Don't Raise Taxes in a Recession

Floor Speech

Mr. STUTZMAN. Madam Speaker, in August 2009, President Obama visited my district in Elkhart, Indiana. A brave constituent of mine expressed his disappointment with taxes and asked the President to explain how raising taxes on anyone during a deep recession is going to help with the economy. President Obama responded: ``I guess what I would say to Scott is his economics are right; you don't raise taxes in a recession.''

Responding to a follow-up question by MSNBC's Chuck Todd, he stated: ``So he is absolutely right. The last thing you want to do is to raise taxes in the middle of a recession because that would just suck up--take more demand out of the economy and put business in a further hole.''

Now the President is demanding that any debt ceiling compromise include higher taxes. That would discourage economic growth and, in his own words, take more money out of the economy.

Washington has a spending problem, not a revenue problem. The GOP plan, the Path to Prosperity, addresses our spending problems, puts our Nation on a strong footing and begins the journey towards balanced budgets and economic recovery. As part of our Cut, Cap, and Balance Act, House Republicans have demanded that a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution be sent to the States for ratification, to require a balanced budget in Washington just like Americans do every day.

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