Mike Levin: “the issue here is priorities and choices. There are some similarities, but the differences are vast. Let us look at the…”

“the issue here is priorities and choices. There are some similarities, but the differences are vast. Let us look at the whole picture here, the whole picture. You have an alternative minimum tax that is going to hit millions of people if we do not act. We have $45 billion in extenders on which there is basic agreement. We have a reduction in the capital gains and dividends tax which continues for the next few years. We have proposed budget cuts. We also have the alleged, by the Republicans, need for fiscal discipline. So what are their choices, because you cannot really do everything. So here is their choice: extend the dividends and capital gains reduction that continues in any event, extend it to 2009 and 2010 even though over 50 percent goes to people making $1 million a year. That is their first choice. Their second choice is budget cuts: cuts in student loans, cuts in child support. And I want to say to my colleague from Michigan, administrative money for child support goes to raise money for children, not for bureaucrats. It is 4 to 5 dollars for every dollar we provide in administrative support. Essentially, what the Republicans do is to reduce the amount of money going to kids over the next 10 years by $24 billion. Their choice also was to leave out the AMT from this bill, but then they bring up a bill yesterday, do not pay for it, and it can be objected to in the Senate and may not happen at all.…”