Misplaced Priorities

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, yesterday we watched a number of Democratic Senators come to the Senate floor and express their exasperation at not being able to do what they want to do around here. It is quite astonishing.

Let's face it, most Americans are not particularly interested in the things Democratic leaders have put at the top of their to-do list. They thought they put a restraining order on Democratic partisan priorities early last month. It is time Democrats put the priorities of the voters first.

In a couple of weeks the lights go out around here unless we do something to stop it. At the end of the month every taxpayer suffers a pay cut unless we stop it. But Democrats would rather spend the Senate's limited time on don't ask, don't tell and immigration. They would rather come down to the floor to talk about filibuster rules.

So they still do not get it, and that is why Republicans are insisting we put these things aside and finish the most important and urgent legislation before time runs out.

Fifteen million Americans are out of work. More than 3 million of those jobs have been lost since the stimulus was passed. So with all due respect for the Democrats' economic theories, the $1 trillion stimulus, endless government spending, and bailouts do not appear to have worked.

We have tried their way. Now it is time to try what businesses and families are asking us to do. Ask any business owner in America what we could do to help them start hiring again, and they will tell you the best thing we can do is give them certainty about their taxes.

The DREAM Act does not create jobs. Filibuster rules do not create jobs. Wasting time on votes to raise taxes will not create jobs.

Right now, House Democrats are getting ready to send us a bill on taxes they know will not pass in the Senate. This is a purely political exercise. Just consider what a number of Senate Democrats have said about this issue. Here is what one of their newest Members said just a few weeks ago:

I would extend them--

Referring to tax cuts--

for everyone.

Here is another one from September:

I don't think it makes sense to raise any federal taxes during the uncertain economy we are struggling through.

The first comment was from Senator Coons. The second comment was from Senator Lieberman.

Another said:

I support extending all of the expiring tax cuts until ..... the nation's economy is in better shape, and perhaps longer, because raising taxes in a weak economy could impair recovery. Continuing all of the tax cuts could provide certainty for families and businesses. .....

That was Senator Ben Nelson.

I don't think they ought to be drawing a distinction at $250,000.

That was Senator Jim Webb.

The economy is very weak right now. Raising taxes will lower consumer demand at a time when we want people putting more money into the economy.

That was Senator Evan Bayh.

Raising taxes during an economic downturn, one said, ``would be counterproductive.'' That was Senator Kent Conrad.

So what is the problem? It seems to me we have solid bipartisan agreement on the right thing to do for the economy and for job creation. Who is holding it up, and what do they have against helping businesses and creating jobs?

It is time to focus. We have tried the tax-and-spend route. It has not worked. Why don't we listen to the voters? Let's fund the government while reducing spending and prevent a massive tax hike on every American taxpayer.

Look, we have bipartisan support for this in the Senate and bipartisan opposition to raising taxes on anyone. As the President said earlier this week, after our meeting at the White House:

I think everybody understands that the American people want us to focus on their jobs, not ours. They want us to come together around strategies to accelerate the recovery and get Americans back to work.

I agree with the President. Why don't we get this done?

Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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