Senate Democrats Split From Obama on Taxing Dividends

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15. On that 3.8% surtax to help pay for health care and the high dividend rates - that's on top earners

The 3.8% surtax to help pay for Obama care is just on those earning $200,000 (individuals) and $250,000 married filing jointly. Per the book, "Landmark, The Inside Story of America's New Health Care Law..." by the staff of the Washington Post, 2010

So don't panic that everyone is going to get hit with a 3.8% income tax surcharge.

As for Obama proposing in his 2013 budget that dividends being taxed at the same rate as ordinary income -- that's only for the upper brackets (probably again the $200,000 / $250,000 income and above).

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-12/senate-democrats-still-filling-blanks-in-obama-tax-plan.html

Obama’s budget this year calls for taxing dividends as ordinary income for high earners at rates of up to 39.6 percent, compared with 15 percent now. His previous budgets had called for the top tax rate on dividends to be 20 percent, matching the proposed capital gains rates.

Obama has always said he will keep the Bush tax cuts in place for those earning less than $200,000 / $250,000, which is:

Long-term capital gains and "qualified dividends" -
0% rate for those in the 15% tax bracket and below
15% rate for those above the 15% tax bracket (but below the $200,000 / $250,000)

Short term capital gains and unqualified dividends: taxed as ordinary income (just like now)