Covington, KY (CNN) - The man in line to be Speaker of the House should Republicans win the majority is trying to convince voters his party isn't just against Democrats policies – they have ideas of their own.
In advance of President Obama's economic speech in Cleveland, Ohio native son John Boehner released a two part GOP proposal he says he wants Congress to take up this month when they return for a brief session.
First, the plan calls for Congress to freeze most government spending for next year at 2008 levels, before the near $800 billion dollar stimulus bill was passed.
Second, Republicans want to enact a two year freeze on all current tax rates. This is intended to stop all Bush era tax cuts from expiring.
The president campaigned on ending those tax cuts for families making $250,000 or more. Many Congressional Democrats back that idea, saying the wealthiest Americans should be taxed at higher rates. In key races all over the country Republicans have been blasting their Democratic opponents, saying raising those tax rates would end up hurting small businesses and inhibit consumer spending.
Republicans know there is virtually no chance of this passing before November, but this does give a glimpse of what direction a GOP House Majority may take, and in real terms show how they would try to affect President Obama's agenda.
House GOP sources say they will unveil a broader Republican agenda later this month.
In a statement, Boehner's office said that agenda "is being built from the ground up by listening to the American people who want Washington to end its out-of-control spending spree and end uncertainty for small businesses so they can get back to creating jobs."
From CNN Politics
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Finally someone with a plan that makes sense. The economy is in the tank because the Obama administration is pro big union and anti-business. A company isn't going to hire workers and invest in growth with the uncertainty this administration is causing and the big tax hike coming.
GOP is a party of reduce taxes for the rich and hike taxes for the middle class
Dude, it's YEARS too late for you guys to come up with a "plan" since your the ones whose plans got us in this mess in the first place.
Why don't the GOP just pack up their old kit bags and leave Washington to the serious politicians who want to do their jobs and make America better?
This is what they call a plan? Unfunded tax cuts helped get us here and without Stimulus funding we would be at about 20% unemployment.
I honestly think the Repubs just want to crash the economy so they can win back the White House. This has nothing to do with policy. Completely about politics.
Any business person, person with an understsnding of economics will welcome this. BUT, the democrats need to be educated as to why this is the answer. The dems have demonized corporations and wealthy, they want all the entitlements but they do not understand how this affects jobs and businesses. They do not understand that it is the companies who are penalized for all their entitlements and health care taking away job creation. It costs a company $75 K for a $54k salary and when the person is taxed, they take home $44K. What is it that dems do not understandContrary to what the WH believes, moeny does not grow on trees! Unions are detremental to the whole process driving business overseas and by demanding more. How can any business be competitiver and survive? It is time to put this country back in the hands of business people who know what drives an economy. How anyone could elect a community organi9zer as CEO of a country is beyond me! You asked for fasilure and that ius what we got.
The economy won't improve until government spending and the debt is under control. There's too much uncertainty. It's also time for unions to stop running this country. They're part of the reason we're in this economic trouble.
So they want the same economy system Bush II employed to kill this country. Sounds like a plan. Just not a good one.
Freeze spending?? I will bet that comment made some Liberals jump out of their welfare windows! Do not give away your entire strategy Boehner, Obama will adopt it and take credit for it!!! November 2010 – a great month for American Taxpayers!!!
Good old John has the Republican plan ready to go–tax cuts for the rich. That says it all.
Same-o same-o. No imagination at all. I'd rather stick with Democrats than give the Congress to the "no" party.
Stop spending cut tax. Thats good in a booming economy not a recession. The great recession had us in a huge financial hole with bubles bursting all around us through 8 years of gop control. A trillion dollars is a drop in the bucket to get us out of that mess, much to start moving again. Its going to get the ball rolling faster.
"Many Congressional Democrats [say] the wealthiest Americans should be taxed at higher rates."
Why? The "wealthiest Americans" get the same lousy, screwed up, incompetent, government everyone else gets–why should they be forced to pay more for it?
Just building their economic plan 2 months before election. Priceless.
What have the middle class American people gotten for those tax cuts? Nothing! They've watched the corporations enrich themselves to the point where they are holding on to more money, actual cash, right now that at any point in history!! Americans have also seen their jobs, millions of them, shipped over seas during this time. CEOs used to make 30 times what their lowest paid employee made. Now CEOs are makin 300-500 times what their lowest paid employees make. For what? For screwing the country for their own and their share holders' benefit. When are they going to invets in the American people? Something is desperately wrong with this picture!! Republicans would like to have you think they are all about American families but their actions speak otherwise and speak loudy. Can you hear? Think about that when you go to the polls in November!
Nice that this is unveiled 2 months before midterms. Anyone who thinks the Repubs will not continue to throw Americans under the bus if they get control until 2012 to try to posture their candidate for the White House is delusional.
Wow, what a concept! I've seen this movie before as during 2001 to 2009. Cut taxes for the wealthy and it will trickle down to the poor/working class. I thought the Tan Man/Republicans might come up with a different plan. If cutting taxes create jobs why are there so many unemployed people? The Bush tax cuts have been in place for 9 years. Do tax cuts wear out and have to be replaced every so often?
NO SURPRISE reading that plan!!!!!!! Same old thing that has not worked!!!!!!
So they don't have a plan... again.
We're in a deficit! If the GOP is serious, they need MORE government income and less spending (to which the GOP has proven themselves incapable of producing). This means the expiring tax cuts NEED TO EXPIRE, the wars need to end, and services must be cut (Social Security & Medicare to name a few).
This is just the reality of our situation if we're ever going to balance the budget.
In short, John Boehner is just talking... no solutions once again from the GOP.
Boehner, you need more than that. You need more detailed and longer solutions. Two years, in the real world where we live, is not long at all. We all know you D.C. people think in election cycles but we think long term. How about an elimination of capital gains taxes, tax breaks for hiring folks, severe reduction in spending (not freezing),etc. Long term solutions is what we need so business owners such as myself know what the hell to expect out of D.C. Until then, you can offer all the short term goals you want. It won't help.
Tax cuts should be applied equally to all citizens. Everyone should share the burden. Earned income child care tax credits should be eliminated. Why should I have to pay for someone to sit home and have multiple babies from multiple fathers who don't pay a dime to help out their kids?
Didn't Obama already freeze discretionary spending for 2011? So the Republican plan for economic recovery consists entirely of tax cuts for the rich.
Wow, I mean people joke about the GOP not having any new ideas, but now it seems they're in on the joke.
A CNN ticker article above said half of the country does not know who John Boehner is. If you vote Republican, learn who your party leaders are, and start reading up about what they are actually (not) doing. This is ridiculous.
And we all know how successful the Bush tax cuts have been given the ZERO nets jobs that they helped create during the terms of Dubya.
Let's get the ball rolling Mr. Boehner, by cutting your pension first.
Please pay attention to what this guy is saying very carefully, he said "the plan calls for freezing MOST government spending.."
Translation: Spending will be at the 2008 level for those programs that we deem appropriate but not all of them.
Next statement, "enact a two year freeze on all current tax rates."
Translation: The Bush tax cuts is set to expire and this will ensure that no one pays a penny less or a penny more than they are currently paying.
Now explain to us again how this is going to help the economy?
Is it just me or does this guy never really say anything. "what we need to do is change some stuff to make things better. Taxes, spending, Obamacare, rabble rabble rabble"
I don't understand how people can let someone continue to spout garbage without ever putting forth any actual plan of action.