Video: TurboTax Tim won’t rule out raising taxes on the middle class
posted at 6:37 pm on August 2, 2009 by Allahpundit
I stuck a link to this in our post on the boss’s “This Week” appearance but it really deserves its own thread. After all, how many presidents in U.S. history have needed to start backtracking on one of their chief campaign promises within their first six months in office? Even Dubya didn’t reverse himself on nation-building until eight months in, and in that case his hand was forced by 9/11. What’s The One’s excuse? Oh, right: It’s Bush, of course, as you’ll hear Geithner “explain.”
I’ve always thought Obama and the Democrats would postpone tax hikes until after the midterms to minimize the electoral damage, but if they do that, they risk being swallowed up by voter anxiety about spiraling deficits. Either they take painful action to stop the fiscal bleeding and pay the price or they do nothing and let the deficits climb and pay the price. There’s no third option. Well, except cutting spending, but come on.
Blowback
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Elfinomics
faraway on August 2, 2009 at 6:39 PM
Now there’s a shock. And, in this news flash, there’s gambling going on at Rick’s.
Blackacre on August 2, 2009 at 6:39 PM
Will this be Obama’s “Read my lips” moment?
One can only hope…
BPD on August 2, 2009 at 6:40 PM
Why don’t 0bama’s cabinent people pay their taxes and not raise them on everyone else?
cjs1943 on August 2, 2009 at 6:41 PM
Hmmm… Tim Geithner… Head of Treasury… part of the Administration…
When did they get the power to RAISE TAXES?
This whole lack of Constitution thing is REALLY getting out of hand.
Romeo13 on August 2, 2009 at 6:42 PM
Not to worry…Obomo promised not to raise taxes on the middle class – just those bad wealthy people… no worries mate…. Obomo would never lie…
IntheNet on August 2, 2009 at 6:42 PM
I think Obama is going to get some sort of a promise breaking buffer from many of his voters who knew this promise was likely going to be broken before they cast their ballots.
myrenovations on August 2, 2009 at 6:43 PM
Bill Clinton back-tracked on his promise to not raise taxes on the middle class, and I think he did it within the first 6 months…
capricorn on August 2, 2009 at 6:43 PM
His ‘promise’ not to raise taxes on the middle class was one of those “Clinton promises” that the base does not believe or care about and the media will keep stumm about–so in the New Reality of post-racial politics, it never actually happened
next……..
Janos Hunyadi on August 2, 2009 at 6:46 PM
That screen shot is priceless…
d1carter on August 2, 2009 at 6:47 PM
Ahhh????? Bill Clintoon?
Ran on no tax increase and almost immediately did the opposite even taxing social security benefits for the first time ever?
Do I get a prize?
The Clintoon regime is deeply imbedded in the Pinnochio presidency!
Failed miserablly on the takeover of 1/6th of our economy(HealthCare) also!
dhunter on August 2, 2009 at 6:47 PM
Increasing middle class taxes will drive consumption even lower, thereby deepening the
recessiondepression. Somewhat like spraying Roundup on green shoots.My guess is that the Chinese are insisting, by threatening to pull the pin immediately, rather than later. But the pin is going to be pulled, and it will be on The Messiah’s watch.
shaken on August 2, 2009 at 6:48 PM
The “we’re” hes referring to is us not him. We’re going to have to suck it up and pay the taxes, cause you know, obviously turbo tax Timmy ain’t paying no stinking taxes.
DFCtomm on August 2, 2009 at 6:48 PM
capricorn on August 2, 2009 at 6:43 PM
Janos Hunyadi on August 2, 2009 at 6:46 PM
Damn I thought I was going to be first!
Allah tougher questions please!
dhunter on August 2, 2009 at 6:49 PM
“What does he actually seek to accomplish after he’s done turning back the waters and healing the planet? The answer — the answer is to make government bigger and take more of your money and give you more orders from Washington and to reduce the strength of America in a dangerous world.”
”
Government is too big. He wants to grow it.
Congress spends too much money. He promises more. Taxes are too high, and he wants to raise them.
His tax increase are the fine print in his economic plan. And let me be specific. The Democratic nominee for president supports plans to raise income taxes and raise payroll taxes and raise investment income taxes and raise the death tax and raise business taxes and increase the tax burden on the American people by hundreds of billions of dollars. “
the_nile on August 2, 2009 at 6:50 PM
I received an e-mail yesterday showing in mountains of one-hundred dollar bill what a “trillion” dollars was, and here they are talking about a “NINE trillion dollar deficit.”
What currency should we hoard now that the dollar won’t be worth the paper it’s printed on? I’ve read #1 supermodel Giselle Bundchen will accept payment only in EUROS worldwide now. Sounds like she has brains and looks.
Marcus on August 2, 2009 at 6:50 PM
“pssssst…”, said the magical elf, despite the fact that he has no buyer for his humble abode. “The emperor has no clothes!”
singlemalt_18 on August 2, 2009 at 6:51 PM
I think these guys are intentionally going for the lowest poll numbers of all time.
wildcat84 on August 2, 2009 at 6:51 PM
And let me guess?
It will be all Booosh the chimps fault.
Speakin of chimps have ya seen the ears on Pinnochio?
dhunter on August 2, 2009 at 6:51 PM
We don’t have the will to keep our promises to not raise taxes on the middle class.
We don’t have the will to stop expanding government.
We don’t have the will to stop spending like crazy.
But we do have the will to blame Bush.
Yes we can!
— Tiny Tim
Loxodonta on August 2, 2009 at 6:52 PM
Guns, ammo, gold, silver!
dhunter on August 2, 2009 at 6:53 PM
Is this shocking??? All of those folks out there who hate the rich need to understand there is not enough of the rich to pay for all the programs Obama wants. So that means you, 9-5 Joe and Jolene six pack will get to foot the bill!!
Tasha on August 2, 2009 at 6:54 PM
Give Stephanopoulus this: he’s the only MSM guy besides Jake Tapper who is willing to make these pukes squirm a bit.
A couple of times in this clip, GS’ facial expressions pretty clearly showed that he knew Turbo-Tax Tim was blowing smoke.
guntotinglibertarian on August 2, 2009 at 6:56 PM
“I promise, I won’t rape you”
Economy: “Really?”
“No you idiot, of course I’m going to rape you.”
blatantblue on August 2, 2009 at 6:56 PM
Is anyone with an IQ above double digits surprized?
Vashta.Nerada on August 2, 2009 at 6:57 PM
The Unfortunate Fact is that they won’t go below the ‘hardcore third’. In every election, even Mondale and Goldwater, the loser gets a third. The problem is that Obama has an exceptional ability to dupe some of those beyond that Third, because they want to believe and don’t want to admit that they made a Big Mistake
Janos Hunyadi on August 2, 2009 at 6:57 PM
How about single digits?
cjs1943 on August 2, 2009 at 6:58 PM
How about this for an idea: STOP SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY!
johnsteele on August 2, 2009 at 6:58 PM
Yeah, that was one of Billy Jeff’s classic lip-biting moments: “Aaahve worked harder than I ever worked in ma laafe, but I just kain’t lower yer taxes.”
Gee, I could have fallen out my chair with astonishment.
guntotinglibertarian on August 2, 2009 at 6:58 PM
Larry Summer also said the same thing, so brace yourself for the screwing.
bayview on August 2, 2009 at 6:59 PM
Public choice theory.
Create a program, build a constituency in support of that measure. The constituencies for the program outnumber those who are opposed to the initiative.
Rinse and repeat.
Tea party protesters better get on the ball.
SteveMG on August 2, 2009 at 6:59 PM
Drive an 18 wheeler over the road, and you begin to notice just how many people see you as a revenue stream and they just want to take a little nick out of your wallet as you pass by. It’s what Adam Smith called the cartage trade in his book, “The Wealth of Nations”.
The problem with the liberals is that just a little nick out of your wallet is never enough, they always come back for more.
Skandia Recluse on August 2, 2009 at 7:01 PM
Or they’re testing the stupidity of their base.
I suspect the base will prove just how stupid they are by supporting the idiots in charge until the bitter end.
UltimateBob on August 2, 2009 at 7:01 PM
It’s not that the recipients outnumber the opponents; it’s that their political support for the handout is intense while the dumb masses allow themselves to be fleeced one little snip at a time, without complaint.
guntotinglibertarian on August 2, 2009 at 7:02 PM
Did those two morons just spend three and a half minutes agreeing with each other that socialized medicine, which has been shown will add a trillion in cost over the next ten years, is the way to get deficits under control? Idiocy.
Vashta.Nerada on August 2, 2009 at 7:03 PM
It,s just like the bank robber Willie Sutton said more than 70 years ago.When they ask him why he robed banks/He said that were the money is.Today most of the money is in the middle class.For these fools that believe they can get ever thing that Obama is promising them by just raising taxes on the rich the facts are about to hit them right square in the face.I just hope to God it,s not to late.
thmcbb on August 2, 2009 at 7:05 PM
FIXED that!
dhunter on August 2, 2009 at 7:05 PM
Most of Obama’s supporters don’t pay taxes to begin with. A tax hike on the middle class won’t interrupt their disillusion.
Guardian on August 2, 2009 at 7:06 PM
Barry doesn’t have to worry about his base. (A lot of them don’t even pay income taxes, so they’ll never get upset about taxes being raised). And Barry doesn’t care about conservatives either, because they’ll never vote for him, no matter what he does. It’s the middle he has to worry about — and they don’t like being lied to and played for suckers.
AZCoyote on August 2, 2009 at 7:07 PM
Yep, the beneficiaries of the program receive more “benefits” than the cost is for the taxpayers.
SteveMG on August 2, 2009 at 7:08 PM
Tea parties, Governors talking about the 10th amendment, angry citizens at townhall meetings with their representatives…. this country is inching closer and closer to full tilt… a middle class tax increase might push us over the edge….
and I can’t wait!
BPD on August 2, 2009 at 7:09 PM
Based on the tepid response to the last T-bill offering, I think he’s more afraid of the Chinese than the voters. Stalin chuckles in his grave.
a capella on August 2, 2009 at 7:09 PM
2010 looks better all the time.
darwin on August 2, 2009 at 7:09 PM
I think this is all giant set up by Rahm Emanuel – George’s good friend. TurboTim doesn’t mind sliding under the bus just a bit so as not to force The Won to be the actual bearer of the bad news. Heck, Mr. Stephanopoulos might even get a fancy media award for his brilliant questioning…or whatever. I trust none of them!
redwhiteblue on August 2, 2009 at 7:11 PM
Seeing turbo tax tim, he lools like the thing that came out of the chest in aliens. Slimy, gonna get in your face, and suck the life out of you. We have to put tim and most in dc in a tube and send them to the moon.
L
letget on August 2, 2009 at 7:12 PM
Taxing middle class won’t make a bit of difference to him or his voting base, they don’t pay taxes. 90% are either on welfare(4th or 5th generation) or illegal aliens so they would still vote for him in hopes of getting even more for nothing.I don’t know what the answer is but I know it isn’t going to be pretty. Bible and gun clinging Christian til the end.
concernedsenior on August 2, 2009 at 7:13 PM
Obama won’t tax anyone who earns less than $250.
Attila (Pillage Idiot) on August 2, 2009 at 7:13 PM
Hey *ucking morons…
How about you cancel that “stimulus”?
That will save $700 Billion (Since you spent about $50 billion already)
you won’t have to borrow.
izoneguy on August 2, 2009 at 7:13 PM
The way to defeat HealthScare is to convince the Chinese that if it passes they may not get the interest on their debt purchase much less the principle!
Hey McCain is it O.K to call your good friend, no threat to U.S., Pinnochio, a dirty, filthy, liar yet?
John have ya started fight, fight , fighting yet?
Vote that scum out! BOTH OF EM’
dhunter on August 2, 2009 at 7:14 PM
No, no…all those shove-ready turtle culverts and meditation gardens are essential to our economic recovery.
guntotinglibertarian on August 2, 2009 at 7:15 PM
This from a guy who cheated on his taxes, who can’t sell his own house.
Obama’s team has ballooned the deficit. Now that they’ve done that,
In other words, they’re using the deficit they created as a crisis and justification to take over the government. But NO DETAILS about what they’re going to do. Jesus. Are we skrewed, or what?
labwriter on August 2, 2009 at 7:16 PM
They will have to suck it up. I am in that area where I will pay more taxes and get nothing in return.
izoneguy on August 2, 2009 at 7:16 PM
Chuckle. Good one.
El Presidente has apparently decided on a twist of HWBush’s slogan: “Read my lips: Nothing but taxes“.
LastRick on August 2, 2009 at 7:17 PM
You just don’t understand.
It’s so clear to Dear Leader.
guntotinglibertarian on August 2, 2009 at 7:18 PM
There are things that the HA crowd already knows about the economy. Now we are watching the REST of America get an education in Obamanomics. It’s no fun being on a sinking ship but no one can blame us.
Mojave Mark on August 2, 2009 at 7:19 PM
Right. What where you thinking?
ladyingray on August 2, 2009 at 7:19 PM
Thats the key to their Dem forever grip on the formerly great United States of America! Once Goberment HealthScare for all is passed there will be no more illegal aliens just amnesty for all, open borders for all, and Dem constituents for ACORN and Juan McCain and Miss Lindsay Graham will vote with the majority, maybe even change parties!
dhunter on August 2, 2009 at 7:19 PM
Only raising taxes is anti-growth and will deepen the recession, leading to less tax revenue. Remember when Bush’s tax CUTS led to record tax revenue? Go for it, Obama…
RightWinged on August 2, 2009 at 7:19 PM
His voting base isn’t enough to get him reelected or hold Congress either.
Everything he’s doing is hurting the people who made his win possible.
darwin on August 2, 2009 at 7:19 PM
Hope they vote for change 2010.
the_nile on August 2, 2009 at 7:22 PM
I think Obama really does have it out for the middle-class. He really does not like a way of life that he cannot identify with. He only understands the liberal urban elite. Southern, suburban, and rural (primarily white) populations, he despises. Well, as Glenn Beck says: We Surround Them.
TXMomof3 on August 2, 2009 at 7:22 PM
In Marxist theory, the middle class is the most dangerous enemy.
guntotinglibertarian on August 2, 2009 at 7:24 PM
I did not know chickens had lips!
Looks like O’Chickenboo lost his moustache!
jdkchem on August 2, 2009 at 7:25 PM
There’s that weird Eddie-Haskell-meets-Damien thing from Geithner again.
greggriffith on August 2, 2009 at 7:25 PM
guntotinglibertarian on August 2, 2009 at 7:24 PM
The sad thing is that my husband and I just got here! I have done poor, I’d prefer not to go back. I kind of like not praying of payday.
TXMomof3 on August 2, 2009 at 7:26 PM
Could we work out a deal where, since the Pinnochio Goberment owns two car manufacturers, several banks and investment companies the Chinese just call in their loans and accept the above mentioned for payment. I’d like to see those union thugs Pinnochio bailed out work for the little Chinese men!
Ha, Justice, and Chryslers and Goberment motors cars for all!
dhunter on August 2, 2009 at 7:26 PM
Me too. I also hope Cap & Tax and his disastrous health destruction bill are forcing some people to do what they should have done before the election … read and research.
darwin on August 2, 2009 at 7:26 PM
Did you ever see this?
100 Stimulus Projects: A Second Opinion
http://coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Files.View&FileStore_id=59af3ebd-7bf9-4933-8279-8091b533464f
Illinois county to spend $173,824 weatherization grant on eight pickup trucks.
South Dakota fish hatchery to spend half of a $20,000 grant on a freezer for fish sperm.
Road signs costing $300 each are being placed at construction sites to alert motorists that the project is being paid for by stimulus money.
The governor of Michigan is using $500,000 to renovate the Ypsilanti Freighthouse, which may house a “yoga or children’s movement class” and a full-time tourist information center.
Illinois will spend $350,000 to build a four-person bunkhouse at Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge.
Rather than help welfare recipients obtain jobs and escape poverty, $1 million will be used to study whether 300 people in Chicago are healthier when living in “green” public housing facilities.
Pawtucket, Rhode Island spending $550,000 on a skateboard park.
Yale and the University of Connecticut are receiving $850,000 in stimulus for research “to study how paying attention improves performance of difficult tasks.”
Washington, North Carolina is using stimulus funds to pay for “project-funding manager” whose job it is to secure even more stimulus funds.
The federal government will provide$300 million in stimulus funds to 61 housing agencies that have been repeatedly faulted by auditors for mishandling government. Problems have ranged from “poor bookkeeping to money that was spent improperly.”
Large federal contractors who have paid big fines for violating environmental, safety, and discrimination rules are receiving stimulus funds.
U.S.-Canada border crossings that average less than 2 passenger cars per day and 2-3 trucks a month get millions from stimulus funds. U.S.-Mexico border crossings with 20,000 vehicle crossings per day get nothing.
A California skate park will get a $620,000 “facelift.”
izoneguy on August 2, 2009 at 7:27 PM
Bernie Madoff could run Treasury better than this lying POS.
MaiDee on August 2, 2009 at 7:27 PM
In all honesty raising taxes on the middle class is not what Obama will do. That is because the middle class pays no taxes. 50% of Americans pay $0 federal income tax. Double that and it’s still $0.
angryed on August 2, 2009 at 7:28 PM
The democrats don’t want you poor, they want you to be able to get everything you need … from the government.
darwin on August 2, 2009 at 7:28 PM
And I might add we got more guns and know how to shoot em!
dhunter on August 2, 2009 at 7:29 PM
I have no idea what middle class you’re talking about. I’m very “middle class” and pay taxes out the wazoo.
darwin on August 2, 2009 at 7:30 PM
Yale and the University of Connecticut are receiving $850,000 in stimulus for research “to study how paying attention improves performance of difficult tasks.”
izoneguy on August 2, 2009 at 7:27 PM
I guess these people don’t have kids, do they?
TXMomof3 on August 2, 2009 at 7:30 PM
A lot of Barry’s base are the same people (blacks, young people) who historically don’t turn out for mid-term elections (unlike, say, seniors). I wonder what type of “crisis” Axelrod and his minions will try to manufacture leading up to the 2010 elections as a way of motivating these voters to show up at the polls.
AZCoyote on August 2, 2009 at 7:30 PM
The welfare class itself is not big enough to re-elect Barry, although the number of people who are dependent on the government and working people is growing.
His base also has traditional democrats, metrosexual progressives and America-hating lefties. He had close to 80% of the Jewish vote.
The hope is that a lot of independents will see how they were fooled in 2008 and elected this fraud.
bayview on August 2, 2009 at 7:31 PM
Obama could’ve shot Sgt Crowley in cold blood on national television and his supporters wouldn’t really much care.
This won’t hurt him much with the true believers either.
Midas on August 2, 2009 at 7:33 PM
I am thinking all the college kids who swarmed to polls will have a change of heart before the 2010 elections. Mom and Dad having to shut of the tap of money will shock them into common sense. We can only hope.
TXMomof3 on August 2, 2009 at 7:33 PM
2010 looks better all the time.
darwin on August 2, 2009 at 7:09 PM
Winning is one thing. Counting on the R’s to undo the growing socialism, is another.
artist on August 2, 2009 at 7:34 PM
Tim Geithner
ericdijon on August 2, 2009 at 7:34 PM
Like I posted last night six interstate bridges in my area under repair have signs complete with Obama lookin logo posted sayin it stimupaloosa $.
I’m tempted to take a midnight ride in my clunker with a can of black spray paint and eliminate the Obama logo. Might take the wife along and kinda like high school do some paintin and country road parkin.
New motto….DO IT WHILE IT’S LEGAL AND NOT TAXABLE!
dhunter on August 2, 2009 at 7:35 PM
Just watch………..
……….. Congress, Union Members, and Hollywood will be exempt from any new taxes.
Seven Percent Solution on August 2, 2009 at 7:36 PM
He had close to 80% of the Jewish vote.
bayview on August 2, 2009 at 7:31 PM
If Imanutjob gets the bomb he is hoping for, I bet the Jewish voters might have a change of heart. Nothing like a nuke to wake people up.
TXMomof3 on August 2, 2009 at 7:36 PM
Very true. That’s why Palin said she would campaign for conservative candidates. No squishes or beltway types.
That’s also why if we do win in 2010, the pressure can’t stop.
darwin on August 2, 2009 at 7:36 PM
Luckily, Candidate Obama has already ruled out any new taxes on families making less than $250,000.
And you can take that promise to the nationalized bank!
Laurence on August 2, 2009 at 7:39 PM
The chief problem I have with TurboTax Tim Geithner, other than he looks like a refugeee from the soundstage of the last “Lord Of The Rings” film, is that he is about as qualified to be Treasury Secretary as a fox is qualified to be the inventory officer of a henhouse.
pilamaye on August 2, 2009 at 7:39 PM
darwin
I pray that you are right,I work the polls in elections and the number of people that don’t have correct ID,not registered, wrong addresses, one woman had 2 DL different addresses,both AZ and we have to let them fill out provisional ballots which are sorted by the main committee after the polls close to see if they are legit. I think this is where a lot of the fraud is and the poor Military always losing their votes. The election system is ripe for fraud. Should require ID like they use to get in or out of US.
concernedsenior on August 2, 2009 at 7:40 PM
Might take the wife along and kinda like high school do some paintin and country road parkin.
dhunter on August 2, 2009 at 7:35 PM
Those were some good times. I married my high school sweetheart.
TXMomof3 on August 2, 2009 at 7:40 PM
This is the administrations way of letting the congress critters know its okay to raise them before the Bush Tax cuts expire. This way when those expire they will get a bigger bite.
chemman on August 2, 2009 at 7:40 PM
The country is lost . . . we should prepare and plan for the exodus.
rplat on August 2, 2009 at 7:41 PM
CUT SPENDING YOU FREAK!
fossten on August 2, 2009 at 7:42 PM
This may be true, but a substantial number of his 2008 voters are mid to upper middle class people who are not ideological… they voted for ‘change’ after being bombarded for years with “Bush Sucks” from the media. I work with a lot of these people (I live in Northern Virginia). They are not leftists. They are people who generally disliked Bush because of Iraq, think the environment is a concern as is the number of uninsured. But what do they always talk about around the water cooler? The stock market and their 401k. The economy. If, by 2012, they are still suffering financially and have a tax increase to deal with… they will abandon him.
BPD on August 2, 2009 at 7:43 PM
Why? It was the spineless, clueless, touchy-feely, moderates who elected this no-talent ass-clown in the first place.
CurtZHP on August 2, 2009 at 7:44 PM
How glib, and how incorrect.
I’m middle class and I pay taxes.
You need to check your figures again.
fossten on August 2, 2009 at 7:44 PM
What a shady SOB. He always looks at people with his head down and his face cocked at an angle.
If that doesn’t say deviant, I don’t know what does.
katy on August 2, 2009 at 7:46 PM
Correct, and they will vote him out in 2012 if they receive a tax increase, the stock market moves sideways for the next few years, and the price of a coffee from Starbucks skyrockets due to inflation.
BPD on August 2, 2009 at 7:47 PM
Really. I make 22K a year in retirement and pay Federal Income taxes. And yes I know the difference between Social Security Taxes and Income Taxes. I pay both plus medicare.
chemman on August 2, 2009 at 7:48 PM
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