Not sure if this is up your alley to post about, but having just paid my taxes amidst all this chaos, I'm now wondering more than ever before what the hell my taxes are going to be used for. Or, if you know someone else who has written about this topic, I'd be happy to read that. Thx!
To me, it is taxation without representation just as our forebears rebelled against, because we have elected (albeit by a slim margin) not only a sociopath but one-half the stooges in Congress who were voted in by the people they are stealing from and throwing to the wolves. I REALLY want to know how many of them bought when Donald said, "look, I made stocks real cheap...now buy them and make yourselves buckets of money."
Haven't paid my taxes yet - thanks to an incompetent accountant, but my gut feeling about how they are going to be used is that this administration will continue its looting and theft of America's resources , human or otherwise. This is the only "policy" they can fathom.
I'm writing about budget and tax issues. So you might want to swing by my Substack. The big issue is, however, if were talking about sending before or after trump 2.o cuts.
That was a difficult decision, and I'm impressed that the spread is so even. At this point I think people who don't vaccinate their children should be charged with murder.
As the daughter of a political science teacher, I am a) relieved that he left this Earth in 1993, and didn't have to live through this, and sure that he would be marching, blocking the freeway, demanding that is granddaughter, the cyber security expert, show him how to hack.
Personally, I'm sick and tired of being bullied, afraid to post, and want this taken care of. I will continue to post, march, donate, and act.
Thanks for asking. All are crucial issues that I'm sure you'll get to, but Trump's bullying is the most imminently dangerous. He's alienating our friends and allies at the same time that he's pushing China towards aggression. Without international trade, what do they have to lose by invading Taiwan? If the US won't stop them, no one will. And the benefits of grabbing Taiwan are both economically and politically immense. In one move China would become an equal, if not preeminent, world power.
It was difficult to vote. I’m interested in your analysis. And the discussion among American people here and out in the community. Worry about the cruelty of this administration
Let all of your subscribers read the five pages in that letter sent to Harvard and the truth of what is happening is Trump is trying to control the people, the press, the Congress, and now even free speech! I spent 14 months in Vietnam with part of that time as a door gunner on a Huey. I'm 76 now but if down the road I have to pick sides it will forever be against Trump, and any of his ideals!
Well, so far it's pretty close - one third of readers for each topic. So why don't you put them in order, 1,2,3, as you wish. We will read them all. And the idea below is excellent - maybe put at #4. Taxes have always been the word de jour in the Trump/Republican Cult. And frankly no Party has really explained how taxes create a civil society, in that they pay for all the things we take for granted. Want better schools, roads, clean water and air, safe food and medicine? Well, folks that's what your taxes are supposed to pay for. So next time you complain about having to pay taxes, complain that they are not being used for the common good, not that you have to pay them. We need classes in school at all grades teaching about how a democracy works and the institutions that support it. Too many people have no idea, which is why we are in this tragic situation now.
Thank you Olivia! I have been saying the same thing for years. My comment to anti-government, anti-tax whiners is "What are you willing to give up?". After listing the things you mentioned and more there is usually a pause and I find out they don't really want to give up all the good things the DEMS have done for the country. They just want to bitch... and continue to vote GOP. So now DT & Musk & the GOP is in the process of actually taking away "all the good stuff" and they are surprised. DUH! GH
I posted my response and then read what others wrote. We both share the same opinion since Lucas' readers are ranking them all within a few points of each other. None of these problems will go away, so Lucas has time to write his brilliant analysis of each.
I received the short straw on this voting. I totally support Harvard's stance and hope other insitutions including law firms refuse to "take the knee".
The issue with scenario one is a lack of education to the point of not understanding the concept of immunity to disease. Trump loves the uneducated and has vowed to eradicate the Department of Education. This is akin to one thing leads to another. Truly a bucket of worms.
Re. Bully politics. Trump is out of his league. He has minimal understanding of cause and effect relationships. China is tightening the belt with a lock on critical minerals, minerals we need to manufacture our products.
I think that scenario one is actually to our benefit, in a pretty awful way. With the Covid vaccines, I'm sure we lost a lot of Republican voters who refused the vaccines and died. I'm 75 and got Covid when I was 69, and I still have long Covid. My husband got it when he was 70 and ended up with lung scarring over 70% of his lungs. This was at the end of January 2020, and when I took him to the hospital on January 31, they had no idea what he had... No vaccines then... But we're still here...
Ha! I grew up in Philadelphia! We both have the tri-state area in common, too! Now I'm in Fort Collins, CO. I've watched birds off and on since the early ''90s (lately, mostly feeder watching) :) Did the Christmas Count a few years ago. :D The population declines are sad.
There are no "short straws". Each topic is important to roughly one third of Lucas' followers. I had a hard time deciding; I picked Harvard first; but then chose denial politics because it affects all the issues facing us today. I commented that he really needs to do all 3, maybe in the order of final vote.
I would second what Melvy wrote. Are my taxes being used to guild the Whitehouse in gold, to further enrich Trump, to continue to create havoc with our government or to further enrich Musk in his endeavors.
Given that Trump doesn't follow the law, it's going to be hard to figure out his much he's taking in. The profits from truth social are easy to see. Ditto for the cryptocurrency ... But so much of the rest is easy for him to hide.
Off topic sorta but did you see what he has done to that room where he receives dignitaries? Gold glitter all over everything?? Hideous. Ok now back to important stuff..
Lucas, I hope for more from you. Trump and his cronies have accomplished an “insider coup.” This is it for the Republic. Harvard stands strong; California stands strong. You have the position to speak the truth to deluded Missourians who only watch Fox Propaganda. I hope you will do so. I supported you because I thought you had the courage to stand against the fecklessness of so many of our fellow Missourians. Please tell them bluntly what has happened to the American democracy, what their fellow citizens voted for, and how it is all likely to end. Guy
There's enough stupidity going around while I'm sorry a child died needlessly. But her parents are responsible for their actions or lack of action.
Meanwhile China 🇨🇳 is laughing at tRump while he destroys our economy and deports Americans and future Americans and will try on everyday Americans who he doesn't like sooner then later unlesswe can stop his madness. The fight is in Maine as Felonious winds up facist barbie in the DOJ's attempt to sue.
Not sure if this is up your alley to post about, but having just paid my taxes amidst all this chaos, I'm now wondering more than ever before what the hell my taxes are going to be used for. Or, if you know someone else who has written about this topic, I'd be happy to read that. Thx!
It's now Taxation without Representation...without federal government services we're supposed to stuff our money into the pockets of rich thieves?
To me, it is taxation without representation just as our forebears rebelled against, because we have elected (albeit by a slim margin) not only a sociopath but one-half the stooges in Congress who were voted in by the people they are stealing from and throwing to the wolves. I REALLY want to know how many of them bought when Donald said, "look, I made stocks real cheap...now buy them and make yourselves buckets of money."
Haven't paid my taxes yet - thanks to an incompetent accountant, but my gut feeling about how they are going to be used is that this administration will continue its looting and theft of America's resources , human or otherwise. This is the only "policy" they can fathom.
I'm pretty sure that's okay. I don't think they will notice.
I'm writing about budget and tax issues. So you might want to swing by my Substack. The big issue is, however, if were talking about sending before or after trump 2.o cuts.
https://sharonlawrence.substack.com/p/facts-figures-and-lists-budget-economic ... this was my first piece specifically on taxation and budget type issues. Also look at "news to know" posts.
The real topic is the destruction of our country one brick at a time, which took 250 years to build.
I'm doing so detailed posts on this that might be of interest.
That was a difficult decision, and I'm impressed that the spread is so even. At this point I think people who don't vaccinate their children should be charged with murder.
As the daughter of a political science teacher, I am a) relieved that he left this Earth in 1993, and didn't have to live through this, and sure that he would be marching, blocking the freeway, demanding that is granddaughter, the cyber security expert, show him how to hack.
Personally, I'm sick and tired of being bullied, afraid to post, and want this taken care of. I will continue to post, march, donate, and act.
Why hasn't ICE grabbed that orange felon running around the White House and deport him to El Salvadore?
Thanks for asking. All are crucial issues that I'm sure you'll get to, but Trump's bullying is the most imminently dangerous. He's alienating our friends and allies at the same time that he's pushing China towards aggression. Without international trade, what do they have to lose by invading Taiwan? If the US won't stop them, no one will. And the benefits of grabbing Taiwan are both economically and politically immense. In one move China would become an equal, if not preeminent, world power.
It was difficult to vote. I’m interested in your analysis. And the discussion among American people here and out in the community. Worry about the cruelty of this administration
Let all of your subscribers read the five pages in that letter sent to Harvard and the truth of what is happening is Trump is trying to control the people, the press, the Congress, and now even free speech! I spent 14 months in Vietnam with part of that time as a door gunner on a Huey. I'm 76 now but if down the road I have to pick sides it will forever be against Trump, and any of his ideals!
Well, so far it's pretty close - one third of readers for each topic. So why don't you put them in order, 1,2,3, as you wish. We will read them all. And the idea below is excellent - maybe put at #4. Taxes have always been the word de jour in the Trump/Republican Cult. And frankly no Party has really explained how taxes create a civil society, in that they pay for all the things we take for granted. Want better schools, roads, clean water and air, safe food and medicine? Well, folks that's what your taxes are supposed to pay for. So next time you complain about having to pay taxes, complain that they are not being used for the common good, not that you have to pay them. We need classes in school at all grades teaching about how a democracy works and the institutions that support it. Too many people have no idea, which is why we are in this tragic situation now.
https://sharonlawrence.substack.com/p/facts-figures-and-lists-budget-economic ... this is my starter article on taxation & budget issues (federal).
Thank you Olivia! I have been saying the same thing for years. My comment to anti-government, anti-tax whiners is "What are you willing to give up?". After listing the things you mentioned and more there is usually a pause and I find out they don't really want to give up all the good things the DEMS have done for the country. They just want to bitch... and continue to vote GOP. So now DT & Musk & the GOP is in the process of actually taking away "all the good stuff" and they are surprised. DUH! GH
I posted my response and then read what others wrote. We both share the same opinion since Lucas' readers are ranking them all within a few points of each other. None of these problems will go away, so Lucas has time to write his brilliant analysis of each.
I received the short straw on this voting. I totally support Harvard's stance and hope other insitutions including law firms refuse to "take the knee".
The issue with scenario one is a lack of education to the point of not understanding the concept of immunity to disease. Trump loves the uneducated and has vowed to eradicate the Department of Education. This is akin to one thing leads to another. Truly a bucket of worms.
Re. Bully politics. Trump is out of his league. He has minimal understanding of cause and effect relationships. China is tightening the belt with a lock on critical minerals, minerals we need to manufacture our products.
I think that scenario one is actually to our benefit, in a pretty awful way. With the Covid vaccines, I'm sure we lost a lot of Republican voters who refused the vaccines and died. I'm 75 and got Covid when I was 69, and I still have long Covid. My husband got it when he was 70 and ended up with lung scarring over 70% of his lungs. This was at the end of January 2020, and when I took him to the hospital on January 31, they had no idea what he had... No vaccines then... But we're still here...
(OT: I Love your screen name! I'm one, too!)
Hey thanks for pointing that out! Me, too!
Really? Where are you? I started when I was in NJ in 1958, but I've been in Berkeley, CA since 1961.
Ha! I grew up in Philadelphia! We both have the tri-state area in common, too! Now I'm in Fort Collins, CO. I've watched birds off and on since the early ''90s (lately, mostly feeder watching) :) Did the Christmas Count a few years ago. :D The population declines are sad.
There are no "short straws". Each topic is important to roughly one third of Lucas' followers. I had a hard time deciding; I picked Harvard first; but then chose denial politics because it affects all the issues facing us today. I commented that he really needs to do all 3, maybe in the order of final vote.
I would second what Melvy wrote. Are my taxes being used to guild the Whitehouse in gold, to further enrich Trump, to continue to create havoc with our government or to further enrich Musk in his endeavors.
Given that Trump doesn't follow the law, it's going to be hard to figure out his much he's taking in. The profits from truth social are easy to see. Ditto for the cryptocurrency ... But so much of the rest is easy for him to hide.
Off topic sorta but did you see what he has done to that room where he receives dignitaries? Gold glitter all over everything?? Hideous. Ok now back to important stuff..
Thanks Eller. Have you noticed all of the tacky, cheap gold plated junk DT has had installed around the fireplace in the Oval Office. Ugly. GH
Oh, I didn't see yours before I posted mine. Is that the Oval Office?? Oh lord.
https://sharonlawrence.substack.com/p/facts-figures-and-lists-budget-economic ... here's a high level article about federal budgeting/taxation. But that was before Trump 2.0 destroyed everything so ...
Lucas, I hope for more from you. Trump and his cronies have accomplished an “insider coup.” This is it for the Republic. Harvard stands strong; California stands strong. You have the position to speak the truth to deluded Missourians who only watch Fox Propaganda. I hope you will do so. I supported you because I thought you had the courage to stand against the fecklessness of so many of our fellow Missourians. Please tell them bluntly what has happened to the American democracy, what their fellow citizens voted for, and how it is all likely to end. Guy
Our universities symbolize the light of reason ...if that light is extinguished .....
All three topics are worth pursuing. I just voted for the one that I think is most important for making connections across the red-blue divide.
There's enough stupidity going around while I'm sorry a child died needlessly. But her parents are responsible for their actions or lack of action.
Meanwhile China 🇨🇳 is laughing at tRump while he destroys our economy and deports Americans and future Americans and will try on everyday Americans who he doesn't like sooner then later unlesswe can stop his madness. The fight is in Maine as Felonious winds up facist barbie in the DOJ's attempt to sue.
Lucas, add cyber security issues to your list .. and updates on Ukraine. I voted for option 3 by the way.
why so many American people excuse/vote for a dishonest liar, grifter, conspiracy-loving, crass, greedy felon
add "who thinks he is God and is vengeful, spiteful and cruel" after "felon"