White House #My2K Twitter hashtag enters "fiscal cliff" debate

The White House is promoting the hashtag #My2K to continue to the conversation about a potential tax increase on the middle class. / Chenda Ngak

President Obama is expected to deliver remarks on preserving middle class tax cuts Wednesday in the face of the approaching "fiscal cliff," but the White House is hoping Americans will chime in, as well, on the micro-blogging service Twitter.

Mr. Obama is promoting the hashtag #My2K to continue to the conversation about a potential tax increase on the middle class if Bush-era tax cuts are allowed to expire. The keyword #My2K was chosen specifically because, according to the White House, a middle class family of four could see a tax increase of about $2,220.

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A hashtag is a keyword or phrase preceded by a pound sign that aggregates similarly tagged posts on social media services, like Twitter or Instagram. The White House is hoping Americans will use the hashtag to weigh in on the tax debate.

The ongoing debate is to negotiate a deal to prevent going off the so-called "fiscal cliff" -- a phrase coined to describe the combination of tax hikes and spending cuts that are set to start at the end of the year.

Mr. Obama is holding an event with middle-class Americans on Wednesday and urging the public to press Congress to protect tax cuts for families earning $250,000 or less.

The president is also meeting with corporate executives at the White House on Wednesday and then traveling to Pennsylvania on Friday to push for upper income bracket earners to pay higher tax rates. It's part of a campaign to pressure Republicans in Congress to support raising taxes on the wealthy.

This isn't the first time the White House has used hashtags to spark a conversation on Twitter. Mr. Obama previously asked Americans to use the hashtags #40dollars and #dontdoublemyrate to discuss payroll tax cuts and the student loan interest rate, respectively.

[memekids24]

Dear Mr. President, Please do not take away the 2k tax as I'm a lady 75year of age still working. My daughter,Grandaughter, and great grandchild like with be because they were laid off. Jobs out sourced of shore. We need all the help we can get. Jobs would be NICE

[Cynthiacrob]

Why more Medicare cuts? Over 716 billion dollar cuts have already been taken and 600 billion dollar cuts over the next 10 years. There should now be tax cuts on the wealthy. Don't the Republicans understand this is what we voted for? Get off Susan Rice she is not the Republicans' Patsy. Until they find someone who has blundered the National Security of the United States as much as they (the Republican Representatives have (Connie Rice); Susan Rice should be cleared for doing what has been proven to have been forth rite and fully disclosed within the confines of intelligence security.

[shaheemjef]

I agree with the president. As a mddle class individual $2000 would help me finish paying off my debt.

[deadears]

No matter what president you put in, rather it democrat or republican the people under the talmud/torah are in control and having their both parties (democrat/republican) working for them - don't believe me - look this up @ What world famous mensaid about the Jews
Introduction
The Jews are the only people in the world who have found hostility in every country in which they settled in any numbers. The big question is - WHY?
@Straight from the torah/talmud believer turn christain mouth -BENJAMIN FREDMAN

[tsigili]

If Obama wants to solve the debt crisis.......he should RESIGN! He IS the problem.

[Cheryl-Davis-Miller]

Try some compromise, Mr President. Those of us who work and pay taxes, have tired backs.

[Gloriay]

What I am unable to figure out is this. Republicans claim that by eliminating the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, the so called job creators will be loath to create jobs. How is it that during the Bush administration when he put the same cuts for the wealthy in place, we were loosing over eight hundred thousand jobs PER MONTH. How is that the so called job creators failed to create jobs when thousands of jobs were lost at the same they were reaping the benefit of the Bush tax cuts? Something seems wrong with this scenario. We MUST stand behind the President and help him win the fight for us the 98%. For what reason, Republicans will not acknowledge that they lost the election, and are determined to try to force their policies on us. Supporting republican policies is similar to going against our own interests, so we have no other alternative but to stand up to them and defeat them. What would $2000 do for me? It would provide me with food, pay utility bills that I am behind on, and pay my mortgage. It would be a GODSEND.

[deselected]

You know the $2k they are referencing are part of the Bush Tax cuts for the middle class. They will expire if there is no compromise. You already have those tax cuts. Republicans want those extended as well, they are against taxes in general.

[shaheemjef]

"Don't back any fiscal deal unless it lets the Bush tax cuts for the top 2% expire on December 31 and doesn't cut Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefits."

[redpenny4]

Maybe I am not quite up to speed but one thing that bothers me is why in all this time that the tax cuts have been in effect for all who are saying this creates more employment why has there not been more american jobs created in the last 4 years since they were getting cuts.. I dont see how jobs elsewhere are helping those who have lost jobs and outsourced..

If this is truly the reason then their should not be so many out of of work in this country if anything business should be booming .. for all the years this has been in place.

[andrewslawn4]

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