Reply #6

Granted, the # is usually something like $850 billion or so over 10 years (like those #s 8, 9, or 10 years out mean much), plus interest on what would have to be borrowed if we don't keep that money.

But what we'd be spending on the rest of those getting the tax breaks is even higher--$2.5 trillion or more. Plus interest on what would have to be borrowed if we don't keep that money and give it back to the taxpayers.

That's a really big budget expense just for the top earners. It's a huge budget expense for the not-so-top earners.

Pitch in the money the government spends by not letting the AMT take effect and "payments to citizens" is easily the second biggest discretionary budget item, possibly the largest spending item.

(Of course, I think this entire narrative is codswallop and flips the Constitution on its head.)