Monday, July 12, 2010

GOP Senator Wants To Maintain Deficit Increasing Tax Cuts, But Still Opposes Unemployment Benefits

Top Republican Senator Jon Kyle appeared on Fox News Sunday and had some interesting things to say:
"[Y]ou should never raise taxes in order to cut taxes," said the Arizona Senator during an appearance on Fox News Sunday. "Surely Congress has the authority, and it would be right to -- if we decide we want to cut taxes to spur the economy, not to have to raise taxes in order to offset those costs. You do need to offset the cost of increased spending, and that's what Republicans object to. But you should never have to offset cost of a deliberate decision to reduce tax rates on Americans."

White House aides immediately seized on the comments. Press Secretary Robert Gibbs wrote on Twitter, "Kyl says wealthy need big Bush tax cuts while middle class families are on their own to fend for themselves as a result of Bush economy."

In private, administration officials say that the framing of the argument couldn't be more advantageous: "It's cutting taxes for the wealthy and letting the unemployed to fend for themselves," said one White House ally.

"If all of this has a familiar ring to it, it's because unpaid for tax cuts for the rich at the expense of working people is the same backward policy Republicans used to put the nation in this hole, and it's the same policy they promise to return to if put in a position of power again," added Hari Sevugan, press secretary for the Democratic National Committee.
Kyle, while believing it is in the nation's best interests to extend the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, adding to the nation's deficit, also believes in preventing the unemployed from receiving any benefits because they will add to the deficit.  Kyle claims to be a fiscal conservative, but with his recent comments, he essentially lost the "fiscal" label.

I will admit that in the beginning, I was under the impression that the Bush tax cuts were good, but over the years, I had not seen any change to my personal taxes.  I had not benefited from these tax cuts, but then again, I am not wealthy.  This is why I am so confused as to how the average citizen could fall for the right-wing propaganda - had I benefited from the tax cuts, I would be more inclined to support their extension, but considering the state of the union, I would probably think it was in the best interest of this nation to allow them to expire.  It is my opinion that the GOP wants to extend them because in doing so they believe they are preventing the increased revenue from funding some more liberal policies, like keeping the unemployed afloat during times of economic crisis.

Kyle should be more like fellow Republican Scott Brown, who has now broke with his party in favor of financial reform.  While my jury is still out on Brown, he has so far surprised me with a couple of his decisions - lets just hope that he listens to his constituency more so then his party... 

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