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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Trump started strong with his trade war talk.  That's his strong suit and there's probably some validity in what he says there.  After that, he fell apart.  His discussion on NATO is especially disturbing.[/quote]
His discussion on NATO really hit a home with me. It's time to re-evaluate all these Cold War relics and have our junior "partners" start funding at least to their treat obligations. [b]It would be great if they paid their fair share. [/b]The only obligation under article 5 is to provide what support each country  deems appropriate up to and including military aid. It does not say each country must respond with military force. [/quote]
It would be great if Trump paid his fair share in federal taxes.  I pay about 25%.  Maybe if he and rich people like him paid their fair share, we'd have more money to spend on veterans and other services.  Maybe our debt wouldn't be so high.  Does he ever think about that?  [/quote]

He said he didn't pay taxes because he's smart. Guess that makes us stupid[/quote]

Taxes are complicated. There are ways that taxes can be deferred but I am not aware of any legal ways to actually avoid paying it. It might sound neat to say that one did not pay any federal taxes in year #### but it doesn't actually mean much beyond a figure - go ask any CPA with corporate tax experience. Most likely, as with other businesses, his company used depreciation and other legal deductions to offset income, but the underlying asset now has basis that will be taxable if it was ever transferred. The tax liability is merely deferred, it does not go away.

I thought his response was certainly insensitive. Other business owners may know exactly what he is talking about when he says "that's called being smart", but workers who draw a salary would not understand. A better response would be somewhere along the lines of "I have a duty to my company, family, employees, and etc to take advantage of all tax laws to minimize my tax liability, who willingly pay more taxes than they are legally obligated to pay? That said, the US tax laws are complicated, inefficient and gives rise to the type of accounting contortions that occur not just with my business but tens of thousands of businesses all over the country. My proposal would be to have a simplified tax code, with a lower marginal rate, but also less deductions and special-interest favoritism laws that have been put into the books through out the years by career politicians like Mrs Clinton who bend to the will of their donors".

Missed opportunity there. He is on the right side of the issue, and would make the right decision, but said the wrong thing. [/quote]

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