Reply #60: Another Blue State attack [View All]

[Vickiela]

Not only AMT as an attack on Blue states but Rpublicans are talking about eliminating the federal deduction for State and local taxes. This is also a Blue State punishment tactic.

We have to propose an alternative to Republican Tax reform. We can't just play defense and be against what ever they propose. Neither can we wait until there is a firm proposal out of Bush's Tax reform panel. In New York, my biggest concern is that this idea of paying for tax cuts or Private social Security is going to be paid for by eliminating the deduction from federal Taxes for State and local taxes. Other articles have been written on how this will penalize more blue states than red states.

The recent Letter on Tax Reform from Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is a good place for Democrats to start. Tax Simplification is what I would prefer. But tax breaks and tax loopholes that only the wealthy really make work for themselves has got to stop. I want a system that is less corruptible and prone to lobbyist tinkering with.

Payroll taxes are not Fair To the Poor and Middle Class, they are the most regressive of all. The Rich and their employers stop paying after $90,000 in income starting in 2005.

Middle class has 7.65% taken out of their pay and their employer pays the another 7.65%. If you make more than that neither the wealthy or the the employer pay any more into the system. That isn't fair!!

The Democratic Leadership is right when they say it takes an average American 7 plus hours to fill out a tax return and if you are self employed you pay the full 15.3% payroll tax pus the income tax.

I want Democrats to propose or co-opt away from Republicans a Tax reform and/or Social Security reform package that makes sense for the poor and middle class.

The super Rich only pay 12 to 16% net on their millions made from their inherited billions, while I pay 25% in Income tax and 15.3% in payroll tax.

Either a Flat Tax or a Fair Tax or something else simple that we propose as a positive agenda item and solution.

We are going to shoot ourselves in the foot again if all we do is spend the next 4 years complaining about Republicans without a viable alternative proposal on the table that we can all promote.