Obama - 2001 Interview

[AnimeIntroStyles3]

Hey, where did you get that spooky music that you put after every one of Obamas sentences? I just want to know cause there's someone I also want people to think is bad, and I need spooky music to help convince them as well. Thanks in advance.

[lindabee10]

Here's where you can her the entire interview in context. Google:

chicago public radio blog barack obama's radio days

It helps to get a better understanding of the context, instead of freaking out about cherry-picked soundbites that are intended to inflame the debate.

[lictor313]

loool, "redistribution of wealth"

it did'nt work for Russia...

can someone explain to me why the US is tolerating a crypto communist president?

[misterwipedown]

OMG I was going to vote for this guy, no way now.

[Lisawrit]

Typical lawyer-ese. I'm just not comfortable with this guy and never will be. Race has absolutely nothing to do with it. I work hard for my money and I want to decide what I do with it!

[aicnalib]

This is sliced and diced right wing crap. The man is making complex legal statements. When he uses the term "spread the wealth around" that's idiomatic-speak for bottom-up, progressive taxation- the OPPOSITE of of trickle-ON taxation which says REDISTRIBUTE THE WEALTH UP to the rich and then hope they'll do right by the rest of us. The right wingers are the REAL "socialists", or should I say "fascists" who believe in robbing from the middle and working classes to give to the RICH.

[hukkfinn3]

"He just said redistributing wealth is an administrative task!!!"

No, he didn't. You are an idiot.

He said that the Supreme Court was getting into administrative details when it required public schools to desegregate.

You are WAY off.

If you can't understand this simple statement, you definitely should not be posting videos that attempt to analyze thoughtful in-depth legal discussions, which is what this is.

[bruceliv]

I agree with Obama here. Taking this interview in context, he doesn't believe in challenging the constitutional balance of power by serving the Justice department with taxation issues that clearly belong to the legislature.

[1911arthur]

Reagan must have been a Socialist also as he passed the Earned Income Tax Credit! That is where you get a check even if you paid no taxes! He redistributed the wealth!

This argument McSame uses is bogus. That is why I'm voting Obama as McSame continually lies and decieves. He's a liar.

[en0x86]

Senator Obama was never a law professor... What is that all about? Time Index: 2:25 thru 2:35

[prosediva]

Indeed he was. Beginning in 1992, Obama taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School for twelve years, being first classified as a Lecturer from 1992 to 1996, and then as a Senior Lecturer from 1996 to 2004.

[en0x86]

Thanks Prosediva, I was mistaken, Thanks for correcting me.

[prosediva]

My pleasure. It was during his tenure as Sr. Lecturer that the interview that this hacked up bunch of crap was compiled from. I can't stress enough that you MUST hear the complete interview to understand what Obama is talking about here - and it's not taxes AT ALL.

[en0x86]

Do you have a location on the entire video - I would perfer to get all my data in context. Thank you.

[mamalikesit]

Does this make McCain a socialist/Marxist too because back in 2000 he said he was for "taxing the rich." Look it up on you tube! Don't cast stones in a glass house GOP! Punch in "McCain Raise Taxes 2000" and see what you get!

[mamalikesit]

Google "KBEZ" look on their website and listen to the discussion on civil rights. Listen to 32:50-36:00 you'll here Obama talking about redistribution as it pertains to inter-city schools and creating equal opportunity to inter-city people. This is not a discussion about how he is going to take your money and give it to some family on welfare. DON'T BUY THE FEAR AND THE LIES! This will all be disproven within a couple of days. 7 days until we get change. Don't let fear stop you!

[mamalikesit]

This is taken totally out of context! Go to the website where this is taken from. Obama was talking about how the civil right's movement was a failure. During the discussion, a part you can't hear on this audio version, Obama talks about redistribution in the context of money going to inter-city schools. Research shows that inter-city schools are inferior to schools in the suburbs. It was NOT a discussion about taking peoples tax money and giving it to poor people as the GOP would have you think

[grumpystiltskin]

What's really remarkable about the interview is listening to Obama talk with nuance and insight and compassion about issues that have

moral, legal and political ramifications. Listen to it, and imagine having a president who talks this way. I can't wait for next Tuesday!

[unknowndanex]

Even the first Bush had to come to terms that taxes needed to increase during that recession ("Read my lips no new taxes" anyone?) Clinton increased taxes and what happened.  Unemployment did not go up, it went down. Tax revenues went up significantly and he was able to budget better because we weren't busy irresponsibly building a deficit without paying for it.

And Marxism is being thrown around a bit too easily. Marx would definitely not think Obama is socialist.

[unknowndanex]

Funny how the GOP whines about handouts but praise Palin for giving the Alaskan people handouts. I don't care if 40 percent of people pay or don't pay, they need help, they are struggling. He's providing a tax cut to 95 percent of working families and McCain and the rest of you are arguing over 5 percent and calling it socialism. Then say we can't raise taxes, but then when Obama cuts, it's a handout. Consumers need to buy people's products and those consumers happen to be middle class

[aaronmortrud]

He'll raise EVERYONE's tax & has admitted it! He won't renew the Bush cut which was a cut for EVERYONE. He'll raise the Cap.Gains Tax;don't sell your house for a profit! (another increase).The 95% isn't the issue, it's Obama's desire to redistribute money to where HE thinks it should go...a mere tax cut? We ALL NEED more money.How dare it be just the "middle class." Here's cold light not theory:I'm GM of a housing company & will have to fire 3 people if Obama does what he promises.

[prosediva]

He has said nothing of the sort - and if you are worried about capital gains tax at this point, then you MUST be doing pretty well for yourself.

[SoundGuyDavo]

We the People, the citizens, have lost control of our government and we need to grab it by the f'n balls again.

[mamalikesit]

By the way Obama wants to give tax cuts to 95% of the working population and not give even more tax cuts to the richest 5% as McCain wants to do. Trickle down economics doesn't work! It is a proven fact. Trickle down theory was first instituted by Hoover during the great depression. Reagan used trickle down economics and look what happened to our national debt! Educate yourselves with the facts by googling our national debt incurred under GOP control! Tax breaks to the people that need it most.

[aaronmortrud]

Why should people that pay ZERO tax get a check (which is what Obama has proposed) and someone that pays $40,000 per year in tax have to pay even more? Is that fair? That is not what our country was founded upon but what it has become.

[aaronmortrud]

How about this to all of them in DC.. STOP SPENDING ALL OF OUR F'ING MONEY! It's not theirs. We can cut all kinds of tax if we'd all scream at them to quIT pissing through OUR MONEY! IT'S NOT THEIRS!

[lindabee10]

aaronmortrud: "Why should people that pay ZERO tax get a check (which is what Obama has proposed) and someone that pays $40,000 per year in tax have to pay even more?"

If I could afford to pay $40,000 in taxes, I'd gladly do it. Do you know how much you'd have to be making to have that kind of a tax burden? Certainly more income than anybody here who's complaining about that tax burden!

[mamalikesit]

GOP = spend and spend.....Dems = tax and spend. How do you rationalize giving a tax rebate check that we received from Bush and paying for a war that was unjust in the first place? We are 10 trillion in debt! Half of that incurred in the past 8 years! Our Gov't has been fiscally irresponsible. Fact: We pay 18 cents of interest for every dollar taxed. Who was in control of all 3 branches of gov't for 6 of the 8 Bush years. THE GOP! Wake up people and be responsible. Your Gov't sure hasn't!

[mamalikesit]

When Obama says "bring about redistributive change" he is refering to the balance of power and the need for opportunities in minority communities. He is not talking about reparations where essentially our gov't would be paying blacks for our country's past sin of slavery. In fact Obama has said that he is against reparation. When he referenced redistribution of wealth it was in reference to the court's focus on more right's based cases. Open your ears people!

[amergk]

Say it ain't so Joe, first you and your running mate were called Marxists, but the truth is you maybe Stalinists instead. This and that channel is out of the loop. No Joe you and Obama are out of the loop and are looped. Spread that wealth Supreme Court, never happen. The Constitution was written to control big government. Your candidate was a constitutional law teacher, he should know that. I think it's called spread the marxist propaganda and our wealth to his own kind.

[unknowndanex]

Dude, he's increasing taxes because we have to pay for these programs. I'm sorry if he's not McCain who claims he's gonna freeze Defense spending while increasing Defense spending but steady freezing spending and claiming to cut only 18 billion of a deficit but extend the bush tax cuts.

Take a tax economy class. One phrase you will hear a lot is "distribution of wealth".

[rgandalf]

I think that increasing taxes with a weak economy is shooting yourself in the foot.The worst thing is that he want to do increase taxes in order to increase the size of government by 1 trillion dollars when it is obvious that trowing money to the problem is not the solution.About the tax cuts I don't know witch class you took but in every country that taxes are at a minimum economy flourishes(look what Dubai is doing regarding taxes and shifting the economy from oil to tourism)

[mardimax]

Uhhh

DamonK1007 you have it all wrong. Taxes are for building infrastructure like Interstate Hwys and help states do city plumbing, electrical panels for the country and such. What Obama wants to do is use taxes to pay people with a rebate check even if they don't pay into the tax base. That is just the center of the equation. The start is the Govt. taking private prop and you live where they want you to, the end is work camps where your beat if you don't work. That's the change I need!GIMME!

[eddtheman070]

actually, the tax cuts only affect those who pay taxes. so if they "dont pay into the tax base" they dont get rebates.

[HammockTimeNow]

You are completely WRONG..those that dn't pay fed taxes get tax credits in the form of a check...a check for doing absolutely nothing

[Qabalist]

Obama was talking about disenfranchised people, who were owned and owned nothing. Apparently some people like to tug at the strings and say he's coming from another perspective to make America Socialist. Let's be clear, America does indeed practice socialism in various ways, but I suppose it's okay to try and make Obama anti-American by making people fear a socialism that is being practiced in the U.S. Wealth is often redistributed.

[unknowndanex]

It's funny how redistribution of wealth is only bad when it affects certain people. Highest tax bracket was 90 at one point. Estate tax was 75 at one point and have been lowered significantly....redistributio­n of wealth.

I like how someone takes a racial situation in which Blacks did not receive equal pay and did not have as many opportunities resulting in no wealth and relates it to the election out of context. Very interesting.

Since when did hard work matter most? G.W. Bush is pre. JK

[baigandine]

The tax code is already progressive. We can talk about a flat tax, but the fact is the tax code now is progressive, so it is merely a question of how you play around with the numbers. There is no difference IN KIND between Bush's tax cuts to the rich and Obama's repeal of them. Sorry to say Joe the Plumber had it wrong. Rich people have always been taxed more.

[gilliganbrady]

the question goes far beyond rich people being taxed more though, the concern is where are those tax dollars going? taxes were intended to be used, initially, for infrastructure and for military development. The problem is that, by his own words, BHO is intending to use taxes for "the redsitribution of wealth" and he'd like to use the courts to pursue that. This is far beyond taxation, it is a misuse of taxation.

[baigandine]

Effectively the same thing. It doesn't matter whether he just hands the money over to the poor, or spends it on legitimate endeavors, and then lowers the rates on the poor. The tax code as it is already structured has that redistributive effect. As to use of the courts, he said that would be 'difficult to legitimize.' He might not like the fact, but I don't think he expresses a willingness to take what he calls an illegitimate route.

[prosediva]

No no no.... he does NOT want to use the courts - that is his WHOLE point.

[demofrankie]

DemoFrankie,

it's 1936 people,pay attention,redistribution

of wealth doesn't and hasn't worked,and not

being a constitutional scholar nor do I play

one on t.v.I don't think the courts are the place for this issue.This country was founded

on hard work will create oppurtunity and as

long as your willing to put in the effort,you

can go as far as you want.

[marcusplazaman]

This world is going to Hell, and Obama will be at the wheel if we let him into office. We have to do something, hopefully all the people out there with half a brain will do all they can to keep that from happening.

[notreallyworried]

Somebody please download it before Youtube makes it go down the Memory Hole.

[ddviper001]

This is a great discussion and I agree wholeheartedly with Obama. I've taken Con Law classes and he's right on all counts. Stop trying to make this look sinister. It's one of the main and legitimate arguments that has philosophically divided our country from its inception, including controversy among the Founders. And Obama very thoughtfully stated here that although a case could be make for a change via the courts, he'd rather see it done legislatively. He's rejecting activism in the courts!

[notreallyworried]

Basically he wants to take limitations of government to do what they think is best. Of course, every tyrant in the world would agree with that.

[DeuceMackey]

No, you've taken Con law classes about case studies in Con Law, you have not actually read the document itself. His arguement that ANYONE in the Fed should look at redacting wealth is Unconstitutional seeing as how that power is NOT provided to the Fed and therefore falls under the states. He's rejecting activist judging based on the fact that they won't do it as well as he will.

[prosediva]

Read WHAT document?

[gilliganbrady]

oh man ... lol .... 'HE'S REJECTING THE ACTIVISM OF THE COURTS" .... the loon was saying that he couldn't pull it off, not that he WOULDN'T ... nut job ... if this is what they're teaching in "con law" classes at community college, God help us all ...

[prosediva]

Good grief... all you wingnuts kill me. Taxes are a redistribution of wealth! It's simple!!

[samusachick]

Taxes are used to pay for what we spend money on. If we feel like taking care of poor people is something we need to spend money on *and almost all of us do* then we tax for that.

Taxing just because you think things are unfair is an entirely different story.

[prosediva]

"Taxes are used to pay for what we spend money on."

I'm not sure I see your point - but have fun with that.

I love how people take 3 minutes out of an interview and try to make it into something sinister. It's not. Listen to the entire interview (if you CAN - it's pretty intellectual stuff from Obama's Professorial days).

[DamonK1007]

Taxation is not a redistribution of wealth.. for the fact that the taxes go toward ensuring freedoms for EVERYONE. Obama's plan to take more from the wealthy and give that to the poor does not do that. Example: If i take tax money and use it as unemployment insurance.. then anyone who looses a job will get money.. everyone. In Obama's case, he would redistribute those taxes into a refundable tax credit. And to only those people he sees as needing it. That is the difference.

[stillie4]

How many wealthy people do you know use unemployment insurance? ZERO! 10% of Americans currently pay 70% of the taxes. 30 to 40% of Americans don't pay taxes. So how is raising taxes going to make things more fair?

[eddtheman070]

your figures are a bit misleading. currently, the top 1% owns 50% of the nations wealth (approximately), so, theoretically, they should pay 50% of the taxes. All americans pay taxes if they have a job or property. you might mean that 30% dont pay imcome taxes.

People don't have to pay social security on any income exceeding $94,000.

capital gains taxes are much lower than income taxes. CG taxes are taxes on the money that a person makes in stocks and bonds.

[rgandalf]

The refundable tax credit is a joke! 40 % of the working people don't pay federal taxes, so they are going to receive an extra check of money that they didn't earn? How is that not redistribution of wealth? , if you dont see it as redistribution of wealth you better do your homework!

[prosediva]

Talk about a redistribution of wealth: The key to Sarah Palin's popularity in Alaska might have something to do with the fact that her administration gives every man, woman, and child in Alaska a $3,269 check anually. What did Palin do to free up this kind of money? She increased the oil tax from a 10 percent gross revenue tax to a 25 percent profits tax. The result was a massive influx of cash to state coffers. BP, for example, saw its state taxes increase by 480 percent.

IOKYR.

[rgandalf]

Yes but you forgot to say that she cut property taxes by 75% and eliminated personal property and business inventory taxes, also she she used her veto power to make the second-largest cuts of the construction budget in state history.The $237 million in cuts and reduced the construction budget to $1.6 billion. She kept the policy of no sales tax or income tax in Alaska as results the state revenues doubled to $10 billion in 2008. This is really the key of her popularity!

[prosediva]

OK - so Palin raised taxes on big corporations, and lowered taxes for working people and families.

Does this sound familiar at all? This is EXACTLY what Obama is proposing. So why oh WHY is everyone calling him a socialist, and yet Palin is not being called a socialist?

[rgandalf]

Familiar? Reps want tax cuts for small business while maintaining the tax cuts for big companies, Dem want to increase it, is a blunt lie about the 95% tax cuts of the middle class because 40% of that 95% DO NOT pay taxes at all! and they will get a "free" check! THATs socialism! Look you are even contradicting yourself stating that Sarah's plan is "EXACTLY what Obama is proposing" if that is a fact why Obama is criticizing it all the time? :/

[prosediva]

Obama has never mentioned Gov. Palin's policies, much less has he been critical of them. Heck *I* wasn't even being critical of her policies!

[rgandalf]

"Heck *I* wasn't even being critical of her policies!" REALLY!! "and yet Palin is not being called a socialist? " It is obvious that you see her as a socialist but without any substance, if you are willing to go that far I'm not going to waste my time, you are right! Obama 08! Change we need!

[prosediva]

I do not see her as a socialist - I was asking why everyone is freaking out about Obama's tax plan when it is nowhere as radical as Palin's policies. More power to her.

[rgandalf]

"nowhere as radical as Palin's policies." So that's not criticism? Hey don't continue please, you are just embarrassing yourself.

Change we need! (what a joke)

[prosediva]

Radical doesn't mean bad. Crack out a dictionary, Einstein.

[rgandalf]

Thanks for calling me Einstein the next thing will be nazi, fascist or racist OK I get it. Please tell me who said that radical is bad.... you! I didn't! Change we need !

[prosediva]

It appears that you have a self esteem issue, and a poor grasp of not only the english language, but how to use it effectively. I thought we were discussing politics, not semantics.

Thank you for playing.

[rgandalf]

That's right, change the subject to me and ignore the real isuues, is not a self esteem issue, its your sarcasm and arrogance that surface after you failed to make a point and explain your position. By the way about your "derogatory english comment" I know 3 languages Spanish, English and Portuguese so I apologize for my english not being to your high standard. After all you where the one shifting from politics to semantics ☺

[timewilltell83]

Post this everywhere, craigslist, myspace, facebook, and to all your email contacts. Expose Obama the wealth spreader for what he believes in. Only 8 days left, people!!

[Jack252326]

bits and pieces take out of context. I bet that if I slapped together past Obama speeches i could make it look like he's an alien.

IT'S THE ECONOMY STUPID!!!!

[DeuceMackey]

Economy caused by many things...Fanny and Freddie-a private company propped up by government funds and killed by US regulation. Also, see Federal Reserve, subrime lending, Clinton Administration, lack of vision by Bush, no adherence to the constitution

[swabby2]

It doesnt seem to matter how much evidence comes out about this socialist, the masses are drinking this guy's Kool-aid and are oblivious to what his real agenda has always been and will be--redistribution of wealth, straight from the Karl Marx playbook. I wish people could go to Russia, China, and even France and ask those people how they feel about their government before we go down this long and ugly road to a nanny state.

[iujmedw]

What motivation does me high school senior have to strive to be the most successful he can when it will be taken from him and redistributed to a high school drop out with no ambition. For all you early voters who drank the coolaid and voted for this mad man early, you should be scared of what you have done.

[nerak4yak8]

"From each according to his ability, to each according to his need." Karl Marx.

This country was not founded on promising its citizens a certain amount of wealth. It was founded on the principal of "Fredom and Liberty for all". Redistribution of wealth is a principle of Marxism. It has never worked in the history of the world and it will not work now.