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“I think not having the estate tax recognizes the people that are investing,” Grassley told the Register in a story published Saturday. “As opposed to those that are just spending every darn penny they have, whether it’s on booze or women or movies.”
This is the same old rhetoric used for Reagan's "trickle down" nonsense. What happened then is that the rich did not "invest" in America. Instead, they "invested" in off-shore bank accounts and began offshoring American manufacturing and jobs.
As for Americans "spending every darn penny they have, whether it's on booze or women or movies": Apart from the appalling insult to hardworking American people, most of whom "spend every darn penny they have" trying to make ends meet, is he seriously suggesting that the rich don't "spend every darn penny they have" on obscene self-indulgences, such as multiple opulent homes, international shopping sprees, "fabulous" parties, etc.?
It's clear as day, with this tax bill, that Republicans have nothing but contempt for the average American, and anyone who continues to support their lying, bloated a$$e$ is lost in serious denial and/or is suffering from Stockholm syndrome, thinking that their leaders are faultless and guiltless and have their best interests at heart. There has never been such blatantly open contempt for the American people. First, Trump says he could shoot someone in the street and still his base would vote for him (he was laughing at his own base with this statement), and now Grassley. When will their followers wake up?
They won't wake up, because they stupidly don't think the GOP are talking about them. Cons are woefully ignorant.
I suppose it depends on what you think he meant. There are a few ways to interpret his remarks.
One way is somewhat ironic
Where he's basically telling a bunch of white rural american farmers (who inherited their land from their fathers, and their fathers, who were given the land for free from the U.S. Government) .... telling them that the reason the "general masses" (Who typically do not inherit farms) are not the inheritors of large estates is because "their type" (presumably their forebears) blew everything on booze, women and movies.
It's a convoluted, insane thing when I explain it like this, but that's the dog whistle he's sounding to his base. "We are better people than them."
In fairness, the farmers that today have large chunks of land and wealth are in most cases the shrewdest, most belt tightened small businessmen that managed to avoid the bankruptcy or forced sale from the 1980's and 90's.
These guys did not just get a silver spoon inheritance but instead worked their a** off and struggled through some lean decades. (Doesn't anyone remember "Farm Aid"?)
Any illusions that most of these guys inherited tons of land and just sat around on their butts "being rich" is based upon extremely rare exceptions.
Trust me, I grew up in that area and it's not a "dog whistle" for any base. It's a comment directed at large numbers of retired 70+ year old farmers that worked 50 years, extremely long hours and sleepless nights pinching pennies.....that are now worth millions because they have 1,000 acres of land that exploded in value. These guys have quite a bit of money, the comments are directed at THEM as deep pocket political donors. People with that kind of work ethic that in many cases fought of bankruptcy canning their own food, wearing old clothes, not taking vacations or eating out...can often have a view that is Ayn Rand-ish.
In fairness, the farmers that today have large chunks of land and wealth are in most cases the shrewdest, most belt tightened small businessmen that managed to avoid the bankruptcy or forced sale from the 1980's and 90's.
These guys did not just get a silver spoon inheritance but instead worked their a** off and struggled through some lean decades. (Doesn't anyone remember "Farm Aid"?)
Any illusions that most of these guys inherited tons of land and just sat around on their butts "being rich" is based upon extremely rare exceptions.
I didn't ever say they sat around on their butts, or had a silver spoon inheritance. I know farm ownership is a hard life, but it's also not a realistic choice available to everyone.
How many people do you know who inherit nothing, and grow up to own millions worth of farmland?
A number of my high school buddies became farmers and acquiring farmland was a huge ordeal for them, more about family connections than anything else.
We have the receipts from back in the 30s when grandpa paid off his crop loans. They paid pretty high interest back then.
Lawyers and corporate farms bought up all that was for sale due to being on the ropes back in the 80s. I know a few who still have family land. The government pays them to not plant. Or it is leased to corporate farms.
That's how they think middle class would spend the money if they were given a tax-cut, which is why they gave it to the elite instead.
His comment reveals how they see the hard working middles class Americans.
Grassley has a point. A lot of Americans waste money and have nothing to show for it. It took my wife and I until our 40's to begin setting aside 10% of our income for 401K and other investments. We are working towards 20% over the next 5 years.
I think it's easier for many Americans to complain about tax rates than live within their means.
Tax rates don't concern me nearly as much as the convoluted tax code Congress uses to manipulate us. I'm all for a tax code that allows me to complete our taxes in 30 minutes or less.
99% of liberals posting have no clue what’s in the tax relief bill and parrot the liberal morons that handle them 🙄 For Christ’s sake, they kept all your freebies such as the EIC. Remember that one? The one you get money back that you didn’t even pay in? You know just for pumping out kids you couldn’t afford in the first place?
God, I just wish liberals would think independently for once. The economy is at its highest point in all areas in the last 10 years.. Get a job and quit worrying about what other people make and how they spend it. It’s not your money regardless of what Brainless Bernie tells you.
99% of liberals posting have no clue what’s in the tax relief bill and parrot the liberal morons that handle them �� For Christ’s sake, they kept all your freebies such as the EIC.
Speaking as a liberal, I don't care much about the EIC. I care more about ensuring that entities who do business in the United States pay their fair share for its defense, its social safety net, its infrastructure, health, education, et cetera.
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God, I just wish liberals would think independently for once. The economy is at its highest point in all areas in the last 10 years..
Yes, which economists universally regard as a time to increase taxes and reduce deficit spending. But Republicans stopped listening to economists a couple of decades back, whenever economists stopped saying what the GOP donors wanted to hear.
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Get a job
I have one, thanks, probably making a heck of a lot more money than you.
Hey essentially equates women with objects that can be bought and sold as entertainment.
No he doesn't. In fact, if you go google things that lead to NOT building wealth...paying child support and divorce are two major wealth erosion items. Furthermore, he notes things that are BAD choices he is not endorsing behavior like knocking up gals at the bar or hiring prostitutes, quite the opposite.
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