Pelosi: "Immorality" in GOP tax plan

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Assistant Minority Leader James Clyburn, D-S.C., Leader Pelosi, Rep. Sander Levin, D-Mich., ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee, and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md. face reporters following the vote on the middle class tax cut, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012.

/ AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

(CBS News) Amid ongoing gridlock in Congress over the extension of Bush-era tax cuts, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi on Thursday laid into Republican lawmakers for passing a law that extends the cuts for all Americans, accusing them of choosing to "engage in the luxury of amnesia" over the economic impact of that decision, and reiterating the Democratic call for a "comprehensive" overhaul of the tax code.

The House proposal, which passed last night with the support of 19 Democrats and all but one Republican, would extend all Bush-era tax cuts for one year, but would end cuts passed in 2009 aiding approximately 25 million middle-class households. A Democratic plan, meanwhile, which would not have extended those cuts for incomes above $250,000, failed in the House.

"Yesterday you saw on the floor a proposal that for one year would give a tax cut of $160,000 -- $160,000 -- to people making over a million dollars a year," said Pelosi, D-Calif., in a press conference. "That would be on average. And at the same time, that same bill for one year would on average increase taxes on the middle class by around $1,000."

Obama sets stage for new tax cut debate
House votes to renew Bush-era tax cuts

The Obama administration issued a veto threat on the tax bill following its passage last night, though it is not expected to pass in the Senate.

"You have to give the Republicans credit: They're very clear about their agenda. When they talk about tax cuts for the rich they talk about rewarding success. What they don't talk about is the tax increase for the middle class, which is devastating to our country," Pelosi said.

Pointing to the 2008 economic crisis, Pelosi argued that the full package of Bush-era tax cuts had led the country to a "near depression" in the past, and lambasted Republicans for pushing policies that she said aimed to serve their wealthy friends.

"Now they're saying, 'Perhaps we shall all engage in the luxury of amnesia. Let's forget all of that and let's do it again, because our friends, they need these tax cuts.' And that's just not right," she said. "It didn't work before... It took us to a near depression. We don't want to go there again."

She argued tax reform needs to be bipartisan or nonpartisan, but then said the GOP tax proposal "almost has an immorality to it."

In a press conference immediately following Pelosi's, House Speaker John Boehner dismissed Democratic criticisms of the plan, and argued that the idea of implementing any tax hikes is "just flat-out nuts."

"Two years ago, on December 6th, 2010, President Obama said stopping a tax hike was the right thing to do for our economy," Boehner said. "What's changed? Economic growth is even worse now and the American people are still asking the question: Where are the jobs? But now the president...insists that our struggling economy needs a tax increases on small businesses.

"I think this is just flat-out nuts," Boehner added.

Mr. Obama has long called for a rollback of the controversial Bush-era tax cuts, and in 2008 campaigned on a promise to end the cuts for "the wealthiest Americans" while upholding them for those earning $200,000 or less. In December 2010, however, citing a lame duck congressional stalemate, the president agreed to extend the cuts for all taxpayers. The cuts expire at the end of 2012, and Mr. Obama has repeatedly said that he will not re-up them for America's highest earners.

Boehner contended that Mr. Obama as been "AWOL" in dealing with the deficit and debt, as well as the automatic sequester cuts that are slated to go into effect in 2013.

"Yesterday we sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that said that if Democrats were to pass a bill to stop all the tax hikes, that we'd bring the House back; and, if they were to pass a set of reforms and cuts to replace the sequester, we would be happy to bring the House back," Boehner said. "By the end of the week only House Republicans will have passed a plan to address both of these threats. The only question now is, will Senate Democrats follow? We stand ready to act when they do."

He continued: "Washington Democrats are scared, they're hiding, desperately hoping to get through the fall election without anyone noticing that when it comes to Americans' future they have no plan."

[valwayne]

8.3% UNEMPLOYMENT!!! If we want to talk about morality why don't we talk about a President who after 3 1/2 years has left our nation with the worst UNEMPLOYMENT since the Great Depression, More DEBT than in the history of the world, and the highest levels of Poverty since 1965. Obama has given us the most failed Presidency since Herbert Hoover and the start of the Great Depression. Record UNEMPLOYMENT, DEBT, and POVERTY? What is moral about that? Is it moral that Obama and Pelosi have created an economy with their failed policies that has forced a record number of Americans onto foodstamps and disability? 8.3% UNEMPLOYMENT folks and its going higher!

[nygurl1]

Wow! A .1% jump and they are howling in the woods!
THEY created the problems and yet they still blame the President.

Good idea.
.
But if the people actually elect mitty on these lies, they better be ready to live like paupers for the rest of their lives!

[enoughsaidu]

I can't quote statics or big numbers. But I work with 2 groups of people. 75% of them make over $300,000 a year and the other 25% make less than $80,000 a year. All I keep hearing about is the 75% bonuses, extra days off and travel payments. The 25% are told sorry the budget is so tight we can only afford a 1% raise for you. Most of the 75% are republicans. They don't care about health care or the good of the country; they only care about their taxes and their money. That's all they talk about how it will affect their vacations and additions on their vacation homes. Wake up people and see what's really going on. The republicans don't care about anything but their pocket. Oh yea I still don't like Pelosi, democrat or not.

[TimeToEvolve]

I'm glad you recognize that we do not have a left vs. right problem but a top vs. bottom. The Top 1% have gotten away with ripping us off for far too long.

[jwv651]

Unemployment rate ticked up from 8.2% to 8.3%. Nuff Said! Can't spin this! Obama is a complete failure.

[nygurl1]

Sorry, a .1% increase is common and not a death blow to anything!

His only failure was to believe the reps were human and cared about people.....They have proven they only care about themselves and their masters!

[plauren]

In just a few weeks, I can't wait to see Pelosi's reaction to the brewing scandal/ illegality/ immorality of the lobbyists over Obamacare. Secret meeting and deals , out of the W.H., so they can avoid being logged in. One such email said ' Pelosi ' will just roll over......can't wait for the culture queen Pelosi to unravel.

[nygurl1]

You are a very sick person and should be locked up right away.

[HCrum]

Confiscation of other people's property or money is immoral. That is what taxes in general are. They are also necessary, but should be kept to an absolute minimum.

[PSnoBS]

That's what Japan, Germany, France, and Canada are all saying.

[fiberglass3]

The republican'ts want a uniform government itching - hungering - to dismantle the entire fabric of federal social programs like Medicare, Social Security, unemployment insurance, workers' compensation, minimum wage, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., the graduated income tax and consumer protections like the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Food and Drug Administration.

These savings can then be passed along to the 1% in the form of tax cuts.

[nygurl1]

Much more likely to be split so they can have the wars with Iran & N.Korea that they love so much!

No - I'm wrong! They will keep the money and kill the SS bank again to start their wars!

[Angcares]

There are far to many people that work for minimum wage. Many work 2 jobs and are still living in poverty. They work hard for corporations that should pay a fair wage, but will not pay it.Corporation complain that they pay high taxes. BUT Taxpayers subsidize those corporations by providing food stamps to their under paid employees. The republicans are concerned about people that have amassed more wealth than they will spend in 10 lifetimes paying too much in taxes too.Republicans call them the job creators. The rich have not created jobs with those tax savings for the last ten years, and will not start now. The rich put the tax savings in banks and complain because they do not earn enough interest. While the banks have a surplus of money to lend but not enough qualfied borrowers that need a loan, because too many people work hard and are under paid. The economy is in a grid lock. Solution: TAX the very rich that hide their money in blind trusts, Tax the corporations that have outsources jobs. Break the grid lock and put money back into the economy. **The rich will get a happy ending when the economy improves and they can earn a steady 6% on their money again.

[Ulgnud]

She was one of the three who helped push spending to astronomical heights. Now she is surprised the people do not want to hand their paychecks over to cover it. Tax N Spend liberal.

[Molly-Pchr]

Immorality? I thought the libs didn't believe in immorality? If they do, they had better look over a plank or two in their political platform.

[nygurl1]

You think???

[Conthugs]

Obama is going to win in a land slide this November. The republican party is finished and so are several right leaning democrats.
People have had it with this right wing, rich fat cat syndrome.
Can't wait to see who Robme picks as a president of Vice.