Dog Food, Vet Care and Taxes

Years ago I joked with a friend that if I ever ran for office my campaign slogan would be: "Real solutions for real problems that real people really have."

Which is a nice way of saying that my veterinarian does not accept philosophy as payment for services.

Nor does the grocery store, or my car mechanic.

And so I listened with some interest when CNN's Joe Johns reported on what McCain and Obama would mean in terms of taxes.

It turns out that there is quite a lot of difference between the two.

And at every turn, Barack Obama wins.

At the micro-economic level (i.e. my wallet), Barack Obama is going to leave me, and 95 percent of all Americans, with MORE money in our wallets.

Those who make $38,000 to $66,000 a year will, on average, save $723 a year MORE under Obama than under McCain.

What's that mean for most Americans (and most dog owners)?

Simple: It means we will have more money in our pockets.

To put it in practical terms, it means we will be able to cover our veterinary bills and our dog food costs for the year ahead.

It means our car or truck will be able to get a badly needed brake job, and we may be able to buy a new tire or two as well.

Those who make $66,000 to $112,000 a year will, on average, save $281 a year MORE under Obama than under McCain.

What's that mean for dog owners?

Simple: It means we will be able to cover dog food costs for the year ahead, and pay for pet health insurance as well.

"Real solutions for real problems that real people really have."

Of course, John McCain wants to help out in his own way. Unfortunately John McCain simply does not get it.

He thinks anyone who makes less than $5 million a year is "Middle Class."

He cannot remember how many houses he owns.

It turns out that John McCain does not know real people with real problems.

Boiled in the oil of Washington for the last 25 years, and insulated from reality by the vast fortunes of his second wife (whom he married after cheating on his first wife), John McCain only knows rich people.

And so, while Barack Obama would extend no new tax cuts to those making between $227,000 and $603,000 a year, John McCain would give these well-healed Americans a $7,871 per year benefit -- enough to pay the cost of owning a brand new Cadillac Escalade and keep it full of gas too.

It must be nice.

And if folks make more than $603,000 a year, John McCain is going to do even better by them, cutting their taxes by $70,000 a year more than Barack Obama will. For the record, this $70,000 a year tax cut is equal to more than twice the average house mortgage in this country.

John McCain's tax plan is not only less equitable than Obama's; it would also leave this country drowning in debt.

The reason for this is simple: John McCain's total tax cuts are much larger than Barack Obama's, even if they would mostly benefit the richest 0.5% of all Americans.

McCain's give-away to the rich is so large, in fact, that the revenue lost to the U.S. Treasury is $1.3 trillion more than that under the Obama plan.

What that means is that America will stay in debt much longer, and the cost of servicing that debt will drag on America's economy for decades into the future. That means less job growth and less prosperity for all.

The bottom line: If you are a dog owner, you probably understand "dog food and vet care" economics.

You understand economics in concrete terms and not as a philosophical abstraction.

You probably know exactly how many houses you own, and you probably do not own your own jet airplane.

And so let me make it simple: Vote for Barack Obama, and your dog will get free food and vet care into the future.

That's change you can believe in.

And yes, it really is that simple.

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