I think we need to be proactive here. In addition to other segments, let's everyone bombard FastMoney with a request for a serious discussion on this tax on the show. Stress that there's no FastMoney if the tax becomes reality.
So if Obama were to float this as an idea to pay for healthcare where would that leave us? Could they ram this through along with the healtcare bill under the reconciliation process (51 votes needed) or could the republication senators strip this out of the bill and make it pass as a stand alone bill? I'm asking this because I don't know how the reconciliation process works. I still think there is now way in hell this would pass on it's own but if they can attach it to a bill and push it through (if thats even possible) then who knows. I do think the public would put up a huge stink once all the facts of a transaction tax are brought to light (can you say townhall uproar)... -Guru P.S. Someone call Sean Hannity and get him on this asap
This is the real threat. Too many things have become law in this country because they were tacked on to more important bills that were voted on based on the premise of the original bill. If Congress comes up with a health care compromise bill that satisfies both sides and then someone tacks this measure on as an incidental measure, do you really believe that the health care bill will then be defeated?
Even more importantly, no Ameritrade, Etrade, Scottrade, or IB existing any longer -- long-time cnbc sponsors. Schwab and Fidelity would likely take huge hits as well, though their sponsorship would probably remain.
follow goldman sachs stock closely because if this bill passes their profits go way down and stock will follow suit. now if this passes with exemptions to the big boys then we have a massive problem. my opinion is that the only way this get passed is if nobody gets exemptions.
Another person to contact: Adair Turner of the Financial Services Authority in the UK. He is proposing a Global Tobin Tax. I just gave him a call. His office is very nice. Let them know you are calling from the US. The number if calling from the US is... 011 44 20 7066 1000 Here is the article: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601102&sid=aJqRedRZpa5c
Sooner or later the public is going to find out that the big players got exemptions, if they get them. You can't hide that fact forever. And as soon as they do, in the next election whoever was responsible for that is toast. I don't see how they're going to be able to do this easily.
Yeah I mean the whole point of this tax is to collect "revenues" in the amount of whatever large figure. If the big boys are exempt, those revenues will be paltry at best.