Barack Obama Supports Open Document Format

[user1397]

i saw this link on the openoffice.org news feed: http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2219248,00.asp

At least one candidate is talking about it...
I wonder if this will catapult some geeks and zealots to vote for him...

[kevdog]

This was previously discussed about a week ago.

[Palmyra]

I am still going for Ron Paul if it comes down to Obama vs. Paul, but if it is something like Obama vs. Giuliani, I am, of course, going with Obama.

[kevdog]

Im all for ODF, but if this is going to cost me to pay more F*****G taxes, then forget about it. Sales tax at 10.5%, gas tax = 1/3 the price of a gallon of gas.

[hanzomon4]

Yup O-bama is cool, He would be the best if he adopted Ron Paul's stance on the "drug war".[mini rant]My stance on politicians that say "I'm tough on X" or "I'm declaring war on X" is you're probably full of **** and just looking for votes at the expense of intelligent policies.[/mini rant]

I'm fine with paying taxes, granted I have a voice beyond one vote in what my government does with that money. A lot of my conservative friends like it when politicians talk about tax breaks. But the truth is that most of these tax cuts give heaps of cash to rich people that already have tons of ways to avoid paying taxes that are unavailable to the average joe. It's all a part of trickle down economics, the idea that money at the top will eventually find it's way to the bottom. I support tax cuts that help out the middle class and "the missing class"(the working poor).

[kevdog]

If you could tell me the upper limits of your income taxation scheme -- 40%, 50%, 60% --- then I would buy your argument. But to tell me that tax hikes are OK but lose picture of what you would consider your absolute limit is ridiculous. Shouldn't government be forced to be fiscally responsible also -- cut the fat before asking for more money?

[n3tfury]

i sure hope that one thing doesn't sway anyone's vote.

[hanzomon4]

If you could tell me the upper limits of your income taxation scheme -- 40%, 50%, 60% --- then I would buy your argument. But to tell me that tax hikes are OK but lose picture of what you would consider your absolute limit is ridiculous. Shouldn't government be forced to be fiscally responsible also -- cut the fat before asking for more money?

Huh?

I didn't say tax hikes are ok... I don't think giving tax cuts to the rich is a good idea, if your goal is to help the nation as a whole. I think giving tax cuts to the middle and missing class would work better to stimulate the economy because folks in these classes typically keep their money here in the states and, more importantly, need the money.

I'm very limited in my understanding of economics but I look at what has happened under Bush's tax cuts and can't see the benefit to giving money to the rich. The middle class is shrinking, the jobs that have been created lack benefits like pensions and health care, we have record deficits that have reduced the govs ability to fund SS, education, and programs that could help the uninsured, plus outsourcing hasn't skipped a beat. The rich are getting richer though...

So yeah, I'm for tax cuts that make sense. I won't support tax cuts that don't really benefit regular people.

Woot! Sorry for the OT post folks...

[kevdog]

Currently we have a graduated income tax scheme -- however raising one levels taxes while significantly reducing other people's taxes on another level seems more like income redistribution or socialism to me. Ive been in all tax brackets, from having 25 cents left in my pocket at the end of every month -- rashioning food to get buy -- to having large excess of cash left over at the end of each month to invest. Unless you are an entrapeneur, or just plain lucky, for most people a solid education is the key to improving your ability to earn more income. Spending 4-5 years extra in school learning additional skills oftentimes gives you a huge potential to earn additional income.

Although I know there are many examples you could think of that run counter to this rule, these individual cases are much more likely the exception and not the rule.

Although additional tax breaks may help relieve some of the stress associated with trying to make ends meet at the end of everymonth, they are not the long term solution.

As far as your assumption:
The middle class is shrinking, the jobs that have been created lack benefits like pensions and health care, we have record deficits that have reduced the govs ability to fund SS, education, and programs that could help the uninsured, plus outsourcing hasn't skipped a beat. The rich are getting richer though...

this is totally untrue. Most of what you quote is due to government as a whole. SS has been losing money for years, pension plans and outsourcing -- is this really a government issue, or more of a private sector issue? Healthcare -- you want the government to assume control of this also??

Government is not efficient at accomplishing any task. Name one thing they deliver efficiently and with minimal cost. I'm not sure if you work in the healthcare industry but the medicare program is a wreck. Healthcare offered to veterans at VA hospitals is atrocious. I look at care provided at veteran hospitals as a mini model of what would happen if government run healthcare became a reality, and frankly, I'm scared. As far as the current state of healthcare -- don't get me started. When the retiring CEO of United Healthcare receives a $1 billion dollar pension, you know the system is seriously broke.

As far as the rich getting richer under Bush -- this is flatout wrong. The mean income level has maintained the same, whereas the absolute number of people below the poverty level has fallen dramatically. Maybe you should check your facts.

Im not a Bush apologetic -- frankly I think he has done a lot of things wrong. I really do not like government as a whole. Throwing around statements such as the rich are getting richer however is just a totally incorrect statement. Be an independent thinker however, and actually go research the facts rather than relying on NBC, FOX, CBS, ABC, and other media outlets for your interpretive news.

As far as Obama supporting the open document format, I read his entire statement that was linked from his website. I didn't see any specific mention of the Open Document format, rather than a vague reference to supporting an open format.

[user1397]

This was previously discussed about a week ago.yea but I'm pretty sure a different article was cited.

[user1397]

As far as Obama supporting the open document format, I read his entire statement that was linked from his website. I didn't see any specific mention of the Open Document format, rather than a vague reference to supporting an open format.True, but c'mon, what other format would he be speaking of? OpenOffice XML? I don't think so...

[kevdog]

Its politics man -- I don't trust anything they say. If Microsoft donates $100,000 to his campaign, suddenly the Open format is Microsoft backed.

[toupeiro]

I think its great that he supports ODF... Frankly though, this isn't even a speck of dust on the glass cover of my radar in regards to political importance that I want our next president to focus on.