HOUSE Republican Leader John Boehner

Boehner Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal

Boehner op-ed in the Wall Street Journal this morning:

“The budget approved by Democrats on Thursday reverses 12 years of Republican tax cuts and pro-growth policies. It lays the groundwork for increasing personal income tax rates on middle-income families, slashing the child tax credit, reinstating the marriage penalty and bringing back the death tax.  We’ve seen this play before. The last time Americans faced a massive tax hike was in 1993 — the last time Democrats were in the majority. President Clinton campaigned on middle class tax cuts only to turn around and sign what was then the largest tax hike in history. But Clinton’s tax hike pales before this one.”

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Will Blue Dog Democrats Vote for the Largest Tax Increase in American History?

Dozens of Blue Dog Democrats campaigned across America last year not as tax hikers, but as tax cutters.  Yet, while tens of millions of middle-class families are filling-out their 2006 tax returns, Democratic leaders are asking Blue Dogs to support the largest tax increase in American history.  Given the cost of living these days, middle-class families don’t need tax hikes – they need tax relief.  So Blue Dog Democrats have to ask themselves:

Will Blue Dogs Support a Budget that Increases Income Tax Rates, Reinstitutes the Marriage Penalty, and Slashes the Child Tax Credit?

• Raising the 10 percent tax rate bracket to 15 percent would raise the taxes of more than five million individuals and families who previously owed no taxes.

• Eliminating marriage penalty tax relief would cause tax hikes for 23 million taxpayers and middle-class families, on average, by $466 in 2011.

• Cutting the child tax credit in half would raise taxes for 31 million taxpayers and middle-class families, on average, by $859 in 2011.

Will Blue Dogs Support a Budget that Hits Taxpayers of All Ages, from Families to Seniors?

• An elderly couple with $40,000 in income would see their tax bill rise by 156 percent in 2011 – from $583 to $1,489.

• A family of four with $60,000 in earnings would see their tax bill would rise from $3,030 to $4,893 in 2011 – that’s an increase of more than $1,850, or 61 percent.

• A single parent with two children and $30,000 in income would lose 67 percent of her tax benefits in 2011.  With tax relief, this single parent qualifies to receive $2,414 back; with the Democrats’ tax hike, this single parent would only get back $799.

Will Blue Dogs Support a Budget that Raises Taxes on EVERY Working American and Middle-Class Family?

• 115 million taxpayers would see their taxes increase, on average, by $1,795 in 2011.
• 83 million women would see their taxes rise, on average, by $2,068.
• 48 million married couples would incur average tax increases of $2,899.
• Taxes would increase, on average, by $2,181 for 42 million families with children.
• 12 million single women with children would see their taxes increase, on average, by $1,082.
• 17 million elderly individuals would incur average tax increases of $2,270.
• Taxes would rise, on average, by $3,960 for 26 million small business owners.
• Over five million taxpayers who previously owed no taxes would become subject to the individual income tax as a consequence of the sunset.

Middle-class families already face a rising cost of loving, and the last thing they need from Washington politicians is a tax hike.  Republicans believe Congress can balance the budget in five years without raising taxes.  We can balance the budget by keeping taxes low, promoting economic growth, and putting an end to the excessive waste, fraud and abuse within the federal government.

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Middle Class Mugging: Dems Propose Largest Tax Hike in History

When Democratic leaders started dusting off their playbooks from the early 1990s, everyone knew it was only a matter of time before massive tax hikes were on the table.  Now House Democrats are poised to deliver the largest tax hike in history, saddling taxpayers with nearly $400 BILLION in new taxes.  That means increasing personal income tax rates on middle-income families, slashing the child tax credit, reinstating the marriage penalty, and hiking taxes on dividends and investment earnings.

Given the cost of living these days, now is not the time to raise taxes.  They may just be lines on the page to House Democrats, but the tax hikes they’re proposing mean real dollars and cents to American families and small businesses.  Democrats’ plan will raise the tax bill for every working American – 115 million taxpayers will see their taxes go up by an average of $1,795. And if you’re married, have children, or own a small business, you’re in for extra punishment.

For example, 48 million married couples will face an average tax increase of $2,899. 17 million elderly individuals will pay an average tax increase of $2,270.  26 million small business owners will pay an average tax increase $3,960.  And more than five million individuals and families who would have seen their income tax liabilities completely eliminated will now have to pay taxes.

Meanwhile, Democrats have failed to make serious entitlement reform a priority, despite the enormous growth in spending on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.  They have failed to protect middle class taxpayers from the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT).  And Democrats have completely failed to rein in runaway federal spending, proposing instead across-the-board spending increases.

These tax hikes are just the latest assault on taxpayers by Democrats.  After voting on the first day of the 110th Congress to make it easier to raise taxes on American families, Democrats have:

• Tied critical funding for America’s troops to billions in pork-spending.

• Imposed more than $6.5 billion in new taxes on American energy producers, which will lead to higher gas prices and higher energy bills for American consumers.

• Included millions of dollars in hidden earmarks in a giant spending bill.

Republicans believe Congress can balance the budget in five years without raising taxes.  We can balance the budget by keeping taxes low, promoting economic growth, and putting an end to the excessive waste, fraud and abuse within the federal government.

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