"Looks like someone bought into neo-liberal rhetoric and the ability narrative without actually evaluating either of them..."

Well, actually, no. I'm a libertarian who focuses my decision based on the tax code proposal. I actually READ and figure out how much each candidate is going to cost me. I run a bussiness that employs about 12 people (all getting full benifits and health coverage I might add), and so it's just practical sense to look deeper into the issues. Obama's plan clearly states that he'll reverse the Bush tax cuts and my Federal Tax rate will go up 40% (meaning the government gets 40cents of every dollar right off the top). But that's only the start of the big screw! He's taking away the Medicare/Social Security cap (the cap which exists now means you only have to pay the 8% tax for the first 100K you make, then it goes away)! So that means everyone will have to pay the 8% tax for as much as they make. Oh yeah! It's a "matched tax" meaning your employer matches this payment to the government! Oh yeah! I'M MY OWN EMPLOYER SO I PAY BOTH HALVES! That means I get to pay the whole 15% rate for my income! Party time!

Let's recap! At this point, the Obama plan is to change my federal tax rate to 55%! State income tax anyone? Sales tax anyone? Anyone pay real estate taxes? If Obama get's elected, I'll be lucky to keep 30 cents for every dollar I make past 200K. I was thinking of expanding my bussinss (to make more money of course, but it would also create new jobs), but if Obama gets elected, forget that! Why work so hard if the government is just gonna take it away? Great! The tax plan is encourageing lazyness! Malthus was right!!!

Now for the fun part:

"People who win the lottery and become rich without working much and were genuinely lazy."
People who play and win the lottery are usually stupid. It's a 'stupid tax' if you think about it. Track them 5 years later and they're mostly divorced, poor, and owe a crap load of back taxes. Ironic, huh?

"People born into rich families who inherited money from their parents."
You got me here. But they tend to be a well educated lot? I'm sure Obama would fix this by forcing everyone to give all thier money to the government upon thier death. That'd be more fair, right?

"People who worked hard and got stable corporate jobs, only to learn that the company they were working for was Enron and suddenly their lives were ruined because of its collapse."
Get another job? Work some more? Take it from me, losing your job doesn't 'ruin' your life. Neither does a house fire that destroys everything you own. Trust me, I've been through both. Why should they get any of my money? I really don't get it.

"People who were born poor, joined the armed forces becuase it was their only way out of poverty//not enough opportunities, and got PTSD from serving in Vietnam, and could never get a job again because of this, then wound up on the streets."
I know this isn't patriotic, but in my opinion, people who join the military lack sense. I mean, this is a job where people will shoot real guns at you! I was 'born poor', grew up in a trailer park, and took the way out that is given to every American. Instead of goofing off, I studied. Itstead of going to parties on the weekends, I took a 2nd and 3rd job. I borrowed insane amounts of money to get through many, many years of school (120K to be specific). I put off all the fun things in life to work for a better life. Now Obama is telling me I have to also pay for all those who were TOO FAT, LAZY, OR STUPID to do the same. Rewarding unwise or flat out stupid behavior is conterproductive.

The really sad thing Nat is that 98% of the American people have no clue how the government works, aquires money and spends it. Democrat or Republican won't change most of the issues the left are most venting about. The war in Iraq might end, but another will take it's place. The ecomomy? It'll continue to suck for a while. How much should I have to pay? I thought last year's tax bill was my fair shair. Obama didn't think so though. He want's more.

Pathboy

PS: Who goes to prison these days anyways??? Meth addicts? Dumb asses? Don't even get me started on the prison systems. Follow the law. It's not that complicated. While you may find the fact that people profiting from running prisons offensive, I find paying for room, board, food, and cable TV for the guy that murdered my cousin equally unpalatable. Legalize marijana and we'll set free the only people I feel sorry for. The rest can rot.