Hells bells, folks... when these same economic numbers were playing out in the Nineties, the media was falling all over itself to boast about the great Clinton Economy.

Now, the numbers are actually better, in spite of having to deal with the greatest terrorist attack on this nation, the subsequent post-9/11 security concerns and general investor jitters, the collapse of the dotcom ponzi scheme, oil hitting insane record highs and WWIV now being fought in two threaters. And the economy is STILL doing better than it was in the Nineties. The differenence is that the POTUS has an "R" behind his name and the media would rather short-circuit and blow a gasket than report anything positive about a Republican president.

Real wages aren't increasing, eh? My question and challenge to you would be, "What exactly are you doing to improve yourself or your skills, to make yourself a hotter labor commodity? In other words, what are you doing to increase your own wages?" (I mean, other than sitting around grousing?)

Think merely showing up to work (most of you not on time, mind you) and doing the minimum required is going to earn you a raise? Think again.

I keep hearing how people don't have enough money to invest, or pay for their own healthcare. But, boy, they sure do have some iPods, huh! How about computers? Cell phones? Latest clothes? And lots and lots of shiny 24-inch rims on their cars/trucks/SUVs/bicycles, etc. Folks have money for junk food, cigarettes, booze and dope, but they don't have enough money to invest or pay for their own healthcare?

It's all about priorities. And when you expect someone else to pick up the tab for your bad choices in life, you can continue flitting about entertaining your lack of priorities.

Don't worry, I'll keep working and picking up the tab for you.

To my compatriots, I say, work hard... millions on welfare are depending on you.

I wish I lived in your fantasy world! Human and corporate greed will never allow that nice little scenario you painted.

I've worked in management for corporations and I know first-hand how much they care about the average worker ...and believe me, they will run over that little business owner without a second thought.

Sorry to burst your bubble but this is why government has to intervene and why it is necessary. Unfortunately, Republicans would rather look the other way when the middle-class and the poor are abused like they have been.

It's good to know most Americans see the onslaught, why Republicans lost power and why they will soon lose even more.

The large argument from the Republicans is that this bill will supposedly increase the burden on small business owners who are not incorporated. Well, personal experience tells me that there a very few sole proprietorships that are so lucrative that they're pulling in large amounts of cash under their own name. It has been more beneficial for YEARS to be incorporated (both a tax and liability standpoint). (And if your accountant can't figure out how to change your business status and develop a plan to reduce your taxes, then may I suggest you get a new accountant.)

Now we can argue about who is 'tax and spend' but there is a looming reality we are facing and pointing fingers isn't going to pay the bills. We have a deteriorating infrastructure, a failed energy plan, a multi-billion (Trillion?) dollar war in Iraq that had nothing to do with the War on Terror and a healthcare crisis that is creating huge instability in our middle class.

As for those who are strongly against 'socialized' healthcare or centralized coverage, may I congratulate you for your good fortune. You are fortunate in that you are in the position to be able to 'budget' for the insurance because you are insurable. That you or a member of your family doesn't have a devastating condition which your insurance has decided not to cover, offer limited coverage, or decide to drop you altogether once their outbound payments reach a certain amount (regardless of the amount of 'budgeting' you've done to pay for the insurance). And, may I add, that you are fortunate enough not to encounter any of these so you don't have to sell your home, your business and liquidate your retirement (which, then when you do retire others will sneer at you that you didn't 'plan' enough).

"(Conservatives) believe that the more you cut taxes, the stronger the economy becomes, therefore the greater the government's revenue. This is an article of faith among them, since evidence is lacking."

Bud, if you don't understand basic economics (and I can tell by your comments that you clearly do not), then maybe you should refrain from commenting on news stories about basic economics.

It's a proven fact that I (average person) know how to best spend/invest my own money in a manner which will make me both successful and happy. In fact, I know far better than the federal government how to spend or invest to make myself successful and happy.

If every person acts in his own self interest, keeping as much of his own money as possible to spend or invest as he chooses, then many positive things happen.

1. That person is likely going to be happier versus having to write yet another hefty tax check for the feds to blow.

2. Good quality products will rise to the top of the marketplace, as each person is able to buy or invest in any good, service, product he or she chooses. If a product is crap, people won't buy it. Company goes out of business. As such, it's in the company's best interest to make goods or services that consumers wish to purchase.

3. Said company will need to expand, build bigger, offer new products, hire more people, buy more equipment, in order to meet demands of the consumer. This requires capital provided from the average investor, who incidentally seeks a nice return for the kindly gesture of offering the company his investment dollars. As a result, many people are employed/hired, both directly by the company or indirectly by suppliers in the chain. Again, another win-win for everyone involved.

Mr. Common investor pockets a nice return to help himself fund his own retirement. And the nice thing about all of this, (you liberals will like this part) the more money everyone makes, the more money they'll be paying in to the gubmint in taxes.

In other words, the government allows Mr. and Mrs. Investing Taxpayer to do the heavy lifting of growing bumpercrops of greenbacks for the federal government, all by simply getting the hell out of the way, and getting out of their paychecks.

This little, highly-simplified, scenario is just one example of how, I, as a taxpayer benefit more, and help society as a whole, when Uncle Sam keeps his fat sausage fingers out of my paycheck and out of my investments.

On the other hand, Democrat-provided, high-taxing Nanny States take, take, take from the people, and provide bureaucracies, bureaucracies and more bumbling bureaucracies, complete with too many rules, too many regulations, too many forms (in triplicate), too few responsible parties and very few results.

Honestly, if you've never worked for the federal government, you really cannot comment here about this. Once you've seen incompetence and stifling bureaucracy in action, up close, you're amazed at how well the capitalist, for-profit private sector functions.

Then came John Edwards, half-a-million makes you rich.

Followed by Hillary's, those making over $250,000 should pay more taxes.

And now, here's Charlie knocking that figure down to $200,000. Saying anyone making that or more, should pay more.

Is there any doubt where this is going America? When was the last time a Democrat cut your taxes??

Of course, they will respond by saying that this country enabled those people to make that money. That is true. You can do anything in this country if you make the right choices and put your mind to it. However, the socialist left believes that no one is responsible for themselves.

I grew up in a loving, but poor family. Both my parents were janitors. I could see that an education makes a difference in the amount of money you could make. My family didn’t have money to send me to college, so I did 6 years in the Army to save up money and to get the education benefits. Got out. Went to college. Got a job. Now I pay more in taxes each year than my parents made in wages in two years. And I’m glad to pay it.

Everybody in this country has the same opportunities. You’ve just got to take it upon yourself to better your lot in life. Now that’s a concept the socialist left just cannot tolerate.

According to the latest estimates, the US government is currently $9T in debt (that's $9,000,000,000,000). The surpluses we started running under Clinton could have gone a long way towards paying off that debt – or at least towards paying for W's war expenses, which have added about half a trillion to the debt already.

Unless you think the government should just declare bankruptcy, stop paying social security benefits and military salaries and Medicare and everything else it does and just close up shop, someday somebody has to pay off that debt.

Insurance...too expensive? (why? – lawyers like Edwards...100 million dollars settlements? -theres one reason)
Hospitals – high costs? (again – sued on a daily basis)
Pharmacuticals – sued.....all the time...

Yet...our "solution" – we need a government healthcare plan....what we'd be really doing is giving these scumbags a bigger target.

The government should do the minimum for us..we are self reliant...they should provide a helping hand...but not a "forever" entitlement program

I'm so sorry for this country – people are actually arguing for bigger government programs...what a sad day it is when people are actually listening to the entitlists...a really sad day

With the dollar in the toilet and the only jobs being in the minimum-wage category, it definitely looks good for the Democrats again this coming election.

Again,

People having no business voting GoP are being fooled by the same, tired old rhetoric from the establishment...

Is Rangle that stupid that he actually believes we can tax ourself into prosperity? And when the businesses leave to outsource, will he tax their departure? Countries around the world have turned from socialism and are embracing conservative ideaology, even France! Big government does not work!

Do not ever trust Democrats to "overhaul taxes". Democrats love raising taxes and this is just going to be another example.

The tax cuts proved that when you lower tax rates, more revenues come in. It is not secret that Bush spent a lot of that he should not have, but it is still true that lowering the taxes increased revenues across the board, from corporations, to indivduals, to capital gains. And now the Democrats want to overhaul it.

Get control of spending, and this includes Republicans, before you even beging to think of "fixing" the tax code.

Hey Tim – Got a job ? How much money do you make ? If you make more than me, please send me some. I want to be a leech too !

i don't know you, but all of us who did nto voted for Bush should be excepted from paying his super-expensive war.....

and for all of you who are whinning that the dem's (or as you call us: socialists) do not work and expect the gov to solve our problems, I can only pitty you for being so short-sighted.... because, after all, the gov do not ask you for your political affiliation to build those roads, and those hospitals, and those schools your kds go to...... gov services are for everyone, yep, including all those illegals who are brough and harbored here by all those gready republicans like you!!!!!

I hope you and your socialist friends continue pushing bill after bill for major tax increases. President Bush will continue vetoing and America will get to see the REAL differences:

Democrats: TRILLIONS in new social entitlement programs + TRILLIONS in higher taxes.

Republicans: Keep tax rates where they are, reduce government spending, transfer responsibility for social programs to the STATE level – where they belong.

I'm not a Ron Paul fan (he could never win a national election advocating legalization of Drugs, elimination of FBI – CIA- and Homeland Security)... but I THANK him for reminding us the role of Federal Government versus the role of State Government. Democrats aparently failed to learn this basic civic lesson back in the 4th grade.

Anyone who wants a government program to solve a social issue is either a loser, a socialist, or someone who hasn't tried to deal with a morass of government mediocrity and bureaucracy.

Get a clue. this "surplus" is not the governments money, It's the peoples. The government shouldn't have a surplus. The reason there is not more surplus is becuase the money was given back to the people it belongs to. Us! I'll take my money back any day thank you very much. If you didn't get any back it's because you didn't pay any. And if you didn't pay any, you souldn't have a say as to how it should be spent any way.

Ron Paul '08

$150,000 agi, and they raise your taxes.
Weren't these same "politicians" just claiming that $83,000 is poor. And now, $150,000 is "super wealthy". You can't have it both ways!

This country is a joke!

This is all a bunch of crap!

Our middle class Americans will run out of resources too continue contributing for the success to sustain our economy especially with the cost of oil at $90.46 a barrel with its all time high. Income taxes must be lowered and put back into circulation, insurance companies dump US after paying one claim to US consumers, take our un-insured motorist coverage’s away and all insurance rates are unaffordable. Personal feelings tell US we can not afford to have an illegal immigrant crash into to our vehicles, burglarize our homes, assault families, graffiti America, doing all this without insurance and/or consequences them selves! Fifty percent (50%); of individual income tax needs to be returned to individual Americans back accounts each year and spent back into our economy each year by those individual Americans.

Maybe the American middle class should stand United and just stop paying 50% of individual income tax only.

THE PLAIN TAX TRUTH WILL PAY THE DEBIT!

At first I thought this was kind of funny...then I realized the
awful truth of it. Be sure to read all the way to the end!

Tax our lands;
Tax our beds,
Tax the table at which we are fed.

Tax our tractors,
Tax our mules,
Teaching US about taxes are the rules.

Tax our cows,
Tax our goats,
Tax our pants,
Tax our coat.

Tax our ties,
Tax our shirt,
Tax our work,
Tax our dirt.

Tax our tobacco, again and again;
Tax our drinks, some more and more;
and Tax US if we try to think.

Tax our cigars,
Tax our beers,
Once we cry, and then tax our tears.

Tax our cars,
Tax our gas,
Find other ways to tax our ass.

Tax all we have,
Then let US know,
That you won't be done,
Until we have no dough.

Then as we scream and holler,
Then tax our dollar some more,
Tax US until we are good and sore.

Tax our coffins;
Tax our graves,
Tax the taxed ground in which we are laid.

Put these words
upon our tombs,
“Taxes upon Taxes drove US to our doom..."

When we are gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply,
The inheritance tax.

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (42 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charge Tax
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Tax
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Quarterly Tax
Real Estate Tax
Road Usage Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Sales Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax

Do not think this is funny!!!!!!
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the
most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had
the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the
kids.

What the hell happened? Can you spell "politicians?"
And I still have to "press 1" for English.
I hope this goes around THE USA at least 100 times
SAD BUT TRUE, I'm sorry to say...................................

"If you want services you have to pay for them."

The problem is you expect everyone else to pay for you. Why should someone else be responsible for your healthcare costs, etc.??? Many (but obviously not all) very wealthy people have worked very hard to get where they are. It is unfair to expect them to just pay for everyone else. As you said if you want those services YOU have to pay for them!!!

Tell me something, Tim, how much do YOU pay in taxes? I'm betting less than the "greedy Repubs" you whine about.

Here's a news flash for you libs. The more the government takes the less the people have! If you truly were for the common man you would reduce the size of government and support either the Fair Tax Act or a flat tax system.

Ron Paul in 2008!

Abolish the IRS and restore the power of government back to the people!

Id rather be a hard working greedy republican, then a lazy socialist prick waiting for the gubment to take care of me. I love how you socialist want to punish success in this country. Im not wealthy by the way, and I still dont agree with jacking up taxes. Taxing for highways and bridges is one thing, but this free handout mentality needs to stop. I have health insurance because I budget for it, that means I dont get to have the latest and hottest things, but Im insured. Its called priorities.

The third method is that of the free-lunch-bunch, often called Conservatives. They are opposed to all taxes in any form. They believe that the various levels of government can function with no cash of any kind. They believe that the more you cut taxes, the stronger the economy becomes, therefore the greater the government's revenue. This is an article of faith among them, since evidence is lacking.

A lesson in the results of this kind of thinking is offered to us by the good Conservative citizens of San Diego who, after the "Cedar" fire voted down a bond issue to purchase more fire fighting equipment. Now we will hear those short-sighted free-loaders complain that the "government" was too slow in doing its duty, namely "protecting my property."

The progressive tax rate has been leveling off for 25 yrs. the benefits of trickle-down economics is a myth. There is nothing unreasonable about this prospective tax bill. The rich will still pay a lower relative tax rate b/c capital gains is still ~15%. Relax.

Lets look at this in laymens terms:

100 people go out to dinner, when it comes time to pay:
The richest guy, pays for his dinner and 40 other people’s dinner too.
The second richest guy, pays for his dinner and 30 others
The next 25 richest people pays for the last 3.

Does that sound like a fair America system to you??

The only Presidential candidate who doesn't frighten me is Ron Paul. With his Republican (and I'm NOT talking about the GOP) values, he is the only one who is talking about a smaller, limited government. Less bureaucracy, less taxes, more freedom.

If Tax receipts are at record levels, why do we need a tax increase? Go the the OMB siter and you'll see this for yourself.

I think instead of rasing taxes, we should be cutting spending. As far as I am concerned more taxes means more pork spending.

As for those of you who want to soak the rich remember that taxes are a way of keeping the little people in their place.

If Charlie Rangle & Co. were sincere about overhauling our tax program and really wanted to be fair to the poor, then we'd exempt the first $50K of income and tax everything else at a flat rate so we'd all pay the same persentage.

No, this new tax plan doesn't doens't do the right thing like get rid of the AMT – it transfers the tax monies it has unfairly generated onto everybody by letting the tax cuts we saw in 2001 and 2003 lapse. Gee, thanks!

We're all going to get soaked and all I hear is 'soak the rich – soak the rich'. Better ask who defines what rich is. Well folks, in this new 'mother of all tax plans' if you make anything over $50,000, prepare to be soaked.