Reply #10: So you're saying tax cuts for the middle class are the disaster? [View All]

[starroute]

Well, I'll go along with you as far as agreeing that those cuts are ultimately unaffordable -- and that making them permanent would cripple this country politically and economically into the foreseeable future.

But the real underlying problem is the stagnation in wages, which means that the middle class can no longer afford to pay a level of taxes that they could have handled easily if their income was anywhere near keeping up with inflation. Having the government cover the difference instead of the employers is ultimately as much a gyp as letting Walmart get away with having its poorly-paid employees on food stamps.

But I still don't understand why you're talking in terms of "disaster" and "we're screwed." Are you staking out an extreme deficit hawk position, in which all the tax cuts should be allowed to expire and letting people think they can get their middle class cuts without any impact on the budget is a con?

If you are, you probably need to say so explicitly, because not many people here are going to get where you're coming from without explanations.