Tom Harkin "The Rich Don't Need The Money They've Earned, The Government Does!"

From the Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil:

Unlike Iowa’s other U.S. senator, Republican Charles Grassley, Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, is no fan of the so-called Bush tax cuts that are set to expire on Dec. 31.

“With the deficit we’re in and with people possibly losing their unemployment benefits, there should be no extension of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy,” he said during his weekly telephone press conference.

Earlier this week, Grassley said expiration of those tax cuts would create the biggest tax increase in history. Harkin, however, has long said these cuts mostly benefit the wealthy and they simply don’t need them – views he reiterated Thursday.

“The richest 1 percent of the population now takes home 24 percent of the country’s total income. In 1976, when I first came to Congress, it was 9 percent of the total income. Now, it’s up to 24 percent. To extend these tax cuts is truly obscene.”

Congress needs to focus more on the poor economy and getting people back to work, Harkin said. Contrary to lower publicized figures, the actual unemployment rate is 17 percent, he said, taking into account people who have given up seeking jobs or are working part-time for lack of full-time employment.

Look at that! The Republicans take over the House and all of a sudden the unemployment rate in Tom Harkin's mind jumps to 17%.

Harkin thinks you obscene rich people shouldn't have the government take 33% to 35% of what you earn. Why, the government should be taking at least 40%! And if Tom Harkin had his way, he'd take even more.  He's got thing to pay for, like:

• $7 million so a small rural telco can borrow the equivalent of $5833 per customer to upgrade from DSL to fiber.
• $10 million for electric buses for Cedar Rapids that were barely used and scrapped for $30,000 less than a decade later.
• $3.5 million to go to the Iowa Association of School Boards to be wasted.
• $171,000 so a town of 400 people can buy a brand new fire track on the Federal taxpayer's dime.
• $5000 for a handheld computer for the Fort Dodge Fire Department under the guise of Homeland Security.
• Millions wasted in the CIETC scandal.
• And so many zillions that we can't possibly look up.

Tom Harkin loves earmarks, unabashedly, as he said.

There are no controls on Tom Harkin's wild government spending.

You "reporters" ever asked Tom Harkin what his limits are as far as tax rates and Congressional spending?

Tim Rowher, "reporter" with the Daily Nonpareil, did you just transcribe Harkin's yammering on that phone call or were you allowed to ask any questions?  Your story reads like you're nothing but a stenographer.  Just another goddamned lapdog rewriting the crap that Tom Harkin The Liar pumps out.  Is that what you went to J-school for?

When are you douchebags in the media going to take on these politicians and get in their face about all their reckless spending?  Not just Harkin, but Grassley too!

You won't do that because then you'll lose access.  Aw, gee, Tom Harkin will take away your kneepads and have one of his staffers call your editor.  How sorry you'll be if that happens.

I'm tired of the class warfare bullshit. 

How much more money does the Treasury get if the "rich" have their income taxed at 40% rather than 35%?  Do any of you "reporters" know that answer?  I bet you sorry sacks have no clue where to look that up.  Do you think that will balance the budget?  Oh wait, the current Congress didn't even bother writing up a budget for this fiscal year.  Have you reported that lately?

Take away more money from rich people so they can't hire anybody.  What a smart idea - if you're a moron!  Who is going to hire all of these 17% unemployed?  The government?

Get a goddamn clue, "reporters", or quit your job because you suck.