John Linder announces retirement from Congress
U.S. Rep. John Linder was first elected to Congress in 1992/AJC file.
U.S. Rep. John Linder, the Republican from Gwinnett County, this morning announced that he would retire from Congress after 18 years.
Linder made the announcement at the dedication of a new Gwinnett County GOP headquarters. Linder aide Derick Corbett confirmed the congressman’s decision. “He will not seek re-election,” Corbett said.
The announcement, made at the tail end of a brief speech by Linder, caught attendees off-guard. “Nobody knew it was coming,” said David Hancock, District 2 manager for the Gwinnett GOP.
Linder was one of Newt Gingrich’s top lieutenants when he was U.S. House speaker, and most recently has been an advocate (paired with radio commentator Neal Boortz) for a sales tax to replace the federal income tax.
His retirement will set off a rush for his seat, which is solidly Republican. Among the likely contenders is Don Balfour, the state Senate rules chairman.
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195 comments Add your comment
Madison
February 27th, 2010
11:47 am
May the moronic FairTax bill die with his departure!
Kevin Wood
February 27th, 2010
11:51 am
Tom Kirby from Walton County is already announced as a candidate.
Dave
February 27th, 2010
11:52 am
It is only moronic to people who hate anyone who makes one dollar more a year than them.
UGA Grad
February 27th, 2010
11:56 am
The looney ideas of Republican ideas brought the second worst economic disaster in our history. Linder hitched his wagon to Newt Gingrich and when Newt’s sex scandal broke at the time of Clinton’s partisan impeachment, he lost his clout. Good riddance to another angry, rich, old white guy with no idea of what it is like to be middle class. He helped the Bush administration transfer wealth from the middle class to the wealthy. His looney flat tax would have been the death of the middle class and made the current Bush recesssion even worse.
Let Freedom Ring
February 27th, 2010
11:58 am
Madison your the bleeping moron.
Not this kind of hope and change
February 27th, 2010
11:58 am
Linder will be missed. He was a good representative for Gwinnett County for many years. He always brought ideas to the table and was not just a “Party of No” Republican. He stood up for the unborn as well as hardworking taxpayers just trying to get to work everyday. I admired that while he was a longtime elected official he built his own business and knew what it meant to work not just to get by but to improve one’s lot in life. He provided his own healthcare coverage for instance rather than use the Congressional plan. I wish more people were in Congress like that. Also we are losing another Veteran serving in Congress.
Hope John enjoys the next chapter of his life along with his family.
With Linder’s departure along with Larry Munson I believe that Georgia’s Minnesota Golden Gopher influence has waned as well
Michelle
February 27th, 2010
11:59 am
Looks to me like I am a lot worse off now that the Democrats are in charge. I don’t know about you but I am making less money, more worried about tax increases and feeling less free now that the so called Progressives are calling the shots.
Do they have a clue?
Let Freedom Ring
February 27th, 2010
12:00 pm
UGA Grad we no your a moron.
Steve
February 27th, 2010
12:01 pm
It’s also moronic for those who think they don’t pay enough taxes, who don’t know or understand what’s REALLY in the FairTax, and who get their news from mainstream media. What’s really moronic is the current code. Ask Charlie Rangel. Ask Tim Geitner. They know the current code is moronic because they simply don’t pay their taxes!
UGA Grad
February 27th, 2010
12:03 pm
Dave simplifies it to Republican talking points. I just spent several thousand on dental care. The dentist works six hours a week, four days a week and drives a new Mercedes, has a big home, and a second home in the mountains. Insurance paid less than a third. I tried to compare prices on the Internet, only could find out what the cost was at a clinic for Americans in Mexico. Prices were a third of what they are in United States and office has newer equipment. Americans get screwed by the big banks, big pharma, medical providers, etc. We are going back to a time of wealth being concentrated among a few! Go listen to those idiots on Fox News!
Let Freedom Ring
February 27th, 2010
12:06 pm
UGA Grad it’s a free country move your sorry butt to Mexico.
UGA Alumni Office
February 27th, 2010
12:06 pm
UGA Grad: Please refrain from identifying yourself as a “Grad.” Given the moronic wording of your post please either refer to yourself as “UGA Football Fan” or more appropriatley “Bama Football Fan.”
zackem
February 27th, 2010
12:09 pm
UGA grad…you chose the dentist…you could go to Mexico…its about choices, slick!!….did you really graduate from UGA?? Looks like the quality of grads may have slipped a tad!!
zackem
February 27th, 2010
12:11 pm
hope Don Balfour runs….I hear he is a good man…
ATL person with a brain
February 27th, 2010
12:14 pm
@ UGA Grad – please move! If Mexico is such a wonderful economic solution, then go there! BUT remember, their people come to the US for jobs and health benefits… If you don’t understand, go visit the ER of any hospital that accepts Medicare. They are required to treat EVERYONE regardless of ability to pay. Again, if you are so unhappy, either come up with an actual solution, like John Linder did, or get the heck out! As for me, I will look for solutions and try to work to make solutions successful. And one of the best solutions I have seen lately is Fair Tax. Maybe you should actually READ the book and stop whining!
zackem
February 27th, 2010
12:16 pm
y’all do know jealously is “the green eyed monster”…I wish the dentist all the best….at least he educated himself/herself and works …more than I can say about the “less fortunate”…who believe they are “entitled”…
Courtney
February 27th, 2010
12:17 pm
Good riddance. If Balfour votes against teachers this year then he ought not to apply for the Congress job. GCPS is the largest employer in Gwinnett by a LONG SHOT.
GOP Voter
February 27th, 2010
12:17 pm
Balfour is a political hack —- lets get someone moderate to represent us instead an idealogue!!
The General
February 27th, 2010
12:18 pm
I, too, hope Balfour runs…and loses. Maybe that way we can get that numbskull out of the State Senate. Go back to cooking waffles, Don.
You heard wrong, zackem.
Madison
February 27th, 2010
12:20 pm
Let Freedom Ring, Aside from the fact you’re almost illiterate you probably know very little about the so called FairTax. Study the bill, then you will still probably have to get someone to explain it to you. Get an understanding of section 801 and then tell me what a great idea it is!
whatsinaname
February 27th, 2010
12:21 pm
I don’t care who wins just as long as they do everything they can to keep obama from continuing to ruin this country.
itcouldbeworse
February 27th, 2010
12:22 pm
Health care is always fun to read people complain about. I am a doctor, I drive a 99 honda crv (paid for, live in a modest house, and am debt free. I promise you the dentist you speak of is living on credit. Doctors in our country have alot of costs. If you want to fix our health car system help drive the cost of providing medical care down.
More Mature UGA Grad
February 27th, 2010
12:23 pm
Linder will be missed. Our economy is cyclical and always has been, and the Dems’ agenda is so transparent that it takes a “moron” not to see that the “stimulus” was about rewarding Obama supporters with pork and “Health Care Reform” is about consolidating power into the federal government and bringing decision making to Washington where they know what we need better than we know. If Health Care was the true focus, Washington would place limits on medical malpractice damages and allow free competition among health insurance providers. If that didn’t work, THEN we could try more drastic measures.
The socialist leeches don’t like the Fair Tax because it would tax everyone proportionately, which is….Fair. More and more of the democrats’ political base is made up of those who don’t pay any tax of any kind, so they can’t allow a Fair Tax to happen.
And to “UGA Grad”, I am sure that you have a degree in art or music or drama (if one at all), or are too young to see the whole picture yet. Regrettably, I was once like you. Be of good cheer, I eventually grew up, maybe you will too. However, my children had matured more than you BEFORE graduation, so on second thought, yo may in fact be hopeless.
And God forbid that your dentist be rewarded for 8 to 10 years of education and training with a good income. Power to the People!!
itcouldbeworse
February 27th, 2010
12:24 pm
lots of typing mistakes in my post sorry about that
TRUTH
February 27th, 2010
12:26 pm
HOORAY!!! This idiot can leave…, NOW!! Can he please take his other knuckle draggin ignoramuses with him? Trying to halt the country and promoting bad behavior is A-Typical of the Re-THUG-lican party. Although there are snatches of Democrats in this otherwise backwards state, we are ALL better off without this nitwit. Goodbye and good riddance. The Americans that are dying due to lack or insured with no hope of getting treatment, and those that have died due to him and his partt’s lack of action say GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
Now, let’s ram Healthcare Reform with a PUBLIC OPTION down your slimy GOP throats!!
Julie
February 27th, 2010
12:26 pm
In 2007, Senator Balfour supported mandatory HPV vaccines for girls in 6th grade and above. Bad ideas like that are the reason I couldn’t support him for Congress.
mike
February 27th, 2010
12:27 pm
Cynthia McKinney anyone?
Ward
February 27th, 2010
12:27 pm
Those evil, hateful GOP ideas kept inflation down and unemployment below 5%… which the Dems said was unacceptably high at the time. Now that unemployment has doubled, the Dems aren’t concerned about that anymore.They want to make us all buy health insurance. Get me my old job back and I’ll take care of that myself… just like I always did.
Steve
February 27th, 2010
12:27 pm
UGA “Grad”, your socialistic tendencies show through two sentences in! Hey, I know a dentist who lives in a trailer and drives ‘83 Buick Regal. He smokes cigarettes and raises goats, but pulls and fills teeth on the side for $25.00. Next time you need dental work, call me. I’ll hook you up!
Brian
February 27th, 2010
12:28 pm
So basically, Madison and UGA Grad are telling us they like paying taxes…….wow, or maybe they are on welfare, wait “assistance” and they are afraid if the rest of us stop paying taxes that their free ride will be over.
More Mature UGA Grad
February 27th, 2010
12:28 pm
ATL PERSON WITH A BRAIN- those Mexicans either have MediCAID or have no insurance at all…. but your point is valid. If that Mexican dental clinic was in fact cheaper, it was because it doesn’t take insurance and doesn’t have to deal with third party payer crap and Medicaid and Medicare price-fixing. I assure you that you put your cash on the counter before your butt goes into the chair.
jt
February 27th, 2010
12:30 pm
In spite of Mr. Linder’s TARP vote, he was one of the last three Republicans I could ever vote for.
The producers will miss him.
whatsinaname
February 27th, 2010
12:30 pm
Truth – you are the perfect example of the democrat that Herman Cain describes when he says they S. I. N.
S – Shift the blame away to Bush and the GOP
I – Ignore the facts and the wants of the general public
N – Name call when all else fails.
Gwinnett Fred
February 27th, 2010
12:32 pm
If Cynthia McKinney runs and somehow wins – I would be inclined to move to Mexico!
Madison
February 27th, 2010
12:34 pm
Brian. First, I am not a liberal, Second I don’t like paying taxes. Third, I think a flat tax would be better than what we have now. Fourth, I think the whole concept of the Fairtax and people waiting each month for their government check is more socialism. Fifth, I think you and most like you know little about how the so called Fair tax actually would work.
Let Freedom Ring
February 27th, 2010
12:35 pm
Madison, I know all there is to know about the bill. Thank you! It’s not for Socialist like yourself.
imissrandymcmichael
February 27th, 2010
12:38 pm
Chuck Efstration, the Gwinnett GOP chair, should run! We need a firebrand young conservative up in Washington!
Madison
February 27th, 2010
12:39 pm
Let Freedom Ring, You know very little when you me a socialist.
JJ
February 27th, 2010
12:41 pm
Unemployment was at 10% when Bush left office. Job losses have slowed down since the Administration change.
Madison
February 27th, 2010
12:41 pm
Sorry! It should have been call me a socialist. I got excited because I’ve never been called that before.
tc
February 27th, 2010
12:41 pm
linder was a decent legislator when he served in the ga house because he was a minority but could work across aisle….not sure he did much of that in DC as everyone gets so entrenched.
we need to simplify tax code, but not sure fair tax is truly fair. if a billionaire who already has his homes, his yachts, his rolexs how much tax revenue will be derived from him….well i guess some when they eat out……but since defense is such a large part of our national budget, why shouldn’t he pay for the protection of his assets & job like home insurance…..you own a big home you pay more for protection. then the guy leaves it to his heirs who could be good or sorry…..sounds like prince charles to me……maybe a fair tax with an intangible tax would be worth a try……but if it is so good why hasn’t a smaller industrialized country done it? or maybe they have…..one thing that really ticks me off is stuff like this:http://toomuchonline.org/our-plutocracy-a-compelling-new-portrait/?source=patrick.net
it is amazing how everyone thinks they work real hard for their money, but really should top 1% earn nearly 25% of the national income…..he who has the gold rules
Mason
February 27th, 2010
12:42 pm
Might as well retire and anyone else that is there might as well also. Voters will clean house, regardless of party, next go round. If they are there, they all need to leave. No one is representing the citizens and many should have been gone years ago. Better to leave on your own than to lose!
TRUTH
February 27th, 2010
12:45 pm
Hey Whatsinaname,
Don’t you think that the economy was poised for a meltdown on1-20-08 after 8 flippin years of Dubya? Ignore the facts, eh? NOTHING HAS BEEN PASSED IN CONGRESS IN A YEAR OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION FUE TO THE EXCESS USE OF FILIBUSTERS BY THE GOP, the facts, sir. Name calling is my FIRST AMENDMENT right.
Especially if it concerns individuals who refuses to accept the fact that they lost!! ROTFLMAO!!
Not This Hope And Change
February 27th, 2010
12:45 pm
I think David Casas would be a strong candidate.
Jeff
February 27th, 2010
12:45 pm
The idiot posts on here slamming republicans are probably the same person and some obama paid hack. These socialist liberal idiots have no clue what’s coming to this country. And it will be 10x worse than greece if this hideous health care bill passes.
dje5717
February 27th, 2010
12:46 pm
It is about time…what an obstructionist…..
whatsinaname
February 27th, 2010
12:46 pm
The national unemployment rate in Jan 2009 (when obie – wrong-kanobe took office) was 7.7%. It continued to rise after he took office to it’s current rate of almost 10%.
Jane
February 27th, 2010
12:46 pm
Balfour is a moderate that is why he is not a ideologue. He represents the bussiness interest, the interests of the Chamber rather than the small bussiness and the middle class home owners. I would love to see a Shafer versus Balfour race.
Brian
February 27th, 2010
12:47 pm
Madison, try reading the bill or the book. At least try to understand how it would help everyone…..especially the poor. Plus, I never called you a liberal (put that card back in the deck). And what is wrong with paying NO income tax what so ever…..only paying tax when you make a purchase? Sit back everyone, here comes the standard response to that question.
DoninAcworth
February 27th, 2010
12:48 pm
Well, so long John, it’s been good to know you. Thanks for the FAIR TAX and you can be sure we
will be trying to bring it about and thanks for the memories!
Ted
February 27th, 2010
12:48 pm
It’s losers like UGA Grad that are the problem in this country. That Dentist that you demonized because of how often he works and what he drives has spent years in school perfecting a craft/trade/service, at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars to himself and his family, not to mention the time invested. The marketplace dictates what he can charge. If you don’t like it, move to a country like Britain where the NHS will make sure you have the same dental coverage as everyone else. And in case you haven’t seen the average Brit’s teeth, I’ll tell you that coverage is crap.
Linder has been an outstanding public servant to the people of his district. Smart, honest and trustworthy. He will be sorely missed.
Dave
February 27th, 2010
12:50 pm
UGAGrad proves my point.
Because his dentist makes more money and has nicer stuff, he should be punished.
UGAGrad, this is the position you put yourself in by majoring in basket weaving while at UGA, when your dentist majored in something that he could actually use in the real world.
Now he provides a service that people want (even you!), and makes a great living at it while you think that bringing him down to your level of misery is the thing to do.
74Dawg
February 27th, 2010
12:51 pm
John Linder is one of the best, most honest, least power seeking members of the political class I have ever met. A genuinely nice guy regardless of political persuasion. Additionally, he is one of the few Republicans I would refer to as an “idea Republican”. He will be sorely missed. He is exactly what we need more of in Congress right now.
whatsinaname
February 27th, 2010
12:52 pm
Truth – things haven’t passed because (thank goodness) we have some people in Washington that see the current administration for what it really is, and how harmful they would be for our way of life.
Yes, you have the right to call people names. I would just hope you also have the age and maturity to know that name calling is for children and their temper tantrums
Dave
February 27th, 2010
12:53 pm
Hey Truth, did you actually research how many fillibusters there have been in the current congress?
I’ll clue you in:
0
Yup, zero. Your guy couldn’t get it done with a 78 seat majority in the House of Representatives, and a 60-40 majority in the Senate. The fact is that he didn’t need ONE REPUBLICAN vote and still couldn’t get it done.
That is called a year long ride on the failboat..
JJ
February 27th, 2010
12:53 pm
Job losses in Dec 09 were almost 700,000 and that with the seasonality associated with holidays, in November 09 they had slowed to 200K. The legacy of Bush is economic meltdown, subsidizes to bankers and big Pharam, two wars, and torture. He makes Hebert Hoover look like Thomas Jefferson.
Madison
February 27th, 2010
12:55 pm
Brian, believe me I have read the bill. I have also sent questions to Fairtax.org asking them questions about parts of the bill. They have refused to give me a straight answer. A question for you is how would the fairtax affect the housing industry? The tax on a 200,000 house would have to be paid with the down payment so a person would have to have about 70,000 at closing. I don’t think any bank would finance the tax portion and if they did you would then be paying a tax on a tax(section 801). Was that what you were sitting back waiting on?
Jeff
February 27th, 2010
12:55 pm
JJ that is flat out a lie. Not surprising though considering how dems lie and cheat. Just look at the losers in obama’s admin.
http://www.google.com/publicdata?ds=usunemployment&met=unemployment_rate&tdim=true&dl=en&hl=en&q=chart+unemployment+rate
Summit Dawg
February 27th, 2010
12:57 pm
Madison and UGA Grad……Neither of you even know what is in the “Fair Tax!”…..Read the damn book before you display your ignorance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Madison
February 27th, 2010
12:59 pm
Summit Dawg, DON”T associate me with UGA Grad and I have read the bill. You are probably not smart enough to know that bills are made into laws not books.
Alabama Communist
February 27th, 2010
12:59 pm
Meanwhile the Tea Party said today they would field 234 Candiates in the Primary to assured that no illegal Alien Lizard from Mexico would enter the Primary under the assume name of Sara Palin..
Keep doing this GOP
February 27th, 2010
1:00 pm
Is the fair tax constitutional? And how would it help the poor? We would have to cut spending big time if we employed the fair tax, including defense by billions of dollars. And we are so much in debt, thanks to Presidents Reagan, Bush41 and Bush43 that if it was constitutional, i doubt if China would go along with it.
Jeff
February 27th, 2010
1:03 pm
Hye jj you idiot. It was democrats who pushed for fannie and feddie to give loans to people who had no business getting them. It was your socialist pos guys like franklin raines and frank that screwed this country over while receiving kickbacks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMnSp4qEXNM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/23/AR2006052300184.html
Oh and what org is still receiving billions in bailout funds and NOT having the obama admin come down on them with his regulations? That would be fannie and freddie. Idiot
Silver Creek
February 27th, 2010
1:03 pm
TC, the top 1% that earns 25% of the income also pays 40% of the income taxes. I suppose you think that’s fair?
The top 50% of wage earners pay more than 97% of the income taxes. Under the current administration’s plan, the bottom 50% will pay NO taxes at all and probably get checks back from the government (the wonderful refundable tax credits). How fair is that?
JJ
February 27th, 2010
1:03 pm
Do you understand the difference in unemployment rate verses job losses? Check the Depatment of Labor.
@UGA grad
February 27th, 2010
1:07 pm
Re: your post at 12:03- It doesn’t matter if your Dentist has a big house, a big car, and a vacation home. If you had the intellect to earn a dental degree and the balls to run your own business, you could have been a Dentist and had the same goodies. It also doesn’t matter that your insurance paid only 30% of your bill. If you had purchased better insurance (with higher premiums), more of the bill would have been covered. Do you seriously expect an insurance company to offer a policy where they pay out more on average than they take in?
You are an example of the pussification of this nation. You and your ilk resent achivers, covet that which you don’t have, and blame “the system” for every shortcoming in life. My guess is that you voted for Obama. Man up and grow a pair, son!
JJ
February 27th, 2010
1:08 pm
Banks not associated with the CRA had lower default rates than those that were not. Wow turn off Fox News and read sometime.
Chris
February 27th, 2010
1:14 pm
I see the obamabots are out today. You people are clueless. You have no idea what is happening and what is COMING unless spending by the gov’t drastically reduced. Higher taxes are coming and it will hit you. Then it will be too late. What is happening in Calif is coming here. This is what happens when you vote in socialist progressives. 15,000 former bureaucrats get pensions of more than $100,000 per year in california.
http://danieljmitchell.wordpress.com/2010/01/30/bureaucrats-vs-taxpayers-part-vi/
td
February 27th, 2010
1:16 pm
I do not care if you are Democrat or Republican it is time to for the people to send a message to the political class. Everyone needs to vote in the primary and vote for the person on the ballot without an I beside their name. If the person is running unopposed then you need to write in Mickey Mouse as your candidate of choice. Send the message to the political class that we are tired of them not listening to we the people.
Jeff
February 27th, 2010
1:17 pm
Yes I understand. Apparently you don’t. Your first post said UNEMPLOYMENT you dolt.
Job losses have been MUCH higher in obama’s first year than in Bush’s last. That’s why the unemployment rate keeps RISING, you dumass ignorant liberal.
wild one
February 27th, 2010
1:19 pm
Just think how great it would be if the lazy sorry a$$ people of this once great country did not have a gov check to look forward to every month. A check that gets bigger the more children you burden the working class with to support, feed, educate and then incarcerate. I feel I am not paid enough for the job I do but, I was raised to work and earn what I get. If people quit waiting in their handout and had to work or starve to death maybe we could bring our country to the greatness our forefathers envisioned when they started this great nation.
tc
February 27th, 2010
1:20 pm
well silver creek, if they continue the top 1% continue to earn 25% income and we go to fair tax, i believe the fair tax math is way off as documented by several studies. you probably thought reagan was a good guy, well he raised taxes in california and though he reduced us tax rates the marginal rates were at one time 70% or close to it.
i ask this question again: if a billionire already has his gagle of assets home, cars, toys, etc.
who makes up for all that lost revenue? and really shouldn’t he have to pay proportionately for national defense protecting his vast wealth and job…..ie he lives in a $3M home, mine $300k, shouldn’t he pay more for defense than me? like i said i could support a fair tax but there should be an intangible tax that maybe phases out over time, but the numbers really don’t work based on the studies i read some time ago.
do you really think those f#cktards on wall street earned their mone?
Dave
February 27th, 2010
1:20 pm
Deficit when Bush left office(Eight years): 455 Billion
Deficit after first year of Obama : 1.53 Trillion
Liberals hate facts, they are like kryptonite to Superman.
Chris
February 27th, 2010
1:21 pm
http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/greece-236468-government-america.html
Dave
February 27th, 2010
1:21 pm
Taxes aren’t supposed to help the poor, charities are for helping the poor.
Exactly what is wrong with this country can be summed up by people who think the government exists to help the poor.
stew
February 27th, 2010
1:27 pm
He was OK but too partisan although not liberal. He was a big supporter of CAFTA and NAFTA opening the doors to the massive invasion of illegals we have in Gwinnett. He was politically forced to become anti-immigration but it was too late. I hope we can elect a Tea Party canditate to replace him.
tc
February 27th, 2010
1:27 pm
silver creek, i do agree no one should be exempt from income taxes, i also believe if you don’t have any skin (paid taxes of some form & not too old or incapacitated) you don’t get a vote. and if you want to vote you have to prove minimal level understanding of govt and intelligence. so should our legislators, intelligence and pay their taxes. at the rate we are going don’t you think the middle class is going to be like the dodo bird?
itpdude
February 27th, 2010
1:30 pm
I want Babarr to run because he’s gooder.
Adam
February 27th, 2010
1:36 pm
Unemployment is a LAGGING indicator jj. Jobs took their biggest hits in bush’s last 2 months and obama’s first 3. My god, you would expect them to improve. There are only so many out there. The issue is obama lied about how many his admin would create. And he hasn’t come close to what he said would happen along with his 8% unemployment. The socialist progressives are trying to turn ruin this country. Most people have woken up to their agenda of big gov’t. They want nice quiet little servants and high taxes to keep them in power. This is what happens when you let idiot progressives like pelosi reid and obama run things. These idiots have never worked in the private sector in their life. They have no clue about the average american who is disgusted. 8 months until these scumbags get booted out.
@ tc
February 27th, 2010
1:38 pm
Re: your question about a billionaire needing to pay more for national defence than one of us normal folks, I’d say that he needs to pay the same, not more. The fact that he is succesful because of hard work, good choices, taking risks, and maybe even some luck doesn’t mean that he needs to shoulder more burden than we do. His backside is worth the same as yours or mine, so he needs to pay the same to defend it.
Georgia Congressman John Linder to retire | Politisite
February 27th, 2010
1:38 pm
[...] via John Linder announces retirement from Congress | Political Insider. [...]
Rick
February 27th, 2010
1:38 pm
Obama has spent more in one year than bush did in his last 4. Both were horrible when it comes to debt but obama is a monstrosity. It’s time to get a true conservative in here to cut bs gov’t programs and get this country back on track.
Michael
February 27th, 2010
1:40 pm
The Fair Tax is a Great Idea and an even Greater political platform. You see, it sounds and looks great but it can NEVER be implemented. Consequently you can talk about it all the time, run campaigns on it, have focus groups on it, but never have to worry about what will happen if it were ever enacted. It’s a McGufffin, chimera, red herring, or any other term you can use to describe how you get the people (mob) all worked up about nothing and then they take their eyes off the corruption where politicians just steal from us.
Susan Y. Gilbert
February 27th, 2010
1:42 pm
NO NO NO!!!! Please don’t leave us! You are one of the only sane ones up there!
Michael
February 27th, 2010
1:42 pm
And yes, it’s all Obama’s fault. If he hadn’t been so lazy and decided to run and win in 2004 instead of 2008, we could have avoided this disaster.
Dentist
February 27th, 2010
1:44 pm
Ted – that dentist (Linder) you glorify = here are the facts. He went to college for 8 straight years during Vietnam in order to avoid service. When he graduated he joined the AF and never went to Nam- with no chance of combat anyway. THEN – he practiced dentistry for 3 years before he realized the only reason he went into dentistry was to avoid Nam. He quit dentistry in the 70s and became a legal loan shark – thus he is one of the 10 richest men in DC. A real American HERO!
Why focus on the rich?
February 27th, 2010
1:45 pm
I’m stunned at the number of comments that begrudge people that make more than the writer of the post does. It’s very simple. If you work hard (really hard), make good decisions, develop the skills required in your field of work, and make a reasonable attempt to get along with others, you are going to make a decent living and mabe even a very good living. You might never become rich, but you are going to have enough to live on and to have a few luxuries. Anyone who doesn’t make enough to live on needs to blame themself, not others for making too much. Bottom line- you are responsible for your own actions and the results of those actions.
tc
February 27th, 2010
1:48 pm
i think some of you would root for the sheriff of nottingham v robin hood, dave do you think momentum had something to do with deficits and jobs….and the fact the those who rule business really don’t want things to change and thus stymied growth (ie banks have money but they won’t lend). i don’t want socialism but i don’t like the plutarchy developing either.
@Dentist
February 27th, 2010
1:48 pm
If Linder is one of the 10 richest men in DC, so what? That has nothing to do with his qualifications or his record. I’ve seen his home. It’s nice, but not what you’d expect a “rich” man to won. I seriously doubt that he’s as wealthy as you say….
Dave
February 27th, 2010
2:06 pm
tc,
This administration has done everything it can to ensure that nobody can or will hire anyone for the next 5 years other than government. It is funny how when Bush had a 5% unemployment rate it was “the worst economy since the great depression”, but now it is at 10% and they want to triple your electric bill via cap and trade and take over health care because everything is just peachy-keen?
I would submit that at least a portion of any momentum was caused by people knowing exactly what Obama had in store for them(higher taxes, more regulation), so they battened down the hatches early by getting rid of people.
As far as banks go, they are one of the most regulated, yet most poorly regulated entities on the planet. The government has told banks for years that they had to loan 500k to Jiffy Lube employees (CRA) for houses, then when the banks have to cover those losses on mortgages that should never have been made in the first place by holding a stronger cash position and not lending money, everyone gets all pissy about it. I remember the hoops I had to go through to buy my house 20 years ago, money in the bank, 10% down, a steady income and good credit rating. I jumped through the hoops and bought a house I could afford easily because it actually meant something back then and was something to work hard for, not some giveaway program. I don’t blame the banks for not loaning money right now, hell, I wouldn’t either.
Dee
February 27th, 2010
2:06 pm
Madison, why do you say the Fair Tax plan is moronic?
tc
February 27th, 2010
2:06 pm
@tc….so i guess his home insurance should be the same as mine? if your logic holds how in the heck did we get a progressive tax rate schedule? i guess people back then were closer together on the income earning scale…..otherwise how do you account for it.
General Sherman
February 27th, 2010
2:07 pm
Just to put it simple for you,we are losing another lying,stealing,greedy and sorry professional politician!
Bill Orvis White
February 27th, 2010
2:09 pm
Another good man run out of town by the left-wing media. His replacement will definitely be a solid conservative Republican. There is no way a left-wing Socialist Democrat will be elected to that seat. The Honorable Mr. Linder will be credited with being a fine conservative who made GA’s 7th a quality district that is home to conservatism at its highest levels. I’ll be opening my wallet to a good Republican who will run for this seat so that he can stop the Obama/Pelosi/Reid radical agenda.
Dee
February 27th, 2010
2:10 pm
UGA grad–a flat tax is not at all what the “fair tax” is–A Flat Tax is regressive, but the “Fair Tax” is not regressive. No one will pay tax on food, shelter, medicine–
Dave
February 27th, 2010
2:13 pm
Just a side note: Businesses don’t exist to provide jobs, that is an ancillary effect. Businesses exist to make money for the people who invest their money in the company.
If you look at your local store as existing merely to provide jobs, you are missing the big picture. Your own employer employs you because they need a person with your skill set and are willing to compensate you for using those skills to help them make money. They owe you nothing beyond that. If they don’t make any money, they don’t need you anymore. There is no moral imperative to keep you employed if they are going broke.
Cleo
February 27th, 2010
2:13 pm
Good riddance!
Dee
February 27th, 2010
2:14 pm
If UGA grad leaves the state of Georgia and moves to Mexico, won’t that raise the IQ of both places?
Your is possessive, you’re is contraction for you are
tc
February 27th, 2010
2:17 pm
if repubs controlled white house and congress for 6 years, why didn’t they do fair tax? they rammed bush tax cuts thru reconciliation. if it sounds too good to be true…..! maybe a state now collecting income tax could adopt the fair tax approach with feds guaranteeing some participation if it fails. then we could see if it works at state level then expand. repubs say the states are the incubators all the time.
.
Chuck
February 27th, 2010
2:28 pm
Finally! Maybe we can can get someone that really cares about disabled vets outside of photo ops and campaign stops. Good riddance.
Dave
February 27th, 2010
2:41 pm
tc,
Wrong again! The vote was a tie in the senate, with the Vice President (Dick Cheney) casting the deciding ballot on the Bush tax cuts as is his constitutional right as President of the Senate.
Vote by Party Yea Nay
Republicans 48 3
Democrats 2 46
Independents 0 1
Total 50 50
Vice President Dick Cheney(R): Yes
Bush’s tax cuts were NOT passed by reconciliation, but why let facts interfere with a good talking point.
BTW, here is the house vote, too just in case you have something wrong to say about that.
Vote by Party Yes No
Republicans 224 99.6% 1 0.4%
Democrats 7 3.4% 198 96.6%
Independents 0 0.0% 1 100%
Total 231 53.6% 200 46.4%
Not voting 4 0
Bradford
February 27th, 2010
2:43 pm
Here’s an idea. Instead of the Fair Tax…how about NO income tax?
It would be nice if this seat could be filled by a TRUE conservative, like Ron Paul, the man people like Neal Boortz won’t give the time of day to. Neocon Neal is about as conservative / Libertarian as I am a three legged ballerina.
FREEDOM!!!
cb
February 27th, 2010
2:45 pm
Amazing…you can almost always tell when someone hasn’t experience much of life yet! A lot of youth just getting into politics….go by “word, just words” and not substance. If you live life outside the political sphere, you get to experience reality and just how those decisions made by those in power really affect you. Funny how youth always think they are wiser than those who have managed to survive and make it longer in life. Wisdom is not handed out with your college degree; it’s the journey you will soon travel that will provide you that.
I own a typical small business and by no means do I or my partner make a lot. We employ 4 people. OUR names are the ones listed on our loans, not our employees. They take no risks, they can leave and go to another job at anytime, and we provide as many benefits as possible.
Everyone assumes that loans are the problem, not true, you can always get into more debt, but then how do you pay that back with the economy at a STANDSTILL. Unfortunately, what we are experiencing now with the uncertainty of higher taxes, penalties, if you don’t cover more benefits and whatever else they can think of keeps anyone from wanting to spend.
Understand this one thing…IF NO ONE BUYS YOUR WIDGETS, YOU CAN’T MAKE ANY MONEY TO STAY IN BUSINESS OR KEEP YOU EMPLOYED!
And no one wants to spend if they think they are going to have less to live off of.
This is the reality of life!
Being a conservative does not make me mean, just means that I am responsible for my actions and my decisions. I will help my fellow man, when I can. My family comes first. And yes, I would like to make more, but guess what…when I make more, I have the ability to spend more, which then may in turn provide you that job your looking for!
I know
February 27th, 2010
3:04 pm
Economic Collapse caused by: Affirmative Action Lending to anyone that could make an X on the application and then wall street selling these worthless assets around the world. Both parties to blame, one more than the other and Barney Frank more than any other man. Progressives, Republicans and Democrats are killing us.
Beck boy
February 27th, 2010
3:10 pm
Need to replace him with another good Republican to vote NO on anything that Obama wants. The country is not important, just the Repbulican Party continuing to block anything our government wants to do. Sometimes you have to put the Party first before country. Bring back the Bush ownership society and outsourcing. The corporations were making lots of money then and people were happy. Now the ownership society crashed and we have outsourced most middle class jobs. Lets cut taxes for the rich and corporations, that will fix everything. The middle class will continue to be left behind but to heck with them, they can always join the military. Yep, cut taxes and start a couple more wars and everything is fixed. Oh how I miss those Bush years.
tore
February 27th, 2010
3:11 pm
Boortz and Linder are trying to convince the non thinking public that the fair tax would be good for them. Would someone tell me how a person making $30,000 per year, goes out and buys a microwave oven and pays the same tax as Warren Buffet, is fair. That is about as unfair as it gets. The top 1% of the income earners in this country make 23% of the money and pay about 33% of the income tax, and spend about 10% of all retail dollars. If you consider all of these facts, then we would then be running much larger deficits, because the top 1% would not be paying the same amount of taxes as they are now. I’m sorry that I don’t have a dollar figure on that, but by the above percentages you can see that they would defenitley be paying a lot less. When this happens the feds would have to raise the 23% Fairtax to compenste the loss revenue. Listen folks don’t let these millionares convince you that this is a good thing. Boortz is always complaining that the system is working against the rich. If that is the case then why back in 1970 the top 1% made 8% of the income and 40 years later that number has risen to 23%. One out of every 4 dollars goes to the top 1%. It looks to me that the system is entirely in their favor. I know that I am repeating myself, but no more the spinmaster does.
tore
February 27th, 2010
3:13 pm
Beck Boy, that was great. I wish more people were as informed as you are.
Mason Hicks
February 27th, 2010
3:13 pm
There is simply nothing here. This is one of the worst comment blogs I have ever read. All of you guys, really, all of you!!, on both sides of the argument, whatever that argument actually is, are real idiots. I can defenitely see why you are all changing your names. I guess this is the result of decades with the worst education system in the country. Call me when there is some glimpse of intelligence here. But I’m not waiting up…
tore
February 27th, 2010
3:22 pm
Hey cb, I guess you were speaking of king George the second. Your business would not be having problems if he had not doubled the national debt. Clinton gave us two straight years of a balance budget, with 5 trillion dollars on the national debt. Bush gave us no balance budget and an extra 5 trillion for a total of 10 trillion dollars on the national debt. Do you know why? Two tax cuts, both passed with reconciliation in the senate, two wars that were not paid for, Medicare prescrition bill not paid for. The CBO estimates that all of this together so far has put the country in 3.4 trillion dollars more debt. So I suppose you were speaking of our 43rd president when you were blaming words and no experience on your problems.
tore
February 27th, 2010
3:25 pm
Hey Mason this is my real name. I guess all of those numbers and facts were too hard to digest. Go back to listening to Limbaugh so you can learn something.
Antarctic toothfish
February 27th, 2010
3:34 pm
Cynthia McKinney! Her lying brother is already in the White House. How come Van Jones got the Green Jobs Czar job and she didn’t?
Tore doesn't get it
February 27th, 2010
3:34 pm
Tore, the fair part about someone making 30k paying the same tax is this……..
Now you don’t follow Buffett enough or you would know that he has more write
offs and loopholes than you can ever imagine. He has stated that his secretary
pays a higher tax rate than he does.
With the fair tax, you get taxed on what you spend so if a rich person buys
a yacht they pay a bunch of tax money and they get no write offs or loopholes
to avoided taxes.
under the current system, suckers like you see congress raise taxes and jump for joy.
You get tired from jumping for joy and go to sleep. While you are asleep Congress
writes loopholes and tax laws that allow rich people like Buffet to pay 17% taxes as
he did in 2006.
My God are people like you ever going to learn?
the tax code needs to be simple and the fair tax is fair as it gets.
Don’t be afraid of something good.
cb
February 27th, 2010
3:35 pm
I’m support neither party, since they both insist on raising my taxes. I don’t support either party on their spending sprees and please don’t deny that your choice (I’m pretty sure is Obama) is not on one at this time. Should my business taxes sky rise and my personal ones along with that, there will certainly be one less person under my employment, in order to keep someone employed. Or I guess I could just close shop, take the route of just another “employee” somewhere, with no responsibilities other than show up.
tore
February 27th, 2010
3:37 pm
Hey dave, both Bush tax cuts were passed with reconciliation. Tc was right. Go look it up before you accuse someone of being wrong.
tore
February 27th, 2010
3:43 pm
I noticed that everyone keeps saying that taxes have gone up under Obama. In 2009, taxes went down for 95% of all workers. Not by much, but it wasn’t an increase like all the fear mongers have you believe.
Bill Orvis White
February 27th, 2010
3:44 pm
The patriotic FAIRTax will be passed very soon hopefully with the assistance of Mr. Linder on the sidelines. The FAIRTax needs to happen for our survival. Under this brilliant plan, jobs will be created, small businesses will expand and goods will move quicker. It’s the best stimulus plan ever. You far left secular “stuck on stupid” Democrats are going to lose big time in November so your ideas are irrelevant just like this installed-president who is taking a vacation from history. After Hussein Obama’s quick removal, we will hopefully see this FAIRTax thing come to life.
Audrey in Georgia
February 27th, 2010
3:50 pm
Great News! Vote NO republicans!!!
Rich
February 27th, 2010
3:52 pm
The reconciliation process was created for taxes and spending, not fot the Federal Government taking control.
Robert Lilly
February 27th, 2010
4:06 pm
UGA Grad wrote…..The dentist works six hours a week, four days a week and drives a new Mercedes, has a big home, and a second home in the mountains. Insurance paid less than a third. I tried to compare prices on the Internet, only could find out what the cost was at a clinic for Americans in Mexico. Prices were a third of what they are in United States and office has newer equipment.”
Then go get your dental work done in Mexico. If Mexico imposed all the rules and regs that the US did then dental cost woud be the same. What on earth did you get your degree in? Sure wasn’t common sense.
PoliticalDog
February 27th, 2010
4:20 pm
UGA Grad, you are a disgrace to the university. If you do your research it was both parties along with probably people like yourself the bought 500K houses and made 50K a year. You know why companies leave the US or offshore, taxes, and Democrats and Obama love taxes which is why the Democratic party is a failure. Bush inherited a recession just like Obama but Democrats don’t want to talk about that……….Republicans tried to stop the mess at Freddie and Fannie but who stopped them, Democrats. At least Newt and the Republicans saved Bill Clinton’s presidency by holding him accountable, they did not hold Bush accountable and they fell off the wagon of fiscal responsibility.
PoliticalDog
February 27th, 2010
4:24 pm
I am glad I moved out of Dekalb country, majority Democratic. Look at where Democrats have the majority in government and you will find high crime, high taxes, high unemployment, welfare, and liberals complaining about taxing the rich. Rich people create jobs, and liberals and Democrats will never understand that.
Linder’s old district will not put a Democrat in it and I am glad, glad I left Dekalb, glad I left the Democrats.
tore
February 27th, 2010
4:28 pm
Hey Political Dog, Bush did not inherit the recession of 2001. It started in march and he was already President. 8 of the last 9 recessions were started by republican presidents. I am so sorry that my facts rained on your parade. My guess is that you get your news from the talk shows.
Tired of BS
February 27th, 2010
4:29 pm
Madison and UGA Grad are exactly the problem this country faces. You can educate yourself, you can go to college and become educated, but then you are left with the losers like these two, who do nothing but suck off of the system. Madison, UGA Grad, take your bow and head your worthless asses back to the hole from wence you came.
Tired of BS
February 27th, 2010
4:38 pm
Tore….. can you say 9/11…( which never would have happened if Bill Clinton had taken Bin Laden out when he was offered on a silver platter…. btw to Bill Clinton, a democrat) I knew you could.
jsc3
February 27th, 2010
4:45 pm
For all the people who are deriding the Fair Tax: With the folks we have in power now, for whom the solution to everything is “raise taxes”, we will end up with a Value Added Tax roughly equal to the Fair Tax (in amount, not in concept), while retaining the existing convoluted income tax structure too. What a deal!
Less Tax
February 27th, 2010
4:47 pm
Flat Tax………Fair Tax……..Income Tax………what we need is LESS tax………..I can take any collection method but lets not just change how and who pays taxes. No system can or will be structured to reduce taxes for everyone without a reduction in spending………We need to REDUCE SPENDING in Washington D C!
Georiga represenative John Linder announces retirement from Congress | The Daily Caller - Breaking News, Opinion, Research, and Entertainment
February 27th, 2010
4:58 pm
[...] story: John Linder announces retirement from Congress | Political Insider Tags: Congress, Congressman, County GOP, County GOP headquarters, Georgia, Georiga represenative, [...]
Atlantan
February 27th, 2010
5:05 pm
UGA is embarrassed by their grads again… What do you want to bet Uga Grad has a cell phone, color tv, cable, etc. It is about choices jackie. Also sounds like your degree isn’t coming in much use as you clearly are envious of those who make more than you. While you were screwing around in Athens your dentist was studying their butt off and then taking on massive loans to get his MD.
Grow up!
Atlantan
February 27th, 2010
5:11 pm
Tore – envy is a sin. Please I wish you and all the other American Progressive Statist would move to Greece so you can experience the outcome of what you desire or perhaps Venezuela.
dagnabit
February 27th, 2010
5:11 pm
It’s hard to believe some of the stupidity I’m reading on this blog.
red rooster
February 27th, 2010
5:15 pm
There’s a bigger fight that is going on that needs to be dealt with first… “Implied Powers of the Constitution” If “implied powers” (General Welfare Clause) are revoked from the Fed. Courts’ decisions like Jefferson (Anti-Federalist) wanted from the onset, then the Federal Income Code (16th Amendment) will be considered unconstitutional. If you want to learn more about Implied Powers, i wrote more about it @http://redrooster.blogtownhall.com/ I too am a fairtax supporter. Linder will be missed. Thank you Mr. Linder for your informative and insightful book that narrowed our arguments and gave us a well studied plan. RR
Commonsenseagitator
February 27th, 2010
5:16 pm
Good riddance to bad garbage
cb
February 27th, 2010
5:25 pm
Looks like the only thing taught in schools anymore is “I am entitled”. Not the type of entitlement freedom provides; to choose any career, to chase any dream, to become an entrepreneur instead of an employee, to take a risk, to succeed.
No unfortunately, they only teach “I AM ENTITLED TO WHAT YOU HAVE WORKED FOR AND ACHIEVED”!
Coolcat Looking Like a Fool
February 27th, 2010
5:28 pm
I have enjoyed this microcosm of American Gridlock from afar. Just a question for you guys–Is General Larry Platt available? Get your pants off the ground, people!
Mike Greb
February 27th, 2010
5:30 pm
First, I wish to thank U.S. Rep. John Linder for his service to his country. I look at politicians with a certain duality. While I honor their service, the realities of serving as a politician upsets my values of honesty, integrity and and pragmatism. If people go into politics with any shred of integrity and honesty, they quickly find out that these values are for loosers. The wingnuts in your party set the agenda, and you have to satisfy most of their litmus tests are you won’t get very far.
Madison
February 27th, 2010
5:32 pm
Tired of BS, Could you please tell me how I suck off the system. Working hard and paying taxes is sucking off the system. Just because I disagree with you on taxes I now suck off the system. You sir are not as smart as a demented slug!
tc
February 27th, 2010
5:33 pm
i am back dave, and in spirit of kindness would you mind google how bush’s tax cuts were passed. they were thru reconciliation, which requires only 51 votes as opposed to the filibuster proof 60. no apology necessary.
Chris
February 27th, 2010
5:48 pm
Linder was partially responsible for writing and promoting that nonsensical FairTax which would increase prices by 30%, raise taxes on the middle class, and lead to more deficits for the foreseeable future. Hopefully, we will have seen the last of him. He’s done enough damage.
mb
February 27th, 2010
5:49 pm
How can anyone with half a brain not understand that the Fair Tax is actually fair. We all pay tax based on what we spend. An individual making $500K a year will pay far more than someone only making $30K because their spending will be far more. The fair tax will also tax those who are in this country illegally because it is based on their spending.
So how can anyone not see this as a good thing?
Madison's mom
February 27th, 2010
6:01 pm
He never had friends growing up, be nice to him. He is so smart.
Madison
February 27th, 2010
6:03 pm
That wasn’t my mom just so you all know.
Ryan W.
February 27th, 2010
6:05 pm
I’m an economist. Not only is the “fair tax” plan practically unworkable (unless we plan on disbanding costly government projects like the military and Social Security altogether), it is incredibly regressive.
If you make less than $340,000 a year in income and support the plan, you’re supporting something that will cripple you. You’re being sold snake oil, people.
Chris
February 27th, 2010
6:10 pm
Listen to Ryan. It’s a tax hike for most of us, especially when our expenses necessarily exceed our income (e.g., medical expenses, purchasing a house or car, or job loss). In certain years, we could actually end up paying taxes on multiple amounts of our income.
Also, keep in mind that the 23 percent/30 percent figure (depending on your point of view) is only for the first year. The legislation has a formula that would adjust the rate every year based on the previous years federal receipts. The 23 percent figure is bait and switch. It will necessary go up.
Madison
February 27th, 2010
6:11 pm
I love how all you little simple minds use insults when you don’t have an argument. The Boortz school no doubt. The Fattax is going to tear the Republican party apart and give you a full 8 years of Obama so enjoy it!
Yellow Fuzz
February 27th, 2010
6:15 pm
UGA Grad,
Who pays you to write that crap?
Here’s some “change” for you. Hahaha. And remember YOUR Democrats took control of BOTH Houses in 2006!
http://cohort11.americanobserver.net/latoyaegwuekwe/multimediafinal.html
Ryan W.
February 27th, 2010
6:19 pm
“We all pay tax based on what we spend. An individual making $500K a year will pay far more than someone only making $30K because their spending will be far more.”
They will spend more, but for this to be “fair” the person making $500K would have to pay 17 times as much as the person making $30K. They’re not going to spend 17 times as much on groceries, or their mortgages, or their cars, or anything.
Even George W. Bush’s economic team said this would impact the poor and middle class in too harsh a way. According to the President’s Advisory Panel for Federal Tax Reform report, which compared the individual and corporate income tax (excluding other taxes the FairTax replaces) to a sales tax with rebate, the percentage of federal taxes paid by those earning from $15,000–$50,000 would rise from 3.6 percent to 6.7 percent, while the top 5 percent of earners would see their burden decrease from 58.6 percent to 37.4 percent.
There’s a reason this idea is being pushed by billionaires like Steve Forbes. It’s great for him. It’s bad for anyone who’s even remotely middle class.
Madison
February 27th, 2010
6:22 pm
Ryan, Be careful, you will be called a liberal and a Democrat. Also, Steve Forbes is pushing the Flat Tax not the FairTax.
Ryan W.
February 27th, 2010
6:23 pm
I’m an Independent, but I realize anyone to the left of Glenn Beck is a “socialist” these days.
Right, I forgot Forbes was behind the flat tax. That’s another bad idea for another day.
Limbaugh is Evil
February 27th, 2010
6:26 pm
Unfortunately, he will be replaced with someone more reactionary and far-right wing. Have a good retirement you fair tax lunatic, do nothing.
tc
February 27th, 2010
6:29 pm
BOW you can’t be real…..but you are funny. If fairtax is a slam dunk, why did it not pass when bush was screwing things up with his republican held congress 2002-2006? I’ll ask again, can a state that has an income tax now go to a fairtax method to see if it works close to what is intended? not quite comparing apples to apples, but is there a place to try this? just as some have expressed concern about revamping the entire health system (repubs want incremental change), can some state take baby steps on tax reform?
TnGelding
February 27th, 2010
6:33 pm
If ever there was a fish out of water… His father-in-law must have died.
Vote for the Democrat.
TnGelding
February 27th, 2010
6:34 pm
With tax revenues being so low, if we’re ever going to switch to a consumption tax this is the time.
TnGelding
February 27th, 2010
6:38 pm
A change-up: How does Congressman John Smoltz sound?
http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2010/02/27/a-change-up-how-does-congressman-john-smoltz-sound/
Farsider
February 27th, 2010
6:52 pm
Linder’s district is tea party central. The choice will be between a regular garden variety far right wing republican or a tea bag republican. Just wonderful.
jconservative
February 27th, 2010
7:01 pm
Linder helped create the “surplus”. You remember the surplus don’t you?
Then Linder helped destroy the “surplus”. Apparently he much preferred cutting taxes and increasing spending – you know, deficits.
He will not be missed.
Don
February 27th, 2010
7:08 pm
I’d like to think that this North Georgia district will elect someone reasonable, but I think it’s another extension of Georgia Red Neck Central.
Please check out this site/movement, which might well be a reasoned, civil alternative to the tea party:
http://coffeepartyusa.org/
ga female
February 27th, 2010
7:27 pm
Wow! The dumbing down of Georgia by the Republican party is in full bloom on this blog. The party of “No” must be voted out or retire like Linder. Wake up Bush and the greedy Republicans put us into this economic crisis. The corporate titans have outsourced all of the jobs either to other countries or to illegal alliens all to increase share holder profits or really Wall Street Bonuses. Manufacturing must be done in this country we can not continue to export our jobs and import cheap trinkets. Constuction jobs must be done by legal workers and Citizens. The Contractors, Developers and Owners who keep employing the illegal immigrants are the real problem. E-verify needs to be used, and those who don’t comply need to be fined and jailed. These are the Republican base, the businessmen who benfit from the cheap labor. But then who pays the cost of all the illegal kids and anchor babies in our schools. Look at the ESOL costs and free lunch, Medicaid, Peach care. If the Republican business owner’s would not continue to hire the illegals we would not have this problem. It is a two way street.
stands for decibels
February 27th, 2010
7:41 pm
Wow. So–what is it now, three terms after he swore he would retire, he’s retiring?
May your dotage be painful and short. Lying, POS, corrupt little pig.
Anonymous
February 27th, 2010
7:43 pm
How much did he stand up for the unborn? I can’t seem to find any record of him adopting unwanted children.
Oh wait – you meant he stood up for his Dark Ages belief system. Did he happen to stone any adulterers while he was at it?
hello
February 27th, 2010
9:14 pm
This might be the most illiterate group of comments I have ever read in one place.
richtfan
February 27th, 2010
9:36 pm
hey uga grad………please stop typing idiotic comments. with every word you are confirming your lunacy even further.
john linder is a great man and has been a wonderful representative. the Fair Tax will help ALL people in so many ways. it will bring investment back to the usa where it belongs. the economy will be revitalized with it. nobody loses with it.
Madison's mom's k -hunt
February 27th, 2010
10:10 pm
I shat Madison out into this world- sorry!
Tore is a khunt
February 27th, 2010
10:12 pm
Tore- please tell me why the tax on a mocrowave should be more for a succesful person than an underachiever like you. Huh?
Vanessa
February 27th, 2010
11:12 pm
Nice piece on Linder’s career – http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/2/27/841404/-John-Linder-GA-7-retires
Bill Orvis White
February 27th, 2010
11:30 pm
FAIRTax NOW! Or NOTax NOW! Vote Tea Party! Dissolve the unions! Fire the Democrat-Socialists! Voucherize! Deregulate! Now, that’s hopey changey I believe in.
Debbie
February 28th, 2010
6:08 am
The Muslims are responsible for this. They are slowly driving smart, reliable Republicans away so they can take over our government. writedebbie@gmail.com
John Brown
February 28th, 2010
8:34 am
A lot of sales go untaxed, e.g. flea markets, yard sales, auto auctions, equipment auctions, casual sales of all kinds of things like autos, equipment, drugs etc. etc. And UGA GRAD, did they teach you to spell over there in Athens?
deegee
February 28th, 2010
9:03 am
Do any of the FAIR tax advocates understand the reason states and local governments are millions and billions in the red? Here’s a clue, sales tax revenue is way down. While unemployment is running at the rate of 10%, that means that 90% of the eligible workforce is working. You can forecast how much income tax they will pay. You can’t forecast how much sales tax they will pay. Now that the Great Recession has shown us what a bad idea a national sales tax is, I guess it’s time that John Linder pick up his marbles and go home.
MAC
February 28th, 2010
9:27 am
John Linder was one of the few good honest people in Congress. He represented his constituents with integrity, response and open communication. His retirement is a big loss for his district.
Pee-Wee
February 28th, 2010
10:02 am
If you’re interested in learning more about the fraud called – “The Fair Tax,” google the following – “The Book,The Crook,The Followers,” especially the 5th chapter in this article!
Wee-wee
February 28th, 2010
10:43 am
Only if you’re interested in lunatic rambling rants.
______________________________________
If you’re interested in learning more about the fraud called – “The Fair Tax,” google the following – “The Book,The Crook,The Followers,” especially the 5th chapter in this article!
Brownbagger
February 28th, 2010
11:07 am
Let Freedom Ring, it’s “‘you’re” not “your”. Since you’re without a civil argument, learn to spell. It will help with your name calling.
Mary Wilhite
February 28th, 2010
11:21 am
John is a great man and I wish him well with his retirement.
Beck boy
February 28th, 2010
11:47 am
Yep, it is the Democrats fault that lending wasn’t better regulated. When Bush and the Republican majority in the House and Senate wanted to regulate lending, 2 Dem Senators (Frank and Dodd) totally ran over the entire Republican Party in Washington. Bush, Cheney, Rove, Congress, all of them were totally run over by 2 Democratic Senators. Therefore it is simple, the economy going to heck because of unregulated lending is the fault of the Democrats. If we had some intelligent Republicans with some guts back then we wouldn’t be in this economic situation. Thank goodness we have now some good Republican leadership: Palin, Beck, Limbaugh. Wow, can’t wait for more tax cuts for the wealthy and more outsourcing so corporate profits can climb even more. My stock will go up, whoopee! Wait a minute, you don’t have any more stock? Must be part of the dumb middle class. Gotta go now and sign some more petitions against health care reform. Can you imagine passing anything into law that could possibly hurt profits of the insurance industry? Darn, they fund most of our politicians, can’t hurt them. People will lose their homes due to catastrophic illness? Heck with them, they can join the military. We gotta get back in the White House, Haliburton is starting to hurt. Undeniable intelligence has it that Peru has WMDs. We gotta attack them and get our economy back on track. With the help of Hannity, Limbaugh, Beck, and Palin, we can convince folks that attack on the US is eminent. I am so excited I think I will go out and load up on more Haliburton stock. Come on elections.
Pee-Wee
February 28th, 2010
11:51 am
Mary W.
I don’t know if you can call Linder a “great man!” Great men don’t lie to their fellow citizens as boldly as Linder did!
” In early in 1993,John Linder said,”Congress is overwhemingly controlled by a small group of people who are insulated from politivcal damage. If we had term limits,which I support, they wouldn’t have such a vested interest in staying there the rest of their lives. They would start thinking of some of the things that they have passed that they are going to have to live under when they leave in 12 years.”
Not long before,Linder said to USA Today, “I will come home after 12 years.”
In 1995, John Linder voted in support of a propsed constituntional ammendment for 12 year term limits on lawmakers in the house and Senate.
So as you can see Mary W. Linders not a honest man in any sense of the term! His only excuse would be that he can’t count higher than 12!
Wee-Wee
That’s exactly what “The Fair Tax”is, ramblings and rants of a lunatic – Neal Boortz!
MB
February 28th, 2010
11:53 am
Spent a decade in Georgia, and really enjoyed some of it. But won’t miss the sheer stupidity and militant ignorance that’s on display here. Christ. Why don’t you twits just go ahead and secede again. I’ll even throw in for a border fence. Then you can learn all about the gap between your whining about “socialism” and the reality of how much you rely on the rest of the country.
tc
February 28th, 2010
12:06 pm
at least we are getting some intelligent comments now…..by the way where is ole Dave today?
PoliBlog: A Rough Draft of my Thoughts » Another Congressional Retirement
February 28th, 2010
12:45 pm
[...] The AJC’s Jim Galloway reports: John Linder announces retirement from Congress. [...]
Wee-wee
February 28th, 2010
1:04 pm
Unbelievable. Only a complete loser and blind partisan like Pee-wee would characterize Linder as a liar because he quit in 18 years instead of 12.
Get a life, man.
Pee-Wee
February 28th, 2010
1:32 pm
Wee-Wee,
How would the Regressive Right describe a democrat retiring under these same circumstances – talking one thing ,but doing just the opposite?
Come-on Wee-Wee, hit it out of the park!
hmmathis
February 28th, 2010
2:12 pm
Does anyone here know the specific reason(s) why Lindner is retiring.
The sparse reports I’ve read say that it was “unexpected.”
oldfart
February 28th, 2010
3:08 pm
In the ways of the modern day Congress he will now get paid. D or R, same difference.
Board membership here, consulting there, followed by a few speaking engagements.
Leo
February 28th, 2010
4:36 pm
I think we should abolish his district. Linder did nothing at all for the past 30 years.
tc
February 28th, 2010
4:38 pm
looks like he ate the fairtax
UnFair Tax
February 28th, 2010
10:47 pm
Hopefully the morons pushing the “fair tax” will now drop this stupid idea—it was designed for the wealthy to pay much less tax, nothing more.
Bill Orvis White
March 1st, 2010
7:36 am
The FAIRTax will never die. It makes total sense because we all pay the same rate based on consumption. You September 10th Secular Progressives don’t get it. The FAIRTax will strengthen this once-great nation. I love Neal and John for fighting for this idea.
@Leo How did Linder do nothing for his district? Just check out his website which showcases his many accomplishments. You far lefties are just shouting out a bunch of hot air because you’re “stuck on stupid” with no good arguments.
John and many patriots stood up to the left-wing media, Congress and Hussein Obama’s White House. They are dedicated to keeping taxe$ low and fight for a culture of life, freedom of religion and strong military.
On Linder’s retirement and legislative redistricting | Kyle Wingfield
March 1st, 2010
10:09 am
[...] John Linder surprised everyone over the weekend with the news that he won’t run for re-election this fall. The Republican from Gwinnett County was first elected to the U.S. House in [...]
John K
March 1st, 2010
10:28 am
Normally I would be happy he’s leaving, but I’m worried what sort of nutjob we’ll get in his place. Will he be worse than Linder? This is Georgia, of course he’ll be worse than Linder.
John Linder Gives Not One Progressive Vote | That’s My Congress
March 1st, 2010
10:40 am
[...] The trouble with the right wing narrative is that plenty of Republicans are deciding to retire as well, and most of them are not at all moderates. This weekend, for example, Representative John Linder, a Republican sitting in Congress for the 7th district in Georgia, announced that he will not be running for re-election. [...]
wayne mattila
March 1st, 2010
1:23 pm
as a child growing up in northern minn. with rep linder, i can only say that he worked very hard to get where he is today. in summers he worked on our farm every day. while going to school,he did manual labor on the alaska pipeline. he also worked in the woods as a lumber jack earning most of his own college tuition. i may not agree with all of his philosiphies or ideals, but he has my utmost respect as a human being. his parents were of middle class hard working folks, his father a car salesman and his mom a homemaker. to begrudge him of his wealthy status is to be very narrow minded. i only wish him the very best in his future endeavors.
wayne mattila
March 1st, 2010
1:23 pm
Enter your comments here
NoGovNoTax
March 2nd, 2010
3:57 pm
I’m all about purging lifers out of the Senate and House. After a while, the Dem’s become progressives and the Repub’s become Dem’s. Cleanse and Purge. Hit the reset button.
I think he is making the right decision according to my view, even if he’s doing this for a different reason.
Just because Linder is a so-called Republican doesn’t mean the fair tax is a so-called republican agenda. Many of them don’t like it themselves. Regardless to what political affiliation the creator is from, you know he’ll be damned for being it.
The reason the so-called dem’s don’t like it is because that party is filled with so-called progressivism. And one reason the so-called repub’s don’t like it because they think of prebate as a hand out to the poor when everyone get’s the same handout across the board. Both so-called parties don’t like it for different reasons all together. But a fair tax advocate has a rebuttal to practically every argument and to my experience it stops the argument. I am for the so-called fair tax.
No one can give a good solid reason why it’s worse than what we have now- because it will be better. And my reason for thinking it’s going to be better is simply the transfer of how taxes are received. And I’m tired of these so-called writers who like to label it as the “so-called fair tax”. It is the Fair Tax.
Linder Announces Retirement: We Lose A FairTax Crusader
March 3rd, 2010
9:35 am
[...] John Linder announces retirement from Congress Posted in Uncategorized [...]
maddhattah13
March 4th, 2010
11:23 am
The future is bleak when indviduals like Linder retire. I do not begrudge their decision because of the service to this wonderful country. My hope is the initiative on tax reform does not lose steam because of his decision.
Grazing at the public trough
March 14th, 2010
6:59 am
I don’t support FairTax and here’s why.
As someone who makes $200,000 per year and owns two homes, I benefit from the greatest government handout there is: mortgage interest tax deduction.