I’ve said this before and I believe it more with each passing day –
It is not possible to shame a Republican. These folks do NOT care about anything but their own money pile.
I remember when Republicans tried to use the analogy of the government budget being like a family’s budget….
Okay….let’s go with that one – shall we?
If there are two people working – the father and the mother – usually the father makes more money – so wouldn’t he be contributing ‘more’ to the budget?
Why shouldn’t the same logic be applied to the wealthy 2% that these Republicans seem to want to protect from paying their taxes?
In any budget – all the income goes to the pot and bills are paid from that pot – so it only stands to reason that the person who brings in more money is naturally going to pay more.
Geesh……these Republicans need to stop home schooling at Mommy’s Home School. Their arithmetic skills are atrocious.
One of the right-wing stories being spread is, once again, explained for rational people. President Obama did NOT sign an executive order giving Joe Biden and all members of Congress a pay raise. Although I personally think taking away their pay seems like an idea worth discussing… I am in favor of paying them minimum wage, by the hour, and NO benefits!
———————————–
On December 22, 2010, I issued a memorandum stating that the heads of executive departments and agencies should suspend any increases to any pay systems or pay schedules covering executive branch employees, and should forgo any general increases in covered employees’ rates of pay, that could otherwise take effect as a result of the exercise of administrative discretion during the period beginning on January 1, 2011, and ending on December 31, 2012. In light of section 114 of the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 (Public Law 112-175), I am hereby instructing the heads of executive departments and agencies that they should continue to adhere to this policy through March 27, 2013, the date after which statutory pay adjustments may be made pursuant to section 114 of Public Law 112-175.
I saw a headline on this on Huffington Post, I didn’t even bother to read it, as only Congress can raise its own pay (it’s in the Constitution). People make shit up, and people believe made-up shit.
Over the past year or more I’ve learned about many of my Facebook friends political leanings. Since the election it has gotten quieter. Even many of those who were willing to express opinions before have gone pretty silent, except on the subject of guns and, of course, the Obama haters continue to hate. Those who are positive their guns (ALL of them) are endangered comment often and loudly. The Second Amendment is the most important and… You all know the words to this irrational complaint backwards and forwards since they’ve used the same arguments forever and even lowered themselves to, “the reason you should be afraid Obama will take away your guns is because he isn’t taking away your guns!” Somehow that silliness made sense to the faithful.
When it comes to congress critters, many of the ones who are gun nuts are the same ones who want badly to control women, especially their reproductive rights. So maybe women will get a break for the space of time they are concentrating on protecting gun ownership from the evil democrats! Or maybe they’ll put some automatic votes in place so it seems like they’re actually doing something. You know, like their 33 votes to repeal Obamacare — just keep attempting the same futility overandover.
The fiscal cliff doesn’t get many comments. It seems even the republicans know it’s their ‘team’ holding up any progress.
And, they frankly don’t, for the most part, understand the effects. If things continue as is, expect loud squealing when each receives the first 2013 paycheck. Then, it’ll be all “Obama’s fault”.
From what I’ve heard, the IRS has the temporary discretion to delay withholding on the < 250g increases, although I wonder how that works. But the expiration of the payroll tax holiday — which is going to happen, thanks for AARP — is going to happen, and you can bet working-class conservatives will blame Obama, forgetting that he was the one who negotiated the tax cut in the first place..
If I was still in the work place the first thing I would do is have an employee meeting — attendance mandatory. I would carefully explain the difference between tax liability and withholding and we’d discuss the situation of going back to federal tax tables pre-2001, and payroll taxes pre-2010. It would be simple explanations and we’d talk and answer questions until everyone understood. Then we would decide whether to change withholding immediately, knowing full well additional changes could be needed soon. Maybe we’d wait a couple of payrolls to see what the congress critters did next.
I used to hold meetings at the beginning of each year so each employee had the opportunity to complete a new W-4. We talked about things like whether they withheld enough to meet the ultimate tax liability, births, did number of dependents change (I clearly let them know the many reasons this could have happened). And all employees knew they could make an appointment and speak with me privately anytime during the year about the tax withholding and other matters they wanted to speak privately about.
I don’t think many companies have that kind of open human resources department anymore. I wish they did. Employees have many questions about payroll, taxes, insurance, work regulations… and they should all have a place to go for information.
I had the luxury of working for a small company — around 250 employees at max employment, so this wouldn’t have been difficult. If the company was bigger I would hold several meetings with small numbers of people attending each to ensure everyone understood.
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 
I’ve said this before and I believe it more with each passing day –
It is not possible to shame a Republican. These folks do NOT care about anything but their own money pile.
I remember when Republicans tried to use the analogy of the government budget being like a family’s budget….
Okay….let’s go with that one – shall we?
If there are two people working – the father and the mother – usually the father makes more money – so wouldn’t he be contributing ‘more’ to the budget?
Why shouldn’t the same logic be applied to the wealthy 2% that these Republicans seem to want to protect from paying their taxes?
In any budget – all the income goes to the pot and bills are paid from that pot – so it only stands to reason that the person who brings in more money is naturally going to pay more.
Geesh……these Republicans need to stop home schooling at Mommy’s Home School. Their arithmetic skills are atrocious.
BTW – their spelling is equally atrocious………have you seen some of their Tea Party signs?
And then the NRA wants to put loaded guns into these folks’ hands at every school in America?
If these folks cannot spell – how well do you think they can aim? I am not willing to take that chance with my granddaughter – are you?
One of the right-wing stories being spread is, once again, explained for rational people. President Obama did NOT sign an executive order giving Joe Biden and all members of Congress a pay raise. Although I personally think taking away their pay seems like an idea worth discussing… I am in favor of paying them minimum wage, by the hour, and NO benefits!
———————————–
On December 22, 2010, I issued a memorandum stating that the heads of executive departments and agencies should suspend any increases to any pay systems or pay schedules covering executive branch employees, and should forgo any general increases in covered employees’ rates of pay, that could otherwise take effect as a result of the exercise of administrative discretion during the period beginning on January 1, 2011, and ending on December 31, 2012. In light of section 114 of the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 (Public Law 112-175), I am hereby instructing the heads of executive departments and agencies that they should continue to adhere to this policy through March 27, 2013, the date after which statutory pay adjustments may be made pursuant to section 114 of Public Law 112-175.
I saw a headline on this on Huffington Post, I didn’t even bother to read it, as only Congress can raise its own pay (it’s in the Constitution). People make shit up, and people believe made-up shit.
Sad to say – certain networks make a lot of money off that made-up shit.
Over the past year or more I’ve learned about many of my Facebook friends political leanings. Since the election it has gotten quieter. Even many of those who were willing to express opinions before have gone pretty silent, except on the subject of guns and, of course, the Obama haters continue to hate. Those who are positive their guns (ALL of them) are endangered comment often and loudly. The Second Amendment is the most important and… You all know the words to this irrational complaint backwards and forwards since they’ve used the same arguments forever and even lowered themselves to, “the reason you should be afraid Obama will take away your guns is because he isn’t taking away your guns!” Somehow that silliness made sense to the faithful.
When it comes to congress critters, many of the ones who are gun nuts are the same ones who want badly to control women, especially their reproductive rights. So maybe women will get a break for the space of time they are concentrating on protecting gun ownership from the evil democrats! Or maybe they’ll put some automatic votes in place so it seems like they’re actually doing something. You know, like their 33 votes to repeal Obamacare — just keep attempting the same futility overandover.
The fiscal cliff doesn’t get many comments. It seems even the republicans know it’s their ‘team’ holding up any progress.
And, they frankly don’t, for the most part, understand the effects. If things continue as is, expect loud squealing when each receives the first 2013 paycheck. Then, it’ll be all “Obama’s fault”.
From what I’ve heard, the IRS has the temporary discretion to delay withholding on the < 250g increases, although I wonder how that works. But the expiration of the payroll tax holiday — which is going to happen, thanks for AARP — is going to happen, and you can bet working-class conservatives will blame Obama, forgetting that he was the one who negotiated the tax cut in the first place..
If I was still in the work place the first thing I would do is have an employee meeting — attendance mandatory. I would carefully explain the difference between tax liability and withholding and we’d discuss the situation of going back to federal tax tables pre-2001, and payroll taxes pre-2010. It would be simple explanations and we’d talk and answer questions until everyone understood. Then we would decide whether to change withholding immediately, knowing full well additional changes could be needed soon. Maybe we’d wait a couple of payrolls to see what the congress critters did next.
I used to hold meetings at the beginning of each year so each employee had the opportunity to complete a new W-4. We talked about things like whether they withheld enough to meet the ultimate tax liability, births, did number of dependents change (I clearly let them know the many reasons this could have happened). And all employees knew they could make an appointment and speak with me privately anytime during the year about the tax withholding and other matters they wanted to speak privately about.
I don’t think many companies have that kind of open human resources department anymore. I wish they did. Employees have many questions about payroll, taxes, insurance, work regulations… and they should all have a place to go for information.
I had the luxury of working for a small company — around 250 employees at max employment, so this wouldn’t have been difficult. If the company was bigger I would hold several meetings with small numbers of people attending each to ensure everyone understood.
Andy Borowitz says:
“If the Chinese are paying attention to this fiscal cliff bullshit they must wonder what kind of country they bought.”