Some GOP Opponents of Tax Breaks Say Voters Will Understand

LA Slimes ^ | 12-08-2011 | Lisa Mascaro

[parksstp]

Reporting from Washington— Even as he prepares to run for the Senate in Arizona next year, Rep. Jeff Flake is taking an unusual position, especially for a Republican in an election year: He opposes an effort in Congress to save his constituents $1,000 or more in Social Security payroll taxes.

.............

Both of the party's leading presidential hopefuls, Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney, support the tax break, although Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) has joined other tea party Republicans in opposing it.

[parksstp]

No idea what's going to happen with this, but looks like the lines have been drawn by the candidates. From what I saw on Cavuto, Paul supports the extension along with Gingrich and Romney, while Bachmann opposes it. Have not seen the opinion of Perry or Santorum so include it if you have it.

[rabscuttle385]

They also believe voters will not punish them for holding firm to principles, even if that means allowing taxes on average workers to rise while blocking Obama's proposed tax increase on people who earn $1 million or more a year.

FUGOP. FUBHO.

[Hugin]

If there was a real seperate fund for Social Security and Medicare, the pub position would make sense. The reality is there isn’t, so a tax is a tax. Money from payroll taxes is not treated any differently than other taxes. So yeah, in practical terms it is raising taxes on the middle class. Add to that millions of people whose unemployment extensions are about to be eliminated, and it’s political idiocy by the Stupid Party, and a huge gift to Obama.

[Hugin]

If there was a real seperate fund for Social Security and Medicare, the pub position would make sense. The reality is there isn’t, so a tax is a tax. Money from payroll taxes is not treated any differently than other taxes. So yeah, in practical terms it is raising taxes on the middle class. Add to that millions of people whose unemployment extensions are about to be eliminated, and it’s political idiocy by the Stupid Party, and a huge gift to Obama.

[Hugin]

If there was a real seperate fund for Social Security and Medicare, the pub position would make sense. The reality is there isn’t, so a tax is a tax. Money from payroll taxes is not treated any differently than other taxes. So yeah, in practical terms it is raising taxes on the middle class. Add to that millions of people whose unemployment extensions are about to be eliminated, and it’s political idiocy by the Stupid Party, and a huge gift to Obama.

[ngat]

The payroll tax is what is deducted from my paycheck and that amount is credited to my Social Security account.

Doesn’t taking less from my paycheck now mean putting less into my Social Security account, which means I will get a smaller Social Security retirement benefit check in the future?

[TSgt]

I would like to propose “Congressmen Flogging” as a new Olympic sport.

I will be the Michael Phelps of this sport.

[parksstp]

lol, how old are you?

I laugh at my mom who’s in her early 50’s cause I say she’ll be the last group to get something in the pot.

If you’re under 35 like me, you’re screwed unless you have a 401K, TSP, IRA, etc, or some type of other alternative savings program.

[RetiredTexasVet]

I say vote against it. Regardless of whether there is a real pot of money for SS or not, all the Food Stamp President wants the tax break and unemployment extension for is to buy votes now with payment due on your grandchildren’s backs!

[Sea Parrot]

Good for him, I did not think the gutless GOP weasels would move so fast to join the Dems in defunding SS & Medicare.

Sets it all up to do away with SS, make it a means tested welfare program and take those on Medicare and shift them into Obamacare.

[HwyChile]

No, it is wealth redistribution in its finest form by making the federal tax even more progressive (shift all the tax to the upper half of the taxpayers). The payroll tax is really the only federal tax that the bottom half pays since it gets out of the federal income tax. Therefore, the democrats want to shift even more tax to the upper half by having the bottom half not have to pay payroll tax as well as not pay income tax. Of course, the upper half will foot the bill for all of this. The Republicans were stupid for agreeing to the payroll tax or the earned income tax credit (more wealth redistribution). A tax is not a tax. It depends on who pays it and who does not. In our case, the democrats want to shove all the taxes onto the top (take their money) and redistribute it to the bottom half. Same old Marxism from the same old playbook.

[HwyChile]

No, it is wealth redistribution in its finest form by making the federal tax even more progressive (shift all the tax to the upper half of the taxpayers). The payroll tax is really the only federal tax that the bottom half pays since it gets out of the federal income tax. Therefore, the democrats want to shift even more tax to the upper half by having the bottom half not have to pay payroll tax as well as not pay income tax. Of course, the upper half will foot the bill for all of this. The Republicans were stupid for agreeing to the payroll tax or the earned income tax credit (more wealth redistribution). A tax is not a tax. It depends on who pays it and who does not. In our case, the democrats want to shove all the taxes onto the top (take their money) and redistribute it to the bottom half. Same old Marxism from the same old playbook.

[ngat]

I laugh at those who think the Social Security Administration is going to disappear.

That is like saying the Federal Government is just going to disappear.

[ngat]

“Good for him, I did not think the gutless GOP weasels would move so fast to join the Dems in defunding SS & Medicare.”

How dare you call Boehner a gutless weasel?

Seriously, your analysis of the reason for the “payroll tax holiday” is so succinctly put and has been so obvious since it was agreed to in the 2010 lame duck session, I have been mystified as to why Bachmann and the other conservative candidates have not united on this issue and been campaigning on it since last May.