The State of the Union

Sure sounded to me like he wants to grow government even more.

I got the exact same impression. It's now "Yes I can" instead of "Yes we can" !

Wow just another campaign speech and it never has been "yes we can" it has always been "yes i can" its just liberals cant tell the difference., its all the same to them take from others and give it to them since they are such mistreated by those who actually take responsibility for thenselves.

Loved his "Higher taxes" because "It's Fair". Not that it would take in revenue for teachers or police or fire, but that it was just "Fair". What a player this Obama guy is !

And people fall for his crap! Geeeeez!

Do you think the percentage that Romney enjoys on his taxes (around 15%) is fair?

Do you fall for the Republican crap of worshipping "job creators" in hopes that they might (and that is a big "might") sling a few jobs our way?

Do you think the percentage that Romney enjoys on his taxes (around 15%) is fair?

Yep! I and you, would get the same concideration, If we could invest like he does. Why would I want to screw up something I would be allowed to do, when I get to their status?

I'm working for that achievement. OMG, I said I was working for that kind of achievement. Forgive me. :)

when I get to their status?

Keep dreaming, you will never reach their "status" even if you won the lottery. In fact you would have to win the lottery every year just to stay close to these clowns. You really think Romney paying 15% is fair blows my mind, especially considering he is the only candidate Democrat or Republican running this year that pays so little of his total earnings.

Is that what Republicans have done? Make all their supporters believe that if they work hard and save they will at some point in their life be able to take full advantage of a low capital gains tax to beat the tax codes? Get real.

I said I was working for that kind of achievement.

Good luck with that...you'll need it, might want to throw some magic and imagination in too.

So what is a fair amount to you 20%, maybe 30, maybe 40, maybe 50 or even more just so the rich in Washington can spend it the way they seem fit, you really think more taxes will satisfy democrats????? like Obama. When that well runs dry they once again will be beating the drum it is time for eveyrone to pay their fair share all over again. Tax and spend democrats are never satisfied with what they have, they always want more of what isnt theirs and make their followers believe they are going to help you with it and you believe them LOL. Say they raise taxes on the rich where do you think they will get the other trillions they need to lower the deficit, you think your butt wont be on the hatchet line getting screwed paying it iso they once again can tell you it is for your good, dadddy Obama can spend your money more wisely then you can.

you will never reach their "status" even if you won the lottery

Sure I will ! I'm not a glass "Half Empty" guy, like you. :)

Do you know why he only pays 15% on capital gains JEFFINVA ?

I'll tell you. Because its allowed. Poor Buffetthas to pay the same amount, and thats only "IF" he pays. BooHoo for him though. And using his own secretary. What a disgusting person Buffett and Obama is/are. Mr. Buffett and President Obama, shame on you for holding up an innocent person, following the same rules Romney does, to further your agendas of Class Warfare.

Think about it JEFFINVA, what agenda does Buffett have for furthering his Faux martyrdom. ? Guaranteed, it's not because he's a selfless businessman. :)

Well given that Obama pays 26% and Gingrich 31% I think somewhere around that would be a good start, he purposely makes all his money through investments so he can take advantage of the low capital gains tax. In fact his 15% rate is the same rate that a single person making $8,351-$33,950 pays except he makes 41 million a year, yeah that's fair./s I want a President that has something in common with the American people and making all your income from investments doesn't really keep your finger on the pulse of the average American.

Sure I will ! I'm not a glass "Half Empty" guy, like you. :)

Half empty. That's funny, more like I realize that I won't ever reach that level no matter how hard I work. So work your fingers to the bone and when you're still working at 80 tell me how all your investment capital is paying your bills.

Tax and spend democrats

At least they try to put some money back in the pot as opposed to the GOP mantra of spend it all, who cares if it never comes back, we'll just blame it on Democrats. The fiscally conservative party you (I assume) think actually exists spends just as much as any Democratic President has or will. The only time Republicans are fiscally conservaytive is when they aren't the ones spending the money. I see that Rick applies the same GOP logic to taxes as they do with marriage equility, it's just a big slippery slope. One minute your letting men marry each other next they want to marry animals. Silly. You realize that that tax rates have come down over the last 60 years right? And that someone that "traditionally makes" the kind of money Romney does pays 35% tax rate.

Here you go a little history on taxes:

History of top rates

• In 1913, the top tax rate was 7% on incomes above $500,000 ($10 million 2007 dollars).
• During World War I, the top rate rose to 77% and the income threshold to be in this top bracket increased to $1,000,000 ($16 million 2007 dollars).
• Under Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon, top tax rates were reduced in 1921, 1924, 1926, and 1928. Mellon argued that lower rates would spur economic growth.^[29] By 1928, the top rate was scaled down to 24% and the income threshold for paying this rate fell to $100,000 ($1 million 2007 dollars).
• During the Great Depression and World War II, the top income tax rate rose from pre-war levels. In 1939, the top rate was 75% applied to incomes above $5,000,000 ($75 million 2007 dollars). During 1944 and 1945, the top rate was its all-time high at 94% applied to income above $200,000.
• Since 1964, the threshold for paying top income tax rate has generally been between $200,000 and $400,000. The one exception is the period from 1982–1992 when the top income tax brackets were removed and incomes above around $100,000 (varies by year) paid the top rate. From 1981 until 1986 the top marginal rate was lowered to 50%. From 1988–1990, the threshold for paying the top rate was even lower, with incomes above $29,750 to $32,450 ($51,000 in 2007 dollars) paying the top rate of 28% in those years.^[30]
• Top tax rates were increased in 1992 and 1994, culminating in a 39.6% top individual rate applicable to all classes of income.
• Top individual tax rates were lowered in 2004 to 35% and tax rates on dividends and capital gains lowered to 15%, with the Bush administration claiming lower rates would spur economic growth.

So, I guess that Greg is all right with someone like Romney(or those like him) paying a lesser tax rate than most middle class americans...

That's crap and you know it. If you google it, you will find that the AVERAGE tax rate for "middle class Americans" is around 7% (obviously based on the fact that 49% pay NO federal income tax) Also the vast majority of Romney's "income" is capital gains, which is taxed at 15% for EVERYBODY - including "middle class" Americans (yes, some middle class DO have capital gains) And keep in mind that the money which PURCHASED those stocks which resulted in capital gains was ALREADY TAXED AS ORDINARY INCOME so capital gains is actually a DOUBLE tax.

Calling it a double tax is a bit over-reaching. If they took a bath in the market they wouldn't pay those taxes but since they MADE money they get taxed on the money earned, not the total investment. So no they don't pay twice. And I'm well aware that Americans make capital gains but I'm pretty sure the list for Americans making all their money through capital gains is a very short list.

By the way I did Google it and if that's all a lie then I guess Wikipedia can be added to the already long and complete BS list of "liberal" websites.

Blame the damn tax code. and back in 04 kerry and ketchup queen paid less of a percentage the Romney. In '13 the CG sets in at around 23.8% and all dividends are taxed at bracket rates. So you can't even blame that much longer.

15% is a Legal, non cheating, tax amount, for investments and resulting dividends.

Why not mention the AMOUNT Mitt paid ? Why only the % ? It was $3,000,000+ in Taxes.

And it's money the government has Taxed TWICE. First a Coporaton makes a profit, pays Taxes on that Profilt. Then the corporation declares a Dividend, and using those same already taxed Profits, they mail out the dividends to stock holders who THEN PAY more tax on already Taxed Money.

Double taxes..........I guess it's NOT FAIR, is it ?

How is that a "level playing field?" Personally, I want everyone to be treated equally - so I have chosen to be part of the 49%. I will not pay any taxes this year - because Obama said we should all pay our fair share, and I chose the 0% fair share.

I've put myself in the tax bracket that gets 4 times more back than they pay in. That's Fair.

I'll throw a temper tantrum if you won't let me be equal.

I said I was working for that kind of achievement.

Good luck with that...you'll need it, might want to throw some magic and imagination in too.

So your answer is to sit on the porch and let the gubbermint take care of you? No wonder this nation is in the toilet, is this the thinking of the leftie Americans that just wants to settle for average and if someone does succeed, God forbid, well, we will just take that and give it to the average ones sitting on the porch waiting for their "gimme's". Pathetic!

That's crap and you know it. If you google it, you will find that the AVERAGE tax rate for "middle class Americans" is around 7%

Really?

Well, let's ask what a non-partisan tax center would have to say about that, shall we?

“He’s in the top, top tier,” says Roberton Williams of the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center in Washington. “He’s not in the top 400 – you would need $100 million or more [a year] for that, but he’s well up there.”

What differentiates Romney from many other millionaires is that little of his annual income comes from working a 9-to-5 job. Rather, most of it comes from investments, and the tax rate on investments is relatively low. As a result, Romney's tax rate was about 13.9 percent in 2010 and an estimated 15.4 percent in 2011 – lower than the rate paid by most middle-class Americans.

“He’s not paying much tax compared to others in his category,” says Mr. Williams.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/President/2012/0124/Romney-tax-return-shows-he-paid-3-million.-His-tax-plan-wouldn-t-bump-that

I'm sorry, the average EFFECTIVE tax rate is 11% Want to keep it up? My link is better than your link?

http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/2012/01/24/romney-pays-lots-of-taxes.html

I'm sorry, the average EFFECTIVE tax rate is 11%

Instresting that you're refusing to acknowledge a nonpartisan source that clearly states that Romney pays taxes at a lesser rate than middle class americans...

Want to keep it up?

This coming from someone who is willfuly ignoring evidence that disproves their assertions...

Didn't read the link, did you? The information was from The Tax Foundation.

As a nonpartisan educational organization, the Tax Foundation has earned a reputation for independence and credibility. However, it is not devoid of perspective. All Tax Foundation research is guided by the following principles of sound tax policy, which should serve as touchstones for good tax policy everywhere

http://www.taxfoundation.org/about/

Now, I have GIVEN you data to back it up. Shame you didn't read anything except the title of the link.

So I think it's rather unnecessary to go to personal attacks, don't you?

If Romney doesn't pay MY tax rate, but he does pay 3 million MORE in taxes than I do,

Exactly HOW does that affect my personal life ? What does this mean to me ??

Answers: It doesn't, and nothing.

I'm NOT a victim, and I don't Hate the rich. But I do feel sorry that certain people think they are a victim of Mitt's 3 million in Taxes, and they Hate the people with more money than they have. What a horrible way to walk around every day, being a victim and hating. tsk..tsk

it is a real shame that liberals think the only way to get ahead is to tear someone else down.....wealth envy is a horrible way to live your life..

... Occupy Wall Streeters are living examples; arrested, and jailed.

That will help them get a career that pays them what they think they're worth. Right!!!!

Anthony - they can always ghost write a book for a man who will be president - just look at Bill Ayres!

Wolf, Did you hear where Amazon has pulled hundreds of books from their "Erotica" list for outright plagiarism? Mostly by two authors. They even copied the mistakes.

One good author, though her books were selling well, never made it to #1 on best sold list and saw one book was at #1 for weeks. Deciding to look into what it was about, she got a copy and saw it was a fake author with a phony name and a direct copy of a known author, Mary Shelly.

Wolf, ...

Almost got it right. That's what I get for listening half asleep/awake, then thinking I remember. It was Bram Stoker not Mary Shelly.

Thanks for the link and your work to look it up. Really, thank you. I don't have a clue how you found it so fast.

There's so much trash on the net and I wonder if there's really that many gullable people out there.

Wolf,... I think you could write a great short story and it would sell on Amazon. Put together a set of trucker stories of life on the road and truck stop happenings with a little humor, maybe? Or how driving long has changed with the new regulations and the restrictions. Why do truckers talk over the CB like southerners? They can't all be from Texas or Tennessee. ... 8>}

Wolf,... As I've mentioned before, I'm a good listener and an observer of what is around me. Most of my knowledge is second hand and, personally, I don't feel right in profiting on others experiences. Yes, I learn much from others (writers and others' stories) but, cannot write well enough to make it believable as my experiences, which would be lying.

Though I don't follow/believe in any organizational religious dogma, i've read the full bible many times for many reasons. [And there are as many crank interpreters of the bible as there is those many who do for the Koran in islam.] My belief is that the ten commandments are a general social rule for people in a society to eliminate friction. Greed, lust, theft, honor, envy, are all addressed which disrupts order and the path to happiness and comfort of all.

The dawn stories of civilizations/aborigines are no more than how they explain origins from unknown/unknowable questions which turn into beliefs. It is the ones who turn it into a method of control, who wish to dominate others, that corrupts the message. If we are fair with others and they are fair with us, we will be free from conflict and strife.

However, the seven sins endure.

Kind of defeats the idea of "United we stand, divided we fall" doesn't it?

I don't think anybody doesn't want a better life for themselves and to say it all comes down to if they "feel" like doing the work involved sounds just too easy for it to ring true. I'm sure that's why so many people are unemployed these days...because they didn't "feel" like having a job./s A civilization isn't judged about how well the best do but how well the less fortunate are treated.

Or, they don't have a job because the companies had a chance to get rid of "Dead Wood" that were just "Paycheck whores" and not worth keeping.

Could Be !!!!!!!

Sorry about being "Blunt" Wolf.

Or, they don't have a job because the companies had a chance to get rid of "Dead Wood" that were just "Paycheck whores" and not worth keeping.

That's an awfully broad stroke of the brush to paint every unemployed person in America now as "paycheck whores" that were dead weight for companies. Wouldn't have anything to do with a struggling economy where less are spending money on crap they don't need in turn reducing the profits and stock returns for those companies' stock holders would it? That might lead to lay-offs a little faster then out of nowhere getting rid of "paycheck whores". But that would be too complex of a reality and it's so much easier to write them all off as losers instead. And at the peak of the employment slump when 400,000+ jobs were being lost a month, that seems to be a lot of "paycheck whores".

Nothing proves otherwise JEFFINVA !

I'm sure the "Companies" have better records than you or I have.

Ever seen the over employment in any government agency ? 5 workers, 4 standing around, one shoveling. Seen it over and over in my line of work.

I'm sure the "Companies" have better records than you or I have.

And I'm sure companies would never pull a "Capital One" move and fire large quantities of employees instead of laying them off so their stock prices don't go down. If you really think companies are going to give you the real reason many people were fired you're more gullible than you seem.

"More Gullible than you seem" is such a harsh wording. Why do Liberals always have to resort to that kinda stuff when you talk with them.

Did I call somebody stupid on this article or something. Geeez !

hey you're not being like minded, be gone knavette

hey you're not being like minded, be gone knavette

oops. I thought that part was a joke; what kind of discussion is it when each person must repeat what the person above them says? Sorry for not following this well thought out rule

hey you're not being like minded, be gone knave

hugh b a ......?

hugh b a ......?

Realist?

As in homework on their other options? Been there done that. Still can't seem to want a lobbyist or corporate raider being our President. I thought we as a people wanted to try to get the money out of Washington not double down on putting it back in.

Jeffinva - I'm not crazy about Romney for President myself. That being said, WE want to get money out of Washington, but apparently the Congress and Executive Branch DON'T. Why would they? It's in their best interests - and not even the President mentioned that he's gonna pull down a cool Billion or so in campaign contributions this year.

I thought it was funny to hear the delayed applause line when Obama called for an end to legislative insider trading. Not a lot of Republican hands clapping about that. It looked like a miracle of God to get Boehner clappin' on that one, given his investment in the pipeline.

Look I can't get behind the GOP candidates at all. Even if they magically came up with a solution to America's problems fiscally, their hardline stance on socially conservative issues turn me off enough to not touch them with a 10 ft. pole. When America is in the shape it's currently in (climbing out but not out yet) I think the last thing that needs to be on the docket is a piece of legislation that takes rights away from Americans ie: outlawing same sex marriage or restricting abortion rights. That's not how logical people fix a bad economy and neither is voting on pizza as a veggie or reaffirming the national motto. It seems the only legislation that even garners a vote now has zero to do with the economic crisis and more about turning us in to a nation with ultra-christian values. Sorry I can't support that.

Here's the deal - I don't like most of the Candidates either - they are all "more of the same" except Ron Paul. By the way, I do believe it was PELOSI who was one of the biggest winners in the insider trading racket there in Congress.

The one thing I DO give Republicans credit for over the last 2 years is NOT passing some of the crapola legislation the Democrats were pushing. Party of "NO" did good on that.

Now, would you like to comment on any of the points I made in 23? Because I believe every item was SPOT ON

JEFFINVA

"legislation that takes rights away from Americans ie: outlawing same sex marriage or restricting abortion rights."

Please keep your eyes on what is happening in this country regarding Islamic infiltration. Their goal-Shariah Law. You wouldn't be very happy. Gay's and women would be trash. You wouldn't need to be concerned about Liberty. It wouldn't exist. If you are already a part of the Jihad, or plan to support it, you need to abandon your efforts and do everything you can to support the Constitution of the United States of America.

BINGO!!

Sorry, back to the topic.

From what I heard, the speech was more for a union hall rally talk, right out of Alinskys' training manual. Than the real condition of the Nation today. Full of talk you'd expect from Lenin.

You have a home?? You used someone elses' money to buy it and that mortgage is someones investment money. Live in an apartment? Someone invested money to build that and you pay rent on that investment. You have a vehicle and payed cash for it? No, you got a car loan of other peoples money they invested

Technically the bank I borrowed from didn't have it either so it wasn't created by investors. It was brought about by fractional reserve banking practices. The bank basically created the money for my mortgage out of thin air (a click of a mouse). In fractional reserve banking banks can lend out $10 for every dollar they have on hand. That's how banks work now, not by investors.

If you don't like that go to a credit union or a building and loan.

JEFFINVA, #14.2;

You have a good imagination as to how banks work. No knowledge, but imagination, to dream up such a story. At least I hope it's a story, you don't really believe that tale?

Oh ya! Money does circulate, but a bank just doesn't hold out it's hand or punch a keyboard and money appears. They have less magic than you do.

Any, And I mean ANY, mortgage is paid with money on deposit by savers, deposited money market funds, and CDs. The bank, credit union, or savings/building and loans are owned by investors who put up enough money to open the banks doors. when the paper work is done and the Escrow closes, the mortgage can then be SOLD to an investment Mortgage bank who may bundle them in a group by worthyness and sell them on the "secondary money market" Fannie or Freddie, or as long term securities to investors like insurance companies and union pensions or IRAs, on the stock market.

I won't confuse you with amortized interest rates. And FHA or VA do not make home loans. They add 1/4% interest as an insurance premium to insure the investors who hold the mortgage, from total loss. Say, you don't have insurance coverage for hurricanes, they pay the principle of the loan off to the investors if the home is destroyed by one, less the value of the land if any.

As long as you live in that home with a mortgage you are using someone else's money and you don't own it until its paid and the title is in your name.

mitch - that tingle was you peeing yourself

LOL...that was hilarious.

Yuupp!