Wednesday, March 28, 2007

"A Good Old-Fashioned Tax Fight"    [Stephen Spruiell]

That's what Republicans are going to mount as the House takes up the Democrats' budget resolution, minority deputy whip Eric Cantor just told a group of bloggers here at the Capitol. One after another, Republicans have dropped by today's House Republican Conference (HRC) blog row to talk about the Dems' budget, which they say represents the largest tax increase in American history because its revenue projections assume that the Bush tax cuts will expire in 2011.

"Either they can cut entitlements, which they're not going to, or they can raise taxes," minority leader John Boehner told bloggers today. "And they are going to raise taxes."

The theme at today's blog row, featuring appearances by Cantor, Boehner, Dennis Hastert, minority whip Roy Blunt, HRC chairman Adam Putnam and Budget Committee ranking member Paul Ryan, is a familiar one: The Republican Party lost its way and needs to reconnect to the American people through a renewed commitment to its ideals. Republican congressmen see this budget fight over taxes, in combination with their opposition to the Democrats' porked-up war funding bill, as a great opportunity to rehabilitate their brand as the party of fiscal responsibility. We know, because it says so right on the giant banner behind the podium — as you can see in the background of the videos Mary Katharine Ham is posting at Town Hall.

03/28 03:38 PMShare