2016 Presidential Horse Race

[EddytoNow]

Guys, let's stop all the bickering.
Let's Make America Great Again!

It never stopped being great, Donald.

 

[BGIF]

IRS audits are down because the IRS budget is down. The IRS is down over 20% of its auditors since 2010.

As to the percentage not adding up, I think that you are reading it wrong. When it says 5.26% for NAGI, it means that 5.26% of people with no adjust gross income were audited not that it made up 5.26% of IRS audits.

I knew that but failed to process it. Mea culpa.

 

[RDU Irish]

Except that in Trump's case, they absolutely do. He has to file a ITR-4 form in his return, which includes a balance sheet. I look at personal tax returns of high net worth individuals all of the time. But nice try.

You learn a lot from tax returns. With Nixon, we learned that he was a cheating bastard that paid $6k in taxes with over $790k of income. That he used shady techniques like donating his campaign speeches, etc to cheat the system. We weren't surprised when he returned to his shady ways in Watergate. With Clinton, we learned of Whitewater on a national level when Deputy White House Counsel Vincent Foster filed three years of delinquent Whitewater corporate tax returns (and ended up with a bullet in the back of his head). These were corporate returns of course, but just like we have Clinton Foundation returns, we should have access to Trump Enterprises as well.

Trumps taxes are probably more complex than just about anyone out there. I do agree they need to be disclosed. I know he has fought with Forbes over his net worth estimates and his ego probably does not want the truth exposed that he is not nearly as rich as he claims. Anyone supporting him and not afraid to let someone build and protect wealth will be fine with it, the haters will peel every number into a sign of the apocalypse.

Now also consider the statute of limitations is 7 years - if something is uncovered/questioned in one year it is highly likely that it was happening in the other years as well. So one audit may have prompted a move to look at the 7 years they could get on the table.

Things like donating part of a parcel to a conservation easement to take a hyuge charitable deduction as part of a real estate development (and VERY prevalent with his golf course developments) - it has been a hotbed for audits for a number of years (I believe I read about it in Forbes). More or less, allocate OB areas/retention ponds/frequently undevelopable areas to a conservation easement making it impossible to ever develop. Your taxable acreage is reduced (lower property tax) and the value of that land is a tax deductible "charitable" deduction. Obviously the developer wants the land appraised as high as possible and an appraisal process ensues (I imagine ordering multiple appraisals and taking the highest would be common place. Meanwhile you have pretty much asked for an audit - IRS would be stupid NOT to look closely at those and dispute pretty much every appraisal with an end result of the donor negotiating some level of higher taxes to make it go away.

Complex advanced tax strategies that few planners and experts, let alone idiot journalists can understand. The fact such financial calisthenics need to be taken to preserve such massive wealth to your next generation.. well that might prompt a bit of a tax code debate and help highlight how the estate tax is a largely voluntary exercise - even for the super rich.

 

[RDU Irish]

It never stopped being great, Donald.

Not according to Michelle Obama (up to about 48 hours ago).

 

[dshans]

Oh boy, dshans is going to shit...

Well, based on your comment I took a preemptive dump and leak.

My Depend™ is fine, thank you very much.

My head hurts a bit, though.

Could be the heat.

 

[dshans]

Pretty sure he also built a wall around his golf course there

Out of bounds?

Just drop a ball and take a penalty stroke ...

 

[NDgradstudent]

The Democrats cheer abortion -a particular abortion- and have produced the most pro-abortion platform in history, including committing themselves to repealing the Hyde Amendment and thereby requiring taxpayers to fund abortion.

How long until they come knocking on ND's door, requiring ND to pay for its employees' abortions?

The GOP may be the stupid party, but the Democrats are the evil party. Their policies constitute a direct threat to the existence of Catholic institutions.

 

[Bluto]

Welp, that's that

Slayer Guitarist Talks Election's Only 'Safe, Correct Choice' - Rolling Stone

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Welp, that's that

Slayer Guitarist Talks Election's Only 'Safe, Correct Choice' - Rolling Stone

When you've lost Slayer...

 

[gkIrish]

The Dems have pressed the undocumented immigrant card about as far as possible. Are we sure they know those people can't vote?

 

[kmoose]

The Dems have pressed the undocumented immigrant card about as far as possible. Are we sure they know those people can't vote?

Are you sure they can't?

Lots of dead people out there voting. You would think that someone would require them to have a valid ID or something...

 

[GATTACA!]

The Dems have pressed the undocumented immigrant card about as far as possible. Are we sure they know those people can't vote?

They can't, but their anchor babies sure can. You're also probably a lot less likely to vote for a party that wants to deport your friends, family, close members of your community, ect. So their presence does effect votes, just not directly.

 

[Bubbles]

Who cares about how many are in the garment industry (which by the way isn't coming back to the U.S. in any significant numbers because most of us don't want to pay $20+ for a plain t-shirt).

You definitely should though. There are some kickass brands making amazing stuff in the US. Engineered Garments, Filson, New England Shirt, Mister Freedom, Railcar, post overalls, stevenson, stronghold, woolrich, tellason, thorough stich, triple aught, etc.....seriously....I got tired of cheap Chinese crap and moved on. Yeah....it's more expensive, but I'm happy to pay for quality...especially US made.

 

[GoIrish41]

They can't, but their anchor babies sure can. You're also probably a lot less likely to vote for a party that wants to deport your friends, family, close members of your community, ect. So their presence does effect votes, just not directly.

Sounds to me like they don't like republican policies. Perhaps the GOP should adjust their positions to attract people to their point of view. Demonizing people does not seem to work for them in national elections much. Their only winner in 24 years won because he appealed to more Latinos. Short of following suit, the Republican Party really doesn't have a path to the Oval Office. The earth has shifted under their feet and they chose to pick a candidate that pushes Latinos further away. We're not deporting 11 million people so they must accept it or fall into irrelevance. It's pretty simple.

 

[wizards8507]

Yikes, the Democrats are out patriotisming the Republicans.

 

[wizards8507]

Why this convention is better: It's about loving America. GOP convention was about loving Trump. If you didn't love Trump, it offered nada.
-@JonahNRO

Sent from my Galaxy Note4 using Tapatalk.

 

[wizards8507]

In a reversal of past CVNs, the Democratic Party is embracing religious and patriotic American exceptionalism.

GOP political malpractice.
-@ron_fournier

Sent from my Galaxy Note4 using Tapatalk.

 

[Bishop2b5]

Sounds to me like they don't like republican policies. Perhaps the GOP should adjust their positions to attract people to their point of view.

Most tough, law & order sheriffs don't poll well with the criminals either. Adjusting their stance to pander to them just for their vote is probably a bad idea there too.

 

[GoIrish41]

Most tough, law & order sheriffs don't poll well with the criminals either. Adjusting their stance to pander to them just for their vote is probably a bad idea there too.

That's the kind of steadfast ideological purity that made the Whigs and the Know Nothings the power brokers of America they are to this day! Adjust to the world or be overtaken by it. We'll remember you fondly as the party that would not a adapt or compromise!

 

[NDBoiler]

That's the kind of steadfast ideological purity that made the Whigs and the Know Nothings the power brokers of America they are to this day! Adjust to the world or be overtaken by it. We'll remember you fondly as the party that would not compromise!

So you're supposed to compromise your principles of abiding by the laws on the books in order to follow the crowd?

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

That's the kind of steadfast ideological purity that made the Whigs and the Know Nothings the power brokers of America they are to this day! Adjust to the world or be overtaken by it. We'll remember you fondly as the party that would not a adapt or compromise!

I'd rather be the party known for law and order rather than the one bribing illegal immigrants with everything under the sun for their votes. And let's be real...the power brokers in DC and the politicians there don't give a damn about the average Joe, let alone illegal immigrants.

 

[Bishop2b5]

That's the kind of steadfast ideological purity that made the Whigs and the Know Nothings the power brokers of America they are to this day! Adjust to the world or be overtaken by it. We'll remember you fondly as the party that would not a adapt or compromise!

I'll respectfully disagree with you, my friend. There's room for compromise on many things in a pragmatic world, but I believe there are some principles and positions you don't compromise just to be popular or successful.

 

[EddytoNow]

The Dems have a message of inclusion and have done an excellent job at their convention of making it a key part of what America is all about. Too bad the Republicans have abandoned everyone except angry white men. And doesn't the Republican Party have anyone who can give a speech? Hillary should get a nice bump from the convention and re-establish her poll lead.

 

[GoIrish41]

So you're supposed to compromise your principles of abiding by the laws on the books in order to follow the crowd?

What are these principles you speak of? Those that Donald Trump will carry forward as the leader of the party? When he was nominated, the GOP lost the credibility to stake out anything that hints at the moral high ground.

 

[wizards8507]

What are these principles you speak of? Those that Donald Trump will carry forward as the leader of the party? When he was nominated, the GOP lost the credibility to stake out anything that hints at the moral high ground.

Absolutely correct.

 

[pkt77242]

Donald Trump says he would like to 'hit' DNC speakers who disparaged him - CNNPolitics.com

 

[GoIrish41]

I'll respectfully disagree with you, my friend. There's room for compromise on many things in a pragmatic world, but I believe there are some principles and positions you don't compromise just to be popular or successful.

Forget popular and successful ... let's talk about relevance. The country has progressed beyond the GOP's "principles." The purpose of our politics is to make Americans' lives better. An increasingly smaller percentage of Americans believe Republican policies do that. So the party can adjust and do the good they can in the world, or they can fade into obscurity. You govern in the world you inherit. Hoping for a world that has not existed in decades is not going to convince anyone that the GOP is prepared to lead us into the future.

 

[gkIrish]

I really dislike Chelsea's mouth.

 

[wizards8507]

Chelsea Clinton talking about "regular" people raising families is like Andy Bernard talking about parking.

"No, I did this for the little guy. Joe Six Pack. The guy who wakes up every morning in his $400 a month apartment, wonders how he’s gonna pay his mortgage that month. Wonders how he’s gonna fill his car up with oil. Wonders, ‘How am I gonna pay my kids’ orphanage bills?’ That guy shouldn’t have to wonder where he’s gonna park."

 

[gkIrish]

Chelsea just called Hillary a Progressive...lol