[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/04/16/art.teaparty6.gi.jpg caption ="President Obama said Thursday night that he thinks the Tea Party movement owes him a thank you."]
(CNN) - Tea Party activists marked Tax Day with a high-profile rally in Washington, DC, and other protests across the country, but President Obama says the anti-tax movement actually owes him a thank you.
Speaking at a Democratic fundraiser in Miami Thursday night, the president touted tax cuts in the stimulus measure and the fact that the tax rate has not been increased for those making less than $250,000 a year.
"So I've been amused in recent days by these people having rallies," he told the crowd at the fundraiser to laughter. "I think they should be saying thank you."
Members of the crowd, who paid between $250 to $1,250 to attend the event, immediately rose to their feet and replied "Thank You!"
The White House noted Thursday that federal taxes were reduced by $173 billion in 2009 and said that the average tax refund is about 10 percent higher than last year.
Obama also won a standing ovation from the Miami crowd when he praised the recent passage of the health care reform plan.
"As my vice president said, 'This is a big deal,'" Obama said to laughter in reference of Vice President Joe Biden's verbal slip at the bill's signing ceremony where he was heard telling the president "This is a big F-ing deal"
"And he was right," Obama said.
yes they continue to follow oartyline rhetoric without ever looking at the facts. it's much easier to be told what to think than actually thing for heavens sake!!
I find it disappointing that the party of tolerance... The democrats are the most angry and vitriolic towards the Tea Partiers. They really are big hypocrites. Everyone in US has the right to speak their mind and express themselves. Unfortunately, for the dems, this seems to mean you have a right to speak only if you agree with them.
I try not to laugh, but these are very suggestible people.
Tea Party or Tea Toadlers ? Do they really have a clue what they want...
Don't blame the President. He's trying to clean up the mess that was made by George W. Its ok to worry aboit the future but people are hungry and dying now. Gee, give the President a chance. No matter what the Tea Party people say, they do no represent the true demografics of the US population. Personally, the Coffee Party has a valid representation of US demographics.
Just wait until the taxes for the health care reform goes into effect. That will be a painful one that will wake everyone up!
sorry! should have said contingent
How can anyone on a tea party blog say that the liberals are mentally unstable.
Thank Mr. Obama for what? For the fact that the federal government spends without thinking . . . thank our officals who know better than I how to spend a dollar . . . who pilfer money from one fund to pay another, and still continue to spend after that . . . who operate as though the flow of money is endless and they can come and take the money I work so hard for any time they want in the form of more taxes . . . yes, please sir, may I have some more!
Yeah, our tax refund was huge this year. So far, the teaparty's prognostication has been way off. They have been full of doom and gloom and NOTHING they have predicted has happened. Things are getting better. The economy is recovering. Businesses are starting to hire again. Our roads are being repaired. I'm just not seeing this "end of the world as we know it" scenario actually happening. I think they're losing more credibility every day.
No, thank you Obama.
Your Socialist/Marxist agenda has awakened the American people to what you mean by "change," and we don't want any part of it!
November 2010 will be a landslide victory for the move back to conservative principles: less government, more freedom and liberty.
One term and you're done!
Part of the Tea Party movement's problem is all they are interested in doing is expressing anger at a problem. Oh wow, we have annual deficits in excess of $1T? Thanks, I had no idea!
If they are really serious they have to offer actual solutions. The problem there though is no one really wants to be the one to do what has to be done. When the economy improves it will help a good bit, but not enough. The only real solution is: "raising" taxes by getting rid of the Bush and Obama tax cuts that were only ever supposed to be temporary in the first place; and by making cuts in spending which inevitably means cuts to Medicare, Social Security and Defense spending.
So, I wonder just how many Tea Party protesters are ready to increase taxes and make cuts to the sacred three?
EVERYONE willbe paying higher taxes soon and its got nothing to do with Obama-anything.
The Bush Tax cuts just didn't make sense. The U.S. population was getting older, costs overall were going up and Bush, instead of taking in more money to cover these increases, decided to give a tax-cut.
Less money coming in means less ability to pay bills. I'm SURE that is how it works in your home ( doesn't it?)
Its coming time to pay for the tax cuts and the two wars. These things weren't free ya' know.
LOL!!! All those lying Republicans need a serious de-hypnotising. Once they are over believing in their Devil (which no God-loving, rational person could possibly believe), they will stop their wailing and gnashing of teeth.
In the meantime, I suggest we find some legal way to encourage them to return our wealth and restore the earth to its natural beauty. Maybe Boehner can crawl out of his tanning bed, pick up a shovel, and join the Conservation Crew.
Former GOP politician, Dick Armey, who helped start the Tea Party movement is a lobbyist for companies who have vested interests in global business ventures and who are now paying more in taxes under Obama. Armey is actually playing the Tea Party crowd like a fiddle to line his pockets and the pockets of the companies he lobbies for. Isn't the Tea Party allegedly opposed to lobbyists because they are generally known as whoring themselves out at the expense of what is right or wrong? More hypcocrisy from the Tea Party crowd as far as I am concerned.
I have one question and I'm willing to listen to your comments. The question: Why should I pay for someone's foodstamps and subsidized housing so that in turn cash the welfare check to buy smokes and booze?
I don't mind helping a fellow American who needs help and is trying to help themselves and their familiy, but to ask me to pay for those who are just using the system is'nt right. Now the administration wants to grant amnesty to the illegals in the country. This coutry was founded on immigrants, but they came an worked to suceed. Am I now expected to kick in more to ensure they all have the benefits; SS, Welfare, Section 8, Food Stamps, and now Healthcare? We are broke, both as a country and as overtaxed individuals.
The Tea Party is NOT an anti-tax party. They are for fiscal responsibility. Cutting taxes when the budget is so out of control doesn't fit that model. Classic straw man B.S.
If you pulled all the ego out of this clown, little of substance would remain.
Of course Federal taxes were reduced by $173 billion . . . effectively 17% of Americans aren't working and paying taxes. So the White House's defense to all the spending and tax increases (on the few of us lucky to still have jobs) is to say . . . :we're collecting less taxes from all you unemployed people who don't have jobs because business owners are afraid to hire anybody right now . . . "
Some just believe what they want to believe and they don't let facts get in the way.
Mr. Phoenix86
The Bush Tax cuts is one of the leding contributors of the growing national deficit. However, when they end at the end of 2010, the deficit will be reduced. But, I suspect that Mr. Obama will extend the tax cuts for the middle class. And, impose a tax upon individuals earning more than $250,000 per year. So, the end of the Bush tax cuts will be a "good thing" for main street america.
Anyone falling for the, "hey, we lowered taxes for everyone making less than $250,000" line needs to get their head out of the sand. Has anyone looked at their phone bill, cable, satellite, movie ticket, gas, electric, etc. bill lately? I suppose your all okay with the taxes the fed is collecting there? There also is no such thing as a free lunch... all those touting the stimulus are ignoring the fact that at some point the bill will come due. THEN wait till you see your taxes increase...
You Cons are in for a rude awakening in November when the American people repudiate your lies AGAIN.
Yeah maybe they should wait until these imaginary tax increases happen before protesting (if the economy comes roaring back and the tax coffers swell naturally, guess what, no new taxes!), just like the republicans need to wait unil an unnamed supreme court nominee is chosen before deciding to block approval. Unbelievable.
The tea-partier sheep seem to be driven by the same blind-leading-the-blind, can't- face-the-facts mentality that drives all the other religious zealots. It's obvious that tea party IS more religion than science.