A New Bit Of Drollery From Republican Pranksters In Congress

In these per’lous times, it’s good to see that at least one major political party still has a sense of humor. I refer, of course, to the Republicans. Their latest beau jeste, in he form of a proposal to keep funded the Payroll Tax reduction for all working Americans, had me rolling with laughter when I read it over.

The Democrats want to fund this lower Payroll Tax rate with a surtax of 3 1/2 percent on those making more than a million dollars a year. But where’s the humor in that? Those fun-loving congressional Republicans, however have come up an alternative that’s a hoot-and-a-half.

To fund this reduced Payroll Tax, this proposal would prohibit million-a-year-plus earners from collecting unemployment insurance and getting food stamps (this is the Republicans’ joke, not mine). It would also make them pay the full cost of Medicare Parts B&D. For its major savings to offset a lower Payroll Tax, it would not give federal employees any pay raises through 2015, and would reduce the federal work force by 10 percent, or about 200,000 jobs.

Oh, and here’s something else of interest to those of us seeking some yucks. It would put a line on federal tax forms that would allow millionaires and billionaires to voluntarily pay extra taxes. This, doubtless, was a wee prank on those naughty ‘patriotic millionaires’ who came to Washington a few weeks back to say that rich folks like themselves should pay more taxes — a Republican taboo.

The funny thing here is that there’s already a line on federal tax forms that allows anyone to voluntarily contribute anything they want to help reduce the federal debt. Apparently, though, no Republican congressman, or anyone on their staffs, knew this because they can all afford to hire someone else to do their taxes.

Ah, but I digress. Back to the main features of this hysterically idiotic Republican proposal

Folks making a million or more a year do not generally apply for food stamps, so any savings here would be…let us say quite modest. Also, those making more than a million a year are employed and thus do not collect unemployment insurance, which suggests savings here might be even more modest.

Medicare Parts B&D are basic doctor and outpatient services, and drug coverage. So you keep million-or-better earners from getting these benefits and some money might actually be saved but…

But only people over 65 years old or the disabled qualify for Medicare benefits. Young rich folks wouldn’t be bothered by this “saving.” And neither would very high earners who stop bothering to earn when they get to 65 and beyond. Not much savings here either.

The really big savings in this Republican hoot-a-thon would come from eliminating salary increases of federal employees through 2015. Kind of hard when the CPI is rising at almost 4 percent a year. And far more savings are to come from getting rid of 200,000 federal jobs.

Jobs were supposed to be important to Republicans. So getting rid of 200,000 of them, 10 percent of the federal workforce, would seem guaranteed to increase unemployment, rather than employment, in coming years.

Or maybe I’m wrong, Maybe actual jobs are not that important to Republicans. Maybe only protecting the interests of rich folks they call “job creators” is their priority.

Well, that’s it from here. An old Laurel and Hardy movie is about to start on the tube. Don’t want to miss it. Their antics are almost as funny as those of congressional Republicans.

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