Regarding Biden's "gaffe", my dad makes well over $250K per year

[Kber]

and he agrees with Biden that it is his duty to pay more tax.

One of the reasons he voted for Kerry, honestly, is that he was disgusted by the size of his tax cut, especially when compared to his hard working children.

He said that if the government hadn't given him the support (which he feels is withheld from his children's generation), in the form of student loans, GI bill funds, and writing the tax code to favor those aspiring to middle class, that he'd never have "made it".

He's kind of a hard ass in many ways, but firmly believes that "someone's got to pave the roads and pay the teachers" and those who make more should pay more. And while he's been personally generous to his family in many ways "having a rich dad isn't exactly something we should be basing government policy on".

He's also never equated wealth with societal value. For example, my sister is going into academia. She'll be able to support herself, but she'll never be "rich". And he's said that she will make a much greater contribution to society than he ever will.

And he'll gladly point out that when he made less, he paid less and to reverse his opinion now would be the hight of hypocrisy.

[1corona4u]

1. Biden didn't make a gaffe, as we all know....

that's just the way the media spun it.

[potone]

2. Thank you for your post.

Your father is a good man. The thing that I cannot forgive Reagan for, above all else, is that he made greed respectable. I don't think this country has ever recovered from that, and now we are seeing the full results. It is truly disgusting to see McCain trying to sound as if he is outraged by the consequences of the policies he promoted.

[JustAnotherGen]

3. Your dad and I

Are kindred spirits. I feel it's my duty an American to make sure those who have 'less' get the hand up and break they deserve. I don't think the tax breaks for the middle class and below will cause me to stop giving my time or money to the Essex County Foodbank . . . but I hope. I really really hope - it means I will need to give less time and money.


It's bad out there. It was packed at the Food Bank this morning. :-(

[patrice]

4. Some people are naturally offended by pimps prostituting their votes.

[ClarkUSA]

5. Your dad's a good guy - Warren Buffett and Bill Gates' dad feel the same way

Wish all wealthy people did, but too many of them wish the estate tax would go away and their Bush tax cuts continue forever.

[Kber]

12. He's on the "executive committee" at his company

and he's consistantly the only democrat in the room.

When the other "boys" point out that he's voting against his self interest by voting for someone who will raise his taxes, he likes to rattle off a list the close reletives and frinds who will benefit. People like his parents, his children, his sisters and neices and nephews.

And then he'll look them in the eye and say something like "so you want me to vote to take money out of my dad's pocket, or my daughter's, so I can buy, what exactly that I can't already afford?"

Generally, the subject gets changed.

[ClarkUSA]

25. Your dad should run for office -- he has the background, experience and values to make it.

I don't know where he lives but he's the type of "common good" man we need in politics. He's the best kind of Democrat.

[Kber]

26. Ha! I don't think I'll mention it - his ego is big enough already.

:)

[ClarkUSA]

33. Tell him -- all successful pols have big egos (aka. self-confidence) in order to make it

Just curious - what state does he live in? Does his district lean Democratic?

[Kber]

34. NJ - leans very purple

maybe I'll mention it at Rosh Hashana dinner.

He's a little worried about what he's going to do with his time when he retires. Who knows?

[RufusEarl]

6. Your father sounds like a smart man, wish others had his wisdom.

Peace!

[gulliver]

7. He should repeat it over and over. It's not a gaffe.

Biden said those making over $250K should consider it patriotic to pay more taxes. The media shortened it, fatuously, to "Biden says paying more taxes patriotic." Biden needs to stick to his guns and grind the message in. OBAMA IS LOWERING TAXES ON THE MIDDLE CLASS; MCCAIN IS LOWERING TAXES ON THE RICH.

People don't get it. McBush keeps talking about how Obama is going to raise taxes. Jesus, is our ability to communicate with the people so bad that such a bold-faced, asinine lie just stands?

[Frustratedlady]

13. I imagine a lot more RWs are above the $250K than Dems.

They are only concerned about their bank account. They don't want to spend money on social programs or help anyone beyond their family members. I have a lot of RW friends, and they will only vote with their pocketbook. They are also the ones who don't help their neighbors unless it is a benefit in their social circles. Never anonymously. They want their hands clean at all times and Dems are beneath them. Way beneath.

[CrispyQ]

18. Republican Family Values:

My family is valuable; yours is not.

[TheBigotBasher]

27. And to add

your child is valuable while in the room, but after that it's up to them.

Except it is not as the Government that will keep its nose out of your welfare, which will provide a poor basic state education, a pitiful basic health care system that is one of the worst (as well as most expensive), offer no help with housing or finding a job WILL definitely interfere if you are gay, if you want to have a joint, if you are Muslim or want to do, or are, anything out of the "ordinary". Then welcome to the Party and Government of the Nanny State.

In the UK if you are found with a bag of weed and a gun, the Police will be more concerned about the gun, in the US, the police will be more concerned about the weed.

[gulliver]

21. Voting Dem is voting your pocketbook.

It's voting your happiness and life too. You can't have incompetent nitwits running the country just because they are the only ones stupid enough to let crooks and cronies rob us all blind.

[dansolo]

36. Obama should mention how much Cindy McCain's tax c ut will be under McCain's plan

Show people the real number of how much John McCain will personally gain (along with all his rich buddies) from his proposed tax cuts.

[sandnsea]

8. I hope your dad can volunteer time

Lots of lower income people need to hear people like your dad. All they hear is their boss complaining or the big box floor manager propaganda. If people like your dad talked to them, maybe they wouldn't feel guilty voting against the master who is so wonderful to give them a job.

[DefenseLawyer]

9. The free lunch is an easy sell

The right has been able to mutate the "government is wasteful" argument into a concept that somehow taxes are the government "taking your money" and flushing it down a toilet. The government takes your money that you would have done something cool with, and that's it, it's just gone. Of course most of the "let me keep my money" crowd probably knows better if they bother to give it any thought, but having your cake and eating it too is just so much more satisfying.

[LiberalFighter]

10. Here Here!! Everyone should pay their fair taxes.

And those that make well over $250,000 have a duty to pay their fair share considering what provided them the means to earn that income. It wasn't all on their own without the assistance of the government and their programs.

Transportation: Everyone needs transportation usually by roads.

The employee so they can get to work, school, stores, support services, etc.

The employer so that they can get to work, their employees get to work, supplies to their place of business, products that they can ship out to their customers, etc. The employer needs it even more so if their business is to survive.

If the government wasn't in place to provide services and regulations/laws many of these well off people wouldn't have the income they have. If we were pre-FDR where would many of them be now?

[quantass]

11. Cuz i gotta ask...what does your dad do? I've ruled out McCain Lobbyist: $250K is hourly rates

[Kber]

17. He's your standard corporate Senior VP

One of the guys with the big offices.

Started out delivering newspapers in Queens and working as a camp waiter. Just ask him. He'll tell you all about it in great detail.

Actually, he's worked hard to get where he is and he's usually the smartest guy in the room. Sometimes that gets him in more trouble than it gets him out of. (Tact isn't exactly his strong suit, some days.) :)

[Stuart G]

14. K and R

[crazy_vanilla]

15. good for him

it is very nice of him to see why things have to be this way

[CrispyQ]

16. I wish more wealthy people had the integrity of your father.

I had the honor of working for a very wealthy man who felt like your father does. He paid his employees a very decent wages & provided great benefits, picking up 80% of the cost for the employee & spouse & 50% for the rest of the family. I remember one year in particular, when he had sold off most of his company stock options, his tax bill was $2.5 million - yeah, you read that right! I took the message from his tax accountant, who really didn't want to talk to him directly & tell him how much his bill was. When I told my boss how much he owed, he smiled & said, "You probably think I'm cringing to pay that much, but I'm not. Unlike most people I know, I have no issue with paying my taxes. If it hadn't been for public education I wouldn't be here today."

Two thumbs up to your dad! He sounds like a wonderful man who possesses true humanitarian values!

[Kber]

22. Look - it's not like he's a saint or anything.

Paying taxes is his duty. I don't think he gets any special place in heaven for paying his fair share, and I'm sure he doesn't think so either.

He just thinks his fair share is bigger than mine. It's all about fairness with him. The idea that some corporate fat cat is paying less in taxes that his kids really burn him.

There's also a part of him that thinks that a fair society protects the rich more than the poor. If most people feel like they have a decent shot at a decent life, they are less likely to take up the torches and pitchforks, if you know what I mean.

He's pretty big on separating taxes - which he pays based on duty and fairness, and charity, which he does give a fair amount to, but is strictly voluntary.

Charity may be his ticket into heaven. Taxes is just paying your way through the life we are living now.

[gulliver]

19. The rich don't do their share unless they pay higher taxes.

They do less of the work to keep the country going. They do none of the dying to defend the country. They do nothing to provide the country with goods and services. The only thing the rich provide is capital and taxes. That is their only contribution. Exactly why is it that at a time when everyone is being asked to support their country, the rich are exempt because their contribution happens to be money.

News Flash Republicans: Money isn't everything! Tax relief to the rich means they are slackers.

[votetastic]

20. It's a good thing he said it..

It puts to rest the whole "Obama's gonna raise your taxes" myth for those who make less than 250K

[glitch]

23. Your dad is smarter than a lot of people out there. So was mine. Give him a hug for me. nt

[Warren Stupidity]

24. There is no gaffe there.

The well off middle class and the actual rich most certainly have an obligation to pay more taxes, and the tax code should that. Especially those other folks: the actual rich, the ones with substantial inherited and non-wage wealth, the ones whose net value is not mostly composed of the house they live in.

[Bread and Circus]

28. Damn, sounds like a cool guy

[goodgd_yall]

29. Your dad makes sense

His point of view is something affluent people should aspire to.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

30. There are many wealthy people (not most though) who vote for the good of their country over greed...

Glad to hear your dad is one of the good ones.

[cali]

31. my dad was the same way

he's gone, but my mom signed on with the bill gates sr initiative to protest the repealing of the inheritance tax. my dad always said that paying higher taxes was the cost of having a stable financial environment in which to build his business. And when he died 8 years ago he left much of his wealth to causes he cared about.

[hedgehog]

32. Your dad is a real patriot. I'm waiting for someone to point out

that in this country, the rich are relatively safe. In countries like Mexico and Brazil where there is an incredible gap between rich and poor, the wealthy are in constant fear of being kidnapped or murdered. Paying a slightly higher tax rate is a small cost for being able to live without fear.

[Cha]

35. Thanks for the sanity from your Dad, Kber

The corporatemedia were all hyperventialting that they weren't patriotic 'cause they don't want to pay their fair share of taxes.