I can't imagine why that would piss you off so much. It leads me to assume that you were ineligible for the rebate.
Still wondering what part of the infrastructure bill you thought was a waste of money…I wasnt talking about a Republican alternative. I was talking about Walz delivering the 1000 per person rebates he campaigned on. That is what really upsets me. I mean, yes, the rebate would have been nice, but obviously not life changing. It is his duplicity that really upsets me. Believe it or not, I once was a strong supporter of his, and I thought he was the honest down to earth guy he seems to be on the surface. I was sadly disappointed.
I'm good with that. Single payer here we go!Rebates are not the same as tax cuts. The MN "rebates" (the insulting amount that was finally given back) were phased out at higher income levels, so there is no possibility they would have disproportionately benefitted the rich. In fact, quite the opposite: Those who paid more taxes would have gotten less or nothing in rebates. The problem was that Walz did not deliver the rebates he led us to believe were coming. But hell, if the government is so great at distributing money fairly, why dont we tax people at 50 percent or 100 percent and let the government redistribute all of it.
Fact checking:I wasnt talking about a Republican alternative. I was talking about Walz delivering the 1000 per person rebates he campaigned on. That is what really upsets me. I mean, yes, the rebate would have been nice, but obviously not life changing. It is his duplicity that really upsets me. Believe it or not, I once was a strong supporter of his, and I thought he was the honest down to earth guy he seems to be on the surface. I was sadly disappointed.
Some people really hate income "redistribution" to the poors.I can't imagine why that would piss you off so much. It leads me to assume that you were ineligible for the rebate.
So? Nothing there contradicts my evaluation of Walz, or really contradicts what I said. There was a 17B surplus, on top of the normal yearly tax revenue. There are between 5 and six million people in Minnesota. Some would not have been eligible for the rebate, so estimate a maximum of 5 million x 1000 rebate = 5 billion for rebates. Less than 1/3 of the surplus. They still would had had plenty of money to rebuild infrastructure (the actual infrastructure spending was less than 3B, with part of that a bonding bill) and feed kids brealfast.Fact checking:
In 2022 the Republican legislature, with control of the Senate, completely blocked the special rebate plan Walz proposed of $1,000/person for individual filers with up to $164k of income (or $2,000 to couples with less than $273k income). Note Walz's original proposal / campaign proposal still had income caps.
In 2023, with control of Senate returned to Democrats, they passed a rebate plan smaller than Walz requested in his new budget proposal (less than half the size), along with a lower income cap than Walz requested. Specifically, a family of 4 in Minnesota, making less than $150k year in income, got a $1,040 rebate check. Walz signed the budget as passed by the legislature with the reduced figures.
In addition to a modest increased investment in infrastructure spending, and an investment in all children getting fed breakfast/lunch at public schools (at a cost of around $300/child), among other items.
LolSo? Nothing there contradicts my evaluation of Walz, or really contradicts what I said. There was a 17B surplus, on top of the normal yearly tax revenue. There are between 5 and six million people in Minnesota. Some would not have been eligible for the rebate, so estimate a maximum of 5 million x 1000 rebate = 5 billion for rebates. Less than 1/3 of the surplus. They still would had had plenty of money to rebuild infrastructure (the actual infrastructure spending was less than 3B, with part of that a bonding bill) and feed kids brealfast.
😂So? Nothing there contradicts my evaluation of Walz, or really contradicts what I said. There was a 17B surplus, on top of the normal yearly tax revenue. There are between 5 and six million people in Minnesota. Some would not have been eligible for the rebate, so estimate a maximum of 5 million x 1000 rebate = 5 billion for rebates. Less than 1/3 of the surplus. They still would had had plenty of money to rebuild infrastructure (the actual infrastructure spending was less than 3B, with part of that a bonding bill) and feed kids brealfast.
This. $1000 to buy a few votes and ultimately not make a difference to anyone’s lives because it’s only $1000 or a whole bunch of money to make the state a better place.A $1K rebate to a family making $150K means nothing.
A $1K rebate to a family making under $50K means a little more, but not a great amount.
That same $1K going into several hours of skilled labor to make bridges safer means a whole lot more.
Agreed, the various tax rebates I’ve got over my lifetime never changed anything where as saving that money for a down turn could be a game changerThis. $1000 to buy a few votes and ultimately not make a difference to anyone’s lives because it’s only $1000 or a whole bunch of money to make the state a better place.
Tax rebates have been another long term method to gut investment in education and infrastructure. Reduce budget growth below inflation for decades and when conditions improve instead of restoring previous investment levels return the increase as a “rebate”. It’s just a politically expedient way to continually cut the capabilities of governments. And then of course later complain about how broken government is because they can’t do the things we expect them to do.Agreed, the various tax rebates I’ve got over my lifetime never changed anything where as saving that money for a down turn could be a game changer
Agreed, the various tax rebates I’ve got over my lifetime never changed anything where as saving that money for a down turn could be a game changer
I don't live in P&N so apologies if you've already answered this, but what's wrong with Walz?
AgreedI would have preferred Massachusetts use the money that was forced to be rebated per state law a few years ago to fix infrastructure that's had decades of deferred maintenance and is now falling apart instead of some bs rebate check that made almost no difference to me financially.
It literally says the legislature blocked the rebates.So? Nothing there contradicts my evaluation of Walz, or really contradicts what I said. There was a 17B surplus, on top of the normal yearly tax revenue. There are between 5 and six million people in Minnesota. Some would not have been eligible for the rebate, so estimate a maximum of 5 million x 1000 rebate = 5 billion for rebates. Less than 1/3 of the surplus. They still would had had plenty of money to rebuild infrastructure (the actual infrastructure spending was less than 3B, with part of that a bonding bill) and feed kids brealfast.
Like Quebert I find it odd but it’s not upsetting to me. I assumed it was easier to just say put them in all bathrooms verse dealing with the one or two trolls who are going to say something stupid like “it’s not a womens room it a girls room” or “all bathrooms are bathrooms”
Again whatever it’s not like these things cost a ton of money.
One interpretation I have based on the bill sponsor’s statement is not that they wanted to put them in all the boys bathrooms but that they wanted to make them available to facilities that have gender neutral bathrooms without having a conflict with girls’ bathrooms only.
My elementary school in the 90s had gender neutral bathrooms. They were single hole bathrooms. There was only one set of gendered bathrooms near the gym.After Googling it, I felt like that too. But for some reason MAGA make Walz out like he's pushing for shit like this and it's the main reason he passed this bill. Maybe it's because I'm semi old (50 in less than a month) but I'm more shocked at the idea of gender neutral bathrooms in k-12 schools than I am of boys having access to tampons. Gender neutral shitters for kids sounds like a bad idea. Had those been around when I was in high school I would have identified with whatever I had to so I could go in a bathroom that had girls in it.
But then again the normal girls wouldn't use them, it would be boys who want to be girls and the girls who look like boys who want to be boys. So they probably wouldn't be all that great lol.
SeaTac airport has at least one of those now, great big neutral bathroom, bunch of sinks, bunch of stalls with actual walls and doors, dedicated urinal section. Used it a few weeks ago, bunch of other people were using it too. They still have a bunch of dedicated men's & women's restrooms throughout, and some other neutral/family restrooms.Agreed better use of space too. One large bathroom with stalls. Club in Boston had that in the mid 90s. One bathroom for all.
You were so hard up to merely be in the vicinity of girls you would have gone to where they'd be taking a shit?After Googling it, I felt like that too. But for some reason MAGA make Walz out like he's pushing for shit like this and it's the main reason he passed this bill. Maybe it's because I'm semi old (50 in less than a month) but I'm more shocked at the idea of gender neutral bathrooms in k-12 schools than I am of boys having access to tampons. Gender neutral shitters for kids sounds like a bad idea. Had those been around when I was in high school I would have identified with whatever I had to so I could go in a bathroom that had girls in it.
But then again the normal girls wouldn't use them, it would be boys who want to be girls and the girls who look like boys who want to be boys. So they probably wouldn't be all that great lol.
Having large stalled toilet rooms (proper stalls, not those typical flimsy bs doors) with shared sinks is also just more space and infrastructure efficient: no need to run even more plumbing, single sink area, single changing station for young kids, etc... People have to get over themselves and remember that everybody poops.SeaTac airport has at least one of those now, great big neutral bathroom, bunch of sinks, bunch of stalls with actual walls and doors, dedicated urinal section. Used it a few weeks ago, bunch of other people were using it too. They still have a bunch of dedicated men's & women's restrooms throughout, and some other neutral/family restrooms.