Deborah Koff Ross: “Again, it takes a lot of skill for this administration, this Republican-led Congress, to give us the largest budget…”

“Again, it takes a lot of skill for this administration, this Republican-led Congress, to give us the largest budget deficit ever in our Nation's history while also managing to cut all the programs that matter to people at the same time. How do they do that? By tacking on tax cut after tax cut. Following us this evening, I am pretty confident that the other side will show up, which I think probably is an indication that we are making progress here in getting our message out about trying to restore some fiscal discipline and common sense to our Nation's government, and they will probably talk about how we had an opportunity to cut, to cut, $40 billion in spending and how we voted against it. But what they will not tell you is that it was $40 billion in cuts to the most vulnerable people in our society. Medicaid, eight out of 10 seniors in Arkansas are on Medicaid. One out of five people in Arkansas are on Medicaid. Cuts to Medicaid, cuts to student loans to the tune of $40 billion, followed by what are we doing this week and next week? About $90 billion in additional tax cuts for those earning over $400,000 a year. I wasn't real good at math back in high school or college, Mr. Speaker, but the last time I checked, $90 billion in tax cuts from borrowed money because we don't have a surplus and $40 billion in cuts from the poor, the disabled, elderly and college students equals $50 billion in new spending.…”