Payroll tax cut, say what?

Trump’s executive order to defer the payroll tax in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is telling. It’s telling us that he doesn’t understand the pandemic that our country is in the middle of. And it tells us that he doesn’t know what to do about it, so he’s falling back on old tricks.

This pandemic has the United States in a unique economic downturn. Putting aside how leadership could have avoided this, the fact is that business out there is abysmal, especially for small businesses. People are staying home and not going to restaurants, for example, and millions of Americans have been laid off.

The primary reason for having an economic stimulus from the Federal Government is to help the United States get through the economic repercussions of the pandemic. Those issues range from businesses going under due to loss of revenues, to the loss of jobs, to cities and states spending their money on coronavirus testing, etc.

What part of this pandemic is Trump trying to address with a payroll tax cut (let alone just a deferral)? By its definition, a payroll tax is only for people who have a job and get paid.

In fact, whitehouse.gov itself admits this “targeted action will put money directly in the pockets of American workers and generate additional incentives for work and employment.” While you might argue the merits of this during a regular economic downturn, it makes no sense during a pandemic when people are out of a job through no fault of their own.

We need to give money to businesses that are unable to stay afloat during this crisis and to the recently unemployed who are struggling. Extra money in other people’s paychecks is certainly not the targeted help this country needs right now.