Tax limbo....how low.....will it go

[Lurker]

Harlowe is the only liberal elitist asshole here. She links from Rawstory for pete's sake.

[Trollbait]

She links from Rawstory for pete's sake.

I know, right?

[Harlowe]

I have a great link from one of the libertarian sites I visit.

http://www.reason.com/blog/show/129741.html

In my column from four years ago imploring other journalistic outlets to show us who they're voting for, I boiled down our more expansive 2004 presidential survey into the responses of 13 key reason contibutors. The breakdown then:
only one certain vote apiece for Bush, Kerry and Badnarik. Two principled non-voters and two more probable non-voters (one of whom leans Badnarik); two I'll-never-tells, two undefined undecideds, and two undecideds who will either vote for Badnarik or a major-party candidate.

I was the sole loser for Kerry, BTW, though it was because "Bush needs to be fired." Go to the link to see an easily digestible list of how the 13 responded.

For the purposes of symmetry I thought I'd do the same boiling-down exercise from our just-published 2008 survey. So here goes, with 18 staffers and regular contributors this time around:

Peter Bagge: Barr; Obama if close
Ronald Bailey: Obama
Radley Balko: Barr
Drew Carey: "Anybody but McCain/Palin"
Tim Cavanaugh: Obama
Shikha Dalmia: Nobody
Brian Doherty: Never votes
Nick Gillespie: Barr, if he votes
Katherine Mangu-Ward: Never votes
Michael Moynihan: Won't vote
Charles Oliver: Won't vote
Bob Poole: McCain
Damon Root: Probably nobody, maybe Barr
Jacob Sullum: Barr
Jesse Walker: Barr
David Weigel: Obama
Matt Welch: Probably Barr
Cathy Young: Probably Barr

By my count that's three definitely for Barr, three definitely for Obama, one definitely for McCain. Five won't-votes, four probably-Barrs, one probably-nobody, and one "anybody but McCain/Palin." What does it all mean? You tell us.

[Lurker]

You probably found that link on Rawstory.

[Harlowe]

Well, I do what I can! It's usually more accurate than pulling it out of JTP's asscrack.

Heh, actually I'm an complete news nerd-junkie and I have my favorite sites (the ones that I absolutely visit at least once per day)

The Daily Dish
The Atlantic
CNN/NBC/ABC/MSNBC
NPR/MPR
The Daily Beast
NYT/Washington Post
The Independant
Swampland (Time)
Slate
Reason
The American Conservative
BeliefNet
The Moderate Voice/The Moderate Independant
Huffington/Drudge
The Corner
The Plank
The Onion
Local Star Trib, Pioneer Press & City Pages

[Lurker]

Add these partisan (except for McClatchy which is straight news) but fair sites to your list.

Talking Points Memo
Washington Monthly
Glenn Greenwald
McClatchy

[Harlowe]

Thanks for the links! I will add those to my nasty habit.

[Harlowe]

By the way this was fucking funny from Wonkette today

The Onion predicted Joe The Plumber back in 1993. I kid you not, this was from an actual Onion =)
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/48941

[Lurker]

That is hilarious.

I love this part.

I am very much looking forward to hearing Mr. Shybinski's sophisticated insights and trenchant social and political commentary," Sam Donaldson of ABC News said. "This is a man who has much to contribute to our national dialogue. If ever there were a man who deserved a national forum in which to express his views, it is Roy Shybinski of Lima, Ohio."

That is eerie. Change the names and it fits perfectly with the current JTP tour.

[Kulaf]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28881716/

Following through: On Feb. 17, Obama signed a $787 billion congressional stimulus package. Included in the plan is his signature "Making Work Pay" tax credit, which would provide $400 for individuals and $800 for couples. But that credit is phased out for individuals making more than $75,000 and couples making more than $150,000.

Umm......what happened? Where are the huge tax cuts for working class Americans? Where is the restraint on his spending plans as he moves forward with a 350 Billion dollar preparation for Universal Healthcare?

Ohh and notice that 150k number like old Uncle Joe "misspoke" about?

[Partha]

http://www.associatedcontent.com/articl ... art_2.html

On average we work 5 ½ hours per week longer than our European neighbors across the pond. 50% of us make less than 30k a year. Another 40% make between 30k and 100k per year. 9.5% percent of Americans make 100k to 500k. About 55,000 Americans are at least a million dollars and only 10,000 Americans make over make over 10 million dollars per year.

See, this is the 'genius' of Republican messaging. They've managed to convince ordinary sheeple that being in the top 15 percent or so is 'middle class'.

[Kulaf]

Ahh a resounding "No Comment" from Partha.

[Partha]

Want a comment? I'd love to know how you can compare Obama's spending to Bush's when Bush left several large items off the books. (Iraq war, anyone?)

Oh, wait, it's almost like you don't want an actual comparison, but just to bash. Gotcha.

[Lurker]

How was that a "no comment" from Partha? He responded directly to you. Obama followed through with his promise to cut taxes for 95% of working families and he isn't raising taxes on anyone making less than 250k a year.

He implemented exactly what he campaigned on. So what the hell are you talking about?

[Kulaf]

How was that a "no comment" from Partha? He responded directly to you. Obama followed through with his promise to cut taxes for 95% of working families and he isn't raising taxes on anyone making less than 250k a year.

He implemented exactly what he campaigned on. So what the hell are you talking about?

So is your response that this is the tax cut he campaigned on?

[Ddrak]

Seems to be the AP's claim at least:

http://news.findlaw.com/ap/a/w/1151/02- ... 06_18.html

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama's budget proposal would extend tax cuts for most working families while raising those on Americans making more than $250,000 a year.

Dd

[Fallakin Kuvari]

So he's cutting taxes now while raising them later... awesome.

Dd, can we get an emoticon of a smiley face taking a gun and shooting itself through the mouth?

[Lurker]

So is your response that this is the tax cut he campaigned on?

Yes. Between the recovery package and his budget, Obama is implementing the tax cuts and increases he campaigned on.

So he's cutting taxes now while raising them later... awesome.

Ummm.... no.

Obama is cutting taxes for most people and allowing the tax cuts for the top 2% to expire next year. Thats a cut for most and an increase for the top 2%.

This isn't rocket science although I understand it might appear so to you.

[Fallakin Kuvari]

So he's cutting taxes now while raising them later... awesome.

Ummm.... no.

Obama is cutting taxes for most people and allowing the tax cuts for the top 2% to expire next year. Thats a cut for most and an increase for the top 2%.

This isn't rocket science although I understand it might appear so to you.

Must be rocket science for you, then. $787bn stimulus is gonna have to be paid for somehow, at a later date... It'll more than likely be tax hikes. Way to be completely daft.

So, about that emoticon... please?

[Lurker]

$787bn stimulus is gonna have to be paid for somehow, at a later date... It'll more than likely be tax hikes.

Hmmmm.... I don't remember you saying "Bush's tax cuts are going to have to be paid for at a later date and that'll take a tax hike so he's really raising taxes!".

Anyways, did you miss the part about Obama raising taxes on the top 2%? Unlike the Bush tax cuts which created a structural deficit that would never be reversed, the Obama Budget will eventually lead back to surplus; just like Clinton's did.

I am in favor of an emoticon of you shooting yourself in the mouth though.