I've been invited to a meeting with the House members of the Joint Committee...

[brooklynite]

...so give me your best shot for a message to give them.

And before yelling "Tax the Rich", consider two things.

First, this is a legislative, not a political event. A simplistic slogan without backup (how much, what income level, why) isn't going to get much attention.

Second, remember that the Republicans are as reflexively anti-tax as people here are pro-tax. If the two sides don't come together on a deal which in turn can get passed by the House and Senate, the automatic across-the-board cuts to non-Defense discretionary spending kicks in.

[MineralMan]

1. I'd push for the removal of the cap on taxes for Social Security.

That's a simple measure that will protect and preserve SS. Then, I'd suggest shutting down overseas military bases where there is no direct mission in support of defense any longer. Those two measures would do a great deal.

[Fla Dem]

5. Agree with both your suggestions.

"In 2010, the Social Security Wage Base is $106,800 and the Social Security tax rate is 6.20% paid by the employee and 6.20% paid by the employer. A person with $10,000 of gross income will have $620.00 withheld as Social Security tax from his check, with the employer sending an additional $620.00. A person with $110,000 of gross income in 2010 incurs Social Security tax of $6,621.60 (resulting in an effective rate of approximately 6% - the rate is lower because the income is more than the 2010 "wage base", see below), with $6,621.60 paid by the employer. A person earning a million dollars in wages will pay the same $6,621.60 in Social Security tax (resulting in an effective rate of approximately 0.66%), with similar employer matching."


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Security_Wage_Base

[MineralMan]

7. Thanks. Both are simple and easy to enact.

Both would help solve budget problems and would be popular with most people. No-brainers. Beyond those two, all of my suggestions would be summarily rejected by Republicans.

[jtown1123]

9. CBO says if we end wars and allow Bush Tax cuts to expire, budget is balanced in 2018

seems like a no brainer, which is also incredibly politically popular to boot.

[MineralMan]

11. Also very good ideas.

I'd welcome anything that would accomplish either or both goals.

[liberal N proud]

2. How about letting the bu$h tax cuts expire this time?

[pansypoo53219]

31. kill them DEAD.

we need to look back. hell, growth was good under eisenhower. 90% tax on the 2%.

[kentuck]

3. I would like to get their opinions on whether the Bush taxcuts were good or bad for our economy?

And could they give an example of how it was good or bad for our economy?

[jtown1123]

12. Yes, ask them for proof these cuts created jobs.

[Bluenorthwest]

4. Removal of the Social Secuity 'cap' or, just as good really, a

'doughnut hole' on the cap, leave it where it is, pick it up again at 250K and keep it on all income above that level. Republicans love that 'doughnut hole' thing, so toss them one.
Who invited you and in what capacity will you be present? Will you be participating or observing, will it be a large or small group? To get more detailed, I'd have to know those things. All meetings are not the same.
The rest of their bullshit is just a big Guignol show. But they should remove the cap totally or make that doughnut hole version. Obama ran on that. And he was correct to do so.

[brooklynite]

10. All I know is...

...that the invite comes from Pelosi's office, not DCCC or any of the Party units, and it says they want to hear my views. I'm seen as a "generous contributor" (as an individual) so perhaps my name got passed over the transom, but I'm honestly not sure why I got the invite.

[Bluenorthwest]

20. In that case, I'd say be bold.

If you are there as yourself as a contributor, that is the time to speak your mind and forget what 'they' might want. You are being asked what you want, tell them without reservation. But mention that cap if you get a chance, it is a very good idea and the policy point that won my support for Obama, if that matters at all.
Also, enjoy the show!

[Mojorabbit]

18. I really really like this doughnut hole idea

After 250k is just perfect.

[Romulox]

26. How about a "doughnut hole" for people who make UNDER $100k?

:shrug: :hi:

[Romulox]

25. Where is this idea that people who make over $100,000/year deserve special protection

for their precious, precious income? Your "doughnut hole" is just another word for a REGRESSIVE TAX. :hi:

[emsimon33]

6. The negative impact of cutting SS & Medicare

It isn't just that older Americans will suffer but so will their families. The elderly will be a burden on their families which will mean that the families will have less money to spend which will impact the economy.

Rather than cut these programs, I agree with raising the cap and with reducing payments to seniors who have income over a certain level--a million or more a year, perhaps.

Also, I agree with closing bases in countries where our presence is no longer necessary. We can no loner afford to be an empire.

Whatever you say, we need to get money into the economy. Paying other countries to make our monuments and build our bridges is crazy. The short term lower price tag does not account for the positive impact on the economy of paying Americans to do the job. We need to reward companies that bring jobs to America and penalize those that don't.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

24. Everything emsimon33 just said. n/t

[jtown1123]

8. I hate to say it but allowing the triggers to go through is better than anything the comte will come

up with. The lesser of two evils, if you will.

If this exercise turns into the GOP not budging at all and demanding draconian cuts to Democrats' most cherished and successful programs, damn it, don't give them an inch. Stale mate, if you must.

[cally]

13. I would ensure that all defense spending including

the "grey budget" is included in budget totals. Then I would reduce all by 10 percent per year over 5 years since the wars are supposedly winding down and the spending in these areas escalated over the last 10 years. Then I would take a portion of this and increase spending on energy efficiency in the electric grid and buildings. It could even be sold as energy security. If you calculate the economic multipliers on reduced expenditures on defense versus a smaller increase in spending on this, the net effect is increased economic stimulus and increased long term energy security.

I would support removal of the SS cap.

[Ganja Ninja]

14. Tell them to make sure they cut their own pensions and benefits to

reflect the same cuts they're going to inflict on the rest of us.

I have no illusions about what this committee is going to do and no illusions about who they're listening to.

[Cleita]

15. Yes.

:thumbsup:

[jtown1123]

16. They also have to discuss why health care is so damned expensive. If we paid what

other industrialized countries did, we'd have budget surpluses:

http://www.cepr.net/calculators/hc/hc-calculator.html

bandaid fixes without addressing the cause of our problems will do nothing.

[Eddie Haskell]

17. Congratulations,

but why so much concern about what the other side wants? They can take care of themselves and their friends. If you're speaking, tell them the truth.

Tell them we can quit our oil addiction cold turkey, but we need their support. Raise taxes on gasoline and use the money to put people back to work building public transportation systems. Use the money to repair our infrastructure. Encourage people to ride bikes and car pool. We use too much oil because we're fat and lazy and because the cost of our military intervention doesn't show up at the pump. Raising taxes will reduce our consumption of gas ... with less demand prices will fall ... raise taxes again and don't stop till we're off foreign oil.

Make it a war on our oil addiction. Make it our patriotic duty.

[Eddie Haskell]

32. Thomas Friedman likes this idea.

The paragraph below is from Friedman's column in this morning's (Sept. 8th) paper.

"George W. Bush did the opposite. He used 9/11 as an excuse to lower taxes, to start two wars that — for the first time in our history — were not paid for by tax increases, and to create a costly new entitlement in Medicare prescription drugs. Imagine where we’d be today if on the morning of 9/12 Bush had announced (as some of us advocated) a “Patriot Tax” of $1 per gallon of gas to pay for education, infrastructure and government research, to help finance our wars and to slash our dependence on Middle East oil. Gasoline in the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001, averaged $1.66 a gallon."

[Bandit]

19. Bring US troops home and cut War/Defense Budget by minimum 50%

It would be about where it was under the Clinton Administration. The military was fully capable at that time and Bush* proved it when he invaded Iraq. The mission was accomplished within days and then Bush* expanded the mission to the point of it being like quicksand.....and did it on the cuff to boot...

[gkhouston]

21. You're wasting your time. Any "solution" that doesn't increase

revenue is doomed to failure.

[ehrnst]

22. Raise the cap on Social Security to $500k. Lower Payroll taxes on those earning less than 35k.

Remember what got us out of the depression. They can believe that Obama will be blamed if the do nothing, but they need to remember that they're polling lower than Obama right now.

[ehrnst]

23. Raise the cap on Social Security to $500k. Lower Payroll taxes on those earning less than 35k.

Remember what got us out of the depression. They can believe that Obama will be blamed if the do nothing, but they need to remember that they're polling lower than Obama right now.

[Romulox]

28. There's no logical basis for any cap whatsoever. Why people making more than $500k deserve special

protection from paying the same tax as the rest of us is simply beyond comprehension.

[Rex]

27. Tell them we don't need a super committee and makes average

Americans wonder why the majority in Congress think holding less people accountable for their actions is a good thing? Or maybe ask them to PLEASE pass something to find out why oil is still leaking in the Gulf.

Nah...you think up something! It is YOUR night!

[Bluebear]

29. How nice. How did you rate an invite?

[Proud Public Servant]

30. Since you seem plugged in, I have a question

I've never understood what the motivation is for the GOP members of the Super Committee to find a solution. If they do, it'll mean compromising with the Dems and finding some way to raise revenue (and thus pissing off their base). If they don't, they get no tax increases and across the board cuts in social spending. Sure, defense spending gets cut too, but only the most delusional hawk would imagine that our current bloated Defense budget can't take the hit (besides, there's always off-budget tricks to reinstate National Security spending).

I really don't get why the GOP should bother showing up; if the Committee fails, they win.