Who Should be Blamed for the Payroll Tax Increase?

[TalonStrike]

The payroll taxes have increased, taking away roughly $1,000 a year for an average middle-class household with an annual income of $50,000. The media was pretty clear that if there was no deal on the income taxes, it would be the Republicans' fault. Well there was a deal, and the payroll taxes went up anyway. Who should be blamed, the Republicans of the Democrats? Someone has to be blamed.

 

[Genx87]

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

 

[Soundmanred]

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

 

[SandEagle]

i blame Republicans for everything. even when i'm late for work.

 

[TalonStrike]

i blame Republicans for everything. even when i'm late for work.

Is it because they are against spending on infrastructure, and that bridge that you needed to cross on your way to work collapsed?

 

[Genx87]

Is it because they are against spending on infrastructure, and that bridge that you needed to cross on your way to work collapsed?

I can't remember which way republicans sway on bridges. Democrats were previously complaining about bridges under Bush being built. Now they are complaining because republicans apparently don't like to build bridges.

 

[nehalem256]

If Obama and the Democrats had not recklessly cut the Social Security Payroll tax there would never have been a need to increase it

 

[Engineer]

If Obama and the Democrats had not recklessly cut the Social Security Payroll tax there would never have been a need to increase it

So you were for tax cuts before you were against them? You for higher taxes now?

 

[Balt]

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.

 

[Engineer]

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.

 

[TalonStrike]

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

Why temporarily increase it now when the economy is still struggling?

 

[cubby1223]

The media was pretty clear that if there was no deal on the income taxes, it would be the Republicans' fault.

Really? The media I heard was pretty clear that this is not a tax increase - this is us saving money to be returned back in the future.

 

[Engineer]

Why temporarily increase it now when the economy is still struggling?

Who said that the increase is temporary? Either deficits don't matter or they do. Which is it?

It was extended to help the economy one additional year. Neither side wanted it extended as few people in Congress even mentioned it....on either side....during the cliff negotiations.

 

[marincounty]

Reagan. He was the one that jacked the payroll tax so he could spend the money.
He got corrupt Democrats to go along. Instead of extending the social security tax on higher incomes, or a financial transaction tax, they jacked the rates on workers and spent the money. Thanks.

 

[TalonStrike]

Who said that the increase is temporary?

Balt did.

 

[Brainonska511]

Why temporarily increase it now when the economy is still struggling?

Why the need to blame anyone in particular?

And are you this misinformed about politics? It was a temporary cut in the payroll tax and it is now back to normal levels.

 

[Brainonska511]

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

Balt did.

No. Balt said the cut was temporary, not the increase.

 

[Triumph]

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?

 

[cubby1223]

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?

Bingo

Social Security was sold to the public as a retirement savings plan. In reality the federal government has *always* treated it as just another line item in the budget. Government has the power not to follow the rules.

 

[Lemon law]

Everyone is barking up the wrong tree here. For 98% of American's, the end of the GWB era tax reductions should result in only small payroll tax increases on with holding.

Normally, well before the 12/31 end of each year, the IRS furnishes employers charts that say how much to withhold next year, but this year, since politicians played last last minute with the fiscal cliff, the IRS has still not published tax year 2012 tax or with holding rates.

Maybe the IRS will meet its promise to do it by 1/31/2013, while many employers with hold too much in erring on the side of caution.

 

[CycloWizard]

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

This kind of nonsensical language is a huge part of the problem with political discourse today. The rate increased. Period. That's a mathematical fact. You can debate the merits or drawbacks of that increase but it is factually incorrect to say that it wasn't an increase. There isn't some magical status quo against which everything else is measured.

 

[child of wonder]

This kind of nonsensical language is a huge part of the problem with political discourse today. The rate increased. Period. That's a mathematical fact. You can debate the merits or drawbacks of that increase but it is factually incorrect to say that it wasn't an increase. There isn't some magical status quo against which everything else is measured.

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."

 

[Anarchist420]

Obama for not repealing the damn thing permanently and the "pro-growth" dipshit Republicans for loving revenue.

 

[Sonikku]

It's Obama's fault. He wanted a tax hike on Americans. He got one. As the champions of the middle class, Republicans likely tried to extend the payroll tax cut but were strong armed by Obama to cast reason to the wind despite the slumping economy.

 

[ivwshane]

It's Obama's fault. He wanted a tax hike on Americans. He got one. As the champions of the middle class, Republicans likely tried to extend the payroll tax cut but were strong armed by Obama to cast reason to the wind despite the slumping economy.

You either need to use the sarcasm tag or the batshit crazy tag, on all of your posts!