A Tea Party hypocrisy

To the editor:

The “Tax Calculators & Tips” page from the TurboTax website advises that tax breaks are provided to 95 percent of workers and their families.

The Making Work Pay tax credit provides $400 to singles and $800 for joint filers.

In 2009, the IRS adjusted the withholding tables, thereby boosting workers’ paychecks. Since the payroll tax only applied to workers, a one-time payment of $250 went to recipients of Social Security, railroad retirement, supplemental security income payments, and pension and disability benefits from the Veterans Administration. Government retirees also receive a one-time refundable tax credit of $250 in 2009.

A recent CBS/New York Times poll asks the following question: “In general, do you think the Obama Administration has increased taxes for most Americans, decreased taxes for most Americans or have they kept taxes the same for most Americans?”

The answer: 24 percent of respondents said they increased taxes, 53 percent said they kept taxes the same and 12 percent said taxes decreased. Of the people who support the Tea Party movement, only 2 percent think taxes decreased and 44 percent believe taxes have gone up. The iconic Boston Tea Party has had its name shamelessly borrowed by a group of people that does not even understand its own tax situation.

I wonder if these “patriots” know that Dana Loesch, St. Louis Tea Party co-founder and organizer, is advocating abolishment of Social Security? Wayne Allyn Root, a leading Tea Party advocate and speaker, is also calling for Social Security’s abolition. And, Republican Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin has publicly demanded the abolishment of Social Security and Medicare.

I am not as cruel and heartless. I believe once a person has received as much as they have contributed to a program, their benefits should end.

Many of the Tea Party folks I have met are receiving pensions from a former government job, Social Security or disability. One woman I spoke with at the last Wasilla Lake rally received disability because she “absolutely could not work” and had to homeschool her kids. The taxpayers foot all her bills.

Ask yourself next time you are protesting, how many benefits do you receive from the government that would go away if you actually got your way?

Travis Boyd

Wasilla