Obama to rich: I'd love to give you another tax break, but right now we can't afford to

[BurtWorm]

Idiots. (<-He didn't say that last bit there.)


http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_09/025755.php



OBAMA ON GOP'S TAX DEMANDS: 'I DON'T HAVE THE MATH'.... President Obama participated in a town-hall discussion on the economy today on CNBC, and heard from some folks who weren't necessarily pleased with him.

But given the debate on Capitol Hill about tax policy, the president's remarks on the subject may have been the most noteworthy. "Here's what I can't do," Obama said. "I can't give tax cuts to the top 2% of Americans -- 86% of that money going people making $1 million or more -- and lower the deficit at the same time. I don't have the math.

"I'd love to do it. Anybody in elected office would love nothing more than to give everybody tax cuts -- not cut services, make sure that I'm providing help to student loans, make sure that we're keeping our roads safe and our bridges safe, make sure that we're paying for our veterans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan. At some point, the numbers just don't work, so what I've said is very simple. Let's go ahead and move forward on what we agree to -- which is tax relief for 97% of Americans, in fact, everybody would get tax relief, just up to $250,000 a year or more -- and let's the economy moving faster. Let's get it growing faster.

"At some point in the future, if we want to have discussions about further lowering tax rates, let's do so at a time when we can actually afford it."

Watching this, my first instinct is to wonder whether the American public in general will find this persuasive, which is why it's probably worth re-emphasizing that they already do.

At the same event, the president took note of the ambiguities of the Tea Partiers' agenda. He summarized their pitch this way: "We're going to control government spending. We're going to propose $4 trillion in additional tax cuts and somehow magically this is all going to work." Obama would like to know if these same activists would want to cut veterans benefits, Social Security, and/or Medicare. "The challenge for the Tea Party movement is to identify what exactly would you do," he said.

Sounds like a challenge? What do you say, conservatives?

—Steve Benen 3:10 PM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (7)

[el_bryanto]

1. If the numbers were there I'd like to see that too

Because it would imply our economy was chuggling along full speed ahead again. But that's not where we are, and given some of the foolishness of the last few years, I'm not sure we are going to be there anytime soon.

Bryant

[gratuitous]

2. We couldn't afford that morphodite health care "reform" monstrosity, either

Single payer would have been ever so much cheaper, but some beast somewhere needed to be fed. So we still have insurance company executives running things, instead of medical professionals and the patients deciding on the best course of action. How long before another beast howls loud enough that the Democrats feel compelled to shovel some money at them, too? All in the name of safety and security, natch!

[blondeatlast]

3. Again, he puts the ReBPublicans on the defensive. My prediction is that

no one will respond to that very reasonable statement in a reasonable way.

Because they can't.

[ClarkUSA]

4. MSNBC is replaying his remarks right NOW. Thanks for bringing the text here.

:thumbsup:

K&R

[jobycom]

5. We're still trying to pay for the last tax cut we gave them. nt

[global1]

6. The Rich Don't Know What "Can't Afford To" Means.......

Whatever they want they are able to buy. They have no concept of "can't afford".

You know there are 97% of the American people out there wishing they made over $250,000 and would be glad to pay any additional taxes on that money.

I've always lived under the fact that the more I make the more tax I pay. And you know - I don't mind. Why? Because the more I make the more money I have to live on - even if I have to pay taxes on that money. I'm happy to be able to have to pay those taxes - because I know that some of that money goes back and helps those less fortunate.

It's too bad that "GREED" has taken over in this country.

[blondeatlast]

7. EXACTLY.

To the rich, they "can't afford" to replace the five-year old BMW.

Right now, I can't afford to replace my son's outgrown basketball shoes and his league starts next week.

And I consider myself damn fortunate.

[Blue Owl]

8. Parental

Don't let 'em wear you down, President Obama -- hold your ground!

Just like you can't give into a whining kid at risk of creating a monster.

[MichiganVote]

9. Why would anyone "love" to give a tax cut to the wealthy? What's love got do with it?

[blondeatlast]

10. Did you read the entire transcript? Honestly? nt

[MichiganVote]

14. Yes I did. And I still think the "love" thing is dumb. So shoot me.

[BurtWorm]

11. Read the whole quote in context.

It's not as awful as you might think it is. ;-)

[MichiganVote]

15. I did read it. Its not awful, just thought it was a dumb way to say no.

[mzmolly]

12. Go Mr. President!

:toast:

[jillan]

13. Brilliant! I was applauding him in my living room when he said that.