President Obama: "The Kind Of Country You Want To Live In" (Reno, Nevada 4/21/11)

[kpete]

But at a certain point, as the economy begins to grow again, as people are getting back on their feet, we’ve got to go back and say to ourselves, you know what, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Taxes are lower now than they have been in a generation. Taxes are a lot lower now than they were under Ronald Reagan. They’re lower than they were under Bill Clinton. They’re lower than they were under George Bush, in many cases.

And what I’ve said is, at minimum, we should say, for those like myself who can afford it, let’s pay a little bit more. Let’s go -- we can go back -- if we went back to the Clinton rates for the wealthiest 2 percent, going back to the Clinton rates -- you remember back in the ‘90s, the economy was doing really well, and rich people were doing just fine. And I can afford it. It’s not that I like paying taxes. I don’t like paying taxes. Nobody likes paying taxes. But if the choice is keeping my tax break, or 33 seniors having to pay an extra 6,000 bucks for their Medicare, why would I want that -- why would I wish that on those 33 seniors? If the choice is between me keeping my tax cut and a couple hundred kids being to go get their Head Start, why would I want that?

.................

This isn’t a matter of charity; it’s a matter of what we think it is to live in a good society. And I think it is good for me, it is good for my life if when I’m driving around, I’m saying to myself, you know what, that school is producing all kinds of kids who are smart and are going to help build America’s future.

And I drive around and I see some seniors, and they’re out for a walk. And I know, you know what, I’m glad that I live in a country where in their retirement years, they’re going to be secure. That makes me feel good. That’s the kind of country I want to live in. (Applause.) That’s the kind of country you want to live in. And we’ve got to make sure we’re willing to fight for it.

the rest:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/04/21/remarks-president-town-hall-reno-nevada

[Amerigo Vespucci]

1. I want to live in a country where we don't give tax cuts to the top 2% during a recession...

...OOOPS. Too late for that.

"If the choice is between me keeping my tax cut and a couple hundred kids being to go get their Head Start, why would I want that?"

I think we all know the answer to that question...the top 2% isn't losing sleep at night over someone else's kid not a break in life.



:eyes:

[MedleyMisty]

2. Fight harder and for more

Nice words, although in my general estimation they're at maybe a sixth grade level of literacy and meant for consumption by sixth grade level minds. Which is what American schools actually produce. LOLOLOLOL at American schools producing kids who are smart and who are going to help build the future.

Well - actually, maybe, in a backwards way. Because the actually smart ones, in the conformity factory that is American schools, see the game, drop out, get online and make contact with other smart dropouts, and plot the revolution. Viva Anonymous!

But yeah - unless the plan is at least Eisenhower level taxes, putting the banksters and CEOs in jail and breaking the corporations up, reversing the Supreme Court decisions that made corporations into legal persons and enabled them to buy elections, and taking corporate money out of politics, then we still need a revolution.

[Donnachaidh]

3. I want to live in a country where the wealthy aren't *asked* to pay *just a little bit more*

I want to live in a country where the White House staff isn't packed with industry insiders who CAUSED all the financial problems.

I want to live in a country where the elected officials don't think of themselves as anything other than ELECTED employees of the people.

I want to live in a country where I don't have to listen to pretty speeches about *possibilities* - and then watch as the same speechmakers turn a blind eye to war crimes, financial crimes, and the stripping away of the rights of the middle class and the poor.

[CelticThunder]

4. +1

[Donnachaidh]

5. welcome to DU! n/t

[indepat]

6. No matter the kind of country we want to live in, we rather live in one shaped by an extreme RW

ideology and agenda featuring, among numerous others: burgeoning income inequality with most of the nation's wealth concentrated among a precious few, egregiously fostered by irresponsible fiscal policies, grossly unfair tax policies, and a laizze-faire approach to governance which lead to the recent near financial meltdown; jails teeming with non-violent offenders, all too many for marijuana use; multiple pre-emptive wars and MIC spending approaching that of the rest of the entire world; a rapidly eroding standard of living with tens of millions not having reliable access to medical treatment; and a crumbling infrastructure. All these must be completely addressed/reversed if the USA is going to be the kind of the country we want to live in, so Mr. President: the gauntlet has been thrown down. Substantially address these issues starting today to win a landslide victory in 2012 with Dems sweeping both Houses of Congress. Godspeed. :patriot:

[GeorgeGist]

7. His words fail.