It is also obvious that those with more financial resources USE far more of the public resources than do those at the bottom - for this they OUGHT to pay higher taxes - MUCH higher.
IBD: In his latest memoir he shares that he'd like to "recast" the welfare net that FDR and LBJ cast while rolling back what he derisively calls the "winner-take-all" market economy that Ronald Reagan reignited (with record gains in living standards for all).
Jim: The tax policies and unraveling of the social safety nets that began under Reagan and have continued under Bush-1 and even more under Bush-2 have indeed produced what is clearly an almost "winner-take-all" economy.
IBD: Obama also talks about "restoring fairness to the economy," code for soaking the "rich" - a segment of society he fails to understand that includes mom-and-pop businesses filing individual tax returns.
Jim: Nonsense - Obama's tax plan does NOT increase taxes on families earning less than $250,000 per year - which includes over 90% of small businesses.
IBD : It's clear from a close reading of his two books that he's a firm believer in class envy.
Jim: Class "warfare" is exactly what is practiced by Bush-2 and his cronies. It is NOT Liberals who created and propagate "class" divisions. When the top 1% collect 21% of all personal income ( ! ! ! ) there is an obvious "class system" and no way does that top 1% have 21% of the abilities or provide 21% of the labor/effort/resources.
IBD: He assumes the economy is a fixed pie, whereby the successful only get rich at the expense of the poor. Following this discredited Marxist model, he believes government must step in and redistribute pieces of the pie. That requires massive transfers of wealth through government taxing and spending, a return to the entitlement days of old.
Jim: As long as the FDR "entitlements" and other government practices lasted, we had a healthy and growing economy that saw ('45 thru '80) very significant improvements in the standard of living for the middle class. That slowed and then slid backward under Reagan and the Bushs.
IBD: Of course, Obama is too smart to try to smuggle such hoary collectivist garbage through the front door. He's disguising the wealth transfers as "investments" - "to make America more competitive," he says, or "that give us a fighting chance," whatever that means.
Jim: It means leveling the playing field so that everyone actually does have a more equal chance of achieving economic success - of course, there will still not be any where near an EQUAL chance, but it can be made somewhat more fair. Affordable higher education is just one way of achieving this.
IBD : Among his proposed "investments": "Universal," "guaranteed" health care.
Jim: People are happier in countries that provide this!
IBD: "Free" college tuition.
Jim: Denmark pays people to go to college - & Denmark - with it's close to 50% tax rate - has the Highest Happiness index of any country !
IBD : "Universal national service" (a la Havana).
IBD: In his latest memoir he shares that he'd like to "recast" the welfare net that FDR and LBJ cast while rolling back what he derisively calls the "winner-take-all" market economy that Ronald Reagan reignited (with record gains in living standards for all).
Jim: The tax policies and unraveling of the social safety nets that began under Reagan and have continued under Bush-1 and even more under Bush-2 have indeed produced what is clearly an almost "winner-take-all" economy.
IBD: Obama also talks about "restoring fairness to the economy," code for soaking the "rich" - a segment of society he fails to understand that includes mom-and-pop businesses filing individual tax returns.
Jim: Nonsense - Obama's tax plan does NOT increase taxes on families earning less than $250,000 per year - which includes over 90% of small businesses.
Jim: Class "warfare" is exactly what is practiced by Bush-2 and his cronies. It is NOT Liberals who created and propagate "class" divisions. When the top 1% collect 21% of all personal income ( ! ! ! ) there is an obvious "class system" and no way does that top 1% have 21% of the abilities or provide 21% of the labor/effort/resources.
IBD: He assumes the economy is a fixed pie, whereby the successful only get rich at the expense of the poor. Following this discredited Marxist model, he believes government must step in and redistribute pieces of the pie. That requires massive transfers of wealth through government taxing and spending, a return to the entitlement days of old.
Jim: As long as the FDR "entitlements" and other government practices lasted, we had a healthy and growing economy that saw ('45 thru '80) very significant improvements in the standard of living for the middle class. That slowed and then slid backward under Reagan and the Bushs.
IBD: Of course, Obama is too smart to try to smuggle such hoary collectivist garbage through the front door. He's disguising the wealth transfers as "investments" - "to make America more competitive," he says, or "that give us a fighting chance," whatever that means.
Jim: It means leveling the playing field so that everyone actually does have a more equal chance of achieving economic success - of course, there will still not be any where near an EQUAL chance, but it can be made somewhat more fair. Affordable higher education is just one way of achieving this.
IBD : Among his proposed "investments": "Universal," "guaranteed" health care.
Jim: People are happier in countries that provide this!
IBD: "Free" college tuition.
Jim: Denmark pays people to go to college - & Denmark - with it's close to 50% tax rate - has the Highest Happiness index of any country !
IBD : "Universal national service" (a la Havana).
Jim: Why Not????
IBD : Universal 401ks in which the government would match contributions made
by "low- and moderate-income families.
Jim: Sounds OK to me.
IBD : "Free" job training (even for criminals).
Jim: Recidivism & joblessness go hand in hand
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