Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[Dr. Strangelove]

Republican Senators thrilled that Josh Hawley's presidential ambitions will force them to go on the record as to whether they accept the electoral votes from the TOTALLY FRAUDULENT and CORRUPT states!!!

[Ghengis Jon]

Hanni, couldn't agree with you more about means testing for relief. The last round of helicopter cash certainly helped the economy could have been far less costly if means tested. I did not want, ask for or need the last round and I'm certainly not in the top 1%. I guess the trick is to separate those who need the assistance and the implementation of a Financial Vote Acquisition Program.

Just curious, how is the progressive income tax punitive? That it's percentage slope is too steep / too flat? That deductions allowed are too few / too numerous?

[Dr. Strangelove]

Haha, it's been deleted already but whoever manages WalMart's social media accounts with an 'oopsie' today.

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[froot loops]

The point of helicopter money isn't the efficiency, the point of it is getting it out there. It is a step better than the pay one person to dig a hole and the other to fill the whole approach.

The USA had the best plan even if it wasn't really efficient. It was the best plan because it was the biggest. Mostly because most of the bang for the buck came from the unemployment insurance, not the stimulus checks. That was really good. I got means tested out of any stimulus even though I was out of work and ineligible for unemployment, no biggie I survived..

[iam416]

Hanni, couldn't agree with you more about means testing for relief. The last round of helicopter cash certainly helped the economy could have been far less costly if means tested. I did not want, ask for or need the last round and I'm certainly not in the top 1%. I guess the trick is to separate those who need the assistance and the implementation of a Financial Vote Acquisition Program.

When I agree with both Hanni and Jon, it's worth noting.

FTR, my wife and I kept working full-time, kept getting paid and still received a nice stimulus check (we are modestly over the cap, so it was slightly reduced). I'm sure we'll get another one. Covid has been a boon to our family. Free government money and we've eliminated various attendant costs with working, you know, at work (parking, various food costs). I figure we're up well over $5000 thanks to Covid.

The idea of getting another stimulus check is absolute nonsense. I'd much rather see a more targeted approach -- recognizing that it's a bit haphazard and rushed, so it's not going to be a particularly refined approach, but still. Employment vs. Unemployment would be a good place to start.

[froot loops]

You will find a way to spend that cash when everything is lifted, that will help the Biden Boom. Stimulus checks are weird in that they help the savings rate as much or maybe more than the immediate economy. Unemployment insurance is the best stimulative, in studies I remember it has an 85 percent return to the economy. Make sure the money printer go Brrrr, at least until it affects inflation or interest rates.

[Hannibal]

FTR, my wife and I kept working full-time, kept getting paid and still received a nice stimulus check (we are modestly over the cap, so it was slightly reduced). I'm sure we'll get another one. Covid has been a boon to our family. Free government money and we've eliminated various attendant costs with working, you know, at work (parking, various food costs). I figure we're up well over $5000 thanks to Covid..

I'll bet that your 401k made a hell of a lot more than that.

[Hannibal]

Hanni, couldn't agree with you more about means testing for relief. The last round of helicopter cash certainly helped the economy could have been far less costly if means tested. I did not want, ask for or need the last round and I'm certainly not in the top 1%. I guess the trick is to separate those who need the assistance and the implementation of a Financial Vote Acquisition Program.

Just curious, how is the progressive income tax punitive? That it's percentage slope is too steep / too flat? That deductions allowed are too few / too numerous?

"Punitive" was a bad word choice. But I do think that anything above 30% is too high as a matter of principle. Once you add in state income tax in places like California, you are close to 50% for the upper brackets

[Dr. Strangelove]

RIP Dawn Wells...causes related to covid. Tina Louise is now the last surviving Gilligan's Island cast member

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/dawn-wells-dead-mary-ann-gilligans-island-was-82-1149549

[Jeff Buchanan]

............... The federal government needs to do everything it can to get these vaccines out and spare no expense in doing it.

Job #1.

The feds have done a great job so far. Getting a difficult to handle vaccine to places in states that had the capability to store those vaccines - these places identified by Federal logisticians mostly military in advance - is no less a feat than the logistics for the Normandy landings just on a smaller scale in terms of materials. But getting it worked out and now fully operational is a phenomenal accomplishment involving public/private sector cooperation. That is the news we should be hearing.

On the ground level and here in FL, three of FL's main hospital systems in the S. FL, Tri-county region are already vaccinating ordinary citizens who are over 65 and meet the requirements. That process started yesterday. If you're a "snowbird" you can still sign up for the shots. All the other tiered recipients (Front Line HC workers, first responders, fire and police and LTC residents) have been getting vaccines for almost two weeks now. Pretty amazing although based on on-hand supplies, Broward Co. Hospital has already booked appointments for over 65s through February. Desantis says more vaccines are on the way and his goal is to get all FL residents, permanent and otherwise, vaccinated by Mid June. This is other news we should be getting. It is front page in S. FL but, as far as I k now, Desantis is still considered a Trump sycophant with blood on his hands from his relaxed pandemic policies.

[Ghengis Jon]

Interesting survey of views/misviews.

https://www.npr.org/2020/12/30/951095644/even-if-its-bonkers-poll-finds-many-believe-qanon-and-other-conspiracy-theories

[froot loops]

[WingsFan]

Not much, but it was fast. Got this email this morning


Your benefit payment $600.00 has been received and funds will be available for use on 01/04/2021.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Wasn't going to comment on this today but this was kind of funny. Georgia had a "hearing" on election security and Team Trump's star witness was a guy who claimed to hack an election machine live during the meeting (he didn't but whatever).

This so-called computer expert is a dude named Jovan Hutton Pulitzer (supposedly he has changed his legal name at least once) and every indication is he is a longtime grifter and conman of all trades. I found a lot of things mentioning he was on that dumb Curse of Oak Island show some years back. Here's a clip of him from that show, pitching a theory that the Ark of the Covenant was at the bottom of the treasure pit.

[lineygoblue]

Not much, but it was fast. Got this email this morning


Your benefit payment $600.00 has been received and funds will be available for use on 01/04/2021.

My son got that message also, when he looked at his bank account today.