Payroll Tax Cut, What's the Problem
71Once again the Top of the Hill Gang are stumbling and bumbling toward another deadline. This one has really got me confused. I try to be even handed with my criticism of Congress but this time the Republicans have me scratching my head. They have made a great public show out of their stand against taxes. They brought the government to the edge with the battles over increasing the national debt because there was a challenge to extending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy. One of the main reasons for the failure of the super committee was the Republican member's intractable attitude on not having taxes be part of the solution. So, now we are heading to a December thirty-first deadline for extending the payroll tax cut for the working class workers and what are the Republicans doing? They are opposing extending the tax cut. Excuse me? Where is the logic in this?
I have searched for a justifiable reason why a group that has made a vow that they would not accept a tax increase of any kind suddenly stonewalls something that they should be cheering. Extending the payroll tax cut is no different than extending the Bush tax cuts, with two small exceptions. First, it is not aimed at the fat cats. This one is for the everyday working people. They seem to have the attitude that if a measure doesn't help me or my big shot cronies, or my lobbyist benefactors. that it isn't worth passing. Losing this tax break will hurt the spending power of the very segment of society that we need to pull us out of our financial hole. Still the republicans are blocking passage. As a side note, to be fair, the lobbyist spread plenty of money around on the other side of the aisle also.
Of course, there is the second reason that makes the extending of the pay roll tax cut different from extending the Bush tax cuts. This one was President Obama's initiative. This put our Republican friends up against another vow they took and that was to make President Obama a one term president. They will not allow him to get credit for passing this legislation. They are now making it clear to what lengths they will go to in order to keep this vow. It seems this vow is more important than their vow not to raise taxes. This vow is more important than the needs of the majority of Americans and the stability of the economy.
Yes, I have heard their excuse. We can't afford to simply extend the tax cut without showing how we are going to pay for the loss of income to the government. If this situation wasn't about to damage the lives of all the working class people across this country, I would find their excuse laughable. What Republican demanded a plan to pay for the extending of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy? Wait, let me think about it, none is the answer. What Republican demanded a plan to pay for the action of letting big oil keep their tax breaks? Again, that would be none. Now that we are talking about extending a tax cut that was brought up by the president, and a tax cut that doesn't benefit their cronies, suddenly we need justification for doing it. They say that this is a different time and we need stronger measures. It is not a different time. We were in the midst of the recession when the Bush tax cuts were extended. Come on Republican members of Congress, try to be honest once in your life. This is all about not giving the president credit for anything.
So once again we are counting down to another deadline with Congress in its usual failure mode. This time I can't see any way not to put this all on the Republicans. If you have read my other articles, then you know that I generally slam both sides of the aisle in Congress, but I just can't do it this time.
Republicans, could you please think of your country first. Just this once, please. Allow the payroll tax cut to be extended. Believe me, in the long run, even your fat cat buddies will be the better for it.
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It's not the Congress that is broke, imo. The R's are the sole and only problem. Period. For the reasons mentioned in this Hub.
But hey--don't fret...McConnell said they are tough on rich people...they can't get unemployment or food stamps!Errr, hate to tell him, but duh!-- you have to be poor and out of a job to qualify.
Anyway, this PR tax cut is payed for BY a 1.9% tax increase on the top 0.02%.
So, they call it "redistribution of income". But they fail to acknowledge that taking money out of the system by giving tax breaks to rich people, is made up for by increased taxes, and increased cost of living on the poor and middle class. That is redistribution as well.
They also fail to acknowldege that all the redistribuuton of wealth of the past 30 years has gone to the top.
If a 1.9% tax increase on 0.02% of the population, which will benefit 99.08% of us is a deal-breaker....
How can they say they don't serve the Uber Rich?
And of course, anything Obama proposes is a no-go at the git-go, as you said.
P a t h e t i c.
Your points are well taken. As I'm neither Dem or Repub I just see both sides as selfish, self-centered bozos. It's beyond me that grown, educated human beings can't find a middle ground -- would it make everybody happy? Of course not but there's always going to be someone unhappy no matter what happens. I'm not altogether sure what's going on is just to ditz Obama but then I'm not on the hill listening and am only privy to what's written by a biased, unscrupulous press. We can only hope that our government will shape up in the very near future before we're all "shipped out!" Again, well written and interesting HUB -- thank you! Best, Sis
If your going to write articles then why not include a little truth? The Pubs are placing the Keystone pipeline deal in the tax cuts to create jobs! Obama keeps talking jobs but refuses to help create them! Your hub should be there is NO REASON why Obama should veto the pubs bill on payroll taxes! end of story! zero argument on this one!........which of course means a stupid hub, voted down!
They want the pipeline for the same old oil buddies who have owne this country for centuries.
Obama's bill creates 160,000 jobs. And the TP'ers vetoed it. Obama would have taxed 300,000 American Uber rich, while TP R's want to take it out of seniors and working people. THAT is the ugly truth. And the more we have to see their ugly mugs, the uglier it gets. GOD! Mcconnell and Gingrich....YUK.
American Romance,
The Reps would brook no exception when the the issue was the Bush tax cuts. It is clear why they added the pipeline to this bill. It was so Obama would not get the full credit what it is passed. Why doesn't the pipeline issue stand on its own merit? There are reason to talk out the pipeline issue, but in general I'm for it, but not to use this way.
Pete, general politics, the Pubs need this for the next election, you and I both know this! At the same time the sin is as much on Obamas back for stopping the pipeline in the first place! I believe this is more important to the future of the Democrat party than meets the eye! Dems have been touting energy problems and high gas prices for years! Finaly we have a friendly neighbor willing to give us oil (that we need) and Obama decides to appease the wacko enviros over Americas needs! The worst part is WHY? There is nothing dangerous or enviro unfriendly about pumping crude oil inside a pipe to another location! Where else on earth could a Democrat get to more oil without going through enemies or hostile countries! It has been speculated that China will get this oil if we don't! We are energy starving and unless you plan on purchasing a Prius tomorrow we all need this! Liberal and Conservative alike!
Lovemychris, seems the unions are getting most of the pipeline work and believe me, unions are NO FRIEND of Republicans!.........your argument as usual doesn't hold water!
Well said and I agree on the pipeline. Pipelines run all over the world and they work just fine. I just think it was a mistake to tie it to the payroll tax cut.
Here it is, after the 'compromise' on the payroll tax cut extension. and I'm still not sure the argument was anything more than politics as usual by both sides. I think you had it right Pete, its not about doing whats best for the country anymore, its about who gets portrayed as the winner and who gets portrayed as the loser. But is is amusing to watch the gullible cheer for their side, no matter which side it is.
So, who won this one anyway?
Me. Finally those greedy dweebs are being challenged.
I definitely have to slam the Democrats for the two month deal. Now it is them that are playing politics at our expense. The Republicans aren't much better but two months on something this important? You know they only did it so they could hit the Republicans over the head with it one more time before the election. Once again both sides look like fools.
politicalzealot Level 4 Commenter 5 months ago
Hit the nail on the head. The reason Republicans are against the payroll tax cut extension is because it is President Obama's tax cut. When it comes to the Bush tax cuts they will not demand that they are paid for.
It just goes to show how broken Congress is. A lot of this has to do with the fact that the majority of members are Baby Boomers who are much more idealistic than other generations.
I believe the Republican stance on the payroll tax cut will hurt them in the long run. The 2012 elections are certainly going to be interesting.