Thursday, July 31, 2008

Clarified: McCain position on Social Security taxes

Marc Ambinder reports the full statement Sen. McCain made yesterday regarding raising Social Security taxes as part of a reform package:

"I am opposed to raising taxes. Senator Obama wants to raise your taxes. He wants to raise your taxes and if any negotiation I might have when I go in my position will be that I am opposed to raising taxes, but we have to work together to save Social Security."

McCain has been bashed from both sides for his recent statements on taxes and reform, and granted they've not always been as artful/programmed as some campaigns might want them to be. But the substantive position – I'm against raising taxes, but I'm not against talking to people who disagree with me – is a sensible one.

Updates: The Wall Street Journal editorial page criticizes McCain for letting tax increase on the table; the Tax Policy Center is disappointed in McCain's seeming backtracking.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

no, Biggs,

being against raising the payroll tax is neither sensible nor honest.

a 2% rise in the payroll tax, when incomes have risen 40% on their way to rising 232% by 2085 will pay for the future expenses of Social Security...mostly the cost of those same tax payers living an extra six years or so compared to me.

but taking a firm stand against raising taxes always sounds so nice to the ignorant.