Boehner to Obama: Fire Your Economic Team

CBS

House Republican Leader John Boehner today laid out a series of proposals he said would jumpstart the economy, previewing the agenda of a possible Republican-led Congress. He also called on President Obama to make sweeping changes -- starting with firing his own economic team.

The entire White House staff has proven to be deaf to the needs of small business owners and employers, Boehner said today in a speech at the City Club of Cleveland in Cleveland, Ohio. It is in part because of their "lack of real-world, hands-on experience," he said. The Republican leader noted that Mr. Obama's first Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag has already left the White House and said "the writing on the wall" for the rest of the president's team.

"President Obama should ask for - and accept - the resignations of the remaining members of his economic team, starting with Secretary Geithner and Larry Summers, the head of the National Economic Council," Boehner said. "We do not have the luxury of waiting months for the president to pick scapegoats for his failing 'stimulus' policies."

Boehner also called on Mr. Obama to extend all of the Bush tax cuts, set to expire at the end of the year. The president has proposed extending all of them except for individuals making over $200,000 or families making over $250,000. Boehner said that proposal puts the government "in the position of picking winners and losers and pitting taxpayer against taxpayer."

Biden's Response: The GOP Has No New Ideas

"Raising taxes on families and small businesses during a recession is a recipe for disaster - both for our economy and for the deficit," he said.

Additionally, as soon as Congress returns to work from its August recess, lawmakers should cut non-defense discretionary spending to 2008 levels, Boehner said.

"President Obama says we should wait and talk about a deficit reduction plan next year," he said. "I say, let's talk about it right now."

The White House was prepared this morning with a response to Boehner's speech, blasting his proposals as "an argument for a return to the economic policies that turned a surplus into record deficits and helped create the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression."

Extending the Bush tax cuts for the richest Americans is a "tired approach" to economic recovery, wrote White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer, and "the poorest way to support our economy," adding more than $700 billion to the nation's deficits.

The Obama administration, Pfeiffer argued, has enabled private sector job creation for seven months in a row and has a plan to reduce the deficit by more than $1 trillion over the next 10 years.

While there may be signs of limited economic growth the White House can point to, Boehner in his speech hammered the administration for the continuing high levels of unemployment. He used the term "job-killing" in his speech 11 times while making two other references to policies that make it harder to create jobs.

"Jobs is the issue," he said, "and 'where are the jobs?' is the question I hear about everywhere I go."

Boehner said that if he were Speaker of the House, he would "run the House differently... differently than it's been run in the past under Democrats or Republicans."

He laid out a plan for spending cuts and tax reform, calling for "an honest conversation with the American people about the scope of our fiscal challenges," including a review of short-term and long-term commitments. He called for a review of both government programs as well as tax cuts that could be "just poorly disguised spending programs."

Boehner praised Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) for identifying $1.3 trillion in specific spending cuts that could be implemented immediately. He also promoted what he called "common-sense steps" like canceling unspent stimulus money. Republicans have proposed stimulus "alternatives," Boehner said, such as Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.)'s plan to give businesses with fewer than 500 employees a tax deduction equal to 20 percent of their income.

"Instead of growing big-government, let's focus on growing small businesses," Boehner said.

The Republican leader called on Washington leaders to pass pending free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. He also challenged Mr. Obama to veto any "job-killing" bills passed by the lame-duck Congress after this November's midterm elections -- he specifically cited the union-backed "card-check" bill (the Employee Free Choice Act) and a "national energy tax," referencing the climate change legislation passed in the House last year.

[010sonny]

Ahhh; The shepherd Boehner hath spoken on his command we all bleat now?.. Stripped the liberties of the individuals senators of leadership and has herded them to his monarchy flock. Now he calls for more to join his flock and they well trample down all that has been achieved and destroy, destroy. Solutions will be dispersed amongst the ruins.. TEA to be served with a nice dish of red herring..

[stsebastian]

Oh, BRAVO!! Yeah, and the economy and jobs really got rockin' and rollin' with those tax cuts. Wow! And just think of it, the Republicans want to cut more! That ought to really FIX things! =]

[mikelpond]

Public to Boehner: Get your butt off the golf course and come up with some serious policies. and, btw, stop smearing yourself with orange dye; you look like an idiot.

[steeepe]

To Ohio voters: Fire that idiot Bonehead!

[karlejohn]

Mr Boehner Sir! Fire yourself! You sir was sitting in the front seat of the bus for eight years when the bus was being driven into the ditch. Clearly a case of DUI of the republican party.

[wdh3007]

More like America to Obama fire yourself!

[spaceatoms]

The entire ordeal is out of hand and they can't fix it and won't fix it; both parties are the blame although I didn't vote for President Obama and the current rhetorical excuses, he lost the fight in the first year with the bailout, the average American did not need a bailout, the wealthy needed the bailout thus dividing the country into a right wing fascism led by Wall Street and a left wing fascism led by China backed industry corporations supporting middle America yet President Obama promised the middle class some retaliation against Wall Street with more jobs and more respect with the sleeves pulled up during the campaign, instead Wall Street won instantly in the sexy summer of 2009 and the middle class lost big. The middle class now pays more for everything country that doesn't have a food problem nor energy problem. With the poor living in a socialistic economy and not caring much, it comes down to common ideas and Summers and Geither are only looking at the banks with a sprinkle of manufacturing and they are shaking in their boots to raise interest rates, anyone remember 5.00 gas. In two decades, banks irresponsibly loaned out money in an escalating economy for homes, business's, and didn't get their money back, they didn't care, they just bet against the common good with a derivative and still made money, a lot of it including the real estate problems were packaged up and sent over to Freddie and Fannie where derivatives escalated daily along with Wall Street. Big money was on the table, and the entire idea of going to work and paying off a home which takes 20 years not including 2nd mortgages was thrown out the window for a quick return, hence 43 percent of adults are single, nobody cares anymore. Players like Madoff and Enron pulled the rug right out under their own investors and are now paying the penalty. Its easy for Boehner to throw out punchlines, much like President Obama in 2008 in a rhetorical fashion saying he can do it better, but unless he has a different plan,then only way out now is a complete collapse to clear the table and cut off China and Europe, now they would want their treasuries back.

[liberalme]

Aer you talking about the $700 billion bailout Bush's friend Paulson wanted to "handle" with no oversight?--That bailout???

[brandshoesclothing]

Boehner also called on Mr. Obama to extend all of the Bush tax cuts, set to expire at the end of the year .and what's is the best way to deal with problem. The entire White House staff has proven to be deaf to the needs of small business owners and employers.and wether this will be hlep.<a href=http://www.brandshoesclothing.com/>buy nhl jerseys</a> Whenever there is a rich tax cuts in the United States, China and India, people celebrate their streets.andConservative advocacy Govt is not the answer to solve all your problems, apparently they think government is running the military know how to do the right thing.

[ozilot]

This coming from the leader of the GOP that lost two congressional elections, 2006 and 2008

GOP fire your congressional leadership!

[rwsmith29456]

It's not only Obama, but he's the ringleader. It's also the ignoramuses that have been appointed to important offices.