I feel the Bern!

[BilletHead]

5 minutes ago, Flysmallie said:

Let's not get carried away. He beat Hillary Clinton. That's no major accomplishment. This whole thing is pretty comical.

     Yes and I would like this several more times if I could. I am becoming disenchanted with all if this right now. We shouldn't be as this is some serious crap and our country depends on the outcome. I know there are checks and balances and if we elect one of these folks what they say they want to do is not set in stone. Still as comical as it is it is our choice. Lord help us :).

BilletHead

[Trav]

   Two words.. "FLAT TAX". Make everyone including companies pay the same percentage. Stop subsidizing, get rid of all deductions, remove all tax exemptions and it will be fair across the board. To provide health care and higher education is what any country should be addressing if they want to stay competitive in a world based economy. And capitalism is about being competitive. A smarter healthier population for the future is not socialism in my opinion. It is good business.

[Trav]

The truth is the tax laws are designed to fund programs which help the poor and give breaks to the super rich. It is no wonder why the middle class is shrinking. They are the middle child of the code. If you make over 100 grand a year but less than a million you get the shaft. And it is designed that way because of economic demographics. It is the target of all taxes because that is where the bulk of the taxable population sits as far as household income. The reality is most people make less than 50k a year and they actually get more money back than they pay in. Meaning they don't pay much in taxes at all. So it is designed for the middle class to be the only demographic that actually loses money by percentage of income earned.

 I don't like U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders for prez cause he will tax the hell out of Donald J. Trump. I like him cause he wants to give more opportunity to those who are willing to work for it. College isn't easy and it is expensive. So free college to people is not a free ride. You still have to make the grades. How many kids start college and drop out? I am guessing it is around half. And half of those quit cause of money. He isn't proposing taxes on the middle class to fund it... he is using common sense by expecting those with businesses to pay a tax to expand their available work force in the future. Trump wants to make America great again? I don't see any education solutions coming from him? He is too worried about all those people who pick our fruits and veggies. I guess he wants us paying 10 dollars for a tomato  I don't like U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders for prez because he wants to cure the country of all their medical ailments either. I like him cause he wants a single payer medical system that doesn't rely on the states to fund it. And he isn't gonna tax the hell out of Donald J. Trump for that either.

I know he is full of lofty goals but I will take optimism and positive ideology over negative scare tactics any day. He is running as a Dem but I don't see him as a left winger. He is like me. A true independent. Which means I feel he can work with both parties to compromise some head way.  

[Al Agnew]

I agree with Trav about the middle class.  They have always been the driver behind the economy, due to that simple demographic that they are the most numerous group and they have some money to spend.  Protecting the incomes of the "rich" only works, even theoretically, if the rich that are being protected actually do employ a lot of people.  Lots and lots of the "rich" do not.  Ya think a hedge fund manager employs a lot of people?  Ya think the CEO of a major company, himself, employs a lot of people?  The company does, so if we're talking trickle down, don't tax the company so much.  Don't tax the small business owner who actually does employ some people (and is probably in the middle class).  Don't tax Donald Trump's businesses, whatever the heck they are, so much, but do tax Trump himself.

The middle class has been taking it on the chin for a while, now.  It's shrinking as some members lose jobs and slide into the poor category and a few lucky ones make the right moves and slip into the "rich" category, but mostly it's just stagnated.  I'm all for a flat tax, IF it is at a rate that gives the middle class a bit of a break while still funding what needs to be funded.

[SpoonDog]

21 hours ago, Flysmallie said:

Let's not get carried away. He beat Hillary Clinton. That's no major accomplishment. This whole thing is pretty comical.

 

It isn't something anyone on the other side's been able to accomplish ;).  And how concerned can conservatives be about isolationism when their guy wants to build a gigantic wall along Mexico and ban entry of war refugees?  That's a solid position, but not-carpet bombing a country and not-going to war with a country who doesn't have anything to do with 9/11 or chemical weapons isn't.  It isn't a sound, serious position.  As bad as you guys think isolationism is, intervention certainly hasn't worked in 1990s Iraq or 2000s Iraq or Syria or Somalia or Libya or Sudan or Yemen or Afghanistan and if you guys are as concerned about fiscal responsibility I have to wonder at what point we start wondering "where do we find the money for this demonstrably catastrophic strategy?"

Bernie isn't suggesting we exit the world stage, rather that we re-evaluate a policy of just pressing a button and hoping the problem goes away to something that's...you know.  Effective.  Bombing the heck outta Syria doesn't alleviate the humanitarian crisis, it doesn't take Assad out of power, and if Iraq and Afghanistan and Libya and Somalia and Yemen are any indication, it may not even dismantle the terrorist network.  What's the upside?

As far as taxes go, corporations can shed crocodile tears about the 35% tax rate, I'd be a whole receptive if that's what they actually paid.  Most companies pay an average of 12.5%, and a fair number of companies don't pay ANYTHING.  Add in the cherry benefits many receive for building new factories or distribution centers...I can only imagine how tough it must be having someone throw millions of dollars at you.  Poor guys.

 

[Ham]

10 hours ago, Trav said:

 He is running as a Dem but I don't see him as a left winger. He is like me. A true independent. Which means I feel he can work with both parties to compromise some head way.  

He's left of left wing. I suspect he's running as a Dem because it gives him a much better chance of winning. The Socalist brand just ain't what it used to be. 

[Jerry Rapp]

The republican's have 2 Hispanics and a Black Man in the race.  And all the Democrats can put out is two old white folks?  What am I missing here?

[Ham]

I don't see securing our border as isolationism. I see pulling back from international intervention ("we can't be the policeman of the world") as leaning towards isolationism. 

[marcus]

this made me laugh 

[Boobie]

I  am working to pay off my own kids tuition. Why should i expect everyone else to pay for it. Is that the new AMERICAN DREAM. If he does the hard work i will gladly pay. When he is done I will smile and he will walk with his head high!!!!! He will be productive and work hard by his own doing...And not sitting on his butt collecting a check. THIS IS THE AMERICAN DREAM!!!