Rift appears in GOP over cutting taxes and spending

Republican leaders return to the Capitol this week determined to cut both taxes and spending, a combination that is fraying party unity as the GOP prepares for next year's elections.

While tax-cut packages in both the House and Senate skew toward investors and other middle- and upper-income taxpayers, the spending cuts fall partly on programs aimed at lower-income Americans, such as student loans, food stamps and Medicaid.

The House of Representatives and the Senate Finance Committee postponed action last week when rebellions by GOP moderates left leaders short of votes for two packages. The Senate panel stalled on a bill to cut taxes by almost $70 billion over five years. The House put off action on a package to cut spending in the same period by more than $50 billion. Both chambers must eventually agree on some version of both bills.

"You're denying resources to programs that serve the middle class and neediest of the needy on the eve of a projected vote to provide tax benefits and breaks to the most advantaged in our society," said Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (news, bio, voting record), R-N.Y. He was one of the moderate Republicans who pressured leaders to modify the spending cuts. GOP leaders can't afford to lose many of their own, since the issue has energized Democratic opposition.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/riftappearsingopovercuttingtaxesandspending

"spending cuts fall partly"

a ton of money. They are not doing their jobs and they can easily support themselves on the bribes they take from coporate sponsors. Put them on Social Security and take away their health care.

really believe that this is a reasonable strategy? Do you think the GOP went out and found these guys and educamated them with "cut taxes" mantra and they REALLY believe it's true. Sheesh. :eyes:

How else can so many of them sleep at night?

Anyone else think that with the arrival of the largest deficit in the history of math that Barry Goldwater's shorts just got a little bit browner? Doesn't tax and spend sound more fiscally sound than borrow and spend to the average American voter?

welcome to the DU, jlchavis0844 :hi:

Hey, it wasn't very long ago Pugs were all over cable TV blathering about how the USA could easily afford to rebuild Iraq (the argument at the time was whether to make the funds through a grant or as an outright gift).

Hey, Wolf! Where's the footage?

Hey, Fox! Roll it!

more money. The borrowing is what poisons the process. Political forces, right and left, will force an equitable allocation of taxes and spending so long there is no borrowing. Unlimited borrowing allows the party in power (in the current case the republicans) to feed its crony's and special interests from an endless dole that future americans will have to pay for. The republicans are much worse than the democrats about this because with the exception of GB1, they have in recent memory, always sought to borrow more than the democrats.