Breaking: Ted Cruz is Signing up for Obamacare.

[Jimmy Higgins]

Yup... there there. Remind me again, that W tax cut... that was to give future surplus taxes back right? How'd that surplus ever end up?

Dismal mentions the Left being convinced that W era tax cuts are "destroying the economy, nay, the world as we know it" is kind of funny. Especially since it is the Republicans that are claiming that, in a roundabout way, what with their rhetoric about how evil and dangerous our deficits are when it was W's tax cuts that were a major contributor to our current deficit levels.

What is odd is that deficit spending only became a national issue in '09. The W tax cuts certainly attributed heavily to that deficits between '02 and '09... and continue to do so. Oh wait... I can't complain because I'm benefiting from the tax cut. I should give the IRS bonus money because I think the tax rate should be higher on most people.

This from a guy that says one person can't make a difference, so he doesn't vote. And for the record, I've voted for most tax hikes on the local ballot (maybe every one of them).

 

[ksen]

Yup... there there. Remind me again, that W tax cut... that was to give future surplus taxes back right? How'd that surplus ever end up?

It would have worked great if all Democrats (except ksen) weren't such hypocritical assholes.

If Republicans were truly worried about the deficit they wouldn't be so adamant that tax increases remain off the table as a tool to address large deficits.

Also their spending during the W administration only a few years ago illustrates quite well that they really don't give a fuck about deficits . . . well republican deficits anyways.

 

[NobleSavage]

Ok the Tea Party types are calming that Ted is not a hypocrite, like all the other Congressmen, who opt out of the ACA for their Cadillac plans. In other words, he is eating his own dog food.

 

[ksen]

Yup... there there. Remind me again, that W tax cut... that was to give future surplus taxes back right? How'd that surplus ever end up?

It would have worked great if all Democrats (except ksen) weren't such hypocritical assholes.

u still mad that your attempted gotcha backfired?

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Ok the Tea Party types are calming that Ted is not a hypocrite, like all the other Congressmen, who opt out of the ACA for their Cadillac plans. In other words, he is eating his own dog food.

He is saying he wants to ban that dog food. Baggers aren't known for their critical thinking skills.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

It would have worked great if all Democrats (except ksen) weren't such hypocritical assholes.

If Republicans were truly worried about the deficit they wouldn't be so adamant that tax increases remain off the table as a tool to address large deficits.

Also their spending during the W administration only a few years ago illustrates quite well that they really don't give a fuck about deficits . . . well republican deficits anyways.

Whenever government spends - creates a debt - it has levied a tax. Getting aound to collecting the revenue to pay for this spending is the only thing that separates republicans from republicans.

 

[dismal]

It would have worked great if all Democrats (except ksen) weren't such hypocritical assholes.

u still mad that your attempted gotcha backfired?

Um, it didn't backfire.

Regardless of all the attempts to distract from my point with various handwaving the logic is impeccable.

By the standards established in the thread, people (aka most Democrats) who did not pay taxes at the higher Clinton rates while railing against the Bush tax cuts are still hypocritical assholes.

 

[ksen]

I don't know man, you seem pretty mad.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

u still mad that your attempted gotcha backfired?

Um, it didn't backfire.

Regardless of all the attempts to distract from my point with various handwaving the logic is impeccable.

By the standards established in the thread, people (aka most Democrats) who did not pay taxes at the higher Clinton rates while railing against the Bush tax cuts are still hypocritical assholes.

Hey, if we're going to tolerate that language I prefer to be called Mr. asshole, please. Keeps things civil. And actually, I consider myself an opportunist.

 

[dismal]

I don't know man, you seem pretty mad.

No, I'm pretty used to the handwaving and illogic to avoid arguments around here.

I don't need you to admit I'm right to know I'm right.

 

[ksen]

I don't know man, you seem pretty mad.

No, I'm pretty used to the handwaving and illogic to avoid arguments around here.

Me too!

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I knew it, I'm surrounded by assholes.

Can I offset my tax cut because of the hikes in local taxes (sales, property, income) due to lower state and federal funding?

 

[dismal]

Um, it didn't backfire.

Regardless of all the attempts to distract from my point with various handwaving the logic is impeccable.

By the standards established in the thread, people (aka most Democrats) who did not pay taxes at the higher Clinton rates while railing against the Bush tax cuts are still hypocritical assholes.

Hey, if we're going to tolerate that language I prefer to be called Mr. asshole, please. Keeps things civil. And actually, I consider myself an opportunist.

I'm not the one arguing people who take benefits from laws they don't support are hypocritical assholes. You need to take this up with those that are.

 

[maxparrish]

Nothing in the law says you have to take the home mortgage interest deduction, and you are free to use Fed Ex or UPS or DHL or local couriers to deliver your mail/packages.

That said, since you are not in a position of denying the deduction or the USPS mail service to others, I am willing to give you a pass on the minor hypocrisy of saying you are against those things but choosing to benefit from them anyway.

Ted Cruz gets no such pass from me. He does not need to use any portion of the ACA. He does because it benefits him and he knows it, but he wants to deny those benefits to everyone else who is NOT in a position to have an alternative if the asshole were ever successful.

He can kiss my ass.

So people like Obama who talk about eliminating the home interest deduction and people like ksen who write negative posts about the home interest deduction and then take it are hypocritical assholes?

What about all those people who railed against the Bush tax cuts? Should they have been paying the higher rates all those years? Did you?

Because I would suggest that being against something existing does not require you to be stupid enough not to use it if it becomes the law.

Leaving aside that Ravensky's characterization does not acknowledge Cruz's actual situation Dismal makes a valid point - does an ethical person participate in programs, policies, or economic (and or social) structures that he/she is opposed to?

If you are opposed to war, should you be willing to sacrifice your well-being by not paying that portion of their taxes for the DOD?

If you are opposed to capitalism (and a socialist), should you be willing to sacrifice your well being by never taking a job in private business?

If you are opposed to capital (stocks) having a lower tax rate than ordinary income, are you obliged to pay extra taxes on your investment?

If you are opposed to federally subsidized businesses, private colleges, private schools, or non-profits are you obligated to never accept employment from them?

I full expect some to object to some of my questions, and claim "but that is different". It is not, in each situation someone is expected to sacrifice their own well being in order to avoid the charge of hypocrisy.

My own view is that as long as someone acknowledges the nature of their actions, it is not hypocrisy...its good sense.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

So people like Obama who talk about eliminating the home interest deduction and people like ksen who write negative posts about the home interest deduction and then take it are hypocritical assholes?

What about all those people who railed against the Bush tax cuts? Should they have been paying the higher rates all those years? Did you?

Because I would suggest that being against something existing does not require you to be stupid enough not to use it if it becomes the law.

Leaving aside that Ravensky's characterization does not acknowledge Cruz's actual situation Dismal makes a valid point - does an ethical person participate in programs, policies, or economic (and or social) structures that he/she is opposed to?

The Republican Platform consists of one plank... repeal ACA.

 

[dismal]

Republican

Ah, there's the argument distilled.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Dismal mentions the Left being convinced that W era tax cuts are "destroying the economy, nay, the world as we know it" is kind of funny. Especially since it is the Republicans that are claiming that, in a roundabout way, what with their rhetoric about how evil and dangerous our deficits are when it was W's tax cuts that were a major contributor to our current deficit levels.

What is odd is that deficit spending only became a national issue in '09. The W tax cuts certainly attributed heavily to that deficits between '02 and '09... and continue to do so. Oh wait... I can't complain because I'm benefiting from the tax cut. I should give the IRS bonus money because I think the tax rate should be higher on most people.

This from a guy that says one person can't make a difference, so he doesn't vote. And for the record, I've voted for most tax hikes on the local ballot (maybe every one of them).

Deficit spending by the Democrats is an issue. Deficit spending by the Republicans is good government.

 

[maxparrish]

Mind you, the "OMIGOD what a hypocrite he is" is just another contrived talking point, self-delusion by the tireless foamers.

Here are the "stunning" facts:

A) Ted Cruz and his family has healthy insurance through her job on Wall Street. She is taking a leave of absence during his campaign. Her employer's policy will no longer be available.

B) Cruz must sign up for ObamaCare because GOP Senator Chuck Grassley passed an amendment (opposed by Democrats) requiring members of Congress subject themselves to the same insurance through exchanges that the Democrats are mandating for the rest of the country. And as before ACA, Congress (as a 'benefit') will pay most of the premium.

C) He stated:

“I strongly oppose the exemption that President Obama illegally put in place for members of Congress because (Senate Minority Leader) Harry Reid and the Senate Democrats didn’t want to be under the same rules as the American people,” Cruz said . . . Under the Affordable Care Act, members of Congress and some designated congressional staffers are required to obtain health care coverage through the D.C. Health Link Small Business Market. The Office of Personnel Management’s guidelines state that lawmakers and their staff receive a “government contribution” if they get health care coverage through the ACA.

But some lawmakers have declined to accept the contribution, saying they do not want to get special treatment. After the interview, a Cruz spokesperson clarified that he wouldn’t take the contribution.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/24/politics/ted-cruz-obamacare/

Clearly a media ginned faux complaint in search of a controversy.