2020 Presidential Election

[left_hook_lacey]

I quickly read "End the Fed". IMO, Paul pointed out some true concerns with the Fed. I kept expecting chapters presenting one or more alternatives. I'm still amazed Ron Paul believes the U.S. could just close the Fed without an alternative institution.

There's no gold in fort Knox. The fed is a facade. We are living on a ticking time bomb illusion.

[YmoBeThere]

I've always felt people in the "socially liberal, fiscally conservative" category tend to lean Libertarian a fair bit of the time.

Yes but I struggled with the heavy, heavy, heavy legalize drugs vibe I got from the party 20 years ago.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Yes but I struggled with the heavy, heavy, heavy legalize drugs vibe I got from the party 20 years ago.

That likely is less of a platform focus now, I'm guessing. I mean, I'm literally guessing, but since cannabis is legal over much of the country...

[PackMan97]

That likely is less of a platform focus now, I'm guessing. I mean, I'm literally guessing, but since cannabis is legal over much of the country...

There is far more to the Libertarian position than cannabis.

Ending the War on Drugs is still a big issue for them. https://www.lp.org/issues/war-on-drugs/

[JasonEvans]

but since cannabis is legal over much of the country...

Depends on your definition of "much." For those of us living in the grey states, the struggle continues

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Depends on your definition of "much." For those of us living in the grey states, the struggle continues

That's why I said "much" - so many varying definitions and legalities.

[Jeffrey]

- so many varying definitions and legalities.

Definitely! I suspect a large percentage of the pot sold in California today will be illegal/black market. Also, many people are still serving time for pot convictions in states where it's "legal".

IIRC, almost half of U.S. prison inmates are serving time for drug convictions. I believe that is the main Libertarian concern.

[Jeffrey]

The fed is a facade.

The stock market and POTUS are paying a lot of attention to what the facade does today.

[cato]

I suspect a large percentage of the pot sold in California today will be illegal/black market.

Hmm. Based on what? There are a ton of legal dispensaries. Essentially as many as people can open under local land use laws. Lots of money is flowing into the grow/logistics side of things — think cannabis centric industrial parks near major metro areas for growing and distribution.

I am sure there is a black marker for people who are underage or do not want to pay taxes, but I wonder how large it is. It certainly is not scaring off the capital pouring into the “legal” market (still illegal under Federal law, as I have to remind my clients when someone wants to lease warehouse space for growing or retail space for selling).

[PackMan97]

The stock market and POTUS are paying a lot of attention to what the facade does today.

...and I would argue their biggest moves today have nothing to do with their rate cut. The fact that they are having to pump money into the bond market to keep the federal funds rate where they want it is a far bigger story. I know they are blaming companies having to pay their quarterly taxes on the same day the Treasury issued billions in new bonds. I don't completely understand all this but it doesn't give me the warm fuzzies combined with the feds aggressively cutting rates.

https://markets.businessinsider.com/...9-9-1028534289

[dudog84]

I really have to stop looking at polls. Need a little self-discipline. Two Iowa polls out today, both post-debate, one of 500 likely voters and the other of 572 likely voters. One has Warren +8, the other has Biden +2. One has Sanders at 16%, the other at 9%.

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/

But it is fun in an odd way.

[Jeffrey]

Hmm. Based on what? There are a ton of legal dispensaries. Essentially as many as people can open under local land use laws. Lots of money is flowing into the grow/logistics side of things — think cannabis centric industrial parks near major metro areas for growing and distribution.

I am sure there is a black marker for people who are underage or do not want to pay taxes, but I wonder how large it is. It certainly is not scaring off the capital pouring into the “legal” market (still illegal under Federal law, as I have to remind my clients when someone wants to lease warehouse space for growing or retail space for selling).

IMO, it should be "scaring off the capital pouring into the “legal” market".

https://www.latimes.com/california/s...l-pot-industry

"Less than 20% of cities in California — 89 of 482 — allow retail shops to sell cannabis for recreational use. "

[Jeffrey]

...and I would argue their biggest moves today have nothing to do with their rate cut. The fact that they are having to pump money into the bond market to keep the federal funds rate where they want it is a far bigger story. I know they are blaming companies having to pay their quarterly taxes on the same day the Treasury issued billions in new bonds. I don't completely understand all this but it doesn't give me the warm fuzzies combined with the feds aggressively cutting rates.

https://markets.businessinsider.com/...9-9-1028534289

Yep, the Fed does much more than most people (for example, Ron Paul) seem to realize.

[budwom]

Hmm. Based on what? There are a ton of legal dispensaries. Essentially as many as people can open under local land use laws. Lots of money is flowing into the grow/logistics side of things — think cannabis centric industrial parks near major metro areas for growing and distribution.

I am sure there is a black marker for people who are underage or do not want to pay taxes, but I wonder how large it is. It certainly is not scaring off the capital pouring into the “legal” market (still illegal under Federal law, as I have to remind my clients when someone wants to lease warehouse space for growing or retail space for selling).

It would be fascinating to know. For sure there are monstrous amounts of pot still being grown in California, though a lot of it finds its way to other states...in a lot of states (e.g. Vermont) the price of legal pot is substantially higher than grey/black market prices...so growers still abound...prices in California (and Colorado) seem to have decreased as one might expect with so many dispensaries around, lots of supply..
Vermont (via a heavily Democratic legislature and a Republican governor) has found itself in a rather dopey (ha) position in that possessing pot is legal (not just medical), BUT there is no legal way to buy it, since the guv vetoes every bill for opening dispensaries as he is "wants a good roadside test" that does not exist.

[dudog84]

Sanders trying to make a splash. Housing for everyone:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...j5j?li=BBnbfcL

[Indoor66]

Sanders trying to make a splash. Housing for everyone:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...j5j?li=BBnbfcL

That top 1% must have one hell of an income. They are going to pay for health care and housing for all as well as paying for all environmental concerns of the Dems. Amazing. Who knew there was so much there.

[OldPhiKap]

Sanders trying to make a splash. Housing for everyone:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...j5j?li=BBnbfcL

And here, I thought Oprah wasn’t running.

[dudog84]

And here, I thought Oprah wasn’t running.

Oprah is in charge of transportation. You get a car, you get a car...

[Jeffrey]

That top 1% must have one hell of an income. They are going to pay for health care and housing for all as well as paying for all environmental concerns of the Dems. Amazing. Who knew there was so much there.

I imagine Sanders ideas sound pretty good if you’re 30 years old, or more, and still living with your parents. Some of those parents probably also like the ideas.

[OldPhiKap]

Some of those parents probably also like the ideas.

I dunno. To be fair to Bernie, and as several of his fellow candidates have noted, Bernie has been very honest and upfront in saying that taxes would go up on much more than the top 1% under his plan and that he will raise taxes on "the middle class" (not defined). At least for the "Medicare for all" portion of his plan. Not sure everyone else advocating Medicare for all has been that, er, forthcoming.

From Miami debate:

Q: "Senator Sanders, I'll give you 10 seconds just to answer the very direct question, will you raise taxes for the middle class in a Sanders administration?"

A: "People who have health care under Medicare for all will have no premiums, no deductibles, no co-payments, no out-of-pocket expenses. Yes, they will pay more in taxes but less in health care for what they get."

Would love to see the projections on the break-even level of "middle class."