I consider myself a middle class American and like many others who started out with little am grateful to be a member. America under democrats though has become divided and with the lefts relentless class warfare strategies, we are now reaping the results of their attacks on the middle class. America under the left and the practicing "progressives", Obama, Geithner and the "gang to make us poor" of the administration, have wrecked our hopes and American optimism. Obama practices "crony capitalism" and the middle class is nowhere to be found in his policies and his laws. HERE is a great article on the lefts attack on the middle class from Joel Kotkin at Forbes. I agree with most of it except perhaps the opinion he has on the social issues.
What has happened over time here in America and has sped up exponentially since the left took Congress in 2006 and the White House in 2008 is a consistent attack on the people in the middle who do most of the hard work. When the words from Obama's mouth attack Republicans about the "rich" I just can't even listen to his screeds anymore. He comes across as a phony=baloney because when I review his hiring practices, he hires his cronies from big banks and big business. Jeffrey Immelt from GE is the biggest joke yet. Obama and Immelt are joined at the hip and while Obama cries a river about the "rich" and them not paying their "fair share" of the bills (even thought the top 1% pay 38%), Immelt managed to pay ZERO taxes for his company GE! That was in 2009-2010. This hypocrisy is unacceptable in governance.
These Obama and democrat maneuvers are sending millions of Americans away from them and into the right or independent ranks. The middle class was overlooked for many years in America and now that we have a sustained unemployment rate over 9% (16% really), we see the value of a college eduction and its degrees become less a guarantee of rising up the ladder. I appreciate people getting their college degrees and doing better for themselves but I never got a degree, instead becoming a builder and for a while a political person. I was worried that a degree for many Americans might not pay off when times get tough because no matter how smart in book learning and banking rules someone is, their car may still need to be repaired by, GASP, a middle class mechanic.
Well, it has happened. College degrees are no guarantee these days of security from unemployment. The rules and regulations passed by dopey liberals have come home yo roost, roost on the heads of most Americans. Perhaps not the cronies of Obama and Charles Schumer though. These paragons of fairness have protected the banks and totally shoved the middle class aside. Obamacare is a frontal assault on the middle class and the left shoved it down the throat of all of us middle class Americans. The Obama Administration does the ropa-dope on us all by supposedly having programs to help people stay in their homes but then requires the banks to be so stringent on loans that no middle class people can even qualify. So all these hose on foreclosure get purchased by the cronies who pay cash or have connections with the bankers.
Same with "green" technology. The government has decided to fund their cronies in the green industries with our middle class tax dollars. If you say you are green and will create jobs (subsidized by us of course), Obama will come a give a speech at your ribbon cutting. But, if you want to manufacture a incandescent light bulb, you will be out of luck. Obama and the left pick winners and losers and use our tax dollars to buy votes. This has to stop and it appears to me the only hope is the middle class rising up and throwing these big government crony capitalist out of office. The best bet to that end in my opinion will be accomplished by the Tea Party Patriots. A populist bunch of Americans who are fed up. A middle class/Independent/Tea Party consortium may well save our republic.
Todd J. Juvinall
I Miss my Husband very much! Todd was simply all about loving God, County, Family and People. My love , My husband is with Jesus in Heaven. He enjoyed communicating with each of you on Sierra Dragon's Breath. Todd was a Great, Loving, Kind man and will be Missed. Love you honey! Till wee meet again. 
Ah, love those trips down Ronnie Reagan Fantasy Lane! Prosperity isn't created by destroying our country's social net with our seniors, disabled and poor. The wealth and income disparity in this nation has never been greater, leading to what we find today- loyal working class who've been tricked into facilitating this unprecedented wealth grab by the greedy minority on top. Due to the bubble these uber greed meisters created, there aren't very many middle class consumers left to spur on economic growth. You right wingers have no one to blame but yourselves! Ah, the dreamy salad days of faux prosperity and ultra low tax rates were nice, but now its time for to pay up. Its a patriotic obligation for those of means.
ReplyDeleteBy goodness, Rencher strings together so many false narratives it makes me wonder how Rencher even finds his/her toothbrush in the morning.
ReplyDelete2.1
2.1, yes, those are the Daily KOS talking points. I will leave them up for people t se why rencher confirms the social and cultural divide in America,
ReplyDeleteYa'll actually think the massive income/wealth disparity in this country will be solved by doubling down on the use of Trickle Down Economics! LOL
ReplyDelete...and we wonder why much of the world laughs at the blatant ignorance of right wing Americans...
No they laugh at your lack of econ 101. We have seen your ilk regulate and fee and tax the middle class into poverty. The rich ay for your medicaid since they are paying the bulk of the taxes at the federal level. If I were you I would be ashamed that you don't pay any federal taxes like the 51% of Americans in your camp. You should be grateful.
ReplyDeleteI guess Rencher doesn't realize that statements like this, "Ya'll actually think the massive income/wealth disparity in this country will be solved by doubling down on the use of Trickle Down Economics! LOL" is total hyperbole and bears little resemblance to realities as they present themselves today. "Trickle down economics" is a term used by robotic libtards that don't have a foundation of knowledge by which to assess what they are seeing. Go take an Econ 101 class and get back to us.
ReplyDeleteFunnier still is this garbage, "...and we wonder why much of the world laughs at the blatant ignorance of right wing Americans." ...which is complete American-hating conjecture.
Rencher, if you hate this nation so much and the 70% of Americans that are Center-Right, then move to France, you'll be happier. Don't let the door hit your pathetic big-government loving ass on the way out.
2.1
You stole my thunder Todd. :)
ReplyDelete2.1
Way past Econ 101 boys. Stop the nonsense and just call it what it is- TRICKLE DOWN ECONOMICS. Funny thing that. We had (and have) Bush tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans, so where are all the Trickle Down Jobs? Only ones I saw were in bubble industries that burst and will never return.
ReplyDeleteMost economists in this country understand that deficit reduction must be secondary to job creation, and that a balance of tax increases and spending cuts must be included. You will not see any type of economic pickup if you destroy whats left of the middle/lower classes by cutting needed benefits, and destroying jobs that depend on government assistance.
Rencher, you are making a fool of yourself. The percentage of people in this country not paying ANY income tax increased by a larger factor under Bush than any other administration in history. So much for Bush's tax cuts on the wealthiest. Instead of causing an "economic pickup" your described "needed benefits" and " jobs that depend on government assistance", read funding, are what is at the root of the economic problem. You really are making a fool of yourself whether you are able to understand that or not. But then go ahead. I guess that's one reason we come here. It can be entertaining at times.
ReplyDeleteIts OK BW, really. A Nobel Prize Economist like Paul Krugman gets its. And we don't really care if you do.
ReplyDeleteEveryone acknowledges Bush's tax cuts primarily benefitted the top of the top. Thats not even in dispute by conservative economists. Their only defense is that these were the "job creators." LOL. Um, not so much since the Bush cuts. It created "wealth horders" in reality. Speaking of jobs - The healthiest growth industry in recent years is the healthcare industry- guess what happens when govt. massively cuts Medicare, Medicaid, and other govt. payors as the far right hopes? JOB LOSSES. On average, 50% of the revenue in healthcare industry comes directly from the GOVERNMENT. Cut that and hospitals and doctor will layoff people. Darn.
Massive govt. employee job and benefit cuts doesn't help the economy one bit, whether you like it or not, is dependent on consumer spending. More crime, more social ills, more healthcare expenses born by the taxpayer, less disposal income in circulation. Really nice.
Speaking of job growth, GREEN is still the place for growth and innovation. Exciting stuff!
ReplyDeleteA report released Wednesday by the Washington-based Brookings Institution says the desire to go with cleaner energy options also is paying off. It says the so-called "clean economy" now employs 2.7 million Americans, pays higher wages and requires little formal education.
Mark Muro, director at Brookings' Metropolitan Policy Program, said, "As a whole it is growing moderately fast, but segments of it are growing extremely fast."
And Muro said the U.S. is well positioned to take take full advantage.
"The growth that we're seeing in some of these renewable and clean tech segments is so compelling, and is projected to grow so fast globally, that it is imperative that the United States begin to foster these industries," said Muro.
The tax rates went up for the rich under Bush and they paid a substantial amount in increased taxes so you are incorrect. Obamacare cuts 500 billion out of Medicare and I am surprised you don't recall that from all the news reports and debates during the democrat passge of the socialist program (not one republican voted for it). Paul Krugman has been debunked so many times I thought he would retire from embarrassment. He is one of those economist claiming expert status who is always "surprised" when there is an economic indicator that comes out and does not jive with his forecasts. Medical care in America is growing larger because there are more old people and unfortunately there are less young people working to pay for the government programs. That is why Medicare is almost broke and Social Security is not far behind. The issue is jobs and perhaps if the government would get out of the way, our country will recover.
ReplyDeleteYou're surely the only person in America claiming that Bush RAISED taxes on the wealthy. LOL! An interesting take for sure. And yes, because of those demographics you just cited, we certainly do need to bump up taxes on those most able to afford it, to assure the future viability of Medicare. So yes, I agree that we need to apply the Medicare payroll tax to ALL income levels with no caps. Easy. One down. Next.
ReplyDeleteThe tax burden of the "rich" went up substantially. It has been widely reported and many Americans have seen it and read it. The tax burden for the lowest income levels went down to almost nothing. Even Obama said when agreeing to leave the Bush tx rates in place lasdt December that a million Americans would lose their jobs if he didn't extend them.
ReplyDeleteI say all Americans need to have skin in the game regarding taxes.
Pay attention here everyone. These remarks by Rencher are an excellent exposé on how these lemmings are manipulated like good little soldiers. They go out every day and get a dose of Kool-Aid just like addicts on methadone. This is what the elite left has been thriving on for decades. This is the root of the cancer. People that do not possess the ability to perform simple logic can be relied upon to follow whatever indoctrination they are feed as long as it is simple, repetitive and reliably available. And what makes it viable is that these are the people that cannot discern what is real and what is not due to their inability reason logically.
ReplyDeleteExcept for the bad UR, all indications are that the economy is on surer footing now than when Obama left the cuts in place last year. But I agree with David Stockman, a guy who knows about supply side, and who supports raising taxes on lower levels than 250K. As he says, our nation just cannot afford to leave the Bush brackets in place, as its already cost us nearly a trillion dollars in lost revenue. Now we need a common sense balanced approach. Shared sacrifice from people who's lives will not change with a couple of extra points on their marginal tax rates. People's lives WILL be impacted by massive govt. cuts. Cuts need to be made, but not to maintain the status quo for multimillionaires and billionaries.
ReplyDeleteBW cannot debate it appears. Much easier to make silly, simplistic personal attacks. Todd, I must give you credit for sticking to the stated rules and goals for your blog. You've been a gentleman debater at least.
ReplyDeleteRencher, the comment was not meant for you but you are correct in that there can be no debate with someone that cannot discern what is real and what is not.
ReplyDeleteTodd is a gentleman.
ReplyDeleteAnd you seem like a nice person as well Rencher...it's just that as BW said, we have a total cancer in this nation that has been caused by too much privilege and the inability to discern what is real and what is not.
I would add that I find a fundamental inability to find see true causation in almost any argument liberal folks make. There seems to be a serious breakdown in logic and I'm not sure where it occurred. My personal theory is that it occurred in 1975....must have been some bad acid or too pure of cocaine.
2.1
Todd, you have published a good summary and touched on some basics that could easily be expanded upon.
ReplyDelete“Rencher” is obviously a flaming liberal that has a desire for every taxpayer to pay for the “green” company that most likely will fail (based on history), in addition to subscribing to the belief that entitlement programs are somehow good for people……especially when everyone is forced to pay for them, which strikes at the heart of our financial problems to a degree.
He probably believes that food stamps are actually good for the economy.
Hard to reason with someone that far out in la-la land.
Regarding Stockman and his assertion of the debt. I disagree becasue there was no attempts to stem the spending so the gap widens and today we borrow 43 cents for each dollar the government spends and that is only at the federal level. 51% of our fellow citizens do not have skin in the game yet the same people receive tax money. That is why the debt and deficit have taken off so fast under Obama (the EPA budget increased 125% under Obama for example). Bush doesn't get off the hook but I must say he had 9/11 and other terrorist crap to deal with. I think it is interesting that tonight Obama walked out of the debt limit meeting and apparently threw a hissy fit. Our country's future is in jeopardy here and the politicians want to keep spending and taxing and regulating. That has to stop and to me, a person who stopped smoking cold turkey 14 years ago, the only way to stop bad behavior is to stop it cold. We can argue about debt till the cows come home but if we don't repair the damage and stop the bleeding now we will have no country left.
ReplyDeleteYes Todd, our country's future IS in jeopardy if we don't raise the debt ceiling. Obama in the position of President and king of the bully pulpit, is going to have the last word on this matter if the far right insists on bringing calamity to the financial markets. The man has already agreed to massive entitlement cuts, angering the base. NOW its the turn of people and corporations, who's lives and occupations are not at stake, to compromise and suck up small increases in marginal tax rates, act like American Patriots, and stop acting like spoiled, selfish brats who's only goal is to win election.
ReplyDeleteCould you list the cuts in entitlements for meplease, I am not aware Obama has done that. Regarding the debt ceiling. The Feds bring in about 202 billion a month. The debt servive is 29 billion. Add SS and Medicare, Military and others necessary human needs programs and you have about 30 billion a month left over. How is it that Obama can tell us there is a problwm when there seems to be plenty of money. The American people are tired of Wall Street and the bankers, as well as the unions getting all the mney from them. Time for the left to get patriotic and leave the poor taxpayers alone for a while.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I see, Obama's offer would basically follow the Simpson-Bowles Plan for major reforms of existing programs- Medicare/Medicaid/SS- changing payment methodology, increasing eligibility age, etc. Simpson-Bowles is not something any liberal would want to follow by instinct, but certainly its the balanced approach many are arguing for, and what MOST Americans will expect at the end of the day. Most important point is that Obama is in the drivers seat politically, but we hope not after the markets have tanked and the House is FORCED to cave. They can compromise now, or compromise later.
ReplyDeleteActually I think the reverse is true. Obama is running scred and the House is in the drivers seat. We have the Minnesota Democrat Governor Dayton caving today and accepting the Republican budget so there is a good current example. Obama to my knowledge today has not invoked ther Simpson-Bowles. He actually dissed it. Could you supply the link to his acceptance as you stated so I can go read it?
ReplyDeleteI think that if the right screws up the current borrowing issue they will be sent to the cleaners next election.....
ReplyDeleteThey won't even qualify for, and win the position of dog catcher in the next election!
Walter Watanbe
No Walter, we are going to sweep the table. The democrats led by Obama created this mess and the R's will fix it.
ReplyDeleteAgain another glowing example of Rencher not identifying reality.
ReplyDeleteThe reality is that Obama put forth a budget two years late that was shot down in flames.
ReplyDeleteDid he not know about the debt ceiling when he put forth his proposal?
He knew. He knew that he had gone on a Public Employee Union-loving spending binge and that the debt ceiling was getting close to being breached...but he's to much of a worthless ideologue to be pro-active and govern like an adult. Then the media picked up his battle and began to act like Obama has been responsible and the Republicans are somehow the ones that will be to blame for the default when IN FACT Obama and the Dems neglected to do anything about it until the Tea Party, establishment Republicans and centrist mid-west Democrats demanded spending cuts.
Those are the facts. Any liberal revisionist history belongs in the trash can. The media is complicit in lying for Obama.
2.1 (-) 14,389,567,987,051
Rencher, you need to take closer look at all those "Green" jobs, most are government funded or government subidised jobs. When the subsideis run out the jobs will go away and never return.
ReplyDeleteIf a commnity has 10,000 buildings that need energy audit and there are a 500 energy auditors, that is only 20 buildings each. What do those energy auditor do once all the audits are done? Start over again with more subsides?