The Journal Times Online - Racine, Wisconsin

Selfishness can better be described as "rational self-interest."

What Obama wants to do by raising taxes on the "rich" (and the definition of "rich" has shifted from $250K, to $200K, to $150K, and now to $120K) is punish achievement and reward parasites.

"they decide maybe I can afford a new car." If they want a new car, work for one, like I did. Why should I buy it for you? What makes their new car more important than my saving for my children's education?

What makes their spending more important than my investment? Investment makes jobs possible. Investment is a multiplier that boosts productivity, and increased productivity is what drives increasing wages. Increasing wages is what drives the consumption that Obama seems to value.

"when everybody's got a little more money at the end of the month" When they have a little more of YOUR money at the end of the month, but where does that leave you? Not with more, with less.

I don't know about you, but after I pay my bills, the rest is saved and invested. If we have less, then less will be invested.

And so we see that selfishness is a good thing, a positive thing that all of the rest of the economy is based on! And as the rich get richer and through their pittance down to those with less acumen, they at the bottom should be glad for the little jobs and small wages they get, and perhaps even give more of their money to the rich so that the rich may have more and be better people for it. The poet Donald Hall in a poem once concluded it is fitting that we all end up having everything taken away. When selfishness becomes a virtue, can evil be far behind?

The law requires one to pay the taxes they owe. There is no law that says you cannot pay more than you owe - in fact, during WWII some citizens, very patriotic, sometimes with sons in the military, did just that.

Has Obama been so unselfish as to pay more income tax than he owed? Were he sincere that it is selfish not to pay more than current rates require, he would have done so for years past.

Bigfoot - let us suppose being rich were made illegal (perhaps the Supreme Court can be persuaded the Constitution says it is, Obama seems to think they missed a bet not having done so already). Who then would study, struggle, and strive to found a business in hope of getting rich? Or even to keep their money invested in a business? Without these, where would all these vaunted jobs come from - the government can't hire everybody. Or can they? Maybe we will find out.

Not only the jobs, but the products and services companies provide would disappear.

If you want to see selfishness, look at the tax returns of Obama/Biden and note how freaking SELFISH they are with their OWN money. They give far less to charity than most middle income families.

So where does it say the only the rich 'study, struggle, and strive to found a business' or that they do so 'in hope of getting rich'? This country wasn't built by just the rich trying to get richer, it was built by guys and gals who struggled up out of poverty, out of middle-class families, and out of immigrated folks who had an 'American Dream' and pursued it! I'm sure even you can think of people who were not rich who brought us things like computers, light bulbs, telephones, or even guys like 'Joe the Plumber' who bought into his bosses company to get a bigger piece of the pie. The premise that only the rich create jobs and keep the economy growing is as wrong as thinking that without them 'not only the jobs, but the products and services companies provide would disappear'!

Exactly right Bigfoot!

All those people who achieved some degree of success themselves are collectively responsible for the tremendous engine of wealth creation called the U.S. economy.

That engine has fed our families and improved our standard of living since the industrial revolution. Obama wants to shut it down, by weakening the incentives upon which it is based, and in some cases turning incentives to punishment.

Bigfoot, being able to read does little good if you can't read with understanding. Exactly what I was saying was that people who are not rich but who can hope to become rich will study, struggle, and strive to become rich. Many will succeed, and these will be the sources of new jobs, and new products and services in the marketplace. If the odds against succeeding are made too large by excessive taxing and excessive regulating, fewer will even try. Its the risk to reward ratio thing, if the risks are made so great that the foreseeable rewards aren't worth the taking of the risks, the risks will not be taken.

And all those who struggled up out of poverty did it without all the NEW handouts Obama is promising.

Clod hopper (a big shoe which is used on a "big foot") is just blinded by his inherient liberal wealth envy syndrom. I doubt he ever took much of a risk hence his envy of those who did. JMHO

TBV-
New handouts huh? Like what? Bringing income tax back to 39% on those making 250,000+ like under the Clinton administration. Those Clinton years were pretty rough. Those new deal handouts were not very successful either lol. I dare anyone to work there way out of poverty at mininum wage with no assistance or healthcare.

I know that many of you are sick and tired of all this political BS but if you read just one more thing between now and next month's election, I urge you to read the following editorial. I found this on George Stephanopoulis's blog as a comment. A Google search turns up a Michael Masters who lives in McLean, VA - I presume, but do not know for sure, that he is the author. On the surface, it appears that he is just another citizen like the rest of us and has no particular ax to grind. However, he HAS done his homework before writing this editorial.




To Barack Hussein Obama,
The New York Times carried a story on Saturday, October 4, 2008 that proved you had a significantly closer relationship with Bill Ayers than what you previously admitted. While the issue of your relationship is of concern, the greater concern is that you lied to America about it.


The Chicago Sun reported on May 8, 2008 that FBI records showed that you had a significantly closer relationship with Tony Rezko than what you previously admitted. In the interview, you said that you only saw Mr. Rezko a couple of times a year. The FBI files showed that you saw him weekly. While the issue of your relationship is of concern, the greater concern is that you lied to America about it.


Your speech in Philadelphia on March 18, 2008 about 'race' contradicted your statement to Anderson Cooper on March 14 when you said that you never heard Reverend Wright make his negative statements about white America. While your attendance at Trinity Church for 20 years is of concern, the greater concern is that you lied to America on March 14.


In your 1st debate with John McCain, you said that you never said that you would meet with the leaders of Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, and North Korea without 'preparations' at lower levels ... Joe Biden repeated your words in his debate with Sarah Palin ... while the video tape from your debate last February clearly shows that you answered 'I would' to the question of meeting with those leaders within 12 months without 'any' preconditions. While your judgment about meeting with enemies of the USA without pre-conditions is of concern, the greater concern is that you lied to America in the debate with McCain.


On July 14, 2008, you said that you always knew that the surge would work while the video tapes of you from more than a year ago show that you stated that the surge would not work. While your judgment about military strategy as a potential commander in chief is of concern, the greater concern is that you lied to America on July 14.


You now claim that your reason for voting against funding for the troops was because the bill did not include a time line for withdrawal while the video tapes of you from more than a year ago show that you voted against additional funding because you wanted our troops to be removed immediately ... not in 16 months after the 2008 election as you now claim. While your judgment about removing our troops unilaterally in 2007 is of concern, the greater concern is that you lied to America about your previous position.


You claim to have a record of working with Republicans while the record shows that the only bill that you sponsored with a Republican was with Chuck Lugar ... and it failed. The record shows that you vote 97% in concert with the Democrat party and that you have the most liberal voting record in the Senate. You joined Republicans only 13% of the time in your votes and those 13% were only after agreement from the Democrat party. While it is of concern that you fail to include conservatives in your actions and that you are such a liberal, the greater concern is that you distorted the truth.


In the primary debates of last February, 2008, you claimed to have talked with a 'Captain' of a platoon in Afghanistan 'the other day' when in fact you had a discussion in 2003 with a Lieutenant who had just been deployed to Afghanistan. You lied in that debate.


In your debates last spring, you claimed to have been a 'professor of Constitutional law' when in fact you have never been a professor of Constitutional law. In this last debate, you were careful to say that you 'taught a law class' and never mentioned being a 'professor of Constitutional law.' You lied last spring.


You and Joe Biden both claimed that John McCain voted against additional funding for our troops when the actual records show the opposite. You distorted the truth.


You and Joe Biden claim that John McCain voted against funding for alternate energy sources 20 times when the record shows that John McCain specifically voted against funding for bio fuels, especially corn ... and he was right .... corn is too expensive at producing ethanol, and using corn to make ethanol increased the price of corn from $2 a bushel to $6 a bushel for food. You distorted the truth.


You and Joe Biden claim that John McCain voted like both of you for a tax increase on those making as little as $42,000 per year while the voting record clearly shows that John McCain did not vote as you and Joe Biden. You lied to America.


You and Joe Biden claim that John McCain voted with George W. Bush 90% of the time when you know that Democrats also vote 90% of the time with the President (including Joe Biden) because the vast majority of the votes are procedural You are one of the few who has not voted 90% of the time with the president because you have been missing from the Senate since the day you got elected. While your absence from your job in the Senate is of concern, the greater concern is that you spin the facts.


You did not take an active roll in the rescue plan. You claimed that the Senate did not need you while the real reason that you abstained was because of your close relationships with the executives of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Countrywide, and Acorn ... who all helped cause the financial problems of today .... and they all made major contributions to your campaign. While your relationship with these executives and your protection of them for your brief 3 years in the Senate (along with Barney Frank, Chuck Schumer, Maxine Waters, and Chris Dodd) is of concern, the greater concern is that you are being deceitful.


You forgot to mention that you personally represented Tony Rezko and Acorn. Tony Rezko, an Arab and close friend to you, was convicted of fraud in Chicago real estate transactions that bilked millions of tax dollars from the Illinois government for renovation projects that you sponsored as a state senator ... and Acorn has been convicted of voter fraud, real estate sub prime loan intimidation, and illegal campaign contributions. Tony Rezko has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to your political campaigns. You personally used your political positions to steer money to both Tony Rezko and Acorn and you used Acorn to register thousands of phony voters for Democrats and you. While your relationships with Rezko and Acorn are of concern, the greater concern is that you omitted important facts about your relationships with them to America.


During your campaign, you said: 'typical white person.' 'they cling to their guns and religion.' 'they will say that I am black.' You played the race card. You tried to label any criticism about you as racist. You divide America.


You claim that you will reduce taxes for 95% of America, but you forgot to tell America that those reductions are after you remove the Bush tax reductions. You have requested close to $1 Billion in earmarks and several million for Acorn. Your social programs will cost America $1 Trillion per year and you claim that a reduction in military spending ($100 billion for Iraq) can pay for it. While your economic plan of adding 30% to the size of our federal government is of concern, the greater concern is that you are deceiving America.


The drain to America's economy by foreign supplied oil is $700 Billion per year (5% of GDP) while the war in Iraq is $100 Billion (less than 1% of GDP). You voted against any increases to oil exploration for the last 3 years and any expansion of nuclear facilities. Yet today, you say that you have always been for more oil and more nuclear. You are lying to America.


Mr. Obama, you claimed that you 'changed' your mind about public financing for your campaign because of the money spent by Republican PACs in 2004. The truth is that the Democrat PACs in 2004, 2006, and 2008 spent twice as much as the Republican PACs (especially George Soros and MoveOn.org). You are lying to America.


Mr. Obama, you have done nothing to stop the actions of the teachers union and college professors in the USA. They eliminated religion from our history. They teach pro gay agendas and discuss sex with students as young as first grade. They bring their personal politics into the classrooms. They disparage conservatives. They brainwash our children. They are in it for themselves ..... not America. Are you reluctant to condemn their actions because
teachers/professors and the NEA contribute 25% of all money donated to Democrats and none to Republicans? You are deceiving America.


Oh Mr. Obama, Teddy Roosevelt said about a hundred years ago that we Americans should first look at the character of our leaders before anything else. Your character looks horrible.



While you make good speeches, motivating speeches, your character does not match your rhetoric. You talk the talk but do not walk the walk.


1. You lied to America. You lied many times. You distorted facts. You parsed your answers like a lawyer.
2. You distorted the record of John McCain, in your words and in your advertisements.
3. You had associations with some very bad people for your personal political gains and then lied about those associations.
4. You divide America about race and about class.


Now let me compare your record of lies, distortions, race bating, and associations to John McCain:

1. War hero.

2. Annapolis graduate with 'Country first.'

3. Operational leadership experience like all 43 previously elected presidents of the USA as a Navy Officer for 22 years.

4. 26 years in the Senate.

5. Straight talk.

6. Maverick.

7. 54% of the time participated on bills with Democrats.

8. Never asked for an earmark.

9. The only blemish on his record is his part in the Keating 5 debacle about 25 years ago.


Mr. Obama, at Harvard Law School, you learned that the end does not justify the means. You learned that perjury, false witness, dishonesty, distortion of truth are never tolerated. Yet, your dishonesty is overwhelming. Your dishonesty is tremendously greater than the dishonesty that caused the impeachment and disbarment of Bill Clinton. Your dishonesty is tremendously greater than the dishonesty of Scooter Libby. You should be ashamed.


Mr. Obama, it is time for us Americans to put aside our differences on political issues and vote against you because of your dishonest character. It is time for all of us Americans to put aside our political issues and vote for America first. It is time for America to vote for honesty.


Any people who vote for you after understanding that you are dishonest should be ashamed of themselves for making their personal political issues more important than character. Would these same people vote for the anti-Christ if the anti-Christ promised them riches? Would they make a golden calf while Moses was up the mountain? Would they hire someone for a job if that someone lied in an interview? .... of course not. So why do some of these people justify their votes for you even though they know you are dishonest? Why do they excuse your dishonesty? Because some of these people are frightened about the future, the economy, and their financial security .... and you are preying on their fears with empty promises ... and because some (especially our young people) are consumed by your wonderful style and promises for 'change' like the Germans who voted for Adolf Hitler in 1932. The greed/envy by Germans in 1932 kept them from recognizing Hitler for who he was. They loved his style. Greed and envy are keeping many Americans from recognizing you ... your style has camouflaged your dishonesty .... but many of us see you for who you really are .... and we will not stop exposing who you are every day, forever if it is necessary.


Mr. Obama, you are dishonest. Anyone who votes for you is enabling dishonesty.
Mr. Obama, America cannot trust that you will put America first in your decisions about the future.
Mr. Obama, you are not the 'change' that America deserves. We cannot trust you.
Mr. Obama, You are not ready and not fit to be commander in chief.
Mr. Obama, John McCain does not have as much money as your campaign to refute all of your false statements. And for whatever reasons, the mainstream media will not give adequate coverage or research about your lies, distortions, word parsing, bad associations, race bating, lack of operational leadership experience, and general dishonest character. The media is diverting our attention to your relationships and ignoring the fact that you lied about those relationships. The fact that you lied is much more important than the relationships themselves ..... just like with Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon .. Monica Lewinski and Watergate were not nearly as bad as the fact that those gentlemen lied about the events ... false witness .... perjury .. your relationships and bad judgments are bad on their own .... but your lies are even worse.


Therefore, all who read this memo are asked to send it to everyone else in America before it is too late. We need to do the job that the media will not do. We need to expose your dishonesty so that every person in America understands who you really are before election day.


Mr. Obama, in a democracy, we get what we deserve. And God help America if we deserve you.


Michael Master
McLean, Virginia

time2 - see comment ref long comments on other icon blog.

Bevo,

They already HAVE those things! I didn't start out my adult life with free anything! I didn't have health insurance. I STARTED at a minimum wage job. The DIFFERENCE IS, I didn't start a family until I had WORKED my way up for a few years. If you don't have a diploma, and health insurance, and anything better than a minimum wage job, you DO NOT start having babies! And please do not tell me that the mjrity of people in poerty and on assistance are only on it to get them STARTED. They stay on it from one generation into the next. Don't like those words? Too bad, it's the truth.