Press Staff Blog

Majority of Americans Support Balanced Deficit Reduction Plan

As the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction begins meeting this week, Democrats are pushing for a balanced plan that doesn't balance the budget on the backs of the middle class and seniors and ensures the wealthy and corporations pay a fair share of deficit reduction. And according to a WSJ/NBC poll released today, the American public agrees with this approach.

Here’s a look at the numbers:

Republicans on Jobs: All Rhetoric, No Plan

After 8 months with no jobs plan, House Republicans must be feeling the heat. One week after President Obama’s jobs address, Speaker Boehner plans to deliver remarks on “jobs and economic growth” at the Economic Club of Washington, D.C. But we wouldn’t bet on the Speaker actually laying out a jobs plan. Since taking the House majority, Republicans have said over and over again that they are focused on jobs, and yet they still don’t have a jobs plan and have taken very little action to help put more Americans back to work.

The Republican Jobs Plan: Stop Environmental Regulations

Wanted to pass along this op-ed in the Washington Post highlighting how Republicans’ so-called “jobs agenda” isn’t about jobs at all.

Blocking 7 EPA regulations that don’t even exist yet is not a jobs plan. Neither is rolling back critical protections for our air and water. Yet that is exactly what Republicans are proposing.

Key excerpts:

GOP Focused On More-Of-The-Same Agenda, Not A Jobs Plan

Today, Majority Leader Cantor unveiled a more-of-the-same agenda that isn’t a plan to create jobs. In their first eight months in the House majority, Republicans did not put forward a jobs plan and wasted taxpayer money trying to repeal Democratic policies that protect middle class families and seniors. And from what we’ve seen today, Republicans will return to Washington next week without a real plan to create jobs or grow the economy.

Need evidence it’s a retread of past policies that are more about ideology than about job creation?

GOP Feels the Heat As Constituents Push for Balanced Approach to Deficit Reduction

It’s been another rough week for Republicans back home in their districts as they try defending tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans while putting the burden of deficit reduction on the middle class and seniors. An article in today’s Washington Post highlights the pressure Americans are putting on House Republicans to take a balanced approach to deficit reduction that includes both spending cuts and revenues.

Are Republicans Ready to Stop Holding Our Economy Hostage?

Are Republicans finally ready to stop holding our economy hostage to their ideological agenda? They’ve done it twice this Congress (CR and debt limit, anybody?) which caused significant uncertainty for businesses and the markets. But in a memo to House Republicans yesterday, Leader Cantor admitted that while that’s been their tactic thus far, it’s now time to stop the brinkmanship and get to work on FY 2012 spending bills:

With No Plan Of Their Own, GOP Walks Away From POTUS Job Ideas Before They Even Hear Them

With No Plan Of Their Own, GOP Walks Away From POTUS Job Ideas Before They Even Hear Them Those who don’t have a plan, criticize:

Speaker John Boehner and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor haven’t seen a draft of President Barack Obama’s upcoming jobs speech, but they took a swipe at it Wednesday anyway.

Those who do have a plan, will help put more Americans back to work:

A Look At The Republican Majority: Putting Ideological Agenda Before Americans' Top Priorities

Wanted to be sure you saw this Washington Post article today highlighting the Republicans’ agenda since taking the House majority eight months ago. You’ll notice the article says little about action they’ve taken to support job creation. That’s because Republicans have been focused on passing bills that have more to do with their ideological agenda than creating jobs.

GOP Leaders Still Pushing Unbalanced Approach to Deficit Reduction

Today’s op-ed by Speaker Boehner and Leader Cantor is pretty remarkable for several reasons. First, they’re already taking revenues off the table before the Joint Committee has even begun its work. And second, they’re completely incorrect in suggesting that Democrats agree that we should tackle entitlement reform while leaving revenues off the table:

NY Times: G.O.P. on Defensive as Analysts Question Party's Fiscal Policy

Wanted to be sure you saw this NY Times article highlighting Republican economists’ support for a balanced approach to deficit reduction that includes both spending cuts and revenues.