I would support letting ALL of the Bush cuts expire,

[Jackpine Radical]

even though that is supposedly a political third rail. (But Hell, if SocSec isn't a 3rd rail any more, why should taxes be left alone?)

Here is my pitch: These are difficult times, and we are all called upon to sacrifice to the general good in accordance with our means. Many are unemployed, or disabled, and cannot be asked to do more. It falls upon the rest of us, who are fortunate enough to have earned income, to pick up our share of the burden. In return, all Federal employees who make more than $120,000 per year, including Congress, will roll their income back to the levels of 2000, our last year with a balanced budget.

I would then get our asses out of the stupid Middle Eastern wars and use the savings to finance the greatest infrastructure modernization project the world has ever seen.

But that's just me.

[slackmaster]

1. How about keeping the cuts in place for the middle class and the poor, and...

...you can send in as much extra money as you want, if it makes you feel better.

[Jackpine Radical]

4. Yes, as a matter of fact I was being quite selfish with this proposal.

If domestic programs were adequately funded and the people at the margins of our society (an ever-increasing number) were properly cared for, then I would probably not feel so driven to donate to causes that help feed, clothe and shelter the poor.

[slackmaster]

6. I make charitable donations directly to caregiving organizations

It cuts out the middle people.

[Jackpine Radical]

9. Yes, me too.

Local groups like a transitional housing program, the food pantry, the community table & the free clinic.

[slackmaster]

11. I've got a metric shit ton of food for the San Diego Food Bank this year

Stuff I can't eat because I'm overweight and have other issues.

[Bluzmann57]

2. How about each and every elected official

give up their taxpayer funded health care? That way, while taxes would go up, the money could go into other things. Things like, um, maybe JOB CREATION. But that will never happen. Ever. But a guy can dream can't he?

[daleanime]

3. If the choices are all or none....

none is the best option.

[prairierose]

5. I would be willing to give up my middle class tax cuts if...

rich welfare queens have to pay their fair share.

[DCKit]

7. The impact on the majority of taxpayers would be almost unnoticable.

It's a false equivalency, perpetrated by the talking heads (who work for, and are, the 2%).

[Jackpine Radical]

10. Yes, exactly.

People didn't notice they got a tax cut & they won't particularly notice the increase.

[WI_DEM]

8. I agree if they are so concerned about the deficit, we shouldn't be cutting taxes

If the GOP won't compromise and insist on tax cuts for millionaires then allow all the tax cuts to die. Then when he presents his budget next year Obama should make sure that all types of corporate welfare are cut to the bone, too.

[KoKo]

12. Yes...I would be too...even though I understand the ramifications of doing this...

We have to do something.......And considering this last elections results...Most Americans don't realize they even GOT A TAX BREAK.

So it has to be what it is to take a STAND ON THIS. But, I know it won't FLY....

Past Results seem to be what goes forward and it's DOWN......DOWN.....Push our noses in it for Wall Street to HAVE A WIN!

[Safetykitten]

13. Agree

[de novo]

14. I am a tax and spend, big government liberal. I have no problem with

ALL of the tax cuts expiring. I have a big problem with any extension (however 'temporary') of the tax cuts for the top 2%. I'd like to see the taxes on the top 5% greatly increased anyway.

[hollowdweller]

15. I'd love to see Obama let them expire

Even for me. I'd gladly pay the extra 40 bucks a paycheck or whatever it was for Obama to be able to rub their noses in cutting the deficit so much.

I worry about how it would affect the economy but I think the GOP is going to sabotage the economy anyway, blame it on Obama in order to gain the majority in 2012, so Obama might as well let them expire or veto the extension, introduce some sort of middle class cut they will deny and then run on the economy and deficit.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

16. Me, too! I'd much rather have a jobs bill or another stimulus!!

Tax cuts don't mean shit for those who don't have JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!!!!

[eridani]

17. Giving up my tax cut would hurt hundreds of times less than having--

--my Social Security cut and Medicare made more expensive.

[DemocraticPilgrim]

18. The reason is it keeps the future solvent, that's the main part it's spend money to make money and..

any hope of getting back on top. It's worth a little sacrifice now in order to have a big pay off of a strong economy later. Then tax cuts could be restablished down the line when it's all on firm ground again. At least we'd have one over on the GOP for a change. Maybe a petition stating folks are ready to sacrifice short term to gain long term may persuade the WH.

[tritsofme]

19. Bad politics, bad policy. If middle class tax rates rise, Obama will be a one-term president.

Especially if the savings only go deficit reduction. Raising taxes on the middle class would be a disaster in this economy. This is not all just some big game like the Republicans think it is.

[Jennicut]

23. How is it raising taxes when these tax cuts were written to expire when the bill passed to begin

with? Bush signed the damned bill.

[tritsofme]

24. Is that the argument you want to take to voters? Semantics?

No sonny, we did not raise your taxes, your tax cut just expired and we did not stop it.

[Jennicut]

25. Really, a lot of the public is so stupid I wouldn't bother with any arguments.

Love my husband but he is clueless on politics. A lot of people are.

[Phx_Dem]

20. Middle-class folks have had a rough time and they deserve a tax cut.

Why should they be penalized, yet again, because of the rich? Fuck that.

I'd rather see a compromise on cuts for the rich than make the middle-class suffer more financial woes.

[Jackpine Radical]

21. I don't dispute what you say.

The middle class is having a rough time. The poor, and the newly poor, are having it even worse. If I have to chip in a few bucks on taxes, I'll do so willingly as long as it goes to purposes such as rebuilding the safety net we once had, and building a new infrastructure.

The tax break didn't amount to much for us peons in the first place, and we won't miss it all that much. As someone else pointed out on this thread, more than half the people don't realize they got a tax cut anyway. They think their taxes were raised. This proposal would merely bring reality into compliance with their incorrect beliefs.

[karynnj]

22. I like your pitch - it sounds vaguely FDRish in the face of a world war

There were many times in the Bush years that people said he would have done better asking the people to all sacrifice for the common good - that was right then - and right now.

It is stunning that we can't ask heirs of billion dollar fortunes to pay the estate tax they would have paid in the Clinton years. This year a man died leaving a $9 billion estate - and there were NO federal taxes. Would his heirs have been harmed by getting a few billion less? They are after all getting billions for doing nothing other than having been born to the right parents.

[Zavulon]

26. ALL of them? HELL, no.

I'd rather see them extended for everyone, even the rich, for another year or two to give us the time to work out a compromise and allow the middle class to keep theirs while rolling them back for the rich. My desire to tax the rich more does not include screwing the middle class in times like these. You write "and we are all called upon to sacrifice to the general good in accordance with our means" as if everyone whose taxes would go up can afford it. Nothing could be further from the truth.

[eridani]

27. The hell with my tax cut if it means trashing Social Security and Medicare n/t

Loss of the tax cut is just a minnor annoyance compared to real financial hurt if the latter are cut.

[Kaleva]

28. Too late to rec but at least I can kick it.

[SKKY]

29. Let them all expire, then vote for a middle-class tax cut...

..and DARE the Republicans to balk. That's the only way I can see this working. Unless of course, he caves in and extends them until 2012, then we an forget about it.