Dear Mrs. Romney, because we've done nothing but shift wealth to the top 1% for the past 30 years

[maxrandb]

99% of women don't have the "luxury" of "choosing" to stay home with the kids.

You've never experienced struggling to pay your bills.

You've never experienced being a couple that have to work two jobs just to keep their heads above water.

You've never experienced working right up until your water broke during a staff meeting, like my wife did.

You've never experienced having to stay in a job you loath, just to keep your kid's health insurance.

I'm sorry dear, but the world has changed since the 1950's when the top marginal tax-rate was 78%. Those of us that have experienced the above and more, are sick and tired of working our fingers to the bone so you and the rest of your 1% country club social group could CHOOSE to be a stay at home mom.

Eff you and your "I got mine, screw you" attitude. We've had enough of propping your ass up.

When my wife decided to "stay home" with our kids, she gave up a career. We gave up new cars, or a nicer home. We gave up vacations to the South of France. We gave up dining out. We gave up cable. We gave up new clothes. We gave up the finer things in life that a two-person income would have provided.

Yes Ann! My wife and I made a choice, and we scraped by on one income...and there were times we didn't think we'd make it.

We made a choice that required sacrifice and soul-searching. You made a choice because you could.

Tell me Ann, how did your life-style change after your choice? Does it compare to my family's, or the rest of us "unwashed masses" who have sacrificed so you and your fatcat husband could have a pretty good life?

Answer me that, or STFU!

[Brickbat]

1. .

[Dawson Leery]

2. Tell us Annie, how did your life change?

Last edited Thu Apr 12, 2012, 04:51 PM - Edit history (1)

[Autumn]

3. Fuck Anne Romney,her choices and her little stiffy too

They work so hard to make sure other women don't have choices.

[uponit7771]

6. +1

[CrispyQ]

4. Another question I would like to ask: when was the last time Mrs. Romney cleaned a toilet?

Or did a load of laundry? Or took out the trash? Or mowed the lawn?

[maxrandb]

5. When was the last time she did any of that

because she HAD to, not because she wanted to?

[Lizzie Poppet]

15. The last time she slipped Mittens the tongue?

[Jester Messiah]

53. Maximum ownage!

[Raven]

7. Bravo!

[aspieextrodinare]

8. I have often wondered

What makes anyone think that either party wants to go back to the days when the top marginal tax-rate was that high? Sure the limousine liberals we have in office now might talk about it every now and then, but do they live it out? Do they give that much to charity (of any kind)? They could easily live on the remainder if they did, but they don't. I know this is probably the type of truth that could get me in trouble around here, but it is an important question, because I don't think either party is really moving that way.

[maxrandb]

10. Because we've lost our way

and because we've been told we don't need to sacrifice. We've forgotten that this government is "by the people and for the people". Your question makes about as much sense as "why don't the rich that want to pay more taxes, simply write a check to the government". That question assumes that ONLY they benefit from a strong, "well-financed" government. The crowd that parrots your "talking point" wanted to "drown the government in the bathtub", but they ended up drowning an entire city.

This country used to do great things, but now, we are told "we can't afford it". This country BUILT THE "EFFING" PANAMA CANAL FOR CHRISSAKE. Now, we can't even fix our roads and bridges.

I'll make you a deal. I'll write a check to the government, as long as those that DON'T write a check to our government agree to stay off our roads and bridges, pull their kids out of "our" schools, and stop asking 1% of the country to fight and die in places most American's couldn't find on a map. You agree to all that, and you can take your money and live in some Ayn Randian Utopia somewhere.

Throw in the fact that "wingnut" radio and Faux News have convinced American's making 40-45K a year, that the real enemy is their fellow Americans making 43-48K a year, and this is what you get.

You want to see an America with progressive ideals and policies? Go look at the America that won 2 World Wars and made this country the economic and technological envy of the world...and then you compare that to the America that has experienced 30 years of Conservative "piss-down" economics.

You look at those two Americas, and realize that in a just world, conservatives would be run out of this country on a rail.

No, the Democrats aren't perfect, but we've seen what Republicans can do...AND IT SUCKS MORE THAN A SOUP SANDWICH.

[ieoeja]

11. You survived my alert. So feel free to keep on posting Rightist propaganda about limousine libs! n/t

[aspieextrodinare]

12. That's nice

Though is what I said really rightist propanganda? It sounds like the words of the occupy movement to me. Is it wrong to ask why millionaires and billionaires who claim to fight for every person don't devote a large chunk of their paycheck to keep this country running? The original post mentioned a 78% tax rate, but does anyone voluntarily pay that much? If one doesn't voluntarily pay that much, what makes you think they want the government to enforce all to pay that much?

[FarLeftFist]

17. Uh, the "Limousine Libs" are the ones calling FOR raising taxes.

[aspieextrodinare]

18. To 78% as the original post mentioned

and if so, why don't they pay that much in tax voluntarily? It is very easy to tax yourself, just give a ton of money to charity (and don't deduct it from your taxes). I am sorry, I just don't see it.

[ieoeja]

19. You want to relegate the United States of America to ... a charity!?!

Seriously, people. Why has this poster not been PPR'd?

[aspieextrodinare]

20. When did I say anything of the sort?

I want people that claim to be willing to pay a 78% tax rate, to live on 22% of what they make. I suppose they could give 78% of it to the government, or they could give it to a charity (charity being very loosely defined to anything from the Red Cross to a homeless person/people). What is wrong with suggesting that? What is wrong with saying that all the rich, not just the rich people on the right, should live like the middle class for a day?

[abelenkpe]

24. 78 percent tax rate does not mean EVERYONE pays 78 percent

Please google how taxes actually work.

[aspieextrodinare]

25. When did I say it did?

I am saying that ALL 1%ers (liberal or conservative) would never voluntarily pay that amount, so why even bring it up?

[abelenkpe]

29. taxes are mandatory not voluntary

and again the rich don't make their money from income. Most of it is through capitol gains. Are we supposed to wait for them to offer to pay? Fuck that. Do workers get to only pay what they want? Did anyone ask them how much they were willing to part with? Why would the wealthy get special treatment?

[aspieextrodinare]

34. The rich have the power

So therefore they get to decide how much they pay by passing laws to that effect. Why is this even that controversial of an idea? Why am I being attacked this much for suggesting that those in power don't want to pay taxes?

[maxrandb]

42. You're not being attacked. You're statements are being attacked because they aren't true

Some in power do want to pay more. The President, the Democrats and those "limosine liberals" you speak of wanted to raise taxes on the wealthy...errr....excuse me, "allow the current tax cuts to expire", and the Repigs blocked them at every turn, even refusing a 3-1 spending cut to tax increase deal. Hell, they even threatened to default on the just debt of the United States.

And your answer to them having all the power is to give them even more?

[abelenkpe]

22. You do understand that under Eisenhower

the top marginal tax rate was 92 percent. What do you think that means? Do you think that everyone was forking over 92 percent of their paycheck? Because that's not the case. Only those making millions of dollars paid that much in taxes on their INCOME. Since most wealthy people make their money not through income the rich were still fabulously rich. Middle class workers paid FAR less than 92 percent (again because tax rates are progressive) and still were able to afford to raise a family and own a home one ONE income. And the government could afford to take care of our infrastructure building schools and highways. If we were to return to a top marginal tax rate of 78 percent you would not be paying 78 percent. Only people at the very very top would pay that and believe me they would still be rich as they have many avenues for making money outside of a paycheck.
So the government would not be enforcing all to pay that. Most wouldn't be effected at all.

[aspieextrodinare]

23. I understand all of that

The 78%/92%/whatever tax rate just seems to be a way of saying, wasn't life so much better back then, when in reality it was exactly the same. To quote Billy Joel, "The good ole days weren't always good, and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems".

[abelenkpe]

27. If you understand that why are you saying

people should try living off of 22 percent of their income? Cause I see no evidence you actually comprehend how that works.

Since we have lowered taxes on corporations and the wealthy our middle class has eroded, our infrastructure is languishing, money has flowed up and social programs go unfunded and are cut. At a time when people need assistance the most during a global economic crisis we are actually talking about cutting more programs for those in need and lowering taxes further on those that can afford to pay more. How does that make sense. The wealthy and corporations have to stop thinking only of themselves and be better global citizens and pay their fair share. We've been giving them breaks for thirty years and we can't afford to any longer. That is why people are advocating returning to a higher marginal tax rate. It's not something you should fear, because unless you are a multi millionaire it won't effect you at all. If you are worried that by raising taxes on the wealthy would lead to job loss, again don't worry. They aren't Job creators. Jobs are created when there is more demand. To increase demand we need a strong middle and working class that is secure in their employment and has money to make purchases. That is why we need to also do more to discourage outsourcing, and support a living wage.

[aspieextrodinare]

28. I am saying that about the top 1% of people

Or technically I think it is closer to .2% of people but whatever. I am saying that all the top 1% aren't willing to do that. They aren't willing to pay more in taxes or they would already. I don't get where you think I am talking about all people, I am just talking about the 1%s who are on the left who claim to advocate for a 78% tax rate but then realize A) it would never effect them and B) if it did they would be totally unwilling to do it.

[abelenkpe]

30. What 1 percenters on the left are you talking about specifically

that say they want the tax rates raised but then also wouldn't pay that?

[aspieextrodinare]

35. You know what...

This is going to get me in trouble if I keep this up. You go on believing that the limo liberals care about you, I will go on believing that we are on our own. To each his own

[HotRodTuna]

36. Way to hang in there, I understand what you are saying..

pretty funny to watch those that didn't just scream and try and get you banned for having an independent thought in your head. Some super wealthy people have give much of their wealth away and live frugally, most do not. It's easy to call for massive tax rates when you assume you won't have to pay them and will be the net beneficiary, it's a little different when the axe will fall on you. I had this conversation awhile ago, it's a loser here. Typically unsurvivable.

[aspieextrodinare]

38. Thanks

I am used to it, and being autistic and having a hard time getting my thoughts out in a way that is understandable to most doesn't make the matter easier.

[Doc Holliday]

43. Huh?

"They aren't willing to pay more in taxes or they would already."

Pardon me, but this is just silly. No one is "willing" to pay taxes, unless you look at "willing" as meaning "unwilling to go to jail over it."

And no one was advocating going back to the Ike-era tax rates. A return to Clinton-era levels or even earlier could go a long way toward fixing our problems, along with a massive overhaul of the tax code.

But, as you do correctly point out, the guys who pay to have the laws passed aren't leaning that way.

[Ruby the Liberal]

52. MIRT took care of it.

Elvis has left the building.

[saras]

57. It was a small error. They should have said DLC. Same meaning, same people, same point,less offense

And no language nazis losing their cool

Yes, the kind of intellectual suppression involved in alerting on common, relatively neutral, well-accepted terms for political groups deserves the term "language nazi". "Limousine liberals" is s not SUPPOSED to be completely neutral, because the PURPOSE of the term is to say that someone is liberal about issues that affect the upper classes, but conservative about the upper-lower class distinction. And the fact that the right wing uses a word too, doesn't magically ruin it. Or we'll have to give up "and" and "or".

Being a working-class person who thinks nearly all "middle-class" people are working-class people who are lying to themselves about the amount of power they have on their jobs, I find the term to be clear, accurate, concise, and much better understood in the outside world, from radical socialists to successful mainstream local politicians, to political non-Euclidians, to old-fashioned Aldous Huxley conservatives, to the Tea Party.

[hunter]

21. You wouldn't like me. I would tax the ultra-wealthy out of existence.

It would be impossible to accumulate vast wealth.

A very large middle class would control 80% of the nation's wealth and tax rates would be structured to keep it that way.

[aspieextrodinare]

26. Where did I say I wouldn't like that?

But I do think 1%ers like the Clintons, Kerrys, and Kennedys, wouldn't like that very much.

[abelenkpe]

32. Why? Have they said that in the past?

[aspieextrodinare]

33. At least to me actions speak louder than words

If they would like that, they would be doing that right now. They would tax their own ultra-wealthy status out of existence. Why do they need the government to do it for them?

[HotRodTuna]

37. I was about to say that they say that every time they head to Hyannis Port for vacation

Then I looked it up and saw they were donating it to charity. Good for them, it's a good first step. And not a decision I'm likely to have to make in my lifetime, but you never know.

[SammyWinstonJack]

39. Well, we know that the Bu$h Family wouldn't like that at all. In fact most 1% repugs wouldn't like

that at all.

That's why they fight so hard against it.

They do however love screwing over the 99%.

Limousine Liberals

[aspieextrodinare]

41. I love the fact that you are rolling your eyes

but do you really think that John Kerry, who the most liberal estimate I have seen places him worth 200 M, wants to tax the rich out of existence? He is but one of many.

[Doc Holliday]

44. Run, hunter, run.

You've got my vote.

[Skittles]

45. LOL

who do you think you're kidding? Get thee quickly over to the Freak Republic where your SHIT is welcome

[perdita9]

9. Ann Romney isn't fighting for my rights

So, you'll just have to pardon me, Ann, for not getting too worried about you being 'offended'.

If Hilary Clinton had said something like this it would mean something because Hilary fights for EVERY woman.

You only care about yourself and the other people in the 1%

[Iliyah]

13. I watched I guess a stay at home

mom arguing with another mom on CNN and I must tell you the stay at mom sounded off the wall and every sentence was It's O's fault, yada yada. Ann should have came on MSNBC instead of Fake news, but when she said - women making their own choices about THEIR LIFE, she put her foot again in her mouth.

Now they nutso RW are attaching Rosen for being a mom, adopting, and of course being a lesbian.

[avebury]

14. It is absurd that Ann Romney is offended. Most stay at home moms don't

move from mansion to mansion, supervising the nannies and house staff, driving luxury cars, and riding horses from her own stable. She has no clue on how the masses live. I'd like to see her go on Wife Swap and spend two weeks with a dirt poor family and have to spend the entire time as the live, no money, no credit cards, no high end cars, etc. Until she has actually walked in the shoes of the majority of women in this country she just needs to shut up.

[PADemD]

55. I'd love to see that program, too!

[SemperEadem]

16. A choice is

deciding that life will be just fine if all you do is spend it being a well compensated brood mare who really doesn't have to deal with the children she pops out for her husband, or for their day-to-day upkeep, rearing, etc. You hire the little people to do that--you know, the ones who have NO choice.

That, however, is not a choice which presents itself on the regular to the vast majority of women.

Just do us a favor Ann--keep on with this. Keep on showing all of America just how disconnected you and your stiffy of a husband are to 99% of them.

In fact, here... a little song for you, about you two, by The Eurythmics:

[Lost-in-FL]

31. Or postponing having kids afraid that one...

of us loses their job and be unable to provide our kid the education and attention he/she needs.

[Dont call me Shirley]

40. Plus the fact that she has maids, cooks, nannies, chauffers, etc

Get a real life Ann, stop stealing our hard work to support your lavish lifestyle. And for your chronic illness, you have no clue what it's like to almost die from it because you could not afford health care! Go hide your head in utter shame!

[farmboxer]

46. Ann has five house keepers to help with the kids!

She is rich! The average woman is "not" rich!

[renate]

50. Does she really?

Because if she does or did, she's really going to regret that "choosing to stay at home to be a mom" BS.

[Raymond82]

47. What about "Shelter Moms"?

Why don't we talk about SHELTER MOMS? You know, the ones who struggle every day to help their children survive? The ones who don't anticipate earning 1/ 1000000000 of what Ann Romney has by "struggling". Time to inject gender, race and class in these BOURGEOIS arguments. Obama and his his wife are just as bad.

[donheld]

48. That's the best rant I've seen in a long time

thank you.

[jillan]

49. I just have to add the nausea I felt today listening to the msm saying we shouldn't go after Ann....

Leave the sweet wife out of it.

Where were these people when Michelle Obama was constantly belittled by the media?
When they were trying to make her out to be an uppity black woman because of something she said??????

Sorry Ann. If you don't like the heat - then get out of your kitchens and take your car elevator straight to your car and drive along the beach road which you live.

You are living under a magnifying glass now - get used to it.

[Ruby the Liberal]

51. Righteous rant. k&r

[TBF]

54. Excellent response - she has no clue

and her husband even less so.

[LynneSin]

56. I'm also guessing when your was a stay-at-home mom that she did all the household work

because there wasn't enough money to afford a nanny, a maid, a butler, a chauffer, a gardner, etc etc etc

[maxrandb]

61. My mom had three boys

she worked in the school cafeteria without pay so that we could attend catholic school, and when we were done with Grade School, she went to work in a job for a chemical company close to Ohio State University. Our Grandmother lived with us and helped out, but even she worked at a grocery store until she was in her 80's.

My wife stayed home and took care of the house. She also ran the household when I went out to sea (too often) with the Navy.

Like I said, we did without some of the luxuries and we struggled. I worked a part-time job on shore0duty while still being full-time Navy.

We had no maid, we had no gardener, we had no nannie. In fact, my bride was too proud to even consider something like that...and she is too frugal. Because of that, we're firmly in the upper-middle class range.

Ann Romney has absolutely no clue what it's like for the "real" America.

Is she going to scrub the floors in their 20,000 square foot California mansion? I don't think so.

And please...even when they were starting out and young, she was marrying the millionaire son of a millionaire former Governor..a millionaire son who made millions by firing people like me and my wife.

If the Democrats were smart, they would bring out a long line of mothers whose husband's were laid off or fired by Baine Capitol.

If we had a real media, they'd be reporting on those folks, instead of saying; "well, gee the Right-wing is outraged about this comment by a CNN contributor...we better report on that or they'll accuse us of being "liberal"

I weep for my country!

[polichick]

58. Ann Romney's nanny called in to Stephanie Miller today...

This was the woman who did all the work and took care of Ann's horse when Ann was a young woman, just dating Mitt. She said that both Ann and Mitt are nice people, but repeated several times that "It's true that Ann never worked a day in her life."

[JHB]

59. In the 1950s the top marginal tax rate was 91%

Last edited Sat Apr 14, 2012, 01:32 AM - Edit history (1)

Not that she'd want to draw attention to that by pointing out your error.

I, obviously, have no such trouble.

[barbtries]

60. please don't let this languish at DU.

get it out into the world somehow. it's the perfect response to the brouhaha.