Axelrod suggests 'Tea Party' movement is 'unhealthy'

[Desertdog]

"The thing that bewilders me is that this president just cut taxes for 95 percent of the American people," Axelrod argued.

Is this statement believable?  How did they cut taxes on the 45% who do not have to pay Income Taxes?  What taxes did they cut?


Axelrod suggests 'Tea Party' movement is 'unhealthy'
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/04/19/axelrod-suggests-tea-party-movement-is-unhealthy/

From CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Senior White House adviser David Axelrod on Sunday suggested the "Tea Party" movement is an "unhealthy" reaction to the tough economic climate facing the country.

Axelrod was asked on CBS's "Face the Nation" about the "spreading and very public disaffection" with the president's fiscal policies seen at the "Tea Party" rallies around the country last week.

"I think any time you have severe economic conditions there is always an element of disaffection that can mutate into something that's unhealthy," Axelrod said.

Axelrod appeared to backtrack when pressed on whether the movement is unhealthy.

"Well, this is a country where we value our liberties and our ability to express ourselves, and so far these are expressions," he said.

"The thing that bewilders me is that this president just cut taxes for 95 percent of the American people," Axelrod argued. "I think the tea bags should be directed elsewhere because he certainly understands the burden that people face."

Democratic strategist James Carville disagreed with Axelrod on CNN's "State of the Union" when John King asked him if it's unhealthy for "an American to go out and hold a sign and say 'I think my taxes are too high.'"

Carville said, "No." He called the Tea Party movement "harmless and damaging to Republicans."


On CBS, Axelrod also responded to Texas Gov. Rick Perry's recent insinuation that his state could secede from the union in response to government overreach under President Obama.

"I don't think that really warrants a serious response," Axelrod said. "I don't think most Texans were all that enthused by the governor's suggestion."

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

The tea parties weren't about current tax rates.  They were about the earth-shattering levels of deficit spending that we'll have to pay back in the future.  You can cut taxes all you want today (not hat Obama has or will cut any taxes) but that doesn't change the fact that eventually someone is going to have to man up and pay the bills.

[Gewehr98]

Is this statement believable?  How did they cut taxes on the 45% who do not have to pay Income Taxes?

Y'know, I'm still trying to figure out which bodily orifice that 45% non-paying figure was pulled from, let alone the fact that the recent bail-outs are really gonna hit folks filing their 2009 taxes...

[MicroBalrog]

Y'know, I'm still trying to figure out which bodily orifice that 45% non-paying figure was pulled from, let alone the fact that the recent bail-outs are really gonna hit folks filing their 2009 taxes...

It's closer to 33% if it makes you feel better.

Here.

And Here.

[Jamisjockey]

I'll pay you double tomorrow, for a cheese burger today.....

[Hutch]

Between him and the congresscritter that described the tea party phenomenon as "despicable", I'm developing the notion that our betters are becoming a bit annoyed with the peasantry.  I hope none of the party-goers were in Wookie suits.

When/if the value of a dollar approaches zero, there will be torchlight parades with pitchforks, scythes, and hoes.  And poli-critters hanging from lampposts (figuratively speaking, of course).  Reckon what the chattering class will have to say THEN?

[MicroBalrog]

I hope none of the party-goers were in Wookie suits.

There were guys in Colonial uniforms.

[AZRedhawk44]

there will be torchlight parades with pitchforks, scythes, and hoes.  And poli-critters hanging from lampposts (figuratively speaking, of course). 

I suggest they consider instead it could be torchlight parades with AR's, M14's and AK's.  And poli-critters hanging from lampposts.
(did I forget that figuratively speaking part?)

Time to change course, DC.

[41magsnub]

"I think the tea bags should be directed elsewhere because he certainly understands the burden that people face."

Teabag..  face..  snicker...

Its tea party you jackass!

I think the Democrats are intentionally missing the point of all of this to try to marginalize it.  It is not that my taxes are too high, it is that the government is wasting much of that money AND is still spending way more than it is taking in racking up even more national debt.  Both parties do this, just the Democrats are taking it to a new shocking level.

Speaking as a registered Independent who votes a mixed ballot based on what the person does vs the tag next to their name the press needs to get over it being a Republican vs Democrat thing.  Just because many of us voted for McCain and Bush over the years does not mean we are supporters of them, it is just the Democrat candidates were even scarier.  The But But But Bush! argument gets tiresome.

[makattak]

Teabag..  face..  snicker...

Its tea party you jackass!

I think the Democrats are intentionally missing the point of all of this to try to marginalize it.  It is not that my taxes are too high, it is that the government is wasting much of that money AND is still spending way more than it is taking in racking up even more national debt.  Both parties do this, just the Democrats are taking it to a new shocking level.

Speaking as a registered Independent who votes a mixed ballot based on what the person does vs the tag next to their name the press needs to get over it being a Republican vs Democrat thing.  Just because many of us voted for McCain and Bush over the years does not mean we are supporters of them, it is just the Democrat candidates were even scarier.  The But But But Bush! argument gets tiresome.

Yeah, it's sad that we have to keep explaining to people:

I didn't vote for Bush because I loved everything he did and wanted to do.

I supported some of his ideas (mainly defense) but a lot of his domestic spending were very bad ideas.

However, even just on domestic spending, he was bad, but he was BY FAR the lesser of two evils.

I believe we are proving that daily.

[longeyes]

Liberty and individualism and representative government are dangerous to your health--haven't you heard?

[Standing Wolf]

Liberty and individualism and representative government are dangerous to your health--haven't you heard?

Worked when we banned alcoholic beverages, didn't it? Not to mention the famous—and victorious—War on Drugs?

[longeyes]

Public discussions based on "disaffection" raise the spectre of every totalitarian movement we are familiar with.  We are not supposed to be "in love" with our political leaders.  That will be a revelation to a culture that is more and more about pop stars and adoring masses.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

Y'know, I'm still trying to figure out which bodily orifice that 45% non-paying figure was pulled from, let alone the fact that the recent bail-outs are really gonna hit folks filing their 2009 taxes...

Who said the bailout costs were going to hit in 2009?

[Gewehr98]

When do you think the American taxpayer will feel the burden of the Obama bailouts, then?

My guess is if not 2010 (when folks file for 2009), then damned soon thereafter.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

It doesn't matter when the costs hit.  What matters is that eventually they will.  And you can bet that it won't be guys like Axlerod and Obama who suffer the consequences.  Focusing on what year the costs come due is a red herring, a distraction.

Odds are that the real costs won't hit for a number of years.  The bailout money was simply borrowed at near zero interest rates.  It won't become painful until interest rates rise and it becomes difficult to roll the debt over as it comes due.

[Desertdog]

When do you think the American taxpayer will feel the burden of the Obama bailouts, then?

They are feeling the burden now.  Later it will be a lot worse.  Remember the Jimmy Carter years?  I think the JC years will be small small potatoes to what is going to happen now.

[makattak]

When do you think the American taxpayer will feel the burden of the Obama bailouts, then?

My guess is if not 2010 (when folks file for 2009), then damned soon thereafter.

The amount of debt and deficit spending we have reached is unsustainable. Even when the American economy was healthy, would could not sustain this. (ONE year of spending like this could likely be sustained by the market, though, but that's another discussion).

IF the Democrats are allowed to spend as planned, we will be paying, at today's freakishly low interest rates, 10% of our GDP in INTEREST.

Even with the American economy running as well as it was 2 years ago, this cannot be borne.

However, I find this ironic:

More than likely, Mr. Obama and the Democrats are going to push through a tax increase to be "fiscally responsible."

As a result, the economy will suffer and this level of spending will collapse even faster.

What frightens me is I don't know when this will happen nor do I know how, but I have some guesses:

Massive infation (hyperinflation)
Price Controls
Repudiation of debt
Government corruption

We tell ourselves this can't happen in the US, but I will point out that in 1900, the United States and Argentina looked stikingly similar: they had similar populations, similar climate, similar resources.  Argentina even fed the world during WWI. (Just as the US is STILL the breadbasket of the world).

However, the US is now the lone superpower of the world and Argentina... is going through yet ANOTHER crisis.

Once we go over the brink, I can't say what will happen. That's the problem with what is going on. No one knows what will be the result of all of this. Uncertainty kills the economy.

[Waitone]

Axelrod suggests 'Tea Party' movement is 'unhealthy

A truly ironic statement coming from a third generation communist.  Where would Axelrod be today if his grandpappy believed the same thing.

[ArmedBear]

It's unhealthy for BO.

[AZRedhawk44]

It's unhealthy for BO.

Looks like the statistics-side of a baseball card...

[Balog]

If that graph is to be believed it's a good sign. Of course the true believers won't turn on him, but apparently more and more people are realizing how badly this administration is screwing things up. There may be hope yet.

[sanglant]

An astonishing 43.4 percent of Americans now pay zero or negative federal income taxes. The number of single or jointly-filing "taxpayers" - the word must be applied sparingly - who pay no taxes or receive government handouts has reached 65.6 million, out of a total of 151 million.

[charby]

Axelrod can go pee up a rope. Obama has surrounded himself by a bunch "If you side against the president, then you are wrong for the country" type people.

[Jamisjockey]

Axelrod can go pee up a rope. Obama has surrounded himself by a bunch "If you side against the president, then you are wrong for the country" type people.

Sounds like alot of what Bush's people said after Sept 11th....