The American Federation of Government Employees has launched a new advertising campaign calling Republicans to task for attempting to pay for an extension to the payroll tax holiday by cutting government employee salaries and jobs:

The “Explain it to me, GOP” campaign highlights the hypocrisy of forcing federal employees to pay for extending payroll tax relief that benefits all working Americans.

“Extending payroll tax relief for another year will boost the economy by putting an extra $1,500 in the pockets of the average American family. But forcing middle-class workers to pay for it is hypocrisy at its worst,” the ad reads. “Federal employees are part of the 99 percent. Explain to me, GOP, how slashing their jobs and wages helps the economy.”

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“We are calling out these GOP lawmakers and asking them to explain how freezing federal employee salaries and cutting hundreds of thousands of federal jobs will boost the economy in their communities,” AFGE National President John Gage said.

“Federal employees already have had their pay frozen for two years and they’re facing layoffs and downsizing due to shrinking agency budgets. Subjecting them to additional pay freezes and layoffs is wrong, especially when the wealthiest 1 percent aren’t being asked to sacrifice anything.”

The ads will run online and in local newspapers and will direct people to the ExplainItToMeGOP.org website.

It is hard to see how this either/or proposition from Republicans doesn't cost jobs and hurt the economy. If the payroll tax holiday ends, tax rates for average citizens go up, further stalling the economy. If the tax holiday is extended by cutting jobs and taxes, that also harms the economy as well.