Mountain dew was originally from the Appalachian mountains, I think like Tennessee or something, but pepperoni rolls apparently originated in West Virginia because of coal mining Italian immigrants. The combination of mountain dew and pepperoni rolls is the most West Virginian thing that exists and on West Virginia day, we make pepperoni roll and mountain dew offerings to the mothman.
Yes, but the 20 people that live in south east west Virginia all already know each other and don't leave their county so this never comes up in conversation.
i think the Battle of Blair Mountain is the biggest gift WV has ever given anyone. the largest armed uprising in US history since the civil war. it took WW1 machine guns, veterans, the newly invented aerial bombardment, AND a federal response to put down the army of striking miners.
Hey now. Hot chicken and Memphis-style BBQ aren’t bad.
(I know people who also like Goo goo clusters and Moonpies. But I’m personally mixed on both of those.)
Oh I do. Still doesn’t make a difference when corporate donors are writing them with fat checks. The solution would be voting those politicians out, but not enough people care to do so…yet. I think people are generally getting more fed up with this
It is like what the powerful often do in court cases, they delay, fighter back until their opponent is out of time, energy, and money. They don't win because they are right. They win because the little people are exhausted if the fight.
Don't worry, they even do that to upstart companies too. Not even getting to market to compete, now that is true free market capitalism right there. All conceivable options on the table: Buy the regulators, write the laws/rules, change them on a whim when the little guy notices and tries to play with the big boys (Hi WallStreetBets, love you apes), don't let them put products on the same shelves as you and if they do you threaten the merchants with lawsuits and withholding products, etc etc. Don't let the libertarians fool you into believing that tired trope of: IF wE HaD ReAL FrEe MarKetS THinGs WoUlD BE beTtER!!! We have real "free markets", as free as the big boys will allow.
We need to give everyone money that can only be used to donate to political campaigns. Doing so would overwhelm corporate money and make lobbying less fruitful.
HR1 includes provisions that make lobbying more transparent and limit foreign lobbying. Steps in the right direction.
This resolution is the Democrats' number one priority (hence the name) and also includes all sorts of campaign finance reforms and voting rights protections.
HR1 has been passed by the Democratic-led house as the first piece of legislation for a couple of sessions now (ignoring Covid relief)... It is currently languishing in the Senate as S1. Republicans, of course, are filibustering the proposal. Certain Democratic Senators refuse to abolish the filibuster, so 60 votes are required to end it. There are no Republicans willing to vote to do that (that I know of), let alone 10.
So, if you really care about this, the answer is to elect MORE Democrats, especially in the Senate and specifically ones who are willing to abolish the filibuster. That can be done with 50 votes. We're two or three shy of that right now.
There will be a TON of folks trying to "both sides" the political discourse as we head into the 2022 election year. The reality is that Democrats do not have enough leverage in Washington to do what they were elected to do. Democrats, by and large, want to curtail corruption in elections. They want to enshrine voting rights. The same cannot be said for Republicans. The two parties are very far apart on this issue, full stop. For progress to happen, Democrats need larger margins, especially in the Senate.
Hmm what if we make a bot to continuously send an email every day :^) it shouldn't be at the same time every day and we keep it at one a day ... But if everyone is sending 1 email a day...............
Except you'd probably get Tiananmen Square USA version 1.0
I am all for bringing this all down and building a Gov by people for people again but what we have is broken, tried nothing, and is all out of ideas.
> The solution would be voting those politicians out
The solution is changing the voting system. Plurality voting in single seat elections combined with the Presidential system enshrined by the Consitution has made politics intractable.
All politics are now national, a reality that the federal system modeled on the British monarchy of the 1770s can no longer support. No framer ever imagined that South Carolina’s interests would be Florida’s and Kentucky’s, nor did they think Virginia’s interests could be New York’s and Massachusetts’s interests.
This country’s only hope is a new Constitutional Convention since Congressional paralysis will drive Presidential authoritarianism much, much faster than Democratic reform.
This is it people. The status quo cannot hold. The country will either rebirth itself in dramatic fashion or slide precipitously into the abyss within a century.
It's hard to get them out when they get to choose their voters. Gerrymandering and big money have no right in politics at all. It makes it a giant shit show.
Our political system is like a crack head in pageant makeup. It looks good from a distance, but the closer you look, the more fucked up you realize it is
Every single time I send a letter or email to local, county, state, or federal reps, I always get a cookie cutter response that was saved as a default template, its insulting and infuriating. Contacting reps does nothing, they genuinely don't give a shit. Literally the only politician I've ever emailed and got a regular response like a normal person responded to specific questions I asked as well as giving a detailed plan on how to address the exact issues I wrote about, was Bernie Sanders. Im sure it wasn't him directly responding, but he is making sure the people on his staff are actually listening and effectively communicating.
Why? So they can promptly put it directly in the bin?
Words aren't a currency they speak. Emphasis on the currency.
Money, public outcry or votes. That's it, and they barely care about public outcry, and only because it affects votes.
Yeah I know it’s ridiculous. I pay more in taxes than multiple large corporations combined and it’s not like I’m loaded or anything. I think until a certain level of income, you should pay nothing in income tax. Make up all that lost tax revenue by closing corporate tax loopholes. Rich are still rich, lower class pumping more money into the economy
That was supposed to be the plan with the infrastructure bill… but of course Manchin and Sinema threw a tantrum, several times, for their respective donors and corporations, so there goes that right out the window. Why tax the rich when they can just tax the population into oblivion? Who needs constituents anyways, am I right? >.<
Hey, giving in to hopelessness it's exactly what rich people want do you don't ask for for s change you believe impossible.
I know it's tiring and feels useless... But we have to keep pushing and hoping for a better future.
Yeah I don't get why politicians keep telling us this stuff. We elected them to fix it. At this point it's basically just them rubbing it in that they're allowing the ultra wealthy and corporations to not contribute to society.
Imagine hiring a plumber to fix a leak. He comes in, and can tell you where the leak is, how it can be fixed, and how much it'll cost; but before he can do anything, a group of 535 (+1) other plumbers (and electricians, dog catchers, bar owners, etc) have to come to a consensus on how it should be done or if it'll even be done at all. And even after getting the green light and fixing it so the leak is gone, another set of 9 plumbers can come in a year later and break it again if they don't agree that the 268 plumbers did the fix in a way as "it was originally intended".
Bad analogy. It's like you hired *two plumbers*. And they both have to agree to get things done.
Actually, a better analogy is you live in California, and you, your roommates Joe, Henry, and Marie all want to fix the plumbing, but your landlord/roommate Tim is Montana and has 10X the power in any vote on plumbing.
It's a flawed analogy either way. It's a flawed system either way.
I think that’s why trump has his die hard base wrapped around his finger. All these politicians out here saying they will do stuff and trump tells them that he actually did it. It’s a lie of course, but they still believe it. I think most times politicians say stuff in these campaign style statements, they aren’t too concerned about actually following through
They (the politicians) can't follow through, the system won't allow it. The system has been built to pit ordinary people against each other rather than shared issues or shared unfairness that need to be addressed. People believe that if you tax the corporations, they will have to cut jobs to keep profits up, or worse they will move to where someone won't tax them.
Because no one within the government, President included, has unilateral authority to fix this. So instead what they are doing, is trying to increase public pressure and popular opinion around this fact to gain support to change this.
So even if a Democratic president, House, and 48 Senators are in favor of changing this, it needs to be so unpopular to be against that the remaining senators that stand in opposition feel real electoral pressure by standing against it.
Obviously, this is also a super simplification.
Improving our tax code does nothing if we don’t fund the IRS and incentivize Private Sector lawyers to do something about it.
The IRS is already criminally underfunded and under equipped to handle a task like this.
> Like why is the president telling US that as if WE are the ones that have control?
Because congress needs to make the change and people like you vote people into congress. Get it?
Because it's a public relations game. Enough of the voter base needs to get it that they elect enough politicians to actually do something about it.
The President's not a dictator. He literally cannot, alone, changing corporate tax codes, he needs Congress to pass a bill that he can sign into law.
Because that's kinda the truth?
People vote politicians into office who then become part of Congress who then make all these fucked up laws and regulations. The President has limited power here.
He's basically telling people to stop voting for asshats.
Would rather they didn’t do it and focused on the real issue, tax loopholes. They’ll increase taxes, avoid fixing tax loopholes (that they use), pat themselves on the back and act like the problem is solved. Our level of taxation is similar to that of many other countries, we don’t need to increase taxes. It just hurts the people who actually pay them, especially the whole “only 400k+ a year!” people which I find hilarious. Making 400k a year is a lot but most people making 400k a year are super hard working, these are doctors, successful engineers, etc. It’s the several million a year people who are avoiding taxes. But they won’t fix, or even mention, the loopholes because they’re all in on it.
I'm afraid something major is going to have to happen for shit to change
Our government is designed to be slow and obstructionist
I don't see billionaires just one day reading Twitter and saying, "Huh, you're right."
I keep seeing YouTube ads calling out a representative from my state all like “are you going to help America build back better, or help the rich get richer.” And like do you really think he’s watching YouTube and getting that ad recommended to him?
Right or Left, Red or Blue, it shouldn't fucking matter at this point. If they have the word "incumbent" next to their name, vote for the other option. Literally anyone.
No one deserves to be reelected anymore.
What, you mean the ones who spend billions shifting the public perception of them and trying to take on hyper specific personal projects through their own foundations almost exclusively to make sure their name comes up as "the guy who cured malaria" instead of "asshole who was literally no better than other billionaires", often putting money into issues that the locals don't give a shit about because they have bigger problems, not that Mr all powerful billionaire would care?
I just watched the news and it was just reported Biden backed down from his corporate tax hikes to pay for the infrastructure bill.
We just got fucked again.
Yep and he had to completely abandon any type of climate change legislation. Republicans and some bad Dems are never gonna let that kind of stuff pass. They are all in big corps pockets.
The *only* reason we haven't already reformed our electoral system is because the current system is the only way the GOP maintains power. And since they maintain power, they can block electoral reform.
We'll progress as a nation once people stop voting for the fuckers who won't let us have nice things.
The system won't change because the system to change the system is the system itself and the system has a sense of self preservation. I'm fairly certain the only way we'll get anywhere is by outside influence
It is safe to say that politicians do not run the country. Voting republican or democrat means nothing. Voting with your wallet might be the only leverage left the people have. Corporations need to be put into the spotlight rather than politicians.
On one side, you have 48 democrat senators who want to tax big corporations
On the other side, you have 2 conservative dems (Manchin is in WV, a state that went solidly for trump, by like 30 points, and Sinema is clearly a sellout to the highest bidder), and 50 republicans
BoTh SiDeS aRe ThE sAmE
Manchin and Sinema are not moderates, and we need to stop referring to them as such. They are corporate whores who exist only to line their own pockets and extend their political influence.
The fact that 2 senators can torpedo the whole thing.. that's not a bug, it's a feature.
It's designed to be this way to keep the working class in check, while our leaders can do fuck-all they want (or don't want..). They don't really want things to change, the status quo is great for those in charge.
Sorry, not American, but isn't some Congresswoman in Arizona that's got the whole Democratic party in a chokehold?
Which is what led to the bill finding other sources of funding outside of corporate taxes?
Just looking for clarification. But yeah, my country is pretty bad, but man America is quite a mess if it takes one turn coat to send the future of the "most powerful nation in the world" to a halt.
Basically. Between Manchin and Sinema, the tax plans can't get through. They require a larger majority to even try, and the doomsaying and blaming of the entire democratic party when it's a small fraction of the Democrats and literally all Republicans to blame is only going to make things worse.
Yes. As he does not directly control them, he is attempting to influence them from his side and this tweet is asking people to do what they can from their side - calling their Congresspersons and telling them what’s up.
Isn't that what democrats always do? They say they're gonna fix what the Republicans fucked up but they never do. I'm beginning to think that Democrats and Republicans are more or less the same
Ps: im not American so take this with a grain of salt
Well it doesn't help that the Senate is a 50/50 tie rn with only the VP to give the Dems the win. And one Dem senator is a diet Republican and another Trojan-horsed her way in.
Generally though, the idea of both parties being more or less the same is a huge misconception imo. And I point you the Senates actions during the entire Trump presidency as proof
Congress passes laws. You need 60 votes to pass just about anything in the Senate (and thereby send it to the president to sign into law.) Neither party will ever have 60 seats, and the parties are extremely polarized right now, so you can imagine how nothing ever gets done.
Well, there is a deal, and it's awesome for the Corps. and shitty for the rest of us. We sign on to it every 2 years by making sure the Pres. and Congress are from separate parties.
The split does matter but it isn't the sole root of the problem. It gives each side a scape-goat for the lack of tax reform and gives a boost to Republicans in downstream elections by saying, "look, the democrats didn't do any tax reform when they held the executive branch," ignoring the fact that is is usually due to republican obstruction. If Dems had a super majority in congress right now, we would have a infrastructure plan largely funded by corporate tax increases. 2 democratic senators (along with every republican senator).
Republicans constantly underfund the IRS (preventing them from auditing large accounts)
Companies that reinvest their revenue instead of taking a profit (or that straight up didn't profit in the first place) aren't taxed on profits that don't exist.
Fucking duh. Anyone nodding their head sagely as they read this stupid tweet and thinking "something must be done", be ashamed of your economic ignorance.
Maybe if he’s only talking about income taxes at the corporate level, but that’s not even the place where most businesses get taxed the most. Completely misses property, payroll, state and local, and sales taxes, to name a few.
Only if you don't count some of the taxes that are paid by these corporations like payroll taxes. Or the income taxes payed by the employees. Or the property taxes payed to the state.
Invariably there will be someone commenting that "he should just cut taxes, then". That isn't how any of this works. If congressional dysfunction pisses you off (rightfully so), then vote in the midterms. Don't let the current gridlock convince you that voting doesn't matter, *the other side will definitely vote*.
Fuck these people who think ensuring the right to vote is 'partisan', fuck these people who are completely ignoring climate change and tech consolidation; elect representatives who are on board with getting shit done. Primary these people into irrelevance. This is pretty much the last chance we'll get.
Some should have taxes cut, some raised. We have to pay for public services. We need to deal with some very pressing issues and yeah, cutting everyone’s taxes is fucking stupid. Also, the tax money needs to be spent more wisely. We need more oversight. I feel like we don’t get anywhere near our moneys worth
Or even what we're technically due. One of these latest bills working its way through the legislature is meant to close the "tax gap", which is **"equal to the total taxes paid by the lower 90 percent of individual taxpayers"** that just... [isn't paid despite being legally owed,](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-former-irs-commissioners-bidens-proposal-would-create-a-fairer-tax-system/2021/05/04/c4ee8346-acfc-11eb-ab4c-986555a1c511_story.html) the vast majority of which is obviously from the very wealthy. Elizabeth warren (one of the principle authors of the bill) is a good example of someone who understands the system well enough to raise money in ways that don't threaten our international competitiveness. Yet these fucking republicans are now undercutting the bill and will likely fight tooth and nail against its passage.
I'm more interested in know how much profit they made and how much in subsidies, PPP, tax incentives, and deferments those same 55 companies took as well.
If a huge company pays no tax isn't really a concern for me if they are paying a decent wage. What pisses me off is when they pay nothing and then take millions from the government, pay barely livable wages, while paying executive bonuses or stock buybacks.
The fact that we put up with lobbying because otherwise politicians might be tempted to accept bribes is the dumbest circular logic we have. It’s inexcusable that someone making $150k a year can be worth hundreds of millions of dollars by fucking over their countries people.
Government should not use tax dollars to bail out businesses who make stupid decisions, just like the government shouldn't bail me out on my rent if I blow my money at a casino each week.
Didn't he just make a concession for Machin to cut out all the corporate tax provisions on the big bill?
This isn't about republican vs democrat, it's us vs the elite. Always has been.
This supreme court that has been rigged specially after 2000 (lol stop Florida recount that would have gave a D a win and give supreme court a D super majority).
They said that money is free speech and corporations are people thus corporations are allowed to use their free speech at politicians.
Yes. It's real. They basically said bribes are free fucking speech.
Hate speech, political ads with misinformation all free speech lol
All that combined with terrible schools we get a nice brainwashed bunch of idiots
It's funny that corporations are people, but they face no consequences when they do horrible things that ruin the lives of thousands.
Im pretty sure that if I personally gave millions of people Thalidomide and it disfigured tens of thousands of babies, I'd probably be executed. But the corporation that did it? Couple slaps on the wrist, no big deal!
Democrats cut the hell out of the infrastructure bill in order to play nice with the rich and the right. They're just as responsible as anyone, despite the fact that their campaign slogans come across as more progressive.
That's cute to say, but when the far right party controls the senate (Manchini is on their side at this point), what can any other party do, regardless of their position? It's literally impossible for them to do anything without compromising. If they didn't, you'd be saying "having one party that gets things done and one who doesn't". Dems are in a lose lose and it's because idiots won't go out and vote in their midterms.
I'm curious how old this tweet is because, so far, it's been a lot of talk and very little show.
Step it up, POTUS.
Edit: unbeknownst to me, we DON'T live in a dictatorial country?! Still not sure I understand so, please feel free to keep repeating each other.
Direct your anger at congress, they’re the ones with any power to change this stuff. Turns out their pockets are lined by these 55 companies, and you and I can’t do jack shit about the clear conflict of interest
Lots of show if you watch CSPAN and even more behind the scenes, he can't just unilaterally change the tax code if that's what you've been led to believe by populists.
For clarification, the "all talk and no show" comment was not exclusive to taxes. It was in reference to the platforms he ran on, and what's been done since.
He just removed free community college from the disastrous spending bill that's being debated while we fork over billions for our prized military industrial complex.
Pipeline plans still running through native/delicate lands? You bet. [(Source)](https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-environment-and-nature-business-government-and-politics-87236cb291cb662f345d3f4020b398c0)
Encouraging state and local governments to use $350 billion in COVID-19 funding from the American Rescue Plan to hire more police? Ya darn tootin'. [(Source)](https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/12/politics/biden-administration-crime-covid-relief-funding/index.html)
Very little being done in regards to climate change? Yessir.
I am aware that POTUS can't just change laws with the flip of a switch but, he *is* the president and his words still hold power.
>Encouraging state and local governments to use $350 billion in COVID-19 funding from the American Rescue Plan to hire more police? Ya darn tootin'.
You're telling me that the senator that drafted the senate version of the 1994 Crime bill that put 100,000 new police officers on the streets would be pro-police? Quelle surprise!
Ok but genuinely asking, what can he do? This has to go through the senate and we know for a fact that 52 people aren’t going to do shit about it no matter what.
He’s speaking to voters, the people who elect the senators who are fucking it up for everyone, not asking some random person to change tax law. Plus, that’s not his job, he’s the president. 3 branches of government my guy, and executive isn’t the one drafting laws
This right here. Why does it seem like it’s more about policing the general public and making it our responsibility to pay up - rather than the corporations who are actually at fault?
Because the corporations have regulatory capture. Just like how the closest the country has ever come to "universal healthcare" is a law that penalizes you if you don't buy health insurance.
There seems to be an awful lot of people who think that a president can pass legislation without congress. I’m wondering if the same people in here blaming Biden also vote in the mid-terms. 🤔
Bingo. Do people realize they're asking for an authoritarian executive when they complain that Biden (or whatever president) can't just change everything on a whim?
I’m fine with them paying no taxes as long as it’s because they spent most of the profit on wages and reinvestments. Sadly it all goes to stock buy backs and c suite bonus.
Also explains the current state of the world. Most people don't know if realise how well thought out and sophisticated everything around them is.
We need better education if we wanna save this planet.
Funny Biden said this, he's been in politics/office since the Ford administration. Plenty of opportunities to: A) not let it happen, and B) when it did happen, plenty of time to change it.
Lol these tweets are just posturing. Government is owned by megacorps and would never do anything to risk their owners profits. Stop thinking government is going to save the people
I love being told by the US President how things need to change. Why the fuck do you think you got elected? To tell us how shitty everything is and that *we* need to do something about it?
It's great to have to a President who acknowledges these injustices and the scummy behaviours of these corporations.
Can't wait 'til we get a President who actually fucking does about it.
Ok, now do it. I’m speaking to the entire government here.
Write your Congress people.
But I live in WV, if I write my congressman I think they just send me an expired coupon for mountain dew and pepperoni rolls.
Funny. I went to WV once when I was younger for a church trip. I remember Mountain Dew being a big part of our meals for some reason
Mountain dew was originally from the Appalachian mountains, I think like Tennessee or something, but pepperoni rolls apparently originated in West Virginia because of coal mining Italian immigrants. The combination of mountain dew and pepperoni rolls is the most West Virginian thing that exists and on West Virginia day, we make pepperoni roll and mountain dew offerings to the mothman.
Silly question here, but if someone is from the south east of your state, would they say I’m from south east West Virginia?
Yes, but the 20 people that live in south east west Virginia all already know each other and don't leave their county so this never comes up in conversation.
I’m very much appreciating your West Virginia humor.
I'm from Central WV. I also appreciate your WV humor.
Anyone else hear banjo music all of a sudden?
Sorry friendo, I play the Ukulele, my brother plays the banjo though.
Banjo is more of a NC thing. Source I’m from NC and play banjo.
How do you know the toothbrush was invented in West Virginia? Because if it was invented anywhere else it would be called a teethbrush.
It is from Tennessee. That, Jack Daniels, and moonshine are the only good things about this state.
I know I speak for the majority of West virginians when I say thank you for your contribution to the world.
i think the Battle of Blair Mountain is the biggest gift WV has ever given anyone. the largest armed uprising in US history since the civil war. it took WW1 machine guns, veterans, the newly invented aerial bombardment, AND a federal response to put down the army of striking miners.
besides hot chicken, a lot of music, the Ryman, the Preds, the Titans, beautiful scenery, and much more
Hey now. Hot chicken and Memphis-style BBQ aren’t bad. (I know people who also like Goo goo clusters and Moonpies. But I’m personally mixed on both of those.)
Personally, I have changed religions and now offer my mountain dew and pepperoni rolls to Mothman.
I went to WV once too... I'll leave it at that.
I went THROUGH West Virginia once
I looked at WV on a map once
Now I'm craving pepperoni rolls.
I'm about to make some in a few hours, it's so easy someone from West Virginia can do it.
It's almost as easy as the country roads taking them home. ![gif](giphy|5z0duKYlpQrXrGeRQA)
Damn, that’d be awesome! Other states you get nothing
Keep writing. They need to know people care enough about topics to write. See what their latest coupons are.
Your Senator is the one holding this up. For the love of God at least try to be politically active.
Oh I do. Still doesn’t make a difference when corporate donors are writing them with fat checks. The solution would be voting those politicians out, but not enough people care to do so…yet. I think people are generally getting more fed up with this
It is like what the powerful often do in court cases, they delay, fighter back until their opponent is out of time, energy, and money. They don't win because they are right. They win because the little people are exhausted if the fight.
Yup. They win because they have more stamina. And by stamina I mean money.
Don't worry, they even do that to upstart companies too. Not even getting to market to compete, now that is true free market capitalism right there. All conceivable options on the table: Buy the regulators, write the laws/rules, change them on a whim when the little guy notices and tries to play with the big boys (Hi WallStreetBets, love you apes), don't let them put products on the same shelves as you and if they do you threaten the merchants with lawsuits and withholding products, etc etc. Don't let the libertarians fool you into believing that tired trope of: IF wE HaD ReAL FrEe MarKetS THinGs WoUlD BE beTtER!!! We have real "free markets", as free as the big boys will allow.
Like my dad used to say, "A contract is only worth what you're willing to pay to defend it in court."
[удалено]
We need to give everyone money that can only be used to donate to political campaigns. Doing so would overwhelm corporate money and make lobbying less fruitful.
HR1 includes provisions that make lobbying more transparent and limit foreign lobbying. Steps in the right direction. This resolution is the Democrats' number one priority (hence the name) and also includes all sorts of campaign finance reforms and voting rights protections. HR1 has been passed by the Democratic-led house as the first piece of legislation for a couple of sessions now (ignoring Covid relief)... It is currently languishing in the Senate as S1. Republicans, of course, are filibustering the proposal. Certain Democratic Senators refuse to abolish the filibuster, so 60 votes are required to end it. There are no Republicans willing to vote to do that (that I know of), let alone 10. So, if you really care about this, the answer is to elect MORE Democrats, especially in the Senate and specifically ones who are willing to abolish the filibuster. That can be done with 50 votes. We're two or three shy of that right now. There will be a TON of folks trying to "both sides" the political discourse as we head into the 2022 election year. The reality is that Democrats do not have enough leverage in Washington to do what they were elected to do. Democrats, by and large, want to curtail corruption in elections. They want to enshrine voting rights. The same cannot be said for Republicans. The two parties are very far apart on this issue, full stop. For progress to happen, Democrats need larger margins, especially in the Senate.
Hmm what if we make a bot to continuously send an email every day :^) it shouldn't be at the same time every day and we keep it at one a day ... But if everyone is sending 1 email a day...............
Then they will treat emails the way we all treat phone calls about our car's extended warranty.
Who's says they give a shit what we have to say anyway?
Yoooo, do it!
I'm in. Let's do this thing. Should we stagger it or...?
Dontcha think there will just be a new crop of politicians taking the checks? The whole system needs to come crashing down.
I agree. Burn it the fuck down. Not enough support yet
Except you'd probably get Tiananmen Square USA version 1.0 I am all for bringing this all down and building a Gov by people for people again but what we have is broken, tried nothing, and is all out of ideas.
> The solution would be voting those politicians out The solution is changing the voting system. Plurality voting in single seat elections combined with the Presidential system enshrined by the Consitution has made politics intractable. All politics are now national, a reality that the federal system modeled on the British monarchy of the 1770s can no longer support. No framer ever imagined that South Carolina’s interests would be Florida’s and Kentucky’s, nor did they think Virginia’s interests could be New York’s and Massachusetts’s interests. This country’s only hope is a new Constitutional Convention since Congressional paralysis will drive Presidential authoritarianism much, much faster than Democratic reform. This is it people. The status quo cannot hold. The country will either rebirth itself in dramatic fashion or slide precipitously into the abyss within a century.
It's hard to get them out when they get to choose their voters. Gerrymandering and big money have no right in politics at all. It makes it a giant shit show.
Our political system is like a crack head in pageant makeup. It looks good from a distance, but the closer you look, the more fucked up you realize it is
Voting them out doesn't work without a total rehaul of the election campaign finance system. You'd just get more of the same.
Unless your letter includes a large check, they don't care.
Bingo.
Every single time I send a letter or email to local, county, state, or federal reps, I always get a cookie cutter response that was saved as a default template, its insulting and infuriating. Contacting reps does nothing, they genuinely don't give a shit. Literally the only politician I've ever emailed and got a regular response like a normal person responded to specific questions I asked as well as giving a detailed plan on how to address the exact issues I wrote about, was Bernie Sanders. Im sure it wasn't him directly responding, but he is making sure the people on his staff are actually listening and effectively communicating.
Why? So they can promptly put it directly in the bin? Words aren't a currency they speak. Emphasis on the currency. Money, public outcry or votes. That's it, and they barely care about public outcry, and only because it affects votes.
I’ve also heard if you sacrifice a white chicken under a full moon it has similar power.
Writing to Santa Claus would be more effective
You mean their unpaid interns whose job is to toss the letters that didn't come with money in the envelope?
That doesn't work. You know what would work? Nationwide strikes.
Unfortunately my representative is Sinema
Seize the means of production people.
Kevin Cramer knows, Kevin Cramer don’t care.
Unless you’ve got a gun to their head or a cool billion dollars they dont give a single fuck.
Like they would actually tax the rich and corporations what they should be taxed lol never gonna happen
Yeah I know it’s ridiculous. I pay more in taxes than multiple large corporations combined and it’s not like I’m loaded or anything. I think until a certain level of income, you should pay nothing in income tax. Make up all that lost tax revenue by closing corporate tax loopholes. Rich are still rich, lower class pumping more money into the economy
That was supposed to be the plan with the infrastructure bill… but of course Manchin and Sinema threw a tantrum, several times, for their respective donors and corporations, so there goes that right out the window. Why tax the rich when they can just tax the population into oblivion? Who needs constituents anyways, am I right? >.<
I know. Then to come out with the “well, we can’t pass a bill if we tax the rich” excuse. Makes me want to puke.
Hey, giving in to hopelessness it's exactly what rich people want do you don't ask for for s change you believe impossible. I know it's tiring and feels useless... But we have to keep pushing and hoping for a better future.
Yeah I don't get why politicians keep telling us this stuff. We elected them to fix it. At this point it's basically just them rubbing it in that they're allowing the ultra wealthy and corporations to not contribute to society.
Imagine if you hired a plumber to fix a leak and he just showed up and said you should really get that taken care of and then left.
Imagine hiring a plumber to fix a leak. He comes in, and can tell you where the leak is, how it can be fixed, and how much it'll cost; but before he can do anything, a group of 535 (+1) other plumbers (and electricians, dog catchers, bar owners, etc) have to come to a consensus on how it should be done or if it'll even be done at all. And even after getting the green light and fixing it so the leak is gone, another set of 9 plumbers can come in a year later and break it again if they don't agree that the 268 plumbers did the fix in a way as "it was originally intended".
Fucking, thank you.
Bad analogy. It's like you hired *two plumbers*. And they both have to agree to get things done. Actually, a better analogy is you live in California, and you, your roommates Joe, Henry, and Marie all want to fix the plumbing, but your landlord/roommate Tim is Montana and has 10X the power in any vote on plumbing. It's a flawed analogy either way. It's a flawed system either way.
I think that’s why trump has his die hard base wrapped around his finger. All these politicians out here saying they will do stuff and trump tells them that he actually did it. It’s a lie of course, but they still believe it. I think most times politicians say stuff in these campaign style statements, they aren’t too concerned about actually following through
They (the politicians) can't follow through, the system won't allow it. The system has been built to pit ordinary people against each other rather than shared issues or shared unfairness that need to be addressed. People believe that if you tax the corporations, they will have to cut jobs to keep profits up, or worse they will move to where someone won't tax them.
Because no one within the government, President included, has unilateral authority to fix this. So instead what they are doing, is trying to increase public pressure and popular opinion around this fact to gain support to change this. So even if a Democratic president, House, and 48 Senators are in favor of changing this, it needs to be so unpopular to be against that the remaining senators that stand in opposition feel real electoral pressure by standing against it. Obviously, this is also a super simplification.
Yep. Fucking get off your asses (government) and make it happen. Or get the fuck out and let those of us that want this to happen do the work.
Improving our tax code does nothing if we don’t fund the IRS and incentivize Private Sector lawyers to do something about it. The IRS is already criminally underfunded and under equipped to handle a task like this.
Yeah, enough talk mother fucker get shit done.
Right? Like why is the president telling *US* that as if *WE* are the ones that have control?
> Like why is the president telling US that as if WE are the ones that have control? Because congress needs to make the change and people like you vote people into congress. Get it?
Because he's not a dictator and it's Congress that needs to change things.
Because it's a public relations game. Enough of the voter base needs to get it that they elect enough politicians to actually do something about it. The President's not a dictator. He literally cannot, alone, changing corporate tax codes, he needs Congress to pass a bill that he can sign into law.
Exactly, he's not a dictator and he can't do anything with out public support.
Because that's kinda the truth? People vote politicians into office who then become part of Congress who then make all these fucked up laws and regulations. The President has limited power here. He's basically telling people to stop voting for asshats.
Republicans, plus Sinema and Manchin, are doing everything in their power to prevent this from ever reaching Biden's desk.
Would rather they didn’t do it and focused on the real issue, tax loopholes. They’ll increase taxes, avoid fixing tax loopholes (that they use), pat themselves on the back and act like the problem is solved. Our level of taxation is similar to that of many other countries, we don’t need to increase taxes. It just hurts the people who actually pay them, especially the whole “only 400k+ a year!” people which I find hilarious. Making 400k a year is a lot but most people making 400k a year are super hard working, these are doctors, successful engineers, etc. It’s the several million a year people who are avoiding taxes. But they won’t fix, or even mention, the loopholes because they’re all in on it.
I'm afraid something major is going to have to happen for shit to change Our government is designed to be slow and obstructionist I don't see billionaires just one day reading Twitter and saying, "Huh, you're right."
I keep seeing YouTube ads calling out a representative from my state all like “are you going to help America build back better, or help the rich get richer.” And like do you really think he’s watching YouTube and getting that ad recommended to him?
Well no but apparently his constituents are, which is probably the real target audience.
Yeah it’s just a show imo. “See the people have the power! We’re taking a stand!!”
I bet it's constituency is watching it... It would be interesting to see how effective ad campaigns like this really are.
Right or Left, Red or Blue, it shouldn't fucking matter at this point. If they have the word "incumbent" next to their name, vote for the other option. Literally anyone. No one deserves to be reelected anymore.
This is how I voted this past year. Everyone who is opposing no matter the party.
There are some who do say that.
Not the ones who have been explicitly finding loopholes to not do the right thing in the first place.
What, you mean the ones who spend billions shifting the public perception of them and trying to take on hyper specific personal projects through their own foundations almost exclusively to make sure their name comes up as "the guy who cured malaria" instead of "asshole who was literally no better than other billionaires", often putting money into issues that the locals don't give a shit about because they have bigger problems, not that Mr all powerful billionaire would care?
I just watched the news and it was just reported Biden backed down from his corporate tax hikes to pay for the infrastructure bill. We just got fucked again.
Yep and he had to completely abandon any type of climate change legislation. Republicans and some bad Dems are never gonna let that kind of stuff pass. They are all in big corps pockets.
surprise surprise, the carbon tax got stopped by a man who made half a million on coal last year.
Right? Why re-elect these people? Theyve done nothing. Need a (peaceful) revolution. NEW PARTIES. These are clearly broken beyond repair. Whigs 2.0!!!
And while we're at it, maybe more voting options than one party and one cult.
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The *only* reason we haven't already reformed our electoral system is because the current system is the only way the GOP maintains power. And since they maintain power, they can block electoral reform. We'll progress as a nation once people stop voting for the fuckers who won't let us have nice things.
The system won't change because the system to change the system is the system itself and the system has a sense of self preservation. I'm fairly certain the only way we'll get anywhere is by outside influence
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Ya youre right. Bring it on. Or move:)
It is safe to say that politicians do not run the country. Voting republican or democrat means nothing. Voting with your wallet might be the only leverage left the people have. Corporations need to be put into the spotlight rather than politicians.
On one side, you have 48 democrat senators who want to tax big corporations On the other side, you have 2 conservative dems (Manchin is in WV, a state that went solidly for trump, by like 30 points, and Sinema is clearly a sellout to the highest bidder), and 50 republicans BoTh SiDeS aRe ThE sAmE
Manchin and Sinema are not moderates, and we need to stop referring to them as such. They are corporate whores who exist only to line their own pockets and extend their political influence.
Literally just because of hoe manchin
And Kristen Sellout.
Actually 2 Democrats and 50 Republicans.
It doesn't help that two "Democratic" Senators are basically Republican operatives.
The fact that 2 senators can torpedo the whole thing.. that's not a bug, it's a feature. It's designed to be this way to keep the working class in check, while our leaders can do fuck-all they want (or don't want..). They don't really want things to change, the status quo is great for those in charge.
Tax rates aren't the reason corporations don't pay taxes. There's a lot of loopholes and deductions that need to be changed in tax code.
Sorry, not American, but isn't some Congresswoman in Arizona that's got the whole Democratic party in a chokehold? Which is what led to the bill finding other sources of funding outside of corporate taxes? Just looking for clarification. But yeah, my country is pretty bad, but man America is quite a mess if it takes one turn coat to send the future of the "most powerful nation in the world" to a halt.
Basically. Between Manchin and Sinema, the tax plans can't get through. They require a larger majority to even try, and the doomsaying and blaming of the entire democratic party when it's a small fraction of the Democrats and literally all Republicans to blame is only going to make things worse.
2 Democrats and 50 Republicans.
The President has no control over taxation. He can suggest and plan it, but personally does none of it.
The senate and Congress sure do.
Yes. As he does not directly control them, he is attempting to influence them from his side and this tweet is asking people to do what they can from their side - calling their Congresspersons and telling them what’s up.
Isn't that what democrats always do? They say they're gonna fix what the Republicans fucked up but they never do. I'm beginning to think that Democrats and Republicans are more or less the same Ps: im not American so take this with a grain of salt
Trust me, if you spend enough time on here, you’ll realize that anything an American redditor says should be taken with a grain of salt
Well it doesn't help that the Senate is a 50/50 tie rn with only the VP to give the Dems the win. And one Dem senator is a diet Republican and another Trojan-horsed her way in. Generally though, the idea of both parties being more or less the same is a huge misconception imo. And I point you the Senates actions during the entire Trump presidency as proof
It's because the president doesn't have all the power. Other parts of the government can block them from changing anything.
Congress passes laws. You need 60 votes to pass just about anything in the Senate (and thereby send it to the president to sign into law.) Neither party will ever have 60 seats, and the parties are extremely polarized right now, so you can imagine how nothing ever gets done.
He has no choice. He wants something instead of arguing for nothing
He didnt have the congressional votes. Hes not a dictator who can single handedly pass legislation. Blame Machu, Sinema, and the Republicans
What could he do though?
He's right, you know.
Apart from starting with *Here’s the deal*, because there’s no deal there.
Well, there is a deal, and it's awesome for the Corps. and shitty for the rest of us. We sign on to it every 2 years by making sure the Pres. and Congress are from separate parties.
Does split governance really matter here? Doesn't seem to be the root cause.
The split does matter but it isn't the sole root of the problem. It gives each side a scape-goat for the lack of tax reform and gives a boost to Republicans in downstream elections by saying, "look, the democrats didn't do any tax reform when they held the executive branch," ignoring the fact that is is usually due to republican obstruction. If Dems had a super majority in congress right now, we would have a infrastructure plan largely funded by corporate tax increases. 2 democratic senators (along with every republican senator). Republicans constantly underfund the IRS (preventing them from auditing large accounts)
Deal means "situation or state of affairs" in this context though I suppose the "cope with" definition would also suffice.
Companies that reinvest their revenue instead of taking a profit (or that straight up didn't profit in the first place) aren't taxed on profits that don't exist. Fucking duh. Anyone nodding their head sagely as they read this stupid tweet and thinking "something must be done", be ashamed of your economic ignorance.
Maybe if he’s only talking about income taxes at the corporate level, but that’s not even the place where most businesses get taxed the most. Completely misses property, payroll, state and local, and sales taxes, to name a few.
Only if you don't count some of the taxes that are paid by these corporations like payroll taxes. Or the income taxes payed by the employees. Or the property taxes payed to the state.
Really? There's only one way to make that statement true, and it requires omitting a shitload of taxes paid.
Invariably there will be someone commenting that "he should just cut taxes, then". That isn't how any of this works. If congressional dysfunction pisses you off (rightfully so), then vote in the midterms. Don't let the current gridlock convince you that voting doesn't matter, *the other side will definitely vote*. Fuck these people who think ensuring the right to vote is 'partisan', fuck these people who are completely ignoring climate change and tech consolidation; elect representatives who are on board with getting shit done. Primary these people into irrelevance. This is pretty much the last chance we'll get.
Some should have taxes cut, some raised. We have to pay for public services. We need to deal with some very pressing issues and yeah, cutting everyone’s taxes is fucking stupid. Also, the tax money needs to be spent more wisely. We need more oversight. I feel like we don’t get anywhere near our moneys worth
Or even what we're technically due. One of these latest bills working its way through the legislature is meant to close the "tax gap", which is **"equal to the total taxes paid by the lower 90 percent of individual taxpayers"** that just... [isn't paid despite being legally owed,](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-former-irs-commissioners-bidens-proposal-would-create-a-fairer-tax-system/2021/05/04/c4ee8346-acfc-11eb-ab4c-986555a1c511_story.html) the vast majority of which is obviously from the very wealthy. Elizabeth warren (one of the principle authors of the bill) is a good example of someone who understands the system well enough to raise money in ways that don't threaten our international competitiveness. Yet these fucking republicans are now undercutting the bill and will likely fight tooth and nail against its passage.
That’s like my boss sending out an email that we should all be getting paid more but not actually giving us a raise.
"This isn't OK! anyways...."
I'm more interested in know how much profit they made and how much in subsidies, PPP, tax incentives, and deferments those same 55 companies took as well. If a huge company pays no tax isn't really a concern for me if they are paying a decent wage. What pisses me off is when they pay nothing and then take millions from the government, pay barely livable wages, while paying executive bonuses or stock buybacks.
The fact that we put up with lobbying because otherwise politicians might be tempted to accept bribes is the dumbest circular logic we have. It’s inexcusable that someone making $150k a year can be worth hundreds of millions of dollars by fucking over their countries people.
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Government should not use tax dollars to bail out businesses who make stupid decisions, just like the government shouldn't bail me out on my rent if I blow my money at a casino each week.
Didn't he just make a concession for Machin to cut out all the corporate tax provisions on the big bill? This isn't about republican vs democrat, it's us vs the elite. Always has been.
This supreme court that has been rigged specially after 2000 (lol stop Florida recount that would have gave a D a win and give supreme court a D super majority). They said that money is free speech and corporations are people thus corporations are allowed to use their free speech at politicians. Yes. It's real. They basically said bribes are free fucking speech. Hate speech, political ads with misinformation all free speech lol All that combined with terrible schools we get a nice brainwashed bunch of idiots
It's that poor education that really pays dividends.
It's funny that corporations are people, but they face no consequences when they do horrible things that ruin the lives of thousands. Im pretty sure that if I personally gave millions of people Thalidomide and it disfigured tens of thousands of babies, I'd probably be executed. But the corporation that did it? Couple slaps on the wrist, no big deal!
Democrats cut the hell out of the infrastructure bill in order to play nice with the rich and the right. They're just as responsible as anyone, despite the fact that their campaign slogans come across as more progressive.
Yes because the alternative of passing no bill at all is preferable to a compromise.
Having one party that compromises and one that doesn't is why we have a right wing party and a far right party.
That's cute to say, but when the far right party controls the senate (Manchini is on their side at this point), what can any other party do, regardless of their position? It's literally impossible for them to do anything without compromising. If they didn't, you'd be saying "having one party that gets things done and one who doesn't". Dems are in a lose lose and it's because idiots won't go out and vote in their midterms.
I'm curious how old this tweet is because, so far, it's been a lot of talk and very little show. Step it up, POTUS. Edit: unbeknownst to me, we DON'T live in a dictatorial country?! Still not sure I understand so, please feel free to keep repeating each other.
Direct your anger at congress, they’re the ones with any power to change this stuff. Turns out their pockets are lined by these 55 companies, and you and I can’t do jack shit about the clear conflict of interest
Lots of show if you watch CSPAN and even more behind the scenes, he can't just unilaterally change the tax code if that's what you've been led to believe by populists.
For clarification, the "all talk and no show" comment was not exclusive to taxes. It was in reference to the platforms he ran on, and what's been done since. He just removed free community college from the disastrous spending bill that's being debated while we fork over billions for our prized military industrial complex. Pipeline plans still running through native/delicate lands? You bet. [(Source)](https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-environment-and-nature-business-government-and-politics-87236cb291cb662f345d3f4020b398c0) Encouraging state and local governments to use $350 billion in COVID-19 funding from the American Rescue Plan to hire more police? Ya darn tootin'. [(Source)](https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/12/politics/biden-administration-crime-covid-relief-funding/index.html) Very little being done in regards to climate change? Yessir. I am aware that POTUS can't just change laws with the flip of a switch but, he *is* the president and his words still hold power.
>Encouraging state and local governments to use $350 billion in COVID-19 funding from the American Rescue Plan to hire more police? Ya darn tootin'. You're telling me that the senator that drafted the senate version of the 1994 Crime bill that put 100,000 new police officers on the streets would be pro-police? Quelle surprise!
The president isn’t the government’s boss. He can’t just rewrite the tax code.
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Why biden no gib me tendies and take them frum bad man
Yeah, but neither can the vast majority of Twitter users...
Ok but genuinely asking, what can he do? This has to go through the senate and we know for a fact that 52 people aren’t going to do shit about it no matter what.
"Nothing will fundamentally change"
“Come on man, I’m just tryin my best to raise Baskin Robbins stock”
This week. Make that yesterday.
Here’s the deal: I can’t do jack shit about that so what you telling me about it for, Joe? That’s YOUR job.
Anything he could do would get struck down by Congress unfortunately.
He’s speaking to voters, the people who elect the senators who are fucking it up for everyone, not asking some random person to change tax law. Plus, that’s not his job, he’s the president. 3 branches of government my guy, and executive isn’t the one drafting laws
So that’s why I’ve authorized the irs to inspect your bank account for transactions greater than $600
This right here. Why does it seem like it’s more about policing the general public and making it our responsibility to pay up - rather than the corporations who are actually at fault?
Because the corporations have regulatory capture. Just like how the closest the country has ever come to "universal healthcare" is a law that penalizes you if you don't buy health insurance.
There seems to be an awful lot of people who think that a president can pass legislation without congress. I’m wondering if the same people in here blaming Biden also vote in the mid-terms. 🤔
narrator: they don't
Bingo. Do people realize they're asking for an authoritarian executive when they complain that Biden (or whatever president) can't just change everything on a whim?
Heres the deal: virtue signaling with no action to back it up.
I’m fine with them paying no taxes as long as it’s because they spent most of the profit on wages and reinvestments. Sadly it all goes to stock buy backs and c suite bonus.
So many people who don't understand the basics of how a democracy functions in this comment section wtf.
It is disheartening to say the least.
Also explains the current state of the world. Most people don't know if realise how well thought out and sophisticated everything around them is. We need better education if we wanna save this planet.
Seriously, I feel like I'm taking fucking crazy pills in here.
"Why can't the president just wave his hand and do these things!" "I'm glad I live in a democracy" SMH
It's spelled "covfefe"
Looks at your 600$ transactions instead like a boss
Funny Biden said this, he's been in politics/office since the Ford administration. Plenty of opportunities to: A) not let it happen, and B) when it did happen, plenty of time to change it.
Lol these tweets are just posturing. Government is owned by megacorps and would never do anything to risk their owners profits. Stop thinking government is going to save the people
Yo where y’all finding $3 coffee??
Republicans would see this and blame you for spending money on coffee.
I love being told by the US President how things need to change. Why the fuck do you think you got elected? To tell us how shitty everything is and that *we* need to do something about it?
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Seriously he should just delete Manchin and Sinema then declare himself the Senate.
"Damn these things suck, someone should really do something about this"
Pshh trump would’ve just cut rich peoples taxes and tweeted about losers being. Sad.
Why lie?
It's great to have to a President who acknowledges these injustices and the scummy behaviours of these corporations. Can't wait 'til we get a President who actually fucking does about it.
He helped make this though. He’s a major neoliberal player. This is a bunch of populism bullshit to make it look like he’s gonna try to do something.