The White House released a video on Monday thanking social media users
for rallying to their Twitter initiative #40dollars that "changed the
debate" over the payroll tax cut.
"Your voices changed the debate, and reminded Washington what was at
stake," President Obama says in the Web video.
In December, ahead of the expiration of the payroll tax cut, the White
House used social media to apply additional pressure on Congress to
pass Obama's proposed extension of the program.
According to the White House, failure to extend the payroll tax cut
would mean a typical middle-class family would take home about $40
less in each paycheck.
The White House heavily promoted the hashtag #40dollars to Twitter
users, and White House press secretary Jay Carney even read some
responses during a press briefing.
Congress ultimately passed a short-term extension of the payroll tax
cut program that expires March 1.
In his weekly address last weekend, Obama again urged voters to
push
Congress to pass another extension ahead of the new deadline, warning
that there might be more "political posturing" over the issue.
Obama doubled down on the request in the new video aimed directly at
Twitter users.
"Once again I need you," he says. "Because if Congress fails to act
soon, then taxes on the middle class will go up."
House Republican leadership on Monday already indicated their
willingness to
push through a vote this week on the payroll tax
holiday. A new bill set to be unveiled by the GOP will extend the
program through the rest of the year.
