Meet the Pastor Running as a Progressive Republican to Get Big Money Out of Politics

[Brent W]

Why don't you read my posts?? I explained explicitly what I believe Media is. I have no idea what's confusing you.

I did read your posts and I still don't understand how you believe that media is not a corporation. So why don't you take another approach to try to explain it or just give up? I am telling you I do not understand your point of view and your repeated replies like this are not helping me understand.

 

[Calminian]

There is no indication that corporations, if taxed at the current rate they have over the last 8 years would raise prices. ...

Again, not reading my post. I never made the argument that if things remained the same, things would not remain the same. Again, I have no idea how to respond to you.

 

[Calminian]

I did read your posts and I still don't understand how you believe that media is not a corporation....

If you read my post you would not accuse me of saying media are not corporations.

 

[Brent W]

Again, not reading my post. I never made the argument that if things remained the same, things would not remain the same. Again, I have no idea how to respond to you.

Then simply stop. My only point in this whole conversation with you is what I said. If you disagree with it fine.

If you take away Super Pacs and prevent corporations from funding them then you also at the same time take away the medias ability to fund political parties and politicians. It is a simple point and you can disagree with it if you wish.

 

[Brent W]

If you read my post you would not accuse me of saying media are not corporations.

Ok, then how do you think that the media would continue to fund politicians and political parties if corporations are limited to what individual citizens can contribute to political parties?

 

[Calminian]

Ok, then how do you think that the media would continue to fund politicians and political parties if corporations are limited to what individual citizens can contribute to political parties?

Through Anderson Cooper and Chris Matthews and all their news shows on the network channels (AKA fake news). It's worth billions. Do you think for a second if conservatives controlled 90% of the media, liberals would be pushing to get money out of politics?

Then simply stop. ....

I think I'll take that advice. At least for now....

 

[InTheLight]

And yet you want to cripple these middle class workers with high costs of goods due to super high American corporate taxes. The CEOs are laughing because high corporate taxes don't effect them personally at all. They just raise prices or move their corporations out of the country.

You have a very simplistic and limited view of corporations and their relationships to their CEO's. I suggest educating yourself about S-corporations and C-corporations and how they treat corporate taxation.

 

[Calminian]

You have a very simplistic and limited view of corporations and their relationships to their CEO's. I suggest educating yourself about S-corporations and C-corporations and how they treat corporate taxation.

More insults from these guys. I wish someone would just make an actual argument that I can respond to.

 

[TCassidy]

If media can give countless millions in media time to their favorite candidates, others should also.

You can thank the removal of the equal-time rule for that. And the Reagan administration.

 

[Calminian]

You can thank the removal of the equal-time rule for that. And the Reagan administration.

I don't want forced equal time, I want free markets and freedom of speech for all, not just wealthy media corporations. All corporations and individuals should have the same rights as media corporations.

 

[InTheLight]

More insults from these guys. I wish someone would just make an actual argument that I can respond to.

OK. I don't think that the Trump tax reform plan should lower taxes on S-corporations to the same level as C-corporations, currently said to be 15%. What's your take on this?

 

[Brent W]

I don't want forced equal time, I want free markets and freedom of speech for all, not just wealthy media corporations. All corporations and individuals should have the same rights as media corporations.

What you don't understand is that if you take away the medias ability to profit off of politics, for example by preventing them from buying politicians, then you take away their power.

The media is as rich and powerful as they are today because politicians are allowed to take their money. How much money per year do you think Republicans create for Fox News when Trump endorses Fox & Friends each morning? Or when he goes out of his way to prevent non Fox or right leaning journalists from having the same access as Fox and other similar news outlets? The same is done by the left.

If you cut off the fuel that feeds both, which is money, then you weaken the power each has.

 

[Crabtownboy]

What you don't understand is that if you take away the medias ability to profit off of politics, for example by preventing them from buying politicians, then you take away their power.

The media is as rich and powerful as they are today because politicians are allowed to take their money. How much money per year do you think Republicans create for Fox News when Trump endorses Fox & Friends each morning? Or when he goes out of his way to prevent non Fox or right leaning journalists from having the same access as Fox and other similar news outlets? The same is done by the left.

If you cut off the fuel that feeds both, which is money, then you weaken the power each has.

How about cutting off the multinational corporations and super rich political pacts from buying politicians?

 

[TCassidy]

All corporations and individuals should have the same rights as media corporations.

I think you may have missed the point. As, I think, did Brent.

Media corporations are just as free to monetarily support candidates as any other corporation, and should, in my opinion, be limited to the $2700 per candidate limit.

But the media have the added ability to slant the news to support their candidate of choice and slant the news in the other direction to defame the other candidate.

We are seeing that right now. The major media outlets have been piling on President Trump since last November. I will be the first to say he is certainly no angel, and should have somebody in his entourage whose job is to put his hand over Trump's mouth every time he is getting ready to say something stupid (which would be just about all the time). Not to mention getting his off Twitter!

But on the other hand the media refuse to cover him when he is at his best. This past week has been eye opening. The President Trump we saw addressing the Saudis and Israel was a diplomat of the highest skill. He condemned what needed to be condemned and encouraged what needed to be encouraged. He spoke truth to power in such a way that the powers that be were forced to agree with him.

And this is not, of course, the President Trump the media outlets have led us to believe is the real President. They have created a dishonest caricature via their biased coverage. And, unfortunately, the average American is too perceptually challenged to see it.

So, even if the media corporations were limited to the individual contribution of $2700 they would still have an inordinate influence on the vast majority of Americans who allow the media to do their thinking for them.

And thus the need to reinstate the Equal Time doctrine.

 

[TCassidy]

All corporations and individuals should have the same rights as media corporations.

They already do. Not the problem. See my above response.

 

[TCassidy]

OK. I don't think that the Trump tax reform plan should lower taxes on S-corporations to the same level as C-corporations, currently said to be 15%. What's your take on this?

Let me see if I understand you. You favor higher taxes on corporations that pass their profits on to the owners?

 

[Brent W]

So, even if the media corporations were limited to the individual contribution of $2700 they would still have an inordinate influence on the vast majority of Americans who allow the media to do their thinking for them.

I get what you are saying but still feel what I am saying will result in that inordinate influence being greatly diminished. The reason they have that influence is because of money. You take away their money and their ability to fund politicians and that will do damage to their influence. When media companies have the same purchasing power as I do when it comes to donations to political parties and candidates you will see their influence go down. Maybe not drastically and maybe they will still be able to use their airwaves to try to influence but I believe it will take down the big three in this country and open up opportunities for others to compete in what is essentially a two party media system.

I do not oppose Equal Time though. I believe if you qualify to run for President of the United States we should figure out how to make your voice as loud as the billionaire.

 

[Calminian]

What you don't understand is that if you take away the medias ability to profit off of politics, for example by preventing them from buying politicians, then you take away their power.....

Media profits off news. 90% of Trump news stories are negative. This is well documented.
Trump press coverage 'sets new standard' for negativity: Study
It's this coverage that is valuable to candidates, even more so than ads. It's worth billions, and you can't limit free speech. Nor should be be able to limit non-media free speech.

Again, if liberals didn't control 90% of the media, they would not be pushing campaign finance reform. It's merely an attempt to silence those in opposition to the media.

 

[InTheLight]

Let me see if I understand you. You favor higher taxes on corporations that pass their profits on to the owners?

Did I say that? No.

Right now profits that get passed to the owners as income is taxed at personal tax rates. Trump's tax reform plan will lower all taxpayer's tax rates, therefore all "pass-through" entities will get a tax cut. I'm in favor of that.

However, if you make these pass-through entities tax rate be 15% like C-corporations then you are giving EVERY business owner of an S-Corp, LLC, or other pass-through entity a huge tax cut. Most of these business owners are dentists, doctors, lawyers, accountants, plumbers, electricians, etc. and are taxed at personal rates of 28%, 31%, and 39.6%. If Trump's plan goes through as proposed these people will be paying only 15%. That means that millions of people currently being taxed at 31% or 39.6% will now be taxed at 15%, basically halving their tax burden, whereas tens of millions of middle class taxpayers will see perhaps only a 3% tax rate reduction, from 28% to 25%.

This goes to Brent's objection that the wealthy are getting the lion's share of the tax cuts. Including S-Corp owners makes it especially egregious. (And I'm not sure Brent was even considering S-Corp owners.)

 

[Brent W]

Media profits off news. 90% of Trump news stories are negative. This is well documented.
Trump press coverage 'sets new standard' for negativity: Study
It's this coverage that is valuable to candidates, even more so than ads. It's worth billions, and you can't limit free speech. Nor should be be able to limit non-media free speech.

Again, if liberals didn't control 90% of the media, they would not be pushing campaign finance reform. It's merely an attempt to silence those in opposition to the media.

Can you please provide me a source for your claim that liberals, your favorite generic term for anyone that disagrees with you, own 90% of the media?

Are you implying that since 90% of the media profits off of news, specifically negative news, that 90% of the media favors a Republican candidate being elected then?

It doesn't make sense for 90% of the media to push for a liberal President if they profit off of news and Trump is good for business.

Your logic makes no sense here.