Elizabeth Warren releases calculator for billionaires (Updated)

[BeyondGeography]

Link to tweet

[BeyondGeography]

3. It's pretty cool

It asks if you are a billionaire and if you click no you still get to see what individual billionaires pay.

Clicking yes is even more fun.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

34. Elizabeth continues to impress every damn day... she rocks!!!

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Faux pas]

2. Kickin'

[Farmer-Rick]

4. Oh God I love it.

Give em hell Warren.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

35. ... and then some!!

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[evertonfc]

5. Lol... good stuff

I don't support Warren but her calculator and commentary is good stuff.

[trueblue2007]

6. I wish ALL of our Dem candidates would support this action.

[Hoyt]

7. She better offer a foolproof guide to making a Billion. We'll need a lot of billionaires to fund

her campaign promises.

Not against taxing millionaires and billionaires to the max, but I’m skeptical that her populist promises can be accomplished without taxing middle-class, directly or indirectly.

[Thekaspervote]

8. This!

Not to mention many many employees carrying health insurance from their employers are loathe to switch, and I don’t blame them. Some of the best health insurance I ever had was employer based

[OMGWTF]

14. American companies are at a disadvantage by having to pay employees' health insurance.

And employees are often chained to a job they hate because of health insurance. We need more options.

[Lonestarblue]

21. Absolutely right.

Now that I’m on Medicare, my coverage is just as good and costs no more than I was paying with employer insurance. And I know that I will not lose coverage. A few times during my working career, I worked as an independent contractor. Health insurance was a constant worry, and most of the time all I could afford was catastrophic coverage, not regular health care. We have a system that doesn't work for everyone and the most expensive drugs in the world. If Warren adds information on a transition period where the uninsured are covered first and the age lowered for Medicare, her plan could work. What naysayers forget is that employer health care is not free, plus drug costs and copays can add up.

[MichMan]

25. Warren's plan would continue to tax employers what they are contributing now

How would that save them anything?

[Hoyt]

27. Exactly. Warren is implying people will get a big salary increase, at the same time her

main funding source for healthcare is a tax on employers.

She might get away with that in the primaries. But in the general election, she'll have to fess up.

A Public Option with increased subsidies seems the only way forward in the foreseeable future.

[TexasTowelie]

80. You're correct that we need more options,

but M4A eliminates those options and forces everyone into the one-size-fits-all plan instead. That will be ridiculed by the Republicans since Democrats are the pro-choice party on a different issue.

[pfeiffer]

20. Aha!

Good point! I've never had better insurance than my Employer-paid benefits.

[BlueMTexpat]

30. What happens when you

lose your job or your company is taken over by some corporate raider like Carl Icahn?

What will you do then?

Don't think that it can never happen to you because it has and does.

[pangaia]

33. NOBODY but NOBODY ever thinks of this.

I have seen it happen.. big time !!!

[wasupaloopa]

53. People tend to find new jobs.

[BlueMTexpat]

68. In your 50s?

Or your 60s, before Medicare kicks in?

Good luck with that! https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/04/how-to-navigate-a-late-career-job-loss.html

Please be sure to read the article before you discount what I say.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

39. Just ignore the fact that M4A will be less money than we spend on health insurance now.

But, sure, catchy point.

[Hoyt]

43. Actually, her latest analysis increased cost from $34 Tril (supposedly what we spend now) to $52 T.

I guess when her people looked at the numbers -- figuring they could just double or triple the "wealth" tax, to make the numbers work -- it was time to increase the cost projections. (Projections are over 10 years.)

If she gets the nomination, don't be surprised if she has to increase the cost another $20 Trillion before November, again having to plug the funding with another increase in wealth tax.

[druidity33]

49. I actually trust David Dayen on this...

https://prospect.org/health/warrens-medicare-for-all-plan-includes-no-new-taxes-on-the-middle-class/

[Hoyt]

50. I trust my own research and opinion as to what is passable, what will beat opposition in GE,

whether 50% of population will accept a mandate to take a single payer system, modeled on Medicare, whether she can raise the revenue she claims, whether it will costs what she claims, whether it will cut into taxes needed for other issues -- like climate change, education, jobs, college debt relief, free college, deficit reduction, debt reduction, bolstering social security, and a bunch more -- whether her taxes at federal level will negatively impact local efforts to provide services, etc.

Besides believing she will lose the general election, especially if trump is out of consideration, I don't think she can handle all that with her populist promises while pushing "economic patriotism" (AKA, America First).


And, yes, I will vote and support her if she gets the nomination. I just won't be optimistic about outcome for Prez, House, Senate or locally.

[druidity33]

55. It's ok to disagree...

I think we need systemic change. Period. I don't know a single person that is happy with their employer's health care. I don't know a single hospital worker (i've stood on picket lines with too many) who would object to a new system. Logistics can be worked out. Who else has detailed their plan like she has?

[Hoyt]

56. Agree. And I believe a Public Option will get us to that systemic change long before running on MFA.

I would also mention that the last time there was a major change in healthcare financing, early 80s when hospitals were reimbursed by Medicare a flat rate depending on patients' conditions rather than the hospital's cost since inception, those hospital workers and nurses had their pay cut or over 20% of them were laid off.

I get what you are saying. In fact, I supported Medicare-for-All in the 1980s in a bright red state.

I just don't think MFA will get us there any faster than a Public Option, especially if we don't win Prez in 2020 and risk House, and votes in Senate.

[drmeow]

69. I think MFA needs to be

The starting point in negotiations. Conceding that spot before negotiations start means what we end up with will be further to the right than I want. I think we're more likely to get a public option if MFA is on the table at the start.

[Hoyt]

71. If she can get elected on MFA, even if you don't want it. Otherwise, it puts it off years.

[blm]

60. Yeah - Warren's really bad with math.

Last edited Sat Nov 9, 2019, 01:39 PM - Edit history (1)

Said no one credible.

[Hoyt]

64. Obviously. And, apparently, she thinks a lot of other people are too.

[MrsCoffee]

93. Not as bad as Bernie math.

[TexasTowelie]

85. How does anybody know that for certain?

Patient behavior among those that already have insurance will almost certainly change. Deductibles and co-pays act as an incentive for people to avoid obtaining medical care unless truly necessary. There will be plenty of people that will show up at the doctor's office or the emergency room instead of buying Kleenex, aspirin, or bandages if they believe that they won't have any out of pocket costs.

Expanding the base of people covered by M4A will not result in a change of cost that is directly proportional to the increased number of people covered. Hiring medical personnel to dispense medications that are normally kept in the medicine cabinet does not equate to saving costs for healthcare.

[highplainsdem]

9. Too cutesy for my taste, but it apparently appeals to her fans.

[DrToast]

11. I don't think stuff like this is a good idea either

[BeyondGeography]

12. That's elitist

[highplainsdem]

13. Nope. Practical. Warren offered yesterday to talk to Bill Gates. This silly calculator makes a

complete mockery of that offer. She just swatted down her own invitation to talk.

Not a very good move IMO.

No matter how entertaining it is for her fans who love to see her talk tough to billionaires.

[BeyondGeography]

16. That was an attempt at humor

Try lightening up.

As for poor Bill Gates and his hurt feelings, he said he would pay $100 billion in taxes, which deserved to be mocked. But also disproven, which the calculator does quite effectively.

[djacq]

19. Bill Gates will pay $6.379 billion next year under Elizabeth's wealth tax.

Brilliant that a quick link was added for that.

Google just provides the 106.3 billion USD net worth for Gates.

There's a lot coming form Senator Warren that I like... The wife and I are both coming close to switching to her.

2020 Virginia Democratic primary is March 3, 2019.

[pfeiffer]

22. I very much like Ms. Warren...

...and I will vote for her if she's the nominee.

But frankly I'm embarrassed by this snarky/sarcastic/condescending campaign ad.

I'm glad Mr. Obama never did this.

[BeyondGeography]

24. If I have one criticism

She's missing a Michael Bloomberg option on the billionaire window.

[Cha]

46. President Obama was too Cool!

[crazytown]

77. Can I be a stalker too?

I've got some nice pics. Maybe we can swap

[Cha]

78. That is a wonderfully brilliant

pic! Mahalo, crazytown!

[highplainsdem]

97. +1,000,000

[Cha]

45. Ha.. that's funny.. telling someone else "to lighten up".

[Bradshaw3]

62. You should listen to the advice

But at least there is a lot of irony in your post.

[Cha]

63. Are you stalking me, bradshaw?

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=339291

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=339302

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=339315

[George II]

66. Looks that way. Been there, saw that.

[Cha]

67. Mahalo, George..

[Cha]

74. And, he won't stop..

[highplainsdem]

76. +1,000,000

[Bradshaw3]

72. I've noticed you do the same thing

Answering certain people on a regular basis. Are you stalking?

[melman]

81. Good question

[George II]

83. OH!!!!

[melman]

84. Have you ever read about digital blackface?

If not here are some informative articles for you.

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/digital-blackface-reaction-gifs

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2018/jul/08/why-are-memes-of-black-people-reacting-so-popular-online

[George II]

86. What are you insinuating, hmmmm?

[ehrnst]

91. .....

Refusing to fall for another obvious attempt baiting yet again, while at the same time throwing it back in their faces...

[tonedevil]

87. I'm afraid...

your pearls have been cast before a classically inappropriate audience.

[ehrnst]

92. Lulz.

Back at you.

[ehrnst]

90. .....

Last edited Sat Nov 9, 2019, 09:59 AM - Edit history (1)

Fish aren't biting, are they?

[melman]

95. ....

[ehrnst]

98. The "I know you are but what am I?" reposte.

[hlthe2b]

94. Wow... I realize anything can be abused, but I remember this tweet from yesterday

about the incredibly hypocritical Trump rally yesterday in Atlanta, "Blacks for Trump." The comments were spot-on, IMO as to these Trumpsters depicted overwhelmingly representing all that is wrong with this whole attempt. On the twitter thread, the majority of commenters were especially thrilled to see the reaction of the few African Americans (women) who happened to be in the vicinity and whose expressions really underscored EVERYTHING one needed to know about this event. (They are the three women behind this pair and you can see close ups of them and their expressions if you scroll down the twitter thread)

Link to tweet

(Scroll down to see what I'm talking about in terms of responses on the actual twitter thread)

Sometimes pointing out the expressiveness of a person is just that--appreciation for all it conveys. Not all people, regardless of race, age, or gender are so expressive. I saw those three women expressing their incredulity at this whole farce and immediately found kinship and a desire to meet and interact with these women. I certainly don't point out their expressions as any kind of insult to them.

[ehrnst]

99. Thank you for that thoughtful response.

It's refreshing in light of other far less thoughtful responses on this thread.

[BlueMTexpat]

31. Bingo! eom

[Cuthbert Allgood]

40. Well, it ain't no Corn Pop story, that's for sure.

[highplainsdem]

42. The Corn Pop story was true. Biden didn't make up that nickname.

[Bradshaw3]

61. Yet another personal attack on Warren - and her supporters

I counted 10 thread titles in a little over three weeks of yours bashing Warren but that didn't include nasty little shosts like this within threads.

But you're not bashing her, or her supporters, right? Riiiiggghhht.

[backtoblue]

73. Im a Warren supporter. I dont think its too "cutesy"

And I also support her candidacy, her persistence, and her courage to stand up against corporate greed.

"Cutesy" and "her fans" are not characterizations that would sway me, as a voter and Warren supporter to another candidate. Actually, Im angry. And I will own that anger too.

[highplainsdem]

96. See what pfeiffer said in reply 22, which I agree with. I think this sort of thing is beneath Warren

and that it trivializes an important issue and hurts her image, except with people who are already completely sold on her.

It would be great, I guess, if she were a junior high teacher trying to entertain a class.

If Bill Gates set up something on a website mocking Warren, it would make him look bad, too. Though he'd probably also have some admirers who'd cheer him on and think it was absolutely hilarious.

[calguy]

88. You sound a little too sensitive

This is politics in action. I like and respect Sen Warren. Always have and always will. That said, I just don't think she can win a general election running on pipe dream proposals like MFA. And it also gives repubes an easy target to scare voters aren't quite sure which side to vote for.

[ehrnst]

89. That's not insulting or demeaning at all.

[backtoblue]

10. K&R

[Maven]

15. Genius. nt

[ancianita]

17. If this connects to her national health care plan, could you please explain that plan, again?

Is it a public option or single payer?

[Auggie]

18. Great idea! Smart campaign staff. Smart candidate!!!

[pansypoo53219]

23. greedy bastards should at least ihe. 10. i prefer 25-50

[pattyloutwo]

28. Love this!

The number of digits is hard to comprehend; this shows concrete examples. Smart!

[Rollo]

29. Just for fun, I ran the calculator for someone worth one billion $$$

Had to leave off the decimal point, though.

Here is the result:

Wow — you’ve got a lot of money!

Your wealth puts you in the top 0.0002% of Americans.

Now you have the opportunity to invest some of it back into our society so everyone has a chance to succeed.

You’d pay $19 million next year under Elizabeth’s wealth tax. This amount, which you likely won’t even feel, will help us invest in education from birth through college and help finance health care for everyone.

Good news - you’ll still be extraordinarily rich! And if history is any guide, if you do nothing other than invest your wealth in the stock market, it’s likely that your wealth will continue to grow.

Now, that 19 million in the first year would work out to about 1.9% of their total wealth. Since the stock market historically produces returns of about 4% annually, the wealth of my hypothetical billionaire would continue to grow despite this wealth tax. Over ten years, it would be a 19% total bite, or about 190 million, but again, invested even half-heartedly, their capital would still be preserved, on average.

So what is Bill Gates whining about?

[BlueMTexpat]

32. Exactly. eom

[Cuthbert Allgood]

41. Historically, the stock market does better than 4%

More like 10%.

[blm]

48. Bingo

[BeyondGeography]

36. FYI, a Michael Bloomberg link has been added to the calculator

[backtoblue]

37. Perfect

I am obviously a Warren supporter.

She had me years ago when she said the game is rigged.

Money = Power. There's no other way to slice that apple...

[Nanjeanne]

38. Love it!

[Kurt V.]

47. her staff is quick. ha!

[blm]

52. Nope. You're wrong.

[blm]

57. Kindergarten would be better than wrong and bitterville

[PhoenixDem]

58. Cheap gimmick n/t

[BeckyDem]

59. omg I love her. LOL

Warren 2020

[Doodley]

65. Is this really the level of discourse that we want to see?

[Hassin Bin Sober]

75. Yes.

[sagesnow]

70. Luv It!

Go Liz!

[CentralMass]

79. That is awesome.

[Crowman]

82. One day President Elizabeth will represent at Queen Elizabeth's funeral.

But hopefully a long time from now, your Majesty !