Tax Relief, Of Sorts
Don’t get too excited by the rumblings in the House of Representatives over the proposed “fix” to the tax bill addressing those low income families left behind on the 2003 tax bill. House Majority Leader Tom Delay (R-TX) will let the the House Ways and Means committee address adding the earned income tax credit to the bill, but not until he has a chance to “fix” some of the bill that the Senate has sent over.
Delay has publicly scolded lawmakers for even considering extending any increase in the earned income tax credit to the lowest wage earners in this country, saying to Democrats, ” If they want the child tax credit, they ought to be able to have it in a package that actually gives tax relief, creates jobs and helps the economy grow,” DeLay said. DeLay supports hundreds of billions of dollars in new tax cuts, but has argued that families that don’t pay taxes shouldn’t get the refundable tax credit.
The Senate revisited the bill last week after taking substantial heat from Democrats and other interest groups when it was discovered the tax bill deliberately left out tax relief to families and 12 million children in the lowest tax brackets.
Delay said the House will look at the Senate’s bill but promises to change it significantly to ensure his vision of substantial tax relief for the highest income brackets stays in place. According to CNN, Delay scolded White House Press Secretary Ari Fleisher, who hinted the White House supports the bill, saying, the last I time I checked, he doesn’t have a vote.”
CNN also reports that DeLay said the House would not take up the Senate bill without changing it.
“It ain’t gonna happen,” he said.
This man makes Newt Gingrich look like Mother Theresa.