Obama: 'This Is Not Class Warfare; It's Math'
President Barack Obama Monday introduced his plan to trim the deficit, including a "Buffett rule" -- named after billionaire Warren Buffett -- which would ensure that people making over $1 million a year would pay a tax rate as high as the people that work for them.
"Middle class families shouldn't pay higher taxes than millionaires and billionaires," the president declared. "That's pretty straightforward. It's hard to argue against that. Warren Buffett's secretary shouldn't pay a higher tax rate than Warren Buffett. There's no justification for it."
"Anybody who says we can't change the tax code to correct that, anyone who has signed some pledge to protect every single tax loophole so long as they live, they should be called out. They should have to defend that unfairness," he added. "If their pledge [is] to keep that kind of unfairness in place, they should remember the last time I checked, the only pledge that really matters is the pledge we make to uphold the Constitution."
Obama went on to fire back at Republicans who had called his plan class warfare.
"We're already hearing the usual defenders of these kind of loopholes saying this is just class warfare. I reject the idea that asking a hedge fund manager to pay the same tax rate at a plumber or teacher is class warfare. I think it's just the the right thing to do," he said.
"Both parties agree that we need to reduce the deficit by the same amount, by $4 trillion. So what choices are we going to make to reach that goal? Either we ask the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share in taxes or we ask seniors to pay more for Medicare. We can't afford to do both. Either we gut education and medical research or we've got to reform the tax code so that most profitable corporations have to give up tax loopholes that other companies don't get. We can't afford to do both. This is not class warfare; it's math."
if honestly pursued by the dem estab [if, being the operative word]
it is important to break apart the upper income tax bracket, to separate those making 6 figures from those making 7, and those making 7 from those making 8, etc. and then those making john paulson-levels of loot should be taxed like the very wealthy under the ike admin.
Because that's what you think is his 'fair share'.
And how is that not class warfare then?
Asking the rich to pay the same as the workers is, almost by definition, fair. How is it not, and how is that class warfare?
when the rich are asked to pay their fair share.
"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing." -- Robert E. Howard
but, please, don't bother me with bullshit about 'class warfare'
been engaged in class warfare for the past 40 years (and forever, really) what is the problem with calling it what it is? I say let the war begin.
Moron alert!
These SOB's are sitting on trillions of our tax bailout dollars, creating no jobs, and using our dollars to throw us out of our houses, crush our rights, and pay corrupt politicians into using our government against us, and chumps like you defend them.
You defend the rights of a handful of fascist goons to make more money and pay no taxes, than entire cities of people will make in their lives, and that's just fine? WTF?
Let millions starve so the Krotch brothers can have $40 billion to use against us instead of $20 billion.Yeah, because the billionaires not paying taxes enables them to use their ill gotten gains to destroy working people and steal what they have.
Like bankrolling criminal governors that strip people of their rights because they have a small temporary majority.
These greedheads are destroying the country, and fools like you defend them. Too bad you can't be sent back to midevil Europe, so you can be reminded first hand what happens when a few rich own everything and the rest live lives of serfdom.
Where do non thinking dupes like yolu come from?
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
Very well put.
Something else to throw at those extremists caterwauling about "class warfare" waged against the wealthy "job creators".
Far-right economic policies, weakening unions and cutting government spending have NEVER increased the number of private-sector, middle class jobs, that reality won't change this time around.
Love it.
"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."
---Southwest Airlines
Perhaps if you take that rich persons dick out of your mouth as a pacifier you might be able to think more clearly.
Btw dummy, "class warfare" has been going on for over thirty years.
Dumbfucker didn't get the cash up front...
"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."
---Southwest Airlines
Nice to hear Obama back in campaign mode. It sure would be nice if he actually governed that way.
OK, I guess I'll go with the spineless over the pure evil.
I believe you. Why is he only aggressive in campaign mode? If he'd been this way throught his first year, the Dems and progressives would be clamoring to re-elect him.
But given how he talks a great game, then sits the game out when it starts and he's called upon to play.
"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing." -- Robert E. Howard
You know when this would have been great, 3 years ago when he came into the presidency. He could have used this to justify not reinstating the bush tax cut or to justify not giving any more tax cut.
So basically, Obama decides to believe in math 'now' when we all know it's never going to pass.
Thanks Mr President for being 3 years too late and treating us as if we're completely stupid.
Obama owns them. It's HIS signature on the extension, not Bush's.
Just like Iraq, just like Afghanistan, just like drone attacks and warrantless wiretapping and journalist intimidation and....
Funny how those who substitute guns for courage can't seem to find either when it all goes wrong.
I said back when the Bush Tax Cuts were reauthorized, that they will NEVER be rescinded.
I stand by that statement.
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
he should have done this 3 years ago before he even won the election. You fucking people are unbelievable.
...three years ago than two years ago? Maybe they should have said "..almost three years ago.." because back then he was campaigning to become President and two years ago, he was President; somewhere in between but closer to three years ago then two, he was elected President and somewhere in between but closer to three years ago then two, he was sworn in as President. Its been downhill since then. Looking forward indeed.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
completely stupid.
Were he to do that he would point out that three years ago he was running for President, the economy was just entering its tailspin, and he was campaigning on a promise to not raise taxes on the middle class.
Aside from the fact that it would have been impossible for him to reinstate the Bush tax cuts when he wasn't President yet, and would have been a direct contradiction of what he as campaigning on, it would have been a double dose of poison for the economy at the time and for many months thereafter.
He did urge Congress in 2010 to allow the Bush tax cuts for those in upper income brackets to expire, but that required legislation to maintain the tax rates for those in lower brackets as he had promised in his campaign. Unfortunately Democrats in Congress were too timid to vote on that before the election.
After the election Republicans were holding extension of unemployment benefits hostage in return for full extension of the Bush tax cuts.
But we forget that sometimes. Because some of us ARE completely stupid.
"That's fu*#ing retarded."
Big City Mayor
It's historical, happens every time. This site is filled with Obama Haters who frankly, would have no sitting president in history to fit their desires.
"Even if 50 million people say a stupid thing - it is still a stupid thing." - Anatole France
.
how can you honestly expect people to stand for a president who decides math exist.... near his re-election campaign when the people who possess the house refuse to support anything this president does.
Obama didn't stand for 'left' values the first 2 years of his presidency.. UNLIKE the right.. i'm not going to blindly stand for my side when I think they are 'lying' to me.
Speak for yourself.
Sorry, couldn't resist.
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
3 years ago when he 'came' into the presidency... Not when he was trying to win the electin.. but when he was the president..It's call context and appearantly you didn't give a damn about mine. I was saying he should have propose higher taxes when he came into office.
I matter well inject some facts... After Obama 'became' president.. he agreed to continue the Bush tax cuts instead of letting them 'expire' he could have 'veto' the continuation of those tax cuts.
Those tax cuts were allow to continue because congress passed a bill and Obama signed it into law.
So him talking about math now.. is a lie because when he was in power before the 2010 elections he sided with the republicans. I know they were trying to hold unemployment hostage.. but you know what, he should have stood his ground and blame the republicans for holding up unemployment benefits to protect the rich.
Him talking about rising taxes 'now' contradict his previous actions as president with his compromises. And it doesn't change the fact that his proposal.. won't pass without heavy comrpomiss.. making it a shallow attempt to gain popularity with his base.
Did he finally wake up and realize his poll numbers were tanking because people thought they elected a Democrat?
He's offering this shit up, 'cause he knows the left is staying home in droves this time around.
Nothing will be passed, he will campaign on the "I need help in Congress" line, and expect us to show up.
Too bad for him. He sees the polling every day.
He's fucked, and he did it to himself.
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
than staying home in sufficient numbers to replace the cleaning lady with John Boehner. All smart people know that.
"That's fu*#ing retarded."
Big City Mayor
I am campaigning for better movie releases in November 2012.
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
you don't even have to trouble yourself to go to the theater on election day.
Hasa Diga Eebowai
Best $8 a month you can spend...if you have a job. Otherwise, stack up on Rice A Roni (the San Francisco Treat!).
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
and dumpster condiments. But only if you are a foodie down on your luck who still
gives taste buds and your budget equal dignity.
"That's fu*#ing retarded."
Big City Mayor
...didn't quite work well either. Apparently, there are a lot of poor and under-capitalized people in this country for whom voting against their own best interests is in their best interests. I guess they think that being poor is what they are and where they should stay. I won't stay home on election day but I won't be voting for a republican't named obama just because he's on the democratic party ticket either.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
Democrats ever nominating someone you would consider a Democrat. To bad the vast majority of Democrats just can't seem to get their nominees to respond to the base of the party. Time after time, election after election.
"That's fu*#ing retarded."
Big City Mayor
Too tough for the tea baggers, the ones getting those free "soshilust" hoverrounds.
It's not "math"; it's ARITHMETIC!!!!!!
....its COMMON SENSE. mr. obama - too little, too late.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
I see "class warfare" is the new Frank-Luntz-approved yapping point.
Kind of like "demagoguing the issue" was a while back. Anyone heard that quaint phrase recently? Time was, you couldn't watch a talking-head show without hearing at least three wingnuts accusing the President of "demagoguing the issue".
I guess that one reached its expiration date, just like "class warfare" will, and we won't hear it again.
That is a signal that these people use language not to communicate, but simply as a strategic tool meant to get their way.
Hopefully, this entire debacle will finally bring down the DLC or DSCCC or whatever they call that bullshit "third way" method of doing things in the Democratic Party.
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
too many dumb arses, especially republican, to understand math.....ask rick perry or sarah palin
to the press prior to the president's speech? He couldn't even make a complete sentence. "My fellows who I'm running against" or something like that. What's he got, an 80 IQ?
Yes...he's all hair and no brains.
Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.
...television show about a hospital in the Korean War.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
If you go by past results the answer is obviously no. So what's changed, his polling numbers and we're closer to the election. It's almost as if he extended the Bush tax cuts in order to make it an election issue, but that would have been extremely shortsighted. Not the move of an 11 dimensional chess player.
By the way, how's the protest going in NY? There's a news blackout and I haven't heard/seen anything?
Failing, like ALL "peaceful" protests.
Humpty Dumpty was pushed.
Of course Republicans reject this. It's math. And that's science. And you can't trust science because it's all conflicting theories. And anyway, science and math are tools of the elite. They certainly don't have a place in public policy!
Either we ask the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share in taxes or we ask seniors to pay more for Medicare. We can't afford to do both. Either we gut education and medical research or we've got to reform the tax code so that most profitable corporations have to give up tax loopholes that other companies don't get. We can't afford to do both. This is not class warfare; it's math."
The problem is, President Obama makes it sound like a choice and the Republicans have already spoken on these issues. They are more than happy to get rid of Medicare, end abortion access, gut education, defund our infrastructure, deregulate everything in sight and keep corporate tax loopholes.
They have already checked the box ✓ Check Here if you are a Republican/ Teabagger who wants to ruin America rather than support an Black President.
Obama is merely giving them an opportunity to double down on what they've already started but I don't think they'll see that as a problem.
It's not math, it's a choice. And if we've learned anything, Republicans are decidedly against choice.
you have to give President Obama a bit of a break - take a second and look at what he is up against-
I am convinced he will do the right thing but the republicans will never do the right thing by the american people- if you put a repuke in the white house in 12 we will surly pay dearly - mark my words
vote obama - look at the alternative
roger allen
In all fairness, we put him in there and he fucked us.
If you don't like the alternatives, talk to him about why the Democrats are in this mess.
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
A majority of the American people who voted did. Sometimes you partidipate in that and sometimes you don't. If you, as representative of a small ideological slice of the American electorate want to claim credit for his election, then any slice of the American electorate can be credited with or blamed for any electoral outcome.
So quit telling Alice her fellow Nattering Naderbobs in New Hampshire gave us Bush and they fucked us. Wait....
"That's fu*#ing retarded."
Big City Mayor
I participated that time. How'd that work out for me?
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
This mess could be fixed fast?
It takes awhile to turn a ship this size.
Takes even longer if it is capsized.
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
Takes even longer is the captain won't turn the wheel.
"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing." -- Robert E. Howard
Just one.
"Even if 50 million people say a stupid thing - it is still a stupid thing." - Anatole France
You wrote the left couldn't come up with a president it wouldn't tear down. Well, there was one president in my lifetime who was a good and honest man - who doesn't deserve the bad rap he's recieved. Jimmy Carter.
When it comes to his re-election chances - despite the fact Carter lost big time because of the Hostage Crisis. Obama took out Bin Laden and he's STILL compared to Carter by lame media hacks. And Pro Left Haters.
"Even if 50 million people say a stupid thing - it is still a stupid thing." - Anatole France
You asked a question and I answered it then you have to respond with pro left Obama haters? WTF? Seriously.
...he knew or should've known or learned what he was up against the first week of his Presidency. Man, obama is thick if he doesn't see what is going on around him and frankly, I don't think he's thick. He's stubborn, as in stubbornly clinging to a bipartisan mantra that doesn't work for him or for the country. He needed to move away from bush policies as fast and as furious as a pissed off badger in a phone booth on speed, not roll over and shred FDR's legacy at every turn.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
look at the alternative
This is all the DNC has left. Vote for us, 'cause we suck less.
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
it only took three years for him to come to these amazing conclusions. well better late than never.
which differs in any fundamental way from anything he has said or done in the past three years.
"That's fu*#ing retarded."
Big City Mayor
Obama has said these things before, but has done the opposite.
.
Hasa Diga Eebowai
waronreason, one seldom has time to lift one's head from the proverbial foxhole to fire back with the proper caliber ammunition.
"That's fu*#ing retarded."
Big City Mayor
Again, Obama is thrown a nice slowball over the heart of the plate, and fails to knock it out of the park.
All he had to do was point out the real class warfare scumbags - the GOPigs and the super rich, and he would have 80-90% of the country agreeing with him. Hell, even some of the idiot Teabircher's know it's the rich who are makng out like bandits. They are just too stupid to connect dot 1 with dot 2.
By using the absurd Luntz "class warfare" meme against them (and where it rightfully belong), these evil SOB's would rue the day they ever let it roll off their lips.
Fucking useless DLC.
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
Obama gives the "progressives" exactly what they want, an absolutely unpassable program that will go nowhere in congress and they're still whining.
Hasa Diga Eebowai
The man is the worst postman ever.
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
DADT is ending tomorrow but that surely would have happened under President McCain!
They're all alike! Waaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!
I've come to feel very bitter towards the Pro Left these days. They'd rather get a HuffPo column about how much Obama Sucks than what he's actually done against huge odds.
Last week, Obama made a great speech, went "big" as his critics insisted, gets praise in the media, then a week later and Chris Matthews has the usual media hacks like Howard Fineman (what a revolting persona) to talk about Obama's bad week.
The MEDIA IS OUR NUMBER ONE PROBLEM.
"Even if 50 million people say a stupid thing - it is still a stupid thing." - Anatole France
The MEDIA IS OUR NUMBER ONE PROBLEM.
You can't argue with that.
I swear, they're are more wingnut bullshitters on the airwaves, than lobbyists for the Banksters and Health industry.
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
be, but Obama not owning a functional spine is a close second. Why doesn't Obama bring it like this ALL the time? Why does he cave SO much to the weakest of GOP pressure?
Yes Obama has made some small measure of success. But he refuses to engage on the real issues that continue to vex this nation and it's people.
Prosecuting Bush war crimes.
Prosecuting Wall street banksters
Raising the taxes on the rich and corporations.
and flat out calling out the GOP on their lies and overt bullshit, as well as NOT rallying the Dems as a leader should be.
"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing." -- Robert E. Howard
right after the repubs take all 3 branches. No need for a POTUS after that, and we can all stop fighting with each other and finally realize that it's us against money.
Humpty Dumpty was pushed.
This is 'MURCA, dude! We don't do math. Math is for the Chinese. GO USA.
Yo President Hock-and-Pawn ...
What part of "The UK riots demonstrate that poverty and inequality of this magnitude is a national security issue that falls directly into the discretion and authority of the unitary executive advanced by the previous Administration in combating terrorism of any nature" can't your wrap your fence jockey head around?!?
You don't need Congress -- just an executive order, a spinal column, and the testicular fortitude to tell Wall Street, John Boehner, and the Rightwing Economic Terrorists exactly where you sleep to send the anthrax and pipe-pomps or to eat their Wheaties and come waterboard or assassinate you at their leisure ...
Wanna see Blackwater/XE try to get past the Secret Service?!?
*rubs hands together over a bucket of popcorn*
So do I ...
dictatorship is the answer?
"That's fu*#ing retarded."
Big City Mayor
"fence jockey"? Really? That's pretty damn close to calling the President a "lawn jockey". I hope you don't mean that. Perhaps you don't understand the racial undertones in using that term...
Religion will be the downfall of Humanity.
Hah! Good one. Class warfare has been on us for at least 30 years, ever since Saint Ronnie was prez. ANd in some ways it's always been with us. Always. Some of us don't like the term 'calss warfare' but what else can you call it? The political elite and the wealth aristocracy complain when the term is used but they are the ones who started this shit in the frist place.
It is indeed class warfare. Maybe some would feel more comfortable if it was called something else. How about a pogrom on the poor? No? Upward redistribution of wealth? No? I've-got-mine-so-fuck-you-all? No? The struggle of the wealth aristocracy (the wealthy class) to gain more leverage over everyone else so that they will never have to worry about any of the unclean common riff-raff coming with 1,000 yards of them? No? Hmmm...
Class Warfare it is then.
The wealth aristocracy don't like it when it is called that. Boo-fucking-hoo. They started this shit in the first place and now they can't wash the stink off their doughy skin. These idiots who strut and swagger around with their narcissistic sense of entitlement should keep some simple math in mind if they plan to keep up the attacks on the very livlihoods of millions of Americans: they are about 2% - 5% of the population and the rest are 95% - 98% of the population. When ~300 million people finally wake up and get truly desperate and pissed off, no amount of money is going to protect them.
Their money addiction will be their biggest mistake. And their refusal to pay back into the system that allowed them to accumulate all their wealth is truly unpatriotic.
Religion will be the downfall of Humanity.
To mention math in the conversation is cruel to inbred corn nut teeth hydroencephalitis headed TeaChoads. They don't understand math. So that leaves them out in the rain. Why rain? Because their leaders are pissing on them and telling them it's raining. Poor TeaChoads don't know the difference. It's been trickling down on them since Reagan. Stump stupid shitheels.
so much more exciting that presidentin'-mode Obama
CTHULHU 2012 "Why vote for a lesser evil?"
For those of you that are pissed that in two-and-a-half years Obama hasn't given us 5% unemployment, drawn down 2 wars, broken up the too-big-to-fail banks, broken up the media giants, given us single pay health care, and spun straw into gold, all I can say is get over it and wake the fuck up. This is forty years of bullshit that he's cleaning it up. Sorry he's not mopping fast enough but what the hell did you expect? Before you bitch about Republicans not facing reality, you better take a look in the mirror first. You want to nit pick every mistake his administration's made, fine. Keep their feet to the fire. But you damn well better get your asses in the voting booth and vote for the man or we're all back to square-fucking-one.
Obama has done more than almost any other president since Washington, combined.
CTHULHU 2012 "Why vote for a lesser evil?"
Is that excepting Washington?
or achievements.
CTHULHU 2012 "Why vote for a lesser evil?"
Dude, you have to quit smoking crack! Obama has spent more than all past presidents combned driving the country to bankruptcy, I can agree with that. He has made Jimmy Carter look strong, Clinton look honest and Bush look like a genius. And we all know none of that is true.
Just for fun, give me five examples.
write themselves...
CTHULHU 2012 "Why vote for a lesser evil?"
He's the deficit President. Oh, and then George W. He took a surplus and turned it into a deficit and then added two wars without paying for them while cutting taxes for the wealthy. That's what Obama inherited. It's called Google. Feel free to use it and learn something.
Oh, and here's your top five.
1. Affordable Health Care Act - (Cause Blue Cross does not have your back)
2. Consumer Protection Agency - (Cause Bank of America does not have your back)
3. Repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell (cause a trained gay soldier will have your back)
4. Getting the banks out of Student Loans. (See No. 2)
5. Ordered the raid that killed Osama bin Laden (cause Bush couldn't be bothered and Obama had to finish the job)
And if that's what you get for smoking crack then pass me the fucking pipe.
I like. :)
eh...
1 The Affordable Health Care Act have done more harm than good. Even before it's in progress health insurance prices went 'up', and with no way to inject fair prices, it won't be more affable
2 Consumer Protection Agency .. still doesn't have a head running it and from the looks of it it won't be protecting anyone
3. He agree to the repeal, but he wasn't the spear head that led to it. He doesn't get the complete credit for that. If he bothered to make it an issue I would give him credit -- but he didn't after he became president.
4. Getting banks out of student loan.. Okay, I'll give him that, and all the small band aids he added.
5. Osama death was a good.. and maybe the easiest thing he did as president. No one can argue against him getting Osama.
I wouldn't mind supporting obama.. if he stood for the principles I voted him in to uphold.
because I've just come to the realization that Obama has done a Saintly job and it took your post to make me realize it.
Casting Obama in a light of perfection.
Something about "get over it and wake the fuck up."
thinks they can just download an app and EVERYTHING WORKS.
"Even if 50 million people say a stupid thing - it is still a stupid thing." - Anatole France
about?
CTHULHU 2012 "Why vote for a lesser evil?"
SOP for the GOP. When all else fails, rely on banal scripted talking points and sound bites ... repeated over and over and over again.
"Class warfare" is the latest iteration of the drinking game.
...assuming math is even taught in American schools anymore, then let's do some math... remember old fashioned word problems?
If Mr Smith makes over $1 million a year and pays a tax rate as high as Mr Jones who works for him on a salary of $35,000 a year..., let's say, for argument's sake, 35%, then how much after taxes does Mr Smith have to Mr Jones? Now let's deduct mortgage payments, food, clothing, school expenses for kids, credit card payments from that net. Now how much does Mr Smith have in comparison to Mr Jones?
And in what possible universe could this ever be considered as 'fair'?
Oh, yeah. In a universe where Mr Smith now pays less in taxes than Mr Jones. THIS is what 'fair' looks like for a country where otherwise there is none at all.
Good thing they don't teach math anymore, along with civics or history. Why, people might start to actually think...
..make it a bumper sticker slogan the ignorant electorate can comprehend:
70% of America flunked math, Mr. president.
Don't play the math card; play the word-trick card.
When Fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in excess body fat & carrying a misspelled sign.
taking names,kickin ass.
1.5 trillion in new taxes.
What's not to love, stupid teabaggers.
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