Barack Obama then and now

Presidential candidate Barack Obama, May 29, 2007 in Iowa City, Iowa:

“We will also allow the temporary Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans to expire.”

President Barack Obama, December 6, 2010 in Washington, D.C.:

“In exchange for a temporary extension of the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans…”

As always, the Recess Supervisor sums it up best.

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12 thoughts on “Barack Obama then and now

  1. Why do we have to alternate between reactionary Republicans and moderately-conservative Republicans like Carter, Clinton and Obama? Where are the Democrats?

  2. And no one was surprised. Love how the unemployment extension is only for 13 months and the tax cuts for the wealthy are for two years.

    As my marketing and economics teacher said to me long ago, “It’s a rich man’s world, we just have to live in it.”

    “It’s encouraging that the White House is now willing to stop all of the job-killing tax hikes scheduled for January 1,” said Boehner.

    Your words twist all meaning out of themselves. You spin untruths into rhetoric and spew them forth until they stain reality a sickly green. You’re toxic and tainted, and you should shut your goddamned mouth since you have nothing but a history of corruption behind you.

    Charles B. Rangel has received censure. You deserve the very same hypocrite.

    1. And no one was surprised. Love how the unemployment extension is only for 13 months and the tax cuts for the wealthy are for two years.
      You do understand that there’s a fundamental difference between the two, right?

      On one hand, we’re taking about the federal government allowing people – albeit evil rich people – to keep a little bigger chunk of the money they’ve earned…to not quite confiscate so much from them.

      And on the other, we’re talking about the government giving people money for…not working.

      I get that they’re brought together on some level because they both are part of a compromise deal between the WH and Republicans, but otherwise the two have absolutely nothing to do with each other so comparing the effective time period is folly.

      1. I do realize there is a difference between the two. That’s why it irritates me that they were lumped together and in the end the unemployment benefits were given the shot end of the stick.

        I have no problem with rich people mind you, I just think money changes a lot of people for the worst. Keep in mind – not the people who worked for it. They rarely change, they keep working hard all their lives to make that money for their family thinking ultimately it will be a good thing and inspire work ethic in their children. Sometimes it does. A lot of the time, it doesn’t. I have upmost respect for businessmen (and women, who are making their way up.) who make their own money, gained it by their own intellect, and refused to let failure get to them.

        However, I’m sadly very well aware of how many of their people down their line from those hardworking individuals long ago? Don’t know anything, the families themselves have become the biggest leeches in their own way in society. I’ve had a friend who had people pay to do his work throughout college through one of those online writers who will do their homework for you. He actually said he knew a ton of sites I could get it written and I could go out drinking with him to party. Thanks, but no thanks but I prefer reading my own work.

        It makes me sad, because the guy got his father’s business and the fact he doesn’t know a thing how to run it depresses me as it is starting to fall apart.

        I am thankful for intelligent rich people from rich families, but the problem is many of these people for years who have been handed these businesses because they’ve never been out in the real world and don’t have a clue what they’re doing which is why so many of them crash and burn violently.

        I’m in personal belief we should remove the Bush Tax cuts. Period. They screwed us over in the end and I sincerely think if we continue to have them and the rich get richer while the middle class slowly drifts in the lower class? There will be riots.

      2. Basically: Too long didn’t read version.

        I don’t think they’re evil. I just think they’re lazy as all hell.

      3. The government is giving people money that they’ve already paid into the system in case they become unemployed, the same as you and I and everyone else who has a job. We all pay into the unemployment insurance program specifically to provide us with assistance in case we become unemployed, so I’m not sure why those folks should be demonized.

        1. We all pay into the unemployment insurance program specifically to provide us with assistance in case we become unemployed, so I’m not sure why those folks should be demonized.

          Well if by we, you mean we in the larger sense, as in we as society, you’re right. If by we you mean employers, you’re correct. If by we you mean employees you’re wrong.

          Unemployment insurance is funded by a tax on employers.

          My guess is you assume UI is part of FICA – though they’re both payroll taxes, UI is paid for by employer from the company funds, not from withholdings by the employee.

          People who lose their jobs and are collecting unemployment benefits absolutely should not be categorically demonized. However, those that willingly turn down reasonable work because they prefer to collect money without working or believe certain jobs are below them…they earn my contempt. I know 2 people who fit this description, so I know they do exist. My presumption is that they are the exception, not the rule. As in most things, the bad apples make others look bad.

  3. we’re taking about the federal government allowing people – albeit evil rich people – to keep a little bigger chunk of the money they’ve earned…to not quite confiscate so much from them

    If you ever get tired of arguing with the cartoon librul in your head, here’s a short op-ed on the principles used to justify progressive taxation.

    1. Thanks for the link – probably as concise and objective description as I’ve seen. That said, it has nothing to do with my comment which is a position of fundamental liberty, and essentially completely independent from the issue of progressive taxes. Regardless of how we divvy up the tax burden, the government is taking that which is ours. I’ll discuss with anyone, the merits of how it is split up – and swear to you that I’ll consider all reasonable arguments. But if you can’t first admit that it that which is owned by the individual that is taken (hopefully at least to some degree to the greater good, to serve us all) – if you start out by seeing it as the government having an absolute and unequivocal right to what is ours, then let us not waste our time.

      1. Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize we were talking about fundamental liberty. I don’t think I have the necessary clearances to talk about that.

  4. I wonder how many liberals work for businesses that file their taxes as individuals and, therefore, fall into the “rich” category that will benefit from this extension?

    The outrage is somewhat hypocritical. Perhaps our representatives that are supposed to work for us ought to realize that they are not “losing money” by extending the tax cuts as it is not their money to begin with.

    Then again, Harry Reid still believes that we have a voluntary tax system (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2790118/senator_harry_reid_claims_that_paying.html).

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