20% Tax on Items from Mexico to pay for wall...

[Irvrobinson]

W2 income, as in nothing but a 1040EZ form? They wouldn't have any gain or loss from investments to carry forward, so why even bring them into this? That just sounds like jealousy.

Not jealousy, just the opinion that taxpayers should not have to cover losses over a period of years.

 

[highfigh]

It only qualifies as income if it is an employment benefit. If you're paying yourself the cost of the plan is not counted as income.

I never saw him make that distinction. The only people I know of whose compensation might include high prices health insurance are executives and if the company sees high health care costs as viable, I don't want them handling my money.

 

[Chu Gai]

What sort of healthcare does Obama get now?

 

[Irvrobinson]

I never saw him make that distinction. The only people I know of whose compensation might include high prices health insurance are executives and if the company sees high health care costs as viable, I don't want them handling my money.

You are mistaken. With the exception of Goldman-Sachs, I've not seen companies offering senior executives special plans. Actually, I read that the Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that approximately 40% of all health insurance policies would qualify for the tax by 2019.

 

[Chu Gai]

What do you know about the health plans for professional athletes?

 

[Irvrobinson]

What do you know about the health plans for professional athletes?

Absolutely nothing. I do know that firemen and police officers, and other people in especially risky jobs often get special plans, but that is understandable.

 

[highfigh]

You are mistaken. With the exception of Goldman-Sachs, I've not seen companies offering senior executives special plans. Actually, I read that the Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that approximately 40% of all health insurance policies would qualify for the tax by 2019.

I would then ask, "How is it possible that 40% of all health insurance policies would qualify as a 'Cadillac Plan' when this is called the 'Affordable Care Act'?". How is this affordable and why are critics of the plan lambasted for their views that it's a bad plan?

I keep hearing that employers are ending the practice of providing the insurance for their employees- once this happens, there's no way the plan can be seen as 'income' since the employees are paying the premiums.

 

[Irvrobinson]

I would then ask, "How is it possible that 40% of all health insurance policies would qualify as a 'Cadillac Plan' when this is called the 'Affordable Care Act'?". How is this affordable and why are critics of the plan lambasted for their views that it's a bad plan?

Now THAT'S a good question. ;-)

 

[highfigh]

Now THAT'S a good question. ;-)

Having a health care plan sold as 'affordable', shoved down our throats by people who are independently wealthy because of their careers as politicians, makes me wonder how a country of supposedly intelligent people could allow this to happen and then, when people point out the problem, we're called 'stupid', 'Repuglicans', 'ignorant' and 'Neo-Cons'.

 

[Chu Gai]

According to Pelosi, to find out what was contained in the healthcare act, one first had to pass it.

 

[herbu]

According to Pelosi, to find out what was contained in the healthcare act, one first had to pass it.

Yes... but they did know we could keep our dr, keep our plan, and save $2500 a year.

And now I'm dying laughing about the cabinet and court nominees. When the democrats changed the rules in 2013, I told my wife they would regret it. The time would come when they did not have a majority, and they'd be stuck w/ the new rules. Now their chickens have come home to roost... and they're going ape.

LOL every day watching the news.

 

[highfigh]

According to Pelosi, to find out what was contained in the healthcare act, one first had to pass it.

Yes, yes she did.

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/420574/nancy-pelosi-wealth-liberal-hypocrisy

 

[Irvrobinson]

Yes, yes she did.

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/420574/nancy-pelosi-wealth-liberal-hypocrisy

Blaming other people for one's problems has always been a successful political agenda. And the convenient thing is, there's always someone to blame! It takes a lot of damned gall to target your own group for blame though, while you're still reaping the advantages of being in it. Perhaps we should demand that Pelosi and her hubby renounce all of their wealth and try to live off her salary from the Congress. I could support that. ;-)

 

[lovinthehd]

Blaming other people for one's problems has always been a successful political agenda. And the convenient thing is, there's always someone to blame! It takes a lot of damned gall to target your own group for blame though, while you're still reaping the advantages of being in it. Perhaps we should demand that Pelosi and her hubby renounce all of their wealth and try to live off her salary from the Congress. I could support that. ;-)

How about everyone in Congress? Cut off their damn pensions and healthcare, too. Way overpaid for their productivity and usefulness.....

 

[Ponzio]

National Socialism, look it up. America First and a chicken (insert: manufacturing job) in every back yard.

The Chinese put a curse on people they despise; "may u live in interesting times".

I believe Jethro we've been voodooed.

 

[highfigh]

Blaming other people for one's problems has always been a successful political agenda. And the convenient thing is, there's always someone to blame! It takes a lot of damned gall to target your own group for blame though, while you're still reaping the advantages of being in it. Perhaps we should demand that Pelosi and her hubby renounce all of their wealth and try to live off her salary from the Congress. I could support that. ;-)

They should get the Clintons, Obama, Feinstein and others to do this- they all talk about the wealthy as if it's a bunch of murderers. Not too convincing when the Clintons are worth ~$200 million.

 

[lovinthehd]

They should get the Clintons, Obama, Feinstein and others to do this- they all talk about the wealthy as if it's a bunch of murderers. Not too convincing when the Clintons are worth ~$200 million.

As if wealth among one side or the other among politicians is an issue. How wealthy have the Bush family become? They're all too corrupted by wealth, get the money out of elections is what is really needed.

ps edited due to something I neglected to fact check

 

[KEW]

I'd like to know how the hell paying thirty grand/year for insurance qualifies as 'income'. That seems stupid any way you look at it. If everyone in a family of five has allergies, some have psych issues, one has Crone's Disease and the wife insists that they pay no deductible, it would cost close to $30K in the MKE market, a few years ago. This is a real example, too. If they're taxed on this as a Cadillac Plan, it's not only unfair, it's an insult. Will they be receiving better care because they pay more? Not unless they go to a better hospital. What purpose would this tax serve? I fail to see any good in it. The fact that the annual premium would be less if they had a higher deductible didn't make any difference to the wife, but the tax would definitely have been a burden.

Why in this scenario is a misguided ideal of the wife controlling the decision instead of financial realities.

 

[KEW]

...In the mean time, I wonder how many companies have decided to hold off on major plans in light of the unpredictable nature of Trumps decisions. Even if the were perfectly wonderful plans, the implementation is undermining them.
The lack of stability/predictability may be a good negotiation tactic for real estate deals, but when it is the president, it plunges companies and countries into a quagmire of uncertainty!

 

[KEW]

Having a health care plan sold as 'affordable', shoved down our throats by people who are independently wealthy because of their careers as politicians, makes me wonder how a country of supposedly intelligent people could allow this to happen and then, when people point out the problem, we're called 'stupid', 'Repuglicans', 'ignorant' and 'Neo-Cons'.

I not someone who would call people names. I believe we all have the best interest of the country at heart, but we buy into different sales jobs by politicians and the media.

I think Obamacare is effed-up, but after every presidential candidate (both R or D) starting with Ford has promised health care reform as part of their platform, it was good to see someone do something!

To the point of not glorifying the people who criticized Obamacare, I would ask why did they not come up with a better solution? That really would have been the way to take advantage of the "oh so obvious" flaws of Obamacare and totally embarrass Obama with a more effective and streamlined plan. Even (Bill) Clinton criticized that Obamacare was just another form of Insurance managed healthcare which will ultimately maintain the status quo of out of control medical costs in this country.

Is it just too late? Does big Pharma and other lobbying agencies have too much control of the government?

Trump is repealing the financial reforms that Obama put in place after the economy went south. I did not realize they were a bipartisan problem that qualified for Trump's priority! Do you think it has anything to do with the 6 advisers/cabinet members Trump has hired who either currently or previously worked for Goldman Sachs? Things are way too cozy between the president and financial sector.

For the record:
1. White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon,
2. Treasury Secretary nominee Steve Mnuchin,
3. National Economic Council Chairman-appointee Gary Cohn,
4. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman nominee Jay Clayton,
5. Senior Whitehouse Advisor Anthony Scaramucci,
6. Senior Counselor for Economic Initiatives Dina Habib Powell.