Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

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  1. David Frum surveyed Tea Party enthusiasts. They thought taxes were much higher than they are, that the federal government consumes a larger share of the GDP than it does, and that taxes for the middle class have risen when, in fact, they have fallen.

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    p>This tells us two things:

    1. The Tea Partiers really are not driven by policy. They are driven by narrative and so they believe things that are true to their narrative but not objectively true.
    2. Where the hell is the Democratic Party? Is it missing in action or what? It’s political malfeasance of absolutely the worst sort for such stupid memes to be taking hold unchallenged. Does the DNC believe that truth like fairy dust is going to sprinkle down and enlighten everyone?

    • …that foreign aid is 20% of our budget whereas it’s really 1% at most.  I am shocked, shocked, to discover misinformation being taken as fact among these people!:)

    • while certainly helpful, only amounts to approx $15.38/wk for married filing jointly.  It was a reduction in the payroll tax each week, which was to be offset by a the $800 credit when you file your taxes. Unfortunately for some folks, the payroll tax reduction exceeded the amount that offset it at tax time, so they saw a smaller refund and some even had to pay some of the payroll tax reduction back. The federal tax break was also partially offset by increases in state and local taxes. I agree that this tax cut was not talked about at all in the media, in some cases hardly noticed in paychecks. It would have been a better idea if Obama had just sent out $800 checks.  There would be no arguing with that, and it would have been easier to explain to people that Obama was trying to give a helping hand (albeit a very small helping hand) to the workers in our country.

      • like me, the increase in health insurance premiums more than erased any change the tax cut made to my take-home pay. The $800 offset on my tax bill is nice, however.

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        p>Of course, the tax cuts don’t really count, because they weren’t for the rich. Only tax cuts for the rich stimulate the economy, we know.

        • still carries the message that it will stimulate the economy.  We need Democrats to get out there and refute that falsehood.
          You’re right. For many people, health care premiums continue to take a large portion of paychecks; a $15. dollar tax cut wouldn’t even register.  Another example of corporate america taking middle class dollars out of our economy.  

      • People tend to save those checks, and the goal was to get people spending more money and stimulating the economy, not to get political credit for providing a tax cut.

        • Postage, printing, administration, and banking process adds what, $1 to each check?  Why spend the $50-100M or whatever it is?  Why not just do the right thing in the first place and adjust the paycheck itself?

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