Bidens VP pick poll.

[LWW]

Is Cuomo running for president? Do I live anywhere near New York?

I don't think I've mentioned any governors one way or the other, Republican OR Democrat. Nevada's previous governor was a Republican. I liked him, I voted for him, and I still like him. Trump is the guy who affects my life. I can vote for or against him. I can't vote for or against Cuomo. The people of New York can figure out for themselves whether to accept Cuomo's actions.

Cuomo could be running someday, so you should pay attention. Many are following his lead too.

Trump affects your life? How?

[ElrondHubbard]

Trump affects your life? How?

Is this a serious question? Like -- seriously????

[LWW]

Is this a serious question? Like -- seriously????

Hell yeah, you say someone affects your life but won't give a reason? And it must be in a negative way, so what is it?????

[ElrondHubbard]

Hell yeah, you say someone affects your life but won't give a reason? And it must be in a negative way, so what is it?????

He has affected the entire nation in a negative way. He's encouraged and emboldened racists and Nazi's. He's aided our adversaries, and dictators around the word. He's started trade wars and been too clumsy to handle them properly, so now he's paying extra subsidies to farmers who's business has been disrupted. He's exploded the deficit. He's put children in cages and separated them from their families. He's made life very unstable for millions of people. He's totally mishandled the Covid19 situation, and caused tens of thousands of deaths that didn't have to happen. He STILL doesn't have a decent testing program in place, and he still doesn't have the first idea on how to manage it. All he cares about is how it makes him look, and whether he can push off responsibility or take credit for the work of others.

He's reversed years of progress in environmental protection, renewing threats to endangered species, threatening air and water quality. He's tried his best to undermine clean energy, which has hurt many thousands of jobs.

He's made the U.S. a country that nobody takes seriously any more, because nothing he says can be believed, none of his promises are kept, his big announcements of breakthroughs are hollow, shallow, and ultimately meaningless. He's tried to politicize every level of the civil service, making basic government services dependent on either his whims or political favoritism. He's destroyed whistleblower protections, removing one of the few institutional methods of keeping government honest.

He's an ignoramus, an international laughingstock, and a general embarrassment in the global community. When he lies, cheats, and steals, he doesn't do it for the good of the nation.

Is that enough? You want more? Sorry, that's all the time I have for you tonight.

[LWW]

He has affected the entire nation in a negative way. He's encouraged and emboldened racists and Nazi's. He's aided our adversaries, and dictators around the word. He's started trade wars and been too clumsy to handle them properly, so now he's paying extra subsidies to farmers who's business has been disrupted. He's exploded the deficit. He's put children in cages and separated them from their families. He's made life very unstable for millions of people. He's totally mishandled the Covid19 situation, and caused tens of thousands of deaths that didn't have to happen. He STILL doesn't have a decent testing program in place, and he still doesn't have the first idea on how to manage it. All he cares about is how it makes him look, and whether he can push off responsibility or take credit for the work of others.

He's reversed years of progress in environmental protection, renewing threats to endangered species, threatening air and water quality. He's tried his best to undermine clean energy, which has hurt many thousands of jobs.

He's made the U.S. a country that nobody takes seriously any more, because nothing he says can be believed, none of his promises are kept, his big announcements of breakthroughs are hollow, shallow, and ultimately meaningless. He's tried to politicize every level of the civil service, making basic government services dependent on either his whims or political favoritism. He's destroyed whistleblower protections, removing one of the few institutional methods of keeping government honest.

He's an ignoramus, an international laughingstock, and a general embarrassment in the global community. When he lies, cheats, and steals, he doesn't do it for the good of the nation.

Is that enough? You want more? Sorry, that's all the time I have for you tonight.

Seriously?? You parrot everything said on some leftwing show, why can’t you come up with something that has actually impacted you badly????

Were you impacted badly around 2005-2016? I was and even my hard work ethic didn’t even seem to help for a couple years, but ultimately it did help me. The things I lost, I never got back, but I did manage to gain in other areas with the help of a thriving economy, it just so happened it was in 2017. 2017 is a good memory for me, 2010-2016 absolute hell and it was supposed to be my prime, which the downfall all started in 2005-2006. I tried to follow in footsteps of my older successful relatives, nothing glamorous, just a decent life, didn’t happen in my prime when it happened for them, opportunity was not there, but now there are more opportunities.

[Corbi]

TDS runs both ways.

How?
I can admit Trumps many faults and think he's nuts too, but only half as nutty as Joe.
Trump tweets too damn much, goes off the rails about asinine $hit that doesn't matter, is obsessed with numbers, opens his mouth without always thinking it out 1st, etc. That being said he's funny as hell when he talks like a regular person and he has passed a lot of legislation through, you may not agree with what he has passed but he's doing what he promised to do.

[Corbi]

Great rebuttal -- objective, fact-based, totally convincing.

So, where does YOUR research come from?

A variety of outlets including Fox, MSNBC...yes I watch it but won't watch CNN as I find it revolting, newspapers...remember those? My local news as well. Then I take all I hear and read between the lines and come up with my own opinions on who's full of $hit & who's not. I do not and will not pay any attention to Snopes exactly for the reason I stated.

[supramax]

He has affected the entire nation in a negative way. He's encouraged and emboldened racists and Nazi's. He's aided our adversaries, and dictators around the word. He's started trade wars and been too clumsy to handle them properly, so now he's paying extra subsidies to farmers who's business has been disrupted. He's exploded the deficit. He's put children in cages and separated them from their families. He's made life very unstable for millions of people. He's totally mishandled the Covid19 situation, and caused tens of thousands of deaths that didn't have to happen. He STILL doesn't have a decent testing program in place, and he still doesn't have the first idea on how to manage it. All he cares about is how it makes him look, and whether he can push off responsibility or take credit for the work of others.

He's reversed years of progress in environmental protection, renewing threats to endangered species, threatening air and water quality. He's tried his best to undermine clean energy, which has hurt many thousands of jobs.

He's made the U.S. a country that nobody takes seriously any more, because nothing he says can be believed, none of his promises are kept, his big announcements of breakthroughs are hollow, shallow, and ultimately meaningless. He's tried to politicize every level of the civil service, making basic government services dependent on either his whims or political favoritism. He's destroyed whistleblower protections, removing one of the few institutional methods of keeping government honest.

He's an ignoramus, an international laughingstock, and a general embarrassment in the global community. When he lies, cheats, and steals, he doesn't do it for the good of the nation.

Is that enough? You want more? Sorry, that's all the time I have for you tonight.

You're playing chess with a pigeon, again.

[bodyhard]

Because Trump is a dumpster fire.


.

But the man (Biden) is losing his freaking mind how can anyone not see this? I mean fck, how stupid can people be? Get another candidate up there, the amount of stupidity in people is mind blowing.

[Jtbny]

I don’t care what party you are for, the governor in your own state is a damn criminal and should be thrown in jail.

He is definitely a dumpster fire.

Now, what exactly is Trumps crime? He divides a nation with tweets? no one divides but the people, finger pointers are losers, no one has to listen to his mouth, but governors aren’t allowed to selectively choose when there is order or lawlessness.

A grown man should get this???

I didn't vote for him and I'm NPA.

How?
I can admit Trumps many faults and think he's nuts too, but only half as nutty as Joe.
Trump tweets too damn much, goes off the rails about asinine $hit that doesn't matter, is obsessed with numbers, opens his mouth without always thinking it out 1st, etc. That being said he's funny as hell when he talks like a regular person and he has passed a lot of legislation through, you may not agree with what he has passed but he's doing what he promised to do.

Your post is a good example of it.

But the man (Biden) is losing his freaking mind how can anyone not see this? I mean fck, how stupid can people be? Get another candidate up there, the amount of stupidity in people is mind blowing.

Why did you vote for Trump again?

[acrawlingchaos]

Why did you vote for Trump again?

I know why I'm voting for Trump this year. Because Biden is a dumpster fire.

But honestly, it all comes down to policies. I'm not going to vote Democrat just because Trumps a turd.

[Jtbny]

I know why I'm voting for Trump this year. Because Biden is a dumpster fire.

But honestly, it all comes down to policies. I'm not going to vote Democrat just because Trumps a turd.

Don't get me me wrong I think Biden is possible the third worst candidate the left could put up. Clinton would be the worst followed by Bernie. I'll vote 3rd party, just like 2016. Trump's policies are non existent and Cuban hit the nail on the head; Trump doesn't want to run a country he wants to campaign.

Jeff, what policies of Trump are you supporting? I wasn't really aware he had any? Seriously. At the very least Biden seems to be more of a centrist.

[acrawlingchaos]

Don't get me me wrong I think Biden is possible the third worst candidate the left could put up. Clinton would be the worst followed by Bernie. I'll vote 3rd party, just like 2016. Trump's policies are non existent and Cuban hit the nail on the head; Trump doesn't want to run a country he wants to campaign.

I don't care about Trumps policies. They are, as you say, non existent (though some of his policies I do appreciate). What I am voting for is to make sure that the current democratic policies never see the light of day. I am perfectly comfortable with stalemate to be honest.

[Jtbny]

I don't care about Trumps policies. They are, as you say, non existent (though some of his policies I do appreciate). What I am voting for is to make sure that the current democratic policies never see the light of day. I am perfectly comfortable with stalemate to be honest.

Sorry I hit you w/ an edit before you posted. I can't disagree w/ what you've said although I'm not totally against all the lefts policies, just the far lefts crazy cancel culture nonsense. The right is no longer conservative (fiscally) so that makes it hard for me to support many ( although I will vote Republican locally ).

[Mark1T]

I think there is a major difference fiscal policy between the GOP and Dems.

Just look at the stock market right now. It is wild and mostly down because Biden is supposedly ahead in the polls. Wall Street is afraid that with a Biden presidency, that taxes on individuals and more importantly on small businesses, will increase, choking the economy. Why are people and businesses moving from NY to Florida as one example? It is because the taxes and cost of living is extremely high and too high and more than unreasonable. There is an exodus from California and Washington over the ridiculous taxes, so people and business are moving to Arizona. The business community of Seattle is suing Seattle because the local government is not doing its job based on the taxes they are paying in. The government of Seattle is bending over to chaos and no business would want to be there. A billion dollar investment firm is moving to Arizona. Small businesses are boarded up.

I am not a fan of Trump the person, but that is not what I vote for. I vote policy and there and Biden has already said that he will remove the tax breaks that Trump gave the business community. Unemployment as a result will increase. If Biden had a more competitive and business friendly tax plan, I would consider voting for him, but I am also afraid of Pelosi because she has the same "I don't care attitude" as the Seattle government on the chaos. Biden will remove the tax breaks, though.

To me, there is a massive difference in fiscal policy.

[LWW]

I think there is a major difference fiscal policy between the GOP and Dems.

Just look at the stock market right now. It is wild and mostly down because Biden is supposedly ahead in the polls. Wall Street is afraid that with a Biden presidency, that taxes on individuals and more importantly on small businesses, will increase, choking the economy. Why are people and businesses moving from NY to Florida as one example? It is because the taxes and cost of living is extremely high and too high and more than unreasonable. There is an exodus from California and Washington over the ridiculous taxes, so people and business are moving to Arizona. The business community of Seattle is suing Seattle because the local government is not doing its job based on the taxes they are paying in. The government of Seattle is bending over to chaos and no business would want to be there. A billion dollar investment firm is moving to Arizona. Small businesses are boarded up.

I am not a fan of Trump the person, but that is not what I vote for. I vote policy and there and Biden has already said that he will remove the tax breaks that Trump gave the business community. Unemployment as a result will increase. If Biden had a more competitive and business friendly tax plan, I would consider voting for him, but I am also afraid of Pelosi because she has the same "I don't care attitude" as the Seattle government on the chaos. Biden will remove the tax breaks, though.

To me, there is a massive difference in fiscal policy.

Higher taxes will affect me, my taxes and property taxes continue and continue to rise because the state I’m in, but it’s a good area to live in climate wise, so don’t really want to move.

The democrats here continue to threaten me with enormous tax increases, it’s scary, they don’t hide it.

Working for minimum wage was never my goal in life so whatever it takes , get a raise, get another job or get an education, rasing minimum wage isn’t good.

[Jtbny]

I think there is a major difference fiscal policy between the GOP and Dems.

Just look at the stock market right now. It is wild and mostly down because Biden is supposedly ahead in the polls. Wall Street is afraid that with a Biden presidency, that taxes on individuals and more importantly on small businesses, will increase, choking the economy. Why are people and businesses moving from NY to Florida as one example? It is because the taxes and cost of living is extremely high and too high and more than unreasonable. There is an exodus from California and Washington over the ridiculous taxes, so people and business are moving to Arizona. The business community of Seattle is suing Seattle because the local government is not doing its job based on the taxes they are paying in. The government of Seattle is bending over to chaos and no business would want to be there. A billion dollar investment firm is moving to Arizona. Small businesses are boarded up.

I am not a fan of Trump the person, but that is not what I vote for. I vote policy and there and Biden has already said that he will remove the tax breaks that Trump gave the business community. Unemployment as a result will increase. If Biden had a more competitive and business friendly tax plan, I would consider voting for him, but I am also afraid of Pelosi because she has the same "I don't care attitude" as the Seattle government on the chaos. Biden will remove the tax breaks, though.

To me, there is a massive difference in fiscal policy.

Sorry Mark the bolded simply isn't true. The market is down because of the increased Covid numbers, unemployment numbers, and financial indicators because of Covid. Trying to tie yesterdays and todays drop to Biden is silly. And besides yesterday the market was doing pretty well mainly because it's disconnected from reality. The swings are directly correlated to businesses actions due to Covid. I will say Trump and Powell have been able to keep the market propped up so, yes, it makes sense there would be a correction if Biden were to win but we arent seeing that yet. As we creep closer to Nov we will.

I agree about NY and taxes. I live here and loathe our Gov (although he's done a decent, not perfect, job handling the crisis). With that said here we at least have safety nets in place for things like now, unlike red states like Fla whos unemployment system is embarrassingly low and broken by design. If you like fiscal responsibility I just don't see how you can then say you'll vote for Trump but understand your POV about Biden. Maybe congress/senate but Trump? He's going to bankrupt us.

Edit: By silly I mean the idea, not you Mark. You might be silly but in a good way

[mtpockets]

131 days until Trump is re-elected, then the crying really starts

[Jtbny]

131 days until Trump is re-elected, then the crying really starts

Crying will happen either way.

[mtpockets]

Crying will happen either way.

LMAO Truth

[bustasinclair]

Biden will remove the tax breaks, though.

To me, there is a massive difference in fiscal policy.

Okay, so I do tax work for a living, so I think about this subject most of my breathing hours.

How can you stand behind the "tax breaks" when those tax breaks are partially responsible for a $1T annual deficit? I don't like paying taxes any more than anybody else, but seriously, we either need to raise revenue (collect tax) or decrease expenses, and we know the big three are SS, Medicare, and Military. Both options of raising taxes or cutting any of the big three will get you kicked out of your political party. It's a deadlocked issue.

I realize that I'm just one CPA Firm in the whole of the United States, but this year I have seen more tax returns of clients paying less than 20% effective tax rate than ever before. It's just NOT sustainable.

/rant

[induced_drag]

Okay, so I do tax work for a living, so I think about this subject most of my breathing hours.

How can you stand behind the "tax breaks" when those tax breaks are partially responsible for a $1T annual deficit?

It is tax policy in general that is broken. Even raising the top rate to 70% (which many who hate on the rich would cheer) would do little to solve the problem raising collected revenue approx 3%. And that is not adjusting that these rates would likely cause behavioral changes resulting in significantly less than the 3% increase being collected.

The "Rich dont pay their fair share of taxes" people dont like when the facts show that .1% of the tax payers pay 39.2%. 44% pay nothing, and the bottom 20% of tax payers have a negative tax rate. Meaning they get back more than they pay.


The uproar over Amazon not paying any taxes was totally misrepresented in the media. One of the main reasons was that their employees exercised a payout on their stock options. By amazon paying those options, the actual amount paid into the tax system was much greater, since non-salary compensation is taxed at a much higher rate. The taxes were paid, but by the employees. The employees did not mind since they made so much damn money on the stock options that paying 50% in taxes was still an enormous windfall.

Capturing tax policy in the headlines as the media portrays it is extremely biased. Problem is, we now live in a global economy. Business can base their money anywhere. Think the billions that Apple held in Scotland I think. It is great to be a politician and say....we are going to tax all those mean businesses....it is another thing to understand the ramifications.

Same with those who attack capital gains.

I am all for a balanced budget amendment. I think if you look back in time, there has been support of that only from one side. The lefts financial policies are lunacy. Like AOC celebrating how she ran Amazon out of NYC and how much they will save by not giving them the tax breaks that were promised

[acrawlingchaos]

Okay, so I do tax work for a living, so I think about this subject most of my breathing hours.

How can you stand behind the "tax breaks" when those tax breaks are partially responsible for a $1T annual deficit? I don't like paying taxes any more than anybody else, but seriously, we either need to raise revenue (collect tax) or decrease expenses, and we know the big three are SS, Medicare, and Military. Both options of raising taxes or cutting any of the big three will get you kicked out of your political party. It's a deadlocked issue.

I realize that I'm just one CPA Firm in the whole of the United States, but this year I have seen more tax returns of clients paying less than 20% effective tax rate than ever before. It's just NOT sustainable.

/rant

Tax breaks are tangible to the layman. The deficit is ethereal and pretty far removed from most of us.


I am all about tax breaks for everyone and in the same breath, there is non small government candidate that will stop the spending. :shrugs:

[Jtbny]

I am all for a balanced budget amendment. I think if you look back in time, there has been support of that only from one side. The lefts financial policies are lunacy. Like AOC celebrating how she ran Amazon out of NYC and how much they will save by not giving them the tax breaks that were promised

Now both sides don't support that. As for Amazon and NYC you might want to revist that. I happen to agree with the move and even better Amazon still chose NY for their facilities with much better terms for the state. Two facilities are currently being built in my county and should be up and running next year.

[induced_drag]

Now both sides don't support that.

THAT is a huge problem. And it stated with GW. The furthest thing from a conservative. Prior to Obama, the single largest increase in federal spending. (which Obama went on to hugely eclipse). Also patriot act and huge losses of civil liberties.


Trust me....I am well aware. I am actually liberation at heart, but I have to take what I feel is the MUCH lesser of the two evils.


Respect as always!

[bustasinclair]

It is tax policy in general that is broken. Even raising the top rate to 70% (which many who hate on the rich would cheer) would do little to solve the problem raising collected revenue approx 3%. And that is not adjusting that these rates would likely cause behavioral changes resulting in significantly less than the 3% increase being collected.

I don't disagree with this.

The "Rich dont pay their fair share of taxes" people dont like when the facts show that .1% of the tax payers pay 39.2%. 44% pay nothing, and the bottom 20% of tax payers have a negative tax rate. Meaning they get back more than they pay.

Not sure why you posted this. I'm aware.

The uproar over Amazon not paying any taxes was totally misrepresented in the media. One of the main reasons was that their employees exercised a payout on their stock options. By amazon paying those options, the actual amount paid into the tax system was much greater, since non-salary compensation is taxed at a much higher rate. The taxes were paid, but by the employees. The employees did not mind since they made so much damn money on the stock options that paying 50% in taxes was still an enormous windfall.

Capturing tax policy in the headlines as the media portrays it is extremely biased. Problem is, we now live in a global economy. Business can base their money anywhere. Think the billions that Apple held in Scotland I think. It is great to be a politician and say....we are going to tax all those mean businesses....it is another thing to understand the ramifications.

Same with those who attack capital gains.

Again, not sure why you posted this. I never implied anything about Amazon or cap gain rates. Maybe you're just venting like I was?

I am all for a balanced budget amendment. I think if you look back in time, there has been support of that only from one side. The lefts financial policies are lunacy. Like AOC celebrating how she ran Amazon out of NYC and how much they will save by not giving them the tax breaks that were promised

I'm definitely for a balanced budget amendment; that's why I'm venting.

Why do you always go out of your way to demonize the left? All parties are responsible for the mess we're in. The 2019 FY deficit was the largest in history IIRC. The last administration to balance the budget was Clinton and I believe he was a Democrat.

AOC? I couldn't give two shiits what she thinks.

Edit to add: Looks like I was wrong about the 2019 FY deficit; 2009 was the largest annual deficit.

[induced_drag]

Again, not sure why you posted this. I never implied anything about Amazon or cap gain rates. Maybe you're just venting like I was?





Why do you always go out of your way to demonize the left? All parties are responsible for the mess we're in. The 2019 FY deficit was the largest in history IIRC. The last administration to balance the budget was Clinton and I believe he was a Democrat.

AOC? I couldn't give two shiits what she thinks.

@Busta Just ramling on some points not all a direct response to you. I have a great deal of frustration with the sheer volumes of misinformation and media manipulation that exists.

As for 'demonizing the left', which btw, I have no idea what your political leanings are, I think the left has gone FAR off the deep end. So far, that I can not imagine anyone voting regardless of how much they might dislike Trump. The equivalent is if the right was taken over with abortion clinic bombers and everyone just went along with it. The extreme radicalization of the left, and the parties willingness to accept and in some cases embrace these identity politics makes me run the other direction as fast as I can.

Thinking of local and state level govt, I can think of 100's of stories over the past years of democratic Mayors, Governers, and even city councils that are engaged in shocking behavior. Sure, one or two 'good old boy' republican may float some crazy agenda from time to time, but the sheer volume, and how close the entire left party is to accepting this agenda is scary.

I would GLADLY go back to the Clinton years and as much as I disliked Hillary, she is much more palatable than the recent power players in the democratic party.

I have also lived under the policies of several administrations and am friends with many successful businessmen, many much older than I and more sucessful. Every single one that I know is a republican except one who is Jewish. Even he shared with me, he voted from Trump with no regrets and could never vote democrat with the current status of the party.


But, in closing I come from a northern town which is dominated by Blue. I get it. People who are part of the system think it has to be that way. Everyone where I grew up works for the Govt. Very little in the way of private industry. Everything in union. My town is part of the decline that is seen throughout the blue states. Many of the residents there (who work) are reconsidering the direction NY is taking. It is almost stupid the taxation. My home literally is worth 10x of what my mothers is. And my property taxes are less than double hers. Just insanity. Moving to a red state and making my living here makes me want to preserve what fundamentally separates red and blue states. I dont want what I left for sure.

[Mark1T]

Okay, so I do tax work for a living, so I think about this subject most of my breathing hours.

How can you stand behind the "tax breaks" when those tax breaks are partially responsible for a $1T annual deficit? I don't like paying taxes any more than anybody else, but seriously, we either need to raise revenue (collect tax) or decrease expenses, and we know the big three are SS, Medicare, and Military. Both options of raising taxes or cutting any of the big three will get you kicked out of your political party. It's a deadlocked issue.

I realize that I'm just one CPA Firm in the whole of the United States, but this year I have seen more tax returns of clients paying less than 20% effective tax rate than ever before. It's just NOT sustainable.

/rant

Your concern is legitimate and I cannot argue with it and I am not going to. However, as a business owner who probably can speak for thousands of others, the US is in a recession and businesses are going out of business as I write this or they cannot hire or they cannot pay their existing furloughed employees. Prior to COVID, small businesses were given tax breaks and it made a difference between growth, expansion and hiring new employees. Otherwise, many might have closed shop, especially in tax-burdened areas like NYC.

Most businesses, including me, are trying to survive, day to day and even though the deficit is very important, it is honestly not as much of a priority, because most of us have families and dependents. So, if the taxes are increased, while many businesses are at the crossroads of closing shop after years of making a living, all because taxes go up, how the fuk will that contribute to the deficit? It would make it worse.

You are correct, but we are screwed either way. Thanks for the conversation.

[bustasinclair]

@Busta Just ramling on some points not all a direct response to you. I have a great deal of frustration with the sheer volumes of misinformation and media manipulation that exists.

As for 'demonizing the left', which btw, I have no idea what your political leanings are, I think the left has gone FAR off the deep end. So far, that I can not imagine anyone voting regardless of how much they might dislike Trump. The equivalent is if the right was taken over with abortion clinic bombers and everyone just went along with it. The extreme radicalization of the left, and the parties willingness to accept and in some cases embrace these identity politics makes me run the other direction as fast as I can.

Thinking of local and state level govt, I can think of 100's of stories over the past years of democratic Mayors, Governers, and even city councils that are engaged in shocking behavior. Sure, one or two 'good old boy' republican may float some crazy agenda from time to time, but the sheer volume, and how close the entire left party is to accepting this agenda is scary.

I would GLADLY go back to the Clinton years and as much as I disliked Hillary, she is much more palatable than the recent power players in the democratic party.

I have also lived under the policies of several administrations and am friends with many successful businessmen, many much older than I and more sucessful. Every single one that I know is a republican except one who is Jewish. Even he shared with me, he voted from Trump with no regrets and could never vote democrat with the current status of the party.


But, in closing I come from a northern town which is dominated by Blue. I get it. People who are part of the system think it has to be that way. Everyone where I grew up works for the Govt. Very little in the way of private industry. Everything in union. My town is part of the decline that is seen throughout the blue states. Many of the residents there (who work) are reconsidering the direction NY is taking. It is almost stupid the taxation. My home literally is worth 10x of what my mothers is. And my property taxes are less than double hers. Just insanity. Moving to a red state and making my living here makes me want to preserve what fundamentally separates red and blue states. I dont want what I left for sure.

I appreciate the explanation; I figured you were just venting.

My political leanings? I seriously don't have any. I consider myself (for the sake of labels) to be apolitical. Some issues, I lean left, other issues I lean right. I generally rely on right versus wrong instead left versus right.

I do despise Trump, but for the sake of this Forum leaning heavily to the right, I will digress and just say that he does not look/act like a Republican to me. If we had a Republican president right now, I think we'd be far better off.

Texas is basically a purple state now, so we get the best of both worlds you describe.

[bustasinclair]

Your concern is legitimate and I cannot argue with it and I am not going to. However, as a business owner who probably can speak for thousands of others, the US is in a recession and businesses are going out of business as I write this or they cannot hire or they cannot pay their existing furloughed employees. Prior to COVID, small businesses were given tax breaks and it made a difference between growth, expansion and hiring new employees. Otherwise, many might have closed shop, especially in tax-burdened areas like NYC.

Most businesses, including me, are trying to survive, day to day and even though the deficit is very important, it is honestly not as much of a priority, because most of us have families and dependents. So, if the taxes are increased, while many businesses are at the crossroads of closing shop after years of making a living, all because taxes go up, how the fuk will that contribute to the deficit? It would make it worse.

You are correct, but we are screwed either way. Thanks for the conversation.

Oh, I agree, Mark. I don't know that there is a viable solution at this point. So, that begs the question: At what point does deficit size become unsustainable and a national security threat?