Cantor says no to jobs bill spending
Washington (CNN) - House Majority Leader Eric Cantor continued to reach out to work with President Obama on his jobs bill Monday, but emphasized that Republicans are focused on items they support in the plan like the tax breaks and will oppose the administration's request for new federal spending for infrastructure projects.
"Anything that is akin to the stimulus bill is not going to be acceptable to the American people," House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said.
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The number-two House Republican argued that the 2009 stimulus that aimed money at boosting public sector jobs didn't work and instead the GOP wants to target aid to small businesses.
"The fact is we don't have the money and we've got to prioritize and right now it's about getting people back to work," Cantor said.
In addition to throwing cold water on more federal spending to rebuild schools and roads, Republicans pushed back at the president's proposal to limit tax deductions on high end wage earners and close several tax loopholes as the way to pay for his $447 billion jobs package.
"I sure hope that the president is not suggesting that we pay for his proposals with a massive tax increase at the end of 2012 on the job creators that we're actually counting on to reduce unemployment," Cantor said at his weekly session with reporters on Capitol Hill Monday.
House Speaker John Boehner's spokesman also said the White House's proposal to pay for the $447 billion jobs bill was unacceptable.
"It would be fair to say this tax increase on job creators is the kind of proposal both parties have opposed in the past," Michael Steel said in a written statement.
But Steel added Republicans want to find another way to pay for it, "We remain eager to work together on ways to support job growth, but this proposal doesn't appear to have been offered in that bipartisan spirit."
Cantor cited tax credits for employers, reforming aid for the jobless, and passage of the three pending trade deals as areas he sees as ripe for bipartisanship. While he agreed that infrastructure projects were worthy of focus, he said Congress should not be adding new money, but instead streamlining the process for getting current resources to state and local governments.
He repeated his criticism that the president's repeated "pass my bill" message was not sitting well with Republicans.
"I do not think the president's all or nothing approach is something that is constructive," Cantor told reporters, adding, "let's not allow the things his bill that we disagree with to get in the way of producing some results."
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Hey Eric, I'd appreciate your not speaking for ME! Speak for yourself, nothing but tax cuts huh? No infrastructure spending for our crumbling country. All you are really for is doing everything possible to keep the unemployment rate high. All of you sorry republicans have one goal, defeat President Obama, no matter the cost to our country. What a sorry lot you are. I will not even consider what the unemployment rate looks like in November 2012, I will look at everything all of you have done to destroy our country. I hope all Americans see through all of you.
Why do the "American People" continue to vote for these Taliban terrorists?
How can you start a story with: "House Majority Leader Eric Cantor continued to reach out to work with President Obama on his jobs bill Monday" when in reality Cantor says, "I sure hope that the president is not suggesting that we pay for his proposals with a massive tax increase at the end of 2012 on the job creators that we're actually counting on to reduce unemployment" That doesn't sound like someone who's trying to work with President Obama, certainly not like someone who's reaching out. And 'continuing' to reach out? It sounds more like Cantor's posturing to not be exposed as the koch whore he really is. Too late, Eric, the American People are on to you and the term Job Creator is a SICK JOKE. Where are all of the magical jobs our job creators promised if we lowered taxes? Taxes are as low as they've been in 50 years and corporate profits are through the roof...seems like Republican/Tea-Party policies don't work. All the Republicans have tried to do is ban abortion, defund the real news and downgrade America's debt. Time to throw the bums out once again. Maybe this time we can get the Democrats a filibuster proof majority so these right-wing whackos don't have anything to do with running the government they want to destroy. Anti-American piece of subhuman filth.
"Anything that is akin to the stimulus bill is not going to be acceptable to the American people," House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said."
I'd ask him to stop pretending that he speaks for me, but it'd be a waste of time and energy. Guy's as disinterested in American interests - certainly middle class interests - than any politician within the GOP to date.
Cantor is an idiot always has been always will be.
"not acceptable to the American people"? Mr Cantor may speak for out of the mainstream teapartiers, he certainly doesn't speak for me. We need stimulus spending and we need it now. If we can have massive tax cuts (2001 and 2003) that took us from Clinton's surpluses to deficit mode ever since, we can spend some money to put Americans back to work. At least that is something we might get a return on. All we got for the huge Republican tax cuts that went mostly to wealthy Americans was a half million jobs lost a a month a few years later and an economic recession. The only thing the cuts stimulated was W's re election campaign. If we can spend hundreds of billions of dollars on Iraq we can spend some money for our own people. Pass the bill and don't presume to speak for the American People when you represent just a narrow interest group. Most of whom probably voted for George W. Bush for President. Twice.
he does not speak for all American people,he speaks for only the top two % Americans!
What is wrong with these repubs? No, No, No – nothing but no. These are unusual times. The American people need help and yes, the government needs to step in with this infrastructure money. If you are so unfeeling, uncaring and ignorant – then you deserve to lose your seat next November. When will you repubs learn that tax cuts DO NOT create jobs! When are you all going to learn this. Do the right thing Mr. Cantor and support President Obama on this one!
Eric Cantor has a serious case of memory loss. He says "I do not think the president's all or nothing approach is something that is constructive." Really, Mr. Cantor? Because this sounds AWFULLY familiar to the attitude you, in particular, have had for quite some time. He's a ridiculous individual who's views and opinions sway every which way, depending on the direction of the wind. Get a clue, Eric. You won't survive another re-election cycle...you will be voted out because you're so far to the right that no one wants anything to do with you.
He is slow and painful to watch.
We independents are so tired of the Cantors and just say no to the president attitude. When are these guys start working for all Americans.
It is time to compromise. It is time to think beyond party labels or we Independents are going to fire a lot of politicians.
Anything this President says, does or promotes is unacceptable to the GOP. GOP needs to find the center of the universe and compromise as dems have done in the past. the only reason they do agree on this bill is because – it has Obama written all over it. Anything O wins is a loss for them. The needs of the people instead of the party – America first.
of course, they're not thinking about getting economy better, they want the economy remain in bad shape to hurt obama's chance in 2012 election.
I find Eric Cantor's criticism of the president for wanting the bill passed as is, a little ironic and hypocritical since he walked out on talks on debt when he did not get every thing he wanted.!! Eric Cantor will take anything in the bill that he agrees with (i.e. those things that the president has already compromised on) but will not give an inch on anything else. THAT is not working with the presiident-- that is the same old selfish childish "I want it my way" Does he think the American people are dumb? Does he not realize that he does not speak for the majority of the American people but may be for some of the American people.
I hope that sucker wakes up in hell tomorrow. Cantor can mess up a soup sandwich.
Again, Cantor and his protection of the rich. You guys are traitorous and your obstructionism is going to bring us down even further. Anyone can see the bush tax cuts have ruined this country on so many levels; levels that are now connected and which are now are taking us down, down, down from infrastructure ruination to schools to health care, etc. I hope Mr. Obama plays this like a pro and keeps the line drawn in the sand drawn, brings it to the end game. Of course, we now have Citizens United and the Koch brothers. Who woulda thought our Democracy was going to be hijacked by the rich, the powerful, and the stupid.
"Anything that is akin to the stimulus bill is not going to be acceptable to the American people," House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said.
The tax breaks for the wealthy are a Stimulus, but as long as it does not go to middle class Cantor is willing to give to the rich. The Republicans will screw this up with their "party first "and "all or nothing attitude" "my way or the highway" attitude
You can't slash your way back to prosperity but Republicans will continue to tell people that 12 years of proven failures with tax breaks for the wealthy will someday finally create a job for some poor middle class schmuck.The road to ruins is paved with Republicans
The taxes Eric Cantor doesn't want raised aren't tax increases at all. It would be an elimination of tax breaks for the super wealthy and corporations. It has nothing to do with the working class. Republicans are not the friend of the working class. All they want to do is use the excuse that tax breaks for corporations creates jobs. Show me one job that has been created by a tax break. It gives the corporation a larger bottom line. End of story. It also amazes me that these same Republicans that now do not want to spend anything had no problem whatsoever approving all the spending the Bush administration proposed. Their main goal is to see President Obama fail. And they do not care about the poor and middle class in this county. And if you can't see that, you really need to open your eyes.
I'm tired of hearing repugs talk about the mythical "job creators". It seems that they only creat jobs in other countries. They don't create jobs here, in this country. Cantor needs to explain. Bone head needs to explain.
Tax breaks for TRUE small businesses and companies hiring is part of the Jobs bill, tax breaks for wealthy INDIVIDUALS needs to end. The "American people" get this; the GOP excuses for protecting their rich friends is a crock. Corporate welfare needs to end. Demand is the job creator.
Thanks for making Obama's re-elction that much easier.
Eric, most of the American people find you and your party unacceptable. Just once in your soon to be short carrier think about the American people instead of your corporate masters.
"I sure hope that the president is not suggesting that we pay for his proposals with a massive tax increase at the end of 2012 on the job creators that we're actually counting on to reduce unemployment," Cantor said...
What a load of hooey. I'm an American person. I find rich people amassing ever more wealth while poor people go jobless unacceptable. I am willing to bend slightly on this principle: if the rich person is amassing wealth by employing an increasing number of poor and middle class people at reasonable wages with benefit, then fine, let them keep what they honestly earn. Otherwise they should hand over a higher portion of their ill-gotten gains - "earned" by speculation or automation or off-shoring or sheltering or blackmail and not taxed now at the same rate as income earned through honest work - so the Federal, state and local government can be the job creators who set the unemployed to work on infrastructure projects that will benefit everyone. This fantasy that everyone who is rich is also a wise, generous "job creator" has got to cease! Half of them are greedy s.o.b.s and the other half are clueless heirs - just look at the current GOP to see where that combination will get you.
What a jerk Cantor and Boehner are, here they go again saying no.
"we don't have the money?" is total bs! we have money for libya, iraq, and afganistan though?.....hmmm they say what they want u to believe. they hate govt. but they are govt.? be smart people!