Seniors join President Obama in urging Congress to stop taxes from going up on middle-class Americans:

"I am 72 years old, taking care of my 93-year-old husband who has Alzheimer's. Since we have two small pensions, my husband's Social Security, and savings, we are paying federal and state taxes. If we have to pay another $2,000 annually in taxes, it will put us closer to the day we can't carry our expenses anymore. My husband's out-of-pocket health expenses are high. It's important to me to avoid putting him in an institution and on Medicaid. Keeping that $2,000 annually helps us both stay in our own home and not become a further expense to the government. Financially secure seniors are a boon to society. Please don't make it more difficult for us to stay that way."
—Barbara, Vermont

"A stroller, car seats, and cribs for my growing twin grandbabies."
—Richard, Wisconsin

"$2,000 is groceries for 3.5 months; it is two thirds of the insurance on our home and autos; it would be about a year's worth of insurance; it is dental exams and cleaning for two people for a year; it is almost cable/internet/phone for a year; it is birthday/Christmas presents for our eleven grandchildren. $2,000 is a lot of things—from absolutely necessary to nice to be able to do."
—Sherry, North Carolina

"I am a widow on a modest fixed income. An increase in taxes of this proportion would mean considerable sacrifice for me. Already, 98% of my monthly retirement 'income' (including Social Security) goes to basics: food, mortgage, utilities, phone, local taxes, etc."
—Jeannie, Pennsylvania

"The ability to visit my grandchildren twice a year."
—John, Minnesota

"My wife and I are a midlle income retired couple with pensions living on a fixed income. This $2,000 means less spent at local small businesses in our small town—they need our help, too."
—Dan, Oregon

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