Entitlements.

Editor,

Corporations hate the 6.2% employer share of payroll taxes.

This is why Social Security and Medicare have been framed as "entitlements" by the entitled class.

Republicans seem willing to throw the electorate a bone in the form of eliminating a few tax loopholes for the uber-wealthy now because they see an opening to reduce or eliminate the payroll tax, thus undermining funding for Social Security (see a Bain analyst's rationale in the 11/28/2012 NY Times, for example), and to impose other "reforms" on so-called entitlements.

The corporate tax rate in the USA is 35%, but several major US corporations pay zero tax, others receive billions in subsidies, and most pay far less than 35%.

Don't be fooled.

Republicans, though posturing, are giving nothing up and will continue to go for Social Security's throat until they kill it. Ditto Medicare and Medicaid.

Re: "Obama Again Asks Congress to Keep Tax Cuts for Middle Class" (11/29/2012)