A 30% tax rate for millionaires? Put your comments here
AP Photo
Well, that was the big headline from the speech Tuesday night.
Obama asked for a 30% income tax rate on millionaires on the same day millionaire Mitt Romney released returns showing he pays a little more than 13.
Was Obama’s speech effective?
Tell us why, or why not. (Even House Speaker John Boehner did his share of clapping).
Put your comments below.
January 25, 2012 - 8:00 AM
It was a whole lot of grandiose ideas that will never come to fruition. Whole lot of hope that will never see the change. Looks great on paper, sounds great coming from the President, but in reality it’s just a bunch of smoke. Washington doesn’t work together and there is a divide greater to destroy the Country rather than fix the problems. It’s unfortunate. And no I don’t throw the blame solely at the President. It’s a collective cluster of garbage.
This is the same tack followed by the Bolsheviks, Castro, Mugabe, and every other far-left regime. The result never been not higher revenues, but to chase achievers out of the country. We’ve pointed out time and time again, an increase on the wealthy doesn’t help the economy. So 0bama’s purpose is just bald class warfare to disuguise his failed economic policy.
Besides that, it’s a lie anyway:
This year, households making more than $1 million will pay an average 29.1% of their income in federal taxes, including income taxes, payroll taxes and other taxes, according to the Tax Policy Center, a Washington think tank.
Households making between $50,000 and $75,000 will pay an average of 15% of their income in federal taxes.
Lower-income households will pay less. For example, households making between $40,000 and $50,000 will pay an average of 12.5% of their income in federal taxes. Households making between $20,000 and $30,000 will pay 5.7%.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/taxes/story/2011-09-20/buffett-tax-millionaires/50480226/1
Mitt needs to stop being a gentleman and nail these bastards to the wall on this.
Why stop at 30%?
He won’t get it from this dysfunctional Congress, but America agrees with him and the right wing wet blanket is about to be flung off IMO to let the sunshine in. They blew it.
You can push poor people. They don’t vote and only liberals like “freeloaders”. You can push minorities because even if they vote, they are….minorities. You can push immigrants because only liberals like immigrants; but they pushed the middle class and the working class and that was their big mistake. We are going to take you down. Romney may THINK that the Occupy movement made no impression but his tax rate and income will never stack up for the struggling Independents among the workers of this nation and they cannot win without them.
Courtesy of Dolly Parton:
“You flew too high, up off the ground
Hit stormy weather, an had to come back down
But I’ve found new thread for my old spool
Just because I’m blonde
Dont think I’m dumb
Cause this dumb blonde ain’t nobodys fool”
Naturally short on any details. 30% on what? Income? Capital gains? What about deductions? Is it a flat tax? Is George Soros going to be taxed on 30% of his income?
He should have promised ponies for all the good children.
#2 – if you are truly an achiever, then why have you not left the country?
I’m curious…do those who definitely think there’s a rate for millionaires that’s “too high”….do you also think there’s a number that’s “too low”? Or is 0% a perfectly viable number.
I was speaking with a Fox Talking Point Machine I work with, and he was definitely of the opinion that the wealthy should be able to amass as much money unincumbered as possible. On the other hand, he was positively sure that the $12.50/hour being offered at a local bank for a teller position was just too darn much for that job. So, ya know, the regular working stiff definitely has a ceiling on how much he should earn. Wealthy slackers like Romney…hell no! Just funny.
Richard Beason does not need your “business” and he has more integrity in him than you can ever hope to dream of having. Your projection that a business person would “cheat” their client, speaks volumes of YOU. You hide in anonymity and insult, lie, intimidate and denigrate everything and everyone not in your world view and you are as despicable as your idol Flim Flambaugh and for the same reason. You exude hate, ignorance, division and bile. Dan has chosen to tolerate you but that does not preclude the fact that you are vile. Using someone’s honesty and integrity against them is so typical right wing.
@5 Sandi- this is off topic, but, a friend sent me a link to EW Jackson for Senate website and on the “endorsement” tab there is one from a “Sandi Saunders”.
http://jacksonforvirginia.org/?page_id=6
Right under Tripp Godsey’s!
Your concern for the ultra rich is touching, just touching. Too bad they don’t return the favor.
Henry I may have been falling asleep, but I thought he did. I think it was something like, if Congress sends me the legislation on ponies for everyone, I’ll sign it tomorrow. Then all the dems stood up clapping and the blind flock then rushed to facebook and twitter with gushing “amazing #sotu” posts.
Surprsing that the party that believes they are the chosen one does not know and observe Jesus’s teachings:
“For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required and to whom much was entrusted, of him much will be asked”
30% on what? Everything?
I believe taxes should be flat and equal across the board for EVERYone.
(excluding people who CANNOT work, of course)
5
Thanks for the post, Sandi. Always nice to get trailer park perspective.
Could anybody believe this clown was asking people to “tone down the rhetoric”. This is after the OWS maggots HE ENDORSED caused tens of millions of dollars of destruction and law enforcement hours to most of the major cities in America. 0bama was silent then.
Naturally, none of the MSM hypocrites called him on it.
Any courageous soul watch Mitch Daniels give his boring “rebuttal” last night? Pandering to their republican overlords and the teabagger crowd, in order to get them to the polls, Daniels laid out the republican “plan”, and as always, it was bereft of new ideas and loaded with republican dogma.
The first items on Daniels’ list:
tax cuts for corporations…wow, so surprising! [insert sarcastic tone]
2nd item:
cut assistance to poor people…double wow! [double sarcastic tone]
Same old same old – golly gee, he’s just full of “new” ideas!
and now…wait for it… the RWers brilliant responses.
#14 Actually, racist troll suzie, that was the rational human being perspective.
#16 “caused tens of millions of dollars of destruction ”
Is this like the $7 million in damages you claimed union workers caused by using painters tape on the Wisconsin capitol? One of suzie’s all-time greatest hits.
“I was speaking with a Fox Talking Point Machine I work with, and he was definitely of the opinion that the wealthy should be able to amass as much money unincumbered as possible. On the other hand, he was positively sure that the $12.50/hour being offered at a local bank for a teller position was just too darn much for that job.”
It’s a new meme in RWer-land called, “envy of the poor.” Whatever they believe liberals/moderates are in favor of, they rush to side with the polar opposite. If Obama came out in favor of brushing your teeth, those folks would proclaim the virtues of candy corn, and Glenn Beck would go on the air and call all dentists “communists.”
The latest seems to be envy of folks who make $3,000 a year because they get such incredibly generous and luxurious government benefits. I mean, who wouldn’t want all that great free stuff?
But I can’t understand why none of them are volunteering to trade places.
The President in the State of the Union speech [Jan 24, 2012]:
“I will not cede the wind or solar or battery industry to China or Germany because we refuse to make the same commitment here. We have subsidized oil companies for a century. That’s long enough. It’s time to end the taxpayer giveaways to an industry that’s rarely been more profitable, and double-down on a clean energy industry that’s never been more promising. Pass clean energy tax credits and create these jobs.”
Can’t you just hear the silent screams of “NOOOOOO” and then the “cha ching” of the Republicans’ oil overlords sending money to re-elect their puppets? Nothing says Republican like big oil’s extortion money – it’s the old ‘we give you money – you block progressive energy legislation”. Remember John Boehner stands to make a small fortune on his backing of Keystone XL, “ “Boehner has received more than $1 million from fossil-fuel companies,…and now we find out that he’s got extensive personal investments in companies dependent on tar sands oil.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/as-deadline-nears-friends-and-foes-of-keystone-xl-pipeline-step-up-campaigns/2012/01/13/gIQAyd7IzP_print.html
and then, here come the clowns’ comments….
Is this like the $7 million in damages you claimed union workers caused by using painters tape on the Wisconsin capitol? One of suzie’s all-time greatest hits.
That was a MSM outlet that reported that figure, Gdad. Not me. LOL. But no, the OWS maggots caused tens of millions in expenses and destruction for municipalities.
Okay, at the risk of sounding like Steve Forbes, what is wrong with single, “flat” tax rate? Everyone above the poverty line should pay exactly the same percentage as everyone else.
Although I can already see Fox News petitioning for the poor to pay their fair share.
9
I just can’t help think a man who so rabidly believes his clients aren’t paying enough in taxes would work as hard as he could to find them ways to legally pay less. That’s common sense.
Surprising that the party that believes they are the chosen one does not know and observe Jesus’s teachings:
“For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required and to whom much was entrusted, of him much will be asked”
But that would require the right to actually follow their own beliefs, rather than simply parrot them. This is the same party that sees Newt as their savior.
cut assistance to poor people…double wow! [double sarcastic tone
We’ve already proven the “poor” enjoy a higher standard of living than the middle class thanks to the government goodies. They pay NO taxes and get tons of free services.
And you want them to have even more freebies?!?!?!?
Leave it where it is (35 percent) and take away the deductions.
Surprising that the party that believes they are the chosen one does not know and observe Jesus’s teachings:
“For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required and to whom much was entrusted, of him much will be asked”
But that would require the right to actually follow their own beliefs, rather than simply parrot them. This is the same party that sees Newt as their savior.
Where do you get that, Hootie? Conservatives give much more to charity than liberals, both in terms of money and time. . We also pay far more in taxes than you liberals. On what possible basis can you criticize people who do more than you in every way?
MJ
13
You are absolutely correct.
It’s a very, very hard thing to GIVE more to one who has stolen from you, but even THAT is what Jesus would have us do.
However, Jesus also tells us to be good and wise stewards of our “resources”.
Matthew 25:14-30
We ALL need to be more giving and generous, all of us. I am not against the govt. working to help the poor.
But, I do not approve of wasteful spending (anywhere) and destructive social engineering. The “War on Poverty” has been lost. It is now hardly more than a political tool and voting bloc.
We can do better.
I believe I can do MORE “good” with my own money than the government can.
That’s what it comes down to, for me.
Suzie, maybe Rick Beason, CPA does Warren Buffet’s taxes and picked up his ideas from him? We all know that Warren Buffet should listen to you as you are more intelligent and have more business sense and give more to charity. Maybe you could convert Buffet from socialism?
OMG Belle, that is too funny, only a TP moron would think my dig was an “endorsement”!
That was my caption for Dan’s contest and it was purely and completely a dig at this right wing puppet too stupid to know that when I said his position was “AXE THE CHAINS! We have to stop corporate run elections and get this nation back to TCB!” I was saying, he says “stop corporate run elections and get this nation back to “Taking Care of Business”! The typical right wing double speak that so many fall for. What a stupid, stupid candidate!
I would never endorse such a fool!
After reading the President’s State of the Union Address I think it shows how much more work that needs to be done. I am hoping that he stands up to the GOP and stops the very big money that is making this county into a corporation that always is concerned with the bottom line and if people are left on the sideline then that is their problem.
For now the GOP will stand with the supper rich and will take their moves from their base. Why should the 1% pay their fair share of the taxes?
It is a fair question and every time it is brought up the GOP play the shell game and calls it class warfare. It is long time someone stands up to them and brings us back to a fairer tax code. Another fair question I think is, why are corporation allowed to go outside the county to get not only cheaper labor but a tax credit to boot?
If the GOP stays on their same track they will be losing another national election.
After reviewing the comments on this blog, it does appear 0bama has the uneducated hick vote well in hand. I suppose in this climate he welcomes support from anywhere it comes.
I have sent Greg Aldridge an email expressing my case and asking to be removed from their page unless of course he wants to publish my real opinion! What a dirty, underhanded, typical right wing crappy trick!
#29
First off, I failed to italicize the quote I used in post #26. The first two paragraphs should be attributed to mj, post #13. I apologize for that.
As for my own addition to the quote, I was merely pointing out the hypocritical nature of the party which claims to fight for morality and for family values to support that toad of a human being, Newt Gingrich.
Lake Claytor offers, “I am not against the govt. working to help the poor.
But, I do not approve of wasteful spending (anywhere) and destructive social engineering.”
Wow, I guess that is why you have soooooooo many posts decrying corporate handouts, freebies, allowances, setbacks, subsidies, and tax incentives that cater to the already rich huh? Who the hell are you trying to kid? We know your fake name and your fake concern for your fellow man as well as your absolute fealty to all things right wing and anti poor people and President Obama.
Millions of people have been lifted out of poverty and squalor by “social engineering” which is practiced by every religion and enlightened government on the face of this earth. You people could not buy a clue if you were as wealthy as Romney. Oddly, he can’t either.
@24 Hootie, I agree. I don’t understand why a flat tax isn’t the most equitable of all solutions. Zero deductions, just a flat tax. Say 16% after the first 25K. So everyone deducts 25K from their income and then pays 16% of the remaining sum. That way the poorest people can still try to eek by and it is completely fair across the board. Everyone pays/suffers the exact same percentage of their pay.
I just don’t get why this isn’t done. I suppose it would put a ton of CPA’s and IRS employees out of jobs, but it seems totally reasonable and fair to me.
Obama says 30%, he’ll settle for 25%, so would I.
38, 39
I agree with both of you.
Although, I’d be happier with a FLAT 20%.
I’d be okay with EVERYone paying a flat 25%.
Seems fair to me.
We all remember the Republican presidential candidate who said the “corporations are people too”
well, he’s at it again, but this time, he wants us to know that banks are also suffering through this economy just like small businesses! Here’s his new empathetic comment during a Monday roundtable with business owners struggling in Florida’s hobbled housing market:
“The banks are scared to death, of course,” he said. “They’re feeling the same thing that you’re feeling.”
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_ROMNEY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-01-24-18-55-51
Talk about not “getting it” – yes multimillion dollar banks feel the same pain of the ‘mom and pop’ business owners or small independent home builders…really?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDDRiGIUYQo
Even Steve Forbes – the greatest proponent of the flat tax, excludes certain incomes from a flat tax”
“Start by scrapping the tax code. Don’t fiddle with it. Junk it. Throw it out. Bury it. Replace it with a pro-growth, pro-family tax cut that lowers tax rates to 17% across the board and expands exemptions for individuals and children so that a family of four would pay no taxes on the first $36,000 of income.
Not one cent to the IRS on the first $36,000. Anything over that would be taxed at a flat, fair 17%.”
“Summary of Steve Forbes’ Flat Tax Plan”
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/congress/forbes_flat_tax.html
I agree he will “settle” for that Cold, but it will not be a reality. He threw down the gauntlet and they will spend more money than we have ever seen before to defeat him and anyone else who tries to make it a reality. Shilling for the mega wealthy and powerful must make stupid people feel smart and important, no other way to account for their “Cinderella” take on it. Your prince ain’t coming and you better realize your place in a Plutocracy is not going to be much better than ours.
The Koch brothers et al, are going into universities and starting the brainwashing even sooner now, the manipulation and Machiavellian efforts have taken on their own identity and like Frankenstein will not be handled by any leader, which is the point. This nation has a long sorry road ahead of it and the folks who sold us down the river are still riding denial like it is a pleasure cruise. What fools indeed.
BTW, you have to laugh at the party of pandering Newt, Mitt, Rush and Beck calling Obama supporters, “the uneducated hick vote”. Who the hell do you think they are pandering too? William F. Bucktoootth?
Miriam, your first mistake was thinking that the people with the power to change the tax code (those pols who have been bought into office) have any incentive to make it “fair”. The progressive tax system is the fairest way as is a proportional tax system, but from the inception the goal has been to pay the least possible and change the law to make sure that decreases when you can. The idea that the Congress just decided to have this complicated, loophole riddled, wealth coddling tax structure for no good reason, defies reason. It is not fair because they do not want it fair and they do not want it fair because their donors do not want it fair. That is my take on it at any rate. Wealthy and powerful people have always either ruled or “held sway” and they still do.
“I’d Love To Change The World”
Everywhere is freaks and hairies
Dykes and fairies, tell me where is sanity
Tax the rich, feed the poor
‘Til there are no rich no more (then who will feed the poor?)
I’d love to change the world
But I don’t know what to do
So I’ll leave it up to you
Population keeps on breeding
Nation bleeding, still more feeding economy
Life is funny, skies are sunny
Bees make honey, who needs money, No none for me
World pollution, there’s no solution
Institution, electrocution
Just black and white, rich or poor
Senators stop the war
I’d love to change the world
But I don’t know what to do
So I’ll leave it up to you
I just don’t get why this isn’t done
Simple Miriam. Same reason we don’t have the obviously logical voter picture ID law everywhere; Democrats don’t want it. They don’t want a solution because they would lose an issue to demagogue.
Sandi Saunders isn’t exactly the most unique name ever, how do you know it’s not someone else with the same name? Matt Rodgers exist all over the place.
I would first ask those of you proposing a flat tax whether you are proposing a flat tax on income of all kinds or a national sales tax? Below are a few paragraphs from a piece at Bloomberg News that was published in October 2011. It was on the opinion page. The flat tax sounds wonderful, but really isn’t. I’m not opposed to lower tax rates, significant cuts in spending, closing of loopholes in the tax code, etc. I’m not opposed to lowering the corporate tax rate in exchange for corporations also giving up a whole host of loopholes. In other words, I’d really like for corporations to actually pay federal income taxes. My initial recommendation would be to let the Bush tax cuts expire effective the end of 2012. Leave those tax rates in place for 2 years. During that two year time period the current tax code could be pitch overboard and a flatter set of rates with fewer tax expenditures for both individuals and corporations could be put in place.
The Charms and Deficiencies of Flat-Tax Schemes
The number of Republican Presidential candidates backing some form of flat tax stands at three and a half. A 9 percent flat tax is one of the nines in Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 Plan. Newt Gingrich supports an optional flat tax, meaning taxpayers could opt for a flat tax or file their taxes under the current system, which is what Rick Perry has in mind, as well. The half supporter is Mitt Romney, who characteristically says he wants a “flatter” tax but has avoided being pinned down on what that means.
People want their taxes simpler, fairer, and lower. A flat tax promises all three—and would deliver on none.
Let’s start with “lower.” Taxes cannot be lower for everyone and still raise the same amount of money. For each dollar your taxes are lower, someone else’s must be a dollar higher. Yes, we know the argument that cutting taxes may cause people to work harder and thus substantially increase government revenue. This theory has dominated conservative economic thinking for three decades with scant evidence to support it. If you want to give everyone a tax cut—under the current system, under a flat tax, or under any other arrangement—all you have to do is lower the tax rate. This has nothing to do with flatness.
Would a flat tax be “fairer” than the current system? Perry plans to call for a rate of 20 percent, which is lower than today’s top rate of 35 percent and higher than the lowest rate (which is zero). If your income currently puts you in a bracket higher than 20 percent, a 20 percent flat tax constitutes a tax cut. If you’re in a bracket lower than 20 percent, a flat tax will constitute an increase, unless it comes with lots of deductions, in which case it’s no longer flat. If lowering taxes on high incomes and raising taxes on low incomes would be an improvement, then a flat tax is fairer than the current code. Otherwise, it isn’t.
Finally, would a flat tax make paying taxes “simpler”? Under Gingrich’s and Perry’s “optional” arrangement, people will have to calculate their taxes twice in order to decide which system to pay them under. That’s not simpler.
Even if the flat tax were the only option, this wouldn’t make the tax code much simpler. Multiple brackets add one line and one simple calculation to the chore of computing your taxes. What causes the tremendous complexity of the tax code is defining taxable income. Some complexity is unavoidable in a complex economy. Some of it represents the hard work of lobbyists for special interests. None of it has anything to do with tax rates or how many brackets there are.
No one is opposed to reform that cuts loopholes, ends subsidies, and lowers tax rates. But any reform must make the tax code more progressive, not less.
Frankly, I wish 0bama could give a nationally televised speech every night, because the more people hear him, the more his JA numbers tank. People just hate to hear anything this lying SOB says. Basically, he can’t campaign on the stump this year.
As long as we punish the rich, I’m happy. Laziness and stupidity should be maximally rewarded with the tax code.
No one should be allowed to get ahead in America. It is important that we stay equally miserable.
The banks definitely have Romney’s ear. The five biggest have given him more in campaign contributions than all the other candidates combined.
“The banks are scared to death, of course,” he said. “They’re feeling the same thing that you’re feeling.”
This can’t even be described as “out of touch”. It ‘s a completely different planet.
terps, I think it’s kind of cute the way you associate “rich” with “hard working and smart”.
Ahhh Paris Hilton.
Cold in P and Lake Claytor – Out of curiosity, what is your effective tax rate? Total federal income tax paid in 2010 divided by total income. Is it greater, equal to, or less than 20%?
I find it sadly ironic (and perhaps hypocritical) that Gingrich is now hammering Romney over Mitt’s recently revealed tax rate, while under Gingrich’s proposed tax plan Romney would have been taxed at 0%!
Under Gingrich and Ron Paul’s plans someone inheriting a fortune and living off the income it generates, or those like Romney or Warren Buffett who earn a fortune that is non-salary, will pay nothing in federal taxes. The rest of us (including the real job creators who are paid a salary) will have to foot the bill for the richest non-working folks (the GOP version of “job creators”). And this is known as “class warfare.”
@ #47 mattyr, I agree that some other “Sandi Saunders” could indeed love the fool, but they used MY caption contest quote. Did you miss that part?
Kristen
I’m with you on Paris Hilton. Put me down as in favor of a surtax on sluts.
Can we put the sluts surtax on Kim Kardashian too?
Uh-oh, this can’t be good for Romney…
01-25-2012 4:09 PM via twitter
News Corp chief executive Rupert Murdoch on Wednesday afternoon tweeted:
“Romney’s Tax Returns Might Kill His Chances”
“See Republican establishment panic now!” Murdoch added.
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/updates/4709
I have a big problem with alleged conservatives bashing achievement and capitalistic success or Romney running away from or excusing his great success. This is so ripe an issue for a candidate to score points and resonate with the public. I would say. “Yep. I did very well thanks to the capitalistic system in America which rewards hard work. And I want every American to be able to participate in this system and do very well for themselves”.
This would be such a change from 0bama’s message of “You suck. You’re stupid, and you can’t keep your head above water without government’s help”. Never NEVER does 0bama articulate what a great country this is that people can be highly successful in this country if they want to.
Unfortunately, that loser message seems to be the default mindset in our cultural media today.
Richard, mine came out to 18% on under 100K per year. Does someone like Romney even pay the Social Security and Medicare portions of tax liability like I do on only “investment” income?
Terps you insist on calling fairness a punishment. Were you forced to share as a child? Why do I pay a higher tax rate than Romney? What is “fair” about that and why do I deserve to be “punished” if that is indeed how you see it?
I don’t buy the double taxation argument when it comes to capital gains. Saying that the corporation already paid taxes so the individual investors should not do so makes no sense when an employee of said corporation does have to pay taxes. Would this hurt investment some? Probably so, but is that the ONLY standard when deciding how to change the tax code. I have a Fidelity account and want my portfolio to do well, but right is right. I don’t think it is “class warfare” to expect those at the highest levels (who largely earn their $$ on investments) to pay at least the same tax rate as the highest taxed wage earners. Guess that makes me a commie.
Richard, first let me say that I believe in a graduated income tax bracket. The 25% I referred to was for Capital Gains. In a perfect world Cap Gains would be graduated also.
Looking back at my records my effective tax rate was 13.2%. So me and Mitt have something in common except he has about 3 more zero’s added on to his income. If I made 20 million per year I would gladly pay on a graduated income bracket whatever the powers that be come up with but left up to me, I would tax income over 5 million at, I don’t know, just to throw a number out, 50% or so. America after all provided the environment that allowed me to make that theoretical amount.
Let me make this perfectly clear, I am not a flat taxer.
Wilbert, then all I have to say is, welcome to the fold comrade. I agree with your position.
#60 To prevent you from looking too stupid, here is what the President did say last night:
“It means we should support everyone who’s willing to work and every risk-taker and entrepreneur who aspires to become the next Steve Jobs.
After all, innovation is what America has always been about. Most new jobs are created in startups and small businesses. So let’s pass an agenda that helps them succeed. Tear down regulations that prevent aspiring entrepreneurs from getting the financing to grow.”
Sometimes you do need to know what you’re talking about…oh no, that’s right – that’s just not your style.
No Wilbert, it makes you sane and them CALL you a “commie”. Serving wealth and power has always been a calling for some, only they used to call them “court jesters”.
I dunno terps, I think her idiocy bugs me more than her sluttiness. Ditto the Kardashian creature.
16. Sandi, so a flat tax of 20 or 25% would hurt you a great deal. Romney paid Self employment tax on his earnings from his consulting business but it was small in relation to the rest of his earnings. Investment income does not have SSN or Medicare tax.
16. Sandi, so you pay 5% more in tax than Mitt. That seems fair.
Ha! I love all the talk and wasted energy on Romney. He is done! I agree, we don’t have the best candidates this year, but Romney will NOT be the nominee. Unless Newt pulls a Herman Cain, its Newt. If he does its Santorum. Evangelicals won’t vote for a Mormon..bottom line.
Mark it up or I will eat crow. Romney wont win our nomination.
Quite literally, EVERYTHING about President Obama says: “Yep. I did very well thanks to the capitalistic system in America which rewards hard work. And I want every American to be able to participate in this system and do very well for themselves”. Obama is the quintessential American story, not Mitt Romney. Obama worked hard, played by the rules and worked his way up in the world, not Mitt Romney. Obama is the story of success in America writ large and you cannot stand it. But it is true. The great American success story is President Obama, and the great American story of privilege and power handed down is Mitt Romney. I think America is smarter than you give them credit for. Work over privilege 2012.
IDK Richard, I could divorce my husband and “live in sin” if the tax structure seeks to punish me and my labor income further I suppose. That good ole “family values” crowd in action.
Nice “win” for you there PP.
As dumb as I thought they were, they still surprise me.
“It means we should support everyone who’s willing to work “
It’s a lie, sweetcakes. Ever heard of 99 straight weeks of paying people NOT to work?
Thanks for the honesty Pistol Pete, no this bunch is not a “bumper crop” from a party that claims to want to help the nation get back on track. If this is the best the GOP can offer, it is a sad, sad thing.
”Over a political career of nearly 40 years, Gingrich has convinced almost everybody who has ever worked closely with him that he cannot and should not be trusted with executive power.” – David Frum
http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/23/opinion/frum-gingrich-enthusiasm/index.html
When the president emphasized the theme of fairness and shared responsibility, he presented traditional enchanting words offered to describe the socialist dream. As usual for socialists, Obama failed to mention achievement requires the intrusive application of a ubiquitous bureaucracy under his mantle of authority.
However, the American Dream does not mean government will manage personal lives to ensure protection of home values, college funds, retirement accounts, savings, affordable healthcare, homeownership, and lifetime employment or unemployment compensation. Our Declaration of Independence does not contemplate a political class surreptitiously currying favor by benefiting the wealth and executive pay found within cartels as exampled by Archer Daniels Midland, General Motors, and Goldman Sachs.
Instead the American Dream has always meant the individual, and not the collective, pursuit of happiness for spiritual prosperity within the hazards and uncertainties of personal freedoms. But as a consequence of fostering individual initiative, this country has achieved an unsurpassed material prosperity. According to the World Bank our poverty level reported by HHS at $10,890, exceeds the per capita GDP of people living in 70% of the countries of the world.
Americans should not exchange personal freedom for mediocre materialism dependent on adherence to government rules.
Kristen. If I was a betting man, I’d say your sitting 18 hours out of the day behind that ole screen with twinkies, a glass of boone’s, and some Salem Lights full in the ash tray. Probably collecting disability for migraines or something.
I have not idea why I typed that, maybe because she called the group of people who have taken over the House in Congress and both houses in Virginia “DUMB”. I guess she is talking about the majority of Americans and Virginians who put those rep in office. Jack put the greatest video on the net now at #41. You LIBS should watch it!
#71 So, PP, you’re saying that family values evangelicals prefer the serial philanderer with the ethics problems? Nice choice.
#79 PP, I know Kristen and boy are you WAAAY off. But thanks for showing your ignorance.
You’d lose PP, but I’m sure that’s nothing new.
Whoa PP, just watched it – Same lines of crap. Different day. The Government is pathetic.
PistolPete, if you have another word for people who think Gingrich has a better shot than Romney, I’d love to hear it.
As a democrat, it’s no big deal either way. Please, nominate Gingrich. If you think anyone on the planet is concerned about his candidacy, you’re kidding yourself. I guess the suicidal impulse of the GOP just amazes me.
I love the name calling with no substance. Where are the comments about the Video? If I name call, I explain why. You guys just say “your dumb”, or “your ignorant”.
My son wants to have a yard sale and make some money. But he says that it’s not fair that his neighbor has a 2nd hand store and makes more than him. He wants the government to take part of his neighbor’s profits to give to him.
I told him he needed to stay off of Dan Casey’s blog!
Im not saying Gingrich is perfect, but Im just saying I think Romney is done! Although we all know Gingrich has baggage, people are seeing that Gingrich debates well and can be on the same stage as Obama and hold his own. Romney has acted like a little boy a few times, and plus he is not a true conservative.
It was interesting to observer the gang-up establishment RWers pulled on Newt Wednesday. On that day, Ann Coulter, R. Emmett Tyrell and Elliot Abrams all ganged up on him in differently themed, and vicious, attacks. This tells you that the GOP establishment is scared he might actually get the nomination.
That’s kind of funny because it was the GOP establishment that co-opted much of the “Tea Party,” which has raised the heat that’s fueled much of Gingrich’s insurgent candidacy. And the gang up is evidence that there’s a fear it may be too late to prevent it, despite the realization.
When you think about it, scientist who teach manmade global warming are predicting much the same thing. By the time the final 2 percent of experts agree that manmade global warming exists, it will be too late to do anything about it.
Are things getting better?
Really?
“New-home purchases fall, 2011 WORST EVER for sales”
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/home-purchases-fall-2011-worst-152532656.html?l=1
#86 So Romney is not a “true” conservative, but let me get this right, Gingrich who is:
a loud mouth with ambition but no discipline;
three time married and two time divorced;
serial philanderer who leaves his wives when they’re diagnosed with serious illnesses;
who appears to be ethically challenged;
punished and reprimanded for giving false information to the ethics committee;
the first Speaker of the House in history to be fined;
who admits the pressure of politics gets to him, forces him into adulterous affairs;
and a former well paid lobbyist for Freddie Mac – the Tea Party’s hated enemy…is the “true conservative?”
…thanks for the clearing that up.
You got it Hillary..much better than the Karl Marx apprentice we have now.
#90 weak comeback – now you’re just embarrassing yourself.
Since you do not know a conservative from a poser, why should we think you know a “Karl Marx apprentice” from Donald Trump? I am starting to think none of you can use that great old line, you “didn’t just fall off the cabbage truck” because apparently you did. PLEASE, I am begging you to nominate conservative Gingrich!
Sandi – sadly the TPs and RWs think they are in control of who becomes the Republican candidate. They aren’t. Gingrich will never get the nomination – the bankers, Wall Street types, millionaires/billionaires, corporations and Koch types will not let that happen. They control the money, they control the agenda. They need one of their own – the plastic man – Mitt Romney. He will be favorable to all their demands – on taxes, banking, environment, social programs etc – and will effectively hoodwink the “masses” while doing his overlords’ business. The establishment within the Republican party will never let Gingrich win the nomination even as he is winning in states. The Tea Party and mainstream conservatives will be played like violins – however they will never control who becomes the nominee – too much power and money in the establishment of the Republican party and they want Romney. I almost feel sorry for their delusion that their votes matter.
I can never feel sorry for belligerent people. Nothing convinces me that they want what is best for America. The history of conservatives, no matter the party, no matter the issue, does not make them ever look like the good guys. If I was on the wrong side of history that often, I would give it all up and read a romance novel! There is more to life than being rich and supporting a Plutocracy.
#88 Gee, LC, you mst have missed this part of the article you linked to:
“Sales of previously occupied homes rose in December for a third straight month. Mortgage rates have never been lower. Homebuilders are slightly more hopeful because more people are saying they might consider buying this year. And home construction picked up in the final quarter of last year.”
95
What argument does that support, gdad? Things getting better? lol
2011 was the worst year EVER for New home sales. That’s a BAD thing.
“Builders are SLIGHTLY more HOPEful because more people are saying they MIGHT CONSIDER”
Those are WEAK words, gdad.
LOL.
It’s okay to admit things aren’t really that hot right now. Just blame Bush for it.
#96 And there’s something wrong with buying an existing home instead of wasting resources to build a new McMansion with 80,000 square feet of space you don’t need??
Yeah well if we used the right wing magical thinking, I am sure we too would think 30+ years of digging would all be filled in and “back to normal” by now.
What I would have preferred the president to say was something about cutting spending and/or reducing the rate of spending. I don’t think saying that millionaires should pay at least 30% is a necessarily an accurate statement. There needs instead to be discussion about spending cuts, revenue increases in combination in order to ultimately balance the budget. Only when you have such discussions can you have accurate discussions about what tax rates should be.