For low income people, especially independent contractors, there are some nice benefits.

Take, for instance, an Uber driver earning $40,000 a year. First of all, the new 20% deduction for "pass thru" business takes $8,000 off the gross income. Pass thru businesses are companies or businesses that don't pay tax at the business level, but rather they pass the income to the individual owners. Independent contractors are considered sole proprietorships, and are therefore pass thru businesses-- meaning even low income contractors get the 20% deduction benefit.

Add to that, the near doubling of the standard deduction, which went up to $24,000 for married couples, and now that $40,000 gross gets a $32,000 deduction ($8,000 plus $24,000) BEFORE even figuring out expense deductions. That's now only $8,000 of income to worry about.

Before the new tax laws, the standard deduction was about $12,700. And there wasn't the 20% pass thru business deduction. That would leave $27,300 income subject to taxation instead of $8,000 under the new tax laws.

I just read that the standard deduction is going up another $400 for this year as well.

My point is, there are many low income independent contractors who are getting good benefits from this. Not all "businesses" are run by wealthy rich people. There's a ton of ridesharing drivers and delivery people out there, as just an example.

Oh, and considering also that the standard mileage deduction went up to .54 per mile, that $8,000 in the above example might very well be accounted for leaving a tax bill of zero.

Also, the child care credit doubled to $2,000 per child. And it is now a refundable credit. In other words, if you owe no taxes, a majority of the child care credit would become refundable, up to $1,400 per child, which clearly helps low income families. In addition, the income threshold increased allowing more people to be eligible to take the child care credit.

Using the above example, if that person had two kids, she could getting a $2,800 tax refund check.

#40 I think the "comrades" in the video may be a different type of folks than the happy people you speak of.

Oh, and the people waving hands above their heads in the above video are using Jazz Hands instead of applause, so as not to be offensive.

Meanwhile, at the recent Democratic Socialist Convention. And, no, this isn't the Onion.

Congress makes budgets. The president signs them.

Clinton and the Republican Congress passed budgets that gave surplusses.

Since then, both Republican and Democratic presidents and congress have given us deficits.

Bush, Obama and Trump all have had some years where their party had complete control of congress and still managed give us deficit spending.

#48

I was just pointing out that there are a lot of people who pay negative tax rates and it seems that the article does not take that into account.

For what it is worth.

From the article:

A person who paid $1,000 in federal income taxes and then received a $1,500 credit would have a total federal tax burden of -$500, but Furman said that under Saez and Zucman's analysis, that person would instead show a burden of $0. That result would make total tax burdens at the lower end of the income spectrum appear higher than they are.

Faith aside, the *action* of this 18 year old man, to embrace the person who killed his brother, brought some healing to racial tensions. Isn't that worth acknowledging?

Faith aside, the *action* of this 18 year old man, to embrace the person who killed his brother, brought some healing to racial tensions. Isn't that worth acknowledging?

Faith aside, the *action* of this 18 year old man, to embrace the person who killed his brother, brought some healing to racial tensions. Isn't that worth acknowledging?

Brother of slain main speaks to the police officer after she is sentenced. What happens at the end of his speech is jaw dropping.

#27 Interesting ... never heard of that before

You can order the Whataburger spicy ketchup online. They use red jalepeno to give it its kick.

Funny salsa commercials from the 90's

15.
Some Tex/Mex restaurants will even offer green salsa if you ask for it. It tends to be even hotter/spicier than regular salsa.

Also, in Texas you *can* get the spicy ketchup at Whataburger, which does have pepper in it.

#12 | POSTED BY HATTER5183
"salsa is just coarsely chopped ketchup"
----------------
Most salsa I'm aware of has jalepeno or some other type of spicy pepper in it.

Jimmie Walker kicked out of a Seattle motel due to a finger gun. Jimmie discusses the incident with David Letterman.