Posted on 11/02/2008 9:05:30 AM PST by BulletBobCo
Did Obama make a huge mistake by insulting Americans who want to hold on to the hard-earned money they have earned? According to Obama, if you don’t want to pay higher taxes, perhaps it’s because you are “selfish?”
ABC News Senior National Correspondent Jake Tapper took aim yesterday at Obama’s “attack” on those who want to keep their hard-earned tax dollars as "selfish."
Obama said in Sarasota, Fla., Thursday in defense of his so-called “spread the wealth” tax policies:
John McCain and Sarah Palin they call this socialistic," Obama continued. "You know I don’t know when, when they decided they wanted to make a virtue out of selfishness.
ABC News Senior National Correspondent Jake Tapper took aim yesterday at Obama’s “attack” on those who want to keep their hard-earned tax dollars as "selfish."
Obama said in Sarasota, Fla., Thursday in defense of his so-called “spread the wealth” tax policies:
John McCain and Sarah Palin they call this socialistic," Obama continued. "You know I don’t know when, when they decided they wanted to make a virtue out of selfishness.
John McCormack of Weekly Standard’s Blog pointed out that if Obama “loves rich people”, which he claimed to do while talking to the folks in Sarasota, then “opposition to Obama’s tax increases is based on greed rather than a good faith disagreement about what is best for the economy and our country.”
McCormack recalled that this isn’t the first time that the Obama campaign has “questioned the motives of those who oppose tax hikes.” Joe Biden said that it is “patriotic” for rich people to pay higher taxes.
(Excerpt) Read more at digitaljournal.com ...
Uh, “selfishness” (e.g., making decisions in one’s self interest) is at the core of survival AND capitalism — both of which are necesary and beneficial.
The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed — for lack of a better word — is good.
Greed is right.
Greed works.
Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.
Greed, in all of its forms — greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge — has marked the upward surge of mankind.
And greed — you mark my words — will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA.
I’m sure that I am selfish...by Obama’s standards. After all, I want to keep more of my property than the government currently confiscates.
Sarasota is a pretty wealthy town. Probably not the best place for these comments.
Read Ayn Rand’s, “The Virtue of Selfishness”
It’s my favorite Rand book.
If you think the current confiscation rate is high, just wait until Obama legalizes outright armed robbery.
All who oppose will of course be appropriately demonized if not arrested.
Americans are the most giving people on the planet. For this guy to say otherwise feels like he is strong arming me. As an American, it makes me feel good to give my money for good causes. I want to do that for the very reason that I feel good about it. I don't feel good when someone takes my money from me. I don't like income tax. The government legally robs my paycheck (take my money when I spend it).
But our Founding Fathers went to war because they didn't want to be strong armed. They said, ‘Millions for charity! Not one penny by tribute!’. That meant that they would gladly give from their heart, but they won't be forced to give. I give a huge HEAR HEAR to that and stand with my Founding Fathers.
If Obama wanted socialism/communism, he should have stayed in Kenya when he stumped for his cousin Odinga.
Question for “O”(PBUH)
What tax rate should “Rich” people (like him) pay?
Do you voluntarily pay that amount now?
If not why not?
ACORN = Selfish (or self-interested) on voter registration = fraud.
Hmm. “Greed” has actually been an accepted vice for thousands of years by moral thinkers.
"Greed" is a mindless passion to amass far more than you need as an end it itself. How can "He who dies with the most toys wins" be a meaningful life philosophy?
I don't think conservatives need to defend "greed" as a value.
Perhaps a better word would be “Productive.”
It is desirable to foster a drive to produce wealth and to gain economic security by saving more than you immediately need. It is wise to build a “nest egg” or a “rainy day fund.”
The end of being productive is to improve our lives by making it possible to achieve our potential. The end is to solve problems and make human life better for everyone since if you have money, you can take part in commerce which is the right concept of spreading wealth.
Greed as an end in itself may have indirect benefits to society (as well as harms), but productivity is always virtuous.
Am I wrong?
Not exactly wrong. Let’s put it this way, it’s not greed to want to keep what you’ve worked hard to honestly get. It IS envy to want what others earned, without respect for their right to keep what they’ve honestly worked for.
Wonder what the guys at the Boston Tea Party would have thought of Obama’s slur......
Actually, yes, you are. The key is “lack of a better word”.
There are few words people will understand clearly that will adequately explain the concept of actively working for your own self-interest. As others have said, capitalism depends on the notion that those acting within the system will be acting in their own self-interest. If one does not then they are not true capitalists. And the problems we face consistently have come from trying to force business to take actions not within their self-interest and somehow find a way to make it in their self-interest.
Spread the wealth around begins with Obama (a millionaire) spreading the wealth to his Aunt on taxpayer aid and his brother subsisting marginally in a Kenyan shack...
Having lived in Sarasota for several years, I can tell you a lot of the wealth in Sarasota is old money, that is, old white rich N.E. liberals.
The town is filled with moonbats and artsy fartsy types who go to New College
No way Obama stops in Sarasota unless they know he will be well received.
It’s not about greed it’s about choice (a dem buzzword.) It is NOT compassion to TAKE someones money by threat of force. It is not compassion to vote to get someone elses money taken to give to YOU. And it is not compassion to have your money taken. Taxes are not giving, they are taking.
Do you think Obambi takes his motgage deduction?
If he does, is he selfish?
Of course he’s selfish. On a personal level he’s a capitalist, as are most “marxists”.
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