Campaign 2008

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He's paying for it himself but the only person he could possibly help with this is Obama.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Kucinich said that he isn't doing it for himself...he's doing it because there are supposedly reports there were discrepancies with ballots cast electronically, as opposed to ones that were hand counted, at least that is my understanding.

 

As far as Hillary Clinton, this new pandering to illegal immigrants is going to backfire big time, I think. It's just a matter if Edwards or Obama call her on it, which I suppose is a little doubtful.

[DARRYLXWF 0]

The Fox News Focus Group said that Thompson was the best and that Ron Paul was the worst. I should have listened and learned.

 

Paul gets points for selling the Austrian Business Cycle Theory as the explanation of possible recession. Ludwig Von Mises should be proud.

[Guest Cock Ring Warehouse]

Kucinich said that he isn't doing it for himself...he's doing it because there are supposedly reports there were discrepancies with ballots cast electronically, as opposed to ones that were hand counted, at least that is my understanding.

But he wasn't running against Republicans.

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Clinton's new Wallace/Atwater/Rove strategy seems to be working well.

[Guest Cock Ring Warehouse]

Man, people fall for yet another Ron Paul smearjob from the news channels, this whole thing about his newsletter that he didn't even write, and yet his supporters are supposed to be the idiots. Whatever.

[Brett Favre 0]

I don't mind Ron Paul. He's just weird.

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Ron Paul has gotten dicked this entire campaign. Fox has been the worst.

[BUTT 0]

Man, people fall for yet another Ron Paul smearjob from the news channels, this whole thing about his newsletter that he didn't even write, and yet his supporters are supposed to be the idiots. Whatever.

How do you know he didn't write them? This guys has years worth of newsletters with his name on them expressing racist views, and we're supposed to believe that they don't represent his views at all?

[PUT THAT DICK IN MY MOUTH! 0]

I know if I was a congressman I'd just attach my name to stuff without ever inquiring about its content.

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He said he didn't write them. He has gone over, repeatedly, which ones were written by him and which were written by others.

 

He's said, a million times at least, that MLK is among his heroes.

 

Plenty of people will beleive whatever they are told. Hillary Clinton is still a great, sympathetic figure despite actually using racially-divisive dirty campaigning for much of January.

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Defending Paul, obviously, makes me a racist. I will be the only racist working for the Barack Obama campaign. Neat!

[PUT THAT DICK IN MY MOUTH! 0]

He's said, a million times at least, that MLK is among his heroes.

 

This is basically a really stupid variation on the old "I'm not racist, I have black friends" argument.

[snuffbox 0]

Not really. The guy's taken the time to explain why MLK is his hero (and, since Americans can't be bothered to look any further into anything than what they are told by idiots, he will have to go over it a few million more times). He has explained why he isn't a racist, explained the newsletters, qualified his votes on libertarian principles and will presumably have to do so for a long time because few are actually listening to him.

 

As JFK said, "those that want to be deluded will be deluded no matter what they are told."

[Gary Floyd 0]

Seems like Hillary and Romney won in Michigan.

[Guest Cock Ring Warehouse]

Man, why couldn't the Big 3 join forces to marginalize and ridicule Rudy Giuliani or something?

 

Ron Paul is beating Rudy in Michigan, though, 6% to 3%. Sweet.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Seems like Hillary and Romney won in Michigan.

 

I was rooting for Uncomitted on the Democrat side. Putting some truth into "Nobody can beat a democrat in 08" .

[Jingus 0]

Even if he didn't write them, the newsletters point towards some negative conclusions. Either he approved of the racist material, or he wasn't even reading his own newsletter with his name on it to notice that his underlings were repeatedly writing some nasty stuff which was attributed to him. His complete unwillingness or inability to even try to guess who actually wrote the stuff is also suspicious at the very least. It gives off an image of a guy who isn't paying attention and either doesn't have a good memory or will lie to keep his accquaintances out of trouble.

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

Seems like Hillary and Romney won in Michigan.

 

I was rooting for Uncomitted on the Democrat side. Putting some truth into "Nobody can beat a democrat in 08" .

 

Me too, Marv.

 

I am very pleased with the Romney win, which would seem to keep this clusterfuck of a campaign the clusterfuck that it is.

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If Jingus, the Dr. King of TSM, says Ron Paul is racist then it's gotta be true.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Romney lied to the Michigan people though saying he's going to bring back the Auto Factories to Michigan. Theres no chance in hell of that happening...er...

 

I keep hearing that if the US goes to the fair tax (the 23% sales tax instead of federal income tax and corporate taxes) that businesses would flood back into the US with their factories to produce goods because it would be cheaper than doing it overseas even with paying american labor, especially given the increased costs of fuel, but that will never happen because it would involve lowering taxes on the rich people and we cant have the rich people getting off paying less taxes because they arent even paying their fair share now at something like 40% of all taxes collected.

 

Edit: Huckabee is running on that tax plan as well..but it will never get passed with a democratic congress.

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Romney lied?

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Romney lied?

you're supposed to be "A politician lied..you dont say, Im shocked!"

 

seriously though..it seems like the people of Michigan are living in a vaccum and think that those auto industry jobs will come back there someday..but they aren't...they're going to states like Kentucky and are hiring non union workers. They didnt want to hear the truth that they needed to get off their butts and start learning other job trades (from McCain and others).

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

The FairTax is bullshit.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

The FairTax is bullshit.

 

theres pros and cons..but I would think the elimination of corporate taxes bringing high paying factory jobs back to America would be a huge benefit, which seems to be what everyone is screaming for. It would also get the US back on track from the Economy being 70% consumer spending instead of goods manufactured. Id say it would also be good for the environmentalists since recycled materials wouldnt be taxed so companies would have more incentive to used recycled materials since they'd be cheaper. There would be cons but I think the pros outweigh them if the state of the economy is the #1 concern.

 

Edit - everyones main concern with a 23% fair tax (which equals a 30% sales tax) on new goods is that everything will cost more, but if corporate taxes are eliminated then the companies wouldnt have to pass on the cost of taxes to the consumers, so at most the prices would probably stay the same if not be lower. Plus you could always go strictly buying used goods (I guess food might be an exception) and pay no tax since used goods would be exempt.

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

It would be a massive tax hike on the middle class, if it really is "revenue neutral" as proponents claim.

 

Also, are you aware of the term "black market"? Because if that passed, you would learn it very quickly.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

if "massive tax hike on the middle class" means they get to keep a few thousand dollars more in their own pocket than give it to the government, then fine...theres plenty of math done on other sites that show this..

 

As far as the black market goes..I suppose people could steal the goods directly from the factory or store, but once the new item is sold, the government gets its money and then it doesnt matter how many times its sold on Ebay or etc, they wouldnt need to pay tax on it again. As it is now, people buy stuff used all the time on Ebay and yard sales etc and dont pay tax like they're supposed to, so I dont see the difference. So yes, demand for used goods would probably soar but is that such a bad thing given the amount of stuff filling landfills because people have to go out and buy new junk every year and throw away their nearly brand new junk just because it doesnt fit a seasonal fashion or its a generation behind in technology. And buying used would increase the middle class buying power even more if you think about it.

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

if "massive tax hike on the middle class" means they get to keep a few thousand dollars more in their own pocket than give it to the government, then fine...theres plenty of math done on other sites that show this..

 

Marvin, the tax claims to be revenue neutral...that means the tax will generate just as much income as income and payroll taxes do now. The rich will pay a smaller percentage of their money in taxes, since they spend less of their money on average. Not even the FairTax proponents dispute this. The poor will get the "prebate" to make up for their increased taxes. Tell me Marvin, where does the rest of that tax revenue going to come from?

 

Here's what happens to the tax burden under a national sales tax with a "prebate":

 

FactCheck.org

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

As far as the black market goes..I suppose people could steal the goods directly from the factory or store, but once the new item is sold, the government gets its money and then it doesnt matter how many times its sold on Ebay or etc, they wouldnt need to pay tax on it again. As it is now, people buy stuff used all the time on Ebay and yard sales etc and dont pay tax like they're supposed to, so I dont see the difference. So yes, demand for used goods would probably soar but is that such a bad thing given the amount of stuff filling landfills because people have to go out and buy new junk every year and throw away their nearly brand new junk just because it doesnt fit a seasonal fashion or its a generation behind in technology. And buying used would increase the middle class buying power even more if you think about it.

 

Right now a great deal of government revenue comes from income and payroll taxes. Every year, Americans put shitloads of energy into avoiding paying those taxes. My brother doesn't pay income taxes and he makes more than I do.

 

Right now, sales taxes are pretty low, so most people don't put much effort into avoiding them. If the majority of the tax burden shifts from income & payroll taxes to a sales taxes, Americans will begin to put much more effort into avoiding sales taxes.

 

Hello black market.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Their tax share may go up 3% (which isn't massive) but they'll still have more money in their pockets even if they spend every last dime and save nothing.

Family of 4, 2 working parents and 2 kids making $60,000 a year:

 

$11,882 total tax on income (19.8%)

 

$48,118 net after taxes

 

If they buy exactly what they bought the year before, if you dont even figure in the predicted 20% price drop, everything will cost 30% more.

 

$48,118 X 30% exclusive(23% inclusive income tax equivalent) = $14,435 or $62,553

 

Under fair tax, take home pay is $60,000 and a family of 4 would get $5,904 a year in monthly prebate checks back from the government.

 

So their new take home pay is $65,904.

 

$65,904 - $62,553 = $3,351 extra money, not even taking into account prices falling 20%. The number goes up to over $10,000 if you factor that in.

 

Like I said, the #1 reason you wont see this happen is because the rich get a bigger tax break and anytime someone says 30% tax hike, your average joe screams

"FUCK THAT I AINT PAYING THAT" but if you actually at least take the time to run numbers and look at all the research you'd see it would be one of the best solutions for the economy. More higher paying jobs for Americans + comparably priced domestic goods compared to foreign + more money to spend (although hopefully it might encourage people to actually save money for a change) + the same amount of money going to the government in taxes as it would under payroll taxes = a good thing.

 

and Id seriously consider voting for Huckabee if I thought this had a chance in hell of getting passed, but we have our John Edwards' fighting for the uneducated middle class that will prevent that from happening...and their taxes will still go up.