I can live with defeat, says John McCain

[CelticKing]

I can live with defeat, says John McCain

Barack Obama raised $150 million (£87 million) last month, shattering his previous monthly record of $67 million and allowing him to swamp the airwaves in the final stretch of his presidential race against John McCain.

The huge haul — by far the biggest in presidential history — came as Mr McCain gave a robust performance in a television interview, where he predicted a close finish but also said that he had pondered the thought of defeat to Mr Obama, an outcome he said that he could live with.

Mr McCain, speaking moments after his old friend Colin Powell, the former Republican Secretary of State, had endorsed Mr Obama, said that a loss would not devastate him. He said that he had thought about it, “but I don't dwell on it”.

The Republican nominee continued: “I've had a wonderful life. I have to go back to Arizona and live ... with a wonderful family, and daughters and sons that I'm so proud of. I'm the luckiest guy you have ever interviewed and will ever interview. I'm the most fortunate man on Earth, and I thank God for it every single day.”

If he lost, he told Fox News Sunday, “don't feel sorry for John McCain and John McCain will be concentrating on not feeling sorry for himself”.

Mr McCain conceded that he was trailing, but pointed to several recent national polls showing the race tightening.

“Sure, I'm the underdog,” he said. Yet he added, in a reference to the near collapse of his campaign last summer: “Every time I've been ahead, I've messed up.” Mr McCain said that he had “started turning it around the other night” in the final presidential debate, adding: “I've been in enough campaigns to sense enthusiasm and momentum, and we've got it.”

Asked to repeat an assertion he made on Saturday that Mr Obama's economic proposals were socialist, Mr McCain said that his rival's plan to raise taxes on people earning more than $250,000 a year was a “redistribution of the wealth,” which “is one of the tenets of socialism”.

The Republican defended his use of automated robocalls to voters in swing states telling them that Mr Obama “has worked closely with domestic terrorist Bill Ayers”, the Vietnam-era radical who bombed government buildings. Mr McCain decried the use of such calls against him when he ran against George Bush in 2000.

He said that the content of the calls was “absolutely true”, unlike the smears directed against him during the 2000 South Carolina primary. “We need to know the full extent of that relationship [with Mr Ayers].”

Mr McCain said “you could make the argument” that Mr Obama was seeking to buy the election with his massive fundraising and spending. He decried his rival's decision to reverse a previous pledge to take public financing for his general election campaign.

“He broke his word to me and the American people,” Mr McCain said.

 

[Jurassic]

Ha.

What kind of presidential candidate even makes statements like these before the election? You should always speak with confidence even when things look bad. He said "I've had a wonderful life", almost sounds like he sees his life ending. This is one of the worst and most unnecessary statements of all time.

 

[CelticKing]

There is no confidence when you're facing this giant media created socialist, who has unlimited resources (money, media, etc), and will do pretty much anything possible (even by stealing votes) to win the election, so he can "change the world". (< actual comments by him)

Everyone who is not blind by the socialist views and ideas of Obama can see that.

 

[speeds]

The wealthy pay more (higher %) income taxes. That is the system in democratic countries.

In Canada, people pay 29% on income over approximately $123,000 (CDN). In Australia, people earning over $95,000 pay about 32% (AUS). Kiwis pay 39% on income over $70,000 (BNZ). Americans paid 28% on income over $78,000 and the rate increases to 35% at $360,000. Note that there are more brackets in the US for above average incomes to very high average incomes. I don't have British figures because their system is too complex for me to figure out just for this post. These are figures for individuals and do not include exemptions, write-offs, charity donations, etc., etc., etc., etc..

So the American rate is already low compared to similar countries. But since 1993, the tax brackets have dropped for the highest earners by about 3.4% for everyone making over $32,500, but not for people making less than that. That isn't the biggest issue, though. Warren Buffett, the wealthiest man in the world, pays a lower tax rate than his secretary and cleaner (17.7% vs. ~30%). That rate is before the loopholes the modern American barons and tycoons are able to employ to pay significantly less.

Obama is proposing lowering or freezing tax rates for people making under $250k. That is the vast, vast majority of the country (98.5% in 2005, 95% according to his rhetoric). He is proposing raising the two highest income tax brackets back up to their 1993 levels (the highest bracket going from 35% to 39%). He would also increase capital gains tax for the top two bracket earners from 15% to over 20%, possibly as high as 28%. Income from Social Security would not be taxed more below the same $250,000 level, but income above $250k would be taxed for Social Security. Obama is also calling for estate tax to be raised to 45% for estates above $3.5-million (McCain propses a 15% estate tax for estates over $5-million). Obama's tax plan is projected to bring in $70-billion a year for ten years; McCain's plan costs the government almost the same amount in (lost) taxes over the same time.

CelticKing, specifically, what part of this plan do you deem to be "socialist"?

 

[Bahir]

Look, for you people who think Obama is socialist: I can guarantee you he is not. I come from Sweden, a Social Democrat country, which is far more to the left of the US, but still a democracy. On our political scale, Obama would be miles to the right of our most and top right-wing parties.

Furthermore, a "redistribution of wealth" is what taxes is all about: to fulfill needs of society as a whole, as opposed to people paying for what is only in their selfish interest (e.g. "I never drive north of town so why should I have to pay for those roads?"). The fact that all your politics, democrat and republican, are so far to the right explains why the US has so many people living in squalor - which is disgusting to me. I'm not saying the Scandinavian model is perfect, but at least we don't have people living in self-made shacks, redneck trailer parks and similar.

 

[bodyman5001]

Look, for you people who think Obama is socialist: I can guarantee you he is not. I come from Sweden, a Social Democrat country, which is far more to the left of the US, but still a democracy. On our political scale, Obama would be miles to the right of our most and top right-wing parties.

Furthermore, a "redistribution of wealth" is what taxes is all about: to fulfill needs of society as a whole, as opposed to people paying for what is only in their selfish interest (e.g. "I never drive north of town so why should I have to pay for those roads?"). The fact that all your politics, democrat and republican, are so far to the right explains why the US has so many people living in squalor - which is disgusting to me. I'm not saying the Scandinavian model is perfect, but at least we don't have people living in self-made shacks, redneck trailer parks and similar.

If you live in this country and you live in a self-made shack, you deserve to be there. It isn't like we have schools and unemployment offices....Oh wait, yes we do.

There are people in this country who are homeless that need a hand in getting back on their feet, but there are plenty of people in this country who won't work for shit and would rather live in a shithole as long as they don't have to get up in the morning or learn something.

If we assume that their is only so much wealth to spread around, then I think that people who don't want to work for it should live in squalor. Otherwise, I have to work harder to make sure they get cable tv. I already pay more in taxes than I will ever get back, unlike a baby machine bitch who keeps popping them out to get more money. So screw em.

Why?
CUZ FUCKEM THAT'S WHY!

(POPCOPY I think, Chappelle's show)