This is my political sacred place. A place for this "1MormonDemocrat" who currently lives in Utah to breathe...aaah, relief! Thanks for visiting! I would love to see your comments!
Monday, July 23, 2012
Foreign Policy....win (easily) goes to Obama on this one!
Obviously the name of the blog says it all - us readers should not expect a fair and balanced approach to the content...hence we never saw the "you didn't build that video" on your site. So let me throw one out there that I'd love your feedback on:
What did you think of the "You didn't build that quote?" What does Bryson's boss think of it?
Wasn't it interested that Obama and his campaign defended the comments in the exact context that they were phrased in days after the speech but then changed their tone and said the President meant something else from his comments once the nation had time to respond to his ignorant remarks? Despite the initial confirmation from the White House that the President did in fact mean "you successful business owners did not build YOUR business on your own, you owe it to those who have helped - i.e. the government, so lets tax you for it." Now the "that" comment has been interpreted by his campaign as the roads and bridges...if you re-read it, that is a big stretch. He should go back to prepared speeches with teleprompters if his candid remarks are that far off the his intended target.
Somehow my comment was deleted...so here is the short version...I only heard of that quote in the after math and in Romney's jumping on the opportunity to use it against Obama in the campaign. So I am not aware what is true and what isn't. However, I see how Romney can get people backing him up by the usual and largely Republican tactic of FEAR mongering. "Don't vote for a President who takes credit for your hard work--" or something similar to that has probably been said about this quote...and in my opinion is ridiculous. I am a strong believer in speaking my own opinion. I love to hear others, bt this blog is really just for me to vent my opinion in a place I feel is more appropriate than a family blog or facebook. Some people shy away from politics and I don't want to put it in their face out of respect for them...so that is why this blog is as you say "One-sided." :) I love hearing what you have to say though. I will read that quote in context and post something in response. I can't comment further without really having read the full context...only hearing that same line out of context...even though I have heard both sides of the debate surrounding it.
Fair enough...I look forward to hearing your thoughts. I suspect you will find that Obama's comments, in context and as agreed upon by his campaign and press secretary up to 48 hours after the speech, state that Obama feels that all successful businesses are done at the credit of outside resources (i.e. a teacher or more specifically the US Gov't). Further the rest of the speech (aside from the "You didn't build that" quote) rests on the logic that because business owners are successful at the credit of the Gov't, they should expect to pay a higher tax...yadda yadda yadda, his pitch to raise taxes on those earning more then $250,000 a year.
His logic is a concerning.
You know me and taxes though...all his yackin' just lacks logic. You know I like to talk real numbers with real solutions. In business, we often look at the risk vs. the reward of things. Obama's logic is that we should raise taxes on the higher income earners in the country. The middle class is happy to agree because it helps them avoid another pass by the tax man. But we in the middle class often don't get access to the real numbers to see if the presentation by these candidates actually pencils out. His proposed tax increase on those earning over $250,000 would generate less then $10 billion in new taxes annually - hello, the deficit Obama just predicted for this year alone is more than 120 times this amount...this tax increase solves no problems at all and further the risk of employers who will be hit with the higher taxes cutting plans to hire more employees is just too high. Risk and reward is not in chorus with each other.
Obviously, raising taxes on these people so they can pay their bigger fair share doesn't solve ANY of our fiscal policies. A $1.2 trillion deficit - fourth straight year of trillion-plus deficits has got to stop and raising $10 billion in taxes as being the "solution" is a bit short sided, don't you think?
But doesn't Obama talk pretty heavy about how this tax hike on the high income earners is THE solution and he presents no other ideas. Nope, "just raise taxes on the top earners so the masses will continue to vote for me even though this idea solves NO problems, these middle class people aren't smart enough to figure that out - only smart enough to know that they want to vote for someone that won't raise my taxes!"
Ugh, I pray daily we don't have another 4 years of this crap.
Funny. I pray we keep a President in office who has a better understanding of the mass majority of people. Who has proven to be the most transparent President we have seen. Who is a great example of America and who has strong foreign policy and brings respect to this country...the respect our military and our citizens deserve. I want a President whom I can align myself with on most subjects...such as education, energy and keeping jobs within the US instead of sending them to other countries. The only crap I see is that in which the Romney campaign has thrown around just like monkeys in a cage.
Just an observation - I heard a lot of "touchey feeley" items in your explanation of support for Obama. It is unfortunate when the GOP folks have to deal with facts and solutions. I'd love to invest more into education, discovering more clean energy sources, and putting incentives in place to encourage US companies to keep jobs in the US. All of those things cost billions upon billions of dollars. The Dems are totally happy to finance most of it with more debt and raise $10 billion a year in taxes on the wealthy all while ignoring Moody's warning of a second downgrade of the US debt if we keep piling on more debt.
The GOP would be willing to invest in those areas too but have to take a fiscally conservative approach of asking "is it worth borrowing for?" And all these tax increases Obama talks about is only 1/120 of the problem. Hello....solutions Mr. President?
This problem of fiscal responsibility is only getting worse by the day with the health care bill that looms over business' heads every day. Biggest tax increase of all time - numbers speak for themselves. And all of those tax dollars go to the health care bill. Eventually we will all have to pay even more to cover education, energy, yadda yadda yadda.
His checking account is overdrawn and he doesn't seem to care enough to do something meaningful about it.
I do not think that education is a touchy feely subject. It is necessary! How can our economy grow with uneducated generations coming up the chain? Seems pretty basic to me. In addition, I don't see how Republicans think that by giving the wealthy huge tax breaks you are some how helping the economy! You aren't helping the working class, middle class, etc. You are helping the wealthy stay and get wealthier. Though I think there are ethical and generous people in the world I do not believe we can rely on that and the "trickle down effect" as it has been called, to fill the pockets or just the dinner table for those working for the wealthy. Bryson is lucky to have a generous boss who looks out for his employees and provides bonuses (we have received more bonuses in the past 2 or so years than before) as well as health insurance. But I know too many...so many...people who work for unethical people, and bosses who refuse to provide any health insurance for their employees. Something needs to be done. People with pre-existing conditions are suffering financially as well as physically and it is simply the right thing to do. I wish I knew the solutions and the candidates would offer solutions on the debt. But I think the best solution is to spend more money on a time machine and not elect "W" Bush. Seems like the best solution to me. :)
I am right there with you! I LOVE EDUCATION, LOVE HEALTH INSURANCE, WORLD PEACE, SOLVE WORLD HUNGER, EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD HAVE THE BASIC NEEDS OF HEALTH CARE MET, ALL PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE AFFORDABLE EDUCATION, WE SHOULD GET OFF OIL AND FOCUS ON CLEAN ENERGY, WE SHOULD SEND HUMANITARIAN AID TO OTHER COUNTRIES, WE SHOULD KEEP TAXES AT OR LOWER FOR ALL AMERICAN WHO MAKE LESS THEN $250K A YEAR, LEAVE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE EXACTLY HOW IT IS OR EVEN MAKE IT MORE GENEROUS, WE SHOULD EXTEND UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BEYOND THE 99 WEEKS IT ALREADY IS, WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD - ALL GREAT STUFF, TRUST ME, I LOVE IT ALL!!!!! BUT.......EARTH TO DEMOCRATS, TELL ME WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FINE, RAISE TAXES ON THE WEALTHY, I DON'T CARE! I'M NOT ONE OF THEM ANYWAY! IT DOESN'T EVEN COME CLOSE TO SOLVING THE PROBLEM! AMERICA CAN'T AFFORD IT ALL, WHY DO THE DEMOCRATS JUST KEEP THINKING THAT BORROWING, SPENDING MORE, AND TAXING MORE IS THE SOLUTION? HELLO - WE CAN'T AFFORD IT!!!!!!
ugh, that felt good. Wish I could shout it from the rooftops! But honestly, "I wish I knew the solutions..." is a classic line you just said and one that always sounds like it is uttered from the Dems, but in the mean time, while we wait for the solution to the wallet problem of Washington, lets just keep giving more, doing more, loving more, caring more, hold hands, sing songs and it will all get better tomorrow, right? Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Please not another 4 years. And its not because I am cold and don't love people and want to help people thrive as a country. It's because WE CAN'T AFFORD IT ANYMORE! RAISING TAXES ON THE WEALTHY PAYS FOR LESS THEN 1% OF THE CURRENT BUDGET'S BEING PROPOSED BY OBAMA.
....and again, please don't misunderstand - I have said it before on this blog and I will say it again. Raising taxes is fine with me...I am willing to pay an even more "fair share" then I already am. Don't get me wrong, I do feel like the tax burden I pay is very significant for a family of four, however, I would pay more to solve problems - however, I have no interest in paying more if I don't get a 4 for 1 exchange in cutting expenses to reduce the deficit. So I say that so you don't make it a "why not raise taxes on the rich, they don't need" speech. You and are fine with raising taxes on the rich. But despite my 3 previous offers on this blog for you to take a step forward and put the Dems sacred cows on the table (SS, Medicare, health and welfare, etc), you have yet to agree.
Typical Dems! No cuts, just tax more!
And again, I am sure my comments come across cold and anti-Christian. But even President Monson would be highly unlikely to make his next General Conference talk, "Please borrow against the equity in your homes, liquidate all savings, and spend 110% then you make and use all those funds for charitable purposes."
There are some nice nuggets in the Church that I wish Gov't would adopt. Fiscal behaviors is one of them. I do not believe for a second that we can hide behind, "but the purpose of gov't is to care for its people and provide for their people at all costs." You had me up to "at all costs."
How can the democrats not agree with that logic? How? Honestly? I have yet to have heard a logical explanation to help me understand the fiscal policies of the Democrats and how those policies fix our problems.
I would just add (bc I just responded to your other post) that I do not have the answers you seek for what to do about the debt. I do believe that once we are out of war, if we can somehow get back on our feet as a nation we will be able to get the debt under control. Bill Clinton had the best "check book" and I hope that Obama can somehow follow his lead. I do not believe that Republicans are as concerned about the debt as they like to preach---meaning those in office--bc Bush is the reason we are in this mess. I love how Republicans have been able to twist that. But Obama has been dealing with a million and one issues that Bush left behind. One of them being getting the man responsible for the attacks on us on 9/11. The rest having to do with the economy and programs that are not working. There have been cuts. I love how republicans like to say there have not been. But there have been necessary acts made to save the car industry and thousands of American jobs. Do you believe like your pal Romney that we should have let them sink? It would have definitely been the catalyst to a depression. If Romney was President the last few years we may have seen a few thousand less in spending...and millions more without American jobs, loss of housing, etc. That sounds like a GREAT America to believe in. I have hope for the future...but it will take years to recover. Bush took 8 yrs to get us into debt and to neglect many of the nation's needs and 8 yrs to lose in the efforts of war with countless lives. It is depressing to think of all that ridiculous President did...but I am more hopeful for the nation with Obama than with Romney who promises to neglect the nation in order to protect his money.
Gosh it has been a long time!
ReplyDeleteObviously the name of the blog says it all - us readers should not expect a fair and balanced approach to the content...hence we never saw the "you didn't build that video" on your site. So let me throw one out there that I'd love your feedback on:
What did you think of the "You didn't build that quote?" What does Bryson's boss think of it?
Wasn't it interested that Obama and his campaign defended the comments in the exact context that they were phrased in days after the speech but then changed their tone and said the President meant something else from his comments once the nation had time to respond to his ignorant remarks? Despite the initial confirmation from the White House that the President did in fact mean "you successful business owners did not build YOUR business on your own, you owe it to those who have helped - i.e. the government, so lets tax you for it." Now the "that" comment has been interpreted by his campaign as the roads and bridges...if you re-read it, that is a big stretch. He should go back to prepared speeches with teleprompters if his candid remarks are that far off the his intended target.
Somehow my comment was deleted...so here is the short version...I only heard of that quote in the after math and in Romney's jumping on the opportunity to use it against Obama in the campaign. So I am not aware what is true and what isn't. However, I see how Romney can get people backing him up by the usual and largely Republican tactic of FEAR mongering. "Don't vote for a President who takes credit for your hard work--" or something similar to that has probably been said about this quote...and in my opinion is ridiculous. I am a strong believer in speaking my own opinion. I love to hear others, bt this blog is really just for me to vent my opinion in a place I feel is more appropriate than a family blog or facebook. Some people shy away from politics and I don't want to put it in their face out of respect for them...so that is why this blog is as you say "One-sided." :) I love hearing what you have to say though. I will read that quote in context and post something in response. I can't comment further without really having read the full context...only hearing that same line out of context...even though I have heard both sides of the debate surrounding it.
ReplyDeleteFair enough...I look forward to hearing your thoughts. I suspect you will find that Obama's comments, in context and as agreed upon by his campaign and press secretary up to 48 hours after the speech, state that Obama feels that all successful businesses are done at the credit of outside resources (i.e. a teacher or more specifically the US Gov't). Further the rest of the speech (aside from the "You didn't build that" quote) rests on the logic that because business owners are successful at the credit of the Gov't, they should expect to pay a higher tax...yadda yadda yadda, his pitch to raise taxes on those earning more then $250,000 a year.
DeleteHis logic is a concerning.
You know me and taxes though...all his yackin' just lacks logic. You know I like to talk real numbers with real solutions. In business, we often look at the risk vs. the reward of things. Obama's logic is that we should raise taxes on the higher income earners in the country. The middle class is happy to agree because it helps them avoid another pass by the tax man. But we in the middle class often don't get access to the real numbers to see if the presentation by these candidates actually pencils out. His proposed tax increase on those earning over $250,000 would generate less then $10 billion in new taxes annually - hello, the deficit Obama just predicted for this year alone is more than 120 times this amount...this tax increase solves no problems at all and further the risk of employers who will be hit with the higher taxes cutting plans to hire more employees is just too high. Risk and reward is not in chorus with each other.
Obviously, raising taxes on these people so they can pay their bigger fair share doesn't solve ANY of our fiscal policies. A $1.2 trillion deficit - fourth straight year of trillion-plus deficits has got to stop and raising $10 billion in taxes as being the "solution" is a bit short sided, don't you think?
But doesn't Obama talk pretty heavy about how this tax hike on the high income earners is THE solution and he presents no other ideas. Nope, "just raise taxes on the top earners so the masses will continue to vote for me even though this idea solves NO problems, these middle class people aren't smart enough to figure that out - only smart enough to know that they want to vote for someone that won't raise my taxes!"
Ugh, I pray daily we don't have another 4 years of this crap.
Funny. I pray we keep a President in office who has a better understanding of the mass majority of people. Who has proven to be the most transparent President we have seen. Who is a great example of America and who has strong foreign policy and brings respect to this country...the respect our military and our citizens deserve. I want a President whom I can align myself with on most subjects...such as education, energy and keeping jobs within the US instead of sending them to other countries. The only crap I see is that in which the Romney campaign has thrown around just like monkeys in a cage.
ReplyDeleteJust an observation - I heard a lot of "touchey feeley" items in your explanation of support for Obama. It is unfortunate when the GOP folks have to deal with facts and solutions. I'd love to invest more into education, discovering more clean energy sources, and putting incentives in place to encourage US companies to keep jobs in the US. All of those things cost billions upon billions of dollars. The Dems are totally happy to finance most of it with more debt and raise $10 billion a year in taxes on the wealthy all while ignoring Moody's warning of a second downgrade of the US debt if we keep piling on more debt.
ReplyDeleteThe GOP would be willing to invest in those areas too but have to take a fiscally conservative approach of asking "is it worth borrowing for?" And all these tax increases Obama talks about is only 1/120 of the problem. Hello....solutions Mr. President?
This problem of fiscal responsibility is only getting worse by the day with the health care bill that looms over business' heads every day. Biggest tax increase of all time - numbers speak for themselves. And all of those tax dollars go to the health care bill. Eventually we will all have to pay even more to cover education, energy, yadda yadda yadda.
His checking account is overdrawn and he doesn't seem to care enough to do something meaningful about it.
I do not think that education is a touchy feely subject. It is necessary! How can our economy grow with uneducated generations coming up the chain? Seems pretty basic to me. In addition, I don't see how Republicans think that by giving the wealthy huge tax breaks you are some how helping the economy! You aren't helping the working class, middle class, etc. You are helping the wealthy stay and get wealthier. Though I think there are ethical and generous people in the world I do not believe we can rely on that and the "trickle down effect" as it has been called, to fill the pockets or just the dinner table for those working for the wealthy. Bryson is lucky to have a generous boss who looks out for his employees and provides bonuses (we have received more bonuses in the past 2 or so years than before) as well as health insurance. But I know too many...so many...people who work for unethical people, and bosses who refuse to provide any health insurance for their employees. Something needs to be done. People with pre-existing conditions are suffering financially as well as physically and it is simply the right thing to do. I wish I knew the solutions and the candidates would offer solutions on the debt. But I think the best solution is to spend more money on a time machine and not elect "W" Bush. Seems like the best solution to me. :)
ReplyDeleteI am right there with you! I LOVE EDUCATION, LOVE HEALTH INSURANCE, WORLD PEACE, SOLVE WORLD HUNGER, EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD HAVE THE BASIC NEEDS OF HEALTH CARE MET, ALL PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE AFFORDABLE EDUCATION, WE SHOULD GET OFF OIL AND FOCUS ON CLEAN ENERGY, WE SHOULD SEND HUMANITARIAN AID TO OTHER COUNTRIES, WE SHOULD KEEP TAXES AT OR LOWER FOR ALL AMERICAN WHO MAKE LESS THEN $250K A YEAR, LEAVE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE EXACTLY HOW IT IS OR EVEN MAKE IT MORE GENEROUS, WE SHOULD EXTEND UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BEYOND THE 99 WEEKS IT ALREADY IS, WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD - ALL GREAT STUFF, TRUST ME, I LOVE IT ALL!!!!! BUT.......EARTH TO DEMOCRATS, TELL ME WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FINE, RAISE TAXES ON THE WEALTHY, I DON'T CARE! I'M NOT ONE OF THEM ANYWAY! IT DOESN'T EVEN COME CLOSE TO SOLVING THE PROBLEM! AMERICA CAN'T AFFORD IT ALL, WHY DO THE DEMOCRATS JUST KEEP THINKING THAT BORROWING, SPENDING MORE, AND TAXING MORE IS THE SOLUTION? HELLO - WE CAN'T AFFORD IT!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteugh, that felt good. Wish I could shout it from the rooftops! But honestly, "I wish I knew the solutions..." is a classic line you just said and one that always sounds like it is uttered from the Dems, but in the mean time, while we wait for the solution to the wallet problem of Washington, lets just keep giving more, doing more, loving more, caring more, hold hands, sing songs and it will all get better tomorrow, right? Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Please not another 4 years. And its not because I am cold and don't love people and want to help people thrive as a country. It's because WE CAN'T AFFORD IT ANYMORE! RAISING TAXES ON THE WEALTHY PAYS FOR LESS THEN 1% OF THE CURRENT BUDGET'S BEING PROPOSED BY OBAMA.
Ugh.
....and again, please don't misunderstand - I have said it before on this blog and I will say it again. Raising taxes is fine with me...I am willing to pay an even more "fair share" then I already am. Don't get me wrong, I do feel like the tax burden I pay is very significant for a family of four, however, I would pay more to solve problems - however, I have no interest in paying more if I don't get a 4 for 1 exchange in cutting expenses to reduce the deficit. So I say that so you don't make it a "why not raise taxes on the rich, they don't need" speech. You and are fine with raising taxes on the rich. But despite my 3 previous offers on this blog for you to take a step forward and put the Dems sacred cows on the table (SS, Medicare, health and welfare, etc), you have yet to agree.
ReplyDeleteTypical Dems! No cuts, just tax more!
And again, I am sure my comments come across cold and anti-Christian. But even President Monson would be highly unlikely to make his next General Conference talk, "Please borrow against the equity in your homes, liquidate all savings, and spend 110% then you make and use all those funds for charitable purposes."
There are some nice nuggets in the Church that I wish Gov't would adopt. Fiscal behaviors is one of them. I do not believe for a second that we can hide behind, "but the purpose of gov't is to care for its people and provide for their people at all costs." You had me up to "at all costs."
How can the democrats not agree with that logic? How? Honestly? I have yet to have heard a logical explanation to help me understand the fiscal policies of the Democrats and how those policies fix our problems.
I would just add (bc I just responded to your other post) that I do not have the answers you seek for what to do about the debt. I do believe that once we are out of war, if we can somehow get back on our feet as a nation we will be able to get the debt under control. Bill Clinton had the best "check book" and I hope that Obama can somehow follow his lead. I do not believe that Republicans are as concerned about the debt as they like to preach---meaning those in office--bc Bush is the reason we are in this mess. I love how Republicans have been able to twist that. But Obama has been dealing with a million and one issues that Bush left behind. One of them being getting the man responsible for the attacks on us on 9/11. The rest having to do with the economy and programs that are not working. There have been cuts. I love how republicans like to say there have not been. But there have been necessary acts made to save the car industry and thousands of American jobs. Do you believe like your pal Romney that we should have let them sink? It would have definitely been the catalyst to a depression. If Romney was President the last few years we may have seen a few thousand less in spending...and millions more without American jobs, loss of housing, etc. That sounds like a GREAT America to believe in. I have hope for the future...but it will take years to recover. Bush took 8 yrs to get us into debt and to neglect many of the nation's needs and 8 yrs to lose in the efforts of war with countless lives. It is depressing to think of all that ridiculous President did...but I am more hopeful for the nation with Obama than with Romney who promises to neglect the nation in order to protect his money.
ReplyDelete