Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
Stumble
Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013 | 2:01 a.m.
Another view?
View more of the Las Vegas Sun's opinion section:
• Editorials - the Sun's viewpoint.
• Columnists - local and syndicated writers.
• Letters to the editor - readers' views.
Have your own opinion? Write a letter to the editor.
I wonder how many people realize how close they were to getting hit with a major tax increase.
If Congress hadn’t passed the Senate bill, which called for a permanent extension in the Bush tax cuts for the 98 percent of those making less than $250,000, most people would be hurting today. The holdup in passing this bill had been the Republican refusal to increase taxes on the 2 percent of American couples making more than $250,000. Finally, the Democrats compromised; in order to prevent tax increases across the board, the new tax increase is for those couples making over $450,000.
Even that didn’t appease House Republicans —151 of them voted against this bill, meaning they didn’t care if your taxes went up. Meanwhile, 85 Republicans joined with 172 Democrats to get the bill passed.
This refusal by Republicans to negotiate in good faith with President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats will continue. They are now vowing to go to the mat to block an increase in the federal debt ceiling, which would make the United States a deadbeat nation, unable to pay its bills. Republicans are putting politics before our nation’s needs.
The retired Richard Mundy must have missed the memo. Taxes did go up this year on most Americans
"While Congress did act in a matter that will keep income taxes from rising on middle-America, in doing so they allowed a temporary reduction in the Social Security payroll tax that was enacted under President George W. Bush to expire. Extensions on that tax break have allowed Americans to hold onto more of their income during the last several years in lieu of sending it to cover the cost of the Social Security welfare program, financed by a 12.4 percent tax on wages up to $113,700. During 2011 and 2012, Bush-era tax cuts kept the share of US workers' at only 4.2 percent, with employers responsible for the rest. That reduction expired on Wednesday, however, and with no action taken by Congress it will increase to its old standard.
Starting immediately, US workers will lose 6.2 percent of their paychecks in order to fund Social Security. The Associated Press says this will cost a typical American family earning $50,000 annually around $1,000 in 2013."
US taxes to go up in 2013 regardless of 'fiscal cliff' deal
http://rt.com/usa/news/fiscal-cliff-tax-...
GOP and Boehner acted in good faith form the start, putting tax increases and increases in tax revenues on the table THE DAY AFTER THE ELECTION. President Obama did not act in good faith on the fiscal cliff negotiations. Everytime Boehner and Reid came to an agreement, and Reid presented to Obama, Obama upped the stakes. This is a negotiating tactic, Chicago style politics, that Obama uses BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. Even Reid threw up his hands and said enough. Telling Obama he will have to come to the table in the future and negotiate with the GOP leadership face to face. As you know, Boehner said the very same. Sounds like an agreement to me.
CarmineD
Bling Bling stated:
"in doing so they allowed a temporary reduction in the Social Security payroll tax that was enacted to expire"
I say:
Yuppers, temporary. The other choice are permanent, staggered or eliminated.
About $20 a week more for the 50k folks to ensure a modicum of income at retirement that the vulture capitalists can't screw with. A necessary expense.
Richard Richard Richard please get the FACTS right
The Senate finally 5 months later amended and passed HR 8 which was passed by the HOUSE back in August of 2012 but not acted on by the Senate.
After 12 long years campaigning and fighting against Bush - Democrats overwhelmingly permanently approved the BUSH TAX RATE CUTS for 99.5% of Americans (up to $450k). $3.7 trillion in tax relief. Wow!!!
Say that again. DEMOCRATS overwhelmingly permanently approved the BUSH TAX RATE CUTS
---
And Richard claims " Finally, the Democrats compromised."
What? When? Where?
Richard WE GOT NO SPENDING CUTS. NONE. NADA. ZERO.
THAT IS NOT COMPROMISE
As a result of the failure to address the debt Moody has determine that they may have to derate America again
---
For the New Years Eve fiscal fiasco bill Obama LIED about taking a balanced approach to both revenue increases and spending limits. Obama increased taxes $620 billion and did not allow any spending limits. Obama did not even offer the technical SS change of a chain CPI.
- ZERO CUTS -- ONLY REVENUE INCREASES-- NO BALANCE
Bottom line while Obama has a humongous political win - America has lost. America is going the fiscal failure way of way of Greece and Spain and Egypt
There are a couple of things Americans should take away from the fiscal cliff negotiations and outcome.
The first is that even at 250 K, the tax increases proposed would not have made much of a difference in the deficits and the debt. At 450 K, they make even less difference.
The second is that when the legislation is examined closely, instead of just dealing with the Bush Tax rates for individual Americans, a large number of tax breaks for favored industries were included at the last moment, effectively spending all the extra revenue and more that the higher taxes might produce.
Taken together, this validates my contention that the GOP isn't interested in using higher taxes to help balance the budget and pay down the debt... because to do so on all Americans would be highly unpopular. It also validates my contention that Democrats are not interested in reducing spending to help balance the budget and pay down the debt...again because it would be highly unpopular.
This same stupid game will be played out again shortly over raising the debt ceiling.
It is laughable but sad that letter writers here and many Americans continue to believe and state that one of these parties has the interests of the nation as their 'first' priority'. WHAT A BUNCH OF NONSENSE!
Michael
Mundy get a clue taxes went up on EVERYBODY like I said would happen and I don't make $450,000 a year. So much for the presidents promises. He lied to the people to get elected instead of being honest a telling all that taxes would rise.
How can 'any' of you contend that 'your' party is willing to address the deficits and debt when...
Baseline budgeting stays in place, where every federal agencies budget is automatically slated in increase by some percentage each year, and if that % is decreased, it is called a 'cut' in spending.
The Glass Steagall act is not re-authorized.
All the government studies about the waste, fraud and duplication in government just sit on a shelf and are never acted upon.
Our byzantine income tax code is not re-written to be much less complex.
There are thousands of things that our government could do to begin to bring spending and revenue into balance and not only are they not done, they are not even 'proposed'. So much for the argument made by so many of you that the 'other' side is the problem.
Michael
Hey Michael:
I guess welcome back, hope you are rested and healthy.
I did wonder if you had any comment on the letter though, or are you just jumping on the soapbox?
Hey, Mundy, social security taxes on everybody making less than $95k a year went up.
Now....go rant!!!!!!!
Richard, Aside from the SS payroll taxes more of the $575 billion of new Obamacare taxes have kicked in.
---
This a classic Washington charade lead by Obama, Reid and Pelosi
ZERO CUTS - NO BALANCE - ONLY REVENUE INCREASES
Well what did we really expect out of this debacle.
ZERO CUTS - NO BALANCE - ONLY REVENUE INCREASES
We are no closer to a solution to reform entitlements and addressing the nation debt.
Obama is running around calling the deal a tremendous victory for himself because some rich people have to pay a lot more taxes at the expense of losing 700,000 jobs.
Obama won - yippee. Obama spiked the ball. La-De-Da
But this is a huge American failure that will be passed to the next generation - if we last that long before China pulls the plug on propping up US bonds.
Obama failed to meet his fundamental 2008 and 2012 campaign promises to limit the growth in spending.
ZERO CUTS - NO BALANCE - ONLY REVENUE INCREASES
-----
America is the loser. The people are the losers. Our children are the losers.
-----
Does the GOP stand for the interests of 98% of us or 2% of us? The GOP's recent actions answer any remaining question on their priorities.
More importantly the argument boils down to money versus people. Those that think money should be the most important consideration or those that feel people should be the most important consideration. As long as we view each of these concerns as mutually exclusive, we guarantee no one will get what they want.
It's all about political power. That's it in a nutshell.
The modern day Tea/Republican Party is about a radical and extreme ideology. They would willingly destroy America's economy, reducing us down to third world status, all in order to scrape up the ashes and be in charge of what's left over.
That is why for every election cycle, I vote straight Democratic Party tickets.
Because I not only want to prevent their diabolical and warped desires and needs, but I also want to utterly DESTROY them.
That's the only thing they understand.
Even though they are doing a good job at incinerating their entire political party because of internal squabbling, I am going to do my best to assist their endeavors as much as I can.
I'm glad to see the people of Nevada, as well as the nation, are waking up to their nonsense and joining with me.
KAH BLOOEY!
That's the only thing I want to hear in the future from the Tea/Republican Party. When they explode. Blasted to smithereens, not only from the voters, but from within.
KAH BLOOEY!
It would be music to my ears.....
41 asked "Does the GOP stand for the interests of 98% of us or 2% of us? "
That charade is over
Obama won - yippee. Obama spiked the ball. La-De-Da
But this is a huge American failure that will be passed to the next generation - if we last that long before China pulls the plug on propping up US bonds.
----
That is the WRONG question
Republican stand for ALL AMERICANS. 100% including job creators
Republicans stand for a balanced budget
Republican stand for protecting our kids from crushing debt
Jeff,
Thanks, and I am fine. Mr. Mundy's letters are all the same... blame the GOP... and I do blame them. I agree with much of what Mr. Mundy says about the GOP.
The issue I have is that Mr. Mundy, like most others, believes that one party or the other is THE problem. They are 50 % correct, no matter which side they support.
We are in a financial position where 'any' viable solution, whether it be on the revenue or spending side or a combination of both, involve much pain and will be highly unpopular.
Both parties and all office holders of all parties, depend on being popular with the public and inflicting no pain on the public.
We've allowed elected office to become a lucrative 'career' and have a system where to keep your career going, you need to trade legislation for campaign cash and support provided by special interests and you cannot do unpopular things or inflict any pain on the public.
Most Americans still believe that one party or the other somehow ignores the realities I stated above and actually places the best interests of American and its people first.
A fair and honest look tells one that just cannot be and isn't so.
I dismiss most comments I read here because they follow Mr. Mundy's track. Blame one side and ignore all the reality that is out there to see.
Michael
Ya gotta love the left. Always pleased as punch to take from others what they want but are unwilling to pay for. Tax the other guy, that's their tired old song. Greedy, grubby and indolent, their method is to conjure up the dead Saul Alinsky's Commie advice to divide & conquer. Gotta admit, what with the guy with the Cheshire Cat & empty rhetoric grin at the helm, they've been pulling the wool over lots & lots of folks eyes. And, when the true bill for their ride on the gravy train comes due, they'll still be trying to pass the buck to the honest, hardworking & productive among us.
Jim Weber,
You and your fellow democratic supporters have the wrong value argument of rich versus everyone else. The actual value argument is do we as a country start to pay for everything we spend on or just continue to pile up debt on future generations.
Your rhetoric Jim is not even relevant to you as a retired person since you're not a part of the working class who is more effected by tax rate adjustments.
Finally, on 11/23 you asked Michael Casler "I'm curious about your views on the fiscal cliff. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that, if nothing is done, the 2013 deficit would be reduced by $590 billion and unemployment would rise to 9.1%. This only requires inaction by Congress...something they already excel at. To me it's tempting."
As a retired senior, it seems Richard you were vacillating between letting taxes go up on everyone including lower & middle class Americans. But now you come out of the woodwork as a big supporter of the lower & middle class. What, Richard, caused you to accept the Bush tax cuts that democrats fought for 10 plus years to get rescind? Did your view of the Bush tax cuts change? Did you start to see beyond the democratic rhetoric that the Bush tax cuts helped lower & middle class individuals & families as well?
* 46 million married couples received an average tax cut of $1,716.
* 34 million families with children received from an average tax cut of $1,473.
* 6 million single women with children received an average tax cut of $541.
* 13 million elderly taxpayers received an average tax cut of $1,384.
* 23 million small business owners received tax cuts averaging $2,042.
* 3 million moderate-income families saw their income tax burden eliminated entirely.
YOUR need are YOUR problem, not the government's problem, not my problem, not taxpayers' problem.
Still LOL with liberals after 12 years taking all the credit for the BUSH TAX RATE CUTS. LOL
I don't even read this nuts letters anymore, I go straight to the comments.,,,lol
Empty teabagger heads have another reason to explode now that President Obama has nominated Chuck Hagel for Secy of Defense.
Ex-republican Hagel is the real deal, an actual combat veteran, unlike 99% of the chickenhawk GOPers in Washington, such as the preening Lindsey Graham.
Hagel's appointment will force the Teabag Party to recognize their support for the 8-year Iraq debacle with its $1 trillion price tag and the death of 4400 US soldiers. All that waste of human lives and treasure for WMD that did not even exist.
Hummmm Check it out Hagel voted FOR the Iraq war
Then Hagel like Reid said the Iraq war was lost and was against the surge
Hagel is also against sanctions on Iran for building the muck
New polling shows that President Obama is at an all-time high in popularity ... but the tea party loons, not so much. In fact, the TP is headed straight for the ash heap of history where it belongs.
President Obama -- 332 Electoral College votes
whatshisname -- just 206.
Thank you, America, for sending yet another GOP loser home with his tail between his legs.
Let's briefly look at the situation from a statistical perspective. You have roughly 9700 people a day reaching age 65 and signing up for Medicare and Social Security. In addition you have tens of thousands more signing up for Medicaid and various other entitlements.
The government is going to get stuck with the lion share of the $150 trillion in medical spending that going to occur over the next 40 years.
Not only are you going to need massive tax increases to pay for this the entire tax code is going to have to be revamped and were going to have to dramatically reduce medical spending. The tax code was never set up to pay bills like the ones that are coming due.
The good news is healthcare inflation is at its lowest level in 40 years. Let's hope it stays that way!
People are getting exactly what they want. Massive entitlements combined with rock-bottom taxes. Within 20 years this situation will change dramatically.
Roslenda says our needs are our problem and not the governments. Tell that to the 30,000 people a day that are signing up for the above programs. Two thirds of the people in this country can't lay their hands on a grand but million dollar hospital bills are becoming commonplace. Some of the new cancer drugs, especially the ones that deal with tumor suppression can easily cost $500,000 or more according to a report that I read from the leading cancer specialist. If Roslenda thinks that Americans are equipped to pay these bills she's living in La la land.
The deficits and unfunded liabilities are all about medical care. Cut medical costs and you eliminate the bulk of these problems.
Chuck Hagel's appointment as defense secy is a signal that the US can no longer afford to police the planet. From here on out health care cost will suck up more and more of our tax dollars as the population grows older, fatter and less healthy.
If people really want to help future generations they should get off the couch and take a hike, or do some other physical activity ... everyday, not just once a week, month or year.
While I can't find a flagged edict on any laws where has been said 'the political' decision or claiming must be of certain political party, why all decisions stop on claiming 'this or that' has to be done of some 'party lineage' approved decision.
Not a one economic decision must be a republican or a democratic decision; it must become an Economic decision. An achromatism is everyone's problem ?
Comment removed by moderator. - -
Mundy's position is utter nonsense. When your constituents elect you primarily for the purpose of holding the line on tax increases and slashing expenditures, and you vote that way, that's representative government at its best. I get sick and tired of hearing the rediculous posts on line here that criticize these people for doing the job they were sent to Washington to do. This nation is divided,like it or not. Nobody's going to get everything they want--get used to it. Personally I have every confidence that at the end of the day(END)that the entitlement and expenditure decisions will be made. People are angry and fed up with this entire mess.
Freeman
You misconstrue my message. It is not about the rich versus everybody else, it is about valuing wealth above other values.
I reject your insinuation that I have no right to an opinion that effects the working class. I have a more lengthly experience in the working class than you and, for most of those years, paid taxes at a higher rates than today's without whining about it. My current status does not disqualify me from caring about others who remain in the working class as well as the best interests of our country.
Since you are obviously searching my comments you might notice that I've often stated that shared sacrifice will be necessary to solve our fiscal problems. Hence, the source of my irritation with the GOP favoritism toward the financial interests of the wealthy and their resistance and yours to share in any of that sacrifice. The same goes for the apparent disinterest in the working class demonstrated by the GOP in the House of Representatives.
Jim Weber,
Regarding extending the tax cuts, on August 27th @4:12am you posted:
"Do you feel all right leaving this kind of debt to our children and grandchildren?
Answer: No, I don't
Do you feel all right about extending the tax cuts scheduled to expire this year? If you want to extend them you'll be leaving our children and grandchildren with that much more debt. Too many of us are singing two different songs when it comes to the National Debt"
Yet, your above post @6:28am you framed extending the Bush tax cuts as follows:
"Does the GOP stand for the interests of 98% of us or 2% of us? The GOP's recent actions answer any remaining question on their priorities"
Jim, on one hand you seem perplexed with extending the Bush tax cuts due to the debt we are passing on to our children/grandchildren but on the other hand you're more concerned with getting your tax cuts(for the 98% of us, as you say). You seem torn between responsible Jim Weber and political Jim Weber.
Honestly, I can see this mixed feeling potentially in me 20 years from now when I reach my 60's. Personally, I'm cutting back a little on spending to offset higher taxation later in my life that I anticipate. Sooner or later a generation is going to get stuck with the bill. If it misses me but gets my children/grandchildren then I'll help them out by offsetting costs(buy a car, pay education expenses, groceries, pay a bill, etc).
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/aug...
Jim Weber,
I don't have much argument with your contention that when the GOP fights against any tax increases for the wealthy, they come across as caring only about the wealthy.
The issue I have with many progressive leaning Americans is their reluctance to accept the fact that when progressives advocate for more and more spending and are not willing to tax anyone but the wealthy to 'try' to pay for the spending, they are setting us all up for the middle class to get hammered when the whole house of cards finally collapses.
We can't tax the rich enough to escape where we are. There are not enough of them and they don't have enough money. The middle class (because there are so many of us) have the money and we either tax the middle class much more or we find ways to reduce spending.
Most progressives want to reduce defense spending and as a financial conservative, I am OK with that, but again, there isn't enough to cut there to solve the problem. The GOP won't raise taxes on anyone; Progressives will only raise taxes on the wealthy and not by that much and neither party is willing to cut enough government spending to make a real difference.
That is the real problem. Part of the blame can certainly be laid at the feet of the GOP, but Progressives are at fault as well.
Michael
All Congress & the President did was to dump more debt on our children & grandchildren and kick the can down the road.
Hey motorsports give me a call when you need more money to live. Heck I have a job so call me and I'll hand over the cash you and your brethren need to get by.
Comment removed by moderator. Name Calling
Hmmmmmm.....absolutely nothing new coming from the right-wingers who post on this board.
Most of them are still in denial concerning Obama's re-election and the fact that the Senate is STILL controlled by the Democrats.....
The GOP is still in control of the House but the hand writing is on the wall.....the 2014 mid term elections will return the House to the Democrats...
The attitude of the GOP has not changed....they still believe that their main job is to disagree with President Obama on everything that he tries to do.....
They now have decided to (if at all possible) block the nomination of one of their own (Chuck Hagel) as the new Secretary of Defense.
This move almost ranks up there with minority leader McConnell filibustering his own bill......
Not all Republicans are stupid & completely out of touch with the American people but the GOP is working 24/7 in hopes of getting there....
Richard Mundy...
Good letter.....keep it up! The Republicans hate the truth but that's not a new thing for them.
Comment removed by moderator. Name Calling
Comment removed by moderator. - -
El Lobo,
Do you honestly believe that the GOP should agree with and support 100 % of what the Democrats want to do? I would never want the Democrats to support 100 % of what the GOP wanted.
Maybe I am wrong but you and others on both sides give the impression that you think the side you support is 100 % correct and that everything they want to do is in the best interests of the nation.
You cannot believe that....can you?????
Michael
Motorsports,
Gabby Giffords and her husband are gun owners and gun rights advocates. I think they do support common sense gun laws and I say good for them. I think they just disagree with the NRA's stand of 'no more guns laws, period'.
Michael
Motorsports,
From what I have read, they do not want to do anything to the NRA. They are just advocating for some kind of an assault weapons ban or restriction and tighter gun registration. Those seem sensible positions to me.
Michael
Casler said:
"El Lobo,
Do you honestly believe that the GOP should agree with and support 100 % of what the Democrats want to do?"
Hmmmmm...I don't believe I said that...did I?
What I did say was:
"The attitude of the GOP has not changed....they still believe that their main job is to disagree with President Obama on everything that he tries to do....."
Not sure how you came up with the 100% thing in terms of agreeing with the Democrats....
Oh well, that's just about what I would expect from you....
A piece of sound advice to you Mr. Casler....quit painting with such a large brush!
MotorSports said:
"The GOP Congress has the lowest rating of any Congress in US history. It also has the worst record of legislative accomplishment. President Obama meanwhile enjoys a robust 53% approval rating. It must suck to be a right winger these days."
Ha! Ha! Ha!
Thank you MotorSports for your post! That post pretty much sums it up! The GOP has no plan to move this country forward...
Actually, the opposite is true..
They want to take this country back to the year 1901.
The weird thing about the GOP, and most of their followers, is that they are still in denial about why they lost the election.....
They remind me of the story about the mother who was standing on the side of the road as her son came marching by in a band. The mother said to a friend who was standing next to here:
"Look Judy, everyone's out of step but Johnny"
Richard.......GREAT LETTER, SPOT ON!
YES, the Greedy Old Party still puts politics
ahead of our needs.
They still don't get it.
THEY ARE THE MINORITY PARTY and will always be
the minority party.
THEY DON'T RUN THIS COUNTRY ANY MORE.
Their party is a broken mess.
THANK GOD!
LIVE BETTER/WORK UNION!
Let's create a new "fairness tax". This tax would be the most fair according to the left's definition of "fair"...
Anyone who publicly supported Obama and voted for him in 2012 will be taxed an extra 50% on their earnings including unemployment. Since they voted for this fraud, it is only "fair" that they should pay for all his greatness.
Doing this, one of 2 things would happen:
Suddenly everyone forgets who they voted for. or we will have the balanced budget the Messiah had promised us 5 years ago.
Motormouth I'd give it to you but beings you're a Dem you've never donated money to any organization. Donations come from the rich remember and the Dems aren't the rich just the Reps. What I will do is when you need your power paid or money for a doctor visit etc. I'll help out with that. Can't trust you to donate since most like you say one thing then do another.
What happened to the tapes of the ever-popular President (JFK)? Something about not asking your country to carry you but find something YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY. Enough already. We've bankrupted ourselves with spending and spending. So let's par back on everything.
Roberta said:
"We've bankrupted ourselves with spanding and spending. So let's par back on everything."
Sound advice but for us to get out of our current hole, it's also necessary that we bring in more tax revenues....Cuts alone will not solve the problem.
Of course the first place that we should start cutting is with the defense budget. We spend twice what China, Russia, France & the UK spends combined....
It's time to quit serving as the "planet's policeman." We can't afford that and we don't need to......
Sucks, don't it, Carmine?
It's the exact same tactic the GOP has employed for decades -- but especially the past four years.