I saw a couple of news pieces on the Tea Party movement that should be good fodder for discussion.

 

One article talked about how the Tea Party has now topped 40% unfavorable rating, even among independents. That is getting into Obama territory on the negativity. Most of the negativity appears to center around the debt/deficit debacle and now the reduced credit rating that resulted from that debate, with many feeling the Tea Party group hurt the country in that debate.

 

The second article discussed how the Tea Party is changing the political dynamics by pushing many Republican candidates even further right. The fear being that in order to win in the primaries as a Republican, you have to be far enough right to win the Tea Party support. But will that position primary winning Republicans so far right that they will not be able to win in the general election?

 

So, as we draw near to next year's national elections, is the Tea Party going to help or hurt our country and/or Republicans? Is the Tea Party good, bad or ugly?

D. All of the above.

D. All of the above.

I agree .

I'm surprised the Tea Party isn't at 80% or greater unfavorable ratings considering the three year full court press the mainstream media and the Democrat party have put on caking them in mud... :lol:

I'm surprised the Tea Party isn't at 80% or greater unfavorable ratings considering the three year full court press the mainstream media and the Democrat party have put on caking them in mud... :lol:

Ain't that the truth!

I'm surprised the Tea Party isn't at 80% or greater unfavorable ratings considering the three year full court press the mainstream media and the Democrat party have put on caking them in mud... :lol:

 

Justifiably so, it seems, given the TPers' irresponsible, reckless behavior in this recent debt brinksmanship. As I said before, when I'm calling Mitch McConnell a reasonable voice during all this, it's not good.

Justifiably so, it seems, given the TPers' irresponsible, reckless behavior in this recent debt brinksmanship. As I said before, when I'm calling Mitch McConnell a reasonable voice during all this, it's not good.

When my family faces a mountain of debt, we cannot spend or borrow our way out of it. We cannot print more currency. We must find ways to cut expenses, and/or increase our income.

 

The government does not (cannot) generate one dollar it does not first take from somewhere else... typically us citizens paying taxes.

 

I do not comprehend what is so difficult for our lawmakers to grasp about the need to cut back on expenditures. Only those choosing to make politics their career rather than a term of "public service" refuse to cut expenses... just so they can keep votes.

 

Our system is sick and on the verge of needing intensive care.

When my family faces a mountain of debt, we cannot spend or borrow our way out of it. We cannot print more currency. We must find ways to cut expenses, and/or increase our income.

 

The government does not (cannot) generate one dollar it does not first take from somewhere else... typically us citizens paying taxes.

 

I do not comprehend what is so difficult for our lawmakers to grasp about the need to cut back on expenditures. Only those choosing to make politics their career rather than a term of "public service" refuse to cut expenses... just so they can keep votes.

 

Our system is sick and on the verge of needing intensive care.

 

The government is not your family and it is a business, and should not be run as such. But if you want to keep the analogy going, businesses spend money to make money and families invest money to make money and often both borrow money to make money.

The government is not your family and it is a business, and should not be run as such. But if you want to keep the analogy going, businesses spend money to make money and families invest money to make money and often both borrow money to make money.

It is unfair for any government to take half or more of what any person earns. I know of many who spend as much on taxes as they get to keep for their family. This is wrong. I don't care if it's $250,000 or $25,000.

 

I'll keep your analogy rolling... there is no honorable family that intends to remain a family, nor any soundly operated business that intends to remain in business that borrows more money than they will ever be able to pay back. Yes, there are irresponsible families and businesses that must file for bankruptcy... but this should not be an acceptable plan for the government of the United States of America.

 

It's time to remove all the hands from the cookie jar.

Government is not a business. It is an entity that was created to provide a central organization to help foster a way of life that we created with our Constitution.

If it was a business, it would not have created so many programs that rack up huge losses. It is time to realize that our government was created to protect us from our enenies, set laws to live by and foster an atmosphere for business to thrive. It was not created to redistribute wealth.

 

Proud families do ask for others to give to them. They do their best to take charge and make things better for theirselves. Of course as moral individuals there are times that friends and neighbors go help out when situations araise and help out those in need.

Greed, laziness and fraud are destroying our once proud nation. Think I 'll go watch the movie Seven to see how that all turned out...

When my family faces a mountain of debt, we cannot spend or borrow our way out of it. We cannot print more currency. We must find ways to cut expenses, and/or increase our income.

 

 

The TP doesn't agree. Their only solution is to cut expenses.

It is unfair for any government to take half or more of what any person earns. I know of many who spend as much on taxes as they get to keep for their family. This is wrong. I don't care if it's $250,000 or $25,000.

 

I'll keep your analogy rolling... there is no honorable family that intends to remain a family, nor any soundly operated business that intends to remain in business that borrows more money than they will ever be able to pay back. Yes, there are irresponsible families and businesses that must file for bankruptcy... but this should not be an acceptable plan for the government of the United States of America.

 

It's time to remove all the hands from the cookie jar.

 

What country do you live in? Who in the US is paying half their income to the government? I believe the top tax bracket right now is 36% and remember that is the marginal rate so that person isn't paying 36% to the government. Add in social security, property taxes and every other tax you can think and please show me who is paying anywhere near 50% to the government.

What country do you live in? Who in the US is paying half their income to the government? I believe the top tax bracket right now is 36% and remember that is the marginal rate so that person isn't paying 36% to the government. Add in social security, property taxes and every other tax you can think and please show me who is paying anywhere near 50% to the government.

I have to tell you that I am beginning to wonder what country I do live in. I recognize the America I grew up in, less and less every year.

 

Between federal personal income tax, state & local income taxes and sales taxes, social security & medicaid, property tax, fuel/gasoline tax, and other taxes it is estimated that the total tax percentage paid by the above average US citizen in 2005 was 54.4% and 57.7% in 2009.

 

Average income earners pay about 34% to 38% of their total income in taxes.

 

http://www.nowandfutures.com/taxes.html

 

As of last year, the top 50% of income earners paid 97.30% of all federal income taxes.

 

Any guesses about the adjusted gross income needed to be included in the top 50%?

 

$33,048

 

The bottom 50% combined to pay a total of 2.7% of all federal income taxes.

 

http://www.taxfoundation.org/news/show/250.html

 

There's no way a majority of those in the bottom 50%, receiving government aid and benefits with no tax burden are going to vote for legislators committed to cutting waste in government. Where's the incentive?

 

Our problem is not rich people getting to keep too much of their income... it's that we are not doing everything possible to lift more out of welfare and to generate more rich people.

Edited August 7, 201115 yr by Fastbreak

What country do you live in? Who in the US is paying half their income to the government? I believe the top tax bracket right now is 36% and remember that is the marginal rate so that person isn't paying 36% to the government. Add in social security, property taxes and every other tax you can think and please show me who is paying anywhere near 50% to the government.

 

Right here....I own a small business. I have not made any money in 3 years, yet I have paid probably 15% of my GROSS sales in taxes- property and payroll....If I was making money, it would definitely be over 50%. I can't afford to keep going at the rate obviously. What is sad is that there are people who are working in the business who will lose their livelihood if I go out of business. Sounds like a good government plan to me. Also, FYI, I pay at least 7 different payroll taxes, and have to prepare the forms, etc. Anyone IMO who wants MORE goverment is either economically challenged or "feeding from the trough".

 

The Tea Party electees are doing what they were voted in to do. The media, especially NBC, did everything they could to throw the blame on the right for being stubborn, but our pres. (no capital) and the left is EVERY bit as stubborn. The blame needs to be spread around.