Obama's New Attack on Those Who Don't Want Higher Taxes: ‘Selfishness’

[Desertdog]

Obama's New Attack on Those Who Don't Want Higher Taxes: ‘Selfishness’
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/10/obamas-new-atta.html

On the stump this week, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has pushed back against Sen. John McCain's description of his tax policies.

"The reason that we want to do this, change our tax code, is not because I have anything against the rich," Obama said in Sarasota, Fla., yesterday. "I love rich people! I want all of you to be rich. Go for it. That’s the American dream, that’s the American way, that’s terrific.

"The point is, though, that -- and it’s not just charity, it’s not just that I want to help the middle class and working people who are trying to get in the middle class -- it’s that when we actually make sure that everybody’s got a shot – when young people can all go to college, when everybody’s got decent health care, when everybody’s got a little more money at the end of the month – then guess what? Everybody starts spending that money, they decide maybe I can afford a new car, maybe I can afford a computer for my child. They can buy the products and services that businesses are selling and everybody is better off. All boats rise. That’s what happened in the 1990s, that’s what we need to restore. And that’s what I’m gonna do as president of the United States of America.

"John McCain and Sarah Palin they call this socialistic," Obama continued. "You know I don’t know when, when they decided they wanted to make a virtue out of selfishness."

It's unclear if this was a nod to the Ayn Rand book "The Virtue of Selfishness," with all that the invocation of Rand implies. 

It would seem to be, given the themes of Rand's work, what happens when independent achievers are demonized.

Which would fit with this description of those who want to keep their hard-earned tax dollars as "selfish."

Atlas may not be shrugging, but Obama is.

[Monkeyleg]

This is what the liberals and socialists (is there a difference?) don't understand: selfishness is a natural human trait that exists in all of us.

We all want what is best for each one of us as individuals first. What that want consists of varies from one person to another, but it exists. The word "selfishness" can be used in many contexts, good and bad. So can the word "rich."

Obama is selfish in wanting to be president. If he were purely selfless, he would want someone else to be president. 

That’s what happened in the 1990s, that’s what we need to restore.

The 1990's were the epitome of selfishness, as selfish individuals poured money into the stock markets, betting on new technologies, technologies made available by selfish people who were looking to make money from their products.

It's ironic to hear someone who's become a millionaire by writing books about himself talk to the Great Unwashed about selfishness.

[French G.]

The problem with political candidate's promises and the economy is I think that of inertia. It took 8 years or more of a strong national image and conservative fiscal policy to undo the Carter/Vietnam years mess. ( I don't blame Carter entirely, he just rode it in and made it worse.) The rip roaring 90s are partly to blame for where we are now, there was no widespread pain from dot.bomb, everybody just rushed to can't lose real estate. But it's easier to blame George Bush.

And yeah, I'm selfish. I'll even take everything I've ever paid in FICA in one lump sum, with no interest if need be.

[buzz_knox]

I wonder how long it will be before concepts like personal ownership of property are described as "selfish."

This guy is the American Chavez.

[Umber]

And what about those people who have the ability to think through problems of whatever kind and make plans about how to solve them, who have a willingness to work hard, who are endowed with intelligence and perhaps a nice dollop of creativity?  Is Obama going to suck those traits out of “selfish” individuals into a government maw and spread them around?

If that's his plan, he has his work cut out for him.

Umber

[MikePGS]

Wow apparently there is a new weapon in Barack Obama's arsenal: Magic. How else does he expect for all of this to happen?

[Standing Wolf]

I wonder how long it will be before concepts like personal ownership of property are described as "selfish."

Personal ownership of property by party members will be okay. Personal ownership of property by workers and peasants will be considered anti-statist activity.

[Manedwolf]

And what about those people who have the ability to think through problems of whatever kind and make plans about how to solve them, who have a willingness to work hard, who are endowed with intelligence and perhaps a nice dollop of creativity?  Is Obama going to suck those traits out of “selfish” individuals into a government maw and spread them around?

No, his policies will just demoralize them and make a mockery of hard work until they just give up.

As for "selfish", a multimillionaire who lives in a $1.6 million dollar mansion not giving a cent to his aunt who lives in the projects in a violent slum called Dorchester, the hypocrisy is painful.

[FTA84]

And what about those people who have the ability to think through problems of whatever kind and make plans about how to solve them, who have a willingness to work hard, who are endowed with intelligence and perhaps a nice dollop of creativity?  Is Obama going to suck those traits out of “selfish” individuals into a government maw and spread them around?

If that's his plan, he has his work cut out for him.

Umber

This is the corner stone of turning to communism.  The lower class thinks that rich people are rich because they were endowed with some set of skills at birth.  Perhaps it was mental skills (mathematics/science), interpersonal skills (managers) or just good looks (actors).  They think that these people didn't have to work hard to earn what they had, but were struck by dumbluck, and were born with some set of skills that gives them money.  Therefore, to be fair, everyone should make the same amount of money and everyone should be employed in a job fitted to their skill set.  This is why education in socialist countries is always based on trying to identify personal skill sets and investing education in more focused manner.

It is really an amazing result that people, given the freedom to choose to what they will do with their lives, almost always surpass those who have their paths chosen.  Even overcoming the born-skill-gap.  That is one (among many) reasons communism never worked.  No one puts in extra effort into a career they do not wish to have to begin with.

The sad facts that the lazy people fail to realize is that
1) There are many hard working idiots that manage to make good money
2) Many people who have money/position/degrees had to work very very hard to get there and continue to work very very hard

[longeyes]

Obama, whatever he pretends, is nothing but a practicioner of black liberation theology.  His every instinct lies along the rails laid down by Rev. Jeremiah Wright.  Obamanomics is a twisted version of loaves and fishes complete with homilies.

[Waitone]

I am struck by the stark contrast between his demand that I help his aunt by coercive government fiat,

while

he simultaneously refuses to voluntarily assist a blood relative living in a squalid, dangerous neighborhood.

I would love to hear the comments of our founding fathers when informed of the moral standards of a presidential candidate.  Just breathtaking!
 

[Desertdog]

I am struck by the stark contrast between his demand that I help his aunt by coercive government fiat,

while

he simultaneously refuses to voluntarily assist a blood relative living in a squalid, dangerous neighborhood.

Standard Liberal actions. 

[agricola]

I am struck by the stark contrast between his demand that I help his aunt by coercive government fiat,

while

he simultaneously refuses to voluntarily assist a blood relative living in a squalid, dangerous neighborhood.

I would love to hear the comments of our founding fathers when informed of the moral standards of a presidential candidate.  Just breathtaking!
 

Especially as it appears she has found the time to donate to his campaign...

[Jamisjockey]

Good.  Because I don't belive in God.....now I can say I'm Selfishly clinging to my guns....

[slingshot]

Obama, whatever he pretends, is nothing but a practicioner of black liberation theology.  His every instinct lies along the rails laid down by Rev. Jeremiah Wright.  Obamanomics is a twisted version of loaves and fishes complete with homilies.

Unfortunately, I agree with you.

[Hutch]

It really, REALLY chaps my @$$ when it is revealed that limousine liberals like Obama give so little to charity and then work for policies that would extort money from me at the point of a gun.  I would be interested to see how pervasive this is among the glitterati and left-wing chattering class.  I am certain there are those who put there money where their mouth is voluntarily, but I doubt it's many.  Off to practice in my Google-fu dojo...

To butcher the metaphor further - The Force was strong within me.   See the note below

"Generosity Index" Mirrors Red State-Blue State Divide
The Catalogue for Philanthropy has ranked the fifty states on their relative generosity, comparing each state's average itemized charitable deductions with its average adjusted gross income (based on 2002 IRS data).

The 50-state ranking has a decided Red State-Blue State flavor: 27 of the 30 "most generous" states are Red States that voted for President Bush (including all 25 of the "most generous" states), while 17 of the 20 "least generous" states are Blue States that voted for Senator Kerry (including all 7 of the "least generous" states).

This doesn't surprise me one damned bit.



 

[DustinD]

"Politicians will never call you greedy for wanting someone else's money, only for wanting to keep your own." I forgot who said that.