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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Dent: Extend Payroll Tax Cut Already

As Democrats and Republicans needlessly bicker again over the latest issue of the day, a payroll tax extension, centrist Charlie Dent asks everyone to stop playing political hot potato.

“Before the end of the year, the House and Senate must reconcile the differences between our approaches to extending payroll tax relief. Otherwise, an entirely avoidable tax increase will affect countless hardworking Americans on January 1, 2011.

“While I prefer a yearlong extension, I am certain bicameral cooperation and negotiation can result in a better product than the two month extension approved by the Senate. Additionally, Congress must no longer engage in political hot potato every time a provision of critical importance to the American people needs to be addressed. Bipartisan and bicameral agreements can be achieved when political brinkmanship is abandoned.”

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

The two months are on the table. senate Dem's and Repuib's agreed. There is no other plan except a full year from the House Republ's.
The American people will let the Repub's and their bagger cohorts know the score next November.

Even Dent's nonsensical non-statement can't save him from this. He lives in a moderate District. if he allows middle-class residents and voters suffer a tax increase as well as medicare providers taking a 27% cut in reimbursements let that be on his head.

The deal WAS a compromise so that people will be spared a hardship while the bullshitters work out a long range plan.

The baggers want the Party, they got it. The rest of the country has better ideas.

Anonymous said...

So long Charlie
Is it 87.9% now?

Anonymous said...

what a bunch of children we have elected

Anonymous said...

Bernie,

These are just the Republican talking points after the senseless political maneuvering to create a committee as opposed to having an up-down vote on the bill. If Dent was a real moderate and a real leader he would do what Senator Brown is doing and take the more conservative wing of the House to task for this impertinent decision. Congress needs real leadership, Dent can issue any regurgitated talking point written by Republican talking heads and blessed by Shawn Milan but the fact remains this press release is not leadership and does not in anyway show that Mr. Dent is a moderate. Rather, it just reinforces that Mr. Dent is a conservative and like John Boehner is satisfied to follow the more conservative wing of the party. Its disappointing and we deserve better from our Congressman.
I know I will never change your opinion on this and if you were a reporter one could certainly take you to task for the slant you placed in your blog. Since it is your blog you can write what you want, how you want. But that does not make it true.

Anonymous said...

Why are these called "payroll cuts"? Call them what they are....underfunding social security which is already underfunded. It is not a tax cut or tax credit. It is bad fiscal planning pure and simple.

Jon Geeting said...

Anony 7:09 is exactly right. A "centrist" bill has already passed the Senate 89-10. 89-10!! When does that kind of bipartisanship ever happen?

The problem is not that the House Republicans want the year-long extension. Democrats want that too.

The problem is that the House Republicans also want all this other partisan crap in the bill, and they think they can get a better deal if they take the country to the brink again, just like they did with the debt ceiling.

If Charlie Dent really wanted to get this done, he'd join Scott Brown, Dick Lugar and John McCain in calling out the tea people for their partisan obstructionism. That he isn't doing that tells you how far to the right he has followed his party since he first ran for the seat in 2004.

Mike Schware said...

Bernie -

Aside from shorting up the social security fund, the two month cut is a disaster to administer.

First, employment taxes that are wittheld are reported to the government on a QUARTERLY basis. That means that if the two-month extension isn't extended further, there will be two rates in the same quarter.

Not only will that mean an additional burden on businesses to calculate the rates, it will also likely mean a wait on the IRS to revise the quarterly tax form to accomodate two different rates.

Second, if the tax cut is extended further, I doubt they'll do it in early January. Most likely, it will be done at the last minute, creating more havoc.

Politics aside, those supporting the two month extension don't seem to really understand business or the burden they place on it.

If they couldn't agree on a year-long extesnion, they should at least revise any extension to coincide with the end of a quarter.

Anonymous said...

HOUSE VOTE

PENNSYLVANIA

Democrats — Altmire, N; Brady, N; Critz, N; Doyle, N; Fattah, N; Holden, N; Schwartz, N.

Republicans — Barletta, Y; Dent, Y; Fitzpatrick, Y; Gerlach, Y; Kelly, Y; Marino, Y; Meehan, Y; Murphy, Y; Pitts, Y; Platts, Y; Shuster, Y; Thompson, Y.

There our moderate, reasonable,free thinking, Representative goes again, voting lockstep with the Tea baggers and those in fear of losing to tea baggers in the next primary.

Gee - the only place you see this kind of party loyalty to do the wrong thing is in North Korea.

Anonymous said...

You cant be serious..The House Republicans, including Dent, refused an up and down vote on the matter..The Dems bent over so backwards on this matter so much that after the Senate vote Mitch McConnell was caught on tape giving a high five to another republican senator..The House, fearing an up and down vote might pass, used a bullshit procedural vote to vote down the Senate legislation..If this tax cut doesn't go through, Dent and his comrades in arms should all be put out to pasture for good, after being tarred and feathered..Of course, since their state house buddies their districts to make them much more Republican, they'll never get tossed..What a pathetic joke they are.

ironpigpen said...

Yes, those evil Republicans.

Yawn.

Re-elect Obama and the Democrats in 2012 ... they have done such a fabulous job the past few years.

Just ask Solyndra.

ironpigpen said...

I would ask why the Democrats never passed a budget when they had the Super Majority for two years but, why bother?

That was George Bush's fault, too.

Anonymous said...

Funny how the the topic of costs never came up when extending the Bush tax cuts were being discussed...hmmm?

Bernie O'Hare said...

7:09, These are not R talking points, but they are obtained from Dent news releases. I think it's important to share them bc they often provide details not contained in news accounts or cover topics that attract no attention in the newspaper. In fact, I will post news releases from nearly everyone, and have already shared to Jackson Eaton news releases.

Now I am pro-Dent, but let me ask what the important principle is that is preventing Democrats from just agreeing to a one-year extension of tax cuts instead of two months? The whole thing sounds silly.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"what a bunch of children we have elected "

True. It's embarrassing.

Anonymous said...

If Dent was a real moderate and a real leader he would do what Senator Brown is doing

I AM SHOUTING THIS SO YOU UNDERSTAND

BROWN WILL LOSE HIS SEAT AGAINST E. WARREN. IF HE DIDN'T THINK THIS WOULD HELP HIS ALREADY "SUNK" CAMPAIGN HE WOULD HAVE VOTED WITH

GOOD TIME CHARLIE

thank you

Anonymous said...

excuse me
"voted the same as"
I know the difference
Sen / Rep

ironpigpen said...

"What important principle"?

The job-creating oil pipeline from Canada.

"Green Jobs" are supposed to saving the day, you must understand.

How is your Volt from Government Motors performing?

Anonymous said...

Volt comments and Big Oil sarcasm



An oil pipeline is a "green job"
Your Suzy needs a shave.

Anonymous said...

Iron pig pen needs to read up on these things..What was submitted by those wanting the pipeline was a proposal that said there would be possibly 6000 temporary jobs..Fox news, as usal, turned this info into 20,000 full time jobs..Gotta love em..Either way, the Senate vote included the stupid pipeline and the house rejected the bill that includes it..So, right now we have no pipeline and no tax cut thanks to the House Republicans...There was also no up and down vote..How pathetic was that..Again, they need to be tarred and feathered , at least!

Anonymous said...

Obama wants to give us $166.

Rs want us to keep $1,000.

$1,000 > $166.

That many can't understand this is a continuing indictment of our public schools.

Anonymous said...

You teabaggers need to shave your own suzy.

Anonymous said...

Obama wants to give us $166.

Rs want us to keep $1,000.

$1,000 > $166.

That many can't understand this is a continuing indictment of our public schools.

I saw that on FOX today too!!!

Neil Cavuto said to the congressmen that held up the printed post card with those numbers, that it was "disingenuous" to show that because the 166 was prorated for 2 months.
So what we have here and I hate to say it FOX was being fair and balanced you on the other hand if you did not know this was a fuzzy math presentation have ADD.
Pay attention to your "heros".
You are the epitome of the public scruel system. Actually you prove FOX suceeded in pulling a hoax on the stupid.

Nice try though. LOL

Anonymous said...

Good work teabaggers. Because you didn't get what you want, the American people pay the price.

The new Republican party, we raise your taxes by default because you don't matter. Catchy, I like it!

Anonymous said...

$166 is less than $1,000.

Obamanomics say the opposite, but this is the same view that thinks his rotund wife is thin for all her running of the food police. Please.

guelph payroll provider said...

The reason why I support payroll tax cut because it is targeted and controllable. We are in recession period and to achieve economy organic growth it is essential to stabilize for debt levels.