Political Punch

McCain calling Senator Obama a socialist is a cheap, desperate ploy (and I'm shocked so many people seem to have fallen for it) and McCain and Palin spreading lies about Obama's tax plan is simply disgraceful. Senator Obama didn’t change his tax policy. It’s always been if your family’s income is below $250,000 your taxes will not go up. If your family’s income is below $200,000, your taxes will actually go down. For those families between $200,000 and $250,000, your taxes will stay the same. And for individuals making less than $200,000, you won’t pay more in taxes and those making $150,000 will pay less. Senator Obama and Joe Biden were merely emphasizing different aspects of his tax plan. They should have stayed on message, but at least they're telling the American people the truth.

I like McCain, I really do, but I have to ask: Is spreading the wealth really socialism? Not really. Is providing free health care to the citizens of a country that work, sweat, bleed, and die for it, really communist? I thought that was covered in love thy neighbor.

These issues are irrelevant. Communism will never work and never happen. Unbridled capitalism doesn't work--and should never happen again.
Socialism--I'm not for it, but I don't see why anyone should fear it. I've been to Canada, they seem to be doing just fine.

Do you people realize that the generous (yeah right!) $5000 that McCain is offering for health insurance is for a family ... only $2500 for individuals - they seem to "forget" to clarify that. My current policy is $450/month - translation, McCain's plan doesn't help me much. I have talked to older American's getting soaked for $800/month crappy policies ... but McCain doesn't care because he has HIS cushy GOVERNMENT plan. I can't wait until we go PURPLE under Obama!!! (his 2004 speech - purple US, not red or blue - it's about unity folks!).

Obama/Biden '08/12!!!!

McCain/Palin

= cultural tax
= middle class tax
= tax on benefits (1st time in U.S.)
= 8 house owner tax relief
= Anheuser Bush tax relief
= New wardrobe for Palin
= AIP for Alaska (divided nation)

It's almost 8, don't be late!

Obama/Biden

= equal rights for all Americans
= middle class tax relief
= opt-in healthcare
= relief for home-owning families
= small business tax relief
= bottom up economic stimulation
= United States of America

Obama/Biden 08!

Sorry to say, but you people screaming "socialism" about a more equitable rate of taxation have been terribly mislead by politicians who aim to distract you with lies and cultural wedge issues in the hopes that you never realize how badly you're all -- we're all -- being had by Corporate America, lobbyists, and politicians who serve as lobbyist tools in Washington.

Questions to ask yourself: How much do corporations actually pay in federal income taxes? How much of the stock market value does the top 20% of Americans own? (Answer: 90%.) What happens to YOUR state, local, and property taxes when your leaders mangle the federal budget? (Also remember, states have a flat tax, which means that those who earn less actually pay a higher percentage of their income towards state taxes -- meaning when you add state and federal taxes together, those who earn less actually pay around the same effective rate of their incomes for taxes as those who earn more.) How does the richest 5% of Americans paying 3% more in federal income taxes = socialism? Under the Bush admin's tax cuts, how was the economy grown? Did corporations send fewer jobs overseas? Did unemployment and wages go up or down? How does McCain's plan to cut capital gains taxes help the middle class? (Do you know what capital gains taxes ARE?!) Do you know that the last time the wealthiest 1% of Americans owned 40% of the nation's wealth--as they now do--was in 1929, the eve of the Great Depression?

Come on, people. Get with the program and STOP voting against YOUR interests.

• No Tax Increases for Families Making Under $250,000. Barack Obama has made firm commitment not to raise any taxes for families making under $250,000 (and individuals making under
$200,000).

Posted by: ziadora | Oct 29, 2008 5:51:56 PM
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Excuse me, but isn't this a marriage tax penalty under 0bama? Two singles making a total of $400K won't see tax increase, but two people married will see tax increase starting at $250K. This is a marriage penalty of $150K (400K-250K) in tax increase.

0bama = marriage tax penalty.

Hey ! I just hope everyone that believes they have a connection to the highest power that controls ALL willpray for our nation to make the right choice . That HIS will be done, and things to turn around for tis nation.

Healtcare is a mainstay for me in this election because people are dieing ALL over THIS nation because they cant get help , unless they quit their jobs and get welfare . Even if tey can get a dr to see them without insurance, they likely cant afford the medicine . That is not the America that anyone ever wanted to live in , is It ?

Hey ! I just hope everyone that believes they have a connection to the highest power that controls ALL willpray for our nation to make the right choice . That HIS will be done, and things to turn around for tis nation.

Healtcare is a mainstay for me in this election because people are dieing ALL over THIS nation because they cant get help , unless they quit their jobs and get welfare . Even if tey can get a dr to see them without insurance, they likely cant afford the medicine . That is not the America that anyone ever wanted to live in , is It ?

(In response, McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds later said, “No one cares what Barack Obama does with his toys, but Americans do care that he wants to raise taxes, add a trillion dollars in new spending and redistribute your hard-earned paycheck as he sees fit.")

Again, all the McCain camp can do is lie lie lie. Want to know how much you're going to save under Obama's tax plan?
Meanwhile, McCain will tax your employer health benefits you receive as if those benefits were CASH. So, you'll have to pay your tax bracket for your health benefits as if you were receiving money, yet you aren't, you get your benefits from your employer, but you are not given money for them. So McCain will tax you. You'll pay MORE taxes under McCain. McCain will kill the middle class.

Do yourselves a favor, McCain supporters, and read up on this. You'd be shooting yourself in the foot to vote for McCain. That is if you really care about taxes.

If you don't think power corrupts take a good look at John McCain. He is physically addicted to it. Most men his age would be satisfied with a 26 year career in the senate. But no, not "that one".
He wants power so badly that getting it justifies any and all means to that end.
McCain dodders around telling whatever lies they give him to mouth, no matter how foul. He spouts fear, incites ethnic and racial hatred at every opportunity. No matter that people are worried and fearful enough that they will be unable to pay their bills and feed their family.
McCain offers no real help to these people.
His concern is for the people who have corrupted him, Oil company executives, Banking and Insurance company C.E.O.s and now Military Arms Manufacturers.
"power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely"
Don't let "That One" get absolute power.

The profoundly evil campaign directed by McCain shows how power can corrupt a man over 26 years. These are dangerous times and a dictator could emerge who would end personal freedom and security in this country. McCain is "That One".

Socialism is taking money out of one person's pocket and giving it to another to achieve more equal outcomes for all regardless of input.

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You can call it "royalties" if you want. She called it RAISING TAXES and so does everyone else. And that's exactly what you guys are now calling "socialism".

She took TAX DOLLARS and handed it out to those who did not work for it. Plain and simple. They did not earn it, they did not work for it, they did not invest for it...they just got a hand out from the government.

She achieved a more equal outcome for all regardless of their input.

Spin it anyway you want. I go back to my original statement. She's a hypocrite.

It's the actions that matter. Obama, in an entire explaination of his tax plan, happens to say "spread the wealth". And you parrots jump on the verbage. Anyone with critical thinking skills can see his tax plan suugests rates that are less than under Ronald Reagan. Is HE a "socialist" now?

But Palin AND McCain have endorsed similar policy. The above example is PROOF of it.

McCain stated:

When you reach a certain level of comfort, there is nothing wrong with paying somewhat more."

YOU would now call that "socialist" or "Marxist" if Obama said it.

It's just a progressive tax system - which we've had for quite some time now.

Dear Rachel,

Thanks for the reply.

I can understand your anger at the current administration. I'm angry at them myself & I agree with many of your points. I'm not crazy about the current leadership of the Republican Party and I think they need to go.

I think most of the entire Congress needs to go to.

We need leaders that have our best interests at heart. You & I may disagree on the current slate of candidates, but I wholeheartedly agree with you that the current leaders in Washington aren't doing their jobs.

Regards,
Karl

"Are we getting closer to and closer to, like, socialism and stuff?"

"Here's what I really believe: That when you reach a certain level of comfort, there's nothing wrong with paying somewhat more." "The very wealthy, because they can afford tax lawyers and all kinds of loopholes, really don't pay nearly as much as you think they do."

The question came from a young audience participant on Hardball in 2000. The response came from John McCain.

The conclusion: McCain calling Obama a "socialist" is sheer demagoguery in 2008.

Debating socialism now is like debating deck chairs on the Titanic. Trickle down economics has already worked! America's wealth has been trickling (correction - "gushing") to Asian and middle-eastern countries in the form of jobs, manufacturing, dividend re-investment, oil and infrastructure development. All this inspite of ZERO taxes paid by 2/3 of the Fortune 500 companies using loopholes to erase the “high tax rate" that McCain keeps talking about. These foreign countries then use this wealth to loan America money to buy more stuff from them.

We already have a universal healthcare system in the US! It relies on the uninsured being able to tap Emergency room care at nearly ten times the cost of preventive care and passing on those costs to tax payers driving up state budget deficits. McCain's $5000 tax credit would just shift the burden to the Federal government while allowing providers to move out of states that currently require coverages.

America's future supply of oil is guaranteed!...by 130,000 troops sitting in the gulf permanently and running an off-budget tax funded cost of $150B annually. Its just another social give-away to the oil companies in the form of lives and treasure. McCain suggests new tax cuts and de-regulation to motivate companies to build 45 nuclear power plants. Not in my backyard!

Everything about these examples is due to an antiquated borrow, spend and de-regulate philosophy that McCain whole heartedly shares with Bush. His tax cuts/credits will add an additional trillion dollars of debt compared to Obama's investments (acording to tax policy center).

Ofcourse, in every other way McCain and Bush are quite different.

Tax Cuts for Middle Class Families

Obama's Plan

• A $1,000 Making Work Pay Tax Credit for 95% of Workers. Obama will provide a refundable tax cut of $500 for workers or
$1,000 for working couples.

• Generous Additional Tax Cuts for Middle Class Families. Obama will provide a package of tax cuts to help families afford health care, college and save for retirement.

• Cutting Taxes To Below Where They Were Under President Reagan. Under Obama’s plan total federal taxes for typical families would be 19 percent lower than they were under President Reagan.
McCain's Plan

• Only Middle Class Tax Cut Leaves Out 101 Million Households. McCain’s only direct tax cut for the middle class is an increase in the dependent exemption, which leaves out 101 million households with absolutely no benefit. Overall, the National Review concluded that the McCain plan offers “very little in the way of direct benefits” to the middle class.

• About $125 in Middle Class Tax Relief for Families Who Benefit. For a family with two children, McCain’s proposal to
increase the dependent exemption would offer only about $125 in relief during the first year of his plan.

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Tax Rates for Working Families

Obama's Plan

• No Tax Increases for Families Making Under $250,000. Barack Obama has made firm commitment not to raise any taxes for families making under $250,000 (and individuals making under
$200,000).

McCain's Plan

• $3.6 Trillion in Tax Increases on Working Families. McCain’s health plan would require families to pay income taxes on their health benefits. According to McCain top advisors, his health care plan will accordingly be financed by a $3.6 trillion tax increase on working families. Even after taking into account McCain’s health tax credit, eventually tens of millions of middle class families would pay more taxes.

I'm afraid of losing my freedom. I'm afraid of clowns.
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And yet you support the Republican party? How ironic.

So when the Republican party takes away your civil liberties you don't mind. Because it's in the name of "freedom". Do you not see the rediculous nature of your argument?

And when the Republican President and Vice President ignore the Constitution and just write their own laws, you don't mind.

When your party's leaders operate unethically, and are caught doing it, you don't mind.

When they ignore subpoena's, that's ok, it's just the law right?

When you have a VP candidate who obviously had no interest in national or international politics until a few weeks ago, that's ok. Talk about a clown.

Personally, I would be more afraid of what your own party has done over the threat over any terrorist attack.

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Two time Republican President General Eisenhower said, "It is impossible to keep our nation safe 100% of the time. We simply cannot afford it financially. And, as Americans, we would not want the sacrifice of freedoms necessary to make it so."

This was a realistic Republican President and a GENERAL.

We take the fight to those who pose a threat, but we cannot continue to impose our will on every nation that simply disagrees with our way of life.

The fact is, you are far more likely to get killed on the interstate than in a terrorist attack. So perhaps you should spend a couple million dollars and buy a crash proof car instead of trillions fighting wars that don't solve a thing?

GOP HYPOCRISY,

Nothing wrong with collecting a royalty on the use of public property. The U.S. government and every other government in the world collects royalties from companies that utilize publicly-owned natural resources. That is why offshore drilling makes the most sense.

Gov. Palin simply decided that the best use of those royalties was to give it to the people rather than waste it on a political pet projects.

Socialism is taking money out of one person's pocket and giving it to another to achieve more equal outcomes for all regardless of input.

Regards,
Karl

I know my family will benefit better if Obama is elected president. That's the truth! No fog, no mirrors!

Posted by: Yolanda Whitted | Oct 29, 2008 5:03:28 PM
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0bama asks you to ask what you can do for your country, ask not what your country has to do for you. Or, was he planning on writing into the Constitution that requires the government pay all your bills?

Don't you think you should have Karl Marx's spirit to contribute to the government for the benefit of the common good?

Why do you keeps thinking me, me, and me, what 0bama will do for ME?

When Plain raises taxes on oil companies, takes the money, and gives it to the working class Alaskans (who haven't earned it, they just get a check for doing nothing) - what do YOU call that?

Seems YOU would call that Socialism. If not, you're as much a hypocrite as she is.