Death and taxes…or money on my mind

You know that old saying—nothing is certain except death and taxes. I hope death is not imminent, but taxes certainly are, with the new tax code. For years I have paid my property taxes and church donation twice in one year—the current year in January and the next in December. That got me a nice deduction beyond the standard deduction.

Today I talked to my accountant just to verify if this was a year I paid or not. He told me under the new tax law it doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t reach the standard deduction. I’m not quite sure if that’s a good thing or not—does that mean I get a higher deduction?

We talked about medical costs—last year mine were so high I got a deduction, and I told him they wouldn’t be for 2018 and going forward to 2019 I expected to have much lower costs because I am done, done, done with medical problems. He laughed and complimented me on my positive attitude (I really mean it—I’ve had more than my fair share).

As we ended the conversation, he said, “At the end of the day nobody benefited from the new tax law except a very few,” and I replied, “I’m voting Blue.”

Couple that with the fact that McConnell, the man who is hell-bent on destroying democracy, will push for a cut in social security and Medicare next year, and folks like you and me are, well, I believe the phrase is screwed. Other administrations—George W. Bush comes to mind—have “borrowed” from social security with no intent to repay, but this is the first time that I know of that anyone in Congress has suggested cutting the amount paid monthly to seniors. The cost of living raises may not have been much, but we have gotten them all fifteen years that I’ve been eligible. Apparently McConnell’s scheme is one to avoid the repayment issue.

I absolutely cannot understand how McConnell can talk so blithely about this, when those funds are not entitlements. They represent money we as citizens—well those of us who are elderly—have paid into the system to ensure payments in our golden age. Even Reagan made it clear that is not government money.

If by chance (please, Lord, no) the Republicans keep control and pass a Draconian measure, it’s bound to end up in the courts. But that would drag on forever—would we get payments while it was considered and appealed all the way to SCOTUS? And if it got to SCOTUS, are we again screwed because Kavanaugh is on the court?

Then again suppose the Blue Wave sweeps Congress—it’s all a moot point. The cuts won’t happen, and Kavanaugh may well be impeached.  See what a complicated world we live in?

I’m voting Blue.