I seriously doubt that Herman Cain has any chance of winning the GOP nomination, and is the flavor of the month, as Republicans thrash about desperately looking for anyone but Romney. But since the main stream media seldom calls Cain on his lies, and since the Republican Party is unpredictable, because they sowed the wind and are now reaping the whirlwind, lets take 999 apart.
The centerpiece of former pizza czar Herman Cain’s presidential campaign is his “999″ plan, which would slash taxes on the wealthy, drive up deficits to the worst point since World War II, and force low-income Americans to pay a massive nine times their current tax rate. In an interview this morning with CNN’s Candy Crowley, Cain even said food and clothing would not be exempt from the 9 percent national sales tax he would put in place if elected president. Indeed, he said it would be “fair” for a poor person to pay as much in sales taxes as Crowley does…
…Watch it:
Because he says his plan would lower the income tax for some Americans — and, by his calculations, leave people with more money to spend — Cain seems to think his plan would leave low-income Americans with more money. He is wrong. Presently, the bottom quintile of earners pays about 2 percent of their income in federal taxes. Under Cain’s plan, their taxes would increase all the way up to 18 percent… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Think Progress>
Let’s look at a typical minimum wage earner. The Federal minimum is $5.25 per hour or $903 per month. Under the current system that worker pays no Federal income tax, but does pay a 6.2% social security premium so that leaves $847. Subtract from that state income or sales tax. A person cannot live on that.
Under the 999 plan, the worker still pays for social security and pays a 9% income tax of $81, leaving $766. On that $766 the worker pays a 9% sales tax of $69, leaving $697. Subtract from that state income and sales tax. I dare Cain to try to live on that!
What Cain’s plan actually does is takes at least $150 per month from each of America’s working poor, and provides a huge tax break for millionaires, billionaires and corporate criminals.
Another consequence of Cain’s 999 plan is to cut the federal revenue stream by approximately 50%, putting our nation into bankruptcy.
999 is InsaniTEA.
Correction: I miscopied the federal minimum wage. It is $ 7.25, still not enough to live on.
21 Responses to “The 999 Nonsense”
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It seems the very idea of Herman Cain being considered a serious candidate is some sort of sick joke , or a very real symbol of how desperate the GOP , Tea Baggers? , has become– I listen to his nonsense and remember an old radio show– long time ago— Amos and Andy –anyone remember that—? Cain would fit right in there— cannot believe Candy Crowley taking him serious ? Just listen to this– Parody !!
Kinda like “The Kingfish”, ain’t he. Somebody call “Calhoun” for an opinion! 👿
I hear what you’re saying, but I think he’s much more intelligent than he appears… and much more devious.
Maybe he should call it the “666 Plan” instead. It sounds as though the devil himself dreamed this one up.
Excellent, Patty!
Doesn’t the minimum wage earner also pay into Medicare along with SS?
Yes, Jerry, but at minimum wage the amount is small.
Darn Patty! You took the words right out of my mouth! 🙂
Patty is good at that!! 😉
I seriously doubt that the GOP would ever nominate a black man – or a woman – for president, but I would be willing to bet that if they did, Republican voters would stay home in droves rather than have to make a choice between two black men.
Charles, you’re probably right, unless they figured they were going to lose anyway. They they could use him as a token. I definitely agree that much of the right would stay home if both candidates were black.
Charles, I think you’re right. 2 black men and the Repub voters will leave in droves, giving Obama another landslide. And this 9-9-9 plan sucks – it’s even worse than a flat tax.
Of course it’s worse than a flat tax because it is a recipe for disaster.
Agree with you both.
He got the idea from his 9-9-9 pizza deal at his “Godfather Of Soul” pizza chain. Nine pizzas, nine topings in nine minutes at ‘yo ‘do.
That’s rich! I like it.
Cute!
Mr. Cain reminds me of those black politicians in that HBO series “The Wire”. He reminds me of all the crooked politicians who lit a fire under the black communities of the inner cities in every major metropolis way back in the sixties. He reminds me of those very same politicians who relieved the government of funding to finance the inner city needs that the activist community was advocating at the political behest of these crooks. He reminds me of those who pocketed the money; giving very little to the inner cities but enriching themselves through slum lord housing; nefarious political dealings and questionable land grabs and other financial schemes. Of course Bill Ayers who is a good friend of King Barky profited too as did many white politicians and businessmen. All the while the inner city problems were never fixed and the black communities as a whole never had hope which in turn has led to despair; external blame and criminality. This is a major factor in why the Black communities today are in the mess they are in.
It isn’t very well know but during LBJ’s term in office he and his cabinet and many others on Capitol Hill wrote off the black community; preferring to keep it immorally and unethically dealing drugs; having unprotected sex; making it a status symbol to join a gang and to have as many baby mammas as possible. LBJ was one of the biggest scam artists who even made the Kingfish and his ilk appear saintly and that is going some. His entire social programs were nothing more than an election scheme to curry favor, gain power and make a lot of money from the social activism of that time; which is why they were never completed.
Of course Mr. Cain is in good company with the likes of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton who always are up for media attention and recognition to draw publicity for themselves. The problem with people is that most of us are followers. We don’t want to have to work too hard, if at all. We don’t want to have to think. Let us be entertained instead with meaningless drivel that reduces us to mental midgets. We always want the freebies, the handouts; following this popular person or that popular person. We should always be asking what’s the catch and this is never more evident than in politics, marketing or business. Mr. Sharpton for example is a fine example of political three card monte on the boulevard on a national scale. If he cannot find a cause he will instigate one as he did with the Tawana Brawley which led to the death of an innocent person. Mr. Sharpton was quoted as saying he didn’t care as long as the agenda was served. Of course it was his agenda being served and not the black community. The problem is we as an inflamed mob don’t stop to think and that is what these agent provocateurs count on as they did at Watts and every other conflagration throughout modern history. We want to buy into the Hope and Change ideal hoping beyond reason that the next politician will be able to give us social and job security; a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage. Of course King Barky didn’t define what the parameters of his Hope and Change campaign actually comprised. Every current government is predicated on the preceding government; inheriting its escalating problems. Governments are like markets, never quite regulating themselves toward a beneficial, healthy solution. Politics and governments merely follow the sinecure of the popularity wave. Of course the wave always has a trough doesn’t it?
Mr. Cain is exemplary of everything wrong with politics and with the political system. Mr. Cain would like to move the Occupy Wall Street movement to the White House. Regrettably Mr. Cain but the White House is nothing more than the Rabbit Hole. The real power is on Wall Street where the protestors are currently; unless of course the Brookfield Corporation decides it wants its square back. The real POTUS of course is the CEO of Goldman Sachs. The real Congress is comprised of the international banking and investment firms. Mr. Cain is irate that these protestors would impede the golden goose through their movement and impugn his Masters’ reputation, the money machine known as Wall Street. This is why Mr. Cain belongs to the GOP; the party that bends over backwards to serve and accommodate their financial johns; the party that gives tax cuts to multi national corporations and big oil firms that destroy our environment.
Frankly the entire US political system is corrupt. It was corrupted when Woodrow Wilson passed the sixteenth amendment instituting graduated income tax. It was further corrupted when he authorized the Rothschild ilk to create and control the Federal Reserve banking system. That was the fulcrum for where we each and every American citizen finds themselves today. Wall Street and the Trading crowd have found a way to make everything from stocks and businesses to common facets such as education and food a commodity which they can manipulate. Hence, you find a guy with three degrees; is 50K in debt with no job and a family to feed. How about students who have education debt, a job yet have to work in the sex trade to make extra cash. You wonder why they are protesting Mr. Cain? They’re the norm in America now; not the exception.
I urge all communities in the US to be very careful. Mr. Cain and the good old boys at the GOP and their sneaks in the Democratic Party would like nothing more than an excuse to use today’s current events to create a reason to institute martial law. They have already been fomenting racial strife between blacks and whites. Mr. Cain and his political confreres of both parties serve their masters; which is not you. Although they appear to be elected by the people they aren’t and neither do they govern for the people or by the people. There are many theories as to why JFK was murdered. The one thing most people including Oliver Stone omitted was the financial and banking angle. JFK closed the FED – which is the conduit that funnels American wealth to the International Bankers in Europe; recalled all Federal Reserve script; and had the Treasury Department print up script that said property of the US Treasury Department. He was giving control of the country; the government and its wealth back to the people. JFK was one President I disliked at first and then as I became older and more educated in current history; I came to like and respect him in spite of his peccadilloes. I wonder where America would be now if he had not been murdered? I do not find that same respect generated by the incumbent POTUS King Barky or his GOP counterpart Mr. Cain.
You say you want a revolution? The Occupy Wall Street could be the start of it. I think it would really emphasize the point all 300 million Americans refused to pay their taxes.
Welcome, Michael. 🙂
You’re argument is not without some merit, but I think is relies to heavily on black stereotypes. The level of corruption is comparable among white politicians in poor areas.
If not a graduated income tax, what are you pushing a flat tax?
‘999’ isn’t a plan — it’s a disaster! It drives rich and poor even further apart. He talks about people buying a used car or a used house and not having to pay tax on it. At $7.25/hr, the poor can’t afford those luxuries. Hell they couldn’t even afford to buy an outhouse in the woods! And if by some miracle they acquired a car, they couldn’t afford the price of gas to run it! All this does is make super millionaires/billionaires and super poor. It does nothing to address the gross inequities. I don’t know where the GOP gets their candidates, but if this group is their best and brightest, man have I got a bridge to sell them.
Bingo!!!