In any rational world, this was great night for Rubio, horrible for Trump
But it’s not a rational world.
The biggest take away from the CNN Republican Debate is that contrary to prior promises, Donald Trump says he will not release his income tax returns because he is being audited.
There is no law, that I’m aware of, prohibiting such release. It sounded like a massive dodge, since IRS audits can go on for years. Trump even said his last 4-5 years of returns are being audited.
Trump was his usual, petty self, gratuitously insulting Hugh Hewitt for supposedly having low ratings, even when Hewitt hadn’t asked hostile question at the time, but reminded Trump of the prior promise to release the returns. I guess Trump supporters will see such conduct as “tough” and being a “fighter,” but it was childish.
Perhaps more important, Marco Rubio was the first person in any of the debates to successfully take on Trump on a range of issues. Rubio mocked and belittled Trump in the humorous, mocking and highly effective manner that Trump used to make Jeb look small.
Rubio was the dominant non-Trump candidate on stage, and that might be the most important take-away. I doubt many Trump supporters changed their minds, but I could see the non-Trump vote coalescing around Rubio because Cruz, while he did fine, was not the dominant personality on stage.
Everything above assumes a rational world. But it’s not a rational world, so I make no predictions as to whether this changes anything.
https://twitter.com/JohnEkdahl/status/703078353901903872
Highlights:
This may be the highlight of the night, when Rubio turned his New Hampshire debate debacle into a punch line against Trump.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u53XgbuiQE
Rubio even managed to use the immigration issue to his advantage versus Trump:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxbm4n5j8go
Here’s the sleazy hit on Hugh Hewitt when asked about tax returns.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVEHKeHXq20
The audit came up multiple times.
Cruz also went after Trump effectively on taxes and the Trump University fraud case.
This probably was Trump’s highlight:
A selection of my tweets from the night:
In the house #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/kLYzTHoydZ
— Legal Insurrection (@LegInsurrection) February 26, 2016
ooh — @marcorubio points out @realDonaldTrump makes his clothes in Mexico and Honduras
— Legal Insurrection (@LegInsurrection) February 26, 2016
.@marcorubio just dropped the Trump University bomb #GOPDebate
— Legal Insurrection (@LegInsurrection) February 26, 2016
.@marcorubio doing well tonight … so CONSPIRACY THEORIES! #GOPDebate
— Legal Insurrection (@LegInsurrection) February 26, 2016
.@marcorubio is doing to @realDonaldTrump what Trump did to Jeb Bush — effectively mocking him #GOPDebate
— Legal Insurrection (@LegInsurrection) February 26, 2016
The IRS ate @realDonaldTrump 's tax returns! (and Lois Lerner's hard drive) https://t.co/17kfxqwELM #GOPDebate
— Legal Insurrection (@LegInsurrection) February 26, 2016
.@tedcruz points out Trump University testimony by @realDonaldTrump in July — media frenzy
— Legal Insurrection (@LegInsurrection) February 26, 2016
Is there some law against a presidential candidate releasing tax returns even though being audited? #GOPDebate
— Legal Insurrection (@LegInsurrection) February 26, 2016
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Comments
I’m a Ted Cruz supporter and remain so, but Marco had the better night overall. Each got in some really good jabs at Trump, but Marco had the edge. That may be because I think Wolf shut down Ted more than he shut down Marco, but that doesn’t really matter. I don’t think this makes Ted supporters flock to Marco, but it does enhance Marco’s image, in my opinion.
Rubio had a good night, not a great night. He waffled when caught out by the mods and Cruz. He is Trump lite on some issues. Trying to be on both sides.
Cruz has never waffled which is why the establishment fears him.
Stuff and nonsense. Rubio had a GREAT night!! Loved how he compared his humble beginnings to Trump inheriting millions.
Rubio is a lying sack of excrement. Excellent liars are the worst, most dangerous kind.
The border is Swiss cheese; the invasion is killing us. Figure it out.
I agree that I think Rubio still has serious issues as regards immigration and amnesty, but I think Rubio had the better night vis-a-vis Trump; Cruz was a close second, but the edge was Rubio’s. Give the man credit, he upped his game from New Hampshire.
However, I think the amnesty issue is a major problem for Rubio, and it will become worse if Rubio is in the general election. Consider the fact that many Floridians feel he pulled a bait-and-switch on them, which will be highlighted by Democrats. Also, consider the piece where Arraras called out Rubio on his DACA description differences between English and Spanish, the piece about where he called Cruz a liar—which is not exactly the case, is it?
These issues still have me currently supporting the person I think is the most consistent constitutional conservative in the race, Ted Cruz. But I can give credit where it is due, and of the two, Rubio had the edge when it came to attacking Trump tonight.
And it is NOT rational to ignore that someone has LIED to get elected, and LIES now, to get elected to another office.
Rubio is the “new” American – the type that is better than the “old” Americans – because you know, they’re more fertile, they are more entrepreneurial, and all that — all while paying zero taxes and getting tons of free stuff!! Gee, what a life!
Thanks, Jeb, for letting us all know you think Americans are sacks of execrement.
I want to be an illegal alien; where do I sign up?!
Blitzed did his best to keep Cruz out of the debate as much as possible. Every single moderator has done the same thing. They know he is a true patriot and will take on all sides if necessary. Trump needs an intervention, sooner rather than later. He has terrible anger management issues and seemed out of control for much of the debate. He will probably go home and kick the dog.
I lol’d numerous times. Rubio did a masterful job of goading his nibs into tantrums and bullymouthing. It was a thing of beauty. 🙂 Candidate Stompyfeet really made an even bigger horse’s ass of himself than usual. Big hat tip to Rubio. He danced circles around Stompy. That’s the best thing to do to Trump – ridicule and antagonize him. He can’t help but react like a 9 yr.old schoolyard bully throwing a tantrum. Yeah, Stompy looking real presidential. Keep it classy, Donald, you pig.
Ben Carson was wonderful.
It’s Trump supporters who need an intervention. They twist themselves into pretzels defending his contradictions and outrages, and they’re happy to sacrifice all ethical principles in the hope of getting the bully on their side. Their faith that the bully really cares about them is weird.
Someone who reneged on a promise to support a disabled young relative out of pique at the child’s father is not someone who cares about average Joe American.
Hewitt is taking over Bill Bennett’s spot on AM radio. That’s reason enough to bash him.
No. It doesn’t matter that Bennett is old and probably wanting to retire.
At the time of this comment…
**DRUDGE POLL** WHO WON THE 10TH REPUBLICAN DEBATE ’16?
TRUMP 63.89% (77,010 votes)
CRUZ 17.82% (21,478 votes)
RUBIO 12.7% (15,312 votes)
KASICH 3.6% (4,341 votes)
CARSON 1.98% (2,389 votes)
Total Votes: 120,530
I saw it in a poll on the internet. It MUST be true. Wow. Such tough. Much fighter. Is there anything HE can’t do?
“I love the poorly educated”.
It’s The Drudge Poll, Kondor77. Everyone knows that.
I’m guessing, I don’t know, but I’m guessing your guy, whomever he is, is not doing as you had hoped?
Gee… maybe you can find a poll you like better and post it for us all? 🙂
“When Hillary Clinton beats Trump in 49 states in Nov, Drudge poll will show him winning“
Why Amy darling, surely you’re not just an itty bitty bit jaded? Are you?
Maybe… Maybe, if ‘he who shall not be named’ wins the nomination, Hillary will win the general! 🙂 …surely that would make you happy again? Maybe? Just a smidge? Well… If not, I think you need a {{{hug}}} anyway 🙁
When Hillary beats Trump?
If the dems can’t find a replacement for Hillary, then they’ll lose the election.
Trump’s negatives are much higher than Hillary’s. Most Democrats don’t care about the little thing with the emails, and when push comes to shove, they’ll support the Dem.
Many conservatives and moderates do care about Trump’s sleaziness and his long pro-Democrat history. And they’ll notice that starting in July, Trump will be in court proceedings over his Trump University fraud.
Of course, 120,530 people on the internet cannot possibly know more than a relative handful of journalists with ulterior agendas.
Heh. For once, you’re right.
I know, just ask President Paul, who used to win all the online polls, too.
Trump even won The Blaze poll by a YUGE amount, and The Blaze is Cruz territory.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2016/02/25/blaze-poll-who-won-the-texas-gop-debate/
Why can’t Cruz or Rubio ever get a break. Trump just pounds on them and voters reject them right and left. They debate and no matter how hard the supporters think they win the polls just show Trump killing it.
I guess we just have to resign ours selves that no matter how hard we wish they were better candidates their both just losers.
Join the TRUMP TRAIN
Are you really THAT stupid? Trump had a sizable lead in that poll minutes into the debate, before he even had answered any question. His minions pack internet polls like they did for Ron Paul in previous cycles. Means nothing at all.
If you choose to blind yourself to truth and lay down with white supremacists, it’s your choice. But don’t piss on my neck and try to tell me it’s raining, mmmkay?
Um, sport? With every single Drudge poll, people are voting BEFORE THE DEBATE EVEN BEGINS. They are just jammed with Trumpbots. Online polls are non-scientific mean nothing. Every focus group says Rubio won… Trumpbots seem to be very scared
“Every focus group says Rubio won”
LOL, you think focus groups are not hand picked to get the result?
An internet poll is as reliable as a
riggedfocus group.At least Rubio can now go into reading disclaimers for drug commercials.
I don’t think Rubio had a good night by any stretch.
At one point, Wolf Blitzer lost control of the Debate, and Marco Rubio was literally arguing with Ted Cruz over who Trump should address next. He looked small.
His argumentative on health care with Trump made him sound like he didn’t know how competition works.
I don’t think Trump did so well. Nobody looked good, everybody on the stage looked small.
The memorable line from this debate was Ben Carson’s somebody please attack me line.
It’s clear that he still hasn’t overcome his D in economics.
“His argumentative on health care with Trump made him sound like he didn’t know how competition works.”
Why would he know how competition works? He’s been financially supported his entire adult life by a Miami billionaire car dealer who, no doubt, makes more money with every new customer that comes over the border on foot. What Rubio and his financial backers (investors in consumer products) understand is that for each new body brought to the US there is an increase in consumer sales. Whether these new consumers get their money from taking someone’s job (who then gets state income provided by us and remains a consumer) or whether they go on state support directly, the important matter for their purposes is that they drive up demand for consumer products. This is why flooding the country with new bodies is so important to the billionaire class. Growth in consumer product sales is the only true area of economic growth. And as long as the guys financing Rubio are on the receiving end (making the sales) and we are on the financing end (paying the taxes) the world is all gravy for them.
I marvel at the economic idiocy that seems to flow out of you like an artesian well.
Along with your thinly vailed anti-Semitic “neocon” bullshit, you make a swell example of the T-rump suckers here.
If Rubio cant carry Florida, where everybody outside of Miami thinks he betrayed them (and where he won his election with less than 50% of the vote to begin with), then how is he electable?
He can’t win anywhere & he doesn’t have a path to the nomination.
Cruz has a victory in Iowa and another win coming in Texas. Kasich is going to take his Ohio & has a Regional appeal. Either of those men could conceivably win.
All Rubio does is win second place (and sometimes 5th place).
Don’t you have to win something to be elected president?
Rubio’s night, IMO. But I think it was Kasich’s best debate yet. I’ve had a long-time preference for governors (over legislators) going into the White House, and I appreciate his pragmatic approach to governing.
“There is no law, that I’m aware of, prohibiting such release. It sounded like a massive dodge, since IRS audits can go on for years. Trump even said his last 4-5 years of returns are being audited.”
Not a lawyer. If a candidate were involved in prospective negotiations which might lead to civil litigation during a primary, would/should they voluntarily release details of the case before it’s resolution? As an analogy, if tax issues aren’t resolved in an audit, they could lead to litigation in tax court. So I don’t blame Trump for his position.
Trump will be criticized by some side or the other for whatever his returns reveal. Released now, later, whenever. So I can see why he will wait as long as it takes to resolve the audit.
Any of the Governors, except perhaps Huckabee, would be a better President than whoever we end up with. Experience counts in managing bureaucracy – and as Buckley pointed out, there is no particular reason to assume “businessmen” would do well in office since the problems confronting Presidents rarely overlap with those of commerce.
But the radio talkers and internet pundits have spent years building ratings by dividing conservatives and Republicans, convincing the less intelligent that they’ve been betrayed somehow. Of course, they have never offered any alternative plans to those pursued by our leaders against Obama – it always boils down to shutting down the government for them, although little shuts down even if the budget isn’t passed.
They have sowed the wind and now reap the whirlwind of the irrationality they promoted.
“Of course, they have never offered any alternative plans to those pursued by our leaders against Obama…”
Along comes the GOPe representative to tell us how wonderful our “leaders” are.
Hint, those “leaders” have worked with Obama on damn near everything.
We are going to fire them this fall, and you.
Professor.
“Get Used To Disappointment” (Princess Bride)
Trump kills it. Every time Rubio went on attack and got applause he got this stupid smile on his face that made him look like a little child waiting for cookie from mommy.
Woman in Black: You’re trying to trick me into giving away something. It won’t work.
Gary Vizzini: IT HAS WORKED! YOU’VE GIVEN EVERYTHING AWAY! I KNOW WHAT THE POLLS SAY!
Woman in Black: Then make your choice.
Gary Vizzini: I will, and I choose – What in the world can that be? (Pointing at another poll)
Woman in Black: What? Where? I don’t see anything.
Britt Vizzini: Well, I- I could have sworn I saw something. No matter. First, let’s drink. Me from my glass, and you from yours.
Woman in Black: You guessed wrong.
Well, my take on the thread title is that Professor Jacobson is implying this is not a rational world(election)… I may not agree with his political views, but he has a good point with that.
And there’s no requirement to do so either, and so what’s the point. The voters don’t pore over these things. I’m not even aware of any exciting news reports finding things in candidates’ tax returns.
Gong.
The idea being that Trump promised to release them, so using the audits as an excuse…there is no excuse, there. That was the point. But it doesn’t matter to some.
Rubio looked weak and little, with memorized snipes.
Yep.
It will only take a pin prick to flatten your blowup yellow man doll.
Unfortunately for you, no one can find a “pin”. And no one on that stage knows how to hold it.
But there are plenty of “pricks” on the stage.
Stuff and nonsense. He was rattled beyond belief. And someone has got to tell him to lay of off the spray tan, because underneath it, he was beet red. He looked like a tomato about to explode.
Just FYI: Final #GOPDebate speaking time
Trump- 30:23
Cruz- 19:51
Kasich- 17:36
Rubio- 16:48
Carson- 10:15
Also, the Trumpkins’ assigned narrative tonight is that “Rubio looked small.” I see two of them here have already got that. Nice work, Trumparoos!
Hey Rubio does not look small on that stage but maybe in a foam filled pool party.
People tune in to see Trump! Trump’s not losing.
I also wonder how much padding Rubio has to wear so he’s not seen sweating through his suit.
People who are going to vote have already made up their minds. While the number to watch is turnout. High turnout means Trump’s ahead.
We have a traitor in the White House. We have a socipathic, corrupt, incompetent, dying hag trying to get into it. We have corrupt rinos trying to help her.
Who cares about Trump’s taxes?
The people who care about Trump’s taxes — and about the fact that he has lied about releasing them — are the people who don’t want to put another narcissistic sociopathic liar and fraud in the White House.
Bravo! Who cares?
Well there is one who cares. Good old Mitt. The establishment republican standard bearer. Why they set this guy up to attack Trump on Taxes? OMG! Typical stupid republicans.
TRUMP 2016
Trump has complicated returns with massive carryforwards and carrybacks involving numerous companies, with items that can affect multiple returns simultaneously. It is not at all unusual for routine yearly audits in circumstances like this. The IRS may think something doesn’t belong in one place or characterized in this or that way, and so the item gets negotiated and put in another place and characterized in another way, and then numbers on multiple returns (current and possibly past) adjust.
Hey Mittens said he should release those taxes. After all when Reid demanded he release his Mittens folded like a cheap tent and released one year of taxes. He also released a 20 year average of tax rate.
So Mittens good join in with the losers Cruz and Rubio. Birds of a feather.
Well, if Donald Trump released his tax returns, would he release his personal, his corporate, all businesses he has some kind of interest in? He may need to release dozens of returns. This could tie up the IRS for years and years. Complicated is an understatement. Simple minded me thinks that he (and his businesses) must have been under close IRS scrutiny for years.
Rubio is unsupportable because of amnesty and the gang of eight.
I find it unforgivable, Billy.
Nothing I hate worse in civilized circles than a conniving scheming slippery liar.
Rubio fed us a load of excrement and got elected being hoisted on grassroots shoulders.
I will *never* let him off his hook, ever. It’s borderline hatred. I mean it.
Phylis Schlafley who supported Rubio in his Senate race is direct on this matter. She says that Rubio is a traitor. On that she is certainly correct.
Why do none of the Trump fans ever address the fact that Trump has given thousands and thousands to lib politicians like Hillary; Daschle; Rahm Emanuel and many others?
Trump has said many times that he has.
Trump supporters don’t care so move along!
Because, at the end of the day, being governed by Democrats is better than not having a country (or conservatism)because the country got overrun.
Open borders madness has to be stopped.
Why do none of the Trumpophobes ever address the fact that Trump has given thousands and thousands to conservative politicians like Cruz and many others?
http://bombsdollars.com/index/index.php/2016/02/26/donald-trump-vs-george-soros-who-is-the-bigger-democratic-donor/
More Mr. Establishment money than Soros money.
By the numbers.
“Trump has actually been relatively evenhanded in doling out cash to the two parties, but since 1989, he’s contributed over $350,000 more to Republicans running for federal and state offices, campaign finance records show.
Data from the Federal Election Commission and state elections offices provided by the two websites show that Trump has given $584,850 to Democrats and $961,140 to the GOP over the last 26 years.”
http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2015/jul/09/ben-ferguson/donald-trumps-campaign-contributions-democrats-and/
“An ABC News analysis of Trump’s various federal campaign contributions to political action committees, soft money and joint fundraising yielded very close results between Democratic and Republican donations. Between 1997 and 2011, Trump donated $280,100 to Republican candidates and related PACs and $270,200 to Democrats and Dem-backed PACs. Still, Trump donated more to Republicans than Democrats in soft money and joint fundraising”
http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2011/04/trump-donations-to-republicans-and-democrats-differ-by-less-than-10000.html
The truth is just hard for the TDS brigade. It is precisely what Trump has said, he is a businessman and donates to both party’s, for the obvious reasons. Only idiots and the GOPe (I know) find anything unusual about this pattern.
It’s because he is in real estate. At his level you give to everybody with pull or you get nothing built. Permits never happen, inspectors never show up (and you cannot work around that you have to work on their time) and mysteriously protesters and concerned citizens come out of the wood work to slow or stop your project to nothing.
It’s a cost of doing business. Like a bribe only we don’t call them bribes in the US because that would be illegal.
This is so true. People with no experience in real estate development/contracting don’t have a clue how big of an issue this is at any level of the commercial RE industry (much less the size of a tower project), and the cost that developers incur when work is slowed/halted. Inspectors are a nightmare. They are turf warrior government employees, and they’ll fight each other, with no regard to developers’ costs. I’ve seen how bad it can be in projects in NC/SC/FL, and I can’t imagine what it’s like in locations like NYC.
Trump favored amnesty and the Gang of Eight until approximately the moment he decided to run for president, and he found that saying “I’ll build a wall” caused people to swoon and forgive a multitude of (very blatant) sins, and to abandon all the standards to which they hold “politicians.” (The fact that he’s a TV celebrity helped a lot.)
There’s no solid reason to believe that someone as changeable as Trump, and someone with his questionable business practices and generally low character, is going to be true to campaign pledges. For Trump, it’s ALL about making himself great.
Trump’s whole life has been about self-enrichment and ego-boosting. It’s absurd to think he would develop a more honorable character in the presidency.
That’s my problem with Trump, too. (Well, that, and that he thinks totalitarians will respect any “deal” he makes with them; he can ask Neville Chamberlain how that works out…or Bill Clinton on the North Korea nuclear deal…)
On Greta Van Susteren’s show (2/10, I think):
“And once you get to a certain level, it changes. I will be changing very rapidly.”
“I’m very capable of changing to anything I want to change to…”
In the face of that, it’s very hard to believe any commitment he makes; even “the wall”.
In my 40 some-odd years of paying close attention to politics, I can think of only one genuine repentance and conversion; only one that wasn’t just a ploy to get past an election: George Wallace. And his epiphany happened after he took a bullet in an assassination attempt, and wound up in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
Has Trump ever said, specifically, what caused his conversion to conservatism? I can’t remember anything he’s ever said about it. That’s another reason why I find it hard to believe.
http://danaloeschradio.com/donald-trump-supports-amnesty
And he supported five of the Gang of Eight, along with many other Collectivists.
He can’t be trusted in anything he’s said. He’s a profligate liar and a con man. At his core, he’s a Collectivist thug.
No candidate Radegunda is lying again.
Trump has been against illegal immigration for a long time.
From 2000 (hint – 16 years ago):
“America is experiencing serious social and economic difficulty with illegal immigrants who are flooding across our borders. We simply can’t absorb them. It is a scandal when America cannot control its own borders. A liberal policy of immigration may seem to reflect confidence and generosity. But our current laxness toward illegal immigration shows a recklessness and disregard for those who live here legally. ”
“The majority of legal immigrants can often make significant contributions to our society because they have special skills and because they add to our nation’s cultural diversity. They come with the best of intentions. But legal immigrants do not and should not enter easily. It’s a long, costly, draining, and often frustrating experience-by design. I say to legal immigrants: Welcome and good luck.”
“It comes down to this: we must take care of our own people first. Our policy to people born elsewhere should be clear: Enter by the law, or leave. ”
The America We Deserve, by Donald Trump, p.143-45 Jul 2, 2000
“Amnesty is suicide for Republicans,” Trump wrote in May 2013. He added later that month: “The new amnesty bill is over 1000 pages. It is another monstrosity a la ObamaCare.”
http://www.businessinsider.com/ted-cruz-donald-trump-amnesty-tweet-2016-1
I agree; I can’t support him for the nomination.
For the election, should he somehow win the nomination…that’s another story.
Some people mistakenly think that Trump is blaming the companies themselves for what they do when it’s in their interests to do so. He’s not. He’s making the point that the U.S. has to change the conditions that make it more profitable to go offshore and less profitable to stay in the U.S. What these conditions are varies from burdensome regulations to counterproductive tax schemes to cheating by other countries, such as imposing tariffs on U.S. goods, or e.g. China devaluing its currency.
The irony of tonight’s battle royale over healthcare stances lacking details, is that if you go to the websites of Trump, Cruz or Rubio, you find a lack of solid information about healthcare proposals on all of them.
For Rubio (as much as he demanded details from Trump tonight), on his site this is his detailed plan, which is pleasant sounding goals:
“- Repeal and Replace ObamaCare
– Expand access to affordable, quality health coverage by providing every American with an advanceable, refundable tax credit that can be used to purchase insurance.
– Reduce health care costs, promote innovation, and ensure access for the most vulnerable by expanding access to consumer-centered health plans, reforming insurance regulations, and putting protections in place to ensure those with pre-existing health conditions can get access to affordable coverage.”
But how is “expanding access to consumer-centered health plans” any more of a detailed solution than Trump endorsing the sale of insurance across state lines? What does “ensure access for the most vulnerable by expanding access to consumer-centered health plans” mean? “Putting protections in place to ensure those with pre-existing health conditions can get access to affordable coverage,” is a mandate, not a free market solution. I think it’s a noble social goal, even a goal that society may want to implement considering the cost shifting that denying pre-existing conditions causes. But at least we should be honest enough to say it’s a mandate to buy something one may not want. And where do you get funding for “an advanceable, refundable tax credit that can be used to buy insurance.”
For Trump, his website has no details on healthcare at all, which forces anyone to formulate his positions based on what he says in speeches and debates. Unfortunately, he has said he wants “universal healthcare” which immediately Cruz and others have labeled as socialized medicine (which by definition is not the same thing), but Trump has few details, so opponents score points against vagueness.
For Cruz’s website, which I have praised for being the most thorough of all the candidates on issues, has nothing regarding healthcare.
You’re right. A statement of pious intentions is no substitute for practical proposals.
But worse, not only are the statements vague, they’re absurd; even if realized, they can’t affect the problem in any useful way. Consider “Expand access to affordable, quality health coverage by providing every American with an advanceable, refundable tax credit that can be used to purchase insurance.” But we know that damn near half of Americans pay no federal taxes now (some for pretty good reasons, some not so good). A refundable tax credit is therefore worth approximately zero. Yes, I’m sure they’ll have no trouble buying quality health coverage with that.
We have to face it; Rubio is not a serious candidate.
In our horrible income tax jargon, “advanceable, refundable” is the way the Earned Income Tax Credit is described.
This is a tax credit you can receive even if you paid no tax; it’s a direct subsidy payment from the government. And since it’s advanceable, you can get the money in installments during the year. It’s a similar concept to “negative income tax”.
Connecting a subsidy to the already-horrid income tax system seems overly bureaucratic to me, but I guess the intent is to reduce the subsidy as income rises. It can work, sort of, assuming the GibsMeDat recipient actually files an honest tax return.
I suppose Rubio is thinking of something similar, perhaps with rules saying the subsidy money must be spent on health insurance.
The Rubio Trump exchange on immigration was notable mostly for the only absolutely true thing said; that Romney was a horrible candidate who ran a horrible campaign. No truer words have been uttered. This is where Trump gains ground over and over in these debates. He says the things we all know to be true but that the others won’t say out of a fear of making the establishment/neocons/donors angry.
The Republican party’s slavish devotion to neocons and Wall Street donors has been an unmitigated disaster for both the Republican party and the nation and it is time to reduce the influence of both on the party. Trump makes it clear he is no neocon and Rubio makes it clear he is their champion. As such, this nomination is turning into a referendum on the neocons. I suspect it is a referendum the neocons will lose.
Thumbs down to Bill. This is a first. Your emotions seem to be getting the better of you :~(
It’s down to two candidates and Rubio isn’t one of them. I don’t care if he flapped his arms and flew across the stage, he will always be Chuck Schumer’s Amnesty Errand Boy.
How do you know Rubio isn’t one of them? He’s number two in national polls and has by far the highest poll numbers for people’s second choice.
Dan Mclaughlin at Red State summed up the debate the best:
” ll-informed, empty-talking-points-dependent blowhard and lifelong liberal Democrat doesn’t take a punch well. “
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/rubio-trump-is-a-con-artist-spent-40-years-sticking-it-to-working-americans/
Sometimes, even a liar will articulate an important truth.
Der Donald is a con man. Has been one for decades. He’s skilled and talented. That makes him MORE dangerous.
Rubio removed himself a few weeks ago from consideration as even a “hold my nose” candidate when, after feigning a repentance for his Gang Of Eight conduct, he said that long-term illegals should be allowed to stay.
There is only Cruz if one wants to see the Republic preserved.
FTR
Drudge Report post debate poll HERE
Political Opinion post debate poll HERE
Right Scoop post debate poll HERE
New JerseyDotCom post debate poll HERE
Fox5 San Diego post debate poll HERE
Telegraph post debate poll HERE
HeavyDotCom post debate poll HERE
NewsMax post debate poll HERE
Wall Street Journal post debate poll HERE
The Blaze Post Debate Poll HERE
TimeDotCom post debate poll HERE
Texas – Austin post debate poll HERE
Slate – post debate poll HERE
http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2016/02/25/who-won-the-debate-post-debate-polls/
Contra to the title of this post by the professor:
Why would anybody assume that the world is rational?
The world is manifestly not rational, and brain chemistry shows that the rational part of the human brain is the smallest, weakest part.
Subtle cues like the shit eating grin that Rubio makes after an attack, or the face Ted Cruz makes right before he launches into his soundbites matter too.
My father, who already absentee for Jeb Bush in the Florida primary, says he knows Marco Rubio is still lying to the voter because he, Rubio, says he is 5’10. On the stage, Rubio is wearing high heel boots and is still shorter than Ted Cruz, who says he is 5’8 or 5’9. That’s an absolutely stupid issue, but voters are working with incomplete information about the best policies and don’t have personal knowledge about the character of the politician’s teams.
People aren’t rational.
May the tallest man win.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/article/2001268
Der Donald (Collectivist, NYC) explains why he DOES NOT hire Americans for his Palm Beach resort.
It’s bullshit, of course. Americans APPLY for the jobs he offers. He just DOES NOT HIRE them, preferring foreign workers.
He’s a fraud, a liar, and a Collectivist thug.
“It’s bullshit, of course. Americans APPLY for the jobs he offers. He just DOES NOT HIRE them, preferring foreign workers.”
BS, of course. You do no know who applied for any of those jobs.
You know nothing about the building industry. It is now impossible to build anything, even a house, without a substantial number of “foreign” workers.
It’s not BS I’ve worked off and on in construction and remodeling since I was in grade school. I have watched the crews being replaced by illegals from Mexico and Guatemala. I cannot count the number of times we’ve had to go back and fix what they’ve broken yet they keep hiring the illegals. Why? Money, fewer regulations (read no worker regulations), no tax or pay roll hassles.
This is a real issue and just part of why we need a wall to keep out the endless supply of guys who will do a job for one sixth of what an American can do the job for. Not will, can. We have to pay taxes, don’t get to lie and use the social services like our own ATM/grocery store/housing and PUD supplement.
As far as I am concerned all the criminal invaders could be sent home by air launched cannons and a net to catch them and it wouldn’t bother me in the slightest.
Thanks, you made my point.
trump doesn’t sit around hiring plumbers, electricians, framers, roofers, etc. He hires subcontractors (or a general contractor that hires the subs). And those subs are primarily of foreign born extraction. They are not all illegals.
It is not possible, at least in the southern USA, to build any large project without foreign workers.
” Trump doesn’t hire workers, he hires subcontractors. Try and find a sub with a substantial all-American crew. ”
Yes, now imagine him, as President, applying the same scheme to get things done.
Who are the subcontractors? Solyndra, …..?
Since 2010, nearly 300 United States residents have applied or been referred for jobs as waiters, waitresses, cooks and housekeepers there. But according to federal records, only 17 have been hired. In all but a handful of cases, Mar-a-Lago sought to fill the jobs with hundreds of foreign guest workers from Romania and other countries.
Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/431908/donald-trump-immigration-hypocrite-who-ignores-american-workers
And, as noted above in his own words, Donald Ducks does not deny it. Rather he excuses it.
Plus, you lying SOS, I know the “building industry” much better than you (though this has nothing to do with that). It is quite possible to build anything without a single “foreign” worker. It just depends on one’s ethics.
Or is it your thesis that T-rump MUST have a “substantial number” of foreign workers IF he were actually to build a “wall”?
You’re 100% right you can build anything in this country without illegals and still be profitable. It is simple greed for that extra buck that enables this.
“You’re 100% right you can build anything in this country without illegals and still be profitable.”
Please explain how you are going to do this. Every job is put out for bids. The lowest bid does not always win, but it is going to be highly considered. If you are a large general contractor, you will be using subs. You do not have control of the subs hiring.
“Plus, you lying SOS, I know the “building industry” much better than you (though this has nothing to do with that). It is quite possible to build anything without a single “foreign” worker. It just depends on one’s ethics.”
You have no ethics as you always lie. And you know nothing about building big projects. Trump doesn’t hire workers, he hires subcontractors. Try and find a sub with a substantial all-American crew. There are a few, very few. And usually very small. My son owns a building company, +50mill in yearly revenue. What you say is not possible. But it fits your narrative, so the truth be damned.
I don’t visit NRO. They make up BS as fast as you do.
I don’t lie, you lying SOS.
Refute the figures from the Federal government on T-rump’s hiring PRACTICES at his Palm Beach resort.
Next, explain why T-rump is EXCUSING his ACKNOWLEDGED hiring practices as DEMONSTRATED in the T-rump video clip.
Finally, T-rump could impose ANY condition on subs he chose to. He NEVER HAS. In fact, in the case of his demolition of one of his hotel acquisitions, his sub imported “the Polish Brigade”. T-rump denied knowing anything about it, but was later found legally liable for BOTH knowing about it AND violating various rights of the workers. HE LIES.
I’ve worked in the building trades or oil field most of my life, only coming to the law relatively lately. MANY contractors (and I’ve been one) DO hire exclusively domestic workers, you lying SOS. If you want an example, look at unionized trades, including roofing, for instance. It sounds like your son is making excuses for his hiring of illegals.
You are usually full of crap. None more so than on this thread.
You always lie when it comes to Trump. And you link to other liars.
I do not know about oil field contractors, but then we are not discussing oil fields. There are no subcontractors that can handle multiple large jobsites that do not have a substantial proportion of foreign born workers. We do business in Texas. It’s true there like everywhere else. Note, I did not say there were none. But when you have multiple large projects across multiple states, you will not find those all-American crews you speak of.
The competitors are in the same boat. They all use subs and the subs are dominated by foreign born. There is no choice.
If you actually worked in this field you would know it.
I don’t lie, you lying SOS.
Refute the figures from the Federal government on T-rump’s hiring PRACTICES at his Palm Beach resort.
Next, explain why T-rump is EXCUSING his ACKNOWLEDGED hiring practices as DEMONSTRATED in the T-rump video clip.
Finally, T-rump could impose ANY condition on subs he chose to. He NEVER HAS. In fact, in the case of his demolition of one of his hotel acquisitions, his sub imported “the Polish Brigade”. T-rump denied knowing anything about it, but was later found legally liable for BOTH knowing about it AND violating various rights of the workers. HE LIES.
I’ve worked in the building trades or oil field most of my life, only coming to the law relatively lately. MANY contractors (and I’ve been one) DO hire exclusively domestic workers, you lying SOS. If you want an example, look at unionized trades, including roofing, for instance. It sounds like your son is making excuses for his hiring of illegals.
You are usually full of crap. None more so than on this thread.
AND you CAN’T deal with the TRUTH.
You CANNOT answer my challenges.
PLUS, you EXCUSE your son’s hiring of illegals. “Boo, hoo…we has to…” What a SOS.
40% of all construction workers in the south and west are of Hispanic origin. The largest years of immigrant workers coming into the US construction market were the years of Reagan and Bush, republicans (no data for the current pos in the WH).
Hispanics labor % (does not include non Hispanic foreign born)
Drywall 52%
Roofer 43%
Concrete 41%
Laborer 39%
http://www.elcosh.org/document/1686/d000989/Hispanic+Employment+in+Construction.html?show_text=1
If you are a businessman you hire the workers most profitable for the business. It is required for a businessman to do this because it is required to compete with other businessmen. You can do this AND be completely in favor of building a wall to keep out illegals and deport the illegals that are here.
And that is your untruthful point: You try to pretend that since Trump has hired foreign born workers he must be untruthful about wishing to build a wall and deport those that are here. That is your lie. Trump has consistently, as I have pointed out, been in favor of stopping illegal immigration. Hiring foreign workers at any level does not disprove that. It proves only that he is a businessman competing with others.
If he imposed a ban on subcontractors being foreign born he would be out of business. The construction and service industry is where the proportion of foreign born is at it’s highest.
See, this is why you’re a TWOT (total waste of time).
I point to Mr. Establishment’s PREFERENCE for hiring foreign workers he imports to Palm Beach. That is a FACT.
I point to his EXCUSE for his preference, which HE ADMITS, which is a lie. But I gave you video of it.
You deflect, deny, and LIE.
AND you excuse his use…and you son’s use…of illegals.
What a SOS. And TWOT.
Oh, the same old Rags BS. When your line of BS is exposed about the construction industry being dominated by foreign workers, you go to the standard RAGS BS, twot.
I don’t give a crap who trump prefers to hire. I wouldn’t waste my time with your petty bullshit arguments. I care about a candidate that pledges to put a halt to illegal immigration.
You really are a twot.
“AND you excuse his use…and you son’s use…of illegals.”
Another lie. I never said my sons company uses illegals. I said that subcontractors are dominated by the foreign born, and my son uses subcontractors. They are required to show proof that all employee’s have legal status to work in the USA. Some have been fired and replaced over this.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewkaczynski/trump-claims-he-didnt-support-libya-intervention-but-he-did#.inWV4WblZ
T-rump, caught in another lie on tape.
It’s just who he is. He’s a Collectivist thug.
IMHO, Rubio came off looking like a little twerp, or one of those little barky chihuahuas nipping at a pit bull and trying to get his bluff in.
Go Trump!
Go down in flames, Republican Establishment!
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter