I run a small business and have a profit of well over 250k per year. However the salary that I pay myself is only 40k per year. The remaining profit it used to buy more and more inventory and other items that aren't tax write offs so that I can grow the business (20percent each year). Even though all my profit goes back into growing the business I will still be taxed because the business profit passes into my personal tax return under subchapter s. This tax will definitely slow our growth and the number of new people I hire which last year was quite a few. I think obama has no idea of how to get businesses to hire new people. This tax will reduce hiring as I am someone who actually creates jobs and I can tell you this for a fact. Should only tax people who take the money out of the business and not those who leave the profit in the business to expand and hire more people.

Those making over the $250K should not be so stingy. After all, the money raised will keep our government running for another whopping eight and one-half days.

President Obama told us that we shouldn't raise taxes in a recession. I agree with President Obama. (The Supreme Court told us that Obamacare was a tax. Based upon President Obama's missive, Obamacare should be repealed because it's a tax increase during a recession.)

Rather than extending the tax rate reductions enacted under President Bush, I think the reduced tax rates should be made permanent. I also think that further income tax rate reductions should be made and that all citizens should be required to file and pay income tax.

Eventually, the income tax and the corporate tax should be eliminated. In order to balance the budget under this scenario, government spending must be reduced. Most government spending is wasteful anyway and eliminating government spending would just be eliminating waste.

This poll is worded wrong. The tax cuts would be extended for ALL income earners, not just those making under $250,000/year. What Obama wants to do is extend the tax cuts for all income up to $250,000/year, not all income earners who make up to $250,000.

Those that make over $250,000 will still have their first $250,000 of income be taxed at the same rates (with the Bush tax cuts) as everyone else. It is only income OVER $250,000 that will be impacted. In other words, if someone makes $300,000, the first $250,000 would continue to receive the tax cuts, while the remaining $50,000 would not get the additional tax cut.

will this be another thread where two guys end up with 100 posts apiece as they go back and forth with each other like the affordable health care topic?

I am always amazed at how this topic is over simplified. Taxation is far more complex then what is said in the above article. That being said, taxation should not be driven by wage. Taxes should always be uniform for all economic levels in society and if there are any tax cuts they should have been and should still be uniform for all! Everyone needs to pay their share both the "haves" as well as the "have nots." Those that are neediest need to take responsibility and be accountable. Those who are doing well have a responsibility to grow the economy in how they save and spend to drive the economy forward. Unfair tax burden on many of the haves will stall the economy.

Polls are irrelevant. Doesn't matter what the people think or what is right anymore. If Obama doesn't agree, he'll just veto it. We've all had to learn to live within our means....perhaps the government should learn that as well instead of using more taxes as their answer to everything. (and I'll drink as much soda as I want, thank you)

I trust a guy who invests his own money into something that may or may not make money, builds a company and hires people over obama taking his money away to sink into solar panel shell companies that go bankrupt.

This is Sooooo unfair to the upper 1%.
They have heavily invested in buying legislators for the past 30 years and their investments in keeping the minimum wage low ( as a gov subsidy to biz) are finally paying off. Min wage would have to be over $15.00 an hr to = 1968 $. The 1% has finally widened the gap between rich & poor to the largest in history. They have earned the right to remove access to food for the poor and bitch about the people making in a year what they make in an hr.
As long as we keep squeezing the middle class out of existence, attack public education, public employees and the associated Commons the 1% will get the payoff they have earned. To return to days when the US economy was growing as it did when the upper incomes paid a larger % was ...... Was ( blubbering) SOCIALIST
Harrumph !
New Feudalism is the way our Multi National Masters need our economy to be.

Everyone is missing the point. Alan Greenspan was afraid what would happen if Clinton's Surplus continued and paid off the national debt. THAT is why we had tax cuts. The law should have been written to end the cuts if and when the surplus ended.

how about we just spend less.......now there is a concept.

Truth behind the tall tale of surplus, this was a Clinton scam. They took the current year's GDP and projected out 10 years assuming everything would stay the same. Turns out, liberals having been repeating the lie so many times, they think it is true.

-I liked bb's opening post (thanks bb) for the distinction you make about where the revenues from a company end up. Smart point.
-As the bar has been set at $250K (not by any of us) and the question on the table is ONLY yes? or no?, then in these very dire economic days (sadly, years to be exact) I support the tax cut on only the first $250K of income.
-I support that by saying that of all the things a "good tax" should be, fair is the most pressing now. Fair to those who simply cannot affort to pay more and who, left with less of the basics of life (yes, this is where we are in this nation for an ever growing population of our citizens), will continue the downward spiral into or deeper into poverty.
-We live in a period that has brought and continues to bring nothing short of economic disaster on many of us, our friends and neighbors. This era is depleting our savings and, worst of all, eroding our hope for the future. We must remember the specific context in which we have this discussion.
-Finally, I believe that beyond taxes we each have an obligation to help one another in as many ways as possible. This means everybody doing something meaninful to assist those in need regardless of the taxes one pays. Here I rest not on what government can, will, should, or won't do, but on my faith and a shared humanity.

Spend less, collect less, employ less, less foreign aid...keep our tax money here to help those that need it. I am so sick of sending billions of dollars to countries burning our flag and hating our country. Secure our borders and let them kill each other off.
If you don't want to live under our laws, leave.
If you don't like our religions and our holidays, leave.
Since when is it a bad thing to successful in America? I don't and will probably never
make anywhere near 250,000, but if I did and I wanted a "3rd" car.....what's wrong
with that....it's taxed when I buy it, it's taxed when it's licensed, it's taxed on all
maintenance and fuel, it employs mechanics, gas station attendants and on and on. Isn't that how owe economy is supposed to work?
Let's not forget how much those 1% already pay in taxes, how much they spend in our local and state economies and how much they give to the charities and youth groups that without them might not exist.
Here Here 1%, just like everyone else, I hope to be one of you some day!
So I too can spend, support and hire my neighbors and friends.

top 10% pay 2/3rds of income tax in this country.......that's real fair.

Hey Jac,
I get what your saying,,,but explain how taxing the rich in is going to help anyone? What are the plans for this extra "windfall" of money?

All the new tax collected will be enough to run this enormous govt for about 1 week.
How is that fair or helping anyone?

The spending has to stop.
The waste has to stop.
The corruption at all levels must end.
The endless foreign aid must be reeled in and controlled.
The endless taxation is what is driving to poverty, the crime and the squeezing of the middle class.
I am not a highly educated person like many commenting on here seem to be, but I have been a middle classer my whole life and I know when my family has done well and is feeling the pressure....it's worse now that ever.

Actually Obama took ownership of what you are calln the Bush tax cuts. He already extended them once.

Jac Charlier: They don't let us respond to responses, but to answer your question, yes, that was the discussion at the time. That we'd pay off the debt, the gov't would invest in the stock market, thereby risking control of companies. Of course, that was just a rationale for the tax kickback to their rich buddies.

Of course they should. Obama otherwise will be guilty of a tax INCREASE

Linear thinkers always fall for this tax the rich scam. The economy has so many moving parts with relationships that are both direct and indirect, with no economist who has it all figured out. These morons who claim tax cuts causes a deficit have no real idea of how the world of taxation works. The only measure on tax cuts has been an increase in revenue resulting from higher productivity. Besides, the so called Bush tax cuts are in reality current rates.

It's so interesting to read all the greed infused rhetoric from ALL the Self Made People.
Imagine how much better off you would all be without the gov.
Who ever thought the john birch / larouche ideas would take over the thoughts of once good Americans
I guess selfish corporate centric greed has corrupted the rt
But be warned when you finally get the society you desire.
The corporations will eat you also.

LET THE BUSH TAX CUTS EXPIRED. WE HAVE TO PAY OUR DEBT.

THE FAT CATS MADE $$$$ A LOT OF MONEY IN THE LAST 10 YEARS.. THEY SHOULD PAY 39 % RATE UNTIL THE DEBT IS PAY FOR AND THAN WE CAN LOWER THE TAXES. BUT WE SHOULD PASS A BALANCE BILL

LOL, the Corps will eat you, too?
You rarely a upper middle or upper class citizen at Walmart.
If we had a vibrant, working middle class, you see more small business and less Corp take over.
Does anyone on the left understand that it's the taxes and govt programs that cause the Corp take overs and the1%?
it's because nobody else can afford to do business.
Why is Walmart so big? Because mom and pop can't afford to run a shop anymore, they can't compete with the govt and the Corp world.
Lower the taxion at all levels.
Shrink govt at all levels.
Let people spend their own money.
Require all govt at all levels to make the personal and waste cuts needed, to cut all budgets by 20%.
Stop the waste.
Stop the overspending.

Left or right...who cares anymore, we all know greed and corruption is the real problem.

The budgets and spending have been out of control since the 70s. Is Romney or Obama going to fix it? NO

We have to fix it, by standing up and electing the right, city, county and state officials that will make the hard decisions and not worry about the next election.

Eliminate the crazy retirement benefits and huge salaries for elected officials and we get people that want to serve and do what's right, again.

The taxes extended or not, will not make a difference to anyone here.

Jose, go back to sleep. That makes NO sense at all.
The more they collect, the more they spend.
Just like you and me.
If you could bump up your income whenever you wanted, what you do?
How much would you make?
Would you save and invest, if you had total control over your income?

Think about what your saying.
Fat cats own the trucks that bring you your food, the stores that sell it and probably employ you too.
Without the fat cats we would be in deep trouble.

Regardless of whether one is for or against increasing taxes on those making over $250K, if that amount becomes a constant for calculating taxes in future years, it will be an economic Trojan Horse just like the AMT (Alternative Minimum Tax). Let's not forger that the AMT was widely supported and only affected a few hundred people when it was first passed. Now it affects tens of thousands simply because of not being adjusted for inflation. In 8-10 years that $250,000 income level will apply to many more folks than is the case today. However you feel about increasing taxes on those making $250,000 today, make the effort to insist that it is indexed for future inflation.

Smart smart smart, KC for Governor.

Jose: "THE FAT CATS MADE $$$$ A LOT OF MONEY IN THE LAST 10 YEARS.. THEY SHOULD PAY 39 % RATE UNTIL THE DEBT IS PAY FOR AND THAN WE CAN LOWER THE TAXES. BUT WE SHOULD PASS A BALANCE BILL"

Jose, Winn-Dixie charges $4.50 for a 67 ounce container of Tropicana orange juice. Target charges $3.00 for the same container of Tropicana orange juice. Which store will sell more Tropicana orange juice? Which store will make more profit selling Tropican orange juice?

It's not the price of an item that determines how much profit you will make, but the price and the number of items sold. The Winn-Dixie store is empty, but there are more shoppers at Target (and even more shoppers at Wal-Mart).

The same applies to taxes. If you tax wealthy people at a higher rate, the wealthy just go somewheres else where the tax rates are lower. Makes sense.

Illinois raised its coroporate income tax rate 18 months ago. Several large corporations told the governor that they were leaving the State of Illinois as a result. The governor responded by cutting a deal with the large corporations to keep them in Illinois. Smaller businesses didn't get the same deal as the large corporations, so smaller businesses just left the State of Illinois.

Higher tax rates don't mean increased revenue. It just means that smart business people will take their business to somewhere were they are appreciated.

J.Lyn: "ebuddha...after reading your 3 posts this morning...one thing is clear to me...your site moniker is totally inappropriate given what you espouse. you have absolutely no knowledge of what the buddha's life was about...nor what the buddha's teaching are...or what the buddha symbolizes. why exactly did you choose that moniker? is it superficially 'cool'? do you have a large beer belly? are you joking? rhetorical questions all. not interested in what you have to say...oh... all unknowing one."

Now, now, now J.Lyn you remember scolding me for not being nice as pie. Be nice.

President Obama yesterday:

"There are a lot of wealthy, successful Americans who agree with me -- because they want to give something back. They know they didn’t -- look, if you’ve been successful, you didn’t get there on your own. You didn’t get there on your own. I’m always struck by people who think, well, it must be because I was just so smart. There are a lot of smart people out there. It must be because I worked harder than everybody else. Let me tell you something -- there are a whole bunch of hardworking people out there. (Applause.)

If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business -- you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen. The Internet didn’t get invented on its own. Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet.

The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together. There are some things, just like fighting fires, we don’t do on our own. I mean, imagine if everybody had their own fire service. That would be a hard way to organize fighting fires."

This is the guy we want as our leader? President Obama is a marxist.

Yes. The Bush tax cuts should be extended. In the current economic climate, it makes sense to leave them in place.

Anyone wonder when discussion about the 2% payroll tax cut that also expires Januray 1, WHEN ENTER OBAMAS CAMPAIGN?

From the Heritage Foundation:

"Here's another disturbing fact: The number of workers per Medicare beneficiary is falling dramatically. Back in 1965, there were 4.6 workers contributing to Medicare for every person receiving benefits. Today, there are only 3.3 workers, and in 2030, that number will fall to 2.3. That falling ratio is leading to the program's insolvency. And with longer life expectancy (which of course is a good thing), seniors today are collecting benefits for almost three times as long as when the program first started. That means the program is paying more benefits than ever before."

The law of unintended consequences at work. . . .

End all the Tax cuts. We have serrious budget problems, time to buck up for Bush's illegal invasion of Iraq.

So one person makes 40 k pays no tax and almost no state income tax. The other makes 250k will pay after jan 1 around 32% on average plus 5.5% almost 40%. So they pay around 100k.

Yeah thats a real fair system and incentative to make more and pay more tax. I mean get real people.

250k is not a ton of money that 2 people earning 125k each.

I probably should've voted for the least popular option--let all the tax cuts expire, which is what will happen if Congress does nothing. In the long run, it makes the most sense. So, maybe it's the most probable outcome of the three?

Are you kidding? I didn't hear anything about Obama in PRC. I did hear that Romney is fundraising in Europe, which sounds 1) crazy--he thinks they have money to burn on stupid TV ads?--and 2) illegal.
Maybe the Euros will think that, if Romney gets elected and US go down the austerity track, then they won't feel so bad. But somehow I doubt it.

Hey, Mao se Tung, go back to China and take Obama with you.

Very kind. Hey, are you the redneck sheriff McCloud from Taos gone to New York from the TV series of the '70's? You sound like it.

No one seems to understand or admit that taxes today are at the lowest they've been since the 50's. Government spending has grown at the slowest pace since the 70's. Corporate profits are at record highs. Income for the 1% is at an all time high. Salaries for the rest of the people have been flat or declined over the same time period. The Stock Market has not only come back from the pit it was in after Bush left office but its climbed to record highs as well. Yet all I hear is how terrible things have been under of Obama!

One of the reasons unemployment is so high is due to government cuts and the loss of all those jobs that government "doesn't create". The tax increase on the those who NET an income of more than 250k will only get an increase of 2% on that amount OVER their NET of 250k. Their incomes have increased way more than 2% these last 10 years so just what is so terrible about having them pay 2% more? And unless this effects you directly, why would you care? Most of the people we hear complaining about this don't even make that much money!

I agree that spending must be controlled but taxes must be increased as well. You cannot BALANCE anything by only removing things from only one side of the ledger. And when the private sector stops spending the government must spend to keep the fuel of cash flowing into the system. This has shown to be true many times though out our history. Never has just cutting spending been successful, but it has made things worse.

J.Lyn: "Mr. Schulte...I have read in numerous articles that engineers are one of the few professions that is currently in demand...all over the world. My sons college buddies have been changing their majors to engineering because they are being informed that careers will be plentiful in the coming years. Why do you find yourself unemployed...esp. one who is " famous" in his field...and has so much experienced?"

J.Lyn, don't believe everything you read. The building construction industry which employs architects and engineers has been decimated. The unemployment rate for architects and engineers in the building construction field might be between 30 and 50 percent.

I have a friend who is a chemical engineer with 35 years of experience-he's been unemployed for more than 2 years. I have another friend who worked in Southern California with 30 years of experience-he moved to Singapore 2 years ago to find employment.

Yes, there are engineering jobs, but not in the United States. Based upon my experience, I would advise against getting an engineering degree and expecting to work in the construction industry in the United States.

J.Lyn, you seem very willing to comment on things that you know nothing about (such as racial profiling based upon the statements of a single police officer).

Extend the Bush era tax cuts.

Definitely do not agree with the personal comments and attacks going on here. That is just not cool.

I did like the discussions that started about the debt. That is on topic. Agreed that debt reduction must be a major, major focal point of our national budgets going forward immediately, no waiting. It must, howeer, be done in a manner that does not "make the patient worse". In this case, the patient being those citizens who are already on the brink of going under.

Good thing this blog is not about Illinois. Now that would be an even crazier conversation.

It's simple folks. The government makes enough in taxes already, actually more than enough. They spend too much and are quite corrupt at times. The thing with government workers now is that the public servent mentality is gone and there are over paid people doing meanial things while there are under paid workers doing the things that count - teachers. Let's spend $5 for a cup of coffee and $15 for a bagel and buy them from our buddy with your money. All these tax dollars are getting spent somewhere and someone is getting rich.

I pointed out that the top 10% control 84% of the wealth because that's a more relevant measure. Even if you use stated "income," as filed by the top 10%, their ADJUSTED income is nearly half of all income.

http://www.financialsamurai.com/2011/04/12/how-much-money-do-the-top-income-earners-make-percent/

And that's just what they report--after all the tax dodges and kickbacks and other lawyer tricks (the rest of us can't afford). The more income people get, the more they hide, so I would say the tax the top 10% pay is still disproportionately TINY compared to their REAL income.

I strongly suggest that anyone with a brain should abandon this discussion now so that Lenny, Shulte, et al can post to their hearts content without forcing them to berate anyone who has a dissenting opinion. They all read the Karl Rove textbook on shouting down the opposition.

It's been said elsewhere above, but for emphasis - all taxes in the US are regressive other than federal income tax (and some state income taxes): payroll taxes, sales tax, gas tax, utility taxes and in some cases property taxes - are paid one way or another by all of us - no one - no matter how low their income - goes untaxed and in most cases these taxes are extremely regressive (comparing the percentage of income paid for these various taxes).

Not completely unrelated - wealthier individuals can generally afford to pay for tax consulting to reduce their income tax burden and can put their money in tax advantaged investments (including tax deferred retirement plans). All of this changes the statistics on who pays what percentage of their income in taxes. Leaving these considerations out of the discussion leads to erroneous conclusions.

Me: "I strongly suggest that anyone with a brain should abandon this discussion now so that Lenny, Shulte, et al can post to their hearts content without forcing them to berate anyone who has a dissenting opinion. They all read the Karl Rove textbook on shouting down the opposition."

Well, imagine that. The radical leftists are upset when conservatives use their tactics on them. Radical leftists have a difficult time with facts.

Thanks Schulte, you have proven my point in two succinct lines. Facts really do work.

Does it make sense for the government to own all the wealth? Confiscate the evil rich people's money, since elected officials always spend taxpayer money wisely. Good grief.

The results are to be expected when that the lead-in article focuses on the usual misleading Obama propaganda, without including the more telling facts. While 97% of small businesses may be unaffected by the tax increase, the ones which more employ people will be affected, and with more profits confiscated, will have less money available to employ people. Of course, Obama never explains how increasing the tax burden on successful, hard-working people and small businesses can possibly help the economy. It won't. This is just about appealing to those who want to punish and bring down the successful rather than about providing more opportunity for more to succeed.

Based upon what I read on this thread this morning, I'd say the marxist brothers, RB, Bruce Harvey and Me, are in full retreat.

Liberals say that conservatives are dumb. Imagine the shock that the liberals on Patch got when they found out that conservatives are anything but dumb.

"The problem with liberals is not that they know so much, but that they know so much that isn't true." Ronald Reagan

Me: "Unfortunately, there are several people on this site that prefer to shout down anyone with a dissenting view rather than actually pay attention to what is being said."

Me, how do you shout on a Patch thread? You can't shout using the written word.

Schulte: why don't you go work on your resume?

This from the same president and Democrat party that spent a decade claiming the Bush tax cuts were only for the rich, and didn't do anything for the middle class at all?

They're too clueless to realize they're calling B.S. on themselves.

Where is Dick Durbin, hiding in a hole? This guy has had his hands on every single spending bill passed in the last 28 years, yet never gets a question about any of the responsibility for the massive debt. He'll come out of his hole when the get the rich cat calls start, and will once again never get a question about his irreseponsible voting.

I will repeat: Cut the Military (exit Afghanastan now), Raise Taxes (let ALL the Bush tax cuts expire), Balance the Budget just like Clinton & Gingrich did. It provided for a budget surplus and was paying down the national debt...unlike Bush and the Republicons cut taxes, got our nation attacked, got us in two avoidable wars and passed the single larget entitlement program in over 40 years - the Medicare Prescription Drug Benifits. By eliminating the usual Republicon mismanagement of government and the economy...we will recover.

J.Lyn: "Granted these are not in your particular field...but is your field on such the skids that there are ZERO positions for someone of your experience and expertise?"

Try looking around. Notice how many new buildings are being constructed? Ask plumbers, electricians, iron workers and pipe fitters what they are doing? It doesn't take a great intellect to figure out what's going on in the building construction industry.

The typical recession in the United States lasts less than 12 months. I had work until one week before election day in 2008 and then the phone stopped ringing. Anybody who is paying attention knows that Obama is a socialist and what that means for the economy. The economy will rebound quite nicely the day after the election in November 2012 if Mitt Romney is elected president and the Republicans hold a majority in the House and Senate.

If Obama is re-elected the slow economy will continue for another 4 years. It's quite obvious what's wrong with the economy.

Were not both houses of congress democrat controlled when they both passed the Medicare Prescription Drug Benifits? Just askin. And were not both houses of congress republican controlled when Clinton was President when they both passed balanced budgets? Just askin. As for the war, unlike you, I usually do not comment on things of which none of us know, such as the threat posed by secret operatives, so I do not voice an opinion bout that.

Once again there was no budget surplus, and no paying down of debt. It was a clever scam made up by Clinton by taking the 1997 year GDP and assuming the same rate for the next decade the math showed that a surplus was possible. Liberals have been repeating this lie since then, and by using it reveal their ignorance.

D. The 16th amendment should be repealed. The State has no rights to the fruits of its citizens' labor.

John Walsh: "No, in 2004, both houses of Congress were Republicon controled. And Tax-Cut and Spend Bush was POTUS. Bush was asleep at the wheel with 8/6/01 PDF that warned of "OBL Plans Attack on US". Bush wrong, dead wrong on WMD's. Dam expensive mistakes. NEVER in American history did the USA cut taxes during war. In fact, the US raised taxes during EVERY other war in our history. Time to buck up and pay for Bush's War and Depression."

Mr. Walsh, I assume that you're joking.

The Clinton Administration told us the their were WMD in Iraq. And yes, September 11th did happen when George Bush was the president, but Pearl Harbor happened when FDR was the president. Does that make FDR responsible for Pearl Harbor?

Is it Bush's depression or Obama's depression. President Obama told us that he was going to fix the economy in 3 years. He also told us that the unemployment rate would never exceed 8 percent if the Stimuls Bill was passed. Further, Obama told us that the unemployment rate would be 5.8 percent right now.

Sorry, not buying the bull that you're trying to peddle.

President Obama is a marxist. Obama is no different from Fidel Castro or Hugo Chavez. Obama has wrecked the American economy. A stray cat named Ashley would have done a better job as President over the last 3-1/2 years.

RUSH: "I think it can now be said, without equivocation -- without equivocation -- that this man hates this country. He is trying -- Barack Obama is trying -- to dismantle, brick by brick, the American dream."

RUSH: "The Democrat Party is a party that grows as people suffer. The Democrat Party is a party that expands its power as more and more people have their lives ruined in the sense that they cannot provide for themselves."

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/

It's difficult to disagree with Rush. It seems to be the only plausible explanation for what's going on.

It's difficult to disagree with a college drop-out? Someone who "flunked everything" according to Rushbo's mother? Who "flunked everything" at academic powerhouse, Southeastern Missouri State? No wonder Rushbo distains those with Ivy League educations, like Willard Romney. Difficult to disagree with a convicted drug addict? Do you abuse prescription drugs Richard? Would you emulate your hero, without equivocation.

Goethe Behr: " "You should look up the word "decimate." It means ONE out of ten. It comes from the Roman practice of killing ONE soldier out of TEN. ONE out of TEN. That's ten percent. It does NOT mean "destroying almost everything."" "

"The problem with liberals is not that they know so much, but that they know so much that isn't true." Ronald Reagan

Mr. Behr, did you know Ronald Reagan? He sure knew you.

Definition of DECIMATE (from Merriam-Webster Dictionary):

transitive verb

1: to select by lot and kill every tenth man of

2: to exact a tax of 10 percent from <poor as a decimated Cavalier — John Dryden>

3 a: to reduce drastically especially in number <cholera decimated the population> b: to cause great destruction or harm to <firebombs decimated the city> <an industry decimated by recession>

"An industry decimated by recession"; what don't you understand?

Mr. Behr, you just made a fool out of yourself.

Mr. Walsh: "Richard, you are severly mentally ill. Please, seek professional help immediately."

Mr. Walsh, those who have a mental illness often think that they are sane and everyone else is mentally ill. This seems to be the case in your case.

It appears to be a standard Democrat tactic to call anyone who expresses a viewpoint different from the standard Democrat line mentally ill. Citizens of the Soviet Union who disagree with the government were considered to be mentally ill and put in insane asylums. Apparently, there doesn't seem to be much difference between Democrats and the Soviets in this regard.

Let me state this once again so that I make myself clear:

Barack Obama is a marxist.

Rush Limbaugh is a brilliant political analyst.

"In a wide-ranging interview, Morris also said:

• Republicans are likely to pick up 11 seats in the Senate, which would give the GOP an all-important majority. [58 seats]"

Read more on Newsmax.com: Dick Morris to Newsmax: Rubio Is the ‘Only Choice That Makes Sense’

A pick up of 11 seats in the Senate. That would give the Republicans 58 seats in the Senate-close to a filibuster-proof majority. That should be sufficient to drive a stake through the heart of Obamacare and to make the existing income tax rates permanent.

Another Republican landslide in 2012. President Obama is the best campaigner and spokes-person the Republicans have.

"Obama's punitively anti-business policies have made it very difficult for businesses to flourish and for job growth to occur. His anti-business attitude and rhetoric have poisoned the market that much more.

If and when Obama is defeated in November, we should anticipate an explosion in business and entrepreneurial activity among ordinary Americans who realize they're about to be liberated from the most anti-business president in our history."

David Limbaugh

Source: http://www.gopusa.com/commentary/2012/07/17/limbaugh-the-most-anti-business-president-ever/?subscriber=1

Only two things holding the American economy back-President Obama and Obamacare. Get rid of both and we'll be in good shape. This recession should have been over 3 years ago.

Some thoughts on President Obama from the American Thinker website:

"In his heart of hearts, President O is always enraged at the American people -- those bitter clingers -- but this time it's personal. Gone is the smiling messiah, and in his place we see a persecutory personality, a real witch-hunter who may lose the election but won't pass up a chance to scourge this country with the whip of righteousness, to tell us what he really thinks. Under the smiling mask, Obama is Rev. Jerry Wright."

"Obama is not a conventional politician. For sure, he loves the trappings, Air Force One, the chance to finally lord it over other people. But Obama is dyed-in-the-wool ideologue. In the last four years he's changed everything except his deeply embedded beliefs. America is still the real enemy."

Read more:

http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/07/is_obama_ripping_off_the_mask.html#ixzz20taPxWpU

You can see it in President Obama's campaign-he's just another Chicago thug politician. And now President Obama is threatening Americans with economic chaos if he doesn't get the tax bill that he wants.

Mr. President, it's not about you.

Ginny Stanton: "Does anyone notice that government employees and public school teachers paychecks do not show payments to Medicare?"

I can't say that this applies to all municipal public employees, but many muncipal worker are not part of the social security system-they have their own retirement system. The reason for that is that sociaI security is a rotten deal and so some how the muncipal worker have slipped out of SS to get a better deal.

Oh good, a new channel. First a fact check though. I believe that all employed people are required to pay the Medicare portion of FICA.

Goethe Behr: "The dictionary includes incorrect usage of a word when enough of us use it that way. The question raised was what does the word mean. Someone said ten percent. I was simply agreeing that that was the ORIGINAL, and as you note, the FIRST/PRIMARY meaning of the word."

It would seem that the use of the word "decimate" in the context of the Romans is archaic. The Roman Empire doesn't exist anymore, but it shouldn't be necessary to explain that.

Goethe Behr: "Regarding your comment that Limbaugh is "brilliant," he's only brilliant because he is such a "flaming" idiot. (In private, he admits that it's all an act. A very profitable one.)"

It is standard practice of the left to refer to their political opponents as idiots, being dumb or stupid, bigots, racists, etc. Call Rush any name you want. Call me any name you want. Name-calling is what children do.

Rush has an audience of between 15 and 20 million adults on a daily basis. There is almost nowhere where you can't hear Rush on the radio in the United States. The Rush Limbaugh Show has been on the air for almost 24 years. If Rush was a "flaming idot" as you've said, then it is unlikely that he would have been so successful.

My guess is that you've never listened to Rush and are just repeating the standard Democrat line. Mr. Behr, you should try listening to Rush some time-you might change your mind.

I said exactly the same thing as you did, until I started to listen to Rush in October 1994. The first day I listened, I said that this man is an ass. The second day I listened, I said that this man is an ass, but he's right. The third day I listened, I said no this man is not an ass, this man is just right. I've been listening to Rush for 17-1/2 years now.

I would also recomend that you try listening to Mark Levin. Both Rush and Mark Levin can be heard on WLS-AM radio in Chicago (AM 890). Laura Ingrahm is really good too.

Da Weasel, here is a little more on Obama the marxist:

"Obama of Roanoke, understand, is not merely a specific person named Barack Hussein Obama. He is Van Jones. He is Elizabeth Warren. He is Valerie Jarrett. He is Steven Chu and Cass Sunstein. He is Jeremiah Wright and Frank Marshall Davis and Karl Marx and many others. Obama of Roanoke is not some benign elegant speaker. Obama of Roanoke is a malignant mindset. His fingerprints are all over the biggest disasters in world history. For this reason, he was and is utterly predictable long before Friday last."

Read more:

http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/07/obama_of_roanoke_we_saw_you_coming.html#ixzz21HDcWAFJ

There is much more to this article than the excerpt above. It's well worth a read.

A little more for you to read Da Weasel:

"It is no secret that owners circulated endless emails leading up to election day discussing lay off plans were Obama to win. Entrepreneurs instinctively understand the danger posed by larger liberal majorities... the risk-reward equation and fierce independence spirit of start up businesses are anathema to the class warfare, equality of outcome and spread the wealth mentality of the left. [...]"

Read more:

http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/07/obama_of_roanoke_we_saw_you_coming.html#ixzz21HHEebh9

Yes, you read that right. My company's phones stopped ringing about one week before election day and didn't ring again for 7 months. The election of Obama was an absolute disaster.

Hey Rich- seen the new Batman movie yet? Boy, your man Rush is really on top of that scandal now, isn't he?

I only read about 1/3 of the comments because there are so many but there are some very intelligent folks posting on here (and I am not being sarcastic). I was wondering what some of you thing about the idea of a "FairTax"?