Comment on Senate Republican leader defends Musk’s efforts as a ‘scrub’ of federal government

• cm0002@lemmy.world ⁨6⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  I never made more than $20 an hour in my entire life. Are you saying you make less than that?! lol

  Money isn’t just what you earn hourly, it’s your overall wealth. Land, housing paid off, cars, and emergency provisions all count. Stop trying to play poor when you’re sitting on assets.

  Oh, so it’s all or nothing. So you won’t help some people unless you can help all people? Hmmmm…

  Lol just twist my words, I donate what I can and vote for systemic change because individual charity can’t fix broken systems. The point is we CAN help everyone if we tax the wealthy properly.

  And did Biden change that? Would Harris have changed that?

  Biden passed significant progressive legislation like the Infrastructure bill and parts of Build Back Better despite constant opposition. Meanwhile, Trump’s 2017 tax cuts primarily benefited corporations and the wealthy, dropping the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%.

  Are you saying the Democratic party isn’t in the pockets of giant corporations?! lmao

  There’s a difference between imperfect allies and active enemies. One party at least tries to help working people while the other explicitly serves the ultra-wealthy. Look at their voting records, not their rhetoric.

  So how come all the dems that have been in charge hasn’t permantly change that since Reagan worked on it?

  Because we haven’t had a true progressive majority with enough power to overcome corporate lobbying. We need more progressives in office, not fewer. The GOP has been working for 50 years to dismantle the social safety net, and you’re blaming Dems for not fixing it all at once?

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  • DonaldJMusk@lemmy.today ⁨6⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    Stop trying to play poor when you’re sitting on assets.

    But if you make more than me, and have for a long time. then you could have even more assets than I do. Correct?

    I donate what I can and vote for systemic change because individual charity can’t fix broken systems.

    And nothing says you have to stop doing that. In fact, you can even donate more and cut your lifestyle if it means that much to you. I won’t be doing that, but you certainly can.

    Trump’s 2017 tax cuts primarily benefited corporations and the wealthy, dropping the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%.

    Ok, so did Biden reverse that in his 4 years he was in office and controlled both the house and the senate?

    One party at least tries to help working people while the other explicitly serves the ultra-wealthy.

    But if that’s true and if more people believed that as you do, you should have easily won the election. So that means either you are right and the majority who voted in Trump are wrong, OR you in the minorty and people just don’t agree with you.

    Because we haven’t had a true progressive majority with enough power to overcome corporate lobbying.

    So how come the Democrats didn’t work on that?

    The GOP has been working for 50 years to dismantle the social safety net, and you’re blaming Dems for not fixing it all at once?

    But Democrats have been in office for plenty of years. Why can’t the just do the same things the Republicans do, but make it their agenda and get it done? Sounds like they haven’t done as good of a job as Republicans when it comes to meeting their agendas.

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    • cm0002@lemmy.world ⁨6⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      But if you make more than me, and have for a long time. then you could have even more assets than I do. Correct?

      You’re the one who bragged about your assets, then tried to pivot to wages when called out. I’m not playing this game of one-upmanship. The point is about systemic issues, not personal finances.

      And nothing says you have to stop doing that. In fact, you can even donate more and cut your lifestyle if it means that much to you. I won’t be doing that, but you certainly can.

      Again, missing the point entirely. Individual actions don’t fix broken systems. That’s like saying “just use less water” during a drought while corporations drain aquifers. We need collective action and policy change, not performative personal sacrifice.

      Ok, so did Biden reverse that in his 4 years he was in office and controlled both the house and the senate?

      Democrats had a razor-thin majority with Manchin and Sinema blocking major reform. Despite that, the Inflation Reduction Act implemented a 15% corporate minimum tax for large corporations and a 1% tax on stock buybacks. This doesn’t fully reverse Trump’s corporate tax rate cut from 35% to 21%, but it does ensure the biggest companies pay at least 15%. Not perfect, but a step in the right direction.

      But if that’s true and if more people believed that as you do, you should have easily won the election.

      Elections aren’t won on policy merits anymore (unfortunately). They’re won on emotion, propaganda, and increasingly, misinformation. Most voters can’t even name what policies they’re voting for. Plus, our system structurally advantages rural conservative voters through the Electoral College.

      So how come the Democrats didn’t work on that?

      They have been. From campaign finance reform to voting rights, Democrats consistently push against a system rigged by gerrymandering, voter suppression, and dark money. All of which Republicans fight to preserve.

      But Democrats have been in office for plenty of years. Why can’t the just do the same things the Republicans do, but make it their agenda and get it done?

      Because Democrats try to govern responsibly while Republicans obstruct then blame Democrats for not fixing the problems. Look at McConnell blocking Merrick Garland then ramming through Barrett. Look at Republicans tanking infrastructure bills under Obama then crying about crumbling bridges. The asymmetry is the point.

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      • DonaldJMusk@lemmy.today ⁨6⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

        You’re the one who bragged about your assets, then tried to pivot to wages when called out.

        I wasn’t bragging. Someone asked me about my “self-reliance bs” and I explained to them how and why I think I live up to my version of that

        The point is about systemic issues, not personal finances.

        That Democrats still haven’t fixed, despite all their years in power. And if Trump is doing such terrible thigns, then in 4 years, you all can change everything back the way you want it.

        This doesn’t fully reverse Trump’s corporate tax rate cut from 35% to 21%, but it does ensure the biggest companies pay at least 15%. Not perfect, but a step in the right direction.

        Great! Then again, in 4 years, you guys can get voted back in and fix all that. So there ya go!

        Because Democrats try to govern responsibly while Republicans obstruct then blame Democrats for not fixing the problems.

        But if that was such a great idea, they they should have won the election. So maybe that’s now what people were wanting.

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