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The state legislatures are just as corrupt, unfortunately and with gerrymandering there is nothing the citizens can do about it.Returning power back to the states would make it much harder to completely capture that power.
Right now, it's one stop shopping. Much easier.
But even better would be to ban that power to begin with. For example, the power to put deductions, exemptions, and credits in the tax code.
That is not a power that cannot go to the states. That is a power which needs to be banned.
It is by far the most abused power and causes us all to pay much higher tax rates, and is the biggest contributor to the federal debt.
I know exactly how the EU works.
A member of the German Bundesrat has almost no say on the rules and regulations regarding the commerce of beer between the member states of the EU.
A member of the US Senate actually writes the rules and regulations regarding the commerce of beer between the American states.
The biggest reason Britain left the EU was economic. The central government in Brussels was not delivering the promised prosperity.
Batting one thousand.
Nope. It is a member. It is no more "THE EU" than New York is the US.
That would be yet another failed treatment of the symptoms instead of the disease.
"Bob, the chairman of the committee who has oversight of our business is from Ohio. We need to establish an office there or move our HQ there."
All the special interests care about are the chairmen of the committees which affect them.Are they going to establish 435 offices?
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All the special interests care about are the chairmen of the committees which affect them.
They don't care about the powerless small fish.
So...no. They are not going to establish 435 offices because they don't need to.
Let's say I manufacture refrigerators, and one of my employees comes up with the brilliant idea that we should bribe Congress to put a deduction in the tax code for anyone who buys my refrigerators.So tell the class, how many committees/subcommittees/special committees are there?
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Unfortunately, it is the PRIMARY way congress uses its power to enrich itself. Getting rid of that power should be number one on the shit we gota do but it is unlikely to ever happen. Particularly when the vast majority of people are utterly blind to how corrupt this process really is.Are Energy-Efficient Appliances Tax Deductible?
Are you investing in energy efficient appliances? Doing so may result in some useful tax breaks to lower the cost.turbotax.intuit.com
The IRS offers several ways for taxpayers to cut their tax bills through investing in certain energy-efficient appliances and home improvements. This can include upgrades like energy-efficient water heaters, furnaces, air conditioners, windows, doors and similar investments, but also clean vehicles and related equipment.
TA-DAAAAA! Government interference in the appliance and home improvement market!
That shit has GOT to go.
A lot of the power the federal government has is power it gave to itself. It did not usurp state power when it created federal tax deductions, exemptions, and credits. It just gave itself that power.The state legislatures are just as corrupt, unfortunately and with gerrymandering there is nothing the citizens can do about it.
Didnt you see the republican legislatures handling of the so called Stolen Election and so called audits and the donations taken by them. The corrupted state govts are now in cahoots with the national parties and national donors and executive branch under trump....
Big ass donors are contributing big time to State federal candidates in critical swing states, and governorships and secretary of states and state AGs...it won't stop, it will get worse....
I think your instinct on getting rid of all the tax break/ expenditures would be more effective....the love of money, is the root of all evil, so the Bible says...... We HAVE TO get rid of the big money... somehow.... Put a $2000 cap on donations to a candidate, and get rid of all the PACs...and simplify taxes.
Exactly. It's a two-pronged problem.Unfortunately, it is the PRIMARY way congress uses its power to enrich itself. Getting rid of that power should be number one on the shit we gota do but it is unlikely to ever happen. Particularly when the vast majority of people are utterly blind to how corrupt this process really is.
I mean, talk about a dead giveaway! This was an open admission these new financial derivatives were equivalent to casinos and bucket shops!
Let's say I manufacture refrigerators, and one of my employees comes up with the brilliant idea that we should bribe Congress to put a deduction in the tax code for anyone who buys my refrigerators.
This would be direct communistic interference in the refrigerator market by the government, but it would increase my sales, and therefore my profits.
Am I going to give a flying fuck how many committees/subcommittees/special committees there are in Congress?
Nope. All I care about is getting to the guy who sits at the top of the House Ways and Means Committee. Because that's where the tax code is written.
That's why if you read most bills, you will find they are packed with amendments.And it takes more than one person to move a bill out of committee and 218 to pass a bill in the house and another 51 in the senate, assuming it gets out of committee in the senate. Any of those go away, and the bill is dead.
.
That's why if you read most bills, you will find they are packed with amendments.
You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.
Quid pro quo.
The euphemism congresscritters use is a "get".
Wow!A lot of the power the federal government has is power it gave to itself. It did not usurp state power when it created federal tax deductions, exemptions, and credits. It just gave itself that power.
But I can you give you a specific example of the usurpation of state power in a moment. The usurpation of state power is called "federal pre-emption" because "usurpation" is way too fucking obvious.
Many, if not most, right wingers assume this usurpation of state power has been perpetrated by the Left.
Nope. Both sides do it all...the...time.
What sickens me about the media is that they are supposed to bring us the truth. They are supposed to be "the watchdog of democracy". They are the last barricade against a descent into chaos and they have completely abdicated that role because there is no money it.
The news divisions of the networks were always a money loser, but the networks provided the news at a loss because democracy depends on it.
Now we have 24 hour a day non-stop propaganda bullshit from both ends of the spectrum, and the result has been total chaos and mayhem.
Anyway...
I am going to show you an example of a right wing federal pre-emption that was put into a gigantic piece of legislation. This pre-emption ended up causing colossal damage to our economy.
First, I have to provide some backstory.
In the mid 90s, there was a whole new crop of financial derivatives invented. There was nothing prima facie wrong with these derivatives. In fact, they served a very useful and practical purpose in the beginning, which is why they were invented to begin with.
But...these instruments were kind of like a handgun. The handgun itself is not the problem. The problems start when they begin falling into the wrong hands. Then watch out!
Wall Street does not like government interference in their business. So they paid some Republicans to write the Commodities Futures Modernization Act (CFMA). This law was passed the Republican House and the Republican Senate, and then signed into law by Democrat Comet Pizza patron Bill Clinton.
The CFMA was intended to get out ahead of the regulatory curve and provide immunity to all these newfangled "financial weapons of mass destruction" as Warren Buffet was to later call them.
After the crash of 2008, Bill Clinton admitted he had fucked up by signing this law.
The Republicans did NOT admit they fucked up. They blamed the negroes for the crash.
So that's the backstory.
Let me show you the usurpation of state power, euphemistically called federal pre-emption.
Section 117: This Act shall supersede and preempt the application of any State or local law that prohibits or regulates gaming or the operation of bucket shops
I mean, talk about a dead giveaway! This was an open admission these new financial derivatives were equivalent to casinos and bucket shops!
A bucket shop is a ripoff joint. They are illegal EVERYWHERE.
But our wonderful federal officials invalidated all state laws prohibiting bucket shops. They pre-empted state laws which regulate casinos.
Casinos!?!? Bucket shops!?!?!
That should have been a YUGE signal that some really bad shit was about to go down.
And sure enough, a whole bunch of financial handguns fell into the wrong hands.
We need to take away some powers the federal government gave itself. And we need to give back the powers they stole from the states.
And I have not even mentioned the abuse of federal regulations for fun and profit yet.
ETA: Bucket shop (stock market) - Wikipedia