206 replies to this topic

[Gazi]

And most of the non payers in those states are either Obama supporters or they don't vote.

Does that include the disabled veterans as well? Cause I'm thinking he already lumped them in there

[thatlookseasy]

Fwiw, Romney is mostly right, although its politically incorrect to say it. To many people in the US think they are victims, and want to blame someone else for their problem, or want someone else to solve their problems. While I do believe that the government should help those in need, people need to take responsibility for their lives more than they do.

I can agree with that, but you cant then site the 48% number as proof of this. That number includes not only elderly and disabled people (who cant work for themselves), but also people who are working crappy jobs trying to support their families on the EITC. These people still pay federal taxes, just not federal income tax.

[thatlookseasy]

Oh, that also doesnt include the state and local tax burden faced by the poor (which is actually regressive in many places)


http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3505

[stirs]

Why have more people become disabled here in the last couple of years?

Clumsy? Not bending at the knees when lifting? "disabled, and cannot work for themselves"

Funny, they become disabled primarily after exhausting 99 weeks of unempolyment.

[Panthro]

The way the Republican Party demonizes and blames the poor, the gays, and illegal foreigners for our countries misfortunes gives Hitler a grave boner

[Gazi]

Now I know why he won't release his taxes. He works for Obama and his job is to reelect him. There is no other explanation for how this supposedly smart man is acting in a presidential campaign.

[MadHatter]

It's funny how people attack Romney for stating the obvious...

Exactly. What he said is 100% accurate. it was just dumb to get caught saying it.

[Panthro]

And F-off Godwins Law

[Cat]

Exactly. What he said is 100% accurate. it was just dumb to get caught saying it.

You really believe what he said was 100% accurate. Wow

[MadHatter]

You really believe what he said was 100% accurate. Wow

go check out the % of people that are getting government support and aid and then come back and talk to me.

It is staggering the number sucking on the gov't teet.

[thatlookseasy]

go check out the % of people that are getting government support and aid and then come back and talk to me.

It is staggering the number sucking on the gov't teet.

You know that 61% of those people who dont pay federal income taxes actually pay payroll taxes (ie are employed)

[NanuqoftheNorth]

The way our economy operates today is fundamentally different than the way it operated 40 years ago when we had a vibrant middle class and a much smaller financial sector.

Those in power at the time made a decision to off shore much of our manufacturing base and deregulate our banks. The decline of the middle class and significant growth of wealth for a small segment or our society have more to do with power politics in Washington DC than some lack of work ethic on the part of the average American worker.

Our economic problems originated from policy changes decades ago. Not something Obama did in the last 3.5 years.

[Davidson Deac II]

That's a hell of a gripping reality.

I need to find nanuq's post and supply some pie.

While minimum wage has dropped, very few people actually make minimum wage, so I am not sure if its a realistic assessment of dropping income compared to prices. On average, american workers work about the same amount of time to buy items such as gas, as they did in 1980.

Back in 1980, a gallon of gas cost $1.40 at the peak. It would have taken our worker 0.45 hours of labor to buy a gallon of gas so he could get to work. Today, at $3.00 per gallon, the minimum wage worker only needs to work 0.41 hours to get himself to the job.
What about commodities as a whole? Today the CRB Index stands at around 659. For a minimum wage earner today who wants to afford one CRB Index unit, it would take just under 91 hours of work to afford it. Back in 1980, the CRB index peaked at over 330, thus costing the worker over 100 hours of labor to afford a basket of commodities.
Prices are and will always be more volatile than wages. There will be short periods of time, like now, where prices go up faster than wages. I realize that I am comparing peak prices in 1980, but it's important to realize we are better off today than we were then

Gas is higher than 3 bucks now, so the numbers have changed a little bit, but it still remains that the number of hours necessary to work to get necessities hasn't changed very much.

[Cat]

go check out the % of people that are getting government support and aid and then come back and talk to me.

It is staggering the number sucking on the gov't teet.

I have. But he said a lot more than just a stat on how many people get help from the gov't.

[MadHatter]

You know that 61% of those people who dont pay federal income taxes actually pay payroll taxes (ie are employed)

Irrlevant point....they still pay ZERO FEDERAL INCOME TAX.

Anyone who thinks that half of the people in the US not paying taxes is OK or sustainable is an idiot......and a Democrat.

Don't think there is an entitlement issue? Here is a little fact for you.

In 1960 about 6.5% of the expendable income in the US was provided from Government support. Today that amount has risen to 20%.

20 fuging percent....one dollar out of every five being spent out there came from a government entitlement and support. That, my friend, is not sustainable.

The programs that were originally designed as means of assistance for people during tough times have morphed and been bastardized into generational means of support for too many people. A large portion of our society have jobs now that consist of NOTHING....and just having that gov't check delivered every month.

At least Clinton was smart enough to have the work/training requirement added to Welfare. Your boy Obama just killed it. So again, people only need to sit on their collective lazy asses and draw a paycheck.