
The First Interview: Trump Sits Down With Wall Street Journal
Donald Trump’s detractors and even his supporters are intensely curious to see where the president-elect stands now that the people have spoken. This week, Trump sat down with the editors of the Wall Street Journal for his first interview since his upset victory, giving Americans a glimpse of what he intends to do once taking office on January 20.
As might be expected, the conversation quickly turned to Obamacare, which Trump has promised to repeal and replace – one promise that enjoys overwhelming support among both his voters and a Republican Congress. Trump said in the interview that he would be moving “quickly” to fulfill that promise, insisting that the ACA had become so expensive that “you can’t use it.”
At the same time, Trump – ever the dealmaker – said there could be room for compromise as the country moves forward on healthcare. He expressed admiration for certain elements of the law, such as those that protect Americans with pre-existing conditions and the one that allows young people to stay on their parents’ plan until the age of 26.
“I like those very much,” Trump said.
The question is, of course, how you can keep those aspects of the law in place without keeping things like the individual mandate. The aspects Trump likes are the “good parts.” But those “good parts” are only possible because of the bad parts; i.e. federal subsidies and a government mandate to purchase health insurance. If the answer is entitlement expansion, how are we not trading one tax for another? It will be interesting to see how Trump and the Republican Congress answers these thorny questions.
Trump, less controversially, also told the Wall Street Journal that financial deregulation will be among his first priorities. He said Dodd-Frank was a “tremendous burden to the banks” that would have to be scrapped or minimized so that banks could again open up loans to struggling America.
“I can borrow money,” Trump said. “The people who are really good, but need money to open a business or expand a business, can’t borrow money from the banks.”
Trump also expressed interest in moving forward on an infrastructure bill, the renegotiation of America’s trade deals, and a secure border.
On foreign policy, Trump said he was in favor of a new approach to the fight against ISIS.
“My attitude was you’re fighting Syria, Syria is fighting ISIS, and you have to get rid of ISIS,” Trump said. “Russia is now totally aligned with Syria, and now you have Iran, which is becoming powerful, because of us, is aligned with Syria. Now we’re backing rebels against Syria, and we have no idea who these people are.”
The Trump Doctrine – America First – is already becoming clear. Trump the Campaigner is morphing into Trump the President. So far, so good.
Here’s an idea, Medicare for everyone. Oh, and eliminate the cap on SS deductions too. After all, those $$$$$ that flow into the SS fund, are by law, spent on U.S. Treasuries that go into the general fund. Doing so, would allow SS to go on forever, be able to afford the so-called Military buildup, rebuild the “Infrastructure” in the U.S. ask any long haul trucker about the hi-ways,bridges in this country. Of course, that would deny Wall Street stealing the funds.Oh, and let’s not forget re-instituting the Glass-Steagall act and eliminating the off-shoring of $$$$ to avoid paying taxes. Either you’re about rebuilding America, or you’re for the few-1% who don’t care.
If you work, there is money taken out of your paycheck your entire working career for medicare. You are speaking about medicaid, which is a program for those who cannot afford health care. One you have paid into, another one no. A better idea for SS is to allow the person to take that money that comes out of their paycheck for social security and allow them to invest it. Granted some people cannot fight their way out of a paper bag so they can opt to stay in. However most people could have invested that money and come up with far more when they become of retirement age.
Enchanted?
Actually it was established in 1965 when Johnson was in office. It was started with ideas by Roosevelt, but didn’t get pushed until Truman and then took until 65 to get initiated.
It may have been your employer who wasn’t taking it out or your paycheck and probably should have. Regardless I agree those on the hill stole our social security money and used it as their slush fund.
Would you rather have your funds grow with interest or sit idle in a bank account?
That should be for me to decide since I earned it.
Tyhen why haven’t ypu saved any of it?
What is “social secretary”?
The Social Security Trust has been invested in Tresury Notes.
Treasury Notes are still considered one of the safest investments that can be purvhased.
It may not find its way back to us because the gift has been using our social security funds
They say ignorance is bliss. Seeing it make me sad.
What part of that don’t you understand? The boomer generation is concerned that there will not be finds sufficient In there for them once they retire. That’s been a huge issue for years, because our govt uses that money- which was intended to be a kind of forced savings for people when they retire. Sure the money maybe in Treasuries- until it’s taken out by the govt for its own use.
https://www.caseyresearch.com/articles/heres-what-the-government-did-with-your-social-security-money
All monies are paid out of the U.S. Treasury – no matter how they are funded.
WE the people fund this! The govt does not fund this. You are fixated on one tiny little piece of the picture. So what if the SS payments are paid from Treasuries? Doesn’t matter where they are being paid from. The point is: Those treasuries are being looted by our own govt!
All mpnies are paid out of the U.S. Tresury — no matter how they ar funded.
There us only one Tresury.
Okkkkkkkkk
Let’s try this again. There might be
Only one treasury but the govt is dipping into and looting it. And that money gets depleted over and over and over by our govt. the govt loots that same fund in the Treasury. It’s not sitting there gaining interest with your name stamped on your funds…….
Treasury Notes pay interest.
Where do you think the Social Security Trust banked?
Is that so? Show me where. And show me where the govt is not looting it
You have an Intwrnet connection, why don’t you use it?
https://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/research/indepth/tnotes/res_tnote_rates.htm
I do. That’s how I know you’re wrong. And your irrelevant link does not apply to the social security issue of the govt looting it. Do try to stay with the issues dear.
I see, you know more than the U.S, Government.
OK, have you considered seeing a psychiatrist?
Know it also like you – who know nothing- cannot be taught. Good night
Education is a very valuable asset. You should invest in it.
Give it a rest AK, I’m a lawyer and a damn lot smarter than you. Keep up your stupid name calling, because that’s all you’ve got. Not a single fact. Just name calling to shut down conversation and deflection to try to hide your lack of intellect. Keep posting, because you only prove my point over and over.
Lawyer?
Ha, ha, ha, ha…
Res Ipsa loquitur
Tabula in naufragio
You walked it a long time ago- right off the end
What you don’t know fills volumes
Maybe you meant to write “Know it all”.
Maybe
I did. Already corrected.
No, I was talking in the plural. Know-it-alls, not Knows-it-all.
Why don’t you make the effort to get the education and/or experence that would allow ypu to be a know-it-all?
Because knowitall, as I’ve used it here, is not a compliment and means just the opposite.
In your case, it is also a self-discription.
lame.
Ha ha. enjoy the next four years.
Yes, I agree. You are lame. I am in Alaska. I will enjoy the next four years. I can walk far away from the violemce that may begin. You cannot.
Wanna bet?
Casey Research?
*sigh*
Great, which publication do you need? Geez
Thank you for trying; however those who do not know do not want to know.
Anyone who does not understand that every penny of Soc Sec money is accounted for chooses not to know and just likes to shout out foolish words.
The same people do not understand that investing a portion of their earnings for the future is a good thing.
Social Security was never intended to be 100% of anyone’s retirement income. It is a safety net,
And yes it was supposed to be a safety net, but it was intended that the monies you put into it all those years would be there for you when you retire. The problem is that the govt has been depleting it for years.
The problem is that you are paranoid.
Is that right? Well,the problem really is that you have all the conviction of the deliberately ignorant.
Thank you.
Your input is always welcome
It says so much about you.
So funny! when you are the first to start the usual lib name calling because you have nothing to back up your bs. Have at it, you’re not fooling anyone.
Does foul language make ypu feel more adult, or do you just have a very limited vocabulary?
Seriously? Ok well I learned from you when you called me paranoid. Ah hell with it, Go to bed this is clearly tiring your brain.
Really? Have you considered seeing a mental health professional?
to find out why I keep responding to a know it all who knows nothing? Naw No need.
I agree. However in the real world it turns out that the only income that many retired individuals have is Soc Sec.
Yes, many Americans were foolish and did not save for the future.
What percent of the population of this nation make sufficient money to save for the future.
Please do not call the many individuals, who labor at minimum wage there entire life, foolish because they have not saved for retirement.
It is only those on welfare that cannot save. The law does not allow it.
Everyone can save, even if it is just a quarter a week. Or the pennies in your pocket every night can be put in a piggy bank.
If you want something bad enough, you can find a way.
You like to argue and do not even think about what has been written.
You are thinking about individuals who have worked and you perhaps do not have any experience with individuals who are living in the lower income brackets. Your thought that someone can save a few pennies each week and have some large amount of money when retirement come is an example of a person who has limited vision.
Do not bother to respond because I will not engage further with you.
Try using one of the compound interest calculators that are available on the Internet. You might ba very surprized by the answer you get.
And then you retire with $1,000.54
BECAUSE we pay proportionately more of our money to entitlements. Many people who have “labored their entire life” have done well for themselves. I grew up with many of them. Socialism’s curse is to make the ACCUMULATION of wealth difficult. Because if you can accumulate wealth you won’t need government. Government is only interested in good incomes so that they can impose taxes and transfer it to them before you have a chance to do anything with it. This is the basis for the graduated income tax. Why should someone pay proportionately more if they earn more. They should pay the same percentage. But that does not serve the State. And the State must be served at all cost, right? And all the better ir a compliant citizenry call out for it.
People who speak of entitlements need to study what they are.
Social welfare is not an entitlement.
Military and civil servant retirement, also Soc Sec are entitlements. They have been earned.
Your lack of understanding of the government and the obligation of the government are massive.
If social welfare isn’t an entitlement then what is it? Social welfare is the definition of entitlement because it forces you to work on behalf of someone else, the definition of slavery.
Entitlements are earned benefits and must be paid because they were earned by an actual service performed or previously funded by some law (Soc Sec).
Social welfare is given to those who congress chooses to help. It is not an entitlement. A person can be removed from a social welfare program
Words have meaning.
Your concern about your payment for social welfare is touching.
How much do you really pay in Federal Taxes? I do not mean SS or Medicare I mean actual taxes.
Are you paying for other government service other then soc welfare with your taxes?
What % of your taxes goes to soc welfare?
Your analysis falls very short. How can someone who came to this country only a few years ago, even if legally, be “entitled” to social services? And a person who is here illegally is “entitled” to free education, low income benefits on housing, telephone, energy and so on? Please review the differences between an entitlement and a right. Then get back and clean up your muddled writing above. I pay PLENTY of federal taxes. And SS and FICA and everything that goes to folks who didn’t pay into it. What percent of my taxes DON’T go to social welfare?
The term entitlement is a legal term and you need to visit some site and read it for your self.
Benefits given to the poor or whoever are not entitlements.
They are usually controlled by each state separately and normally very strict rules apply. I understand that women “with children” are primarily the receivers of such payments.
Can you actually prove that any single individual is receiving such benefits. The “Obama phone is used to provide the poor with the ability to seek work and has a very limited amount of free time.
You cannot produce one case of an illegal receiving free utilities.
Soc Sec is an entitlement and the individual must earn the money that goes into any payments that they receive.
Once again you cannot prove one case of a Soc Sec recipient that did not pay into the system
You are misinformed about who is receiving the welfare benefits. In fact your entire comment is without merit.
By the way if you are fortunate enough to pay “plenty” of Federal Taxes you should not be upset if some individual who has little of anything is given a Christian handout.
What is wrong with your head?
Yes, for ignorant people.
Or people working for less than minimum wage.
By the way there are far more of them then you think.
Millions of people work there entire life using every dime to provide basic substances.
It is truly sad that people do not realize the problems that a lot of there fellow citizens face.
You need to evaluate a lot of Donald Trumps supporters who live in small communities all over this nation. Look to the “Western States” for real economic problems.
You will understand why they are Red States.
Ignorant only means they don’t know but can be taught. Now stupid, that is another thing all together and you can’t fix stupid.
Not any more since it is being given away by the truck loads to people that will not work. Now social security is called a tax. Do ya remember when it wasn’t? It was simply called a social security withdrawal.
Social Security has always been a tax on earnings.
A Social Security “withdrawl” is the benefits you qualify for after retirement age.
And was instituted to be for 65+ year olds because that was the average life span. Very few were ever expected to collect. The equivalent would be to change it to 75 years old. And stop expanding the qualifications. Better have an account with your name on it that can’t be touched until a certain age. Get rid of SS Dept. Let banks and investment managers run it of your choice. I wish I had the choice of putting all my ss that I paid into Merrill Lynch or a bank. Now it would truly belong to me and if I didn’t “need” it I could give it to charity or my children or even to you if I liked you.
I draw your attentipn to the FDIC “Failed Bank List”
https://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/banklist.html
If that were the way the system was set up, not many individuals would have the wisdom (that you have) to invest the money and why should the government add to your savings.
You would have half as much money unless you were a very lucky investor.
It is a great thing. Just don’t want the federal government running it. There is NO lockbox with your name on it. It is dumped into the general fund. We think of it as an entitlement rather than an insurance/retirement policy.
If you go back to the original law you will see that the government meant to use the funds and issue certificates for the use of the money and paying a small interest rate for the use of the funds.
It was the thought then and now that when money was need to pay out the money would be paid from the General Fund.
It is truly unfortunate that so many individuals cannot understand that. Nothing is taken from the individuals who pay into the fund, unless they die with out collecting and have no children or partner.
The govt has been using our SS as a slush fund for politicians. Fact. Deal with it.
There is one bank account.
All income goes in it.
All spending goes out of it
Fact. Deal with it.
You really are sad. Misinformed and you cannot get out of your own way.
Your local comunity college offers a American government classes. I sugest you take one.
you are just inane. Even your insults stink.
Res ipsa loquitur
Your Latin may sound impressive to some peopel but it simply it not aplicable to the issue at hand.
“the principle that the occurrence of an accident implies negligence.”
Nope. Wrong again.
Maybe you should get out your Latin-English dictionary and look it up?
The Latin-English dictionaries, and the Law Dictionaries published on the Internet do not agree with your opinion.
LOL! When you go to law school you will learn what it means.
Someone else might enjpy watching you make a fool of yourself. I do not.
Res ipsa loquitur.
Tabula in naufragio
You’ve been walking it throughout this election and just slipped right off
And Bill Clinton did NOT balance any budget. He stole the SS fund and dumped it into the general fund to look like he cut the debt. Smoke and mirrors.
I’m glad you mentioned that. I have been telling people that for a very long time when they tout how wonderful slick willy was. He was as sorry as the rest of the left, liar, cheat and a thief.
Plus if your money invested can be passed on or donated as part of your estate. Someone who dies at 65 may never have collected. Should be part of his estate.
The surviving spouse can collect.
The children can collect up unti age 26, if they are in school.
Yes on the kid but No on the spouse. They can only elect to take theirs or their spouses. They don’t get both and it’s a true rip off to the American people.
And a boon for the parasite politicians.
You got that right
You expect the people you elect to work free?
No, that’s what taxes are for. Social security is not intended to be there to pay them. But the politicians have wrongfully used SS as their own personal slush fund.
You need better information sources.
Cash in, cash out — it is all the same wallet — the U.S. Treasury.
You are simply missing the point. No one argues where it is kept. The point is that it’s not supposed to be the politicians slush fund!
You are missing the point — Social Security Taxes are not the government’s sole source of income.
You are claiming you know the source of every penney taken in and how every penny is spent.
I never once said that they were the govt’s sole source of income! Why do you make things up? I claim no such thing that I know the source of every penny taken in or spent.. I only said that the govt uses the money that WE THE PEOPLE put into our social security system (which is not supposed to be a TAX by the way) as its own personal slush fund. The govt has been looting it for years.
https://www.sott.net/article/232087-Social-Security-Scam-Where-Did-the-2-5-Trillion-Surplus-Go
Use some common sense. No, you don’t get to double dip.
By the time you die, you will have drawn more out than you paid in — even if you are looking at the contribution of both spouses.
Really? What universe are you living in? Where do you get this info? And how is it double dipping when the dead spouse put in all his or her life but never got a dime from it? How is that remotely fair?
Take it up with your elected representatives.
For now, if you want to double dip, get a divorce.
Married couples are paid higher benefits.
If you have children under age 26 living at home, you get higher benefits.
If you have other legal dependants, you get higher benefits.
I see. You don’t have the back up for your incorrect statements.
You are wrong about what I’m speaking about. You’re the one who speaks of medicaid, not MOI. That said, if you allow people to not pay into SS, then there’s going to be a bigger hole in the budget. Exactly what will you replace those $$$$$ with??? I might add, the idea of investing their SS withholding, I refer you to the South Park episode when one of the boys got a $100.00 bill as a gift, went to the bank, deposited it, only to find in the next instant it was gone. Of course, just another idea for the banks to scam the public. So, in today’s market place which is rigged against the people who don’t understand the game, they will lose, but to people like you, who cares, right? Or are you volunteering to support those people when they get old and can’t work anymore??? And what do you have to say about cutting taxes? So far, the tax cuts haven’t spurred the economy, but have added to the debt. As for entitlements, look at those American companies that offshore profits, but in reality, do invest in american stocks, but again, don’t pay taxes of the profits.
Social security was not originally supposed to be used to fund the budget. It was supposed to be set aside as a trust fund. Today, the federal government automatically puts all of the money that should be set aside for the Social Security Trust Fund into the General Fund. Raiding the Social Security Trust Fund was a precedent set in 1968
by another progressive president, Lyndon B. Johnson, to help pay for the Vietnam War. To date, the federal government has borrowed over $2 trillion from the Social Security Trust Fund to spend on other programs. borrowed is the operative term. I still believe that if people were allowed to invest their money it would allow them to save more for their retirement.
Now why should I have pay taxes, which I do and also fund the government with MY money via social security, and be penalized when I retire? The government gets enough money however they use and abuse it; they WASTE the money. They can’t even balance their own checkbooks. (e.g. in 1991 time frame when those on the hill thought it was fine to write bad checks) In FY 2017, total US government revenue, federal, state, and local, is “guesstimated” to be $7.14 trillion. Federal revenue is budgeted at $3.64 trillion;
state revenue is “guesstimated” at $2.05 trillion; local revenue is “guesstimated” at $1.45 trillion.
As an aside, Perhaps another avenue to take would be a flat and/or fair tax. There would be no income tax, however everyone would pay some tax on what they purchased. If you are wealthy and buy large, you would be taxed more; if you are not so lucky and purchase smaller, you would pay a lesser tax. Then EVERYONE would participate. Mitt Romney was correct in that at least 47% of the people pay no taxes. If you pay taxes during the year and get it all back at the end of the year, you pay no taxes. The government is just holding it for you, and using it.
Sorry, I don’t use South Park as reality.
The law on SS states that the funds are to be invested in treasury notes, which in turn said funds end up in the general fund, thereby they do fund everything that comes out of the government. Do you understand what the $$$$ from the sale of treasury notes do fund, regardless of whether you personally buy them or the SS funds do? This drill you keep maintaining, is a subterfuge-B.S.-put out by the very ones who want to raid said funds. Consider that in reality, it’s the people of the U.S.A. who own those notes, but it’s the politicians who spend said funds. Would you agree that said funds should go toward maintaining the health & welfare of the U.S.A. or to buy one time use of ammunition to bomb foreign countries? Exactly what is the return from such? As for the use of the South Park, that’s exactly what would happen to the funds if Wall Street got a hold of them. I noticed you avoid the question of what would replace those funds & the reduced tax receipts into the treasury, which will result in the national debt to grow into added $trillions. Or perhaps you aren’t so patriotic as you think you are?
Do you understand that Social Security is not the only source of Treasury Note sales income?
You can buy them through a bank or broker.
Do you have the income that SS generates monthly to buy treasuries? If you read what I wrote, then you’ll see that I was referring to SS & the hole in the income that the treasury would take. You are correct as to where one can buy such, but when you compare the volume that SS buys, well, do the math. Also, when the government issues the notes, they become part of the debt. The pooh-baas have used those funds to finance a myriad of things, namely wars, which don’t return a profit to the treasury-as in the people of the U.S.A. As for the allowing Wall Street to get their greedy fingers into the pot, without a radical overhaul in the laws governing same, then it would make the California Gold Rush look like Sunday outing in the park. Of course, if you believe in the B.S. peddled by Wall Street, unless you’re in the club, forget any return on your investment. You’d be better off investing beach front property in Iraq.
Your must be part of thw “new math” group from the 1980s
Treasury Notes pay interest. Apparently, you would prefer that SS funds and grow mold rather than make money,
The interest can be paid to China, or it can be paid to the American people.
Sorry to pop your bubble dear, I’m a of the “Silent Majority generation”, my parents being from the “Greatest Generation” that built this country up, which the “Boomers” & the “X” generations are destroying in their quest of greed, throw away, etc. So who/which ond do you belong to??? As for the interest, it’s going to finance the bombs, the cop on the beat, the new cold war.
Thank you.
For what????
Insults only matter to people who respect your opinion.
Does insulting people make you feel superior?
No to who/what you’re calling insults here. If you consider my calling you dear, then apologies extended. Back at you on the feel superior meme. You miss the point and cite information only partly true regarding SS trust fund. Assuming one is ignorant to a given subject because of the lack of fully giving a detailed explanation, verges on the rude side as to that other persons intelligence.
Your information is invalid. The Trust is not bankrupt. However, if it were to be left siting idle, it would become bankrupt.
Games over. You’re the one who brought up the SS is bankrupt. I don’t know what list you subscribe to, but you’re wrong. You just want to argue your point, which isn’t valid. Signs of the troll. It’s a waste of time exchanging with you on this subject, as you keep changing your point.
She likes to do that, picks one tiny piece of info and runs with it to incorrect conclusions.
Interesting. She-?-appears like those of the committee, passing further comments around, as if @ a round table, which I’ve encountered over time, giving the impression of being one, but in reality, several to many, to cause confusion, ending up with the sarcasm remarks. Games people play, sad when it comes to that.
Social Security does not fund the budget.
The Social Security Trust is invested in interest bearing Treeasury Notes.
When I was young, my parents gave me a $20.00 Savings Bond for my birthday every year. Those bonds paid for my first house. Military service paid for my education.
Social security is being depleted by the govt now. That’s why there is so much concern that it may not be there when many of us reach retirement age.
You mean the miney is just stting there in the Trust colkecting dust?
If that were the case, SS would have run out a long time ago.
Interest gained from inter-government loans is what keeps SS viable.
I guess you think barrowing from China and paying them interest is a better option.
I don’t know what miney is but if you are talking about money, and social security, then you have zero idea what you are talking about.
The SS IS running out of money, that’s the problem! It was supposed to be for us, and the govt has used it as its own slush fund.
https://www.caseyresearch.com/articles/heres-what-the-government-did-with-your-social-security-money
Government is government, what difference does it make which dresser drawer the socks are in?
I am not arguing that. However when someone believes our budget will go down the tubes if there are no social security payments to the government and uses south park as a reference, well you get the picture. The bottom line is that social security is not supposed to sustain the government. It belongs to everyone who has ever paid into it. They are supposed to be the ‘protectors’ of our money; not the thieves.
Social Security is not going to sustain anyone if the funds are sitting idle.
If Treasury Notes are not to your liking, what investment do you recommend?
As I mentioned in another reply why not allow people to invest themselves. Also, As I mentioned previously there are some people who can’t fight their way out of a paper bag so they can opt to stay in. I could have done better with my money then the feds. the following is an article where some cities in states have allowed people to do what I suggest. Whether it is a good thing depends upon whether you (generally speaking) have to spend every penny you get. As they say you should pay yourself first. Even putting away 5-7% hurts at the beginning, but people adjust.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/merrillmatthews/2011/05/12/how-three-texas-counties-created-personal-social-security-accounts-and-prospered/#57f4b511753c
Those programs are no different that the old Federal Civil Service retirement program.
That article is about government employees. Their government employer opted out of Social Security back when that was an option.
Up until 1985, U.S. Government workers also had that option.
Unlike the U..S. Government, those banks can go under. If Uncle Sam goes undwr, well we are all in trouble, even the banks.
Come on. The article was to show there are people that are investing in their own social security. Have an open mind about this. These are ideas that can be bantered around. If you think our government will crash if people stop paying into social security, you need to do some more research.
As an aside it was nice to see that Trump trounced hil-liary 53% to 38% in Alaska.
I am familiar with those systems. I worked for the fed before it went to Social Security.
Me too. 39 years Army
Social Security is not an entitlement program. You pay into SS from the first job you get until you are 65 or longer if you are still working.. The government holds on to your money until you are old enough to draw it back a little at a time each month. If you live long enough you will get your money back, If you don’t the government keeps the rest of the money you have paid in.
I am 86 years old. I paid into SS since I was 16 years old. I worked until 2 years ago and started drawing my SS when I was 65. I still paid into SS until I quit working. They take out medicare payment each month from my SS check, so you are paying for it also.
We have not had a tax cut since Reagan, and his tax cuts did help create jobs which helped boost the economy. Increasing taxes take the money out of the people’s pockets and they have less to spend which hurts businesses because instead of them getting the money, the government wastes it on some dumb program that helps no one.
When people have more money to spend, they pay more sales taxes etc. which helps the cities, county’s and states. When you increase taxes, it hurts everybody. If you figure up all the taxes we pay like: payroll taxes to both federal and state, property taxes, estate taxes. sales taxes etc. it is no wonder we are the heaviest taxed people in the world and still have one of the largest national debts in the world.
Jobs are the answer to most of these problems. Jobs put more money into the economy and puts more tax dollars into the federal, state,county and cities coffers without raising taxes on everyone. Trump say’s he will bring back jobs and I hope those idiots we have put into office in Washington to represent us, will help him do it, but whether they will or not we will just have to wait and see..
Social Security is not an entitlement program. Unfortunately, that’s not what is being bandied about today. As for tax cuts putting more $$$ into the pockets, that depends on your income level. As for jobs, haven’t we seen the results, i.e. low paying jobs, increased bonus for executives, stock buy backs, eliminating benefits, the poor get poorer, while the rich get richer. Is the American dream still alive? That depends on who you ask.
Even low paying jobs are better than no jobs. Lowering taxes will give people more money to spend and will benefit all governments, city, county, and states. Raising taxes will do the opposite. People will have less money to spend which will hurt the small businesses as well as big businesses. That’s one thing that is wrong with this country now. We have people in Washington that thinks the answer to not having the money they want to spend is either borrowing more, which will increase the national debt or raising taxes which will cause job being lost which could cause a reduction in over all tax revenue.
At 86 years old & counting, you believe that low paying jobs pay enough to live on???? And, the amount of lower taxes received from tax cut will allow said consumer to spend on items that will increase the revenue of the local, state, federal tax collectors??? It’s obvious you’re completely out of touch with reality on this subject, or you live in a 3rd world country. As longas the U.S. plays cop in the world, it takes $$$$$, and the only way to have those $$$$ is to go into the hole-as in debt, either printing more $$$$ or borrowing. So, which do you propose to do??? Oh, you obviously don’t have any grand/great grand children that will inherit said debt??? This kind of thinking is delusional, as in the Reagan trickle down economy, that we all know was a sham.
We have people all over this country living on low paying jobs. They don’t have a choice. There are not enough high paying jobs. There are people living on Social Security on less than $1000 a month. You apparently have no idea how to do that. As far as the tax cuts go. if people only pay $100 less would mean millions or billions of more dollars being spent with local merchants. You don’t understand how the system works. The consumer has more money to spend. He pays sales taxes on what he buys. The merchant pays taxes on the additional income he makes from the consumer’s extra money he has to spend and the cities and counties get a portion of the sales tax money, the rest goes to the state. See what I mean.?
Why should we be cop’s in the world? I propose a balanced budget where we don’t have to go more in debt or print more money. Jobs are the answer, whether they are low paying or not, they will still help put money in the City, county, state or federal coffers.
Oh by the way, I have children, grand children and great grand children and great great grand children who have to live in this world of debt that we are leaving them.
If we keep going the way we are now, it will all end one day when the country is bankrupt and there is no more money to fund the military or provide any government programs to help the American people and it will be people with your thinking we can thank for it.
As I said prior, you are either delusional or just plain out of touch with reality, probably with a healthy income to boot. That said, I too am a parent, grandparent, great grandparent, live on SS,as well as knowing how the system works. Perhaps you’ve observed just how those SS individuals live, as in eating cat food because they can’t afford the costs demanded for healthy food, but of course, the COLA doesn’t include in the basket that part, so there isn’t any given out. By the way, Sriracha added to the cat food gives it a pleasing taste, especially when used on toast. You are right about the military/cop on the beat going to bankrupt the country, but the status quo doesn’t care, they just want their part of the pie, to hell with the rest.
It is sad to see people who have worked all their lives to provide for their family’s and when they are not able to work anymore have to live on $1000 a month or less. They do it because they have no choice. I don’t pretend to know the answer, but I don’t believe this country can continue with the same policies that have been going on. Maybe I am delusional , I keep remembering how things were when I was growing up and how they are now. There is no comparison.
I agree with you. Once people thought that they could work and save for their retirement, but those days are gone since the advent of NAFTA and other job killing policies of our liberal government.
Thanks to NAFTA, my job was outsourced to Mexico. My last assignment was to go to Mexico and train my replacement. When I returned, I was forced to take early retirement.
Everyone can save for their retirement. It just takes dicipline and living within a budget.
Good luck to you and your family. I’m hoping Trump will be able to do what he wants to do and bring jobs back and keep jobs like you had from leaving the country. We don’t manufacturer anything any more in this country. It’s hard to find something made in the USA. The things we do make cannot compete, price wise, with the stuff made in China or anywhere else for that matter. If Trump can impose a tariff on goods coming into this country, it will make our goods more competitive and people will buy more American made goods which will create jobs and boost the economy.
Stores like Walmarts biggest selling points when they first started was they were selling nothing but American made goods. It wasn’t long until they realized they could not compete with stores selling foreign goods. Now you can’t find any American made goods in Walmart. They were forced by the lower cost of China and other countries goods to almost completely stop selling American made products. The same thing is happening all over the USA. If we don’t change the way we are going, we will not have a country for long..
Medicaid. food stamps, heating assistence, rent assistence, untility assistence, Lifeline telephones …
Prior to WW II there was a long period of poverty.
After WWII there was a separation between the haves and the “have not much”. No one saw the “have not much” because they were blind.
Now we have returned to the “have not much” only there are far more of them.
The percentage of haves to have-nots really is not all that different. There is just more people.
Well spoken!!
Ignorance is bliss.
Keep buying those foreign goods.
Keep blaiming someone else for the bad judgements you make.
Have been sold a bill of goods.
Why woukd they buy cat food? Are you crazy?
No, darling they qualify for welfare cash benefits, Medicaid. food stamps, heating assistence, rent assistence, untility assistence, Lifeline telephones …
You’re the one sold a bill of goods. You don’t know a thing about what you’re sprouting. And yes, they do buy/eat cat food. Crazy? Only you for believing this doesn’t take place in the U.S.A. today. Take a few months living in the “Ghetto’s” on their level, see exactly how they live & survive. I add, the benefits you cite, vary widely throughout the country. There are also limits in duration on welfare, food stamps, etc.
So darlin’, it’s obvious you’re just blowing smoke, perhaps trying out for a job in the new disinformation field come January. You haven’t real world experience in these maters, otherwise you wouldn’t have continued this charade. Enough is enough.
Actually, dog food is not only less expensive, it is also far more palatable than cat food.
Dog food is on the impoverished menu.
Skip the sensationalism. You will make a lot more converts without it.
The poor also have access to Food Stamps, welfare, food banks, food donations and cooked meals provided by various organizations.
Limits on welfare duration do not apply to the disabled or elderly. In areas where unemployment is very high, those limits have been suspended.
“Why should we be cop’s in the world?”
We have 200 military bases around the world which we can not afford to fund.
NATO countries refuse to pay their fair share, so why should we shoulder the cost for these parasites?
Furthermore, why should we continue to shoulder the cost of the U.N.?
It is no wonder we are $20 trillion in debt.
Do we really have 200 military bases or do we have 200 places where our military are stationed. Such places as Embassies are not really bases.
We are probably 20 million in debt because of the retirement plans we have as well as some other expenditures which are not visible. We also like to have other nations borrow money at low interest rates like China.
Currently we are the leader of the world and we wish to control the way the world operates.
We also do not pay as much in taxes as some other nations pay.
Due to the past we allowed unlimited European immigration and had slavery we had a requirement for much manual labor and we were doing well.
Now we need highly skilled worker and we are having trouble retraining our workers. We have far more individuals than the small nations we are compared to.
Current and future generations will be saddled with the $20 trillion dollar national debt that was thrust upon us by Obama and his minions.
Blah, blah, blah …
National debt is cumulative.
Congress spends the money.
Learn how your government functions.
“Even low paying jobs are better than no jobs.”
Why should we settle for low paying jobs?
Thanks to NAFTA, my job was outsourced to Mexico. My last assignment was to go to Mexico and train my replacement. When I returned, I was forced to take early retirement.
The TPP trade deal will outsource even more American jobs.
Every time you buy a foreign made product, you are sending jobs our of the country.
Not when you live in the only moder, indistrializes country that allows people to die because they cannot afford to buy medixal care
It is possible because of the separation of this nation into 50 separate sovereign states we do have such conditions.
What other modern industrialized country is like ours.
America’s problems are greed, selfishness, hate … The spew towards the ACA is a prime exampls.
If Eisenhower could have had his way, National Health Care would have gone into place during his administration.
Keep in mind that SSR is not the only SS tax you pay. You also pay into Social Security Disability Insurance.
You should be Secretary of the Treasury, or teach economics in high school, or in college.
Congress spends the money. Maybe, you should not have quite school.
If you live to the age of 80, you will have gotten more out than you paid in.
Invest it? You mean end up with nothing when the entire investment world went South in the not so distant past?
I didn’t lose all of my money in the last crashes. Yes I lost some however depending your age and whether your investments were high or low risk is how much was lost. However I would rather trust where I have some control because eventually the wolf call there will be no social security for those in the future may just become true . As Instated previously those who can’t fight their way out of a paper bag could opt to stay in. Those who cab manage their money better, and I would bet most individuals could do it much better. The premise above that stated our government would crash and burn if we gave control over to the people is not a good one.
The Social Security lie has been put to bed repeatedly.
Maybe you should do more research and educate ypurself wth valid fact.
Lyndon Johnson(Democrat) transferred money from the social security trust fund to the general revenue fund to cover the cost of the Viet Nam war.
Since then, the social security fund is an underfunded I.O.U. from the federal government.
Also, it doesn’t help that people who never contributed are eligible for benefits. (refugees and their parents)
Originalone is talking about expansion of Medicare, not Medicaid. Medicare has been around since 1965 and is taken out of payroll taxes, but currently only people age 65 or older, or people on disability are eligible. Bernie Sanders talked about Medicare for all, and there was actually a bill put before Congress on it, but it failed because the bill wanted to require everyone to be under only Medicare, and it would have excluded private insurance. I like the idea of opening Medicare to any citizen, not limiting the age, and ending Medicaid. Medicaid was expanded under Obamacare, and it is supposedly only for the indigent, yet we the taxpayers are paying for it. This is why many people are upset with Obamacare because the same taxpayers who are paying for the subsidies and expansion of Medicaid are getting none of the benefit and only higher premiums. In fact, this past year alone, the cost of Medicaid per person has risen by 49%, which is much higher than the Obama Administration expected (of course). And, who pays for that? The taxpayers. That’s why we have $20 trillion in national debt, because there are a lot of growing expenses that the Obama Administration underestimated the cost for that keeps getting added to the debt. I agree with originalone that a smarter idea would be to eliminate Medicaid and put all of the money being used for the subsidies and Medicaid towards Medicare, then put the indigent on Medicare, and have Medicare compete with other private national plans so that people have choices and not just be limited to Medicare. That would be a much better plan than keeping Obamacare and Medicaid.
Some excellent suggestions! Re-instituting Glass-Steagall should be the number one effort–that and elimination of crazy things like: Credit Default Options/Swaps, Collateralized Debt Obligations (CDO), Derivatives, etc, etc.
Closely coupled to overhaul of banking is the overhaul of the tax code. Elimination of write-offs for financing of mega-mergers is a must–tax-games of hundred billion dollar deals with a net employee loss makes no sense…
KUDOS, at least there is another who sees beyond the B.S. that is put out by the 1% to fool the other 99%.
“Medicare for everyone.” That should include the 3 branches of the government.
Good for whom?
For Americans. Not others.
WALL ST JOURNAL WAS ANTI TRUMP. LIKE FIX NEWS THE MASTERS OF SUBTLE SABOTAGE. HALF OF FIX NEWS IS ANTI TRUMP.
For those of you scumbag protesters that can’t handle our new president. COMMIT SUICIDE!!!!!!!!
What new President?
The Electoral College Elects the President.
They do not vote until December 18.
The converation went something lome this: How can we make the rich much wealthier?
I think President Elect Trump needs to repeal all of Obamacare, period. If he likes the two features he talks about put them in his new plan. The problems with Obamacare are not that it is to expensive. There are so many other things in the plan that take away the freedoms of freedom loving Americans. Such as death panels, no care after you are over a certain age, death counseling, the questionnaire you fill out when you go to the doctor that has nothing to do with the problem you are having. These all infringe on your freedom. There are many more in the thousands of pages of regulations in this bill. Repeal it all and start over. It was sold using all lies and we know that. Gruber said so. Obama lied about it, Pelosi lied about it. Hillary lied about it. Anything the LIberals do has nothing to do about what they are selling you. It has all to do about controlling you. Read the fine print. If you need a magnifying glass to see it get one.
There is no such things as a death panel.
Medicare becomes the promary insurer at age 65,
the ACA did not change that.
Not one thing in your post is factual or true.
The liar is you.
All of the Obama care rules are carried into Medicare. Try to get a knee replacement at age 70. The medical system under Obama will not allow you to get one. They have you spending all kinds of money on remedies that last for a week. AK Lady have you been to a doctor lately? You cannot deny it was sold by lying to the American people. That is a truth and a fact.
Don’t waste your time talking to AK she’s no Lady —a liberal Troll
Block her
That’s what I did a long time ago. I haven’t seen one of her dumb comments for a long time. Sure is nice.
Me too. What an air head!
How do you block her? That would be great. She’s a know nothing troll who spews crap as if it were fact.
Move your cursor to the right of her post and you should see a small down arrow. Click on the arrow and you will be given the option to block.
Click on block and her posts will be blocked.
Thank you!
I already blocked the bitch.
by the time Trump hands over to Russia all of our military secrets, we won’t need to worry about life or health insurancce, after the first nuclear attack by Russia most of USA will cease to exist and most of us will be ash or wish we were, by then Trump and his family will be living freely in Russia !!!!
Get a grip – Trumps not handing anything over To Russia or any other country- Unlike Obummer he will rebuild our military. He will follow our Constitution something Obama ignored repeatedly. Killery sold you yet another lie and being a gullable bastard you bought it hook line and sinker. Your Party has lost its way and your not only gullable but can’t tell
An honest candidate from a corrupt and lieing candidate. You wonder why your Party lost : It could not have come at a better time that people really start to realize the Dems do not serve everyday Americans; nor are they our friends who care for us! They will lie, cheat, steal, take bribes, allow our enemies to get stronger as we get weaker BY THEIR HAND, and they will destroy people or have those they consider threats to their warped version of the ‘greater good’ put ‘away’, one way or another (Vince Foster, Ron Brown and many others)! They consider God and our Constitution as obstacles to their twisted agenda as both the Diety and the Document both hold them to account for their actions. Republicans are not perfect but with our assistance we can move them to where they are serving U.S. and a greater future, one with Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness as the main points of focus! Now, if we can only get the numbers required to push back all the Illegal and terrorist voters which they are trying to add to their ill-gotten voter contingent.
The democratic platform has done way to much dammage to our country and those within to ever trust that platform again. The icing on the cake was their selection of a devout Muslim ( OBummer) to serve as our POTUS ( Who swore to be a Christian- nonsense). And now they want to put the most corrupt and lieing candidate
To ever run – Hildabeast in charge. Their is no end to their corruption and destruction to our values/constitution/Allies. They promote: gay rights, abortion ( responsible for 100 million deaths of fetuses), athiesm ( taking God out of America),illegal immigration, Muslim immigration (people who will try to destroy our way of life- sharia law), socialism ( sponsor is Sorros), communism, ignoring our constitution ( all swore to support it before taking public office), world order/takeover, corruption, and cheating at the polls to get their ways— they are the “SATIN” within America and have lost their way. No wonder a record amount of democrats are abandoning this platform by the thousands after showing its ugly head.
Lib Troll!
It’s too late. Hillary has already handed over all our military secrets to Russia and anyone else who hacked her e-mails.
This is GOOD NEWS. I supported him from the beginning, but have had a few punches to the gut about the WALL, about Not Deporting, About joining Preibus and Ryan, to whom are pathetic conservative progressive RINOs and then the clincher was the comment he made about the Clinton’s: They are good people and I don’t want to hurt them” WHAT!
My suggestion: STOP AL WELFARE TO ILLEGALS. CUT OFF ALL FUNDS. Any able bodied person works and if they aren’t and are collecting from the system, because it’s easier and better pay, make then work for the city they live in to supplement their WELFARE CHECKS
Would certainly help our own country first
“STOP
It is no secret that the southern U.S. border is open, allowing
thousands of people to pour into the country illegally. Ironically,
Congressmen on both sides of the aisle in Washington are not inclined or
don’t have the will to do anything about it. Although most support
legal immigration, there are huge differences on how each side believes
illegal immigrants and the security of our borders should be handled.
Liberals generally support amnesty for those that enter the U.S.
illegally. They also believe that ―undocumented immigrants‖ should have
all the educational and health benefits that citizens receive including
financial aid, welfare, social security, and Medicaid.
Conservatives are against amnesty for those who enter the U.S.
illegally. They believe that those who break the law by entering the
U.S. illegally do not have the same rights as those who enter legally
and obey the law. They also believe that the Federal Government should
do a better job enforcing current immigration laws.
Whether you call them ―illegal immigrants‖ or you call them
―undocumented immigrants, the undisputed fact remains that when a person
crosses the border without the proper authority, he/she is breaking
U.S. immigration law. Just to be clear, there may be some immigrants
that had green cards (or other legal authority) that either did not
renew or replace an expired or lost card. This would be analogous to
someone who let their driver‘s license expire and then proceeded to
drive a car. They would be doing so illegally. Nevertheless, to put
all illegal immigrants into the undocumented immigrant category is
ludicrous.
It is estimated that there are between 11 and 30 million illegal
immigrants in the country and that they account for 13.6% of all crime
in the United States. No matter where you stand on this issue, the
facts show that the direct and indirect financial costs are enormous.
The following 2013 statistics were extracted from the website
fairus.org.1 Illegal immigration costs U.S. taxpayers about $113
billion a year at the federal, state and local level. Most of the costs
(around $84 billion) are absorbed by state and local governments. That
amounts to an average of $1,117 per household. The variance per
household is higher or lower depending on the demographics of illegal
alien populations. Education costs absorbed by state and local
governments are estimated at $52 billion annually. Although illegal
immigrants that work are required to pay income tax, most don’t. Those
that do get much of it refunded because they are in such a low income
bracket.
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, illegal immigrants
residing in the U.S. send $50 billion back to their home countries each
year.2 When you include legal immigrants, The World Bank estimates the
amount to be $120 billion.3 That is money that is not put back into the
U.S. Economy.
What are you talking about?
STOP?
Cut off the illegals and build the wall and further make it impossible to get funded for commuting a Crime against the country and when found ship their doors asses back home.
The first sentence should have read as follows:
“STOP AL WELFARE TO ILLEGALS. CUT OFF ALL FUNDS”
why are we taxed so much and receive so little ? answer: democrats, big government and a lust for getting into other countries problems, creating wars. we need to fix ourselves first before any thing else.
PLEASE >>>>Why don’t all of the NON-HEALTHCARE elements of this nightmare law ever brought up and discussed.?
Horrible increases in all kinds of taxes that are ALREADY IN EFFECT as of the beginning of this year. These elements are disastrous and should be spoken of as few among us know anything about them…..but will be in for a huge surprise when they file their ’16 taxes or should someone die or sell some stocks. WAKE UP !!
I do not believe that you can’t craft a healthcare law retaining the pre-existing clause and the dependant coverage to age 26 provision without keeping other parts of Obamacare. The law can be crafted any way congress wants it. That’s why repeal and replace works. Much of what Obama did by executive order can be erased easily.
Trump may just come up with his own health plan and include whatever parts of Obamacare he likes or parts of any other health plan he likes. He could do that without endorsing Obamacare. The parts of Obamacare he likes are things that he may have included in his health plan anyway.
Readers should know that the WSJ editorial board is separate from the news department. Often it expresses opinions that may be contrary to the actual news but readers may accept them as if they were news.
ACA is not about poor people getting something for nothing. Rather, those of us who pay our own medical bills have been subsidizing those who bought sham policies that didn’t actually pay for anything. It is not just that the minimum requirements of ACA raised prices for them. They should DAMN WELL have been taking responsibility and any subsidy should have come from ALL taxpayers, not just other hospital users.
Those who favor financial deregulation pretend that the Duh-bya recession never occurred. Primary support comes from the Wall Street insiders whom Mr. Trump falsely promised to fight.
Mr. Trump lies when he says “I can borrow money”. Outside of Russian loan-sharks, there was only one Swiss bank that would loan hum money. It required collateral with tangible title whose value could be independently verified. That is because Mr. Trump had been claiming ownership of properties whose actual owners had granted him a small percentage in exchange for the use of his name.
“ACA
is not about poor people getting something for nothing. Rather, those of us who
pay our own medical bills have been subsidizing those who bought sham policies
that didn’t actually pay for anything. It is not just that the minimum
requirements of ACA raised prices for them”
I believe you may be mistaken in your statement or I do not understand what you are saying.
The ACA provides insurance to those individual who do not buy private insurance thru their employers or independently. The insurance cost to those who buy insurance independently is based on whatever the insurance company calculate the expense (cost) plus profit will be.
There are many individuals capable of purchasing there own insurance and not needing a subsidy; however there cost are not impacted by the insurance for Affordable Care participants. The only difference today is all insurance policies must meet certain standard, which made them cost more.
Individual, who buy insurance thru the Exchanges, have a separate rating established based on the anticipated participation of members. The government then assist the insured based on their income and the money is taken from the taxes that all uninsured individuals pay or from the government general fund if necessary.
There have been far too many misstatements about the Affordable Care Act. The 18 to 20 states that refused to participate in the special medicaid subsidy program are the equivalent of criminals denying medical care to their citizens.
Finally, when you say poor people getting something for nothing, it implies something wrong; however when rich people get tax write offs it is not described as something for nothing.