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Subscribe to RSSTim Pawlenty accused President Obama of being a "champion practitioner of class warfare."
“Elected with a call for unity and hope, he's spent three years dividing our nation,” the former Republican Minnesota governor, who’s running for president, said today at a speech on the economy at the University of Chicago. “And fanning the flames of class envy and resentment. To deflect attention from his own failures. And the economic hardship they have visited on America. "
Pawlenty took a dig at President Obama, asking the crowd about the "recovery summer" that the "President said we were having.” Noting unemployment and the nation’s debt, Pawlenty said the "president needs to enter economic rehab. And the American people need to stop his policies. Cold turkey."
Pawlenty proposed an overhaul of the tax code, calling the current on “anti-growth" and that "it's main goal --- seems to be to generate campaign contributions. Not jobs." He suggested the rate be reduced from 35% to 15%, adding that it’s "littered with special interest handouts --- carve-outs --- subsidies --- and loopholes." He said that a reduction would "reduce cronyism --- favoritism --- and government manipulating markets for political purposes."
Pawlenty later called for what he termed "The Google Test," and said that if the American people "can find a good or service on the Internet, then the federal government probably doesn’t need to be doing it."
He also called for the elimination of the U.S. Postal Service, the Government Printing Office, Amtrak, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
"The post office, the government printing office, Amtrak, Fannie and Freddie were all built for a different time in our country,” Pawlenty said. “When the private sector did not adequately provide those services."
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no one is doing more to seperate and divide the classes than the GOP, I hear the pot calling the kettle black in this article.
you cant back that up with anything of course
Nothing but the article we are commenting on!!
specifics leftard
So pointing out that Obama is a "practitioner of class warfare" is in itself "class warfare?" Ah, pure genius... it's the political equivalent of "I know you are but what am I." There's a reason the Democrats target young people instead of older people... they are so much more naive.
How sad. Do you truly this obtuse? Or is it deliberate?
LOL @ rob....no point, you simply ignore them
Just more rhetoric to get the Republican base, who aren't rich, to vote against their own self-interests. Pawlenty is well versed from the Roger Ailes school of propaganda.
your messiah's pupett master george soros told you to think that
Actually, Republicans typically vote in their own self-interest instead of the interest of people who would rather sit on their ass and have the government do everything for them.
As Americans we need to drop the 2 party system because it has failed us ! Stop looking at the party and vote for those who will restore the American dream. The middle class is what made America great and without it she will revolt. Remember what got us here in the first place...taxes without representation....WELL....we have that again! Wake up America. WAKE UP!
glenn, I've been trying for years but these people are to brainwashed to have a thought of their own. We don't need the party system. In a primary the two top vote getters run against each other. This will work from the bottom up. That way we elect people not parties and the country will be better off.
Funny comment for Gov. Pawlenty to make. He has staked his Republican career on being a Sam's Club Republican, talks up his South St. Paul "blue collar" roots.... he's looking out for those disaffected "Reagan Democrats," white, blue collar families who have been a bit left out since President Reagan's time. What are Gov. Pawlenty's examples of President Obama's class warfare? Which "class" does President Obama represent?
examples??? easy; obama's comment about him being the only person standing between corporations and the "people with pitchforks" for starters
I would like the media to ask Gov. Pawlenty what HE meant. The example you cited is not an example of class warfare practiced by President Obama. It is a comment on the fact that "people with pitchforks" (whether Tea Party members or anyone else) are angry at banks and corporations and the President is trying to bridge the gap by telling banks and corporations that they need to amend aspects of their behavior (such as flying to $$$$ resorts after getting bailed out). In Gov. Pawlenty's mind, which "class" is Obama pitting against which other class? He mentions "envy." Is he suggesting that corporations loaded with cash have no obligation to create jobs for those who don't?
idiotic EXCUSE; that was nothing more than a shakedown attempt by a statist corporate crony practicioner obama
Dems as a political party have relied on race and class warfare for decades but Maobama has elevated it to an art form
So I must be dreaming that repubs want to shut down every social program in the gov't they can to give more money to the rich. I also must be dreaming when i hear my repub friends constantly make racial remarks / jokes whenever talking about Obama. Get Real!!
Wow, you sure have posted a lot here rob, paid shill much?
stop crying. what social program have repubs shut down? thanks for proving my point
Trolls don't read well. That must be why you repubs vote against your own self-interests all the time. I wrote that they "want" to shut down social programs.
again; examples?
He's probably referring to changing anything related to Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security even though it's been proven that they will become insolvent at some point in the future. I say the Republicans should just let those programs become insolvent... but, of course, then the Democrats will just blame the Republicans, as usual!
Steveo, I'm sick of the social program issue, since when does this country owe you anything other than the freedom to better yourself. JFK:"Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country."
Hmm, they didn't like SCHIP, they have attacked MediCare with Ryan's budgetary ideas, they don't like education, they don't like Planned Parenthood.
Pretty much anything that helps the poor, the GOP is against.
Not taking as much from someone who has earned it is NOT the same thing as giving them something. When government doesn't take as much, the person who earned the money doesn't get a check in the mail.
Regarding Obama and class warfare, he has vilified entire groups of people to score political points. First it was the bankers, then the doctors, then the corporate CEOs who aren't hiring enough to suit him, and the list goes on and on. However, I have noticed that when fundraising time comes along, he is quite content to go to these same people with his hand out.
Let's see...
Banker == The Rich
CEOs == The Rich
Doctors == The Rich (for the most part)
And MANY of them had a hand in the recession? Admittedly, not so much the doctors, but how many CEOs and Bankers are hurting right now? And how many did OBAMA bail out? Perhaps there is aGOOD REASON to call them out? Poooor widdle rich boys!!
I didn't agree with the first bailouts under Bush and I didn't agree with the ones under Obama. Fred, you are a lot like Obama. You rely on people being covetous to make your point. It may be okay for an ordinary person, but it is certainly not a quality shared by leaders.
another example? obama as a candidate speaking to gun and bible-loving people in Pensylvania one day and the next teling a group of rich san fran liberals to beware of people who love guns and their bibles
Mr Rob the troll. I'd love to see Obama's quote saying to beware of bible and gun nuts.
i didnt say nuts; you did whacko. thanks AGAIN for proving my point
Hey "Steveo" -- it's pretty well known that Obama made a comment talking about people who "cling to their guns and their religion." You would have known that if you PAID ATTENTION.
Anything that stings that bad must be ON TARGET!
Here we go again with the same old same old talking points of the GOP. Problem here, however, is that they created this great class divide with their nonsense trickle down my leg economics.
yes and obama's 9.4% unemployment average gives you a thrill UP your leg right?
Pat: did not really need the trickle down my leg thought in my head but you are correct. Trickle down has never worked for American people just American corporations.
what do we have now under obama and how can you say it's working?
Tim Pawlenty simply stated out loud what many of us have posting on Newsvine and FR for the past two years.
truth; but truth-telling is a sin to the extreme left
The same old trickle down economics - as the rich get richer, they'll give the rest of us alms for the poor.
If tax cuts for the rich worked, why did the economy destruct during Bush's reign?
If deregulation worked, why did we have the bank failures, Enron, Worldcom, etc?
Unequal distribution of wealth is one thing, inequitable distribution of wealth is quite another.
Read Kevin Phillip's "Wealth and Democracy" to learn what happens when societies become unbalanced like ours is - the model is the Spanish, Dutch, and British - all went down the very same trajectory that we are on.
average bush unemployment rate; 5.2%
average obama unemloyment rate; 9.4%
It doesn't work, but they do a great job tricking their ignorant base (who aren't good at history) to vote for these fairy tales time and time again!
The financial melt down started under Bush. The Bank Bail Out (of the culprits) was under his watch. The Great Recession started under Bush, just like the Great Depression started under a Republican (Hoover, who did nothing about it). The Stimulus and Auto Bail Out, etc under Obama kept it from getting even worse. Kenysian economics 101 - the government needs to put money into the system when the private economy shuts down. It takes time to recover - the country didn't come back from the Depression until WWII (all government demand spending).
it's true; but ironic since it's beyond debate that the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer UNDER OBAMA.
Dems STILL control 2/3 of the law-making process and recently EXTENDED the bush tax cuts; so excuse me as i laugh at the loony posts of self-deceivers here ranting about "trickle-down" economics
gee, how come since Obama has taken office and with the likes of Eric Holder and cronies such as Van Jones...we have become more racially divided, more "class envious", more "rob from the producers and give to the moochers" than in anytime in our history?
Oh I forgot libbies...it's STILL anyone's fault but your messiah.
GMAFB!
Really? You need a US history lesson in tax rates.
rob-35whatever...he's sure racking up his $0.25 per Obama rant blog for whatever racket he's working for today...
a conspiricy theory? typical
Tim Pawlentry,
I can find private courts on "google" does that mean our government should not be providing a judicial system?
The "google" test is a disengenuos attempt at destroying governments function that is surprising to hear from the lips of a politician.
As for revenue our government took in a historically low percent of our GDP in revenues.
How does Tim Pawlentry seek to maintain revenues to pay our existing war bills and other bills that we simply cannot legislate out of existence with a flat 15% tax on all?
Obama may not be talking straight but neither is Tim Pawlenty!
I have news for all you Republican apologists: You are being played. These country club conservatives don't give a hoot about you, and only throw you a bone now and then to keep you quiet. The only time they want to see you is when you are fetching them a drink or cleaning their pool. Just what is it that the GOP is offering you that you are so enamored with them? If they were to enact all of their policies you wouldn't recognize this country any more, it would look like Mexico.
obama really cares about you; the 9.1% unemployment rate is proof
do Dems belong to country clubs?
do dems hire the illegals they love to clean their pools?
sure genius; but blue california already looks like mexico. are you a bigot or something?
Isn't there a Glen Beck rerun on or something?
No, the GOP hires them to produce their love-children....
"Elected with a call for unity and hope, he's spent three years dividing our nation,”
Really, our President would lie to the American people? He would never do that, ever. When our President makes a promise it is as good as gold, right?
Well, I really haven't seen much truth from the mouth of our POTUS, just half truths and empty promises so far. I will give him another year and a half to fulfill the promises he has made then I will make my decision to elect someone else. If the election was today, I would definitely vote for a different Change I can Believe In!
leftnut ranting about fairy tales? is this a fairy tale? average Bush unemployment rate; 5.2%
We know the loony Left calls Republican economic theory "trickle-down'. so the question is what do we have now under obama and what would be an example of it??
Obama believes in "trickle up poverty"
Rob, who has purchased Palin's books and just found out that a woman is making a fool out of him, forgets that the repubes stopped job creation in Florida (high-speed rail) and in New Jersey (bridge). The repubs say that we don't have any $$, but they won't admit they didn't have $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ when they attacked Iraq which had wmd's and gave tax breaks and de-regulations to their pigeons and leeches. Desparate to be heard and can't keep his hands off those .....
the idiotic Palin-rant; obligatory sign of the loony left
Rob -0h we all hope you get laid once in your lifetime. Maybe, just maybe he'll be a Gay Muslim from Kenya or you'll just get laid to rest. Keep it flapping!
i see libs crying!!
Honest, that high speed rail and NJ bridge was costing us taxpayers borrowed money. You know money we don't have.
Wow, I hope you right wing trolls get paid a lot of money to post this crap. You guys sound like some real nut jobs.
Or you might just be mad about not being able to form a union? It's pretty pathetic the right wind has to pay people to post for them, get a real job.
/Sigh, MSNBC still won't let me post links for some crazy reason. But try and Google "right wing paid trolls trying to form a union". The same hate spewing posters that claim they hate unions, are in fact trying to form a union. Interesting read.
Jokes on him, the class war is over and the rich won a long time ago. The Guillotine is the only thing that will save us now.
i think pawlenty can rest his case with the rant of this left-wing genius
Pawlenty isn't going to win his primary, he's a nobody. You know what that's like.
Listen to your idiot hero:
"If you can find a service on Google, then the government probably doesn't need to be providing that service."
You're hitching your wagon to this moron? Good luck, bootlicker.
lol and obama is a failure; you should know what that's like
cry lefty; and just know your messiah obama has failed big-time
See you in 2012. Obama in a landslide, no matter who you idiots throw up there. You know this.
President Pawlenty?
HAHAHAHAHAHA
there arent that many stupid left-wingers blinded by partisan politics to re-elect obama. normal people see he's failed
His approval ratings disagree, and the GOP has nothing to offer. They forgot that most of the nation doesn't hate America as much as they do.
Obama in a landslide. Book it.
Troll> Well since it's going to be a landslide you and your friends can just take the day off. No need to bother voting since it's a foregone conclusion.
The comments from this clown are one needs to hear to know that Obama is the one to vote for.
um sure; the fact that obama has failed should never enter your mind; rabid partisan politics are all that matter
average obama unemployment rate; 9.4%. you're hitching your wagon to this MORON?
When it was the product of a BUSH economy? Sure!
(Wait for it, here comes the complaints about 'blaming Bush'!!)
I'll take Obama over Bush ANY day.
average bush unemployment rate; 5.2%
Hysterical...Bush INHERITS a great economy, and it's BUSH's doing! Obama inherits an AWFUL economy, and it's OBAMA's doing!
That's logic for ya!
gee Sir Troll you seem so angry!! lol
Rob's Bush couldn't capture a bin laden....even after she told the world no one would stop her!
in an alternate universe obama isnt a failure!!
Go do your homework little kid.
go deceive your self old guy
rob....obvious troll is.....OBVIOUS
self-deceiving lib loons are funny? why all the hate lefties? it isnt the right's fault obama is a failure!
EVERYONE!!! Let's all hold hands and have a pity party for the rich..
One.....two....three!! Awwwwwwwww......poooooor little richies....
Troll.
Therman Merman - "Troll"??....I think you have him confused with your Congressman Weiner.......Weiner was actually "trolling" on the internet for college girls........big difference......
Feisty - Cake crumbs?.....Really?......do you get yours in a box, a bag or what?...do the "uber rich" throw it by the road from their Rolls Royce's where you live?........and how frequently? daily? weekly? monthly? ...........Honestly where do you get this stuff?