POLITICAL THREAD

[SDC888]

I’d be okay if we could just stop the very top from taking loans on unrealized gains. They can live exuberantly, and purchase many different modes of income, all the while paying very little in taxes because of the loans that are available to them alone.

Why should it be ended? According to whom? You?

If I want to borrow (risk) against my property, who are you to say I am not allowed to?

And it's not a "loophole," the Elizabeth Warren, "Warren Buffett pays less tax than his secratary!" is nonsense too: a red herring, a bold faced lie.

I am sure that they are, but can they not use stock as collateral for super friendly business loans? Which get even better the bigger the loan?

We do plenty to appeal to business owners, like tax breaks and tax incentives. This loophole of buy borrow die needs to be ended.

The good Lord has blessed me with more than I ever deserved. Taking out huge loans to build 500 million dollar yachts should not be caveat free. I’m not trying to steal anything. I just like to envision a world and financial structure closer suburban America 1980’s than the current model.

When they were poorer.

 

[ukalumni00]

I am not an angry person but I really do wish the absolute worst for all of these people in government who have been part of this charade. I hope they all lose their jobs, go to jail, go bankrupt, their spouses leave them, their kids hate them. The list goes on and on…

 

[warrior-cat]

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Perfect metaphor for Trump vs the swamp. Trump is on the bottom of screen.

Ping Pong version of the "Rope a Dope".

 

[SDC888]

I am not an angry person but I really do wish the absolute worst for all of these people in government who have been part of this charade. I hope they all lose their jobs, go to jail, go bankrupt, their spouses leave them, their kids hate them. The list goes on and on…

They'll get theirs... castles made of sand.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Bet those political ads featuring all those celebrities was likely funded.

They absolutely did. Some of it already came out. The first concrete proof we got of "influencer" payments was when some celebs refused to do covid psa ads.

Speaking of covid era, we saw how much nyt got paid. Now remember the nyt prominently featured a young attractive pediatrician who regularly made the rounds discussing the dangers of covid to children. Eventually it was discovered that person didn't even exist. It was all fake.

We were protected from all this propaganda until 2013. Before then, none of this stuff was allowed to be used at home. Then obama cancelled those protections and ever since we've been living in basically a curated reality that's structured by the cia in partnership with god knows who else.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

We were protected from all this propaganda until 2013. Before then, none of this stuff was allowed to be used at home. Then obama cancelled those protections and ever since we've been living in basically a curated reality that's structured by the cia in partnership with god knows who else.

Lets take this a few steps further. Do you think the cia just opportunistically got obama to drop this? Or was he installed?

John McCain was a top usaid guy. His daughter is a usaid creation. So its entirely probable McCain was put up as a faux opponent.

With usaid funding burisma and god knows what else, you can bet romney is usaid agent too. He and McCain were basically the same person in terms of their weird anti conservative stances on important issues.

So its entirely probable that obama was completely installed in a sham election, then allowed to win reelection in another sham election, and everyone was in on it. Right down to the bush family because theyre usaid people too.

 

[AustinTXCat]

** Wise Words Department **

"If there is ever a fascist takeover in America, it will come not in the form of storm troopers kicking down doors but with lawyers and social workers saying. "I'm from the government and I'm here to help."

-Jonah Goldberg

 

[LordEggForgotHisPassword]

** Wise Words Department **

"If there is ever a fascist takeover in America, it will come not in the form of storm troopers kicking down doors but with lawyers and social workers saying. "I'm from the government and I'm here to help."

-Jonah Goldberg

Yes. It more Brave New World than 1984. But everyone needs to know it ends all the same. I don’t get what people don’t get

 

[warrior-cat]

Somehow my dumb ass agrees completely with this .
Must be wising up, huh?

Problem is, it is the bennies that keep them poor. Instead of working, they are just good with existing as long as the government continues to give them their little bennies. If they (the dims) ever get what they really want (socialist and communist rule) those bennies will get smaller and they will actually have to work for them.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

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2 lifelong dems can't believe how out of touch dems are right now. LOL.

The mike benz return episode should be mind-blowing. The first one was insane, but that was at a time when i think everyone assumed nothing would get fixed.

Now that its actually getting addressed, no telling how down in the weeds he might get.

 

[Caveman Catfan]

Politicians shouldn't get a pension. They are serving as a rep. They are supposed to go back home and do their day job after a term or 2. If these asshole want a retirement they need to not do politics.

I am not sure I agree with that. It may be easy for the wealthy to step away from their career for 6-12 years and not have their families damaged, but if we want others to lead, we probably don’t want them having to sacrifice a portion of their futures. Some pension makes sense.

 

[WayneDougan]

As soon as this government stuff is done, It’s time to go after the people who outsourced all the jobs. I want reparations from the Waltons.

 

[HeismaNole]

As soon as this government stuff is done, It’s time to go after the people who outsourced all the jobs. I want reparations from the Waltons.

The ridiculousness of selling the American public on how it’s better to outsource jobs and import the third world, and become more reliant upon other countries than self sufficient still amazes me.

I do think we are eventually looking at some type of UBI system in the future due to AI.

 

[JumperJack]

 

[Bigmikeydelight]

So you couldn't figure it out.

The opposite is true, and very obviously so. the median household in American has gotten better off every year (except for maybe the great recession) since 1980.



Useless semantics. You are a communist and you would make everyone poorer. There is no greater enemy of the working class and the poor than you and your tldr youtube videos explaining things to you.

Average house price in US in 2024 is $419,200 or 8 times the median income.

Average house price in 1990 was $79,100 ($345,928 in 2024 dollars) or a little more than 2.6x the median income.
Average house price in 1980 was $47,200 ($179,685 in 2024 dollars) or a little more that 2.2x the median income.
Average house price in 1970 was $26,600 ($215,054 in 2024 dollars) or a little less than 2.7x the median income.

We can do the same with car, grocery, college tuition prices too. All this data shows that dollars went farther back then, which can be shown in household sizes. So I feel like I have done a thorough job at proving my side. The data contradicts everything you are saying.

In the 1960’s, the US accounted for 40% of world GDP.

Labor and statistics show that median income in 2022 was 50,339 (56,508). In 1990 it was 29,940 (74,169).

1980 21,020 (85,270)
1970 9,870 (82,407)
1960 5,600 (60,320)

Using an inflation calculator, we can find dollar power in parentheses for the year 2024. You can look up groceries, cars, house, college tuition, and what it boils down to is that the median household in American has gotten worse off every year since 1980.

I can do a side by side of the 1% and show how they have gotten better off in the same time frame.

 

[WTF Cat]

Lets take this a few steps further. Do you think the cia just opportunistically got obama to drop this? Or was he installed?

John McCain was a top usaid guy. His daughter is a usaid creation. So its entirely probable McCain was put up as a faux opponent.

With usaid funding burisma and god knows what else, you can bet romney is usaid agent too. He and McCain were basically the same person in terms of their weird anti conservative stances on important issues.

So its entirely probable that obama was completely installed in a sham election, then allowed to win reelection in another sham election, and everyone was in on it. Right down to the bush family because theyre usaid people too.

I still don't think we fully realize the scam that was Hussein Obama

 

[trueblujr2]

View embedded media

"Big part of the MAGA movement is being able to tell off color jokes and being able to take such jokes. And then telling scolds to f-ck off if they’ve got a problem with it.

This is just a necessary and healthy correction to years of suppression of normal humor. Ethnic jokes go back over a century and no one pissed his pants until fairly recently."

That's because a large faction of the MAGA movement is Gen X. That describes Gen X to a tee. They poked the sleeping Bear and Gen X is in charge now.

 

[HeismaNole]

 

[cole854]

Average house price in US in 2024 is $419,200 or 8 times the median income.

So? You act like this is the government's fault? Look no further than here in Lex....when is the last time you saw a new subdivision built that wasn't the latest and greatest Jimmy Nash designs or similar? Builders, developers, city officials, etc, etc, etc.....all getting a piece of this pie. You want new?....you're gonna pay handsomely for it, or you're gonna be in a 1200' cracker box w/ a postage stamp yard and be able to shake hands out the window w/ your neighbor.

 

[Catfan in Tn.]

'Disturbing': Whistleblower fumes at Biden-era agency promoting DEI program as department's 'mission'

The now archived website for USAID, a department on the chopping block thanks to Elon Musk's DOGE efforts, has a webpage dedicated to promoting DEI across the world.

www.foxnews.com

 

[FirewithFire]

This reads like a parody post but it's real. I bet ICE will pay this place a visit in the very near future.

East Hampton officials reassure wealthy residents that officers won’t deport illegal migrant maids, landscapers and nannies

Village leaders held a special community meeting to assure residents of East Hampton — where the median property value is $2 million — that their hired help will not be deported by loca…

nypost.com

 

[SDC888]

Average house price in US in 2024 is $419,200 or 8 times the median income.

Average house price in 1990 was $79,100 ($345,928 in 2024 dollars) or a little more than 2.6x the median income.
Average house price in 1980 was $47,200 ($179,685 in 2024 dollars) or a little more that 2.2x the median income.
Average house price in 1970 was $26,600 ($215,054 in 2024 dollars) or a little less than 2.7x the median income.

We can do the same with car, grocery, college tuition prices too. All this data shows that dollars went farther back then, which can be shown in household sizes. So I feel like I have done a thorough job at proving my side. The data contradicts everything you are saying.

It does not, and you have not.

You have regurgitated a poorly reasoned argument and called it quits after I challenged you to figure out why you are wrong. The average household is significantly wealthier today.

 

[AustinTXCat]

Damn crook.

 

[trueblujr2]

So? You act like this is the government's fault? Look no further than here in Lex....when is the last time you saw a new subdivision built that wasn't the latest and greatest Jimmy Nash designs or similar? Builders, developers, city officials, etc, etc, etc.....all getting a piece of this pie. You want new?....you're gonna pay handsomely for it, or you're gonna be in a 1200' cracker box w/ a postage stamp yard and be able to shake hands out the window w/ your neighbor.

What they don't understand is that post WW2 through about the 80's, those 1200' Cracker boxes were what the middle class were living in. Look at South Louisville, Okolona, Shively, PRP, Valley Station, Fairdale, Fern Creek, etc. All of those neighborhoods built up due to Factory jobs like GE, Ford and a host of others who have since left the area. Those were the Blue Collar, middle class neighborhoods. Now we have a middle class that's trying to look like the upper class and buying more house than they should, cars more expensive than they need, etc.

 

[FirewithFire]

Average house price in US in 2024 is $419,200 or 8 times the median income.

Average house price in 1990 was $79,100 ($345,928 in 2024 dollars) or a little more than 2.6x the median income.
Average house price in 1980 was $47,200 ($179,685 in 2024 dollars) or a little more that 2.2x the median income.
Average house price in 1970 was $26,600 ($215,054 in 2024 dollars) or a little less than 2.7x the median income.

We can do the same with car, grocery, college tuition prices too. All this data shows that dollars went farther back then, which can be shown in household sizes. So I feel like I have done a thorough job at proving my side. The data contradicts everything you are saying.

Now look at the how the purchasing power of the Dollar has declined since its inception and you will have the answer. A Dollar is worth about jack and crap. The only thing propping it up right now is that the Dollar is the World Reserve Currency.

Inflation is a nation killer. You can't just print a trillion Dollars and expect things to be all good.

Also the housing market is inflated thanks to the mega corps buying up all the houses.

 

[Bill Cosby]

I’d be okay if we could just stop the very top from taking loans on unrealized gains. They can live exuberantly, and purchase many different modes of income, all the while paying very little in taxes because of the loans that are available to them alone.

How do you handle it if you tax loan proceeds secured by appreciated assets, then the value of those assets drops eliminating any unrealized gain? Do we have to cut a check from the treasury to the person who borrowed against the appreciated assets?

What if the value doesn’t drop, and the loan is just paid back? Do we have to cut them a check from the treasury? Or does the basis just step up, then if it drops subsequent to paying back the loan, can they deduct unrealized losses?


If I own $1 billion of stock, and borrow $100 million against it to buy a yacht, I’ve now injected $100 million into the economy and all the businesses building the yacht. Additionally I’m paying interest (which is taxable income) to whatever bank I borrowed from. When I die, I have $100 million yacht, a billion of stock and a $100 million loan (easy math). I pay estate tax on whatever is in my estate to get the step up, then my heirs either keep servicing that loan or sell off the stock (that was just taxed) to pay off the loan.

Conversely, I could take $100 million loan, pay $25-40 million in tax for the government to launder it through their favorite NGOs back into their pockets, then inject $60-75 million into the local economy.

I’d rather the money flow through the economy than give Uncle Sam the first cut.

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

A small break from the politics banter, so hear me out..







I truly believe the first 10 seconds of this tv theme song would be the best walk up music for a fat baseball player

 

[bigblueinsanity]

 

[HeismaNole]

Another day of Redditors calling for murder.

 

[WayneDougan]

I do think we are eventually looking at some type of UBI system in the future due to AI.

UBI is a way to just give more money to Bezos and the big tech bitches.

 

[Caveman Catfan]

 

[Catfan in Tn.]

https://www.dailyfetched.com/woke-bishop-who-attacked-trump-received-53-million-of-taxpayer-funds-for-illegal-newcomers/

 

[sambowieshin]

And they use their wealth to avoid paying the higher taxes. Only dummies think raising taxes on wealthy will work.
Value added tax on consumption would be more effective.

Not much we agree on but this is one. Just because you work hard and make money doesn't mean you should have to pay a higher tax rate imo. But you should have to pay more in taxes on items that nobody else in society can afford. Six percent on daily items but 8 percent on a yacht seems fair. Economists smarter than me would have to figure it out. Billionaires have so many income based tax loopholes already.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

The ridiculousness of selling the American public on how it’s better to outsource jobs and import the third world, and become more reliant upon other countries than self sufficient still amazes me.

I do think we are eventually looking at some type of UBI system in the future due to AI.

That's what Libs wanted. "Somolia deserves some too!". Anti nationalism and pro globalism.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Not much we agree on but this is one. Just because you work hard and make money doesn't mean you should have to pay a higher tax rate imo. But you should have to pay more in taxes on items that nobody else in society can afford. Six percent on daily items but 8 percent on a yacht seems fair. Economists smarter than me would have to figure it out. Billionaires have so many income based tax loopholes already.

This is now two days in a row of you making reasonable takes.. You have a stroke?

 

[Ron Mehico]

Not much we agree on but this is one. Just because you work hard and make money doesn't mean you should have to pay a higher tax rate imo. But you should have to pay more in taxes on items that nobody else in society can afford. Six percent on daily items but 8 percent on a yacht seems fair. Economists smarter than me would have to figure it out. Billionaires have so many income based tax loopholes already.

Great post. A consumption tax is not only more fair, but much more difficult to bypass with loopholes. At the end of the day the US government doesn’t need more money, we don’t have a funds problem, we have a spending problem.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Now look at the how the purchasing power of the Dollar has declined since its inception and you will have the answer. A Dollar is worth about jack and crap. The only thing propping it up right now is that the Dollar is the World Reserve Currency.

Inflation is a nation killer. You can't just print a trillion Dollars and expect things to be all good.

Also the housing market is inflated thanks to the mega corps buying up all the houses.

Agree with the first parts.. but the last part, there's a lot of evidence that shows these mega corps and large 10,000unit-esque companies really don't make the dent like we think. Some articles out there and opinions believe that's just an excuse. And the real problem is the supply is low, along with the fact that there's just not as much profit these days to build 2b/1ba homes. So many areas the homes are being built to be mcmansions, and there's just not much push to build starter homes.

Another interesting trend, is that since the 40's and 50's.. the US dropped in multi-generational homes. And it stayed low for decades where the US was doing pretty well. But now, those multi-generational homes are on the rise in percentage over the last decade or two. Meaning, more families are choosing to live together due to things like inflation, costs, child-care/elderly-care.. and it does always make me wonder.. is this how it's SUPPOSED to be? Multi-generational living, like we've done for centuries.. and that this 4-5 decade long run of every family unit having it's own house, just isn't sustainable? I don't know the answer, but I find it interesting.

Not every 20-30-something is supposed to be in their dream home when they haven't even hit their peak earning potential.

 

[Ron Mehico]

Agree with the first parts.. but the last part, there's a lot of evidence that shows these mega corps and large 10,000unit-esque companies really don't make the dent like we think. Some articles out there and opinions believe that's just an excuse. And the real problem is the supply is low, along with the fact that there's just not as much profit these days to build 2b/1ba homes. So many areas the homes are being built to be mcmansions, and there's just not much push to build starter homes.

Another interesting trend, is that since the 40's and 50's.. the US dropped in multi-generational homes. And it stayed low for decades where the US was doing pretty well. But now, those multi-generational homes are on the rise in percentage over the last decade or two. Meaning, more families are choosing to live together due to things like inflation, costs, child-care/elderly-care.. and it does always make me wonder.. is this how it's SUPPOSED to be? Multi-generational living, like we've done for centuries.. and that this 4-5 decade long run of every family unit having it's own house, just isn't sustainable? I don't know the answer, but I find it interesting.

Not every 20-30-something is supposed to be in their dream home when they haven't even hit their peak earning potential.

I’d be curious how much a new home in the 50s would cost today: i.e. a 900 square foot home with one refrigerator, a small garage for one car, 2 bedrooms, 7 foot ceilings etc. The average home today is 3 times the size with so many more amenities it’s not really a fair comparison imo

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I’d be curious how much a new home in the 50s would cost today: i.e. a 900 square foot home with one refrigerator, a small garage for one car, 2 bedrooms, 7 foot ceilings etc. The average home today is 3 times the size with so many more amenities it’s not really a fair comparison imo

And that is a HUGE problem with folks today, and I'm even apart of it. There's the expectation that a family of 4 in their 30's should just have 4-bedrooms, two living rooms, two car garage, etc. I mean, kids don't even really share bedrooms anymore.

It just makes me wonder if these last few decades we were living in such unprecedented times of wealth growth.. if it just really wasn't the norm.

I drive around my area, and no one is building anything less than 2,500 sqft homes for $500k, at minimum. And most are more like $750k and up. It does seem to me, that we need to have a large portion of new builds be specifically for first-time homebuyers and those looking for a cheaper starter home. But builders must not see the profit benefit of that, so IDK what the answer is.

 

[Cold Stout Beer]

Maxine Watters and her entourage bumrushing the education department building.

NOW they say they care about sexual assault.

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