Business

Tired of Hearing People Talk Like They Don‘t Owe Gov’t Anything: Contentious Panel Debates Obama‘s ’Big Government’ Solutions

During a discussion on CNBC’s “The Kudlow Report,” former Vermont governor Howard Dean became frustrated with Larry Kudlow and Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus for their criticism of President Obama’s big government, pro-tax solutions.

“I’m tired of hearing people in the private sector talk like they don’t owe the government anything. We do. This is a great country because we all pay into it. It’s about time we all pay into it,” said Dean.

His remarks were prompted by a broader discussion on the opposing economic solutions of former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and President Obama.

“What I heard from the president today, just a whole lot of the same old big government tax and spend solutions,” Kudlow said, referring to a speech the president gave in Ohio on Thursday.

“No pro-growth policies. Nothing to help us get out of the recession — the tax cliff, fiscal cliff. President, what are you doing? Just spending our money and trying to tax rich people and small business owners to pay for it? I don’t get it,” Kudlow added.

Bernie Marcus didn’t have much to say in favor of the president’s speech.

“I will tell you that Barack Obama is one of the great orators I have heard. He can make something out of nothing, which is exactly what happened here. He talked about nothing,” Marcus said.

“I think the problem is that he’s surrounded by people that know less than he does. I don’t expect more of the president. He never worked in the real world. He doesn’t understand how a business survives or how a business runs,” he added.

Apparently, Dean didn’t appreciate Marcus saying this and the conversation turned a bit more personal.

“You made a lot of money because you live in the United States of America,” he said. “We owe something to the government to grow up in this great country.”

Watch the debate [via CNBC]:

So what does Dean think should be done to repair America’s economy? First off, the country should return to the policies of President Bill Clinton:

If we paid the same amount of taxes we paid when Bill Clinton was president, I would be a happy guy, and the budget would be closer to balanced. You cannot give away money, whether you give it to rich or poor people. That’s what George Bush did — excuse me, trillions of dollars. You can’t do that.

Second, whatever you do, don’t elect Mitt Romney:

Why turn the economy over to a guy who invests in the Cayman Islands, has a Swiss bank account and who’s advocating doing the same things which wrecked the economy in the first place, which is giving the Wall Street guys free rein to do whatever they want.

That makes no sense at all. I think the idea that Mitt Romney will be the next president — given the record of Wall Street and creating this mess — is laughable.

But despite these well-reasoned solutions, Marcus and Kudlow both firmly believe that more spending is not the answer.

“The billion dollars [President Obama] spent did nothing for the economy, and he wants to spend more money, and where is the balance of the budget? I don’t understand how you can be balancing the budget while spending a trillion dollars more,” Marcus said.

“If somebody can explain that to me, I’m only a business guy. I don’t know anything. Maybe the economists, maybe the politicians understand this. I don’t get it. I don’t really understand it,” he added.

Front page photo source contribution: Ross Oscar Knight photography.

Comments (71)

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  • Restore the Republic
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 3:11am

    The people and private industry make this country great. the Government is a Parasite.

    Report Post » Restore the Republic  
    • HKS
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:50am

      Government is strictly an overhead expense. To prosper at anything the overhead must be as small as possible and preferably none at all. So, if smaller overhead is a necessity for prosperity where are we headed?

      Report Post » HKS  
    • fastgunslinger
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 12:23pm

      before u vote this year,ask yoursel this question. Would u want osomma bigears or romney to invest your retirement money.

      Report Post »  
    • fastgunslinger
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 12:35pm

      be 4 u vote for the next prez,ask yourself this question-who would u trust your lifesavings with-osomma bigears who has a proven record of loosing your mmoney ao aromney who has a proven record of making a profit..

      Report Post »  
    • 000degrees
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 1:37pm

      I would like them all to just leave me alone so I can pursue my dreams as per our Constitution!!!!!!!

      Report Post »  
  • scudster
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 2:20am

    Howard Dean’s alligator mouth has once again overloaded his liberal hummingbird brain. Why anyone would elect such an idiot is beyond me?

    Report Post » scudster  
  • dirtypotter
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 12:23am

    when will anyone come to the realization that even though bush spent moey like obama light, he presided over 52 months of consecutive growth. The tru economic downturn began in the 4th quarter of 2007 at the hands of dingy harry and princess pelosie (i dont care if I misspelled her name, she abused the constitution that I swore to protect) Oh yeah… she took that oath as well. at least one of us understands what an oath means

    Report Post » dirtypotter  
  • lukerw
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 11:18pm

    Dean is quite confused upon Actual History & Reality: America expanded by Pioneers simply moving Westward, without Government Direction, Assistance, nor Supports… as the sense of Private Sector activity… where people do whatever to make life better for themselves… and All that Government can do is to consider the Collective Need and provide a Mechanism to make things more Efficient (alike Garbage Collection)! Dean, as Representative, is a great Garbage Collector!

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • ricckky
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 11:04pm

    Rick 34 you are funny–I like to read your comments–are you sure we aren’t brothers–LOL–Is being a liberal a genetic defect or brain trauma from birth—–These people are truly idiots. The united States is going to hell in a hand basket and the commies are heralding O-but-a-liar—God save us in Nov.

    Report Post »  
  • Git-R-Done
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 10:51pm

    Apparently Dean wants the US to be under a dictatorship where we can‘t criticize the government or tell them that we don’t owe the government anything.

    I’m not a servant of the government.

    Report Post »  
  • marine recon sniper
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 10:43pm

    dean=idiot/moron/deranged/insane… nuf said…

    Report Post »  
  • rickc34
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 9:32pm

    Howard reminds my of my days working in mental health. This boy would be on thorazine doing the shuffle. I really cannot believe that people listen to this idiot but then again the average liberal has an IQ of 68 and these are the people that voted of Obama and Biden. Biden should be kept away from young children and Obama from young boys.

    Report Post »  
  • Mess23
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:42pm

    I lived in Vermont for 18 years and I am glad that I left 30 years ago. Howard you are ignorant…

    Report Post »  
  • cookcountypatriot
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:41pm

    howeird dean is tired of people complaining about the goverment…what a mindless pc of progressive dung…is that all this stain is about is goverment…eat shiest you putrid pc of crap…unlike your girlfrnds and boyfrnds at msnbc who wish death threats against republicans,,i wish you a long life,, and i hope you watch this country go incredibly conservative in november and it drives you even crazier than you are now asshat…because once we retake this country back from you morons the only place progressive ideas will be accepted is in hell…

    Report Post » cookcountypatriot  
  • kaydeebeau
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:39pm

    I googled Howard Dean and ended up on his FB page…all the little sychophants were adulating, I thought I would play – it was fun – I highly recommend it – let’s call it “torment a commie” night -It doesn’t take too many back and forths for their heads to explode and the school yard name calling to rear up….

    Report Post » kaydeebeau  
  • Dr Vel
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:37pm

    If you refuse to abide by the Constitution in absolute adherence, obey your oaths to uphold it, and work in only the best interests of We The People you are not even a legitimate government. In my 58 years I have never been given a dime in welfare, housing, food stamps, health care, unemployment, nor anything else. I earned my first car and everything I have ever owned by working at honest, honorable occupations. Not even my parents gave me things beyond a roof, care, and food and clothes until I was 15 when I started my first 40 Hr/week job while still in High School. You taxed that. You have taxed all I earn and added taxes to all I have purchased in my life. I owe you nothing.

    You owe me.

    Report Post »  
  • mrunner
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:36pm

    Howard Dean lost his mind shortly before his premorial scream. He has been delusional ever since. I cannot believe for a minute that a man with his intelligence truly believes what comes out of his mouth- which leads me to believe that he has fully lost touch with reality, or his meds are not working.

    Report Post »  
    • MRMANN
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 9:17am

      “…his meds are not working. . .”–hilarious. Thanks for the laugh.

      Report Post »  
  • THXll38
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:34pm

    Who’s John Galt?

    Report Post » THXll38  
  • Individualism
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:24pm

    we don’t owe you **** make the money printing fed pay the taxes, those rats have all the money. how about make the bankers pay tax on money they get for free.

    Report Post » Individualism  
    • jwt
      Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:39pm

      Lincolin said we owe our lives to the goverment, ie the draft, unless you had the money to buy your way out

      Report Post »  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 4:49pm

      jwt
      The rich, who did not want to serve, would have made his life heII.

      He had copperheads in the north Democrats in the south & the northern Democrats. just how many battles was he going to reasonably fight?

      Rich people like John Kerry would have joined, heard 3 bullets go by his ear, got 3 purple hearts (if they had existed & not fallen into disuse) & then got discharge & started the “Winter Soldier” project.

      Report Post »  
  • heavyduty
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:18pm

    They are really scraping the bottom of the barrel to have Dean on there in the first place. Dean is an idiot and has no idea what day it is much less about politics. Dean has got to find a brain to use because his sure isn’t working.
    But I love listening to Dean talk, because he is living proof that the lights can be on, but no one is home. That’s the problem because he is one of the smarter ones.

    Report Post »  
  • JUSTANOTHEROPINION
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:09pm

    Let’s see if Kudlow keeps his job now. He either made a major faux pas with the blurting out of the truth or CNBC wants its ratings improved by (dare I say it) telling the truth. Of coarse there is one more also reasonable senario to consider which would be proving to Obama that he still needs them so he’d better get back in line.

    Report Post »  
  • jonathanfarrar
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:59pm

    Obama is like the spoiled kid of rich parents that never taught him personal financial responsibility. Unfortunately this seems to be a problem with most politicians, it’s the only thing that seems to be partisan these days… I want more mommy! now!! Okay sweetie just go pick some off the money tree out back. But I want you to do it for me mommy!! Okay sweetie I’ll be right back with a fist full of dollars for you.

    Report Post » jonathanfarrar  
  • kaydeebeau
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:58pm

    It is MY money – I decide what you get – you don’t get to decide how much I get to keep

    Report Post » kaydeebeau  
  • JHN
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:58pm

    No one minds paying for legitimate and needed services. But don’t take my money and waste it on things that are neither wanted or effective.

    Report Post »  
  • HorseCrazy
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:57pm

    we owe the government what exactly? I fork over disgusting amounts of money for trolls like dean to live off of and disperse to illegals crackheads universities etc. I would say you mr ean oh us an explanation of why the government doesn’t feel fit to constrain itself to the constitution and spend like the money is stolen.

    Report Post »  
  • nolefan2
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:55pm

    I don’t mind paying taxes to the government to keep up the infrastructure and provide for the national defense. What I DO mind paying for: illegals and welfare moms who keep having children they will never be able to afford to take care of. We waste a ton of money on education. Our kids are being dumbed down to the point of being an embarrassment. I’m tired of sending money overseas to countries that hate us.

    Report Post »  
  • Crazy Times
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:55pm

    Howard Dean = Idiot.

    Report Post » Crazy Times  
  • Psychosis
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:52pm

    “I’m tired of hearing people in the private sector talk like they don’t owe the government anything. We do. This is a great country because we all pay into it. It’s about time we all pay into it,” said Dean

    i agree ……………its about time your base payed mr. dean

    “The billion dollars [President Obama] spent did nothing for the economy, and he wants to spend more money, and where is the balance of the budget? I don’t understand how you can be balancing the budget while spending a trillion dollars more,” Marcus said.

    Billions??????????????? try it with a T mr marcus that BILLION mark was hit in the first month of 2009 . we are way way way over that mark marcus

    Report Post » Psychosis  
    • Turin
      Posted on June 15, 2012 at 8:05pm

      This country is NOT great because of the government. These days, the country retains its standing DESPITE the government. Living in a land of relative freedom compared to the rest of the world in which a man can pursue his dreams and ideas and reap the benefits is what MADE this land great.

      Government is tyranny. If a women leaves a violently physical abuser and hooks up with a guy who only beats her every now and then, is her improved lot in life credited to the guy who “only beats her a little?” LOL Idiots like Dean, devoid of any shred of logic, would be a lot funnier if they weren’t so dangerous.

      Report Post » Turin  
  • joony
    Posted on June 15, 2012 at 7:49pm

    “I’m tired of hearing people in the private sector talk like they don’t owe the government anything. We do. This is a great country because we all pay into it. It’s about time we all pay into it,” said Dean.

    Hey, Howard, piss on you! I don’t owe you anything!! YOU owe ME! We don’t need you, but without us you’re nothing!

    Report Post »  
    • Look4DBigPicture
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 2:34am

      Hey Dean … without the private sector, the greedy government would have NO money. Who wants to give money to a corrupt government anyway?

      Report Post »  
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