12.03.2010

Cutting through the tax-cuts BS

Recent polls showed that some 60 percent of Americans deem extension of the Bush-era tax cuts a priority. Why is that? Because they do not know the facts, and they have been scared into thinking their own taxes will go up.

DemWit worked through the night to cut through the tax-cuts BS, and this post is for liberals, progressives and conservatives alike.

A COUPLE OF FACTS

Fact 1:

"We cut taxes. We cut taxes for 95 percent of working families. We cut taxes for small businesses. We cut taxes for first-time homebuyers. We cut taxes for parents trying to care for their children. We cut taxes for 8 million Americans paying for college."
- President Barack Obama, State of the Union message, 27 January 2010

Recalling that moment: Democrats applauded. Republicans sat in silence. Obama turned to the Republicans, smiled and quipped, “I thought I'd get some applause on that one."

Fact: The non-partisan factcheck site Politifact examined Obama’s tax-cut claims and found them to be “true.”

Why is it that the very people who have benefited from these tax cuts don’t seem to have any idea the Obama administration and Democrats extended them?

Fact 2:

The Republican Party wants to extend $700 billion in tax cuts to 3 percent of the wealthiest Americans – those voters George W. Bush called his “base” – while they vote against extending benefits to the unemployed. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is right to call this position “grossly unfair.”

JOURNALISTS: COUNTER LIES WITH FACTS

CNN reported this in its main article on House Democrats extending tax cuts for Americans making $250,000 a year or less:

“All 42 Senate Republicans vowed Monday to prevent a final vote on any other legislative business in the lame duck session until Congress has ‘prevented the tax increase that is currently awaiting all American taxpayers.’"

That quote is a lie aimed at scaring Americans, and CNN’s reporters should have countered it with facts.

TAX CUTS FOR WEALTHY WON’T CREATE JOBS

The CNN article states, “Several economic studies have indicated that the wealthiest people - the top 3 percent who make more than $250,000 per year - are more likely to invest tax cuts in stocks or other assets than to create jobs. And, Democrats point out, many large American corporations are posting record profits without sinking that money into payroll.”

REPUBLICAN FEEDBACK

House Minority Leader John Boehner called the House Democratic vote “chicken crap” - and thus inspired this DemWit all-nighter! Boehner is apoplectic because he knows this Democratic vote will benefit all Americans - including the wealthiest 3 percent, who, after all, will get the cuts on their own income up to $250,000. The minority leader’s ticked off because the GOP’s scare tactics and threats to obstruct legislation didn’t phase the Democrats.

Taxes are essential to a strong American government. Count how many times the word appears in the Constitution. Leave it to a Texas Republican – one Rep. Jeb Hensarling – to say, "No taxes on nobody. It may be bad grammar but it's great economics."

SO, WHAT DO THE BAD OLD DEMOCRATS WANT?

In attempted negotiations with Republicans on tax-cut policy, Democrats want:

• Extension of unemployment benefits without having to find offsets to pay for them

• Extension of college tuition tax credits set to expire at the end of the year

• Extension of so-called ‘make work pay’ tax credits which expire December 31

• Tax credits for businesses that hire unemployed workers

OBAMA’S CONCESSION

Around 1 a.m. ET, I read that President Obama is willing to negotiate – to extend tax cuts for the wealthy in exchange for Republican support for extending unemployment benefits and “a variety of tax breaks for low-wage and middle-income workers.” (LINK)

DEMWIT CONCLUDES

Mr. President, you have made it clear that you want to work in a nonpartisan way to bring beneficial programs to the American people - only to be vilified by the opposition. You have stuck by your principles despite your own disgruntled base. It would be wise, sir, to be skeptical of 42 Senate Republicans who put their signatures to paper stating they won’t budge on a damn thing until you cave in to greed.

I appreciate that Washington politics is a game of give-and-take, and that’s as it should be. But, there’s nothing riding on what these yokels do, except the economic future of this country.

I want to trust that they know better than I what is best for America, but sometimes I wonder.

Above all else, dear reader, hasn’t it become clear by now which American political party has the well-being of lower- and middle-class Americans at heart?

10 comments:

Tiny said...

BJ, it is very clear to "dear reader" Tiny that the Democrats are the ones looking out for the well fare and well being of the American people. Let's hope and pray that the people who benefit from it gets that imprinted on their minds also.

Boehner's remark about the 2012 campaigning begun by Democrats via the tax cuts yesterday, has been going on long before yesterday. But it's by the GOPers not the Democrats.

First thing Tiny saw this morning when she turned on her TV was an ad, long running, by Mike Huckabee in reference to the GOPers working to repeal the health care bill. Does that sound like looking out for the welfare and well being of the masses of the people? Not in Tiny's book it doesn't.

Thanks again for another info post that sets the record straight. Can we get you to send this to all the news outlets? They need a wake up call.

Sue said...

BJ this tax issue is gonna be the death of me. I can't stand one more day of the suspense, will the dems and Obama cave or will they do what is fair and just for our country at this time? I'm actually sick to my stomach and want to stop blogging and putting politics first in my life, I don't know how much more of this theatrics I can take! At this time my emotions are running wild and I hate all dems and thugs equally, I find all of them to be incompetent boobs!

Anonymous said...

I may have already told you this -- But the Times had an article once that said that Poor People will/would support tax decreases for the Rich, because they believed that one day they would "be there" -- ???
Yes, FANTASY!!!!
Preston NYC

B.J. said...

Tiny: You got me rolling on this one last night when you sent me Boehner’s quote. What would I do without you?

Sue: I would have thought this post would make you feel better.  Hang tough!

Preston: I am thrilled you commented. Keep buying those lottery tickets, baby!

BJ

Sue said...

What makes me so angry is the way the republicans demean the president and the democrats even tho all the tax cuts and help for small business etc. The republicans do not even have a majority right now but you would never know it by the way they demand it to be their way or the highway. They are a despicable bunch of A-holes!

Frodo for IRS Commissioner, said...

Name one person who has publicly committed to hiring at least one person because of the extension of the tax credit to those making more than $250K?

Give up?

Your "list" will not include Lindsay Lohan, or Newt Gingrich. It will not include Rush Limbaugh or Carly Fiorina. Neither Mike Huckabee nor Sarah Palin.

Frankly, if Frodo were writing the "bill," it would read thusly: "the applicable tax reduction will also be continued for every individual with an adjusted gross income of more than $250K who employs a non-related individual on a full-time basis for more than three years."

Vote Frodo--"More than just hairy feet."

Nance said...

Well done and crystal clear, as usual. I should be watching the news today (Saturday--gulp), but I can't bring myself to witness what I fear is going on there.

B.J. said...

Frodo: Given your former employment with the IRS, I think you are more than qualified to solve this legislative quagmire.

Nance: “Well done and crystal clear.” That’s music to a blogger’s ear!

You can talk truth until you are blue in the face, but when conservatives refuse to listen to or read it, there’s nothing more you can do. Next week they will be buying the Republican mantra, “Democrats want to raise your taxes.”

Murr Brewster said...

Inasmuch as those tax cuts for the wealthy have been in place for several years now, I would like the Republicans to explain where all those jobs the wealthy have created are. Oh, it's a working thing, all right.

B.J. said...

Readers, welcome Murr Brewster, whose blog “Murrmurrs” is now in my “faves” list. Absolutely “snortworthy.”

You make a good point, Murr.

To the unemployed: you can pick up your Halliburton application in Dubai.