And now a message from Ed Asner...

[Carla_Danger]

Yet it was Reagan who set the middle class on a path to destruction

Which explains the vast expansion of the middle class in the Reagan years...

The only people who did not appreciate what Ronald Reagan did for the middle class after his first term are the people who elect clowns like Al Franken and Keith Allison.

Why don't you tell us how many time Ronald Regan raised taxes. Well, except for the higher income bracket.


From PolitiFact.com

But to combat a rising deficit and debt burden, Reagan also approved increased taxes.

In 1982, The Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act raised taxes by $37.5 billion per year, and the Highway Revenue Act raised the gasoline tax by $3.3 billion.

In 1983, Reagan signed off on legislation to raise payroll taxes and tax Social Security benefits for some higher earners.

In 1984, the Deficit Reduction Act included increases in taxes on estates and distilled spirits and ended some business tax breaks, to the tune of $18 billion per year.

In 1985, Reagan signed legislation making permanent a 16-cent federal excise tax on a pack of cigarettes, then worth about $2.4 billion a year.

In 1986, the Tax Reform Act lowered the top income tax bracket from 50 percent to 28 percent. To pay for the reductions, however, the legislation closed a number of tax loopholes.

In 1987, Reagan signed the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act that extended the telephone excise tax and eliminated a real estate tax deduction loophole.

So it’s accurate to say Reagan increased levies during five years of his administration, but there’s a caveat: The overall tax burden on businesses and individuals went down during his presidency.

We examined data from the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center that computes the nation’s tax revenues as a percentage of its Gross Domestic Product -- the total of all goods and services produced.

When Reagan took office in 1981, federal taxes were 19.6 percent of GDP, the highest level since World War II. That figure dropped to 17.3 percent during his first term and rose to 18.2 percent at the end of his second term.

For comparison, federal tax revenues for this fiscal year are estimated at 15.8 percent of GDP.

Reagan’s efforts to cut top income tax rates at the same time he was increasing defense spending created strain, and the federal debt rose from $994 billion at the start of his first term to almost $2.9 trillion at the end. As a result, Reagan was willing to accept and sometimes promote proposals that would close loopholes and create a broader tax base, according to C. Eugene Steuerle, who organized the Treasury Department's 1984-86 tax reform effort and is now a fellow at the Urban Institute and Tax Policy Center.

This April, President Barack Obama said Reagan "understood repeatedly that when the deficit started to get out of control, that for him to make a deal, he would have to propose both spending cuts and tax increases." PolitiFact National rated the claim Mostly True, noting that Reagan did not repeatedly propose increases but agreed to tax hikes put forth by Congress.



Now tell us how senile old coot, Reagan, cut spending. LOL!

 

[FJO]

It seems as if you believe in some sort of revenue fairy. It reminds me of the war fairy, that was supposed to pay for our wars...yet never did.

I believe taxpayers will only be fleeced so much, and then they'll move away.

FEAR TACTICS!!! Where are they gonna move, Iraq? To be reunited with our tax dollars? LOL


You don't remember the 1950's, do you? Remember, the wealthy paid a bunch of taxes, they were still wealthy, and we had a strong Middle Class.

In the 1950's America was the only kid in the block. America could do practically everything without any competition from elsewhere. Japan and Europe were still in ruins, recovering by generous American help.

Comparing the world economy of the 1950's to that of today is not realistic.

Add to that the emotional and patriotic difference. In the 1950's there was no freeloading bums who would take their country to the cleaners as today. Back then - before Lyndon Johnson's misbegotten and total failure of Great Society - people were proud to be Americans, unlike the so-called First Lady who was never proud of America until her husband got elected President.

And saying that it is only rich conservatives that are trying to avoid paying higher taxes, would be well advised to remember that the gigolo John Kerry made a strong attempt to hide his wife's yacht in harbor that is not in the state where he resides.

Those who cry about the rich should pay higher taxes obviously don't believe in equality. If a certain percentage is good for a certain income group, it should be good for all income groups, or change the law.

They should also remember that complaining about other people's taxes only reveal that they are incompetent and stupid themselves to earn the income of those whom they seem so detest. They are consumed with envy, jealousy and hatred for everyone better than themselves.

I am a conservative. I am not rich, but I am comfortable. In all my life I was off work for only 6 weeks, during which time I collected $27 a week. I saved some of that, added to my bank account and then lived on my savings, while I attended high school to earn my diploma as a 24 year old adult student. And before I forget, I was an immigrant who came here, not being able to speak a word of English, all alone when I was only eighteen.

I never had a union thug speak for me, because I am not mentally challenged and always could speak for myself. Even when my English was kind of weak.

I am sure many of those who bitch about the rich not paying their fair share never had it as tough as I did.

And finally, I came from a COMMUNIST country. So, I don't need any armchair socialist tell me that I don't know what communism or communist is. I had to sing glories of Stalin, kind of reminiscent how kids were forced to sing of Obama in 2009.

 

[Uncensored2008]

Yea, everyone who believes the middle class is the driving force in our economy is a communist. OMG, the sky is falling, the communists are coming to get us. Calll Joseph McCarthy to save us.

Ed Asner is a pile of shit - and a shitty actor.

Asner survived Hollywood based solely on his connections as a far left Jew.

But forget that fat assed fool, will any of you Obamunists in this forum call to revoke the Hollywood Exemptions that keep 1% filth like Asner from paying their fair share?

{Section 317 of the freshly approved legislation includes an extension for "special expensing rules for certain film and television productions." Congress first enacted production tax incentives favorable to the domestic entertainment industry in 2004, and extended them in 2008, but the deal was meant to expire in 2011.

The fiscal cliff deal extends the tax incentives through 2013--even as payroll taxes rise on ordinary Americans.

The original tax incentive applied to productions costing less than $15 million to make ($20 million in low-income areas). The 2008 extension applies to all films, up to a deduction of $15 million (or $20 million in low-income areas). The incentive is especially generous to television series; it applies to each TV episode. }

Hollywood exempt from tax increases on the wealthy.

Ad Asner strongly supports sharply raising taxes on other people. Like all leftists, he's a fucking fraud and hypocrite who avoids paying taxes himself.

 

[Uncensored2008]

Nazis scapegoated rich Jews, Americans Progressives scapegoat the rich

Didn't take but three replies, folks.

Keep in mind who and what these Monica Lewinskys for the opulent really are...

CrusaderFrank and friends...

Say stupid, wasn't it you Obamunists who put through fascist care, the biggest boon to big Pharma in history? Forcing ALL Americans to buy what big Pharma is selling?

Yep, it sure was.

 

[Uncensored2008]

I wouldn't use big words like "communist" if you don't know what it means.

ROFL

Yer a stupid little guy.

Say sparky, want to go over to the CDZ and have a debate on communism? I'll be happy to delve into a little dialectic materialism.

 

[Uncensored2008]

It only added around 2.5 trillion to our debt.

Did you not winning the lotto add $1 million to your personal debt, fucktard?

 

[Uncensored2008]

Why don't you tell us how many time Ronald Regan raised taxes. Well, except for the higher income bracket.

Sigh,

Another trained monkey from the hate sites.

Just what the board needs....

 

[BillyV]

When Reagan took office in 1981, federal taxes were 19.6 percent of GDP, the highest level since World War II. That figure dropped to 17.3 percent during his first term and rose to 18.2 percent at the end of his second term.

For comparison, federal tax revenues for this fiscal year are estimated at 15.8 percent of GDP.

All true. It's also true that during tax year 2007, with the full effect of the Bush tax cuts in place, federal taxes were 18.5% of GDP. The revenues didn't drop into the 15% range until 2009, after the economy cratered. Since we have a progressive tax system, when things are going well people tend to pay in the higher brackets and are more likely to buy and sell capital assets that create gains. It isn't simply about raising rates on the rich; that will just give them more incentive to find ways to shelter their income and avoid selling assets that are subject to tax.

Historical Source of Revenue as Share of GDP