Joe Biden: Challenges Facing Middle Class in 21st Century

I believe both of the above commentors are accurate. It is certainly true that we pay a lot of taxes. There are plenty of hidden taxes as well which ultimately puts us dangerously close to the taxes paid by Common Market Countries without any of their benefits. In addition to massive government waste, there is the very thorny issue of entitlements. From what I remember, 3/5ths of the national budget is on fixed entitlements. And, as has been mentioned, more and more people are on the public dole and we receive less advantage for doing so. When I say "pubic dole," I am just not talking about welfare, but military, government/state and municipal spending. I'm am also talking about Social Security and Medicare. And of course the pernicious problem of illegal aliens that are also siphoning the wealth of this country. (no criticism of illegals meant here)The sad reality is that as a nation we have become thoroughly effeminized. By this I mean we have embraced a giving, nuturing and maternal ideology. Government is there to tend, ministrate and nurture its governed. Therefore it constantly needs more money and resources to do so. The only way government can obtain resources is to tax and enact stifling regulation. Until we change this mindset--which is completely contrary to prior generations' perspective, we will continue to decline in economic prosperity. We in the USA live in two distinct ideological societies. On the one hand, we believe very strongly in a free market capitalistic system. On the other hand, we have embraced a distinctly social democratic ideologically sometimes derisively called the "nanny state." One can see the frentic pulling of these two opposing ideologies in the election of Obama with considerable support from the Left which believes in the Nanny State and the deep resistance from the Fundamental Right, Conservative Republicans, Libertarians and of course a new politically cohesive group--the Tea Party. We will continue with these schizophrenic sways and tics until one ideology overpowers the other. There can be no stability while the balance of power is so evenly divided. And until one ideology is thoroughly trounced, there will be no economic prosperity or political commonality. This is the Disease, all of the above are merely the symptoms.

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Way to start an arguement - ad hominem. I do not losten to the news or talk radio. I rely on primary source documents for my information - like this Supreme Court decision and the case that was argued. I look at my pay stub to determine whether or not I pay a lot of taxes. Taxes are too high and government is way too big. This is my stance. As a middle class American, I can tell you for sure that I pay a lot of taxes, federal, state and local. The left opposes tax cuts and wants to raise spending. The right loves tax cuts but never decreases the size of government, in fact in President Bush's case, they grew the size of government. I say cut the federal government and state governments to the bone. Get them out of our lives to the maximum extent possible, then make the equal cuts in taxation. A lean, efficient government will increase investment, attract capital and federal revenues will come pouring in. Bush's tax cuts were not detrimental at all. There were numerous records broken in regard to federal revenue receipts. The federal government never took in more money than during the first 7 years of the Bush administration. The problem is, for every dollar we take in, government spends $1.50. These people are addicted to spending and Americans are addicted to their welfare programs, whether they be medicare, social security, agriculture subsidies, college grants or the Billions in other pork barrel, frivolous expenditures.

The Supreme Court decision was correct on Constitutional grounds in my opinion. McCain/Feingold was clearly unconstitutional, as the court has pretty much overturned all of it, one case at a time. When President Obama shows hostility to a business sector, like banks, for example, and blames them for our financial crisis, why shouldn't they have they right to create ads and buy public air time to refute the arguements and defend their interests? If Planned Parenthood, a CORPORATION, wants to point out the anti-abortion position of a candidate, why shouldn't they have the right to run ads whenever they wish? If a labor union wants to convince the people to vote for a candidate that is a union supporter, why shouldn't they be able to do so? McCain/Feingold was nothing but a measure to stifle free speech and to assure that incumbents win. These laws are why I could not vote for McCain, despite my total opposition to Obama and everything he stands for. (Don't get me wrong, I didn't vote for Obama, either.) The First Ammendment is quite clear to me - "Congress shall make NO LAW . . . abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, . . ." Some will argue that a corporation is not a person, whose rights to free speech are protected by the First Ammendment. This arguement is not persuasive to me. A "corporation" is a name given to a person or persons who own a business. Give me a compelling reason why this person or group of persons with common interests should not have the right to pool their resources to speak out in defense of their businesses or other interests any time they wish?

I think if you read the court decision and understand the basis for the case you will see that the federal government over reached and did prohibit free speech.

You obviously do not know the history of taxation in this country! Stop listening to talk radio and do some actually studying of American History!

Especially the tax rates through time!

Americans will have to come to grips with reality very soon because the good ole days are over!

Taxation is no crippling the middle class! The fact that we no longer have a GDP based on manufactoring but rather a GDP made up of creative financial products that provide NO JOBS! The fact that the American People no longer have say in Congress because the Corporations own congress! The recent SCOTUS Decision will make this problem 100X worse! Even Adam Smith the founder of Capitalism understood there has to be checks on corporate greed and power or it will eat itself! We are watching Capitalism eat itself right now!

I guess you will oppose the financial regulations needed to break up these large financial institutions into companies that are not to BIG to fail? We have to have smart government & that means smart regulations & taxation. If one thing is for sure simply cutting taxes and regulations is not the answer to fixing America's problems!

Bush's tax cuts did nothing but help increase the debt in this country and deregulating Wall Street nearly destroyed Capitalism!

It is time we understand that Americans will have to pay back our enormous debt and that means paying more taxes and cutting wasteful spending...Not one or the other but both! If not, then we will get what we deserve for being greedy & ignorant!

This very kind, but thoroughly dishonest man lives in an alternative universe. How can it be that his reminscisinces of the "good old days" when one income was enough and parents were certain that their children would live better lives than they lived, more propserous lives where they are allowed to persue happiness as they understood it, without admitting the fact that the federal, state and local government has grown and inserted itself into more and more areas of our personal and business lives since then, and has confiscated more of our hard earned wealth. Taxation is crippling the middle class. Too many pay no federal and in many cases, state income tax. The achievers and high wage earners have well over half of their pay confiscated through taxation, or they pay no federal taxes because they buy congressmen to create tax loopholes.

When will he and this group of "experts" realize that no one person has the intellect, moral character or information necessary to create a "fair," prosperous economy. As a middle class wage earner, I see the government as the biggest obstacle to my improveing my lot in life.