The White House-2017 Washington RP

[Dentali]

April 1, 2017

Roosevelt Room

Cal entered the office a few minutes after the others had, and much less formally attired than he typically was since election, even in the residence. In place of the usual basic-black suit, pants, and tie, Cal was wearing a sable short-sleeved athletic top in apparent defiance of the remaining chill, baseball cap not removed from his head, light grey pants and long socks for the bottoms. He seemed rather chipper as he entered.

"Final check-ups to make sure I'm ready for the big throw Monday." he commented in explanation of his appearance, making a brief gesture that the cabinet members already present didn't need to rise from the couch as he made his own way behind the Resolute Desk, folding his hands on it as he sat.

"Good morning for everyone else?" he queried.

"Good Morning Sir" said Simon who never sat down "Just offering our congratulations, to our new Secretary."

[Provisional Niev]

Laura was about to rise out of courtesy as the President entered, but let his informal attire and friendly gesture speak for itself, remaining in her seat but maintaining her proper posture.

"Morning, Mr. President." She replied, and followed his path through the room with her eyes.

Following Denisevich's explanation of what was going on, she added, "There's really no need to congratulate me", and gave each of the three men a polite smile. "Especially not considering the work that lies ahead."

She said it with a joking tone.

[Tumblrena]

Washington D.C.
White House
Oval Office
0903
Saturday
1 April
2017

Buck chuckles at the joke. "They don't give you prizes for passing the starting line."

[Prolieum]

April 1, 2017

Roosevelt Room

Reed whipped his arms across his chest, arms wrapping nearly fully around his back, the violent movement making a sharp slapping sound as his open hands struck near his spine. Rolling his neck, he addressed the group.

"Well, I think it's time we got started."

He pulled out one of the drawers of the desk, removing four folders, and offering three of them to the conveniently standing Denisevich, with a head motion indicating he should hand two off to the Vice President and Secretary of the Treasury on the couch. The last he placed before himself, as he leaned over on the desk, hands planted, swinging his gaze to each in turn.

"What's in the packet is the outline of our tax plan that our budget is going to be built off of. It's not comprehensive, or immutable. The biggest thing that's still left off it is the child tax credit, which I want to see how much revenue we have available to enhance. But, for all intents and purposes, this is what we have to go forward with. Read away."

Cal stood there in that position for a few moments, waiting. His gaze drifted over to the small bookshelf up to his left, and his Cys that he had decided to prop up there. He was nervous, showing it only slightly, if one looked closely, but still nervous. He didn't know what he was about to hear back.

In a few moments, that would not be a mystery any longer.

[Dentali]

April 1, 2017

Roosevelt Room

Reed whipped his arms across his chest, arms wrapping nearly fully around his back, the violent movement making a sharp slapping sound as his open hands struck near his spine. Rolling his neck, he addressed the group.

"Well, I think it's time we got started."

He pulled out one of the drawers of the desk, removing four folders, and offering three of them to the conveniently standing Denisevich, with a head motion indicating he should hand two off to the Vice President and Secretary of the Treasury on the couch. The last he placed before himself, as he leaned over on the desk, hands planted, swinging his gaze to each in turn.

"What's in the packet is the outline of our tax plan that our budget is going to be built off of. It's not comprehensive, or immutable. The biggest thing that's still left off it is the child tax credit, which I want to see how much revenue we have available to enhance. But, for all intents and purposes, this is what we have to go forward with. Read away."

Cal stood there in that position for a few moments, waiting. His gaze drifted over to the small bookshelf up to his left, and his Cys that he had decided to prop up there. He was nervous, showing it only slightly, if one looked closely, but still nervous. He didn't know what he was about to hear back.

In a few moments, that would not be a mystery any longer.

Simon took hid time re-reading the tax plan he already knew, hoping that the President would have made at least some of the recommended changes before this meeting.

[Provisional Niev]

She was handed the folder and opening it, eyeing the Vice President before taking a look in hoping that he was as unknowing as she was.

Laura’s eyes first landed on the title. ‘Prosperity, Family and Responsibility’ was a concept the American people could be sold onto, with no doubt. In that order exactly as well.

Then she read the corporate tax rate proposals. The reductions in questions were significant and would be easy to put on paper. They would not be as easy to fund. She made a small note on deductions, planning to bring up whether decreases in entitled deductions would be included in this tax plan.

The luxury sales tax seemed rather straightforward. Excise taxes was within the mandate of her nomination, she thought, but she considered it rather steep. She underlined the 20% rate suggested.

Most of her reading time was dedicated to reading, re-reading and attempting to imagine the changes in revenue as a consequence of the suggested income tax changes. The radically shifting marginal tax rates seemed like something she would agree to work with, but she was unsure about if the increase in top brackets would be enough to fund them or if Congress would approve.

The exemption simplification was something she’d made clear she’d stand behind and believed Congress would as well. The steep rise in the exemptions could be expected with the family-friendly name of the plan, and she would not comment until OMB had scrutinized it.

The rest was all good in Laura’s ears. Elimination of deductions and excise taxes on demerit goods would help with the budgetary work.

She closed the folder and held her note taking pen under her chin, observing the President and the others before she felt ensured that it was her place to speak.

“As incomprehensive as this may be right now, Mr. President, this plan proposes a sharp shift in federal tax policy. I believe what is staked out here…”

She tapped the folder with her pen.

“...is the overall vision for how the American tax code should be revised. I may come to hold numerous reservations and concerns about the implementation of this vision, but in principle, I believe we have something to work with here. I’ll leave my foremost concerns, naturally about funding the taxes and balancing the budget simultaneously, to last.”

She proceeded.

“We could have OMB look over the long-term government revenue for the increase in cigarette taxes and luxury sales tax. We might also toss the ball on excise taxes to congressional leadership to make them feel more involved, especially since it concerns new taxes or increases. As for income taxes proposed, we’ll have to look over the figures in terms of revenue. But the President is sure of this being a favorable development in marginal taxes?”

She looked towards the resolute desk.

[Tumblrena]

Washington D.C.
White House
Oval Office
0905
Saturday
1 April
2017

Buck curiously takes the paper out of the folder and turns it around to look at the back and then the front again. He briefly catches the eye of the Secretary who seems to also be just seeing this for the first time.

He reads through it then listens to her opinion and decides to listen to the President's answer before he gives his own.

[Tumblrena]

Washington D.C.
White House
Cross Hall
1450
Friday
3 March
2017

"Of course! Dear, don't let me get in your way I know just what those days are like. I really hope it starts getting better."

Saga turns and leaves the First Lady be. When she is around the corner though she glances back for a second and then frowns and leans against the wall at how that went and the last thing she said. She thinks there for a while before the idea flows into her head and she smiles and heads away.

[Prolieum]

April 1, 2017

Roosevelt Room

The President just barely managed to suppress a physical, audible, sigh of relief. It had been Boyd's opinion on his tax draft that he most feared in backlash, that he had steeled himself against the disappoint of rejection from, and, more significantly, gritted himself for what he had thought would be a gnashing struggle in his own Oval Office over the policy, fighting against claims of idiocy against himself, defending his plan and position as best as he could.

Perhaps he had been playing Devil's Advocate with himself too much, so much that he forgot his own actual motivations and justifications for the plan. He had gotten himself so wrapped up in thinking why others, the Secretary, Denisevich, Congressional leadership, could oppose it, and how to deal with that, that he never really let himself the chance to think that they might agree with him, that his idea was a good one. He wouldn't have proposed it if he thought it wasn't, of course, but he had almost blocked the thought of acceptance from his mind.

He really was getting too cynical. Not that he didn't have cause to.

Buck hadn't said anything yet, but Cal wasn't really too worried from that quadrant. His guess was that the parts Buck might have trouble with were parts he would definitely have the other two with him on, and his Vice President, as odd as their relationship had started out, hadn't been too bad a guy recently.

He cleared his throat, hiding a genuine smile, and responded the Secretary.

"I do. We really are backed into a corner now with the BBA. Of course, that's not surprising, that was part of the idea. No one said this was going to be easy. But we’re feeling the pinch either way, and either way, we need a buffer if we're going to make reforms. The economy's in a bad place, we need to spur growth, and getting enough to cut there means some fattening over on the other side. I think we all probably agree that this is the best distribution to make to get growth going, and it's something that I've gotten a solid pitch down for for Congress and the public on why it's set up the way it is, and why that's the best option."

"This is definitely a plan for the present. In the long term, things are going to start to go our way, revenues going up as we climb out of the recession, interest going down as we pay down what we owe, we get more room for broader reform, but for now, if we're going to meet our obligations, and we need to, I think that this is how we make it happen."

[Dentali]

Simon spoke up "Mr. President with as I said before I have a concern about the plan. The top bracket for income is not advisable, politically or to spur economic growth. The idea of creating another tax bracket for 1% is not bad but it is too high a rate, I would advise raising the minimum income for the bracket or lowering the rate."

[Prolieum]

April 1, 2017

Roosevelt Room

Cal nodded. "Then where do you propose we make up the revenue loss?" he queried.

[Dentali]

April 1, 2017

Roosevelt Room

Cal nodded. "Then where do you propose we make up the revenue loss?" he queried.

"I don't sir, the RLSA helped greatly with the budget concerns additionally we have a number of cuts and reforms we can make to offset spending without raising taxes. Long term keeping taxes low is going to spur economic growth and help revenue."

Simon produces a folder and places it on the desk

[Prolieum]

April 1, 2017

Roosevelt Room

"The cuts we were looking at are mostly already baked into the plan." Cal noted. "The top income bracket is going to bring in less than what we're cutting for corporate, and much less with the other cuts in the bill. How we're going to cut spending is going to be tricky, but it looks like we're going to need every penny we can get, especially when we might be looking at steeper interest and possibly shrinking revenues."

[Dentali]

April 1, 2017

Roosevelt Room

"The cuts we were looking at are mostly already baked into the plan." Cal noted. "The top income bracket is going to bring in less than what we're cutting for corporate, and much less with the other cuts in the bill. How we're going to cut spending is going to be tricky, but it looks like we're going to need every penny we can get, especially when we might be looking at steeper interest and possibly shrinking revenues."

"Sir can I at least share some potential measures to avoid such a high rate on that bracket?"

[Prolieum]

April 1, 2017

Roosevelt Room

"Of course. If there's room to bring it down without compromising our other priorities, I have nothing against it. This is all really a balancing act." Cal paused a moment then smiled slightly at his accidental pun.

[Provisional Niev]

"If I may step in, Mr. President, I'm not in agreement with the notion that this is balancing. The budget will only be balanced by fiscal prudence and to satisfy our voter base in doing so, it can't be done with increased taxes. Talks about distribution in tax changes with these numbers for marginals, I'm not sure our base and Congress will comply. After all, we'll need Republican majorities in the second half of this term as well. What will allow for tax cuts, in any form, is chiefly a re-envisioning of entitlements and considerable spending cuts to federal agencies. We'll share the burden with Congress, who should agree to an austerity policy to downsize government and create a surplus to fund decreases in government revenue, as I imagine it. Then, and only then, can a revised tax code with growth-spurring cuts be pursued."

She said it with seriousness but avoided a tone that could seem harsh.

[Prolieum]

April 1, 2017

Roosevelt Room

"There just isn't enough room." Cal shook his head regretfully. "The plan there is already unbalanced. It assumes, actually, it requires, just what you said, downsizing, spending cuts, austerity. Those already need to be there to make this work, they're a leg it stands on. If we remove the increased revenue, then it'll topple."

[Provisional Niev]

"Alright," Laura nodded.

"In terms of the corporate tax reductions, eliminated tax deductions, and expanded exemptions, we should have a great deal of public and political support. The progressivity of the tax brackets on income can be looked over..."

She looked at the Chief of Staff approvingly.

"...with the exact magnitude of the tax increases being left for a decision later, under the assumption that OMB, congressional leadership, and cabinet can find the overall idea favorable. I agree with Mr. Denisevich, and I'm sure you are aware of the implications of this proposal yourself Mr. President."

Laura tapped the paper with her pen, twice.

"I believe, in terms of selling our policy in proceeding with budget cuts and tax reform, the concepts of prosperity, family, and responsibility should be emphasized. As hard-hitting as some cuts may be, we need to control the narrative in order to implement the measures required to bring the economy back on track."

[Prolieum]

April 1, 2017

Roosevelt Room

Cal nodded along through the commentary. "I have a good line of rhetoric for any possible attacks from the right that I'll be using in the address to announce it. We have that, we have the emphasis on simplicity and eliminating loopholes, and we have the emphasis on family and growth from the plan. I think that, as it's written, it's going to be tough for the Democrats to rally up hard against it, especially in the Senate. If we manage the knee-jerk responses from the right, I think we have a clear path forward."

[Dentali]

Passing out packets to everyone there Simon began to detail his proposal

"We would start with 3 one time actions, they would help this year only. All these estimates are on the low end and come from several think tanks and have been confirmed by our agencies." Simon turns to Boyd “Though Secretary Boyd may wish to rerun the numbers.”

1. Liquidation of the strategic petroleum reserve and northeastern heating and gasoline supply reserves. $27 billion could be generated from liquidating the entire supply.

2. Auction off all Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) assets. $30 billion

3. Auction off the Four Remaining Power Marketing Administrations. $34 billion

“Next we take action regarding the ACA namely repealing the ACA’s Enhanced Federal Funding for the Medicaid Expansion. Which would save $102 billion.”

"Next we tackle a number of ineffective and inefficient programs"

1. Cut Agricultural Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage. $4 billion

2. Work requirements for able bodied adult food stamp recipients. $9 billion

3. Eliminate ‘Heat and East’ Loophole in Food Stamps. $1.45 billion

4. Combine Military Exchanges and Commissaries. $1.4 billion

5. Introducing a private-sector health insurance option for military family members. $3.9 billion

6. The Department of Defense should increase the use of the performance-based-logistics (PBL) method in weapon-systems maintenance and sustainment. $9 billion

7. Reduction of Excess Base Infrastructure. $2 billion

8. Congress should increase the Stafford Act threshold to require $3 per capita in damages with a $5 million minimum threshold (under which a federal disaster is never declared), and a $50 million maximum threshold (over which a disaster declaration is usually issued). $2 billion

9. Eliminate the Job Corps. $1.75 billion

10. Eliminate Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Job Training Programs. $3.4 billion

11. Adopt a more accurate inflation index for Social Security and other mandatory programs. $2.6 billion

12. Tackle Fraud and marriage penalties in the earned income tax credit, and fraud in the additional child tax credit. $15 billion

13. Eliminate Concurrent receipt of retirement pay and disability comp for veterans. $9 billion

14. Repeal the Davis-Bacon Act. $7.7 billion

15. Cut Capital Investment Grants $2 billion

16. Privatization of Airports $3 billion

17. Phase out the federal transit administration $2 billion

“Finally we would get rid of dozens of small programs such as the USDA Catfish Inspection program which costs $14 million, these programs together would amount to hundreds of millions to a few billions in spending.”

“The RLSA divested full authority on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid to state control, transferring responsibilities, costs, and funding. Last year, 24 percent of the budget, or $916 billion was used for Social Security. Then we had $672 billion for Medicare and $350 billion on Medicaid. So we need to consider that in our calculations, as well as revenue generated by the Dudley tax.”

[Tumblrena]

Washington D.C.
White House
Oval Office
0917
Saturday
1 April
2017

Buck spends a longer time looking over the plan than the others and lets them say their parts but now chimes in.

"I think this is a great plan. In fact I think this is exactly what we need right now. I still have some suggestions. I think we can be a little less aggressive on the corporate rate and turn that into head of household benefits. But this is nailing nails hammerhead to head." He says.

"I think the marginal rate is fine and its perfect for this new Congress we have. Think about it the places where we are trying to win now are very open to that kind of adjustment. It will help Roberts win and give us a chance in New York this year. Then all our new House incumbents in the light blue seats that won this year are stronger in the midterm. The marginal rate will be a major winner and the whole plan can rocket through." He concludes.

[Tumblrena]

Washington D.C.
White House
Oval Office
0921
Saturday
1 April
2017

"I think that we should stay with the President's tax plan before changing to your packet." Buck suggests gesturing with the packet.

[Dentali]

Washington D.C.
White House
Oval Office
0921
Saturday
1 April
2017

(Image)

"I think that we should stay with the President's tax plan before changing to your packet." Buck suggests gesturing with the packet.

"I'm believe we should establish how much the government actually needs before deciding how much to tax."

[Tumblrena]

Washington D.C.
White House
Oval Office
0922
Saturday
1 April
2017

Buck shrugs. "If you say so. I'm just here for the President's tax meeting."

[Prolieum]

April 1, 2017

Roosevelt Room

"We will be getting to the specifics of the budget." Cal assured, hands held palms down in a calming gesture, only slightly elevated in the direction of his Chief of Staff and Vice President. "And of course, we can talk in a general sense about what are targets are. But until we're sure of our spending needs, particularly for our fleet, which I plan to speak with our Secretary of State about, and have more solid projections on what our interest is going to look like, especially if we can negotiate downwards with evidence of our good faith to repay, we aren't in a position to come to any final number today, not with our two biggest expenditures still uncertain."

He glances between the three. "What we can discuss is our broader strategy. We have difficult cuts to make. We need to determine which are going to be forwarded by us, and which by Congress."

"We can take a look at the list we have here." he added. "But that comes after we have our structure, and our gameplan, for taxes laid out."