Well, personally, I think it is the payroll tax cut that is the “gesture of cynicism” — not an income tax break, but shorting social security, already in financial trouble, and, unless someone has the guts to change it, an entitlement so the money is coming back out of us somehow, somewhere, sometime. Big tax break. /s
I think Barry is just trying to ween everyone off their FICA contribution so they won’t pay any taxes at all. They already don’t pay income taxes (at lower levels) and their only contribution is the FICA. Get that down to zero (sorry employer, you still pay) and it will be hell to try to get them to pay income or payroll taxes in the future.