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Subscribe to RSSIn an interview with NPR, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi talked about tax cuts, moving forward from an unsuccessful election, and why she’s running for minority leader.
On main reasons for running as minority leader:
Pelosi: I’m running to put together the strongest plan to work with the Republicans to solve problems. The biggest problem is unemployment. I hope we can work together to create jobs. And I do so with the overwhelming support of my caucus, not the unanimous support.
The Republicans have demonized you. How do you prevent that from hurting your party more than it already has?
Pelosi: Well, let me say this – when you say “more than it already has” – the reason the election results are what they are is because we have 9.5 percent unemployment in our country. We didn’t lose the election because of me. In any circumstance, when you have 9.5 percent unemployment, any party that cannot turn that into political gain should hang up the gloves, I said that before the election. The reason they had to try to take me down is because I’ve been effective in fighting the special interests in Washington, D.C. I’m also the most significant attractor of support for the Democrats. So I’m not looking back on this. They asked me to run, I’m running, and, again, our members understand that they made me a target because I’m effective.
On extending Bush-era tax cuts:
Pelosi: The position that we have, and which is the position that the president has put forth, is that everybody should get a tax cut in our country. The problem comes when you give an additional tax cut to the wealthiest 2 percent that will heap $700 billion in debt onto our children and our grandchildren.
What about a temporary extension?
Well, our position in the House has been that we support the tax cuts for everyone, but not an additional tax cut at the high end. It’s too costly. Those tax cuts have been in effect for a very long time. They did not create jobs. In fact, with the tax cuts that President Obama had in the recovery package, we have now 10 straight months of private sector job growth. So from day one, President Obama and this Congress have been job creators, at the same time giving tax cuts to the middle class, which do create jobs.
Is there an advantage to being less visible in the minority?
Pelosi: This isn’t about – it isn’t about me. Maybe the Republicans will take a course of action that will solve problems. God bless them if they do. But maybe they will pursue what they have said, which is to privatize Social Security, to make Medicare a voucher, to resist our initiatives. So it’s – the opportunity that is there is to have clarity. Maybe they will be more eloquent in defining themselves than we could have ever been in defining them.
Listen to the full interview here.
Leave a Comment:
Go Becky Go! Tell Nancy's butt off -:))
Gotta love NPR. Impartial to the end...and her end is here. She has ignored the will of the people. Webster's first definition of treason is: "the betrayal of a trust."
I believe they should leave the tax rates alone, middle class is no longer,, people are unemployed, they are forcing healthcare reform down our throats. Now you want to hit the small business guy right in the gut by increasing anyone who makes $250,000 and more.. How about making the bottom line $500,000 and above.
$250,000 does not sound rich to me if you are a small business guy, who will have to pay more for healthcare for his employees,, economy is killing them, they are not able to get a business loan,,, so why step on them while they are down...
I think this administration is small business haters... you can tell that when they bailed out the big guys on wall street and financial groups.. now they want to help the little business guy,, almost a year later, when jobs went south.. Alittle late don't ya think.. How many small businesses went under?
Well,, no matter what we are all screwed and have been for a long time, Small hospitals owned by big guys, small banks now owned by big guys,,,, auto industry now owned by the big guys... Pretty soon there will be no competition in this country,, we will have one healthcare service, one financial institute, one of this and one of that.. and quess the next step is the mark of the beast on our forheads... sad isn't it.
to become a third world country.......
I personally am an Independant but nancy has caused me to move much more towards the right with all the things that she has done while leading the ship. I truly believe that she things that she is doing what's best for the country but I don't share her opinion. She said in the NPR interview that the election was not about her it was about the economy. In my personal case it was about the economy BUT was also about finding a way to remove her from the podium along with others that on Christmas eve took a vote to ram the so called health care down our throats. I don't guess that we as voters are as smart as she believes that she is BUT we do have a memory. The voters I don't believe voted for the Republicans but rather against the way that the nation was trying to be lead. I would suggest to her if she thinks that the past election was in no way about her to just keep on keeping on and let's see what the voters say the next time the booth opens. I wonder what she will think or whom she will blame then.
God bless the USA!
I do not object to having highly compensated individuals paying a higher tax rate. However, the federal income tax rates should phase in for higher compensated individuals:
$250,000 to $1,000,000 stays at 35%
$1,000,000 to $2,500,000 goes to 36%
$2,500,000 to $5,000,000 goes to 37%
$5,000,000 to $10,000,000 goes to 38%
$10,000,000 to $25,000,000 goes to 39%
Over $25,000,000 at 40%
This would be a short term fix until we can figure out a simple two tier federal income tax rate for individuals that would be fair with no deductions (standard or itemized), no tax credits, no deductions for dependents. This would require far less government employees to enforce.
If it is a small business it should be on a seperate form with seperate tax rates, with proper accounting and taxation for transactions between the owner and the small business.
from the center you have an interesting proposition.At least its an idea....better than saying dem commies stink,and the other saying tea bagger suck.....more gov...less gov ......ad naseum.. wish these children would go fight it out on playground..
Pelosi said the Dems are going to be voting for her because she is effective? Effective at what? If Pelosi was so effective as a Dem leader, then why did the Dems get spanked in the mid-year elections by the Republicans? Time to hang up your heels Nancy.
Joe From Texas : Nancy was real effective in getting her fellow democrats thrown under the bus. Go Nancy Go! LOL
National Propoganda Radio ----- are you surprised. I am not. Does Nancy have to give up her plane now and go back to her broom?
Keep Pelosi as leader!!! She is the only Dem. that has a backbone and willing to fight for the American people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pelosi can't understand the American people .
Hello America, the demonizing of our fine democratic house leaders? why, the Audacity of the voting Democratic Party Leadership, that continues to extend to Nancy Pelosi the title of the Democratic Minority Chairperson, when a far more qualified individual like Charlie Rangel is denied the opportunity to be the poster child of the Democratic Party, it bespeaks of racism discrimination from the upper echelons of the Democratic Party and Democratic Party Chairman to deny Charles Rangel his rightful spot, as the House Democratic Chair, corruption , just shear corruption, why are the T.V. Comedians not launching a rally on the Washington Plaza in defense of Charlie? racism from the democratic party just shear racism. why Charlie Rangels record while in the House speaks for itself, I suspect that the reason that Charlie was passed over is because Chris Dodd in the senate was competing for earmarks taken from the Chris Dodd Memorial Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut, and transferring the funds to the Charles Rangel memorial plaza and veterans center in New York City, it bespeaks of simple corruption in the competition of Democratic Party Members for tax payer dollars, yes America we need another Washington Plaza Rally with Maxine Waters as the keynote speaker, sincerely Fezzy Bear