A recent discussion thread:

"Max":  "none of the candidates running on the liberal ticket can tell the truth. I think that's a problem when your a liar before you take office....but then you liberals are used to that kind of representation so maybe it's not as big an issue.  http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,109269,00.html"

Me:  "From the Fox News Story: "Howard Dean (search), as he does routinely, stated that 60 percent of taxpayers only got $304 on average from Bush's tax cuts. That calculation applies to the lowest earning 60 percent of taxpayers -- many of whom pay little or no federal income tax to begin with. Middle income earners, especially those with children, saved substantially more than that from the lowering of income tax rates across the board."

Umm...Max? They're backing up what he said in that statement, yet complaining about it too. He didn't say middle americans, he said 60% of all Americans, which their info confirms."

"Max":  "I think you might want to re-read that article by the way. What they are saying is that Dean is full of shit. He's crying about the government not giving tax dollars back to all the assholes in this country that are too lazy to get a job and don't pay taxes in the first place."

Me:  "I think your eyes are playing tricks on you. The paragraph I quoted was the only part of the article you referenced that mentioned Governor Dean. Considering that those wacky-left-wing (at least I'm sure you'll call them that) US Census people place the median US wage for 2002 at $42,409 (don't take my word for it, click here to see for yourself), those "assholes in the country that are too lazy to get a job" includes even the 10% making between $42,409 and the upper limit!

That makes no sense. Perhaps you come from some silver spoon rich family who looks at $40K a year as nothing, but around here, that's called a good middle-class wage. Suddenly your political leanings make much more sense."

And a followup from me:  "One other thing: the 2001 Census data shows the upper limit for the 60th percentile at $62,500 annual. That means these lazy assholes you refer to are anyone making less than that. Don't take my word for it, click here for the Census source.

I'd entertain any rebuttals using facts from real non-biased sources. But somehow I doubt you'll provide any."

And "Max"'s fact-filled follow-up:  "$40,000 per year won't pay for shit in Iowa. Unless of course you are single and living in a studio apartment because you're too much of a fag to get a wife or girlfriend....no offense meant."

He is certainly a master debater, that "Max".  Anyway, I put it to the readers:  Does making under $62,500 a year make one a "lazy asshole" as "Max" puts it?  I know several people I'd call hard-working who don't, many of whom are even Republicans.  But what do you readers think?