Please explain why you Republicans support the wealthy over your own middle class?

[Navy1960]

In 2004, the wealthiest 25% of US households owned 87% ($43.6 trillion) of the country’s wealth, while the bottom quartile held no net wealth at all.[3] The middle 50% of the country held 13% or $6.5 trillion of the total household net wealth.[3] The previous data are taken from analysis of the Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) which over samples wealthy households. This over sampling more accurately represents the true wealth distribution [since most of the wealth is concentrated at the top]. This data shows that the top 25% of American society holds on average a net wealth of $1,556,801 which is 33 times more than those of the lower middle class, or the 25th-50th percentile
Wealth in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Every time that we try to lift a problem from our own shoulders, and shift that problem to the hands of the government,to the same extent we are sacrificing the liberties of our people."-- John F. Kennedy

Now while each of us have our own opinion on the matter, on a personal level, I tend to think that Govt. has a rightful place to see to it that those who cannot see for themselves, its Seniors, its disabled, and those who sacrificed for it (Military, etc) are taken care of. Part of being a citizen in this nation is to not only share in its bounty but to also share in the responsibility of it. While not speaking for others, I have always felt things such as taxes were a responsibilty for such things. The roads we drive on, the aircraft we flew in the Navy, and helping the soldier or sailor who gave so much for his or her nation. This seperation of "Them" and " Us" is a very bad thing for our nation because WE are all in this together and as soon as people begin to realize that then perhaps things might begin turn around a little. I might remind some here too, that in the past 10 years American companies have let go of 2.9 Million Americans and hired 2.4 Million people overseas, and in light of such things as this, wouldn't it be prudent as Americans to remind these companies that its not a bad thing from time to time to put one's nation above one's dollar.

 

[PoliticalChic]

I'm not for class warfare, and I don't think the wealthy should be taxed anymore than everybody else...

...having said that.....I find it amusing how the top 1% has gotten the other 99% of Republicans to champion their cause. The top 1%....Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and the Kochs don't traditionally share their wealth with that 99% of Republicans...yet that 99% fights for the wealthy's rights like they get something out of doing that.......just don't get it.

"I find it amusing how the top 1% has gotten the other 99% of Republicans to champion their cause..."
Tox....you silly boy. All of us, who you choose to call Republicans, but are merely astute Americans, understand what you do not: every one of us has the opportunity to attain whatsoever level we work for.

"I lived for about a decade, on and off, in France and later moved to the United States. Nobody in their right mind would give up the manifold sensual, aesthetic and gastronomic pleasures offered by French savoir-vivre for the unrelenting battlefield of American ambition were it not for one thing: possibility.

You know possibility when you breathe it. For an immigrant, it lies in the ease of American identity and the boundlessness of American horizons after the narrower confines of European nationhood and the stifling attentions of the European nanny state, which has often made it more attractive not to work than to work. High French unemployment was never much of a mystery.
Roger Cohen: One France is enough - The New York Times


Coolidge gave the 'key:'
"Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."


BTW...Coolidge was a Republican. And conservative.

What a coincidence...I myself am an astute American, I hope, and I fully agree that every one of us has the opportunity to attain whatsoever level we work for. I can't imagine what would have made you think otherwise. Having said that.....If you want to champion the cause of the extremely wealthy...because you might be so someday...that is actually a good reason to do so. I'm having a hard time believing that the people who vote Republican and are not part of the top 1% share the same reason.

But hey!.....I have another question for you if you'll indulge me.......what kind of accent does Ann Coulter have?...that lilt.....sort of a pompous little lilt?.....I know she's from Connecticut...but they don't speak that way there. What is going on with how she talks?...You know...those overemphasized R's, and painfully intense enunciation.....

Well, my fellow astute America, your statement..."I find it amusing how the top 1% has gotten the other 99% of Republicans to champion their cause".....implies a lack of understanding of the post to which you are- ostensibly- responding.

"The top 1%," as you put it....is hardly the object of my- or our- support. No...it is the opportunity that all of us have to achieve that lofty aerie!

Get it?
Hmm....your assumption of 'asute' may not be warranted.

I refuse to deny anyone the opportunity.
I may- or may not- aspire to same!
But, in a free society, that should be my business, and mine
alone!

".......what kind of accent does Ann Coulter have?..."
Why you linguistic philological bigot!

 

[PoliticalChic]

Most conservatives advocate policies that have the best chance for growing the economy and creating the most jobs. Such policies also allow the rich guys to make more money, that's the way that free market capitalism works. And most of us are very resistant to increased gov't spending when the policies have already been shown to not work. Adding the debt any more than necessary an antithetical to us.

So here's my questions to those of you on the left:

1. Do you really think our problems are over if we raise taxes on the top 1%?

2. How can you in good conscience advocate policies that only increase the debt that our children will have to deal with?

The only disagreement I have with this, is that it "allow the rich guys to make more money."
It allows all to make more money.....a rising tide lifting all boats.

The only restrictions on each of us becoming millionaires is taxes. Since 'the rich' don't pay federal tax on what they already have, taxes are the bar to the ordinary citizen becoming a millionaire....and impinges not at all on what the wealthy already have.

 

[ABikerSailor]

I don't mind that the rich have more money.........

I just want them to pay their fair share of taxes instead of the 17 percent only they pay on capital gains (which is how most of the wealthy make their money).

Us working stiffs with real jobs? We're in for 28 percent.

 

[DiamondDave]

I don't mind that the rich have more money.........

I just want them to pay their fair share of taxes instead of the 17 percent only they pay on capital gains (which is how most of the wealthy make their money).

Us working stiffs with real jobs? We're in for 28 percent.

And if they, you, and everyone else all paid 17% on every dollar earned, regardless of source, and with no exceptions deductions or whatever... you would be OK with that??

 

[noose4]

Please explain Americans why you Republicans support the wealthy over your own middle class?

I could never understand why the misguided mouthpieces in the Republican Party continue to make excuses for the top 1% wealthiest while dissing their own in the middle class. Cowards and Traitors, the bunch of ya. While the middle class is trying to unite against the wealthiest, some in the middle class are playing the Benedict Arnold role - all in the name of the Grand Ol' Party.

Shameless Cowards - the lot of you

-----

It's truly amazing, many of them cheer when unions are busted and the wages and benefits of working people are reduced and then they turn around and call class warfare when it is pointed out that the people who are reducing the wages and benefits of the working people are doing better financially now than they ever have before.

 

[PoliticalChic]

In 2004, the wealthiest 25% of US households owned 87% ($43.6 trillion) of the country’s wealth, while the bottom quartile held no net wealth at all.[3] The middle 50% of the country held 13% or $6.5 trillion of the total household net wealth.[3] The previous data are taken from analysis of the Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) which over samples wealthy households. This over sampling more accurately represents the true wealth distribution [since most of the wealth is concentrated at the top]. This data shows that the top 25% of American society holds on average a net wealth of $1,556,801 which is 33 times more than those of the lower middle class, or the 25th-50th percentile
Wealth in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Every time that we try to lift a problem from our own shoulders, and shift that problem to the hands of the government,to the same extent we are sacrificing the liberties of our people."-- John F. Kennedy

Now while each of us have our own opinion on the matter, on a personal level, I tend to think that Govt. has a rightful place to see to it that those who cannot see for themselves, its Seniors, its disabled, and those who sacrificed for it (Military, etc) are taken care of. Part of being a citizen in this nation is to not only share in its bounty but to also share in the responsibility of it. While not speaking for others, I have always felt things such as taxes were a responsibilty for such things. The roads we drive on, the aircraft we flew in the Navy, and helping the soldier or sailor who gave so much for his or her nation. This seperation of "Them" and " Us" is a very bad thing for our nation because WE are all in this together and as soon as people begin to realize that then perhaps things might begin turn around a little. I might remind some here too, that in the past 10 years American companies have let go of 2.9 Million Americans and hired 2.4 Million people overseas, and in light of such things as this, wouldn't it be prudent as Americans to remind these companies that its not a bad thing from time to time to put one's nation above one's dollar.

You should be very careful with the data...and how it is ascertained.
It is misleading.

1. If you don’t see it, is it still there?? The stock market boom of the ‘90’s caused IRA and 401(k) plans to triple:
http://federalreserve.gov/releases/z1/Current/annuals/a1995-2004.pdf

Yet while the largest part of the gain went to the bottom 99% of income earners, none was reported on income tax returns, and therefore none of it showed up in income distribution studies based on income tax return data. But the greatest part of the capital gains of the rich were outside such accounts and thus were reported on returns. This exaggerated and misidentified changes in income distribution. Remember, before the changes in the tax code, late ‘80’s, investment income of our middle-income earners was all counted on tax returns. Thus, once it was no longer counted, it appeared that the income of the middle was sharply decreased, while that of the rich appeared to receive the major portion of said distributution!

a. Capital gains tax rate cuts in ’97 and in 2003 caused a surge in reportable capital gains realizations outside of tax-protected retirement accounts. The sharp cut in the rate on dividends in 2003 caused a similar surge in dividends paid and reported. These changes caused distortions in comparing trends in incomes for top income earners versus others.


2. Let’s be clear: the broadest and most accurate measure of living standard is real per capita consumption. That measure soared by 74% from 1980 to 2004. U.S. Department of Commerce. Bureau of Economic Analysis

a. A study of table 7.1 would show that between 1973 and 2004, it doubled. And between 1929 and 2004, real per capita consumption by American workers increased five fold. The fastest growth periods were 1983-1990 and 1992-2004, known as the Reagan boom.


BTW...the increases in wealth of every quartile increased at least as fast as the top.

 

[ABikerSailor]

I don't mind that the rich have more money.........

I just want them to pay their fair share of taxes instead of the 17 percent only they pay on capital gains (which is how most of the wealthy make their money).

Us working stiffs with real jobs? We're in for 28 percent.

And if they, you, and everyone else all paid 17% on every dollar earned, regardless of source, and with no exceptions deductions or whatever... you would be OK with that??

Not really, because we've got a national debt problem.

Would be nice if the wealthy would pony up their fair share of at least 28 percent though.

 

[DiamondDave]

I don't mind that the rich have more money.........

I just want them to pay their fair share of taxes instead of the 17 percent only they pay on capital gains (which is how most of the wealthy make their money).

Us working stiffs with real jobs? We're in for 28 percent.

And if they, you, and everyone else all paid 17% on every dollar earned, regardless of source, and with no exceptions deductions or whatever... you would be OK with that??

Not really, because we've got a national debt problem.

Would be nice if the wealthy would pony up their fair share of at least 28 percent though.

And everyone else ponying up 28% on every dollar earned with no exceptions and no deductions, right??

 

[The Rabbi]

I don't mind that the rich have more money.........

I just want them to pay their fair share of taxes instead of the 17 percent only they pay on capital gains (which is how most of the wealthy make their money).

Us working stiffs with real jobs? We're in for 28 percent.

And if they, you, and everyone else all paid 17% on every dollar earned, regardless of source, and with no exceptions deductions or whatever... you would be OK with that??

Not really, because we've got a national debt problem.

Would be nice if the wealthy would pony up their fair share of at least 28 percent though.

OK, so the problem is not that people who get income from capital gains (risking their own money in the process, unlike wage earners who risk nothing) pay less. The problem is that the rich aren't having it stuck to them enough.
Every lowering of taxes on cap gains etc produces more dollars paid to the Treasury than the higher tax had. This is indisputable. So if the object is to raise more money for the treasury, then we need a lower tax policy. If the object is to "stick it to Da Man" then we want a higher tax policy.
We know which side Obama is on. And you, scum-sucker.

 

[The Rabbi]

And if they, you, and everyone else all paid 17% on every dollar earned, regardless of source, and with no exceptions deductions or whatever... you would be OK with that??

Not really, because we've got a national debt problem.

Would be nice if the wealthy would pony up their fair share of at least 28 percent though.

And everyone else ponying up 28% on every dollar earned with no exceptions and no deductions, right??

You wont get a straight answer from him. As long as the wealthy get screwed he's fine. That's the bottom line here.

 

[ABikerSailor]

Not really, because we've got a national debt problem.

Would be nice if the wealthy would pony up their fair share of at least 28 percent though.

And everyone else ponying up 28% on every dollar earned with no exceptions and no deductions, right??

You wont get a straight answer from him. As long as the wealthy get screwed he's fine. That's the bottom line here.

Those same "job creators" are sitting on their money and making more via capital gains instead of creating jobs.

Where is the "risk" in sitting on a big pile of cash?

 

[Political Junky]

And everyone else ponying up 28% on every dollar earned with no exceptions and no deductions, right??

You wont get a straight answer from him. As long as the wealthy get screwed he's fine. That's the bottom line here.

Those same "job creators" are sitting on their money and making more via capital gains instead of creating jobs.

Where is the "risk" in sitting on a big pile of cash?

Sitting on about $2 or $3Trillion, yes.

 

[The Rabbi]

And everyone else ponying up 28% on every dollar earned with no exceptions and no deductions, right??

You wont get a straight answer from him. As long as the wealthy get screwed he's fine. That's the bottom line here.

Those same "job creators" are sitting on their money and making more via capital gains instead of creating jobs.

Where is the "risk" in sitting on a big pile of cash?

Like I said, not a straight answer to be found.
If they are sitting on their money, they are not making more on capital gains than creating jobs. It is two separate things.
What's the risk in sitting on money?
Inflation
Taxation
Loss of opportunity.

But when they make money on cap gains, they are not sitting on their money: they have actively invested it and exposed it to risk, including the sum total of their investment.

 

[The Rabbi]

You wont get a straight answer from him. As long as the wealthy get screwed he's fine. That's the bottom line here.

Those same "job creators" are sitting on their money and making more via capital gains instead of creating jobs.

Where is the "risk" in sitting on a big pile of cash?

Sitting on about $2 or $3Trillion, yes.

Hmm, and why is that? Anyone? Bueller?

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

Please explain Americans why you Republicans support the wealthy over your own middle class?

I could never understand why the misguided mouthpieces in the Republican Party continue to make excuses for the top 1% wealthiest while dissing their own in the middle class. Cowards and Traitors, the bunch of ya. While the middle class is trying to unite against the wealthiest, some in the middle class are playing the Benedict Arnold role - all in the name of the Grand Ol' Party.

Shameless Cowards - the lot of you

-----

The republican's don't support the wealthy over the middle class.

They support opportunity for every american through hard work by keeping the government out of the way.......well I should say conservatives and libertarians do that, not republicans .

I find it interesting that you are parroting a dishonest talking point then calling others "shameless cowards"

 

[PredFan]

Please explain Americans why you Republicans support the wealthy over your own middle class?

I could never understand why the misguided mouthpieces in the Republican Party continue to make excuses for the top 1% wealthiest while dissing their own in the middle class. Cowards and Traitors, the bunch of ya. While the middle class is trying to unite against the wealthiest, some in the middle class are playing the Benedict Arnold role - all in the name of the Grand Ol' Party.

Shameless Cowards - the lot of you

-----

It's truly amazing, many of them cheer when unions are busted and the wages and benefits of working people are reduced and then they turn around and call class warfare when it is pointed out that the people who are reducing the wages and benefits of the working people are doing better financially now than they ever have before.

You forget, those jobs don't belong to the employees, they belong to the owners of the corporations that control the benefits and pay. They can pay whatever they want to and provide wnatever benefits they want to, or even none at all.

 

[PredFan]

I don't mind that the rich have more money.........

I just want them to pay their fair share of taxes instead of the 17 percent only they pay on capital gains (which is how most of the wealthy make their money).

Us working stiffs with real jobs? We're in for 28 percent.

And if they, you, and everyone else all paid 17% on every dollar earned, regardless of source, and with no exceptions deductions or whatever... you would be OK with that??

Not really, because we've got a national debt problem.

Would be nice if the wealthy would pony up their fair share of at least 28 percent though.

The top 1% pay 40% of all taxes paid. How about we get the people who pay absolutely no taxes at all to pay their fair share? How about we end tax rebates to people who never paid any taxes in the first place?

 

[DiamondDave]

And everyone else ponying up 28% on every dollar earned with no exceptions and no deductions, right??

You wont get a straight answer from him. As long as the wealthy get screwed he's fine. That's the bottom line here.

Those same "job creators" are sitting on their money and making more via capital gains instead of creating jobs.

Where is the "risk" in sitting on a big pile of cash?

Is everyone not free to do as they wish with what they own?? Or is it just the 'rich' that have to do the bidding of others?? Are they not allowed to invest on the risks they want? Wait for the opportunity they want? Start a business or hire when they want?

 

[PredFan]

And everyone else ponying up 28% on every dollar earned with no exceptions and no deductions, right??

You wont get a straight answer from him. As long as the wealthy get screwed he's fine. That's the bottom line here.

Those same "job creators" are sitting on their money and making more via capital gains instead of creating jobs.

Where is the "risk" in sitting on a big pile of cash?

The risk was their intial investment, and there is still the risk of losing it all, which can happen at the drop of a hat.

The rich will always look to get richer. They do not get richer by itting on their money, but they are doing it because the policis of the current administration are so anti-business that they don't know if it's safe for them to expand and to take further ricks. Most of them are holding onto their money to wait and see what happens in 2012.