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Snowe, Collins support closing tax loopholes to lower debt

By Mal Leary, Capitol News Service
Posted July 10, 2011, at 3:44 p.m.
Last modified July 11, 2011, at 5:57 a.m.
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AUGUSTA, Maine — Don’t look for members of Maine’s congressional delegation to support cuts in Social Security or Medicare as part of the debt limit legislation, but all four say a debt reduction package that includes budget cuts and new revenues is likely.

“There are solvency problems with both programs,” Sen. Olympia Snowe said in an interview on Friday, “They have to be addressed but not as part of the debt reduction talks.”

She said any debt reduction plan worked out by President Barack Obama and congressional leaders will still need the support of members of both parties and both Medicare and Social Security have strong bipartisan support.

“The talks between the President and congressional leaders should have happened in January,” Snowe said. “Everyone knew we would be coming up against the debt limit and that we needed to take action to reduce spending but it kept being put off until it has to be addressed and it has to be addressed.”

She said she has no idea what will come out of the budget talks but she believes to get enough votes to pass it will have to have cuts in spending and additional revenue.

“We are not talking about raising tax rates,” she said, “but there are a lot of tax credits that are not needed and should be repealed.”

Sen. Susan Collins agreed. In an interview Friday she said the Senate has already voted to end the tax subsidy for ethanol production and that would save close to $6 billion a year. She said there are many other agricultural subsidies that should be repealed.

“We spend billions of dollars a year in subsidies that go to some very wealthy corporate farmers,” she said. “It has always troubled me that if you grow blueberries or potatoes you get absolutely no price subsidy, but if you grow corn, wheat, soybeans or rice you get a guaranteed price and the taxpayers pay the bill.”

Collins said there are also plenty of examples of wasteful spending that can be cut. She said a second type of engine for the new joint strike fighter aircraft is unneeded and eliminating would save billions.

She said while she hopes the Obama and congressional leaders can work out a package, she believes the best process would be in the regular budget process that has not been followed.

“With all of these short-term extensions and budgets we have seen a lot of unintended consequences,” Collins said. “It is better to have issues vetted in the hearing and mark-up process.”

Second District Rep. Mike Michaud said he is worried about a polarization in the House that could block passage of any package. He said in an interview that there are democrats vowing to vote against any package with budget cuts and republicans vowing to vote against any package with increased revenues.

“There has to be both,” he said. “It’s my hope we can get both sides to talk and to compromise because we have to solve this because failure is not an option.”

Michaud said the current level of debt, where 40 cents of every tax dollar is being used to pay interest on the federal debt, is unsustainable. He said to get his vote a package will need to substantially reduce the debt through a combination of new revenues from losing tax loopholes and cutting spending.

“That includes some cuts to programs I don’t want to cut,” he said, “because we have to solve this.”

In an interview First District Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said she would vote for an increase in the debt limit without a package of cuts and revenues. She said the issue of reducing the deficit should be separated from the debt limit because of the potential impact on the economy if the United States can’t pay its bills.

“Much of what is going on now is sort of the political politics that makes the economy nervous, makes the American people nervous and does not move us forward, “she said.

Pingree said she hopes a deal can be brokered to raise the debt limit and avoid the unknown consequences of a United States Treasury that can’t pay the bills.

“Hopefully we are moving closer to getting an agreement on this so we can move on to addressing the issues we need to address like taking steps to help create more jobs in this country,” she said.

All four members of the delegation said they do not have any inside information about what is being negotiated, but Collins said she is willing to bet the package will be a long-term major package and not just a short-term fix.

 

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  • Anonymous

    How about this idea… For every military conflict that the US  enters, raise the gas tax by 25 cents.
     Iraq , Afghganistan, Lybia, Pakistan, etc. Everyone gets what they want. The Pentagon gets their wars. The deficit gets reduced. We use less gas because we won’t be able to afford it. The environmentalists  will be happy with less carbon. Most importantly, we will all share the costs that our soldiers are paying right now.    

  • Anonymous

    How about this idea… For every military conflict that the US  enters, raise the gas tax by 25 cents.
     Iraq , Afghganistan, Lybia, Pakistan, etc. Everyone gets what they want. The Pentagon gets their wars. The deficit gets reduced. We use less gas because we won’t be able to afford it. The environmentalists  will be happy with less carbon. Most importantly, we will all share the costs that our soldiers are paying right now.    

  • Anonymous

    How about this idea… For every military conflict that the US  enters, raise the gas tax by 25 cents.
     Iraq , Afghganistan, Lybia, Pakistan, etc. Everyone gets what they want. The Pentagon gets their wars. The deficit gets reduced. We use less gas because we won’t be able to afford it. The environmentalists  will be happy with less carbon. Most importantly, we will all share the costs that our soldiers are paying right now.    

  • Anonymous

    Collins said there are also plenty of examples of wasteful spending that
    can be cut. She said a second type of engine for the new joint strike
    fighter aircraft is unneeded and eliminating would save billions.

    Collins still doesn’t get it (not that she’s alone). It isn’t billions we need to cut, it’s trillions. We aren’t talking about eliminating this program or that one, we’re talking about eliminating whole Departments (and note, that’s ‘Departments’, plural). What we need to do is figure the last year life in America was Hell on Earth and rejigger the government to what it was the year after that. What we’re going to get, I suspect, is taxes now and cuts next year, or maybe the year after that….

  • AionNV

    Or we could just stop meddling everywhere and stop being engaged in perpetual war.

    I support our all volunteer, paid military; they do their job, they have my respect, but at some point enough perpetual war is freakin’ enough.

    Maybe we should just stop pretending that this country is about innovation and jobs, and admit what it’s become.  

    A war nation, busy spending money it doesn’t have playing world police, while infrastructure corrodes and people lose their jobs and their homes.

  • Anonymous

    Well stated, and unfortunately true.

  • Anonymous

    Well stated, and unfortunately true.

  • Anonymous

    Well stated, and unfortunately true.

  • Anonymous

    That’s a really stupid idea. 

  • Anonymous

    That’s a really stupid idea. 

  • SwiftyMorgain

       During a  recession is not the time to end Federal Spending, It is time for the wealthiest to pitch in and stop the ( Not Me )  attitude and pitch in and help getting the ball rolling again. Then maby give them a Tax Break contingent on the Investment in creating jobs. The division between the Haves and the Have Nots is at an all time High.

       Taxing the wealthly and the corporations during economic upheaval and useing the money to create jobs building the infrastucture worked with the big deal it will work again!

    http://www.alternet.org/story/150099/

  • Anonymous

    POTUS and the media have been very effective at deflecting attention from this economic collapse (which it is), and creating a sensation that it is more of a class warfare issue. 

    We can take every last penny from “the rich” and we’d still be in this mess.  It is time to make some difficult decisions and stop some of the spending, we are way past the ability of the private sector to pay for government largess.

  • SwiftyMorgain

    Class warfare?

    Its to late to call it that!

    (We) lost!

    (We) =( Middle Class)

  • SwiftyMorgain

    Class warfare?

    Its to late to call it that!

    (We) lost!

    (We) =( Middle Class)

  • Anonymous

    So the answer is more spending?   Look how well the trillions spent on “creating or saving jobs” and “shovel ready” has worked over the last 4 years.  We can’t afford any more of these ivy league economics experiments, like cash for clunkers, etc.
     
    If you think the middle class has lost, just wait and see what happens if these clowns (R+D) keep spending.

  • Anonymous

    Obama and the democrats did this for the last 2  1/2 years and have added 5 trillion to the nationsl debt. We have gotten nothing for all this spending , just like in the great depression the big government spending of the new deal made things worse.

  • Anonymous

    We want to cut programs that haven’t put us into debt. Our debt accrued in the past 10 years. The two things that have cost us so much, our wars and these tax cuts, are completely off the table and out of the discussion. It’s such a joke.

  • Anonymous

    I with you 100 percent but unless the whole country sees the price of going to war at the drop of a hat, it’s not going to change.
     If the price at the pump changes at least maybe the country will show a little outrage because of it.

  • Anonymous

    I with you 100 percent but unless the whole country sees the price of going to war at the drop of a hat, it’s not going to change.
     If the price at the pump changes at least maybe the country will show a little outrage because of it.

  • http://www.sumnerteam.com Sumner Lymburner

    During the recession is exactly the time to cut spending. Susan was correct however did not mention enough items. Trillions are needed so let us include ACORN, the company that registers dead people to vote; stop funding public radio and television. MSNBC has the same positions as publicly funded radio and television. Repeal all of the foolish rules from NIXON’s Oshrc, OBAMA’s many Tsars. Give me a few minutes and, like you, I could surely find 100 wasted funding places in Washington.

  • http://www.sumnerteam.com Sumner Lymburner

    During the recession is exactly the time to cut spending. Susan was correct however did not mention enough items. Trillions are needed so let us include ACORN, the company that registers dead people to vote; stop funding public radio and television. MSNBC has the same positions as publicly funded radio and television. Repeal all of the foolish rules from NIXON’s Oshrc, OBAMA’s many Tsars. Give me a few minutes and, like you, I could surely find 100 wasted funding places in Washington.

  • http://www.sumnerteam.com Sumner Lymburner

    During the recession is exactly the time to cut spending. Susan was correct however did not mention enough items. Trillions are needed so let us include ACORN, the company that registers dead people to vote; stop funding public radio and television. MSNBC has the same positions as publicly funded radio and television. Repeal all of the foolish rules from NIXON’s Oshrc, OBAMA’s many Tsars. Give me a few minutes and, like you, I could surely find 100 wasted funding places in Washington.

  • Anonymous

    Tell me your idea Maverick

  • Anonymous

    Roll back the Bush tax cuts, add trillions to the budget.

  • Anonymous

    During a  recession is not the time to end Federal Spending, It is time
    for the wealthiest to pitch in and stop the ( Not Me )  attitude and
    pitch in and help getting the ball rolling again.

    Nah. Tax the poor until they can’t afford to get fat anymore. More revenues, better health, vastly better aesthetics….

  • Anonymous

    It has been shown over and over that tax breaks for the rich does not help the rest of us.  Trickle down does not work.

    On the other hand, just eliminating the Bush tax breaks for the super-wealthy would trim a trillion off the deficit.  So why are Republicans against eliminating these tax breaks?

    Incidentally, taxes were much higher in the time of Reagan.  We’ve been slashing and cutting taxes for decades.  We’ve been dismantling social programs for decades.  It makes us crueler and crueler as the middle class disappears, and the gap between the super-wealthy and the rest grows enormous.

    David Brooks, conservative columnist, said that Republicans have won the standoff with Democrats.  The GOP has achieved “the deal of the century: trillions of dollars in spending cuts in exchange for a few hundred billion dollars of revenue increases.” 

    But Brooks claims the GOP is “infected” with a foolish stubbornness, the members of this movement: “do not accept the logic of compromise” and “do not accept the legitimacy of scholars and intellectual authorities.” 

    Worse of all, they “have no sense of moral decency.”

    “The Mother of All No-Brainers” D. Brooks

  • SwiftyMorgain

    And all those lost jobs will just add to the unemployment and job stagnation!

  • SwiftyMorgain

    So fat looks better on Rich People?

  • SwiftyMorgain

        We would be back on course if half the money didn’t end up in China from the (Wealthy Job Creators) Investing in the Communist Slave Labor Camps!

    http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1635144,00.html

  • SwiftyMorgain

        We would be back on course if half the money didn’t end up in China from the (Wealthy Job Creators) Investing in the Communist Slave Labor Camps!

    http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1635144,00.html

  • SwiftyMorgain

        We would be back on course if half the money didn’t end up in China from the (Wealthy Job Creators) Investing in the Communist Slave Labor Camps!

    http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1635144,00.html

  • SwiftyMorgain

        We would be back on course if half the money didn’t end up in China from the (Wealthy Job Creators) Investing in the Communist Slave Labor Camps!

    http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1635144,00.html

  • SwiftyMorgain

    I agree you shouldn’t spend what you dont have!

       But what we dont have is Revenues! Revenues come from Taxes on jobs and economic activity and jobs and economic activity come from middle class spending. Middle class spending comes from good paying  jobs and those went to “China “!

    50,000 Manufacturing Plants have closed in America in the Last 10 years even with the Bush Tax Cuts! The job creators are doing an Fantastic Job at destroying America.

    We have a broken cycle and we are trying to prime a pump that is sucking air! 

    We need to plug the air leak, the “Trade Defecit” and only (Good for America) Trade Policies can do that!

    Competition with Communist Slave labor Camps only brings us down to that level!

  • Anonymous

    Perhaps there are many who fall into the category and they are also receiving campaign contributions, and other perks, from such individuals.

  • Anonymous

    Perhaps true to some extent; however, we forced most of our manufacturing business to close down, go off shore and/or to be bought up by the Chinese–we Americans want cheap stuff made by slave labor, which includes children.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SHNOU64ZBOBIKWUF5IM6WSH7WA entitled4life

    Medicare benefits to wealthy seniors should be repealed.  Medicare is welfare and necessary for all of the poor seniors that spent all of their money in their earning years going on vacations and buying campers, snowmobiles, 4 wheelers and other recreational activity rather than save for retirement.  It is not meant for those millionaire seniors that can well afford to pay their own medical expenses.  This whole country is all about government benefits – pathetic. 

  • Anonymous

    What do you propose the feds do with the medicare taxes the seniors have paid over a life time into a program no has any choice to be in? Its not “welfare” as you state. And yes, even the “millionaire seniors” paid into the program. We just have a really screwed up health care system.

  • StillRelaxin

    It will be interesting to see if people in America who are not mega rich are dumb enough to buy this trickle down malarkey from the GOP once again especially after us suffering through the past 10 years of having us pay with lives and trillions to the World Police all while giving massive tax cuts to our wealthiest citizens.

    What did these folks do with all that wealth? The most obvious answer is invest in overseas industries built upon LOW/no cost overseas labor. Nice gig if you can get it,eh?  Even better if you can convince your fellow Americans that you leave behind in poverty that you’re actually doing them a favor. 

  • StillRelaxin

    It will be interesting to see if people in America who are not mega rich are dumb enough to buy this trickle down malarkey from the GOP once again especially after us suffering through the past 10 years of having us pay with lives and trillions to the World Police all while giving massive tax cuts to our wealthiest citizens.

    What did these folks do with all that wealth? The most obvious answer is invest in overseas industries built upon LOW/no cost overseas labor. Nice gig if you can get it,eh?  Even better if you can convince your fellow Americans that you leave behind in poverty that you’re actually doing them a favor. 

  • Anonymous

    Thats what New World Order is about,   2 classes mostly poor and rich. The U.S. no longer produces much, it’s become paper shuffling, how is it anyone can think there’s money here?
     Welfare is so far out of control, if people don’t care enough about their kids to support them, then they are showing us, by their own example, we aren’t suppose to care either.
    People should not be rewarded for having kids, it’s 99.9% choice to have them. No child is unplanned, an accident or mistake (how ever people want to label it) if you willingly have sex.
    This bull crap about how birth control didn’t work is just that. Funny when people really don’t want kids(or more kids) they don’t have them. why is that?
     I realize there are times a little help is needed but welfare has been made a career choice and  that needs to come to an end.

  • Anonymous

    Thats what New World Order is about,   2 classes mostly poor and rich. The U.S. no longer produces much, it’s become paper shuffling, how is it anyone can think there’s money here?
     Welfare is so far out of control, if people don’t care enough about their kids to support them, then they are showing us, by their own example, we aren’t suppose to care either.
    People should not be rewarded for having kids, it’s 99.9% choice to have them. No child is unplanned, an accident or mistake (how ever people want to label it) if you willingly have sex.
    This bull crap about how birth control didn’t work is just that. Funny when people really don’t want kids(or more kids) they don’t have them. why is that?
     I realize there are times a little help is needed but welfare has been made a career choice and  that needs to come to an end.

  • Moose

    Stop supporting the 3rd world country’s and make US Congress and US Senate live by the same rules as the rest of us do in this country.

  • Anonymous

    Keep watching Fox News. You sound so well informed. 

  • Anonymous

    Keep watching Fox News. You sound so well informed. 

  • Anonymous

     Yeah, quoting David Brooks..that’s all I need to see there.
    Why don’t you look at some facts rather than a highly paid pundit’s viewpoint.

    http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/

    How do you think this is sustainable, more taxes just feed the growth of the government and you will get ZERO in cuts. The last time this tax increase today for the promise of spending cuts later..well, that didn’t work out so well. We got the tax increases and no cuts in spending.

    http://blogs.reuters.com/james-pethokoukis/2011/07/08/why-the-gop-should-reject-tax-increases-in-one-chart/

    Hey..but Obama is taking care of his people,the White House hasn’t had any pay cuts among its staff as part of “shared sacrifice”.

    http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2011/07/obama-white-house-salaries-soar.html

    So you can have David Brooks, who by the way writes some interesting stuff in his latest book..

    http://www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2011/05/03/christopher-tayler/yo-douche-bag/

  • Anonymous

    Snowe and Collins agree with Michaud and Pingree?  Big suprise that our RINOs are always in agreement with the libs.

  • Anonymous

    The government needs to quit spending more than it takes in.

  • Anonymous

    Personally I liked his including of ACORN which no longer exists.

  • Anonymous

    Personally I liked his including of ACORN which no longer exists.

  • Anonymous

    Personally I liked his including of ACORN which no longer exists.

  • Anonymous

    Let me tell you how ALL the fraudsters, including Collins, will do this deal. About twelve hours before the deadline they will announce a “major” plan to cut four trillion from the debt. Spread out of 12 years, with the majority of the “cuts” coming in the last 2 years of the deal. The tax increases will go into effect NOW however. In ten years we keep the tax increases, the future Congress and President (not bound by the deal) refuse to make the agreed to cuts and the debt balloons even more.  Eventually we get hyperinflation and a collapse of the dollar, mobs in the streets and chaos, think Argentina in the early 2000′s.
    These people in DC are lying to all of us about how serious this is. No taxes on the “rich” can even begin to cover the debt. Only MASSIVE cuts to entitlements and MASSIVE tax increases on EVERYONE can balance this runaway freight train.

  • Anonymous

    Let me tell you how ALL the fraudsters, including Collins, will do this deal. About twelve hours before the deadline they will announce a “major” plan to cut four trillion from the debt. Spread out of 12 years, with the majority of the “cuts” coming in the last 2 years of the deal. The tax increases will go into effect NOW however. In ten years we keep the tax increases, the future Congress and President (not bound by the deal) refuse to make the agreed to cuts and the debt balloons even more.  Eventually we get hyperinflation and a collapse of the dollar, mobs in the streets and chaos, think Argentina in the early 2000′s.
    These people in DC are lying to all of us about how serious this is. No taxes on the “rich” can even begin to cover the debt. Only MASSIVE cuts to entitlements and MASSIVE tax increases on EVERYONE can balance this runaway freight train.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SCNJPPZDX7GEYELESV2YGQFLN4 Pat T. Riot

    MSNBC does not take the same positions as NPR.  I use the “cant stand it” test.  I can’t stand MSNBC or Fox News.  Both are stridently partisan.  NPR will give you straight information.  Of course, it isn’t condensed into 30-second rants and isn’t overly dramatized in order to attract listeners.  

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SCNJPPZDX7GEYELESV2YGQFLN4 Pat T. Riot

    MSNBC does not take the same positions as NPR.  I use the “cant stand it” test.  I can’t stand MSNBC or Fox News.  Both are stridently partisan.  NPR will give you straight information.  Of course, it isn’t condensed into 30-second rants and isn’t overly dramatized in order to attract listeners.  

  • Anonymous

    My generation has paid into Social Security and Medicare and we are being told that we are all going to receive reduced benefits.  So to those who whine because they can afford to contribute more to their medicare but don’t think its fair that they paid into it and can’t get everything that they feel they are entitled to, I have little sympathy for you. 

  • Anonymous

    My generation has paid into Social Security and Medicare and we are being told that we are all going to receive reduced benefits.  So to those who whine because they can afford to contribute more to their medicare but don’t think its fair that they paid into it and can’t get everything that they feel they are entitled to, I have little sympathy for you. 

  • Anonymous

    My generation has paid into Social Security and Medicare and we are being told that we are all going to receive reduced benefits.  So to those who whine because they can afford to contribute more to their medicare but don’t think its fair that they paid into it and can’t get everything that they feel they are entitled to, I have little sympathy for you. 

  • Anonymous

    My generation has paid into Social Security and Medicare and we are being told that we are all going to receive reduced benefits.  So to those who whine because they can afford to contribute more to their medicare but don’t think its fair that they paid into it and can’t get everything that they feel they are entitled to, I have little sympathy for you. 

  • Anonymous

    My generation has paid into Social Security and Medicare and we are being told that we are all going to receive reduced benefits.  So to those who whine because they can afford to contribute more to their medicare but don’t think its fair that they paid into it and can’t get everything that they feel they are entitled to, I have little sympathy for you. 

  • Anonymous

    Wrong.

    Entitlements are the cause of the 14 trillion debt, tax cuts and “wars”, while part of the cause are not the long term issue.

    http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/03/americas_budget

  • Anonymous
  • Anonymous

     Reality check, even the most ambitious  plan changes NOTHING for people 55 and older. Those younger however better face the new reality, the money is GONE.

  • Anonymous

     Yes, propaganda that soothes. NPR has such smooth,  silky and sophisticated sounding voices that there is no way they could mislead me..right? right?

  • Anonymous

     Yes, propaganda that soothes. NPR has such smooth,  silky and sophisticated sounding voices that there is no way they could mislead me..right? right?

  • Anonymous

    It really is amazing that anyone who does not make big money and that means more than $250k in taxable income would ever vote for the GOP.  It makes no sense.  People vote against their own self interest when they vote republican, but they do it time and again.   A great book to read that helps to explain this is “What’s Wrong with Kansas”.  

    It’s really all about wedge issues.  Issues that ultimately are meaningless in our lives, but people get so worked up about the dumbest things and the right uses this to drive its agenda. 

  • Anonymous

    Always the same with these two harlots.  How do we tax more, not how do we spend less.

  • Anonymous

    Interesting? More like depressing. I’ve seen your name before, so I know you’re not new here … and must have seen that the trickle down concept has a lot of fans in these parts :-

  • Anonymous

    You’re wrong. Entitlement costs were expected to rise given the demographics of our country. What is unexpected and what has happened in the past decade is unnecessary tax cuts and wars which have squandered what was once a surplus. We knew we were in the hole and then we still extended the tax cuts and the wars regardless of our prior responsibilities. 

    It’s inconsistent to say that the deficit has ballooned but then also say that this is a long term problem.

  • Anonymous

    So the TL;DR of the article, which will probably earn a flagging, can be summed up in two words: baby boomers.

    How nice of them to pass the buck (or rather…debt) on to generations X and Y all the while calling us insolent and entitled.

  • Anonymous

    So the TL;DR of the article, which will probably earn a flagging, can be summed up in two words: baby boomers.

    How nice of them to pass the buck (or rather…debt) on to generations X and Y all the while calling us insolent and entitled.

  • Anonymous

    So the TL;DR of the article, which will probably earn a flagging, can be summed up in two words: baby boomers.

    How nice of them to pass the buck (or rather…debt) on to generations X and Y all the while calling us insolent and entitled.

  • Anonymous

    So the TL;DR of the article, which will probably earn a flagging, can be summed up in two words: baby boomers.

    How nice of them to pass the buck (or rather…debt) on to generations X and Y all the while calling us insolent and entitled.

  • Anonymous

    So the TL;DR of the article, which will probably earn a flagging, can be summed up in two words: baby boomers.

    How nice of them to pass the buck (or rather…debt) on to generations X and Y all the while calling us insolent and entitled.

  • Anonymous

    So the TL;DR of the article, which will probably earn a flagging, can be summed up in two words: baby boomers.

    How nice of them to pass the buck (or rather…debt) on to generations X and Y all the while calling us insolent and entitled.

  • Anonymous

    So the TL;DR of the article, which will probably earn a flagging, can be summed up in two words: baby boomers.

    How nice of them to pass the buck (or rather…debt) on to generations X and Y all the while calling us insolent and entitled.

  • Anonymous

    So the TL;DR of the article, which will probably earn a flagging, can be summed up in two words: baby boomers.

    How nice of them to pass the buck (or rather…debt) on to generations X and Y all the while calling us insolent and entitled.

  • Anonymous

    So the TL;DR of the article, which will probably earn a flagging, can be summed up in two words: baby boomers.

    How nice of them to pass the buck (or rather…debt) on to generations X and Y all the while calling us insolent and entitled.

  • Anonymous

    So the TL;DR of the article, which will probably earn a flagging, can be summed up in two words: baby boomers.

    How nice of them to pass the buck (or rather…debt) on to generations X and Y all the while calling us insolent and entitled.

  • Anonymous

    Id say that the book you quote is a bit out of date, it was published in  2004. The question should be why do people vote Democrat when they should realize that the Democrats are interested in growing the welfare dependency that saps innovation and economic growth that helps the middle class. In addition, why do people vote Democrat when that political party backs teachers unions that have hurt thousands of kids by promoting inadequate teachers and low standards. Why do people vote for Democrats who then in conjunction with public sector unions push work contracts that have much better pay and benefit packages than they get but also increase taxes and debt to pay for these contracts. 

    It is about policy, not wedge issues. To chalk it up to your “wedge issues” actually negates the seriousness of issues as to why people vote the way they do and instead says that people in “flyover country” are too insular and too provincial to understand things in a sophisticated way. In the end I wonder who it really is who has something the “matter” with them.

  • Anonymous

    Yeah it morphed into a new organization to run from its shameful past of vote buying to help the Democrats.
    But don’t let facts stand in the way of your opinion.
    http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/2009/06/acorn-drops-tarnished-name-and-moves-silence-critics

  • Anonymous

    Should read “i only read the first half of the paragraph”

    “But that income group is very likely to see the tax cuts continued. The
    debate is really about whether upper-income earners continue to receive
    the benefit of those cuts from the Bush years. If the cuts are allowed
    to expire for a family that makes about $325,000 worth of adjusted gross
    income, under President Obama’s plan, that family would pay about
    $5,400 more in income tax a year.”
     

  • Anonymous

    Provide sources please, otherwise there is no arguing with your position, it remains opinion and not something worth debating.

  • Anonymous

     Because calmness certainly is more likely to rile up people more than Bill O’s yelling or Beck’s tear filled paranoid rants….

  • Anonymous

    Go figure, the leftists want to flag an article from The Economist.

  • Anonymous

    Ahh, but the point the commenter was making was about HIS family economic situation. Maybe YOU should read the comments before jumping to conclusions.

  • Anonymous

    My favorite part as well. IMMD. He needs to update his talking points. 

  • Anonymous

     Snuggly AND generous?

  • Anonymous

    Ahh. Mr. Nigma..I did read all of it and included it in the interest of honesty. As you may note people can pick and choose what sources to include. But the fact remains, as you can see,these tax cuts helped the middle class..of which I and my family are part of. So as some have said here thatthe tax cuts were only for the rich is not true and needs to be shown as such. To bad you only selectively commented…

  • Anonymous

    Ahh. Mr. Nigma..I did read all of it and included it in the interest of honesty. As you may note people can pick and choose what sources to include. But the fact remains, as you can see,these tax cuts helped the middle class..of which I and my family are part of. So as some have said here thatthe tax cuts were only for the rich is not true and needs to be shown as such. To bad you only selectively commented…

  • Anonymous

    Ahh. Mr. Nigma..I did read all of it and included it in the interest of honesty. As you may note people can pick and choose what sources to include. But the fact remains, as you can see,these tax cuts helped the middle class..of which I and my family are part of. So as some have said here thatthe tax cuts were only for the rich is not true and needs to be shown as such. To bad you only selectively commented…

  • Anonymous

    i will not be voting for these two “rebublicans”.  they could tax the rich at 100 % and not get us out of debt. why is it that washington politicians feel that we should be punished with more taxes, when they cannot control their spending addiction?

  • Anonymous

    i will not be voting for these two “rebublicans”.  they could tax the rich at 100 % and not get us out of debt. why is it that washington politicians feel that we should be punished with more taxes, when they cannot control their spending addiction?

  • Anonymous

    I hardly look at medicare (or social security) as welfare IF the person paid into the fed govt for that over their WORKING life.  If you pay into a system for a benefit, hardly pathetic.  If you sit on your butt, pop out kids and expect the rest of us to take care of you…THAT is pathetic.

  • Anonymous

    I hardly look at medicare (or social security) as welfare IF the person paid into the fed govt for that over their WORKING life.  If you pay into a system for a benefit, hardly pathetic.  If you sit on your butt, pop out kids and expect the rest of us to take care of you…THAT is pathetic.

  • Anonymous

    I hardly look at medicare (or social security) as welfare IF the person paid into the fed govt for that over their WORKING life.  If you pay into a system for a benefit, hardly pathetic.  If you sit on your butt, pop out kids and expect the rest of us to take care of you…THAT is pathetic.

  • Anonymous

    2004 is not that long ago and the factors that it describes are still very real and relevant.  Part of our problem is our short-term focus on life.

    What the book explores that is people are being swayed by wedge issues to vote against their self interest in favor of very wealthly and rich people who reap nearly all of the benefits.  Also, it’s no longer “flyover country”.  That is a worn out cliche.  The right has learned to use wedge issues in every state. 

    Your attack on democrats is wrong.  Democrats and democratic are focused on the middle class.  Republican policies are focused solely on the rich and we know tricke-down never worked and never will work.  David Stockman – the architect of trickle down has said it did not work.  In fact, Reagan raised taxes about 13 times after his tax cut for the rich. 

    The economic problems you attribute to democratic policies are easily answered by the reality republicans inflicted on the country, where:

    Republicans started two wars without paying for them; 
    Republicans enacted tax cuts that benefit the rich without paying for them; and,
    Republicans passed Medicare drug reform without paying for it.

    Taxes are lower now on the wealthy than anytime since WWII.  The best economic period the country experienced was in the 1950′s and early 1960′s.  Tax rates were higher, but we did big things that built the middle class.  The interstate highway system and the space program to name two.  These helped build the middle class and the rich were still rich.

    No one can say that we are better off today then we were in the 1950′s.  Higher taxes were not the problem.  That’s a myth. 

  • Anonymous

    2004 is not that long ago and the factors that it describes are still very real and relevant.  Part of our problem is our short-term focus on life.

    What the book explores that is people are being swayed by wedge issues to vote against their self interest in favor of very wealthly and rich people who reap nearly all of the benefits.  Also, it’s no longer “flyover country”.  That is a worn out cliche.  The right has learned to use wedge issues in every state. 

    Your attack on democrats is wrong.  Democrats and democratic are focused on the middle class.  Republican policies are focused solely on the rich and we know tricke-down never worked and never will work.  David Stockman – the architect of trickle down has said it did not work.  In fact, Reagan raised taxes about 13 times after his tax cut for the rich. 

    The economic problems you attribute to democratic policies are easily answered by the reality republicans inflicted on the country, where:

    Republicans started two wars without paying for them; 
    Republicans enacted tax cuts that benefit the rich without paying for them; and,
    Republicans passed Medicare drug reform without paying for it.

    Taxes are lower now on the wealthy than anytime since WWII.  The best economic period the country experienced was in the 1950′s and early 1960′s.  Tax rates were higher, but we did big things that built the middle class.  The interstate highway system and the space program to name two.  These helped build the middle class and the rich were still rich.

    No one can say that we are better off today then we were in the 1950′s.  Higher taxes were not the problem.  That’s a myth. 

  • Anonymous

    2004 is not that long ago and the factors that it describes are still very real and relevant.  Part of our problem is our short-term focus on life.

    What the book explores that is people are being swayed by wedge issues to vote against their self interest in favor of very wealthly and rich people who reap nearly all of the benefits.  Also, it’s no longer “flyover country”.  That is a worn out cliche.  The right has learned to use wedge issues in every state. 

    Your attack on democrats is wrong.  Democrats and democratic are focused on the middle class.  Republican policies are focused solely on the rich and we know tricke-down never worked and never will work.  David Stockman – the architect of trickle down has said it did not work.  In fact, Reagan raised taxes about 13 times after his tax cut for the rich. 

    The economic problems you attribute to democratic policies are easily answered by the reality republicans inflicted on the country, where:

    Republicans started two wars without paying for them; 
    Republicans enacted tax cuts that benefit the rich without paying for them; and,
    Republicans passed Medicare drug reform without paying for it.

    Taxes are lower now on the wealthy than anytime since WWII.  The best economic period the country experienced was in the 1950′s and early 1960′s.  Tax rates were higher, but we did big things that built the middle class.  The interstate highway system and the space program to name two.  These helped build the middle class and the rich were still rich.

    No one can say that we are better off today then we were in the 1950′s.  Higher taxes were not the problem.  That’s a myth. 

  • Anonymous

    “Tonight on NPR we will be hearing a sonnata from Mozart in B major, and please be sure to tune into the Opera from the Met at eleven. Before we move on to our wine tasting story, here is a brief news report from Maine for the top of the hour…Naomi Tottenberg is reporting the price of arugala and kale at the Whole Foods store has gone up ten percent due to the environmental policies of the Republican Paul LePage.”

  • Anonymous

    LOL. 

  • Anonymous

    At least we can still afford the prohibition experiment and keep filling our jails with non violent drug users.   There is no shortage of money yet so we can keep wasting it on “the experiment”.

  • Anonymous

    And now those of you who voted for Pingree;  Raise your hands in shame…..

  • Anonymous

    The national debt has increased by $5 trillion dollars in the last 2.5 years.

    Take a look at  this.

    http://www.usdebtclock.org/

  • Anonymous

    And the Dem way of tax  and spend is o.k. with you?     so many Morons in this country… wish I was a Dem so I could screw all of you too….then you can tell me how good it was….and thank me

  • Anonymous

    Snowe, Collins, Michaud, and Pingree all showing how they are part of the problem and none of the solution.

    And everyone of them will probably be elected again by Maine voters suckered by platitudes and expressions of “caring”.

  • Anonymous

    Snowe, Collins, Michaud, and Pingree all showing how they are part of the problem and none of the solution.

    And everyone of them will probably be elected again by Maine voters suckered by platitudes and expressions of “caring”.

  • Anonymous

    Well Thank God no Democrats had any part in these wars the Republicans started…..

  • Anonymous

    People vote for the GOP rather than the Dems because they put the welfare of all, the country, ahead of their personal self interest.  

    Not that the GOP has been much better the past 50 years at least.  

  • Anonymous

    Whats amazes me is that you assert that people “vote against their own self interest”. What gives you the right to know what is in anyone elses  “self-interest”?  That is a real arrogant statement.

  • Anonymous

    Whats amazes me is that you assert that people “vote against their own self interest”. What gives you the right to know what is in anyone elses  “self-interest”?  That is a real arrogant statement.

  • Anonymous

    Whats amazes me is that you assert that people “vote against their own self interest”. What gives you the right to know what is in anyone elses  “self-interest”?  That is a real arrogant statement.

  • Anonymous

    Whats amazes me is that you assert that people “vote against their own self interest”. What gives you the right to know what is in anyone elses  “self-interest”?  That is a real arrogant statement.

  • Anonymous

    No Democratic policies are focused on maintaining a servile docile voting block dependent upon them.

    Please prove that taxes are lower on the individual that at anytime since WW2? 

  • Anonymous

    No Democratic policies are focused on maintaining a servile docile voting block dependent upon them.

    Please prove that taxes are lower on the individual that at anytime since WW2? 

  • Anonymous

    No Democratic policies are focused on maintaining a servile docile voting block dependent upon them.

    Please prove that taxes are lower on the individual that at anytime since WW2? 

  • Anonymous

    No Democratic policies are focused on maintaining a servile docile voting block dependent upon them.

    Please prove that taxes are lower on the individual that at anytime since WW2? 

  • Anonymous

    waz meen” maby” ??  splain prease

  • Anonymous

    Except it does. Same people reorganized under a dozen different names doing the same things with our tax dollars.

  • Anonymous

    That is a well known fact and has been widely reported in recent months.  I don’t time to find the links, but it’s real.  I respectfully suggest you do you own homework.  It’s a true fact.  I assure you.

  • Anonymous

    A democrat is ending them and got Bid Laden.

  • Anonymous

    A democrat is ending them and got Bid Laden.

  • Anonymous

    A democrat is ending them and got Bid Laden.

  • Anonymous

    We have added about 9 trillion to the national debt over the past 10 years.  The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost about 1 trillion over that time.   The tax cuts on the wealthy have reduced federal income by about 1 trillion over that time.  That is a total of about 2 trillion out of 9 trillion.  This is a good talking point but it lacks substance.

    Now, if you eliminate ALL the Bush tax cuts including all those on the lower income levels then I believe I read somewhere that would add another 3 trillion of income to the federal government over the past 10 years.  That would make it a total of 5 trillion out of 9 trillion spent.  So the federal government has still would have spent 4 trillion more than it has taken in over the past 10 years.  And most of that would have been by the Obama administration.

  • Anonymous

    We have added about 9 trillion to the national debt over the past 10 years.  The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost about 1 trillion over that time.   The tax cuts on the wealthy have reduced federal income by about 1 trillion over that time.  That is a total of about 2 trillion out of 9 trillion.  This is a good talking point but it lacks substance.

    Now, if you eliminate ALL the Bush tax cuts including all those on the lower income levels then I believe I read somewhere that would add another 3 trillion of income to the federal government over the past 10 years.  That would make it a total of 5 trillion out of 9 trillion spent.  So the federal government has still would have spent 4 trillion more than it has taken in over the past 10 years.  And most of that would have been by the Obama administration.

  • Anonymous

    We have added about 9 trillion to the national debt over the past 10 years.  The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost about 1 trillion over that time.   The tax cuts on the wealthy have reduced federal income by about 1 trillion over that time.  That is a total of about 2 trillion out of 9 trillion.  This is a good talking point but it lacks substance.

    Now, if you eliminate ALL the Bush tax cuts including all those on the lower income levels then I believe I read somewhere that would add another 3 trillion of income to the federal government over the past 10 years.  That would make it a total of 5 trillion out of 9 trillion spent.  So the federal government has still would have spent 4 trillion more than it has taken in over the past 10 years.  And most of that would have been by the Obama administration.

  • Anonymous

    We have added about 9 trillion to the national debt over the past 10 years.  The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost about 1 trillion over that time.   The tax cuts on the wealthy have reduced federal income by about 1 trillion over that time.  That is a total of about 2 trillion out of 9 trillion.  This is a good talking point but it lacks substance.

    Now, if you eliminate ALL the Bush tax cuts including all those on the lower income levels then I believe I read somewhere that would add another 3 trillion of income to the federal government over the past 10 years.  That would make it a total of 5 trillion out of 9 trillion spent.  So the federal government has still would have spent 4 trillion more than it has taken in over the past 10 years.  And most of that would have been by the Obama administration.

  • Anonymous

    We have added about 9 trillion to the national debt over the past 10 years.  The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost about 1 trillion over that time.   The tax cuts on the wealthy have reduced federal income by about 1 trillion over that time.  That is a total of about 2 trillion out of 9 trillion.  This is a good talking point but it lacks substance.

    Now, if you eliminate ALL the Bush tax cuts including all those on the lower income levels then I believe I read somewhere that would add another 3 trillion of income to the federal government over the past 10 years.  That would make it a total of 5 trillion out of 9 trillion spent.  So the federal government has still would have spent 4 trillion more than it has taken in over the past 10 years.  And most of that would have been by the Obama administration.

  • Anonymous

    No need to be rude or call anyone names. 

    People need to frame the issue correctly.  Republicans have a well known strategy to cut taxes on the rich and then cry “poor” to say that we’re broke and cannot pay for programs that help so many. 

    When the right passes tax cuts for the rich without paying for them that is the same as tax and spend.  It’s no different.  It is tax and spend.

  • Anonymous

    No need to be rude or call anyone names. 

    People need to frame the issue correctly.  Republicans have a well known strategy to cut taxes on the rich and then cry “poor” to say that we’re broke and cannot pay for programs that help so many. 

    When the right passes tax cuts for the rich without paying for them that is the same as tax and spend.  It’s no different.  It is tax and spend.

  • Anonymous

    No need to be rude or call anyone names. 

    People need to frame the issue correctly.  Republicans have a well known strategy to cut taxes on the rich and then cry “poor” to say that we’re broke and cannot pay for programs that help so many. 

    When the right passes tax cuts for the rich without paying for them that is the same as tax and spend.  It’s no different.  It is tax and spend.

  • Anonymous

    No need to be rude or call anyone names. 

    People need to frame the issue correctly.  Republicans have a well known strategy to cut taxes on the rich and then cry “poor” to say that we’re broke and cannot pay for programs that help so many. 

    When the right passes tax cuts for the rich without paying for them that is the same as tax and spend.  It’s no different.  It is tax and spend.

  • Anonymous

    No need to be rude or call anyone names. 

    People need to frame the issue correctly.  Republicans have a well known strategy to cut taxes on the rich and then cry “poor” to say that we’re broke and cannot pay for programs that help so many. 

    When the right passes tax cuts for the rich without paying for them that is the same as tax and spend.  It’s no different.  It is tax and spend.

  • Anonymous

    No need to be rude or call anyone names. 

    People need to frame the issue correctly.  Republicans have a well known strategy to cut taxes on the rich and then cry “poor” to say that we’re broke and cannot pay for programs that help so many. 

    When the right passes tax cuts for the rich without paying for them that is the same as tax and spend.  It’s no different.  It is tax and spend.

  • Anonymous

    Nothing arrogant about it.  How else do you explain passing tax laws that help to move jobs offshore or tax cuts that benefit only the rich with a promise (never kept) of trickle down wealth?  Vote for America and the middle class first and always.  The rich have always been and will always be rich.  They will survive.

  • Anonymous

    Actually I have seen those so-called facts in opinion articles and BDN editorials.The fact is they all do an apples to oranges comparison and do not account for inflation & purchasing power of money. Items that qualify for tax exemption, marginal rates and a whole lot of economic data and analysis. I thought perhaps you had some real numbers. Obviously I was  wrong. The data that suggests to you that people spend a smaller percentage of their income on taxes is merely your opinion and has no basis in fact.  Your assurances do little to engender confidence in your opinion.

  • Anonymous

    If you think the fact that we’re fighting wars and that Bush’s 2001 and 2003 tax cuts have been extended are merely a matter of opinion, there are bigger reasons why it’s not worth debating.  

  • Anonymous

    If you think the fact that we’re fighting wars and that Bush’s 2001 and 2003 tax cuts have been extended are merely a matter of opinion, there are bigger reasons why it’s not worth debating.  

  • Anonymous

    If you think the fact that we’re fighting wars and that Bush’s 2001 and 2003 tax cuts have been extended are merely a matter of opinion, there are bigger reasons why it’s not worth debating.  

  • Anonymous

    If you think the fact that we’re fighting wars and that Bush’s 2001 and 2003 tax cuts have been extended are merely a matter of opinion, there are bigger reasons why it’s not worth debating.  

  • Anonymous

    If you think the fact that we’re fighting wars and that Bush’s 2001 and 2003 tax cuts have been extended are merely a matter of opinion, there are bigger reasons why it’s not worth debating.  

  • Anonymous

    Hahaha! Says the people who think they should be able to burden same-day registration voters because they “don’t care enough.”

  • Anonymous

    Please do not put words in my mouth I did not say.

  • Anonymous

    You are simply wrong.  Tax rates are lower now than anytime since WWII.  You cannot use inflation is this argument.  It is based on all things being equal.  What numbers do you want?  The higher tax rates were much higher in the 1950′s and today are about a 1/3.  Where are your numbers? 

  • SwiftyMorgain

    I don’t bother with spell check becuze thaer plennty of editors owt theire willin to do it for me!

    Thannks!

  • Anonymous

    Extremely arrogant in my opinion. How could you possibly know whats in the best interest of everyone else?   How could you?

  • Anonymous

    Extremely arrogant in my opinion. How could you possibly know whats in the best interest of everyone else?   How could you?

  • 525_44

    It’s not that hard, raise taxes on corporations and the wealthiest Americans.

  • 525_44

    It’s not that hard, raise taxes on corporations and the wealthiest Americans.

  • Anonymous

    I’m the one who is spinning? Just Iraq and Afghanistan have cost us 1.2 trillion and will obviously cost us much more. That doesn’t include our other Defense operations. Its yearly budget is around 700 billion plus much more if you include the interest payments. Why are you trying to minimalize this massive expense? It sounds so phony to scream about the debt but then refuse to consider our Defense expenses. That’s what really lacks substance.

    Further, the tax cuts have cost us trillions and they will cost us trillions more. I find it so interesting that under a taxation plan that seemingly worked (as we ended with a surplus) is now so unworkable and unthinkable, that we have to look to cutting, for example, social security benefits, jsut so we can maintain tax cuts for already succesful people. We just simply have to keep those subsidies on oil and corn too, no matter what, right?

    I know it’s a lot of fun point of Obama and saying “you did it!” but that’s not reality and that doesn’t solve the problem.

  • Anonymous

    I’m the one who is spinning? Just Iraq and Afghanistan have cost us 1.2 trillion and will obviously cost us much more. That doesn’t include our other Defense operations. Its yearly budget is around 700 billion plus much more if you include the interest payments. Why are you trying to minimalize this massive expense? It sounds so phony to scream about the debt but then refuse to consider our Defense expenses. That’s what really lacks substance.

    Further, the tax cuts have cost us trillions and they will cost us trillions more. I find it so interesting that under a taxation plan that seemingly worked (as we ended with a surplus) is now so unworkable and unthinkable, that we have to look to cutting, for example, social security benefits, jsut so we can maintain tax cuts for already succesful people. We just simply have to keep those subsidies on oil and corn too, no matter what, right?

    I know it’s a lot of fun point of Obama and saying “you did it!” but that’s not reality and that doesn’t solve the problem.

  • Anonymous

    Actually, higher earners do pay more. 1.45% on all earnings with no wage base limit like SS with no more benefits paid. (2011).

  • 525_44

    It’s not welfare, they worked their lives and paid into the program and it is their money.
    So what if people while they worked went on a family vacation in a camper or have snowmobiles, they accumulated these things while working.

    One day you could be one of ‘them’, anything is possible.

    I also don’t know how you can say millionaire seniors don’t pay their own medical expenses. As wealthy seniors they can’t qualify for MaineCare [medicaid] and Medicare is NOT welfare, they pay for that also.

    Be for real.

  • 525_44

    It’s not welfare, they worked their lives and paid into the program and it is their money.
    So what if people while they worked went on a family vacation in a camper or have snowmobiles, they accumulated these things while working.

    One day you could be one of ‘them’, anything is possible.

    I also don’t know how you can say millionaire seniors don’t pay their own medical expenses. As wealthy seniors they can’t qualify for MaineCare [medicaid] and Medicare is NOT welfare, they pay for that also.

    Be for real.

  • SwiftyMorgain

    Snowe and Collins are caught between a Rock and a Hard Place. 

    They are running for cover!

       They have the Tax Grumps on the right and the Liberals on the left and They just know that  most independant people are starting to see through all the conservative lies!

    http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2010/nov/23/top-5-falsehoods-about-bush-tax-cuts/

    http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2011/04/rep_dennis_kucinich_says_bush.html

    http://www.oecd.org/document/4/0,3343,en_2649_34533_41407428_1_1_1_1,00.html

     

  • SwiftyMorgain

    Snowe and Collins are caught between a Rock and a Hard Place. 

    They are running for cover!

       They have the Tax Grumps on the right and the Liberals on the left and They just know that  most independant people are starting to see through all the conservative lies!

    http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2010/nov/23/top-5-falsehoods-about-bush-tax-cuts/

    http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2011/04/rep_dennis_kucinich_says_bush.html

    http://www.oecd.org/document/4/0,3343,en_2649_34533_41407428_1_1_1_1,00.html

     

  • 525_44

    I agree, people need to practice population control, replace themselves and call it good. However having children to collect a check on purpose is something that needs to stop.

  • Anonymous

    what our washington representation following the failed policy’s of the left? That is a surprise!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Anonymous

    “We are not talking about raising tax rates,” Snowe said.

    They should be.

  • Anonymous

    please explain why if someone  earns a dollar it is owed to others.If a person works hard to have things that they want.For some reason others consider it is owed to them for not being motivated enough to make it for themselves.

  • Anonymous

    please explain why if someone  earns a dollar it is owed to others.If a person works hard to have things that they want.For some reason others consider it is owed to them for not being motivated enough to make it for themselves.

  • Anonymous

    Pingree and those who vote like her are part of everyone’s problem. She wants to raise the debt ceiling with no cut in spending or lowering of taxes, then go on vacation and do nothing about our debt & high taxes again next session. I hope the voters remember this next time around. She then flies off to their mansion just out of the US to live large so her hubby can avoid paying taxes in the USA. It was a travesty that Dean Scrontras did not win in the last election. He would have known if you don’t have it ($) you don’t spend it or print it.

  • Anonymous

    All things are not being equal in those opinion pieces you mention.

    Example: In 1945 the highest marginal tax rate was 94%, on income over $200,000. (1945 dollars)

    In 2010 if a persons income had that same buying power they would have to make about $2.4 million in income before that rate kicked in.

    In addition in 1945 there were lots of Income tax guidelines and much personal income just wasn’t even taxed and would not even show up on as taxable income. Div & interest income for example and stock purchases were handled differently.

    In addition there are a plethora of different taxes that are here today that did not exist or existed at a reduced rate in 1945. State income tax for example. Gasoline  taxes medical taxes the list goes on and on.

    My point is that those that make a comparison to 1940′s tax rates are only telling a part of the story to serve a political purpose and maybe if they ever stopped to think it through are telling a few lies.

  • Anonymous

    All things are not being equal in those opinion pieces you mention.

    Example: In 1945 the highest marginal tax rate was 94%, on income over $200,000. (1945 dollars)

    In 2010 if a persons income had that same buying power they would have to make about $2.4 million in income before that rate kicked in.

    In addition in 1945 there were lots of Income tax guidelines and much personal income just wasn’t even taxed and would not even show up on as taxable income. Div & interest income for example and stock purchases were handled differently.

    In addition there are a plethora of different taxes that are here today that did not exist or existed at a reduced rate in 1945. State income tax for example. Gasoline  taxes medical taxes the list goes on and on.

    My point is that those that make a comparison to 1940′s tax rates are only telling a part of the story to serve a political purpose and maybe if they ever stopped to think it through are telling a few lies.

  • Anonymous

    All things are not being equal in those opinion pieces you mention.

    Example: In 1945 the highest marginal tax rate was 94%, on income over $200,000. (1945 dollars)

    In 2010 if a persons income had that same buying power they would have to make about $2.4 million in income before that rate kicked in.

    In addition in 1945 there were lots of Income tax guidelines and much personal income just wasn’t even taxed and would not even show up on as taxable income. Div & interest income for example and stock purchases were handled differently.

    In addition there are a plethora of different taxes that are here today that did not exist or existed at a reduced rate in 1945. State income tax for example. Gasoline  taxes medical taxes the list goes on and on.

    My point is that those that make a comparison to 1940′s tax rates are only telling a part of the story to serve a political purpose and maybe if they ever stopped to think it through are telling a few lies.

  • Anonymous

    All things are not being equal in those opinion pieces you mention.

    Example: In 1945 the highest marginal tax rate was 94%, on income over $200,000. (1945 dollars)

    In 2010 if a persons income had that same buying power they would have to make about $2.4 million in income before that rate kicked in.

    In addition in 1945 there were lots of Income tax guidelines and much personal income just wasn’t even taxed and would not even show up on as taxable income. Div & interest income for example and stock purchases were handled differently.

    In addition there are a plethora of different taxes that are here today that did not exist or existed at a reduced rate in 1945. State income tax for example. Gasoline  taxes medical taxes the list goes on and on.

    My point is that those that make a comparison to 1940′s tax rates are only telling a part of the story to serve a political purpose and maybe if they ever stopped to think it through are telling a few lies.

  • Anonymous

    All things are not being equal in those opinion pieces you mention.

    Example: In 1945 the highest marginal tax rate was 94%, on income over $200,000. (1945 dollars)

    In 2010 if a persons income had that same buying power they would have to make about $2.4 million in income before that rate kicked in.

    In addition in 1945 there were lots of Income tax guidelines and much personal income just wasn’t even taxed and would not even show up on as taxable income. Div & interest income for example and stock purchases were handled differently.

    In addition there are a plethora of different taxes that are here today that did not exist or existed at a reduced rate in 1945. State income tax for example. Gasoline  taxes medical taxes the list goes on and on.

    My point is that those that make a comparison to 1940′s tax rates are only telling a part of the story to serve a political purpose and maybe if they ever stopped to think it through are telling a few lies.

  • Anonymous

    We could not have a society without government and that unfortunately means taxes.  I cannot think of any successful country where no-one paid any tax.  Can you?

  • Anonymous

    We could not have a society without government and that unfortunately means taxes.  I cannot think of any successful country where no-one paid any tax.  Can you?

  • Anonymous

    We could not have a society without government and that unfortunately means taxes.  I cannot think of any successful country where no-one paid any tax.  Can you?

  • Anonymous

    We could not have a society without government and that unfortunately means taxes.  I cannot think of any successful country where no-one paid any tax.  Can you?

  • Anonymous

    We could not have a society without government and that unfortunately means taxes.  I cannot think of any successful country where no-one paid any tax.  Can you?

  • Anonymous

    You are right of course. Our invasion of Afghanistan should never have undertaken. We should have let Al-Queda and the Taliban continue to use that area a base to continue killing innocents world-wide. Good plan. Would it really have been cheaper to not? How many dead American innocents before you figured it was ok to go in. Just asking?

  • Anonymous

    I’ve heard, from reliable sources, that the Rs need to be very careful with their dealmaking with the Ds because in past negotiations of this kind, the Ds have promised spending cuts, only to later welsh on the deal. One example of this is when G.H.W. Bush made his famous deal with our very own former U.S. Senator George Mitchell (remember “Read my lips…”?), for extended spending cuts, in exchange for new taxes, the spending cuts were never carried out. Promises, promises.

  • Anonymous

    I’ve heard, from reliable sources, that the Rs need to be very careful with their dealmaking with the Ds because in past negotiations of this kind, the Ds have promised spending cuts, only to later welsh on the deal. One example of this is when G.H.W. Bush made his famous deal with our very own former U.S. Senator George Mitchell (remember “Read my lips…”?), for extended spending cuts, in exchange for new taxes, the spending cuts were never carried out. Promises, promises.

  • Anonymous

    The republica way for the last 30 years is spend and don’t tax.

  • Anonymous

    The republica way for the last 30 years is spend and don’t tax.

  • SwiftyMorgain

    I used to be a middle class citezen and voted Republican and then I keep loosing my job and watched it go overseas, only to be forced to by the cheap junk that came back because of the poor economic conditions that thier policies created!

    Thank god the Democrats where there to support us with the safety nets that you call welfare!

  • Anonymous

    The Obama administration has spent a lot but they are no more culpible than the previous administration:

    http://beta.news.yahoo.com/blogs/newsroom/fast-fix-dealing-debt-20110413-045232-731.html

    Even the supposed “consertive” Reagan tripled our debt while in office.  We have been over spending for 30+ years.

  • Anonymous

     Down, down, down the taxes have gone, over decades.  70% tax on millionaires in the past, 90% on corporations.  Eisenhower used some of that revenue to help build the greatest highway network in the world, providing lots of jobs.

    And now, the US has an aging infrastructure, from electric to bridge, and Chinese monorails zoom between their cities at incredible speeds.

    In the time of Reagan, taxes were much higher than they are now.  Much.  What did the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy get us?

    Nothing except to reinforce the truth:  trickle down does not work.

  • Anonymous

    You mean that wanting to preserve Social Security and Medicare, instead of letting them get carved up and sold to greedy corporations, makes you servile?

  • Anonymous

    It’s in your self-interest to breathe and also to have access to a doctor.  Am I arrogant for pointing this out?

  • Anonymous

    It’s not arrogant to say that people want jobs, and don’t want jobs outsourced–is it?

  • Anonymous

    Unreal how much partisan arguing still goes on trying to lay blame with one party or the other.  Both have lead us down this path:

    http://beta.news.yahoo.com/blogs/newsroom/fast-fix-dealing-debt-20110413-045232-731.html

  • Anonymous

    Unreal how much partisan arguing still goes on trying to lay blame with one party or the other.  Both have lead us down this path:

    http://beta.news.yahoo.com/blogs/newsroom/fast-fix-dealing-debt-20110413-045232-731.html

  • SwiftyMorgain

       You have got That Right!

     Why pay for it with Rich Man Dollars when you can lie like pirates and hide the debt until the Democrats take over and blame them and make the poor man pay for it!

       You watch and see ten years from now they will say that Obama took away Social Security.

    Just like Bill Clinton was solely responsible for nafta!

  • SwiftyMorgain

       You have got That Right!

     Why pay for it with Rich Man Dollars when you can lie like pirates and hide the debt until the Democrats take over and blame them and make the poor man pay for it!

       You watch and see ten years from now they will say that Obama took away Social Security.

    Just like Bill Clinton was solely responsible for nafta!

  • Anonymous

    Yes you can and should use inflation when looking at tax rates. In addition, you are examining only the federal income tax. Please explain to me why my property tax, sales tax, gas tax, state income tax are higher than they were twenty five years ago. You won’t have an answer because you selectively choose your arguments.

  • Anonymous

    Yes you can and should use inflation when looking at tax rates. In addition, you are examining only the federal income tax. Please explain to me why my property tax, sales tax, gas tax, state income tax are higher than they were twenty five years ago. You won’t have an answer because you selectively choose your arguments.

  • Anonymous

    Again we are speaking of math. Tax rates & marginal rates effective marginal rates inflated money and additional taxes.   A 70% tax rate doesn’t mean much if you can avoid taxes to begin with in the same manner that it was done legally in the 50-60′s.  Which is part of the reason Reagan changed the tax code. Loopholes were closed and in exchange rates were lowered.

    What doesn’t work is squeezing the middle class and redefining $250k earners as rich.  When in 1945 that same income would have to be $3,000,000.00. That is the problem. You folks have so down-sized what wealth means to the point that rich is anyone that has more than you.

    At that point you wonder why the middle class is shrinking. the government has been busy taxing it out of existence.

  • Anonymous

    Again we are speaking of math. Tax rates & marginal rates effective marginal rates inflated money and additional taxes.   A 70% tax rate doesn’t mean much if you can avoid taxes to begin with in the same manner that it was done legally in the 50-60′s.  Which is part of the reason Reagan changed the tax code. Loopholes were closed and in exchange rates were lowered.

    What doesn’t work is squeezing the middle class and redefining $250k earners as rich.  When in 1945 that same income would have to be $3,000,000.00. That is the problem. You folks have so down-sized what wealth means to the point that rich is anyone that has more than you.

    At that point you wonder why the middle class is shrinking. the government has been busy taxing it out of existence.

  • Anonymous

    Again we are speaking of math. Tax rates & marginal rates effective marginal rates inflated money and additional taxes.   A 70% tax rate doesn’t mean much if you can avoid taxes to begin with in the same manner that it was done legally in the 50-60′s.  Which is part of the reason Reagan changed the tax code. Loopholes were closed and in exchange rates were lowered.

    What doesn’t work is squeezing the middle class and redefining $250k earners as rich.  When in 1945 that same income would have to be $3,000,000.00. That is the problem. You folks have so down-sized what wealth means to the point that rich is anyone that has more than you.

    At that point you wonder why the middle class is shrinking. the government has been busy taxing it out of existence.

  • Anonymous

    The left never uses wedge issues…abortion…gay marriage…immigration. Give me a break.

  • Anonymous

    The left never uses wedge issues…abortion…gay marriage…immigration. Give me a break.

  • Anonymous

    The left never uses wedge issues…abortion…gay marriage…immigration. Give me a break.

  • Anonymous

    Straw man argument.
    No one is advocating no government, the argument here is on what should government do, what can government do well and what it should cost.  Don’t lower the conversation with silliness.

  • Anonymous

    I made no such comment. Do not put words in my mouth. You are making things up I did not say.

  • Anonymous

    Pretty much yep. In other words, confine your statement to your own opinions and not assume you know what mine are and try to speak for me. I can do fine, thank you.

  • Anonymous

    Which is why every one talking about rolling back the Bush error tax cuts means to preserve the middle class portion for the most part. Besides which, If we are talking about ‘recession for the whole country’ vs. $38.00 a week in taxes from a family making 70,000/yr… one would have to be short sighted to choose the cash. Also… You would screw over your children’s children over $38./week? 

  • Anonymous

    Which is why every one talking about rolling back the Bush error tax cuts means to preserve the middle class portion for the most part. Besides which, If we are talking about ‘recession for the whole country’ vs. $38.00 a week in taxes from a family making 70,000/yr… one would have to be short sighted to choose the cash. Also… You would screw over your children’s children over $38./week? 

  • Anonymous

    Sources…still waiting….

  • Anonymous

    Sources…still waiting….

  • Anonymous

    Sources…still waiting….

  • Anonymous

    Sources…still waiting….

  • Anonymous

    Sources…still waiting….

  • Anonymous

    Sources…still waiting….

  • Anonymous

    Those are all right-wing wedge issues.

  • Anonymous

    Those are all right-wing wedge issues.

  • Anonymous

    Those are all right-wing wedge issues.

  • Anonymous

    non sequitur

  • Anonymous

    non sequitur

  • Anonymous

    non sequitur

  • Anonymous

    non sequitur

  • Anonymous

    non sequitur

  • Anonymous

    non sequitur

  • Anonymous

    non sequitur

  • Anonymous

    non sequitur

  • Anonymous

     http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article22293.htm

    Not so fast. Obama is big on promises and short on results.
    As for who got Osama…Id say it was the CIA and the SEAL team. Obama…he wa splaying golf.

  • Anonymous

     http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article22293.htm

    Not so fast. Obama is big on promises and short on results.
    As for who got Osama…Id say it was the CIA and the SEAL team. Obama…he wa splaying golf.

  • Anonymous

     http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article22293.htm

    Not so fast. Obama is big on promises and short on results.
    As for who got Osama…Id say it was the CIA and the SEAL team. Obama…he wa splaying golf.

  • Anonymous

     http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article22293.htm

    Not so fast. Obama is big on promises and short on results.
    As for who got Osama…Id say it was the CIA and the SEAL team. Obama…he wa splaying golf.

  • Anonymous

     http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article22293.htm

    Not so fast. Obama is big on promises and short on results.
    As for who got Osama…Id say it was the CIA and the SEAL team. Obama…he wa splaying golf.

  • Anonymous

     http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article22293.htm

    Not so fast. Obama is big on promises and short on results.
    As for who got Osama…Id say it was the CIA and the SEAL team. Obama…he wa splaying golf.

  • Anonymous

    You cannot use inflation to make an apples-to-apples comparison.  As far as why your taxes are higher so is your income.  You certainly do not earn what you earned in 1986. 

    If you want to use inflation then you have to use for everything.  A better approach is an index.

  • Anonymous

    True. $3 in cuts for very $1 in taxes…with the cuts NOW.

  • Anonymous

    True. $3 in cuts for very $1 in taxes…with the cuts NOW.

  • Anonymous

    True. $3 in cuts for very $1 in taxes…with the cuts NOW.

  • Anonymous

    President Obama gave the order and he gave the order to the CIA to step up its efforts to find him.  Those are facts.

  • Anonymous

    President Obama gave the order and he gave the order to the CIA to step up its efforts to find him.  Those are facts.

  • Anonymous

    President Obama gave the order and he gave the order to the CIA to step up its efforts to find him.  Those are facts.

  • Anonymous

     Yes…tax the rich…easy on the ears…tough when it meets reality.
    Who is rich?
    How much do you tax?
    What do you do when they close their company and move offshore to avoid the tax?
    How do you keep the new  tax money from being thrown down the rat hole of big and bloated government?

    Slogans may sound nice but think about the details.

  • Anonymous

     Yes…tax the rich…easy on the ears…tough when it meets reality.
    Who is rich?
    How much do you tax?
    What do you do when they close their company and move offshore to avoid the tax?
    How do you keep the new  tax money from being thrown down the rat hole of big and bloated government?

    Slogans may sound nice but think about the details.

  • Anonymous

     Yes…tax the rich…easy on the ears…tough when it meets reality.
    Who is rich?
    How much do you tax?
    What do you do when they close their company and move offshore to avoid the tax?
    How do you keep the new  tax money from being thrown down the rat hole of big and bloated government?

    Slogans may sound nice but think about the details.

  • Anonymous

     Yes…tax the rich…easy on the ears…tough when it meets reality.
    Who is rich?
    How much do you tax?
    What do you do when they close their company and move offshore to avoid the tax?
    How do you keep the new  tax money from being thrown down the rat hole of big and bloated government?

    Slogans may sound nice but think about the details.

  • SwiftyMorgain

    Well, this is either proof that conservatives can distort the truth with graphs as equally well as by word or that monkeys can draw illustrations!

  • Anonymous

     No, I mean my summary would likely be flagged. I have no problem with the Economist.

  • Anonymous

     No, I mean my summary would likely be flagged. I have no problem with the Economist.

  • Anonymous

    Right. I always tend to assume anonymous posters on a smalltown Maine paper make over 1/4 mil per year.

  • Anonymous

    Right. I always tend to assume anonymous posters on a smalltown Maine paper make over 1/4 mil per year.

  • Anonymous

    Are you really claiming that taxes were lower under Reagan than they are now?  Do you have any references or support for your complex spin?

    That’s a mighty deep rabbit hole you’ve dived down.  You’re the only person I know who is arguing that all the tax cuts we’ve made actually aren’t tax cuts.  

    Which Republican candidate shares your view?  

    As for loopholes in the past, I am sure they can’t be worse than the loopholes in the present (GE paid no income taxes recently).  Money was evenly distributed across the population when tax rates were high.  One parent could stay home and raise the kids, while the other worked and made enough to buy a house, two cars, and lots more.

    Things were good when taxes were high.

    When Clinton left office, he had the budget balanced and the deficit at zero:

    http://www.factcheck.org/2008/02/the-budget-and-deficit-under-clinton/

    Let me see your references, just one.  Stop talking and start producing evidence for your mathematically complex and obfuscating spin.

  • Anonymous

    Are you really claiming that taxes were lower under Reagan than they are now?  Do you have any references or support for your complex spin?

    That’s a mighty deep rabbit hole you’ve dived down.  You’re the only person I know who is arguing that all the tax cuts we’ve made actually aren’t tax cuts.  

    Which Republican candidate shares your view?  

    As for loopholes in the past, I am sure they can’t be worse than the loopholes in the present (GE paid no income taxes recently).  Money was evenly distributed across the population when tax rates were high.  One parent could stay home and raise the kids, while the other worked and made enough to buy a house, two cars, and lots more.

    Things were good when taxes were high.

    When Clinton left office, he had the budget balanced and the deficit at zero:

    http://www.factcheck.org/2008/02/the-budget-and-deficit-under-clinton/

    Let me see your references, just one.  Stop talking and start producing evidence for your mathematically complex and obfuscating spin.

  • Anonymous

    There goes your mortgage deduction….

  • Anonymous

    There goes your mortgage deduction….

  • Anonymous

    Look if you want to start marginal tax rate at $3 million dollars instead of  $250k as in 2010 political speak ok. (The money has the same buying power.) Then it is a same same comparison otherwise it is not.

  • Anonymous

    See, that’s whewre you’re wrong. This isn’t a transfer of money. This is a system that provides for the opportunity to succeed and for the protection against extreme hardship. We all benefit from the system and we have to pay into it.

    But if you really want to go off on that, please explain why tax payers need to subsidize wildly successful industries (such as oil and factory farming).

  • Anonymous

    I am not going to do the research for you on this one. You need to look at the tax code and changes that were implemented at the time.  The tax rates were reduced under Reagan in exchange for Loophole closers.  One of those most famous “loopholes” of the time that were closed was the so-called 3-martini lunch. There were many many more.

    Like many of these “tax reforms” foisted on the unwary public it has more to do with shifting the burden than anything else.

    BTW Again. Do not put words in my mouth I did not say. In fact if you want ever want me to respond to you don’t do it.

  • Anonymous

    I am not going to do the research for you on this one. You need to look at the tax code and changes that were implemented at the time.  The tax rates were reduced under Reagan in exchange for Loophole closers.  One of those most famous “loopholes” of the time that were closed was the so-called 3-martini lunch. There were many many more.

    Like many of these “tax reforms” foisted on the unwary public it has more to do with shifting the burden than anything else.

    BTW Again. Do not put words in my mouth I did not say. In fact if you want ever want me to respond to you don’t do it.

  • Anonymous

    That $250k number was negotiable and Obama was willing to raise the number to $1 million but the GOP refused to play ball.

  • Anonymous

    Try harder.

  • Anonymous

    Try harder.

  • Anonymous

    Try harder.

  • Anonymous

    Listen pumpkin, if you don’t know that we’re fighting wars and that tax cuts are in effect you shouldn’t be here in the discussion.

  • Anonymous

    I agree that defense spending should be reduces by at least 200 billion a year and maybe even 300 billion.

    All agricultural subsidies should end, not just corn.

    Most of what you call subsidies for the oil and gas industry are in the form of accelerated depreciation and amount to about 4 billion a year.  A drop in the bucket.  And if you understood economics and tax law you would realize that ending the accelerated depreciation would not end what you call “subsidies” but would simply have those expenses depreciated over several years.  Any tax increases would be short term.

    The only reason the tax rates under Clinton almost achieved a surplus was because of the republican congress that put a brake on spending.  Remember the government shutdown of 1995?  There was no actual surplus.  The government was still borrowing from social security for a net deficit.  Although that net increase in Gross Public Debt was only 23 billion in fiscal year 2000, the last Clinton budget.

    Isn’t it interesting that the economy boomed during the Clinton years when government spending was being restrained.  

  • Anonymous

    You are making the wrong argument. 

    It is not how much $250k dollars in 1945 would be worth in 2011, but how much $250k dollars from 2011 would be worth in 1945 dollars.  Probably about $15,000.  I’m only guessing, but hopefully you will understand the difference. 

    Tax rates for the rich are lower then they have been in nearly 50 years and look at the result.  Our infrastructure is crumbling and the rich want more tax breaks.  I’d trade the 1950′s for our times any day of the week.  We were better off then even with the “high taxes”.

  • Anonymous

    Just as I thought.  You have no references.

    Again, Clinton left the budget balanced, and with no deficit.  Here’s my reference:

     http://www.factcheck.org/2008/02/the-budget-and-deficit-under-clinton/

    What happened next?  Bush cut taxes, went to war, and the deficit SOARED.

    I understand that my comments are troubling to you, they should be.  I’m not trying to convince you of anything, I’m speaking to the public.  If you don’t want to respond, that’s your choice.  No one is forcing you.

  • Anonymous

    The wealthy on both sides seem to have plenty of money to contribute to political candidates and PACs to help further their own agendas, but resist all efforts to increase their taxes to help the country as a whole.

    All the tax cuts they’ve enjoyed over the past decade have done nothing to stimulate the economy and have only multiplied our economic problems. It’s time for common sense to start dictating the solutions.

  • Anonymous

    The wealthy on both sides seem to have plenty of money to contribute to political candidates and PACs to help further their own agendas, but resist all efforts to increase their taxes to help the country as a whole.

    All the tax cuts they’ve enjoyed over the past decade have done nothing to stimulate the economy and have only multiplied our economic problems. It’s time for common sense to start dictating the solutions.

  • Anonymous

    The wealthy on both sides seem to have plenty of money to contribute to political candidates and PACs to help further their own agendas, but resist all efforts to increase their taxes to help the country as a whole.

    All the tax cuts they’ve enjoyed over the past decade have done nothing to stimulate the economy and have only multiplied our economic problems. It’s time for common sense to start dictating the solutions.

  • Anonymous

    The wealthy on both sides seem to have plenty of money to contribute to political candidates and PACs to help further their own agendas, but resist all efforts to increase their taxes to help the country as a whole.

    All the tax cuts they’ve enjoyed over the past decade have done nothing to stimulate the economy and have only multiplied our economic problems. It’s time for common sense to start dictating the solutions.

  • Anonymous

    The wealthy on both sides seem to have plenty of money to contribute to political candidates and PACs to help further their own agendas, but resist all efforts to increase their taxes to help the country as a whole.

    All the tax cuts they’ve enjoyed over the past decade have done nothing to stimulate the economy and have only multiplied our economic problems. It’s time for common sense to start dictating the solutions.

  • Anonymous

    Hey, if you want to argue that it is not in your self-interest to breathe air, I will leave you to it…  Have fun.  But you won’t get out more than a sentence or two before you pass out.

     

  • Anonymous

    Hey, if you want to argue that it is not in your self-interest to breathe air, I will leave you to it…  Have fun.  But you won’t get out more than a sentence or two before you pass out.

     

  • Anonymous

    The top marginal tax rate in1960 was 91%. Now the highest marginal tax rate is 39%. THAT is a tax cut!

  • Anonymous

    The top marginal tax rate in1960 was 91%. Now the highest marginal tax rate is 39%. THAT is a tax cut!

  • Anonymous

    You said it’s arrogant to assume what others want.  I am claiming people want jobs.  Does that make me arrogant?

     

  • Anonymous

    You said it’s arrogant to assume what others want.  I am claiming people want jobs.  Does that make me arrogant?

     

  • Anonymous

    No, I am afraid you are looking at it incorrectly.

    $250,000 dollars in 2010 equals about $3,000,00o of buying power in 1945 not $15K

    I agree we have a crumbling infrastructure but the reason for that is not the reduced taxes but instead the misapplication of taxes collected over the last 50 years. 

  • Anonymous

    No, I am afraid you are looking at it incorrectly.

    $250,000 dollars in 2010 equals about $3,000,00o of buying power in 1945 not $15K

    I agree we have a crumbling infrastructure but the reason for that is not the reduced taxes but instead the misapplication of taxes collected over the last 50 years. 

  • Anonymous

    No, I am afraid you are looking at it incorrectly.

    $250,000 dollars in 2010 equals about $3,000,00o of buying power in 1945 not $15K

    I agree we have a crumbling infrastructure but the reason for that is not the reduced taxes but instead the misapplication of taxes collected over the last 50 years. 

  • Anonymous

    No, I am afraid you are looking at it incorrectly.

    $250,000 dollars in 2010 equals about $3,000,00o of buying power in 1945 not $15K

    I agree we have a crumbling infrastructure but the reason for that is not the reduced taxes but instead the misapplication of taxes collected over the last 50 years. 

  • Anonymous

    No, I am afraid you are looking at it incorrectly.

    $250,000 dollars in 2010 equals about $3,000,00o of buying power in 1945 not $15K

    I agree we have a crumbling infrastructure but the reason for that is not the reduced taxes but instead the misapplication of taxes collected over the last 50 years. 

  • Anonymous

    No, I am afraid you are looking at it incorrectly.

    $250,000 dollars in 2010 equals about $3,000,00o of buying power in 1945 not $15K

    I agree we have a crumbling infrastructure but the reason for that is not the reduced taxes but instead the misapplication of taxes collected over the last 50 years. 

  • Anonymous

    No, I am afraid you are looking at it incorrectly.

    $250,000 dollars in 2010 equals about $3,000,00o of buying power in 1945 not $15K

    I agree we have a crumbling infrastructure but the reason for that is not the reduced taxes but instead the misapplication of taxes collected over the last 50 years. 

  • Anonymous

    No, I am afraid you are looking at it incorrectly.

    $250,000 dollars in 2010 equals about $3,000,00o of buying power in 1945 not $15K

    I agree we have a crumbling infrastructure but the reason for that is not the reduced taxes but instead the misapplication of taxes collected over the last 50 years. 

  • Anonymous

    No, I am afraid you are looking at it incorrectly.

    $250,000 dollars in 2010 equals about $3,000,00o of buying power in 1945 not $15K

    I agree we have a crumbling infrastructure but the reason for that is not the reduced taxes but instead the misapplication of taxes collected over the last 50 years. 

  • Anonymous

    No, I am afraid you are looking at it incorrectly.

    $250,000 dollars in 2010 equals about $3,000,00o of buying power in 1945 not $15K

    I agree we have a crumbling infrastructure but the reason for that is not the reduced taxes but instead the misapplication of taxes collected over the last 50 years. 

  • Anonymous

    No, I am afraid you are looking at it incorrectly.

    $250,000 dollars in 2010 equals about $3,000,00o of buying power in 1945 not $15K

    I agree we have a crumbling infrastructure but the reason for that is not the reduced taxes but instead the misapplication of taxes collected over the last 50 years. 

  • Anonymous

    No, I am afraid you are looking at it incorrectly.

    $250,000 dollars in 2010 equals about $3,000,00o of buying power in 1945 not $15K

    I agree we have a crumbling infrastructure but the reason for that is not the reduced taxes but instead the misapplication of taxes collected over the last 50 years. 

  • Anonymous

    No, I am afraid you are looking at it incorrectly.

    $250,000 dollars in 2010 equals about $3,000,00o of buying power in 1945 not $15K

    I agree we have a crumbling infrastructure but the reason for that is not the reduced taxes but instead the misapplication of taxes collected over the last 50 years. 

  • Anonymous

    I am only using that number because it was a commonly used one. That fits nicely in my calculator.

  • Anonymous

    I am only using that number because it was a commonly used one. That fits nicely in my calculator.

  • Anonymous

    I have trouble with people that ignore what I say, redefine my words to fit their own worldview and and make assumptions about my viewpoints. Which pretty much covers everything you have to say. I’m out.

  • Anonymous

    I was not addressing your comment. Follow the thread.

  • Anonymous

    Yes, drive more corporations and jobs out of the country.   We already have the second highest corporate tax rate in the world. 

  • Anonymous

    It cannot work in times of high structural debt. Which we are in. Effectively 15% annually of our spending over the last 2.5 years could be considered stimulus.

  • Anonymous

    Maybe the reason we have a crumbling infrastructure is the Republican policy of starving government and feeding big corporations–that take their infrastructure-building overseas.

  • 525_44

    I farm.
    I’m not moving offshore.

  • Anonymous

    Please bring references to the table next time, so you don’t waste our energy trying to figure out what you are saying.

  • Anonymous

    Do you oil yourself before coming in here?  You sure are slippery.

  • Anonymous

    Wait..so you can’t use inflation when looking at taxes, but you can look at wage inflation when looking at my income relative to my tax burden. Ouch..does it hurt to do those kind of mental exercises?

  • Anonymous

    If you want to trash a conservative pundit, go right ahead (though he’s right in this case).  I have seen Republicans attack Republicans a lot recently.  RINO’s versus Lipton’s.

    Tax increases (actually, letting the Bush tax cuts expire) will reduce the deficit tremendously.  However, the GOP is the servant of greed, and will fight tooth and nail for corruption.  Don’t worry, I think the Dem’s are corrupt, too.

    However, Clinton left office with no deficit and a balanced budget:

    http://www.factcheck.org/2008/02/the-budget-and-deficit-under-clinton/

    What happened next?  Bush cut taxes and went to war under the WMD lie.  The deficit skyrocketed.

    So don’t tell me raising taxes just creates a bloated government.  We’ve been cutting taxes for decades, slashing social services for decades, and guess what–trickle down doesn’t work.

    Meanwhile, under 90% tax rates for corporations, Eisenhower built the world’s greatest highway system.  Wealth was evenly distributed.  Today, we live in a banana republic, where corporations take money out of this country and go to China.

    Can you say, shaft the American worker?

  • Anonymous

    Obama signs extension of Bush Tax Cuts.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/16/AR2010121606200.html

    Does that jive with your worldview when you fearless leader is ok with those cuts?
     

  • Anonymous

    Obama signs extension of Bush Tax Cuts.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/16/AR2010121606200.html

    Does that jive with your worldview when you fearless leader is ok with those cuts?
     

  • Anonymous

    Yup, go to the NOW website, the GLAD websites and see how they use those issues to raise money. it must be an evil Republican plot eh?

  • Anonymous

    Nice of you to demean people with valid arguments who source them when you can’t do the same. It must say alot about you “pumpkin.”

  • Anonymous

    Don’t argue with Ed, he has a doctorate in postology.

  • Anonymous

    How about you bring some attention span to the table and stay on topic.

  • Anonymous

    All I am saying is that it is not your business whether I breathe or not.

  • Anonymous

    All I am saying is that it is not your business whether I breathe or not.

  • Anonymous

    All I am saying is that it is not your business whether I breathe or not.

  • Anonymous

    All I am saying is that it is not your business whether I breathe or not.

  • Anonymous
  • Anonymous

    There is no need to be rude.   The point was if you want to complain that your taxes have gone up over 25 years then you need to remember that your have also gone up.  It’s simple.  Really.  Sorry to tax your brain.

  • Anonymous

    Read some of the other posts between NE_Voter and myself. That will help. Its all in the math.

  • Anonymous

    Read some of the other posts between NE_Voter and myself. That will help. Its all in the math.

  • Anonymous

    Read some of the other posts between NE_Voter and myself. That will help. Its all in the math.

  • Anonymous

    Read some of the other posts between NE_Voter and myself. That will help. Its all in the math.

  • Anonymous

    Read some of the other posts between NE_Voter and myself. That will help. Its all in the math.

  • Anonymous

    Read some of the other posts between NE_Voter and myself. That will help. Its all in the math.

  • Anonymous

    Read some of the other posts between NE_Voter and myself. That will help. Its all in the math.

  • Anonymous

    Read some of the other posts between NE_Voter and myself. That will help. Its all in the math.

  • Anonymous

    Read some of the other posts between NE_Voter and myself. That will help. Its all in the math.

  • Anonymous

    Read some of the other posts between NE_Voter and myself. That will help. Its all in the math.

  • Anonymous

    Read some of the other posts between NE_Voter and myself. That will help. Its all in the math.

  • Anonymous

    Read some of the other posts between NE_Voter and myself. That will help. Its all in the math.

  • Anonymous

    Read some of the other posts between NE_Voter and myself. That will help. Its all in the math.

  • Anonymous

    Read some of the other posts between NE_Voter and myself. That will help. Its all in the math.

  • Anonymous

    Read some of the other posts between NE_Voter and myself. That will help. Its all in the math.

  • Anonymous

    Read some of the other posts between NE_Voter and myself. That will help. Its all in the math.

  • Anonymous

    Read some of the other posts between NE_Voter and myself. That will help. Its all in the math.

  • Anonymous

    Read some of the other posts between NE_Voter and myself. That will help. Its all in the math.

  • Anonymous

    Read some of the other posts between NE_Voter and myself. That will help. Its all in the math.

  • Anonymous

    Read some of the other posts between NE_Voter and myself. That will help. Its all in the math.

  • Anonymous

    Why can some of us succeed and others struggle?

    [Indians (from India)]…”They’re also among the nation’s most successful ethnic groups, with 71% of Asian Indians earning bachelor’s degrees or higher, compared with 28% of all Americans, according to data from the U.S. Census’s 2009 American Community Survey.
    The survey reported that Asian Indians have median household incomes of more than $90,000, compared with $50,000 for all Americans.”http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/10/in-texas-young-hindus-want-to-americanize-ancient-faith/?hpt=hp_c2

  • Anonymous

    Why can some of us succeed and others struggle?

    [Indians (from India)]…”They’re also among the nation’s most successful ethnic groups, with 71% of Asian Indians earning bachelor’s degrees or higher, compared with 28% of all Americans, according to data from the U.S. Census’s 2009 American Community Survey.
    The survey reported that Asian Indians have median household incomes of more than $90,000, compared with $50,000 for all Americans.”http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/10/in-texas-young-hindus-want-to-americanize-ancient-faith/?hpt=hp_c2

  • Anonymous

    Why can some of us succeed and others struggle?

    [Indians (from India)]…”They’re also among the nation’s most successful ethnic groups, with 71% of Asian Indians earning bachelor’s degrees or higher, compared with 28% of all Americans, according to data from the U.S. Census’s 2009 American Community Survey.
    The survey reported that Asian Indians have median household incomes of more than $90,000, compared with $50,000 for all Americans.”http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/10/in-texas-young-hindus-want-to-americanize-ancient-faith/?hpt=hp_c2

  • Anonymous

    Why can some of us succeed and others struggle?

    [Indians (from India)]…”They’re also among the nation’s most successful ethnic groups, with 71% of Asian Indians earning bachelor’s degrees or higher, compared with 28% of all Americans, according to data from the U.S. Census’s 2009 American Community Survey.
    The survey reported that Asian Indians have median household incomes of more than $90,000, compared with $50,000 for all Americans.”http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/10/in-texas-young-hindus-want-to-americanize-ancient-faith/?hpt=hp_c2

  • Anonymous

    Why can some of us succeed and others struggle?

    [Indians (from India)]…”They’re also among the nation’s most successful ethnic groups, with 71% of Asian Indians earning bachelor’s degrees or higher, compared with 28% of all Americans, according to data from the U.S. Census’s 2009 American Community Survey.
    The survey reported that Asian Indians have median household incomes of more than $90,000, compared with $50,000 for all Americans.”http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/10/in-texas-young-hindus-want-to-americanize-ancient-faith/?hpt=hp_c2

  • Anonymous

    We are discussing  two topics here.

     The arrogance inherent in NE_Voters assertion that  people “vote against their own self interest”  My point is how does he know what their interests are. In my opinion that attitude tilts toward authoritarianism.

    Marginal tax rates 1945 vs. 2010 an what they mean.

    That means I am neither slippery or anything. I am just not discussing what you want to discuss. You going to have to get over it I guess.

  • Anonymous

     So my property tax is based on my income? The sales tax is based on my income? The gas tax is based on my income? What the heck are you talking about here. These taxes either did not exist or were much smaller back then because services we now have were fewer or did not exist 25-30 years ago.  Id grab charts showing how government growth and taxes have outstripped income but why bother, I’m not going to convince you anyway.

  • Anonymous

    Taking away a “tax cut”is not considered a tax increase by these idiots.  When you take away a “tax cut” you are still taking someone else’s money away from them.  These RINO’s need to go.  I would rather have a democrat in office than these RINO’s – at least with a dem you know where you stand (not a good place), but with Snowe/Collins you are never sure which side they will pander too (usually the left, but they are still more dangerous than a cookie cutter democrat).

    Obama keeps bringing up the depreciation tax break that luxury jet owners have that he wants to take away – this was put in place by his administration with the stimulus bill and now he wants to blame the Republicans for it.  He is the one that gave GE, GM, etc outrageous tax breaks to pander to them.   He wants to keep increasing our debt so that we become Greece.  Higher taxes on anyone will only stall our economy more and he knows it.  He is simply playing politics and has proven that he is utterly incompetent.

  • Anonymous

    I’m being asked to source the most obvious things. They’re the entire basis of this discussion. It is so ridiculous to say that Bush’s tax cuts are a matter of my own opinion. There is nothing “valid” about denying reality.

    Do you also want me to source that Obama is our president? Maybe that liquid water is wet?  

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_tax_cuts
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_War
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_Afghanistan

  • Anonymous

    My worldview? What are you even talking about? I don’t think those cuts should have ever been made in the first place. I especially don’t think they should have been extended. I have principles. Just because Obama has signed on to this, doesn’t mean I think it is automatically right.

  • Anonymous

    It is in your self-interest to breathe, right?

  • Anonymous

    It is in your self-interest to breathe, right?

  • Anonymous

    It is in your self-interest to breathe, right?

  • Anonymous

    In a major victory for the White House, the Senate early Friday voted 77-23 to authorize President Bush to attack Iraq if Saddam Hussein refuses to give up weapons of mass destruction as required by U.N. resolutions.
    Hours earlier, the House approved an identical resolution, 296-133. senate was a 51-49  house was 221-212 i guess a few dems had the same idea

  • Anonymous

    All cheese, no cake…….as usual.

  • Anonymous

    Go back to high school government class.

  • Anonymous

    Dude, you’ve lost the argument!  They’re just making you look stup1d now.

  • Anonymous

    Dude, you’ve lost the argument!  They’re just making you look stup1d now.

  • Anonymous

    keep our money here instead of sending it to other countrys.

  • Anonymous

    keep our money here instead of sending it to other countrys.

  • Anonymous

    If you were doing anything but smart-mouthing you would see I made my point with facts and figures. Find a calculator and do it yourself. Or maybe you are just simply jumping into a conversation without knowing the topic.

  • SwiftyMorgain

       You don’t suppose maybe the agreement is because they are excercising rational thought rather than  right wing radical ideology?

  • SwiftyMorgain

       You don’t suppose maybe the agreement is because they are excercising rational thought rather than  right wing radical ideology?

  • SwiftyMorgain

       You don’t suppose maybe the agreement is because they are excercising rational thought rather than  right wing radical ideology?

  • SwiftyMorgain

    So take more in!

  • SwiftyMorgain

    So take more in!

  • SwiftyMorgain

    So take more in!

  • SwiftyMorgain

    So take more in!

  • Anonymous

    Dude, Do you even know what the discussion is or I admit now was?

  • Anonymous

    Dude, Do you even know what the discussion is or I admit now was?

  • Anonymous

    Maverick, I like that!  You vote for me for Prez and I’ll show you.

  • Anonymous

    Let me guess, Bill Gates isn’t paying “his fair share”

     

  • Anonymous

    Let me guess, Bill Gates isn’t paying “his fair share”

     

  • SwiftyMorgain

     Stop your whining,

      People are dieing in Afaghanastan for your freedom to make your Middle Class Income, and some of those who come back will be lucky to make a poverty level income at that.
    Freedom ain’t Free, Taxes allways went up in time of war.

       If you cant give up the $2000.00 strap a helmet and some boots on and get over there and pay your debt !

    America needs men not Tea Party Crybabys, Tax grumping whiners!

    That gos for the 1% ers to! Get “your” back packs ready your of to a “Desert Retreat”!

    Deadbeats!

  • SwiftyMorgain

     Stop your whining,

      People are dieing in Afaghanastan for your freedom to make your Middle Class Income, and some of those who come back will be lucky to make a poverty level income at that.
    Freedom ain’t Free, Taxes allways went up in time of war.

       If you cant give up the $2000.00 strap a helmet and some boots on and get over there and pay your debt !

    America needs men not Tea Party Crybabys, Tax grumping whiners!

    That gos for the 1% ers to! Get “your” back packs ready your of to a “Desert Retreat”!

    Deadbeats!

  • Anonymous

    What is radical about stopping the constant spending of money?  

  • Anonymous

    What is radical about stopping the constant spending of money?  

  • Anonymous

    There’s much more to this than just historic tax rates. Along with reduced tax rates, many write off’s are gone or get phased out at a low threshold. Has anyone here considered the Alternative Minimum Tax? That is even taking a bite on the middle class now. People can talk all day on here about how the rich get the breaks but look at the federal budget over the past 6-7 decades. Entitlements have taken over as the largest expenditure by far and the rich don’t typically get those.

  • Anonymous

    I’m sure he meant people vote against their own financial interest, but to those people, like you apparently, people I call fools,  it needs to be spelled out exactly.

  • Anonymous

    The GOP spends 24/7 ONLY working to help the super rich get super richer. They care absolutely nothing about the middle class or the poor or the greater good of our country.

  • Anonymous

    At least 6 trillion of the deficit was caused by the Bush wars, the Bush tax cuts, the Bush unfunded prescription drug plan and the Bush Recession.

  • Anonymous

    Question: How much of that 5 trillion would have occured if Bush didn’t do the tax cuts that we’re still living with, hadn’t started two wars which we are still involved in, hadn’t passed an unfunded prescription drug bill, and hadn’t caused us the Bush Recession? Answer: all of it.

  • Anonymous

    Question: How much of that 5 trillion would have occured if Bush didn’t do the tax cuts that we’re still living with, hadn’t started two wars which we are still involved in, hadn’t passed an unfunded prescription drug bill, and hadn’t caused us the Bush Recession? Answer: all of it.

  • Anonymous

    Question: How much of that 5 trillion would have occured if Bush didn’t do the tax cuts that we’re still living with, hadn’t started two wars which we are still involved in, hadn’t passed an unfunded prescription drug bill, and hadn’t caused us the Bush Recession? Answer: all of it.

  • Anonymous

    Question: How much of that 5 trillion would have occured if Bush didn’t do the tax cuts that we’re still living with, hadn’t started two wars which we are still involved in, hadn’t passed an unfunded prescription drug bill, and hadn’t caused us the Bush Recession? Answer: all of it.

  • Anonymous

    Question: How much of that 5 trillion would have occured if Bush didn’t do the tax cuts that we’re still living with, hadn’t started two wars which we are still involved in, hadn’t passed an unfunded prescription drug bill, and hadn’t caused us the Bush Recession? Answer: all of it.

  • 525_44

    Considering what he does with his money yes he is, but of course he has the privilege of picking and choosing what he wants to give his money to and what should be done with it.

    Money is no good unless it is spread around.

  • Anonymous

    Snowe and Collins continue playing RINO. A few BILLION won’t solve a problem of TRILLIONS.
    Penny wise and pound foolish. Just playing political games.  Then there’s the guy who should have stayed in the paper mill and Shelly’s Cause whose now husband is a major player in the outragious gas prices. Speculator.

    They should all try this on for size.Five myths about the Debt Ceiling Washington Post July 7,  2011
     
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-myths-about-the-debt-ceiling/2011/07/06/gIQANwF01H_story.html

    Copy and paste to your browser if the BDN disables it as a hyperlink.

  • Anonymous

    Well they used a constitutional amendment against same sex marriage and the usual anti-abortion line to get GWBush elected twice.  Unless I missed something, it was never mentioned again.  That’s what is meant by “wedge issue”.  Further, democrats don’t want to encourage assistance programs, they want to reduce the need for them, as was done with Bill Clinton.  I am still waiting for someone to show me one single policy the republicans can claim has made life better in america for the middle class in the last 20 years.

  • Anonymous

    Well they used a constitutional amendment against same sex marriage and the usual anti-abortion line to get GWBush elected twice.  Unless I missed something, it was never mentioned again.  That’s what is meant by “wedge issue”.  Further, democrats don’t want to encourage assistance programs, they want to reduce the need for them, as was done with Bill Clinton.  I am still waiting for someone to show me one single policy the republicans can claim has made life better in america for the middle class in the last 20 years.

  • Anonymous

    Well they used a constitutional amendment against same sex marriage and the usual anti-abortion line to get GWBush elected twice.  Unless I missed something, it was never mentioned again.  That’s what is meant by “wedge issue”.  Further, democrats don’t want to encourage assistance programs, they want to reduce the need for them, as was done with Bill Clinton.  I am still waiting for someone to show me one single policy the republicans can claim has made life better in america for the middle class in the last 20 years.

  • Anonymous

    Well they used a constitutional amendment against same sex marriage and the usual anti-abortion line to get GWBush elected twice.  Unless I missed something, it was never mentioned again.  That’s what is meant by “wedge issue”.  Further, democrats don’t want to encourage assistance programs, they want to reduce the need for them, as was done with Bill Clinton.  I am still waiting for someone to show me one single policy the republicans can claim has made life better in america for the middle class in the last 20 years.

  • Anonymous

    Seeker doesn’t mention Bush’s unfunded prescription drug plan nor the costs of the Bush Recession, but prefers to blame those costs on Obama.  spin spin spin

  • Anonymous

    Seeker doesn’t mention Bush’s unfunded prescription drug plan nor the costs of the Bush Recession, but prefers to blame those costs on Obama.  spin spin spin

  • Anonymous

    Its ok timjy These leftist posters seem to think ANYONE that makes more than they do is rich.  So in their minds it is ok to label it as “wealth” and confiscate it.

    Some statistics:

    51% of wage earners pay no income tax.
    30% of people get money back to defray a portion of their tax Fica/medicare taxes
    15 million get enough credits that they get back more than they paid in and that offsets their ss/medicare contributions contributing zero.

    The top 20% of taxpayers have seen the sharpest increase in the burden of taxes collected relative to their income. Rising over the last few years.

    http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2011/05/senate-51-of-households.html

    This is an absolute transfer of money, there is no other way to describe it.

  • Anonymous

    Its ok timjy These leftist posters seem to think ANYONE that makes more than they do is rich.  So in their minds it is ok to label it as “wealth” and confiscate it.

    Some statistics:

    51% of wage earners pay no income tax.
    30% of people get money back to defray a portion of their tax Fica/medicare taxes
    15 million get enough credits that they get back more than they paid in and that offsets their ss/medicare contributions contributing zero.

    The top 20% of taxpayers have seen the sharpest increase in the burden of taxes collected relative to their income. Rising over the last few years.

    http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2011/05/senate-51-of-households.html

    This is an absolute transfer of money, there is no other way to describe it.

  • Anonymous

    Its ok timjy These leftist posters seem to think ANYONE that makes more than they do is rich.  So in their minds it is ok to label it as “wealth” and confiscate it.

    Some statistics:

    51% of wage earners pay no income tax.
    30% of people get money back to defray a portion of their tax Fica/medicare taxes
    15 million get enough credits that they get back more than they paid in and that offsets their ss/medicare contributions contributing zero.

    The top 20% of taxpayers have seen the sharpest increase in the burden of taxes collected relative to their income. Rising over the last few years.

    http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2011/05/senate-51-of-households.html

    This is an absolute transfer of money, there is no other way to describe it.

  • Anonymous

    Its ok timjy These leftist posters seem to think ANYONE that makes more than they do is rich.  So in their minds it is ok to label it as “wealth” and confiscate it.

    Some statistics:

    51% of wage earners pay no income tax.
    30% of people get money back to defray a portion of their tax Fica/medicare taxes
    15 million get enough credits that they get back more than they paid in and that offsets their ss/medicare contributions contributing zero.

    The top 20% of taxpayers have seen the sharpest increase in the burden of taxes collected relative to their income. Rising over the last few years.

    http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2011/05/senate-51-of-households.html

    This is an absolute transfer of money, there is no other way to describe it.

  • Anonymous

    What, no common courtesy today?

  • Anonymous

    What, no common courtesy today?

  • Anonymous

    What, no common courtesy today?

  • Anonymous

    What, no common courtesy today?

  • Anonymous

    What, no common courtesy today?

  • Anonymous

     Names Names…..

  • Anonymous

     Names Names…..

  • Anonymous

     Names Names…..

  • Anonymous

     Names Names…..

  • Anonymous

     Names Names…..

  • Anonymous

     Names Names…..

  • Anonymous

     Names Names…..

  • Anonymous

     Names Names…..

  • Anonymous

     Names Names…..

  • Anonymous

     Names Names…..

  • Anonymous

    The President was not okay with the cuts, but in the interest in keeping the US government open, he agreed to it.  Basically, the new GOP is without shame or decency.  They are willing to hold the entire country hostage to line the pockets of the wealthiest.  Unfortunately, the american people were bamboozled again in voting for the republicans to take the house.  They were told JOBS JOBS JOBS and , after six difficult months for our nation, no jobs bills have been advanced.  Abortion restriction, attack on Planned Parenthood, etc. but no jobs bill. 

    With the track record as it is, anyone in this country who makes less than 250k/yr is hurting themselves by continuing to support the party of  “Hell No”.  To say no tax increases, ever, no matter what is the ignorant voice of Grover Norquist.  When America has gone to war in the past, we paid for it.  Sometimes raising taxes is called for.  It is patriotic to pay taxes during wartime, my GOP friends.  This is how you support the troops.  Not with a tax break for the richest and then cuts to their stateside grandmothers subsistence.

  • Anonymous

    They weren’t so shortsighted and foolish enough to sign the NO TAX INCREASES PLEDGE. Any candidate who did should have their head examined and be prohibited from seeking public office.

  • AionNV

    Sorry, but that isn’t even remotely accurate.  Not even close. 

    http://www.measuringworth.com

  • AionNV

    Sorry, but that isn’t even remotely accurate.  Not even close. 

    http://www.measuringworth.com

  • AionNV

    Sorry, but that isn’t even remotely accurate.  Not even close. 

    http://www.measuringworth.com

  • Anonymous

    yes i agreee we need to pay taxes.40% or more pay little to no taxes and a very small percentage that are the job creators are paying the lions share.Now we want them to carry the rest of the load.Might be time to rethink the tax code and give everyone some skin in the game.

  • Anonymous

    But after you figure in all their tax breaks and loopholes , our net corporate rates are already one of the smallest. Besides if only 3-4 cents tax per dollar is so outrageous that they have to leave, then they aren’t patriotic enough to be an American company and probably are already dumping on their workers now, so good riddings.

  • Anonymous

    But after you figure in all their tax breaks and loopholes , our net corporate rates are already one of the smallest. Besides if only 3-4 cents tax per dollar is so outrageous that they have to leave, then they aren’t patriotic enough to be an American company and probably are already dumping on their workers now, so good riddings.

  • Anonymous

    when i went to high school i was taught to earn my own money pay my own bills.They did not teach entitlement 101 in class.

  • Anonymous

    I like the ideas of cutting subsidizing for corporations that already make profits, so far, and I think fairer for different types of agriculture.  Now encourage businesses and corporations to come to the United States and encourage employee taxable income to go up, and revenue will go up.  There would be less spending and a spot to get more income or revenue, without raising taxes.

    Almost half the country could not afford to pay taxes for the past two years, income has dropped at least in this state, and jobs are still down.  I do not think raising taxes will help.
     
    What tax loopholes would they like to repeal?  Are the loopholes in question ways to allow a person in the middle of a donut, that democrats seem to like to make when they subsidize programs, to fit somewhere?  

  • Anonymous

    I like the ideas of cutting subsidizing for corporations that already make profits, so far, and I think fairer for different types of agriculture.  Now encourage businesses and corporations to come to the United States and encourage employee taxable income to go up, and revenue will go up.  There would be less spending and a spot to get more income or revenue, without raising taxes.

    Almost half the country could not afford to pay taxes for the past two years, income has dropped at least in this state, and jobs are still down.  I do not think raising taxes will help.
     
    What tax loopholes would they like to repeal?  Are the loopholes in question ways to allow a person in the middle of a donut, that democrats seem to like to make when they subsidize programs, to fit somewhere?  

  • Anonymous

    he was handed bin laden and wasted his death on a political bump.I still firmly believe the CIA kept him alive to bait the rest of his organization.But being the ratings hound he is he saw his greatest moment.Hopefully he got him?????????????.By ending war are talking about libya.

  • Anonymous

    he was handed bin laden and wasted his death on a political bump.I still firmly believe the CIA kept him alive to bait the rest of his organization.But being the ratings hound he is he saw his greatest moment.Hopefully he got him?????????????.By ending war are talking about libya.

  • Anonymous

    he was handed bin laden and wasted his death on a political bump.I still firmly believe the CIA kept him alive to bait the rest of his organization.But being the ratings hound he is he saw his greatest moment.Hopefully he got him?????????????.By ending war are talking about libya.

  • Anonymous

    FOX so-called news are not reliable sources. and there shouldn’t be any deal unless the GOP agrees to significant revenue increases. It’s about shared sacrifice, not just the rich getting richer as your side only cares about.

  • Anonymous

    How many millionaires is Bill Gates responsible for at this point? I have lost count.

  • Anonymous

    Leftists tend to forget their political hero’s & Icons voted for the Iraq war.

    More supported that war than our current incursion into Libya. Oh Wait… I don’t remember did we declare war or did we decide it wasn’t a war because they couldn’t fight back as one White House pronouncement said.  Do you suppose the dead Libyans can tell the difference?

  • Anonymous

    With all the wealth of this nation going to the very rich, the middle class is having a hard time affording to send their children to college. How much does it cost to go to college in India?

  • AionNV

    Do you seriously believe that Bill Gates has all his money sitting in a vault under his bed ?

    Sheesh.

  • Anonymous

    I don’t know and i bet you don’t know either. I do know that Obama has increased the debt by $5 trillion dollars with his budgets with no plan to pay for it.

    That said many Conservatives opposed the medicare drug bill and I still think it was the right thing to do in Afghanistan or perhaps you figure killing innocent Americans on our own soil deserves no answer.

  • AionNV
  • AionNV
  • AionNV
  • AionNV
  • AionNV
  • Anonymous

    Blaming bush is opinion or more like ideological.The dems were right there in the congress voting for all this to protect dems as well as republicans.At least with the wars and tax cuts we all got something for it.The trillion dollar obama payback got us just as poor with nothing for anyone except a few union bosses.So do not blame just the republicans or bush the dems favorite payoff guys are just as rich and greedy  they just choose to bleed blue.

  • Anonymous

    Blaming bush is opinion or more like ideological.The dems were right there in the congress voting for all this to protect dems as well as republicans.At least with the wars and tax cuts we all got something for it.The trillion dollar obama payback got us just as poor with nothing for anyone except a few union bosses.So do not blame just the republicans or bush the dems favorite payoff guys are just as rich and greedy  they just choose to bleed blue.

  • 525_44

    That’s like saying Al Gore invented the internet, it’s a moot point.

    He’s not a god, just because he came up with an easy to use computer doesn’t mean that other  entrepreneurs wouldn’t have sprung up and found their niche in the technology market, Gates facilitated it but he is not directly responsible for creating all the millionaires you speak of, there are a lot more players than he.
    What is your point?

    Again money is mass quantities works best when spread around.

  • 525_44

    That’s like saying Al Gore invented the internet, it’s a moot point.

    He’s not a god, just because he came up with an easy to use computer doesn’t mean that other  entrepreneurs wouldn’t have sprung up and found their niche in the technology market, Gates facilitated it but he is not directly responsible for creating all the millionaires you speak of, there are a lot more players than he.
    What is your point?

    Again money is mass quantities works best when spread around.

  • 525_44

    It’s time for them to accept a hardship for a change. They need to s_ck it up for a change and not worry about lining their already gilded pockets.

  • 525_44

    If I made that much I’d be sitting by a pool with a cool drink in hand most of the time.

  • Anonymous

    He probably should have said the 2nd highest tax rate in the industrialized world with only Japan being higher at 40%.

    I really think there is no comparison to be made with Cameroon  for instance.

    Thanks for the link. It proves his point.

  • Anonymous

    I used your calculator… Works great enter year 1945 end year 2010.  Dollar value $250,000 Using the CPI it comes out to $3 million dollars, just as i said. I am not sure what you did but thanks for the second source confirmation.

  • Anonymous

    Idiots get us involved in wars and who pays for it the poor and the little man

  • Anonymous

    Idiots get us involved in wars and who pays for it the poor and the little man

  • 525_44

    Paranoia will destroy ya.
    What are you hunting? The CIA kept BL as bait?

  • 525_44

    Paranoia will destroy ya.
    What are you hunting? The CIA kept BL as bait?

  • HowdyNeighbor

    Severely cut spending and implement a flat federal income tax for ALL able-bodied adults with no deductions. Also charge a premium sales tax on all products produced overseas and sold in the U.S. 

  • Anonymous

    useing him to bring down the whole organization not just 1 part.

  • Anonymous

    useing him to bring down the whole organization not just 1 part.

  • Anonymous

    useing him to bring down the whole organization not just 1 part.

  • Anonymous
  • Anonymous
  • Anonymous

    So thinking the government knows best how to spend money makes you a intellectual and a scholar and high morals..What makes someone believe our out of control government needs or deserves more money.we  need to get out of this government fixes all and start taking care of ourselves.It is very simple the more we give them the more they will take republican or dem.

  • 525_44

    Cwearwly you didn’t get my wabbit hunting wefewence…

  • Anonymous

    Did you have fun going off on your tangent? I didn’t blame Bush. I didn’t blame Republicans. I specifically mentioned the tax cuts and the wars, which Obama is a part of as well. 

    You’re engaging in the exact behavior you are wrongly criticizing me of. Union bosses? Payoff guys? Seems like you’re the ideologue. 

  • 525_44

    No. Perhaps it’s in a vault in the Arctic Circle, or in his secret volcano lair.

    Under the bed is where they look first. Sheesh.

  • Anonymous

    I guess i will go to the unemployment line and see if anyone standing in it is hiring.

  • 525_44

    He better watch the vault closely in the Arctic since it’s melting now.

  • Anonymous

    I think collins and snowe  are correct on this one. Just hope its in there heart and not bowing to the local political winds. Most working people don,t have the time to complain about the system but they shoud start listening. WHY–well, many of the maine companies that have been complaining about the economy have been handing out the bonuses for the big boys after they tell there employees that they are going to have to pay more for there health care, no more 401-k match, no raise etc. have been handing out 4 to 10 thousand dollar bonuses. Hey Bangor daily–would you like a list and documentation—lets see if your nose for real news exceeds your need to bow to the good-ole-boy club!!  This issue of fairplay in the workplace when it comes to compinsation is not just a wall street issue, its here also!!

  • Anonymous

    i’m for closing loopholes too. but it should be done across the board, not this company or that business. the oil industy is only one of many that benifit from the loophole obama is crying about. the dems are still picking winners and loosers, and our seators are part of the latter on this one.

  • Anonymous

    the economy was doing pretty good till at least 2007. i dont think that was a decade ago

  • Anonymous

    its about the feds spending money like drunken sailors and trying to control ever phase of everones life. they spend and taxpayers get penalized for it.

  • Anonymous

    The top 1% own 25% of the wealth in this country.  It’s a horribly skewed and unfair situation.  Another bit of data:  400 billionaires own as much wealth as the bottom 50% of Americans.

    We have the wealth distribution of a banana republic.

  • Anonymous

    no their talking about picking winners and loosers

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    You don’t understand inflationary pressures on our monetary system with regards to your comment.  (Factcheck.org btw is NOT non-partisan).  Go look at who is behind this website if you do not believe me.

    A nice house back in the 1970′s cost around $20,000 dollars . . . . today that same house is now worth usually $250,000.   Starting salaries right out of college with a liberal arts degree back in 1991 was around $17,000 – 30,000 . . . . believe it or not, it is the same today.  Wages have not gone up much since the 1970′s indexed to inflation . . . but we have more taxes than ever. . . . not just Federal but all of them.  I have done the math and I am working more to pay taxes than what is going to my own family and I don’t make very much either.  

     That is the real reason behind two parents working today.  You need two incomes just to make ends meet because of wage stagnation, the high cost of living and Federal, State, Local, Personal Property, Gas, Sales Tax, Surcharges, Inspections, Licenses . . . . it just goes on and on.

    Bill Clinton’s balanced budget btw was nothing but smoke and mirrors.  Look it up for yourself.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    You don’t understand inflationary pressures on our monetary system with regards to your comment.  (Factcheck.org btw is NOT non-partisan).  Go look at who is behind this website if you do not believe me.

    A nice house back in the 1970′s cost around $20,000 dollars . . . . today that same house is now worth usually $250,000.   Starting salaries right out of college with a liberal arts degree back in 1991 was around $17,000 – 30,000 . . . . believe it or not, it is the same today.  Wages have not gone up much since the 1970′s indexed to inflation . . . but we have more taxes than ever. . . . not just Federal but all of them.  I have done the math and I am working more to pay taxes than what is going to my own family and I don’t make very much either.  

     That is the real reason behind two parents working today.  You need two incomes just to make ends meet because of wage stagnation, the high cost of living and Federal, State, Local, Personal Property, Gas, Sales Tax, Surcharges, Inspections, Licenses . . . . it just goes on and on.

    Bill Clinton’s balanced budget btw was nothing but smoke and mirrors.  Look it up for yourself.

  • SwiftyMorgain

    When you stop spending for the sake of stoping spending thats
     ”radical”!

    If you stop spending because of  a cost anylisis benefit approach,

    That is,

     ”reason”!

    Tea Party is Radical !  Stop the Tea Party!

    Social Security is Reason! Stop the assault on Social Security!

  • SwiftyMorgain

    When you stop spending for the sake of stoping spending thats
     ”radical”!

    If you stop spending because of  a cost anylisis benefit approach,

    That is,

     ”reason”!

    Tea Party is Radical !  Stop the Tea Party!

    Social Security is Reason! Stop the assault on Social Security!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    Factcheck.Org is run by the Annenberg Foundation.  Here is a link.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annenberg_Foundation.

    The Annenberg family are Globalists as well as Democrats.  I hate to say this but you are being misled if you believe everything you read on Factcheck.org.  They say they are a partisan website,  but in reality they are not.

  • Anonymous

    Good job on the comments Cheescake, you made cogent arguments backed up by fact. Too bad many on the left cannot do the same.

  • SwiftyMorgain

    No we don’t we want good paying jobs so we can afford to buy American!

    I will drive 10 miles out around wal-mart to get home!

  • Anonymous

    “opportunity to succeed?” Wow, someone is drinking the Obamasauce.

  • Anonymous

    Again 51%

  • Anonymous

    Bill Clinton was FORCED to reduce welfare rolls and signed the Republican bill in 1995 because he wanted to be re-elected.

  • Anonymous

    Bill Clinton was FORCED to reduce welfare rolls and signed the Republican bill in 1995 because he wanted to be re-elected.

  • Anonymous

    Bill Clinton was FORCED to reduce welfare rolls and signed the Republican bill in 1995 because he wanted to be re-elected.

  • Anonymous

    Bill Clinton was FORCED to reduce welfare rolls and signed the Republican bill in 1995 because he wanted to be re-elected.

  • Anonymous

    Bill Clinton was FORCED to reduce welfare rolls and signed the Republican bill in 1995 because he wanted to be re-elected.

  • Anonymous

    Bill Clinton was FORCED to reduce welfare rolls and signed the Republican bill in 1995 because he wanted to be re-elected.

  • Anonymous

    Actually I think he won, must be in the eye of the beholder.

  • Anonymous

    Hey TaxCut guy…you do know Obama signed an extension of the Bush Tax Cuts…right?
    I assume your emailing him to complain about helping the “filthy rich” right?

  • Anonymous

    Obama submitted a budget this year that even his own liberals laughed at and the Democrat controlled US Senate hasn’t even put up a budget in over 800 days as they are required to do.  They have abrogated their responsibilities.

  • Anonymous

    Obama submitted a budget this year that even his own liberals laughed at and the Democrat controlled US Senate hasn’t even put up a budget in over 800 days as they are required to do.  They have abrogated their responsibilities.

  • Anonymous

    So lemme understand this..Obama was not okay with the cuts but the evil Republicans made him sign it. Boy those Repubs have some juice to pull a trick like that on the guy holding the veto pen.

  • Anonymous

    So lemme understand this..Obama was not okay with the cuts but the evil Republicans made him sign it. Boy those Repubs have some juice to pull a trick like that on the guy holding the veto pen.

  • Anonymous

    So lemme understand this..Obama was not okay with the cuts but the evil Republicans made him sign it. Boy those Repubs have some juice to pull a trick like that on the guy holding the veto pen.

  • Anonymous

    So lemme understand this..Obama was not okay with the cuts but the evil Republicans made him sign it. Boy those Repubs have some juice to pull a trick like that on the guy holding the veto pen.

  • Anonymous

    So lemme understand this..Obama was not okay with the cuts but the evil Republicans made him sign it. Boy those Repubs have some juice to pull a trick like that on the guy holding the veto pen.

  • SwiftyMorgain

       It would be a joke if it weren’t for the poor souls fighting a war and loosing thier lives and body parts for a bunch of Deadbeat Wall Street Rich Boys!

        

  • SwiftyMorgain

       It would be a joke if it weren’t for the poor souls fighting a war and loosing thier lives and body parts for a bunch of Deadbeat Wall Street Rich Boys!

        

  • SwiftyMorgain

       It would be a joke if it weren’t for the poor souls fighting a war and loosing thier lives and body parts for a bunch of Deadbeat Wall Street Rich Boys!

        

  • SwiftyMorgain

       It would be a joke if it weren’t for the poor souls fighting a war and loosing thier lives and body parts for a bunch of Deadbeat Wall Street Rich Boys!

        

  • SwiftyMorgain

       It would be a joke if it weren’t for the poor souls fighting a war and loosing thier lives and body parts for a bunch of Deadbeat Wall Street Rich Boys!

        

  • SwiftyMorgain

       It would be a joke if it weren’t for the poor souls fighting a war and loosing thier lives and body parts for a bunch of Deadbeat Wall Street Rich Boys!

        

  • Anonymous

    Welcome to Obamaeconomics man…they guy has been the president for over 2 1/2 years and we have 9.2% unemployment, trillion dollars in debt, a health care bill that’s a job killer…but it’s still BOOOSHES FAULT!

  • Anonymous

    Welcome to Obamaeconomics man…they guy has been the president for over 2 1/2 years and we have 9.2% unemployment, trillion dollars in debt, a health care bill that’s a job killer…but it’s still BOOOSHES FAULT!

  • Anonymous

    Welcome to Obamaeconomics man…they guy has been the president for over 2 1/2 years and we have 9.2% unemployment, trillion dollars in debt, a health care bill that’s a job killer…but it’s still BOOOSHES FAULT!

  • Anonymous

    Welcome to Obamaeconomics man…they guy has been the president for over 2 1/2 years and we have 9.2% unemployment, trillion dollars in debt, a health care bill that’s a job killer…but it’s still BOOOSHES FAULT!

  • Anonymous

    Welcome to Obamaeconomics man…they guy has been the president for over 2 1/2 years and we have 9.2% unemployment, trillion dollars in debt, a health care bill that’s a job killer…but it’s still BOOOSHES FAULT!

  • SwiftyMorgain

       Please prove that Republicans have done one thing for the working man other than lower taxes!

    And don’t go on about the( job creators)! I don’t buy it!

    The Middle Class (Consumption Demand) is the Job Creator! 

  • SwiftyMorgain

       Please prove that Republicans have done one thing for the working man other than lower taxes!

    And don’t go on about the( job creators)! I don’t buy it!

    The Middle Class (Consumption Demand) is the Job Creator! 

  • SwiftyMorgain

       Please prove that Republicans have done one thing for the working man other than lower taxes!

    And don’t go on about the( job creators)! I don’t buy it!

    The Middle Class (Consumption Demand) is the Job Creator! 

  • SwiftyMorgain

       Please prove that Republicans have done one thing for the working man other than lower taxes!

    And don’t go on about the( job creators)! I don’t buy it!

    The Middle Class (Consumption Demand) is the Job Creator! 

  • SwiftyMorgain

       Please prove that Republicans have done one thing for the working man other than lower taxes!

    And don’t go on about the( job creators)! I don’t buy it!

    The Middle Class (Consumption Demand) is the Job Creator! 

  • Anonymous

    It is spendable but only as collateral for other money…. but it isn’t cash until its sold.

  • Anonymous

    It is spendable but only as collateral for other money…. but it isn’t cash until its sold.

  • Anonymous

    It is spendable but only as collateral for other money…. but it isn’t cash until its sold.

  • Anonymous

    It is spendable but only as collateral for other money…. but it isn’t cash until its sold.

  • Anonymous

    It is spendable but only as collateral for other money…. but it isn’t cash until its sold.

  • Anonymous

    So says the guy who probably pay zero in taxes. God forbid if this government looked at how it SPENDS the money. People like you helped the liberals max out the national credit card, ask for multiple credit extensions and want to let the “rich” pay for it all.  What exactly did we get for that trillion bucks in Obama’s “stimulus”?

  • Anonymous

    So says the guy who probably pay zero in taxes. God forbid if this government looked at how it SPENDS the money. People like you helped the liberals max out the national credit card, ask for multiple credit extensions and want to let the “rich” pay for it all.  What exactly did we get for that trillion bucks in Obama’s “stimulus”?

  • Anonymous

    So says the guy who probably pay zero in taxes. God forbid if this government looked at how it SPENDS the money. People like you helped the liberals max out the national credit card, ask for multiple credit extensions and want to let the “rich” pay for it all.  What exactly did we get for that trillion bucks in Obama’s “stimulus”?

  • Anonymous

    So says the guy who probably pay zero in taxes. God forbid if this government looked at how it SPENDS the money. People like you helped the liberals max out the national credit card, ask for multiple credit extensions and want to let the “rich” pay for it all.  What exactly did we get for that trillion bucks in Obama’s “stimulus”?

  • Anonymous

    So says the guy who probably pay zero in taxes. God forbid if this government looked at how it SPENDS the money. People like you helped the liberals max out the national credit card, ask for multiple credit extensions and want to let the “rich” pay for it all.  What exactly did we get for that trillion bucks in Obama’s “stimulus”?

  • Anonymous

    bush caused 9/11, the baby boom and made all rich people rich with his tax breaks.That much power is what we need back in washington.

  • Anonymous

    I saw that. :)    Obama’s non-budget budget was defeated in the Senate 97-0   Not one vote for. Its as if they have no idea how to present one. I’m not sure I would either, but I’m not the President.

  • Anonymous

    I saw that. :)    Obama’s non-budget budget was defeated in the Senate 97-0   Not one vote for. Its as if they have no idea how to present one. I’m not sure I would either, but I’m not the President.

  • Anonymous

    keeping the government open? 2 1/2 years in office without a budget he needs to quit campaigning and start leading.

  • Anonymous

    keeping the government open? 2 1/2 years in office without a budget he needs to quit campaigning and start leading.

  • Anonymous

    keeping the government open? 2 1/2 years in office without a budget he needs to quit campaigning and start leading.

  • Anonymous

    keeping the government open? 2 1/2 years in office without a budget he needs to quit campaigning and start leading.

  • Anonymous

    keeping the government open? 2 1/2 years in office without a budget he needs to quit campaigning and start leading.

  • Anonymous

    keeping the government open? 2 1/2 years in office without a budget he needs to quit campaigning and start leading.

  • Anonymous

    keeping the government open? 2 1/2 years in office without a budget he needs to quit campaigning and start leading.

  • Anonymous

    keeping the government open? 2 1/2 years in office without a budget he needs to quit campaigning and start leading.

  • Anonymous

    keeping the government open? 2 1/2 years in office without a budget he needs to quit campaigning and start leading.

  • Anonymous

    I see you have the liberal talking points about shared sacrifice. When the hell have these Obama administration people been sacrificing? On the golf course, in Europe..oh wait he postponed his trip to Wyoming. That must have been really painful.
    There should be no deal until the liberals agree to actual spending cuts
    NOW, before any agreement to close loopholes in the tax code. And none
    of this baloney about cuts at some later date. Hell, I would like to see
    us NOT raise the debt ceiling. We then have to live with what we take
    in and make significant cuts on the spot. You had better hope Mr. Taxcut
    that Obama takes whatever deal he can get, cause it could be bad for your liberal welfare state.

  • Anonymous

    I disagree. He made millionaires out of many of his employees that he gave stock to early on. Many are kicking their own behinds for having sold it for $15-$20k and its now worth millions.

  • Anonymous

    I disagree. He made millionaires out of many of his employees that he gave stock to early on. Many are kicking their own behinds for having sold it for $15-$20k and its now worth millions.

  • Anonymous

    I disagree. He made millionaires out of many of his employees that he gave stock to early on. Many are kicking their own behinds for having sold it for $15-$20k and its now worth millions.

  • Anonymous

    I disagree. He made millionaires out of many of his employees that he gave stock to early on. Many are kicking their own behinds for having sold it for $15-$20k and its now worth millions.

  • Anonymous

    I disagree. He made millionaires out of many of his employees that he gave stock to early on. Many are kicking their own behinds for having sold it for $15-$20k and its now worth millions.

  • Anonymous

    I disagree. He made millionaires out of many of his employees that he gave stock to early on. Many are kicking their own behinds for having sold it for $15-$20k and its now worth millions.

  • Anonymous

    I disagree. He made millionaires out of many of his employees that he gave stock to early on. Many are kicking their own behinds for having sold it for $15-$20k and its now worth millions.

  • Anonymous

    I disagree. He made millionaires out of many of his employees that he gave stock to early on. Many are kicking their own behinds for having sold it for $15-$20k and its now worth millions.

  • SwiftyMorgain

    Better Yet Prove that lowing Taxes Creates Jobs!

  • Anonymous

    Yes and the GOP held America hostage then like they are now. At least Obama got something in return then ..extension of unemployment, a little more stimulus spending, etc. What’s the GOP offering now? NOTHING

  • Anonymous

    Yes and the GOP held America hostage then like they are now. At least Obama got something in return then ..extension of unemployment, a little more stimulus spending, etc. What’s the GOP offering now? NOTHING

  • Anonymous

    Yes and the GOP held America hostage then like they are now. At least Obama got something in return then ..extension of unemployment, a little more stimulus spending, etc. What’s the GOP offering now? NOTHING

  • Anonymous

    Yes and the GOP held America hostage then like they are now. At least Obama got something in return then ..extension of unemployment, a little more stimulus spending, etc. What’s the GOP offering now? NOTHING

  • Anonymous

    Tain’t FOX.

  • Anonymous

    Tain’t FOX.

  • Anonymous

    Tain’t FOX.

  • Anonymous

    Tain’t FOX.

  • Anonymous

    Tain’t FOX.

  • Anonymous

    Tain’t FOX.

  • Anonymous

    Tain’t FOX.

  • Anonymous

    Tain’t FOX.

  • Anonymous

    Tain’t FOX.

  • Anonymous

    Tain’t FOX.

  • Anonymous

    BUSH and the GOP is pretty much responsible for all the messes we are dealing with today and the fools keep defending them.

  • Anonymous

    BUSH and the GOP is pretty much responsible for all the messes we are dealing with today and the fools keep defending them.

  • Anonymous

    BUSH and the GOP is pretty much responsible for all the messes we are dealing with today and the fools keep defending them.

  • Anonymous

    BUSH and the GOP is pretty much responsible for all the messes we are dealing with today and the fools keep defending them.

  • Anonymous

    BUSH and the GOP is pretty much responsible for all the messes we are dealing with today and the fools keep defending them.

  • Anonymous

    BUSH and the GOP is pretty much responsible for all the messes we are dealing with today and the fools keep defending them.

  • Anonymous

    BUSH and the GOP is pretty much responsible for all the messes we are dealing with today and the fools keep defending them.

  • Anonymous

    BUSH and the GOP is pretty much responsible for all the messes we are dealing with today and the fools keep defending them.

  • Anonymous

    BUSH and the GOP is pretty much responsible for all the messes we are dealing with today and the fools keep defending them.

  • Anonymous

    BUSH and the GOP is pretty much responsible for all the messes we are dealing with today and the fools keep defending them.

  • Anonymous

    so you do not believe washington has a spending problem?I do not believe sending more money to washington will fix anything.Rich or poor should keep all they can and shrink washingtons piece of the pie.

  • Anonymous

    so you do not believe washington has a spending problem?I do not believe sending more money to washington will fix anything.Rich or poor should keep all they can and shrink washingtons piece of the pie.

  • Anonymous

    so you do not believe washington has a spending problem?I do not believe sending more money to washington will fix anything.Rich or poor should keep all they can and shrink washingtons piece of the pie.

  • Anonymous

    so you do not believe washington has a spending problem?I do not believe sending more money to washington will fix anything.Rich or poor should keep all they can and shrink washingtons piece of the pie.

  • Anonymous

    so you do not believe washington has a spending problem?I do not believe sending more money to washington will fix anything.Rich or poor should keep all they can and shrink washingtons piece of the pie.

  • Anonymous

    so you do not believe washington has a spending problem?I do not believe sending more money to washington will fix anything.Rich or poor should keep all they can and shrink washingtons piece of the pie.

  • Anonymous

    so you do not believe washington has a spending problem?I do not believe sending more money to washington will fix anything.Rich or poor should keep all they can and shrink washingtons piece of the pie.

  • Anonymous

    so you do not believe washington has a spending problem?I do not believe sending more money to washington will fix anything.Rich or poor should keep all they can and shrink washingtons piece of the pie.

  • Anonymous

    so you do not believe washington has a spending problem?I do not believe sending more money to washington will fix anything.Rich or poor should keep all they can and shrink washingtons piece of the pie.

  • Anonymous

    so you do not believe washington has a spending problem?I do not believe sending more money to washington will fix anything.Rich or poor should keep all they can and shrink washingtons piece of the pie.

  • Anonymous

    so you do not believe washington has a spending problem?I do not believe sending more money to washington will fix anything.Rich or poor should keep all they can and shrink washingtons piece of the pie.

  • Anonymous

    so you do not believe washington has a spending problem?I do not believe sending more money to washington will fix anything.Rich or poor should keep all they can and shrink washingtons piece of the pie.

  • Anonymous

    so you do not believe washington has a spending problem?I do not believe sending more money to washington will fix anything.Rich or poor should keep all they can and shrink washingtons piece of the pie.

  • Anonymous
  • Anonymous

    I wonder if all these people spending all day making comments back and forth stop and realize they aren’t changing anyone else’s minds?  Really, how many of you spent how much time arguing here today, and how many people ACTUALLY changed your minds?

    Isn’t there something better to do than endless commenting all day?  I’d guess you are all either silver-spooners who don’t have to work, or are welfare (another form of silver-spooner…)

  • Anonymous

    The job-growth rate under Bush (0.28%) was by far the worst performance of all the 11 Presidents since WW2. While the economy was great for the wealthy, it got worse for everyone else. http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2009/01/19/daily7.html

  • Anonymous

    The job-growth rate under Bush (0.28%) was by far the worst performance of all the 11 Presidents since WW2. While the economy was great for the wealthy, it got worse for everyone else. http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2009/01/19/daily7.html

  • Anonymous

    The job-growth rate under Bush (0.28%) was by far the worst performance of all the 11 Presidents since WW2. While the economy was great for the wealthy, it got worse for everyone else. http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2009/01/19/daily7.html

  • Anonymous

    The job-growth rate under Bush (0.28%) was by far the worst performance of all the 11 Presidents since WW2. While the economy was great for the wealthy, it got worse for everyone else. http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2009/01/19/daily7.html

  • Anonymous

    Absolutely correct Seeker.

    Take a look at this story about 1935-37 and spending.

    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-06/what-paul-krugman-misses-about-1937-redux-echoes.html

  • Anonymous

    And why did Obama give those tax breaks you speak of? Because he had to compromise with the Republicans just to get the Stimulus bill passed. They were the ones that wanted them included over Obama’s initial objections.

  • Anonymous

    Have you been on another planet the last 10 years? It was the GOP who started us down the road to maxing out the national credit card. We had a balanced budget, actually a projected surplus when Clinton left office, but Bush gave us 2 tax cuts, 2 wars, an unfunded prescription drug plan , ant the Bush Recession that necessitated the bailouts and stimulus. Now the corrupt GOP won’t even go along with 4 trillion in deficit reduction because rich people might have to pay 4 whole cents in taxes on just each dollar they earn over $250,000.  4 CENTS per dollar! GREED GREED GREED makes the GOP go round. They are despicable.

  • Anonymous

     the ode to miss maddow that they play as a theme song on saturdays shows thier non partisan ways.Or maybe the bush bashing gameshows that are (fair and balanced) to steal a quote.They should be made to stand on their own like any other radio ideological station does.

  • Anonymous

     the ode to miss maddow that they play as a theme song on saturdays shows thier non partisan ways.Or maybe the bush bashing gameshows that are (fair and balanced) to steal a quote.They should be made to stand on their own like any other radio ideological station does.

  • Anonymous

     the ode to miss maddow that they play as a theme song on saturdays shows thier non partisan ways.Or maybe the bush bashing gameshows that are (fair and balanced) to steal a quote.They should be made to stand on their own like any other radio ideological station does.

  • Anonymous

     the ode to miss maddow that they play as a theme song on saturdays shows thier non partisan ways.Or maybe the bush bashing gameshows that are (fair and balanced) to steal a quote.They should be made to stand on their own like any other radio ideological station does.

  • Anonymous

     Hey look, I know its hot out today but lay off the koolaid ok?

  • Anonymous

     Hey look, I know its hot out today but lay off the koolaid ok?

  • Anonymous

    BOOOOSH is evil..all of Obam’s problems are BOOOOSHES fault!

  • Anonymous

    BOOOOSH is evil..all of Obam’s problems are BOOOOSHES fault!

  • Anonymous

    BOOOOSH is evil..all of Obam’s problems are BOOOOSHES fault!

  • Anonymous

    BOOOOSH is evil..all of Obam’s problems are BOOOOSHES fault!

  • Anonymous

    BOOOOSH is evil..all of Obam’s problems are BOOOOSHES fault!

  • Anonymous

    BOOOOSH is evil..all of Obam’s problems are BOOOOSHES fault!

  • Anonymous

    BOOOOSH is evil..all of Obam’s problems are BOOOOSHES fault!

  • SwiftyMorgain

       I believe that Washington has a very big problem. That problem is a mindless taxpayer revolution by Stoogies for the wealthy that wear three corner hats with a perverted sense of the constitution that have infiltrated congress and are seeking to undermine the foundation of our Society by a ONE minded Simpleton slogan of end Taxes and Regulations !

  • Anonymous

    End the damn wars, streamline Homeland security, and return the tax rates to the Clinton year levels. In other words, try to undo all the damage that Bush managed to inflict on this country and then start worrying about how to raise revenues.

  • Anonymous

    End the damn wars, streamline Homeland security, and return the tax rates to the Clinton year levels. In other words, try to undo all the damage that Bush managed to inflict on this country and then start worrying about how to raise revenues.

  • Anonymous

    I don’t know how much it costs to go to college in India – these figures refer to America and American colleges (read the article).

  • Anonymous

     http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0611/57025.html

    When are you liberals going to stop blaming Bush for everything and own up like Obama’s head of the DNC finally did?

  • Anonymous

    “a little more stimulus spending.”..that’s the understatement of the year.  You know you have them cornered when they just want a “little” more spending.

  • Anonymous

    I agree with your assessment of Cheesy’s comments, as for comment about that ‘many on the left’….how about ‘there are none so blind as those who will not see’? 

  • Anonymous

    Making assumptions on what I pay in taxes is foolhardy. You don’t have a clue. I have paid income taxes in some years more than most Mainers make in total income so you are way off base which is typical lame GOP rhetoric…the dems are all deadbeats living off the taxes Republicans pay. How idiotic!  Not everybody who pays a lot in taxes are as greedy as the GOP. Some of us care about the elderly and less fortunate and care about our fellow man and our country. The GOP spends 24/7 helping the super rich get super richer and they don’t care a bit about the remaining 98% of Americans.

  • Anonymous

    Making assumptions on what I pay in taxes is foolhardy. You don’t have a clue. I have paid income taxes in some years more than most Mainers make in total income so you are way off base which is typical lame GOP rhetoric…the dems are all deadbeats living off the taxes Republicans pay. How idiotic!  Not everybody who pays a lot in taxes are as greedy as the GOP. Some of us care about the elderly and less fortunate and care about our fellow man and our country. The GOP spends 24/7 helping the super rich get super richer and they don’t care a bit about the remaining 98% of Americans.

  • Anonymous

    Making assumptions on what I pay in taxes is foolhardy. You don’t have a clue. I have paid income taxes in some years more than most Mainers make in total income so you are way off base which is typical lame GOP rhetoric…the dems are all deadbeats living off the taxes Republicans pay. How idiotic!  Not everybody who pays a lot in taxes are as greedy as the GOP. Some of us care about the elderly and less fortunate and care about our fellow man and our country. The GOP spends 24/7 helping the super rich get super richer and they don’t care a bit about the remaining 98% of Americans.

  • Anonymous

    Making assumptions on what I pay in taxes is foolhardy. You don’t have a clue. I have paid income taxes in some years more than most Mainers make in total income so you are way off base which is typical lame GOP rhetoric…the dems are all deadbeats living off the taxes Republicans pay. How idiotic!  Not everybody who pays a lot in taxes are as greedy as the GOP. Some of us care about the elderly and less fortunate and care about our fellow man and our country. The GOP spends 24/7 helping the super rich get super richer and they don’t care a bit about the remaining 98% of Americans.

  • Anonymous

    Making assumptions on what I pay in taxes is foolhardy. You don’t have a clue. I have paid income taxes in some years more than most Mainers make in total income so you are way off base which is typical lame GOP rhetoric…the dems are all deadbeats living off the taxes Republicans pay. How idiotic!  Not everybody who pays a lot in taxes are as greedy as the GOP. Some of us care about the elderly and less fortunate and care about our fellow man and our country. The GOP spends 24/7 helping the super rich get super richer and they don’t care a bit about the remaining 98% of Americans.

  • Anonymous

    Making assumptions on what I pay in taxes is foolhardy. You don’t have a clue. I have paid income taxes in some years more than most Mainers make in total income so you are way off base which is typical lame GOP rhetoric…the dems are all deadbeats living off the taxes Republicans pay. How idiotic!  Not everybody who pays a lot in taxes are as greedy as the GOP. Some of us care about the elderly and less fortunate and care about our fellow man and our country. The GOP spends 24/7 helping the super rich get super richer and they don’t care a bit about the remaining 98% of Americans.

  • Anonymous

    Making assumptions on what I pay in taxes is foolhardy. You don’t have a clue. I have paid income taxes in some years more than most Mainers make in total income so you are way off base which is typical lame GOP rhetoric…the dems are all deadbeats living off the taxes Republicans pay. How idiotic!  Not everybody who pays a lot in taxes are as greedy as the GOP. Some of us care about the elderly and less fortunate and care about our fellow man and our country. The GOP spends 24/7 helping the super rich get super richer and they don’t care a bit about the remaining 98% of Americans.

  • Anonymous

    Making assumptions on what I pay in taxes is foolhardy. You don’t have a clue. I have paid income taxes in some years more than most Mainers make in total income so you are way off base which is typical lame GOP rhetoric…the dems are all deadbeats living off the taxes Republicans pay. How idiotic!  Not everybody who pays a lot in taxes are as greedy as the GOP. Some of us care about the elderly and less fortunate and care about our fellow man and our country. The GOP spends 24/7 helping the super rich get super richer and they don’t care a bit about the remaining 98% of Americans.

  • Anonymous

    These stats apply to the top 20% of Americans.  The GOP is defending tax breaks for the top 1%, who own 25% of America’s wealth.

    The conflict is over continuing tax breaks to the top 1%, not the top 20%, so your information is a poor fit.

  • Anonymous

    These stats apply to the top 20% of Americans.  The GOP is defending tax breaks for the top 1%, who own 25% of America’s wealth.

    The conflict is over continuing tax breaks to the top 1%, not the top 20%, so your information is a poor fit.

  • Anonymous

    These stats apply to the top 20% of Americans.  The GOP is defending tax breaks for the top 1%, who own 25% of America’s wealth.

    The conflict is over continuing tax breaks to the top 1%, not the top 20%, so your information is a poor fit.

  • Anonymous

    These stats apply to the top 20% of Americans.  The GOP is defending tax breaks for the top 1%, who own 25% of America’s wealth.

    The conflict is over continuing tax breaks to the top 1%, not the top 20%, so your information is a poor fit.

  • Anonymous

    These stats apply to the top 20% of Americans.  The GOP is defending tax breaks for the top 1%, who own 25% of America’s wealth.

    The conflict is over continuing tax breaks to the top 1%, not the top 20%, so your information is a poor fit.

  • Anonymous

    That’s what happened. The GOP ONLY cared about preserving the tax cuts for the rich so ageed to it.

  • Anonymous

    That’s what happened. The GOP ONLY cared about preserving the tax cuts for the rich so ageed to it.

  • Anonymous

    That’s what happened. The GOP ONLY cared about preserving the tax cuts for the rich so ageed to it.

  • Anonymous

    That’s what happened. The GOP ONLY cared about preserving the tax cuts for the rich so ageed to it.

  • Anonymous

    That’s what happened. The GOP ONLY cared about preserving the tax cuts for the rich so ageed to it.

  • Anonymous

    That’s what happened. The GOP ONLY cared about preserving the tax cuts for the rich so ageed to it.

  • Anonymous

    That’s what happened. The GOP ONLY cared about preserving the tax cuts for the rich so ageed to it.

  • Anonymous

    That’s what happened. The GOP ONLY cared about preserving the tax cuts for the rich so ageed to it.

  • Anonymous

    That’s what happened. The GOP ONLY cared about preserving the tax cuts for the rich so ageed to it.

  • Anonymous

    That’s what happened. The GOP ONLY cared about preserving the tax cuts for the rich so ageed to it.

  • Anonymous

    That’s what happened. The GOP ONLY cared about preserving the tax cuts for the rich so ageed to it.

  • Anonymous

    republican and business owner.Ican chew gum and walk at the same time.Ialso can register to vote before the election instead of during.Sorry off subject but just had to finish today with a big waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw. got to go to work and do payroll before i have to give it all to obama so he can spread it around fairly.

  • Anonymous

    republican and business owner.Ican chew gum and walk at the same time.Ialso can register to vote before the election instead of during.Sorry off subject but just had to finish today with a big waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw. got to go to work and do payroll before i have to give it all to obama so he can spread it around fairly.

  • Anonymous

    republican and business owner.Ican chew gum and walk at the same time.Ialso can register to vote before the election instead of during.Sorry off subject but just had to finish today with a big waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw. got to go to work and do payroll before i have to give it all to obama so he can spread it around fairly.

  • Anonymous

    republican and business owner.Ican chew gum and walk at the same time.Ialso can register to vote before the election instead of during.Sorry off subject but just had to finish today with a big waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw. got to go to work and do payroll before i have to give it all to obama so he can spread it around fairly.

  • Anonymous

    republican and business owner.Ican chew gum and walk at the same time.Ialso can register to vote before the election instead of during.Sorry off subject but just had to finish today with a big waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw. got to go to work and do payroll before i have to give it all to obama so he can spread it around fairly.

  • Anonymous

    I can walk and chew gum too.  I just chose not to.  Of course, I don’t like gum.

  • Anonymous

    I don’t have to believe everything I read on factcheck, but it is still a great resource.

    Here’s another source,what do you think about them:

    http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/02/11/how_clinton_balanced_the_budget_108853.html

  • Anonymous

    The man who caused the mess deserves the blame. Why do foolish GOP members think Bush deserves a pass for what he caused?

  • Anonymous

    The man who caused the mess deserves the blame. Why do foolish GOP members think Bush deserves a pass for what he caused?

  • Anonymous

    The man who caused the mess deserves the blame. Why do foolish GOP members think Bush deserves a pass for what he caused?

  • Anonymous

    perfect answer to our problems bush did it and the dems are fixing it.RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    ps the clinton years the republicans had the purse strings.And bush believe it or not did not cause 9/11

  • Anonymous

    That 51% number you present is misleading.  The Federal tax system is used to collect and also to distribute taxes.  The zero-taxes is largely due to federal tax expenditures, of which the wealth are the main beneficiaries.

    Regarding the no-income tax due, I quote

    Bob Williams, a tax policy specialist at the
    nonpartisan Urban Institute-Brookings Institution Tax Policy Center, said this
    is largely carried out through popular tax breaks, which are sometimes called
    “tax expenditures.”

    “There are lots and lots of them,” he said. “We estimate they total more than a trillion dollars a year in reduced taxes, and in fact the bulk of those go to the top end of the income distribution.”

    http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2011/jul/08/john-cornyn/john-cornyn-says-51-percent-american-households-pa/

  • Anonymous

    That 51% number you present is misleading.  The Federal tax system is used to collect and also to distribute taxes.  The zero-taxes is largely due to federal tax expenditures, of which the wealth are the main beneficiaries.

    Regarding the no-income tax due, I quote

    Bob Williams, a tax policy specialist at the
    nonpartisan Urban Institute-Brookings Institution Tax Policy Center, said this
    is largely carried out through popular tax breaks, which are sometimes called
    “tax expenditures.”

    “There are lots and lots of them,” he said. “We estimate they total more than a trillion dollars a year in reduced taxes, and in fact the bulk of those go to the top end of the income distribution.”

    http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2011/jul/08/john-cornyn/john-cornyn-says-51-percent-american-households-pa/

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    We don’t have jobs . . . . can’t you see this . . . . you can’t tax incomes if no one is working.  It was the Democrats that started all the regs and increased the cost of doing business here that in part sent our jobs overseas.  The Republicans are also to blame for embracing Free Trade agreements and bringing in H1B visa people as well as supporting offshoring and outsourcing.  Both parties are to blame.  Snowe, Collins, Michaud and Pingree are a big part of the problem and all four need to go.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    They can stand in line and wait for a new job just like the rest of us in the Private Sector once our economy takes off again . . .

  • Anonymous

    “interested in growing the welfare dependency that saps innovation and economic growth” “backs teachers unions”  ”public sector unions”……….nothing but a right wing sausage machine….4 trillion and counting in the right wing welfare dependencies of iraq and afghanistan….trickle down and tax cuts for the rich have ruined this country…..the republicans have ruined this country….  

  • Anonymous

    Real Clear Politics says Clinton balanced the budget.  He did it by taxing the ultra-rich:

    http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2011/jul/08/john-cornyn/john-cornyn-says-51-percent-american-households-pa/

    None of your smoke and mirrors stops me from realizing that times were good when taxes where high, and Eisenhower built the best highway system in the world with some of that tax income.

  • Anonymous

    I think the book “Winner Take All Politics” shows how the rich and the politicians have worked against the middle class to create a huge wealth gap, and the virtual destruction of the middle class.

  • Anonymous

    Again, your reference concerns the top 20%, but the Republicans are demanding that the top 1% not have to lose their Bush tax breaks. 

    The conflict is over the top 1%, whose tax breaks are adding trillions to the deficit.

  • Anonymous

    You didn’t explain anything with your “math.”  You couldn’t even give a reference, and the one reference you did finally give above is inapplicable.

    The descent from 91% to 39% is an obvious reduction, only a master of smoke and mirrors such as yourself would dare to claim otherwise.  Tell me the name of one major Republican candidate who endorses your view.  Give me one reference where the math is worked out.

  • Anonymous

    your property taxes should be based on the assessed value of your house, which would roughly equate to market value….i do assume that if you were to sell your house, you could probably sell it for more than you could have 25-30 years ago…..the gasoline tax in florida is 4 cents/gallon…in maine, it’s 29.5 cents/gallon…the price of 1 gallon in both states is roughly the same, so why are you whining about the tax?  maine sales tax for the most part has been roughly 5%…..

  • Anonymous

    Oh yeh.  Those jobs are leaving because of corporate taxes.  Right.  Un huh.  Ever been to Mexico ?  A big part of your Ford, your electrical appliances, your power grid components, etc., etc.,. etc. are made, for example, in Juarez.  The American corporate presidents have to travel across the international bridge to visit their plants in armoured SUVs.  And you think it’s high corporate taxes that make them do this ?  It’s simply the fact that the raw materials are sent over the border without any – I said ANY tariffs.  The finished products are then sent back for your enjoyment without ANY tariffs.  The men and women who build the stuff are paid $7 to $20 a day !  And what did you pay for your Ford this year ?  Yeh – that price increase was because of “high corporate taxes.”  You need to get out of the state once in a while. 

  • Anonymous

    Oh yeh.  Those jobs are leaving because of corporate taxes.  Right.  Un huh.  Ever been to Mexico ?  A big part of your Ford, your electrical appliances, your power grid components, etc., etc.,. etc. are made, for example, in Juarez.  The American corporate presidents have to travel across the international bridge to visit their plants in armoured SUVs.  And you think it’s high corporate taxes that make them do this ?  It’s simply the fact that the raw materials are sent over the border without any – I said ANY tariffs.  The finished products are then sent back for your enjoyment without ANY tariffs.  The men and women who build the stuff are paid $7 to $20 a day !  And what did you pay for your Ford this year ?  Yeh – that price increase was because of “high corporate taxes.”  You need to get out of the state once in a while. 

  • Anonymous

    Oh yeh.  Those jobs are leaving because of corporate taxes.  Right.  Un huh.  Ever been to Mexico ?  A big part of your Ford, your electrical appliances, your power grid components, etc., etc.,. etc. are made, for example, in Juarez.  The American corporate presidents have to travel across the international bridge to visit their plants in armoured SUVs.  And you think it’s high corporate taxes that make them do this ?  It’s simply the fact that the raw materials are sent over the border without any – I said ANY tariffs.  The finished products are then sent back for your enjoyment without ANY tariffs.  The men and women who build the stuff are paid $7 to $20 a day !  And what did you pay for your Ford this year ?  Yeh – that price increase was because of “high corporate taxes.”  You need to get out of the state once in a while. 

  • Anonymous

    “We are not talking about raising tax rates,” she said…..of course she is not going to raise taxes…..she’s a republican…..republicans know that trickle down and tax breaks for the wealthy are ruining this county…how many jobs were created the past 10 years during the bush tax cuts?  how high has the federal deficit reached?  how many 2012 right wing hopefuls are for raising taxes to lower the debt?  how was the economy during clinton when tax rates were higher?   

  • Anonymous

    Shared sacrifice should be EVERYONE’S talking point otherwise any deal is not a fair one. The libs HAVE already agreed to spending cuts but your greedy GOP won’t agree to some tax increases for just the wealthiest people. The only way your side will share in the sacrifice is if the debt ceiling is not raised. Rich investors and big corporations will suffer big time with the resulting worldwide financial crash and crisis and the super rich will finally feel the pinch most Americans are already feeling. So I say to the Prez, let it happen the rich will finally get just what they deserve!

  • Anonymous

    “focused on maintaining a servile docile voting block dependent upon them.”  did you find that 1 in your recent john birch leaflet?  taxes were lower on the lowest individual income brackets from 1965-1986 when the right wing tax cutting hero reagan had to raise them because trickle down wasn’t (ahem) actually creating the revenue that was projected…. 

  • Anonymous

    “focused on maintaining a servile docile voting block dependent upon them.”  did you find that 1 in your recent john birch leaflet?  taxes were lower on the lowest individual income brackets from 1965-1986 when the right wing tax cutting hero reagan had to raise them because trickle down wasn’t (ahem) actually creating the revenue that was projected…. 

  • Anonymous

    Now if Collins and Snowe would just do a Saprano on Eric Cantor before he (and the rest of the conservative puppets in the House) do one again on my 401k.  Obama will take Boehner (Boner ?) out to the woodshed and Mitch McConnell is too busy picking lint out of his navel.  So Cantor has been picked as the Republican stooge to undergo Newt Gingrich training, and suffer his fate (remember when Gingrich singlehandedly shutdown the US Government and Clinton kicked him back to Georgia ?).  Unfortunately he doesn’t fully understand what he and the Koch Brothers are about to do to this country and the world’s economy.  Collins and Snowe appear to have an inkling of what is about to happen.  It’s time to emulate Margaret Chase Smith again girls, and get out there and show some leadership !! 

  • Anonymous

    maybe this guy is a millionaire, manages hedge funds, shines roger ailes’ shoes, is a predatory lender, loves to see this country in total economic ruination, or buys foreclosed homes….if that is the case, it’s in his self interest to vote republican….

  • Anonymous

    maybe this guy is a millionaire, manages hedge funds, shines roger ailes’ shoes, is a predatory lender, loves to see this country in total economic ruination, or buys foreclosed homes….if that is the case, it’s in his self interest to vote republican….

  • Anonymous

    The rich are NOT job creators.   That term is an obscene joke being played upon us.  It is not and never was true.

    Jobs are created by consumers and that means the middle class.  It is a fact that the wealthy bank their money.  The wealth in this country was created by the middle class.  They are the true job creators. 

    The rich are swimming in money.  Where are the jobs?  Hedge fund managers make $100′s of millions a year and they are not creating any jobs. 

    Anything we do must be designed to benefit the middle class only.  The rich will survive.  Do not pity them.

  • Anonymous

    You keep mixing up your numbers and they don’t work.  Tax rates are too low.  We are killing ourselves in order to benefit the wealthly. 

  • Anonymous

    amen, brother…

  • Anonymous

    amen, brother…

  • Anonymous

    That is just plain nutty.  President Obama gave the order and the seals got the job done. 

  • SwiftyMorgain

       We have thousands of constrution jobs rebuilding Americas Desperately needed infrastructure just waiting for the tax revenue from the  Bush Rich and Corporations tax breaks.

    The Republicans are holding onto them with a death grip!

  • SwiftyMorgain

       We have thousands of constrution jobs rebuilding Americas Desperately needed infrastructure just waiting for the tax revenue from the  Bush Rich and Corporations tax breaks.

    The Republicans are holding onto them with a death grip!

  • Anonymous

    why was it a major victory for the white house considering the fact that saddam possessed no weapons of mass destruction, was not importing “yellowcake” from niger, and there was no link between sadaam and al-qaeda? 

  • Anonymous

    why was it a major victory for the white house considering the fact that saddam possessed no weapons of mass destruction, was not importing “yellowcake” from niger, and there was no link between sadaam and al-qaeda? 

  • Anonymous

    So what you are saying is that the population has grown, medical costs have grown, but we only need the same amount of money as we did even 10 years ago?

     Another thing, you only address the cost of programs. What if you include the loopholes for the rich as a give away. Some examples:

    Tax rates for capital gains. Capital gains are mostly used by the rich, and they are taxed at about 1/2 the rate of earned income.
    How about depreciation schedules. How many middle class people use them as opposed to how many rich use them.

    One big give away was the 2004 tax repatriation law. In return for bringing overseas money home, the tax rate was lowered to 5.25%, with the proviso that for every X amount of money returned at the lower tax rate, the companies would creat jobs. That didn’t happen. The money was returned, a lot of it went to bonuses, and some companies even laid off thousands of workers.

    So why do we keep creating loopholes for the fat cats when there is not one scintilla of evidence that lowering the tax rates for the rich leads to a single job? Why isn’t the economy booming after 10 years of tax cuts instituted by the Bush admin?

  • Anonymous

    you don’t need to be a “dem” to screw all of us….keep voting republican….they’re doing a magnificant job of screwing this entire country….

  • Anonymous

    amen, brother…

  • Anonymous

    listen, you’ve got more important things to worry about than whine about democrats here….you need to contact your republican senator to make sure they don’t end  tax breaks for private jet owners…..

  • Anonymous

    Actually, the tax structure has been putting more and more of the tax burden from the rich to the middle class. Payroll taxes are now about 35% of gov’t revenue. In 1960 it was about 15%. Who do you suppose pays the payroll taxes, the working man on the payroll or the rich man with his capital gains? So while federal tax rates have varied, the trend has been for increasing taxes on the people below 250 thousand dollars, and making loopholes for the ones above that.

    The top 0.1 % (richest of the rich) got 2.5% of the income in 1970. Now those same 0.1% bring home about 10% of the income in this country.
    Yes, some will argue, the rich pay most of the taxes. Darn tootin they do, they take in most of the money. It takes hundreds of ordinary folks’ incomes to equal what 1 of the very rich make.

  • Anonymous

    Actually, the tax structure has been putting more and more of the tax burden from the rich to the middle class. Payroll taxes are now about 35% of gov’t revenue. In 1960 it was about 15%. Who do you suppose pays the payroll taxes, the working man on the payroll or the rich man with his capital gains? So while federal tax rates have varied, the trend has been for increasing taxes on the people below 250 thousand dollars, and making loopholes for the ones above that.

    The top 0.1 % (richest of the rich) got 2.5% of the income in 1970. Now those same 0.1% bring home about 10% of the income in this country.
    Yes, some will argue, the rich pay most of the taxes. Darn tootin they do, they take in most of the money. It takes hundreds of ordinary folks’ incomes to equal what 1 of the very rich make.

  • Anonymous

    Actually, the tax structure has been putting more and more of the tax burden from the rich to the middle class. Payroll taxes are now about 35% of gov’t revenue. In 1960 it was about 15%. Who do you suppose pays the payroll taxes, the working man on the payroll or the rich man with his capital gains? So while federal tax rates have varied, the trend has been for increasing taxes on the people below 250 thousand dollars, and making loopholes for the ones above that.

    The top 0.1 % (richest of the rich) got 2.5% of the income in 1970. Now those same 0.1% bring home about 10% of the income in this country.
    Yes, some will argue, the rich pay most of the taxes. Darn tootin they do, they take in most of the money. It takes hundreds of ordinary folks’ incomes to equal what 1 of the very rich make.

  • Anonymous

    Actually, the tax structure has been putting more and more of the tax burden from the rich to the middle class. Payroll taxes are now about 35% of gov’t revenue. In 1960 it was about 15%. Who do you suppose pays the payroll taxes, the working man on the payroll or the rich man with his capital gains? So while federal tax rates have varied, the trend has been for increasing taxes on the people below 250 thousand dollars, and making loopholes for the ones above that.

    The top 0.1 % (richest of the rich) got 2.5% of the income in 1970. Now those same 0.1% bring home about 10% of the income in this country.
    Yes, some will argue, the rich pay most of the taxes. Darn tootin they do, they take in most of the money. It takes hundreds of ordinary folks’ incomes to equal what 1 of the very rich make.

  • Anonymous

    Actually, the tax structure has been putting more and more of the tax burden from the rich to the middle class. Payroll taxes are now about 35% of gov’t revenue. In 1960 it was about 15%. Who do you suppose pays the payroll taxes, the working man on the payroll or the rich man with his capital gains? So while federal tax rates have varied, the trend has been for increasing taxes on the people below 250 thousand dollars, and making loopholes for the ones above that.

    The top 0.1 % (richest of the rich) got 2.5% of the income in 1970. Now those same 0.1% bring home about 10% of the income in this country.
    Yes, some will argue, the rich pay most of the taxes. Darn tootin they do, they take in most of the money. It takes hundreds of ordinary folks’ incomes to equal what 1 of the very rich make.

  • Anonymous

    Actually, the tax structure has been putting more and more of the tax burden from the rich to the middle class. Payroll taxes are now about 35% of gov’t revenue. In 1960 it was about 15%. Who do you suppose pays the payroll taxes, the working man on the payroll or the rich man with his capital gains? So while federal tax rates have varied, the trend has been for increasing taxes on the people below 250 thousand dollars, and making loopholes for the ones above that.

    The top 0.1 % (richest of the rich) got 2.5% of the income in 1970. Now those same 0.1% bring home about 10% of the income in this country.
    Yes, some will argue, the rich pay most of the taxes. Darn tootin they do, they take in most of the money. It takes hundreds of ordinary folks’ incomes to equal what 1 of the very rich make.

  • Anonymous

    Actually, the tax structure has been putting more and more of the tax burden from the rich to the middle class. Payroll taxes are now about 35% of gov’t revenue. In 1960 it was about 15%. Who do you suppose pays the payroll taxes, the working man on the payroll or the rich man with his capital gains? So while federal tax rates have varied, the trend has been for increasing taxes on the people below 250 thousand dollars, and making loopholes for the ones above that.

    The top 0.1 % (richest of the rich) got 2.5% of the income in 1970. Now those same 0.1% bring home about 10% of the income in this country.
    Yes, some will argue, the rich pay most of the taxes. Darn tootin they do, they take in most of the money. It takes hundreds of ordinary folks’ incomes to equal what 1 of the very rich make.

  • Anonymous

    Actually, the tax structure has been putting more and more of the tax burden from the rich to the middle class. Payroll taxes are now about 35% of gov’t revenue. In 1960 it was about 15%. Who do you suppose pays the payroll taxes, the working man on the payroll or the rich man with his capital gains? So while federal tax rates have varied, the trend has been for increasing taxes on the people below 250 thousand dollars, and making loopholes for the ones above that.

    The top 0.1 % (richest of the rich) got 2.5% of the income in 1970. Now those same 0.1% bring home about 10% of the income in this country.
    Yes, some will argue, the rich pay most of the taxes. Darn tootin they do, they take in most of the money. It takes hundreds of ordinary folks’ incomes to equal what 1 of the very rich make.

  • Anonymous

    Wow, you have gall. Just above, you criticize one poster for using Factcheck.org, an org that most people (both R’s and D’s) describe as generally fair. And here you use the words of P.L. Caron to stake your claim on a fact? Caron is a very right-wing blogger, asnd even he will tell you he is not unbiased.

    So it is ok for you to base your arguments on an extreme source, but people who don’t agree with you can only use right-wing sources? That is the definition of an open mind. NOT!

    Don’t bother writing with more “facts” from these sources. Caron is on the faculty of Pepperdine U. for crying out loud.  They don’t even like anybody left of Rush Limbaugh, and anybody who is less than very very conservative is not wanted there.

  • Anonymous

    How often do Dems put abortion, gay issues or other wedge issues on the ballot? Who demagogues these things? Just today the famous “You lie” Joe Wilson(R) rants about the “ban” on incandescent light bulbs. There is no ban on them, only a ban on the inefficient ones. There will still be incandescents sold here in 5 years.  He also lies when he says all flourescent ones have mercury in them and are all made overseas. 3 lies in one breath. Unfortunately not a record from the right.

    Here is how you can tell a winger:

    We have the right to keep guns. And any registration or other “infringement” is hyped and distorted as an affront to our freedom.

    We have the right (with restrictions) to an abortion. But when a state like Kansas makes enough restrictions on places that provide them that they all have to close, nobody on the right says a single word about any restrictions on freedom. In fact, limiting a woman’s right to choose is a driving force on the right. Many argue that no abortions after conception is what they aim for.
    Can you imagine what would happen to a lefty politician who advocated a complete gun ban? Yet we allow the wingers to push for complete bans on some rights.

  • Anonymous

    That is your distorted revised picture of the past.

    I have a question. With the Republicans crying about the jobless all the time, you would think they would have lots of proposals coming from the House of Representatives for job creation. Instead we get platitudes about how we cannot tax the rich even one more cent.

    So my question is, how many jobs bills has the US House passed since the Repubs took over? (Clue: the answer is between 1 and negative 1.) 

  • Anonymous

    That is your distorted revised picture of the past.

    I have a question. With the Republicans crying about the jobless all the time, you would think they would have lots of proposals coming from the House of Representatives for job creation. Instead we get platitudes about how we cannot tax the rich even one more cent.

    So my question is, how many jobs bills has the US House passed since the Repubs took over? (Clue: the answer is between 1 and negative 1.) 

  • Anonymous

    That is your distorted revised picture of the past.

    I have a question. With the Republicans crying about the jobless all the time, you would think they would have lots of proposals coming from the House of Representatives for job creation. Instead we get platitudes about how we cannot tax the rich even one more cent.

    So my question is, how many jobs bills has the US House passed since the Repubs took over? (Clue: the answer is between 1 and negative 1.) 

  • Anonymous

    Close, it is spend and borrow. The deficit went from 5 trillion to about 12 trillion under G. W. Bush, and the Repubs stood by and applauded. Now we have added 3 trillion, and they way they talk, the whole thing is Obama’s fault.

    Bush said if we slashed taxes for the rich (“job creators”), the economy would grow and tax revenue would climb. This has never happened, ever in history, but as you can read on these boards, lots of people still believe that. 

  • Anonymous

    And you seem to forget that the Bush administration engaged in an all out lying campaign to hurry us into war. Although I trusted the Bushies not one iota, when our supposedly non-partisan government organs said the same thing, I assumed it was true. When he sent Colin Powell to the U.N., I assumed the photos and charts he had were not doctored. Boy was I stupid. The whole time, people running the Justice Dept, and the other departments of the US were only hired if they already had been drinking right wing Kool Aid. Look at the mess they brought us! 

  • Anonymous

    Don’t waste your bandwidth on old Spruce – she has no provable facts either and her mathematics is unsanitary.  She just “feels” things ain’t right and then holds forth as a sort of proletarian oracle admired by those who swoon when they read a word as fabulous as “obfuscation”. 

  • Anonymous

    should government build nations in iraq and afghanistan to the tune of 4 trillion and counting?  if i earn a dollar, why is it owed to the defense industry and halliburton?  aren’t they motivated enough to make it for themselves?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    I thought that is where all those shovel ready jobs were . . .  Swifty Morgain . . . LOL.  Looks like you were duped by your Savior . . . . Corporations should only get tax breaks if they hire Americans.  I need to tell you your precious Democratic party is also to blame for this fiasco . . . .We need to start electing congressman and senators who are real people and accountable to us.  Those who wish to make Politics a career . . . . need not apply.

  • Anonymous

    democrats should have been smart enough to stay out of iraq….but they voted to go for political purposes in a post 911 right wing hysteria influenced america….they certainly didn’t vote to go for the phony reasons bush and cheney outlined…

  • Anonymous

    democrats should have been smart enough to stay out of iraq….but they voted to go for political purposes in a post 911 right wing hysteria influenced america….they certainly didn’t vote to go for the phony reasons bush and cheney outlined…

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    Bill Clinton did not balance the budget Spruce Dweller . . . . He just signed every single budget that a REPUBLICAN Congress put on his desk.  He had to . . . .because in the end . . . . he was facing IMPEACHMENT.  Congress is the only branch of our government that can control the purse stings.  This you should have learned in High School American Government:)

    When Bill Clinton went after Bill Gates and the rest of the early dot.com magnates . . . he wasted a huge job creator for this country.  Bill Gates and his Ilk went to India to get employees and moved many of those tech jobs overseas . . . you see . . . Clinton wanted to tax them.  The Republicans were also in on this because Wall Street liked this policy.  What don’t you get . . . . both parties are bad.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    Bill Clinton did not balance the budget Spruce Dweller . . . . He just signed every single budget that a REPUBLICAN Congress put on his desk.  He had to . . . .because in the end . . . . he was facing IMPEACHMENT.  Congress is the only branch of our government that can control the purse stings.  This you should have learned in High School American Government:)

    When Bill Clinton went after Bill Gates and the rest of the early dot.com magnates . . . he wasted a huge job creator for this country.  Bill Gates and his Ilk went to India to get employees and moved many of those tech jobs overseas . . . you see . . . Clinton wanted to tax them.  The Republicans were also in on this because Wall Street liked this policy.  What don’t you get . . . . both parties are bad.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    Bill Clinton did not balance the budget Spruce Dweller . . . . He just signed every single budget that a REPUBLICAN Congress put on his desk.  He had to . . . .because in the end . . . . he was facing IMPEACHMENT.  Congress is the only branch of our government that can control the purse stings.  This you should have learned in High School American Government:)

    When Bill Clinton went after Bill Gates and the rest of the early dot.com magnates . . . he wasted a huge job creator for this country.  Bill Gates and his Ilk went to India to get employees and moved many of those tech jobs overseas . . . you see . . . Clinton wanted to tax them.  The Republicans were also in on this because Wall Street liked this policy.  What don’t you get . . . . both parties are bad.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    Bill Clinton did not balance the budget Spruce Dweller . . . . He just signed every single budget that a REPUBLICAN Congress put on his desk.  He had to . . . .because in the end . . . . he was facing IMPEACHMENT.  Congress is the only branch of our government that can control the purse stings.  This you should have learned in High School American Government:)

    When Bill Clinton went after Bill Gates and the rest of the early dot.com magnates . . . he wasted a huge job creator for this country.  Bill Gates and his Ilk went to India to get employees and moved many of those tech jobs overseas . . . you see . . . Clinton wanted to tax them.  The Republicans were also in on this because Wall Street liked this policy.  What don’t you get . . . . both parties are bad.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    Bill Clinton did not balance the budget Spruce Dweller . . . . He just signed every single budget that a REPUBLICAN Congress put on his desk.  He had to . . . .because in the end . . . . he was facing IMPEACHMENT.  Congress is the only branch of our government that can control the purse stings.  This you should have learned in High School American Government:)

    When Bill Clinton went after Bill Gates and the rest of the early dot.com magnates . . . he wasted a huge job creator for this country.  Bill Gates and his Ilk went to India to get employees and moved many of those tech jobs overseas . . . you see . . . Clinton wanted to tax them.  The Republicans were also in on this because Wall Street liked this policy.  What don’t you get . . . . both parties are bad.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    Bill Clinton did not balance the budget Spruce Dweller . . . . He just signed every single budget that a REPUBLICAN Congress put on his desk.  He had to . . . .because in the end . . . . he was facing IMPEACHMENT.  Congress is the only branch of our government that can control the purse stings.  This you should have learned in High School American Government:)

    When Bill Clinton went after Bill Gates and the rest of the early dot.com magnates . . . he wasted a huge job creator for this country.  Bill Gates and his Ilk went to India to get employees and moved many of those tech jobs overseas . . . you see . . . Clinton wanted to tax them.  The Republicans were also in on this because Wall Street liked this policy.  What don’t you get . . . . both parties are bad.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    Bill Clinton did not balance the budget Spruce Dweller . . . . He just signed every single budget that a REPUBLICAN Congress put on his desk.  He had to . . . .because in the end . . . . he was facing IMPEACHMENT.  Congress is the only branch of our government that can control the purse stings.  This you should have learned in High School American Government:)

    When Bill Clinton went after Bill Gates and the rest of the early dot.com magnates . . . he wasted a huge job creator for this country.  Bill Gates and his Ilk went to India to get employees and moved many of those tech jobs overseas . . . you see . . . Clinton wanted to tax them.  The Republicans were also in on this because Wall Street liked this policy.  What don’t you get . . . . both parties are bad.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    Bill Clinton did not balance the budget Spruce Dweller . . . . He just signed every single budget that a REPUBLICAN Congress put on his desk.  He had to . . . .because in the end . . . . he was facing IMPEACHMENT.  Congress is the only branch of our government that can control the purse stings.  This you should have learned in High School American Government:)

    When Bill Clinton went after Bill Gates and the rest of the early dot.com magnates . . . he wasted a huge job creator for this country.  Bill Gates and his Ilk went to India to get employees and moved many of those tech jobs overseas . . . you see . . . Clinton wanted to tax them.  The Republicans were also in on this because Wall Street liked this policy.  What don’t you get . . . . both parties are bad.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    Bill Clinton did not balance the budget Spruce Dweller . . . . He just signed every single budget that a REPUBLICAN Congress put on his desk.  He had to . . . .because in the end . . . . he was facing IMPEACHMENT.  Congress is the only branch of our government that can control the purse stings.  This you should have learned in High School American Government:)

    When Bill Clinton went after Bill Gates and the rest of the early dot.com magnates . . . he wasted a huge job creator for this country.  Bill Gates and his Ilk went to India to get employees and moved many of those tech jobs overseas . . . you see . . . Clinton wanted to tax them.  The Republicans were also in on this because Wall Street liked this policy.  What don’t you get . . . . both parties are bad.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    Bill Clinton did not balance the budget Spruce Dweller . . . . He just signed every single budget that a REPUBLICAN Congress put on his desk.  He had to . . . .because in the end . . . . he was facing IMPEACHMENT.  Congress is the only branch of our government that can control the purse stings.  This you should have learned in High School American Government:)

    When Bill Clinton went after Bill Gates and the rest of the early dot.com magnates . . . he wasted a huge job creator for this country.  Bill Gates and his Ilk went to India to get employees and moved many of those tech jobs overseas . . . you see . . . Clinton wanted to tax them.  The Republicans were also in on this because Wall Street liked this policy.  What don’t you get . . . . both parties are bad.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    Bill Clinton did not balance the budget Spruce Dweller . . . . He just signed every single budget that a REPUBLICAN Congress put on his desk.  He had to . . . .because in the end . . . . he was facing IMPEACHMENT.  Congress is the only branch of our government that can control the purse stings.  This you should have learned in High School American Government:)

    When Bill Clinton went after Bill Gates and the rest of the early dot.com magnates . . . he wasted a huge job creator for this country.  Bill Gates and his Ilk went to India to get employees and moved many of those tech jobs overseas . . . you see . . . Clinton wanted to tax them.  The Republicans were also in on this because Wall Street liked this policy.  What don’t you get . . . . both parties are bad.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    Bill Clinton did not balance the budget Spruce Dweller . . . . He just signed every single budget that a REPUBLICAN Congress put on his desk.  He had to . . . .because in the end . . . . he was facing IMPEACHMENT.  Congress is the only branch of our government that can control the purse stings.  This you should have learned in High School American Government:)

    When Bill Clinton went after Bill Gates and the rest of the early dot.com magnates . . . he wasted a huge job creator for this country.  Bill Gates and his Ilk went to India to get employees and moved many of those tech jobs overseas . . . you see . . . Clinton wanted to tax them.  The Republicans were also in on this because Wall Street liked this policy.  What don’t you get . . . . both parties are bad.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    Bill Clinton did not balance the budget Spruce Dweller . . . . He just signed every single budget that a REPUBLICAN Congress put on his desk.  He had to . . . .because in the end . . . . he was facing IMPEACHMENT.  Congress is the only branch of our government that can control the purse stings.  This you should have learned in High School American Government:)

    When Bill Clinton went after Bill Gates and the rest of the early dot.com magnates . . . he wasted a huge job creator for this country.  Bill Gates and his Ilk went to India to get employees and moved many of those tech jobs overseas . . . you see . . . Clinton wanted to tax them.  The Republicans were also in on this because Wall Street liked this policy.  What don’t you get . . . . both parties are bad.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    Bill Clinton did not balance the budget Spruce Dweller . . . . He just signed every single budget that a REPUBLICAN Congress put on his desk.  He had to . . . .because in the end . . . . he was facing IMPEACHMENT.  Congress is the only branch of our government that can control the purse stings.  This you should have learned in High School American Government:)

    When Bill Clinton went after Bill Gates and the rest of the early dot.com magnates . . . he wasted a huge job creator for this country.  Bill Gates and his Ilk went to India to get employees and moved many of those tech jobs overseas . . . you see . . . Clinton wanted to tax them.  The Republicans were also in on this because Wall Street liked this policy.  What don’t you get . . . . both parties are bad.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    Bill Clinton did not balance the budget Spruce Dweller . . . . He just signed every single budget that a REPUBLICAN Congress put on his desk.  He had to . . . .because in the end . . . . he was facing IMPEACHMENT.  Congress is the only branch of our government that can control the purse stings.  This you should have learned in High School American Government:)

    When Bill Clinton went after Bill Gates and the rest of the early dot.com magnates . . . he wasted a huge job creator for this country.  Bill Gates and his Ilk went to India to get employees and moved many of those tech jobs overseas . . . you see . . . Clinton wanted to tax them.  The Republicans were also in on this because Wall Street liked this policy.  What don’t you get . . . . both parties are bad.

  • Anonymous

    There are lots of places to cut spending before we cut SS.

  • Anonymous

    There are lots of places to cut spending before we cut SS.

  • Anonymous

    There are lots of places to cut spending before we cut SS.

  • Anonymous

    Honestly it seems that you hate wealthy people and somehow think they make tons of cash and pay zero taxes.  The top 1% pays what, nearly 40% of all income taxes. (and no, I am not wealthy)

  • Anonymous

    Honestly it seems that you hate wealthy people and somehow think they make tons of cash and pay zero taxes.  The top 1% pays what, nearly 40% of all income taxes. (and no, I am not wealthy)

  • Anonymous

    Honestly it seems that you hate wealthy people and somehow think they make tons of cash and pay zero taxes.  The top 1% pays what, nearly 40% of all income taxes. (and no, I am not wealthy)

  • Anonymous

    Honestly it seems that you hate wealthy people and somehow think they make tons of cash and pay zero taxes.  The top 1% pays what, nearly 40% of all income taxes. (and no, I am not wealthy)

  • Anonymous

    Honestly it seems that you hate wealthy people and somehow think they make tons of cash and pay zero taxes.  The top 1% pays what, nearly 40% of all income taxes. (and no, I am not wealthy)

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    Okay . . . I am not rich but I own a business and wish to hire someone full time next year.  I probably won’t because of all the red tape and taxes involved.  Instead, I will just look to a member of my own family to fill this labor gap:)

    And I am considered “Middle Class”. 

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    Okay . . . I am not rich but I own a business and wish to hire someone full time next year.  I probably won’t because of all the red tape and taxes involved.  Instead, I will just look to a member of my own family to fill this labor gap:)

    And I am considered “Middle Class”. 

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    Okay . . . I am not rich but I own a business and wish to hire someone full time next year.  I probably won’t because of all the red tape and taxes involved.  Instead, I will just look to a member of my own family to fill this labor gap:)

    And I am considered “Middle Class”. 

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    Okay . . . I am not rich but I own a business and wish to hire someone full time next year.  I probably won’t because of all the red tape and taxes involved.  Instead, I will just look to a member of my own family to fill this labor gap:)

    And I am considered “Middle Class”. 

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    Okay . . . I am not rich but I own a business and wish to hire someone full time next year.  I probably won’t because of all the red tape and taxes involved.  Instead, I will just look to a member of my own family to fill this labor gap:)

    And I am considered “Middle Class”. 

  • Anonymous

    Bill Gates through Microsoft and his foundation has contributed countless millions to the US.  I just do not understand this hatred of the wealthy.  You realize without them, this country would be in even more trouble.

    What is my point?  I thought it was clear.  Since you obviously have tasted the “redistribution of wealth” kool-aid, please tell us exactly how much of my money/your money/the money of the wealthy are we simple tax payers allowed to keep?  We are the ones earning it after all.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JEEBL24CJFPKONGDGBVLUF44LU Violet

    We never saw the body . . . . I doubt it went down as Obama said.   I think Osama has been dead a long time . . . . maybe even since Tora Bora.

  • Anonymous

    Would you mind responding with something of substance next time? Maybe also make it of relevance. 

  • Anonymous

    shrinking violet….clinton passed a tax increase on the wealthy without a single republican vote in his 1st budget in 1993….you see, voting to raise taxes on the rich was the crucial step toward fiscal responsibility and a long period of high employment, national prosperity and international prestige. there is no other way to stabilize the budget without inflicting grave damage on our future……

  • Anonymous

    Sure, why not?  We spent sixteen years basting in the Bush’s spicy turd…and another eight in Reagan’s A1…

  • Anonymous

    Um, are you serious? It’s because between the intermittent there was a new budget presented. Nice selective fact presenting though.

  • Anonymous

    i assume that the 51% pay their respective state income taxes…..their state and local sales taxes….and their property taxes….

  • Anonymous

    thank you for this great post,which I will be saving for reference.  I hope you get to use your knowledge on future forums.

  • Anonymous

    thank you for this great post,which I will be saving for reference.  I hope you get to use your knowledge on future forums.

  • Anonymous

    thank you for this great post,which I will be saving for reference.  I hope you get to use your knowledge on future forums.

  • Anonymous

    great stuff in all your posts, thanks

  • Anonymous

    great stuff in all your posts, thanks

  • Anonymous

    Thanks for the info–again.

  • Anonymous

    Annoying, aren’t they?  When they’re desperate, they get this way.

  • Anonymous

    Annoying, aren’t they?  When they’re desperate, they get this way.

  • Anonymous

    Annoying, aren’t they?  When they’re desperate, they get this way.

  • SwiftyMorgain

       I dont hate wealthy people, I have disgust for  wealhty greedy liars, for example the quote that you just gave is a well documented deliberate distortion of the truth,

      Saying that the top 1 % pays pays 40 % of the taxes is really irrelevant when that same 40% holds 50% of the wealth in America. It is a flagrant airing of affluence!

       How do they justify any special regonition for the percentage of taxes that they pay when they have 10000 times the disposable income of the guy who’s income is at the poverty level and pays NO tax!

      How do they justify the Bush Tax Breaks and dodging the price of war when our Sons and Daughters, to great personal peril are fighting wars to thier benefit and paying for them with thier lives. How do they justify the attack on Social Security Benefits when some of the disabled where injured in thier employ as they made a profit from those same individuals.

    I have read many posts on these sites where people hold “welfare recipients” in contempt.

    Yes, I have disgust and contempt for greed!

  • SwiftyMorgain

      Rebuilding the American Infrastructure  and using it as a stimulas to get the ball rolling IS being accountable to the public.

      I have NO political alliance other than what is the right thing to do. I cant help it if Republicans always get it wrong!

       Eisenhower oversaw a great period of prosperity with this concept. He was also a Democrat who ran as a Republican. 

    Names mean nothing, concepts mean everything !

  • Anonymous

    So you think all those Democrats that voted for the war were fooled? Or were they fools? If they were either why do you folks and folks like you continue to vote for them?

  • Anonymous

    So you think all those Democrats that voted for the war were fooled? Or were they fools? If they were either why do you folks and folks like you continue to vote for them?

  • Anonymous

    Do some googling. The facts i listed are posted all over the web. Everywhere. Even acknowledged on The Senate floor.

  • Anonymous

    The numbers are not misleading at all. They are compiled by the OECD an international body that collects such data. Here is the link.

    http://www.oecd.org/home/0,2987,en_2649_201185_1_1_1_1_1,00.html

    This is a group that collects data on all kinds of economic issues. They call the US tax system the most progressive ion the world.

  • Anonymous

    The numbers are not misleading at all. They are compiled by the OECD an international body that collects such data. Here is the link.

    http://www.oecd.org/home/0,2987,en_2649_201185_1_1_1_1_1,00.html

    This is a group that collects data on all kinds of economic issues. They call the US tax system the most progressive ion the world.

  • Anonymous

    No offense intended, but you missed the point.  Jobs are ultimately created by middle class consumers, not rich or middle class “job creators”.  That’s nothing but bunk. 

    I kind of doubt your claim about too much red tape or taxes to create a job.  It’s not that hard to hire someone and you would not hire them unless you expect them to increase revenue.  I understand exceptions may exist, but those are exceptions.

    When we focus on the middle class by giving them jobs they will put that back into the economy through spending.  That creates demand for businesses and causes businesses to hire.  The middle class, not the rich “job creators” are the secret to our success.

  • Anonymous

    No offense intended, but you missed the point.  Jobs are ultimately created by middle class consumers, not rich or middle class “job creators”.  That’s nothing but bunk. 

    I kind of doubt your claim about too much red tape or taxes to create a job.  It’s not that hard to hire someone and you would not hire them unless you expect them to increase revenue.  I understand exceptions may exist, but those are exceptions.

    When we focus on the middle class by giving them jobs they will put that back into the economy through spending.  That creates demand for businesses and causes businesses to hire.  The middle class, not the rich “job creators” are the secret to our success.

  • Anonymous

    No offense intended, but you missed the point.  Jobs are ultimately created by middle class consumers, not rich or middle class “job creators”.  That’s nothing but bunk. 

    I kind of doubt your claim about too much red tape or taxes to create a job.  It’s not that hard to hire someone and you would not hire them unless you expect them to increase revenue.  I understand exceptions may exist, but those are exceptions.

    When we focus on the middle class by giving them jobs they will put that back into the economy through spending.  That creates demand for businesses and causes businesses to hire.  The middle class, not the rich “job creators” are the secret to our success.

  • Anonymous

    No offense intended, but you missed the point.  Jobs are ultimately created by middle class consumers, not rich or middle class “job creators”.  That’s nothing but bunk. 

    I kind of doubt your claim about too much red tape or taxes to create a job.  It’s not that hard to hire someone and you would not hire them unless you expect them to increase revenue.  I understand exceptions may exist, but those are exceptions.

    When we focus on the middle class by giving them jobs they will put that back into the economy through spending.  That creates demand for businesses and causes businesses to hire.  The middle class, not the rich “job creators” are the secret to our success.

  • Anonymous

    No offense intended, but you missed the point.  Jobs are ultimately created by middle class consumers, not rich or middle class “job creators”.  That’s nothing but bunk. 

    I kind of doubt your claim about too much red tape or taxes to create a job.  It’s not that hard to hire someone and you would not hire them unless you expect them to increase revenue.  I understand exceptions may exist, but those are exceptions.

    When we focus on the middle class by giving them jobs they will put that back into the economy through spending.  That creates demand for businesses and causes businesses to hire.  The middle class, not the rich “job creators” are the secret to our success.

  • Anonymous

    No offense intended, but you missed the point.  Jobs are ultimately created by middle class consumers, not rich or middle class “job creators”.  That’s nothing but bunk. 

    I kind of doubt your claim about too much red tape or taxes to create a job.  It’s not that hard to hire someone and you would not hire them unless you expect them to increase revenue.  I understand exceptions may exist, but those are exceptions.

    When we focus on the middle class by giving them jobs they will put that back into the economy through spending.  That creates demand for businesses and causes businesses to hire.  The middle class, not the rich “job creators” are the secret to our success.

  • Anonymous

    No offense intended, but you missed the point.  Jobs are ultimately created by middle class consumers, not rich or middle class “job creators”.  That’s nothing but bunk. 

    I kind of doubt your claim about too much red tape or taxes to create a job.  It’s not that hard to hire someone and you would not hire them unless you expect them to increase revenue.  I understand exceptions may exist, but those are exceptions.

    When we focus on the middle class by giving them jobs they will put that back into the economy through spending.  That creates demand for businesses and causes businesses to hire.  The middle class, not the rich “job creators” are the secret to our success.

  • Anonymous

    No offense intended, but you missed the point.  Jobs are ultimately created by middle class consumers, not rich or middle class “job creators”.  That’s nothing but bunk. 

    I kind of doubt your claim about too much red tape or taxes to create a job.  It’s not that hard to hire someone and you would not hire them unless you expect them to increase revenue.  I understand exceptions may exist, but those are exceptions.

    When we focus on the middle class by giving them jobs they will put that back into the economy through spending.  That creates demand for businesses and causes businesses to hire.  The middle class, not the rich “job creators” are the secret to our success.

  • Anonymous

    “Saying that the top 1 % pays pays 40 % of the taxes is really irrelevant when that same 40% holds 50% of the wealth in America. It is a flagrant airing of affluence!”

    We have a very fundamental difference of opinion.  I would hardly say it is irrelevant that the top 1% pays nearly 40% of the taxes.  Without that money, where are all of the people who pay less taxes (or the countless who pay zero?).  Also, I do not believe that just because somebody has wealth that they are arrogant or want to keep MORE of THEIR money.  

  • Anonymous

    You need to understand the difference between deficit and debt.   Also, using exaggerated numbers makes you less credible.

    Gross national debt fiscal year 2000     5.628 Trillion
    Gross national debt fiscal year 2008     9.986 Trillion
    Gross national debt NOW!                           14.4    Trillion

  • Anonymous

    Bush didn’t do much to stop it either.

  • Anonymous

    Bush didn’t do much to stop it either.

  • Anonymous

    Bush didn’t do much to stop it either.

  • Anonymous

    Bush didn’t do much to stop it either.

  • Anonymous

    Bush didn’t do much to stop it either.

  • Anonymous

    Bush didn’t do much to stop it either.

  • Anonymous

    You don’t seem to know the difference between wealth and income.

  • Anonymous

    You don’t seem to know the difference between wealth and income.

  • 525_44

    I wasn’t expressing any hate towards Bill Gates.
    I don’t drink any flavor of Kool-Aid, too much sugar.

    I said money is like manure, it does it’s best work spread around.

  • 525_44

    I wasn’t expressing any hate towards Bill Gates.
    I don’t drink any flavor of Kool-Aid, too much sugar.

    I said money is like manure, it does it’s best work spread around.

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