Tax Cuts/Reform/Simplification? A Few Questions, Please

I have a few questions. 

1. Why does the average taxpayer care how many tax brackets there are?  How difficult is it, really, to look up and do the arithmetic required to calculate how much tax is owed on a certain taxable income?

2. They want to eliminate the Alternative Minimum Tax – What percent of the American middle class winds up paying the Alternative Minimum Tax on a regular basis?  This seems more like a gift to the upper income folks. 

3.  They want to double the standard deduction, but at the same time they want to delete the $4000/person exemption and reduce what we can deduct when we itemize — maybe down to just mortgage interest and charitable contributions?  So what becomes of the other major deductions — medical out-of-pocket, state income tax, and personal property/real estate taxes?  These can be significant amounts, and I must believe are regularly used by (or on an emergency basis, or by the elderly, in the case of medical deductions) millions of middle class taxpayers.   

If these itemized deductions are removed from the tax code, and exemptions are eliminated (leaving just a $2000 net increase per person in the Standard Deduction – more like a 33% net increase in per-person deductions rather than a doubling), I can devise endless examples of how “common people” will have their taxes actually go up, in spite of the doubling of the Standard Deduction. 

I guess we have to find out specifically what changes are proposed to the middle income tax RATES, because without further information, two of the three tax returns I prepare for people may well show increased taxes due.

 

Dinesh D’Souza: Democrats destroy Southern monuments to hide their complicity in slavery and racism

Breaking news, headlines and analysis from around the world.

Source: Dinesh D’Souza: Democrats destroy Southern monuments to hide their complicity in slavery and racism

Trump-Haters Know No Boundaries

It is truly amazing, as well as disheartening, that the same liberals who decry hate groups and hate-like behavior are exactly the people who hate Trump so much that they will twist EVERYthing he does or says into something ridiculously erroneous.

If Trump says he is against illegal immigration, Trump-haters say he is against all immigration and is a racist.  If Trump says he wants to postpone immigration of people from countries that we have previously identified as major supporters of terrorism, Trump-haters scream that Trump hates all immigrants, and is a racist.  If Trump decries violence from whichever side it comes, Trump-haters claim he is supportive of extreme white-nationalism – and is a racist.  Even CEOs are distancing themselves from Trump because he states a simple unadulterated truth.

It has gotten so bad that even Republicans and Democrats (and CEOs) who understand what Trump is really saying in these situations criticize him anyway out of fear of being bashed by the liberal Trump-haters (most notably, the media) — or having their companies bashed.

I am no Trump-lover – in fact, I think he is an emotional idiot.  But truth is truth, and facts are facts, no matter who brings them forth.  Trump twists enough truth and facts without anyone needing to go out of their way to make him look bad (and making themselves look bad by acting as though they are too ignorant to properly interpret a simple sentence).

All of these irrational outcries from Trump-hating liberals and [so-called] conservatives are just about to make me into a hater myself.  We in America are making outright fools of ourselves in front of the world.

Sad.

The Founders Anticipated ‘Fake News.’ Here’s What They Did About It.

By Jarrett Stepman ~ Following the presidential election, numerous stories surfaced about how “fake news” influenced the results. This prompted a reaction from the media and a concerted effort by t…

Source: The Founders Anticipated ‘Fake News.’ Here’s What They Did About It.

Why This Female Veteran Is Against Women In The Draft

By Kelsey Harkness ~ Although the United States has not issued a draft since the Vietnam War in 1973, Congress is in the final negotiating stages for a measure that could require women over the age…

Source: Why This Female Veteran Is Against Women In The Draft

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ISLAM, MODERATE ISLAM AND RADICAL ISLAM – PART II

I apologize to my readers who anxiously awaited part two of this piece for my delay in posting but sometimes life not only imitates art – but it gets in the way of it. In response to the rece…

Source: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ISLAM, MODERATE ISLAM AND RADICAL ISLAM – PART II

Is Personal Responsibility Obsolete?

Over the last few days, Thomas Sowell has published a two-part series on Is Personal Responsibility Obsolete. As would be expected it is very good. It starts like this. Among the many disturbing si…

Source: Is Personal Responsibility Obsolete?

Why Can’t We Stop Terror?

By Star Parker ~ We will not be victorious over terrorism with might alone. Once again, the repulsive face of terror has appeared on our homeland, our own soil. It is not a headline in the news abo…

Source: Why Can’t We Stop Terror?

Hiroshima: A Tale Of Two U.S. Presidents

By Lt. Colonel James G. Zumwalt, USMC (RET) ~ Obama’s attack on Truman’s necessary decision. One week into office, President Barack Obama apologized to the Muslim world declaring, ̶…

Source: Hiroshima: A Tale Of Two U.S. Presidents

Time To Shut Down The Department Of Education

By Star Parker ~ Many with great political power in Washington, who control so much of our money, cannot distinguish between a fact and an opinion. The Department of Education was created under Pre…

Source: Time To Shut Down The Department Of Education

American Campus Craziness Comes To Oxford

By Daniel Hannan ~ Would you hire a lawyer who couldn’t handle references to violence? If not, then be wary of anyone who graduated from Oxford with a law degree in 2016. Lecturers at my old …

Source: American Campus Craziness Comes To Oxford

New York Times Promotes Myth That Man-Made Climate Change Refugees Exist

By Nicolas Loris ~ The New York Times has declared the first American climate refugees. The article, published on May 2, tells the story of families living in southeastern Louisiana on the Isle de …

Source: New York Times Promotes Myth That Man-Made Climate Change Refugees Exist

What’s in a Label? Too Much Dogmatism!

I am getting real tired of people saying that there are only two types of Republicans today – RINOs (Republicans in Name Only) and Conservative Republicans (where they mean Tea-Partyish Republicans).

Who has the arrogance to declare that they know how to define what a real Republican is, and that if one doesn’t toe the line on the full set of values held by the far right, one cannot be a real Republican – and especially not a conservative.

I am going to assert that, in general terms, anyone whose overall values lie to the right of “center” can claim the title of conservative, and anyone whose values put them to the left of “center” can legitimately claim to be a liberal.

And if I want to say that I am a climate change agnostic, that says NOTHING about whether I am, on balance, a liberal or a conservative.  If I want to say that I favor the XL Pipeline, that says NOTHING about whether I am, on balance, a conservative or a liberal.  If I am pro-choice, with or without constraints, again that says NOTHING about whether I am, on balance, a liberal or a conservative.  If I am in favor of private gun ownership, that says NOTHING about whether I am, on balance, a conservative or a liberal.

That said, if we suppose that people whose OVERALL leaning is to the right of “center” are likely to be Republicans (or at least vote Republican), and people whose OVERALL leaning is to the left of “center” are likely to be Democrats (or at least vote Democrat), then we come to the simple conclusion that neither Democrats NOR Republicans are going to believe the same things about all issues.  Both parties allow for a large moderate (some might say “reasonable”) group of people who have worked through issues and find the party thought-police to be repugnant.

For those who want to berate anyone in their political party who does not believe exactly as they do on all issues, I say – “GET OVER YOURSELVES!  Yes, Virginia, there ARE such things as moderate Republicans and moderate Democrats, and they have just as much right to the Republican and Democrat labels as you have.  In fact, the moderates probably outnumber you.”

Now – that said – if the actual Republican Party or Democratic Party leadership wants to officially define the qualifications for being a member of their party – what you can and cannot believe about every controversial topic in our culture, and perhaps say that they don’t want your vote if you differ on any one topic — then let them do that, and let’s watch what happens.

Go ahead and disinvite participation in your party and its elections if your members won’t toe the line on every controversial issue.  Probably what would happen is we would, indeed, wind up with a third (or even fourth) political party – let’s call it the Moderate Party – or how about the Freedom Party – freedom to believe as we reason, and to form association with those who are not consumed by dogma – freedom to disagree with members of our own party on serious issues.

So – maybe we have this third party thing all wrong.  Forming a third party out of a far right group would only serve to dilute the Republican vote, and would put the Democratic Party in control for the foreseeable future.  However, if we energetically form a new party out of the “middle” – the Moderates – and could instantly pull maybe a third of voters from each of the current mainstream parties, the newly formed Moderate Party becomes a contender from the get-go.  And it is not so much characterized by intolerant dogmatists as by people who know they must give a little to get a little – a pretty reasonable stance, given the variety of deeply held beliefs across our great nation.

Done ranting.

A Courageous Voice From Inside Islam

A Courageous Voice From Inside Islam.

This is refreshing, and somewhat encouraging.  The Egyptian president jacking up the Egyptian religious leaders.

What Is Equality? [Insight from Thomas Sowell]

From the pen of Thomas Sowell, well-known black conservative economist and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University.  Strongly excerpted here from a piece titled “The ‘Equality’ Racket”, posted at

http://www.creators.com/opinion/thomas-sowell/the-equality-racket-6f48e3209f.html

[Start excerpt – brackets and bolding are mine]

. . . . [T]he predominant political meaning [of “equality”] in practice [is] where economic “disparities” and “gaps” are automatically treated as “inequities.” If one racial or ethnic group has a lower income than another, that is automatically called “discrimination” by many people in politics, the media and academia.

It doesn’t matter how much evidence there is that some groups work harder in school, perform better and spend more postgraduate years studying to acquire valuable skills in medicine, science or engineering. If the economic end results are unequal, that is treated as a grievance against those with better outcomes, and a sign of an “unfair” society.

The rhetoric of clever people often confuses the undeniable fact that life is unfair with the claim that a given institution or society is unfair.

Children born into families that raise them with love and with care to see that they acquire knowledge, values and discipline that will make them valuable members of society have far more chances of economic and other success in adulthood than children raised in families that lack these qualities.

Studies show that children whose parents have professional careers speak nearly twice as many words per hour to them as children with working class parents — and several times as many words per hour as children in families on welfare. There is no way that children from these different backgrounds are going to have equal chances of economic or other success in adulthood. 

. . . [S]ome people buy the idea that politicians can correct the unfairness of life by cracking down on employers.

But, by the time children raised in very different ways reach an employer, the damage has already been done.

What is a problem for children raised in families and communities that do not prepare them for productive lives can be a bonanza for politicians, lawyers and assorted social messiahs who are ready to lead fierce crusades, if the price is right. . . .. . . .

Equality before the law is a fundamental value in a decent society. But equality of treatment in no way guarantees equality of outcomes.

On the contrary, equality of treatment makes equality of outcomes unlikely, since virtually nobody is equal to somebody else in the whole range of skills and capabilities required in real life . . . .

What may be a spontaneous confusion among the public at large about the very different meanings of the word “equality” can be a carefully cultivated confusion by politicians, lawyers and others skilled in rhetoric, who can exploit that confusion for their own benefit.

Regardless of the actual causes of different capabilities and rewards in different individuals and groups, political crusades require a villain to attack — a villain far removed from the voter or the voter’s family or community. . . . The media and the intelligentsia are also attracted to crusades against the forces of evil.

But whether as a crusade or a racket, a confused conception of equality is a formula for never-ending strife that can tear a whole society apart — and has already done so in many countries.

[End Excerpt]

A Great Philosophy for Living

I caught the following paragraphs in a blog called “Wild Bells”, written by Wayne Abernathy on WordPress.  After describing some wonderful memories from “olden days”, he summarized his outlook on life beautifully.

[Begin Excerpt]

These have stocked my treasury of marvelous memories. I am rich with them. Yet I have more observances to come. To these I look forward.

Here is what I believe about these riches. I can take them out of the treasury each year and seek to recreate them, to work to experience them all over again. If I do, I have but relived and re-experienced what I already have. I add little new to the treasury. Many people celebrate this way. It seems to me a squandered opportunity and probably dangerous. I doubt that the previous charm can be revived, that the wondrous experience of the past can be recaptured. I fear that the joyful and rich memory might even be harmed by the failed effort. Worse, much can be consumed, much exertion expended, and still frustration and misery—for myself and others—may result in the trying.

I believe that a better approach would be to create new magnificent memories. These can build upon the past and work from valuable traditions. The good of the past can be drawn upon to create something greater. The effort is to make a new experience, not vainly recall to life a treasured memory. Not every holiday experience will produce equal joy and beauty, but if allowed to live for its own sake each will add to the fullness of life and the value of our storehouse of life’s treasures. Each will have the chance to be the most marvelous experience yet.

I am not prepared to concede that the best of my life has been lived or that the finest that I can do is recreate only what has happened before. I fancy to live life on the rise. I see no loss in trying.

[End Excerpt]

A small piece of exceptional writing — and philosophy.

Math Is Hard For Leftists – Part 1 Million

cosmoscon

There is a post on the Leftist blog Crooks and Liars that gives new meaning to the website’s title.

The post provides charts that will supposedly show your “Right-Wing brother” just how wrong he is about his claims that Obama increased government spending and the deficit.

Here are the two charts I’d like to debunk:

Wow, it looks like Obama is a very austere POTUS and all these claims about increased government spending and deficits are just hogwash.

But the author performs a simple trick to make his case – He takes all the government spending in 2009 and attributes it to Bush.

It’s true, the Federal government spending in 2009 was set in 2008 but the author forgets about a little item in early 2009 that didn’t have anything to do with Bush – The 2009 Stimulus.

The 2009 Stimulus added $787 billion to the government outlays and that…

View original post 152 more words

Media Lackeys at Work Again in Middle East

Is anyone besides me totallysick of seeing news broadcasts highlighting the death and destruction in Gaza caused by Israeli bombs?  I am so mad I could spit (whatever that really means).  This is the national and international media at its very worst.

Who is it that does not know that the death and destruction stops as soon as Hamas stops firing rockets from Gaza into Israel?  What idiot does not know this?

What idiot does not know that this death and destruction in Gaza is caused, and encouraged, by the victims’ own people?

What idiot does not realize that the Gaza-based terrorists do not care one whit about the lives of their own people?  In fact, they rejoice when new “martyrs” are created and reported on across the world?

All that is necessary for such hideous occurrences to stop is for Hamas to stop shooting rockets from Gaza into Israel.

THIS is the story I want to see emphasized on the news — the story of how this bombing of Gaza can be brought to a close.  Right now.  Today.  Probably within the hour.

God Help Us — Now Obama Wants Gov’t to Rate Colleges — but SO DO AMERICANS? WHAT?

So Rasmussen reveals today, in its “Daily Update” of survey results, that

77% of Likely U.S. Voters who gave yes/no responses agree that a “world-class education is the single most important factor in determining whether our kids can compete for the best jobs and whether America can out-compete countries around the world”, that

69% (probably at least 75% of yes/no respondents) think U.S. PUBLIC SCHOOLS do NOT provide a world-class education, and that

64% (of yes/no respondents) favor a government college rating system.

 

Can we not see the problem here?  A major part of the reason why we are not getting world-class educations through our public schools is because of government intervention – yet – YET – people are willing to continue to think that giving government more control is a big part of the solution.  Can you not just anticipate what the rating system will look like that our government comes up with?  Will it have ANYthing to do with academic prowess?

Institutions of higher education are already rated by – who is it? Forbes? U.S. News and World Report? Others? – and colleges and universities have gamed these rating systems unmercifully, and created some degree of havoc in the school-seeking segment of our society.  And a strong majority of America’s voters think that a government system will be better?  When was a government system ever better in the mid- to long-term?

We deserve what we get.

Hillary Explaining Benghazi Again?

I write this in response to the “leak” of excerpts from a new book by Hillary, in which she once again defends her role in the Benghazi fiasco.

I find it odd that I haven’t noticed any emphasis on a particular aspect of Mrs. Clinton’s testimony before Congress.  We’ve heard it all, of course – the entire testimony – and we’ve heard/read literally a hundred responses to it, mostly criticizing her for insultingly saying “What difference at this point does it make?”

However, to me, the really damning aspect of this testimony has less to do with that question than with the broader statement, which I quote here:

“Was it because of a protest or was it because of guys out for a walk one night and decided they’d go kill some Americans?  What difference at this point does it make?  It is our job . . . .”

My problem is not with the callous-sounding, “What difference . . . .?”

My problem is that, “at this point”, Hillary is STILL trying to deceive the American people by attributing this terrorist action to either “a protest” or “some guys out for a walk”.  This represents a continued and damning cover-up, deceit, and conceit with regard to the exceedingly well-known fact at the time of this testimony that this was, in fact, a terrorist attack.  An unconscionable and insulting “lie”.

In my opinion, this statement alone, this sorry attempted continuation of a gross deceit so long after the event, should have raised an immediate cry for her resignation from both sides of the aisle – and should have destroyed her credibility as a future presidential candidate.

But I don’t hear anyone at all emphasizing this blatant deceit.  What am I missing?  Is this point alone not valuable ammunition for her opponents in the upcoming presidential campaign?