From the office of Rep. Andy Harris:
Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Andy Harris stopped a $12 trillion tax hike from being levied on American families and businesses by rejecting the liberal budget alternative proposed on the floor of the House of Representatives. Instead, Rep. Harris supported the House Majority budget, which will save Medicare and build an environment for long-term job creation. The House Majority plan will cut $6.2 trillion in spending over the next decade and begin to solve our fiscal crisis.
“Building an environment for job creation is my top priority,” said Rep. Andy Harris. “That’s why I voted to stop $12 trillion in job-destroying tax hikes on American families and businesses and supported the House Majority budget, which would save Medicare and begin to get our fiscal house in order. President Obama’s plan, which would try to tax our way out of the problem, and the various proposals introduced by liberals in Congress, would destroy jobs and ration health care for the most vulnerable among us – our seniors.”
Chairman Ryan’s plan keeps our promise to America’s seniors and those near retirement by protecting their health care plan. Currently, Medicare spending is growing twice as fast as the American economy. If left unchanged, as in President Obama’s plan, Medicare will go bankrupt in nine years. The $12 trillion in tax hikes were part of the budget presented by the Progressive Caucus, which Rep. Harris opposed.
Congressman Harris leaves out one detail. With the Senate and the White House under Democratic control and providing a check on the Tea Party and Republican control of the House of Representatives, this budget (which eliminates Medicare as we know it and gives senior citizens who turn 65 in the year 2022 and later a meaningless coupon to try to purchase insurance on the private market) will never become law.
@Tom Meyers – You can amend your Tax return if you forgot to include your unreported income.
Tom, have you read and studied, in detail, the legislation which Congressman Harris cast a yea vote? I am very doubtful you have even an inkling of what is contained in next year’s budget proposal.
Yeah, you let me know how Medicare will survive when this actually happens.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/42643384
LOL!!!!
How exactly does this bill, which guts Medicare, save Medicare?
@Dave, the current Medicare situation is on an unsustainable path. I’m not saying that the proposal put forth by the Republicans is 100% of what I wanted to see….but I need to face reality and know that if no action is taken, we’ll be much worse off. What would you have proposed instead? I’ve given it some thought and can’t think of a magical way out of this entitlement mess we’ve created for ourselves, unless we all get taxed at 100% of our income…and even then, I’m not sure it would solve the problem. I’m under 55, so any changes that get implemented will directly affect me when I get older. I also have a medical condition that pretty much makes me uninsurable if I would try and get coverage on my own. So, you might wonder why I would support a reform of the system, knowing that it may make it more costly for ME personally in the future?…..My answer is because it’s the right thing to do for the future, my kids and this country.
Right on Pizzle! Your attitude and thoughts are what will help to get us out of the mess which our elected officials have created. Make no mistake, past and many present politicians have done to our country, what other people who have done less, are doing prison time. If everyone of us, like Pizzle, would stop the, “I want my fair share even if it’s off the back of some poor slob working his/her self to death” mentality, we’d be in the black instead of the red. Kudos to you Pizzle…..
@Dave
How exactly does this bill gut Medicare?
is the title meant to sound like a Andy Harris press release? Come on dagger!
Um, it IS an Andy Harris press release.
First line:
“From the office of Rep. Andy Harris:”
This article is nothing but Republican propaganda. The bill he actually voted for will destroy Medicare and leave the senior citizen communities helpless. With the usual Republican misplay on words he now claims to be supporting the Senior Citizen community when in reality this budget is a total attack on progress and the senior citizen community. Also, I fail to see where giving people, who earn the top 2%, tax cuts will create jobs or economic growth. Its basically a rich get richer and the poor stay poor bill. Representative Andy Harris’ press release is nothing but republican lies! Obama’s plan will finally make the top 2% earners pay their fair share. I don’t see why the republicans think everyone is so stupid, but obviously they do.
Realitycheck and all the other wise, uninformed writers, why don’t you get off your computers and run for political office? You seem to have all the answers, why not take on the challenge? Believe me, it’s much easier to hide behind a keyboard and spew mistruths about those that have the desire to right the wrongs of this country, state, or county.
Obama’s tax increases are aimed at the top 2% income earners. The top 2%’ers have basically had a dream tax cut for the last 10 years and Obama is trying to make them pay their fair share finally. Andy Harris’ vote is a vote against the middle class and the poor. And remember everyone, top 2% does not mean middle class and it definately does not mean the Senior citizen community.
The tax hike is aimed at American families and business? The statement would be true if he said it was aimed at families that make over $250,000.00 per year and corporations that have unfair tax advantages. Andy Harris is lying just like all the recent republican representatives. Why would I want to give families making over $250,000.00 a better tax rate than my own family that makes $75,000.00 a year? The $250K families haven’t paid the same percentage of tax that I am currently paying for over a decade and I am supposed to support something that gives them a permanent tax cut and makes my family and others like mine pick up the burden? Just plain Crapola!
@What
Please tell us what the tax rate is for a family making $75,000 and the rate for a family making over $250,000.
According to moneychimp.com federal tax calculator, $75K income pays 14.82%. $250K income pays 24.11%. $300K pays 25.59%. Not taking into account income reducing loopholes which are probably more widely used when there is more discretionary income available.
Thank you Katelyn for the information. So a family making $250,000 pays almost 10% more in taxes than a family making $75,000. Most families making $250,000 do not, on average, have many more deductions than the family making $75,000. I will agree that a family making $500,000 and above is probabl taking advantage of one or more loopholes available
Are you talking about income taxes or all taxes including state, local, payroll, property? If you include all taxes, the figures even out quite a bit.
http://www.ctj.org/pdf/taxday2009.pdf
Katelyn – the reality is The average family making over $500,000.00 per year only pays about 18% in actual tax due to loopholes and incentives. Exxon paid absolutely 0% in tax last year to the U.S. yet had to pay 15.8 billion in taxes to foreign countries. Foreign corporations like GE paid absolutely 0% in tax also. You can claim that the republicans agenda is fair, but when you truly do your research you will understand that the republican agenda is nothing but garbage………
@What? 47% of the population pays no Federal Income Tax.
All taxpayers pay on Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) and as your income increases your deductions are phased out. So the top rate remains the same for those people in that bracket, but as their income increases their available deductions decrease.
You also don’t take into account that rates for ordinary income are different than rates for capital gains. It is typical of a tax filer with $500,000 of income to have both ordinary income and capital gains, therefore the effective rate would be modulated based on what combination of ordinary income and capital gain mix that taxpayer had.
Porter
The average family making over $500,000.00 per year only pays about 18% in actual tax due to loopholes and incentives. Exxon paid absolutely 0% in tax last year to the U.S. yet had to pay 15.8 billion in taxes to foreign companies. Foreign corporations like GE paid absolutely 0% in tax also. You can claim that the republicans agenda is fair, but when you truly do your research you will understand that the republican agenda is nothing but garbage………
Sorry I made a mistake…..The average family making over $500,000.00 per year only pays about 18% in actual tax due to loopholes and incentives. Exxon paid absolutely 0% in tax last year to the U.S. yet had to pay 15.8 billion in taxes to foreign companies. Foreign corporations like GE paid absolutely 0% in tax also. You can claim that the republicans agenda is fair, but when you truly do your research you will understand that the republican agenda is nothing but garbage………
@What
For the family making $500,000, and only in the 18% bracket for tax obligation, what type of tax loopholes and incentives are you referring to?
He’s not talkin about a “bracket”. Its the deductions that are used after the fact of the “Bracket”. C’mon, haven’t you ever done taxes before?
@Holyroller
OK, what loopholes, incentives, and deductions does a family making $500,000, use or have available to them to reduce their tax obligation to only 18% of their income?
Assuming @What is right, 18% of $500,000 is $90,000. How much did you pay?
@Dave Yensan
If your question is directed to me the answer is approx. $96,000 on wages of $325,000, a rate of approx. 29.5%. Most people do not know that the normal deductions, incentives etc., phase out for the higher income earners, and then there is always the AMT to deal with.
That is why I asked the question regarding the 18% on an income of $500,000. Just what deductions, loopholes and incentives are they talking about? I suppose an 18% obligation might be possible if most of the income was derived from capital gains, qualified dividends, tax free bonds etc., but certainly not wages.
@Dave is correct. The tax code is bent toward redistributing income to the middle class. 45% of all wage earners pay no income tax. The Alternate Minimum Tax ensures deductions are reduced as income rises (e.g. over half of my mortgage interest deduction was eliminated).
Tax credits – which aren’t deductions, but return dollar for dollar are phased out as income rises – usually eliminated at about the $150K level for joint returns. So, no child credit, no tuition credit, etc. etc.
My read of the hostility towards higher earners is it’s largely grounded in frustrations that those who make less deserve more. The only way that will happen is through a growing economy, where real investments trump government transfer payments. The government can’t create wealth, they can only redistribute it – which encourages growth only when those expenditures serve the collective demand of the population. There is no collective demand for social engineering, world wide imperialism, preserving the bureacracy status quo, and the countless other special interests that are sucking us dry.
The only way for Americans to have a free and fair society is to manage the wealth of the country efficiently. Concentrating wealth into the hands of high income elites is bad for our society. We are all in this together and the rich need to help instead of reap riches on the backs of the less fortunate.
Poor people are dying in the streets, children are starving and seniors are eating cat food while the eat caviar and laugh.
A source at the White House (asking to remain unidentified) has stated that President Obama was overheard saying that someone named Superprogressive was making statements in Harford County Maryland, that
– a 90% tax rate on individuals was appropriate
– Obama was going to stop the wealth being
concentrated in the hands of the elites
Then President Obama was heard to say… that person must be talking about me. I’m a wealthy elitist. Is this person crazy, do they really believe I’m going to give up 90% of my income so they can be socially equal? They must think I’m stupid.
Congressman Harris is NOT a liar. He is a man of integrity and truthfulness. Just like our current president, Dr. Harris is voting and doing what he said he would as Candidate Harris. Hmmm, I guess that’s why he was elected and will be re-elected.
As they used to said during the Vietman War,”You must bomb the village in order to save it.” Destroying Medicare will save it. Once Medicare is destroyed it cannot go bankrupt.
The people who have the most to lose when Medidare is changed are those in the health profession. They will no longer have anyone to keep them in a high income bracket. What Harris does not see or care is how this could affect him. Or manybe he does see this happening and this is why he wants to be an overpaid elected official with a great government health insurance plan that he says is too expensives for us common people.
Ah, a bunch of liberals who have better ideas . . . such as taxing the rich . . . higher taxes . . . more regulations . . . the so called fair share group. When I see these types of liberal comments, I suspect it is by those who are receiving rather than paying. Always feel free to pay more as I am aleady taxed out.
The sad truth that liberals don’t want to admit is that the rich already pay their fair share. This same old line is just “smoke and mirrors” from them, they are just trying to blame someone else for americas problems. They are trying to turn the people against each other! The top 2% of earners already pay over 65% of the taxes in this country, the other 98% pay the other 35%. The current tax system already charges the higher income earners a higher percentage than the lower income workers. What that means is that we already penalize them for their hard work. The fair this would actually be a flat tax rate so everyone pays the same percentage. What the liberals don’t want to admit, and was actually in of all places the Baltimore Sun, was that if we got rid of the Bush era tax cuts is that almost every tax bracket except for the lowest would go up. In addition to that, the marriage penality would be back into effect, and deductions for your children would be cut in half! That would effect every tax bracket! Liberals need to realize that the american people are down right now, and their tax hikes would actually affect all of us, so all they would be doing is kicking us while we are down, and turning their backs on us! Liberals might not like what I have to say, but it doesn’t make it less true!
FYI, all the so-called tax loopholes available to those “filthy rich” making $200,00 if single and $250,000 if married don’t exist. The majority of exemptions, credits, and deuctions are phased out for folks at the above mentioned income levels. In reality, which most democrats don’t function, these 80 plus hour a week workers are way overtaxed as compared to the sit in front of the boob tube workers, who don’t pay a dime in taxes due to earned income credits and child tax credits and whatever other refundable tax credits they can find.
the rich get capital gain tax exemptions, mortgage tax credits, business credit, investment credit, ira’s, 401k’s, roth ira’s and business tax deductions. The poor, middle class get some credits too. The tax rates don’t really mean anything because when you factor in all deductions, allowances and tax credits, one can’t really say how much a taxpayer really pays based on their income compared to someone that makes less or more than them. We need a tax code that gives me a bottom dollar number that I am obligated to pay and that’s that.
The truth is that the rich have paid less than the middle class and companies such as GE and GM actually receive refunds and pay no taxes. GE has a staff of over 1000 people actually working to mine the tax code for deductions and tax advantages so that GE receive a refund of $5.6 BILLION this year and paid no taxes in the USA, but paid taxes in Europe instead.
Frankly Speaking–IRA deductions are not available to people making over a certain income nor are they eligible for Roth-IRAs. People who make around that $200K figure pay a boatload of income taxes.
Frankly speaking, the “loopholes” you are referring to are available to all tax payers, not just the rich as you would like us to believe. Remember, just because you are rich doesn’t mean you are a business owner, so that person wouldn’t get that. The true loophole exist for the lower income people who make the least which are the ones who are paying little to no taxes. Your lack of understanding demonstrates the real problem with the economy. Our current system penalizes those who succeed, and rewards those who don’t try.
I agree that the tax code must be revamped to make the Corporations pay a fair share of the cost of running government. When you say that GE for example paid no tax in the US, do you mean that GE received a refund for all of the employer cost of Social Security? How exactly does GE and other employers get around paying the employer cost of Social Security?
GE received a tax refund this year, therefore paid not corporate income tax, however, they do pay their share of employees FICA tax for sure.
The point regarding all these tax instruments is that both the poor and rich get goodies out of the tax code. I am for a fairer tax system in which allowances, dedcutions, tax credits and the such no longer obscure how much should a family of 4 making 40k pays a percentage of their income to it, but no more than another family that makes the same but does not own a home, for example.
My son and his wife made approx $325,000 this past year. Their tax was approx $95,900. They both work very hard and enjoy their work. They have two children and own their own home. They are not complaining about how much tax they pay, but they often wonder just what people think their fair share should be?
Congratulations on your son and daughter-in-law’s financial success. You must be a terrific father and mentor.
If they make $325K they make over 4 times as much as the average Harford County household, therefore your son’s family should pay a 70% tax contribution and be able to live well on a net of $97.5K a year.
Being a progressive I think it is important to level the playing field by redistribution of our nation’s wealth and I am so pleased that President Obama is following this noble course. If it were not for the wretched and selfish Republicans we could equalize the standard of living and share our collective prosperity.
@Superprogressive
What’s holding you back from being able to do exactly what they do?
The money that honest people earn with their labor, brains, and time is their property.
A progressive is a person with no values or principles. Therefore, when it is convenient to strip rights away from groups of people, they do so willingly. When it is convenient to raise taxes, they do so willingly. When it is INconvenient to take responsibility for their own actions, they blame the group as a whole.
Progressivism is a sickness of the mind. Personal property and individual liberty are the only means by which people can prosper.
Really? You’re kidding, right? Why work hard to make the $325K then?? Why not just find a job that pays less in the first place.
Hey Lefties and Righties – Sounds like the same old demagoguery, name calling and finger-pointing. We don’t need to go back to the 1600’s or the era of 70%-90% tax rates. I think there is room for some pragmatic compromise in between those positions. Quit bringing up all the tired rhetoric of the past and at least come up with something new and original. You all sound like spoiled brats who never learned to share and play nicely with others. If you want to give all your wealth away, by all means feel free to do so. If your all about hoarding and doing whatever you want without any regard for others, then go buy an island far away and form your own little kingdom of one. Just because it is the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, it doesn’t mean we have to celebrate by fighting another one.
a lot of people work hard for the money they make even if they don’t make 325k per year. Indeed 95k is way too much money for a family to pay as their obligation to maintain the govt. My sister paid 70k this year in federal/state/local INCOME taxes, while GE got a refund?
A simple flat tax system and an added value tax would simplify the tax code and make sure anyone that doesn’t pay taxes should not get credits and money back that they haven’t paid into the system.
The only reason a family in Harford County would need more than $95K in net take home pay is GREED pure and simple. We must care for the less fortunate and spread the nation’s wealth to level the playing field.
At what point the playing field level? When everyone has exactly the same?
Please change your blog name to Socialist. It is more accurate relative to your political and economic thinking.
I think the top rate for individuals should be 90% and corporations 75%. It’s about fairness people who are wealthy should give back their excess income to the those people who make less. If we could get the a truly progressive taxation system we could achieve income equality.
WOW! I can’t believe the Dagger would censor my contention that “superprogressive” is a socialist based on his political and economic viewpoint. No profanity or insults. Unbelievable!
SuperProgressive: “The only reason a family in Harford County would need more than $95K in net take home pay is GREED pure and simple. We must care for the less fortunate and spread the nation’s wealth to level the playing field.”
Enough ranting. Many sourcs define Greed, most people should be able to agree that Greed is an excessive desire to possess wealth or goods with the intention to keep it for one’s self. Greed – like lust and gluttony – is a sin of excess. Greed is inappropriate expectation.
A random income level does not equal greed b/c you say so. A reasonable, talented person who adheres to the tax code and is able to benefit from what are legal deductions/exemptions is not doing anything wrong. This same person may also make charitable contributions to help those who are less fortunate.
Please restructure you argument. Perhaps you should attack the TAX CODE instead of people at a random income level?? The TAX CODE was created by our elected officials of both major parties.
Every one of you on this website who is expressing anger and frustration, needs to redirect their energy toward their elected officials in the form of written correspondence, emails, phone calls, etc.
@Superprogressive
What is your definition of “income equality”, and how would that be achieved by a truly progressive tax system?
Once we stamp out greed and establish a truly fair society where there is no class distinction and we have income equality then we will have a country that we can be proud. President Obama is making this a reality through incremental steps towards a rational and fair America.
@Superprogressive
So you are not proud of United States. Are you proud of being a US Citizen? Perhaps you are not a Citizen. Perhaps you are not even here in the United States.
Perhaps doing the things you suggest will make you proud of the United States, but it will not make the United States a great country.
And you didn’t answer my question. Guess you don’t really have a good answer.
SuperProgressive u’re a super idiot. If you don’t think that any family paying 95k is way too much, then you need to move to Cuba or China were you’ll be given your cup of rice and some broth and consider yourself lucky to be working and getting something to eat and maybe then that redistribution of income will seem to you like fair bargain. We are only a rich country thanks to the people that work and pay taxes, not the one’s that take from the system.
SuperProgressive is a SuperTroll. Play along folks.
Superprogressive is one example of why progressives (i.e. Obama, Clinton) should not be elected to office. Their agendas can ruin this country. Obama is already doing a good job of it.
I have to agree with another post here that questions Superprogressive’s citizenship. I’m thinking that he/she may be here illegally (from some 3rd World country) and wants something for nothing. Remember, there are those who are the payers and those who are the receivers. Those who vote for progressive candidates are usually those who are the receivers (just my opinion).
SuperProgressive is SuperTrolling SuperHard. No reasonable person wants the type of tax system he is proposing.
ROB IN BEL AIR – Teddy Roosevelt is credited by many as being the founder of the modern Progressive Movement. I believe he was a Republican and President of the United States. He seems to consistently rank in the top 5 greatest presidents in history. I think his likeness in on Mt. Rushmore. Wow! Maybe he got so disgusted with the direction and tone of the Republican Party that he bolted. Listening to some of you makes me a solid believer in that theory. In the interest of fairness, I don’t think he cared to much for the Democratic Party either.
America has opportunity like never before to achieve equality for all its citizens and we have a president who will lead us there.
Hey Superprogressive, President Obama won’t even let you on Air Force One, much less make you equal to all others in the sense you seem to infer.
Their are to many people,rich and poor,not paying their fair share. I have been on Medicare for 12 years and I think that something has to be done before no one will getting Medicare because it will not exist.
Andy Harris? This is the guy that was upset that his government subsidized health care did not start until 30 days after he was actually in office. Is he aware that some of his constituents actually have to wait much longer before they can be covered by their employer/self paid insurance plans?
We spend more than we take in. So we borrow to support the services we feel we are entitled to, and our election happy officials give us what we want without raising taxes. Everyone needs to contribute. A flat tax with no loopholes, deductions would be great followed by an end to government subsidies of agriculture and oil and energy exploration.
When did it become a crime to ask someone to clarify an employee’s benefits? By the way, Congressman Harris did NOT take the House of Representative’s health insurance.
K- Until the elected officials of each party quit representing the interests of lobbyists and themselves, we will be stuck with the growing mess that we are in. Any person or party who pushes a plan that puts a disproportionate share of the debt burden on the middle class, seniors and our veterans will never get my support or that of many other political independents. All groups must share the burden and feel the pain. The political spin that ends up on Dagger is symptomatic of the ideological disease that spawns the tripe that comes out of Congress these days.
@Decoydude
You state that “all groups must share the burden and feel the pain” in solving the debt crisis. Approximately 47% of all wage earners/families pay zero income tax, and many of that number get from the government more money given to them than was withheld from their wages. An amazing number of these people would be considered ‘middle class’ under today’s description of middle class. How do see this approximately 47% sharing in the burden and pain of solving the debt crisis?
What do you think the government is spending more money on than we have the revenue to support that is causing the debt crisis? Do you feel that our problem is one of spending or just a lack of revenue to support spending, so we should just up taxes to support spending and all will be OK?
Do you feel that people who receive more money from the Treasury than was withheld from their wages are contributing to the debt crisis? One person that I know had approx. $2,600 withheld from their wages for tax year 2010, but has received approx. $6,400, after filing their tax return. Is this person causing a debt crisis?
RETIREDAWHILE-
1. End most if not all federal subsidies.
2. End the current income tax system
3. Pull the plug on several federal agencies
3. Get the Feds out of education(NCLB)
4. End nation building
5. Cut DOD waste-use it or lose it policy
6. Return service to politics by 1 term only
7. Move SS retirement age up in phases- no early
8. If you get unemployment,you help the community
9. Encourage new businesses – (most new hiring)
10. Go to 4 day work week and school week
DECOYDUDE
I am with you on most of your thoughts. Do you consider things like Earned Income Tax Credit a federal subsidy? How about TriCare for Life for Military Retired persons, would that be considered a subsidy>
RETIREDAWHILE – While I strongly believe all things need to be on the table, I do have some preferences. Perhaps the circumstances of my experiences have helped forge some of these. First, I left healthcare off my list on purpose. The issue is very complex, and I am still developing a solid position. However, I do firmly support taking care of our Vets and seniors. Men and women who serve to protect our freedom deserve our support. Seniors should not have to decide between food, heat and medical care. Of course, these benefits need to be reasonable and not unlimited. The Earned Income Tax Credit would not exist because I favor ending the current Income Tax System. However, I realize services are provided at a cost. Revenue must be available to pay for these services. The FED printing endless dollars and running up mountains of debt is not a sustainable way to fund services. Although I am fairly fiscally “conservative”, I am not a “Conservative” (or a “Liberal”). I have been accused of being both at different times by different people. Hey whatever floats their boat.
The “REPugnants” and the “DEMagogues” – like two sides of the same US dollar and worth about as much! I agree that it past time for some real change in this country. However, it is not going to come from more extreme versions of either of these status quo “WINNERS”. If you are defending one party while attacking the other, then you are part of the ongoing problem, not the spark of any meaningful reform effort and solution. So take a look in the mirror, and you will see the face of American weakness – it is you and others like you. The middle class taxpayer is angry and hungry for fair and pragmatic solutions, not ideological posturing. Until career politicians take the lead by cutting their own salaries and benefits including pensions, then all I see and hear is just another hypocrite getting fat off taxpayer dollars while asking the middle class taxpayers and senior citizens to bend over.
Very well said!
You are right, Decoydude. I cringe whenever I hear a politician open his mouth be they repugnants or demagogues. Both are so out of touch and so lacking in common sense and integrity, it’s scary.
I am truly astounded at the pure socialistic ideology exhibited on this topic/article. You should be more concerned about the illegal aliens in this country, draining it dry financially rather than the slob working him/herself to death trying to make some money so he/she can live comfortably. God help us if what certain folks are writing is really what they believe and not just an attempt at playing Devil’s Advocate.
There is freedom in US to have a thoughtful progressive ideology and thankfully President Obama will succeed in bringing all manner of equality to Americans through his change leadership.
Fortunately SuperdupityduperProgressive only you and about 10 other people believe what you keep writing. I’m very curious how many of you, who post such strong language and have such extreme dislike for our elected officials are involved, and I mean REALLY involved, like donating time and money to individuals who you feel can and will make a difference?
Fortunately one of the people who thinks as progressively as I do is our President Barrack Obama and I suspect many of the other progressive elected officials and federal department heads.
We have the Affordable Healthcare Act which is just a step away from Universal Healthcare. Progressives will save America by reforming it.
Barack Obama has made Jimmy Carter look like a competent president. You should stop drinking the cool-aid and start making sense. Obama has been stopped in his tracks by the House from destroying this country (at least to some degree). The Black population will not be convinced that Obama was a big mistake because all they see is color. But many Independents have stopped the cool-aid train and are seeing the man for what he is . . . an inexperienced politician who sold a message that many bought at the time . . . with any luck he will be voted out.
Jimmy Carter is great internationalist and one of my idols. If Carter had won a second term we would have likely reached a far greater level of equality and fairness in our country,
Your comments really touch a good point, but seem a little racist to me……
@What…
I personally know more than one person that voted for Obama BECAUSE HE IS BLACK…..why is it that folks LOVE to jump on the racist bandwagon when opponents of Obama even mention the “black” word once….yet those same folks go silent as soon as you bring up the fact that plenty of black people voted for Obama BECAUSE HE IS BLACK, AND FOR NO OTHER REASON OTHER THAN HIS SKIN COLOR?
As someone who lives in Edgewood, and area that has a large black population, I know many people who told me they were voting for Obama because he was black. They flat out told me that the only reason someone would vote against him was because they were racist! When I would ask him about Obama’s idea and plans, they knew nothing about the man, and what he wanted to do.
I doubt even Superprogressive really believes what he’s writing…I think he’s just having a good time getting everyone riled up.
Do you have a job SuperProgressive?
Yes.
Why would he/she need a job? POTUS Obama is taking care of his/her needs.
DW,
I think you are right. Superprogressive is likely just having fun . . . no person in their right mind would be spewing such ridiculous rhetoric. Superprogressive gave it away when he/she said that Jimmy Carter was competent president.
Jimmy Carter is a great internationalist humanitarian and one of our greatest Presidents. We could have avoided or delayed Reagan’s ascendancy and the disastrous economic horror that was Reagonomics. We need President Obama for a second term and congress should allow presidents as many terms as the can be duly elected to serve.
Obama president-for-life in the coming classless, post-capitalist, post-warmongering and post-racial epoch.
The average family making over $500,000.00 per year only pays about 18% in actual tax due to loopholes and incentives. Exxon paid absolutely 0% in tax last year to the U.S. yet had to pay 15.8 billion in taxes to foreign countries. Foreign corporations like GE paid absolutely 0% in tax also. You can claim that the republicans agenda is fair, but when you truly do your research you will understand that the republican agenda is nothing but garbage………
In order for our country to prosper the Bush Tax Cuts must expire. For everyone. This is how Clinton pulled us out of Debt and actually had money left over. Bush came in lowered taxes and started a war that still is being fought today, leaving our economy crippled. It doesn’t matter what Obama has done as he was left with a unwinnable situation, that was left over from republican leadership. Raise the tax on everyone, cut spending on meaningless programs and leave the current meaningful programs alone. Now, I know alot of you on here aren’t going to like my comments, but it needed to be said. I’m so tired of bipartisan bull shit that I needed to reflect on the situation…….
FINALLY SOMEONE WITH SENSE! I approve of all your suggestions but disagree with your Obama comment. He could win……….but at what price.
RealDeal,
When is enough, enough? How much more tax can Americans afford? Where’s the incentive to work? The harder you work the more one can make; yet, you are expected to pay higher taxes. For some, that puts them back to square one. Where’s the incentive?
Rob
The incentive to work is to provide for ones self and family. If you can exist without working (and many do) and are satisfied with that level of existence then yes there is no incentive to work. The less free money we hand out, the better the incentive to work.
History has proven that we in the US can, and have, payed more in tax on our earnings than we do now. For us to claim that going back to the tax rates that existed during the 90’s would destroy us does not stand up to our history. I don’t give all the credit to Bill Clinton for the economic success of the 90’s, because we had a republican controlled house for six of the eight years Clinton was President. I do give Clinton credit for realizing that he had to play ball with the new congress, and he did just that. He left office with the highest approval rating of any President since WWII, despite Monica, and his affection for cigars.
I lean conservative in my fiscal thinking, but I do not like what is going on in Washington with the partisan politics that occurs on both sides of isle. Neither side can be trusted to tell us the truth, and it is all about power and not about us as a country or as a people. What is government without trust?
Retiredawhile,
Well said. I am angry at both parties at the federal level and the democrats in Annapolis. Government has and still is spending too much while relying on tax payers to keep shelling it out. Yes, there is an incentive to provide for one’s family, but why bother working harder and making a little more money when a large chunk will be taken out for taxes. When one looks at what’s left after taxes, they have to wonder, was it really worth it. If a small business making over $250.000 will be taxed at a higher rate, what’s the incentive? The incentive would be to keep under the $250,000 number to avoid higher taxes. That may mean one less employee.
Maybe the rich can pay a little more, but let’s also look at how much this country is paying out to, for example, illegal aliens, fraud, people who can work but find it more lucrative not to, and the money that is sent out of this country (in foreign aid). My argument is, take care of U.S. citizens first and then if there is anything left over, look at some of these other things.
Rob,
I would gladly accept the $325,000, that my son and his wife received last year even though they paid approx. 30% of it in tax. They still had $229,00 left to spend, where I paid approx. 9% in tax and had $75,000, left to spend.
I’m sure they would gladly accept a tax reduction it one was offered. They are however, not complaining about their current tax situation.
Good for them and I bet they work very hard for that much money. Are they willing to pay alittle (or alot more) to the government? They may have to as the likes of Superprogressive and others have their hands out for a chucnk of that success.
“History has proven” that we don’t pay it any attention. The 90’s were driven by rampant speculation around the dot.com boom – and the recession that followed cleaned out the weak from the chaff. Tax rates matter less when incomes are rising and inflation is in check. That’s where we need to go, but have lost our way.
“Some people regard private enterprise as a predatory tiger to be shot. Others look on it as a cow they can milk. Not enough people see it as a healthy horse, pulling a sturdy wagon.” – Churchill
We have the highest corporate tax rate in the WORLD! The reason published reports of well known companies keep stating they pay little or now U.S. taxes is they’ve pretty much ceased being U.S. companies.
SuperProgressive, do you really think President Obama gives a hoot about you? I think a previous message mentioned that “O” wouldn’t even think of letting you set foot on the tarmac where Airforce One sits. You are the delight of the socialist leaders. Work yourself to the bones, turn it all over to the all caring rulers, and get back to your shack and porridge. You may dig living like that but, I don’t and certainly have higher aspirations for my progeny.
An Andy Harris press release, OK. LOLs. This Medicare Voucher programs is a joke, it’s going nowhere.
And you know it’s a bad idea how?
Certain politicians frequently urge that the government be run “more like a business.” I agree. When faced with insufficient sales and rising costs, business whom I patronize (Comcast, BGE, Verizon, Waste Industries, grocers, gas stations, physicians, and dentists, for example) raise their prices in order to have sufficient income. A business-like approach to government debt must include increasing revenues. It’s just good business!
@Brint Government should run more like a business, yes. It should be fiscally responsible, budget focused, efficiency-minded and engage in competitive value purchasing.
Comcast has FIOS, ExxonMobil has every other oil company, Shoprite has every other supermarket and WAWA has every other c-store to keep it in check. It’s called a marketplace and companies can’t simply raise prices without competitive consequences.
Ok, but you can work with business in getting a better offer. You can easily switch services to receive a better deal. I receive ads everyday from Verizon and Comcast for all types of offers. I doubt that you will see that with government.