I was just surfing the web reading about what the Tea Party's biggest legitimate concern is with the Obama administration. I assume most of the folks marching in these anti-tax and anti-government rallies are part of the middle class.
I did some research and I found that when the President says he gave 95% of working Americans a tax cut, he's telling the truth. It's fact. If you'd like to see further on that, then visit this link:http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/jan/28/barack-obama/tax-cut-95-percent-stimulus-made-it-so/
I also did some more research when it comes to all these taxes that the Tax Day protesters say have been burdening them because of Barack Obama. Experts say that no one, particularly middle-class Americans, has gotten a tax increase under this administration. In fact, the only tax that experts say has been put in place so far is an increase in the federal cigarette tax.
The only reason I bring this up is because this seems to be among the talking points of the opposition. "He's taxing us to death!"
It's just not true. In the first year of the Obama administration the total average tax load of the American people came to 9.2% of a person's income. This is the lowest - yes lowest - fraction of American income the government has taken from us since the 1950s.
As far as the chart I provided at the top of this post. It reflects how middle-income earners have been taxed under the Obama Administration. It shows that middle-income earners are now paying federal taxes at/near historically low levels. In fact, the average family of four right now is paying 4.6% of its income in federal income taxes - the second lowest percentage in, say, 50 years! What?!
Isn't Obama that guy on those Tea Party signs that is "taxing me to death?" Unfortunately, it isn't him.
You've got the wrong guy, and you've got the wrong facts.
(Sources: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/15/tax-day-2010-protesters-i_n_538556.html, http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2010/05/12/matthews_under_obama_america_is_taxed_less.html
http://20somethingfinance.com/obama-tax-cuts/, and of course http://politifact.com/)
Wait until next year Sean. All of the Bush tax cuts, which are not for the wealthy expire, even your taxes will be going up, no other way around it, when you spend more than you take in and borrow more than you can pay back ever, this administration is looking at every possibility to bring in revenue, the VAT tax is another potential tax raiser. Everyone who gets insurance benefits will soon be taxed for that as income as well. So get ready next year you will as we all will be paying much higher taxes. If you look at the Clinton administration his taxes were sky high at first, then when the congress and senate was won by the republicans, we ended up with a balanced budget. That happened when Reagan came in office after Carter, he dropped the top tax rate significantly and we once again had good economic growth. That is what will happen here again in November when the senate and house will be run by fiscal conservatives, which means many democrats will lose their seats and hopefully some republicans that do not need to be there such as Lindsay Graham will be ousted out of office. That is what the tea party stands for, representation by elected officials, don't miss that in all the false hype that you hear in the news.
ReplyDeleteAgain, I'm speaking about what is. I'm not speculating like you continue to do. The Bush Tax cuts for the wealthy will expire. Did they lead to economic growth at all? No. They led to economic hell. And you constantly credit previous Republican presidents for good economic times during their Democratic successors term but don't blame previous Republican presidents for the horrible state of the economy that they left their successor. It's an interesting double standard.
ReplyDeleteGeorge W. Bush spent his entire presidency spending billions and billions without a way to pay for it. Did you speak out against him too? If you did, I don't recall it. Wonder why...
Historically, the incumbents lose these midterm elections after winning the previous Presidential election. That's just the way it is.
Once again your facts are incorrect Sean, I think you breathe the same air Obama does. Do you genuflect to him as well? You and Obama are the only two people left who still want to blame his incompetancy on Bush. Everything he does wrong he continues to ride that horse on blaming Bush. Check the tax rates for middle class during Bush vs. Clinton vs, Obama and his are still lower. Quit relying on Chris Matthews and check resources for yourself.
ReplyDeleteHere Sean, I'll help you out. Check this out. Liberals like you continue to keep spreading false information. Keep believing Bush created all these problems that we have today. Just continue to disregard Carter and Clinton. Since they were liberal like you they get a pass. Check out the tax rates under the Clinton Administration vs. Bush Administration.Based on using the actual tax tables (see link below), here are
ReplyDeletesome examples on what the taxes were/are on various amounts of income for
both singles and married couples. so let's see if the Bush tax cuts only
helped the rich. http://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/151.html
Taxes under CLINTON 1999
Taxes under BUSH 2008
Single making 30K - tax $8,400
Single making 30K - tax $4,500
Single making 50K - tax $14,000
Single making 50K - tax $12,500
Single making 75K - tax $23,250
Single making 75K - tax $18,750
Married making 60K - tax $16,800
Married making 60K- tax $9,000
Married making 75K - tax $21,000
Married making 75K - tax $18,750
Married making 125K - tax $38,750
Married making 125K - tax $31,250
I think my sources were pretty sound. If you took time to look at the sources I outlined in the blog you would know that. And I think it is best we don't talk down to each other while debating. It's disrespectful. All the condescending rhetoric and false labeling is a huge turn off when we're discussing a real issue.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, the the Republican Party's entire economic policy is centered around a tax cut which they think will solve all problems. It's just not true. And if we're going to talk about Bill Clinton, just look at the American economy when he was President. Incomes went up, wages went up, more people were lifted out of poverty and into the middle class, and millions of jobs were created. To compare Bill Clinton and George W. Bush as far as the economy goes is a bit silly.
I am not blaming George Bush for everything. In fact, in your first comment you brought up his tax cuts and you also blamed Clinton for something - which is the norm when a Republican is trying to defend one of their own incompetent leaders; just blame Clinton. So I didn't even bring him up until you brought him into our discussion.
Look, I do not blame people based on whether or not they have a D or R next to their name. It's ignorant to do that. Carter was possibly one of the worst President's we've had. I've done a lot of reading when it comes to our Presidents. I'm not the misinformed blind liberal you label me as. And it's insulting that you do that.
The point is, the economic crisis we went through and are starting to pull out of right now was a result of decades of blame to be had. Not just Bush. Not just Clinton. But the men that came before them as well. This was a bipartisan screw up and many folks are to blame.
What we can't do is sit here and blame Republican problems on the Democrat that came before and then credit Republicans for good economic times under a Democrat. It's just an obvious example of how politics can narrow peoples' minds to the point where they don't think or even inform themselves but instead just vote for or support the candidate or politician because he has the letter R or the letter D next to his name.
You have gone too far down that road to ever come back and be objective when thinking about or discussing politics with other people. I believe that Democrats, Republicans, and a bunch of people in between are to blame for the problems we've had over the course of the past couple years. There is no question about it.
And they all need to start acting like adults when solving our problems. The political posturing and game-playing is shameful and embarrassing.
Sean,
ReplyDeleteThat is good. Now I see some progress from you. Respect is a good attribute to have. My point was to demonstrate the facts. Today's media innundates us with information that is not always the truth. That is why we must research for ourselves. I know how much you dislike Glen Beck, but he says that over and over.
I do not say someone is good because they are republican and bad because they are democrat. That is my point about the tea party. You hear all this racist nonsense and that is not it at all. The tea parties are adament about being represented properly.
I have one senator that I do like and that is Jim DeMint. The rest need to go. (Republicans and Democrats) I work to hard for my money and if they are going to waste it in Washington, I would rather keep it and use it to stimulate the economy properly.
You call me extremist right wing Christian and say I have gone too far down that road. Well call me what you like. I believe God and His Church should lead the country as it did once and we would not be discussing these issues of the day.
You just sound angry all the time. Its difficult to hear that out of you most of the time when we talk about this. I hope that is not the case. Life is too short to be angry all the time. Besides what are you doing up at 4:48 am? Take it easy!
ReplyDeleteHuh?
ReplyDeleteI wasn't up at 4:48 am. Your comment says that it was written at that time.
And I'm not angry. I'm just passionate. I don't advocate so much for a political party as much as I do for the concept of being reasonable and using facts.
Sure sounds angry to me. The viewpoints that you embrace are that of a political party, far left liberal, socialist views is what you continue to communicate. The problem is you wont accept that. You act like I am calling you names when I say that rather than accepting the description of your beliefs. Once again, I have conservative, Christian beliefs, I do not get upset when someone says that about me.
ReplyDeleteAgain, I'm an individual. I label myself as such. You choose to label everything about yourself.
ReplyDeleteThere are many aspects to my beliefs and my character and I don't choose to tell anyone or myself that I can fall into one category - especially not a category where I'm simply not under.
I'm not a Socialist. I am insulted because you're calling me something I'm not based on your distorted views of what a Socialist is.
Generalize yourself and anyone in this world you wish. But when I make a decision or come to a conclusion, I don't turn on the television set or get out some political party handbook so I can figure out if those beliefs are in line with theirs.
I am an individual. I am a passionate person that sticks my values and beliefs no matter who decides to distort them and throw them under some ridiculous category. I am a proud American and that's the only label I prefer. And it's the only 100% accurate one too.