Jim Ramstad: “Mr. Speaker, for the life of me, I cannot understand how those opposed to tax relief can make spending decisions based…”

“Mr. Speaker, for the life of me, I cannot understand how those opposed to tax relief can make spending decisions based on projected revenues. You can spend the taxpayers' money based on projected revenues, but you cannot provide tax relief based on those same revenues? All we are talking about, Mr. Speaker, is returning 1 of 4 surplus dollars back to the taxpayers. It is their overpayments that are creating the surplus. It is the taxpayers' money, not the government's money. Let us put this into context. All we are talking about, those of us who support this much-needed tax relief, we are talking about returning 6 percent of the $28 trillion in government revenues over the next 10 years, 6 percent of $28 trillion in revenues. That is hardly a risky tax scheme or overgenerous to return 1 of 4 surplus dollars based on the same projections that you are spending money, that we are all spending money. Our economy needs the stimulus of a tax cut. Every day in Minnesota, my constituents are telling me sales are slow, orders are slow, inventories are up, consumer confidence is down. More layoffs. This tax relief will bring immediate relief to families who are pinched financially. It will lift consumer confidence and boost our sputtering economy. Our families need this tax relief, our overtaxed taxpayers deserve it, and economic growth in America depends on it. People want to pay off credit-card debt.”