Will Dean back off on his "repealing middle class tax cuts" position?

[CentristDemocrat]

Due to this shitty economy, there are alot of people on unemployment who need those tax cuts right now.

[ibegurpard]

1. Someone on unemployment needs a hell of a lot more than a tax cut

I would venture to say that they could probably use an extension of unemployment benefits which a repeal of those tax cuts could help fund.

on edit: spelling

[CentristDemocrat]

6. Benefits have been extended.

[virtualobserver]

2. that wasn't really his position

he also favors a restructuring of the tax code as well.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. Well,

since my tax cut amounts to about three bucks a week, I don't see how giving it up is going to effect me one way or another. And I'm willing to give up the money if it means getting my country back.

[CentristDemocrat]

7. Maybe it's only 3 bucks to you,

but to alot of single mothers out there who are raising kids, it's more.

[Demobrat]

11. I bet those single mothers would rather have health care

for their kids.

[CentristDemocrat]

13. I know some who wouldn't

It's why I brought this up.

[stickdog]

22. Why not?

Why would they rather have their tax cuts than healthcare and education and no more unfunded mandates that raise their state and local taxes?

[CentristDemocrat]

24. Because they get money immediately in their pockets

Not raised taxes and potentially years of waiting on programs that MIGHT happen.

[stickdog]

39. So they are idiot Republicans.

Let them vote against their own interests.

AGAIN.

[Demobrat]

41. A pittance in their pockets.

And when their children get sick no doctors or medicine for them. Ain't we got fun.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

42. Single mothers raising kids

are looking around, wondering why they can no longer get food stamps or other government aid. Has something to do with Bush not helping the poor one lick.

And please, don't imply that three bucks means nothing to me. I can only afford to buy clothes at thrift stores, I drive a 13 year old car, and swap extra work for food and medicine. No, I'm not a single mother, but I'm an older American with a husband with a serious chronic illness. I'd say that qualifies me to say that I'm willing to give up the money, which I will gladly do so that we can get back some of the social services that Bush is in the process of dismantling entirely.

[Demobrat]

8. Like he himself says,

most middle class Americans would happily trade whatever pittance their tax cut ammounted to (mine's about $60/mo) for health care. I know I would. In fact, I can't wait.

[CentristDemocrat]

12. Would you really?

You would like for your taxes to be raised because Dean MIGHT be able to get universal healthcare? ANd universal healthcare for 18 and under only if I'm not mistaken, no thanks.

[stickdog]

26. Why no thanks?

This politics of the selfish few is really getting out of hand.

Let's bankrupt the government so I can have an extra $35 a month? Is that really where you are coming from?

[Demobrat]

33. Raised? You mean put back to where they were under Clinton??

Yes. It's fine. It amounts to $15.00 a week. And even if I don't (gasp) GET MINE, I think it's a small price to pay for universal health care for kids. I don't even have kids. I never wanted them and never will. But I'd rather live in a world where kids can go to the doctor when they get sick than one where they can't. Dr. Dean did it in Vermont and I have no doubt that he do it nationally. And all for $15.00 a week. Go Dean.

Edits for typos

[CentristDemocrat]

45. Economy was good under Clinton, people weren't out of work.

[Demobrat]

47. When I was out of work

I not only had no income, I had no insurance. Which meant that if I got sick or hurt, it didn't matter if I could pay for health care or not, no doctor would see me anyway because I didn't have insurance. As I found out the hard way when my back went out. So I just did without. I think it would be a great blessing to the unemployed to know that if something happened to them or one of their family members, health care would be available. As it is their only choice is to live in fear. And if something happens, well, tough shit.

[w13rd0]

4. Alot of people on unemployment...

...who need those tax cuts right now.

I'm gonna let you reread your own words, and see if you can guess what's missing...

Oh yeah, that's right, a FRICKIN PAYCHECK! THAT'S what's missing. I'm sorry, but alot of people on unemployment need a FRICKEN JOB before they'll have much of an opportunity to be concerned about the perpetuity of their 30 pieces of silver...

[CentristDemocrat]

5. Unemployment money is taxed.

[stickdog]

31. The maximum you can make on unemployment is $12,000 a year.

What tax bracket does that put you in other than the EIC bracket?

[poskonig]

9. If you're not working, you can't get a tax cut.

Other people have mentioned this, but it is worth repeating.

Also, when asked whether they would rather improve health care or have the Bush tax cuts, we have a 65/25 advantage in the polls. Similar numbers are there even when it comes to *raising* taxes! Dean is politically doing the sound thing. I wonder if even health care is doable, given the hole Bush is putting us into with Iraq. (77 + 87 BILLION so far this year).

[CentristDemocrat]

14. So unemployment checks aren't taxed?

[poskonig]

15. It depends how much you're getting.

Also, you only get unemployment for a couple of months. Most people would rather be working, y'think?

[CentristDemocrat]

16. What is UP?

And what do the tax cuts have to do with people not working?

[poskonig]

19. That's what I'd like to know.

We've had trillions of dollars of tax cuts and thousands of job losses.

'UP', an unclear abbreviation, was edited to unemployment.

[CentristDemocrat]

23. As much as I want it to, I see no connection

between the tax cuts and the bad economy. If anything, the tax cuts are a RESPONSE to the bad economy. For Dean to run on repealing the tax cuts for those in the middle class is a bad move IMO. If he has to repeal all the tax cuts for healthcare, then reshift spending from another area, so those in the middle don't have their taxes raised in the middle of a recession. JMO

[poskonig]

25. Where was the 1993 Clinton recession?

Clinton and the Democrats raised taxes, and we had the greatest economic expansion in American history.

We're getting sick of faith-based economics.

[CentristDemocrat]

34. They raised taxes on the middle class?

[Classical_Liberal]

36. Bush cut taxes on the middle class?

LOL!

[CentristDemocrat]

43. Yes.

[w13rd0]

28. It's a RESPONSE?

That's funny, Bush was selling his tax cuts before the economy did a darned thing. Heck, he was selling it before he bought his pig farm right before he started campaigning. Sorry, gonna have to call Bushit on this...

Repeal of the misbegotten Bush economic vision, then we can return to the table to discuss targetted tax cuts for working families and small business...

[CentristDemocrat]

32. Not disagreeing

I have yet to hear Dean say he would leave the middle tax cuts alone though.

[CentristDemocrat]

18. No, many get it for much longer than 2 months.

And in this economy, the unemployment checks become the only means for income.

[Classical_Liberal]

20. He said he was making the tax code more progressive

so this is just dumb. Kerry was drunk. Furthermore there was nothing middle class about the tax cut, since it didn't benefit them. "Middle Class" is adjective Dean never used in his original statement. That Kerry called it middle class reflects more negatively on Kerry than Dean. People below the poverty line aren't taxed, I would assume that would describe most of the people who are unemployed, who after a year of it, aren't in the middle class anymore.

[poskonig]

21. Everyone knows it lasts for 26 months or longer.

These people would rather be working than insultingly having $300 dollar checks thrown at them.

[CentristDemocrat]

27. I don't even understand your argument.

$300? That's the utility+car payment for alot of people. The truth is, alot of people CAN'T work right now. The economy is horrible. There aren't any jobs.

[poskonig]

29. I was laid off last winter; don't you *dare* lecture me.

I was raking in the dough during the spring of 2000, and would be happy to see a return to that economy. Three hundred bucks is laughable.

[w13rd0]

30. So should we just shoot them?

Or send them off to war? Maybe we can sell their fat overseas to pay for some more tax cuts...

[CentristDemocrat]

35. Huh? I'm not the one that wants to raise their taxes.

[stickdog]

37. Bush tax cuts are temporary and set to expire in less than 10 years.

So, according to your logic, Bush has already decided to raise all of our taxes!

[Classical_Liberal]

38. Show me where Dean says he wants to raise their taxes?

?

[CentristDemocrat]

44. "Repeal all the Bush tax cuts"

what does that mean?

[Gman]

10. He's waffled on everything else

why not this?

[Classical_Liberal]

17. No he is misquoted and then the misquote is claimed to be a

Waffle.

[Cha]

40. No, Dean hasn't "waffled on everything else" get your facts

staights before you go around trashing!

[BansheeBarbie]

46. No, Because He'll Refuse To Regulate Pentagon Spending

And the money to get children (forget grown ups) health care has to come from somewheres.

Especially since he wouldn't DREAM of doing away with the insurance industry, in favor of a Single Payer Plan.

Edited to remove overly obnoxious comment.