A good friend of mine got this 'junk' email re Dems, taxes and Social Security. From family. Ugh. She's asking for factual rebuttal to:
I know enough to know it is - at a minimum - 1/2 truths, distortions and/or just plain crap. While I'm kinda smart and ferociously partisan, I don't have a point by point rebuttal to send her (she's got physical dexterity and tech limitations [dial-up, egads] so I don't have the heart to send her on a 10-hour google marathon). I'm literally on my way out the door for 2 days of workshop learning and fun and can't do the 2 hour google marathon myself.
Might as well JUMP...
Subject: Refresher Course about Taxes!!!
Whether you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent... these are the
facts
What The Dems will bring back to taxpayers...
Taxes under Clinton 1999 Taxes under Bush 2008
Single making 30K - tax $8,400 Single making 30K - tax $4,500
Single making 50K - tax $14,000 Single making 50K - tax $12,500
Single making 75K - tax $23,250 Single making 75K - tax $18,750
Married making 60K - tax $16,800 Married making 60K- tax $9,000
Married making 75K - tax $21,000 Married making 75K - tax $18,750
Married making 125K - tax $38,750 Married making 125K - tax $31,250
If you want to know just how effective the mainstream media is, it is
amazing how many people that fall into the categories above think Bush is
screwing them and Bill Clinton was the greatest President ever. If any
democrat is elected, ALL of them say they will repeal the Bush tax cuts
and a good portion of the people that fall into the categories above can't
wait for it to happen. This is like the movie "The Sting" with Paul
Newman; you scam somebody out of some money and they don't even know what
happened.
Your Social Security
Just in case some of you young whippersnappers (& some older ones) didn't
know this. It's easy to check out, if you don't believe it. Be sure and
show it to your kids. They need a little history lesson on what's what and
it doesn't matter whether you are Democrat of Republican. Facts are
Facts!!!
Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, introduced the Social Security (FICA)
Program. He promised:
1.) That participation in the Program would be Completely voluntary,
2.) That the participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1,400 of
their annual Incomes into the Program,
3.) That the money the participants elected to put into the Program would
be deductible from their income for tax purposes each year,
4.) That the money the participants put into the independent "Trust Fund"
rather than into the general operating fund, and therefore, would
only be used to fund the Social Security Retirement Program, and no other
Government program, and,
5.) That the annuity payments to the retirees would never be taxed as
income.
Since many of us have paid into FICA for years and are now receiving a
Social Security check every month -- and then finding that we are getting
taxed on 85% of
the money we paid to the Federal government to "put away" -- you may be
interested in the following:
-------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Which Political Party took Social Security from the independent "Trust
Fund" and put it into the general fund so that Congress could spend it?
A: It was Lyndon Johnson and the democratically controlled House and
Senate.
------------------------------------- -------------------------------
Q: Which Political Party eliminated the income tax deduction for Social
Security (FICA) withholding?
A: The Democratic Party.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Which Political Party started taxing Social Security annuities?
A: The Democratic Party, with Al Gore casting the "tie-breaking" deciding
vote as President of the Senate, while he was Vice President of the US
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Which Political Party decided to start giving annuity payments to
immigrants?
AND MY FAVORITE:
A: That's right! Jimmy Carter and the Democratic Party. Immigrants moved
into this country, and at age 65, began to receive Social Security
payments! The Democratic Party gave these payments to them, even though
they never paid a dime into it!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Then, after violating the original contract (FICA), the Democrats turn
around and tell you that the Republicans want to take your Social Security
away!
And the worst part about it is uninformed citizens believe it!
If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted
and maybe changes will evolve. Maybe not, some Democrats are awfully
sure of what isn't so.
But it's worth a try. How many people can YOU send this to?
Actions speak louder than bumper stickers.
AND CONGRESS GIVES THEMSELVES 100% RETIREMENT FOR ONLY SERVING ONE TERM!!!
A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough
to take everything you have.
-Thomas Jefferson
Thanks in advance for any budget, tax or SS facts/retorts/links that I can help her with!