Full disclosure: When I was involved, actively, with GOP politics, I was on a very active forum with Liz Mair. Then things changed. It reached the point within in GOP ranks that if one did not sell one’s soul for the Koch Machine and adopt libertarian theology, you were no longer viable. We all know how I feel about libertarians. The world would be much better off without them. Ayn Rand is an evil joke that just keeps on spewing hate. They have destroyed the heart and soul of the GOP. Having been to the other side and back, I know that libertarian policies are killers. They have no heart and soul, only selfishness. We are responsible for helping others. These days, thanks to libertarian policies, this country needs, more than ever, mercy and assistance. If all those mega corporations who support libertarian policies were required to pay – not their fair share – but the same percentage of taxes we the little people are forced to pay – we would not have the financial problems in this country that we have now.
No one should be forced to pay 39% federal taxes, and obscenely high capital gains taxes. This is a good place for a rant that needs to be ranted. My parents invested in real estate. That’s it. We’re disparately trying to sell anything, to care for my mother. When we do, she will go from a low tax bracket to a maximum bracket, for a single year. What we’re looking at is obscene. This is all we have for her, for her future, yet, when we sell the property, we’re looking at a 39.6% tax rate. We will pay state taxes in which ever state the property is sold, and maybe both states of SC, and NM. That’s another 10%. Then, there will be a long-term capital gains tax of up to 23%. There will be a 10% real estate commission. To make things easier to calculate, let’s say the property sells for a million bucks. Oh, it looks good.
As a qualifying widow, we can deduct $250,000 from the million bucks, for capital gain. She can deduct $439,000 for her base tax deduction. So, she will pay income tax on $561,000. That’s her fair share – paying approximately $219,790. Sorry, but that is obscene. Oh, it’s not over. She’ll cough up another $39,000 for state taxes. So, we’re now at $258,790. Capital gains is going to take another $162,500. So, out of that $1,000,000 my mother is going to be paying $421,290 in total taxes. She gets to keep $578,710. Sure, there are some liberals who are going to say this is fair. It isn’t. It is wrong. Especially when you put into perspective that those lovely libertarian mega corporations are paying NOTHING. Libertarians like Scott Walker think this is fine. They’re nothing but corporate whores out to ruin the rest of us. I’m sorry, this is evil. No one, no corporation, should be paying more than 20% in total income and corporate gain taxes. The thing is, the lower tax rate will bring in just as much money. But when Apple, Amazon, GE, Microsoft, and so forth and so on don’t play fair, then we the little people suffer.
This is where Liz Mair and I have always agreed, that and immigration reform. We have always agreed on a lower tax rate. I am not though, a flat taxer – unless a viable base can be established, like $45,000 base deductible for individuals – with no other deductibles other than charities.
That’s my first rant for the day. My second is about Iowa. Sorry, Iowa, but the state is backward, dirty, self-righteous, and narcissistic. The only good thing that ever happened in Iowa, and that was fantasy was when Shoeless Joe Jackson walked out of that cornfield. Iowa controls the nation when it comes to politics. It is wrong. Their caucus system is loaded, dishonest, and just plain stupid. Iowa controls the nation when it comes to presidential politics.
Poor Liz Mair had the misfortune to say just what she thought, and to be honest. For being honest, and saying what everyone else but people from Iowa think, she lost her job with the Walker Campaign. Not only that, but, because she dared utter the truth about Iowa, she’s going to have a difficult time. Then, she further destroyed her political career by a series of bitterly honest Tweets about the GOP, Steve King, Romney, and Iowa. BRAVO!
“…In January, Mair took to Twitter to complain about an event in the state hosted by Iowa Rep. Steve King, a favorite of the GOP’s far-right flank. “In other news, I see Iowa is once again embarrassing itself, and the GOP, this morning. Thanks, guys,” Mair wrote and later added, “The sooner we remove Iowa’s front-running status, the better off American politics and policy will be.”
On Tuesday, Iowa GOP Jeff Kaufmann told the AP that Mair’s statements were “not only incorrect, they’re rather juvenile, they’re naive, they’re ignorant.” Kaufmann said he wanted Mair to apologize and learn more about Iowa or “I’d send her packing.”…”
The Iowa GOP is pissed with her. Frankly, I’m not surprised. They’re a bunch of out-of-touch narcissistic brats who don’t seem to comprehend that there are 49 other states who should be allowed to have the very same say as they do. And – her refreshing honesty is not compatible with the Walker campaign. The comments on Twitchy are hilarious. I refuse to link to Twitchy, so I use a don’t link URL.
What is rather fascinating is the dishonesty of Scott Walker has been exposed, even to the minions of the far right, most of whom I do not respect. But, I agree, even with Erick Erickson on this one. This one was very poorly handled.
The country is held hostage to a small state, a small backward state, where the caucus system needs to be terminated. Iowa’s political clout needs to be equalized with every other state. I live in New Mexico. Our primary is usually about five minutes before the balloon drop for the first national convention. As far as I’m concerned, Iowa can go plow itself.
As far as Scott Walker, he is just as dishonest as I always thought he was.
