White House promotes ‘My2k’ Twitter hashtag in tax-rate debate

President Obama is taking to Twitter to rally supporters behind his push to extend the Bush-era tax rates for all but the wealthiest Americans.

{mosads}The White House is planning to promote a new Twitter hashtag — #My2k — that represents the estimated $2,200 by which middle-class families would see their taxes increase, on average, if Congress fails to extend the Bush-era tax rates. Administration officials will ask supporters to post on the social media network and the White House website about how a tax increase would affect them.

“After the president’s event, the White House will call on Americans across the country to share on Twitter what #My2K means to them, as well as on other social media channels, and on WhiteHouse.gov,” an administration official said. “We’ll highlight the #My2K stories received on WhiteHouse.gov and through social media to elevate the impact of inaction for middle-class families.”

The effort is similar to a #40dollars hashtag employed by the president’s supporters during the fight last December over the payroll-tax extension. In that case, deciding not to extend the payroll tax would have resulted in most workers’ take-home pay decreasing by $40 per check. According to the White House, “tens of thousands of working Americans” called, tweeted or emailed their representatives in Washington as a result of that campaign.

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The president is holding an event with middle-class Americans on Wednesday to pressure GOP lawmakers to immediately extend tax cuts for families making $250,000 or less per year, and meeting later in the day with prominent business executives to push for an increase on top wage earners.

Republicans have thus far resisted a partial extension of the expiring Bush-era tax rates in talks about a deficit-reduction package, instead calling for maintaining current rates across the board. Many in the GOP have objected to a deal that would raise the tax rate on the wealthiest taxpayers, instead preferring to eliminate deductions and loopholes that would raise the effective tax on the wealthiest without seeing their actual rate increase.