Obama/Biden vs. McCain/Palin

[JL21]

In the current economic climate, I think it's a terrible idea to take money away from the people who will finance our pursuit of alternative energy sources, cleaner burning cars, hybrids, etc. There will be consequences to raising the tax rate on the elite and those consequences, imo, are potentially really bad for entreprenuership in America. Sure, the government might have more money to put into energy programs or whatever, but that turns them from private enterprise to public progams, which imo is also bad.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti ... 8808050359

[Diddy]

I understand where you're coming from and from a personal level I agree, but that's looking at it too simplistically.

Taxes aren't for the individual, they're for the masses. There are a lot of people out there who do need those extra few dollars.

oh i need them too thats why instead of going to the lake for the 3 day weekend i found someone who needed help and made an extra $100 a day instead of complaining that i dont have enough money or pay to much in taxes. Although just [expletive] about it while downing some cold ones would have been much easier.

[JL21]

In the current economic climate, I think it's a terrible idea to take money away from the people who will finance our pursuit of alternative energy sources, cleaner burning cars, hybrids, etc. There will be consequences to raising the tax rate on the elite and those consequences, imo, are potentially really bad for entreprenuership in America. Sure, the government might have more money to put into energy programs or whatever, but that turns them from private enterprise to public progams, which imo is also bad.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti ... 8808050359

Mind you, if you're referring to individuals and not specific industries:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/pol ... 49171.html

[Fat Strat]

In the current economic climate, I think it's a terrible idea to take money away from the people who will finance our pursuit of alternative energy sources, cleaner burning cars, hybrids, etc. There will be consequences to raising the tax rate on the elite and those consequences, imo, are potentially really bad for entreprenuership in America. Sure, the government might have more money to put into energy programs or whatever, but that turns them from private enterprise to public progams, which imo is also bad.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti ... 8808050359

Right. The government is using tax payer funds to prop up an industry and then dictating to that industry how that money should be spent...

tax credits to help U.S. automakers retool for more fuel-efficient cars and to develop batteries for plug-in hybrids that get up to 150 m.p.g.

I'm all for fuel efficient cars and 150 mpg's, don't get me wrong. What would happen if the government just didn't collect that $4 billion in taxes in the first place? People would have more money to buy the cars. Companies would have more money available to invest in research and development. Entrenpenuers would have more money available to build a car that didn't use gas at all...

[Diddy]

In the current economic climate, I think it's a terrible idea to take money away from the people who will finance our pursuit of alternative energy sources, cleaner burning cars, hybrids, etc. There will be consequences to raising the tax rate on the elite and those consequences, imo, are potentially really bad for entreprenuership in America. Sure, the government might have more money to put into energy programs or whatever, but that turns them from private enterprise to public progams, which imo is also bad.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti ... 8808050359

will any of this 4 billion go to making sure that all of these cars have built in tire gauges?

[Fat Strat]

Mind you, if you're referring to individuals and not specific industries:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/pol ... 49171.html

I'm certainly not going to criticize meeting with Pickens, and I hope he falls in line with the Picken's plan, since Pickens is exactly the kind of guy that I want to see remain in the marketplace rather than protecting his money because of a dramatic increase in taxes. McCain, though, seems on board with alternative energy as well, and wants to drill in the meantime (which is core to the Picken's plan).

We'll see how that all plays out in the debates, but energy is not an area where you're going to hear me criticizing Obama much... except about drilling.

[JL21]

Right. The government is using tax payer funds to prop up an industry and then dictating to that industry how that money should be spent...

Of course, in doing so, it also:

a) generates a bucketload of new jobs in that industry

b) prepares that particular industry to win a fight that it has been losing to overseas competitors

I'm all for fuel efficient cars and 150 mpg's, don't get me wrong. What would happen if the government just didn't collect that $4 billion in taxes in the first place? People would have more money to buy the cars. Companies would have more money available to invest in research and development. Entrenpenuers would have more money available to build a car that didn't use gas at all...

Maybe I'm misreading it or not interpreting it correctly, but isn't the $4B coming from loans and tax credits? (i.e. not directly out of the taxpayers' pockets)

[Popeye_Card]

I'm all for fuel efficient cars and 150 mpg's, don't get me wrong. What would happen if the government just didn't collect that $4 billion in taxes in the first place? People would have more money to buy the cars. Companies would have more money available to invest in research and development. Entrenpenuers would have more money available to build a car that didn't use gas at all...

What would honestly happen?

The money would still get spent by the government, just somewhere else and we would increase the deficit. The market might win, but it would probably be the Japanese automakers who win out.

$4 billion is nothing for the federal budget. That's like 2 weeks of war in Iraq. If that money ends up saving the US auto industry (which is much broader than just the Big 3), then I'm all for it.

[heyzeus]

Just had to share a fun quote I ran across on the interwebs.

"Mrs. Palin needs to be reminded that Jesus Christ was a community organizer and Pontius Pilate was a governor."

Enjoy!


/joeybomb'd

[ghostrunner]

In the current economic climate, I think it's a terrible idea to take money away from the people who will finance our pursuit of alternative energy sources, cleaner burning cars, hybrids, etc. There will be consequences to raising the tax rate on the elite and those consequences, imo, are potentially really bad for entreprenuership in America. Sure, the government might have more money to put into energy programs or whatever, but that turns them from private enterprise to public progams, which imo is also bad.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti ... 8808050359

Mind you, if you're referring to individuals and not specific industries:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/pol ... 49171.html

This is why I'm for Obama. Dude takes the high road nearly every single time. He doesn't have to meet with Pickens, and could easily stay away based on the swift boat thing and trying to please MoveOn, etc...Like I said a few months ago, I see him sitting across from Republicans and finding common ground. McCain probably would to, but I don't know that he can accomplish the tonal change Obama might be capable of.

I liked him referencing his own mother when talking about Bristol Palin.

Having said that, I think Rudy and Palin were within their rights on most of the criticism they threw Obama's way. Part of me wants the high road, and part of me wants them to sink their teeth in on each other where they deserve it. I have an appreciation for both.