House Republicans Violate Pledge By Adding Nearly $1 TrillionTo Debt
House Republicans vowed to “pay as you go” and not approve measures that add to the debt. But that pledge has gone the way of immigration reform.
More than a dozen bills with costs that are not fully offset elsewhere in the budget have passed the Republican-controlled House and threaten to add nearly $1 trillion to federal debt over the next decade.
The measures include a slew of tax breaks known as tax extenders. Among them are a $155 billion research and development tax credit, a $90 billion expansion of the child tax credit to higher-income families and a $2 billion enhanced tax deduction for businesses that make charitable food donations.
Armed with a “Pledge to America,” Republicans won majority control of the House in 2010. The pledge spelled out the party’s governing principles and included a vow to “balance the budget and pay down the debt.”
To keep the promise, Republicans have demanded that spending increases, including for disaster relief and other crises, be funded or offset in the budget.
Of course, if Republicans really cared about spending, they wouldn’t be racking up millions of dollars by multiple Benghazi hearings and by suing the president.
KABoink_after_wingnut_hacker August 6th, 2014 at 8:00 am
I suspected as much since I’ve watched them cut government revenues through tax cuts for the wealth at every turn.
Why do republicans hate America?
Hirightnow August 6th, 2014 at 8:09 am
Republicans concentrate all of their patriotism and love for America into their lapel flag pins, so that, when confronted by the evils of socialism or immigration during the War on Whites©, they can release it all at once in a blinding flash of FREEEEEEEDOMMMMMMM{Lightning flashes/thunder booms/marshall music swells}.
Hirightnow August 6th, 2014 at 8:00 am
And yet, somehow, some way, this will turn up in Republican campaign ads as being Obama’s fault.
R.J. Carter August 6th, 2014 at 9:23 am
Want to bet Reid will have no trouble allowing these bills to be brought up for a vote in the Senate?
wpadon August 6th, 2014 at 8:16 am
Let’s not forget about the Joint Strike Fighter and the defense industry.
mea_mark August 6th, 2014 at 9:00 am
The republicans probably realize they have already lost the 2016 presidential elections and their best chance for winning in 2020 is to ruin the economy some more and drive up the debt. GOP, sacrificing America for political gain.
Shades August 6th, 2014 at 9:09 am
All together now, make your surprised face.
Robert Keith Johnston August 6th, 2014 at 1:45 pm
To Hell with that…I am NOT in the least bit surprised!
–RKJ
R.J. Carter August 6th, 2014 at 9:17 am
This is funny.
The House has “done nothing” and yet “passed bills that added to the debt” after they were excoriated by “not passing a budget.”
What do you want out of them? Other that they stop being Republicans?
mea_mark August 6th, 2014 at 9:50 am
Raise taxes on corporations and the very rich to pay for the government that protects their interests.
shocktreatment August 6th, 2014 at 12:51 pm
Really funny. “Done nothing” of relevance or substance.
“What do you want out of them?”
Maybe put the ‘honorable’ back in front of ‘opposition’. Maybe act on behalf of their actual human constituents, instead of at the behest of their monied patrons. Maybe some actual governance.
“Other that they stop being Republicans?”
They haven’t even acted like ‘republicans’ since their achievement of power through the appointment of Bushco, and the subsequent solidification of that power through judicial appointments.
Denise August 6th, 2014 at 10:31 am
I’m not worried about it. Whatever bill that passed in that nut job of a house will die in t Senate. What we need to do is GOTV so Pelosi becomes Speaker. Then we will have a sane, competent House of Representatives.
Steven Critcher August 6th, 2014 at 11:09 am
Thanks, Obama !
Tone Harang August 6th, 2014 at 12:13 pm
$1 Trillion? That is a mere drop in the bucket compared to Obama’s $7 TRILLION!!!
tiredoftea August 6th, 2014 at 12:30 pm
That’a about 14%, nitwit. BTW that $7T figure has held constant or gone down since the current President took office.
eaglesfanintn August 6th, 2014 at 12:48 pm
Here’s an idea – learn how the government works. The Constitution is more than the second amendment. You should try reading it sometime. In it you’ll learn that spending bills are passed by Congress and signed by the President.
Why aren’t you blaming the House for their spending bills? Is it ignorance or blind hatred?
atunionbob August 6th, 2014 at 5:38 pm
Ah but he started out with a hell of a lot more in Debt. He has cut the deficit, stock market at an all time high, More people insured then ever before. So Take your crap republican lies else where. We here are far too intelligent to except them.
Debbie Pineau August 6th, 2014 at 12:51 pm
Too bad, they wouldn’t come to their senses and realize that money is not theirs, but the hardearned dollars from the taxpayers. Of course, since it’s not their money, they seem to think that they can spend, spend, spend.
mea_mark August 6th, 2014 at 7:42 pm
If people only understood the power of fiat currency and how it relates to the world around them. The Oligarchy would so like to get it’s hands on that power.