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Michael D. Pitman reports about Butler County, Ohio, politics, county government, countywide issues and Butler County people just like you for Cox Ohio Publishing (including the Hamilton JournalNews, Middletown Journal and several weekly papers in Butler County). He wants your suggestions and questions for more news stories. Leave a comment for him here or e-mail Michael at Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2010 > August > 13 > Entry
Boehner, Bernstein blog battle wages on
U.S. House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-West Chester Twp., and Jared Bernstein, Vice President Joe Biden’s chief economic adviser, both came out swinging in round two of battle of the blogs yesterday.
This debate is an interesting glimpse into party talking points on both sides of the aisle, and how each side will attempt to frame the argument over job creation, stimulus and deficit in this election year.
While I’ll post the text of the blogs here, you should go to the blogs to see links both proffer to back up their arguments.
Since Boehner got the last jab in before the bell in round one, we’ll start with the White House blog:
In a blog post on this site yesterday, we noted that if Congressman Boehner really wants to end the stimulus, then he really wants thousands of Ohioans to lose their jobs.
In response, the Congressman was quoted as saying that our administration owed his constituents “…an explanation of how raising taxes on small businesses will do anything but further hinder job creation in Ohio and across the country.”
Again, Congressman Boehner is confused. So we thought we’d take him up on the invitation to explain to the people of Ohio who has been fighting for small businesses here in Washington and who’s been obstructing that fight.
President Obama has consistently worked with anyone who would join him to help small businesses lead this economy back to health. But in virtually every case, House Republicans led by Rep. Boehner have opposed our attempts, while Republican Leaders in the Senate have used procedural gimmicks to keep them from even coming up for a vote.
Most recently, and most egregiously, House Republicans voted against the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010 (the Democratic majority passed the bill, only to have the vote blocked by Senate Republicans). This bipartisan bill would have reduced taxes on small business by zeroing out capital gains taxes on their investments, “bonus” depreciation, and immediate expensing of equipment purchases (all three of these significantly lower their investment costs). The bill would also create a fund for small, community banks to lend to small businesses.
So here’s a bill that helps small businesses and small banks, strongly supported by the White House (and, for that matter, small business advocacy groups like the Chamber and NFIB), yet Rep. Boehner’s team opposed it.
Unfortunately, that’s not a new position for them. They tried to block the HIRE Act (a tax cut for businesses that hire the long-term unemployed), Recovery Act loan guarantees and fee forgiveness supporting around $30 billion of small business lending, and let’s not forget their opposition to a $40 billion tax credit for small businesses that provide health care to their workers.
What, then, was Rep. Boehner talking about in that quote? He and his team want to extend the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest households, and they’re trying to do so under the guise of helping small business.
Again, the facts of the case point exactly the other way. Virtually every small business would benefit from President Obama’s plan to preserve the tax cuts for families with incomes below $250,000. Only three percent of filers report small business income above that level, and they’re mostly high-end professionals like someone with a small legal practice—perfectly worthy business folks, of course, but not the small entrepreneurs we’re trying to reach with the plans the Republicans continue to block.
Check out this graphic to see for yourself who benefits from the tax cut Rep. Boehner is advocating. Compared to what the President wants to do, it delivers less to the middle class, and, at the expense of adding billions to the deficit, massively delivers to millionaires.
So, collecting his positions over the past couple of days, Rep. Boehner wants to: a) end the Recovery Act that has put more than 100,000 Ohioans to work, b) add $37 billion to the deficit by cutting taxes of the wealthiest households, and c) block tax cuts and new lines of credit to middle-class, small businesses.
It all sounds kind of familiar, doesn’t it? That’s because it’s precisely the policy prescription that got us into this mess. And it’s the last place we want to go back to.
And, of course, Boehner has a response. This time it was posted on the GOP Leader Blog:
For the second time in as many days, the Vice President’s chief economist, Jared Bernstein, has used the official, taxpayer-funded White House blog to rant about Republicans’ opposition to raising taxes on American families and small businesses in a weak economy.
This is a tax hike plan, by the way, that is opposed by a majority of the American people and economists on the left, center, and right - including ‘stimulus’ booster and Obama Administration favorite Mark Zandi, who wrote last week in The Washington Post that “raising taxes on anyone now … would be a mistake.”
One thing Mr. Bernstein failed to mention during his diatribe is that according to the non-partisan Joint Economic Committee, half of the small business income in America will face higher taxes under the president’s plan. This bears repeating: at a time when Americans are asking ‘where are the jobs?’ and small businesses are being declared “missing in action,” President Obama and Mr. Bernstein want to raise taxes on half of small business income in America.
In his post, Mr. Bernstein also trots out Democrats’ canard about the ‘cost’ of stopping tax hikes on families and small businesses. Only in Washington would it be acceptable to think that taxpayers should have to pay for the privilege of not having to send more of their hard-earned money to the federal government. But if indeed there is a ‘cost’ to stopping all of the Democrats’ tax hikes, how much will the president’s plan to stop some of the tax hikes ‘cost’?
As Leader Boehner said yesterday, “We will not fix the deficit until we cut spending and have real economic growth - and we won’t have real economic growth if we keep raising taxes on small businesses.”
Washington Democrats are certainly fighting for somebody here, but it’s not small businesses and it’s not jobless workers. It’s the public-sector union bosses who strong-armed Speaker Pelosi into calling a special session this week to pass a $26 billion ‘stimulus’ bailout. It’s the state governments that desperately needed this handout because they followed Washington’s lead and spent well beyond their means. What about the small businesses agonizing over the prospect of higher taxes on top of all the job-killing policies of the last 18 months? What about the 15 million unemployed workers who just saw Congress make it more expensive to create jobs in the United States and less expensive to create them overseas?
This is a moment when we should be listening to the American people and setting out clear and positive solutions to cut spending and create jobs. Instead we are getting more Obama Administration attacks and more of the same failing ‘stimulus’ policies. It’s time for Mr. Bernstein to go back to the drawing board (though hopefully not the same one that produced the report he co-authored showing that the trillion-dollar ‘stimulus’ would keep unemployment below eight percent.)
Washington Democrats’ failure to lay a strong and stable foundation for recovery has left our economy rudderless. These job-killing tax hikes on families and small businesses won’t change that.
So, who do you think won round two?
Permalink | Comments (21) | Post your comment | Categories: National issues
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By Boehnerisms
August 13, 2010 1:11 PM | Link to this
The bottom line is Boehner does not represent the families of his District whose average household income is less than $45,000 per year. Boehner does represent the wealthiest 2%. Boehner does not represent small business (I am one). He does represent Corporations outsourcing Ohio jobs faster than new ones can be created. Boehner has had the worst voting record in Congress for almost 20 years on issue affecting the middle class. Enough is enough. SW Ohio families deserve better.
By savanation
August 13, 2010 4:16 PM | Link to this
I think there is nothing more telling about how Boehner thinks (???) than his telling a group of millionaire Wall Street bankers that they should trust him (Boehner) because he won’t let “little punk staffers” write any laws which would put a stop to the Bankers’ immoral practices. I have always wondered what the “staffers” who work in Boehner’s offices thought when they heard this goof refer to workers, such as they, as “punks”. I am sure Boehner didn’t care. He just had his “little punk staffers” reserve him a tee time at the nearest high priced country club or a table at the nearest sleazy watering hole.Butler County is a laughing stock, a butt of jokes, because brain dead people in this county keep electing this hack, the main cause of America’s problems.
By Carol
August 13, 2010 4:49 PM | Link to this
I am bothered by the casual way Rep. Boehner refers to “the majority of the American people?” he speaks that way consistently over the years ad if he has some magical measure. He and others locally also talk about the local “majority.” I have serious doubts that any of those references refer to any real data. Just shenanigans…
By Jake Sheldon
August 13, 2010 6:09 PM | Link to this
This Bernstein nut has lost it. If he thinks we believe that bunch of —— about their legislation helping the people, he is wrong. They have not created jobs for the State of Ohio, as Bernstein claims. I support John Boehner for Congress and Portman to fill Voinovich’s slot.
By Jake Sheldon
August 13, 2010 6:09 PM | Link to this
This Bernstein nut has lost it. If he thinks we believe that bunch of —— about their legislation helping the people, he is wrong. They have not created jobs for the State of Ohio, as Bernstein claims. I support John Boehner for Congress and Portman to fill Voinovich’s slot.
By Roger Null
August 13, 2010 6:36 PM | Link to this
The Obama people have reached out to the unions along time ago. I smell corruption. Bernstein can yap all he wants to. He can’t tell me that the big legislation with built in taxes and granting fed. govt. more control is going to make our society more successful! Obama has not created jobs for Ohio! Obama is holding on to the auto industry when it should operate as a private entity! I support John Boehner! Bernstein is blowing hot air!
By the Nose Knows
August 13, 2010 8:45 PM | Link to this
The Boehner man has twenty years of deep pocket interests with corporate America’s finances. He even hznced out checks on the floor of the House from this tobacco lobby. Talk about smelling corruption! Twent years of stench must have immunized some from recognizing the smell
By Dominick Lijoi
August 13, 2010 11:29 PM | Link to this
Boehner leads the “nothing but no bunch” always predicting disaster as though he is a great prophet. He was wrong in the early 90’s when he opposed efforts to get us to a balanced budget, he was wrong to support Bush’s tax cuts that returned us to huge deficits and he is wrong now. We would be better off if he loses his job.
By Ryan
August 14, 2010 4:57 AM | Link to this
Anyone with any business or economic knowledge will tell you this: their personal tax rate is not the key to hiring. They will only hire based on demand. If demand is high, they will hire. If it is not, they will lay off. The rich represent a small fraction of Americans that do not serve to consume as much as the middle class. Middle class tax cut extensions will boost demands, and they can be paid for by letting tax cuts for the rich expire. That will boost demand, and ultimately, boost the economic recovery.
By Jerden Richards
August 16, 2010 7:03 AM | Link to this
The concept of Boehners policy direction, is less government control, which I support 100 percent. He also opposes government creating policy with built in taxes that many are not aware of. The reason Republicans vote againts some of the Dem legislation is they attach undesireable policy to the bill at hand and then expect it to pass. The Dems are playing dirty! John Boehner is a good man! He has my vote!
By Boehnerisms
August 16, 2010 3:19 PM | Link to this
Mr. Boehner has lost his way home. Poor fella is out roaming 30 states except his own, raising money from those he special interests he counts as his constituents. Unfortunately, for almost 20 years now, he has NOT represented SW Ohio. Since his first day in Congress, SW Ohio has hemorrhaged middle class jobs. 20 years of nothing is enough.
By Wilmalee Clay
August 17, 2010 7:00 AM | Link to this
John Boehner is doing just dandy in my book! He understands the Obama legislation creates government control and taxes hidden within. They attack Congressman Boehner in vain because he will win this Fall! We have a corrupt Administration who got to office by corruption. His Acorn buddies are probably working under a different name and still getting govt. funds. Obama can take his mosques over to Kenya and let them worship their Muhumad and listen for his word when to kill those terrible Americans. Yes, I support John Boehner!
By Deben
August 17, 2010 10:55 AM | Link to this
What a shame that people have such wacked-out notions about our President and his alleged nefarious connections to terrorism. This kind of stuff would count as harmless twaddle if it weren’t for the fact that once it gets spewed out by the Limbaughs and Becks and swallowed by large numbers of gullible people, these people go out and vote, even against their own interests, for the same politicians who profit from pulling the wool over their eyes.
By Ex-Republican
August 17, 2010 12:42 PM | Link to this
Boehner drives me nuts with his shrill repetitions of “job killing” and “cut taxes”. He’s a dunce. Jobs aren’t being killed - they’re being sent overseas. Cutting taxes doesn’t increase hiring, demand does. If people don’t have jobs, there’s no demand.
By John
August 19, 2010 6:16 AM | Link to this
Lets check out some facts: 1) our roads, bridges, & other public works have been neglected for decades. 2) during low unemployment & high capacity utilization it would be inflationary & a huge burden on business to bid against them for labor, material, & equipment. 3) So if we don’t do the needed work now, then when? 4) the stimulus money has been used wisely. It has held on to lots of jobs & kept many a business afloat. The only people that can’t see this are the ones that travel by helicopter from roof top to roof top. The down to earth people can’t miss seeing the benefits.
By Estill Brocke
August 19, 2010 7:06 AM | Link to this
I’m sorry, but I don’t agree with the Obama agenda nor the way the majority dems are doing. Bigger govt. with all this legislation that takes over control of our healthcare industry is wrong! The cap and trade is wrong! I don’t support their agenda. While Boehner is not perfect, I agree with the direction he supports and I will vote for him this Fall! He is a good man!
By Butch Williams
August 19, 2010 7:18 AM | Link to this
I support John Boehner because he believes in smaller govt. He doesn’t like the healthcare bill and I concur. It is a terrible bill that is anti-American. Telling everyone they HAVE to buy health insurance. Taking over the whole industry with that bill moves the industry from the hands of the people to the government. I don’t want my future healthcare in the hands of the govt. The legislators in the present majority are the ones that supported the healthcare mess. I want to keep Congressman Boehner. I have spoken with him in the past and I like him.
By Dee
August 19, 2010 12:01 PM | Link to this
It is apparent from some of the comments that while some people understand the way the government works,others are swimming in the misrepresentations that have been touted by Limbaugh and Beck. Those guys are on the receiving end of the gravy. They are leading people like lemmings to believe that corporate voice is preferable to one man one vote. We really need to get rid of lobbyists and to look at what the entire country needs. Wall St. needs to stop listening to dire predictions and to let fear go. It is all about manipulating the market to go up and down and about them “earning” their money through causing uncertainty. Boehner supports them, not us!
By Union voices worse
August 19, 2010 12:56 PM | Link to this
A few clarifications: TAXES — Cutting taxes increases demand thru higher disposable incomes and gives companies more money to invest in capital purchases, hence jobs are created. Anyone who takes the time to talk to owners and managers of businesses they frequent will hear concerns over this, Obamacare’s increased costs to them and the uncertainty Obama’s agenda creates which negatively impacts hiring, even those “saved”. STIMULUS — The stimulus money has not been used wisely and the White House has admitted so much as by some reports nearly 50% has been wasted. Most shovel-ready projects weren’t and still aren’t. Money given to states with no strings was foolishly spent by them much as before. HOW GOVT WORKS - It doesn’t, nor very well. USPS, SS, Medicare/Medicaid, Govt pensions and unfunded liabilities are proof. Decades of fiscal irresponsibility by both parties brought us to where we are yet despite govt’s record of failure Obama makes it larger, more intrusive and panders more to his own party’s largest lobbies and to expand its base; unions, growing entitlement ranks, illegal aliens, trial lawyers, etc. which makes this all worse. FEAR AND UNCERTAINITY — Again, that resides with Obama now not Wall Street and retail investors (most Americans rely on WS for retirement investments) as they really only react to what his agenda creates. ONE VOTE — that’s what’s need by each of us now to stop it.
By Dee
August 19, 2010 1:55 PM | Link to this
The fear and uncertainty is broadcast by the likes of Limbaugh and Beck. They are recipients of huge salaries that are obtained through their “fan bases”. They are leading people by the nose. People believe that they are going to be harmed by forcing the corporations and big business to pay their fair share. They do NOT use their tax breaks wisely. They did NOT “trickle down” the money as directed by Ron Reagan. Without being forced to do what is right for the majority of Americans, business will never do anything but continue to give bonuses to those who carry out their plan - to eliminate the middle class. How stupid! Who will be left to buy their products?
By laurence Pergram
August 24, 2010 9:09 AM | Link to this
Go back 30 years and look at John Boehner’s record. From the Ohio House to Washington. Nothing but special interests and big money concerns. Look at the condition of Middletown and Hamilton,the (2) biggest cities in his district.Then look at his area around West Chester.It is building like Palm Springs while the rest of the district is dumped in the hamper. The answer is rather obvious.