"GOP: No tax hikes -- except for the poor"

The new Republican line: Workers should pay more, while the rich pay less

The GOP and their new radical right posse—the Tea Party—are finally showing their true colors by supporting the raising of taxes for the poor and middle-class and the continued CUTTING OF TAXES FOR THE RICH!

I wonder how all the tea party and GOP defenders here are going to justify this philosophy.

I have been saying and posting here for months that the GOP and tea party ONLY ARE CONCERNED THAT TAXES FOR THE RICH BE LOWERED. Now this proves my point in spades.

They have always and always will be ONLY concerned for the rich. I don’t know how much they have to put this in your faces, supporters of the GOP and Tea party here on ATS, but now they ARENT EVEN DENYING THEIR HYPOCRICY AND BLATANT CATERING TO THE AFFLUENT. . SO I WONDER WHAT ARE THE EXCUSES NOW.

www.salon.com.../tech/htww/2011/08/22/republican_tax_increase

How does the Republican Party continue to win elections? The Associated Press is reporting that GOP legislators are opposing the extension of a payroll tax cut that will expire on Jan. 1. The clear, unavoidable message: Americans workers should pay more taxes, while the rich should pay less.That's not a joke, and it's not an Onion headline. The very same Republicans who have fought tooth-and-nail to keep George W. Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy from expiring are now in favor of doing away with a tax cut that will primarily hit wage-earners -- people who actually have to work for a living, people who are struggling to pay their mortgages and wincing every time they fill up their gas tank.
There's not even any attempt to hide the hypocrisy.

"Republicans for Tax Hikes"

It's not news when Jon Huntsman criticizes fellow Republicans. It's news when he agrees with them. On Sunday, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Huntsman found himself in a virtual love-in with Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann over, of all things, taxes. The paper asked Huntsman if "the half of American households no longer paying income tax—mainly working poor families and seniors—should be brought onto the income tax rolls."

www.slate.com...

It is almost laughable the ignorance of the American people that so many of them buy into the republican and tea party . . . hypocrisy, nonsense, anti-human and unjust philosophy, and their blatant PRO RICH ONLY POLICIES.

TIt's not news when Jon Huntsman criticizes fellow Republicans. It's news when he agrees with them. On Sunday, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Huntsman found himself in a virtual love-in with Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann over, of all things, taxes. The paper asked Huntsman if "the half of American households no longer paying income tax—mainly working poor families and seniors—should be brought onto the income tax rolls."ext

There is an old saying by one of our funniest but wisest of comedians that may fit those that support these depraved policies and politicians

“There is a sucker born every minute”

How much more do the people who support them have to see before they recognize them for what they are?

"

Congressional Republicans want to raise your taxes"

By Steve Benen www.washingtonmonthly.com...

News flash: Congressional Republicans want to raise your taxes.

Impossible, right? GOP lawmakers are so virulently anti-tax, surely they will fight to prevent a payroll tax increase on virtually every wage-earner starting Jan. 1, right?

Apparently not.

Many of the same Republicans who fought hammer-and-tong to keep the George W. Bush-era income tax cuts from expiring on schedule are now saying a different “temporary” tax cut should end as planned. By their own definition, that amounts to a tax increase.

The tax break extension they oppose is sought by President Barack Obama. Unlike proposed changes in the income tax, this policy helps the 46 percent of all Americans who owe no federal income taxes but who pay a “payroll tax” on practically every dime they earn.

In the past budget talks that Obama the quisling yielded to the (lovers of the rich GOP and tea party fanatics) they proved then that they ONLY were interested in keeping taxes low on the RICH by refusing the knave Obama’s 4 trillion dollar budget cutting deal.

Indeed, this demonstrated that not only do the GOP and tea party don’t really care about cutting the budget, but are 100 percent on a crusade to save the affluent in America from being taxed, and that concern about taxes DOES NOT INCLUDE CONCERN FOR THE TAXES OF THE POOR AND MIDDLE CLASS!

And people wonder why the middle and lower class vote Democrat.

I've long said both Democrats and Republicans will tax you to death but at least the Democrats will give you something for it. This article illustrates exactly why I can't understand how everyday people vote Republican.

When someone tells me their Republican I ask "Are you rich?" If they answer yes then I say "At least you have a good excuse."

You got half of Americans not paying taxes. With the way you are thinking, the half not paying is either poor or seniors. I can't see how that is factually true. The Bush Tax cuts actually brought in more revenue, not less, because smaller businesses were able to hire more people. To say that the GOP wants to raise taxes because they want to have those not paying any income tax to pay, thats a bit of stretch.

Originally posted by ISHAMAGI
And people wonder why the middle and lower class vote Democrat.

Not true.
If they did there would not be any Rs in office.
Half the people vote Republican because they worship
those with money and power and want to be like them.
Its their personality that makes them vote that way
since they are voting against their own interests.

reply to post by inforeal


I doubt Ron Paul is a part of this nonsense, he has never voted to increase taxes during his 30 years in Congress, and he is pretty far off from the other Republican candidates.

Just like I thought:

There is a Republican case against making sure that poorer people pay income taxes. It's being made by Ron Paul.

"Dr. Paul doesn't want to be president so he can raise taxes on anyone, especially on the poor and middle class," says Ron Paul's spokesman, Jesse Benton. "If half of the American people don't pay income taxes, then we are halfway to our goal of eliminating it for everyone."

Taxing the poor more is so counter-intuitive, to me it's always been common sense that we tax the rich waaaaay more than the poor.

The theoretical basis for this argument, such as it is, is based on the assumption that keeping taxes low on the "job-creators" -- the rich, and corporations -- will spur investment and hiring. The empirical evidence for this theory has always been slim -- [color=limegreen]some of the strongest economic growth rates of the last century in the United States occurred when taxes on the wealthy were at their highest rates -- but it's particularly absurd right now, after two years in which corporate profits have been high, taxes have been low, and employment growth has been paltry.

I rest my case.

reply to post by inforeal

The GOP and their new radical right posse—the Tea Party—are finally showing their true colors by supporting the raising of taxes for the poor and middle-class and the continued CUTTING OF TAXES FOR THE RICH!

I am honored to meet someone with a karma of 42.
You can't be entirely human. Do you have a little angel in you?

Seriously though...good point.

Tupak too.

Taxing the poor more is so counter-intuitive, to me it's always been common sense that we tax the rich waaaaay more than the poor.

Is it me... or is this karma thing a pattern?
We'll see who turns up.

Um... this is Social Security payroll tax, which is not the same as income tax. Further, how do those who support the further extending of this payroll tax cut propose that Social Security stays afloat if the amount going into the coffers continues being roughly 17% lower than it was back when Social Security was already bleeding its funding dry?

Further, if we have 46% of wage earners not paying any payroll tax right now under this Obama initiative... I guess that means myself and the other 54% of wage earners are supposed to just keep paying for them? BULLPIES! Not freaking having it anymore. Either pay the fare like the rest of us continue to do, or get off the bus and walk for awhile. Thank you Jon Huntsman et al. for actually giving a flip about folks like me who are by no means "rich" but who make too much money to be considered lower middle class. Seems like my group is the one that consistantly falls through the cracks, even though we're the ones who have been holding this damn economy together, despite the efforts from the left to rip it apart through assbrained spending sprees and the efforts from the right to rip it apart through assbrained program cuts to important issues like our infrastructure.

reply to post by burdman30ott6


Maybe my reading comprehension sucks, but where does it talk about the Social Security payroll tax? The whole article is talking about the income tax, hence the term "income tax" appearing 10 times in the article, and "social security" and "payroll" appearing zero times.

if you are not in the top 2%, the g.o.p. does not represent you, and you should stop voting for them

open your eyes

Thank God when Ron Paul get's elected he will take away all taxes because it's unconstitutional.

Can't wait for that day.

Wow, so to Conservatives it's "class warfare" when we increase taxes on the rich, but it's completely legitimate to take money away from those receiving benefits from the government, at least according to Senator Dan Coats:

"Those who are not paying any taxes but are receiving benefits from the government because of their income status— there ought to be a reduction from the benefit they receive," Coats said. "Even if it's 10 bucks, or 15 bucks, we [need to say we] have deducted for your participation in helping to support our country's needs."

Yeah, the country needs your help, poor people! It's about damn time the poor people chipped in and helped the country out, we need their money!--(says rich people with millions of dollars collecting dust in a bank who call the idea of using their money to help the country out "class warfare").

Penniless mustard seed
Class Warrrior
Nice ring to it,eh?
seed

Originally posted by Tangled4u
Thank God when Ron Paul get's elected he will take away all taxes because it's unconstitutional.

Can't wait for that day.

Take away all taxes? You're being sarcastic aren't you? You had me going there for a minute...

reply to post by TupacShakur


They are referring to the FICA (Federal Insurance Contribution Act) tax. For the year 2011 this tax on individuals was lowered to 4.2% and set to expire January 1, 2012. This rate is designed for the Social Security accounts with the responsibility of contribution by both employers and workers. This rate would rise, if the temporary cut is not extended, back from 4.2% to 6.2% in 2012. The Republicans in Congress are proposing allowing this temporary cut to expire.

If you do not know about the FICA tax it is a quick search and very easy to understand.

At issue is a tax that the vast majority of workers pay, but many don't recognize because they don't read, or don't understand their pay stubs. Workers normally pay 6.2 percent of their wages toward a tax designated for Social Security. Their employer pays an equal amount, for a total of 12.4 percent per worker.

As part of a bipartisan spending deal last December, Congress approved Obama's request to reduce the workers' share to 4.2 percent for one year; employers' rate did not change. Obama wants Congress to extend the reduction for an additional year. If not, the rate will return to 6.2 percent on Jan. 1.

Source

To the OP:

This has deeply upset me after witnessing the non-stop fight to extend tax breaks for the wealthiest of Americans. I know $250,000 is not truly wealthy in many areas of the country today so I do believe the tax system needs to be reformed creating new tax brackets. But it disgusts me that Republicans fought for the tax break extension on behalf of the rich but are now arguing we must show fiscal restraint when it comes to extending tax breaks for the working class of this country.

I gave a more thorough answer on this thread here

Please call them what they are. They're not rich. They're "job creators". (cough cough unemployment 10% cough)

They create plenty of Chinese and Indian jobs anyway.

This is an absolute joke. Reaganomics is one thing by itself. A giant SCAM.
Increasing the income tax on everyone else but those who already receive breaks is complete treason. What a joke.

Originally posted by Tangled4u
Thank God when Ron Paul get's elected he will take away all taxes because it's unconstitutional.

Can't wait for that day.

How is something 'unconstitutional' when it is clearly legalized and appropriated to the federal government within the Constitution? That is like saying "free speech is unconstitutional" even though it is clearly stated freedom of speech is a right in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

You cannot just call something unconstitutional if you do not like it, just calling it so does not make it true.

AMENDMENT XVI
Passed by Congress July 2, 1909. Ratified February 3, 1913.

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.

Source

Originally posted by wardk28
You got half of Americans not paying taxes. With the way you are thinking, the half not paying is either poor or seniors. I can't see how that is factually true. The Bush Tax cuts actually brought in more revenue, not less, because smaller businesses were able to hire more people. To say that the GOP wants to raise taxes because they want to have those not paying any income tax to pay, thats a bit of stretch.

edit on 22-8-2011 by wardk28 because: (no reason given)

Do you have any statistical evidence to support your claim that the Bush tax cuts made money, or did you just pull that one out of thin air?

reply to post by wardk28


BS -- the businesses NEVER hired anyone. That's why we had two jobless recoveries since 2001. What planet do you guys live on?

reply to post by Misoir

They are referring to the FICA (Federal Insurance Contribution Act) tax. For the year 2011 this tax on individuals was lowered to 4.2% and set to expire January 1, 2012. This rate is designed for the Social Security accounts with the responsibility of contribution by both employers and workers. This rate would rise, if the temporary cut is not extended, back from 4.2% to 6.2% in 2012. The Republicans in Congress are proposing allowing this temporary cut to expire.

If you do not know about the FICA tax it is a quick search and very easy to understand.

Ah I see. So just to be sure we've cleared up my earlier confusion, the FICA tax is the income tax?

I'm not exactly your go-to-guy when it comes to these kinds of things....I'm still confused.

You say they're referring to the FICA or "payroll tax", but they clearly state "income tax" in the article. And based on my top of the line Wikipedia knowledge that I just gained, those are two different types of taxes, no?

reply to post by TupacShakur


No, FICA is the payroll tax paid by both worker and employer to contribute towards the Social Security system.

www.law.cornell.edu...