Politics

Myths From D.C.: ‘The President Is Protecting the Middle Class’

Feb. 4, 2013 12:00pm

- Americans for Prosperity Foundation

Jason Hughey is a policy analyst for the Americans for Prosperity Foundation. His research areas include federal tax, budget, and housing policy.

Myths From D.C.: The President Is Protecting the Middle Class

President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid

Throughout the campaign season, President Obama promised he would be a president for the “middle class” as opposed to the “top 1%.” Part of this promise included giving the “middle class” a tax break.

The immediate problem with this rhetoric is that it is divisive. It buys into the ugly notion that government ought to look out for an arbitrarily defined and faceless “class” rather than protect all of its citizens as unique individuals with rights. Consequently, lumping people into classes and arguing that one of those classes deserves something that the other class doesn’t pits free individuals against each other. This is both destructive and immoral.

But back to the tax cut: it wasn’t just the president who promised this tax break.  Members of Congress also claimed they were fighting for the “middle class” as well. During the fiscal cliff negotiations, their Twitter statuses were abuzz with notions of “defending the middle class.”

President Obama on the fiscal cliff: “Preventing [middle class tax hikes] has been my top priority.” — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) December 31, 2012.

“Tonight’s bipartisan vote is a victory for the middle class. Also a victory for President and VP who kept their promise to American people.” — Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) January 2, 2013

“It’s time for the House Speaker to protect the middle class & vote on the Senate-passed tax cut for 98% of families – it will pass the House” — Senator Harry Reid (@SenatorReid) December 21, 2012

“The latest unacceptable Republican offer would mean more pain for the middle class, poor & seniors – and more giveaways to the wealthiest.” — Sen. Barbara Boxer (@SenatorBoxer) December 30, 2012

Here’s the kicker: most of the individuals who make up this group that we hear called the “middle class” saw an overall net increase in their taxes under the fiscal cliff package. A USA Today article reported that 77% of Americans will see their tax bill increase under the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012.

This tax increase has occurred primarily because the act allowed the payroll tax holiday to rise from 4.2% to 6.2%.  This increase in the payroll tax has hit employees across all levels of income, including the allegedly protected “middle class.” It’s been widely reported that it will cost an extra $1,000 per year to individuals who are making $50,000. That’s not an income level any of us would consider “ultra wealthy.”  Further, many Americans have already felt the burden of the payroll tax increase upon looking at the withholding section on their paystub.  In fact, many of them have tweeted about it.

Unfortunately, tax increases like this happen when myths from D.C. dominate our thinking. Here, the myth is that only some Americans deserve a tax cut. It is wrong on two levels:

1) Attempting to divide Americans into “classes” and then hiking taxes blurs the real fiscal problem. First, before this past tax hike, the wealthiest 10% of Americans already paid 70% of all income taxes. But more importantly, instead of turning up the tax heat on any private citizen, the heat should be turned up on the government for recklessly spending us into $16.4 trillion of debt.

2) The politicians didn’t even protect the individuals in the “middle class” who they promised to protect. They will now pay higher taxes in 2013.

Thus, in the aftermath of the fiscal cliff deal, the lesson to remember for all of us is this: if the government can raise taxes on the “rich class,” they can also raise taxes on the “middle class.” Regardless of how much politicians claim to revere the “middle class,” bringing in extra money for more federal spending is often too hard to pass up.

In this sense, our federal government is indeed no respecter of “classes” so long as it gets to take more money from them.

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Comments (22)

  • BernardChumm
    Feb. 13, 2013 at 11:28am

    A common mistake about the disengenuous use of the term “middle class’ is that in Obama’s worldview, as in pre-war Europe, the middle class consisted of civil servants (the state class) and the professional class (doctors, lawyers). When he speaks of the middle class he is nevr speaking of the private sector middle class. In his world, it doesn’t exist.

    Report this comment

    BernardChumm  
  • Packers13
    Feb. 6, 2013 at 8:58am

    Our country is on the verge of bankruptcy yet the spending continues. In addition about half of Americans don’t pay income taxes and yet the number of people on food stamps has doubled in 4 years, (1 in 4 children is on food stamps). The only solutions seems to be for us to “send in more money” if we have any!!! Trickle up poverty is not just a catchy phrase I guess

    Report this comment

    Packers13  
  • leary1
    Feb. 5, 2013 at 2:14pm

    I was considered middle-class BEFORE OBAMANATION TOOK-OVER, HE IS DESTROYING AMERICA, SMALL BUSINESS AND ME. If it weren`t for the liberal progressive ignorant democrats that kiss obama`s &@$#%, things would be better. obama and his band of dillusional followers have no concern for anybody other than unions and himself!!! My income has CONSISTANTLY DROPPED SINCE THIS IDIOT TOOK-OVER.

    Report this comment

    leary1  
  • 1ClassicLiberal
    Feb. 4, 2013 at 10:56pm

    The President and the rest of the progressives do look out for the middle class! You first have to realize exactly who they are referring to when they use the term Middle Class. ‘Protect the Middle Class’ is lib code for protect the new entitlement class. The PA Department of Welfare put out a graph indicating that a welfare recipient with two children obtains the equivalent of, at minimum, $48,000 per year in entitlements. Protect the middle class is the battle cry of progressives on both sides of the isle and the reason why you will never see Congress address entitlement reform. Twenty years ago they called it Reparation.

    Report this comment

    1ClassicLiberal  
  • StronzateDiDestra
    Feb. 4, 2013 at 10:25pm

    The kicker in poor Jason’s fairytale is nothing but a delusion, stemming from a mental synthesis gone haywire. Or is it a deliberate mendacity…..

    A half-wit liar or just an additional imbecile revealed. Which are you Jason?

    Report this comment

    StronzateDiDestra  
  • Apexduck
    Feb. 4, 2013 at 10:11pm

    Oh yes he is looking out for us alright. Let see … one year after he was sworn in to office the first time I was laid off and it took me 3 1/2 years to find a job that pays one third of what I was making contract work no benefits, no vacation time, 2nd shift work. Unemployment (real number) is at 16% to 20% depending on the state. Oh yeah he’s watching out for us alright.

    Report this comment

    Apexduck  
  • YOURSENSEI
    Feb. 4, 2013 at 9:34pm

    This is what you must know:

    Myth?

    All conservatives are patriots.

    Fox is fair and balanced.

    Jesus is on your side.

    Mitt really does care about 100%.

    Liberals stole the election.

    Dick Cheney is an experienced hunter.

    George Bush likes cutting brush.

    Reagan didn’t sell arms to the leading state sponsor of global terrorism.

    Sean Hannity got waterboarded for charity.

    Karl Rove didn’t robocall people in S. Carolina saying John McCain had an illegitimate black daughter.

    W served honorably in the Alabama Air National Guard.

    Billy Graham is not an anti-Semite.

    Oh, too too too many to go on.

    It is so.

    Report this comment

    YOURSENSEI  
  • GuruMeditation
    Feb. 4, 2013 at 8:14pm

    Yeah right. Hahahaha.

    Report this comment

    GuruMeditation  
  • hades3
    Feb. 4, 2013 at 7:33pm

    We have met the enemy and he is us. Too many people cheer when a politician pits one group against another. The only time most people don’t cheer, is when what a politician says something
    that can have a negative effect of the particular group they are part of. That’s exactly how people
    become angry when they are manipulated by those in power. However, people allow themselves too
    be herded like sheep. they should only blame themselves.

    Report this comment

    hades3  
  • doctorjohn
    Feb. 4, 2013 at 5:39pm

    We need to take the ability to “Tax Income” away from these “Temporary Politicians”.
    Much “Evil” has been brought on America since the Ratification of the 16th Amendment.
    The Punishing of Success through income taxation has been like a “Ball and Chain” on America’s progress as the Leader of the Free World; to a degree we probably won’t fully realize until the 16th Amendment is repaealed.

    Report this comment

    doctorjohn  
  • doctorjohn
    Feb. 4, 2013 at 5:27pm

    We need to take the ability to “Tax Income” away from these “Temporary Politicians”.
    Much “Evil” has been brought on America since the Ratification of the 16th Amendment.
    The Punishing of Success through income taxation has been like a “Ball and Chain” on America’s progress as the Leader of the Free World; to a degree we probably won’t fully realize until the 16th Amendment is repaealed.
    Check this Out
    http://doctorjohnblog.com/2012/06/27/what-happened-to-america-a-vicious-self-perpetuating-cycle/

    Report this comment

    doctorjohn  
  • sbenard
    Feb. 4, 2013 at 4:57pm

    Obama is a classist! His statements are a priori proof of class warfare! Only his legions of leeching lemmings believe such foolishness!

    Report this comment

    sbenard  
  • WillG
    Feb. 4, 2013 at 4:25pm

    The Dalai Bamas plan is working quite well for him.

    Report this comment

    WillG  
  • matinva
    Feb. 4, 2013 at 4:20pm

    The only thing Barry is giving the ‘middle class’ is his ‘middle finger’.

    Report this comment

    matinva  
  • Beachmastermax
    Feb. 4, 2013 at 3:59pm

    How can anyone think that “any good” will come out of enriching a Chicago Community Organizer with anyone else’s money? Wealthy or middle class. Are you crazy!!!! You can see how well things are working out in cities like Chicago, Detroit, Newark, East Saint Louis. Open up your eyes!!!

    The private sector is 1000% more efficient than a government employee!!! And there is punishment for making stupid decisions in the private sector. Dumb decisions in the public sector always result in promotion!!

    Report this comment

    Beachmastermax  
  • clodius
    Feb. 4, 2013 at 3:35pm

    We used to be middle class before the turd took over the white house. Since then my wife lost her job and I had to take a crappy job because my hours got cut in half where I used to work when GW has el-supremo.

    That 2.5% payroll tax increase really kicked our butts. I don’t think we can take any more of those left wing bastards protecting us.

    Report this comment

    clodius  
  • Fishcop126
    Feb. 4, 2013 at 3:32pm

    With a lapdog media parroting every lie BHO and his band of radical revisionist’s tells, he can help but get away with it!! The american public is painfully stupid and gullible, and would probably elect this liar and phony again if given the chance! I firmly believe that the revolution has started, its just not a shooting war yet! If and when he comes for the guns, it will be all out!!!

    Report this comment

    Fishcop126  
  • repup
    Feb. 4, 2013 at 2:54pm

    Too bad we dont measure the economy by the “real Gross” domestic product, of which this country is #1 (err #2?) cuz we cornered the market with bull sl-lit.

    Report this comment

    repup  
  • Margyt
    Feb. 4, 2013 at 2:47pm

    “Protect the middle class” was language BO used to co-opt the conservative, Tea Party message and broaden his base. He is neither the enemy of the rich or the poor. He is only the enemy of the middle class (economically). He is the enemy of us all in social and spiritual realms. Unfortunately, he got away with it.

    Report this comment

    Margyt  
  • Arshloch
    Feb. 4, 2013 at 2:33pm

    First ‘lil berry’ needs to learn that the ‘class system’ is a product of foreign lands. Second thing is that only the ‘political class’ is a drain on society, by existing, and third is if you hate the U.S. please spare us the irritation value and move to little hugo’s slum. NOTE; He single handidly turned that prosperous country into the present slum using your silly ideas.

    Report this comment

    Arshloch  
  • Byrdi
    Feb. 4, 2013 at 2:23pm

    That payroll tax holiday should have never happened in the first place. It resulted in borrowing over $200 billion in social security payouts. Stupid. I still remember getting emails from the WH wanting me to tell my story of how much $40 a week would help me. It was only $13 a week for me. Big deal. Soon after, I lost my job and had to go on SS. Stop playing games and get out of the way so the economy rebounds.

    Report this comment

    Byrdi  

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