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Lame Ducks | An Idependent Voters View
Okay Dokay the lame duck session of congress is underway. There are many issues that they are supposed to be voting on, but most importantly, clearing the tax change before the New Year. I don’t call it a tax cut because it doesn’t cut anything from the current system in use. What it is, is an automatic tax increase if nothing is done. The sticking points are permanency of the rates, and the rate for those making $250K per year and above.
Seems to me if you’re going to keep the rates it is the fairest thing to do to keep them in place for everyone. That having been said, the deficit looms large in our future, and even the millionaires have said they can deal with higher rates. So I say as a point of compromise, extend the rates for 3 years for everyone or make the cutoff $100,001.00 for the proposed 39% rate or what the heck make it 40% and lets get on with it. The 250K crowd are the job creators they need the help and we need the jobs. If it doesn’t work I for one will be less inclined next time to support the hue and cry of fairness for these folks; and more inclined to consider a variable rate as fair.
The three year plan will insulate the current administration and congress from having to run on the rates in the next campaign since it will be a year later that it will have to be considered, advantage Dems cause you won’t have people holding your feet to the fire over proposed increases you’re likely to want to do. A caution here to Republicans, the trash you’re talking better work, cause just like the administration as of Jan 1, you own the trend.
The deficit and spending will be on the agenda next year, and that is what brought the repubs into power in the house. While it seems counterintuitive to keep the rates low, they say they can do both, I say give em a shot at it.
The other item or should I say items are the 13 appropriations bills the congress was suppose to have done before Oct 1. This is a shameful legacy of the Democrats that they haven’t yet passed these bills (along with a budget). Continuing resolutions fund the government at the current spending rate and it’s killing us. I say to them all finish the job you were sent to do. You mucked around enough already on the other crap (Healthcare) that the courts are going to eventually overturn anyway. The wasted effort cost many of you your jobs, pass these bills in a responsible way and you can at least go home having done your minimal duty.
The START Treaty etc can wait, and you don’t have the time for the debate anyway. So get these 14 items done and done right and you can hum “I’ll be home for Christmas” while you’re walking the halls and saying goodbye to your buddies. Failure to do these things is an option I would suppose but it will only serve to set in stone the reasons we fired you in the first place, solidly placing you in history’s dung heap of failed politicians. You decide, this Independent Voter will be watching.
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Comments
John, the tax thing is a tough one. They can raise it for the rich, but then there is the inheritance tax that is just not right if they return to the old days. God it was robbery, and will be worse if they continue it. Anyway, it will be most interesting to see what happens in these last days of this congress and even more intriguing for the next. Yes, so right you are about the trash talking. Thanks CC
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Charlie - Too right on the inheritance tax it's insidious. Thanks for stopping by your new governor's got some tough calls to make too. Good luck!
Hmrjmr1,
I agree with you assertion that tax rates must be left alone in the near term. Increasing rates would kill small business and they are the engine of jobs for the people of this great nation and we must get unemployment down to eventually increase the tax base and thus revenues for all the Federal Government!!!!!!!!!
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Thanks for stopping by Tom we must remain ever vigilant.
First, if there are tax rates ioncrease, unemployment will go higher and some large business will leave the country.
@nd, a lame duck congress is not bad; They cannot pass any more of the rediculous laws and take our freedoms away.
Right now the republicans have the American voice. Will they be smart enough to keep it? We need to hold their feet to the fire. We saw what two years of far left socialism has done for us. Spent us into further debts, and pass laws to take away our freedoms
Keep on hubbing!
Hmrjmr, You are right about what should be the priorities of the lame duck sessions. I think the Bush cuts should remain in place for the time being. I have always thought the inheritance tax is double taxation as the person obviously paid taxes as they worked and were smart enough to hang on to some money. You made several good points in your hub.
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eovery - I wouldn't be too sure about what they can't pass, the dems still hold the power. 50 or so days can be a long time if they want it to be. Still it is time for them to set just a couple specific goals and do the work. Thanks for stopping by and commenting I always appreciate your input.
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Pam -I'm with you ion inheritance tax as well as dividends which are also money that is taxed multiple times. Sure appreciate your stopping by today thanks.
Big John (HammerJammer) - The biggest problem with lame duck Congresses and administrations is that they do things with the idea in mind(s) that so many of the individuals have little or nothing more to lose from the reactions of the electorate. That is, they tend to feel that they can get away with doing pretty much anything they want to do, even if the voters do not want them done.
Gus :-)))
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So True Gus we must be prepared for anything, hoping for the best and expecting the worst. Thanks for stopping by.
Who says Congress never gets anything done. Thursday the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved a bill that would give the Attorney General the right to shut down websites with a court order if copyright infringement is deemed “central to the activity” of the site, reguarless if they are guilty or not. This lame duck will push thru a few more hidden bills, especially with Pelosi and Reid still at the helm.
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jiberish - as I've said all along we must be vigilant and make our voices heard so they get it done right and done now. Keep pushing your current members of congress to do the right thing. Thanks for stopping by!
As usual, they're quacked up in Washington. LOL
Great hub, John!
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Lets just hope they don't lay a rotten egg on us Chris! Thanks!
Hmrjmr not only are the proposed tax increases on the table but also the Dream Act and the repeal of Don't ask Don't tell. And it seems to me the lame duck congress are on a suicide run to pass every initiative that most of America is opposed to. Not to mention there is a bill going through the Senate to censor the Internet as the politicians do not want their crimes to see the light of day and get an already angry citizenry even angrier.
I also find it interesting that in Russia no matter the income level all tax brackets and corporations play a flat 13% but we can't seem to do that here. Good hub by the way. And is it me or does it seem like extortion that when you die you get taxed for that too ?
I think it's going to be ugly in DC during the lame duck session.
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Tony Yeah I think we 're gonna see some real stupid stuff here in the next month and a half. Thanks for stopping by and happy Saturday my friend.
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shelia b - it looks like it's getting ugly early. Well when it comes to future elections the Dems are already putting black marks in my book. Seems pretty stupid to me.
I don't think we are going to see much of anything done now during the lame duck session because these are the same individuals that have been in office during the past 2 years. If the outgoing Democrats have not been able to get any of these things done in the past two years why would they be able to in the next month.
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vmassey - While I would hope that they would concentrate on just what is necessary, I think the finality of the January changes will drive many to make decisions now while they still can. If they do I just hope it's for the greater good. Of course if they had actually done what we sent them there to do, their work would have already been completed. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Excellent writing. The tax cuts must remain in effect and the inheritance task is a case of double taxation that will cause more harm than good. I don't like the fact that this Congress is failing to address these issues. Time is running out!
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Pop - Seems they're doing everything but the important stuff. We will remember this crap. Thanks for stopping by!
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