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DDay and Charles,
It would be nice if we COULD go with a fair, progressive, clean tax system. That will not happen in MY lifetime, however.
During the early years of our 33-year marriage, my husband and I put everything we had into a small business (which ultimately failed during the horrendous economy of the early to mid 80s.) The child tax credit was real help to us then.
Quark just think if all our politicians thought like Paul Wellstone what a great world it would be.
Obama does not even know Negotiations 101. You ask for everything but you realize that there are some areas you want but you will not get everything you want. This is one reason why Obama is a loser.
He should have said that I want Medicare for everyone in starting the health care negotiations but he would settle for single payer option in the back of his mind. Obama lost in the beginning when his bar for health care was so low.
Do you now understand why I have my handy barf bucket near me all the time?
By "clean", I mean ALL earnings. Back-breaking or butt-flattening.
DDay, thanks for the comment.
My wife and I greatly enjoy raising our son and do take advantage of the child tax credit. But I would not miss the credit if it was capped at two (replace yourself) or completely eliminated.
Thom made reference to JFK's tax reductions and I think we should eliminate all deductions and credits and go with a clean graduated tax system.
@ everyone
This is the smartest group. I spent the whole damn day praising one after another* who had written something informative, clever, insightful, or moving to the heart. Thanks
* with one exception..... (Y) Peace Gerald :-)
Quark, He's a DLC Dem, says a lot more about his current situation than his previous leadership experience. His direction is to the center, which from where I'm sitting (and more than likely, everyone else here) that is to the Right.
I'm certainly not trying to apologize for Obama or insinuate that he's getting everything he wants done, done. As I see it he's ready to compromise, before he's even asked for anything... I don't see that as "Good Leadership", I see it as "Bad Leadership". Rather he ran a large company, or government office is not likely to have changed his personality. There are a lot of company leaders that are horrible leaders, yet still run the company for years.
I guess what I'm saying is this, a great General is nothing if his subordinates are incompetent, as well as a useless General can be considered great if his subordinates are on the ball. Whether Obama is a great leader or a useless one is not nearly as relevant as the subordinates he surrounds himself with, for ultimately it is these people that enact their leaders decrees.
@Charles
Well said. For the twenty plus years I've been married, every time they have wanted to throw a bone at us, it has been in the form of a child tax credit. My wife and I are DINKS who pay a large part of our taxes to educate other people's children. I enthusiastically support top notch public education, and won't complain about paying taxes for services not personally used, but don't appreciate being left out of almost every basic stimulus package. In the future, when the world grows even more crowded, those who burden our systems least will perhaps be rewarded instead of penalized or overlooked. Cest la vie.
@DDay - plagiarism is the sincerest form of flattery LOL!
Please use my comment re Equal Protection with my blessing ;-)
If/when you do get your "Arguments for Individual Freedoms.OR Arguments for Reversing Citizens United vs. FEC" webpage/blogpost up somewhere, pls post a link so we all can enjoy!
Nels,
Obama's experience seemed to show him that he could always finesse his way through anything, cut deals, etc. He's never run any large company or government office before, so never knew it takes more than that. Plus, he's a DLC Dem.
@D.Silva, I agree, the first rule of negotiating, ask for everything you want and way, way more, then parse it down to everything you want and more.
I can in no way believe that the Democrats don't know this, so that leaves us with one simple conclusion... they had no intentions on getting us anything, while giving the Insurance companies more. The only problem they have right now is selling us this spin.
s.b. "abilities"
When I was 18 I registered and voted Independent. As I got older I realized that I was wasting my vote. I started voting Democrat - the less of two evils - but they are worthless because they lack a spine.
If we had started with a firm plan for single payer healthcare and hit the road with facts. If Obama and all the Dems were on TV selling it on every network from day one, the Republicans and the Insurance Industry would begging for a plan with a strong public option. We would have won with the appearance of bi-partisanship. I didn't go to college and I can figure out that much.
My husband, son and I have talked about moving to another country this last week. My husband and I realize that we are too old and have no money. Only our son has any chance to move...
Thom, I also very seriously thought about leaving the country after "W" was selected. I told Al Franken that, too, though he argued vociferously against it.
My sentiments are honest but my ability to make it happen are severely lacking. However, I keep thinking about all the immigrants who came to this country without anything. They were willing to risk whatever it took...
@Nels: .
Brandon is another young worker that is ignorant of the past. He is ungrateful for the workers that spilled blood to unionize and set the standard he now enjoys.
@ rewinn
re: Equal Protection
I intend to steal this and pretend I was smart enough to think of it...this "road-map" to absurdity as reasoned by the decision of SCROTUS Thursday. Excellent! This is going on my list of Arguments for Individual Freedoms.OR Arguments for Reversing Citizens United vs. FEC, OR Saving Person-hood for People. OR One Human, One Voice, One Vote!, Campaign file. Thank you! Clever and humorous is a great combination.
Gerald,
Re: The Paul Wellstone quote. It is his most memorable and speaks to my heart.
The truth is that I am unhappy that Obama is living up to my expectations of him . . . THAT is what is disappointing.
@Gerald, Obama is behaving the way I expected, I also expected the same from Hillary Clinton. They are centrists, it was obvious during the campaign.
As Richard mentioned earlier in reference to Palin's qualifications, she is qualified, because she is a Citizen and old enough. That's all it takes to run lead this country (unfortunately).
I really don't feel that leadership is all that mystical, as a leader you choose a path and others follow you if they choose. As I see it, what you're talking about is a leader that takes you down the path you want to go. If that's the case, you're not a follower, you are a leader (so long as someone, anyone, is following you). Good, bad, whatever that's being a leader.
Either that or you're a backseat driver.
Regardless, I'm not a huge proponent of Obama, I'm not a proponent of any Right, or Center politician. But as I see it I can either stay in the boat I'm in, or jump overboard and hope those sharks aren't as hungry as they look.
That's just my reasoning though, I'm in no way trying to say your opinion is wrong, I'm just taking your argument and following it to the conclusions I see from my own point of view (however limited that may be).
This is going to sound raw but I have to ask it. One of the planks of Obamas plan is an increase in the child tax credit. Why is the fastest way to appease the public to increase the child tax credit? This is pandering at the highest. This is rewarding bad behavior. Want a little more money in May? Pump out a few more kids. Let's make the Octomom and John&Kate roll models for getting a peace of the pie.
Also, how is this fiscally responsible? This will only take more funds out of the treasury.
How does this create jobs. You need an income to claim the credit.
@THOM: Shame on you! You stopped Brandon before he could tell us that his Grandma refuses Medicare because she prefers being a burden on her family and how he refuses to get health insurance. It is the best part of his rant.
Hey Brandon - you were home-schooled, eh? So one of your parents stayed out of the workforce. That's nice. What about single parents? What about families where both parents have to work?
@Nels: Yuan . . . Not Pesos . . .
BRADON! Tell us about your Grandma . . .
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/jstreet/521708/freeze_like_a_deer_in_head...