Nevertheless there will always be a minority who will not get the point you are trying to make….

But I am curious how you can say that he has “united America.” What has he done to “unite America”? He received only 52% of the vote–hardly a landslide or a mandate. Of those who voted, more than 57 million people voted against him. This hardly seems like a “united America.”

The fact is, Obama has not yet done anything–since he is not yet president. Why don’t we wait until he actually does something before we anoint him as a “uniter.” This kind of worshipful exaggeration doesn’t accomplish anything.

Anyway – he is only talking about putting the top tax bracket up to 39%. That’s a good deal. Here in Australia the top tax bracket is 50%! And we have seen faster growth over the last 10 years than almost any country – more jobs, more investment, stronger economy.

Anyway. Thanks for the comment Carl. I do disagree with you though that you are giving up freedom – you elect the leaders who have tax policies and they spend that tax money to strengthen your country.

At least that is the theory.

TDM

What does the government do well consistently that suggests that they know what to do with the money I earn better than I?

High taxes on high wage earners also discourages job creation and hurts the the very people that it is meant to help. I saw what the “luxury tax” in the early 90’s did to a lot of people that made there living in the boating industry as an example. If you want to create jobs and opportunity lower the corp. taxes. Besides, business does not pay taxes, it is a cost of doing business. The higher the corp taxes the high the cost of goods to the consumer.

I really appreciate the economic input but that’s more cursing than I’d like to hear from a soldier in peace time.

The point about diminishing marginal returns is so important for people to understand. I find it horrible to think that, if you lived in America two years ago your battle with cancer might have turned out differently.

The wealthiest nation the Earth has ever seen and millions in poverty, millions more unable to afford health care – and people complain about Obama wanting to increase tax on the wealthy? And like you said, because its a tax on the wealthy people call it socialism. It’s just tax.

I think Chris Rock put it best:

“Anyone who who makes up their mind without hearing the issues is a fucking idiot. Nobody is all Republican or all Democrat. We are liberal on some issues, conservative on others. Consider the issues, let it swirl around in your head, then make up your mind.”

The blind following of a political part, left wing or right wing is more worrying than any minor tax increase.

Thanks again Alex.

As Colin powell so poignantly observed ‘All tax is a redistribution of wealth’ that is the basic premise of tax. The reason that there is a marginal tax system is because money, like all scarce resources produces diminishing marginal returns to the individual, i.e. when you are starving $5 will make your far happier than $5 when you are a millionaire. To provide a direct application taking and extra $20 from each person with a million dollars (arbitrary figures) so that a seriously ill person can have government backed life saving medical treatment without insurance. The loss of utility from that $20 dollars to the wealthy person whose needs (and for the most parts wants) have been completely fulfilled is infinitely outweighed by the value to the person whose life it will save. Further one would hope that the person parting with that money in the knowledge that it was being used in such a way would also gain benefit in knowing they were helping those less fortunate. At the very least they should gain benefit from knowing that the society they live in does not leave people to die when they (for whatever reason) do not have medical insurance. This is the way the rest of the developed world operates, the UK, Canada, Europe, Australia New Zealand etc all to varying degrees. No one with a modicum of intelligence or education has ever seriously proposed that these countries are socialistic or have eschewed capitalism.

My great concern is how easily this ignorant propoganda has been dispersed by the Republicans and adopted by their proletariat foot soldiers, those who would in fact benefit most from such policies. While there are legitimate economic arguments for having wholly privatised health care and other public services (arguments with their own serious flaws) none of them takes the absurd line of argument that to make any redistribution of wealth is socialism, communism and contrary to capitalism.

So there you go, economics and utilitarinism 101, spread the word Shayne, call your girl, call your friends call your mother, matter of fact conference call your wack crew and tell each other.

This comment is so riddled with inaccuracies I don’t know where to begin.

Firstly, the “change” is already taking place. People are happy again. They have hope again. They are moving away from the fear that the Bush years created. So change is already happening. Most Americans are proud of what their democracy did yesterday.

I could go on for hours but I couldn’t be bothered. I just don’t know what you Obama haters want. I really don’t get it.

Thanks for leaving your messages everyone.

TDM