Who Should be Blamed for the Payroll Tax Increase?

[Zorkorist]

Obviously Obama's fault. He promised no tax increase on <$250K or whatever, but delivered, more taxes.

-John

 

[Engineer]

Someone explain this to me. The payroll tax "cut" was just a way of saying, "You're going to stop paying into your retirement plan for a while, but you shouldn't expect the payout at the end to be any different." How does that work?

The money was replaced from the general revenues. SS was never down a dime because of this. The general deficit was bigger but SS revenues stayed the same.

 

[Doppel]

Nobody. It wasn't an increase, it was the end of a decrease.

That is still an increase.

What Obama giveth Obama taketh away. He put the payroll reduction in place and two years later he's let it leave. I really don't think people should get upset over this. If anything, get upset over the fact it was reduced to begin with--more kicking of the can. This country has a major, major, major problem with the understanding that it should be racking up less debt.

 

[Doppel]

The rate was 6.2%. Obama, with Congress' approval, decided a temporary cut to 4.2% would help stimulate the economy.

I'll bet you're the same type of person that signs up for an introductory rate on your cable or credit card then screams at the company when the intro rate you agreed to expires.

Everyone with half a brain knew this was a temporary tax cut and would eventually expire. The fact that it did is no one's "fault."

Last year you paid 4.2%. This year 6.2. One is bigger than the other and I am fairly sure it's the 6.2. Another word for bigger is increase. As random mentions there is no magical status quo against which all else is rated.

The fact that it was sold as a temporary decrease is meaningful, but when you leave one state and enter a higher one it's known as an increase. This is exceptionally basis mathematics, really the most basic of all.

 

[sze5003]

From what I understand you cant really blame a single person or party. They were temporary but we got used to it. Same thing will happen this year we'll just have to get used to it.

It sucks but it is what it is. Some people are lucky they don't need to pay a high city wage tax. When I lived in Delaware county I could probably make less than what I make now and be fine with the check because I didn't have an extra almost 4% city wage tax when I don't work or live right inside the city.

 

[randomrogue]

Why would anyone take the blame? This was always a temporary thing. Everyone knew the rates would return to normal so your paycheck shouldn't have come as a surprise.

 

[soulcougher73]

What part of the word "temporary" do you people not understand. As in it was a temporary tax decrease when inacted.

 

[ArizonaSteve]

Would rather see it at 4.2% and the income cap removed. This has got to be the most regressive tax out there.

 

[blackangst1]

Nobody. It wasn't an increase, it was the end of a decrease.

This. It was never meant to be permanent.

/thread

 

[CycloWizard]

The rate was 6.2%. Obama, with Congress' approval, decided a temporary cut to 4.2% would help stimulate the economy.

I'll bet you're the same type of person that signs up for an introductory rate on your cable or credit card then screams at the company when the intro rate you agreed to expires.

Everyone with half a brain knew this was a temporary tax cut and would eventually expire. The fact that it did is no one's "fault."

I never said it was anyone's fault. I simply said it is a tax increase. My statement is correct and beyond reproach. I bet you're the kind of person that likes strawman arguments.

edit: Whereas to this point everything I've said has been purely factual, now I'll add my opinion. The zombies in this thread fail to see the bigger picture. They think a tax increase is fine since it was simply the expiration of a temporary decrease. They don't see that the expiration date was pushed back until just after a major election. They don't see that it was just another vote-buying scheme. If it was good to have more take-home pay every month, then why is it suddenly fine that you now have less take-home pay? Because in the end, the money was never really yours - the government was just lending it to you temporarily? Wake up.

 

[blackangst1]

I never said it was anyone's fault. I simply said it is a tax increase. My statement is correct and beyond reproach. I bet you're the kind of person that likes strawman arguments.

(Using an analogy others have used) If you got a bonus at work for Christmas, quarterly, whatever, do you then claim you got a pay cut the next month?

 

[piasabird]

It was O'Bammah that promised the middle class tax cut. So it has to be his fault because it is his baby which he promptly took back like an Indian Giver as soon as he was reelected. This makes him a Liar. He took back what he gave.

What do you think was going to happen with a temporary tax cut? It wasnt nobody that raised your taxes, it was a Democrat.

Of course I never received no tax cut because I work in Education and do not pay SS.

This is what you voted for.

 

[piasabird]

Who is the man that keeps asking for more Tax Increases, I mean Revenue? It is the President.

 

[piasabird]

It is a spending problem. So who keeps spending more and more money without a budget? Who goes on vacations to Hawaii, while the whole country is suffering?

 

[Deeko]

Nobody. It wasn't an increase, it was the end of a decrease.

Correct. No one ever suggested the cut would be anything but temporary.

and to top it off, it was actually extended one year beyond the original expiration date of 12/31/2011.

All of these things.

 

[CycloWizard]

(Using an analogy others have used) If you got a bonus at work for Christmas, quarterly, whatever, do you then claim you got a pay cut the next month?

What would you say if everyone at your company received a bonus every month for several years, then immediately after the board is re-elected they stop that bonus?

 

[sm625]

I blame the Federal Reserve, for not buying more bonds, ie not printing more money. Congress should just cut taxes to zero and let treasury pay for it by selling more bonds to the Fed. Since the inflation is all being swept under the healthcare carpet and thus kept safely out of the cpi, why not? Did you know, accordign to the cpi data, healthcare costs are rising by $600 a year? HahAAAHaAaaAaa. Pedal to the metal! All presses on full, the dumbed down populace is begging to be financially raped.

 

[blackangst1]

What would you say if everyone at your company received a bonus every month for several years, then immediately after the board is re-elected they stop that bonus?

I would say bummer. Not that I got a pay cut. Because (using this analogy) I understand a bonus is exactly that. Just like I understand what the word "temporary" means.

 

[CycloWizard]

I would say bummer. Not that I got a pay cut. Because (using this analogy) I understand a bonus is exactly that. Just like I understand what the word "temporary" means.

You would just bend over and take it because you think playing the political game to buy votes is somehow just practice. It isn't. Everything our government does is temporary up to and including amendments to the Constitution. You claim to understand the meaning of "temporary," yet it is not apparent from your statements that you actually know what it means. In any case, regardless of how you'd like to define things, my original point is still correct.

 

[Ausm]

Why does somebody have to be blamed? We want bigger govt that means we have to pay for it.

When has Gubermint ever shrunk? Oh and on whose watch has this occurred?

 

[Jaskalas]

Who Should be Blamed for the Payroll Tax Increase?

Whoever the hell created it in the first place. How about we blame people who want social security to exist in a decade?

 

[Matt1970]

It's pretty clear we are never going to have any real spending cuts and after hearing all the reaction to the payroll tax being put back to where it was originally it looks like we are never going to get any real tax hikes.

Yep, we're screwed.

 

[blackangst1]

You would just bend over and take it because you think playing the political game to buy votes is somehow just practice. It isn't. Everything our government does is temporary up to and including amendments to the Constitution. You claim to understand the meaning of "temporary," yet it is not apparent from your statements that you actually know what it means. In any case, regardless of how you'd like to define things, my original point is still correct.

Now there's some twisted logic.

Okie dokie. Youre right and Im wrong. Hope you feel better

 

[CycloWizard]

Now there's some twisted logic.

Okie dokie. Youre right and Im wrong. Hope you feel better

It's objective reality. 6.2% of something is always greater than 4.2% of the same thing. Thus, a change from 4.2% to 6.2% is an increase. I'm sorry if it hurts your feelings to find out that your opinion does not coincide with objective reality. I doubt you would be so ready to accept that a temporary reprieve from ass raping was suddenly rescinded, yet there is little difference between the two scenarios.

 

[airdata]

John Boner. He's a wise and beautiful woman.