canadianboy40 (June 25, 2008 at 8:29 pm)

i hope its not a trend setting change

chestertonrules (June 25, 2008 at 6:15 pm)

The data below is for 2005, let's compare to 1999 when the rich payed less and the poor paid MORE!For Tax Year 1999Top 1% $293,415 36.18 %Top 5% $120,846 55.45%Top 10% $87,682 66.45%Top 25% $52,965 83.54%Top 50% $26,415 96.00 %Bottom 50% <$26,415 4.00%

chestertonrules (June 25, 2008 at 6:12 pm)

Who pays taxes?Top 1% $364,657 39.38%Top 5% $145,283 59.67%Top 10% $103,912 70.30%Top 25% $62,068 85.99%Top 50% $30,881 96.93%Bottom 50% <$30,881 3.07%So the top 50% of income earners pay over 96% of income taxes. Not enough for you?

bullwyf777 (June 25, 2008 at 1:46 am)

Obama is a little bit to afraid to be president; he was scheduled for a possible pre-travel briefing military briefing from officials with the Joint Chiefs of Staff office last week, but canceled to attend Tim Russert's funeral. Seeking a so-called "ops-intel" briefing. Obama told reporters that he intended to visit both Iraq and Afghanistan before the election. John McCain has been the whimp Obama who is obviously a coward and a phony has not. But as long as you support him he won't.

daddymak8 (June 24, 2008 at 8:52 pm)

And your growth of the middle class satement is bullshit. The common person think that anyone who goes to work is part of the middle class. Unless you come from a family of four and are earning in excess of $108,000, you are not a part of the middle class. Tax these pricks making $250K and let everyone else keep more of their pay, the way it was until Ronald Reagan made everybody else get taxed at the same rate as the rich.

daddymak8 (June 24, 2008 at 8:48 pm)

I remember the Clinton economic plan, passed in 1993, being credited with jumpstarting an economy on life support. The measure passed by 1 vote when then House Speaker Tom Foley broke the tie in the House of Representatives, and by 1 vote in the Senate when Vice President Al Gore cast the tie breaking vote. It created 26 million jobs and helped reduce the welfare rolls by 60%, producing 32 straight quarters of economic growth. It also raised taxes on people earning $140K. You lose, chester.

NycStreets (June 24, 2008 at 7:23 pm)

Its sometimes an endless cycle that people have to go through. im not saying there shouldnt be any empahasis on the individual because there should. i choose to be an independent because things change and we most adapt as a country to changing times. just like fdr new deal when people were struggling years ago the goverment has to implementthings to help its citizens because i frankly dont see the mjority of big business helping there laying off if anything

NycStreets (June 24, 2008 at 7:18 pm)

Actually the middle class has shrunken because of a rising unemployment and the fact that suburbia has shrunken due to fuel costs.Not to punish rich people but when 3% of the population owns over 65 pecent of the wealth they should be taxed higher.Private citizens can create jobs but it takes some adaquate knowledge of these principles which college helps.... now factor in the rising costs of school. people have to work just to dig themselves out the whole and it may take ten years

chestertonrules (June 24, 2008 at 3:03 am)

The middle class is large and growing America.Punishing rich people doesn't help anyone.We need private citizens spending money to create jobs.The only way the government can do anything is if they first take money from those who earned.That's not productive.Government does have some legitimate functions, but we must keep those to a minimum so we don't put too large a burden on our economy.

NycStreets (June 23, 2008 at 11:51 pm)

Well judging from the fabolous life of wealthy people i doubt most are interested in giving back (maybe for taxes sake) than building a bigger yacht. theres needs to be some force to keep things in check espicially on the wealthy becaue pretty soon there wont be middle class.. just rich and poor.