WASHINGTON – The payroll tax increase hitting the middle class was the main topic of discussion in The Daily Caller’s latest man-on-the-street video, filmed Thursday at Union Station near Capitol Hill.
Most who agreed to go on camera were not aware that their taxes went up.
The “fiscal cliff” bill passed by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama on Jan. 3 did not extend a two-year-old payroll tax holiday.
“For the first time in two decades, we raised taxes on the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans in a bipartisan way, while preventing a middle-class tax hike that could have thrown our economy back into recession,” Obama said on Jan. 4, despite the payroll tax hikes going into effect.
TheDC asked people if the tax hike changed their opinion of Obama.
“I would rather not state my opinion of the president and Congress right now because if you can’t say something nice, you might as well not say nothing at all. I just think it’s a travesty what they’re doing to the American workers and the American people,” one man told TheDC.
“Obama’s a dick,” said another.
“I don’t make any more money, I just pay the man more taxes. It pisses me off,” said a man who questioned if his tax money is going to any “good” causes.
However, some said they are okay with the tax increase.
“I’m still Obama all the way. We have to take some sacrifices,” one man told TheDC.
“We may all have to pay more — the middle class and also the upper class,” said another.
“He [Obama] got his job because he said the right things,” said a man who also would not give his name.
“He’s a puppet just like every other president was a puppet.”