posted April 15, 2009 01:27 PM            

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama declared on tax-filing day that he aims to take the dread out of deadline day. Obama said at a White House event Wednesday that he's working toward "a simpler tax code that rewards work and the pursuit of the American dream."

"For too long, we've seen taxes used as a wedge to scare people into supporting policies that increased the burden on working people instead of helping them live their dreams," Obama said. "That has to change, and that's the work that we've begun."

Obama also met at the White House with several working families to mark April 15 — known notoriously as file-or-else day — and underscore his efforts to make the tax code more fair and less complex.

He noted April 15 "isn't exactly everyone's favorite date on the calendar." But Obama said the day is a reminder to leaders in Washington that they have a responsibility to the people who elected them.

The president noted that he's asked his economic advisers to thoroughly review how to simplify the tax code and report back to him by year's end.

"We need to simplify a monstrous tax code that is far too complicated for most Americans to understand, but just complicated enough for the insiders who know how to game the system," Obama said.

posted April 15, 2009 01:51 PM            

people who live in florida are bozo breadheads who hate paying heating bills...

posted April 15, 2009 02:04 PM            

not because i am a socialist but for the sake of fairplay and accuracy. balance.

and when i cite examples from my own experience and that of people i know well, that is not called "osmosis" but "direct knowledge" albeit not necessarily quotable from the media.

posted April 15, 2009 02:50 PM            

Tax Day tea party protests Play Video 11 News Houston – Tax Day tea party protests

* Anti-tax protests Slideshow:Anti-tax protests
* Green Room: Anti-Tax Tea Parties Play Video Video:Green Room: Anti-Tax Tea Parties ABC News

By JOE BIESK, Associated Press Writer Joe Biesk, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 19 mins ago

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Protesters began gathering at state Capitols and in neighborhoods and town squares across the country Wednesday to kick off a series of tax-day protests designed to echo the rebellion of the Boston Tea Party. Demonstrators said they're steamed about government spending since President Barack Obama took office.

The rallies were being held everywhere from Kentucky, which just passed tax increases on cigarettes and alcohol, to South Carolina, where the governor has repeatedly criticized the $787 billion economic stimulus package Congress passed earlier this year. Large protests also were expected in California and New York.

In Atlanta, thousands of people were expected to gather on the steps of the Georgia Capitol, where Fox News Channel conservative pundit Sean Hannity was set to broadcast his show Wednesday night. He's been promoting the show on Fox.

The tea parties have also been promoted by FreedomWorks, a conservative nonprofit advocacy group based in Washington and led by former Republican House Majority Leader Dick Armey of Texas.

In Hartford, Conn., police estimated 3,000 people showed up at the state Capitol, where nearly two decades earlier an estimated 40,000 had converged in protest after the state enacted its personal income tax.

This time, many carried makeshift pitchforks and signs with messages aimed at the Democrats who control Congress and the White House.

"There needs to be some common sense restored to government at every level, Washington, in our state and in our towns," said Faith Burns of East Granby, who rang a school bell and wore a sandwich board with a picture of a pig in a circle crossed out. "And besides it's so much gosh-darned fun to ring this bell."

In Des Moines, Iowa, more than 1,000 people gathered on the steps of the state Capitol wearing red shirts proclaiming "revolution is brewing."

"The system is severely broken and we the people let it get that way," said Des Moines businessman Doug Burnett. "What can we do? My answer is revolution."

Organizers say the movement has developed organically through online social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter and through exposure on Fox News.

And while they insist it's a nonpartisan effort, it has been seized on by many prominent Republicans who view it as a promising way for the party to reclaim its momentum.

"It is a nonpartisan mass organizing effort comprised of people unhappy with size of government. All you have to be is a mildly awake Republican candidate for office to get in front of that parade," said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform.

The movement has attracted prominent Republicans, some considering a 2012 presidential bid.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich planned to address a tea party in a New York City park Wednesday night. His advocacy group, americansolutions.com, has partnered with tea party organizers to get word to the group's members.

"It's the Reagan coalition reorganizing itself," Gingrich spokesman Rick Sawyer said.

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, another likely 2012 GOP presidential hopeful, planned to attend tea parties in Columbia and Charleston. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal sent an e-mail to his supporters, letting them know about tea parties taking place throughout the state.

At a rally in Madison, Wis., Jean Snyder of Milwaukee held a sign showing the U.S. Capitol as a pirate ship, with taxpayers walking the plank into a sea of debt.

In Boston, a few hundred protesters gathered on the Boston Common — a short distance from the original Tea Party — with some dressed in Revolutionary War garb and carrying signs that said "Barney Frank, Bernie Madoff: And the Difference Is?" and "D.C.: District of Communism."

Event coordinator Christen Varley, a conservative Catholic Republican, said she was thrilled with the turnout.

"Personally, I envisioned me and 100 friends on the steps of the Statehouse," she said. "I never saw this coming."

And at a midday rally in downtown Louisville, Laura Watkins pushed her 2-year-old daughter Zoe in a stroller with a sign strapped to the front reading "My Piggy Bank is not Your ATM." Watkins said she joined the protest after reading about it online and hearing about it on Fox News.

"I don't want my daughter to inherit all this debt," she said.

___

Associated Press Writers Mike Glover in Des Moines, Iowa, Stephanie Reitz in Hartford, Conn., Beth Fouhy in Washington, Kelsey Abbruzzese in Boston, Scott Bauer in Madison, Wis., Shannon McCaffrey in Atlanta and Brett Barrouquere in Louisville contributed to this report.

___

posted April 15, 2009 02:59 PM              

so, let me understand this,
ALL florida residents are bozo breadheads who hate paying heating bills?
ALL democrats are socialist?
ALL democrats think republicans are rightwing extremests?
ALL ex-military personnel should be considered a threat.
ALL and any persons who would prefer smaller goverment should be considered armed and dangerous extremests?
ALL gas stations and convenience stores are owned and operated by foreign men named bob, steve or al. All of them don't pay taxes, ALL of them change names to thier cousin or brother every 5 years to avoid taxes and get more relatives over here, making a killing at these gas stations.

am i getting this right?

so far the only think i agree with is ALL ILLEGAL immagrants should get a bus ticket home. We are broke, we cannot support you any longer. Mexico isn't so bad, I have been there and supported thier economy to the best of my abilities. they have the most beautiful coral shores, fine gemstones and craftwork that should net them well. also, they can buy boats and charge 100 us dollars to take fishing or snorkleing excursions and do very well. please sign disclaimer and waiver wtih this pencil.

And I would appreciate them stop knocking up my cousins, as I the taxpayer, must then foot the bill, as how can someone pay child support that doesn't exist?

I do like the vow to simplify the tax code. Lets see if it happens.

so far peaceful demonstrations, which is a very good thing.

posted April 15, 2009 03:24 PM            

but from what i have seen online they HAVE been talking about it, in fact sean hannity has been talking about it alot and is going to be there to make the most of it.

an amusing rumour heard - that hannity is so determined to prove obama's birth certificate is a phony he is going to hawaii to investigate. and asking for donations from listeners to cover the costs! didn't anyone tell him that only the individual involved is entitled to see such a document? or people authorized by the individual? i wonder what he thinks he is going to find out, at the expense of his listeners? mind, this is just hearsay...anyone know more about it?

posted April 15, 2009 03:28 PM            

ALL americans are so racist/ignorant that they can't tell the difference between two mexican nationals using the same SS card?

and

ALL republicans THINK democrats are ALL socialists

as examples of generalizations, any one or all of the above will do nicely.

but if i say "republicans are jerks" or "mexicans are illegal immigrants" i don't have to USE the word "all" for it to be hidden in the sentence for all to hear!

posted April 15, 2009 04:28 PM            

So far, you've called me Herbert, called me lambchop twice and called me jhwop at least once.

posted April 15, 2009 05:39 PM            

There’s good news and bad news in this phenomenon for establishment politicians. The good news for Republicans is that, while the Republican Party flounders in its response to the Obama presidency and its programs, millions of Americans are getting organized on their own. The bad news is that those Americans, despite their opposition to President Obama’s policies, aren’t especially friendly to the GOP. When Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele asked to speak at the Chicago tea party, his request was politely refused by the organizers: “With regards to stage time, we respectfully must inform Chairman Steele that RNC officials are welcome to participate in the rally itself, but we prefer to limit stage time to those who are not elected officials, both in Government as well as political parties. This is an opportunity for Americans to speak, and elected officials to listen, not the other way around.”

Likewise, I spoke to an organizer for the Knoxville tea party who said that no “professional politicians” were going to be allowed to speak, and he made a big point of saying that the protest wasn’t an anti-Obama protest, it was an anti-establishment protest. I’ve heard similar things from tea-party organizers in other cities, too. Though critics will probably try to write the tea parties off as partisan publicity stunts, they’re really a post-partisan expression of outrage.

Of course, it won’t be the same everywhere. There are no national rules, and organizers of each protest are doing things the way they want. And that’s the good news and the bad news for Democrats. It’s not a big Republican effort. It’s a big popular effort. But a mass movement of ordinary people who don’t feel that their voices are being heard doesn’t bode well for the party that positioned itself as the organ of hope and change.....

posted April 15, 2009 05:41 PM            

as to herbert, well you were being a bit obtuse that day. there's an old expression, which i have only heard in england, to the effect "use your filbert, herbert!" which probably doesn't need translation..

as to lambchop sorry you don't like it. it was meant to convey a lack of aggression on MY part...

and bearing in mind that we are online unless you are planning on exploding my computer ...??

posted April 16, 2009 01:18 AM            

This was precisely my concern when laws were expanded under Bush. You never know what idiots are going to be in charge eventually and how they're going to skew broadly phrased things. Why don't we focus on actual terrorists? Oh, wait, they don't exist anymore. Why don't we focus on people who create man-made disasters?

*added*

quote:

---

Homeland Security document targets most conservatives and libertarians in the country
by Stephen Gordon

Remember that now-retracted Missouri Information Analysis Center report which stated that small-government types (specifically Ron Paul, Bob Barr and Chuck Baldwin supporters) were potential terrorist threats? According to this new Homeland Security report, all it takes to fit the terrorist profile is to have general anti-government feelings or prefer local/state government to federal control over everything.

The federal Homeland Security Department document entitled “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Environment Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment” contains the following definition:

Rightwing extremism in the United States can be broadly divided into those groups, movements, and adherents that are primarily hate-oriented (based on hatred of particular religious, racial or ethnic groups), and those that are mainly antigovernment, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, or rejecting government authority entirely. It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration.

Also targeted in the report are veterans, folks anticipating additional restrictions to their Second Amendment rights, and those concerned about the loss of U.S. sovereignty.

This report implies that one harboring these sorts of views is a racist as well as a potential terrorism suspect.

---

quote:

---

UPDATE III: Michelle Malkin verifies the document here. RedState’s Moe Lane writes in an e-mail: “Heh. I figured that document was for real after I got shunted to the fourth office at DHS. If it was fake they would have just said so.”

UPDATE IV: The White House responds:

The White House has distanced itself from the analysis. When asked for comment on its contents, White House spokesman Nick Shapiro said, “The President is focused not on politics but rather taking the steps necessary to protect all Americans from the threat of violence and terrorism regardless of its origins. He also believes those who serve represent the best of this country, and he will continue to ensure that our veterans receive the respect and benefits they have earned.”

---

The Liberty Papers

Wasn't there similar "distancing" regarding the forced volunteer work? And, uh, recovery.gov could not be any more distanced. Oh, yeah. Real transparency. <insert a laughing yet eye rolling smiley>

posted April 16, 2009 02:25 AM            

By SHANNON MCCAFFREY, Associated Press Writer Shannon Mccaffrey, Associated Press Writer – 21 mins ago
ATLANTA – Whipped up by conservative commentators and bloggers, tens of thousands of protesters staged "tea parties" around the country Wednesday to tap into the collective angst stirred up by a bad economy, government spending and bailouts.

The rallies were directed at President Barack Obama's new administration on a symbolic day: the deadline to file income taxes. Protesters even threw what appeared to be a box of tea bags toward the White House, causing a brief lockdown at the compound.

Shouts rang out from Kentucky, which just passed tax increases on cigarettes and alcohol, to Salt Lake City, where many in the crowd booed Republican Gov. Jon Huntsman for accepting about $1.5 billion in stimulus money. Even in Alaska, where there is no statewide income tax or sales tax, hundreds of people held signs and chanted "No more spending."

"Frankly, I'm mad as hell," said businessman Doug Burnett at a rally at the Iowa Capitol, where many of the about 1,000 people wore red shirts declaring "revolution is brewing." Burnett added: "This country has been on a spending spree for decades, a spending spree we can't afford."

In Boston, a few hundred protesters gathered on the Boston Common — a short distance from the original Tea Party — some dressed in Revolutionary garb and carrying signs that said "Barney Frank, Bernie Madoff: And the Difference Is?" and "D.C.: District of Communism."

Texas Gov. Rick Perry fired up a tea party at Austin City Hall with his stance against the federal government, as some in his U.S. flag-waving audience shouted, "Secede!"

But unlike many events around the country, politicians were not allowed to speak at a separate rally in San Antonio.

"They are welcome to come and listen to us, for a change," organizers said in a statement.

In Atlanta, thousands of people gathered outside the Capitol, where Fox News Channel conservative pundit Sean Hannity broadcast his show Wednesday night. One protester's sign read: "Hey Obama you can keep the change."

One of his guests was Samuel "Joe the Plumber" Wurzelbacher, who made news during the presidential campaign when he asked Barack Obama about taxes. The crowd cheered many of Hannity's stances against higher taxes and moves by the Obama administration so far.

Julie Reeves, of Covington, brought her Chihuahua, Arnie, who wore a tiny anti-IRS T-shirt. "I want the government to get its hand the hell out of my wallet," Reeves said.

The tea parties were promoted by FreedomWorks, a conservative nonprofit advocacy group based in Washington and led by former Republican House Majority Leader Dick Armey of Texas, who is now a lobbyist.

Organizers said the movement developed organically through online social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter and through exposure on Fox News.

While FreedomWorks insisted the rallies were nonpartisan, they have been seized on by many prominent Republicans who view them as a promising way for the party to reclaim its momentum.

"All you have to be is a mildly awake Republican candidate for office to get in front of that parade," said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform.

The movement attracted some Republicans considering 2012 presidential bids.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich took the podium in front of New York's City Hall while the crowd of about 2,000 chanted, "We are America!"

He urged people to tell their lawmakers to vote against big spending or else "we're going to fire you."

As the former House speaker left after his 11-minute speech, passers-by yelled, "2012, Newt!" and "Run for president!" But when asked about a run, Gingrich shook his head emphatically and said, "I'm just part of a citizen movement."

Another possible candidate, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, sent an e-mail to his supporters, letting them know about tea parties throughout the state. South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford attended two tea parties.

In Missouri, Karla Waite, 28, brought her four young children to a rally in Kansas City because she said "it was time to stand up."

"The way we've been going, with the bailouts and the entitlements, we're heading toward socialism," Waite said. "That's not the kind of world I want my children to live in."

There were several small counter-protests, including one that drew about a dozen people at Fountain Square in Cincinnati. A counter-protester held a sign that read, "Where were you when Bush was spending billions a month 'liberating' Iraq?" The anti-tax demonstration there, meanwhile, drew about 4,000 people.

In Lansing, Mich., outside the state Capitol, another 4,000 people waved signs exclaiming "Stop the Fiscal Madness," "Read My Lipstick! No More Bailouts" and "The Pirates Are in D.C." Children held makeshift signs complaining about the rising debt.

In Hawaii, several of the state's eight GOP legislators attended a Capitol rally. But the state's top two Republican officeholders — Gov. Linda Lingle and Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona — stayed away even though they oppose tax hikes to help close the state's significant budget deficit.

More than 1,000 protesters gathered outside a downtown federal building in Salt Lake City despite the rain and snow. Kate Maloney held a cardboard sign that read "Pin the tail on the jacka$$" with a picture of Obama on a Democratic donkey.

Other protesters also took direct aim at Obama. One sign in the crowd in Madison, Wis., compared him to the Antichrist. At a rally in Montgomery, Ala., where Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It" blared from loudspeakers, Jim Adams of Selma carried a sign that showed the president with Hitler-style hair and mustache and said, "Sieg Heil Herr Obama."

Still others talked of their children's futures. In Washington, D.C., Joe Hollinger said he took the day off to attend the protest with his 11-year-old daughter.

posted April 16, 2009 11:53 AM            

well this guy has it about right. those who think obama is the problem, and several are quoted up above, people who call him the anti-christ, i mean get real.

as i said before, it was okay when the intelligence agencies were profiling muslims. but now that its "real" americans its a big deal. this is what the FBI etc DO. they've been doing it for yonks. in the 50s we had mccarthy and his lot fingering all manner of independent thinkers as communists - having talked to a REGISTERED communist was enough to get you blacklisted in some places...in the 60s it was the weathermen. now its RIGHT wing extremists.

and to say that FOX didn't greatly help whip up this tea party movement is just blind. even the sympathetic report quoted by eleanore admits that.

funny that sean hannity, who was saying in the run up to the election "if obama wins we'll have to go underground" seems to be having his day on this! they don't appear to have buried him, do they.

posted April 07, 2011 10:19 AM            

6 in the US Senate
8 Governorships

Hundreds more were elected to State legislatures

posted April 09, 2011 02:49 PM            

------------------
"All deaths are suicides, do you realize that? Every single one. The only distinction is that, with some people, suicide is a subconscious choice, and with others it's a conscious choice. Otherwise, those who commit suicide and those who succumb to accident, illness or "old age," die for exactly the same reason: belief in the inevitability of death." Linda Goodman