President Obama wants everyone to pay their fair share
By bobmnu
@bobmnu (8157)
United States
April 11, 2012 1:12am CST
His solution is to tax those making more than a million dollars to pay more.
I have another suggestion. Lets cut every Department by 10% and we would realize more savings. Before you start complaining about hurting the poor lets look at a few things. Eliminate the Federal fleet of cars that are used to drive top officals to and from work at tax payer expense. All Federal employees who have to travel, travel at the coach fair or they pay the difference. Congressional Staff is paid out of campaign funds, they do so much to reelect their boss let the campaign pay for them. All Federal employees and elected officals have to follow the IRS guidelines and rules just like common people.
Another way to save money is to fund the Government Accounting Office through the funds they find that are being abused. For example if the Department of the Interior lets a lease to cut timber and the loggers do not pay for the timber then the D of I loses that amount of money and it goes to the GAO. You could go further and say that the employees of a Department will get a bonus of all unspent moneys in their budget. If they go over budget then the overage is taken out of next years budget.
The Tax the Rich is not going to solve our problems in this country, we need to cut spending and waste in the government.
3 people like this
10 responses
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
12 Apr 12
Bob you do make some good points. But, I do believe that security would come into p,ace on the travel end. The problem with this idea that the last thing we should do is increase taxes, is that the rich are doing MUCH better than the rest of us, and their solution to the countries problems are to make everyone else tighten their belt. Why should the wealthiest people in is country have to pay more money? They are doing better than the rest of us, and they are the ones that got the huge tax cuts, and accounting gimmicks. I am not against EVERYONE feeling some pain, but it is obvious that the rich feel they don't have to!
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
12 Apr 12
Bob, in the past people weren't being paid a salary that was taxed as Capital Gains. Obama is just fixing a tax break that the ultra wealthy use to avoid paying taxes. Because we all know that they are pay 35% right? Remember that LIE that the right wingers told us about the ultra wealthy? We all know the truth now, and that is why republicans are struggling to defeat Obama!!!
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
12 Apr 12
Since when are Americans envious of success? When did we start thinking this way? Oh, yeah. I remember, when someone suggested that the rich should pay more cause they are greedy and evil. Even though they take the risks, they create jobs by investing, they invest in innovation and research, we need to take more of their money so government can continue to spend like there's no tomorrow. IF Obama really thought things were so unfair, would he be jetting off to Hawaii or playing on expensive golf courses with the rich? Would he be throwing lavish parties in the White House and hiring Hollywood celebrities to entertain his children? IF he really believed this 'the rich need to do more' he would live a frugal lifestyel. Where did a community organizer, sometimes law teacher get the millions he's worth right now? Do people not see the hypocrisy?
This attitude that the rich are the bad guys and encouraging envy and hate towards them is a Marxist tone that Obama has injected into the public square of debate and I really don't understand why people are falling for it.
@OpinionatedLady (5966)
• United States
11 Apr 12
Well for one thing it is only the Federally paid politicians who get to fly around in first class. My Dad has been an agent for over 30 years and has never flown anything but coach for conferences and what not. It all sounds good what you say but unfortunately the greedy pigs elected into office will never let things like this happen. I for one would love to freeze their pay as they have done to our military, federal prison employees and other blue collar federal job holders. Lets see how they feel when the senate doesn't get a huge percentage raise for ac change.
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
11 Apr 12
I agree. But there is a way to make it happen. Elect men and women who sign a contract saying it will happen. Those tea party representatives everyone is up in arms about, they signed a statement promising those who elected them that they'd not vote for ANY tax increases. Now they're taking the heat from our president and the liberals in Congress for being a 'do nothing' party. Obtructionists, I believe they were called, even though they passed several budget balancing bills during the 'crisis' last fall. You know the one, where we were down graded to a AA instead of a AAA credit rating thanks to the liberal's spending sprees.
@OpinionatedLady (5966)
• United States
18 Apr 12
Yes but the Dems and Repubs are so scared at losing control they will do anything to blacken the Tea party. I personally will not be voting for either main party as I find them all to be lying, back door politicos who need to be ousted.
@Fatcat44 (1141)
• United States
12 Apr 12
I have seen Chuck Grassley twice traveling. He is in coach like everyone else. I really commend him for that,not like other, e.i. Pelosi who has to have her own 737.
Even Mitt Romney has been flying coach.
@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
13 Apr 12
Considering national defense is still our biggest expense lets start charging every country we have bases in instead of paying them. End no bid contracts for defense contractors. When in God's name are they going to do something about the $2.3 trillion the pentagon can't find, seems to me that would be more than enough to cover any expenses to veterans budgets they keep threatening to cut.
@mensab (4200)
• Philippines
11 Apr 12
for information, the cuts have been done in every department. and now the government is bleeding for some sources of income. taxing the rich is one way to augment the income of the government and close the gap of the deficit. for me, i am ok with looking for other sources of income without hurting the poor and those who are struggling. the rich can afford the taxes that will be imposed anew.
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
12 Apr 12
What happens when the rich move out like they have done in New York and other high tax states? They can simply pack up and move to a country that is more tax friendly. Then what does the government do for more revenue.
If cuts have been made why is the debt been increasing by billions every month?
@rodney850 (2145)
• United States
12 Apr 12
The solution to this problem is absolutely NOT on the supply side. The problem is and always has been that our government spends too much money on stupid idiotic unecessary things. Our government is not responsible for everyone's health but they insist on injecting themselves into the mix. When our government decides it is more important than the people it serves we have a real huge problem.
@polaroidsredwine (509)
• United States
12 Apr 12
I'd think taxing the rich would help at least a little, but it's not the only thing that needs to be done - it's like putting a bandaid on; stems the bleeding but doesn't do much for the actual injury. A slew of solutions need to be applied to the problem, and maybe cutting down some of the pay people in government earn would do good (lifetime salaries of some officials is like, what, well over the 100k mark even when they're not in office anymore?) That said, the whole taxing the rich thing isn't really class warfare either, because having someone who earns $20k a year pay the same amount in taxes as someone who earns $200k a year just isn't fair at all.
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
12 Apr 12
The problem is, taking more money from the rich won't help at all. It's expected to increase revenues by $47 billion over 10 years. That means $4.7 billion a year with a $1.5 trillion deficit. That's a 0.31% reduction in the annual deficit. It's a gimmick and nothing more.
Someone who earns $20K a year doesn't owe ANY federal taxes at the end of the year. In fact, anyone earning that much probably gets more in their tax return than they paid into the system.
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
11 Apr 12
Raising taxes on the rich will only do one thing, leave rich people with less money to spend. It won't balance the budget. It won't create jobs. It won't help people who are poor or struggling. The whole "tax the rich" crap is just a load of class warfare crap that does nothing to help anyone.
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
11 Apr 12
Paul Ryan made a statement to the effect that if you taxed all the millionaires at 100%, it would only be enough money to fund the government for four months. Politifact checked his statement and found it was incorrect. You couldn't fund the government for four months on that amount, you could ONLY FUND IT FOR 2.5 MONTHS.
http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/oct/20/paul-ryan/ryan-says-100-percent-tax-millionaires-would-only-/
Obviously, even taxing the rich to the point where you take all their money won't solve the problem.
Someone needs to send a message to Washington: It's the spending, dummies!
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
11 Apr 12
Quit with the parties, going to Vegas and pay the Senators, Representatives a fair wage but make them live like anyother working person in this country. Within their means. Did you know that when someone is elected to Congress, they can count on leaving as a mulit millionaire. Lower their pay, quit allowing for all their expenses and lavish lifestyle. I won't even go into the COST of keeping our current president in fine feather. A community organizer should not be worth millions for his 'service' to the community.
@beenice2 (2967)
• Sackville, New Brunswick
11 Apr 12
They could stop paying too much the Politician that are retired, give them just what they need no extra, and the one that is elected should pay himself only $1.00 for a whole year to help the country back on track, and tell every citizen to stop overspend.
