Perfect timing to see this RT from one year ago today, especially given all of the people complaining online about the huge tax increases they are seeing as they fill out their tax forms this year, owing taxes instead of getting a refund. https://t.co/lW5UakE3R8
— Jennifer Hayden (@Scout_Finch) February 5, 2019
Tax increases
In conjunction with the tax cuts, the Trump administration adjusted the withholding tables, which is what tells employers how much to withhold from paychecks. As a result, people were getting their tax reduction dribbled out in their paychecks so that it looked like the tax cuts gave them more money ahead of the midterms.
Now the bill is coming due — people are preparing to pay their taxes and realizing that not enough was withheld thanks to the gamesmanship of the withholding tables. It probably won’t have a noticeable effect on the wealthy, whose rates were cut more drastically in the first place and who often aren’t W2 employees.
Now would be a good time to update your W-4 and have more withheld for next year.
The State of the Union?
According to Trump’s base, that 10% of American’s who are functionally illiterate, he’s just fine.
For the rest of us it’s not so hot.
But there were two items in the SOTU speech of note imho.
“America will never be a Socialist country,” Trump stated categorically.
Clearly Trump has no knowledge about or understanding of what Socialism is and what it is not.
If he did he wouldn’t be a Capitalist. (Well, maybe he would be the greedy, corrupt, soulless, bastard.)
Social Security is Socialism.
So are our state and national parks and recreational areas.
Medicare will be Socialism as soon as we eliminate the for-profit health insurance industry and expand patient care.
What Trump does seem to understand, in his gut, is the difference between war and peace.
Peace being the absence of war.
(On a personal note if you hear anybody say that America is currently “at peace” then they are either lying or too dumb to debate.)
What Trump doesn’t understand is how to avoid war.
If he did he would fire Pence, Pompeo, Bolton and Stephen Miller immediately.
These interventionist, warmongers are engaged in an ideological (Capitalist) struggle worldwide which has put Trump on the road to war with Iran and Venezuela.