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Democrats have the entire government now, President, senate and the house. Democrats had filibuster proof majority when Obama was president. Why are you just b

Democrats have the entire government now, President, senate and the house. Democrats had filibuster proof majority when Obama was president. Why are you just blaming Republicans?

drewg123 6y ago
Because of Grover Norquist and his organization (ironically named Americans for Tax Reform). Their "Taxpayer Protection Pledge" taken by most Republican lawmakers (95% before 2012), locks them into supporting his policies. The problem is that he views any attempt to simplify tax filing just like a tax increase (presumably since people will be less upset about paying their taxes), and uses his influence to lobby against reforms like this.
- wwww4all 6y ago
  The president can simply order IRS to give taxpayers itemized list of taxes and income information they have and the taxes for the year. If the taxpayer agrees, they can just sign and get refund or pay additional taxes. If taxpayer disagrees, they can submit additional information. The Democratic president can do this right now, for this tax year.
  - eppsilon 6y ago
    Wouldn't this cost money to implement? Money that Congress would need to appropriate?
specialist 6y ago
It's true that the Democratic caucuses, both federal and state level, are much harder to hold together. Every year there's a bill in my state to reign in pay day lenders. Basically banning usury level interest rates on loans. Overwhelming popular support (~80%) and editorial support. And every year there's a "blue dog" Democrat living in a purple district which bends to the pro pay day loan lobbyists. Vetocracy is a tough problem. Our civic legacy is to fear the mob, tyranny of the majority. (Thanks Plato.) So it's rare that mere popular support ( >60%) is sufficient to attain progress. So, to your point, mere 50% + 1 vote ain't ever enough.
- wwww4all 6y ago
  Democrats had filibuster proof senators when Obama was president. They had way more than 50%. Why did this not happen then?
  - specialist 6y ago
    You'll have to ask Sen Joe Lieberman. Please share his answers. I'm dying to know too. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Lieberman https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Lieberman
- javagram 6y ago
  Making payday lending illegal will push poor people who desperately need the cash to seek it from organized crime instead. There’s a reason those bills get stopped and killed. They sound good on their face, but when you dig into the details they harm the people they’re supposed to help.
  - specialist 6y ago
    What's a reasonable interest rate for pay day loans? Should there be an upper limit?
kingaillas 6y ago
>Democrats had filibuster proof majority when Obama was president. For 2 years. And spent basically the entire time barely getting ACA through. Not a lot of "political capital" leftover for battling to have free tax filing.
- knowaveragejoe 6y ago
  They only had a filibuster-proof majority for a few months: http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/fleeting-illusory-supermajority http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/fleeting-illusory-su...

Democrats have the entire government now, President, senate and the house. Democrats had filibuster proof majority when Obama was president. Why are you just blaming Republicans?

drewg123 6y ago

Because of Grover Norquist and his organization (ironically named Americans for Tax Reform). Their "Taxpayer Protection Pledge" taken by most Republican lawmakers (95% before 2012), locks them into supporting his policies. The problem is that he views any attempt to simplify tax filing just like a tax increase (presumably since people will be less upset about paying their taxes), and uses his influence to lobby against reforms like this.

wwww4all 6y ago
The president can simply order IRS to give taxpayers itemized list of taxes and income information they have and the taxes for the year. If the taxpayer agrees, they can just sign and get refund or pay additional taxes. If taxpayer disagrees, they can submit additional information. The Democratic president can do this right now, for this tax year.
- eppsilon 6y ago
  Wouldn't this cost money to implement? Money that Congress would need to appropriate?

specialist 6y ago

It's true that the Democratic caucuses, both federal and state level, are much harder to hold together. Every year there's a bill in my state to reign in pay day lenders. Basically banning usury level interest rates on loans. Overwhelming popular support (~80%) and editorial support. And every year there's a "blue dog" Democrat living in a purple district which bends to the pro pay day loan lobbyists. Vetocracy is a tough problem. Our civic legacy is to fear the mob, tyranny of the majority. (Thanks Plato.) So it's rare that mere popular support ( >60%) is sufficient to attain progress. So, to your point, mere 50% + 1 vote ain't ever enough.

wwww4all 6y ago
Democrats had filibuster proof senators when Obama was president. They had way more than 50%. Why did this not happen then?
- specialist 6y ago
  You'll have to ask Sen Joe Lieberman. Please share his answers. I'm dying to know too. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Lieberman https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Lieberman
javagram 6y ago
Making payday lending illegal will push poor people who desperately need the cash to seek it from organized crime instead. There’s a reason those bills get stopped and killed. They sound good on their face, but when you dig into the details they harm the people they’re supposed to help.
- specialist 6y ago
  What's a reasonable interest rate for pay day loans? Should there be an upper limit?

kingaillas 6y ago

>Democrats had filibuster proof majority when Obama was president. For 2 years. And spent basically the entire time barely getting ACA through. Not a lot of "political capital" leftover for battling to have free tax filing.

knowaveragejoe 6y ago
They only had a filibuster-proof majority for a few months: http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/fleeting-illusory-supermajority http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/fleeting-illusory-su...