1984Echoes

Democrats will be all too eager to: 1) Increase the social security income-level taxation amount from wherever it is right now ($125K, or is that an old #?), up to... unlimited would be great but Republicans won't go for that. That resolves funding for social security. If we did indeed have unlimited income-levels, we could actually REDUCE the ss tax RATE which would lower taxes for lower and middle incomes and increase ss taxes ONLY for those above the new breakeven line of the new tax rate/ income-level that matched the old tax rate/ max income level of $125K. 2) Increase min business tax rate from 21% to 24% (the 24% rate is what chambers of commerce REQUESTED in the 2017 tax cuts but for whatever reason Trump-alone demanded it at 21%...). Also, a minimum annual rate of 15% REGARDLESS of prior year loss carry-forwards, etc... They will agree to cutting spending elsewhere if they get these as part of the balanced budget deal. 3) Reduction in Inheritance Tax limits (IE: from $12 mill+ subject to inheritance tax down to $5 mill+ subject to inheritance tax...), as an offset to increased State and Local Tax limits. Etc... They'll bargain. Yes, they'll try to protect as much social spending as they can but... if you mix tax increases with spending cuts that gets bipartisan backing... They'll buy into it.

Trump's big payback: The plot for MAGA's revenge should scare voters straight https://www.yahoo.com/news/trumps-big-payback-plot-magas-140001797.html

They wouldn't. I know these things...

I came from a blue collar family that didn't prize education at all. I was the first to get a college degree. Isn't that true of most Midwest areas? "We're hard-working blue collar people...". And yes, some are in educated families and guide towards higher education rather than blue collar jobs but... Does that make an impact in Christian communities? Hard-work/ blue collar ethic rather than higher ed ethic? Remember also that European Jews were blocked from farming/ other types of blue collar types of jobs... Banking and finance are higher education... that tends to point an entire community in one specific direction...

All they need to do is... Balance the budget. That requires bipartisanship, and both limits on spending AS WELL AS tax increases. Guess who's going to block that from happening? Hint: (it ain't Biden, or Democrats...).

I think what it REALLY says, and this is just my opinion... is that the opinion polls are a year too early. By September of next year Trump will be sinking like a rock as most Americans come to their senses and decide they want Democracy after all rather than the violent fascist dictatorship that ****wad Trump and his scumbag MAGA MF'ers keep promising us.

A 3rd party vote is a vote for Trump. FYI.

Context usually matters... And not everyone is immersed in history to a depth they understand context. So yes... those Germans are definitely precision engineers! 😉

Pete Buttigieg or Gavin Newsome or Lots of other possibilities as well... Have some imagination guys...

With zero Detroit representation (so far)...

I think they are a definite contender for the Super Bowl... As it stands at the moment... IMO... it's between the Chiefs and the Ravens on who represents the AFC...

Does anybody feel "Less Bad" about our game two weeks ago after the Ravens just crushed the Seahawks...?

It's a 2,000 year old antisemitic insult. Seriously, you guys didn't know this? I don't want to try to explain it, it just takes too long with too many examples/ variations/ etc... But they've been known as "moneylenders" (Jesus hates them...), greedy, bankers that Kings were forced to borrow from and then kicked them out of the country so the kings could dismiss all their loans, accused of "controlling the world" through their purse strings.. etc. This is NOT an innocent statement or insult. It's a pointed antisemitic (anti-Jewish more specifically) trope that has beget expulsions/ pogroms/ hatred/ murder/ etc. I'll let the Guardian explain in more detail: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/mar/09/jews-money-antisemitism-judas-shylock-capitalism Here's King Edward's expulsion of Jews from England in 1290 (not primarily over money but took advantage of...): https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/jews-in-england-1290/#:~:text=In 1287%2C in the duchy,community faced the same fate. Following the Statute of Jewry c. 1275, the situation for England’s Jewish community declined further still. In 1287, in the duchy of Gascony (an area of modern-day France under English rule), King Edward ordered the local Jews to be expelled. All their property was seized by the crown and all outstanding debts owed to Jews were transferred to the king’s name. Shortly later, England’s Jewish community faced the same fate. By the time King Edward returned to England in 1289, he was deeply in debt. The next summer he summoned his knights to introduce a steep tax on his people. To make the tax more bearable Edward essentially offered to expel all Jews in exchange. The heavy tax was passed, and three days later, on 18th July 1290, writs (letters) were issued to the sheriffs of every county outlining that all Jews should leave England by All Saint’s Day (1st November 1290). Jews were allowed to take their possessions with them, but the vast majority had their houses forfeited to the king. Jews were forced into moneylending because they were not allowed to do anything else; and Christians were forbidden from usury (charging interest on moneylending): https://daily.jstor.org/licoricia-jewish-medieval-women-moneylenders/ Constant confiscation of Jewish wealth, and dismissal of Jewish loans, in the Middle Ages: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/banking-and-bankers

The problem right now is: Ukraine starts out with 1/3 the population of Russia. And then lost land/ peoples to Russia in 2022. They're currently suffering from a lack of manpower to take on the Russian behemoth. And are in fact complaining (or explaining...) that they don't have enough personnel to man all of the Western equipment that they've received. They're in a difficult spot right now of having had some success in their counteroffensive against Russian forces; but not enough manpower to sustain a push all the way to the Sea of Azov or, in the Kherson Oblast (East of the Dnieper), to block the entrance/ exit to Crimea. Either would give them a tactical advantage against Russia. But...

PS: Also, these are just "National" guesses... I don't know what his particular Arkansas District would break down to...

That part I don't know about...

These are just wildly approximate numbers, but: Dems = 44% MAGA Republicans = 25% Establishment/ Never-Trumpers = 16% (but may vote Republican ANYWAYS) Independents = 15% (These are the swing-voters). UNLESS Establishment/ Never-Trumpers become more committed to NOT Voting Republican because of the fascist danger they (but more specifically: Trump. But they are still enablers of Trump and therefore are just as dangerous to the Constitution of the United States...) pose.

Independents who might vote one way or the other. They're the key. Dems gonna Dem. Maga's going to MAGA. Never-Trumpers are still an unknown at this point: whether they've had enough or are still willing to vote Party, regardless. MAYBE suburban conservative moms who MAY be fed up with Republican policy... That leaves Independents as the key voters to go after.

This also... YouTube?

This is Arkansas only media, correct? Or maybe even not Arkansas, but District. I'm sure he could get that squeezed in somewhere...

But he bypassed those two pretty effectively though, at least from appearances sake...

I have both points of agreement and points of disagreement with this sentiment. Points of agreement: 1) I definitely think the bar has moved up to: How can we win a Super Bowl or 3? I mean, we haven't even won a single playoff game since 1991... but I don't care. I think we're there. 2) I agree that we are probably around 3rd best or so in the NFC; and then we'll have to face most likely a locked and loaded AFC opponent, if we are so lucky as to make it all the way to the SB... I raised this issue after we got crushed by the Ravens. The question was: What are we missing to help us get past the behemoth's of the NFL? 3) I'm in agreement with some of the pieces we are missing: A shutdown CB would be huge for this defense, and needed; and a speed rusher that can close on the QB is also a huge need. I agree we need more than just Hutch. Aside from that, there's always depth guys that can help (like an interior O-Lineman after all our injuries, another WR since Jamo hasn't gotten there yet (and Holmes landed on DPJ for that), a better placekicker if available, and... a long-snapper?!?!). If the price is right. Points of disagreement: 1) And therein lies the rub. I think we are currently arguing over cost/ value. Or Cost-Benefit. 2) If we can't sign Sweat or Young to extensions; there is MORE value in letting Holmes make those picks then losing them for those players. IMO. Before that even: it appears Young would be a terrible culture fit with the Lions: he'd be a wasted draft pick if that is all true and he underperformed badly this season. But the key point to me is: MUST we SELL OUT to get Sweat or Young, THIS YEAR? I believe the answer to that question isno, for several reasons: Starting with: Young and Sweat are NOT all that. Young has health and attitude and scheme-responsible issues. NO THANKS. Sweat is an above-average DE. Great, he would probably improve the team some. But he's not a lethal speed rusher. He's not much different than Hutch. If I'm selling out (1st round draft pick(s), I'm hunting Patrick Surtain II (shutting down an opponent's top receiver), or a pass-rusher that is younger, will stay with the team longer, and more consistently gets to the QB than Sweat. I actually suggested Sweat earlier in the season (a few weeks ago) but I was thinking 3rd rounder or later. To beat his actual trade price? I want Brian Burns or Maxx Crosby... who both ended up not getting traded. I'd rather Holmes use our draft picks to find better, longer term players for the Lions than Sweat or Young. And do we need to push for one of those deals THIS YEAR? That seems to be the urgency of a few in here... But... whilst I believe our Super Bowl window is just starting to open... I don't believe panic moves are needed just yet. And I think Sweat/ Young, at their draft pick cost and future commitment to this team, are panic moves. I am perfectly fine seeing how far we get in the playoffs this year; how far our current cast of characters grows this year (jam-packed with young kids who are still improving/ getting through learning curves). And making adjustments this offseason, including draft, trades, FA signings. I do NOT believe it was worth it to better/beat the trades for either of those two guys. Just my 2 cents. OK... that was $2.98

I'll do you one better: Dear NFL Teams START HIRING EAGLES AND RAVENS ASSISTANTS And maybe Cowboys and 49'ers assistants too, because those guys are REALLY, REALLY GOOD! Those are the best coaches to hire.. So HURRY UP and GET one of them! Move FAST! Get one of them NOW! Before another team does...! I mean, you don't want to lose out... so HURRY and Hire a Ravens/ Eagles/ Cowboys/ or 49'ers coach... You certainly would NOT want to ever, ever, hire a Lions coach...

Another nearby bad choices election results: Venezuelans VOTED for Hugo Chavez and then VOTED for Nicholas Madura. What did the country look like prior to Chavez? What does it look like right now?

And Hitlerism/ Nazism/ Fascism/ Trumpism were all plagues that needed to be defeated. I believe the Theo-Fascist Dictatorship in Iran also needs to be defeated. I believe the Palestinians deserve a state of their own, dignity, and a chance to lead normal lives. But Hamas is a terrorist organization hell-bent on murder. They also need to be defeated. At a high cost, based on their methodology (embedding themselves within Gazan civilians and civilian infrastructure in order to create maximum Gazan casualties to "paintbrush" the Israelis as "bad guys"). But they must be defeated nonetheless. Even at a high cost. And I am not advocating the high cost. I am stating that it is unavoidable. Based on Hamas' philosophy.