Category: The Real Erik Paulsen

Trump and Democrats trade insults to start tense month of negotiations on year-end priorities

The following article by Ed O’Keefe and Sean Sullivan was posted on the Washington Post website November 28, 2017:

The top two Congressional Democrats cancelled a planned meeting on Nov. 28 with President Trump after he said he didn’t think they could reach a budget deal. (Reuters)

President Trump and top lawmakers Tuesday failed to craft the outlines of a spending agreement as Democrats backed out of a planned meeting at the White House amid growing acrimony over a slate of year-end legislative priorities, with a potential government shutdown looming over the negotiations.

The impasse all but ensures another holiday-season standoff over legislation designed to keep the government open and that also is expected to settle complex issues regarding immigration and health care. Continue reading “Trump and Democrats trade insults to start tense month of negotiations on year-end priorities”

Minnesotans raise alarms about tax bill

The following article was posted on the Workday Minnesota website November 26, 2017:

Recently, retired union members and friends brought their concerns about tax fairness and threats to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security to Republican Congressman Erik Paulsen’s office. Photo courtesy of Minneapolis Regional Retiree Council

EDEN PRAIRIE — Union members in Minnesota are among those raising objections as the U.S. Senate prepares to vote on legislation to cut taxes, threatening important public services and providing handouts to the wealthy.

A vote could take place in the Senate as soon as Nov. 30, according to several media sources. The House has already passed its own bill.

Recently, retired union members and friends brought their concerns about tax fairness and threats to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security to Republican Congressman Erik Paulsen’s office. In an action organized by the Minneapolis Regional Retiree Council, a small group of Paulsen’s constituents delivered a letter to his office in Eden Prairie, while over 60 other people bannered at the street corner outside. Continue reading “Minnesotans raise alarms about tax bill”

How the tax package could blur the separation of church and politics

The following article by Susan Anderson, Profession of Accounting, Elon University, was posted on the Conversation website November 22, 2017:

Rep. John Lewis, a Georgia Democrat, raised questions about the proposed changes to charity tax laws during a congressional hearing.

The tax package pending in Congress includes a provision that would leave churches and other nonprofits, which by law must be nonpartisan, suddenly free to engage in political speech.

This measure, currently only in the House version of the bill, could potentially change charitable life as we know it. Continue reading “How the tax package could blur the separation of church and politics”

Republicans push hard on GOP tax plan, but voters just aren’t that into it

The following article by Lisa Mascaro was posted on the Los Angeles Times website November 23, 2017:

 

House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) applauds after House passage of the GOP tax plan in Washington. (Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press)

Republicans are investing enormous amounts of political capital and dollars to pump up support for the GOP tax overhaul in a risky, last-ditch legislative undertaking ahead of next year’s midterm election.

President Trump is promoting the bill as a Christmas present for the American people, and a group aligned with House Speaker Paul D. Ryanhas spent $20 million so far on ads and outreach in communities across the nation. Senate Leader Mitch McConnell is set to fast-track the bill through the chamber next week.

Problem is, voters just don’t seem to be that interested. Continue reading “Republicans push hard on GOP tax plan, but voters just aren’t that into it”

Need more heart in this country

I strongly oppose the tax bill proposed by either the U.S. House or Senate without major modifications.

We need to protect and push forward with health care for every person in America.

We do not need more military, we do not need more tax breaks for the very wealthy, and we certainly do not need trillions more debt.

We need more heart in this country in caring for the most vulnerable.

My plan is to write Congressman Erik Paulsen about this regularly and hope he will listen to me — and all of his constituents.

Judith Potthoff, Chanhassen
Chaska Herald, November 24, 2017

Shifting wealth to the super rich

To the Editor:

The problem with politics today is that the truth is often hidden with half-truths.

Mr. Beaudette’s letter “Supply-side economics works” (Nov. 16) is a perfect example. He is correct that the federal tax revenues did increase dramatically during President Ronald Reagan’s years in office, and also during the term of President George H.W. Bush.

What he fails to mention is that national debt rose even faster during this period. Looking at the ratio of federal debt to the nation’s gross income, or gross domestic product (GDP), we see that it fell from 125 percent at the end of World War II to 30 percent by 1980. It rose during Reagan’s term, with the tax cuts, from 30 percent to 50 percent. Continue reading “Shifting wealth to the super rich”

GOP Tax Plan Would Hurt Homeowners Everywhere

The following article by Froma Harrop was posted on the Creators.com website November 23, 2017:

The story making the rounds is that the Republican tax plan targets homeowners only in expensive blue states — people who tend to vote for the other party. That’s only partly true. Homeowners everywhere would get hit. The reasons will follow.

As a whole, the “reforms” are an abomination. Through some tricks to hide its effects early on, the plan would move more of the nation’s tax burden down to the middle class and lower. Some 13 million could lose their health coverage.

Worst of all, the GOP tax plan would cost between $1.5 trillion and $2.2 trillion over 10 years. As a result, the national debt would explode to 123 percent (!!!) of the gross domestic product by 2037 — that is, unless Republicans were to raid Social Security and Medicare. Continue reading “GOP Tax Plan Would Hurt Homeowners Everywhere”

‘We Are Angry’

The following article by Sean Miner was posted on the Eden Prairie Sun-Sailor website November 23, 2017:

Retirees protest Rep. Paulsen’s support of tax overhaul legislation

More than 0 men and women, most of them retirees, gathered outside Third District Rep. Erik Paulsen’s office in Eden Prairie Nov. 16 to protest Paulsen’s support of the tax overhaul bill that passed the U.S. House of Representatives later that same day.

The demonstrators, organized by the Minneapolis Regional Retiree Council, AFL-CIO, delivered a letter voicing their displeasure to the letter. Continue reading “‘We Are Angry’”

House GOP tax plan would fall $1.3 trillion short of paying for itself, study finds

The following article by Damian Paletta was posted on the Washington Post website November 20, 2017:

House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.). (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

The House Republican tax plan would add $1.3 trillion to the national debt over a decade, even after accounting for new economic growth from the bill, according to a nonpartisan study released Monday.

The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center is the third outside group to conclude that the bill would add to the deficit, contradicting Republicans’ claim that the bill would effectively pay for itself via a surge in economic growth.

The Tax Policy Center found that the economic growth the bill would create would add $169 billion in additional tax revenue over the next decade. But that would be far outweighed by $1.436 trillion in revenue losses over the decade due to the bill’s tax cuts, leaving the bill with a net addition to the deficit of $1.266 trillion. Continue reading “House GOP tax plan would fall $1.3 trillion short of paying for itself, study finds”