[Godstud]

I believe that there should be no federal tax deduction for charitable donations. The federal government should stay out of the charitable business. That should be left to individuals.

The only time I will agree with Hindsite. Also, get rid of the fucking religious exemptions for all churches, mosques, and all the other shit religions. It's the same thing.

[Drlee]

I believe that there should be no federal tax deduction for charitable donations. The federal government should stay out of the charitable business. That should be left to individuals.

That is the whole point Einstein. If you want the government to stop acting as the welfare state you had better have another plan. Incentivizing private donors is a way to do it and stay out of the welfare game.

Sorry Godstud. I know you hate religion and all it does. But taxing charity hospitals will not achieve your goals now will it?

[Godstud]

I do not hate all religion, and what they do, but religion is often a tax shelter for capitalists, and often those charities aren't very charitable. A lot of charities keep about 70%, or more, of what you donate, and only a small amount gets to the intended recipients.

How Charities Spend Your Money: Eye-Opening Truths to Read Before You Donate
https://www.rd.com/culture/how-charities-spend-money/

So actually, I'd want a lot more oversight into charities if we're going using them. That's probably better than shooting the poor and needy in the foot.

[Drlee]

So actually, I'd want a lot more oversight into charities if we're going using them. That's probably better than shooting the poor and needy in the foot.

Understand. Not all charities are devoted to the poor.

[Hindsite]

Understand. Not all charities are devoted to the poor.

Not all charities are devoted to the Christian religion either.

[jimjam]

Speaker Paul D. Ryan faced a backlash on Saturday after he pointed to a secretary’s $1.50 weekly increase in take-home pay as a sign of the Republican tax plan’s success.

“A secretary at a public high school in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, said she was pleasantly surprised her pay went up $1.50 a week ... she said [that] will more than cover her Costco membership for the year,” Mr. Ryan posted on Twitter, sharing an Associated Press report about paycheck increases under the $1.5 trillion tax overhaul.

“That tweet about the $1.50 a week is not a PR mistake,” Senator Brian Schatz, Democrat of Hawaii, wrote on Twitter. “It is really what they think.”

Ryan is one pathetic sack of shit.........

[Godstud]

Not all charities are devoted to the Christian religion either.

That's right. Some charities are atheist and not related to religion, but only to human empathy, kindness and compassion.

A friend of mine is collecting money for an old woman whose son was burned by a crazy wife. She is 80, has no means of support, and lives in a tin shack. My friends and I took up a collection from everyone we know and are building her a new home. Our deeds have nothing to do with religion, but simply wanting to help a fellow human being.

Now, why in fuck would a charity not be focused on the poor? Would it be focused on the rich? Is that what you would like, Hindsite?

[Stormsmith]

Godstud

I believe The Trump Foundation is essentially just that.

[Hindsite]

Godstud

I believe The Trump Foundation is essentially just that.

Stormsmith
You are behind the times.
There is no Trump Foundation.
However, there is a Clinton Foundation.

[Drlee]

There is no Trump Foundation.

Wrong. There is and it is crooked as hell.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_J._Trump_Foundation

[Rancid]

Speaker Paul D. Ryan faced a backlash on Saturday after he pointed to a secretary’s $1.50 weekly increase in take-home pay as a sign of the Republican tax plan’s success.

“A secretary at a public high school in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, said she was pleasantly surprised her pay went up $1.50 a week ... she said [that] will more than cover her Costco membership for the year,” Mr. Ryan posted on Twitter, sharing an Associated Press report about paycheck increases under the $1.5 trillion tax overhaul.

“That tweet about the $1.50 a week is not a PR mistake,” Senator Brian Schatz, Democrat of Hawaii, wrote on Twitter. “It is really what they think.”

Ryan is one pathetic sack of shit.........

People that have a lot of money do not understand the value of a dollar basically. He probably genuinely thought an extra $1.50 a week increase to a regular working American is actually a lot of money.

This shows how disconnected these assholes are from reality, and why we need to organize to fuck over mega rich people.

[Godstud]

Yes, @Rancid. We had the same disconnect demonstrated when the PM of Canada, about a decade ago, mentioned that normal people have no idea of the stress that goes with making $300,000/year. Just...

[Stormsmith]

Right. Trump tried to close his foundation, but was ordered to continue it.

By the way, saw footage of him talking today. I see he's not taking credit for the New York Shock Exchange

[Crantag]

Right. Trump tried to close his foundation, but was ordered to continue it.

By the way, saw footage of him talking today. I see he's not taking credit for the New York Shock Exchange

Apparently even Fox News interrupted his speech when the Dow plunged today.

The wheels are coming off. I've been basically giving a play-by-play, the many contradictions are easy to spot.

We have a sell-off which was triggered by high wage growth. The wage growth is a secular phenomenon, related to labor demand. The economy is so disfigured at the moment that rising wages means the slaying of Wall Street profits. This is quite extraordinary.

[Stormsmith]

Why? How much has it risen? And since it's been given to labour by the employer, as opposed to a congressional rise, can't the falling taxes be seen to off set it?

[Crantag]

Why? How much has it risen? And since it's been given to labour by the employer, as opposed to a congressional rise, can't the falling taxes be seen to off set it?

Wage growth is associated with rising inflation. Interest rates have been around 0% for the past 10 years. The Fed typically raises interest rates in response to inflation.

This impasse, where good news on wages is associated with bad news on Wall Street, is a result of the bloated financial sector. If the Fed doesn't raise rates, it would probably further inflate the stock bubble. An example of how is perhaps through 401(k) contributions. Moreover, high inflation has a depreciating effect on the value of financial assets.

This function in recent years of low wages leading to higher Wall Street profits, is a new revelation to me. It could explain a few things.

I feel that what we may be looking at is contradictions, of which I've just tried to identify a few examples, coming to a head. That could amount to there being no ready fixes. The process which might be resulting before us is that which is euphemistically called by Wall Streeters 'the destruction of value'. The euphimism is born of the reality that Wall Street creates little value (it does create some, but relatively little. We are in an age of the financialization of our daily lives by parasitic conglomerates. The financial system for the most part is a system which robs Peter to pay Paul.)

[jimjam]

Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, whose department is considering a plan to more than double the entrance fee to the Grand Canyon, spent $6,250 to helicopter back from a meeting in Virginia so he could make a date to go horseback riding with Mike Pence. A staff member explained that the expense was well worthwhile since it enabled Zinke “to familiarize himself with the in-flight capabilities of an aircraft he is in charge of.”

Just one small example of the amazing incompetence/arrogance on the part of the custodians of your tax dollars.

[Stormsmith]

@jimjam
Can he made to reimburse it? Are there no dude ranches near DC?


@Crantag
Saw a financial pundit on tv who said 2% of wage earners had either received a pay raise or a one-off bonus. That's Jack Squat, really. Shouldn't think it's different from any other year

[Drlee]

Arizona raised its minimum wage to $10.50 hr. Business owners are whining like children. The local car wash raised its prices 33% in response. So we know where their problem lies. It is in their own lunacy.

The unemployment rate in Arizona is 4.6% which is under the percentage usually considered full employment. So remind me again why we should feel sorry for them.

[Stormsmith]

Dr lee, what was the previous state minimum wage, and is there a labour shortage?