Political Quotes

“on the path to approve the Deficit Explosion Act last night, otherwise known as the campaign tax cut bill, the Gingrichites hit a roadblock. How they dealt with that roadblock was significant implications for the future of this Congress and this country. You will recall that on day one a rule was approved here requiring a three-fifths' vote for a tax hike. In all the talk of capital gains tax reduction yesterday, overlooked was the fact that the capital gains taxes were actually raised from 14 percent to 19 percent for many small companies in this country. How was that dealt with when it came time to apply the three-fifths' vote requirement? It was dodged, it was hedged. Instead they turned to the captive consultants of the Joint Tax Committee, who told us that we did not need a three-fifths vote because the basis for this conclusion relates generally to the fact that this provision would be inoperative as it relates to current law after the enactment of the pending legislation. Meaningless gobbledygook. If you strike a provision in one place and add another, it is not a tax increase? Well, taxpayer protection bit the dust last night.”