# How would Obama, if elected President, tear this country apart? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 14, 2008, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802 "2008-10-14T00:20:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802/41 "2008-10-14T15:08:24Z")
This relative is usually good at reasoned argument, but the only backing for his statement is that Obama is so far left. During the primaries he asserted that Obama was saying that he wanted to change the way we do thing in America, wanted to change the way we live, and he gave a local paper as the source. I looked it up, and all I could find is a statement where Obama stated he wanted to change the way we do politics in America. Which in my eyes is quite different. And for what it is worth, he does seemed to have made a change. There is much more information available about issues than I was able to find in the past, and funding the campaign from more donors who on average make smaller donations seems also to be a significant change. So, **lucky henry** , how do you think that Obama would be able to effect a redistribution of wealth that would tear this country apart? ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802/42 "2008-10-14T15:11:06Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > Regardless of what the wingnuts say, (after Obama wins) a few people may mumble a few sentences of discontent, then they’ll go back to worrying about paying their bills. Tear the country apart? Hardly. > > Edited to add… > I’m not referring to anyone’s relatives with that wingnut statement. More a reflection on the “He’s an Arab” crowd. I think his election will tear the country apart. Right after one of the racist, violent seeds being cultivated by Palin bears sniper rifle fruit. If he’s elected I’d be surprised if he gets to Xmas without a serious assassination attempt and if it’s successful the USA will reap what McCain and Palin are assiduously sowing. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802/43 "2008-10-14T15:12:49Z")
By now any reasonable person would, I think, have seen that Obama really is a unifier, not a divider. The only “tearing apart” is going to be by right-wing, borderline-racist, frothing-at-the-mouth yahoos who just cannot abide the thought of a black man being President. His center-left politics are just a minor irritant compared to that. If he’s elected, I hope and pray that the Secret Service will be very, _very_ careful. ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802/44 "2008-10-14T15:19:26Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > By now any reasonable person would, I think, have seen that Obama really is a unifier, not a divider. The only “tearing apart” is going to be by right-wing, borderline-racist, frothing-at-the-mouth yahoos who just cannot abide the thought of a black man being President. His center-left politics are just a minor irritant compared to that. If he’s elected, I hope and pray that the Secret Service will be very, _very_ careful. So, to me he seems center left, but apparently some think he is far left. Can someone who is not standing as far to the left as I am (which is further left than Obama certainly) address where in the left - center - right spectrum he stands? ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802/45 "2008-10-14T15:25:41Z")
> [@lee](#): > > So, to me he seems center left, but apparently some think he is far left. Can someone who is not standing as far to the left as I am (which is further left than Obama certainly) address where in the left - center - right spectrum he stands? Moderately right of centre, right of the Conservative Party in the UK. To call any Democratic Party politicians ‘left’ let alone ‘far left’ is laughable. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802/46 "2008-10-14T15:31:35Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > The only “tearing apart” is going to be by right-wing, borderline-racist, frothing-at-the-mouth yahoos who just cannot abide the thought of a black man being President. But it won’t be their fault, it’ll be his for forcing them to these extreme actions. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802/47 "2008-10-14T15:54:15Z")
> [@tagos](#): > > Moderately right of centre, right of the Conservative Party in the UK. To call any Democratic Party politicians ‘left’ let alone ‘far left’ is laughable. Yeah. I consider myself slightly, though firmly, left of center, and Obama (and Democrats in general) is pretty much centrist, slightly conservative to me. I know people who claim Obama is (not that I agree), and I quote, “to the right of Reagan,” based on his flip-flopping on the telecom spying immunity bill. I do, however, agree the idea of Barack Obama as being “far left” is coming from an insanely skewed political perspective. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802/48 "2008-10-14T16:15:38Z")
> [@C3](#): > > You’ve been waiting weeks to use this line, haven’t you? You have no idea… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802/49 "2008-10-14T16:20:20Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > According to my stepmother, Obama is part of a “sleeper cell” of moslem agents who were inserted in the US during the 60’s with the intent of overthrowing the American Way of Life. But the most important question of all: How much will he raise taxes? -Joe ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802/50 "2008-10-14T16:23:19Z")
He surely can’t be any more divisive than George W. Bush was in his first term. Thankfully in his second term he’s finally lived up to his campaign promise to be a “uniter”, at least in as much as he’s united 3/4 of the country in disapproval of the job he’s done. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802/51 "2008-10-14T17:49:49Z")
> [@lucky\_henry](#): > > To answer the title question, I’d say that if he makes good on his desire to “spread the wealth around” it would certainly go far towards tearing the country apart. But in a **good** way! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802/52 "2008-10-14T17:53:27Z")
> [@tagos](#): > > Moderately right of centre, right of the Conservative Party in the UK. To call any Democratic Party politicians ‘left’ let alone ‘far left’ is laughable. Where would [Dennis Kucinich](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_kucinich) be placed on the British political spectrum? ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802/53 "2008-10-14T18:03:11Z")
> [@lee](#): > > So, **lucky henry** , how do you think that Obama would be able to effect a redistribution of wealth that would tear this country apart? Hell, yes. It will make the rich people so mad that they’ll send their chauffeurs and maids to picket the White House. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802/54 "2008-10-14T18:28:19Z")
> [@lee](#): > > So, **lucky henry** , how do you think that Obama would be able to effect a redistribution of wealth that would tear this country apart? From the [Chicago Sun Times:](http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/1031268,CST-NWS-tax30.article) > [@](#): > > Obama says he would hike several taxes on people making more than $250,000, including the amount they pay on capital gains. Currently, the top income tax rate is 35 percent. Under Obama, that would go back up to 39 percent. Obama’s staff told the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center he would raise the rates for people in the top two brackets – about 2.5 million filers out of 100 million-plus. People in those high tax brackets would see the tax rate on their capital gains hiked from the current 15 percent to 20-28 percent. So, If Obama raises the top tax rate to 39 percent, it would still be lower than it was from [1993 - 2002](http://www.truthandpolitics.org/top-rates.php) So I will ask **lucky henry** again… How exactly will this tear the country apart? ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802/55 "2008-10-14T18:44:25Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > By now any reasonable person would, I think, have seen that Obama really is a unifier, not a divider. The only “tearing apart” is going to be by right-wing, borderline-racist, frothing-at-the-mouth yahoos who just cannot abide the thought of a black man being President. His center-left politics are just a minor irritant compared to that. If he’s elected, I hope and pray that the Secret Service will be very, _very_ careful. To be fair, some of the right-wing, frothing-at-the-mouth yahoos can’t abite the thought of a _liberal_ being President. I’m expecting the Fox News/Rush Limbaugh right to be in full Hillary-killed-Vincent-Foster-to-keep-him-from-revealing-her-lesbian-affair-with-Janet-Reno mode basically from now until whenever another Republican is elected President. ---
**Author:** ![lucky\_henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc8723/32.png) [@lucky\_henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lucky_henry)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802/56 "2008-10-14T19:59:54Z")
* * * First let me say that I will not be voting for either Obama or McCain. As far as I’m concerned they both sold out when they voted for the bail-out. * * * > [@C3](#): > > What does “tearing the country apart” look like? Exactly what are you envisioning? Protests? Riots? The downfall of the United States? Mass exodus? I envision protests and riots by rightwingers leading to some nutjob attempting to harm him, followed by protests and riots by leftwingers. > [@Jas09](#): > > I’m not sure I understand this. From [here](http://www.truthandpolitics.org/top-rates.php) the top marginal tax rate in 1963 was 91%. I don’t recall the country being “torn apart” in any realistic since of the word (even accounting for the presidents assassination). It was 50% as recently as 1986. Why would increasing the tax burden on the top wage-earners to a rate less than either of these cause the country to “tear apart”? And what would this mechanism be? Tax revolt? Domestic terrorism? Obama’s plan would increase taxes on $250k and up. Except for extremely small mom and pop places that would include most small businesses. If I were a small business owner I would certainly not plan any kind of expansion leading to hiring more workers if I knew it would essentially be pointless as I would be paying an even higher percent in taxes > [@lee](#): > > So, **lucky henry** , how do you think that Obama would be able to effect a redistribution of wealth that would tear this country apart? See above. > [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > From the [Chicago Sun Times:](http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/1031268,CST-NWS-tax30.article) > So, If Obama raises the top tax rate to 39 percent, it would still be lower than it was from [1993 - 2002](http://www.truthandpolitics.org/top-rates.php) > > So I will ask **lucky henry** again… How exactly will this tear the country apart? His plan also calls for an expansion of EIC. People who have paid NO taxes will be given even more. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802/57 "2008-10-14T21:02:25Z")
> [@lucky\_henry](#): > > * * * > > Obama’s plan would increase taxes on $250k and up. Except for extremely small mom and pop places that would include most small businesses. If I were a small business owner I would certainly not plan any kind of expansion leading to hiring more workers if I knew it would essentially be pointless as I would be paying an even higher percent in taxes You seem to be mistaking personal income tax on those people making $250,000 and up of PERSONAL income with the corporate tax on business. They are not the same thing. [In the United States, the top marginal federal corporate rate for income over $18.3 million is 35% (it can be as low as 15% for income under $50,000)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_tax) I suggest you edumacate yourself in future before posting. ---
**Author:** ![jshore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jshore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jshore)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802/58 "2008-10-14T21:18:43Z")
> [@lucky\_henry](#): > > * * * > > His plan also calls for an expansion of EIC. People who have paid NO taxes will be given even more. These people have payed plenty of taxes. They have paid federal social security taxes on their earned income (as opposed to the wealthy who only pay social security tax on their first ~$90k of earned income…and none on their unearned income, which often constitutes most of their income). And, of course, they pay state and local sales and property taxes, etc). ---
**Author:** ![lucky\_henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc8723/32.png) [@lucky\_henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lucky_henry)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802/59 "2008-10-14T21:45:05Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > You seem to be mistaking personal income tax on those people making $250,000 and up of PERSONAL income with the corporate tax on business. They are not the same thing. > [In the United States, the top marginal federal corporate rate for income over $18.3 million is 35% (it can be as low as 15% for income under $50,000)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_tax) > > I suggest you edumacate yourself in future before posting. Perhaps you should do the same. [http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/10/responding\_to\_the\_obama\_tax\_ca.php](http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/10/responding_to_the_obama_tax_ca.php) ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802/60 "2008-10-14T23:04:22Z")
> [@lee](#): > > I just finished a conversation with an older relative of mine who made this assertion several times that if elected President, Obama would tear this country apart. Is it possible that the oldster has confused and conflated ‘country’ with ‘GOP’? I’ve noticed quite a bit of that these past few years, and an Obama landslide would certainly cause problems within the later. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-obama-if-elected-president-tear-this-country-apart/467802.md?page=4)