GREEN, Ohio - John McCain wants Americans to get rich.
That was the message from the Republican presidential hopeful Wednesday as he focused again on the differences in his tax proposals and those of Democratic rival Barack Obama.
The Arizona senator has hammered Obama in recent days for a philosophy of spreading Americans’ wealth around, articulated by the Illinois senator in a now famous exchange with an Ohio man dubbed Joe the Plumber.
McCain promised at an outdoor rally with an enthusiatic crowd he and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, would not make people or businesses send more money to the federal government.
“Sarah Palin and I will not raise your taxes, my friends,” he said. “We want you to get wealthy.”
Palin weighed in on the theme, too, calling Obama “Barack-the-wealth-spreader” and warning the crowd: “You have to really listen to our opponent’s words because he’s hiding his real agenda of redestributing your hard-earned money.”
The Obama camp was unmoved. At a press conference, the Illinois senator brushed off the charges as just another attack strategy by his rivals. “They have been trying to throw whatever they can up against the wall to see what sticks, and this is their latest version,” Obama said.
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Photo credit: Carlos Barria (McCain, with wife Cindy, reacts to supporters in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
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Joe the plumber didn’t pay his taxes any way so whats he worrying about?
- Posted by KeithKMcCain wants all the mechanics and public workers (that keep this world actually running) to be rich but make less that $50k a year. Ok, then he has defined “rich”, hasn’t he?
I seriously dismiss the braggadocio of the ’self-made” wealthy commentators here. In the U.S., if you are a farmer, you’ve received government handouts as subsidies and tax credits for equipment purchases. If you’re a car/truck driver, or train/bus/air/ship passenger, you’re using subsidized modes of transportation. If you’re educated, you’ve received government supported schooling. If you’re religious, you’ve worshipped at tax-free institutions. If you’ve taken medicine, or had health-related issues, you can thank government-sponsored research and development for your treatment and for the training of doctors and other health professionals, not to mention grants and tax-holidays for the building of hospitals. If you’re reading this on the internet—yes, that too was a government subsidized program. If you’ve visited and enjoyed parks and sports facilities thank government largess. If you’ve served in the military or have been protected or rescued by police, fire, ambulance, coast guard, you should realize you have benefited from the U.S. government and it has helped directly to improve your life. And yes, let’s all pay our debt in taxes.
- Posted by who what whereRue, sadly I have taken a very hard look at both candidates health plans.
McCain’s 5,000 tax credit for health insurance is a joke. To date I have spent a total of 4,000 on family insurance. This is not including co-pays or prescriptions. That’s simply the weekly cost to maintain full coverage for my family.
The 5,000 will just barely cover the yearly cost to keep coverage going for my family.
God forbid anyone should become seriously ill, then that 5,000 tax credit would be gone almost instantly.
Not only that, but McCains tax plan basically ensures that my ailing mother will not be able to get insurance. With her pre-conditions she would be screened out.
I’m sorry, but that just doesn’t cut it for me. Under Obama’s plan my mother would maintain her insurance, and my family will not go broke because of our insurance.
Anyone who has a pre existing condition should be voting for Obama. Anyone who votes for McCain with a pre existing condition will get what they deserve if he becomes president.
- Posted by DaveScrew you McCain, you and your Republican buddies that supported President Idiot are who got us into this mess. Get out of our way and let us fix it, we seriously do not need you or Caribou Bimbo to help us.
Obama / Biden All the Way!!!
- Posted by Democrats 08Read the fine print, and take a basic economics class-everyone, please, no matter your affiliation. Obama’s health care plan more or less taxes employers for how many people they employ. McCain’s health plan, in contrast, is over a trillion dollars in a tax cut, according to the Tax Policy Center. Yes, he Would tax health benefits for the first time ever, but that would be offset with five thousand dollar tax credit for every couple-far better than losing wages so your employer can buy one for you! McCain allows for Every person to have a more Equal opportunity to gain wealth. don’t take my word for it, Independant analysts say the vast majority of taxpayers would be better off.
Now, let’s not even mention that McCain Also offers More ways to save on taxes! double the independant exemptions! that’s more than a thousand for a typical family! wow!
It’s unfortunate that Obama’s campaign style equivilates to the Head On commercials. repeat it enough, and you might buy it…
- Posted by RueJoe the Plumber was in his own drivway…what a plant…and now he is everyone that wants to make their own life and not a Governement controlled life
- Posted by YeaFirstly, Hendrik it is illegal for a candidate to name positions like you suggested. There’s a fine legal line they have to walk to get away with discussing choices like that.
Secondly, Joe the Plumber was an obvious plant by the GoP so saying he did more to “expose” anything than they did is redundant. Sadly they are one and the same.
Brainstorms got to the real truth though.
- Posted by DaveWake up! Obama is a not a socialist any more than he’s a muslim. Neither one wants to raise taxes, but which president will HAVE to raise taxes?
Start with McCain’s plan to give everyone a $5000 refundable tax credit for health care. Where’s he going to get $5000 to pay [back] to every American? Pluck it off trees? No. Steal it from Iraq? No. His wife’s coffers? Hardly. Duh! He’ll have to raise everyone’s taxes by $5000 to fund this socialist idea.
How about McCain’s insane plan to buy everyone’s mortgage and then refinance them at their current lower market values. That’s gonna cost.. Another socialist plan. Where’s he gonna get that money? Duh! He’ll have to raise your taxes!!
But wait… McCain’s going to give his wealthy base a tax reduction, and give a tax break to wealthy corporations. Meaning he’ll have to raise middle America’s taxes even more!
Give him credit, though. He said he doesn’t know much about economics. And he proves it day by day…
McCain, the ‘backwards socialist’: Redistributing wealth by taking from middle America to give to the rich.
- Posted by BrainstormsThe overriding and most crucial topic in the election at the moment is the economy and will stay that way until Election Day. John McCain was leading in all the polls until this latest financial crisis hit the headlines – please remember that it had been in the making for the last 18 – 24 months but only started to come into the public realm when Bear Sterns got into the news. John McCain needs to lay out what his plans are for the economy and he needs all the help he can get.
It was and still is very important to bring to the public’s attention the real and true effect of the Obama tax plan. Joe the plumber did more to expose this and bring it to the forefront than all the GOP and McCain campaign efforts put together. Therefore it is mu opinion that John McCain should name at least his choices for Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Energy to help bring out the message of what the long term economic plan is going to be. The Secretary of State does not have anything to do with the local economy but it will be nice to know who that person is going to be.
These people can help John McCain to deliver the economic message and build up the confidence that the general public need at this moment in time. This will also force the Obama camp’s hand to announce who will be appointed by an Obama White House which will show the American people how far left it is really leaning.
The most important factor however is still to instill confidence in the public that not only John McCain but also his administration will be qualified to steer the country through the economic storm.
- Posted by HendrikMessage to ‘da6d’ regarding your disingenuous comment, ‘raising the burden on the “rich” can only disincentivize people from becoming rich’: NOTHING will EVER ‘disincentivize’ ANYONE from becoming rich. (Not even pain of death can effectively dissuade all.) Take note of the Wall Street execs who, knowing that what they were doing to enrich themselves in the short run would explode and take themselves out along with everyone else in the long run, STILL could not resist the siren song of abandoning ethics for unearned riches. “Radix omnium malorem est cupiditas.”
- Posted by BrainstormsWealth is relative - right? If so, McCain could achieve this goal if he makes the wealthy minority poorer. However, that’s Obama’s strategy - right? So basically the candidates are logically identical on their wealth policy.
- Posted by Nic FultonAnyone can get wealthy, yes. Anyone can win the lottery as well. When most people AREN’T wealthy, you have to ask yourselves something; Does it make sense that we make a welfare state for the rich and well-connected or for the poor? You’ll get either, and never both, count on it. All depends now is if the majority of the people decide the rich should support more of the burden. And in fact, that is what will happen. That is a democracy for you. Sorry to break it to many of you, but the low to piddling income families out number the higher-middle and rich families in this country.
- Posted by MechWRRYes, McCain wants all people to be wealthy - Yes, then no one will pay taxes. What a Joker he is.
- Posted by mzbondOK, here it goes and you can call me whatever you want but those that are really intellectual will understand what real wealth is.
I came from a family in North St. Louis County, Mother worked in a laundry Father worked with his hands on a Riverboat his entire life. Had a small house and not much extra money but we were wealthy because we had God and love for each other? I grew up with 1 sister and two brothers and we all know have nice homes and good jobs with some of the major company’s in the world.
Under Obama these companies will need to cut jobs to pay for the tax increases and one if not all of us could loose all the things we work hard to achieve while we become part of the welfare state created by the policies Obama wants to put us under.
A little of my own history…
I had good grades in High School under Carter but could not get a well paid job…minimum wage…I worked hard but could not go to college without Military Service.
Joined the Marine Corp and also went to College at the same time under Ragan I made good wages and had promise for future.
Decided to leave the Marine Corp and get a job…Back to St. Louis and under Clinton jobs are lost in St. Louis because I wanted a good paying job and they were all low pay.
I started a Family and worked my way up through SWB, and Anheuser-Busch to have a good living, Then Busch comes in and almost like that my Pay goes up because I can block the Unions from making my life hell…
Now I work for one of the largest companies in the world and make over 100 grand per year and as and executive I can tell you people will loose jobs and even though he will not admit it Obama will have to tax me heavier just to keep up with his spending programs…This man scares the heck out of this person who really did work his way up that ladder with knuckles and passion to make more out of myself than my parents did.
Please consider McCain or increase the welfare ranks and worship at the foot of Obama.
- Posted by PleaseThis is rich coming from the governor of the “Welfare State”, who hands every citizen in the state a check from money redistributed from oil companies. And can’t get enough pork out of the federal government. Or even the RNC.
- Posted by Rodger LemondeHere is a new state motto for her.
“Alaska is for gold diggers.”
I hear her next door neighbors are commies.
Ben, your comment says nothing about the article at all, and merely attacks myself. I’ve provided you with actual numbers and concrete facts supporting my argument, and you’re just blindly ignoring it. I would argue that you, sir, are the sheep here.
As for people having problems, I would consider providing food for your children or making rent to be real problems that are currently crushing the lower and middle class. I do understand that some citizens will come out of the changes Obama has proposed worse off than they were before. They are called millionaires. The rest of us “little people” who comprise the majority of the nation will enjoy significant benefits while you yourself may have to hold off on buying a new Maserati. Seems like a decent trade off to me.
- Posted by donnerparty