Ben Franklin nailed it. A quarter millenia ago. But so right.

[Peter1469]

The people that are giving to charities for the tax write-offs are usually giving them to political or elitist style charities. Maybe financing that billion dollar political campaign should not be a write-off. If you are giving money to the poor then you problably are not thinking about how much you are going to save on taxes.

I did notice this year that if you take the standard deduction you were still entitled to claim up to $300 in cash donations to tax exempt charities.

[jet57]

Are we? Are we really?
The federalization started in 1913 and has steadily increased from there. That ushered in modern federal government by creating a massive , easily increased flow of money to politicians who get to choose how to spend that money rather then proprtioning the excess back to the states. In this case excess means what the feds didn't need to carry out there actual enumerated powers.What could possibly go wrong? 2020/2021.
I will say that states's rights were utilized heavily in the last year plus. Too bad that most of that utilization was to assault individual rights and freedoms and crush state economies.Via the 16tgh ammnendment the feds are able to force state compliance in order for that state to recieve money back that their own citizens sent to DC. But now those states expect bailout from the feds to counter the impact of those governor's choices.

And now 1/2 of us have a say ( which they should) but do not have to face the consequences of over spending. Combine the two add in whatever the 2020 election was and extremely biased media and you get Joe Biden. You get further federalization with handing out trillions we don't have. The 16th ammendment made today's huge pork bills possible.By the time these lockdowns are paid off the average American will have $90,000.00 of federal debt around their necks.Assuming we are able to keep the debt at ONLY 30 trillion.
In fact, once the dust settles the increase in debt should be compared to the countries GNP/GDP to see just how ineffieicent goverment really is. In other words take the estimated GNP/GDP for the COVID restricted times minus what GNP/GDP really were and that number should closely match the total of corona spending or the deficit ( subtract 1 trillion for "normal debt") unless government really is bad a t everything.
Joe Biden is not in office without strong support from the people who stood to gain from his so called policies but do not have to foot the bill. Occupy Democrats basically promoted on FB for Georgians to vote themselves 2,000.00 $

Well, Taft was a Republican and the 16th Amendment was ratified under his watch; just something to think about. Our country started in debt so that had not changed by 1913. Our military budget is way out of proportion relative to what the government brings in AND THAT, it seems, is a continuing Republican economic requirement.

Our GDP has been laid waste since Reagan and the Wall Streets push for profits based on nothing. This country willingly set fire to out manufacturing and that part of our entire economy, so THAT income means little of nothing anymore. It was all done - by both parties - since the late seventies and all for the purpose of boosting investment: gambling on return...

Now what FDR did during the Great depression const us more money than we had, but then again so did WWII: nobody ever asked where we were going to get the money for WWII did they. BUT, FDR got people out and working and spending money to get the economy going. THAT is the tac that Biden is taking right now. To get people out, get 'em working and getting money circulating again, and the market seems to agree.

I do however think that what our state(s) and federal government need - is an audit. We really can't make informed decisions with out it.

[donttread]

Well, Taft was a Republican and the 16th Amendment was ratified under his watch; just something to think about. Our country started in debt so that had not changed by 1913. Our military budget is way out of proportion relative to what the government brings in AND THAT, it seems, is a continuing Republican economic requirement.

Our GDP has been laid waste since Reagan and the Wall Streets push for profits based on nothing. This country willingly set fire to out manufacturing and that part of our entire economy, so THAT income means little of nothing anymore. It was all done - by both parties - since the late seventies and all for the purpose of boosting investment: gambling on return...

Now what FDR did during the Great depression const us more money than we had, but then again so did WWII: nobody ever asked where we were going to get the money for WWII did they. BUT, FDR got people out and working and spending money to get the economy going. THAT is the tac that Biden is taking right now. To get people out, get 'em working and getting money circulating again, and the market seems to agree.

I do however think that what our state(s) and federal government need - is an audit. We really can't make informed decisions with out it.

You know @jet57 some of what you are saying ain't crazy. I do think as we look back we must realize that the donkephant was in charge regardless of which party wing held office. So regardless of who oversaw the 16th Ammendment which by the way was ratified by the states, both so called "major parties" were involved.. Possibly illegally in some cases as some states may have acted against their own Constitutions. How could they not? They were giving up their citizens powers to the federal government the Constitution had been designed to keep limited.

Wall Street is an issue and obviously not much of an indicator of the country's economic health. If it was it would not be healthy right now. It does better serve the super rich and connected, including those in office. I'm not sure what your point is about Regan unless he presided when the average person was all but forced into the market by IRA tax deferrmetns we could not get for investing in Joe's hardware. Definitely an uneven playing field for investment dollars designed to feed them all . We pretty much agree on a lot of that.
I believe national debt absolutely sky rocketed after 1913. I'll see if I can find a graphic

Here is an artical that discusses debt. Looks like the huge spike around 1919 which no doubt was partly due to WW1 a war we may have never fought without the debt machine and federal control the 16thm provided.In fact is it a coincidence that immediately after the new found powers granted the feds in 1913 that they were involved in two world wars within 30 years and became world police? But unlike the civil war government spending just kept on rocking after WW 1 to the point where out current debt is estimated at 129 % of either GDP or DNP, as far as I know the hightest that figure has ever been. And 2021 is piling on trillions.




https://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-na...100000079.html