Jim Nussle: “just like last year when the Democrats did not have a budget, this year they do not have an economic plan. They have a…”

“just like last year when the Democrats did not have a budget, this year they do not have an economic plan. They have a press release that they rushed to the floor today, had it put into legislative language, but it is basically a press release. What does it do? It spends and it taxes. In fact, in the Committee on Ways and Means, half of the amendments that were introduced raised taxes on the American people. I do not know what economics book they are reading; but not only do we not raise taxes during a recession, but as the gentleman earlier said, it does not cost the government when we talk about tax cuts. Taxes cost Americans. When we leave money in the pockets of the people that earned the money in the first place, that is what is called America. When we tax and spend, that is what is called liberalism. Unfortunately, that is what we are offered with more today. The Democratic plan increases the debt actually more than the Republican plan. Just like the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt) said, the plan for the Republicans increases the debt; we have had the Democratic plan scored over 10 years, and it increases the debt $1.7 trillion.”