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May 24, 2012

Jeff Jacoby: The peace process battered Israel's reputation
Clifford D. May: What Iran's Rulers Want
Michael Muskal: 'Pro-choice' position hits record low, according to poll
Chris Farrell: Are We in a Tech Bubble?
Kimberly Lankford: Switching Medicare Advantage Plans Mid-Year
Bryan McIver, M.B., Ch.B., Ph.D.: Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Understanding hyperthyroidism and its variety of treatment options
The Kosher Gourmet by Penelope Wall: PHILLY CHEESE STEAKS --- hold the steak!
May 23, 2012
Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: Baghdad talks highlight Western naivete
Tony Pugh: More private colleges offering tuition discounts
Lisa Gerstner: 4 Money-Etiquette Questions Answered
Mary Beth Franklin: How to Choose the Right Annuity for You
Art Markman, Ph.D.: Get smart: How to bulk up your creativity muscles
Tina Susman: The wig wasn't enough: Man gets 13 years for posing as his dead mom
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen:A simple way to do fish right
May 22, 2012
David S. Cloud and Kathleen Hennessey: Obama changes mind on Pakistan invite to NATO summit --- and then gets dissed by country's president
Warren Richey: Can US group challenge overseas surveillance act? Supreme Court to decide
Thomas M. Anderson: Walking Away From a Mortgage
Environmental Nutrition editors: The lowdown on a low-acid diet
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: Enjoy a celebration of the most rich and layered flavors: Black bean, sweet potato and quinoa chili
May 21, 2012
Mark Clayton: Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks
Howard LaFranchi: NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
Chris Farrell : Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
James K. Glassman: 5 Stock Picks Among Online Retailers
Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Social anxiety disorder --- or just shy?
Guy Jackson : Victim's father regrets death of Lockerbie bomber
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: Famed chef's veal shoulder farsumagru: A festive meat course for late spring
May 18, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: Striving: The People of the Book's Book for (All of) the People
Caroline B. Glick: Embracing dangerous delusions and not our friends
Steven Goldberg: 5 Great Stock Picks and the Exchange-Traded Fund that Owns Them
Janet Bodnar: How to Teach Kids to Handle Credit Cards
Mary Pickett, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Don't be forced into gluten-free lifestyle based merely on a doctor's false-positive test
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: DIY healthy lunchbox treats: HOMEMADE FRUIT BARS for kids and brown-bagging adults alike
May 17, 2012
Warren Richey: Teacher fired for being unwed and pregnant can sue religious school, court rules
Josh Mitnick: Netanyahu's 'centrist' coalition is already proving it's anything but
Steven Goldberg: Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Mary Beth Franklin: Retirement Savings Tips for New Grads
Amina Khan: Research links coffee to lower death rates
Chelsea Sheasley: Social media: Is it too feminine?
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Duran : Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole with Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
May 16, 2012
Jackson Holahan: The Aleppo Codex
Jonathan Tobin : Iran Declares Victory in Nuclear Talks
Anne Kates Smith: 7 Stocks That Let You Sleep Tight
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: A variety of exercises can help improve balance
Melissa Healy: National strategy on Alzheimer's disease aims to halt it by 2025
The Kosher Gourmet by Joyce White : GOODNESS GRACIOUS: GREENS! 4 winning recipes that are no longer just for down-home folks (Includes expert tips & techniques)
May 15, 2012
Dennis Prager: God and Man at (and for) Liberty
Kristen Chick: Obama administration resumes arms sales to Bahrain despite serious unresolved human rights issues. Activists feel abandoned
Pat Mertz Esswein: Homes are now affordable again and mortgage rates are low. What you need to know before you buy
Kathy Kristof: Our Practical Investor Fights Inflation with These 6 Investments
Sue Hubbard, M.D.: The Kid's Doctor: Lactose intolerant young child? Check again
Environmental Nutrition Editors: Get the facts on palm sugar sweetening
The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Hunt: Spread a Little Excitement with EXOTIC CONDIMENTS (4 RECIPES)
May 14, 2012
Richard Simon: Purple Hearts for domestic terror victims?
Nando Pelusi, Ph.D.: The privacy paradox: Surrounded by strangers, we risk isolation, anxiety
Chris Farrell: Investing Lessons from the Great Recession
Lisa Gerstner: How to Protect Your Identity, Finances If You Lose Your Phone
Harvard Health Letters: Heart disease and dementia
Tiffany O'Callaghan: New hormone mimics effects of exercise without the sweat
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: MANGO COCONUT OAT MORNING MUFFINS are a bright but hearty delight
May 11, 2012
Rabbi B. Shafier: Why happiness will always be elusive
Charles Krauthammer: Echoes of '67: Israel unites
Howard LaFranchi: With G8 snub, US-Putin 'reset' off to stumbling start
Jeremy J. Siegel: Investors, Relax About Rising Interest Rates
Jessica L. Anderson: Get the Best Deal on a Used Car
Jett Stone: Forget face-lifts and fake knees. Scientists have seen the fountain of youth --- and it's broccoli
The Kosher Gourmet by Chef Mario Batali: The famed chef's vegetable dish that tastes true to the season: FAVAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH POTATOES AND TARRAGON
May 10, 2012
Clifford D. May: The Real Palestinian Refugee Problem
Sergei L. Loiko: Putin sends warning to U.S., NATO in Victory Day speech at Red Square
Mary Rourke: How being a 'mentch' got Vidal Sasoon his start and fighting in Israel's War of Independence provided him with confidence and a strong sense of his own identity
Harvard Health Letters: Palliative care: Underused therapy yields surprising benefits
Jeff Bertolucci: Get Home Phone Service for Less Than $10 a Month
Rachel L. Sheedy and Susan B. Garland : Make the Right Moves to Boost Benefits
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Gleaming with its golden, crimson, and snowy white hues, this silken smooth and creamy STRAWBERRY ORANGE TRIFLE looks impressive, but is easy to prepare
May 9, 2012
John Rosemond: Parents, stop destroying the American male
Valerie J. Nelson: Maurice Sendak, author of 'Where the Wild Things Are,' dies at 83
Bob Frick: Angst Over Annuities
Sharon Palmer, R.D. How you can reduce your risk -- or delay -- chronic diseases associated with aging
Howard LeWine, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Why did my blood pressure suddenly shoot up?
Lisa Gerstner: Lower the Rate on All Your Loans
The Kosher Gourmet by Emily Ho : Springtime soba with miso sauce offers a coloful mix of fresh textures and flavors
May 8, 2012
Edmund Sanders: Netanyahu suddenly cancels new elections, forms unity government
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: Farewell to European superstate
Anne Kates Smith: 4 Stocks That Mimic Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway
Gaia Vince and Clare Wilson The Rise of Miniature Medical Robots: Fantasy Fast Becoming Reality
Paul Takahashi, M.D.: Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Never suffer night leg cramps
Jessica L. Anderson: Extended-Warranty Warning
The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Celebrate National Chocolate Chip Day with the Best Cookie Ever (Includes techniques)
May 7, 2012
Mark Clayton: Homeland Security warns major cyber attack aimed at gas pipeline industry underway
Angus Roxburgh: Putin Decoded: World view of a Russian feeling dissed
Kimberly Lankford: Navigate a Course for Long-Term Care
Kevin McCormally How to Adjust Your Tax Withholding
Celeste Robb-Nicholson, M.D.: Harvard Health Letters: How do you treat a Baker's cyst?
Joanne Capano: Healthy Snacks for Children: The Choices May Surprise You
The Kosher Gourmet by Penelope Wall: Classic Creamy Spinach Dip with a Fraction of the Calories and Fat
May 4, 2012
Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Holy 'trivialities'
Jonathan Tobin: Bibi v. Barak will be no contest this time around
Steven Goldberg: Blue Chip Stocks On Sale Worldwide
Art Pine Slow Productivity Growth a Blessing --- For Now
Sue Hubbard, M.D. : The Kid's Doctor: Are Kids Too Wired?
Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D: Foods that are good for your smile
Amy Paturel, M.S., M.P.H.: Eating Well: Foods that are good for your smile
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Strawberry rhubarb parfaits are elegant yet simple to assemble
May 3, 2012
Michael Freund: Who's Afraid of the Messiah?
Clifford D. May: The Foggiest War
Susan B. Garland: Insurance to Cover Old Old Age
Steven Goldberg 6 Reasons to Bet on a Big Bull Market
Harvard Health Letters: Treating prostate cancer --- no rush to judgment
Larry Gordon: Harvard, MIT partner to offer free online courses
Naomi Nix : Man gets free trip to Chicago after postcard sent by mother in 1957 finally reaches him
The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Intensely Italian vegetable frittata is a seriously simple standby


Jewish World Review July 25, 2011 / 23 Tammuz, 5771

With All Due Respect, Go Fly a Kite

By Bernard Goldberg


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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | Here we go again. President Obama has an op-ed out in USA Today about the debt ceiling debate and as sure as the sun rises in the east he's pulling out that old liberal Democratic chestnut, calling for the wealthiest Americans to cough up their "fair share" of taxes.

We've been through this before, but it means nothing to the president, or any other liberal Democrat for that matter. So let's go real slow. The top one percent of wage earners in this country pay about 38 percent of all federal income tax. The top 5 percent pay about 60 percent. The top 10 percent pay about 70 percent. And the top 25 percent pay 86.34 percent — all according to a non-partisan group called National Taxpayers Union.

You know who doesn't pay their fair share? The bottom 50 percent who pay only 2.7 percent of all federal income tax collected. I know, I know. These people aren't rich. I don't care. They need to pay something, just so they have some skin in the game.

But here's another point that nobody talks or writes about. You know how you're not supposed to say anything bad about certain protected things? Like you're not supposed to say, "I don't like puppies" because if you do, decent people think you're a weirdo. (I do like puppies, in case you care. Unless they're doing their business on my rug.) And you know how you can't say, "I don't like babies," because only monsters don't like cute little babies. (Just so you know, I like babies — as long as they're not sitting anywhere near me on an airplane.) And let's face it, you're really not supposed to say that a lot of people not making it these days aren't making it because of bad decisions they made along the way.

But we all know it's true. And I don't want the federal government to take my hard-earned money and give it to them in the name of fairness.

Hey, I'm all for helping people who are really trying to get by. I grew up in a lower middle class family. I got a state scholarship to go to college. But remember the kid in high school who never paid attention in class, who was too busy goofing off to do his homework, who thought school was a great big waste of time? Sure you do. We all know jerks like that. Sorry if I sound cruel, but I don't want to help him now that he's middle aged and can't pay his mortgage.

You know who else I really don't want to help. Stupid fifteen year old girls — or younger — who have babies figuring they can always get welfare to pay the bills. I want them to be a burden, not on the government, but on their relatives, on their neighbors, on their church — on anybody they actually know who they'll have to look in the eye and say, "Give me money." That's a lot harder, and a lot more humiliating, than looking a bureaucrat in the eye and saying "Give me money."

And, no, I don't want to pay for fat-cat defense department contractors, either, who charge $600 for a hammer or a toilet bowl or whatever, if that lunacy is still happening. And if the president wants to eliminate tax breaks for corporate jet owners, fine — even if the breaks amount to only $3 billion dollars over 10 years, which is lunch money in Washington.

President Obama ends his op-ed saying, "This debate offers the chance to put our economy on stronger footing, restore a sense of fairness in our country, and secure a better future for our children. I want to seize that opportunity, and ask Americans of both parties and no party to join me in that effort."

You might first want to stop vilifying successful people, Mr. President. When you tell over-taxed Americans that they're not paying their fair share, when you suggest that they're the ones who are freeloading on the backs of everyone else, there's a tendency for them — and me — to want to tell you to GO FLY A KITE! But that's another thing you're not supposed to say.

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JWR contributor Bernard Goldberg, the television news reporter and author of several bestselling books, among them, Bias, a New York Times number one bestseller about how the media distort the news. He is widely seen as one of the most original writers and thinkers in broadcast journalism. Mr. Goldberg covered stories all over the world for CBS News and has won 10 Emmy awards for excellence in journalism. He now reports for the widely acclaimed HBO broadcast Real Sports.

He is a graduate of Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey and a member of the school's Hall of Distinguished Alumni and proprietor of BernardGoldberg.com.


Previously:


07/20/11: Who Is A ‘Natural Born Citizen’?
07/18/11: Guess Who's Not Paying Their Fair Share
07/12/11: Against More Taxes? You May Be a Terrorist!
07/11/11: Casey Anthony: The TV Show
07/06/11: Standards and Double Standards at MSNBC
06/29/11: Is Jon Stewart A Racist?
06/21/11: Let's Play the Race Card --- Just for Fun Of Course
06/20/11: Sarah Palin and Weiner's Weiner
06/03/11: Memo to GOP: Turn Mr. Obama into Mr. Yesterday
05/20/11: I Get Letters From People Who Should Be Locked Up
05/09/11: Is ‘Torture’ Ever Justified?
05/02/11: The Promiscuous Use of the R Word
04/19/11: The Man Behind the Million Dollar Smile
04/12/11: What's the Difference Between Libs in Politics and Libs in the Media?
04/08/11: An Idea Whose Time Has Come — and Gone
03/28/11: The Pundits Are Driving Me Crazy --- And You Thought Qadaffi Is Nuts
03/14/11: No Liberal Bias at NPR — Just Ask NPR
03/10/11: The media's frustration
03/01/11: Progressives Lost in Time . . .
02/23/11: The Lamestreams Strike Again --- This Time in Madison
02/03/11: You MUST Own a Gun --- Or Else!
01/20/11: It Was Horrible, I tell you … HORRIBLE!
01/11/11: Here We Go Again . . .
01/06/11: You Go, Oprah
12/28/10: A Year-Ender --- The MSM and Obama's Fall from Grace 12/14/10: Thank
Heaven for Rich People

12/02/10: The Phony Nobility of Wikileaks

© 2011, Bernard Goldberg

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