Here's a campaign ad that goes directly to the heart of this election.
Who knows better how to spend YOUR money and run YOUR life?
You or Government?
We're at a crossroads.
I pray we make the right choice.
I'll leave this post open for comments, but flames will be deleted without prejudice.
It's Del.icio.us!
Furl It!
October 22, 2008 01:24 PM
I'm Joe the Plumber too.
October 22, 2008 01:27 PM
I also pray we make the right choice. I think that McCain is too old and out of touch to lead our country into a Global and Technological Marketplace...
And I think there is a real possibility that he doesn't live through a full term, which would leave us with President Palin, which is truly a frightening concept.
Palin has been the Republican governor of Alaska for less than two years and before that the mayor of a town of about 7,000 people.
She has absolutely no national or international experience. And yet she might be President?
Abdominal.
October 22, 2008 01:31 PM
Part of paying taxes up until this point has been to "spread the wealth around". That's what keeps the economy going.
The ad fails to mention that taxes will only be raised for those that make $250k or higher a year, which I assume is you Joel Comm. Those making that much can afford to pay more.
October 22, 2008 01:41 PM
Joel, have a great Elevate conference. This nation needs to be on our/its knees. It does not look good in the natural and until people jump out of the simmering pot and leave their apathy aside, we will continue down this "government is the solution" path. Thanks for this post and for your boldness in the marketplace. I am so tired of the politically correct business owners afraid to share their faith and beliefs.
Jack Weinzierl
October 22, 2008 01:42 PM
@Chris Jacobson - you fail to realize the trickle down effect. Taking from people making 250k means that the money lost will have to be covered elsewhere by them - ie. maybe job cuts, relocate business etc. Spreading the wealth is dumb. Poor are poor by choice and are not the result of people making $250k/year.
October 22, 2008 01:50 PM
The example of Joe the Plumber is is not quite so correct. Joe the Plumber is is not in the $250,000 tax bracket. Average income for plumbers about $50,000. Joe the plumber is also an unlicensed individual.. like most of the plumbers.
October 22, 2008 01:51 PM
I'm Joe the plumber.
And I am REALLY perplexed!
Someone please explain to me how a fellow with almost no real-world experience who wouldn't be an acceptable candidate for a CEO position with a commercial company, who spent 143 days in Congress and decided he was ready to hold the biggest job in the universe... how can so many people be so easy to fool? The fact that 'Barry' is a manufactured person with no substance should be a great example to all who aspire to Internet marketing success. People will believe ANYTHING.
October 22, 2008 01:52 PM
Those folks thinking they'll be wealthier because they make less than $250k/year are so misguided. Do they really think that people who make that income will just happily hand over the extra money?
I think that with Obama's plan, inflation will become a serious factor again, as companies search for ways to make up the revenue lost to Obama's tax hikes. Unemployment will increase as businesses seek to cut expenses. This is simply basic economics.
Personally, I have hopes of achieving a high salary within the next few years. I want the choice of deciding who to "spread my wealth" to, and I don't want the government doing it for me.
We're two weeks away from the biggest election in our nation's history. We have a choice to preserve our way of life or destroy it. I think you can guess which way I'm proud to vote.
October 22, 2008 03:02 PM
Joe is NOT a plumber and Palin is not qualified.
Frank Zipperer
20 Year Vet for Obama
October 22, 2008 03:22 PM
I am still beside myself with the bailout and the $112B of pork barrel that they both signed off on. And millions upon millions on top of the bailout is being handed out. We're becoming a welfare country. Not what our forefathers had in mind for our nation. People are voting to see who can give them the most.
One candidate won't produce his birth certificate to verify he qualifies as a natural born citizen nor will he release information from his college enrollments which could confirm information.
The other needs to be the maverick he talks about being.
I would have liked to seen Ron Paul's name on the ballot this year, I believe he would have been our hope to do away with all the foolish spending. I can deal with truth and facts. Not fiction and that is what we are being given.
I do wonder why there aren't term limits on the House and Senate seats. The greed and corruption is so thick in DC we need to clean house and vote these unethical people out.
Wow I didn't realize I frustrated I have been, but feel better already.
Our nation needs a leader, let's see what we get.
October 22, 2008 03:34 PM
I am still beside myself with the bailout and the $112B of pork barrel that they both signed off on. And millions upon millions on top of the bailout is being handed out. We're becoming a welfare country. Not what our forefathers had in mind for our nation. People are voting to see who can give them the most.
One candidate won't produce his birth certificate to verify he qualifies as a natural born citizen nor will he release information from his college enrollments which could confirm information.
The other needs to be the maverick he talks about being.
I would have liked to seen Ron Paul's name on the ballot this year, I believe he would have been our hope to do away with all the foolish spending. I can deal with truth and facts. Not fiction and that is what we are being given.
I do wonder why there aren't term limits on the House and Senate seats. The greed and corruption is so thick in DC we need to clean house and vote these unethical people out.
Wow I didn't realize how frustrated I have been, but feel better already.
Our nation needs a leader, let's see what we get.
October 22, 2008 03:43 PM
Palin is simply unqualified and shouldn't even be in the race.
@L.L. Smithson -- all your arguments about lack of experience can be applied to Palin. I wholeheartedly agree with you on "how can so many people be so easy to fool?" and "People will believe ANYTHING."
You are So right!! It boggles the mind.
October 22, 2008 04:48 PM
Let's get back to Joel's original question..."Who knows better how to spend YOUR money and run YOUR life?" Most of the posts here seem to think the Government knows better. I strongly disagree...let me decide how to spend the money I earn.
And for those who question Joe the Plumber's integrity, remember what his question was to BHO...he WANTS to buy his plumbing business, which would make him a business owner, and he would then be in a higher tax bracket. So...Joe makes good through hard work, BHO takes more of Joe's (and Joe's new business') money, and Joe lays off Sam the Plumber who has 3 kids to feed. Think of the implications, not just the immediate "the rich and small businesses can afford it" argument.
It's frightening that folks here are likely of an entrepreneurial mindset, and are actively trying to better their station in life. What if next year at this time you ARE making >$250K? Don't think of your income as a static figure. Also, don't forget BHO's proposed increases in capital gains taxes and corporate income taxes, among others, which would likely cause companies to cut workers to save costs. What good are lower taxes if you no longer have a job?
October 22, 2008 04:51 PM
It is a huge mistake to make a big deal out of the amount of "experience".
While it's of some importance, FAR MORE important are two things:
1. CHARACTER - are they willing to stand for what they think is right, or do they pretend to be someone they are not.
Here McCain and Palin both shine. They are far from perfect, but they mean to tell you their ideology and to carry it out.
Obama is a huge phony. He pretends to be a moderate Democrat, but by his associations, his record, and the details of his proposals, shows himself to be THE most radical Left-wing candidate in our history.
2. IDEOLOGY - Ecomically and "socially".
It's very simple: Obama is radical, socialistic, tax-and-spend, huge-Government, economically. Socially, he supports the continuation of the abortion Holocaust that I pray one day we will look back on and say, "Where were you when they were killing the unborn in the Holocaust?"
McCain and Palin are relatively free-enterprise, reduce-taxes-and-spending, smaller Government, economically. Socially, they are both pro-Life.
It's not about "experience".
Biden, for example, has many years of experience, but he is a fool. He has hardly made a wise decision in his entire career. He even voted AGAINST the original Alaskan pipeline in 1973, which now provides us with 20% of our oil! Why? It would hurt the Caribou (who have flourished and quadrupled in number since the pipeline).
Ronald Reagan, for an opposite example, had no foreign policy experience, and was only a Governor (albeit of a large state), but became the wisest foreign policy President in my lifetime (I'm 58).
I oppose Obama, not because of his lack of experience. On the contrary, I think he would be quite EFFECTIVE. But EFFECTIVE in the cause of radical Liberal tax-and-spend, big Government, pro-Holocaust policies is the last "effectiveness" we want.
October 22, 2008 04:56 PM
Our founding fathers must be rolling over in their graves. It will literally take a revolution to put the government back in its place of serving the people. Take a look at every socialist country on the planet and ask yourself if that's the direction you want for the US.
I hope not.
October 22, 2008 05:01 PM
It seem to me that some people really don't have any idea of what is really happening to our country.
Our freedom's are being taken away a little at a time!
Stand up America, push the "R" button, help keep us free!
Just look how the media has tried to destroy a man ( Joe,the plumber or YOU the future internet marketing guru ) from having a dream to be up there on the top by just simply working for it! And NOT receiving a hand out by brand "D" !
I do not need the 'democrooks' dictating to me on how and where I spend my earnings!!
October 22, 2008 05:12 PM
My head started spinning around when someone I know said that "Spreading wealth around" is a good idea, the wealthy should give more to the poor.
1) Many people will gladly "manage" other peoples' money... take if from the rich, give it to the poor
2) Taxing the wealthy even more, will essentially mean that we're punishing success.
3) Some people are forgetting that the rich own businesses, if they get slapped with even more taxes, they'll cut down production or relocate abroad, either way the average guy will lose a job
4) "Spread around wealth" so that others can live the American dream - as far as I know, the American Dream is about working hard, not stealing money from others
5) The economy is in ruins? I'll know that the economy is in ruins when legal and illegal immigrants stop coming to this country and first couple million US citizens have moved abroad to take on illegal jobs
just my two cents, thanks for the post
peace everyone
dan
October 22, 2008 05:17 PM
"An Experiment"-- sharing from an email.
In a local restaurant my server had on a "Obama 08" tie, again I laughed
as he had given away his political preference--just imagine the
coincidence.
When the bill came I decided not to tip the server and explained to him
that I was exploring the Obama redistribution of wealth concept. He stood
there in disbelief while I told him that I was going to redistribute his
tip to someone who I deemed more in need--the homeless guy outside. The
server angrily stormed from my sight.
I went outside, gave the homeless guy $10 and told him to thank the server
inside as I've decided he could use the money more. The homeless guy was
grateful.
At the end of my rather unscientific redistribution experiment I realized
the homeless guy was grateful for the money he did not earn, but the
waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn even though
the actual recipient deserved money more.
I guess redistribution of wealth is an easier thing to swallow in concept
than in practical application.
October 22, 2008 05:58 PM
Actually Government, so far(at least the last 8 years), has worked in favor of wealthy individuals and less in favor of the less wealthy. Lack of Oversight & Bare-Minimal Regulation allowed wealthy individuals, corporations, and financiers posing as Real Estate Investors to profit exponentially and choke the "precious" economic system. They were not in any hurry to fix it either. That leaves, guess who ... the Government as the only entity willing to step in and straighten out the mess. Remember, other countries are involved and watching our lead. And, can you believe it ? ... The wealthy also wanted to be first in line for that help, too. And, yes, they will get a lot of it because unfortunately that's the way the system works. But, c'mon, face it ... the little guy deserves a break too because he's really hurting now. Once, the economy is back to normal, hopefully with controls in place to protect it better, taxes will adjust back to something most people(wealthy & less-wealthy) will tolerate ... still complain ... but tolerate.
October 22, 2008 07:01 PM
"Bravo Jeanie", Great analogy. First, it's not the governments money to dole out who get's what!. Their sole job is to provide for the national defense, work on matters of trade and state. And, they've screwed all of it up. Th role of our government has grown way out of proportion and is clearly out of control and out of touch with average Americans.
Congress is supposed to print and regulate the money supply but they gave that job to the FED. They created Fanny and Freddy to increase home ownership and see where that has gotten us.
They developed (democrats) the Social "Security" system, then they robbed it. Next time anyone reading this watches the movie "Dumb and Dumber", during the last scene Jim Carry is in the bedroom with the antagonist demanding the brief case that was subsequently full of "I OWE YOU's" and jim says "were good for it", is a perfect example of our government with respect to Social Security.
What we need is a flat tax. The only real "fair" tax is for everyone to pay the same rate of taxes including corporate taxes. We need to end all this class warfare and think about this, what if we decided to end all party politics? No Dems, no GOP, and no Greens, and no lobbies . Just everyone looking at the same canvas through the same lens.
By taking from those that have achieved a certain level of success (that level being determined by some stupid Washington moron) and giving it away to others because they make less will and does stifle the will to do better. The greater percentage of us do not earn $250,000 a year. But, it really torques me off that if I have the audacity to try and reach that wrung our government is waiting there like vultures to punish my or your success.
With that said, I just voted a straight ticket today and it wasn't for a community organizer.
October 22, 2008 07:35 PM
I can't believe you put this on your site. McCain is spreading fear - and so are you by spreading this on your site that I thought was for learning something. If you want to be political please don't charge me for it. Joe the Plumber isn't even Joe the Plumber. What are you doing perpetrating this garbage?
Jane
October 22, 2008 08:46 PM
This crap about $250,000 is strictly from entrepreneurs that have never been there.
In an earlier life, my Sub Chapter-S Corp (taxes in my name SSN#),
said the corp did 2.8 million one year. My tax burden was on 6 digits.
Yet despite being raised to live simply, and waste free, we were barely
middle class.
On paper I made more than Joe the plumber (inflation adjusted),
and lived 'OK'!
October 22, 2008 09:05 PM
Hi Jane,
More Garbage,
I think Joel allowed this string because the next President can have profound effects on each of our daily lives especially our business. Just for the record, I don't care for "any" of the current crop of candidates in this here election. Or, all their purported policies for that matter.
Taxes on small business is very important issue. This goes a lot deeper than one can imagine.
I don't agree with Obama on anything and I don't agree with McCain on immigration, Anwar drilling, and Global Warming to name a few. Obama says "nothing" about the the Bush tax cuts that are due to expire in 2010 I believe. So he goes on about taking from the rich and giving to the poor but he has been silent on the soon to die tax cut. That will hit us all. It's what Obama doesn't say that concerns me and it isn't his money to do with as he pleases.
Now, when I did my taxes last year on about $46 grand the government peeled off at least 1/3. Now I think that is far too much, but I don't think my neighbor should pay more because he makes more. That isn't fair! I really hate it when politicians say they are going to do this or that with tax dollars. It isn't their money! That's what we should all be concerned about. Driving one class against another.
I called the IRS some time ago to discuss some issues about what the IRS felt I owed them. During the conversation this gentleman made the comment "It's the Governments money". "I then proceeded to search wildly for the fire extinguisher to put my hair out!" After regaining a somewhat civil manor of composure, and without the use of four letter words, I carefully imparted a secret that almost no one knows-"the Government ain't got no money". There is only tax revenue which is "taxpayer money". Your money, my money, and now borrowed money which you and I have to pay back because the government has spent your money and my money like some crack head teenager with the family VISA card!
The difference between Obama and McCain is that McCain has not taken earmarks or pork. Obama has. You either wish to receive a handout or not. I prefer a more level playing field and in my view, fairness. A flat tax for everyone.
As for my "buddy Joe" the "purported or alleged" plumber dude, all the guy did was ask a simple question and he's been made out to be an unlicensed, tax dodging, gun totin, bible wavin, unholy liar! Well Joe's my buddy and I'm sticking up for Joe! So, lay off of Joe!
October 22, 2008 10:09 PM
Jane, poor baby, you have brain impaired, truly O'Bama tized, an IDIOT!
October 22, 2008 10:17 PM
Mr/Ms Anon,
I want to respond to your comment in the off chance you were serious.
If Sarah Palin is not qualified to be President in your opinion, how can Obama possibly be qualified?
Palin has run a state and a city. Obama hasn't run anything other than his mouth.
Obama has no international experience, so that looks like a tie at best.
Palin is for freedom; Obama is a socialist with radical ties.
I'm not sure if Palin has used cocaine like Obama has, but my guess is probably not.
Oh, do you realize that Palin is running for VICE president? That means she would not actually be in charge like Obama would if he wins. Do you think she might learn some things as Vice President that would help her if she ever became President?
And why do you assume McCain won't live til the end of his term? Do you know something we don't, since he is healthier than most people much younger than he is? Are you aware his mother is still alive and going stoong?
To the others, what does Joe the plumber having a license or not have to do with anything? Is he required to for what he does? Better go check, because if he works for a business, he probably doesn't need a license.
Sorry to confuse you guys with the facts.
October 23, 2008 12:54 AM
Joe the plumber is confused, as is everyone else in that ad. They all think they are someone they are not. They think that they might one day own a large business, which will be subject to higher taxes, only to realize years later that it was never going to be a reality. Meanwhile, they vote against they're own best interest.
October 23, 2008 01:14 AM
Hi Joel.
I just hope your people look at the UK where we've suffered 'intolerable' stealth taxes just so that our government can SQUANDER it on so-called 'benefits' for all. NOT!
Why can't the public SEE through the webs of deceit?
HECK! Mad-Dog-Brown is even being hailed as a World Economy Saver now?
How did that get SPUN? It's HIS administration as Chancellor over the years that's brought OUR country to it's knees, and also incidentally, helped provoke the USA internal banking mess.
I really feel for you folks (and us in the UK) if 'Obamah Sin-Laden' gets in.
Pete.
October 23, 2008 04:34 AM
Most men of great power are extremely sexist. Don't believe for one second that Palin will have a voice in the white house if McCain is the president.
I like Palin but, let's be real when we compare are ability to Obama's. This entire argument that her experience qualifies her over Obama is flimsy and ridiculous.
Lastly, Joel Comm sucks. I recently lost a lot of respect for you as a business man.
October 23, 2008 05:07 AM
I am following the US election with great interest. I would like that the best person become president and that you get your economy up and running again.
October 23, 2008 09:23 AM
Here's a reality check.
First -- what on EARTH does this divisive crap have to do with marketing? I've talked to a LOT of people who have lost all respect for Joel Comm and whatever else great that he does because he's choosing to believe the words of the likes of Sean (wow I think I can fool the world into believing I'm a journalist) Hannity and Rush (I don't give a rat's ass what the world believe I am as long as I can keep up the lies for big bucks) Limbaugh.
Second -- There is no further defense of the Republican party. It has destroyed itself by electing the likes of George Bush TWICE.
In my opinion, ANYONE who voted this complete disaster into office TWICE should have his or her head examined.
Third -- The Republican party, as proven by McCain, a man for whom I originally had great respect, when he selected Sarah (gee...I'm still tryin' to figger out -- you know -- what it is I'll really be doin' as Vice Present -- wink-wink) Palin, is banking on its voters being BRAINLESS.
Why else would the party refer to its most respected "conservative" journalists, when they call for Palin to step down or point out what a completely misguided choice she was for McCain's ticket as "just conservative intellectuals" mouthing off?
Have you looked up the word "intellectual" in the dictionary? Read it slowly to yourself and realize your party, if you are Republican, currently thinks you're the ENEMY if you fit that description and happen to question them on ANYTHING. Read that definition TWICE slowly and realize that the EXACT OPPOSITE of that definition is what your party would consider as their demographic?
Joel -- why on EARTH would a smart, talented guy like you jump into publicly defining yourself as stupid?
October 23, 2008 09:41 AM
Joel --
You make a good point but you're mistaken about the "crossroads" issue, in my opinion.
It doesn't really matter whether McCain or Obama or Joe the plumber himself is elected. NO ONE is going to work in the public's best interest. McCain will just keep giving more and more money to the top, hoping it might finally, after nearly two decades START to trickle down (bringing us where we are today). Obama will give more money to those BELOW the bottom.
Whichever candidate you're pushing for, you're pushing based on what you BELIEVE he or she will do for YOU.
They won't do diddly. Get used to it. They haven't yet in my entire lifetime. They won't start any time soon.
The REAL answer is for everyone, each and every person, stop blaming each other for their problems. Take responsibility for yourselves. You're where you basically chose to be. Period.
History proves this time and again, when countless individuals overcome impossible odds to rise above the masses and build gigantic businesses and successful careers from the same upbringing and circumstances as others in similar situations who sit around complaining and waiting for "someone" to fix things for them.
In short, if we take responsibility for ourselves, and do everything within our power to help each other, whatever happens in Washington will become simply another interesting "reality" show we can take or leave.
October 23, 2008 11:19 AM
Who is the government if not the people. We've seen what a lack of regulation and letting big business run things has done; led us to the biggest financial mess since the great depression. Stop corporate welfare now!
October 23, 2008 11:23 AM
I think every one should look at this video which proves that Obama is a fraud.
http://barackobamasucks.net/2008/10/14/lawsuit-to-remove-obama-new-video-release/
His original name is not Barack Obama.
The above video also proves that he is not a christian but belongs to other religion.My sincere request to Joel comm is to spread the video.
Please check all the case studies and the videos produced on Barack.
http://barackobamasucks.net/
Sincerely,
Admin
October 23, 2008 11:07 PM
Mark Cuban, a rags-to-riches self-made billionare, and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, has this to say...
"Entrepreneurs who create something out of nothing don't care what tax rates are. Bill Gates didn't monitor the marginal tax rate when he dropped out of Harvard and started Microsoft (btw, it was a ton higher than it is today). Michael Dell didn't wonder what the capital gains tax was when he started PCs Limited, and then grew it into Dell Computer. I doubt that any great business or invention started with a discussion or even a consideration of what the current or projected income or capital gains tax was or would be.
The impact of tax rates on productivity and development is something economists masturbate about; enterpreneurs don't waste their time thinking about it. We have business to do.
Entrepreneurs live to be entrepreneurs. I have never had a discussion with anyone about starting a business that included tax rates. Ever. If anyone that wanted an investment from me made a point of discussing tax rates as an impact on their business, I wouldn't invest in them. Ever."
more here:
http://blogmaverick.com/2008/10/23/the-cure-to-our-economic-problems/
October 24, 2008 01:04 AM
Why do some think that you have to take more from one group of people to give a tax cut to others. How about cutting out the pork spending that comes from congress. Trying to even things out by giving low income people loans they could not afford to pay back and expecting the tax payers to pay the bill is going to be hard enough but now if Obama wins we're going to be paying for a health care plan that the experts say is going to cost us TRILLIONS. In the long run you don't help low income people by over taxing others that make more. That is trickle up poverty!!!
October 24, 2008 03:37 PM
Why do people have to be angry with Joel and lose respect for him because he has an opinion? That is why we are so divided in this country. We do not respect each others opinions anymore. I have no problem with someone voting for Obama, but do not get mad when I tell you I am not going to vote for him.
I am an African American, and I do not trust Obama. The media is pushing him down our throats, and making it seem like he is the savior. John McCain has more experience than Obama; however, the media is making it seem like Obama is running against Sarah Palin. For crying out loud we are comparing the experience of the Vice Presidential nominee to the experience of the Presidential nominee. Am I the only one that think there is something wrong with that?
Sarah Palin is more experienced than Obama. She's made executive decisions, while Obama has voted present for the majority of his career in the Illinois and U.S. senate. You cannot vote present in the white house.
You can hate George Bush all you want, but I know he has kept me and my family safe for the past eight years and I give him my respect for that.
October 25, 2008 02:35 PM
We can talk about experience all day. Let us remember though, George W. Bush was a two term Gov of Texas before he was elected President. What has he left us with? A broken economy, a war in Iraq, and a health care system in crisis. So , although experience can be important, intellectual capacity is even more important. Would you rather Senator McCain, who graduated at the bottom of his class, or Obama,President of the Harvard Law Review? Would you rather Gov. Palin, who attended 5 schools before finally earning her B.A.? Or, would you rather Sen. Biden, who earned his J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law. Why do conservatives dislike smart people?
And Joel, although I respect your opinion, I don't thing amazon.com is the best platform for your political views. This is a 50/50 country right now and you turn of 50% of us by telling us we're on the wrong side of the crossroads. Yeah, you got me to link to your blog so you increased traffic, but I decided not to buy your book.
October 26, 2008 04:05 PM
Its not the $0 to $250k that has any increase in taxes, its the $250,000.01+ thats taxed.
October 26, 2008 04:10 PM
Joe "the plumber" isn't a legal plumber nor is he a registered voter.
October 30, 2008 12:54 PM
Very interesting discussion, surprisingly with very little rudeness.
Here are some points that you can also find (in different order) on my personal blog: http://alexeiz.com/blog
1. Our financial system historically evolved with much more influence from the people with money. Not surprising, it is slanted towards distribution of wealth up, creates a stream up. It system theory it is called "positive feedback" (in this sense "positive" doesn't mean "good")
2. The systems of that kind are inevitably unstable, creating crisis or "lock-ups" of the system. For stability it need so called "negative feedback". (If you studied Watt's regulator in school, you know what I mean)
3. Progressive tax is one of the ways to implements this negative feedback (again, "negative" doesn't mean "bad", it just shows the direction of the stabilizing force).
The necessity of watching and compensating for the tendency towards extreme inequality of standard "free" capitalist system was well understood by our founders. In this century the first president to take measures against uncontrolled accumulation of wealth in a few hands was Teddy Roosevelt. For him this was a way to save capitalism from extreme version of itself.
Ultra- conservatives called FDR a "socialist", although his New Deal was also a tool to save capitalism. In more resent times, Reagan's and Bush's de-regulations and weakening of negative feedback by lowering upper income's taxes have been actually working against capitalism, towards its self-destruction.
In that sense Obama is much stronger supporter of capitalism than McCain (not mentioning that McCain really doesn't have any idea about economics in general)
When you look from this broader perspective, arguments like "Why should I give away to somebody the money I earned" become simply naive and shouldn't be used in half-way intelligent debate. We are making money to a great extent because of the system we have, not only because of our own qualities and work. That's why the system has the right to a percentage of our money, in other words, it is never all ours.
Alexei, http://alexeiz.com/blog or http://azsystems.net
PS: And the ad is just plain stupid, in Joel's place I wouldn't post it on the website, just poor judgment.
November 2, 2008 09:35 AM
To Jane( on 10-22 7 35)
Perhaps Joel is trying to open a few eyes with this discussion? People need to be less Stubborn in their beliefs and try to get as much feedback as they can, on both sides, and make an intelligent decision. I think Joel had some guts to put this out there. Too many are afraid to risk it. There is plenty on the line here for us all.
And Eds comments on 10-22 at 9 pm.. How spot on can you be ED? Well written.
My personal feedback
Its all about National security, for with out that,none of the other issues matter,do they? It doensn't take a rocket scientist to determine what side will protect us better.Here's a hint that scares the daylight out of me
Leaders of Iran, N Korea, Venezualsa, Syria and Palenstine have publicly stated they are rooting for BHO. They do not like us, to be kind about it. If they blatently want BHO in poweer Why do I ??