Posted on 04/20/2008 12:01:54 PM PDT by Mike Bates
Today's Chicago Tribune carries a frontpage article titled, "Michelle Obama's mission: Show voters humble roots." Mrs. Obama's recollections of how she and her husband not so long ago were deluged with bills and calls from collection agencies have become a major component of the campaign, designed to demonstrate that Senator Barack Obama understands financial difficulties and the folks encountering them. He feels their pain.
The article reports that Barack Obama "by all accounts, rose from humble beginnings and isn't that far removed from financial hardship in his own life."
But who's providing all those accounts on which the Tribune relies? The tenth paragraph, buried on page 23, notes that Mrs. Obama "doesn't come with documentation to back up her story about financial hardship. Asked to provide evidence of the Obamas' recent debt or contact from bill collectors, a campaign aide said the family was trying to find the records in response to a Tribune request last week but could not do so immediately."
It may take a while. To his credit, Senator Obama released his tax returns going back to the year 2000. On their joint 2000 return, the Obamas reported an adjusted gross income of more than $240,000. Their following year's AGI was over $270,000. In the past eight years, the Obama's worst was in 2004, when their AGI was a pitiful $207,000. Thank goodness for that wonderful child care tax credit, which the Obamas routinely took.
So here's a couple making over $200,000 annually and in most years quite a lot more. Yet they still had to sweat opening the mail and were plagued by calls from collection agencies. It's little wonder that it was only recently that Michelle (finally!) was proud to be an American.
In the meantime, I know we can depend on the Chicago Tribune and other mainstream media outlets to confirm all those accounts proving that the Family Obama actually experienced the difficult challenges they're now claiming.
Phhhhhht...phhht...holding breath...phhht...turning blue...
Perfect proof this guy shouldn’t be responsible for this country’s future.....couldn’t even manage his own finances well enough to keep the creditors at bay....
MEANT to type .....Perfect proof this guy shouldn’t be responsible for this country’s future.....couldn’t even manage his own finances well enough, while making $200,000/yr, to keep the creditors at bay....
That's saying something.
Guess I should have used that ol’ /sarc tag, huh?
But he TRIED and, in the final analysis, that’s what matters. Or so we’re told. Intentions are what count.
The /sarc tag was a given. ;)
Let’s assume, for the sake of argument, that the Obama’s are truthful about this.
What were they spending their money on? Then they got their sweetheart dirty deal with Rezko on their new mansion. Something stinks here, big time, one way or another.
Keep in mind that his income would not include the normal expenses that are covered by taxpayers, such as travel expenses, vehicles, etc.
I’m sure that’s a fleeting condition.
Credit reports are easily obtained, and routinely obtained by companies that are vetting potential employees. The information will generally go back seven years. Someone with access can easily prove the Obama’s claims one way or another. AND get information on what they were spending their money on.
Oh, I have no doubt Michelle found herself getting a call here and there about a bar tab, "Wally-World prescription," or medical check-up Barry neglected to pay. Just as he wasn't making the bed, I'm sure there were other things he wasn't doing that irked her.
But an AGI over $200K every year for the past seven only proves B&M were not really "feeling the pain" of taxpayers living "paycheck-to-paycheck."
HF
My husband and I have been married 45 years. We have never made more than $85,000 with both of us working. Now I AM bitter!
I wish I could feel the pain by making over $200,000.00 per year.
I know it’s painful, but someone has got to feel it though.
Maybe they shouldn’t have bought a house they couldn’t afford.
They were both affirmative action babies; their way in life greased. All they had to do was show up and go through the motions.
Were they svoiding sniper fire while getting all those bills and calls from collection agencies?
Yup, I'm okay now. ;-D
I'm sure that Obama took full advantage of all the Affirmative Action handouts the US Government has to offer - although as a child of a White Woman, and a Foreign National, he should not have qualified for any of it.
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