You Neo-Cons are just whiners. Bush has been the president for almost eight years, and the Neo-Cons Republicans have controlled Congress for six of those years as well as the last two years of the Clinton Administration. How many Presidential vetoes by Bush has Congress overridden? Four! All of those vetoes required support by some Republicans in both the House and the Senate. Bush and his ilk, have followed the economic policies of the Fascists. Mussolini defined his economic stance by saying that his Fascist government "will give full freedom to private enterprise and will abandon all intervention in private economy." Bush and the Republicans followed this philosophy, and now our country is on the verge of bankruptcy.
Erin
· 1 year ago
"Perhaps, in the midst of the nation’s worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, Americans are less susceptible to politicians who offer irrelevant hyperbolic labels instead of solutions." I agree entirely with this observation, but would expand on its main contention. Obama is not socialist....and the GOP's attempt to negatively characterize Obama and label him as a "redistributor" is completely out of touch--especially because we NEED income redistribution. When the Bush administration let capitalism run unregulated, the US experienced a massive transfer of wealth from the lower and middle classes to a select few obscenely wealthy individuals. In a situation where all of our resources are concentrated in the hands of a very small minority (who then have all the power), what we need is to increase taxes on this minority in order to re-level the playing field. By giving the middle and lower classes tax cuts and increasing taxes on the wealthy, everyone stands to benefit--including the wealthy, because people will be able to afford their products. We were doing well in the 1990's because we had a middle class. It's time to get the middle class back--and Barack has the plan to do it. Tax increases do NOT mean socialism....and conservatives need to grasp that before they are able to offer up a feasible economic plan.
jp
· 1 year ago
Please Erin send me your paycheck (if you have one)
Tamzarian
· 1 year ago
Well thank goodness. I would hate to think my fellow Americans are stupid enough to confuse a recalculation of the progressive tax system with socialism. The closest thing we've had to socialism this season was the bailout bill, for which both candidates voted. Beyond that, it's a little silly to think that this kind of rhetoric will be very successful with the average voter, especially since few people make a quarter of a million dollars.
Dorothy_J1958
· 1 year ago
John McCain is no better than George Bush. Both have supported disastrous foreign and economic policies:
John McCain is in favor of the Bush tax cut for the already super wealthy, the top 1 percent of America. If you like the Bush economy, if you like the Bush tax cut and what it has done to our economy, making the already wealthiest people wealthier and the average middle and upper middle classes struggle harder, then John McCain is going to give you a third term of George Bush and Karl Rove.
If you like what has happened to oil prices, the Iraq war, a COSTLY war with no end, John McCain is going to continue that policy. If you like what you see about health care, John McCain has no health care plan.
roarks
· 1 year ago
If Joe the Plumber thinks he can't afford to buy the business under Obama's tax plan then he really needs to consult a good accountant. Obama's plan lowers taxes on the first $250,000 Joe makes. On the money over $250,000, Joe would pay 39% under Obama, instead of the 36% he now pays. That's 3% more taxes, not exactly break-the-bank if you have already made $250,000 at a low rate. In fact, if Joe makes $280,000 then his taxes will only go up $900 a year (that's 3% of $30,000, the amount over $250,000). Plus, Obama will give him a $1,000 tax credit for every job he creates, and tax credits for every employee that he provides health insurance for. Under Obama's plan, Joe's business will actually pay LESS TAX than it does now, as long as he has even just one employee.
McCain's plan will tax the first $250,000 at a the current rate, then drop the taxes on anything over $250,000 by an unspecified amount. McCain's plan does not give him a tax credit for every job he creates. If he provides health care for his employees he will now have to deduct yet another tax from their paychecks, adding administrative burden to his company. Not to mention that Joe will have to pay this tax himself on his personal income, which amounts to an extra $4,200 a year he pays in taxes (35% of the $12,000 a typical policy costs). And if his company does not provide health care, he and his employees will have to pay individually for their health insurance (average cost $12,000 per year), they'll get a $5,000 tax credit under McCain, but be out of pocket at least $7,000 per year for their policy. Either way, Joe will pay MORE taxes under McCain's plan.
I really do not understand the basis on which Mccain makes the argument that Obama would be bad for business and jobs, when the converse is true. Additionally having over 90% of the population just 2-3 percentage points wealther is going to mean significantly more consumer spending on the part of the whole block. McCain likes to call Obama's plans socialist, but that is hardly true. I think taxing the rich higher and reducing taxes for everyone else creates a much larger and more confident market of buyers for businesses hoping to grow, and in turn more jobs as revenues on the business side grows on a broader basis of demand rather than through petty tax reductions, that's not growth..that's savings! What good is empowering the upper 1% with tax breaks when there have no market to sell to? This kind of thinking is not socialism, it's pragmatism.
McCain attacks Obama's healthcare plan as a move to nationalize healthcare coverage, and while that is partially true, I do not think it is such a bad idea (unless you are ideologically tied to certain ideas). We all know that insurance rates have gone up through the years and it is a problem. McCain's healthcare plan attracts voters with a $5000 tax credit to purchase health insurance, but he fails to mention that he plans to tax health benefits....smart accounting, but a bad idea. I cannot help but find that it is like taking money from my left hand to give it to my right. Also, it will not only do nothing against the rising costs of health coverage (since there is no downward price pressure), but also mean insanely high deductibles at that price point. The thing is Obama wants to introduce an accessible, fairly priced government subsidized healthcare plan with favorable rules and baseline coverage standards, while still offering choices between private or government options. Let’s say everyone is selling an apple for 2 dollars, if you start selling an apple for 1 dollar, you are definitely getting more business. The other sellers will be forced to either lower their prices, or OFFER BETTER APPLES. I think Obama’s plan will impose standards for coverage & insert downward price pressure on the insurance sector, curbing, and potentially reversing the rising costs of healthcare by introducing competition from the government. Perhaps eventually as the private sector begins to adjust their offerings and give people more for their money, these government subsidized plans may gradually lose popularity. It just makes so much more sense.
McCain keeps going on and on about experience, but look, YOU CAN HIRE EXPERIENCE, AND YOU CAN BUY KNOWLEDGE, BUT IF YOUR JUDGMENT IS GUIDED BY A MISALIGNED MORAL COMPASS, YOUR EXPERIENCE IS OF NO USE TO US. Look at his plans, his endless blatent lies, his VP pick, his endless distractions. It infuriates me the absurdity that this once great man has stooped to. We need a serious president, with a steady and even temperament, who is willing to listen to EVERYONE and come up with solutions that work for ALL OF US. We need a president who has the intellect, and the moral compass pointing true north to our interests, who helps the nation focus on what we have in common, not why we are different...we need a president who understands that issues should lie at the foundation of winning an election, not baseless associations, attacks and message themes focused on dominating the next news cycle. We need a president who understands that the foundation of our economy is jobs, and who focuses our workforce in industries that will ensure our leadership in alternative energy globally through pragmatic investment. We need someone whose inner circle of influence is not tainted by special interests and lobbists, who has the highest probability of actually reforming Washington. We need someone who understands the new world order, and who understands that war is but ONE tactic, along with intelligence, diplomatic and economic leverage in our overall strategy to counter our foreign policy challenges today. We need a president who is a calming voice in this cacophony of chaos, who calls out to the best within all of us to lead us out of this hole we've dug ourselves into, not divide us and calls on our hate. We need a President who is a pragmatist, who has been consistent, with judgment that is guided by good nature and insights rather than a thirst for power and populist ideologies. We need someone with new ideas, and a new approach to change our course in history. ENOUGH WITH THIS PETTY HATE MONGERING, THE TIMES ARE TOO SERIOUS FOR THIS KIND OF NONSENSE. I DON'T CARE IF HE IS BLACK, WHITE, BLUE OR PURPLE, AND I DONT CARE IF HE IS PRO OR ANTI ABORTION, OR LIBERAL OR CONSERVATIVE...I JUST CARE THAT HE IS RIGHT FOR THE CHALLENGES WE NOW FACE. Some of you appear to think that we support Obama because of the glitz and glamour...but you see..we have evaluated the policies of both candidates, not their ideologies. We have evaluated their plans not their color or religion, not who they've run across in their lives. We have seen and felt Obama's call for unity, and we are feeling hope in his message, instead of dwelling in the darkness of our prejudice. We have evaluated the team Obama has put together, and understand his rationale for getting these individuals together. We want Barack Obama as president because he is our single last hope for a pragmatic government focused on practical solutions to solve our problems, not someone throw proposals out there that sound great, but have no broad strategic thread that ties everything together.The notion that somehow Obama got to where he is in this campaign because of his "charm and luck" and his eloquence is a complete disregard for millions of thinking Americans who have actually evaluated his plans and are won over by his very accurate reading of the key challenges facing America today, and thoughtfulness in his approach across healthcare, taxes, the economy, energy, foreign policy for America. What he has demonstrated as well is a temperament and a vision that has inspired millions of us to seek the best within ourselves to hope for unity, for change, and for better days. We can see from his proposals to his meticulous selection of advisors that his decisions are guided by a deeper need to solve our current challenges, and his very new and pragmatic ideas are guided by a moral compass pointing true north to the interests of everyday folks like you and me. I strongly believe that Obama has the right ideas, intellect, and judgment to lead this country in a new direction. This is why I am voting for Barack Obama!
ctl
· 1 year ago
I am so glad to here the people are not buying into the McCain Palin / Republican charge that Obama is a socialist. The claim is so far off base, so reckless, that I don't know how the McCain camp has a shred of credibility left with mainstream america.
What is so bad about voting all these republicans out of office when we gave them a majority from 2000-2006 and in that time they did exactly what they telling us the democrats to do if elected.
Socailsim ? How about Bush with a Republican House and Senate passing the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program, the biggest socialist program since Social Security. How about John McCain "suspending his campaign" to run back to Washington to "redistribute" 850 Billion Dollars ?
Vote for change vote for Obama, the Tax Cuts don't even expire until 2010, an election year where House and Senate Republicans can be re-elected if the Dems haven't done anything, then in 4 years if you don't like Obama, you can vote him out too.
What you can't do is re-elect the party that did the exact opposite of what they promised 8 years ago. You cannot elect a disorganized out of touch McCain Palin ticket who throws terms like Socialism around without knowing what it even means.
All Comments
I agree entirely with this observation, but would expand on its main contention. Obama is not socialist....and the GOP's attempt to negatively characterize Obama and label him as a "redistributor" is completely out of touch--especially because we NEED income redistribution. When the Bush administration let capitalism run unregulated, the US experienced a massive transfer of wealth from the lower and middle classes to a select few obscenely wealthy individuals. In a situation where all of our resources are concentrated in the hands of a very small minority (who then have all the power), what we need is to increase taxes on this minority in order to re-level the playing field. By giving the middle and lower classes tax cuts and increasing taxes on the wealthy, everyone stands to benefit--including the wealthy, because people will be able to afford their products. We were doing well in the 1990's because we had a middle class. It's time to get the middle class back--and Barack has the plan to do it. Tax increases do NOT mean socialism....and conservatives need to grasp that before they are able to offer up a feasible economic plan.
John McCain is in favor of the Bush tax cut for the already super wealthy, the top 1 percent of America. If you like the Bush economy, if you like the Bush tax cut and what it has done to our economy, making the already wealthiest people wealthier and the average middle and upper middle classes struggle harder, then John McCain is going to give you a third term of George Bush and Karl Rove.
If you like what has happened to oil prices, the Iraq war, a COSTLY war with no end, John McCain is going to continue that policy. If you like what you see about health care, John McCain has no health care plan.
McCain's plan will tax the first $250,000 at a the current rate, then drop the taxes on anything over $250,000 by an unspecified amount. McCain's plan does not give him a tax credit for every job he creates. If he provides health care for his employees he will now have to deduct yet another tax from their paychecks, adding administrative burden to his company. Not to mention that Joe will have to pay this tax himself on his personal income, which amounts to an extra $4,200 a year he pays in taxes (35% of the $12,000 a typical policy costs). And if his company does not provide health care, he and his employees will have to pay individually for their health insurance (average cost $12,000 per year), they'll get a $5,000 tax credit under McCain, but be out of pocket at least $7,000 per year for their policy. Either way, Joe will pay MORE taxes under McCain's plan.
I really do not understand the basis on which Mccain makes the argument that Obama would be bad for business and jobs, when the converse is true. Additionally having over 90% of the population just 2-3 percentage points wealther is going to mean significantly more consumer spending on the part of the whole block. McCain likes to call Obama's plans socialist, but that is hardly true. I think taxing the rich higher and reducing taxes for everyone else creates a much larger and more confident market of buyers for businesses hoping to grow, and in turn more jobs as revenues on the business side grows on a broader basis of demand rather than through petty tax reductions, that's not growth..that's savings! What good is empowering the upper 1% with tax breaks when there have no market to sell to? This kind of thinking is not socialism, it's pragmatism.
McCain attacks Obama's healthcare plan as a move to nationalize healthcare coverage, and while that is partially true, I do not think it is such a bad idea (unless you are ideologically tied to certain ideas). We all know that insurance rates have gone up through the years and it is a problem. McCain's healthcare plan attracts voters with a $5000 tax credit to purchase health insurance, but he fails to mention that he plans to tax health benefits....smart accounting, but a bad idea. I cannot help but find that it is like taking money from my left hand to give it to my right. Also, it will not only do nothing against the rising costs of health coverage (since there is no downward price pressure), but also mean insanely high deductibles at that price point. The thing is Obama wants to introduce an accessible, fairly priced government subsidized healthcare plan with favorable rules and baseline coverage standards, while still offering choices between private or government options. Let’s say everyone is selling an apple for 2 dollars, if you start selling an apple for 1 dollar, you are definitely getting more business. The other sellers will be forced to either lower their prices, or OFFER BETTER APPLES. I think Obama’s plan will impose standards for coverage & insert downward price pressure on the insurance sector, curbing, and potentially reversing the rising costs of healthcare by introducing competition from the government. Perhaps eventually as the private sector begins to adjust their offerings and give people more for their money, these government subsidized plans may gradually lose popularity. It just makes so much more sense.
McCain keeps going on and on about experience, but look, YOU CAN HIRE EXPERIENCE, AND YOU CAN BUY KNOWLEDGE, BUT IF YOUR JUDGMENT IS GUIDED BY A MISALIGNED MORAL COMPASS, YOUR EXPERIENCE IS OF NO USE TO US. Look at his plans, his endless blatent lies, his VP pick, his endless distractions. It infuriates me the absurdity that this once great man has stooped to. We need a serious president, with a steady and even temperament, who is willing to listen to EVERYONE and come up with solutions that work for ALL OF US. We need a president who has the intellect, and the moral compass pointing true north to our interests, who helps the nation focus on what we have in common, not why we are different...we need a president who understands that issues should lie at the foundation of winning an election, not baseless associations, attacks and message themes focused on dominating the next news cycle. We need a president who understands that the foundation of our economy is jobs, and who focuses our workforce in industries that will ensure our leadership in alternative energy globally through pragmatic investment. We need someone whose inner circle of influence is not tainted by special interests and lobbists, who has the highest probability of actually reforming Washington. We need someone who understands the new world order, and who understands that war is but ONE tactic, along with intelligence, diplomatic and economic leverage in our overall strategy to counter our foreign policy challenges today. We need a president who is a calming voice in this cacophony of chaos, who calls out to the best within all of us to lead us out of this hole we've dug ourselves into, not divide us and calls on our hate. We need a President who is a pragmatist, who has been consistent, with judgment that is guided by good nature and insights rather than a thirst for power and populist ideologies. We need someone with new ideas, and a new approach to change our course in history. ENOUGH WITH THIS PETTY HATE MONGERING, THE TIMES ARE TOO SERIOUS FOR THIS KIND OF NONSENSE. I DON'T CARE IF HE IS BLACK, WHITE, BLUE OR PURPLE, AND I DONT CARE IF HE IS PRO OR ANTI ABORTION, OR LIBERAL OR CONSERVATIVE...I JUST CARE THAT HE IS RIGHT FOR THE CHALLENGES WE NOW FACE. Some of you appear to think that we support Obama because of the glitz and glamour...but you see..we have evaluated the policies of both candidates, not their ideologies. We have evaluated their plans not their color or religion, not who they've run across in their lives. We have seen and felt Obama's call for unity, and we are feeling hope in his message, instead of dwelling in the darkness of our prejudice. We have evaluated the team Obama has put together, and understand his rationale for getting these individuals together. We want Barack Obama as president because he is our single last hope for a pragmatic government focused on practical solutions to solve our problems, not someone throw proposals out there that sound great, but have no broad strategic thread that ties everything together.The notion that somehow Obama got to where he is in this campaign because of his "charm and luck" and his eloquence is a complete disregard for millions of thinking Americans who have actually evaluated his plans and are won over by his very accurate reading of the key challenges facing America today, and thoughtfulness in his approach across healthcare, taxes, the economy, energy, foreign policy for America. What he has demonstrated as well is a temperament and a vision that has inspired millions of us to seek the best within ourselves to hope for unity, for change, and for better days. We can see from his proposals to his meticulous selection of advisors that his decisions are guided by a deeper need to solve our current challenges, and his very new and pragmatic ideas are guided by a moral compass pointing true north to the interests of everyday folks like you and me. I strongly believe that Obama has the right ideas, intellect, and judgment to lead this country in a new direction. This is why I am voting for Barack Obama!
What is so bad about voting all these republicans out of office when we gave them a majority from 2000-2006 and in that time they did exactly what they telling us the democrats to do if elected.
Socailsim ? How about Bush with a Republican House and Senate passing the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program, the biggest socialist program since Social Security. How about John McCain "suspending his campaign" to run back to Washington to "redistribute" 850 Billion Dollars ?
Vote for change vote for Obama, the Tax Cuts don't even expire until 2010, an election year where House and Senate Republicans can be re-elected if the Dems haven't done anything, then in 4 years if you don't like Obama, you can vote him out too.
What you can't do is re-elect the party that did the exact opposite of what they promised 8 years ago. You cannot elect a disorganized out of touch McCain Palin ticket who throws terms like Socialism around without knowing what it even means.