Standard & Poors decision to downgrade the United States credit rating Friday night came with clear shots at congressional Republicans who had refused to consider tax increases in the deal to raise the debt ceiling. S&P criticized Congress for allowing new revenues to drop from the menu of policy options, criticizing the majority of Republicans in Congress [who] continue to resist any measure that would raise revenues. The National Journal proclaimed it hard to read the S&P analysis as anything other than a blast at Republicans.
Unlike his partys presidential candidates and several of his congressional colleagues, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) seems to have heard that blast, as he sent a memo to congressional Republicans today acknowledging S&Ps calls for tax increases. Despite hearing those calls, however, Cantor is urging his colleagues to ignore them:
Over the next several months, there will be tremendous pressure on Congress to prove that S&Ps analysis of the inability of the political parties to bridge our differences is wrong. In short, there will be pressure to compromise on tax increases. We will be told that there is no other way forward. I respectfully disagree.
As we have said from the beginning of the year, the new Republican Majority was elected to change the way Washington does business. We were not elected to raise taxes or take more money out of the pockets of hard working families and business people. People understand Washington cant keep spending money that it doesnt have. They want to see less government not more taxes.
MORE: Cantor Acknowledges S&P’s Warnings On Taxes, But Urges Colleagues To Ignore Them | ThinkProgress
How can Obama negotiate on behalf of the American people with idiots like Cantor?
Unlike his partys presidential candidates and several of his congressional colleagues, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) seems to have heard that blast, as he sent a memo to congressional Republicans today acknowledging S&Ps calls for tax increases. Despite hearing those calls, however, Cantor is urging his colleagues to ignore them:
Over the next several months, there will be tremendous pressure on Congress to prove that S&Ps analysis of the inability of the political parties to bridge our differences is wrong. In short, there will be pressure to compromise on tax increases. We will be told that there is no other way forward. I respectfully disagree.
As we have said from the beginning of the year, the new Republican Majority was elected to change the way Washington does business. We were not elected to raise taxes or take more money out of the pockets of hard working families and business people. People understand Washington cant keep spending money that it doesnt have. They want to see less government not more taxes.
MORE: Cantor Acknowledges S&P’s Warnings On Taxes, But Urges Colleagues To Ignore Them | ThinkProgress
How can Obama negotiate on behalf of the American people with idiots like Cantor?