Not Joe the Plumber, but SAHM

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-16-2008
Not Joe the Plumber, but SAHM
246
Thu, 10-16-2008 - 10:49am

My Open Letter:

Dear Senator Obama,

I am a stay-at-home mom living in the over $250k tax bracket. I want to ask you why you feel my family is not doing it's part to share the wealth in this country. Our family does well but we also pay taxes at the highest marginal rate. We do not have millions or the kind of lifestyle that would get us access to tax loopholes. We only get deductions for home mortgage interests, state taxes paid and charitable contributions. Last year those three deductions were capped because the government limits the deductions at our income level. In the past we have been stuck in AMT which ensures we do not underpay our fair share of taxes.

Because of our family's income level, our children will not qualify for student loans or other aid. Therefore we must save entirely for their college. We save as much as we can. In recent weeks lost 30% of those savings as well as a decent amount of our retirement savings and the few mutual fund investments we have are under water. The only other asset we have is our family home. We only have one. It would be really tough to sell it in this market, we've lost a large chunk of our equity.

We have never received a stimulus check, yet we do our part to donate to charities we believe in, invest in the market and spend to keep the economy going. And we pay our taxes. There is no question that the opportunities in this great country have allowed us to achieve the American Dream. For that I am grateful.

Your proposals will take an additional 12% out of our annual family budget by increasing the marginal tax rate and increasing payroll taxes. We aren't struggling yet but we will be if your tax proposals pass. We will have to stop or severely limit college savings, with one child only 3.5 years from college and the savings down 30%. Last year we paid enough in Federal Taxes to supply 240 individuals with a Bush stimulus check, similar to the stimulus plan you propose if you are elected (I guess that continuation of the same Bush economic polices is good). I have no doubt that some of what we paid went to wasteful government projects and earmark spending that did not help any struggling families. You say $18 billion in earmarks is not a lot of money to you but 12% of my family budget is a lot to me and my children. I do not begrudge what we already give the government, but I will argue that we are doing our share. I argue we are patriotic and we are neighborly.

We are upper middle class, we are not like your friends, Oprah and Warren Buffet. Our priorities are saving for our retirement, our kids college and paying off our house. We can comfortably do those three things now, though we are worried about the economy like everyone else.

I am a registered Democrat and have always believed in social programs for those who need them. I still believe in them. But I do not understand why when you speak that it sounds as though my family is getting something over on this country. That we aren't doing our part. That we don't pay enough tax. That we don't do enough to lift others up. I say we are doing a lot by not asking anything from the government. I say it is the government that is letting the American people down, not us.

If this economy gets worse my husbands job will be at risk. We could lose our home along with the remainder of our savings. The only good news I see coming from the Democrats is that maybe then we can have the government contribute to our children's college education, we'll get a tax cut and might finally see one of those stimulus checks. Then you'd finally get your chance to lift my family up.

Pennsylvania Mom
http://openlettertobarack.blogspot.com/

Pennsylvania Mom http://openlettertobarack.blogspot.com/

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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-16-2008
Sat, 10-18-2008 - 8:00pm

At the time it could have caused major issues for me at work, and I couldn't afford to lose my job.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-16-2008
Sat, 10-18-2008 - 8:02pm

Gee, I wonder if those were the waitresses who later married and became SAHM's.


Why do you say that with such scorn?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-08-2008
Sat, 10-18-2008 - 8:05pm

I can certainly understand not wanting to jeopardize your job.

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-16-2008
Sat, 10-18-2008 - 8:09pm

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-08-2008
Sat, 10-18-2008 - 8:13pm

Yeah, I'm in a right to work state, too.....


Maybe now that you aren't there you can turn them in... :-)


 

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-27-2008
Sat, 10-18-2008 - 9:16pm

I could personally name four individuals who make money off the books and then get Medicaid for their pregnancies and WIC for their formula.

This behavior is fraud and is an abuse of a system designed to help those in need.
Not only are these people abusing the welfare system but their are also tax evaders.

You state you are now a SAHM, there is nothing to keep you from reporting them right now. I'm sure the statue of limitations has not expired on their crimes. It is your duty as a citizen to do the right thing here.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-16-2008
Sat, 10-18-2008 - 9:24pm

You state you are now a SAHM, there is nothing to keep you from reporting them right now. I'm sure the statue of limitations has not expired on their crimes. It is your duty as a citizen to do the right thing here.


Currently yes, I am a SAHM.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-17-2005
Sat, 10-18-2008 - 10:06pm


Well said! ITA!

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-06-2007
Sat, 10-18-2008 - 11:54pm

Chrissy
mom to Aidan 8/21/03
Grayson Blaine 12/30/07

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-16-2008
Sun, 10-19-2008 - 2:20am

Goodness, my family is not at risk for losing our home just because we are worried about the economy and potential layoffs. We don't live above our means. We didn't have money in a risky investment, though it wasn't in a CD. We don't get any tax benefits for college savings if we put it in a CD.

I am not unaware of what it's like to work. I started working when I was 16 and have worked for over 20 years.

It's great you live on a cash basis, but that doesn't mean everyone needs to do that, or that living another way (actually having a mortgage for example) is wrong.

Pennsylvania Mom http://openlettertobarack.blogspot.com/

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