Well... it's Trump... again. #47, here we go.

[Shadowy Man]

It’s “double” because the money being taxed is money you’re paying in taxes.

How is that different from other taxes raised by different levels of government?

What others would you include besides “state and local”? Isn’t FIcA also not included on W2 as taxable income?

If you’re taking the standard deduction then you’ve already calculated that’s better for you than itemizing.

If paying state and local taxes without a tax break on federal taxes is "double taxation", then you should not have to itemize to get that break.

I don’t understand. Do you not itemize in your returns? Isn’t the choice between itemizing and taking the standard deduction just whichever gives you the best result? You act as if itemizing is not available for poorer people. They would itemize if it gave better result, yes?

Basically once I bought a house I started itemizing because of the deduction for mortgage interest (and that’s another benefit one could argue about). Before that I always took standard regardless of how much state tax I paid because standard was larger.

So, I could likewise argue that the standard deduction is a tax break for the poor.

And how are defining “rich”?

That's a thorny issue, but from that last chart I posted can be seen that you need to get to the >$500k in income to see more than half of taxpayers itemizing. And fewer than 10% of those making <$50k itemize. So SALT deductions are clearly a benefit concentrated among those more well-off, and more well-off they are, the more likely they are to benefit.

The a lot of the tax structure benefits the rich because they are the ones rich enough to pay the congress to give them the benefits. As long as republicans are in charge you won’t see taxes go up for the rich.

I don’t consider myself “rich” in your sense but I was getting the benefit until Trump became President. That’s when my taxes went up despite him calling it a tax cut.

 

[ZiprHead]

I don’t understand. Do you not itemize in your returns? Isn’t the choice between itemizing and taking the standard deduction just whichever gives you the best result? You act as if itemizing is not available for poorer people. They would itemize if it gave better result, yes?

This.

 

[laughing dog]

Which is what one does when itemizing.

I already explained it to you. It's not that difficult to comprehend.

Apparently it is for you.

As it stands, SALT deduction remains a tax cut for the rich. It is only rank partisanship that has people on here defend it.

Nonsense. Whether it is a tax deduction only for the rich depends on its form.

 

[Elixir]

They would itemize if it gave better result, yes?

If they have deductibles exceeding the standard deduction, they’re probably not all that poor.

 

[Shadowy Man]

They would itemize if it gave better result, yes?

If they have deductibles exceeding the standard deduction, they’re probably not all that poor.

Derec is acting as if it’s an extra benefit that the rich get that the poor can’t access but the reality is that they don’t access it because the government gives them a better deal with the standard deduction.

Maybe I’m missing something in what he’s saying. I’m not giving it too much thought right now I’ll admit.

 

[scombrid]

He's too incompetent for Moscow to want him as an agent.

Makes a GREAT asset though.
Just gotta keep reminding him what happens if he gets too far out of line. But giving him a long leash lets him wreck more stuff.

But he is an asset to Musk, Bezos, Heritage Foundation too. Otherwise they’d reign in that demented asshole. But they installed and continue to support him because their aims align with pootie.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Which is what one does when itemizing.

I already explained it to you. It's not that difficult to comprehend.

As it stands, SALT deduction remains a tax cut for the rich. It is only rank partisanship that has people on here defend it.

Says the guy who lives in Georgia and is apparently unaware that property taxes in the northeast can rival mortgages.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Trump's attempt to blackmail Adams into favors on immigration hits a speed bump. The Trump DoJ tried to dismiss a slam dunk case against Mayor Adams, with a publicly stated quid quo pro about Adams supporting immigration actions. The critical thing was that this wasn't a plea deal. They were trying to keep charges hanging over Adams' head as leverage, making an ugly deal even uglier.

Well, former George W. Bush admin attorney that was assigned by the judge to figure out how to move forward in this obviously "fucked up" situation, has found that the best way forward was to drop the case... with prejudice. This means Double Jeopardy is in play and the blackmail no longer has any leverage.

This isn't a done deal yet, we'll see how the DoJ responds to this as they would be possibly gaining nothing out of it.

 

[crazyfingers]

Trump lies again on tariffs. What an evil asshole.

He's complaining that Canada is following the trade treaty that Trump negotiated.

Washington CNN —

President Donald Trump correctly noted Friday, as he has before, that Canada has tariffs above 200% on dairy products imported from the US. But Trump again failed to mention a critical fact.

Those high tariffs kick in only after the US has hit a certain Trump-negotiated quantity of tariff-free dairy sales to Canada each year – and as the US dairy industry acknowledges, the US is not hitting its allowed zero-tariff maximum in any category of dairy product.

In many categories, notably including milk, the US is not even at half of the zero-tariff maximum.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/10/politics/trump-canada-dairy-tariffs-fact-check/index.html

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Oh yeah... we want to pass the mega budget bill via reconciliation... but we need to actually pass a real budget bill this week or we will close the Federal Government. Right now, the House GOP / Trump plan is to pass a The Dems can go bleep themselves continuing resolution budget... that effectively is a budget bill, as it would fund until the next Fiscal Year. Unlike the reconciliation process, the Republicans can not pass this with just 50 +Vance votes.

Democrats are still struggling for an effective counter to Trump’s executive power blitzkrieg in his first six weeks in office. And their uncoordinated and futile protests during the president’s address to Congress last week underscored the lack of internal coherence in the party on the way ahead.

The Democrats are of course stuck at the moment because they didn't win back the House, lost the Senate, and lost the White House. They are effectively powerless.

The GOP need all but one GOP vote in the House, and then it'll be up the Democrats regarding a filibuster for the budget which would likely close the Government. Closing the Government is usually not a great idea and typically harms the party doing it. But in this case, with Trump managing the Executive Branch like a child and the GOP in control in both Houses while doing nothing to stop Trump from continuing to impound spending, the Democrats might just feel like a filibuster is the only viable option.

 

[Swammerdami]

I get newsletters from Robert Reich ("The universities are next [to succumb to fascist take-over]") and from Thom Hartmann ("America’s sickest reality show: Crowdfunding cancer care while billionaires hoard billions") in my email in-box. I read very few of them -- they're just too depressing -- but I click on a title every now and then, like the two linked above.

The newsletters are easy to subscribe to for free, while finding them on-line may be awkward and run into paywalls.

 

[Elixir]

Finally got something right.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Trump responds to tariff response with more tariffs. The guy is a fucking idiot. Markets dropping as Trump escalates tariffs on Canada steel/aluminum to 50%.

Markets aren't impressed with the idiot trying to jam a bluff while holding 7 2, off suit.

 

[crazyfingers]

Trump responds to tariff response with more tariffs. The guy is a fucking idiot. Markets dropping as Trump escalates tariffs on Canada steel/aluminum to 50%.

Markets aren't impressed with the idiot trying to jam a bluff while holding 7 2, off suit.

Nothing is rational about this. It's all about his ego, fascist asshole that he is.

 

[ZiprHead]

Illegally???

 

[Elixir]

Helping the Apricot fulfill Putin’s vision.
Fuck that guy sideways.

 

[crazyfingers]

View attachment 49698

Illegally???

Trump being his usual diarrhea mouth. He clearly doesn't care what's legal and what's not.

 

[ideologyhunter]

Epicurean Paradox Update
If God is all-powerful, then She/He/It has the power to drop Donald Trump onto an unihabited island in the East Siberian Sea. If God does not do this, then God is not completely benevolent.
If God does not know Trump's true character and deeds, then God is not all-knowing.
If God sees Trump's nature and deeds but cannot transport him to an uninhabited island in the East Siberian Sea, then God is not all-powerful.

 

[steve_bank]

I know it is preaching to the choir around here to say Trump is an ignorant fool when it comes to to the economy.

He may dig a hole that is very difficult to get out of.

 

[Shadowy Man]

View attachment 49698

Illegally???

What exactly is Elon “putting on the line”? I don’t think Donald even knows what that phrase means as he’s unfamiliar with the concept of personal sacrifice.

I guess it’s illegal to not buy a Tesla now, huh?