EAT YOUR PEAS!!!
By Shaun Kenney | Monday, July 11th, 2011 | PoliticsIf you missed the Obama presser this morning, the helpful staff at Bearing Drift have summarized the entire event in 10 seconds!
How can you have any pudding if you don’t eat your peas?!
Essentially, America has to endure a tax hike before Obama will agree to any budget. ”Eat your peas” is the scolding our president put upon the American taxpayer.
…feel scolded enough? Shamed enough into subsidizing your government? Good… now pay your taxes like a good citizen!
So glad I’m an Alpha…
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Shaun Kenney is the Chairman of the Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors, former Communications Director for the Republican Party of Virginia, and an active blogger since 2002. Shaun lives in Thomas Jefferson's backyard with his wife, six children, and a modest attempt at a farm in Kents Store, Virginia.
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45 Responses to "EAT YOUR PEAS!!!"
Shaun,
In rebuttal, “Let them eat cake.”
If the American Way turns its back on the majority, the majority is going be pretty upset.
I believe in the American Way and the current construction of the Republican Party stands against it.
“We don’t need not thought control.” From the same song.
Frankly Shaun, given that you are an elected official, I regret that you would stoop to such childish antics. Whether you or the republican party likes it, there are millions of americans who do not share your prediliction for extreme enforced austerity at their expense, especially to the degree that millions of rich, wealthy, corporations and individuals pay little to no tax. Some pay a lot, but frankly, that is what a progressive tax system is supposed to do. If you don’t think the far right House representatives have just shown the american people what they really want, ie, default, recession, and protection for their corporate masters, then you lack political perception.
General Electric had a very good year in 2010. Over $14 billion dollars in global profits with over $5 billion coming from the United States. G.E. not only didn’t pay any corporate income taxes in 2010, they will receive a $3.2 billion dollar tax credit.
So the “fate cats” at GE eat lots of cake while the citizens of Virginia have to steal money from their children to pay for the insane spending of the democrats.
2012 United States federal budget (proposed) $3.7 trillion
2011 United States federal budget $3.8 trillion
2010 United States federal budget $3.6 trillion
2009 United States federal budget $3.1 trillion
2008 United States federal budget $2.9 trillion
2007 United States federal budget $2.8 trillion
2006 United States federal budget $2.7 trillion
2005 United States federal budget $2.4 trillion
2004 United States federal budget $2.3 trillion
2003 United States federal budget $2.2 trillion
2002 United States federal budget $2.0 trillion
2001 United States federal budget $1.9 trillion
2000 United States federal budget $1.8 trillion
1999 United States federal budget $1.7 trillion
1998 United States federal budget $1.7 trillion
1997 United States federal budget $1.6 trillion
1996 United States federal budget $1.6 trillion
Mike, you are still free to give all your money to your Government rather than the Democratic party. And whomever those “millions of rich, wealthy, corporations and individuals pay little to no tax” are, they are making plans to fire their employees, shut down whatever business they have left and move to where there are still incentives and opportunities to get “rich” and stay “wealthy”.
When the “rich and wealthy” are gone because their “wealth” has been confiscated, then what?
Oh, I know… they will come after us little people and our 401Ks and retirement plans.
Actually Tim J, perhaps some businessmen and women are making plans; they certainly ought to given that default, recession, and a government shut down have become much more distinct possibilities since the republican caucus has revolted against their Speaker and the interests of the nation. With any semblance of concern about the deficit having evaporated, the clear fervent protectionism for the wealthiest 2% has been shown as the overriding concern of the majority in the House of Representatives. Frankly, my 401k has recovered, my home value stabilized, by business had picked up, but now we face oblivion as a nation. Frankly, that is the way most folks will see this development.
“And whomever those “millions of rich, wealthy, corporations and individuals pay little to no tax” are, they are making plans to fire their employees, shut down whatever business they have left and move to where there are still incentives and opportunities to get “rich” and stay “wealthy”.”
A. No they are not. That is the most absurd thing I have ever heard. We have one of the LOWEST effective tax rates in the world – how many companies do you see moving HERE to get “rich” and stay “wealthy”? By and large, decisions to move overseas have to do with LABOR COSTS not taxes.
B. If they are paying no taxes right now, what benefit are they? Unless you want no (as in zero) government, there has to be SOME taxation of SOMEBODY. Right now, I would rather the companies that make untold millions and do not pay taxes step up and pay a little something – only their fair share. That’s what I do.
You guys are total idiots though (as in Republicans). You gave up $4T in spending cut because you could not accept even a 1:1000 ratio of tax increases. Thanks alot you bunch of baffoons.
Oh, by the way – its “eat your MEAT”. You can’t even quote the song correctly.
Meanwhile, Michelle Obama, Patron Saint of Child Nutrition, orders a 1700-calorie junk food lunch.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/44/post/michelle-obama-has-1556-calories-meal-at-shake-shack-outing/2011/07/11/gIQAgwPE9H_blog.html?wprss=44
Lets be realistic, according to Not Blue Virginia the Federal budget has doubled in the last 12 years. Now if that trend continues no tax increase will ever have any chance of solving the problem.
There is plenty of blame to go around, Republicans have been in control of the White House and Congress over many of those 12 years. No matter who caused this problem the current crop of politicians need to grow up and cut spending.
Repeat after me: Dems do not do spending cuts. They are lying. They are really ling when they say they’ll do it 5 years from now.
When has the Budget ever gone down? Dems scream hysterically “But there are more people.” OK. When a couple has a child what happens to them when they don’t get a income raise?? Hmmm??
Look at the chart above from NBV. We could cut the deficit in half by reinstating 2008 spending levels. I think we can go back to that and survive. McDonnell did it here in VA and lo and behold the state survived. Texas has all kinds of job growth without high taxes. Chris Christie balanced the budget without raising taxes etc etc.
Dems can’t cope with this simple truth: Published tax rates are not Effective tax rates. The rich can always play games with their money that the middle class cannot. The taxes are far more progressive in the US than they are in Europe where tax evasion is rampant. Why don’t Dems get mad at your tax cheating pols?? GE is a crony company of Obama. Why didn’t he single them out for punishment. Dem silence is deafening.
There’s another simple truth Dems can’t stand to learn. Corporations don’t pay taxes. Their customers do.
Here’s the compromise that the Dems don’t want to admit. Each side gets to indicate which cuts it prefers. Dems get to cut things they don’t like that Repubs want and Repubs can cut things they don’t like and Dems want. That’s a compromise.
If you feel undertaxed, then by all means donate to your government.
Nothing — and I mean nothing — is stopping you.
Eric the 1/2 Troll clearly is not up on current events, otherwise he would have gotten half the joke.!
Hey Eric, ZERO government sounds pretty good right now. And speak of “baffoons” (The 1/2 Troll in Eric made him spell that way), the head “Baffoon” tried to play a $4T “rope a dope” with the Pubs, and at least this this time they didn’t play the “dope”.
what is the statistic? about 45 -48% of Americans pay no taxes. that makes 52-55% of Americans “wealthy”. cause its not just the big zillionaires who will get a tax increase–oh it will affect everyone paying taxes.
& think about closing loopholes: mortgage deduction for example. there are many Americans that are just scraping by but are trying to buy their home. Without the mortgage deduction, they probably couldn’t afford the home.
& closing the charitable deduction: rather than giving $2,000 to one’s church or Lions Club or local food bank, this “wealthy” person will only give $1,000 (which was the net offset on his charitable deduction initially). sooooooooooo. who gets hurt here?
& let’s eliminate business deductions. doesn’t that sound like a way to screw the wealthy corporations? Your local HVAC company might have to pull 2 trucks & 5 employees off the road which could delay their response when your furnace dies in January. Your doctor will have to eliminate his bookkeeper who is the only one that could ever explain your insurance deductible to you.
rant off.
My. Sorely disappointed in this thread. Nobody seems to grasp the idea this trains is about to roll off a cliff, and we want to talk about peas? Frankly, I have NO problem with eliminating tax subsidies for a variety of industries, including Big Oil and now, Big Farms (corn, ethanol, anyone, see higher food prices anyone?)
Frankly, on the face of it, I prefer the $4.2 trillion in cuts in return for elimination of tax subsididies for the fat cats.
I am particularly pissed off with Cantor for playing political games and trying to grab Boehner by the you know what. This is pathetic. Really, truly, pathetic. And I expected more enlightened discussion here instead of, say, talking about Michelle Obama eating fast food. What, really, does that have to with the price of bonds in China?
While I’m on a roll, I don’t support federal tax subsidies for anything or anyone, including home mortgage interest. Can’t afford a home without the deduction? Then don’t buy one. Since when is the federal goverment all about rigging the market? Regulate? Yes. Manipulate, no.
Dear Craig,
I’m sure you mean well but you are operating on some ethereal plane. (And you should be aware that disappointment is frowned upon in the ether.) There are no budget cuts. It’s all accounting games. The only time there is a budget cut is when the dollar amount is less than the previous year; as in real life. Now when does the Federal or even state government accomplish that trick? All they are doing is mucking around with their fantasies as to what they will spend in the sweet by and by. Tell me what the 5 year spending plan of 1938 was worth? Or 1928? Or 1998? or 2008? And now our brilliant Harvard educated President pontificates on 12 year plans.
And you are confusing tax code reform with deficit reduction. Repubs and even some Dems have repeatedly stated a willingness to eliminate deductions for a lower rate. Who do you think opposes it? Tax lawyers and leftists. Tax lawyers for obvious reasons and leftists because they lose control. And once again corporations do not pay taxes – their customers do or they go out of business.
The only thing that matters is how much bigger or smaller next years budget deficit) actually is. Repeated every year. Period.
Perhaps the house republicans should pass a no-strings attached bill that would raise the debt ceiling by 50 to 100 billion dollars this week.
Personally believe congress should forget these multi-year deals and just pass a budget for 2012. The 2006 budget of 2.7 trillion looks good to me. If federal tax income is 2.2 trillion then a 500 billion debt ceiling extension would be needed.
But FIRST let congress pick a number for the 2012 budget.
And taxes are already going to go up. The Bush tax cuts will end next year. And Obamacare taxes start in 2013. And now Obama wants a TRILLION dollars in new taxes NOW with the hope of spending cuts in 10 years. Give me a break. Lets cut spending NOW and raise taxes in 10 years.
And what is this fixation with taxes to raise government income?
Perhaps the federal government needs to have a “yard sale”.
One third of all the land in the United States is owned by the federal government. SELL some of it.
Start lease sales off the coast of Virginia and other states in the next month. That would increase revenue.
Bunch of junk sitting in Fort Knox, start selling.
Let the oil companies start drilling again NOW. Unlike General Electric, at least they pay taxes.
You do not need a rocket scientist to balance a budget. Millions of citizens do it every day.
2012 United States federal budget (proposed) $3.7 trillion
2011 United States federal budget $3.8 trillion
2010 United States federal budget $3.6 trillion
2009 United States federal budget $3.1 trillion
2008 United States federal budget $2.9 trillion
2007 United States federal budget $2.8 trillion
2006 United States federal budget $2.7 trillion
2005 United States federal budget $2.4 trillion
2004 United States federal budget $2.3 trillion
2003 United States federal budget $2.2 trillion
2002 United States federal budget $2.0 trillion
2001 United States federal budget $1.9 trillion
2000 United States federal budget $1.8 trillion
1999 United States federal budget $1.7 trillion
1998 United States federal budget $1.7 trillion
1997 United States federal budget $1.6 trillion
1996 United States federal budget $1.6 trillion
Once again, Eric Cantor has shown his dtotal isregard for the american people who will bear the brunt of default and all that will cause. His blatant disregard for deficit reduction shows that was all a ploy in the first place. His unfailing support of continued tax relief for the richest americans indicates his messianic furvor to worship at the foot of Grover Norquist. Who elected Grover anyway? Of course, most americans don’t realize the implications of default, except of course those who buy bonds and will receive 60 to 80 basis points more when they lend to the government, if and when this extension occurs. Wall Street must love Cantor; I guess they didn’t get enough from him in the bailout.
The entire issue is just another current administration ruse – like the stimulus “shovel ready” rip off and TARP debacle. The government is out of hand, they lie, passing blame on the people – rich, aging, working, and needy. Do not get sucked in to the continued campaign to keep the people divided using race and class envy. Focus on the problem – politicians (who have been in office/power way too long) using your tax dollars to buy themselves a friggin damn GOOD paying job with great benefits
NBV,
I believe the amounts of tax increases supported by President Obama is for the same period the savings from spending cuts are. It is my understanding that what is being proposed is a 1 to 4 ratio of revenue increases to spending cuts.
Craig Kilby,
However eliminating the mortgage interest deduction is a little more complicated then that. 1st, many small businesses, such as myself, use refinancing our homes and drawing on our home equities to finance our business enterprises. If it were a business loan, the interest would still be deductible as a legitimate business expense. Right now, home mortgage interest is still deductible. Why the home refinance instead of the business loan? Because the interest rates on the home mortgage is about half that of the business loan.
Also, I know that when I first entered the housing market many years ago, the tax savings was a large part of what got me in there. So with housing values already under extreme pressure due to the collapse of the housing bubble, do we really want to tie a lead anchor to the market while it is trying to recover?
Here is what Obama thinks of the AMerican public; do the professional repubs share his views?
Many people view the federal government like Brutus, a 5.5m saltwater crocodile,. If you keep feeding it, it only gets bigger and more dangerous.
http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/brutus-55m-saltwater-crocodile-gives-territory-tourists-a-scare/story-e6frg12c-1226092939929
NBV,
Too many people view our nation and the government given to us by the Constitution as a baby that needs to have its arms and legs cut off and drowned in the bath water.
To follow up on Little David’s point, few would argue that we need expenditure control and reductions, but they need to occur in the context of stimulating growth in GDP and in the health of our economy. Right now, the far right is enforcing a policy of extreme enforced austerity on one section of our budget, and exempting the large areas of the budget from any cuts at all. This threatens our economy and will throw us back into recession if they are successful. It took us a decade to destroy pay go and the reductions in the deficit; it will take a decade to restore balance. Enforcing extreme austerity in one year will have dramatically negative results for all of us.
Wow, did you all see the Boehner interview? This guy is under tremendous pressure. First, his top lieutenant, Eric Cantor, opens a second front against him that would make Machiavelli proud, and second, the President’s bold move to actually accept debt $4 T in debt reduction shows he is ready to make a deal. So do all republicans want to be painted as for the top 2% and against the remaining 98% of us? Frankly, everyone loves the anti tax stance until the real effects of that policy become clear for all to see. Cantor has played his hand, and frankly, nothing could more effectively motivate the opposition than what he has to offer.
Mike, your company makes more than $250,000 a year which means that you are one of the new Obama “millionaires and billionaires”, right? And you have accountants that try to exploit every loophole so you can keep more of your money, right? So don’t state that you are one of the “remaining 98% of us” just because you are taking advantage of tax tricks and loopholes that reduces your income.
Cantor is one of several that are trying to keep the Boehner Rinos from stampeding into the Democrats’ $4T “golden corral”.
I should have said to keep in the theme of this post…
Cantor is one of several that are trying to keep the Boehner Rinos from stampeding into eating “peas” at the Democrats’ $4T “golden corral”.
I should have said to keep with the theme of this post…
Cantor is one of several that are trying to keep the Boehner Rinos from stampeding into eating “peas” at the Democrats’ $4T “golden corral”.
Let us look at the success Republican Senator John Warner had in getting elected for all those years. I have wondered whether or not he retired prematurely because he was worried about the rise of the Tea Party or if it was because he was worried he could no longer represent us effectively due to his age.
From what I have heard from him since then, perhaps it was due to the former and not the latter.
Too bad it is impossible for someone like John Warner to rise to the forefront in the modern Virginia Republican Party and perhaps this helps explain why I am now a Democrat. Would John Warner have been forced to run as a Blue Dog Democrat if he ran for office today?
Frankly, there is no republican party any longer; there is simply a far right conservative party that takes orders from Grover Norquist and is rabidly anti government and anti tax, whether that destroys our economy or not. President Reagan could not be a member of this group of radicals; after all, Boehner has taken Reagan’s tactics, that is, negotiate to get the best deal you can, but don’t take the country down with you. How much more does Cantor and his right wing zealots want from middle class americans so that the top 2% can take longer vacations and buy better wine?
almost half of this country pays no taxes–& I mean individuals. so does that mean that the rest of the taxpayers are wealthy? because if we have enough income to warrant paying taxes, then won’t we have to see our taxes raised to support the almost 50% who pay no taxes.
Mike, you should be happy that Cantor is working for the top 2% so you can “take longer vacations and buy better wine.” I read in another BD comment where VPAP shows that Ralph Northam owns a couple of vacation homes in Manteo NC that you might be able to book for your extended vacation and he might even throw in a bottle of his “better wine”.
@kelley in virginia – just for the record, your statement that “almost half of this country pays no taxes” is simply wrong.
Everyone who receives a paycheck pays Social Security and Medicare Taxes. Everyone who buys anything pays sales taxes (state and local), and for certain products, like gasoline, federal taxes. Everyone who lives someplace pays property taxes (either directly as a property owner, or indirectly, as a renter, where property tax expense is usually calculated into the amount of rent that is charged).
Indeed, for the most part, these taxes tend, by their very nature, to be regressive — that is, they affect lower income people more than higher income people. For example, the current FICA tax rate for individuals (including the temporary Obama tax cut) is 4.2%, meaning someone who earns $50K would thus pay 4.2% of their income in FICA tax, while someone making $250K would only pay 1.8% in FICA tax (because FICA is capped at about $106K of income).
Aznew,in all due respect, you may as well not waste your breath. If you, like Cantor, are a member of the country club set, used to wealth and priviledge, the condition of the hoi polloi need not concern you one iota. These common people exist to serve the interests of the rich and wealthy 2% of the nation. This is the established policy of the conservatives of the republican party. The rest of us can eat cake as was said in the French revolution, which meant simply bread at the time. Frankly, I never thought the Party would be that direct about their attitude, but with Cantor in charge, it is a new world. It is as if the republican party is saying…”we are in charge, and the rest of you be damned.” It does not matter if we default, it does not matter if we can’t pay the troops, it does not matter if Medicare, medicaid, nor food stamp recipients don’t get their support, we are in charge and we will support our corporate masters. Period. End of story.
Mike, I hope you wear a Grover Norquist costume to the BD Halloween party this year so you can really scare everyone, especially the children. “The rest of us” can come dressed as “limbs”, “torsos” or “carpetbaggers”.
Mike wrote: “The rest of us can eat cake as was said in the French revolution, which meant simply bread at the time”
Tsk, tsk, Mike. Marie Antoinette never said that. Do your homework next time.
Grover Norquist.. another sign of end times for republicans who can’t speak from the heart.
Sadly it seems that the photo of Brutus, a 5.5m saltwater crocodile, was faked.
This is a link to the supposed real photo.
http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee369/blobular/Croc/hmmmmm.jpg
Yes Tim J, it is a big joke to you. Since you abide by Norquist’s dictums, you have no knowledge of what faces us if he prevails. Suddenly, Governors around the nation are assessing what happens when federal money promised them does not arrive. Representatives of major business groups, even the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, are urging bi-partisan accord on raising the debt limit. The republican response; let the President do it. In other words, total abdication of their responsibilities. It is as if they were on the playground, losing the game, so they take the ball and leave. Frankly, I never thought that could ever happen, but under Cantor’s leadership, no one can be sure what will happen as he has sought personal advancement over the public interest.
Here is a link that reports on what Mike Barrett is talking about:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/congress-hears-outcry-from-business-lobby-on-debt-ceiling-and-deficit/2011/07/12/gIQAiVGpAI_story.html?hpid=z1
Seems like the Republicans are trying to walk away from the showdown. Some Republicans realize that if they attempt to meet the Democrats at the OK Corral, they are going to get their butts kicked.
However too many Republicans are like lemmings willing to follow Grover Norquist over the cliff.
In my opinion we need to get back to the OK Corral. Let us have the show down. Who is going to blink and who is going to take it to the wire and live with the consequences?
Perhaps with a truthful showdown, we can put an end to the unreasonable partisan bickering where compromise is a four letter word. Put up or shut-up. I am defending the American Way and I am not going to blink.
What a difference a few days make. After the coup, Cantor must have looked in the mirror and seen the next Speaker of the House, but today, his strategy is being lambasted and condemned by corporate executives and business leaders around the nation. Perhaps Cantor has overplayed his hand; fact is, the large majority of our citizens don’t understand what raising the debt limit means, but they sure as heck understand not getting their Medicare, Medicaid, or paycheck for service to their country. Corporate execs really don’t want this confrontation, they want the business climate to continue its improvement and don’t need the uncertainty of this fight holding investment back. Those folks on this page who still have some common sense had better let Cantor know his stock is plummeting fast.
Mike and LD must have side jobs and MSNBC and WAPO.
And perhaps Grover Norquist serves on an advisory council for GOProud. Perhaps he’s really a RINO? He is as pure as the stream I let out when I go to the bathroom.
We know what your Halloween costume will be.
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