Republicans keep saying that Democrats want to raise YOUR taxes. When Democrats proposed taxing corporate jets, Republicans said that’s raising YOUR taxes. When Democrats proposed ending the Bush Tax Cuts for the rich, for the top 2% only, Republicans claimed that’s raising YOUR taxes. Ending tax breaks for Big Oil? According to Republicans, that’s raising YOUR taxes too. But the truth is that, since Obama took office, Democrats have proposed no increases and several cuts in YOUR taxes. Which party is fighting to raise YOUR* taxes? It’s the Republican Party, of course.

*Assumes that YOU are not a millionaire, billionaire or corporate criminal.

Senate Democrats are pressing ahead on President Barack Obama’s plan to cut in half every worker’s payroll taxes next year — paid for by a 3.25 percent tax surcharge on the very wealthy. The $248 billion plan would trim Social Security payroll taxes from 6.2 percent to 3.1 percent in hopes of propping up the still-weak economy. It also would cut in half the 6.2 percent tax paid by employers on the first $5 million of their payroll. A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., says Democrats will hold a test vote on the plan later this week. A 2 percent payroll tax holiday enacted a year ago expires on Dec. 31 and it tops the agenda in the waning days of this congressional term. Republicans are likely to oppose the plan because it would post a permanent surcharge on income exceeding $1 million… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <Boston Globe>

I’m dropping my former objection to this cut, because paying for it means that it will not diminish Social Security funds. It’s also good for small businesses.

Rachel Maddow explains Republican opposition with former Journalist Bob Herbert.

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