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Everything on this board pales in comparison


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  • Pokebball changed the title to Everything on this board pales in comparison

 

 

The Great Grift: More than $200 billion in COVID-19 aid may have been stolen, federal watchdog says

Associated Press, by Richard Lardner & Jennifer McDermott

 

Washington— More than $200 billion may have been stolen from two large COVID-19 relief initiatives, according to new estimates from a federal watchdog investigating federally funded programs that helped small businesses survive the worst public health crisis in more than a hundred years. The numbers issued Tuesday by the U.S. Small Business Administration inspector general are much greater than the office’s previous projections and underscore how vulnerable the Paycheck Protection and COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan programs were to fraudsters, particularly during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. The inspector general’s report said “at least 17 percent of all COVID-EIDL and PPP funds were disbursed to potentially fraudulent actors.”

 

https://apnews.com/article/pandemic-covid19-fraud-small-business-inspector-general-7e651b3e405863f0be9f2e34ca47b93e

 

 

 

 

 

Still deflecting with that old spin.

 

 

3 minutes ago, SectionC3 said:

It’s about 10% as bad as the negative impact of the Trump Tax Cuts for the Rich has had on the treasury. 

 

But the numbers tell a different story. Despite the political rhetoric, tax revenues are up.

 

Adjusting the forecasts to actual 2022 dollars, prior to the tax cuts the government projected $40.7 trillion of income tax, corporate tax, and payroll tax revenues between 2018 and 2027. The latest budget forecasts project $41.3 trillion of revenues for that period. Instead of reducing revenues by $1.5 trillion, the latest forecasts suggest tax revenues will come in $570 billion higher than expected.

 

What about the corporate tax cuts? Surely cutting the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% must have dramatically reduced corporate tax revenue?

 

Not according to the government budget numbers.

The government now expects to bring in $3.8 trillion in corporate tax revenues between 2018 and 2027, almost identical to the $3.9 trillion forecasted prior to the tax cuts. Moreover, since taxes don’t exist in a vacuum—and the corporate tax reform propelled higher income growth and therefore higher income taxes and payroll taxes—the corporate tax reform likely paid for itself.

 

https://www.heritage.org/taxes/commentary/the-numbers-are-trumps-tax-cuts-paid

 

 

(But I don't believe the Heritage foundation, even though the links to the US government sources are right there  😆)

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19 minutes ago, SectionC3 said:

It’s about 10% as bad as the negative impact of the Trump Tax Cuts for the Rich has had on the treasury. 

Well, nice attempt at pivoting, with a "whataboutism"! 

 

But to your point, Biden's on track to match Trump's deficit total in Biden's first three years.

Edited by Pokebball
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1 minute ago, Over 29 years of fanhood said:


You upheld your principles and insisted on paying a higher tax rate yourself anyway right? 

 

My personal issue is how the money is spent more than what I'm being taxed. I believe in progressive taxes (in a different structure) but I don't trust the administrations in charge to spend it wisely, so it's a paradox. As I've gotten older I've gotten taxed more and more with my income rising, but I don't think that's the problem. I just don't think it's being spent anywhere close to the right way. 

 

I think the other side is a paradox too though. If the people believe in Trump and the way he spends, why would those progressive taxes be a bad thing?

 

The biggest issue ultimately is the Presidents always end up protecting the wealthiest and it's the middle class that suffers the most. 

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Honestly.  Did you expect anything more of this administration?  They ***** up everything they touch.  Absolutely no surprise.  How much of that infrastructure money is going to get stolen?  50-60%?  The rest will be spent on political favors.  What a mess. 

 

 

Edited by Irv
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8 minutes ago, HomeskillitMoorman said:

 

My personal issue is how the money is spent more than what I'm being taxed. I believe in progressive taxes (in a different structure) but I don't trust the administrations in charge to spend it wisely, so it's a paradox. As I've gotten older I've gotten taxed more and more with my income rising, but I don't think that's the problem. I just don't think it's being spent anywhere close to the right way. 

 

I think the other side is a paradox too though. If the people believe in Trump and the way he spends, why would those progressive taxes be a bad thing?

 

The biggest issue ultimately is the Presidents always end up protecting the wealthiest and it's the middle class that suffers the most. 

pretty much agree. The Repubs position on spending this last couple of decades isn't small government but rather simply less govt than the Dems want, both being larger than I want.

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36 minutes ago, Pokebball said:

pretty much agree. The Repubs position on spending this last couple of decades isn't small government but rather simply less govt than the Dems want, both being larger than I want.


I don’t trust either though, and I agree the people the Republicans actually put forward are not “small government” politicians. It’s surprising to me that many conservatives can’t see that sometimes, just like how many liberals can’t see that the corporate Democrats aren’t actually properly investing in underserved populations. 
 

I believe very much in the philosophy of social programs, I just don’t trust anyone in charge to run them so philosophically I’m probably not a small government guy in that specific sense, moreso from a personal freedoms standpoint. 

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4 minutes ago, HomeskillitMoorman said:


I don’t trust either though, and I agree the people the Republicans actually put forward are not “small government” politicians. It’s surprising to me that many conservatives can’t see that sometimes, just like how many liberals can’t see that the corporate Democrats aren’t actually properly investing in underserved populations. 
 

I believe very much in the philosophy of social programs, I just don’t trust anyone in charge to run them so philosophically I’m probably not a small government guy in that specific sense, moreso from a personal freedoms standpoint. 

Federal government programs lack accountability, for the most part. The Feds require all states and many political subdivisions to be audited annually. The vast majority get clean audits. The Feds have never received a clean audit (called an unqualified opinion). I'd appreciate most all social programs to be done at the state and local level. Or contract with NPOs at the state and local level to administer the programs.

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9 minutes ago, HomeskillitMoorman said:


I don’t trust either though, and I agree the people the Republicans actually put forward are not “small government” politicians. It’s surprising to me that many conservatives can’t see that sometimes, just like how many liberals can’t see that the corporate Democrats aren’t actually properly investing in underserved populations. 
 

I believe very much in the philosophy of social programs, I just don’t trust anyone in charge to run them so philosophically I’m probably not a small government guy in that specific sense, moreso from a personal freedoms standpoint. 

I think a lot of liberals and conservatives twist themselves up or hold their noses to support either of those parties.

 

 

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4 hours ago, SectionC3 said:

It’s about 10% as bad as the negative impact of the Trump Tax Cuts for the Rich has had on the treasury. 

If you are economically illiterate admitting it is the first step to solving it, but I can't argue with someone who believes the Fed spending 5 trillion is not the problem.

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