Compromise in Washington? : Join the Live Chat
President Obama unveiled his debt reduction plan today. Keeping Them Honest, for all the talk of compromise there seems to be none of it.
And up close tonight, the death of a whale trainer at SeaWorld Orlando. There was a hearing in Florida today over the trainer's death. She was was working on a platform next to the whale tank when she was hit by a killer whale and drowned. The amusement park is fighting accusations it put its trainers at risk. Plus, incredible new video of that deadly plane crash Friday at the air races in Reno, Nevada and much more.
Scroll down to join the live chat during the program. It's your chance to share your thoughts on tonight's headlines. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules.
Here are some of them:
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It seems like the criminals tortured those women.....over hours.
Wow!!!! Lot of rap sheet list what suspect had 27 and 50 times!!!! Good info Randi Kaye!!!!!!
Those men had no business in the people home!
How can one carry out such a horrible crime and expect to be free to be with their children? And, there had been other crimes. They met in prison? I am speechless.
For the whale to have killed before should be an alarm for extra caution–even if the trainers' interactions are seen to be routine.
The Rep-Dem divisions over the debt ceiling issue and now the jobs plan is both facinating and disturbing. At every level in a civilized society people make compromises so that the general welfare of all is served. Has political gamesmanship and rhetoric become the defining characteristic of American politics?
Chet, people with low pay get 6-8K back. End up being aound 20k a year. If you strugle to make ends meet while year long I bet those 8K refund doesn't help much.
Good evening everyone.
The first time I saw the video interaction between the trainer and the killer whale, I noticed the ponytail most of all. I could see how the whale could have fixated on it and think it was a big part of a game gone all wrong. I don't believe in animals of any kind being held in captivity for entertainment.
It's such a tragedy all around. The trainer loved her job and the whale too.
Did you all see that debris from the plane crash?
Yes, it was certainly much more than just dust.
Yup. I saw that plane crashed into grandstand.might have dust by wing or tail something like that........ Gloria!
it would be a double tragedy if the whale was actually thinking the trainer was trying to swim like a whale and was trying to help her go underwater
Yes, that might be true, but it is nothing compare to a well trained performance between man and animal!
To Anderson Cooper
Sir,
Since the new government of Libya has been accepted at the UN, why are the rebels still referred to as "REBELS"? The Qaddafi fighter are now the rebels, aren't they?
Thanks for your answer if you have one.
Jerry McKay
I wish the late trainer's family continuously wellness!
I agree. My thoughts and prayers are with them during this very stressful time.
We are going to Sea World this coming weekend for my grandson's birthday. I think a big issue is that particular animal had been violent and killed before. He probably shouldn't have been in the training program. It's been a big issue down here.
I was there last year right after the Accident happened..it wasn't his fault...he was playing with her and she was too close, he is a whale after all
Chet, if you paid your employees more then minimum wage they would pay more tax and get less refund on the end of the year. You can't pay someone 15-20K a year and expect them to pay 25-30% in taxes.
I think that tax rate applies to much higher than minimum wage workers. It is very difficult to pay 30 percent taxes.
i pay above minumum wage and i don't expect them to pay that but the government should not pay them either when you add what they get from the government they make more than me and without paying taxes..
I believe the President is offering assistance to small business like you. Let's hope so. Your situation sounds unfair.
I also had same thoughts some time back I wondering what was going on that time
later I heard about tax loophole I look more deep it was mess
They really problem if you look at the percentage rich get more on tax break
So I glad people have kids less income getting some thing but compare to rich those amount are nothing
If you look at the tax tables, no one making $15 – $20,000 year would pay anything near that much. The highest rate would be for a single person with no deductions thus taking the standard deduction. If that person made $15,000 their taxes would be About $980. If they made $20,000 their federal income taxes would be about $1730. Those itemizing with families, etc. would pay less and maybe nothing, and maybe get back more than they paid.
they get back more than they pay in.......plus medicare and all the rest.....they pay negative taxes zero zilch nada. but they get money back......if you add up all the handouts around this country it just might be more than a bailout........
You have a very good understanding of how it works. Even with the $8,000 perhaps they don't have a lot of money. But when it's $8,000 more than they paid in because of the earned income credit, it's basically a handout.
Do you think that the whale mistook the pony tail as fish?
Yes, Lori..... I think so.
His speech was devoid of the details I am now reading about - increases in co-pay,deductibles, premiums for Medicare, reducing doctor's reimbursements - my husband gets less than half what he got in the 1980's for the same procedure under Medicare - which means more doctors will stop taking Medicare or retire, like mine. I guess the Buffet tax is some sort of alternative minimum, but no details. This was all one big political speech and we are sick to death of of them. Run Hillary Run!
Hillary couldn't get her healthcare efforts to go anywhere when Bill was President. The problem now is our Congress won't go along with any big changes the same as they wouldn't in the Clinton era. Big insurance, big big money, big lobbyists. Meanwhile, the cost of healthcare in America continues to skyrocket and is a travesty in our country.
What happened to the whale?
Sadly nothing Lori.
I think he should be set free or euthenized. He has now killed twice.
Starr,
You are so absolutely right both of them...... I agree with that.
if there is no increase on the wealthy they should also have to hire a certain amount of americans....they don't give us a job they can pay hire taxes..........the send their workforce over seas than they can pay hire taxes.....the government needs to make it harder for american companies so send there manufacturing overseas and keep here in the states
Maybe corporations should do that; corporations and wealthy individuals are two very different scenarios when it comes to taxes.
Well according to President Clinton the private sector and the banks have a combined 4,000,000,000,000 (trillion) dollars that is being held because they are being cautious! I guess they could use some of that money if they have a little extra...
I believe he was talking about employers and the money companies have.
News Alert: Class warfare has been going on for the last 20 years. What used to the middle class is now working poor. The working poor are now destitute. The American dream is now a nightmare. College used to be affordable. Now people are so far in debt when they graduate from college they cannot catch up. The wealthy have become the mega-wealthy. When I was a child, I didn't know what a billionaire was, now people we have never heard of are billionaires. My husband and I made over 100k together and could not afford to go a honeymoon. I live in CA and the cost of living is sooo high we can't save a dime. Between private school, child care, gas, groceries and ridiculous rent this is it! So multimillionaire congressmen cannot fool me with Class warfare. They want me to stay poor and I'm not okay with that! #payyourshare!
Congratulations Anderson on your No More Bullying project with facebook.
We All know it is very important, given the amount of suicides and deaths that have occurred as a result of bullying.
Anderson.
Me too Congrats for you, too!!!! 🙂 I agree with my friend Starr! 🙂
Yes Starr, I saw that on Facebook and I wholeheartedly agree.
No matter what is put on the table, no matter how good it may or may not be, Democrats and Republicans in this Presidency will not come together. I think we are dealing with children throwing hissy fits when they don't get their way.
Chilling, sad report from Libya. I hope there is an end to the conflict soon.
This notion that 40% do not pay taxes is bull. You notice how they say they done pay income tax. What they do not say is that people pay payroll tax which is around 15%. I hate how these pundits pick up what suits their argument and just keep on keeping it on.
The point that is being made is that according to the IRS, nearly 50% of filers pay no federal income taxes. They are talking about federal income taxes. Everyone pays payroll which is actually 6.5% but was reduced this past year and may be reduced further. Everyone pays sales tax and probably state tax. Federal income tax is what was being discussed.
Stay safe because that is hard living!
i run a fast food restaurant and have 20 employees......some are single but most have children and some are married....i am single....and i'm the only one that pays taxes at the end of the year....after the medicare and food stamps and there big tax refund at the end of the year....the government actually pays them on average about 10k a year....how is is a refund if they get more than they pay all the while they tax me 24 percent not counting what i pay for health coverage
This sounds like cheating to me......and these do not sound like wealthy people.
nope they don't make enough money so the qualify for food stamps and the children get medicare some are also getting reduced rents on there house.....and then they get a refund of 6k to 8k at the end of the year when you add up what they get in hand outs. and the refund....some of them actually make more than me..... and i break even at the end of the year no refund and i pay 24 percent in taxes
Excellent point. A lot of people do not understand that some of the 50% who pay no federal income taxes at the end of the year actually get back what they paid and additional dollars via their deductions and the earned income break. Single people in your shoes are greatly discriminated against.
But somehow you are supposed to magically become a millionaire? This is not fair! But GE paid $0.
The employee thru deductions and lower wages pays 15.2 % on every dollar for Social Security and Medicare, They pay rent which pays for the landlords property tax, they have to spend every dollar they make to live that is another 7% sales tax. For starters they pay $2 dollas of their $8 an hour wage, I doubt that you pay health care benifits or retirement benifits
Fast food jobs don't pay enough in the first place, $15,000 a year give or take and if they get a refund of $10,000 give or take thats $25,000, it hard enough on minimum wage and single but if you have a family it's even worse. How can those who work in the industries make ends meet let alone owe something at the end of one year?
Mr. Flesher on your show over looked a few facts. The top 1 % (1.4 million earners) currently make about 20% of all income and in 1986 they made 11% . The bottom 50% (70 million earners) currently make about 12% of all income and in 1986 they made 17%. So 70 millon people's total income is about the same as 1.4 million people's total income. Ask a Republican if the Reagan trickle down economics is class warfare. Sure looks like it and the rich are winning.
The same 1% pays who makes 20% of all income also pay 40% of all federal income taxes so I would say they are paying their share.
That bottom 1/2 would love to pay more tax if they had more income. At some point the bottom half is going to have to quite buying anything and the income at the top is going to crumble. Henry Ford paid a god wage so he would have customers to buy his cars. What is the top 1% going to do when they have no more customers?
If you are talking about corporations, that is a problem. One of the reasons they don't hire more is that they don't need more people. If sales and demand pick up, most likely a lot of companies would then need to hire more people. As for the individual who is wealthy, most of them have their money set aside already so it wouldn't have much affect on them. Hopefully, however, they would continue to buy and keep some demand going.
Oh my god!!!! That was so scary video by Phil Black!!!!! That was so horror attack under CNN crew fire!!!!! Please tell Phil, Be careful and keep safe for us!!!
As a registered Republican, I am appalled at the actions of both the Republicans and the Democrats. It's time to take off the political hats and get this country back to work. Election or No-Election. People are Hungry and People are losing their homes. Seniors on fixed incomes do not need to lose their benefits in either Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid. Come on America wake up!
Good point Ray!!!!!!
Republicans are refusing to agree to ANYTHING Obama proposes, even it had previously been proposed by a Republican! They are, without a doubt, striving to widen the gap between classes. They are determined to eliminate the middle class. Under the guise of patriotism they are dismantling our government because THEY have what they need and don't care about others. In my opinion they are sociopaths without a conscience.
Republicans know that so much of their base hates the Pres so whatever they tell them they will buy it. Dems have to expain to people in the middle what is going on here. They are in luck since most people in the middle are educated enough to see trough statements such as "class warfare".
It is not like the wealth do not pay any taxes. They pay sales tax, property tax, use tax, corporate tax. They use deductions to avoid income tax.
Perhaps corporations use deductions. Individuals have few deductions. Once a person's taxable income reaches a comfortable amount (not even as much as $200,000), until the last year or so the alternative minimum tax kicked in and almost all deductions such as real estate taxes, etc. were taken out and they end up paying even more. President Obama should separate corporate taxes and individual taxes; they are being treat as one in the same as in no way are they.
I'm getting quite an education from you tonight. It certainly not as simple as it sounds.
Hopefully, the President will recognize the difference and act accordingly. (we could also write to him about this too).
Thank you. I agree. The President talks about millionaires and corporate jets in the same sentence. It's the corporation's tax papers that would show a write off for a jet, not the individual on his/her tax filings.
I hope our president Obama must veto that bill against Republicans as Tea Party!!!!!!!
Good evening every one
Class warfare what is that?
40 % don’t pay tax really
E- Commerce some don’t pay sales tax its hurting small business
Business don’t need tax break they need qualified person
one of the imbalances in society is when staggering amounts are spent on some people's wants, while some cannot afford what they need. that is a very negative and dangerous way to create and maintain a society.
You make a good point lisal.
In the past, wealthy families felt a "duty" to help the poor.
After WW2 – Corporations felt it was their "duty" to support the American economy.
Now, with a golbal economy and greed run wild, the ranks of the poor are growing, and few people of advantage feel any "duty" to assist them
And, very few Rep's feel any duty to help the Majority of the country.
Not a good formula indeed.
I saw this piece of video, very scary!
I hope they find Gadaffi very, very soon.
Yes, Starr..... I agree.....
I neglected to mention how courageous the entire team was.
I hope the team member that was injured will recover well.
I also wish them safety in an active war zone & appreciate their reporting for us!
I'm and Indepent voter in a swing state. Unfortunately, through no fault of my own, I became disabled 10 years ago at age 42. I hold two degrees and had responsible positions when I lived in MA. (first 40 years of life) I do not want to be disabled (who does?) and never expected to end up in this position. I'm on Medicare and SSDI.
INDEPENDENT – SWING STATE --- 100+% behind PRESIDENT OBAMA!!
Let Bachman, Perry, Boehner..... etc. come live with me for a year.... leave behind the salary, the benefits, the car, etc.
I think you know where I'm going...... any of them would be lucky if they could last two weeks!!!
Jim you do need new accoutant.
Anderson,
You touch my heart when your mom said that " Never give up" that was so breaking my heart one of audience brought rose to you mom..... I wipe my eyes tear away your show!!!! 🙁
Anderson has a beautiful heart and now I know where he got it from....His mother.
Yes, He is...... He is best son his mom have only son!!!! 🙂
How can it be class warfare when it's affecting only around 400K people? Are they kidding me? Do they really think people are dumb? Their taxes were low for 10 years, no jobs. Let's try something different. Maybe by paying more they will want their companies to produce more meaning they will have to hire some people.
Good evening anderson & Team 360.
Hello blogger friends.
Great panel discussion. Amazing how the President's plan is a "political" statement & "class warfare" plan as stated by Every Republican i have heard today!
Good Evening Everyone! Greetings!
I need Warren Buffets acct. I made over a million dollars and paid in 400k of income tax and I don't pay enough?
I think Warren primarily pays taxes on dividends and maybe some capital gains. He really should clarify what he pays on earned wages if he has any. You make a good point. Most in favor of increasing taxes on the wealthy have no idea what they already pay. A lot of the write offs that continue to be referenced are primarily corporate write offs, not the individual tax payer.
Sounds like you need a new tax attorney. However, I've yet to meet someone who refuses to make a million dollars because they'll only end up with $600K. You can make that much money because you live in the USA. You wouldn't be able to make that much elsewhere, so take the good with the bad and enjoy your $600K. Others would love to have your problem.
Good night everyone. Have a good evening.
Hellooooo everyone and Anderson!!!!
Thanks for coming in for join us tonight! 😀
Hope you have great weekend! 🙂
Happy Monday night!!!
Last night was excellent Emmy Award was so funny!!! 🙂
There was another poll that showed only 2 out of 10 people think they will be millionaires in the next 10 years. I'm not sure why anyone would be surprised that 70% or so are in favor of increasing the taxes on the wealthy since they know that would mean no increase for them.
Class Warfare? Really? Which classes do the Rushpublicans think are at war? The Super-Mega-Wealthy vs the rest of us? And it's no surprise which side the Rushpublicans take in this supposed Class Warfare. The Rushpublicans only care about their wealthy corporate masters and will fight with them against us, at any cost. This is not a class warfare but if the Rushpublicans want to spin it that way, sign us up on the side of average Americans versus the wealthy.
Well saiid, Mike!
Good point Mike..... I agree!!!
I agree Mike republicans protect the rich that is not class warfare
I totally agree with you Mike...
I, for one, have high hopes for the near future of America!
Good evening everyone. Hope you all had a nice weekend. Unfortunately I have to say that at this stage in Washington, I would be shocked if both sides could agree and get anything passed. What a terrible state of affairs for the American people. An absolute stalemate, no compromise, no common sense, no progress on emergency crisis needs in this country. We are all sick of them.
Hello Anderson! Hello Everyone! Good evening. The Anderson Show was so good today!
Anderson,
Hi! It's great to see you on. I hope you had a good weekend–great to see your segment on the Emmy Awards–it was hilarious.
–Sounds like a fascinating program tonight.