OK...Finally we get the truth from Obama and his agenda.

[julezw]

A little background info on the source:

From site:

The American is a magazine of ideas published by the American Enterprise Institute and located online at American.com. To submit story ideas or for information about advertising on American.com, send an email to [email protected].


From wikipedia:

The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research (AEI) is a conservative,[1][2][3][4] non-partisan[5] think tank founded in 1943. Its stated mission is "to defend the principles and improve the institutions of American freedom and democratic capitalism—limited government, private enterprise, individual liberty and responsibility, vigilant and effective defense and foreign policies, political accountability, and open debate."[6] AEI is an independent non-profit organization supported primarily by grants and contributions from foundations, corporations, and individuals. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
Some AEI scholars are considered to be some of the leading architects of the second Bush administration's public policy.[7] More than twenty AEI scholars and fellows served either in a Bush administration policy post or on one of the government's many panels and commissions. Among the prominent former government officials now affiliated with AEI are former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton, now an AEI senior fellow; former chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities; Lynne Cheney, a longtime AEI senior fellow; former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, now an AEI senior fellow; former Dutch member of parliament Ayaan Hirsi Ali, an AEI visiting fellow; and former deputy secretary of defense Paul Wolfowitz, now an AEI visiting scholar. Other prominent individuals affiliated with AEI include Kevin Hassett, Frederick W. Kagan, Leon Kass, Charles Murray, Michael Novak, Norman J. Ornstein, Richard Perle, Radek Sikorski, Christina Hoff Sommers, and Peter J. Wallison.[8]

Research and analysis go a long way indeed.

[Thunder22]

Originally Posted by Wagner

Research it, a flat tax for all gathers far more revenue than a progressive income tax system. In our current system 50% of taxable base doesn't pay taxes. You can't raise capital gains taxes. The very basis of capital gains is so businesses and smart individuals can reinvest the wealth. There are many articles on the use of capital gains tax *which by the way Obama is raising in 2011*. Raising capital gains is a sure fire way to stop economic growth not associated with the government. As for selective taxes, it isn't unprecedented and in fact is already done on tobacco and alcohol. I don't agree with that practice at all but apparently society does. It isn't my prerogative to tell you what is healthy and what isn't. And it isn't sciences either, just ask this question over the last decade: which part of the egg is good for you?

Our income tax system is entirely miss-guided and was established in 1913, nearly 100 years ago. Here is one part that boggles my mind, once I make over 106,000 for the year I no longer pay social security tax, how does that make sense? I mean, if we are going to be progressive, then be progressive. Why did I pay in every pay check when I worked in high school, but now when "I could afford to pay more" (according to Biden) I don't have to pay?


The problem is not a revenue one, it is a spending one. The soon to be 15T debt isn't a 'real' number, it is based on current spending rates. Heck, even the bulk of the original Stimulus deal has yet to be spent. How about we don't spend it?

You could raise the income tax rate to 100% on the top 10% earners and still couldn't pay the debt off. The point is, we need to stop pretending to focus on what we deem "rich" and start making all citizens pay their way if possible. A flat tax would do that. It is not popular at all because those 50% not paying taxes would get hit.

Oh and I'd actually be OK with raising the national gas tax as long as there was a yearly percentage cap and sector by which it could rise, not simply legislative rulings.

The Fair Tax is the way to go.

Americans For Fair Taxation:

[justben]

There is a point at which you've made enough money... that isn't right. Maybe what he should've said is something like: "The CEO's of companies salaries should not be allowed to go up millions of dollars in a year that they have had to lay off any employees. Instead, freeze his salary and keep the employees who he laid off employed with the extra $2,000,000 he was paid this year.

(2,000,000/40,000=50 employees jobs saved.) What's the difference between 4 million or 6 million dollars? If I made 4,000,000 in one year, I'd be on vacation for the rest of my life.

[Weasel]

Oh no! He just used math and logic! I agree with the above statements.