Fighting in the GOP Ivory Tower [TJM]

Note [ace]: This is actually from a couple of weeks ago, but it got lost in the shuffle. Still perfectly relevant.

Last week came news that Trump's patience with Mitch McConnell as leader of the GOP caucus in the Senate had run out to the point where instead of just talking about Mitch not being in charge anymore, he actually approached a sitting senator, his senator in Florida Rick Scott, about actually facing off against Mitch for the position.

A few days later, Rick Scott comes out with an explicit agenda for the GOP running up to the election. Mitch was not happy and denounced the plan, picking on some things (most notably the effort to get everyone to pay income taxes, a politically tenuous position that seems like plenty good policy to me) and just dismissing the whole exercise.

This article at The Federalist mirrors my own thoughts on the matter. Mitch wants to win with nothing promised so that he can claim any mantle he wants and take the caucus in any direction he desires while in the majority. This was always an understandable but poor play in the age of Trump. There's a fight going on for the future of the GOP, and we have two public power centers in Mitch, as the face of the old order, and Trump, as the face of the new. With Mitch refusing to put forward any kind of policy, he was just creating a vacuum.

That wasn't really a problem back in 2010 or 2012 for him. Who else in charge of the party was going to offer up an alternative? W? He was silent because Obama deserved respect from previous presidents to govern as he willed (a respect that, for some reason, was not extended to Trump). Paul Ryan? He was on board with the strategy. The best we could have hoped for was Rand Paul, but he doesn't have any kind of leadership position, happily taking up the position of gadfly that speaks truths but doesn't form coalitions.

2022 is not 2012. The intentional vacuum of policy that the GOPe has created and let fester for the past decade led to the rise of Trump, and the GOPe's effort to rid the party of Trump have failed. Trump still commands enough respect from the base and many members of the Republican caucuses in Congress that he can move things, and he's decided to move things. Rick Scott is his vessel for this particular move.

I don't think Mitch has ever had serious pressure on his leadership position since he took up the position of Leader of the Republican Caucus in 2007. There's always the excuse of those out of power within the party that "there's no one to challenge him." Well, there is now, and he's got the backing of the most popular ex-president amongst Republicans since Reagan.

What does this mean for the next few months? Well, I can't imagine Ketanji Jackson Brown getting onto SCOTUS now. Mitch, despite his protestations, has held the cards on this SCOTUS nomination since Breyer announced his retirement. He could block anything with the Judiciary Committee evenly split (part of the agreement with Schumer last year), whipping votes against her no matter what. Now, with an actual, tangible challenge to his leadership position? Mitch may feel the need to deliver. It should manifest in other ways over the next eight months, but Mitch, old man that he is who obviously sees his end coming since he's reportedly been fixing to get John Thune groomed to succeed him, is not in complete control.

He thought Trump had gone, but Trump went nowhere. He's still got power within the party, and he's flexing it.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 05:30 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 First!!!

Posted by: Greyman27 at March 11, 2022 05:30 PM (RKLPC)

2 Yeah.

Posted by: Greyman27 at March 11, 2022 05:30 PM (RKLPC)

3 Trifecta...

Posted by: Greyman27 at March 11, 2022 05:30 PM (RKLPC)

4 hiya

Posted by: JT at March 11, 2022 05:31 PM (arJlL)

5 No one ever gives up on a winning hand until forced.

Posted by: Splunge at March 11, 2022 05:32 PM (PQ4Fz)

6 Either McConnell or Trump has to go. They cannot co-exist if anything is ever going to change.

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 05:32 PM (vrz2I)

7 No. 9?

Posted by: kraken at March 11, 2022 05:33 PM (Vr12I)

8 Every time I sit down at my desk I stick another pin in my rubber turtle. I despise Mitch more than any one else in Congress and that's saying something.

Posted by: Capital Eff at March 11, 2022 05:33 PM (GYllL)

9 Hiya James Monroe !

Posted by: JT at March 11, 2022 05:34 PM (arJlL)

10 5 No one ever gives up on a winning hand until forced.
Posted by: Splunge at March 11, 2022 05:32 PM (PQ4Fz)

We got Aces and Eights right now.

Posted by: kraken at March 11, 2022 05:34 PM (Vr12I)

11 Gypsy moths have been renamed to Sponge moths cause "gypsy" is racist. I am not making this up.

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 05:24 PM (vrz2I)

But Gypos is still OK, right?

Posted by: Archer at March 11, 2022 05:34 PM (gmo/4)

12
Rick Scott was attacked for wanting to raise taxes but his point was that EVERYONE should pay, even the welfare queens and slackers who pay nothing. Everyone has some skin in the game.

I agree with this idea to a point. I'd rather we have a flat tax that everyone pays so that we can dismantle the entire federal bureaucracy.

A pipe dream, but the message has got to be that we have to dismantle this beast lest it consume us. Odds are nigh impossible, but it's the principle of the thing.

Posted by: J.J. Sefton at March 11, 2022 05:34 PM (s2VJv)

13 Thune?

Who?

Posted by: Inogame at March 11, 2022 05:34 PM (BXj9q)

14 Every time I sit down at my desk I stick another pin in my rubber turtle. I despise Mitch more than any one else in Congress and that's saying something.
Posted by: Capital Eff

As do I. A known enemy is just that. Schumer, e.g..
But someone who pretends to be on your side, while actually helping the opposition, is a traitor. No other word for it.

Posted by: MkY at March 11, 2022 05:35 PM (cPGH3)

15 I will always be grateful to McConnell for blocking the Garland nomination. Other than that he's been a failure as a majority leader. He's better playing defense. Only it's offense we need.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at March 11, 2022 05:35 PM (XntMs)

16 Gypsy moths have been renamed to Sponge moths cause "gypsy" is racist. I am not making this up.

Bloody pikers and their caravans...

Posted by: Greyman27 at March 11, 2022 05:35 PM (RKLPC)

17 Taxes? 10% for everyone. NO exceptions. None.

Posted by: kraken at March 11, 2022 05:36 PM (Vr12I)

18 15 I will always be grateful to McConnell for blocking the Garland nomination. Other than that he's been a failure as a majority leader. He's better playing defense. Only it's offense we need.
Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at March 11, 2022 05:35 PM (XntMs)

He ran a pretty good "confirming judges at maximum rate" offence during the Trump administration. The Murder Turtle has his points.

Posted by: Splunge at March 11, 2022 05:36 PM (PQ4Fz)

19 There are other things... you all know them.
Funding Murkowski, Romney, all the GOPe...

Posted by: MkY at March 11, 2022 05:36 PM (cPGH3)

20 Pikies.

Posted by: kraken at March 11, 2022 05:37 PM (Vr12I)

21 Posted by: J.J. Sefton at March 11, 2022 05:34 PM (s2VJv)

Yes Flat tax. Glad you didn't say Fair tax.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at March 11, 2022 05:37 PM (XntMs)

22 I've said before that Trump was defeated in 2020, but wasn't repudiated. The GOP establishment sat on their hands because they wanted to tie Trump to losses in the House and Senate, which they could use to exorcise Trumpism from the GOP. Instead, Trump damn near dragged the GOP into the majority in the House, and would have kept the Senate had McConnell not pulled that last-minute stunt with the stimulus check. (Like it or not, it created an opening for Warnock.) This is also why I want Trump to run in '24, rather than DeSantis. A Trump victory would be the clearest, unequivacable message that establishment "conservatism" is dead.

As for SCOTUS, I still think that she'll be confirmed, but it wouldn't take much to scare a couple of Dems into quietly pushing the admin to pull her nomination. If a few Senators find some juicy comments or old associations, they can make it politically unpleasant. Right now, Biden has no political capital to spend on this nomination.

Posted by: Colorado Alex in Exile at March 11, 2022 05:37 PM (wmDcS)

23 " I will always be grateful to McConnell for blocking the Garland nomination."

His reasons were probably not your reasons. He's one of those who caused this predicament.

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 05:37 PM (vrz2I)

24 Mitch's plan: Play dead. Don't give any attack surface to the enemy. Give them room to destroy. Let the Democrats become so toxic to the average voter, they vote for the only other party that has any chance of winning a national election.

He's the "nice guy" who hangs around the hot girl, braids her hair, gives her a shoulder to cry on, complains about boys, all hoping she'll throw him some pity sex when her man breaks her heart.

Posted by: bonhomme at March 11, 2022 05:38 PM (8/9Tc)

25 TJM, the heck you say - the GOP trying to cruise to a robotic election victory due to the awfulness of the Dems, without offering an agenda? Which would render such election mostly an empty seat-swapping exercise? Never heard of such an idea.

Well, except for the hilarious example of 2010 - one of the two greatest earthquakes in American political history, when the GOP was literally, publicly fuming and lashing out for being forced to actually stand for *something* specific (it's OK, they just abandoned it after winning).

Oh, and my repeated whines about this during this cycle. As long as voters produce the GOP we have, the country's chances of doing any more than hanging on by a thread are slim.

Posted by: rhomboid at March 11, 2022 05:38 PM (OTzUX)

26 Rick Scott was attacked for wanting to raise taxes but his point was that EVERYONE should pay, even the welfare queens and slackers who pay nothing. Everyone has some skin in the game.
I agree with this idea to a point. I'd rather we have a flat tax that everyone pays so that we can dismantle the entire federal bureaucracy.
A pipe dream, but the message has got to be that we have to dismantle this beast lest it consume us. Odds are nigh impossible, but it's the principle of the thing.
Posted by: J

it is interesting that the socialists have so overplayed their hand that the previious positions of the right are being abandoned.

instead of just saying "have the atf get out of my business" the new hotness is repealing the nfa, disbanding the atf.

maybe this is the time to start getting rid of the income tax or going to a flat no exemptions tax.

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 05:38 PM (/rIgL)

27 "Trump went nowhere. He's still got power within the party, and he's flexing it."

That's hot.

Posted by: Madamemayhem (uppity wench) at March 11, 2022 05:38 PM (Vxu+H)

28 Rick Scott was attacked for wanting to raise taxes but his point was that EVERYONE should pay, even the welfare queens and slackers who pay nothing. Everyone has some skin in the game.

if my own fucking money (ss) gets taxed then the welfare queens can get their food stamps and gummint titty taxed. fuck them.

Posted by: BifBewalski @ (IJES/) - at March 11, 2022 05:39 PM (IJES/)

29 we should just have a flat 10% sales tax

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 05:39 PM (/rIgL)

30 I used to be for the flat tax or I actually preferred the consumption tax.
But the more I say and thought about it. Yes taxes is a problem but arguing how the feds get it isn't the problem. The federal graft machine is what it is because it's the major taxing entity, not the states. We send piles of money everywhere and to everyone because there is such a big pile.
To truly change back we have to turn it off.

Posted by: Inogame at March 11, 2022 05:39 PM (BXj9q)

31 Mitch's plan: Play dead. Don't give any attack surface to the enemy. Give them room to destroy. Let the Democrats become so toxic to the average voter, they vote for the only other party that has any chance of winning a national election.

I think possums are remarkably ugly.

Posted by: N.L. Urker, oops, I commented again. Sorry, eh. at March 11, 2022 05:40 PM (eGTCV)

32 I'm all for a consumption tax. After they abolish all the other taxes.

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 05:40 PM (vrz2I)

33 I'm ok with a flat tax

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at March 11, 2022 05:40 PM (lCui1)

34 Hopefully, Scott's plan to reduce the federal workforce by 25% includes 100% of the ATF, the Department of "Education," the EPA, and HUD. For a start.

Posted by: Greyman27 at March 11, 2022 05:40 PM (RKLPC)

35 Thune?

Who?
Posted by: Inogame

I think that's the kinky version of Dune.

Posted by: Madamemayhem (uppity wench) at March 11, 2022 05:40 PM (Vxu+H)

36 if my own fucking money (ss) gets taxed then the welfare queens can get their food stamps and gummint titty taxed. fuck them.
Posted by: BifBewalski @ (IJES/)

Let's go one step further, if I have to piss test to drive a truck, why shouldn't Congress have to piss test to write laws?
Which is potentially more harmful to more people?

Posted by: MkY at March 11, 2022 05:40 PM (cPGH3)

37 Rick Scott was attacked for wanting to raise taxes but his point was that EVERYONE should pay, even the welfare queens and slackers who pay nothing. Everyone has some skin in the game.

if my own fucking money (ss) gets taxed then the welfare queens can get their food stamps and gummint titty taxed. fuck them.

Posted by: BifBewalski @ (IJES/) - at March 11, 2022 05:39 PM

My Navy pension gets taxed and my social security gets taxed. I literally have more skin in the game than 49% of the US population and I am retired on a fixed income. It's time to change that.

Posted by: Mister Scot (Formerly GWS) at March 11, 2022 05:41 PM (bVYXr)

38 I'm embarrassed to admit that John Thune is from my State. He's a POS RINO that gets elected over and over because he delivers the Ag graft to the ranchers and farmers here who are just too stupid to realize what that means for the country as a whole.

Posted by: Archer at March 11, 2022 05:41 PM (gmo/4)

39 Feds - flat tax. States - that's up to them.

Posted by: kraken at March 11, 2022 05:41 PM (Vr12I)

40 I fear this post is too cerebral for me.

I am inclined to take Kurt Schlichter's view, which I won't try to explain here, but one way it would apply is: if we keep going with the slow process of replacing the RINOs, Mitch or whoever will have a very different set of calculations to make, one that will be very good for us. As it is now, he needs some RINOs to get things done.

Is it possible that once we have enough real Republicans to get things done, that Mitch is not the right leader? Sure, but we have to get to that point. At this point, he seems crafty, ruthless, and content to get things done behind the scenes. At the moment, he's still the right guy. In our ideal conditions, probably not.

Posted by: Splunge at March 11, 2022 05:42 PM (PQ4Fz)

41 instead of just saying "have the atf get out of my business" the new hotness is repealing the nfa, disbanding the atf.

maybe this is the time to start getting rid of the income tax or going to a flat no exemptions tax.
Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 05:38 PM (/rIgL)

Conservatism has always been about stability and preserving order. The key difference now is that Trump exposed just how rotten the system is, and so most now understand that the system is impossible to stabilize. Preserving order means tearing down these institutions since they are detrimental to order and stability.

The establishment GOP is fighting it because they're in love with the system and view themselves as simply better managers. I keep going back to an article that was published back in 2016, about how Hillary would win and that socialism had won, and the GOP needed to spend the next twenty years proving they were better at managing the superstate before they could hope to start undoing it. That attitude still persists.

Posted by: Colorado Alex in Exile at March 11, 2022 05:42 PM (wmDcS)

42 "Fashion designer" Harikrishnan asks the question, "Who wouldn't want to look like a walking ball sack?"

https://bit.ly/35P9Ctq

Posted by: bonhomme at March 11, 2022 05:42 PM (8/9Tc)

43 waiting for doocey to ask psaki "if pouring trillions of dollars into the economy doesn't cause inflation, why do americans need to pay taxes *at all*?"

Posted by: Kulak Anachronda, behind the Newsom curtain at March 11, 2022 05:43 PM (sGtp+)

44
I thought Rick Scott was the black guy, til I saw the photo, and realized I was thinking of Tim Scott.

Whatever. All those Scotts sound alike to me.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at March 11, 2022 05:43 PM (SKVme)

45 I don't really see the use of McConnell anymore. We got "Republican" judges*. So your value is gone, Yertle.

*I will be fair here. No president in my lifetime has been worth that much in naming them. Trump was better than Reagan, I'm guessing. But the best on on the court was put there by GHWB.

Posted by: Eeyore at March 11, 2022 05:43 PM (R0Tis)

46 I noticed that another thing comes with "political correctness" (cultural Marxism). Not just the forbidding of certain thoughts or the forced repetition of lies, which we all know about.

But also it takes things that were formerly not to be said in polite company and greenlights the everloving shit out of them.

Now in polite company people talk about assplay, we see newspaper articles justifying pedoism, and they show babies being ripped apart in 4k on "fantasy" mainstream TV shows. So it's not just censorship of things a fringe minority find offensive, but a simultaneous relaxation of things *most* people find offensive.

Posted by: ... at March 11, 2022 05:43 PM (dscaa)

47 we should get rid of federal pensions, everybody gets a 401km that way we do not have the worry of guys not doing their duty for fear of not getting their pensins

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 05:43 PM (/rIgL)

48 44
I thought Rick Scott was the black guy, til I saw the photo, and realized I was thinking of Tim Scott.

Whatever. All those Scotts sound alike to me.
Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at March 11, 2022 05:43 PM (SKVme)

Aye laddie.

Posted by: kraken at March 11, 2022 05:43 PM (Vr12I)

49 Colorado Alex in Exile

Good points.

If the GOPe were smart, and wanted to win, the path is very plain and easy. They are corrupt and stupid, and do not see the writing on the wall.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at March 11, 2022 05:43 PM (u82oZ)

50 The idea of Rick Scott as a real or transformative leader, umm.

Let's check with George Zimmerman on that one.

And the notion that Mitch's nomination performance has been anything other than what is normal and expected for a majority leader is pretty silly if one has any experience and understanding of what's normal. Even the Garland thing. Mitch risked real rebellion if he *hadn't* blocked it. Still the right thing, obviously, so yay for us.

In any case, it's not about Mitch. Mitch is *SELECTED* by the caucus. Blaming Biden instead of his voters, Mitch instead of his caucus ..... the flight from responsibility is not new or perplexing, but it's a disaster.

Posted by: rhomboid at March 11, 2022 05:44 PM (OTzUX)

51 Every time I sit down at my desk I stick another pin in my rubber turtle. I despise Mitch more than any one else in Congress and that's saying something.
Posted by: Capital Eff

Hah
I have a turtle pin cushion
I guess I should call it Mitch

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at March 11, 2022 05:44 PM (lCui1)

52 confederatefifth

The TSP was a good start.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at March 11, 2022 05:44 PM (u82oZ)

53 A flat tax would quickly end up the same convoluted mess as the current income tax. Ditto any form of sales tax.

Personally, I'm and advocate for a combination of a land value tax, resource extraction fees, along with tariffs inversely proportional to the difference in per-capita wealth between the US and the other nation. That means that goods between near equals are taxed very little, but imports from poor, third-world countries get taxed heavily.

Posted by: Colorado Alex in Exile at March 11, 2022 05:45 PM (wmDcS)

54 Hack writer.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison's Phone, read some movie thoughts at March 11, 2022 05:45 PM (50s6/)

55 I thought Rick Scott was the black guy, til I saw the photo, and realized I was thinking of Tim Scott.

Whatever. All those Scotts sound alike to me.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at March 11, 2022 05:43 PM

I am sitting right here.

Posted by: Mister Scot (Formerly GWS) at March 11, 2022 05:45 PM (bVYXr)

56 32 I'm all for a consumption tax. After they abolish all the other taxes.
Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 05:40 PM (vrz2I)

They'll add the consumption tax on top of all the other taxes. Scrapping the current income tax for some alternative is never going to happen absent complete societal collapse.

Posted by: Insomniac - Outlaw. Hoarder. Wrecker. Honker. at March 11, 2022 05:46 PM (II3Gr)

57 The TSP was a good start.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at March 11, 2022 05:44 PM (u82oZ)

Uh yeah, can we talk about your TPS reports? You have the wrong cover sheet on them.

Posted by: Archer at March 11, 2022 05:46 PM (gmo/4)

58 If the GOPe were smart, and wanted to win, the path is very plain and easy. They are corrupt and stupid, and do not see the writing on the wall.
Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at March 11, 2022 05:43 PM (u82oZ)

Legislators aren't leaders, they're a committee of bureaucrats. Their goal is to avoid and responsibility for decision-making. Hence it tends to attract the worse sort of personalities.

Posted by: Colorado Alex in Exile at March 11, 2022 05:46 PM (wmDcS)

59 It will be a very interesting confirmation process to watch. Mostly because of the "Mitch question", and (even though it runs counter to his tendencies) whether or not he will declare open civil war on the maga base.

Posted by: Huck Follywood, Break The Teachers Unions at March 11, 2022 05:46 PM (qT2N/)

60 Just got home, see what we have here first

Posted by: Skip at March 11, 2022 05:47 PM (2JoB8)

61 Trump was better than Reagan, I'm guessing. But the best on on the court was put there by GHWB.
Posted by: Eeyore at March 11, 2022 05:43 PM (R0Tis

Reagan had Scalia and Rehnquist. Trump's picks unfortunately are a bust IMO but I don't think it's his fault at all.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at March 11, 2022 05:47 PM (XntMs)

62 Taxes? 10% for everyone. NO exceptions. None.

Lord, I'd owe almost $120 a month at that rate.

Posted by: An Observation sez China Joe not my president at March 11, 2022 05:47 PM (ZEHVO)

63 Serial rapist gets 18 years in prison in Portland.

https://bit.ly/3tRvTyB

I'm shocked they didn't apologize for arresting him and hand him a toddler as penance.

Posted by: bonhomme at March 11, 2022 05:47 PM (8/9Tc)

64
If these guys had any sense of humor, Tim Scott would say something in Senate debate, and then Rick Scott would use his time to say "Tim Scott is right," and then yield time to another Republican who's lined up to say "Rick Scott's right about Tim Scott's bein' right."

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at March 11, 2022 05:48 PM (SKVme)

65 "Mitch is *SELECTED* by the caucus."

Well the caucus sucks.

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 05:48 PM (vrz2I)

66 Uh yeah, can we talk about your TPS reports? You have the wrong cover sheet on them.

Posted by: Archer at March 11, 2022 05:46 PM (gmo/4)

Did you get that memo? I'll make sure you get another copy.

Posted by: Jordan61 at March 11, 2022 05:48 PM (Ez6QX)

67 Outlaw income taxes
The reason the government is evil is because it's bloated.
Starve the beast

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at March 11, 2022 05:48 PM (lCui1)

68
Conservatism has always been about stability and preserving order. The key difference now is that Trump exposed just how rotten the system is, and so most now understand that the system is impossible to stabilize. Preserving order means tearing down these institutions since they are detrimental to order and stability.

i wqnt to start by reducing EVERY government agency, office, fleet, you name it, budget by 50% in year one, followed by an annual reduction if 10% of that amount over the next five years. union whines, no problem, you got seniority, push a bitch out. once eliminated frim gummint employment, that former employee is now barred permanently from any future government paid position. school, cop, security guard, you name it, barred. live in the private sector and learn how to code you nasty fucking trolls.

Posted by: BifBewalski @ (IJES/) - at March 11, 2022 05:48 PM (IJES/)

69 39 GOPe reps including several from TX and OK voted for the new feralgov funding bill which includes a shitload of gun "control" BS.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at March 11, 2022 05:48 PM (llON8)

70 > Taxes? 10% for everyone. NO exceptions. None.

You've got my vote.

Posted by: bonhomme at March 11, 2022 05:48 PM (8/9Tc)

71 Sorry clarify Rehnquist was named as Chief by Reagan not nominated as associate.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at March 11, 2022 05:49 PM (XntMs)

72 Liked Scott's eleven point conservative agenda. I considered emailing him in support plus reminding him that Mitch must go.

But then I rembered that this was rino Rick Scott and chose to not waste my time.

Posted by: Floridachick at March 11, 2022 05:49 PM (/vOti)

73 Yes, McConnell is a tool for globalism. To be fair, I don't think he saw a moment between between 1989 and 2016 where he thought it would go any other way. Old crow though he is, I don't expect him to jump on a grenade for his fickle voters. Why would I? He doesn't have the gifts to keep a crowd loyal, as Trump does.

Maybe he'll keep Ketanji off. Maybe not. It would be a giant humiliation to Biden, and the Dems would need to get Childs in on a bipartisan vote for that withdrawal to be worth it to them. Either way, I find it hard to care. The Supreme Court can't stop elections being stolen. Its usurped authority must be put back in line.

Posted by: trev006 at March 11, 2022 05:49 PM (Eqkqm)

74 61 Trump was better than Reagan, I'm guessing. But the best on on the court was put there by GHWB.
Posted by: Eeyore at March 11, 2022 05:43 PM (R0Tis

Reagan had Scalia and Rehnquist. Trump's picks unfortunately are a bust IMO but I don't think it's his fault at all.
Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at March 11, 2022 05:47 PM (XntMs)

Yeah it has always been a roll of the dice for us.

Posted by: Red Turban Someguy - The Republic is already dead! at March 11, 2022 05:50 PM (z5Vrg)

75 The idea of Rick Scott as a real or transformative leader, umm.

I have a problem with that statement.

Posted by: The 2A at March 11, 2022 05:50 PM (GYllL)

76 34 Hopefully, Scott's plan to reduce the federal workforce by 25% includes 100% of the ATF, the Department of "Education," the EPA, and HUD. For a start.

Posted by: Greyman27 at March 11, 2022 05:40
-----------------------------

I'll add EEOC.

Posted by: olddog in mo at March 11, 2022 05:50 PM (ju2Fy)

77 10,000 tax when you make 100,000 does not hurt as near as much as $2500 when you make 25,000.

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 05:50 PM (vrz2I)

78 oh. and if employed by the fed gummint. barred from voting until no longer employed by the fed.

Posted by: BifBewalski @ (IJES/) - at March 11, 2022 05:51 PM (IJES/)

79 Mitch is a backstabber. I won't forget that he never--not once--allowed the Senate to go into recess during President Trump's entire tenure because he would not permit Trump to make any recess appointments.

Posted by: IrishEi at March 11, 2022 05:51 PM (VhE0u)

80
Flat tax? Seriously? Obviously not.

We are at gimmie yo money, gramps.

Step into reality, wonks.

Posted by: Auspex at March 11, 2022 05:51 PM (bQvYf)

81 10,000 tax when you make 100,000 does not hurt as near as much as $2500 when you make 25,000.
Posted by: fd

should that be the consideratin?

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 05:51 PM (/rIgL)

82 "Mitch is a backstabber."

He may have some redeeming qualities, but you know who else might have had some redeeming qualities?

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 05:53 PM (vrz2I)

83 Been wishing Mitch away for some time, done fine with judges but has too many negatives going on.

Posted by: Skip at March 11, 2022 05:53 PM (2JoB8)

84 > 10,000 tax when you make 100,000 does not hurt as near as much as $2500 when you make 25,000.

45,000 tax when you make 100,000 so the guy making 25,000 can get an "earned income tax credit" is worse, IMO.

Posted by: bonhomme at March 11, 2022 05:53 PM (8/9Tc)

85 Reagan had Scalia and Rehnquist. Trump's picks unfortunately are a bust IMO but I don't think it's his fault at all.
Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at March 11, 2022 05:47 PM (XntMs)

You fucked up. You trusted us.

Posted by: The Federalist at March 11, 2022 05:53 PM (dscaa)

86 This is when I applaud Trump. I absolutely think he can be a powerful kingmaker on the sidelines. McConnell needs to go, about the only thing he's ever delivered on is judges, and even there, anyone could have delivered that once Reid got rid of the filibuster.

I just always feel like Trump is never about anything but Trump, it's good to hear that maybe he does actually care about conservatism's future beyond him.

Posted by: Blago at March 11, 2022 05:53 PM (/u2s6)

87 @61 Reagan had Scalia and Rehnquist.

----

Also should have had Bork.

Can you imagine a high court with those three and Thomas all at the same time?

Posted by: Junior at March 11, 2022 05:53 PM (rIcpC)

88 "should that be the consideratin?"

I think so.

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 05:53 PM (vrz2I)

89 >>> 76 34 Hopefully, Scott's plan to reduce the federal workforce by 25% includes 100% of the ATF, the Department of "Education," the EPA, and HUD. For a start.
Posted by: Greyman27 at March 11, 2022 05:40
-----------------------------
I'll add EEOC.
Posted by: olddog in mo at March 11, 2022 05:50 PM (ju2Fy)

You have it backwards; make a list of what to keep.

Departments of Interior (?), State and WAR.
Army, Navy/Marines; below E6 (what's the rank where at-or-higher the odds are they're woketards)?

The rest of them need to learn to code.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at March 11, 2022 05:54 PM (llON8)

90 He may have some redeeming qualities, but you know who else might have had some redeeming qualities?
Posted by: fd

kumala is a wicked good sword swalloer.

-willie brown

Posted by: BifBewalski @ (IJES/) - at March 11, 2022 05:54 PM (IJES/)

91 Mitch already hates the MAGA base.

But that's OK. WE hate the sob back.

Posted by: Floridachick at March 11, 2022 05:54 PM (/vOti)

92 10,000 tax when you make 100,000 does not hurt as near as much as $2500 when you make 25,000.

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 05:50 PM

10% consumption tax with food, fuel and medicine exempted.

Posted by: Mister Scot (Formerly GWS) at March 11, 2022 05:55 PM (bVYXr)

93 "45,000 tax when you make 100,000 so the guy making 25,000 can get an "earned income tax credit" is worse, IMO."

I completely agree. Neither system is very fair. A consumption tax is fair though, and if you need to supplement low income people for them to get by, you can still do that.

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 05:55 PM (vrz2I)

94 10,000 tax when you make 100,000 does not hurt as near as much as $2500 when you make 25,000.
Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 05:50 PM (vrz2I)

In the plan there is standard deduction for a minimum income. Point is you have some skin in the game.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at March 11, 2022 05:55 PM (XntMs)

95 "should that be the consideratin?"

I think so.
Posted by: fd

why?

is it fair for a guy that is earning $1,000,000 to pay $100,000 when a guy earning $100,000 pays $10,000 but gets the same services?

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 05:55 PM (/rIgL)

96 I have no faith in McConnell. None. He is not a leader.

Posted by: Capital Eff at March 11, 2022 05:55 PM (GYllL)

97 n the plan there is standard deduction for a minimum income. Point is you have some skin in the game.
Posted by: Anti doesn't matter

no

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 05:56 PM (/rIgL)

98 "10% consumption tax with food, fuel and medicine exempted.
Posted by: Mister Scot"

There you go. When you start making exemptions though, where does it end?

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 05:56 PM (vrz2I)

99 You have it backwards; make a list of what to keep.

Departments of Interior (?), State and WAR.
Army, Navy/Marines; below E6 (what's the rank where at-or-higher the odds are they're woketards)?

The rest of them need to learn to code.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at March 11, 2022 05:54
-----------------------
Embrace the power of "and." Make a list of what to keep and what to eliminate, stat.

Posted by: olddog in mo at March 11, 2022 05:56 PM (ju2Fy)

100 We got Aces and Eights right now.

Posted by: kraken at March 11, 2022 05:34 PM (Vr12I)

Aces and Eights? Looks like I'm gonna win!

Posted by: Wild Bill at March 11, 2022 05:57 PM (cPRnX)

101 62 Taxes? 10% for everyone. NO exceptions. None.

Lord, I'd owe almost $120 a month at that rate.
Posted by: An Observation sez China Joe not my president at March 11, 2022 05:47 PM (ZEHVO)

So, 7.65% is just Medicare and SS, and that tax is currently not enough to cover those programs' costs - so that's 2.35% for the whole rest of gov, to include the actual social safety net...

Maybe a rethink on either gutting those programs or re-evaluating flat taxes...

Posted by: Nova local at March 11, 2022 05:57 PM (exHjb)

102 There you go. When you start making exemptions though, where does it end?
Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 05:56 PM (vrz2I)

Exactly.

Posted by: Jordan61 at March 11, 2022 05:57 PM (Ez6QX)

103 "is it fair for a guy that is earning $1,000,000 to pay $100,000 when a guy earning $100,000 pays $10,000 but gets the same services?
Posted by: confederatefifth"

Nope.

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 05:57 PM (vrz2I)

104 if you need to supplement low income people for them to get by, you can still do that.

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 05:55 PM (vrz2I)

I think that is the slippery slope. Any subsidy makes people serfs, no matter how well meaning it may be.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at March 11, 2022 05:57 PM (XIJ/X)

105 Didn't Rock Scott deliver a plan that was word salad?

Where is his plan? What are the bullet points?

Is the plan "Trump"? Didn't we already get that plan from a president? It started great, but fell apart at the end. HARD.

This is not a plan. Maybe millions of former life-long Democrats will vote for 'personality cult 2.0'.

I won't.

Posted by: insurgens ad opus at March 11, 2022 05:57 PM (CpdvW)

106 A 1% tax for every $10,000 of income, increasing by 1% every $10,000 to a maximum of 20%. And the tax rate applies to the whole. $50,000 income is taxed at 5% for the entire $50,000. $2,000,000 and up is taxed 20%. No credits, no deductions.

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at March 11, 2022 05:58 PM (qnVBz)

107 fwiw, the slippery slope is a thing, and not just in

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 05:59 PM (/rIgL)

108 I just always feel like Trump is never about anything but Trump, it's good to hear that maybe he does actually care about conservatism's future beyond him.
Posted by: Blago at March 11, 2022 05:53 PM (/u2s6)
~~~~~

Where have you been hiding? PDT endorsed dozens of people in the Texas primaries a week or so ago and nearly all of them won outright or are going into runoffs with double digit leads. And then there are the rallies he's been having to support others.

He's a kingmaker and he's been working hard at it.

Posted by: IrishEi at March 11, 2022 05:59 PM (VhE0u)

109 @95
is it fair for a guy that is earning $1,000,000 to pay $100,000 when a guy earning $100,000 pays $10,000 but gets the same services?

----

Unless the guy earning $1,000,000 is saving ninety percent of his post-taxes income, the two men aren't getting the same services.

Posted by: Junior at March 11, 2022 05:59 PM (rIcpC)

110 The majority of congress is beholden to the grift train. Pelosi and McConnell are the conductors. Everyone currently sitting, including your favorites: MTG, Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, etc. are worthless shits.

Voting will never in a million years resolve this.

These people get into politics to get rich. Period.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at March 11, 2022 05:59 PM (BFigT)

111 Want to bore and turn off LIVs, de-energize young righty activists, and generally run a campaign as the GOPe wants to? Just talk about taxes. Up, down, sideways...who cares?

It's not the issue that's going to move the excitement needle.

Can we get some fresh consultants please?

Posted by: Two Weeks at March 11, 2022 05:59 PM (+P7VR)

112 "I think that is the slippery slope. Any subsidy makes people serfs, no matter how well meaning it may be."

We are already way down that slope. Welfare programs will always be around. I'd be the first to pare them down though.

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 06:00 PM (vrz2I)

113
Unless the guy earning $1,000,000 is saving ninety percent of his post-taxes income, the two men aren't getting the same services.
Posted by: J

yes they are, fire, roads, police, schools,

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 06:00 PM (/rIgL)

114 Make me senate leader. In session Jan-March and Aug-Oct. the rest of the time- go home.

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at March 11, 2022 06:00 PM (qnVBz)

115 is it fair for a guy that is earning $1,000,000 to pay $100,000 when a guy earning $100,000 pays $10,000 but gets the same services?

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 05:55 PM (/rIgL)

No. So have a progressive or flat structure until a certain point, and then regressive. So the first $1 million gets taxed at 10% and the next million gets taxed at 5%, and so on.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at March 11, 2022 06:00 PM (XIJ/X)

116 35 Thune?

Posted by: Inogame

I think that's the kinky version of Dune.

Posted by: Madamemayhem (uppity wench) at March 11, 2022 05:40 PM (Vxu+H)

As narrated by Mike Tyson.

Posted by: Two Weeks at March 11, 2022 06:00 PM (+P7VR)

117 This is not a plan. Maybe millions of former life-long Democrats will vote for 'personality cult 2.0'.

I won't.
Posted by: insurgens ad opus at March 11, 2022 05:57 PM (CpdvW)

So now, I can count on your vote?

Posted by: Mutt Rombly with a doggeh on the roof at March 11, 2022 06:00 PM (kF96U)

118 "The intentional vacuum of policy that the GOPe has created and let fester for the past decade led to the rise of Trump."

Been longer than a decade. I stopped sending GOPe my money 20 years ago because their policy seemed to be "get along with the Democrats so you can get invited to parties".

Posted by: Java Joe at March 11, 2022 06:01 PM (VsPm9)

119 @113 yes they are, fire, roads, police, schools

----

Most of that generally comes out of property taxes.

Posted by: Junior at March 11, 2022 06:01 PM (rIcpC)

120
No. So have a progressive or flat structure until a certain point, and then regressive. So the first $1 million gets taxed at 10% and the next million gets taxed at 5%, and so on.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo

I agree in intent but not in practice, has to be flat and fixed

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 06:01 PM (/rIgL)

121 10% consumption tax with food, fuel and medicine exempted.
Posted by: Mister Scot"

There you go. When you start making exemptions though, where does it end?
Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 05:56 PM (vrz2I

The math says it has to be more than 10% and consumption is what fuels America. Adding cost to products is a way to suppress consumption even if money is realized by no withholding.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at March 11, 2022 06:02 PM (XntMs)

122 I guarantee the guy making $1,000,000 gets better police service than the guy making $100,000.

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at March 11, 2022 06:02 PM (qnVBz)

123 Most of that generally comes out of property taxes.
Posted by: J

which we are getting rid of here

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 06:02 PM (/rIgL)

124 Rich people will always pay more taxes than poor people. Is that fair? I don't think it ever has been but poor people don't have any money to pay taxes with.

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 06:02 PM (vrz2I)

125 I agree in intent but not in practice, has to be flat and fixed

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 06:01 PM (/rIgL)

Then it won't address your complaint.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at March 11, 2022 06:02 PM (XIJ/X)

126 Viva La Trump!

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at March 11, 2022 06:03 PM (R/m4+)

127 How about we pay one tax? And no taxes on a specific good or service.

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at March 11, 2022 06:03 PM (qnVBz)

128 A 1% tax for every $10,000 of income, increasing by 1% every $10,000 to a maximum of 20%. And the tax rate applies to the whole. $50,000 income is taxed at 5% for the entire $50,000. $2,000,000 and up is taxed 20%. No credits, no deductions.
Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at March 11, 2022 05:58 PM (qnVBz)

That would cost me more. Do not like.

Posted by: Jordan61 at March 11, 2022 06:03 PM (Ez6QX)

129 I guarantee the guy making $1,000,000 gets better police service than the guy making $100,000.

they are driving the same roads

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 06:03 PM (/rIgL)

130 *Starve the beast*.

You can't. Spending is no longer tethered to revenue in any way. They will just print more money.

Posted by: The guy that moves pianos for a living at March 11, 2022 06:03 PM (iPbMr)

131 So we are on The Spy Who Loved Me in our Bond marathon
The Bad Guy wants US & USSR in nukular world war 3 so this debased decadent world can be destroyed and a new (undersea) utopia that he built can flourish.

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at March 11, 2022 06:03 PM (lCui1)

132 Flex away Trump!
Flex until the Turtle cracks.
Rick Scott is no prize(imo) but he's capable of cutting nuts and we and Trump desperately need to cut GOPe nuts by the bushel.
.
Mitch is Grift Central.
Scott is very ambitious but not , so far, a professional sell-you-out grifter.

Posted by: Voter theater. at March 11, 2022 06:05 PM (FCPbW)

133 How about let's stop paying taxes and dump DC in the harbor?

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 06:05 PM (vrz2I)

134 That would cost me more. Do not like.
Posted by: Jordan61

To scott's point- you will have skin in the game. The next politician comes along and wants to raise taxes 1%, you will feel it.

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at March 11, 2022 06:05 PM (qnVBz)

135 Then it won't address your complaint.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at

I am nor so worried over the disparity in the absolute numbers as I am in the thought that there should be some effort to "equalize" things.

I want the flat tax or sals tax so that it is fixed.

i would prefer the sals tax since it does not just tax you for having $

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 06:06 PM (/rIgL)

136 With friends like the Turtle it's no wonder our enemies are running the board on us. Go get him, Donaldus Maximus, take down this corrupt old gamester who only cares about his power, pension, and PRC kickbacks.

Posted by: exdem13 at March 11, 2022 06:06 PM (W+kMI)

137 Rich people will always pay more taxes than poor people. Is that fair? I don't think it ever has been but poor people don't have any money to pay taxes with.

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 06:02 PM

In no way am I rich but I literally pay more in federal taxes than 49% of the population of the US and I am retired on a fixed income, that is not "fair". The poor need to pony up and get some skin in the game.

Posted by: Mister Scot (Formerly GWS) at March 11, 2022 06:07 PM (bVYXr)

138 We have the perfect tax system now. Every situation and loophole has been dealt with. You just can't throw away a million pages of tax code.

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 06:07 PM (vrz2I)

139 131 So we are on The Spy Who Loved Me in our Bond marathon
The Bad Guy wants US & USSR in nukular world war 3 so this debased decadent world can be destroyed and a new (undersea) utopia that he built can flourish.
===========
Everything old is new again.

Posted by: exdem13 at March 11, 2022 06:07 PM (W+kMI)

140

A film adaptation of Indianapolis author John Green's latest novel has picked up steam after languishing for several years, according to the The Hollywood Reporter.

New Line Cinema has picked up the "Turtles All the Way Down" film rights and cast Isabela Merced ("Dora and the Lost City of Gold," "Transformers: The Last Night") as 16-year-old Aza Holmes, the 2017 novel's protagonist.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at March 11, 2022 06:07 PM (63Dwl)

141 Ditch The Bitch Mitch!

Posted by: Czech Chick at March 11, 2022 06:08 PM (haWye)

142 Abolish all individual taxes.
Abolish all property taxes.
Tax only businesses.
Sure they pass it on to consumers, in effect a sales tax.

I don't know how to fund LEOs but *handwave*

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at March 11, 2022 06:08 PM (lCui1)

143 I honestly don't know if "taxes" are the real problem. At the most taxiest, I think it usually shakes out to about 21% of GDP. There was a spell under Bubba Clinton where it actually did get to 25% of GDP.

The problem is and has always been spending. The budget making process is broken, intentionally.
Like someone up there said, a conversation or campaign promise or a set of promises around budgeting would turn off a lot of voters. Booorrrrring.
But really essential. The budgeting process has to get fixed, or regardless of taxation means, we still are going totally broke.

Posted by: Bozo Conservative...Living on the Prison Planet at March 11, 2022 06:09 PM (vcOmj)

144 > they are driving the same roads

And road projects account for what percent of all tax receipts? 0.001%?

Posted by: bonhomme at March 11, 2022 06:09 PM (8/9Tc)

145 For the record, I haven't said any system is fair. I'm just saying people with money can pay taxes so that's who gets taxed. You can't get any money from someone who has none.

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 06:09 PM (vrz2I)

146 if you think the spy who loved me is interesting wait until you see what the villain in moonrak wanted.

he was the ultimate vaxxr.

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 06:09 PM (/rIgL)

147 Abolish all taxes.

Simple sales tax. Proportional and everyone pays.

Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop at March 11, 2022 06:10 PM (QCwhW)

148 Just received this email form GOA.
18 Republican Senators voted yes.

Congress just passed a law to deputize your local police as ATF agents and to fund criminal investigations into mistaken NICS denials of law-abiding citizens.

Biden is set to sign the law before midnight.

Posted by: Capital Eff at March 11, 2022 06:10 PM (GYllL)

149 they are driving the same roads

And road projects account for what percent of all tax receipts? 0.001%?
Posted by: b

so what is your point?

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 06:10 PM (/rIgL)

150 Does Rick Scott send mean tweets? We have come to a point where this is a prerequisite for a leadership position.

Posted by: These fish sticks are hard as tits at March 11, 2022 06:10 PM (3AD8C)

151 So now, I can count on your vote?
Posted by: Mutt Rombly with a doggeh on the roof at March 11, 2022 06:00 PM (kF96U)
------

From the political philosophy of "Anyone who challenges my thinking is my political enemy."

Awesome, man. Yeah, as a hard Constitutional Republican, I definitely want socialists in charge of things. Because if there's anything less competent than a populist who gives no fucks about ideology, it's the guy who has the ideology diametrically opposed to my own.

Send your children to pedos for programming. Teach them to thank thugs for their service. I only hope they thank those thugs as you are dragged from your home at 3 am. Make a flippant remark to them about Bitch Romney. Should win you points.

Posted by: insurgens ad opus at March 11, 2022 06:11 PM (l/ilG)

152 137 Rich people will always pay more taxes than poor people. Is that fair? I don't think it ever has been but poor people don't have any money to pay taxes with.

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 06:02 PM

In no way am I rich but I literally pay more in federal taxes than 49% of the population of the US and I am retired on a fixed income, that is not "fair". The poor need to pony up and get some skin in the game.
========
The working poor may not pay income tax or business tax, but the current level of gasoline tax and sales tax post Covid can't be avoided and take more proportionately. Curse the Democrats for what they're doing to the people they've claimed to represent.

Posted by: exdem13 at March 11, 2022 06:11 PM (W+kMI)

153 To scott's point- you will have skin in the game. The next politician comes along and wants to raise taxes 1%, you will feel it.
Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at March 11, 2022 06:05 PM (qnVBz)

My husband and I both claim single and 0, and I STILL have to have extra money taken out of each paycheck or come up thousands short when I file. How much more skin do you want from me?

Posted by: Jordan61 at March 11, 2022 06:11 PM (Ez6QX)

154
The United States Congress resembles nothing so much as a freezer in your basement or garage that you know is full to the brim, but the compressor for it failed years ago and if you opened the lid, the pervasive rot therein would knock a maggot off of a gut wagon.

Vote them all out!

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars at March 11, 2022 06:12 PM (pNxlR)

155 Warren Buffet's secretary pays more in taxes than I do.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at March 11, 2022 06:12 PM (63Dwl)

156 People are complaining that Nolan's Oppenheimer flick is too white.

https://bit.ly/3pZHx9x

Detractors are pointing out that, among the thousands of people who worked on the Manhattan project, there were a hand full of non-white people, so those people should be front and center.

Posted by: bonhomme at March 11, 2022 06:12 PM (8/9Tc)

157 Congress just passed a law to deputize your local police as ATF agents and to fund criminal investigations into mistaken NICS denials of law-abiding citizens.

Biden is set to sign the law before midnight.

Posted by: Capital Eff

Is this the stair step to trying to take away guns again?
I can't imagine the local police and county sheriff where I live going along with that.
But it may be different where others live.

Posted by: Bozo Conservative...Living on the Prison Planet at March 11, 2022 06:12 PM (vcOmj)

158 Hey, I say libertarians are the true freedom lovers.

Posted by: BreedBo at March 11, 2022 06:12 PM (9qXEs)

159 The GOP, in the main, is an illegitimate political party.

A political parties purpose is to advance the agenda, principles and priorities of the broad base of it's voters and to prevent and block other political parties from advancing their agenda.

Another important responsibility of a political party is to protect members of it's party and base from the deprivations of other competing political parties.

The GOP does none of that even most times they literally spit at their base.

Or alternatively...

The GOP is a useless pile of dogshit.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at March 11, 2022 06:12 PM (6F7iz)

160 In a perfect world with a sales tax on everything, wages would fall in line with the cost of living. The Feds are far far from perfect though and would fuck that up too.

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 06:13 PM (vrz2I)

161 The working poor may not pay income tax or business tax, but the current level of gasoline tax and sales tax post Covid can't be avoided and take more proportionately. Curse the Democrats for what they're doing to the people they've claimed to represent.
Posted by: exdem13

everybody is paying more it is not fair to force somebody to subsidize somebody else

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 06:13 PM (/rIgL)

162 Make krill the official currency of the U.S.
Consumption tax on whales.
Problem solved.

You're welcome.
#KrillTax

Posted by: 29Victor at March 11, 2022 06:13 PM (BJKQV)

163 Biden is set to sign the law before midnight.

Posted by: Capital Eff at March 11, 2022 06:10 PM (GYllL)
-----

Awesome! Can't wait to see this clash directly with Missouri state law. Oh yes. Faster, harder.

We inch closer to our Boston Commons moment.

Posted by: insurgens ad opus at March 11, 2022 06:13 PM (l/ilG)

164 >>>My Review of Lord of the Rings by Kamala Harris

lol

Posted by: flounder, wrecker, hoarder, saboteur at March 11, 2022 06:13 PM (SH2Zi)

165 *Starve the beast*.

You can't. Spending is no longer tethered to revenue in any way. They will just print more money.
Posted by: The guy that moves pianos for a living at March 11, 2022 06:03 PM (iPbMr)

There it is

Posted by: The Federalist at March 11, 2022 06:13 PM (dscaa)

166 I don't have much game in the skin.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at March 11, 2022 06:14 PM (63Dwl)

167 133 How about let's stop paying taxes and dump DC in the harbor?
---------
Iran may save us the trouble in 2024.

Posted by: exdem13 at March 11, 2022 06:14 PM (W+kMI)

168 >>> 148 Just received this email form GOA.
18 Republican Senators voted yes.

Congress just passed a law to deputize your local police as ATF agents and to fund criminal investigations into mistaken NICS denials of law-abiding citizens.

Biden is set to sign the law before midnight.

Posted by: Capital Eff at March 11, 2022 06:10 PM (GYllL)

Well then.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at March 11, 2022 06:14 PM (llON8)

169 Posted by: Jordan61

That doesn't sound right.

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at March 11, 2022 06:14 PM (qnVBz)

170 I think Ketanji Jackson Brown is a shoe in. Hope I'm wrong.

Posted by: Javems at March 11, 2022 06:14 PM (AmoqO)

171 160 In a perfect world with a sales tax on everything, wages would fall in line with the cost of living. The Feds are far far from perfect though and would fuck that up too.
Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 06:13 PM (vrz2I)

Yeah.

Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop at March 11, 2022 06:14 PM (QCwhW)

172 Not taxing me for schools is my big tax gripe. Guessing, paying maybe 1k per month in taxes for others kids schooling. Pay for your own kids.

Posted by: BreedBo at March 11, 2022 06:14 PM (9qXEs)

173 157 Congress just passed a law to deputize your local police as ATF agents and to fund criminal investigations into mistaken NICS denials of law-abiding citizens

Take power away from the states and give it to the feds. Constitutional?

Posted by: Floridachick at March 11, 2022 06:15 PM (/vOti)

174 139 131 So we are on The Spy Who Loved Me in our Bond marathon
The Bad Guy wants US & USSR in nukular world war 3 so this debased decadent world can be destroyed and a new (undersea) utopia that he built can flourish.
===========
Everything old is new again.
Posted by: exdem13

Great opening. Barbara Bach, Caroline Munroe, whoever the blond chick was at the beginning of the movie were hot. All around good flick. The book was pretty good too. Just keep in mind that the only thing they have in common is James Bond is in it. The book was an entirely different story.

Posted by: Puddleglum at March 11, 2022 06:15 PM (sAmhv)

175 And the ATF has decided that anything they decide is a silencer is a silencer.

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at March 11, 2022 06:15 PM (qnVBz)

176 Yes Flat tax. Glad you didn't say Fair tax.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at March 11, 2022 05:37 PM (XntMs)

Have to say I was/am a big fan of Neil Boortz. Don't remember the differences between his fair tax and the flat tax and the Herman Cain 999. But I think that all that is preferable to what we've got going on now.

Posted by: NC Ref at March 11, 2022 06:16 PM (9unzF)

177 > so what is your point?

I thought it was obvious. Roads account for a very small percentage of tax receipts. The fact that rich people benefit from the use of roads in no way justifies the exorbitant taxes they pay. If they paid a tiny percent of their current tax burden uniquely toward roads, road projects would still be fully funded.

Rich people also don't benefit much from police, due to the fact they have to hire their own security anyway.

Posted by: bonhomme at March 11, 2022 06:16 PM (8/9Tc)

178 170 I think Ketanji Jackson Brown is a shoe in. Hope I'm wrong

Graduated from the same high school as Bezos.

I hope she doesn't get in.

Posted by: Floridachick at March 11, 2022 06:16 PM (/vOti)

179 For the first 130 years, the federal government subsisted mosly off tariffs applied to all imports.

Repeal the 16th amendment and force them back off the public dole.

Posted by: insurgens ad opus at March 11, 2022 06:16 PM (l/ilG)

180 Trump missed the opportunity to declare a third party. Oh well.

Posted by: Capital Eff at March 11, 2022 06:16 PM (GYllL)

181 "Awesome, man. Yeah, as a hard Constitutional Republican,"

Hey!! I'm a "hard constitutional repub! Vote for me

Posted by: Mike Pence bumbing uglies with Naci! at March 11, 2022 06:17 PM (kF96U)

182 Posted by: exdem13 at March 11, 2022 06:11 PM (W+kMI)

My military retirement... is taxed.
My Social Security... is taxed.

How the hell does that make any sense?

Posted by: Romeo13 at March 11, 2022 06:17 PM (oHd/0)

183 so what is your point?

I thought it was obvious. Roads account for a very small percentage of tax receipts. The fact that rich people benefit from the use of roads in no way justifies the exorbitant taxes they pay. If they paid a tiny percent of their current tax burden uniquely toward roads, road projects would still be fully funded.

Rich people also don't benefit much from police, due to the fact they have to hire their own security anyway.
Posted by: b

the thing is is they rich guy and the poor guy get the same thing even thought they pay different amounts.

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 06:17 PM (/rIgL)

184 Libertarian is the third party. Trump is the party of con.

Posted by: BreedBo at March 11, 2022 06:17 PM (9qXEs)

185 Hey, I say libertarians are the true freedom lovers.
Posted by: BreedBo

Lol. The Libertarians threw in with Antifa and the democrats. Trump wasn't a 100% perfect libertarian, therefore the only choice was FJB. Libertarians are fucking loons.

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at March 11, 2022 06:17 PM (qnVBz)

186 Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at March 11, 2022 06:17 PM (qnVBz)

It's raykon.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at March 11, 2022 06:18 PM (llON8)

187 I can't imagine the local police and county sheriff where I live going along with that.
But it may be different where others live.
Posted by: Bozo Conservative...Living on the Prison Planet at March 11, 2022 06:12 PM (vcOmj)
-----

Could turn out a lot of them are suicidal.

Posted by: insurgens ad opus at March 11, 2022 06:18 PM (l/ilG)

188 >>184 Libertarian is the third party. Trump is the party of con.

Yeah no. The Fuck You party has a nice ring.

Posted by: Capital Eff at March 11, 2022 06:18 PM (GYllL)

189 I think Ketanji Jackson Brown is a shoe in. Hope I'm wrong

to the extent that it is "shoo in" and not "shoe in" you are

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 06:18 PM (/rIgL)

190 How much more skin do you want from me?
Posted by: Jordan61 at March 11, 2022 06:11 PM (Ez6QX)

How specific would you like me to be?

Posted by: ... at March 11, 2022 06:18 PM (dscaa)

191 Libertarians want freedom. ConRepublicans want you to shut up and do what you are told. giggles.

Posted by: BreedBo at March 11, 2022 06:19 PM (9qXEs)

192 161 The working poor may not pay income tax or business tax, but the current level of gasoline tax and sales tax post Covid can't be avoided and take more proportionately. Curse the Democrats for what they're doing to the people they've claimed to represent.
Posted by: exdem13

everybody is paying more it is not fair to force somebody to subsidize somebody else
========
Somebody tell me how many illegals we have living here in the USA on government "assistance"? How many "refugee" banditti do we have here in the same situation? Seems to me that showing them all the door would bring expenditures and taxes down some.

Posted by: exdem13 at March 11, 2022 06:19 PM (W+kMI)

193
GOP intra-party intrigues don't matter. It's a farce.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at March 11, 2022 06:19 PM (SKVme)

194 Can someone with pixie dust zap the troll?

Posted by: Floridachick at March 11, 2022 06:20 PM (/vOti)

195 Ketanji Jackson-Brown very pro big business. No wonder Democrats like her:

https://tinyurl.com/253t23m4

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 11, 2022 06:20 PM (GezNK)

196 hey dot

Posted by: BreedBo at March 11, 2022 06:20 PM (9qXEs)

197 Really astute, TJM.

Nice.

Posted by: Dave in Fla at March 11, 2022 06:20 PM (5p7BC)

198 "the thing is is they rich guy and the poor guy get the same thing even thought they pay different amounts.
Posted by: confederatefifth "

No the poor guy gets more.

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 06:20 PM (vrz2I)

199 I wish I could be that confident of Trump. I heard that he used his PAC funds to squash a primary challenge to Lindsey Graham, probably the worst RINO in Congress, who really needs to go.

Posted by: jdgalt1 at March 11, 2022 06:20 PM (3SFo/)

200 Simply: if you don't stand for something, you stand for nothing.

Thats the GOPe in a nutshell.

Posted by: Steve_in_SoCal at March 11, 2022 06:21 PM (NW9xb)

201 "the thing is is they rich guy and the poor guy get the same thing even thought they pay different amounts.
Posted by: confederatefifth "

No the poor guy gets more.
Posted by: fd

in theory the get the same

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 06:21 PM (/rIgL)

202 How specific would you like me to be?
Posted by: ... at March 11, 2022 06:18 PM (dscaa)

LOL

Posted by: Jordan61 at March 11, 2022 06:21 PM (Ez6QX)

203 we should just have a flat 10% sales tax

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 05:39 PM (/rIgL)

Sales taxes require even more surveillance by the taxing authority than income taxes. I am not willing to give up that much power over my privacy

10% for man woman and corporation, and if you want to be picky, no taxes under 1/3 full time federal minimum wage and minors under 17

Posted by: Kindltot at March 11, 2022 06:21 PM (xhaym)

204 159 The Gops bases is the CoC(suckers) and military industries and they deliver for the. We're the suckered who buy the line that they are for us to get our votes. The whole is honest, we're the fools for thinking she cares about us.

Posted by: Bete at March 11, 2022 06:22 PM (5BE7o)

205 Sales taxes require even more surveillance by the taxing authority than income taxes. I am not willing to give up that much power over my privacy

10% for man woman and corporation, and if you want to be picky, no taxes under 1/3 full time federal minimum wage and minors under 17

Posted by: Kindltot

how much more surveillance than were already have.?

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 06:22 PM (/rIgL)

206 The thing about a consumption tax is everybody pays, even illegals.

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 06:22 PM (vrz2I)

207 Jackson-Brown was also part of a Harvard group that invited a speaker that compared Jews to skunks:

https://tinyurl.com/yr3nwd37

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 11, 2022 06:22 PM (GezNK)

208 > in theory the get the same

In practice, poor people use far more services and programs.

Posted by: bonhomme at March 11, 2022 06:23 PM (8/9Tc)

209 Mitch enjoys his role as 'wise old man' of the Senate. I don't see much else.

should be mandatory retirement @65 for these assholes

Posted by: DB at March 11, 2022 06:23 PM (geLO8)

210 Trump missed the opportunity to declare a third party. Oh well.
Posted by: Capital Eff at March 11, 2022 06:16 PM (GYllL)

Too much trouble and all risk, with none of the built in cachet. The media and both parties will kill it in the crib. I watched them kill the Tea Party, and aside from infiltrating it with the usual suspects, I know how they did it.

They did it with Loughner, a schizoid lefty who killed a Republican judge, a little girl and shot "Gibbly". It was every bit the gift George Floyd and Trayvon were, and boy did those satanic demons milk it dry. They labeled it a Tea Party Murder and that's it, within four months, no one who wasn't hardcore wanted to be associated with it anymore.

Posted by: ... at March 11, 2022 06:23 PM (dscaa)

211 182 Posted by: exdem13 at March 11, 2022 06:11 PM (W+kMI)

My military retirement... is taxed.
My Social Security... is taxed.

How the hell does that make any sense?
========
Both of them officially count as income, therefore the tax man withholds it. Should a pension count as "income"? Should a government assistance program be taxed by the government? Those are the logic faults that have to be addressed.

Posted by: exdem13 at March 11, 2022 06:24 PM (W+kMI)

212 btw,

sinde duck cuck go decided to start censoring I was thinking of switching to the russian search engine yandex.

how much worse would it be if the russians were monitoring my searches than the goog? it is not as if the russians are going to be sharing my search info with big gov.

Posted by: confederatefifth at March 11, 2022 06:24 PM (/rIgL)

213 I love you too.

Posted by: ... at March 11, 2022 06:24 PM (dscaa)

214 197 Really astute, TJM.

Nice.
Posted by: Dave in Fla at March 11, 2022 06:20 PM (5p7BC

====

Thanks!

Posted by: TheJamesMadison's Phone, read some movie thoughts at March 11, 2022 06:25 PM (LvTSG)

215 @204

>>we're the fools for thinking she cares about us.

What's the saying, Put not your faith in earthly princes, well the GOP has taken our faith and repeatedly shat upon it.

In many way, they are worse than the Donks.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at March 11, 2022 06:25 PM (6F7iz)

216 Trump is no Reagan. Not even close.

Posted by: runner at March 11, 2022 06:26 PM (V13WU)

217 Nood

Posted by: Bruce at March 11, 2022 06:26 PM (vd8XM)

218 179 For the first 130 years, the federal government subsisted mosly off tariffs applied to all imports.

Repeal the 16th amendment and force them back off the public dole.
Posted by: insurgens ad opus

Yup!

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at March 11, 2022 06:26 PM (lCui1)

219 Florida Democrat strategist celebrates Disney pausing all political donations. An hour later, that same Democrat realizes, "That means Democrats too!"

https://bit.ly/3KBvTJV

Posted by: bonhomme at March 11, 2022 06:27 PM (8/9Tc)

220 &

Posted by: DB at March 11, 2022 06:27 PM (geLO8)

221 Friday Dump ?

Posted by: runner at March 11, 2022 06:27 PM (V13WU)

222 Tax Utopia:

Cut spending to the bone
10 percent on everything
Death penalty for black market sales
Utopia

Posted by: fd at March 11, 2022 06:27 PM (vrz2I)

223 Lol. The Libertarians threw in with Antifa and the democrats. Trump wasn't a 100% perfect libertarian, therefore the only choice was FJB. Libertarians are fucking loons.
Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at March 11, 2022 06:17 PM (qnVBz)

Jo Jorgensen and Joe Bishop-Henchman threw in with Antifa. Head of the ticket and general secretary do have influence on the direction of the party.

Posted by: Kindltot at March 11, 2022 06:28 PM (xhaym)

224 VAT is the way to go !

---EU

Posted by: runner at March 11, 2022 06:29 PM (V13WU)

225 Consumption tax is anti_American and anti-capitalist.

Posted by: runner at March 11, 2022 06:30 PM (V13WU)

226 we should just have a flat 10% sales tax
Posted by: confederatefifth

I know people like to say that because they never put more than one second thought in the second and third order effects of such an economy destroying move.

A shift from the punitive tax system we suffer under now to one of a pure sales tax is a guarantee to wreck the economy even harder and faster than the WEF has designed.

A sales tax only system guarantees double taxing anyone over fifty, and is an enormous gift to H1 visa holders who would work in this country, enjoy all of the tax paid benefits with minimal taxes and then take their savings home.

Also a 10% sales tax is absolute fiction as it would very quickly devolve into a VAT or worse.

Posted by: Reuben Hick at March 11, 2022 06:31 PM (lD3vL)

227 I have no problem with progressive income taxes,I just think everyone should pay something. Otherwise you have no skin in the game, and I mean income tax, not SS or medicare.

Posted by: Javems at March 11, 2022 06:31 PM (AmoqO)

228
Who's the gimp?

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at March 11, 2022 06:31 PM (n+4am)

229 Cut spending to the bone
10 percent on everything
Death penalty for black market sales
~~Utopia~~ Prison

Posted by: Reuben Hick at March 11, 2022 06:32 PM (lD3vL)

230 Libertarians want freedom. ConRepublicans want you to shut up and do what you are told. giggles.
Posted by: BreedBo at March 11, 2022 06:19 PM (9qXEs)
------

Cons are fine with confiscating wealth and redistributing to their pet causes. A lot of them think Constitutionalists are Libertarians, that's how far they've strayed.

Constitutionalism is now considered extremism by people who self-describe as "defenders of the Constitution."

To me, most Libertarians are as Utopian as Leftists, at least as it pertains to their understanding of human nature.

Posted by: insurgens ad opus at March 11, 2022 06:34 PM (IkuSF)

231 how much more surveillance than were already have.?

Are you giving the local taxing jurisdiction the sales tax collected on your garage sale?

Posted by: Reuben Hick at March 11, 2022 06:35 PM (lD3vL)

232 Posted by: Mike Pence bumbing uglies with Naci! at March 11, 2022 06:17 PM (kF96U)
-----

Did people fall for that from Mike "I love me some Trannies" Pence?

Another Trump win, right there. Man, Trump can sure pick winners. How's Bill Barr doing these days?

Posted by: insurgens ad opus at March 11, 2022 06:37 PM (IkuSF)

233 Makes $340 to $680 per day online work and I received $21894 in one month online acting from home. I am a daily student and work simply one to a pair of hours in my spare time. Everybody will do that job and online ask extra cash by simply
copy and paste this link_________ WWW.CASH46.COM

Posted by: Shirley at March 11, 2022 06:38 PM (TTVqk)

234 I love how people say "on a fixed income" when what they are is "Yeehaa retired baby" Riiiight, you couldn't not possibly supplement your no work income with a part-time job, monetized hobby etc.

I could say I'm on a fixed income too. I don't have tons of free time to be searching for a higher paying job or working a 2nd job and my workplace is not flexible where they'd up my salary quickly. Of course that would be equally silly. If I got to a point where my income didn't cover my needs my priorities for spending my time would have to change so that I could expand the income. And I'd surely miss the HQ.

Posted by: PaleRider is simply irredeemable at March 11, 2022 06:38 PM (3cGpq)

235 Scott was a CEO. CEO's know they set a vision, and employees follow. McConnell has some good qualities (recall how he left a justice position open for almost a year). But, he is an establishment Republican with deep ties into the Deep State. He needs to take a step back.

Posted by: jeff at March 11, 2022 06:52 PM (+4Xcc)

236 A 1% tax for every $10,000 of income, increasing by 1% every $10,000 to a maximum of 20%. And the tax rate applies to the whole. $50,000 income is taxed at 5% for the entire $50,000. $2,000,000 and up is taxed 20%. No credits, no deductions.
Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy

If you have different tax rates for different income levels, they should apply only to their portion of income, like they do now.

This way: $179,999 income, 17% tax on all of it, $149,399 take-home pay. $180,000 income, 18% tax on all of it, $147,600 take-home pay.

Gain a dollar in salary, and lose $1,799 in actual income? Everyone making $180,000-$182,193 actually makes less than the guy making $179,999? Doesn't seem right to me.

Posted by: mikeski at March 11, 2022 06:54 PM (P1f+c)

237 234- "Yeaah, retired, baby?"

Posted by: vivi at March 11, 2022 07:20 PM (33kEg)

238 McConnell and MacCarthy need to go, probably to Beijing.

Posted by: Harry at March 11, 2022 09:49 PM (EcD5Y)

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