Obama reveals his real plan

[Jamisjockey]

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/13/obama-plumber-plan-spread-wealth/

Barack Obama told a tax-burdened plumber over the weekend that his economic philosophy is to "spread the wealth around" -- a comment that may only draw fire from riled-up John McCain supporters who have taken to calling Obama a "socialist" at the Republican's rallies.

[Manedwolf]

Anyone who has been paying attention knows he is a communist, his first mentor WAS a Communist in name, even.

Unfortunately, a lot of Americans aren't paying attention. And McCain is not pushing the issue.

[Rudy Kohn]

Also unfortunately, a lot of Americans don't see anything wrong with (or even misguided about) taking from the rich and giving to the poor. 
"Obviously, if we give money to the poor, they won't be poor anymore."

Once again, this time in America, "socialist" has ceased to be a perjorative.  I only hope the end results aren't as bad as they were in other countries.  :|

From a political standpoint, McCain gains nothing by pushing this issue, unless he also gives a lecture on why socialism is a bad thing, both philosophically and historically--a lecture, coincidentally (?), that most of America would not understand.  The people who dislike Obama's socialist tendencies already aren't voting for him.  To everybody else, it's just a non-sequitur, or, even worse, a positive thing.

[Manedwolf]

If you give money to people who are bad with money, they'll lose that money, too. This is evidenced by the fact that many lottery winners who were bad with money end up completely broke several years after being handed millions of dollars.

Now, if you instead let the schools teach kids that capitalism is GOOD, how to save and invest...

[MicroBalrog]

Now, if you instead let the schools teach kids that capitalism is GOOD, how to save and invest...

Just start with teaching that to your own kids.

[Manedwolf]

Just start with teaching that to your own kids.

Parents who are bad with money raise kids who are bad with money. That would be an actual good use of public schooling. "We live in a capitalist system that has brought us all that you enjoy today. Here's how to use it."

[MicroBalrog]

Parents who are bad with money raise kids who are bad with money. That would an actual good use of public schooling. "We live in a capitalist system that has brought us all that you enjoy today. Here's how to use it."

Go look at the curricula that people sell to homeschoolers. Most of them are actually condemned by lefties for their radical right-wingery.

Homeschooling is an inherently anti-government process.

[MechAg94]

[Monkeyleg]

Parents who are bad with money raise kids who are bad with money.

Anecdotally, my family would be an example of that statement. My father made a very good income, but was horrible with investments and savings. The only thing that kept things going after retirement was his first-class pension from GM.

I never learned anything financial from him. Out of five sons, only one learned to how to handle money, and he's now comfortably retired. The rest of us have been washouts.

The concepts of saving and compound interest were things that I learned too late in life.

I did learn to recognize socialists a long time ago, though, and Obama fits the definition to a "t."

[Don't care]

Of course.

Joe Biden would say that it's "patriotic" too.

[longeyes]

Parents who are bad with money raise kids who are bad with money

Okay, but what are Greenspan's and Bernanke's excuse?

[roo_ster]

Okay, but what are Greenspan's and Bernanke's excuse?

Too much Ayn Rand?  <ducks for cover>

[jad0110]

Also unfortunately, a lot of Americans don't see anything wrong with (or even misguided about) taking from the rich and giving to the poor. 
"Obviously, if we give money to the poor, they won't be poor anymore."

A poll came out not long ago indicating that 85% of Americans are against wealth redistribution.  But we have it already (earned income tax credit).   :rolleyes:

The best way to argue against it is to use something a little more concrete, and not just talk "income" or "dollars".  Dave Ramsey used cars as an example on his radio show recently ... say you own two cars.  Nah, make it three.  The gub'ment comes in and takes one of your cars to give it someone else since they only have one.  How would you like that?  Does wealth redistribution seem fair now?  It's the same friggin' thing!

Funny thing, I have yet to talk to anyone in person who wouldn't love to see a flat-tax or national sales tax in place of the current, socialist progressive system, the IRS and their 40k+ pages of tax code gibberish.  Everyone seems to want such a system (even many liberals I know), except the politicians, tax attorneys and accountants.

[Manedwolf]

Funny thing, I have yet to talk to anyone in person who wouldn't love to see a flat-tax or national sales tax in place of the current, socialist progressive system, the IRS and their 40k+ pages of tax code gibberish.  Everyone seems to want such a system, except the politicians and tax attorneys and accountants.

Here's one who does NOT want a national sales tax.

And I can tell you how quickly everyone I know would go local black market on items if that came about.

[jad0110]

Here's one who does NOT want a national sales tax.

And I can tell you how quickly everyone I know would go local black market on items if that came about.

True, that is why I used the word "or".  I am undecided on the issue, though I would prefer either to the crap we have now.

[longeyes]

The rich liberals will get the picture when they are compelled to "take in borders" because their homes are too large and "energy-inefficient."

[taurusowner]

Okay, but what are Greenspan's and Bernanke's excuse?

Well Greenspan is pretty close to the finish line of life.  I think he's try to go out in a way that most people won't think he's a bad guy.  I think he senses socialism and Obama are the direction that a lot in this country want, and he's try to mold his last reputation into one those people will find acceptable.

[longeyes]

Greenspan made a lot of money reading half a page of computer print-outs once a month to tell him whether to raise or lower interest rates.  His testimony the other day before Congress was unwitting self-parody--or was it a parody of a Soviet show trial?

[RaspberrySurprise]

The rich liberals will get the picture when they are compelled to "take in borders" because their homes are too large and "energy-inefficient."

What makes you think that will happen?

[ctdonath]

To some degree, those who support such schemes axiomatically believe that everything exists, and "spreading the wealth" just involves relocating what people need while bypassing the greedy who gain by act as toll collectors for transfers. Carrots & chickens exist in neat & tidy plastic bags on store shelves, and the hungry simply need someone to get the greedy store owners out of the way to access them for dinner. "Spreading the wealth" assumes that wealth is largely a fixed quantity, in neat tidy packets, and spreading it is merely a matter of reallocation thereof, with no impact on the value thereof. Anything consumed and destroyed is simply matched by a corresponding spontanious appearance of a replacement; eat a carrot, another will appear on a store shelf, waiting to be reallocated. Arugala for everyone!

They have no concept that "wealth" only comes from the sweat-and-blood act of creation, and rapidly devalues to nothing when "spread" without exchange.

[Werewolf]

Next time y'all are in a restaurant where the servers are primarily college kids, do this:

Put a 10 out on the table which will be their tip. When you're about to leave ask 'em if they're dems. If they say yes ask if they're obama supporters. If they say yes again pick up the ten, tell 'em that was their tip but you've decided to practice some wealth redistribution and redistribute their tip to some one more deserving who didn't earn it. Say, you don't mind do you?

Pick up 10 spot, walk out. 

Think they'll get the idea?

[charby]

"We cannot expect the Americans to jump from capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving Americans small doses of socialism until they suddenly awake to find they have Communism."

- Soviet Leader Nikita Khrushchev, 1959