You certaintly aren't rich at 25%. Most people are in the 25% marginal bracket. You are poor if you are in the 10% marginal bracket. 35% you are rich(Over $350,000 taxable income). 33% you better not be asking for money($200,000 MFJ / $160,000 Single) You are very much middle class in the 28% and 25%. Lowering the tax equally for both definitely favors the wealthy.
The problem is the fact that it is misleading to say that the tax cut was for the "rich" when it is actually a tax cut for all tax brackets and a larger tax cut for the lower tax brackets.
Yes, which proves my point. After wrestling with the Iraqi government for the last 2-3 months over details, the U.S. caved in to get a deal done. The Iraqis are dictating the terms, not America. For me, withdrawal from Iraq ceased to be an issue of distinction between the candidates last Fall when both Obama and Clinton stopped pandering by using the notion of a quick withdrawal to position themselves (while Edwards and Richardson continued down that wrong path).
There is a good chance that we only agreed to the deadline now because Obama won the election. Why did the Iraqis agree, assuming Obama would have gotten troops out over a year earlier unless they felt like they still needed us? Iraq didn't want troops to withdraw too early, thus the 12/31/11 deadline rather than mid 2010.
We agreed now because, legally, something had to be in writing before the end of the year. The framework of an agreement was in place already but there were several fine points where the U.S. just gave in. If the Iraqi government doesn't approve it by December 31st, the U.S. will have no legal right to be there. The election of Obama was incidental. The Iraqis has the U.S over a barrel and knew it. Seems to me the Iraqis are (for the most part) very pleased about Obama's election.
Explain why you think the Iraqi's favored this rather than waiting for Obama though. If they were wanting us gone and they had the advantage, why agree to delay a year and a half until withdrawl?
Iraqis Elected officials don't won't us there a minute longer than they need us. But they do need us and realize with Bush they have an open ear in the White house. What they get with Obama is anybodies guess. Iraqi Elected leaders don't want America meddling in their attempts to gain power but at the same time they still need us. These elected officials know it is much easier to take control of elections and gain power with us gone. So as I see it Iraqi leaders would like nothing more than to get us out of there ASAP. No outside power to oversee their greed is a dream come true. But they are not stupid. They know they can't defend themselves just yet. Which is why they voted in this agreement of withdrawal now in hopes that Obama may honor it in the future.
