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Subscribe to RSSCHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Returning to the home city of the Democratic National Convention, Vice President Joe Biden said that the two men on the GOP ticket have their wires crossed on whether or not the Obama administration has raised taxes.
"Even Romney had what we Catholics call an epiphany," Biden said of the GOP nominee's recent message slip on taxes. "Romney came out and ... said, 'they have not raised taxes on the middle class.' But apparently Paul Ryan has not gotten the memo!"
As the presidential candidates prepare for Wednesday's debate, Vice President Joe Biden spoke about the "buried" middle class, prompting the Romney campaign to suggest the President's policies are to blame. NBC's Peter Alexander reports.
Romney said last week at a campaign stop in Ohio that Obama intends to raise taxes, something the president "did not do in his first four years."
While Obama has not raised tax rates, he has signed legislation -- particularly his health care law -- that Republicans argue would yield major penalties for many middle class families.
Biden argued that the GOP, in contrast, would raise taxes on a middle class that has "been buried over the last four years."
That comment earned a scathing response from Republicans, who called it "a stunning admission" about the White House's economic policies.
"Vice President Biden made a stunning admission today and we couldn’t agree more: the middle class has been ‘buried’ under the last four years of this President’s policies," the Romney campaign wrote in a press release.
Biden, who acknowledged that riders on Air Force Two had "queasy stomachs" after a bumpy ride to North Carolina, kept the crowd of about 1000 waiting for an hour due to the inclement weather upon arrival.
His plane aborted one landing attempt In Charlotte because of storms in the area and was forced to circle the airport for about a half hour before landing without further incident.
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This is a question to any and all of you Republican Party members and followers, do you just blindly follow what the party says or are you just ignorant of the truth? Women cant get pregnant when they are raped? Social Security is an entitlement, yet the person who receives it pays into it their who working life? Helping the poor is wrong? When it comes to Mr Romney's 47% of Americans who dont pay taxes, they forgot to tell you that a big portion of that is the people overseas defending us right now, and grandma and grandpa who are retired, and the poor family's who have jobs just don't make enough money? You actually think Mr Romney is going to pressure China when he makes millions each year over there with his own companies? Where has your party went? Why is your only goal in life to ouster Obama? Why did you stop the GI Bill to help our Vets coming home from overseas when YOU wrote the da*n thing? If anyone out there could answer these truthfully, then you might have a good shot this coming election. Good luck with that, you have yet to tell a single truth this whole campaign....
This is a question to any and all of you lefties. If Obama is so wonderful then why do you constantly lie and skew the facts to try and make him look good?
The idiot that came up with the legitimate rape comment has been chastised by the party and many are withdrawing their support. Social security is an entitlement because you are entitled to it by law.
The only ones against helping the poor are those that want to tax contributions to religious programs that help the poor
Our goal is to stop those that want to change this country from what it is meant to be so give it up already.
I have no reason to answer your questions. You are repeating what YOU heard from the Oblame'O admin. Addressing Ocrap'O's platitudes and false naratives is a waste of my time. One only has to look around them and see what this clown is doing to all of us. I personally don't want 4 more years of the last four years of failure. What's the point? Doing the same thing over and over is insanity and get's us nowhere.
D Paul...Here we go again with the 47% it is a fact that half this country supports the other half of this country and that course is unsustainable
I believe that Social Security and military benefits are just that... Benefits that were contracted for services rendered and for those on S.S. or close to retirement our country has an obligation to provide the benefits that were promised. For our military veterans who have given more to this country than any other class of individuals they should receive every bit of compensation they were promised
At some point this country will have to face the harsh reality that if programs such as S.S.,medicare,medicaid,food stamps,and all the other entitlements are not restructured they will cease to exist
is that the future you want for America?Romney/Ryan have not said they would eliminate these programs they said they would restructure them to insure their longevity S.S by its own definition will be broke by 2023, when do you suggest we address this problem? at the rate of speed congress works at it will take a decade to get something done.
As for your comments on China...President Obama continues to out source our debt to china, much of it to finance entitlements we now borrow more than 40 cents of every dollar spent by or government from china,please tell me how you feel about that
Yes
By this definition, 100% of us are living under government entitlements. The country was founded on laws that "entitle" us.
What a stupid comment! And a bad spin job....I'm sure you know that when your party started talking about entitlements, they didn't mean anything we're entitled to by law.
What is the country meant to be? And do you expect all 320 million of us to think the American dream is exactly what you think it is?
This is false. The truth is we all pay taxes of some sort. The 47% comment was about those who pay federal income taxes. We know that most of the country works and gets deductions for EITC, mortgage interest, health insurance premiums, 401k contributions, etc that reduce your reported federal income or results in a tax return.
This is the first election cycle where I've heard people complain about their tax deductions and simultaneously complain about high taxes. Either you want to be the low tax party or you want to pay higher taxes. MAKE UP YOUR MINDS!!!!
Recently read in Times mag. that the fed policies have enriched the wealthiest 10% of the people who own 75% of the stocks. Unfortunately, "you can't have an economic revival with only 10% of the people spending money". The rest of us who depend on bank interest are circling the drain. I imagine that's what Mr. Biden meant when he made his statement regarding the middle class.
No matter what you think of Obama care this is funny.
For all you Christians out there: chan'-jers (kollubistes, from kollubos, "a small coin," so "a money-changer," or
"banker" (Mt 21:12; Mk 11:15; "changers" in Jn 2:15; compare 2:14, where
kermatistes, "a dealer in small bits," or "change," is also rendered
"changers"); compare trapezites, "one who sits at a table," "a money-changer,"
"a banker" or "broker"; one who both exchanges money for a small fee and pays
interest on deposits (Mt 25:27, the King James Version "exchangers," the
American Standard Revised Version "bankers")): The profession of money-changer
in Israel was made necessary by the law requiring every male Israelite who had
reached the age of 20 years to pay into the treasury of the sanctuary a
half-shekel at every numbering of the people, an offering to Yahweh, not even
the poor being exempt. It seems to have become an annual tax, and was to be paid
in the regular Jewish half-shekel (Ex 30:11-15). Since the Jews, coming up to
the feasts, would need to exchange the various coins in common circulation for
this Jewish piece, there were money-changers who exacted a premium for the
exchange. This fee was a kollubos (about 31 cents in U.S. money, i.e. in 1915),
hence, the name kollubistes. The Jews of Christ's day came from many parts of
the world, and the business of exchanging foreign coins for various purposes
became a lucrative one, the exchangers exacting whatever fee they might. Because
of their greed and impiety, Jesus drove them from the courts of the
temple.
Edward Bagby Pollard
The reason the Tea Party was formed is that a great many Republicans got fed up with the amount of money George Bush was spending and TARP was the straw that broke the camel's back for us.
Joe Biden is saying that the Bush policies has buried the middle class over the last four years.
Oh, is that what he was saying? Good to know that you can read his mind. We need an administration that will take this country forward, not blaming all their failed efforts on the previous administrations.
Joe knows whose and what policies has burned the middle class over the last four years. He is counting on the blind followers of Obama to not know or even care.
Why would the Bush policies continue under Obama? Didn't he say he was going to change and hope everything? Didn't he say 'we can't return to the policies of the past that got us into this mess in the first place'. I quess he continued the policies of the past and failed once again. One term by his own words.
President Obama is the greatest President this country has known......4more years!!!!!
For once I totally agree with Joe the clown, Biden. He sure got this one right.
Obama will be shown to be the worst president ever beating out the previous winner, Carter.
Go to youtube and watch Dr Barbra Beller on Obamacare it's really funny, they keep removing the link I attach
FINALY....someone in the O-blame-ya administration that told the TRUTH about something.....what ya want to bet he got a call last night from the grand overlord chewing him out for giving the american people a taste of truth instead of fabricated fiction that this administration is so famous for.............
Mr. Biden did not chose his wording well but his statement is true. The Middle Class has been hammered over the past 12 years - eight years of Bush and four years of the Party of No.
The TP and the Recalcitrants of the Right have thwarted each and every effort that Obama put forth to attempt to stimulate demand growth.
Let Ryan and Romney have fun with Joe's wording, but the facts are that the Right Wingers have purposely blocked the President from helping the middle class get back on it's feet.
You are correct Biden with your freudian slip. Mitt couldn't have said it better.
Ask the middle class in a far left country how there doing?
The Gov spending never ends and eventually we all are taxed to pay for it. Look
at Canada a very left country, Income tax is 48% on those earning over 60 K But
what really hits them all is the VAT at 13% which is on everything, food,
colthing everthing think that doesn't hit the middelclass the poor? Then there
is gas which again affects everyone, 1.48 a litre (approx $5.90 per gallon, .10
Provinical (state), .14 Federal and then 13 % VAT on top. Coming to a country
near you there is no free ride folks.
The middle class was doing much better under the Bush administration and Joe got it right for once. Obama had free reign to do anything he wanted to help the middle class and did nothing instead. We need four more years of nothing, NOT.
The middle class has been buried the last four years, and Obama will be buried at the debate tonight, under the weight of his four years of failure.
In case you haven't noticed, Bush is no longer in office, and I know it's hard to know who is our leader since we are leaderless but this is Obama's economy now and has been in the last 4 years. There is no possible way to take this out of context. It's probably better to be 'back in chains' than buried.
Everyone with an ounce of integrity knew exactly what VP Biden meant when he said "buried over the last four years."
So, for all those with no integrity or maybe selective integrity - read my lips: Buried over the last four years is about the residual effects of the Bush administration economic policies and how the "just say no to everything Obama" Republicans brought hell to earth, Driven by greed, power and selfishness; this is what has buried America and real Americans for the last 4 yrs. But even though the Republicans have tried to destroy America and real Americans during this time, we have been improving slowly but surely and will continue to grow under another 4 years with Mr. Obama as our president.
The following is also a must-read for the Republicans and all their friends on the right: James 5, 1-6. If you choose to ignore the warning, you do it at your own peril.
Anyone with common sense can see by the facts that the middle class is being buried by the policies of Obama and his cronies. When is the blame finally going to end? Will he blame himself if he gets elected again or will he continue to blame everthing but himself as usual. What a loon.
Yankee17 - So let me get this straight. If I don't agree with you, I have no integrity?
Classic Liberal approach to debating an issue. Don't argue the facts, just demonize the opponent.
Sound like anyone you know? Hint - he'll be on tv tonight, and you voted for him about 4 years ago.
I guess that the anonymity that this type of forum affords people causes many to lose all pretext of being civilized human beings.
That hate that is evident on these pages is shameful.
Is this what we have been reduced to?
Are we a Nation that has zero ability to understand or tolerate "the other side"?
Look, I am no fan of Romenyomics but he does seem to be a good man.
Anybody who is not inspired by the Obama story, just has no soul - single parent, mixed race kid grows up to become President of the USA? That IS the American Dream.
This election boils down to a choice between two ideologies:
1. Support the Wealthy and Business interests in the hope that this will drag the rest of us along.
2. Support the needs of ordinary people and try to create demand in our economy, not just wealth.
In the immortal words of Rodney King: "Can't we all just get along?"
Bobby bo - the incivility on these boards is no less than that displayed by our elected officials toward each other. It starts there.
We elected a guy who promised to change all that, and instead did the opposite. You ask rhetorically, can't we all just get along? I'm afraid the simple answer is "No we can't!"
Oh Joe say it isn't so, finally the truth comes out! Joe Biden, the gift that keeps on giving
He is 100% correct Americans have worked harder for less in the last 4 years than at any other time since the great depression. And it is a direct result of the failed economic policies of Barack Obama .
If you've liked the last 4 years you're gonna love the next 4 under Obama because nothing will change. This is the new normal
THE MOST STUPID STATEMENT EVER BY A PRESIDENT- Unbelievable
THIS MOST UNBELIEVABLE PRESIDENT?
HERE IS HIS RESPONSE WHEN HE BACKED OFF FROM HIS DECISION TO REQUIRE THE MILITARY PAY FOR THEIR WAR INJURIES.
Bad press, including major mockery of the play by comedian Jon Stewart, led to President Obama abandoning his proposal to require veterans carry private health insurance to cover the estimated $540 billion annual cost to the federal government of treatment for injuries to military personnel received during their tours on active duty. The President admitted that he was puzzled by the magnitude of the opposition to his proposal.
"Look, it's an all volunteer force," Obama complained. "Nobody made these guys go to war. They had to have known and accepted the risks. Now they whine about bearing the costs of their choice? It doesn't compute." "I thought these were people who were proud to sacrifice for their country, "Obama continued "I wasn't asking for blood, just money. With the country facing the worst financial crisis in its history, I'd have thought that the patriotic thing to do would be to try to help reduce the nation's deficit.. I guess I underestimated the selfishness of some of my fellow Americans."
How in the world did a person with this mindset become our leader?
REMEMBER THIS STATEMENT...."Nobody made these guys go to war. They had to have known and accepted the risks. Now they whine about bearing the costs of their choice?"
If he thinks he will ever get another vote from an Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard service member or veteran of a military service he ought to think it over. This is why he tries his best to block the military from voting.
I'm guessing that other than the 20-25 percent hardcore liberals in the US will agree that this is just another example why this is the worst president in American history. Remind everyone over and
over how this man thinks, while he bows to the Saudi Arabian king...
But to top that off.....he is perfectly happy providing free insurance to illegal aliens!!!!!!
America is on the verge of destruction. There is no insanity greater than electing a pathological narcissist as president.
KEEP YOUR TRUST IN GOD. YOUR GOVERNMENT HAS FAILED YOU MISERABLY
It's got to be George Washington's fault since it was his policies that got us into this mess.
Another blundering move on Joe Biden the clown. Can u imagine him running the country if something happened to our already loser president? OMG! Scary as hell. Keep up the good work Biden. Open mouth, insert foot. Say bye bye come November 6th.
Healthcare Act does not impose tax on middle class as a class. It imposes penalty on defaulters as individuals like penalty as per Motor Vehicle Act. Anyone to get on road has to buy insurance with driving license. GOP Presidential candidates are misleading and frightening people of America and citizens who are voters. A defaulter of Health Insurance penalty with benefits is far better than penalty under Motor Vehicle Act with no benefits.
the supreme court ruled it is a tax not a penalty you can not use the tax code as means of imposing punitive action on an individual
Call it whatever you want. But the reality is, people who don't marry or have kids aren't considered to be "punished" under our tax system but they do pay higher taxes. We don't reward the working poor with lower taxes.
The punitive nature of taxation is a GOP talking point because all taxes benefit some and may not affect others. It's the taxation works. Quit drinking the kool aid.
Biden statement " US middle class has been buried for the last four years" means that middle class has suffered due to 911,wars, fore closures, frauds by Wall Street Housing Bubble, joblessness, closure of industries in America by off shoring technology & manufacturing with price rise after exit of G.W.Bush leaving everything in shambles in 2008 with sanction of bailout of Wall Street with thousands of troops deployed in wars.
and it proves they are completely incapable of fixing any of it
Finally the truth! Biden you just said what we were all thinking! I like a man that can admit it when he has been on the wrong track for the past 4 years........but not enough to keep him there! Biden you are one honest idiot!