Obama’s 95% Illusion – WSJ.com — Definitely an argument worth reading in its entirety to see how you are going to deal with a new order of things.
It’s a clever pitch, because it lets him pose as a middle-class tax cutter while disguising that he’s also proposing one of the largest tax increases ever on the other 5%. But how does he conjure this miracle, especially since more than a third of all Americans already pay no income taxes at all? There are several sleights of hand, but the most creative is to redefine the meaning of “tax cut.”
For the Obama Democrats, a tax cut is no longer letting you keep more of what you earn. In their lexicon, a tax cut includes tens of billions of dollars in government handouts that are disguised by the phrase “tax credit.” Mr. Obama is proposing to create or expand no fewer than seven such credits for individuals:
Found by Matt Duvall.
It will be interesting to see how forthcoming Obama is when pressed on this issue. That is assuming he is pressed… which may not be safe to assume considering the state of the media and McCain’s debate strategy to date.
Personally, if he freely admitted that he believes in the redistribution of income, I’d at least have to give him points in the honesty category. Considering McCain’s message has been somewhat muddied on the topic, and McCain/Palin won’t propose doing an Alaska-style PFD payment to the whole country, this could be a topic Obama wins easily.
I think it’s been pretty clear that “change you can believe in” means spare change.
Nice quote, shame you didn’t parse it, you may have noticed the WSJ’s qualifier that lets them off if anyone calls them on the idiocy of this article.
more than a third of all Americans already pay no income taxes at all
Obama is taking about TAXES. The WSJ tries to redefine it to INCOME TAXES – an extremely dishonest apples to oranges comparison as most Americans pay more in Payroll taxes than they do in Income tax.
But what’s a little lying bullshit when you have a ideological barrow to push.
OK, ladies and gents, here is a question for you, tax haters: HOW ARE YOU PROPOSING TO PAY FOR ALL THE NICE SPENDING BUSH HAS DONE? Or are you still in denial that sooner or later someone will have to come up with a way to do it?
God damn it, that reminds me, I didn’t qualify for that Bush pre-election $600 giveaway earlier this year. WTF? Is Obama gonna screw me too?
I am more worried that my employer might have to make cutbacks to afford Obama’s new taxes. Does Obama even consider the job losses that middle class and poor Americans are going to suffer when he taxes small business owners for being evil rich people. I will need all the handouts I can get when Obama starts to make his “tax cuts.”
Here’s Obama’s real plan “spread the wealth around,”.
http://tinyurl.com/45ql58
Some people are dumb enough to believe that suggesting some folks start paying taxes like the rest of us – is a crime.
Why cater to the criminals who haven’t been paying? Who got 8 years of tax cuts?
Unless you figure they’re your best friends. They ain’t mine.
Precisely Proud Alien. There was a time when fiscal responsibility was a cornerstone of the Republican party and the conservative ideology in general. The gap between the rich and the poor is widening all over the world. Thank God they haven’t figured out how to take the vote away en mass from lower income people yet. The income of America’s top 5% or so is obscene compared to the rest. If the rich don’t pay most of the taxes, who should?
Yep, the role of dictator is a tough job – so many lives to destroy, so much money to redistribute.
Perhaps it should be mentioned that Obama is not the brains behind this scheme. If you want some real fear think about those in the shadows that are.
It’s so much better to have the government take your money and then give it back to you as a rebate or credit.
As to the disclaimer on ‘income taxes’, has Obama proposed cutting payroll taxes? The only proposal I’ve heard is one to raise Social Security taxes for the wealthy, which they of course won’t get back when they retire.
What’s with that picture?
I think Obama revealed his true nature when he said he would raise taxes even if it meant the government got less money.
So. Even if you assume that the WSJ opinion piece is factually accurate, the bottom line remains the same – 95% of families will end up with more money in their pocket at the end of the fiscal year.
And hey. Even if I had to pay MORE, it would be worth it to get the current douche bags out of there, and prevent their unholy spawn from oozing in.
Just ninety-eight days to go!!! Yee-haw!!
#4 – Proud Alien – OK, ladies and gents, here is a question for you, tax haters: HOW ARE YOU PROPOSING TO PAY FOR ALL THE NICE SPENDING BUSH HAS DONE? Or are you still in denial that sooner or later someone will have to come up with a way to do it?
They hope the rapture comes before it’s time to pay it back.
#6 – Ben – Does Obama even consider the job losses that middle class and poor Americans are going to suffer when he taxes small business owners for being evil rich people.
Poor people, need to pay taxes. But it’s better under McSame… he’ll just help the corporations outsource more jobs.
#9 – Milo – There was a time when fiscal responsibility was a cornerstone of the Republican party and the conservative ideology in general.
That was a while ago.
#10 – contempt – … Obama is not the brains behind this scheme. If you want some real fear think about those in the shadows that are.
Thanks for the FUD… 😛
#12 – MikeN
>>What’s with that picture?
I think it’s like the Curious George tee shirts. Distort his face with mama lips and a chimp-like expression.
The next picture will probably say “MACACA” underneath.
@#15 (12): No, the picture is your typical Communist propaganda poster altogether with the style and facial expression. I think I have one with Milosevic that is almost the same… Wait, their speeches are almost the same too…
Obama is a smooth-talking politician who makes nothing but promises to get elected. Free candy and ice cream. There was another politician back in the 1930s who made a bunch of promises and spoke from a radical point of view…I can’t mention him by name, or I’ll be slapped with the “R” word label.
Insights into Obama’s double speak are giving me new understanding of how WWII got started. Have we learned nothing from history?
Can someone explain what’s wrong with his plan, exactly? I thought Republicans were all about tax cuts yet somehow it is now a bad thing when it’s directed at the middle class instead of the top wealthiest individuals.
You know, those of you on the conservative side of the room are welcome to indulge whatever screeds suit you at present.
But in addition to the Presidency, you look to lose even more seats in congress than you did in the last mid-term.
And I’ll say right now what I said then; you need to seriously ask why your party isn’t producing any leadership and DO something about it.
#19 Republicans are only in favor of tax cuts for themselves and their friends. After all the middle class would just waste the money on food and clothing. Everyone knows money only counts if it is spent on yachts and $100,000 automobiles
By the way, ever since Murdoch bought it, the WSJ is about as reliable a news source as the Faux News Channel
I love that the WSJ article accuses Obama of using sleight of hand while saying “he’s also proposing one of the largest tax increases ever on the other 5%.” What does “one of the largest…ever” even mean? And are we really supposed to feel sorry for the most fortunate 5 in 100 people? Any tax increase could be called “one of the largest ever.” There haven’t been THAT MANY in our history. And weren’t Bush’s tax cuts supposedly temporary? Isn’t that how he sold them, in part? But now letting temporary tax cuts expire is the same as a massive increase? It seems to me it’s all relative. People who are capable of seeing shades of gray can see that the scale, as of late, has been heavily tipped in the favor of the rich, exacerbating income inequality, which if left unchecked could lead to social instability and prolonged economic instability (not that we would know what that looks like). Nudging things back the other way a bit is not akin to outlawing income disparities or punishing the wealthy. It’s responsible, fair policy, and better for everyone (rich included) in the end.
Well shoot. Since the 5% Obama intends to tax just got through getting rich from sending 90% of the jobs overseas, I’m for it!
#23 Jagermeister – cool name.
McCain is only like Bush in that neither has learned it is a waste of time to reach across the aisle.
Rig the voting machines? If you want a real crime you should look at the corruption of ACORN.
#28 – ‘tempt
>>Rig the voting machines? If you want a real
>>crime you should look at the corruption of
>>ACORN.
Come on, Temptie. You’re not really going to try and equate the REPUBLICAN HOAX alleging voter fraud by Acorn
http://tinyurl.com/3fldyg
with the proven fraud by Repubs in local and national elections, I hope.
That would be too stupid to believe.
I can’t believe how the “liberal, elite, drive-by media” got snookered on that one. First the NY Times is pimping Dumbya’s trophy war, now those darned lefties are fabricating tales about Acorn “voter fraud”.
Kinda makes you wonder if they’re really as left-leaning as Anal Cyst Limbaugh and Two-Dollar Whore Coulter claim.
#30 – Mister Mustard
Very good link. Hopefully contempt will read it. 🙂
#31 – Jägermeiste
>>Very good link. Hopefully contempt
>>will read it.
I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting.
He knows he’s arguing a bullshit point, and reading the article would only lower his self-esteem.
One question:
How does raising taxes on small and medium business, especially during a recession, not hurt them and help create more jobs in that sector?
Most Americans work for those businesses. Won’t that hurt the lower & middle classes?
# 30 Mister Mustard
Great read!!!
#33 – O’Furniture
>>Most Americans work for those businesses.
Where do you get your figures from, O’Pinocchio? According to the Census Bureau, over 63% of Americans work for buinesses with 100 or more employees. Over 49% work for businesses with 500 or more employees.
http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/smallbus.html
And this nonsense about Obama “raising taxes on small businesses” is nothing but unadulerated bullshit. Corporate tax rates (that businesses pay) remain the same. The only people who would seen an increase are the microscopic fraction of small business owners who make over $250,000/yr AND pay their taxes through personal income tax.
http://tinyurl.com/3haomp
Two more right wingnut myths debunked.
#31, #34
If you liked that one, you might also suggest to Temptie that he read this one
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=6480
The more that comes out about this Acorn voter “fraud”, the clearer it becomes that it’s nothing more than the 2008 version of Swift Boating. Sleazy liars, doctoring up (or slaughtering) the facts in order to taint Obama.
Different election, same old shit.
One thing you can take to the bank: If there’s a sleazy way to do something, the right-wing extremists will try to exploit it for their own gain.