The Democratic proposal on income tax rates is to keep Bush-era tax cuts in place FOR ALL AMERICAN TAXPAYERS. Surprised?
Contrary to media coverage, inside-the-beltway soundbites, florid Republican statements, unfortunately-sloppy, floppy, imprecise Democratic explanations and therefore public understanding, the Democratic proposal is to keep the Bush-era temporary TAX CUTS in place FOR ALL AMERICANS--on your first 1/4 Million $$ ($250,000) PER YEAR !!
Rates would only return to pre-Bush, Clinton-era tax levels on additional income ABOVE 1/4 million $$ ($250,000) PER YEAR -- for ALL Americans. But can Democrats, even top Dem electeds, articulate that? Apparently not.
Democrats just keep saying it all wrong.
Over and over TV pundits, Republicans, ordinary Americans and, sadly, even our Democrats erroneously raise the specter of class warfare by talking about raising taxes "on the rich," keeping tax cuts only "for the middle class" whether we can "afford tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires."
Guess what? American's have a strong streak of egalitarianism. They don't like the idea of treating one class of Americans differently than another--just goes against our fairness gene. Trouble is, it's an erroneous idea! And by framing the argument thus Democrats are doing the dirty work for Republicans and the wealthiest, most fortunate among us, and confusing the public.
Occasionally President Obama has been heard to state it this way, correctly, as tax rates on the level of income, not on a group of people. Rachel Maddow and Howard Dean did, but precious few others -- and shockingly, disappointingly, NOT the White House communications operation nor prominent Democrats on TV!
The proposed Obama tax cut is to keep tax cuts in place, and make them permanent for ALL AMERICAN TAXPAYERS, equally, on their first 1/4 MILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR--$250,000. (IF one earns $260,000 in a year s/he would pay the higher tax rate only on $10,000--NOT on $260,000!)
Everyone, say it with me: ALL American Taxpayers are treated equally in the Obama/Democratic proposal!
Contrary to "compromising" in advance with Republicans, as Mr. Axelrod just did, the OBAMA compromise proposal for the lame duck congress should be:
** MAKE PERMANENT the Bush-era tax cut on the first 1/4 Million $$ ($250,000) PER YEAR, coupled with a temporary extension on the next 1/2 MILLION $$ ($500,000) PER YEAR.
** Income tax rates only to rise back to Clinton-era levels on individual income ABOVE 3/4 MILLION $$ ($750,000) PER YEAR. Make the language SIMPLE and STRAIGHTFORWARD so all Americans and the lazy news media can understand.
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Please TAKE ACTION:
CALL the White House, Speaker Pelosi, your Congressional Reps. Tell them to please, Please, PLEASE get the language RIGHT and keep fighting, because the public IS WITH US!
This one is a NO-BRAINER.
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Washington, DC 20500
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Switchboard 202-224-3121,
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(202)224-3121