Michelle Malkin: Reality doesn't fit wealth-bashing narrative

Vice President Joe Biden, America's textbook Beltway barnacle, still labors under the illusion that he is America's middle-class Everyman. And now, he's gone and dragged his adult children into the land of Democratic make-believe. This is a BFD: a Biden Fabulist Dud.

As usual with White House class-warfare demagoguery, reality doesn't fit the wealth-bashing narrative.

At the International Association of Fire Fighters 51st Convention in Philadelphia on Wednesday, Biden stoked passive-aggressive resentment of the 1 percenters. "The wealthy," he sniveled. "God bless 'em," he snarked. "I wish my kids would become wealthy," he sighed before railing against tax relief for all those evil, privileged rich people earning more than $250,000 a year.

Does Biden have kids we don't know about? Because his three children with wife Dr. Jill Biden all appear to be, well, doing just fine. Way more than just fine.

Daughter Ashley, a social worker in the Delaware state bureaucracy, graduated from Tulane University and has a master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She's married to an otolaryngologist/plastic surgeon at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals in Philadelphia. Along the way, Ashley's husband also racked up a Ph.D. and snagged a slot as an assistant professor of otolaryngology/head and neck surgery and as a director of the Herbert Kean Center for Facial Aesthetics.

Not exactly Occupier-level poverty in that line of business.

Oldest son Beau is the current attorney general of Delaware, a former Justice Department official and federal prosecutor, a former partner in the Wilmington law firm Bifferato, Gentilotti, Biden and Balick, and a career beneficiary of the Biden dynasty.

Then there's younger son Hunter. Vice President Biden, meet your well-heeled and wildly successful lobbyist/lawyer offspring.

Hunter Biden now fronts Eudora Global, "a uniquely organized growth and acquisition firm focused on purchasing and accelerating the development of high potential enterprises in industries that meet its selective investment profile." He co-founded the firm with Jeffrey Cooper. Who is Jeffrey Cooper?

Cooper helped build one of the biggest asbestos litigation firms in the country. SimmonsCooper, based in Madison County, Ill., has donated a whopping $196,050 to the senior Biden's campaigns since 2003, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics in Washington, D.C. In that same time frame, the firm poured $6.5 million into lobbying against a key tort reform bill -- which Sen. Biden worked hard to defeat. Cooper also contributed to Beau Biden's first attorney general campaign and paid Beau for legal work on Delaware asbestos litigation cases.

Hunter Biden was previously a top official at PARADIGM Global Advisors, a hedge fund holding company founded with Vice President Biden's brother, James, and marketed by convicted finance fraudster Allen Stanford. As Paradigm chairman, Hunter Biden oversaw half a billion dollars of client money invested in hedge funds while remaining a lobbyist at Oldaker, Biden and Belair. Cooper chipped in $2 million for the ill-fated venture, which went down in flames amid nasty fraud lawsuits.

Before all that, Hunter Biden was a senior vice president at MBNA America Bank, one of his dad's wealthiest corporate campaign donors. An MBNA bank official helped facilitate an eyebrow-raising real estate deal for Daddy Biden that paved the way for the acquisition of a custom-built house in Delaware's ritziest Chateau Country neighborhood.

While raking in consultant payments at MBNA, Hunter Biden also served as a founding partner in D.C. lobbying shop Oldaker, Biden and Belair. His lobbying for drug companies, university earmarks and other clients and causes brought in nearly $4 million in 2007 alone.

Nice Beltway influence-peddling work if you can get it. As I noted in my book "Culture of Corruption," one client seeking federal government earmarks told The Washington Post, "Biden's parentage was a selling point."

Nepotism has its privileges -- and the Biden children, despite Papa Joe's lamentations, have enjoyed far more than their fair share.

Michelle Malkin is a syndicated columnist and author. Her e-mail address is: malkinblog@gmail.com.

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Comments

hawaiian's picture
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Michelle's Reality doesn't fit . ..

Michelle , Friday 12:45 HSt • 
He's a better VP than you'd ever make and he's not running for President
We applaud his work on http://ww.amtrak.com and elsewhere
b t w - Vote this August 11th in your local primaries
/s , the voters

veritas's picture
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Michelle conveniently forgot to mention......

That VP Biden's son Beau served a year in Iraq as a Major in the Delaware Army National Guard.

Now how many of her Chicken-Hawk buddies over at Fox et al have served in the Sandbox???

Do tell, Michelle Maglalang.......

fixit001's picture
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Hey Clair

I clicked on agree and the responce was disagree this is really fishy

veritas's picture
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Click on 'Agree' again and it will be rescinded....

Then hit the button of your choice.....

fixit001's picture
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Ok so Bidens Rich

Ok so Bidens Rich and he even belives he should pay more taxes as well as his family, I mean if he is all for this tax increase ( oops Lets really clear the record Tax Increase That is the republican stance while IN FACT it is a repeal of a Tax Break not a Tax Increase. Please dont Spin the truth Michelle. Anyway if Biden's is for removing this tax break then he must also feel he AND his family should pay THIER FAIR SHARE right??? Now I am not a Biden Fan but dang it enough with this media campain to turn american against american republican against deomocrat we MUST work together for the better of all America not one party or the other THIS IS WHY THIS COUNTRY IS GOING TO &%$$!!!

Pirate's picture
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"That is the republican

"That is the republican stance while IN FACT it is a repeal of a tax Break not a Tax Increase."
If the tax rate before the tax cut was 20% and the tax cut reduced it to say, 15% making it a 5% tax reduction.
If the tax reduction is repealed and the rate returns to its original rate of 20%, why is that NOT a 5% tax increase?

Mike Lachance's picture
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Amazing isnt it...

Dems RAISING taxes is always reported as a "repeal of (R) tax breaks"
Welcome to Wonderland, Alice.

Claire2323's picture
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What a crock

If you went to a restaurant and ordered a hot dog and a coke and your friend ordered expensive wines and cocktails and filet mignon and then wanted to split the bill in half when the check came you would probably resent it. This would be about fairness not wealth redistribution or socialism. He got more and he should pay more. Billionaires and corporations love America. This is where they make their money. They get it from customers, ie the middle class, from tax-payer funded government investment in infrastructure (roads, bridges, electrical grid, internet, dams, ports, airports, trade deals etc.) and national and international security, scientific research, bailouts, free use of government lands, the oil reserve, subsidies and programs like college loans and mortgages, medicare, food stamps, social security and section 8 housing. When it comes to pay for all that though they hire lobbyists and bribe our reps in Congress to give them tax loopholes and lower rates. Those of us who get a paycheck don't get loopholes or lobbyists and we get stuck with the bill. When we object they either borrow the money or attack middle class benefits like the mortgage interest deduction, college loans, mortgage loans, and the latest, a bill to stop paying for nursing home care and to attach the homes, bank accounts and salaries of the relatives of nursing home patients or they raise our taxes through sales taxes. I don't care if Biden's children are wealthy . I only want them to pay a fair share for what they get from doing business in America. If they get more they should pay more. That's fairness not envy

Mike Lachance's picture
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The Reality is....

Your analogy would only be true if the Hot Dog & Coke bill were charged to the steak and wine patron because "he can afford it"... This is the reality. Whats more. Not only would your meal be "free", everyone else in the restaurant who ordered a Hot Dog & Coke would have their bill charged to the "rich greedy evil dude" in the corner trying to enjoy his steak and wine. After all, its only fair that the evil greedy rich dude "pay his fair share"... right?

So is it fair that the working poor still earn money but pay ZERO in taxes? Money is money. Income is income. You make money then you should pay taxes like everyone else. Shouldnt matter what our "personal stories" are when it comes to taxes. On top of this, we have folks who dont work a day and earn zero who still recieve a IRS payment at the end of the year. The IRS has become a backdoor welfare system for hundreds of thousands of citizens. Is that fair to those who work for their livelyhood and often get audited for all that effort (even if nothing is found wrong)?

QUOTE: "Billionaires and Corporations Love America"....????
You'd rather that billionaires and Corporations HATE America? Well, thats where its going. I guess when all the Billionaires and Corporations leave America then we can all be poor and on welfare together. I guess thatd be fair to those on welfare right now huh.

I want those making under $30,000 a year to pay *their* "fair share"....
EVERYONE. Whether they make $29,900 or $2.90 in one year. Pay your income tax on that income.
Fair is Fair. Everything else is just pure emotional hogwash. If you earn it, pay it.

veritas's picture
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So tell us, Mike.....

How does one not work a day - and still receive an IRS payment??

Mike Lachance's picture
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You're trying too hard to be smarter than everyone else...

(and failing)

Many ways this happens. Just one example, try to keep up and pay attention...

The Internet is a common means of making money with no actual work. For example: eBay, Amazon, etc, all have generous commission programs. A housewife can have a free website she created 2 years ago and host links to eBay auctions or Amazon products... referrals to those sites generate a commission that is sent to her and filed with the IRS with a 1099MISC which she will be required to file at the end of the year.

While she definately didnt work a single day, her website was up and running all year bringing in easy cash from the big dot-com websites. Since she didnt earn enough (in this example) to be required to pay a single net-penny in taxes, she doesnt pay anything to the IRS. But since she is filing and did take some money home, the IRS offers her half a dozen credits for having kids and being "poor".... result: she takes home a few $G's on our tab.

If you think this doesnt happen, you'd be kidding yourself.

veritas's picture
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She may not have planted tomatoes

But obviously she planted a website from which others harvested hits. And had time and business expenses in feeding and watering that website.

Sorry. Your example doesn't hold water.

Claire2323's picture
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If you earn it pay it

That doesn't sound to me as if we disagree all that much. Suppose continuing with my analogy that hot dog guy brings a couple of kids who have the child spaghetti plate and filet mignon guy brings his parents who have the senior special. They are not asked to pay because they have no income ( the 50%) so hot dog guy and filet mignon guy pay for them. This is fair because when the seniors did have income they did pay for filet mignon guy and the kids will pay for hot dog guy when they grow up and he no longer has an income. The dinner rolls that nobody wanted and the salads that the seniors did not like will go to the shelter and the homeless will not pay. Hot dog guy is willing to pay for his lunch. He is not asking filet mignon guy to pay for his dinner or for all the other hot dog eaters in the restaurant, he only wants him to pay for what he and his parents ate. There are several years where I paid more taxes on my income than general electric, exxon and haliburton combined. How can it possibly be fair for general electric to pay zero taxes and even get a rebate while showing massive profits. Romney has admitted to paying less than 13% some years. They are job creators you tell me? Well suppose after hot dog guy's complaining that filet mignon guy agrees to leave the tip. His tip, however, is so small that he fears the waiter will not serve him next time or worse spit in his food (he has no health insurance so God only knows what one would come down with) so hot dog guy chips in money for the tip. Now the waiter has food stamps in addition to his salary. Filet mignon man is still mooching and has still not paid for his meal and hot dog guy is paying way more than his share. The tax code needs to be fixed so that the rates are fairer and the loopholes are closed and the government has enough money to pay its bills.

Mike Lachance's picture
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We basically agree.

Claire, I agree that on this subject we are in agreement. However, you've added way too many "buts" and filled your post with qualifiers. This is exactly the problem with the Tax Code in the first place.

I want to see everyone paying taxes on income they recieve, and no one getting more money back from the IRS than they paid in.
This would mean Helen Housewife pays the IRS an income tax on the $1250 she made in babysitting. she doesnt get a "credit" and she doesnt "end up paying zero"....

At the same time, the credits that Corporations enjoy would also be eliminated. This would mean "the working poor" would get a little bit poorer, and the Corporations would NOT get away with "not paying their fair share"... With both these fixes the top marginal rate could be cut drastically (a HUGE tax cut for "the rich") while the poor poor "poor people" would have the FINALLY pay "THEIR fair share".

That is fair.
"Fair Share" works both ways. I believe a flat tax is the best solution in this regard because no longer could the class warfare weapon be used against Americans the way its being used today (Obama, Biden, Pelosi, et. al)

Do we still agree?

Claire2323's picture
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Not so much

We are still splitting the bill in half. Now filet mignon guy can add a lobster to his meal and hot dog guy can lower his tax bill by ordering a hot dog with no frankfurter in it and the kids, seniors and homeless guy have to chip in to make up the difference. I'm with you up to the point where filet mignon guy gets a lower tax rate. If plugging loopholes creates enough wealth that the government has enough money then they should all get a tax cut with the kids, seniors and homeless guy getting the biggest one.. Otherwise filet mignon guy should pay for what he gets and stop mooching. If doing business in this country allows him to own 6 homes , 30 cars and millions in income, he should support the system proportionately. Otherwise he should try doing business in Somalia.

Mike Lachance's picture
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Calire, your missing the

Calire, your missing the reality of it all. The bill will never be split in half. The rich dude earned that money, and it is his to keep minus the fair share tax rate that is equal to the poor dude. There are so many more poor dudes that would now be paying their fair share that the excess revenues collected would allow an across the board tax cut for everyone, still maintaining the same fair rate for rich and poor. The poor dude still pays taxes however, which is more than he was paying when he wasnt paying anything and often getting $$ from the IRS when he didnt pay any taxes in the first place. The net result is the poor dude pays taxes and still can only afford a hot dog but not the Coke. Water would be what he drank. The rich dude is still rich- richer in-fact - and not only can still afford is steak and wine, but gives a bigger tip to the poor server.

After all this, the rich dude can also afford to give the poor dude a raise, since he is now paying less taxes than before. The poor dude in-turn can now afford the Coke, since he just got a rasie from the rich dude who now pays lower taxes because all the millions of poor dudes are now paying their fair share of taxes at the same rate as the rich dude (who has enjoyed the across the board rate cut!

The poor folks who dont pay any taxes on their earnings (and infact get "free" money from the IRS) cannot get the biggest tax cut, let alone ANY tax cut. If fair is fair, and everyone pays "their fair share" then the working poor will have to ante up and pay taxes. They would get a net tax increase, and this would solve the revenue problems in the US. You cant cut zero.

In closing, you stated:
"...filet mignon guy should pay for what he gets and stop mooching. If doing business in this country allows him to own 6 homes , 30 cars and millions in income, he should support the system proportionately. "

Claire, it was Karl Marx himself who wrote:
"From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs!"

Claire2323's picture
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Karl Marx??

Inserting Karl Marx into the US tax code is quite a stretch. I guess we could also say we don't want to incorporate the principles of feudalism either but if you want a quote I think it was Jesus who said" Where there is no justice there is no peace". As for filet mignon guy being able to pay higher wages because he got lower taxes, we have 10 years of proof that it won't happen. For all the tax cuts that the wealthy have had in the last 10 years, wages have never been lower. The favorite corporate tactic for fattening the bottom line is and probably always will be to lower employee costs. That's capitalism.

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