Rep. Mike Pence (R., Indiana) just announced that he will not vote for the tax compromise.
Saying that “the American people did not vote for more stimulus,” and higher deficits and debt, Pence told Sean Hannity, “I will not vote for this tax deal.”
“I’ve no doubt in my mind that the first order of business for the new Congress [if the compromise does not pass] … will be to enact a bill that extends all the current tax rates on a permanent basis,” Pence continued. “We’ll do it. We’ll send it to the Senate if this bill falters. There’s always time to do the right thing.”
Admitting that choosing a position on this compromise was “a tough call,” Pence talked about how he hoped to get an up-or-down vote in the House on his bill to extend the Bush tax cuts permanently. Noting that House Democrats had had their vote “on raising taxes on Americans making 250,000 or over,” Pence said he planned to argue that House Republicans deserved the same chance to vote on the permanent extension.
“We ought to have an up or down vote on extending unemployment benefits, [but] we ought to pay for it,” Pence added. “The best thing we can do for unemployed … is put permanence into the tax code.”
“I believe this is a bad deal for taxpayers, and it will do little to create jobs,” he concluded.
Other House Republicans that oppose the compromise include Reps. Steve King (R., Iowa) and Michele Bachmann (R., Minn.)
Good to know who to blame when I see my taxes increase on Jan 1.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'll take a little uncertainty on taxes at the start of the new year to get a bill that is not porksters last stand. Let's wait a few weeks on this.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI could not agree more with Congressman Pence. It is time for an up or down vote on whether or not to raise taxes. If we cave on this, the economy will not improve and Obama and the Dems will go into 2012 claiming supply-side economics does not work.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMike Pence just put himself at the head of the pack for the 2012 nomination.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMike Pence just put himself at the head of the pack for the 2012 nomination.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI met Pence several years ago on a church trip. I told him then, and stand by it, that I would like to move to Indiana just so I could vote for him.
Hopefully I'll be able to vote for him without moving.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSo it is irresponsible not to pay for the extension of unemployment benefits, but the extension of the Bush tax cuts?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseGood on you, Mike Pence.
I was beginning to think that this year's election had never happened, that the tea party movement had not helped elect some genuine conservatives.
It is clear that the pork-loving RINOs are still with us.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHoray for Mike Pence! We finally get a Republican with the character to do the right thing. He'd definitely get my vote in 2012. Most Republicans are a bunch of cowards who won't stand by their convictions.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAlso, Sam, it's good to know who actually learned something from this election that people don't want to spend any more money on waste. Glad to see Pence being a true conservative. Thune/Pawlenty are just establishment drones.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSam, short term gain for you vs. long term gain for the country and our children; which do you choose?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMr Pence should be the Speaker in 2011. We need leaders not cry babies!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSam, you can thank the Senate Democrats for deciding on September 23rd, to send this vote into the Lame Duck session. They should've jumped at their chance. But alas, the American people have spoken and we voted against spending on November 2nd. Thank you to Congressman Pence, as well as Bachmann and King, for standing up to $56 billion more dollars being added to the nearly $14 trillion deficit, with unfunded unemployment benefits. Let's go into January, do this the right way, extend tax cuts once and for all, and fund those unemployment benefits.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHow about permanence in the tax code that doesn't equate to $4 trillion dollars in debt over the next 10 years? How about we get rid of the irresponsible Bush tax cuts (which were never paid for) and start working on this deficit we have going on. It seems these so called "fiscal conservatives" are more than willing to dump the load of fixing the deficit on people who rely on Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, and unemployment benefits. However, when there is a chance for those making over $250,000 to "sacrifice" to do their part with the debt, these conservatives balk. The idea that you can cut spending and not raise taxes and solve a deficit may work on the state level with Chris Cristie. But once you get to the federal level of government, with the way things currently are, you can't expect to cut spending so that you create a budget surplus. Unless of course you really don't care about people who need health care and unemployment benefits to survive.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAll of you saying that you're perfectly happy to start paying more in taxes to help the deficit... the Treasury takes donations. If you're that serious about putting your money on the line for that specific issue, then cut out the middle (tax)man and pony up. But please don't presume to make that choice for me, or my neighbors, or any other family. Many of us have household budgets balanced by a thread and even a small increase in our taxes come January may mean giving up such "luxuries" as allowing our children to play sports, or getting our pets their proper shots.
If you're all waiting for the "perfect" bill, then nothing is ever going to get done because the last I checked, Washington was still populated with mere humans.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf Pence is truly concerned about the deficit, he should pair the extension of the Bush tax cuts with specific spending cuts. Otherwise, we'll see tax cuts, no spending cuts and a larger deficit.
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