If Obama wants to take profits from companies or people making $250,000..I just wonder how long it will take him, to lower that bar, then say that “being rich” starts at oh, $50,000?

That’s my concern, Bobc. Many people in South Carolina or Mississippi would think that someone with my income is upper middle class. It would be, in some areas of the country. However, it’s not too far from the median income in the area in which I live.

[begin personal circumstances rant]
My 500 square foot studio apartment costs $1000/month (and I have a great deal – similar ones on other floors go for $1100-$1400). I could save a bit by moving to a less-safe city in the area, but as a single woman living alone, that’s a risk I don’t want to take (I took it some years ago and it didn’t work out well). Even homeshares run at least $450 per bedroom, and that’s not necessarily for a large bedroom or in a safe part of town. Gas prices are higher. Food costs more (a can of beans is 89 cents on sale), and none of our local supermarkets double coupons like some do back east. Our sales tax is nearly 10%. Because I live in such a small place, I rent a storage unit for anything I don’t need during the next 30 days. I send a few dollars each month back east to help a retired family member, and give to charity and my church because it’s the right thing to do. I go to a couple professional conferences a year on my own dime because my employer won’t send me and I find them to be a good investment in my career and personal network.

Oh, and I know it’s been out of fashion for the past few years, but I save. I’m still rebuilding my savings after a divorce and the dot com crash, so $20,000/yr goes to that. (Note: I *own* the decisions that led to my losing what I did, and never expected or cried for a government bailout like those who made naive or greedy investment decisions on homes are now doing.) I’m not too far from retirement myself, and have recently amped up my IRA contribution to help make up for the 25% decline in value of my retirement savings I’ve seen this year. About 20% of my income goes straight into a 401-K or IRA, because of the reality that I’ll have no family to take me in or make up for financial shortfalls when I’m older.

The federal, social security and medicare taxes I paid in 2007 were about $42,000. I live comfortably, but nowhere near luxury. I still have to budget somewhat carefully. For example, I don’t have cable, and I use a less-expensive, slower broadband ISP. I’m an artsy sort of person, so my place is furnished in a creative combination of craigslist IKEA, leftovers from a divorce a few years ago, and display tables from a store that went out of business. I live within my means. I use my ONE credit card only for convenience when travelling or when buying a piece of electronics to get an extra year of warranty, and I pay it off within 30 days. If I were raising a family, the kids would have to be in public school and they wouldn’t be dressing in Abecrombie & Fitch every day.
[end personal circumstances rant]

It boggles my mind that Zero is thinking that I need to be giving $$ to his idea of the underclass instead of saving it for my own retirement, because that’s where any extra taxes collected from me would have to come from. The monthly retirement contribution is the most flexible part of my budget, because prices have gone up about 15% over the past 3 years (rent is up 33%) while my income has remained relatively constant. All that reducing that would accomplish is putting me INTO the underclass once I retire. If Zero gets in and tries something like this, I hope that Congress screams loudly to raise the ceiling on tax-free retirement savings, even if it’s only for the next 5 years, to encourage people to rebuild their retirement accounts. Alas, they probably won’t, because that would cut the consumption that they want to encourage with their trickle-up policies.

I’m intrigued that Zero now says his plan to increase the tax on the top 5% applies to individuals making over $200,000. Not too many days ago, the figure was $150,000, which is in the ballpark of my income, and a large percentage of incomes in my area. So many people that I know at work are part of dual-income couples that would get hit (just barely) by the $250,000 limit, that I have to see this as a slippery slope that likely has its sights set on me.

So ya see, any non-McCain Democrats who are watching, I AM voting my economic interests by voting McCain. I’m voting against the foolishness of Fannie/Freddie/ACORN. I’m voting against Robin Hood Obama’s redistribution of “wealth” when I’m still trying to rebuild my asset base after the dot-com crash and a divorce. I’m voting against the spectre of monetary policies that will further stagnate my income when they result in fewer customers for my employer’s products, since most of our sales come from businesses rather than consumers. Just thought I’d make that point since I’d heard from a couple Democrats lately that I was voting for vague foreign policy ahead of my own social and economic interests, and that’s just not the case.

And as for the people he wants to give others’ wealth…since he told LaRaza he will grant amnesty, which means they can bring in Mom,DAD,Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle, Aunt, cousin, nephew, niece……they will get part of this socialist agenda, as well as they will be on his new health plan.

I must say, one who used to work for HUD, said they gave home loans to 5 million illegals, HUD says it’s not that high, but won’t talke about it…

What wants to bail out illegal aliens?

He’s at the point — if he says it — then “it” must be true.

The reason for Obama’s stuttering and uh, hummm, etc is because he is so tangled up in his alternative reality.

Obama was moved around a lot as a child — he might use this as his excuse for getting confused. However, McCain was exposed to being uprooted and plopped down in a new culture and new school repeatedly as he was growing up. McCain had the typical upbringing of a military brat.

One skill many military brats pick up is the ability to spot a phony & frauds very quickly. We learn to make fast character evaluations — choosing friends who know the system of the new place helps adjustment to an alien environment. McCain has skills from his childhood and he knows a phony.

Obama learned the flip side of making his way in a new social environment — he learned to latch on to the people who could take him up the social ladder. All he had to do was be as good at graft and corruption as the powerful people he wanted favors from. So rather than being repelled by the slim balls he has been drawn to the dirty underbelly of politics — he views these people as very successful — because they command a certain kind of respect. In other words he has chosen the worst sort of mentors throughout his life. As many have observed Obama shows a pattern in his choice of mentors. And this goes directly to Obama character.

Now Obama is trying to play the role of clean and wise politician — and it merely a role for him it doesn’t come from his true character. Thus his ah – humm.

How many people will be able to hear the words — rather than the VOICE?

Which reminds me of DUNE — and the use of the VOICE which had authority and most people could not resist the VOICE. Where did Obama learn to use the VOICE?? McCain nailed this in the debate — but he used simple words which we can all comprehend. Listen to the words used by Obama’s voice — what is he really saying?

For Obama to use the voice he needs to use a teleprompter and speak the words without really thinking about what he is saying. When he has to speak at a debate or off the cuff — he cannot hold on to the VOICE without the ah, humm etc.

It’s amazing how modern mythology — the DUNE series of books and Lord of the Ring speak to human themes and how nothing much is really new.

Check out this essay on the manipulated campaign called meta.
http://www.zombietime.com/lefts_big_blunder/

This was posted yesterday. It’s still a great article, written quite a detailed way, but has potential for helping to fight the poll wars. Written yesterday, Oct. 15, 2008.

http://www.zombietime.com/lefts_big_blunder/

Obama is speaking to the primitive part of the human brain — where loyalty to group is innately triggered by the psychological manipulation of the Cult leader Obama.

Those that do not instantly agree with everything Obama says are the OTHER and thus the enemy.

The need to be part of the group is very primitive — found in many complex social species — Primates, canine, birds, rodents etc.

Some people fall for this psychological manipulation repeatedly — and others see the Cult leader for what he (she) is — a con artist.

Conversations with an internal pollster for Obama…
Very enlightening indeed!

Posted by: David_Rasbold

Thursday, October 16, 2008 at 10:09AM CDT

I have an interesting story to relay that took place earlier this week between my boss (a senior VP in the company I work for) and one of the Obama campaigns’ internal pollsters.

Just to note, my boss is a republican and was meeting the Obama rep over lunch for other reasons. Politics obviously came up due to his line of work.

He asked my boss what her political leanings were and they did some chit chat around the issues and the impressions each had on the state of the race. What happened next was more than fascinating and should be a reminder to all of us to buck up and remain strong. All is not lost. In fact, we may be in a much better spot than we think – despite the national polls and what the daily media drumbeat to give up.

He asked my boss what she thought about Sarah Palin. While my boss is a republican she hasn’t been nearly as enamored with her as most of our base. She noted concern about Sarah’s experience, but said that she is still voting for McCain.

As she was explaining her perspective it dawned on her to ask why he (the Obama internal pollster) was interested in her view of Palin. He replied that Obama’s campaign is extremely nervous about the energized republican base and what he called the “unkown factor” regarding Palin’s draw as a candidate.

In the polls they’re conducting around the country, and my boss wasn’t able to relay specific numbers, the Obama campaign is very, very worried about how Palin appears to be energizing whole groups of people who don’t typically get energized about politics, precisely because she appeals so strongly to the middle class, as well as women and dissatisfied republicans that stayed home in 2006.

More than that, they don’t know how to guage and predict the support of people typically turned off by politics, but that are enamored with her “up from the bootstraps” appeal.

I say all of this because this pollster conveyed strong concern about their standing going into the homestretch. They are very concerned about winning the vote of the middle class and whole swaths of the electorate they consider the “unkowns.” In fact, and based on her conversation with this internal pollster for Obama, he’s not ahead in the polls as we’re being told. He’s at best tied.

Look, take it for what it is. But what I know is that we’re being sold a bill of goods by the media. Why? Not to be conspiratorial, but they likely just want to dispirit us, precisely because Obama has yet to seal the deal. He should be way ahead this season, but he’s not.

I’ll close by saying that we have several weeks left. The Obama camp internally knows they haven’t wrapped this thing up. Let’s keep on fighting (and even if we have to drag McCain over the finish line – as Rush fondly exhorts us to do – let’s do it) and let’s win this thing!

http://www.redstate.com/diaries/david_rasbold/2008/oct/16/conversations-with-an-internal-pollster-for-o/#c57508

“it’s about the lie, stupid!”