Thread: Taxes could be going up for middle class families.

Originally Posted by gmyers

My husband saw where some of Obama's people were saying they could have to raise taxes for middle class families to help with the deficit.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/....html?wprss=44

Obama Won't Raise Middle-Class Taxes
By Michael A. Fletcher
If two of President Obama's top economic advisers cracked open the door to the possibility middle-class tax increases Sunday, the White House slammed it shut on Monday.

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said President Obama will not raise taxes on Americans earning less than $250,000 a year, even as the nation's budget deficit has surged beyond $1 trillion, a problem that policy makers agree has to eventually be wrestled under control to ensure future economic growth.

During his 2008 presidential campaign, Obama promised not to raise taxes on middle class Americans -- and he intends to keep that pledge, Gibbs said. "The president's clear commitment is not to raise taxes on those making less than $250,000 a year," he said.

Speaking at his daily news briefing, Gibbs responded to remarks made by top economic adviser Larry Summers and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, both of whom seemed to leave open the possibility of middle-class tax increases to bring the deficit under control.

Asked on CBS's "Face the Nation" whether taxes could be raised for middle-income Americans, Summers was non-committal. "There is a lot that can happen over time," he said. "It is never a good idea to absolutely rule things out no matter what."

Geithner, in an interview on ABC's "This Week" program, said restructuring the U.S. health-care system is not enough to rein in the budget deficit under control, and he said tax increases could be necessary. "We can't make these judgments yet about exactly what it's going to take and how we're going to get there," Geithner said.

Gibbs said Obama swiftly put such politically volatile talk to rest during a meeting with his top economic advisers on Monday. He said the president reiterated his commitment to not raising taxes on middle-class Americans, a promise rooted in his belief that the only group of people on average to prosper economically in the past eight years were the nation's top 5 percent of income earners, while the nation's median income flat lined.

Still, the remarks from Obama's top economic advisers drew a sharp rebuke from some Republicans. "Despite the Obama campaign rhetoric, it appears that the White House may do the last thing an economy in recession should do -- increase taxes on middle-income families -- to dig itself out of the hole it's made," said Sen. Chuck Grassley (Iowa), the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee.

With health care costs rising far faster than inflation, the federal deficit is largely being driven by the growing costs of Medicare and Medicaid. But some of Obama's initiatives -- including efforts to make renewable energy profitable, to bolster education, and to remake the health care system in a way that will eventually control costs while extending coverage -- promise to put even more pressure on the deficit.

"I think the president has backed himself into a corner here," said Marc Goldwein, policy director of the bipartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. "He wants big spending on health care, energy and education. And you can't get that from taxing only the top 5 percent of income earners. That makes it difficult to do tax policy."

While Obama has promised that health care reform could in the long run result in big budget savings, Goldwein said that significant new revenue is also going to be needed to shrink the deficit.

"If the president cares about the deficit and wants to make it a priority, he has to make a major budget deal at some point," he said. "On the table has to be Social Security, health reform, budget cuts and revenue. And it is going to very difficult to get that revenue from just the top sliver of the income scale."

Staff Writer Scott Wilson contributed to this report.

Posted at 5:46 PM ET on Aug 3, 2009 | Category: Health Care

A lot of states are upping the taxes. This past weekend our sales tax went up 25% from 5% to 6.25% and the liquor tax was supposed to go up as well.

Originally Posted by gmyers

They were talking about getting rid of the sales tax on groceries here but I haven't heard any more about it.

We don't have taxes on food other then prepared food and restaurant meals. We don't have tax on clothing either. They get us in other ways.

Originally Posted by janelle

It's already been raised. Cap & Trade. If you own a light switch you have to pay a higher energy bill. Taxes were raised on cigarettes and other things. It's not just the rich who buy these products.

The government can't spend all this money without taxing us. Who do you think the government is? It's us and we are paying through the nose and will be for a very long time. BUT NO, they won't stop spending our money.

The "middle class" are always the ones who get stuck feeling the pinch. They won't overtax the rich because that 's who keeps them in office and they can't overtax the poor because there's no money to tax. It will be interesting to see how the Obama administration defines who exactly the middle class is. Would that be anyone who is currently not on welfare?? I was reading an article today in a magazine about how more and more families are choosing to live together. As many as 3 generations. Is that what we've been reduced to just to be able to survive? It makes me wonder how we can still refer to ourselves as a prosperous country. I mean, I know we're not living in straw huts.....yet.

I just wanted to add that I am currently unemployed. I was looking on the big job boards today and there were a total of 3 jobs within a 50 mile radius that I am qualified to do. That is just pathetic.

When Obama said he will redistrubute the wealth he meant it. Why don't people believe him? It's fine when we think the wealthy will have some money taken from them but not so good when we have our money taken from us. Remember Michelle said Obama will expect EVERYONE to contrubute, in other words---to pony up. Get in line. In the mean time the Obamas seem to be living in the lap of luxury.

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In a recession as we are in, this arrogant woman racks up over of $1.2 Million per year in assistant costs. Pure unadulterated, pompous, narcissism.



There has never been anyone in the White House at any time that has created such an army of staffers whose sole duties are the facilitation of the First Lady's social life. One wonders why she needs so much help, at taxpayer expense, when even Hillary, only had three; Jackie Kennedy one; Laura Bush one; and prior to Mamie Eisenhower social help came from the President's own pocket.


Here's one to share! This is the woman who is "finally proud" to be an American? Where does she get the NERVE ????

Recession, Depression, What, Michelle Worry?
July 7, 2009
Dr. Paul L. Williams

In my own life, in my own small way, I have tried to give back to this country that has given me so much, and she said. See, that is why I left a job at a big law firm for a career in public service, “ Michelle Obama

No, Michele Obama does not get paid to serve as the First Lady and she doesn't perform any official duties. But this hasn't deterred her from hiring an unprecedented number of staffers to cater to her every whim and to satisfy her every request in the midst of the Great Recession. Just think Mary Lincoln was taken to task for purchasing China for the White House during the Civil War. And Mamie Eisenhower had to shell out the salary for her personal secretary.

How things have changed! If you are one of the tens of millions of Americans facing certain destitution, earning less than subsistence wages stocking the shelves at Wal-Mart or serving up McDonald cheeseburgers, prepare to scream and then come to realize that the benefit package for these servants of Miz Michelle are the same as members of the national security and defense departments and the bill for these assorted lackeys is paid by John Q. Public:

1. $172,2000 - Sher, Susan (Chief Of Staff)
2. $140,000 - Frye, Jocelyn C. (Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Policy And Projects For The First Lady)
3. $113,000 - Rogers, Desiree G. (Special Assistant to the President and White House Social Secretary)
4. $102,000 - Johnston, Camille Y. (Special Assistant to the President and Director of Communications for the First Lady)
5. Winter, Melissa E. (Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief Of Staff to the First Lady)
6. $90,000 - Medina, David S.. (Deputy Chief Of Staff to the First Lady)
7. $84,000 - Lelyveld, Catherine M. (Director and Press Secretary to the First Lady)
8. $75,000 - Starkey, Frances M. (Director of Scheduling and Advance for the First Lady)
9. $70,000 - Sanders, Trooper (Deputy Director of Policy and Projects for the First Lady)
10. $65,000 - Burnough, Erinn J. (Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary)
11. Reinstein, Joseph B. (Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary)
12. $62,000 - Goodman, Jennifer R. (Deputy Director of Scheduling and Events Coordinator For The First Lady)
13. $60,000 - Fitts, Alan O. (Deputy Director of Advance and Trip Director for the First Lady)
14. Lewis, Dana M. (Special Assistant and Personal Aide to the First Lady)
15. $52,500 - Mustaphi, Semonti M. (Associate Director and Deputy Press Secretary To The First Lady)
16. $50,000 - Jarvis, Kristen E. (Special Assistant for Scheduling and Traveling Aide To The First Lady)
17. $45,000 - Lechtenberg, Tyler A. (Associate Director of Correspondence For The First Lady)
18. Tubman, Samantha (Deputy Associate Director, Social Office)
19. $40,000 - Boswell, Joseph J. (Executive Assistant to the Chief Of Staff to the First Lady)
20. $36,000 - Armbruster, Sally M. (Staff Assistant to the Social Secretary)
21. Bookey, Natalie (Staff Assistant)
22. Jackson, Deilia A. (Deputy Associate Director of Correspondence for the First Lady)

Copyright 2009 Canada Free Press.Com

Canadafreepress.Com/index.php/article/12652

There has never been anyone in the White House at any time that has created such an army of staffers whose sole duties are the facilitation of the First Lady's social life. One wonders why she needs so much help, at taxpayer expense, when even Hillary, only had three; Jackie Kennedy one; Laura Bush one; and prior to Mamie Eisenhower social help came from the President's own pocket.

Note: This does not include makeup artist Ingrid Grimes-Miles, 49, and "First Hairstylist" Johnny Wright, 31, both of whom travelled aboard Air Force One to Europe.

"Beware of the enemy from within!!!"

"IS IT CHANGE OR CHAINS?"