If anyone deserves a tax cut in America, it’s the working class

Children are our future. But the people who help them realize their dreams — their parents, teachers and teaching support personnel — are struggling to get by.  

Right now, two-thirds of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. Eight out of 10 are stressed about money. Half don’t have anything saved for retirement. Young workers in our public schools and colleges are among the hardest hit, and are delaying starting their own families until they’re financially stable — a day that for many may never come. 

That is why our organizations, whose 1.8 million members are devoted to making a difference in the lives of others, are teaming up to support a working-class tax cut, paid for by the rich.

Getting cash in people’s pockets again is the best way to deal with the affordability crisis. Americans used to believe that if you worked hard and played by the rules, you’d be okay. We need to make that promise real again, and enshrining that basic bargain in the tax code would level the playing field. 

The Working Americans’ Tax Cut Act, co-sponsored by 20 Democratic and independent senators, is based on the simple idea that workers should be able to pay for daily essentials before they are taxed. 

Consider a young, single worker making $45,000. After Social Security and Medicare taxes, there’s $41,600 left. After rent and food, they’re left with maybe $18,000 to cover healthcare, car payments, repairs, gas, clothing,........

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