There goes the First Ammendment

[RJF]

More taxes...less free speech and now they want to take our 401(k)'s

Socialism here we come.

This has to be the scariest thing I've read yet about a possible all-Democrat government: the end of 401(k) investing.

Powerful House Democrats are considering removing all existing 401(k) tax breaks -- goodbye, matching employer contributions! -- and forcing Americans to contribute to a second level of Social Security instead. (Bet you haven't heard about this one from the "Elect Obama" mainstream media...)

Details from Ed Morrissey at Hot Air:

"...your employer can no longer write off their contributions to your 401(k), and your capital gains would be taxable year-on-year. In other words, it becomes just another investment or savings account, with no tax benefit at all, and no employer contribution. Instead, Uncle Sam would give you your 'matching' funds — up to a whopping $600 per year! Whoopee!

"As Michelle Obama says, you could buy a pair of earrings every year … except, of course, you can’t. It’s in The Lockbox, defined by politicians as Locked Away from You but Accessible to Us. It goes there along with 5% of your gross earnings, apparently to play with the 7% of your gross earnings that already goes to Social Security. And what do they do with the money? They give you government bonds as your only investment option."

More:

"The Democrats want to end the private retirement system that has allowed Americans to become a vast investor class and put them back in thrall of the federal government. This is nothing more than a second welfare system that would sit on top of the crumbling Social Security entitlement. It would leave the American working and middle classes with no retirement option other than a government handout.

"If the Democrats control both Congress and the White House, kiss your 401(k)s goodbye, and get into the bread lines first before the crowd arrives."

Senator McCain needs to be hitting this issue hard in ads, starting immediately. A Republican Presidential veto pen is the only thing which can stop this plan from taking place.

Unfortunately, given the current state of the market and everyone's 401(k) plans, the issue may not have the same resonance it would normally have, but voters should also be reminded that historically market dips have always been temporary...always.

Like a lot of Americans, our 401(k), and the generous matching contributions by my husband's employer, provides much of our financial security. If Democrats take that away and instead tax us more for "a new system of guaranteed retirement accounts to which all workers would be obliged to contribute," it would be devastating, not only for American workers everywhere, but for the American economy.

http://laurasmiscmusings.blogspot.co...-accounts.html

[Gnnr]

Socialism? Naaahhhhh. If only we where so lucky. Last I checked we where more like a "hybrid capitalism", where the govt gets the power and corporations get to enjoy the profits of capitalism and we get to enjoy the cons of socialism.

[ZenkiCam]

01110100 01101000 01100101 01110010 01100101 00100000 01101001 01110011 00100000 01101110 01101111 00100000 01101000 01101111 01110000 01100101 00100000 01101100 01100101 01100110 01110100 00001101 00001010

[98s14inaz]

Originally Posted by RJF

More taxes...less free speech and now they want to take our 401(k)'s

Socialism here we come.

This has to be the scariest thing I've read yet about a possible all-Democrat government: the end of 401(k) investing.

Powerful House Democrats are considering removing all existing 401(k) tax breaks -- goodbye, matching employer contributions! -- and forcing Americans to contribute to a second level of Social Security instead. (Bet you haven't heard about this one from the "Elect Obama" mainstream media...)

Details from Ed Morrissey at Hot Air:

"...your employer can no longer write off their contributions to your 401(k), and your capital gains would be taxable year-on-year. In other words, it becomes just another investment or savings account, with no tax benefit at all, and no employer contribution. Instead, Uncle Sam would give you your 'matching' funds — up to a whopping $600 per year! Whoopee!

"As Michelle Obama says, you could buy a pair of earrings every year … except, of course, you can’t. It’s in The Lockbox, defined by politicians as Locked Away from You but Accessible to Us. It goes there along with 5% of your gross earnings, apparently to play with the 7% of your gross earnings that already goes to Social Security. And what do they do with the money? They give you government bonds as your only investment option."

More:

"The Democrats want to end the private retirement system that has allowed Americans to become a vast investor class and put them back in thrall of the federal government. This is nothing more than a second welfare system that would sit on top of the crumbling Social Security entitlement. It would leave the American working and middle classes with no retirement option other than a government handout.

"If the Democrats control both Congress and the White House, kiss your 401(k)s goodbye, and get into the bread lines first before the crowd arrives."

Senator McCain needs to be hitting this issue hard in ads, starting immediately. A Republican Presidential veto pen is the only thing which can stop this plan from taking place.

Unfortunately, given the current state of the market and everyone's 401(k) plans, the issue may not have the same resonance it would normally have, but voters should also be reminded that historically market dips have always been temporary...always.

Like a lot of Americans, our 401(k), and the generous matching contributions by my husband's employer, provides much of our financial security. If Democrats take that away and instead tax us more for "a new system of guaranteed retirement accounts to which all workers would be obliged to contribute," it would be devastating, not only for American workers everywhere, but for the American economy.

Laura's Miscellaneous Musings: Democrats to Kill 401(k) Accounts?!

I didn't know about some of that, scary stuff.

[KwKouki]

im not really into politics, but I just think its funny how people bash each other because they "must" stick to a side. the whole "I agree with everything my democratic party campaigns" I find rediculous.

I also love how republicans can sit there and say "zomg democrats are gonna ruin the country" when we have a republican president now doing an outstangingly spectacular job himself.

Bill clinton seemed to do a pretty damn good job running this bitch.

[KA24DESOneThree]

Originally Posted by KwKouki

im not really into politics, but I just think its funny how people bash each other because they "must" stick to a side. the whole "I agree with everything my democratic party campaigns" I find rediculous.

I also love how republicans can sit there and say "zomg democrats are gonna ruin the country" when we have a republican president now doing an outstangingly spectacular job himself.

Bill clinton seemed to do a pretty damn good job running this bitch.

The current neoliberal leaning of the Democratic party is hugely unnerving, but the current neoconservative leaning of the Republican party is nearly equally unnerving. Everyone wants progressive change when what we need is regressive change to solve our problems. Ignoring the founding principles will not create a stronger, better country, it will lead to a revolution and a deeply divided country, politically, economically, and culturally.

Bill Clinton started out pretty far left but had to go centrist to continue and get a second term. Obama *may* go centrist after a couple years, but the current Democratic majority in the legislative branch creates a very dangerous situation. It's another case of tyranny of the majority and we all should know that this tyranny is exceedingly dangerous to liberty.

[RJF]

Originally Posted by KwKouki

Bill clinton seemed to do a pretty damn good job running this bitch.

But Bill Clinton was a moderate democrat. Obama is a socialist.

__________________________________________________ __________________________________


I like the last line of the second paragraph: " system of guaranteed retirement accounts to which all workers would be obliged to contribute "

We already have one of those, its called Social Security, and we are obliged to contribute since they take the money out of our paycheck.

This is going to get ugly.



House Democrats Contemplate Abolishing 401(k) Tax Breaks Powerful House Democrats are eyeing proposals to overhaul the nation’s $3 trillion 401(k) system, including the elimination of most of the $80 billion in annual tax breaks that 401(k) investors receive.

House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller, D-California, and Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Washington, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee’s Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support, are looking at redirecting those tax breaks to a new system of guaranteed retirement accounts to which all workers would be obliged to contribute.

A plan by Teresa Ghilarducci, professor of economic-policy analysis at the New School for Social Research in New York, contains elements that are being considered. She testified last week before Miller’s Education and Labor Committee on her proposal.

At that hearing, the director of the Congressional Budget Office, Peter Orszag, testified that some $2 trillion in retirement savings has been lost over the past 15 months.

Under Ghilarducci’s plan, all workers would receive a $600 annual inflation-adjusted subsidy from the U.S. government but would be required to invest 5 percent of their pay into a guaranteed retirement account administered by the Social Security Administration. The money in turn would be invested in special government bonds that would pay 3 percent a year, adjusted for inflation.

__________________________________________________ _______________________________________

Finally, someone with the guts to ask real questions.



In response to this interview, the Obama-Biden have cancelled any further interviews with this channel.

Socialists don't like to be questioned. I guess Dear Leader was not pleased.


UPDATE: In typical Obama campaign fashion, WFTV has been blacklisted by Obama’s campaign. The Orlando Sentinel is reporting:
“Biden so disliked West’s line of questioning that the Obama campaign canceled a WFTV interview with Jill Biden, the candidate’s wife.
‘This cancellation is non-negotiable, and further opportunities for your station to interview with this campaign are unlikely, at best for the duration of the remaining days until the election,’ wrote Laura K. McGinnis, Central Florida communications director for the Obama campaign.

McGinnis said the Biden cancellation was ‘a result of her husband’s experience yesterday during the satellite interview with Barbara West.’” [emphasis added]

Not only did they cut off access to the Obama campaign until the election — which one might understand them doing — but they openly say that the blacklisting could continue beyond November 4th.

Why are there no howls of protest from other members of the media?

Why has the media abandoned its responsibility as the challenger of those in power?

This country needs more newspeople with the courage of WFTV news director Bob Jordan and reporter Barbara West. The Sentinel article continues:
“WFTV news director Bob Jordan said, ‘When you get a shot to ask these candidates, you want to make the most of it. They usually give you five minutes.’
Jordan said political campaigns in general pick and choose the stations they like. And stations often pose softball questions during the satellite interviews.

‘Mr. Biden didn’t like the questions,’ Jordan said. ‘We choose not to ask softball questions.’”

[HalveBlue]

Whatever...I live in a socialist country.

It's not that bad.

[mondojackal]

Originally Posted by xdarkrune

better country is an opinion, there is no definate better country, never will be.

personally i feel canada is a way better country.
universial health car, very low crime and homicide rate. when have you ever seen canada go to war with a country or have a terrorist attack?? hmm?

universal healthcare is a total farce. it doesnt work. people from canada leave their own country for medical treatment. LEAVE THE COUNTRY because they have to be put on waiting lists to see the doctor. so what do they do? they come to the US. imagine that.

canada doesnt go to war because no one wants to fight canada. what are they going to fight canada for? geese? caribou? tundra?

for real, though. canada is a country that just ducks and covers. it doesnt make a big show, and it really doesnt piss anyone off, so why would any other country take an interest in canada. especially terrorists, since anything to do with canada is influential to all of .01% of the world's population.

Originally Posted by KA24DESOneThree

People like you disgust me. Don't try to change my country because you don't like it. The Founders set rules and, if we had lived by them, people would be better off now. We broke them and here we are. We don't change them except by very strict guidelines, which were abused... and here we are.

You want universal health care? Go to Canada or France or Germany. It isn't in the Constitution, and health care back then consisted of a rag soaked in brandy, bed rest, and some luck. You're blessed to have this much access to medical necessities.

America was founded on self-reliance. You may want handouts, high taxes, and increased regulation, but you want another country, not mine. The American Dream pays off, but not if you're a lazy idiot. You need to work, you need to fail, you need to pick yourself up and rise above to live the dream. If you think it's unfair, life's unfair.

Neoliberalism makes me sick. Every cent I donate to political causes will go toward causes to reverse the spread of the cancer and bring down the bloat.

i like this guy. and he would surely be getting rep from me if the system were still intact.

i totally agree. life's not fair. get over it. if you want to be a lazy bum and get handouts, then go somewhere else. the people that originally made this country great weren't afraid to get their hands dirty, and weren't afraid to shoulder a heavy burden. we're raising such pansies in this country that it's getting embarrassing. we're americans, and we should be proud of that.

sure, people think we're bullies, but no one really likes the kid at the top of the hill, right?

Originally Posted by svensko

I'm voting for Obama simply because McCain/Palin are far too conservative.

funny, since they're really not that conservative. they are more moderate than Obama/Biden.

Originally Posted by TheWolf

This is about USA being #1. The second place plaque is in the ladies room.

OMG canada being #1... HAHAHA at what? being a big pussy nation. Free healthcare in exchange for tarrifs, taxes, and shitty weather. What a deal! Why don't you move from cali to canada and live there instead. Everything you buy from the US up there costs $8 + 12-15% in Tax just to get it shipped across the border. Throw duty on top if it wasn't made in america.

exactly. canada isnt a truly bad country, and it doesnt deserve most of the criticism that we throw at it, but it's certainly not that great, either.

Originally Posted by PHLIP

You know guys, now that you mention it...
I think I dislike the idea of a liberal president, especially a black one.
I am voting for a Maverick who has mastered the fine arts of hypocrisy and throwing rock and hiding his hands, but puts country first and hoping that his fuckton of horrible ideas actually work somehow.

agreed, though. i'm not a staunch republican, but i feel that i'm voting for "the lesser of two evils" here. i'm politically moderate, and i just vote for who i think will be an actually better president. who will better represent the country to other heads of state, who will run the military better, and who will do a better job as chief executive.

Originally Posted by KA24DESOneThree

Here's how I see it:

This presidency will make or break it. There are hundreds of thousands of us who are already chomping at the bit to force change but don't know how to get the rest of the public on our side.

Whomever gets elected will either be moderate or be overthrown. I will not be at the forefront of this movement, but I will be walking in lockstep with whoever is, rifle across my back and pistol on my hip, for they are the defenders of my liberty and the expression of my self-reliance.

We have already endured great hardship at the hands of our own government, and it continues to probe us to see how far our "commitment" goes. The next president, McCain or Obama, will force the issue and will get the answer he was not expecting.

Neoliberalism and neoconservatism alike will be crushed under the heel of liberty. The government will be forced to scale back, to retreat under the rock from whence it came.

idk about all that just yet, but i'm right there with you on people not taking me guns away and the like. i'm not a hardcore person by any means, but i like my life the way it is, and i will be damned if i let a government office tell me how i will live my life. sure, the current government regulates it in many ways, but i feel that the amount that they regulate is fair, and just, and works for the betterment of society as a whole. sure, there are plenty of government "interventions" that i dont agree with, but they are there for a reason.

Originally Posted by shade

You mean give even more welfare to fuckin bums in this country so they can keep leeching on the money that hard working people worked for? Fuck that, work hard for something or get the fuck out. Pussy ass liberals..

agreed. not so harshly against liberals, but i work hard for my money, and i dont like that someone can take my money, and then re-distribute it in a way that doesnt benefit me at all. i want my money to be spent on better schools, better roads, and better pharmaceuticals. sure, help out the indigent population, but do so in a manner that makes sense for how much those people will contribute back into society. dont just throw money away to people who aren't going to take advantage of it. hell, if you're just handing out money, give it to college students. Lord knows we could use some more cash, and that's actually an investment.

Originally Posted by HalveBlue

Whatever...I live in a socialist country.

It's not that bad.

ever lived in the United States?

if you haven't, then you've got nothing to compare it to.

[HalveBlue]

Originally Posted by mondojackal

ever lived in the United States?

if you haven't, then you've got nothing to compare it to.

Yes. I even served in her armed forces.

America is a great country. It's beautiful.

That doesn't' mean that it doesn't have its faults though.

...or that every other country in the world is somehow inferior.

Different, certainly. Inferior, that's a pretty subjective assessment.

[Phlip]

This post was a joke:

Originally Posted by PHLIP

You know guys, now that you mention it...
I think I dislike the idea of a liberal president, especially a black one.
I am voting for a Maverick who has mastered the fine arts of hypocrisy and throwing rock and hiding his hands, but puts country first and hoping that his fuckton of horrible ideas actually work somehow.

Originally Posted by mondojackal

agreed, though. i'm not a staunch republican, but i feel that i'm voting for "the lesser of two evils" here. i'm politically moderate, and i just vote for who i think will be an actually better president. who will better represent the country to other heads of state, who will run the military better, and who will do a better job as chief executive.

I am voting for Barack Obama...
My above post that you quoted was a joke born of me wanting this shit to be over and fucking done with, I am sick and tired of this nonsense arguing and bickering.
Fact remains is that I am not convinced that McCain will be a good president. What worries me more is that he doesn't have much time on his clock and Sarah Palin worries me even more.

[spngr311]

Originally Posted by KA24DESOneThree

The current neoliberal leaning of the Democratic party is hugely unnerving, but the current neoconservative leaning of the Republican party is nearly equally unnerving.

That is the truth there!

I find it funny that so many democrats are so hateful to McCain right now, a man who is considered too liberal for hardcore republicans and still has issues with the "conservative right". McCain lost to Bush in the primaries in 2000 because he was too middle of the road. There was even talk of McCain picking Joe Lieberman for his VP, a close friend of his! I would have loved that. McCain really is a moderate republican.

By the way, I have a bit of off topic irony for Obama supporters. For the last three years, Obama has said he wants to take money from NASA, an organization that inspires young people to study math and science, employs many engineers and technicians, and has a very small budget, to fund math and science initiatives. He essentially wants to punish those people that studied hard in school, became engineers and work for NASA and its subcontractors (like me and many of my friends and colleagues). Now I know he has changed his official stance since coming to Florida, but why would someone change their personal view permanently when they have held it for so long?

[KwKouki]

YouTube - John McCain Gets BarackRoll'd

[VQMaxFan]

The supreme court is there for a reason.

[KwKouki]

see even sarah palin wants us to vote democrat

[BoroDrifter]

See signature>

/debates



....enhance....

[KA24DESOneThree]

As long as we use it defensively and not offensively, you're within the Constitution.

[WanganRunner]

Originally Posted by mondojackal

funny, since they're really not that conservative. they are more moderate than Obama/Biden.

Not socially.

Sarah Palin is a staunch social conservative and McCain has shown himself willing to be one to make himself marketable.

Fiscally, McCain is more "moderate" than Obama and Biden because he doesn't know much about the issue and thus generally avoids rendering too many opinions on it. He's an empty vessel for supply-side tax-cutting deficit-spending lunatics.


The GOP is NOT the party of fiscal conservatism. If it was, it would have made some meaningful dent in the deficit rather than having run it up beyond precedent. The GOP will *never* meaningfully cut spending.

Neither will the Democrats, but at least the Democrats know that you have to pay for spending with tax revenues rather than just borrowing from the Chinese. The GOP, left unchecked, would tax-cut us into oblivion.

[KA24DESOneThree]

Originally Posted by WanganRunner

The GOP, left unchecked, would tax-cut us into oblivion.

Good, then we can start anew with the same Constitution but a more responsive government. Perhaps we can avoid the problem of Marbury v. Madison as well.

[WanganRunner]

Originally Posted by KA24DESOneThree

Good, then we can start anew with the same Constitution but a more responsive government. Perhaps we can avoid the problem of Marbury v. Madison as well.

Do you understand the implications of what would essentially be a federal bankruptcy? Is this what the GOP is thinking while they borrow billions of dollars a year that will never be repaid with tax revenue?

And why would such a bankruptcy invite a revision of our system of Government and judicial precedents?


I think that maybe we're just having a misunderstanding.

[Oo_Skyline_oO]

Originally Posted by KwKouki

YouTube - John McCain Gets BarackRoll'd

aaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahaha LMAO ROFL

[98s14inaz]

Originally Posted by ESmorz

That's all well and dandy, but I can assure you right here and now that ANY uprising will be smashed and the perpetrators made out to be terrorists.

Your rifle across your back, and pistol on your hip won't mean shit when you're getting microwaved.

You're both right, why do you think the 2A issue is such a hot button. Citizens become subjects when you disarm them. Obama wants all "hunting" rifles banned, shot guns banned, hand guns limited to at most 6 shots if not out rightly banned. Why do you think that is? Something big is on the horizon.

"You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass." - Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto

This is the same reason the British lost control in 1776. Fuck Obama and fuck his pinko socialist ass. The world wants us neutered. We are being destroyed from the inside, just like Rome. Then we will be destroyed from the outside and absorbed.

[98s14inaz]

Originally Posted by BoroDrifter

See signature>

/debates



....enhance....

LOL, so much win in that picture

[EDacIouSX]

isn't it more like SOCIALISM HERE WE ARE???

Anyway, yea obama is a crazy mfker. people don't know half the shit he says.

I mean look at this video, what more proof do you need that he isnt ready to be president?

YouTube - Joe Biden On Barack Obama


but seriously. mccain is bad too. he's for amnesty (obama is also) and both are open borders. WTF man. and bush not giving a pardon to those two border patrol agents wtf.


well i will be voting for mccain... simply because he's the better choice not because he's a good candidate.

[98s14inaz]

Originally Posted by EDacIouSX

isn't it more like SOCIALISM HERE WE ARE???

Anyway, yea obama is a crazy mfker. people don't know half the shit he says.

I mean look at this video, what more proof do you need that he isnt ready to be president?

YouTube - Joe Biden On Barack Obama


but seriously. mccain is bad too. he's for amnesty (obama is also) and both are open borders. WTF man. and bush not giving a pardon to those two border patrol agents wtf.


well i will be voting for mccain... simply because he's the better choice not because he's a good candidate.

True, we are getting very socialistic. It is foolish to think that it will get better with a professed liberal with a socialistic agenda.

Those two border patrol guys need pardons. Bush is a piece of shit if he doesn't pardon them.

[Phlip]

Originally Posted by 98s14inaz

True, we are getting very socialistic. It is foolish to think that it will get better with a professed liberal with a socialistic agenda.

Those two border patrol guys need pardons. Bush is a piece of shit if he doesn't pardon them.

Bush is a piece of shit whether he pardons them or not, he has already locked down that position.

[KA24DESOneThree]

Originally Posted by WanganRunner

Do you understand the implications of what would essentially be a federal bankruptcy? Is this what the GOP is thinking while they borrow billions of dollars a year that will never be repaid with tax revenue?

And why would such a bankruptcy invite a revision of our system of Government and judicial precedents?


I think that maybe we're just having a misunderstanding.

It was a bit of a joke.

If the country is tax-cut into oblivion, from the ashes it will be reborn.

[SexPanda]

History repeats itsself. We used to be a republic. A giant confederation of states that were self governing, yet worked together for the common good.

In 2,000 years people will look back and say "that was the united states. They were a great country. But the citizens got complacent. They fell apart, got invaded, and became the country you live in today. No go finish your soylent green and pray to Mecca."

[Walperstyle]

Originally Posted by Icy13

I like Colin Powell more than RJF Havent met either so I guess I could be wrong about both though...

Powell? Is he not the guy that helped stop the Gulf War the first go-around? back when there was a reason to go in and finish the job? Would have been far better off to have the support back then in the 90's to do the full counter-attack and take them out then.

Originally Posted by SexPanda

In 2,000 years people will look back and say "that was the united states. They were a great country. But the citizens got complacent. They fell apart, got invaded, and became the country you live in today. No go finish your soylent green and pray to Mecca."

You mean to Buddah? lol China is already the superpower it needs to be. It'll figure out how to throw circut boards into aircraft one day and they'll have a descent air superiority for 1/8 the price lol

[cdlong]

they stopped back in the '90s because they realized then what our current leadership failed to realize this time around. it would have been/is an expensive nightmare.

oddly enough, some of our current leadership was some of the leadership in the '90s too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BEsZMvrq-I