House Dems Supporting Bush Tax Cuts Represent Few Rich People: Report - HuffPo

[WillyT]

House Dems Supporting Bush Tax Cuts Represent Few Rich People: Report
Arthur Delaney - HuffingtonPost
First Posted: 09-21-10 04:33 PM | Updated: 09-21-10 04:54 PM

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Most House Democrats who want to keep the soon-to-expire Bush tax cuts for the wealthy represent districts where the share of taxpayers rich enough to pay higher taxes under President Obama's tax plan is below the national average.

Obama wants to keep the cuts for all but the top income brackets -- individuals and families making more than $200,000 and $250,000 a year, respectively. Of 31 Democrats who signed a letter supporting the tax cuts, 22 represent districts where less than 2.1 percent of residents would see higher taxes under Obama's proposal, according to a new report by Citizens for Tax Justice: http://ctj.org/ctjreports/2010/09/most_house_democrats_supporting_tax_cuts_for_the_rich_have_lower_than_average_percentage_of_high-inc.php

"They don't seem to be coming from particularly rich districts, so it makes you wonder, 'Who are they representing?'" said CTJ's Steve Wamhoff in an interview with HuffPost. "Why are they doing this? The polls are against them: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/09/new_poll_shows.html It's not poll-driven. It's not in the interest of their constituents. It's baffling."

Supporters of the tax cuts have said they're just looking out for the economy. "Given the continued fragility of our economy and slow pace of recovery, we share their concerns," wrote the 31 Democrats in their letter. "While those in the highest income brackets comprise only two to three percent of American taxpayers, economists estimate that they are responsible for 25 percent of national consumer spending."

The CTJ report takes aim at the 25 percent claim: "This assertion is not only wrong; it is impossible. The richest 2.1 percent of taxpayers account for about 21 percent of total pretax cash income. But their share of total personal consumption is certainly not higher than their share of total income. In fact, it is considerably lower, because they save a much higher portion of their after-tax income than less well-off Americans."

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More: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/21/house-dems-for-bush-tax-c_n_733636.html

:shrug:

[rpannier]

1. Who's filling their campaign chests?

Follow the money.
I would also add, the less threatened they are politically (by either a primary or a serious Republican challenge) the more likely they are to not feel the need to be responsive to their constituents

[w4rma]

2. Let them hang in the wind. This is a black and white issue. (nt)

[bindelh]

3. Replacing Boehner the Republican general in 2010

Justin Coussoule Democrat

Justin Coussoule is running against John Boehner for the 8th district House seat in Ohio.

Please go to Justin's site and contribute what you can for his campaign to replace this insensitive golf playing let them eat cake RepugnaNoUCan't NAY sayer.

It is time this Republican General is retired.

Justin Coussoule Support Blog