State of the Union 2010

[scottaa1]

it was a waste of time, per usual. I need to look this thread up next year if I plan to watch it again and convince myself to go read a book.

wow, I'm like notredamus with my 'look this up next year.' didn't realize this was tonight until Katie Couric told me.

sandeep and babu have not been reduced in the workforce, they have multiplied exponentially. Our governor here in Indiana is contemplating a run for presidency. I'll be sure to point out during his campaign that he has outsourced all of the jobs in Indiana, and once he does so at a national level, America can return to its roots of being a hunter-gatherer society.

[WaCougMBS]

I'll just be glad in 4 years when I can blow off some other politians SOU speech. At least I hope so anyway.

Only 2 years now

[dream_017]

it was a waste of time, per usual. I need to look this thread up next year if I plan to watch it again and convince myself to go read a book.

wow, I'm like notredamus with my 'look this up next year.' didn't realize this was tonight until Katie Couric told me.

sandeep and babu have not been reduced in the workforce, they have multiplied exponentially. Our governor here in Indiana is contemplating a run for presidency. I'll be sure to point out during his campaign that he has outsourced all of the jobs in Indiana, and once he does so at a national level, America can return to its roots of being a hunter-gatherer society.

Did they replace Abit with Babu?

[scottaa1]

Did they replace Abit with Babu?

Yes. They're sending entry-level people over to displace experienced American workers. Once they get a year or two of experience, they get called back home and a new body is sent.

[scottaa1]

it was a waste of time, per usual. I need to look this thread up next year if I plan to watch it again and convince myself to go read a book.

time to convince myself to go read a book.

[dgan]

it was a waste of time, per usual. I need to look this thread up next year if I plan to watch it again and convince myself to go read a book.

time to convince myself to go read a book.

LOL, good plan. Not even sure why they waste their own time with their BS, much less our time. Not only do they wholly disagree with everything they're saying, I'm not even sure they understand what it is they are trying to say that they don't believe in. An example of something I found hilarious:

Obama was drolling on (so I read in the paper anyway) about re-establishing the middle class. Let me give you a lesson in geometry Mr. Obama - to be a "middle", their has to be a top and a bottom. Therefore, if you supertax the top (rich) and subsidize the bottom (poor), you no longer have a middle - or a middle-class. So which is it? Do you want to accept income classes of poor/middle/rich, or do you want to bring us all to relatively the same level? Because it is scientifically impossible to do both...

Increase taxes, provide countless government programs for the poor, but improve the middle class? The what-used-to-be-middle-class are taxed like the rich but don't qualify for the poor people programs. And that's why we're all in debt and looking forward to the day soon when we will qualify for those poor people programs. Right now, middle-class is the people fortunate to have a job where they are forced to work in ungodly conditions for less pay and no benefits.

Lost all equity in my home, yet property taxes keep rising - but working hard so I don't default on my home loan. No help. Haven't had a raise in 6 years, but working more hours to meet the cost of rising inflation. No help. Had to put vital expenses on the credit card so I can actually get to work and heat my home, but working hard not to declare bankruptcy. No help. As kids get older, they get more expensive, yet I'm labeled as "over-committed myself financially" like someone who was out running up their credit on big TVs and new cars...yes, I had kids...sorry. Yet if I didn't work so hard, I would eventually qualify for several government benefits and bailouts...so what exactly is my motivation to work hard and never see my family? Why not just let the next used-to-be-middle-class guy support me? Oh no, that's right, we would just need to tax Bill Gates an extra few percent to support me and the other 99% of non-Bill Gates with no motivation to work anymore.

I know people (and manage some of them) who make half what I make - poverty salary - that are flying their kids to Disney World and driving new cars. Meanwhile, I haven't taken my family over the state line in over 8 years because we can't afford it. Tell me how that is possible. Little income tax, subsidized housing, etc...that's how - and I'm paying for their kid's vacation while telling my kids driving our '98 Altima with 182,000 miles on it to the state fair is our vacation. They intend to tax me into poverty so they can help me, apparently. Once I lose my home or my job or my health, then maybe I can take my kids to Disney World...

But yeah, talk about how you want to bolster the middle class. Appreciate that...I don't care which way you bat politically, but you have to choose one method or the other. If you're telling me no one is allowed to be poorer than me, so we're all going to live paycheck to paycheck, remove employer benefits, and there will be government programs for all of us so that we don't get TOO poor? Fine. Do it. Or if you're saying screw it - laissez faire - everyone do the best you can and good luck. Fine. But don't tell me you want both. That's the only way that absolutely will NOT work. That's just called "please give me your vote so I can continue living the high life for as long as possible and I don't really give a **** about you."

All of these politicians from both sides talk out both sides of their mouth - and then we wonder why sticking 100 of them in a room they can't get anything done. They can't agree with themself, much less each other.

Sorry...hope this isn't too political - I just hate the realization that there is one thing the Founding Fathers didn't foresee: A day when there were so many stupid and naive citizens that America could still ruin itself from the top down even though its citizens had the power all along to prevent it.

[biju]

Was this SOTU about the middle class? I thought that was a from a few years back, although I'll admit I didn't actually watch any of the recent ones.

Personally I don't understand the concept you're talking about of "super-taxing" the rich. There's a percentage and you pay it. For that matter, most of the US 1% don't pay that max percentage of 35% because their income is from capital gains from investments which is currently taxed at 15% (the tax bracket for people who make between $8,500 - $34,500). The people who gets "screwed" in this particular system seem to be poor folks because their cost of living is a greater percentage of their take home pay, which is why (I believe) liberals tend to believe more in social programs for the poor. I'm not in favor of this although I get classified as liberal (socially liberal, fiscally conservative) but there are so many more things to moan and groan about than the taxes of the rich or social programs for the poor it boggles the mind. It certainly makes me grumpy to think that I pay more tax dollars than someone that makes $500,000 in capital gains. As far as I'm concerned, we aren't taxing the super rich enough.

As for those people who are traveling when you cannot afford to I can't imagine that this is because of social programs. I suspect there will be a lot of people struggling when they get older and I hope your hard work through these times means you aren't one of those people. I also think the moment we get past the baby boomers our entire world will be in a much better place financially. Hurry up and die baby boomers.

[dgan]

Note to self...again: Don't drunk post.

I >think< the point I was making is that what Obama (or almost any politician) says and what they want to do are often completely opposite concepts. So why anyone listens to speeches, debates or ads (which they will have spent hundreds of MILLIONS of dollars on before the election, incidentally) is beyond my comprehension. You can't believe anything they say...look at their record. That's the only way to guess what they're going to try to do in the future.

And Romney is no better, if not worse at blatantly lying about what he wants to do. So anyone that is talked into voting for these buffoons is an idiot. Look at their record - see which one causes you less anger, and vote the lesser of two evils. Then you get to be like me and just ignore 11 months of campaign rhetoric.

I would gladly delete my previous drunk post, but then biju's post would make less sense....

[biju]

Haha, I'd been drinking too. It's shocking how many times I come back after a few and check in on the Cafe...

[scottaa1]

Note to self...again: Don't drunk post.
.....
I would gladly delete my previous drunk post, but then biju's post would make less sense....

Haha, I'd been drinking too. It's shocking how many times I come back after a few and check in on the Cafe...

Maybe the key is to pick up a six pack on the way home?

Hey guess what's on tonight!!??