Press Staff Blog

Who would receive the greatest benefit under Republicans’ tax plan? Not low and middle-income Americans, according to a new analysis by Citizens for Tax Justice. According to their report, under the Republicans’ tax plan the poorest 20 percent of Americans would receive an average tax cut of $120 while the richest one percent would receive an average cut of $70,790.

While Republicans are holding middle class tax cuts hostage so they can give tax cuts to the wealthy, they might want to check out today’s National Journal poll.  According to the poll results, a majority of Americans oppose extending tax breaks for the wealthy:

We’ve got two weeks to go before the highway bill expires and student loan interest rate doubles. So obviously Republicans are taking action on these critical items – oh, wait. No, they’re not. Instead they’re focusing on… deadly force to protect salmon? We’re sure Americans across the country who are looking for work are relieved to know Republicans are on top of it.

From National Journal: Conservation Bill on Tap In House

Wanted to pass along some highlights from this morning’s WSJ article with Republican governors touting economic gains and the growth of manufacturing in their states, complicating Mitt Romney’s doom-and-gloom narrative:

Looks like Republicans have given up trying to hide their true priorities.  While Americans and businesses are facing economic uncertainty, Republicans are now admitting that they’re slowing down the legislative process on purpose in the hopes of postponing debate on critical items until after the election, when they hope things will be more in their favor. 

Two Republicans are quoted in this Wall Street Journal article about their plan to delay legislation until the next Congress:

Yesterday, we highlighted some harsh truths former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida said at a breakfast with reporters, during which he pointed out that confrontation has become the new norm for Congressional Republicans. But as Dana Milbank points out in his Washington Post column, Jeb Bush’s statement has caused several other prominent Republicans to admit their discontent with their party’s style of governing. 

There has been a lot of finger-pointing recently about who is responsible for our country’s economic health.  While Republicans are busy blaming President Obama, this New York Times op-ed by Bruce Bartlett—himself an advisor to two Republican presidents—explains that the previous White House occupant, Mr. Bush, is actually more responsible for our country’s budget deficit.

As the op-ed explains:

By now, you have probably heard it plenty of times from us: Republicans continue to insist on confrontation over consensus, no matter the cost to our economy. We need a big, bold and balanced deficit reduction plan, but it takes two to tango. And the GOP is so allergic to compromise, House Republicans skipped town for another recess, with critical measures to keep our highways funded and student loan rates from doubling still unresolved.