Why do more than half the people in this country pay no income taxes at all, while President Barack Hussein Obama keeps insisting that everyone must "pay his fair share?" For over half of citizens, is that their fair share? Or is creating more recipients of government handouts, at no cost to themselves, simply a strategy to gain more votes? The current federal debt burden works out at about $140,000 per federal taxpayer. Are you one of those taxpayers, the unlucky less than half? Obama is proposing to increase both debt and taxes. How much more do you want added to your $140,000 debt burden? Is your fair share $140,000?
Now Obama is pushing "the Buffett Rule," a capital gains tax hike designed to ensure that Warren Buffett pays as much tax as his secretary. His reason is that it, "will help us close our deficit." Oh, really? Does Obama realize that the Buffett Rule, if enacted, will help pay down the 2011 deficit (which, I'm sure, was George Walker Bush's fault) in only 514 years? And that's only for 2011, not deficits in future years. The Buffett Rule is forecast to raise $3.2 billion per year, what the US government currently borrows every 17 hours. Buffett is worth $44 billion, so if he donated his entire fortune to the US government, they would go through it within four and a half days. If you confiscate the total wealth of the Forbes 400 richest Americans it comes to $1.5 trillion, which is just a little less than the Obama budget deficit for a year.
Obama denounced (excuse me, evaluated) Paul Ryan's budget plan. Given what's at stake, you might think then that Obama would have an alternative plan. But his was voted down 414-0.
And speaking of the Buffett Rule, did everyone see this? In an article titled "Obama Paid Lower Tax Rate Than Secretary," we learn that the Obamas paid an effective rate of 20.5 percent in 2011. White House aides would not reveal presidential secretary Anita Breckenridge's tax rate (on earned income of $95,000) but confirmed it was higher than the first family's rate. And the Obamas paid a rate far below the 30 percent Buffett Rule rate.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Glenn Contrarian
Warren -
Obama has a completely different vision, one that would lift the top income and investment tax rates to about 45 percent, while, the integrated corporate and capital gains tax would be 55 percent.
Reference? Oh, right - there isn't one. You Just Know It, and that's all the proof you need. It doesn't matter to you that the highest rate that he's talked about is the 39.5% that was paid under Clinton - you know, when we had a SURPLUS - if we did not renew the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.
And you griped about how the Obamas are paying a lower rate than their secretary...which is EXACTLY what the Obamas are griping about.
Warren, I really, truly do pity you. You're so consumed with hatred, with absolute surety that the black guy in the White House is out to destroy America...and your hatred has blinded you to all that he's done that is good and right. Has he been perfect? You'd find precisely zero liberals who would think so. But by this military man's standard - is the nation better off or worse after he stood the watch - he's done pretty doggone good.
Did you spend any time in the military, Warren? I'm really curious about that, because there's a point of objectivity that a lot of us gain from our experience that isn't often found in the civilian world.
2 - Clavos Juarez Santana Zapata
And you griped about how the Obamas are paying a lower rate than their secretary...which is EXACTLY what the Obamas are griping about.
They're griping, but on a personal level, apparently content to enjoy their low tax rate. He could donate the difference -- the IRS will gladly accept it.
3 - Glenn Contrarian
If Obama had his way, he, too would be paying a higher tax rate, Clavos. Don't try to obfuscate the issue, please.
4 - Warren Beatty
Re: comment # 1, Glenn, you just don't, nor will you ever, get it. We are tired of Obama's hypocrisies, his "do as I say, not as I do" actions. And, BTW, his actions speak much louder than his words. He "promised" us the most transparent, the most open, the most honest administration in history. So go ahead a hide behind all your librul rants.
Re: comment # 2, Clavos, well said.
5 - Glenn Contrarian
Warren -
You're full of crap. It doesn't matter what Obama did or how well he did it. He could have done everything you ever wanted, and you'd still find excuses to hate him. Why? Because he's a black guy with a funny name in the White House (your familiarity with the Delta told me a great deal about you). There's nothing - absolutely nothing - that he could do that you wouldn't find a way to claim that it's all evidence of how evil or wrong or hypocritical he is.
The difference between you and me, Warren, is that I'm not afraid to say what I think Republican presidents - including Dubya, the worst president in modern times - did that was good and right. You, on the other hand, simply won't do that (especially for the black guy in the White House). You simply haven't the honor and courage to do so.
6 - Clavos Juarez Santana Zapata
Because he's a black guy with a funny name in the White House...
Oh bullshit. You constantly try to impugn the motives of those who are opposed to Obama by playing the race card; that's crap.
Stop.
Please.
7 - Clavos Juarez Santana Zapata
If Obama had his way, he, too would be paying a higher tax rate, Clavos.
He can voluntarily do so at any given moment, Glenn. It would be a great example to set if he did.
But he doesn't.
8 - Warren Beatty
Re: comments # 6 and 7, Clavos, bravo. Well said. But I'm certain that Glenn will have some irrelevant, off subject remark.
9 - Glenn Contrarian
Clavos -
You're still trying to obfuscate the issue. That's like saying that because I think having a 70-mph speed limit is not wise, is environmentally wasteful, and will result in more deaths, I should keep myself at 55 mph because that's where I think everyone should be...and if I don't do so, then I'm a bad person. Oh, come on, Clavos - you know better than that! If you were Jesus, I'd take the rebuke...but until then, let he who has never continued to obey a less-restrictive law but at the same time supported a stricter law cast the first stone!
10 - Zingzing
Clavos, "Hussein".
11 - Zingzing
"But his was voted down 414-0."
Still sticking by that little turd of a chestnut, I see...
12 - Igor
Clavos' rejoinder is invalid: the point of Buffet and Obama is that the tax system is unjust, as it is. Nothing they can do as individuals changes that.
IMO sometimes Obama-haters get carried away and personalize everything.
13 - Clavos Juarez Santana Zapata
I still say, if he talks the talk, he ought to set the example and walk the walk.
People of conscience and character usually do.
14 - Jet Gardner
Re: #I Glen, you should know by know that his info source is GOD... otherwise known as "that voice in his head"
15 - Jet Gardner
Re:4 God save us; he has started using the "royal we"
16 - Jet Gardner
Re: Clavos, He is constantly using Hussein in Obama's name to make the uneducated think that he is named after an Iraqi dictator, why do you doubt that he hates him because he is an Kenya African born illegal president with a phoney birth certificate.
That, my friend has racism all over it, and you are blind if you can't see it.
17 - Jet Gardner
When you overpay your taxes you are refunded by the IRS, unless the tax code is changes... unless you think he could donate the overage to the next presidential campaign in that little check box.
Warren, Rush Limp-baugh and Fox news would love that.
18 - Jet Gardner
Clavos, please educate us. Exactly how do you overpay your taxes without the IRS refunding it back to you???????????
So many of us would like to know... and if you've successfully attempted it yet.
19 - Clavos Juarez Santana Zapata
Clavos, please educate us. Exactly how do you overpay your taxes without the IRS refunding it back to you???????????
Glad to oblige, Jet. You simply send your check to this address saying you want to make a gift (which is not tax deductible, because the US Treasury, contrary to popular opinion, is not a charity) to the USA; they will take it, gladly.
...if you've successfully attempted it yet.
Certainly not! Unlike Obie, I consider my taxes are too high and need to be cut, so no way am I sending even more money to be wasted down the federal rathole, unless it's by force.
20 - Dr Hussein Dreadful
Another way is not to file a tax return.
21 - Clavos Juarez Santana Zapata
I would, Doc, except the repercussions are well documented...
22 - Warren Beatty
OK, Glenn, it's time to put up or shut up. In comment # 5, you say, "Because he's a black guy with a funny name in the White House (your familiarity with the Delta told me a great deal about you). There's nothing - absolutely nothing - that he could do that you wouldn't find a way to claim that it's all evidence of how evil or wrong or hypocritical he is."
Anyone who visits my web site (rwno.limewebs.com) and go to the "Opinions" section will see links to Dr. Thomas Sowell and Dr. Walter Williams.
Glenn, I've put up - your turn.
Will you (and most commenters here) realize that it's POLITICS, not race.
BTW, I was a Herman Cain supporter before the MSM did a number on him. I never heard Bill Clinton's reaction to what happened to Cain. Can anyone help me?
23 - Jet Gardner
Warren was a Herman Cain supporter... that explains a lot.
24 - Dr Hussein Dreadful
Glenn, I've put up
Where?
25 - Jet Gardner
By the way, he might have paid a lower rate because of the deductions for nearly half a million in charitable donations...
Why did you selectively forget to mention that?
Hmmmm... let's research what percentage Bush paid?
Of course he was probably just trying to look "christian"