0T: Why Is Congress A Millionaire"s Club ???

[Vader]

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of CA commented, “I told you we have to pass the bill to find out what is in it.”

But former Queen Pelosi's comment says it all, doesn't it?
....oh, no, wait....it's Bush's fault!
Yeah, that's it!

say what you want about GWB, and he may not have been a true Conservative, but at least he kept us safe during his watch.

[PST]

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of CA commented, “I told you we have to pass the bill to find out what is in it.”

But former Queen Pelosi's comment says it all, doesn't it?
....oh, no, wait....it's Bush's fault!
Yeah, that's it!

say what you want about GWB, and he may not have been a true Conservative, but at least he kept us safe during his watch.

What an odd statement! Say what you want, but the 9/11 attacks did occur on GWB's watch didn't they? I'm not sure that's a fair way to judge him, but it's sure more accurate than pretending that 9/11 never happened.

[Slinky]

And what I saw was GWB et al using 9/11 as an excuse to jump in and strip American citizens of more of their freedoms and privacy whilst the public was still shell-shocked enough to let them get away w/it. Patriot Act my arse. What a lousy choice of names for such an invasive stripping of citizens' privacy and rights.

[snuginarug]

Back to the original question... much as I am loathe to admit it, I expect part of the reason congressional representatives tend to be more wealthy than an ordinary joe like me is because they also tend to be intelligent, ambitious, charismatic people. Part of the reason i am not a wealthy congress woman is because I don't want to be one. I didn't go to law school, shake hands or give speeches. I am quite happy teaching English.

Maybe they deserve their wealth. Maybe not. Any way you cut it, however they get their money, they do have money and are removed, to a certain extent, from the life of an ordinary american. I wonder how much we can trust them to represent out interests. Even those that truly sympathize with people such as me don't really understand me, my needs, my life situation, my daily struggles. And because they are powerful people, they like to stay powerful and would probably throw me under a bus to remain powerful.

Representing people makes you powerful, and that power separates you from those who gave you power.

It's a imperfect system, but it's the one we've got, and is preferable to some other systems out there.

[Vader]

What an odd statement! Say what you want, but the 9/11 attacks did occur on GWB's watch didn't they? I'm not sure that's a fair way to judge him, but it's sure more accurate than pretending that 9/11 never happened.

It is pretty widely accepted that President George W. Bush could not have foreseen how and when the 9/11 attacks happened, so No, I don’t think there’s anything “odd” about my statements.
Sure there’s a kook fringe of conspiracy theorists out there (like Michael Moore, for instance) but they always seem to forget that Slick Willie had the chance to take out (assassinate) Bin Laden, whom they knew to be a dangerous man, but he didn't do it, he blew it.

So sure, once the attacks did happen, President Bush made dang sure, it couldn’t happen again. Those attacks could have happened to ANY President who was in office at that time, Republican or Democrat.( I break into a cold sweat at the thought of, what if nutjob Al Gore was the president?!!!) But don’t forget, many of these same precautionary measures, and surveillance put into place by President Bush, are still being used by Socialist Barry, yet he still blames President Bush for everything. When is this guy going to be held accountable for his own failures?
But I hope he keeps doing that in the next election, because growing numbers of people are on to him.

[idamtnboy]

yet he still blames President Bush for everything. When is this guy going to be held accountable for his own failures?
But I hope he keeps doing that in the next election, because growing numbers of people are on to him.

You know what will happen if the Repubs win the White House this next election? Four years later we will still have 9%+ unemployment, or greater. The unemployment level is directly attributable to the severe imbalance in our global trade. Not until China buys as much from us as we buy from them will unemployment drop. Because the Repubs are in the pocket of the super rich corporate minions, and the super rich don't care about trade imbalances, only where can they build their stuff the cheapest, they also will be powerless to fix the problem.

For roughly every $50,000 per year you reduce Federal deficit spending, someone somewhere in the US loses a job. For roughly every $50,000 per year you reduce the trade imbalance, someone somewhere in the US gains a job.

If taxes are what is keeping businesses from hiring then why were the 1950's one of the most prosperous times in this country's economy with the top tax rates as high as 90%?

[Vader]

You know what will happen if the Repubs win the White House this next election?...,<snip!>

We have got to reduce the size of government, plain and simple.
And I admit President GW Bush, did fail in this regard. This economic situation can still be turned around, but not by this bunch of dilletantes occupying the WH now.

[PST]

What an odd statement! Say what you want, but the 9/11 attacks did occur on GWB's watch didn't they? I'm not sure that's a fair way to judge him, but it's sure more accurate than pretending that 9/11 never happened.

It is pretty widely accepted that President George W. Bush could not have foreseen how and when the 9/11 attacks happened, so No, I don’t think there’s anything “odd” about my statements.
Sure there’s a kook fringe of conspiracy theorists out there (like Michael Moore, for instance) but they always seem to forget that Slick Willie had the chance to take out (assassinate) Bin Laden, whom they knew to be a dangerous man, but he didn't do it, he blew it.

....oh, no, wait....it's Clinton's fault!
Yeah, that's it!

[Slinky]

... This economic situation can still be turned around, but not by this bunch of dilletantes occupying the WH now.

The dilletantes holding the majority in the congressional House, don't you mean? That bunch of petty, childish bullies are determined to destroy the Obama presidency regardless the risk or damage to this country. They conveniently forget that BushBaby, Cheney and Rummy got us into this mess - both the enconomy and the killed, maimed and scarred young Americans sacrificed in Iraq.

[Vader]

... This economic situation can still be turned around, but not by this bunch of dilletantes occupying the WH now.

The dilletantes holding the majority in the congressional House, don't you mean? That bunch of petty, childish bullies are determined to destroy the Obama presidency regardless the risk or damage to this country. They conveniently forget that BushBaby, Cheney and Rummy got us into this mess - both the enconomy and the killed, maimed and scarred young Americans sacrificed in Iraq.

::::::yawn::::::

[So Well]

Sigh.

Here we go again. The two wings of the National RepubiDemo Party sniping at each other while the country sinks. In the end we will get one or other of the wings and the country will sink further.

Vader, You have a great organization back there in North Carolina which cuts through all the RepubiDemo crap on the state level. They are not involved in national politics but their philosophy is a reasonable guide for the Federal government. They are a bit too conservative for me but they might suit you well - http://www.johnlocke.org/about/founding_principles.html

[Vader]

http://www.johnlocke.org/about/founding_principles.html

great link, thanks. I signed up!

[ameriken]

If taxes are what is keeping businesses from hiring then why were the 1950's one of the most prosperous times in this country's economy with the top tax rates as high as 90%?

The 1950's was one of the most prosperous times in this country's economy despite the top tax rates, however you're only telling half the story because those tax rates ultimately did effect the economy and employment. Why not choose the 1960's to show the effect of those 90% tax rates? Those rates ultimately led to a Democrat to propose the need for lower taxes to stimulate economic growth and well as increase Federal revenues.

This is what those 90% tax rates really led to:

"A bill will be presented to the Congress for action next year. It will include an across-the-board, top-to-bottom cut in both corporate and personal income taxes. It will include long-needed tax reform that logic and equity demand ... The billions of dollars this bill will place in the hands of the consumer and our businessmen will have both immediate and permanent benefits to our economy. Every dollar released from taxation that is spent or invested will help create a new job and a new salary. And these new jobs and new salaries can create other jobs and other salaries and more customers and more growth for an expanding American economy."
– John F. Kennedy, Aug. 13, 1962

"Our present tax system ... exerts too heavy a drag on growth ... It reduces the financial incentives for personal effort, investment, and risk-taking ... The present tax load ... distorts economic judgments and channels an undue amount of energy into efforts to avoid tax liabilities." – John F. Kennedy, Nov. 20, 1962

"The largest single barrier to full employment of our manpower and resources and to a higher rate of economic growth is the unrealistically heavy drag of federal income taxes on private purchasing power, initiative and incentive." – John F. Kennedy, Jan. 24, 1963

That explains what those 90% tax rates really did.

[kempo]

http://www.johnlocke.org/about/founding_principles.html

great link, thanks. I signed up!

Vader give it up.
1. What we need is to let in millions of more illegal aliens and give them free healthcare. The rich can pay for it.
2. Instead of 46% of the families not paying federal income taxes we need to raise that number to 85%. The rich can pay for.
3. We need to give away billions more in foreign aid. The rich can pay for it.
4. We need to stop all exploration and drilling for oil plus shut down all coal fired power plants. The rich can build us windmills and solar panels.
5. We should shut down all of the farming in Cal. to save a gupy. Who cares what food will cost the rich will buy it for us.

What a great place this would be. Hell we could be like Greece where everyone is thowing rocks at each other. Come on man get with times.

[Slinky]

So? High taxes pulled us out and set us up and then lowering the taxes kept things going good.

I don't think anyone wants to see a 90% tax rate on any one but closing loopholes and a modest increase on those in the highest income/wealth levels is NOT out of line. Too much of this country's wealth is controlled by too few at the expense of too many to sustain the prosperity and glory of this country.

Other than not slaughtering the masses where are the rich of this country, that top 1% controlling 90% of the wealth, any different than the dictators and ruling classes in some of these third world countries???