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And the thought of Palin inheriting the Presidency keeps me up at night.
::shudders::
It took five pages until this really frightening aspect came up! Of course, the presidential election is none of my business, but our media covers it comprehensively and the possibility that an ultra conservative (and clueless) "hockey-mom" could become President also keeps the rest of the Western world up at night.
Given the news of the past few days, we may have absolutely no other choice - we are in financial dire straits in America right now and we need to keep our money here. I really think it's going to come back to the economy.
Here's a perspective I discussed with my neighbor across the street, a good friend of mine who was going to vote for Obama, but is now resonsidering after our conversation. The conversation was much more detailed, and this post will be brief.
I own 2 businesses, which employ hard working tradesmen and women as well. I also have a large investment in the stock market which gives me roughly 30% of my income in the form of dividends. I fall squarely into the income bracket that Barack Obama has said he will raise the taxes on. If he does so, here's what will happen:
I will not only decrease my investment substantially in the stock market (since the capital gains tax will increase), which will mean I'll have to derive more of my income from my business. That means I'll have to reduce costs. Since I am dominant in my industry, I already enjoy the benefit of having the lowest cost for material of just about anyone, so the next thing to cut will be manpower. How many will I have to lay off because of the increased taxes to my business? Who knows...maybe half?
Now if you want something scarier than Sarah Palin (as one poster claimed), multiply this scenario by millions of business owners just like myself across this country. If you are voting for the economy and the economy alone...I can guarantee you Barack Obama is not your choice. He will raise the taxes that will crash this economy further than it is already. I am not stating personal opinions of this man, only the facts based on his plan to raise taxes.
What good will it be to lower taxes for 95% of Americans, when the 5% of us who employ them will end up having to lay off 50% of that 95%?? That is an extreme ratio, but you get the picture. If taxes are raised, this will happen. Anyone remember the Jimmy Carter days?
Not telling you how to vote, just telling you to think about things a little harder...it's not as rosy and as simple as just "lowering taxes" for people. For the record I live in a 1400 sq. ft. house, not a mansion in Ponte Vedra, so don't throw me into the rich snobby pile. The homes in my neighborhood are in the $180k range....I choose to put my money back into my business by paying my people higher wages and hiring more people to ease the workload for all my employees. If you think there aren't milliions out here just like me, you are only kidding yourself.
Interesting post. How did your business fare during the Clinton years? A democrat president who did a lot for the economy.
I'd say pretty darn good (http://www.mypolls.us/republican.national.debt.jpg - broken link) if I was guessing.
Listen, spin it all you guys want. I'm a Libertarian, so I dont care for either of these guys. But it doesn't take a political scientist to know the country cant afford another Republican president, or at least the new breed Republican. We're gonna spend & over-stretch ourselves into oblivion. Its happening now if you haven't noticed.
Interesting post. How did your business fare during the Clinton years? A democrat president who did a lot for the economy.
Interesting post indeed. And what I also find interesting is that not once did I see the word "democrat" or "republican" in his post.
It would be nice if we could only remove our party blinkers once in a while and analyze a candidate's policy on its own merits.
Interesting post indeed. And what I also find interesting is that not once did I see the word "democrat" or "republican" in his post.
It would be nice if we could only remove our party blinkers once in a while and analyze a candidate's policy on its own merits.
I agree, but it'll never happen until we get more choices & parties other than Idiot A vs Idiot B. Choose the one that sucks the least.
One, the only Republican that I would vote for in THIS election is Ron Paul. Two of our supreme court justices will be leaving the bench, and a Repulican-Conservative majority is dangerous, IMHO under a McCain/Palin presidency. Ron Paul is socially liberal and fiscally conservative, so he would be okay, but the other two are social Nazis (for lack of a better term).
I really wish that voting was different in this country. I wish that when you went into the voting booth, it brought up a list of issues, and then you would select your position.
[1] Do you support the Iraq War? ()yes ()no
[2] Do you support a woman's right to choose? ()yes ()no
...Etc...
and then once you're done, it would show a little message that says "Calculating Vote"... and then it would show who you voted for.
"Congratulations, you just cast a ballot for McCain/Palin or Obama/Biden"
There is just too much identity politics going on right now, and people have lost sight of the issues that really matter. You're voting for someone because of their gender or skin color? Really? Ugggggghhhh!
i am a cuban-american, miami native, lived all over the world, and grew up primarily in jacksonville; and i'm not military!
there are differences in jacksonville and miami, obviously, but in so many ways
not really. it suprised me how all this negativity is towards jacksonville. it is a melting pot that not one neighborhood is one or the other. mind you, i don't like the rednecks and never saw one till i was 15 yo, how confused was i?
they are spill overs from georgia and alabama. they look for the same as any other coming form another land: freedom to be who they are and to blend in at the same time. i consider miami and jacksonville home. jacksonville/st. augustine is the oldest in the country. jacksonville was changed to the current name after florida became a u.s. territory. so it's not a young city as one stated. it has an up and down history like that of any european city. it's just not in your face and 'look at me' like the younger cities now; in your face. jacksonville has brick buildings older than miami!!
as for politics, jacksonville is a work in progress. being older, it still has that civil war-era smell of good ol' boys. but it's changing. politics are in your face and media is on it; not buried in corruption and secrecy like miami-dade.
one city, one mayor. why do we have 2 mayors in miami-dade anyway? talk about waste. other cities stopped construction due to ****ty economy. miami? keeps on building at tax payers expense.
POLITICS:
obama is the man! mccain is unsure and here, then there. palin is an uneducated spit-fire/pawn to suck up on the hillary loss.
wake up. miami is miami and segregated. jacksonville is the largest city in area in the country, so it is spread out-BUT- has the largest park system in the country, and is the most eco-conscience city in florida.
the history there goes back through european settlement, 500+ years, so many breads and colors are going to be so americanized. it's an old city with a newer face. it burned down in 1901, remember? one of the worst disasters in american history. miami was 5 years old.
there is no one or the other, and actually jax is one of the most diverese, non-stereotypical cities. they have problems, but what city doesn't?
that's one thing i do miss about jax, it's in your face and media on it, miami, bury it and cover it. they get richer, the rest get poorer, and everyone smiles at the sunrise after a big party on ocean drive amongst the street sweepers and trash, and those passed out in the allies.....
now one of the two fix our damn economy, so i can get a new job! this lay off sucks cheap rocks!!
be smart, vote obama, don't be one sided and speak ill about a community you don't even know....mccain-like isn't it?
i am miami, but i too, am jacksonville...both are dear to me in simular, but different ways. don't mess with the 904 or the 305!! where ever you are, one will always be near. cuidado....go democrats!! democracy is the only way to peace.
Last edited by miamisean; 09-19-2008 at 08:30 PM..
Reason: forgot one word
With all due respect, my question to Riveree was not a partisan question.
Blue Willow got it right, I'm saying the media can cover whatever soundbites they want, but the actual soundbite (the words, the phrase) comes out of the candidate's own mouths, so they are responsible for them. I think the media has done a pretty good job this time around on keeping those soundbites in context for the most part (with both parties).
I'm also seeing plenty of coverage on Obama, McCain, and Palin. I need to see more of Joe Biden, but I'm sure that's coming. I also want to see what Bill and Hillary have to add (also probably coming).
I'm not undecided, I am definitely decided, but I'm still listening to everyone and will do so all the way to the end.
But yes, I agree most networks are biased to one party or the other. Good thing we have the internet as another source of information .
Here's a perspective I discussed with my neighbor across the street, a good friend of mine who was going to vote for Obama, but is now resonsidering after our conversation. The conversation was much more detailed, and this post will be brief.
I own 2 businesses, which employ hard working tradesmen and women as well. I also have a large investment in the stock market which gives me roughly 30% of my income in the form of dividends. I fall squarely into the income bracket that Barack Obama has said he will raise the taxes on. If he does so, here's what will happen:
I will not only decrease my investment substantially in the stock market (since the capital gains tax will increase), which will mean I'll have to derive more of my income from my business. That means I'll have to reduce costs. Since I am dominant in my industry, I already enjoy the benefit of having the lowest cost for material of just about anyone, so the next thing to cut will be manpower. How many will I have to lay off because of the increased taxes to my business? Who knows...maybe half?
Now if you want something scarier than Sarah Palin (as one poster claimed), multiply this scenario by millions of business owners just like myself across this country. If you are voting for the economy and the economy alone...I can guarantee you Barack Obama is not your choice. He will raise the taxes that will crash this economy further than it is already. I am not stating personal opinions of this man, only the facts based on his plan to raise taxes.
What good will it be to lower taxes for 95% of Americans, when the 5% of us who employ them will end up having to lay off 50% of that 95%?? That is an extreme ratio, but you get the picture. If taxes are raised, this will happen. Anyone remember the Jimmy Carter days?
Not telling you how to vote, just telling you to think about things a little harder...it's not as rosy and as simple as just "lowering taxes" for people. For the record I live in a 1400 sq. ft. house, not a mansion in Ponte Vedra, so don't throw me into the rich snobby pile. The homes in my neighborhood are in the $180k range....I choose to put my money back into my business by paying my people higher wages and hiring more people to ease the workload for all my employees. If you think there aren't milliions out here just like me, you are only kidding yourself.
If you will be affected by Obama's tax plan, then you must be making an income of $250k or greater. If you decide of your own free will to pull your money out of the stock market and take an income hit of 30%, that will still leave you with an income of $175k...not too shabby by most standards. Can you not live comfortably on $175k a year? You'd have to cut employees so you can recapture their salaries and get your income back up to $250k? You said you can retire right now if you wanted to, so the necessity is not computing for me.
It's actually a good example of how trickle-down economics don't work, it's time to trickle-up!
95% of Americans are not making $250k or more per year, so Obama's tax plan benefits them. I don't think people need to be in fear that if the $250k+ crowd has to pay more taxes they will suddenly lose their jobs. In order for the "bosses" to earn a living, they are reliant on the "labor" of the workers....no labor, no product, no profit .
Forget the Jimmy Carter years, let's go back further, let's talk French Revolution! :
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Another perspective
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