One element missing

Commentary
Anna Liisa Covell


If fairy tales usually begin with "once upon a time,"  where are the gnomes, fairies and elves? 


Congress struck a deal last night to extend the payroll tax cuts and long-term unemployment benefits through 2012.  But there's one element missing - the truth.


The payroll tax cuts are being robbed from personal Social Security accounts to cover up the tax increase imposed on payroll in 2010 by Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.  It was a smooth, slick transition to deceive people into believing Democrats actually believe in tax reduction.


The current "payroll tax cuts" is a buzz phrase to make people think the federal government is lowering their tax rate.  Nothing could be farther than the truth.  These "cuts" are targeted at an individual's Social Security account.  The federal government hasn't cut anything except the benefits going into individual Social Security accounts.  


Federal withholding taxes actually increased under the Pelosi-Reid agreement but no one blinked an eye.  Withholding rate increases weren't imposed until months later when no one was paying attention.  


With the economy in the ditch, no employees are complaining where the current "payroll tax cuts" are coming from because they have to put food on the table, feed their children and pay light bills.  The group of people who should be concerned with these generous "congressional cuts" are the ones reaching retirement age.  The two percent reduction is coming directly out of  their retirement accounts.


Federal-farce number two concerns the long-term unemployment benefits.  Congress doles these extensions out like their are giving Trick or Treat candy at Halloween.  Congress endears themselves to the unemployed on the backs of every business in America.  Business pays into the state and federal system for unemployment funds. Now business is being put on it's knees with another extension that will prolong the malaise - the malaise created by government, prolonged by government and perpetrated by government.


Florida's unemployment fund went broke in July 2009.  Florida Department of Revenue just sent out bills to every business in the state to pay the interest on the loans from the federal government to prop up the state's unemployment fund.  Congressional members have really given a new meaning the phrase corporate welfare which bankrupted  Florida's Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund.


We're existing on borrowed money from business  to prop-up the generous benefits our illustrious congressional leaders for extended unemployment benefits.


Maybe this is a fairy tale ... a fairy tale of big, bad wolves knocking on your door.  When you answer, the voice on the other side says, "I'm from the government and I'm here to help you."