patrick.net

The hell with Obama. I say we lay him off, make no changes, and his would be salary needs to go in a SAVINGS account. Yes. Save :)

Vain says

The hell with Obama. I say we lay him off, make no changes, and his would be salary needs to go in a SAVINGS account. Yes. Save

It's time the rich, super rich, and the corporations pay their fair share. Too long have they had a break at everyone's expense. Too long have they used "drill baby drill," wars, and tax cuts that only favor the rich, super rich, and the corporations killing the planet while running up the deficit to insane levels. All the while they've been laughing all the way to the bank (usually foreign to avoid taxation on savings and investments) gathering up the money without paying workers their fair share of the spoils.

It's class warfare they attempted to win, now it's our turn.

Honest Abe says

“Liberal misconceptions foster economic irresponsibility, social conflict and political incoherence. By undermining capacities for self-reliance, voluntary cooperation, moral realism and informed altruism, they degrade the character of people.
The Liberal Mind, The Psychological Causes of Political Madness, by Lyle Rossiter, M.D.

Thanks for posting this Abe. This sounds like a great book. I put it on my short list of books to read in the near future. BTW, you might want to ask ellie "I never, ever insult anyone" mae a reference as to what book she's read recently that is from a conservative perspective instead of liberal minded mush. Don’t hold your breath for a for a meaningful response. LOL

PS: I don’t believe she likes books very much.

The premise of this post is wrong. I tried to confirm it and can't. The truth is there will be an amazing political opportunity for Obama. When the Bush tax cuts expire, if left alone then yes this would happen:

The 10% bracket rises to an expanded 15%
- The 25% bracket rises to 28%
- The 28% bracket rises to 31%
- The 33% bracket rises to 36%
- The 35% bracket rises to 39.6%

But guess what (lol), it will be an opportunity for Obama and congress to lower taxes again, effectively reimplementing the bush tax cuts but only for the lower two or three of these brackets. Ahhh,.... politics. What an incredible opportunity !!

I love it. That is so awesome !!!!

RayAmerica says

PS: I don’t believe she likes books very much.

I do too like books! I have one holding up my family room couch at this moment.

Good try rayray. I like it how you reference me in almost every post and write my name with little love notes. It's cute.

RayAmerica says

BTW, you might want to ask ellie “I never, ever insult anyone” mae a reference as to what book she’s read recently that is from a conservative perspective instead of liberal minded mush. Don’t hold your breath for a for a meaningful response.

Abe ... see what I mean?

elliemae says

I do too like books! I have one holding up my family room couch at this moment.

Ray, I have also asked for some recommendations for books. I have gotten one suggestion, ONE. Not six, or four, or even two...ONE. It was a book by Krugman, who, as you know is one of those intelligent but economically illerate economists - hahaha.

The lefties can't stand the truth, common sense, supply and demand, personal responsibility, the law of unintended consequences and prefer to shoot the messenger instead. Ignorance is strength.

So to you feel good liberals, I have a question: OTHER than Krugman...any suggestions for books to read ?????

Does it have to be a book in the "telling me what I want to hear" category ? Or can it be any book.

Honest Abe says

So to you feel good liberals, I have a question: OTHER than Krugman…any suggestions for books to read ?????

I'd suggest Freakonomics

E-man .... thanks for the recommendation. I'll check it out.

E-man, The Richest Man in Babylon is a great book, one of my favorites, along with Think and Grow Rich, The Millionaire Next Door and anything by T. Harv Ekler.

Much of the underlying content of those books is related to PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, CAUSE AND EFFECT, MAKING RESPONSIBLE CHOICES, SAVING AND INVESTING, LIVING BELOW YOUR MEANS, LEARNING "HOW MONEY WORKS", STAYING OUT OF DEBT, THE RULE OF 72, THE TIME VALUE OF MONEY, ETC.

Notice how many of those issues are shunned, scorned and ridiculed by liberals. After all, liberals want a parental government to assume all those obligations. There is a name for that type of dependent existence: The Nanny State.

In my reading it became pretty clear that people could choose to be in control of their own lives (freedom)...or give up control to the state (which ultimately leads to tyranny). Well DAH, its a pretty simple choice, isn't it?

SF ace says

That’s the only fair route. It was a temporary tax cut afterall

"Fair". LOL. Tough to get that black Amex if your taxes go up 360bps or 10%?

Here's the deal. If you want to really damage the economy all you have to do is raise taxes on wage earners, who are already strapped. The rich, by definition, are not financially strapped. Quite the opposite as their share of the national income continues to rise.

You want "fair"? Raise taxes until those lines on the graph meet in the middle.

I'd say "fair" is the tax code of the 1950s or early 1960s...

I think you guys took "fair" a little too literally. There is no such thing as fair taxation, someone will be paying more and some less. I get that. I think it is more administratively practical to just not extend any part of the Bush tax cuts, not pick and choose the part that favors A, B or whatever. Whatever was gained/given the last 9 years by Bush tax cut is just taken back, sounds like a good start to me.

"Anyway regarding fair, how fair is it that a blue collar worker creates $100 an hour worth of wealth but only gets paid $20 an hour? There’s nothing unfair about taxing rich people more money however it really is besides the point. ONLY A PROGRESSIVE TAX SYSTEM CAN BE SUSTAINED! Without it, the economy is nothing more than a closed ended game of Monopoly."

That is too simplistic, the only reason why someone is getting paid $20 in the first place is somebody have to risk the capital. Do you alienate your top customers or do you want to make them happy? If you are the San Jose, do you kiss up to Cisco or do you have the balls to tell them to pay more tax. If I was running an insurance business, I sure as heck would kiss up to the agents that have the biggest insurance books. If you don't, they'll take the book somewhere else. That's the reality.

If you think we can go back to the way it used to be, we can't, there are too many choices out there. There are countries that don't tax dividends and welcome your investment $$ and people can move them out and you end up getting nothing instead of something. We already see that in Coporations as it is race among tax controller to get the lowest effective tax rates and can easily apply to the rich. Why do you think every state competes with each other and redevelpment zone will welcome you (with tax breaks) if you can employ 500 people, it's because they want something rather than nothing.

SF ace says

I think it is more administratively practical to just not extend any part of the Bush tax cuts, not pick and choose the part that favors A, B or whatever.

How about picking and choosing to create a tax code that strengthens the US economy? Isn't that the job of the politicians?

I'm all for tax raises across the board since I think all taxes come out of rents in the end. But Obama was elected with the promise of not raising taxes on the middle class and below. Conveniently, the Bush tax cuts favored the upper class, so reversing those will result in the most bang for the buck.

We could use a few more tax brackets to smooth out the curve, too.

Right, and I suppose you think that poor, innocent people are subject to this suffering inflicted by various predators like: "Big Business", "Big Corporations", "greedy capitalists", "U.S Imperialists", "the oppressors", "the rich", "the wealthy", "the powerful" and "the selfish".

And I suppose you think that none of their agonies are attributable to faults or failings of their own: not to poor choices, bad habits, faulty judgement, wishful thinking, lack of ambition, low frustration tolerance, mental illness, poor work ethic, or defects in character.

And you blame faulty social conditions, poverty, disease, racial or sexual prejudice, ethnic and gender discrimination, capitalism, globalization, and imperialism.

And the cure? An endless and constantly growing intrusive, authoritarian, manipulative government that regulates and manages society the way they think society should be "managed". "Big Brother" knows how your life should be lived...much more than you do.

These distorted perceptions and its destructive agenda are surely the product of disturbed personalities.

Here, let me proof your work:

Honest Abe says

An endless and constantly growing intrusive, authoritarian, manipulative government that regulates and manages society the way they think society should be “managed”. “Big Brother” knows how your life should be lived…much more than you do. Currently this is the result of 30+ years of Conservative and Republican politicians going after the middle class while enriching their corporate masters and themselves.

There, that's closer to the truth.

Thanks for playing Abebabe.

Yeah, if more people had the right attitude and were more self reliant and responsible, then manufacturing would have never decreased here. (by the way, i personally don't blame republicans or democrats for globalization)

In a parallel universe where everyone has the right attitude, what does the US look like ? Is everyone a professional, because they all pulled themselves up by their boot straps while they were is school. No that doesn't work. We need workers. But what kind of living should workers make ? And don't they actually need to make enough so that they can consume enough to keep the economy steaming along ?

I guess maybe they should just work two or three jobs each, and be happy to do it. And they should stop complaining. Because even though we can't all be doctors, lawyers, engineers or investment bankers, if you aren't one of those you only have yourself to blame (sucka).

Honest Abe says

y, I have also asked for some recommendations for books.

The lefties can’t stand the truth, common sense, supply and demand, personal responsibility, the law of unintended consequences and prefer to shoot the messenger instead. Ignorance is strength. So to you feel good liberals, I have a question: OTHER than Krugman…any suggestions for books to read ?????

abeabe:

A few books for you to read: Any of the Bloom County books (full of truth, common sense, supply and demand...), Green Eggs and Ham, and for a little levity I'd recommend the Far Side series.

I find it amusing that you claim to want to learn more about personal responsibility when all you do is whine about being a victim of the libs. And - rayray, attempting to bait me doesn't work because you're a troll and (in case you haven't noticed) no one seems to take you seriously. Being obnoxious doesn't make you pertinent.

elliemae says

abeabe

elliemae says

rayray

I wonder why ellie finds it necessary to repeat first names? Maybe it stems from her "Mommy Mommy" days. I guess some people just never grow up. LOL

RayAmerica says

I guess some people just never grow up. LOL

Lookin' in the mirror & talkin' to yourself again, rayray?

elliemae says

Lookin’ in the mirror & talkin’ to yourself again

How old is that one? I'm guessing maybe a thousand years? At least make an attempt to be a little original, even if you have to copy from someone.

RayAmerica says

How old is that one? I’m guessing maybe a thousand years? At least make an attempt to be a little original, even if you have to copy from someone.

I refuse to have a battle of wits with someone who lacks ammunition.