The tax bill has gone to Trump to be signed. It will go into effect immediately. People still don’t know what it’s going to do. Expect chaos.
I still think that the single biggest fly in the GOP ointment is health insurance. Republicans are promising that people will see bigger paychecks starting immediately, but from what I’ve read increases in health insurance premiums will more than wipe out the difference. Nobody seems to be talking about that.
The tax cuts are unpopular, partly because people have gotten the message they’re skewed to benefit the rich. But I think it’s also the case that we’ve all been sold the same snake oil a few too many times already. Reagan’s tax cuts actually triggered a recession, and of course his administration ended with the 1987 stock market crash. Bush’s tax cuts were supposed to do glorious things, but the economy was mostly stagnant and then tanked big time in 2008. I don’t think most people believe in the snake oil any more.
If you want a good, clear debunking of Reaganomics, read the 1st half of Krugman's "Peddling Prosperity" (the 2nd half, on globalization, has not aged well). But no, his tax cuts did not cause a recession.
The recession had already started when he was elected. The fed had been started it (deliberately) by sharply increasing interest rates, and it would end when those rates were reduced again.
Sorry if that was annoying….
If they don't believe it, then why do they continue to vote for the Priest's of this cult of Voodoo Economics?
Or, as I believe, have there been a hell of a lot of suckers born in the minutes since Reagan's innauguration, to resupply the dying out of the greatest generation (of rubes)?
Reagan had Star Wars and a YUGE military buildup (read: Gubmint spending) to prop up his economy, PLUS the end of the second oil crisis that freed up a large chunk of private industrial money.
Bush had his boutique war in 2003 to pull us out of the horrible recession that he did not inherit from Clinton, PLUS the deregulation crisis that caused the Great Recession a couple of years later. Let's not forget the YUGE increase in Federal Employees, the removal of Federal money going out to the States that caused State governments to have to pull back while the Federal mandates stayed in place…
Cundgulag, because "unborn babies", the blacks, the illegals, uppity women, and perverts.
Oh, almost forgot — TERROR!!!!
pluky,
Yes, we should never overlook the critical factor that's critical to conservatives continuing to be at, or in, power:
"OOOOOOOGA-BOOOOOOOOGA!!! LOOK OVER THERE! OMG!! THE (fill-in the blank: ____________________) ARE COMING FOR YOU AND YOUR WHITE SPOUSES, CHILDREN AND PARENTS – AND MONEY!!!!!"
"BWA-HA-HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA (Suckers!)!!!!!!!!!!"
Canada needs people. Apply to Canadian Immigration Service.
Do not forget to properly observe the solstice. No you do not have to be Pagan to observe the solstice, and you do not need special glasses as you do not observe it by looking at the sun. For the record, it occurs at exactly 11:28 eastern today. Enjoy.
Happy Solstice!
End the War on Saturnalia! 😉
We do actually observe the solstice. Since we still have some large animals around, the lengthening of the day gives me a little more freedom regarding feeding times. The difference becomes noticeable fairly soon/
We had been long been considering a move to the EU, mostly for one last adventure, rather than an escape. But, of course there are a lot of complications, and with getting older, we had swung back and forth on the idea, I have no idea what the new Tax laws will do to our retirement fund, but, we're swinging back towards a move.
Anyone want to buy a huge collection of old stuff?
As for the fly in the Republican ointment being healthcare, I dunno. In fact, I think that part of their plan in this tax bill is to create an increase in healthcare premiums and then blame the Democrats for Obamacare. The Republicans are very good at the blame game.
Woody Creek, Jan. 1990 "But none of them approached Nixon. He had a classic absolute lack of any integrity or honesty or honesty. Nixon was a monument to everything rotten in the American dream — he was a monument to why it failed. He is our monument." Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
I love the solstice, it gets me in touch with my inner Druid. Deja vu.
"I don’t think most people believe in the snake oil any more"
"Most people" maybe not but I'm pretty sure at least 62,984,825 people do! I think the tax-cut will be a short term boost for the repugs, at least enough to hold onto the house and the senate. I don't think the real downside of this will be seen for a couple years? This is what repugs do, cut taxes, create a bubble, start a war, crash the economy, blame the democrats!
goatherd,
Need a disabled cabana boy?
I'll work cheap, jess ta get the fock outta heah!!!
Canada is very beautiful and very cold. In pagan terms, the solstice is the "Return of the Light". Even though it is still very cold, it is the maximum time of the yin cycle and if everything goes well, yin will yield to yang and yang will begin to ascend until it reaches its maximum at the summer solstice then yields to yin. It's no accident that someone picked this time of year for Jesus's birth. It helped to pacify all those pagans and bring them into the fold. Anyway, humans cannot change the natural order of the universe so the days will now begin to get longer and it will gradually get warmer. Then Canada will be warmer. However, I think I will stay where I am unless the bulldozer comes in. Moving is just too hard for someone my age and if they take away my Medicare and SS then they can just pull the plug on me.
… and there's always Costa Rica, unless they put a burr under Trump's saddle and we get a replay of "Manifest Destiny." If the last year has taught us anything, it's that anything can happen, especially if the anything in question is something being lost, broken or corrupted. Progress is slow, but, destruction is swift.
But, I suppose we've learned something else, too. A lot of people can be convinced of almost anything, and if you stoke their anger and feed them the right distortion, you can use their anger for your own aims. Angry people will destroy anything, even themselves.
Wow, I better cheer up and try to enjoy the "last of life for which the first was made."
Speaking of "inner druid," I used to read John Michael Greer's blog, "The Archdruid Report," it was always interesting, evidently he's writing one called "Ecosophia" now. I'll have to check it out.