Mitt Romney's Re-Invention As Anti-Poverty Warrior

originally posted by: Spiramirabilis
a reply to: ladyinwaiting

It is a shame it doesn't work - think how well off we'd all be!

:-)

(And, seriously - I got cake on the frigging brain...)

Yessss, I've noticed. Mmmmm. Cake.

But I don't care if it has a rainbow on it, or a pitchfork, or Mitt's image. As long as it has lots of creamcheese and sugar.

a reply to: Jamie1

Where do you think the money from tax revenues comes from?

Poor people?

People living in poverty?

Hell no! Do nothing parasites!

Think of the kind of civilization we might have if it weren't for the dad blasted poor

But what about the middle class?

(Oh yeah - I always forget...they're poor too)

Nobody is looking to redistribute your pennies Jamie1 - we'd just like you to pay your fair share - and keep it in the country you claim to love

Or, are you not rich? :-)

Most of us pay taxes - even if some not as much as others. Here's a little something to help you sleep tonight: From each according to his ability...

:-)

a reply to: Jamie1

I am not wealthy and I do good in the world. I help my grown kids, I contribute to Child Fund International, my local food pantry, and I buy groceries for people I see in need. It may not be much but it is food. I spent a childhood in poverty. In my world I am rich from what I worked myself out of. I really wish I could develop a cold heart and ignore people who are hungry. At 64, I am satisfied with my life. But I am terrified of the future we are going to give my grandchild. And Romney will steal her future and give it to the wealthy and hope they will trickle it down. What a lie.

a reply to: MOMof3

I really wish I could develop a cold heart and ignore people who are hungry

No. Never wish that. That would change who you are, and there is no call for that. You know, if you see someone who needs help, and you can't help them, pick up the phone and help them in that way. Almost all Methodist churches keep a stocked pantry for that very reason, and they will feed anybody who's hungry, and all you to do to qualify, is be hungry and be human! They don't require any affiliation with their church, or it's' denomination.

Same with Salvation Army, if there is one in your area. There are plenty of ways to help people. Sometimes I just point them in the right direction.

You say you help your adult children, and for now, at this time in your life, that's enough.

originally posted by: Spiramirabilis
a reply to: Jamie1

Where do you think the money from tax revenues comes from?

Poor people?

People living in poverty?

Hell no! Do nothing parasites!

Think of the kind of civilization we might have if it weren't for the dad blasted poor

But what about the middle class?

(Oh yeah - I always forget...they're poor too)

Nobody is looking to redistribute your pennies Jamie1 - we'd just like you to pay your fair share - and keep it in the country you claim to love

Or, are you not rich? :-)

Most of us pay taxes - even if some not as much as others. Here's a little something to help you sleep tonight: From each according to his ability...

:-)

"The top-earning 5 percent of taxpayers (AGI equal to or greater than $154,643), however, still paid far more than the bottom 95 percent. The top 5 percent earned 31.7 percent of the nation's adjusted gross income, but paid approximately 58.7 percent of federal individual income taxes.

Since 2001, the IRS has also been presenting data on a small subset of the top 1 percent, the top 0.1 percent (the top 10 percent of the top 1 percent). In 2009, this top 0.1 percent filed 137,982 tax returns, reporting 7.8 percent of all adjusted gross income earned and paying approximately 17.1 percent of the nation's federal individual income taxes."

Source

So the top 5% pay more taxes than the bottom 95% of income earners in America.

The top 0.1% pay 17.1% of all taxes.

How much more do you think would be fair?

originally posted by: MOMof3
a reply to: Jamie1

I am not wealthy and I do good in the world. I help my grown kids, I contribute to Child Fund International, my local food pantry, and I buy groceries for people I see in need. It may not be much but it is food. I spent a childhood in poverty. In my world I am rich from what I worked myself out of. I really wish I could develop a cold heart and ignore people who are hungry. At 64, I am satisfied with my life. But I am terrified of the future we are going to give my grandchild. And Romney will steal her future and give it to the wealthy and hope they will trickle it down. What a lie.

Her future was been mortgaged to the tune of about $10 trillion by the Democratic President Obama who claimed Bush's additional $4.4 trillion in national debt was "unpatriotic."

How about this thought....

If you would have made $10 million by the time you were 64 instead of just getting by, your granddaughter's future would be much more secure than having to rely on the government, right?

Making more money for yourself and your family is a good thing.

a reply to: ladyinwaiting

I think we have all seen enough, even though there is something about Romney and I am not sure, but he is Reaganesque in many ways if you will, but I can say I served in the Military while he was in Office, Romney is no Reagan and I didn't have a ton of warm and fuzzies for Reagan.

I think that if all we have are professional politicians, millionaires, billionaires, lawyers and other schysters that run for office and the average Joe or actually from the trenches citizen will never stand a chance, we lost sight of what a president is and if they can't make it through the mud and pit fight of the press and everyone in the world combing over your background, almost like the National Enquirer approach, then America will never be able to find it's way, reality TV has been in effect when it comes to electing a president, even though most people will say they do, they will never really look at a candidates record for themselves, they wait for the soundbytes and press to do that, then they make up their mind.

I think when and if Romney runs, he will have to be careful with the binders full of women and who knows what other untold secrets might come out he would also be wise to think about some of the crazy things he said about impersonating a police officer in high school and college and most people sort of gave him a pass on that nonsensical comment, if anyone else said they did that, the creepy factor would be off the charts and if any one of us did it and got caught we'd probably be behind bars.

originally posted by: phinubian
a reply to: ladyinwaiting

I think we have all seen enough, even though there is something about Romney and I am not sure, but he is Reaganesque in many ways if you will, but I can say I served in the Military while he was in Office, Romney is no Reagan and I didn't have a ton of warm and fuzzies for Reagan.

I think that if all we have are professional politicians, millionaires, billionaires, lawyers and other schysters that run for office and the average Joe or actually from the trenches citizen will never stand a chance, we lost sight of what a president is and if they can't make it through the mud and pit fight of the press and everyone in the world combing over your background, almost like the National Enquirer approach, then America will never be able to find it's way, reality TV has been in effect when it comes to electing a president, even though most people will say they do, they will never really look at a candidates record for themselves, they wait for the soundbytes and press to do that, then they make up their mind.

I think when and if Romney runs, he will have to be careful with the binders full of women and who knows what other untold secrets might come out he would also be wise to think about some of the crazy things he said about impersonating a police officer in high school and college and most people sort of gave him a pass on that nonsensical comment, if anyone else said they did that, the creepy factor would be off the charts and if any one of us did it and got caught we'd probably be behind bars.

The biggest difference is having leaders who actually have demonstrated they can be successful in the real world.

Romney has been successful in business and government. He's been successful managing the Olympics.

Let's compare that to Hillary Clinton just for starters.

In what area has Clinton, or any other potential candidate, demonstrated even basic competency?

Rose Law Firm?

1st Lady of Arkansas?

1st Lady of U.S.?

Secretary of State?

originally posted by: ~Lucidity
a reply to: Jamie1

That lower tax thing isn't exactly all it's cracked up to be but the art of economics bores me to tears.

And yes I would think that a company built by Americans and made a success by Americans would maybe stay loyal to America and invest in America and not abandon it to cut a few tax percentage points.

How stupid is that?

Notice how pretty much ANY politician, at ANY time pre-election will promise to "lower taxes", because "lower taxes" is what people want to hear, yup-dee-doo, "LOWER TAXES MEANS I HAVE MORE MONEY".

Just that it's not that easy to lower taxes for companies, this alone doesn't better our economy, there is way more to it.

Seen on its own, "lower taxes for companies and businesses" is only another liberty businesses can do where they can save costs (or make more profit with less money required)...but this profit does NOT trickle down to anyone else.

I can have have a company with lower taxes and still have work done in India or Pakistan. How does lower taxes solve the problem of outsourcing, for example? How does "lower taxes" automatically translate into more people getting employed?

This entire economy's problem right now is that very few, rich "elites" and corporates make all the money opposed to a much higher number of average Joes who are getting barely by. (50% of American workers make LESS than $28,000/y and 40% of workers make less than they made in 1968 min. wage, the wealth of America is concentrated with a very, very few). How does giving corporates tax breaks (WHICH THEY ALREADY HAVE) change anything there? This man would do exactly the opposite, he wants to support the few rich, claiming it somehow, magically would benefit the much larger number of poor people. But this doesn't work since profit and wealth in reality doesn't trickle down, only in a fantasy world.

originally posted by: Jamie1


Did you think corporations wouldn't move to countries that have lower taxes?

Seriously?

Why?

How would the Walmarts and McDonalds sell their goods to Americans from China?
Remember, we are a Service Sector Economy Now. All their customers are here in the USA.
Nevertheless, if they moved to China, we should throw up tariffs to make up the difference.
They are free to sell their 300 iphones to their Chinese Laborers that make a dollar a day.
Good Luck with that!

The eventuality is that taxes will need to be raised, if we are to maintain our current standards of living. There is no way around it.

I would love to hear just one candidate say it. At least I'd know he/she is capable of telling the truth.

a reply to: Jamie1

Get rid of war and watch the debt go down. Too late. We will be in the ME til her grandchildren are grown. And Romney will waste the rest of her future fighting Russia. Is that fair?

originally posted by: Jamie1

originally posted by: MOMof3
a reply to: Jamie1

I was NEVER rich. I labored for 42 years. Until you get there, you won't understand. I saw how my friends went into stress with the 08Crash. Our private plan that we contributed to for 40 years is in "critical". If I lose it, what do you want me to do? A Do-Over? At least my soc sec will buy me food.

Yes, we're in agreement.

Social security provides minimum sustenance so you can live out your retirement in poverty. The tax didn't cure poverty.

The money that pays the tax comes from wealth.

Taxing does not increase wealth. It redistributes it.

Wealth is the only thing that CAN cure poverty.

Wealth not in the hands of a few. The very idea of non poverty is prosperously balanced wealth, do you off the top of your head think thats impossible? What are the main reasons why it is theoretically impossible, physically, mentally, for 99% of humans to be wealthy, what is stopping this from being the case? Who doesnt want that to occur? Why do you think its not possible? (now if you think, 99% being 'wealthy', whatever you think wealthy means, is too big of a leap, how about we start with 99% not in poverty)

originally posted by: Jamie1

originally posted by: Spiramirabilis
a reply to: Jamie1

Where do you think the money from tax revenues comes from?

Poor people?

People living in poverty?

Hell no! Do nothing parasites!

Think of the kind of civilization we might have if it weren't for the dad blasted poor

But what about the middle class?

(Oh yeah - I always forget...they're poor too)

Nobody is looking to redistribute your pennies Jamie1 - we'd just like you to pay your fair share - and keep it in the country you claim to love

Or, are you not rich? :-)

Most of us pay taxes - even if some not as much as others. Here's a little something to help you sleep tonight: From each according to his ability...

:-)

"The top-earning 5 percent of taxpayers (AGI equal to or greater than $154,643), however, still paid far more than the bottom 95 percent. The top 5 percent earned 31.7 percent of the nation's adjusted gross income, but paid approximately 58.7 percent of federal individual income taxes.

Since 2001, the IRS has also been presenting data on a small subset of the top 1 percent, the top 0.1 percent (the top 10 percent of the top 1 percent). In 2009, this top 0.1 percent filed 137,982 tax returns, reporting 7.8 percent of all adjusted gross income earned and paying approximately 17.1 percent of the nation's federal individual income taxes."

Source

So the top 5% pay more taxes than the bottom 95% of income earners in America.

The top 0.1% pay 17.1% of all taxes.

How much more do you think would be fair?

The taxes the top 5% paid should have gone directly to the poors wallet. If the top 5% were taxed more it wouldnt be hurting, your sob story is a fantastical farce, smoke screen, you are a tricky baby playing in sandboxes.

With those words uttered....

Please let me wake up from this creepy, nonsensical, and surreal dream.

originally posted by: FlyersFan
I wouldn't worry about it. He won't get the republican nod.
Looks like it'll be a Bush vs Clinton election again.

>>
What are the main reasons why it is theoretically impossible, physically, mentally, for 99% of humans to be wealthy, what is stopping this from being the case?
>>

Yes it is correct that "in theory" everyone CAN be wealthy.

HOWEVER our system *relies* on that a much larger number of "slaves" (if you will) create wealth for a small number of individuals or corporates. This is CAPITALISM. A worker/employee*must* make the company more profit than it costs to employ the worker. (Otherwise what would be the point in employing someone?).

Read again: Say if an employee gets $1000, it means that the work he did in exchange will made someone else MORE than that, and often significantly. There is no way around this, otherwise our current system would not function.

This means: Even if "in theory" an individual can create wealth it means also that this individual will need MORE people working for him/her. Short: 1 wealthy one will require (or create, as a result of him being an employer) 10, 100, 1000 poorer ones.

But what's more amazing about all this is...that we, in our society and time, ACCEPT THIS as being normal. For us it's "normal" that someone makes $10/hr and cannot pay their hospital bill so that someone else can get a mansion in Beverly Hills and a Ferrari. (Or that McD makes good profit, or a CEO makes $200M per year etc.). I am always saying that in 100 or so years we will look back at this time and find it ABSURD, in the same way as we now look back at times where children worked 18 hours in mines or people owned slaves..and TODAY we think it's absurd. A system which works like this CAN not sustain, and we have proof for this everywhere we look at. It's the ROOT of almost all our problems. Simple as that.

a reply to: NoRulesAllowed

the idea behind capitalism is to allow anyone with the desire to use their marketable skill set, to succeed to the degree they wish to. the more time invested, the more presumably they will succeed. so instead of having one pharaoh, there are countless pharaohs of varying degrees of success. but this has been hampered by marxist policies, which punish capitalism and reinstall the one pharaoh concept.

a reply to: ladyinwaiting

This was more who governor Mitt was. People go through a horrible transformation when running for president to get their parties nod. It's sad. A lot of good canidates turn into terrible people trying to figure out what their voting base wants.

originally posted by: Jamie1

originally posted by: Spiramirabilis
a reply to: Jamie1

Where do you think the money from tax revenues comes from?

Poor people?

People living in poverty?

Hell no! Do nothing parasites!

Think of the kind of civilization we might have if it weren't for the dad blasted poor

But what about the middle class?

(Oh yeah - I always forget...they're poor too)

Nobody is looking to redistribute your pennies Jamie1 - we'd just like you to pay your fair share - and keep it in the country you claim to love

Or, are you not rich? :-)

Most of us pay taxes - even if some not as much as others. Here's a little something to help you sleep tonight: From each according to his ability...

:-)

"The top-earning 5 percent of taxpayers (AGI equal to or greater than $154,643), however, still paid far more than the bottom 95 percent. The top 5 percent earned 31.7 percent of the nation's adjusted gross income, but paid approximately 58.7 percent of federal individual income taxes.

Since 2001, the IRS has also been presenting data on a small subset of the top 1 percent, the top 0.1 percent (the top 10 percent of the top 1 percent). In 2009, this top 0.1 percent filed 137,982 tax returns, reporting 7.8 percent of all adjusted gross income earned and paying approximately 17.1 percent of the nation's federal individual income taxes."

Source

So the top 5% pay more taxes than the bottom 95% of income earners in America.

The top 0.1% pay 17.1% of all taxes.

How much more do you think would be fair?

Well for starters. Maybe those with 50% of the wealth should pay 50% of the taxes. IDK

And this is shocking because?

Politicians all do the re-brand, Democrats, Republicans, no matter - they all do it. It's politics.

If you, me or anyone else can change their mind, view, platform, why can't he? Does he not have that same right?

I'd like to see ONE source that's not biased...but seeing how that's not very realistic these days, how about one from each side of the fence?

What I'm more shocked at is that people have seen first hand what the current admin has done and not done, and that the politicians we elect to *represent* us, somehow think that we elected them to *rule* us.

Politicians are not perfect, fallible and can all (and most do) be afflicted with *tell you what you want to hear* and then do something else. Even our current White House occupant/puppet has done this. Look at his platform when he ran for office the first time, look at the promises made and what's been done since. Then look at the same thing for the last say 6 presidents...compare the same way. Find the pattern, anyone with any common sense at all can find it, provided they can actually think for themselves.

Who cares who's in office, Democrat, Republican, Tea Party - what we should all be interested in is individual freedoms, civil liberties and less gov't involvement and control over things they shouldn't have their hands in.....you may disagree, but that's where you and I may differ, I can agree to disagree, and when people who argue the opposite, usually rail, whine and howl at the moon trying to convince everyone who'll read, listen even halfheartedly that their way is the only way and that we should give the gov't more control, so we ourselves have less of it.

Truth is a real bitch because it requires, nay demands each person do more than read blogs, sit on the sofa and watch CNN or some other paid #-bag channel to get fed what others want them to hear. There isn't honest journalism anymore...the few who are in that profession, are quickly dispatched via firing, demotion, etc.

Want more in life? WORK FOR IT.
If anyone who's reading this isn't born rich, that's not your fault. However if you die poor, that's your own fault. Money isn't evil, what people do with it can be. Same with anything on this planet, bad things can be done with good things.

The minimum wage 'war' as they call it - those sorts of jobs are meant for students and to augment incomes, not be a complete source to raise a family on. Want a better job? Go to school. There are so many grants, programs, scholarships and more - there's no excuse not to go. You don't go, you've chosen what income you'll likely have. Minimum wage goes up, so does the cost of things we use and buy - nothing is free. It's a balance. Are there companies who could pay better and choose not to? Absolutely, and that's part of business - people vote with their butts in seats. Want to ensure people get paid better? Then stop shopping at those bargain basement places like walmart, kmart, Amazon, etc. Shop local, put your money where your mouth is willingly, and without the gov't involvement.

I am against the Gov't getting involved in to many things. Why? Name me one, a single gov't program that's made things truly easier, more streamlined, works well, is on time, under budget, even if ONCE.

People are upset at how some or all of these "work":

Social Security
Welfare
DMV
IRS
Just a few of the 'wonderful' things...