President Barack Obama is expected to make his case for avoiding the approaching “fiscal cliff” this, but the White House is hoping Americans will chime in on Twitter.
Using the White House’s new #My2K hashtag, of course.
Obama is promoting the hashtag to bring to light the potential tax increase on the middle class coming in 2013 if Bush-era tax cuts are allowed to expire.
The keyword #My2K was chosen specifically because, according to the White House, a middle class family of four could see a tax increase of about $2,220.
The White House is clearly hoping to plant this seed in the minds of the American public, and keep the conversation about it going on social media.
The ongoing debate is to negotiate a deal to prevent going off the so-called “fiscal cliff,” when tax hikes and spending cuts commence at the end of the year.
Basically, current rates were set when George W. Bush lowered them in office. Unless they are extended or changed, they will all revert to previous levels.
Large-scale government spending cuts will also take place unless a budget deal is reached.
Obama is holding an event with middle-class Americans today and urging the public to press Congress to protect tax cuts for families earning $250,000 or less.
The president is also meeting with corporate executives at the White House and then traveling to Pennsylvania to push for higher-income earners to pay more.
It’s part of a campaign to pressure Republicans in Congress to support raising taxes on the wealthy, which they have been diametrically opposed to doing.
This isn’t the first time the technology-embracing White House has used hashtags to spark a conversation on Twitter, and it certainly won’t be the last.
A hashtag is a keyword or phrase preceded by a pound sign that aggregates similarly tagged posts on social media services, like Twitter or Instagram.
It’s also a cute baby girl name, apparently.