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Obama's "Budget Cuts" Laughable

Posted By: TechSupport on 2009-04-20
In Reply to:

So - you think it's impressive that Obama plans to ask his department heads to cut $100,000,000 from their budgets?  Let's put aside for a moment the question of why he's asking them for cuts at all when he's the one who says that MORE government spending is the solution to our economic crisis.


Obama is crowing about this because he knows that Americans don't know how to translate "huge" numbers into percentages, and also that Americans have grown used to hearing numbers in the $trillions.  I mean - millions, billions, trillions all sound pretty much alike!   Let's prove him wrong, shall we?


If Obama were asking for $100 million to be cut from a $3.5 billion budget, it would represent 1/35th of that budget.  1/35 is about 2.86%.  So even on a $3.5 billion budget this wouldn't be much.


But wait.  Obama's budget is $3.5 TRILLION, which is 1000 times larger. (A trillion is 1000 times larger than a billion.)  Conversely, that makes $100 million a thousand times smaller of a percentage of the budget.  In other words, we're not even talking about 2.86%, but one-thousandths of 2.86%.  Here's what that looks like:   0.00286%.


In other words, if Obama made NEW cuts of $100,000,000 from his budget every day for over 300 days, he still wouldn't have even cut 1% from his budget.  So you may now be forgiven if you're underwhelmed by Obama's $100 million budget cut. 


 It's kinda like someone crowing about how they've reduced their carbon footprint by disconnecting their doorbell.  And this little object lesson showing how little $100,000,000 is compared to Mr. Obama's budget also gives you a little bit better idea just how disgustingly gargantuan his budget really is.




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Obama said he was going to let Bush's tax cuts expire....
there is nothing at this site that suggests this takes into consideration letting Bush's tax cuts expire. Everyone should look at what Bush's tax cuts were and what you are going to lose when Obama lets them expire. Get the whole story.
THe Bush tax cuts that Obama is going to let expire...
DID help hardworking people. Do you even know what they are? Sheesh.
Wall Street Journal says Obama's tax cuts

Some need to pay close attention to this.........  it's called welfare handouts.  "Entitled mentality".  The working class will get NO tax cuts.  You all will be working to put money in the hands of those that do not.  It makes perfectly good sense.  I've been saying there is no way he can do anything he is leading people to believe he can because 1/3 of people in this country pay NO TAXES.   He has led so many to believe he will cut middle class when he can't.  He is blatantly trying to disguise "government handouts" as "tax credits".   You want your hard earned money going to everyone who doesn't bother to work? 


One of Barack Obama’s most potent campaign claims is that he’ll cut taxes for no less than 95% of “working families.” He’s even promising to cut taxes enough that the government’s tax share of GDP will be no more than 18.2% — which is lower than it is today.


It’s a clever pitch, because it lets him pose as a middle-class tax cutter while disguising that he’s also proposing one of the largest tax increases ever on the other 5%. But how does he conjure this miracle, especially since more than a third of all Americans already pay no income taxes at all? There are several sleights of hand, but the most creative is to redefine the meaning of “tax cut.”


For the Obama Democrats, a tax cut is no longer letting you keep more of what you earn. In their lexicon, a tax cut includes tens of billions of dollars in government handouts that are disguised by the phrase “tax credit.” Mr. Obama is proposing to create or expand no fewer than seven such credits for individuals[.]


 


Repeated? Obama doesn't want to repeat tax cuts

for the rich -- and "rich," by the way, is anyone earning more than a quarter of a million dollars a year.


Obama wants to give tax CREDITS to businesses that keep jobs in the USA, instead of exporting them out of the country.


These huge greedy corporations may be creating jobs, but they're not creating American jobs.  Obama wants to try to slow that down and wants to reward companies who don't turn their backs on Americans.


Finally an article on the truth of Obama's big tax cuts and plans...sm
It's been hard to find this story and the facts lately, and I'm glad you posted this.


It really sounds like Obama is trying to "buy" the votes of all the people in America in the lower income bracket.


Very sneaky and scary, as most people believe him.
Obama campaign cuts off WFTV after interview with Joe Biden...sm
Seems like if any news source asks any tough questions, and not softball easy ones, that the Obama campaign cuts them off.


Sounds like Socialism 101 to me....silence any nonbelievers at all costs




Obama campaign cuts off WFTV after interview with Joe Biden
posted by halboedeker on Oct 24, 2008 11:12:15 AM
Discuss This: Comments (60) |

WFTV-Channel 9's Barbara West conducted a satellite interview with Sen. Joe Biden on Thursday. A friend says it's some of the best entertainment he's seen recently. What do you think?

West wondered about Sen. Barack Obama's comment, to Joe the Plumber, about spreading the wealth. She quoted Karl Marx and asked how Obama isn't being a Marxist with the "spreading the wealth" comment.

"Are you joking?" said Biden, who is Obama's running mate. "No," West said.

West later asked Biden about his comments that Obama could be tested early on as president. She wondered if the Delaware senator was saying America's days as the world's leading power were over.

"I don't know who's writing your questions," Biden shot back.

Biden so disliked West's line of questioning that the Obama campaign canceled a WFTV interview with Jill Biden, the candidate's wife.

"This cancellation is non-negotiable, and further opportunities for your station to interview with this campaign are unlikely, at best for the duration of the remaining days until the election," wrote Laura K. McGinnis, Central Florida communications director for the Obama campaign.

McGinnis said the Biden cancellation was "a result of her husband's experience yesterday during the satellite interview with Barbara West."

Here's a link to the interview: http://www.wftv.com/video/17790025/index.html.

WFTV news director Bob Jordan said, "When you get a shot to ask these candidates, you want to make the most of it. They usually give you five minutes."

Jordan said political campaigns in general pick and choose the stations they like. And stations often pose softball questions during the satellite interviews.

"Mr. Biden didn't like the questions," Jordan said. "We choose not to ask softball questions."

Jordan added, "I'm crying foul on this one."



http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2008/10/obama-campaign.html

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/25/obama-campaign-cuts-interviews-florida-tv-station/


quite laughable, I think
You know, Lilly, it has gotten to the point of pure ridiculousness..If I posted that the sky was blue, the neocons would say I am dissing God cause the sky is overcast today..or whatever..It has gotten so **out there** with their nasty hostile posts it is beyond belief.  LOL..I, however, can see the humor in it all because as their political beliefs and hopes crash around them, what can they do but strike out at strong democrats/liberals who believe in the complete opposite of what they have been brainwashed to believe..So sad.  Because they do not have open minds and are not able to judge things rationally and fairly, they are left to strike out at anything that represents change from what they have been told to believe..It is really quite sad and I thank the powers that be that I am a liberal democrat who has always had an open free thinking mind and has never walked in lock step with political leaders..
This is just laughable to me.
Big tycoons wallowing in money.  I'm sorry but I do believe that Obama is wallowing in money himself.  He doesn't seem to have a problem with earmark spending, he wants the government to spend more money if he is elected, and he got the second highest amount of money from FMFM.  To me....that doesn't show any change in how things are done now other than MORE government spending and we most absolutely cannot afford that. 
I just think this is laughable.

Yes....I am angry.  I'm angry at the government as a whole.  Will I be angry if Obama wins.....no.  I will be very upset though because I feel he lacks so much and his character should be investigated instead of swept under the rug. 


I'm sure there will be some people who might throw a wrench into things just so Obama would look bad.  But that goes both ways and to suggest that is just something pubs would do is ridiculous.  The democrats have been the majority in congress and they have done jack sh1t here.  They keep talking about changing things but they won't change things and actually do anything until one of their own gets in office because they surely don't want Bush to get credit for doing something good. 


Also, I do believe it will be more likely that Obama and his supporters will raise holy he11 if Obama should lose.  The race card will be thrown up into the air and I fear riots may break out.  I do believe that there are people who will strictly NOT vote for Obama because he is black, but that doesn't define everyone voting against Obama.  There are just as many people voting for Obama just because he is black and that isn't right either but it goes both ways.  Just look at those video clips of Wright and Flager talking about blacks superiority and how whitey is evil and look at all those people cheering, standing up, and agreeing with those statements.  Those are going to be the people to cause major destruction and start riots if Obama should lose and that is really scary.


We can't change what happens whatever it may be.  I just hope and pray that both sides keep a cool head and don't do anything seriously stupid. No matter what happens we still have to stick together and try to make a better country for ourselves.


this is laughable...nm
nm
This is a laughable source of
.
Boy, is that a laughable remark, *the
Fox News! And you claim to be unbiased! You knew you were never unbiased. Even the *regular news* have now admitted they were in favor of Obama during the campaign, as if it was not evident!
Hahaha. you are laughable. Let me know when
nm
I did. A week vs 18 months? Laughable.
nm
Where in the world did you get that I am racist? That is laughable! sm
Nowhere, no way, do you have any indication that I am racist. I am not making fun of the disabled, I am making fun of you. The disabled have a reason for the way they behave - you're just silly by choice.
This post is laughable and pitiful
First of all, the FAKE war *was* lost before bush started it - and our standing in the world is likely permanently damaged because of it. So Reid is right when he says it's LOST. PUTTING COUNTRY FIRST means not staring fake wars that HURT our economy and kill innocent citizens and good soldiers. G-d forbid the war lovers get a clue or any education about what is really going on with U.S. foreign policy.


And Reid is saying is that McBush(cain) needed to 'BACK' the bailout - so that it would pass. Without his support, a bailout won't pass. Nothing 'wingnut' about this comment.

But OBAMA is right on this one: McCain needed to show he could/can multitask -its a joke to suggest he had to suspend his campaign in this crisis - simply do both by letting his VP candidate cover the campaign anytime he PHYSICALLY needed to be in DC to vote, etc.


BOTH PARTIES are politicizing this crisis BUT THEY ARE NOT TELLING you the truth - our economy is in trouble for a LOT of reasons - and they don't want you to know all of the reasons because then you'd understand how things *really* work in the good old US.


I use your words...this response is laughable...
and in many ways...yes...pitiful.

I don't know how any American can support any politician getting up and stating that a war still going on is lost. What a slap in the face for those with their lives on the line in Iraq. He should be ashamed. He is a representative of the United States of America. You think that comment did not enhearten the terrorists were were fighting? And yes, we were fighting AL Qaeda in Iraq within 2 weeks after going in, and I am sure that in your democratic talking points world you think they were able to mount an insurgency in that short a time and were not there until we went there. Pollyanna comes to mind.

War lovers. That is such a laughable and pitiful statement, won't go there other than to say NO ONE loves war. Good grief. Were you absent when the Iraq Liberation Bill was passed? During the Clinton administration, which he signed? Saying that Saddam should be removed? Clinton a war lover too? He went into Somalia...(Clinton)...soliders died there too. Remember them dragging the bodies behind Jeeps? Perhaps if he HAD fought the war there, there would have been no 9-11 and no Iraq invasion. I would suggest doing some real research before you start fling accusations.

As to Harry Reid...the wingnut comment is one day saying you have to support it, and when McCain comes to work on it, Harry Reid says go home. THAT is a wingnut flip flop no matter HOW you look at it.

Again with the multitasking...and this is the most laughable statement of all. We have an economy on the brink of crisis, and instead of Obama wanting to be right there to actually SEE the proposal being proposed, he prefers updates on his blackberry so he can continue to campaign. And you think he made the correct prioritization of his multitasking? Campaigning instead of trying to help the failing economy? You honestly think that was the correct prioritization??

It is not a secret why we are in this mess. Google fannie mae and freddie mac and see who has been warning about this very situation for years...that would be John McCain and the Bush administration. And who blocked it...Democrats, chiefly Chris Dodd and Barney Frank...and Obama advisor James Johnson who walked away from Fannie with millions after helping run it into the ground...Franklin Raines, another Obama advisor, walked away with millions after it was determined fannie had cooked the books. Did he do a day in jail? No...he PROFITED. Chris Dodd and Barack Obama the top two recipients of fannie mae/freddie mac contributions. Come ON.

We know who had a staggeringly large direct part in this mess we find ourselves in, and to hear them on TV accusing Republicans of being to blame and not acknowledging their direct involvement in it...is the HEIGHT of hypocrisy. Sorry, but that is the truth, no matter how pitiful and laughable YOU find it.
The suspension of his campaign was laughable
What was suspended? The talking heads were out there. The campaign offices were all open. Ads still ran (too late to pull) McCain brought campaign aides with him to the White House, not Senate aides. Campaign daily note was given to reporters.


(Since when does making fun of a laughable candidate
to do with AIDS?) Do you even know anything about it? Robot, I don't think you have Clue-One.

Obama put those religious ties behind him. Hopefully SP can do the same.
What's laughable is the notion that the pubs
This coming from the party that gave us 8 years of W.
Gore is laughable and pathetic anyway.
nm
Me, sexist? That's laughable, being a very strong independent woman myself, but
I am afraid of a woman who has some sort of God complex and has nothing to lose.  We should all be very afraid by somebody like that!
I do not think, with all the witnesses and evidence to the contrary, that this laughable, narcissist
say to help himself---what credibility does he have at all?? The only thing I give him points for is the amount of self-delusion he has been able to create for himself, what a piece of work!
tax cuts. oh, really?

I thought I was the only one who knew this.  If tax cuts expire, we get honked!  Duh!  That's more $ out of our pockets! 


Can someone explain why they want to have a lower salary?  All I ever hear around here is how our paychecks continue to dwindle.  If Obama gets elected, plan on an even smaller check!


How can this be so hard to figure out?


pay cuts
Where are you seeing this information so I can read this?
I see that there are tax cuts in there -
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090202/ap_on_go_co/congress_stimulus
Tax Cuts
I really think if we had had the tax cuts the last 8 years that we had WITHOUT all the additional spending, we would have been fine. I don't think it was the tax cuts that didn't work, but we spent way more than the tax cuts could help.

With that line of thought, spending more definitely isn't going to help.

Maybe all of the politicians that have 5 or 6 houses (yes, including Mccain) should sell all of their extra fluff and try to pay back some of our deficit. You know, live like regular hard-working American people. I mean really, they got us here, because they don't ever listen to what the regular people say!

Like that'll ever happen!
Tax Cuts
President Barack Obama ordered the U.S. Treasury on Saturday to implement tax cuts for 95 percent of Americans, fulfilling a campaign pledge he hopes will help jolt the economy out of recession.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/UKNews1/idUKTRE51K1P320090221

Of course, those of you on the right who despise President Obama certainly do not have to accept these tax cuts. You are welcome to stay at your current tax rate in protest.
So much for tax cuts for 95%
of us.  What a joke.  Obama wants a cap and trade green tax.......do you realize how many people that will hit hard.  Gas prices will be higher, grocery prices will go up, utility bills with skyrocket.  This isn't just for the rich.  This will hit everyone!!!   Obama himself said that energy costs would skyrocket.....he said that during his campaign.  I'm all for our environment, but this isn't the time to do this.  This isn't going to help us at all.  This is going to hit all consumers.....including low class and middle class consumers.....not just the rich.  So this BS of providing tax cuts for 95% of Americans is nothing but a distraction for the Kool-Aid drinkers.  He is like an illusionist....gets you focusing on one hand so we can't see what he is doing with his other hand.
tax cuts
Did anyone actually see a larger check beginning April 1st? I know I did not. I am paid hourly for 40 hours and my check was SMALLER by almost $50. Is this an anomaly or did my payroll dept screw up or am I not the only one who experienced this? Just curious.
where are the cuts coming from?
who is losing out ESPECIALLY when he has all these plans for additional government programs?
Thanks for posting this - I think it cuts thru the
thanks
The problem with the tax cuts is that

they only work when the government stops spending wasteful money.  Instead they are giving us tax cuts AND still spending money.  This bill spends more than anything.  I don't see where you get the OP was racism.  I too am doubtful of this stimulus package and it has nothing to do with what color President Obama is.  We can criticize our president as we have always been able to do in years past.  Why has this changed?  I'm sick and tired of people hating Obama because he is black but I'm also sick and tired of hearing how the people who criticize him are only criticizing him because he is black.  Either way....it is racism BS.  STOP IT!


If we go back and look at the last 8 years, Bush's tax cuts didn't help because government was STILL spending.  Bush was not a dictator any more than Obama is.  Government as a whole contributed to our downfall.  I blame them all and  I tend to keep an eye on the whole lot....not just Obama.


The problem with the tax cuts is that

they only work when the government stops spending wasteful money.  Instead they are giving us tax cuts AND still spending money.  This bill spends more than anything.  I don't see where you get the OP was racism.  I too am doubtful of this stimulus package and it has nothing to do with what color President Obama is.  We can criticize our president as we have always been able to do in years past.  Why has this changed?  I'm sick and tired of people hating Obama because he is black but I'm also sick and tired of hearing how the people who criticize him are only criticizing him because he is black.  Either way....it is racist BS.  STOP IT!


If we go back and look at the last 8 years, Bush's tax cuts didn't help because government was STILL spending.  Bush was not a dictator any more than Obama is.  Government as a whole contributed to our downfall.  I blame them all and  I tend to keep an eye on the whole lot....not just Obama.


Bush Tax Cuts Will Expire

Don't blame me, it's the plan, as Dems refuse to keep it going.  Also, Nancy Pelosi is backed into a corner, so is only saying she'll consider drilling in the US.  It's the truth. She won't.  Just watch it play out.  Pelosi has the power to NOT bring items to the floor, and she will.  She & the Dems are beholden to moveon.org, etc.  George Soros has even far more power than Pelosi.  Again, do your research.  He's the one who was behind legalization of "medical" marijuana in CA, just to name a few.


Has anyone thought about the Presidency, House, & Senate all being one party? 


Whether it's R or D, it's not a good thing for Americans!


Incidentally, I'm not a fan of McCain or Bush.


that knife cuts both ways
I am reluctant to say it but...biden wasn't the only one. Palin got in her fair share, too. Take a look at "fact check." They both spun things their own way. That's what is so very sad. They all lie and expect us to swallow their crap like it's gospel and they leave people knowing we can't trust anyone in our own government. I think people now vote not for someone they actually like (because we can't trust them) but for whoever will be the lesser of 2 evils.
Sorry Sam, but the Bush cuts were only for those over $250K nm
not us peons
tax cuts?? just look at the table at the bottom
http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/10/senator_obamas_four_tax_increa.html
I heard him say that the tax cuts would precede
no definite timetable on the increases. I was particularly happy to see the emphasis on jobs in generally speaking, relief to the middle class as his obvious priority.
Stimulus versus tax cuts

Stimulus means SPENDING


Non-refundable tax rebates means every $1.00 spent creates $1.02 in economic activity. 2 freaking cents (makes sense to the pubs.....I guess)


Infrastructure - every dollar spent equals $1.59 in economic activity (bridges, roads, etc.)


Food stamps (which the pubs want to cut out of the bill) - every dollar spent equals $1.73 in economic activity. This is the single most productive stimulus we have. Food stamps will get SPENT, unlike tax rebates.


If the pubs have their way, the bill will be 42% tax cuts which will not benefit job creation or improve the economy. They want to fail. Why? And you all call your senators to support this? If it gets pushed through like this, you have only yourselves to blame when everything goes to helll. You can't blame Obama for this cluster.


 


 


Trickle up tax cuts 4 rich works so well
full-blown depression in view of FMFM. JM promises change in economic policies how? Show me the plan.
O's plan gives tax cuts to people who dont pay
nm
But...how much are your taxes going up if the bush tax cuts are repeated....
that will be coming out of your huge difference there.
So lets do all tax cuts which have proven to be ineffective?
That trickle down crap doesn't work - or haven't you figured that out yet? Hmm, over 10 trillion dollars spent on Bush's watch and what did he accomplish? It sure as helll didn't trickle down but all the CEOs got nice bonuses. This crisis is Bush's doing - why don't you get that?
Tax cuts didn't work - what is your cure? nm
x
Ending the Hidden Agenda Behind Tax Cuts

by: Joe Brewer, t r u t h o u t | Perspective


photo
The way that taxation is viewed by the public has a lot to do with the way politicians frame the debate. (Artwork: inventions-guide.com)



    Something as simple as a metaphor can mean the difference between shared prosperity and widespread suffering.

    It's time to tell the truth about tax cuts. This phrase dominates political discourse and is coughed out every time a conservative public figure opens his mouth. It is treated like the basis of sound reasoning, yet no one points out what should be obvious - that "tax relief" and "tax cuts" are just code words for destroying the capacity of government to serve the public.

    We've heard over and over again that the source of society's problems is the government. The solution that follows is to "trim the fat," "cut out the waste," "shrink the government" and provide "relief" to millions of citizens who suffer the burden of exploitation by Washington elites. This story flies in the face of the facts, yet it makes sense to a significant portion of the US population. How can this be?

    The answer has to do with how we make sense of things in the world. Our experiences shape what seems legitimate by reinforcing (or undermining) our ideas about the way things work. So, for example, a progressive politician may speak honestly and forcefully about the positive role of government in our lives. But this will fall on deaf ears if our typical experience is at odds with such claims. This observation demonstrates a key element of what George Lakoff and I have dubbed the Cognitive Criterion for Public Support:

    An effective policy must be popular if it is to stand the test of time and it must be popular for the right reasons, namely because it promotes the right long-term values in the minds of citizens, reinforced through the lived experience.

    The reason many people accept conservative claims about taxation and government is that they hold up for many common experiences, especially when conservatives are in control of the government. Conservative officials enact policies that make life worse for people while claiming that things will get better. Then they draw upon these negative experiences to advance their agenda. No Child Left Behind is an excellent example. The strategy works like this (a more detailed analysis can be found here):

1. Declare that the agenda is to "improve" public education.


2. Pass legislation that cripples public schools.

3. Cry out for "reform" when people see how bad our schools are doing.

4. Get rid of public schools and replace them with private schools, especially schools that teach conservative ideology (e.g. elite charter schools, religious schools, etc.).


    This strategy demonstrates how *cognitive policy* works. Emphasis is given to how people understand what is happening. The goal is to ensure that our experiences are interpreted through a conservative lens. It is not literally the case that taxation is a burden (a provocative metaphor), but rather that our common sense is influenced by a combination of our experiences in the world and the interpretive filters that give them meaning. (A key feature of how the political mind works, as I discuss in The Great Political Blind Spot.)

    Back to the hidden agenda behind tax cuts; we can apply this insight to see that conservatives *want* people to have negative experiences with government. Why? Because it supports decades of propaganda - and an underlying belief that stems from their worldview - that government is the problem. In the early 1970's, conservative elites started investing heavily in the creation of idea factories to spread their views far and wide so that they eventually became the new common sense of our culture. They had to work tirelessly for years to change the underlying values of American citizens because our long history has been devoted to advancing our most cherished values, which happen to be progressive. But, as we can see by the pervasiveness of their ideas today, this effort has been catastrophically successful.

    Now is the time to nip their bankrupt idea about taxation in the bud. The way to do it is simple. Take their reasoning to its logical conclusion and see what happens if it is applied to the real world. We can test the conservative belief about taxation against our own and decide what's best by looking at the outcomes.

    First, we'll need to be very clear about just what conservatives and progressives mean by taxation. Then we can apply these understandings to the world to see their consequences. (The insights that follow come from linguistic analysis of cognitive "frames" that shape political thought.)

    Taxation as Conservatives Understand It

    I've already alluded to an interesting metaphor that helps make sense of conservative thought about taxes, which I'll call Taxes Are a Burden to make it explicit. The understanding of taxation that follows from this metaphor can be seen in this story:

    Hard-working Americans are in need of some tax relief. Years of mismanagement by tax-and-spend liberals have taken money out of the hands of working people and put it into bloated government programs that serve special interests. We need to cut taxes, return fiscal responsibility to government, and put money back in the hands of taxpayers who know best how to spend it.

    This perspective is grounded in two beliefs: (1) The world is comprised of individuals; and (2) People are inherently bad and must learn right from wrong through self-discipline. I like to call this the "Me First" perspective because it assumes that people must help themselves before thinking about others. It can be summarized with the declaration, "You're on your own!" The Me First perspective assumes that any assistance from the community would be "coddling" or "spoiling" us. This claim is asserted as truth in the conservative worldview.

    Taxation as Progressives Understand It

    Progressives have a different understanding of taxation that can be expressed through a variety of metaphors: Taxes Are an Investment, Taxes Are Membership Dues, Taxes Are Pathways to Opportunity, Taxes Are Infrastructure and Taxes Are a Duty. (Read more about progressive taxation in "Progressive Taxation: Some Hidden Truths") Reasoning that emerges with these metaphors can be seen in this progressive story:

    Our great nation was founded on a promise of protection and opportunity. Through our shared wealth, pooled together by taxation with representation, we have invested in the public infrastructure that makes possible the creation of new wealth. We have a sacred trust to keep this promise alive throughout our lifetimes, expand it as we are able, and pass it along to our children.

    This perspective is grounded in the beliefs that (1) Individuals are influenced significantly by our communities; and (2) People are inherently good and benefit from cooperation with others. I like to call this the "People First" perspective because it assumes that people must help each other in order to enhance their ability to help themselves. It can be summarized with the declaration, "We're all in this together!" The People First perspective assumes that we are greater than the sum of our parts and that new opportunities emerge when we make wise investments with the common wealth we share.

    Truth and Consequences

    Now that we have a clear sense of what taxation means to conservatives and progressives, we can see what happens if these different ideas are used as governing principles for shaping society. This analysis accomplishes two purposes. First, it reveals key truths about taxation that complicate arguments made by conservatives, truths that don't get talked about nearly enough. And second, it exposes a covert agenda that deceptively exploits real concerns of people to advance an otherwise unpopular agenda.

    What happens if the Me First perspective is applied to taxation? Just look to the world we find ourselves in today. A problem defined as "too much spending" leads to budget cuts. This results in a diminished capacity to provide vital services. Public goods like education, civil and criminal courts, road maintenance and fundamental scientific research are too costly for individuals - or even multinational corporations - to afford. So these services are cut and people lose their jobs. Thousands of teachers no longer cultivating young minds. Countless construction workers laid off when city and state governments halt infrastructure projects. Graduates with advanced degrees unable to find work because public agencies are "tightening their belts" and cutting back on grants to academia, nonprofits and the private sector.

    Beyond the direct human suffering of disrupted lives, there is substantial reduction in government programs that protect the public against harm. The FDA cannot staff enough inspectors to keep toxic peanuts out of the food supply. The EPA lacks capacity to keep drinking water clean in cities and towns across the country. The SEC is unable to keep a watchful eye on runaway speculation and our economy spins wildly out of control. Bridges crumble and levies break because funds are in short supply.

    The consequence of conservative ideology is a self-fulfilling prophecy. People are forced to be "on their own" with no protection against serious threats and no assistance to get them beyond their current means. When disasters strike, there is widespread suffering and death because the tapestry of society - our precious safety net - has withered and decayed. Think I'm exaggerating? I'll just say one word - Katrina.

    And despite their claims to the contrary, conservative leaders want this to happen.

    Contrast this with the People First perspective. Again, we can let experience be our guide. A decade of rampant deregulation, perpetrated by a conservative mindset about the relationship between government and the economy, led to the great stock market crash of 1929. A visionary progressive leader, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, stepped in and vastly expanded a wide variety of public programs. The flood of revenues accompanying this expansion was enough to put millions of unemployed back to work. New programs that embody the spirit of progress emerged in the decades that followed. Social Security, the GI Bill, Medicare and the FDIC are a few examples of the legacy this pooling of resources delivered to the American people.

    Along with this massive investment in societal infrastructure, Americans experienced tremendous growth of shared prosperity. For the first time in our history, an entire generation of children from working-class families moved up the economic ladder with college degrees in hand. Home ownership skyrocketed. Literacy rates went through the roof and new skills emerged to expand the capacity of markets. And two generations of people experienced the benefits of cooperation in their daily lives, codifying the ethic that we're all in it together as a bedrock of sound reason.

    I can attest to this from personal experience. Both of my parents came from working-class families. I was the first to get a college degree. Federal and state scholarships delivered me from the rural farm to the hallowed halls. And now society gets to benefit from the fruits of my labor as I work to transform our political system for the betterment of society. The cognitive policy of the People First perspective is a foundation of my identity in the world.

    The Hidden Agenda Exposed

    The progress of our nation is being held hostage by a malicious metaphor. Treating taxation as nothing more than a burden is tantamount to declaring that citizenship is nothing more than getting all you can for yourself … everyone else be damned. Conservative elites have undermined the responsibilities we have to one another to advance their agenda. They are fully committed to crafting the world in their image, as we've seen all too clearly these last eight years and throughout the current debate about economic recovery under the Obama administration.

    I say enough is enough. Let's call this tactic out for what it is. People are hurting in every corner of the land and they're looking for help where they haven't dared to look for quite some time - in the service of our representatives in the federal government. Conservatives will try to convince us that our hardships are caused by excessive government. The truth is that we are suffering under excessive conservative ideology of governance, which is a very different beast. They continue to claim that we can't get ahead because we're overtaxed. This claim is absurd!

    Not a single home foreclosure throughout this crisis has been caused by excessive taxation. The misfortune of illness in a dysfunctional health system has burdened people with horrendous debt. Where did this problem come from? Profit-driven health care created under the Nixon administration.

    Banks haven't failed catastrophically through oversized personal W-2 forms. Radical deregulation is the culprit. Who deregulated the market? Conservative ideologues from both political parties. (This is what the word "centrist" really means - conservatives who've infiltrated the Democratic Party.)

    Companies haven't been driven to huge layoffs because their tax burden is too high. They are victims of an unraveling market. What undermined the integrity of the global economy? An extremist philosophy of governance that is blind to the role of the regulatory frameworks that give stabilizing structure to our markets.

    What can we do to stop the conservative agenda? Call it out for what it is. When someone says, "People need tax relief," respond by letting them know that "We really need to invest in one another." Make it clear what the consequences of tax cuts really are - the destruction of our mechanisms for protecting and empowering one another. And let's stop taking their language for granted just because everyone is doing it. That logic didn't make much sense in middle school. It's all the more dangerous to follow as adults. Challenge the conservative meaning of taxation directly. Declare that we are decidedly NOT on our own. Point to the benefits we've taken for granted too long, things like education and schools and roads and courts.

    We mustn't stop with a critique of their ideas either. We need to fervently argue for our own. Together we are greater than the sum of our parts. A prosperous community is a place where neighbors pool their efforts for the greater good. Taxes provide resources for investments larger than anything we could build on our own. And these benefits create a space for new ideas to take hold and expand our wealth.

    Ideas matter. Words are important. We cannot afford to let a radical minority set the tone of public debate any longer. The time is ripe for moving beyond the era of misguided individualism. Let's take the momentum we've built in the last few years and place the United States back on a course that resonates with our deeply held values - caring for one another, expanding freedoms to the marginalized, and recognizing that our shared prosperity is at the core of our success as a nation.


Yes, let's continue with tax cuts to the wealthy, that has worked so well.....NOT!
Or better yet, let's sit on our hands and do nothing - let the market take care of it! I wish you were in charge of making decisions for this country - I'd feel sooooo much safer!!          KAAACKKKK!
Amen! This cuts across all party lines
EVERY American man, woman and child should be up in arms and demand answers about this. How absolutely disgusting!

I live in Texas and we have the same problems this teacher is discussing here. It's time we take back OUR country and send the illegals packing.

I am all of immigration - if it is done correctly and legally. Not sneaking across the border or having babies in American so the whole clan is grandfathered in! That is abusive!
What tax cuts is Barack going to give middle class?
facts to back it up. We are most definitely middle class and in the last 4 years, I made more money as an IC but didn't have to pay in at year end, for the first time in YEARS. We also got a higher child credit, etc. Or maybe I should ask what you consider middle class, but I am quite sure my measly salary doesn't qualify as anything but and I sure as heck am not in the upper 10%. The proof is in the pudding for me, and not having to pay taxes when I always had before, despite having made more money as an IC, is tasty pudding to me. I can't complain on that particular point.

I've compared both Obama's and McCain's tax proposals, and I sure didn't see a lot of give for middle class in either so apparently you are privy to some information that I am not. Can you show me where I can find that? IMO, they are both ignoring the middle class and the middle class is most of America.
Tax cuts, progressive tax system, social programs
are as American as apple pie and these same policies and initiatives can be found puncuating the pages of our history from the day of our country's inception.

You do not understand Marxism or socialism, or you would be a lot more exercised by the current redistribution of wealth that takes your tax dollars and moves them upward to an elite ruling class that represses and undermines the middle class at the drop of a hat. State ownership of banks, lending institutions and direct personal property "buy outs" (as proposed by McCain certainly smack of Marxism and are not exactly what you could call traditional American values.
Sorry, wrong word....he DOES want to let the Bush tax cuts EXPIRE.
That will increase everyone's taxes across the board. THEN he will make his "tax cut." You will not see much of a cut, if any. Raising capital gains taxes is going to hurt the market, and about 50% or more of this country have their retirment and 401-Ks in the market...and not all of those people are RICH. You have to look at the BIG picture, not the class envy stuff he is feeding everyone.