Democrats: GOP Is Like Robin Hood - in Reverse

Senate Judiciary Committee member Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., listens to opening statements on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, June 28, 2010, during the committee's confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan.

/ Alex Brandon

Democrats are seizing on comments by Republican Senate Minority Whip John Kyl on Fox News yesterday suggesting he believes the Bush tax cuts for those making more than $200,000 should be extended - and contrasting that position with Republicans' decision to block unemployment insurance extensions for out of work Americans.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is spotlighting Kyl's comments in press releases this afternoon. Check out this quote from one such release, tailored to the Illinois Senate race, from DSCC National Press Secretary Deirdre Murphy:

"A top Republican leader in the Senate just telegraphed the Republican playbook: pull out all the stops to help the super wealthy but continue ignoring the middle class. Congressman Mark Kirk should tell Illinois voters if he is going to rubberstamp the out of touch Republican leadership or if he has the courage to help unemployed workers in his state."

Extending the Bush tax cuts, which are set to expire at the end of the year, would cost $678 billion over ten years, according to Fox News' Chris Wallace.

Wallace asked Kyl on "Fox News Sunday": "At a time Republicans are saying that they can't extend unemployment benefits unless you pay for them, tell me, how are you going to pay that $678 billion to keep those Bush tax cuts for the wealthy?"

Responded the Arizona senator: "[Y]ou should never raise taxes in order to cut taxes. Surely Congress has the authority, and it would be right to -- if we decide we want to cut taxes to spur the economy, not to have to raise taxes in order to offset those costs. You do need to offset the cost of increased spending, and that's what Republicans object to. But you should never have to offset cost of a deliberate decision to reduce tax rates on Americans."

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs Tweeted this in response to the comments: "Kyl says wealthy need big Bush tax cuts while middle class families are on their own to fend for themselves as a result of Bush economy."

Hari Sevugan, press secretary for the Democratic National Committee, piled on in a comment to Huffington Post: "If all of this has a familiar ring to it, it's because unpaid for tax cuts for the rich at the expense of working people is the same backward policy Republicans used to put the nation in this hole, and it's the same policy they promise to return to if put in a position of power again."

[Cattzen]

During the (possibly) worst economic times in current US History working class Americans lost their homes and jobs, experienced a lowered lifestyle while the GOP doled out $Billions to Private Companies where Exxon Oil achieved record profits for an American Corporation.

The Republicans not only do not care about the Average Working Class American, they will do everything in their power (when they have it) to see the destruction of the Middle Class.

[thebob-bob]

Republicans are delusional. It's that simple. Never let facts get in the way of ideology.

[tsigili]

Guess that makes the Dems like Robin Hood, period. Trouble is, they rob from the middle class also......not just the rich.

[Cassarit]

Sure
Republicans are bunch of aholes. But Dems seem to care more about marrying off homosexuals, banning guns and promoting abortions than about the most desperate problems of the American people. We have two parties governed according to the whims of a hopelessly detached and inccreasingly bizarre elite.

[Cattzen]

Republican supporters dwell on these straw man fallacies without giving regard to the realization that they continue to vote against their own better interests.

[thaonebornstar]

Well quiet frankly I don't trust none of these politicians. I don't have faith in their political games structured in political policies. For example: So many thousands of people have to sign a petition for a Tier 5 of unemployment benefits TO EVEN BE CONSIDERED for passing a law to provide benefits for these once hard working Americans. When those in power know exactly what the unemployment rate is in every city & state. And they also know how employers are denying the unemployed work. (And even going public with their discrimination!!!) When Americans are losing their homes, cars, & sanity. I don't have faith in those who spit in your face by telling you 99 weeks is sufficient enough. When they know we are living in a ever shrinking economy. I don't have faith in those who tell you that unemployment IS NOT a state of emergency. When everyday I watch the news & jobs are constantly being cut from the city, state, & the private sector. I don't have faith in those who could raise millions of dollars for their political campaigns & look you square in the eye & say: "Where are we going to get the money from?" Good people, lets all hold hands & stand up & fight these greedy, selfish, frauds in power. I made a couple of videos on unemployment. Please visit my links/urls below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcSVzeGlnZM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ph6DXKRlzs

[RobAla]

So explain this - how does taxing the crap out of Americans in order to grow the federal government create jobs? How does having the federal government steal more hard earned funding from business owners give them the money to hire more workers? This is idiocy.

Robin Hood!??? I am an independent who is sick of the Democrats stealing from hard working people, just so they can turn Washington DC into an empire! We need tax breaks for everyone, and we need to put Washington on a diet. This time, Washington needs to do the belt tightening. Enough of this redistribution of wealth, by a group of politicians who can't even balance the nation's checkbook. What makes these bozos in Washington think they know who should earn what? Who made you God?

[CalHoosier]

The reverse of Robin Hood would be to take from the poor and give to the rich gov. Seeing how our poor pay no taxes and give nothing to the gov. or the gov. takes nothing from them, and seeing how the wealthy tend to create more jobs, never worked for a poor person, I guess tax cuts would go to the rich if job creation was the issue.

[stn_sage]

So, the GOP is like Robin Hood in reverse.
What's that make the Democrats?
Judas Iscariot, perhaps? Or, Peter?

[Dryden01]

Robin Hood stole the money from the tax collector and returned it to the people from which it was fleeced. What a great idea! Set him loose in Washington D.C. immediately.

[zoeymaddy]

first of all i'm tired of obama vs.bush,demsvs.reps.,since when are these democrat or republican problems?these are american problems for god sakes,and if they soon don't get their heads out of their *****,there will be no one but rich and illegials for them to represent,enough is enough already.unemployment rates through the roof,americans losing their houses,having no insurance if they should happen to get sick,and not being able to feed their families properly,and all you can do is bicker back and forth about nonsence,is just immature and childlike behavior,and you wonder why your approval ratings are in the toilet!you run every two or six years and we can't get you outta our fasces,but right after election night its like where did they go?when it comes to your wallets,you know how to give yourselves a raise but you quiver like scared children when it comes to helping those you represent.please take a couple months or evena year or two if need be and leave your party affilliation at the door and finally do your job FOR US THE AMERICAN PEOPLE,then when you hopefully,at least partially do some meaningful work for americans,then remember your party ties,then you might even have something to brag about.remember we vote you in we canvote you out,its not only one party its both and i just don't know whos the bigger babies at this point.so please lets get to work and do your job,or as i and many other lowly hourly rate workers are told we will find someone who will

[1renegade]

Well said! Amazing how we have let a few hundred(politicians) control the millions( Americans) and run this country into the ground.