$1.5 Trillion GOP Tax Cut Thread

[Matty]

If I understood correctly, the House bill could really raise taxes on people like me on graduation tuition waivers at private universities by taxing the waiver as income.  Many of us have very little money and loads of debt, and they want to act like we are high rollers. I should be out by the time this would go into effect, and take limited courses at the moment, but man...

I don't know the details, so I would love if someone could explain this isn't as bad as it sounds.

No, it is just as bad as it sounds.

I'm with you guys on this one. I hope this gets scrapped in the conference committee. It doesn't seem like something that would bring in THAT much revenue, anyway. How many grad students are there as a % of population.

The GOOD news is that this little detail is getting lots of attention (negative attention I may add), and hopefully it scares some house members into scrapping this change.

PS- arch, sorry I was being a turd to you earlier this month. I was going through some stuff and was taking my frustration out on this board.

[Matty]

I'm glad theyre passing it. Only makes 2018 worse for them

Here is a slight historical question. Ignoring whether laws and legislation are good or bad for the people, when was the last time a party in power was significantly *helped* in a midterm by legislation they had passes in the years and months prior to the midterm elections?

Was it 2002, 1998?

[Antonio the Sixth]

I'm glad theyre passing it. Only makes 2018 worse for them

So you care about political wins more than about what actual policy comes out of it. Wonderful.

[Person Man]

I'm glad theyre passing it. Only makes 2018 worse for them

Here is a slight historical question. Ignoring whether laws and legislation are good or bad for the people, when was the last time a party in power was significantly *helped* in a midterm by legislation they had passes in the years and months prior to the midterm elections?

Was it 2002, 1998?

Well, everyone was really excited about their free money in the mail in 2003...but that was all overshadowed by the war. What happened in 1998 besides the GOP being penalized (though they still technically won) for being assholes?

[Matty]

I'm glad theyre passing it. Only makes 2018 worse for them

Here is a slight historical question. Ignoring whether laws and legislation are good or bad for the people, when was the last time a party in power was significantly *helped* in a midterm by legislation they had passes in the years and months prior to the midterm elections?

Was it 2002, 1998?

Well, everyone was really excited about their free money in the mail in 2003...but that was all overshadowed by the war. What happened in 1998 besides the GOP being penalized (though they still technically won) for being assholes?

To be fair, I think 9/11 influenced the 2002 midterms more than anything else. Bush's approvals were still above 50 then.

[Sestak]

Wait what did Flake get that put him on board? Something about DACA?

[Dr. Arch]

If I understood correctly, the House bill could really raise taxes on people like me on graduation tuition waivers at private universities by taxing the waiver as income.  Many of us have very little money and loads of debt, and they want to act like we are high rollers. I should be out by the time this would go into effect, and take limited courses at the moment, but man...

I don't know the details, so I would love if someone could explain this isn't as bad as it sounds.

No, it is just as bad as it sounds.

PS- arch, sorry I was being a turd to you earlier this month. I was going through some stuff and was taking my frustration out on this board.

No problem. Apology accepted

[OSR stands with Israel]

I support letting the bill go to the conference committee and then seeing what comes out of it .

[krazen1211]

Someone is about to get cucked.

[Person Man]

Someone is about to get cucked.

Yeah, Flake and Corker predictably (amd hilariously) already did by Trump.

But we already knew they were eunuchs coming into this.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Senate now voting on Cardin motion to send bill back to committee.

[Matty]

Lankford is supposedly a yes.

When will this thing actually be voted on? Tonight?

[Matty]

At the end of the day, who were the only R senators who actually were willing at any point to vote NO?

Susan Collins
Bob Corker
MAYBE McCain?

I just don't think ojhnson, daines, or flake were ever seriously opposed. They probably orchestrated their opposition to get amendments and changes that McConnell had promised them weeks ago, all for optics of appearing to "fight.

[krazen1211]

If I understood correctly, the House bill could really raise taxes on people like me on graduation tuition waivers at private universities by taxing the waiver as income.  Many of us have very little money and loads of debt, and they want to act like we are high rollers. I should be out by the time this would go into effect, and take limited courses at the moment, but man...

I don't know the details, so I would love if someone could explain this isn't as bad as it sounds.

Don't tax me. Tax that guy behind the tree!

[Person Man]

If I understood correctly, the House bill could really raise taxes on people like me on graduation tuition waivers at private universities by taxing the waiver as income.  Many of us have very little money and loads of debt, and they want to act like we are high rollers. I should be out by the time this would go into effect, and take limited courses at the moment, but man...

I don't know the details, so I would love if someone could explain this isn't as bad as it sounds.

Don't tax me. Tax that guy behind the tree!

Would more revenue be generated by people who can or cannot afford to pay more taxes?

[junior chįmp]

I'm glad theyre passing it. Only makes 2018 worse for them

Here is a slight historical question. Ignoring whether laws and legislation are good or bad for the people, when was the last time a party in power was significantly *helped* in a midterm by legislation they had passes in the years and months prior to the midterm elections?

Was it 2002, 1998?

I have a big book on historical mid term elections and I'm at work now but I'll come back this question later

[Matty]

If I understood correctly, the House bill could really raise taxes on people like me on graduation tuition waivers at private universities by taxing the waiver as income.  Many of us have very little money and loads of debt, and they want to act like we are high rollers. I should be out by the time this would go into effect, and take limited courses at the moment, but man...

I don't know the details, so I would love if someone could explain this isn't as bad as it sounds.

Don't tax me. Tax that guy behind the tree!

Krazen, don't be a hack. This provision needs to be removed. Grad students earn like 25k a year if that. They don't need to see their taxes go up by a large margin.

You can support this bill and also support the conference committee scrapping this small detail.

Although, you seem like someone who would enjoy punished grad students with higher taxes because they are "stupid libtards", which you perceive as a wicked form of a win, even though it violates your principles that all americans should pay lower taxes.

[The Mikado]

At this point, it's going to be 52-48 on straight party line vote. No Dems voting Aye, no Rs voting Nay.

[Santander]

If grad students do not have the means to pursue their studies as gentlemen, perhaps they should study a subject where full funding is the norm? We're not talking about undergrad where you drink and sexually assault your schoolmates at your parents' expense.

[Matty]

At this point, it's going to be 52-48 on straight party line vote. No Dems voting Aye, no Rs voting Nay.

I think 51-49 will be it. Corker will vote No.

He just told a reporter "I don't want to talk about anything. Leave me alone"

He is a defeated man and frankly he comes out of this looking like Trump's b*tch

[Virginiá]

I'm glad theyre passing it. Only makes 2018 worse for them

Here is a slight historical question. Ignoring whether laws and legislation are good or bad for the people, when was the last time a party in power was significantly *helped* in a midterm by legislation they had passes in the years and months prior to the midterm elections?

Was it 2002, 1998?

I have a big book on historical mid term elections and I'm at work now but I'll come back this question later

I think regardless of what happens prior to the midterm, the best barometer to go by is the incumbent president's approval rating. Bill Clinton was super popular in 1998, and everything the GOP did only made him more so, and that lead to a good midterm for Democrats. Likewise, GWB was made exceptionally popular due to a rally-around-the-flag event and that made 2002 good for Republicans. I forget the exact numbers, but Clinton and GWB were sporting mid-high 60s in approvals going into their midterms.

Point being that if Trump still has awful approval ratings in October/November 2018, the GOP is going to get trounced.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

The motion by Sen. Cardin to send the bill back to committee has failed 44-56. If I heard the clerk right, the defections were Gillibrand, Booker, Warren, and Merkley. I will check the official roll call when it's published by the Senate.

[Dr. Arch]

If grad students do not have the means to pursue their studies as gentlemen, perhaps they should study a subject where full funding is the norm? We're not talking about undergrad where you drink and sexually assault your schoolmates at your parents' expense.

That's the thing, they're TAXING the full funding so that we can't afford it. Without that tax, we're already living on scraps, going to food pantries, etc.

[Matty]

I'm glad theyre passing it. Only makes 2018 worse for them

Here is a slight historical question. Ignoring whether laws and legislation are good or bad for the people, when was the last time a party in power was significantly *helped* in a midterm by legislation they had passes in the years and months prior to the midterm elections?

Was it 2002, 1998?

I have a big book on historical mid term elections and I'm at work now but I'll come back this question later

I think regardless of what happens prior to the midterm, the best barometer to go by is the incumbent president's approval rating. Bill Clinton was super popular in 1998, and everything the GOP did only made him more so, and that lead to a good midterm for Democrats. Likewise, GWB was made exceptionally popular due to a rally-around-the-flag event and that made 2002 good for Republicans. I forget the exact numbers, but Clinton and GWB were sporting mid-high 60s in approvals going into their midterms.

Point being that if Trump still has awful approval ratings in October/November 2018, the GOP is going to get trounced.

This is probably true, but trump might be a different animal. We shall see.

I am not saying the following to downplay a dem wave in 2018, but I do wonder if Trump's reelection chances would increase if dems controlled congress and crafted popular legislation he would sign.

[Sestak]

The motion by Sen. Cardin to send the bill back to committee has failed 44-56. If I heard the clerk right, the defections were Gillibrand, Booker, Warren, and Merkley. I will check the official roll call when it's published by the Senate.

Wait why?

Are they just assuming it'll pass and telling them to get it over with?