Oliver just did a pretty interesting episode on Ivanka and Jared. Pretty much spot on how they are perceived (at least to me). Ivanka trying to influence her father to be more moderate, which Oliver said there is no evidence of (anyone know of anything?). After watching some of her interviews, she is such a bullshitter. Never answers any questions and seems to be a walking PR department.

Jared being called this "really smart Harvard guy" when his dad bribed for his admission. Jared also has way more responsibility than I realized. Not sure how anyone can think one person can bring peace to the Middle East and fix everything in the federal government. I guess we will see!

Hi Ari! Miss you in mafia. Hope things are good!

Ari @ 27/4/2017 2:37

Oliver just did a pretty interesting episode on Ivanka and Jared. Pretty much spot on how they are perceived (at least to me). Ivanka trying to influence her father to be more moderate, which Oliver said there is no evidence of (anyone know of anything?). After watching some of her interviews, she is such a bullshitter. Never answers any questions and seems to be a walking PR department. Jared being called this "really smart Harvard guy" when his dad bribed for his admission. Jared also has way more responsibility than I realized. Not sure how anyone can think one person can bring peace to the Middle East and fix everything in the federal government. I guess we will see!

I saw that. I like John Oliver even though he's unpopular here :P

But it was pretty interesting. We have no evidence of anything that Jared or Ivanka think or stand for but there is definitely some kind of perception about it.

I've heard that Ivanka/Jared are butting heads with Bannon and the rest of the alt-right faction within Trump's campaign, but that's about it.

If Jared and Ivanka were moderates and more progressive than Trump, they would have been pushing back waaaaay harder on the climate issue rather than, like...not at all.

JJ @ 27/4/2017 9:00

Hi Ari! Miss you in mafia. Hope things are good!

All going well!

Mostly working so no time for mafia anymore :(

LOL

http://shareably.net/donald-trump-has-a-coke-button-in-the-oval-office-and-twitter-has-officially-lost-it/?utm_content=inf_11_3000_2&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=TSE&utm_source=TSE&tse_id=INF_5aff71c02b1411e7ab1b4bd69f1788b7

http://www.distractify.com/news/2017/04/27/Z18Uiyb/people-troll-trump-illegal-alien?utm_content=inf_11_53_2&tse_id=INF_1095cbf02b7511e7ab1b4bd69f1788b7

vladykins @ 26/4/2017 15:39

What a shitty tax reform plan.

I've only glanced at it, it looks like small business might stop getting screwed so hard, but that deficit, she gonna grooooow.

Primate @ 27/4/2017 20:41

vladykins @ 26/4/2017 15:39 What a shitty tax reform plan. I've only glanced at it, it looks like small business might stop getting screwed so hard, but that deficit, she gonna grooooow.

Small business will get hosed hard, just given the loss of business expense deductions for personal income. That alone is gonna be a hot mess and will be enough to kill the whole concept. Mortgage deductions will become even more of a province of the rich than they currently are. And if you are a small business owner with any medical issues, you might as well just shoot yourself with the medical expense deduction going away.

vladykins @ 28/4/2017 8:03

Primate @ 27/4/2017 20:41 vladykins @ 26/4/2017 15:39 What a shitty tax reform plan. I've only glanced at it, it looks like small business might stop getting screwed so hard, but that deficit, she gonna grooooow. Small business will get hosed hard, just given the loss of business expense deductions for personal income. That alone is gonna be a hot mess and will be enough to kill the whole concept. Mortgage deductions will become even more of a province of the rich than they currently are. And if you are a small business owner with any medical issues, you might as well just shoot yourself with the medical expense deduction going away.

I can see the medical thing, but cutting the rate by 58% has to at least balance out the other. I guess I'll find out in about 12 months if this goes through?


Not that it's in his plan, but I like the idea of a more transparent code. Lower rates without the loopholes. It would keep taxes from being a feaux political lever year after year. Right now the right gets to scream about the tax rate being too high and the left gets to say "see we're sticking it to the man" All the while, that number is meaningless and both sides are protecting the loopholes to keep the cash grab going while the partisan voters eat that shit up.

Primate @ 28/4/2017 9:18

vladykins @ 28/4/2017 8:03 Primate @ 27/4/2017 20:41 vladykins @ 26/4/2017 15:39 What a shitty tax reform plan. I've only glanced at it, it looks like small business might stop getting screwed so hard, but that deficit, she gonna grooooow. Small business will get hosed hard, just given the loss of business expense deductions for personal income. That alone is gonna be a hot mess and will be enough to kill the whole concept. Mortgage deductions will become even more of a province of the rich than they currently are. And if you are a small business owner with any medical issues, you might as well just shoot yourself with the medical expense deduction going away. I can see the medical thing, but cutting the rate by 58% has to at least balance out the other. I guess I'll find out in about 12 months if this goes through? Not that it's in his plan, but I like the idea of a more transparent code. Lower rates without the loopholes. It would keep taxes from being a feaux political lever year after year. Right now the right gets to scream about the tax rate being too high and the left gets to say "see we're sticking it to the man" All the while, that number is meaningless and both sides are protecting the loopholes to keep the cash grab going while the partisan voters eat that shit up.

The rate cut only works for the business side (and moreso, only for businesses that are making enough income that they are hitting the top rate anyway). One key problem is that it will encourage people to leave the money in the business or to find a way to "incorporate" themselves if they are a high income earner. This is a key part of the problem when you have very different corporate and income tax rates.

I'll chat more later but I have to demo an R&D tax tool in a few minutes.

I have gotten a kick out of the media takes with their different biases. NYT and WP basically thinks it's the end of the world. Fox trying to spin it and say it will actually lower the deficit instead of bloating it further. WSJ careful to highlight the positives. Reuters and Forbes seem to offer a fairly balanced take on the good and the bad, plus I love the term "Zombie Tax Plan"

I'm kind of curious how things work with very low taxes, do you just leave construction and infrastructure up to private companies?

Herm @ 28/4/2017 9:55

I'm kind of curious how things work with very low taxes, do you just leave construction and infrastructure up to private companies?

While I'll have to analyze it, the low business taxes won't actually have a huge revenue hit ultimately, since many companies already have pretty low effective tax rates. The brackets on the personal income side are going to swing some things around, with the "middle class" having a bigger burden ultimately.