President Obama: We can't afford to keep every tax break

[cal04]

Source: The Hill

President Obama used his weekly address to reiterate his demand for ending tax breaks for "millionaires and billionaires" in any budget deal to raise the nation's debt limit.

"It would be nice if we could keep every tax break, but we can’t afford them," Obama said. "Because if we choose to keep those tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, or for hedge fund managers and corporate jet owners, or for oil and gas companies pulling in huge profits without our help – then we’ll have to make even deeper cuts somewhere else."

The president said that students, medical researchers and seniors would pay the price if those tax breaks were not taken away.

"That isn’t right, and it isn’t smart," he said. "We’ve got to cut the deficit, but we can do that while making investments in education, research, and technology that actually create jobs."

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/169503-obama-we-cant-afford-tax-breaks-for-millionaires-and-billionaires

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Obama: "Nothing can be off-limits" in budget
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/07/02/politics/main20076350.shtml

[LiberalLoner]

1. K&R n/t

[panzerfaust]

2. Gee. Dimly I seem to recall that we could have simply NOT RENEWED tax cuts for the wealthy?

How dare he even speak to this issue after selling out on it so recently?

Still, I guess if politicians had memory, principles, or shame they could not be politicians?

[wakemewhenitsover]

4. Good point -- but, better late than never. K&R

[No Elephants]

61. True. Let me know when the cuts are repealed.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

86. yes Obama pretends to do something now that GOP is majority

he can blame him for his current failure

[PragmaticLiberal]

7. I don't think the president "sold out" with extending the Bush tax cuts.

And frankly, my relatives who were able to keep thier unemployment benefits don't think so either.

[BenzoDia]

10. +1

[chervilant]

17. Indeed...

This was a 'compromise' that should NOT have been necessary.

[Fuddnik]

20. Well, I do.

He didn't extend the amount of weeks past the 99ers.

[packerbacker53]

25. Every young liberals dream.

I'm sure the President didn't grow up dreaming of the day he could bail out the banks or extend tax cuts for the wealthy. So sold out is way too harsh.

[No Elephants]

64. He chose Geithner for his Secretary of Treasury and re-appointed Hanky Panky as Fed Head.

Both those things say a lot (as does, on another subject, appointing Gates as Secretary of Defense).

[midnight]

66. Hanky Panky. Perfectly funny....

[Major Hogwash]

100. That's a load of crap.

But what's the use of straightening out the fables being told here about them anymore?

[Hawkowl]

103. Que?

Are you confused? Obama did appoint these Goldman Sachs lackys to their positions. The same GS that is largely responsible for the derivative debacle and the TARP giveaway as well as the Quantitative Easing policy of Bernake's Fed.

I suggest you use the google.

[Hand_With_Eyes]

36. As long as the Bush tax cuts are in place

We will be in a depression. Get rid of them and good riddance.

[No Elephants]

63. Bush tax cuts expired. These are the Obama tax cuts.

[russspeakeasy]

74. So true...he owns these tax cuts.

[Hand_With_Eyes]

81. *Shudders* catatonically

Say it isn't so, Joe...

[SammyWinstonJack]

106. Absolutely and now that he is running again he is saying what he thinks we want to hear!

He is so full of it! :puke:

[frylock]

47. how about your relatives that didn't have their benefits extended?

they could just piss off, right?

[liberation]

50. Oh, that is the side of the family that does not work for the false dichotomy

Plus they haven't spoken in years... they had a real nasty dispute over aunt Margaret's will, a real shame.

[No Elephants]

62. What was the barrier to repealing the tax cuts any time between January 2009 and January 2011?

I don't think he sold out either. I think Timmeh convinced him to keep the cuts in place. It's not selling out if you get in a "compromise" everything that you wanted all along.

[russspeakeasy]

75. He didn't sell out....He bought in.

[chervilant]

112. hmm...

Some might say he bent over and grabbed his ankles...

[Telly Savalas]

107. Congress

You know all those Blue Dogs and DLCers DUers endless bitch about. They were getting paychecks in the House of Representatives.

But yeah, it's fucking DU, so people will bitch and moan about those assholes, except when acknowledging their existence would impede the ability to bitch and moan about Obama.

Seriously, if half the efforts spent on whining about shit here were directed at getting leftist candidates elected, we'd be living in a fucking socialist utopia by now.

[CatWoman]

90. +1000

I do wish people would know the facts before spouting off their bullshit.

[rhett o rick]

97. Here's a fact Catwoman. Obama extended the Bush tax cuts. That's a fact. nm

[rhett o rick]

96. Who do you think you are fooling? "pragmatic liberal" my ass. nm

[emulatorloo]

11. "How dare he even speak to this issue after selling out on it so recently?"

That's the kind of statement my mom would call "Cutting your nose off to spite your face."

[awoke_in_2003]

46. +1. nt

[No Elephants]

65. Is it? Let me know when the tax cuts are actually eliminated.

Odd that Obama giving ultimata to Congress AFTER he lost the House and several Senators impresses folks so much.

[Raksha]

89. Agreed.

It seems to be very important for Obama to be able to say, "Well, I tried." Purely a CYA move and I'm surprised so many people buy into it. Like you, I'm not going to be impressed until the tax cuts are actually eliminated. "Well, I tried..." doesn't cut it with me any more.

[WiffenPoof]

109. Yep...

And in some cases, he doesn't even try.

-PLA

[RBInMaine]

14. The bill to end those last Dec. DID NOT PASS CONGRESS. Have you ever governed anything at all ?

[kelly1mm]

26. They did not need to pass a bill to end them in February, They were set

to expire automatically. It took congressional action and the signing of a new bill by the President to extend the tax cuts. You may wish to have your basic facts straight before attempting to disparage others.

[frylock]

48. i've never played professional football, but that doesn't preclude me from criticizing my team..

when they fuck up.

[No Elephants]

67. The bill didn't pass Congress because Obama had compromised on it before the vote.

And, contrary to cerain myths, yes, Virginia, a Democratic dominated Congress usually does do what a Democratic President askks of it.

Even if some had resisted, the cuts could have been repealed via reconciliation.

[Autumn]

88. No, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn

:rofl: They were set to expire and in a deal that Obama made with the pukes, Obama signed an extension on them. THEY DID NOT HAVE TO PASS CONGRESS.

[Telly Savalas]

108. And a provision of that extension was an extension of unemployment benefits

THE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS WOULD NOT HAVE PASSED CONGRESS WITHOUT THE TAX CUTS.
:rofl:

[RBInMaine]

15. The bill to end those last Dec. DID NOT PASS CONGRESS. Have you ever governed anything at all ?

[Fuddnik]

35. Have you?

And you're absolutely wrong. All of the Bush tax cuts would have expired if not for an act of congress!

Have you ever read anything at all?

[chervilant]

16. First thing we do...

If the politicians du jour (regardless of party affiliation) are genuinely concerned about this nation's economic recovery (pardon me while I laugh uncontrollably for a few minutes...), then WHY in the name of all that's Holy aren't they cutting their own salaries and bennies? Why not implement a few austerity measures of their own?

It is by their PERSONAL hubris we shall know them, these hypocrites who vogue for the cameras, all the while sucking the life blood out of our country.

[dotymed]

27. That's a terrific start.

Of course we have to look at the Republican "sacred cows" too.

Not enough has been said/and or reported on these.
Their "Sacred Cows" are centered on enriching a few at the sake of the many; " Defense" and Corporate "breaks" of all kinds.

Whereas the Democratic "Sacred Cows" are (since FDR), people centered programs like Social Security and Medicare.

All we hear about are cuts to Democratic programs. We have already given up way too much.

Now cut theses ridiculous Republican programs.

Honestly. I feel confident that a majority of Americans would wholeheartedly support hugely, cutting the republican "Sacred Cows." In a true "Democracy" this would be voted on. since we have a "republic," The elite only have to buy some Congressional people. If this were an actual Democracy, they'd have to buy us all.

IMO, with the unchecked propaganda they spout, they will be able to buy anyone in a generation or two.

[Demit]

42. Please understand the meaning of the words 'democracy' and 'republic'.

A 'true democracy' would mean majority rule. We don't have a pure democracy because that could lead to mob rule. We recognize that all men have certain rights that can't be taken away (as mentioned in the Declaration of Independence). So we protect the rights of the minority by restraining majority rule. Also, a true democracy would mean every voter voting on every little thing, which would be unworkable in a society any bigger than a small village. So we have a representative democracy.

The word 'republic' means a government of law and not men (we are subject to a system of laws, not the whim of a king).

The Founding Fathers created a democratic republic.

Happy Fourth!

[The Big Vetolski]

43. The democratic republic the Founding Fathers created has been

replaced by an kleptocratic oligarchy.

[Demit]

45. Yes. The priceless jewel we had has been replaced by people who told us we could trust them.

It sort of looks the same, it fools a lot of folks, but we realize now that it's nothing but paste.

[liberation]

55. I think you should apply your own advice since you seem to be very confused yourself

You're parroting the same argument I have heard from conservatives many times before BTW.


You don't seem to understand the difference between a republic and a constitution. The constitution is what implies that we're a nation of laws and not men (although not in practice apparently).

Democracy and Republic are not mutually exclusive terms, in fact they are not referring to the same thing.

Democracy implies that citizens have a say in their social governing institutions. That say is via voting, ballots, ability to run for office, open sessions, etc, etc. Democracy can take many different forms, configurations, and approaches.

Republic simply refers to political (either legislative or executive) offices not being permanent or hereditary in nature. Esp. the head of state having to be an elected/selected position, or at least a temporal one.


Our country is technically a Democratic Constitutional Republic. Which means: American citizens get to participate in their own government, in a country where the head of state is elected, under the rule of law. (Technically the American president is selected, but for simplification purposes). France for example, is another constitutional democratic republic. They have a direct representative democracy, their electoral system is different and more biased to that silly "mob rule" argument you were claiming (and so common among conservatives for some reason). It is not as dependent on the "winner takes all" election system (like ours), which I think it is what you were trying to imply what a republic was. So yes, you can have a republic which under a "mob rule" style democracy.

You also don't need a republic to have a democracy. There are democratic constitutional monarchies for example, Spain comes to mind, they have a representative democracy but their head of state is the king, however the constitution means that everyone (even the king) has to abide by the rule of law. There are also democratic monarchies without constitution, I think England may one (at least they don't have an official written constitution, but they enforce the rule of law from other sources). And hell, you also don't need either a constitution or a democracy to have a republic, some countries under military juntas have operated as de facto republics.

[Demit]

71. If that's meant to explicate, it's a piss poor job.

You seem to want to argue with someone about something. I'm sure the many points you are trying to make as you ramble—which, when they relate at all to what I said in response to the poster, certainly don't contradict it—will impress someone. Especially if they enjoy a discussion that starts off with insults. Good luck with that, and keep trying!

[liberation]

80. In other words, you obviously have no logical counter argument so you went for the ad hominem.

Got it.

In case it was not clear, you were offering a condescending advice which was rather incorrect, and I pointed out a slight correction with actual practical examples even. Your equivocation stands out even more after your prickish incongruent defensive response, ironically.

Sorry if you have such thin skin. Have a wonderful weekend.

Cheers.

[louis-t]

60. When repugs say "we live in a 'republic' not a

'democracy'" (Falwell used to open every answer to every question with that line), my response is " 'republic' is the entity, 'democracy' is the style of government.

[coalition_unwilling]

73. The Founding Fathers created a democratic republic with slavery

legitimized within its boundaries. So let's not get too carried away with the hagiography, shall we?

[liberation]

83. It was not that democratic actually in modern terms.

The electoral college is a rather undemocratic institution, and was created due to the distrust a lot of the founding fathers had for the common folk (i.e. the mob rule). Also for a big chunk of our republic the only branch of government elected by the people was Congress, the Senate was selected and they had full subsumption power over Congress. So the power to pass legislation, enforce it, and check its constitutionality was relatively removed from the people. This has obviously improved over time, so in this case people have a romanticized version of the past.

There is also the minor issue that the definition the founders had for "we the people" were white, land owning males. So women, slaves, and poor whites were excluded from the democratic process. Such is the irony of our nation, established by slave owners who were yearning to be free...

What we understand for "democracy" is usually dealt with as a relative term. For all its warts and serious shortcomings in terms of popular representation, the American Republic was light years ahead of the rest of the world during a big chunk of our history as far as popular forms of government are concerned. Democratic governments did not take off until the XX century for the most part. So historical context needs also to be added: compared with current implementations and understanding of democracy, the American republic in its original form had some serious shortcomings. However compared with the rest of most of the totalitarian governments of the time, it was a clear improvement (again that term is also relative, if was not much of an improvement if you were a slave since little changed, and in some cases things got worse).


The divergences between the our national mythos and historical reality are fascinating. I read somewhere that America's main contribution to the human experience is marketing, and I think there may be some truth to that.

[coalition_unwilling]

104. Hah! Marketing and those obnoxious golden arches :) FWIW, there

were no 'totalitarian' governments at the time the American republic was founded. There were some absolutist monarchical regimes, but totalitarianism (at least as Hannah Arendt and Jeanne Kirkpatrick define the term) didn't come into existence until the 20th century.

Was not a clear improvement for slaves nor for indigenous peoples. Both would probably have done far better had the colonies remained British possessions :)

Still, when he called the U.S. the 'last best hope of earth' in his annual address to Congress in 1852, Lincoln was comparing our democratic republic to said absolutist monarchical regimes and I think Lincoln was correct at the time he uttered the words. Not so sure that America is still the last best hope of earth today, though.

[JDPriestly]

105. Derivation of the word republic

The word "republic" is derived from the Latin phrase res publica, which can be translated as "a public affair", and often used to describe a state using this form of government.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic

Your definition is incorrect. A republic is a nation governed by its people. It usually suggests a representative democracy in which the people elect their representatives. The word republic does not have anything to do with rule of law.

A republic is supposed to be ruled by the majority, but our Constitution, our international agreements, our laws and our traditions guarantee certain limited rights of the minority.

[No Elephants]

68. Congress is Constitutionally protected from pay cuts. Not sure about Prez, but s/he may be as well.

As Church Lady used to say, "How very conveeneeeeeyent."

[chervilant]

111. hmm...

Shall we take small solace in the fact that their filthy lucre will NOT protect them from the inevitable and righteous anger of the soon-to-be desperate hoi polloi?

[Pooka Fey]

57. +1. very well said.

[AndyTiedye]

92. Only by Not Renewing the Tax Cuts for Everybody Else, and Letting Unemployment Benefits Expire Too

We couldn't get the more selective renewal through the Repiglickin filibuster because of LIEberman and the other boll weevils (blue dogs).

[FreeStateDemocrat]

117. How do you know that since it was never proposed or voted on in Congress, it was a closed door deal.

Representative democracy was never allowed to follow it's PUBLIC course. If it had been allowed to follow the true democratic process in a public debate and vote maybe the pukes would not have won the House. The unemployment benefits will run out someday but destroying medicare and social security is like saving the doghouse and ignoring your burning home. It was a really BAD bargain. He should have made the pukes vote to cut off extending unemployment compensation so all the dumbshits on it that voted for the pukes in 2010 would have known they were cutting their own throats.

[AndyTiedye]

119. Not True. It Was Only "Not Voted On" Because the Cloture Vote Failed Due to the Repig Filibuster

The vote was discussed on this board at the time.

[backtomn]

95. I would call you a cynic, if....

you weren't 100% correct. I don't know why this is a big deal NOW.......except (were I a cynic) that we are closer to the election.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[TexDevilDog]

9. If Obama proposes cuts to defense how will he get the funding to

continue the legal bombing of Lybia.

[BiggJawn]

5. So he'll get rid of the tax breaks for the working poor. n/t

[Autumn]

69. I think that one was included in the tax cut for the wealthy

extension, only the middle class and the wealthy got to keep the tax cuts. Poor and the elderly on a pension saw their taxes go up in January.

[BiggJawn]

70. Figures.

I an so, *SO* disappointed. But what am I going to do? vote for a guy who turned out to be to the right of LBJ, or vote for some nightmare clown who's to the right of Cotton Mather?

[coalition_unwilling]

76. At least Cotton Mather had the decency to apologize for his errors

(about the Salem witchcraft trials), unlike most of the current crop of Repukes. Could you ever envision a Sarah Palin apologizing for anything? How about a W apologizing?

[blueclown]

6. How about raising income tax rates for the highest earners too?

Or, at the very least, don't extend the Bush tax cuts. Bring back Clinton-era taxes.

[NikRik]

12. I believe he said that while running ?

I recall when Obama was runnig for office he said exactly what you said in your reply that we will go back to Clinton era tax stucture.It worked then why not now? I recall pre-bush2 it seemed like many whom are now in financial trouble would consider Clinton era as the good old days!Even I who have now been out of work for two years was doing very good during the Clintons eight years in office I had two jobs was working six days a week and enjoying life.He left bush2 with a surplus and a balanced budget. Then 9/11 came and bush became some kind of hero President HERO? how about a ZERO. He ruined this country and we still cant recover from the damage done to this country from bush and his gang of thieves !
IMHO NikRik

[LiberalArkie]

38. I would like to go back to the Eisenhower or Nixon tax rates

[Harriety]

31. raising taxes on the wealthiest

Governor Dayton, in my state of Minnesota wants to do just that. It is one of the main reasons our Republican controlled legislature forced his hand and our state has now has shut down. If President Obama tries to do that, I fear the same thing might happen to our country. The Repubs here are now blaming Governor Dayton for the shut down, as will the blame be put on Obama if he should ask to raise taxes on the richest people. President Obama is starting to speak out more and point his finger to where the main problem for not passing the budget lies. That would be the obstructionist Republicans. He needs to keep slamming that point home over and over and over, and not let them get the upper hand ever again.

[MannyGoldstein]

8. But Democrats and Republicans alike can agree

to slash Social Security.

[emulatorloo]

13. Stop making shit up. There is no Democratic push to end Social Security

and you know it.

[chervilant]

18. hmm...

Might it happen like this? --

"Well, my Fellow Americans, we had to make a few compromises..."

[emulatorloo]

59. That would be speculation that is not based on statements by Pelosi, Reid or Obama.

Manny has some crazy notion that Obama "secretly wants to kill social security" because he set up the debt commission.

The debt commission came up with some stupid recommmendations, the chairs couldn't even get enough votes from the members to approve the report.

It was dead in the water. Obama, Pelosi, Reid, etc have NEVER ENDORSED the commission recommendations.

Manny does not seem to understand the concept that you can create a study group to make recommendations, and if the recommendations suck you don't follow them. Somehow for him the mere formation of the study group is enough to "prove Obama's Secret Plot to Destroy Social Security."

[chervilant]

110. On the other hand,

Obama's sycophants will insist that his leadership thus far has been 'stellar' and that he's kept 'most' of his campaign promises. They're likely to minimize Obama's missteps and assert that their idol most assuredly does NOT have feet of clay.

As long as the vast majority of the hoi polloi continues to play this 'blame and shame' game, the corporate megalomaniacs have us right where they want us: divided, divisive and distracted.

[MannyGoldstein]

23. Then why did Obama single-handedly create a commission to recommend deep cuts?

His http://www.handsoffss.org/what-is-the-deficit-commission-why-did-it-recommend-deep-cuts-in-social-security.html">Deficit Commission could only have been designed to recommend deep cuts, and they have not disappointed - they voted to recommend a 22% cut in benefits over time, more than $50,000 in lifetime benefit cuts per recipient.

[emulatorloo]

58. That isn't "proof" That is a non-sequiter. The commission was DOA,

Neither Obama nor any one in the Dem leadership has endorsed the recommendations.

So he created a commission, it was FUBAR. That happens sometimes,. Their recommendations were so shitty they couldn't get a majority,

[rhett o rick]

98. You avoided that very pertanent question. "Then why did Obama single-handedly create a commission to

recommend deep cuts?" Even DLC idiots could recognize that the commission was FUBAR. So why did pres Obama create the commission?

[rhett o rick]

99. He didnt say that Democrats want to "end" SS. Shame on you. That type of argument is intellectually

dishonest. Agree that "no Democrat push to end Social Security", but I bet a lot of them are willing to cut benefits.
You want to bet????

[Evasporque]

19. "I want to keep my money!"

"The guvmint is takin' my money!! Tax and spend liberals...!"

That is the mantra of the mouth breathing republican middle class...the GOP has brainwashed these morons into believing tax cuts are for them.

[Historic NY]

21. Pretty soon all those "tax breaks" add up to real money......

and someone else has to pay for them.

[Zax2me]

22. Then why did YOU extend tax cuts for the rich?!

My God I swear sometimes it takes a lot to get around him some days...
Just wish his actions were more consistent I guess with the progressive agenda he promised.

[Fuddnik]

24. Here's the problem in a nutshell.

Most members of Congress are already millionaires.

I was at a town hall meeting a few years ago with a Republican Congresswoman. The idea of raising the cap on SS taxes was brought up. At that point, congressional salaries were around $160k. She said, point blank, that NOBODY in Congress was going to vote to raise their own taxes!

[meow2u3]

28. "Tax cuts" and "tax increases" are now decoded

When Republicans say they want to "cut your taxes", they mean they want to cut their own taxes. Likewise, when repukes tell you that Democrats want to "tax your hard-earned money", they really mean Democrats want to tax repukes' ill-gotten gains while shifting the burden on those who can't afford to fight back: you and me.

[SoutherDem]

29. Communism vs. Capitalism

Those in power are rich, those without power are poor = Communism
Those who are rich are in power, those who are poor have no power = Capitalism

Either way you get the same results, a two class system.

I know there is much, much more to both systems and this is a great over simplification, But why is one so evil and the other so great to the Republicans?

[rpannier]

30. Of course you can

All you have to do is completely cut the safety net and return to debtor's prisons/indentured servitude/etc and we can have all the tax breaks

On a serious note: K&R Thanks for sharing

[A Simple Game]

40. Return to debtor's prisons? People now volunteer for them!

You can read a story at least once a week about someone committing a crime to get medical attention.

[PuffedMica]

32. The rich have gotten a free ride thanks to Bush. It is time they paid their fair share

Not only should the tax breaks for the rich be rescinded, the taxes on the rich need to be raised to cover the harm their greed has done to the economy for the last 10 years.

[PuffedMica]

33. K&R

[grahamhgreen]

34. Let's tax them at the rates of the greatest generation!

[and-justice-for-all]

37. Just end the damn tax cuts for the rich and coporations.

and tell the repuke fascist assholes to fuck off.

[AlbertCat]

39. If one is serious about reducing the deficit......

One will advocate

!. An end to tax cuts (especially during time of war(s0
2. A minimum mandatory tax for corporations (include mega-churches and business own by churches (by churches I mean religious institutions))
3. Cuting defense spending... way too much waste


Alas, no one, including the Prez, seems to be serious about the deficit.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

41. I'm pretty amazed! nt

[LiberalFighter]

44. Why should there be special tax breaks for the millionaires and billionaires?

Republicans complain about more than half the taxpayers don't pay taxes. Which is a lie. When in reality those millionaires and billionaires receive the same tax exemptions that those in the lower income receive. Even have parts of their income taxed at the same rates as those in the lower income brackets.

Those tax breaks should only be for job creation or willingness to take risks to create jobs.

[paparush]

49. Glad to hear some rumbling from the bully pulpit.

Wish it would have started in earnest 2 years ago.

[DreamSmoker]

51. Did you read those comment on that link???

Is that link some kind of Neocon Page???
Most of the comments afterward were so nasty and dead wrong..
Most were Righteous and very ignorant at best...

I posted my comment... I have not seen mine yet get approved there..

[pacalo]

54. They're ALWAYS like that. "The Hill" is a particular target for the GOP-paid shills.

You've heard about the automated system they have for writing comments on blogs? A machine creates a new i.d. & address info for every comment with the press of a button.

[JDPriestly]

52. He needs to really stick to this message and forget about

cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits. He should also forget about cuts in payroll taxes. Those bite into Social Security and Medicare.

Obama needs to remember that Social Security in particular was created to help the country's citizens recover from a depression in which older workers lost their jobs, homes and at that time, their farms. Cutting it back won't help anyone.

The cap on FICA taxes needs to be raised to tax higher income levels. Obama suggested that in his candidacy and should stick to it. He was right then, and many, many Americans voted for him because of that statement (which he repeated several times).

I will never forget the woman who told me she was trying to choose between her Social Security and pension and "the babies." Those were the independents who voted for Obama. Obama needs to understand that his campaign vow to save Social Security won him many wavering votes.

[emilyg]

53. We can afford every war.

[krabigirl]

85. Seriously. I would like to see a few of them ended before any taxes are raised.

[swilton]

56. Obama doesn't specify which tax breaks he is talking about

Mortgage interest is one of those that I fear is on the table and it has for generations made home-buying affordable for the middle class.

[russspeakeasy]

72. I sense an election coming up.

[erickregger]

77. It's not very hard to fix the budget.

There's a few simple ways we can fix the budget. But our main problem is that we have an imbalance between supply and demand, in the serious gap we now have in productivity and wages. We need to raise revenue that discourages production and increases the power of wages.

First we need to stop all some of the speculation on Wall Street that is making our economy unstable. We should put in place a small transaction tax on stocks and bonds. Secondly, we need to get rid of capital gains taxes, and just tax it as income. We then need to get rid of the Reagan tax cuts, and return to a top marginal tax rate of 70% for millionaires and billionaires.

That alone would fix our budget deficit. But we need to raise taxes on corporations as well. We need to return to a 50% corporate income tax rate, and get rid of corporate welfare programs. Tax breaks on REAL small businesses (with fewer than 50 employees) would be a good idea, so long as their annual income is under $150k.

Next we need to raise more revenue by bringing jobs back to this country. We need to end free trade. Any US company that offshores manufacturing jobs should be barred from importing their goods to the United States until they bring jobs back home.

Next, we need to eliminate the FICA cap, and lower the FICA tax rate significantly.

And lastly, we need to cut spending. We still have a 14 trillion dollar monkey on our backs that we've got to pay down. We need to cut defense by 50% or more, and roll back our massive intelligence operations.

But our biggest problem is with health care. We need to take the profit out of the health care system. Health care costs have grown 131% in the last 10 years. Are Americans getting care that is 131% better? I don't think so.

If we're going to import anything, why not import cheaper doctors to lower medical costs? If the National Institutes of Health are going to be doing the majority of all the research into new drugs, then why are we letting big pharma profit a single penny off of it?

These problems are easy enough to solve. Our problem is that our "representatives" have been bribed to the point where they have cease to represent anyone other than their owners. Until we fix that, we're screwed.

[TomCADem]

78. Oh, Oh, Corporate Media Is Going To Smack Him Down Again and Call Him A D*&k

Since Mark Halperin has been suspended, we can expect to have David Gergen and Gloria Borgen attack him for not being bipartisan enough due to his attacks on Republicans and their defense of the rich.

[jimlup]

79. No Shit Sherlock! nt

[Hubert Flottz]

82. Dear Mr. O...

You should have thought of that about a year ago...I'm not smart enough to ever be President of the USA, but I knew that.

[FreeBillClinton]

84. He's saying the right things, but I'll believe it when I see it

I think he'll eventually exact some minor concessions from republicans and the middle and lower classes will still get the shaft.

[Initech]

87. Let's face it - we killed Osama, but he won. His goal was to bankrupt the US.

Actually we did it ourselves. The only way to fix this is to cut the military budget in half and then tax the shit out of the millionaires and billionaires of society. That's how we get back on track.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

91. With 2012 looming, this is the only demand we should win without a fight......

In the past, Republicans were reality based. No more. They're determined to undo our government. How this isn't treason is what I don't understand.

[jmowreader]

93. I know the exact tax breaks to get rid of

Just pass a very simple law that erases everything done to the tax code since Reagan started fucking with it.

[radhika]

94. I Get Obama's "Tell"

One day, Obama does something out there in public, makes a nice speech. He briefly activates our pathetic hope that the Good Obama is back. Wary pundits say things like 'if he can just follow-thru'. Peeps like me say 'wow, he's gonna do it this time'.

Then...one or two days later.

He goes back into capitulation mode, disguised as grown-up fiscal conservatism. And always, Obama's actions align with the latter.

[unkachuck]

101. "It would be nice if we could keep every tax break, but we can’t..."

....very true, Mr. President....but are you ready to do something about Republican intransigence?

....are you prepare to administer some whoop-ass?

[rocktivity]

102. Rocktivity: We couldn't afford to INSTITUTE

every tax break!

:crazy:
rocktivity

[Dokkie]

113. sometimes I think

we should have let the whole Bush tax cut to expire. We have seen the lowest taxes for all Americans in 3 generations and I think the generation should sacrifice a bit for the prosperity we have enjoyed and the mistakes we have made and start paying down our debt instead of keep passing it on to the next generation.

Also if I remembered correctly, wasn't the Bush tax cut passed as a way to burn off the Clinton surplus? if so, then the surplus have been gone years ago and its time we go back to the Clinton era tax rates.

[Name removed]

114. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[pam4water]

115. It's not nice to those tax breaks. Those tax breaks are fundamentally unfair. I wish he'd take some

of those corporate donations and buy an effing clue.

[Le Taz Hot]

116. I smell our mortgage deduction about to disappear.

Watch and see if he doesn't do it.

[Doctor_J]

118. Why can't he stop speaking in riddles?

How about this: "The super-rich have not suffered a single bit during the Bush Depression. It's time they shared the sacrifice, and any legislation I sign will get rid of their tax loopholes. Period".