February 6, 2008
Chris Hackett Urges Congress To Take Stronger Measures In Cutting Taxes and Reducing Spending
Dallas, PA - Republican Congressional candidate Chris Hackett today asked Congress to go further than President Bush's budget proposal in cutting federal spending. The proposal is the first in history to top $3 trillion in spending and estimates a $400 billion deficit.
Included in the President's budget request are some reductions in the rate of increase in entitlement and domestic discretionary spending. The request makes permanent the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, but does not account for a permanent patch for the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT).
Meanwhile, Congressman Chris Carney, instead of helping find long-term solutions to these problems, was corrected by the Times-Leader today after falsely asserting the budget includes plans to cut entitlements.
"Congress needs to put Washington on a diet. While there are some good ideas in this budget, like curbing the growth of spending in some areas and making the tax cuts permanent, the overall budget does not address the larger problems of spending and taxation that impair our economic growth," Chris Hackett said.
"The federal government should have to budget the way families in the 10th District do. Families prioritize their spending and eliminate unnecessary expenditures when they can't afford them. Congress must eliminate wasteful spending, especially spending through the corrupt earmarking process. I encourage President Bush to follow through on his veto threat if Congress does not comply."
"For too long, Congress has ignored entitlement spending, but the explosive growth of this spending will soon require a tax increase of $11,000 per household, which will destroy the economy. Congress must enact a long-term solution that fixes entitlement spending without job-killing tax increases or breaking our promises to senior citizens."
"While I am happy to see the proposal making the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts permanent, the uncertainty surrounding a permanent fix of the AMT has resulted in a negative effect on small-business growth. A permanent solution must be found so middle-class taxpayers and small-business owners are not unfairly hit with an enormous tax increase,"
"Chris Carney is trying to score political points on this budget instead of working to make it better. As with his addiction to pork-spending, he is trying to take the easy way out and go along with the liberal leadership of his party instead of standing up for his constituents. He should be acting like an independent leader, not like a partisan politician," Hackett concluded.