Attention Middle Class: You're About to Get Screwed

One of the key aspects of last year's HopeChange tidal wave was the mantra that if you make less than $250,000, President Obama would not raise your taxes.

Not. One. Cent.

Here's candidate Obama in September 2008:



Early on, that mantra continued. Here's President Obama in February 2009:



I guess one could argue that Obama's April 1 tax increase on cigarettes wasn't a middle class tax hike. I'd say that argument is nonsense, especially since cigarette taxes are highly regressive (i.e., they disproportionately harm poor people). But for the sake of argument, I'll let that one go.

Fast forward to a month ago. Here's David Axelrod "not ruling out" taxing the health benefits of all Americans:



But I guess you could say that Axelrod's hedging is pretty wishy-washy. So today, I give you Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, repeatedly refusing to say that they won't raise taxes on the middle class (transcript here):



Got it, folks? THEY'VE GOT SOME "HARD CHOICES" TO MAKE, BUT REVENUES (TAXES) ARE ON THE TABLE, AND THEY'RE GONNA DO WHAT'S NECESSARY.

Translation: Grab you wallets, Middle Class. The Taxman cometh.