The “work requirement” in the current Child Tax Credit program is $2,500 in earnings in a year. Not onerous. The group we’re debating about–that we should be worried about, socially as well as economically–are able-bodied people who don’t even earn that. https://t.co/IIWDMFvsqf
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 11:28AM
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The “work requirement” is only $2,500 in earnings a year, not full-time employment. A cutback in hours from a $40K/year job is going to put you below that? https://t.co/tHMVRAk3Zl
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 11:24AM
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Since one of the many purposes of the “tax credit” checks is to enable single moms to spend more time with their kids and less time working, it’s hardly outlandish to speculate that eliminating the work requirement for a year would encourage *some* moms to quit working. https://t.co/1NipYDSILJ
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 11:09AM
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But they (the progressives) aren’t open enough to try to pass a UBI as a straight law. They still want to lull the public to sleep by pretending it’s just a “tax credit.” https://t.co/khCAS82xrY
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 11:02AM
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The real purpose of the “two years for one” provision (in @WSJ words): “[S]hrewd progressives know this tax deal delivers a down payment on their eventual goal, which is to convert the child credit into a universal basic income.” As Beyer shows, they’re quite open about it. https://t.co/4HGfE7Awu5
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 11:01AM
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The problem isn’t two-parent families with steady jobs quitting work. The problem is (mainly) one parent families that work only sporadically working more sporadically and slipping further out of normal working culture. https://t.co/G14EGDq1CZ
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 10:53AM
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Note: @AEI is clear about the ways it’s study might underestimate or overestimate the dis-employment effects https://t.co/h9ni7GpB3E It’s a quick study of a just-released bill they’re trying to jam through. They should slow down and have hearings. https://t.co/QHYvGOM8kN
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 10:49AM
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By @AEI’s estimate, the ‘2 years of checks for one year of work’ provision’ “could lead just over 700,000
parents to stop working every other year, while leading another 395,000 to begin…On net… employment would be expected to fall by approximately 153,000 workers.” https://t.co/IIWDMFvsqf— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 10:45AM
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Re: The proposed child tax credit expansion–it’s not really a plus that, as @MattBruenig argues, “the lookback part is so administratively burdensome, it surely wont even be functional.”
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 10:22AM
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Because the real worry isn’t a marginal reduction of work among steady workers. The worry is creating (subsidizing) a group of people at the bottom of society who do very little work at all. We used to call it an “underclass.” The bill would likely expand it, which is damaging. https://t.co/ey9z4mGoUk
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 10:18AM
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Some new bills would help, if they are the right bills (eg E-Verify). But the McConnell/Schumer bill isn’t that–it’s a cynical scam. And Biden brought about the crisis by executive action. He can end it with executive action (eg restoring Trump’s Remain in Mexico initative). https://t.co/97OdjEKaSt
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 10:12AM
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If you have no income, it’s not a “tax cut.” It’s a government check. Doesn’t necessarily mean that’s a bad thing. But Dems should stop using “tax cut” euphemism in attempt to sneak through a universal basic income. https://t.co/E4MgNmQ64Z
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 10:03AM
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There’s no tradeoff if you just have a simple rule of “one year’s checks for one year’s work.” Why not do that? (Also easier to administer.) Could still raise the amount. https://t.co/GAVBmDAO6s
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 09:59AM
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I recommend Jason DeParle’s “American Dream” for an eye-opening picture of what this zig-zagging looks like–and how it differs from steady engagement in work force. We should encourage the latter. This bill discourages it.
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 09:52AM
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People at bottom of ladder (eg persistent poor who rely on gov’t) zig zag in and out of workforce all the time. If this bill as estimated encourages 750,000 to stay out for a year (by sending them checks) that’s really bad if you worry about integrating everyone into workforce https://t.co/NArBBNe5Hw
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 09:50AM
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Two flawed pieces of legislation heading through Congress in next few weeks 1) McConnell’s cynical attempt to add inefffective (and worse) border changes as cover for Ukraine aid ; 2) “bipartisan” expansion of Child Tax Credit checks to allow 2 years of checks if you work 1 year https://t.co/wk0i4nsxc4
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 09:41AM
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NIKKI FAILEY to NIKKI STALE-LY!! Amirite? https://t.co/D1SZf6o6fx
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 02:12AM
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“A proven executive who spends a little more time than is fun doing his homework and who gets lots of things accomplished seems like a nice change of pace …” https://t.co/VwkE3cyd7P
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 01:47AM
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The Democrats have “sugar brothers” to take care of these things … https://t.co/4z8yWWXjhH
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 01:40AM
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FWIW https://t.co/jCfOzZfFEi
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 01:30AM
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He rejects it, he survives. I mean, are pro-Ukraine GOP moderates going to make a motion to vacate ? …
I wish I hadn’t had that thought. ….
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 01:21AM
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Johnson is “under pressure from conservatives and former President Trump to reject an emerging bipartisan border and Ukraine aid package.”
OK. So he rejects it. What’s the “squeeze”? Where’s the dilemma? MSM seems to assume the (very bad) deal must pass. https://t.co/47kikC9e40
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 19, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 19, 2024 at 01:14AM
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And if he is in a jam, Donald Trump can get him out by condemning the (weak, bogus) border deal, no? https://t.co/qACsfZYhgo
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 18, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 18, 2024 at 01:44PM
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How does the Senate border/Ukraine bill put Speaker Johnson in a “jam”? If he rejects it because it’s bogus (which it is) he wins points with the right flank “hardliners” he needs to win points with. Seems like it’s a way out of his jam … https://t.co/5qHMRN09oC
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 18, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 18, 2024 at 01:42PM
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“Republicans have been sounding an alarm about the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border throughout Joe Biden’s presidency, so for the House Republican Conference to not pass some bill when given the opportunity would be risky .”
Not if the “some bill” is a crap bill that doesn’t… https://t.co/jxwfoDjFo9
— Mickey Kaus (@kausmickey)
Jan 18, 2024
from Twitter https://twitter.com/kausmickey
January 18, 2024 at 01:39PM
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