Business

‘They Have the Money’: Dem Rep. Explains his Plan to Revive Economy (Hint: It Involves ‘Fair Share’)

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, on Monday told “Viewpoint” host Eliot Spitzer that his caucus’ “Deal for All Economic Fairness” will help revive America’s economy because it protects Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, cuts defense spending, and (you guessed it!) makes the wealthy pay their “fair share.”

“Describe for us the proposal that you have put on the table,” Spitzer said.

“It’s called the ‘Deal for All’ and it’s sort of modeled after our budget, which is called ‘The Budget for All,’” Rep. Ellison responded. “The thing is … it centers on four principles: Any deal that we have has got to protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. It has got to demand revenues, not just cuts. We’ve got to ask the Defense Department to share in the cuts.”

“Finally, we need something to boost jobs. We’ve got to grow ourselves out of the economy, not simply do austerity and expect to deal with the budgetary challenges we have,” he added.

Spitzer pushed him for details.

“Where do the revenues come from?” the host asked.

“If we extend the tax cuts for everyone, including the top two percent, that’s going to be an expenditure in the order over the course of 10 years of about $600 billion. That’s a lot of money. We can’t afford to let those folks do that,” Rep. Ellison responded.

“The folks at the top end of the income scale are going to have to pay a little bit more, which is fine because, you know what? They have the money,” he added.

The Minnesota representative continued, implying that true patriots have no problem paying “a little bit more.”

“These folks, most of them are patriotic Americans who, I’m quite sure, would do whatever they could to help their country along,” he explained. “Of course, there’s more savings to be had then that, but, you know, those are just some good starters.”

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Comments (102)

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  • bobefann
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 11:50pm

    It’s funny how government gets us into debt and trouble and expect the american people to bail them out. They spend and blame the rich because they are not given them enough to spend. Wackos! It’s not the riches fault, it’s governments! Stop trying to punish the ones who abide by the law you sent forth.

    Report Post » bobefann  
    • CATPBJ
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 12:53am

      True! It is the governments fault that we have such a huge deficit! The government at the end of Bill Clintons 2nd term and at the start of George W Bush’s 1st term had a SURPLUS of $236.2 BILLION. However, due to George W Bush’s tax cuts, which SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED the amount of money flowing into the government, and then you ADD A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FEDERAL SPENDING due to UNFUNDED MEDICARE PART-D; + UNFUNDED SPENDING FOR THE IRAQ WAR (the spending continues even though the Iraq war ended due to the large expenditures for military veterans medical and psychological problems originating in the Iraq war); + UNFUNDED SPENDING FOR THE AFGHANISTAN WAR (still ongoing) = ONE EXTREMELY LARGE DEFICIT!

      Report Post » CATPBJ  
    • 000degrees
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 7:06am

      Hey….anybody remember Joe the plumber??????? This is o’s plan!!!! Duh……

      Report Post »  
    • yougottabekidding
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 8:01am

      Must see
      Talk about voter id, dems want to restrict mIlitary
      vote 1 of many attempts
      http://times247.com/articles/obama-camp-sues-to-restrict-oh-military-voting.mobile

      Report Post »  
    • dukielouie
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 9:18am

      Ask Ellison if he support the shield act HR 668? Learn today http://theunitedwest.org/ Maybe Ellison needs to answer if he supports the Muslim Brotherhood and if the Fair share will go to help that organization?

      Report Post »  
    • destrecht
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 11:11am

      Not to nitpick, but there wasn’t really a surplus. Debt was actually higher. The surplus was on the deficit.

      Report Post »  
  • chillygirl
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 11:48pm

    I was trying to find out Keith’s background. According to Wikipedia: After graduating with a Bachelors in economics in 1987, he married his high school sweetheart[6] and moved to Minneapolis to attend the University of Minnesota Law School. While attending, Ellison wrote several articles in support of Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam.

    “in support of Louis Farrakhan”? Yes, that tells you something about him, doesn’t it?

    Unfortunately, the people in his district are like-thinkers and will keep voting for the @$$.

    Report Post »  
    • MDECKER
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 12:34am

      Rep. Ellison referred to, “these folks, most of them patriotic Americans” and, what they could do for, “their country”. Does Rep. Ellison represent people from another country other than the United States of America? Rep. Ellison, when he speaks of patriotism, must be reminiscing of the Muslim Brotherhood. He can pound sand with the rest of the Progressive Caucai.

      Report Post »  
    • burnteye86
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 4:34am

      Is that the same Louis Farrakhan who’s against gay marriage?

      Report Post » burnteye86  
    • Roberto G. Vasquez
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 9:40am

      @CHILLYGIRL

      Ellison is a Muslim, that’ why he supports Muslims. No surprise there.

      Report Post »  
  • seeker9
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 11:35pm

    Now that’s original! HA!
    Tax the rich more and pretend that it will pay for all the spending AND reduce the deficit. BHO needs to “invest” aka redistribute. Utopia is just around the corner. Does anyone believe this stuff?

    Report Post » seeker9  
  • Psychosis
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 11:32pm

    this man is an idiot

    and a communist to boot

    Report Post » Psychosis  
    • Detroit paperboy
      Posted on August 2, 2012 at 11:41pm

      You don’t give crackheads more crack…….PERIOD.

      Report Post »  
    • historyguy48
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 6:49am

      You’re just a hater, especially since you are correct!
      Just what America needs, a Muslim Communist. Of course it‘s not like he doesn’t have a lot of like minded friends in Washingtonograd, now is it?
      I wonder if Dear Leader is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, or just another follower of Farrakan.

      Report Post » historyguy48  
  • Derek01
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 11:25pm

    Sorry but totally incompetent fools don’t need another penny of anyones money. Your job should be minimum wage. It might make you a little humbler and thoughtful of your position. I’m tired of pompous @$$es like you and Obullsht. Loud mouth know-it-alls who don’t know squat but try to BS their way around

    Report Post »  
  • grams09
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 11:13pm

    It makes me so mad when I hear this. I just want to scream for them to stop wasting our money and then you don’t have to ask anyone to pay more. Idiots.

    Report Post » grams09  
  • sensibleadult
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 11:10pm

    I’ve noticed that the term“ their fair share” is never defined. Let me define it. It means “more”.

    Report Post »  
    • Americanius
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 12:38pm

      All of it seems very fair to the progressive marxist left.
      One of the progressive saints, FDR, proposed a 100% tax on income over $23,000.
      So, why would anyone bust their ass to earn more than $23k if it’s charity to the government?
      It’s a a disincentive and production killer.
      Which lends a little credence that FDR was insane with power as much as Hitler.

      Report Post »  
  • needmoinfo
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 11:07pm

    What does it mean to pay one’s fair share? Well the middle class is broke down into poverty so I guess they paid fairly. The wealthy aren’t broke yet so that is a dead giveaway. Those who Obama has blessed with money and are still voting for him will be broke down to poverty level eventually too. He will find every last nickel in every pocket. So go ahead and give him 4 more years. The rich have way more to lose than what the rest of us once had. Those who foisted him upon us must suffer like the rest of us. America will be a level playing field after Obama. No rich to hire us, or start new businesses or feed the hungry and donate to the needy.

    Report Post »  
  • kaydeebeau
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 11:06pm

    So explain to me genius, how it is fair that the woman who sits beside me at work, who does the same job as I do, makes (what I assume)basically the same salary as I do, gets more back in taxes than she pays, while I get nothing? Why am I supposed to have my pay taken to subsidize her?

    And to make matters worse, she brags about it? I do not work to subsidize her, yet this government steals my pay to give it to her. This is fair how?

    And you want me to support taking the “1%’ hard earned dollars to give her more? Really?

    Not just no but heck no.

    I am sick and tired of it. I don’t give 2 flying flips about what Romney does with his money. But I am darned sick and tired of what you do with mine

    Report Post » kaydeebeau  
  • YourVoiceMatters
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 11:01pm

    Well, there is only so much blood in a patient! And if they suck the rich dry, it is like a patient that bleeds out! They tap out! Continue to tap their resources, plus all the ingenious and different ways the govt has at sucking the lifes blood out of everyone in the country (not just the rich)! You will have raped and pillaged the country down to a huge hulking shell! They have been on the wrong path from the get go! We all knew knew it! Yelled loud and long about it to no avail! After all of this, this administration wants to blame the rich for their massive FAIL!!
    To my thinking the dems will suck them and everyone else into poverty! Then still find someone-else to blame ! They have never ever owned up to their massive failures over the decades! They cannot even produce a budget! Yet they flap their lips and twist the truth and point fingers…when all they have to do is look in the mirror to see who the real culprits are! I have watched them all these years! the dems had control of the House and Senate from ‘06 to ’10..and the Senate to this day to the detriment of every citizen of this country…if you have not been paying attention go back and see it for yourself stop believing the lies look at the record! chuck the media take and look at the TRUTH What they are saying the need to do will not even help! the huge debt they have run up will bankcrupt the rich, the middle class, and the poor! STOP believing lies!

    Report Post »  
  • Patrick Henry
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 11:00pm

    P.S. I am on a fixed income and not a bit rich (30k year) but I do know how the country is to survive!

    Report Post » Patrick Henry  
  • Patrick Henry
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 10:59pm

    Hey Richest D.C. know-en-alls STOP SPENDING MONEY LIKE IT IS NOT YOURS! Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) is looking for more money to stuff his and his friends pockets. I just returned from FreePac, Under GOD Indivisable, and Restoring Love, and I am so sorry to report to you and your Progressive friends IT AIN’T (or is not) HAPPENING! LMAO Weeeeee! Give us Liberty as we send you home packing to find a harder job to better your life!

    Report Post » Patrick Henry  
  • MrKnowItAll
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 10:53pm

    They should look at there own Words. That we are knew were Lies. You don’t think a bunch of old, white, gun and lawn chair carrying good people are gonna let the Government TAKE their money, Do You?

    Report Post » MrKnowItAll  
  • OlefromMN
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 10:50pm

    Keith is a real life image of why I moved out of MN’s 5th Congressional District (and Minneanoplace in general). They have their little commune up there and can not figure out why they are always broke. They want to come after people like me who fled the communist occupation and moved to frier pastures. Lots O Luck with all of that Keith, you got nothing other than your small district. (PS: Keith, pay your darn parking tickets to help support the MPD. Have you cleared up that little mess from when you first ran?)

    Report Post » OlefromMN  
  • RougeFastFingers
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 10:47pm

    For almost 50 years I have heard the left say the same thing over and over as the solution to ANy problem:

    ‘Raise taxes’

    Never has worked and never will, the government can only help ‘create jobs’ by getting out of the way of business (the TEA party way) or by hiring MORE government workers (the neo-communist obama supporters way).

    I’ll take option one, the TEA party way.

    Report Post » RougeFastFingers  
  • Puddle Duck
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 10:41pm

    In the Commie Manifesto the rich are the target…..the middle class mus also be “leveled” against their will….all of this 1% BS is just another way of pushing the redistro agenda. Under the Commie system the middle class is wiped out by design something which the “progressives” will vehemently deny having as a goal. The numbers (for fleecing the rich) don’t add up…even if the Feds confiscated 100% of the 1% ers earnings they would still be hundreds of billions short….the middle class is where the money is at, they are the real targets of the left, that and those that control natural resources. What the left is pushing is nothing more than comminism dressed in yet another sharp set of clothes. It’s getting pathetic out there…the Dems and left cannot sell what the mahority are unwilling to buy (once they realize what is really beiong sold). Can’t say I blame anyone for rejecting a proven failure.

    Report Post » Puddle Duck  
  • antisocialist
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 10:37pm

    If the so called rich are supposed to pay a little more, then I think they should get a little more. Maybe their one vote should count for 1.5 votes. I only made 52,000 last year, so I’m not considered rich.

    Report Post » antisocialist  
    • SimpleTruths
      Posted on August 2, 2012 at 10:57pm

      Rich, no. Dumb, yes. The propaganda is working well on you I see, the wealthy are laughing their butts off at all you rubes.

      Report Post » SimpleTruths  
    • barber2
      Posted on August 2, 2012 at 11:14pm

      Simple: No. Those so-called rich taxpayers in American values are anxiously awaiting to dispose of these sick Marxists who now “ occupy” the Democrat Party.

      Report Post »  
  • BloodSweatandTears
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 10:36pm

    $600 Billion over ten years? Sounds like a lot of money doesn’t?

    But let’s break it down. one million seconds equals 12 days. One billion seconds equals 32 years. One trillion seconds equals 32 THOUSAND YEARS. Our national debt is 16 trillion. 16,000,000,000,000,000 X 32,000 = 512,000,000,000,000,000,000 quadrillion years. Unless the government stops expanding (as it requires itself to do to keep its current funding -self defeating.) Then the top 2% paying ‘Their fair share,” will not affect the bottom line in any appreciable manner. Instead it penalizes the talented/skilled/creative. Causes the wealthy to flee the country or just stop. But has no measurable affect in reducing the real problem. Gluttonous governmental spending fostered by dim-witted, short sighted, mathematically challenged politicians

    Report Post »  
    • Puddle Duck
      Posted on August 2, 2012 at 10:43pm

      You nailed it and beat me to it….very well said !

      Report Post » Puddle Duck  
    • BloodSweatandTears
      Posted on August 2, 2012 at 10:47pm

      So Rep. Ellison, no one on earth has that kind of money. Even with your pitiful $600 billion/10 yr. “tip.”

      Oh I forgot, we’re on track to be 22 trillion dollars in debt by 2022. (probably severely underestimated.) How big will the mill stone be then?

      Report Post »  
  • Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 10:32pm

    Americans get the government they deserve. Anybody stupid enough to buy this drivel deserves to be eating the dog food and breadline handouts that will be coming eventually. Collectively, we deserve this.

    Report Post » Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve  
    • BloodSweatandTears
      Posted on August 2, 2012 at 10:55pm

      I always shudder when someone says we are getting what we deserve. We deserve honest committed public servants that have one eye on the till. One eye on the government, and their heart in the Constitution. It’s really what our tax dollars are for.

      Report Post »  
    • barber2
      Posted on August 2, 2012 at 11:07pm

      ROTH and BLOD: you are both right that we get what we deserve. The real problem today is that , thanks to liberal educational dysfunction, our young voters have no exposure to American history and civics . So we get the ignorance that is the result of the hijacking of education by the Left which will be , basically , an ignorant bunch of idiots whom the “ dear leaders” will be able to manipulate and to profit from their ignorance. This will NOT be the America of your grandparents and this is NOT their Democrat Party ! NObama 2012.

      Report Post »  
  • cja23
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 10:26pm

    What’s Ellison talking about “expenditure”. This is our money he’s talking about, not the government’s to waste more of. Let’s make a huge list of all the taxpayers money these politicians waste or yours and my money. 50% of Americans don’t pay “any taxes”. Is that fair?

    Report Post »  
    • BloodSweatandTears
      Posted on August 2, 2012 at 11:10pm

      Not really, because I don’t see them using the infrastructures any less. The infrastructure that the great O pointed out as the means rich people got their help. The fallacy regarding infrastructure is that the infrastructure, is paid mostly by local property taxes, not federals funds as he suggested.

      Free ride all the way around.

      Report Post »  
    • needmoinfo
      Posted on August 2, 2012 at 11:17pm

      They aren’t paying because they are already broke. All money must flow to Obama to spend as he wishes. Only the rich have any money now. What made you think you’re money was untouchable. Pay attention. There is a quiz later.

      Report Post »  
  • progressiveslayer
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 10:25pm

    The Congressional Progressive Caucus is a direct threat to the republic and needs to be put out of power ASAP. The communist pigs and Islamists currently rotting our country from within needs to be put out of power as well,they’re all enemies of freedom.

    Report Post » progressiveslayer  
  • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 10:23pm

    When will America realize they should be Sharia compliant? When will everyone realize we would be just better off being equal across the land, except for the shieks that control you? When will the people realize they need to rise up and TAKE what is rightfully theirs from those who bettered their lives off of the peoples back. When will everyone realize “To each his needs. FROM each their abilities, or your neighbors pocket” And when will people realize I am so full of it, even flies won’t come around me. And when will we all agree, Pelosi should be in a Burka and Barney Frank should be stoned, and not the good kind of stoned.

    I am Keith Ellison, and not only do I approve this message, I keel you if you disagree.

    Boooooooom.

    Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
    • kaydeebeau
      Posted on August 2, 2012 at 11:35pm

      @ Simple – lol – the sad fact is that she has 3 children by 3 different men (married to none of them – but gets child support for all – which doesn‘t count for her income and the men can’t claim them as dependents) so she gets to take advantage of tax credits and head of household credits that I don’t qualify for, so unless you have a tax prepayer that can conjure those unfair deductions for me (or you), …..There in lies the rub, there is not a tax preparer in the world who could make this “fair”. Only an over haul of the tax code will help.

      And by the way the same applies for illegals that pay nothing but get outrageous refunds (not sure how you can be refunded for something you never paid to begin with) that is another post

      Report Post » kaydeebeau  
    • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 12:03am

      @Kaydee
      I agree with you on that. I worked with an E-5, same rank at the time so we got the same amount of pay, me and my wife didn’t have kids at that time and owned a house. We owed taxes at the end of the year, he on the other hand, claimed max dependents, got nothing withheld, his wife didn’t work and he had 4 kids and lived in base housing (no rent, no utility bills, no maintenance costs, free housing). At the end of the year, he always bragged about not paying a dime in tax, but getting back about $2,400 dollars. Now that is where we could cut the deficit almost immediately. Not raising the taxes on anyone, but getting rid of Tax Credits. It‘s fine if you don’t owe any taxes, but we shouldn‘t be giving you one single dime of money you didn’t pay in.

      Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
  • kaydeebeau
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 10:16pm

    So explain to me genius, how it is fair that the woman who sits beside me at work, who does the same job as I do, makes (what I assume)basically the same salary as I do, gets more back in taxes than she pays, while I get nothing? Why am I supposed to have my pay taken to subsidize her?

    And to make matters worse, she brags about it? I do not work to subsidize her, yet this government steals my pay to give it to her. This is fair how?

    And you want me to support taking the “1%’ hard earned dollars to give her more? Really?

    Not just no but heck no.

    I am sick and tired of it. I don’t give 2 flying flips about what Romney does with his money. But I am darned sick and tired of what you do with mine

    Report Post » kaydeebeau  
    • Puddle Duck
      Posted on August 2, 2012 at 10:31pm

      Well said….

      Report Post » Puddle Duck  
    • SimpleTruths
      Posted on August 2, 2012 at 11:05pm

      Well the obvious question is why aren’t you using her tax preparer?

      Report Post » SimpleTruths  
    • Patrick Henry
      Posted on August 2, 2012 at 11:25pm

      The house next to mine is a rental, (like the lady who sits next to you) rent, and spending money (food stamps) give them life for the past 2 years here and many years some where else.
      I wish I could just sit next to the problem for 8 hours a day!

      Report Post » Patrick Henry  
  • ilovetheusa1
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 10:13pm

    wasn’t Ellison the whiny little bit** when people made comments about his Muslim terrorist faith. this guy needs to be replaced.

    Report Post »  
    • EP46
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:37am

      Yep…it’s Muslim Brotherhood Keith (Bless be his name) Ellison !

      Report Post »  
  • IMCHRISTIAN
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 10:13pm

    I think all pay their fair share – rich and poor. Who doesn’t pay is the ones that invest taxpayers and their children and and their grandchildrens future. Investment in a car company which lost a lot of money with write offs, etc and the reason-unions. Investments in other companies and that went belly up, invest in energy in Brazil but to heck with the USA so stop complaining and tighten your belts like the rest of us.

    Report Post »  
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