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Obama: My Tax Credits are Not 'Welfare'
October 18, 2008 3:43 PM
ABC News' Sunlen Miller reports: Standing beneath the Gateway Arch in downtown St Louis, Senator Obama responded to claims from the McCain campaign that his tax plan is a "welfare" program because it gives tax credits for people who don't pay federal income taxes.
"I'm not giving tax cuts to folks who don't work, I'm giving tax cuts to people who do work. John McCain is so out of touch with the struggles you are facing that he must be the first politician in history to call a tax cut for working people 'welfare.'"
It is true that the Obama refundable tax credits plan does benefit people who are not paying federal income taxes. But, Obama's tax credits go to people who pay payroll taxes, even if they are too low-income to pay federal income taxes. The Obama campaign says most working people pay more in payroll taxes than income tax.
"The only 'welfare' in this campaign is John McCain's plan to give another $200 billion in tax cuts to the wealthiest corporations in America – including $4 billion in tax breaks to big oil companies that ran up record profits under George Bush," Obama continued, "That's who John McCain is fighting for."
While not mentioning the now infamous "Joe the Plumber" by name – Senator Obama told the crowd that his tax plan would give everyday Americans – and plumbers – access to a tax cut.
"It's time to give a tax cut to the teachers and the janitors who work in our schools; to the cops and firefighters who keep us safe; to the waitresses working double shifts, the nurses in the ER, and yes the plumbers fighting for their American Dream. These workers are the backbone of our country. They’re the ones that Washington has forgotten."
As ABC's Teddy Davis reported this week, in attacking Obama's refundable tax credits, the McCain campaign is overlooking that the centerpiece of the McCain health care plan is a refundable tax credit which would provide $2,500 to every American or $5,000 to every American family for health insurance regardless of whether the adults receiving the benefit work.
Drawing a record breaking rally crowd of 100,000 Senator Obama has high hopes of flipping the state of Missouri, where polls currently show him slightly ahead of Sen. McCain.
"I think the winds of change are blowing all across America. They're blowing here in Missouri, they're blowing in Michigan, they're blowing in Illinois, they’re blowing in VA, and they are blowing in Ohio," Obama said listing many red states where his campaign has their eye on to turn blue.
But the Illinois Senator told the crowd not to get too over-confident.
"Democrats have a way of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory," he said remembering his loss in the New Hampshire primary, "This election's too important to take anything for granted."
October 18, 2008 in McCain, John, Obama, Barack | Permalink | User Comments (938)
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For those not familiar with hussein's loony-left welfare plan and his related radical wealth re-distribution plan, here is a summary that even a hussein sycophant might understand (provide somebody reads it to them very, very S-L-O-W-L-Y):
1. hussein will raise taxes (somebody has to pay for this welfare). As plagiarist-joe biden said: RAISING TAXES IS PATRIOTIC.
2. Since most of hussein's supporters don't contribute to society, don't earn meaningful income and therefore don't pay taxes, hussein plans to re-distribute wealth by giving the tax money paid by hard-working, successful Americans to his supporters via a tax credit. For example, consider those college pukes that support him and primarily live off their parents for drug money (and probably will do for the rest of their lives). Say they earn a few dollars flipping-burgers, and pay no income taxes. Under hussein's plan, even these pukes WILL GET A CHECK OF $1000 OR MORE FROM THE IRS.
3. Thus hussein will, in fact, create the biggest welfare system ever in the world. He will penalize those that work hard and are successful, and reward those that don't contribute with cash payments.
For every hard-working American: be afraid, be very afraid of hussein's plans to socialize America. Reject this shallow, arrogant, platitude-spouting, inexperienced, drug-addicted, elitist, narcissistic, flip-flopping gas-bag who is so mentally deficient from extensive drug use he even has to plagiarize his hollow platitudes. Instead, vote for somebody who will reform the Washington mess - instead of making it an even more horrific monster.
Posted by: ALEX H. | Oct 18, 2008 3:55:42 PM
What twisted logic - if somone has zero income tax liability and they get a check from the treasury department, how can you call that a "tax cut"? That is an outright lie. In Obama's world green is purple and orange is brown - he thinks you can spin your way out of any fact. Ayers "just a guy in the neighborhood", Acorn given $800K for "mood lighting", and Wright a "spiritual advisor" for 20 years and now suddenly, old news. Obama is a pathological liar.
Posted by: Ryan G. | Oct 18, 2008 3:55:49 PM
Sen. McCain is going to let working people pay less in taxes. That is a tax-cut.
Sen. Obama is going to write checks to people who don't pay taxes. That is welfare.
Senator Obama's plan is not tax-and-spend liberalism, it is income redistribution socialism.
Posted by: Obamacrat for McCain | Oct 18, 2008 3:57:28 PM
BO "Spread the Wealth Around" just what the Democrats love.... More Class warfare.... the FACT is small business will be TAXED @ a higher rate under BO..... he and the media are just plan LIEING......... PLUS when you raise taxes on Businesses... GUESS WHAT ... they raise their prices..... so who actually pays “THE CONSUMER..... YOU PAY”….. so this is just a HIDDEN tax on the consumer…
Posted by: Vet1973 | Oct 18, 2008 3:58:26 PM
Republicans are always against welfare on the little guy but gives millions away to corporate welfare. Isn't that right AIG, Lehman Brothers, etc.
Posted by: shawn | Oct 18, 2008 3:59:14 PM
"$4 billion in tax breaks to big oil companies" Obama continued, "That's who John McCain is fighting for."
that's uncalled for. McCain supporters don't insist that Sen. Obama is fighting for anyone except the middle class. Sen. Obama shouldn't impugn Sen. McCain's patriotism by claiming he is only fighting for oil companies. They should be able to agree that they disagree on how to go about it, but they should agree that America's middle class is both of theirs shared priority.
Posted by: Clintonites for McCain | Oct 18, 2008 4:01:10 PM
-- Sen. McCain is going to let working people pay less in taxes. That is a tax-cut. --
Unless you make $100Kor more, you won't see a tax cut under McCain.
Unless you make more than $250K, you won't see a tax increase under Obama, and then only to levels less than they were under Clinton.
If we want to continue doing things like performing the largest government reorg since WWII, or unprovoked attacks against foreign countries that cost $10 billion a month, money has to be raised from somewhare.
Trickle down is a failed experiment. And yet, people continue to think that if we try it again, it might work this time. There is a name for people who think like that.. and it is not flattering.
Posted by: Concerned American | Oct 18, 2008 4:02:59 PM
I love the smell of republican fear in the morning.
Posted by: DreadAmerican | Oct 18, 2008 4:03:48 PM
When Obama told Joe the Plumber he believed it was best to spread the wealth around, it was one on one, from his heart, not a telepromted speach. It was real. Now he's trying to back peddle. He also told a rally "how many plumbers do you know that make $250,000?" That was just rude! He is a phony & cannot be trusted! Also, Biden mentioned "redistribution of wealth" in his debate. It's who these guys are & it's what they believe!
Posted by: southern_conservative | Oct 18, 2008 4:05:50 PM
Looks like some right wing nutjobs have organized a commenting campaign on this website for every Obama-related piece. Go take your medicine.
Posted by: ASMcClane | Oct 18, 2008 4:07:32 PM
McCain's tax plans are no different than Bush's...he basically says lets keep things the way they are. We'll, the way it's being done now is not working for anyone except the rich.
Posted by: Independent John | Oct 18, 2008 4:07:54 PM
JOHN MCCAIN is the candidate most concerned with people making over $250,000.
BARACK OBAMA is the candidate most concerned with the MIDDLE CLASS.
Posted by: John McCain's conscience | Oct 18, 2008 4:08:11 PM
Previous comments against Mr. Obama seemsmall potatos compared to 100,000 people ... Americans look like they are going to chose common good as opposed to vitriol, anger and division.
Posted by: The Canadian Geezer | Oct 18, 2008 4:08:22 PM
-- Obama is fighting for anyone except the middle class --
I would love to hear how you rationalize that one!
http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/
-- Obama shouldn't impugn Sen. McCain's patriotism by claiming he is only fighting for oil companies --
I agree.. he is also fighting for the wealthy as evidenced by both his tax and health plans.
http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/pm126
And 'patriotism' has nothing to do with it.
Posted by: Concerned American | Oct 18, 2008 4:08:42 PM
A tax cut for NON-wealthy people, outrageous, how dare the democrats suggest that the average American should get relief.
Don't they know that this land is for the GOP rich?
Posted by: JR | Oct 18, 2008 4:09:06 PM
John H. Is a dirty racist. His name is Barack Obama you scum bag.
And his tax policies help the working class much more than McCains. McCains tax policy is targeted towards the richest people in this country.
Posted by: Sam | Oct 18, 2008 4:09:47 PM
Please stop!... Did you get a $300.00 stimulus check from the Bush Administration... and what do you think the $700 billion dollar bail out is you moron!. Pots please stop calling Kettle Black!
Posted by: Nikki D | Oct 18, 2008 4:10:17 PM
McCain = DISHONORABLE; Palin = SCARY!!!
Posted by: Howard Gallas | Oct 18, 2008 4:11:16 PM
John H. Is a dirty racist. His name is Barack Obama you scum bag.
And his tax policies help the working class much more than McCains. McCains tax policy is targeted towards the richest people in this country.
Posted by: Sam | Oct 18, 2008 4:11:26 PM
Sen. McCain wants to let rich people pay less in taxes. That is a corporate welfare.
Posted by: JR | Oct 18, 2008 4:11:31 PM
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