There are good liars and bad liars. Good liars know the right moment to "enhance" a story to make everything tilt in their favor. Done properly, such lies are undetectable and unverifiable. Bad liars just spit out what they want you to believe, whether it makes sense or not. Obama is a bad liar, as his most recent interview with Bill O'Reilly proved.
What did Obama lie about? Right in the middle of his interview, Obama spat out this doozy:
Oh really? See, the problem with this kind of lie is that it can be verified, as indeed I have done. As you may have guessed, his claim that he didn't raise taxes turns out to be a $1.5 trillion lie. Take a look at the taxes Obama raised over the past two years:“I didn’t raise taxes once. I lowered taxes over the last two years. I lowered taxes for the last two years.”
These total at least $1.484 trillion in tax hikes (over 10 years). And lest you think these numbers are the mad ravings of some conservative crackpot, the source for the non-ObamaCare tax hikes was ABC News. The source for the ObamaCare tax hikes was the President’s own Office of Management and Budget.On individual income. . . .
● $179 billion. . . elimination of itemized deductions on people making more than $250,000
● $118 billion. . . capital gains tax hike on people making more than $250,000
On business. . . .
● $5.3 billion. . . excise tax on Gulf of Mexico oil and gas
● $17 billion. . . reinstatement of superfund taxes
● $24 billion. . . new tax on carried-interest as income
● $5 billion. . . codification of the “economic substance doctrine”
● $61 billion. . . repeal LIFO
● $210 billion. . . international tax changes
● $4 billion. . . information reporting changes on rental payments
● $62 million. . . repeal deduction for tertiary injectants
● $49 million. . . repeal passive loss exception for interests in oil/natural gas properties
● $13 billion. . . repeal manufacturing tax deduction for oil/natural gas companies
● $1 billion. . . increase amortization period for independent producers
● $882 million. . . eliminate advanced earned income tax credit
● $?. . . $0.62 cents per pack tax on tobacco
Under ObamaCare. . .
● $15 billion. . . individual mandates under ObamaCare
● $28 billion. . . employer mandates under ObamaCare
● $149.1 billion. . . 40% excise tax on “Cadillac” health plans
● $1.3 billion. . . additional 10% charge on early withdrawal from HSAs
● $5 billion. . . end use of HSAs and FSAs for non-prescription medicines
● $13.3 billion. . . cap on FSAs
● $86.8 billion. . . 0.9% hike in payroll taxes for Medicare
● $17.1 billion. . . new 1099 reporting requirements
● $22.2 billion. . . tax on drug companies
● $19.2 billion. . . tax on medical device makers
● $10 billion. . . tax on health insurers
● $5.8 billion. . . excise tax on elective cosmetic surgery
● $2.7 billion. . . tanning tax
● $15.2 billion. . . raising itemized medical deduction from 7.5% of 10% of AGI
● $5.4 billion. . . elimination of deduction for employer-provided retirement prescription drug coverage
● $600 million. . . $500,000 compensation limit for health insurance executives
● $400 million. . . elimination of tax deduction for Blue Cross/Blue Shield
● $?. . . $50,000 tax per hospital that fails to meet HHS rules
And lets not forget that he proposed even more than he got, like:
● $338 billion. . . Bush tax cuts expire for people making more than $250,000
So how do we account for this whopper? I mean, this seems a little blatant doesn’t it? Here’s the trick: what Obama is doing is he’s offsetting tax increases with tax cuts to make the claim that overall he hasn’t raised taxes. He just carefully avoids telling you that he’s talking about an offset. Instead, he tries to sneak that past you with an ambiguous use of the word "taxes" -- which he uses both in the sense of specific identifiable taxes (i.e. how he wants you to hear it) and as "taxes overall" (i.e. how he actually means it). This careful use has caused some to claim that Obama's lie was premeditated, which appears to be a strong possibility.
Yet, even if we accept Obama's unspoken claim of "net taxes," there is still another problem. This is where Obama’s repeated mention of the two year mark becomes important -- the tax cuts expire at the two year mark. Thus, even under his formulation, he could not make the same claim from the third year onward. Indeed, as Grover Norquist explains it: “Ninety percent of all the tax cuts he ever signed into law are temporary, but 100 percent of all of the tax increases he passed are permanent.”
Finally, just for fun, let’s pretend we’re Keynesians. Keynes believed that every dollar you add to an economy (or remove from it) gets multiplied by five as it passes through the economy. If that’s true, then Obama’s tax hikes will hurt the economy in the amount of $7.42 trillion over ten years, or $742 billion a year. According to Obama, his $789 billion stimulus should have created 3 million jobs. . . though we know how that turned out. So what do you think a $742 billion yearly tax hike will do to jobs?
Yeah, that was my guess too.
So what are your favorite Obama/Democratic lies?
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Obama-nochio Lies About Taxes
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41 comments:
See, Andrew, what you're forgetting is that Obama meant he hadn't raised any taxes for "people." As we all know, those who make above $250,000 a year or are in charge of big corporations are not people.
In all seriousness, I think Obama must have made that up before the interview started. Even he's not so foolish as to really believe that statement. And frankly, I was less disappointed in him than I was in O'Reilly, who didn't follow up a single question or press him on any of his inane remarks. I know it's the Super Bowl and everything and people want to think about football, not politics; but either have a real back-and-forth or don't waste people's time with a sham interview.
You know, some of use eat breakfast while reading your morning articles, and we don't appreciate getting sick to our stomachs in the middle of it.
But you know how it is - repeat a lie often enough (especially if the media will take it and run with it for ya too!) and eventually everyone will believe it.
I heard a radio guy this morning play a clip from Kennedy, since the media is busy comparing his speech to the Chamber of Commerce as "Kennedy-esque." Kennedy was going on about the importance of cutting taxes across the board for people and business.
O, you sir are no Kennedy.
T_Rav, I forgot that he classifies the world as people or unpeople. . . my bad. ;-)
I agree about O'Reilly, but that's the way the guy is. He blows very hard when he thinks he can get away with it, and then he goes all soft and squishy when he really should be following up with hard questions.
What's funny is that the left is incensed over the interview because they thought O'Reilly didn't show enough respect. Give me a break!
Crispy, Sorry. . . what are you having? ;-)
Yeah, it's pretty easy to lie when the MSM just runs with it like it's the truth no matter how obviously untrue it is.
Andrew,
Thank you. You actually listen to that idiot. Oh, and thank you for listening to Obama as well.
When Obama comes on, I am pro-active. I change the channel. My stomach has enough problems. This is why I come here a lot. That and the discussions are incredibly interesting.
I am with Crispy in that a lie repeated often enough comes to be believed.
DUQ, The left tries to forget that part of the Kennedy legacy. He's their hero, but only to the extent the things he said fit their current thinking. Anything else he said is simply excised from reality.
I believe the word that you’re looking for Andrew, is “sociopath.” You mix that in with a heavy dose of narcissism, and you have Barry. In his inexperienced brain, corporations are not people, but every business owner is Scrooge McDuck, but be certain, every tax levied against a business, is a pass through, meaning the end user, aka the customer. So when Barry makes an absurd statement as you so deftly pointed out, it effects us all no matter your station in life. In fact the payroll tax cut, that low wage earners received from The Three Stooges, Barry, Harry, and Nancy ($7.50 a week or thereabouts), turned out to be taxable income, and many low earners moved into a higher tax bracket, “the Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away,” losing them money in the long run. Barry’s statement was a throw away political talking point simply to enhance his standing with the ignorant. Good read Andrew.
Joel, LOL! Well done!
Yeah, if you repeat a lie often enough, people will start to believe it, even people who shouldn't. . . even when it's as easily disproved as this one.
Bizarre.
Oatmeal, Andrew. I figure it's healthy, so it'll soon be the only non-taxed (and thus affordable) food item out there. I may as well get used to it now. ;)
Thanks Stan! Scrooge McDuck, so true.
You're absolutely right that this affects us. Obama talks about cutting medical costs, but look at all the taxes he's putting on medical equipment makers and drug makers -- those things end up in higher costs for all of us. And the tax increases for Medicare and the capital gains taxes, etc. -- all of that ends up costing average Americans more, not some evil corporations. Only a goofy liberal would think that you can put a tax on a business and it somehow doesn't get paid by the customers.
Heh, Joel...I see what you did there :-)
Andrew, O'Reilly's always been my least favorite commentator on Fox. He strikes me as too much of a demagogue, and frankly, on a lot of issues he's just not that conservative.
Also, I think you asked about our "favorite" lies of Obama's. I think the whole "if you like your health-care provider, you can keep it" line would have to be at or near the top of my list.
Crispy, That wouldn't happen to be government issued oatmeal would it? LOL!
Sadly, I have no doubt that Ms. Obama is thinking long and hard about taxing all tasty food because we know what for a stickler she is about eating healthy. . . or at least, forcing the rest of us to eat healthy.
Crispy, you'd better be sure it's "natural" or "organic" oatmeal. Can't be too careful, ya know. The government wouldn't want you eating a lot of artifical or processed stuff.
How about "there's nothing socialist about the health care law"
T_Rav, I very much doubt O'Reilly's conservative credentials. I think he started out by being mostly conservative with a little common sense thrown in and a lot of bombast. And that worked because there was no one else doing that at the time. But now that he's famous, I think the cracks are showing in that and I always get the feeling that he's just leaning heavily on "suggestions of conservatism" and bombast.
As for lies, yeah, that's a big one -- and he said it so well, when he knew it was completely false.
I like how he said he would not raise taxes on anyone below $250,000 and then immediately redefined $250,000 as $125,000 and then proposed tax hikes for everyone anyways.
Did Obama promise that I can keep my brown sugar to top off my oatmeal too?
T-Rav, it's 100% organic, locally grown only with solar power and pure rainwater, harvested with tractors made of recycled rubber tires, and sold by happy workers earning 6 figures from their small co-op. It costs $50 per bowl, but I think it's worth a small sacrifice on my part, don't you?
Tam, That's a good one! Especially since he modeled it on the European socialized medicine model.
That's like building something that looks and acts just like a car but saying, "I call it a Train, and thus, there's nothing carish about it."
Crispy, You have seen the future. . . blech!
But Crispy, is it FairTrade approved? I have to know.
Andrew, you can't expect him to worry about little things like math. Didn't he promise during the campaign that he would extend coverage to more people than ever before, AND it would end up costing less? Ye of little faith.
O.M.G! this works perfectly with my post for tomorrow. LINK'D!
I do the comedy, you do the hard lifting. hmmmm, if i'm not careful, there'll be a gove'ment cheese job in my future. hehe...
T_Rav,
I don't know what you are talking about. ;-)
I stopped listening to O'Reilly when he backed Global Warming. He is an idiot. It makes it hard to take him seriously after that.
Andrew: It's only money, and it stimulates the economy and creates [government] jobs. Don't you want to see America succeed? EAT THE RICH !
T_Rav, If I remember correctly, the original promise was that everyone would be covered, but then they changed the meaning of "universal." Of course, they also changed the meaning of "affordable" somewhere along the line and turned that into "ultra expensive to people with jobs."
So you see, it's not really a lie, it's a matter of definitions! :-)
T_Rav and Crispy, Good point on the Fair Trade issue! Also, make sure it's not slave labor either. Even though they are paid six figures and they work for themselves, that can still be slave labor if they don't have ideal working conditions. . . at least according to some liberals.
Patti, on the plus side, I hear that government teeth is pretty good.... ;-)
Thanks for the link! Keep up the humor -- we need a lot of it as long as Obama is our Grand Poobah.
Joel, I heard he believes in global warming -- despite the evidence to the contrary. Unbelievable, especially for a man who takes the stance that he's a skeptic. I have little use for him.
Lawhawk, In your enthusiasm, you posted your comment three times! So I deleted two. ;-)
As for what you say, you are indeed correct sir.... EAT THE RICH! And then for desert. . . we all starve.
I don't know if "favorite" is the right term, but I'll throw out two:
1) Deficit increased if healthcare bill is repealed.
2) "If you knew me, you would like me."
Andrew: Oops, sorry. I'm having trouble with my optical mouse and I can't find the old one. But then everything I say is worth repeating. LOL
Jed, Good point, "favorite" is probably not the right word. But you get the point! LOL!
And those are two good ones. The second on in particular contains a lot of irony because I liked him a lot more before I got to know him.
On number 1, yeah, that's total nonsense. How can repealing something that hasn't happened yet affect the future? Especially something that will cost us money? It's insane.
Lawhawk, No doubt! :-)
Andrew, of course a six-figure job can be slave labor. Because if you're not finding fulfillment in your work, then you can't claim to be truly happy, can you? And isn't the denial of self-expression the true definition of slavery? Isn't it?
Nice list! Too bad it will be outdated the next time Obama opens his mouth. I don't think he can order a massive football feast without demanding a tax hike.
T_Rav, So true. And let's not forget that the simple act of having to work for a living is a form of slavery. :-(
Ed, Isn't that the truth! Like Alice in Wonderland, he likes to think of three tax hikes before breakfast each day!
OK, I biked out to the oatmeal farm (so as not to pollute the air with my evil, evil automobile) and I spied on the workers. (There were some thought police hiding in the bushes with me, so I knew I couldn't be seen.) The oat workers were whistling while they worked, and some were taking a break to dance and sing in the fields. Does that mean they were happy and self-fulfilled??
I'm sure my oats won't taste as good tomorrow if I had the thought that the workers weren't truly at peace with their lives....
Crispy, That's really funny! Now I've got the image of a bunch of workers in the field singing away as their soy-based tractor rolls along pleasantly with its perpetual motion engine. . .
Zip a Dee Doo Dah, Zip a Dee Ay,
My oh my, what an oppression-free day...
I love y'all!
I started the comments all nauseated and ended with a smile...
zippitty doo dah
(and I'm awfully glad y'all can't stand Mr Bill. he's just sooooo... smarmy. My uncle gave me B O'R's book a couple of Christmases ago and I never got through the first chapter. I feel less bad about that now!)
rlaWTX, Glad to be of service! :-)
We definitely have a great crowd here, who know when not to take things too seriously!
And yeah, there doesn't seem to be a lot of love for Bill. "Smarmy" is a good word for him too!
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