# Hahahahaha. Tea party republicans push for regressive tax hike. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 21, 2011, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525 "2011-08-21T14:08:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525/1 "2011-08-21T14:08:06Z")
Schadenfreude. Taxed enough already seems to only apply to those making over 250k a year. Which isn’t shocking if you understand what the GOP really stand for (instead of what they claim to stand for), but lol to all those people in their tea party uniforms fighting to keep tax breaks for the wealthy while their own taxes go up. Suckers. In between the regressive tax hikes and the cuts to services to the working/middle class and poor, most tea partiers will lose thousands of dollars. Sadly so will I. My brother is going to lose a few grand in the new student loan changes for grad students. Sucky system, but what can you do but laugh. > **[Yahoo News: Latest and Breaking News, Headlines, Live Updates, and More](https://news.yahoo.com/)** > > The latest news and headlines from Yahoo News. Get breaking news stories and in-depth coverage with videos and photos. > [@](#): > > WASHINGTON (AP) — News flash: Congressional Republicans want to raise your taxes. > > Impossible, right? GOP lawmakers are so virulently anti-tax, surely they will fight to prevent a payroll tax increase on virtually every wage-earner starting Jan. 1, right? > > Apparently not. > > Many of the same Republicans who fought hammer-and-tong to keep the George W. Bush-era income tax cuts from expiring on schedule are now saying a different “temporary” tax cut should end as planned. By their own definition, that amounts to a tax increase. > > The tax break extension they oppose is sought by President Barack Obama. Unlike proposed changes in the income tax, this policy helps the 46 percent of all Americans who owe no federal income taxes but who pay a “payroll tax” on practically every dime they earn. > > There are other differences as well, and Republicans say their stand is consistent with their goal of long-term tax policies that will spur employment and lend greater certainty to the economy. > > “It’s always a net positive to let taxpayers keep more of what they earn,” says Rep. Jeb Hensarling, “but not all tax relief is created equal for the purposes of helping to get the economy moving again.” The Texas lawmaker is on the House GOP leadership team. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525/2 "2011-08-21T14:14:11Z")
Well, when Obama supports it, all bets are off. Then it’s the Worst Thing Evar!! ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525/3 "2011-08-21T15:39:12Z")
It’s sick. There are really no other words. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525/4 "2011-08-21T15:43:22Z")
If the Teabaggers and the GOP raise taxes on their constituents, it will be Obama’s fault. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525/5 "2011-08-21T16:07:21Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > If the Teabaggers and the GOP raise taxes on their constituents, it will be Obama’s fault. If the Teabaggers and the GOP get a bellyache from too much icecream, it will be Obama’s fault. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525/6 "2011-08-21T16:55:55Z")
Let me get this straight. The tax cut which mainly benefited the wealthiest Americans and was supposed to expire by now: “it must be protected at all costs!” But a tax cut which benefits a huge number of ordinary working Americans: “meh. Let it expire.” GOP: friends of ordinary Americans. Really. ---
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525/7 "2011-08-21T17:06:22Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > It’s sick. There are really no other words. Sick, sure, but is it really surprising? I truly don’t understand how people (and by people I mean the middle class and below, as opposed to the wealthy, who directly benefit from the GOP’s policies) can sympathize with the GOP. To be more specific, I have friends who are on SS disability, yet call SS a Ponzi scheme, essentially echoing the GOP’s talking points. That sort of cognitive dissonance is beyond my understanding. Yet these same people will blindly follow the GOP’s stance on the OP’s tax position. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525/8 "2011-08-21T17:09:47Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > Well, when Obama supports it, all bets are off. Then it’s the Worst Thing Evar!! If I thought it would work, I’d tell Obama to propose radical tax cuts in the hopes that republicans will automatically oppose it and make an effective plan using tax increases before they realize what’s happening. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525/9 "2011-08-21T18:11:39Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > If the Teabaggers and the GOP raise taxes on their constituents, it will be Obama’s fault. Bill Maher said it well: > [@](#): > > Maher: And three, cult members always attribute all of their problems to one simple explanation. Now here’s an amazing statistic. In a recent poll almost ninety percent of Tea Baggers said that they thought taxes had either gone up or stayed the same under Obama. Only two percent thought they went down. But the reality is taxes have gone down for ninety five percent of working families taxes went down. > > Think about that. Only two percent of the people in a “movement” about taxes named after a tax revolt have the slightest idea what’s going on…with taxes. It is comical, or at least it would be if it weren’t serious. Now their taxes will go up, and they still won’t know what is going on. I’m all for paying taxes. I get, have gotten and hopefully will continue to get in the future great stuff in exchange for paying them. Scientific research, a good education, libraries, retirement aid, quality control, security. roads, etc. So I don’t mind paying taxes. But a movement based on taxes that doesn’t understand taxes, and now due to their voting habits their taxes and lviing expenses will go up rather than down, that is just funny. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525/10 "2011-08-22T23:01:36Z")
Wait a minute… A bunch of lefties on this board bitching about a plan to raise taxes, which had been anathema to Republicans, _by_ Republicans? I see. A reverse psychology ploy. Careful, though. If you hate it enough the Republican house may pass it, and that’s when the good theater will start. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525/11 "2011-08-22T23:19:38Z")
Don’t think you’re reading it carefully enough. It’s about hypocrisy, nobody here is whining about more taxes… ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525/12 "2011-08-23T00:47:44Z")
> [@Rysdad](#): > > Wait a minute… > > A bunch of lefties on this board bitching about a plan to raise taxes, which had been anathema to Republicans, _by_ Republicans? > > I see. A reverse psychology ploy. > > Careful, though. If you hate it enough the Republican house may pass it, and that’s when the good theater will start. I’m all for raising taxes to keep the system solvent. But the Tea Party and GOP railed against taxes when they were on corporations and the wealthy. But now that they are on everyone else, they are unnecessary, causing deficits, not helpful, etc. It is comical. It is almost as funny as all us leftists electing Obama to be our great progressive hope and having him extend the bush tax cuts and abolish the public option instead. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525/13 "2011-08-23T00:52:43Z")
Moved to Great Debates from MPSIMS. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525/14 "2011-08-23T00:59:20Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > It is almost as funny as all us leftists electing Obama to be our great progressive hope and having him extend the bush tax cuts and abolish the public option instead. It’s equally funny, to me. Stupid democrats. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525/15 "2011-08-23T01:04:51Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > It’s equally funny, to me. > > Stupid democrats. They said vote for Hillary. Lesson learned. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525/16 "2011-08-23T01:29:52Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > It is almost as funny as all us leftists electing Obama to be our great progressive hope and having him extend the bush tax cuts and abolish the public option instead. Obama did neither of these things. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525/17 "2011-08-23T01:34:38Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > Obama did neither of these things. What universe do you live in? ---
**Author:** ![gatorslap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gatorslap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gatorslap)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525/18 "2011-08-23T01:49:32Z")
It is true that he didn’t really abolish the public option. The Senate did that. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525/19 "2011-08-23T02:11:48Z")
> [@gatorslap](#): > > It is true that he didn’t really abolish the public option. The Senate did that. My understanding was he negotiated it with the insurance companies. The administration supposedly said in a nutshell ‘if you don’t oppose this health insurance reform, we will mandate people buy private insurance and not offer competition from a public plan’. So I can see his logic, but my understanding was Obama played a role in negotiating that away. FWIW the insurance companies still opposed the bill at least somewhat and funded many tea party protests. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525/20 "2011-08-23T03:21:30Z")
Playing a role in negotiations is _not_ equivalent to “abolish[ing] the public option.” You can’t abolish something that never existed. And only Congress has the authority to extend the Bush era tax cuts or not. Obama has consistently advocating letting them expire on the people who benefited from them the most; i.e. really fucking rich people. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hahahahaha-tea-party-republicans-push-for-regressive-tax-hike/593525.md?page=2)