>> CNBC quoting a business advocacy group in support of legislation that helps business owners is not too persuasive.

CNBC is part of the Fake News so if they're quoting something positive- it must have some merit.

>>The jury is definitely out on the tax cuts.

You were opposed to them for benefiting the wealthy at the expense of the citizenry, so fair enough if you want to see more good news. Just recalling Buffett's dismay that he pays less tax than his secretary: my view is that the 1% already had their tax fix in, with low rates on dividends and non-salaried income where most of their wealth comes from. But a huge effect came from corporates who hoarded hundreds of billions overseas to escape high US rates, who were now incentivized to bring it back. The IRS received $0 tax on that money while it was hoarded elsewhere.

>>The US government and many states have been cutting taxes since the 1980's.
>>Income inequality almost tracks directly with those cuts.

Outsourcing blue collar work to foreign competitors and importing foreign workers prepared to perform middle class jobs cheaply in exchange for an eventual green card, seems to have a connection to concentrated wealth at the top end too. Perhaps it's society's for lionizing disgraceful greedy people who suck wealth in exchange for nothing of value to the rest of the citizenry- or even an obvious deficit if it comes from currency speculation or betting against reserve banks.

>>The litmus test will be the deficit.
>>If the deficits come down and governments can perform basic tasks again, then at least one test has been passed.

Sure you can't be any more grudging? ;-) Every one of those 200K employees who gained a job in August, is going to pay tax. At least some will come off Medicaid. The Trump "magic wand" is that he hasn't given up on the forgotten and disadvantaged citizens consigned to the scrap heap by the jibber-jabberers who give a mighty fine speech but never seemed to do much for inner city blacks or anybody outside the privileged bubble.