Campaign 2010

Aug 23, 2010

Leader John Boehner to Reaffirm Republicans’ Disastrous Economic Agenda

House Republican Leader John Boehner is set to give a "major economic speech" on Tuesday, but the Republican economic agenda is already crystal clear: what is good for Wall Street comes before what is good for folks on Main Street. 

 

Boehner’s speech will likely reaffirm House Republican support for returning to the exact same failed economic policies that increased the federal debt by nearly $3 trillion under President George W. Bush and Congressional Republicans.  What Americans may not hear from Republican Leader Boehner is his and House Republicans’ commitment to:

 

  • Unpaid for tax breaks for the wealthiest that add billions to the deficit;
  •  Protecting tax breaks for big companies that ship American jobs overseas; and,
  •  Privatizing Social Security and ending Medicare.

 

"Republican Leader Boehner’s agenda is clear: exploding the debt with unpaid for tax breaks for the very wealthy, taxpayer funded breaks for Big Oil, and gambling seniors hard-earned retirement," said Ryan Rudominer, National Press Secretary for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.  "Americans simply can’t afford a return to these exact same Republican policies that drove the American economy into a ditch that we’re just beginning to dig out of."

 

BACKGROUND

 

  • Boehner led near unanimous Republican opposition to legislation that paid for protecting the jobs of police, firefighters, and teachers through closing tax loopholes that encourage companies to move American jobs overseas. [HR 1586, #518, 8/10/10]   

 

  • In 2009, Boehner led 137 House Republicans who voted for a plan “that would eventually end the Medicare program as it is presently known,” according to the Associated Press. The Republican plan would dismantle Medicare, turning it into a voucher program and forcing seniors to buy insurance on their own from private insurance companies. [Roll Call Vote #191, 4/2/09; Associated Press, 4/2/09]

 

  • Boehner has been a longtime supporter of privatizing Social Security. He even said in 2006 about privatization, "If I'm around in a leadership role come January, we're going to get serious about it."  [Washington Times, 7/31/06; US Federal News, Boehner Answers Community's Questions, 4/29/05; Letter to The Social Security Reform Commission, 5/24/01]

 

  • Boehner criticized the Wall Street reform bill as an overreaction to the financial crisis that triggered the recession…"This is killing an ant with a nuclear weapon," Boehner said. [Pittsburgh Tribune Review, 6/29/10]

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