On the recordDecember 4, 2010
Mr. President, I yield my time to myself, 15 minutes out of what we control. First of all, I remember before the President was sworn in he announced that--even though he ran on a platform of increasing taxes on higher income people--you do not raise taxes during a recession. So during the year 2009, there were no proposals to increase taxes from the administration, and, obviously, the Congress went along with that. Then, in August 2009, the President was in Elkhart, IN, and there was an exchange there along the same line, and the President said this: You don't raise taxes in a recession. We haven't raised taxes in a recession. Well, with 9.8 percent unemployment yesterday, it is quite obvious we are still in a recession. This debate is not about cutting taxes. This debate is whether we ought to increase taxes on anybody during a recession. We believe we should not raise taxes on anybody during a recession. Also, I heard the other side in their early speeches talk about efforts on this side to prevent unemployment insurance from being extended. Well, that is the same song we heard from the majority party during June and July. I would remind people on the other side of the aisle, the results of the election were that the people of this country said they were concerned about jobs, about the economy, and about the legacy of debt.…





