Obama General Discussion... (Part 2)

[Irvine511]

"yes kids, stay in school and work real hard so you can get a good paying job one day so we can collect more taxes."

do you really think Americans are overtaxed?

 

[bigjohn2441]

yes

but im feeling escpecially grumpy and cynical today so who knows.

 

[Irvine511]

yes

but im feeling escpecially grumpy and cynical today so who knows.

we pay lower rates than the rest of the western world, and rates today are now lower than they were in the mid-1990s.

 

[bigjohn2441]

we pay lower rates than the rest of the western world, and rates today are now lower than they were in the mid-1990s.

you're just talking about what comes out of your paycheck. you're not counting all the other hidden taxes like sales tax and property tax and all the other things you pay for that get taxed.

 

[anitram]

you're just talking about what comes out of your paycheck. you're not counting all the other hidden taxes like sales tax and property tax and all the other things you pay for that get taxed.

Yeah, because nobody else in the Western world pays those.

For example, in Ontario I pay about 3% more in sales tax than your highest sales (local+state) in any state in the US.

So yes, you are a very low tax jurisdiction even when you DO count all those other "hidden" taxes (not sure how they're hidden either when they're in plain sight, but there you have it).

 

[bigjohn2441]

How much tax do we really pay?

if you think around 50% of your salary being taxed is reasonable then more power to you.

 

[Salome]

does anyone truly believe that if you had to pay 80% less in taxes your employer would not lower your salary?
so unless you own your own company I wouldn't worry about it too much

with wealth comes taxes
if you don't want to pay them then give up your job, sell your car and grow your own vegetables
problem solved

 

[INDY500]

with wealth comes taxes
if you don't want to pay them then give up your job, sell your car and grow your own vegetables
problem solved

Or become Treasury Secretary or Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

 

[INDY500]

do you really think Americans are overtaxed?

Attend the Tea Bag protest in D.C for an answer to that. (Wear something red, white & blue, a Redskin's jersey, a Lynyrd Skynyrd t-shirt or a "I luv Hannity" button and you'll fit right in)

 

[anitram]

How much tax do we really pay?

if you think around 50% of your salary being taxed is reasonable then more power to you.

I think people in my salary range should be taxed very highly.

If we are not going to carry the burden, then who will? The lower classes on our behalf?

I absolutely think that as you go up the wealth scale, your sense of responsibility and obligation towards your neighbours who are not similarly situated should likewise increase.

If I gave you my gross and net income you'd probably faint at how much taxes I'm paying (I won't lie, it was a surprise to me as well, though not an unexpected one). But I am thankful for the things I have, the position I hold and all the immense opportunities that come along with it.

So sure, tax me. I still have a very good life either way.

 

[Irvine511]

Attend the Tea Bag protest in D.C for an answer to that. (Wear something red, white & blue, a Redskin's jersey, a Lynyrd Skynyrd t-shirt or a "I luv Hannity" button and you'll fit right in)

wait ... i've been to teabagging parties but they were *completely* different.

 

[BVS]

Attend the Tea Bag protest in D.C for an answer to that. (Wear something red, white & blue, a Redskin's jersey, a Lynyrd Skynyrd t-shirt or a "I luv Hannity" button and you'll fit right in)

And you'll see real informed folks like this:

 

[zooropop40]

And you'll see real informed folks like this:

I love the old lady with the "ZERO TAXES" sign- as if her life would be so much better if she had to pay zero taxes. Does she even realize what would happen if we had to pay NO taxes...

No one likes taxes, but if we have the priviledge of living in a great free country, we have to pay our dues. Arguing against that is not only being selfish, and uninformed, but also spoiled and ungrateful. Get some perspective people! Live in a third world country and then complain about paying taxes as you live in America!

 

[BVS]

I love the old lady with the "ZERO TAXES" sign- as if her life would be so much better if she had to pay zero taxes. Does she even realize what would happen if we had to pay NO taxes...

As she's sitting at an intersection and on a sidewalk built by taxes, and probably going to her doctor's appointment tomorrow under medicare...



But my fave is the "cut taxes not defense", I'm guessing she thinks the military is funded by free markets...

 

[bigjohn2441]

But my fave is the "cut taxes not defense", I'm guessing she thinks the military is funded by free markets...

 

[VintagePunk]

Took me a minute to realize they're not protesting people turning on red lights.

 

[deep]

What's up with this Van Jones 'czar,' anyway?

Nothing. Glenn Beck's only going after him because he's black. Isn't it obvious?

Glenn Beck, yes.

others, maybe not.

the guy needed to go

Obama's adviser Van Jones has resigned.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama's adviser Van Jones has resigned amid controversy over past inflammatory statements, the White House said early Sunday.

Van Jones, an administration official specializing in environmentally friendly "green jobs," has been linked to efforts suggesting a government role in the Sept. 11 terror attacks and to derogatory comments about Republicans.

Jones issued an apology on Thursday. When asked the next day whether Obama still had confidence in him, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said only that Jones "continues to work in the administration."

The matter surfaced after news reports of a derogatory comment Jones made in the past about Republicans, and separately, of Jones's name appearing on a petition connected to the events surrounding 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon.

That 2004 petition had asked for congressional hearings and other investigations into whether high-level government officers had allowed the attacks to occur.

Jones flatly said in his statement that he did not agree with the petition's stand and that "it certainly does not reflect my views, now or ever."

As for his other comments he made before joining Obama's team, Jones said: "If I have offended anyone with statements I made in the past, I apologize."

 

[Irvine511]

But my fave is the "cut taxes not defense", I'm guessing she thinks the military is funded by free markets...

if we just had more free market reform, it could be.

there's NOTHING the free markets can't do. they're like Jesus With Magic topped off with a side of Zeus.

 

[MadelynIris]

I have two theories on the whole Obama school thing.

1) I've been tracking it since the beginning. A lot of the 24x7 news stations INITIALLY REPORTED IT as being an opportunity for Obama to promote the healthcare plan. Whether that was true or not, it doomed the whole thing. Then it turned into a "help your President" lesson, then after a bad reaction to that, it turned into a "help yourself" speech, and so on... I'm thinking bad timing mostly here....

2) Oversaturation backlash.

 

[Bluer White]

The feds wanting to include a recommended lesson plan to go with his speech was a bit of an overreach.

But the biggest overreach was a few loudmouths on the right taking the politicization of this to the next level. I think giving the president a few minutes on the first day of school should be encouraged, not discouraged.

 

[INDY500]

the guy needed to go

Someone pointed out on one of the Sunday morning shows that readers of the New York Times are going to open up their Monday morning papers (assuming they publish on a holiday) and have no idea there was any controversy about the guy.

If that's true then it just proves that bias isn't just about how you report the news, but also what you consider to be news to begin with. Avowed communist, 9/11 Truther, "white polluters dumping toxins on people of color," why, no story here according to the editors of the Times. Unbelievable.

 

[martha]

The feds wanting to include a recommended lesson plan to go with his speech was a bit of an overreach.

Everything comes with a lesson plan these days. Everything.

 

[INDY500]

Everything comes with a lesson plan these days. Everything.

and a condom.

 

[martha]

wtf

 

[deep]

Someone pointed out on one of the Sunday morning shows that readers of the New York Times are going to open up their Monday morning papers (assuming they publish on a holiday) and have no idea there was any controversy about the guy.

If that's true then it just proves that bias isn't just about how you report the news, but also what you consider to be news to begin with. Avowed communist, 9/11 Truther, "white polluters dumping toxins on people of color," why, no story here according to the editors of the Times. Unbelievable.

while you and I can agree that Van Jones should not be Enery Czar for this administration, I do not take all the accusations you posted as valid


for me, calling elected representatives for the people, assholes, which I believe he did recently demonstrates poor judgment. A person working in the Administration needs to be able to have a dialogue with all elected officials.

Van Jones made the remarks in February 2009 during an energy lecture in Berkeley, Calif., after a woman in the audience asked him why President Obama and congressional Democrats were having trouble moving legislation -- even though Republicans, with a smaller majority, didn't have as much trouble earlier in the Bush administration.

"Well, the answer to that is, they're assholes," Jones said, to uproarious laughter. "That's a technical, political science term."

The questioner responded, "I was afraid that that was the answer."

But Jones said that, even though Obama is "not an asshole," others have to step up the fight.

"Now, I will say this. I can be an asshole, and some of us who are not Barack Hussein Obama are going to have to start getting a little bit uppity," he said.

Signing a petition for an inquiry of 911, that had language stating that 911 was an inside job, adds to the question of judgment. Unless he spoke on this and made public statements to that effect I would hardly call him a 911- truther. But this, along with calling elected Republicans assholes, is enough to let him go back to being an activist and not a member of the administration.


That he is an avowed communist?
Is there more than the emotional outburst when he was arrested for protesting the Rodney King beatings and the acquittal of the cops that beat him? (that is the one time I found when he said that, see below assuming this source is correct)

"I was a rowdy nationalist on April 28th, and then the Rodney King verdicts came down on April 29th," he said. "By August, I was a communist."
--

Most likely he is an avowed Democrat, we can check his registration. (he may be a member of the Communist Party )

 

[Bluer White]

Everything comes with a lesson plan these days. Everything.

I don't imagine it's easy to balance what your school board/state require

and leaving yourself some freedom in the classroom.

 

[deep]

No (Socialist-Muslim) Obama speech in my part of California !

District not to show Obama’s speech

By Joseph Serna

Newport Beach- Costa Mesa schools will not show a live stream of President Barack Obama’s address to school children Tuesday in which he’s expected to encourage them to work hard toward their goals, the superintendent announced.

In a letter to parents Friday, Supt. Jeffrey Hubbard said principals and teachers will have an “opportunity to preview the speech to identify age/grade appropriateness of content.”

The district will record the speech and allow principals to decide whether to show it to students on a case-by-case basis.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, “The president will challenge students to work hard, and take responsibility for their learning. He will also call for a shared responsibility and commitment on the part of students, parents and educators to ensure that every child in every school receives the best education possible so they can compete in the global economy for good jobs and live rewarding and productive lives as American citizens.”

As clear as Obama’s 15-minute message looks to be, parents have called the district with complaints that their children could be “exposed to” inappropriate content, said district spokeswoman Laura Boss.

“We already know it’s controversial that he’s speaking, according to our community,” Boss said.

 

[Bluer White]

If that's true then it just proves that bias isn't just about how you report the news, but also what you consider to be news to begin with.

Either the FBI dropped the ball on the background check, or the White House thought the media would let the controversial stuff slide. I'm guessing the latter.

And the White House was right. The mainstream outlets were quiet...but new media wasn't. Twitter, blogs, conservative sites, and a certain cable news channel...they put the information out there.

 

[INDY500]

Either the FBI dropped the ball on the background check, or the White House thought the media would let the controversial stuff slide. I'm guessing the latter.

That will be the big question next week.

And the White House was right. The mainstream outlets were quiet...but new media wasn't. Twitter, blogs, conservative sites, and a certain cable news channel...they put the information out there.

Reminds me a lot of the John Edwards story. The bias and double standard is on full display now.

 

[anitram]

Joe Scarborough must have turned into a socialist or something, his Tweets are outrageous.

Dear GOP, argue the issues and avoid the insults...or just shut up. Enough with the conspiracy theories. Shouldn't our beliefs be enough?

GOP leaders in my home state are accusing the POTUS of trying to "indoctrinate America’s children to his socialist agenda." Seriously?

WHERE ARE THE NATIONAL GOP LEADERS SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THIS KIND OF HYSTERIA?

Indoctrination of socialism? The president as a racist? Death panels? Seriously? That's all you've got? If so, it's time for you to go home

I'm just naive enough to believe that a party that shows restraint at home, restraint abroad and respect for the Constitution wins elections

Perhaps that party just doesn't exist.