Orrin Hatch: The 'Poor' Should Do More To Shrink Debt, Not The Rich (VIDEO)

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) voted against beginning debate on a measure that would have the Senate declare the rich should share the pain of debt reduction Thursday, a day after arguing that it's the poor and middle class who need to do more.

"I hear how they're so caring for the poor and so forth," Hatch said in remarks on the Senate floor Wednesday, in reference to Democrats. "The poor need jobs! And they also need to share some of the responsibility."

Hatch's comments were aimed at a motion that passed 74 to 22 to start debating a non-binding resolution that says millionaires and billionaires should play a more meaningful role in reducing the nation's debt.

Just one Democrat, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), voted against having the debate. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), who had previously called the resolution "rather pathetic," nevertheless voted to move ahead on it.

But it was Hatch whose remarks Wednesday raised the idea that the wealthy are already doing too much, even as the nation's effective tax rates are at modern lows since the Bush administration slashed rates in 2001 and 2003. In his view, it seems, the middle class and poor should be picking up the slack.

"The top 1 percent of the so-called wealthy pay 38 percent of all income tax. The top 10 percent are paying 70 percent of all income tax," Hatch said. "The top 50 percent pay somewhere near 98 percent of all income taxes. 51 percent don't pay anything," Hatch said, suggesting the payroll taxes that the poor and middle classes pay towards Social Security yields them an especially generous benefit.

"Democrats say they [the 51 percent] pay payroll taxes. Well, everybody does that because that's Social Security. They pay about one-third of what they're going to take out over the years in social security," Hatch railed. "Obamacare -- a family of four earning over $80,000 a year -- gets subsidies. Think about that. That's what we call the poor?"

Hatch hedged that the the poorest of the poor shouldn't have to pay taxes. But he was clear that people who qualify for subsidies because they can't afford things like health care should dig deeper.

"Now, we don't want the really poor people who are in poverty to have to pay income taxes," he said. "But 51% of all households. And that's going up, by the way, because of our friend down in the White House and his allies."

Comments

[Dani Hale]

01:37 PM on 08/08/2011

I have a cousin who works for a company that outsources jobs for AT&T among other companies. He just sent all the AT&T customer service jobs to Mexico because they will work for $4/hr and Americans want $12/hr. So I got to wonder how much does AT&T charge for their services in Mexico? I mean, I can't afford AT&T in the US on $12/hr so how can the Mexican worker afford it on $4? If they want to pay us less maybe they should lower their prices so we can afford all the crap they want us to buy. Corporate folks don't seem too smart sometimes.

[-me-]

12:40 PM on 08/08/2011

They say that half you don’t pay any federal taxes.
Probably dead beats, and long haired junkies,
Forming some weird evil empire or axis.
You’re shirking your duty and failing your country
It makes the rest of us want to run out to the gun shows,
acquire large caliber rifles, grab our Bibles and hunt thee.
You’d think they’re out, living large on the dole, just loafing around.
But, I’ve looked into the matter and was surprised by what I found.
They are soldiers, sailors, old women and elderly gents.
The crippled, the lame, single parents and their dependents.
But this social expenditure accounts for only 60 percent
So, further investigating would be a requirement.
Hedge fund managers and there off shore accounts.
A little sunlight there would yield surprising amounts.
And then we have accountants with their clever little schemes.
Don’t forget about those state legislators, or so it would seem.
Now we’ve accounted for 80 - 90 percent,
The majority of those seem to reflect the GOP constituent.
So I’m left wondering, “while they stand firm on taxes.”
How the Republicans will assign all the misery to the Democrats
“Social safety net program cutting axes”?

[dim]

05:19 PM on 08/07/2011

Anybody tossing around absolute tax figures is a crook. An income tax is figured as a fraction of income. Mr. Hatch, who pays a higher rate in income tax, you or your pool boy?

[Savinia]

08:13 PM on 07/15/2011

Good to see people being passionate debating these comments, Hope this man is reading them and reconsidering his position.

[MDhome]

07:48 PM on 08/07/2011

He is very unlikely to reconsider his position,I can promise that.

[Heidi Dietrich]

02:50 PM on 07/14/2011

I know I'm not. And yes I went to school to get more training. I took insurance classes to get my broker's license and worked hard at whatever I did. I'm not blaming anyone. What I am saying is that when you aren't able to work because of health stuff, it seems like people just want to shoot you in the head and roll your body over into a grave. No one owes me a living. It pisses me off that I can't work right now. I like providing for myself. I just don't need another kick in the head right now. I'm doing the best I can with what I have. Going from working to having seizures and having to stop really sucks.

[Seer Clearly]

11:49 PM on 07/13/2011

If the top 1% have 80% of the nation's wealth - which they do - then what are they doing only paying 37% of the income tax?

[rickwash4]

02:12 PM on 07/19/2011

Wrong!! Check it out? The top 1% own approx 24% of the wealth and pay over 40% in taxes. Of course these numbers don't bother you as long as you can punish the evil rich?

[dim]

05:13 PM on 08/07/2011

The last time the top 1% had such a huge income relative to the rest was in the 1929. Nobody is saying the rich are evil, but a system where well-heeled people flying private jets between their several luxury homes pay a smaller *fraction* of their income in tax than their manicurist is hardly fair.

[Honest Babe]

12:20 PM on 07/13/2011

Anyone who has been in Congress this long should have a better grasp of facts. For starters, Mr. Hatch, the 46% of people who pay no income tax include students, part-time workers, persons on disability, social security, and unemployment, or are the working poor who earn minimum wage for a forty hour work week, still putting them below the poverty line for a family of four. As a percentage of their income, the poor pay as much or more in taxes than the very wealthy. We all pay gasoline taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, school taxes where applicable, payroll taxes.....just to name a part of them. There are deadbeat hedgefund managers who earn millions of dollars who pay a lower percentage of income tax than I do, and some pay none at all. I would respect you more if you were not working so hard at distorting facts.

[citizenbett]

12:13 PM on 07/13/2011

we need to vote the bums out of office before they turn into career politicians. we need to take more responsibility when it comes to candidate ads & promises & find out just who is paying for their campaigns. Career politicians become obligated to the ones that paid for them & who are making the rules that the people must live with. These careerists will never feel the pain or suffer because of the problems they create, they will take our tax dollars in salary, health ins. & pensions & really believe they've earned it.

[Sakeeta]

07:08 PM on 07/12/2011

http://www.facebook.com/pages/I-challenge-Orrin-Hatch-R-Utah-to-live-on-minimum-wage-for-1-year/121495857940675?sk=wall

[Eva Carafa]

03:11 PM on 07/12/2011

Yes, poor people, quit bitchin', and whichever of you can still afford one, take off your hat and pass it around. And whatever you do, KEEP IT DOWN! You'll spook the rich people, and they're just about to hatch those jobs eggs they were given 10 years ago, and if they fly away now, who knows when, or if, they'll ever come back....

[wrabbitt]

01:10 PM on 07/12/2011

I guess education was wasted on him, is he from Earth?

[Bill Smelser]

12:51 PM on 07/12/2011

the republicans told us that the tax breaks they were given were to create jobs what happened ?

[dim]

05:14 PM on 08/07/2011

The usual happened. They lied.

[MDhome]

07:13 PM on 08/07/2011

Yep, so true, the "job creators" lied again, but at least they got a gift of a lot of cash for upkeep on their private jet.

[Sarah Bewley]

11:12 AM on 07/12/2011

What does he expect the poor to do? Starve? Disappear? Go without any medical care so they don't become a burden on the precious rich as they age?

This is the height of selfishness and stupidity.

[rickwash4]

11:34 AM on 07/12/2011

No! How about finishing school, get a job, quit substance abuse, quit having children they don't want and can't afford. That's some of the things they can do to help themselves. Check out the stories of the so-called poor, showing up @ an emergency center with an I-phone, leather jackets, designer jeans, expensive tatoos, $125 sneakers, $45 ball caps, etc and yet can't afford some type of health insurance. That's the height of selfishness and stupidity, by these people and people who won't hold them accountable for anything!!

[Shere]

12:15 PM on 07/12/2011

Typical right wing paranid bs.

[Honest Babe]

12:26 PM on 07/13/2011

So you will stereotype all the poor based on a few stories. All the rich don't believe they should pay taxes. Leona Helmsly said that taxes are only for the little people, not for her. Now, it wouldn't be fair to say that every wealthy person, like Helmsly, expects to get something for nothing from this country, would it? Instead of saying the poor should be punished, why not say we should find the tax deadbeats who haven't paid what they owe? There are examples of bad behavior at both ends of the spectrum.

[MDhome]

07:14 PM on 08/07/2011

about par for Hatch.

[JACK DOYLE]

09:54 AM on 07/12/2011

This leader of the very rich snobs in Utah needs to spend a life time working in a coal mine or a fish cleaning factory.He would then be as dirty and smelly as he deserves and as most Americans (except the whacked out UTS) know he is./
His love of his fellow man must come from his religion founded by a farmer named Smith LOL

[rickwash4]

11:40 AM on 07/12/2011

How do think many of them became wealthy?! Not everyone inherited their wealth; they worked for it, saved and invested it, made good choices and succeeded. Yet, people like you continue to insult, mock and hate these people all the while giving those so-called poor more and more money to do nothing. Why should these people improve their lives when they have liberal fools who expect the producers to constantly give more and more away. Rich snobs? It's the elite liberal snobs who need to spend some time with the working class. And as far as working in a coal mine, your man Mr. O wants nothing to do work coal energy.

[Steven Mull]

11:59 AM on 07/12/2011

Yes, and all those stupid selfish 98% of inventors and investors whose ideas didn't make them rich should just shut up and sit down! We all know that luck has absolutely nothing to do with it. If you bought Enron and lost it all, then you should have had a private investigator to find out that they were lying to you. It's all your fault!!!!

And we can only make people aware how awful it is to mine coal by making them mine coal. And children are missing a great life lesson by not pulling bobbins in textile mills. They just grow up lazy (and with both hands).

Besides, public education just makes the workers want more. I say if you want to be educated, do it yourself! Teachers - blah, who needs them? Just fills little minds with all kinds of "knowledge" when what they need it how to say "yes sir!"

And let's get rid of inheritance tax. You know how difficult it is to pick rich parents! That's why only the best are able to pull it off!

All those darn selfish poor. They want to eat! My yacht captain wants to eat too. What about him?

[unionave]

02:51 PM on 07/12/2011

A prudent person would check the meaning of the words they use . In your name calling , if you intend to use the word "LIBERAL" with negative connotations it would wise to find a different word . Liberal friends are the best kind .

[Honest Babe]

12:31 PM on 07/13/2011

Utah is an unusual state because Mormons believe that the community should take care of eachother. When a family has a need, others pitch in to meet the need. An admirable trait, but not frequently seen to this extent elsewhere, and likely not enough to meet extraordinary needs such as high medical costs. I doubt that he sees that other states that are not so influenced by a single religion with this level of compassionate purpose.

[zoren]

02:03 PM on 07/26/2011

Mormons do take care of each other, I have seen it..... but only, each other.

[Emantione]

09:45 AM on 07/12/2011

We need to overhaul our tax policies and rules and regulations to make our tax system fair and progressive rather then our current system which only truly benefits the rich. Yes, there are some Americans who don't pay federal income taxes though they pay a much higher percentage of their income in other taxes (SS, FICA, sales taxes, gas taxes, etc.) then the top 1% of taxpayers or even the top 10%. They make low salaries even though many work for companies making huge profits or they work for small businesses who can't afford to pay them more because the US Federal Tax System benefits businesses that conduct international business not domestic.

Orrin Hatch should be ashamed himself for perpetuating the big Lie that the rich are somehow shouldering an unfair tax burden. Let him live off of minimal or $15 an hour and then ask him how much more money the poor and working poor should pay in income taxes.

[Honest Babe]

12:41 PM on 07/13/2011

A majority of the jobs created in recent years are low-wage service jobs paying minimum wage. In most states that is $7.25. 9.8 percent of the workforce earns minimum wages. As compared to an average CEO at the top 350 companies in the country, the salary of the CEO's of these companies earned in 1 and 1/2 hours is equal to the total annual wages of a person working at minimum wage. An annual salary at minimum wage is still below the poverty level. So, aside from increasing CEO pay, what are these companies trying to do to create decent jobs in America for people who need them?

[rickwash4]

02:43 PM on 07/13/2011

These low paying jobs are not meant to support a family. They are for young people working PT, just out of school, PT moms, retired, etc. People need to expand their education, talents and ability by higher education, technical training, etc. Too many what high paying jobs with minimal abilities - this is ridiculous thinking. CEO's have put in the time, education and have the successes to get them to the top. Those who "chose" not to pursue additional education, training, etc put themselves in this situation and no one else. Good grief, hold these people accountable for once and quit "always" blaming everyone else for their choices.