Obama: With so many suffering, billionaires and millionaires shouldn’t whine
Good for Obama.
In a sometimes painful townhall session broadcast live on CNBC, the president took questions from Americans concerned about the economy and their own futures. The fear and anguish of at least a couple of questioners was palpable, and for the most part Obama didn’t try to sugarcoat what they and the country face.
At one point, however, a hedge fund manager stepped to the microphone to complain on behalf of Wall Street that the financial community was tired of being treated like a pinata. In his response, Obama pointed out that last year, the top 25 hedge fund managers earned an average of a billion dollars apiece. A billion bucks apiece. And he also suggested that a bit of perspective might be in order.
“Now, you know, I have been amused over the last couple years, this sense of somehow me beating up on Wall Street. I think most folks on Main Street feel like they got beat up on. I’ll be honest with you. There’s probably — there’s a big chunk of the country that thinks that I have been too soft on Wall Street. That’s probably the majority, not the minority…. It’s a two-way street. If you’re making a billion dollars a year after a very bad financial crisis where 8 million people lost their jobs and small businesses can’t get loans, then you shouldn’t feel put upon.”
At that point, the CNBC moderator jumped in to note that in the cover story in Forbes magazine, Obama is described as having an “anti-colonial attitude” toward business and that Steve Schwarzman, a prominent hedge-fund manager, had likened Obama’s proposed tax treatment of hedge-fund earnings as “a war … it’s like when Hitler invaded Poland in 1939.”
Obama responded by pointing out that the hedge fund manager and his colleagues are paying a tax rate of 15 percent on what they earn, which is a considerably lower rate than their secretaries have to pay.
“The notion that somehow, me saying ‘Maybe you should be taxed more like your secretary, when you’re pulling home a billion dollars or a hundred million a year,’ I don’t think is me being extremist or anti-business,” Obama said. (See video excerpts below.)
Obama was also asked about ending the Bush tax cuts for those making $250,000 or more a year.
“What the Republicans are proposing … that we provide tax relief primarily to millionaires and billionaires,” he said. “It would cost us $700 billion to do it — on average millionaires would get a check of $100,000…. It is an irresponsible thing for us to do.”
“Here’s what I can’t do. I can’t give tax cuts to the top 2 percent of Americans — 86 percent of that money going people making $1 million or more — and lower the deficit at the same time. I don’t have the math. I’d love to do it. Anybody in elected office would love nothing more than to give everybody tax cuts — not cut services, make sure that I’m providing help to student loans, make sure that we’re keeping our roads safe and our bridges safe, make sure that we’re paying for our veterans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan. At some point, the numbers just don’t work….”
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323 comments Add your comment
josef nix
September 20th, 2010
8:43 pm
SoCo
And that little pretty will have quite the collateral value when it comes time for Little Bit to be taking it out for a spin…
Housing square footage? All’s I can say is that shotgun on the bayou is looking better by the day!
Kamchak
September 20th, 2010
8:46 pm
According to the National Association of Home Builders, the average home size in the United States was 2,330 square feet in 2004, up from 1,400 square feet in 1970.
Home builder Steve Bean ran a series of radio ads in the early 90s claiming he could build you a 3000 sq.ft. home in Gwinnett for $80,000.
I trimmed two of them.
Southern Comfort
September 20th, 2010
8:46 pm
josef
There’s not too much that has to be done to it, but I plan on trying to do a complete restoration to factory condition. It’s still all original and running w/only 81k miles (1000 over the past 15 years).
jm
September 20th, 2010
8:46 pm
I’m going to go donate some food to my stomach… later folks.
Peter
September 20th, 2010
8:47 pm
No godless heathen….about 3000 total……wonderful deck and screened in porch as well.
BUT….. I am not claiming to have a 250 K income as Bobo was, and he was tight financially according to his comments, I guess I “assumed” his house was larger…….so perhaps that was bad ?
TaxPayer
September 20th, 2010
8:49 pm
Seriously, do you ever THINK before posting the talking points you heard on Olbermann’s show?
Seriously. Do you ever think.
josef nix
September 20th, 2010
8:51 pm
SoCo
Neat!
Well, y’all, gotta check out…busy one tomorrow…
Southern Comfort
September 20th, 2010
8:55 pm
According to the National Association of Home Builders, the average home size in the United States was 2,330 square feet in 2004, up from 1,400 square feet in 1970.
With the number of McMansions that were raised in the 2000’s, it makes me wonder where are the 500 sq.ft. homes located.
godless heathen
September 20th, 2010
8:55 pm
“No godless heathen….about 3000 total……wonderful deck and screened in porch as well.”
I was just noting that 3500 ft2 is a lot larger than the average home.
Diehard
September 20th, 2010
9:03 pm
I would write that someone should beat you senseless for thinking its your right, the President’s right , to take from anyone what they have earned — but instead I will simply say, thank you for reminding me that you capitalism made this country great long before there was a government to stifle it. You disgust me almost as much as the pitiful hand wringing whining so called President who is making Jimmy Carter look good. And I thought that would never happen. At least Jimmy and Rosalyn know how to build something.
TaxPayer
September 20th, 2010
9:03 pm
I know those 3000 sq.ft. homes. Many of them were 30 x 50 ft. rectangles with full unfinished basements containing two-car garages for a grand total of 1500 sq. ft. finished space upstairs and 1500 downstairs. They had that cheap recalled masonite siding with a half inch thick styrofoam insulation as backing and single-pane windows and a 10-year roof and that was only after you bought the upgrade. Of course, you got your $80,000 worth.
BC
September 20th, 2010
9:10 pm
If you have never read an economics book or taken an economics class in college, you need to shut up and quit whining.
The Economy is not “Fair”. It rewards those who work there butts off and punishes those who wont get off their butts. Will you be a Billionaire? Probably not. Will you make enough money to enjoy your life and not have to worry about money? YES!!!
If you don’t, it’s YOUR FAULT!!
TnGelding
September 20th, 2010
9:11 pm
RW-(the original)
September 20th, 2010
4:59 pm
You nailed it. Just let the Bush era changes expire as scheduled. But if 86% of the cuts on the top 2% are going to those making over a million bucks, why not make that the cutoff point? I’ve made it very clear I don’t support that, however. We all have to kick in a little more or drastically cut government services. Getting ALL the troops home would go a long way in closing the budget gap, as well. IF spending is frozen and the economy continues to grow that would do it, too. But Congress and the WH can’t keep from proposing (and approving) new spending that we simply can’t afford.
I thought Obo handled himself very well.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
September 20th, 2010
9:13 pm
3650 sf builder’s home on the lake, just sayin, KMA.
Hillbilly Deluxe
September 20th, 2010
9:19 pm
I may not have a huge house but that’s alright. My nearest neighbor is 300 yards away, which is plenty close enough. I’d rather have that than a big house.
AD
September 20th, 2010
9:19 pm
The government is the great equalizer of that which was not fair in BC. Get over it.
Paris getz off & there's a warrant for Lindsay
September 20th, 2010
9:19 pm
Roy Barnes is a terrible choice.
Nathan Deal is a slug.
John Monds is the Libertarian for Governor.
http://www.votemonds.com/
Kamchak
September 20th, 2010
9:21 pm
TaxPayer
Yep, them’s the one.
Del
September 20th, 2010
9:22 pm
“Obama didn’t try to sugar coat”,
Well of course he did and got his butt kicked by a group of the selected who were supposed to be Obama friendly’s. What pathetic spin.
Them dang Tea Party people
September 20th, 2010
9:24 pm
#1 – Constitutional Amendment requiring Term Limits for all members of Congress
#2 – Constitutional Amendment requiring a Balanced Federal Budget every year, no excuses.
#3 – Repeal the 16th Amendment (Income Tax) and replace it with a Flat Tax or Fair Tax, a National Lottery and massive consumption taxes on alcohol, tobacco and marijuana.
#4 – Congress must repeal The War Powers Act. This law allows the POTUS to start wars without an official declaration by Congress. Congress granted it and they can take it back. Get it done.
Start there……
November Revolution is just the beginning.
Peter
September 20th, 2010
9:26 pm
Hey…..Them dang Tea Party people……… I like the points…….
Del
September 20th, 2010
9:29 pm
Them dang Tea Party people,
I like your points too. Go a little easy on #3, however, as I do enjoy an occasional cigar with a little bit of sipping whiskey.
Them dang Tea Party people
September 20th, 2010
9:32 pm
get involved and show up Mr. Peter.
all are welcome.
join us… freedom to speak, assemble, petition grievances….
The Tea Party is fractured, that is true.
BUT…. 90% of those under 70 agree with my suggestions.
Mick
September 20th, 2010
9:34 pm
del
So who should be leading this great nation? Face it, no matter who followed the last administration, that person was walking into a buzz saw. The only savior you can count on – is the real one.
TnGelding
September 20th, 2010
9:34 pm
Hillbilly Deluxe
September 20th, 2010
9:19 pm
You got that right! Why would anyone want to spend their hard-earned money on a house that is bigger than what they need that will require massive energy usage and high taxes? Bill and Hill are a good example. Unless they’re planning on adopting 10 kids their digs are obscenely excessive.
Southern Comfort
September 20th, 2010
9:36 pm
term limits can be achieved every two years for representatives and every six for senators.
Del
September 20th, 2010
9:37 pm
Mick,
“The only real savior you can count on-is the real one”
I couldn’t have said it better. Completely agree.
Del
September 20th, 2010
9:40 pm
SoCo@9:36pm,
I think you know that doesn’t cut it. The presidency was limited to two four year terms for a reason.
Vinny
September 20th, 2010
9:41 pm
Nice play on wealth envy Jay. Typical, tried and true lib.
They have nothing else.
TnGelding
September 20th, 2010
9:42 pm
Saved by the…..bell!
Regards to all. Happy Days are indeed here, again! Let’s face it. Many of the unemployed are unemployable. What is this infatuation with the phone?
TnGelding
September 20th, 2010
9:43 pm
Term limits, like energy independence, is a red herring.
RW-(the original)
September 20th, 2010
9:47 pm
term limits can be achieved every two years for representatives and every six for senators.
SoCo,
That’s true with Senators, but with gerrymandered house districts it really isn’t true for them.
Del
September 20th, 2010
9:48 pm
“Happy Days are indeed here, again!”,
There’s a lot of Americans who would be glad to know that, so please let them know as there appears to be a communication problem.
Southern Comfort
September 20th, 2010
9:48 pm
Del
Originally the office of the president didn’t have term limits either. Gerrymandering has made it a bit more difficult, but if people ran a viable candidate, anything is possible. We just have to learn to stop settling for less than what we want. Legislating term limits is a cop-out in my book.
AmVet
September 20th, 2010
9:48 pm
dang, its a start, but misses several key points.
#1 – The time has come for this controversial amendment to the US Constitution, which I am generally loathe to touch.
#2 – I don’t think you’re gonna get the corporate fat cats on board with this one. Back in 1996, 91 CEOs were all for the idea until Ralph Nader sent letters to all of the signatories of the CEOs’ letter, asking them to identify federal subsidies and tax breaks that benefit their corporations and to select the subsidies and tax expenditures that the CEOs would agree to begin to forego immediately in order to help balance the budget. Five months later he did so again. Take a wild guess just how many responded. ZERO. American business is against socialism until it benefits them.
#3 – The American tax code is onerous and pernicious. It must be amended to end the current welfare for the wealthy. A flat tax, though it sounds good in theory, it would be a complete disaster. As for “Fair Taxes”, I too have grave doubts there.
#4 – Agreed. And just one more example of a spineless US Congress that seems to be hunky dory with a unilateral presidency, that no matter how serially impeachable, they will not even address…
AmVet
September 20th, 2010
9:50 pm
Vinny and way to tear it apart, piece by piece. That’s what i love about you – your always fact filled and detailed, intelligent analysis of the topics at hand…
Southern Comfort
September 20th, 2010
9:52 pm
RW
At some point, we have to demand better. The Tea Party movement is the perfect example of that. We’ve let politicians get away with stuff for so long, we end up with flagrant ethic violators (Rangel) who feel as though they’re entitled to do those things. As long as we continue to let them do as they please, we will continue to get what we vote for.
Them dang Tea Party people
September 20th, 2010
9:54 pm
The blogists who slam what I offered a fewmintues ago are the same bloggers who want Americans to go back to sleep.
They offer nothing… except attacks and the same old BS.
These same typists mocked, disrespected, insulted and dismissed us a year ago.
They aren’t laughing anymore.
November Revolution is only the beginning…..
Del
September 20th, 2010
9:55 pm
SoCo,
“Legislating term limits is a cop- out in my book.” Not in mine, in fact I think it’s one of the essential elements to getting this country back on track. We need to get rid of career politicians and get a flow of real world knowledge flowing through Washington. Carer politicians become enslaved to the party system, where it’s all about getting elected/re-elected and the peoples business becomes a non-priority.
AmVet
September 20th, 2010
10:01 pm
As you guys know I refer to the present system as an incumbency protection racket.
The attacks on a competitive democracy have been relentless and long standing. From dirty/”soft” money to gerrymandered districts to a corporate owned media that is nothing but a well paid shill for the Tweedledee and Tweedledum Parties.
Yes, these travesties could all be addressed piece-meal and dismantled one by one, but not as long as the DemRep party has it’s current stranglehold on American governance.
And is it just me, or does November Revolution sound kinda commie?
Southern Comfort
September 20th, 2010
10:02 pm
Del
An informed voter will perform better than any legislation. You actually believe the foxes will legislate themselves out of the hen house without creating some type of back door? Take this year’s primaries for example. Many establishment GOP candidates did not make it through the primaries. Was it legislation, or was it an informed voter that did it?
RW-(the original)
September 20th, 2010
10:03 pm
SoCo,
Then we need to channel the energy on the state legislatures and start making the demands there. My congressman thinks Guam is going to tip over and there’s nothing I can do about it at the district level no matter what. If we could get some sane districts maybe we wouldn’t need limits.
I am for term limits though because of the entrenched corruption that comes with a long stay in Washington and a belief that the founders envisioned a government of citizens rather than career politicians, but that would only be window dressing if we didn’t also limit the time people could serve as staffers up in D.C.
Southern Comfort
September 20th, 2010
10:05 pm
Hit enter too soon.
What is needed is campaign finance reform that really works. Remove any and all private funds from campaigns. Full public funding with a set spending limit per office seeked. Each candidate has the same amount of money to run a campaign. You remove the need for fundraisers as well as the tit-for-tat back door funding. By having a set amount, you get to see how fiscally responsible the candidate is by how effective they budget their campaign funds. If the person can’t manage their campaign, they don’t get elected.
TnGelding
September 20th, 2010
10:05 pm
Del
September 20th, 2010
9:48 pm
The GOP has been able to spiel their negative venom, thanks to the biased, liberal media. Wake up and smell the roses, America. Become part of the investment class instead of knocking it. Buy Coke stock and let some foreign sucker buy the poison. We all knew to save for a rainy day, and Mr. Duhbya left a torrential downpour.
Until next time. Y’all take care of yourselves and the needy folks you come into contact with. Count your blessings.
Them dang Tea Party people
September 20th, 2010
10:07 pm
The Tea Party is offering Common Sense alternatives…
Dems and Repubs have been effing this country for decades!
John Monds is the guy we should elect for Governor of Georgia.
Shake the system to the core….
http://www.votemonds.com/
Southern Comfort
September 20th, 2010
10:08 pm
RW
What’s needed in your district is for the people to get some common friggin’ sense and quit electing based on loyalties. That’s a bitter pill to swallow for some in my community, but after a while, you’ve just got to stop and realize the depreciated returns on your votes.
RW-(the original)
September 20th, 2010
10:10 pm
SoCo,
We’ve banded together twice to at least get represented by a different Democrat than McKinney.
Southern Comfort
September 20th, 2010
10:13 pm
And I gave a standing ovation each time.
That chick is nuts!!!
Del
September 20th, 2010
10:14 pm
SoCo,
The Tea Party movement is temporal and only a sign of the times. It will lose steam at some point and we’ll all be back to complacency in our political system. I don’t fault the American public because people have lives (fortunately) beyond politics, generally speaking, therefore, a safe guard must be in place to minimize the career ambition. Term limitations are the most logical method to control it.
Kamchak
September 20th, 2010
10:20 pm
Campaign finance reform is the silver bullet.
Too bad the Citizens United ruling set that back decades.
Southern Comfort
September 20th, 2010
10:20 pm
Del
If we don’t learn from our history, we’re doomed to repeat it. I wouldn’t trust a single congressperson to come up with any kind of solution that would impose any limits on them. That’s like asking a teenager to set and follow their own curfew. The few responsible one’s would do it, but I don’t think the majority of teenagers would last two weeks. The people have to make the change. The Tea Party has shown the blueprint to succeed at doing that. It’s on the rest of the country to decide whether or not to follow thru.
md
September 20th, 2010
10:21 pm
Per term limits – the “system” is part of the problem, and the longer one is in the “system”, the better one understands how to play the game.
Term limits are a step in the right direction…………….
md
September 20th, 2010
10:23 pm
“Too bad the Citizens United ruling set that back decades.”
Yea, it made perfectly good sense that ONLY news and media corporations should have a voice……………….
Southern Comfort
September 20th, 2010
10:24 pm
Kam
That’s my thought too (campaign finance reform). Take away all that money, and let’s see who the candidates listen to.
Hillbilly Deluxe
September 20th, 2010
10:25 pm
Many establishment GOP candidates did not make it through the primaries. Was it legislation, or was it an informed voter that did it?
It was pissed off voters. Maybe they were informed, maybe not. Time will tell.
Them dang Tea Party people
September 20th, 2010
10:26 pm
A video message to Democrats from The Tea Party:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=662R2awSwPQ
A video message to Republicans from The Tea Party:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apQukuaXGs4
In 2012 our Tea Party aims to gain control and fundamentally redirect America’s course.
Get it done…..
Southern Comfort
September 20th, 2010
10:27 pm
HD
They had to be informed of something to get pissed off…
Margo
September 20th, 2010
10:28 pm
Feed the Poor;Eat the Rich
Kamchak
September 20th, 2010
10:28 pm
Term limits are a step in the right direction…
Then you can rest easy.
We already have term limits.
They’re also known as elections.
RW-(the original)
September 20th, 2010
10:31 pm
That’s like asking a teenager to set and follow their own curfew.
SoCo,
I agree that we couldn’t get them to cut themselves off, but maybe we could convince them to place limits on future electees. They could be grandfathered in until they eventually retired or lost an election. Or more likely with that breed died.
Southern Comfort
September 20th, 2010
10:35 pm
RW
I’d definitely go for died. I just don’t have much faith in any of them. My opinion is that $$ is the way to go. The Religious Right could actually lead the way. The bible states “the love of money is the root of all evil”. What better way than to put pressure on the GOP to enact serious reform. The GOP would put pressure on the Democratic party to not appear to be bought out. If the American people put pressure on all of them, I think that would be the way to go. That’s just my thought anyway. I think the whole system would change if we removed the desire and need for all the money.
Del
September 20th, 2010
10:36 pm
SoCo,
Well of course you wouldn’t have Mitch McConnel, Harry Reid, John McCain, Nancy Pelosi, et all, running up and down the halls of Congress crying out for term limitations. The implementation of term limits must be a grass roots movement that forces Congress to that end. The Tea Party could go down well in the history books if it can successfully push for that vote in Congress. I think Congress would have no other choice but to pass term limit legislation, providing the push was strong enough. They would suffer from extreme indigestion but they would pass it.
Margo
September 20th, 2010
10:39 pm
The religious right is the problem.
RW-(the original)
September 20th, 2010
10:40 pm
I’d definitely go for died.
I do kind of miss Robert Byrd though. By the end his notes for a five minute speech used a font so big the stack of notes looked like the health care bill.
Del
September 20th, 2010
10:41 pm
The left is against term limits in congress, so their response is always, we already have term limits, they’re called elections. Bogus argument.
Southern Comfort
September 20th, 2010
10:43 pm
Del
If term limits is indeed the answer, the best chance to get that done would be as RW described it. You’d have to grandfather all 535 in and wait until they die off to see any benefit. The problem of viable candidates would still exist due to the fact that the average person could not put together a fund of millions of dollars to compete with those that have the money. You still have the problem I see us suffering now. Businesses and corporations buying influence and doing as they wish.
Del
September 20th, 2010
10:44 pm
SoCo, and others, thanks for the exchange of views. Taps y’all, be kind to one and other.
Southern Comfort
September 20th, 2010
10:46 pm
And the right is quick to denounce something as bogus or incorrect if they do not simply agree with the idea. Bogus argument II: The Revenge of the Bogus Argument
Southern Comfort
September 20th, 2010
10:47 pm
RW
I thought I was going to wake up the wife and child laughing at that post. I had a mental image of the flash cards with individual letters on the podium. I know I’m wrong for that.
Kamchak
September 20th, 2010
10:50 pm
The left is against term limits in congress, so their response is always, we already have term limits, they’re called elections. Bogus argument.
Re-election rate is what—80-90%?
People whinging about term limits are talking about other people’s law-makers.
Southern Comfort
September 20th, 2010
10:51 pm
Gonna call it a night myself. It’s always good to have an intelectual debate without all the childish name-calling and crap. I enjoy looking at situations from different perspectives.
Later y’all…
zeke
September 20th, 2010
10:56 pm
Here is the point! THERE ARE NO TAX CUTS COMING! THEY ARE JUST LEAVING THE CURRENT RATES IN PLACE! THEN RAISING THE RATES ON INCOMES OVER 250 THOUSAND! THE LARGEST TAX INCREASE IN HISTORY! AND NO, IT IS NOT FAIR THAT JOE BLOW MAKING A MILLION A YEAR PAYS A HIGHER PERCENTAGE THAT JOHN BLOW MAKING 30 THOUSAND PER YEAR! IF YOU MAKE 20 THOUSAND, 50 THOUSAND, 100 THOUSAND OR 1 TRILLION, YOUR TAX RATE SHOULD BE THE SAME PERCENTAGE! THAT IS ONLY FAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
barking frog
September 20th, 2010
11:05 pm
zeke 10:56 How about a 100% tax rate. Who would
scream louder?
Keep it Real
September 20th, 2010
11:15 pm
@Zeke are you mad about something…. Are you serious about the largest tax increase in history..# percent is going to be the biggest tax increase in history..
Is their any reason to post such non-sense?
md
September 20th, 2010
11:22 pm
“People whinging about term limits are talking about other people’s law-makers.”
Generalizations are usually ill advised, as some could care less which misfits it’s applied to. Give them 2 terms – 4 yrs in congress and 4 in prison…………
Many in DC are there for themselves first and we the people just get in their way.
Keep it Real
September 20th, 2010
11:25 pm
Good post MD….First we need to address our politics in Georgia. The FEDERAL government did not make policy for the state of Georgia but so many are still going to vote for the incumbent.
I Want a new Georgia Government….Who is with me….
SwamiDave
September 20th, 2010
11:49 pm
Ah the political justifications of theft!
Yet, PrezBO and his politi-shills tout a $30B “small business plan” ($12B in tax cuts with remainder directed to community banks to make loans) as going to create 500K jobs.
Then, they plan to raise taxes on America’s producers by $800-900B with Obama’s coming tax increase on “the rich” only to be followed up by the billions in tax increases to fund ObamaCare (taxes which will his Americans above AND BELOW his mythical $250K). All this under their continued illusion that they will not make an already bad employment picture worse!
Of course, increased confiscations and theft from producers and achievers will be financing the continuation of “tax cuts” for many who (as we all know) pay little to no income taxes.
Honestly, PrezBO, when the top 1% of wage earners pay nearly 40% of all income taxes while the bottom 50% pay nearly none of them – WHO is not paying their “fair share”?
Just goes to show – Liberal do with Legislation what Muggers do with Guns!
-SD
atlmom
September 20th, 2010
11:57 pm
The thing is – there is nothing that is static. People change their behavior based on things. When you make the top FEDERAL tax rate about 40% – that means that those people are really paying closer tto 60% of that income in taxes…given state/local taxes and all those hidden taxes in all those places no one wants you to look.
So…why bother…at some point. And our best and brightest, just like the jobs, will leave this country. You only need a few people (bill gates, warren buffet) who are the superstars who can create a large company that employs thousands or 10s or 100s of thousands of jobs.
And if only a few of them leave because another country is more favorable to them…well, then we’ve lost a lot (and it’s happening, people can hardly get an appt in embassies outside the US trying to get rid of their US citizenship *because of the onerous taxes they pay* – we are the only country in the world that taxes income earned overseas).
Don't Forget
September 21st, 2010
12:45 am
atlmom, the top tax rate only applies to income above the cutoff point for that rate. For example, if rates go up for people making over 250,000 it will only apply to income above 250,000. Your point about the “best and brightest” is nonsense. Don’t you realize that the top tax rates in this country were 70% or more for most of the last century, until Reagan came along?
http://www.truthandpolitics.org/top-rates.php
Fiscal Conservative
September 21st, 2010
1:52 am
During Eisenhower’s administration the top 2% were charged close to 90% in taxes. And they remained wealthy. It helped to fund construction of America’s interstate highway system, dams, the burgeoning space program, and other public works. President Obama is right that the tax cuts need to stop for the top 2% (and I guarantee you that most if not all of the folks posting on this board are NOT in that category). Funny that so many are arguing for a tax group that they are not a part of.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
September 21st, 2010
4:22 am
One of the largely untold stories of our time has been the story of how ACORN, Jesse Jackson and other community activists have been able to transfer billions of dollars from banks to their own organizations’ causes, with the aid of the federal government, exemplified by the Community Reinvestment Act and its sequels.
Now they rob the Student Loan industry. Just another pile of your money to pilfer.
wendell
September 21st, 2010
4:48 am
Welcome to the Obamanation. Obama is the most fiscally irresponsible president in US History, yet he appeals to the masses due to his bloated entitlement program agenda.
By “spreading the wealth around,” he appeals to the Robin Hood mentality where the poor justify disproportionate taxation on those making more money just so they can continue to feed on the swollen tit of our now unmanageable federal government.
Anyone that thinks this model is economically sustainable (or responible) is still drunk on Obama kool aid.
Don’t complain about the cost of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan and then give Obama a pass for swelling the dificit more than the last three presidents combined so that he could push his social agenda in a time of economic crisis.
Remember when Obama used politics of fear to pass his stimulus bill regarding the unemployment rate? Well, things have only gotten worse.
I guess when all else fails, you can keep distracting gullible Americans by “blaming Bush.”
Unfortunately, history will not be kind to this economically irresponsible president.
Daddymojo
September 21st, 2010
5:36 am
It was a nice quippy statement, but class/wealth envy is no way to govern. People earn their money, let them keep more of it. Witness the 2.2 million spent on those saved or created jobs in California as part of the stimulus.
This amazing waste of money started with Bush and increased 4X during Obama.
If you are rich that’s great and you should not be taxed more because of your successes.
jim
September 21st, 2010
5:36 am
Our president is a frseakin, clueless, muslim idiot whose only agenda is to destroy what it took us a couple hundred years to put together. Gt him outta here NOW!!!!
jim
September 21st, 2010
5:39 am
note all the Obama supporters who posted during normal work hours..could it be there ain’t no job for them to do..so spend your welfare obama dollars produced by those of us who take the time to do things we may not want to do, to get off our A– because the concept of an unemployment check doesn’t appeal to us!!!!! Obama is a race baiting ashole
I Report :-) You Whine :-( mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
September 21st, 2010
5:44 am
The Great Recession is officially over, a panel of economists said.-Urinal
Let’s have a Bankruptcy Ballroom Bash!
A Shrinking Home Value Blowout!
Recovery Summer!
The Permanent 10% Unemployment Shindig!
The Deficits Forever Celebration!
Jack Tax Rates Upsurge Soiree!
Aahhh, yes, dummycrat economies can be so much fun!
I Report :-) You Whine :-( mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
September 21st, 2010
5:47 am
NEW YORK — Leaders of prominent U.S. Muslim groups called Monday for a national week of interfaith dialogue to combat religious intolerance and said they support the right to build a controversial Islamic center near ground zero.-Urinal
How about a national dialogue with the muslims on women’s rights?
hahahahahahahaha, yeah, ok.
I Report :-) You Whine :-( mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
September 21st, 2010
5:51 am
If you want to know what giant whackjobs the liberals really are, just read some of the things they tell you-
WASHINGTON — Obesity is a drag on the wallet as well as health, especially for women. -Urinal
Out of all the problems in the world, now the libs wanna barge in on your dinnerplate.
I Report :-) You Whine :-( mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
September 21st, 2010
5:55 am
Abuelazam, 33, has been in custody since Aug. 11 when he was arrested at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta while trying to fly to Israel, his native country. Before the five new cases were filed Monday, he had been charged in one stabbing that was not fatal. -Urinal
This guy is a muslim, yes, Israel allows muslims to live peacefully within it’s borders, but the mealy mouth liberals at the AJC try to pin this on Israel, the hate knows no bounds, does it?
Delerious
September 21st, 2010
6:21 am
Some governments are totally corrupt, ours is a wholly own subsidiary of multi-national corporations.
Caveman
September 21st, 2010
6:45 am
Billionaire Wall Street crooks pay 15% on their money and working people pay close to 30% in taxes and some of the Conned claim that the billionaire pays to much? Go back to grade school math, you all missed the day they covered percentages.
Guy Incognito
September 21st, 2010
6:55 am
“Sami Samir Hassoun, 22, a Lebanese citizen living in Chicago for about three years, was charged Monday with one count each of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempted use of an explosive device.”
I know thee are many Christians in Lebanon, but somehow I don’t think Sami is one. Ah, peaceful Muslims again.
Guy Incognito
September 21st, 2010
6:55 am
Oops, “there”
josef nix
September 21st, 2010
7:05 am
IR/YW
Real quick before I;m off to work…he’s not Muslim. He’s Christian.
Y’all be good…
Rightwing Troll
September 21st, 2010
7:10 am
I’ll ask the same question and get the same lack of answers.
What are the proposals of the hate baggers and conservitards to make it all better?
Yes, let’s throw the liberal scalawags out, but then what, exactly?
If you can’t define that “what” you will then be “thrown out” 2 years from now, and so on…
That’s the ultimate disgrace here to you nuts. Losing power. You could care less about your policies driving the country into the ditch, it’s losing power that drives you all nuts (or should I say Andy?)…
Rightwing Troll
September 21st, 2010
7:12 am
Speaking of mealy mouthed, Andy could get his facts right if you stood there and dictated directly to him as he typed. It’s hard for a porch dog to see clearly when terrified and hiding under the porch…
FinnMcCool
September 21st, 2010
7:29 am
Leave those poor poor rich folk alone!!!!!
FinnMcCool
September 21st, 2010
7:31 am
What’s truly sad is that the rich don’t have enough votes to get any protections passed for themselves. Sooooo, they get idiots to vote in protections for them – people living in trailers voting to protect the rich people.
Conservatards is correct.
FinnMcCool
September 21st, 2010
7:36 am
You folks who are defending the wealthy all the time, you need to watch the movie “Born Rich”. The odds are crazy bad against it!
You will NEVER get to that rarefied air of having that kind of money. Work your whole life – 20 hour days, 7 days a week, no vacations and you will NEVER get there!
What you CAN do is get smart and start voting for ideas and concepts that help the middle and upper-middle class cause that’s as high as you are going to get.
No, it’s not jealousy. I know where I stand and I’m voting and supporting ideas and concepts that protect the middle class.
stands for decibels
September 21st, 2010
7:40 am
No, it’s not jealousy. I know where I stand and I’m voting and supporting ideas and concepts that protect the middle class.
What Finn said.