Logic?

Generally, the use of logical reasoning is a good thing. Every once in a while, intuition bests logic. Likewise, consistency is usually better than inconsistency. And, of course, continuing leaps of intuition coupled with total inconsistency is a formula for disaster… unless, heaven forbid, you’re a criminal trying not to get caught.

So why do so many people have difficulty recognizing that President Trump’s lack of logic and consistent inconsistency can only lead to more and more trouble, both nationally and internationally? He’s had so many different policies and statements on immigration, trade and tariffs, and civil rights, among others, that I’ve long since lost track.

And while support for his tax cuts is still strong, that’s only because most people have yet to figure out the consequences. Much of the federal tax cut will result in higher state income taxes, and professionals, well-off but not wealthy, in high-tax states, will see their taxes increase. Most of those who actually get a tax cut will find it modest at best, except for the very rich, who will get significant tax relief. Of course, very few people are considering that between the Federal Reserve and the tax cut, interest rates will continue to rise, and that means the new homeowners and those with adjustable rate mortgages will likely see their tax cut vanish into mortgage payments, if that tax cut hasn’t already been swallowed by higher state taxes or lower itemized deductions.

None of this seems to matter to most people, especially to Trump supporters, at least, according to recent polls, since a narrow majority of Americans now like the economic situation, but then most people liked the economic situation in early 1929, or 2007.

Nor does it seem to matter that recent actions by EPA and the Interior Department will worsen air quality in areas already suffering highly polluted air, and that such pollution will cause more deaths from respiratory failure.

What matters to most people is that they think they have a little more money, that the President “sees” their problems, that he’s going to reduce illegal immigration, and he’s going to use tariffs to put in their place those foreign nations that have used unfair trade terms to steal our jobs.

Logic says some of this isn’t even accurate, and that none of this will work out in the long run, and possibly not even in the comparatively near future – but logic has nothing to do with politics, which just might be why our politics are so screwed up.

3 thoughts on “Logic?”

  1. Wine Guy says:

    Mundus vult decipi.

    And…. the worst kind of lies are those you tell yourself.

  2. Matt says:

    Speaking for just one dude and his family…as a Florida resident, this with no state income tax, the tax cut gave me some extra bucks each paycheck. $150 or so to be exact. I am not wealthy but have a good salary and some investments. Since I do not itemize on my tax return the nearly doubling of the standard deduction will also result in additional tax savings for me at year end compared to last year. The $150 a paycheck hasn’t changed my life but I am not complaining about the extra cash either.

    1. Alan says:

      Where as I, a person making a decent wage, have seen zero change in my divorcee paycheck. The change to the tax code effected my married friends far more than I. In fact one of my friends, who make similar to what I make, told me that his federal withholdings dropped down to about $4/paycheck from over $100.

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