CPAC: Rand Paul to Obama: do you hate rich people?

By: Leigh Ann Caldwell
Topics: Congress

(Credit: AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

An animated Senator Rand Paul gave a pointed address at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, DC, Thursday, asking President Obama both "Do you hate all rich people?" and "Do you hate all poor people?"

The Kentucky Republican answered his own questions and concluded that the answer was no -- he just hates some of them.

"The president doesn't really hate all rich people, just those who don't contribute to his campaign," Paul said.

Paul referenced an investor in green energy company Solynda, George Kaiser, who was a campaign contributor to the president. Soylndra received $535 million of government-backed loan guarantees before filing for bankruptcy last year. Republicans in Congress have launched a multi-pronged investigation of Solyndra and are pushing the White House to release additional documents or be issued subpoenas to appear before Congress.

"If you're a crony, if you're a buddy, just stop by the White House," Paul said sarcastically on Thursday.

At one point, Paul said he was going to be "serious" and said he doesn't think the president "hates" the wealthy or the poor. "But the president continues to roam the country blaming millionaires and billionaires," Paul said.

Speakers at the conference are focusing their attacks on President Obama, a welcome message among the Republican activists here, most of whom are working to win the White House and Senate and hold on to the House of Representatives this year.

Senator Paul, whose father, Rep. Ron Paul, is a presidential contender, said this year's election is crucial. He invoked the "optimism" of Ronald Reagan, who he said "turned a whole generation of Democrats into Republicans."

Asked Paul: "Who will be that next Ronald Reagan?"

Leigh Ann Caldwell
Leigh Ann Caldwell is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
Follow on Twitter »

32 Comments +

Add a Comment

See all 32 Comments


by carroll6 February 11, 2012 2:46 PM EST: No, but I do. I'm tired of fighting their wars..and PAYING THEIR TAXES. Tired of the scams that allowed themselves to bloat like big fat swollen ticks. Like Microsoft cramming it's crummy operating system down the world's throat.; Reply to this comment

by michael661618 February 11, 2012 2:33 PM EST

Awe no he doesn't and I don't either, but you've got to wonder why most rich people are paying 15 to 20 percent while the rest of joe six pack is paying over 29 percent. I was taught to share to make sure I did right by others less fortunate. How is it that it is right for a person who has all the money in the world and lawyers, off shore accounts, dummy corporations to pay 15 percent when everyone else is paying over 29 percent. And don't give me the trickle down theory, that doesn't work.

Reply to this comment


by Smackabout February 14, 2012 4:42 AM EST: Actually, 'rich people' who pay 13-20% income tax pay a tax called capital gains tax, while the rest of us pay an income tax.
People who receive capital gains get those capital gains from corporate or business profits. (From stock dividends.)
Corporations and businesses pay, in the US, a corporate tax rate from 15-35%. (15% if the business makes less than 50000 dollars profit a year.) This means that for someone to make millions in dividends and pay a 13% capital gains tax, their income is first taxed at 35% (highest bracket), and then the remaining 65% that goes into dividends is taxed an additional 13%, which means another 8.5% tax.
So in total, 'the rich' are paying 43.5% taxes on their incom, AT BEST, whereas if they're paying 20% cap gains, they're paying 48% taxes on their income. Half their ****. Sounds like their fair share, all right.

by dnhines February 11, 2012 6:31 AM EST

I guess Rand loves the middle class. He loves them so much that they can pay an effective tax rate of 30% while someone who make $20 million a year can pay an effective rate of 13.9%.

Because President Obama loves this country enough to lower the deficit and eventually the debt by adding fairer taxation to someone making that much money is HATE, in the eyes of conservatives, for the RICH, whatever RICH means. That's empty rhetoric.

Romney, in this campaign proposed a 0% tax rate on capital gains. In other words, he would be protected by our military, have his industry regulated by the SEC, use the federal courts, use the Internet, along with the rest of our public resource, all for free, while the rest of us pay his part, all because he is considered a JOB CREATOR.

Asking him to pay an effective rate of 30% isn't hate, it's just fairness. His effective rate should be higher than the average person but it's going to take time for the public to get over the GOP tax cut hangover before that can even be proposed.

Reply to this comment


by Smackabout February 14, 2012 4:45 AM EST: 35% corporate tax rate + 13.9% capital gains tax * 0.65 (remaining corporate income after corp tax) = 44% EFFECTIVE tax rate on their income. That's 14% more than the middle class, so yea, I'm sure 'the rich' would LOVE to pay just 30% like the rest of us.


by beancube2010 February 11, 2012 4:47 AM EST: How much income tax Rant Paul will pay for 2011?
How about in the last 5 years?; Reply to this comment


by stevegelder February 11, 2012 12:57 AM EST: Why don't they let former Louisiana Governor and four-time Congressman Buddy Roemer speak at CPAC or to participate in any of the debates? He's more experienced than Herman Cain, Michelle Bachmann or Rick Perry, and they got to play with the other kids!

Hey, CNN and Arizona GOP - let Buddy talk in the upcoming debates! He qualified for matching federal funds for his campaign, so he must be legit, and if we're paying for his campaign, I wanna hear him debate - he can't be any worse than this bunch!

http://www.signon.org/sign/cnn-gop-let-buddy-roemer.fb1?source=c.fb&r_by=2443755; Reply to this comment

by irrationalnumber February 10, 2012 5:08 AM EST

"Socialism started by saying it was going to tax the rich, very rapidly it was taxing the middle income groups. Now, it's taxing people quite highly with incomes way below average... Socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess. They always run out of other people's money." - Lady Thatcher, Feb. 1976

Reply to this comment


by irrationalnumber February 10, 2012 8:47 AM EST: economicterror: read Lady Thatcher's quote above again. Then do a Google News search for "Greece" before you go on about how to plug the gaping spending hole with money that is not your own. I think you will stop worrying about who pays what tax and that 50% of US taxpayers do not pay any Federal income tax real fast.


by benunhappy February 10, 2012 11:07 AM EST: If the wealthy payed their fair share (not any more than their share) we would not be in this mess. When you let the wealthy rule theres no saying NO to those who have been bought!

See all 4 Replies

by RonWillison February 9, 2012 11:08 PM EST

I gave away my TV three years ago. The very best decision I ever made for myself. Within thirty days. The pangs went away. So did the anger. I actually made it all the way home without having to stop and buy something. Does that compute people? Does the fact that Ron Paul's campaign has been overtly undermined by our press and both Republican's and Democrat's alike not raise the hair up on the back of your necks? Does it not bother any of you that our children that have been, and still are sitting in the crosshair's of war. You know. The ones that have taken money from their slim budgets and sent to Ron Paul's campaign. Have been spit upon by everyone that has taken part in this farce known as the Republican Primary Election. Do any of you really know what the real reason we have an Aircraft Carrier battle group sitting on Iran's front porch? How many of you realize that Like Iraq and Libya. Iran's only real crime is that they have rejected US Federal Reserve Notes in exchange for their Oil Exports. How many of you know that India paid Iran GOLD for Oil last week? Or that Iran has agreed to accept China's YUAN's for Oil. Every commenter on this site is doing EXACTLY what the ANGRY FEDERAL RESERVE BANKERS and FRIENDS want you to be doing. Every single problem the WHOLE WORLD has. Can be found and directly tied to the FED and FAMILIA. For crying out loud WAKE UP. YOUTUBE search bar 'The Secret Of Oz' Then everybody come back and apologize to each other.

Reply to this comment


by benunhappy February 10, 2012 11:12 AM EST: IF you listen to the candidates you will hear the same message over and over, just like the preaching we hear in church. Maybe if you listen enough you will be hypnotized too. Sometimes we believe things even if they are lies if you hear it over and over again, and we don't even question the facts.


by RonWillison February 9, 2012 10:35 PM EST: I've read every comment down to Herne42. All you people need to do a youtube search for "The Secret Of OZ" Then watch and learn something. Geeesh!; Reply to this comment


by bmoncus February 9, 2012 10:35 PM EST: Right on Rand, tell it how it is; Reply to this comment

by abby_del_abbey February 9, 2012 9:14 PM EST

No, Obama does not hate rich people; he's rich by most standards. However, Rand Paul, you clearly hate poor people. Anyone who admires Ayn Rand as much as you do, a person who declared that poor people were "parasites" who only deserve to work for the rich, the rich who deserve everything. Rand Paul. you care naught for the poor, the middle class. You will destroy the middle class in your efforts to protect the rich.

Reply to this comment


by msmacdonald100 February 11, 2012 3:39 AM EST: The statement that Ayn Rand ever said, inferred or declared that poor people are parasites, is utterly false. The only thing Ayn Rand said about the poor is to quote the Reverend Ike, who said: "The best thing you can do for the poor, is not to be one of them".

I challenge the writer of this comment to cite the source of her allegation.