Who here liked the Bush tax cuts when they were still the Bush tax cuts?

[AlabamaLibrul]

If you didn't like them then, but support them now, what has changed?

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. I did not support them then

or now.

The short term "stimulative" effect will be already spent, since it's not worked for almost ten years... so to expect this to work now is delusional.

But the people in DC (and the DLC) have bought this religion... it is a religion. Not all, mind you... but hey.

[provis99]

2. anyone who supports this bill, supports the Bush tax cuts.

[AlabamaLibrul]

4. Indeed, sir, the question then becomes what has swayed this demographic's opinion since

end of transmission

[dkf]

6. You sure you want to frame it as 69% of the people want to keep the Bush cuts?

That would be deadly to us for sure. The hostage thing is better.

[neverforget]

3. Bad then even worse now with the 2% Social Security Payroll cut.

The tax cuts didn't work for 10 years but we are now told that another 2 years will do the trick? :eyes:

[Art_from_Ark]

8. It's not a "2%"cut

It's a 16% cut in FICA contributions-- which might be more if employer contributions are also cut

[dkf]

5. It didn't do much for me so personally Its better if they dump them all.

But I don't think the unemployed can cope with being cut off.

Even if we shame the Republicans into it, there will be a time lag as there was in the past.

[doc03]

7. I never supported the Bush tax cuts to start with, I was a

deficit hawk long before the Teabaggers.

[frazzled]

9. Nobody, but you're glossing over some important details.

When those tax cuts were passed we were in no way in any kind of recession or fragile economic situation. (Indeed, we'd been left a surplus by the Clinton administration.) We opposed the tax cuts because they were (a) unnecessary and (b) were not paid for.

Today, our economy is still teetering. No economist believes that raising taxes on the middle class in a recession is a good idea. In fact, it's a very bad idea. Raising taxes on the wealthy would not have harmed them or the economy. But the Republicans weren't willing to let them go.

Finally, deficit spending is actually what we WANT to do in a recession.

And also ... we got a large amount of stimulus money in that package that we never would have gotten a penny of without this admittedly hold-the-nose compromise.

As Marx said, one must live historically.

[alex cross]

10. Groucho or Chico

Because if you're quoting Karl I ain't convinced.

[lamp_shade]

11. I probably didn't notice. I had a comfortable salary at the time.

[truedelphi]

12. I hated the Bush tax cuts.

And I hate the supposed Obama tax cuts, that actually put the neediest of Americans on the hook for an extra $ 3 a week. Which means that they are paying close to one percent more.

If the Ultra rich cannot afford a four percent increase,how is it that the poorest of the poor can afford three bucks a week?

I' m really hoping these people end up losing everything and have to see on a weekly basis what it is like to eat those extra three meals of rice and beans or corn pone or whatever.

[bigwillq]

13. Didn't like them then.

Don't like them now. I do, however, support the extension of the unemployment benefits.
Too bad the cruel game of politics had to link the two.

[JoePhilly]

14. I liked the cuts for the middle class, disliked those for the rich.

I feel the same now.

[jannyk]

15. Not then, not now! n/t

[Lorien]

16. Who here liked the entire Bush agenda when Bush was in office?

What part of the Bush agenda do you dislike today?

[Still a Democrat]

17. ~A little liberal nuance for you ~

I favored the cuts for all but the wealthy. I still oppose those, but am willing to swallow those if it maintains the middle and lower cuts along with things that make the package decidedly progressive.

[Arkana]

18. I don't support the tax cuts.

I do, however, support the 13 months of UI that millions of unemployed Americans like myself are about to get.

What's your next question, Captain Sanctimonious?