How many billions of tax dollars do politicians of both parties spend every year and election on partisan investigations that never result in anything?
You’ve made a false statement.You can’t say that they “never result in anything”.There have been a number of members of President Trump’s “inner circle“, whatever that really means, who have been found guilty, pled guilty or are facing trial.There may be more coming. And there may not be.You might feel that there weren’t enough results to justify the dollars spent.I might feel the same way about the Russian collusion investigation but not feel the same way about the Benghazi investigation.And I don’t think “billions of dollars” have been spent, at least not on those two investigations.However, we all know that the motivation for most of these types of investigations is purely political.Similar to when Congress calls people to testify and spends their entire time asking questions that are designed to be talking points in future campaigns or to rally their base.I tend to be much more Republican than Democrat so I see it to be more egregious on the Democrat side, but I’m certain that friends of mine who are Democrats would see it precisely the opposite. And that’s fine.
Why is Donald Trump fighting for 5 billion dollars?
He promised the people that voted for him that he would build a wall on the border. He has reaffirmed that promise at different meetings with voter groups. He pulled the military down to help protect the border until he gets his wall built. He has repeatedly stressed the importance of building this wall. Getting this 5 billion dollars from the American taxpayers to get this wall started will be a boost to our security and economy. Little children will canvas their neighborhoods with small containers asking their neighbors for their loose change which will be sent in to help cover the costs of building this wall. In true government fashion the cost of this wall will bloom from its initial 20 billion figure to 50 or more because it has to be the biggest and the best wall anywhere on earth. The American taxpayers will gladly dig deep into their pockets to pay for this wall as it will be a source of national pride. There will be booths set up along the wall where they will play Trumps speeches promising and vowing to build this engineering masterpiece and how it will save our country, making us revere the man even more so. Of course the speeches and such will be edited so that they tactfully eliminate the sections of how he was going to make Mexico PAY for this wall, implying it would cost the taxpayers nothing. Funny how that got turned around. And that the government got shut down because congress will not give up American tax dollars to build a wall that Mexico is PAYING for. Is it the exchange rate between pesos and dollars that is creating this need for American tax dollars? Or is it just another project that the government is wasting millions and billions of American tax dollars on that will eventually be abandoned?
Republicans and handouts?
It's so funny how republicans view any kind of handouts for the poor to be unacceptable. But when it comes to handouts for the rich republicans support it 100%. Oil companies receiving 3 billion in tax cuts every year? The same oil companies that posted 80 billion in profits in 2011 alone. So they get tax cuts and the middle-poor class have to make up the difference? It that considered to be a giant handout? Yes it is!....7.8 billion in tax cuts for giant corporations for creating jobs...the only problem with this is that we have LOST 11 million jobs in the past 7 years...so in reality it's tax cuts for losing jobs, sending work over seas and crippling the countries economy....is that a giant handout? Yes it is! Bank bailouts worth 700 billion tax dollars? Is that a giant handout too? Yes it is! It was not their money, it was mine and other tax payers money...but if us taxpayers started a business and failed what are our chances of getting bailed out? ZERO chance of that happening....so I guess it is only the super rich who are allowed to collect handouts on the baks of the working, middle, and poor class in this country in the minds of republicans...and why is this? Go to Wikipedia.com and look up the list of richest us politicians....7 of the top 9 are republicans...the other two are independents...that's why republicans support handouts for the rich...because they are the rich!
Does anyone - other than Republican politicians - favor continued Big Oil tax breaks?
Today once again, House Democrats proposed a vote to end subsidies to big oil companies like Exxon and Shell. House Republicans voted it down in lock step. "Rep. Bill Keating (D-Mass.), who sponsored the oil tax proposal, wondered why taxpayers should be asked "to fork over" billions of dollars in subsidies to some of the most profitable companies on the planet — particularly as funding for law enforcement, medical research and education is on the chopping block." http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-... This puzzles me. Republicans claim we need to cut the deficit. They're willing to slash funding to schools, scientific research, medical research, etc. Yet they're not willing to touch tax breaks on the rich or on big oil companies. We constantly hear that technologies need to compete in the free market without subsidies. Yet Republicans are apparently unwilling to eliminate subsidies to Big Oil. Does anybody support the Republican decision to continue pumping billions of dollars of subsidies toward the massively profitable oil giants?
Why do republicans hate welfare?
Yes absolutely. You speak of things that the average American is ignorant to: 1. Welfare Reform meaning you can't live your life on it 2. If you do not have children, you get no help. What angers me about this to the max., is that I do not have children and have been paying over 30% of my paycheck every week for years in taxes. Why? Because I am punished that I do not have children. I have to pick up the burden for the dumb F..k down the street that decides to pop them out like pancakes. Then if something bad were to happen to me and I needed help, my state, NC, would not help because their rule is that I do not have children, no dependents; therefore, do not qualify for any assistance. And ppl wonder why the heck I hate capitalism to the core. Btw, sorry about your friend. It is a shame that our great society closes single ppl out and I pray she is in heaven.
Who causes larger budget deficits - Democrats or Republicans?
Republican administrations have run up 95% of the deficits over 45 years. The amount of Republican deficit spending is 17 times the amount of Democratic deficit spending. So let’s look at averages. On average, Republican Administrations’ deficits exceeded Democratic ones by 14 to 1. The Republican Administrations borrowed more than the Democrats by a factor of 4 to 1. At the level run up by the Republicans it seems more like theft than investment. The 2006 Budget (with a new supplemental) shows a deficit of $472 Billion. It does not include the $100 to 200 Billion dollars a year borrowing projected to fund the Republican Social Security plan. The total deficit could reach $600 Billion in 2006, more than the entire federal budget before Ronald Reagan. The Administration has trumpeted its call for elimination or cuts in 150 programs. But Forbes Magazine reports the 2005 budget called for the same in 128 programs and the Republican Congress only eliminated 4 and reduced 20. And the Republican Congress shows no signs of restraint. Senator Coleman’s press release on the 2006 Budget calls for increases in spending in at least 10 major programs and proposes not one cent in reduction in spending. He apparently thinks the deficit is not large enough. He is not alone. Congressional Republicans have no track record on fighting deficits. Of the $4.3 Trillion in recent Republican Presidential deficits, about 45% were run up when Republicans also controlled the House and Senate and another 30% when they also controlled one House of Congress.
Do taxpayers pick up the tab when President Trump campaigns or attends fundraisers for Republican candidates or are his expenses (e.g. Air Force One, etc.) paid by the candidate or the party?
The rule, at least since Obama (much less enforced during the Bush administration) is that if there are personal or campaign activities connected to the travel, the party or the President has to reimburse the government. That doesn't mean the party has to pay for 100% of expenses, but at least a substantial and “appropriate” portion based on administrative accounting.For example, Trump called out Obama for travelling with Hillary on Air Force One in early July 2016. Records show the Clinton campaign reimbursed the government $36,602.99 for that trip.On a complete side note - does anyone know how to look up how much the Trump campaign has been getting billed for travel? One of the other answers here suggested the info is in FEC reports, but the info I’ve been able to find looking in that direction is not nearly granular enough to give an answer. Here’s a link to the filings, for anyone interested in searching around: FEC Electronic Filings by DONALD J. TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT, INC.As a closing bonus, here’s a good article on this topic: FACT CHECK: Does It Cost Taxpayers $200,000 per Hour for President Obama to Use Air Force One to Campaign for Hillary Clinton?
Does the economy grow best under Democratic or Republican presidents?
It can take a few years for any policies put into place to have a direct effect on the economy, but from past history, tax cuts ALWAYS improve the economy. Those usually happen when republicans get into office. Look how we went from a recession in 1999 to the most robust economy in our history in 2007. It's taken a down turn so far this year, so maybe we need another tax cut. Not this silly rebate thing, but a real tax reduction. I'd take a cut in the gasoline taxes for starters. ...wishful thinking :-)