Obama on Gas Prices
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I'm not sure how this will be differentiated if you file jointly or single. They will find a way to get your money. When this election process started the Dems were throwing around 200K as rich. I've heard as low as 75K, but who knows what the end result will be. We all know that the middle class is more than paying their fair share and that Obama will change that and make us pay more than our fair share! He's going to have to raise taxes on us so he can DOUBLE the foreign!! Good idea.
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From: North of Dallas, South of Frisco
Well, my household income is over the median for my town, and we are far from rich...
To me, rich means- financially independent. I'm not there yet. In fact, 82% of Americans are 1 - 3 months with no pay, from being homeless. 2 - 6 paychecks from the poorhouse. If you're not in that situation, you are either:
1.) Rich (Independently wealthy).
2.) A dependent (living at home with parents).
3.) A few more months from being poor.
4.) Don't own anything.
It all depends on where you live. Here in Dallas, Texas, we can live pretty well on our salary. We'd be living even better in Killeen, TX- and in Louisiana, we'd live almost like kings (but we wouldn't have this salary in LA).
However, if we take this same Salary and move to my wife's hometown (Berkeley, CA (Bay Area), over to San francisco, or up the New York where my friends live; we'd go from sugar to s**t real quick on our salary.
Not many people can afford to move "to" those places. Many have been there their whole lives, and got their house when it was $85,000- not $585,000 as it is now (2 BR, 1 bath, detached 1-car garage, 1,700 sq. feet).
We'd move from a nice house, to a box.
They really need to reconsider where the line is for "rich" folks.
Last edited by Bighersh; Jun 13, 2008 at 04:39 PM.
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I was watching HGTV yesterday and it was some show about a lady picking ut a house to move into. She was a single mom, school teacher, and she was currently renting a house. She lived in rhode Island and was looking at houses in the $300,000's!!! And it wasnt much of a house for that either. That would be a nice 3500sf house here in Dallas. So do they pay school teachers around $100k a year over there in RI or what? No single mom school teacher is buying a $350,000 house here in Dallas!!!!
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From: San Antonio, Tx
That's another problem I have with republicans, F-150 XL driving Republicans. They are delusional to the point that they see themselves as "the rich". Newsflash- you guys aren't "the rich". You might be the middleclass (upper, middle, or lower middle class) or, upper lower class- but few of you guys are really members of "the rich". Yet, you gravitate to a party that favors "the rich" as if you are a member. As if you stand to benefit. In reality- few of you do.
You're not rich. Not many rich folks drive F-150's. Homeowner's Associations won't allow you to park them on the street, and they won't fit in many garages. But hey, if rich is a state of mind, more than reality- then you're half-way there. Proceed...
You're not rich. Not many rich folks drive F-150's. Homeowner's Associations won't allow you to park them on the street, and they won't fit in many garages. But hey, if rich is a state of mind, more than reality- then you're half-way there. Proceed...
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From: North of Dallas, South of Frisco
PS: Obama said $250K, not $80K.
Originally Posted by Source: YaHoo news
:
Obama was vague about what forms of income would be affected, saying, "We should exempt anyone making under $250,000 from this increase so that the change doesn't burden middle-class Americans." Campaign aides said the additional tax, like the current one, would apply only to wages and salaries and not to other forms of income such as investments.
Obama has talked before of establishing such a "doughnut hole" in the amount of income subject to the Social Security tax. Friday marked the first time he confirmed a resumption point: $250,000 and above.
Obama was vague about what forms of income would be affected, saying, "We should exempt anyone making under $250,000 from this increase so that the change doesn't burden middle-class Americans." Campaign aides said the additional tax, like the current one, would apply only to wages and salaries and not to other forms of income such as investments.
Obama has talked before of establishing such a "doughnut hole" in the amount of income subject to the Social Security tax. Friday marked the first time he confirmed a resumption point: $250,000 and above.
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From: North of Dallas, South of Frisco
I was watching HGTV yesterday and it was some show about a lady picking ut a house to move into. She was a single mom, school teacher, and she was currently renting a house. She lived in rhode Island and was looking at houses in the $300,000's!!! And it wasnt much of a house for that either. That would be a nice 3500sf house here in Dallas. So do they pay school teachers around $100k a year over there in RI or what? No single mom school teacher is buying a $350,000 house here in Dallas!!!!
He put about $300K down on it, because he sold his house in California (less than 1,500 square feet) for almost $600,000. He said he paid $110K for it in 1994. So, in 14 years, he netted $500K on that house. He could've paid cash for the house, but instead- he bought himself a 745Li, and got his wife a small Benz, then banked the rest.
I see people in NYC on shows like "Property Ladder" on HGTV/TLC- or whatever- happy about moving "up" from their 800 square foot box, to their larger 1,000 square foot box, and saying how much roomier it is...
That's less than 1/2 the size of my house, at nearly 4 times the price, as these closets they call houses up there, are easily $600,000, and higher the closer you get to the city (NYC).
If the cost of living is that high, then their salaries must be gigantic as well. If companies have to pay that, no wonder so many are relocating their headquarters to Dallas. They could cut payroll expenses greatly.
To put it in perspective, the rule of thumb is, at 7% interest, your house note is about 1% of the cost of your home (when you combine taxes & insurance into your payment (escrow)- which we and most people do.)
So, a $350,000 home on a 7% 30-year fixed mortgage will run about $3,500.00/month. To aford a house like that, your bring home pay would need to be at least $7,000/month- wich means a net pay of about $10K - $11K/month- or about $132,000/year annual salary.
Apparently, there are a lot of folks doing this well. But just think, as wel as they live here- if they moved to San Fran, or Manhattan, they'd be living in a shoebox on a salary of $132K/year.
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From: North of Dallas, South of Frisco
A LOT of people round here think if they vote (R), they're automatically given the privilages and keys to be "rich". You still see tons of anglo-garbage (read: white trash) driving total pos vehicles w/ 04 Dub-ya stickers still on them back to their trailers - guess he's helped them out.
In reality- the Republicans are like- "Thank you for your vote Goober, now, go anchor that trailer- storm's a-coming."
*******************
They really think they're part of the same class, driving that Orange 1976 Granada with three hub caps missing, back to the trailer park, with "W" stickers on the window. They really think they have something in common with the Republican politician's mindset.
There's a lot of that around here.
Must be a state of mind... Maybe if I started thinking I'm Republican, I'd be rich. Or, at least I'd feel rich...
I'll try it...
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From: TX
U Tell em Hersh
I am onboard with you 100%. I fail to see how a President can have such a bad tenure and it not be any of his fault. Bush and Chaney are oil men so they stand to prosper from high prices. Support of the Conservative party does little for your pocket if it is not bulging already. The Congress became a Democratic majority not too long ago. Bush has had ample opportunity to get something rolling right and it has not happened. Put some blame where it it due People.
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From: guess
the republican mind set has nothing to do with entitlement, the exact opposite in fact, we may drive a pos car but it is our car and we want the opportunity to build ourselves up, if we fail it is all our fault, and if we succeed it is all our fault, we do not want the government to tell us we are doing bad because we do not have everything our neighbor does, we do not want hand outs and we do not want parts of our pay to go to people who do want handouts, we want to live our lives with the opportunity to succeed or fail on our own.
sorry but those are the facts of the conservative republican mindset I know it may be hard for you libs to understand that welfare is one of the most evil things to us and that most of the degradation of our society can be traced to welfare and that self sufficiency is the cornerstone that this country was built on and what made us great. the libs just want to tear that all down and build their great society in their vision that would not look out of place in Stalins time. what the republicans have is hope, for ourselves, our country, our future, and above all for future generations, what the what the libs offer is despair, hatred, and a gloom and doom vision where no one is responsable for anything.
sorry but those are the facts of the conservative republican mindset I know it may be hard for you libs to understand that welfare is one of the most evil things to us and that most of the degradation of our society can be traced to welfare and that self sufficiency is the cornerstone that this country was built on and what made us great. the libs just want to tear that all down and build their great society in their vision that would not look out of place in Stalins time. what the republicans have is hope, for ourselves, our country, our future, and above all for future generations, what the what the libs offer is despair, hatred, and a gloom and doom vision where no one is responsable for anything.
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From: North of Dallas, South of Frisco
the republican mind set has nothing to do with entitlement, the exact opposite in fact, we may drive a pos car but it is our car and we want the opportunity to build ourselves up, if we fail it is all our fault, and if we succeed it is all our fault, we do not want the government to tell us we are doing bad because we do not have everything our neighbor does, we do not want hand outs and we do not want parts of our pay to go to people who do want handouts, we want to live our lives with the opportunity to succeed or fail on our own.
sorry but those are the facts of the conservative republican mindset I know it may be hard for you libs to understand that welfare is one of the most evil things to us and that most of the degradation of our society can be traced to welfare and that self sufficiency is the cornerstone that this country was built on and what made us great. the libs just want to tear that all down and build their great society in their vision that would not look out of place in Stalins time. what the republicans have is hope, for ourselves, our country, our future, and above all for future generations, what the what the libs offer is despair, hatred, and a gloom and doom vision where no one is responsable for anything.
sorry but those are the facts of the conservative republican mindset I know it may be hard for you libs to understand that welfare is one of the most evil things to us and that most of the degradation of our society can be traced to welfare and that self sufficiency is the cornerstone that this country was built on and what made us great. the libs just want to tear that all down and build their great society in their vision that would not look out of place in Stalins time. what the republicans have is hope, for ourselves, our country, our future, and above all for future generations, what the what the libs offer is despair, hatred, and a gloom and doom vision where no one is responsable for anything.
Yes, we all drive our own cars, as well. However, you can be all those things you stated so eloquently, and still be anti-republican. I mean, think about it. You are against handouts for the unfortunate, but support a party that has historically favored to rich, to the burden of the lower and middle class (financial) members of this society. So- if I understand correctly, the republican mindset is- "Screw the poor folks, and lets keep paying for America, so the Rich folks can have it better on my dime?"
That's why I support a flat tax, but we haven't had a President or a viable candidate that supported that yet. I'm not against rich people, I want to be rich too. I just don't like the way things are catered to the rich on the dime of the average Joe. I think a lot of things are unfair, for example- I think it's unfair for a person who only paid $2,000 in income tax, to get a $5,000 refund. I work and pay taxes too, and as much as I pay every year, we still end up owing- or getting a small ($150 - $200) refund. That's with a child, tuition, 401K deductions, and rental property loss discounts. But, my friend makes $300K (more than twice what we bring home) and he gets $8,000 refunds every year. Other friends making far less than us, get $3,000 refunds. We pay all year, and on April 15th.
I'm against welfare too, but with a caveat. Bad times can happen to anyone, including you or I. And, while welfare would be the absolute last thing I would ever consider- it's nice to know that for those who need a hand up, it's there for them. As a hand up. I'm fully against welfare for those who are comfortable at the bottom- teenaged mothers, and things of that nature. If you're able-bodied, you shoudl work.
That's why I think there shoudl be a cap on how much, and for how long one can get a Welfare check- unless he or she has been injured, and cannot work, is truly mentally or physically disabled and cannot work, and the elderly.
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From: guess
maybe I should restate, the republican party has historically been more aligned with these thoughts, but I am a conservative first, and believe that a hand up is fine, but not a hand out, obama mama wants more hand outs, lots more, more for us and more for the world with our dollar loosing ground and our economy weakening we CAN NOT AFFORD to be the worlds welfare office. If there is one issue that should stop all American people from voting in obama mama its that he wants to give more money away when we are in trouble here, and no one out there can tell me with a straight face that our economy would not be helped by keeping that money here. obama mama talks about change and that is exactly what we will be left with change while the dollars leave our country obama mama will leave us the change
Last edited by po1911; Jun 13, 2008 at 07:33 PM.
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From: Bismarck, ND
a.) Intentional. Big Oil did this. Has a new refinery been built in this country in the last 30 years? Keeping supply a concern, keeps prices high. Not Bush's fault, Big Oil is screwing us there. But, Bush could at least say something- or try to do something to get these guys to loose their grip on our wallets.
b.) Intentional. They (Big Oil) laid off our workers, and shut our oil fields down because it was cheaper to build ships, and float oil in from Saudi Arabia, than to pay Americans to pump it out of our soil. We benefitted at the pump too, but now that demand is higher, and prices are higher- I think it may be less expensive to do it ourselves. Like I said, if it was putting Americans to work, at least we'd know the price increase was for a good cause, rather than lining the pockets of a few fat-cat investors. But, we can't expect the fox to mind the henhouse, can we?
c.) Screw the tree huggers, drill for that oil. Bush had big cajones on everything else. Let's see them now.
d.) This is because (Conspiracy theory) Big Oil and the Automobile industry were in bed together. Now that AI sees Big Oil doesn't give a damn about their business- I we'll soon see powerful, fuel efficient vehicles come onto the market very soon- they may use very little, or no fossil fuels. I look forward to it. I hear the Chevy Volt may not need fuel at all. Wouldn't that be nice. (Then electricity will jump to $7.00/KW hour, LOL)
e.) Lies! While they have increased in demand, to be sure- most of those people are stil walking and riding bikes outside of (and in China's case, even in) their major cities. Those folks are still poor, and unless they are offering 30-year financing, they aren't selling that many cars over there, and fewer gas guzzlers. It's an emerging market, not one with a highway/roadway infrastructure even comparable to the US, or Europe.
b.) Intentional. They (Big Oil) laid off our workers, and shut our oil fields down because it was cheaper to build ships, and float oil in from Saudi Arabia, than to pay Americans to pump it out of our soil. We benefitted at the pump too, but now that demand is higher, and prices are higher- I think it may be less expensive to do it ourselves. Like I said, if it was putting Americans to work, at least we'd know the price increase was for a good cause, rather than lining the pockets of a few fat-cat investors. But, we can't expect the fox to mind the henhouse, can we?
c.) Screw the tree huggers, drill for that oil. Bush had big cajones on everything else. Let's see them now.
d.) This is because (Conspiracy theory) Big Oil and the Automobile industry were in bed together. Now that AI sees Big Oil doesn't give a damn about their business- I we'll soon see powerful, fuel efficient vehicles come onto the market very soon- they may use very little, or no fossil fuels. I look forward to it. I hear the Chevy Volt may not need fuel at all. Wouldn't that be nice. (Then electricity will jump to $7.00/KW hour, LOL)
e.) Lies! While they have increased in demand, to be sure- most of those people are stil walking and riding bikes outside of (and in China's case, even in) their major cities. Those folks are still poor, and unless they are offering 30-year financing, they aren't selling that many cars over there, and fewer gas guzzlers. It's an emerging market, not one with a highway/roadway infrastructure even comparable to the US, or Europe.
b.) Its easy to blame "Big Oil" like they are some evil group of corporations. Fact is, we (Americans) laid off the oil workers. We did it by demanding the cheapest possible oil. Companies could no longer make money drilling for oil, or even in some cases simply producing previously drilled wells was no longer economically viable. They were left with little choice, but such is life. Always remember, these companies are not in the oil business. They are in business to make money, no different than any other corporation. They will do what it takes to remain in business and continue making money.
ETA: It is cheaper to drill for oil here. Its not as simple as it costs $x to drill, $y to bring to production and will net z barrels of oil. But for the most part the cost of drilling here in the US is very competitive with the costs in other countries. And for the record, the oil industry is paying very well and hiring just about anybody they can get their hands on. I'm just an intern and I'm making way more than most people do. Plus the benefits are second to none.
c.) Agreed.
d.) I don't buy into the conspiracy theories. I think they are stupid and anybody who truely believes them is blinded by their hatred for oil companies.
e.) I'm not sure what you say are lies. Can you please expound? It is certain fact that oil is used in many different products. I think I covered this very lightly here.
Or are you saying that the drastically increased industrial production of both India and China have not had an effect?
Last edited by BennyHanna; Jun 13, 2008 at 07:56 PM.
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PS: In November of 2007 he thought 97k a year is Upper Class. Is there a class above upper class? I'd say 97K a year is middle class.
http://sayanythingblog.com/entry/who...d_is_not_rich/
http://sayanythingblog.com/entry/who...d_is_not_rich/
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From: western washington
Yeah, these Republicans out here seem to have selective amnesia. They "forgot" the deer-in-the-headlights stare Bush had a few months ago when reporters asked what did he think about gas prices soaring above $3.00 and heading towards $4.00 a gallon. He was stuck...
That's how much Bush is on the job.
That's another problem I have with republicans, F-150 XL driving Republicans. They are delusional to the point that they see themselves as "the rich". Newsflash- you guys aren't "the rich". You might be the middleclass (upper, middle, or lower middle class) or, upper lower class- but few of you guys are really members of "the rich". Yet, you gravitate to a party that favors "the rich" as if you are a member. As if you stand to benefit. In reality- few of you do.
You're not rich. Not many rich folks drive F-150's. Homeowner's Associations won't allow you to park them on the street, and they won't fit in many garages. But hey, if rich is a state of mind, more than reality- then you're half-way there. Proceed...
But, back on Bush-
He didn't even know gas had gotten so expensive. That's how much attention George is paying to the plight of his fellow Americans. At least Clinton tried to help us out on his watch, when gas soared to $1.79/gallon and he opened the strategic reserve to help check the "demand" due to supply concerns. But, a Republican will tell you this ended up hurting consumers rather than helping.
Well, it hurt because the refineries reduced output, to curb to sudden surplus- yet no one (or few) thinks this intentional manipulation of the supply of refined fuel by the petroleum industry is intentional manipulation by them, to keep prices high. Well, I commend the effort, and the fact that it shined a light on who is really at fault, rather than the current administration who has sat back and watched the average price of fuel go up by more than $0.25/gallon each year of this adminstration, on average, with the greatest climb happening between March 2006 to Present.
The only way to remove the market from the BS of middle east tensions, and every time Venezuela has a brain fart, is to put those US oil workers back to work in our own oil fields- and stop importing our oil. Watch how OPEC increases their productivity, increases supply, and lowers prices to get our business back. We need to stop being the victim, and get Wal-Marty on their *****. No, you think you're supplying us, but in reality- you work for us. You don't want to play ball, we'll take our business away from you.
If that would happen- witness the result.
That's how much Bush is on the job.
That's another problem I have with republicans, F-150 XL driving Republicans. They are delusional to the point that they see themselves as "the rich". Newsflash- you guys aren't "the rich". You might be the middleclass (upper, middle, or lower middle class) or, upper lower class- but few of you guys are really members of "the rich". Yet, you gravitate to a party that favors "the rich" as if you are a member. As if you stand to benefit. In reality- few of you do.
You're not rich. Not many rich folks drive F-150's. Homeowner's Associations won't allow you to park them on the street, and they won't fit in many garages. But hey, if rich is a state of mind, more than reality- then you're half-way there. Proceed...
But, back on Bush-
He didn't even know gas had gotten so expensive. That's how much attention George is paying to the plight of his fellow Americans. At least Clinton tried to help us out on his watch, when gas soared to $1.79/gallon and he opened the strategic reserve to help check the "demand" due to supply concerns. But, a Republican will tell you this ended up hurting consumers rather than helping.
Well, it hurt because the refineries reduced output, to curb to sudden surplus- yet no one (or few) thinks this intentional manipulation of the supply of refined fuel by the petroleum industry is intentional manipulation by them, to keep prices high. Well, I commend the effort, and the fact that it shined a light on who is really at fault, rather than the current administration who has sat back and watched the average price of fuel go up by more than $0.25/gallon each year of this adminstration, on average, with the greatest climb happening between March 2006 to Present.
The only way to remove the market from the BS of middle east tensions, and every time Venezuela has a brain fart, is to put those US oil workers back to work in our own oil fields- and stop importing our oil. Watch how OPEC increases their productivity, increases supply, and lowers prices to get our business back. We need to stop being the victim, and get Wal-Marty on their *****. No, you think you're supplying us, but in reality- you work for us. You don't want to play ball, we'll take our business away from you.
If that would happen- witness the result.
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From: miami florida u.s.
We don't get a whole lot of oil from OPEC. Most of our oil is from canada.
In all of 2007 OPEC provided 5,983 thousands of barrels per day/per year.
Canada provided 2426.Our imports(the U.S.'s total 2007 imports of light crude oil) was
13,439.
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/pe...0_mbblpd_a.htm
Link of proof.
Last edited by ganiman; Jun 13, 2008 at 11:34 PM.