The Observation Deck

On my way to lunch I passed a homeless guy with a sign that read 'Vote Obama, I need the money.'

Once in the restaurant my server had on an 'Obama 08' tie, I chuckled.

When the bill came I decided not to tip the server and explained to him that I was exploring the Obama redistribution of wealth concept. He stood there in disbelief while I told him that I was going to redistribute his tip to someone who I deemed more in need--the homeless guy outside. The server angrily stormed from my sight.

I went outside, gave the homeless guy $5 and told him to thank the server inside as I've decided he could use the money more. The homeless guy was grateful.

At the end of my rather unscientific redistribution experiment I realized the homeless guy was grateful for the money he did not earn, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn, even though the actual recipient needed the money more.

I guess redistribution of wealth is an easier thing to swallow in concept than in practical application.
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Stephen Eisel wrote:On my way to lunch I passed a homeless guy with a sign that read 'Vote Obama, I need the money.'

When your economic policy is to rob Peter to pay Paul you can always count of the support of Paul.

Stephen,

Very well put.

I borrowed that from an e-mail

Stephen Eisel wrote:I borrowed that from an e-mail

HAHAH So you are practicing republican-lie-onomics. nice

The constant refrain that the only people who will benefit from Obama's tax plans are the indigent is getting a tad tiresome. Yeah, he may want to take a tiny bit more from the people who can most afford it, but the primary beneficiaries will be those in the middle and lower-middle classes who ARE working hard for their money and will be better able to maintain economic health by getting a bit more of it back.

Oh please. Your parable is aboout taxation, which is "redistribution of wealth" however it is used.

So, if you are against taxation, how will you pay for the body armor for Track Palin in Iraq--a bake sale? maybe donating your restaurant tips?

Obama’s ‘tax cuts’ are really tax credits which are available to anyone. You don’t have to have a job, all you have to do is breathe and you get money. This is systematic wealth redistribution. The horrible ‘unfairness’ of a tax cut is you actually have to pay taxes to get money back.

By some estimates 47 million people don’t pay taxes. That’s a lot of ‘Pauls’ lining up to get something they didn’t EARN.

http://blog.nola.com/stevekelley/2008/1 ... _2008.html

[quote]The fact is, a worker can be a "taxpayer" whether or not they owe any income tax. Just about every worker is subject to federal Social Security and Medicare taxes totaling 7.65 percent on every dollar of earnings, up to $102,000 per year. (For earnings over $102,000, only the 1.45 percent Medicare tax applies.) Low-income workers, and retired and jobless persons as well, also pay federal excise taxes whenever they buy gasoline or pay a telephone bill, for example. Obama and other Democrats argue that for low-income workers, refundable tax credits are not “welfareâ€

Mark Moran wrote:Oh please. Your parable is aboout taxation, which is "redistribution of wealth" however it is used.

So, if you are against taxation, how will you pay for the body armor for Track Palin in Iraq--a bake sale? maybe donating your restaurant tips?

look up!!! It went right over your head

I'm not a very big fan of 'refundable' tax credits either, but I'm having trouble picking good examples out of Obama's proposals of credits you get just for breathing.

Let's see - there's:
- "Making Work Pay" - $500 to an individual or $1000 to a couple. Pre-requisite? You have a job, ergo, are making some kind of income.

- "American Opportunity Tax Credit" - $4000 credit for college tuition expenses. Prerequisite: You must be paying for college, which last I looked cost WAY more than $4000.

- Mortgage Interest Tax Credit - 10% of mortgage interest. Are there still any poor people left in their homes after the mortgage crisis?

- Savings tax credits? Presupposes you have enough money to save. Encourages financial strength and health.

- Child Care Tax Credits? Again, you've got to already be laying out some cash in order to qualify.

In no case can I find a proposed credit that's targeted at the lazy, indigent or destitute. I see a lot that's targeted at the working poor and I'll wager that there are a lot of them who would happily trade jobs with you if you don't think they work hard enough for what they do earn. And to think that Republicans have the temerity to use the word 'elitist' against Obama?

Tax cuts are good as long as it's a Republican offering them, or as long as there isn't a balancing credit on the ledger somewhere, right?

Stephen Eisel wrote:I borrowed that from an e-mail

Obama's proposed tax increases are lower than the progressive income tax rates of most of the 20th century, when GDP growth was higher than it was under reagan, bush I, and Bush II. Granted, many of the top guys will get out of it with loopholes, deductions, and tax shelters. the way they already do.

Most of you want even be hit by Obama's tax raises. more than likely you were hit by Reagan raising the ultra regressive social security tax. Are any of you making over 200,000 a year? are you making over 200,000 a year, Steve?

If you're a bum on the ground begging for change the odds are you haven't filled out the paperwork to collect any kind of regular welfare or social security check.

A great portion of Scientists rely on government funding. I have no trouble with the idea of stopping most scientific research, but it sure would make paying attention in science classes less important. "why are you studying science? do you want to be a scientist?". "No. I just want to be a pharmacist at CVS Pharmacy".

then there's the hot button issue of "welfare". whatever that means. The majority of recipients are the old and the crippled. maybe they worked for a living up until then and deserve it. But then there are the children of single parents: half-orphans. It is too late for their moms to have abortions or to euthanize the kids.

then there's the biggest gorilla in the room: Bush-Cheney's years of drunk sailor style spending. Returning to traditional american progressive income taxes will make a small dent in the massive debt he and his father and reagan ran up. You can all nitpick which programs to cut once traditional progressive income taxes are restored.

When those debts are paid off, tariffs are back to 40 percent, and half the country are living on farms, the U.S. isn't a global superpower, you can get rid of all income taxes. good luck.

Most of you want even be hit by Obama's tax raises. more than likely you were hit by Reagan raising the ultra regressive social security tax. Are any of you making over 200,000 a year? are you making over 200,000 a year, Steve?

Nice... So, as long as it does not impact you then it is ok... Punish the people that are more successful than you... I smell a Marxist.

Stephen Eisel wrote:

Most of you want even be hit by Obama's tax raises. more than likely you were hit by Reagan raising the ultra regressive social security tax. Are any of you making over 200,000 a year? are you making over 200,000 a year, Steve?

Nice... So, as long as it does not impact you then it is ok... Punish the people that are more successful than you... I smell a Marxist.

The repub filp of that quote.
Nice... So, as long as it does not impact you then it is ok... Punish the people who are less successful than you... I smell an a@@

sorry forogt the