The 2020 Presidential Election Primary Thread

[SeattleUte]

Given the times, this wish is probably a vain one, but I hope our next President doesn't Tweet. I confess I find Trump's incessant tweets (often a dozen a day) entertaining, although not the way he intends. I'd like a smarter, more thoughtful President from either party who has better things to do with his/her time than to throw out a never-ending stream of tweets that reflect the author's superficial and banal thought process.

You want a thoughtful more intelligent president like Harris, Sanders or Warren. I want to make myself clear. I’m not pro Trump. I am anti- these opportunistic hypocritical ignorant of history or economics candidates on the left. Warren is worth about $20 million. When is she going to start giving it away? I’m okay with the tweets, though. They’re the least of our worries. I actually think it’s cool we live in a country where our chief executive can get mercilessly trolled.

[Jeff Lebowski]

You want a thoughtful more intelligent president like Harris, Sanders or Warren. I want to make myself clear. I’m not pro Trump. I am anti- these opportunistic hypocritical ignorant of history or economics candidates on the left. Warren is worth about $20 million. When is she going to start giving it away? I’m okay with the tweets, though. They’re the least of our worries. I actually think it’s cool we live in a country where our chief executive can get mercilessly trolled.

By our very own MBN!

[Northwestcoug]

Denmark’s top end 60% tax rate applies to people making over about 55k.

That's better. We can debate high tax rates affecting the middle class in other countries. But that's a lot different than the bluster of everyone getting taxed at >50% rate.

[frank ryan]

I don’t care what Canada and Denmark do. I want you and BS and the others to stop trying to turn us into Denmark or Canada. We’re not the same, and we’re a lot more successful. Where do you think most of the health care innovation comes from?

Mighty arrogant of you to tell me what I’m trying to do. Btw, I’m not going to dispute the US can and should be the most dynamic economy around (which is being interferred with not by raging socialists but by an authoritarian) but I’m sure the EU has had its share of innovation.

Don’t mind me, keep being an expert on everything and the elitist gatekeeper concerning who is allowed to have opinions about what. But don’t think you don’t come across as any less rude than your average condescending Seattle hipster talking about a living wage.

[myboynoah]

You want a thoughtful more intelligent president like Harris, Sanders or Warren. I want to make myself clear. I’m not pro Trump. I am anti- these opportunistic hypocritical ignorant of history or economics candidates on the left. Warren is worth about $20 million. When is she going to start giving it away? I’m okay with the tweets, though. They’re the least of our worries. I actually think it’s cool we live in a country where our chief executive can get mercilessly trolled.

Amy Klobuchar may be best equipped to send the president packing

[PaloAltoCougar]

[responding to BlueK] His campaign's actions around Russia are not in dispute? Do you only read CNN and the Huffington Post?

BlueK was referring to "numerous lies from him and those around him about his and his campaign's actions", not simply to "his campaign's actions." Are there any reputable news sources claiming he and his staff have never lied? There have, in fact, been many such lies (call them, at least, "misstatements"). Consider, for example, Don Jr.'s lies about the purpose of the Trump Tower meeting with known agents of the Russian government ("It was about adoption!"), and how Trump himself, aboard Air Force One, helped draft the initial press release that claimed that's all the meeting was about ("not a campaign issue!"). Here's a brief summary for those who care anymore...

BTW, issuing a bogus press release probably isn't a high crime or misdemeanor, so there may not be anything impeachable here. But it would be easier to make a case for BYU's basketball team right to an NCAA invite than to argue for the honesty and forthrightness of our current President.

You want a thoughtful more intelligent president like Harris, Sanders or Warren. I want to make myself clear. I’m not pro Trump. I am anti- these opportunistic hypocritical ignorant of history or economics candidates on the left. Warren is worth about $20 million. When is she going to start giving it away? I’m okay with the tweets, though. They’re the least of our worries. I actually think it’s cool we live in a country where our chief executive can get mercilessly trolled.

I remain hopeful those three aren't our only alternatives, and certainly non-Tweeting wouldn't be a key factor in deciding which voting lever to pull. That post was more of a random observation; I have a much longer, more substantive list of reasons why I think Trump is an utter disaster as head of our nation, not to mention being a lousy, low-character human being. And while I share your pleasure at being able to troll a president (the First Amendment is great, isn't it?), I'm apparently less pleased than you that the leader of the free world devotes any, much less a huge chunk, of his time to such activity.

[tooblue]

What do you think the tax rate is for everyone in Canada and Denmark? How do you think all of this free stuff (you don’t even need to fill out forms or prove it’s medically necessary) gets paid for? That’s what taxes are like in those countries always held up as examples of successful socialism.

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...ous-years.html

Federal tax rates for 2018

• 15% on the first $46,605 of taxable income, +
• 20.5% on the next $46,603 of taxable income (on the portion of taxable income over 46,605 up to $93,208), +
• 26% on the next $51,281 of taxable income (on the portion of taxable income over $93,208 up to $144,489), +
• 29% on the next $61,353 of taxable income (on the portion of taxable income over 144,489 up to $205,842), +
• 33%of taxable income over $205,842.

[tooblue]

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...ous-years.html

In case you are wondering I pay 26% ... if I lived in the states I would pay 24% ... I know because I also file a US tax return.

[Jeff Lebowski]

In case you are wondering I pay 26% ... if I lived in the states I would pay 24% ... I know because I also file a US tax return.

That adds up to 50%!

[BlueK]

BlueK was referring to "numerous lies from him and those around him about his and his campaign's actions", not simply to "his campaign's actions." Are there any reputable news sources claiming he and his staff have never lied? There have, in fact, been many such lies (call them, at least, "misstatements"). Consider, for example, Don Jr.'s lies about the purpose of the Trump Tower meeting with known agents of the Russian government ("It was about adoption!"), and how Trump himself, aboard Air Force One, helped draft the initial press release that claimed that's all the meeting was about ("not a campaign issue!"). Here's a brief summary for those who care anymore...

BTW, issuing a bogus press release probably isn't a high crime or misdemeanor, so there may not be anything impeachable here. But it would be easier to make a case for BYU's basketball team right to an NCAA invite than to argue for the honesty and forthrightness of our current President.

Exactly. He's avoiding what I really said: LIES from and about him and his campaign related to Russia. Too many to count.

Trump FOR MONTHS said he had zero to do with Russia in any way. Barely heard of the country. This is easy because of Trump's over the top way of denying things. but now his own spokesperson is on TV a couple of weeks ago talking about how the Trump Tower deal absolutely no one denies any more was in negotiations all the way to election time. That's a little different admittedly than having absolutely no business in Russia. He's a businessman, Why lie about it? But he did, and that is not in dispute.

[myboynoah]

Exactly. He's avoiding what I really said: LIES from and about him and his campaign related to Russia. Too many to count.

Trump FOR MONTHS said he had zero to do with Russia in any way. Barely heard of the country. This is easy because of Trump's over the top way of denying things. but now his own spokesperson is on TV a couple of weeks ago talking about how the Trump Tower deal absolutely no one denies any more was in negotiations all the way to election time. That's a little different admittedly than having absolutely no business in Russia. He's a businessman, Why lie about it? But he did, and that is not in dispute.

Yeah, c'mon you Dumpsters. This is a no brainer. The Dump lied and lied and lied and lied about his activities in Russia. And then all his people lied and lied and lied and lied about their Russian contacts.

They are just a bunch of liars, and not at all good at it. Bunch of dopes.

[BlueK]

The Mueller Report will be a big disappointment. This is playing out predictably. Investigation drags on for a long time, a few Trumpians get twisted up and charged with perjury and/or obstruction. They find some tax violations and maybe some obscure campaign finance issues. But a smoking gun on Trump himself? Nope. Nothingburger.

His campaign's actions around Russia are not in dispute? Do you only read CNN and the Huffington Post?

PAC answered. I said many, many lies are not in dispute.

And there's this:

"Roger Stone is known for hyperbole, but his latest graphic warning should worry Donald Trump.

The political trickster said Tuesday, a day he pleaded not guilty to seven charges laid by special counsel Robert Mueller, that Trump's presidency is in mortal peril because the Russia investigation amounts to a "speeding bullet heading for his head."

That sounds pretty serious coming from the guy whose indictment talks about having been directed by sr. campaign officials to try to coordinate the release of the stolen emails.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/30/polit...ion/index.html

[Moliere]

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...ous-years.html

Are those in Canadian dollars?

[chrisrenrut]

Are those in Canadian dollars?

Yep. And they use metric percentages as well.

[myboynoah]

Yep. And they use metric percentages as well.

Yeah, so 26% in Canadian metric (communist) percentages is around 80%.

No way for the USA!!!

[BlueK]

I've seen multiple articles by conservatives stating that Harris is the "frontrunner" right now. I think that's either laziness or being deliberately wrong to scare the readers. I have not yet heard that from a more mainstream source. Maybe she's picking up steam, but the current polls actually have her around 5%.

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/ep...tion-6730.html

[myboynoah]

I've seen multiple articles by conservatives stating that Harris is the "frontrunner" right now. I think that's either laziness or being deliberately wrong to scare the readers. I have not yet heard that from a more mainstream source. Maybe she's picking up steam, but the current polls actually have her around 5%.

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/ep...tion-6730.html

I bet she flashes out. Not electable right out of the shoot.

[tooblue]

Are those in Canadian dollars?

Of course ... and $93,208 CDN would only buy me $70,975.82 USD at todays exchange rate, but it's all relative, and in Seattle's eyes it always adds up to 50%

[Northwestcoug]

That adds up to 50%!

[Walter Sobchak]

Of course ... and $93,208 CDN would only buy me $70,975.82 USD at todays exchange rate, but it's all relative, and in Seattle's eyes it always adds up to 50%

Why don't you hosers stop complaining and open up a Tim Horton's here in the Emerald City already?! Effing lazy Canadiennes.

[BlueK]

Of course ... and $93,208 CDN would only buy me $70,975.82 USD at todays exchange rate, but it's all relative, and in Seattle's eyes it always adds up to 50%

about 10 years ago my wife and I went on a trip to Banff right when the US dollar was at its weakest in decades. During our trip the US and Canadian dollars were worth exactly the same.

[Uncle Ted]

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...ous-years.html

It looks like if you live in Quebec and make more than $104,765 CDN ($79,689 USD) then you are paying at least 51.75% (26% to the fed and 25.75% to Quebec)... You almost had me moving to Canada to get me some of that "free" healthcare.

[BlueK]

The bills starting to come through the Senate indicate the GOP senators are getting fed up with the Trumpster. The month long shutdown seems to have been the last straw for some of them, at least in terms of avoiding confronting him on issues where they disagree, like trade and foreign policy. The signs are starting to show that this could potentially be like what happened to Jimmy Carter with a democrat Congress that eventually turned on him. I think it will get ugly for him pretty fast if he flatly rejects what the conference committee comes up with and tries to shut down the government again.

"Consider these developments in recent days:

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the Republican chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, on Wednesday called on Trump to lift tariffs on Canada and Mexico before Congress begins debating the NAFTA-replacement treaty the administration recently negotiated, citing the toll the trade war with those countries is taking on American farmers.

On a related front, Republican Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) on Wednesday announced bipartisan legislation that would let Congress reclaim its tariff authorities from the president. Other senators who have signed on to cosponsor the bill include farm state Republicans such as Ben Sasse (Neb.), Jerry Moran (Kan.), James Lankford (Okla.), and Lamar Alexander (Tenn.).

"The imposition of these taxes, under the false pretense of national security, is weakening our economy, threatening American jobs, and eroding our credibility with other nations," Toomey said in a press release announcing the bill.

Meanwhile, Politico reported Wednesday that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is signaling that he won't allow another government shutdown, despite the president's wish to have the option if Congress doesn't approve money for his proposed border wall during negotiations over the next few weeks. McConnell is even entertaining bills that would end shutdowns forever, according to the report.

The dissent even extends to foreign policy, where McConnell on Tuesday "effectively rebuked the president" by introducing a measure criticizing the "precipitous" withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan and Syria. "We are not the world's policeman," the senator said. "But we are the leader of the free world. And it is incumbent upon the United States to lead."

https://theweek.com/articles/820840/...-losing-streak

[Northwestcoug]

It looks like if you live in Quebec and make more than $104,765 CDN ($79,689 USD) then you are paying at least 51.75% (26% to the fed and 25.75% to Quebec)... You almost had me moving to Canada to get me some of that "free" healthcare.

Living in Montreal during the summer is magical, high taxes notwithstanding. Living in Montreal during the winter almost makes the summer not worth it. Almost.

[Eddie]

...Meanwhile, Politico reported Wednesday that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is signaling that he won't allow another government shutdown, despite the president's wish to have the option if Congress doesn't approve money for his proposed border wall during negotiations over the next few weeks. McConnell is even entertaining bills that would end shutdowns forever, according to the report...

https://theweek.com/articles/820840/...-losing-streak

I could get on board with this. Particularly since they always give folks back pay after the shut down ends. So what's the point?

[tooblue]

It looks like if you live in Quebec and make more than $104,765 CDN ($79,689 USD) then you are paying at least 51.75% (26% to the fed and 25.75% to Quebec)... You almost had me moving to Canada to get me some of that "free" healthcare.

Individuals in Quebec don't pay 26% + 25.7% ... they ONLY pay 25.7% period. Quebec is distinct from other provinces. For example, French is the official language of Quebec, not english. That's why every ten years or so they try to separate from the rest of Canada, but ultimately don't because to keep them placated, Ontario, Alberta and BC send them a portion of their taxes, kind of like revenue sharing in professional sports. The big clubs like the Yankees and Red Sox, subsidize the Marlins and Brewers.

I pay 26% + 11.6% (37%) in large part to make up the difference my province loses to Quebec and the Maritime provinces. Though I get much of that 11.6% sent to the province of Ontario back in rebates.

[Mormon Red Death]

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...ous-years.html

Now throw in sales tax and provincial taxes

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using Tapatalk

[Uncle Ted]

Individuals in Quebec don't pay 26% + 25.7% ... they ONLY pay 25.7% period. Quebec is distinct from other provinces. For example, French is the official language of Quebec, not english. That's why every ten years or so they try to separate from the rest of Canada, but ultimately don't because to keep them placated, Ontario, Alberta and BC send them a portion of their taxes, kind of like revenue sharing in professional sports. The big clubs like the Yankees and Red Sox, subsidize the Marlins and Brewers.

I pay 26% + 11.6% (37%) in large part to make up the difference my province loses to Quebec and the Maritime provinces. Though I get much of that 11.6% sent to the province of Ontario back in rebates.

So you are saying if I moved to Quebec I would only have to pay 25.7% period? No matter how much I make? And get all that "free" healthcare?!?

OK, how to I become a Canadian? I could live there in the summers but in Texas in the winters. Who cares what they speak. I just want their free healthcare.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Yeah but you would have to live in can ‘o duh. Hard pass.

[Moliere]

So you are saying if I moved to Quebec I would only have to pay 25.7% period? No matter how much I make? And get all that "free" healthcare?!?

OK, how to I become a Canadian? I could live there in the summers but in Texas in the winters. Who cares what they speak. I just want their free healthcare.

You’d have to learn French as well. The québécois are stupidly asinine about maintaining the untainted French. I mean, their stop signs even say arrèt instead of stop.