or concerns for the common man, women and children?
14
The truly sad thing is that those Republican senators do not care about your vote. They care about donors and their money. Many districts have been gerrymandered to make them safe seats. And it's that money that keeps them that way and Mitch McConnell in power. He's far more dangerous to democracy than Donald Trump could ever be. He makes Machiavelli blush.
2
At this point, it looks like they will pass this piece of junk.
Come on, Senators Collins, McCain, Flake, and Corker.
What ever happened to the party of fiscal responsibility? Do you really want to borrow an additional $1.5 trillion to the national debt (above the $10 trillion that is already expected)?
This bill will not create growth, and you know it. It is just a deficit-funded giveaway to a small handful of people who have already done very well.
8
C'mon, Senator Collins. You are too smart for that. We back home in Maine see right through him.
9
Hold her accountable if she fails to live up to your expectations.
2
OK, something is going on here, akin to the Manchurian Candidate. I only completely saw the version with Denzel Washington. But it's applicable.
This is really strange to say, but these Senators are being brainwashed. By a sociopath. Susan Collins would not be talking like this if she wasn't being brainwashed. We are talking about paranormal stuff here, folks. Yes, this kind of stuff exists in the world in many different communities and walks of life (remember the Stanford experiment), usually not at the level of the President.
A year from now the 5 or so moderates will wonder why they did this and perhaps even apologize, but the damage will be done.
If you want to be charitable, call it groupthink.
2
Sure. Why, all the tax fixes are right there in DJT’s files, right next to the “incredible things his investigators were finding about Barack Obama’s birth certificate - things we wouldn’t believe!” and the law suits against all the women who came forward with stories of sexual misconduct, and the beautiful health care plan that was going to cover many more people and cost less and was ready to be introduced the same hour as repeal of the ACA. The Republican Party makes me feel a revulsion I have previously only felt when pulling ticks off my dog.
4
Senator. "The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: Senatus), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: senex meaning "the elder" or "old man") and therefore allegedly wiser and more experienced ..."
What's really going on is that Republican Senators are selling the country out to campaign donors! Maybe this political venality will lead to the demise of the GOP...
2
Well Christmas is coming and we all believe in Santa.
Can we be an oligarchy and an insanitarchy at the same time? I say, yes.
For years, people were told by entertainers like Limbaugh and Reagan to hate government and the media (why didn't we notice that they are or were the government and the media?), and we came to believe it. Thus, we came to hate Washington so much that the only insult we could think of that was large enough to throw in its direction was to elect an ignorant, crude, bigoted, deceitful, cheating, insane person to the highest office. He then brought the whole circus to town.
So, now we have oligarchs running even wilder with Republicans in Congress than they did before (this tax plan is historically unconscionable and idiotic), AND we have a deranged liar making any nonsensical comment about laws and policy that flits into his "mind." So, folks like Collins, Corker, and McCain (who we like to think might have been a little bit more honorable) may cave for the oligarchs, whether or not they listen to the crazy guy? Likely, yes.
I would say that it's like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," except they've really been that way all along!
4
Con men know their marks. They play to their egos, their desires. Trump committed fraud with his Trump U in the same way. Buhleeeve me!
No one should believe a pathological liar who has been documented to have lied well over 1,600 times since taking office.
If Collins and the others have joined the Trumpstown cult, Trump Kool Ade will be next. The sad thing is that many of the victims will be completely innocent -- the 13 million who will lose their healthcare, those families with enormous medical expenses who will lose their deductions, the students who can no longer afford college, the cities that can't have improvements from bonds, the blue states that already are the economic engines of the country that are being viciously attacked.
The con man has found yet more gullible fools. By the time they realize they've been lied to, it will be too late for millions who depended on them.
5
Trump has promised! Those who believe him should talk to his subcontractors when he was a loser (though at the end not personally because of his con) in Atlantic City.
5
I was a Republican all my life, until the last Bush bailed out the banks with an overnight blank 4 billion dollar check written on a whim of the moment, which ballooned into maybe 12 billion by the time it was all over.
That really showed me like nothing else where the heart of the party is.
But the naked greed with which the current party just openly and selfishly shovels money into their own billionaire pockets, and then tells us it will be good for us, really shows us what the era of the Robber Barons must also have been like, just as boasting America First recalls exactly what another older era of bigotry was like.
And raping the environment. And proceeding to dismantle the Consumer Protection Bureau. And removing protection of National Parks and Monuments. And attacking truth, and justice, and free speech, and the free press, and fake news, and normalizing the ourtrageous, and believing alternative facts, . . . and on and on, just fills me with despair for the future of my Country.
I fear we are seeing the end of the long era of Government by the People for the People, and that the future is now Government by the Wealthy for the Wealthy.
It should be renamed The Smug Selfish Party, pure and simple.
Charles P
14
"This country has nothing to fear from the crooked man who fails. We put him in jail. It is the crooked man who succeeds who is a threat to this country."
Theodore Roosevelt, Memphis, TN, October 25, 1905
6
The thought of this tax bill passing is making me nauseous. No words, just a big pit in my stomach.
4
What on Earth is the matter with Republicans?
2
What in the world is wrong with these people? We gave them credit fir having some common sense . . . This ridiculous tax bill will hurt everyone of us. I know, I know. Except the wealthy.
3
The fact that ‘triggers’ are vehemently opposed by tax cutting groups exposes their true intention. They realize the deficit will rise, but then entitlements can be cut, which has always been their goal. When Republicans who support this bill run for re-election, voter should realize that they voted to eviscerate the safety net, including Medicare.
9
Not to worry. I just heard Trump on the local news. He flat out stated that the average salary will rise $4000 under this bill. OK Trump people! Your man made the proclamation. Let's revisit this time next year and you can all report how much your incomes rose.
Of course Obama was a liar when he said you can keep your doctor. The nerve of the guy. (Not to be confused with being incorrect. Democratic presidents are not allowed that privilege) Will Trump be a liar if that $4000 doesn't come through? Can he lie his way through the lie and will you believe the lying excuses?
49
The CWA is out in front of this. They are calling on employers who support the bill to pony up the raises when the legislation is signed into law. Which is good trolling, tongue firmly in cheek.
3
The book that best explained Trump to me was a memoir by a woman who had married a psychopath and the process by which she gradually learned that she didn't know him at all. He had started out as her perfect soul mate, pursuing her with charm and a passion that swept her off her feet, when in fact he was cheating on her from the get go. Psychopaths pursue their targets with great charm, and feed their egos with the adoration they receive (sound familiar), but are incapable of true empathy or remorse. They are chronic liars with no morals. once they lose interest in the target, ie no longer get sufficient ego gratification, they move on. The whole depiction describes Trump so well that I am amazed that anybody is surprised by anything he says or does.
47
They truly live in an alternate world, or wish to do so. Relying on Trump to
"Fix" anything is truly stupid. This " rocket fuel for the economy " would actually be akin to NAPALM. Remember that???
Thanks, GOP. Go rocket fuel yourselves. Please.
36
The stench emanating from the U.S. senate is the composite of lies, self-deception, hypocrisy and rank cowardice of those who know better. Persuaded by Donald Trump? Really? This vote is a test of integrity and a vote for this god-awful tax bill fails that test. Those who cower at this time should ask themselves what they stand for and the reason they so quickly abandoned their previously self-considered steadfast principles. Shame on all of you.
55
i am so angry. just angry, angry, angry at the cynical nastiness coming from Trump and Republican leadership. I heard Jeff Flake interviewed on NPR yesterday about the tax bill and was astounded that this was the same man that gave the speech on the Senate floor decrying Trump. Are they all so blind?
258
"Are they all so blind?"
There are none so blind as those who will not see.
5
Blind and corrupt!
2
Jeff Flake's comments on NPR were appalling. At one point, he suggested that the tax bill would actually help the middle class, and then pivoted to his planned speech on the importance of honesty in politics. He was the only one who failed to see the massive irony.
8
These so called "wavering" senators are cowards of the first degree. They aren't stupid, like dumpy don - they have either been bought, or intimidated. Either way, if our republic survives this latest, greatest assault on it's soul, history will eventually condemn them with the same terms that will be used to condemn all those who collaborated with the treasonous republican party.
30
Can Trump fool most of the people most of the time, including Republicans in Congress?
Apparently Yes for his base.
As for Republicans in Congress, they are either stupid to believe him, or corrupt and are delivering for their party and special interest donors, or both! You decide. Either way they must be held personally liable for their actions.
A recent analysis showed that Trump either mislead or lied on average 5.5 times per day since he was elected.
We must find a way to hold self-interested Elected Politicians and their staffers, from both parties, personally liable, responsible and accountable for the lies they have told US, their gross mismanagement of our county, our $20.6 T and growing national debt (108% of GDP), and our $100 T in future, unfunded liabilities they forced on US jeopardizing our economic and national security, while benefiting themselves, their staffers, their party and special interest donors.
http://www.usdebtforum.com
14
Dim-witted and blindly loyal Republican senators believe tRump because they are afraid of him and his hordes of deplorables . It's shocking and sad that these public servants are so subservient to such a low-level boob , particularly since they all know tRump is completely ignorant of any policy matters . He is a person who lives for self-aggrandisement and slobbering approval . His fellow millionaires stand to gain enormously if this current tax bill passes and becomes law . The average American gains almost nothing , and even that for only a few short years , while corporations and the wealthy come out huge winners with this bill . John F. Kennedy wrote a famous book , entitled ,
"Profiles in Courage" about senators who long ago took principled stands on issues and in so doing displayed great courage . Is it possible that none of our senators has the decency , the ibjectivity
14
But, he promised!
9
Tribalism. Inept, hurtful, negligent tribalism. Like the "president", utterly insane.
21
Sounds a lot like the senators and congresspeople who bought Obama's assurances about Obamacare, keeping your health insurance, keeping your doctor, etc.
Gee, so you're saying Congress is as stupid under Trump as it was under Obama.
1
More than 20 million people were able to have healthcare due to the ACA. It saved many lives, and brought down mortality rates. (By the way, the ACA went through an open legislative process of more than a year and a half including several months in the Senate with many hearings, hundreds of amendments and normal committee processes. This has been done in six days -- a 515 page bill that no Democratic senator was allowed to have any input in.
Trump has lied more than 1,600 times so far in his presidency. His followers are definitely among the stupidest people on the planet, and now their senators join them. When they lose their healthcare, their taxes go up, and their children can't afford college, maybe they will regret their foolish gullibility.
5
Reagan Restoration of the Gilded Age - 1980
"These tax cuts will pay for themselves." - 1981, 2001, 2003, 2017
"That's voodoo economics." - George Herbert Walker Bush, 1980
"Reagan proved deficits don't matter. This is our due." - Dick Cheney, 2003
Great Recession and near meltdown - 2008
Pinocchio Awards, 2017: Donald Trump, Paul Ryan, Steve Mnuchin, Mitch McConnell, Kevin Brady, Ted Cruz, Gary Cohn, Orrin Hatch...
Sell-out Award: Lisa Murkowski
Biggest Loser, 2017: The American Experiment in Self-government
Kevin Brady
38
These editorials are right on... but is it going to make any difference? I fear we are all heading right down the toilet.
16
Absolutely. Mr. Trump never lies, his word is gold and every promise he makes you can take to the bank.
Really? Republicans have gotten that gullible and stupid? Must be that Trump water they're drinking.
8
How many lives do they want to ruin? Have they lost all shred of humanity?
14
They're POLITICIANS, not STATESMEN...Plain, and simple hacks whose only concern is satisfying the Daddy Warbucks that finance their campaigns, while paying lip service to their constituents!
What can go wrong with a mentally ill president out of touch with reality, erratic and whose ego is easily fractured? Nuclear war is the worst case scenario and working down to enabling Russia to retake Eastern Europe . Destroying our free media, our judiciary while creating a police state to control elections. Bannon will be selecting our government officials for a decade ahead complete with legalized racism and police brutality. Trump will become America's Putin with his family ruling for decades after Trump is too feeble to rant and rave nonsense. We were warned when fascism comes to America it will be in the form of the cross and the flag witness the NFL players kneeling with Trump's faux horror.
13
The president is a chameleon and a con artist, and the only ones who seem to notice are the public and the MSM. Don't believe anything he says unless it is on paper with his signature. And then only believe 10% of it. I hope the Trumpists are prepared to pay their piper.
6
Obviously "they are conning their constituents and the rest of America."
But nice op-ed anyway.
5
Just caught the Prez on TV lying up a storm to a Missouri audience about the magical largesse this tax bill will shower on them and he added, "Believe me, this bill is going to cost me a ton of money," when of course the thing is designed to permit him to keep an even larger portion of his money than before.
And our supposedly moderate GOP senators believe this irredeemable liar? Why?
23
THe Trump family will realize a billion dollar bonus from the tax bill, according to the WAPO. I don't doubt it will be more than that. Why aren't we demanding proof of his not gaining personally from the tax bill? I know, we won't get it, but the question will be out there.
4
These Republican senators are as gullible as those students who attended the president's university. At least they got $25 million payoff for fraud. What are the American people getting if this bill passes?
10
Actually, I don't think these republican senators are being gullible. They know exactly what they're doing. That is, doing the bidding of their rich donors who have demanded a tax cut for them and their ilk. Of course, these republicons have to lie through their teeth in order to justify the tax cuts.
4
So much for Sen. McCain's "bipartisan and deliberative body" that the US Senate is suppoed to be. Do the right John and vote NO!
12
"Assurances from Trump"??
We're getting to a rate of half a dozen totally mind-blowing bombshells every single day.
God speed, Mr. Mueller.
12
Where are the details showing exactly how much each of these Senators votes cost the American taxpayer? I want to know how much each Senator personally benefits, just like I want to know how much liar tRump and his crooked family are going to benefit...billionds! There are no merits to this bill, so massive bribes are the only possible explanation for Republicans caving in on the tax scam. Show me the numbers.
5
Blame where blame is due.
This is not Trump's fault.
Close to one hundred percent of republican senators are knowingly lying about what they are doing and why. It is equal to any of the outrages of Trump.
And the senate democrats are sounding like useless self absorbed weasels. As usual.
Not Trump's fault.
7
In deed,
So, some GOP senators are not sold on the tax bill. Trump commits to allowing and supporting amendments in face to face meeting. In light of these assurances, from Trump, they are now supporting the bill. How can you say,
"this is not Trump's fault." FYI, the democrats were shut out of any input on this bill in the house and the senate.
"Blame where blame is due", is the only statement in your comment I can agree with.
1
Trump is a pathological liar. It was obvious (from the beginning) to anyone who is capable of critical reasoning. GOP is now a criminal enterprise ; no different from the Russian "parliament" which supports the oligarchs. It is a party of scammers (Flake, Corker) and polluters (Pruitt, Koch) which will continue to throw "red meat" in order to win elections.
12
How many years and lost lives and diminished health will it take to undo the damages now being imposed on our nation by this party of treason?
We are on a giant downhill slide to third-world status, being pushed hard by the Republican, white nationalist and billionaire advocates for themselves.
The United States is in trouble, and I'm not seeing anyone currently capable of changing direction, including the Democratic Party stalwarts. It'll be up to voters and the courts, but I do fear that won't be enough, soon enough.
9
Another possibility not raised in this opinion is that Trump or surrogates are using coercive measures such as blackmail or threats of bottomlessly-funded attack ads at the next election to ensure compliance of these once-"wavering" senators. I would not discount any of these for a moment in today's Washington, DC. There is nothing to which the minds behind the Trump facade won't turn to achieve their goals.
7
There is a reason why these senators are Republicans. They are of, by, and for the wealthy. When they leave the Senate they can expect rich rewards from their super wealthy patrons. The simplest explanation applies hete. Hope Susan Collins’ constituents in Maine enjoy their extra $19 bucks a week.
7
They may have had some benefits growing up - education, (or for Paul Ryan, benefits from the government), but they seem to be much, much more wealthy after a few years in congress. And they have that nice health care protection that they have no interest in sharing with the rest of us.
1
This is what it is all about, what the Republicans are enduring the dog and pony show of the Trump presidency for. The Money. Rich people own this country and they want a return on all the money they have invested in Republican politics. It is that simple.
Corker, Flake, Collins are not going to stand in the way of this juggernaut. They know enough to lie down and roll over when their master the oligarchy speaks.
8
Corker, Flake and Collins make a pretty show of being concerned or disturbed by Trump's mendacity, immaturity and lack of principles, but it's a show. Whrn push comes to shove they fall in line. They are empty suits.
1
Its not what is said in public by the various republican senators like Collins, it is what is unsaid. The various owners (Koch brothers, Sheldon Anderson, the Mercers et:al) of the Republican Party have made it sufficiently clear in closed door meeting that the money spigot will be turned off or redirected if they don’t deliver. In the end even John McCain’s a republican first & won’t gain say conservative orthodoxy. It’s wishful thinking to say otherwise. Sad
8
Republican fraud being committed as we speak, with false assurances by the one who doesn't have a clue, Trump, except that the tax cuts benefits him handsomely. The rest is just an afterthought.
3
I love it when trump says that his accountants are so upset about how much this tax cut is going to cost him. He lies and congress is complicit.
3
The Times should keep a list of Senators and their reasons for supporting such a bill. Among the reasons, 'I believe the President rather than the experts' should get double credit or double blame depending upon where your sympathies are.
3
I've concluded that whenever a Senator such as Flake or Corker objects to Trump, it's to his manner, not his principles.
2
I don't understand how anyone - politician, journalist, person-on-the-street - can possibly believe our president. First of all, he lies as much and as easily as he talks. He is in fact a pathological liar, one of the more obvious signs of his mental instability.
He also has no principals. He does whatever he can to win the approval of people in positions of power. Look at the way he glowed during his Asian trip. All one has to do is praise him, or throw him a parade, and he will do whatever you ask. He would like nothing better than to win the approval of the Republican establishment.
Finally, he is leading a party which has completely given itself over to billionaires and corporate interests. This party has for many years put its agenda over the good of the country and of it many, hardworking, middle and lower class people. The Republican party has bought into the idea that government is the problem with this country and that the best thing they can do is whittle it down to its core.
I think the tax 'reform' bill, which will be a disaster for the 99.9% of people who are not extremely rich, will pass because one of our political parties has sold its soul.
4
President Trump is an excellent salesman. If he hadn't inherited multi-millions he would have worked his way up selling used cars, selling swampland in Florida, selling stock in goldmines in the arctic ocean, or perhaps, as his grandfather is reputed to have done, as a pimp, selling women. Buyer's remorse? Sorry - it's too late ...
2
I don't think anyone believes Mr. Trump; what they believe is what they want to be true. Like buying a lottery ticket, the odds are millions to one and yet... yet... it's still possible to win lots of money. Congress doesn't believe him but they want to keep the donor money flowing. It's all a group of single minded individuals who rationalize all for their own needs.
1
The madness continues with the faux GOP complaints about Trump as they follow him over the cliff.
Next up: the sudden "discovery" that deficits matter, and that the only way to get control of them is to destroy Medicare and Social Security.
4
Wake up! Wake up, all of you lawmakers who know full well that you should NOT be sticking it to your constituents (the Americans you claim to represent) by accepting this heinous "tax cut" embraced by the most heinous President any of us alive have ever witnessed.
We're counting on you to do the right thing. So, do it.
4
Simmer down now. Think smart; don't think angry. Corker's week spine is unsurprising. I held out more hope for Collins. Either way, Republicans are going to get massacred if this thing passes. The Koch brothers will cheer but the pendulum only swings back further left. Sanders is nominated for a Grammy and Elizabeth Warren is topping the President's ratings by a large margin. Yea, conservatives are making a big mistake both politically and economically. Of course, we can only assume they actually care. All indicators suggest they don't.
Just wait though. If either Party turns this into a perpetual fight, they have another thing coming. Trump will eventually be degraded to disgrace and disappear. The question is not if but when. The current Party establishment on both sides will come out looking like wilted flowers after a heavy rainstorm. For the first time in ages, I actually feel relaxed.
Dig your own graves folks. I hope you have fun with the shovel. The only thing certain in politics is nothing in politics lasts forever. From a strategic perspective, death and taxes are a sideshow. You're all doomed if this bill passes. You can quote me on that.
6
I'm sure the people of Maine are going to love it when the ACA is no longer sustainable due to the repeal of the individual mandate. Senator Collins , who appeared so reasonable, is fooling herself if she believes anything that comes out of Trump's lying mouth.
7
Why isn't the media, including The NYTimes, calling out the folly of claiming the boon for corporations and the wealthiest will eventually have a beneficial effect of the rest of us peasants? Are your collective editorial memories so poor that you have already forgotten the doomed-to-fail bogus "trickle-down theory" of the Reagan administration? This should be shouted from the rooftops: "Act now before its too late or hold your tongue."
1
"Are they actually that clueless? Or do they merely think the rest of us are?"
Of course, it's the latter!
2
This is not particularly mysterious. "Oh, midterm voters, your taxes went up because of our bill? Don't blame me: Trump assured me they wouldn't!"
If Trump's the bad guy, it keeps them from getting stung by his unpopularity and it gives them ammunition against any Bannon-flavored primary challengees.
2
It feels like our government has been hijacked. Why are the Democrats silent? Where are our leaders? Who is speaking truth to power here?
Is there anyone among you who believe we still have "a more perfect union?"
Given the amount of crime in our capital, does anyone believe our press is really doing their job?
I am so ready for Mueller time. I hope he doesn't stop at the Whitehouse as I think many of our politicians are taking big money from Russian organized crime. Things are out of control.
1
Maybe President Trump told the holdouts that he has some Russian friends that will visit their homes unless they fall in line.
Republican senators are between a rock and hard place.
Their contributors have essentially told them that congress either passes the Republican Tax Gift as the contributors would have it or there will be no more contributions.
On the other hand, the Republican Tax Gift would be deleterious to those constituents who voted for them.
What to do? Whom to satisfy and please?
Contributors or constituents?
Sometimes life is positively mephistophelian...
4
Future historians may chart the decline of the American Empire beginning with its defeat in Vietnam in 1975, the Supreme Court's decision to hand the presidency to George W. Bush in 2000, or its illegal and unjustified invasion of Iraq in 2003. What will NOT escape notice however, is how the decline and eventual dismemberment of the empire was accelerated by the election of Donald Trump on November 7, 2016. The "disaster waiting to unfold" also referred to as the Republican Tax Reform Act is merely some collateral fallout from Trump's election. This nation will be unrecognizable in a few decades and yet people will still say, "Wow, I wonder how that happened?"
4
Betrayal timed just right is Donald’s truly great skill.
1
Wow...one of the biggest tax cuts in American history and except for some donors, only the Republicans get to know the details before they pass it in Legislation.
Everybody else gets about 3 minutes before (as hoped by Republicans) it becomes law.
No discussion, no bipartisan cooperation, no outside economic analysis and no fact based evidence that its repercussions will be anything like what has been spruiked and promised, told and claimed.
Like the previously attempted alternatives to the ACA which were developed almost in secret and without making any attempt to listen to experts and those in the know and which would have deprived millions of health care coverage, this tax overhaul promises to leave most Americans off the agenda and saving very little money compared to the Billions that will be reaped by the wealthy and corporations and after some time it looks like whatever very modest gains it gives the Middle Class, will end in 10 years leaving most with higher tax bills than today.
Welcome to Republican Democracy and Economics 101...where the Buck stops "up there" where most can't or will ever reach it.
Whatever you and a majority of Americans may want or say.
2
Weakening government has been a goal of the right since the new deal. Reagan's tax cuts started the financial weakening and Trump's cuts are the next major blow. The gutting of federal departments, the elimination of protections (usually called regulations), appointment of conservative justices and the emptying of the purse are all part of the effort to weaken or eliminate any government protection against the ability of capital to run wild.
6
What I would love to see someone put out there are total deficit projections, not simply the $1.5 trillion that this plan would add to the debt over 10 years. $1.5 trillion over 10 years is a lot, but when you consider that we're already running deficits that are already approaching $1 trillion annually, it's a massive amount of debt we're piling on over 10 years. Let's see this plan's proponents defend adding $10 trillion (give or take) of debt over the next decade.
6
A tax bill that will assure that government of the 1%, by the 1% and for the 1% shall not perish from this earth.
6
How can these Senators support a bill that has so low of a public approval rating? Do the modern day Boss Tweeds have them so tied up that they will not advocate for common sense and fairness, never mind progressive taxation that benefits the entire population?
Everyone can see the future. Don't need to be an economist. In a few years, the deficit will have become so profound that there will be a cry to cut Medicare and other social programs as the government cannot afford them anymore.
In all, the tax bill will result in even a more dramatic shift of political and social power. And the people who supported it blindly to secure a continued position will have to reckon with what they allowed to happen.
Where is conscience? Where is the humanity? What about the American ideal of a "fair shake?"
4
Thank you for writing this. I had the same incredulous reaction as soon as I heard these Senators apparently believing Trump's assurances that all would be fixed in due course. I expected better. at least, of Susan Collins. My only hope now is that the horrors the Republicans are creating will result in their complete downfall in 2018 and beyond and that Democrats will then have a chance to undo some of the damage. But the cost to our nation, particularly the most vulnerable, will be so, so high. Sad. Very, very sad.
8
The budget will pass, and in a few short years we can say good-bye to our social security. I'm 57, so the timing is perfectly aligned to destroy my chances that social security will supplement my modest retirement.
God bless America.
11
I'm so old that I remember the time when Republicans would have been against adding 1.5 trillion dollars (let me go ahead and write that number out: $1,500,000,000,000) to the deficit.
16
No Republican since Reagan, who exploded the deficits on purpose.
2
In other words, you’re at most nine years old. When Obama was president, every last Republican in Congress was a deficit scold. Now, not so much.
1
I used to have the utmost respect for Susan Collins. No more. She has joined those in congress more concerned with their donors than their constituency. Sad.
15
She hasn't voted yet. Maybe a few senators are playing a dark game and will pull the rug out at the last minute. Please God....
3
Up here in Maine the majority just voted to expand Medicaid because we have so many poor, especially children. But many parts of the state voted the other way. Guess which parts those were--- the ones where the poorest people are. And the cuts to the ACA and Medicaid in this bill will make their situation worse, but evidently that is what Susan Collins thinks her voters want. Or else she wants to retire. If she does vote for this bill, I will come out of retirement even at 78 to lobby against her big time. And I'm not the only one!
14
Thirty pieces of silver would be more appropriate and less expensive.
6
Do these Centrist GOP Senators really think that ephemeral favor from Trump will save them from Bannon and "the Base", let alone the millions of Americans who'll be skewered by this tax bill? If so, they run the risk of being the punch line of jokes about the dustbin of history for years to come. Collins is particularly disappointing given her heroic opposition to Repeal and Replace. A cynic would say everyone has their price. A citizen would be disappointed that the price here seems to be so low.
3
The wavering senators were just looking for cover and Trump provided it.
If "Profiles in Courage" is ever updated, John McCain might get a footnote. No other GOP senator from this century will get a profile.
3
I can assure Collins, Johnson and other GOP Senators that voters are paying careful attention.
I can assure those GOP Senators that voting for such an unpopular bill will be noticed and remembered by voters.
Collectively, let's call our Senators and assure them that a bill designed largely for rich donors is not a way to stay in office.
99
I'm beginning to think some Senators may not mind being voted out of office - they could earn more money as a lobbyist.
2
I belong to Indivisible and live in Colorado. Cory Gardner is a nonstarter; he is truly awful.
1
Trump is a sociopathic scam artist and the Republican Congress is a mixture of amoral, clueless, and traitorous.
A fine mess.
After Paul Ryan and the other Republicans kept giving George Bush a blank check for the Iraq occupation, used accounting magic to claim that the outrageous expenses were not on the budget and failed to conduct oversight, I knew that Ryan and the rest didn’t care about the deficit or fiscal responsibility.
The tax cuts for the rich and crumbs for the rest of us is a scam.
109
I have been a healthcare professional 30 years, my clinical focus has always been neurological disease in elderly patients. Each day I am more convinced that at the very least, the person in the Oval Office needs to be evaluated for possible dementia. Sometimes what appears to be dementia is thyroid disease and is easily treated. And frequently early dementia appears to "come and go." Early signs can include paranoia.
87
Worth a shot, but I'm thinking, as a mental health professional, it's something else.
4
But none of that accounts for the fundamental problem that Trump is a thoroughly dishonest and terrible human being.
6
I fear the correct diagnosis is corruption of the soul.
3
Idiotic. Offensive. And this is one time where I will have expensive consequences to the tax changes insofar as I know them as a single taxpayer living in a house in a high tax area.
I guess I have to see if there is a way to turn myself into a business to be able to avoid double taxation.
And I want to know what riders have been included. The bit that allows religious groups to be blatantly political while retaining tax exempt status? The elimination of the medical deduction for those who pay out more than 10% of their income on medical costs? What nasty surprises await us?
78
The Republican War on the poor and middle class achieves another deadly victory.
Republicans love the smell of 0.1% Christmas cash and American corpses in the morning.
"Drop dead, America....and hand over your last penny to the royal class"
116
It is simply appalling what this Republican majority is trying to do. I am struggling ti understand how this can happen in a so called democracy... unless we just give up any semblance of appearance and acknowledge what we have become... a third world banana republic where the super-rich dispose of the common good as they please. Thanks to cultural wedge issues used masterfully by the GOP to keep themselves in power and relevant. WAKE UP PEOPLE!
158
@Mario. God how I hate to agree with you but yeah, you spelled
it out real clear. We are sitting ducks here. We are watching
ourselves being sold down the river, pillaged, robbed and
there seems little we can do to stop it right this second.
I hate to also admit that though the official Democrats
are not quite as bad, they are owned by the same donors
who have created our banana republic. At least 80 percent
of the Democrats are owned. The Democrats are mostly
for big business and have forgotten the workers long ago.
So we have a 2 party system and they are both for big business
and the wealthy. Hmm, seems like a good idea for a third
party who will actually represents the majority of the citizens
in the country formerly known as the USA. "No taxation with out
representation" What does that mean again?
3
This is no longer a democracy; it is a banana republic led by a dictator.
3
Dramatist, we have a two-party system in this country, unless you reform elections so that we have instant runoffs. Splitting the left at this point does nothing but reelect Republicans. I'm not sure where you get that 80 percent of Democrats are owned by big business, but I notice that not a single Democrat has voted for this bill. That tells me they're not the same breed as the GOP.
It's important that we not descend into false equivalence. We need to vote the GOP out.
The president has lied, he has denigrated basic values, he is playing fast and loose with the Constitution, and he has put us all at risk internationally. He will be emboldened by this "success" and we will pay for it in ways we should be frightened to contemplate. We will be farther down a path from which there is no return if this plan goes through.
88
It will be existentially disappointing if Susan Collins and John McCain vote for this sugar-plum-for-the-wealthy tax 'reform' legislation.
I've spent the past ten months going from upset to utter despair. Their 'yes' votes will be the icing on the cake.
NOT my president
440
I'm begiinning to think 'Not My Country'!
5
I suppose we could leave - we have the ability to go somewhere else, but we also feel the need to serve where we are. I wish the congress we elected felt the same.
3
How could these two and other Republicans possibly believe anything that Trump promises? They are either as stupid as he is, or looking out for themselves first. I thought our votes were for those most willing to truly act as our representative - now I see that the party comes first - so I guess we're being played as being the stupid ones?
1
There is no mention of the good senators from Arizona. Both of them. And one more. This is all Republican feel-goodism. Feelgoodism doesn't get legislation approved, and I have to believe Susan Collins is neither stupid nor gullible. It's entirely possible she - and others - will come to their senses.
25
You are writing about politicians Andrew. They hear what they want to hear, and say what they think we want to hear. In the end, however, they do whatever they need to do to protect their tribe, which by the way is not the people who voted for them.
34
Many of them are also able to be diplomatic -- I'm hoping. I think some of them must have some thought about the people they serve - don't they?
The mistake is considering Collins or Corker or any other Republican to be a moderate or thoughtful or even decent in the first place. It's no longer possible to be a Republican and be a good person. They are ALL deplorable. Any decent person would leave the party that put forth this tax swindle. PERIOD.
369
Stuart,
After 37 years as a Republican I left the Party after the primary. It was the last straw, and that was after seeing what that vacuous, excrement-mouthed alien looking denizen of Hell McConnell and "shut down the government" Texan jackass Ted Cruz did to the party, and after seeing what the demented and two-faced McCain did by having the grizzled stump Palin as his running mate.
Angry? You bet I am. They can all go straight to Hell, every one of them, with the Clown leading the way arm-in-arm with McConnell and Collins bringing up the rear.
212
I only wish the Democrats were as passionate about this as you seem to be.
24
YES! It amazes me how much difficulty people have had grasping this simple fact.
6
I had really come to respect Collins and McCain and clung to the hope that they would be the morality of the Republican party. Now it seems that even their integrity has a price tag. Hopefully the American people, particularly Trump's base, will wake up and realize that once Trump Tax is enacted and wages do not go up, jobs are not created, and the deficit skyrockets, Paul Ryan and company will feel the necessity to cut Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security. I would guess that a large percentage of Trump's base are on one or more of these programs. I am hoping the media will really hammer home the longer term effects of this bill.
275
It seems like Colllins and McCain prefer money in the bank as well as avoidance of any flak for not toeing the Republican line. These two are very aware that this is a desecration of the faith their constituents placed in them. I guess both are retiring and could care less? Americans are being sold down the river, the river called "tax cuts".
2
Mandatory cuts to Medicare will begin next year if this tax bill passes because of PAYGO, unless Congress passes legislation to waive the cuts. The GOP budget estimates that these mandatory cuts would amount to $473 billion dollars over ten years. In other words, the GOP used the mandatory Medicare cuts to sell the $1.5 trillion tax bill to the so-called deficit hawks in the House.
Medicare is already on the table.
4
You're right, but bear in mind: when the GOP comes after Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, it will be spun as an effort to "save" these programs from destruction. They will point out that these programs are "failing" and are the cause of the deficit being so high. They will say that reducing or eliminating them will reduce the exploding debt and deficit. Goodbye social safety net.
3
Trump University apparently continues to expand nationwide, enrolling new Senators this week with shiny new diplomas...not quite aware they've been fleeced and flushed down the toilet with the vast majority of Americans with this 0.1% welfare program on a credit card.
The National Bank Robbery continues in broad daylight as Grand Old Patriots bankrupt the country.
Enjoy your higher income tax bill next year, and don't forget to thank a Republican billionaire for sticking you with the tab.
354
And the Senators who've enrolled in Trump University won't even be able to file a class action suit against Trump.
My taxes may not go up, but as the US debt situation gets worse, Medicare and Social Security cuts are next on the table to "balance the budget."
6
"..to thank a Republican billionaire for sticking you with the tab."
From what I'm hearing it's not just us, but our children, grandkids, and Great gandchildren, who will still be trying to pay this debt.
The American dream has morphed into a nightmare and our illustrious Aristocrats are smiling upon it's right wing.
Perpetual penury of the people, indefinitely.
4
The people that are going to suffer the most from the passage of this tax fraud bill are Trump's base. The sad part is the dim bulbs in congress from the red states don't realize that Trump will blame them when it all goes south. "It wasn't my bill;. "What tax bill?' "They changed it too much." Or inevitably: "The dems did it it"
38
He'll blame it on the democrats first, last, and always!
2
How can anyone believe anything Trumps says? The members of Congress need to listen to their constituents. So frustrated with Cruz & Cornyn here in Texas.
37
Yeah, why are these two "fiscally conservative" Tea Party Caucus members supporting an increase in the debt?
4
AH, don't forget that it was Republican constituents that voted for Trump so, clearly, those Congress Critters ARE listening.
1
Yep, these big-talking Republican Senators are Republicans above all else. Every last one of them is salivating for a tax cut -- just because they can. The supposed qualms are just a way to soften the blow back homer, because the know both that their voters hate it and that they donors love it. Throw them out!
28
They sold us out to the Mercers, Rickett's, Koch's, Murdoch's, Adelson's. We won't forget.
3
The specter of a presidency unable to sign any important legislation in his first year, surely haunts Trump. Likewise, these senators, having achieved nothing over the last few months, also want a "win" -- regardless of what that actually entails. The result? This tax bill may well pass the Senate, despite the immense damage it will unleash.
65
Some 80% of Republicans believe what Trump says, so is it a surprise these senators are rolling over?
26
Republicans are intent on one party rule by fiat instead of the much harder give and take demanded by the constitutional, representative democracy the framers envisioned. E pluribus unum is hard work, and it's what we desperately need our elected representatives to work toward. Unfortunately it no longer seems to be part of the Republican DNA. In short, America under Republican leadership is no longer America. It has instead become DumbTrumpistan, which is otherwise known in the Russian Duma as Little Vladistan.
32
'Susan Collins and some other senators who had hinted they might oppose the Republican tax bill giveaway to the super rich are changing their tune. Apparently, President Trump assured them over lunch that he’s going to fix the bill.'
Trump, who evidently views himself as some kind of financial genius, has six corporate bankruptcies, according to a recent report by CNN. And from this Schmuck in Chief we are to believe anything he says when it comes to being fiscally responsible?
The Donald has also crowed that 'I love debt' ... but he far prefers the debt of this nation to be born by lower income and middle class people rather than depots and our American oligarchy.
109
The future version, "Everything in the tax bill looks fine to me so I won't fix a thing," Donald Trump to Collins.
"Participants told reporters that Trump was paying attention and seemed to understand the details. Think about that. It’s news when this president seems to grasp an even slightly complicated idea."
I can't believe how easily these guys (and gal) have caved. Susan Collins really amazes me: she who seemed to believe that nothing affecting the health insurance of her constituents was worth her vote.
A promise from Trump? Might as well believe he'll put a Lexus in every driveway. Or that he had no business dealings with Russia.
As for Corker et al, I guess greed even got the best of him. Forget about principles.
As oligarchy grows, and a frequent commenter (Bruce R. from Kansas City) noted today in an excellent post, this bill promises cement oligarchy for all time unless Dems were to somehow sweep the midterms (given their current stupor, can't see that happening).
Because once the inheritance tax repeal goes through, hold your hats and kiss your votes goodbye. The 400 families (or even just the 20) will rule America, tell you what to believe, what you can live, and probably, what to eat.
Which brings me back full circle: today, Donald J. Trump ate every single senatorial holdout for lunch.
543
The new CBO score points out that even the Alexander-Murray Bill would do nothing to the impending disaster this tax bill will have on the ACA. Do Collins, McCain, Corker and Flake even read these scores?
9
I am so horribly afraid you are right.
8
Before standing up to help stop the repeal of the ACA, Susan Collins had a long history of complaining about Republican bills, before falling in line and voting with McConnell.
Her state just voted to 3xpand Medicaid under the ACA, which their crazy Governor Trump-lite had vetoed several times. Collins knows full well that the budget declaration she voted for a couple of months back 8ntends to cut Medicaid by $1 Trillion over ten years. Where does she think that Medicaid expansion money is going to come from...lottery tickets?
The same can be asked of Trump, who in paying lip service to the opioid epidemic, trumpeted the concept of covering drug rehab under Medicaid, with a $Trillion less to pay for drug rehab.
None of this is any different from Ayn Ryan’s magic asterisks when he was budget committee chairman.
6
Rapists, criminal use of sex as a weapon of oppression, are now raping you financially and depriving you and defenseless children of healthcare.
Susan Collins and all the other senators and representatives are smart enough to know this, but they want their money and you are easy prey.
98
Stop talking to us as if you think we believe a word that you say.
6
Pretty dumb comment. Most thinking people believe that you look for internal and external consistencies rather than blanket believing or disbelieving someone. This is certainly a problem when some of the people talking (e.g. our president) are mostly spouting nonsense and careful listeners are looking to see if there is actually anything true in the message.
Headline in the Financial Times: "Yellen warns on outlook for surging US public debt." We are giving a huge tax break to corporations in the hopes that they will suddenly hire more people and give out big raises, or that 20% will look better to them than 12.5% in Ireland, and 0% in the Caymans. The bill offers no solution to the problem of transfer pricing and royalties that artificially reduce corporate profitability in the US. There is no requirement that companies actually employ more people in the US. Restrictions on immigration may force companies to offshore even more jobs. We are allowing the children of billionaires to inherit huge sums they did nothing to earn. These are all gifts to wealthy conservative donors; not America. These people don't seem to know what they doing.
167
I was with you up until the last sentence.
30
These people know exactly what they are doing.
Money from those donors will find its way into the pockets of these Senators.
The Senators and Representatives are looking to become millionaires by doing the bidding of the billionaires.
Principles, morals and ethics are checked at the door. Never to be reclaimed.
80
And they believe corporations will just up and move their operations back to the US. As though relocating operations back to a nation whose economy, influence, creditworthiness and government will be rapidly destabilizing is right at the top of any corporation's "to do" list. I think not. Taxes are not a determining factor in business decisions (didn't they get wind of that last week?), but national stability is. I anticipate even more jobs will be heading overseas as our position in the world degrades.
5
Or ... perhaps there is more pressure like physical or financial going on behind the scenes. I find it hard to believe that Collins would vote for this bill unless someone has threatened her in a way that can't be disclosed. I would not be surprised when the dust settles for us to find out that there is something far more nefarious going on.
When something makes no sense, consider the easiest solution. I don't think changing their minds is a logical solution.
54
Indeed this is a concern. Susan Collins knew perfectly well that the repeal of ACA was pushed with massive disinformation and yesterday she indicated that she knows this is also true for the medicaid slash of the present tax bill. It is inconceivable that she could be smoothly talked into thinking that Trump has everything right on this one. If she is actually planning to vote for this, it has to represent something other than Trump changing her mind with assurances.
22
What were they drinking at this lunch anyway?
1
yes, Collins is worse than a commonly bought woman....she knowingly auctioned herself to the highest bidder.
Don't forget the "me-too" senator from Alaska: purchased with promise of drilling in a wildlife refuge. refuge no longer.
I had wanted to think these r-kon women had moral value...no way: they sold themselves.
So much for a woman's touch.
2
To paraphrase the article: Either they (the wavering senators) believe Trump, or they know Trump's pledges to "fix" the bill are insincere.
Sorry, it's even worse: The "fixes" are not even fixes, and they know that very well, and in fact everyone knows that, but it's enough of a fig leaf for them to pretend their "concerns" have been addressed. Let's recap:
Trump: Everything out of his mouth is a lie, is the maximum likelihood assumption. There's no such thing as "the truth" only what is most expedient to say at any given moment, regardless of reality or what came before. He knows absolutely nothing about any issue, and his tastelessness and vulgarity merely endear him ever more so to the base (used in every sense). He is hopelessly compromised and corrupt.
Republicans: Wholly owned by business interests, amoral, congenital liars, their patrons have come to collect on their hundreds of millions of dollars of contributions, come through or else. Whatever they say means nothing, whatever is promised to the 99% means nothing, whoever has to get it in the chin is going to get it.
Democrats: By and large, cringing, inarticulate, lazy, and for all we know they're happy to pretend to fight and happy to lose.
There's nothing to write, there's only noise, the fix is in, we're all just irrelevant bystanders. Everything we've understood about government, law, process, truth, and meaning is trashed for the benefit of wealth.
201
They are not clueless - that have long ago abandoned principals to put the country first. Term limits, term limits, term limits.
120
I doubt they're clueless, they know full well what they're doing but their fear of losing is far greater. The irony is many of them will lose anyway. Some of those safe seats will hopefully go away in redistricting. I'm not sure Democrats will be that much better, big money interests have taken over and once ensconced in Congress, few are prepared to give it up and gradually succumb to selling out, one vote at a time.
11
Term limits are not the cure. Republican districts, especially gerrymandered ones, will just elect other Republicans. And some long-serving good Democrats will be termed out too.
The cure is all those hurt by Republican policies to get out and vote for Democrats. Don't stay home. It really, really makes a difference. Proof? Just two words: Donald Trump.
2
The idea, as stated in this piece, that Trump will just magically make the tax bill "better" is ridiculous and any senators who believe it are either disingenuous or downright stupid.
The spectre of the people's alleged "representatives," in both the House and the Senate, going along with this nonsense is disgusting. There is no need for these tax cuts: the rich are doing just fine as it is, the economy is apparently humming along (although not so great for the middle and lower classes), and the effects of this cut and accompanying deregulation could actually be another economic collapse as in 2007/2008. The only point of this legislation is to give Trump and the Republicans a "win"--one signed piece of legislation--before Christmas, so as to keep their donors in their good graces.
I am keeping my fingers crossed that two or three senators will remember to whom they actually owe their feilty--and that is not Donald Trump, Grover Norquist or corporate America!
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Expat Annie- and when the economy collapses, as it most likely will, the republicans will blame the Democrats, as they always do, and their cultish supporters will believe, as they always do. Wash, rinse, repeat. I wonder when we'll reach the point where wash, rinse, repeat no longer rescues us from the damage. If you're smart, you'll stay far from the USA and count your blessings that you were able to escape the downward spiral into utter destruction of the USA with a government by, of and for the corporations like any of the best banana republics.
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How on Earth can you doubt Trump after the incredibly affordable healthcare he provided for every American?
10
Don't expect the damage to be restricted to the United States. We will wind up in an international recession.
No one is safe.
7
And Rosenthal fails basic logic. The bill has moved from committee to the Senate. A promise to fix concerns through amendments is entirely acceptable since, pay attention now, these same Senators can Still vote “no” if their concerns are not addressed in the final bill. Let’s hold off on the hysteria here.
4
Remember Trump's comments and declarations about the several attempts at passing a health bill. Were those generally honest or correct? I'd wager that Trump and Secretary Mnuchin's statements about this tax bill are just as honest and correct.
It's not reasonable or even logical to expect suddenly a different relationship with the truth from the President.
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The idea that this bill will actually go to conference and then that the final product will be presented to the House and Senate for a final vote is a charming, if slightly antiquated notion.
You must have been reading American history, since you are dealing with the pre-Mitch McConnell takeover of our government.
Just as he did with Neil Gorsuch, McConnell will by pass regular order, send a dog's dinner of a bill to the House, Ryan will whip the Republicans there into passage of it and it will be on Trump's desk for signing before Christmas. It's perfectly legal.
You watch.
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QED. Seriously? The only changes being made to the bill are those to try to bring around senators who want to use their vote to get changes favorable to themselves. If senators can indeed vote no based on their views, and are not constrained by threats from their sources of support, that would be a good outcome. When people like Susan Collins points out what is wrong with the bill, and those issues are never addressed, it would be bothersome if she then voted for the bill. We have seen this happen many times in the run up to the ACA repeal.
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Re: "Are they actually that clueless? Or do they merely think the rest of us are?"
Mr. Rosenthal is to be admired for his obvious and genuine humanity. It is often true of the very best people, like him, that they strive to see the best in others - even in those who disappoint us. Sadly his formulation asks the wrong questions - which should be: "are they genuinely so evil, selfish, and greedy in wishing to deny the poorest among us a living wage, decent health care, and an equitable tax structure that doesn't reward the rich at the unjust expense of the poor.... or are they merely that power-hungry that they will sell out their principles and deny the better angels of their nature in order to gain the donations of moneyed interests so that they can get reelected."
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The saddest part to me is the so-called Republican opposition that pretends to hold out then marches right in to vote the party line.
22
What you're saying they should be asking isn't a question. The answer to whether they're greedy and uncaring is a resounding "Yes."
I'm constantly amazed at the naivete of so many Democrats (and I am one, but not of the naive variety). The GOP is all about tax cuts for the rich at any price. This has been glaringly obvious for several decades. They are unprincipled. They are greedy. They are liars. Wake up, Dems. That's the way it is. That's the way it's been since at least the late 1960s.
Deal. And quit being so clueless.
5
Tax cut? It will be a massive tax increase on New York, California and other blue states, on college students particularly graduate students, on high-income people who actually work rather than just sit back and collect rents and investment income, AND on everybody else in the middle class after 2025 when business tax cuts remain but middle class tax cut expire and middle class deductions are not restored.
Call it what it is - the most massive transfer of wealth from the poor and middle class to the already wealthy in our history.
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And, for the record, blue states add up to half or more of the U.S. population!
9
I mean this truly as no offense because I know there are millions of non-political american citizens who swallow their parties rhetoric hook line and sinker. There are some things about this bill that I don't like. However, for the most part your post appears to me to be word for word from the Democratic talking points on the bill which too me is based more on getting people to hate republicans and love us than on any particular facts. We need to elect people with new ideas how to fix our problems rather than the eternal super bowl of politics which has two teams trying to win at all cost (truthful or otherwise) without having to do anything of substance to change our lot out in America. That applies to both the democratic and republican parties.
1
A liberal against a "massive tax increase" on "high-income people"? Has the world turned upside down? What happened to that magic $250,000 figure that his lord and savior talked about just a few years ago? I am the first to say that $250k in a place like California or New York is not upper class but the hypocrisy of some of these comments is amazing. I actually think we need to raise taxes through the roof to pay for everything that is spent without all of the tax gimmicks used by both sides. Maybe then people would see how poorly our elected officials mismanage our money.