Sen.-elect (Rand Paul) on tax deal: I'm leaning against it

[Turborama]

Source: CNN

Kentucky's Senator-elect Rand Paul says that if he were already in Congress he would lean against voting for the recently announced tax deal.

In an interview airing on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" Wednesday at 6 p.m ET, Paul expresses strong opinions about the deficit, spending, and the tax deal proposed by President Barack Obama.

"The most important thing government can do right now for the economy is to extend the Bush tax cuts. I would be for extending them permanently...If you're going to extend and add new tax cuts, you should couple them with cuts in spending. Instead, we're coupling them with increases in spending and I think that's the wrong thing to do.

"So I'd be leaning against voting for it."

=snip=

Paul also believes that a divided government works better, and hopes this will benefit a proposal that he plans to bring to the floor of Congress when he arrives, stating "But when I get there, I'm going to propose a bill that will have $500 billion worth of spending cuts, because you have to start doing it.

Read more: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/12/08/sen-elect-on-tax-deal-im-leaning-against-it/

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$500 billion? I wonder where that's going to magically come from... Are we finally going to see the Teahadists' mystery austerity measures they've been so purposefully vague about?

[Skittles]

1. repuke whore

[cindyperry2009]

4. amen

[SharonAnn]

23. He wants divided gov't? That's what we have with Democrats in charge.

Democrats vs. Blue Dogs

[24601]

2. So, we support Rand Paul over President Obama? Really tough

to isolate & rant issue by issue rather than evaluate the overall package.

[Dokkie]

12. Nobody

is supporting Rand Paul over Obama. Look at the reasons he gives for opposing this bill and its the spending in form on unemployment extension. Support him and you might end up getting just tax cuts for the top 1%.

[Turborama]

15. Yep, he wants permanent tax cuts for the filthy rich

No-one here is ever going to support that.

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[No Elephants]

16. Huh?

[pauldp]

3. If he doesn't include defense spending in that package then he really is a fraud.

[Creative]

6. Yes, it will have to include defense cuts, for that is a significant slice of the pie.

[No Elephants]

17. LOL!

[Creative]

21. And to think, I haven't even gotten to the funny part yet.

[bluestateguy]

5. Well once he's sworn in as a Senator I will give a shit

nt

[Fearless]

7. He won't be voting on it personally. He won't take office until next year.

[UTUSN]

8. Bwah-ha-HAH!1 It's gonna be a ride with these a-hole/ T-Bagger/ Thugs n/t

[ProudDad]

9. Unfortunately, he doesn't get to vote on it... (n/t)

[tomm2thumbs]

10. hahaha - he's unable to vote but he wants to still vacillate between positions

what a complete and entirely-unrefined joke he is

[tcaudilllg]

11. I KNEW IT.

A hypocrite of the first order. He's nothing but a psychotic libertarian extremist who cares nothing about plugging the deficit.

[Dokkie]

13. he wants to plug the deficit alright

plug it with hard work of the middle class. Theres nothing wrong with plugging the deficits but it must come from the group who has benefited most from govt expenditure which we all know is not the middle class

[David__77]

14. Good.

I support any vote against it.

[Turborama]

20. Errr...

Please see this post: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4649984&mesg_id=4650088

[roseBudd]

18. $500 billion would be kill Medicare...

http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/17/federal-budget-spending-opinions-columnists-bruce-bartlett.html

In 2008, "we spent $456 billion on Medicare, and it is the fastest growing major government program. How likely is it that the people protesting Obama's Medicare cuts will stand with Republicans if they propose cutting that program even more to balance the budget? They will switch sides in an instant. The elderly will fight anyone who tries to cut their benefits even as they hypocritically demand fiscal responsibility and rant about the national debt. The elderly are the reason why we have a national debt.

[krabigirl]

19. he can't vote on it, so he's just playing politics.

[Javaman]

22. Give flip flopper rand time to change his mind. nt

[harun]

24. They talk tough till they get there.