Last night's debate

[Wub]

I only caught short tidbits of CNN's debate last night. Did anyone make up his or her mind or change it based on last night's show?

The little that I saw showed Newt kicking but. Everyone else beat the crap out of each other. I decided that I definitely will not vote for Romney. He's a sly talking, dishonest politician (I am aware of my redundant talk there). I'm not even sure if I can get out to vote for Romney against Osamba if he ends up winning the primary (I'm sure I will though). Cain needs to learn to defend that 999 plan if he wants to stay in this thing. I say again, from the little that I saw, Newt kicked but.

[bergall]

Newt has quietly been kicking butt for weeks now. He can't get any traction tho'...I believe he's the best one out there. Cain's 9-9-9 is different, I'll admit, but without the ability to KEEP it at 9-9-9, I wonder about his chances. Also, in a state like New York, there's an 8.25% sales tax already. So with Cain's 9-9-9, if it's ever implemented, that would raise the sales tax of taxed items from 8.25 to 17.25% ! The same scenario would play out all across the country...once people realize how that will increase their grocery and clothing bills, Cain may find he's not such a popular guy.

[ipscshooter]

Originally Posted by bergall

Newt has quietly been kicking butt for weeks now. He can't get any traction tho'...I believe he's the best one out there. Cain's 9-9-9 is different, I'll admit, but without the ability to KEEP it at 9-9-9, I wonder about his chances. Also, in a state like New York, there's an 8.25% sales tax already. So with Cain's 9-9-9, if it's ever implemented, that would raise the sales tax of taxed items from 8.25 to 17.25% ! The same scenario would play out all across the country...once people realize how that will increase their grocery and clothing bills, Cain may find he's not such a popular guy.

For some reason, despite consistently giving the best showing at the debates, Gingrich gets short shrift from reporters, journalists, and pundits covering the debates. It's mind boggling to me. I'm sure there are a lot of folks who don't bother to watch the debates, and due to lack of coverage, think Gingrich is just some fringe guy like Paul (who completely lost me when he said it's ok for Iran to have nukes), Bachman and Santorum (not sure why Santorum is so low either, as he's reasonably eloquent by comparison to some of the others...)

Does 9-9-9 propose to eliminate both the income tax and the social security tax?

[Wub]

I caught about 10 minutes of Fox this morning; all they talked about was Romney and Perry. They mentioned how Cain got beat up, but that was about it. I maintain that they chose their front runners early on, and they're going to stick with it. Gingrich deserves a lot more air time.

[bergall]

It's funny how the Fox people pointed out how 'mainstream media' or rather, "Network News Outlets" try to choose our candidates for us, and yet, they're doing the same thing. Newt is not part of anybody's agenda. I guess he's very far behind in the polling so they will only cover the 'front runners' . It's a shame....we NEVER get to chooose the best, only the most popular...

[ipscshooter]

Gingrich and Bachman were on Van Susteren's show after the debate. They were also going to have Cain, but, they came back after the commercial and Bachman was still standing there with Wayne Freaking Newton singing her praises. They bumped a candidate for the presidency of the United States in favor of a fluff piece with Wayne Newton. Unbelievable...

[salukipv1]

Is it just me or is Ron Paul the only candidate even close to getting my vote?

[ipscshooter]

Originally Posted by salukipv1

Is it just me or is Ron Paul the only candidate even close to getting my vote?

It's just you.


Saw this on another site. Can anyone confirm whether this is accurate?

The Tax Policy Center has determined 99% will yet again be bent over;


Here’s how the numbers break down by income level:

Less than $10,000: $1,122 more (19.5% increase, 22.1% tax rate)
$10,000-$20,000: $2,705 more (17.8% increase, 19.7% tax rate)
$20,000-$30,000: $3,833 more (15.0% increase, 22.1% tax rate)
$30,000-$40,000: $4,196 more (11.7% increase, 23.2% tax rate)
$40,000-$50,000: $4,399 more (9.5% increase, 23.8% tax rate)
$50,000-$75,000: $4,326 more (6.9% increase, 23.8% tax rate)
$75,000-$100,000: $4,368 more (4.9% increase, 23.8% tax rate)
$100,000-$200,000: $2,105 more (1.5% increase, 23.1% tax rate)
$200,000-$500,000: $11,155 less (3.8% decrease, 20.6% tax rate)
$500,000-$1 million: $59,489 less (8.6% decrease, 18.1% tax rate)
$1 million or more: $455,247 less (15% decrease, 17.9% tax rate)

I'd still like to confirm whether 9-9-9 replaces both social security and federal income tax. If so, I find it a little difficult to believe that those numbers are accurate. Also, from an economics standpoint, do you think companies will pass on any tax savings resulting from their "9" in the way of reduced prices of goods? If so, then at least part of the "9" that is a consumption tax becomes a wash...


From Cain's website:

Phase One

Our current economic crisis calls for bold action to truly stimulate the economy and Renew America back to its greatness. The 9-9-9 Plan gets Washington D.C. out of the business of picking winners and losers, using the tax code to dole out favors, and dividing the country with class warfare. It is fair, simple, transparent and efficient. It taxes everything once and nothing twice. It taxes the broadest possible base at the lowest possible rates. It is neutral with respect to savings and consumption,capital and labor, imports and exports and whether companies pay dividends or retain earnings.

• 9% Business Flat Tax
  
  
  • Gross income less all purchases from other U.S. located businesses, all capital investment, and net exports.
  • Empowerment Zones will offer deductions for the payroll of those employed in the zone
  9% Individual Flat Tax.
  
  
  • Gross income less charitable deductions.
  • Empowerment Zones will offer additional deductions for those living and/or working in the zone.
  9% National Sales Tax.
  
  
  • Unlike a state sales tax, which is an add-on tax that increases the price of goods and services, this is a replacement tax. It replaces taxes that are already embedded in selling prices. By replacing higher marginal rates in the production process with lower marginal rates, marginal production costs actually decline, which will lead to prices being the same or lower, not higher.
  Economic Impact
  
  
  • According to former Reagan Treasury official Gary Robbins, of Fiscal Associates, the 9-9-9 Plan will expand GDP by $2 trillion, create 6 million new jobs, increase business investment by one third, and increase wages by 10%.

9-9-9 Plan: Summary

• Removes all payroll taxes and unites all tax payers
• Provides the least incentive to evade taxes and the fewest opportunities to do so
• Lifts a $430 billion dead-weight burden on the economy due to compliance, enforcement, collection, etc…
• Is fair, simple, efficient, neutral, and transparent
• Ends nearly all deductions and special interest favors
• Features zero tax on capital gains and repatriated profits
• Exports leave our shores without the Business Tax or the Sales Tax embedded in their cost, making them world class competitive. Imports are subject to the same taxation as domestically produced goods, leveling the playing field.
• Lowest marginal rates on production
• Kills the Death Tax
• Allows immediate expensing of business investments
• Eliminates double taxation of dividends
• Increases capital formation which aids capital availability for small businesses
• Increased capital per worker drives productivity and wage growth
• Features a platform to launch properly structured Empowerment Zones to renew our inner cities
• The pro-growth, pro-job, pro-export economic policies of the 9-9-9 PLAN equals a strong dollar policy

Phase 2 – The Fair Tax

Amidst a backdrop of the economic renewal created by the 9-9-9 Plan, I will begin the process of educating the American people on the benefits of continuing the next step to the Fair Tax.

• Ultimately replaces individual and corporate income taxes
• Ends the IRS as we know it and repeals the 16th Amendment

Seems to me that when he says "eliminates all payroll taxes" that that would include Social Security, Medicare and Income Taxes...

[C. Davis]

Romney has already been picked by the media, the establishment republicans, and probably even the democrats. The question is going to be who will the anti-Romney vote be. By moving the dates of the primaries up, the establishment is making it harder for more to catch ground on Romney. A real conservative scares the crap out of everybody, but a real conservative who makes the clear contrast between them and Obama, and the wish-washy moderate Republicans is the easy winner IMHO. It's too bad that more people aren't paying attention right now.

The only real threat to Romney I see is Cain, Newt, and Perry only because he has the money to tough it out for a long time. I like Santorum and Bachmann, but I don't see how they are going to catch any traction. If Cain makes a terrible gaff, I think Newt could jump up into his place, or it could be spit between Newt and Perry. I have a few concerns about the 9-9-9 plan, but not enough to rule Cain out. I still like Cain.

C. Davis

[bergall]

Seems to me, the complete and total lack of mention of the Medicare and SS payroll taxes in Cain's 9-9-9 plan excludes them from it. Personal income tax is APPARENTLY one of the 9's but I find no language stating that specifically.... In IPSC's post, for the first time it looks like the '9% national sales tax' is being explained as something that will not or should not be visible to consumers...how's that work, I wonder ?

I like Cain...he does not mince words like Romney, the demokrat's candidate.