White House Meeting an Opportunity to Reach Agreement on Preventing Tax Hikes

Congressional leaders of both parties will meet with the President at the White House today to talk about the work we have to do before the end of the year and, hopefully, about the things we can do together to foster the right conditions for businesses to start investing again and creating jobs.

Americans are watching the economic drama that's playing out in Europe. They expect us to read the signs of the times and work together to make sure that we avoid a similar crisis here, that we don't walk right into the same problems through a lack of will or political courage.

The American people expect us to put the national interest ahead of party interest. And, frankly, that's why it's been so distressing for many of us to watch our Democrat friends grope for a clear and unified position on whether or not to raise taxes in the middle of a recession.

You would think that this issue would be simple and straightforward.

The economists say that preventing a tax increase is one of the most important things Congress can do to help the economy. And the voters ratified that view earlier this month by sending candidates from both parties to Washington who vowed not to raise taxes once they got here.

But our Democrat friends are apparently still reluctant to draw any clear lessons from the election. With millions of American households staring at the imminent prospect of smaller paychecks in just a few short weeks unless Congress does something, Democrats are still searching for a solution that enables them to benefit politically -- regardless of what it does to the economy or to families.

Just take the latest proposal.

Some Democrats now say they only want to raise taxes on businesses that make more than $1 million a year. Where did that number come from? Well, it turns out this figure has no economic justification whatsoever. Nowhere will you find a study or survey which indicates that raising taxes on small businesses with over $1 million in income will create jobs or help spur the economy.

In fact, the author of this proposal freely admits it isn't an economic policy proposal at all, but rather one that was designed to provide better political messaging -- an astonishing admission.

Let's get something straight. Millions of out-of-work Americans don't want a message. They want a job. Millions of struggling families trying to make ends meet don't need the Democrat messaging to improve; they need the economy to improve.

Selling bad economic policy to the American people is not an acceptable alternative to creating an environment that will put people back to work and help spur the economy.

We've heard a lot of chatter here in Washington lately about the negotiations that are expected to take place on this looming tax hike in the weeks ahead -- on how to prevent it. How about we start with this: the beginning and end of any negotiation shouldn't be what's good for any political party. It should be what's good for the economy and for the American people. And if we leave the politics aside, if we look at the facts, the answer here is simple: no tax hikes on anybody -- period.

So the question isn't what's best for the economy and jobs -- the answer to that is obvious. The question is when will our friends on the other side get serious about either one.

It's been reported that the author of the $1 million proposal ran it through a focus group to see how it polled. This is precisely the kind of thing Americans are telling us to put aside. The election was a month ago. It's time to move on. It's time to work together on the priorities Americans want us to address.

Republicans have heard the voters loud and clear. They want us to focus on preventing a tax hike on every taxpayer, on reining in Washington spending and on making it easier for employers to start hiring again. That's why Republican leaders are reiterating our offer to work with anyone, from either party, who is ready to focus on priorities like these.

The day after the election, the President acknowledged that the 'the overwhelming message' of the voters 'was that we want you to focus completely on jobs and the economy.'

That's the same message Republicans will bring to the White House today.

And that's why there's no reason we shouldn't be able to reach an agreement on taxes soon.

It's unclear how long our friends across the aisle will continue to resist the message of the election and cling to the liberal wish list that got us a job-killing health care law, a 'cap-and-trade' national energy tax, an out-of-control spending spree, million more jobs lost, trillions more in debt, but not a single appropriations bill to fund the government or a bill to prevent the coming tax hikes.

With just a few weeks left before the end of the year, they're still clinging to the wrong priorities -- instead of preventing a tax hike, they want to focus on immigration and Don't Ask Don't Tell -- and, maybe, if there's time left, see what they can do about jobs and the economy.

Indeed, their entire legislative plan for the rest of the lame duck session appears to be to focus on anything except jobs -- which is astonishing when you consider the election we've just had.

Republicans aren't looking for a fight. We're appealing to common-sense and a shared sense of responsibility for the millions of Americans who are looking to us to work together not on the priorities of the left, but on their priorities. And those priorities are clear.

Together, we must focus on the things Americans want us to do -- not on what government wants Americans to accept. There is still time to do the right thing. The voters want us to show that we heard them, and Republicans are ready to work with anyone who's willing to do just that.

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