justin_o_guy2 wrote on 02/13/18 at 09:16:52:


maybe....
a lot of people prepaid taxes under the old tax law to avoid not having the write offs after the new tax law eliminates them.

the new tax law hasn't really gone into full effect yet.  

so there's a lot more going on than just unemployment going down, like it has been for the last 9 years

The prepaid taxes would have landed in the December total, wouldn't it?

As the raw numbers appear to say, the tax code change has brought money in that Should, IMO, call into question the forecast for the change causing a 1.5 trillion dollar deficit. Some of those dollars are taxes paid on the repatriation costs of corporations bringing cash home. The end result OF those dollars coming home and the business friendly environment that is now created should be increased jobs And manufacturing.
That's a societal and national economy boost. The more exports, the fewer imports. That takes money off of one side of the ledger and puts it on the other. A true Win Win. The jobs building the new products to export creates employment for support structure. The employees spend their earnings. They buy stuff. The store has to have employees to sell the things to the people who are the newly employed beneficiaries of the newly created manufacturing plant.
Just as the trade deals destroyed jobs and the lost revenue drove increased taxes, slowly choking the economy, this is the beginning of reversing that cycle.

The budget is YUGE. I haven't read it, but how it could possibly be good escapes me.
As for
More military spending,, I would say
Why? America spends more than the combined total of quite a few countries. Nobody comes close.
I wonder if we haven't gotten so enamored with technology that we are spending more money to use the newest, most cutting edge, unproven Whiz Bang technology and turning our backs on effective equipment. I kinda think some of these high level military people want to spend our money to fund a project that will make them wake up in the morning feeling important. The F35 comes to mind.

I wonder if an updated A10 wouldn't be a great investment.
I thought the F 16 and 15 were really good planes.
And Why Are we in so many countries?
Why are we in Afghanistan?
It looks to me like we are the aggressor in these recent wars. IDK WHY we have Done these things, but the crap we were told was the reason wasn't it.

Hyperlink? Not sure what you call it, but the article has a blue text area that goes here.

https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsreports/rpt/mthTreasStmt/current.htm


I'm not loading the pdf. I figure if they link to the source, they didn't lie, but if I was skeptical, I'd hit the pdf.

I read about the January thing.
I don't see the amounts.
I forgot the number of January surplus versus deficit. In , IIRC, 13 years it was a six down and seven up record?
I don't think they quite gave enough information to really evaluate the meaning of it. They did mention the quarter, and it looked pretty good. It's just the beginning, and I think the budget is a big mistake. Cutting social programs is gonna cost him. Especially while he is pumping the military up.
Get the economy up and the social safety nets will be unburdened. It's just dumbernshit IMO.

I haven't changed.

Let me expand on my answer.
My attitudes and opinions, how I examine things and come to conclusions hasn't changed.
What has changed is there is finally someone who doesn't necessarily agree, but will explain WHY not without being a snot. I've been waiting for someone to come along who can hear something they don't agree with and talk about it .
That's been missing for a long time.
So, I'm not so frustrated and I'm not Being someone who I don't want to talk to.
There's more to say, nuance, etc, but I hope that's enough.

FormerlyLostArtist wrote on 02/14/18 at 10:42:27:


I hope you field this question without assigning it anything more than I'm just curious......

Why would you leave a place, based on the actions of another, if you like the place to begin with?

Sorta reminds me of "white flight" or the "anti" freedom extending to others beliefs and views at Berkeley, etc.

I think its fair for me to "assume" you really don't know the "real" Jog, only a perception of him based upon his "perceived" opposing views and beliefs.....
And that is enough for you to what, not engage?

I see this as part of a problem, as to why so many folks allow other to dictate a narrative, like the media, and to take advantage of it, for their OWN personal gain.

I believe understanding(s) begin with dialogue, and hopefully we find more in common, that bridges can be built, upon those understandings, and our focus shifts to being positive of others, instead of trying to destroy, others.
I feel we have historical evidence, to show the effect, and result, from that kinds of mentality, a lose, lose, scenario.

Hope you do not take offense to this post, I am merely asking you straight up, if you can enlighten me.....thanks.