income levels need to get ready for tax increases.

The current plan to increase the Capital Gains tax will raise about $12 Billion a year. That's less than two days of the CBO's currently projected deficit. Before CV19, it was roughly 4 days worth.

Point is, if we want healthcare, childcare, jobs, housing, education, deficit reduction, climate, infrastructure, bolstering Social Security and Medicare, etc., it's going to take taxing a lot of things more than we have been.

Increasing the current 2 cent tax on stock transactions to $1.02 per transaction would raise roughly $80 Billion a year. That with the $12 Billion above will cover less than 20 days of the deficit. Maybe a month under the preCV19 projected deficit.


_________________

Where the $80 Billion came from by increasing transaction tax:

https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/congress-wants-to-tax-stock-trades-investors-shouldnt-fret/

If you sit down and read the new law, there are plenty of ways to counteract GOPer efforts at suppression.

(1) If you are voting by mail get your ballot early. Use the four weeks of early voting.

(2) Don’t give up because you don’t have a driver’s license or state ID. You can enter last 4-digits of your SSN. [That last bit was added by Democrats because GOPers tried to require copies of state IDs to be mailed with applications and ballots. If the SSM had not been added, that would have been catastrophic.]

(3) Call/write your county election board and encourage them to provide water, take your own as a backup. Even GOPers get thirsty.

(4) Make sure you go to the right precinct.

There is one part of the legislation that could really cause chit to fly -- the part about removing local election boards -- but even it is limited in GOPers' ability to steal an election. I am worried about that part, but this summary made me feel a bit better --

". . . . . . .In Chatham, the five-person elections board, four of whom are elected, acts as the superintendent. If, after a performance review, the majority of the State Elections Board votes that the county elections officials demonstrated "nonfeasance, malfeasance, or gross negligence," then they can appoint a replacement superintendent.

"But this provision has limits. It can only be done in four counties at a time. Plus, it would be impossible to put an appointee into place during or immediately following an election, since the preliminary hearing required beforehand must be at least 30 days after the request to investigate. [The certification deadline for Georgia counties is even shorter now: six days after the election, down from the previous 10-day deadline. It's 17 days after the election for the state certification.]"

https://www.savannahnow.com/story/news/2021/04/07/georgia-new-election-law-republicans-overturn-results-senate-bill-202/7092460002/

Chatham County went 58.6% for Biden.


I know it's not popular, but I think we'll survive Georgia's new legislation even if the Courts don't act. It's not that hard and I hope we don’t discourage voters by making it sound like their votes won't count.

it has to do something to shorten those lines by the next election. Doesn't do anything for current election, but does for future election.

Here is some language from law.

If, at the previous general election, a precinct contained more than 2,000 electors and
722 if electors desiring to vote on the day of the election had to wait in line for more than one
723 hour before checking in to vote, the superintendent shall either reduce the size of such
724 precinct so that it shall contain not more than 2,000 electors in accordance with the
725 procedures prescribed by this chapter for the division, alteration, and consolidation of
726 precincts no later than 60 days before the next general election or provide additional voting
727 equipment or poll workers, or both, before the next general election. For administering this
728 Code section, the chief manager of a precinct which contained more than 2,000 electors at
729 the previous general election shall submit a report thereof to the superintendent of the
730 reported time from entering the line to checking in to vote. Such wait time shall be
731 measured no fewer than three different times throughout the day (in the morning, at
732 midday, and prior to the close of polls) and such results shall be recorded on a form provided by the Secretary of State. Any such change in the boundaries of a precinct shall
734 conform with the requirements of subsection (a) of Code Section 21-2-261.1."
. . . . . .



It would really help if people read this legislation.

https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20212022/201121


Worth noting that in 2020, the wait times on November 3 were not that long -- mainly because so many voted by mail and during early voting.


Fortunately, I think both Stacy Abrams and Atlanta Mayor Bottoms have read the law and realize that the sooner we quit fretting and start getting info out to voters, we can beat these GOPers again.

The worst thing the law does is perpetuate trump's lies about the election was stolen. The second worst aspect is that the state COULD take some actions after an election to help folks like trump in the future, but they could have done that after Nov 3rd. I remain confident they won't get away with that. With all that said, would love to see the law struck down by Courts, but not counting on that.

can be abused. Plus, the legislation perpetuates the lie that trump won.

As far as "line warming," lines were pretty short in most precincts in Georgia in November, mostly because so many voted by mail or during the 4 weeks of early voting.

The polls themselves can offer water. People can bring their own water. If I don't vote by mail, I'll carry a few extra bottles for folks. Stands can be set up within 150 feet of the actual polls. And I think Democrats ought to throw a big party on the exit side of the polls, which is also not prohibited. Again, the polling place can offer water, which is what I plan on encouraging our county to do.

The "line-warming" portion of the law is really about soliciting votes by offering money, food, water, etc. That was arguably part of the previous law, just not as specific and mean-spirited. Point is, I doubt I'll be arrested for taking grandma a bottle of water if the polling place doesn't provide it, the lines are extremely long, etc.

The real problem with Georgia's law is that GOPers started out proposing ending no-excuse absentee voting, things like requiring absentee voters to send in photo copies of ID, etc. The final legislation, does not require a copy of anything, you just have to enter your driver's license number, State ID number, OR the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number. That I don't find a burden as long as local Democratic organizations do their job of educating voters.

The bit about shortening the time to order an absentee ballot is also not really an issue. Even though the old law allowed you to request an absentee ballot 180 days before the election, the ballots weren't issued until about 40 days before the election. So, 75 days is plenty of time. Again, local Democratic organizations will have to help get the word out.

I am concerned about the GOPer majority legislature having more control. That can definitely be abused. But the other side to that is that as long as a GOPer holds the Sec of State Office, they had pretty good control and opportunity for abuse. After the 2018 election, when Stacy Abrams got beaten by KKKemp (who was SoS), we would have supported legislation to remove the SoS from direct control over elections.

The real thing that worries me is that GOPers showed their hand with the early proposals to do away with no-excuse absentee voting, etc. If they continue to lose key elections, they'll be back with more next year.

For me personally, I find the putting drop boxes inside polling places criminal. I have used the drop box outside my county election office for years. I can go anytime, I don't have to park, etc. Just drive up and drop it in. That really is an unnecessary hassle. I do agree that drop boxes need to be secure, but drop boxes should make it easy. I am hopeful counties will find a way to make drop boxes easily assessible.

I think Stacy Abrams was right last week when she encouraged people not to boycott yet. I hope she runs for governor next time around. That would really make a big difference in Georgia.