Paulson Warned by Conservatives: No New Social-Security Taxes

[ck4829]

Conservative Republicans are sending a message to Henry Paulson: Don't mess with taxes.

Four of the biggest U.S. anti-tax organizations hold a ``policy conference'' on Capitol Hill today to warn the Treasury secretary away from a deal with Democrats to overhaul Social Security that includes higher payroll contributions. They wrote to President George W. Bush, lobbied Paulson personally and threatened lawmakers who might back such an accord.

``Republicans who compromise on taxes face complete and total war,'' said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, who met with Paulson on Jan. 12 and hosts weekly meetings of leading Washington conservatives. Norquist is politically close to Bush aide Karl Rove, who sometimes attends the weekly meetings.

The challenge from the Republican base is an early test for Paulson, who left Wall Street because he wanted to tackle the biggest policy issues, the potential bankruptcy of Social Security among them. It also represents a risk for Bush, who wants some domestic accomplishments in his final two years in office.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=awenxOSwklNU&refer=us

Who said anything about raising taxes?

We won't raise taxes, it's just a tax augmentation, that's all.

[salin]

1. these crazies are nuts enough to think that they

can still dictate policy - even though the congress has turned. They don't get that their ship is sinking. And if Paulson thinks he can do anything that isn't completely dictated by bushco - than he is a fool.

[wakeme2008]

2. raising the limit from 90,000+ to a high max for

social security contributions is not something people will get upset over. They know it does not effect them.

[Liberal In Texas]

7. I'd like to see them justify a veto on that one. n/t

[JCMach1]

10. How about means-testing at the upper-ends as well

a person who makes 50,000+ in retirement does not need social security.

It was meant to be a safety net, not a savings plan/windfall for the upper middle-class and the wealthy.

[wakeme2008]

11. I have no problem paying high income ppl their ss because they

did pay into the system. I would be for means testing for medicare.

[acmavm]

3. Who the hell let Grover out of the bathtub too early?

[marmar]

4. There is a place in hell for Grover Norquist and his friends.

:evilfrown:

[rfranklin]

8. However, jail is in order right now...wasn't Norquist involved...

with laundering Abramoff funds? Where's the indictment on that one?

[Cobalt-60]

5. If these losers don't love America enough to help with the bills

they can get the hell out - today!

[chelaque liberal]

6. Tax augmentation-I love it!

[papau]

9. Grover Norquist in another piss ant bluff - what a blowhard. The rich who

back him and thereby give him a little power (a lot of power under Bush) do not give a damn about the payroll tax as long as it doesn't hit investment income and as long as there is some cap - indeed tying the cap to the Pension (ERISA) annual maximum salary permitted for qualified for tax break plan's pension calculation (about $225,000 this year) would be agreed to so fast it would make your head spin - if they understood the alternative was NO CAP.