I am convinced that when President Obama mentions raising taxes on “the wealthiest Americans,” everyone thinks he is talking about them. I’m sure of it. I suppose I should be surprised, but when citizens admonish politicians to “Keep the government out of [their] Medicare,” I guess anything’s possible (like, say, an audience applauding the mere mention that Rick Perry has presided over more state-run executions than any governor in modern times).
Perhaps folks are thinking, “Well, my taxes might not go up now, since I’m making the median income, but my wages are going to quintuple any day now, I just know it. And when they do, I’ll be damned if I’m going to pay one more plug nickel in taxes. I also need to protect the loopholes for corporate jet owners, as I’ll surely soon be one.” Folks, can we have a reality check here? Pull out your most recent IRS Form 1040 and see exactly where you stand and whether or not you’re among the “wealthiest Americans” to which Obama has been referring. There is no doubt that some of you are, but I am equally sure that the vast majority of you are not, even if TBP may draw a somewhat higher income cohort. (As I read the comments to my recent post on the Census release (having already almost completed this post), I guess what I’m trying to say is summed up by Dogfish, who paraphrases Taibbi’s Griftopia: “”…tea party types like Joe the Plumber identify with the rich because they think “they are one clogged toilet away from being millionaires.”" News flash: they’re not.)
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9 comments:
Seriously, these are the mythical *American Dream* scraps being thrown out to all these poor bumpkin bastard bottom feeders. I've heard this repeated on right-wing radio. It's a major talking point. And it's a feeding frenzy down there.
they don't hear the president, they only hear faux news's and rushbo's skewed translation of what he said.
I'm not a tax expert so I convey this as a regular consumer.
Jim is an RN, works in a large hospital. Lots of RN's, PA's and physicians. He says all of them ended up paying MORE federal taxes last year (2010) than in 2009 or 2008.
In fact, Jim owed for the first time in his life. He had to come up with $1,500 to pay the IRS mobsters.
Yet, Obama hops on his tricycle and tells crowds how "95% of Americans got a tax break last year." Really? 95%, Barry? No one we know.
A physician told Jim (and I'm paraphrasing) that the tax table didn't change -- only the deduction amounts, so you take home more but still owe it back at year's end.
Obama is running a scam. His Chicago roots are on display.
Dada: I love the closing line:
"tea party types like Joe the Plumber identify with the rich because they think “they are one clogged toilet away from being millionaires."
Oh & the keep government out of my medicare. Hello Medicare IS a government program!
A socialist one at that!!!!!
Nonnie~ Probably getting the Faux snooze pablum for the masses. I'm NOT planning on my wages quintupling any time soon.
Christopher~ Hmmm Not sure if Jim s wages took an upturn after he graduated & starting making money? Or the state you were in is a high tax state, or he took a hit because he needs to increase the amount they take out each check, or he is taking a hit because he has to file as a single, rather than married filing jointly because the US discriminates against basic civil rights & equality for marriage?
Maybe all of the above.
But I can understand, effing Exxon & GE & the Bill Gates ultra wealthy crowds are not paying the same percentage of total annual amounts earned, as us worker bees are for the wages we work hard to earn.
The GOP pitched a hissy fit & demanded the tax cuts for the rich stay in place.
Truth be known the president happens to fall in that category.... and he has allowed those cuts repeatedly. He does personally benefit, although he is bringing it up again. Still caving in to the GOP seems to be the general trend.
But no doubt, it would be even worse under a GOP regime. They would call for sacrifice & only make the small people take the hit.
Their base, the wealthy, would be unscathed.
Steinbeck said it best in one sentence:
“Socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires.”
Lisa
Fran,
Check out my blog today if you get a chance.
Obama's hometown paper, the Chicago Tribune has an op-ed saying Obama should drop out.
The Draft Hillary movement just keeps growing.
@the Chicago Tribune (via Christopher -- thanks for that): Must keep the *TWO PARTY* myth alive and well,huh? (Hillary??, OMG!! We'd be doomed! Seriously, so long as we have no other choices than those given us by the "two parties" (different? -- LOL!) and we accept that, we're doomed. (In other words, we're ALL frickin' doomed!)
@ Lisa: Great Steinbeck quote!
The way I see it, a person has to be pretty demented to even want the job of president in this country. (Just look at the GOP lineup!).
Anyone who might potentially be excellent for the position is wise enough to not want the job!
But Dada we DO have 2 parties.
The GOP- walks in lockstep for evil.
They get things done, but it's the wrong/bad things.
The Dems infight.
they can even agree to disagree.
They hardly get things done, but mostly what they are getting done of late is capitulating to the GOP.
The latest tussle is over Obama insisting on taxes for the rich, the GOP dubbed class warfare.
That's right... 10 years of tax breaks for the wealthy is really coming down hard on those bizillionaires. Look at all the jobs they have created & how things have improved in the last decade.
Whats the deal w the executioner Bush2 clone, Perry from Texas? Didn't we suffer enough w Bush2? How did Texas let that jackass stay @ the helm as Gov??
Oy!
I stand by my prognosis.
Gee, gosh darn, Obama wants millionaires to pay at the same tax rate as their secretaries (really? how BOLD! my, he's getting so testy lately! but that's ALL??!! -- OMG, "CLASS WARFARE, CLASS WARFARE!!" -sic-), as tax breaks, rebates, and loopholes for corporate looters seem to have slid off the tables of both parties while republicans play to the "temporarily embarrassed millionaires" of American idiots." (Have to delineate some difference between the two tents of the same camp to keep us thinking we have a choice [and the rabble infighting], right?) Doomed, doomed I say!
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