Home > Jay Bookman > Archives > 2008 > August > 25 > Entry
FairTax excerpts posted on CNN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Again, for those interested, CNN.com has posted two excerpts of a recent coffee-shop discussion on the infamous FairTax, hosted by Rick Sanchez and including Neal Boortz and myself. It was recorded as part of a CNN show that appeared Sunday night.





DEL.ICIO.US
Comments
By Davo
August 25, 2008 11:02 AM | Link to this
Boortz advocating welfare checks..priceless
By GodHatesTrash
August 25, 2008 11:14 AM | Link to this
Hello my friends - please see my posts on the Atlanta water board - I’m not able to hold group today, those posts will get you up to speed.
Hold your crazy thoughts until we meet again! Good luck and good day, my friends.
By Taxpayer
August 25, 2008 11:43 AM | Link to this
Jay,
I checked out the first video and I must say that it appears that someone did not get the memo regarding the dress code.
By @@
August 25, 2008 11:56 AM | Link to this
In those videos, you don’t look like our picture ^^^ Jay. I’d like to see someone analyze your body language. Anyhoo….
I’m more than happy to watch “The Fair Tax” debate unfold in view of the American electorate. There’s a good reason people want to see it. People are asking the question, “How did we get to where we are today?”
I’ll take an excerpt from Jim Wooten’s Friday column to point you in the right direction.
A growing percentage of the country is beginning to walk away from any income tax obligation to pay for the bigger government they advocate. According to the Washington-based Tax Foundation, 41 percent of the U.S. population is totally outside the income tax system. Since 2000, the number of filers with zero tax obligation has grown from 29 million to 42 million. Only 90.6 million of the 132.6 million returns filed in 2005 paid taxes.
Government entitlement programs promoted by Democrats.
Dems get what they ask for Jay.
The American people are tired.
By Truth
August 25, 2008 12:28 PM | Link to this
Jay,
I looked for it running on CNN all day yesterday and couldnt find it. Needless to say I couldn’t watch for it Saturday night… there was a Bristol night race on…
By Copyleft
August 25, 2008 12:39 PM | Link to this
Yep… all that money flowing into fewer and fewer hands. Thanks for confirming the economic problem we’re facing, @@—too many favors for the rich.
By RW-(the original)
August 25, 2008 12:39 PM | Link to this
Why is the FairTax infamous?
I’m not even sure I’d call our current tax code infamous, but I’d certainly call it insane.
By Hillbilly Deluxe
August 25, 2008 1:11 PM | Link to this
For some reason I can’t get these links to play. Probably my obsolete puter. If you ever know of these being replayed Jay, how bout giving us a heads up?
By hillbilly ragger
August 25, 2008 1:35 PM | Link to this
Just confirming, the first clip runs ok on my PC.
I’ll have to pay closer attention later, though. Only got as far as that part where Linder declared that workers would receive a 50% wage hike, and Jay laughed heartily.
Must put food on family. but thanks for posting this, Jay.
By sunshine and thunder
August 25, 2008 1:41 PM | Link to this
The Economic Effects of the FairTax
By Rufus
August 25, 2008 1:43 PM | Link to this
Obviously there is major disagreement on this. Jay made some good points. I got a chuckle about the guy on the left complaining that retirees were going to be hurt. Don’t know about you, but that social security that I will never see decades from now hurts right now (I have my own retirement plans - no “mandatory” government assistance needed, thank you).
One way or another we need to do something about our entire federal tax infrastructure. I’d just like to know how much it costs we taxpayers to keep the IRS running. I don’t hear too many left wingers mention that for some reason.
By Bud Wiser
August 25, 2008 1:47 PM | Link to this
Just in case you missed my remarks about the prayer, er, I mean, the possibility of “What If Atlanta Disappeared?” :
*”So let me see if I have things in the proper order:
(1) We all need to go green
(2) With everything going green, and an acre of land uses more water than a developed acre
(3) Since we now use more water being green, Alabama and Florida successfully sue the state of Georgia
(4) We lose the suit
(5) But, we’re green
(6) But we have less water, because we have to give more to Alabama and Florida, because we are green
(7) So we need to water less, so we’ll have more water, then we’ll have less water, then we won’t be green, which will give us more water, which we’ll have to give up because we are green, but we won’t stay green, so we’ll use less water
There, I think I have it.
Thank you.”*
God, I have a headache. Rereading what I just wrote kind of makes me sound like I use the same sort of reasoning as a Dimwitocrat??? I need a vacation.
No wonder people hate liberals so….they make it so easy because they are so stupid.
By Taxpayer
August 25, 2008 2:58 PM | Link to this
Nope, nothin’ there of value other than the dress code memo not getting circulated. I just re checked. Well, Boortz almost stuck both feet in his mouth when he started talking about Buffet and Kerry not paying their fair share of taxes because most of their income comes from capital gains tax (and we all know how the Republicans feel about taxing capital gains) but then he wisely shut his mouth. As for us retirees, we don’t relish the thought of having our after-tax savings hit twice and we certainly don’t want anyone messing around with the social security withholdings that were taken out of our paychecks over the years. All these bums out there today trying to short change us should be ashamed but they are not — they are just greedy.
By Rufus
August 25, 2008 3:15 PM | Link to this
(and we all know how the Republicans feel about taxing capital gains)
Yeah Taxpayer, God forbid someone actually make their money off of their investment. That’s so un-American isn’t it?
they are just greedy.
My definition of greed is stealing what I earned and giving it to someone else. But, that’s just me. It’s not like we largely founded this nation by escaping unfair taxation or anything.
Two hundred and thirty two years later, the mindless in this nation want the government to take our money and exponentially punish those who have more and then make all our decisions collectively for us, even if some of us are competent in our own decision making.
We’re right back where we started if you ask me.
By ByteMe
August 25, 2008 3:24 PM | Link to this
Rufus: the problem is that capital gains and interest income is considered their own special class of “wages” that’s given special treatment over the wages of the guy who cleans the bathroom at McDonalds. Why should making money off your money — which money managers have as their job description — be considered more important to the economy that it gets taxed at a lower rate than real work?
Make it equal and no one will complain or have reason to complain. For now, it’s just another form of welfare for people who don’t need it.
By Taxpayer
August 25, 2008 3:33 PM | Link to this
That’s right, Rufus. What gives. Why is Boortz so down on Buffet. I also would love to have back all the money that I paid in taxes over the years. I look forward to actually getting back some of what I have paid into social security when I get old enough but I doubt that there will be much in the form of payouts even if I start collecting as soon as I can in another 8 years.
By Blog Police
August 25, 2008 3:34 PM | Link to this
Is Bush correct when he claims that our troops will have died in vain if he agrees to a surrender timetable for withdrawal, and now that he’s agreed to a surrender timetable of withdrawal, did the terrorists win?
Is Bush a surrender monkey?
BTW: Just what WAS the mission of US troops in Iraq, anyway?
By Blog Police
August 25, 2008 3:45 PM | Link to this
The problem is not that Atlanta consumes too much water, and the downriver communities know that. What concerns Fla/Ala is what would happen if all the millions of metro Atlantans flush their commodes at the exact same second, timed to within a milisecond. It only happened twice before, once in 1889 when they first invented the turbo-outhouse, and then again about four weeks ago. The only reason there were no fatalities in either case was because of an ongoing drought. The 1889 incident was caused by an incident of dysentery after the town picnic when Sally Butterbutt’s potatoe salad was left out in the sun too long. The recent episode was a thought to be a fraternity prank.
I live on a quarter acre that’s so heavily wooded it looks like the Amazon Rain Forest. The moisture is sucked out of the ground with such force that my dog doesn’t have to lift his leg to pee. (or squat).
Now we know how Timmy always ends up in the well….
By AJC/DNC Management
August 25, 2008 3:52 PM | Link to this
The Dimwit’s supporters, of course, argue that events have proved the soundness of his judgment, and he’ll have plenty of opportunities during the next two and a half months to do what Ronald Reagan did in 1980 — convince undecided voters that he has the toughness, astuteness and levelheadedness to protect U.S. interests abroad and deal with tough, even ruthless, adversaries.
Yeah, good luck with that.
~~~~~
Say, where are the usual little toadies and trolls at?
Don’t tell me that they are dhimmwitocrat operatives that have duties to attend to in Denver.
Geez.
By StevenCee
August 25, 2008 3:57 PM | Link to this
I just caught the tail end of it on CNN, but it was enough…. For Boortz to counter all the nagging questions, obvious problems & gaping loopholes to this “Fair Tax” plan, simply by saying the current system is a mess, so we have to do something, was absurd! Of course the current system is a mess, we’ve had too many years of the bought & paid for Congress carving out advantages to all those who pay the big bucks!
And the difficult pill of TRUTH we must swallow, is that before any legislation for an actual “fair” & equitable tax system, and for that matter, healthcare, will ever be passed, we must remove the “cancer” rampant in Congress today!
While not much a fan, Newt & his crew did have the right idea back in the early 90s, although they broke their word, failed to execute their “contract with America”, and once in office & tasting power, forgot all about TERM LIMITS…..
By AJC/DNC Management
August 25, 2008 4:05 PM | Link to this
Hi, my name is Debra, I used to be a moonbat, but not anymore!
By AJC/DNC Management
August 25, 2008 4:07 PM | Link to this
Hi, my name is Juanita, I used to be a moonbat, uh, and I still am!
John Edwards is burning up the phone lines, begging former aides and backers to forgive him for lying about his affair - but hearing their rage instead.
By Midori
August 25, 2008 4:08 PM | Link to this
I couldn’t sleep last night and while flipping through the channels, I came upon the tail end of this discussion on CNN around 3 a.m. or so.
Boortz is such a tool. As others have stated, all he could do was whine about the current system yet he offered no suggestions as to how to fix it.
Have to agree with @@, Jay - you look entirely different from the photo used on this blog. Much better in person. Maybe you should use another photo?
LOL - I see the “blogfathers” were whining and b*tching on this blog all weekend, issuing little taunts like, “come out, come out, wherever you are”.
Must suck not to have a life.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
By Blog Police
August 25, 2008 4:09 PM | Link to this
Y is there so much disinformation about the economic consequences of the Fair Tax.
What would happen if you raised prices by thirty or forty percent?
Nobody would buy nuthin!
Fair Tax is a dream like Healtcare, or Education. Capitalism only provides war for it’s citizens, that’s the definition of Capitalism, and so far it’s worked out pretty good, so why dont you surrender monkey terrorist commies stfu!
BTW: What WAS the mission of US troops in Iraq?
By Taxpayer
August 25, 2008 4:21 PM | Link to this
The mission of the troops in Iraq is to come home alive. Otherwise, they cannot collect on all those Bush promises of bigger bonuses and better healthcare and higher education and cheaper housing — unless you consider a coffin as cheaper housing. I wonder if that requirement to get the US troops out of Iraq by 2011 also applies to the Hessians that we have over there. We don’t have to provide those guys with healthcare benefits, do we? After all, they are considered contract labor, aren’t they.
By Blog Police
August 25, 2008 4:39 PM | Link to this
The only contract Blackwater has is the one on America when they come over here to fight AMerican “insurgents” here cause they got kicked out of “over there”.
Last night Sixty Minutes had a scathing interview with a Combat Veteran charged with Murder of Civilians in Iraq. His patrol got IED’d in broad daylight and they simply killed every living thing they came across as they went on a revenge rampage. Body Count included 2 and 3 year old terrorists, (or were they insurgents, or maybe al queda, no, probably foreign nationals who just hate Americans). The leader of that patrol didn’t just drink the koolaid, he ate the pitcher it came in. Misguided. Disloyal. Unabashedly unamerican. This stains all of our souls, and the Karma we’ve unleashed upon ourselves over this unjustified and unnecessary war will haunt us till we face the commander in chief upstairs.
By Rufus
August 25, 2008 4:44 PM | Link to this
Did I get the heave-ho so soon? Geeze. Was it something I said with facts?
By Gops got to go
August 25, 2008 4:44 PM | Link to this
Jay, at first I thought that was you at the door trying to hold back Linder and Boortz’s big scary arms and octopus like tentacles. Not to worry though, just an ad. Then came the real video. Funny, I still feel I do not know what Linder and Boortz are talking about. It must be the Reagan math or something.
By Taxpayer
August 25, 2008 4:50 PM | Link to this
The only winners in a war are the politicians and their comrades. They’re also the only wieners in a war. Oscar Mayer would do them proud. The ones making the ground beef are just the pawns, the floor sweepings to be used to feed the egos of the more fortunate. War is ugly and it needs to be presented that way for all to see. Let’s see who really has the stomach for it.
By Rufus
August 25, 2008 4:53 PM | Link to this
Byte:
Capital gains and interest income are not labor related. I don’t work for that money (I work to spend that money on investments). I already have a job and pay taxes on that job. Further, in most cases (not all) that investment money was already taxed as income to begin with. Whether or not someone actually has an income-related job or just living off of investments is not the business of you, me, or the government. I do not equate some poor street sweeper’s wage and tax liability with already taxed income that goes towards investment. Punishing success and stifling investment has always, always been a trait of you socialist liberals. Nothing will change there, and I’ll just let it go.
Taxpayer:
Hope you planned well for your retirement. I’m not counting on SS for mine - not that it was originally designed and implemented to be the complete and sole financial institution for retirees or anything…
By ByteMe
August 25, 2008 5:17 PM | Link to this
Rufus: in your little world, it looks like anything you don’t like is gotta be all about someone else being a social liberal pantywaster communist whatever. Boring.
You pay taxes on ALL income, not just income you think should be exempt, but ALL income. Deal with it. It’s the price you pay for liberty. Now the question is: should capital gains, which are another form of income related ONLY to researching your investments and picking good ones, be taxed at a different rate than real work? I think they’re BOTH real work and should be taxed equally. You call that socialism, which is retarded, but I think anything different is just welfare for people who don’t need it.
You welfare queen, you.
By AJC/DNC Management
August 25, 2008 5:25 PM | Link to this
Kicked to the curb:
Some senior Democrats close to Thee Dimwit, meanwhile, made clear in not-for-attribution comments that they were equally irked at the Bruno operation. Nearly three months after Hillary Clinton conceded defeat in the nomination contest, these Magnificent Moron partisans complained, her team continues to act like she and Bill Klinton hold leverage.
By Taxpayer
August 25, 2008 5:34 PM | Link to this
Rufus, what’s in a plan? Lots of assumptions. Assumptions that we make based on a combination of inputs including history, our education and experience, personal preferences, etc. I was planning on retirement, I had a retirement date and I was working toward that goal when my plan was interrupted and I was presented with an opportunity to retire early. So, I analyzed my options and considered the pros and cons and I retired early. Now my plan is to stay retired and my plan has social security income factored into it in the future because I paid in and I was promised that, if I live long enough, I can collect. So, don’t go messin’ with my money.
As for those amongst us whose primary form of income is in the form of capital gains and dividends (I have both forms of income but they are not my primary forms), I say that these people rely on our military for protection, on our infrastructure for transportation, power, and communications, on our scientists at the FDA and EPA for safety (HA!), on our schools and/or the output of those schools, etc. So, YES, we all need to pay some amount of taxes on those forms of income as well.
By Bud Wiser
August 25, 2008 5:35 PM | Link to this
“You call that socialism, which is retarded, but I think anything different is just welfare for people who don’t need it” : thus sayeth ByteMe
So what you are saying about “welfare for people who don’t need it” is that they should happily fork over part of what they worked and earned on their own, to the government, to distribute it to deadbeats like you and anyone else too non-motivated to get a decent education, or get a decent job, or earn anything on their own?
Read this, tool, and tell us all what the difference is between what you call for, and what this is:
so�cial�ism
NOUN:
By Bud Wiser
August 25, 2008 5:41 PM | Link to this
Midori, your entertaining but misguided political leanings are always entertaining. To come out with “Must suck not to have a life.” is beneath you, or so I thought.
I myself spent the weekend playing with the kids and grandkids, which, incidentally, were all born to happily married couples with a stable family life; not birthed like a litter of puppies to be fed and housed by the government.
By Midori
August 25, 2008 5:50 PM | Link to this
Bud -
don’t you have another blog to stalk?
aren’t you sick of pathetically patrolling this one yet, waiting and ready to “pounce” with your stupidity and viciousness?
and you call “me” misguided? hey buddy - I didn’t spend the whole weekend pathetically talking to myself and my fellow goons at large.
I hear you knocking, but you can’t come in.
By RW-(the original)
August 25, 2008 5:50 PM | Link to this
There’s dense and then there’s Midori at a whole new level.
Boortz is such a tool. As others have stated, all he could do was whine about the current system yet he offered no suggestions as to how to fix it.
The debate is over the FairTax which is the plan Boortz is advocating to “fix it.”
By Midori
August 25, 2008 5:54 PM | Link to this
speaking of “tools”, here comes another resident stalker, RW, the original retard.
what do you morons do, send out the bat signal when you see me post?
I should be flattered.
NOT.
better check the locks on all my doors and windows
why do I feel like if I checked the bushes, I’d find you losers squatting in there, binoculars and laptop in tow?
By Rufus
August 25, 2008 5:59 PM | Link to this
Ok I made a promise to not hog the blogs, and I won’t…
You pay taxes on ALL income, not just income you think should be exempt, but ALL income.
Did I ever say othewise, Byte?
Now the question is: should capital gains, which are another form of income related ONLY to researching your investments and picking good ones, be taxed at a different rate than real work? I think they’re BOTH real work and should be taxed equally.
Funny, all this time I thought you liberals said that white collar work wasn’t real work - you know - the working class and all that separatist group identity stuff you libs like to put us all in. We’ll just have to agree to disagree here. I’ll meet you and Taxpayer halfway here: those who have a job as a primary source of income should be taxed at a different (lower) rate on capital gains than those who’s income is primarily from said gains. Sound fair?
That said, the vast majority of Americans who are liable against capital gains do not depend on it as their primary source of income.
You call that socialism, which is retarded, but I think anything different is just welfare for people who don’t need it.
Actually I’d call it Marxism, but I wasn’t going to go there. Finally, who are you liberals to tell others what they need and don’t need? And here I was all this time thinking you liberals were opposed to getting into people’s personal lives.
By Midori
August 25, 2008 6:00 PM | Link to this
Time to watch the DNC Convention kick off. I’m very excited. This is going to be great.
Let’s see:
American Flag, lighter and charcoal fluid? check
“I hate America” banner? check
Snack food such as arugula, brie, and mineral water? check
Volvo at the ready? check
There. I’ve given you losers several avenues of attack.
Happy? I aim to please!!!
Ciao!!!!
By AJC/DNC Management
August 25, 2008 6:05 PM | Link to this
I r o Dim: How about your bucket of crap?
By AJC/DNC Management
August 25, 2008 6:12 PM | Link to this
Aahhh yes, love abounds in thee Mile High City:
Racial infighting among Democrats, which marred the presidential primaries, has flared up again at the party’s convention in Denver, where a black Hillary Clinton delegate is accusing a black Barack Obama delegate of calling her an “Uncle Tom.”
Delmarie Cobb of Chicago told FOX News Monday that Illinois Senate President Emil Jones, whom Obama called his “political godfather,” hurled the racially charged insult against her late Saturday for speaking out in support of Clinton. Although Democrats at the convention are trying to project an image of unity, there is lingering bitterness between the Clinton and Obama camps, in part because each side accused the other of playing the race card during the primaries.
Now, now, children.
By RW-(the original)
August 25, 2008 6:15 PM | Link to this
Midori,
If you don’t want to be responded to then don’t show your vapidness in public. saying Boortz was offering no fix is a new low even for you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These Limbaugh’s seem to follow everything we say around here.
But whatever will this messianic emissary of change do to unite his party? That is a legitimate question, is it not, since unity, harmony, love and bliss have been Obama’s main campaign themes since his entry onto the presidential campaign stage?
How, inquiring minds wonder, can Obama join us all together — bitter clingers and all — in one big communal bond of sentimental good will if he can’t even inspire unity in his own party?
By Taxpayer
August 25, 2008 6:23 PM | Link to this
I’ll meet you and Taxpayer halfway here: those who have a job as a primary source of income should be taxed at a different (lower) rate on capital gains than those who’s income is primarily from said gains. Sound fair?
Rufus,
This is one of those defining moments for people in search of solutions. They usually signify it with a phrase such as, “Now, we’re making some headway…” You see, we don’t really have to agree to disagree. We just have to find something that we all agree on. However, I will agree that sometimes the best agreement to be reached is to agree to disagree.
I would say that in order to proceed farther, we will need some definitions. For example, define “job” (just for openers). One exception to this approach might be with respect to politicians and lobbyists. They should be required to pay taxes at a rate of constituency tax rate plus some variable adder that is always greater than zero and possibly in excess of their total earnings.
By Bud Wiser
August 25, 2008 6:25 PM | Link to this
Midori is the original hit and run socialist pig.
Sling her slop then back into the sty with the rest of the mindless pork fat.
By Rufus
August 25, 2008 6:41 PM | Link to this
Taxpayer, I don’t think it’s too difficult to define what a “job” is. You get compensated for doing work and have to report it as income. I think I know where you are going with that, but it doesn’t matter if you wash dishes at Mickie D’s, work from home selling things on eBay, or sit in a high backed leather chair under a mahogany desk on the 25th floor of a building on Peachtree making corporate decisions worth millions. In short, as I stated earlier, it can be as simple as those who earn income and have capital gains and those who’s only income comes from capital gains. That’s about as clear as night and day to me, no matter what the “job” is.
Regarding another comment Byte said, I cannot fathom how liberals percieve low taxes as “welfare” of sorts. In my mind, “welfare” is taking in a government handout. When I have my own money (keyword: MY money), invest it, and don’t pay a high tax rate on it like regular income, I find that real hard to justify that I am somehow taking in “welfare”.
By RW-(the original)
August 25, 2008 6:45 PM | Link to this
What would call someone that runs an ad linking himself with an unrepentant terrorist on the eve of his convention?
A Dunce perhaps?
As for the submoronic point about Ayers’s crimes having been committed when Obama was eight — a staple of the left’s feeble defense of him on this subject — imagine what the reaction would be if Bobby Jindal, say, had struck up a chummy pen pal correspondence with Charles Manson while in his late 20s. Think the left might find that relevant to his character? Think the fact that Jindal wasn’t even born when Manson’s crimes were committed would get him off the hook? Of course not, because as even an eight-year-old can understand, the salient point isn’t how old Obama was when the crimes were committed, it’s how old he was when he formed the moral judgment that led him to associate with Ayers in the first place. The response from McCain HQ:
“The fact that Barack Obama chose to launch his political career at the home of an unrepentant terrorist raises more questions about Senator Obama’s judgment than any TV ad ever could. And the fact that he’s launching his own Convention by defending his long association with a man who says he didn’t bomb enough U.S. targets tells us more about Barack Obama than any of tonight’s speeches will.” –McCain spokesman Brian Rogers
By @@
August 25, 2008 6:47 PM | Link to this
Midori went to ride the jackass?
Actually, I think Jay looks better in his photo than he did on the video. It’s probably neither than do Jay true justice.
But about your body language Jay……
the downward chin indicates subservience….respect. The upward glancing eyes indicate confidence. An obvious contradiction.
The downward chin was more prevalent when addressing Linder and Boortz — not so much when you were addressing your fellow progressives.
Purely speculation, mind you; but since you were once a Republican, could it be that you harbor psychological scars while maintaining a high degree of respect for their opinions?
Just methin’ witcha Jay! But really…….think about it.
@@, not qualified in liberal a*essments.
By Rufus
August 25, 2008 6:53 PM | Link to this
why do I feel like if I checked the bushes, I’d find you losers squatting in there, binoculars and laptop in tow?
I don’t care who you are, that was pretty funny from Ms. Midol
Racial infighting at the Democrat convention and “Uncle Tom” hurls. Whodda thunkit?
By Taxpayer
August 25, 2008 7:05 PM | Link to this
Rufus, I am glad to hear that you believe that even people behind the mahogany desks have jobs and need to pay taxes on their incomes. I think that Warren Buffet agrees with that position but I’m not convinced that people such as Steve Schwartzman (of Blackstone) are in agreement. Then, there are the ones that so strongly disagree with you that they hide their earnings off shore while still reaping the benefits that our tax-funded society has to offer. Not nice. Not nice at all.
By AJC/DNC Management
August 25, 2008 7:18 PM | Link to this
Isn’t this rich:
Pelosi Tells Disappointed Clinton Supporters to Avoid ‘Victim Politics’…
We’re talking the whole entire basis for the dhimmocrats even existing.
Whatever would they whine about?
By Rufus
August 25, 2008 7:22 PM | Link to this
Then, there are the ones that so strongly disagree with you that they hide their earnings off shore while still reaping the benefits that our tax-funded society has to offer. Not nice. Not nice at all.
Taxpayer,
If Obamatax gets elected and congressional Taxocrats win a massive majority, that giant sucking sound you hear will be a lot more than jobs continuing going overseas. We are already at a point where the top 10% pay 71% of all (private) federal income tax revenue and the top 25% of income tax payers in this nation pay 86% of all federal income tax (2006 figures). Democrats want that burden pushed even more to those vile disgusting wealthy and successful, and from what I’ve been reading on a large range of different blogs from IT related to investment related to aviation related, a lot of people out there are worried about a Democratic White House and Congress and making preparations accordingly. I don’t think that’s wrong at all. I think taxes are high enough already and it’s obvious from the numbers above who is paying “their fair share.”
By Bud Wiser
August 25, 2008 7:23 PM | Link to this
I think I hurt Midori’s feelings with the ‘litter of puppies’ thing @535pm. TS
I have better things to do other than watch the Dimwit Convention tonight on a black and white TV that sits on a tray table propped up against the wall with pictures of MLK and JFK hanging overhead.
By RW-(the original)
August 25, 2008 7:24 PM | Link to this
Rufus and Taxpayer,
You guys are doing a good job of demonstrating just why our tax code is so screwed up to begin with.
One thing a highly paid income earner and a high dollar investor have in common is that they tend to spend lots of money. Wouldn’t it be nice if we just taxed all those purchases and didn’t have to worry about what class or occupation deserves special consideration in the tax code?
hmmmmm…..I wonder if there’s a plan out there like that……..
By RW-(the original)
August 25, 2008 7:31 PM | Link to this
I have better things to do other than watch the Dimwit Convention tonight on a black and white TV that sits on a tray table propped up against the wall with pictures of MLK and JFK hanging overhead
More likely Che and Mao.
By Rufus
August 25, 2008 7:42 PM | Link to this
This [being assigned a different speech topic than what he wanted to talk about…fat interns???] is an especially sore point for Bill Clinton, people close to him say, because among many grievances he has about the campaign Obama waged against his wife is a belief that the candidate poor-mouthed the political and policy successes of his two terms
And there was certainly no poor-mouthing of Barack by the Shrill & Bill camp. Yeah ok, whatever. This has only got to get better as the week goes on. Man, oh man. The Clintoons are the gift that just keeps on giving.
By ByteMe
August 25, 2008 7:44 PM | Link to this
Rufus said: Regarding another comment Byte said, I cannot fathom how liberals percieve low taxes as “welfare” of sorts. In my mind, “welfare” is taking in a government handout. When I have my own money (keyword: MY money), invest it, and don’t pay a high tax rate on it like regular income, I find that real hard to justify that I am somehow taking in “welfare”.
First of all, can’t imagine why you think I’m a “liberal” unless you subscribe to the Ann “She-Male” Coulter school of thought which is that everyone you don’t agree with must — by definition — be a liberal. In that instance, you bet, I could be that.
As for why it is welfare, because you’re getting a better deal on your tax rate than someone else is getting. You’re in essence getting a government handout for doing a type of work (and I know that investing in winning equities and assets is DAMNED hard work, especially lately) that is not available to people who don’t have exactly one qualification for the job: the money to do it. In essence, the “rich” (and I use that term loosely, because I do it, but never feel rich) get to do it, but the poor don’t and for that they get a tax break on top of their winnings.
Here’s the thing: if capital gains were taxed HIGHER than regular income, I’d complain about that as well. Work is work, tax it the same. It may pay differently and that’s fine, but tax it the same. Isn’t that the whole point of conservative thought: tax everyone the same? Isn’t that the underlying basis of thought for the FairTax(tm), that everyone should pay the same tax rate without exception?
BTW, according to your definitions, Warren Buffet and Bill Gates are flaming liberals. Heh. If only you could learn to be more like them.
By Taxpayer
August 25, 2008 7:45 PM | Link to this
RW, No there’s no plan out there like that.
By Rufus
August 25, 2008 7:50 PM | Link to this
Larry King promo clip on the DNC convention:
“The Democrats have had their say and now the Republicans will take the gloves off and respond.”
Even CNN can’t help but trump up a perception of anger and hate by the GOP.
By Midori
August 25, 2008 7:54 PM | Link to this
I really think Bud has the hots for me.
If not, why does he obsess so?
sorry Bud - the only things black and white in this house are my cat and my photography.
altho I don’t own pics of MLK and JFK, I’d love to obtain them. know where I can get good quality prints?
oh sorry - I forgot. You guys don’t “do” quality.
to the bat signal!!!!!
By Rufus
August 25, 2008 8:03 PM | Link to this
*First of all, can’t imagine why you think I’m a “liberal” unless you subscribe to the Ann “She-Male” Coulter school of thought *
Yeah Byte, I can’t imagine why I perceive you as a lib either. You practically say everything they do, including “Man” Coulter. Can’t imagine why I would think that at all.
“Isn’t that the whole point of conservative thought: tax everyone the same?”
Byte, I think that statement right there explains the difference. I do not believe that my money, already taxed once, should be taxed again - or at the very least, taxed at the same rate. Obviously, we have a difference of opinions, let alone philosophies, but the current tax structure says that capital gains taxes are not taxed at the same rate. I don’t expect to have money I paid on a car of which I sold four years later to be taxed as income either any more than I would for something I sold that I already paid for on eBay or Craigslist or even via garage sale.
I guess the big gap in thinking here is that investment money has already been taxed once via income, and shouldn’t be double taxed. Taxed again, perhaps. But not at the same rate. And I have no problem with that. I could care less what Gates and Buffet think.
By TW
August 25, 2008 8:04 PM | Link to this
There is no bigger indictment of our educational system than the re-election of ‘w’ in 2004. That Boortz has listeners runs a close second.
Ah, the American snake-oil consumer.
Morons.
Please vote for McCain - can’t wait for the day when white trash taps on my door to ask if they can dig through my trash.
McCain ‘08 - please.
By AJC/DNC Management
August 25, 2008 8:15 PM | Link to this
I’m so proud to be a dittohead:
RUSH: I had a lot of people e-mail me today, asking, “Rush, could you give us a follow-up on the book written by the 16-year-old who called you on Friday?” Does anybody remember where that call came from? I’ve been trying to think over the weekend. It seemed like it was the Great Northwest. (interruption) Yeah, the State of Washington is what I thought it was. It’s a book by the Beatty Boys, entitled, “Pulling Weeds to Picking Stocks,” and this 16-year-old young man called here and very tepidly asked me about the cost of advertising on this program because he wanted to active it. The Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation and Pete Haas had done something amazing for the Beatty family and they wanted to repay them. They’d written this little book.
It’s a hundred pages, like 11 bucks, and they wanted to donate 25 or $30,000 of the proceeds from the sale of the book back to the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation, and the young man wanted to know how much it would cost to advertise. I told him, “No, you don’t want to know,” and I started asking him some questions about the book, and it turns out — folks, this warmed my heart the whole weekend — that when the young man called here to tell us about his book, it was on the Amazon list. It was at around 585,000 on the sales rankings. I didn’t know that they ranked books that far on Amazon. But I checked it two or three times, and that’s the figure I came out with. By three o’clock in the morning Saturday, when Obama’s vice presidential announcement had been made, Pulling Weeds to Picking Stocks had gone from 585,000 to #5 and had sold out.
By Rufus
August 25, 2008 8:16 PM | Link to this
There’s a DNC convention going on right now? My plasma already puts out enough hot air (I’m going LCD like the bedroom next time - sheesh what a heat monster - gorgeous picture and colors tho).
I just learned something new on the History Channel: Air Force One crew members go shopping in Beltway grocery stores in civilian clothes for onboard food and drinks. When traveling overseas, they only use the US-bought foods and drinks for obvious reasons. Pretty cool.
This is a new HC series by the by: “Secret Access: Air Force One.”
By Rufus
August 25, 2008 8:27 PM | Link to this
That’s impressive AJCM - especially considering the hollow-eyed liberal moonbat running Congress right now is hovering and has been hovering down in the thousands on Amazon. Hehehe…
By Rufus
August 25, 2008 8:32 PM | Link to this
TW: Air America needs all the help they can get. Why don’t you go sign up and start your own radio show to counter Rushannity, Boortz, Medvick, Ingraham, Bennett, etc.?
According to you liberals, it’s a mindlessly easy job if the neocons can do it. Go for it man. Your fellow moonbats need help at Flameout America.
By ByteMe
August 25, 2008 8:33 PM | Link to this
Rufus said: I do not believe that my money, already taxed once, should be taxed again - or at the very least, taxed at the same rate. Obviously, we have a difference of opinions, let alone philosophies, but the current tax structure says that capital gains taxes are not taxed at the same rate. I don’t expect to have money I paid on a car of which I sold four years later to be taxed as income either any more than I would for something I sold that I already paid for on eBay or Craigslist or even via garage sale.
Ah, now we’re getting closer.
Ok, if you bought that car and sold it four years later AT A PROFIT, you would indeed be expected to pay taxes on the gain.
Investment income is not any different from regular income. If I make a bunch of money and use that money to buy and sell rare coins at a profit, I get taxed as though the profits were income (I’m excepting corporate structures now, since that’s a whole other ballgame and not important to the discussion). But if I buy equities and sell them at a profit, I get taxed at a different rate. But yet, I did the same thing: I bought something, waited for the price to go up, then sold it. I paid tax on the money I initially used of course. But I have to pay AGAIN because I used that money to derive further income. There’s no difference. It’s money being used to create more money.
There’s no reason that money used to create more money should be taxed any different than money paid for work. I’m not saying you tax the original money you were already taxed on (which would then really be double taxation). I’m talking about taxing the profits, which you had to work to get, at the same rate as McDonalds work instead of the discounted rich people welfare queens rate.
Sounds like the only reason you think so is because you don’t want to pay it. Which is fine, but certainly not a convincing argument for why it should be this way.
By Rufus
August 25, 2008 8:45 PM | Link to this
‘Round and around we go…
I’m talking about taxing the profits, which you had to work to get
Byte: Exactly. WORK to get to begin with for money that has been taxed once already. Investment money is discretionary money. It is what I have that is mine after the federal, state, and local governing bodies take theirs.
Sounds like the only reason you think so is because you don’t want to pay it. Which is fine, but certainly not a convincing argument for why it should be this way.
I have already stated that I’m ok with paying some portion (I do). I just do not feel my discretionary, post-tax take home money should be taxed at the same rate as income. Do we get tax breaks for losing money in a stock fund? Didn’t think so.
I think we have exhausted this, but it has been enlightening for some folks.
By ByteMe
August 25, 2008 8:46 PM | Link to this
Rufus: by the way, the AF1 tidbit was interesting. Thanks for the info. I like little bits of weird knowledge like that.
By RW-(the original)
August 25, 2008 8:47 PM | Link to this
When the AJC told us we would get no rain from Fay it started pouring. Then the AJC said we were going to flood and the rain stopped. For the good of the area I’m going to briefly pretend I’m an AJC writer.
There will be no more rain from the remnants of Fay. RW-(the ajc writer)
That ought to do it.
By Bud Wiser
August 25, 2008 8:49 PM | Link to this
Yeah Midori, you can get your prints from the bottom of any birdcage in town.
By ByteMe
August 25, 2008 9:01 PM | Link to this
Rufus said: I just do not feel my discretionary, post-tax take home money should be taxed at the same rate as income. Do we get tax breaks for losing money in a stock fund? Didn’t think so.
Yes, you do get a tax break for losing money on equities. It’s called a capital loss and I unfortunately have experience with that. It continues to roll and can be used to offset a future gain on your taxes (short-term to short-term, long-term to long-term).
You also get a tax break for business losses against future business gains.
And just because you think of it as discretionary doesn’t mean it’s not really a “second job” where you’re making money by using your money and brains to invest. If you look at it that way, it’s a business and business profits get taxed at the same rate as your regular income (again, excepting corporate structures).
The money we’re using to start my wife’s new company is also discretionary money, but I fully expect to pay the regular income tax rate on any profits we generate. Just because we aren’t buying and selling equities with that money doesn’t mean we should pay a higher rate.
By Midori
August 25, 2008 9:02 PM | Link to this
“the bottom of a birdcage”?
Is that where you shop for your photos, Bud?
well, well - that explains an awful lot!!
TO THE BAT SIGNAL!!!!!
By Taxpayer
August 25, 2008 9:05 PM | Link to this
If ye olde rain gage is to be trusted, unlike those cheap pulleys employed by some for water depth measurement devices, then I have received 4 inches of rain today. We shall see what tomorrow brings.
By Rufus
August 25, 2008 9:17 PM | Link to this
More on the merry-go-round:
Yes, you do get a tax break for losing money on equities. It’s called a capital loss
Byte: A capital loss is the result of selling an investment at loss. If you hold on to your fund and lose money, you can’t really claim it as a loss, can you? Yet if you hold on to a fund and have to claim a gain, it’s taxed, which is this entire argument. Again, I see something wrong with that.
And just because you think of it as discretionary doesn’t mean it’s not really a “second job” where you’re making money by using your money and brains to invest.
And there again is a fundamental difference between our philosophies. I don’t consider personal decision making like investing (for better or for worse and benefits or repercussions accordingly - gain or loss) as a “job.”
I understand your viewpoint. I really do. I just don’t agree with it.
By AJC/DNC Management
August 25, 2008 9:19 PM | Link to this
Only in Seattle could an event touted as a way to help the environment get washed out during what is supposed to be the driest time of the year.
Car-free days is part of Mayor Greg Nickels’ campaign to encourage people to walk, bike or take mass transit.
One neighborhood is closed off to car traffic during selected weekends this summer.
“A car passes by every once in a while, just people trying to get home. And they don’t know how to get home,” said resident Matt O’Connor.
I know, maybe we could send some environmental terrorist liberals to Russia, this Cold War II would be over before it got started.
You busy Jay?
By Rufus
August 25, 2008 9:23 PM | Link to this
Taxpayer: hope you have strong tree roots in your yard.
Wow, early round play at the US Open and gorgeous young women trading cat gut. It doesn’t get any better than that.
There’s a DNC convention or something going on???
By @@
August 25, 2008 9:47 PM | Link to this
O.K., I’m gonna say this.
I’ve been dreading seeing Teddy for reasons other than the obvious.
I’m pleased to say he looks well.
By ByteMe
August 25, 2008 9:50 PM | Link to this
Rufus: Yet if you hold on to a fund and have to claim a gain, it’s taxed, which is this entire argument
I didn’t claim that, though. Of course, it’s not a profit or loss until you sell. Basic investment premise. No one is trying to tax that, no one talked about trying to tax that. Capital gains (and cap gains taxes) are all about locked in gains, not theoretical ones. You know that, so not sure why you went off the path on that one.
And you may not consider it a job, but investment managers who make a lot (most?) of their income from their investments do indeed think of it as their job. Why should their gains be taxed at a rate less than me or you for doing other kinds of work? It just doesn’t make sense.
By RW-(the original)
August 25, 2008 10:01 PM | Link to this
HAHAHAAH
Joe Biden-I don’t have Barack Obama money.
By Bud Wiser
August 25, 2008 10:06 PM | Link to this
Well, no Dead Kennedy perspectives tonight, but one near dead Kennedy made the stage.
By @@
August 25, 2008 10:17 PM | Link to this
BUD WISER??????
Don’t make me come in here and kick your bud.
By RW-(the original)
August 25, 2008 10:17 PM | Link to this
You can read an advance copy of Michelle Obama’s speech in one of the updtaes here.
Is any news outlet covering the riots at the Civic Center?
Jay, you can take that as a news tip and pass it on to a reporter if you still have those kinds of people around.
Now back to MO’s speech. How is she going to choke out that ending without Jeremiah Wright taking her over?
By Rufus
August 25, 2008 10:21 PM | Link to this
And you may not consider it a job, but investment managers who make a lot (most?) of their income from their investments do indeed think of it as their job. Why should their gains be taxed at a rate less than me or you for doing other kinds of work? It just doesn’t make sense.
Well Byte, if I was an investment manager like my sister and brother in law, I’d consider it a job too. But I’m not. If it makes you feel better, we can throw in a loop-hole proof capital gains income tax only for those who work in investments for a living. I’m just tossing ideas out there, and if my sister reads this she’ll kill me for sure if not her ex-Marine husband. Heh.
By RW-(the original)
August 25, 2008 10:25 PM | Link to this
Bud,
Don’t talk about Caroline that way. She’s just skinny, but she’s voluptuous compared to Ahnalds’s wife.
@@,
Ted looked better than he has in years. I hate to say it, but I think it’s because he dried out.
By Rufus
August 25, 2008 10:25 PM | Link to this
Uh oh. Here comes the sap story about Michelle “I am finally proud of my nation” Obama.
Back to tennis…
By GodHatesTrash
August 25, 2008 10:26 PM | Link to this
Uh oh.
Looks like some McCainiacs are stepping it up…
By @@
August 25, 2008 10:30 PM | Link to this
Oh puhleeze….
From Michelle’s speech:
he never had: the affirming embrace of a father’s love.
Translation:
America, please embrace my husband. He never had a father’s love.
Is he a big boy or not? Obviously, he’s not.
Some things are just too too, if you know what I mean?
By Rufus
August 25, 2008 10:45 PM | Link to this
Michelle on Barack (paraphrased):
He believes that you should work hard to get what you want in life.
Funny, you socialist libs take away from those who work hard in life and attempt reap the rewards - after all - they don’t really “need” it.
Rather ironic comment if you ask me.
By RW-(the original)
August 25, 2008 10:52 PM | Link to this
Dang, I thought she was going to say he was going to buy us all ice cream.
/you had to be watching to connect those dots……
By RW-(the original)
August 25, 2008 11:00 PM | Link to this
OMG…One of The Dunce’s kids just called him out. After he said he was in Kansas City and a minute later he said he was in St. Louis, The kid said…..
daddy, what city are you in
By @@
August 25, 2008 11:21 PM | Link to this
You too RW? Ted’s color was due to makeup. I had expected him to be emaciated. He wasn’t. I’m glad.
I think little Malia was given an opportunity to correct her Dad’s obvious mistake. A lot of whisperin’ going on up there.
I wonder how that wonderful family who was hosting his visit felt when he couldn’t remember what city they lived in?
By jonny2cash
August 25, 2008 11:25 PM | Link to this
Oh boy!! The Georgia bigots are off and running. Who would expect anything different. Michelle was awesome and she’ll be even better as First Lady.
By Dusty
August 25, 2008 11:30 PM | Link to this
Good grief, RW, did you read Michelle’s speech?
Who in the world wrote that one? It was a syrupy bedtime story for the children, sweeter than a Hershey chocolate bar. It also reminded me of obituary write-ups where every move of the deceased was described as high minded, delightful, thoughtful and beneficial to mankind.
I have never liked the anti-American Michelle. But I might have had a little respect for her if she had gotten up and said “I’m tough as nails and will fight every inch of the way to get Barach in the White House. I’ve pushed him for sixteen years and I’m not going to quit now. Get going! Get off your fat a….. and vote. You want your handouts, don’t you?”
Now that’s an honest speech, something we will not hear at the Democratic Convention. Too bad. There’s enough fluff and fiddle faddle going on to choke the whole crowd.
By Major Van Harl USAF Ret.
August 25, 2008 11:31 PM | Link to this
THEY WILL NEVER GET ALABAMA
I received an e-mail advising me that Wal-Mart had completely sold out of ammunition in all their stores, east of the Mississippi river. Of course my first reaction was I knew this was going to happen. I had even recently written a column on the 36% increase of ammo prices in the past year. Now here was proof that ammo was in short supply. A TV news camera crew had recorded an interview with a customer standing at the sporting goods counter of a Montgomery Wal-Mart. When asked why he was trying to buy more ammo he stated “by God the Russian may have invaded Georgia, but they were never going to get Alabama.” The Russian “bear” is at it again. The one thing you need to understand is; negotiating with either the old Communist Soviet Union or the new Putin, oil-controlling Russia, has and will always be, a waste of time. They only understand brute force, because that is how they have always done business with the nations around their borders. So no, the Russians did not get our Georgia and they most likely will never get our Alabama, but they are going to try and get Eastern Europe’s Alabama and that, would be the Ukraine. The Russians have always had a fear that people would sneak up to their borders and invade Mother Russia. Of course the Russians have a history of sneaking up to their neighbor’s borders and then quietly having their Cossacks drive the local peasants into their graves. At the