Yeah, so Clinton nor any other politician that I've heard has ever said or implied that it's criminal for the very wealthy, including Trump, to pay a lower tax rate than everyone else by taking advantage of tax codes that favor them. Nobody is screaming, "lock him up!" over it.
Instead, it's been stated that it's not 'fair', which is not synonymous with not 'legal' by any stretch, Tiki.
Trump himself acknowledged in the third debate that he has taken full advantage of operating loss and depreciation write-offs which would allow him to pay little to no personal federal income tax and that is was 'unfair'.
He and his surrogates later called him a 'genius' for taking advantage of the tax codes. Trump claimed it was Clinton's fault the tax codes were unfair because she was a NY senator and failed to change them when she had the chance. He insinuated that she didn't really want to change them because she was in bed with Wall Street and the banks and that HE would fix the tax codes. However, he mentioned only the carried interest tax break (which wouldn't affect him since he's not a hedge fund or private equity operator).
At any rate, you're right about us not knowing for sure what he did or didn't pay because he refuses to release his tax returns and he and his sons have repeatedly made inconsistent claims about whether or not he's paid personal federal income tax. That lack of transparency is what I figure is a bigger problem for him with voters than the fact that, according to him, he's chosen to take full advantage of the tax codes.
As for their tax proposals, Clinton's plan would keep taxes about the same for everyone making $250k or less. For those making over $730k, taxes would be increased by 3.5% with the top 1% seeing an increase of about 7%. The result would be $1.4 trillion increase in federal revenue over 10 years.
Trump promises to give everyone a tax cut -- the more you make, the more you save as compared to the current tax rates, with the average being a 4.1% decrease. The top 1% earners, however, would pay 13.5% less than they currently pay. The result would be a $6.1 trillion decrease in federal revenue over 10 years.
Those numbers are according to the latest tax plan proposals from the candidates.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/beltway/2016...4b4016195f
Sometimes Clinton really gets on my nerves.
She just held a brief press conference imploring the FBI to release more details about the new emails Director Comey mentioned in his letter to the House Oversight Committee today. Smart; no problem there.
But, she said more than once that Comey sent the letter to Republican congresspersons, making it seem like a partisan effort on Comey's part. I checked -- Comey sent that letter to all the Committee members, both Republican and Democratic.
I think it's even less likely that those emails are significant now that it's been confirmed that they weren't part of the campaign hack and instead were found on Huma's email account when she used Weiner's laptop. So, I'm kinda surprised Mike Pence isn't just letting the vagueness and people's suspicions work in his ticket's favor. Instead, he made a statement asking Comey to release more information right away, in line with what Clinton and Podesta are requesting.
It's not far off now anyways the chips are ready to fall where they may. I myself will accept any outcome as I try and get around these ever loving laws that are designed to try and get me to "go with the flow".
(10-28-2016, 08:31 PM)Maggot Wrote: [ -> ]It's not far off now anyways the chips are ready to fall where they may. I myself will accept any outcome as I try and get around these ever loving laws that are designed to try and get me to "go with the flow".
I'm genuinely curious, Mags. What laws try to get you to go with the flow?
Laws, outside of taxes and motor vehicle regulations, don't have any impact on how I live my personal life and I live in a regulation-heavy part of the country.
Are you talking about getting rid of federal and state laws that forbid other people from living their lives as they see fit, without hurting others, like the legalization of gay marriage?
WHO DO YOU TRUST?
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I don't know what to think about Comey's letter to the House Oversight Committee at this point.
I see some former DOJ officials and legal eagles claiming that he violated policy and abused his power by announcing the investigation of new emails which could be pertinent to the Clinton server investigation. They're incensed that he made such a public announcement which could impact an imminent election, particularly when he claims not to know if the emails are pertinent in any way.
And, I've heard others claiming that Comey was between a rock and a hard place because he risked FBI leaks and it would have undermined the agency's credibility and added to the "rigged!" rhetoric if he was seemingly withholding information.
In any case, I think Clinton was smart to address it right away and ask for him to release details; 'put it out there', nothing to hide. This could end up working in her favor if she continues to address it directly and ask for transparency. I hope she refrains from framing it as a "right wing conspiracy", though I see a lot of people doing so and accusing Comey (a Republican) of trying to sway the election.
And, I think Trump is again overplaying his hand by claiming this is "bigger than Watergate" and claiming that the FBI and DOJ are finally going after Clinton and all that jazz when he has no idea if the emails on that device are just dupes of emails Abedin already handed over to the FBI or otherwise completely inconsequential. Those kind of baseless claims work to fire up his base, but probably turn off Independents.
So, Comey has gone from being viewed as a traitor by Trump and some Republicans (for not indicting Clinton) to being applause-worthy, in a matter of hours. And, he's gone from being hailed as fair and bi-partisan in his duties by some high-profile Democrats to being in cahoots with the Republican party.
I wonder if Comey will comply with requests from both sides to provide more details stat.
(10-28-2016, 09:31 PM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: [ -> ] (10-28-2016, 08:31 PM)Maggot Wrote: [ -> ]It's not far off now anyways the chips are ready to fall where they may. I myself will accept any outcome as I try and get around these ever loving laws that are designed to try and get me to "go with the flow".
I'm genuinely curious, Mags. What laws try to get you to go with the flow?
Laws, outside of taxes and motor vehicle regulations, don't have any impact on how I live my personal life and I live in a regulation-heavy part of the country.
Are you talking about getting rid of federal and state laws that forbid other people from living their lives as they see fit, without hurting others, like the legalization of gay marriage?
Taxes. As the government grows and spreads into every aspect of peoples lives whether it be health care, environment, welfare, use taxes, retirement taxes. Quite a few things over the years have eaten into my paycheck that if the Democrats had their way would be worse than now. Government left unchecked would certainly lead to the fleecing of the masses as we see today. Government waste is running amuck and it truly needs oversite. Not the other way around. So as long as cash is king I imagine that that's the only way to keep the powers that be in check. Bartering is becoming a powerful tool in today's transactions and its a non taxable way to get what you want. I can trade and deal in gold and silver and services rather than go the traditional route of credit cards and banking services. It may not amount to much but it certainly alleviates some of the pressure of the hand of government overreach.
(10-29-2016, 12:06 PM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: [ -> ]And, I've heard others claiming that Comey was between a rock and a hard place because he risked FBI leaks and it would have undermined the agency's credibility and added to the "rigged!" rhetoric if he was seemingly withholding information.
That ^^^^^^^ is how I'm viewing it.
Personally, I wouldn't have wanted it to come out after the election.
I just came back inside, I haven't watched any politics today. Trump is in my office, he's at a rally and while I've only heard several minutes of this, he is not hammering Hillary, he's patting himself on the back for his long lines and winning all the polls and how he's going to win, win, win. Every gift he has been handed in regards to Hillary, he has squandered.
(10-29-2016, 12:42 PM)Maggot Wrote: [ -> ]Taxes. As the government grows and spreads into every aspect of peoples lives whether it be health care, environment, welfare, use taxes, retirement taxes. Quite a few things over the years have eaten into my paycheck that if the Democrats had their way would be worse than now. Government left unchecked would certainly lead to the fleecing of the masses as we see today. Government waste is running amuck and it truly needs oversite. Not the other way around. So as long as cash is king I imagine that that's the only way to keep the powers that be in check. Bartering is becoming a powerful tool in today's transactions and its a non taxable way to get what you want. I can trade and deal in gold and silver and services rather than go the traditional route of credit cards and banking services. It may not amount to much but it certainly alleviates some of the pressure of the hand of government overreach.
Thanks, Mags. I see what you're talking about now.
My beef isn't so much personal taxes as it is business taxes and regulations (primarily state/local, not federal), as well as the federal government (primarily Republicans) trying to legislate what people do with their bodies.
Those are the primary reasons that I prefer one branch of Congress to be Democratic majority and the other to be Republican majority -- harder for the President's party to pass whatever he/she likes without a challenge and/or a compromise.
I'm getting buzzed here and gonna put politics outta my mind. I've been working like a dog on my backyard for weeks now -- power tools, paint, trimmers -- the whole shabang. A couple of my friends are coming over for a barbecue tonight (so, of course, it's drizzling).
The good news for you that love the HellBitch, Comey's letter is pure unadulterated bullshit.
The bad news, RUMINT is the letter was sent to stop a group of senior FBI agents from disclosing the real details of the investigation.
Seems they are quite displeased with their hard work being subverted by a corrupt Justice Department.
You can bet one of two things are behind this:
a. The RUMINT is true and Justice is in a no win situation, or
b. They are covering for The Great BO and throwing the HellBitch under the bus.
What ever the reason, this is going to get real interesting.
Looks like the smartest man in the country now is Tim Kaine.
(10-29-2016, 06:40 PM)pyropappy Wrote: [ -> ]The bad news, RUMINT is the letter was sent to stop a group of senior FBI agents from disclosing the real details of the investigation.
Seems they are quite displeased with their hard work being subverted by a corrupt Justice Department.
RUMINT? Intelligence information from unreliable sources; especially information based on rumors rather than facts?
(10-29-2016, 06:47 PM)Duchess Wrote: [ -> ]RUMINT? Intelligence information from unreliable sources; especially information based on rumors rather than facts?
RUMINT in MILSPEAK usually means an inside source that can not be quoted directly for various reasons. This situation has whistle blower written all over it. But who knows, this is the most corrupt government in history; like I said, this is going to get real interesting.
(10-29-2016, 06:58 PM)pyropappy Wrote: [ -> ]This situation has whistle blower written all over it. like I said, this is going to get real interesting.
Could be. I can hardly wrap my head around the daily drama as it is and I don't actually see an end in sight. Hillary is going to win this election and I doubt very much that Trump is going to quietly ride off into the sunset.
...and I'll never again be able to say I'm outnumbered by stupid people the moment I leave home. 
(10-29-2016, 07:05 PM)Duchess Wrote: [ -> ] (10-29-2016, 06:58 PM)pyropappy Wrote: [ -> ]This situation has whistle blower written all over it. like I said, this is going to get real interesting.
Could be. I can hardly wrap my head around the daily drama as it is and I don't actually see an end in sight. Hillary is going to win this election and I doubt very much that Trump is going to quietly ride off into the sunset.
...and I'll never again be able to say I'm outnumbered by stupid people the moment I leave home.
You can bet Der Trump has nothing to do with this.
The MSM has no love for him; they fawned over him during the primaries because they figured the HellBitch would crush him in the general.
My gut is telling me the MSM is also tiring of covering for her. My guess is after they get her elected they will turn on her as well to get her impeached.
The NY Times had a full editorial board meeting to discuss this situation; that does not bode well for her presidency.
(10-29-2016, 07:15 PM)pyropappy Wrote: [ -> ]get her impeached.
Some Republicans are already discussing this and they want to investigate the investigations too. 
(10-29-2016, 06:40 PM)pyropappy Wrote: [ -> ]Looks like the smartest man in the country now is Tim Kaine.
He is smart like "Chance, the gardener" in "Being There"
I have no way of verifying this so take it for what it's worth - I read that the emails, whether they are three or thousands, were kept on a non-classified state government email system with retention.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting this long and somewhat convoluted story, it covers quite a bit including the Clinton Foundation.
Federal agents are preparing to scour roughly 650,000 emails contained on the laptop of former Rep. Anthony Weiner to see how many relate to a prior probe of Hillary Clinton’s email use, as metadata on the device suggests there may be thousands sent to or from the private server that the Democratic nominee used while she was secretary of state, according to people familiar with the matter.
Story
The FBI got their warrant and will be on Huma's computer for a few days. Trump is inching higher in the polls as Clintons past begins to bite her in the ass.
Obama probably has his people preparing a pardon but the damage is done.
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