I make enough money to make ends meet right now. A year ago I was making more than double what I make now, but I'm doing better than most in this economy. I make video games with my brother. My wife is in college with a 4.0 after years of waiting to help me and my brother get our careers off the ground. But our taxes are about to change in a way that will effectively cut our legs out from underneath us.
We pay all our payroll taxes in addition to normal income tax. This tax cut deal will not only save us having to pay payroll taxes but keep our income tax at a rate we can actually squeeze out. This tax cut deal will also mean that we get a huge($2500) credit on my wife's college expenses.
This all adds up to thousands of dollars for us. And to be honest, the only way for us to make it and for my wife to continue to finally get through college is for this tax cut deal to pass and help us. Otherwise I'll have to get a second job again or my wife will have to quit college.
I know that some people have nothing right now. I'm very grateful to have a job that keeps us afloat and frees up my wife to finish college(which will help us more than just stay afloat in the long term). I can't help but wonder what goes through the mind of people who just want to let all the tax cuts expire right now when so many people are barely holding on. Do you care more about middle class people like my family making it and getting ahead in life or do you care more about keeping rich people from an extra tax cut?
I have to wonder if the people who are ready to let middle class tax cuts expire are going to feel it themselves?
Are they unemployed or underemployed and not even paying taxes? I feel bad if they are in that position though I wish they would support those who are not as bad off but still struggling.
Are they so well off they won't feel a few more thousand dollars in taxes? I know that's the position of talking heads on tv. They should come live my life and say no to middle class tax cuts.
I am upset that rich people are going to get another tax cut giveaway.
But I am scared if my taxes go up more. In addition to everything else from rent, food, gas, college tuition and supplies, health insurance. Where the hell are we supposed to find more money to pay for living right now? We don't even have cable. We have internet because of work or we wouldn't.
I really thought we were pulling ahead this year. My wife and I just went to Hawaii(on the super cheap) for a week to celebrate our 10 year anniversary(belated honeymoon). Now I am regretting having gone on the first vacation of my entire life. Not that it's anything but a slice of how much our taxes go up if this deal falls through.
I honestly don't get some progressives sometimes. How do they let principles get above people? Like people need them to be principled instead of just practically helping them.
I support Bernie Sanders fighting to make this deal better, but I also know that at the end of the day he would not fuck over the entire tax paying middle class just to keep the rich from being a little bit richer.
By the way. A little message to Jane Hampshire. I know you mean well, but I am middle class and I am not being used by the President to give tax cuts to rich people. I am being looked out for by the President even if it means giving tax cuts to the rich. Right now I feel like republicans are holding my family hostage to give tax cuts to the rich but progressives are also holding my family hostage to stick it to the rich.
Can people stop fucking around with my family, please!!!