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Obama's Rx for the Middle Class
Townhall.com ^ | December 8, 2011 | Debra J. Saunders

Posted on 12/08/2011 8:42:51 AM PST by Kaslin

In his big economics speech in Osawatomie, Kan., Tuesday, President Barack Obama asserted, "This is a make-or-break moment for the middle class."

That's not good news for the middle class. What's the big problem facing Americans today? A lack of good jobs or the fact that rich people make more now than rich people used to make?

The president seems to believe the latter. He seems to think that if Democrats raise tax rates on the wealthy, jobs will become fruitful and multiply. Or if they don't, at least he can blame Republicans for not agreeing to his economic package.

"I believe that this country succeeds when everyone gets a fair shot, when everyone does their fair share (and) when everyone plays by the same rules," Obama told Osawatomie. But his actions and his words do not mesh.

Fair shot? How much help is a fair shot if the job market isn't improving? With the world's second-highest corporate tax rate, the United States should be more competitive in the global marketplace. Yet the president's answer isn't flatter tax rates that send a positive signal to investors. No, he wants "investments" in education and technology.

In this speech, Obama didn't mention "green jobs," his erstwhile jobs of the future. A June audit found that $500 million slated for training for green jobs in 2009 created a mere 1,336 jobs that lasted six months or longer.

Obama's jobs of the future would be construction workers "rebuilding our roads and our bridges."

Problem: The administration delayed a decision on the 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline until 2013. That's what happens when real jobs could cost Obama his job by alienating green voters.

Fair share? In the Kansas speech, Obama extolled Minnesota manufacturer Marvin Windows and Doors for laying off workers only once in 100 years. During tough times, Obama noted, Marvin's unnamed owners shared the pain of reduced compensation with their workers.

So who is Obama's jobs czar? Not the suckers at Marvin. General Electric chief executive Jeff Immelt, whose compensation doubled last year as GE was seeking concessions from workers, is Obama's go-to guy on jobs. The New York Times reported that General Electric didn't pay a dime in federal taxes in 2010 -- even though the multinational corporation earned $5.1 billion in U.S. profits.

Obama's other model rich guy is investor Warren Buffett, who frequently complains that his taxes should be higher. Now, Buffett doesn't pay what he says he should pay, but he says he wants to do so, and that's enough. Thus, Buffett is a member in good standing in Obamaland's fellow big-shot club.

Besides, Obama told the audience gathered at Osawatomie High School, under his plan the rich would only have to "contribute a little more."

This administration is dedicated to never telling voters that they have to pay for its agenda. Only the top 1 percent of income earners, who already pay 38 percent of federal income taxes, have to pay for big government -- and then just a skosh more.

Same rules? Please. The Obama way is to talk up fairness while your cronies hire a stable of lawyers and lobbyists to grease the path for favorable tax loopholes. This is where high tax rates come in handy; they create an incentive to cozy up to the administration to win tax incentives for pet training and technology.

That's the problem with Obama's prescription for the middle class. Sure, he wants to create more jobs, as long as all jobs go through Washington.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: barackobama; jobsandeconomy; middleclass; taxtherich

1 posted on 12/08/2011 8:42:56 AM PST by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin
Obama's Rx for the Middle Class

That's like saying, "The executioner's Rx for the condemned."

The bigger the government, the smaller the middle class. Big government = big poverty.

The "jobs" talk is basically BS. What is needed is WEALTH CREATION some thing only the free market can do, something only big government can hinder.

2 posted on 12/08/2011 8:48:19 AM PST by PapaNew
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To: Kaslin
Obama's Rx for the Middle Class

Gotta be something with arsenic in it.

3 posted on 12/08/2011 8:55:20 AM PST by RockinRight (If you're waiting to drink until you find pure water, you're going to die of dehydration.)
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To: Kaslin

Obama: The terrorist in our Whitehouse. He has done more damage to this country than all of the terrorist groups combined.


4 posted on 12/08/2011 8:59:30 AM PST by Jukeman (Texas Guy born and bred and proud of it.)
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To: PapaNew
"Make or break moment"

Obama thinks he can fix anything, do anything, change everything with a speech.


5 posted on 12/08/2011 8:59:42 AM PST by Baynative (The penalty for not participating in politics is you will be governed by your inferiors.)
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To: Kaslin

Kudos to the author, Debra Saunders, for a fine article. She is the token conservative at the San Francisco Chronicle! Of all places!


6 posted on 12/08/2011 9:07:32 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: Baynative
Jesus' looks and words were life, He meant what He said, and we know he's coming soon.

Reagan's looks and words were that of a friend bringing relief and recovery, he meant what he said, and I wish he was coming back.

Palin's looks and words are that of (a very good looking) friend bringing RECOVERY and LIBERTY from big government oppression, she means what she says, but she's not going or coming.

This man's looks and words are are dark, menacing, and hopeless.

7 posted on 12/08/2011 9:50:29 AM PST by PapaNew
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To: PapaNew
Great comment. I would be interesting to start a thread on this and have people describe the looks and words of other dominant personalities of our time.

I shutter to think of what might come out.

8 posted on 12/08/2011 10:01:58 AM PST by Baynative (The penalty for not participating in politics is you will be governed by your inferiors.)
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To: Kaslin
Re: The part of Obama's speech where he speaks as a supporter of the middle class.

This is key, and specifies his economic ideology.

Obama is not a "capitalist" [even today's regulated capitalism].

Obama is not a "communist".

IMHO- Here is a short version of Obama's speech.

"Of the three major ideologies, laissez-faire capitalism, fascism, and Marxist socialism, fascism was the only one which was objectively pro middle class. Fundamentally, laissez-faire capitalism has no goals at all, however it was apparent that laissez-faire resulted in major socio-economic stratification and promoted the interests of a small wealthy elite over everyone else. The goal of Marxist socialism/communism was the complete elimination of class and the role of private capital. The goal of the Marxists was ultimately to eliminate all traditional elements of society and create a new society founded on the principle of equality. Fascism (and Keynesianism), in the economic sense, was the middle ground between these two major competing ideologies."

Obama is an economic Fascist.

rationalrevolution.net/articles/understanding_fascism.htm

9 posted on 12/08/2011 10:03:48 AM PST by LZ_Bayonet ( I AM THE TEA PARTY LEADER !)
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To: Baynative
start a thread on this...looks and words

Copy me if you start one. I'm studying for law-school exams so I don't have much time - but every so often, FR is a nice relief.

10 posted on 12/08/2011 10:19:39 AM PST by PapaNew
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To: Kaslin

Rx= bend over, here it comes (and they don’t even supply any vaseline).


11 posted on 12/08/2011 10:33:59 AM PST by Marathoner ("Government is not reason. Government is not eloquence. It is force." George Washington)
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