LOOP-HOLE (Merriam Webster)
An error in the way a law, rule, or contract is written that makes it possible for some people to legally avoid obeying it
An ambiguity or omission in the text through which the intent of a statute, contract, or obligation may be evaded.
So last night during the 2nd presidential debate, Donald Trump scoffed at Hillary Clinton's suggestion that maybe it's time to let the system work like it's supposed to, regarding taxes, rather than enabling the elite class to keep shirking. Trump, a posturing blowhard, went with his base instinct, spitting back that of course he, like all billionaires, takes full advantage of every single tax loophole. He didn't add,"so we need to reform the egregiously lopsided tax code so it's fair for all Americans, close those Bush loopholes enjoyed by the 1% so they start to contribute their fair share, approve and activate Obama's tax cuts that corporations can get only if they bring back all those jobs they shipped overseas. If we all work together we can ease the burden of the middle class, lift the working poor out of poverty, shore up our schools, fix our roads and bridges, put Americans to work and make America great!"
He didn't say any of that. He said "so does Warren Buffet."
Donald Trump is a Terrible Candidate
When Trump blurted out "So does Warren Buffet," I'm surprised we didn't hear a ragged scream followed by a muffled thud from backstage, unless that's why we haven't heard from his campaign manager all day. Someone should go check on her. Now, one might argue that Trump repeatedly stumbles into this kind of gaff because he isn't a politician and he doesn't know any better. One might acknowledge that the vast majority of candidates would never make mistakes like this, because most of them came up through law careers where they learned courtroom procedure. Litigation, while not the same as a political debate, carries similar principles of strategy. For example, in witness testimony any subject raised in the initial examination is admissible in the cross. Similarly in a debate, candidates must definitely prepare a response to, but never raise, any subject that is going to negate your position.
So Trump supports his position that of course he doesn't pay a fair share, inciting Warren Buffett?
Welcome to the Platform, Warren
Good lord! Warren Buffet, ex-crooner and household name, is a socially-conscious billionaire who has been, famously, pounding the pulpit for tax reform for years, and is now part of Election 2016, thanks to this dim, dense, daft Republican candidate. Look how many commas I needed to say that!
You guys, Trump is so under-informed that he doesn't even know Obama had put a plan on the table called "The Buffet Rule."
Yesterday, very few people were paying any attention to Warren Buffet's stance on tax reform in this Short Attention Span Theatre that passes for "the news" these days. I'll wager that millions of people forgot all about The Buffet Rule.
But now? Hi Mr. Buffet, welcome to the platform, I look forward to your gruff punditry all week. Lawrence "Street Fight Grandpa" O'Donnell is gonna get at least two days out of this now, so will Maddow. Mr. Buffet, please, if you get invited to a CNN side-by-side with Chachi tomorrow (you know how CNN is) please obliterate that idiot, sir. I'd recommend starting with the definition of the word loophole. Say that Trump's offhand dismissal of this word is on par with his lack of understanding the word "consent," and all the other words in this, or any other, language. Say that.
"It's just words, folks."
No, it's not. Trust me, I'm a writer. There's not "just words," pretty much ever. When it comes to "words" there's definition, there's connotation, there's nuance, there's context...it goes on. People pay me to know all this. The word loophole, in the context of taxes, happens to be a word that's universally understood as a bad thing done by shrewd capitalists. Is it legal? Yes, but only just barely, so bragging about taking advantage of tax loopholes is a specious defense at best. And "if you had 900 billion you would do it too" is the worst argument ever, and proves that Republicans have no code of ethics, not at all. All of those Republican members of Congress lay claim to "for the people" while their right hand is stealing your money, and most of them have a bible in their left hand. It's gross. Capitalism is their shitty religion and this Trump is their shitty god. "It's just words" is how they recite their prayers, and it's how they think of their vows to advise and consent.
Trump also said that if Clinton wins, it's going to be the same as four more years of Obama (yay?).
He also said that he knows nothing about Russia (oh yeah, sure).
He also said he would put her in jail (yeah there's a whole due process thing).
He also said he "hasn't spoken with" Pence, then immediately shot to shit the position on Assad that the Pence has been using as the platform showpiece in foreign policy.
What's he gonna say next? "Hey guys, let's attack Michelle Obama's childhood nutrition initiative, get the numbers on school lunch programs. Remember how Reagan said that ketchup is a vegetable? Let's do ketchup in the schools. It can't lose!"
Is This Real Life?
That debate, and the people who are saying "he won," is the exact kind of head-explodey, crazy-ass shenanigans that make otherwise ordinary people venture over into tinfoil hat territory. Like, this can't be real, right. He's a fucking Russian asset and she's trying to tell us in plain words. So is it any wonder that serious people are whispering about this whole campaign, and how it has been one long grift from the very beginning? Is Quentin Tarantino directing America this year? Has anyone heard from Aaron Sorkin lately? Who is wagging this dog? It's all bananas. That's why there are serious people suggesting, with a nervous chuckle to cover, that this is all just one big stage show to shift global politics towards Russia, controlling the money and the food and the future of America. Not only because Trump has nothing to lose, as he shrugged off losing last year, "I go back to a very comfortable life." That's why people are depressed, anxious, thinking about is there some back room, closed-door alliance of rogue nationalists pulling the puppet strings. As my imagination goes into overdrive, I will go check to see if I have some of that extra-heavy-duty tinfoil in my pantry...🕵
Related: Operation - Trojan Horse's Ass
An error in the way a law, rule, or contract is written that makes it possible for some people to legally avoid obeying it
An ambiguity or omission in the text through which the intent of a statute, contract, or obligation may be evaded.
So last night during the 2nd presidential debate, Donald Trump scoffed at Hillary Clinton's suggestion that maybe it's time to let the system work like it's supposed to, regarding taxes, rather than enabling the elite class to keep shirking. Trump, a posturing blowhard, went with his base instinct, spitting back that of course he, like all billionaires, takes full advantage of every single tax loophole. He didn't add,"so we need to reform the egregiously lopsided tax code so it's fair for all Americans, close those Bush loopholes enjoyed by the 1% so they start to contribute their fair share, approve and activate Obama's tax cuts that corporations can get only if they bring back all those jobs they shipped overseas. If we all work together we can ease the burden of the middle class, lift the working poor out of poverty, shore up our schools, fix our roads and bridges, put Americans to work and make America great!"
He didn't say any of that. He said "so does Warren Buffet."
Donald Trump is a Terrible Candidate
When Trump blurted out "So does Warren Buffet," I'm surprised we didn't hear a ragged scream followed by a muffled thud from backstage, unless that's why we haven't heard from his campaign manager all day. Someone should go check on her. Now, one might argue that Trump repeatedly stumbles into this kind of gaff because he isn't a politician and he doesn't know any better. One might acknowledge that the vast majority of candidates would never make mistakes like this, because most of them came up through law careers where they learned courtroom procedure. Litigation, while not the same as a political debate, carries similar principles of strategy. For example, in witness testimony any subject raised in the initial examination is admissible in the cross. Similarly in a debate, candidates must definitely prepare a response to, but never raise, any subject that is going to negate your position.
So Trump supports his position that of course he doesn't pay a fair share, inciting Warren Buffett?
Welcome to the Platform, Warren
Good lord! Warren Buffet, ex-crooner and household name, is a socially-conscious billionaire who has been, famously, pounding the pulpit for tax reform for years, and is now part of Election 2016, thanks to this dim, dense, daft Republican candidate. Look how many commas I needed to say that!
You guys, Trump is so under-informed that he doesn't even know Obama had put a plan on the table called "The Buffet Rule."
Yesterday, very few people were paying any attention to Warren Buffet's stance on tax reform in this Short Attention Span Theatre that passes for "the news" these days. I'll wager that millions of people forgot all about The Buffet Rule.
But now? Hi Mr. Buffet, welcome to the platform, I look forward to your gruff punditry all week. Lawrence "Street Fight Grandpa" O'Donnell is gonna get at least two days out of this now, so will Maddow. Mr. Buffet, please, if you get invited to a CNN side-by-side with Chachi tomorrow (you know how CNN is) please obliterate that idiot, sir. I'd recommend starting with the definition of the word loophole. Say that Trump's offhand dismissal of this word is on par with his lack of understanding the word "consent," and all the other words in this, or any other, language. Say that.
"It's just words, folks."
No, it's not. Trust me, I'm a writer. There's not "just words," pretty much ever. When it comes to "words" there's definition, there's connotation, there's nuance, there's context...it goes on. People pay me to know all this. The word loophole, in the context of taxes, happens to be a word that's universally understood as a bad thing done by shrewd capitalists. Is it legal? Yes, but only just barely, so bragging about taking advantage of tax loopholes is a specious defense at best. And "if you had 900 billion you would do it too" is the worst argument ever, and proves that Republicans have no code of ethics, not at all. All of those Republican members of Congress lay claim to "for the people" while their right hand is stealing your money, and most of them have a bible in their left hand. It's gross. Capitalism is their shitty religion and this Trump is their shitty god. "It's just words" is how they recite their prayers, and it's how they think of their vows to advise and consent.
Trump also said that if Clinton wins, it's going to be the same as four more years of Obama (yay?).
He also said that he knows nothing about Russia (oh yeah, sure).
He also said he would put her in jail (yeah there's a whole due process thing).
He also said he "hasn't spoken with" Pence, then immediately shot to shit the position on Assad that the Pence has been using as the platform showpiece in foreign policy.
What's he gonna say next? "Hey guys, let's attack Michelle Obama's childhood nutrition initiative, get the numbers on school lunch programs. Remember how Reagan said that ketchup is a vegetable? Let's do ketchup in the schools. It can't lose!"
Is This Real Life?
That debate, and the people who are saying "he won," is the exact kind of head-explodey, crazy-ass shenanigans that make otherwise ordinary people venture over into tinfoil hat territory. Like, this can't be real, right. He's a fucking Russian asset and she's trying to tell us in plain words. So is it any wonder that serious people are whispering about this whole campaign, and how it has been one long grift from the very beginning? Is Quentin Tarantino directing America this year? Has anyone heard from Aaron Sorkin lately? Who is wagging this dog? It's all bananas. That's why there are serious people suggesting, with a nervous chuckle to cover, that this is all just one big stage show to shift global politics towards Russia, controlling the money and the food and the future of America. Not only because Trump has nothing to lose, as he shrugged off losing last year, "I go back to a very comfortable life." That's why people are depressed, anxious, thinking about is there some back room, closed-door alliance of rogue nationalists pulling the puppet strings. As my imagination goes into overdrive, I will go check to see if I have some of that extra-heavy-duty tinfoil in my pantry...🕵
Related: Operation - Trojan Horse's Ass
1 comments:
um...holy shit?
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