is this election just a formality now?

[jimmybloggs91]

Now i have to admit that i really do not have a clue about the us elections, but I assumed that it was near enough a 50/50 on who was going to win. So imagine my surprise when i checked betfair this morning (betting exchange website) and McCain is set at 11 (10/1).

So is this accurate you guys keeping up to date with it in America?

[inzpiration]

Obama is leading in ALL polls almost 50% against 43% of McCain, predictions are giving Obama 290 Electoral votes and he only needs 270 Ev's to win the election.

[Smitty]

Obama will be a tragedy to the US market!


He will steal from the rich and give to the poor who do not contribute to America's economy. Obama will create a bunch of social welfare programs so that people who don't want to work will never have to. Where will all this money come from for these handouts? From businesses through ridiculously high taxes. Who keeps the country going and gives people jobs? Businesses, which means business will not have the money to be able to give out as many jobs and there will also be more people sitting on their ass getting FREE handouts; ultimately slowing and messing up our economy.

Get ready for a run-on sentence...
Obama will make us fcuking socialists where nobody has any incentive to work harder towards better themselves because when they make it they will only have it taken it away from them to be given to lazy people who are "less off" and did not try to better themselves.

[kingwallace]

Sen. Obama will become the next President of the United States in just over 24 hours. Old man McCain doesn't have a chance.

[JIMZ]

I would rather see Obama than that bumbling Old Fool McCain and his comedy sidekick Palin! How do these people get into the running anyway!

[Smitty]

Well I hope we can all survive the "change" that Obama is bringing; I don't want to die yet! What changes do you think he's going to make?

[JeremyWaller]

My biggest concern is his tax plan.

I fully expect that within a year the income from my affiliate marketing will put me into the tax bracket that he is proposing to increase taxes on. I'm workin my butt off to get there and once I get there I don't think it's fair that I should be punished for my success.

[Jamie Lopes]

Smitty, you sound like you listen to a little too much media feedback.. I doubt most of us are in the top tax bracket.. but my family and family friends are. There are so many loopholes to get around taxes.. when you see them its obvious that the only people getting $%^@ed are the middle class. They have been for many years, and nothing I have heard or read about Obama seem to make things worse in that respect.

[Ganceann]

No offense... but it doesn't matter which president comes in... taxes will be increased to repay the heavier borrowing undertaken by the current president.

Similarly, in the UK, taxes will increase no matter who comes into the next government... basically both current occupiers have screwed up and the next president/prime minister is going to suffer as a result.

[Capler]

No offense... but it doesn't matter which president comes in... taxes will be increased to repay the heavier borrowing undertaken by the current president.

True this. Just as Bill Clinton did just a few short years so, Obama will end up raising taxes on the entire population in a few months.

However, I am not at all a fan of Obama's promotion of being a lazy street bum who collects welfare checks with money derived from the people like those of this board that work their asses off to get where we are...

My 2cp

[JeremyWaller]

Speaking of the election......

It's Time for Some Campaignin'.

[Capler]

Speaking of the election......

It's Time for Some Campaignin'.

LOL - That was great. Thanks for the much needed laugh. Can't wait till this election sillyness comes to an end.

[inzpiration]

Ok guys so at this point this is the current State of the Race.

November 3, 2009 - night before the Election.

Electoral votes Required to win - 270

Obama
McCain
Not Enough Data to Decide

I think its obvious who's going to win tomorrow.

[jimmybloggs91]

Right so what I dont get, if no-one has voted yet how do you know that mccain supporters just havent been asked in the polls?

[Peter]

Smitty, you sound like you listen to a little too much media feedback.. I doubt most of us are in the top tax bracket.. but my family and family friends are. There are so many loopholes to get around taxes.. when you see them its obvious that the only people getting $%^@ed are the middle class. They have been for many years, and nothing I have heard or read about Obama seem to make things worse in that respect.

This is what worries me about the mindset of the voters going to the polls tomorrow. Simply because you are not in that tax bracket makes it ok to just drill a person for more free money because you personally are not subject to that bracket? What happens to your family when he bumps the taxes? How are you going to feel when you make it there?

There are loopholes for every tax bracket. The simple fact of the matter is the top earning bracket in our country pays the bulk of the tax and receives the least amount of services from those proceeds.

Not only will Mr. Obama's plan make it worse for those who produce opportunities for others to make money (business owners and the wealthy with venture capital to invest), he is going to *give* "refunds" to those who don't pay the taxes because they fall into the lowest bracket. That, my friends, is simply redistribution of wealth.

Regarding the plight of the middle class, it's only going to get worse under Mr. Obama. People's idea of the income levels or those who qualify as middle class are already shrinking from the top end of the scale. The only people that will see any relief are those that are paying little to no taxes and consuming all of the government sponsored giveaways.

Regardless of the current administrations spending (that I have not agreed with at all), if all things remained equal, Mr. Obama will have to raise tax revenues significantly to pay for his social welfare programs. It's a simple fact.

[Ganceann]

There are loopholes for every tax bracket. The simple fact of the matter is the top earning bracket in our country pays the bulk of the tax and receives the least amount of services from those proceeds.

In most countries it isn't the mega-wealthy who pay the majority of taxes... but the hard-working people who end up bearing the brunt of taxation... meaning those on low and middle incomes. It is simple economics of most countries... there are significantly more low-middle income earners than there are super wealthy earners and therefore small changes in indirect taxation (VAT in the UK, Sales tax in USA for example) mean lower paid workers pay significantly higher percentages of their income in taxes.

If you measure tax as a percentage of income, there are many more tax breaks for the wealthy than the average person... the rich can afford to pay accountants to eek out every tax break available while the average person is not able to do that.

It was reported last year in the UK about some mega-rich people paying less in tax than people on minimum wage... I don't mean less %, I mean less total tax with some of them paying less than £1000 on tax with earning in excess of £1mil.

[PlatinumPi4u]

it doesnt matter who wins because they both have a globalist agenda.

[Jamie Lopes]

I will not attack your position as politics seem to bring out the worst in people. Although I will say, yes the upper class pays a majority of taxes. That is true, but with the general distribution of wealth, it is obvious why. As Ganceann has said, it doesn't matter who wins because the current debt needs to be fixed and raising taxes is the way to do it at this current time. Personally I side with Milton Friedman regarding taxes, and don't feel the government should tax like it does. But your idea that the lower class is somehow seeping the life out of this country is simple unfounded. There are people who take advantage of the system, but pointing at only the lower class is unethical. In regards to myself and my family, mostly all voting Obama. Even with the tax increase we have lost more due to corporate scandals then taxes. I could honestly say we pay nearly no taxes in the past 4-5 years and have accumulated a substantial amount. Sitting in the middle and blaming the bottom half while attributing a failing system with your dream is niave.

I have personally seen people lose their homes, lose their jobs, lose their lives during these past 8 years. Construction workers who currently have to take up minimum wage jobs just to keep their own homes. All this and you worry about tax hikes that would promote programs to help the common good, while we have spent enough in the past few years in pointless wars to pay for all these programs and more. Your positions in the past are irrelevent if you feel like continueing in the same way will somehow make things better. Regardless of your class currently, do not put forward the idea that a higher tax will somehow stop you from getting to where you want to be. There have been high taxes in the past and it has not stopped the increasing of wealth funneling towards the upper class.

Starving the beast(government) will in no way help the situation currently. If you want to attack something, don't attack money for healthcare for underprivaledged children. Attack the buracreacy that leads to overspending. Attack the school's that spend more on the schoolboard then on the teachers and students. Attack the no child left behind that instead forces the dropping out of students and the dumbing down of the system to accommadate students that aren't being taught what they need to be.

Don't take a stance with little to back it up. I don't think personally that Obama will make the changes needed in this country, but I know he will do a better job then Mccain will, looking at his past credentials.

[Peter]

I will not attack your position as politics seem to bring out the worst in people.

I will politely step aside and not respond further on this topic as I have no wish to see this degenerate any further.

Good evening.

[Jamie Lopes]

My bad.. guess its easier to give advice then take it. Didn't mean to be derogative, just started and didn't stop. No personal attack intended.

[Smitty]

Itz decidzez thens, I Rizes Victorious!

No, not really, but I must say that I think Obama has this election in the bag. The socialist pig will destroy us, but then again there is always Europe. Also note the reason people thought Clinton was such good a good president at the time was not because of what he did, but because of the equilibrium in congress. It consisted mostly of republicans and therefore balanced out his radical social handout mentality.

The problem with Obama is that the incoming congress is going to be mostly democratic. Both extremely liberal democratic forces will then join there superpowers together and get any free radical idea they can shoot out their asses passed. We are fooked!!!

[hornetss]

No, obama will probably increase internet tax to 15% - Dont vote for him!

[inzpiration]

Hahaha! too late my friend! Sen. Obama will be the next president of the United States of America in a few hours resignation for those that dont like the idea.

[PlatinumPi4u]

ok so lets say obama wins.. which im pretty sure he will...

then comes the fillabuster proof congress...

another interesting member of obama's crew is his wife: miss. CFR her self...