John,
We’ve successfully gotten Senate Republicans to back off Trump’s calls for a payroll tax cut in the COVID-19 relief negotiations. But that hasn’t stopped Trump’s attacks on our earned benefits.
Trump has ordered his administration to draft an Executive Order that would suspend payroll tax contributions―bypassing Congress and defunding Social Security and Medicare. Trump could sign it any day.[1]
While Trump claims that he has the “absolute right” to suspend payroll taxes, the U.S. Constitution says otherwise.[2] Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution says that only Congress has the “Power To lay and collect Taxes.”
Fight back against Trump’s unconstitutional attack on Social Security and Medicare! Donate today to defend our earned benefits and hold Trump accountable to the American people.
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Not only would a payroll tax cut do nothing for those who are currently unemployed, it would do little to help everyday working people pay our bills.
Postponing collection of payroll taxes isn’t the same thing as a tax cut―the tax is still owed. And as the payroll tax is collected by employers on behalf of their employees, there’s no guarantee employers wouldn’t just keep this money for themselves if the government temporarily stopped collecting the payroll tax.
Trump’s latest attack on our earned benefits (and our Constitution) should come as no surprise. Each budget that Trump has proposed has attempted to cut our earned benefits. And he regularly challenges laws and norms that don’t suit his vision of the world.
It’s up to us to make sure that the American people understand that Trump’s supposed tax cut is nothing more than another attack on Social Security and Medicare.
Donate today to fight back and defend our earned benefits against Donald Trump’s relentless attacks.
Thank you for always fighting for an economy and a tax system that lifts up working people, seniors and the most vulnerable.
Frank Clemente
Executive Director
Americans for Tax Fairness Action Fund
[1] “Trump: Executive order to cut payroll taxes could come Friday,” Politico Pro, August 6, 2020
[2] “Trump says he may suspend payroll tax collection without Congress: 'I have the absolute right',” Fox Business, August 5, 2020
