Does anyone else find this interesting v.mccain vs obama

thewise1 · 04-18-2008, 03:19 PM

John McCain made 258k last year - although this doesn't include his wife's income - and it consisted of the following:

$161,708 - Senator's salary
$58,358 - Navy pension
$23,157 - Social security income

This doesn't add up to $258k because there were other investments that made him money as well, I guess. MSNBC reported these numbers.

Barack Obama made 4.2 million dollars last year. His books accounted for about 4 million dollars of that, and presumably he's making the same amount from his salary that John McCain is.

This made me ask a few things.

First off, McCain is ranked among the wealthiest senators in the senate. Why is he collecting social security? Does anyone know the answer to that? I'm not accusing him of anything there, merely raising the question. I'm also not suggesting that he's not entitled to it, given that he must have paid in.

Second, Barack Obama, the guy who's supposedly more against private enterprise, used private enterprise to make a SHITLOAD more money than McCain. The vast majority of McCain's income comes from the government. I am not suggesting he shouldn't accept his Navy pension - he certainly earned it given the circumstances, but I do begin to see a pattern here, especially since McCain is also using federal funds for his presidential run - to the tune of about $85 million dollars.

Linzyhop · 04-18-2008, 03:22 PM

so, i'm confused.

are you saying that's good for McCain to use those funds or not?

A_C_E · 04-18-2008, 03:26 PM

I'm with Linzy, I'm not really sure what you're saying here. McCain's wife is estimated to be worth around $100 million, but since they file separately, those records don't need to be released.

I don't think Obama is against private enterprise in general......I've never heard such an argument. But royalties are royalties, and I'm sure he uses the money he makes. What do you expect him to do, throw away his book royalties?

7960 · 04-18-2008, 03:28 PM

Any time someone says "I'm not saying..." or "I'm not suggesting..." or something similar, for some reason the first words that pop in my head are "I'm saying..." and "I'm suggesting."

thewise1 · 04-18-2008, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

so, i'm confused.

are you saying that's good for McCain to use those funds or not?

I'm not really sure what my opinion is on whether or not it's good or bad. On the one hand I am irritated when people live off the government cheese, and have turned down positions with the government because I don't want to be involved in living off of taxpayer money or work with people who are so not driven.

On the other hand, I can also see an argument for "hey, I paid in, might as well get my share out too"

I'm not attacking anyone per se here, but I think it's thought provoking.

thewise1 · 04-18-2008, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by 7960

Any time someone says "I'm not saying..." or "I'm not suggesting..." or something similar, for some reason the first words that pop in my head are "I'm saying..." and "I'm suggesting."

You should work on that and use the context of the statement instead, the post would make more sense.

thewise1 · 04-18-2008, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by A_C_E

I'm with Linzy, I'm not really sure what you're saying here. McCain's wife is estimated to be worth around $100 million, but since they file separately, those records don't need to be released.

I don't think Obama is against private enterprise in general......I've never heard such an argument. But royalties are royalties, and I'm sure he uses the money he makes. What do you expect him to do, throw away his book royalties?

I was praising Obama for making the majority of his wealth through private enterprise, actually. That much I am sure of.

7960 · 04-18-2008, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by thewise1

I'm not really sure what my opinion is on whether or not it's good or bad. On the one hand I am irritated when people live off the government cheese, and have turned down positions with the government because I don't want to be involved in living off of taxpayer money or work with people who are so not driven.

On the other hand, I can also see an argument for "hey, I paid in, might as well get my share out too"

I'm not attacking anyone per se here, but I think it's thought provoking.

What's thought provoking? He was in the navy and gets a pension. He's a senator and he gets paid. He's old and he gets social security.

He also gives away approx $200k/year to charity.

Between 2001 and 2006, McCain contributed roughly $950,000 to the foundation.

"John McCain’s Charitable Contributions" by Ken Silverstein (Harper's Magazine)

Apparently he'd rather take his $23k and give it to people he chooses, rather than leave it in the system out of his control. I'd do it, too.

TankRizzo · 04-18-2008, 03:35 PM

I don't really see your point. Why wouldn't you collect it? By that same logic, why doesn't Obama refuse his senate money since he's making millions elsewhere?

7960 · 04-18-2008, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by thewise1

You should work on that and use the context of the statement instead, the post would make more sense.

You want me to look at context?

McCain is ranked among the wealthiest senators in the senate. Why is he collecting social security? Does anyone know the answer to that? I'm not accusing him of anything there....

Yes you are.

In the context of your post you're saying "he's rich, he's collecting social security....does anyone know why he's collecting social security since he's so rich?"

The rest of your "questions" are the same...they're statements with question marks at the end. He's rich, but he's collecting a navy pension. He's rich, but he's using $85M in federal funds for his campaign.

Like I said, when people say "I'm not attacking here..." yes they are. When they say "I'm not suggesting..." yes they are. When they say "I'm not accusing..." yes they are, otherwise why would they have brought it up?

thewise1 · 04-18-2008, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by TankRizzo

I don't really see your point. Why wouldn't you collect it? By that same logic, why doesn't Obama refuse his senate money since he's making millions elsewhere?

I think my overall point of sharing this was to point out that Obama is actually producing and creating wealth through private enterprise, while McCain is not. This seems backwards to me given the general labels placed on each party, and I want to give credit to Obama for doing so, even though I still can't vote for the guy.

TankRizzo · 04-18-2008, 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by thewise1

I think my overall point of sharing this was to point out that Obama is actually producing and creating wealth through private enterprise, while McCain is not. This seems backwards to me given the general labels placed on each party, and I want to give credit to Obama for doing so, even though I still can't vote for the guy.

McCain isn't exactly a welfare case, I think he's earned every dollar he's collecting...well....aside from that absurd senate salary, but that's another issue

7960 · 04-18-2008, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by thewise1

I think my overall point of sharing this was to point out that Obama is actually producing and creating wealth through private enterprise, while McCain is not.

Nothing screams "american enterprise" more than "beer distributor."

Sure, sure, it's not "his." And the money my wife earns isn't "mine".......but I get to spend it

Linzyhop · 04-18-2008, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by thewise1

I'm not really sure what my opinion is on whether or not it's good or bad. On the one hand I am irritated when people live off the government cheese, and have turned down positions with the government because I don't want to be involved in living off of taxpayer money or work with people who are so not driven.

On the other hand, I can also see an argument for "hey, I paid in, might as well get my share out too"

I'm not attacking anyone per se here, but I think it's thought provoking.

um, if you work for the government, why would it be absurd to get paid by the government?

thewise1 · 04-18-2008, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by 7960

Nothing screams "american enterprise" more than "beer distributor."

Sure, sure, it's not "his." And the money my wife earns isn't "mine".......but I get to spend it

I wonder if she brings him a beer when he says 'get me a beer woman'

thewise1 · 04-18-2008, 03:49 PM

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

um, if you work for the government, why would it be absurd to get paid by the government?

I don't think I said it is

Linzyhop · 04-18-2008, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by thewise1

I don't think I said it is

well then i am thoroughly confused by what you're trying to say.

thewise1 · 04-18-2008, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

well then i am thoroughly confused by what you're trying to say.

See #11.

Also I'm honestly not trying to say anything. I got several things out of this tidbit of news and thought that some of you may get different things as well. Clearly that is the case since some perceived this as an attack on McCain and some perceived it as an attack on Obama

7960 · 04-18-2008, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by thewise1

I wonder if she brings him a beer when he says 'get me a beer woman'

I wouldn't be surprised if they have people for that.

And good for him if he does.

Linzyhop · 04-18-2008, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by thewise1

See #11.

Also I'm honestly not trying to say anything. I got several things out of this tidbit of news and thought that some of you may get different things as well. Clearly that is the case since some perceived this as an attack on McCain and some perceived it as an attack on Obama

um. ok.