Vote em out!

[WNY PAT]

Originally Posted by MoosePond

We're certainly doing a fabulous job in that area! We tend to put people in place who've never accomplished anything outside of government (Obama and Biden are perfect examples) rather than the type of highly successful business leaders who've taken things from concept to success and actually built something that didn't exist before.

Hey, trust me, Im not defending the last 12 years. OTOH, this great country you keep referring to and claiming to love so much was created BY politicians. GWB was a total disaster in his second term IMO and I can sleep at night knowing I only voted for him once I guess. I would have been happy with McCain. I would have been happy with the MA Govenor style Mitt Romney, but once he started pandering to the extremes, I just couldn't get behind him anymore. Im a moderate. I sure hope I can vote republican again in good conscience, but that won't happen unless and until the GOP gets a fundamental facelift of who is "out front." If it is gonna be this tea party nonsense, count me out. As I said, moderate Republicans are getting pushed out. That's the reality. And im a pistol owning, gun owning, avid hunter and business owner. If I can't call the GOP home, the party is in real trouble. And if folks at the extremes can't see that and work to grow the base, well that's sad. But if the answer to everything is to run to the right and further entrench yourselves while discounting everything that doesn't fit what you hear on radio or TV from ideologues... best of luck.

[WNY PAT]

And if you believe in folks who built an empire from nothing, Id encourage you to read Warren Buffet's perspective on tax policy. And commit to not wholly discounting anything you hear on the major outlets (NBC, CBS, ABC) as "mainstream media Jedi mind tricks" when it doesn't fit with the inoculation provided by those extreme sources. The world is grey. Not black (right wing slant). Not white (left wing slant). That's reality.

[k757]

I agree. I also love Denny's. Great breakfast food and after drinking-night food.

[cdepuydt]

Originally Posted by WNY PAT

And if you believe in folks who built an empire from nothing, Id encourage you to read Warren Buffet's perspective on tax policy...

...and then check his "perspective" against reality. If he wants to pay more in taxes, why does he hide billions of his money in "tax shelters"? If he is more than happy to give the government more money, why was he fighting the IRS over $1 billion dollars one of his companies owed in back taxes?

If he REALLY thinks people like him should pay more in taxes, he would take every penny he has in tax shelters and put it in accounts that are taxed at the highest rate possible. In this case actions speak louder than words and, if you listen to his actions, he is just like everybody else...and will do whatever he can to keep as much of his money as he can.

To borrow a phrase from our President...he's a bull$sh!tter.

[MikeT]

Originally Posted by manida

so incredibly awesome! Holy sweeping generalizations Batman!

You really have no idea, do you.

I'd bet $1M that I am 10x more successful than youve ever been at any age in your entire life and Im just under 40.

yep, a successful Democrat that has never had a handout in his life and has never expected one.

You just confirmed what you truly are...

[speedlever]

Originally Posted by MikeT

What the frack!

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

Sorry. When I first clicked on that link, it brought up the TMo Happy for the Holidays video. Not sure what was up with that!

Now I get the Secret of Oz.

[MikeT]

Originally Posted by speedlever

Sorry. When I first clicked on that link, it brought up the TMo Happy for the Holidays video. Not sure what was up with that!

Now I get the Secret of Oz.

Yeppers, I posted the wrong link and then went back and changed it

[WNY PAT]

I really think you ought to read what Buffet himself actually says. These criticisms are nothing new, and he's addressed them. His main point is, and always has been, that the idea we wil stifle investment by raising tax rates on the wealthy - is hogwash. He makes a great argument if you actually take the time to read the thesis, including the research looking at the past 80 years of economic data and tax rates. It's compelling to say the least. So when the talking heads can't argue the facts, they do what they always do and want to talk about something else, thy want to villify a guy because his facts are flat out indisputable. That's the Fox et al game. It is what sickens me and I began to see it for what it was when they ran Powell out years ago. I believe I am more GOP than most, and if I can't stomach the behavior of the voices of the party, just imagine what real moderates are feeling. The fact is, going in to the election, Republicans were pretty confident they had a chance to win the White House and take seats in Congress. There was and continues to be amazement that moderates and other groups have walked away in such numbers. Bury heads in the sand if you like and I think it'll take another loss in 2016 before things really change. That's okay, I'll be waiting to be a part of MY GOP again.

Originally Posted by cdepuydt

...and then check his "perspective" against reality. If he wants to pay more in taxes, why does he hide billions of his money in "tax shelters"? If he is more than happy to give the government more money, why was he fighting the IRS over $1 billion dollars one of his companies owed in back taxes?

If he REALLY thinks people like him should pay more in taxes, he would take every penny he has in tax shelters and put it in accounts that are taxed at the highest rate possible. In this case actions speak louder than words and, if you listen to his actions, he is just like everybody else...and will do whatever he can to keep as much of his money as he can.

To borrow a phrase from our President...he's a bull$sh!tter.

[speedlever]

I think the whole point of the tax thing is this: why should taxes be increased to pay for the irresponsible spending habits of the Congress Critters? I am absolutely against being penalized by higher taxes just to pay for the irresponsible spending that Congress is guilty of.

Regarding the moderate Republican issue... what's the point? Why be a another Democrat? If there's no distinction between the two (not sure there's much anyway), it'll be a DINO (difference in name only).

So what's the point of being a moderate Republican just so you can have another party in power if they're all the same? Keep the distinctions different and let the country make the choice.

I respect the tea party ideals and values and believe that was what our country was founded on, not what we currently see and experience. IMO, we need to return to the basics that made us great. If the voters reject it, then so be it. But let's have the distinction be very clear between the choices, not just different flavors of the same thing.

[MoosePond]

There is no question that Warren Buffet is a savvy, successful investor (quite possibly the ultimate capitalist) and will go down as the most generous philanthropist in history. However, other than a very successful investment company, he's never designed, invented, built or manufactured anything - he has made his fortune by providing growth capital to those who have already successfully done these things. So long as he continues to practice tax avoidance to the nth degree his views on taxation are not only irrelevant, they're downright hypocritical.

Regardless of which party is in power, our elected officials are locked into a tax and spend cycle that will have financial collapse as its only possible outcome. So long as we continue to allow the banks to control our economy there is no hope that our grand experiment in representational government will continue to thrive or, ultimately, survive. Only by regaining control of the issuance and supply of our currency, restricting the banks to lending no more than they actually have on deposit and Constitutionally preventing Congress from spending more than we earn (i.e., no more borrowing) do we have a prayer of returning to the prosperity that made this nation great.