President Barack Obama's proposal this week regarding the Bush era tax cuts and the Republican reaction to it would appear to put things in rather simple perspective.
The president and his Democratic Party allies want to extend for another 12 months the current tax rates for those making less than $250,000 per year but allow the tax breaks for those making more than that to expire at the end of 2012.
The Republicans, including presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney, insist that those making more than $250,000 should retain their lower tax rates.
But nothing is simple when it comes to Washington politics, particularly in an election year.
For one thing, under Obama's plan, the 2 or 3 percent of Americans making more than a quarter-million dollars a year would still pay the lower tax rates on their first $250,000 of earnings, but anything over that amount would be at roughly the rate they paid when Bill Clinton was president.
So, as Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., said this week after meeting with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, "Everybody gets a tax cut."
"Doesn't it make sense for us to agree to keep taxes low for 98 percent of Americans, who are working hard and can't afford a tax hike right now?" Obama said Tuesday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. "... Let's not hold the vast majority of Americans hostage while we debate the merits of a tax cut for the other 2 percent."
So, Obama and the Republicans could get busy and pass a bill right now to benefit the middle class and poor people.
Did we mention that this is an election year?
Nothing is going to get done until after Nov. 6, if then. The GOP doesn't want to give the president anything close to a legislative victory before the vote, and Democrats are more than happy to paint the Republicans as concerned more about the wealthy than the middle class.
Still, two facts remain.
The middle class and poor need the tax cut.
Rich people and corporations don't need it.
Romney spouted this nonsense Tuesday in Grand Junction, Colo.: "The very idea of raising taxes on small business and job creators at the very time we need more jobs is the sort of thing only an extreme liberal could come up with."
For one thing, only 3 or 3½ percent of small businesses would be affected by the new tax rate.
For another, "a businessperson calling (himself) a job creator is like a school claiming to have created evolution," billionaire venture capitalist Nick Hanauer told MSNBC. "It's just not true."
Two visions for the future. That is, after all, what elections are all about.
Opinion
Rich don't need more tax cuts
- Opinion
-
-
Street Talk: June 17, 2013
-
We still must sing out against prejudice
It is easy for Americans to congratulate ourselves over how far we have come since the Jim Crow days of segregation and other examples of racial and religious prejudice.
-
Public campaign financing deserves a vote
Senator Jim Seward has called public financing of campaigns "Dead on arrival in the Senate." This is not true. It isn't dead, it is still knocking on the Senate door. The Republican caucus won't let it in.
-
Take advantage of town pipeline suvey
I recently received a letter from the town of Davenport surveying town residents regarding the proposed Constitution Pipeline, which, if allowed, will cross about 128 properties in Davenport alone.
-
NSA leaks provide a way to right wrongs
Revelations that the National Security Agency has been monitoring our communications in apparent violation of the Fourth Amendment is causing quite a stir, but partisans are already trying to use it for their own ends. If that happens, the republic will have lost an important opportunity to set things right.
- Friday, June 14, 2013
-
Sheriff's deputies shouldn't take vehicles home
With the cost of living constantly on the rise, with our governments cutting back on services, even furloughs, increases in property taxes, income taxes, utility bills and especially the cost of gasoline, diesel fuel, home heating oil, etc., then why is it that the Otsego County Sheriff's Department allows all their deputies to take the county police vehicles home so they can travel to and from work?
-
Cooperstown parking rules hurt natives
I went for my mom's prescriptions at CVS on Cooperstown's Main Street at 10 a.m. and there wasn't a parking slot to be had. I parked in an illegal spot and ran for it. When I got Mom's medications, I politely told the checkout girl I will be transferring my business to a location with easier parking access. She said she'd heard the same words from other customers. When I returned to my car, a business owner was outside in the rain clearing his business spots of unauthorized vehicles.
- Thursday, June 13, 2013
-
DOT needs to fix Chobani traffic woes
"Growing pains" have been invoked with regard to Chobani several times. The company is a dynamic example of the fact that, as positive and desirable as rapid growth may be for a business, it can carry with it unanticipated challenges.
-
Cherry Valley event showed future
I would like to add my thanks to the village of Cherry Valley and the fire department for their hard work and superb organization as they played host to the bicentennial celebration of the Cherry Valley fire department. The village put on a wonderful celebration that began with a belly-busting pancake breakfast and offered entertainment throughout the day.
-
Equality bill would protect women's health
I am writing in support of Gov. Cuomo's "Women's Equality Agenda," a bill that protects women's rights in 10 critical areas of continuing discrimination and inequality in New York state. Among other important reforms, the bill proposes moving the regulation of abortion out of the criminal code and into the Public Health Law, where it belongs. In doing so, New York state law would ensure that a doctor can provide the medical care a woman needs if something goes terribly wrong at any point in her pregnancy without being subject to criminal investigation.
- Wednesday, June 12, 2013
-
Equality Act about more than abortion
Could it have been 50 long years ago Monday when President John F. Kennedy uttered these words?
-
Our country needs plan
The national debt, deficit, and budget are out of control, and worst of all no one important seems to care or is unable to get this message to the president and public at large. Attempts to control spending so far have been ineffective and not focused on its importance.
-
More guns will only mean more shootings
Just this past weekend, in Arizona, a young father was shot to death by his 4-year-old who was playing with a gun. Apparently this is how we celebrate Father's Day in the 21st century USA.
- Tuesday, June 11, 2013
-
In our Opinion: Cheers
Cheers to Girls on the Run, Sherburne Pageant of Bands and Cancer Survivors' Day.
- Monday, June 10, 2013
-
Severe weather deserves respect
The phrase "storm chaser" conjured up an image familiar to us from television and the Internet. Picture a wobbly video, punctuated by the excited shouts of the person behind the camera as he tries to capture a grainy image of a far-off funnel cloud.
-
Pumping equipment not frack-related
This letter is in response to letters that appeared in the In Your Opinion section of The Daily Star (Chris Hammond May 28 and Paul Lilly on June 5.) These letters referenced equipment and materials on our property near Route 7 in Colliersville. Jett Industries owns and manages this property.
-
C-town residents have parking options
Dennis Dorn's recent letter raises important issues about parking in Cooperstown's downtown on Main and Pioneer streets, where paid parking is in effect Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. There has been some confusion about the details of paid parking, specifically the provisions that are designed to ease the burden for locals. Those who need to run quick errands will find that all designated 15-minute spaces continue to be free. Designated handicapped spaces are also free, as is parking before 9 a.m. and after 6 p.m.
-
Street Talk: June 10, 2013
How do you feel about the government's use of surveillance of people's phone calls and Internet use?
- Saturday, June 8, 2013
-
Accusations about town board not true
In response to Ms. Piciullo's letter printed May 29, the "sarcastic smirk" and "chuckles" on the face of a town board member about "The List of the Harmed" was NOT true!
-
Time to clean house in the IRS
I am writing to express my opinion on the corruption uncovered in the Internal Revenue Service.
-
