US Politics Mega-thread - Page 9759

On January 23 2018 08:08 {CC}StealthBlue wrote:
Spineless Democrats, and rampant Corporatism. What's not to love?

https://twitter.com/laura_nelson/status/955504854880813056

On January 23 2018 08:08 {CC}StealthBlue wrote:
Spineless Democrats, and rampant Corporatism. What's not to love?

https://twitter.com/laura_nelson/status/955504854880813056

On January 23 2018 08:12 LegalLord wrote:
Good old Bank of America. What’s not to love?

On January 23 2018 08:08 {CC}StealthBlue wrote:
Spineless Democrats, and rampant Corporatism. What's not to love?

https://twitter.com/laura_nelson/status/955504854880813056

On January 23 2018 08:20 Gorsameth wrote:

An account does not cost the bank money. Every cent on it makes the bank money.

Why the F are they charging you for the 'privilege' of making money off of your money without giving you any of the returns.

On January 23 2018 08:20 Gorsameth wrote:

An account does not cost the bank money. Every cent on it makes the bank money.

Why the F are they charging you for the 'privilege' of making money off of your money without giving you any of the returns.

On January 23 2018 08:22 farvacola wrote:
yeah, that kind of service fee is very common among entry-level accounts, I'm surprising scumbag BoA wasn't already doing it.

On January 23 2018 08:20 Gorsameth wrote:

An account does not cost the bank money. Every cent on it makes the bank money.

Why the F are they charging you for the 'privilege' of making money off of your money without giving you any of the returns.

On January 23 2018 08:08 {CC}StealthBlue wrote:
Spineless Democrats, and rampant Corporatism. What's not to love?

https://twitter.com/laura_nelson/status/955504854880813056

WASHINGTON — Congress is apparently not done cutting taxes, even after passing a $1.5 trillion tax overhaul last year.

The deal struck by Democrats and Republicans on Monday to end a brief government shutdown contains $31 billion in tax cuts, including a temporary delay in implementing three health care-related taxes.

Those delays, which enjoy varying degrees of bipartisan support, are not offset by any spending cuts or tax increases, and thus will add to a federal budget deficit that is already projected to increase rapidly as last year’s mammoth new tax law takes effect.

The Congressional Budget Office said this month that the federal budget deficit reached $228 billion in the first three months of the current fiscal year, $18 billion more than the deficit in the first quarter of fiscal 2017, despite strong economic growth. And that was before the tax cuts kicked in.

“All the finger pointing has overshadowed the discussion about the actual substance of the budget deal,” said Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, “and many lawmakers don’t even seem to care that the deal they are considering — which will almost certainly include even more tax cuts following the unaffordable tax bill Congress just passed, as well as new spending increases — will add tens of billions to the deficit. There is almost zero discussion of the ongoing damage on the nation’s finances.”

On January 23 2018 09:11 hunts wrote:
I haven't quite kept up, is this a new development or am I late?



https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/22/us/politics/shutdown-spending-tax-cuts-obamacare.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur

On January 23 2018 09:11 hunts wrote:
I haven't quite kept up, is this a new development or am I late?



https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/22/us/politics/shutdown-spending-tax-cuts-obamacare.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur

On January 23 2018 09:41 Danglars wrote:

The medical device tax has been suspended for years now.

Vermont is officially the ninth state to legalize marijuana, and the first to end cannabis prohibition through an act of lawmakers.

"I personally believe that what adults do behind closed doors and on private property is their choice, so long as it does not negatively impact the health and safety of others, especially children," Gov. Phil Scott (R) said in a statement accompanying a legalization bill he signed into law on Monday.

Under the legislation's provisions, people over 21 years of age will be allowed to to legally possess up to one ounce of marijuana and grow as many as two mature and four immature cannabis plants.

Now that the bill allowing possession and home cultivation has been signed into law in Vermont, supporters appear ready to keep pressing toward full-scale commercial legalization.

“It’s up to citizens across the state whether or not we see a bill like that pass this year with their participation in the process,” Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman (Progressive) said at a press conference earlier this month. “I would like to see that. I think every year we go by not doing it, we are perpetuating the underground, unregulated, unjust system that we have today while other states are moving forward.”

The Senate approved bills to allow legal marijuana sales last year and in 2016, but they didn’t gain traction in the House, which favored the noncommercial approach.

Advocates believe that New Jersey is also poised to end marijuana prohibition via the legislature this year. Phil Murphy (D), who was sworn in as governor last week, campaigned on full-scale commercial legalization and reiterated his promise during his inaugural address. The state's Senate president says he is ready to pass a bill, too.

Separately, a number of other states are expected to vote on ballot initiatives to legalize recreational or medical cannabis in 2018.

Vermont fell just short of legalizing marijuana last year. The legislature passed a bill to allow personal cannabis possession and homegrow, but Scott vetoed it. However, in doing so, he laid out a few small changes he wanted legislators to make in order to win his support. The Senate quickly acted to make the requested revisions, but the House was not able to overcome procedural hurdles to get it done in time during a short special session over the summer.

Lawmakers took final action on the bill earlier this month.

Scott, who used an executive order to create a commission to study the implications of legalization last year, said in his signing statement that he's not ready to support legal marijuana sales.

"I look forward to the Marijuana Advisory Commission addressing the need to develop comprehensive education, prevention and highway safety strategies. To be very direct: There must be comprehensive and convincing plans completed in these areas before I will begin to consider the wisdom of implementing a commercial 'tax and regulate' system for an adult marijuana market," he wrote. "It is important for the General Assembly to know that – until we have a workable plan to address each of these concerns – I will veto any additional effort along these lines, which manages to reach my desk."

Commercial marijuana sales will not be allowed under the new law, which is set to take effect on July 1.

All eight other states that had previously legalized marijuana did so via voter-approved ballot initiatives.

Vermont’s legislative move signals a milestone in the evolving politics of marijuana. Polls consistently show majority voter support for legalization, and more politicians are beginning to see the issue as a winning one they should embrace rather than run away from.

State lawmakers approved the legislation earlier this month, just days after U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions moved to rescind Obama-era guidance that has generally allowed states to implement their own marijuana laws without federal interference.

On January 23 2018 10:04 ticklishmusic wrote:
the joke among some policy people i know is that we will get a public option before the medical device and cadillac plan taxes kick in.