Look who is calling me selfish

(H/T Powerline)

I am against socialism and wealth redistribution, so as I have learned today, according to Mr. Obama I am selfish.

OK, lets see who is selfish here. This table illustrates the Obama family charitable donations.

Obama charitable donations

That is pretty weak Mr. & Mrs. Obama. Even though my family income is way lower that yours, somehow, I was able to donate to charity several times more than you did in 2000-2004. I see you started to be less “selfish” once you had more to spare, or was it because you started to run for a President and you wanted your tax returns to look good. Still, even so, as percentage of my AGI I am doing better than your 6.1% donations to charity.

So who is selfish here.

Americans in the red states are not selfish. They just do not like when the Government takes money out of American pockets and gives them to whoever is going to vote for them in the next elections.

The opposite of what makes America great …

… is the belief that salvation lies in the Government.

Just listen to this (H/T Instapundit). It is sad. “If I have him [i.e. Mr. Big Government], he is gonna help me”

Now for comparison listen to this guy who makes a lot of sense:

The more poor people there are who depend on the Government the better it is for the Democrats.

How will Obama pay for all he has promised?

It it pretty obvious that Obama has promised A LOT. Finally, even CBS notices it in this report: Reality Check: The Cost Of Obama’s Pledges.

Here is a summarizing quote:

If he [Obama] closes every loophole as promised, saves every dime from Iraq, raises taxes on the rich and trims the federal budget as he’s promised to do “line by line,” he still doesn’t pay for his list. If he’s elected, the first fact hitting his desk will be the figure projecting how much less of a budget he has to work with – thanks to the recession. He gave us a very compelling vision with his ad buy tonight. What he did not give us was any hint of the cold reality he’s facing or a sense of how he might prioritize his promises if voters trust him with the White House.

So is Obama going to cut on promises? Being so indebted to all the community organizations that support him it will be difficult for him to disappoint them. But remember that few months ago he promised to cut military spending, so that might be one more promise that he will keep.

Plus, once he is elected, he does not have to worry about our votes, so he will be free to raise the taxes as much as he thinks is “fair”.

UPDATE: Another article about basically the same Obama’s problem: Obama Claus.

McCain won the elections …

… at my son’s Elementary School. They held kid’s-elections today. My son was very happy that McCain won

Nice to know that I live in a sane neighborhood.

What if Obama’s economic policy cost you a job?

Which would you prefer: a satisfaction that the “rich” get taxed more, or to keep your job?

What good is wealth redistribution if it comes at a cost of lost jobs. Or at a cost of no or lower pay raises.

But cool Obama has so far managed to pretend that his proposed economic policies will not have negative effect on jobs and salaries.

When companies are taxed more, they will have to cut the cost somewhere. Maybe they will lay some people off. And make the others work harder. Or maybe they will give you a meager raise the coming year. Or no raise at all. Everyone who has had job for a while, knows that these things do happen if businesses have to cut cost.

But of course Obama wants to strengthen the unions to prevent the above. That will not help much if a business does not make profit.

I recently talked to a VP of a company about Obama’s plan to introduce mandatory seven paid sick-days per year — some, especially smaller companies do not have them. He immediately told me “we will cut the vacations”. To that I responded that they will not be able to hire anyone if they give so few vacation days. “So we will cut salaries then” was the reply. Seven sick days may be worth 3% or more in a salary cut (or that much lower salary raise next year).

Here is a good video showing what is at stake in these elections as far as economy is concerned.

Against abortion? Vote against Obama

Here is another ad featuring abortion survivor Gianna Jessen responding to Senator Barack Obama’s direct attack on her:

Also see www.bornalivetruth.org.

Russian Americans overwhelmingly say NO to Obama

… I guess they know how to tell a Marxist when they see one.

You can find the whole report at the website of Московское Бюро по правам человека. Here are some quotes:

… 39% of all the respondents (48% of New York inhabitants) were registered as democrats for the moment of interrogation [kind of funny translation] and 23% (19% of New York inhabitants) – as republicans.

… 56% (65% of New York inhabitants) are going to vote for John McCain and 10% (the same share of New York inhabitants) – for Barack Obama. 28% (19% of New York inhabitants) didn’t define their choice yet. Among those who would most likely participate in election 65% will vote for McCain, 11% – for Obama and 25% didn’t define their choice yet.

… By 44% of respondents in the age categories below 35 years old and from 35 to 65 years old are going to vote for McCain. The number of people in the age category older than 65 who are going to vote for McCain reaches 66%. 18% of respondents in the age below 35 years old, 9% – in the age from 35 to 65 and 9% of respondents older than 65 are going to vote for Obama.

… The most important problems the hope for the solution of which the respondents associate with their candidate include: war against terrorism (62% of respondents, among those who are going to vote for McCain this is supported by 76% of respondents, among those for Obama – 56% of respondents), protection of Israel (60%, 76%, 47% correspondingly), economy (45%, 44%, 68%), taxes (35%, 37%, 50%), social insurance (29%, 31%, 32%), war in Iraq (22%, 29%, 50%), education (25%, 18%, 47%).

Here are some of my observations:

• Notice that in the sample only 23% are registered Republicans.
• Wow, only 11% likely voters decided for Obama. 25% do not know yet — I guess they cannot reconcile the praise of Obama they see in the media with their gut feeling telling them that Obama is some kind of fraud or worse.
• Looks like older Russian (over 35 years old) emigrants remember Communism better and are less likely to vote for Obama.
• Those who vote for McCain, do so mainly for foreign policy reasons (I guess a lot of them are Russian Jews). Those who vote for Obama, do so mainly for economic reasons (they probably want those refundable tax credits).

Russian Americans for Obama. $50 donations from 4 people.

A few more details about Obama’s NY years

Zombie has an interesting report providing some more details about Obama’s NY years. Nothing conclusive about Obama – WU connections, but interesting read nevertheless:

Barack Obama’s Close Encounter with the Weather Underground: Did the presidential candidate and the revolutionary terror group cross paths at a violent 1981 anti-Apartheid protest?

Obama's address in 1985 Manhattan phonebook, same as in 1982.

Which is it: $250k, $200k, $182k, or $150k?

I have already mentioned some uncertainty as to which is the “safe” tax threshold under Obama’s plan: It is $250k or $200k?

Looks like other thresholds may also come in play.

• $182k — Discussed here: Krugman, When You Write Like That, I Want To Give You a Nobel Prize
• $150k — Discussed here: Obama’s Moving Tax Threshold: $250,000? $200,000? $150,000? What Next?

No matter what number gets thrown right now by Obama machine, it is just a number, “just words”. Election promises are not a contract. So come Jan. 20, we might see increase in taxes on everyone above, say $50k, if Obama-Pelosi-Reid troika feel like it. If you do not think so, just prove me wrong. I bet you can’t.

Obama on Rev. Wright: “the best of what the black church has to offer”

That is what Obama says in this interview:

If you are an African-American – do you agree with Mr. Obama that Rev. Wright represents “the best of what the black church has to offer”?

BTW, Rev. Wright has been doing pretty well since he got thrown under the bus, as this video of his new mansion illustrates.