Marlin Stutzman: “Tonight we find ourselves faced with a very important decision with regard to what sort of taxes we face in the coming…”

“Tonight we find ourselves faced with a very important decision with regard to what sort of taxes we face in the coming years. We are not simply voting on whether to ``keep tax cuts.'' We are voting on whether or not we ``raise taxes.'' To let our current tax law expire is to raise taxes on Americans. Some say that the tax cuts will cost the government $700 billion. Well, I say that allowing the current tax cuts to expire will cost taxpayers $700 billion. Who needs that money the most, our government or the people? If this bill fails and taxes go up in the middle of a very fragile economy, we risk any potential job growth and recovery from this great recession. Refusing to take more of taxpayers' money is not spending we wish we could afford. Taking taxpayers' money is spending the taxpayer cannot afford. Mr. Chairman, I contend that we cannot punish taxpayers with a massive tax increase to pay for the massive spending problem in Washington. Let's let Americans keep more of their money, and let's start cutting spending and be responsible with the money that they have entrusted us with. Should we increase taxes to bring more money into the government so that we can pay for the spending that's happened over the last several years? I say no. The message we need to be sending to the citizens of our great Nation is this, that we get it. We are not going to live beyond our means and ask you to foot the bill.”