One percent is probably low enough to cover a variety of well-paid professionals who still work for a living. There's a distinction between those people, and those who have amassed enough assets to live off of investment with minimal effort.

If his income is 2 mil per year, then think of it as a function of the percentage of his net assets. His net assets must be considerable to return 3 million per annum. It's not like he has it all tied up in CD's (the sucker's bet) which isn't even beating inflation anymore as a whole.

If by some miracle Ging"RICH" does get elected President.. I shall start writing all my checks out "pay to the order of: Your a Foul One.. Mr Grinch... "

Hypocrite, hypocrite. Blingrich probably chuckles to himself each time he scores points against Romney for saying how rich he is or something related to it. He's betting most Republican voters are ignoramuses - and he should know shouldn't he????

@Ternan

Keep it up with the general assumptions and radical bias and you'll guarantee Obama wins in a landslide in Nov.

Some of these losers are working minimum paying jobs. They have a choice between food for their family or medication. Now you want them to pay tax to the government so they can pay for the tax breaks and loopholes for the rich? What a tool you are.

Seems to me he works for his money not like Romney, Yes he makes a lot of money but you can't say he is really out of touch, because he is an earner ................

Sorry SallAnn, Losers are not those that have lost their job, Losers are the professional moochers that have been on government assistance for 2-3 generations.

Wait, so you think that Gingrich worked for his money but Romney somehow didn't? Explain that. Did Romney just magically obtain his investments and wealth? Were they given to him? Romney gains income from his investments and assets...things he worked to obtain. Also, it should be noted that he paid taxes on the income twice in most cases; once when it was initially earned (probably in the 20-30 percent range like most of us) and then another 15% each year because of the investment gains taxes. Right?

I have to applaud Newt for showing his tax return. For this I have gained some respect for the man. Newt made allot of money and paid a fair percentage in taxes, good for him. His politics aside I don't think he is a bad man, he just shouldn't be preaching about family values because of his past, to hypocritical.

To run on a platform of returning to the 2005 regulations for Wall Street and cutting more taxes for corporations that pay little to nothing and people like Mitt who pay a max tax of 15% is insane. Republicans scream that tax rates are to high, well its not the tax rate is to high its deductions are to big. When corporations profits are over one Billion dollars and pay NO fed tax to pay for the defence of this country, I have a problem with that. Unlike most of the 47% that don't make enough money to pay taxes, some of that 47% are from the 0.01% earners ( 4 Mill $ up) who also pay No fed taxes.

And this surprises anyone about Newt?

Why were Newt Gingrich and Santorum demanding Romney release 2011 and prior year tax returns in the last debate and this one; when Santorum hasn't even finished his tax return yet and Gingrich only released his 2011 today? Heck, Obama only releases the last current year and everything prior to 2008 has been sealed, including, personal records, passports, school records and travel? Why isn't is a bigger issue, than Mitt Romney's unprepared 2011 tax return? Exactly how many years tax returns does Romney have to release to appease everyone.

So what if he is a self made entreprineaur. Since when is it been a crime in America to work hard, make good investments... and make a profit. Romney came from a poor, immigrant family. He didn't inherit anything. Everything he has is from a lifetime of hard work. I don't understand what all the fuss is over in the first place. Romney has filed every tax year, those records are open to public inspection and his 2011 Return isn't finished yet.. Hello, W2's and business 1099's haven't even been sent out yet and everyone is screaming for the 2011 return. Romney stated the tax returns will be released in April. That is correct, the 2011 Return has to be accepted by the IRS first. And it is better to release everything at once, than a little here and there. No, this is just fodder for the other GOP candidates and desperate Democrats to blow out of proportion...

Rick...He makes money based on his term as speaker. Fannie didn't pay him for his expertise in real estate financing now did they. They paid him to influence old friends. 1.6 million dollars.

How in the world do you some of you here have a sense that Gingrich "works for his money?" (As if he pounds the beat/pavement to earn $3.1 million...)

If Gingrich is trying to demonize Romney for being a millionare (and part of that "1%"), Gingrich needs to deflate his hubris and ego (once again) to realize his "self-destiny" doesn't preclude him from the reality that he, too, is of the "1%".

I don't have to mention ethics charges in the House in the late 90s, as well as double adultery, as well as seemingly being a blood-brother to Dick Cheney.

Ronzwyf....ah bud, the Dems aren't make a stink. It is his fellow republicans that are making an issue of this. What campaign are you following?

Now and then is two different times, yes Romney earned his money Years ago and now count on his dividends so he can pay 15% OR LESS, I'm sure Newt could do the same, but the concern is now not then, so who is out of touch, who lives like the other 99% right now paying his share like the rest of us ... People will relate to someone in the same boat not the Yacht .....

Romney did not come from a poor immigrant family. His father was born in Mexico, but to American parents who were aristocracy in the Mormon church. His father was a very wealthy man from having been an auto company executive and the Governor of Michigan. Mitt went to expensive private schools.

Mit Romney has released no tax returns. Prior year tax records are not open to public inspection. You are making things up.

The only thing that surprises me is that he paid 31% in income taxes. Man, he needs to fire his accountants and hire someone knows all the tricks and loopholes of the tax code.

Let's remember that Obama's Jobs Czar Jeffrey is the CEO of one of the biggest no-tax paying corporations in America, GE. Not only do they pay at or near zero corporate income tax (which I am actually for) but Jeffrey, the Jobs Czar, is building new factories - in China.

So while you throw around your vitriolic judgment, our man-of-the-people President is jet-setting with Billionaires, and filling his White House with Goldman Sachs and now Bain Capital former employees.

You could make a much stronger case against Obama for his richie-rich behavior than any of the current Republican candidates.

And we wonder why our country is in the dump ... Smart accountants, That is why I believe in flat taxes no deduction, even that playing field, if you can make it (KIDs)you can pay for them, and if you want a new home you can pay for it, I like many Americans are tired of paying for the other people with these smart accountants, it time for people to pay their own way ...

Jeff-2292109

You must be Mitts CPA right. Wrong Mitt did not pay twice, first he was born a millionaire, second he invested Bain Capitals money not his. His pay off for bankrupting companies goes like this. First buy a company in financial trouble, next take out a big loan in that companies name, third pay out 2/3 of the loan out in investment dividend to Bain. Forth raid the retirement fund to make more dividend payments. Get tax breaks from local, state and fed with the promise to keep the doors open. Don't upgrade or repair broken equipment, last bankrupt the company, force the federal governments (our tax dollars) emergency pension fund to pick up the cost of the fired employees. Romney is one of the recipient's of these dividends taxed at a max of 15%.

Since Gingrich has been running full time for President since May of 2011 I would be very curious as to who's been funneling money into his "consulting" business since that time and, since he obviously didn't have any time to do any "consulting", just what they were expecting to get for their money?

joethelib,

Where did you learn what Bain does, the Monty Burns School of Evil Caricatures? First and most importantly, no retirement funds have ever been raided by Bain during Romney's tenure. I'm assuming you're referring to GS Technologies, however what you probably didn't read and couldn't figure out on your own because you have never taken a corporate finance class is that the amount in their retirement fund was entirely union negotiated, and couldn't have been borrowed against. In addition, there was a minimum level it must have been at, regardless of union negotiations, because it was insured by the PBGC, which has funding requirements.
Second, you forgot a huge step, between big loan and pay out the dividend, namely the part where they increase revenue and profit. You see, banks that give loans aren't stupid, they don't just give you a loan for whatever you want, no strings attached, and hope you pay it back. Instead they have "covenants", rules by which the company must operate, that govern when things like dividends can be paid out, if at all. If the company meets its metrics, then a dividend can be paid. If it doesn't, a dividend cannot be paid.
Third, the vast majority of Bain investments involved equipment upgrades and repairs, and often facility expansions. It's just a blatant lie to state otherwise.
Fourth, the money Romney earned from Bain as the managing partner, also called the management fee, was taxed at the full earned income rate. The only money that Romney received that was not taxed at that rate was dividends from the FUND that resulted from his investments in the FUND. Those are two separate categories, and are taxed at two separate rates. Since he is no longer an active partner at Bain, and everything he receives from them is the result of his investment capital that is at risk in one of their funds, it's now taxed at the capital gains rate.

I don't agree with the capital gains rate being different from regular income tax rate, but to suggest Romney is somehow beating the system by working for a fund and just taking the capital gains rate on management fees is dishonest.

Obama has made 16% (8% looking for work plus 8% having gave up looking) of Americans UNEMPLOYED.

Failed....Barack Hussain Obama inherited nand economy that shed 2.5 million in just the last three months of Bush/Cheney. One million plus in their last month alone. Never lost that many jobs in a month under Obama.

guy, there weren't that any more to lose, but obama has lost them. And no new ones for those 'shovel ready " jobs. The birth rate in the USA is 350,000 a month. So, jobs must be created at 350,000 a month just to keep up with the new people coming into the work force. Tough thing to do with NAFTA, etc..

Progressives, get your facts straight. 47% of the families earning $50,000.00 a year paid no taxes. 35% got more back than they paid in. 4% of the people who paid income taxes paid 84% of the income taxes collected. It is the loopholes for corporations that need closed, even though the USA has the highest corporate tax rates in the world. When Obama's buddy, the CEO of GE pays no taxes for his corporation, why do you not go up in arms over that?

Newt made 3.1 million. Wow. Angelina Jolie got 40 million for the last movie she made. Snookie made more than Newt last year, as did the Kardashians. Jolie's kids will have to be 18 to see most of the movies their mother made, and only if they want to see their mom naked.

Actually, oldman, that number would assume that nobody ever leaves the workforce. Unfortunately, people do die, and hopefully long before they die, they retire. At the current rate, because the Baby-Boomer generation is just now retiring, more people leave the workforce than enter it, which will likely be the case for the next 20 years or so, as a result a net loss month to month might not mean an increase in unemployment, since it would be odd to include retirees in the unemployment numbers.

Old....Apparently Angelina is more talented than the hoot, except when it comes to pleasing the ladies, but the Hoot knows more influential people. Thats all the hoot has to sell is influence.

Under Obummer the black male unemployment rate doubled. It was 10% in December 2008 and it is 19.1% in December 2011. Our bond rating has decreased which means the U.S. pays more on its $15+ trillion dollar deficit. Obummer will have overseen a 67% increase in the federal debt and your great grandchildren will still be paying it off. Meanwhile he is paying unions $3 billion dollars a year and has lost $3.9 billion dollars in over 30 government financed renewable energy schemes.

Obummer and Biden gave $500,000,000 to a Finish electric car plant to build competing electric cars in Finland after Biden and Obummer "FORGOT" to put the clause in the money giveaway that the money had to be used in the U.S. to hire American workers!

And why so much jealousy toward people who know how to make money?

Msnbc.com ran a story about a 15 year old who started a toy company from her home and eventually hired her mother and dad to help her run it.

People can go to night school to learn more to be more able to get jobs and better jobs. I went to night school and so did my wife. I took courses to start my new business. I experimented with many businesses, failed in most, but every one taught me some thing new, until I found one that fit my temperament.

Running around in the streets screaming and yelling at successful people who know how to make money is not going to get you more of their money or even prepare you for life.

Giving money to the government to flush down the crapper isn't going to help this country. Who knows better how to spend your money, the government or you?

Idiotically divisive, backfiring article.

joethelib If you are going to lie, at least pretend to know what you are saying. Romney's father was born in Mexico and lived there as a Mormon missionary. No Mormon missionary is a millionaire. Romney during his college breaks worked as a guard at Chrysler. I am sure if his father had money, Romny would have been out playing somewhere.

Romney at age 19 went to France as a Mormon missionary. I am sure had his father had money and pull, he could have gotten out of that piss ant job.

Try doing some research and maybe you will learn something. There should be a spot directly under comments where your bullshi* can be answered and disavowed.

Well, Well surprise surprise. They are all rich. Demo's and Repub's. I can't believe anybody thinks any politian is like the common man.

Also, it should be noted that he paid taxes on the income twice in most cases; once when it was initially earned (probably in the 20-30 percent range like most of us) and then another 15% each year because of the investment gains taxes. Right?

Uh, no! He paid 20-30% on the money he earned and then paid 15% on the money his investments earned. So, no he wasn't taxed twice on the same income. He was not taxed the second time on the money he invested; he was only taxed on the money he made from his investments. He was taxed at two different rates on two different sources of income. Let's get that straight.

Now tell me why one source of income should be taxed differently from another? It is all income. Why not throw it all in one pot labeled "income" and tax it at the same rate? Republicans have yet to explain (or even address) why income from one source (earned income) should be taxed at a higher rate than income from another source (capital gains - or, given the first category, is that "unearned income"?).

This is a gigantic loophole for the rich in this country. One you pass the point where all of your income goes to keep you alive (home, food, utilities, transportation), you get to invest some money. If you get rich enough that all of your income comes from investments, then you pay less taxes than those who actually "earn" income. Listen to the language of this debate. And then tell me why capital gains taxes should be lower.

@ wilsonaide,

"No Mormon missionary is a millionaire."

"Romney at age 19 went to France as a Mormon missionary. I am sure had his father had money and pull, he could have gotten out of that piss ant job."

Maybe you should do a little research. All LDS men are encouraged to go on missions. In fact, it is considered an honor, no matter what income bracket they are in.

Up until 1990, missionaries paid their own way. After 1990, each missionary family paid a flat fee into a mission fund. This means, prior to the flat fee, only those men 19-21 (and women after they were 21) who had the funds available to them could go on a mission. And only the wealthier ones could go to countries such as France.

*I am not LDS, however, I know many in the LDS church, and grew up in a predominately LDS town.

gee Justina why not ask Clinton about his extramarital affairs or Kennedy or Johnson ah but they were democrats and you pass that off as boys just being boys - hypocrite

Ternan, you forget, on purpose, who coined the "FAMILY VALUES" bull manure. It wasn't Kennedy, Johnson, or Clinton, was it? Nope, it was you poster boy (LargePOS) Newt. And you condone that? That tells me your family values. Neither one of you have any!

@Ternan,

Once again you make assumptions that are false. This is why the Republicteocons will continue to lose the independent voters, because the basis of your political arguments are just a whole lot of crazy lies.

Really, Justina,

For Newt to have an open marriage, both partners have to be in agreement and playing along. His loyal, trusting wife wasn't. Therefore, Newt spoke the truth.. He didn't have an open marriage. He had an affair, or better yet, as known in the "Pre-Politically Correct Era", and Affair.. Now Newt wants to make his marriage destroying Mistress "First Lady". Newt divorced his wife and married his mistress. Plain and simple...

Sounds like a re-enactment of Henry the 8th of England, doesn't it. Newt even fits the part with his rotund physique. Plus, this same re-enactment seems to be working for Prince Charles and his mistress/wife, Camilla.. No wonder Newt wants to give it a try... LOL

Yeh, and try to keep your finger from wagging in our faces while you're lying Newt, you big phony effite snob!!

It has been my experience that guys always want to have an "open" marriage or open relationship when they want to scr*w around. That way they can have their cake and eat it too. Generally, women are less enthusiastic about the open relationship idea.

Ternan...man you conservatives are just completely idiotic. Did JFK, did Clinton, and any other dem run around parading family values like New it now? No...but Newtie was pounding on Bill while he was pounding Callista. That my friend is stale, cheap and hyprocrisy at it's best. You completely miss the point here which is de riguer for people like you. Each time something is brought up, you say..."well what about....?". Answer a question with a question? How brainless. You are so blind or maybe paid by some right PAC to respond to things here. Funny how so many conservatives whine about MSNBC...yet troll here constantly. If you hate it so much here, why are you camped out on these threads? Can't find anything else to do? No minorities to protest against? All out of abstention phamphets to hand out at high schools? Man, you are a sad statement of this country...

just face it the man's just a flat out whore and view female's as no more than water being poured in a toilet. he is really a work of art with no clue to moral's.

It's none of our business why he wanted an open marriage. Did it ever occur to you that open marriages work both ways? Maybe he was gone a lot and knowing he had needs as well as knowing his wife had needs decided it is easier to have an open marriage than hide it and it come out in tabloids.

Why was everyone so quick to disregard Clintons exploits even when he denied them, yet Newt who asks for an open marriage is getting blasted for it. Is the adage "It is easier to receive forgiveness than permission." true? it seems so considering how people are talking.

Having sex with woman not your wife openly started with Roosevelt. Eisenhower had his mistress. But he was away from home for several years. Still can't give him a pass. Kennedy was our firs Billion dollar president and as incompetent as they come. An adulterer even while his wife was showing off the millions of tax payer money she spent remodeling the White House. Every one knew that Hilary gave her permission for her husband to sniff around anything that had two legs and lacked a penis.

That didn't stop Clinton from amassing a $200,000,000 fortune and pretend to be a political genius. Hey he took after good ole Joe Kennedy and bought his wife a senate seat. Joe Kennedy bought Jackie boy the presidency. And every one knows that good ole Joe Kennedy was a sex hound. He was never happy with one mistress. Why he even installed them in his home with his wife.

You all forgot that the Yankees Alex Rodriguez got paid $32,000,000 for hitting .276 and batting in 62 runs. Hell that is 10 times more than Gingrich! And that is not including endorsements, investment returns and odds and ends. I bet he made more than Romney.

Why aren't you socialists/liberals out for Rodriguez's scalp? He picked up more than $300,000,000 in the last 15 years!!!!

Alex Rodriguez is running for President of the US, an office of which leads the free world, and a heart beat from pushing the "button"?

wait... Alex Rodriguez is a much better choice then any of the clowns from the republican circus

Alex Rodriguez is not running for president!!!!!!!!!! That's why!

It shows how ridiculous it is to criticize a candidate for president for how much money he makes when a barely literate ball player given a few different chromosomes and took steroids can make 10 times as much as the candidate for president. By the way Rodriguez consults and invests with Warren Buffet.

Typical socialist pap. Any of the republican candidates knows 100 times more about finance, money, economics and business than Obummer.

Obummer went from high school to Columbia to Harvard and then to a small time law firm where he was a researcher who helped on 30 civil rights cases in 4 years. Then he went into politics ran almost unopposed for a federal senate seat. Of the 130 bills he sponsored as a state senator none were approved. Now why has Obama refused to make public his high school, college and law school courses and grades? From various sources Obummer was an average student at Columbia and Harvard accepts less than 1% of the students who apply. Who pulled strings to get Obummer accepted at Columbia? Who pulled strings to get Obummer accepted at Harvard? Who paid Obummer for his summer and school breaks and expenses as a student? Why didn't Obummer have summer and break jobs to get spending money? What scholarships did he get and what qualifications did he present to get scholarships at Columbia and Harvard?

When questions arise about this and his Pastor Wright proclaiming that Americans were responsible for 9/11 and Jew baiting from the pulpit while Obummer sat quietly in the front pew, the voters are going to want to know. They are also going to want to know why Obummer helped finance the 1.2 million dollar mansion for Pastor Wright and why Obummer created a special job for Pastor Wright in his administration and refused to reveal his salary and obligations and if Pastor Wright ever showed up for the trumped up position and what he ever did.

The only thing that Obummer is missing for his clown suit is the tennis ball on his nose and the floppy shoes. He has all the rest.

While you are at it, ask him why the unions get $3 billion from the government, why Obummer financed over 30 renewable energy products that failed and cost the American taxpayer $3.9 billion and why he and Biden were suckered into loaning a Finish car company $500,000,000 to build electric cars in Finland when they promised to build the cars in the U.S. Obummer and Biden forgot to tell their people to put in a clause in the contract that the money was to be used in the states.

Corral his misses and ask her why she contradicted Obummer and told the press that when Obummer was born, his mother was definitely single!

I sent him a letter asking who his ghost writer was and he refused to answer. And where did the advance for the first book go? He never wrote the book and $300,000 went where? Even his own publisher criticizes Obama for his literary talents.

A few things you didn't think to do research on? I have at least 500 more embarrassing questions for your hero clown.

Why was the capture/kill order on bin Laden changed to a kill only order? Navy Seals are trained a hundred ways to capture a target alive. And why was the body deliberated buried at sea before the DNA evidence was in?

During WWII Roosevelt, Stalin, Churchill all had identical doubles. It was said that facial recognition technology was used to determine it was bin Laden. You never heard of plastic surgery and Obummer wants the world to believe that with all the noise and shooting, bin Laden stood there in his bedroom unarmed waiting to be killed.

Now who is the clown? I have a nice yellow spikey hat for Obummer and some grease paint.

A shame the democrats are stuck with this clown. He had his 3 year on the job training and he failed miserably. Any of the four republicans have more experience and brains in their tiny finger than Obama has in his whole body. Any republican on their worse day can beat Obummer when he has to stand up to withering questions.

I guarantee you, I am going to make myself one huge pain in the ass for Obummer.

Another democratic failure.

You want the job of his pet monkey on a chain?

Any of the republican candidates knows 100 times more about finance, money, economics and business than Obummer.

History disputes that. Right up to the last Republican president we had whose "voodoo economics" trashed the American economy. With all your investigative skills why don't you research the housing bubble and educate yourself?

How much time did you spend at Harvard with any grades? How much time did you spend at a law firm? How much time did you spend in a Senate seat? How many bills have you written, passed or not?

As for "30 renewable energy products that failed and cost the American taxpayer $3.9 billion", I'll see that and raise you one war based on lies that cost the American taxpayer several $TRILLION! Now reserve a "nice yellow spikey hat" and "some grease paint" for George W. Bush and Dick Cheney.

As for the rest of your claptrap, I just put on my tinfoil hat and the annoying voices ceased.

Indeed. Any one with too much time in Congress is tarred by the lobbyists. Look at Charlie Rangel, who ran on an anti-corruption campaign way back in the day and turned into the monster he was supposed to destroy.

It's about time: Are you also asking obama about all the free lunches, free perks, pay-offs he and his wife received from his union buddies or perhaps question why obama funnelled hundreds of billions to union coffers in the form of his stimulus plans thatwere returned to him as "campaign" contributions? The stimulus plans that benefited no one in this country except his union police officers, fire fighters and teachers to the tune of 2.6 trillion dollars over 2.5 years?

Ternan, and how much did Bush/Cheney do the same thing? Care to answer that?

@Ternan,

You are on a roll with the made up facts tonight!

Nice to know you're against teachers, police officers and fire fighters. Be sure to let the ones where you live know how you think they're worthless, I'm sure you kids/house/property will be just fine...

The Obamas are 1% ers

Kerry is worth over $500 million

Carter was a multi millionareJ

LBJ was a multi multi millionare

It is sad that this Washington, DC Insider is running as a "Reagan Conservative".

THAT HE IS NOT !!!!! I lived under Ronald Reagan's leadership as Governor of California and when he was no longer Governor......I moved.....Newt Gingrich is good at debates and acting, because it is all he has ever done......"Acting" like he was married, "Acting" like he is conservative, "Acting" as if he knows what "working" at a public sector job is all about !!!!! He is an "INSULT TO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND I WISH DICK MORRIS AND HE WOULD JUST SHUT THE HECK UP!!!!!!!!!

I'm confused Jim. So being rich disqualifies you from being in touch? So Obama is out, as he is a multi-millionaire... and hangs with billionaires. Or did you not see the little Halloween party they hid from us, inviting Johnny Depp, and a host of Hollywood types back in 2009 when we were in the middle of the biggest financial collapse in decades?

You see, Obama is more out of touch than any Republican candidate. He continues to spend our millions for his comfort, all the while telling us we need to be patient, these things take time.

Just watch your little fraud move to the right the closer we get to the election. And ask yourself why the GE CEO is our jobs Czar while dodging corporate taxes on their billions and building new factories in China, shipping yet more jobs overseas...

Your little hate-screed regarding an entire political party of which 45% of Americans associate themselves with kinda reeks of bigotry.

Mr. Amazing, why don't you stop being MR. Moron and read the entire post. We are not disagreeing on the points you laid out. If you can't read the whole thing, stfu and move along. All that aside, you have to be the most 'in the dark' Republican I've ever read and a fine one to call me a political bigot when I threw Democrats into the same pot of stupid.

JIM: There's a reason for that buddy. Obama is THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. Now do you get it???

And let's compare the cost of Obama's vacations to the number of vacation days Dubya took and byond that, a hell of a lot cheaper than both of Dubya's wars or had you forgotten that they are totally UNPAID???

Also, Obama is from Hawaii. He has ties there; his sister lives there. Why should he not go home?

Jim, when that POS Newt was speaker, he got to use the same jet plane that Nancy got to use. All speakers of the House is 3rd in line to become POTUS. Why haven't you mentioned that? Nope, you just like to rag on Nancy's jet. Come on, you think we are all stupid? We aren't. But you must be.

Wrong SallyAnn! It wasn't until after 9/11 that military jets became available for the speaker of the house.

http://mediamatters.org/research/200812050014

What else do you need to be corrected on?

MHRJHN If that is indeed so, who was speaker of the house at that time, a Republican or Democrat???

Obama is from Illinois. Distance ties to Hawaii. We're in the Great Recession (still), and the cost of a flight to Honolulu from D.C. is a helluva lot more than a flight to Chicago...

Jungle Jim 2....did you bitch about Bush's vacations? No... Obama went "home" you ninnie. He was born and raised in Hawaii. So he can't go there for the holidays? What is the matter with you? Also, Ternan, please explain that 2.5 TRILLION that Obama spent. HUH???? Making up crap doesn't make it true. You have the same accounting expertise the Shrub had. NONE!!!!

Why should he not go home? Because we are in the middle of a near depression, we are broke, and we need a man who can set a great example of a LEADER.

Why spend $4 million of our dollars for a two-week jaunt when he could have had a nice time in and around DC, and flown his family out there for a fraction of the price, on his own dime?

Can you just imagine if he had set a good example? He could have used this throughout his campaign as an example of good and wise judgment.

You see in hard times we look for men and women who set a great example. This guy is so out of touch (as are many of his followers) he and they actually cannot see how irresponsible this behavior is. And how do I know? Because the behavior is clearly wrong, and the only real argument is "look at what the other guy did".

We are not 6 years old. This is not a school yard. This clown needs to grow up and act like a leader, setting a great example - instead, he is a selfish rich guy flaunting his wealth (except when he hides it like he did with his little Johnny Depp Halloween party).

Intrepid1- the first speaker of the house who was afforded use of a military jet was Dennis Hastert (R). I believe the outrage with Pelosi's jet was she wanted a bigger one.

Mr. Amazing and Jim, how in the hell do we know that Obama didn't pay for his own damn trips to Hawaii? How in the hell do we know if any other President paid for their own trips? We don't! You see Air Force One and assume that WE paid for that service. They are the POTUS! They can't fly Southwest or United. (It's called a security risk) Aren't you one of the people saying that he is rich? Why can't he pay for his own trip? It seems like he paid for them when he wasn't the President! Just like I never faulted George for taking his trips. I do remember when he co-owned the Texas Rangers! I don't understand the "grow up and act like a leader" statement. He had a party in 2009. Bill had them, George and his daddy had them, Ronald did too! So what? Becoming the President didn't mean you drop your fatherly duties! Did you think that maybe, just maybe, that party was for his kids? They are just young enough to have a Halloween party!

Another note: Did any of you people go on vacation in 2009, 2010, or 2011? If you did, aren't you setting a bad example also? I visited my family in all 3 years and make less than a 1/3 of Obamas worth! Am I complaining that he visited his family and friends? No!

His wife at the time was busy dealing with a multiple sclerosis diagnoses. I doubt if she was having an affair right then. Newt cheated on his first wife when she was diagnosed with cancer, the second wife, with multiple sclerosis. Callista had better hope she stays healthy.

What I really remember about Newt Gingrich is that he shut the government down because he was in a snit that Clinton didn't invite him onto Air Force One and that he eventually had to leave the House Speaker's post because of ethics violations. During a Republican-controlled House, mind you. He's been savaging Romney on aggressive venture capitalism, which is more or less the Republican mantra, so it will be astonishing to see the turn around in the general election. I'm sure he'll come up with some other big idea, though.

Remember how Newt proposed that the US take all kids on welfare away from their moms and put them into orphanages because orphanages are so wonderful? It's almost as great as putting all the poor black kids to work as janitors. Big idea man; or, as some might have it, megalomaniac The Big Giant Head; that's Newt.

Seriously: how do you think he would really do at this job? His proper function is as a gadfly -- in other words, he'll make a great Fox News commentator. Anything else is really beyond his capability -- for one thing, it would put a huge crimp in his ability to scout out Mrs. ex-Gingrich Number 4.

Newt never said "poor black kids" should work as janitors. You folks on the left like to insert race into everything because you are the one's hung up on it.

JHN: He didn't say that? You could have fooled me pal.

Intrepid1- provide me with a link with a transcript or video footage where the term "poor black kids" appears in his comment.

Here's a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc7byJV0jVY

Absolutely nowhere does he say "poor black kids"! So I guess you are easily fooled!!!

mhrjhn...the GOP doesn't use "poor black kids" per se. They have a code...for black kids, it is "urban children". Same crap nimrod.

ranks- you want to call names? I'm sick of you folks who can't state your opinion without name calling. I'm also sick of the democrats projecting their own beliefs into anything the republicans. Is there a published book of republican code words. You are hung up on race and there believe everyone else (especially republicans) are too. News Flash: WRONG!!!!!!!!

Legal does not mean ethical or "just". And if you're going to advocate even lower tax rates for the rich when you get in office, it's only fair that people know how much Mitt is NOT PAYING.

Beyond that, Obama is a pauper in comparision to most Rebublican presidents. It was not that many years ago he was still paying off college loans. Remember you folks on the Right mock him for being a "Community Organizer" as if that were shameful. Not everyone is obsessed with making billions and building new, 15,000 sq ft houses.

Newt paid a higher income tax % than Obama.

Good old INTREPID. Spouting untruths again. The richest people in politics are liberal/democrats. JFK in todays dollars a billionaire. Feinstein, Kerry Pelosi... What hypocrites. They have theirs and now they want a social welfare government that keeps ordinary Americans from making profits by over taxing and over regulating. Fair has nothing to do with it anyway. If things were "fair" even welfare recipients would pay a base 10% on any income. Need to get that 47% in the game.

Paul from NM...how do people like you miss this stuff. it isn't about making money, it is about paying a fair share in taxes. Like a previous poster said, how can a company like GE make a billion dollars and not pay one freaking cent towards the maint of this country. Not one cent for defense yet they use this country to make that money.

Another thing...let's say we all pay 10% of our income each year. The guy making a hundred, pays 10 bucks and is left with 90 dollars. Yet another gets 100,000 and pays what? 10 grand and is left with 90 grand. Who is going to be living well? The point is not that each paid 10% but the fact the 1% can pay more and live very well. If the poor are left with more money, what do they do with it? They consume and who is the beneficiary of that spending? The rich. So how is that wrong? You don't make any sense.

Exactly what do you all consider a "fair share"? Is that fair share based on your income, or those making more than you, or those making more than them? If you are making a lot more than the poorest people in the country, why are you not splitting up your earnings evenly amongst those folks? I would assume the poorest would think that to be fair.

And I'd be willing to bet none of you take advantage of any tax deductions allowed by law. Nope not a single one. Hypocrites all.

Ranks: you are so wrong. It is not about fairness.That's how we got in trouble. It can NEVER be fair. It's about responsibility. Some thing most liberals know nothing.

Actually, that 2-3% is more than most people I know give.

You think that the majority of folks who make $100k are giving $10k of it charity every year? I don't think so...

Obama did not pay a 31% income tax. In addition, if you go back and look at the politicians tax records that were published, it seems that the republicans give more to charity than democrats.

Skup - I made $71,000 last year before taxes and gave a little over $6,300 to charity. That's well over 10% of my after-tax income. How much did you give?

don't forget that donations to charities are tax write offs.

Yeah, there is a tax write off, but you're probably only getting 20-30% tax savings on the amount you donate. $80K in donations only saves you $20-25K in taxes. Hard to believe he gives away 80 grand to save 25.

Whoever he paid 19K in alimony to with an income of 3 mil needs to get a better lawyer.

Hey Jungle. you forgot one thing, the 900 Billion $ that Bush gave to the banks, and no records of who or what got how much. As to the Iraq war, was it worth it, HELL NO it wasn't. And didn't we hear from Bush/Cheney we would be greated with roses.

Using your own numbers, 4,500 American dead, how many wounded (?), most people who do not have their heads up their retucal opening know the answer to that. Now do the math, honestly if you can, how much did Bush give away? IMO it's a hell of a lot more than Obama has done.

Just for you, Sally Ann -- notice the date, Bush was out of office.

Tue Sep 16, 2008 11:07pm EDT

(Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve stepped in to rescue insurance giant American International Group from bankruptcy with an $85 billion loan on Tuesday, the latest in a series of bailouts and loans for the financial and housing sectors.

The action brings the total tab for government rescues and special loan facilities this year to more than $900 billion.

Following are details of actions and amounts.

* $200 billion for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
The Treasury will inject up to $100 billion into each institution by purchasing preferred stock to shore up their capital as needed. The deal puts the two housing finance firms under government control.

* $300 billion for the Federal Housing Administration to refinance failing mortgage into new, reduced-principal loans with a federal guarantee, passed as part of a broad housing rescue bill.

* $4 billion in grants to local communities to help them buy and repair homes abandoned due to mortgage foreclosures.

* $85 billion loan for AIG, which would give the Federal government a 79.9 percent stake and avoid a bankruptcy filing for the embattled insurer. AIG management will be dismissed.

* At least $87 billion in repayments to JPMorgan Chase & Co for providing financing to underpin trades with units of bankrupt investment bank Lehman Brothers. U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said over the weekend he was adamant that public funds not be used to rescue the firm.

* $29 billion in financing for JPMorgan Chase's government-brokered buyout of Bear Stearns & Co in March. The Fed agreed to take $30 billion in questionable Bear assets as collateral, making JPMorgan liable for the first $1 billion in losses, while agreeing to shoulder any further losses.

* At least $200 billion of currently outstanding loans to banks issued through the Fed's Term Auction Facility, which was recently expanded to allow for longer loans of 84 days alongside the previous 28-day credits.

Gettin' awful tired of you Obama lovers bring up "Bush's War" and the loss of 4500 heros. Please don't forget Kennedy/Johnson's war that cost 51,000 hero's lives. We lost far much more in Viet Nam that we did in Iraq. I know. I ministered to many of those returning in two different Naval hospitals from 1967 - 1970.

BTW SallyAnn, who controlled the congress (the ones that actually proposed, passed and spent the money they aapproved) during the Bush administration? Dumocrats.

HEY TEX: Yes, the truth can be tiresome, particularly when it is so god damn TRUE.

JIM: You neglect to mention that ONE THIRD OF THE STIMULUS WAS IN THE FORM OF TAX CUTS!!!

I thought you GOP cretins lived for tax cuts, so what gives? They are only good when a Republican does them?

And another thing smart guy, the CBO issued a report a few months ago. In it, they clearly stated that the STIMULUS WORKED AND HELPED PREVENT A FULL BLOWN DEPRESSION. Got that?

Lastly, 4500 dead, 25,000 grieviously wounded and over 100.000 Iraqi civilians killed may be chump change to you but not for me. And what do we have to show for it all???

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

INTREPID: still spouting lies. Tax cuts for those who do not pay taxes. Get real. Romney should only pay 10% Just like you. No progressive taxes. You make a dollar you pay a dime. Make 10,000 pay 1,000. Make 1,000,000 pay 100,000. Sounds fair to me. When did we start evaluating programs as "it saved so many jobs" or "it stopped a depression"? That is not provable. obama is a liar and class warfare bastard. He has no solutions. He lost 8 million jobs. He has spent 5 trillion dollars. He has crippled our country, economy but not our spirit. We will rid ourselves of this POS in November.

Who was president, on Sept. 16, 2008..... Yep, Bush.

Jungle Jim, Obama didn't get elected until 2008 in November! But hey, as a non voter, you Republicans have driven me to vote for Obama this election. Why is he the only President I remember in my 38 years of living to have people form a group against him (Tea Party) on the day of his inauguration? What did he do wrong in the 2 months after he was elected? He wasn't even at the WH then?

I still don't understand how people, who call themselves Americans, can call the President a POS and think it is cool! Learn respect! Regardless who the President has been, they all get the respect as President!

I'm sure you haven't been walking down any runway in a beauty contest.

You mean the same John Kerry who parked his yacht in Rhode Island to evade taxes in Massachusetts? Yeah, the media pretty much ran from that story just like they did with John Edwards, Tim Geitner, Chris Dodd, Barney Frank and just about every other liberal Democrat politician. If you think Democrats have a lock on honesty then you are sadly mistaken, they have a lock on the media that agrees with everything they stand for, except of course Fox News and a couple of newspapers. Don't kid yourself into thinking the media is looking out for you, they could care less. It's all about power, money and greed and that's one thing the Democrats are good at. Welfare checks for votes, amnesty for votes, they'll even drive granny from the nursing home to the voting booth if she promises to vote for Democrats and it wasn't that long ago that they were handing out cigarettes and booze to the homeless as a trade for votes.

That's the one, "luke." And since I didn't hear any of that about any of them on Fox, must have been the "liberal" media. Of course, if you only watch Fox or read the New York Post (lol) or Word Nut Daily, naturally you wouldn't know what the "liberal" media says.

And please give your unbiased site on the cigarettes and booze report, and the welfare checks, too. Actually, I have driven people from the nursing homes to vote. And I admit I "thought" they might be democrats, but asked for no promises. You've spouted a crock of nonsense. Let's see you back it up.

Luke is right boomer. The Food stamp president buys votes with welfare. Our founders warned about using the treasury to buy votes. People,especially public worker unions and welfare people vote for those progressives. You are a liar not to admit it is true. America is a place for people who work or they should be ashamed of being on the dole. I read everything and the old liberal media is playing favorites and wants obama to win. We will tear them down in time. Newsweek:" Why are obamas critics so dumb?" It's on the front cover. Real journalism,right. BULL. Progressives have no ideas! No common sense! Go back down the sewer you came out of. PS: Boomer47. Respect your elders. Your half of my generation ruined America. The sixties was the worst decade ever for America.

Why do they care? envy and jealousy

Liberbals are ok with paying high taxes either because they have too much money or are the ones receiving tax payer hand outs.

But isn't it strange that all these pols come to Washington broke or common... and leave 15 years later multi millionaires.... Notice Rick.... zip.... and now he is the great lobbyist.... Newt.... he gave "history" lessons to Fannie and Freddie..... nice job if you can get it!

Kevin-The biggest offender was Al Gore. His net worth when he came to Washington was 1 million dollars and now it's well over 100 million. I guess he put a lot away in his "lock box", right after he invented the internet and convinced millions that the sky was falling because of pollution.

Neither President Obama nor the democrats have said anyone who is rich is "evil." As a liberal democrat, I have absolutely no problem with people making as much money as they possibly can. I like to make a lot of money, too. The tax system, however, needs an overhaul. The loopholes in it were put there by the very wealthy in government to help the very wealthy - be they wealthy republicans or democrats. Newt pays a fair percentage on his wealth, but if Romney only pays a 15% rate, he does not. He pays less percentage-wise than I do, for instance and many others. Of course, if you can back up your rhetoric about our President and democrats trying to make anyone believe the uber rich are evil, bring it on.

I read Harry Reid has a net worth of $5 million. He has been a politician since 1971. They are always whining how they are not paid much so how did he amass this much wealth? It probably is a lot more.

FYI Romney pays the same tax rate as anyone of us pays on capital gains. Also, if he were to loose $100,000 investment he could only claim a $3000 loss.

Now our president invests $535,000,000 tax payer money (his words not mine) and it is lost, tax payers are out $535,000,000.

How did that loan get restructured so that the main investor (a big Obama contributor) got moved into first position? This is the first time I have ever heard of the government moving into second place on a loan.

Lukewarm. The difference; The high paid sport professionals ate honest in nit claiming to be anything but what they are. whereas politicians claim to be public representatives of the Constitution and the will and best interest of those that elected them. Honesty makes a BIG difference.

Lukewarm, if that's your logic that the Democrats have done everything for votes, then why haven't WE Americans had more Democrats as Presidents? Over my 38 years of living, Nixon, Ford, Reagan (2 terms), Daddy Bush, W Bush(2 terms) wouldn't have been there! Carter, Clinton(2 terms) and Obama now! Either a lot of people aren't on welfare, aren't illegal, or aren't old enough to get driven to the polling stations or your logic is just flawed!

you and the lizard deserve each other .. too stupid to figure out the Tax LAW .. yes it is the LAW .. do you drive 45 in a 55 MPH zone ?

so where are they dough boy ?

Buddy Boy, if selling strange tales nets a profit then great ! don't blame the 1st couple, blame the americans buying the story

Your spelled Flintstones wrong dopey!

and your grammer is incorrect .. Gary you dumb ass , you should have pointed out the structural issue .. GingRICH is an A$$

This audacity after Newt's barbaric evisceration of Clinton on the very same alter with the very same knife?

I love the astonishing purity of your hypocrisy...

Next, you'll insist that every pair of 501's out there doesn't have a button fly made from the remnants of thousands of other little tin gods that couldn't take the heat- just....like......Newt.

Because it is the law and because he is running for President. Another idiot at the shallow end of the gene pool.