Democrats' War on Jobs: Hoyer's Rhetoric Simply Doesn't Square with Reality
Democratic Congress Places Economic Prosperity at Greater Risk with Its Irresponsible Tax-and-Spend, Mandate-and-Regulate Agenda
Washington,
Jan 4, 2008 -
Congressional Democrats may be saying all the right things about the increasing financial concerns of American families and small businesses, but after a year of watching Congress insist on higher taxes, more wasteful spending, and a bigger, more intrusive federal government, it’s clear that the Majority’s rhetoric simply doesn’t match its record.
For example, take today’s statement from Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) on the December 2007 employment report released this morning by the U.S. Labor Department. In it, Rep. Hoyer says all the right things – but he fails to mention that the Democratic Majority has consistently championed policies that would further complicate the troubles faced by many families and businesses, who are feeling the squeeze of rising costs of living.
Here are three examples from Rep. Hoyer’s statement, along with reasons why his rhetoric doesn’t square with the harsh realities of the 110th Congress’ tax-and-spend, mandate-and-regulate agenda – an agenda that amounts to a massive, undeclared War on American Jobs.
1. Democrats’ Rhetoric: “Democrats are very focused on the issues of economic security that the American people are correctly concerned about – stagnant incomes, the increasing number of uninsured, and the record number of foreclosures.”
Reality: Actually, thanks in large part to its year-long – and, fortunately, ill-fated – obsession with ensuring defeat in Iraq, the Majority paid remarkably little attention to these priorities during the 110th Congress. And when they did focus on important domestic matters, it was usually to the detriment of families and small businesses. In just the first 12 months of this Congress, the Majority passed bills raising taxes by $250 billion and proposed tax hikes that threaten more than 16 million jobs. These harmful policies are hardly what American families are asking for at a time when their costs are rising.
2. Democrats’ Rhetoric: “While Americans are struggling with these difficult economic conditions, they’re being forced to pay skyrocketing costs for health care, college tuition, and gasoline.”
Reality: Given the opportunity to address key cost of living priorities in a bipartisan way, the Majority blocked a proposal by House Republicans to make it easier – and more cost-effective – for small businesses to offer health care to their employees and passed a massive energy bill that doesn’t produce a single watt of new energy, nor a single gallon of new, domestic fuel. In other words, the bill offered no new relief to families struggling with spiking gasoline and home heating prices. And as if that’s not bad enough, senior Democrats have proposed gas tax hikes that would drive costs up even higher – all to pay for more worthless pork.
3. Democrats’ Rhetoric: “Democrats will continue to work this year to develop policy responses to alleviate the burdens on middle class taxpayers and restore the health of our economy.”
Reality: Waiting in the weeds are even more costly tax increases, including the Pelosi-Rangel Mother of All Tax Hikes – a trillion dollar monstrosity that would raise taxes 90 percent of taxpayers, including tens of millions in the middle class alone. And what will these new taxes hikes pay for? Even more wasteful Washington spending. Last year, the Majority asked taxpayers and small businesses to bankroll nearly $180 billion in new entitlement spending and pork-barrel projects like a hippie museum in Woodstock, New York. Undoubtedly, congressional Democrats are planning to use new tax hikes to pay for more of the same.
House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) today lamented the jobs-killing agenda pushed by the Democratic Majority and called for greater bipartisan cooperation from Democratic leaders in the New Year:
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“One year ago today, the 110th Congress opened with promises of a new direction and bipartisan cooperation. But over the past 12 months, the Democratic Majority has offered nothing more than a tax-and-spend, mandate-and-regulate agenda that places American families and small businesses at even greater economic risk…
“At a time when American families and small businesses are struggling with financial uncertainty, this irresponsible, job-killing agenda cannot continue. It’s time for the Majority to work with Republicans in a bipartisan way on behalf of the American people who expect it.” |
Indeed, after wasting 2007 on their “go-it-alone” approach to legislating, the Majority this year will face a choice: finally work with Republicans to secure bipartisan victories on behalf of all American families and small businesses or continue their cynical, destructive pattern of putting politics before the country.
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