[E. Pluribus Unum]

I vote for lapsing the Bush tax cuts and not patching the AMT.

In one year's time there will be 25% more conservatives.

A conservative is just a Liberal who got mugged.

Bring on the muggings.

PS - This is exactly why it won't happen.

[David]

The AMT patch is more significant than most recognize.

The IRS computers (programing is a four and one half month effort on an archiac programing language for which there are few remaining programer's out there) and paper forms have all been prepared on the basis of a $74,450 exemption.

The statutory exemption at present is $45,000. If not changed prior to December 31, IRS computers will not accept electronic filings.

Refunds on early returns fund much of the economy in the first quarter of the year. There will be no refunds until the computers are rewritten and paper forms are replaced--that can no longer be done before April 15.

Further, the IRS expectation is that people who want and need the refunds, when their electronic filing is rejected, will then file paper returns to get to the head of the line for refunds. IRS no longer has the capacity to accept any real volume of paper returns.

[COBOL2Java]

They'll do something temporary to make it look like things are OK, like they always do.

Oh, look, here comes Congress...

[KoRn]

Oh.... Then you MUST be “rich”.... Right?