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10:55 am CST - December 24, 2010
Posted under The Scoop
1st Votes of 2011 Will Cut Nearly Every Budget
By Cong. Mac Thornberry
Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON, D.C. – The lame duck is dead –finally. In the last few days of the lame-duck Congress, two major budget bills were considered. Thankfully, the Senate stopped the massive spending bill with 1,000′s of earmarks & special provisions, and the government was funded at roughly current levels through March.
Both the House and the Senate passed the bill to prevent a tax increase on January 1.
The tax bill was certainly not as I would have written it. I would have preferred a smaller, simpler bill that made current tax rates permanent. But, as a whole, I believe that it is better for the country to get the tax issue resolved now, and I voted for it.
It is absolutely essential for the health of the economy and for working families that we stop any tax increase. Ninety-three percent (93%) of the bill extends current tax law or, in the case of the payroll tax cut, provides additional tax relief. The rest of the bill is a one spending provision — a 
further extension of unemployment benefits which is not offset with other spending cuts.
Some people believe that it would have been better to reject this measure and pass a better bill once the new Congress is convened in January. But, there is no indication that President Obama and the Democratic majority in the Senate would pass a better bill, although it could well take many weeks to resolve the issue. In the meantime, paychecks would be cut and the uncertainty would continue.
Importantly, unless something is done before January 1, the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) would force 21 million American households to pay higher taxes on their 2010 income for which they begin filing taxes on January 1. That increase would be difficult to reverse even if a bill can be passed later.
In addition, in the new Congress the House of Representatives plans to push significant cuts to federal spending right away.
The new Republican Speaker said just last week that one of our first votes will be to cut nearly every congressional office budget. This will be followed by 
weekly votes to cut spending of all kinds. That means if the tax matter is not resolved, there is a danger that President Obama would try to leverage the issue to prevent spending cuts.
The tax issue needs to be settled and off the table.
Finally, the country needs to have some degree of certainty in the tax law rather than leave it in doubt for several weeks more. I hope that with the tax increases stopped, we can proceed to fundamental tax reform and a simpler, saner system for us all.
Let me finish by saying that my family, staff, and I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
I look forward to getting to work in the new Congress this coming January.
A 5th generation Texan, Mac Thornberry serves in the U.S. House of Representatives for 13th District of Texas, where he is a lifelong resident. He currently serves on the Armed Services Committee and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
6 Comments
Hilary
2:33 pm CST
December 24, 2010
If you think Americans will be good consumers without the social welfare programs that keep us from starving – unemployment, social security, food stamps – I think you’re crazy. Welfare state policies foster consumerism. Austerity destroys it. Good luck with that you tools.
CWJensen
8:39 am CST
December 24, 2010
The question is WILL the entrenched politicians with SENIORITY do as they have always DONE:
SERVE their Masters or SERVE the people who actually elect them?
If the CRAP we saw out of many of the RETREADS during the LAME DUCK (including Mac Thornberry)
are any indication of what we have to LOOK forward to………………………………….we are in for another BLOOD BATH in 2012.
CWJensen
9:28 am CST
December 24, 2010
Please take time to send your mandate to your Congressmen and women:
+ + + + +
CITIZEN MANDATE FROM CHARLES W JENSEN
+ + + + +
In response to the major G.O.P. gains at the polls, I am issuing my personal “Citizen Mandate” to the newly elected 112th Congress to outline my top priorities for the coming months:
Does the new Republican leadership in Congress have a mandate to change Washington, D.C.?
Yes, but only if citizens continue to hold all elected officials accountable
The issues I believe are important for the new Congress to address:
Limiting the size and scope of government
My CITIZEN MANDATE on government-run healthcare:
I am calling for ObamaCare to be REPEALED immediately
My CITIZEN MANDATE on illegal immigration:
Border security must be increased and those in our country illegally should be punished to the full extent of the law and deported
My CITIZEN MANDATE on the federal debt:
The federal debt is destroying our nation’s future and must be reduced immediately
My CITIZEN MANDATE on government spending:
Government spending is our of control and the federal government should be required to reduce its annual budget every year until the budget is balanced
My CITIZEN MANDATE on TARP and other government bailouts:
Federal bailouts of the private sector such as the TARP program must be stopped immediately and any unspent funds returned to the taxpayers.
My CITIZEN MANDATE on taxes:
I oppose any and all new taxes
My CITIZEN MANDATE on government takeover of industry
The federal government should cease and desist its socialistic takeover of industry and return companies like General Motors, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac to the private sector
The issues I believe are important for the new Congress to address:
No taxpayer-funded abortions in federal legislation or programs
Embrace free-market solutions over Government involvement
Safeguarding individual liberties of citizens
Stopping the Socialist push to remake our nation
Strengthening our defense against radical Islam’s war against the West
Securing our borders and stopping illegal immigration
Restoring limited government under the Constitution
Stopping the war on small business
Repealing ObamaCare
Reducing the deficit and government spending
The SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE I believe the new Congress should address:
Restoring limited government under the Constitution
CWJensen
9:53 am CST
December 24, 2010
For those who forget:
http://www.numbersusa.com/content/news/december-16-2010/nafbpo-speaks-out-murder-border-patrol-agent.html?jid=817633&lid=9&rid=15966&tid=991468
YES we are at war on our own border and we are loosing.
Christian Archer
12:03 pm CST
December 24, 2010
The following is being reported by World Net Daily on Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2010. This is by far the best article I’ve EVER read about Barack Insane Obama and his American citizenship. The article even brings up a new point (at least for me) that his biological parents weren’t even married. WND even quotes words from one of Obamessiah’s books about his consternation regarding his parent’s marriage. Patriots, please take the time to read this. Notice how even the liberals like Chris Matthews and Clarence Page are calling for Obamessiah to produce a long copy of his birth certificate.
So if Obamessiah is found to be ineligible to hold the office of the POTUS, then what? Would impeachment be a harsh enough penalty? He would deserve prison is he’s guilty because of certain laws that he has broken should he be found guilty.
http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=244797#ixzz19Va6LGng
Dlee
6:48 pm CST
December 24, 2010
GET HIM OUT OF OUR WHITE HOUSE….SOONER THE BETTER!
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