"GIVE ME A NUMBER, GIVE ME A SPECIFIC NUMBER WHERE DO YOU MOVE FROM MIDDLE CLASS TO RICH? IS IT 100 THOUSAND, IS IT 50 THOUSAND, 2 HUNDRED?"After going on a bit, he finally came up with a number:
"SO — SO I THINK IF YOU’RE JUST TALKING ABOUT INCOME, HOW ABOUT FIVE MILLION."I knew inflation was getting out of hand, but I had no idea that an income of S4,999,999.99 was still considered middle class. I'm such a slacker!
Then again, I guess if you wear $500 loafers, maintain nine or ten homes, and are married to an extremely wealthy heiress who believes that the only way to get around your state is by private jet, anything less than $5,000,000 a year is pretty trifflin'.
Penny for your thoughts?
(Transcript here. H/t to Daily Kos.)
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24 comments:
John K: See what I was talking about when I said the Obama people are angry. Now you are angry that McCain has more money than you. And for that sin you intend to get even. LMAO do I know liberals or what?
John K: If we paid Obama a penny for this thoughts, we would be overpaying.
I looked at the transcript to see what number Obama gave for the "rich".
Guess what? No number. He dodged the questions with talking points and cliches.
Actually he is closer to the truth than most people would like to admit. low, middle, and upper class is thrown out there when a politician needs a wedge issue or an government agency wants to increase there budget. To say that 500k is where middle class turn to high class is not a stretch at all. When a Bablowski and company say they want the rich to pay a higher tax rate they start at 100k (joint income) and when you apply for any type of tuition assistance if you make more than 60k pre tax good luck. So maybe his figures are more in line with conservative thinking than people would give credit.
Only 1.5% of American families make $250,000 a year or more, extanker2, so it's a joke to say that the middle class extends all the way up to $500,000 (or $5M). The median income for households in the US was only $48,201.00, the last time that the census checked (2006). Those are the real middle class.
Sen. McCain doesn't have more money than I do.
But his second wife does. She inherited it, of course, rather than earned it. And she gives some of it to Sen. McCain.
Anyone know the current financial circumstances of Sen. McCain's first wife, or the children from his original family? They probably are in the middle class, just as Sen. McCain would be had he not dumped them for a young heiress.
So maybe it is unfair to argue or believe that Sen. McCain has lost touch with the middle class. He probably visits his first wife and their children once in a while.
extanker2,
"To say that 500k is where middle class turn to high class is not a stretch at all."
Really, what is your point?
He didn't say $500,000 -- he said FIVE MILLION.
If you don't see much difference between the two, can you spot me $5, I mean $50? Hell, why not just make it $500 -- what's a couple of zeros after all? Apparently nothing. ;-)
"When pushed on an exact number, he turned to his humor. “If you’re just talking about income, how about five million?” he joked, before pivoting to clarify: 'I’m sure that comment will be distorted.'" -- MSNBC Report on the Debate
Neither McCain nor Obama gave a number. McCain's was a joke, which you can tell if you hear (not read) the answer.
The biggest thing to come out of the debate is that both candidates love America and are attempting to do what they believe is best for the country. They're not communists or Nazis or in the pocket of Big Oil or Al Qaeda. On a lot of things, they essentially agreed.
Shame on those who attempt to demonize either side to score political points.
John K: 86% of all federal income taxes are paid by the top 25% of wage earners. 97% of all federal income taxes are paid by the top 50% of all wage earners. 39% of all income taxes are paid by top 1% of all wage earners. Exxon Oil pays federal taxes at the rate of $4,000 a minute. Not enough for you lefties eh?
Actually, six years of a Republican Congress and President threw a government in surplus into deficit, while destroying the economy and causing middle class wages to fall relative to inflation. Of course, most recently the deficit was falling, because a huge part of the defense budget was kept of the books, the part paying for the Iraq and Afghan wars. So the Republican are lying to us about just how bad we are screwing our grandkids.
For those that watched the forum, you will recall that Obama did not define what is or is not rich. Instead, he made it clear where his policies will impact people deemed as well off. Obama stated that those making more than 250,000 would see a modest increase in their taxes each year.
Pretty straight forward. I know the right wingers won't like it, but Obama made his stance clear and stated clearly why he leans this way.
We're not angry, John, so please stop trying to paint all of us with your lies, smears and mistaken thoughts.
The point is that John McCain is an out-of-touch elitist that wouldn't know what it was to be middle class even if Joe Lieberman whispered the right answer in his ear.
The broader point is that McCain's economics would only further screw the middle class of this country, which is probably why the vast majority of the tax cuts he proposes are for those in the highest income brackets, the top 1-5%; whereas Obama is proposing much bigger tax cuts for the people who need it - the hardworking people of this country.
John K: Jaywillie, who works harder than the top 50% of wage earners? You think they just sit around all day and flip burgers? LOL LOL The myth is that only poor people work hard. The bottom 50% of all wage earners in this country pay only 3% of all federal income taxes. And you want to give them a tax break. What should also be noted, most of those bottom wage earners also get Earned Income Tax Credits. And if you, left wingers, took some time and checked the tax codes you would find most tax breaks phase out for high income folks.But the myth that rich don't work hard is simply stupid and fueled by anger and resentment.
John K: The short version for Jaywillie is, Baawaaaa Bawaaaa I am going to whine because those people make more than me. Make then pay Obama. Change it so I can get even at them. LMAO
You can hide behind all the namecalling and rhetoric you want, John.
It's perfectly clear that you are more concerned about coddling millionaries instead of middle class families.
But why don't you tell those middle class families - like the 101 million American families McCain's tax cuts ignore - that are struggling to make ends meet with the price of gas, with the costs of higher education, with rises in food prices, with the costs of health care, that they're just whining and just want to get even.
Is that the Phil Gramm defense, John? Nice to know that you regard the middle class as a bunch of whiners.
No, John, what they want is a fair playing field so that they and their children have chance to live the American dream, not just a few millionaires like John McCain who have a tough time deciding just exactly which of their nine homes they'll be staying in.
If you want to argue in favor of cutting taxes for people who can afford to buy $500 Italian loafers, be my guest. I'm perfectly fine with arguing in favor of cutting taxes for America's families - middle class families - who can't make ends meet.
Why is it, John, that after 50 years of cutting taxes for the highest wage earners the economic panacea you conservatives assure us will trickle down just never seems to manifest, hmmm?
"America's millionaires need a tax break," you all scream. "A rising tide with lift all boats." Except after the kind of tax cuts you support, suddenly everyone who isn't super rich finds all they can afford is a dinghy.
Why is that, John?
Time and time again your side as argued and succeeded in reducing the tax rates for the highest wage earners, promising that it will be good for the economy, that they'll reinvest it in developing jobs, etc. Except that's never the result.
After decades of the kind of tax policy you advocate, Americans earn less, prices are higher, the dollar is worth less and good jobs get shipped overseas so that these millionaires you insist on pampering can increase their profit margins by skimping on things like workers' rights and environmental standards.
Why is it, John, that the tax cuts conservatives like yourself support never, ever produce the results that are promised?
And yet you have the audacity to attack the middle class as vengeful whiners, when they can see perfectly well that the promises of the tax policy you advocate never, ever benefits them? You've got a lot of nerve.
Tell that to the family that can't send their kid to college: "Sorry, but the Republicans want to cut taxes for someone making $2.9 mil/year, so we've had to reduce Pell Grants and reduce the amount you can borrow with Stafford loans to pay for it. Sorry, but that person needed it more than you vengeful, whiny little middle classers."
John K: Jaywillie, if you think tricke down does not work, next time you need a job or a loan, go ask the homeless person under the bridge. They seem to be on top of the situation.
that isn't the point of trickle down economics. its the simplified notion that by making it easier for the haves to do business and make more money, they will then turn around and reinvest in their employees, their r&d, their community.
in theory? wonderful.
in practicality? greed takes over and their accounts get fatter while their work force is under-compensated and their communities are polluted.
Wow! John K., avowed conservative, doesn't even understand his own political philosophy's concept of "trickle down" economics.
Excuse me for a second, John, but the money that banks loan is drawn from the money the bank holds - why do you assume that only millionaires have money in banks? The ability to draw loans from a bank is, by and large, more dependent on having a broad base of middle class families/individuals keeping their money in banks...sorry, don't see what that has to do with "trickle down" economics.
Also, why don't you support tax cuts for the millions of middle class small business owners?
Why do you support tax policies that ignore those small business owners?
Do you think all small business owners make the $2.9 mil where the majority of McCain's tax cuts kick in?
Why do you and your conservative buddies pay lip service to the concerns of small business owners but then support policies in favor of a corporate agenda that is squeezing America's small businesses out of existence?
I'm just curious why everyone is arguing about millionaires and "burger flippers." What about the true middle class, which is everything in between? The electricians, teachers, scientists, realtors, fire fighters, etc? We work long, hard, stressful and physically tiring hours. We are educated and skilled. We should be able to afford to own and heat a home and raise a family on the incomes from these jobs, but more and more people are finding it impossible. "Middle class" tax cuts that extend all the way up to $4,000,000 are only going to make things harder for those they should help. We aren't whining without cause. It just isn't right when the majority of the people who elect these officials get swept under the rug by shady policies.
If a penny is overpaying Obama than McCain has nothing to offer, or just can't remember.. Guess MCcain has alot of senior moments these days.. McCain's so out of touch with reality it's frightening.. This is a dangerous combination, no thoughts and outta touch, for a Presidential Candidate .. McCain has no clue about handling this economy, as he's stated, nor many other issues hurting our Nation and people.. His military & congressional svc are honorable but alone doesn't make a case for him to be our next President.. Takes more then a pat on the back, hand shake and good job done.. Takes knowledge, intelligence and so much more which McCain seems to be lacking.. As Hilary Clinton put it " No Way, No How, No McCain in 2008".. I second that motion, BIG time.. :)
Is that k for kunt?
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