These 3 reps voted for tax increases on everyone . . .
. . . and they’re trying to blame the Senate
Goodlatte: “While the House voted to cut spending and prevent tax hikes, the Senate repeatedly failed to act. As we ring in yet another year, it frustrates me and the people of the Sixth District that this issue has once again been punted further down the road. We must proceed with serious spending cuts that will get a handle on our debt crisis, balance the budget, and foster economic growth.”
Griffith: “Reasonable people can disagree whether or not to support this Senate compromise. . . In reviewing bills, I look at the short-term as well as the long-term consequences because they will affect our children and grandchildren for years to come. Passing a bill that raises revenues with only minor cuts is not a balanced approach.”
Hurt: “The United States Senate failed to take seriously this crisis, driving us to the edge of the cliff with its 11th hour vote on Tuesday morning. . . The Senate proposal provides permanent tax relief to most Americans, and I believe that is a step in the right direction toward creating certainty for our families and small business owners. . . [But]at a time when members of both parties agree that we need to cut spending, the Senate proposal makes virtually no spending cuts.”
Read their full statements over on Blue Ridge Caucus, in which they attempt to explain why they voted to go over the fiscal cliff.
Here’s the full roll-call vote.
January 2, 2013 - 9:56 AM
Griffith, Goodlatte, and Hurt supported extending the Bush tax cuts as they were. The Democrats didn’t; they insisted on raising taxes no matter what.
Dan thinks his audience won’t know the difference. He’s largely right.
This agreement is a joke that does nothing but kick the can down the road. The CBO claims there are $41 in new taxes for each $1 in spending cuts. This bill does not address the real problem which is spending. I honestly believe the fiscal cliff, and even another recession, while coming closer (although not too close) to paying the government we have is preferable to what passed.
I am just wondering if Grover Norquist’s taxes went up.
Should we now consider legalizing, regulating and taxing
recreational pot?
Everyone needs to have some skin in the game when it comes time to pay off these huge deficits. Dems need to stop selling something for nothing, it’s a horrible lie.
Fiscal Fail. Again. Looking forward to end of Feb/March for them to vote to raise the debt ceiling.
“Griffith, Goodlatte, and Hurt supported extending the Bush tax cuts as they were.”
Yes, they did. And what a terrible idea that was. We know the diff.
GOOD! The government can’t keep spending more than it takes in. It’s time everyone face the fact we have to both RAISE taxes and and CUT spending to make it.
belle & others,
Here’s a Q& A about the debt limit. Like it or not, extending the debt limit is authorizing borrowing to cover appropriations & spending what has already been approved by Congress. It simply permits the Dept. of the Treasury to pay the bills already run up by Congress.
“Republicans and Democrats alike keep talking about the need to reduce the federal deficit. Won’t refusing to raise the debt limit cut the deficit?”
A. No. The debt limit, or ceiling, which is the amount that the nation is allowed to borrow, must be raised if the United States is to pay for all the things that Congress has already bought: the spending in the budget bills it has already passed, the Social Security checks promised to retirees, the payments due to private companies with federal contracts and the interest on bonds it has sold. Washington has long spent more money than it takes in, and planned to make up the difference with borrowing. Both parties agree that this cannot go on forever. But if the debt limit is not raised, it will not cut the nation’s deficit or allow the government to get out of its existing obligations. It will simply make it impossible to borrow the money that the government needs to pay for them.
So my question for you is, Do you really want our government not to pay its bills? What would happen to you if you tried such a technique?
Of course the debt ceiling will be raised. They are constitutionally obligated to honor the nation’s debts, and Obama has already said he’s not going to jerk around with them about it again. Every hit the market took last year can be directly tied to GOP debt ceiling BS, and it’s not going to be repeated.
Ron, yes, the bills are getting paid, but the problem is we are borrowing close to 50 cents on the dollar to pay them. I suppose that’s better than not paying them at, but surely it points out the ineptitude of our leadership over many decades.
One thing we should all be greatful for is that Dan Casey is neither in the Senate or the House ! The other problem with the increase on the so call rich or the affluent, (over $400,000 or $450,000) is that those folks typically either own or operate a business, they are professional people, i.e., lawyers, doctors, etc., and when their taxes go up, gues what? Yup, they simply raise the rates on services or products that we poor middle class folks consume, hence, we all get HIT with more expenses, not the same or less, but MORE EXPENSES. Thanks Congress and His Excellency, King Obambam, most all of whom make more money, have better benefits, get raises and retirement for life for HELPING US. ? Linnie, going on 76, still working two jobs, paying all my taxes and bills and taking no freebees.
Even the Pope is weighing in: “…the leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics decried “hotbeds of tension and conflict caused by growing instances of inequality between rich and poor”.
He also denounced “the prevalence of a selfish and individualistic mindset which also finds expression in an unregulated capitalism, various forms of terrorism and criminality”.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/01/pope-slams-capitalism-ine_n_2392653.html?utm_hp_ref=business&ir=Business
76 is probably old enough to grow the heck up and call your President by his actual name.
The Markets sure liked the Fiscal Cliff deal. I guess the “poor folks” making over $450,000 per year will have to off-set their increased taxes with the investment gains from this deal.
quite frankly, I’d rather see taxes go up on everyone, rather than just a few.
and, the reversal of fica doesn’t count as a tax increase, in my book.
if all our taxes went up, our debt would be managed better, we wouldn’t have the sensless class warfare so shrilly screeched ad nauseum by libs, and rich libs would get soaked along with the rest. for sure, there won’t be any spending cuts to speak of under barack’s rule, so the additional taxes would be needed to keep pace with the out-of-control spending.
and, all of us would have skin in the game, ’cause we’d eliminate earned income credits, tax “rebates”, and the like.
News flash, Liniel Gregory, the peons have always been peed on. It’s nothing new.
So now the argument is that prices for goods or services only go up when taxes do? Really?
Mr. Gregory, does the “respect” you refuse the President of the United States reflect on him or yourself? It appears that you, like many others, have taken this opportunity to hate to a new level. Would to God that President Obama was the whole problem this nation faces.
Thank you Another Chuck for finally saying something I can whole-heartedly agree with: We have indeed had “ineptitude of our leadership over many decades” and the damage done, precedents set and systems run amok are hell to change now.
I believe we will merely tread water for several more years and lack real comprehensive leadership until we stop voting for people such as this Congress. Sure, changing the one is easier than the 535, but in the end, that 535 is where all of the trouble has come from. Very, very little of what any President wants cannot be overcome. There was a time when Congress had leaders and they led.
Sandi, I totally agree.
Not paying our bills is not an option. I have to seriously wonder about the mentality of someone who thinks letting our country go into financial default should be even briefly considered. The full faith and credit of the US stands behind all of our debts and they’ll be treated accordingly.
dan, Goodlatte voted no, look it up
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2013/roll659.xml
12 – who gives a crap what the pope thinks?
oh but then I see dan doesnt understand politics or policies….my mistake
Poor Dan….he just doesn’t get it. Class warfare isn’t good for anyone. Maybe instead of taxing only those folks who make money and create jobs, everyone should have to pay a little. Now there’s a thought. can you imagine the outcry if an other “group” of people were singled out to pay more?
“and, the reversal of fica doesn’t count as a tax increase, in my book”
Aren’t you retired?
Republicans continue their march to irrelevance.
@Kristen: “I have to seriously wonder about the mentality of someone who thinks letting our country go into financial default should be even briefly considered.”
I have to wonder about the mentality of those who still accept dollars as payment of the country’s debts.
It is the equivalent of calling the bank and asking them if I can make my mortgage payments with napkins… considering the US Dollar is backed by gold in the same way that my paper napkins are.
Kristen, when he starts acting Presidential, I shall address him accordingly, which I did for the first two or three years he was my President. At this point, however, he is the boss of the Congress and I blamed both he and them for the mess we’re in, notwithstanding the former boss and Congress. The White House and the Congress are bankrupt of leaders and members. And, Sandi, the lack of respect for the President of the United States by me, reflects sole on me. I respect the office with my heart, soul and gizzard, but, I admit I have little respect for the holder as well as for the leaders and members of Congress. At lease I said my mind and signed my name. Linnie Gregory
Jack:
“I have to wonder about the mentality of those who still accept dollars as payment of the country’s debts.”
This is important to note as we are getting into a level of debt that money can’t repay. Our debt will probably wind up being repaid in gold, oil, land, or blood. We are so much better off to sacrifice now on our own terms.
“dan, Goodlatte voted no, look it up.”
–Comment by pammala
pammala, a “no” vote was to go over the fiscal cliff and raise taxes on EVERYONE, rather than on merely the richest 1 percent of earners. Goodlatte voted to increase your taxes. Look it up.
Jack, people accept dollars because they have to by law. This isn’t complicated.
Liniel, he’s certainly not the “boss” of Congress, and you don’t “address” him in any fashion, as he’s blessedly completely unaware you exist. If you think that screwing with his name burnishes the reputation of your 76 year old self, knock yourself out. It doesn’t reflect on President Obama at all…I’ll let you figure out who it does reflect on.
“21.12 – who gives a crap what the pope thinks?
Comment by pammala — January 2, 2013 @ 1:16 pm”
Hmmm. Good question…who DOES give a “crap” what the Pope thinks? Probably no one…good point.
I do not believe other countries are required by US law to accept US dollars.
Perhaps if a budget had been passed in the last 4 years, these battles wouldn’t be so continetious. If there was a “framework” in place that had evolved over the last 4 years….to tweak here and there, wouldn’t things be much simpler. They are required by law to have a budget every year, not a CR from 4 years. Why are they still getting paid?
Jack, most of our debt we owe to ourselves. As for treasury securities, owned by foreign countries ie China(if that’s what you’re talking about)…keep in mind that they are bought, willingly, by people who prefer to see their money held in dollars. Despite the efforts of the right to drive our crediblity down, we are the best bet around. I appreciate Obama trying to keep things that way.
It is occasionally amusing to read the comments by the few communist supporters Casey has. The private bank called the Federal Reserve Bank owns the federal government, so the federal government will spend what it will with no repercussions until the Federal Reserve Bank finally over-extends their credit. Defaulting that debt is not only an option, but a probability at some point. They will try to tax us into oblivion to pay that debt and none of that debt is mine.
“who gives a crap what the pope thinks?”
Well, pammala, supposedly the more than 77 million Catholics in the U.S. care what the pope thinks. That’s about 25 percent of the U.S. I know that your BFF suzie cares what the pope thinks — except, of course, when the pope doesn’t agree with her.
Kristen, sorry to bother you, should have realized my theoretical “figure of speech” would be over your head and taken literally. Moreover, this President hardly recognizes that anyone exists, me or you, except himself. I said, it reflects on me and I can take it, you sweet princess, knock yourself out with this foolishness.
Over the river and through the woods and off the fiscal cliff we go
No one knows the way, so off we go and where we stop no one will know
Actually pammala I give a crap what Pope thinks & I suspect Suzie does too.
I hope all the lemmings that voted for Griffith take notice of what he continually does – vote totally against the interests of the majority of his district. For all those who voted out his predecessor for him, I hope they are enjoyed being ignored by him.
Anybody in the 9th District is welcome to ask themselves this – What has Morgan Griffith done for you? Make a list. What has he done for you?
gdad, I’m curious to see if we hear from that quarter about pammalala’s comment.
News:
Obama says: “We can’t not pay bills that we’ve already incurred.”
LOL ! Do you get the irony? Or the stupidity !!
Obama says he wants us to borrow the money to “pay bills.”
I don’t think that will work. People have tried it.
“We can’t not pay bills we’ve already incurred”.
Um…no irony there. Again, Obama states the obvious and the RW gets its truss in a wad as though he said something arcane and obscure.
Ron,
re: “government not to pay its bills”… we don’t do that now… we change from borrowing to “paying our bills” with AMEX (japan) to VISA (china) etc… soon the credit cards run out.
Kristen, re: 11:23
It will be an interesting, albeit sad, “media” debate as things change to “a new credit card” debate.
The “markets” make money up or down, it’s the investors (us little guys) that lose, this market bubble will burst (again) just like the rest have (tech, housing etc…).
It is not a R or D thing in the short term; remember Barney Frank and the Freddie/fannie fiasco?
Additionally, you use the term “full faith and credit of the US”. I am sure you understand that we have not “credit” as we have become “borrowers” and our “faith” is something to be argued in another post. You also noted that “we” hold much of our own debt and “people who prefer to see their money held in dollars”. Unfortunately that is becoming less. China is getting out of dollars and the “world” is looking to bolster china’s currency for trade. Yes, we can choose (or be forced) to “own” more of our own debt, but that does not solve the arithmetic problem.
Only curtailing spending will, and we have seen that our “leadership” has no stomach for that.
I noticed that you mentioned “fica” and your understanding is correct; however, do you think most people will “get it”? I can tell you that, since we pay our employees early in the week, we have already had questions about why their pay is less.
Sadly, the “leader” of our country chooses to make the “difficult” decisions of when to fly from Hawaii to DC and back at a cost of scores of millions of dollars of “your” money; just to tell “Biden” to get the job done (even most businesses now use conference calls for god financial reasons); not even staying around long enough to sign this “most important” legislation into law.
Does this present true leadership and concern for our country?
PF, you want to explain how else to pay for the two wasted ‘wars against terrorism’? You want to step up and explain how we defeated Al Qaida in Afghanistan? You feel like explaining that? I know it made Dick Cheney’s boys rich as they wanted, but other than financing Dick Cheney’s cronies, what did we accomplish? Fire when ready…
Dan blamed Bush for the tax cuts, saying his sunsetting them was tantamount to him raising them. Dan said this to absolve obama for continuing the Bush tax cuts in 2011. Funny how the same logic doesn’t apply when it’s Republicans wanting to keep them.
“I noticed that you mentioned “fica” and your understanding is correct; however, do you think most people will “get it”? I can tell you that, since we pay our employees early in the week, we have already had questions about why their pay is less.”
–Comment by mikeO
mikeO, how do you define “early in the week?”
If you paid them Sunday or Monday, and you withheld an extra 2 percent for FICA, you unnecessarily screwed your employees out of 2 percent of their paychecks.
BUT, perhaps you paid them Tuesday!
If you paid them today, Wednesday, that is midweek, btw.
Everyone go back and read Sandi @12:37 and AC @12:52. Proof that reasonable discourse can be found on this blog. These two posters rarely agree, but this time they did, and acknowledged as much.
AC & Sandi… thank you.
mikeo,
Our government has been borrowing money to fund its operations since the Revolutionary War. However, since the early 1980s when our government decided to reduce tax rates in order to “boost the economy” the borrowing has gone completely around the bend. Only when Congress, George H.W. Bush and later Bill Clinton raised marginal tax rates did we come close to beginning to pay down our debt. Even those tax rates weren’t near what marginal tax rates were in the boom times of the 50s, 60s and early 1970s.
I agree that spending, as a portion of GDP, has to be lowered significantly. But the fact is we, all Americans, are addicted to government spending. Like other addicts it will be difficult to get us off the habit of spending more than our government takes in. Likely we will fall off the wagon a few times as we try to wean ourselves. We’d like to quit cold turkey, but that’s not going to happen.
By the way, China, Japan, and other parts of the world take our debt because they know we are the safest bet in the world economy right now.
What exactly ARE you doing Mike O?
“As of December 31, 2012 there has not been a final decision made on the 2013 federal withholding tax tables. While income tax rate increases technically take effect immediately on Jan. 1, the IRS has instructed Employers to not change anything with regard to withholding; to use the same withholding tables that have been used for 2012. As a result, most American workers are not expected to immediately suffer an increase in income taxes, even if political leaders have failed to reach a deal.”
http://www.forbes.com/sites/thesba/2013/01/02/4-important-2013-payroll-updates-tax-changes-for-small-business/
Now, if you mean the restoration of the cuts to SS/Medicare, “…employee rate will withhold based on 6.2% with paychecks beginning in January 2013.” On January 2nd 2013 who has eared a 2013 paycheck in any company? Do you pay daily? You don’t do a hold back week? What’s the vig?
Seriously, why do you people keep throwing up Communist China as an example of all things you admire? From labor to currency, the last people we should look to or emulate is China! Get a grip, your hatred for Obama has distorted your sense of what America is.
Forgive them, Sandy, for they are just plain ignorant.
I doubt we’ll hear back from mike O as to why “they” were withholding more money early. Sounds like whatever company he’s talking about is ripping off its employees. Or mike O is lying.
“gdad, I’m curious to see if we hear from that quarter about pammalala’s comment.”
I rhink we already have our answer. suzie wouldn’t EVER dis BFF pammala. Even when pammala says something that should have mightily offended a “real” Catholic like suzie. The hypocrisy is blinding.
Now that Hillary’s checked out of the hospital, I’m sure that Frank will be providing us evidence of how she faked a blood clot and got the hospital, doctors and administrators to go along with the fraud.
Maybe Suzie just doesn’t read pammala’s comments.
Debbie, I was pretty sure she was going to run and hide from that one. She responds to almost every single thing I post, which is why I repeated pammalala…still nothing.
Mikeo, the Chinese are the last people on the planet to make a move that would weaken the dollar. Other than ourselves, they’d take the biggest hit of a weak dollar, by far. As for a weekly paycheck…I get paid weekly as well, and there hasn’t been time yet for a 2013 pay period to even finish up.
Kristen,it is rather telling that she is ignoring it.
The Representatives fail to mention that spending cuts were offerred the House of Representatives by president Obama but the House failed to accept any compromise and refused to vote. Accordingly, the House insisted the Senate make a deal. They did and in doing so made the House look incompetent.
These three, by voting no, clearly showed their own incompetence in doing their job. Clearly, the Senate and the President have set up additional time for the House to do their job in agreeing to spending cuts by February. Does anyone believe these three will pressure the House Leaders to reach an agreement with the Sneate and the President? Again, we will see these three hide and move in lockstep with the Tea Party. We need Representatives who will lead, not follow.
Debbie, it’s evident from her posting history that suzie reads almost everything on this blog. If you or I had posted the same sentiment about the pope expressed by pammala, suzie would have been outraged.
I see that we’ve also got mike O ignoring us after we called him on his lie or employee ripoff.
I know she does, gdad. That’s why I posted my comment.
Sandi: “Now, if you mean the restoration of the cuts to SS/Medicare, “…employee rate will withhold based on 6.2% with paychecks beginning in January 2013.” On January 2nd 2013 who has eared a 2013 paycheck in any company? Do you pay daily? You don’t do a hold back week? What’s the vig?”
I was informed yesterday that the paycheck I receive this Friday will reflect the higher withholding percentage for FICA. That pay period is the last two weeks of December.
Dan: “If you paid them today, Wednesday, that is midweek, btw.”
Uh, since most people get paid on Friday, I would assume that what Mike O meant by “early in the week” was simply that his employees get paid prior to Friday, in other words “earlier in the week” than most people.
I’m also pretty sure you knew that. However, nit picking the least significant part of someone’s post while ignoring the main point is just par for the course here.
Sorry, Debbie, hard to hear tone of voice on a blog.
VT Hokie, I just got paid through Dec. 24 and my paycheck didn’t change one dime. Ooops, sorry, it went up a penny. You’re getting ripped off.
My point was only that Mike O is most likely not lying (or ripping off his employees), as has been suggested.
The FICA rate did increase, and it does affect people getting paid this week. Whether it makes any difference, or what that means in the bigger scheme of things, or whether that fact lends any support to the rest of Mike O’s post, all up for debate. But he wasn’t making it up. That was all I intended to say.
gdad – If the check date was on or after January 1, just be prepared for an adjustment sometime prior to March 31. With all the foot-dragging, uncertainty and last-minute maneuvering, most payroll systems were not updated for any new rates to be used (the IRS just released the early copies of the tax tables today – Notice 1036).
Income taxes went up and the FICA went back to 6.2% from 4%. However, the real wealthy, those with massive assets like Warren Buffet, their taxes didn’t go up. Capital gains tax is 20% Buffet’s secretary will still pay more in taxes than Buffet himself. So all this bill does is tax higher wage earners more and restore the FICA tax which was a mistake to lower because it funds Social Security (DUH). This crap sandwich of legislation is not going to save the economy. Unemployment will rise and recession will happen. Welfare collectors (SCABS) no worries you got Obama phone. What’s going to be the democrats plan when the welfare state collapses?
I never meant to suggest that mikeO was intentionally ripping off his employees. It’s just that it seemed possible he was doing that unintentionally, given the words he chose to describe it.
In this particular week, it seems likely that the only day they would have been paid was Monday, Dec. 31, 2012 (because few people get paid on Sundays, and Tuesday was a national holiday, and Wednesday is not “early in the week” — it’s midweek.
And if they were paid on Monday they wouldn’t be subject to the increase, which didn’t go into effect until Tuesday. In such a case their SS withholding should be 4.2 percent, but we know he deducted 6.2.
VT Hokie jumped to the conclusion that I was intentionally misinterpreting what mikeO wrote. But because I specifically asked for clarification as to his definition of “early in the week,” I think the conclusion she drew is unwarranted. Furthermore, she jumps to the conclusion that what mikeO MEANT to say was “earlier in the week than most people.”
I concede that’s possible — although I’m on firmer ground than she is because at least I’m dealing with WHAT HE ACTUALLY WROTE rather than her imagining of WHAT HE MEANT.
It’s why I asked for the clarification, which so far mikeO has not supplied.
“However, the real wealthy, those with massive assets like Warren Buffet, their taxes didn’t go up.”
–Comment by Maloof
This is 100 percent untrue.
Dan, if you were truly confused, you could have asked for his clarification without the heaping tablespoon of snark.
But I’ll concede that I have no way of knowing exactly what you meant. After all, I’m not the world’s best mind reader.
Not by a long shot.
In any case, Mike O’s and everyone else’s FICA is simply back to where it was in 2009. The right wing constantly whines that stimulus measures must end sometime, and the FICA rate adjustment was a stimulative tactic, so what’s the big deal about?
@ #60: VT Hokie — January 3, 2013 @ 11:55 am, if you read the link I offered it explicitly says the new FICA rate takes effect in January 2013. If anyone is paid in January for December labor, they should not have the new rate taken out. All payroll systems, even once updated, should go by the dates you are being paid for in calculating taxes and deductions, not the date you will get the check. Up to 12/31/12 should be under all of the old rates. Period. Sure his system and yours may be wrong and therefore costing you money. Nothing that you can do about it I suppose, but it is an error.
12/31/12 was a Monday. Most payroll systems use Saturday to Sunday or Sunday to Saturday dates for pay periods. Some use Wednesday to Wednesday but not most. There is no way for a check issued this week to reflect the new rates unless there was an error, someone jumped the gun, or someone deliberately messed with the system.
BTW, you and Mike O are not the only ones I have heard this from, but it is wrong from my understanding of payroll protocol the last 16 years. Since employers have to match the FICA amount, I cannot fathom them WANTING to jump the gun.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15.pdf
The WSJ has a calculator to tell you how much more will come out of your earnings.
http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2013/01/01/payroll-tax-cut-expires-how-much-more-will-you-pay/
Don’t you all remember all the rich folks taking their bonuses and other goodies in December instead of January?
http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/13545-ceos-ring-in-new-year-with-early-pay-day-windfall-to-beat-expiration-of-bush-tax-cuts
Changes take effect on earnings after 12/31/12 and I cannot find anything that says differently. Good thing they did not do it sooner!
Democrat Al Gore made the sale of his CurrentTV Channel effective on Dec 31st to avoid paying his fair share.
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/02/al-jazeera-said-to-be-acquiring-current-tv/?smid=tw-share
Back to the initial “3 Reps” discussion…how many others got a taxpayer-funded “survey” in the mail from Rep. Griffith? When I first opened it, I thought it looked legit. As I read the (mostly) loaded questions, I realized otherwise.
Some sample questions:
(5) Do you support or oppose regulations enacted by the Environmental Protection Agency that make it harder to mine coal and use coal as an energy source, resulting in higher electricity rates?
(7) Do you support or oppose passing new laws that would restrict the rights of law-abiding citizens to own and carry firearms?
There are 4 small blank lines in which survey-takers can note “other comments or concerns.” It will take at least another sheet of paper for me to address problems with the original questions!
Dan, gdad etc…
Sorry I don’t have the time to immediately answer all of your queries. My wife gives me limited time to play with you guys most evenings and I would be ripping off my boss if I did so on his time.
First, we pay Wednesdays, to argue if that is “early” or “mid” is just semantics, which I believe intentionally misses the thrust of the post (but hey, whats new?)
Second, we don’t “arbitrarily” decide to change our withholdings and I personally don’t know all 75k pages of the tax code, so we pay professionals to inform us.
We are not “screwing” our employees, this money goes to the government.
Ron, re “we are the safest bet in the world economy right now”
You are correct, however the most concerning part of your comment is “right now”. I am sure you are aware that more countries are accepting china’s currency, if we keep devaluing our dollar by just printing more money “right now” could come “right fast”.
Gdad @ 12:30 Understood. Apparently Suzie doesn’t give a crap about pammala’s remark. Personnaly I don’t either, but I’m not Catholic.
who gives a crap what the pope thinks?
Comment by pammala — January 2, 2013 @ 1:16 p
All right, so mike O isn’t ripping off “his” employees (this guy owns a business, heaven help us???). And, yes, I know FICA is going up. As Maloof said, it probably never should have gone down to begin with.
I will be getting paid tomorrow and they did apply the FICA adjustment. The announcement about it was on our internal website this week. We get paid every two weeks, and the check is for the last two weeks in December.
I read about Current TV being sold, this morning, Henry. The article stated that the channel is barely watched by anyone now, and when Al-jazeera takes control it’s expected that most cable companies will go ahead and drop it.
For the spelling police, I am aware that I misspelled personally in my remark at 5:11.
Debbie @5:23 – Apparently Time Warner dropped the channel before the ink was even dry. At the risk of inviting the ire of the resident xenophobes, I’ll go on record as saying it’ll be unfortunate if cable and satellite companies do drop it. I’ve been reading AJE’s newsfeed for well over a year now, and they are an excellent English-language source – topped only by BBC World Service, in my opinion – for global news, especially news from Africa, Central Asia, and, of course, the Middle East. Their take on the presidential election last year was also refreshing and a welcome change from the echo chamber domestic news media can be (and not anti-American, again in my opinion, as they’ve been accused of being at times).
Sandi @ 3:19 – I know you’re an expert on most things, but I sure hope you don’t charge for any advice based on your extensive 16 years of payroll protocol. Paychecks in 2013 means exactly that – paychecks dated in 2013. It doesn’t matter (for FICA at least) when the pay was “earned”, only when it is paid and received by the employee.
And if your company has only been matching the 4.2% social security withheld from the employees’ pay, you can expect a friendly visit (or at least a nice letter suitable for framing) sometime in the near future. The employer rate never changed from 6.2%. So there is no “jumping the gun” by anyone other than you.
How appropriate a screen name, varmadillo. I assure you, I charge precisely what you all pay for my “advice”. Payroll systems go by the effective date. I assume they all use the pay period not the paycheck date, but apparently they do not all do so. I can also assure you that no company is going to get any “friendly visit (or at least a nice letter suitable for framing) sometime in the near future” if their system does not actually take effect until the pay period is actually in January 2013. At least not in my “extensive 16 years of payroll protocol”.
Would you be so kind as to share where you found this decree?
“who gives a crap what the pope thinks?
Comment by pammala — January 2, 2013 @ 1:16 pm”
Well, wouldja look at that?! pammala’s a communist!
I finally found it. Apparently you can do it either way depending on how you deliver the monies.
“The principle of “constructive receipt” applies to payments and income that cross over the end of the year. According to the IRS, constructive receipt means that income is constructively received when an amount is credited to your account or made available to you without “substantial restriction or limitation,” even if you don’t have possession of it. For example, it might be held by an agent or in your bank account through direct deposit.
Employee Pay and W-2 Income
Employee wages at year-end are sometimes tricky, because of constructive receipt. Employee wages must be recorded in the correct year, and the date of the paycheck is controlling. If a paycheck is dated in December, that is the year the employee is considered to have received the pay, even if the paycheck hasn’t been picked up yet. Sometimes, paychecks reflect income from two years; the last week in December and the first week in January, for example. If the paycheck is dated in January, all of the income is considered to have been received in the second year, because the employee did not have receipt of the money in the first year.
But, if employee had access to the wages in the first year “without substantial limitation or restriction” (remember constructive receipt), even if the check was dated in the second year, all of the money is considered to have been received in the first year. This might be the case if the money is deposited using direct deposit in December, for a pay period ending in January.”
http://biztaxlaw.about.com/od/taxplantips/f/Year-End-Income-And-Expense-Timing-Issues.htm
Sandi – Thanks for making my point. I don’t quite follow that it can be done “either way” – the only choice is when to make the funds available. If your employer paid you and made those funds available to you before January 1, 2013, then they are considered taxable at the 2012 rates (even if the pay period included a portion of 2013). But if you get a check dated in 2013 (even for work performed in 2012) and did not have receipt of those funds prior to January 1, then they are subject to the 2013 tax rates. It’s not an either/or case. It’s one or the other.
Now with all the foot-dragging by our illustrious Congress, quite a few payroll systems have not been updated with the revised rates and tax tables so there will be definite instances of many paychecks being miscalculated over the next couple of weeks. That’s why the IRS has directed that employers should implement the 6.2% employee social security tax rate as soon as possible, but not later than February 15, 2013. After implementing the new 6.2% rate, employers should make an adjustment in a subsequent pay period to correct any underwithholding of social security tax as soon as possible, but not later than March 31, 2013.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/n1036.pdf
And I still think you’ll get a friendly reminder if your company only paid an employer portion to match the 4.2% employees’ share. That’s the only way your comment makes any logical sense. Or maybe I just cannot fathom why it really makes any difference to the employer to “jump the gun” and start paying 6.2% in 2013 versus 6.2% in 2012.
So….Suzie hasn’t weighed in on pammala’s comment yet, huh. Didn’t take much for her to sell out her spiritual leader, did it.
Say What?, please check your email . . .
Kristen @ 3:05 Nope, sure didn’t. I guess he really doesn’t matter too much to her.
gdad, re: 5:12
first, I said I “run” the business not “own” the business (the one in discussion)…
next, as you can see by the conversation between sandi and varmadillo, the question is up for consideration (by the gov. of course)…
I (admittedly, and unlike you) don’t propose to be an expert in this field and find interest in their debate. As a business person, wanting to err on the side of caution, I believe I would take varmadillo’s advice.
Also sandi seems to have acquiesced to varmadilo on the facts of the issue; which is exactly what we are doing.
It is humorous to me that you OWS liberals propose to be “so correct” when you have no idea what you are talking about. Dan suggested we were “ripping off employees”, sandi suggested we were “wrong” etc… finally when the facts are revealed, there is not “ I was wrong”… it is “I assume”…. LMAO
But hey, sandi can “assure that no company is going to get any … visit”… would she put that in writing? If sandi will indemnify my company from any potential issues I might hire her. (I expect crickets here)
Sandi has, again, proven she is not as intelligent as she proposes to be.
So….Suzie hasn’t weighed in on pammala’s comment yet,
The libs are obsessed what I say on this blog. I guess it’s flattering to think I have this much influence.
suzie’s devastated to learn that pammala is a Communist.
Suzie, why do you hate the Pope?
No Suzie, we just know that if a liberal had made a nasty remark about the pope, you would have gone all kinds of ballistic. We find it humorous that you ignored pammala’s remark.
“The libs are obsessed what I say on this blog. I guess it’s flattering to think I have this much influence.”
You SHOULD be proud that you have reached your goal, suzie. Because you have the longest history of the nastiest and most frequent comments (25 percent of most threads until just recently) on this blog, other people take great delight in highlighting your lies, distortions, race-baiting, and hypocrisy. This one in particular just stood out as a shining example. You have achieved Dan Casey blog immortality and fame. I bet you can hardly wait to tell your kitty cats about it.
“No Suzie, we just know that if a liberal had made a nasty remark about the pope, you would have gone all kinds of ballistic. We find it humorous that you ignored pammala’s remark.”
–Comment by Debbie
Poor Suzie. Perhaps she’s feeling muzzled or handcuffed these days!
“Suzie, why do you hate the Pope?”
You’ve got that schtick down perfect, Kristen.
Pammalala, why don’t you ask Suzie if she “gives a crap” what the pope says? And Suzie…do you agree with the pope that capitalism is terrorism?
Poor Father Donovan. One can only imagine what he was doing.
no not a communist, my leader of faith is God, not a human. Communism is reserved for people like obama the muslim and the people that voted for it
“Well, wouldja look at that?! pammala’s a communist!
Comment by Contrasuzie — January 4, 2013 @ 11:00 am”
see how libbies spread stupid rumors? it only takes a small minded person to add its own opinion to what someone else says and makes it true…pity contra, but then it only confirms my suspicions.
Seriously, pammala? You consider comments made on this blog to be spreading rumors? I know Roanoke’s a small town, but it’s hard to spread rumors about a person when you don’t even know who they are and even harder when no one gives a crap. BTW this comment perfectly describes Suzie, “it only takes a small minded person to add its own opinion to what someone else says and makes it true…”
So now it’s all over Reddit that pammalala’s a commie.
Ahh, so pammala hates Catholicism. Glad she straightened that out. Bet you didn’t know that about your BFF, suzie.
And way to hit the nail on the head, Debbie. Only somebody like pammala wouldn’t realize that you can’t spread “rumors” about some anonymous person. And you especially can’t spread “rumors” when your post is an obvious joke — obvious to everybody but pammala, that is.
Adding your own opinion to what someone else says is doing just that, adding your opinion. Opinions don’t make anything true, facts do. The fact is, Contra made a joke and you decided that she meant is as the truth. Everyone else knew it was a joke.
The Communist party probably enjoys a higher favorablity rating than the GOP at this point.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/05/republican-party_n_2415552.html
“Infighting has penetrated the highest levels of the House GOP leadership. Long-standing geographic tensions have increased, pitting endangered Northeastern Republicans against their colleagues from other parts of the country. Enraged tea party leaders are threatening to knock off dozens of Republicans who supported a measure that raised taxes on the nation’s highest earners.”
Pass the popcorn.
The next few years are going to be a cannibal carnival within the GOP. Factions will congeal and dissolve. There may even be an outright revolt. It’s going to be like watching a really cruddy knockoff of “Survivor”.
This is great, GOP. You have The Land of Milk and Honey right here. All you have to do is compromise and settle for it being The Land of 2% Milk and Locally-Farmed Honey. Instead, you choose to willingly walk into the wilderness, bickering amongst yourselves as you go. It didn’t have to be this way, you know…
This is the crop you’ve nurtured. You truly are reaping what you’ve sown. Like kudzu, the Tea Party is highly invasive and difficult to eradicate once it takes root. It smothers everything but itself, consuming ideology, tradition and integrity along the way. How this plays out in the end depends on the one thing you can’t seem to get right – compromise. Trees must sway with the wind or they will shatter and fall.
The cracks are showing and time is running out on you. 40 years is a long time in the world of politics. How long will you wander in your self-imposed exile in the wastelands? When you finally realize that 2% milk isn’t all that bad and locally-farmed honey is good for the welfare of your constituents, come on back to the table. We’ll keep a chair for you.
In the meantime, enjoy the show.
Re: Sandi Saunders — January 4 @ 11:06 am
“According to the IRS, constructive receipt means that income is constructively received when an amount is credited to your account or made available to you without “substantial restriction or limitation,” even if you don’t have possession of it. For example, it might be held by an agent or in your bank account through direct deposit.”
—————–
Thank you. I was going to look that up, but for once kept reading to see if someone else had.
FWIIW, whether you use cash or accrual accounting also plays a role, as does the typical delay in payment — i.e. few, if any, get paid right at quitting time on the last day of a pay period.
I’m neither bookkeeper (BTW the only word in English with three consecutive double letters, as far as I know) nor am I an accountant. However, as a supervisor, I had to deal with these issues, repeatedly. Also, we used a constructive 2,087-hour annual work-year divisor of the annual salary for computation of hour rates. Talk about questions from newer employees. Then there was the raft of questions when there was a 27th pay-period in a year.
It can be confusing Dave Hicks and sadly, the IRS literature only makes it moreso. When they can, many companies do end their payroll period such that they can date checks 12/31 of the ending year to avoid whatever withholding changes have to be implemented for the convenience of payroll system updates and how they work. It is not unusual and as I have shown, perfectly legal. I guess more companies have done away with that as automation has made it as easy as a download, but not all.
Mike O, would you or Varmadillo please share with us all when it is I have ever “proposed” to be any more “intelligent” than anyone here? I am sick and tired of having my opinions derided as me “claiming” to be any different or better than the rest of you, a blogger with an opinion? I have volunteered many, many times that I have no education beyond high school, that I am working class and that I am offering OPINIONS based on research or experience, not advice or expertise. I often comment when someone does offer expert information or advice and thank them for it. Granted, compared to the rambling incoherent and seeming illiterate posts some offer, I might come across as “lecturing” but that is just how written discussions and debates progress for the most part. Maybe if some of you were not such jerks, I would not need to reply in kind.