My retirement fund is increasing nicely. Thank goodness we don't have the Democrats passing another sweeping health care bill that reduces the quality of care.
What goes around comes around. In 2020 , with a New Democratic House, senate and president, it could get really ugly when all this gets reversed. When the average joe realizes what is going on , I think it will start in 2018 and finish in 2020.
1
Where is the gigantic and badly needed jobs project of fixing the infrastructure?
1
Hooray! Now dems have their very own "Repeal and Replace" for 2018 and 2020!
1
I guess Trump was right about one thing: John McCain is no hero. McCain's last act of consequence in office was to spit on his country.
2
Once signed this piece of legislation will hurt high income taxpayers living in NY and California and Oregon. People will complain about the lousy $10,000 limit of the deductibility of state income tax. It will certainly help us here in Nevada where the state income tax is zero. However, I doubt if most high net worth individuals will actually move.
So many victories. . . . So little time. . .
“We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it”. - Nancy Pelosi 2010
2
As former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said of Donald Trump and I quote exactly, “I’m from New York and I know a con when I see one”.
That applies with the TRUMP/GOP tax bill. By the rich and for the rich.
They surely hope that once the Democrats in office see the advantage of tax money they will get since they are most likely all in the benefit percentile, that it will dampen their resolve for fairness and opposition to this burden on America’s back. Clinton’s, Obama, Biden, Sanders etc will all be in the top percentile but I have faith that payback will come for this corrupt administrations complete self interest in money unable to resist the Trump path which will benefit the Trump family and businesses the most. Unite to resist the next attack on Medicare and social security. Meanwhile they’ve yes “they’ve” alienated the world, our dear allies, the planet and environment all for filling their pockets with money. No heroes in the entire GOP. McCain is persona non grata, forget his service. Kelly’s worst colors are out wheee we hoped for integrity. Mattis looks one breath away from passing out. Young people are terrified. The result of this shift to the rich is to also undermine American diversity. It’s racist impact is not invisible.
4
At this point, wishing for many major health emergencies on Monday in Congress. Shame on these folks that voted for this and may it come back to bite them. Severely.
2
I can't believe Collins and Flake swapped their support for a mere McConnell promise to support bipartisan bills to stabilise the insurance market and an agreement to work on protections for DACA. I suspect this will end in tears. It's hard to imagine McConnell and bipartisan in the same sentence.
3
The economic crash at the end of the 90s after Reagan/Bush 1. The Great Recession after Bush 2. Trickle Down, take 3. What's the definition of insanity again?
2
As a resident of a high tax county and state, I anticipate that I will may pay more taxes, or at the very least not benefit much from the relative small percentage of this reckless tax heist that lowers individual tax rates. However, if just one trump voter looks up from his (non postcard!) tax bill next April and finally realizes that he was swindled and the Trump Presidency and the Republican tax plan that would really help ease my pain!
1
When individuals earn money abroad they are liable to pay US Income Tax on that money whether they bring that money home or not.
US corporations, on the other hand, pay tax on their overseas earnings when they bring that money back to the US. What we need to do is deem all income earned by US corporations and their phony-baloney foreign subsidiaries as US income and tax it regardless of whether they bring that money back to the USA or not.
Reduce the tax rate since more money will be subject to tax and, as with individuals, allow foreign tax credits for taxes paid to foreign countries so that we do not subject the very same money to tax twice.
That's your tax plan!
1
This bill sacrifices the country to the personal self-interest of a small group of ultra-rich Republican donors. Everything else Republicans say about it is smoke-screen propaganda. Some Senators (e.g. Graham) have as much as admitted it. Mnuchin’s non-existent economics study is another good indication. This country faces many problems, but the level of corporate profits and the cost of capital are not on that list.
The dangers now faced by the country are dead serious. This bill provides deficit-financed stimulation of the markets (all that money now going to investors) at a late stage in the business cycle. Coupled with the elimination of Dodd-Frank and all other constraints on Wall Street, we have put ourselves in line for a repetition of 2008 or worse. Republicans only barely escaped depression that time, with the Democrat-passed bailout of the banks; we may not be so lucky this time. In addition, with the rumblings of Trump and his minions, we have an ever-present threat of another crazy war.
This is a future that should appeal to no one other than the happy few who can now celebrate their successful step back to the Gilded Age of the nineteenth century.
1
Capping state and local income tax deductions and real estate tax deductions is unfair. That money is confiscated from you by local government and is not available to you to spend as you choose to enhance your lifestyle. Why should we have to pay federal income tax on money that we never see?
1
Very clever - bunch of families will get small tax cuts temporarily and give the GOP credit. When it comes time for them to expire, will the GOP be on the side of fiscal prudence, or will they fight for an extension? I'm guessing they will press for cuts to programs instead. The whole point is to starve the government.
1
What do the people who aren't rich and voted for Republicans and Trump think that they're getting with this tax bill?
6
The get to keep their whiteness. That's all the deplorable care about.
3
More than they had before, and more than they would have had if Hillary had been elected.
1
Nothin. We get nothin. We go down further. And we don’t need coal
Mark 12/1/17 as the first day in the end of the grand American experiment of democracy. The scale of the unjust misery this bill will beckon is catastrophically frightening. “By, of and for the people”, RIP.
5
I feel that when the people of this country starts to actually feel the depth of how bad the republicans have made this country, the Democrats, the Liberals, the moderate Left, the moderate right, and even the Trumpetts will come out in droves to vote and remove the republicans for good when they finally figure out that they have been lied to and swindled.
4
Let the kleptocracy begin...
2
The Roberts' Supreme Court's ruling in favor of Citizens United v FEC endowed corporate persons with free speech rights.
The Roberts' Supreme Court ruling in Burwell v Hobby Lobby endowed closely-help for profit corporate persons with religious protections.
The Roberts' Supreme Court has made it more difficult to prosecute politicians who openly accept graft worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to change state policy.
The Roberts' Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act, disenfranchising hundreds of thousands of American voters legally able to vote, but given carefully crafted obstacles at the state level.
So corporate persons have free speech, religious protection, and politicians can accept graft, but registered Americans do not have the right to vote unimpeded?
I guess justice is not only blind, but deaf and dumb.
The Congressional Tax Scheme endows corporate persons who are millionaires and billionaires with half the marginal tax rates of living persons who make 10% as much or less.
The Roberts Supreme Court and Congress have created super-corporate persons entitled to promote and pay politicians without threat of prosecution to pass legislation that favors them and penalizes 99% of America.
Americans are witnessing graft, treason, cronyism, corruption and duplicity on an unprecedented scale in modern history.
Like Benedict Arnold, they will be remembered in infamy.
6
Thank you, Trump! Thank you GOP! While I will enjoy my huge tax break I don't need and make even more profit off my business I certainly do not intend to pass on to my employees or community, I will also enjoy watching more people, read: Trumpvoters crowding the shelters and soup kitchens. The only thing left to do: let's all start complaining about the deficits and start cutting social benefits, so that people know we are not THAT irresponsible.
5
Here Are 6 Of The Most Radical Provisions In The GOP Tax Bill
Dramatically reducing the corporate tax rate.
Creating a big new tax deduction for private school tuition.
Encouraging corporations to automate ― without any help for displaced workers.
Setting the stage for cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
Rejecting a proposal to expand a tax credit for families with children in order to reduce the corporate tax rate even more.
All but eliminating the estate tax for the country’s wealthiest households.
COMPARE
David Koch 1980 Libertarian Platform
TO BE ABOLISHED:
Taxation
Public Schools
All socialized medicine to include Medicaid/Medicare
Social Security
Welfare
Department of Energy (DOE)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Food & Drug Administration (FDA)
Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA)
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
Federal Bureau Of Investigation (FBI)
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Federal Reserve
All branch of military except the Army
3
Now we come to the denouement. All year some of us have claimed that the president (a practically life-long New York City conservative Democrat) has been playing so-called "3-dimensional chess": Governing gesturally in a conservative manner while substantively (subtly covertly) obstructing the rightist Reagan-Bush Republican establishment (Ryan/McConnell) nutbar financial-supremacist crony-capitalist new-world-order agenda. As when, eg. Trump called the House Obamacare repeal bill "mean" at a key moment.
In any event, the GOP donor class hasn't YET gotten very much return on their grudging investment in Trump. The tax bill would be the first big payoff. But it not law yet! And it may not be:
That's because the moment Trump signs this regressive monstrosity into law he will betray his base voters AND make himself wholly expendable to the now-sated always Never-Trump GOP establishment (and shot-caller donors). The president will instantly become a scoundrel, pariah, lame duck and sure loser re-election even if he avoids ejection from office.
The president can now either engineer a total overhaul of this ugly-American legislation into something far more progressive and revenue-neutral eg. by restoring the estate tax; and hiking tax rates on big businesses (as Trump has hinted-at), or veto it and go bi-partisan. Otherwise Trump's still-born tumultuously inconsequential one-term fragment will effectively be over and the Perot-esque POV he stood-for in 2016 utterly discredited.
1
The Republicans know this is their last, best chance to empty the till. Demographics are against them in the long run. This is the 1% looting America on a vast scale, and leaving a crushing deficit and hollowed-out social programs for the rest of the country to clean up in the years to come. Unconscionable.
3
democracy is being replaced by plutocracy
4
Three things about this I just can't understand:
1. As the Panama & Paradise Papers have shown, the Mercers/Kochs/Cohns/Queen Elizabeths/Putins of the world don't actually need formal legislation to legally "protect" their wealth. So why bother with these tax cuts?
2. Same goes for Corporations. Nothing is lower than 0% and the Apples of the world can easily get that from Ireland/Holland/Isle of Jersey. Or they just hire smart accountants to figure out a way to avoid any taxes whatsoever. So again, why bother? Is it just so they can bring their loot back home? If so, why not just have a one-time amnesty or whatever double-speak word politicians can conjure up?
3. I don't know if this will come to pass but IF the president turns out to have been illegitimately elected, does anything he signs into law count?
1
It’s gonna be like reading about the fall of Rome.
1
This is treason, nothing more, and certainly nothing less....
1
While I don't believe in taxing for revenue, there are 99 other reasons to tax the wealthy. We have to recognize that the currency is the product of government and that it naturally moves upward in any capitalist system. If that upward movement doesn't result in beneficial investment in the society and economy by the investment class then the government is obliged to remove the majority of it at the top, as it will only bid up rents from there.
Sans a sensible tax policy the only hope the 99% has in this economy is greatly increased spending into the private sector at the bottom. The only source of currency that doesn't require the private sector to leverage its bank debt is federal spending. Congress must accept the constitutional mandate to create the currency for the public good and stop pushing the proven failed myth of trickle down. The middle class and poor have seen a lot of trickle from the top, but it isn't the kind they were promised by the GOP.
Let the wealthy keep their money, for now, as taxes never have funded spending at the federal level. Tell the politicos of both parties that the debt is just a record of our nation's wealth that hasn't yet been canceled by taxation, so knock off the fear rhetoric and fund the economy before we lose the ability to compete completely in the world. Letting people who hate the government take control of it was a big mistake, but believing their lies while they destroy it from within will be an even bigger mistake.
Remember. We are one election away from over turning all bad laws (and decrees) enacted since the Russians elected Trump.
4
Regarding lobbyists writing the tax bill that the Republicans rubber stamped:
looks like the swamp has turned into an ocean.
1
No wonder Mitch McConnell is smirking: his wife's 89 year-old father, James Chao, can now leave even more money to them tax-free. His wife, btw, is Trump Cabinet member Elaine Chao. And a daughter of the founder of Foremost Group. She and Mitch both already inherited tens of millions from her mother; they stand to inherit even more when her father dies. You can look it up.
5
Taxes have been piled on working folks for decades, especially the income tax. Taxes should take money from those most able to pay, and who receive "protection" for their assets from the government. With so many jobs shipped overseas by our corporations, these have been very tough decades for honest working people. Why not replace the income tax with a tax on tangible assets like real estate and luxuries, also stocks, bonds, and other investments? Taxing assets might encourage people to use them in the economy rather than greedily hoarding them.
2
I think when Trump said "Make America Great Again," most of his supporters thought he was referring to what the country was like in 1950. It's clear now that what he and the other Republicans had in mind was actually 1890 -- a time before the New Deal and even before the antitrust movement.
4
I am as horrified as anyone, probably more, given that I pay a massive amount in taxes already due to my income, and now will pay a lot more. No, I am not lucky to have that income. I have worked my tail off and sacrificed a lot- my youth, my family time- to get where I am. I have always paid more than my fair share. I did deserve a large cut. Instead, the cut went to those who can treat pass through income at a lower rate, and the loss of my SALT deduction covers that cut for those people.
But does anybody want to question why the SALT in NY is so high? On the other side of this dysfunctional aisle is a group of liberals who only wanted to raise my taxes more- I already paid more than 50% given state, local, federal, real estate and sales tax. DeBlasio keep saying that he's only asking the rich to pay a little more... Sanders wanted more.... everyone at the lower end wants more from us. How about we ask for something in return? Like stop taking drugs that cost us money. Stop eating up healthcare due to obesity, smoking, etc. Stop welcoming and hiding illegals who do not pay their fair share. Tell people to go to work doing those jobs "no American will do." They'll do them, if the alternative is starve.
The dysfunction is terrible. But the blame falls on extreme democrats as much as it does the extreme right. Ultraliberalism is more palatable on the surface, but just as dangerous as the radical right. Unfortunately the left claims a moral high ground, which they do not own.
5
Great idea. Let's threaten people with starvation if they don't pick pesticide laden crops in searing heat with no access to bathrooms for under minimum wage (since we'll pay them by the bucket not by the hour). That'll teach them lazy poor Americans! And if they get sick, well, maybe they should have waited to get sick until they got that great public education (in between crop seasons) and then had access to a great paying job and then got health care.
If you were trying to prove that liberals don't own the moral high ground, you failed.
2
There will be a crash, as there was in 1929 & in 2008 subsequent to the Bush tax cuts and two trillion dollar unpaid for wars & a host of Enron type bankruptcies. The system, the way it plays needs to disintegrate before a true people's party establishes itself; unless there is war.
here the link to an excellent socialist analysis of this kind of legislation
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2017/12/02/pers-d02.html
2
There is nothing conservative about increase the debt by 1.5 trillion. Take from 99% to give it to the 1% and then try to justify the panic and rush with empty promises of trickle down and job creation and imaginary growth all at a time when the economy was doing OK. What is going to happen when we get to the next recession?
I am an independent voter but I have lost all respect for this group and I will remember in the next election. We the people deserve far better then this.
8
Its kind of funny how so many Democrats and Liberals (and Bob Corker) are up in arms about the possible 1.5 trillion addition to the debt. I'm sure they all know without any tax changes at all the debt projection in a decade is 32 trillion so this is what an additional 2%?
Why aren't the Tea Party folks up in arms? They sure cared about the national debt when Obama was in office. Not so much now.
Your math is off. The current national debt is 19 trillion. Based on your projection, 13 trillion will be added to that. An additional 1.5 trillion would be another 11.5% increase additionally. Not 2%.
America is now officially an oligarchy. This tax-axe bill is grotesquely irresponsible, poorly thought out, rushed through without due process, and it represents delusional Republican magical-thinking. We have a severe problem with concentration of wealth in this country, lack of public investment in the middle and working class, and, 'trickle down' is NOT the answer. Apparently the Republicans are good for only one thing, other than obstructionism, and that is cutting taxes. We face major issues of security, cyber and otherwise, expensive bills for severe weather-related events, an incoherent and increasingly punitive approach to health care funding, an infrastructure sorely in need of massive investment, and that's just for fiscal starters. Oh, and the economy is doing quite well thank you. Do we really need to give billions back to corporations who do not act as good corporate citizens and who will NOT invest in more jobs and higher pay? Do we really need to coddle the uber wealthy? The Republicans should be exceedingly ashamed of themselves. Yet another reason why thinking citizens of our country are appalled with the Congress.
11
I saw a copy of the bill that was rammed through the Senate with such unseemly haste; it reminded me of draft agreements I used to type and retype when working on Bay St. Only no reputable law firm would dream of presenting a final agreement in such a shoddy, amateurish fashion.
Evidently, the GOP has lower standards. Actually, we all suspected that all along to begin with, didn't we? And I'm not just speaking about the quality of the bill; I'm referring to the quality of those who authored it with so much disdain for the people they purport to serve.
I'm so glad I live in Canada.
8
This is conscious malpractice, plain and simple. These GOP legislators swore to represent the American people, and they are knowingly defrauding them at the behest of a tiny venal minority. The legislators know 'trickle down' is a fraud, the only thing that will trickle down to the middle class is increased debt. Throughout history oligarchs hoard their money, they don't go out and do the hard work of creating companies and jobs. But the greed of the oligarchs and oligarch wannabes is at the level of a mental illness, it blinds them to any consideration of what makes a decent and fair society. It makes them believe, or act like they believe, in phony economic theories which justify their rapacious behavior. Unfortunately we are seeing in the US the same dynamics of wealth concentration that destroyed Rome, that destroyed France under the Louis, that destroyed any chance for democracy in Russia.
8
This country is continuously asserting its true identity.
Are you paying attention?
Your aspirations are the future for other countries. America's future is full of pain and self-inflicted strife.
3
Why hurry to pass any bill, let alone a disastrous one? The soft coup continues.
4
That’s how the other side felt about Obamacare.
1
Alaska's wildlife refuge is now dependent upon the 'objectivity' provided by an Environmental Review which will be paid for by the very people seeking to damage it.
4
Democracy - use it or lose it.
A democracy doesn't survive when neglected.
A democracy is no longer a democracy if only 50% of voters vote and less than half of that percentage get to decide what happens.
8
This is all you need to know about this legislation: The alt-right who want to bring down the whole government and completely re-fashion our society are delighted by it and virtually every elected official in the Republican party is their bedfellow.
4
As this bill favors the investor class over the American worker, I'm going long on pitchforks.
4
As one of the many who attempted to explain to the die hard Bernie Sanders supporters last November the very real possibility that this exact kind of legislative horror would be the result of refusing to cast their votes for the lesser of two evils, I can only hope the wide eyed idealists that Bernie conned last year finally realize what a huckster he was - that in fact there is a vast gulf of difference between the two parties he claimed were both 'morally bankrupt.' A Hillary Clinton administration was all that stood between a GOP congress and this kind of cruel legislation; it's a shame the millions who could have turned back this outrageous hand out to America's wealthiest at the cost of our neediest chose to ignore the obvious. Even if the Democrats regain one or both houses of Congress, without a veto proof majority they will still be unable to repeal this horrible piece of legislation, Sen. Sanders calls for public outrage notwithstanding.
8
Mr. McConnell said. “I think it’s going to be a revenue producer.”
I'll try that one with my bank.
Loan me a million I THINK I can pay it off with this great idea I have. No, I haven't done the math but my business plan is pure McConnell.
11
Dear Santa Claus,
All I want for Christmas is for you to change me from a person into a corporation. It's gonna be great!
- I'll have limited civil liability, and no criminal liability.
- I'll pay the lowest tax rates.
- I'll be able to make unlimited anonymous political donations, and even buy my own personal Senator.
Oh wait. Thanks to the Supreme Court and the Senate tax bill, it looks like I'll get my wish.
11
Republicans get control of govt within first year passed massive tax cut for rich and powerful. Dems got control of govt within first year passed health care for the poor and lower middle class most of whom did’t even bother to vote in last election.
19
The Republicans prove once more that they are completely incapable of governing themselves, much less our country. The "Party of Fiscal Responsibility" just crammed a trillion and a half dollars down the pockets of their donors, and a trillion of that just goes onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. They have no morals, standards, values or convictions. Just a need to please their owners so they can stay in power. I wonder when the Red State voters will finally wake up and realize just how badly they've been fooled.
10
Both parties have little support from taxpayers that fund, continue government to operate. However, the republicans at least have some ideas what is needed for America. Alternatively,, the pretend democrat party is bankrupt, has nothing of value to offer America. It'd be a grand gesture if they'd dissolve, cease to exist. Oops! They already did that some time ago..
2
This is a railroading. As everyone now knows, the Republicans' years of caterwauling that the ACA was rammed through were lies. (There were multiple public hearings and bipartisan debates over months.) Now those hypocrites slapped together this 500-page Frankenstein's monster of a bill, in secret over a few days, then dumped it in on the floor of Congress just hours - HOURS!!! - before the big vote. Zero hearings, no debate, just pork for the GOP holdouts. And don't think that their unAmerican process on this monster of a bill screws only half of the country while the other half can think, "well, it was a despicable play but at least we won." If you haven't read a newspaper in the past week, you might believe their lies about this bill; otherwise you know it benefits only the top sliver. with the false promise that they'll turn around and sprinkle some change on the rest of us. HOW, exactly?? They're not helping real, productive small business owners here, but rather those like Trump who set up pass-through "shell" companies in the Caymans. That was the con.
And by now you also know - too late, alas - that this "tax" bill also achieves Trump's sabotage of the ACA because they included an elimination of the coverage mandate. That's right, folks, when McCain turned his thumb down on ACA repeal he whispered, "don't worry, Mitch, we'll hide the kill switch in the tax bill."
So it's "Merry Christmas" after all for the Trumps and the Kochs. They just got the gift of a lifetime.
12
Here's what Republicans just won with their heinous tax legislation:
Their massive wealth transfer to the richest among us as well as corporations, hacked out of the sick, who will mostly lose our medical deduction; teachers, who lose the lousy $250 they could deduct for buying school supplies for their students; graduate students, who will have to pay tax on tuition waivers; homeowners and home buyers, who also lose deductions; and many other things we won't discover till we're drowning.
The wealthiest can now pass on $22M to their kids before the estate tax kicks in.
Corporations, whose tax breaks, unlike those for individuals, are permanent.
Pro-lifers, whose crusade to have fetuses declared persons has finally been enshrined in tax legislation.
What they have lost:
All claims of: fiscal responsibility,
Concern re deficits
Concern for the vast majority of their own voters, as well as the wellbeing of the nation
Any respect for the senate as a deliberative body, and for its legislative procedures (R.I.P., regular order)
The right to ever again bring up the passage of the ACA, which was debated over 25 days and had 100 Republican amendments
Any claim to represent anyone but donors, plutocrats, and corporations
McConnell, Ryan, et al are flush with triumph today—"We did something!"
We'll do something in 2018, then 2020: send them home. And make no mistake: when they need Democrats' votes to avoid a shutdown, they're on their own.
3
Here in Canada the focus is taxing the rich and providing tax breaks to the middle class . Here is the Canadian government policy
"When middle class Canadians have more money in their pockets to save, invest, and grow the economy, we all benefit.
We will cut the middle income tax bracket to 20.5 percent from 22 percent – a seven percent reduction. Canadians with taxable annual income between $44,700 and $89,401 will see their income tax rate fall.
This tax relief is worth up to $670 per person, per year – or $1,340 for a two-income household.
To pay for this tax cut, we will ask the wealthiest one percent of Canadians to give a little more. We will introduce a new tax bracket of 33 percent for individuals earning more than $200,000 each year.
In the USA you do the exact opposite .
That is what happens when you allow billionaire donors to control the political process. Billionaires never have enough and always want more, their hunger for money is insatiable.
17
Canada,particularly Vancouver,is unaffordable to the middle class anyway. The tax relief is tiny.
DECEMBER FIRST, 2017: mark it for the irony of two cynical political dramas playing out on the same day. In the capitol the leaders of the majority party ran a charade of legislating -- a constantly changing text only finally printed at the eleventh hour, a trust in the leadership knowing only it must pass 'something' but privately confident it would favor the wealthy and capital accumulating companies.
That's not all. With scarcely a nod to CBO analysis the same leadership told us with self-righteous certitude that the Bill would produce jobs through greater investment and not raise the deficit (much) beyond what increased revenue would match! Voodoo economics a former GOP president once called it.
Here's the really cynical subtext of this drama: tax cuts for he wealthy and likely deficits are just the first act. For the second act, beginning in 2018, this same band of driven supply-siders will begin a systematic assault on 'discretionary spending' to bring down the deficit and debt! Yes, those their own poliices will make worse.
As if this scene were not enough to scare the Founders like Adams and Hamilton, there was another ghoulish narrative opening elsewhere in Washington. On this Friday Michael Flynn, formerly of the White House higher-ups, formally pled guilty to lying to the FBI about Russian contacts during he election and afterward. Warning sign of greater turmoil to follow.
A 'city of two tales' -- one as sinister as the other, both an affront to all.
6
Sorry, Dorothy. We are all in Kansas now.
---
Somewhere over the rainbow tax cuts work
And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true
Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the business grows
Around me
Where job creators earn their wealth
It trickles down to everyone else
That's where you'll find me
Somewhere over the rainbow tax cuts fly
The Kochs fly under the radar
Why then, oh, why can't I?
6
To everyone crying about the deficit in regard to the tax bill. Ask yourself this, why can't the government do with less? Even the Republicans never mention a word about just spending less as a country. Also you want the corporate tax rate low to be competitive in the world today.
1
It is fitting that Republicans passed the biggest tax fraud legislation in history on the anniversary of Enron filling Bankruptcy.
Dec 2 2017 Donald Trump and Republicans in the Senate secretly write and pass Tax legislation with no oversight.
December 2, 2001 - Enron files for Chapter 11 protection, becoming the largest bankruptcy in US history at that time and leaving thousands of workers with worthless stock.
December 2, 2001 failure of corporate governance at Enron.
December 2 2017 failure of legislative governance by Republican in the Senate and Donald Trump.
2
Those promises made to snare the last votes in the Senate.
A Trump promise is worth what? Trump has made a fortune (we're told) making promises, reneging on them, and leaving those promised bankrupt while he skates away. It's not once. Or twice. It is a pattern of business and a way of life. You just joined the Conned by Donald Club telling you what you want to hear so he gets what he wants. It wouldn't so bad but you've taken the rest of the country with you.
6
I never knew Republicans were so intelligent. What have I been thinking of, of course this cut makes perfect sense! We can reduce debt by collecting less in taxes! Brilliant, I was thinking of the problem the wrong way the entire time.
7
Our democratic republic has been struggling to survive for decades. This tax bill is *the* epitaph of our republic's death. We are now what many of us feared for years: a heartless plutocracy. I hope you all remember this next time you visit the election polls.
3
Democracy is a godsend, as this majority approved tax bill proves. Dictators merely demand payment and take it by force. At least here we pretend it to be otherwise, which seems so much more civilized.
1
I am so happy about this tax overhaul. I have investments in my Ira and investment accounts which now will probably really increase. This is a great thing for everyone who has an IRA or investments. Also I am thrilled about getting rid of most of the deductions especially the ones for property taxes and income taxes. Those states NY,NJ, CA etc need to cut their taxes majorly as they are and have been wasting billions of peoples monies on there corrupt friends and family network. I dont expect the government to solve my problems that is not what it is there for. It is there for to protect the borders, make trade agreements, conduct foreign policy and maintain the national infrastructure. We are not and will never be a socialist nation or nanny state where the government tells you how to live every aspect of your life and takes care of you from cradle to grave. Personal freedoms are the most important thing we have in life.
1
Only the rich can afford to be free. Even more so with failed libertarian economic policies.
4
Phooey. Tell me I have personal freedom when the government stops interfering in abortion and stops telling people who can and can't get married based on their superstitions and "religious" beliefs. Tell me I have personal freedom when corporations stop polluting my water, land and sea, stop producing shoddy, health threatening products and stop interfering in public education. Until then, government needs to be as big as our biggest adversary: multinational corporations and their rapacious cabal of oligarchs. While all things being equal what you say sounds reasonable, the reality is your quixotic ideas do not belong in this century.
2
Dems missed huge opportunity here.
They should have threatened to shut down government permanently until we get a 2/3 majority senate tax bill and follow through on the threat.
Instead, we get dems whining, corporations and the 0.1% taking even more of our democracy away, and no way to reverse this mess until we get a democratic house, senate, and president. When will that happen?
2
As we approach the holiday gift season, think about who you are supporting with the presents you buy.
- Make a donation to a charity in someone's name.
- Give a hand made gift, or home-cooked food.
- Give cash.
- Contribute to a child's college fund.
Don't buy gifts from large corporations. They already got their Christmas present from Congress.
5
500 pages.
biggest tax bill in decades.
no time to read it.
few to none hearings.
obviously their job is to vote for it, regardless of content.
they don't work the public or the country.
who do they work for?
7
Koch Industries!
2
So when do the Republicans start to dismantle Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid to pay down the 1,000,000,000,000 (+) their tax bill will add to the deficit??? Or is it already hand written in the margins of the current bill???
3
Very tragic. Trump, ultrawealthy gop senators, koch brothers and other gop donors, are giving themselves a mind boggling, massive tax break while inflicting terrible pain and suffering on the middle class, poor, students, penniless, sick, and disabled seniors. The deficit will skyrocket by 1.5 trillion. Medicare and social security will be slashed. When we retire, after paying medicare and social security taxes for 30 and 40 years, there will be no safety net for us. The gop bandits are emptying our pockets and stashing the money in their personal, offshore accounts.
3
Tax cuts for the wealthy. Absolutely the same passion dogs have for food.
If you want to watch the wealthy slobber over possible tax cuts, go to any Republican meeting. Yes, the rank & file members might focus on cutting deficits, and the wealthy might humor them. In order to get the tax cuts they live and die for.
Even McCain --- trashed by Trump still takes the bait. They cannot resist the clarion call: Tax cuts.
6
Trump tweeted "Biggest Tax Bill and Tax Cuts in history just passed in the Senate" - another lie from our president.
Mitch McConnell opined "a great day for the country". I think not. Several Republican senators were bought out to vote for this disaster of a deficit increase bill. I am very disappointed today.
Collins - promises to stabilizes the ACA
Flake - promises for DACA
Murkowski - drilling in a wild Arctic refuge
Johnson and Daines - a more generous pass through tax break
McCain - I don't know what he was thinking
Only Corker called the bill for what it is - a deficit increase bill. I respect him for voting against it.
Hold on to your wallets - Medicare/Medicaid and social security are next.
We can only hope these bozos get voted out in 2018.
This is the new normal - Republicans voting for an increase in the deficit. I never though I would live to see the day.
3
All that infrastructure Trump promised to build, all the hurricane and flooding relief he has already promised (the National Flood program is already seriously under water fiscally - seriously in debt) - that and much more will all get paid for magically with less taxes.
We are devolving. This country is gonna look like Planet Of The Apes with the Statue of Liberty crumbling and covered in sand in 50-100 years.
5
Our taxes pay for Senators to scribble in the margins behind closed doors 10 minutes before the vote? And what do we get for that >> Disabling healthcare for millions, no deduction for student loans, millionaires are free of inheritance tax, higher taxes for elderly & poor who need a break, and oh that "trickle down effect" that never seems to actually flow in the right direction. Pat yourselves on the back boys. You have learn absolute zero from the past economic disasters.
3
What makes Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski think she's in a position superior to former Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Jimmy Carter?
2
One thing is for sure, this is not a "tax simplification" bill. There is a lot to chew on here, and as a CPA this will certainly not hurt my business.
Ted Cruz' dream of sending it in on a postcard is now officially dead, although I'm sure he'll be very pleased with the overall results. Tax "simplification" was always just the embarrassing fig leaf the GOP used in a feeble attempt to cover their true motivation, which was the tax giveaway to the 1% that they have finally achieved with this bill.
I'm not going to say I am happy about it, and although I am not an economist I have no reason to doubt the ones that insist that it will blow an even bigger hole in the deficit, another issue that the GOP would hypocritically shriek about whenever the Democrats wanted to spend money.
Of course, when a tax cut is on the line, they always get a spontaneous case of amnesia about the deficit's supposed all encompassing evil.
But based upon what I have seen so far, I don't believe this bill is draconian vis-à-vis the lower and middle classes. There are potentially some elements that should help them significantly.
As far as any impact on the infamous "flow through" businesses, this new "deduction" that's been conjured out of thin air is really something new under the sun, the likes of which I have never seen. The proposed "23% deduction" from business profits is really a new type of animal, and no doubt there is some celebratin' goin on tonight for businesses that benefit from this.
JayK:
Based upon what I have seen so far, the lower and middle classes will be paying much higher health care premiums; graduate students will be paying taxes on their tuition waivers; those with college loans will no longer be able to deduct their student loan interest; people who own homes will no longer be able to deduct their mortgage interest and only $10,000 of their property taxes; renters will get nothing, as usual, and if they live in high-tax states actually less than nothing as they will no longer be able to deduct state and local income taxes; married parents with one or more children will gain nothing from the doubled standard deduction as they will be losing their personal exemptions; and the disabled, the elderly and anyone expecting to rely on future Social Security benefits will see crippling cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security in order to pay for the transfer of their wealth to the already wealthy. I would list more elements which you believe should help us significantly, but the NYT has a character limit.
And what are we, in the lower and middle classes, getting for all these detriments? Some puny TEMPORARY tax cuts--in my case a mere $200.50! Puhleeze.
When is a march on Washington going to be called? I'm ready, and so are millions of others who've been badly hurt by this bill.
4
Senitor Cory Gardner's facebook page has been blowing up today. mind you we are a blue state, but I am curious to see (and will take the opportunity) to see some of the comments from other Senators pages who voted yes.
2
All we have to do is nullify our national debt and buy back ours bonds, pennies on the dollar! It's what Wall Street does. The Trumpian solution.
2
Changes to this tax bill should be easy: Write in whatever you want, cross out anything you don't like, use a little Wite-Out if you change your mind, and who's to know? The bill could get even worse, and the Senate has voted on this cobbled-together mess without even a whisper of formal presentation, consideration, debate, and all to please the baby in the White House who insists he has to have it now. We will suffer from the ramifications of this pandering to the rich for decades to come.
3
These tax cuts are merely a carrot for donkey's. The stick is not far behind, and for everyone. Peasant societies do not last or prosper. Here! Have another carrot while they last.
2
Come 2020, when no great wave of jobs materialize, millions lose their health care, the rich get richer, the middle class gets poorer, the deficit grows by a trillion dollars, and the disaffected millions of flyover men go rabid, the Democrats will win both Houses of Congress, the Presidency, and state governments. So yes, you can fool some of the people some of the time..., but eventually even fools wise up.
6
Americans will have to pay a hefty price for this lesson...teach them to vote better next time..
5
Welcome to fiefdom, the land of the winningest! Trump voters, you've really outdone yourselves, as well as the rest of us.
3
In just over ten months the Putinization of America as turned the world's only indispensable country into the basket case of western democracies.
5
No such thing as an indispensable country. That's why nationalism is such a stupid philosophy.
Now let's read some more about how the ineffectual Trump Congress is down the drain and he's as good as thrown out of office--written most likely by the same journalists who were telling us 13 months ago that Hillary Clinton had the presidency in the bag.
I guess Moscow is getting its wish.
We are becoming more and more like Russia every day.
7
Dastardly, how they rushed this through without adequate time for scrutiny and debate. How can this be good for America? How can these people be doing the jobs as elected to do? This is a big fail for democracy, and for the USA. America no longer deserves respect--this is like banana republic MO.
The biggest scammer to hold office in American history has managed to pull off his first big scam.
4
When dangling a shiny object is all it takes - a Magpie could do the job of a Republican but maybe overqualified being intelligence and having the ability to recognize itself in a mirror - no Dorian Gray moments.
1
Much has been made of last minute additions by lobbyists. What are they? C’mon NYT. You have a headline on this but you don’t give an example of a single one in the article. I can watch CSpan. But we depend on reporters to dig deeper. Or are y’all just reporting from your desks?
2
The future belongs to those who
believe in the beauty of their dreams
~ Eleanor Roosevelt
Come Senators,
congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
Don't speak to soon
For the wheel's still in spin
and there's no tellin'
who
that it's namin'
The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changing
~ bob dylan ~
3
Bought and paid for legislators deliver the goods to their bosses, the oligarchs
6
Democrats, beholden to the same Wall St. donors that have the Republicans by the short and curlies, could have mounted a huge public opposition to this bill but instead focused public attention on that most reliable of sideshows; sexual politics.
4
1. I truly hope that the Republican base- not the donors, but those in the Red States who depend on a lot of the welfare programs that will no doubt see cuts as a result of this bill- remember this next year. I have my doubts, but I can hope...
2. Remember when Trump said he “loved uneducated people” or something along those lines during his campaign? Yeah, so do the other Repugnicans. It’s pretty clear to me that they’re attacking education to make it less accessible and thus build a larger base of ignorant voters who will happily swallow whatever Faux News feeds them.
3. How do we get rid of this thing as quickly as possible? Tax strike? General strike? I think if maybe the Blue States, which will be hit disproportionately (surprise, surprise) by this bill would stop paying taxes en masse, something could get done...but the effort would need to be widespread.
2
The GOP: Greedy Oligarchs Party
Membership: 0.01%, oligarch wannabes, tax crumb eaters, low end suckers
Economic religion: Let more debt trickle down onto the middle class
Fiscal responsibility: Create huge deficits (like Reagan)
Education: Savage public schools
Health: Un insure millions, savage medicare as soon as possible
Retirement: Savage social security as soon as possible
Infrastructure: Sorry, no money for that
Jobs: Let them eat cake
Corporations: Let them have more money, they pay us dividends
Environment: Who cares, it's nice in the gated communities
Flag: Wave it, but don't save it
Legislation: Pass unread and undiscussed bills that the oligarchs like
Morals: None, kissing up to Putin is fine, lying about economics is fine
4
Those goons at Trump rallies will just continue to cheer him on while Trump is picking their pockets and giving the money to the rich moneyed classes.
4
The media is the problem. This was a GOP coup d'etat. This was no tax overhaul. This was a corporate giveaway. Saying someone is a bold face liar doesn't mean you are not being objective. This was rammed down the throats in the most undemocratic way.
7
I had planned on contributing to the reelection campaign of Sen. Collins (R-Me). Sorry Susan - you lost my support...In the end, you failed to have the backbone I thought you had.
8
A SERIOUS, SERIOUS breech of trust by Washington Mafia.
Time to simplify your lives as much as possible & boycott all shopping except for necessities, especially those that advertise on right wing media. Cancel your facebook/twitter/etc. accounts, minimize non-essential internet use, except to stay informed. Get rid of credit cards & live within your means, no unnecessary credit. Move all your accounts to local banks. Drive less, walk/bike more, eat at home, brown bag for lunch, turn down your heat and put on a sweater, play outside away from all electronic devices........see you at the beach, even if its cold out.
Mike From Maine
7
Did anyone else notice that the .pdf file that is linked in the first paragraph is not searchable? It appears to be a sort of image document.
3
Good point.
It has to be an image due to the handwritten changes.
4
Don't forget to ask in 2020, how's that trickle down working for ya?
6
My dear children, take all the money I can leave you, and your mad skills: foreign languages, coding, engineering, design, tolerance and empathy, take them and go to Canada. It will warm, along with the rest of the earth. You will make great Canadians. Maybe they will help found a lunar colony or go to Mars. We here in the US will die in our own filth.
9
You go first..
1
Good luck finding a good doctor. Prepare to wait for several months for surgery. Medical care in the USA is the best in the world.
It appears that two brothers with a fat checkbook just seized control of the US government. Their vision of America is an iron-clad command to our gutless legislators.
10
This is Class Warfare, plain and simple. Why the Democratic leadership does not present it this way is beyond me. It is the super rich vs, everybody else.
42
Unfortunately, the Democratic leadership relies on the same donor class as the Republican leadership.
They do present it this way, all the time. But Republican voters are too hung up on "cultural warfare" to care.
Susan Collins would have been wise to heed the comment of fellow Republican, Jeff Flake, who agreed to the senate tax bill while acknowledging, “There are no ironclad commitments.” If she believes McConnell’s promise to support two bills to stabilize the Affordable Care Act, I have a bridge in Brooklyn I’d like to sell her. Flake, McCain, Murkowski, and the rest of their Republican colleagues, sold out their constituents and guaranteed at least 10 million Americans currently with health insurance will soon lose it. I don’t know how they can look in the mirror.
12
It's funny. 37 leading economists that were asked all said that this legislation will increase the deficit and enrich the most wealthy Americans while increasing the taxes for middle class and poor people.
President Trump characterized this tax cut legislation as a "Christmas Gift" for the American people. It is actually and is modeled after Dickens "A Christmas Carol" albeit with no happy ending.
In this Christmas Carol version, the Republican Party is Ebenezer Scrooge and the American Public are Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim. "God help us, everyone."
11
This tax bill is just more of the same old supply-side economics the G.O.P. has been rehashing for years. The Republicans "believe" this will result in sufficient economic growth to make up for the lost tax revenue, but that will not happen. As such, this tax bill is nothing more than a faith-based initiative.
Here is why supply-side doesn't work:
1. Businesses hire people, buy equipment, and spend on expansion when there is increased demand. Companies today have record profits, margins, and access to cheap capital (low interest rates). They are not investing more in growth because demand is not growing. Demand growth is slow due to stagnant wages, demographics, and household debt levels.
2. If there is an opportunity to grow, companies will invest in growth regardless of if their marginal tax rate is 10%, 90%, or anywhere in between.
3. If the marginal tax rate is 35%, then a new employee or new equipment costs a company effectively 65 cents on the dollar. If the marginal tax rate is 20%, then a new employee or equipment cost the company 80 cents on the dollar. So there is less incentive to hire people or expand when tax rates are lower.
Trickle-down economics is a fraud. Don't eat the yellow snow.
11
You're right!
"Trickle-down economics" in a consumer-based economy is, of course, a scam. The law of supply and demand is the fundamental law of a consumer-based economy.
Only more money in the hands of consumers creates jobs. The more spendable income folks have, the more they buy. Their higher demand for goods necessitates a greater supply of goods. In order to meet the demand for the increased supply of goods, more goods need to be made. In order to make more goods more jobs are created.
This tax bill does not favor the real job creators, average American consumers.
4
Kansas writ large. To those of you thinking you'll be able to keep that money, wait till the insurance companies raise their premiums. Wait until state and local governments have to raise taxes to cover essential services. Or wait until they don't and infrastructure crumbles. Or maybe you'll get to hand it over to a private company with a lucrative contract to provide (poorly) an essential service. Wait until you lose your job because 2008 happens all over again. You pay now or you pay later.
10
You should use your age as a percentage and move that percentage into something that has a guarantee of principal or income or both like a fixed indexed annuity (FIA). FIA's can be linked to an index without the downside risk and create a future income stream like a pension. There are only a few FIA's with A+ insurance companies that offer an increasing option where your income actually moves up with the index and every time it does it's locked in. http://www.chamberlinfinancial.com/blog/increasing-income-in-retirement-1
Some of us who are certified to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court see constitutional problems with this tax bill and look forward to multiple legal challenges ahead. Enjoy the day. Tomorrow is another day . . .
12
This bill will not stand. Either the reconciliation process with the House, Democratic sweeps next year, or some other (read: trump) weird interference will stop it or reverse parts of it.
4
The "small business benefits" seem to be a tax rate which can be applied to LLC's (and maybe other types) that will give a lower tax rate to those who make the most money from the business.
If they make a lot of money, they would pay the lower corporate tax rate. If their profit is small, they'd be better off paying the individual tax rate.
Trump owns 500 LLC's.
2
I'm a dual-citizen with another Western nation. I've never lived there and have no connection to it other than my passport, but I'm seriously considering moving there. If I'm going to pay 40% in taxes, I might as well get universal healthcare, well-maintained infrastructure, a healthy political climate, and a near-zero chance of being shot to death.
10
How did millions of immigrants arriving here with nothing in their pockets succeed in america ? They went to free public k12 schools snd low tuition public colleges. They worked in menial jobs to get by till they completed their education. They had no medical coverage. It was unaffordable. Then they got themselves better paying jobs and medical coverage with their education. tax cuts for corporations and the ultrawealthy only made the rich richer and nothing trickled down. If there were no public schools and colleges the immigrants and their kids would be condemned to minimum wage jobs with no medical coverage, for life.
I hope jerry brown and kamala harris are listening. This gop tax bill gives the middle class and poor in ca, students from poor families seeking upward mobility, the disabled, poor seniors with no money no hope whatsoever. Reagan and bush tax cuts were failures and so is this gop bill. They only serve trump, multi millionaire mcconnell and darell issa, the koch brothers and gop donors who sponsor their candidates precisely for getting themselves ever bigger tax breaks at everybody else’s expense. The fiscal debt is going to cause a spectacular global economic collapse.
32
As horrible as the Reagan and Bush II tax cuts were, they did not deliberately target poor and middle class families by raising their taxes by thousands of dollars. Yes, they overwhelmingly gave their benefits to the wealthiest and multiplied the national debt. This bill is so much worse, just like Trump has managed to be a worse president than Bush II, who managed to be worse than Reagan, two events I never thought possible.
And my first vote for president was Nixon, second term, so I am hardly a flaming liberal.
But the Republicans have declared war on me and my community and the country as a whole and I won't ever forget that now.
1
Grinch Trump, the true meaning of Christmas escapes you.
I was so disheartened after I familiarized myself with Trump’s/GOP Tax Plan (a comparison of difference between Senate and House bills).
There were Tax credits increase to $1600 to $2000 per child, mild (temporary) reductions for low to medium income earners, larger reductions for the wealthier. In addition, small business got a bump and large corporations get a big bump. The wealthiest get a big reduction or elimination of the Estate Tax.
Now the kicks in the teeth – 1) the poorest families who end up paying no taxes obviously get no tax reduction but they also miss out on the child tax credit give away (these are the most needy kids in the country, why leave them out) 2) People who receive stocks as inheritance (guess who) will no longer pay capital gains when they sell that inherited stock 3) School teachers who spend literally pocket change to supply their school class with needed/missing pencils, crayons, books, and other materials will no longer be able to claim these as business/work expense 4) the Health Care Mandate is revoked which all experts say will have a disruptive impact on the health insurance market and cost (in $ and lives) our most vulnerable the most 5) The debt goes up @ $Trillion .
Quite the “victory”.
4
This much tax code is probably a year or so away from implementing given the scope of changes and lack of budget to make the programming changes so maybe we will have a new election before this happens and can elect enough to override a veto. Practical governance isn't a strong suit it seems for this Congress or adminstration. Did they include the cost of implementation in the bill? Probably too busy figuring out the pork for their constituents. Passing something we can't pay for without a huge deficit , or implement this coming tax season because the agency that will do it is way understaffed as is the rest of the federal government. Good one. Needed an accomplishment. Is it an accomplishment or a failure, let 2018 decide this one.
1
I love how those Republicans questioning the bill from the right, such as Murkowski, got their demands actually written into the bill, but those questioning it from the left, such as Flake, settled for vague promises to address their concerns "later," as in /much/ later.
2
In victory, there is unity; in unity there is strength.
This is being shown in the rebound effect in polling in Alabama where polls show Moore firmly in the lead and the gap widening as the Party explains what it means to Alabamavoters, all while pointing at Democrate's shattered moral 'high horse'.
Franken and Conyers are no longer 'heroes' for Black Alabama voters or the liberal elite.
It may well be a death spiral for Democratic progressives, and raises the question of whether the Feminist movement of the past 37 years has failed to motivate harassed women to file charges, as would anyone with the full rights of citizenship.
It's much than a tax bill victory, but a sea change in American political history.
Your analysis is a bit simple. Franken and Conyers have represented their constituents quite ably. That they are no longer heroes is actually a plus - we take sexual assault and harassment seriously. And as far as I know, a known child molester has not been elected to the Senate by Democrats at least in the last 50 years. If protecting children and saying no to assault and harassment is not laudable to you, then you need to look seriously at your values. I do agree that a sea change in American political history is afoot, but the conclusion has not yet been reached.
3
Moore is the epitome of the "shattered moral high horse."
For years, conservatives, particularly evangelical Christian social conservatives, have been preaching their hypocritical morality at the rest of us.
But they chase little girls around and vote for child molestors.
Great standards.
4
Suggest you google "barney frank's sex partners + teens" and you'll find all the evidence you need....unless you want to believe a teen isn't a child?
At the core of the Democratic party is patronage and the corruption that goes with it. From boss tweed to chicago to Trentron, you'll find---actually prisons are a better place to find them, Demorats "representing their constiients quite ably' for a price of course, or a vote or two, or.....
Too steeped in "sky is falling" political rhetoric, and media coverage, to get much worked up about this. The story talks about "permanent" tax cuts. Nothing is permanent when it comes to legislation--what can be done during one session of Congress can just as quickly be undone by the next. And the stuff about this being rushed through without anyone having had a chance to read it? Come on. That's been going on in all levels of government, from city halls to Congress, for decades, and by both parties.
The bottom line is, the GOP now controls the federal government, as well as most state governments, and so they are going to get to do what they want to do, and they've never hidden what they want to do. The Democrats had their chance. They controlled Congress and the White House and failed to accomplish the mission. They have no one to blame but themselves. What is happening now is not so much a victory for Republicans as a failure of the Democrats. If they had done a better job, we wouldn't be in this pickle, and it is most certainly a pickle. But you can't blame the GOP. As much as folks worship Obama, he was a lousy president when it comes to realpolitik. And realpolitik, at the end of the day, is all that matters.
11
Actually, you can and should blame the GOP.
The democrats' weakness doesn't excuse the republicans' wickedness.
4
AW, what mission did they not fail to accomplish.
There was very little wrong with Obama.
The problem was Hillary's very poor election campaign and our Electorial College system which elects minority Presidents.
2
"What is happening now is not so much a victory for Republicans as a failure of the Democrats"
No it's a failure for Americans, American vision and ideals and America's future.
It's a failure of those in Government who put themselves before country. The parties should work together for country instead of against each other for party and career.
It's a failure of voters, 50% turnout is shameful.
The list is long ...and there is blame aplenty to go around for everyone.
Why not take responsibility instead of whining it's far more beneficial and interesting and inspirational. Blaming is so boring and boorish and a cop-out.
2
So none of them really know what's in it but they were more than happy to sell their vote for instant gratification candy for their pet projects. Caveat Emptor!
2
With the deficit set to blow out to an unprecedented degree because of this bill, the Republicans will soon be screaming for massive spending-cuts to compensate, which was their plan all along.
29
Just a note to my fellow outraged readers:
Don’t forget this day when you vote next year and in 2020. Don’t believe anything that any Republican says. I admit that’s extreme, but the extent and breadth of their lying is contained in their comments about this bill. Next year, when most of us realize how this bill hurts us, expect that the Republican Party will somehow blame Obama. They lie !
Raging about this accomplishes nothing positive. Just remember and never vote for any Republican ever again.
23
Where was the DNC in the last few weeks? Why did they not let people know what was in this bill by way of national ads informing people that their Social
Security, Medicare and Medicade were at stake. Not to mention this bill kills ACA by taking away the mandatory sign up. Maybe the people would have been chasing the new shiney object that the Republicans threw at us every day. But maybe not. Oh and btw, it is no coincidence that the signing will be later this month while everyone is at the mall and too buzy to pay attention.
Page two of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy playbook. We have witnessed the biggest con in history. Brought to us by the biggest cons in history. Don't let them get away with it. Fight back.
37
Im happy about this ta bill and glad they repealed that awful mandate in Obamacare. You can keep that lousy insurance but dont push it on us and tell us what we have to have..
It was talked about in the newspapers all the time and MSNBC gave a lot of coverage. If your watching "alternative news"...........you were being told how wonderful it was going to be. Couldn't believe Trump's speech "That he wasn't benefiting from it and all his rich friends were mad at him for it". How stupid can anyone be to believe anything he says!
2
They did. You didn't listen, any more than you did last year.
2
The irony of calling it a tax "bill" is not lost on me.
It's a "bill" that every hard working person will have to pay so that guys like Trump can wallow in financial effluence.
You voted for it America, now you get to pay for it. Out the.... for decades.
46
America: still a great place to be rich.
25
People are even getting testier in gated communities.
1
Mitch McConnell's lizardy grin in the photo says it all. He is giddy about his gang of 51 tipping the scales even more toward corporations and the wealthiest Americans. He - and his cronies - have absolutely corrupted the legislative process and forfeited the right to say they serve the people. And he is smiling.
42
Hoping that this bill passage will awaken the sleeping voters for 2018/20.
We are headed downhill for the general population and abdicating our leading position in the world. China is all too happy to fill the void and other countries will work around us. Very sad.
Thanks, DT backers!
4
The most upsetting part of the tax bill is the destruction of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge protection.
70
Chaco Canyon: 400 'fracking' permits approved by ZINKE on Indian Lands
2
The Republicans only did to the Democrats, the same thing the Democrats did to the Republicans with the Affordable Care Act - they pushed it through with minimal input from the opposition and then shoved it down their throats.
6
Absolutely not true, although what you are repeating was the Republicans' party line about Obamacare.
First, Obamacare was based upon a Republican framework (Heritage Foundation) which Republican Governor Romney signed into law.
Second, Democrats held hearings around the country for months, as well as many hearings in the Capitol, discussed it for months and included many Republican amendments
In dramatic contrast, this bill was debated for no more than 20 hours on the floor and had hand-written edits less than an hour before the 500-page bill was voted on.
The only way some Democrats learned of the provisions was by asking the lobbyists who the Republicans were working with.
For more information about how this was handled, she this:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/01/us/politics/hand-scribbled-tax-bill-o...?
28
The ACA took well over a year to craft with numerous Congressional Committee hearings. Max Baucus and Finance Committee members like Olympia Snowe and Mike Enzi worked with some of the amendments Obama wanted on the final bill, but in the end McConnell wanted no part of anything that looked remotely bipartisan. Then Republicans lied and said they were never invited to participate in the process.
9
You are obviously very ignorant on how it went down in 2010. The Democrats took almost a whole year with hundreds of meetings and thousands of hours spent talking and negotiating. The Affordable Care Act's flaws actually came from the GOP's very own "suggestions." Besides, they loved it when it was called RomneyCare, but as soon as a black man had his name on it they wouldn't have any part, so that's why they didn't vote for it in the end. Hypocrites is the real name of the GOP.
3
Assume each Senator represents half of their state's population.
Total population of US states and territories where this law applies: 326,929,143
Population represented by "no" votes: 189,609,731
Population represented by "yes" votes: 137,319,412
Sad.
Not a democracy.
We are doomed.
(Wikipedia 2016 population estimates)
34
Contempt, betrayal + misery packaged as lies.
Republicans, "the folks on the hill," portray what they did as good for working class Americans. So many people are fooled by this president and these politicians.
This is a bite of the reality sandwich.
Following the scene on that senate floor, a line from John Lennon's acoustic song came to mind, as his weary voice declared "you think you're so clever and classless and free. But you're still ... peasants as far as I can see."
14
"you think you're so clever and classless and free. But now there's only peasants as far as the eye can see."
1
Oh, Bystander.
Lennon had a swear word in that second part, where I put the dots.
I remember it well.
Sorry to say, I'm not surprised that this bill passed-- nor am I suprised that Senators Collins, McCaine and Flake folded.
But at least the party's over as far as they're concerned, since they have now shown their true colors...and it's not Red, White and Blue.
This is just the beginning of what is sure to become a very long, dark winter.
Goodnight, America.
25
What happened to filibuster or its threat and the "nuclear option" and needing 60% to pass anything?
11
Republicans are passing this through "reconciliation" rules using math gimmicks to allow it to fall under those rules.
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/11/14/16634200/republican-t...
In Iowa you have 2 Republican Senators. Give them a piece of your mind.
Organize to vote them out (the earliest you can kick out "make them squeal" Ernst is in 2020, take the time to organize). In the meantime, call her office up and squeal at them.
7
they used reconciliation again
Reckless, careless, sloppy, hasty, desperate, frantic, negligent--
On top of secret, heartless, deceptive, cruel, misleading, unsympathetic, dishonest, greedy, make-believe, partisan, scam, irresponsible, fraud.
What the Trump Republican bill means to me.
What the tax-cut-for-the-rich bill means to 99% of Americans.
What more is there to say?
42
On the the bright side, some of the handwritten additions were pretty neat and legible.
3
I stayed up late last night and watched the whole debacle. It was hard to keep from getting sick to my stomach as I watched amendment after amendment, each of which might have softened the blow for the middle class, get shot down. Those of you who support this bill really don't know what's coming to you. You'll get a few bucks thrown your way in the beginning- in the hopes you won't be paying attention when the big bill comes in ten years. Rest assured. It's coming unless the reconciliation process is somehow derailed. Call your reps!
27
The liberals are quite unhappy with the new tax bill. They would not be happy with any tax proposal put forth by the Republicans so it must be a good tax plan. Maybe the Democrats should have been present in the discussions proposing a new tax agenda. They had no intentions of ever passing this bill and this will not help during the midterm elections. They are unlikely to win any new seats in congress and may even lose a few.
18
"They would not be happy with any tax proposal put forth by the Republicans"
Of course not because the Republicans want to protect $10 million Estates while cutting Medicare. Democrats care about people who work for a living.
20
Only 25% of the public thinks this plan is good. That's not partisan, my friend.
8
"They would not be happy with any tax proposal put forth by the Republicans so it must be a good tax plan." I think a plan that actually permanently reduced taxes for middle class while raising rates on the top 1% or treating capital gains as ordinary income would have been popular with the democrats. But the republicans would never act in the best interests of the country and turn against the people who get them elected, so no, they would not propose a bill like that.
"Maybe the Democrats should have been present in the discussions proposing a new tax agenda." - Maybe they should have been invited.
9
Republicans cannot govern. Their decisions are poor and not fact-based. Worst government in my lifetime.
27
They are not there to govern. They are there to reward the plutocrats who bought the election for them.
1
50% of those earning $40,000 or more and 80% earning $75,000 or more will enjoy a tax cut into 2025 or longer.
Come on. That's a tax cut!
Thanks Republicans!
4
People earning 10K or less a year see a tax increase. Teachers who buy supplies for their students due to underfunding can no longer get that tax deduction. 13 million lose health insurance. Corporations get richer while the middle class keeps getting poorer.
2
Your attitude is the basic problem. You are staring at your own plate with a slice of bread thinking gee thanks for the tax cut while at the same time restaurant management is sawing off one of the legs to your chair, the kitchen is full of rats and the guy at the next table is eating his loaf AND the rest of the loaf that should have been yours, while a guy two tables down is starving. But ya got your slice so who cares?
5
Cut it out. People earning $40k don't pay taxes to amount to a hill of beans - which means their "tax cut" is also a hill of beans. Same for those at $70k - those people should be sheltering at least 15-20% of their earnings by deposting to their 401k's.
This tax bill is a RAPE of the US Treasury. And all you supporters will be sorry when the Congress then decides to attack YOUR retirement futures by going after SS and Medicare because of the increased DEFICIT SPENDING brought about by THEIR REDUCTION OF TAX REVENUES.
Be prepared for Medicare vouchers and a cost to you in RETIREMENT of $25k annually for health insurance. Hope you're all ready for that.
2
I never want to hear another word put of Republican Senators' mouths (except Bob Corker) about the deficit, especially under a Democratic president. Ever.
22
Too bad.
You'll hear about it the second they decide to float their Medicaid cuts.
You'll hear about it 24/7 and won't be able to hide from it. Get ready ...
1
Do we have to wait until the election to hear anything from the Democrats who want to be President? Are they afraid to speak? Do they have no ideas for a replacement tax plan to show voters something better? Or, are they going to just let things get worse and worse hoping that way they will get more votes? Why are they passing up the opportunity to show what this tax money could do for this country and ignoring the suffering and lost hope so many are experiencing? Are they just making deals to get campaign financing, afraid it they take a stand, someone may not give them money?
Are there no Democrats with the courage to offer an alternative future? If they don't stand up now, how do I know they would stand up under the pressures of actually being a President?
This country runs the risk of getting so buried by Trump and the GOP that we may loose our democracy. Or that the majority that would vote for an alternative to Trump will be split between the Democrats and a third party.
16
The fact that you do not see Democrats on TV does not mean that they are not speaking out. (All of them, not just possible Presidential candidates) It means that the reporters you listen to are ignoring them.
They have detailed alternatives (which they described in the Democratic platform https://www.democrats.org/party-platform and are captured by Clinton's proposals https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/a-fair-tax-system/ ), Last night, Democrats proposed many amendments to try to make the Republican horror a bit less horrible (see the C-span debate)
Democrats ARE standing up. Voters have to be better informed re alternatives than enabled by TV and stand with Democrats to get rid of wealthy donor bought and sold Republican control
11
MANY of the dems were speaking from the floor--it just isn't covered much on the news. Sanders is going out on a road trip to spread the word about the bill. I'd like to see Brown, Warren and Booker out with him.
6
Yes they are afraid to speak.
The last one who spoke got falsely accused of grabbing a woman's breasts, and the press ran with the lie and never bothered to retract it.
Would you speak up in the face of that ?
2
It is so difficult to put into words how I feel this day, especially after what has been a long year already. At the end of thinking through how I feel, I keep coming up with, why should I or anyone want to be an American if this is how callously our government disregards us in what we thought was a democracy? We thought we had power to the people, but it turns out we don't. American democracy. A cautionary tale.
16
So much drama and hyperbole on both sides. How about more reporting on the details of this bill. For example what happens to grad students compensation? What does this change to the AMT mean and who will be affected by it? What are the biggest differences between House and Senate bills that would affect people so they could lobby on those issues?
My feelings, exactly. US has clearly reached its sell-by date. It's over for this country.
1
Not time was provided for analysis or evaluation of potential impacts--it was rushed through by sleight of hand to avoid scrutiny. This is a scam. Anything that cannot withstand the scrutiny and light of day cannot be good.
2
Now is a good time to lock in your gains and move some of your equity into a fixed indexed annuity. By doing this you will have safety of principal and at the same time be linked to an index so if the markets continue to move up you still participate in the gains without the downside risk. http://www.chamberlinfinancial.com/blog/dow-hits-24000-for-the-first-time
1
I am sincerely hoping that it's not going to be as bad as many of your own citizens have predicted. I fear citizen upheaval like the 60s only much worse because there are so many more deadly automatic weapons available among the masses. I guess that's where the 'tough on crime' folks will jump in to keep law and order.
3
Nobody cares enough. Too busy watching sports, playing on their electronics. The Congress knows how stupid and indifferent the American people are - and know they do whatever they want. They have no respect for the electorate - deservedly so. Look who's president. If the electorate is dumb enough for that, why should Congress fear the voters. They don't.
4
We are witnessing an all-out war being waged against American government right now by the hard right, from Trump and his cronies to the billionaire networks funding right-wing propaganda and lobbying outlets, and say “it can’t happen here.”
Wrong. It has happened here. As President Carter correctly called it, oligarchy.
11
I'm curious: Is it possible that those in Congress, who earn, uh, that is "make" six-figure salaries and receive untold perks from lobbyists, are so far removed from reality that they believe the middle class is made up of Americans who bring home no less than $150,000 and no more than a cool million a year?
This new tax bill, from everything I've read, is going to CRUSH the middle class. If, that is, the middle class is still comprised of citizens who live on more than $35,000 a year but less than $80,000.
If there is a sliver lining, it might just come from the fact that once the folks who voted for Orange Julius Caesar manage to remove the shiv from between their shoulder blades, they'll finally awaken to realize they've been conned.
Of course, how many times have we collectively thought that Trump has sunk so low he could not possibly pull himself up again? It's almost as if he can't be killed, as in that old horror flick, "Friday the 13th."
11
It won't be for another five years or so before most of us realize the pain we are in. The corporations of course have permanent cuts, not to be phased out. The deficit will have ballooned and the Republicans will again take up the cry of overspending, and they'll look for targets to cut. Next up: the unconscionably expensive domestic programs like Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid.
11
Republicans, once again, "win" by cheating. Excluding Democratic senators from the writing, planning, and negotiating phases of this bill, excludes the people represented by these senators. This is not democracy. It's a bloodless coup.
10
1. Deplore debt, spread fear.
2. Promise voters to get fiscal house in order.
3. Gain control.
4. Gift billions to the rich, exploding debt.
5. Crash economy.
6. Get thrown out by electorate.
7. Go back to 1. and start again.
8
We don't have enough money to provide medical services to the poor and middle class. But we do have enough money to increase the debt by $1 trillion to make the wealthy even wealthier. This is what you voted for, America.
21
I have always thought it complete madness and a waste of valuable resources and the future potential of the country to allow whomever is elected for four years to make any major decisions on taxes. This is something that effects everyone and well into the future. It should always be bipartisan from local all the way up to House and Senate, that way long lasting, beneficial change could be made for everyone well into the future, instead of mortgaging the future. Also it would minimize kickbacks, favors and sweeteners to donors, lobby groups, states and deny leverage to Corporations, the Party and its leader and special interest groups. And this tacking on of provisions for unrelated political and religious agendas in exchange for votes and promises is so completely dishonest and underhand and undemocratic.
If we were seeing this through the lens of an undeveloped country cries of corruption and bribery and worse would be screaming loud.
The rich already decide what taxes they will pay with all the legal loopholes they have been given to evade, avoid and siphon billions off-shore. In effect what this tax-cut gives them is more power and control over other people's lives. It creates a bunch more mini-dictators, Lords of the Manor, oligarchs.
7
"Republicans have pitched the bill as a middle-class tax cut and the overhaul is intended to immediately cut taxes for about 70 percent of middle-class families."
For starters: 66% of families earning between $50K and $75 would realize tax decrease of more than $500.
See:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/11/30/us/politics/tax-cuts-incr...
Many families would receive much more than that.
See:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/11/28/upshot/what-the-tax-bill-...?
Trump and team have just reached out to the middle class and given them a sweet inducement (bribe) to vote Republican for at least eight more years as a "thank you" and then in 2026 as a "heaven help us" as the tax bill nears it expiration date.
All through 2018, Republicans will be reminding the voters who's their tax decrease sugar daddy.
What do we Democrats have? We, like most liberal pundits, have nothing to offer except a handful of depressing warnings about the future of Medicare, health insurance, COLA's, and a trillion dollar addition to the national debt ten years from now.
In politics, ten years is a millennium.
Never wise to underestimate the strengths of your adversary.
We can prayer that Chuck and Nancy will come up with a better slogan, but that's asking for much more than they can deliver.
What a disaster!
5
Environmental Assessments are bought and paid for by those seeking to do the damage. Putting Alaska's wildlife at risk is heartbreaking.
11
We'll all get to weigh in again for 2018 tax filing time. The proof will certainly rear its head at that time. I for one will respond very strongly to any negative results at that time.
2
For all of those who lauded Senators Collins, Murkowski, and McCain for their vote on health care--and I include myself in this group--be careful which Republicans you praise. They will disappoint you in another vote that is just as disastrous to Americans. We will not be able to survive this Republican-controlled government unless Democrats vote in 2018 to end this assault on our democracy. Vote in 2018!
9
The Democratic criticism of this bill for being rammed through by the Republicans reminds one of the way the Democrats rammed the health-care bill through without knowing what was in it, and the Republican criticism of that affair. Welcome to the legislative process in the 21st century. Live by the sword, die by the sword.
2
Some of us have lived long enough to see this cycle. The GOP gets into power and their is nothing but destruction: remember it was Bush who took his eye off the ball and allowed 911 to happen; then we got 20 years of war and economic collapse. President Obama perfomed magic despite GOP obstruction and as soon as his terms are over the GOP schemes it's way back into office (voter suppression, gerrymandered districts) and the cycle of destruction starts anew.
9
Republican math seems to differ from the math of other people. They are hoping the tax bill will pay for itself by increased revenues, something that is not supported by calculations made by others. Shame on them! They seem to care only about "winning."
7
What fool is conned by a bill that makes tax cuts permenant for other interests and temporary for them with the promise that someone will step up on their behalf later - people who believe Kentucky, Kansas, and Mississippi are models that we should aspire to... a significant step down for many of us. If Trump supporters don't like being looked down on - stop doing stupid things, voting against their interests, and denying a world moving forward around you.
The Republican party is bringing about the downfall of the US - Regan = trickle down economics, George W = war deficits and recession, Trump = deficits, greed, social deconstruction.
We'll look back and realize we were once great!
7
Let's see...the $1,000 or so tax savings my household will realize, according to published data, will need to be spent on increased health insurance premiums due to revenue loss because of the removal of the coverage mandate. Many more such repercussions will emerge. Human behavior does not always track economic theory.
15
Conservative ideology is that you don't use the government apparatus to look after the flock, you use it to look after the shepherd, who in turn looks after the flock. Liberal ideology believes that it is more of a mix of looking after both, whereas in the extreme communism pretty much means looking after the flock and there are no shepherds.
We could live with conservative ideology if the shepherd was a decent farmer, but the 1% who own and control the political economy are disdainful of the flock and are mean farmers. These contemporary shepherds have lost the way of their ancestors who truly cared for their flocks, and nowadays the shepherds appear to care only for themselves. This is a direct result of the socializing forces of capitalism on them -- forces that have accrued effects on the psyches of these crook-bearers turning them into rapacious Wall St. wolves.
Our shepherds are wolves out to get us, not out to protect us, and that is why liberal policies must prevail. The flock must fight back using its own representative government as the countermeasure against them which is why government should be looking after the public and not the 1% owners of the political economy.
8
Someone has to explain to me how is ANWAR drilling is allowed under budget reconciliation rules? Why does this not require 60 votes? This, and any other provision that is not explicitly allowed by budget reconciliation rules, should be challenged by Dems - go to the parliamentarian.
13
Here we go again with trickle down voodoo economics nonsense.
Has not worked yet and will not work this time.
The only possible way it could work is if congress mandated that the corporate and business savings be put towards hiring, expansion of business, business infrastructure improvements, etc.
They are simply too chicken to do that.
BTW the ear to ear grin on McConnell's face makes me sick.
41
"The only possible way it could work is if congress mandated that the corporate and business savings be put towards hiring, expansion of business, business infrastructure improvements, etc."
Agreed. The way to do that is to leave business tax rates higher, and allow the tax deductions for wages, equipment, etc.
Oh wait. That's the way the tax code already was.
So with the new tax bill, companies will have have much less incentive to invest profits in jobs and expansion. So they will spend the tax savings on stock buybacks, dividends for shareholders, and executive compensation.
13
Correct.
3
McConnell is the pick of the litter of the litter.
2
This monstrous bill bringing us the New Feudalism still has to be reconciled with the House bill. We have a tiny window in which to beg Collins, Flake—and McCain.
Remind McCain of his legacy when you call. Ask that he do the decent thing and stand up for the vanishing middle class.
Call their local offices. You won't get through to DC.
And I am with commenters calling for even bigger marches.
Resist.
28
Remind McCain of his legacy? Surely, you must be joking. Did you really expect a craven politician who made Sarah Palin his vice presidential running mate to reject this ruinous bill? The Health Care vote? A fit of pique. McCain is no more the so-called conscience of the Senate than Mike Pence was.
3
This is so exciting!! I could very well lose access to healthcare. Our deficit will grow exponentially. We can certainly get used to our crumbling infrastructure & potholed roads. Education will be bare bones minimum. But these are small prices to pay to make the rich richer. And I'm laughing right along with Mitch the lizard and his cronies at this gift to the middle class. Wink wink.
2
Another round of applause to purist progressives and Stein voters. This is YOUR day! Congrats! Both sides are the same, right?
34
What a fraud the United Failed States has become. It's time the union was ended and the states went their separate ways. Nothing but tyranny came come from continuing this way.
#calexit
21
"But, but, but her emails!!"
Thank you Bernie Bros and third-party voters. America thanks you for your service.
40
Apparently, when one works for the Koch boy's hereditary nobility-in-waiting, one can choose to do build-up of Republicans, or tear-down of Democrats.
3
don't forget: behghazi and 20 years of right-wing smears, rumors and unfounded accusations that made "crooked hilary" in name only. the right-wing media machine thanks them, too, for their willful gullibility.
10
Hillary gave a speech to Goldman Sachs, so obviously she is much worse.
2
This bill is a declaration of war on the blue states. Not since the civil war, has one party been so openly hostile toward citizens of this country.
41
Remember this moment in time--every gloating Republican that's smiling from ear-to-ear today should be voted out of office for passing legislation that will ultimately make the people at the lower end of the pay spectrum (myself included) pay for the millionaires to skip out on paying their fair share.
What's bad is that I see us sliding into a new, information-starved Dark Ages, where we live in a feudal system controlled by out-of-touch tycoons & moguls who simply want cheap labor for unregulated businesses with no moral obligations to society, the environment, & the greater global community. This all happened, shamefully, with people voted into office. It will take a quarter-century to try to undo this damage, & frankly, that's too late for a lot of people.
23
One trillion metric tons of carbon dioxide will also be sent into the air by fossil fuel use over the next 25 years, which is a 50% increase of the total emitted since the industrial revolution began.
7
This is what happens when you elect a bunch of charlatans and con men to run the country. They do their dirty work behind closed doors and pass it in the middle of the night.
Elections have consequences. Trump and his congressional purveyors of greed are destroying our economy and country one bill at a time and one cabinet pick at a time.
At this point, the only remedy to all this mess is a " coalition of the decent " as Steve Schmidt, a Republican Operative calls them, can vote this gang out in the mid terms.
Otherwise, the next 8 years are going to be nothing but misery and destitution for a large group of Americans.
22
Despite all the criticism, the Republican tax bill still needs an appropriate name. In honor of President Trump and his supporters, call the bill "SWAMP THING."
17
The GOP is finally accomplishing what it has intended to do for years: eliminate social security, Medicaid and Medicare. By the time this administration is through we will no longer recognize this country. Even if Mueller's investigation does uncover something to impeach Trump, no matter. The damage he has done with the full cooperation of Congress will be irreparable.
Indeed, let 'em eat cake.
23
As an Independent, I would have liked to see Republicans invite the Democrats into the process of creating a Tax Reform Bill that would have been more egalitarian. Now we've had the the Republican Senators rush through a patch-work Tax Bill that will have major consequences for the country. Sure, it's nice to give tax breaks to small businesses, and they're probably sighing in relief, but if in the grand scheme of things people won't be able buy their products or have to chose cheaper alternatives (from overseas, for example), then that small businesses' profits will sink. The point is that everyone and everything is connected whether we like it or not. Alaskan Senator Murkowskie's bid to have oil drilled on the Alaskan Arctic Wildlife Preserve in return for her vote will adversely effect the ecosystem of that area, and with all the other efforts of the EPA to drop environmental protections around the US, many lives will be adversely effected.
Conservatives rail against liberals. Right calls out the Left and vice versa. This conflict gets us nowhere. We all live here, and not one of us lives in vacuum, unless he or she has enough money to do so. Even so, gravity keeps all of us here. I'd like to see anyone, including myself, act with enough courage and kindness to help our fellow citizens to register to vote, or to sign the petitions of their choice, or run for office.
11
Independents are the worst. Get off the fence, tepid lukewarm water.
2
I actually think so-called "independents" are the worst of all.
They act like they are above it all, but the truth is that they don't have the intellectual courage or discernment to choose a side.
2
"The Swamp" at its very worst. You really drained it good, Mr President. Good onya, Donald.
11
How low have we sank. I find the passing of this bill more disturbing than the election of Trump.
22
Time for a massive march on Washington
31
One had almost gotten the feeling there were at least a few Republicans in Congress who had some moral compass, some sense of fair play and "regular order" as Senator McCain put it when giving the thumbs down during the health care vote.
Nope. Even the Jeff Flakes and Susan Collinses failed this exam, and for less than 30 pieces of silver they've betrayed us. Take your winnings, GOP men and women, and watch the rest of us die in the gutter.
26
Republicans lay on the moral sanctimony quite thickly, but ethics is unknown to them.
Shame on Republicans for working toward a bill they could pass rather than a bill that is good for America. While many middle class people will enjoy a tax cut for a few years, in the long run, this is a bad bill that is bad for America. BUT, they finally passed a bill. That's all they seem to care about.
11
This is far more than a tax bill. It paves the way to take the US financially and socially back to 1920s and before.
24
So ... McCain refuses to vote for a bill that would increase premiums and destroy the HC of 30M Americans, NOT because of such a blatant abuse of government power but, he told us, because of "process". The bill indeed was rammed through, without any hearings etc.
And what does he decide to do next? The GOP leadership adopts the EXACT same process in order to work on taxes, and all of a sudden he "forgot" about his idea that a bill that strongly affects the nation should be written in a serious way ... ?
It doesn't surprise me, however. Already during his 2008 campaign he took over many Fox News lies, and in 2012 he eagerly spread the most horrible falsehoods about the ACA and many other things.
So in the end, he just as much a "moron", to quote our Sec. of State, as the other Republicans out there today - with now only ONE Republican Senator left who still recalls the fact that conservatives are supposed to be BETTER at fiscal responsibility, not utterly worse, than Dems (at least according to their own talking points, because for decades now studies show that in real life, the exact opposite is true).
This is a very sad day for America (except for those wealthiest citizens and biggest corporations who don't mind to put themselves first and the country last).
Now there's only one hope left: a huge Dem electoral win, in order to undo the damage before much of it becomes irreversible.
Come on progressives, stop standing at the sidelines and fight today's fight first!!
18
NY Times: Please report on which corporate loopholes are still open.
12
The NYT, like the senators, has not had enough time to read and analyze the tax bill in order to explain to the public what it does and does not contain and its impact.
Don't Trump supporters even wonder...just a little...why the bill, if it contains such glorious goodness...needed to by slapped together at night and not fully vetted by the entire senate and the American public?
Day by day we are losing any credibility we had left to encourage other countries towards democracy.
8
All of them.
1
Ask your local CPA. He or she should know.
Are these Republicans humans? Oh, I get it. Corporations are people.
14
This removes any doubt as to the wisdom of my not having children. A year ago - anyone not in a coma knew an asteroid was going to hit this country if we didn't stop it. We the People chose the asteroid. For my remaining time on earth, I'm taking a knee.
20
So, it was a sort of frantic scramble by Republicans to get in their old, old promises made to those Deep Pocket donors. Quid pro quo, baby. They see the changes are coming, so they rammed in what they could, and called their potential employers. "Make room for me at the HQ; corner office please. The (bribes/loans) free speech has been (satisfied/paid in full) heard; the job is done."
I hope they all rot.
Eat the rich.
18
Truly a dark, shameful day in American history.
21
Coming up with different ways to rob Americans has become an art form for this bunch of imbecilic schemers, so-called lawmakers.
Americans need to break out of the tribal, two-party mindset that pits one tribe (Republicans) against the other (Democrats). It is true that Republicans are worse. But that’s not saying much.
Virtually all politicians, Democrat or Republican, represent the interests of their wealthy campaign donors.
They are really just slightly different shades of evil.
If Democrats cared about average Americans, they would’ve given us universal healthcare when they had full control of Congress and a Democratic President. But what did they do instead?
They had the doctors and nurses advocating single payer arrested when they refused to leave the Senate hearings in 2009. They sold us out to corporate interests. The Democrats offer just enough crumbs and symbolic gestures to paint themselves in a marginally better light, but effectively offer little more than a slower roasting over the fires of inequity.
We need a true populists third party that concentrates on money and power for most, not just a select few. A party that avoids divisive issues and promotes the general welfare and stewards a better future than a government of the rich, by the rich, for the rich, at the expense of the middle class and the poor.
This corporate coup happened with the joyful assistance of Democrats and Republicans decades ago.
Both parties now work against US citizens and workers.
10
Chris:
I've had similar thoughts about the need for a third political party based solely on economic populism, but I disagree with your assessment that Democrats are just a "slightly different shade of evil" than Republicans.
If you look back at the 20th century, you can't fail to see that all the great social programs were designed and spearheaded by Democrats. In my mind, that singular achievement makes Democrats a much greater shade of good than Republicans.
And although I'd like to see a populist party, I think the country's socially divisive conservative agenda stands in the way. Republicans co-opted embittered Dixiecrats after the enactment of LBJ's civil rights legislation and then co-opted the evangelical movement, a process that continues to date. As long as our court system is viewed as the ultimate battleground for resolution of numerous socially divisive issues, I see little hope for formation of a populist party that remains neutral on those issues.
I'm now hoping that members of the evangelical movement who've been hurt by this tax bill will move away from the Republican party and start a socially conservative party of their own. With evangelicals out of the picture, Democrats, who really do represent the economic interests of the less affluent in this country, should have an easier time defeating conservative Republicans, whose numbers are smaller and who've proven that their only true abiding interest is in helping big business and the wealthy.
1
Billboard show go up showing how much money each senator and their donors will reap from this tax cut for than 1%
10
It's an outrage. Passed late on a Friday night with Democrats unable to carefully review it.
A clear case of taxation without representation. A bill created in secrecy, outside of regular order.
Millions did not vote for Republicans, nor this president. And were not represented. This is not democracy. Last night we saw the actions of a banana republic.
Republicans looked like squirrels stealing from the ground and running it up the tree.
And shame on all of you who voted 'no' on protecting Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
.
16
The same as the democrats did with the ACA
Jay----Incorrect. The ACA was inclusive and well debated. Republicans were able to add amendments to the Democrat's bill---160 of them in total.
The ACA made it out of committee in the House in July 2009, after a month of markups plus 160 Republican amendments added by Dems in bipartisan fashion.
The House voted on it November 7th.
Democrats on Senate Finance Committee held 53 meetings about the ACA a well as an 8 day markup of the bill--- longest markup for a senate committee in over 20 years.
So no comparison, dude.
The Dem-led Senate Committee itself considered 130 amendments and also held 79 roll-call votes.
There were 44 hearings + public hearings/events about the ACA in the Senate alone. Even John McCain said there was plenty of debate. There's a video of him online.
Obama signed ACA into law March 2010, 8 full months after it emerged from committee in the House.
These are facts. GOP rammed their bill through last night.
1
Jay, see the numerous threads above which prove you dead-wrong on your assertion.
We now need more than ever to elect a Democratic Senate and House in 2018 in order to repeal and replace the corrupt trump tax cut for the wealthy.
18
A bill of sale, by any other name, though this time it's a country rather than a company. Expect the same result, however--namely, the assets to be stripped off over time, broken down and sold to the highest bidder, a strategy all too familiar to the paymasters of these glorified clerks, the true authors of this travesty.
4
All I can see is a government of crooks, criminals. The Republicans are like pigs on the trough, gorging the wealth of the nation. They are choking on the $$ bills and still don't have enough, just look at the greed of the Trump cabal.
The Republican party and the Trump administration are putting another nail in the coffin of a once proud Democracy. It is the conservatives who are the demolition squad destroying the empire, there will be no Project for a New American Century. PNAC is dead, the Republicans, aka Tea Party, carried it to the grave.
6
National tax law hand-written in the margins of the bill in the final hours.
Corruption, deceit, politcal bribery, selling out fellow Americans with a crooked smile.
Only the Kremlin working with collaborators in Washington could so devastate America's future gleefully.
5
Hope for the little president holding this license to steal hostage from signing until he gets some Mueller-proof insurance from Congress? He is now probably as useful to Congress as a felony conviction.
3
November 6, 2018
338 days away
The day of wreckoning (sic) for the Republican Party
9
"A great day for the country," crows Plutocrat Mitch.
More like,
A great day for the Wealthy.
#GOPTaxScam
#Resist
#FlipItBlue2018
8
We will remember come November.
Vote NO REPUBLICANS.
NONE!
NOT ONE!!
9
It just outrages me when I look at that photo and see Mitch McConnell smirking as if he just discovered the cure for cancer. This current crop of GOPers are the most apathetic, heartless, and GREEDY human beings ever assembled. They all should be stripped of their titles and forced to work for middle class wages to see what most Americans have to do to make ends meat. They are truly self serving and abhorrent.
12
Exactly who are you guys kidding with your childish non professional antics.
I refuse as a tax payer to grant this bill as legal for it is not proper as a contract.
Contracts are typed so everything is in order and clearly legible -just a sample as soon is less than concise.
Handwritten additions to contracts require initials of all parties agreeing to the last minute changes for confirmation of accuracy. I do not see initials along side the scribbles.
Go back, get it typed in a full LEGAL contract format, read it throughly and then sign at the bottom.
We voters who will be most hurt by the midnight thievery want to be quite sure of your names.
This scribble full document of bribes for votes is not a legally binding agreement in this voters eye.
2
Ah yes - "Let them eat cake!"
6
By changing so many things all at once, these profoundly dishonest people make it impossible to gauge the effects of any one of their stupid ideas.
It is all going to pick up more speed downhill from here.
6
There is no fate too cruel to wish upon the Republican senators who voted Yea on this bill.
9
Any way you look at it, the U.S. Senate just joined the House of Reps in selling out the future of our children and grandchildren to corporations and rich people in general. I'm sickened by the feckless manner in which this financial swindle has unfolded.
Even if Donald Trump is eventually impeached for treason, or just plain incompetence, the damage will have been done.
6
I especially love the attempted tax exemption for Hillsdale College. Remember Bush Jr's firing the U.S. Attorneys and replacing them with his political cronies? Many of them graduated Hillsdale -- the right wing billionaires' brainwashing diploma mill. It's poster child for this entire tax package.
7
On the second day of December, 2017, The United States of America became, by act of Congress, a plutocratic republic.
A related item: Also on this day, “with malice towards many and charity for few” the Party of Lincoln gave up the ghost.
9
A shameful day for America. Was it just coincidence that this vote came on the same day as the Flynn plead? Reminds me of how the Wikileaks story came right on the heels of the Acces Hollywood tape. This is pure evil.
1
They did the same thing with the Patriot Act -- rushing something through that few had read and fully digested. Shame on us that we, the voters, allow this.
The most important take away -- "By 2027, people making $40,000 to $50,000 would pay a combined $5.3 billion more in taxes, while the group earning $1 million or more would get a $5.8 billion cut" [from the NY Times story on 11/29]
This is what "economic justice" looks like in a country being run by a party owned by and run for plutocrats. Stay tuned: Next they'll be cutting medicare and social security.
4
The stock market has shot up to the stratosphere in anticipation of huge winfalls for investors. This gives the lie to those who believe middle class people without investments will see any trickle down to wage earners. Stock holders a canny bunch in smelling out profits new all along that trickle down was a lot of bunk though as a group that is about to receive a windfall they saw the need to echo the trickle down drivel. So it is pop the champagne cork day for the oligarchs who have once again sold Republican middle class supporters a bill of goods that will cost our nation dearly, a bill that will be paid for by their children.i
3
The GOP will use the Trump Presidency to get everything they want:
1. Cut taxes for themselves and their buddies on Wall St.
2. Take over of the judiciary.
3. Decimate every branch of the Federal government from EPA, to the State Department that doesn't generate millions of dollars for their friends (Defense department).
Then, when there is really no alternative, they will turn on Trump and lead the charge to remove him from office while conveniently leaving Pence in place, all while touting their patriotism and bipartisanship.
Boundless hypocrisy, mendacity and greed all wrapped up in five thousand dollar suits with American flag lapel pins.
Now I am going to stop reading the news for a couple of days. I can't take it any more.
8
ENOUGH! Stop buying anything other than necessities. Put federal tax payments in an escrow account -- keep the money from our corrupt politicians and corporate interests. Starve the beast. The only way to deal with those that support the "WIN AT ALL COSTS" mantra of these crooks that have ruined our government.
5
The smart deal would have been for the Democrats to propose a balanced plan--some focal cuts and substantial infrastructure spending to quickly stimulate jobs, small business profits and investment in our roads, energy grid, water, etc.
To compete globally we need more than corporate rates low. To create blue collar jobs, we need Demand -which infrastructure projects deliver better than trickle down fantasies.
6
Sara: The Democrats were NOT ALLOWED to propose a balanced plan. NOT ALLOWED! This is strictly a partisan government. Run by the GOP, and for the GOP (well, only for the very wealthy ones). And, shucks...it is not even "a government." Not any more. It is a Satanist, Fascist, criminal, plutocratic conspiracy to defraud The United States of America and 99% of her citizenry.
3
Welcome to the new legislative reality. Republican leadership (forgive the oxymoron) serves up half-baked, still a work-in-progress, tax bill to its members and says "Vote for this; trust us." Lord knows what entirely unrelated surprises are packed into the bill, which most people never saw or understood, let alone debated.
As for Democrats (and everyone else), you folks don't even exist. The nation Lincoln spoke of so hopefully in his remarks at Gettysburg has devolved into one "of the Republicans, by the Republicans, for the Republicans."
Between gerrymandering, dark money and supporting the likes of Roy Moore to keep their Congressional majorities, the Republicans are a few simple steps away from turning us into a corporate-owned theocracy, fittingly presided over by the most venal and corrupt traitors this country has ever seen.
6
Why even go to the expense of holding elections and paying the salaries of Congress members if all they're going to do is make the rich richer and the powerful more powerful? Let a cabal of billionaires, bankers and multinational CEOs collect taxes from us as they see fit and spend them on whatever they want. They already control how much we pay for food, energy, medical care, housing, communication and transportation. They also decide who gets to work, how much that work is worth and who gets fired when they no longer need them. Our representative democracy was made for the little people, the small farmers, manufacturers, fishermen, and merchants, the craftsmen, the manual laborers, the soldiers. When it stops working for those Americans, it's not working.
4
What this helps illustrate is the both the complete disconnection to reality of the electorate and how democracy can fail. In a two party system if one party fails to act in good faith, and the media decides that neutrality means staking a position between wherever those two parties are, the unwritten basic requirements of a functioning system fail.
3
They probably shouldn’t do this. As soon as the music stops and our bonds are called - will we simply inflate the dollar? Bad plan.
1
5 years from now in April Americans are going to wake up to realize too late that those "middle class tax cuts" were only temporary and that the corporate tax cuts were permanent. Rich Republicans will laugh with their swelling bank accounts from money they promised would be reinvested back into jobs ...but weren't.
The GOP Congress will have put off the multi-trillion-dollar bills for rebuilding Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and Trump's military buildup until the next president is elected so they can blame him for the deficit, and who do you think will suffer a tax hike to pay for it?
...and it'll be too late for the rest of us to realize we've been conned...
4
I doubt that the GOP will Fund rebuilding Puerto Rico unless they can find away to take over the islands and explore any an all natural resources there. Islanders would still have few rights and be treated like third world citizens. Very sad.
4
"...and it'll be too late for the rest of us to realize we've been conned..."
Most of us who are wise to the GOP know we are being conned, and knew during the campaign of trump that we were being conned. It is those Americans who are not educated enough, not informed enough, and not decent and moral enough to throw off their sick ideologies of racism, hatred of women, hatred of immigrants, hatred of anything that is not "red..." that are lost. They are lost. And by their cloaks of hatred and ignorance they endanger us all, and cause us all (including themselves) extreme harm. Those of us who are moral and decent enough (and informed enough) to see the con artistry realize that we are helpless...EXCEPT FOR OUR VOTES! VOTE, VOTE, VOTE...IN EVERY ELECTION THAT YOU CAN VOTE IN--VOTE!!!!!
2
When McCain, Collins and Murkowski stood up for their constituents and voted No on the repeal of Obamacare, I had a glimmer of hope that there were some Republicans in Congress who were not completely in the tank for their donors. Really, what were you thinking when you voted yes on this obscenity in the guise of tax reform? Thanks Bob Corker for standing behind fiscal responsibility. I’d like to think your vote would have been the same if you were not leaving the Senate.
7
I know the bill brings the corporate rate to 20% (from the statutory 35%), but since the vast majority of corporations paid 16% or less given all the loopholes, I can't help but wonder what has happened with all those loopholes and whether the new 20% rate now translates into "tax free"? It wasn't like they weren't doing great before now. And as Trump's hatchet men learned, directly from CEOs, corporations plan to use newfound money to pay shareholders and buy back stock. There is NO job creation agenda. If there had been, there were cheap resources aplenty to do that before now.
3
For the better part of a decade, the voters have largely rejected the alternative offered by the modern Democratic Party: neoliberal, corporatist, status quo, and, at least with respect to the DNC and some other members of its leadership, corrupt. The failure of Democrats at the voting booth has made it possible for Republicans to pass a right-wing tax bill.
These outcomes SHOULD cause the Democratic Party to examine its own shortcomings and make wholesale changes: replace its leadership; abandon its dependency on large campaign contributions; develop a strategy to wrest power back from the Republican Party; implement progressive legislation. Unfortunately, the Democrats show no signs of making any major changes to their personnel, strategy, or tactics; they appear to be relying on a Republican meltdown to vault them back into power. That strategy failed in 2016, and it is likely to continue to fail in 2018 and 2020.
4
I am so tired of my life being impacted by people who won't educate themselves. I am a Republican and a small business owner and I can tell you this tax bill will hurt me and unless you make a couple of million a year, it will hurt you.
Republicans used to scream about any increase in the debt, especially if it included something to help the middle class. But now they want to put 1.4 trillion dollars in the pockets of the already rich and have the the middle class pay for it. People who refuse to read enough to understand what this is going to do to the country don't deserve the right to vote.
11
For the rest of our sakes, at least stop voting Republican.
1
Republican members of Congress just turned their backs on the substantial majority of Americans, as registered in polls, to pass this reverse Robin Hood tax gift to the already wealthy and their corporations. We, that American majority, shall answer clearly and powerfully come November.
29
So, we now have this "tax bill" that further enriches the wealthy, at the expense of everyone else. And, the end of net neutrality. And, the end of consumer protections. And, all of that on top of the ending of the US's moral leadership in the world, and the treasonous coziness with Putin, and the explicit racism and misogyny and pedophilia and homophobia, etc.
Isn't it time for another big march in DC? Bigger than ever before? And, maybe even a general strike for at least several days, across the entire country? It's time to show Trump and the Republican spawn in Congress that we're mad as hell and we're not going to stand for it anymore.
96
To Fact or Fiction:
Check your calendar - I believe that there is a nationwide Impeachment March scheduled on January 20 (one year from America's REAL Black Friday). And if you can't make a march, a protest or a demonstration, in November you can still use the most powerful weapon that you possess - YOUR VOTE! Through your vote you have the power to fire every member of congress who voted in favor of this cruel, self-serving tax law.
6
Why is the mess we witnessed last night even legal? Why doesn't the law require a reasonable time frame between writing a bill and voting? A time frame that requires providing the actual bill to those voting, conference, hearings etc. Why isn't that the standard and legally required procedure? Why is the taxpayer left to hope and pray the majority will play fair?
42
Remember the dems did the same thing with the ACA. You have to vote on it to see what’s in it.
REALITY: the last minute changes called amendments have been discussed for weeks i.e. always being on the dems bandwagon weakens credibility
Not true. No discussions in the open. Everything accomplished behind closed doors. Did not include Democrats.
8
discussed where? and where is your evidence for this?
8
This "tax plan" is nothing of the sort - it is legalized theft, and will only separate the "haves" from the "have nots" further. The way in which this whole process, if you can even call it that, has been carried out with such deceit and dishonesty has now broken the back of our democracy.
These gleeful GOP Congresspeople have not the first inkling of how to govern, but they do have an inkling about how to perpetrate white collar crime.
They have rammed this "solution in search of a problem" down the throats of an unwilling but powerless electorate, who will be paying the new debt incurred for decades only so the wealthiest among us can become wealthier still.
The GOP and their supporters have danced with the devil; they're honored guests in Hell, so they might as well just move in permanently...certainly, they've sentenced the rest of us to it.
26
Dear Not Amused:
I disagree with your term "unwilling, but powerless electorate". The reason that the electorate seems powerless is that almost half of them stayed home in 2016 and let those who voted trump in have their way. That's also how we have ended up with a spineless, self-serving congress. Our vote is the most powerful weapon in this country.
Some will say that Hillary won the majority of popular votes and still lost the presidency, so why bother? Like it or not, electoral votes are what count in this country. It's a lousy system, and it's going to stay that way until people fill up Congress with men and women who will fight to get it removed.
Paraphrasing Harry Truman, "If you don't vote, you get exactly the government that you deserve."
2
Dear Bob Butler:
I agree with you about the real problem with people not voting, but I also think of the electorate as "powerless" to the degree that people in one state (for kicks, let's think "Koch brothers") can legally spend millions on virtually unlimited campaigns in dozens of other states.
I believe in representative democracy, in the sense that - for example - "all people in Virginia should be represented by those in Congress from Virginia" but with the caveat that "it should be illegal for anyone OUTSIDE of Virginia to influence a Virginia election."
What power do I have (beyond the vote itself), if anyone from any state or nation can spend virtually unlimited cash to wash my vote away by sponsoring campaigning messages that adversely affect my state's races?
Again, I totally agree that if people don't vote they get what we've gotten...but in a world where human psychology works as it does, there are real issues with Citizens' United and other opinions and laws, etc. that allow for people in one jurisdiction to have so much "say" in another.
2
The Republicans just added a trillion dollars to the deficit with no plan to pay it off. Soon the inevitable cry will come that cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and other services that benefit millions of Americans are now needed to pay for this colostomy bag of a bill, a deal done in the dark to bloat further the bellies of the fattest cats among us. This is politics, not governance; the grasping, dirty kind that is carried out by hypocrites who clearly have no regard for the majority of the citizens they are elected to serve.
33
The Dems should have walked out and told these crooks they'd be back in a month.
And then spent the next month in front of cameras reading every word of this shakedown.
I did mention "crooks", didn't I?
I will next time, too.
34
Watching this whole debacle play out last night made me feel like I had been transported to some communist country or banana republic with fake "democracy." They absolutely don't care that most of the populace and half of our elected officials despise this bill. Who passes a bill with these enormous consequences without allowing people to read it or any experts to testify? How did we fall this far down the rabbit hole? We are being completely betrayed by our government.
39
We should be able to sue for congressional malpractice. Everything these people do is irresponsible and wouldn't pass muster in a third grade classroom.
3
The Corporate Democrats love this just as much as the Republicans.
See how they held out two Senators if needed to get it over the top.
Hiedi Heitkamp and Joe Manchin.
They would have to have prime lobbying spot set up for them if they would booted from Congress for crossing the working class but the Corporate Dems were there if needed.
2
Given the fact that the United States is a plutocracy, and Republicans are vicious, greed-based people, this cannot be a surprise.
15
When I was a little girl, the company for which my grandfather worked sent him to the Philippines during the Johnson administration, 1963. Ferdinand Marcos was the Filipino president. My grandparents were middle class in the U.S. They lived in the same semi-detached house they’d bought when they married. They had one car, two sons, and led an almost Leave It to Beaver existence.
In the Philippines, based only on his same U.S. salary, my grandfather was able to provide a chauffeur, a cook, and a maid. (The maid begged to be brought back with them when they returned home. They did not bring her.)
My grandmother said grocery stores were guarded by troops in military gear with automatic weapons. (Off topic, I guess, but she also said everyday women admired Imelda Marcos for her stylishness and wished they could be her.)
This is the society you have when you have no middle class. You have a small upper class and you have the rest of us working for them. It’s a colonial existence. Even the least of the aristocracy can afford servants, because so many citizens are poor. Members of the military enjoy some small status and may employ a servant to wash/cook.
So, get out your pots and pans. Grab those shoeshine kits. Shake out your dust rags and mops. Clean out the back bedroom for your grandmother. The phase-in of the phase-out of the social safety net will be gradual. Soon enough there will be no one to remember when there was a safety net and nothing they can do about it anyway.
32
Now, just try to tell me the fast-talkin' devils aren't buying campaign donations and voters.
5
Campaign Ads for 2018:
RNC: We gave you a massive, glorious tax cut. Those Democrats to a man and woman voted for the Government to keep your money! Vote Republican!
DNC: The Republicans gave the wealthy and corporation a tax cut. They promised you more money and more jobs. Where is the money? Where are the jobs. Those Republicans voted with their donors so that the Corporate masters could have even more of your money!
RNC: We voted to kick your freeloading parents off Medicare and Social Security. You didn't think much of the Boomers anyway. Whatever did they do for you? Vote Republican!
DNC: The Republicans voted to take back the benefits you paid your whole life expecting they would be there for you now that you are facing retirement. Vote Democratic for Social Security and Medicare.
9
This bill is a big beautiful present to the wealthiest Americans. Financed by the middle class and by the real possibility of gutting the health insurance coverage for millions of Americans, mostly poor and elderly.
Trump can’t wait to sign it and declare victory to his base. And his hardcore base will celebrate and nod obediently “yes Mr. Trump, we will pay higher taxes, you promised us a tax cut, but this isn’t your fault.”
12
The irony is so many of the people who come to his rallies and voted for him are middle class, most of who will be hurt by the tax bill. Wonder just how long it will take for it all to sink in that they’re worse off with Trump than Obama? And will they ever admit it?
1
"On a party line vote on a bill no one had read!"
You guys talking about Obama Care or the Tax Bill?
One raised the cost of healthcare for everyone, the other reduces taxes for 70% of the middle class.
6
Not true. The ACA was debated for months and was revised to incorporate Republicanisms. It was months and months of negotiation. Read the history of it.
4
Oh, dear. Have you even seen the CBO report and other analyses which show clearly that the middle class "breaks" are miniscule, and are temporary? In ten years be will be paying MORE in taxes, and that's not counting health insurance increases, inflation, and the reductions in Medicare and Social Security that are net on the table.
The ACA was discussed for nearly a full year. There were round tables and debates. The GOP added some 160 amendments -- 160 were accepted by Democrats out of 240 odd proposed. The GOP rejected every single amendment proposed by the Democrats to the tax bill, including a proposal that any increase in CEO profit be matched with wage increases for workers. Every single Republican who voted voted no on that,
Health insurance end up less rapidly under Obama than under Bush. How short is your memory. And all of us, not just those buying on the subsidies exchanges, got the end of lifetime caps, the end of being denied coverage for pre-existing conditions, guaranteed mental health care, guaranteed maternity care, no co-pays for well checks or vaccinations, and more.
5
That Koolaid must be mighty tasty for you to continue to lap it up.
5
Pure and simple if the republicans were not able to pass the tax cut they would have lost their donors, and the president would have lost his cover, and become vulnerable to impeachment.
This was about more than taxes, it was about survival for the republican party and for the president, and the silly dance that Flake and Collins did saying they secured promises, well, we'll see.
14
I have been saying over and over for the past year--the best weapon the resistance has in its arsenal isn't petitions or street protests but a TAX STRIKE.
Hit them where it really hurts--the wallet.
If people do what is morally right and refuse to pay this illegitimate and greedy government it will take away their power.
Isn't that what we want?
6
Ben, it's a wonderful idea, but most won't do it out of fear that the government and the IRS will be upon them like a dog in heat. They can garnish your salary; they can put a freeze on all your accounts, and a lien on your home. In short: The government has got us all (except for the obscenely wealthy) by the...
4
True Elin, most people are afraid.
But if they think that millions and millions of other people are going to do it too, most people would jump on the no tax bandwagon. Even Republicans.
Who likes paying taxes?
The important thing is safety in numbers. If half the country refuses to pay taxes they will have to declare an amnesty. It simply isn't feasible to punish millions of people.
2
I know, Ben...they are afraid. I feel very few people would have the nerve to do this. I just despise what these GOP monsters are doing to people...AND LYING ABOUT IT. And taunting us with how they are going to cut all the social safety nets now that they have pushed through their demonic tax scam. They are saying, plain and simple: "We are going to rape you in all and any ways we can." They laugh in our faces, TELL US HOW THEY ARE GOING TO HARM AND KILL US...and by everything they are doing that is vicious and sadistic, is going to make them become richer and richer...I've never seen anything SO WRONG...well, almost never.
1
What a disgrace for democracy! If President Trump was not a daily embarrassment, we have the Republican-controlled Congress working in secret with no hearings and an almost a complete blackout on what's actually in the tax bill handling out what is clearly a rough draft with numerous hand-written additions minutes before voting, and then narrowly passing a bill that seriously effects the economic well-being of every taxpayer. Shameful! And when it's clear that the guiding principle is to shift "massive" amounts of money to corporations already riding the stock market to record highs and record profits, it's an outrage. And, if that is not enough, they're taking from the least well-off among us to pay for this legislative thievery and leaving all of us with a extra $1 trillion in debt along with increased tax, medical and education bills to pay. And that is just plain criminal!
9
Remember the recession? If you don't, or weren't alive then, look it up. This tax giveaway will not end well for the American economy, but what will the rich care? The increased dividends they receive from the windfall gained by corporate giants will join the rest of their investments parked overseas. These cynical "legislators" already are signalling how much of the debt is driven by medicare, social security and medicaid. So deep cuts and privatization come next. More for their donors. Funny thing, it appears their supporters, many of whom also voted for Trump, are not at all aware that this economy has not been improved by them and will not now. Meaning no infrastructure bill. The economy isn't in trouble as it was in 2008 when, of course, they voted Democratic. And when the economy tanks, then what? Republicans will blame the Democrats, ignoring the giant hole they are making in the economy. The polls showed the majority against this bill. The mistake in voting Republican: believing Trump and their Republican representatives and Senators. Wonder if and when it will ever sink in. Even George Bush the First called trickle down "voodoo economics." It was. It is. The rich are even more removed from the US economy than they were then.
11
Trickle down is the biggest con ever sold to Americans.
8
Well I hope all you folks out there are getting ready for the Republican "Fiscal Hawks" to make their return very soon. They will tell you the deficit (the one this bill will produce) is now so great that they must cut Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. Sorry if people will die or children are hungry, or old people, well lets just forget about them, because they are old. Thanks Republicans for the joy you bring this holiday season to the Rich, the Banks, the Corporations all the people who really need more money. While you screw the working class. But that is what Republicans do. To bad most Americans do not even realize they are being screwed.
21
All the Republicans who signed this tax bill deserve to suffer painful debilitating disease.
15
I agree, but even if they are stricken, THEY have first-class health insurance paid for by US, while those of us on Medicare wait for the other shoe to drop!!
2
Thank God they added the provision on oil drilling in Alaska! I haven't seen all 500 pages yet, but it's safe to assume that there's also a provision permitting unlimited clubbing of baby Harp seals...
19
Merry Christmas, America! With love, your Republican Senators.
3
And a big thanks to Russia for the assist!
5
Time to secede from this hellish union forever! Save yourselves.
5
I watched last night while the rich Congressmen (and a couple of women) voted to give the rich a windfall of goodies so that they could log a 'win' on their belts, although this is an extremely unpopular bill with the American public.
The sadness that had my eyes stinging with a tear or two has been replaced with utter disgust and loathing.
I look back on what's been building to this moment: from the passing of Citizens United to the election of a rich, white, incompetent criminal, to the passing of this abomination and realize that this isn't the country that I once had so much love and hope for.
It is unfortunate that we have held up capitalism in its purest form as a saintly system. It has failed all but a few. You're seeing them smile in the accompanying photo.
14
It is not even capitalism, it is the move to a quasi feudal system.
3
It’s shameful how The Swamp gets murkier with each passing day.
What ever happened to Republican fiscal responsibility?
10
The Republicans didn't even need to read this bill to vote for it.
You see, it is fine to cut education spending. Who needs reading anyway? Literacy is overrated. and apparently not necessary for democracy.
9
This atrocity of a tax bill hurts millions of Americans, destroying their healthcare and their savings. The government will no longer be able to function like that of a superpower. The tide of money flowing to the wealthy is a blood tide, based on the lives and suffering of the middle and lower classes. With triggers for Medicare cuts coming as a direct result of increasing the deficit, cancer patients and others will see their lives shortened or medical bankruptcies increase.
The attacks on education are sickening. This is the future of our young people, and they are the ones who will be left holding the bill for enriching billionaires and wealthy companies.
No senator who voted for their monstrosity of a bill with the feeding frenzy that occurred can ever call themselves fiscally conservative, responsible or even patriotic. This was an absolutely corrupt bill that transferred from the middle and loser classes to the extreme wealthy at great cost.
Shame on every one of you. All of the lives that will be lost. All of the futures that are now not possible. The next Great Depression will come in the next few years according to historians and economists, but the rich will ride it out in their yachts. Disgusting.
Corruption is corruption whether it is one "hold out" senator at a time who is bribed or the entire group of these bottom feeders.
9
On a wing and a prayer. Such a simple phrase that encapsulates a heartfelt desire. The desire of so many in this nation is to have a working “normal” Congress again that is responsive to their needs. The farce of the Republican tax bill is a damaging lie to the every average American. It adds significantly to the public debt. Republicans are not telling you that as a consequence of this tax proposal, essential programs Americans count on to manage their day to day lives will be cut. It is kind of like the guy who shoots his parents and then says help me I’m an orphan. The increase in the debt will require some help to offset the effects.
Cutting taxes with a hope that it will deliver results down the road is foolhardy at best. Who deals with the damage when such hopes don’t pan out? You can’t say oops my bad.
Defeating this tax cut proposal is a priority. We need to put an end to antics that place party politics over the substance of what is best for the country. It is critical that you contact your member of Congress to demand better.
4
They are NOT listening and never will!
They are NOT listening and never ever will.
3
In my in my lifetime we have gone from being the envy of the world as a successful, diverse, relatively humane democracy to a disgrace on the world stage, well on our way to a government that combines the worst features of a monarchy with a mad king, a hereditary aristocracy, and a violent banana republic.
9
So, what's next? A war with North Korea that will even further deepen the deficit, darken our economy, and degrade America? And maybe the Republicans will become "illuminated" about the deficit, and find ways to cut programs that benefit our neediest: Medicare, Social Security, Healthcare. This isn't the last of the dismantling of Democracy as we know it. It's just the beginning. The Republican Senators are the most heartless of humans.
4
Thanks for voting for the tax bill.
Love the fact it is going to eliminate health care for millions, increase the debt, raise taxes on those who can least afford it and reward the already rich.
Be proud Republicans.
13
Okay, maybe it's just time to go with requiring 75% to pass anything in Congress? And all bills are one issue? No filibustering?
5
$1,400,000,000,000.00
That is the additional amount of money the Republicans agreed to have you, me, and all Americans borrow over the next decade. And for what purpose? So they can redistribute it to the owners of assets and the recipients of passive income and inherited wealth. And with what benefit? Perhaps it might generate a small amount of growth that will result in $400 billion in offsetting tax revenue over ten years.
Sounds like a pretty lousy investment. (A 71% loss.)
This is what you get when you install a so-called "businessman" in the White House.
Socialize the losses.
Privatize the profits.
8
If legislators, when writing new tax law, use fraudulent analyses and arguments to justify the avoidance of previously accepted levels of tax burden for a certain class of citizen, and many of those beneficially affected made a significant investment in the legislators' elections, is it vote buying, tax fraud, or both?
3
I am very happy with the passing of the tax bill by the Republicans. I will be getting a tax reduction based on the graph included with this article. I am glad the Republicans were able to finally agree on a bill that passed through legislation. This is not perfect but it is a start. No bill would have pleased everyone and there was bound to be those who benefitted and those who did not. I guess I am one of the lucky ones.
2
OK. You get yours. Do you think, also, it is a desirable thing for the country at large?
3
WMK loves everything Trump and the GOP does, period.
Seriously doubt he/she has any idea what the effect of the tax bill will be for them personally. A glimpse at a graph is apparently enough to sell it.
2
Make sure you step over the newly homeless laying in front of your front gate.
1
I hope that Democrats begin insisting in unison that their number one legislative priority for 2018 is to "Repeal and Replace" the new budget busting Trump Tax. After all, no further detail will be needed.
3
I recognize that it's tough to be an American. Living in a democratic republic means defending the rights of those with whom you violently disagree. I can't say I hate Trump supporters, because most of my own family number among them. But I can say, and I maintain, that their opinions are based on misinformation. The effect of social media and opinion-based journalism has done more to harm this country's politics than can be easily measured. We need to stop thinking as partisans and start thinking for ourselves. We need to observe actions, not listen to lies. First and foremost, we need to educate ourselves.
History will record this period as the age of stupidity. And the powerful want a stupid electorate, because nothing threatens their power more than a well-informed populace. Stupid people believe anything they're told. Cuts to social programs immediately impact education resources at all levels, so that furthers the cause of the rich and the powerful. And when we're too busy trying to make a living in an ever more inequitable economy, we can't worry too much about teaching our children. Thank god for TV and video games and mobile phones, anything that will take our minds off government. Dangle something shiny, please, so I don't have to think about my personal powerlessness to control my destiny.
I love this country, but my ardor is being crushed under the weight of the sins of its leaders.
8
Because Michael, our "leaders" are no longer leaders. We have no "leaders." Leaders (worthy leaders) are moral, decent, fair, compassionate, and intelligent. What the "leadership" of our country has become is a takeover by a criminal conspiracy, who are so vile and obscene in their greed, their cunning, their mendacity, their arrogance, their cruelty, their anti-intellectualism, and their entitlement to take away everything from us, that they are no less than demonic. They are THAT evil. To rob from the neediest amongst us to give to the obscenely wealthy. I still love this country, but I despise the evil that has overtaken it. And for everyone who does love this country, my advice is to vote for Democrats, preferably progressives.
The total corporate takeover of our tax code is just a week or so away.
The total corporate takeover of our environmental regulation is a fait accompli.
The total corporate takeover of our Supreme Court and lower federal courts is at hand.
The increased federal deficit that this tax bill will result in will be dealt with over the next 10 years by deep cuts in, or the elimination of, the common citizen's backstop of economic welfare: Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare. All cuts upheld by our federal court system.
The exacerbation of climate change that the focus on fossil fuels by this administration will bring about will be dealt with by large corporate run, government sponsored, for geoengineering. Paid for by further cuts in federal spending on public goods. All benefits to the corporation upheld by our federal court system.
At that point, likely somewhere in the 2030s, our transition to a Corpocracy will be compete and the life of the common citizen will be totally disempowered, meaningless, redundant, pointless.
At that point the Republican elites will be able to truly celebrate their long-awaited victory of destroying the federal government of the United States of America, and the small modicum of Democracy for the common citizen it stood for.
And the Democratic elites will shrug it all off and enjoy the financial benefits and whatever protections from climate change their wealth can afford.
Michael Bain
Glorieta, New Mexico
5
Next on the Republican agenda, cutting Medicare and Social Security when the ballooning deficit gives them the perfect excuse for cutting spending. That's why they don't care what this tax bill does. Expect another wave of "reform" in time for the 2020 elections.
4
In a separate article published today, a young woman in Canton, Ohio raises a question about the fairness of a graduated income tax: "Just because you are wealthy, why should you pay more for your lunch?" However, the biggest inequity we face is not that the wealthy pay a higher rate on their income, but that -- through such devices as the "carried interest" rule and Section 1031 tax-free exchanges -- the wealthy often pay tax at a lower rate than an hourly-paid employee. How can the average voter be persuaded that our tax system permits and encourages the wealthy to pay less for their lunches?
9
At what point will We, The People, say "ENOUGH!" ?
Let's ask our friends over in France how this plays out. Perhaps they have some experience with this.
10
After the next depression, 2021.
2
Sarasota Blues, my cousin is French; she is astounded by how the poor and the elderly are treated in the United States.
3
Mainers, start grooming a strong Democratic challenger to drive the now-unmasked hypocrite Collins from office. With her craven vote for the Plutocrats, many of you will be losing your health care in addition to paying more in taxes. Maybe she's lined up a sinecure on Wall Street. Who knows?
13
Susan Collins got the best deal she could in the situation, and it is characteristic of lying right-wingers and foolish far-lefties who will end up lying right-wingers to attack pretty mch the one woman in the equation rather than the men who did this.
1
It is not surprising our legislators continue to pass legislation that benefits people like themselves. It's the same reason boards "highly" compensate their CEOs - they identify with one another.
The only people who count are those we actually kniw and rub shoulders with.
Legislatures that are a club of millionaires will reflect tge interests of millionaires.
6
It is a remarkably airtight interlocked directorship.
2
Just checking in to wonder about all the people that thought Jeff Flake would be a true conservative and vote against this debacle of a tax give away to the richest Americans. Wrong, he always votes with Trump/McConnell as I have said many times. What a liar Flake is. Standing on the floor of the Senate lying. Well I certainly was not going to vote for him in any regard. He sure fooled a lot of people but not the people of Arizona who have watched him twist and turn and vote the straight Trump ticket of disaster . No true conservative would vote to drag our country into a gigantic $1.5 Trillion dollar addition to the deficit. You remember, the thing the republiCONs railed on for 8 years when President Obama put Bush's wars on the books. The deficit, now watch them blow it up. It's their deficit so it's OK. "The Conscious of a Conservative", addition, 2017, all fake by Flake.
11
McCain too.
Greed is the soul of the GOP.
2
I hope the media reruns all these photos of the grinning GOP Senators when the economy crashes in a few years (or sooner for many states). They just set us all up for yet another fall. This will be the third in my lifetime so far, same pattern each time...
10
After hearing that the Republicans were going to ram this disastrous Tax Bill through I thought of a rallying cry that the opposition could use.
Repeal and Replace!
7
My review of the link to the 479-page so-called "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" revealed the following:
--Only the first 96 pages deal with individual income tax changes. The remaining 383 pages address changes to business tax code.
--There are NO policy proposals to add JOBS.
--This isn't the entire tax bill--these are just change pages that reference the original tax bill. You cannot understand many of the changes without also referring to the appropriate section of the original bill.
6
Exactly! Mitch didn't want the citizens -- or even 49 decent Senators -- to know what is in it. Bless you for actually trying.
1
We know that this lot consists of functionaries for the rich and powerful and that their job is to rob the vast majority of the people to the benefit of the few. The sole surprise is that they have so completely exposed themselves as buffoons in doing so. To be robbed by such keystone cops of clumsiness only adds insult to the injury. Thieves usually try to hide their tracks, but these stooges stumbled about in public view during the commission of their crime. We are a pathetic lot to have allowed these clowns to hold such important positions.
9
Americans have to be gluttons for punishment to have set themselves up to be reamed by the most obvious con artist practicing in the US today.
3
A Christmas Gift for the republican Corporate Donors, the rest of America left out to pay for the cuts. The only way to offset the tax cuts for the wealthy is to cut Medicare and Medicaid and Health Care that Americans depend upon. Watch out recent retirees, the cuts in Social Security are coming.
Isn't is grand to see so much gloating from these reprehensible republican senators. corporate Cuts are permanent, middle class temporary.
Tax gift for the Wealthy 1%. Legislation without Representation. No one who vote yes read this bill.
5
Remember too that once the deficit balloons and nothing trickles down (again), Democrats will be left to clean up the mess...again. Of course, that plays right into the cynical long game of the Republicans, who can then complain about tax raising Democrats as a play to reclaim any seats they loose once (if?) the bill of goods sold by the current administration gets exposed.
6
Once insurance premiums start rising, and particularly if automatic cuts to services start, the 2018 and 2020 campaign commercials should write themseles.
Of course, the Dems are so used to blowing elections, they will want to edit them into something convoluted and stupid.
9
President tweeted:
“Biggest Tax Bill and Tax Cuts in history just passed in the Senate.”
Correction - “Biggest Scam” and “Money Grab Transfer of Wealth” in history executed by serial liars, and self-interested, corrupt Elected Politicians!
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
https://www.facebook.com/USDebtForum/
https://twitter.com/USDebtForum
4
Why are we raging against the GOP? It's useless to be mad at them!
Why aren't we calling out our Democratic "leadership" who let this thing roll over them without any resistance? Is that our mantra this week "RESIST" ??
They could have arranged a "CNN Town Hall" 6 months ago and explained to everyone the impending danger of this plan. Like always, they farmed out their communication responsibilities to the "talking heads" shows and let MSNBC do all their heavy lifting. It's Disgusting, Lazy and Pathetic- The entire party needs to be voted out. Let's elect some, "War Time Consiglieres" willing to fight for us- so we don't get in these terrible jams all the time. What's wrong with you people? Stop smoking all that medical marijuana and DO SOMETHING!
7
Yeah, I've been trying to make this same point.
The bill was always going to pass, but they could have hammered home at least a couple of issues that would anger people enough to mobilize in 2018.
2
Disagree strongly. You are incorrect to blame the Democrats. This corrupt mess is hugely, clearly, TOTALLY laid at the feet of the bought-off Repubs. Wake up!
3
You get a better explanation of progressive positions and philosophy from comments in the New York Times than you get from the Democratic leadership.
1
We can strike back! First, vote them out in 2018. Second, stop buying stuff, move your 401k into cash and tank the economy. It's going to happen anyway and at least this time you will be safe with cash.
Oh, when big business wants bailouts....they will get pitchforks and torches.
4
Not sure what "country" McConnell is talking about.
6
With an estimated $1 trillion to $1.6 trillion addition to the federal deficit, where were all of the Tea Party protesters who spent the 8 years of the Obama administration shouting about growing deficits? I can tell you where they are now--they are marching in Charlottesville and other towns with swastikas, helmets, clubs and guns.
Many intelligent people understood long ago that the Tea Party was synonymous with the KKK. Their absence regarding this "tax" bill and its promise to balloon the federal deficit absolutely underscores the core racism of their true motives. They protested the "black" president but remained completely silent when the "white" (or should I say orange) one spent like a drunken sailor.
I love snow but I am not so sure I am dreaming of a "white" Christmas anymore!
5
There isn't anyone in God's most pretentious collection of projectors who plays with a full deck. Not a one.
1
Your Treasury has been looted.
10
The current republican tax plan as passed by the Senate will automatically trigger 25 billion dollars in Medicare cuts, as well as cuts in spending dear to the core Republican constituency such as farm subsidies, under longstanding "pay go" rules. The prevailing assumption however is that Democrats, whose votes are needed to waive pay go rules (which unlike reconciliation rules the tax plan passed under, requires 60 votes) would never actually allow that to happen. This allowed Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan to win over the vote of Susan Collins under the promise pay go would be waived, and pass their reckless plan free from the fear that their will be any immediate backlash from their voters. Democrats have to stop bringing a knife to a gunfight in the face of this reckless and irresponsible tax bill. They should announce they will not help the GOP waive pay go waivers, and if Republicans sabotage the ACA by repealing the individual mandate they now own “Trumpcare." They also need to make clear their cooperation on Alexander-Murray and other ACA stabilization bills is also off the table. The only thing more depressing than the breathtaking hypocrisy of the republican tax plan and the many false statement by Republicans defending it is the Democrats failure to fight it with every tool at their disposal
4
Senator Flake and Vice-President Pence are going to work on a new DACA Program which should never see the light of day? Washington needs to stop rewarding those who have broken our laws!
The President promised that all illegal immigrants must go home and he would annul the DACA Program on his first day in office. If the DACA individuals ever receive Citizenship they would be able to sponsor the rest of the family with Green Cards, when is Washington going to learn that our Citizens have to obey our laws, why are Citizens of other Countries here illegally get rewarded for breaking these same laws?
Did you have any idea where your parents were moving you as a child?
2
Where are all those Tea Party people who took to the streets when Obamacare was passed. They screamed bloody murder that this was going to blow a hole in the budget, was unfair to some and would change the very nature of how our Government by picking winners and losers and interfering in the marketplace. Now we have a tax overhaul that will badly effect millions of taxpayers, picks winners (the rich ) and losers (the poor) and interferes with the marketplace by giving the biggest companies the biggest tax breaks, yet we hear crickets. Do you see why we liberals don't trust your principals, your politics or your media, it all suggests that the real reason you objected was that a black man was proposing it.
5
They have only one principle: "Me First!".
2
The GOP has officially evolved into the Banana Republicans, a political party that acts for the benefit of the donor-class class only.
5
There was no way this wasn't going to pass, so no use crying about it.
My old party used to care about the debt, and perversely used the debt as a campaign issue, and then decided to stick their hands in the taxpayer till.
That being said, the PR campaign of the Democrats has been just awful.
All they needed to do is concentrate on the benefits that would accrue to Tic Tacs at the expense of the rest of us. That's it. Instead they drone on about trickle down and oligarchy, which nobody can latch on to.
Rule #1 for Democrats: Make this about one person, Mr Teen USA.
ALWAYS refer to this as the Executive Enrichment Scheme, not as a tax anything.
Let Krugman do the analysis ( he's great at it), but if you are on TV, stick to the script. Executive thievery, and then pivot to Flynn and Manafort.
Get to work !!!
5
The Democrats don't have anyone who can throw hard tweet-length punches.
3
It's abundantly clear, as Watergate hovers in the back of our minds, that the GOP is still the party of Dirty Tricks. Trying to sting the Post, spreading disinformation via tweet, pretending to "discover" information slipped to you by the WH. No wonder Russia's dirty tricks were such a good fit. And this tax "legislation" is the DIRTIEST TRICK of all.
1
Thank you President Trump using your skills to help pass a remarkable bill. Goes to show you how much hate from the Democrats when ALL but one Republican voted for progress but they can't come to the table with anything positive. After Hillary bought the nomination which is now an open book, they all should be ashamed of continuing this partisanship. Sanctuary cities should be allowed and not be funded until they stop this nonsense. San Francisco will lose travelers. Who would want to go there after the Katie Steinle verdict. Now that is sad.
I guess only in distorted reality land does a discussion of a tax bill designed to rip off poor people and enrich the well off merit mentions of Hillary and sanctuary cities.
Also, San Francisco will continue to receive tourist numbers orders of magnitude above anywhere in North Carolina. Intelligent, educated people, like to visit California.
2
They are smiling now, but just wait until 2018 elections. Shame on all of them except Corker.
2
This is how it is supposed to work, the Democrats were a CHECK on the Republicans to make sure the Middle Class and poor go their piece of the pie too.
Sadly, John McCain last important Senate vote will probably be this one, and it should probably be suspected as being cast in order to benefit his family via the estate tax decrease. Kudos to Bob Corker for not doing the same.
4
Why do you say Republicans 'believe' it will pay for itself? Do you really think they would say 'this is going to jack up deficits but our donors demand we gut their taxes'? Politicians say whatever promotes their interests. Tell us what they 'say' or 'claim', not what they 'believe'.
This shell game has been going on for 40 years. When Republicans are in power, they slash taxes on the rich while raising military spending and run sky-high deficits, all the while promising it will pay for itself through voodoo economics. Reagan, GW Bush, Trump, all the same playbook. When Democrats are in power Republicans earnestly tell us the most important thing is to slash spending to cut deficits, that we can't afford to spend money on programs that help ordinary people. And like Charlie Brown kicking Lucy's football, reporters keep telling us what Republicans sincerely 'believe' through every whiplash-inducing switch of their positions. Stop it already!
2
To paraphrase Greg Palast: The best tax reform money can buy.
5
I long for a country where we listen to each other and compromise. Where we trust that the other side maybe sees something that we don't. "You want to try tax cuts for the rich? I don't think it's a good idea, but I'll go along and try it if you'll agree to try gun control. But let's also agree to really study what happens when we make these changes, and if things don't go as planned let's agree to try the other guy's way." That's behavior I would admire. What's happening now, and has been happening for some time, is just bullying. We need to start calling it what it is, especially the bullying behavior of our President. One month to pass a bill with such huge ramifications, with little or no chance for public study and comment? It's disgusting. Statesmanship is a real thing, but it's not part of the American way anymore. I hope someday it will come back.
1
We have tried tax cuts for the rich dozens of times.
2
McCain is such a hypocritical disappointment. He talks the big talk about bi-partisanship, thoughtfulness and transparency - when it suits him. In reality, he's no different or better than the rest of his Republican colleagues.
5
Where was a sound Democrat's voice--compromising on corporate rate cut to 25%,raising hedge fund carried interest to income tax level, capping deduction of mortgage interest to $2M homes, prop tax capped at $20k, BUT insisting on major infrastructure spending and a guarantee to discuss entitlements separately (Medicare, medicaid & social security addressed carefully) ??
If all any legislator cares about is blocking his opponent's win, we are doomed. Some bills are too important to simply boycott or naysay. Sanders inspired no popular base.
Arguing FOR a reasonable alternative should have been fierce & principled !
1
This scam is going to weight so heavy for the years to come on the R party, that they'll wish they never passed it.
1
In America, a few dozen white people can steal a trillion and a half dollars, on camera, without consequence. A black man can be choked to death, on camera, for selling loose cigarettes. Without consequence.
9
Right wingers manage to dupe the undereducated public and wedge a feckless puppet into the White House. The sharks take it from there.
4
This bill is what comes from Republicans' continuing campaign for LESS government... mind-LESS, point-LESS, use-LESS, spine-LESS, feck-LESS, gut-LESS, and the list goes on.
3
Do you feel violated? I do!
The GOP has just economically and socially raped our country's citizens with this abomination of a tax give away to Corporations and their Donors.
Just wait for all the secret social engineering hidden in this legislation when it's finally read and reviewed
3
A page from the democrats under Polosi when she said as it relates to the ACA, “You have to vote on it to see it.” The republicans gave the democrats a lot more time to read the document than the democrats gave to republicans. What is good for the goose is good for the gander!!!!!!!
CNN interviewed the economist Arthur Laffer who "invented" trickle down economics. I couldn't believe my ears when I heard this guy pontificating on his theories. Someone tweeted in response to his theories that he left out one thing......the greed of human beings. Apparently the GOP did too when they wrote this 500 page abomination.
1
As Uncle Sam lies on hospital table getting prepped for surgery, the surgeon steps back in great remorse, its's to late the surgeon states. Then one of the nurses quickly asked the surgeon what is the diagnosis? He quickly replies, "To Greedy and Stupid to live".
2
This is Samuel Alito's world, the fruition of the wildest dreams of the rich and entitled, the crowding out of the voice of the people with the mass flow of money into the arteries of the legislature, the dissolution of democracy and the demise of competitive capitalism. His fascist vision come true. Alito's Citizens United made the usurpation of the vox populi possible. The legislature no longer responds to the majority. It does the bidding of the donor class and not much else. There is blood on the hands of the Republicans, and misery aplenty will flow from these corrupt legislators. The rich have cemented their fortunes for 1,000 years, or until the starving peasantry boils the rich in oil and erects guillotines in the public square.
4
This is anti-democratic, immoral, disgraceful. "Pass first, read later"!? Last-minute changes scribbled in at the last minute? Senate Republicans, you are stabbing the vast majority of Americans in the back! But I'll bet the Koch brothers are very happy about this.
1
Whenever you see a photograph of Mitch McConnell grinning and gleefully you can be certain some hideous violation against human decency has just been accomplished.
2
I am reminded of the 1980s Soviet comedian Yakov Smirnoff:
"In Russia, swamp drain you."
2
The Democrats upset they had no time to review? The same ones who voted for Obamacare? Nancy Pelosi anyone? We have to pass the bill in order to find out what's in it? Your public servants, just for you. On both sides of the aisle.
"I voted for Trump because I wanted someone different." "I voted for Trump because he's a smart businessman." "He will drain the swamp." "He's an outsider, we need an outsider."
Well Trump voters, you got someone different, a colluding treasonous crook headed to jail. Smart businessman? If you count 5 bankruptcies as smart, especially bankrupting casinos. He didn't drain the swamp he filled it with vile, idiotic creatures only beholden to their own billions. Now the outsider will sign, maybe as he's about to be handcuffed, a bill designed to destroy the middle class. Good job, ill informed Trump voters.
3
You wonder if the special interest money can save those up for election in 2018. I believe VA showed their fate is sealed.
Democrats might raise the deficit by putting money in social programs for the poor, health care for 28 million people, food stamps, meals on wheels, etc....Republicans drive up the deficit by spending money on tax cuts for the wealthy and a bloated huge military build up. Is this really the country you want to live in? What a sad place the US has become!
1
Buckle up....Recession round 2 is coming.
2
It's official: Republicans declare War on Poverty.
1
Disgusting.
This reminds me of Cheney & George the 2nd's "Patriot Bill", a huge, printed and book-bound volume of Legislation, ready ... mere days after 911, with no time for our "elected Officials" to even read it - allowing our Nation to go into the wrong War, while Halliburton thoroughly looted the Federal Treasury.
"Our" Government has reached a new low - if such a thing is possible.
2
Demonstrably disgusting how they assembled this bill. Done behind closed doors with chicken scratching in the margins. And curses, like chickens, will always come home to roost.
3
Let’s hope the haste includes twice as many errors as the affordable care act that can be challenged in court and ultimately cripple the bill, that is once repubs are out of power in a year or so.
2
51 people deciding the fate of 400 million people is not democracy.
4
No it's not. I think what is really freaking everyone out is that our overlords have stopped bothering to hide, and have taken their masks off at last. There is no longer any pretense of democracy.
1
-- What a Fraud --
Let's acquiesce to the fact that now 1.5 trillion plus will be added to the deficit by the “Balanced Budget” Apostles .
How could this 1.5 trillion have been best spent?
CEO's and Shareholders will keep the money in their distended bank accounts. As history shows (facts), top down (or trickle) not happening. Ask Kansans about their much touted "experiment", a dismal failure.
-- Or what could have been --
In Feb 2017, Trump pledged that infrastructure would be a priority of his first 100 days in office. “Crumbling infrastructure will be replaced with new roads, bridges, tunnels, airports and railways gleaming across our beautiful land,” adding that “millions” of jobs would be created.
Take the same 1.5 trillion (as Trump promised), spend it on infrastructure, schools, health care, and the money goes directly into the hands of consumers.
Consumers and a strong middle class will spend the money and purchase goods and services. Bottom up - the only proven economic plan.
-- And then consider --
With such a historically solid economy, as Trump proclaims almost every day, why do we need to cut taxes that support the national infrastructure?
Unemployment is down to 4.1%, lowest in 17 years. 1.5 million new jobs created since I took office. Highest stock Market ever, up $5.4 trill
5:35 AM - 4 Nov 2017
Stock Market hits new Record High. Confidence and enthusiasm abound. More great numbers coming out!
8:05 AM - Nov 30, 2017
-Finally-
The Twilight Zone.
2
This is a day to sit back, listen again to John's 1970 album, Plastic Ono Band, and "remember" that "a working class hero is something to be."
Shake it off and regroup. Fight.
2
Taxing the poor to give to the rich - that's really rich.
If the people who were dumb enough to believe Trump actually would help them now realize that they've been stiffed, we just might see something akin to a revolution.
2
Such joy on their faces after using reconciliation to put everything in a tax bill from fetal personhood, to campaigning in the pulpit, to plundering the Alaskan Arctic National Wildlife refuge by drilling, to taking away state income tax deductions (which is going to hurt the blue states ) to creating new tax burdens for college (only the rich will have access to higher education). This is a bill directed at making us a plutocracy with a citizen peasantry.
2
Watching from the outside as America completes its transformation into a plutocracy and firmly on the road to being a failed state.
3
RM, northern neighbor...please pray with those of us who dare to dream that we can get rid of these criminal, parasitic plutocrats, and restore morality, legality, decency, integrity, character, and honorability to our country. We need all the help, prayer, moral support, and friendship that we can get at this tragic time in our history!
As usual, the Democrats and their media henchmen resort to apocalyptic language and the usual bombast and caterwauling. Their emotionalism, illogicality, and histrionics became tiresome long ago. President Trump gets a big win with this one. Kudos.
Complete with a break for owners of golf courses. None of these officials has an iota of shame.
Monday morning I think readers should pick up their phones and call representatives, no matter what state they're from, and let them know how disgusted they are. Just a suggestion.
2
A: They just plain don't care, and they laugh at all of our phone calls, e-mails, and letters. Do you see what they did DESPITE all of our phone calls, and such????? They are not interested in the citizens of this country, and they have made it very clear, and will continue to make it very clear. We are wasting our time with the phone calls, the e-mails, etc. They hold us BENEATH contempt. If they could, they would step on us, like so many ants. The time for phone calls and e-mails IS OVER. (Unless you just want to tell them to DROP DEAD...)
3
My 30 plus year old small business hired another employee (with benefits) last month, not because of impending tax cuts but due to customer demand. A tax cut had NOTHING to do with hiring, it is based on bottom-up demand/needs (Basic Business 101). My tax cut bonus will pay for a new outdoor kitchen next year! Thanks Republicans, can I fire up a double-cheese burger for any of you?
2
Nothing but a gift to the Republican gods of political donations. Republicans have bowed down to their gods, forgetting they were elected to serve all the people in their districts. The Republican Congress has shown that it cares nothing fur the average person in this country. They have given those who donate large sums to them what they want and they have given Trump what he wanted most: a tax bill that gives he and his family millions, if not billions, in tax breaks.
Trump will engage in the largest conflict of interest in American politics when he signs whatever comes out of the conference committee. He will enrich himself tremendously by signing this travesty into law.
Impeach now!
2
Hand-scribbled, illegible notes stuffed into the side margins. Final drafts delivered to key Democrats by lobbyists, rather than the Clerk's office. Vote scheduled without Treasury numbers - indeed, when Treasury employees claim there ARE no numbers. National debt scheduled to rise $1 trillion at the least according to the CBO. 10 million people to lose health insurance thanks to the removal of the Obama mandate. The transfer of literally trillions over 10 years from the lower and middle-class to the wealthiest of the upper-class.
Save for one man who's not running for anything, the entire Republican Party just voted to fix what wasn't broken and to actually shatter the things that are working well - all to satisfy their donors who threaten to take away their campaign contributions.
Congress has never been particularly ethical, but these awful people are simply profiles in stupidity and greed.
3
Back in 1981, David Stockman predicted that the massive Reagan tax cuts would be the key to America's future prosperity. They weren't. The giveaway to the wealthy, coupled with the largest defense build-up in history, left the country $2.5 trillion in debt--America went from being a creditor nation to the greatest debtor nation in the world thanks to Reagan's "trickle down" tax policies. Naturally, every administration since Reagan has had to flog the poor and middle class in order to address this debut.
The GOP's playbook contains only one play: give money to those who not only already have it, but who won't spend a penny of it "creating good jobs" or "building American prosperity." Instead these windfalls make their way to the Cayman Islands (see the Paradise Papers), or to purchase more yachts, luxury cars, and diamond watches for our domestic Lords of the Manor.
All very sad, of course. But, worse of all is the realization that has by now dawned on anyone who pays attention: there is no longer anything we can do about inequality, political corruption, and the undisguised disdain the wealthiest have for the rest of us. There is no robust opposition party, and the political and economic systems are, indeed, rigged to favor the one percent who not only own most of the wealth, but who are also lucky enough to own a political party.
I've grown used to the corruption, but what I can no longer abide is the hypocritical cant about democracy.
2
The impact this will have on the economy will ensure the economy will be robust with job and business growth. President Trump will get a second term and hopefully Pence will be President for eight years also.
Once the intended and unintended consequences of this sausage roll of a tax bill occur, the GOP will be voted out (if people even turn out to vote) and the newly elected Democratic president will be blamed for not working fast enough to fix the mess left behind by Trump. If the GOP starts to fiddle with Social Security and Medicare voters need to vote their scoundrel elected officials out. But I am not optimistic since American voters who voted for Trump and their supporters don't strike me as particularly intelligent even about their own self interest.
1
This was probably as fair a partisan tax bill as could be enacted during this very partisan period in our history. Note that the changes made at the last minute in order to get a Republican majority actually made the bill more fair to the middle class. It reinstated the SALT deduction with a $10k cap and it included a medical expense deduction for lower income taxpayers. Yes, some of the wealthy will gain somewhat by this bill, but remember, about 40% of the populace does not pay any income taxes whatsoever and that will not change.
In the final analysis, the success or failure of this legislation will depend on what it does for the American economy and for average working taxpaying Americans. If it is a success, people will remember that the Democrats opposed it unanimously and they will suffer for it. If it is a failure, the GOP will be clobbered during the midterm election and the Dems will take over Congress and impeach President Trump. So, the stakes are high for this bill and the motivations of the parties for & against.
Another opponent of the bill that has a lot to gain or lose is the corporate media (including the NYT) that has uniformly & repeatedly editorialized against both the House & Senate version and have repeated the Democratic mantra that it is a giveaway to the rich and will bust the budget. It is sometimes difficult to pierce the strident chorus opposed to the bill to see its virtues but they may shine brightly after it goes into effect.
1
We should be raising revenue at this time, not cutting it. The economy is growing and unemployment is low, now is the time to pay down the debts we incurred to deficit spend our way out of the great recession.
I have no doubt that the speculative frenzy that this bill will encourage will, in the short term, lead to some pretty spectacular profits for American corporations. Freeing up more money for speculation, however, will lead directly to overinvestment, and, after that, overleveraged lenders (once it becomes clear that the fundamentals of the economy won't have budged). The mania for stocks is starting to resemble the mania for stocks of the 1920s, another era where, like today, employment was static and agriculture was in severe decline.
Mature economies don't typically grow more than 1-2% per year. Anything beyond that is a sign that economy is overheating and that excess growth is unsustainable. After every boom, a bust.
The republicans are saying today that Reagan demonstrated that deficits don't matter. Ha! Deficit spending doesn't matter when the economy is in recession, when it is not deficit spending is a terrible idea.
America's public debt is about to balloon to an out-of-control, unsustainable level, all thanks to the party of "fiscal conservatives."
10 years from now, when we are in the midst of a second great depression, we will regret having gone down this path.
1
-Corporations have more cash that ever...where are the jobs?
- As we watch corporate coffers grow, with increased automation and less need for labor, and thus subsequent stagnant job and wage growth.
--And increased monopolization with less chances for small business... how will we then reflect on trickle down?
Mark this down in you lab books... let's see how this experiment runs.
2
This is not the time to increase the deficit, but rather to pay it off. As the Federal Reserve raises rates coupled with a rising deficit will result a large rise in interest rates and inflation. It will cause growth to slow. It will lead also lead to further deficits as the federal government must refinance it's debt at higher and higher rates. Holders of existing debt will sell it to avoid losses because the debt was issued in nominal terms.
Eventually, Standard and Poor's will reduce the credit rating of the USA, causing other countries to reduce their investment in US Treasury bonds, causing the yield curve to rise at the long end of the curve. The same place where mortgages are priced off of. The mid portion of the curve will also rise, thereby raising the cost to corporate debt because that's where corporations issue the most of their debt.
1
Frankly, I am perplexed at justification the GOP used to pass this "generous tax bill". According to President Trump, the country is booming with economic growth, so why continue with the mantra that these expected tax cuts will "generate more robust economic growth than the forecasters projected?" The country is allegedly doing so well. I'm not a huge fan of Senator Schumer, but he truly hit the nail on the head with his statement that “under the cover of darkness” this bill would “stuff even more money into the pockets of the wealthy and the biggest corporations while raising taxes on millions in the middle class.”
Even though Senator Jeff Flake showed some backbone in voting against this bill, I'n not certain he would have voted the same way if he was not retiring. It's easy to find courage and convictions when one departs from office.
2
All one can hope is that when the full consequences of the soon-to-be new tax law fall upon the blue-collar Trump voters and their pocketbooks, they will at last awaken to the reality of facts and adjust their votes accordingly. Until then, it will be a bumpy ride.
9
You are most correct Mr. Czipott. And for many, many individuals, it will prove to be a bumpier ride than not. I have never looked so earnestly towards mid-term elections as I do today. The midnight vote in favor of this tax bill will make the Reagan era look like the work of rank ammeters in comparison to the lasting damage and harm it will create for so many in the long run. Good grief, what has these 51 Senators done?
1
The wealthy are dancing in the streets. They will get a double windfall,
First they get substantial, permanent tax cuts and then they will reap the benefits of the corporate cuts when they see higher stock dividends and stock buybacks pushing stocks even higher and their investments earnings even higher. Its a gift that keeps on giving.
Me, I live on Long Island which means that the loss of the Salt and medical deductions and a 10k cap on property taxes will have me paying thousands more. And with property taxes guaranteed to go up every year but no guarantee that wages will go up, so will my tax bill.
SAD
82
The vast majority of tax payers will see a well-deserved tax cut under this bill. Currently, 84% of taxpayers take the standard deduction. That amount has DOUBLED under both versions of the bill. The child tax credit goes up 100% under the Senate version and 60% under the House version. Admittedly, some itemizers in high tax states like yours will pay more, but your high state and local taxes have been subsidized by taxpayers in other states for years.
1
Not just the wealthy--I took out my 2016 return and ran the numbers. This change will result in my saving 2-3K on my taxes.
1
"Your high state and local taxes have been subsidized by taxpayers in other states for years."
What an absurd assertion.
1
Here’s what’s next, given that trickle down economics has never been proven to work:
Cuts to social programs - namely Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. This bill will hurt most Americans now and in the not too distant future. The gift that keeps on giving.
45
I studied economics. Can you point to a journal, textbook, or scholarly economic publication that explains this economic theory you call "trickle down economics?" I've never actually seen it defined, outside of the main stream media and from people who never studied economics.
Capitalism destroys its own, not the first time either. Republican voters voted for their executioner. The Trump government is carpet bombing the working and middle-class American people. No terrorists could do that.
1
Mauricio--despite your willful obtuseness, I'm willing to bet you read plenty about "supply side economics," which is the same exact thing. (As you should well know, having "studied economics.")
A conservative economist and a liberal economist faced off in another Times article on the tax bill. The conservative economist, after (surprise, surprise!) arguing that the added debt will be lower than projected, insisted that the "real" number was only $400-600 billion, which, he conceded, the US government indeed would need to finance by borrowing more. Not to worry, though, since that would amount to only:
"...$40 billion to $60 billion more each year. This is a drop in the bucket of the Treasury market..."
Reminds me of a famous line by Everett Dirksen, the irascible former Senator from Illinois (for those who don't recall Dirksen, or are too young to remember him, it's sufficient just to say that whoever invented the word "curmudgeon" was probably thinking about Everett Dirksen at the time).
Dirksen said:
"A billion here, a billion there -- before you know it, you're talking real money!"
21
"A great day for the country".
Let those words be etched into the annals of history.
The very lowest form of life clothed in bloated self-interest.
Shame on them, Shame.
Considering the election of Trump was meant to be a 'protest vote' against an urban elite who had 'lost touch' with Blue Collar America. I wonder if that blue collar America is feeling suckered punched yet?
83
Not yet. But when they do, you can be sure that they will somehow blame it on President Obama and/or Secretary Clinton.
3
I look at this bill and wish that we could sue legislators for malpractice. What we know about it is bad enough; but the unintended consequences will probably be even worse.
88
Maybe you mean the intended consequences.
1
Joe Bob the lll: I am not so sure that the consequences (cutting Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid) are unintended. The GOP know that many Americans suffer short term memories and critical thinking skills, and that others, namely the wealthy, will never need the social safety nets for their retirements or medical care, so don't give a whit.
Short term and long term goals accomplished in one fast deal.
3
Joe Bob, why can't we sue the legislators for malpractice? Lawyers out there: Can we file a class action suit against these criminal politicians who are not only stealing from us, but are deliberately endangering our lives, (with malice aforethought) and have abdicated their jobs of working for their constituents who elected them, and instead are working for the obscenely wealthy????? Seems like we have sufficient and screamingly obvious grounds!
4
Too bad the media just does not understand how the income tax system works. It is easy to say whatever one wants. Backing it is tough. The bill is the first step to get back many corporations who have quit paying taxes in the USA through what are called corporate inversions, Burger King probably being the most popular. Obama chased out up to 1,100 corporations PER MONTH! That is correct. Instead of paying the high rates, they elected to pay nothing and move to another country. Bringing the corporate rates down may help; albeit, the final compromise is probably 5% too high --- hopefully, that can be fixed. Taxing older individuals on their savings was certainly a penalty in the past, one that will not be so bad after the passage of the bill. Let's face it, the super wealthy live differently than we do; hence, whatever tax changes are made can be interpreted to help the super wealthy. I read where one of the readers spoke of wealthy GOP senators and congressmen. Well, the Democratic elected officials have a combined higher net worth and income. Although, they do not market that too much. And remember the billions that were "contributed" to what has become a fraud of a foundation? Maybe the next laws can be more directed to deter this type of fraud that was fed by the Obama administration. Didn't his net worth somehow go up more than any other President in history while in the White House while "only receiving his Presidential salary"? Too bad people do not know more.
8
It's too bad that people believe the lies fed to them by Fox News and choose to defend the legislators in their own party even when their actions are clearly not in the best interests of their constituents.
2
Keep drinking the Kool-Aid, if you really think your corporations paid any taxes, they deducted everything and pain from zero to 10%. Burger King has its corporate offices in the USA, they just acquired a company in Canada. If you think companies are going to bring back profits they make from overseas, then you are also smoking something and have never studied economics at the university level. Your country just signed a death warrant on the poorer classes, also I find it funny how you think that the U.S. has a middle class, your people cannot even afford medical or college, let alone go on yearly vacations, Americans are slaves to their politicians.
1
How about outlawing corporate inversions as a stand alone bill ?
Not so hard, actually.
1
Imagine what would happen if one of us in our own job signed something, say a contract or an expense account, without knowing the contents to which we wrote off on. Now imagine justifying that by saying that we had to sign off as hastily as the document was assembled, or that an irascible person was bullying people to have paper move.
Most of us would be reprimanded or terminated for irresponsibility. And, essentially, 51 Senators just did this with no consequences.
38
@NM -- the American people just found out that the Republican senators got their PIN numbers to their bank accounts. Bye bye savings and future equity.
1
Seems no one can agree anymore other than "they" -- the other side -- is terrible and wrong. The media, corporations and politicians have convinced us that there is a red and blue, black and white, liberal and conservative divided country and there is no hope.
So let's talk solutions. Is there one? I'm not yet ready to give up on America like this tax code does but we must agree that we need to start working together OR recognize that the "great experiment" has failed and move on to a different form of government or country.
7
Start at the top.
There are millions of current and former Republicans who want this guy gone.
Many current Republicans lie and say they think he's OK, because a President with a 24% approval rating would crush their midterm chances, so they lie.
I know this, because I was told to do exactly that for the good of the party. I left instead, and others are joining me every day.
1
This country is hopelessly divided. We should acknowledge this and agree to go our separate ways. I’m sorry to say it, but I despise those who support Trump and Trumpism and what they’ve done to this country. I don’t want to live with these failed human beings anymore.
107
I don’t like Trump either, but your self-righteous, elitist attitude is no better. Until we can respect, speak to, and compromise with each other nothing will change.
Why be sorry?
Trump voters aren't sorry about hating liberals.
2
Righteousness and elitism are good things.
Now, how will the nation be able to rationalize spending on that massive infrastructure plan that not only promises jobs for the un-wealthy, but badly needed upgrades to our airports, trains, subways, roads, bridges and more?
22
Because infrastructure is desperately need. Throwing good money at illegal immigration and sanctuary cities is not. The money will give many workers a way to support their families and in return, they will spend and put back into the community.
I can't see how it will happen, unless we, say, cut more tax deductions.
Not sure how the Trump base looks at this. The bill does not achieve any of the objectives it was supposedly designed to do. Won't pay for itself, will increase the deficit by a trillion over 10 years, widespread tax cuts for the top 1 percent, mixed results for middle class. Oh I see, chips away further at affordable healthcare, gives churches latitude in political arena in contravention to constitutional intentions and gives the Donald something to thump his chest over. Deplorable was a demeaning and disgusting way to describe the Trump base but you have to wonder when they will wake up and smell the coffee. This is no way to make America great.
15
By increasing the deficits, Republicans can now assert that "social" spending must be cut to pare down the deficit...
1
Want the truth about this bill? Here it is:
Florida Senator Marco Rubio admits that the Republican tax cut plan to aid corporations and the wealthy will require cuts to Social Security and Medicare to pay for it. Rubio told reporters this week that in order to address the federal deficit, which will grow by at least $1 trillion if the tax plan passes, Congress will need to cut entitlement programs such as Social Security. Advocates for the elderly and the poor have warned that entitlement programs would be on the chopping block, but this is the first time a prominent Republican has backed their claims.
And Republicans voted for this monstrosity!
85
That's because an additional $9 trillion in additional debt is already baked into the cake over the next 10 years primarily driven by entitlements. We need entitlement reform irrespective of this tax bill.
Good. I hope they cut Social Security and Medicare drastically.
I will have fun mocking the dumb old people here in Florida who voted for not being able to pay for their own medication.
2
Of course, you are being facetious. Any entitlement reform will grandfather those already on Medicare or close to it.
Greed has no limits. Amazingly, these people call themselves Christians. What happened to "the meek shall inherit the earth"?
23
If a bill is illegible, how can it be said to have passed? Unreadable language cannot become law. Can this be taken to court? How can our representatives (even the ones who may support what is ultimately made clear) be asked to vote on what they cannot read?
17
Congrats to the 1% and corporations.
And a special thanks to those that voted in favor and for showing how to stick it to people while they sleep peacefully in their bed. Nice job. Your parents are proud. Your family is proud. You can't blame 44 for this one. You own all parts of this. I am so ashamed at what we have done to our future generations. They will never forgive us for this kind of treachery that we have inflicted on them.
37
The "Darkest Hour" ad headline promoting a movie elsewhere in this online issue is misplaced. It should be topping this story. And the bill itself is misnamed. It should be the Billionaires Bribery bill.
20
If this Senate bill is reconciled with the House bill and passes into law we, the American people, have no choice but to turn the Republicans out of Congress and return Congress to governing in the best interests of the American people, not for the rich and cash rich corporations. We will do that in the 2018 elections. Republicans will find that they cannot keel-haul the middle-class, poor, and vulnerable forever.
12
That will only happen if Citizens United is overturned, and keeps corporate money out of politics. The problem is the alternative, Democrats, are as corrupt as the Republicans with tainted corporate money.
5
We already have no choice. They have to go.
2
"It'll be a dramatic turning point in a downward spiral for the Republicans," Mr. Schumer said.
I wish I believed that this will actually come back to bite the Republicans, but I don't. I don't have faith that Republican voters will do the right thing, despite the fact that this will hurt them (never mind the harm it does to others). They are all about winning to the exclusion of all else. Except that nobody wins.
20
It will. Remember many people vote Republican because of the abortion issue. But, some of these people live in high tax states like Ohio, New York, most of new England, California, et. al. When they discover that they no longer can deduct state and local income tax, mortgage interest, medical deductions, deductions for home office, energy credits, and a chunk of their property taxes, the chickens will come home to roost. And, if they live in a state where their state income tax is tied to what they pay in federal taxes, increase, they will be wielding an axe on those chickens.
10
Kansas woke up after a similar ideology destroyed its economy. So maybe it will come back to bite the Republicans. But not before a lot of damage is done.
2
President Trump achieves what no other republican could for the last 8 years.
In one fell swoop, the new tax code makes a significant impact on jobs, illegal immigration, and Obamacare:
(a) at jobs and investments back.
(b) makes it financially difficult to support sanctuary cities, and
(c) weakens Obamacare by eliminating the controversial individual mandate.
Wow!
6
Correction:
(a) attempts to get jobs and investments back.
Personally, I'm going to bet heavily on the imminent economic disaster. Time for the big short!
I get rich while America dies...sounds pretty good.
Thanks Trump!
2
@Ben
“I get rich while America dies”...sounds pretty much like 1% talk.
How did you end up here? Did you take a wrong turn on your way to the Hillary-Clooney 2020 fund raiser?
It is a sad day for salaried workers who have family of 4 or more who are making between 75000 and 200000. They will get mere 24000 in standard deduction but no itemized deductions at all. I am sure there are many people in this group who voted for these republican senators who passed this bill.
11
I am delighted that our senator here in Nevada,Dean Heller, voted for the bill. Nevadans hate taxes which is why we have no state income tax. In NJ with a new governor your taxes will go up a lot. Sorry.
Not sure whether this commenter knew it (I doubt he did), but he brings to mind a famous line by Nancy Pelosi shortly after Obamacare was passed (also on a party-line vote):
"I can't be the only person in America who's thinking, 'Oh, I get it...it was necessary to pass the Bill in order to write it.'"
Pelosi famously said that Congress would need to pass the Obamacare bill so that it could read it and figure out what it had passed. An excess of candor that did not go unnoticed by our watchdog media. The same can be fairly said this time about the other party, but it's certainly not the first time this has happened.
3
You live in a fantasy world.
The ACA was debated endlessly and rewritten over and over.
Nobody even read this tax bill before it was voted on.
2
What Congresswoman Pelosi said was: "we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it."
What she meant was that the House had to pass the bill in order for it to go to the Senate for reconciliation. It's reconciliation between House and Senate that determines a bill's final contents. Her fellow legislators immediately understood what she meant; only outsiders were left scratching their heads.
There's no real comparison in the way the ACA became law to the current proceedings for the Republican tax bill.
The ACA benefited from a series of 31 bi-partisan meetings in the Senate Finance Committee. No bi-partisan meetings or task forces have existed for the tax bill. It was entirely developed without Democratic input. Furthermore, the tax bill has traveled at breakneck speed. If the tax bill were to take as long for passage as the ACA, we wouldn't see a vote until next July.
1
This Tax Cut Bill, note in no way, shape or form is it a tax reform bill, answers the question of who Republicans stand for. They stand for only the lobbyists, corporations and those who contribute more than $10,000 to their campaigns. To pass a bill of this size without even having any hearings or even a published copy of it to read before passage is a true sign of how totally corrupt the system has become and is a sharp slap in the face of democracy.
A question I now have is – If the final scoring of the bill shows that in a real world the bill adds to the deficit more than Senate rules allow for a simple majority bill is this vote then null and a re-vote required?
A side question is, does Donald know or even care what is in this bill and how many campaign promises were not met?
11
One thing is for certain: Of our two major political parties, only the Democrats would not raise taxes on any lower or middle class family to put more money in the pockets of corporations and the wealthy.
I hope this truth is reflected at our voting booths next November. And those of you have may have made minor gains with this bill, please don't forgot that your gains are temporary and your potential liability in Republican cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security is assured.
32
And where were these people when it came time to vote? Look, the majority of voters in this country will get a tax hike or will see no change in their taxes. Don’t blame the 1%. Blame the folks who stayed home or voted trump.
1
Through modern medicine, we are living much longer. Time to raise the age of medical and maybe even social security. Try just one year and see how much we will save for infrastructure. If we leave 10-15 years longer than the beginning of this benefit, how can we sustain? Who retires but the lazy or sick at 65 anymore?
I blame all of them and the Bernie-or-Busters and Stein voters, too. It's not a zero-sum game, Bruce.
1
Finally the senate Republicans have passed something significant this year. Hearty Congratulations to Senator from Kentucky Mitch McConnell whose life dream has been not to be the president of the USA but to become the senate majority leader. The senate Republicans have come along with during the Trump presidency to unite and start doing the people's work aside from the corky senator Corker. Many have been critical of the mounting national debt that is piling on the 20 trillion dollar debt left behind mostly during the BUSH and OBAMA years. It was time that the tax payers got some relief as opposed to the stimulus and the bail outs of the Bush and Obama years at the cost of the tax payers. It is not up to the senate to cut waste and non essential spending.
4
I don’t understand this bill. I don’t know how it will personally affect me and my family. However, I do know that I would gladly give up a modest tax break in order to improve access to higher education, make healthcare more affordable, repair our crumbling infrastructure, protect our environment, and to ensure the future financial solvency of my country. Protect our environment,
43
I apologize for the extra “Protect our environment” at the end. It was a typo courtesy of my three-year-old. I hope my overall point was clear.
2
@Andy
Did your three year old type, “Protect our environment”?
Our future is bright when a toddler has more sense and language skills than many in Congress.
Jeff Flake justified his vote by saying that he wanted protections for the Dreamers (never mind how irrelevant that is to tax law, just like other provisions in this bill). But, why is it again, Mr. Flake, that they were endangered in the first place? Why were so many of your colleagues unwilling to look out for them, the way President Obama did? And why are the non wealthy citizens ultimately paying the price for all this?
9
Few things strike me as irony and sad commentary on "world's oldest modern-day democracy:
1. The article says multiple efforts to appease various republican senators so majority vote in favor of bill can be obtained. However, it doesn't mention a single effort to reach across the aisle.
2. John McCain delivered a passionate speech about need for bipartisan efforts towards law making, need for adequate dialogue and debate before a bill is passed, civility, and concern for American citizens, etc barely few weeks ago.
Despite knowing that this bill is created breaking every single aspect of his speech, he went ahead and voted for it.
The same applies for all other senators who made any FAKE show of being concerned about middle and lower economic class citizens.
3. The bill has so many provisions that apply to Trump favorably, it almost feels like Trump had dossiers on all senators.
Time for ordinary citizens to take to streets as they did during efforts to repeal ACA.
7
My major objection to this tax plan is that Inequality, which is already bad, will become worse. The backbone of economic growth is the purchasing power of the middle class, not the upper crust wealthy class. The benefits of this plan will flow to the latter and their income and wealth will rise even faster than it h
as been rising in the last two or three decades. The economy is healthier when the middle class has more purchasing power. With this plan, that is not going to happen, and the Republicans are going to be disappointed with their rosy predictions.
Second, as a consequence of these lopsided tax cuts, millions of people are going to lose their health insurance; those affected will have even less incentive to go out and buy more.
Third, because of the above two, forget about any boost to the economy. Think instead of the return of the miserable feudal times when a few people held most of the wealth and the vast majority lived from hand to mouth or starved. Prepare to see many more homeless persons populating the American landscape.
Thank you, Republicans.
124
My major objection to this tax plan is that Inequality, which is already bad, will become worse. The backbone of economic growth is the purchasing power of the middle class, not the upper crust wealthy class. The benefits of this plan will flow to the latter and their income and wealth will rise even faster than it has been rising in the last two or three decades. The economy is healthier when the middle class has more purchasing power. With this plan that is not going to happen; and the Republicans are going to be disappointed with their rosy predictions.
Second, as a consequence of these lopsided tax cuts, millions of people are going to lose their health insurance; those so affected will have even less incentive to go out and buy more merchandise.
Third, because of the above two, forget about any boost to the economy. Think instead of the return of the miserable feudal times when a few people held most of the wealth and the vast majority lived from hand to mouth or starved. Consequently, prepare to see many more homeless persons populating the American landscape.
Thank you, Republicans.
57
Also, what about giving religious fanatics the right to lobby. We know what countries that are ruled by religious leaders are like. The religious right is continually bring up Sharia law, what is the difference between that and turning this country into a Christian Nation?
And what is this about bringing up fetuses in a tax cut?
There are many things is this so called tax cut that are going to be hurting all of us.
I wish the media would stop referring to this abomination as a "tax cut" bill. It is rather a drastic tax CHANGE bill, that will provide cuts for some (mostly short term) and increases, sometimes drastic ones, for others. This will raise taxes for most in states with high local and state taxes, those who have significant mortgage deductions, those who rely on deductions for heavy medical expenses, etc.
67
Good summary Mama. I see you’re in NYC and I’m in San Francisco. Losing the SALT deduction in a state with a max personal income tax of 13.3% is a big deal, and I’m sure it’s no different in NY.
Doubling the personal exemption does us no good, as our itemized deductions are always well beyond this. This bill is a gift to corporations and to the uber wealthy. I’m ok with lowering the corporate tax rate, but people are delusional if they think this will result in higher wages and more jobs. It will result in higher dividends and share buy backs. In other words, helping people who don’t need the help, on our backs.
5
What idiocy !!!
The GOP tax law is wrong for many reasons:
1. The incestuous relationship between the top wealthy families and the wealthy Congressmen and Senators, through organized donations, interest groups and lobbyists for gamming the system to their advantages has gone too far. This incestuous relationship has been in play for decades. The GOP tax plan will result in the top wealthy families and their wealthy Congressmen and Senator lapdogs making further gains at the expense of the middle and lower income earners well into the future. The middle and lower income earners are not similarly organized and cannot present their interests. This is key to what’s at play here !!!
2. As an economist, I am horrified by the prospect of widening fiscal deficits if this GOP tax plan becomes law. This will result in government incurring additional debt to pay for expenses in all programs. This is an abrogation of responsible government which is to enact laws that would support all Americans, Responsible government is NOT to enact laws on taxes to the benefit of the wealthy minority at the expense of the middle and lower class majority. This is tyranny of the majority by the minority !!!
3. There is a general rule in economics and finance: You do not take on debt to finance consumption. Governments take on debt to finance capital projects, not current expenses. To do so is to invite major financing problems, including possible bankruptcy, in future !!! Who will pay the bills ???
123
They do not care. They have their wealth and power, and they are happy.
4
Let see the taxes of every single Senator and Congressman that voted for this tax obscenity. I guarantee you, like Senator Johnson, who got an amendment to lower taxes on his own business, just for his vote, they are all getting HUGE tax breaks while million of middle class Americans, and even lower class Americans, as shown by the NYTs terrific chart, are see their taxes go up by thousands of dollars. I know, I am one of them, for the crime of living in a state that has income tax and a community that supports good schools.
We just got drained, not "the swamp."
164
Actually, I'm not getting drained. i'm getting to keep more of MY own money. Yippeekihyae!
We ARE the swamp- that’s what Trump always meant.
2
As Yakov Smirnoff might have said,
"In Russia, swamp drain you."
2
Dear Mr. Trump,
The Congressional Republicans see you as a useful idiot with a pen. All they ever wanted was their tax cuts. The minute you sign this bill, they will be done with you. Sign this bill at your own peril.
125
Interesting concept. It may even be true, but I don't think the stench of the GOP has finished flogging a dead horse just yet.
No, they haven't finished yet. They will let Trump into the play pen for a while longer.
7
This little nugget of widely accepted "wisdom" is complete and utter nonsense.
Any Republican president would gladly sign this tax bill.
The GOP doesn't need Trump to do it.
They have absolutely no intention of being done with Trump.
2
Ben,
You are correct that any Republican president would sign this tax bill. Any Republican president would also appoint the same federal judges.
Other than that, the majority of Congressional Republicans do not agree with Mr. Trump on most issues. He is a liability to them.
Tax cuts were the Congressional Republicans' only real agenda item. They needed continuity and no distractions until it is complete, and thus were forced to tolerate Mr. Trump. After that, the mission of Republicans in Congress will be reduced to self-preservation.
3
"We did something! We did something!"
- republicans returning home from kindergarten
129
So additional analysis please. Did they leave in that horrific "personhood for 529 plan" nonsense, keep the private plane deduction and eliminate the deductions for grad students and teacherrs? I'm betting they did, and that's the stuff that will come back to bite them.
Shame on you Senators.... you're destroying your constitutiencies to keep your wealthy donors. History will not look kindly on you.
108
Look at the shrew smile on McConnell's face in the lead image. He knows what he did. He knows the damage he is wreaking on the country by saddling it with more debt and allowing his wealthy donors a windfall — yet he smiles. If that smile doesn't tell you what he's about, nothing will.
76
At least Senator Corker stuck to his principles on this one. Can't say as much for Flake and McCain. I thought McCain had reverted back to the McCain of McCain Feingold, but instead he's still the McCain of the MCain-Palin version.
309
Corker could have showed us how much of a deficit hawk he really was by killing this in committee, but he did not. I do not think he is actually as principled as you say.
10
If by taking a safe vote once they had the required majority is a principled vote. He should have been working to gain the two additional votes to defeat this monstrosity. No glory earned.
2
Always has been.
He's a Republican.
An enemy of the people.
2
Please write an article summarizing all the non-tax items stuffed into the corners of the GOPTax legislation, for example, references to the fetus as unborn humans, opening the Alaska NWR to oil drilling, allowing churches to play politics, etc...
294
Carrie, there is a partial list here, from PBS:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/making-sense/these-controversial-se...
1
Fetus as unborn human is out. Rest of atrocities remain I believe.
I can't be the only person in America who's thinking, "Oh, I get it...it was necessary to pass the Bill in order to write it."
73
Which makes the unanimous Democrat opposition to the bill all the more ironic (I refrain from saying out and out hypocritical)- it was none other than Senator Pelosi who told us that it was essential that Congress rush to pass the 2500 page "Affordable" [sic] Care Act, details of which were a closely guarded secret, but that we could read about it at our leisure afterwards.
("The last-minute revisions prompted an outcry from Democrats, who said it was impossible — and irresponsible — for lawmakers to read and digest a significant piece of legislation in such a short period of time.")
True to their evil Republicans give the 1% and corporations tax cuts while shafting the middle class. They removed the middle class ability to write off taxes and mortgage intrest and gave them such a small tax cut the middle class pays more in taxes now. Republicans claim workers wages will go up now that corporations will make more profits. Trickle down economics has never worked in the past and will not in this situation. Total nonsense. Think as if I am a shareholder of USA stocks. I want higher dividends. That’s why you buy stocks. To increase your wealth not the workers. USA you have been fooled, lied to and cheated. Good luck.
37
For years, the Republican party decried partisan, one-party votes. Now they're toasting last night's unarmed multi-million robbery of the American people. Today will go down in infamy with the Wall Street Crash of 1929. Make America poor again.
133
And we can be sure that all the corporations and deep-pocketed executives who made out like bandits in this bill will not, in turn, make new jobs or give salary increases. We have been fleeced and Republicans did so while pulling the wool over people's eyes.
Thank you for your always insightful posts.
3
Collins and Flake can't be serious that they relied on promises from people like McConnell, whose word may actually be worth less than Trump's.
116
Looks like we can't count on Republicans to care about the defecit anymore. One less reason to vote for them.
29
Oh....they will care about the deficit. Before the ink drys on this bill they will start talking about gutting social security, Medicare etc. That's the ultimate goal..until we all get hungry and eat the rich.
1
When did Republicans ever care about the deficit? Budget busting tax cuts were passed under Reagan and George W. Bush too. The only Republican President in recent history you can credit with any fiscal principles at all is George H. W. Bush.
Oh, you will hear about how much they care about the deficits soon enough when they start trying to “fix” it by gutting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
1
The rich bought our government. They told Congress , " We want are return on our investment" The Congress gifts them 1.5 trillion dollars in the working classes children's future earnings ( they will be the ones paying for this gift).
The Republicans made the bill , now there is a lull while they reconcile the house and Senate bills. Now they watch the people, you see there is 300 million guns in this country so if it looks like the working class has any courage at all, they will strike. General Strike across the country. Millions marching on the Capital demanding this be stricken down. The bought cowards in Congress would drop this in a fraction of a second.
24
A legal challenge awaits us. After Trump and Pence are frog-marched to their respective prison cells, how much of Trump's legislative damage can be rendered legally invalid? How will President Paul Ryan (who'd be next in line as President, I assume) be willing to undo. He'll hold on to as much corporate-friendly legislation as he can, but . . . . will Trump's entire actions as President be held invalid, or just some of them? Will America be allowed to party like its October 2016 and hold the election again? Or would Trump's supporters prevent such an outcome by flattening the nation with guns and bad country music? Such an upending will be a new challenge for this country. As the world watches Trump and Pence meet their day of reckoning, bellowing and screaming to the heavens from the back of a prison van, I hope the rest of us will have learned something
24
I hope The TImes can reach out to a constitutional lawyer and find out because if the current presidency is deemed illegitimate and the republicans lose their majority in the House. Can the Democratic Speaker reverse these crazy schemes to dismantle the safety net?
These bills are never written for the general public. Large tax related bills always have a priority of corporations, donors, lobbyists, etc. You and I don't have any significant impact on what is passed in Congress. No one really knows what the impact of this legislation will be, assuming a conference bill is passed by both Chambers. You can be certain there will be many unintended consequences, and most of them will not benefit the average individual or the economic stability of the nation generally. As deficits continue to increase due to the fact that growth will not reduce the additional deficits created by this fiasco, you will all of a sudden see McConnell and Ryan soberly approaching the podium and proclaiming that Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid and every other program that benefits the poor, the elderly, the working poor, and yes even the middle class, must be reduced in the name of fiscal responsibility. It is shameful that fiscal responsibility is only important to the GOP when corporate America, the wealthiest among us and the donor class are no impacted. At this point my disgust knows no bounds. Sadly, the GOP knows no shame.
27
It's all liable to continue. To correct it we really need to reduce the influence of those "big donors." A repeal of the ridiculous Citizens United decision would help. And a publicly funded campaign would reduce the influence of lobbyists. Of course there would be a lot of resistance on the Hill because it would make the congress more responsive to the public.
Am somehow reminded of the movie 'Distinguished Gentleman' in this manoeuvring. Also wonder how long before the full content of this piece of work becomes public? The benefit to the many millionaires in Congress seems all too obvious.
11
I'm amazed that any republican Senator would accept a verbal assurance from Mitch McConnell that he would address their specific concerns after the bill becomes law. He can't be trusted to not renege on such promises even to his fellow republicans. And the special exemptions or extras given to specific senators for their states only is remarkable. Hopefully, the media will make sure this information is published.
34
RE: “Biggest Tax Bill and Tax Cuts in history just passed in the Senate."
Is that actually true given that at one time the marginal rate one wealthiest as 90%? Even if it is true it isn't the entire truth since without qualifiers such as "overall" or for "for corporations, wealthy, and temporary cuts for some people" it is a lie of omission as many will pay more now and most will pay more as time goes on.
Biggest Tax Bill and Tax Cuts in history for corporations and wealthy with some insignificant temporary cuts for some and permanent increases for others just passed in the Senate." - The Senate and Representatives of the President and Republican Donors.
5
Make no mistake, this bill will pass both houses and it will be signed by the president.
We get the government we deserve.
21
Galt, NO, WE do not get the government that WE deserve. The low lifes that voted these criminals into office deserve anything bad that befalls them. AND WORSE. The rest of us are just collateral damage.
2
The 51-49 final tally is really indicative of the bitter partisanship that is now our Congress and has been for some time. Democrats and Republicans are not co-equal partners, elected to do the bidding of their constituents. They are deadly enemies and their rancor poisons the national debate. One--take your pick--is the cobra; the other is the mongoose. Usually the mongoose triumphs but the cobra's poison is fatal.
It probably is not helpful to remind folks that Republicans, after Democrat Bill Clinton assumed office, embarked on a determined campaign to not only malign Mr. Clinton but also to impugn the patriotism of any Democrat at any level of government--municipal, county, state or federal. And Newt Gingrich, with his incendiary, class-and-race-driven "Contract With America," hoisted the banner of deadly partisanship high. Principled Republicans from the past--a disappearing species--did not bother to rebut Mr. Gingrich, probably because the Congress wrenched back control from the Democrats in 1994. We witnessed how cordially Republicans worked with Barack Obama.
So now that the GOP has what it has always hungered and thirsted for--a tax giveaway to those who don't need it--they will begin to try to convince Americans that this medicine is what's best for them. The metaphor of a smirking doctor, poised over a frightened, bed-ridden patient with a dripping spoon of God-awful tasting stuff--comes to mind.
Republicans won the day, yes. But America lost all its tomorrows.
357
Your analogy about the smirking doctor reminds me of days of old when the patient was bled.... Seems that congress has done the same by sucking out every last drop of money they can get from the middle class. Like bleeding a patient, the idea that tax cuts for the corporations and rich will somehow make their way down to the middle class has been discredited for a long time.
2
Don't be so pessimistic.
The US swung to the right after this election.
It will swing to the left again.
Unfortunately it never stays in the center very long!
Has any one given thought to the Wall??? Have you thought perhaps it is not to keep the Latinos out, but you in. Have you forgotten the Berlin Wall already. When we are reduced to rich or poor, who is going to do all their dirty work and at extremely poor wages and no benefits. Oh yes..........let's go back in time, Kings and paupers. Who will you be?
The 2017 Tax Cut bill is completely partisan, done behind closed doors, is full of pork, it adds to the deficit, it hurts middle class, working class, disabled, and elderly Americans. It is the worse possible nightmare the 1% could impose on 99% of Americans to redistribute even more wealth into their hands. It is also a disincentive to buy a house or work in a high tax state. Many people will see their taxes rise, even if their federal taxes decrease; especially in states where the state tax is tied to the federal income tax.
The winners, in all of this, are people like Trump, the 1%, Wall Street, corporations (which even now do not pay tax), people who have large estates that will now pass from generation to generation that will not be taxes, and generations that will not know the meaning of work in the process. That is, creating a new landed aristocracy as a result.
The legislation will cause cause other consequences, like cutting Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and limit cost of living increases to the chained CPI. And what tax cuts the 99% could get, expire, eventually, and effectively bracket creep (thanks to chained CPI) returns which was eliminate din 1986.
If this becomes law, the GOP deserves the wrath of voters that will be inflicted. Making America Great fro the 1% and corporations; miserable for the rest of us. The Republicans deserve what they get.
57
Thanks to the 50% of Americans who didn't bother to vote in the last election. Great job, guys! This tax reaming's for you. The Rch thank you. But don't expect a card.
243
60%
They aren’t voting and they aren’t reading The NY Times.
Right, voting blue in a red state makes SUCH a big difference - especially for senatorial contests.
A Bill passed by the devil. Those who wrote it belong to him. This bill in no way serves the public beyond the 1% rich. It is a heinous crime against Americans, especially children, the elderly and the minorities these evil creatures would punish.
201
When can we see an analysis of how each of the Senators that voted for this mess benefits as well as how many of them do not have children who will be eventually paying for this benefit to the rich as the deficit, interest rates and inflation rise. I know from what I have read that there is direct benefit to Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin whose family business is a "pass-through" and that John McCain benefits from the special provision for beer companies like the one his wife inherited. And I know that Graham and Scott of South Carolina are bachelors with no children and, Susan Collins who married late also has no children. What other Senators are childless? What other Senators have family businesses with direct benefit? What other Senators are centi-millionaires and more?
22
The Republicans who voted for this bill are ignorant. They are ignorant of what it contains because they voted for the bill without having time to read it,
President Trump is ignorant about most things because he is not interested in learning anything new. He is sure he already knows everything.
When will we be blessed with a government of knowledgeable people?
33
When we vote for one.
15
Those Republicans aren't ignorant... They are serving their very rich masters, the same ones who have been pumping campaign funds in their direction for years.
2
Now begins the largest transfer of wealth to the 1%, as part of the consequences of shooting yourself in the foot on Nov. 8, 2016.
167
Only liberal thinking concludes that tax payers keeping more of their money is shooting themselves in the foot.
I'm going to remember this comment the next time Houston has historical flooding.
2
No, no. Ebenezer Scrooge would have agreed with you, before his redemption.
Enjoy your sweeping tax bill, as next year we will sweep out all of these malevolent Republicans.
34
Record high stock market, record low unemployment, 3% growth rate, oh yeah, you're probably right, republicans will probably get swept out of office in Nov. (not).
If that were true, it's precisely the situation in which taxes should be raised, not cut. But the impact of the figures you cite have variable impacts. If your main source of income is dividends, for instance, you'll do fine in a rising stock market. But if your a a wage worker pulling in at or near the minimum, the "low unemployment" doesn't mean much. Have you looked at the want ads lately? Do you know anyone who has a student loan? Income inequlity hasn't been this great since the 1930s. It was at its lowest during the prosperous 50s when the highest tax bracket under Eisenhower was 93%.
I agree with Corker's "no" vote.
I'm confident most Americans feel this way: Tax cuts are welcome, but not if they increase the debt. I wish the Republicans had worked harder to come up with a revenue-neutral bill.
At the same time, I do find it amusing that the Democrats -- who never met a deficit they didn't like -- are suddenly concerned about the national debt.
4
Republicans in Washington long ago lost the ability to claim that they don't like deficits - I find it baffling that people haven't realized this.
7
In much the same way as Republicans all of the sudden lost their concern about deficits.
7
The chief objections voiced by Democrats put the deficit rather low on the list but, like many Republicans, they're concerned about it -- and for good reason. Deficits are necessary when the economy is in danger of a deep drop. But Trump keeps telling us the economy is thrumming along -- low unemployment, increase in GDP, stock market at record highs. That's when you raise revenue, not cut taxes.
My dearest grandchildren,
I write to you today to express my sorrow of this country you have been born into. Unfortunately there were a multitude of people elected to make laws in this country that do not consider your future.
They have lied and twisted so much to gain control and power and now they have actually voted to mandate many years of debt which you will have as a burden.
In doing so they will make it difficult for other grandparents as yours, to receive healthcare in their old age. They will strip you of an assured safe environment that will probably harm your children. They will demolish your chances at great public school education, such as at the school your Grandpa John taught in for over thirty years. They will make it more difficult for children such as yourself, only disabled, to get medical treatment.
You have seen me as a nurse work odd hours, holidays and the like, but I tried to alleviate suffering. Your parents have also been brought up to do what they could for mankind.
There are some in this country that have believed lies from our leaders. They entrusted their futures in them and they will be hurt, too, by believing the lies.
We have a president who is very inexperienced in many ways, endeared by the wealthy. Instead of having your interests in mind, he has forsaken you, and so have other leaders.
Please, as you get older, pay attention to your country and always vote for values for the right, not greed. I am truly sorry today.
Love,
MIMA
179
"inexperienced"?
Well that is one way of describing Trump I suppose.
3
The only tax reform I am in favor of is a complete refactoring and simplification of the laws. I shouldn’t have to pay someone to figure out what my taxes are. Their tax reform is always just to stir up the kettle full of convoluted rules, adding some, deleting some, tweaking for this special interest or that, but never simplification. They should just toss all the existing tax law in favor of a new, tiered system. Or get rid of it altogether. The government does nothing for me anyway.
4
I think the true impact will be felt in the next few years, not the next few months. Remember this day, when you are voting for your next President, Senator, House Member!
47