Republicans release tax reform

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and GOP tax writers put forward a bill that would trim the number of tax brackets, while raising the standard deduction from $6,350 to $12,000 for individuals and from $12,700 to $24,000 for married couples. 

Under the new brackets, taxpayers who make less than $24,000 a year would pay no income tax, those who make under $90,000 would pay 12 percent, those under $260,000 would pay 25 percent, and those under $1 million would pay 35 percent. Income over $1 million would still be taxed at the current top rate of 39.6 percent.

So, there is no tax cut for the rich. However, if the economy expands, what goes up? The stock market. And who holds stocks? The wealthy people. So, you could say that wealthy Americans are going to benefit by their investments if the corporate tax cut gets shaved down. 

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which is subject to change, would cut the corporate tax rate to 20 percent from 35 percent, while eliminating the estate tax after six years. This is the big one, this is a big deal! 

The bill also repeals the deduction for state and local income taxes while limiting the deduction for property taxes to $10,000, preserves pre-tax 401(k)s and IRAs, and expands the child tax credit from $1,000 to $1,600. 

It allows homeowners to keep their mortgage interest deduction, but caps the deduction for new mortgages at $500,000.

Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Tex., the committee's chairman and the GOP point man on taxes, said the legislation has the support of President Donald Trump, whom GOP lawmakers will visit at the White House for a celebratory photo op later in the day. 

Brady added that passing a tax bill would be a way for Republicans to quiet the Washington naysayers and show the American people that the GOP can deliver on its promises.

New York Terrorist Attack Suspect Sayfullo Saipov Recently Fell Under ISIS’ Sway, Authorities Say

New York City terror suspect Sayfullo Saipov, was so proud of the carnage he caused that he asked investigators if he could display the ISIS flag in his hospital room, authorities said. 

"[He] stated that he felt good about what he had done," a criminal complaint against the 29-year-old Uzbekistan native said. 

Saipov also wanted to put the terror group's flags on the rented truck he allegedly used to plow into a Manhattan bike path but decided against it because it could draw attention before he carried out the attack that killed eight and injured 11, authorities said. 

The details emerged in court papers as Saipov was charged by the Federal Government on Wednesday evening with one count of material support to a terrorist organization and one count of violence and destruction of a motor vehicle. 

The vehicle charge, which carries the possibility of the death penalty, raised the prospect of a rare capital case being brought to trial in New York.

Former DNC Chair Donna Brazile torches Hillary Clinton in new book

Former Democratic National Committee interim chair Donna Brazile, in newly released excerpts of her forthcoming book, alleges that an unethical agreement was signed between Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign and the DNC to keep the party financially afloat.

Bernie Sanders' 2016 campaign also signed its own joint fundraising agreement with the DNC.

In excerpts from "Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns that Put Donald Trump in the White House," published in Politico, Brazile writes the DNC was rigged in Clinton's favor because her campaign was largely financing the party early on in the presidential election. 

Brazile's comments rip a scab off a wound that plagued the Democratic Party during last year's primary and charge the Clinton campaign with impropriety. 

The Democratic strategist said the agreement "was not illegal, but it sure looked unethical."

Hillary Clinton Defends Her Campaign Funding The Trump Dossier

Hillary Clinton on Wednesday defended her campaign’s funding of the so-called Trump dossier, even though the allegations in the document remain almost entirely uncorroborated.

In an interview with Trevor Noah of “The Daily Show,” Clinton noted that the dossier, commissioned by opposition research firm Fusion GPS, is “still being evaluated.” 

“It’s part of what happens in a campaign where you get information that may or may not be useful and you try to make sure that anything you put in the public arena is accurate,” Clinton said of the dossier, which was written by former British spy Christopher Steele. 

It was revealed last week that Clinton campaign lawyer Marc Elias hired Fusion GPS on behalf of the campaign and the Democratic National Committee last April to investigate Trump. Fusion hired Steele that June, and the ex-MI6 officer would go on to produce a research report now known as the dossier. 

It emerged on Wednesday that the Clinton campaign and DNC paid Fusion GPS a total of $1.02 million for its Anti-Trump work. Fusion paid Steele the relatively paltry sum of $168,000. 

In an Oct. 29 message posted on Twitter, President Trump said the dossier had cost as much as $12 million, without providing evidence. 

“Never seen such Republican ANGER & UNITY as I have concerning the lack of investigation on Clinton made Fake Dossier (now $12,000,000?),....” Trump tweeted.

Monica Crowley takes on the Clintons

Hillary Clinton lost the election last year because she constantly proves to be a duplicitous liar.

What Mrs. Clinton, her campaign and the DNC are alleged to have done here in coordinating this law firm, the former British spy and the anonymous Russian sources to get this faked up dirt on Donald Trump is so far beyond anything that happened in Watergate that it has brought us to a point where we are beyond normal politics which is very dangerous for this country! 

It's still unclear whether the Clinton Campaign violated any federal law. 

Did the FBI take this document and use it to spur this investigation into Donald Trump? And then did they use the falsified information in this dossier to go to the FISA court and get warrants to spy on Trump's team? 

It's obvious the Clinton's are done, they'll never be in the forefront of the Democratic Party again because there is just too much garbage surrounding them. Hillary looks like a fool when she goes on talk shows and it proves how irrelevant they are now. 

Bowe Bergdahl to be sentenced soon

A military judge has started deliberating the sentence for Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who pleaded guilty Oct. 16 to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. 

Col. Jeffery Nance, the military judge overseeing Bergdahl’s court-martial at Fort Bragg, began his deliberations just before noon. He indicated a sentence would not be handed down today. 

Maj. Justin Oshana, one of the prosecutors, asked that Bergdahl receive 14 years of confinement, a demotion to the rank of E1 private and a punitive discharge. 

Capt. Nina Banks, one of Bergdahl’s lawyers, asked the judge to consider no confinement and a dishonorable discharge 

Closing arguments about the punishment of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl will come as soon as Thursday as a judge considers his sentence for desertion and misbehavior before the enemy in Afghanistan. 

The defense rested its sentencing case Wednesday after calling its final witness to discuss Bergdahl's mental health. The prosecution could still call a rebuttal witness, but the judge told both sides to be ready to make their final cases for the appropriate punishment. Col. Jeffery Nance, the military judge overseeing the case, will decide Bergdahl’s punishment.

Snoop Dogg stands over Trump body on new album cover

An album cover image posted to Snoop Dogg's Instagram account showing the rapper looking down on what appears to be the dead body of President Donald Trump has been removed from the platform. 

The cover of the "Make America Crip Again" EP shows the rapper looking on as a body covered with a U.S. flag lies on a gurney with a toe tag reading "TRUMP." The image is a play on the cover for Ice Cube's 1991 album "Death Certificate."

The photo was shared by Snoop Dogg Tuesday and later removed. 

Snoop Dogg drew a rebuke from Trump on Twitter in March after releasing a music video in which he pointed a toy gun at a clown dressed like the president and pulled the trigger. 

The Astros won the World Series on Wednesday night!

On Thursday, when the Astros returned again to Houston for the final time in 2017, two months to the day since their emotional return after Harvey, they were bringing the World Series trophy with them. 

With a 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium, in Game 7 of the World Series, the Astros secured the first championship in the franchise’s history and fulfilled their promise to their wounded city. 

You know, there's a balance in the universe, I really believe that. Sometimes it's obscure. But Houston, way to go.

Mail Time!

• "Bill, with the exception of the Civil War, I do believe this is the lowest point in American history. You point to the Depression, economic conditions, but the cultural civil war going on today is worse, far worse. The very existence of the country is being threatened."
• I agree, which is why we have the new slogan, take your country back. That there is a big threat to traditional America. I agree. I wrote the book Culture Warrior ten years ago that spelled it out, what was going to happen, and unfortunately, it's all come true. But is it worse than the depression? No, not yet. That's why we've got to fight back. 

• "Bill, I just received Premium Membership as a birthday gift a couple of days ago and I'm so glad to finally hear your wisdom every day again. Couldn't wait to hear your analysis on the tax bill, wasn't disappointed. I have one question. What are your thoughts on the possibility that the tax cuts may lead to a large increase in the national debt?"
• That's all speculative. And if it does, they can revoke it, or they can do something else like a consumption tax. There's a million things you can do. But right now, we need to get this economy where it should be and that's why the tax reform is worthy. 

• "Taking our country back is spot on, Bill. I've been actively involved in our area trying to stay on top of what's going on. More people need to wake up and do the same and get involved. Thanks for speaking out."
• That's right. We want everybody in your local precincts, if you see madness, confront it. But do it in a very fact-based way.