Speedway Paradise

Anytime I think about the downsides of Speedway or Indianapolis, generally, I just have to remind myself of my teenage hometown: Fort Wayne, IN. . . home of the greatest concentration of churches, strip clubs, self-righteous conservatives, and biker gangs in the Midwest. Don't get me wrong, I love my friends from Ft. Wayne dearly. However, I simply can't abide the self-righteous conservatives that overwhelm the place.

In that spirit, please indulge a letter printed in the Journal Gazette today and authored by W. Patrick Sefton, annotated with TableTopJoe's thoughts:

The train of common sense tax reform has left the station, and Sen. Joe Donnelly has missed it.

I must have missed this "common sense tax reform." All I saw was a (at least) $1.5 TRILLION DOLLAR tax giveaway to corporations and wealthy heirs, but hey, what do I know?

By voting “no” on final passage of the 2017 Tax Reform Act, Donnelly has turned his back on hard-working and overtaxed Hoosiers.

Again, I'm not sure which "hardworking and overtaxed Hoosiers" will see much of a tax break from this bill, particularly in the latter years of it. Sure, the Simon family will get a break, as will the Irsays and the Hulmans. Contrary to popular belief, this liberal is happy for them. However, the massive corporate tax cut will benefit those who own the corporations that are getting tax cuts. Unless a significant portion of your income is derived from investments, you aren't getting much of a tax cut . . . and if the majority of your income is derived from investments, perhaps we have different definitions of the term "hard-working."

The reforms eliminate multiple tax rates down to just a few.

Wrong. There will still be seven tax brackets. No different than before. The only difference is that the top rates come down. Again, if you make more than $500,000/year, awesome for you! Remember, the rate reduction is in marginal dollars earned, so the rate reduction is on your income above that number, not the entirety of your income.

Employers in Indiana have already seen the benefits of these tax reforms and have given their Indiana workers bonuses.

This is just stupid. The tax "reforms" haven't even kicked in yet, and no sentient being can possibly believe that a massive bill rammed through on party lines, which is unpopular on its merits, will last longer than the turning of the screw. If anyone believes that it will, I direct your attention to the dreaded "Obamacare."

Donnelly just complains that he wants middle class tax cuts, but wants to put higher taxes on the back of small businesses.

Uhhhh, where to even start with this. Mr. Sefton, American business profitability is at a percentage of GDP unmatched for two generations, and their return on investment is unmatched in recorded American history. Find a better argument, preferably one based on facts.

Donnelly has joined Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Elizabeth Warren and Hillary Clinton on higher taxes.

Ahhh, let's roll that one out. It must be the shrill liberals, eh? Seriously, can anyone explain the relevance of this? I might as well say that Donald Trump has joined Benedict Arnold in his preference for "executive time." What is the point? It's just stupid ad hominem argumentation.

Taxpayers in Indiana deserve better leadership in the Senate.

I agree. Preferably, we could get leadership that isn't intent on helping the executive branch use the justice department to go after political enemies; maybe leadership that doesn't proudly steal Supreme Court seats. Just naming two things off the top of my head. 

The GOP has multiple candidates who will bring back common-sense leadership in the Senate.

Are we talking about in IN or nationally? Allow me to refrain from Roy Moore references as I note that Todd Rokita is roundly considered an a$$hole by the people who work for him, Luke Messer is (through his wife) feeding at the Fishers, IN, public trough to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars per month, and Mike Braun was a democrat for years prior to 2012 (apparently when he determined that being a Republican in Indiana carries better odds of electoral success).

The tax reform train has left the station and is heading back to Indiana, and the voters will remember that Donnelly has decided to take the train to nowhere.

We will remember, at least I will. Don't get me wrong, I have very little positive to say about Joe Donnelly. I am so tired of working to elect Democrats who promise to stand up to Republican idiocy, only to hear bromides to bipartisanship the moment the votes are counted. Joe, buddy, listen to me when I tell you that they don't want to work with you.

Anyway, join me in laughter at this idiocy or revel in my cluelessness. Either way, at least we live in the Garden Spot of Indiana (TM).