Tax Cuts

The Middle Class Reacting To Romney-Ryan, And Their Promotion Of The Oligarchy

Ronald 17 Comments

Both Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are being besieged by demonstrators at campaign events, who reject their attack on the middle class, and their promotion of the oligarchy, the top two percent, who already have more concentration of wealth than at any time in American history, including the Gilded Age and the 1920s.

It is clear that nearly 80 percent of the American people, based upon polls, do not want Medicare turned into a voucher system. It is also clear that women are not going to accept the limits on their rights that Republicans are promoting in Congress and in many Republican controlled state legislatures.

The growing feeling is that this Romney-Ryan team could be the most radical right wing combination we have seen in Republican Party history, with the exception of Barry Goldwater in 1964, and even he came out for an attack on social conservatism and the power of religion in the GOP, backing gay rights and abortion rights, in his older years.

It is not promising when Paul Ryan is revealed to have agreed with radio talk show host Glenn Beck that progressivism and liberalism was a “cancer”, in a radio interview in 2010.

In other words, what this author said over the weekend about the inflexibility and ideological extremism of Paul Ryan is not just theory, but based on evidence, not only in that radio interview, but in the dealings of the House Budget Committee majority under Paul Ryan’s leadership, adopting a budget with massive tax cuts for the wealthy, while cutting Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Pell Grants, Food Stamps, and many other programs!

Notice that the popularity rating of the Congress, particularly of the House and its leadership, is at an all time low, hovering around 12 percent.

If Mitt Romney thought selection of Paul Ryan was going to invigorate his campaign, he was right in a certain sense. It has caused the beginning of the outrage of middle class Americans who are not going to allow the GOP team to destroy America as a land of opportunity, and the last great hope of mankind, and instead just promote the elite wealthy!

The Tea Party Movement had its opportunity to confront and challenge Barack Obama and his health care plan in 2009-2010, in a very vigorous and disruptive manner at political rallies and town halls.

Now, those who are opposed to the narrow mindedness of the Tea Party Movement are getting their opportunity to express their anger, as if we allow one side to be outspoken, the other side has the same opportunity. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press still exist, even for those who disagree with Glenn Beck and Paul Ryan! This is a democracy, not a dictatorship of the RIght!

Trying To Decipher The “Republican” Brain: Crazy, Lacking In Reality And Ethics

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Republicans used to be a reputable major political party, and have a lot to be proud of in their history of 158 years.

But there is little to be proud of in 2012, as Republicans seem to have lost their minds, their ethics, their morality, their ability to understand reality!

How else to explain the following:

A vast majority of Republicans believe Barack Obama was born in Kenya, is a Muslim, is a Socialist, a Fascist, a Communist, and wishes to destroy America.

The deficit issue began with Barack Obama, ignoring $2 trillion investment in failed wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and $1.3 trillion in tax cuts to the top two percent of the population under George W. Bush.

The Federal budget can be balanced with only program cuts, not tax increases ever again.

Global warming is a hoax, and evolution is just a theory, and God will always protect all of us from harm from the climate, and mankind walked the earth alongside dinosaurs.

Iraq caused September 11, and we found Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq.

Since there is no body, how do we know that Osama Bin Laden was really killed by US Navy Seals?

Contraception is evil, and knowledge to adolescents about sex is evil, and it is all a plot to promote gay sex and abortions.

All Hispanics and Latinos are illegal immigrants, and they are all criminal elements that must be deported en masse.

Barack Obama is easily the most corrupt President we have ever had in American history, including Richard Nixon, and George W. Bush.

The collapse of Wall Street in 2008 was due to too much regulation, and was caused by Democrats and liberals.

The entire New Deal and Great Society is unconstitutional, and needs to be repealed, and return us to the days of states rights, instead of a powerful national government.

America was designed to be a theocracy, and we are a Christian Republic, and if we follow Jesus Christ, we will be just fine.

Science is atheism, and should be dismissed as propaganda to turn America away from God and Jesus Christ.

The list goes on, but this is enough to tell any sane person that the GOP has gone amuck in its craziness about the real world we live in!

The Crux Of The Matter: Barack Obama’s Speech In Cleveland Sets The Standard!

Ronald 1 Comment

President Obama today gave a rousing speech in Cleveland, making clear that he was not willing to give Mitt Romney a massive tax cut, along with other millionaires and billionaires, and that much more important was to give basic security to the elderly, the sick, and those seeking work and suffering from the Great Recession for the past four and a half years!

In a nation in which the average family has suffered a drop in assets of 39 percent in the past few years, including on retirement savings, housing, jobs, and ability to provide college education to one’s children, Obama said the only way to grow the economy was the creation of a strong middle class, based on education, investment in infrastructure projects, and the utilization of technology to find new methods of economic expansion, including energy projects that plan for a world less dependent on oil and coal.

Instead of returning to deregulation and massive tax cuts for the rich, Obama said government can be good and productive and helpful in bringing back the American economy, and that if we are all to be only thinking about ourselves, that will not revive the American economy.

The election is a clear cut choice between two philosophies, and Obama declared that it was a crucial, turning point election that will determine the long term direction of the country.

If one uses common sense, and realizes that the way to move forward is to think of ourselves as “WE”, instead of “ME”, then Obama will win the election in November!

Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan As Mitt Romney’s Running Mate: The Reverse Robin Hood!

Ronald 3 Comments

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin yesterday declared his interest in considering the opportunity, if asked, to be the Vice Presidential running mate of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.

This author has earlier stated that Ryan would be one of the best choices that Romney could make, along with Ohio Senator Rob Portman, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, and South Dakota Senator John Thune, all from the Midwest, the battleground for the 2012 Presidential Election.

Ryan is handsome, well spoken, comes from a “swing state” in the Midwest, and certainly knows a lot about the budget, as the head of the House Budget Committee.

These positives, however, are negated by the fact that Ryan has now proposed two budget years in a row for the ending of Medicare as we know it, replacing it with a voucher system for senior citizens.

Also, Ryan wants to promote even bigger tax cuts for the top two percent, and despite his protestations to the contrary, actually would increase the national debt, while claiming to try to deal with the national budget in a responsible way.

Basically, Paul Ryan is an arrogant, cocky guy who wants to be a reverse Robin Hood, and can sleep at night cutting Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, education, environmental protection, and many other government programs in his mad dash to enrich the Mitt Romneys of the world!

Why would Mitt Romney NOT embrace Paul Ryan, as he and his elite class would be enriched ever further by this Congressman who claims to be a budget hawk, but really just wishes to redistribute income from the poor and middle class to the wealthy?

Romney Tax Cut Plan Benefits Wealthy Three Times As Much As George W. Bush’s Tax Cuts

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News has come out that Mitt Romney’s Tax Cut plan would TRIPLE the benefit to the top one percent of the population, which includes Mitt Romney.

George W. Bush’s tax cuts were equivalent to one percent of Gross Domestic Product at the time, while Romney’s tax cuts would be equivalent of 3.4 percent of GDP, and cause massive cuts in domestic social programs, including Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Romney himself would gain a 40 percent or greater tax cut, added on to his 15 percent or less tax burden now.

No wonder Romney does not wish us to see how he acquired his $250 million wealth over the years, and refuses up to now to reveal his past tax returns, even though his father, George Romney, was path breaking, in releasing 12 years of tax returns when he ran for President in 1968 as a potential Republican nominee.

So senior citizens and the poor would bear the burden of Romney’s tax cut plan, as he is very willing to enrich the “one percent” at the expense of the rest of us.

How could anyone support Romney against Barack Obama hearing the truth about the Romney tax plan? It is again an example of the tone deafness of many people, who secretly still hate that a guy who is black is our President! There is no rational explanation otherwise, sorry to say, why anyone would vote against his or her own economic interest!

Mitt Romney, Free Enterprise, And Capitalism On Trial: Is The Future Of America ONLY For The Elite Wealthy?

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It is extremely ironic that we are seeing a bitter debate in the Republican Party over the virtues, morality and future of American free enterprise and capitalism, in the process of picking a Republican candidate for the Presidency in 2012.

Mitt Romney, a man who became obscenely wealthy at the expense of thousands of middle class workers who lost their jobs due to an equity company (Bain Capital) whose only purpose was PROFIT over people, and who now wishes to promote a tax plan much worse in its inequity than the tax cuts of George W. Bush, has caused a split with Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry and Sarah Palin demanding accountability, while Donald Trump, Rush Limbaugh, Rudy Guiliani and just about everyone else wants this split and heated debate to end, as it only helps Barack Obama and the Democratic Party.

For the first time in memory, the whole concept of the goodness of unbridled capitalism is under the microscope, and this is good, as if the system continues without change and much greater regulation, there is the danger of violence and bloodshed by an aggrieved majority of the population, rather than peaceful recognition of the need for radical change to avoid such tragedy!

The great inequity of wealth, and the exploitation of the majority of Americans by a small, greedy group of entrepreneurs cannot continue, and this elite had better recognize that before a turning point is reached that will help no one, and hurt the social stability of America in the future!

Romney Tax Plan Worse Than Bush Tax Cuts: The Further Victimization Of The American People!

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Anyone who wants to be fair minded knows that George W. Bush bankrupted the nation with the massive tax cuts for the top one percent of the population between 2001-2009.

But now Mitt Romney has a tax plan that is far worse than George W. Bush perpetrated on the American people.

The Romney tax plan would do the following:

1. Millionaires would receive TWICE the tax cuts under Bush.

2. Sixty percent of the tax cuts would go to the top one percent, more than under Bush.

3. Romney claims he wants to balance the budget, but it would not occur with his tax plan, and in fact would raise the debt levels even more than now. There would be perpetual deficits, even with draconian spending cuts.

4. 22 million middle class households with children would pay more taxes, and lose the benefit of higher education tax breaks.

5. Finally, the benefits given the rich through corporate loopholes would be retained, including for oil companies, yacht owners, horse breeders, corporate jet owners, and equity firms such as Bain Capital, making their effective tax rate lower than middle class families.

Mitt Romney’s 59 point plan is a major attack on the middle class, and a further promotion of the elite wealthy, and everyone needs to understand that when they vote for President this November!

Barack Obama’s Jobs Speech: Aggressive, Blunt, Forceful, Extremely Effective!

Ronald 1 Comment

Barack Obama gave a fantastic speech before a joint session of Congress this evening, and he called upon the Republicans to be bipartisan, but warned that he will fight for his jobs agenda across the country if there is no action!

This is the kind of speech that his supporters have been wishing for over a long time period! Be a strong advocate, offer cooperation, but make it clear that he will not tolerate lack of action by Congress without a clear cut reaction, on the level of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Truman!

Calling for dealing with education by rehiring of thousands of teachers, infrastructure spending, tax cuts for small businesses and the middle class, and aid to the long term unemployed through further extension of unemployment compensation, Obama called for a fairer tax system as well, to revive the American economy!

Basically, he declared a war on the economy, and seemed to gain some GOP support, based on early reactions by Speaker of the House John Boehner and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor. But if they follow the lead of Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, pledging opposition to any Obama programs, then the Democrats will fight in every congressional district to get the message across, and put Republicans on the spot with their constituents!

The speech was inspiring, and is the opening salvo in the 2012 Presidential election, with and without GOP support! This is the time for all who believe that President Obama is doing the best for this nation to rally around the administration and its programs to deal with the economy!

Tim Pawlenty: Another George W. Bush On Tax Policy?

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Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty has been considered a serious, if dark horse, Presidential nominee. Many people have seen him as having fewer faults, and as avoiding ridiculous or outrageous statements or actions, and therefore as having a good shot at the nomination, even though he tends to be quite boring and uninspiring!

But even if he is seen as better than Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Sarah Palin, and Michele Bachmann, and put into the short list with Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman, Pawlenty this week destroyed any illusion that he could be President, by demonstrating total irresponsibility on the tax and spending issue!

Pawlenty sounds like a second George W. Bush, who cut taxes, put us into two wars not paid for in Iraq and Afghanistan, and started a Medicare Prescription plan unpaid for by tax increases. Bush doubled our national debt, and there had been a $3 trillion surplus when Bill Clinton left the Presidency!

On the tenth anniversary of the first Bush tax cuts, which made the rich richer and the poor poorer and the middle class disintegrate, Pawlenty came up with an economic plan strangely reminiscent of Bush.

He argues for further tax cuts and further spending cuts, and claimed there would be a five percent economic growth rate annually under his plan, because cuts in taxes on corporations and the wealthy would create new economic activity!

The problem is that this policy of Bush did exactly the opposite, and with lack of regulation, led to the Great Recession, which is still existing in many ways, if not officially.

So Pawlenty has learned nothing, and shown himself to be totally reckless and delusional, all to gain support of the right wing of the GOP, but not the way to win the nation, which is suffering still today from the failed Bush policies.

So, just like that, Pawlenty’s likelihood of success is lessened, and leaves rational thinkers to feel that only Mitt Romney or Jon Huntsman makes any sense, assuming the Republican Party regains its senses!

Florida Governor Rick Scott: 30 Days Evaluation Bad Sign For The Future! :(

Ronald 4 Comments

Florida’s Republican Governor, Rick Scott, who suddenly emerged just nine months ago in politics, after having brought about the greatest Medicare scam ever through his health care company in the mid 1990s, has now been in office one month, and it is not a good sign for the future of Florida politics! 🙁

The concept that a corrupt, crooked business executive, who enriched himself on fraud, and yet was able to avoid prison time for his transgressions, could go ahead and spend $73 million of his ill begotten fortune to “buy” the Florida governorship, is enough of an outrage by itself! 🙁

But Scott, who overcame the GOP establishment in the state to win the nomination for Governor over Attorney General Bill McCollum, and went on to defeat Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink in the closest gubernatorial election in history (about 50,000 votes), has now shown just how arrogant and destructive he really is! 🙁

Scott is setting out to destroy the Florida Retirement System, and is trashing the public servants of Florida, who went into public service understanding the low pay of most public jobs, but were drawn to the FRS as an important benefit that made up for the lack of competitive salaries.

Scott is attempting to force all public employees to take a five percent paycut to contribute toward their pension plans, at a time when there have been no salary increases for a number of years. He also wishes to take other aspects of the FRS away, and make the pension system one of the worst in the nation! 🙁

Scott shows no respect for the significance and sacrifice of teachers, police, fire fighters, paramedics, nurses, librarians, prison guards, and all the other public servants who commit themselves to the myriad of jobs that the average Floridian takes for granted.

And Scott is declaring war on the teaching profession, which will only discourage new entries into the profession by young people, and will cause many to leave the field. To blame the teachers for failures of students, rather than place it on inadequate budgets and class sizes, and the essential role of parents and families on children’s learning, is an absolute outrage! 🙁

If teachers will not have respect, decent pay and benefits, and the backing of administrators, then we will lose the chance to gain the best young minds to go into our classrooms. Mediocrity will reign, and Florida will fall further back into what one could call a “third world” mentality, one of ignorance and
narrow mindedness! If we condemn and attack our teaching force, we lose the opportunity to gain the “best and the brightest” for the future and to put Florida into the 21st century!

Not only is Scott trying to destroy education, but also he has refused to enforce the Obama Health Care legislation, is sending back federal aid to implement it, and has encouraged legal attacks on the legislation, including the recent declaration by a Florida district court judge that the whole legislation is unconstitutional! Interesting that a former health care executive who engaged in fraud is leading the charge to destroy national health care, not giving a damn about the millions of Floridians and other Americans who have no access to health care! 🙁

Beyond all this, Scott refuses to communicate with the news media other than in so called “tweets”, comments no longer than 140 characters. He would rather speak to private groups such as the Tea Party, who he will be addressing privately this coming week about his budget plans. He requires journalists who wish to address him at a public gathering to stand up before asking a question, which he then answers in a few sentences, with no desire to really explain himself in detail. After all, he is the GOVERNOR, and need not be accountable! 🙁

His budget plans call for MASSIVE cuts in Medicaid and education, with no possibility of tax increases, even though it will devastate the state, lead to much higher unemployment, and make Florida more backward than ever. And unless his party in the legislature, more than two thirds membership in each house, have the guts to fight him, he will get his way. Realize that many Republicans have their private doubts about this man who refuses to explain himself in detail, and is known as difficult to talk to, even in private, as he thinks he has all the answers! 🙁

To top it off, there are now strong rumors that Rick Scott has national ambitions, and not just for 2016, even possibly for 2012! Newspapers in the state and National Public Radio are reporting that Scott hopes to make an impression with his budget, and his stands on the health care legislation, budget cuts, and education, and utilize it as a pretext to seek the Presidential nomination of his party! 🙁

A man who should be in prison for his Medicare fraud, who refuses to communicate with the news media, who is arrogant and nasty and dismissive toward his critics, who “bought” the Florida Governorship, seems to have no limits to his ego and ambitions! 🙁

This is the man that Florida has to deal with for the next four years at least, unless the whole nation is, somehow, bamboozled to make him our President in 2013. Let’s hope that terrible, nightmarish scenario never comes to be, and that maybe, just maybe, his own party in the Florida legislature may realize how his lack of ethics and belief in obeying the law in his past, may yet lead to such abuses in the state of Florida to warrant them to forget about party loyalty and move to impeach and remove him from office! 🙁