Braley decries GOP payroll tax support

Iowa Democratic Congressman Bruce Braley Wednesday admonished his Republican congressional colleagues’ support of the payroll tax increase, which Braley says will be a gut-punch to low-income and middle class families.

“What’s so hypocritical about Republicans’ position on the payroll tax increase that they are proposing is that it is an enormous impact by hitting the middle class and working poor,” Braley said during a conference call with press. “It’s so important to remember that this hike has an immediate impact on their paycheck.”

Braley was joined by Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman Sue Dvorsky, who said the Republicans’ support of the payroll tax increase is “hypocritical” because Republican leaders oppose tax hikes for wealthy individuals and called the increase “a bad policy.”

“[Democrats] fight for the middle class, and Republicans forget about them,” she said.

Last winter, President Barack Obama struck a deal with Congress to lower the tax American workers pay toward benefit programs like Social Security from 6.2 to 4.2 percent for 12 months. Obama, however, has indicated that one year will not be sufficient, and has put it to Congress to extend his policy for an extra year. Republicans have taken the stance that the extended reduction will fail to reduce the deficit.