Barack Obama on Redistribution of Wealth in 2001

[DrWickDaddy]

It is difficult to defend the Constitution when you view the Preamble as a list of negative rights. They were designed to limit government, not spell out a list of subsidized entitlements.

[HoneySiegalSurvivor]

Redistribution of MY wealth by fraud of this crooked attorney engaged in bank fraud is beyond unconstitutional. It is criminal. Indict the prick. Give me back my life.

Enforce the laws of the United States of America.

Criminals stealing money and property in Congress too

Enough already.

Are we a nation of laws or not?

I did not die it is a lie.

Obama lies and lies and the country dies.

He is engaged with Janet Napolitano in fraud of the estate of me deceased.

GIVE ME LIFE Honey Siegal

[whoo689]

Wealth is redistributed NO MATTER WHAT by government today, whether it's from the GOP or Democrats! Yet it's only the Republicans who talk about redistribution. They claim it's "Redistribution for hte poor." But what about REPUBLICAN redistribution on behalf of giant corporations in the form of corporate welfare and subsidies, or giving defense contractors billions a year to produce things that do nothing but destroy and maim? Come on.... Redistribution happens BOTH WAYS, guys.

[whoo689]

@whoo689 So helping the poor is an "evil" idea but helping the rich get richer is SOOO good? What a fucked up way of looking at the world.

Besides, government, by its very EXISTENCE, redistributes money to SOMEONE out there. That's what taxes basically ARE. So should we just end taxation altogether? Why do so many people hate the idea of helping the disadvantaged but have no problem helping the rich? It's this free-market fundamentalism that's gotta go. It doesn't work.

[whoo689]

@whoo689 The government already GETS the tax money, so why not have them spend it on helping people who deserve it? It's not like they're taking extra money for some separate "redistribution account" in addition to all the taxes we've already paid.

Why is redistribution such a dirty word?? God forbid someone who works his ass off but couldn't get a good education because of where he grew up and thus get a high-paying job gets a little assistance to help pay for things like healthcare.

[whoo689]

@whoo689 But of course, the GOP conception of that kind of poor person doesn't exist. Rather, they seem to think that the MAJORITY of poor and working class people are just lazy bums who'd rather not work and want to mooch off taxpayers. Well, I'm sure those people DO exist, but they are few and far between. MOST people who take these benefits ARE hard-working folks who are doing their damndest to get out of poverty. And besides, the American welfare state is one of NOT THAT GENEROUS

[whoo689]

@whoo689 To qualify for shit like Medicaid, you need a VERY low income. Unemployment insurance IS NOT that high compared to the full-time jobs most of them had beforehand. It's a myth to think that just ANYONE can get UI and sit on his "lazy" ass for several months before looking for a job. That's not the way it works. UI is quite limited.

[whoo689]

Even if one says "The private sector should be doing this stuff", that sounds all well and good, but this ain't the 1920s. Private charities and philanthropic organizations can only raise so much per year. The amount gov't spends on the welfare state is WAY MORE. If you relied entirely on private sector generosity, a lot of people wouldn't get help. That's just a fact. Besides, there's no market for unemployment insurance and things like that. Gov't must provide it.

[whoo689]

@whoo689 Lastly, from an economic standpoint, welfare-state benefits CAN and oftentimes do help out the economy. The fact is, according to all credible estimates, things like food stamps have the highest multiplier effect. If you give $1 in food stamps, the economy produces more than $1. Now, this is not to say that we should just hand out FS to everyone, because that's just foolish.  But keeping demand going as an automatic stabilizer, esp. in bad times, is a legit goal.

[whoo689]

These welfare-state benefits can give people BACK tax dollars to put back into the economy, to some extent. That helps spur demand, which helps spur business growth, which spurs job creation and so on.

With all its inefficiencies, the welfare-state does a fairly good job of helping out society in the long run. Sure, there is waste to cut, but it's not like gutting it altogether would turn us into some kind of capitalist paradise.

[cooltoye]

Obama is a commy, and his supporters are either reds or pinkos

[lindabee10]

I just got an e-mail from the ACLU: Here's a way that you all can help push back on the Constitutional limits of government power. Go to:

aclu. org / transition

(delete spaces)

There's a long list of civil liberties abuses from the Bush years. The ACLU has been keeping score and has already submitted this list and timetable to our new Prez.

[opetay]

Is it hard to be an idiot, cause you make it sound easy.

[lindabee10]

It will be GREAT for the Dems to have the Presidency and both houses of Congress. They'll be able to start cleaning up after the disastrous Bush years.

Funny how the G.O.P. is suddenly so afraid of one-party rule now that they're losing it control of THEIR lock on power.

[ForTehNguyen]

you mean cleaning out our paychecks, freedoms, and liberties

[lindabee10]

You apparently haven't been paying attention to the economic disaster of the Bush years, and the freedoms and civil liberties they've gutted in order to grab power. You might want to read more widely, even right-wing think tanks are freaking out over this.

Check out some of the Cato Institute's readings, like "Power Surge: The Constitutional Record of George W. Bush" or "A Tragic Legacy: How a Good vs. Evil Mentality Destroyed the Bush Presidency."

[opetay]

How about how our economy boomed for 6 yrs till dems took over the house and senate. This whole democrat deppresion was spawned by democrats to make Pres. Bush look bad, and regain power. Democratic poloticians don't give a damn about you or anyone else. you're an idiot if you think other wise. as long as you're already rich or in a union you will be taken care of. Don't vote for an ass in 2012

[opetay]

you're right, great for dems to phenominal cosmic power over our everyday lives. It's great that they now have the worlds largest blank check. It's great for Hypocrats, bad for America.

[10452kataeb]

americans are so paranoid. relax. if obama wins, he will live in the middle like clinton.

[jdavis57]

He is far more radical than Clinton. If Democrats control both houses, there will be nothing to stop him from implementing the redistribution of wealth he so wants to do.

We can't afford to take that chance.

However, the takers out number the producers in this world, and they will jump at any chance to get something for nothing.

I'm not thrilled with McCain, but he doesn't want to grow government the way Obama does.

[mikeandike1327]

@10452kataeb

Do you still hold the same view after a year of this ..?

[celinenj08]

And he's not a Marxist? This needs to be spread to every working American. The ones who are unemployed and don't work will love it. Make sure every working American is aware of Obama's agenda. This is damning evidence. Wow! In HIS own words too. Easy to lie, but eventually the truth always comes out. He does mean what he said to Joe the Plumber. He means every single word of it.