Moderates unhappy as Senate budget writer plans $70 billion in tax cuts

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON -- Senate Republicans fashioning next year's $2.6 trillion budget are running into a familiar problem -- balky moderates reluctant to worsen record federal deficits with a fresh round of tax cuts.

President Bush has proposed $100 billion in tax cuts for the next five years. Under pressure from moderate GOP senators, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Judd Gregg, R-N.H., planned to start debate in his panel Wednesday on a fiscal plan focused on only about $70 billion in tax cuts over the next five years, said Senate aides speaking on condition of anonymity.

House Budget Committee Chairman Jim Nussle, R-Iowa, will try pushing a fiscal outline through his committee Wednesday centered on less than $50 billion in tax reductions, said congressional aides. These aides said House GOP leaders hope to eventually enact additional tax cuts this year.
...
Even so, top Republicans are wary that more GOP moderates could join last year's core group of four to demand limits on tax cuts. Gregg met with several of them Tuesday but declined to say how the meeting went.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2005/03/08/moderates_unhappy_as_senate_budget_writer_plans_70_billion_in_tax_cuts/

[Sandpiper]

1. Here's a novel idea

We just had the biggest deficit in U.S. history, how bout NO TAX CUTS!!!

[Erika]

2. It's insane to cut taxes at this time.

What part of the word "deficit" does Bush "misunderstand"?

[revolution now]

3. he understands fine

As the evil sith said at the end of Episode II...

"Everything is going according to plan."

[indepat]

4. It could be argued the entire neocon ideology is insane: tax cuts

for the most affluent and corporations is ideological job # one and the impact of such insanity matters not a whit.

[punpirate]

5. Ever wonder why...

... you never see any 12-step groups for wealth addiction? :)

Because enough is never enough and more than enough is never too much. That's the way these people think. If you can get Congress to agree with that, you're on your way to greater riches.

The silly irony here is that the "moderate" Republicans are only asking for half the tax cuts for the obscenely wealthy that the White House wants, and which will end up being, after the raving lunatics are finished, twice what the White House asked.

*big sigh*

[snippy]

6. Republicans need to stop the madness. n/t

[adigal]

7. I don't understand - how could they POSSIBLY be thinking

of tax cuts???? Are they truly insane??? The Americans have not given a Man-Date to run our country into the ground, and you know they want the dems to push back on this.

[Emboldened Chimp]

16. It's called starving the beast

They'll drive up deficits so high that they'll cut every social program in sight. Next thing you know all will be privatized, government will be 'smaller', and we regular folks will be shithouse poor.

[BigBearJohn]

18. True evil knows no bounds

[brentspeak]

8. If they're really unhappy

they can just vote "No" to the tax cuts. No reason why they should just put up with it.

[Mr. Sinister]

9. How can Americans be fooled by this?

I am in the top 20-25% (for now until I am offshored) and my tax returns have gotten smaller every year of the Bush Admin. And
of course my salary stopped climbing the minute Clinton was no longer president. If these tax cuts are not for people like me, the traditional Republican base, and are only for that less than 1% at the top, than almost all Repubs should be questioning their loyalties. Somehow though it doesn't translate. People still believe these thieves represent their interests.

[Melynn]

10. Just let the Republicans keep going with their irresponsible spending ways

It just sets the table for the Democratic wins in '06 and '08 as voters realize that the Repugs are a bunch of hypocrites.

[4dsc]

11. And Nussle want to be governor of Iowa

All I can say, is Nussle will have alot of explaining to do to Iowa voters, on his fiscal irresposibility if he decides to run for governor..

[gulfcoastliberal]

12. Starve the gov't even more, so they can cut more programs

and continue their destruction of the American republic.

[napi21]

13. I'm glad somebody remembered the Starve the Beast idea!

That's been the plan for Pubs forever! If you eliminate enough revenue from the Feds, they will have no choice but to cut all gov't programs, and that's exactly what they want! Eliminate ALL social programs completely!

[struggle4progress]

14. kick

[BlueManDude]

15. this story gets pretty old

they'll roll over when it comes a-votin' time. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Amfortas]

17. more tax cuts ?

why not military spending cuts ? :silly: