Huckabee Gaining in the Polls

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by Felicity

John Edwards hair looked great tonite.

[ChristopherHall]

I find it interesting that the most religious of both parties showed strong. Both men are decent candidates from their respective parties.

It's important to note that most business owners I know personally would rather have the profile they had under Clinton than the profile they have presently under Bush. Only a select section of the corporate economy are pleased with the recent Republican leadership.

We do need to level the tax burden so that the burden of taxation is more fair. If Corporations have "corporate personhood" rights in regards to free speech and political funding...they should share the tax burden with all Americans. Right now you and me shoulder a greater share of the "tax burden" than the nation's largest corporations in comparison to their profits. We also need stronger incentives to keep jobs here and stiff tax penalties for moving jobs overseas. Corporations that move jobs overseas should face strong tax penalties on products sold in the US or relocate to their foreign markets entirely. Right now they get tax cuts though they move labor overseas, over generous tax cuts. They should only receive tax cuts if they keep jobs in the US, the more jobs kept here...the greater the tax benefit. Move 200 jobs overseas and loose your tax cuts. Oh too stiff for you? Well...relocate. I assure you that most reputable companies will opt to stay seeing that most other nations have higher taxes than we do. If they leave...great...we're innovative and it opens the field for new businesses and corporations that will remain in the US.

In the past 8 years the Republican agenda has failed and led to serious economic hardship. We need a change. If the Republicans can't figure it out it's time to punish them. Since the Republicans want to spend like drunken sailors on shore leave, I say throw 'em in the brig.

Corporate power sickens me. They are kings and we are peasants begging for bread. Our founding fathers wouldn't put up with this...they'd through another tea party. And the fact that so many of us Christians are corporate lap dogs barking the party line really worries me. Both Huckabee and Obama are populists. If they gain the nominations, the Reaganomic theory of trickle-down economic growth is dead.

My friends in Canada found it interesting. Ron said, "America may finally figure out what it means to be a nation with a strong domestic policy again."

"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. . . . corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed."
-- U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, Nov. 21, 1864
(letter to Col. William F. Elkins)
Ref: The Lincoln Encyclopedia, Archer H. Shaw (Macmillan, 1950, NY)

They days Lincoln feared are increasingly upon us. But we line up like sheep to pay our political homage at the altars of corporate power.

[trickledown]

If Corporations have "corporate personhood" rights in regards to free speech and political funding...they should share the tax burden with all Americans. Right now you and me shoulder a greater share of the "tax burden" than the nation's largest corporations in comparison to their profits.

Don't forget that the corporations you speak of are owned by shareholders who are taxed on their profits. You can't solve your tax problems by adding taxes to the corporations that have seen profits the past few years. Cutting taxes even more and allowing these corps and small businesses to grow is a more viable solution. Sure there are some really troubling practices among the US' largest industries but they are not to blame for being profitable. Financial freedom has made all of us in America wealthy and only the proliferation of entitlements will ruin that prosperity.

[trickledown]

If Corporations have "corporate personhood" rights in regards to free speech and political funding...they should share the tax burden with all Americans. Right now you and me shoulder a greater share of the "tax burden" than the nation's largest corporations in comparison to their profits.

Don't forget that those corporations are owned by shareholders that are taxed on their profits. You can't solve your tax problems by taxing large corps at a higher rate. You seem to be advocating a disguised tax of taking from the haves to fund entitlements for others. Corps can't be vilified for trying to stay viable and competitive. If you aren't growing in business... you soon start dying. Steeper tax cuts for business large and small stimulate our economy and (forgive me for this term) is Reaganesque in practice.

[trickledown]

It's important to note that most business owners I know personally would rather have the profile they had under Clinton than the profile they have presently under Bush. Only a select section of the corporate economy are pleased with the recent Republican leadership.

I am not sure of your friends business perspectives. Personally the of the dozen or so business owners I talk with regularly, only two long for the climate they had under Clinton... and that is only because they were very profitable during the 90's.

[ChristopherHall]

Originally Posted by trickledown

If Corporations have "corporate personhood" rights in regards to free speech and political funding...they should share the tax burden with all Americans. Right now you and me shoulder a greater share of the "tax burden" than the nation's largest corporations in comparison to their profits.

Don't forget that those corporations are owned by shareholders that are taxed on their profits. You can't solve your tax problems by taxing large corps at a higher rate. You seem to be advocating a disguised tax of taking from the haves to fund entitlements for others. Corps can't be vilified for trying to stay viable and competitive. If you aren't growing in business... you soon start dying. Steeper tax cuts for business large and small stimulate our economy and (forgive me for this term) is Reaganesque in practice.

I have no issue with giving decent tax breaks, benefits and shelters, to corporations that invest in and create jobs in the United States. It’s offering all these tax benefits to companies that are moving thousands of jobs overseas. If they are not willing to invest in this country and keep jobs in this country they shouldn’t receive tax rewards. Why reward a company that sends hundreds of jobs overseas? Reward those who stay and penalize those who move jobs overseas. Family values are about more than just abortion and marriage…without an income families collapse. When a company moves hundreds of jobs to India, Mexico, or China they are abandoning American families. It’s about more than money bro.

I do believe in strong domestic social policy. I’m most concerned with tax burden. When businesses get massive tax breaks the government’s bills are still there. Those costs are handed down to us, the individual tax payers, and we see our taxes go up. For example if the government gives away billions in tax breaks they have to cut block grant funding for various projects and programs. These programs will not go away. Sometimes they serve an essential function in local economies and communities. So then states and counties begin raising property taxes, sales taxes, levees, and fees. The more of the cost of government is handed down to you and me. Now, that’s not a problem if the corporate sector is creating jobs in the US and passing down enough profits to sustain livable wages. But right now we see corporations with record profits, with record tax breaks, extensive and specialized tax shelters, who are moving jobs overseas or paying wages that are not matching inflation and the basic cost of living. That has to change or America won’t have a middle class in 10 years, we’ll be like so many South American nations with only a wealthy aristocratic class and an impoverished working class; welcome to, The Bana-Republic of America. We all pay our fair share and benefits should only be granted to those sustaining THIS economy with wages.

I disagree. Like Communism, Reaganomics sounds good on paper but doesn’t work itself out in the real world. Our economy is in shambles today because of Reaganomics. We see growing numbers of those without health insurance (who we pay for with higher premiums, premiums so high the taxes for a national insurance plan would now be cheaper). Deregulation of the banking industry allowed for predatory lending practices and variable rate loans that have left our housing market battered and broken. Unemployment numbers are indicating that we are marching steadily toward recession. Many don’t realize that while our actual unemployment numbers are good, wages and benefits are down. The economy is shifting into lower paying service jobs and most real industry is moving overseas. Our national labor motto will soon be, “Do you want fries with that?” College tuitions are up and fewer are able to afford college which will create a shortage of educated workers. If Reaganomics worked, we’ve had decades of it, we should be living high on the hog. But we’re not. Reaganomics has only delivered to the higher income brackets and has failed the middle and lower class. The theory was that if we benefit those at the top the profits would “trickledown” in more jobs and higher wages but in reality those profits at the top overseas investments and ungodly CEO salaries. Think about this…in 2006 (if my memory serves me correctly) the CEO of United Health Care walked away with 1.7 BILLION dollars in stock options. That’s one man folks. That was supposed to trickle down. So frankly, I personally believe that Reaganomics is like Communism, sounds good on paper but doesn’t work. Apparently the American people are thinking the same thing because the front runners in both parties are economic progressives.

I don’t think that we should increase taxes for corporations across the board. I’m not anti-corporation, though I’m tough on corporations. I think we should only reward those corporations who pay livable wages and keep jobs in America. Penalize them for sending jobs overseas and paying lower wages. We’re the biggest market in the world…if they want to remain here and do business here…they have to be investing jobs and wages here.

[ChristopherHall]

Originally Posted by trickledown

It's important to note that most business owners I know personally would rather have the profile they had under Clinton than the profile they have presently under Bush. Only a select section of the corporate economy are pleased with the recent Republican leadership.

I am not sure of your friends business perspectives. Personally the of the dozen or so business owners I talk with regularly, only two long for the climate they had under Clinton... and that is only because they were very profitable during the 90's.

I think it depends on who you talk to and where you’re located. Some are ideological liars who will say anything pro-Republican (you know the modern conservatism has become the new “political correctness”, if you don’t believe me try being a devout Christian who favors centrist politics). Create an ID and choose to go out to a Christian forum and just offer some insight on some things that might be more progressive, like more block grant funding for No Child Left Behind, non-profits, and faith based orgs (something Republicans promised and didn’t deliver). Watch out bro…you’re very faith in Jesus will be challenged because God knows, Christians can only be Republicans. People feel free to bash and trash Democrats and those of more moderate political leanings freely…but let someone call the Republicans on their failures and it’s on buddy, you’ll catch fiery darts from every direction.

Some business owners can cut jobs and benefits, make a decent profit and say, “Wow, business was great.” Others can do the same thing and feel in their conscience that cutting the jobs and benefits hurt people and say, “Sure, I made decent profits, but it’s just not as good as it was. I had to lay John Doe off…and that’s the last thing his family needed after they had to foreclose on their home.” Most of it has to do with personal values and outlook.

[Apprehended]

Christopher Hall.

There is a growing chorus of "I will vote for the candidate that promises to give me the keys to the national treasury."

Do you feel that the path to more entitlements is the answer to what our economy needs? What is about the free enterprise (emphasis on "enterprise") system that you disagree with? Why do you feel that more entitlements would be helpful for the common good?

[deltaguitar]

There is just way too much to reply to but I will pick a few points in which you are way off.

1) Corporations are owned by shareholders who are people just like you and me. When the corporation pays taxes so do the shareholders. Not just once at the corporate level but also at the individual level when dividends are passed out to the owners.

2) The largest growth in our economy has come from small businesses, not the fortune 500. That is why the Bush tax cuts were focused on small businesses and family farms.

3) No one forces you to work for a corporation. If they aren't paying you a wage that you feel is fair you can either leave or bargain with them to pay you more. Remember, they need people. If there aren't enough workers the price of wages will go up until the supply of workers exceeds the demand. Wages will then go down.

4) Corporate tax rates are way higher than individual tax rates. Also, if a corporation keeps their money and doesn't distribute as dividends then they have to pay another tax on top of the income tax to keep their cash.

[scotty]

Originally Posted by Ronzo

"I'm calling you all here to announce that we had planned on running a mudslinging campaign commercial against my opponent. However, I want to take the high road and not run it because that just the kind of guy I am.

...BUT... just to prove to you that we had one set to go, I'm going to show it to you now... on NATIONAL TV... Here it is..."


Give


Me


A


Break




Stupid move for a guy who claims to be a Christian. Shows he's NO BETTER at keeping the moral compass than the rest of the career corrupt politicians...


He lost me there...


His attitude is just as smug as W... If he wins, I predict 4 more years of arrogance in the presidency...

Absolutly Brilliant!!!!!!!!!

The press has been bashing him since day one because he was a christian, (even after the win last night they just kept at it).

He used their own weapon to place an ad nationwide that he never could have afforded to place. Have you seen the ad? I have seen it in its entirety and here is the barn burner...THERE IS NO MUDSLINGING...After I watched it I was left thinking , what was so bad about that?....All it done was state Romneys past record on issues.....no negativity....and in turn made the press look like fools for covering it.....

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GO HUCKSTER