Shea-Porter Opposes Tax Cut Compromise

Outgoing New Hampshire Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, along with 53 other progressive Democrats, signed a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi opposing President Obama’s tax cut compromise. The letter calls the proposal “fiscally irresponsible” and “grossly unfair.” As of this morning, outgoing Rep. Paul Hodes and Sen. Judd Gregg are undecided. 

Full contents of letter below the fold.

Dear Madam Speaker,

We oppose acceding to Republican demands to extend the Bush tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires for two reasons.

First, it is fiscally irresponsible. Adding more than $900 billion to our national debt, as this proposal would do, handcuffs our ability to offer a balanced plan to achieve fiscal stability without a punishing effect on our current commitments, including Social Security and Medicare.

Second, it is grossly unfair. This proposal will hurt, not help, the majority of Americans in the middle class and those working hard to get there. Even as Republicans seek to add billions more to our national debt in tax cuts to the wealthy, they oppose extending unemployment benefits to workers and resist COLA increases to seniors.

Without a doubt, the very same people who support this addition to our debt will oppose raising the debt ceiling to pay for it.

We support extending tax cuts in full to 98 percent of American taxpayers, as the President initially proposed. He should not back down. Nor should we.

Sincerely,

PETER WELCH
Member of Congress