Mega-Thread: 2020 United States General Election

[Kaleredar]

No one really had immense taxes ever. And spare me the 91% marginal tax rate. That was on taxes in excess of multi millions back then. Rich were still filthy rich. There was a much better thriving middle class becasue business owners decided to reinvest into their business instead of paying high marginal tax rates. So the working class made more and had much greater buying power, which just fueled the economy. It all came crashing down around Regan when he cut taxes on the rich and the top marginal tax rate by almost 50%, he had to bilk the working class by raising their taxes 11 times including doubling the payroll taxes that only working class pays.

I'd say a return to a 90% tax on top earners, whilst lowering taxes on everyone else, would be a great thing to do.

Those 90% taxes were effective throughout the 40s, 50s, and 60s... usually the time period that republicans point to as being the "height of the American dream" and the halcyon days they yearn to return to.

Obviously the 90% tax on top earners didn't "stifle business" back then. Probably because the notion of trickle down economics is and always has been horseshit.

Of course, any such legislation would need to be extremely robust and be concurrent with a massive inquisition into tax law to crush and otherwise remove loopholes.

[Zaydin]

It's hard to be optimistic about America's future, because even if we do elect Biden, we might get someone as evil or more evil than Trump, but more competent.

This country can't make any meaningful progress towards issues like healthcare, education and climate change, because we'll just elect another Republican who will undo everything the previous president did.

There is no way Biden is going to be as bad as Trump.

Worst case scenario with Biden is that we have an average President for four years.

Worst case scenario if Trump gets reelected is that we might not have a country in four years.

[CastletonSnob]

There is no way Biden is going to be as bad as Trump.

Worst case scenario with Biden is that we have an average President for four years.

Worst case scenario if Trump gets reelected is that we might not have a country in four years.

I meant the next Republican president might be as evil or more evil than Trump, but more competent.

[Draco-Onis]

I meant the next Republican president might be as evil or more evil than Trump, but more competent.

Joe Biden is our time out for one term maybe two, in the mean time a lot can change in 4-8 years. If the democratic party has any sense they will pursue the Trump administration after they leave office and beat the republicans over the head with it so that they are forced to change or die as a party.

I do share some of your fears that Trump would be brushed off as an anomaly and safeguards won't be put in place for the next nut job.

[SirBeef]

I'd say a return to a 90% tax on top earners, whilst lowering taxes on everyone else, would be a great thing to do.

Those 90% taxes were effective throughout the 40s, 50s, and 60s... usually the time period that republicans point to as being the "height of the American dream" and the halcyon days they yearn to return to.

Obviously the 90% tax on top earners didn't "stifle business" back then. Probably because the notion of trickle down economics is and always has been horseshit.

Of course, any such legislation would need to be extremely robust and be concurrent with a massive inquisition into tax law to crush and otherwise remove loopholes.

Again it was only 91% after a certain level if income was reached. I'd have to looki it up but there were even marginal tax rackets as well so you didn't reach that 91% until you made significantly over the first marginal tax bracket.

But the conservatives love to claim it as a high burdensome tax ignoring that those that paid it were still taking home millions of dollars.

[Felya]

I meant the next Republican president might be as evil or more evil than Trump, but more competent.

If you consider that one of the major flaws of Trump is that he is incompetent. That the stupid conspiracy theories and egotism, is due to his incompetence. If that’s the case, as long as the candidate is at least competent, they will be better than Trump. I don’t foresee the possibility of anything lower than Trump... It’s not like Kid Rock and Kanye West will be president... right? Oh lord, we are fucked...

[RadasNoir]

I meant the next Republican president might be as evil or more evil than Trump, but more competent.

If anything, going from Bush Jr. to Trump, there seems to be a downward trend in competence. I don't think "competence" is something the Republicans can sell to the more rabid side of their voter base. It's boring. Those kind of folk need to see the spittle fly from their candidate's mouth, as they rant about the evils of the Democratic Party and its supporters.

[Felya]

If anything, going from Bush Jr. to Trump, there seems to be a downward trend in competence. I don't think "competence" is something the Republicans can sell to the more rabid side of their voter base. It's boring. Those kind of folk need to see the spittle fly from their candidate's mouth, as they rant about the evils of the Democratic Party and its supporters.

That’s true as well... The tact with Bush built up to Trump. We went from Bush seeming like a guy you could have a beer with, to Trump seeming like a guy you could march screaming “blood and soil” with... It’s about seeing the candidate as someone who makes you comfortable, to be you... be that a drunkard or a Nazi...

[Draco-Onis]

That’s true as well... The tact with Bush built up to Trump. We went from Bush seeming like a guy you could have a beer with, to Trump seeming like a guy you could march screaming “blood and soil” with... It’s about seeing the candidate as someone who makes you comfortable, to be you... be that a drunkard or a Nazi...

Well they are floating Tucker Carlson as the next president so they are going all in on the racism.

[Ghostpanther]

There is no way Biden is going to be as bad as Trump.

Worst case scenario with Biden is that we have an average President for four years.

Worst case scenario if Trump gets reelected is that we might not have a country in four years.

I heard that a lot right after he was elected. 3 and half years later and we still have a great country. The US has endured far worse challenges than we have had recently and came out of them even stronger in some cases.

[Thee ANCOM]

I heard that a lot right after he was elected. 3 and half years later and we still have a great country. The US has endured far worse challenges than we have had recently and came out of them even stronger in some cases.

the US's economy is about to bottom out like it hasn't since 1929.
the COVID crisis that Trump botched in typical Trumpian fashion.
the fact that it's only thanks to how strong the US's institutions are that this country hasn't gone the way of the Weimar republic, yet.

[Felya]

I heard that a lot right after he was elected. 3 and half years later and we still have a great country. The US has endured far worse challenges than we have had recently and came out of them even stronger in some cases.

Nearly 140000 dead Americans, because Trump treated demands for action, as a hoax attacking him. It took Trump 6 months to wear a mask, because Trump chose to make it a wedge issue. Right now, Trump is demanding school children return to class, while removing his friends from jail, because covid is too dangerous.

As I said already, Trump started his presidency with his muslim travel ban. He is ending his term, with a travel ban on US. We went from imposing travel bans, to having them imposed on us... in less than 4 years.

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the US's economy is about to bottom out like it hasn't since 1929.
the COVID crisis that Trump botched in typical Trumpian fashion.
the fact that it's only thanks to how strong the US's institutions are that this country hasn't gone the way of the Weimar republic, yet.

The fact that there is such opposition to Trump, is why cases of covid are not worse. If everyone listened to Trump, we would be fucked. We are sacrificing for Trump supporters, while they call us antifa terrorists.

[Thee ANCOM]

The fact that there is such opposition to Trump, is why cases of covid are not worse. If everyone listened to Trump, we would be fucked. We are sacrificing for Trump supporters, while they call us antifa terrorists.

becasue they're fascists, the republican party overwhelingly loves an open authoritarian. most of the conservatives I've seen on here push fascist narratives and talking points. it's absolutely terrifying.

[Felya]

I heard that a lot right after he was elected.

I remember all the doomsday warnings about Ebola. How many died total?

Did Trump Call for Obama to Resign After Ebola Doctor Returned to U.S.?
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/tr...a-ebola-tweet/

Tell me more about these people with doomsday warnings and who you were listening to, when Trump was elected and now? Nearly 140000 dead, which you didn’t take seriously, since Trump lied about Ebola. You still believed him that covid was just the flu and would end in April. 4 more years? WTF?

[Kaleredar]

Again it was only 91% after a certain level if income was reached. I'd have to looki it up but there were even marginal tax rackets as well so you didn't reach that 91% until you made significantly over the first marginal tax bracket.

But the conservatives love to claim it as a high burdensome tax ignoring that those that paid it were still taking home millions of dollars.

Well, yeah, the 90% on top earners, not on “everyone.”

Unfortunately republicans have been able to paint such taxation as “class warfare” in the minds of many and have made it so people who will never, ever earn that much money in their lives are “concerned about it being unfair.” The line about poor conservatives feeling they’re “ not poor, but merely temporarily embarrassed millionaires” applies here.

If the democrats wanted to pitch such a thing, they need to pitch it simultaneously with a proportional lowering of everyone else’s taxes, to be made up for by the hike on the top earner’s taxation. And the aforementioned sealing of loopholes.

[Rasulis]

https://twitter.com/PpollingNumbers/...38023489908739

I have said it before. About half of TX oil & gas & support employers are from out of state. Right now, due to lack of jobs, they are leaving TX in drove going back to their home states. So, until oil & gas employment recover his numbers in TX will get worse and worse as his support base is thinning out.

On top of that, Midland – Odessa, the heart of TX shale industry, is being hit hard by Covid-19. Abbot already said he is very close to shutting the Midland – Odessa economy to keep the virus from spreading. Also, don't forget TX cattle industry. It is bleeding red ink like crazy right now.

[Felya]

I have said it before. About half of TX oil & gas & support employers are from out of state. Right now, due to lack of jobs, they are leaving TX in drove going back to their home states. So, until oil & gas employment recover his numbers in TX will get worse and worse as his support base is thinning out.

On top of that, Midland – Odessa, the heart of TX shale industry, is being hit hard by Covid-19. Abbot already said he is very close to shutting the Midland – Odessa economy to keep the virus from spreading. Also, don't forget TX cattle industry. It is bleeding red ink like crazy right now.

Oh shit... just don’t tell Trump it’s the one in US and he will handle it. How is Moscow, Idaho doing? I think they can use similar tact if they are in trouble...

[Zan15]

I heard that a lot right after he was elected. 3 and half years later and we still have a great country. The US has endured far worse challenges than we have had recently and came out of them even stronger in some cases.

we had a great country the whole time Obama was in office, bush, Clinton, etc etc.

This bullshit sheep mentality you TrumpBots fell for was downright ridiculous. If any democrat ran on a platform that America wasn't Great you guys would have attacked him as a socialist, communist and a hater of America. Wait you did that for 8+ years already....but trump is a patriot a real American!!!


As for the last 3 years, man you really have your head in the sand don't you???

It took global war and the almost total collapse of the financial system in America to be worse than are currently....

[Thee ANCOM]

we had a great country the whole time Obama was in office, bush, Clinton, etc etc.

part of the reason we got Trump is becasue of neo-liberals like Obama, who continued and expanded the drone program, never went after wall street after the 08' crash, deported thousands of people and threw the ones who are supposed to hold our government to account under the bus. none of those people you listed, least of all GWB desserve to be deffended.

[Zan15]

part of the reason we got Trump is becasue of neo-liberals like Obama, who continued and expanded the drone program, never went after wall street after the 08' crash, deported thousands of people and threw the ones who are supposed to hold our government to account under the bus. none of those people you listed, least of all GWB desserve to be deffended.

and...so far trump has....
expanded the drone program
Never went after wall street. Just the opposite, gave them a huge tax cut and got rid of regulations that Obama put in place to "go after wall street".
Deportation is less now than under Obama.
etc etc

was not defending them directly was making a point that the current America is the same as it was before Trump, if not worse off. Still a great country even after all that..