Tax Day Message From Paul Ryan

TOTAL = $670.341 BILLION AND COUNTING…
*VIOLATES PRESIDENT’S PLEDGE TO NOT INCREASE TAXES ON MIDDLE CLASS

Paul Ryan makes reference to this list of new taxes passed into law since President Obama took office a scant  15 months ago.  According to the accompanying press release, the list of taxes includes at least 14 violations of the President's pledge not to raise taxes on those making less than $250,000.  The taxes totaling $670 billion amounts to a new tax burden of $2100 for every man woman and child in America.  The vast majority of these taxes were enacted in the health care legislation though some came from the stimulus, SCHIP and a few others.

Paul Ryan explains the purpose of the tax increases  in the following video:

 "They are putting through an agenda in this country to replace the American idea - the values and principles that made American so exceptional - with more of a European, cradle to the grave-style social welfare state."

When Democrats are out in force to send a message they cut your taxes, don't believe it. Mike Pence couldn't stifle a giggle at the absurdity of the Democrats' claim they cut taxes more than any other Congress.  More than any other Congress where, Zimbabwe?

The Tax Man Cometh

Harvard economist Greg Mankiw looks into his crystal ball and sees the potential for European level tax rates in America's future. Though Mankiw sees some potential merit in aspects of the health care bill, he believes it will add significantly to our long-term fiscal problems. He wonders how long before the President comes clean with the American people that his spending programs require higher taxes:

The Obama administration's political philosophy is more egalitarian and more communitarian than mine. Their spending programs require much higher taxes than we have now and, indeed, much higher taxes than they have had the temerity to propose. Here is the question I have been wondering about: How long can the President wait before he comes clean with the American people and explains how high taxes needs to rise to pay for his vision of government?

I hope Mankiw is not holding his breath waiting for the Obama administration to come clean. He shirked the responsibility when he created the deficit reduction committee.

Charles Krauthammer sees the VAT tax in our future to solve the problem. Ed Morrissey notes this was debated while the bills were being written. Clearly it was scrapped knowing Americans would overwhelmingly reject a bill that was paid for with such a tax. Nevertheless, the day of reckoning is coming and with it higher taxes. Be prepared:

Thirteen Teeny Tiny Taxes in the House Health Care Bill

Americans for Tax Reform have put together a list of 10 teeny tiny  new taxes in the House health care bill released today.   The bill is compact, just 1990 pages; how much damage can they do in a couple thousand pages?   Don't worry though, these are just teeny tiny taxes, you probably won't even notice them ...until you have to pay them:

Employer Mandate Excise Tax (Page 275): If an employer does not pay 72.5 percent of a single employee’s health premium (65 percent of a family employee), the employer must pay an excise tax equal to 8 percent of average wages. Small employers (measured by payroll size) have smaller payroll tax rates of 0 percent (<$500,000), 2 percent ($500,000-$585,000), 4 percent ($585,000-$670,000), and 6 percent ($670,000-$750,000).

Obama 2007: This is How You Get Into Trouble as President

No sooner do I get done a post on the endless ways Obama's "gift" for speech making gets him in trouble, along comes this shocking video that contrasts his speech before Congress last week with statements to supporters in 2007:


How do people feel about paying additional money? Turn around and look behind you, Mr. President. It doesn't look as though Obama followed his own warning about plowing full steam ahead.

H/T: Memeorandum and Gateway Pundit

What's Up With the 1.3 Trilllion Obama Inherited From Bush Rhetoric?

Allahpundit posts the Tim Geithner walkback on the "no new taxes on the middle class" promise made ad nauseum during the campaign. Never mind that this was also accompanied by the promise of tax cuts from the Administration that derides tax cuts at every turn. Never mind, that there really was no tax cut, just a change in withholding for the vast majority of taxpayers. This is something anyone can do at your Human Resource office. It doesn't change your overall tax liability and many may find themselves owing next April, but I digress. Here is the video where Tiny Tim does his Moonwalk:



Anyone following the health care debate knew there have to be middle class tax increases coming because the program not only is not deficit neutral, it adds to the deficit it adds to the deficit in the years beyond 2019. It doesn't bend costs down and it can't possibly correct a $9 Trillion budget deficit incurred entirely by the Obama Administration's budget. What I don't get is where they are getting this 1.3 Trillion number that is always thrown out when discussing budget deficits. Are they claiming the TARP funds and bailouts were an inheritance? They had no obligation to continue that program, it was a choice that led to a largely nationalized banking industry and Government Motors. Can anyone explain where they get this figure?

UPDATE: Newsbusters has an explanation of why the inherited deficit rhetoric is complete garbage. If I hadn't been focused on the 1.3 Trillion number that is thrown around, I would have remembered that Congress approved all the spending for the last two years and Obama approved every dime of the spending he and Geithner attempt to blame on Bush.