‘Spread the Wealth’?

“…and I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody…”
Exactly what MORE is there to say?

Jake, do you have a video or audio of the exchange and answer from Senator Obama?

Jake,
McCain is good on the money. How in the world is wealth spread around in a capitalist society? 35% of people do not pay taxes and you are taking money from people who work hard and play by the rules and give it to those who expect government handouts all the time. How different is that from socialism?

Hold on to your pocketbooks, kids.

Under Bush the rich pay more than under Reagan and Clinton. You could look it up. I plan on working less, making less and buying less if Obama gets elected. So the economy goes down. The federal government gets less, but I get more time off. Now if you give me more of my money, I will work more, pay more taxes and buy more stuff. You decide which is better.

Wow
A politician that didn’t just answer what the person wanted to hear. A politician that said “yup” may be higher taxes for you, but there is also a benefit as those making less can pay for your services…could mean you end up making more money.
A politician that voiced respect for a person who disagreed with him, and shook hands with a man who might not ever vote for him.
Seems pretty classy to me.
Marli

Republicand caused the 700 billion bailout and who is paying? me and I make less than $50,000
Who is hired SEC chair and treasury secretary?

I see Jake is doing his darndest best to defend Obama yet again. But the truth hurts. It is not just what Obmaa said, it is what it represents. The WSJ had a very nice article, and an objective one, outlining Obama’s 95% fallacy. This is also known as “welfare”.
So, I can be a hardworking citizen, paying my taxes, making personal sacrifices, and living up to my individual responsibility, and yet have to “distribute my wealth” to those who choose to slack or be lazy? And this is the American dream?
No, my friends, this is socialism. Hannity had an AA gentleman on the other night, and he said he was happy that Obama was going to take money from white people and give it to black people.
Don’t even think of calling me racist, as that is exactly what the gentleman said.
It goes along with Obama’s work with ACORN, using thug tactics to force banks to give loans to people who have no business getting loans. That has put our country in a downward spiral in the economy.
The ACORN thing is exploding, it is now called “OBAMACORN” by a number of news outlets, Obama can not dissociate himself from his corrupt past.
It is very clear, Obama is BAD for America.

McCain knows that it will be like hearing a dog whistle when conservatives hear this. It’s code for rallying the dwindling troops. He’s in the “throw it and see if it sticks” mode. Desperate. Very sad to see what has happened to McCain since 2000. That guy is long gone.

Obama keeps talking about a tax cut. He’s full of it. Yesterday’s Wall Street Journal laid things out nicely showing Obama’s “tax cut” are really distributions. The plumber will have to pay higher taxes, then possibly get a check from the IRS if he hadn’t made too much. The plumber pays more in taxes, and won’t get enough back to cover the increase.

George Bush hired SEC chair and treasury secretary an he is a republican that promised smaller government.

Obama with
no tie and sleeves rolled up knocking on doors taking a risk with questions from people like you & me.
That’s what I want in a president.

“and right now everybody’s so pinched that business is bad for everybody and I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody.” – BHO
You’re right Jake, he didn’t say it.

Hey SandyB–want me to work an extra 10 hrs next week– just for you.

Ohio US Attorney To File RICO Charges Against ACORN?
Apparently the US Attorney in Ohio will be filing Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) charges against ACORN in that state. He has no further information but this does come on the heels of this:

===JPT===
I too would like it if you could post the whole exchange in a video!
FOX NEWS is showing the “share the wealth” line and calling Obama a socailist!
Please show it so I can show my friends reality!

such media bias. ABC News didn’t point out that Barack Obama was distorting Sen. McCain when he said “as long as Americans aren’t getting killed and injured, make it A HUNDRED YEARS, I’m okay with that” or when Sen. McCain said in response to a business interview saying the macroenomics numbers are better under Pres. Bush than Clinton and he said, “well, YOU CAN MAKE THE ARGUMENT THAT WE’VE MADE GREAT PROGRESS UNDER PRES. BUSH, but that’s no consolation to the factory worker who just lost his job.” but the fact is true; Sen. Obama wants to tax and spend. Sen. Obama thinks in such a vaccuum… sure if his scenario plays out, the plumber would have gotten to where he is more quickly. But if you tax the master-craftsman out of existence, if you make life difficult for him, then there will be no journey-men, or many fewer of them, and there will be no apprentices, or much fewer of them.

I am not wealthy. I make less than $250,000 a year. One of the reasons for the rich (make more than $250,000 a year) get richer in the past 8 years is they pay less taxes on percentage basis than people like me. I would have no problem to see the rich pay higher percentage of taxes. After all, they still get more money than in their pocket than mine after we pay our taxes.

Lets all quit our jobs so we can live like the middle class in an Obama world, but then who’s wealth is he gonna spread around.

Obama’s tax plan-which is basically wealth distribution will give tax breaks to those that don’t need it. I work my butt off every day, commute 2 hours each way to make a good living, that I planned for by going to college and grad school and reaching for the American Dream, and all of a sudden it’s a bad thing to make money? in the same breath. I have a cousin age 42 has 7 kids by 6 different baby daddies, collects Food Stamp, Welfare and Section 8, paying $143 .00 for a house in an upscale Northern VA neighborhood that I can’t even afford, her strategy every year for the past 10 years has been work for about 4 months out of the year make the minimum amount of money needed to file taxes. and then get a huge refund. Last year she made about $5500 , paid about $700 in taxes and received a refund of $4350(not including the stimulus package, which was $600 for each person), these are the people that will gain from Obama’s tax plan, so I guess the lesson to my children should be don’t go to school, get your higher education, and have a good career which earns you good pay because they will consider you elite, rich and whatever else and tax you to death, just go ahead and have a couple of babies and live off the the government you’ll be alright!! . Ridiculous on so many different levels.

michelle malkin
Isnt a news source its a comedy hate fest..
That ladys an idiot!!
Im betting if the story is true the couples kid/s support Obama LOL
but again michelle malkin isnt a real information site!

cardinal:
We own a mom and pop small business, with very little left over for paid help.
We work upwards of 50-60 hours each week, even on weekends sometimes.
If we received a business tax break, like John McCain is proposing, instead of a tax increase, like Obama is proposing, maybe we could afford to make our one part-time employee full-time.

Karen!
You hit the nail on the head! That is the plan for the Democratically controlled Government. Global communism. They want everyone so hooked on the government that they will turn this country into a communist country. They already run the Department of education. Punish those that are successful (doesn’t matter if you make that money because you worked 90 hours that week) and give to those that don’t work. They want everyone to stop driving to succeed since it won’t make any economic sense to do so. Why work hard? To put your kids through school? I guess you have to work harder to put other kids through school also. Save for retirement? Not much money left after they crank up your taxes and send that money for more benefits to those popping out kids so they can get an extra thousand a month.

Just read about McCain’s economic plan points. Not designed to improve the economy as a whole, but a give-away to some: Withdrawal of IRA money at 59 with lower tax rate? Great if you have a sizable IRA at age 59. Who has that? Those who need a bit extra for the boat payment? Lowering capital gains taxes for stock selling? It’s a terrible idea to encourage more stock sell-offs and profit taking gambling behavior in the market. Really bad idea. A tax on stock trading would be a good idea: Income to offset the bailout and discouraging speculation/short term stock trading which destabilizes the stock market. And the third idea of eliminating taxes on unemployment benefits – small, tiny potatoes. If you’re getting unemployment, 10% more is helpful, but not a solution by any means.

McCain plan sounds great but….
Some time ago CNN reported that Obama’s initial spending program and tax cuts would cost approx. 14 billion dollars a year, whereas McCain’s program would cost 304 billion a year because he intended to keep Bush’s tax cuts. On top of that, he doesn’t seem to have any clear intention of withdrawing from Iraq and diverting resources to Afghanistan.
No one enjoys paying taxes but someone has to if America is going to remain strong, safe and competitive for generations to come. We have a huge deficit that isn’t going away and the middle and lower-middle class has been sqweezed enough by Bush. “Liberals” are proposing to spend taxes on programs that actually matter: energy independence, education, health care, social security for seniors. Are Republicans against that?
McCain’s economic proposals will benefit higher income individuals who supported George Bush as he led us into this deep hole that we’re in; isn’t it time for them to step up and contribute their fair share into our economy. What guarantee do we have that the corporate elite will create jobs with their new tax cuts, they have been cutting them over the past 8 years. And how can you say that you love your country, yet still ship jobs over seas into order to build another nation’s economy?
Neither men are accomplished economists, so we also have to look at the people advising John McCain and Barack Obama. McCain’s economic advising team has included Senator Phil Gramm who said that we were whiners stuck in a mental recession and he wrote the section of the bill that allowed banks, investment firms and insurance companies to merge under Bill Clinton. Once George Bush was elected, he conned Congress into deregulating the mortgage investment industry. We should be more concerned about this association with Phil Gramm than with Obama and Bill Ayers because Gramm ACTUALLY molded McCain’s economic policies. Remember this past summer when he said that government should not bail out irresponsible home owners. Now all of a sudden, he’s channeling FDR (a Democrat) and comparing Obama to Herbert Hoover (a Republican). The hypocrisy is laughable, pathetic and reeks of desperation but it just might work if we fall for it. Obama economic advising team includes many superstars from the Clinton administration and Warren Buffet.
He also rails about Washington betraying the public trust even though no one has been formally accused of anything which is more than he can say about his running mate, Sarah Palin. Yet we are supposed to trust her to achieve energy independence and ethics reform in Congress? What will she do if she wants an under-secretary to be fired?

The other day on the national TV news when we saw the old crock stand up and blast Obama to McCain as being “socialist” it is the hypocrisy of the ages.
Such people, as the old crock, take on an indignant attitude regarding socialism, but their stock dividends contain cash that came from the U.S. govt (and thus from the taxpayers) when it puts money into corps offering stock investments — this, for them, is nothing but rank socialism. Old crocks are “mad as hell,” because Obama plans to eliminate such govt contributions/hand-outs to big business, and the socialist system for old crock investors, as a result, will be gone. If govt assistance goes to those who are in need of it (excluding corps) then the old crocks are bellowing about soicalism, BUT IF IT IS GIVEN TO THOSE SORT IN THE FORM OF DIVIDENDS, IT”S FINE.
We”ve tried fascism for the last 8 years (and somewhat since 1980) and it”s left us in a helluva mess. Now let”s give socialism a try. It”s gotta” beat the hell out of what we”ve had since 2000.
It”s time to end socialism for corps and for old crock investors. Let ”em get their dividends minus govt handouts to corps. Don”t like it, then to hell with ”em!
Old crocks (including the young investors) may have earned the money they invest, but when they invest it in things receiving govt tax-paid funds, its rank socialism.

FYI TO ALL,
All THESE PEOPE TALKING ABOUT ACORN NEED TO READ THIS POSTED BY KELLIE OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS AND THEN WATCH THE STORY ON THE BBC SITE:
The BBC did a really good piece on the truth about ACORN saying that:
ACORN IS THE SMOKE SCREEN FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY… KNOWING THAT THEY ARE GOING TO LOSE RATHER THAN ADMIT THAT THEY HAVE BAD POLICIES AND IDEAS THEY INTEND TO BLAME IT ON ACORN…
SHOULD THE ELECTION BE CLOSE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WILL TRY TO USE THE COURTS TO ELECT THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES INTO OFFICE…
THIS IS THE GAME PLAN FOX IS SETTING THE GROUND WORK
ACORN IS A SMOKE SCREEN!

What a country! How about this, SandyB,
When Obama is elected I’m gunna go on welfare the next day and get me one of those housing bailouts, and the best part is you and others like you can pay for it! Do you like that? Wouldn’t that be kool, or what?

Guys I gotta get out of here and go prepare for the debate,” Obama said, “but that was pretty good practice right there.”
“What was that. like 8 questions already?”
“Can’t I just eat my waffle?”
When the going gets tough. Obama gets going. Exit stage left.

Well, I guess the comrade kitty is on the loose and everyone gets to see the Borsht it left in our litterbox. Man….what timing ol’ Obama has!He laid his party card on the table and it is “RED”! Spread the wealth says Comrade Obama!! Al I have to say now is, “NYET” to the Soviet Satellite that wants to occupy our Whitehouse!! GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

Obama should state this arguement tomorrow. Great Obama response.

here we go again. The corporate press assisting the Rightwing attack machine in pulling snippets of dialogue out of a complicated answer and playing it over and over to distort the original message.
Fear, Hatred, Distortion and Deception. That’s all they’ve got. The Republicans have just about destroyed this country. Why would anyone want to give them four more years to finish the job??
Bush/McCain. No More Years!!

This is precisely why one should vote for Obama. If you have the patience, read the entire article.
Obama demonstrates a depth of understanding of his policy positions and the ability to communicate it honestly and openly with a fellow American literally “on the fly”. That’s admirable.
While I’d like to hope that McCain could present a similar heartfelt, deep response… I doubt it. I suspect he would have equally strong conviction in what he believes, but he simply wouldn’t know entirely *why* and he certainly wouldn’t explain it in a sincere, heartfelt way. Of course, Palin wouldn’t get past the opening question. Meanwhile, Biden would have the empathy but would probably get too inflamed.
Obama has the right mix of intelligence, charisma and empathy. He will make sound decisions. Of course, some people (for example, those who make over 250k) may not want his policies, and that’s their right as an American. As Obama says, he respects their position even if he doesn’t get that vote.

This is telling…..the plumber made $250,000 “working hard”. That may or may not be true but there are plenty of others who are working just as hard and will never come close to making $250,000. The plumber should humble and count how lucky he has been (even if he did work hard)…Unfortunately, too many folks aren’t. I have no problem raising taxes on those making over $250,000 and giving a tax break to those under.

In Karl’s world, he did not even envision a tax cut or raise:
From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.
That’s exactly what Zero-bama was talking about – he felt he could contribute more, now that he is a pres candidate – before that, it was a different story, giving only a couple hundred bucks to his Trinity.

Is ACORN committing poll fraud? Is ACORN causing John McCain to fade in the polls? GOP may point at ACORN, but the polls bear the truth — the GOP is losing fair and square.

HERO,
McCain has his own ACORN ties.
McCain attended a ACORN rally in 2006 and was the MAIN SPEAKER. I McCain wants to push ACORN onto Obama the Obama camp will push back.
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=6508
http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/10/a_lifetime_ago_sen_john.php

Opps! Typo.
I am not wealthy. I make less than $50,000 a year. One of the reasons for the rich (make more than $250,000 a year) get richer in the past 8 years is they pay less taxes on percentage basis than people like me. I would have no problem to see the rich pay higher percentage of taxes. After all, they still get more money left in their pocket than mine after we pay our taxes.

Think about who gets the best of Government services. I’ll tell you it is the those with the most. I would think that they realize that when they talk government listens, when I talk it is just here on a blog, and who cares?
It is not spread the wealth around, it is who pays more, who receives more, who has the capacity, While we are at war in Irag, and the those middle class men and women are being killed and wounded, Companies such as Haliburton, Black Hawk, are in it for the money. Are they patriotic, are they there in support of America or their bottom line? What of their well paid executive staff? Patriotic? No I do not think so.
So while the Republicans call out socialism, they maybe correct but socialism for whom is what we should ask. Should the burden of government fall just on the middle class?

.
indy_voter:
“the plumber made $250,000 “working hard”…. The plumber should humble and count how lucky he has been (even if he did work hard)”
It’s not luck making that much in plumbing, you have to do good work, and get a reputation for such. The workplace abounds with plumbers who do poor work. To make that kind of money in plumbing, you *earn* it.
.

Obama frolics in the land of unicorns and rainbows. His tax plan gives people incentive NOT to earn more, and I predict you’ll see many more people earning $249,900 but getting bigger bonuses, stock options, etc. I refuse to bust my butt so I can hand over money to people who want to sit on theirs – so will simply close shop and take a few months off once I hit the “magic number”.
Actually, come to think of it, an Obamanation is starting to sound pretty good…

I see how it is .. can’t post on here being demeaning of the Obama “camp”! Emphasis on the word “camp”

Oh yeah, in case you blind supporters who has Zero knowledge of what a socialist society like, Zero-bama has learned well on every count from Chairman Mao – the big devil on the other side of the globe.
Chairman Mao equalized wealth, except his party members, for about 30 years, during which time from 50 to 100 million people died, some of them were shot to take their wealth, others were starved to death because he did not have enough to spread.

Steve :)
The WSJ bit is not an article, it’s an “opinion” submitted by an unknown author. If his proposals were that simple, McCain would have attacked him a long time ago.

The story “Robin Hood” comes to mind when one thinks of Obama. He wants to take from the rich (those who worked earn to earn it) and give to those who sit on their butts complaining. People are too greedy and overspend their income as does our government and Wall Street. What happen to the idea of balancing spending to income. Too easy credit has been around for a long time. Staying in school, getting an education, planning and saving does pay off with a higher level of wealth. Having a baby every year is an expensive adventure too.
I remember after Katrina of one Mom with 6 kids, pregnant, unmarried and wondering what she was going to do since her government housing was flooded. Big brother had paid for her and her family’s living cost forever.

According to Congressional testimony, while “ACORN says they don’t take federal money,“ Acorn Housing Corporation receives millions of dollars from the federal
government, and from 2004 to 2006, funneled 4.6 million to ACORN.” ACORN is thus willfully using taxpayer funds to support fraudulent political operations.
ACORN’s political wing has endorsed Barack Obama for president, and during the
primary season, the Obama camp paid Citizen Service Inc., $832,598 for various political services according to Federal Elections Commission filings. Citizen Services, Inc. and ACORN share the same board of directors.
Beginning no later than 2003, and continuing until the present day, Defendant ACORN
has engaged, by and through its agents, in a scheme to obtain, prepare and file fraudulent
voter registrations throughout the state of Ohio by means of numerous violations of R.C.
2913.31(A)(1), R.C. 2913.31(A)(2), and R.C. 2913.31(A)(3) (“Forgery” and “Uttering
Forged Documents”); R.C. 2913.42(A)(1) and R.C. 2913.42(A)(2) (“Tampering with
Writings and Records” and “Uttering Tampered Writings or Records”) with a purpose to,
or with reckless disregard as to whether it will, inter alia, injure or threaten to injure
Plaintiffs and other similarly situated citizens by diluting and/or threatening to dilute
their vote, by depriving or threatening to deprive them of their rights to participate in an
honest and effective election process, by impairing and/or threatening to impair
Plaintiffs’ rights to have government officials chosen and other ballot measures approved
or disapproved by means of a fair and accurate election process.
OBAMA IS TOAST

The first law he’ll sign will be to take away the limits on how many months someone can stay on welfare! Yoo hoo!

As a small business owner I gotta say, if this chap thinks he’ll be clearing over $250K of personal income, he’s livin’ in a fool’s paradise. I hope he hasn’t overpaid for the business.

Let’s face it, rich people and the well off should not have to pay taxes or support the cost of idiotic wars. Send the poor to fight them, keep all the money for yourself. Your bank account is far more important than contributing to the nation’s expenses. Patriotic indeed.

Free the rich!

Just a few of the facts the “mainstream press” has been suppressing for months, years really.
Obama Held Membership in Socialist New Party
Obama, ACORN & Their Starring Role in the Mortgage Crisis
Voter Fraud Unit and Terrorists Run Deep
The Real Obama
ABC, NBC and CBS want to keep Obama’s secrets
Proof Obama backed ruthless, foreign thug
FBI, Others Probe pro-Obama ACORN for Vote Fraud
Obama Campaign Runs Afoul of Finance Rules
Slanted NBC Profiles Boost Obama, Malign McCain
Secret, Foreign Money Floods Into Obama Campaign
Obama’s Harvard Years: Questions Swirl
Obama takes legal action to suppress pending suit over NO Birth Certificate

geevill…
I don’t know who you hang out with… but I actually know people who make more than 250,000 a year… and they don’t work any harder than people who earn less than that.
In fact, I would argue that people like fruit pickers, farmers, landscapers, soliders, etc… earn far less than 250,000… but work a lot, lot harder.
Many rich people think they are better than everybody else… but they aren’t.

Might you ever
Need a police officer
Need a fireman
Need a teacher/school
Need a road fixed
Want to take your kid to a public park
Want to take your kid to a national park
Want your country protected
Even people making over $250,000 need those sorts of things.
In our country, like it or not, taxes are necessary. Having those who are best able to afford it pay a little more makes sense.
Believe me, no one is making over $250,000 who is fixing our roads, putting their life on the line putting out fires/rescuing people, helping to stop crime, teaching our children, keeping parks clean, etc.
You complain about taxes but have no problem paying top dollar to get into a movie or watch a ball game…helping people who are acting a role or playing ball make over $250,000. Hmmm…they might have to pay more taxes?
Where is your money best spent.
Marli

Obama has a new tax calendar on his website. You can see whether or not you taxes will decrease and by the amount,

sieg heil…Obama has been getting threats since he began his campaign. This is no secret..PLEASE…come up woth something else.

Obama in las vegas said the only people the predators are targeting are hispanics and blacks.
Obama is Iowa said he was for taxing everyone’s social security taxes during the caucus to a voter.

If you guys really believe that McCain will LOWER your taxes you are CERTAINLY on kool-aid….he cannot do that with the mess we are in without putting more money on the national debt.
We all have to work together to get this done. We need to all stop spending and “hunker” down.
As JFK said,” Ask not what your country can do for you, but what YOU can do for your country.”

I think the really cool thing about Obama’s plan is this:
As a business owner, I will have the privilege of being forced to pay for my employee’s personal health care premiums! It used to be a tool to use as a benefit for them, but NOW, I will get to do it by force!! YEA!
As an individual, I will have the privilege of sharing my hard earned wealth!! YEA!
And now I can go stand in the welfare line and have a better deal than working so hard all the time!! YEA!!
And, and, and… if I’m REALLY lucky… I’ll be able to be completely dependent on the government and what they think is good for me!! YEA!
What a lucky nation we will be!!

Spread the wealth:
Obama gave 14 million to rezko in contracts.
Obama gave millions to father pfleger’s church.
Obama gave earmarks to a relative.
Obama gave earmarks to Michelle Obama’s hospital employer.

‘As JFK said,” Ask not what your country can do for you, but what YOU can do for your country.” ‘
Right.
Obama is the anti-JFK. How much has he promised?
“Spread the wealth”?
JFK never advocated that. He cut taxes.

What’s this 50% percent tax credit? FYI: A tax credit is not a tax cut. It doesn’t reduce your tax rate, it simply reduces your tax liability and only IF you qualify for the credit. Not the same thing.

Disgrace
I always used to think former Sen. John Danforth (R-MO) was a respectable guy. So why is he prostituting himself for the McCain campaign phony ‘vote fraud’ scam. Just disgraceful.
Let’s be clear about what this is. These are random stories about fake vote registrations. The Drudges and Fox scoundrels of the world seem to think that if someone fills out a voter registration card for Mickey Mouse, that Mickey Mouse might show up and cast a vote they’re not entitled to cast. It doesn’t and there is zero evidence of any voter fraud or anything that would make voter fraud more likely. The level of lying, bad faith or at best ignorance of the people making these claims is really beyond imagining. This isn’t vote fraud. There’s no evidence of vote fraud. Nothing. This is an effort of a losing political party to a) lay the groundwork for challenging their defeat at the polls b) lay the groundwork to pass laws to make it harder for poor people and minorities to vote.

Eve says:
“The WSJ bit is not an article, it’s an “opinion” submitted by an unknown author. If his proposals were that simple, McCain would have attacked him a long time ago.”
It is an opinion article, repleat with facts and sources. The facts and sources used to formulate the opinion presented are rock solid. Opinion pieces are generated by the editorial board. So you’re saying the WSJ’s editorial board’s opinion is without merit?
Why McCain does not go after Obama on his fraudulent “tax breaks” is a great mystery. Perhaps it’s because McCain is a terrible candidate. He could easily point out Obama is doing a poor job of hiding his Marxist ideology but he does not. It’s almost as if he is trying to throw the election.

McCain thinks the very rich should be able to keep their fantastic tax breaks, possibly get more tax breaks! Hahahaha! What a good idea!
The rich should not have to pay! They are so special – leave them alone and get back to work.

Foreign Confidential….
Proving that weakness invites aggression, Iran’s monstrous mullahocracy has hardened its anti-American stance in anticipation of an Obama victory.
A top aide to Iran’s Hitlerian monster-in-chief, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said Saturday that the nuclear-arming, Islamist nation would hold talks with the United States only if its forces leave the Middle East and Washington ends its support for Israel.
Mahdi Kalhor, an adviser to Ahmadinejad on cultural and media affairs, told the official Iranian News Agency that as long as US forces remain in the region and the US backs Israel, talks will not take place.
The frontrunner in the US Presidential race, Democrat Barack Hussein Obama, has promised to meet with any foreign leader, including Ahmadinejad, without preconditions.
Obama’s proposals for “aggressive diplomacy” and “engagement” with Iran (code for appeasement) are backed by Zbigniew Brzezinski, a notorious anti-Semite, who, as National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter, supported (some would say masterminded) the Islamist overthrow of Iran’s pro-US, modernizing monarch, Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi.

Can someone make sense of this statement? This is suppose to come from a “smart” candidate that everybody fawns over? I had to re-read this and separate it: “If you’ve got a plumbing business, you’re gonna be better off if you’re gonna be better off if you’ve got a whole bunch of customers who can afford to hire you, and right now everybody’s so pinched that business is bad for everybody and I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody.”
The current theory is correct. He didn’t write his book, Ayers did.

d0
Oh… I think it is the country’s business.
It is the country’s business to send police to protect your stuff during a burglary.
It is the country’s business to send firefighters to save your home when there is a fire.
It is the country’s business to protect your life and proporty from foreign enemies.
It is the country’s business to send national guard troops to protect people and property during riots and natural disasters.
It is the country’s business to provide safe roads and reliable infrastructure so your business can function.
It is the country’s business to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and epidemics.
It is the country’s business to regulate financial markets and insure your savings.
It is the country’s business to protect the value of our currency.
FOR ALL OF THESE BENEFITS… you have to pay taxes.
STOP TAKING AMERICA FOR GRANTED.

I was told Obama didn’t give his brother in Kennya a penny.
Spread wealth? Spread whose wealth? Everybody’s except Obama’s.

Gina….have you ever written a book?
I think not…so stop criticizing…..

8 more years! 8 years was not enough! We want MORE! Vote Republican! 8 more years!
Let the trickle down continue! We’re all better off now! 8 more years! Vote Republican.
In case you’ve missed it, the very rich have made off like bandits during the past 8 years AND during this crisis. 8 more years! We want MORE! Vote Republican!

Michelle Obama brought in David Axelrod Obama’s campaign manager to kick people out of the ER room at her hospital. Talk about cronyism.
Spread the wealth:
Obama got a sweetheart mortgage deal because the VP of the bank was on the board at Michelle Obama’s hospital.
Posted by: Jeff | Oct 14, 2008 1:59:50 PM
—
You don’t like it!? Blind supporters of Zero-bama think it’s fair.
Zero-bama taxes the hell out of your rich, highly educated, sitting-on-your-butt-all-day buddies. Then, he earmarks a cool $1 mil to the employer to raised his wife’s salary by 150% to more than $350,000.
That’s called a fair taxing and spreading wealth plan.

Correction: WAY, WAY less than 10% to charity. Oh that’s right. He wants US to give. Almost forgot the program.

250K gross income per couple can mean two people earning 125K ea … which is what mid/high level managers (not CEOs, not Sr VPs) can certainly make in major metropolitan areas. Where they then pay for mortgages, transportation, childcare, insurance, healthcare, groceries, 401(k)s, school loans … just like all other “working families”. So penalize the ones who got the educations, got the jobs, stayed in the workforce – everything you’re supposed to do. Tacking another 5-10K in taxes? That impacts things like ability to pay mortgages, transportation, health care, etc. … It’s indefensible and for Obama to suggest that somehow it’s OK is indefensible. I’m not “like him” with a few million, and the potential to make millions more. I’m earning an income, trying to raise children, and save for retirement – and will have to do it on less money. Thanks. Make sure to send me a xmas card.

Woody…I never said Obama was JFK…I used the statement to say that we all need to do our part….
God you people jump on anyone for Obama!
I guess you want 8 more years of Bushism

Wealthy Ceos living the high life off of our tax dollars great yeah vote republican go ahead 8 years whats 4 more

and the credit starts from TAXABLE income, that is after deductions etc.

Dan and others,
Barack Obama’s Plan is all targeted to keep people working and in their homes..
1 Job creation Jobs Jobs Jobs giving compaines a $3 thousand tax cut per new person hired. A two-year tax break for businesses that create new jobs.
2. a 90-day moratorium on home foreclosures if we have to bail out the banks they can look out for the people.
Obama proposed Monday that banks participating in the federal bailout should temporarily postpone foreclosures for families making good-faith efforts to pay their mortgage.
“We need to give people the breathing room they need to get back on their feet,” he said, adding that families living beyond their means share some of the responsibility.
3.Obama proposes letting people withdraw up to 15 percent of their retirement funds, to a maximum of $10,000, without the penalty that now applies to early or excess withdrawals. The change would apply retroactively to all of 2008, as well as 2009. People would still have to pay normal taxes on the money. He said letting people dip into their IRAs and 401(k)s would help them get through tough times when money is tight. (Help you get on top of your repayments)
Also…
He also calls for tax breaks for most families, cutting capital gains taxes for investment in small business and extending unemployment benefits.

Blip says:
“Oh… I think it is the country’s business.
It is the country’s business to send police to protect your stuff during a burglary.
– Not true. It’s the STATE’s business.
It is the country’s business to send firefighters to save your home when there is a fire.
– Not true. It’s the STATE’s business.
It is the country’s business to protect your life and proporty from foreign enemies.
– Hooray, you got one right.
It is the country’s business to send national guard troops to protect people and property during riots and natural disasters.
– Not true. It’s the STATE’s business.
It is the country’s business to provide safe roads and reliable infrastructure so your business can function.
– Not true. It’s a choice, but certainly not the country’s business or obligation. See your US Constitution.
It is the country’s business to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and epidemics.
– Hooray, falls under “promote the general welfare”.
It is the country’s business to regulate financial markets and insure your savings.
–Not true. Where are you getting this stuff?
It is the country’s business to protect the value of our currency.
–Hooray, national security issue.
FOR ALL OF THESE BENEFITS… you have to pay taxes.
STOP TAKING AMERICA FOR GRANTED.”
The Federal Government is not empowered to do much of anything. Our federal taxes are required to support the actual payroll of our legislators and judiciary and their staffs and a centralized army. Point out to me in the Constitution where we are required to pay for anything else. The framers never, ever envisioned the nanny state we’ve created. It’s what they were fighting against, centralized control and suppression of the individual.

Small Business owners get to claim everything under the sun so they get pretty good tax breaks now what Obama is saying is how is this plumber gonna stay in business If noone has money to hire him for his services? like Obama is saying everyone makes out its called FAIRNESS something we have not had in 8 long painful years!

Difference between democrats and republicans…
Democrats think we can only split up the same pile of $$ — split the pie equally
Republicans want to grow the $$ — enlarge the pie so everyone gets a bigger piece.
Why should the guy who has worked 10-12 hours his whole life now have to pay higher taxes because 10 years ago he wasn’t making 250K a year?? He worked his a** off to get to that point…he paid his dues.
McCain may have a higher # of millionaires supporting him than Obama–in the $1-10 million category–BUT–Obama has the MEGAmillionaires supporting his campaign–you know, the ones who make more than $10million a year–the Madonna, Lindsey Lohan, David Geffen and other left-wing Hollywood group of MegaMillionaire crowd that is “better” than everyone else.

Well Woody considering how much federal dollars go to Police, Fire, road construction, health and safety, it permeates all of society.
Our Federal TAX dollars go into everything, State, Local, and Federal. Not supposed to? You might be correct, but then it would just raise State and local taxes.

The McCain campaign is launching a new line of attack slamming Obama’s judgment for his past ties to the community organizing group, ACORN, which is currently under investigation for voter fraud.
In a new web video, the campaign asserts that Obama’s ties to the organization “run long and deep”…
The ad concludes by accusing Obama of “bad judgment” and “blind ambition.”
Then yesterday we learned that John McCain was the headliner in a 2006 ACORN-sponsored rally “in support of comprehensive immigration reform.” And today we have more video of McCain embracing ACORN and their allies.

military mom,
I was actually responding to and agreeing with drjohn. I was trying to point out how far the Democrat party has strayed from its roots during its heyday. It used to be a very centrist party but not anymore.
I’m no McCain fan but I cannot tolerate the blind faith I’m witnessing with the Obama followers. It’s truly disturbing. Once again it’s a choice between a lesser of two evils, and I’ll go with the devil I know vs. the devil I don’t know, or rather the devil I fear the most.

We have all seen the results of the great ideas of the Republicans. We’ve had 8 years of it. That’s enough for now.
The personal demonization of Obama is the right wing’s attempts to distract people from the last 8 years of Republican ideology and control.
We don’t need 8 more years of this.
So quite obviously the Democrats will get their chance and we’ll all have to do our best for the country.
This partisan extremist propaganda serves no purpose but to distract.

Bhrandon its all part of the plan people have been talking about it for days!

Angie – you said;”Small Business owners get to claim everything under the sun so they get pretty good tax breaks now what Obama is saying is how is this plumber gonna stay in business If noone has money to hire him for his services? like Obama is saying everyone makes out its called FAIRNESS something we have not had in 8 long painful years!”
DID YOU CREATE THE IDEA FOR THE BUSINESS? DID YOU DO THE DEMOGRAPHICS AND STUDIES FOR THE BUSINESS? DID YOU ESTABLISH THE RELATIONSHIPS WITH VENDORS FOR THE BUSINESS? DID YOU TAKE OUT THE LOANS AND SACRIFICE 60-70 HRS A WEEK FOR THE BUSINESS? DO YOU TAKE THE RISK FOR THE BUSINESS? DO YOU RISK GETTING LAWSUITS FROM DISGRUNTELED EMPLOYEES FOR THE BUSINESS? DO YOU PAY THE UTILITIES, RENT/MORTGAGE, LEGAL FEES, LICENSES, PERMITS, PAYROLL TAXES, STATE UNEMPLOYMENT TAXES FOR THE EMPLOYEES??
Damn right there are tax breaks for businesses. Why would anyone else go through all of the above only to distribute among those who haven’t gone the extra mile???

Under the BushGOP policies that McCain would continue, the middle class barely ekes by in the good times and suffers greatly in the bad times. The rich get super rich in the good times and bailouts in the bad times. This has got to stop!!

Oh and for those of you complain about Trickle Down economics—let’s have a reality check about the Trickle down effect of raising TAXES.
Do you really think that when small business owners have their taxes increased that the prices you pay for the goods and services they provide to you are not going to increase??
So, go ahead…let Obama tax the “rich people” you so vehemently hate…
Call it what you want…Obama wants to redistribute money as he sees fit and he wants to do it via government agencies. If I remember my social studies courses from school the way it use to be taught–that form of government is called Socialism.

Our Federal TAX dollars go into everything, State, Local, and Federal. Not supposed to? You might be correct, but then it would just raise State and local taxes.
Posted by: Thinking | Oct 14, 2008 2:19:06 PM
====
Mr. Thinking,
Since you claim you are thinking, you need to add to your thoughts that what Zero-bama wanted is not paying for the common good, but he is for spreading the wealth, taking from the “richer” and giving it to the “poor” by HIS arbitrary line of class divide.

“Spreading the wealth” does not make Obama a Marxist.
The government owes x dollars.
You can either tax group A for x dollars.
You can tax group B for X amount.
Or you can tax groups A and B for an amount equal to x.
But one way or another, you gotta come up with x.
If group A has a lot more stuff (and benefits a lot more from the use of government subsidized infrastructure, security, and other forms of support), then there is nothing wrong with taxing them in a higher proportion to come up with x amount.
Obama is still going to tax groups A and B, he’s just going to adjust the proportions to give group B a break at the expense of group A.
Marxists nationalize industry and private property. A huge difference.

.
Looks like Obama’s tax speil may cost him in the polls. His ‘spread the wealth’ comment is pure socialism.
.

Guess what? We are a socialist country. We pretend to be free market but when a big industry starts to fail the government bails them out.The railroads. The auto industry. The airlines. Now banking and insurance.We had to give tax breaks to a company that makes wooden arrows for children to get the mortgage bailout passed.
Do the math? If this plumber makes the high end of his projected 280K that would mean an additional 900 bucks. If he is pulling in $280K he can afford $900. But he’d make up for it by having to hire more employees.

Man, Obama is good!

Under the BushGOP policies that McCain would continue, the middle class barely ekes by in the good times and suffers greatly in the bad times. The rich get super rich in the good times and bailouts in the bad times. This has got to stop!!
Posted by: hopesprings52 | Oct 14, 2008 2:25:13 PM
—
It moronic to think McCain is to continue Bush’s policies, just as it is hopeless to think Zero-bama has the intelligence to repeat the achievements by someone who was from Hope Spring.
His Nothingness Zero-bama trashed those 8 years as the same as the Bush Administration.

Has anybody seen the new American
Flag Obamma has designed?

I see some people here saying that Obama’s tax plan is going to pay for government programs and pay down the debt.
Did you miss the main point of his statement? He wants to ‘spread the wealth’. This means taking the money from those who have it and giving it to those who don’t.
Obama is not talking about raising taxes to pay for government programs. He just wants to spread it around.
I guess he will just have to raise taxes even higher on those evil successful people to pay for the actual cost of his government programs.
Unbelievable!

CC…
Balancing the budget would actually help reduce inflation. If we can get the dollar back to where it was. We would all be a lot better.
Now, I know that you might earn more than a quarter million dollars a year. And it does suck that you would get a 3% increase on your wealth above that 250,000$….
But there are worse predicaments to be in.
And… where is the money going to come from? Walmart employees? Surely they cannot afford it as easily as you and I can.
I only earn 40,000 dollars a year, but I would happily pay higher taxes. As it is, my wife and I donate 10% of our income because we are truly grateful for everything we have. My wife stays home with the kids and does volunteer work. I teach kids from a background similar to my own so that they can get great jobs someday.
We live in the greatest country in the world. Sure, our kids might not have as much as other kids. But we have so much more than most.
America is a great country. If you live here, you owe it to this great nation to build it up.

Jake I expect more out of you than this. The crux of Obama’s argument is that in a time of economic crisis it is good to spread the wealth around at the expense of small businesses.

Obama gets 244.000.00 in tax free income
from some tax shelter. Shouldn’t he be for eliminating all tax free income?

msa123:
“Why is it that those with less can’t appreciate that there are those who took the extra risk and hard work to create jobs for you?”
To use Paul Newman’s words, they are not of high moral fiber.
.

Well, I guess what it boils down to is which end of the stick that you’re on. I’m sure you wouldn’t mind giving your hard earned money to your neighbor who doesn’t feel like working as hard as you do.
Why is it that those with less can’t appreciate that there are those who took the extra risk and hard work to create jobs for you? Why should there be no reward for that? Do you want everyone equal working in factories for the government or what is it you think is fair??
Posted by: msa123 | Oct 14, 2008 2:39:14 PM
—-
msa123,
The question is not that “the rich” or “the poor I” are not willing to help those even less fortunate. We do and do contribute in all different forms.
But, we do not want Zero-bama to take it by the force of his government through taxation, and then, he decides to whom it will be spread out.
This is the kind of individualism that the Constitution guarantees – used to be – but has been gradually taken away, including Zero-bama’s voting for allowing the government to spy on its citizens.

I love the smell of conservative fear in the mornings, it smells like…victory.

SandyB,
If you and your husband are making (meaning profiting after expenses) $250K, then you are one of the few small businesses that do. However, if you don’t make over $250K after expenses, then you would get a tax cut under Obama, but not under McCain.
As for those of you who think all that money is going to go straight to welfare people, you do not understand all the programs the Federal government funds. There are the miliary operations that are costing billions a month, there are roads and bridges that are falling apart, CIA, FBI, FEMA, FDA, etc. If you want safe bridges that don’t crash into rivers, people to monitor possible terrorist activities, or someone to help you out in a natural disaster, then the money comes from taxes.
The whole idea of the tax rebates that some people got earlier this year was to stimulate the economy by giving money to the people who could use the extra money to buy goods. The problem is that is a temporary influx of money. By reducing the taxes overall, people will have extra money to pay off debts and then money to pay for goods and services, which would then be a continuous influx of money into the economy. Giving tax breaks to oil companies making record profits and who still charge high prices is not going to help the lower and middle classes. Giving tax breaks to companies who ship jobs overseas will not help the lower and middle classes who are losing those jobs. Making the paychecks of the lower and middle classes go further will give them more expendable income that can be used to buy goods and services.

Lorry
Was he honest when he said he never vote against funding the troops ?
NO
Was John McCain honest durring the keating five ?
NO
Was John McCain honest in vietnam when he called American troops all those names ?
??
John Mccain would be honest if he said 110 million people will be worse off under mccain than they would be under obama !

Obama is not to be trusted in so many ways. Americans need to look past his rhetoric and start thinking about the realities.

Oh ya, I can see it now McCain supporters, you’re right, Obama is a communist!
It is all clear to me now!
YOU PEOPLE ARE PATHETIC! Did you even listen to the whole explanation of how it all works? Of course not, you simpletons only pick up on one silly line taken out of context that have become the talking points of you old fools FAILED CAMPAIGN!!
Good luck with that fools! Take a deep breath, look at the polls and say HELLO TO PRESIDENT OBAMA ON NOVEMBER 5th!!!!
Plus it isn’t getting any traction in the MSM because the “sound bite” is way to long!!!
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“As for me, I’d like a bit of the corporate socialism that enables oil companies to make billions in profits while at the same time we pay $4/gallon for gas”
Then move to Alaska Willie and get a check from Governor Palin.

D0: I agree with you 100%
It is sad when you know that you help your employees right and left, only to be told that you now better pay for their insurance too… and by the way, more taxes too. Somehow, Obama thinks that’s fair. In my opinion, he is fueling hatred between the classes instead of bringing people together.

William j peto…You are so funny! Obama might show up and vote PRESENT!

Democrats have always believed that if you give the poor a little money it will help them. It’s jobs that help people change their social status. Giving people money encourages them to stay poor.
Democrats claim they want to help the poor and the middle class. It should be obvious now that they want us to all stay middle class, or poor, so they can continue to ‘help’ us.
I will not take any handouts from the government, because I know that money was taken from someone who worked for it.

–Angie, why do you want “The Truth” to be cancelled? FOX News is the only one telling the truth during this election. Or maybe Obama paid supporters like you should be refained from expressing your lies and distortions–just like you want to shut down FOX.

Imagine that, a presidential candidate giving a detailed and nuanced answer to a specific question from a voter, including saying some things that the guy didn’t want to hear.

McCain speaks at one rally where ACORN was a co-sponsor.
Obama acted as ACORN’s attorney in lawsuits againsts state government, banks and lending agencies; worked as director for one of ACORN’s subsidiaries; trained ACORN volunteers; donated just under one million dollars to ACORN from his campaign funds for get out the vote efforts; and invites ACORN to participate in forming his White House agenda.
Yeah, I really see your point.

msa123
“It is sad when you know that you help your employees right and left, only to be told that you now better pay for their insurance too..”
John McCain think we all need to pay the banks face value for peoples homes… Weve got to pay to save the banks and then pay the banks more than the homes are worth ??? $350 Billion on top of the $700 billion bail out!
No thanks thats doing the same robbery twice!
McCains plan is crazy!

When Obama began campaigning, he tried to pass himself off as a moderate but the truth is trickling out. Obama’s statement, “spread the wealth around” was a slip of the tongue and extremely telling. That coupled with his past associates-friends are proof of his socialist ideology. If it walks like a duck…

Regrettably, the Republicans over 6 years in congress and senate and 8 years in the White House have almost destroyed America except for the very rich.
That’s really enough for now.
And good luck to the Democrats trying to clean up that mess the Republicans have left.

I think I’ve seen the light!!!
I will NOW vote for Obama!
I then can retire next year, although I will retire 30 years early. This is perfect!
Why work when someone else can pay my way. Maybe you guys are right all along.
Obama 08

Here ya go:
While there are many theoretical and practical differences among the various forms of Marxism, most forms of Marxism share these principles:
a belief that capitalism is based on the exploitation[3] of workers by the owners of the means of production
a belief that people’s consciousness of the conditions of their lives reflects the dominant ideology which is in turn shaped by material conditions and relations of production
an understanding of class in terms of differing relations of production, and as a particular position within such relations
an understanding of material conditions and social relations as historically malleable
a view of history according to which class struggle, the evolving conflict between classes with opposing interests, structures each historical period and drives historical change
a belief that this dialectical historical process will ultimately result in a replacement of the current class structure of society with a system that manages society for the good of all, resulting in the dissolution of the class structure and its support (more often than not including the nation state)

The comments on this story are quite telling. The majority of people are not backing Obama on this one.
He finally explained his lie about ’95% of people will get a tax cut’. He is talking about spreading the wealth. Watch for the Obama spin machine to try and backtrack on this statement. Of course the media, except for Fox News, will tell us how right he is but we can see the truth.
Keep telling us the truth Barack. It’s the best thing you can do for our nation.

MARY
First of all no one pays me to support obama and second FOX NEWS IS AN EMBARESSEMENT to tv I bet Fox and friends are brainwashing their viewers that Palin is Innocent and that its Obamas fault FOX NEWS IS A JOKE!

I have seen the light!
I will vote for Obama and retire next January!
Imagine, I can retire 30 years early thanks to Obama.
Obama 08

If every middle class American family had a friend like Tony Rezko (Obama’s) who could shell out $625,000 for his personnal benefit, maybe the middle class would stop gripping. Tony Rezko’s actions saved the Obama’s $300,000 in the purchase of a mansion they could not afford. That $300,000 is more than many, many homes are worth and he did not pay taxes (capital gains)on this nice freebie. Seems Obama has a different standard for himself than he has for most people and small business. He is corrupt.

Thomas Jefferson once wrote:
“The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.”
But by all means….spread the wealth to those whom choose not to work for it !!!

Sunshine,
I would be one of the ones who would get a tax cut since I make under the $250K. I am fully employed, highly degreed person. You must be one of Cindy McCain’s friends to think that anyone making under $250K is someone who is not working.

Keep the poor in their place, it’s the Republican way!

What Obama says makes clear sense. I mean going from 36% to 39% is not a huge deal when it helps %95 of American families. Have we become that selfish as a Nation that we say Screw the Middle Class and Working Class? With out the Middle and Working Class there would be no America!
OBAMA/BIDEN 08!!!

–Angie–thanks for your comment. We have different views of the needs for government and how people should live. I for one believe in self-relianance, hard work and honesty. You believe that big government should be hovering around to take care of your needs like housing, food, health care, education. And it sounds wonderful now but soon, very soon, you will loose your freedoms and the right to even vote.

When Obama began campaigning, he tried to pass himself off as a moderate but the truth is trickling out. Obama’s statement, “spread the wealth around” was a slip of the tongue and extremely telling.
Not only that but “Punish success”.
Just like his “my Muslim faith” slip. That’s what happens when Obama strays from a teleprompter. Obama got frustrate because the plumber wasn’t buying his fancy mumbo jumbo talk.
Posted by: geevill | Oct 14, 2008 3:08:37 PM
Right on geevill……..Obama make Biden look like a verbally impaired person!!! lol lol

Barak Obama is serving only his second term in the Illinois State Senate so he might be fairly charged with ambition, but the same might have be said of Bobby Rush when he ran against Congressman Charles Hayes. Obama also has put in time at the grass roots, working for five years as a community organizer in Harlem and in Chicago. When Obama participated in a 1996 UofC YDS Townhall Meeting on Economic Insecurity, much of what he had to say was well within the mainstream of European social democracy
Obama participated in a 1996 UofC YDS Townhall Meeting on Economic Insecurity, much of what he had to say was well within the mainstream of European social democracy

To all you people who think Obama won’t raise your taxes don’t you know that he intends to let the Bush tax cuts expire? This is happening very soon. So there is your tax increase right in front of your noses.
I always remember Bill Clinton saying right after he was elected that he tried so hard, so hard to give you poor folks a tax cut but circumstances prevent that from happening. At that point that red nose of his even grew longer. He had NO intentions of giving the lemmings who helped him get elected him a tax cut.
Don’t be so stupid and believe the Obamanation. He is a liar.
Colorado

Pretty much all politicians are liars Colorado. This is not news. -
The truth is we’ve had 8 years of Republicans in the White House coupled with 6 years of them in the senate and congress . … and look at the mess.
The rich are certainly MUCH richer – the rest of us … .
It’s just time to give the other liars a chance; the current ones have screwed up way too much.
America is nothing if not fair.

and Obama wants to take money from the middle class to give free health care to the people Michelle Obama and Axelrod turned away from the UofC Hospital.

I personally like the rats in Hollywood WAY better than the rats on Wall Street.
No contest.

What Obama says makes clear sense. I mean going from 36% to 39% is not a huge deal when it helps %95 of American families. Have we become that selfish as a Nation that we say Screw the Middle Class and Working Class? With out the Middle and Working Class there would be no America!
OBAMA/BIDEN 08!!!
Well put . .. to trivialize and dumb down the issue to “sucking money out of the rich so the poor can do nothing” is inaccurate, prejudiced and really dumb.

Obama: So what I’m doing is, put yourself back 10 years ago when you were only making whatever, 60 or 70. Under my tax plan you would be keeping more of your paycheck, you’d be paying lower taxes, which means you would have saved…Now look, nobody likes high taxes.”
—-
The problem with this argument is we can’t go back 10 years or so. Obama wants to tax the plumber more *now* to give a benefit to people that the plumber never got. The plumber managed to succeed, paid the (theoretically) higher rates, and now is being asked to pay higher rates again. Yet Obama doesn’t postulate why the plumber managed to succeed when others didn’t. He doesn’t explain how the plumber will, now that he is making more money, finally be able to save if he is also having to pay higher taxes (so others can save).
As Obama himself knows- and has talked about- your debts and expenses follow you through out the years. He has complained (Jake Tapper has reported it) about how much trouble he and his wife had paying off college debt, buying a house, paying a car loan, and saving money for his daughters’ college- all while he was making around $250,000+ himself.
Did the Obama of 2003 feel like he had a lot of money to spread around? He never talks like he did.

” think it absurd to think all those who have wealth “worked hard” for it. We hear how hard millionaire sports and entermainment figures who say how hard they worked to get where they got. That’s bull”
Are you a socialist too Indy_voter? because that’s exactly Obama’s point. it’s about “fairness”. Obama doesn’t want to “punish success” or “spread the wealth”, but he is doing it out of fairness. Just like his answer in the PA debate about capital gains tax increase. Obama would do it to millions of middle class out of fairness to 50 hedge fund managers.

Maybee….
All one has to do is look at what he gave to charity…..and when he had over a Million dollar income due to his book sales….he did not even give 10% to charity……he is a JOKEr out to steal your money for ACORN and his $1 Trillion dollar spending spree he is about to go on should he become elected.

Let me see. First something like 90% of small business would see no tax increase under Obama. His plan lays it out that many would actually receive tax breaks.
And let’s just use $250,000 as a taxable income, take off 39% and see what we’ve got.
Wow. $152,500 in tax-free CLEAR income after expenses, taxes etc.
Poor puppies.

Larry the money doesn’t go to other people.
It goes to the government to try to pay off all of the freaking debt the Republicans ran up. And to the military etc.
8 more years! Vote Republican!

Poor Mack, work harder.
Do you think you work harder than Zero-bama’s wife?
She makes over $350K, simply because her husband was elected to the US Senate. In reward to the employer who give her a warping 150% raise, her husband, employing his newly gained power, earmarked a cool $1 mil to the the employer for their generosity, which helped spreading the wealth.
Posted by: Atom | Oct 14, 2008 3:27:44 PM
——————————-
They just do not get it Atom……….
Poor silly Bots.

If anyone takes the time to read Obama’s entire response to the plumber’s question, you’ll see its an intelligent answer that makes a lot of sense.
It is the Republican spin doctors (and lazy media) who will pull out the one phrase and repeat it endlessly.
And then tack on all the demonizing nonsense as a bonus. “Commie”, “Terrorist”, “White Hater” “Destroyer of America”, “Corrupt” and the personal insults about his wife . …. etc.
Strangely shallow politics.

I agree with the following posting:
“Basically, Zero-bama tells voters that if you vote for him, he will give you (95% of the population according to him) money.” posted by dO at Oct 14 2:01:06 PM
This is the same as buying votes.
Shame on anyone who buys into it for their own purposes.

Canadians are justifiably proud of their health care system. Nobody goes without health care – it is a right in one of the wealthiest societies in the world.
My brother lives in Canada. Recently he waited a short 8 weeks for a hip transplant – a major operation. This is what the rich in Canada have been complaining about – an 8 week wait for a hip. My brother had no trouble waiting 8 weeks. And he has a new hip under Canadian health care.
Please don’t believe what the right wing in America writes about Canadian health care.
And make no mistake – the vast majority of Canadians are very proud of their system.

“Matthew Dowd, a prominent political consultant and chief strategist for George W. Bush’s reelection campaign eviscerated John McCain on Tuesday for his choice of Sarah Palin as vice president.
Dowd proclaimed that, in his heart of hearts, McCain knew he put the country at risk with his VP choice and that he would “have to live” with that fact for the rest of his career.”

Pefros…..so by all FAIR measurements…
Both candidates are shady and neither should be running for office….then what do your propose???

UPC clearly we’ve had 8 years of Republicans in the White House and 6 of those with Republicans in the senate and the congress . .. and look at the mess.
McCain voted 90% with George W. Bush.
I would suggest giving ‘the other guys’ a chance. The Democrats are not demons, neither is Obama or Biden. Fair is fair; after this mess it’s their turn.

OK, we have Obama’s conversation with a real plumber. Now let’s have McCain’s conversations with the pretend “Plumber,” G. Gordon Liddy of Watergate fame.

Mack,
You pay a pathetic 21% in taxes on your salary, yet Zero-bama wants to raise those who pay 36%. You, and Zero-bama, call it a tax break if he did not raise it to 39%?
Why don’t you start paying 36% in tax before you enchant it is not Karlism.

d0…..
The point that is being made is that if you guys would pull your heads out of the “I am going to get 95% people a tax cut” speech and look at the entire set of FACTS……
Obama’s tax increase on 63% of small businesses, remember small businesses make up 75% of the US Economy, this tax increase will weaken the economy and hurt the very people he is proclaiming to help!!!
Mark my words, Obama is going to increase your taxes. Remember when Clinton swore up and down he would not increase taxes, what did he do in the very first 1-2 months of taking office??? Do you seriously not think Obama is going to do this? How is he going to afford his almost $1 Trillion in spending?????

I’ll keep giving Obama my vote so long as he finds more successful people from whom to take and give to me.

Every Global business in the country will pack up their HAQ’s and move them overseas where corporate taxes are lower – taking their jobs with them.
You don’t think so? They have already done it with their manufacturing and many other jobs, what’s to stop the HQ’s? Think about it people, business go into business to make money, not to give half or more to the government to spread around.
Global Businesses will leave this country! In this global economy with high tech, businesses moving HQ’s to another country is a hell of a lot easier than you think!
The government will lose billions of dollars they are currently getting from these large global companies!

d0….my point was that he will increase taxes….not really a jab at Clinton, just stating that Clinton a hell of a lot smarter and tons of more experience and did it……
I am not sure about peace though…..firts Trade Center bombings, bombing of US Embassies in African and bombing of USS Cole were all under his watch….I really do not believe that 9/11 was put together in merely 9 months either, the amount of time Bush was in office when it happened…….
I am guessing the Terrorist were banking on the US not doing anything in return because we really didn’t do anything to answer those other attacks either.
Not exactly peaceful in my book no matter how one chalks it up!!

I make way more than $250,000 per year and am still voting for Obama, so are most of my colleagues who also earn way more than $250k. Obama is light-years ahead of McCain on every issue, we need smart leadership in the White House after these last 8 disastrous years. From what I can tell virtually all of the right-wing nuts who whine about Obama’s tax plan are part of the 95% of the population who will get a tax cut. The demographics suggest the same with Obama having the overwhelming majority of high-income earners support.

Clearly we’ve had 8 years of Republicans in the White House and 6 of those with Republicans in the senate and the congress . .. and look at the mess.
McCain voted 90% with George W. Bush.
To hell with rich Americans who decide to leave the country if their taxes are raised. Country First . . . who needs that kind of patriot. Freeze their bank accounts.

RickJ – are you serious? It’s still socialism and you’re fine with it? OMG! Way to teach the youth of America that hard-work and good pay WILL BE SHARED with welfare recipients!

Is there a high amount of interest in offshore accounts .. you damn right there is and PROPS TO YOU!!

“I make way more than $250,000 per year and am still voting for Obama, so are most of my colleagues who also earn way more than $250k. Obama is light-years ahead of McCain on every issue, we need smart leadership in the White House after these last 8 disastrous years. From what I can tell virtually all of the right-wing nuts who whine about Obama’s tax plan are part of the 95% of the population who will get a tax cut. ”
I think you have a good observation here JD, the people complaining about Obama’s progressive tax plans on here are probably not people earning over $250,000 but some kind of obsessive and probably not that well off supporters who cling to their doctrine like a bible.
Who wants more of the Republicans? Good grief! We’ve had enough for a while, give it a break.

Obama is all smoke and mirrors
Clinton promised tax cuts for middle class too in the elections and that lasted all of 25 days into his admisnistration before he reniged of it.
His figures that 90% of small businesses are making less that $250K are completely misleading. Depending on the industry a small business can be up to 2,000 employees. Most industry classes are 500. If you’re emoploying 400 or 500 hundred people and only netting $250K a year you’re not going to be in business for long. The vast majority of the 90% below $250 are more accurately called self employed folk like myself who incorporated only to save form being taxed twice. Keeping me from going out of business only saves one job. Punishing the 10% of small businesses at the top will endager thousands of existing jobs and stifle creation on thousands more.
Any way you dance around the numbers it’s income re-distrobution which has NEVER worked in thousands of historical case studies. Like my statistics teacher said back in college. “figures never lie but liars sure can figure”

Bottom line: Obama is going to take more money from the guy in taxes.
The foundation of a Socialist state is to “spread the wealth around” -
Socialists believe that wealth should not be concentrated in the possession of a few members of a society (”few” being a relative term), and they believe that only the government should be able to determine how much is “enough” and how much is “too much.” The Socialists view it as the duty of the wealthy to support the non-wealthy.

OOOOOh, just say the words “spread the wealth” and the knee-jerk reactions explode. He wasn’t talking about spreading the wealth for welfare or homeless. He was speaking about middle class earnings not being taxed as highly so that they would have more money to spend to keep this whole economic engine going.
And I suppose the same people are against his health care plan because you LIKE your cost doubling every couple of years and heaven forbid we have a universal health plan like all the other top countries because you would call that Socialist and it would be better to watch our Health Care system go down the tubes then change.
Good grief people, wake-up. Get over those worn out “ism” freakouts. We need new policies for a modern world and what we’ve been doing is not working.

Good Grief. Does everyone want someone that says,
Everyone gets a tax cut, like “everyone gets candy!” Are we a bunch of spoiled baby’s that can’t be told that some people will need to pay taxes? Altering which people pay a little more and which will pay a little less, is that really an issue? Or do we really want to hear grandpa say “candy for everyone!” Grand parent’s jobs sometimes are to spoil the grand kids and give them whatever they want. I don’t think, with the economy as it is, we need everyone to get candy from grandpa.

When Obama lets all the Bush tax cuts expire that is a tax increase on us all.
And then when the other “distribute the wealth” taxes of Obama kick in….
Question: How soon after he is inaugurated should I start wearing my “Don’t Blame Me, I Didn’t Vote for Obama” t-shirt?

And after your “No more Republicans. 8 years was enough!” t-shirt is done.

ubu apparently the tax plan will raise your taxes from 36% to 39%
- that’s if you have a business left after what the Republicans have done to the country with 8 years in the White House and 6 years in congress and the senate.

BIG BUSINESS GET READY TO MOVE OUT OF THIS COUNTRY …TAXES WILL BE TOO HIGH…ME AND MR OBAMA HAVE A PLAN FOR YOU …SO BETTER GET PACKING NOW AND GET THAT BUSINESS ALL READY TO MOVE OUT…
DONT FORGET THOUGH, THE NEW LIBERAL TAX TARIFF LAWS WILL BE IN PLACE THAT WILL TAX (500%) YOU FOR LEAVING , AND ADDITIONALLY BUSINESSES THAT LEAVE THIS COUNTRY AND ATTEMPT TO IMPORT PRODUCTS BACK INTO THE USA WILL PAY A 500% TARIFF TOO .SOUND GOOD? THATS JUST THE START…
ALSO, I HOPE ALL THE BUSINESSES THAT LEAVE ENJOY THE POLITICAL CLIMATE IN FRANCE ,HAITI ,VENEZUELA OR RUSSIA OR WHEREVER THEY MOVE ,AND THE HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED INFRASTRUCTURE IN SOUTH AMERICA AND EASTERN EUROPE. OR MAYBE AFRICA, THERES A WONDERFUL PLACE TO OPERATE YOUR DREAM “PAY NO TAXES” BUSINESS…JUST WATCH OUT FOR THOSE PIRATES…OH WAIT ,YOULL NEED YOUR OWN NAVY AND AIR FORCE AND ARMY TOO…WELL SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN …GOOD LUCK! (and good riddance)
hey and dont worry about the business you thought we couldnt live without.. we will start up a new business here in the good ol usa that will put you and your haitian wooden arrow company out of business pronto…

bah
sounds good to me. I liked it better with smaller businesses anyway.

hypocrisy… thy name is McCain
William Timmons, the Washington lobbyist who John McCain has named to head his presidential transition team, aided an influence effort on behalf of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to ease international sanctions against his regime.
The two lobbyists who Timmons worked closely with over a five year period on the lobbying campaign later either pleaded guilty to or were convicted of federal criminal charges that they had acted as unregistered agents of Saddam Hussein’s government.
During the same period beginning in 1992, Timmons worked closely with the two lobbyists, Samir Vincent and Tongsun Park, on a previously unreported prospective deal with the Iraqis in which they hoped to be awarded a contract to purchase and resell Iraqi oil.
Timmons, Vincent, and Park stood to share at least $45 million if the business deal went through.
- Timmons’ activities occurred in the years following the first Gulf War, when Washington considered Iraq to be a rogue enemy state and a sponsor of terrorism. His dealings on behalf of the deceased Iraqi leader stand in stark contrast to the views his current employer held at the time.

how can anyone not be impressed with obama?
he has risen up in THIS RACIST HOLE to be a respectful man of knowledge and shows me more and more he is EXACTLY what this country needs at present.
i was and still am a clintonite, mr obama isnt my first choice but he is a fine choice indeed ,as he is showing day to day. good for you mr Obama , its about time!! mr obama and his campaign clearly have and show more ethics and morals than the low brow republicans and thats what stings them the most i think ,a gracious intellectual black man who is smarter and more charismatic than any republican since TR.

Let’s all learn and move ahead, not demonizing each other.

This was a cogent, compassionate and understandable answer to this fellow’s question, even knowing that this guy will likely not vote for him.
Most of the people whining about their taxes being raised under an Obama administration would actually receive a tax cut, I suspect.
Also, there seems to be a big misconception about gross income versus taxable profit. Just because you pull in gross receipts in a small business over $250K, it does NOT mean you’re going to be taxed on all that! Wages paid, depreciation, expenses, etc. are deducted against income on your return. If your net income after all of this is over $250k a year, you need to stop whining and be a responsible citizen.
I am enjoying watching the dittoheads on this comment board work themselves into a lather.

Which is the greater threat to democracy? Republicans who attempt to have people whose homes have been foreclosed on thrwon off voting rolls or the likelihood that Tony Romo will show up to vote in Vega or Mickey Mouse in Orlando?

Obama REALLY, REALLY cares about the working family and what he just outlined is amazing. It makes common sense and i feel if one doesnt agree then one hasnt heard obama speak about it entirely or is intentionally being ignorant to the fact.

I usually refrain from posting to blogs like this because, lets face it, most of the people who post to them aren’t really interested in hearing other peoples’ opinions but only in having other people hear their opinions. But, as a novelty experience for most of the posters, I would like all of you to listen to really pay attention to what I am about to write.
I am a software developer. So, I’m not a physical laborer. But, I do work 60 hours or more a week. Sometimes 40, sometimes 70, but on average about 60 hours. I don’t get paid by the hour, I have a flat salary. But, sometimes the job needs to get done regardless of how much time I’ve put in already. If the product I’m developing doesn’t work and the company can’t sell it, then I’m in trouble. So, better to give some of my time free than to lose my job, right?
I make about $48K a year…$52K or so including my end of year performance bonus.
On top of that, I am a full time student. I go to school three nights a week from 5pm to 8pm. So, that’s another 9 hours in class and then about 4 hours a day of homework and research.
So, to do the math for you guys: that’s 60 hours of work, 9 hours in classes, and 28 hours of homework/research, or, about 97 hours.
Now, like most Americans, I don’t live within walking distance of school or work. So, it takes me about 1 hour to drive to work or college and another hour back. That’s 10 hours on the road every week.
Now, I am up to 107 hours.
Because I’m human, there are certain physical needs I just can’t deprive my body of… sleep for instance. So, I sleep about 6 hours a night. That’s 42 hours of sleep.
107 + 42 = 149.
Ok, there are 24 hours in a day and 7 days in a week for a total of 168 hours in a week. I’ve just described what 149 of those hours are spent doing: something I physically must do (sleeping), working, and attempting to better myself. So, that leaves me with 168 – 149 = 19 hours a week. Or, ~2.71 hours a day.
Now, I am a single guy and am buying a house. I haven’t given myself time for laundry, keeping my house clean, washing my car, maintaining my yard (it is a law that a yard can’t have a weed in it in the city where I live). But, I have ~2.71 hours a day left over. I probably put about 1.5 hours a day into upkeep of everything, on average. That leaves me about ~1.2 hours a day. Just enough time to have some coffee, get a shower, and wake up good before I head out in the morning.
There it is, my week. Notice all the time I have free to do stuff like going out, relaxing, etc.? It really isn’t there is it?
Now, to get to the real point here. In the near future I will probably be promoted where I work and be making somewhere between $70K and $80K. Then, a couple more years will pass and I may be promoted again. So, lets say that 10 years from now I am making $120K. So, I’ve sacrificed all of my free time and pushed myself to do well. Finally, it pays off and I save enough money to open my own software development firm and get out from under my bosses.
Should I have to give everything I make away now? Obama made a point to the plumber that sounded good: “If you would have had lower taxes, you could have started your business sooner.” Yes, that is true, but what Obama didn’t say was this, “But, Mr. Plumber, let me ask you this, ‘If you had known before you worked so hard to build a business that you would be making less profit from the business than you are, would you have still pushed yourself to start the business?’” You see, that is what most people don’t think about. Why should I start a business if, in the end, I am going to have it all taken from me and “spread” to other people? I would be much better off just working for someone else.
I am looking at this all now, and wondering if I will even keep trying if Obama gets into office. Why should I do without now if there is no incentive for me in the future? I can just go into government housing now, make a little money, use it to do what I want and have the government..I mean the tax payers…pay for everything for me.
You see, I agree with what a couple of the people said earlier, but disagree with the long-term consequences of things. Yes, it is true that what Obama wants to do is not socialism. But, it is only not socialism because even under his plan everyone is not “equal” financially. However, if we continue on the path he would embark on, we will BECOME socialist.
As a simple example:
Lets say the average $250K plus business has one employee who makes $100K / year after taxes. This person is their best employee, been with the company from the beginning, etc.
Lets say the business I own makes $250K.
Now, so people understand, what “makes” means, in terms of a business, is that the business has made a PROFIT of $250K. The business itself may have filtered $5 Billion through it, but, in the end, the total worth of the business is $250K greater than the year before (that’s after paying all the employees).
Obama charges small businesses just a little more now…%36 changes to %39. That %3 is given to people less well off through tax cuts, etc.
So, at what point will the business owner be making what one of his employees makes?
Well, you have an employee who makes $100K (after taxes) and your business makes $250K.
You pay %39 in taxes. You netted a profit of $152,500 after paying the 39%.
So, you are still doing better than your employee. But, at what point wouldn’t you?
This is why socialism doesn’t work and why we should try our hardest to stay clear of anything which even smells socialist. Under socialism, everyone is “equal”, which means people who won’t better themselves, not can’t but won’t, are entitled to just as much of my money as I am.
Personally, I am completely against this and I believe the vast majority of the American public is as well. I admit that there are some people with real handicaps (no legs, no arms, blind) that need some help from us. But, I refuse to help those people who are just too damn lazy to help themselves. I work hard for what I get and I expect everyone else to do the same.

Gee, now I want to work harder to become more successful, knowing that the excess fruits of my labor are not going into my own selfish pocket, but into the hands of everyone else who is not as successful as me. Once I make above a certain amount, I’m providing for their families as well as my own.

If Obama raises the marginal tax rate on income above 250,000 to 39% from 36%, the difference in tax paid isn’t that much for the plumber. Let’s say he’s really successful, and makes 300,000 in his new business. His taxes under the current system are 300,000 x 36% = 108,000 so the guy takes home 192,000 – a nice sum. Under Obama’s plan, his taxes would be 250,000 taxed at 36% and the next 50,000 taxed at 39% for a total tax bill of 109,500 — an increase of 1500. The plumber still takes home 190,500. It doesn’t seem to me that $1500 is enough to discourage the plumber from doing better for himself and his family. Agreed, it isn’t a trivial amount, but not enough to make him pass up buying the business he’s considering. Put another way – his average tax rate would rise from 36% to 36.5%… it’s just not that bad.

To FLA:
I completely agree with you that Obama’s current plan is not “that bad”. Sure, it’s only an overall .5% increase in the plumber’s taxes. But, that is not the total issue.
The problem is that if we keep saying, “Well, a .5% increase isn’t that bad” where will it stop? Next year it goes up another .5%…then the next..then the next.. When is enough enough? That was my point that Obama’s plan isn’t socialism but, if we keep following the “well, it’s only another .5%” mentality, eventually it will be better to work for a business than to own one.
It is much better to nip the problem in the bud now than to wait until everyone is slowly taught to believe that socialism is good for everyone. It’s not, it’s only good for those people who are too sorry to take care of themselves. I say that is a perfect example of Darwinism at work and we should let it take its course.

When will the right wing realize that everyone should pay their own way? They all talk about personal responsibility but eagerly take what they can from the public trough. I wish I made $250,000. I would gladly pay another 3% to help make our country great.
Republicans used to stand for truth and fiscal responsibility. Now it’s a twisted form of greed.

If you are history buff, especially political history, you’ll notice the funny thing is that between the 1940s and 1960s the Democratic and Republican parties basically switched sides. All the things the Republicans used to stand for are what Democrats stand for now and the other way around too. I’m from Georgia, and it makes me laugh to think that we used to be a mostly Democratic state and now we are known as a mostly Republican state. It’s funny because the views of most of the people haven’t really changed, just the views of their parties. I sometimes wonder if people forget that Abraham Lincoln was a Republican, since all the things he did would be considered very Democratic today. Personally, I’m an independent. I believe in a lot of Democratic ideals but not that hard workers should be punished for working.
I mean how many of you would quit your jobs tomorrow if your boss walked in and said, “I’ve noticed that you stand out from the other employees. You stay late to get things done and really go above and beyond. Since you get so much work done, I don’t really need to hire anyone else. But, I know a guy who can really use a job. He doesn’t work much, but he deserves a chance. So, I am happy to inform you that I am going to cut your pay by 10% and give that to him. He’ll be happy to have it, and since your work is so good, you’ll be able to do your work and his with no problem. See you tomorrow!”
Basically, that is what raising taxes on small businesses is doing. They work hard, so the “boss” will just cut their pay and give it to someone else who won’t work. It makes me sick that so many people think that’s ok.

Funny – it’s the people who don’t make the 250K now who wants “re-distribution of wealth”. We already pay 65% of the taxes collected and now we have to pay more. At my age, I look back to 20 years of hard work and 60 hour work weeks to get to where I am today and it makes me sick that others should further benefit from me. Obama has a plan to send “refunds” to people who aren’t even paying taxes now, that to me is welfare! Wake up America, it took me 20 years to get comfortable, if you’re young, you can look forward to it – work hard for yourself, don’t expect it, earn it!

OBAMA JUST DOESN’T GET IT. HE’S SO OUT OF TOUCH WITH MIDDLE AMERICA. I LOVE HOW HE SAYS, HE’S NOT PUNISHING THOSE THAT SUCCEED, BUT WANTS TO TAKE THEIR HARD EARNED PROFIT AND SPREAD IT TO THOSE WHO DON’T WORK! GOD HELP US IF OBAMA BECOMES PRESIDENT. HE’S BAD FOR AMERICA! THINK, PEOPLE THINK!

Whatever you feel about this issue, can we please check our math!
If you made $275,000/year, under Obama’s plan, there would be NO CHANGE in the taxes on the first $250,000. There would be a 3% increase only on the $25,000 beyond that. So, at whatever the current “Bush” tax rate is, this will mean this person is paying an extra $750/year. That’s it.
It is NOT a 3% tax increase on the whole amount, only that which exceeds $250,000.

Ok, so after listening to Obama’s comments all I have to do is think back 10 or 12 years ago and pretend that’s my circumstance now and I won’t feel so bad about paying more in taxes. That’s Obamas plan!

Jesus was a carpenter but it took a plumber from Ohio to save us from socialism and rebuild our faith in what makes America great. Thank you, Joe Wurzelbacher! We learned more from your follow up conversation with Neil Cavuto than months of political rhetoric on both sides. You said Obama’s ideas sounded like socialism, and the government shouldn’t tell you how much money you can make. I understand that people who don’t want to work will vote for Obama – I get that – but I don’t understand why people who work hard every day will vote for him? Hard working Americans don’t expect a hand-out – just get out of the way and support us as we pursue our dreams!

OMG – you’re wrong and Aubrey is right. That doesn’t mean I don’t think Obama’s tax policies aren’t attempting to redistribute wealth – I do and think they will be disasterous. The truth is bad enough – we don’t need people mis-stating or exaggerating.
Someone making $10 million, pays the same amount of tax as someone making $10,000 on the first $8,025 of income (10%) Your tax bracket refers to the percentage of tax you pay on your “last dollar.”
Here’s a question for all Obama supporters though: Do you really believe you will not pay more taxes while he is in the White House?

OMG, Obama is the biggest liar on the face of the planet. Either that or he’s a moron.
At the very end, he tells Joe Wurzelbacher that he (Obama) will eliminate capital gains taxes for small businesses. Then he says that if the plumber grows his business from $250k to $500k, he won’t pay any tax on that and he might pay less taxes under Obama’s plan then under McCain’s.
Is he stupid? Capital gain is a profit from a capital investment (stocks, bonds, or real estate). If Mr. Wurzelbacher’s business grows to where it makes $500k a year, it will still be taxed. It is not a capital gain, but normal business income.
Obama is blowing smoke again.

Ollie, so you are in favor of the flat tax or consumption tax? Because that’ the only way 44% of the American public will “pay their own way.” you see, right now 44% have no federal income tax liability at all… They pay for nothing.

To all of you calling Obama’s plans socialist, please actually look the term up and see what it means. Taxes are essentially the payment one makes to live in a civilized society. Eight more years of robbing the poor to feed the rich and we will end up with a revolution on our hands. All of you worried about a tiny tax increase can enjoy the wealth for a few years longer until a mob burst into your large home and kills you. Have some long term perspective, please. When those on the bottom do well, we all do well. Remember the Clinton bottom up years? Much better than the insanity now.

There are many factors to consider in this conversation. First of all is Joe a Corporation? If so, a “C” or”S”? Is the income he is referring to gross or net? When he buys the buys the busines, what is he buying? Assets? Goodwill? shares of a corporation? The point is, Joe should talk to his tax advisor to determine what his tax situation will be.

why is he talking to us in childs analagies, third grade?

Mccain DID NOT once say the words MIDDLE CLASS!!!

If Joe can afford to buy his company, and has to pay 3% more taxes and the economy improves under a better administration, then Joe will likely see better sales growth. It is worth it for Joe to spend 3% more and get 15-20% more in pre-tax profit. In other words, I might get another house and hire Joe to do the new plumbing that it requires, and Joe will make more. But, under the current tactics of this administration I might have to sell the house at a loss, and Joe makes no more additional money from me.

You all forget McCain is not only old but SICK he won’t last 4 years and GOD HELP us all if he did win and pass on an leave socker mom Cheney with lipstick incharge

No mention of Joanna Plumber in the debate tonight. I think BO answered Joe’s questions about the SBT (small business tax) very clearly. 3% isn’t that bad. I am a small business under 250K.

Many of you have mentioned that you have problem with ‘spreading the wealth’? I call it paying a fair share. Wouldn’t it be great if we didn’t HAVE to pay taxes? But, that is not so… gone is the time that we take care of our neighbors and voluntarily give each other a hand up. We are too full of greed and selfishness. What makes you think that because someone doesn’t make 250,000 that they ‘don’t work’. I know people that work 10 hours a week and make 250,000 and I know people that work 50 hours per week and only make 25,000. If we are fortunate enough to be earning 250,000, we enjoy living a comfortable life. Why are we so against giving another human being working equally hard a handup? I don’t mind paying a little extra to make it easier for someone else not as fortunate.

Joe will not pay tax on revenue. He will pay tax on his net profit. If he would be netting over $250,000, good for him. He should pay the tax and get on his knees and thank the Lord for the opportunity.

None of my business, but Joe plumber is buying a business during bad times. It is pretty obvious that it will be a long time before the building industry recovers, which is where the money is at. I doubt that he would be making $250,000 a year doing repairs. Also, the fact that the business is making that much now, certainly doesn’t indicate that it would during, what looks to me like, another great depression.
Joe plumber seemed to be well prepared with his American Dream argument but, if he is serious, he doesn’t have a clue about running a business.
Kinda smells like an old Republican trick to me…G:

Its ridiculous to accuse Obama of being a socialist when he’s talking about taxes — taxes are a necessary evil of any advanced nation. I happen to be someone who makes over $250K a year and have no problem being in a higher tax bracket, because I feel very lucky to make what I do — remember when Obama says that’s what the tax rate USED to be before Bush lowered it. Obama also said that he’d have to see Joe The Plumber’s financials to know how he would really fare, but I bet that Joe is talking about revenue not net profit. Its likely that his taxes won’t go up at all.

According to the most recent (2006) data released by the IRS,
top 1% of filers paid nearly 40% of all income taxes!
top 5% paid 60% of all income taxes!
The bottom 50% paid virtually no income taxes (3 percent of all income taxes paid).
People need to be held responseable for their actions and if you choose to drop out of highschool you shouldn’t get at tax break. If your not making enough money to support your lifestyle you need to make changes in your life.
Senator Obama & Biden have made choices in their lives and you have a window into how they view personal finance by looking at their tax returns. Joe Biden tax returns shows a man who is in debt up to his hair plugs. Biden’s 2007 returns shows $99 of taxable interest and no dividends but a tax deduction of $38,712 interest paid on his house loan and Senator Biden’s 2007 AGI was $319,853. Senator Obama’s 2007 tax returns shows $1,442 of taxable interest and $45,851 tax-exempt interest and a AGI of $4,238,165. Senator Obama took every deduction he could to reduce his personal tax liability. Senator Obama and Biden had know dividends or capital gains. I could also go on about charitable giving or how Senator Obama cashed in a 401k or 403b earlier in the decade. Why doesn’t Senator Obama lead by example? Give up the tax exemptions and sell the munnies and buy taxable t-bills if he doesn’t want to own evil company stocks that pay dividends and might also have a capital gains when you sell. Also Senator Obama & Biden could Spread the wealth around by giving more to charity. Come on Joe you can give more than $350 a year and Senator Obama you should give more to make up for those earlier year.

Assuming that Joe wasn’t confusing revenue with net income and he’s really making $250K – 280K after expenses, then his tax would go up by less than $1000. His income above $250K (i.e. $0 to $30K) would be taxed at a higher rate of 39% instead of the current 36%.

MarioD
If you want to make more money there are several ways to get their and sometimes you have to go backwards to move forward. But a good a good start is to set goals for yourself and then come up with a plan to meet those goals. Education is a key to more money. Look at getting a degree that leads to a job ie: engineering, CPA, lawyer, doctor, etc. A degree in social studies will not cut it. If you don’t want to get a college degree then you can take the risk of opening your own business and work hard to build that business. You can also increase what you make by having multiple jobs. You then need to be wise with your money and don’t spend it on junk that just going to end up in the trash. Live bellow you means and you will be able to save and invest but Senator Obama want to take that money and give to others. I should read the “Millinare Next Door” because it will change the way you think about money and what people earn. High income does not mean a person is wealthy look at Joe Biden’s tax returns. His personal finances suck. Save and invest and have diverse assests. You can also take home more by reducing your taxes but remember to give to charities because its good for the soul and you get to chose how your money is spent and what it was spent on.

TXAggie93,
I know what to do but voting for war freak McCain is not what I’m going to do. Obama’s plan is no different than what Bill Clinton did when we were economically strong.

At the end of the day, the tax cut proposed by Obama will also help those businessmen with income above $250M because with the same amount of payroll they pay to their employee, the employee with income less than $250M has more money to keep. Not bad idea right!

Obama tells the truth, even when people don’t agree with him.
Obama’s does the most for the most people while hurting those most vulnerable the least. A 3% tax increase for people making over $250,000 is not the end of the world fore anyone.

Well, I guess I am considered POOR, or at least Lower Middle Class, eventhough I don’t feel I am. I make less than 35K a year ( working full-time and part- time) No I don’t own a house. No, I can’t afford a car (well I could, but right now I don’t want to). But guess what? I do have a college education (BS from PSU) I also work as hard, or harder than many people earning the big bucks. Now, I didn’t go into a high tech field, or medicine, and I dropped out of the Hospitality Management field which my degree is in (after 12 years I had had enough of management). But guess what, I am better off now working hourly, than I was saleried and spending money on clothes for work. Some of you think that hard work = $$$$. Not necessarily so. It all depends on what you do. While it would be nice to have a higher income, I don’t want the additional burdens that come with it. I love not being wired to a job 24/7. I don’t bring either of my jobs home with me. Oh, by the way I am 45 and single ( being car-less, I probably will remain single)I feel fortunate that I have enough to eat, adequate shelter to live in, and my health is pretty good. I am also going to vote for Obama. I was originally in the Hillary Camp, but she didn’t get the nomination. I feel much better about Obama, than I did 4 years ago with Kerry.
Sure taxes will probably go up ( regardless of who gets in, the country is in the toilet). Hopefully at the end of the next 8 years, we will be in a much better position.

@FLA:
“Have you ever wondered why, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, we have inflation and high taxes?”
Seriously? Like they have a magic lever to pull, and then inflation just goes down?

Having owned my own small business, I know that my taxable income, on paper after expenses, was about a third of my gross income. I honestly don’t know if Joe meant he made 250 thousand before of after expenses. If it was before, then he will get a tax cut. If he actually does make 250 after expenses, then yes, he is rich, by most American’s standards. That kind of income really does put him in the single digit percentile. I wish I was in that boat.

I saw the interview Diane Sawyer had with Joe the Plumber this morning on Good Morning America. Joe feels that successful rich people should not be penalized for being successful, but Joe let me ask you this. Should i be penalized becasue i only make $9.00 per hour at my job and $8.25 per hour at my second? No. My husband also works and between us we don’t make even $50,000 per year. It is a sturggle to pay bills and feed my kids. But yet people like you who charge people like us about $15 to $20 per hour for work done don’t want to be penalized. But you are only successful because you charge people more than their income can afford. Like i said between my husband and I we don’t make $50,000 per year but yet we don’t qualify for certain programs like food stamps to supplement our income. So, yes, i think you should be penalized for being successful. Why should people like my husband and i have to pay higher taxes when we can’t even afford the essentials of every day life? You can. We struggle every day wondering how our bills are going to get paid. Sure we manage to pay them, but we don’t have the luxuary you have of having money left at the end of each month. We live pay check to pay check with barely anything left to put gas in our vehicles to get to work. And you are complaining because you will have to pay higher taxes. Does your family want for anything that you cannot afford to buy? I doubt it. If you make $250,000 after taxes then you are considered rich so pay the taxes and quit complaining. Congratulations on being successful but that is the price you pay. I am successful too, but i don’t make half as much money as you do and i have to pay outrageous taxes so why shouldn’t you. It almost feels like i am being penalized for not making $250,000 per year. Is that fair?

I still think instead of the bail out. They should have divided the money among voters and let US biuld up the economy. After all we are the ones paying for it.

So Joe learns a trade, has to pay overhead, payroll taxes, health care, maintain his vehicles, employee and vehicle insurance, pay his home mortgage, and business mortgage and now has to share that because your making $9.00 an hour. It kind of confirms my suspicions, most people who earn below a living wage, would love to have those who busted their buns pay their way. While people like Joe get called out on holidays, nights and weekends away from their families, they should charge more. If you have a problem with that then start your own business and you can make the same money.
Blame the government for your situation, not those like Joe.
Maybe those making $9 and hour should share some of their wealth with those making $5 an hour.
As long as we continue to share, there is no need to get an education to better yourself as long as the freebies are coming in.
Lets all those who work 10 to 14 hours a day or more, pool the money together and share it with everyone. Kumbaya.
I worked two jobs, put myself through school as much as I could, have worked 18 hours a day and more, going without sleep on many occassions, and I am supposed to share it with those who make less. Not asking, nor given any assistance to get ahead,when I am told I now must share because I went to the trouble of advancing myself, I resent it it to the max! I will share it with those I want to, not those who feel they deserve a seat at my table and take a slice of my pie.

Everyone needs to kool it. Number 1. don’t punish someone who trys to get a head in life. If your not teahcing that to your kids – well you got the problem.
2. You never got a job in the welfare line.
3. Government has some cushy jobs – when they actually start working for their money than I will appreciate how and what they tell me to do with mine. They need to get of their buts and not punish a person for working hard and trying to be well of.
4. I find it hard to believe people are just flat out jealous of Joe the plumber – he learned a trade and works hard – you people out their that don’t like that —-you get up and beter your self and quite blaming people.
5. I COULD BE JUST A MOM – BUT YOU SEE I GET UP AND TRY TO MAKE MY LIFE BETTER. I WORK AND WORK HARD ———–I COULD JUST SIT AROUND TALKING ABOUT MAKING PIES OR WHATS ON THE OPARAH SHOW. BUT I DON’T THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAZY PEOPLE AND ONES THAT TRY. YES I BELIEVE PEOPLE HAVE IT HARD BUT AT THE END OF THE YEAR —-YOU GET MONEY BACK .
IF I REMAIN BROKE THEN THAT IS MY FATE – BUT DON’T BLAME THE ONES THAT MAKE IT YOU CAN NOT TAX SMALL BUSINESSES.

Juliet – earned income tax credit….. A friend of mine did get more back than paid in…… more than one year!!!

First of all, this “pseudo” tax cut of Obama’s isn’t really a tax cut. Keep up people. Joe the Plumber got the best tax cut he’s gonna get in 2003 when Bush cut taxes across the board. If Joe were making 50,000 at that time, he saw a 3,000/yr decrease in his taxes from the Clinton years. OBAMA IS GOING TO LET THE BUSH TAX CUTS EXPIRE IN 2010. That means Joe, at $50,000/year will see an automatic tax increase of $3,000. Then, Obama will give him (as per his web site) a $1,000 tax cut. JOE WILL STILL SEE A TAX INCREASE OF $2,000/YR. EVEN AFTER OBAMA’S TAX “CUT”. Are you people just stupid, or can you not read, or do you just not pay attention??? Keep on being that way, and watch this country go down the tubes.

joe could look at a higher tax rate as compensation to the system for allowing him to be so successful. selfish joe.

My son is 17 and wants a car. I told him if he wanted a car he had to get a job and last night was his first night working for Dominos…1st lesson: you have to work for the things you want. He will be driving a 1998 Ford Taurus…2nd lesson: you want something nicer you better work hard and stay in school. He is taking his ACT soon and going to college in the fall. Parents, please teach your children to take care of themselves and stop telling them its ok to not work so hard, we can just take Joe’s money and be ok. Oh, btw, my husband I make $60,000.00 combined with 5 kids. We’re not rich, I just expect better things from my kids.

The crisis we’re in is too serious to be worried about the expiration of old, and irresponsible tax cuts, or new increases. A little sacrifice from us all will help to stabilize the nation and international economy.

A couple of posts on here directly attack individuals who chose to become teachers, saying (and I paraphrase) that it is their own “fault” they chose their current career path.
I would just like to ask: since when is it a ‘fault’ to want to teach? Education can make or break a country. Our educational standards must go up themselves if we wish to stay a super-power. Ignorant individuals (such as the posters to which I am responding) have absolutely no room to get on here and judge people who chose to go into education.
Are they not who enabled you to have the money to which you so greedily cling? Aren’t all of your criticisms based in the “just-go-back-to-school-and-get-a-more-useful-degree” camp?
Well who are you getting that degree from?
Educators, last time I checked… And you want to punish them? Clearly, they are just asking for it, right? Their life-work is not *nearly as noble as the snot-nosed punk who wants nothing more out of life than fat loads of cash.
Look, I am fortunate enough to have recently ascended to the $250,000+ category, but not everyone can. There isn’t some magic wand that one can wave, or some tuition one can fork over that will guarantee a 6-digit income. I got where I am through hard work, and LUCK. Yes, A LOT of being in the right place at the right time.
If it was as easy as you angry little posters believe, then *everyone would be lining up for the minimum $40,000 debt that is student loans. But that is not how this world works.
So do not get on here and attack those who make less than you. You have absolutely *no idea why they make less. In the educators’ instances, it is so they may enable others to go farther; you’d be a fool to judge them.
Lastly, I would just like to say that I contribute a reasonable amount to various charities already, but still do not mind paying a little extra so someone who makes less (which, let’s be honest–is most of you on here) doesn’t have to.

I am so glad folks like Joe the Plumber see the folly in socialist wealth redistribution. We can’t be raising taxes on small business right now like Sen Obama wants to do. My word, has that man ever even taken an economics course before in his life? The intent of his “middle-class tax cuts” is to move us closer to socialism.
Who do we vote for, Obama the socialist or McCain the capitalist? Americans should be alarmed by Obama’s ridiculous tax plans.

Someone was saying they and their husband only make X and work hard, so they feel that YES Joe should be penalized for being successful and emplying people. I’m a “Joe” myself and see the writing on the wall so I laid off my 75 employees last week, sold the business to someone that will move it offshore and can at least relax in knowing how I will be taxed on the proceeds of the sale. Before you say I screwed my employees, let me say business doesn’t exist to employ people, it exists to make a profit. I have carefully read and studied the Obama plan. There would be not enough profit to work hard and deal with administering 75 employees under the Obama plan, so I got out before everyone was in line to get out.

GOOD EXPLANATION OF OBAMA’S TAX PLAN
WSJ.com
Obama’s 95% Illusion
oCTOBER 13, 2008
It depends on what the meaning of ‘tax cut’ is.
One of Barack Obama’s most potent campaign claims is that he’ll cut taxes for no less than 95% of “working families.” He’s even promising to cut taxes enough that the government’s tax share of GDP will be no more than 18.2% — which is lower than it is today.
AP
It’s a clever pitch, because it lets him pose as a middle-class tax cutter while disguising that he’s also proposing one of the largest tax increases ever on the other 5%. But how does he conjure this miracle, especially since more than a third of all Americans already pay no income taxes at all? There are several sleights of hand, but the most creative is to redefine the meaning of “tax cut.”
For the Obama Democrats, a tax cut is no longer letting you keep more of what you earn. In their lexicon, a tax cut includes tens of billions of dollars in government handouts that are disguised by the phrase “tax credit.” Mr. Obama is proposing to create or expand no fewer than seven such credits for individuals:
- A $500 tax credit ($1,000 a couple) to “make work pay” that phases out at income of $75,000 for individuals and $150,000 per couple.
- A $4,000 tax credit for college tuition.
- A 10% mortgage interest tax credit (on top of the existing mortgage interest deduction and other housing subsidies).
- A “savings” tax credit of 50% up to $1,000.
- An expansion of the earned-income tax credit that would allow single workers to receive as much as $555 a year, up from $175 now, and give these workers up to $1,110 if they are paying child support.
- A child care credit of 50% up to $6,000 of expenses a year.
- A “clean car” tax credit of up to $7,000 on the purchase of certain vehicles.
Here’s the political catch. All but the clean car credit would be “refundable,” which is Washington-speak for the fact that you can receive these checks even if you have no income-tax liability. In other words, they are an income transfer — a federal check — from taxpayers to nontaxpayers. Once upon a time we called this “welfare,” or in George McGovern’s 1972 campaign a “Demogrant.” Mr. Obama’s genius is to call it a tax cut.
The Tax Foundation estimates that under the Obama plan 63 million Americans, or 44% of all tax filers, would have no income tax liability and most of those would get a check from the IRS each year. The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Data Analysis estimates that by 2011, under the Obama plan, an additional 10 million filers would pay zero taxes while cashing checks from the IRS.
The total annual expenditures on refundable “tax credits” would rise over the next 10 years by $647 billion to $1.054 trillion, according to the Tax Policy Center. This means that the tax-credit welfare state would soon cost four times actual cash welfare. By redefining such income payments as “tax credits,” the Obama campaign also redefines them away as a tax share of GDP. Presto, the federal tax burden looks much smaller than it really is.
The political left defends “refundability” on grounds that these payments help to offset the payroll tax. And that was at least plausible when the only major refundable credit was the earned-income tax credit. Taken together, however, these tax credit payments would exceed payroll levies for most low-income workers.
It is also true that John McCain proposes a refundable tax credit — his $5,000 to help individuals buy health insurance. We’ve written before that we prefer a tax deduction for individual health care, rather than a credit. But the big difference with Mr. Obama is that Mr. McCain’s proposal replaces the tax subsidy for employer-sponsored health insurance that individuals don’t now receive if they buy on their own. It merely changes the nature of the tax subsidy; it doesn’t create a new one.
There’s another catch: Because Mr. Obama’s tax credits are phased out as incomes rise, they impose a huge “marginal” tax rate increase on low-income workers. The marginal tax rate refers to the rate on the next dollar of income earned. As the nearby chart illustrates, the marginal rate for millions of low- and middle-income workers would spike as they earn more income.
Some families with an income of $40,000 could lose up to 40 cents in vanishing credits for every additional dollar earned from working overtime or taking a new job. As public policy, this is contradictory. The tax credits are sold in the name of “making work pay,” but in practice they can be a disincentive to working harder, especially if you’re a lower-income couple getting raises of $1,000 or $2,000 a year. One mystery — among many — of the McCain campaign is why it has allowed Mr. Obama’s 95% illusion to go unanswered.

frankly i dont think that Obamas tax plan is gonna help out small buisnesses as much as he tries to make it sound like, i mean with his plan he’s ,just makin it harder for them to succeed and make more money

Joe the Plumber does not have a goatee. He has a shadow under his chin.

I’m curious to how the company that Joe works for only grosses $100K & Joe makes $40K. This means that it cost the company about $60K to employ Joe. I think the company grosses a lot more than $100K!

Taxing a person around 40% and up is robbery. Under Obama’s plan I’ll get a tax cut, but I’d rather not receive stolen funds.
Believe me I would love to say no to Obama’s check if he is elected, but we all know I will take it and deposit it into my account in disgrace.
I have to vote for McCain (the weakest republican candidate)just to keep my conscience clean.

The following is a table of the current tax for table for a married couple:
$0 to $16,050 10%
$16,050 to $65,100 15%
$65,100 to $131,450 25%
$131,450 to $200,300 28%
$200,300 to $357,700 33%
$357,700 to ….. 35%
Could someone tell me the what the new rate for a married couple in the $65K to $135K will be under Senator Obama’s tax cut plan? I’m all so interested in $135K to $200K what would that new rate be?

A key point is being missed by many of these comments about whether Joe or any ambitious and successful person deserves to keep the same percentage of his “upside” as those earlier income dollars.
Consider that making higher incomes means switching from being an employee to becoming an employer. As an employer, you have to take on risk. You invest your hard earned savings as financial capital and even invest (or gamble) your future earnings by signing personal guarantees for vehicles, storefront leases, inventory loans, etc.
Basically, when you go into business you basically take all your past financial success (already taxed by the way) and double down by wagering it all on your future success. If you fail, you start over. If you succeed, you have generated at least your old employee level income plus a risk premium for capital ventured. As a side effect, some new jobs for the economy were created. Not your real objective, but a means to your ends nonetheless and what economists would call “positive externalities”.
One other point: When you people gather with old friends or classmates for lunch or drinks, how do you handle the tab when it comes? Do you go around the table and say, “Gee, Joe, your plumbing business is going well and must be earning you $100k…But Angie is a top lawyer bringing home $200k/yr, and Fred is a warehouse foreman making only $50k/yr. Instead of splitting this bill evenly, or paying for exactly what we each ordered, let’s contribute in proportion to our respective incomes. After all, we all went to the same high school together, but we made different choices in our life, so let’s subsidize those whose choices backfired”….YEAH RIGHT!

Forget the character attacks, however deserved or not. Let’s deal with the actual issue that was raised. Here’s a relevant excerpt from the (very) conservative Wall Street Journal’s article of OCTOBER 17, 2008, ‘As Joe the Plumber Grows Famous, the Politics Get Murkier’:
“To reach a level that would be affected by Sen. Obama’s proposed tax increase, Mr. Smither said, a mom-and-pop plumbing company like Newell would have to clear $5 million in annual sales. [Joe’s company actually reports only $100,000 in sales.]
Even if Mr. Wurzelbacher reaped taxable income from his business of $280,000 a
year, he’d pay only about $900 more a year in taxes under Sen. Obama’s plan, which
would raise the tax rate on the income between $250,000 and $280,000 to 36%
from 33%.
[...]
If Mr. Wurzelbacher earns the wages of a typical Ohio plumber, $40,600, and holds a $90,000 mortgage, he would see a TAX CUT (emphasis added) under Sen. Obama’s plan of more than $1,000, compared with no tax reduction under Sen. McCain’s.
If he succeeds in buying the plumbing business where he works, he could see even more tax benefits, including Sen. Obama’s proposed elimination of capital-gains taxes for small-business investment, a 50% tax credit to purchase health insurance for employees and a $3,000 tax credit for every new hire over the next two years.”
Other issues and ‘things we wish were true’ aside, better to acknowledge facts and deal with them objectively.

It not about joe the plumber “The person”
the poinyt that many people were hearing was the question about how will Obama tax the small business owner.
ASLO those people worried about how Obama would tax the employer WHICH effects the employee!
It was ok to the point, but when Obama words come out of his mouths “Have you ever heard of a plumber making a 1/4 of a million dollars”
Right then AND there OBAMA belittled joe’s questions NATIONAL mocking him and others. BUT ALSO then slap the faces of those watching on tv that do make that, or employees which are employed in that bracket.
Sorry but now Obama is taking jabs at the possiable voters, and mocking those who do stuggle employing people and those jobs.

Isn’t this much better that spreading death and destruction in foreign lands?
After all US wars are paid from the same national “wealth” and at a much higher cost.

I’m middle class. What do I care if the rich have to pay more taxes. That’s just it. I don’t care. They should pay more, it’s time to pony up some cash.

“Joe the Plumber” untruthful story is a poison pill for McCain’s campaign. In the first place, before brought up the case in the final debate, McCain should ask himself for the sake of reality check whether there is any businesman willing to forego buying a business simply because a 3% higher income tax is going to be charged if the company will earn the expected income. If Joe is so confident that the going to be acquired company will make $250K, he should not worry paying extra 3% income tax instead he should worry whether the company will make $250k!

You know I think it’s funny how all of you “middle class” people don’t mind if the rich get taxed, but believe you me if you were making $250,000 a year you would be LIVID and OUTRAGED!
My dad started out as a nobody and worked his way up. So now he should have to “spread his wealth” because of lazy people in this country?!?!?!?!? Give me a break!
And to Joseph Marzuki who thinks socialism isn’t a bad thing…YOU’RE AN IDIOT! Has socialism ever worked?
You people amaze me! If you think this country is so bad get out! LEAVE! We don’t need you here anyways! Go live in China! See how you like it there! What happened to being proud of your country? You people should be ashamed to call yourselves Americans!
And Joe is an ordinary American with DREAMS! And if you are worried about his owed taxes you should take a look at lots of Americans who are in debt to the IRS. Martin Nesbit ring a bell? He’s the treasurer of Obama’s campaign and has tax leans!
Do your research and stop listening to the psycho babble on tv!

If Joe has received the treatment he has received because he asked Obama one question what would happen to the rest of us if Obama is elected?? In other words, you speak against him and he will make your life miserable. Freedom of speech? Maybe for at least a couple of more weeks if he is elected so better make the most of it now and not let Obama know you have spoken against him or questioned him about anything he plans for this country. God help us all if he becomes president. Joe asked a legitimate question that all of us wanted an answer to and he has become a national phenomenon. He cannot work or have any privacy at all now because he asked that one question. What would happen if you questioned Obama’s entire policy?
Remember all of this has happened BEFORE he is put in charge of this country if people are dumb enough to elect him.

To Jack Nixon.
Yeah? Tell Shawn that and see what happens.

“Let’s assume that the 50% tax credit means that I get back 50% of my healthcare costs which would be around $3,000 because I have a high deductible plan and my annual healthcare costs in a good year are about $6,000. But I have to pay another 3% in income tax which if I make the minimum of $250,000 will be $7,500. Thanks, but no thanks, Obama. You really are not motivating me to work hard and at the same time you are not motivating the people I am spreading my hard earned wealth to to work harder.
Posted by: CM | Oct 14, 2008 1:09:50 PM”
Seriously, does anyone here trying to make an argument actually understand the MOST BASIC aspects of the United State’s tax code (both currently and under Obama’s plan)???
For all of you who plan on making $249,999 if Obama get elected and then taking the rest of the year off so you don’t get hit with an extra $7500 in taxes…YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND. The tax increase Obama is proposing ONLY AFFECTS the PORTION of your income OVER $250,000.
As he said himself (in the article you obviously didn’t read): “if your revenue is above 250 – then from 250 down, your taxes are going to stay the same. It is true that from 250 up – from 250 – 300 or so, so for that additional amount, you’d go from 36 to 39%”
NO ONE is going to be paying an extra $7500 in taxes on the first $250,000 you make each year. You would ONLY be paying the extra 3% tax increase on whatever amount OVER $250K you make.
If you don’t understand what you’re talking about, you should at least read the article you’re posting a reply to so you might look a little less silly.

Liberal Sally went off to school and made it clear to her new friends that she was ashamed of her father’s political view (he was a capitalist who believed creating wealth was the proper means for increasing one’s standard of living). While she disagreed with her father’s political/economic views, she still very much loved him and called him from time to time to keep him posted on her grades. One day she called him pleased as could be at her straight A grades for the first sememster. Dad asked Sally how her roommate Cindy faired in the first semester. Sally explained that Cindy skipped class from time to time and did not study as much. Sally was worried Cindy might lose her scholarship due to her less than stellar 2.0 GPA. Then Dad had an idea. “Why don’t you go down to the Dean of Student’s office and let them know you have a 4.0 and are more than willing to subtract one of your grade points to give to Cindy?” “That way its fair, you spread the “wealth” and Cindy gets to stay in school?” How do we all feel about that?

Obama’s first, second, and third priority is to get elected. If that means pandering to large numbers of unemployed, under employed, those on welfare, illegal aliens, and malcontents, he’ll be happy to throw them a few crumbs as a way to get their votes. He will also turn democracy and capitalism on it’s head, and villainize the affluent and successful in our society, in order to rally the masses behind him. With evangelical zeal Obama will convince his followers to replace reason with hope and belief … to blindly follow him … never challenge him … and embrace his words as gospel. In the real, and unforgiving world of economics however, when you immediately gratify everyone by feasting on the goose that lays the golden eggs, the economy looses it’s ability to continue generating growth and wealth. Obama is promising everyone a piece of the pie, whether they helped bake it, or not … but, only in a socialistic, or communist state do the non-contributors demand to share equally in the property that belongs to others. Immediate gratification is like a drug to the malcontents, but in the big picture, every farmer knows that you never eat your seed crop. If Obama gets elected, America will turn into a third world country, with massive government welfare programs, unable to generate jobs for it’s citizens, and unable to compete in the global markets. Keep America safe, free and strong … elect McCain/Palin on November 4th.

It’s not that I want to penalize you. You’ve have done well all your life. I just want the people behind you have the same chance. You’ve done all the right things, don’t drink, don’t smoke, eat right and exercise. You have two healthy kidneys. Just that there are unfortunate people need a kidney just to stay alive. We’ll find a kidney recipient of your kidney. Spread your Health around. It’s the right thing to do!
What, it’s too extreme?
Alright, we’ll spread your WEALTH around!
FOR NOW!!
BHO

250k in REVENUE is not 250k in PROFITS!!!!!!!!! An extremely profitable business with 250k revenue would most likely only bring in 50k per year!!!!! Its not taxing the rich, its taxing the middle class.

Frankly, I am very tired of the Republican rhetoric propagated by the McCain/Palin duo about how Obama’s economic plan is a socialist plan that supposedly will negatively impact the Joe the Plumbers of our country, the $250K and more group (the wealthy). First, let’s check out the real facts (see factcheck.org). According to the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy as of 2006, there were an estimated 26.8 million small business owners, and that accounted for about 20 million “nonemployer” businesses (have no employees). So, only about 6 million actually had a payroll, a far cry from the 23 million the McCain/Palin duo keeps talking about. Also, on factcheck.org, that small group may not be impacted and actually not pay any taxes because under Obama’s economic plan according to his economic policy director Jason Furman, Obama’s plan would return the top two federal income-tax rates to what they were eight years ago, before Bush lowered them and would adjust the income-tax brackets to ensure that no married couple making under $250,000 or single filer making under $200,000 would pay the top rates. Further, the average income for small business owners is $233,600, so sounds like the Obama/Biden team is really looking out for Joe the Plumber and definitely for you and me.
Secondly, this leads me to ask the question, then who are the McCain/Palin duo really considering, those whose earnings are over $250k and more (the wealthy) and why is that duo not considering Joe/Josephine the Consumer too? In case they don’t know who they are or care about them, they’re the average Joe Blows the Obama/Biden team are fighting for, those who make less than $250K. The McCain/Palin duo wants to paint the picture that wealthy people or the Joe the Plumbers are going to be taxed higher and Obama/Biden want to spread the wealth. Well, let’s look at that. How do the wealthy become wealthy? Let’s see, they start a business and I guess they just become wealthy by doing just that saying they have a business and register the business name and VOILA!, their wealthy. But, we all know that’s not quite how it goes. Business owners or small businesses come up with an idea to market or sell their goods and services to you and me, Joe/Josephine the Consumer. We buy Joe the Plumbers computers, food, furniture, clothes, toys, oil and gas, autos, alarm systems, banking and financial services, homes, apartments, refrigerators, other household goods, cable, cell phones, exercise equipment, medical, etc., shop at their retail stores, buy their brand name (their name) eat at their restaurants and fast food chains, and are fans of their movies, TV shows, sports, and other entertainment media and buy televisions, stereo systems, home theater systems, big screen televisions and now HDTVs to watch them on making those business owners wealthy, wealthier, and wealthier-r-r. Now, I’m not knocking any of these entrepreneurs because we all need each other, but I think we need to realize that Joe/Josephine the Consumer (you and me) are the driving force for our economy and the team who is looking out for you and me, Joe/Josephine the Consumer is the Obama/Biden team. The other thing too, won’t those wealthy entrepreneurs get some of those taxes back if not all of it. When Joe/Josephine the Consumer gets that tax refund that Obama/Biden are pushing for, what do you think they are going to do with it. If I can borrow a phrase that Gov. Palin might say, betcha by golly, they will most likely turnaround and put that refund back into the economy (a stimulating boost) buying more goods and services keeping Joe the Plumber wealthy, wealthier, and wealthier-r-r. I think that’s a win-win situation for everybody. As long as Joe/Josephine the Consumer buys, we keep Joe the Plumber’s business doors open to keep us gainfully employed to buy more goods and services and Joe the Plumber makes more profits to invest bad or good (and hopefully Joe/Josephine the Consumer won’t have to bail them out a second time). One final note, I dare to say that after Joe the Plumber’s CPAs and accountants reduce his net profit before taxes down to $250K, surely, they will come up with a $1 loophole to make Joe the Plumbers taxable income no higher than $249,999 so he won’t have to pay all those taxes after all, if any. So, thank you Obama/Biden for thinking about us, Joe/Josephine the Consumer, working class America, the middle and lower incomers, also known as the 95%.

I think all your people should get off your gluets,and on NOV.4 get out a pen and write in RON PAUL on your ballot..

I really do not understand people. I’ve read people calling Obama’s policies, communist, socialist, they claim that he plans to physically reward laziness, that he will take away your freedom of speech and that under Obama, we will move into a dictatorship and he will do whatever he wants. WOW. How many of you have worked hard and still things didn’t go your way? For you rich people, do you really think you got there all by yourself. You have never had anyone help you? And even if you did, is that a reason to look down upon the less fortunate members of your society. Hold, you claim to be patriotic because you want to spend your money building bombs to bomb terrorists and scare other countries, but once someone calls upon you to invest into your own fellow Americans you call him a devilish socialist? Where is the love, the brotherhood that you conservatives admire the U.S. military for. You talk how you are patriots and support the troops but are not willing to help their families? Just in case you’ve never checked, most of our troops don’t come from your class, your kids are busy partying it up and few of them end up in military service. Rather troops come from poor and middle classes the ones you call lazy and un-American. Its time the rich people in this country acknoweldge that without the rest of us they wouldn’t be rich, their business wouldn’t be successful if we didn’t have money and squeezing out the last penny out of us by refusing to contribute to the well being of the country will not help them eventually either. So you won’t be able to buy that yatch you’ve always wanted. You will still keep your $500,000 mansion or above. You will still drive nicer cars than middle class Americans can ever hope to drive. You will send your kids to the best schools in the country even if you’re taxed highter. But God forbid you do anything to help out those who’ve worked hard but are less fortunate than you. We all know that rich people aren’t always the hard workers they present themselves to be. McCain graduated fifth last of his class and the only reason he got pilot was because his fathers were admirals in the navy. Are you kidding me, look at Bush, he was a terrible student, a worse businessman but he’s rich and aparently a hardworking American who shouldn’t pay higher taxes to help his unfortunate fellow Americans. The thing that is sad is that people who aren’t rich don’t see this. It is time that we think of the good of our country and not our narrow interests. Vote Obama and I promise you our country will take a million steps in the right direction. ps. if you are afraid the military will take a hit, think about how badly its doing now under a Republican president, you think he’s treating our military better? Americans, let us not be fake patriots, let us actually help each other in need. Read the warrior ethos, the guiding principle of our most admired military. You shall not leave a fallen comrade behind, even if you are a much better soldier than he is. For once show your true patriotism and not just fly flags and call that patriotism.

Everyone here is fighting over the particulars of Obama’s tax plan while ignoring the fact that there is no reason to believe that Obama will do what he is saying during his campaign. Anyone recall his public financing pledge? He is the first president in decades to turn it down and has been able to garner FOUR TIMES as much money for himself than McCain could because McCain stuck with his promise. Aside from that, you liberals remember the telecom immunity act, right? How Obama promised to vote against it and then…oops..maybe he hit the wrong button in the Senate as he has claimed to have done five times in the past when his votes were poorly received.(look that one up yourself, I can hardly believe it!) This man would literally do ANYTHING to win this election. If I were an Obama supporter, I would start preparing for the inevitable moment when he is revealed as the corrupt political manueverer that he is.

What Obama try to with his tax plan is to finetune the tax bracket by making it more progressive. Any other countries in the world are also doing the same. No big deal! Just like automotive, imbalance economy needs to be tuned up. Obama seems to be a good mechanic. Lets vote for him.

The latest is that a Democratic Congress woman close to Obama and Pelosi has written a plan to fix social security! They want to take the 401 k’s of all American’s – and give back the missing money everyone lost in their 401 k’s from the financial crisis, Acorn, Pelosi, Barney Frank & yes Obama (who helped Acorns part in this downturn) – then put it all in a government fund that only the gov will control and you will only get a small % of your hard earned cash each month to live on! The socialistic marxist part of this is that even people who never worked a day in their life will get the same % of you hard eared cash each month! As the woman said, so sweetly, we think this is best for everyone – WE WANT TO SPREAD THE WEALTH AROUND! They will confiscate your 401 K and other plans – and spread YOUR CASH AROUND! Bringing you down to the level of those who did nothing to support themselves! The politician who has been on the radio touting this democratic plan is Magillglia (or something similar to that) google it! I am so angry I cannot remember the name! But she was real and I just heard this today Oct 28, 08 – When McCain says, fight he must know more about this proposed BLOODLESS COO than the rest of us – this election is not just an election – it could be the end of the Opportunities that make us the United States of America!

Danielle, that would be a very poor strategy by the Dems since people of lower socioeconomic status vote at much lower rates than those of higher SES. Also, tax cuts are not the same thing as welfare, which is what it sounds like you’re referring to. The women who you claim are having babies for money aren’t making enough to be benefiting from tax exemptions for additional children, they are getting welfare – they are two distinct issues. I think you have valid points about public assistance but I wouldn’t want to see more families living on the streets, either.

Obama has also said that wealthier Americans should pay more taxes because “they can afford it.”
Taxing people because they can afford it is ridiculous. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you need rich and wealthy people. Why? Because they are the ones who supply jobs. You don’t have people making $42 K a year supplying jobs. By reinvesting their hard earned money back into their business allows more jobs to be created which in turn places more people on payroll. More people on payroll means more money going into the coffers of the oh so dependable US Govt.
Don’t take my money because you can.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for taking the time to write the words down to go with the video so people can see what Obama actually said versus what is being spread around out of context with spins and twists added.
If people are still blind then they will get what they deserve, more of what’s going on now.

Apparently we need to brush up on our basic economic studies. If the point here is that the rich get that way because of us (the middle class) then it is true. Let us not forget that we work for the rich, they give us jobs because we all buy their products and services, and if they have less tax burdens then they can do more business and hire more of us. The result is wealthier middle class and a stronger economy.
If a middle class man has a great idea and makes it rich because of his hard work, does that excuse his punishment of a higher tax to support us? It is bad business and it only leads to collectivism.

To Howard and musicloverman- Amen to that!
As for Jeff- Charitable giving-neither Obama (until recently) nor Biden feels sufficiently neighborly or patriotic to donate as much as does the average American household: 2 percent of their adjusted gross income.
Liberal families earn about 6 percent more than conservative families, yet conservative households donate about 30 percent more to charity than do liberal households. And conservatives give more than just to their own churches and other houses of worship. Conservatives, especially religious conservatives, give far more money and donate more of their time to nonreligious charitable causes than do liberals — especially secular liberals.
In 2007, President George W. Bush and his wife had an adjusted gross income of $923,807. They paid $221,635 in taxes, and donated $165,660 to charity — or 18 percent of their income. Vice President and Mrs. Cheney, in 2007, had a taxable income of $3.04 million. And they paid $602,651 in taxes, and donated $166,547 to charity — or 5.5 percent of their income.
Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, earned between $200,000 and $300,000 a year between 2000 and 2004, and they donated less than 1 percent to charity. When their income soared to $4.2 million in 2007, their charitable contributions went up to 5 percent.Joe and Jill Biden, by contrast, made $319,853 and gave $995 to charity in 2007, or 0.3 percent of their income. And that was during the year Biden was running for president. Over the past 10 years, the Bidens earned $2,450,042 and gave $3,690 to charity — or 0.1 percent of their income.
So let’s sum up. The “compassionate” liberals — at least based on charitable giving — show less compassion than “hardhearted” conservatives. The rich pay more in income taxes than people think. Voters, clueless about the facts, want the rich to pay still more.

Did you here Obama’s comment about people not being taxed a 200K per year, He just dropped it from 250K What is next!?

Rockgoods offers that there are more wealthy Democrats than Republicans and also suggest they are “liberals” while at the same time offering some evidence they are not as liberal with their personal gift giving as Republicans.
My question is, how are such people considered liberals and why, having larger numbers of wealthy in their ranks, would they support more tax on their “hard work” and wealth? Why would others, by contrast, not support an increase in their contribution, relative to an increase in their income derived from that society? Or is there some additional distinction that only Republican “conservatives” “work hard” and would have their wealth be subject to what the ‘non-liberal’ “liberal” Democrats would impose while providing exclusions for themselves? Affirmative Action (from another post) is applied to or only affects “hard working” Republicans? The delusions are running high and so also seem to be the delusions of grandeur about one’s self important role in American society as a group or individuals.
I have yet to see a structure that hovers above the ground with no means of support or means of defiance from the forces that would pull it down. In short, if the foundations are crumbling or removed, that which sits at the top will fall to the ground. Anyone who has run or owned a business knows that it is not built from the top down, but from the ground up. One can have the best idea and concept for the most successful money maker the world has ever seen and a thousand investors knocking down the door to invest in it, but if they can’t get the functional on-the-ground operational heart of the business going because they can’t find the labor or won’t pay enough to attract any, they can’t deliver any product and they have zip, nada, zero for all the cash dribbling down on their shoulders from the top. The investors make nada, zip, zero and investment trade falls off. Business and societies are cooperatives of teams that make them function from the bottom to the top, from one side to the other and vice versa. They can fall apart without compromise and cooperation and they won’t get off the ground or stay in business without all the components. In many small businesses, the management and ownership is also the total labor force, to grow, they have a need for more labor so they can mange or a need for management so they can labor, but their personal stake is now diluted and dependent upon others top to bottom, to work. To grow, they need all the help they can get, whether it comes from investors or in the form of uniform tax break provided by a relative increase in tax from the same people that “might” invest in the company or “might” invest in a company that hires Indian or Chinese labor, supporting the Indian or Chinese economies with those payrolls and where they are spent. For some patriotism seems to lose its attraction when cheap labor found in disparate foreign economies increases the profit margin.
There was a time when the Grand Old Party was grand and actually cared about the society they lived in as much or more than their own personal worth. When it had people who thought beyond their personal bubbles, net worth and what’s-in-it-for-me attitudes.
We may be able to stand a little less me, me, me and “us” vs. them” in our attitudes in exchange for more we, we, we as in “we the people” of the UNITED States of America.

The problem with the rich in this country now is that they will not give jobs to people in this country, they just pack their factories and ship them to China or India. Yes, they will generate more for the shareholders, but what about us who want to work and work hard and earn a decent living. Now you made your money and you are rich and you can make your money in whatever way you want, including producing at the lowest cost at the expense of jobs in this country. I suggest tax hike for those companies which outsource jobs overseas. We need that money to support our local economy and create jobs for people in this country.

If Obama believes so strongly that spreading the wealth will make America better, why doesn’t he spread his own campaign wealth with McCain? Instead of sticking to the original promise of campaign funding, he’s set all new records including millions on his own 30 minute infomercial. If anyone is naive enough to believe that Obama wants to just “split his peanutbutter and jelly sandwich” with his classmate, then ask yourself why he’s only interested in spreading other peoples’ wealth around? And how do you think he’s going to spread that around? The government has to take it all in order to spread it and that means THEY decide where it goes? Is that what you want? That’s not America. If you feel inclined to spread wealth around then do it yourself, don’t rely on the government to make that decision. Afterall, who has enough faith in the government’s decision-making to give them control of all our wealth and health care choices? I certainly don’t.
Obama is a facade and a lie of unrealistic ideologies. Don’t be a fool and buy into promises that can’t be delivered.

The Ford assembly plant in Wixom Michigan used to be the largest auto assembly plant in the world. There were 4 shifts employing over 250 thousand employees; now a ghost town – closed. Our stupid Democratic Govenor said, if she was re-elected we would all be blown away, she was right! They closed months later stating that their plea’s to get help to stay here with tax help were ignored until they actually started moving – (too late)! They went south of the border and elsewhere because Taxes in Michigan drove them out! Obama/higher taxes = more jobs lost and a welfare check (temporarilly) for all of you who he claims to care so much about! If he and Rev Wright are so passionate to help the poor – I want to see them sell their million dollar homes before the election and spread their own wealth around rather than confiscate the retirment plans of all americans to fund social security and spread the wealth to lazy people who never worked a day in their life! This has nothing to do with Obama and his insulting crap about – his peanut butter sandwhich and being a kindergartner – socialism /communisism will make him a dictator and no one will ever rise above poverty level again. The rich stay rich and everyone else stays EQUALLY POOR – documented by thousands of people in those countries do a search and you will see!

Remember that all that went before you blazed the trail for as far as they went. They gutted it out to become a success, and so can you! Don’t look to the government for your welfare because when you do then the government gets to dictate how you will live you life to pay back the state!
Don’t give up control of your freedom for a handout!
Three planks from the Communist Manifesto are:
1- A graduated tax system, to make it difficult to amass any wealth so as to mire the worker in a state of perpetual labor for the state. (already done!)
2- Abolition of private property rights. (Already in progress under the cloak of environmentalism)
3- Abolition of private gun ownership. (this is to prevent the citizens from rising up against an unpopular goverment, the Bolsheviks remembered how they overthrew the Czar)
“If a Nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be…
if we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed.”
- Thomas Jefferson
“It is a precedent fraught with danger for the country, for when Congress once begins to stretch its power beyond the limits of the Constitution, there is no limit to it and no security for the people…… the Constitution, to be worth anything, must be held sacred and rigidly observed in all its provisions.”
– Colonel David Crockett — A.K.A. Davy Crockett –Member of the U.S. Congress 1827-31 & 1832-35 –

I study Psychology and my main focus was on the 3% Tax increase initiated by Senator Obama. I only focused on that very aspect of Senator Obama in a Family Oriented analysis. I study Psychology and truthfully can tell you; That unfortunately so many people in this Country and beyond crave money over emotions. I knowingly believe what will fix this economy. That is ethics, humanity and compassion towards others. The money that leaves our hands is then intrusted in others. They must exercise these human emotions. My advise is … Go to different sites that are not Presidentially funded, Democrat nor Republican. Again my study was on Senator Obama’s tax increase and how it will effect Families. The “Family Clause”… I entitled it. I don’t want to decide your vote, so please research all Senator Mccaiin and Obama’s proposals and what educated economic opinions are offered. God bless you and whomever you may VOTE for.

Anyone who thinks people making more than 250K a year as a couple are rich is not thinking. This tax increase affects every engineering couples, every professionals who have about 10 years of professional experience, and everyone who tries so hard to open a small business or two will be punished. There is no point of working so hard anymore. Obama plan is the Communist plan, and million of people like us risked our lives running away by boats to come to the US now face the same communist government.
I left Vietnam 13 years ago with $50 from the money I sold my house for. I worked so hard, lived in a basement with a family of 4, earned my BS, then MS. I am now simply punished by Obama.
People work very hard to make that amount. You tax them high and they won’t be motivated to work as hard. No new ideas or opportunities will come from them. And we all will suffer. We will be just like another France or China.

I would bet almost any amount of money that if the Joe the Plumber incident had happened the other way around (asking a question that embarrassed McCain) and the aftermath of the illegal searches of his background, the ACLU and the Obama folks would have called for the screamed for the firing of anyone involved

Wow, people who are more on the rich side actually earned their money so why should they lose it more when it is just as valuable to the waitress. It’s not fair to tax one person more than everyone else.

I apalogize for the accidental double post of my last artical. This one is not another post of the same. I have one request to make of my oponents of the socialist side. If you are a democrat do not call yourself a republican. I admit that I am a partisan republican in my screen name. And specificaly you Speakout1 it is obvious that you are a democrat don’t fake it. Go ahead and express your ideas but don’t call yourself something that you are not. On a more relavent note do you know that there is a group of americians in our society who get one percent of the votes but pay 40% of taxes. This might not be taxation without representation but it sure is close

@ Partisanandproud
Are you implying that a vote should be bought? It seems like you’re saying that, since that part of society gives 40 % of their money to the government, they should get more representation than my boyfriend, who pays, I don’t know, about 10%. So a vote has a monetary value? Hmm, I thought democracy worked person by person, not dollar by dollar.

He hit the nail on the head when he said ” you want to have people who can afford to call a plumber from your business”.

I’m all about spreading the wealth around, but the plumber in this article has a point. He has worked hard to get where he is and if other people did the same they may be able to share the American dream…I dont believe in taking from those at the top to give to those at the bottom..At least not this way…Maybe give those who need help education and help starting a business, which is how you get rich anyway…then they can pay more taxes since they will make more money

I think that it is a good plan to tax people with over 250k. If you are that large then you can afford a little more tax. However we should tax really large corporations even more and ease of the little guys like us!