As Obama Works to Fill Dem Coffers, House Dems Still Silent on Vote to Stop Tax Hikes

September 22, 2010

FYI, a version of the release below went out to the following districts: John Adler (NJ-03); Michael Arcuri (NY-24); Jason Altmire (PA-04); Sanford Bishop (GA-02); Tim Bishop (NY-01); John Boccieri (OH-16); Leonard Boswell (IA-03); Rick Boucher (VA-09); Allen Boyd (FL-02); Bobby Bright (AL-02); Dennis Cardoza (CA-18); Russ Carnahan (MO-03); Chris Carney (PA-10); Ben Chandler (KY-06); Travis Childers (MS-01); Gerry Connolly (VA-11); Jim Costa (CA-20); Mark Critz (PA-12); Kathy Dahlkemper (PA-03); Joe Donnelly (IN-02); Steve Driehaus (OH-01); Chet Edwards (TX-17); Bob Etheridge (NC-02); Bill Foster (IL-14); Gabby Giffords (AZ-08); Alan Grayson (FL-08); John Hall (NY-19); Debbie Halvorson (IL-11); Martin Heinrich (NM-01); Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD-AL); Baron Hill (IN-09); Jim Himes (CT-04); Maurice Hinchey (NY-22); Tim Holden (PA-17); Steve Kagen (WI-08); Paul Kanjorski (PA-11); Marcy Kaptur (OH-09); Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15); Ron Kind (WI-03); Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01); Larry Kissell (NC-08); Ron Klein (FL-22); Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24); Frank Kratovil (MD-01); Rick Larsen (WA-02); Dave Loebsack (IA-02); Dan Maffei (NY-25); Betsy Markey (CO-04); Jim Marshall (GA-08); Mike McIntyre (NC-07); Michael McMahon (NY-13); Jerry McNerney (CA-11); Walt Minnick (ID-01); Harry Mitchell (AZ-05); Chris Murphy (CT-05); Patrick Murphy (PA-08); Scott Murphy (NY-20); Bill Owens (NY-23); Ed Perlmutter (CO-07); Tom Perriello (VA-05); Gary Peters (MI-09); Earl Pomeroy (ND-AL); Nick Rahall (WV-03); Ciro Rodriguez (TX-23); John Salazar (CO-03) Loretta Sanchez (CA-47); Mark Schauer (MI-07); Kurt Schrader (OR-05); Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01); Heath Shuler (NC-11); Ike Skelton (MO-04); Zack Space (OH-18); John Spratt (SC-05); Betty Sutton (OH-13); Dina Titus (NV-03); Niki Tsongas (MA-05); Tim Walz (MN-01); David Wu (OR-01); Charlie Wilson (OH-06) and John Yarmuth (KY-03).

As Obama Works to Fill Dem Coffers, Rodriguez Still Silent on Vote to Stop Tax Hikes

Obama Campaigns at DCCC Fundraiser in NYC While Families and Small Business Owners Across the Country Brace for Higher Taxes

Washington- Congress is scheduled to remain in session through the end of next week, yet House Democrats like Ciro Rodriguez still won’t commit to a full up-or-down vote on their party’s scheduled tax hikes before skipping town. And while Democrats in Washington continue to stall until recess, President Obama is headed to New York to fill the campaign coffers for vulnerable Democrats at a ritzy Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) fundraiser. With working families and small businesses still suffering under the consequences of the Democrats’ failed economic policies from the past two years – will Rodriguez finally put Texas families first and spare them the impact of higher taxes during an already devastating recession before it’s too late?

“As President Obama heads to a high-dollar fundraiser in New York, House Democrats in Washington are preparing to unload another massive blow to working families and small businesses across the country in the form of devastating tax increase,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “With Congress set to remain in session for another week, Ciro Rodriguez has still not committed to a full up-or-down vote on the Obama tax hike. And while middle-class families continue to wait for Rodriguez and his Washington friends to end all scheduled tax hikes on small businesses, the re-election hopes of House Democrats continues to fade.”

According to a recent survey of economists, stopping the job-killing tax hikes on all Americans is “the most important thing Congress can do to help the economy”:

“With income tax rates set to go up on Dec. 31, Congress is hotly debating what to do next. But most economists agree: Keep them where they are.”

“…a majority of a panel of leading economists surveyed by CNNMoney.com said that the tax cuts should be renewed for everyone.

“The first in a series of economic surveys revealed that extending the tax cuts for all taxpayers is the most important thing Congress can do to help the economy.” (Chris Isidore, “Economists: Extend Bush tax cuts for everyone,” CNN, 09/20/10)

And even the President himself declared that the recession is ‘still very real’ at a townhall on Monday in Washington D.C.:

“President Obama said yesterday he doesn’t care that the Great Recession has been declared over by a group of economists. For the millions of people who are out of work or otherwise struggling, he said, ‘it’s still very real for them.’” (“Obama says recession is still very real,” Associated Press, 09/21/10)

With a week and a half until Congress is scheduled to adjourn, will Ciro Rodriguez finally put Texas families first and pledge support for a full up-or-down vote on planned tax hikes before leaving Washington?

Visit the NRCC’s Democrat Tax Tracker for more information.

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