VARIOUS:

[Change Happens]

1) What do you think will happen if President Obama announces that he will not run for re-election?

2) Some dude on Tee Vee proposed giving Green Cards/citizenship to foreigners who agree to buy a $400K+ (or some limit) homes in the US. It will clear most of the inventory and fix the real estate market...etc.

3) Another proposal was to agree not to ever raise taxes above a certain level for rich people in exchange for them to never collect Social Security...etc. Something like if you have a certain amount of money, say $5.00 million or more, you will be guaranteed a 40% tax rate, but you will have to give up all or part of your Social Security benefits.


What do you think?

[customerserviceguy]

1. #1 seems premature

but I expect it will be discussed in earnest after the election. If Hillary can pull off a Mideast peace treaty soon, expect that will bring her back to the front, she will be seen as the only 'competant' part of the Obama Administration. And her supporters from 2008 would be ready to pull out all of their old signs.

#2 is flawed, because it sells citizenship to the rich. If we're going to do that, then why not just limit it to those who would bring in a million dollars of capital, and hire at least three American workers? That person would still be propping up the housing market when they came over here to live.

#3 makes the most sense. I'd be hard pressed if someone offered me the entirety of what I've paid into Social Security (forget the employer's share) plus no more FICA contributions, in exchange for giving up on Social Security benefits. And I'll be 55 this year.

The well-off already know that Social Security is means tested, 85% of a SS benefit has to be included in their income, and if we ever do get back to a 40 or 50 percent tax bracket, they'll keep very little of it, as it is.

[Change Happens]

3. interesting you bring Hillary's name into this...If she is successful

It will add to Obama's list of accomplishments, another reason to consider leaving office after one term.

He will be able to walk away saying:

Health Care, FinReg, GDP growth, ME peace deal, equal pay, Iraq, I hope soon DADT...etc. all done!!!

A ME peace deal would be a HUGE thing to add here...He will end up campaigning for Hillary? WOW, that would be something, no?

[customerserviceguy]

4. Her PUMA supporters

will say it's the only one of the Obama Administration's accomplishments that all Americans are on board with. They'll have a point.

I expect a bitterness after the election that has only been hinted at here, so far.

[Change Happens]

5. Bitterness? at Hillary or at Obama?

Why would PUMAs be bitter if he ends up not running and supporting her?

[customerserviceguy]

6. What I expect

is that there will be bitterness here after Election Day. I expect the Rethugs to take over the House, and I expect the Senate to be close enough so that one or two Blue Dog DINO's will be sorely tempted to jump parties to give the Repigs a working majority there. That Pandora's box was already opened with the deal that Snarlin' Arlen got.

It's going to be a struggle to have President Obama think that he should step down, even if it happens. LBJ didn't take himself out of the race until spring 1968, and he had an heir apparent in Humphrey.

Sure, the PUMA's will gladly welcome Obama's stepping down, but what will the fight to get him to do that look like? I'm sure that he feels that he can run and win in 2012, if he hadn't had that kind of thinking, he wouldn't have run for President as early in his political career as he did.

[Change Happens]

7. I don't think that anyone is going to "get him" to not run...

I don't know why, I always thought he would be that kind of person who will be content with things at some point...I did not mean anyone will make him do anything.

[Ozymanithrax]

2. Well, since this is a thought experiment.

(1) Hillary Clinton will be greatly favored to run. (Really, this is not going to happen)

(2) Foreigners are allowed to buy property in the U.S. This isn't Mexico, where you must be a citizen. If it were a investment that made sense, they would do it now. So the affect would be zero because the investment isn't worth it to foreign nationals with lots of money.

(3) This won't work because (a) Republicans wouldn't stand for it and , (b) why should we treat rich people unequally. In the current financial crises the sensible answer is to raise taxes. Should someone bomb pearl harbor again, and the U.S. end in in an honest to goodness war of necessity for our very survival (remember, this is a thought experiment), we may have to tax the rich more. Furthermore, Why should we stop "rich people" from collecting social security. This is a program for all Americans. We should not negotiate with them as if they are a foreign country. Taxes should be raised. I am in favor of returning tax rates to the levels enjoyed in 1952, and removing most of the tax loopholes. I would tax capital gains at about 50%, and increase the deduction for people who actually create jobs for Americans. Create a job, get a tax break.