John Boehner on the tax cuts: a little lying goes a long way

Congressman John Boehner is a lot like a cupcake made with rice instead of flour and salt instead of sugar: it looks like you expect it to look, but only if you don't look real close.

Here's Big John ranting in an editorial about how incredibly important Bush's tax cuts are to a healthy economy, with my piddly concerns about his analysis and/or veracity in boldfaced brackets:

...The key to balancing the budget is keeping our economy strong and promoting fiscal responsibility.

We need to oppose tax hikes, hold the line on spending, reduce earmarks, and pass line-item veto to crack down on worthless pork.

Pro-growth policies that create jobs and let Americans keep more of their own money, coupled with a real effort to put a lid on federal spending, will shrink the budget deficit and force the tax-and-spenders in Washington to do what every American has to do: live within their means.

American families have an important stake in this debate. Many Democrats are likely to argue in favor of tax hikes, most likely on businesses and others who help create new jobs and keep our economy moving. We shouldn't fall for this ruse.

A tax hike on anybody is a hidden tax on everybody. When Congress raises taxes, those costs are passed on to consumers in one form or another [but gosh Mr. Boehner, isn't that true of other costs, as well. You know, corporate profits, CEO and other major exec salaries, and so on?] and have devastating consequences on our entire economy. [so, Boehner old Bunny, if taxes were any higher than they are now, the economy would collapse, huh? How then do you explain the mysterious but undeniable fact that the American economy's most "robust" period ever--through the late forties and fifties, occurred when taxes were MUCH higher than they are now?]

Raising taxes would only increase the family tax burden and make American products more expensive when compared to cheaper foreign goods. It won't help balance the budget - it will slow the economic growth that is creating the new jobs of tomorrow and increasing revenue to the federal government.

A recent report by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) confirmed the tax cuts of 2003 have helped boost federal revenues by 68 percent. And the Wall Street Journal recently reported that "U.S. exports are booming, as growth elsewhere accelerates. Exports rose 10 percent in the quarter and a very robust 9.2 percent for the year." [So how come we just had ANOTHER all-time record trade deficit, Johnny Boy?]

Thanks to Republican pro-growth policies, U.S. businesses are finding new markets for American goods and services, creating new jobs here at home. [That's too ridiculous to even bother refuting and sourcing]

In fact, according to a report released by the Department of Labor (DOL), our economy created an average of 187,000 new jobs each month last year.

It's no accident - job creation is driven by a strong economy, and the U.S. economy is growing at a brisk 3.5 percent rate. More Americans are working now than at any point in our nation's history, and that's good news for families, small businesses, and local communities across the country.

A strong economy keeps inflation in check and interest rates low, which has helped more Americans purchase their first home.[And what is it that is causing the incredible number of mortgage defaults?]

More working families are benefiting from the fastest wage growth in more than five years, which makes everything from catching a movie on Friday night to paying your child's college bill a little easier. And the surging stock market is increasing the value of Americans' pensions and retirement savings plans each and every day.[at least it's increasing the value of the pensions held by fewer and fewer Americans, and, of course, America now has an overall negative savings rate]

Boehner: proof that laziness and ignorance of the public are the best friends the right ever had.