Duncan Faircloth: “I take the floor to rise to discuss a serious issue, and my concern is this. The ink isn't even dry on this budget…”

“I take the floor to rise to discuss a serious issue, and my concern is this. The ink isn't even dry on this budget agreement and I have heard nothing, yesterday and today, but rumors that there are plans to change radically and have a major tax increase put into this agreement. Specifically, there is much talk, and it is far beyond rumor, of increasing the tobacco tax from 21 cents to 50 cents per pack, which would raise $15 to $30 billion a year. The problem is, of course, the tax cut in the budget plan is too small. But that is not news to anybody; it was always too small. The Republicans wanted to cut taxes by $188 billion. We now have a net tax cut of $50 billion, and that is to cover several initiatives such as capital gains, estate tax, and child credit. As I view choices, we should live by the budget agreement we passed in the Senate, and the one we want to pass. Now, if we can't do that, if there is some reason we cannot do that--and we want to cut taxes further, which I agree to-- then there is a simple choice that it would be a wonderful thing if this body could learn--to cut spending, to spend less money. That is a wonderful alternative that we need to know about. Not every time we are short of money, raise taxes. If there is intent on the part of some of those who are having this discussion to change the budget agreement, I wonder why we are even having a budget resolution. What else are we going to change? Are we going to expand the deficit?”