Backdoor Roth

[Boatswain2PA]

7 minutes ago, JoeM said:

What is your definition of who should be able to vote? 

Whoever is proscribed by the state law to be allowed to vote, but federal law should prohibit states from allowing non-US citizens from voting.

My comment about "we have lost control of who votes" is in regards to widespread mail-in ballots, not restricting WHO can legally vote.  Look at the impossible situation Georgia is in with doing recounts, as well as the problems elsewhere.  They have no idea who actually filled out the ballots. We need much tighter election security, preferably vote-in-person with ID with rare exceptions that require a notarized signature to request an absentee ballot.

[JoeM]

1 hour ago, Boatswain2PA said:

Whoever is proscribed by the state law to be allowed to vote, but federal law should prohibit states from allowing non-US citizens from voting.

My comment about "we have lost control of who votes" is in regards to widespread mail-in ballots, not restricting WHO can legally vote.  Look at the impossible situation Georgia is in with doing recounts, as well as the problems elsewhere.  They have no idea who actually filled out the ballots. We need much tighter election security, preferably vote-in-person with ID with rare exceptions that require a notarized signature to request an absentee ballot.

there's only one person asking for multiple recounts in Georgia.... Also, reliably red states like Arizona, Utah, Florida (maybe more purple) have been using mail in voting for years. Where was the concern of rampant mail-in ballot related voter fraud that was an existential threat to democracy in previous elections? Are people filling out an absentee ballot request form for their neighbor, checking their neighbors mail everyday and then stealing their neighbors ballot and filling it out to benefit a particular party? And this of course is happening thousands of times and nobody is noticing? And of course it's impossible to think that members of both political parties could be doing this. Extraordinary claims require extaordinary evidence and to this point I personally have not seen any credible evidence of rampant, systemic voter fraud due to mail in ballots that swung the election one way or the other. When you find a legitimate case of proven voter fraud related to mail in ballots that influenced the result of the elections I will happily review it and be willing to amend my views. disclaimer- hearsay and speculation is not evidence. I anticipate that I'll be waiting indefinitely. 

[Boatswain2PA]

There has been a push for decades to expand voting and make it easier for everyone to vote.  This push has been successful because it's hard to argue against making it easier for people to vote.  

30 years ago to vote you had to make an effort to register to vote, then stand in line in your assigned voting precinct, someone would ensure you were on the list of registered voters (and often requiring an ID to ensure you were who you said you were), and then you were allowed to vote.  The only mail-in balloting were military abentee ballots where the military member had to go to their voting officer to request the ballot from their registered home town (ensuring you only voted in the home town that you entered the military from), then return the ballot TO the military voting officer who would mail it back.  

That's pretty secure.  Did fraud happen?  I'm sure it did, but it would be HARD to commit mass voter fraud this way.

Today we have massively expanding voter registration where many counties have more people registered to vote than they have actual citizens.  That is a problem.

Today we have massively expanded mail-in voting.  We expanded absentee balloting to anyone who doesn't want to go to the ballots that day can request one, and there is now a push to have states mail ballots to all registered voters.  

That's completely insecure, and will lead to chaos.  We see a little of it this year.  It will only get worse.  There are now MANY ways for people to commit ballot fraud with minimal risk of getting caught. 

Is there fraud?  Yes, there is.  Has it affected an election yet?  I don't know, but it will as the fraud gets worse.  

The democrats got rid of the supermajority vote required to confirm judges.  It bit them in the arse in the past 4 years.  They have worked to get rid of election security over the past 30 years, it just might bite them in the arse when the Republicans start bending the rules as well.  Some rural counties might get an extra couple hundred thousand people register there to vote and get ballots to mail back.  As we see in Georgia, once those envelopes have been opened and counted it is impossible to match them back up for an effectual audit.

We are unleashing chaos with our voting, and we will not be better off for it.  Much of the country now has doubts about the election process.  The next time a Republican wins office much of the REST of the country will then have doubts.  

Voter ID, in person, on paper is the most secure way to vote, and that's how we should do it.

[MediMike]

13 hours ago, Boatswain2PA said:

Everything.

National debt is $27.5 Trillion, and only 125 million taxpaying Americans to pay for it.  It will have gone up another million dollars in the time I type this.  How do we get out of that?  Growing our way out of it is now impossible.  We don't have enough people/countries to buy all this debt, so the fed reserve is printing money just to loan it to us to fill the gap in need.  The only way out of this is massive inflation, which (after a painful lag) will cause rapid rise in income.  So while you may think it's just the rich today who make >$400K, I don't see ANY way that in the near future this will be anything other than a modest income.  Suddenly we are all paying that maximum tax rate....Minor correction.  Our national debt has gone up $3,000,000 since I started typing this.

This tells me nothing besides your opinion.

2 hours ago, Boatswain2PA said:

He promises to repeal Trump's tax cuts.  The Trump tax cuts included the 20% "pass through" deduction for independent contractors (that is a lot of us) who made LESS than $400K a year (specifically, I think it was ONLY for 1099 contractors who made LESS than $400K/year).  

So, if you are a small businessperson or 1099 contractor, Biden will take away your 20% deduction.

Yeah, taxes are going up for a lot of people making less than $400K/year.  Many of us here will have much higher taxes due to Biden/Harris administration (especially if both Georgia seats go blue).

If he does take a broad axe and completely eradicate every item included in the Trump tax cuts then yes, tax rates will go back to where they were for these individuals.  I wasn't familiar with this facet of the original tax plan but am okay with it getting reverted.

2 hours ago, Boatswain2PA said:

How about Wharton business school?https://budgetmodel.wharton.upenn.edu/issues/2020/3/6/biden-social-security

We've already talked about the pending inflation/weak dollar that is going to come.  
.......
Biden's tax plan restarts this after $400K creating a donut hole for earners making between $137,700 and $400K.  But there's a catch, the donut hole is designed to close with increases in the $137,700 limit over time until it catches the $400K.  In other words, in the future EVERYONE will be forced to pay the 12.4% social security tax on 100% of their income.

By the way, notice their key point that the Biden tax plan is going to reduce our GDP by 0.6% by 2030 and 0.8% by 2050.  Absolutely no way we will be able to grow our way out of our debt.
 

The doughnut hole is not "designed to closed".  The only way this happens is if those who make less than $400k/yr end up making $400k/yr.  If I get a huge raise it's not a doughnut hole closing, it's that I'm earning more money.

You are suggesting that inflation is going to skyrocket and we're all going to double our incomes? I find that highly doubtful. You are also using the PWBM for SS from March rather than his overall budget model which was released in September which shows an initial drop of 0.4, then neutral, then increasing by 0.8%.

https://budgetmodel.wharton.upenn.edu/issues/2020/9/14/biden-2020-analysis
 

3 hours ago, Boatswain2PA said:

Here's another one for you.  Straight from Joe's website:

• Regulate possession of existing assault weapons under the National Firearms Act. Currently, the National Firearms Act requires individuals possessing machine-guns, silencers, and short-barreled rifles to undergo a background check and register those weapons with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Due to these requirements, such weapons are rarely used in crimes. As president, Biden will pursue legislation to regulate possession of existing assault weapons under the National Firearms Act. 

Nope, not exactly a tax.  But if you have to register your firearm (and all magazines in excess of 10 rounds), it costs $200 per item to register class 3 weapons.  

How many folks making <$400K/year have scary looking semi-automatic weapons and magazines that carry greater than 10 rounds?  Oh, and that would include your 13 round glock magazines.....$200 registration fee please (for EACH magazine).

I sure don't have any.  Lost them all overboard a few years ago.

Exactly.  Not a tax.  I also don't see anywhere the general proposals lays details that this will be a retroactive fee whereby if you own 20 AR15s you'll owe $4000.  Can you show me where those details are? Or are you just spitballing?

 

So what I'm seeing from your responses is:

In a cataclysmic occurrence inflation is going to cause a wage increase of >2x for all of us, >4x for some of us, thereby resulting in an increased social security tax ------ There is no evidence for this.

The Wharton School of Business (Trumps Alma Mater) is projecting a decrease in GDP with Biden's tax plan ------- This is incorrect based on their current predictions.

If Biden repeals the entirety of the Trump tax cuts, the independent contractors out there will undergo a 20% increase on that pass-through income, back to the pre-2017 range ------- I agree with you on this

They are coming for your guns (or at least for your money because you have guns) ------ I'm waiting for the evidence of a retroactive fee being assessed.

[MediMike]

3 minutes ago, Boatswain2PA said:

There has been a push for decades to expand voting and make it easier for everyone to vote.  This push has been successful because it's hard to argue against making it easier for people to vote.  

30 years ago to vote you had to make an effort to register to vote, then stand in line in your assigned voting precinct, someone would ensure you were on the list of registered voters (and often requiring an ID to ensure you were who you said you were), and then you were allowed to vote.  The only mail-in balloting were military abentee ballots where the military member had to go to their voting officer to request the ballot from their registered home town (ensuring you only voted in the home town that you entered the military from), then return the ballot TO the military voting officer who would mail it back.  

That's pretty secure.  Did fraud happen?  I'm sure it did, but it would be HARD to commit mass voter fraud this way.

Today we have massively expanding voter registration where many counties have more people registered to vote than they have actual citizens.  That is a problem.

Today we have massively expanded mail-in voting.  We expanded absentee balloting to anyone who doesn't want to go to the ballots that day can request one, and there is now a push to have states mail ballots to all registered voters.  

That's completely insecure, and will lead to chaos.  We see a little of it this year.  It will only get worse.  There are now MANY ways for people to commit ballot fraud with minimal risk of getting caught. 

Is there fraud?  Yes, there is.  Has it affected an election yet?  I don't know, but it will as the fraud gets worse.  

The democrats got rid of the supermajority vote required to confirm judges.  It bit them in the arse in the past 4 years.  They have worked to get rid of election security over the past 30 years, it just might bite them in the arse when the Republicans start bending the rules as well.  Some rural counties might get an extra couple hundred thousand people register there to vote and get ballots to mail back.  As we see in Georgia, once those envelopes have been opened and counted it is impossible to match them back up for an effectual audit.

We are unleashing chaos with our voting, and we will not be better off for it.  Much of the country now has doubts about the election process.  The next time a Republican wins office much of the REST of the country will then have doubts.  

Voter ID, in person, on paper is the most secure way to vote, and that's how we should do it.

In-person voting disproportionately affects minority and lower class voters.  Getting time off work to stand in line for hours is significantly more difficult for those working in manual labor or the service industries. 11% of Americans don't have photo ID.  Does that mean that those 11% shouldn't be able to vote? Are you offering to pay the fees to obtain their lost documentation and then drive them to ID office to obtain it? How much fraud is (again, evidence please) occurring in states without voter ID laws?

The ONLY reason there was chaos this year was because the incumbent whipped his followers into a frenzy.  That's it.  We have NEVER had widespread fear regarding our election, and it is NOT due to the amount of mail-in votes this year, it is due to 4 years of constant fear mongering.  The country doubts the election process because that was the plan. 

[Boatswain2PA]

1 hour ago, MediMike said:

This tells me nothing besides your opinion.

Know any other way out of this mess?

 

1 hour ago, MediMike said:

I wasn't familiar with this facet of the original tax plan but am okay with it getting reverted.

Lots of people who make less than $400K will pay a lot more in taxes.  The media will give him a pass when he breaks this promise though.  

 

1 hour ago, MediMike said:

The doughnut hole is not "designed to closed".

The donut hole is absolutely designed to close.  However I this isn't due to Biden's tax plan (which makes the donut hole), but rather the existing plan for the SS max to increase every year.   It won't be just those who suddenly make more than $400K, it will effect EVERYONE who makes more than the $137K max as a greater portion of their income will be subject to the 12% SS tax.  Again, not Biden's fault, but his tax proposal maintains this, which means his promise of no increase in taxes for those making less than $400K is not accurate as his tax plan doesn't fix this.  

 

1 hour ago, MediMike said:

Exactly.  Not a tax.  I also don't see anywhere the general proposals lays details that this will be a retroactive fee whereby if you own 20 AR15s you'll owe $4000.  Can you show me where those details are?

Depends on what you consider a tax.  I consider any payments the government requires me to give them to be a tax.

The Biden gun plan calls for declaring those scary looking guns to be class III weapons, the same as automatic weapons, explosives, suppressors, and large caliber weapons.

Those scary 11 round magazines (or larger) will also be declared to be a class II weapon.

To legally own a class III weapon you have to have the weapon registered with the ATF.  There is a $200 registration fee PER ITEM. Don't believe me, go buy a suppressor (not that I have one, it was lost overboard as well).  Also requires fingerprinting and paperwork from a dealer, who often charges you $50 for this as well.

It's not a retroactive fee.  It's declaring these guns to be a class that now requires registration.  I believe that is what Trump did 3 years ago with bump stocks.

 

1 hour ago, MediMike said:

The ONLY reason there was chaos this year was because the incumbent whipped his followers into a frenzy.  That's it.  We have NEVER had widespread fear regarding our election, and it is NOT due to the amount of mail-in votes this year, it is due to 4 years of constant fear mongering.  The country doubts the election process because that was the plan. 

That's our opinion as well.  We certainly did suffer through 4 years of idjits wearing pu$$y hats screaming "HE'S NOT MY PRESIDENT" along with the media repeatedly questioning his legitimacy.  

Wonder if you will be singing the same tune in 4 years if funny things happen with the election and a Republican is declared the winner.  I certainly will be.
 

1 hour ago, MediMike said:

ou are also using the PWBM for SS from March rather than his overall budget model which was released in September which shows an initial drop of 0.4, then neutral, then increasing by 0.8%.

https://budgetmodel.wharton.upenn.edu/issues/2020/9/14/biden-2020-analysis

Thank you, hadn't seen that.  Don't put a lot of stock in such projections anyway as the situation is too fluid.  

BTW - If you DON'T think taxes are going higher, why do a roth conversion at all?  You will probably be in a lower tax bracket in retirement than you are now, so it would make sense to leave the money as pre-tax.

Edited November 25, 2020 by Boatswain2PA

[EMEDPA]

5 hours ago, Boatswain2PA said:

He promises to repeal Trump's tax cuts.  The Trump tax cuts included the 20% "pass through" deduction for independent contractors (that is a lot of us) who made LESS than $400K a year (specifically, I think it was ONLY for 1099 contractors who made LESS than $400K/year).  

So, if you are a small businessperson or 1099 contractor, Biden will take away your 20% deduction.

Yeah, taxes are going up for a lot of people making less than $400K/year.  Many of us here will have much higher taxes due to Biden/Harris administration (especially if both Georgia seats go blue).

I paid more taxes less year as a 1099 than I ever have before. A lot more.

[Boatswain2PA]

1 minute ago, EMEDPA said:

I paid more taxes less year as a 1099 than I ever have before. A lot more.

Yeah, we have talked about this before.  Everyones tax situation is different, but doesnt change the fact that the Trump tax cuts introduced a 20% deduction, OFF THE TOP for 1099 contractors and small business owners.

 

Maybe your tax guy didnt take advantage of it, or a thousand other possibilities.  But it is an awesome thing for 1099s.

[MediMike]

1 hour ago, Boatswain2PA said:

Know any other way out of this mess?

 

Lots of people who make less than $400K will pay a lot more in taxes.  The media will give him a pass when he breaks this promise though.  

 

The donut hole is absolutely designed to close.  However I this isn't due to Biden's tax plan (which makes the donut hole), but rather the existing plan for the SS max to increase every year.   It won't be just those who suddenly make more than $400K, it will effect EVERYONE who makes more than the $137K max as a greater portion of their income will be subject to the 12% SS tax.  Again, not Biden's fault, but his tax proposal maintains this, which means his promise of no increase in taxes for those making less than $400K is not accurate as his tax plan doesn't fix this.  

 

Depends on what you consider a tax.  I consider any payments the government requires me to give them to be a tax.

The Biden gun plan calls for declaring those scary looking guns to be class III weapons, the same as automatic weapons, explosives, suppressors, and large caliber weapons.

Those scary 11 round magazines (or larger) will also be declared to be a class II weapon.

To legally own a class III weapon you have to have the weapon registered with the ATF.  There is a $200 registration fee PER ITEM. Don't believe me, go buy a suppressor (not that I have one, it was lost overboard as well).  Also requires fingerprinting and paperwork from a dealer, who often charges you $50 for this as well.

It's not a retroactive fee.  It's declaring these guns to be a class that now requires registration.  I believe that is what Trump did 3 years ago with bump stocks.

 

That's our opinion as well.  We certainly did suffer through 4 years of idjits wearing pu$$y hats screaming "HE'S NOT MY PRESIDENT" along with the media repeatedly questioning his legitimacy.  

Wonder if you will be singing the same tune in 4 years if funny things happen with the election and a Republican is declared the winner.  I certainly will be.
 

Thank you, hadn't seen that.  Don't put a lot of stock in such projections anyway as the situation is too fluid.  

BTW - If you DON'T think taxes are going higher, why do a roth conversion at all?  You will probably be in a lower tax bracket in retirement than you are now, so it would make sense to leave the money as pre-tax.

I still thoroughly and completely disagree with your idea of "lots of people", and other than the 1099 pass-through income bit I haven't seen any evidence of his tax plan causing an increase in taxes? Probably will remain a perception variance between the two of us.

Bump stocks were outlawed. And since this country (ridiculously) has no way of tracking who currently owns these weapons and magazines I fail to see how they are going to force their registration. New purchases? Yes.

If we have another election in four years which is declared the most secure election in our history I will be just fine with the results. I have yet to see "funny business" which would lead to a change in the outcomes.

The key word there is "probably", and I'm probably not as old you, not planning on retiring in the next 4 years Therefore I've got no idea what the tax brackets will look like in 30 years, plus the various other benefits that go along with a Roth.

[CAAdmission]

22 hours ago, EMEDPA said:

You're kidding, right? Since his earliest days in real estate he has been refusing to let black folks live in some of his properties or have black contractors work on his buildings or his yachts. This was all known before the 2016 election. 

https://www.vox.com/2016/7/25/12270880/donald-trump-racist-racism-history

I hadn't heard that, but I'm not really much into the Manhattan real estate market. 

Do you know the guy holding hands with Biden here?

[EMEDPA]

No. Should I know who that is? 

[MediMike]

8 minutes ago, EMEDPA said:

No. Should I know who that is? 

Meh. He's tried to pull this one before. It's Senator Robert Byrd who was a member of the KKK in the 40s before renouncing it and starting a career in the government.

“The greatest mistake I ever made was joining the Ku Klux Klan,” Byrd said in a 1993 interview with CNN’s Bernard Shaw, according to Slate. “And I’ve said that many times. But one cannot erase what he has done. He can only change his ways and his thoughts. That was an albatross around my neck that I will always wear. You will read it in my obituary that I was a member of the Ku Klux Klan.”

Hell. Even the NAACP said he was a good guy. Voted for the 1968 Civil Rights act, the voting act etc.

Biggest difference between this dude and say, Trump, is that he admitted he made a bad decision and was wrong. Just like when Biden has said stupid #-$+ that came out racist he apologized for his words, took responsibility for his actions and moved on. I have few issues when someone has made mistakes in their life if they accept their errors and make reparations for them.

[Boatswain2PA]

4 hours ago, MediMike said:

other than the 1099 pass-through income bit I haven't seen any evidence of his tax plan causing an increase in taxes? Probably will remain a perception variance between the two of us.

I think you are reading his plan right, I just don't think he will follow through with his plan.  Only 1.8% of people in the US make more than $400K a year.  Meanwhile 44% of people didn't pay taxes in 2018.  We can tax that 1.8% at 100% and still probably not cover our deficit.

Just to prove that point, From https://www.financialsamurai.com/how-much-money-do-the-top-income-earners-make-percent/, it shows that the top 1.4 million earners in the US (1%) earned 1.685 trillion total, with an estimated 2021 annual income of $470K for 2021.  If we tax that top 1% at 100% (meaning they would quit working), that is only HALF of our estimated 2020 federal DEFICIT.

We CANNOT get ourselves out of our spending mess by taxing the rich cause there isn't that many rich to do it.  The best way out of our mess (if it isn't too late for this) is for the 44% who don't pay taxes to pay SOMETHING, drastically cut spending, and wait for us to grow out of it.  The next best way is to stimulate large scale inflation like we had in the Carter years to help knock the actual cost of the debt down.  

Or, just kick the can down the road until we run out of people who will loan us money, then just borrow money from the lender of last resort (the Fed) who loans us money with the ink still wet from them creating it out of thin air......and we become Venezuela.
 

7 hours ago, MediMike said:

Bump stocks were outlawed

Bump stocks are not outlawed.  They were classified by executive order as an automatic weapon, therefore considered a Class III weapon.  You have to be approved by the ATF to own a class III weapon, which requires the $200 registration fee (tax).  Same thing with suppressors, large caliber (.50 cal and above) weapons, explosives, etc.  I know several people with legal class III weapons as they have the ATF stamp for them. I have a friend who HAD a bump-stock, but don't know if he still has it.  I doubt he spent the $200 to register it (or if he would be approved to have it).  
 

8 hours ago, MediMike said:

I fail to see how they are going to force their registration

The same way the federal government did it when we passed the 1935 National Firearms Act that I believe created the weapon classes, and put automatic weapons into the Class III that requires registration (and approval from ATF).

Fortunately (thanks to Harry Reid) there are 130+ new conservative judges on the bench (and 3 on the SCOTUS) who will likely uphold our 2nd Amendment rights and strike down such an executive order or legislation as unconstitutional.

 

7 hours ago, MediMike said:

If we have another election in four years which is declared the most secure election in our history I will be just fine with the results.

Yes, someone (in charge of elections at DHS?) said that, and was canned by the President.   Of course, this was highlighted by the leftist media to show just how safe and secure out election was. Meanwhile the right wing media is hyping up every rumor or problem found as proof of fraud.  And too many of us are too entrenched to seek a truth that may not be aligned with our desire for confirmation of our beliefs.  I blame the media for this (see the Vox article posted by Emed for good example of this).

I'll wait 4 years to see if you are fine with the results.  To be honest, I think you will be, just as I accept Biden has almost assuredly won this year.  But in 4 years it won't be leftists in pu$$y hats being driven crazy by the media declarations to "resist" the "unlawful presidency", it will be the antifa goons.

As to Roth conversions - I just moved everything I could from IRAs to ROTHS and paid today's price for it.  I think Trump lost a great opportunity to cut spending and work toward balancing our budget, while pushing economic growth by cutting bureaucracy.  While he did a good job cutting bureaucracy, and our economy was on FIRE, he spent like a damn democrat.  My hope was that he would have won a 2nd term and used that as the launching point to start cutting spending.  Instead we have further explosion of spending with a large expansion of the federal government, some version of a "green new deal", etc ad nauseum.   So yeah, if you can protect yourself from future taxes, this is the time to do it (although I don't think ROTHs will be safe in a few more years.)

I am also moving into equities anytime I get a good deal.  More cattle, more real estate.  Things that make me money, but will go .  Stocks offer a short term protection against inflation (the Caracas Venezuela stock market was up 200,000% in 2018 https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2019/02/05/believe-it-or-not-venezuela-has-a-stock-market-and-its-been-destroyed/?sh=f98f20d3ff8b), but that only lasts as long as you can find someone to buy your stocks.

[Boatswain2PA]

35 minutes ago, MediMike said:

Meh. He's tried to pull this one before. It's Senator Robert Byrd who was a member of the KKK in the 40s before renouncing it and starting a career in the government.

You make it sound like he was a KKK member in his teenage years, quit, changed, then joined the guv'ment.  I believe he was still in the KKK when elected to the Senate in the late 50s, but started his "career in the government" in the 40s in the state legislature.  He also filibustered the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Must be nice to be a Democrat and be treated so well by the press.  They will forgive damn near anything you do...as long as you have that "D" next to your name.  You can even have your past EXTREME racism exonerated.  If you are a Democrat NY landlord you might run afoul of a Republican administration DOJ because your company apparently doesn't like to rent to black folks, but that's no big deal to the press.  Well, until you change into a Republican and run for congress.  Suddenly that will become a HUGE deal! 

[MediMike]

52 minutes ago, Boatswain2PA said:

You make it sound like he was a KKK member in his teenage years, quit, changed, then joined the guv'ment.  I believe he was still in the KKK when elected to the Senate in the late 50s, but started his "career in the government" in the 40s in the state legislature.  He also filibustered the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Must be nice to be a Democrat and be treated so well by the press.  They will forgive damn near anything you do...as long as you have that "D" next to your name.  You can even have your past EXTREME racism exonerated.  If you are a Democrat NY landlord you might run afoul of a Republican administration DOJ because your company apparently doesn't like to rent to black folks, but that's no big deal to the press.  Well, until you change into a Republican and run for congress.  Suddenly that will become a HUGE deal! 

Congressman in 52, Senate in 58 or 59 I believe. Think he was born in the late teens so there's some math that I've maybe had one or two too many beers to think about at the moment.

What were the major differences in the 64 and the 68 act? I have no idea to be completely honest.

I'm not sure who you are referencing? And was there a reason for that individual to get any press attention before they ran for a congressional position? 

[MediMike]

1 hour ago, Boatswain2PA said:

I think you are reading his plan right, I just don't think he will follow through with his plan.  Only 1.8% of people in the US make more than $400K a year.  Meanwhile 44% of people didn't pay taxes in 2018.  We can tax that 1.8% at 100% and still probably not cover our deficit.

Just to prove that point, From https://www.financialsamurai.com/how-much-money-do-the-top-income-earners-make-percent/, it shows that the top 1.4 million earners in the US (1%) earned 1.685 trillion total, with an estimated 2021 annual income of $470K for 2021.  If we tax that top 1% at 100% (meaning they would quit working), that is only HALF of our estimated 2020 federal DEFICIT.

We CANNOT get ourselves out of our spending mess by taxing the rich cause there isn't that many rich to do it.  The best way out of our mess (if it isn't too late for this) is for the 44% who don't pay taxes to pay SOMETHING, drastically cut spending, and wait for us to grow out of it.  The next best way is to stimulate large scale inflation like we had in the Carter years to help knock the actual cost of the debt down.  

Or, just kick the can down the road until we run out of people who will loan us money, then just borrow money from the lender of last resort (the Fed) who loans us money with the ink still wet from them creating it out of thin air......and we become Venezuela.
 

Bump stocks are not outlawed.  They were classified by executive order as an automatic weapon, therefore considered a Class III weapon.  You have to be approved by the ATF to own a class III weapon, which requires the $200 registration fee (tax).  Same thing with suppressors, large caliber (.50 cal and above) weapons, explosives, etc.  I know several people with legal class III weapons as they have the ATF stamp for them. I have a friend who HAD a bump-stock, but don't know if he still has it.  I doubt he spent the $200 to register it (or if he would be approved to have it).  
 

The same way the federal government did it when we passed the 1935 National Firearms Act that I believe created the weapon classes, and put automatic weapons into the Class III that requires registration (and approval from ATF).

Fortunately (thanks to Harry Reid) there are 130+ new conservative judges on the bench (and 3 on the SCOTUS) who will likely uphold our 2nd Amendment rights and strike down such an executive order or legislation as unconstitutional.

 

Yes, someone (in charge of elections at DHS?) said that, and was canned by the President.   Of course, this was highlighted by the leftist media to show just how safe and secure out election was. Meanwhile the right wing media is hyping up every rumor or problem found as proof of fraud.  And too many of us are too entrenched to seek a truth that may not be aligned with our desire for confirmation of our beliefs.  I blame the media for this (see the Vox article posted by Emed for good example of this).

I'll wait 4 years to see if you are fine with the results.  To be honest, I think you will be, just as I accept Biden has almost assuredly won this year.  But in 4 years it won't be leftists in pu$$y hats being driven crazy by the media declarations to "resist" the "unlawful presidency", it will be the antifa goons.

Dude...better dump your bumps.

https://www.atf.gov/rules-and-regulations/bump-stocks

Not a Class III, they have to be destroyed or surrendered.

How many folks linked to extreme leftist militant groups were identified this year? To my knowledge the VAST number of people arrested were...normal people. From the suburbs. And quite a few right wing extremists, probably as many of them as there were "antifa".

[Boatswain2PA]

4 minutes ago, MediMike said:

Dude...better dump your bumps.

https://www.atf.gov/rules-and-regulations/bump-stocks

Not a Class III, they have to be destroyed or surrendered.

Thank you, interesting, but doesn't change the conversation about Biden (per his website) wanting to make some scary-looking automatic rifles into Class III weapons.  Oh, and 11+ round magazines.  Each of which would require a $200 registration fee.

 

6 minutes ago, MediMike said:

How many folks linked to extreme leftist militant groups were identified this year? To my knowledge the VAST number of people arrested were...normal people. From the suburbs. And quite a few right wing extremists, probably as many of them as there were "antifa".

I don't know.

Police were frequently told by their politician masters to ignore much of the antifa-crowd (using that term loosely to include all the idjits who black-blocked and rioted) as they rioted because they were "protesting".   Another factor is how antifa is a more loosely based organization than a right wing militia.  Any idjit can start a FB/twitter page calling themselves the PAForumAntifa and boom...they are antifa.  There are, however, signs of some structural organization as someone has funded some bad things as evidenced by vans pulling up to protest sites with bats, shields, signs, etc.  The DOJ is investigating.

Right wing militia members are a different breed, and I think they are far more actually lethal.  Other than the poor sucker who accidentally drives into an antifa roadblock, one can mostly avoid the areas where antifa chooses to destroy (or you are doomed to live there and are refused police protection because, well, they are defunded).  Right wing militants are more likely to structurally organize, plan a mission, and then actually execute it.  

One Timothy McVeigh right wing idjit was a lot more lethal than a whole host of antifa idjits burning up parts of Portland every night this past summer.  

Not passing moral equivalency here, just discussing lethality.  If the political storms grow to the point where more and more people are driven to the right wing groups, and they become active, then it could spell the dissolution of our union.  

[Boatswain2PA]

28 minutes ago, MediMike said:

What were the major differences in the 64 and the 68 act? I have no idea to be completely honest.

I don't know either.  Likely just time moving society, and it's politicians, more away from racism.

 

28 minutes ago, MediMike said:

I'm not sure who you are referencing? And was there a reason for that individual to get any press attention before they ran for a congressional position? 

I'm referencing Trump, and referencing Emed's post above about Trump being a racist.  One thing that has been repeated (ad nauseum) in the media has been that Trump has ALWAYS been a racist, and they use DOJ lawsuit against Trump organization (in the 70s?) where they said Trump discriminated against blacks when it came to renting to them.  It was settled out of court, but then the DOJ sued again because Trump was apparently doing it again. 

It was the Nixon administration's DOJ who filed the lawsuits, and Trump was a Democrat.  So the media didn't really highlight it much.

For decades Trump was a NY Democrat, hobnobbing with Clinton, Sharpton, Jackson, et al.  He wasn't a racist, he was a DEMOCRAT.

Then he became a Republican.  Still no big deal, he was hollywood by then.

Then he ran for President, AS a Republican.  Suddenly he is a racist, all the way back from the 70s.  Oh, wait....Trump organization was run by his FATHER at that time?  Well, the media will tell that part of the story about as loudly as they will tell their readers that it was a Republican administration DOJ that went after a Democrat businessman for discrimination.  

[EMEDPA]

how about when he mocked a handicapped reporter on national TV within the last five years? Who does that?

Or made fun of MCcain for being a POW in vietnam. MCcain was a hero. I liked him despite his politics. He was a good man and stood for what was right. I don't hate everyone on the right, just the current POTUS. I voted for Bush, Sr.

[CAAdmission]

8 hours ago, EMEDPA said:

No. Should I know who that is? 

 

8 hours ago, MediMike said:

Meh. He's tried to pull this one before. It's Senator Robert Byrd who was a member of the KKK in the 40s before renouncing it and starting a career in the government.

 

I'm going to start a new thread on the topic of racism over in the political area so as to not derail this thread. I'd be interested for your input. See you there.

[Boatswain2PA]

8 hours ago, EMEDPA said:

how about when he mocked a handicapped reporter on national TV within the last five years? Who does that?

Or made fun of MCcain for being a POW in vietnam.

Trump is a buffoon who says terrible things feeding the media a nonstop stream of buffoonery that they propagate into 24/7 news OF his buffoonery

Meanwhile they ignore the buffoonery of another NY buffoon (Cuomo).  No 24/7 coverage of him telling New Yorkers that it's their fault Covid is spreading rampantly again because they refuse to appropriately social distance or wear masks, or telling them they have diabetes because they are fat.  

And much of the media focuses on Trump's buffoonery instead of his policy actions that led to truly historic gains.  Economy was booming, tanked due to CV, and is booming again.  We will have multiple vaccines available in LESS THAN a year.  Historic unemployment, especially in minority populations.  Lowest numbers of people in poverty.  For the first time in 60 years we have not one, but THREE islamic countries with peace deals with Israel (and more importantly, two of them MUST have had implicit approval from Saudi Arabia to do this).  Iran is reeling, North Korea hasn't launched a missile in 3.5 years or popped a nuke in 3 years.

But according to the media there is nothing to see there, because Orange Man Bad.

The incredible left-wing bias of the media (and academia) is one of the biggest problems in the country. 

[CAAdmission]

28 minutes ago, Boatswain2PA said:

The incredible left-wing bias of the media (and academia) is one of the biggest problems in the country. 

Spot on. 

[MediMike]

9 hours ago, Boatswain2PA said:

Thank you, interesting, but doesn't change the conversation about Biden (per his website) wanting to make some scary-looking automatic rifles into Class III weapons.  Oh, and 11+ round magazines.  Each of which would require a $200 registration fee.

 

I don't know.

Police were frequently told by their politician masters to ignore much of the antifa-crowd (using that term loosely to include all the idjits who black-blocked and rioted) as they rioted because they were "protesting".   Another factor is how antifa is a more loosely based organization than a right wing militia.  Any idjit can start a FB/twitter page calling themselves the PAForumAntifa and boom...they are antifa.  There are, however, signs of some structural organization as someone has funded some bad things as evidenced by vans pulling up to protest sites with bats, shields, signs, etc.  The DOJ is investigating.

Right wing militia members are a different breed, and I think they are far more actually lethal.  Other than the poor sucker who accidentally drives into an antifa roadblock, one can mostly avoid the areas where antifa chooses to destroy (or you are doomed to live there and are refused police protection because, well, they are defunded).  Right wing militants are more likely to structurally organize, plan a mission, and then actually execute it.  

One Timothy McVeigh right wing idjit was a lot more lethal than a whole host of antifa idjits burning up parts of Portland every night this past summer.  

Not passing moral equivalency here, just discussing lethality.  If the political storms grow to the point where more and more people are driven to the right wing groups, and they become active, then it could spell the dissolution of our union.  

No it doesn't but you were wrong so figured I would let you know. I don't particularly care that there will be a redesignation to Class III weapons as I believe these items to be luxury purchases rather than necessities. It's not a general "tax" leveled against the public, it's a fee you pay to play with your toys, and if magazines with less capacity can lead to less dead kids during the next inevitable school shooting I'm for it. And since all lives matter I'm sure you are too.

But, again, perception right? To me it's not a tax. We are talking about taxes.

 

 

[MediMike]

31 minutes ago, Boatswain2PA said:

Trump is a buffoon who says terrible things feeding the media a nonstop stream of buffoonery that they propagate into 24/7 news OF his buffoonery

Meanwhile they ignore the buffoonery of another NY buffoon (Cuomo).  No 24/7 coverage of him telling New Yorkers that it's their fault Covid is spreading rampantly again because they refuse to appropriately social distance or wear masks, or telling them they have diabetes because they are fat.  

And much of the media focuses on Trump's buffoonery instead of his policy actions that led to truly historic gains.  Economy was booming, tanked due to CV, and is booming again.  We will have multiple vaccines available in LESS THAN a year.  Historic unemployment, especially in minority populations.  Lowest numbers of people in poverty.  For the first time in 60 years we have not one, but THREE islamic countries with peace deals with Israel (and more importantly, two of them MUST have had implicit approval from Saudi Arabia to do this).  Iran is reeling, North Korea hasn't launched a missile in 3.5 years or popped a nuke in 3 years.

But according to the media there is nothing to see there, because Orange Man Bad.

The incredible left-wing bias of the media (and academia) is one of the biggest problems in the country. 

Do you disagree with Cuomo? Are you suggesting that overeating doesn't lead to weight gain? Or that a lack of compliance with safe behavior during a pandemic will lead to increased spread? I honestly have no idea what you're getting at here 

The attached chart shows that the unemployment levels pre-COVID have been on a steady trend down since the bubble burst back in 2008-2009, sure he didn't make things worse, until he fumbled the COVID response.

The three countries talking is fantastic, but nothing has actually been accomplished. The major bone in that deal was Israel backing off of the West Bank which if I remember right goes against the Israel-Palestine peace proposal Kushner initially put out.

I'm not sure why you are so incredibly hawkish on Iran, they are "reeling" because we withdrew from our nuclear deal, assassinated one of their head honchos and have crushed them with sanctions in the midst of a pandemic.

NK launched multiple missiles in 2019.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_North_Korean_missile_tests

Thanks for trotting out the party line of "educated elitists".

With that, happy Thanksgiving all, I'll be spending it with people who aren't you!

[Boatswain2PA]

16 minutes ago, MediMike said:

, and if magazines with less capacity can lead to less dead kids during the next inevitable school shooting I'm for it. And since all lives matter I'm sure you are too.

I might go along with it (no, to be honest I wouldnt) if such a plan would actually result in less dead kids, or violent shootings overall.

 

But we have tried that.  Clinton banned sale of assault rifles and "high capacity magazines", and there was no change in gun violence.

Easy to understand why when you look at how often these guns are used in crimes.....almost zero.  We think they are used all the time because a few times they were used with mass casualties, and because the media spoonfeeds us leftist info.