Taxes // Current TV

Congress Strikes Back: Gives Taxpayers a 4% Approval Rating

Washington -- Still stinging from the lowly 10% approval rating it received from the American public, Congress has taken revenge, bestowing a measly four percent approval rating on taxpaying citizens.

“Taxpayers are doing a terrible job of providing the House and the Senate with the resources we need to run America correctly,” said one prominent Senator who asked to remain anonymous. “You ask us: ‘where are the jobs?’ We’re asking you: ‘where is the cash?’ ”

The Senator went on to deny the public’s charge that Congress can’t get together to accomplish anything worthwhile. “Right here is an issue 96% of all Senators and Representatives agree upon. Only 4% of my colleagues believe American taxpayers are holding up their end of the bargain.”

A long-term Representative, who asked to remain anonymous, said that American taxpayers are not working as hard as they should because they are being “distracted by the details of democracy.

“They need to let their Congressmen and Senators take care of such things as liberty, justice and freedom. Most of us are lawyers so we know how to work around those issues. Just send us the money and we will make everything okey-dokey.”

Another Representative, who asked to remain anonymous, began weeping when questioned about the record low approval rating Congress received this month.

“Sticks and stones can break my bones, but those low approval numbers give me a bad case of the blues. So I’m glad my colleagues had the courage to turn the tables. You suck, taxpayers.”

Building on the anti-taxpayer momentum, one Senate leader, who asked to remain anonymous, has drafted a bill “that would make corporations more like people, so they can make up for the increasing number of taxpaying slackers.

“My bill proposes that we give all corporations friendly nicknames, like Fred and Bob. Buy them a cake on their birthdays. Take them out for lunch, even when there’s no special occasion. And if some insider stock information is discussed, there’s nothing wrong with good friends shooting the breeze.”

Also included in the proposed law is a motion that would sell the naming rights to several Washington landmarks. Reportedly, a deal already has been cut with a major bank, renaming Congress’ home “The Capital One Capitol.”

“What’s in your Constitution?“ the Senator asked.Washington -- Still stinging from the lowly 10% approval rating it received from the... more

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Romney: I ‘misspoke’ about the poor

By David Edwards
Friday, February 3, 2012 9:06 EST

A day after insisting that the media had taken his comments about not being concerned for the poor out of context, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney shifted positions on Thursday, claiming he simply “misspoke.”

On Monday, Romney had told CNN’s Soledad O’Brien that he wasn’t running for president to help the most impoverished Americans.

“I’m not concerned about the very poor, we have a safety net there, if we need to repair, I’ll fix it,” he said. “The challenge right now — we will hear from the Democrat party the plight of the poor. And there’s no question it’s not good being poor. And we have a safety net to help those that are very poor, but my campaign is focused is on middle-income Americans.”

A day later aboard his campaign charter plane, the candidate blamed reporters for not putting his comment in context.

“No, no, no, no,” the former Massachusetts governor said. “You’ve got to take the whole sentence, all right, as opposed to saying, and then change it just a little bit, because then it sounds very different. I’ve said throughout the campaign my focus, my concern, my energy is gonna be devoted to helping middle income people, all right?”

Speaking to KSNV’s John Ralston later that afternoon, Romney finally began to take responsibility for his remarks.

“John, it was a misstatement,” the candidate asserted. “I misspoke.”

“I’ve said something that is similar to that but quite acceptable for a long time. And you know when you do I don’t know how many thousands of interviews, now and then you may get it wrong. And I misspoke, plain and simple.”

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/02/03/romney-i-misspoke-about-the-poor/

Watch this video from KSNV, Face to Face, broadcast Feb. 2, 2012.

"Please Define Middle Income, many folks do not get Married because they have to pay Higher Taxes, and speaking of marriage, why are you against Same Sex Marriage???"By David Edwards Friday, February 3, 2012 9:06 EST A day after insisting that the... more

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Chris Rock: I’d gladly pay more in taxes

By Stephen C. Webster
Thursday, February 2, 2012 15:20 EST

Comedian Chris Rock told The Associated Press this week that he would gladly pay more in taxes if it meant more Americans have jobs.

Speaking to reporters at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Rock commented that he was “gonna lose the money,” suggesting that he would rather see his tax dollars being used by the government to support jobs than having his children’s teacher ask him for a loan.

“I look at it this way: I can pay higher taxes and people can have jobs, or I can pay lower taxes and have my kids’ teacher asking me for a loan because she’s gonna lose her house, which is true,” he said. “Stuff like that happens. So, I’m gonna lose the money no matter what.”

Rock, an Emmy and Grammy award winner who’s written films and starred in several of his own HBO specials, reportedly has a net worth of over $70 million.

He’s only the latest in a string of wealthy individuals, like billionaire investor Warren Buffett and Microsoft founder Bill Gates, to come out in favor of higher taxes on America’s wealthy. Because of their immense wealth, Rock, Buffett, Gates and other rich Americans would fall under a plan proposed by President Barack Obama and his Democratic allies that would raise the tax rate on millionaires to 30 percent.

The top 400 earners in America paid an average effective tax rate of just 18.2 percent in 2008. Approximately 94,500 millionaires pay a lower effective tax rate than millions of families earning less than $100,000, according to the Congressional Research Service (PDF). Tax rates on the highest earners are at historic lows thanks to a massive tax break for the wealthy passed during the Bush administration, which if revoked could close the country’s budget deficit.

Facing a $15 trillion national debt, President Obama has called the need for more government revenues a moral imperative, and even quoted scripture to his Republican rivals, who accuse the president of engaging in “class warfare” for his efforts to make tax rates for the rich and poor more equitable.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/02/02/chris-rock-id-gladly-pay-more-in-taxes/

This video was published by The Associated Press on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012.

"Right on Chris, good for you, a real, thinking American!!!!" =)By Stephen C. Webster Thursday, February 2, 2012 15:20 EST Comedian Chris Rock... more

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Obama gets Biblical on Republican tax critics

By David Edwards
Thursday, February 2, 2012 13:36 EST

President Barack Obama proved on Thursday that conservatives don’t have a monopoly on using religion to advocate for specific public policies.

Speaking to a group of mostly-conservative politicians at the annual National Prayer Breakfast, the president quoted scripture in a effort to get Republicans to support a fairer tax code and caring for the poor.

“When I talk about our financial institutions playing by the same rules as folks on main street, when I talk about making sure insurance companies aren’t discriminating against those who are already sick or making sure that unscrupulous lenders aren’t taking advantage of the most vulnerable among us, I do so because I genuinely believe it will make the economy stronger for everybody,” Obama explained. “But I also do it because I know far too many neighbors in our country have been hurt and treated unfairly over the last few years. And I believe in God’s command to love thy neighbor as thyself.”

“And when I talk about shared responsibility, it’s because I genuinely believe at a time when folks are struggling, at a time when we have enormous deficits, it’s hard for me to ask seniors on a fixed income or young people with student loans or middle class families who can barely pay the bills to shoulder the burden alone. And I think to myself, if I am willing to give something up as someone who has been extraordinarily blessed, give up some of the tax breaks that I enjoy — I actually think that’s going to make economic sense.”

He added: “But for me as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus’s teaching that for unto whom much is given, much shall be required.”

“Treating others as you want to be treated, requiring much from those who have been given so much, living by the principle that we are our brother’s keeper, caring for the poor and those in need, these values are old and they can be found in many denominations and many faiths and among many believers and among many non-believers. They’re values that have always made this country great when we live up to them, when we just don’t just give lip service to them, and we just don’t talk about them one day a year.”

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/02/02/obama-gets-biblical-on-republican-tax-critics/

Watch this video from CNN, broadcast Feb. 1, 2012.

"Excellent job BO, beat the Bastard Bible Thumpers with their own Bible, BRAVO!!!!"By David Edwards Thursday, February 2, 2012 13:36 EST President Barack Obama... more

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