That was then, this is now.

Amerika

How many here remember Barack Obama promising not to increase taxes on the middle class?
[cue the crickets] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8E_zMLCRNg

During the election, John McCain stated that Obama’s massive spending initiatives would require steep across-the-board tax hikes. Obama vehimently denied there would be any tax hikes on anyone making less than $250,000 a year.

“I can make a firm pledge. Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8erePM8V5U&feature=player_embedded

Those of us not blinded by the light didn’t buy that load of crap. Unfortunately not enough of us.

And even last year White House spokesman, Robert Gibbs, claimed in briefings that the pledge Barack Obama made “didn’t come with caveats.”

Fast forward to April 27th.

President Obama issued a warning to anyone thinking about asking him about his “firm pledge” not to raise any form of taxes on those making less than $250,000: if you ask about his pledge, you are playing “an old Washington game”.

WHAT! Holding the President of the United States accountable for a firm pledge he made, which was a large factor in his getting elected, is “an old Washington game?”

And just the other day according to Peter Orszag, Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Barack Obama, the real story is:

“The president has been very clear about what he prefers. That was his stance during the campaign, and he still believes that’s the right course forward. But he has also been very clear that we shall let the commission go do its work.”

“Prefers,” “Stance.” Oh My God!!! The President must think us all stupid. How does this man keep getting away with his nonsense?



http://hotair.com/archives/2010/05/13/great-news-obama-firm-pledge-on-taxes-now-a-preference/

Memnoch

What taxes has he raised again? If you're just going to bring out the same crap we went through a couple of months ago, no one is buying it.

Exile 1798

Teatard to Reality translation: White House Budget Director refuses to preempt or undercut the findings of the Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.

Amerika

Memnoch wrote: »

What taxes has he raised again? If you're just going to bring out the same crap we went through a couple of months ago, no one is buying it.

Oh, we can’t talk about impending tax increases, like the VAT they're now throwing around, until after they happen? Talking about the high likelihood for more taxes is a game?

If that’s the case, maybe you shouldn’t comment until after we are hit with new taxes.

Hey I got a better defense for you that I just read. Blame it on the teleprompter. "Read my teleprompter, no new taxes."

Exile 1798

Amerika wrote: »

Oh, we can’t talk about impending tax increases, like the VAT their now throwing around, until after they happen? Talking about the high likelihood for more taxes is a game?

There is no VAT "impending." It hasn't even been proposed.

Are you unable to differentiate between idle cable chatter topics and real political proposals?

Amerika

Okay oh enlightened one, please interpret this one for me.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: It’s important that we not restrict the review or the recommendations that this commission comes up with in any way. Everything has to be on the table. And I just met briefly with the commission and said the same thing to them. Of course this means that all of you, our friends in the media, will ask me and others once a week, or once a day, about what we are willing to rule out or rule in when it comes to the recommendations of the commission. That’s an old Washington game…so I wanted to deliver this message today: we’re not playing that game. I’m not gonna say what’s in, I’m not gonna say what’s out.

Up next, spin city.

jank

So let me get this this straight. Obama says something which is nothing much at all which is then pounced upon to mean something, then someone makes that something into something bigger and then it hits the blogosphere to make nothing into something.

Congratulations on discovering the neo-Chinese whispers of the right. You get an A+.

NEXT!

Exile 1798

Amerika wrote: »

Okay oh enlightened one, please interpret this one for me.
Up next, spin city.

What's there to interpret? Seems pretty clear to me.

The President is not going to predetermine or prejudice the results of a bi-partisan Budget Commission.

It is quite literally the only correct position for him to take in this situation, and still you and the Tea Party blogs attack.

Imagine if he'd actually done the opposite, the wrong thing, and undercut the Commission, how ape would you and all nutball blogs have gone then?

Amerika

So many enlightened ones can’t read the writing on the wall. Shocking!

Here is my forecast: The United States will now have a system of taxation by Obamination.

jank

Oh by the way Amerika why aren't the tea party activists protesting on wall street? They have been very quiet in that part of america.

jank

Amerika wrote: »

So many enlightened ones can’t read the writing on the wall. Shocking!

Here is my forecast: The United States will now have a system of taxation by Obamination.

What is that supposed to mean. I am sure you are aware there is a tax system in the United States already before Obama became president and even if the queen bee herself became president there will be a system of taxation. Someone has to fund that trillion dollar defense budget.

Amerika

jank wrote: »

Oh by the way Amerika why aren't the tea party activists protesting on wall street? They have been very quiet in that part of america.

As a member of the TPN, I can’t speak for everyone, but as of now we are most concerned with the actions and spending by our elected officials in the US government. And last I looked, the US government does not own Wall Street (well not yet anyway).

jank

Amerika wrote: »

As a member of the TPN, I can’t speak for everyone, but as of now we are most concerned with the actions and spending by our elected officials in the US government. And last I looked, the US government does not own Wall Street (well not yet anyway).

What? Not one protest. Not even a peep! Even though they are treating Wall street like a Las Vegas casino and it was their recklessness that was the NUMBER 1 reason behind the GFC?

You know why?? Cause special interests and corporations own the tea party movement. Sad but true. How does it feel to be used like Stephen Rea in the crying game

Amerika

jank wrote: »

You know why?? Cause special interests and corporations own the tea party movement. Sad but true. How does it feel to be used like Stephen Rea in the crying game

Didn’t see it, so I don’t know. But I think it’s got to be a lot better than being Lloyd Christmas or Harry Dunne.

Memnoch

Amerika wrote: »

So many enlightened ones can’t read the writing on the wall. Shocking!

Here is my forecast: The United States will now have a system of taxation by Obamination.

This is moronic. Let there at least be a proposed law before you all whip yourself into such a hysteria that the only way out seems like a mass suicide or something. Jeez.

Amerika

Here are a few articles, from different sides of the spectrum, that so many here living in a vacuum must not have heard about.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/21/obama-vat-may-be-a-revenu_n_547237.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
http://www.atr.org/index.php?content=VATgroundwork
http://www.creators.com/opinion/dick-morris/the-silent-killer-obama-s-vat-proposal.html
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/obama-administration-already-laying-groundwork-for-vat-91520014.html
You're welcome.

BluePlanet

From your very first link:

For days, White House spokesmen have said the president has not proposed and is not considering a VAT.

"I think I directly answered this the other day by saying that it wasn't something that the president had under consideration," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters shortly before Obama spoke with CNBC.

FFS.
I'm not even going to bother with your other links.

Amerika

BluePlanet wrote: »

From your very first link:

I started with HufPo for your benefit. And the opening line is: President Barack Obama suggested Wednesday that a new value-added tax on Americans is still on the table, seeming to show more openness to the idea than his aides have expressed in recent days.

You believe Gibbs? Really? (And notice Gibbs didn't really commit to anything)

I'm not even going to bother with your other links.

Surprise, surprise, I wonder why?

Exile 1798

Amerika wrote: »

Here are a few articles, from different sides of the spectrum, that so many here living in a vacuum must not have heard about.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/21/obama-vat-may-be-a-revenu_n_547237.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
http://www.atr.org/index.php?content=VATgroundwork
http://www.creators.com/opinion/dick-morris/the-silent-killer-obama-s-vat-proposal.html
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/obama-administration-already-laying-groundwork-for-vat-91520014.html
You're welcome.

LOL.

As I said, are you really unable to differentiate between idle chatter and a real flesh and bone policy proposal? You aren't able too, are you?

Believe me, if someone in power comes forward with an actual VAT proposal, which would be a major reform to the American Taxation system, we'll know about it.

Amerika

Exile 1798 wrote: »

Believe me, if someone in power comes forward with an actual VAT proposal, which would be a major reform to the American Taxation system, we'll know about it.

And when it does materialize (my guess is right after the November elections), I somehow see you forgetting all this whilst marching blindly into the Obama regime’s brave new world.


(And before anyone gets all nutz over the word "regime" try a search on "Bush regime" and you will come back with 2,180,009 results. Fair play don't you all agree?)

Mjollnir

I could really used a nice, cold Fresca. Mmmm...

All that bubbly, grapefruity goodness.

Fresca!

Overheal

Well we're still in a Democracy, yes?

VAT is on the table. Great. Yay Democracy.

Now I mean if this were I dunno - some kind of Dictatorship - maybe Obama would tell the Bipartisan effort to F*ck Off and we would stay entrenched in the Presidents original goal of Not raising taxes on anybody earning more than $250k per annum.

I don't think you have anything that says he's lied about intending that to be the way forward; but He is The President. And a Good President shouldn't turn their nose down at a fair proposal out of hand. He'll consider Value Added Tax. He'll even have considered needing to Invade North Korea, I am sure, since taking office. That does not mean he will adopt these methods or these actions. But as the Executive and Commander in Chief, it is his job to weigh all the options.

I think until taxes go up for anyone making under $250k/yr, we're talking about little to nothing here.

Exile 1798

Amerika wrote: »

And when it does materialize (my guess is right after the November elections), I somehow see you forgetting all this whilst marching blindly into the Obama regime’s brave new world.


(And before anyone gets all nutz over the word "regime" try a search on "Bush regime" and you will come back with 2,180,009 results. Fair play don't you all agree?)

If it does materialise I'd support it as a consumption tax is a very good thing in my view. It would be a long over due reform to the American taxation system. Most Western Countries have either a VAT or a GST.

However, once again I must emphasise absolutely nothing has been proposed. The fact that you seem to think it has shows your inability to comprehend and correctly categorise the information you receive. I would suggest you significantly cut down your information intake. Stop watching Fox, listening to talk radio, reading nutbag blogs as it's clearly to much for you to handle.

I'd recommend you restrict your intake to one hour of PBS news a day. You'll find yourself much better informed and eventually your paranoia and miss placed anger will start to subside. In short you'll be both a happier and better person.