back to an endless Republicans war so 30 years in Iran over or under

@joe pockets

 While the top marginal income tax rate is 37%, many ultra-wealthy individuals pay a "true" tax rate of less than 4% on their growing fortunes. Argue all you want but total effective tax rates for the 500 to 1000 wealthiest Americans have declined sharply in recent years, and they now pay a smaller percentage of their true income in taxes than the average American, 

You are conflating income tax and capital gains tax.  The rich that have a huge wage income get taxed at the highest rate.  The folks that sell off assets or investments get taxed t the capital gains rate.  The ones that do not sell but simply let them grow are not taxed.  So, is it realistic to compare it to their total wealth instead of just their income or capital gains?  Just like in the above example -- suppose they did that to you just because you have assets that you are holding.  You do not get a huge break if you are holding huge losses.

For example:

• Top 1%
  • ~37–40% of all federal income taxes
  • Earn ~19–22% of total income
• Top 5%
  • ~60% of all federal income taxes
• Top 10%
  • ~70–76% of all federal income taxes
• Top 50%
  • ~97% of all federal income taxes (implied by IRS distributions)
• Bottom 50%
  • ~2–3% of all federal income taxes

• Top 1%: ~23–26% effective federal income tax rate
• Middle/upper-middle (e.g., 10–5%): ~14%
• Bottom 50%: ~3–4%

So, how much more do you want to shift it?

@joe pockets

 And Trumps tax cuts did nothing but put the country more in debt!…

This is demonstrably untrue.  The refunds show it, the tax burden show it, the economic growth and unemployment pre-2020 demonstrate it, etc.

Even most supply-side economists acknowledge that it boosted business investment and relative wage growth.

But again, you can argue that there was not enough cut in spending.  This is widely agreed upon.  But dealing with Congress you have to have some give and take.  But neither party will cut spending.

So, the next best thing is to help the working class folks -- and that was done.

@joe pockets

 So this leaves us to today with the country’s income disparity has become more unbalanced that creates the presence of high income for mostly the same few and is at the expense of the vast majority with lower income like never before! 

This is always going to be this way.  It is a sign that there is opportunity to grow.  Studies will show that the same income levels rarely have the same folks in them.  People are always going up the income ladder and down it.  This is because of what a great country it is for folks that have ambition and take advantage of it.  This is not to say that you will not always have folks that stay as fast-food workers and such.  But they do not have to.

So, it is misleading to say the gap is growing.  Because it implies folks are staying at the low end and only certain ones are advancing.  This is not the case.

Worse yet it now like never before translates into politics to the point of wealth individuals can openly donate hundreds of millions to put there thumb on the scale to get the government that will help them to protect this imbalance! 

Yessir.  This is a huge problem and is very disconcerting and there seems to be no agreement on wanting to fix it or how to fix it.

@joe pockets

 Agreed both parties tell falsehoods BUT Republican lies are more patiently false and have become a daily epidemic in all facets of cause and effect,sometimes involving a extreme denial of objective truth, particularly in the Trump years! 

Do you really believe this?  Have you seen research on this or is it just your feeling?  

Because I am conservative and might say the opposite just because the untruths are spread much more from a biased perspective by the media and so what is seen and heard are from their agenda-driven views.

But both sides for sure lie, exaggerate, and deceive to get their policies passed.

@joe pockets

 Who is worse off?  The majority of folks are far better off!…….To this I will only say years ago there was a hit song by “ The Happenings “ called, See you in September we’ll let’s try “See me in November” in regards to happy Americans because all indications point towards a real mandate in change in the error that is playing out today! …In 5 months this can sink deeper as head start to fly the cabinet, And Israel get more inpatient in time frame of this nations coming midterm! 

I think folks 'feel' misled a lot of times into feeling worse off than they really are.  It is a cycle, or pendulum, and folks bounce back and forth into electing a new party because of this. 

If folks took advantage of their own personal growth to get ahead -- they could do it.  Think about the folks that are in debt with credit cards and things like that.  Are they taking advantage of raises, increase in tax refunds, to pay the debt off and build wealth for retirement?  Some, yes; but a lot, no.  They take that extra money and go spend it.  Then the cycle grows.

But you are correct that folks will vote how they 'feel' they are doing economically.  I think most folks that are somewhat realize that Republicans are better for the economy.  But a lot of them also realize that the Democrats will cater more to the welfare types of things.  So, you will always have a tug-of-war between folks that are taking advantage of opportunity to grow and those that are simply taking advantage of government.  Then the debt grows still.

I hope duty involves the beach today. 

Quote Originally Posted by thirdperson:

Since start of [trump's] Iran war, cost to taxpayers has reached $51 Billion so far.  However Harvard professor Bilmes estimates total cost is ultimately higher in the long term.  $1 Trillion  added to US national debt in the future.  Huge waste of resources that could be better spend on infrastructure, technology, economic growth and well being of Americans.

@thirdperson

  And as you have accurately pointed out, a double-edged sword:

not only are the wreckless republicans INCREASING spending, but at the same time they are ignorantly REDUCING our main method of revenues.....let alone now being forced to give back $$$ BILLIONS from illegal trump-tariffs. 

This republican "clown circus"  is clearly a detriment to our nation that actually exceeds both the trump-republican covid DISASTER and even the bush-republican GREAT RECESSION!

  uss George Bush rounds the horn of africa passing Madagascar and will be in the region within days,

uss Abraham Lincoln and destroyer group entering the red Sea. as diplomacy breaks down and JD vance return to Washington dc the fleet with now three aircraft carriers and over 40 destroyers are about to engage the region of conflict.....

let's get it on expect oil to move to 180 a barrel and the minor glitch in market will be remedied with Venezuela crude production boost by June....

iranvows all us military personnel captured will die by fire at stake

Washington post reports that reopening strait might take 6 months.  Podcaster Rogan criticizes Trump Iran strategy.  He asks whether we have troops there forever now.  Extending ceasefire makes no sense and national security advisor Bolton agrees with Rogan.  Problem is that Trump is a know it all who does not really know much.

More endless wars, as MAGA braindeads try to argue that tax cuts for billionaires helps you feel better about paying more for everything from gas to food. Yay! 

“Cuba may be next.” - President Dementia J Trump

US ambassador Sondland says Trump faces May 1 deadline on Iran war without congress approval.  Now he is supposed to withdraw US military involved in war.  30 days extension is only for safely withdrawing forces.  Not to wage war indefinitely.  Trump, Johnson and Hegseth falsely claim war ended or ceasefire extends deadline.  However nothing in War powers resolutions law says ceasefire extends deadline.  Despite ceasefire, hostilities  continue with no peace agreement.  US blockade of strait is an act of war.  Trump does not ask congress to declare war because congress is likely to refuse.  But under international law, US war against Iran is an illegal act of aggression.  

everything trump does everyday is an illegal act but republicans dont want to stop him, because they all love riding the trump power train

@thirdperson

 "international law"  lmao.  imaginary law more like it.    

I'm sure everyone has seen the update reports..... 

Trump's abrupt U-turn on plan for Hormuz came after the Saudis (and kuwait) were going to suspend US access to its' bases and airspace.  

So the idea that the Saudis were quietly backing this war on Iran was a complete myth....

Wall street journal reports that Saudi Arabia and Kuwait lift restrictions on US military access to bases and airspace after a phone call.  Gulf countries seem to be  frustrated  over shifts in Trump administration strategy.  Iran sees Saudi Arabia as an US partner in war.

The Saudis are never in fear when we are pulled into the region for multiple decades, they know if there were any whiff of risk the US would rescue them because in large respects we are owned by them and their money/resources have controlled multiple US leaders and the same goes now.

Ive told this story several times but I had friends and co-workers who were in the Nat Guard and were called up for CIA Bushs war, they did several stints as required and came back to tell the stories about the reality of that disaster. This disaster is worse as Iran to me is the worst party to engage with as to their resolve and determination. They told me how the elitist snobs in Kuwait treated them like rental cops like total trash and once the risk had been controlled they dusted our troops and treated them with zero respect. 

I understand CIA Bush because his financial interests with the Saudis so that is why we went there even though Kuwait was horizontal fracking into Iraqi fields and that is why Saddam went after them so in reality Kuwait was in the wrong yet we could not give a rats behind about Iraq or Iran so in we go. With Trump he got snowed by Netty and Jared and likely the large cash holders of those PACS we have discussed so Trump just got used and taken advantage of because he really is not smart at all he has no background or understanding to actually speak with some leaders in the past admins about this Netty nonsense, he is too obtuse and lazy to reach out to Obama or Bush Lite to get some context and understanding....so this massive failure disaster is 100% on him and we are paying the price.

Thank you for your attention on this matter

According to Washington post, CIA reports that Iran is not on the verge of collapse which is contrary to Trump claims.  Iran can survive 3-4 months of US blockade.  Plenty of oil has been shipped before war started.  70% of missiles and 75% of launchers are intact with more being produced.  Embarrassing that stupid Trump appears to be losing to a third world country in a war he should never have started in the first place.

“Plenty” is vague and subjective. There is reporting that Iran stored oil and explored smuggling/alternative transport routes. But “plenty” is vague and subjective. The CIA assessment did not say Iran was economically comfortable; it said the blockade was still causing severe damage.

“Trump appears to be losing…”

That is political interpretation, not an objective intelligence conclusion. The same reporting also says Iran’s military and economy suffered heavy damage.

“a third world country”

That’s rhetorical language, not an analytical category. Iran is generally classified as an upper-middle-income developing state, not literally “third world” in modern geopolitical usage.

These are plainly subjective/political statements: “Embarrassing”, “stupid Trump”, “war he should never have started”.  Those are opinions, not verifiable factual claims.

Intelligence assessments are not guarantees of truth; they are analytical judgments with uncertainty. Also, public wartime claims from governments on all sides are often exaggerated or selective.

Even if the timeframe began around April 13 or so, that is already 1 month into it in a way.  So, if: "Iran could survive a U.S. naval blockade for roughly 3–4 months before facing much more severe economic hardship" -- then it should be having more and more of an effect as time goes by.

So while the analysis was leaked and reported, the rest of the statement mixes those reported facts with political opinion, rhetoric, and speculative interpretation.