December 21, 2017 6:00 AM
Morning Reads – Thursday, December 21, 2017
Astrologers say today will be the worst day of the year.
Peaches
- 2017 was one of the costliest years for weather disasters in Georgia
- Reuters highlights the battle of the 2 Staceys
- Georgia on list for Obamacare extension
- Cagle pushing for state funds to boost law enforcement pay
- 3 former deputies in GA indicted in stun gun death
- Amazon spills beans on lobbyist purpose
- Ex-soliders get bail after 25 years in prison
- Judge rules ATL fire chief’s firing was not Constitutional
Jimmy Carter
- Life expectancy is down for the 2nd straight year
- RNC outraised DNC in record breaker
- A year in review: Trump tweets
Sweet Tea
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Jessica Szilagyi
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Astronomy not astrology on the winter’s solstice arriving this morning at 11:27. Saturn in Capricorn my ass.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/winter-solstice-december-21-what-you-should-know-about-the-shortest-day-of-the-year/
The Daddy Rabbit that started it all. And this guy is buried in Arlington, right? Sigh…
http://people.com/movies/watch-ted-kennedys-life-get-derailed-in-exclusive-chappaquiddick-trailer/
You want U.S. taxpayer aid? Then you better show us a whole lotta love. We should have been doing this since its inception. Better late than never.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-wants-know-names-everyone-184812596.html
So if I understand this correctly: Trump might not sign the tax bill until 2018 because- since it increases the deficit- it will trigger automatic cuts to other programs like Medicare , and by waiting until 2018 to sign it the cuts wouldn’t take effect until 2019. In the meantime, the allegedly fiscally responsible Republicans hope to get Dems to agree to waive the Pay-as-you-go law that would cause the cuts. But the tax cuts wouldn’t be delayed in any case.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/12/why-trump-wont-be-signing-his-tax-cuts-right-away/548906/
If Trump signs the bill into law in January it gives Congress an entire calendar year to keep the Medicare cuts from going into affect. If he were to sign it this month they would have 10 days or less.
This cuts off the argument on cutting Medicare till after the 2018 election, while still being able to show the effects on the weekly reduction on everyone’s payroll deductions. It’s the GOP long game.
Correct. The cuts to Medicare are not a guarantee. The cuts can come from other places and this gives Congress a year to figure it out.
It gives congress a year to figure out how not to take the PR hit on cuts to not only Medicare, but other programs that effect large blocks of their voters, like USDA, Transportation, maybe DOD. The GOP is gambling that if given enough time to feel the first year positives of the tax cuts and learn to except the eventual lose of some of the federal funds that benefit them or losing funds that come down to state and local governments, they will hold the majorities in 2019. It also has the added benefit that if the Dems do get the house or senate in 2019, it is no longer a GOP lead Congress that has to take the responsibility to cut programs, raise the national debit or the adjustments to the tax code to make up for the any loss in tax revenue that doesn’t meet expectations, re-enforcing the party generalizations the GOP cuts your taxes, lowers the debit, etc. while the Dems raise both.
Careful Ellen. You’re feeding GOP messaging. There’s nothing in the record over the past few decades that the GOP lowers the debt. The record is pretty clear that the GOP increases debt.
I don’t know who this Ellen chick is, but Ellynn isn’t feeding anything to anyone. Both major political parties are more then able to message all on their own.
They are going to attach a Paygo repeal onto the short term spending deal for the tax cuts. Thats what I read today.
Right. so the argument is ” We dare you to let Medicare get cut so help us increase the deficit”.
Again, when do democrats ever care about deficits?
Also, the would be cuts to Medicare would be to those able bodied adults who should never have been on Medicare. So, yeah, I’m okay with that.
Can you give an example of the able body who shouldn’t be on Medicare? I’m not being sarcastic, I want to know why they just don’t kick off the people committing fraud or tighten the standards to get the benefits. Seems easier then cutting the funding.
I actually meant Medicaid. The ACA expanded who was eligible for Medicaid to able bodied individuals. The program was designed for moms and kids. Not 27 year old millennials living in their mother’s basement.
So fix the standard. Why cut the funds when you can just tighten the requirements.
So this is where the fight will be had between republicans and democrats. Republicans will do exactly what you said. “Tighten the requirements” to be eligible for Medicaid. We will call that savings. The democrats will call it cuts and murder.
But yesterday was the worst day of the year.
…on the bright side…in 10 days you can start over!!!
Happy Short Girl Appreciation Day!
Human pest control…
http://m.cleveland19.com/story/37107918/homeowner-shoots-and-kills-intruder-on-clevelands-east-side
A set of facts for all the deficit scolds…
1. The US Dollar is issued exclusively by the US Fed at will
2. The US owes all its debts in US Dollars
3. Interest rates are set by The Fed
With just those 3 facts…the deficit isnt a big deal. Its some misguided sense of morality that is a big deal.
Deficits don’t much matter so long as the US dollar is the general standard world currency for trade. At some point, and we’re not close to it yet, deficits would undermine it as the general standard.
In other news…the RCP generic ballot is now at D +13
The establishment Republican cult-like pandering to the sociopath in the WH continues:
Diane Black, running for TN Governor : “Thank you, President Trump, for allowing us to have you as our President and to make America great again.”
Orrin Hatch: “You’re one heck of a leader. This President hasn’t even been in office even a year, and look at all the things that he’s been able to get done. By sheer will in many ways.”
Mike Pence: “You’ve restored American credibility on the world stage. We’re standing with our allies.”
Cult like pandering?? Seriously?! Like the pandering of giving Obama the Nobel Prize after two months in office ? Pul-eeze…
The Obama Nobel was not cult like pandering, it was European elitist socialist genuflecting. Two completely different forms of sucking up.
“Why is the NFL getting massive tax breaks while at the same time disrespecting our Anthem, Flag and Country? Change tax law!” 10 Oct 2017 tweet by Trump.
“The [tax] bill also preserves the ability to use tax-exempt bonds for professional sports stadium bonds—a priority for Mr. Trump, a GOP aide said.” WSJ 15 Dec 2017 https://www.wsj.com/articles/gop-is-poised-to-pass-sweeping-tax-overhaul-1513376474